Two-dimensionality of magnetic anomalies over Iceland and Reykjanes Ridge

The relationship between the magnetic anomalies over Iceland and those over Reykjanes Ridge is investigated using the data of the 1965 Dominion Observatory survey. A method is developed for determining the two-dimensionality of the anomalies from the component data measured in this survey. This method is based on testing the first and the second derivative of the magnetic potential with respect to the direction of two-dimensionality, using the component data along a single flight line. Testing the first derivative also yields the direction of two-dimensionality. The outcomes of the two tests (based on a single line) are compared with the observed two-dimensionality (established by narrowly spaced earlier surveys) of Reykjanes Ridge, showing good agreement. As the outcomes of the two tests provide complementary information they are combined into a single factor: A. This factor of two-dimensionality is very low for the anomalies over the shelf of Iceland indicating that the anomalies over Iceland cannot be continued directly into those over Reykjanes Ridge. Over Iceland A is generally low. Over the neovolcanic zone in eastern Iceland twodimensionality is associated with long wavelengths that are not present in the spectrum of the anomalies over Reykjanes Ridge. Thus, Reykjanes Ridge-type anomalies are absent with the exception of the central anomaly. This may not be used as evidence against crustal spreading since the kinematic model proposed by Pálmason for Iceland has a wide transition zone between rock of opposite polarity. The same model if computed for a mid-ocean ridge has narrow transition zones. The larger width of the transition zone blurs the anomalies related to the reversals of the earth magnetic field.     

Seismic interferometry by tangent‐phase correction

We present a modified interferometry method based on local tangent‐phase analysis, which corrects the cross‐correlated data before summation. The approach makes it possible to synthesize virtual signals usually vanishing in the conventional seismic interferometry summation. For a given pair of receivers and a set of different source positions, a plurality of virtual traces is obtained at new stationary projected points located along the signal wavefronts passing through the real reference receiver. The position of the projected points is estimated by minimizing travel times using wavefront constraint and correlation‐signal tangent information. The method uses mixed processing, which is partially based on velocity‐model knowledge and on data‐based blind interferometry. The approach can be used for selected events, including reflections with different stationary conditions and projected points with respect to those of the direct arrivals, to extend the interferometry representation in seismic exploration data where conventional illumination coverage is not sufficient to obtain the stationary‐phase condition. We discuss possible applications in crosswell geometry with a velocity anomaly and a time lapse.     

Seabirds in the North Sea Demobilized and Killed by Polyisobutylene (C4H8)n (PIB)

This paper reports on a mass stranding of seabirds in the North Sea in December 1998. Hundreds of birds were washed ashore alive in Zeeland (SW Netherlands), covered in a whitish, sticky substance, and were transported to a rehabilitation centre. About 10 days later, more (dead) casualties washed ashore further to the north on Texel and along the mainland coast, again covered in a glue-like substance. Common guillemots Uria aalge, northern fulmars Fulmarus glacialis and common scoters Melanitta nigra were the most numerous birds affected in this incident. Both strandings were temporarily (10 days) and geographically separated (ca. 120 km apart), but were apparently caused by a single source of pollution. The meteorology at the time was consistent with the course of a single incident. At least 1100 seabirds were affected by this substance, soon identified as polyisobutylene (C₄H₈)_n. PIB is known as a non-toxic, non-aggressive substance. Volunteers cleaning the birds in the rehabilitation centre reported serious discomfort and dizziness and the soft parts of the PIB-affected birds found dead (bill, eye, throat, feet, webs) appeared to dissolve in a few days time. Both effects cannot be attributed to PIB, and are therefore unexplained. Although the dumping of PIB in the marine environment is not explicitly prohibited under MARPOL, the effects on wildlife observed are enough to plead for counter-measures.     

Perylene dominates the organic contaminant profile in the Berau delta, East Kalimantan, Indonesia

The geographical distributions of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), hexachlorobenzene, and 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethene (4,4'-DDE) were studied in the Berau delta (East Kalimantan, Indonesia), using sediment sampling and passive water sampling with semipermeable membrane devices. High concentrations of perylene were observed in sediments (54-580 ng g(-1) dry weight), and water (1-680 pg L(-1)). Perylene accounted for about 60% of the total concentrations of PAHs in the sediment. The relative abundance of the other PAHs was indicative of petrogenic sources. Concentrations of PCBs, hexachlorobenzene, and 4,4'-DDE in sediments were below or close to the detection limit (～ 0.02 ng g(-1)). The analysis of a sediment core revealed no appreciable changes in the concentration of target compounds over the past three decades. We show that sediment sampling and passive water sampling are complementary techniques, and propose to bring the results of both methods to the same concentration scale, using locally derived sediment-water partition coefficients.     

Data-driven retrieval of primary plane-wave responses

Seismic images provided by reverse time migration can be contaminated by artefacts associated with the migration of multiples. Multiples can corrupt seismic images, producing both false positives, that is by focusing energy at unphysical interfaces, and false negatives, that is by destructively interfering with primaries. Multiple prediction/primary synthesis methods are usually designed to operate on point source gathers and can therefore be computationally demanding when large problems are considered. A computationally attractive scheme that operates on plane-wave datasets is derived by adapting a data-driven point source gathers method, based on convolutions and cross-correlations of the reflection response with itself, to include plane-wave concepts. As a result, the presented algorithm allows fully data-driven synthesis of primary reflections associated with plane-wave source responses. Once primary plane-wave responses are estimated, they are used for multiple-free imaging via plane-wave reverse time migration. Numerical tests of increasing complexity demonstrate the potential of the proposed algorithm to produce multiple-free images from only a small number of plane-wave datasets.     

Identification and Explanation of a Change in the Groundwater Regime using Time Series Analysis

Time series analysis is applied to identify and analyze a transition in the groundwater regime in the aquifer below the sand ridge of Salland in the Netherlands, where groundwater regime refers to the range of head variations throughout the seasons. Standard time series analysis revealed a discrepancy between modeled and observed heads in several piezometers indicating a possible change in the groundwater regime. A new time series modeling approach is developed to simulate the transition from the initial regime to the altered regime. The transition is modeled as a weighted sum of two responses, one representing the initial state of the system, the other representing the altered state. The inferred timing and magnitude of the change provided strong evidence that the transition was the result of significant dredging works that increased the river bed conductance of the main river draining the aquifer. The plausibility of this explanation is corroborated by an analytical model. This case study and the developed approach to identify a change in the groundwater regime are meant to stimulate a more systematic application of time series analysis to detect and understand changes in groundwater systems which may easily go unnoticed in groundwater flow modeling.     

RCP2.6: exploring the possibility to keep global mean temperature increase below 2��C

The RCP2.6 emission and concentration pathway is representative of the literature on mitigation scenarios aiming to limit the increase of global mean temperature to 2°C. These scenarios form the low end of the scenario literature in terms of emissions and radiative forcing. They often show negative emissions from energy use in the second half of the 21st century. The RCP2.6 scenario is shown to be technically feasible in the IMAGE integrated assessment modeling framework from a medium emission baseline scenario, assuming full participation of all countries. Cumulative emissions of greenhouse gases from 2010 to 2100 need to be reduced by 70% compared to a baseline scenario, requiring substantial changes in energy use and emissions of non-CO₂ gases. These measures (specifically the use of bio-energy and reforestation measures) also have clear consequences for global land use. Based on the RCP2.6 scenario, recommendations for further research on low emission scenarios have been formulated. These include the response of the climate system to a radiative forcing peak, the ability of society to achieve the required emission reduction rates given political and social inertia and the possibilities to further reduce emissions of non-CO₂ gases.     

Contents to Volume 7

Volume Contents

Contents to Volume 7     

Extraction of P-wave reflections from microseisms

The last few years there has been a growing number of body-wave observations in noise records. In 1973, Vinnik conjectured that P-waves would even be the dominant wavemode, at epicentral distances of about 40 degrees and onwards from an oceanic source. At arrays far from offshore storms, surface waves induced by nearby storms would not mask the body-wave signal and hence primarily P-waves would be recorded. We measured at such an array in Egypt and indeed found a large proportion of P-waves. At the same time, a new methodology is under development to characterize the lithosphere below an array of receivers, without active sources or local earthquakes. Instead, transmitted waves are used which are caused by distant sources. These sources may either be transient or more stationary. With this new methodology, called seismic interferometry, reflection responses are extracted from the coda of transmissions. Combining the two developments, it is clear that there is a large potential for obtaining reflection responses from low-frequency noise. A potential practical advantage of using noise instead of earthquake responses would be that an array only needs to be deployed for a few days or weeks instead of months, to gather enough illumination. We used a few days of continuous noise, recorded with an array in the Abu Gharadig basin, Egypt. We split up the record in three distinct frequency bands and in many small time windows. Using array techniques and taking advantage of all three-component recordings, we could unravel the dominant wavemodes arriving in each time window and in each frequency band. The recorded wavemodes, and hence the noise sources, varied significantly per frequency band, and – to a lesser extent – per time window. Primarily P-waves were detected on the vertical component for two of the three frequency bands. For these frequency bands, we only selected the time windows with a favorable illumination. By subsequently, applying seismic interferometry, we retrieved P-wave reflection responses and delineated reflectors in the crust, the Moho and possibly the Lehmann discontinuity.