Model evaluation of the atmospheric boundary layer and mixed-layer evolution

In the present study, an attempt is made to assess the atmospheric boundary-layer (ABL) depth over an urban area, as derived from different ABL schemes employed by the mesoscale model MM5. Furthermore, the relationship of the mixing height, as depicted by the measurements, to the calculated ABL depth or other features of the ABL structure, is also examined. In particular, the diurnal evolution of ABL depth is examined over the greater Athens area, employing four different ABL schemes plus a modified version, whereby urban features are considered. Measurements for two selected days, when convective conditions prevailed and a strong sea-breeze cell developed, were used for comparison. It was found that the calculated eddy viscosity profile seems to better indicate the mixing height in both cases, where either a deep convective boundary layer develops, or a more confined internal boundary layer is formed. For the urban scheme, the incorporation of both anthropogenic and storage heat release provides promising results for urban applications.     

Tectonic and sedimentological evolution of the Pliocene–Quaternary basins of Zakynthos island, Greece: case study of the transition from compressional to extensional tectonics

Pliocene–Quaternary basins of the Ionian islands evolved in a complex tectonic setting that evolved from a mid to late Cenozoic compressional zone of the northern external Hellenides to the rapidly extending Pliocene–Quaternary basins of the Peloponnese. The northern limit of the Hellenic Trench marks the junction of these two tectonic regimes. A foreland-propagating fold and thrust system in the northern external Hellenides segmented the former Miocene continental margin basin in Zakynthos and permitted diapiric intrusion of Triassic gypsum along thrust ramps. Further inboard, coeval extensional basins developed, with increasing rates of subsidence from the Pliocene to Quaternary, resulting in four principal types of sedimentation: (1) condensed shelf-sedimentation on the flanks of rising anticlines; (2) coarse-grained sedimentation in restricted basins adjacent to evaporitic diapirs rising along thrust ramps; (3) larger basins between fold zones were filled by extrabasinal, prodeltaic mud and sand from the proto-Acheloos river; (4) margins of subsiding Quaternary basins were supplied at sea-level highstands by distal deltaic muds and at lowstands by locally derived coarse clastic sediment.     

Relationships of Phytoplankton with Certain Environmental Factors in the South Euboikos Gulf (Greece)

Abstract. The abundance and taxonomic diversity of phytoplankton have been studied in relation to certain environmental factors in the South Euboikos Gulf, a restricted tidal embayment on the eastern coast of Greece. The northern part of the gulf with higher tidal current, influenced by sewage and industrial effluents, showed high concentrations of nutrients, a greater total density of phytoplankton, relatively high chlorophyll a content, and a lower taxonomic diversity when compared with the southern part. The phytoplankton cycle was largely due to changes in diatom concentration. A slight variation in the occurrence of species and dominance could be observed along the salinity gradients.     

Modern fan deltas in the western Gulf of Corinth,Greece

Rivers in the western Gulf of Corinth have built gravelly fan deltas into waters 100–300 m deep. Seismic profiles (3.5 kHz) and gravity cores show that sand-filled channels extend seaward of modern distributary mouths and lead to sandy depositional lobes in deeper water. Much of the fan delta slope is underlain by mud. Closely spaced gullies cut the interchannel ridges on either side of the main channels. Incised slope valleys occur on east-facing slopes, where the wave fetch is greatest, and may be formed by rip-current-induced turbidity currents.     

Identifying key environmental variables structuring benthic fauna for establishing a biotic typology for Greek running waters

A central aspect of the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC addressed to Member Countries is to proceed to type-specific ecological assessment and classification by establishing typology systems. Sixty-four permanent stream sites distributed throughout mainland Greece and islands were assessed with macroinvertebrate indicators to evaluate their ecological quality. Local and catchment scale parameters were determined and recorded to obtain an integrated assessment of the main factors affecting stream integrity and macroinvertebrate communities. Twenty-three sites were classified as reference or good status in terms of biological, chemical and hydromorphological quality with the use of various metrics. Multivariate statistical techniques were performed (MDS, BIOENV, correlation analysis and PCA) to investigate the main environmental factors structuring benthic macroinvertebrate communities and to select candidate environmental variables for establishing a biotic typology for Hellenic rivers. The results revealed relatively distinct macroinvertebrate communities within defined abiotic zones of the country. Assemblages of macroinvertebrate fauna were most strongly associated to differences in geographical position, altitude, slope, catchment area, current velocity, conductivity and water temperature. In view of the lack of sufficient data at the country level on the three last variables and after considering cause-effect relationships between large scale variables and the latter, it has been demonstrated that a number of catchment scale variables could be used as robust surrogates.     

Neotectonic evolution of northwestern-continental Greece

The post-Miocene sedimentary and structural evolution of NW-continental Greece changes from west to east.In the west, along the Ionian coast, the tectonic activity of the Mio-Pliocene marine sedimentation is reflected in olisthostromes and intrafoliated folds. During the emergence of the area at the Pliocene/Pleistocene boundary, low angle thrusting, dissolution cleavage and open NNW to NNE trending folds, were developed. This horizontal shortening is the result of active plate convergence between the Apulian plate and the Aegean plate. Subsequent vertical movements continuing till the precent, produces mainly NNW and ENE directed faults.In the east, between the Ionian coast and Pindus thrust, nonmarine sedimentation began, in the middle Pliocene, on a folded and partially eroded substratum. Long fault bounded intramountaneous basins formed during general uplift and extension in three directions: NNW, ENE and WNW. Extension in both areas, resulting from NNW and ENE faults, is interpreted in terms of the action of upwelling convective currents induced by the Hellenic subduction. As the Aegean back arc extension migrated slowly westwards, the whole study area was gradually affected by WNW trending grabens.

---

Zusammenfassung Spätmiozäne Sedimentationsprozesse sowie strukturelle Entwicklung ändern sich in NW kontinental-Griechenland in E-W Richtung.An der Ionischen Küste wurden während der spätmiozänen Absenkung des Sedimentationsraumes mächtige Olisthostrome und intrafoliale Falten gebildet. An der Grenze des Plio/Pleistozäns wurden flache überschiebungen, Lösungsschieferung und NNW bis NNE streichende, geöffnete Falten entwickelt. Diese tektonische Strukturen sind das Ergebnis aktiver Plattenkonvergenz zwischen der apulischen lithosphären-Platte und der ägäischen Platte. Während der postorogenen Aufhebung sind NNW und ENE streichende Verwerfungen entstanden.Im mittleren Pliozän wurden im Raum zwischen Ionischem Meer und der Pindos überschiebung auf dem gefalteten und teilweise erodierten Untergrund vorwiegend limnisch-terrestrische Sedimente abgelagert. Während der postorogenen Ausweitung sind Absenkungsräume in NNW- und ENE Richtung entstanden. Sie sind vermutlich das Ergebnis von Konvektionsströmungen innerhalb der Asthenosphäre, die durch die Hellenische Subduktion hervorgerufen wurden.Die Krustenausdehnung im ägäischen »back-arc basin« hat sich kontinuierlich gegen Westen verlagert, so da\ West-Griechenland zusätzlich von WNW streichenden Grabenstrukturen weitgehend deformiert ist.

---

Résumé La partie nord-occidentale de la Grèce continentale montre, d'est en ouest, une modification des processus sédimentaires et structuraux.A l'ouest, le long de la cÔte ionienne, la sédimentation marine subsidente tardi-miocène s'est accompagnée de puissants olisthostromes et de plis intrafoliaux. La limite Pliocène-Pleistocène a vu se développer des charriages peu inclinés et des plis ouverts NNE à NNW accompagnés d'une schistosité de dissolution. Ce raccourcissement horizontal est le résultat de la convergence des plaques apulienne et égéenne. Il a été suivi de mouvements subséquents verticaux, encore actifs aujourd'hui, responsables de failles de directions NNW et ENE.Plus à l'est, entre la cÔte ionienne et le charriage du Pinde, une sédimentation continentale s'est installée, au Pliocène moyen, sur le substratum plissé et partiellement érodé. Au cours du soulèvement post-orogénique, des bassins intramontagneux de grabens se sont formés selon trois directions: NNW, ENE et WNW. Les deux premières sont interprétées comme le résultat de courants de convection induits dans l'asthénosphère par la subduction hellénique. Les grabens WNW seraient en relation avec le déplacement progressif vers l'ouest de la zone d'extension crustale du bassin d'arrière-arc égéen.

---

, NW EW. . / , , NNW NNE. , . , NNW-ENE. - . NNW-ENE. , - , , . , , WNW.

     

Improving Bayesian analysis for LISA Pathfinder using an efficient Markov Chain Monte Carlo method

We present a parameter estimation procedure based on a Bayesian framework by applying a Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm to the calibration of the dynamical parameters of the LISA Pathfinder satellite. The method is based on the Metropolis-Hastings algorithm and a two-stage annealing treatment in order to ensure an effective exploration of the parameter space at the beginning of the chain. We compare two versions of the algorithm with an application to a LISA Pathfinder data analysis problem. The two algorithms share the same heating strategy but with one moving in coordinate directions using proposals from a multivariate Gaussian distribution, while the other uses the natural logarithm of some parameters and proposes jumps in the eigen-space of the Fisher Information matrix. The algorithm proposing jumps in the eigen-space of the Fisher Information matrix demonstrates a higher acceptance rate and a slightly better convergence towards the equilibrium parameter distributions in the application to LISA Pathfinder data. For this experiment, we return parameter values that are all within ～1σ of the injected values. When we analyse the accuracy of our parameter estimation in terms of the effect they have on the force-per-unit of mass noise, we find that the induced errors are three orders of magnitude less than the expected experimental uncertainty in the power spectral density.     

Site selection for drinking-water pumping boreholes using a fuzzy spatial decision support system in the Korinthia prefecture,SE Greece

The implementation of a geographic information system (GIS)/fuzzy spatial decision support system in the selection of sites for drinking-water pumping boreholes is described. Groundwater is the main source of domestic supply and irrigation in Korinthia prefecture, south-eastern Greece. Water demand has increased considerably over the last 30 years and is mainly met by groundwater abstracted via numerous wells and boreholes. The definition of the most “suitable” site for the drilling of new boreholes is a major issue in this area. A method of allocating suitable locations has been developed based on multicriteria analysis and fuzzy logic. Twelve parameters were finally involved in the model, prearranged into three categories: borehole yield, groundwater quality, and economic and technical constraints. GIS was used to create a classification map of the research area, based on the suitability of each point for the placement of new borehole fields. The coastal part of the study area is completely unsuitable, whereas high values of suitability are recorded in the south-western part. The study demonstrated that the method of multicriteria analysis in combination with fuzzy logic is a useful tool for selecting the best sites for new borehole drilling on a regional scale. The results could be used by local authorities and decision-makers for integrated groundwater resources management.     

Physical drivers of pelagic sargassum bloom interannual variability in the Central West Atlantic over 2010–2020

Ocean Dynamics - Since 2011, unprecedented pelagic sargassum seaweed blooms have occurred across the tropical North Atlantic, with severe socioeconomic impacts for coastal populations. To...