A technique of radiosonde launch under the surface wind of high speed

Upper-air sounding is impacted by the surface wind of high speed in polar regions and in the areas affected by tropical cyclones. Considered are the main existing methods of radiosonde launching under such conditions. It is suggested to use the cone tower in order to provide a greater initial height of launching of the instrumental box as compared with the routine launching method. The employement of the tower allows using the wind force jointly with the lifting force of the balloon to deliver the instrumental box up to the top of the tower. Installation of the tower into the wind shelter secures the operator and provides the radiosonde launching even in the case of the very strong wind. The field model experiment corroborated the efficiency of the proposed scheme of radiosonde launching.     

Seismic observations at an overstep of the western North Anatolian Fault (Abant–Sapanca region, Turkey)

The course of the active North Anatolian Fault system from Lake Abant to Lake Sapanca was traced by its high micro-earthquake activity. If approaching from the east this section includes a broad south to north overstep (fault offset) of the main fault. Local seismicity has been recorded in this area by a semi-permanent network of 8 stations since 1985 within the frame of the Turkish–German Joint Project for Earthquake Research. The effect of the overstep and its complex fracture kinematics are reflected by the seismicity distribution, the variations of composite fault-plane solutions, and by the spatial coda-Q distribution. Areas of different stress orientation can be distinguished and assigned to different groups of faults. The stresses and the tectonic pattern only in part correspond to a simple model of an extensional overstep and its correlative pull-apart basin. Other types of deformation involved are characterized by normal faulting on faults parallel to the general course of the main strike-slip fault and by synthetic strike-slip faults oriented similar to Riedel shears. Shear deformation by this fault group widely distributed in an area north and east of the main fault line may play an important role in the evolution of the overstep. The development of a pull-apart basin is inhibited along the eastern half of the overstep and compatibility of both strands of the main fault (Bolu–Lake Abant and Lake Sapanca– Izmit–Marmara Sea) seems to be achieved with the aid of the fault systems mentioned. The extension of the missing part of the pull-apart basin seems to be displaced to positions remote from the Lake Abant–Lake Sapanca main fault line, i.e. to the Akyaz?–Düzce basin tract. Highest Q-values (lowest attenuation of seismic waves) were found in the zone of highest seismicity north and west of the overstep which is the zone of strongest horizontal tension. If high coda-Q is an indicator for strong scattering of seismic waves it might be related to extensional opening of fractures.     

Recent trends in pre-monsoon daily temperature extremes over India

Extreme climate and weather events are increasingly being recognized as key aspects of climate change. Pre-monsoon season (March–May) is the hottest part of the year over almost the entire South Asian region, in which hot weather extremes including heat waves are recurring natural hazards having serious societal impacts, particularly on human health. In the present paper, recent trends in extreme temperature events for the pre-monsoon season have been studied using daily data on maximum and minimum temperatures over a well-distributed network of 121 stations for the period 1970–2005. For this purpose, time series of extreme temperature events have been constructed for India as a whole and seven homogeneous regions, viz., Western Himalaya (WH), Northwest (NW), Northeast (NE), North Central (NC), East coast (EC), West coast (WC) and Interior Peninsula (IP).     

Assessment of nitrate contamination of Lidder catchment Kashmir, India

Nitrate contamination in the groundwater from various sources is one of the major problems of water resources in Liddercatchment, Kashmir. Systematic sampling was carried out during summer 2007, with a view to understand the source of nitrate ions in the groundwater of the Lidder catchment. Twelve sample sites were selected and samples were taken for a baseline study to understand the geochemistry of the groundwater and to assess the overall physico-chemical characteristics. Results showed that NO ₃ ^? concentration in ranged from 18.72?mg/L to 75.93?mg/L with an average of 47.03?mg/L. More than 80% (83.33%) of the samples collected from various sampling stations had nitrate concentrations exceeding the threshold value of 20?mg/L, and 58.33% of the samples collected had nitrate concentrations higher than 50?mg/L, the maximum acceptable nitrate concentration for drinking water. There is a wide spatial variation in the nitrate concentration in the groundwater. Monitoring the water quality of various sampling stations showed that the lowest concentrations of nitrate were found in the wet season (January, February, and December), while the highest concentrations were found in the dry season (August, September). Numerous human perturbations have been detected affecting the water quality of Lidder catchment. Disposal of sewage and animal wastes was found to contribute about 85% of total nitrate pollution in the study area. Based on the trend analysis (using previous data), future scenario of nitrate pollution has been predicted in the study area. The results of this study are useful to highlight one of the most important environmental problems, namely the degradation of the water quality, and may serve to alert and encourage local and national authorities to take substantial steps and actions to protect and manage water quality.     

Cobalt zoning in microscopic pyrite from Kamoto,Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa)

The Kamoto deposit consists of two stratiform orebodies separated by a barren sedimentary unit. It is a copper and cobalt deposit, the main features of which are summarized in the first part of the paper. Above the upper orebody, dolostone beds are found, where pyrite is the only sulfide mineral. This pyrite was investigated with the help of a microprobe: all idiomorphic grains were found to be surrounded by a well-defined rim, where the cobalt content reaches 4%; framboidal grains were also found to be heterogeneous with respect to cobalt. The distribution of nickel and copper is described. These observations afford one more evidence that post-depositional events played an important role in the Mine Series of Katanga, especially with regard to heavy metals geochemistry.

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Resume Le gisement de Kamoto est constitué de deux corps minéralisés stratiformes séparés par une unité sédimentaire stérile. C'est un gisement de cuivre et de cobalt dont les principales caractéristiques sont brièvement résumées. Audessus du corps minéralisé supérieur, on trouve des couches de dolomie, où la pyrite est le seul sulfure présent. Cette pyrite a été étudiée à l'aide d'une microsonde: tous les grains idiomorphes y sont entourés d'une bordure bien nette, où la teneur en cobalt atteint 4%; les grains d'apparence framboïdale sont également hétérogènes au point de vue de leur teneur en cobalt. La distribution du nickel et du cuivre est décrite. Ces observations apportent um témoignage supplémentaire de l'importance des événements postérieurs au dépôt dans la «Série des Mines» katangaise, tout spécialement en ce qui concerne la géochimie des métaux lourds. Elles démontrent que le «système» constitué par la roche sédimentaire est resté ouvert pendant un certain temps après la sédimentation.

     

Summer precipitation variability over South America on long and short intraseasonal timescales

A dipole pattern in convection between the South Atlantic convergence zone and the subtropical plains of southeastern South America characterizes summer intraseasonal variability over the region. The dipole pattern presents two main bands of temporal variability, with periods between 10 and 30 days, and 30 and 90 days; each influenced by different large-scale dynamical forcings. The dipole activity on the 30–90-day band is related to an eastward traveling wavenumber-1 structure in both OLR and circulation anomalies in the tropics, similar to that associated with the Madden–Julian oscillation. The dipole is also related to a teleconnection pattern extended along the South Pacific between Australia and South America. Conversely, the dipole activity on the 10–30-day band does not seem to be associated with tropical convection anomalies. The corresponding circulation anomalies exhibit, in the extratropics, the structure of Rossby-like wave trains, although their sources are not completely clear.     

A comparison of channel-base currents and optical signals for rocket-triggered lightning strokes

A comparative analysis has been performed of the channel-base current and light waveforms for four rocket-triggered lightning strokes. It has been found that the current and light signals at the bottom of the channel exhibit a linear relationship (direct proportionality) in their rising portions. However, just after the peaks the linearity disappears, and the light signals usually decrease faster than the currents during the next several microseconds. Later, this trend is reversed and in some cases the light signals show another rising trend, even when the currents continue to decrease. The linear light/current relationship for the rising portions of the waveforms appears to be the same for different strokes. The findings support the idea of evaluating the variation of return stroke current along the lightning return stroke channel using light signals, provided that evaluation is limited to the rising portions of those signals and assuming that the light/current relationship observed at the bottom of the channel holds at other heights.     

Studying an interaction between tropical cyclones and jet streams using the numerical simulation data

Discussed are the results of studying an evolution of tropical cyclones (TCs) in the Pacific Ocean using the data of computation of ETA and WRF NMM mesoscale numerical atmospheric models. Computed are the trajectories of TCs and the fields of meteorological variables in the typhoons, of the wind speed and kinetic energy in the subtropical jet stream during the development of Parma, Melor, and Lupit typhoons. Carried out are the analysis and comparison of computed fields of pressure, wind, kinetic energy, and trajectories of TCs obtained using these models and their comparison with the actual fields. It is demonstrated that both models computed rather well the complex trajectories and the fields of wind and kinetic energy varying in the course of the interaction. Proposed is an explanation of processes taking place during the interaction between the vortices and the subtropical jet stream and the polar front.     

Zircon trace element characteristics and ages in granulite xenoliths: a key to understanding the age and origin of the lower crust,Arkhangelsk kimberlite province,Russia

Garnet granulite and pyroxenite xenoliths from the Grib kimberlite pipe (Arkhangelsk, NW Russia) represent the lower crust beneath Russian platform in close vicinity to the cratonic region of the north-eastern Baltic (Fennoscandian) Shield. Many of the xenoliths have experienced strong interaction with the kimberlite host, but in others some primary granulite-facies minerals are preserved. Calculated bulk compositions for the granulites suggest that their protoliths were basic to intermediate igneous rocks; pyroxenites were ultrabasic to basic cumulates. A few samples are probably metasedimentary in origin. Zircons are abundant in the xenoliths; they exhibit complex zoning in cathodoluminescence with relic cores and various metamorphic rims. Cores include oscillatory zircon crystallized in magmatic protoliths, and metamorphic and magmatic sector-zoned zircons. Recrystallization of older zircons led to the formation of bright homogeneous rims. In some samples, homogeneous shells are surrounded by darker convoluted overgrowths that were formed by subsolidus growth when a change in mineral association occurred. The source of Zr was a phase consumed during a reaction, which produced garnet. Late-generation zircons in all xenoliths show concordant U–Pb ages of 1.81–1.84 Ga (1,826 ± 11 Ma), interpreted as the age of last granulite-facies metamorphism. This event completely resets most zircon cores. An earlier metamorphic event at 1.96–1.94 Ga is recorded by some rare cores, and a few magmatic oscillatory zircons have retained a Neoarchaean age of 2,719 ± 14 Ma. The assemblage of metaigneous and metasedimentary rocks was probably formed before the event at 1.96 Ga. Inherited magmatic zircons indicate the existence of continental crust by the time of intrusion of magmatic protoliths in the Late Archaean. The U–Pb zircon ages correspond to major events recorded in upper crustal rocks of the region: collisional metamorphism and magmatism 2.7 Ga ago and reworking of Archaean rocks at around 1.95–1.75 Ga. However, formation of the granulitic paragenesis in lower crustal rocks occurred significantly later than the last granulite-facies event seen in the upper crust and correlates instead with retrograde metamorphism and small-volume magmatism in the upper crust.