Permafrost at the time of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) in North America

This paper presents three maps that summarize current knowledge as to the extent of Past permafrost and Relict permafrost in North America at approximately the time of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; c. 25–17 ka BP) and during subsequent deglaciation until c. 10 ka BP. Analysis of the post‐1983 literature suggests that the extent of Past permafrost south of the LGM limit was broader in eastern North America and slightly narrower in the Interior Great Plains than previously mapped. The recognition and dating of Relict permafrost in the nonglaciated terrain of the northwestern Arctic suggests that permafrost may be of great antiquity and can persist under changing climatic conditions. The formation of permafrost features during deglaciation suggests that ice‐proximal climatic conditions remained cold at least long enough for short‐lived permafrost aggradation; a latitudinal gradient is evident in the timing of its development as the Laurentide Ice Sheet retreated.     

Concerning the multiscale structure of solar convection

The discrete scale spectrum of the convective flows observed on the Sun has not yet received a convincing explanation. Here, an attempt is made to find conditions for the coexistence of convective flows on various scales in a horizontal fluid layer heated from below, where the thermal diffusivity varies with temperature in such a way that the static temperature difference across a thin sublayer near the upper surface of the layer is many times larger than the temperature variation across the remainder of the layer. The equations of two-dimensional thermal convection are solved numerically in an extended Boussinesq approximation, which admits thermal-diffusivity variations. The no-slip conditions are assumed at the lower boundary of the layer; either no-slip or free-slip conditions, at the upper boundary. In the former case, stable large-scale rolls develop, which experience small deformations under the action of small structures concentrated near the horizontal boundaries. In the latter case, the flow structure is highly variable, different flow scales dominate at different heights, the number of large rolls is not constant, and a sort of intermittency occurs: the enhancement of the small-scale flow component is frequently accompanied by the weakening of the large-scale one, and vice versa. The scale-splitting effects revealed here should manifest themselves in one way or another in the structure of solar convection.     

Land-derived pollutant hydrocarbons

Evidence is given for the derivation of oil pollution from on-shore sources and for a possible relation between its concentration in estuarine sediment and in the lipids of the sediment biomass.     

Groundwater quality assessment from a hard rock terrain, Salem district of Tamilnadu, India

A total of 162 groundwater samples for three representative seasons were collected from Salem district of Tamilnadu, India to decipher hydrogeochemistry and groundwater quality for determining its suitability for drinking and agricultural proposes. The water is neutral to alkaline in nature with pH ranging from 6.6 to 8.6 with an average of 8.0. Higher electrical conductivity was observed during post-monsoon season. The abundance of major ions in the groundwater was in the order of $ {\text{Na} > \text{Ca} > \text{Mg} > \text{K} = \text{Cl} > \text{HC}}{{\text{O}}_3}\; > \;{\text{S}}{{\text{O}}_4}\; > \;{\text{N}}{{\text{O}}_3} $ . Piper plot reveals the dominance of geochemical facies as mixed Ca–Mg–Cl, Na–Cl, Ca–HCO₃, Ca–Na–HCO₃, and Ca–Cl type. NO₃, Cl, SO₄, and F exceed the permissible limit during summer and post-monsoon seasons. Sodium adsorption ratio was higher during post-monsoon and southwest monsoon season indicating high and low salinity, satisfactory for plants having moderate salt tolerance on soils. Permeability index of water irrespective of season falls in class I and class II indicating water is moderate to good for irrigation purposes. As per the classification of water for irrigation purpose, water is fit for domestic and agricultural purposes with minor exceptions irrespective of seasons.     

Potential for localized groundwater contamination in a porous pavement parking lot setting in Rhode Island

The control of polluted surface runoff and the assessment of possible impacts on groundwater is a concern at the local and regional scale. On this background, a study investigates possible impacts of organic and inorganic pollutants (including bacteria) originating from a permeable asphalt parking lot on the water quality immediately beneath it. The functioning of the permeable pavement, including clogging and restricted vertical percolation, was also evaluated. Four nested sample ports (shallow and deep) were installed below low- and high-traffic areas, including one port outside the parking lot. At least initially there was a good hydraulic connection between the parking surface and the shallow sample ports. The presence of a geotextile layer at the base of the parking lot structure, however, was identified in lab tests as one factor restricting vertical percolation to the deeper ports. Clogging of the permeable surface was most pronounced in heavy traffic areas and below snow pile storage areas. Corroborated by high electric conductivity and chloride measurements, sand brought in by cars during winter was the principal cause for clogging. No bacteria or BOD were found in percolating water. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were present at concentrations near minimum detection limit. Nutrients (nitrate and phosphate) were being leached into the ground via the permeable parking lot surface at annual flux rates of 0.45–0.84 g/m²/year. A multi-species tracer test demonstrated a retention capacity of the permeable parking lot structure of >90% for metals and 27% for nutrients, respectively.     

Seasonal cycle of surface circulation in the coastal North Indian Ocean

Monthly-mean winds and currents have been used to identify the driving mechanisms of seasonal coastal circulation in the North Indian Ocean. The main conclusions are: (i) the surface circulation off Arabia is typical of a wind-driven system with similar patterns of longshore current and wind stress; (ii) circulation off the west coast of India is consistent with the dynamics of a wind-driven eastern boundary current only during the southwest monsoon. During the northeast monsoon it is possible that the influence of the interior flow is important. (iii) There are at least three mechanisms that influence the surface circulation off the east coast of India: wind-stress, influence of fresh-water run off and contribution of the interior flow. It is difficult at present to assess the relative importance of these three processes.     

Direct and Indirect Validation of Potential Fishing Zone Advisory off the Coast of Uttara Kannada,Karnataka

The technique of predicting Potential Fishing Zone using satellite derived sea surface temperature and chlorophyll is becoming an important aspect for the fishermen. In the present study an attempt has been made to compare fish density/catch per unit effort in the areas predicted by Satellite imagery and available to fishermen via electronic display boards at the fish landing centers of Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka with those of non predicted areas. Direct and Indirect validation was done. Direct method means comparing the catch using fishing vessels simultaneously in the notified region with that of catch from non notified region. And in indirect method by comparing catch data from landing centers on notified days with that of non notified days. Direct validation off Karwar showed that catch was significantly higher in notified (PFZ) area with high densities as compared to non notified (non PFZ) regions. When comparisons of landing center data of Karwar, Tadadi and Bhatkal are done it is evident that in all the centers during the period under study, higher catches were observed on notified days than non notified days except in Bhatkal centre in 2009–10. There by validating the accuracy of PFZ predictions and economic gains to fishermen.     

Thermal, pressure and wind fields at ground level in the area of the Italian base at Terra Nova Bay, Victoria Land, Antarctica, as observed by a network of automatic weather stations

Ground temperature, pressure and wind speed monthly averages in the area of the Italian Station at Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica, were analyzed for the period 1987–1991 by means of a network of nine AWS (automatic weather stations). Spatial configurations of temperature show a well-defined, relatively warm island in the area of Terra Nova Bay, between Drygalsky and Campbell ice tongues, throughout the year. A second warm island is present to the north along the coast, between Aviator and Mariner ice tongues, for most of the year. From February to March a rapid drop in temperature is observed at all stations. A strong thermal gradient develops during February, March, April and October, November, December, between the coastal region and inner highlands. The baric configuration follows the elevation of the area. Annual average pressure and temperature as functions of stations altitude show linear trends. Severe katabatic wind episodes are recorded at all stations, with wind speed exceeding 25 ms^–1 and direction following the orographic features of the inner areas. Co-occurrences of these episodes were observed for stations located along stream lines of cold air drainage. The autocorrelation function of maximum wind speed time series shows wind persistence of 2–3 days and wind periodicity of about one week.