Peat-forming environments of Westphalian A coal seams from the Lower Silesian Coal Basin of SW Poland based on petrographic and palynologic data

The petrographic and palynologic compositions of coal seams of the acler formation (Upper Carboniferous, Westphalian A) from northwestern and southeastern part of the Lower Silesian Coal Basin (LSCB) were examined. Coals studied are highly volatile bituminous coal, where R_o ranges from 0.91% to 1.09%. Seam 430 from the northwestern part of the basin contains high vitrinite percentage with rather low inertinite and liptinite contents, while percentage of mineral matter is variable. This petrographic composition is associated either with a predominance of Lycospora in miospore assemblage, or with a miospore assemblage of mixed character. The abundance of Lycospora reflects vegetation composed of the arborescent lycopsids while the mixed miospore assemblage is connected with diverse palaeoplant communities, namely, arborescent lycopsids, calamites and ferns. Seams 409 and 412/413 from the southeastern part of the LSCB are rich in inertinite and liptinite, while the vitrinite content is moderate. Their characteristic feature is the occurrence of a diagnostic crassisporinite (densosporinite). Amount of the mineral components in these coals is very low. Densosporites and related crassicingulate genera are main components of these miospore assemblages and were produced by herbaceous and/or sub-arborescent lycopsids. These petrographic and palynologic features were the basis for distinguishing three maceral–miospore associations: an arborescent lycopsid and mixed associations, occurring in the seam 430 and a herbaceous and/or sub-arborescent lycopsid association which was recorded in seams 409 and 412/413. The first two assemblages are interpreted as having been deposited in a planar rheotrophic mire, whereas the herbaceous and/or sub-arborescent lycopsid association is thought to have developed in an ombrotrophic, domed mire.     

The “schizohaline” environment: Its sedimentary and diagenetic fabrics as exemplified by Late Paleozoic rocks of Bear Island,Svalbard

Environments characterized by fluctuating hypersaline to fresh-water conditions are defined as “schizohaline” and examples are given of situations in which “schizohaline” environments can arise. Fabrics diagnostic for the occurrence of both hyper- and hyposalinity have been recorded in Late Paleozoic rocks from Bear Island (74°30′N, 19°E): evaporite nodules, length-slow chalcedony and very finely crystalline penecontemporaneous dolomite are considered as indicators of hypersaline conditions while euhedral limpid dolomite crystals, coarse poikilitic sparry calcite and microspar calcite are thought to have originated under the hyposaline regime. Zoned dolomite crystals and euhedral crystals of authigenic mega-quartz replacing sulphates have also been recorded in the same rocks; their diagnostic importance for the schizohaline environment is, however, uncertain.Internal structural pores of some crinoid and bryozoan skeletal grains of biosparites from Bear Island are either empty or infilled with very finely crystalline dolomite. Expulsion of Mg²⁺ ions from the magnesian-calcite skeletons and either: (1) “poisoning” of the micro-environment of the pores; or (2) formation of stagnant “micro-sabkha” conditions in the pores are proposed as an explanation for these phenomena.     

Die Verteilung des SO2-Gehaltes der Luft im Stadtgebiet von Wien

Zusammenfassung An zahlreichen über das ganze Stadtgebiet von Wien verteilten Beobachtungsstellen wurden vom September 1956 bis September 1957 an je vier Wochen lang ausgesetzten, mit einem Absorptionsmittel getränkten Baumwollappen SO₂-Ablagerungen gesammelt. Die gefundenen SO₂-Mengen zeigen eine stark unterschiedliche Verteilung im Stadtbereich und einen deutlichen Jahresgang mit einem Maximum im Winter und einem Minimum im Juli. Der Einfluß meteorologischer Faktoren auf den SO₂-Gehalt der Luft und seine Änderungen wird unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der orographischen Verhältnisse und örtlicher SO₂-Quellen eingehend diskutiert. Abschließend wird auch über eine Analyse von Schneeproben auf berichtet.

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Summary During the period September 1956 to September 1957 the amount of SO₂ deposited from the atmosphere was observed at numerous locations in the town of Vienna. The observations were made by means of cotton rags, soaked with an absorbing chemical, and each rag was exposed for four weeks. The amounts of SO₂ show great differences within the area, and a pronounced annual variation, with a maximum in winter and a minimum in July. The influence on the SO₂ content of the air of meteorological factors is discussed in detail, with special regard to variations by orographic conditions and local SO₂ sources. Additional determinations on snow samples are reported.

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Résumé Des prélèvements de SO₂ par absorption sur des bandes de coton imprégné, laissées sur place pendant quatre semaines, ont été faits en de nombreux endroits de l'agglomération viennoise de septembre 1956 à septembre 1957. Les quantités de SO₂ varient beaucoup selon les endroits et la saison; elles sont maximum en hiver et minimum en juillet. Etude des facteurs météorologiques agissant sur la répartition du gaz en tenant compte en particulier du relief et des sources locales d'anhydride sulfureux. On a également déterminé la teneur de d'échantillons de neige.

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Projection of runoff characteristics as a response to regional climate change in a Central/Eastern European catchment

ABSTRACT

The impact of climate change on runoff characteristics is investigated for the Upper Tisza basin, in eastern Central Europe. For a reliable estimation of uncertainty, an appropriate stochastic weather generator is embedded into a Monte Carlo cycle capable of generating any large number of independent, equally probable, 100-year-long daily sequences of synthetic data with which a hydrological model is driven in order to obtain the hydrological responses to the meteorological data sequences. According to our results, a decrease of daily average runoff is likely to occur in the future in the Upper Tisza basin, especially in July and August. The occurrence of water levels below the critical low level is estimated to increase between July and October. Level-3 flood warnings are projected to be less frequent in the future; however, they will tend to be more severe than in the historical period.     

Experimental investigations of the reaction path in the MgO–CO2–H2O system in solutions with various ionic strengths,and their applications to nuclear waste isolation

The reaction path in the MgO–CO₂–H₂O system at ambient temperatures and atmospheric CO₂ partial pressure(s), especially in high-ionic-strength brines, is of both geological interest and practical significance. Its practical importance lies mainly in the field of nuclear waste isolation. In the USA, industrial-grade MgO, consisting mainly of the mineral periclase, is the only engineered barrier certified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for emplacement in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) for defense-related transuranic waste. The German Asse repository will employ a Mg(OH)₂-based engineered barrier consisting mainly of the mineral brucite. Therefore, the reaction of periclase or brucite with carbonated brines with high-ionic-strength is an important process likely to occur in nuclear waste repositories in salt formations where bulk MgO or Mg(OH)₂ will be employed as an engineered barrier. The reaction path in the system MgO–CO₂–H₂O in solutions with a wide range of ionic strengths was investigated experimentally in this study. The experimental results at ambient laboratory temperature and ambient laboratory atmospheric CO₂ partial pressure demonstrate that hydromagnesite (5424) (Mg₅(CO₃)₄(OH)₂ · 4H₂O) forms during the carbonation of brucite in a series of solutions with different ionic strengths. In Na–Mg–Cl-dominated brines such as Generic Weep Brine (GWB), a synthetic WIPP Salado Formation brine, Mg chloride hydroxide hydrate (Mg₃(OH)₅Cl · 4H₂O) also forms in addition to hydromagnesite (5424).     

Earth System Science： Foundation for Sustainable Development

has been chosen to emphasize the importance of integrated interdisciplinary Earth Science in the service of society.     

Foraging by Two Estuarine Fishes, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fundulus heteroclitus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fundulus majalis</Emphasis>, on Juvenile Asian Shore Crabs (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Hemigrapsus sanguineus</Emphasis>) in Western Long Island Sound

The Asian shore crab, Hemigrapsus sanguineus, is a recent and particularly successful introduction to the east coast of the USA. Little research has been done on the utilization of Asian shore crabs for food by native species, a potential form of biocontrol. Over a 4-year period, we examined the gut contents of cogeners, Fundulus heteroclitus and Fundulus majalis, collected from two embayments in western Long Island Sound for the presence of juvenile H. sanguineus. Frequency (percent) of occurrence of food items in the guts of both species varied over year and study site. Asian shore crabs were consumed more often by F. heteroclitus than by F. majalis, but predation pressure by both species was low. Only 13% of F. heteroclitus and 7.7% of F. majalis found with food in their guts had ingested Asian shore crab remains. Of those, 1/3 had consumed whole crabs; the rest had only autotomized appendages in their guts. The mean carapace width of juvenile Asian shore crabs ingested by F. heteroclitus was 3.59 ± 2.22 mm (N = 33). Results of our study on killifish predation support the hypothesis that H. sanguienus abundance is partly explained by reduced impact of native predators (i.e., the “enemy release hypothesis”). Predation pressure of other potential enemies on both planktonic and benthic stages of the Asian shore crab must be investigated, however, to understand the full impact of predation on H. sanguineus population dynamics.     

Supradetachment to rift basin transition recorded in continental to marine deposition; Paleogene Bandar Jissah Basin,NE Oman

A transition from supradetachment to rift basin signature is recorded in the ~1,500 m thick succession of continental to shallow marine conglomerates, mixed carbonate‐siliciclastic shallow marine sediments and carbonate ramp deposits preserved in the Bandar Jissah Basin, located southeast of Muscat in the Sultanate of Oman. During deposition, isostatically‐driven uplift rotated the underlying Banurama Detachment and basin fill ~45° before both were cut by the steep Wadi Kabir Fault as the basin progressed to a rift‐style bathymetry that controlled sedimentary facies belts and growth packages. The upper Paleocene to lower Eocene Jafnayn Formation was deposited in a supradetachment basin controlled by the Banurama Detachment. Alluvial fan conglomerates sourced from the Semail Ophiolite and the Saih Hatat window overlie the ophiolitic substrate and display sedimentary transport directions parallel to tectonic transport in the Banurama Detachment. The continental strata grade into braidplain, mouth bar, shoreface and carbonate ramp deposits. Subsequent detachment‐related folding of the basin during deposition of the Eocene Rusayl and lower Seeb formations marks the early transition towards a rift‐style basin setting. The folding, which caused drainage diversion and is affiliated with sedimentary growth packages, coincided with uplift‐isostasy as the Banurama Detachment was abandoned and the steeper Marina, Yiti Beach and Wadi Kabir faults were activated. The upper Seeb Formation records the late transition to rift‐style basin phase, with fault‐controlled sedimentary growth packages and facies distributions. A predominance of carbonates over siliciclastic sediments resulted from increasing near‐fault accommodation, complemented by reduced sedimentary input from upland catchments. Hence, facies distributions in the Bandar Jissah Basin reflect the progression from detachment to rift‐style tectonics, adding to the understanding of post‐orogenic extensional basin systems.     

Potential forest fire danger over Northern Eurasia: Changes during the 20th century

Significant climatic changes over Northern Eurasia during the 20th century have been reflected in numerous variables of economic, social, and ecological interest, including the natural frequency of forest fires. For the former USSR, we are now using the Global Daily Climatology Network and a new Global Synoptic Data Network archive, GSDN, created jointly by U.S. National Climatic Data Center and Russian Research Institute for Hydrometeorological Information. Data from these archives (approximately 1500 of them having sufficiently long meteorological time series suitable for participation in our analyses) are employed to estimate systematic changes in indices used in the United States and Russia to assess potential forest fire danger. We use four indices: (1) Keetch–Byram Drought Index, (KBDI; this index was developed and widely used in the United States); (2) Nesterov, (3) Modified Nesterov, and (4) Zhdanko Indices (these indices were developed and widely used in Russia). Analyses show that after calibration, time series of the days with increased potential forest fire danger constructed using each of these three indices (a) are well correlated and (b) deliver similar conclusions about systematic changes in the weather conditions conducive to forest fires. Specifically, over the Eastern half of Northern Eurasia (Siberia and the Russian Far East) statistically significant increases in indices that characterize the weather conditions conducive to forest fires were found. These areas coincide with the areas of most significant warming during the past several decades south of the Arctic Circle. West of the Ural Mountains, the same indices show a steady decrease in the frequency of “dry weather summer days” during the past 60 yr. This study is corroborated with available statistics of forest fires and with observed changes in drought statistics in agricultural regions of Northern Eurasia.