Ice‐borne prehistoric finds in the Swiss Alps reflect Holocene glacier fluctuations

During the hot summer of 2003, reduction of an ice field in the Swiss Alps (Schnidejoch) uncovered spectacular archaeological hunting gear, fur, leather and woollen clothing and tools from four distinct windows of time: Neolithic Age (4900 to 4450 cal. yr BP), early Bronze Age (4100–3650 cal. yr BP), Roman Age (1st–3rd century AD), and Medieval times (8–9th century AD and 14–15th century AD). Transalpine routes connecting northern Italy with the northern Alps during these slots is consistent with late Holocene maximum glacier retreat. The age cohorts of the artefacts are separated which is indicative of glacier advances when the route was difficult and not used for transit. The preservation of Neolithic leather indicates permanent ice cover at that site from ca. 4900 cal. yr BP until AD 2003, implying that the ice cover was smaller in 2003 than at any time during the last 5000 years. Current glacier retreat is unprecedented since at least that time. This is highly significant regarding the interpretation of the recent warming and the rapid loss of ice in the Alps. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The internal structure of Jupiter family cometary nuclei from Deep Impact observations: The “talps” or “layered pile” model

We consider the hypothesis that the layering observed on the surface of Comet 9P/Tempel 1 from the Deep Impact spacecraft and identified on other comet nuclei imaged by spacecraft (i.e., 19P/Borrelly and 81P/Wild 2) is ubiquitous on Jupiter family cometary nuclei and is an essential element of their internal structure. The observational characteristics of the layers on 9P/Tempel 1 are detailed and considered in the context of current theories of the accumulation and dynamical evolution of cometary nuclei. The works of Donn [Donn, B.D., 1990. Astron. Astrophys. 235, 441-446], Sirono and Greenberg [Sirono, S.-I., Greenberg, J.M., 2000. Icarus 145, 230-238] and the experiments of Wurm et al. [Wurm, G., Paraskov, G., Krauss, O., 2005. Icarus 178, 253-263] on the collision physics of porous aggregate bodies are used as basis for a conceptual model of the formation of layers. Our hypothesis is found to have implications for the place of origin of the JFCs and their subsequent dynamical history. Models of fragmentation and rubble pile building in the Kuiper belt in a period of collisional activity (e.g., [Kenyon, S.J., Luu, J.X., 1998. Astron. J. 115, 2136-2160; 1999a. Astron. J. 118, 1101-1119; 1999b. Astrophys. J. 526, 465-470; Farinella, P., Davis, D.R., Stern, S.A., 2000. In: Mannings, V., Boss, A.P., Russell, S.S. (Eds.), Protostars and Planets IV. Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson, pp. 1255-1282; Durda, D.D., Stern, S.J., 2000. Icarus 145, 220-229]) following the formation of Neptune appear to be in conflict with the observed properties of the layers and irreconcilable with the hypothesis. Long-term residence in the scattered disk [Duncan, M.J., Levison, H.F., 1997. Science 276, 1670-1672; Duncan, M., Levison, H., Dones, L., 2004. In: Festou, M., Keller, H.U., Weaver, H.A. (Eds.), Comets II. Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson, pp. 193-204] and/or a change in fragmentation outcome modeling may explain the long-term persistence of primordial layers. In any event, the existence of layers places constraints on the environment seen by the population of objects from which the Jupiter family comets originated. If correct, our hypothesis implies that the nuclei of Jupiter family comets are primordial remnants of the early agglomeration phase and that the physical structure of their interiors, except for the possible effects of compositional phase changes, is largely as it was when they were formed. We propose a new model for the interiors of Jupiter family cometary nuclei, called the talps or “layered pile” model, in which the interior consists of a core overlain by a pile of randomly stacked layers. We discuss how several cometary characteristics—layers, surface texture, indications of flow, compositional inhomogeneity, low bulk density low strength, propensity to split, etc., might be explained in terms of this model. Finally, we make some observational predictions and suggest goals for future space observations of these objects.     

Is there a win–win scenario for marine nature conservation? A case study of Lyme Bay,England

A statutory two hundred and six square kilometre ‘closed area’ in Lyme Bay, South West England entered into force on the 11 July 2008 to protect the reef substrate and the associated biodiversity from the impacts of trawling and dredging with heavy demersal fishing gear. This case study provides an example of how the ecosystem approach has been incorporated into decision making for marine nature conservation and shows that despite sound ecological knowledge of a marine area, the current reliance on traditional neo-classical economic valuations for marine spatial planning can obscure other issues pertinent to the ecosystem approach. With the Government seeking win–win scenarios for stakeholders in the designation of Marine Conservation Zones under the Marine and Coastal Access Act, experience of marine spatial planning in Lyme Bay has revealed that a win–win must be a long-term goal based on a thorough evaluation of the environmental, social and economic values of marine biodiversity.     

Practitioner training for building capacity in ICZM

Capacity building has been a much promoted principle of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) since its advent beginning in the 1970’s. Although the concept of capacity building includes human resource development, organizational development and institutional and legal framework development, in practice it has often become focussed on the transfer of technical knowledge and procedures to managers and decision makers. The effect of this is often to emphasise and promote sectoral approaches rather than a holistic one as advocated by ICZM. Experiences gained during the EU Intereg IIIB COREPOINT project led to the development of a training programme that progressively reduced its formal lecture-style content and increased opportunity for discussion and delegate participation. It also produced a more uniform and systematic style and structure to presentations, in particular the case studies illustrating the eight EU ICZM principles of best practice, and embedded the ICZM principles and European perspectives of coastal management within the context of the work environment.This paper reviews methods for practitioner-oriented capacity building, and details the evolution of a training course to sensitise and familiarise coastal practitioners with the principles and practices of ICZM, working from local to national to trans-national scales. The lessons learnt from the ICZM capacity development in COREPOINT are identified and it is suggested that these are relevant and applicable to many other ICZM initiatives.     

Long-term variation in the anticyclonic ocean circulation over the Zapiola Rise as observed by satellite altimetry: Evidence of possible collapses

The Zapiola Rise (ZR) is a singular sedimentary deposit about 1200 m in height and 1500 km in width located in the Argentine Basin. In situ and satellite observations have revealed the presence of an intense counterclockwise circulation around the feature, with a volume transport comparable to those of the major ocean currents. The existence of a very low-frequency variability of the transport associated with the anticyclonic circulation is documented for the first time. As the Zapiola anticyclonic circulation plays a significant role in the mixing of the strongly contrasted water masses of the South Atlantic, variations in the anticyclonic transport can have a major impact on the mixing, hence a role in global climate variability. The circulation was clearly anticyclonic in the periods 1993–1999 and 2002–2007. In contrast, the 1999–2001 period did not show evidence of an anticyclonic flow in the mean surface velocity field. Moreover, the analysis of the weekly fields during that period of time revealed a cyclonic pattern from time to time. Previous work has shown that the flow can be considered as purely barotropic over the ZR region. A 15-year time-series of the transport was produced using absolute altimeter-derived geostrophic velocities. The estimated transport presents high-frequency variability associated with mesoscale activity superimposed on a low-frequency signal. The amplitude of the estimated transport is in good agreement with the only in situ-derived estimation available (80 Sv, January 1993). The low-frequency signal presents a minimum during the period 1999–2001, further suggesting that at times the Zapiola anticyclonic flow may have significantly decreased in strength or even vanished. Possible causes of the low-frequency variability are discussed.     

Transport and dispersal of organic debris (peat blocks) in upland fluvial systems

This paper assesses the mechanisms and pathways by which peat blocks are eroded and transported in upland fluvial systems. Observations and experiments from the north Pennines (UK) have been carried out on two contrasting river systems. Mapping of peat block distributions and appraisal of reach‐based sediment budgets clearly demonstrates that macro‐size peat is an important stream load component. In small streams block sizes can approximate the channel width and much of the peat is transported overbank. Local ‘peat jams’ and associated mineral deposition may provide an important component of channel storage. In larger systems peat blocks rapidly move down‐channel and undergo frequent exchanges between bed and bank storage. Results of peat block tracing using painted blocks indicate that once submerged, blocks of all sizes are easily transported and blocks break down rapidly by abrasion. Vegetation and bars play an important role in trapping mobile peat. In smaller streams large block transport is limited by channel jams. Smaller blocks are transported overbank but exhibit little evidence of downstream fining. In larger rivers peat blocks are more actively sorted and show downstream reduction in size from source. A simple model relating peat block diameter (D_p) to average flow depth (d) suggests three limiting transport conditions: flotation (D_p < d), rolling (d < D_p > d/2) and deposition (D_p > d/2). Experiments demonstrate that peat block transport occurs largely by rolling and floating and the transport mechanism is probably controlled by relative flow depth (d/D_p ratio). Transport velocity varies with transport mechanism (rolling is the slowest mode) and transport lengths increase as flow depth increases. Abrasion rates vary with the transport mechanism. Rolling produces greater abrasion rates and more rounded blocks. Abrasion rates vary from 0 to 10 g m^?1 for blocks ranging in mass from 10 to 6000 g. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Palaeokarst in the Ordovician of the southern Great Basin, USA: implications for sea-level history

Abundant and regionally unique dolostone lithoclast breccias occur throughout the shallow-marine, Lower to Middle Ordovician Pogonip Group in the Nopah Range and adjacent ranges in eastern California and southern Nevada. Breccia bodies display sharply cross-cutting relationships with host dolostone bedrock stratigraphy. They also show stratigraphic variability in size, shape and dolostone clast composition, but similarity in breccia matrix composition and framework texture and fabric. These characteristics are consistent with a palaeokarst origin. Upsection changes in breccia clast lithology as well as multiple occurrences of associated quartz sand-filled grikes (solution-widened fissures) indicate multiple episodes of carbonate platform exposure and karstification. Repeated karstification is also indicated by stratiform bodies of quartz sand and thin terra rossa palaeosols that locally truncate breccias and grike systems, thus bracketing karstified exposure surfaces. Facies successions and stacking patterns between recognized exposure surfaces are developed as transgressive–regressive cycles and thus show depositional sequence architecture. Hence, these breccias and other associated palaeokarst features are related to a succession of disconformities that provide a sequence-stratigraphic framework for assessing Ordovician relative sea-level history of the south-western Cordilleran margin of Laurentia.     

Boron and Oxygen Isotope Composition of Certified Reference Materials NIST SRM 610/612 and Reference Materials JB-2 and JR-2

We present data on the concentration, the isotope composition and the homogeneity of boron in NIST silicate glass reference materials SRM 610 and SRM 612, and in powders and glasses of geological reference materials JB-2 (basalt) and JR-2 (rhyolite). Our data are intended to serve as references for both microanalytical and wet-chemical techniques. The δ¹¹ B compositions determined by N-TIMS and P-TIMS agree within 0.5% and compare with SIMS data within 2.5%. SIMS profiles demonstrate boron isotope homogeneity to better than δ¹¹ B = 2% for both NIST glasses, however a slight boron depletion was detected towards the outermost 200 μm of the rim of each sample wafer. The boron isotope compositions of SRM 610 and SRM 612 were indistinguishable. Glasses produced in this study by fusing JB-2 and JR-2 powder also showed good boron isotope homogeneity, both within and between different glass fragments. Their major element abundance as well as boron isotope compositions and concentrations were identical to those of the starting composition. Hence, reference materials (glasses) for the in situ measurement of boron isotopes can be produced from already well-studied volcanic samples without significant isotope fractionation. Oxygen isotope ratios, both within and between wafers, of NIST reference glasses SRM 610 and SRM 612 are uniform. In contrast to boron, significant differences in oxygen isotope compositions were found between the two glasses, which may be due to the different amounts of trace element oxides added at ten-fold different concentration levels to the silicate matrix.