The influence of sediment thickness on energy delivery to the bed by bedload impacts

Fluvial bedrock erosion rates due to impacting sediment particles are thought to be proportional to the energy delivered to the bedrock. When sediment particles cover the bed, they reduce the energy transmitted to the bed by an impacting particle. We measured the decline of energy transferred through sediment cover of increasing thickness in laboratory experiments. The energy arriving at the bed is a function both of the cover thickness and the grain size of the covering sediment. Using a simple stochastic model of cover distribution, the experimental results were upscaled to the reach scale. Although cover thickness influences energy delivery heavily at a given point, when averaging over the whole bed, cover-free areas dominate total energy delivery, making partial energy transfer through the cover negligible when a small or intermediate fraction of the bed is covered by sediment. Partial energy delivery through the bed cover is not negligible when a large fraction or the complete bed is already covered, but in this situation, an erosion threshold may become important. On grounds of the presented data, we expect that the areal distribution of sediment in a bedrock channel dominates total energy delivery and that partial energy delivery to the bed through a sediment layer can be neglected for most modelling purposes.     

A Two-Day Case Study: Comparison of Turbulence Data from an Unmanned Aircraft System with a Model Chain for Complex Terrain

The airborne measurement platform MASC-3 (Multi-Purpose Airborne Sensor Carrier) is used for measurements over a forested escarpment in the Swabian Alps to evaluate the wind field. Data from flight legs between 20 and 200 m above the ground on two consecutive days with uphill (westerly) flow in September 2018 are analyzed. In the lowest 140 m above the ground a speed-up is found with increased turbulence and changes in wind direction directly over the escarpment, whereas in the lowest 20 to 50 m above the ground a deceleration of the flow is measured. Additionally, simulation results from a numerical model chain based on the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and an OpenFOAM (Open Source Field Operation and Manipulation) model, developed for complex terrain, are compared to the data captured by MASC-3. The models and measurements compare well for the mean wind speed and inclination angle.

     

The deglaciation of Upernavik trough,West Greenland,and its Holocene sediment infill: processes and provenance

Under glacial climates, continental ice sheets such as, e.g., the Greenland Ice Sheet, extended onto the continental shelves and often carved out deep cross-shelf troughs. The sedimentary infill of such troughs commonly is a product of the complex interactions between the ice sheets, largely driving sediment input into the ocean, and the surrounding water masses. Off West Greenland, research has focused on the Disko and Uummannaq troughs, leaving the northerly adjacent Upernavik trough relatively understudied. Hence, neither the chronology of deglaciation nor the details of its postglacial infill are sufficiently well understood. Here, we combine computed tomography image-derived information with geochemical and granulometric data from four sediment cores recovered from the Upernavik trough that point to (i) deglaciation of the mid-shelf probably around 13.4 cal. ka BP that was most likely driven by a northward advection of warmer Atlantic waters during the Bølling–Allerød, (ii) the presence of widespread mass wasting around 8 cal. ka BP on the inner shelf and (iii) the complex interplay between various modes of sediment input, transport and deposition under hemipelagic sedimentation afterwards. While this interplay complicates provenance studies, we identify two major sediment delivery mechanisms that control transport and deposition from four sediment source areas. Through the Early Holocene the relative contributions of sediments from the various sources changed from a predominantly local origin to more southerly sources, mainly driven by decreasing input from the local sources. The integration of relative sediment source contributions with varying sedimentation rates challenges previous studies postulating intensified sediment delivery from the south through a greater influence of the West Greenland Current and highlights the need for the integration of sediment input and transport mechanisms into provenance studies in the area.     

Integrated geophysical and geological methods to investigate the inner and outer structures of the Quaternary Mýtina maar (W-Bohemia,Czech Republic)

The Mýtina maar is the first known Quaternary maar in the Bohemian Massif. Based on the results of Mrlina et al. (J Volcanol Geother Res 182:97–112, 2009), a multiparametric geophysical (electrical resistivity tomography, gravimetry, magnetometry, seismics) and geological/petrochemical research study had been carried out. The interpretation of the data has provided new information about the inner structure of the volcanic complex: (1) specification of the depth of post-volcanic sedimentary fill (up to ~100 m) and (2) magnetic and resistivity signs of one (or two) hidden volcanic structures interpreted as intrusions or remains of a scoria cone. The findings at the outer structure of the maar incorporate the (1) evidence of circular fracture zones outside the maar, (2) detection and distribution of volcanic ejecta and tephra-fall deposits at the surface, and (3) indications from electrical resistivity tomography and gravity data in the area between the Mýtina maar and ?elezná h?rka scoria cone, interpreted as a palaeovalley, filled by volcaniclastic rocks, and aligned along the strike line (NW–SE) of the Tachov fault zone. These findings are valuable contributions to extend the knowledge about structure of maar volcanoes in general. Because of ongoing active magmatic processes in the north-east part of the Cheb Basin (ca. 15–30 km north of the investigation area), the Mýtina maar-diatreme volcano and surroundings is a suitable key area for research directed to reconstruction of the palaeovolcanic evolution and assessment of possible future hazard potential in the Bohemian Massif.     

Long-term ocean simulations in FESOM: evaluation and application in studying the impact of Greenland Ice Sheet melting

The Finite Element Sea-ice Ocean Model (FESOM) is formulated on unstructured meshes and offers geometrical flexibility which is difficult to achieve on traditional structured grids. In this work, the performance of FESOM in the North Atlantic and Arctic Ocean on large time scales is evaluated in a hindcast experiment. A water-hosing experiment is also conducted to study the model sensitivity to increased freshwater input from Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) melting in a 0.1-Sv discharge rate scenario. The variability of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) in the hindcast experiment can be explained by the variability of the thermohaline forcing over deep convection sites. The model also reproduces realistic freshwater content variability and sea ice extent in the Arctic Ocean. The anomalous freshwater in the water-hosing experiment leads to significant changes in the ocean circulation and local dynamical sea level (DSL). The most pronounced DSL rise is in the northwest North Atlantic as shown in previous studies, and also in the Arctic Ocean. The released GrIS freshwater mainly remains in the North Atlantic, Arctic Ocean and the west South Atlantic after 120 model years. The pattern of ocean freshening is similar to that of the GrIS water distribution, but changes in ocean circulation also contribute to the ocean salinity change. The changes in Arctic and sub-Arctic sea level modify exchanges between the Arctic Ocean and subpolar seas, and hence the role of the Arctic Ocean in the global climate. Not only the strength of the AMOC, but also the strength of its decadal variability is notably reduced by the anomalous freshwater input. A comparison of FESOM with results from previous studies shows that FESOM can simulate past ocean state and the impact of increased GrIS melting well.