A MODIS-based modeling scheme for the estimation of downward surface shortwave radiation under cloud-free conditions

Atmospheric aerosol optical depth (AOD) plays an important role in radiation modeling and partly determines the accuracy of estimated downward surface shortwave radiation (DSSR). In this study, Iqbal’s model C was used to estimate DSSR under cloud-free conditions over the Koohin and Chitgar sites in Tehran, Iran; the estimated DSSR was based on (1) our proposed hybrid modeling scheme where the AOD is retrieved using the Simplified Aerosol Retrieval Algorithm (SARA), ground-based measurements at the AERONET site in Zanjan and (2) the AOD from the Terra MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor. Several other Terra MODIS land and atmospheric products were also used as input data, including geolocation properties, water vapor, total ozone, surface reflectance, and top-of-atmosphere (TOA) radiance. SARA-based DSSR and MODIS-based DSSR were evaluated with ground-based DSSR measurements at the Koohin and Chitgar sites in 2011 and 2013, respectively; the averaged statistics for SARA-based DSSR [R ² ≈ 0.95, RMSE ≈ 22 W/m² (2.5% mean value), and bias ≈ 3 W/m²] were stronger than those for MODIS-based DSSR [R ² ≈ 0.79, RMSE ≈ 51 W/m² (5.8% mean value), and bias ≈ 34 W/m²]. These results show that the proposed hybrid scheme can be used at regional to global scales under the assumption of future access to spatially distributed AERONET sites. Additionally, the robustness of this modeling scheme was exemplified by estimating the aerosol radiative forcing (ARF) during a dust storm in Southwest Asia. The results were comparable to those of previous studies and showed the strength of our modeling scheme.     

Formation of Fe(III) oxyhydroxide colloids in freshwater and brackish seawater, with incorporation of phosphate and calcium

The formation of Fe(III) oxyhydroxide colloids by oxidation of Fe(II) and their subsequent aggregation to larger particles were studied in laboratory experiments with natural water from a freshwater lake and a brackish coastal sea. Phosphate was incorporated in the solid phase during the course of hydrolysis of iron. The resulting precipitated amorphous Fe(III) oxyhydroxide phases were of varying composition, depending primarily on the initial dissolved Fe/P molar ratio, but with little influence by salinity or concentration of calcium ions. The lower limiting Fe/P ratio found for the solid phase suggests the formation of a basic Fe(III) phosphate compound with a stoichiometric Fe/P ratio of close to two. This implies that an Fe/P stoichiometry of ≈2 ultimately limits the capacity of precipitating Fe(III) to fix dissolved phosphate at oxic/anoxic boundaries in natural waters. In contrast to phosphorus, the uptake of calcium seemed to be controlled by sorption processes at the surface of the iron-rich particles formed. This uptake was more efficient in freshwater than in brackish water, suggesting that salinity restrains the uptake of calcium by newly formed Fe(III) oxyhydroxides in natural waters. Moreover, salinity enhanced the aggregation rate of the colloids formed. The suspensions were stabilised by the presence of organic matter, although this effect was less pronounced in seawater than in freshwater. Thus, in seawater of 6 to 33 ‰S, the removal of particles was fast (removal half time < 200 h), whereas the colloidal suspensions formed in freshwater were stable (removal half time > 900 h). Overall, oxidation of Fe(II) and removal of Fe(III) oxyhydroxide particles were much faster in seawater than in freshwater. This more rapid turnover results in lower iron availability in coastal seawater than in freshwater, making iron more likely to become a limiting element for chemical scavenging and biologic production.     

Supradetachment to rift basin transition recorded in continental to marine deposition; Paleogene Bandar Jissah Basin,NE Oman

A transition from supradetachment to rift basin signature is recorded in the ~1,500 m thick succession of continental to shallow marine conglomerates, mixed carbonate‐siliciclastic shallow marine sediments and carbonate ramp deposits preserved in the Bandar Jissah Basin, located southeast of Muscat in the Sultanate of Oman. During deposition, isostatically‐driven uplift rotated the underlying Banurama Detachment and basin fill ~45° before both were cut by the steep Wadi Kabir Fault as the basin progressed to a rift‐style bathymetry that controlled sedimentary facies belts and growth packages. The upper Paleocene to lower Eocene Jafnayn Formation was deposited in a supradetachment basin controlled by the Banurama Detachment. Alluvial fan conglomerates sourced from the Semail Ophiolite and the Saih Hatat window overlie the ophiolitic substrate and display sedimentary transport directions parallel to tectonic transport in the Banurama Detachment. The continental strata grade into braidplain, mouth bar, shoreface and carbonate ramp deposits. Subsequent detachment‐related folding of the basin during deposition of the Eocene Rusayl and lower Seeb formations marks the early transition towards a rift‐style basin setting. The folding, which caused drainage diversion and is affiliated with sedimentary growth packages, coincided with uplift‐isostasy as the Banurama Detachment was abandoned and the steeper Marina, Yiti Beach and Wadi Kabir faults were activated. The upper Seeb Formation records the late transition to rift‐style basin phase, with fault‐controlled sedimentary growth packages and facies distributions. A predominance of carbonates over siliciclastic sediments resulted from increasing near‐fault accommodation, complemented by reduced sedimentary input from upland catchments. Hence, facies distributions in the Bandar Jissah Basin reflect the progression from detachment to rift‐style tectonics, adding to the understanding of post‐orogenic extensional basin systems.     

A 10Be‐based reconstruction of the last deglaciation in southern Sweden

We present 23 cosmogenic surface exposure ages from 10 localities in southern Sweden. The new ¹⁰Be ages allow a direct correlation between the east and west coasts of southern Sweden, based on the same dating technique, and provide new information about the deglaciation of the Fennoscandian Ice Sheet in the circum‐Baltic area. In western Skåne, southernmost Sweden, a single cosmogenic surface exposure sample gave an age of 16.8±1.0 ka, whereas two samples from the central part of Skåne gave ages of 17.0±0.9 and 14.1±0.8 ka. Further northeast, in southern Småland, two localities gave ages ranging from 15.2±0.8 to 16.9±0.9 ka (n=5) indicating a somewhat earlier deglaciation of the area than has previously been suggested. Our third locality, in S Småland, gave ages ranging from 10.2±0.5 to 18.4±1.6 ka (n=3), which are probably not representative of the timing of deglaciation. In central Småland one locality was dated to 14.5±0.8 ka (n=3), whereas our northernmost locality, situated in northern Småland, was dated to 13.8±0.8 ka (n=3). Samples from the island of Gotland suggest deglaciation before 13 ka ago. We combined the new ¹⁰Be ages with previously published deglaciation ages to constrain the deglaciation chronology of southern Sweden. The combined deglaciation chronology suggests a rather steady deglaciation in southern Sweden starting at c. 17.9 cal. ka BP in NW Skåne and reaching northern Småland, ～200 km further north, c. 13.8 ka ago. Overall the new deglaciation ages agree reasonably well with existing deglaciation chronologies, but suggest a somewhat earlier deglaciation in Småland.     

SMART-1 mission description and development status

SMART-1 is the first of the Small Missions for Advanced Research in Technology of the ESA Horizons 2000 scientific programme. The SMART-1 mission is dedicated to testing of new technologies for future cornerstone missions, using Solar-Electric Primary Propulsion (SEPP) in Deep Space. The chosen mission planetary target is the Moon. The target orbit will be polar with the pericentre close to the South-Pole. The pericentre altitude lies between 300 and 2000 km, while the apocentre will extend to about 10,000 km. During the cruise phase, before reaching the Moon, the spacecraft thrusting profile allows extended periods for cruise science. The SMART-1 spacecraft will be launched in the spring of 2003 as an auxiliary passenger on an Ariane 5 and placed into a Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO). The expected launch mass is about 370 kg, including 19 kg of payload. The selected type of SEPP is a Hall-effect thruster called PPS-1350. The thruster is used to spiral out of the GTO and for all orbit maneuvers including lunar capture and descent. The trajectory has been optimised by inserting coast arcs and the presence of the Moon's gravitational field is exploited in multiple weak gravity assists.The Development Phase started in October 1999 and is expected to be concluded by a Flight Acceptance Review in January 2003. The short development time for this high technology spacecraft requires a concerted effort by industry, science institutes and ESA centres. This paper describes the mission and the project development status both from a technical and programmatic standpoint.     

A toy model for global magnetar oscillation

The presence of a magnetic field in a neutron star interior results in a dynamical coupling between the fluid core and the elastic crust. We consider a simple toy-model where this coupling is taken into account and compute the system’s mode oscillations. Our results suggest that the notion of pure torsional crust modes is not useful for the coupled system, instead all modes excite Alfvén waves in the core. However, we also show that among a rich spectrum of global MHD modes the ones most likely to be excited by a fractured crust are those for which the crust and the core oscillate in concert. For our simple model, the frequencies of these modes are similar to the “pure crustal” frequencies. We advocate the significant implications of these results for the attempted theoretical interpretation of QPOs during magnetar flares in terms of neutron star oscillations.      

Caprock interaction with CO2: A laboratory study of reactivity of shale with supercritical CO2 and brine

Crushed rock from two caprock samples, a carbonate-rich shale and a clay-rich shale, were reacted with a mixture of brine and supercritical CO₂ (CO₂–brine) in a laboratory batch reactor, at different temperature and pressure conditions. The samples were cored from a proposed underground CO₂ storage site near the town of Longyearbyen in Svalbard. The reacting fluid was a mixture of 1 M NaCl solution and CO₂ (110 bar) and the water/rock ratio was 20:1. Carbon dioxide was injected into the reactors after the solution had been bubbled with N₂, in order to mimic O₂-depleted natural storage conditions. A control reaction was also run on the clay-rich shale sample, where the crushed rock was reacted with brine (CO₂-free brine) at the same experimental conditions. A total of 8 batch reaction experiments were run at temperatures ranging from 80 to 250 °C and total pressures of 110 bar (∼40 bar for the control experiment). The experiments lasted 1–5 weeks.Fluid analysis showed that the aqueous concentration of major elements (i.e. Ca, Mg, Fe, K, Al) and SiO₂ increased in all experiments. Release rates of Fe and SiO₂ were more pronounced in solutions reacted with CO₂–brine as compared to those reacted with CO₂-free brine. For samples reacted with the CO₂–brine, lower temperature reactions (80 °C) released much more Fe and SiO₂ than higher temperature reactions (150–250 °C). Analysis by SEM and XRD of reacted solids also revealed changes in mineralogical compositions. The carbonate-rich shale was more reactive at 250 °C, as revealed by the dissolution of plagioclase and clay minerals (illite and chlorite), dissolution and re-precipitation of carbonates, and the formation of smectite. Carbon dioxide was also permanently sequestered as calcite in the same sample. The clay-rich shale reacted with CO₂–brine did not show major mineralogical alteration. However, a significant amount of analcime was formed in the clay-rich shale reacted with CO₂-free brine; while no trace of analcime was observed in either of the samples reacted with CO₂–brine.     

Neodymium isotopes in seawater from the Barents Sea and Fram Strait Arctic-Atlantic gateways

The neodymium concentration, C_Nd, and isotopic composition, ε_Nd, in seawater have been determined in the water column at five sites in the Barents Sea-Fram Strait area where most of the water exchange between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic takes place. In the main Arctic Ocean inflow branch across the Barents Sea the concentration and isotopic composition (C_Nd = 15.5 pmol/kg and ε_Nd = −10.8) are similar to those reported for the northeastern Nordic Seas, which is consistent with this region being a source area for the Arctic inflow. Due to the addition of Nd from Svalbard shelf sediments, the C_Nd in the surface waters above 150 m, in the Fram Strait inflow branch is higher by a factor of 2 and the ε_Nd is shifted to lower values (−11.8).In the stratified Nansen Basin, where cold low salinity water overlies warmer Atlantic water the C_Nd and ε_Nd do not vary with the vertical temperature-salinity structure but are essentially constant and similar to those of the Atlantic inflow throughout the entire water column, down to 3700 m depth, which indicates that the Nd is to a large extent of Atlantic origin.Compared to the Atlantic inflow water, the Nd in the major Arctic Ocean outflow, the Fram Strait, show higher C_Nd in the surface waters above 150 m, and a higher ε_Nd (−9.8) throughout the entire water column down to 1300 m depth. Sources for the more radiogenic Nd isotopic composition in deep water of the Fram Strait outflow most likely involve boundary exchange with sediments on the shelf and slope as the water passes along the Canadian archipelago. River water is a possible source in the surface water but it also seems likely that Pacific water Nd, modified by interactions on the shelf, is an important component in the Fram Strait surface outflow. Changes in the relative proportions of inflow of river water and flow of Pacific water through the Arctic Ocean could thus influence the isotopic composition of Nd in the North Atlantic.