Short-term temporal variability of atmospheric surface pressure and wind speed in the Canadian Arctic

In this study, the spatial differences and interannual fluctuations in temporal variability of surface pressure and wind speed on different timescales at 12 locations in the Canadian Arctic are documented. Temporal variability is defined as the mean-squared value of time tendencies smoothed by running means over different intervals. It is shown that variability on timescales of up to 1 month is itself highly variable, both in space and time. Due to the significant impacts from the immediate geographical environment, for surface wind speed, these variations show no spatial pattern on a continental scale, and only a few persistent trends over periods of more than 10 years. Also, spatial and temporal anomalies do not significantly depend on timescale. Contrary to this, spatial and temporal variations in the variability of surface pressure and its changes with time show well-defined regional similarities, as well as a strong spatial and temporal dependence on timescale. As a result, variability of surface pressure on timescales between 1 and 3 days increases from the northeast region of the domain towards the southwest. On longer timescales, this spatial gradient is reversed. The consistent spatial pattern across the study domain suggests that variability of surface pressure is primarily governed by large-scale atmospheric processes, and is to a large extent independent of the exact geographical setting.     

Comparing state-of the art near-surface models of a seismic test line from Saudi Arabia

We present a seismic Test Line, provided by Saudi Aramco for various research teams, to highlight a few major challenges in land data processing due to near‐surface anomalies. We discuss state‐of‐the‐art methods used to compensate for shallow distortions, including single‐layer, multilayer, plus/minus, refraction and tomostatics methods. They are a starting point for the new technologies presented in other papers, all dealing with the same challenging data described here. The difficulties on the Test Line are mostly due to the assumption of vertical raypaths, inherent in classical applications of near‐surface correction statics. Even the most detailed velocity/depth model presents difficulties, due to the compleX‐raypath. There is a need for methods which are based on more complex models andtheories.     

Ore and Alteration Types of the Gold and Copper Mineralization in the Lascogon Project, Surigao del Norte, Mindanao Island, Philippines

Two ore and three alteration types were identified in the Lascogon Project of Philex Gold Philippines, in Surigao del Norte, Mindanao Island, Philippines. The jasperoid ore is the host to the Carlin‐like gold mineralization in the Lascogon and Danao prospects. The ore occurs in a decalcified and silicified horizon, with minor chlorite and goethite, stibnite, pyrite and quartz crystals ranging from cryptocrystalline to botryoidal. The stringer–stockwork type Cu‐Au mineralization in the Suyoc prospect is hosted in argillized andesitic rocks of the Mabuhay Formation. The primary ore minerals are chalcopyrite with minor amounts of sphalerite. The alteration types identified are propylitic alteration, argillic alteration and silicification. The propylitized basaltic and andesitic flows of the Bacuag Formation bound the jasperoid mineralization in the Lascogon prospect. Stratigraphically, the relationship between propylitized basalts and stringer–stockwork Cu‐Au is not clear but a lateral change can be inferred from jasperoid in the center and stringer–stockwork towards the east.     

Database of Comet Polarimetry: Analysis and Some Results

We present the electronic database (EAR-C-COMPIL-5-DB-COMET-POLARIMETRY-V1.0, NASA Planetary Data System) involving published and some unpublished results of cometary polarimetry. The database contains more than 2600 measurements of linear and circular polarization for 64 comets since 1940s. The narrow-band and wide-band measurements within the spectral region 0.3–2.2 micron are presented. The ranges of phase angles, helio- and geocentric distances of comets are 0.4–122°, 0.6–4.8 AU, 0.03–4.9 AU, respectively. We have comprised more than 60 references to the published papers and unpublished sources. The data we included are presented in a tabular format in the ASCII codes. The database can be used as the observational basis for detailed theoretical modeling, interpretation of the phase-angle and spectral dependence of polarization, classification of comets, laboratory simulating, and for selecting future space-mission targets. Analysis of the available data allowed us to summarize some observed characteristics of linearly and circularly polarized light and their phase-angle, heliocentric, spectral, and spatial dependencies.     

Correspondence between Lagrangian and Eulerian Velocity Statistics at the ASUKA Line

The 20–30% differences between drifter- and altimetry-derived mean velocities reported at the ASUKA line (Affiliated Surveys of the Kuroshio off Cape Ashizuri) are explained in terms of the non-Eulerian character of statistics of drifter trajectories' crossovers with the TOPEX/Poseidon track. Larger mean drifter velocities are shown to result from the fact that more water crosses the line when velocity is large, so that the “line” average velocity corresponds to the Eulerian quantity <V⋅|V_n|>/<|V_n|>, where V_n is a velocity component perpendicular to the line. Practical methods are suggested to correct the bias. General properties of the “line” statistic and improvement of dynamical balance by correct accounting for the acceleration term are discussed. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The Mechanism of Reactive NO3 Uptake on Dry NaX (X=Cl, Br)

A simple kinetic mechanism of nitrate radicals uptake on dry sea-salt NaCl, NaBr surfaces is proposed. The mechanism includes adsorption/desorption equilibrium and unimolecular decomposition of the adsorbed complex: NO₃(g) + NaX(s) (NO₃-NaX)(s); (NO₃-NaX)(s) NaNO₃ + X(s) Two techniques were used: the matrix isolation ESR and mass spectrometry. The uptake coefficient () is found to be dependent on exposure time of salt to NO₃ for raw coating. The initial (t0) is higher than the observable steady-state _obs. At room temperature _obs is independent of [NO₃] at low [NO₃] = 3 × 10⁹ - 10¹¹ cm^-3, but it is inversely proportional to [NO₃] at concentrations higher than 10¹² cm^-3. At temperatures above 100 °C, _obs becomes independent of [NO₃] in a wider range of [NO₃]. An increased number of dislocations is supposed to exist in the case of raw coating. Due to a wide spread of the surface sites binding energy with the ionic lattice near dislocations, the part of surface complexes has lower binding energy and "burns" more rapidly. That burning determines the transition from (t0) down to _obs.The kinetic parameters and elementary rate coefficients are obtained. The recommended for low atmospheric NO₃ concentration are in the range of 0.002 ± 0.04 for NaCl and 0.1-0.3 for NaBr depending on a mechanism of the (t) relaxation.     

Fatal landslides in Europe

Landslides are a major hazard causing human and large economic losses worldwide. However, the quantification of fatalities and casualties is highly underestimated and incomplete, thus, the estimation of landslide risk is rather ambitious. Hence, a spatio-temporal distribution of deadly landslides is presented for 27 European countries over the last 20  years (1995–2014). Catastrophic landslides are widely distributed throughout Europe, however, with a great concentration in mountainous areas. In the studied period, a total of 1370 deaths and 784 injuries were reported resulting from 476 landslides. Turkey showed the highest fatalities with 335. An increasing trend of fatal landslides is observed, with a pronounced number of fatalities in the latest period from 2008 to 2014. The latter are mostly triggered by natural extreme events such as storms (i.e., heavy rainfall), earthquakes, and floods and only minor by human activities, such as mining and excavation works. Average economic loss per year in Europe is approximately 4.7 billion Euros. This study serves as baseline information for further risk mapping by integrating deadly landslide locations, local land use data, and will therefore help countries to protect human lives and property.     

西天山造山带构造单元划分及古生代洋陆转换过程

西天山造山带位于哈萨克斯坦—准噶尔板块与卡拉库姆—塔里木板块的结合部,是由一系列前寒武纪微陆块、古生代洋壳残片及陆缘弧相互拼贴而成的多聚合带、多成矿带,其独特的造山-成矿过程受到了国内外的广泛关注。本文通过构造单元划分与编图,建立了古生代西天山造山带的构造格架,认为古生代西天山造山带的构造演化依次经历了:罗迪尼亚大陆裂解与北天山早古生代多岛洋盆形成阶段(Z-O_2),北天山早古生代多岛洋盆闭合与南天山洋盆开始形成阶段(O_3-S),南、北天山洋晚古生代洋盆形成与发展阶段(D-C_1),南、北天山晚古生代洋盆全面闭合与天山碰撞造山带形成阶段(C1-C_2)和碰撞后板内演化阶段(C_2-P)。     

Spatial patterns of biodiversity in the Black Sea: An assessment using benthic polychaetes

The current study broadens the biodiversity information available for the Black Sea and neighbouring regions and improves our knowledge about the polychaete biogeographic patterns to be discerned in them. There appears to be a well-defined zoogeocline from the Marmara Sea and Bosphorus Strait to the inner parts of the region (Azov Sea), depicted both as a multivariate pattern and in terms of species (or taxa) numbers. The emergent multivariate pattern complies, to a certain extent, with Jakubova’s (1935) views: three main sectors can be defined in the basin: (a) Prebosphoric, (b) the Black Sea and, (c) the Azov Sea, whereas the Bosphorus Strait and Marmara Sea show less faunal affinities with the afore-mentioned sectors. Patterns derived both from the cosmopolitan and Atlanto-Mediterranean species closely follow the one coming from the polychaete species and genera inventories. As a general trend, species numbers decrease along with the decrease in salinity towards the inner parts of the region. The trend is homologous to that seen in the benthic invertebrate inventories of all the major European semi-enclosed regional seas. Salinity and food availability appear to be the dominant abiotic factors correlated, though weakly, with the various patterns deriving from the taxonomic/zoogeographic categories. With the exception of the Anatolia, polychaete inventories from all sectors appear to be random samples of the total inventory of the region, in terms of taxonomic distinctness values. Therefore, these sectoral inventories can be used for future biodiversity/environmental impact assessment studies. A massive invasion of Mediterranean species after the opening of the Black Sea, in the lower Quaternary period, appears to be the likely biogeographic mechanism through which the old Sarmatic fauna was almost completely replaced by species of marine origin.     

Removal of topographic effects from lunar images using Kaguya (LALT) and Earth-based observations

Lunar images acquired at non-zero phase angles show brightness variations caused by both albedo heterogeneities and local topographic slopes of the surface. To distinguish between these two factors, altimetry measurements or photoclinometry data can be used. The distinction is especially important for imagery of phase-function parameters of the Moon. The imagery is a new tool that can be used to study structural anomalies of the lunar surface. To illustrate the removal of the topographic effects from photometric images, we used Earth-based telescopic observations, altimetry measurements carried out with the Kaguya (JAXA) LALT instrument, and a new photoclinometry technique that includes analysis of several images of the same scenes acquired at different phase angles. Using this technique we have mapped the longitudinal component of lunar topography slopes (the component measured along the lines of constant latitude). We have found good correlations when comparing our map with the corresponding data from Kaguya altimetry. The removal of the topographic surface properties allows for the study of the phase-function parameters of the lunar surface, not only for flat mare regions, but for highlands as well.