Experimental stream acidification — the influence of sediment and streambed vegetation

An acidification experiment was conducted on a small stream in the Loch Ard area of central Scotland. The stream was chosen because of its large, flow related, variation in pH (5.9-4.0). Two acid additions were made to approximately pH 3.5–3.7. The results indicated a strong correlation between labile aluminium and hydrogen, and a noticeable hysteresis in the response of calcium and hydrogen. It is hypothesised that divalent cation response is a result of ion-exchange mechanisms involving the streambed vegetation, with aluminium release resulting primarily from exchange reactions with streambed sediment stores. Data from a program of stream spot sampling have been analysed in an attempt to elucidate the contribution of different sources of aluminium under different flow conditions. Streambed sources of aluminium contribute significantly under low flow conditions; however, at high flow, additional sources of aluminium must contribute to match observed streamwater chemistry.     

Lightning‐flash locations related to the precipitation pattern of the storm

Abstract

Triangulation from paired sferics (100 ± 50 kHz) received at stations 57 km apart gave 42 map locations of lightning flashes belonging to a thunderstorm well‐defined on weather radar. This storm was one of many in a long line along the leading edge of a band of light stratiform precipitation (snow above 3 km). The band was 9 km high and 60 km wide, and the storms were embedded in it. The convective region of the storm studied had a north‐south extent of 20 km, the east‐west extent averaging two‐thirds as much. Cumulus heights progressed from 3 km on the west to 7 ± 1 km on the east. Two‐thirds of the lightning flashes were in the convective region. The remaining third were in 160 km² of the light stratiform precipitation immediately west of it.     

Stable isotope studies of fluid inclusions in speleothems and their paleoclimatic significance

Fluid inclusions found trapped in speleothems (cave deposited travertine) are interpreted as samples of seepage water from which enclosing calcium carbonate was deposited. The inclusions are assumed to have preserved their D/H ratios since the time of deposition. Initial ¹⁸O/¹⁶O ratios can be inferred from δD because rain- and snow-derived seepage waters fall on the meteoric water line (δD = 8δ¹⁸O + 10). Estimates of temperature of deposition of the carbonate can be calculated from inclusion D/H ratios and δ¹⁸O of enclosing calcite in Pleistocene speleothems. For most speleothems investigated (0–200,000 yr old) δ¹⁸O of calcite appears to have decreased with increasing temperature of deposition indicating that the dominant cause of climate-dependent change in δ¹⁸O of calcite was the change in K_cw, the isotope fractionation equilibrium constant, with temperature; δ¹⁸O of meteoric precipitation generally increased with increasing temperature, but not sufficiently to compensate for the decrease in K_cw.     

Microwave emission from a sunspot

From the gyroresonance brightness temperature spectrum of a sunspot, one can determine the magnetic field strength by using the property that microwave brightness is limited above a frequency given by an integer-multiple of the gyrofrequency. In this paper, we use this idea to find the radial distribution of magnetic field at the coronal base of a sunspot in the active region, NOAA 4741. The gyroresonance brightness temperature spectra of this sunspot are obtained from multi-frequency interferometric observations made at the Owens Valley Radio Observatory at 24 frequencies in the range of 4.0–12.4 GHz with spatial resolution 2.2″–6.8″. The main results of present study are summarized as follows: first, by comparison of the coronal magnetic flux deduced from our microwave observation with the photospheric magnetic flux measured by KPNO magnetograms, we show that theo-mode emission must arise predominantly from the second harmonic of the gyrofrequency, while thex-mode arises from the third harmonic. Second, the radial distribution of magnetic fieldsB(r) at the coronal base of this spot (say, 2000–4000 km above the photosphere) can be adequately fitted by $$B(r) = 1420(1 \pm 0.080)\exp \left[ { - \left( {\frac{r}{{11.05''(1 \pm 0.014)}}} \right)^2 } \right]G,$$ wherer is the radial distance from the spot center at coronal base. Third, it is found that coronal magnetic fields originate mostly from the photospheric umbral region. Fourth, although the derived vertical variation of magnetic fields can be approximated roughly by a dipole model with dipole moment 1.6 × 10³⁰ erg G^?1 buried at 11000 km below the photosphere, the radial field distribution at coronal heights is found to be more confined than predicted by the dipole model.     

安徽齐云山丹霞地貌成因

According to the study of some local scholars (Peng Hua et al., 2000), over 400 sites of Danxia landform have been already discovered in China. Chen Guoda (1935), Zeng Zhaoxuan et al. (1978), Huang Jin et al. (1992; 1994; 1996) and Peng Hua et al. (1998; …     

APPLICATION OF CLAYS TO REMOVAL OF RED TIDE ORGANISMS Ⅰ.COAGULATION OF RED TIDE ORGANISMS WITH CLAYS

Coagulation of red tide organism cells with clays is discussed in theory and the effects of some fac-tors on it are studied.A quantitative model is presented which describes how the coagulation varies withpH in solution.According to the model,within the pH-range between pH_(zpc_a)and pH_(zpc_b),V_R is negativeand the coagulation is strong and strongest at pH=(pH_(zpc_a)+pH_(zpc_b))/2.It is also demonstrated that whenthe diameter of clay particles is close to that of cells,the collision probability is low,resulting in weakercoagulation.The model results have been corroborated by experiments and so are scientific and theoreticalbases for application.     

Triassic palaeosols in the upper narrabeen group of New South Wales

Detailed study of palaeosols in the sea cliffs between Long Reef and Palm Beach, north of Sydney, has given a much clearer idea of the environment and climate of the area during the late Scythian to early Anisian portion of Triassic time.

At the base of the exposed succession, kaolinitic clayey soils with red B horizons were formed on volcanogenic sediments derived from the old Gerringong volcanic ridge to the east. The red Bald Hill Claystone consists largely of soil material, both in place and resorted. These were grey‐brown podzolic soils (ferrods) formed on well‐drained sites under coniferous forest. Humic gleys (fibrists) within the overlying Garie Formation were probably lowland catenary equivalents formed under Dicroidium, Voltziopsis, and equisetalean swamp woodland.

These soils were drowned by the relative rise of the Narrabeen lagoonal complex and the concomitant southward growth of sediments of the Gosford Delta. These sediments formed the lower Newport Formation, of clean quartz‐lithic sandstone and grey kaolinite‐illite shale, derived from an extensive source land to the north and west. The most widespread soils in the delta were gleyed podzolic soils (aquods) under Dicroidium heath. Younger soils of a similar type (alluvial soils or aquents) also supported Dicroidium heath in low‐lying areas and Pleuromeia meadows in interdistributary bays. On slightly more elevated areas a more oxidized gleyed podzolic soil (ochrept) developed. On clayey levees, grey clay soils (fluvents) formed under a Dicroidium flora locally dominated by Taeniopteris lentriculiformis.

Few palaeosols are preserved in the upper Newport Formation and Hawkesbury Sandstone because of the more frequent channel reworking of the floodplain during their deposition.

The dominance of podzols is compatible with a cool temperate climate.     

Seasonal δS variations in two high elevation snow pits measured by S-S double spike thermal ionization mass spectrometry

δ³⁴S and sulfate concentrations were determined in snow pit samples using a thermal ionization mass spectrometric technique capable of 0.2‰ accuracy and requires ≈5 μg (0.16 μmol) natural S. The technique utilizes a ³³S-³⁶S double spike for instrumental mass fractionation correction, and has been applied to snow pit samples collected from the Inilchek Glacier, Kyrgyzstan and from Summit, Greenland. These δ³⁴S determinations provide the first high-resolution seasonal data for these sites, and are used to estimate seasonal sulfate sources. Deuterium (δD) and oxygen (δ¹⁸O) isotope data show that the Inilchek and Summit snow pit samples represent precipitation over ≈20 months.The δ³⁴S values for the Inilchek ranged from +2.6 ± 0.4‰ to +7.6 ± 0.4‰ on sample sizes ranging from 0.3 to 1.8 μmol S. δ³⁴S values for Greenland ranged from +3.6 ± 0.7‰ to +13.3 ± 5‰ for sample sizes ranging from 0.05 to 0.29 μmol S. The concentration ranged from 92.6 ± 0.4 to 1049 ± 4 ng/g for the Inilchek and 18 ± 9 to 93 ± 6 ng/g for the Greenland snow pit. Anthropogenic sulfate dominates throughout the sampled time interval for both sites based on mass balance considerations. Additionally, both sites exhibit a seasonal signature in both δ³⁴S and concentration. The thermal ionization mass spectrometric technique has three advantages compared to gas source isotopic methods: (1) sample size requirements of this technique are 10-fold less permitting access to the higher resolution S isotope record of low concentration snow and ice, (2) the double spike technique permits δ³⁴S and S concentration to be determined simultaneously, and (3) the double spike is an internal standard.     

雷击地闪密度与雷暴日数的关系分析

根据美国卫星观测得到的我国各省区年平均总闪电资料并计算出各省区的年平均地闪密度(以下简称地闪密度);根据全国各省区220个站点的年平均雷暴日资料,按照<建筑物防雷设计规范>GB50057-94(2000年版)(以下简称<规范>)公式计算出全国各省区的地闪密度.比较两种方法得出的地闪密度,发现存在较大的差异,且不同区域差异变化很大.用单位雷暴日地闪密度概念,分析了我国各地单位雷暴日地闪密度的差异及其原因,指出单位雷暴日地闪密度能粗略反映与我国气候特征相适应的地闪密度的分布状况.进一步分析湖州市2007年人工观测和闪电定位仪观测的闪电资料,得到相同的结论.从而提出<规范>规定的地闪密度计算公式存在较大误差,应对其进行进一步的修订和完善.