A relationship between liquid water content and chemical composition in clouds

In this paper we present two-year results from the Cloud Chemistry Measurements Programme, carried out at Mt. Brocken/Hart (Germany) to assess the influence of cloud physical parameters on the chemical composition of clouds. There are large variations in the chemical composition of cloud water. We found that the liquid water content of clouds predominantly determines the ionic content. The relationship is best approximated by a power function, nearly identical for all chemical species. We identified deviations of data points from the general relationship accompanying events with different air pollution situations. An important conclusion is that cloud chemistry monitoring in the sense of air pollution studies is meaningless without measurement of cloud physical parameters. These are liquid water content, cloud base altitudes, and to some extent, droplet size distribution.     

Multi-decadal coastal change in New Zealand: Evidence, mechanisms and implications

Abstract:   Coastal research and monitoring on New Zealand beaches have typically examined seasonal and event-driven (storms) changes in the coast. However, historical records are now of sufficient length to indicate that change occurs at longer timescales. This paper presents examples of multi-decadal change at three case-study locations around New Zealand. Results show that morphological adjustment of the coast occurs at multi-decadal scales and is much larger than short-term dynamics. Physical mechanisms driving changes are ill defined but may be associated with El Niños and La Niña episodes which modulate waves and sea level, as well as changes in sediment supply.     

Thermal expansion behavior of Ce2Zr2O7 up to 898 K in conjunction with structural analyses by neutron diffraction

The thermal expansion of cubic pyrochlore Ce₂Zr₂O₇ has been measured from room temperature to 898 K on polycrystalline material in conjunction with structural analyses using neutron diffraction. This compound has a thermal expansion coefficient in line with the other comparable lanthanoide pyrochlore oxides. The coefficient can be expressed as α(T) = 8.418 × 10⁻⁶ + 0.9861 × 10⁻⁹ × T. The structural refinements performed for each measured temperature showed a comparable linear evolution of the Ce–O/Zr–O distances (within 0.57%).     

Seismic architecture and sedimentology of a major grounding zone system deposited by the Bjørnøyrenna Ice Stream during Late Weichselian deglaciation

A 280 km wide sediment wedge in outer Bjørnøyrenna (Bear Island Trough), south-western Barents Sea, has been investigated using 2D and 3D seismic data, sediment gravity cores, as well as regional swath and large scale bathymetry data. The bathymetry data indicate a division into an up to 35 m high frontal wedge with large depressions, and an upstream part characterized by mega scale glacial lineations (MSGL). From seismic sections increasing erosion is demonstrated for the upstream part, coinciding with the location of MSGL. Whether the latter are depositional features postdating an extensive erosional event or formed by erosion remains inconclusive. Based on the distinct morphology and internal structures, we infer that the system was deposited during a rapid readvance whereby the ice front pushed and bulldozed predominantly soft, diluted proglacial sediments. Analyses in the eastern part of the sediment system reveal the existence of imbricated thrust sheets in the frontal part of the wedge. This is suggested to imply upstream erosion of sedimentary rock and incorporation of thrusted blocks into the moraine, forming a composite ridge locally. We argue that observed large scale depressions are dead-ice features in the marine environment. It is envisioned that intense englacial thrusting may have developed into a decollement as the cold glacier snout got overrun by ice masses from the interior, thereby enabling the inclusion of slabs of ice in the push moraine mass. Radiocarbon dates indicate that the sediment wedge was deposited around 17,090 cal yrs BP (14,530 ¹⁴C yrs BP) and that the ice front probably remained stable until 16,580 cal yrs BP (13,835 ¹⁴C yrs BP).     

Quantitative WD‐XRF calibration for small ceramic samples and their source material

A wavelength‐dispersive X‐ray fluorescence (WD‐XRF) calibration is developed for small powdered samples (300mg) with the purpose of analyzing ceramic artifacts that might be available only in limited quantity. This is compared to a conventional calibration using a larger sample mass (2g). The comparison of elemental intensities obtained in both calibrations shows that the decrease in analyzed sample mass results in a linear decrease in measured intensity for the analyzed elements. This indicates that the small‐ and large‐sample calibrations are comparable. Moreover, the elemental contents of four ceramic sherds and two potential clay sources fall well within the range of the certified reference materials that are the basis of the calibration curves. The advantage with the analytical method presented here is that it is rapid and requires only a small amount of sample that can easily be re‐used for further analyses. This method has great potential in ceramic provenance studies. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Evidence for a nitrogen flux directly derived from the European subcontinental mantle in the Western Eger Rift, Central Europe

In the Czech-German border region of the Vogtland and NW Bohemia (western Eger rift, Central Europe), chemical and isotopic compositions (C, N, He, Ar) of free gas from a thermal water escape (fluorite mine, Schönbrunn), two mineral springs (“Eisenquelle,” Bad Brambach; “Sprudel III,” Bad Elster) and a mofette (Bublak) located along an ∼40-km long traverse are reported. The gases of Bublak and Bad Brambach are CO₂-rich (>99 vol.%) and have δ¹³C values of −1.95 and −4.29‰, respectively. With distance from the center of CO₂ degassing (Bublak) the δ¹³C values decrease, most likely due to physico-chemical fractionation of CO₂ between gaseous and aqueous phases rather than to admixture of organic/biogenic CO₂. The δ¹⁵N values range between −3.2 and −0.6‰, compared to an upper mantle value of −4.0 ± 1.0‰. The four locations are characterized by ³He/⁴He ratios decreasing from 5.9 R_a in the center (Bublak) to 0.8 R_a in the periphery (Schönbrunn) and give evidence for mixing of He from a deep-seated magmatic source with a crustal source. The location with the highest ³He/⁴He ratio (5.9 R_a) is accompanied by the highest ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar (550). We argue that the nitrogen of the Bublak mofette gas is a mixture of predominantly atmospheric and mantle-derived components, whereas at the other three locations crustal nitrogen may also be present. The Bublak δ¹⁵N value of ≈−4.5 ± 1.0‰ represents the first free gas δ¹⁵N reference from the European subcontinental mantle (ESCM) and indicates that, in contrast to the ³He/⁴He ratios, the δ¹⁵N values are equal for ESCM and MORB, respectively.     

Animals and humans in the European Russian Arctic towards the end of the last Ice Age and during the mid‐Holocene time

Here, we present and discuss results from geo‐archaeological and palaeo‐zoological investigations at the Palaeolithic site Pymva Shor, in the Russian Arctic. As many as 3324 vertebrate fauna remains were recovered during two excavations. This includes bones of mammals, birds and fish. Radiocarbon dates were obtained from 26 specimens. The results show ages in the range 30–3 cal. ka BP. Hare and reindeer are the best represented amongst the identified mammalian species, whilst ptarmigan and various wader species dominate the avian bones. The Pleistocene assemblage includes herbivorous herd animals such as horse, bison and musk ox. These species are typical of the treeless tundra‐steppe landscape that existed during the Lateglacial. Of particular interest is a cave lion specimen that has been radiocarbon dated to approximately 15.5 cal. ka BP. According to our knowledge, this is one of the latest dated examples of this species in Eurasia. The faunal composition in the Holocene assemblage is strikingly different and includes distinct forest taxa such as beaver and pine marten. The avifauna also supports a forested environment with the presence of black grouse. A few stone artefacts were found within the strata, and have been radiocarbon dated to 16–15 cal. ka BP, suggesting that there were humans in the Pymva Shore area at that time. We identified impact notches and cut marks on some radiocarbon‐dated reindeer and bison bones, showing that humans were present twice during the Younger Dryas period. A fourth occupation phase is identified during the mid‐Holocene (6–5 cal. ka BP). We also investigated river terraces and obtained a series of luminescence dates. These have been used to reconstruct the geological history and the relationship to the find‐bearing strata.     

Stabilisation of soil organic matter by interactions with minerals as revealed by mineral dissolution and oxidative degradation

Soil organic matter is known to contain a stable fraction with an old radiocarbon age. Size and stabilisation processes leading to the formation of this old soil carbon pool are still unclear. Our study aims to differentiate old organic matter from young and labile carbon compounds in two acid forest soils (dystric cambisol, haplic podzol). To identify such fractions soil samples were exposed to oxidation with Na₂S₂O₈ and to dissolution by hydrofluoric acid (HF). A negative correlation between ¹⁴C activity and carbon release after dissolution of the mineral matrix by HF indicates a strong association of stabilised carbon compounds with the mineral phase. A negative correlation between the ¹⁴C activity and the relative proportion of carbon resistant to oxidation by Na₂S₂O₈ shows that young carbon is removed preferentially by this treatment. The fraction remaining after oxidation represents a certain stabilised, long residence time carbon pool. This old fraction comprises between 1 and 30% of the total soil organic carbon in the surface horizons, but reaches up to 80% in the sub-surface horizons. Old OC is mainly stabilised by organo-mineral associations with clay minerals and/or iron oxides, whereas intercalation in clay minerals was not found to be important.