A Variable Mesh Spacing for Large-Eddy Simulation Models in the Convective Boundary Layer

A variable vertical mesh spacing for large-eddy simulation (LES) models in a convective boundary layer (CBL) is proposed. The argument is based on the fact that in the vertical direction the turbulence near the surface in a CBL is inhomogeneous and therefore the subfilter-scale effects depend on the relative location between the spectral peak of the vertical velocity and the filter cut-off wavelength. From the physical point of view, this lack of homogeneity makes the vertical mesh spacing the principal length scale and, as a consequence, the LES filter cut-off wavenumber is expressed in terms of this characteristic length scale. Assuming that the inertial subrange initial frequency is equal to the LES filter cut-off frequency and employing fitting expressions that describe the observed convective turbulent energy one-dimensional spectra, it is feasible to derive a relation to calculate the variable vertical mesh spacing. The incorporation of this variable vertical grid within a LES model shows that both the mean quantities (and their gradients) and the turbulent statistics quantities are well described near to the ground level, where the LES predictions are known to be a challenging task.     

Evaporation and Sublimation of Boric Acid: Application for Boron Purification from Organic Rich Solutions

We report in this paper a series of experiments whose purpose is to test the long held idea of boron volatility when neutral to acidic solutions containing traces of boron are evaporated. Boron recoveries have been measured precisely by isotopic dilution and boron isotopic ratios have also been determined. Most of the evaporations have been conducted at 60-65 °C. It was found that no loss of boric acid occurs when c. 1 μg of B is evaporated in water, HCl, HF and acetone solutions. At the same time, we did not observe any associated B isotopic fractionation. In contrast to previous studies on B volatilisation, it was not found necessary to use mannitol to prevent B losses during the evaporation of acidic solutions. Important losses of boron were observed from solutions of methanol, ethanol and organic-rich natural solutions. In the presence of methanol and ethanol, a volatile methyl (or ethyl) borate is likely to be formed. In contrast to these studies, we show that boron is highly volatile when the dried residues of an evaporation are heated further. The sublimation of boron that then occurs can be moderated by the use of mannitol, but a slight increase of the temperature allows B volatilisation. Despite the substantial losses of B by sublimation, no B isotopic fractionation was observed at 60-65 C. The property of boron to sublime was used to separate B from an organic matrix. A miniaturized sublimation apparatus, comprising a 5 ml Teflon beaker, and the associated microsublimation technique are described. The 100% boron recovery and the absence of B isotopic fractionation make this method suitable for extracting B from organic-rich samples.     

Analytical Electron-Microscopy Fractionation of Fine and Colloidal Particulate-Phosphorus in Riverbed and Suspended Sediments

The impact particulate-phosphorus (particulate-P) has on eutrophication of aquatic systems that greatly depends on its composition. As a result, analysis methods for evaluating particulate-P speciation must be capable of identifying and/or quantifying the wide range of forms particulate-P can take. In the present study, we compare the particulate P speciation of the fine and colloidal fractions of riverbed sediment and suspended matter from two rivers in the Lake Geneva basin (French Alps) as determined with chemical extractions to results of a combined Transmission Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive Detection (TEM–EDS) analysis of the same samples. TEM–EDS provides semi-quantitative information about the distribution of P throughout the solid fraction of a sample and on the diversity of carrier phases, which are identified by their morphology and stochiometry. EDS-detectable quantities of phosphorus were found in 15–35% of the particles in the samples analyzed. As expected, particulate-P existed in a wide variety of forms, mostly associated with Al, Fe, Ca and Si. Some types of particles, often well-crystallized phosphate minerals, had high P contents (10–30%), but the dominant carrier phases of P were diffuse matrices of particles with low P contents (<5%). These matrices had a wide range of chemical compositions and included clay minerals, crystallized and amorphous phases of Fe, as well as intermediary components. Classical chemical extractions showed major differences in P content and speciation between the upstream and downstream sediment samples. The downstream samples showed higher frequencies of particles containing P, a larger diversity of carrier phases, a higher contribution of clays as carrier phases of P, and the presence of a new fraction with Al and Fe amorphous minerals. The processes that create and select carrier phases of particulate-P are part of the general dynamics of P within a watershed.     

Colloidal Control on the Distribution of Rare Earth Elements in Shallow Groundwaters

A 7-year monitoring period of rare earth element (REE) concentrations and REE pattern shapes was carried out in well water samples from a 450 m long transect setup in the Kervidy/Coët-Dan experimental catchment, France. The new dataset confirms systematic, topography-related REE signatures and REE concentrations variability but challenges the validity of a groundwater mixing hypothesis. Most likely, this is due to REE preferential adsorption upon mixing. However, the coupled mixing–adsorption mechanism still fails to explain the strong spatial variation in negative Ce anomaly amplitude. A third mechanism—namely, the input into the aquifer of REE-rich, Ce anomaly free, organic colloids—is required to account for this variation. Ultrafiltration results and speciation calculations made using Model VI agree with this interpretation. Indeed, the data reveal that Ce anomaly amplitude downslope decrease corresponds to REE speciation change, downhill groundwaters REE being mainly bound to organic colloids. Water table depth monitoring shows that the colloid source is located in the uppermost, organic-rich soil horizons, and that the colloid input occurs mainly when water table rises in response to rainfall events. It appears that the colloids amount that reaches groundwater increases downhill as the distance between soil organic-rich horizons and water table decreases. Topography is, therefore, the ultimate key factor that controls Ce anomaly spatial variability in these shallow groundwaters. Finally, the <0.2 μm REE fraction ultimately comes from two solid sources in these groundwaters: one located in the deep basement schist; another located in the upper, organic-rich soil horizon.     

Speciation of Cr and V within BOF steel slag reused in road constructions

Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF) steel slag is a residue from the basic oxygen converter in steel-making operations, which is partially reused as an aggregate for road constructions. It is essentially composed of calcium, silicon and iron but also contains potential toxic elements present as traces, like chromium (Cr, 2600 mg kg^− 1) and vanadium (V, 690 mg kg^− 1), which can be released. The linked results of chemical analysis, XRD and SEM-EDX enabled to identify the main mineral phases composing BOF slag and EDX micro-analyses indicated that V and Cr were associated to dicalciumferrite. A 47-days static leaching test at a laboratory scale with a controlled pH of 5 (pH_stat leaching test) showed that Cr was little released, while V was significantly released. Finally, X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectra of 3 BOF slag samples were recorded (“raw”, leached 47 days at pH 5 and aged 2 years in a lysimeter). XANES spectra showed that Cr is present at octahedral coordination in the trivalent form, the less mobile and less toxic one, and that its speciation does not evolve during natural ageing and leaching at pH 5. They also indicated that V is predominantly present in the + 4 oxidation state and seems to become oxidized to the pentavalent form (the most toxic form) during natural ageing.     

Comparison of tropical cyclogenesis indices on seasonal to interannual timescales

This paper evaluates the performances of four cyclogenesis indices against observed tropical cyclone genesis on a global scale over the period 1979–2001. These indices are: the Genesis Potential Index; the Yearly Genesis Parameter; the Modified Yearly Convective Genesis Potential Index; and the Tippett et al. Index (J Clim, 2011), hereafter referred to as TCS. Choosing ERA40, NCEP2, NCEP or JRA25 reanalysis to calculate these indices can yield regional differences but overall does not change the main conclusions arising from this study. By contrast, differences between indices are large and vary depending on the regions and on the timescales considered. All indices except the TCS show an equatorward bias in mean cyclogenesis, especially in the northern hemisphere where this bias can reach 5°. Mean simulated genesis numbers for all indices exhibit large regional discrepancies, which can commonly reach up to ±50%. For the seasonal timescales on which the indices are historically fitted, performances also vary widely in terms of amplitude although in general they all reproduce the cyclogenesis seasonality adequately. At the seasonal scale, the TCS seems to be the best fitted index overall. The most striking feature at interannual scales is the inability of all indices to reproduce the observed cyclogenesis amplitude. The indices also lack the ability to reproduce the general interannual phase variability, but they do, however, acceptably reproduce the phase variability linked to El Ni?o/Southern Oscillation (ENSO)—a major driver of tropical cyclones interannual variations. In terms of cyclogenesis mechanisms that can be inferred from the analysis of the index terms, there are wide variations from one index to another at seasonal and interannual timescales and caution is advised when using these terms from one index only. They do, however, show a very good coherence at ENSO scale thus inspiring confidence in the mechanism interpretations that can be obtained by the use of any index. Finally, part of the gap between the observed and simulated cyclogenesis amplitudes may be attributable to stochastic processes, which cannot be inferred from environmental indices that only represent a potential for cyclogenesis.     

Dendrogeomorphic reconstruction of past landslide reactivation with seasonal precision: the Bois Noir landslide, southeast French Alps

The purpose of this study was to reconstruct spatiotemporal patterns of past landslide reactivation in a forested area of the Barcelonnette Basin (Bois Noir landslide, Southern French Alps). Analysis of past events was based on tree ring series from 79 heavily affected Mountain pine (Pinus uncinata Mill. ex Mirb) trees growing near or next to the landslide body. Dendrogeomorphic analysis focused on the presence of compression wood and growth reductions, with the first reaction being used for a dating of past reactivations with seasonal precision. A total of 151 growth disturbances were identified in the samples representing eight different stages of reactivation of the landslide body between 1874 and 2008. The spatiotemporal accuracy of the reconstruction is confirmed by historical records from neighboring sites and by aerial photographs. The onset of compression wood formation allows identifying five stages of landslide reactivation during the dormant season or the very beginning of the growing season of trees, i.e., between early October and late May, and three stages toward the end of the growth period. Monthly rainfall data from the HISTALP database demonstrate that the rainfall during four out of the eight reactivations are characterized by summer rainfall totals (July?CAugust) exceeding 200?mm, pointing to the important role of summer rainstorms in the triggering of events at the Bois Noir landslide body.     

Experimental shock metamorphism of the L4 ordinary chondrite Saratov induced by spherical shock waves up to 400 GPa

Abstract– We carried out shock experiments on macroscopic spherical samples of the L4 ordinary chondrite Saratov (natural shock stages S2–S3), using explosively generated spherical shock waves with maximum peak pressures of 400 GPa and shock‐induced temperatures >800 °C (up to several thousands °C). The evolution of shock metamorphism within a radius of the spherical samples was investigated using optical and scanning electron microscopy, microprobe and magnetic analyses as well as Mössbauer spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction techniques. Petrographic analyses revealed a shock‐induced formation of three different concentric petrographic zones within the shocked samples: zone of total melting (I), zone of partial melting (II), and zone of solid‐state shock features (III). We found a progressive pressure‐induced oxidation of Fe‐Ni metal, whose degree increased with increasing shock peak pressure. The amount of FeO within zone I increased the factor of 1.4 with respect to its amount in the unshocked Saratov sample. This suggests that within zone I about 70 wt% of the initial metallic iron was oxidized, whereas magnetic analyses showed that about 10 wt% of it remained intact. This strongly supports the hypothesis that, in addition to oxidation, a migration of metallic iron from the central heavily shocked zone I toward less shocked peripheral zone took place as well (likely through shock veins where metallic droplets were observed). Magnetic analyses also showed a shock‐induced transformation of tetrataenite to taenite within all shocked subsamples, resulting in magnetic softening of these subsamples (decrease in remanent coercivity). These results have important implications for extraterrestrial paleomagnetism suggesting that due to natural impact processes, the buried crustal rocks of heavily cratered solid solar system bodies can have stronger remanent magnetism than the corresponding surface rocks.     

Unique episodic groundwater recharge event in a South American sedimentary aquifer and its long-term impact on baseflow

The anomalous entrance of water into groundwater systems can affect storage throughout long periods and normally relies on infrequent and irregular pulses of groundwater recharge defined by the term episodic recharge. Recently there was a groundwater recharge of large magnitude with unknown circumstances in the Caiuá aquifer. This unique event was explored in detail here and allowed to better understand the occurrence of such events in humid subtropical climates in South America. For this study, groundwater monitoring daily data from the Integrated Groundwater Monitoring Network was used combined with a specific yield obtained from geophysical wireline logging to obtain groundwater recharge rates. To improve the investigation, we also used a baseflow separation method to obtain the groundwater contribution into local rivers. The groundwater storage variations were also assessed by remote sensing with the GRACE data. Results showed the importance of high soil moisture storage on the occurrence of large episodic recharge events. We estimated that the groundwater recharger volumes derived from 1 year that included the unique episodic recharge observed (total of 866 mm for April 2015–March 2016) were comparable with the sum of 7 years of groundwater recharge (total of 867 mm). Atypical rainfall in winter periods were responsible for the increase in soil moisture that explained that unique event. GRACE-based GWS showed concordance detecting the occurrence of the unique episodic recharge. However, the variation in terms of volumes obtained by GRACE does not represent the behaviour observed in the aquifer by the WTF method. The results also indicated that changes in aquifer storage caused by episodic recharge events directly affect low flows in rivers over long periods. The main knowledge gap addressed here relates to exploring a unique episodic recharge event quite rare to observe with its long-term impacts on hydroclimatic variability over a humid subtropical portion of the Caiuá aquifer.