Spectral expressions for modelling the gravitational field of the Earth’s crust density structure

We derive expressions for computing the gravitational field (potential and its radial derivative) generated by an arbitrary homogeneous or laterally varying density contrast layer with a variable depth and thickness based on methods for a spherical harmonic analysis and synthesis of gravity field. The newly derived expressions are utilised in the gravimetric forward modelling of major known density structures within the Earth’s crust (excluding the ocean density contrast) beneath the geoid surface. The gravitational field quantities due to the sediments and crust components density contrasts, shown in numerical examples, are computed using the 2 × 2 arc-deg discrete data from the global crustal model CRUST2.0. These density contrasts are defined relative to the adopted value of the reference crustal density of 2670 kgm⁻³. All computations are realised globally on a 1 × 1 arc-deg geographical grid at the Earth’s surface. The maxima of the gravitational signal due to the sediments density contrast are mainly along continental shelf regions with the largest sedimentary deposits. The corresponding maxima due to the consolidated crust components density contrast are over areas of the largest continental crustal thickness with variable geological structure.     

A structurally adequate model of the geomagnetosphere

The structurally adequate model of the geomagnetosphere consists of the following modules: A. Bow shock as a source of power for magnetospheric processes. B. The generation of magnetospheric convection. C. The plasma pressure distribution in the magnetosphere and electron-proton precipitations into the ionosphere. D. The magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling. Field-aligned currents. Essentially, each module presented in an analytical form is a model of a particular process described in physical terms. It has an input and output to couple with other modules. When combined, the modules comprise a single large physically adequate model describing a phenomenon in such a way that we understand its essence and contribution of each physical process into the overall picture.     

Methane fluxes in the southeastern Baltic Sea

New data from surveys of gas-bearing mud areas in the Gdansk Deep (southeastern Baltic Sea) were collected during four research cruises in 2009–2011. These revealed the presence of seven large pockmarks apart from the three already known, and enabled significant improvement of the existing digital map of gassy mud distribution. Based on geochemical sediment analyses, calculated diffusive methane fluxes from the upper (0–5?cm) seabed layer into near-bottom waters were highest—3.3?mmol/(m²?day)—in pockmark mud, contrasting strongly with the minimum value of 0.004?mmol/(m²?day) observed in typical, background mud. However, fluxes of less than 0.1?mmol/(m²?day) were observed in all sediment types, including pockmarks. In a newer attempt to roughly estimate budgets at a more regional scale, diffusive methane venting amounts to 280?×?10⁶?mmol/day for southeastern Baltic Sea muddy sediments. Elongated pockforms in the southern Gotland Deep, known since the end of the 1980s as pockmarks, had methane concentrations that were similar to those of gassy mud from the Gdansk Basin, and there was no geo-acoustic evidence of considerably increased gas levels.     

Induction Sounding of the Earth’s Mantle at a New Russian Geophysical Observatory

Deep magnetotelluric (MT) sounding data were collected and processed in the western part of the East European Craton (EEC). The MT sounding results correspond well with impedances obtained by magnetovariation (MV) sounding on the new geophysical observatory situated not far from the western border of Russia. Inversion based on combined data of both induction soundings let us evaluate geoelectrical structure of the Earth’s crust and upper and mid-mantle at depths up to 2000 km, taking into account the harmonics of 11-year variations. Results obtained by different authors and methods are compared with similar investigations on the EEC such as international projects CEMES in Central Europe and BEAR in Fennoscandia.     

Evolution of borate minerals from contact metamorphic to hydrothermal stages: Ludwigite-group minerals and szaibélyite from the Vysoká – Zlatno skarn,Slovakia

Mineralogy and Petrology - Borate minerals of the ludwigite group (LGM) and szaibélyite in association with hydroxylclinohumite, clinochlore, a serpentine mineral, magnesian magnetite, spinel,...     

Estimation of phosphorus loads with sparse data for agricultural watersheds in the Czech Republic

Abstract

Agricultural watersheds in the Czech Republic are one of the primary sources of non-point-source phosphorus (P) loads in receiving waters. Since such non-point sources are generally located in headwater catchments, streamflow and P concentration data are sparse. We show how very short daily streamflow and P concentration records can be combined with nearby longer existing daily streamflow records to result in reliable estimates of daily and annual P concentrations and loads. Maintenance of variance streamflow record extension methods (MOVE) can be employed to extend short streamflow records. Constituent load regressions are used to predict daily P constituent loads from streamflow and other time varying characteristics. Annual P loads are then estimated for individual watersheds. Resulting annual P load estimates ranged from 0.21 to 95.4 kg year^-1 with a mean value of 11.77 kg year^-1. Similarly annual P yield estimates ranged from 0.01 to 0.3 kg ha^-1 year^-1 with an average yield of 0.07 kg ha^-1 year^-1. We document how short records of daily streamflow and P concentrations can be combined with a national network of daily streamflow records in the Czech Republic to arrive at meaningful and reliable estimates of annual P loads for small agricultural watersheds.

Citation Beránková, T., Vogel, R. M., Fiala, D. & Rosendorf, P. (2010) Estimation of phosphorus loads with sparse data for agricultural watersheds in the Czech Republic. Hydrol. Sci. J. 55(8), 1417–1426.     

Hydrological assessment of proposed reservoirs in the Sonora River Basin,Mexico, under historical and future climate scenarios

Abstract

A semi-distributed hydrological model and reservoir optimization algorithm are used to evaluate the potential impacts of climate change on existing and proposed reservoirs in the Sonora River Basin, Mexico. Inter-annual climatic variability, a bimodal precipitation regime and climate change uncertainties present challenges to water resource management in the region. Hydrological assessments are conducted for three meteorological products during a historical period and a future climate change scenario. Historical (1990–2000) and future (2031–2040) projections were derived from a mesoscale model forced with boundary conditions from a general circulation model under a high emissions scenario. The results reveal significantly higher precipitation, reservoir inflows, elevations and releases in the future relative to historical simulations. Furthermore, hydrological seasonality might be altered with a shift toward earlier water supply during the North American monsoon. The proposed infrastructure would have a limited ability to ameliorate future conditions, with more benefits in a tributary with lower flood hazard. These projections of the impacts of climate change and its interaction with infrastructure should be of interest to water resources managers in arid and semi-arid regions.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis     

Early Permian extensional shearing of an Ordovician granite: The Saint-Eutrope “C/S-like” orthogneiss (Montagne Noire,French Massif Central)

Dating the magmatic events in the Montagne Noire gneiss dome is a key point to arbitrate between the different interpretations of the Late Carboniferous–Early Permian tectonics in this southern part of the Variscan belt. The Saint-Eutrope orthogneiss crops out along the northern flank of the dome. We show that the protolith of this orthogneiss is an Ordovician granite dated at 455 ± 2 Ma (LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating on zircon). This age is identical to that previously obtained on the augen orthogneiss of the southern flank, strongly suggesting that both orthogneiss occurrences have the same Ordovician protolith. The Saint-Eutrope orthogneiss experienced intense shearing along the Espinouse extensional detachment at ca. 295 Ma (LA-ICP-MS U-Pb-Th on monazite), an age close to that determined previously on mica by the ³⁹Ar-⁴⁰Ar method and contemporaneous with the emplacement age of the syntectonic Montalet granite farther to the west. This normal sense shearing reworked previous fabrics related to Variscan thrusting that can be still observed in the augen orthogneiss of the southern flank, and is responsible for the spectacular “C/S-like” pattern of the Saint-Eutrope orthogneiss. This work also shows that care is needed when dealing with C/S-type structures, since they can develop not only in syntectonic intrusions, but also in orthogneisses affected by an intense secondary deformation, at decreasing temperature.