A critical review of approaches to aquatic environmental assessment

As demands on aquatic resources increase, there is a growing need to monitor and assess their condition. This paper reviews a variety of aquatic environmental assessments, at local, national, international and global scales and finds confusion in the terminology used to describe assessments. In particular the terms 'ecosystem' and 'integrated' are often misused resulting in lack of clarity. Therefore, definitions of some assessment terminology are suggested, consolidating existing proposals and simplifying future applications. A conclusion from the review is that a new classification system is required. The categorisation system proposed builds on preliminary work of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). Assessment classification is based on the environmental components considered, methodologies and nature of the linkages between components, and the inclusion or exclusion of socio-economic factors. The assessment terminology and categorisation system provided could in future simplify the way that assessments are defined and used to inform development of management strategies.     

New views of Betelgeuse: multi-wavelength surface imaging and implications for models of hotspot generation

We report contemporaneous multi-wavelength interferometric imaging of the red supergiant star Betelgeuse ( α Orionis), using the Cambridge Optical Aperture Synthesis Telescope (COAST) and the William Herschel Telescope (WHT), at wavelengths of 700, 905 and 1290 nm. We find a strong variation in the apparent symmetry of the stellar brightness distribution as a function of wavelength. At 700 nm the star is highly asymmetric, and can be modelled as the superposition of three bright spots on a strongly limb-darkened disc. However, at 905 nm only a single low-contrast feature is visible and at 1290 nm the star presents a featureless symmetric disc. The change in spot contrast with wavelength is consistent with a model in which the bright spots represent unobscured areas of elevated temperature, owing perhaps to convection, on a stellar disc that itself has a different appearance, i.e. geometrical extent and limb-darkening profile, at different wavelengths. The featureless centre-to-limb brightness profile seen at 1290 nm is consistent with this model and suggests that future interferometric monitoring of the star to quantify the size changes associated with radial velocity variations should be performed at similar wavelengths in the near-infrared.     

Relative timing of deformation and two-stage gold mineralization at the Hutti Mine, Dharwar Craton, India

Gold mineralization at Hutti is confined to a series of nine parallel, N–S to NNW–SSE trending, steeply dipping shear zones. The host rocks are amphibolites and meta-rhyolites metamorphosed at peak conditions of 660±40°C and 4±1 kbar. They are weakly foliated (S₁) and contain barren quartz extension veins. The auriferous shear zones (reefs) are typically characterized by four alteration assemblages and laminated quartz veins, which, in places, occupy the entire reef width of 2–10 m, and contain the bulk of gold mineralization. A <1.5 m wide distal chlorite-sericite (+biotite, calcite, plagioclase) alteration zone can be distinguished from a 3–5 m wide proximal biotite-plagioclase (+quartz, muscovite, calcite) alteration zone. Gold is both spatially and temporally associated with disseminated arsenopyrite and pyrite mineralization. An inner chlorite-K-feldspar (+quartz, calcite, scheelite, tourmaline, sphene, epidote, sericite) alteration halo, which rims the laminated quartz veins, is characterized by a pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, ilmenite, rutile, and gold paragenesis. The distal chlorite-sericite and proximal biotite-plagioclase alteration assemblages are developed in microlithons of the S₂–S₃ crenulation cleavage and are replaced along S₃ by the inner chlorite-K-feldspar alteration, indicating a two-stage evolution for gold mineralization. Ductile D₂ shearing, alteration, and gold mineralization formed the reefs during retrograde evolution and fluid infiltration under upper greenschist to lower amphibolite facies conditions (560±60°C, 2±1 kbar). The reefs were reactivated in the D₃ dextral strike-slip to oblique-slip environment by fault-valve behavior at lower greenschist facies conditions (ca. 300–350°C), which formed the auriferous laminated quartz veins. Later D₄ crosscutting veins and D₅ faults overprint the gold mineralization. The alteration mineralogy and the structural control of the deposit clearly points to an orogenic style of gold mineralization, which took place either during isobaric cooling or at different levels of the Archean crust. From overlaps in the tectono-metamorphic history, it is concluded that gold mineralization occurred during two tectonic events, affecting the eastern Dharwar craton in south India between ca. 2550 – 2530 Ma: (1) The assemblage of various terranes of the eastern block, and (2) a tectono-magmatic event, which caused late- to posttectonic plutonism and a thermal perturbation. It differs, however, from the pre-peak metamorphic gold mineralization at Kolar and the single-stage mineralization at Ramagiri. Notably, greenschist facies gold mineralization occurred at Hutti 35–90 million years later than in the western Dharwar craton. Editorial handling: G. Beaudoin     

On the separability of the North Atlantic oscillation and Arctic oscillation

We address the issue of whether the Arctic (AO), and North Atlantic oscillations (NAO) are inseparable, forming an annular mode in the Northern Hemisphere atmospheric circulation. This annular mode is the leading empirical orthogonal function of hemispheric sea level pressure (SLP) data, explaining the largest amount of its variability. We examine whether the NAO and AO are inseparable spatial modes of the atmospheric circulation using rotated principal component analysis (RPCA), a methodology that identifies simple and unique patterns of spatial dataset variability. RPCA of the spring, summer, and autumn SLP fields from 1946-1998 reveal NAO and AO-like patterns, occurring as separate regional teleconnections forming the first and second principal components respectively. The RPCA-based NAO dipole pattern is like that observed in many prior studies, while the AO-like pattern exhibits high SLP variability over the Kara and Laptev seas. During winter however, and in annual analyses, a distinct AO-like pattern is not obtained and the two patterns may be inseparable using commonly accepted RPCA methods. The RPCA-based AO-like mode is significantly linked to north-central Siberian seasonal air temperatures and to the prevailing direction of motion of the underlying Arctic Ocean in summer, suggesting that the non-winter AO-like pattern, as a stand alone teleconnection separate from the NAO, contributes significantly to high-latitude climate and ocean variability. The winter NAO/AO inseparability is discussed as a possible effect of a shared winter storm track between the northeastern Atlantic and the Arctic.     

Detection of petroleum contamination in river sediments from Quebec City region using GC–IRMS

Isotopic analysis by compound specific gas chromatography–isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC–IRMS) is used to detect and characterize petroleum pollution in surficial sediments along the St Lawrence River, near Quebec City. Unusually mature n-alkane distributions have been found in some recent intertidal sediments in the region. GC–IRMS results suggest that the n-alkanes are not derived from indigenous organic sources because they carry δ¹³C values between −30.0 and −27.0‰, as well as very small isotopic differences between odd and even numbered n-alkanes, which are both typically associated with petroleum products. Comparison of these sediments with bunker fuel, an oil used in the shipping industry, has shown a close isotopic correlation in some sites, which is further supported by biomarkers. Overall, the contamination has been dispersed along the river but is generally localized around the industrial region where hydrocarbon transfer from shore storage to ships takes place. This study illustrates how GC–IRMS can be used effectively in the detection and characterization of petroleum pollutants in sediments.     

Drainage basin peak discharge rating curve

The stream gauge rating curve for a drainage basin can be transformed into a drainage basin peak discharge rating curve that is more stable than the rating curve from which it is derived. The resulting drainage basin peak discharge rating curve can be used to predict peak discharge, identify anomalous discharges caused by channel obstructions or other causes, evaluate the effect of flood retarding structures, and evaluate historical records. The drainage basin peak discharge rating curve is valid for drainage basins of any size, for any discharge up to the time of concentration, and for snowmelt.     

THE SOURCES OF REGIONAL ELDERLY POPULATION GROWTH: MIGRATION AND AGING-IN-PLACE *

A region's elderly population has two sources of growth: net migration and the net aging-in-place of its resident population. This paper outlines a method for identifying the projected relative contribution of these two sources of elderly population growth over time, and illustrates it with data for the states of Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, and New York. The sources of elderly population growth differ between regions and over time.