Planktonic dimethylsulfide and cloud albedo: An estimate of the feedback response

Partial control of climate by the biosphere may be possible through a chain of processes that ultimately links marine plankton production of dimethylsulfide (DMS) with changes in cloud albedo (Charlson et al., 1987). Changes in cloud optical properties can have profound impacts on atmospheric radiation transfer and, hence, the surface environment. In this study, we have developed a simple model that incorporates empirically based parameterizations to account for the biological control of cloud droplet concentration in a first attempt to estimate the strength of the DMS-cloud albedo feedback mechanism. We find that the feedback reduces the global climatic response to imposed perturbations in solar insolation by less than 7%. Likewise, it modifies the strength of other feedbacks affecting surface insolation over oceans by roughly the same amount. This suggests that the DMS-cloud albedo mechanism will be unable to substantially reduce climate sensitivity, although these results should be confirmed with less idealized models when more is known about the net production of DMS by the marine biosphere and its relation to aerosol/cloud microphysics and climate.     

Characteristics and origins of lee-side stratification sequences in late pleistocene drumlins,northern Ireland

Spindle- and parabolic-shaped drumlins examined at fifty-five localities in northern Ireland possess stratification sequences on their lee-side flanks. These forms lack the distinctive steep stoss- and tapering lee-ends of classical drumlins and tend to occur in linear zones transverse to late Pleistocene ice-flow. In most cases (90 per cent) the stratified deposits infill embayments excavated in the lee-side of barkhanoid forms and, in the remainder (10 per cent), they are superimposed on the lee-side of whaleback forms. The stratification sequences developed as a result of sedimentation in interconnected subglacial water-filled cavities and are unlike remanie proglacial sediments moulded by ice into drumlin form. Stratigraphic evidence indicates that the lee-side sequences developed during drumlin streamlining, which supports the view that subglacial hydraulic processes played an important role in drumlin formation.     

Comparative growth of juvenile white sturgeon and striped bass: Effects of temperature and hypoxia

The influences of temperature and environmental hypoxia on the growth rates of two California anadromous fishes, white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) and striped bass (Morone saxatilis) were examined. Fish (0.5–0.6 g initial weight) were fedad libitum rations ofArtemia in flow-through aquaria regulated for temperature (15, 20, and 25°C) and oxygen tension (130 and 90 torr P_{o 2}). Growth of sturgeon was significantly greater at 20 °C compared with 15 °C, but there was no difference between 20 and 25 °C. Striped bass growth increased with each 5° increment of temeprature elevation to 3.2% body weight per d at 25 °C, the fastest growth rate measured. The temperature of maximum growth reflected the temperature of the native estuarine rearing area. Environmental hypoxia (90 torr P_{o 2}) reduced growth of sturgeon within each temperature level, whereas striped bass growth was reduced by hypoxia only at the upper two temperatures. Sturgeon were much more active in the growth chambers than striped bass. Sturgeon activity increased with each 5 °C temperature increase under normoxia and hypoxia, except at 25 °C (hypoxia) where activity was insignificantly different from that at 20 °C (hypoxia).     

Zonal and meridional circulations in the equatorialzone as deduced from the divergence field of the surface wind

The zonal and meridional circulations and their variability are examined on the basis of the surface wind data for 1950-1979. The climatological mean zonal wind and its divergence are examined in reference to the Walker Circulation. The role played by the meridional circulation in contributing to convergence of the surface wind field within the equatorial zone is emphasized. Regression coefficients are used to infer seasonal mean anomalies of divergence of the surface wind in years when the sea level pressure is 1 hPa above normal at Darwin, a condition representative of El Nino events. It is shown that anomalies in the divergence associated with the meridional wind component are primarily responsible for the heavy precipitation in the Central Pacific, while the anomalous divergence associated with the zonal wind component may cause the drought in the Western Pacific near Indonesia. A similar pattern of divergence anomalies is evident during three consecutive seasons beginning in northern summer and ending in northern winter. The reinforcement of the Hadley Circulation during El Nino episodes is noted. It is shown that the circulations over the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean are relatively uncorrelated. The interrelation between the dipole anticyclones and the meridional cir-culation over the central Pacific is discussed.     

Simulated climate and CO2—Induced climate change over Western Europe

The use of a relatively high resolution general circulation model (the Meteorological Office 5-layer model) to determine climate changes for impact studies is evaluated. The simulation of present day climate over Western Europe is assessed by comparing not only different seasons with climatological data, but also the mean annual cycle and the frequency of extreme events. It is found that while the broad features of the simulation are satisfactory, the model produces too many cold episodes in spring, and an excessive number of wet days over northern Europe. When atmospheric CO₂ concentrations are quadrupled, and sea surface temperatures and sea ice extents changed appropriately, the number of cold episodes is reduced and precipitation is less frequent in summer and autumn over much of Europe, and throughout the year in the south. The relevance of both the model data and the statistical tests to climate impact studies is discussed.     

Development and changes in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia

Due to a particularly favourable geologic and tectonic setting in the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia has the world largest oil reserves and is the third largest oil-producing nation in the world. Based on oil and gas revenues, the Kingdom experienced an overwhelming development during the last few decades, changing a desert country into a modern industrialized nation. Main characteristics of spatial changes are based on processes of urbanization and industrialization, on agricultural reclamations and infra-structural developments. Since the natural environment of deserts and semi-deserts in the Eastern Province is determined by an extremely sensitive equilibrium, environmental impacts, shortages in water resources, as well as limited human resources are causing basic problems, which will influence future developments.     

Multivariate statistische Auswertung von Schwermineraldaten der alpinen Gosau und Bezüge zur plattentektonischen Entwicklung der Ostalpen während der Oberkreide

Zusammenfassung Aus Schwermineraldaten verschiedener Oberkreidevorkommen der alpinen Gosau werden mit einer speziellen Variante der Q-Modus Faktorenanalyse lithologische Endglieder zur Rekonstruktion der Liefergebiete modelliert. Dabei zeigt sich, daß zeitlich zwischen der bekannten Chromspinell-Schüttung aus Ophiolithen im Norden und der Zufuhr von Granat aus dem Kristallin der Ostalpen im Süden während des Campan ein kratonisches Hinterland vorhanden ist, das sowohl reifen (Zirkon, Turmalin, Rutil) als auch sauer plutonischen Detritus (Zirkon, Apatit) in die Gosaubecken einbringt.Diese Befunde bestätigen und präzisieren das vonFrisch (1979) vorgelegte plattentektonische Konzept: Als Folge der Subduktion des südpenninischen Piedmont Ozeans und gleichzeitiger Öffnung des nordpenninischen Valais Ozeans kollidiert im Campan die mittelpenninische Briançonnais-Mikroplatte mit dem Austroalpin der adriatischen Platte. Dem entspricht die Abnahme der Chromspinellzufuhr und die Zunahme von Detritus aus einem kratonischen Liefergebiet in den Gosau Sedimenten des Untercampan. Nach der intragosauischen Gebirgsbildungsphase hält die Zufuhr von kratonischem Material aus dem Mittelpenninikum während dessen Überschiebung im Obercampan an. Gleichzeitig beginnt die Freilegung von austroalpinen Kristallinarealen, die generell ab dem Maastricht zur Vorherrschaft eines metamorphen Schwermineralspektrums führt.

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Heavy mineral data from the Late Cretaceous clastic sediments of the Alpine Gosau formation were processed using extended Q-mode factor analysis in order to model in detail end members of lithological associations in search of provenance. The results show clearly a cratonic source area which furnished both mature (zircon, tourmaline, rutile) and acid plutomc (zircon, apatite) detritus into the Gosau basins during Campanian time. Stratigraphically, the mature-plutonic detritus ranges between the well known chromspinel supply from ophiolites in the north and the influx of garnet from metamorphic rocks of the Eastern Alps in the south.This confirms and clarifies the plate tectonic model proposed byFrisch (1979): The Middle Penninic Briançonian microplate collided with the Austroalpine unit of the Adriatic plate as result of both the subduction of the South Penninic Piedmont ocean and the contemporaneous opening of the North Penninic Valais ocean. The sedimentological response was a decrease in chromspinel and an increase in the minerals of cratonic provenance in the Gosau sediments of Early Campanian age. The cratonic detritus continued to dominate in the Late Campanian after the intragosauic orogenic movements as the Briançonian plate was beeing overthrust. At this time the erosion of Austroalpine metamorphic areas started, leading to the predominance of heavy minerals of metamorphic source from the Latest Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) onwards.

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Résumé Une forme particulière d'analyse factorielle en mode.Q a été appliquée aux minéraux lourdes provenant de divers sites du Crétacé supérieur du Gosau (Alpes orientales), en vue de rechercher l'origine des sédiments. Cette méthode montre clairement l'existence au Campanien d'une source cratonique qui alimenterait le bassin du Gosau à la fois en éléments matures (zircon, tourmaline, rutile) et en éléments plutoniques acides (zircon, apatite). Cet apport se situe stratigraphiquement entre les arrivées de spinelle chromifère provenant des ophiolites au Nord et de grenat provenant des métamorphites des Alpes occidentales au Sud.Ces résultats confiment et précisent le modèle géodynamique proposé par Frisch (1979): à la suite de la subduction de l'océan sud-pennique piémontais et de l'ouverture de l'océan nord-pennique valaisan, une collision se produisit au Campanien entre la microplaque méso-pennique brianonnaise et l-Austro-alpin de la plaque adriatique. La réponse sédimentologique à cet événement a été, dans les sédiments companiens infeérieurs du Gosau, une diminution de l'afflux de spinelles chromifères et un accroissement des minéraux de provenance cratonique. Au Campanien supérieur, après la phase tectonique intro-gosauienne, l'apport des matériaux cratoniques a continué pendant le charriage de la plaque briançonnaise. En même temps commençait l'érosion de l'aire métamorphique austroalpine amenant, à partir du Maastrichtien une prédominance de minéraux lourdes d'órigine métamorphique.

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