Automated correction of systematic errors in high frequency depth measurements above V-notch weirs using time series decomposition

Hydrologic studies require high-quality streamflow measurements. V-notch weirs provide accurate discharge measurements and when properly equipped produce continuous records of streamflow. However, sensor drift and accumulations of floating woody debris cause systematic errors in depth measurements behind weirs, particularly during periods of base flow between storms. Manual processing of high-frequency streamflow data is often subjective and difficult to reproduce. We developed a method to automatically correct erroneous depth time series to accelerate data processing and promote objectivity and reproducibility. The method inspects depth measurements, isolates and preserves periods of direct runoff during storms, and corrects erroneous inter-event baseflow. We applied experience obtained during manual data processing to implement an automatic correction method based on time series decomposition to produce a consistent time series of stage data that eliminates obvious errors due to sensor drift and clogging by woody debris. The automatic method offers an objective and reproducible procedure capable of efficiently processing 1 year of stage data in seconds. This method promotes reproducibility and may appeal to water resources experts working with large amounts of data especially at sites where distance, cost, or inclement weather prevents regular instrument maintenance.     

Orientation of planetary nebulae within the Galaxy

Narrow-band CCD images of 209 axially symmetrical planetary nebulae (PNe) have been examined in order to determine the orientation of their axes within the disc of the Galaxy. The nebulae have been divided into the bipolar (B) and elliptical (E) PNe morphological types, according to the scheme of Corradi &38; Schwarz. In both classes, contrary to the results of Melnick &38; Harwit and Phillips we do not find any strong evidence for non-random orientations of the nebulae in the Galaxy. Compared with previous work in this field, the present study takes advantage of the use of larger and morphologically more homogeneous samples and offers a more rigorous statistical analysis.     

The 44-year Mediterranean HIPOCAS wind database: A useful tool to analyse offshore extreme wind events from a long-term regional perspective

Nowadays, many efforts are leading to use the high potential offshore wind energy resources. A detailed assessment of the offshore wind resources arises as a first-rate requirement. Most of such assessment is based on extreme offshore wind atlas generated mainly from global reanalysis and satellite data. Both sort of data show certain shortcomings related, among others, to coarse spatial resolution and time inhomogeneity issues, respectively. This snag seems to be crucial over areas such as the Mediterranean Basin, which is characterized by a complex land–sea distribution and a significant orography. The HIPOCAS Mediterranean long-term (1958–2001) wind database comes to overcome the aforementioned reanalysis shortcoming and provides a Mediterranean wind data set useful to perform extreme wind analysis. This contribution also deals with a statistical extreme wind analysis over the whole Mediterranean offshore areas. Extreme return periods and levels are obtained from annual maxima using a number of distributions. Additionally, an alternative regional statistical method based on regional L-moment statistics is also proposed. The regional technique is applied to reduce uncertainty and allows a higher number of measurements to be included in the analysis, using data from a homogeneous region instead of from a single location. The herein performed extreme wind analysis provides a detailed assessment of high wind offshore areas over the Mediterranean and constitutes a subject of great interest for evaluation of wind resources.     

Hydrochemical and isotopic characteristics of groundwater in the Ndop plain,northwest Cameroon: resilience to seasonal climatic changes

Shallow groundwater (>30 mbgl) is an essential source of drinking water to rural communities in the Ndop plain, northwest Cameroon. As a contribution to water management, the effect of seasonal variation on the groundwater chemistry, hydrochemical controls, drinking quality and recharge were investigated during the peaks of the dry (January) and rainy (September) seasons. Field measurements of physical parameters were preceded by sampling 58 groundwater samples during both seasons for major ions and stable isotope analyses. The groundwater, which was barely acidic (mean pH of 6) and less mineralised (TDS < 272 mg/l), showed no significant seasonal variation in temperature, pH and TDS during the two seasons. The order of cation abundance (meq/l) was Na⁺ > Ca²⁺ > Mg²⁺ > K⁺ and Na⁺ > Mg²⁺ > Ca²⁺ > K⁺ in the dry and rainy seasons, respectively, but that of anions ( \( {\text{HCO}}_{3}^{ - } \)  >  \( {\text{NO}}_{3}^{ - } \)  > Cl^? >  \( {\text{SO}}_{4}^{2 - } \)  > F^?) was similar in both seasons. This suggests a negligible effect of seasonal variations on groundwater chemistry. The groundwater, which was CaMgHCO₃ and NaHCO₃, is chemically evolved rainfall (CaMgSO₄Cl) in the area. Silicate mineral dissolution and cation-exchange were the main controls on groundwater chemistry while there was little anthropogenic influence. The major ions and TDS concentrations classified the water as suitable for human consumption as per WHO guidelines. The narrow cluster of δ¹⁸O and δD of same groundwater from both seasons between the δ¹⁸O and δD values of May–June precipitation along the Ndop Meteoric Water Line indicates meteoric origin, rapid recharge (after precipitation) and timing of recharge between May and June rainfall. Diffuse groundwater recharge mainly occurs at low altitudes (<1,400 m asl) within the plain. Besides major ions and TDS, the similar δ¹⁸O and δD of groundwater from both seasons indicate a consistent groundwater recharge and flow pattern throughout the year and resilience to present day short-term seasonal climatic variations. However, controlled groundwater abstraction is recommended given the increasing demand.     

Women, Disempowerment and Resistance: An Analysis of Logging and Mining Activities in the Pacific

There are many arguments supporting the need for a reduction of large scale logging and mining activities in Pacific Island countries. In addition to ecological and economic concerns, logging and mining have had significant social impacts, including gendered impacts. Women tend to be excluded from decision-making processes, and they have limited access to royalty payments and business and employment opportunities which emerge. Women also bear a disproportionate share of the responsibility for dealing with the social and environmental mess which accumulates. However, women are not simply passive victims of logging and mining activities, as this discussion of the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea will argue. They are often the first to feel dissatisfaction with logging and mining and it is such dissatisfaction which has fuelled civil unrest, from family break-ups to sabotage of machinery to civil war, in some communities. It may thus be useful for companies to more carefully monitor the effects of their activities on women and involve women more actively in decision-making bodies if they wish to avoid such unrest in the future.     

A New LA‐ICP‐MS Method for Ti in Quartz: Implications and Application to High Pressure Rutile‐Quartz Veins from the Czech Erzgebirge

Experimental determination of the pressure and temperature controls on Ti solubility in quartz provides a calibration of the Ti‐in‐quartz (TitaniQ) geothermometer applicable to geological conditions up to ~ 20 kbar. We present a new method for determining ⁴⁸Ti mass fractions in quartz by LA‐ICP‐MS at the 1 μg g^?1 level, relevant to quartz in HP‐LT terranes. We suggest that natural quartz such as the low‐CL rims of the Bishop Tuff quartz (determined by EPMA; 41 ± 2 μg g^?1 Ti, 2s) is more suitable than NIST reference glasses as a reference material for low Ti mass fractions because matrix effects are limited, Ca isobaric interferences are avoided, and polyatomic interferences at mass 48 are insignificant, thus allowing for the use of ⁴⁸Ti as a normalising mass. Average titanium mass fraction from thirty‐three analyses of low temperature quartz from the Czech Erzgebirge is 0.9 ± 0.2 μg g^?1 (2s) using ⁴⁸Ti as a normalising mass and Bishop Tuff quartz rims as a reference material. The 2s average analytical uncertainty for individual analyses of ⁴⁸Ti is 8% for 50 μm spots and 7% for 100 μm spots, which offers much greater accuracy than the 21–41% uncertainty (2s) incurred from using ⁴⁹Ti as an analyte.     

GGR Biennial Review: Reference Materials in Geoanalytical and Environmental Research – Review for 2008 and 2009

This review gives an overview of the literature on reference materials of geochemical and environmental interest for the two-year period 2008–2009. Reference materials play an increasingly important role in all fields of geoanalytical research. This is demonstrated by the large number of publications containing data on reference materials. Although many reference materials exist, there is still a great need for certified samples, so-called delta zero materials for stable isotopic work and homogeneous microanalytical reference materials. This review focuses on six topics: developments of certification processes of reference materials mainly postulated in ISO guidelines and the IAG protocol, new developments of the GeoReM database, investigations of powdered rock reference materials, Chinese reference materials published in Chinese journals, microanalytical reference materials and isotopic reference materials.     

Understanding Causes of Conflict Over Common Village Pastures – A Comparative Analysis of Property Rights in Azerbaijan and Georgia

Abstract

Conflicts in the management of renewable natural resources are situations in which actors have diverging opinions on issues of natural resource use. In the literature, among the causal factors for conflicts discussed are resource wealth or scarcity and the role of governance. The evidence, however, is contradictory. In order to analyze the role of governance in more detail, we propose a combined analysis of property rights and conflicts. In this way, an improved understanding of the causes of local conflicts over renewable natural resources can be achieved. We use comparative case study data from pasture management in the Caucasus region, first, to classify conflicts according to the bundle of property rights approach and, second, to explore how the causal factors resource scarcity and current governance contribute to those conflicts.     

New chronological and geochemical constraints on the genesis and geological evolution of Ponza and Palmarola Volcanic Islands (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy)

A new geochronological and geochemical study of the volcanic rocks of the Ponza and Palmarola Islands, Pontine Archipelago, has been carried out. This archipelago is located along the boundary between the Italian continental shelf and the opening Tyrrhenian basin. It is a key area to study volcanism related to the opening of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Ponza is the oldest felsic magmatic manifestation in the central Tyrrhenian area. Previous studies suggested that Ponza volcanic activity began before 5 Ma. Twenty-five new K–Ar ages constrain the volcanic activity (rhyolitic hyaloclastites and dykes) to the last 4.2 Ma, with two episodes of quiescence between 3.7 and 3.2 Ma and between 2.9 and 1.0 Ma. A new volcanic episode dated at 3.2–2.9 Ma has been identified on the central and southern Ponza, with emplacement of pyroclastic units. At 1.0 Ma, a trachytic episode ended the volcanic activity. The near island of Palmarola exhibits rhyolitic hyaloclastites and domes dated between 1.6 and 1.5 Ma, indicating that the island was entirely built during the Early Pleistocene in a short span of time of ca. 120 ka. Although only 6–8 km apart, the two islands display significantly different geochemical signatures. Ponza rhyolites show major and trace element compositions representative of orogenic magmas of subduction/collision zones: high-K calc-alkaline and metaluminous rhyolites (Agpaitic Index [AI] and Alumina Saturation Index [ASI] <1), high LILE/HFSE (Th/Ta=16–21) and LREE/HFSE ratios (La/Nb>3), and Nb–Ta negative anomalies. In Palmarola, the orogenic character is also present, but much less marked than in Ponza: rhyolites have a peralkaline character (AI>1), lower LILE/HFSE (Th/Ta=11–15), low LREE/HFSE ratios (La/Nb=1–2) close to those of anorogenic lavas, and the Nb–Ta negative anomalies are almost absent. Y/Nb ratios indicate different magmatic sources, one similar to island-arc or active continental margin basalts for Ponza rhyolites, and the others probably involving an OIB type component for Palmarola rhyolites and Ponza trachytes. Palmarola volcanics represent a transitional magmatism: although a preserved collisional geochemical imprint, they show geochemical features approaching those of anorogenic lavas erupted in a within-plate context. The change of magmatism evidenced in this study can be related to the tectonic evolution of the area. Indeed, Hf, Ta and Rb contents suggest that the oldest Pliocene rhyolites of Ponza would emplace in a syn- to late-collisional setting, while the younger Pleistocene rhyolites of Palmarola would be emplaced in a post-collisional setting in which the orogenic character (Th/Ta) decreases and mantle influence (Nb/Ta) increases. Geochemical modeling strongly suggests that the Palmarola rhyolites represent the waning stages of a subduction-related magmatism. The K–Ar datings allow us to estimate precisely the transition of magmatism to last less than 1.3 Ma. The transitional magmas may be the result of the upwelling of asthenospheric mantle inducing melting of a metasomatized lithospheric mantle and the mixing between these two sources. This upwelling could occur during the extension of the Tyrrhenian basin, caused by the slab retreat and steepening, or during a process of slab break-off starting in the Pliocene.