Vegetation and climate during the penultimate interglacial of the northeastern Russian Arctic: the Lake El'gygytgyn pollen record

We present a high‐resolution reconstruction of the vegetation and climate dynamics during the penultimate interglacial, corresponding with Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 7, based on detailed palynological analyses of lacustrine sediments from Lake El'gygytgyn, northeastern Siberia. The analysed sediments were deposited between 246 and 181 ka ago (late MIS 8 to early MIS 6.6). The interglacial vegetation was characterized by herb and shrub (mainly alder and birch) dominated plant communities. Pollen‐based biome reconstruction shows a dominance of the tundra (TUND) biome, thus indicating rather open vegetation. Warmer intervals (MIS 7.5, 7.3 and 7.1) were marked by an increase in the cold deciduous forest (CLDE) biome scores and a synchronous decrease in the cold steppe (STEP) biome scores. The thermal maximum occurred during MIS 7.1, as indicated by the highest CLDE biome scores occurring in this period, and lasted ~10 ka, possibly favoured by the high precession‐related summer insolation and the legacy of the preceding mild and dry stadial (MIS 7.2). In contrast, MIS 7.3 and 7.5 were characterized by shorter durations (~4 ka) and lower summer temperatures. The preceding cold glacial and stadial (MIS 8 and 7.4, respectively) might have led to an extensive distribution of permafrost that hindered vegetation development during the subsequent warm intervals. MIS 7.4 and 6.6 were cold and wet, probably triggered by low obliquity values and coevally low precession‐related summer insolation. As a result, these periods were marked by significantly reduced summer temperatures and an enhanced snow‐ice albedo feedback. The obtained reconstructions provide potential scenarios for future climate changes and allow a better understanding of the relationship between vegetation, climate and external/internal forcings in the high latitudes.     

Fluxes of iron and manganese across the sediment–water interface under various redox conditions

Fluxes of dissolved forms of iron and manganese across the sediment–water interface were studied in situ in the Gulf of Finland and the Vistula Lagoon (Baltic Sea), and in the Golubaya Bay (Black Sea) from 2001 to 2005. Fluxes were measured using chamber incubations, and sediment cores were collected and sliced to assess the porewater and solid phase metal distribution at different depths. Measured and calculated benthic fluxes of manganese and iron were directed out of sediment for all sites and were found to vary between 70–4450 and 5–1000 µmole m^− 2 day^− 1 for manganese and iron, respectively. The behavior of the studied metals at various redox conditions in the near-bottom water and in the sediment was the main focus in this study. Our results show the importance of bottom water redox conditions for iron fluxes. We measured no fluxes at oxic conditions, intermediate fluxes at anoxic conditions (up to 200 μmole m^− 2 day^− 1) and high fluxes at suboxic conditions (up to 1000 μmole m^− 2 day^− 1). Total dissolved iron fluxes were generally dominated by iron(II). Contribution of iron(III) to the total iron flux did not exceed 20%. Obtained fluxes of manganese at all studied regions showed a linear correlation (r² = 0.97) to its concentration in the porewater of the top sediment layer (0–5 mm) and did not depend on dissolved oxygen concentrations of bottom water. Organically complexed iron and manganese were in most cases not involved in the benthic exchange processes.     

Effects of sonochemical treatment on meteoritic nanodiamonds

A nanodiamond‐rich fraction (NDF) separated from the Orgueil meteorite was subjected to a high‐intensity ultrasonic treatment in a weakly acidic aqueous solution. After sedimentation by centrifugation, two fractions of grains (suspension, designated as OD7C and sediment, designated as OD7D) with different properties have been obtained. The following effects of the sonication were revealed from comparison of the contents and isotope compositions of C, N, and Xe released during stepped pyrolysis and combustion of the fractions OD7C and OD7D, the initial NDF and two grain‐size fractions (OD10 and OD15) produced without sonication (a) surface layer of the sonicated diamond grains is modified to different extent in comparison with nontreated ones, (b) in some grains concentrations of the bulk N and Xe a reduced significantly, and (c) nondiamond nitrogen containing phases (e.g., Si₃N₄) have been destroyed. It is suggested that combined effects of the sonication and centrifugation observed for the fractions OD7C and OD7D are due to differences in surface chemistry of the nanodiamond grains, which statistically influences behavior of nanoparticles during the sonication resulting in their preferential modification in the different reaction zones of the cavitating fluid.     

Isoseismal map of the Vrancea earthquake of March 4, 1977

The iaoseismal map of the intermediate Vrancea earthquake of March 4, 1977 was compiled using the contributions from many European countries within the shaken area. Characteristic features of the macroseiamic field are discussed. Mean radii of isoseismals and intensity attenuation are determined.     

Mixed finite element discretization and Newton iteration for a reactive contaminant transport model with nonequilibrium sorption: convergence analysis and error estimates

We present a numerical scheme for reactive contaminant transport with nonequilibrium sorption in porous media. The mass conservative scheme is based on Euler implicit, mixed finite elements, and Newton method. We consider the case of a Freundlich-type sorption. In this case, the sorption isotherm is not Lipschitz but just Hölder continuous. To deal with this, we perform a regularization step. The convergence of the scheme is analyzed. An explicit order of convergence depending only on the regularization parameter, the time step, and the mesh size is derived. We give also a sufficient condition for the quadratic convergence of the Newton method. Finally, relevant numerical results are presented.     

Non-pulsed Emission from the Binary System B1259-63

PSR B1259-63 is the only known binary system with a radio pulsar from which the non-pulsed radio and X-ray emission was detected. The companion star in this system is a Be star SS 2883. A rapidly rotating radio pulsar is expected to produce a wind of relativistic particles. Be stars are known to produce highly asymmetric mass loss. Due to the interaction of the pulsar wind and the Be star wind the system of two shocks between the pulsar and the Be star forms. In this paper we show that the observed non-pulsed radio emission from the system is a result of the synchrotron emission of the relativistic particles in the outflow beyond the shock wave and that the non-pulsed X-ray emission is due to the inverse Compton scattering of the Be star photons on this particles. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Design of passive systems for control of inelastic structures

A design strategy for control of buildings experiencing inelastic deformations during seismic response is formulated. The strategy is using weakened, and/or softened, elements in a structural system while adding passive energy dissipation devices (e.g. viscous fluid devices, etc.) in order to control simultaneously accelerations and deformations response during seismic events. A design methodology is developed to determine the locations and the magnitude of weakening and/or softening of structural elements and the added damping while insuring structural stability. A two‐stage design procedure is suggested: (i) first using a nonlinear active control algorithm, to determine the new structural parameters while insuring stability, then (ii) determine the properties of equivalent structural parameters of passive system, which can be implemented by removing or weakening some structural elements, or connections, and by addition of energy dissipation systems. Passive dampers and weakened elements are designed using an optimization algorithm to obtain a response as close as possible to an actively controlled system. A case study of a five‐story building subjected to El Centro ground motion, as well as to an ensemble of simulated ground motions, is presented to illustrate the procedure. The results show that following the design strategy, a control of both peak inter‐story drifts and total accelerations can be obtained. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Capturing digital data with handheld devices to determine the redox regime,lithology, and provenance of siliciclastic sediments and residual deposits—a review and field manual

Geomagnetic (magnetic susceptibility), geoelectrical (resistivity and conductivity, self-potential/SP, induced polarization/IP), and radiometric measurements (gamma radiation of K, U, and Th) are well adapted to the needs and wants of geoscientists and exploration geologists, in particular, who widely use them in wireline tools and for ground surveys. Miniaturization of technical components resulted in the production of handheld devices which enable field geologists to an improving of the mineralogical and chemical database and the efficiency of the routine work in the field or at a drill site. The tools and devices used by a field geologist are categorized and presented in a tripartite set. The tools for routine field work with “hammer and laptop” belong to the A-level kit. The handheld devices under consideration constitute an intermediate level (B-level) to enhance the mineralogical and chemical database using physical methods. More advanced level applications make use of short-wave infra-red mineral analyzers or portable X-ray fluorescence devices (C-level). Handheld tools are designed for one-dimensional (cross-sectioning) and two-dimensional (mapping) surveys as well as drill core and cuttings examinations during terrain analysis. They can be operated in foot-borne surveys by one field geologist and the obtained data interpreted without an exuberant computing capacity. In the present overview, siliciclastic rocks and residual deposits have been singled out for their good response to the afore-mentioned methods. Their practical use is demonstrated by means of some case histories, each standing for a particular sedimentary lithology and discussed in combination with similar applications from literature: mixed-type (calcareous) siliciclastic rocks from Mesozoic–Cenozoic basins, SE Germany; residual argillaceous/kaolin deposits on top of granites of the Variscan basement, SE Germany; Neogene red-bed sediments from the promontory of the Tien Shan, East Uzbekistan; and Cretaceous gray-bed sediments with coal seams from the Baganuur basin, Central Mongolia. Cobweb diagrams, histograms, ternary diagrams, simple x-y plots and x-y plots in combination with spider diagrams have proved to be the most suitable ways when it comes to combine the data obtained from various methods and to illustrate these results for further interpretation on screen. The geophysical methods are discussed as to their strong and weak points to cater for a solution in three important subject matters of applied and genetic sedimentology: (1) constraining the redox regime, (2) determination of the lithology and mineralogy, (3) and provenance analysis and lithostratigraphy. Magnetic methods have proved to be useful for all objectives (1, 2, and 3), gamma spectrometry can successfully be applied for objectives 1 and 2, and micro-resistivity contributes significantly to solutions of objective 2. Magnetic and gamma spectrometric methods do not need any direct contact with the sedimentary rocks and therefore can be correlated with equivalent airborne surveys and are less depending on the wetability of the substrate and climate than the geoelectrical methods under study. The final goal of this review is to create a matrix of applicability of the methods and enable the field geologist to select the most suitable type of geophysical measurement or combination of tools for a solution to one of the three issues as a function of the sediment types under study.     

Climate change and food stress in Russia: what if the market transforms as it did during the past century?

It is expected that a warmer climate would be beneficial for agriculture in high latitudes. However, this general tendency is not necessarily true for all northern countries, as a short growing period is not the only factor limiting agriculture. For Russia, our model shows that the remarkable increase in potential yield in central and northern-forested regions would not compensate for a sharp drop in yields due to increasing frequency of droughts in the currently most productive southern European regions. If this scenario is indeed realized, the majority of Russian regions will continue to rely on import of agricultural products from a few regions with the best soils, and a system of interregional grain trade will remain critical for food security. However, the basic rules of interregional food market have varied widely over the past century. We have attempted an analysis of the potential impact of these basic rules on regional food security by describing four basic historical market scenarios and applying these scenarios to our results for climate change impact on agriculture in the 2020s and 2070s. We show that the current system, if it continues, would bring the worst results. We also show that the traditionally effective planned adaptation measures would help little in future climate conditions if the current market system were still in place.