Sensitivity of the Northern Hemisphere climate of the Last Glacial Maximum to sea surface temperatures

The role of prescribing sea surface temperature in paleoclimate atmospheric simulations has been investigated by comparing Last Glacial Maximum AGCMs experiments using different SSTs data sets as well as coupled atmosphere/oceanic mixed layer models. Changes in the SSTs and sea-ice margin generate different patterns of zonal asymmetries in the atmospheric circulation that are responsible for reorganisation of heat and moisture transport, leading to important variations of Northern Hemisphere regional climates, particularly in winter. Additional sensitivity experiments have been carried out to isolate the individual role of North Pacific and North Atlantic SSTs anomalies. We found that changes in North Pacific SSTs have a much stronger impact over all the northern continental surfaces, including Europe and Siberia, than changes in the North Atlantic SSTs. As these SSTs anomalies are of the order of the typical errors generated by coupled ocean-atmosphere models, this suggests that these more complete models will likely still have problems in simulating the regional climate change at the LGM. Received: 11 October 1999 / Accepted: 9 June 2000     

Chlorinated hydrocarbons in the seawater and surface sediments of Blanca Bay,Argentina

In order to characterize our study area and to provide reference values to be used in the future to measure the changes produced by an increase in contamination, the concentrations of chlorinated hydrocarbons have been investigated in fifty-one samples of seawater, taken at four different depths: air-sea interface, surface, one metre and bottom waters, and in twenty-three samples of surface sediments from Blanca Bay, Argentina. Of eleven organochlorine compounds we were looking for (α BHC, lindane, heptachlor, δ BHC. aldrin, heptachlor epoxide, dieldrin, o-p′DDD, p-p′DDD, o-p′DDT and p-p′DDT), seven could be detected in seawater and three in surface sediments with the following mean concentrations: α-BHC=48·2 ng l^?1; lindane=54·2 ng l^?1; heptachlor=45·0 ng l^?1; δ BHC=12·5 ng l^?1; aldrin=61·8 ng l^?1 and ΣDDT=67·0 ng l^?1; and δ BHC=3·2 ng g^?1; lindane=4·2 ng g^?1 and heptachlor=1·0 ng g^?1 for seawater, regarding the surface waters, and sediment samples, respectively.Concentration factors among the different water layers were also studied to see if there was any correlation between chlorinated hydrocarbon contents and the water depths from which the samples were taken. As a mean value, the air-sea interface water contains 18 times more of these compounds than that of the water near the bottom. A comparison of the values corresponding to seawater and surface sediments from our study area with those levels measured in samples from other geographic locations is also presented.With the purpose to detect a relationship between chlorinated hydrocarbon concentrations and the contents of particulate matter (PM) on the one hand, and particulate organic material (POM) on the other hand, four groups of samples containing different amounts of PM and POM, respectively were formed. From a comparison of the results obtained, lindane, heptachlor and δ BHC showed a tendency to lower concentrations in those samples containing little PM whereas α BHC and aldrin remained without important changes. No significant correlation was found between organochlorine levels and contents of POM.     

Long memory, seasonality and time trends in the average monthly temperatures in Alaska

This paper deals with the analysis of monthly temperatures in 19 meteorological stations in Alaska during the last 50?years. For this purpose, we employ a procedure that permits us to examine in a single framework several features observed in climatological time series such as time trends, long-range persistence and seasonality. The results indicate that the highest degrees of persistence are observed in stations located in the southern regions and seasonality appears as a major issue in all cases. Removing the seasonal structure and focussing on the anomalies with respect to the monthly means, the time trend coefficients appear significantly positive in the majority of the cases, implying that temperatures have increased during the last 50?years.     

AVO analysis with partial stacking to detect gas anomalies in the GÜEPAJÉ-3D project

We applied analysis AVO with partial stacking to an onshore gas field in order to detect gas at the top of the Ciénaga de Oro formation (FCO), by using seismic gathers of the Güepajé-3D project. The technique was supported by petrophysical analysis of the Ayombe-1 well.The sensitivity of seismic response to changes in the saturating fluid was evaluated by fluid substitution technique in an interval of the Ayombe-1 well. As a result, a class I AVO anomaly at the top of the FCO was observed, even though the gas and water responses were similar. After applying AVO with partial stack technique at the top of FCO, AVO class I anomalies were observed in the Ayombe-1 and Güepajé-1 gas wells and none in the dry Güepajé-3 well. In spite of being reported with gas, the results in the Güepajé-2 well indicated any to an incipient class I anomaly related to a weak seismic response associated to gas.When the technique was applied to the seismic volume of the Güepajé-3D Project, a map of the direct gas indicator was obtained. The map shows a high correlation with the structural surface at top of FCO. Lithic factors such as compaction, cementation and carbonate overlaying the FCO and variable thickness of partial and full saturated layers, may cause anomalies in zones unlikely to contain gas.     

Effects of atmospheric dynamics and ocean resolution on bi-stability of the thermohaline circulation examined using the Grid ENabled Integrated Earth system modelling (GENIE) framework

We have used the Grid ENabled Integrated Earth system modelling (GENIE) framework to undertake a systematic search for bi-stability of the ocean thermohaline circulation (THC) for different surface grids and resolutions of 3-D ocean (GOLDSTEIN) under a 3-D dynamical atmosphere model (IGCM). A total of 407,000 years were simulated over a three month period using Grid computing. We find bi-stability of the THC despite significant, quasi-periodic variability in its strength driven by variability in the dynamical atmosphere. The position and width of the hysteresis loop depends on the choice of surface grid (longitude-latitude or equal area), but is less sensitive to changes in ocean resolution. For the same ocean resolution, the region of bi-stability is broader with the IGCM than with a simple energy-moisture balance atmosphere model (EMBM). Feedbacks involving both ocean and atmospheric dynamics are found to promote THC bi-stability. THC switch-off leads to increased import of freshwater at the southern boundary of the Atlantic associated with meridional overturning circulation. This is counteracted by decreased freshwater import associated with gyre and diffusive transports. However, these are localised such that the density gradient between North and South is reduced tending to maintain the THC off state. THC switch-off can also generate net atmospheric freshwater input to the Atlantic that tends to maintain the off state. The ocean feedbacks are present in all resolutions, across most of the bi-stable region, whereas the atmosphere feedback is strongest in the longitude–latitude grid and around the transition where the THC off state is disappearing. Here the net oceanic freshwater import due to the overturning mode weakens, promoting THC switch-on, but the atmosphere counteracts this by increasing net freshwater input. This increases the extent of THC bi-stability in this version of the model. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.