Towards a new spatial perspective – Norwegian politics at the crossroads

The purpose of the article is to investigate how the hegemony of traditional regional policy in Norway has been weakened in favour of policies of a new type, derived from the combined effect of climate concerns and a search for increased structural efficiency. This phenomenon is identified as an ‘eco-spatial’ turn that marks a new policy regime with changing agendas. The policy transition is analysed by drawing on existing scientific literature in the fields concerned, central policy documents, and relevant news articles. The results of the analysis substantiate that a decisive turn has taken place, with the period of transition between the two policy types identified as 1992–2015. This shift in policy orientation has important institutional and political consequences, including the move from a perspective of demographic and economic expansion in space to one of contraction and a subsequent creation of spatial scarcity. To conclude, the author questions whether the new policy position is viable, given the deep-rooted nature of regional cleavages within Norwegian society. However, the formal institutional ability to deal with the situation at the national level is in place, since national planning and regional policies have finally been gathered within the confines of one ministry.     

Tracking hydrological responses of a thermokarst lake in the Old Crow Flats (Yukon Territory,Canada) to recent climate variability using aerial photographs and paleolimnological methods

Recent studies using remote sensing analysis of lake‐rich thermokarst landscapes have documented evidence of declining lake surface area in response to recent warming. However, images alone cannot identify whether these declines are due to increasing frequency of lake drainage events associated with accelerated thermokarst activity or to increasing evaporation in response to longer ice‐free season duration. Here, we explore the potential of combining aerial photograph time series with paleolimnological analyses to track changes in hydrological conditions of a thermokarst lake in the Old Crow Flats (OCF), Canada, and to identify their causes. Images show that the water level in lake OCF 48 declined markedly sometime between 1972 and 2001. In a sediment core from OCF 48, complacent stratigraphic profiles of several physical, geochemical, and biological parameters from ～1874–1967 indicate hydro‐limnological conditions were relatively stable. From ～1967–1989, declines in organic matter content, organic carbon isotope values, and pigment concentrations are interpreted to reflect an increase in supply of minerogenic sediment, and subsequent decline in aquatic productivity, caused by increased thermo‐erosion of shoreline soils. Lake expansion was likely caused by increased summer rainfall, as recorded by increased cellulose‐inferred lake‐water oxygen isotope compositions. Stratigraphic trends defining the lake expansion phase terminated at ～1989, which likely marks the year when the lake drained. Above‐average precipitation during the previous year probably raised the lake level and promoted further thermo‐erosion of the shoreline soils that caused the lake to drain. These are meteorological conditions that have led to other recent lake‐drainage events in the OCF. Thus, the decline in lake level, evident in the aerial photograph from 2001, is unlikely to have been caused by evaporation, but rather is a remnant of a drainage event that took place more than a decade earlier. After drainage, the lake began to refill, and most paleolimnological parameters approach levels that are similar to those during the stable phase. These findings indicate that combined use of aerial images and paleolimnological methods offers much promise for identifying the hydrological consequences of recent climatic variations on thermokarst lakes. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Re‐analysis of key evidence in the case for a hemispherically synchronous response to the Younger Dryas climatic event

A south‐east Australian speleothem stable isotope record displaying an apparent cooling synchronous with the northern hemisphere Younger Dryas climate event (12.9–11.7 ka) has significantly influenced scientific thinking on the climatic response of the southern hemisphere following the Last Glacial Maximum. This is one of very few records displaying such a response, and yet the cooling was inferred from substantial extrapolation between just three uranium‐series ages. Technological advances since then have produced major improvements in both the spatial resolution and the accuracy of uranium‐series geochronologies. Re‐analysis of this sample has yielded ages of 7.96 ± 0.36 to 7.69 ± 0.33 ka for the interval previously inferred to span the Younger Dryas, and reveals a substantial hiatus in deposition from 6.93 ± 0.64 to 1.83 ± 0.16 ka. These data not only refute the original evidence for an inter‐hemispheric synchroneity of the Younger Dryas but also reject any evidence for neoglacial conditions at 3 ka. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Carbonate tufas as archives of climate and sedimentary dynamic in volcanic settings,examples from Gran Canaria (Spain)

Three Holocene tufas from Gran Canaria volcanic island were studied with the aim of deciphering their sedimentary evolution through space and time. Las Temisas tufa (south-eastern arid part of the island) is dominantly composed of oncoids, intraclasts, phytoclasts, coated stems, minor thin stromatolites, and a high amount of siliciclastics. It was deposited in a fluvial system with variable flow velocities and palustrine conditions areas, which alternated with high energy events. Azuaje tufa (northern humid part of the island) is composed of coated stems, stromatolites, oncoids and phytoclasts, with relatively low amounts of siliciclastics, suggesting slow-flowing and palustrine conditions and a relatively low incidence of (high energy) floodings. Los Berrazales tufa (north-west of Gran Ganaria, the most humid one), is mainly composed of coated stems and crystalline crusts, formed in a laminar flow regime. Dominant clastic sedimentation in Las Temisas and high calcite growth rates in Los Berrazales led to a poor development of stromatolites in comparison with Azuaje. Las Temisas and Azuaje deposits have similar upward evolution with decreasing trend in siliciclastics and increasing trend in carbonates. However, Las Temisas has higher siliciclastic and lower phytoclastic contents suggesting a less vegetated area and more arid climate than in the other deposits. Additionally, tufas record local events common in volcanic terrains. Azuaje presents three units bounded by erosive discontinuities, which reveal significant erosion by enhanced runoff that could be caused by loss of vegetation due to wildfires related to volcanic eruptions at headwaters. Las Temisas record a possible interruption in sedimentation represented by aligned boulders due to rockfalls from the hillsides. These deposits formed from waters with similar chemistry providing to the carbonates their similar signals in δ¹³C–δ¹⁸O stable isotopes and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios like that of the volcanic rocks. This work shows how, in volcanic areas, tufas are unique archives of the climate, vegetation and volcanic-related processes, because all imprint the sedimentary regime of tufa deposition.     

Intelligent ship traffic monitoring for oil spill prevention: risk based decision support building on AIS

The paper describes a model, which estimates the risk levels of individual crude oil tankers. The intended use of the model, which is ready for trial implementation at The Norwegian Coastal Administrations new Vard? VTS (Vessel Traffic Service) centre, is to facilitate the comparison of ships and to support a risk based decision on which ships to focus attention on. For a VTS operator, tasked with monitoring hundreds of ships, this is a valuable decision support tool. The model answers the question, "Which ships are likely to produce an oil spill accident, and how much is it likely to spill?".     

Exposure of inner-shelf reefs to nutrient enriched runoff entering the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon: post-European changes and the design of water quality targets

We used historical flood plume extent data (modelled) to quantify the typical spatial extent of the summer runoff-seawater mixing zone of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) lagoon. Spatially explicit analysis of the variability of in situ chlorophyll a concentrations (observed) across the runoff-seawater mixing zone, then allowed us to explore regional differences in the nutrient enrichment impact of runoff events from the various river systems that drain the GBR catchment. We demonstrate the existence of a discernable north-south gradient along the length of the GBR, such that for equivalent runoff:seawater dilutions ratios, lower levels of nutrient enrichment (as indicated by chlorophyll alpha observations) result from the river systems that drain the relatively undisturbed northern areas of the GBR catchment, compared to more human-impacted central and south areas. We identify a strong correlation between this north-south enrichment gradient and the flood concentration of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) entrained by the various river systems. By substituting the nutrient enrichment characteristics of the human-impacted river discharges with those of the undisturbed northern rivers, we provide a means to compare the short-term enriching 'footprint' for existing runoff intrusions with those that are likely to have occurred under pre-European catchment conditions. We demonstrate that under pre-European conditions, the nutrient enriching impact from river runoff was likely to have been largely constrained within 1-2 km of the coast, whereas existing conditions support the impact of reefs some 20-30 km off the coast. By using the developed spatial relations, we show that for the heavily human-impacted river systems, reductions in the end-of-river concentrations of DIN in the order 50-80% are needed in order to restore parity with pre-European conditions. We discuss these results in regard to developing end-of-catchment water quality targets for the region.     

Validation of OML,AERMOD/PRIME and MISKAM Using the Thompson Wind-Tunnel Dataset for Simple Stack-Building Configurations

A comprehensive dataset on dispersion behind rectangular buildings has been used to analyse the performance of two dispersion models in respect to their handling of building effects: the Danish OML model and the US AERMOD model with the PRIME building algorithm; additionally, the German MISKAM model has been assessed. OML and AERMOD are regulatory plume models with limited requirements in terms of input and computing resources, whereas MISKAM is a computational fluid dynamical model, and as such much more demanding. For most scenarios considered, the degree of misprediction in respect to the maximum concentrations is less than a factor of two for OML and AERMOD. However, in respect to the concentration at a specific location, especially in the near field, both models often result in larger mispredictions. MISKAM provides more accurate predictions.     

Timing and extent of early marine oxygen isotope stage 2 alpine glaciation in Skagit Valley, Washington

Twenty-two new radiocarbon ages from Skagit valley provide a detailed chronology of alpine glaciation during the Evans Creek stade of the Fraser Glaciation (early marine oxygen isotope stage (MIS) 2) in the Cascade Range, Washington State. Sediments at sites near Concrete, Washington, record two advances of the Baker valley glacier between ca. 30.3 and 19.5 cal ka BP, with an intervening period of glacier recession about 24.9 cal ka BP. The Baker valley glacier dammed lower Skagit valley, creating glacial Lake Concrete, which discharged around the ice dam along Finney Creek, or south into the Sauk valley. Sediments along the shores of Ross Lake in upper Skagit valley accumulated in glacial Lake Skymo after ca. 28.7 cal ka BP behind a glacier flowing out of Big Beaver valley. Horizontally laminated silt and bedded sand and gravel up to 20 m thick record as much as 8000 yr of deposition in these glacially dammed lakes. The data indicate that alpine glaciers in Skagit valley were far less extensive than previously thought. Alpine glaciers remained in advanced positions for much of the Evans Creek stade, which may have ended as early as 20.8 cal ka BP.     

Experimental and computational study of trace element distribution between orthopyroxene and anhydrous silicate melt: substitution mechanisms and the effect of iron

Although orthopyroxene (Opx) is present during a wide range of magmatic differentiation processes in the terrestrial and lunar mantle, its effect on melt trace element contents is not well quantified. We present results of a combined experimental and computational study of trace element partitioning between Opx and anhydrous silicate melts. Experiments were performed in air at atmospheric pressure and temperatures ranging from 1,326 to 1,420°C in the system CaO–MgO–Al₂O₃–SiO₂ and subsystem CaO–MgO–SiO₂. We provide experimental partition coefficients for a wide range of trace elements (large ion lithophile: Li, Be, B, K, Rb, Sr, Cs, Ba, Th, U; rare earth elements, REE: La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Y, Yb, Lu; high field strength: Zr, Nb, Hf, Ta, Ti; transition metals: Sc, V, Cr, Co) for use in petrogenetic modelling. REE partition coefficients increase from $ D_{\text{La}}^{{\text{Opx}} {\hbox{-}} {\text{melt}}} \sim 0.0005 Although orthopyroxene (Opx) is present during a wide range of magmatic differentiation processes in the terrestrial and lunar mantle, its effect on melt trace element contents is not well quantified. We present results of a combined experimental and computational study of trace element partitioning between Opx and anhydrous silicate melts. Experiments were performed in air at atmospheric pressure and temperatures ranging from 1,326 to 1,420°C in the system CaO–MgO–Al₂O₃–SiO₂ and subsystem CaO–MgO–SiO₂. We provide experimental partition coefficients for a wide range of trace elements (large ion lithophile: Li, Be, B, K, Rb, Sr, Cs, Ba, Th, U; rare earth elements, REE: La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Y, Yb, Lu; high field strength: Zr, Nb, Hf, Ta, Ti; transition metals: Sc, V, Cr, Co) for use in petrogenetic modelling. REE partition coefficients increase from $ D_{\text{La}}^{{\text{Opx}} {\hbox{-}} {\text{melt}}} \sim 0.0005 $ D_{\text{La}}^{{\text{Opx}} {\hbox{-}} {\text{melt}}} \sim 0.0005 to $ D_{\text{Lu}}^{{{\text{Opx}} {\hbox{-}} {\text{melt}}}} \sim 0.109 $ D_{\text{Lu}}^{{{\text{Opx}} {\hbox{-}} {\text{melt}}}} \sim 0.109 , D values for highly charged elements vary from $ D_{\text{Th}}^{{{\text{Opx}} {\hbox{-}} {\text{melt}}}} \sim 0.0026 $ D_{\text{Th}}^{{{\text{Opx}} {\hbox{-}} {\text{melt}}}} \sim 0.0026 through $ D_{\text{Nb}}^{{{\text{Opx}} {\hbox{-}} {\text{melt}}}} \sim 0.0033 $ D_{\text{Nb}}^{{{\text{Opx}} {\hbox{-}} {\text{melt}}}} \sim 0.0033 and $ D_{\text{U}}^{{{\text{Opx}} {\hbox{-}} {\text{melt}}}} \sim 0.0066 $ D_{\text{U}}^{{{\text{Opx}} {\hbox{-}} {\text{melt}}}} \sim 0.0066 to $ D_{\text{Ti}}^{{\text{Opx}} {\hbox{-}} {\text{melt}}} \sim 0.058 $ D_{\text{Ti}}^{{\text{Opx}} {\hbox{-}} {\text{melt}}} \sim 0.058 , and are all virtually independent of temperature. Cr and Co are the only compatible trace elements at the studied conditions. To elucidate charge-balancing mechanisms for incorporation of REE into Opx and to assess the possible influence of Fe on Opx-melt partitioning, we compare our experimental results with computer simulations. In these simulations, we examine major and minor trace element incorporation into the end-members enstatite (Mg₂Si₂O₆) and ferrosilite (Fe₂Si₂O₆). Calculated solution energies show that R²⁺ cations are more soluble in Opx than R³⁺ cations of similar size, consistent with experimental partitioning data. In addition, simulations show charge balancing of R³⁺ cations by coupled substitution with Li⁺ on the M1 site that is energetically favoured over coupled substitution involving Al–Si exchange on the tetrahedrally coordinated site. We derived best-fit values for ideal ionic radii r ₀, maximum partition coefficients D ₀, and apparent Young’s moduli E for substitutions onto the Opx M1 and M2 sites. Experimental r ₀ values for R³⁺ substitutions are 0.66–0.67 ? for M1 and 0.82–0.87 ? for M2. Simulations for enstatite result in r ₀ = 0.71–0.73 ? for M1 and ~0.79–0.87 ? for M2. Ferrosilite r ₀ values are systematically larger by ~0.05 ? for both M1 and M2. The latter is opposite to experimental literature data, which appear to show a slight decrease in $ r_{0}^{{{\text{M}}2}} $ r_{0}^{{{\text{M}}2}} in the presence of Fe. Additional systematic studies in Fe-bearing systems are required to resolve this inconsistency and to develop predictive Opx-melt partitioning models for use in terrestrial and lunar magmatic differentiation models.