The solar occultation for ice experiment

The Solar Occultation For Ice Experiment (SOFIE) was launched onboard the Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) satellite on 25 April 2007, and began science observations on 14 May 2007. SOFIE conducts solar occultation measurements in 16 spectral bands that are used to retrieve vertical profiles of temperature, O₃, H₂O, CO₂, CH₄, NO, and polar mesospheric cloud (PMC) extinction at wavelengths from 0.330 to 5.006 μm. SOFIE performs 15 sunset measurements at latitudes from 65° to 85°S and 15 sunrise measurements from 65° to 85°N each day. This work describes the SOFIE instrument, measurement approach, and retrieval results for the northern summer of 2007.     

Form–flow interactions of an aeolian saucer blowout

Airflow patterns through a saucer blowout are examined from wind speed and direction measurements made during a chinook wind event. The blowout long‐axis is oriented east–west with a broad depositional apron on the east side. Wind directions during the event rotated from south‐westerly to westerly, permitting an assessment of oblique and axis‐parallel flows. Results show that airflow passing over the windward rim of the saucer blowout expands and decelerates, leading to flow separation and a small re‐circulation zone on sheltered lee slopes. Near the deflation basin, airflow re‐attaches to the blowout surface and accelerates up to a small opening in the east rim, where it can be up to 50% faster than on the windward edge. Beyond the downwind rim the airflow expands and decelerates and sand is deposited onto a broad apron. Similar to coastal trough blowouts, the degree of airflow steering and acceleration along the deflation basin is determined by the angle of incidence between the approach wind and the long‐axis of the blowout. As the angle of incidence increases wind speed accelerates at 0·3 m above the surface of the deflation basin and the degree of airflow steering increases. Overall, a two‐fold process is identified, where south‐westerly flows have greater potential for eroding the deflation basin, while westerly flows have greater potential for evacuating sand from within the blowout. Visual observations indicate that sand eroded from the deflation basin during south‐westerly flows is re‐distributed to adjacent zones of low wind speed until axis‐parallel winds evacuate the sand through the opening in the east rim. Morphometric changes since 1994 indicate that the blowout morphology has remained relatively constant, suggesting a persistent interplay between oblique and axis‐parallel wind erosion events. Collectively, these findings indicate that the angle of approach winds is an important control on saucer blowout morphodynamics. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

δCa evolution in a carbonate aquifer and its bearing on the equilibrium isotope fractionation factor for calcite

To improve understanding of Ca isotope transport during water-rock interaction on the continents, we measured dissolved δ⁴⁴Ca values along a 236 km flow path in the Madison aquifer, South Dakota, where fluids have chemically evolved according to dolomite and anhydrite dissolution, calcite precipitation, and Ca-for-Na ion-exchange over a timescale spanning ~ 15 kyr. We used a reactive transport model employing rate data constrained from major ion mass-balances to evaluate the extent to which calcite precipitation and ion-exchange fractionate Ca isotopes. Elevated δ⁴⁴Ca values during the initial and final stages of water transport possibly result from calcite precipitation under supersaturated conditions and Ca-for-Na ion-exchange, respectively. However, for the bulk of the flow path, δ⁴⁴Ca values evolve by mixing between anhydrite and dolomite dissolution, with no fractionation during calcite precipitation under saturated conditions. We attribute the absence of Ca isotope fractionation to the long timescale of water-rock interaction and slow rate of calcite precipitation, which have enabled fluids to chemically and isotopically equilibrate with calcite. We therefore conclude that the equilibrium Ca isotope fractionation factor between calcite and water (Δ_cal–w) is very close to zero. To the extent that the Madison aquifer typifies other groundwater systems where calcite slowly precipitates from solutions at or near chemical equilibrium, this study suggests that groundwater contributions to δ⁴⁴Ca variability on the continents can be modeled according to simple mixing theory without invoking isotope discrimination.     

Channel flow competence and sediment transport in upland streams in southeast Australia

Bedload transport data from planebed and step‐pool reach types are used to determine grain size transport thresholds for selected upland streams in southeast Australia. Morphological differences between the reach types allow the effects of frictional losses from bedforms, microtopography and bed packing to be incorporated into the dimensionless critical shear stress value. Local sediment transport data are also included in a regime model and applied to mountain streams, to investigate whether empirical data improve the delineation of reach types on the basis of dimensionless discharge per unit width (q*) and dimensionless bedload transport (q_b*). Instrumented planebed and step‐pool sites are not competent to transport surface median grains (D_50s) at bankfull discharge (Q_bf). Application of a locally parametrized entrainment equation to the full range of reach types in the study area indicates that the majority of cascades, cascade‐pools, step‐pools and planebeds are also not competent at Q_bf and require a 10 year recurrence interval flood to mobilize their D_50s. Consequently, the hydraulic parameters of the regime diagram, which assume equilibrium conditions at bankfull, are ill suited to these streams and provide a poor basis of channel delineation. Modifying the diagram to better reflect the dominant transported bedload size (equivalent to the D₁₆ of surface sediment) made only slight improvements to reach delineation and had greatest effect on the morphologies with smaller surface grain sizes such as forced pool‐riffles and planebeds. Likewise, the Corey shape factor was incorporated into the regime diagram as an objective method for adjusting a base dimensionless critical shear stress (τ*_c50b) to account for lithologically controlled grain shape on bed packing and entrainment. However, it too provided only minor adjustments to reach type delineation. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Conceptual modelling to assess the influence of hydro-climatic variability on runoff processes in data scarce semi-arid Andean catchments

Using hydro-meteorological time series of 50 years and in situ measurements, the dominant runoff processes in perennial Andean headwater catchments in Chile were determined using the hydrological model HBV light. First, cluster analysis was used to identify dry, wet and intermediate years. From these, sub-periods were identified with contrasting seasonal climatic influences on streamflow. By calibrating the model across different periods, impacts on model performance, parameter sensitivity and identifiability were investigated, providing insights into differences in hydrological processes. The modelling approach suggested that, independently of a dry or wet period of calibration, the streamflow response is mostly consistent with flux from groundwater storage, while only a small fraction comes from direct routing of snowmelt. The variation of model parameters, such as the groundwater rate coefficient, was found to be consistent with differing recharge in wet and dry years. The resulting snowmelt–groundwater model is a realistic hypothesis of the hydrological operation of such complex, data scarce and semi-arid Andean catchments. This model may also be a useful tool for predictions of seasonal water availability and a basis for further field studies.     

Using stable isotopes to estimate travel times in a data‐sparse Arctic catchment: Challenges and possible solutions

Use of isotopes to quantify the temporal dynamics of the transformation of precipitation into run‐off has revealed fundamental new insights into catchment flow paths and mixing processes that influence biogeochemical transport. However, catchments underlain by permafrost have received little attention in isotope‐based studies, despite their global importance in terms of rapid environmental change. These high‐latitude regions offer limited access for data collection during critical periods (e.g., early phases of snowmelt). Additionally, spatio‐temporal variable freeze–thaw cycles, together with the development of an active layer, have a time variant influence on catchment hydrology. All of these characteristics make the application of traditional transit time estimation approaches challenging. We describe an isotope‐based study undertaken to provide a preliminary assessment of travel times at Siksik Creek in the western Canadian Arctic. We adopted a model–data fusion approach to estimate the volumes and isotopic characteristics of snowpack and meltwater. Using samples collected in the spring/summer, we characterize the isotopic composition of summer rainfall, melt from snow, soil water, and stream water. In addition, soil moisture dynamics and the temporal evolution of the active layer profile were monitored. First approximations of transit times were estimated for soil and streamwater compositions using lumped convolution integral models and temporally variable inputs including snowmelt, ice thaw, and summer rainfall. Comparing transit time estimates using a variety of inputs revealed that transit time was best estimated using all available inflows (i.e., snowmelt, soil ice thaw, and rainfall). Early spring transit times were short, dominated by snowmelt and soil ice thaw and limited catchment storage when soils are predominantly frozen. However, significant and increasing mixing with water in the active layer during the summer resulted in more damped steam water variation and longer mean travel times (~1.5 years). The study has also highlighted key data needs to better constrain travel time estimates in permafrost catchments.     

Glacial curvilineations found along the southern sector of the Laurentide Ice sheet and a hypothesis of formation involving subglacial slope failure in tunnel valleys and subglacial lakes

First discovered in Poland, glacial curvilineations (GCLs) are enigmatic landforms comprising parallel sets of sinuous ridges and troughs of metres amplitude and around 150 m wavelength, found within kilometres‐wide valleys interpreted as being produced by meltwater flowing subglacially. Their morphological and sedimentary characteristics and association with tunnel valleys has been described for some prominent Polish examples. From these observations the existing hypothesis is that they form as a consequence of erosion by longitudinal vortices that develop in subglacial floods. Here we report, for the first time, GCLs found along the southern sector of the Laurentide Ice Sheet in three northern states of the USA. Using mapping and topographic analysis from high resolution digital elevation models we report observations on their morphological properties and landform associations. We find aspects of their context and morphology difficult to explain using the existing hypothesis. We instead suggest that these glacial curvilineations are produced by subglacial bank and slope failures that locally widen tunnel valleys, or that occur near subglacial lake shorelines. Further investigation is required to test this hypothesis and to ascertain the mechanisms of proposed mass movements, which may have occurred by rotational or translational slope failure or by creep deformation. Our preferred mechanism is that such movements occurred where subglacial water was emplaced over previously perma‐frozen ground. Under such circumstances, sediment blocks thawed by the water may then easily glide over a frozen décollement at low slope angles; analogous to subaerial active‐layer glides in permafrost environments. Permafrost spring sapping may have provided lines of weakness for slope failure. If the requirement for permafrost is found to hold, then GCLs may become an important indicator of the palaeo‐distribution of permafrost. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Improving bank erosion modelling at catchment scale by incorporating temporal and spatial variability

Bank erosion can contribute a significant portion of the sediment budget within temperate catchments, yet few catchment scale models include an explicit representation of bank erosion processes. Furthermore, representation is often simplistic resulting in an inability to capture realistic spatial and temporal variability in simulated bank erosion. In this study, the sediment component of the catchment scale model SHETRAN is developed to incorporate key factors influencing the spatio‐temporal rate of bank erosion, due to the effects of channel sinuosity and channel bank vegetation. The model is applied to the Eden catchment, north‐west England, and validated using data derived from a GIS methodology. The developed model simulates magnitudes of total catchment annual bank erosion (617–4063 t y^‐1) within the range of observed values (211–4426 t yr^‐1). In addition, the model provides both greater inter‐annual and spatial variability of bank eroded sediment generation when compared with the basic model, and indicates a potential 61% increase of bank eroded sediment as a result of temporal flood clustering. The approach developed within this study can be used within a number of distributed hydrologic models and has general applicability to temperate catchments, yet further development of model representation of bank erosion processes is required. © 2017 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.