Thermal Properties of a Supraglacial Debris Layer with Respect to Lithology and Grain Size

This paper focuses on the impacts of debris cover on ice melt with regards to lithology and grain size. Ten test plots were established with different debris grain sizes and debris thicknesses consisting of different natural material. For each plot, values of thermal conductivity were determined. The observations revealed a clear dependence of the sub‐debris ice melt on the layer thickness, grain size, porosity and moisture content. For the sand fraction the moisture content played a dominant role. These test fields were water saturated most of the time, resulting in an increased thermal conductivity. Highly porous volcanic material protected the ice much more effectively from melting than similar layer thicknesses of the local mica schist. However, the analysis of thermal diffusivities demonstrated that the vertical moisture distribution of the debris cover must be taken into consideration, with the diffusivity values being significantly lower in deeper layers.     

Evolution and instabilities of disks harboring super massive black holes

The bar formation is still an open problem in modern astrophysics. In this paper we present numerical simulations performed with the aim of analyzing the growth of the bar instability inside stellar-gaseous disks, where the star formation is triggered, and a central black hole is present. The aim of this paper is to point out the impact of such a central massive black hole on the growth of the bar. We use N-body-SPH simulations of the same isolated disk-to-halo mass systems harboring black holes with different initial masses and a different energy feedback on the surrounding gas. We compare the results of these simulations with the one of the same disk without a black hole in its center. We make the same comparison (disk with and without black hole) for a stellar disk in a fully cosmological scenario. A stellar bar, lasting 10 Gyrs, is present in all our simulations.     

Geology,stratigraphy and palaeoenvironmental evolution of the Stephanorhinus kirchbergensis-bearing Quaternary palaeolake(s) of Gorzów Wielkopolski (NW Poland,Central Europe)

The sedimentary succession exposed in the Gorzów Wielkopolski area includes Eemian Interglacial (MIS 5e) or Early Weichselian (MIS 5d–e) deposits. The sedimentary sequence has been the object of intense interdisciplinary study, which has resulted in the identification of at least two palaeolake horizons. Both yielded fossil remains of large mammals, alongside pollen and plant macrofossils. All these proxies have been used to reconstruct the environmental conditions prevailing at the time of deposition, as well as to define the geological context and the biochronological position of the fauna. Optically stimulated luminescence dating of the glaciofluvial layers of the GS3 succession to 123.6 ± 10.1 (below the lower palaeolake) and 72.0 ± 5.2 ka (above the upper palaeolake) indicate that the site formed during the Middle–Late Pleistocene (MIS 6 – MIS 5). Radiocarbon-dating of the lacustrine organic matter revealed a tight cluster of Middle Pleniglacial Period (MIS 3) ages in the range of ~41–32 ka cal bp (Hengelo – Denekamp Interstadials). Holocene organic layers have also been found, with ¹⁴C ages within a range of 4330–4280 cal bp (Neolithic). Pollen and plant macrofossil records, together with sedimentological and geochemical data, confirm the dating to the Eemian Interglacial.     

Recommendations on methods for the detection and control of biological pollution in marine coastal waters

Adverse effects of invasive alien species (IAS), or biological pollution, is an increasing problem in marine coastal waters, which remains high on the environmental management agenda. All maritime countries need to assess the size of this problem and consider effective mechanisms to prevent introductions, and if necessary and where possible to monitor, contain, control or eradicate the introduced impacting organisms. Despite this, and in contrast to more enclosed water bodies, the openness of marine systems indicates that once species are in an area then eradication is usually impossible. Most institutions in countries are aware of the problem and have sufficient governance in place for management. However, there is still a general lack of commitment and concerted action plans are needed to address this problem. This paper provides recommendations resulting from an international workshop based upon a large amount of experience relating to the assessment and control of biopollution.     

Early diagenesis of redox-sensitive trace metals in the Peru upwelling area - response to ENSO-related oxygen fluctuations in the water column

Pore water and solid phase data for redox-sensitive metals (Mn, Fe, V, Mo and U) were collected on a transect across the Peru upwelling area (11°S) at water depths between 78 and 2025 m and bottom water oxygen concentrations ranging from ∼0 to 93 μM. By comparing authigenic mass accumulation rates and diffusive benthic fluxes, we evaluate the respective mechanisms of trace metal accumulation, retention and remobilization across the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) and with respect to oxygen fluctuations in the water column related to the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO).Sediments within the permanent OMZ are characterized by diffusive uptake and authigenic fixation of U, V and Mo as well as diffusive loss of Mn and Fe across the benthic boundary. Some of the dissolved Mn and Fe in the water column re-precipitate at the oxycline and shuttle particle-reactive trace metals to the sediment surface at the lower and upper boundary of the OMZ. At the lower boundary, pore waters are not sufficiently sulfidic as to enable an efficient authigenic V and Mo fixation. As a consequence, sediments below the OMZ are preferentially enriched in U which is delivered via both in situ precipitation and lateral supply of U-rich phosphorites from further upslope. Trace metal cycling on the Peruvian shelf is strongly affected by ENSO-related oxygen fluctuations in bottom water. During periods of shelf oxygenation, surface sediments receive particulate V and Mo with metal (oxyhydr)oxides that derive from both terrigenous sources and precipitation at the retreating oxycline. After the recurrence of anoxic conditions, metal (oxyhydr)oxides are reductively dissolved and the hereby liberated V and Mo are authigenically removed. This alternation between supply of particle-reactive trace metals during oxic periods and fixation during anoxic periods leads to a preferential accumulation of V and Mo compared to U on the Peruvian shelf. The decoupling of V, Mo and U accumulation is further accentuated by the varying susceptibility to re-oxidation of the different authigenic metal phases. While authigenic U and V are readily re-oxidized and recycled during periods of shelf oxygenation, the sequestration of Mo by authigenic pyrite is favored by the transient occurrence of oxidizing conditions.Our findings reveal that redox-sensitive trace metals respond in specific manner to short-term oxygen fluctuations in the water column. The relative enrichment patterns identified might be useful for the reconstruction of past OMZ extension and large-scale redox oscillations in the geological record.     

Background Concentrations of Nickel in the Sediments of the Carpathian Dam Reservoirs (Southern Poland)

The background nickel (Ni) concentrations in the sediments of two sub‐mountain reservoirs (Dobczyce and Czorsztyn) situated in the Carpathian Flysh (southern Poland) were evaluated. Ni concentrations (15.6–83.1 µg g^?1 dry wt.) in both reservoir sediments were affected mainly by the high background content of Ni in the surrounding watershed. Distribution of elevated Ni concentrations mostly revealed an impact of long‐range transport influenced by the flow of the main tributary. Ni spatial pattern was mainly influenced by mineral compounds of Fe, Mn, and Al, and to a lesser degree by organic matter content and silt and clay fractions of the sediments of both investigated reservoirs. Spatial distribution was additionally modified by hydrological conditions (flood events and course of the old river‐bed). In both reservoirs, substantial portions of Ni were bound to potentially immobile phases, i.e., moderately reducible and residual phases (64–82% in total). Laboratory experiments showed that changes in pH affected Ni leaching from the sediment to a small degree (at pH ～3 up to 19.9%). Our results indicated that Ni in these reservoirs has low mobility and, therefore, poses a low toxicological risk to aquatic organisms.     

Dynamic active earth pressure on cantilever retaining walls

In normal practice, the active earth pressure on cantilever retaining wall is evaluated with different procedures relating to an ideal vertical plane passing through the heel of the wall. If the wall presents a long heel, failure planes do not interfere with the vertical stem, so that the limit Rankine conditions can develop freely in the backfill. The inclination of lateral actions along the ideal plane is assumed to be constant and depends on the geometry of the ground level and on the friction angle φ. The Authors recently proposed a new method to evaluate the active earth pressure coefficient due to seismic loading with a pseudo-static stress plasticity solution. The present paper describes the application of this method to a retaining wall supporting a φ soil backfill with an irregular surface. For two different configurations of wall-soil system, the behaviour is also studied by continuum FDM dynamic analyses, utilising four Italian accelerometric time-histories scaled at the same peak ground acceleration. The comparison between different procedures is also analysed.