Midlatitude storms in a moister world: lessons from idealized baroclinic life cycle experiments

The response of midlatitude storms to global warming remains uncertain. This is due, in part, to the competing effects of a weaker meridional surface temperature gradient and a higher low-level moisture content, both of which are projected to occur as a consequence of increasing greenhouse gases. Here we address the latter of these two effects, and try to elucidate the effect of increased moisture on the development and evolution of midlatitude storms. We do this with a set of highly controlled, baroclinic lifecycle experiments, in which atmospheric moisture is progressively increased. To assess the robustness of the results, the moisture content is changed in two different ways: first by using different initial relative humidity, and second by varying a parameter that we insert into the Clausius-Clapeyron equation. The latter method allows us to artificially increase the moisture content above current levels while keeping the relative humidity constant. Irrespective of how moisture is altered, we find that nearly all important measures of storm strength increase as the moisture content rises. Specifically, we examine the storm’s central pressure minimum, the strongest surface winds, and both extreme and accumulated precipitation rates. For all these metrics, increased moisture yields a stronger storm. Interestingly, we also find that when moisture is increased beyond current levels, the resulting storm has a reduced horizontal scale while its vertical extent increases. Finally, we note that for moisture increases comparable to those projected to occur by the end of the twentyfirst century, the actual amplitude of the increases in storm strength is relatively modest, irrespective of the specific measure one uses.     

Stratospheric ozone depletion: a key driver of recent precipitation trends in South Eastern South America

On a hemispheric scale, it is now well established that stratospheric ozone depletion has been the principal driver of externally forced atmospheric circulation changes south of the Equator in the last decades of the 20th Century. The impact of ozone depletion has been felt over the entire hemisphere, as reflected in the poleward drift of the midlatitude jet, the southward expansion of the summertime Hadley cell and accompanying precipitation trends deep into the subtropics. On a regional scale, however, surface impacts directly attributable to ozone depletion have yet to be identified. In this paper we focus on South Eastern South America (SESA), a region that has exhibited one of the largest wetting trends during the 20th Century. We study the impact of ozone depletion on SESA precipitation using output from 6 different climate models, spanning a wide range of complexity. In all cases we contrast pairs of model integrations with and without ozone depletion, but with all other forcings identically specified. This allows for unambiguous attribution of the computed precipitation trends. All 6 climate models consistently reveal that stratospheric ozone depletion results in a significant wetting of SESA over the period 1960–1999. Taken as a whole, these model results strongly suggest that the impact of ozone depletion on SESA precipitation has been as large as, and quite possibly larger than, the one caused by increasing greenhouse gases over the same period.     

Climate and human impact on a meromictic lake during the last 6,000 years (Montcortès Lake,Central Pyrenees,Spain)

Sedimentological, mineralogical and compositional analyses performed on short gravity cores and long Kullenberg cores from meromictic Montcortès Lake (Pre-Pyrenean Range, NE Spain) reveal large depositional changes during the last 6,000 cal years. The limnological characteristics of this karstic lake, including its meromictic nature, relatively high surface area/depth ratio (surface area ~0.1 km²; z _max = 30 m), and steep margins, facilitated deposition and preservation of finely laminated facies, punctuated by clastic layers corresponding to turbidite events. The robust age model is based on 17 AMS ¹⁴C dates. Slope instability caused large gravitational deposits during the middle Holocene, prior to 6 ka BP, and in the late Holocene, prior to 1,600 and 1,000 cal yr BP). Relatively shallower lake conditions prevailed during the middle Holocene (6,000–3,500 cal years BP). Afterwards, deeper environments dominated, with deposition of varves containing preserved calcite laminae. Increased carbonate production and lower clastic input occurred during the Iberian-Roman Period, the Little Ice Age, and the twentieth century. Although modulated by climate variability, changes in sediment delivery to the lake reflect modifications of agricultural practices and population pressure in the watershed. Two episodes of higher clastic input to the lake have been identified: 1) 690–1460 AD, coinciding with an increase in farming activity in the area and the Medieval Climate Anomaly, and 2) 1770–1950 AD, including the last phase of the Little Ice Age and the maximum human occupation in late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.     

Kinematic evolution of thrusts wedge and erratic line length balancing: insights from deformed sandbox models

Kinematic evolution of fold-thrust structures has been investigated by analogue models that include syntectonic sedimentation. Different decollement dips and basement thicknesses produced different wedge geometries and propagating characteristics. A model with one decollement level was characterized by a closely spaced thrust system during early stages of shortening as compared to the late stages. The frequency of fault nucleation was rapid during the early stages of deformation. Conversely, the frequency of fault nucleation was low and thrust spacing was significantly wider in a model with two decollement levels. Individual faults became locked at steep dips and deformation stepped forward as a new fault nucleated in-sequence in front of the older locked structure. Once the thrust system was established up to 27 % overall shortening, an overlying bed was introduced to simulate syntectonic deformation. Model sand wedge did not grow self similarly but rather its length and height increased episodically with deformation. Restoration of deformed models show that layer parallel shortening accommodated for approximately half of the total model shortening across the multilayers. Calculated error in apparent layer shortening from the restored layers revealed a direct relation with depth of the layers in the models. The experimental results are comparable to a natural example from the Northern Apennines fold-and-thrust belts.     

Dynamical determination of the mass of the Kuiper Belt from motions of the inner planets of the Solar system

In this paper we determine dynamically the mass of the Kuiper Belt Objects by exploiting the latest least-squares determinations of the extra rates of perihelia of the inner planets of the Solar system. By modelling classical Kuiper Belt Objects as an ecliptic ring of finite thickness, we obtain 0.033 ± 0.115 in units of terrestrial masses. For resonant Kuiper Belt Objects, a two-ring model yields 0.018 ± 0.063. These values are consistent with recent determinations obtained using ground- and space-based optical techniques. Some implications for precise tests of Einsteinian and post-Einsteinian gravity are briefly discussed.     

Flexure across a continent–ocean fracture zone: the northern Falkland/Malvinas Plateau, South Atlantic

 Bathymetry, satellite-derived gravity, and interpreted seismic reflection data across the northern Falkland/Malvinas Plateau fossil continent–ocean transform rim may record the degree of mechanical coupling across the boundary after ridge–transform intersection time. The rim comprises a broad microcontinental block in the east and a continental marginal fracture ridge 50–100 km wide elsewhere. Free-air gravity anomalies tentatively suggest that the fracture ridge is locked against oceanic elastic lithosphere both to the north (Argentine Basin) and south (Central Falkland Basin). Received: 18 January 1996 / Revision received: 25 March 1995     

Estimating parameters of the channel width–flow discharge relation using rill and gully channel junction data

Eroding channels can usually be characterized by a power relationship between channel width (W) and channel discharge (Q). This paper examines the WQ relation using a recently developed channel junction approach to extend the validity of the WQ relation and to develop a procedure for estimating the WQ exponent and proportionality coefficient. Rill and gully channel data from the literature, and new data collected in different badland areas and in a few forest mountain streams, are analysed. Analysis shows that the WQ relation for channel width collected in badlands and forests agrees with trends observed for cropland. The exponent increases with increasing channel width in a continuous fashion rather than in a step‐like way and tends to a maximum whose value ranges between 0·5 and 0·6. The proportionality coefficient can be split into two terms, one expressing the case in which an eroding channel can broaden, the other reflecting the difficulties in removing the less erodible clods or rock fragments from the channel bed. Its splitting allows the development of a more correct form of the WQ relation in agreement with modern approaches of channel geometry: one part has the dimension of a discharge and makes the power base dimensionless, while the other brings the dimension of a length, needed for the channel width, into the WQ relation. The interpretation of the two constants is supported by data collected in rainfall‐runoff simulation experiments conducted in the field. Values characterizing the two constants in some environments are also given. Nevertheless the approach is not sufficiently parameterized yet to be of practical use (e.g. in models or for estimating peak discharge in areas where rill channels have formed). Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Large wood load fluctuations in an Andean basin

The importance of monitoring and analysing wood fluxes in mountain environments is widely recognized. However, there is a lack of information related to the long-term fluctuations in wood load and associated to the changes in large wood (LW) characteristics. The main aims of the research were to analyse (i) changes in wood characteristics, (ii) fluctuations in wood load, and (iii) the relationship between wood load and sub-reach settings, proposing an ad hoc roughness index (RI). Repeated field surveys to measure wood load and LW characteristics during a 13-year period were conducted within a 2.2 km-long reach of the Rio Toro (Chile), which flows through the Malleco Forest National Reserve that was affected by wildfires in 2002 and 2015. Two spatial scales (i.e. study reach and sub-reach) were considered. Irrespective of the adopted scale wood load fluctuated considerably, in both number and volume, with significant changes in LW characteristics (i.e. mean diameter and length). Moreover, a clear tendency to the aggregation in wood jams (WJs) was observed within the entire study reach. Based on our results, we conclude that 17 years after the first wildfire wood recruitment has started in the upper parts of the basin. Moreover, Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMM) analyses were carried out to investigate the relationship between RI and both number and volume of LW. Both models are characterized by high adjusted R² of 74.9% and 72.8% for volume and number, respectively. This demonstrated that the RI can characterize the reaches in terms of tendency to deposition and trapping of wood. These results are promising, particularly in improving the knowledge related to potential deposition areas that can control wood load fluctuations, also permitting its management to be improved. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The fate of amino acids adsorbed on mineral matter

We present here selected results recently obtained on the molecular characterization of amino acids adsorption on oxide minerals and their further polymerization by thermal activation, in the general frame of assessing Bernal's hypothesis on the origin of biopolymers on mineral surfaces. Adsorption mechanisms may be identified by a combination of vibrational spectroscopy, ¹³C solid-state NMR, and molecular modeling. Depending on a particular amino acid, the oxide surface investigated, and the water activity during adsorption (i.e., whether it is carried out from the gas phase or from an aqueous solution), contributions from electrostatic adsorption, outer-sphere and inner-sphere (coordination) complexes may be observed. These mechanisms result in significant adsorption selectivities from equimolar mixtures of different amino acids. Upon thermal activation at moderate temperatures (150-160 °C), clean polymerization events occur and can easily be observed by thermogravimetric analysis. There are some hints of selectivity in this step too. The water activity during thermal treatment plays an important role for the thermodynamics of polymerization.