Tracing variability of run‐off generation in mountainous permafrost of semi‐arid north‐eastern Mongolia

The headwaters of mountainous, discontinuous permafrost regions in north‐eastern Mongolia are important water resources for the semi‐arid country, but little is known about hydrological processes there. Run‐off generation on south‐facing slopes, which are devoid of permafrost, has so far been neglected and is totally unknown for areas that have been affected by recent forest fires. To fill this knowledge gap, the present study applied artificial tracers on a steppe‐vegetated south‐facing and on two north‐facing slopes, burned and unburned. Combined sprinkling and dye tracer experiments were used to visualize processes of infiltration and water fluxes in the unsaturated zone. On the unburned north‐facing slope, rapid and widespread infiltration through a wet organic layer was observed down to the permafrost. On the burned profile, rapid infiltration occurred through a combusted organic and underlying mineral layer. Stained water seeped out at the bottom of both profiles suggesting a general tendency to subsurface stormflow (SSF). Ongoing SSF could directly be studied 24 h after a high‐intensity rainfall event on a 55‐m hillslope section in the burned forest. Measurements of water temperature proved the role of the permafrost layer as a base horizon for SSF. Repeated tracer injections allowed direct insights into SSF dynamics: A first injection suggested rather slow dispersive subsurface flow paths; whereas 18 h later, a second injection traced a more preferential flow system with 20 times quicker flow velocities. We speculate that these pronounced SSF dynamics are limited to burned slopes where a thermally insulating organic layer is absent. On three south‐facing soil profiles, the applied tracer remained in the uppermost 5 cm of a silt‐rich mineral soil horizon. No signs of preferential infiltration could be found, which suggested reduced biological activity under a harsh, dry and cold climate. Instead, direct observations, distributed tracers and charcoal samples provided evidence for the occurrence of overland flow. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Flood frequencies reveal Holocene rapid climate changes (Lower Moulouya River,northeastern Morocco)

Current high‐resolution palaeoenvironmental records reveal short‐term Holocene coolings. One of these major Holocene rapid climate changes occurred between 3.2 and 2.7 cal. ka BP. The sensitivity of river systems vis‐à‐vis slight and short‐term Holocene climatic variations is a subject of controversy in the scientific community. In this paper, we present a 4.0 to 1.4 cal ka BP palaeoflood record from the Lower Moulouya River (northeastern Morocco) to demonstrate the high sensitivity of semiarid rivers in the southwestern Mediterranean towards Holocene environmental changes. The Lower Moulouya flood deposits are characterised by thick, well‐stratified, predominantly clayey to silty overbank fine sediments. These cohesive sediments show evidence of excellent preservation conditions against fluvial erosion and contain a continuous record of mid to late Holocene flood sequences. The Moulouya palaeoflood record can be interpreted in the context of regional and global high‐resolution proxy data, revealing a strong coupling with Holocene rapid climate changes. The centennial‐scale Moulouya palaeohydrological history will be discussed with palaeoenvironmental data from the same record (palaeomagnetics, sedimentary charcoal record, anthracological analyses, snail analyses) to generate new ideas about the mid to late Holocene hydrological cycle in the southwestern Mediterranean. The deduced features of pronounced Lower Moulouya flooding and the decreased fire recurrence during Holocene cooling remain somewhat inconsistent with the interpretation of other palaeohydrological and paleaoecological records from the southwestern Mediterranean. However, enhanced Lower Moulouya flood frequencies between 3.2 and 2.7 cal. ka BP agree with increased floodplain aggradation in other major river systems of Mediterranean North Africa. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Barents Sea upstream events impact the properties of Atlantic water inflow into the Arctic Ocean: Evidence from 2005 to 2006 downstream observations

Inflow of Atlantic water (AW) from Fram Strait and the Barents Sea into the Arctic Ocean conditions the intermediate (100–1000 m) waters of the Arctic Ocean Eurasian margins. While over the Siberian margin the Fram Strait AW branch (FSBW) has exhibited continuous dramatic warming beginning in 2004, the tendency of the Barents Sea AW branch (BSBW) has remained poorly known. Here we document the contrary cooling tendency of the BSBW through the analysis of observational data collected from the icebreaker Kapitan Dranitsyn over the continental slope of the Eurasian Basin in 2005 and 2006. The CTD data from the R.V. Polarstern cruise in 1995 were used as a reference point for evaluating external atmospheric and sea-ice forcing and oxygen isotope analysis. Our data show that in 2006 the BSBW core was saltier (by ～0.037), cooler (by ～0.41 °C), denser (by ～0.04 kg/m³), deeper (by 150–200 m), and relatively better ventilated (by 7–8 μmol/kg of dissolved oxygen, or by 1.1–1.7% of saturation) compared with 2005. We hypothesize that the shift of the meridional wind from off-shore to on-shore direction during the BSBW translation through the Barents and northern Kara seas results in longer surface residence time for the BSBW sampled in 2006 compared with samples from 2005. The cooler, more saline, and better-ventilated BSBW sampled in 2006 may result from longer upstream translation through the Barents and northern Kara seas where the BSBW was modified by sea-ice formation and interaction with atmosphere. The data for stable oxygen isotopes from 1995 and 2006 reveals amplified brine modification of the BSBW core sampled downstream in 2006, which supports the assumption of an increased upstream residence time as indicated by wind patterns and dissolved oxygen values.     

The Plio-Pleistocene glaciation of the Barents Sea–Svalbard region: a new model based on revised chronostratigraphy

Based on a revised chronostratigraphy, and compilation of borehole data from the Barents Sea continental margin, a coherent glaciation model is proposed for the Barents Sea ice sheet over the past 3.5 million years (Ma). Three phases of ice growth are suggested: (1) The initial build-up phase, covering mountainous regions and reaching the coastline/shelf edge in the northern Barents Sea during short-term glacial intensification, is concomitant with the onset of the Northern Hemisphere Glaciation (3.6–2.4 Ma). (2) A transitional growth phase (2.4–1.0 Ma), during which the ice sheet expanded towards the southern Barents Sea and reached the northwestern Kara Sea. This is inferred from step-wise decrease of Siberian river-supplied smectite-rich sediments, likely caused by ice sheet blockade and possibly reduced sea ice formation in the Kara Sea as well as glacigenic wedge growth along the northwestern Barents Sea margin hampering entrainment and transport of sea ice sediments to the Arctic–Atlantic gateway. (3) Finally, large-scale glaciation in the Barents Sea occurred after 1 Ma with repeated advances to the shelf edge. The timing is inferred from ice grounding on the Yermak Plateau at about 0.95 Ma, and higher frequencies of gravity-driven mass movements along the western Barents Sea margin associated with expansive glacial growth.     

Eclipsing Binaries in Open Clusters

The study of detached eclipsing binaries in open clusters can provide stringent tests of theoretical stellar evolutionary models, which must simultaneously fit the masses, radii, and luminosities of the eclipsing stars and the radiative properties of every other star in the cluster. We review recent progress in such studies and discuss two unusually interesting objects currently under analysis. GV Carinae is an A0 m + A8 m binary in the Southern open cluster NGC 3532; its eclipse depths have changed by 0.1 mag between 1990 and 2001, suggesting that its orbit is being perturbed by a relatively close third body. DW Carinae is a high-mass unevolved B1 V + B1 V binary in the very young open cluster Collinder 228, and displays double-peaked emission in the centre of the Hα line which is characteristic of Be stars. We conclude by pointing out that the great promise of eclipsing binaries in open clusters can only be satisfied when both the binaries and their parent clusters are well-observed, a situation which is less common than we would like.     

Sulfates and iron oxides in Ophir Chasma, Mars, based on OMEGA and CRISM observations

We investigate the sulfate and iron oxide deposits in Ophir Chasma, Mars, based on short-wave infrared data from the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars - CRISM and from the Observatoire pour la Minéralogie, l’Eau, les Glaces et l’Activité - OMEGA. Sulfates are detected mainly in two locations. In the valley between Ophir Mensa and the southern wall of Ophir Chasma, kieserite is found both within the slope of Ophir Mensa, and superposed on the basaltic wall of the chasm. Here, kieserite is unconformably overlain by polyhydrated sulfate deposits and iron oxides. Locally, jarosite and unidentified phases with absorptions at 2.21 μm or 2.23 μm are detected, which could be mixtures of jarosite and amorphous silica or other poorly crystalline phases.The second large sulfate-rich outcrop is found on the floor of the central valley. Although the same minerals are found here, polyhydrated sulfates, kieserite, iron oxides, and locally a possibly jarosite-bearing phase, this deposit is very distinct. It is not layered, almost horizontal, and located at a much lower elevation of below −4250 m. Kieserite superposes polyhydrated sulfate-rich deposits, and iron oxides form lags.The facies of sulfate formation remains unclear, and could be different for the two locations. A formation in a lake, playa or under a glacier is consistent with the mineralogy of the central valley and its flat, low-lying topography. This is not conceivable for the kieserite deposits observed south of Ophir Mensa. These deposits are observed over several thousands of meters of elevation, which would require a standing body of water several thousands of meters deep. This would have lead to much more pervasive sulfate deposits than observed. These deposits are therefore more consistent with evaporation of groundwater infiltrating into previously sulfate-free light-toned deposits. The overlying polyhydrated sulfates and other mineral phases are observed in outcrops on ridges along the slopes of the southern chasm wall, which are too exposed to be reached by groundwater. Here, a water supply from the atmosphere by rain, snow, fog or frost is more conceivable.     

A chemostratigraphic method to determine the end of impact‐related sedimentation at marine‐target impact craters (Chesapeake Bay,Lockne, Tvären)

Abstract– To better understand the impact cratering process and its environmental consequences at the local to global scale, it is important to know when in the geological record of an impact crater the impact‐related processes cease. In many instances, this occurs with the end of early crater modification, leaving an obvious sedimentological boundary between impactites and secular sediments. However, in marine‐target craters the transition from early crater collapse (i.e., water resurge) to postimpact sedimentation can appear gradual. With the a priori assumption that the reworked target materials of the resurge deposits have a different chemical composition to the secular sediments we use chemostratigraphy (δ¹³C_carb, %C_org, major elements) of sediments from the Chesapeake Bay, Lockne, and Tvären craters, to define this boundary. We show that the end of impact‐related sedimentation in these cases is fairly rapid, and does not necessarily coincide with a visual boundary (e.g., grain size shift). Therefore, in some cases, the boundary is more precisely determined by chemostratigraphy, especially carbonate carbon isotope variations, rather than by visual inspection. It is also shown how chemostratigraphy can confirm the age of marine‐target craters that were previously determined by biostratigraphy; by comparing postimpact carbon isotope trends with established regional trends.     

Airborne near-real-time monitoring of assembly and parking areas in case of large-scale public events and natural disasters

A critical requirement for an effective and coordinated response by public entities tasked with management, security, and relief during large-scale public events or natural disasters is the availability of current situational information. However, today there is a lack of comprehensive operational systems allowing a near-real-time (NRT) collection, visualization, and provision of situational information for larger areas. In this study a methodological framework is proposed, which allows an NRT extraction and visualization of situational information based on aerial image acquisition. The framework combines digital image analysis using a generic supervised information extraction approach based on statistical modeling with a downstream web-based visualization component realized through an automatic update of web services. Even though being applicable for different scenarios, the workflow will be demonstrated for the specific use-case of a NRT monitoring of open spaces including assembly and parking areas. Compared to other approaches, image analysis results indicate a high robustness and a low demand for computational power sources (7 seconds per image). Due to a high degree of automation, the proposed workflow contributes to a NRT ‘end-to-end’ monitoring system, which was developed within the VABENE (German acronym for ‘traffic management under large-scale public events and disaster conditions’) project covering all parts from the acquisition of raw aerial imagery to the dissemination of information products to end-users.     

Multi-proxy summer and winter precipitation reconstruction for southern Africa over the last 200 years

This study presents the first consolidation of palaeoclimate proxy records from multiple archives to develop statistical rainfall reconstructions for southern Africa covering the last two centuries. State-of-the-art ensemble reconstructions reveal multi-decadal rainfall variability in the summer and winter rainfall zones. A decrease in precipitation amount over time is identified in the summer rainfall zone. No significant change in precipitation amount occurred in the winter rainfall zone, but rainfall variability has increased over time. Generally synchronous rainfall fluctuations between the two zones are identified on decadal scales, with common wet (dry) periods reconstructed around 1890 (1930). A strong relationship between seasonal rainfall and sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the surrounding oceans is confirmed. Coherence among decadal-scale fluctuations of southern African rainfall, regional SST, SSTs in the Pacific Ocean and rainfall in south-eastern Australia suggest SST-rainfall teleconnections across the southern hemisphere. Temporal breakdowns of the SST-rainfall relationship in the southern African regions and the connection between the two rainfall zones are observed, for example during the 1950s. Our results confirm the complex interplay between large-scale teleconnections, regional SSTs and local effects in modulating multi-decadal southern African rainfall variability over long timescales.     

Observing Entrainment Processes Using a Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle: A Feasibility Study

Measurement flights with the meteorological mini aerial vehicle (M $^2$ AV) were performed in spring 2011 to assess the capability of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to measure the structure of the transition zone between the convective boundary layer and the stably stratified free atmosphere. The campaign took place at the Meteorological Observatory Lindenberg/Richard-Aßmann-Observatory of the German Meteorological Service. Besides the M $^2$ AV flights, observations were made from a 12-m and a 99-m tower, a sodar, two ceilometers, radiosondes, and a tethered balloon with sensor packages at six different levels. M $^2$ AV measurements were intentionally combined with remote sensing systems. The height range of the entrainment zone as well as its diurnal cycle were provided by the remote sensing instruments. The UAV provided the high-resolution in situ data of temperature and wind for the study of turbulent processes. It is shown that the M $^2$ AV is able to maintain constant altitude with very small deviations—a pre-requisite to study processes inside the often quite thin entrainment zone and that M $^2$ AV high-resolution wind and temperature measurements allow for very detailed studies of the fine structure of the atmosphere and thus for the identification of quite local and/or short-duration processes such as overshooting thermals or downward intrusions of warm air. Spatial series measured by the M $^2$ AV during horizontal flights show turbulent exchange of heat in short turbulent bursts at heights close to and within the entrainment zone. Scaled vertical profiles of vertical velocity, potential temperature variance, and sensible heat flux confirm the general shape found by previous measurements and numerical studies.