The impact of boundary forcing on RegCM4.2 surface energy budget

The surface energy budget components from two simulations of the regional climate model RegCM4.2 over the European/North African domain during the period 1989–2005 are analysed. The simulations differ in specified boundary forcings which were obtained from ERA-Interim reanalysis and the HadGEM2-ES Earth system model. Surface radiative and turbulent fluxes are compared against ERA-Interim. Errors in surface radiative fluxes are derived with respect to the Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment/Surface Radiation Budget satellite-based products. In both space and time, we find a high degree of realism in the RegCM surface energy budget components, but some substantial errors and differences between the two simulations are also present. The most prominent error is an overestimation of the net surface shortwave radiation flux of more than 50 W/m² over central and southeastern Europe during summer months. This error strongly correlates with errors in the representation of total cloud cover, and less strongly with errors in surface albedo. During other seasons, the amplitude of the surface energy budget components is more in line with reference datasets. The errors may limit the usefulness of RegCM simulations in applications (e.g. high-quality simulation-driven impact studies). However, by using a simple diagnostic model for error interpretation, we suggest potential sensitivity studies aiming to reduce the underestimation of cloud cover and overestimation of shortwave radiation flux.     

ERA-40-aided assessment of the atmospheric influence on satellite retrieval of Adriatic Sea surface temperature

The aim of this work is assessment of regional atmospheric influence on satellite derivation of Adriatic Sea surface temperature (SST). To this end the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) ERA-40 reanalysis dataset has been employed to provide the temperature and humidity profiles and surface data, while the RTTOV 8.7 radiative transfer model was used to calculate the top-of-atmosphere brightness temperatures for the advanced very high-resolution radiometer (AVHRR) channels. Ten ERA-40 grid points over the Adriatic Sea were used in the analysis, providing 29,590, 00 UTC and 12 UTC, clear-sky profiles. Climatological analysis of the ERA-40 profiles demonstrated distinct seasonal variability over the Adriatic Sea. Seasonality noted in the temperature and specific humidity profiles also evinced in the atmospheric transmittance, thermal channels temperature deficit, and derived γ and ρ parameters. A multivariate analysis was applied to relate the simulated top-of-atmosphere brightness temperatures to the Adriatic SSTs in order to generate exploratory sets of SST retrieval coefficients. All derived coefficient sets exhibited smaller noise amplification factor than the global counterpart. A test comparison of satellite-derived SST with an 11-month in situ SST series showed than locally derived coefficients provide smaller scatter (improved precision), and skin-centred bias that requires additional adjustment. Almost identical SST residual and error metric was obtained with seasonally adjusted classical split-window coefficients and with coefficients explicitly accommodating water-vapor dependence. Comparison with data reinforces the notion that the atmosphere over the Adriatic may exhibit variability that cannot be fully accommodated by globally adjusted correction.     

Structure analysis of geopolymers synthesized from clay originated from Serbia

The paper presents chemical and structural analysis of geopolymer materials which are obtained by alkali-activated calcined clay (metakaolin) originated from Serbia under strictly defined conditions. Characterization of the metakaolin and geopolymers molecular structure has been done using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The paper presents the possibility of obtaining geopolymer structure and differences in chemical and structural characterization of these materials taking into account the concentration of NaOH as a variable parameter. The results of MALDI analysis of metakaolin and synthesized geopolymer structures using various matrix system: 2,4,6 trihydroxyacetophenone (THAP), α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic, 2,6 dihydroxyacetophenone and laser desorption/ionization, have shown that THAP matrix is the most appropriate for analysing these aluminosilicate materials.     

Sedimentation History of Neogene Lacustrine Sediments of Suseocka Bela Stena Based on Geochemical Parameters (Valjevo-Mionica Basin, Serbia)

Sediments of the western part of the Valjevo-Mionica basin (Serbia) were examined both geochemically and mineralogically to explain, on the basis of their sedimentological characteristics, the causes of changes in their qualitative and quantitative composition. A total of 62 samples obtained from the drillhole at depths up to 400 m was investigated. Using correlation of the obtained data, six geochemical zones were defined, two of which being specially distinguished by their mineralogical, geochemical and sedimentological characteristics. The first one, upper zone A, consists of banded marlstones interbedded with clay and oil shales and is characterized by presence of analcite and searlesite. These minerals and very high contents of Na2O indicate sedimentation in alkaline conditions with increased salinity in arid climate. That provided pronounced water stratification, as well as higher bioproductivity in the basin and sedimentary organic matter preservation. Therefore, the zone A sediments are characterized by high organic matter contents of the type which provides good potential for production of liquid hydrocarbons. Another specific zone, zone F, contains sediments with very high MgO, K2O and Li concentrations. Their geochemical correlation, as well as almost complete absence of illite in this zone, indicates the presence of interstratified clay mineral type illite-saponite (lithium-bearing Mg-smectite).     

Hydrothermally induced diagenesis: Evidence from shallow marine-deltaic sediments,Wilhelmøya,Svalbard

Sedimentary basins containing igneous intrusions within sedimentary reservoir units represent an important risk in petroleum exploration. The Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic sediments at Wilhelm?ya(Svalbard) contains reservoir heterogeneity as a result of sill emplacement and represent a unique case study to better understand the effect of magmatic intrusions on the general burial diagenesis of siliciclastic sediments. Sills develop contact metamorphic aureoles by conduction as presented in many earlier studies. However, there is significant impact of localized hydrothermal circulation systems affecting reservoir sediments at considerable distance from the sill intrusions. Dolerite sill intrusions in the studied area are of limited vertical extent(～12 m thick), but created localized hydrothermal convection cells affecting sediments at considerable distance(more than five times the thickness of the sill)from the intrusions. We present evidence that the sedimentary sequence can be divided into two units:(1) the bulk poorly lithified sediment with a maximum burial temperature much lower than 60-70 ℃,and(2) thinner intervals outside the contact zone that have experienced hydrothermal temperatures(around 140 ℃). The main diagenetic alteration associated with normal burial diagenesis is minor mechanical plastic deformation of ductile grains such as mica. Mineral grain contacts show no evidence of pressure dissolution and the vitrinite reflectance suggests a maximum temperature of ～40 ℃. Contrary to this, part of the sediment, preferentially along calcite cemented flow baffles, show evidence of hydrothermal alteration. These hydrothermally altered sediment sections are characterized by recrystallized carbonate cemented intervals. Further, the hydrothermal solutions have resulted in localized sericitization(illitization) of feldspars, albitization of both K-feldspar and plagioclase and the formation of fibrous illite nucleated on kaolinite. These observations suggest hydrothermal alteration at T 120-140 ℃ at distances considerably further away than expected from sill heat dissipation by conduction only, which commonly affect sediments about twice the thickness of the sill intrusion. We propose that carbonate-cemented sections acted as flow baffles already during the hydrothermal fluid mobility and controlled the migration pathways of the buoyant hot fluids. Significant hydrothermally induced diagenetic alterations affecting the porosity and hence reservoir quality was not noted in the noncarbonate-cemented reservoir intervals.     

Diagenesis of diatomite from the Kolubara Coal Basin,Baroševac,Serbia

Diatomite associated with the Kolubara Coal Basin was studied to better understand early stage silica diagenesis of shallow water deposits. The Kolubara Basin consists of Neogene siliciclastic rocks, diatomite, marlstone and rare carbonates. Palaeozoic metamorphic and Mesozoic sedimentary and igneous basement rocks are transgressively overlain by Upper Miocene sandstone, siltstone, shale and mudstone. This Upper Miocene section is transgressively overlain by the Pontian section, which contains diatomite and coal beds. White and grey diatomite forms beds 0.7-2.2 m thick that are continuous over an area of about 2 km². Siliceous rocks vary in composition from diatomite (81-89 per cent SiO₂) to diatom-bearing shale (58-60 per cent SiO₂). Siliceous deposits are laminated in places, with the laminae defined by variations in clay minerals, organic matter and diatoms. Diatomite shows only incipient diagenesis characterized by the fragmentation of diatom frustules, the minor to moderate corrosion of frustules and the formation of minor amounts of opal-A' (X-ray amorphous inorganic opal) cement. The low degree of diagenesis results from the young age of the deposits, low burial temperatures and possibly also from the presence of abundant organic matter and the dissolution of kaolinite. The presence of only weak diagenesis is also reflected by the characteristically poor consolidation of the rocks and low rank of the associated coal.