Integrated-light VRI imaging photometry of globular clusters in the Magellanic Clouds

We compare the conclusions reached using the coarse-graining technique employed by Henriksen for a one degree of freedom (per particle) collisionless system to those presented in a paper by Binney based on an exact one degree of freedom model. We find agreement in detail, but in addition we show that the isolated 1D system is self-similar and therefore unrelaxed. Fine graining of this system recovers much less prominent wave-like structure than in a spherically symmetric isotropic 3D system. The rate of central flattening is also reduced in the 1D system. We take this to be evidence that relaxation of collisionless systems proceeds ultimately by way of short wavelength Landau damping. N -body systems, both real and simulated, can be trapped in an incompletely relaxed state because of a break in the cascade of energy to small scales. This may be due to the rapid dissipation of the small-scale oscillations in an isolated system to the existence of conserved quantities such as angular momentum, or to the failure in simulations to resolve sub-Jeans length scales. Such a partially relaxed state appears to be the Navarro, Frenk and White (NFW) state and is to be expected especially in young systems. The NFW core is shown to be isolated. In non-isolated systems, continuing coarse-grained relaxation should be towards a density core in solid body rotation.     

Influence of disturbance and nutrient enrichment on early successional fouling communities in an oligotrophic marine system

Disturbance and productivity are often cited as the main factors determining temporal and spatial patterns in species distribution and the diversity of communities. A field experiment was conducted to test the role of these factors in the structuring of early successional fouling communities in a nutrient limited system at the south coast of Madeira Island. Macro‐benthic sessile communities, established on artificial settlement substrata, were manipulated and surveyed over a 9‐week period. We applied mechanical disturbances of four different frequencies crossed with three levels of inorganic nutrient enrichment. Fertilization enhanced community diversity by favouring the establishment and growth of macroalgae. Disturbance reduced diversity by eliminating species – but only at the highest nutrient level. This is explained by a multiple‐stressor model; species most sensitive to nutrient deficiency (only present in the highest enrichment treatment) were simultaneously the most sensitive to disturbance.     

Analysis of the Major Fe Bearing Mineral Phases in Recent Lake Sediments by EXAFS Spectroscopy

Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy and chemical analyses were combined to determine the Fe bearing minerals in recent lake sediments from Baldeggersee (Switzerland). The upper section of a laminated sediment core, deposited under eutrophic conditions, was compared to the lower part from an oligotrophic period. Qualitative analysis of FeK EXAFS agreed well with chemical data: In the oligotrophic section Fe(II)–O and Fe(III)–O specieswere present, whereas a significant fraction of Fe(II)–S sulfides was strongly indicated in the eutrophic part. A statistical analysis was performed by least square fitting of normalized reference spectra. The set of reference minerals included Fe(III) oxides and Fe(II) sulfides, carbonates and phosphates. In the oligotrophic regime no satisfying fit was obtained using the set of reference spectra, indicating that siderite (FeCO₃) was not present in a significant amount in these carbonate-rich sediments. Simulated EXAFS spectra for a(Ca_x, Fe_1-x)CO₃solid solution allowed reconstructing the specificfeatures of the experimental spectra, suggesting that this phase was the dominant Fe carrier in the oligotrophic section of the core. In the eutrophic part, mackinawite was positively identified and represented the dominant Fe(II) sulfide phase. This finding agreed with chemical extraction, which indicated that18–40 mol% of Fe was contained in the acid volatile iron sulfide fraction. EXAFS spectra of the eutrophic section were best fitted by considering the admixture of mackinawite and the Fe–Ca carbonate phase inferred to be predominant in the oligotrophic regime.     

Large wood clogging during floods in a gravel‐bed river: the Długopole bridge in the Czarny Dunajec River,Poland

During floods, large quantities of wood can be mobilized and transported downstream. At critical sections, such as bridges, the transported wood might be entrapped and a quick succession of backwater effects can occur as a result of the reduction of the cross‐sectional area. The aim of this work is to explore large wood‐related hazards during floods in the gravel‐bed river Czarny Dunajec (Polish Carpathians), where the river flows through the village of D?ugopole. This work is based on the numerical modelling of large wood transport together with flow dynamics in which inlet and boundary conditions were designed based on field observations. The exploratory approach developed in this study uses multiple scenarios (193) to analyse the factors controlling bridge clogging: wood size, wood supply, flow conditions, morphology and obstacles in the riverbed. Results highlighted the strong control of log length (stronger than that of log diameter) on potential blockage probability; however, according to our results the main factor controlling bridge clogging was the flood discharge. River morphology and wood supply play an important role as well. The river morphology may reduce bridge blockage, as it influences flow velocity and depth, and creates natural retention zones for wood. In addition, the impacts of bridge blockage were analysed in terms of afflux depth and length, and flooded area. Results showed that bridge blockage may result in a significant increase in water depth (up to 0.7 m) and flooded area (up to 33% more), therefore increasing flood risk in the village. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modification of climate signals by human activities recorded in varved sediments (AD 1608–1942) of Lake Holzmaar (Germany)

Paleolimnological data from varved sediments in Lake Holzmaar (Eifel, Germany) were combined with documentary data on human activities, long-term data from the Historical Climate Database (HISKLID) for Germany and with recent monitoring data to evaluate changes in deposition that arose from climatic and human influences. The sediment data included seasonal layer thickness in an established varve chronology (1608–1942 AD), subannual chemical element counts, and multiannual organic matter data (TOC, TN, δ¹³C_org), all combined on an annual scale. Indicators for detritus deposition (lithogenic element counts and detritus layers) determined the first principal component (PC1) of the sediment data. This detritus PC1 was compared to the first PCs of the seasonal precipitation and temperature from HISKLID. While no relation was found to precipitation, the correlation with the temperature PC1 determined by spring to fall temperatures was significant. From 1608 to 1870, a positive correlation of the PCs suggests an increase of detritus deposition in the lake center with increasing non-winter temperatures. These may be linked by lake-internal sediment redeposition that increases when the periods of winter stratification become shorter and that of lake circulation longer. The detritus deposition is modulated by external detritus input depending on the intensity of erosion-conducive land use (wood pasture, wood cutting, and rotational slash-and-burn cultivation). Detritus input diminished when land use slowed down with population decrease as the consequence of plague epidemics, warfare and emigration. After 1870, forest regeneration and improving agricultural practices led to a stabilization of the catchment. Erosion and detritus deposition decreased progressively. The negative correlation of detritus deposition with the gradually increasing temperature presumably mimics a cause-effect relation, although a link with decreasing freeze–thaw action is possible. The modernization of agriculture proceeded with manuring and fertilizing, which caused an increase of lake productivity as indicated by summer blooms of diatoms with enhanced nutrient demand, increased δ¹³C_org values and sulfur concentrations. Within this well established data base we found combinations of criteria that may be used to deduce natural climatic or anthropogenic influences. The quantitative attribution of these influences remains a challenging task in paleolimnology because their interaction makes the detection of linking mechanisms difficult even at high degree of detail and the processes themselves remain debatable.     

Landslide susceptibility analysis based on ArcGIS and Artificial Neural Network for a large catchment in Three Gorges region,China

A landslide susceptibility map is very important and necessary to efficiently prevent and mitigate the losses brought by natural hazard for a large area. For the purpose of landslide susceptibility analysis for the whole Xiangxi catchment (3,209 km²), Artificial Neural Network (ANN) analysis was applied as the main method. The whole catchment was divided into two parts: the training area and the implementation area. The backwater area (559 km²) of Xiangxi catchment was used as the training area for the ANN method. In the training area the correlations between the landslide distribution and its causative factors, which includes lithology, slope angle, slope curvature and river network, have been analyzed based on the geological map and digital elevation model (DEM). The back-propagation training algorithm in ANN was selected to train the sample data from the training area, which were composed of input data (causative factors) and target output data (landslide occurrence), in order to find the correlations between them. Based on these correlations and input data in the implementation area (causative factors), the network output data were obtained for the implementation area. In the end, a map of landslide susceptibility, which was established by network output data, was presented for Xiangxi catchment. ArcGIS was applied to extract and quantify input information from a DEM for susceptibility analysis and also to present the result visually. As a result, a landslide susceptibility map, in which 70 % of all landslides are rightly classified in the training area (backwater area), was created for Xiangxi catchment.     

Hydrogeomorphic processes and vegetation: disturbance,process histories,dependencies and interactions

Riparian vegetation and hydrogeomorphic processes are intimately connected parts of upland catchment and fan environments. Trees, shrubs and grasses and hydrogeomorphic processes interact and depend on each other in complex ways on the hillslopes, channels and cone‐shaped fans of torrential watersheds. While the presence and density of vegetation have a profound influence on hydrogeomorphic processes, the occurrence of the latter will also exert control on the presence, vitality, species, and age distribution of vegetation. This contribution aims at providing a review of foundational and more recent work on the dependencies and interactions between hydrogeomorphic processes and vegetation. In particular, we address the role of vegetation in the initiation of hydrogeomorphic processes and its impact on stream morphology as well as immediate and long‐term effects of hydrogeomorphic disturbance on vegetation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Development and testing of a physically based,three-dimensional model of surface and subsurface hydrology

We present a numerical, catchment-scale model that solves flow equations of surface and subsurface flow in a three-dimensional domain. Surface flow is described by the two-dimensional parabolic approximation of the St. Venant equation, using Manning’s equation of motion; subsurface flow is described by the three-dimensional Richards’ equation for the unsaturated zone and by three-dimensional Darcy’s law for the saturated zone, using an integrated finite difference formulation. The hydrological component is a dynamic link library implemented within a comprehensive model which simulates surface energy, radiation budget, snow melt, potential evapotranspiration, plant development and plant water uptake. We tested the model by comparing distributed and integrated three-dimensional simulated and observed perched water depth (PWD), stream flow data, and soil water contents for a small catchment. Additional tests were performed for the snow melting algorithm as well as the different hydrological processes involved. The model successfully described the water balance and its components as evidenced by good agreement between measured and modelled data.