New coelacanth material from the Middle Triassic of eastern Switzerland, and comments on the taxic diversity of actinistans

New coelacanth material from the Middle Triassic Prosanto Formation of the Ducan and Landwasser area near Davos in eastern Switzerland, Canton Graubünden, is described. A sub-complete individual is visible in ventral view, and shows details of its branchial apparatus. In particular, it possesses relatively large teeth on the ceratobranchials, and possible ossified hypobranchials. Few diagnostic characters are observable, and most of them are visible on the mandibles preserved in lateral view. This specimen shares characters with Ticinepomis peyeri, a smaller form from the Middle Triassic of Monte San Giorgio, whose holotype is re-described in part here. A second specimen, a fragmentary caudal skeleton shows the typical supplementary lobe of coelacanths, and meristic characters indicating probable close affinities with T. peyeri. We refer this material to Ticinepomis cf. T. peyeri. Because the new specimen is larger than the holotype, we refute the possible juvenile status of the small specimen from Monte San Giorgio. The new material of Ticinepomis from Canton Graubünden shows anatomical features not preserved on the holotype and allows the addition of new characters to a previously published data matrix of actinistians. A phylogenetic analysis is performed, which supports that Ticinepomis is nested among the Latimeriidae. The diversity of post-Palaeozoic coelacanths is assessed. The taxic diversity of observed occurrences shows a peak in the Early Triassic and a peak in the Late Jurassic, as detected in previous studies. When ghost lineages are included in the computation, the Late Jurassic peak is smoothened. By comparing the taxic diversity curves with the curve of average ghost lineage duration, we conclude that the Early Triassic peak of diversity was probably caused by a biological radiation, whereas the Late Jurassic peak of observed diversity is probably the result of a Lagerstätten effect.     

Application of the water balance model J2000 to estimate groundwater recharge in a semi-arid environment: a case study in the Zarqa River catchment, NW-Jordan

Pollution and overexploitation of scarce groundwater resources is a serious problem in the Zarqa River catchment, Jordan. To estimate this resource’s potential, the amount and spatial distribution of groundwater recharge was calculated by applying the hydrological model J2000. The simulation period is composed of daily values gathered over a 30-year period (July 1977 to June 2007). The figure finally obtained for estimated groundwater recharge of the Zarqa River catchment is 105 × 10⁶ m³ per year (21 mm a^?1). This is 19 % higher than the value previously assumed to be correct by most Jordanian authorities. The average ratio of precipitation to groundwater recharge is 9.5 %. To directly validate modelled groundwater recharge, two independent methods were applied in spring catchments: (1) alteration of stable isotope signatures (δ¹⁸O, δ²H) between precipitation and groundwater and (2) the chloride mass balance method. Recharge rates determined by isotopic investigations are 25 % higher, and recharge rates determined by chloride mass balance are 9 % higher than the modelled results for the corresponding headwater catchments. This suggests a reasonably modelled safe yield estimation of groundwater resources.     

Antenna-coupled arrays of NbSi micro-bolometers

Microbolometers are at present the most sensitive detectors for mm and sub-mm Astronomy. They are in use in most of the present instruments in that bandwidth. We have developed filled arrays of NbSi-based planar antenna coupled microbolometers. The fabrication details are given, together with characterization of the NbSi thermometers and optical results. The optical performances are potentially good for ground-based mm-wave astronomy applications, while the overall detectors performances are limited by low-frequency excess noise in the thermometric NbSi high-impedance sensors (Anderson insulator).     

New insights into the mineralogy and weathering of the Meridiani Planum meteorite,Mars

Meridiani Planum is the first officially recognized meteorite find on the surface of Mars. It was discovered at and named after the landing site of the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. Based on its composition, it was classified as a IAB complex iron meteorite. Mössbauer spectra obtained by Opportunity are dominated by kamacite (α‐Fe‐Ni) and exhibit a small contribution of ferric oxide. Several small features in the spectra have been neglected to date. To shed more light on these features, five iron meteorite specimens were investigated as analogs to Meridiani Planum with a laboratory Mössbauer setup. Measurements were performed on (1) their metallic bulk, (2) troilite (FeS) inclusions, (3) cohenite ((Fe,Ni,Co)₃C) and schreibersite ((Fe,Ni)₃P), and (4) corroded rims. In addition to these room‐temperature measurements, a specimen from the Mundrabilla IAB‐ungrouped meteorite was measured at Mars‐equivalent temperatures. Based on these measurements, the features in Meridiani Planum spectra can be explained with the presence of small amounts of schreibersite and/or cohenite and iron oxides. The iron oxides can be attributed to a previously reported coating on Meridiani Planum. Their presence indicates weathering through the interaction of the meteorite with small amounts of water.     

GRAVITAS: general relativistic astrophysics via timing and spectroscopy

GRAVITAS is an X-ray observatory, designed and optimised to address the ESA Cosmic Vision theme of ??Matter under extreme conditions??. It was submitted as a response to the call for M3 mission proposals. The concept centres around an X-ray telescope of unprecedented effective area, which will focus radiation emitted from close to the event horizon of black holes or the surface of neutron stars. To reveal the nature and behaviour of matter in the most extreme astrophysical environments, GRAVITAS targets a key feature in the X-ray spectra of compact objects: the iron K?? line at ~6.5?keV. The energy, profile, and variability of this emission line, and the properties of the surrounding continuum emission, shaped by General Relativity (GR) effects, provide a unique probe of gravity in its strong field limit. Among its prime targets are hundreds of supermassive black holes in bright Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN), which form the perfect laboratory to help understand the physical processes behind black hole growth. Accretion plays a fundamental role in the shaping of galaxies throughout cosmic time, via the process of feedback. Modest (~sub-arcmin) spatial resolution would deliver the necessary sensitivity to extend high quality X-ray spectroscopy of AGN to cosmologically-relevant distances. Closer to home, ultra-high count rate capabilities and sub-millisecond time resolution enable the study of GR effects and the equation of state of dense matter in the brightest X-ray binaries in our own Galaxy, using multiple probes, such as the broad iron line, the shape of the disk continuum emission, quasi-periodic oscillations, reverberation mapping, and X-ray burst oscillations. The enormous advance in spectral and timing capability compared to current or planned X-ray observatories would enable a vast array of additional scientific investigations, spanning the entire range of contemporary astrophysics from stars to distant galaxy clusters. Despite its breakthrough capabilities, all enabling technologies for GRAVITAS are already in a high state of readiness. It is based on ultra light-weight X-ray optics and a focal plane detector using silicon technology. The baseline launcher would be a Soyuz?CFregat to place GRAVITAS into a zero inclination, low-earth orbit, providing low and relatively stable background.     

Elliptical multi-sun-synchronous orbits for Mars exploration

The multi-sun-synchronous orbits allow cycles of observation of the same area in which solar illumination repetitively changes according to the value of the orbit elements and returns to the initial condition after a temporal interval multiple of the repetition of observation. This paper generalizes the concept of multi-sun-synchronous orbits, whose classical sun-synchronous orbits represent particular solutions, taking into consideration the elliptical case. The feasibility of using this typology of orbits, referred to as elliptical periodic multi-sun-synchronous orbits, has been investigated for the exploration of Mars and particular solutions have been selected. Such solutions considerably reduce the manoeuvre of velocity variation at the end of the interplanetary transfer with respect to the case of a target circular orbit around Mars. They are based on the use of quasi-critical inclinations in order to minimize the apsidal line motion and thus reduce orbit maintenance costs. Moreover, in the case of high eccentricities, the argument of pericentre may be set in order to obtain, around the apocentre, a condition of quasi-synchronism with the planet (the footprint of the probe on the surface presents a small shift with respect to a fixed point on the Martian surface). The low altitude of pericentre allows observation of the planet at a higher spatial resolution, while the orbit arc around the apocentre may be used to observe Mars with a wide spatial coverage in quasi-stationary conditions. This latter characteristic is useful for analysing atmospheric and meteorological phenomena and it allows for most of the orbital period a link between a rover on the surface of Mars and a probe orbiting around the planet.     

Improvement and comparison of the rainfall–runoff methods in SWAT at the monsoonal watershed of Baocun,Eastern China

ABSTRACT

A new physics-based rainfall–runoff method of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was developed, which integrates a water balance (WB) approach with the variable source area (WB-VSA). This approach was further compared with four methods—soil-water-dependent curve number (CN-Soil), evaporation-dependent curve number (CN-ET), Green and Ampt equation (G&A) and WB—in a monsoonal watershed, Eastern China. The regional sensitivity analysis shows that volumetric efficiency coefficient (VE) with river discharges is sensitive to the most parameters of all approaches. The results of model calibration against VE demonstrate that WB-VSA is the most accurate owing to its reflection of the spatial variation of runoff generation as affected by topography and soil properties. Other methods can also mimic baseflow well, but the G&A and CN-ET simulate floods much worse than the saturation excess runoff approaches (WB-VSA, WB and CN-Soil). Meanwhile, CN-Soil as an empirical method fails to simulate groundwater levels. By contrast, WB-VSA captures them best.

Editor M.C. Acreman; Associate editor S. Kanae     

Mechanical and statistical evidence of the causality of human-made mass shifts on the Earth��s upper crust and the occurrence of earthquakes

A global catalog of small- to large-sized earthquakes was systematically analyzed to identify causality and correlatives between human-made mass shifts in the upper Earth??s crust and the occurrence of earthquakes. The mass shifts, ranging between 1?kt and 1?Tt, result from large-scale geoengineering operations, including mining, water reservoirs, hydrocarbon production, fluid injection/extractions, deep geothermal energy production and coastal management. This article shows evidence that geomechanical relationships exist with statistical significance between (a) seismic moment magnitudes M of observed earthquakes, (b) lateral distances of the earthquake hypocenters to the geoengineering ??operation points?? and (c) mass removals or accumulations on the Earth??s crust. Statistical findings depend on uncertainties, in particular, of source parameter estimations of seismic events before instrumental recoding. Statistical observations, however, indicate that every second, seismic event tends to occur after a decade. The chance of an earthquake to nucleate after 2 or 20?years near an area with a significant mass shift is 25 or 75?%, respectively. Moreover, causative effects of seismic activities highly depend on the tectonic stress regime in which the operations take place (i.e., extensive, transverse or compressive). Results are summarized as follows: First, seismic moment magnitudes increase the more mass is locally shifted on the Earth??s crust. Second, seismic moment magnitudes increase the larger the area in the crust is geomechanically polluted. Third, reverse faults tend to be more trigger-sensitive than normal faults due to a stronger alteration of the minimum vertical principal stress component. Pure strike-slip faults seem to rupture randomly and independently from the magnitude of the mass changes. Finally, mainly due to high estimation uncertainties of source parameters and, in particular, of shallow seismic events (<10?km), it remains still very difficult to discriminate between induced and triggered earthquakes with respect to the data catalog of this study. However, first analyses indicate that small- to medium-sized earthquakes (<M6) seem to be induced and large-sized events (>M6) seem to be triggered. The rupture propagation of triggered events might be dominated by pre-existing tectonic stress conditions.     

Ørkenspredningen i Sudan-Sahel regionen—et af tidens alvorlige problemer/Et spændende og markant 100 års minde—om et helt fantastisk menneske!/De fynske landsbyers historie

Erland Porsmose: De fynske landsbyers historie: i dyrkningsfællesskabets tid. Odense University studies in history and social sciences, Vol. 109.     

Clay mineralogy, grain size distribution and their correlations with trace metals in the salt marsh sediments of the Skallingen barrier spit, Danish Wadden Sea

To understand the behavior of trace metals in the salt marsh at Skallingen, Danish Wadden Sea, we investigated a profile from surface to 25?cm depth of the salt marsh sediment, focusing primarily on clay mineralogy and grain size distribution of the sediments and their relationship with trace metals. The clay assembly of the sediment consists of illite, kaolinite and much less chlorite and smectite. The major clay minerals of illite, kaolinite as well as chlorite correlate very poorly with all the trace metals investigated, due probably to the weak competing strength of these clays compared with the other adsorbents and to low availability of the mobile trace metals in the system. Correlation between trace metals and clay minerals may therefore be used as an indicator in environmental assessment. Fine grain fractions of the sediment increased markedly after salt marsh invasion in about 1931 but decreased after 1964. This increase was contributed mainly by the grains finer than 20???m while the fraction of 40?C63???m actually decreased soon after the invasion. The relation between most of the trace metals and grain size distributions is close in general but far from linear. The drastic turning point is observed at about 30???m, around where the correlation coefficient r drops from 0.8 to 0.1. Adsorption is the controlling mechanism for the behavior of trace metals in the salt marsh. Fe/Mn (hydr)oxides and organic matter play the key role.