The slow rotation of 253 Mathilde

CCD photometry of the NEAR mission fly-by target 253 Mathilde is presented. Measurements taken during 52 nights of observations, from February to June 1995, allow a rotation period of 17.406±0.010 days and a lightcurve amplitude of 0.45±0.02 mag to be determined. A B-V color index of 0.67±0.02 and a V-R of 0.35±0.02 are measured, which are compatible with C-type membership. The determination of the phase relation results in H = 10.28±0.03 and G = 0.12±0.06. Indications that the lightcurve is not strictly singly-periodic are found. A power-spectrum analysis detects a secondary frequency f₂ = 0.0322±0.0010 d⁻¹, which is interpreted as evidence for a complex rotation state.     

Impact of isostatic land uplift and artificial drainage on oxidation of brackish-water sediments rich in metastable iron sulfide

This study examines the dynamics of sulfur and trace elements (As, Co, Mo, Ni, Ti and Zn) when brackish-water sediments, unusually rich in metastable iron sulfide (probably a mixture of mackinawite and greigite), are brought into the oxidation zone by postglacial isostatic land uplift and farmland drainage. When subaqueous sediments approach the sea level, metastable iron sulfide is oxidized in the upmost layers and pyrite preserved and even accumulated concomitantly trapping Co, Ni and Zn but not As and Mo. When the land uplift has brought the sediments above sea level and natural drainage thus is initiated, the pyrite is oxidized and Co, Ni and Zn are released and transported down the profile. If this setting remained undisturbed, the slightly oxidized sediment (unripe soil) would become covered by peat and thus protected from further oxidation and metal translocation. Often these sediments are, however, artificially drained resulting in extensive oxidation and fast soil-profile development. The soil is an acid sulfate (AS) soil, characterized by low pH (<4), extensive leaching of metals and an abundance of disseminated brownish Fe(III) precipitates. We suggest that the fast soil development is due to initial oxidation of metastable iron sulfide, followed by pyrite oxidation. Drain bottom sediment, which in terms of chemistry and S-isotopes resembled that of the surfacing sea bottom strata, acted during the sampling period as a sink for metals. The abundant preservation of metastable iron sulfide below the groundwater table, even long periods after uplift above the sea level, is a puzzling feature. We suggest that it is the net result of sulfur starvation, an abundance of Fe(II) and strongly reducing conditions.     

Half‐a‐billion‐year‐old microscopic treasures—the Cambrian ‘Orsten’ fossils of Sweden

The creatures that gaze back at us through the binocular microscope are so uniquely well‐preserved and life‐like that had we not known better we would have thought that they were modern. Instead they are half‐a‐billion‐year‐old arthropods extracted from Cambrian rocks of Sweden. The microscopic fossils, colloquially known as the ‘Orsten’ fossils, are now world‐famous and basking in the light of the research catwalk since their discovery in the 1970s. These fossils have provided significant insight into the long lost Cambrian biotas and early animal evolution.     

Recent lake level variations in Lake Haubi, central Tanzania, interpreted from pollen and sediment studies

Variations in pollen assemblages and in physical and chemical composition of a dated sediment record from the small Lake Haubi in north central Tanzania, reveal lake level fluctuations since the late 19th century. Lake Haubi changed from a seasonally inundated swamp to a lake in the beginning of the 20th century. With the exception of 1942-44, when it dried out completely, it remained water filled until 1994 when it again turned into a swamp. The lake level fluctuations in Lake Haubi are largely in phase with fluctuations of the larger East African lakes levels during the 20th century, and are therefore interpreted as being mainly controlled by regional climatic fluctuations. However, the initial formation of Lake Haubi at the turn of the century was likely due to local catchment specific causes, e.g. changes in land use, as the rapid increase in the water level at this time does not correspond to other lake level records from the region.     

Late cretaceous and cenozoic stratigraphy of the Baikal Rift sediments

The data obtained from long-term field studies in the Baikal Rift area are summarized. A new stratigraphic scheme is developed on the basis of previous stratigraphic research of N.A. Logachev. The new elements of the scheme are (1) the use of regional correlation horizons; (2) recognition of pre-Tankhoi (pre-Late Oligocene) sediments correlated with the Maastrichtian-Early Oligocene deposits of the Baikal Fore-deep; (3) elimination from the scheme of the Khalagai and Anosovka formations and distinction on their basis of the Tagai, Sasa, Osinovka, and Shankhaikha formations; (4) recognition of several weathering crust beds and Neogene paleosols. The “lower Eopleistocene (Upper Pliocene)” red-rock formation of Logachev is subdivided into the following stratigraphic units: the Cretaceous-Paleogene unit characterized by a few finds of Early Oligocene fossils, the Upper Miocene-Lower Pliocene red clay bearing numerous fossil remains, and the Upper Pliocene reddish clay with abundant localities of fossils. The sections examined in the land portion of the Baikal Rift are correlated with bottom sediments of the Baikal depression and are subdivided into three instead of the two commonly accepted large tectonic-lithological-stratigraphic complexes. Stratigraphic studies provide a new insight into the history of the Baikal Rift and into some general questions of the continental rift formation.     

Alterations in seawater pH and CO2 affect calcification and photosynthesis in the tropical coralline alga, Hydrolithon sp. (Rhodophyta)

Calcification in the marine environment is the basis for the accretion of carbonate in structures such as coral reefs, algal ridges and carbonate sands. Among the organisms responsible for such calcification are the Corallinaceae (Rhodophyta), recognised as major contributors to the process world-wide. Hydrolithon sp. is a coralline alga that often forms rhodoliths in the Western Indian Ocean. In Zanzibar, it is commonly found in shallow lagoons, where it often grows within seagrass beds and/or surrounded by green algae such as Ulva sp. Since seagrasses in Zanzibar have recently been shown to raise the pH of the surrounding seawater during the day, and since calcification rates are sensitive to pH, which changes the saturation state of calcium carbonate, we measured the effects of pH on photosynthetic and calcification rates of this alga. It was found that pH had significant effects on both calcification and photosynthesis. While increased pH enhanced calcification rates both in the light and in the dark at pH >8.6, photosynthetic rates decreased. On the other hand, an increase in dissolved CO₂ concentration to 26 μmol kg⁻¹ (by bubbling with air containing 0.9 mbar CO₂) caused a decrease in seawater pH which resulted in 20% less calcification after 5 days of exposure, while enhancing photosynthetic rates by 13%. The ecological implications of these findings is that photosynthetically driven changes in water chemistry by surrounding plants can affect calcification rates of coralline algae, as may future ocean acidification resulting from elevated atmospheric CO₂.     

Landslide databases in the Geological Surveys of Europe

Landslides are one of the most widespread geohazards in Europe, producing significant social and economic impacts. Rapid population growth in urban areas throughout many countries in Europe and extreme climatic scenarios can considerably increase landslide risk in the near future. Variability exists between European countries in both the statutory treatment of landslide risk and the use of official assessment guidelines. This suggests that a European Landslides Directive that provides a common legal framework for dealing with landslides is necessary. With this long-term goal in mind, this work analyzes the landslide databases from the Geological Surveys of Europe focusing on their interoperability and completeness. The same landslide classification could be used for the 849,543 landslide records from the Geological Surveys, from which 36% are slides, 10% are falls, 20% are flows, 11% are complex slides, and 24% either remain unclassified or correspond to another typology. Most of them are mapped with the same symbol at a scale of 1:25,000 or greater, providing the necessary information to elaborate European-scale susceptibility maps for each landslide type. A landslide density map was produced for the available records from the Geological Surveys (LANDEN map) showing, for the first time, 210,544 km² landslide-prone areas and 23,681 administrative areas where the Geological Surveys from Europe have recorded landslides. The comparison of this map with the European landslide susceptibility map (ELSUS 1000 v1) is successful for most of the territory (69.7%) showing certain variability between countries. This comparison also permitted the identification of 0.98 Mkm² (28.9%) of landslide-susceptible areas without records from the Geological Surveys, which have been used to evaluate the landslide database completeness. The estimated completeness of the landslide databases (LDBs) from the Geological Surveys is 17%, varying between 1 and 55%. This variability is due to the different landslide strategies adopted by each country. In some of them, landslide mapping is systematic; others only record damaging landslides, whereas in others, landslide maps are only available for certain regions or local areas. Moreover, in most of the countries, LDBs from the Geological Surveys co-exist with others owned by a variety of public institutions producing LDBs at variable scales and formats. Hence, a greater coordination effort should be made by all the institutions working in landslide mapping to increase data integration and harmonization.     

Theory and Experiment on an Elastically Moored Cylindrical Buoy

In this paper, we compare simulated forces and accelerations for a moored floating buoy with full-scale experimental results in real ocean waves. The buoy is moored with a wire connected by springs to a concrete foundation situated at the seafloor. This study aims to develop a computer model using potential theory with a linearized free-surface boundary condition to describe the motion of such a system. The intention is to use the model for future study of wave-energy absorption and design of converters. Another objective is to see how complex a model is required to get accurate results. The method used is computationally fast and makes it possible to couple linear buoy wave interaction with nonlinear generator models, so that different loads and latching can be studied. A computationally fast method is required to model farms of wave-energy converters