Microphysics of clouds at Kleiner Feldberg

During a field measuring campaign at Kleiner Feldberg (Taunus) in 1990, microphysical characteristics of clouds have been measured by Forward Scattering Spectrometer Probes (FSSP). The aim was to study the influence of aerosol and meteorological factors on droplet size and number. The results are: More mass in the accumulation size range of the aerosol leads to more droplets in stratocumulus clouds and to higher soluble masses in droplets of stratus clouds. However, the aerosol distribution was coarser in the stratus clouds compared to the stratocumulus clouds. Within the first 200 m from cloud base, the droplets grow while their number decreases. The growth results in a stable size of about 14 µm diameter over a large distance from cloud base in many stratocumulus clouds. Two types of mixing processes were observed: processes with reductions in the number of droplets (inhomogeneous mixing) and with reductions in the size of the droplets (homogeneous mixing).     

Surface ozone over the Atlantic ocean

During the past decade (1977–1986) ozone has been measured on board various research vessels between 83° N and 76° S. The latitudinal distribution shows nearly twice as high an ozone concentration in the Northern Hemisphere (30 ppb) as compared to the Southern Hemisphere (15 ppb). North of 70° N the concentration rapidly drops to low values (17 ppb). In the ITCZ we frequently observed a pronounced secondary maximum which indicates that tropospheric-stratospheric exchange may be induced by deep convection. During other occasions, ozone concentrations below 10 ppb were observed in the ITCZ. Secondary maxima are also found in each hemisphere, indicating the latitudes in which stratospheric-tropospheric exchange occurs. One such pronounced maximum is found between 60 and 65° N. A comparable counterpart does not, however, occur in the respective southern latitudes.The observations, although incomplete, allow for conclusions with respect to seasonal cycles, at least in some of the latitudes or for some part of the year. In the tropics differences between continental and maritime yearly cycles are found. In mid to high northern latitudes, a sharp maximum is found which extends to the summer months over continental European sites. In the respective southern latitudes, such a spring maximum is only indicated.Comparison with occasionally concurrent Kr 85 measurements by other groups allows for the conclusion that in some cases photochemically produced ozone in polluted air masses is seen over the Atlantic ocean.     

Lightning evolution related to radar-derived microphysics in the 21 July 1998 EULINOX supercell storm

Results of a combined analysis of data from a C-band polarimetric Doppler radar and a 3D VHF interferometric lightning mapping system, as obtained during the European Lightning Nitrogen Oxides project (EULINOX) field campaign, are presented. For 21 July 1998, the lightning data from a supercell thunderstorm weakly indicate a tendency for a bi-level vertical distribution of lightning VHF emissions around the −15°C and −30°C temperature levels. Also, in some parts of the clouds, evidence is found for the presence of a lower positive charge center near the freezing level. However, where strong vertical motions prevail, VHF emissions are not organized in horizontal layers but in oblique or vertical regions. Correlation of VHF signals with radar quantities shows that in the growing storm, peak VHF activity is low and related to reflectivity factors around 30 dBZ, while after the mature stage, the peak VHF activity is about three times larger. The highest density of VHF signals is now found near reflectivity factors of 45 dBZ. A polarimetric hydrometeor classification indicates that during storm development, most lightning activity occurs where graupel and, secondarily, snow and small dry hail are present. In the decaying phase of the supercell hailstorm, however, most lightning VHF emissions stem from the region with hail and heavy rain. Furthermore, while the VHF signal frequency per cubic kilometer in the graupel and rain regions remains nearly constant throughout the supercell life cycle, the signal frequency in the hail region rises during storm decay.     

The influence of pressure on the OH valence vibration of zoisite

The influence of pressure on the OH-stretching vibration of zoiste has been studied by single crystal high pressure infrared spectroscopy. A band related to the OH-stretching vibration displayed a linear shift from 3170 cm^?1 at 1 bar to 2795 cm^?1 at 116 kbar. The half-band width increased linearly with respect to pressure from 60 cm^?1 at 1 bar to 500 cm^?1 at 116 kbar. The strength of the absorption of this band is strongly frequency dependent. The high-energy shift of a band at around 2200 cm^?1 on pressure increase indicates that this band is not due to a second OH-stretching vibration as previously suggested by Langer and Lattard (1980).     

Reconstruction of erythemal UV irradiance and dose at Hohenpeissenberg (1968–2001) considering trends of total ozone, cloudiness and turbidity

Summary Erythemal ultraviolet (UV) doses reaching the earths surface depend in a complex manner on the amount of total ozone, cloud cover, cloud type and the structure of the cloud field. A statistical model was developed allowing the reconstruction of UV from measured total ozone and a cloud modification factor (CMF) for the GAW site Hohenpeissenberg, Germany (48°N, 11°E). CMF is derived from solar global radiation G, normalized against a Rayleigh scattering atmosphere. By this way the complex influence of the cloud field is accounted for by introduction of a measured parameter, exposed also to this complex field. The statistical relations are derived from the period 1990–1998 where UV measurements and relevant meteorological parameters are available. With these relations daily UV doses could be reconstructed back to 1968. Tests show that the model works remarkably well even for time scales of a minute except for situations with high albedo. The comparison of measured and calculated UV irradiances shows that the model explains 97% of the variance for solar elevations above 18° on average over the period 1968–2001. The reconstruction back to 1968 indicates that maximum UV irradiances (clear days) have increased due to long-term ozone decline. Clouds show seasonally depending long-term changes, especially an increase of cirrus. Consequently the UV doses have increased less or even decreased in some months in comparison to the changes expected from the ozone decline alone. In May to August total cloud frequency and cloud cover have decreased. Therefore, the average UV doses have increased much more than can be explained by the ozone decline alone. It is also shown that the optical thickness of cirrus clouds has increased since 1953. The higher frequency of cirrus is caused in part by more frequent contrails. Besides that an observed long-term rise and cooling of the tropopause favors an easier cirrus formation. However, whether climate change and an intensification of the water cycle is responsible for the cirrus trends has not been investigated in detail.     

The dependence of the measured cool skin of the ocean on wind stress and total heat flux

The temperature drop T between the ocean surface and the 5-cm depth was recorded during GATE, Phase III. With measured values of the total heat flux Q and an assumption about the thickness of the viscous boundary layer of the ocean, the wind-speed dependence of the factor of proportionality between T and Q is determined. This factor depends on the deviations of the thickness of the conductive layer from the thickness of the viscous layer and possibly partially on the wind stress. A further assumption about the thickness of the conductive layer leads to a wind-speed dependence of the ratio between total wind stress and its wave supporting part of it. This ratio increases from a value 1.5 at 1 m s^–1 to 9 at 10 m s^–1, which is in agreement with existing estimates.     

Control factors on turbidite sedimentation in a deep-sea trench setting. – The example of the Schlieren Flysch (Upper Maastrichtian-Lower Eocene,Central Switzerland)

Abstract

Deep-sea turbidite sedimentation in convergent margin settings generally is controlled by tectonic uplift, climate and eustatic sea-level variations. The rate of tectonic uplift governs the relief of the source area and the position of the base level (coinciding with sea-level), climate influences the rate and style of weathering and continental runoff and eustatic seal-level additionally shifts the base level, functioning with the concurrently working tectonic movements. Thus, these factors primarly determine the availability of sediment (yield and nature of material and the site of intermittent storage) at the basin margin which is unlocked periodically to flow downslope to the basin.

This paper attempts to decipher quantitatively the importance of the individual factors in the Late Maastrichtian to Early Eocene Schieren Flysch Croup. The flysch was deposited in a moderately converging remnant oceanic trench basin. Mean parameters are calculated on the basis of formations and the duration of nannofossil zones comprised in. For transposing these zone into absolute age intervals the problem of inconsistent durations in current time scales had to be solved by a best-fit approach. Frequencies and periodicities of turbidite events, decompacted and compacted sedimentation rates (the latter are considered as apparent denudation rates) are calculated to reveal the dynamics of sedimentation. Climatic evidence is deduced from clay mineralogy. Changing uplift rates in the drainage area are indirectly interpreted from back-stripped tectonic subsisdence rates in the basin.

The obtained data point to an immediate control of sub-duction-Iinked tectonic uplift in the bordering drainage and shelf area on turbidite sedimentation, as frequency and thickness of the turbidite events are closely correlated with the increasing tectonic subsisdence in the basin (assumed to match the rate of subduction and underplating). This general trend is modified by the temporary migration of the oceanic hinge zone towards the trench causing periodically the starvation of outer portions of the basin at the transition from Early to Late Paleocene and Late Paleocene to Eocene. Regional climatic trends additionnaly rule the turbidite facies development and apparent denudation rates. In the upper part of Early Eocene series high rate mud dominated sediments correlate with warm/humid conditions and in Late Paleocene deposits low rate sandy sediments coincide with cool ones. During the Late Paleocene period the global 2nd-order sea-level lowering probably may be responsible for the by-passing of the shelf by the coarse grained sediments.     

Roles of forest disturbance and climate variability on streamflow components in snow-dominated paired watersheds at multiple temporal scales

The paired watershed experimental (PWE) approach has long been used as an effective means to assess the impacts of forest change on hydrology in small watersheds (<100 km²). Yet, the effects of climate variability on streamflow are not often assessed in PWE design. In this study, two sets of paired watersheds, (1) Camp and Greata Creeks and (2) 240 and 241 Creeks located in the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada, were selected to explore relative roles of forest disturbance and climate variability on streamflow components (i.e., baseflow and surface runoff) at different time scales. Our analyses showed that forest disturbance is positively related to annual streamflow components. However, this relationship is statistically insignificant since forest disturbance can either increase or decrease seasonal streamflow components, which eventually limited the positive effect on streamflow at the annual scale. Interestingly, we found that forest disturbance consistently decreased summer streamflow components in the two PWEs as forest disturbance can augment earlier and quicker snow-melt processes and hence reduce soil moisture to maintain summer streamflow components. More importantly, this study revealed that climate variability played a more significant role than forest disturbance in both annual and seasonal streamflow components, for instance, climate variability can account for as much as 90% of summer streamflow components variation in Camp, suggesting the role of climate variability on streamflow should be highlighted in the traditional PWE approach to truly advance our understanding of the interactions of forest change, climate variability and water for sustainable water resource management.     

Tantalite-(Mn) from the Borborema Pegmatite Province,northeastern Brazil: conditions of formation and melt- and fluid-inclusion constraints on experimental studies

Carbon dioxide-rich fluid and carbonate-rich aluminosilicate melt inclusions in tantalite-(Mn) from the Alto do Giz pegmatite in the Borborema Pegmatite Province, northeastern Brazil were investigated to constrain the formation of the host crystals. The results demonstrate that in the Alto do Giz pegmatite, water- and alkaline carbonate-rich fluids and melts are responsible for the transport and deposition of tantalite-(Mn) at temperatures around 600°C and about 4 kbar. Moreover, evidence is presented to show that during crystallization of the tantalite-(Mn), three different components coexisted, which are now trapped as separate inclusions: two immiscible silicate melts (types A and B melt inclusions) and a CO₂-rich aqueous fluid. We hypothesize that immiscible fluid separation may have been a critical factor in producing the water- and alkaline carbonate-rich fluids and melts necessary for Ta and Nb transport. Since the tantalite-(Mn) crystallized during pegmatite formation, this mechanism must also have implications for pegmatite genesis in general.