The energy and energy flux of planetary waves in an ocean of variable depth

Abstract

In a recent paper, Buchwald (1972a) has shown that besides the kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy usually associated with planetary waves in an ocean of uniform depth it is useful to define also a “spin energy”, associated with the rotation.

The present paper is basically an extension of Buchwald's result to a uniformly rotating β-plane ocean of variable depth. As in the previous work, energy conservation equations are derived and the separate energies shown to be independently conserved over the total volume of the ocean. The time-averaged energies are further shown to be propagated in the direction of the group velocity and to satisfy the equipartition rule.

Unlike Buchwald, however, we need not consider the boundary conditions in order to achieve these results. Furthermore, the use of a more realistic ocean configuration admits the possibility of a multiply connected region in the present of mean currents.

Finally, there is a physical explanation for the appearance of a spin energy in a rotating system.     

A drought outlook study in Korea

Abstract

Techniques are proposed for developing a monthly and weekly drought outlook and the drought outlook components are evaluated. A drought index, the surface water supply index (SWSI) was modified and used for the drought outlook. A water balance model (abcd) was successfully calibrated using a regional regression, including monthly and weekly factors, and was used to convert meteorology to hydrology. For the monthly drought outlook, an ensemble technique was applied, both with and without monthly industrial meteorology information (MIMI). For the weekly drought outlook, a deterministic forecasting technique was applied employing the Global Data Assimilation and Prediction System (GDAPS). The methodologies were applied to the Geum River basin in Korea. While only the weekly outlook using the GDAPS has sufficient forecasting capability to suggest it might be useful, the accuracy of the monthly drought outlook is expected to improve as the climate forecast accuracy increases.

Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz; Associate editor D. Hughes

Citation Kim, Y.-O., Lee, J.-K., and Palmer, R.N., 2012. A drought outlook study in Korea. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 57 (6), 1141–1153.     

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.     

Modeling Variably Saturated Subsurface Solute Transport with MODFLOW‐UZF and MT3DMS

The MT3DMS groundwater solute transport model was modified to simulate solute transport in the unsaturated zone by incorporating the unsaturated‐zone flow (UZF1) package developed for MODFLOW. The modified MT3DMS code uses a volume‐averaged approach in which Lagrangian‐based UZF1 fluid fluxes and storage changes are mapped onto a fixed grid. Referred to as UZF‐MT3DMS, the linked model was tested against published benchmarks solved analytically as well as against other published codes, most frequently the U.S. Geological Survey's Variably‐Saturated Two‐Dimensional Flow and Transport Model. Results from a suite of test cases demonstrate that the modified code accurately simulates solute advection, dispersion, and reaction in the unsaturated zone. Two‐ and three‐dimensional simulations also were investigated to ensure unsaturated‐saturated zone interaction was simulated correctly. Because the UZF1 solution is analytical, large‐scale flow and transport investigations can be performed free from the computational and data burdens required by numerical solutions to Richards' equation. Results demonstrate that significant simulation runtime savings can be achieved with UZF‐MT3DMS, an important development when hundreds or thousands of model runs are required during parameter estimation and uncertainty analysis. Three‐dimensional variably saturated flow and transport simulations revealed UZF‐MT3DMS to have runtimes that are less than one tenth of the time required by models that rely on Richards' equation. Given its accuracy and efficiency, and the wide‐spread use of both MODFLOW and MT3DMS, the added capability of unsaturated‐zone transport in this familiar modeling framework stands to benefit a broad user‐ship.     

Nonmodal Growth on a Sphere at Various Horizontal Scales

Nonmodal growth (NG) and unstable normal mode growth are considered in spherical geometry. Two groups of initial conditions (IC) are studied: "connected" IC (common in Cartesian studies) and "separated" IC (based on observed conditions prior to cyclogenesis). Time series of growth rates are emphasized in conjunction with eigenmode projections. Projections show that early on normal mode growth was much stronger for connected IC and that NG caused negative growth early on of some variables for separated IC. Projections explain why amplitude, kinetic energy (KE), and potential vorticity have more NG than available potential energy (APE). Though varying between ICs and with initial phase shift, NG increases with wavenumber. For middle wavelengths, NG is significant and positive using connected IC but negative or small using separated IC. Total energy and KE growth rates of short waves are very similar during the first 2 days for both ICs. Amplitude time series closely follow KE in all cases studied. APE has less overlap than does KE between the main modes present, so less NG occurs for APE than for KE. In separated IC cases, APE growth rates evolve consistent with emergence of an unstable normal mode and little NG.     

Modeling the Permeability Loss of Metallic Iron Water Filtration Systems

Over the past 30 years the literature has burgeoned with in situ approaches for groundwater remediation. Of the methods currently available, the use of metallic iron (Fe⁰) in permeable reactive barrier (PRB) systems is one of the most commonly applied. Despite such interest, an increasing amount of experimental and field observations have reported inconsistent Fe⁰ barrier operation compared to contemporary theory. In the current work, a critical review of the physical chemistry of aqueous Fe⁰ corrosion in porous media is presented. Subsequent implications for the design of Fe⁰ filtration systems are modeled. The results suggest that: (i) for the pH range of natural waters (>4.5), the high volumetric expansion of Fe⁰ during oxidation and precipitation dictates that Fe⁰ should be mixed with a non‐expansive material; (ii) naturally occurring solute precipitates have a negligible impact on permeability loss compared to Fe⁰ expansive corrosion; and (iii) the proliferation of H₂ metabolizing bacteria may contribute to alleviate permeability loss. As a consequence, it is suggested that more emphasis must be placed on future work with regard to considering the Fe⁰ PRB system as a physical (size‐exclusion) water filter device.     

EARLY HOLOCENE CONDITIONS AT THE WESTERN MARGIN OF CAPE COD BAY

A paleoenvironmental model is proposed for the western shoreline of Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts, from about 9,000 through 5,500 years B.P. Central to this reconstruction is the integration and correlation of the glacial sediments, radiometric chronology and pollen stratigraphy of an exposed peat deposit located near Nameloc Heights, Plymouth, Massachusetts. Four Carbon-14 dates provide a chronology and suggest an average rate of peat accumulation of about 6 cm/100 years from 8,800 through 7,400 years B.P., decreasing to 3 cm/100 years from 7,400 to 5,500 years B.P. This sequence of radiometric dates provides a temporal framework within which the pollen taxa of the peat deposit can be correlated to the established floristic zones of the southern New England region.