Inter-model variability of projected sea level changes in the western North Pacific in CMIP3 coupled climate models

We investigate sea level changes in the western North Pacific for twenty-first century climate projections by analyzing the output from 15 coupled models participating in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 3 (CMIP3). Projected changes in the wind stress due to those in sea level pressure (SLP) result in the projected sea level changes. In the western North Pacific (30?50°N, 145?170°E), the inter-model standard deviation of the sea level change relative to the global mean is comparable to that based on the multi-model ensemble (MME) mean. Whereas a positive SLP change in the eastern North Pacific (40?50°N, 170?150°W) induces a large northward shift of the Kuroshio Extension (KE), a negative SLP change in this region induces a strong intensification of the KE. Large inter-model variability of the SLP projection in the eastern North Pacific causes a large uncertainty of the sea level projection in the western North Pacific. Models with a larger northward shift (intensification) of the KE exhibit a poleward shift (an intensification) of the Aleutian Low (AL) larger than that for the MME mean. However, models that exhibit a larger intensification of the AL do not necessarily show a larger intensification of the KE. Our analysis suggests that the SLP change that induces an intensification of the KE is associated with a teleconnection from the equatorial Pacific, and that the SLP change that induces a northward shift of the KE is characterized by a zonal mean change.     

Wave dissipation by vegetation with layer schematization in SWAN

The energy of waves propagating through vegetation is dissipated due to the work done by the waves on the vegetation. Dalrymple et al. (1984) estimated wave dissipation by integrating the force on a cylinder over its vertical extent. This was extended by Mendez and Losada (2004) to include varying depths and the effects of wave damping due to vegetation and wave breaking for narrow-banded random waves. This paper describes the wave dissipation over a vegetation field by the implementation of the Mendez and Losada formulation in a full spectrum model SWAN, with an extension to include a vertical layer schematization for the vegetation. The present model is validated with the original equation and results from Mendez and Losada (2004). The sensitivity of the model to the shape of the frequency spectrum, directional spreading and layer schematization are investigated. The model is then applied to field measurements by using a vegetation factor. This model has the ability to calculate two-dimensional wave dissipation over a vegetation field including some important aspects such as breaking and diffraction as used in SWAN model.     

Prolonged impact of earthquake-induced landslides on sediment yield in a mountain watershed: The Tanzawa region, Japan

To determine for how long a landslide affects sediment discharge, the sediment yields of 15 check-dam basins were compared with the time series of landslide distributions in a mountain basin in the Tanzawa region, central Japan. The distribution of sediment yield was quantitatively estimated from deposition in the sediment pools of check dams. The relationship between the landslide history and sediment discharge in the Nakagawa River basin was examined for an approximately 80-year period. Two major landslide events occurred during this period: the 1923 Kanto Earthquake and the 1972 disaster caused by heavy rainfall. The resulting trend in sediment discharge of the whole basin, estimated using reservoir sedimentation in the Miho Dam at its base, was nearly constant, with high sediment discharge (2897 m³ km^− 2 yr^− 1) in the intervening quarter-century, despite the recovery of vegetation on landslide areas in this period. Comparisons of the landslide distributions resulting from the two disasters, the sediment yields of check-dam basins, and the sediment discharge of the whole basin indicate that recent sediment discharge contains landslide debris that was originated by the Kanto Earthquake that occurred over 80 years ago. Thus, to understand high sediment discharge, it is essential to investigate not only the current basin condition and recent events, but also the landslide history of the basin for at least the previous 100 years.     

Uptake and biological effects of synthetic glucocorticoids in common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Uptake and biological effects of synthetic glucocorticoids (GCs) were analyzed using common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Fish were exposed to clobetasol propionate (CP) or clobetasone butyrate (CB) individually or in mixture at 1 μg L⁻¹ for 21 days. Bioconcentration factor (BCF) of CB was calculated as 100, and BCF of CP was less than 16. No effects were found in fish erythrocyte and leukocyte numbers and serum glucose levels after exposure to the selected GCs. On the other hand, serum concentrations of free amino acids significantly increased in GC-exposed groups. Thus, exposures to synthetic GCs at relatively low concentrations seemed to cause enhancement of protein degradation and subsequent increase of serum free amino acids without a corresponding increase in serum glucose levels, an effect which might be related to partial induction of gluconeogenesis by GC.     

Three‐dimensional structures and elemental distributions of Stardust impact tracks using synchrotron microtomography and X‐ray fluorescence analysis

Abstract— Three‐dimensional structures and elemental abundances of four impact tracks in silica aerogel keystones of Stardust samples from comet 81P/Wild 2 (bulbous track 67 and carrot‐type tracks 46, 47, and 68) were examined non‐destructively by synchrotron radiation‐based microtomography and X‐ray fluorescence analysis. Track features, such as lengths, volumes and width as a function of track depth, were obtained quantitatively by tomography. A bulbous portion was present near the track entrance even in carrot‐type tracks. Each impact of a cometary dust particle results in the particle disaggregated into small pieces that were widely distributed on the track walls as well as at its terminal. Fe, S, Ca, Ni, and eight minor elements are concentrated in the bulbous portion of track 68 as well as in terminal grains. It was confirmed that bulbous portions and thin tracks were formed by disaggregation of very fine fragile materials and relatively coarse crystalline particles, respectively. The almost constant ratio of whole Fe mass to track volume indicates that the track volume is almost proportional to the impact kinetic energy. The size of the original impactor was estimated from the absolute Fe mass by assuming its Fe content (CI) and bulk density. Relations between the track sizes normalized by the impactor size and impact conditions are roughly consistent with those of previous hypervelocity impact experiments.     

Comparison of community structures between particle-associated and free-living prokaryotes in tropical and subtropical Pacific Ocean surface waters

The subtropical and tropical regions of the Pacific Ocean are less productive than other oceanic regions. Although particle association should be an important strategy for heterotrophic prokaryotes to survive in such environments, we have little information on particle-associated (PA) prokaryotes in these regions. The specific aim of this study was to determine bacterial and archaeal community structures in the PA assemblage in comparison to the free-living (FL) assemblage in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, the South Pacific Subtropical Gyre, and an eastern equatorial region of the Pacific Ocean. Community profiles and phylogenetic identities were obtained by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, 454-pyrosequencing, and cloning followed by Sanger sequencing of 16Sr RNA gene amplicons. The distribution patterns of some abundant groups in three regions and two lifestyles (PA and FL) are shown in this study. Also, the PA community structures of bacteria differed from the FL ones and exhibited higher diversity than the FL ones, while the archaeal community structures did not show significant differences between PA and FL assemblages. We found that specific phylotypes of Gammaproteobacteria and Flavobacteria were abundant in PA bacterial assemblages, suggesting that they prefer to attach and consume particulate organic matter. In summary, the surface seawater PA assemblages represent very different bacterial and archaeal community structures between three different oceanic regions, each of which had distinct PA and FL community structures. These results imply that environmental factors determine microbial community structures.     

Effects of acidified seawater on calcification,photosynthetic efficiencies and the recovery processes from strong light exposure in the coral Stylophora pistillata

The aim of this study was to investigate whether coral photosynthetic efficiencies and recovery processes are affected by CO₂‐driven ocean acidification in symbiont photosynthesis and coral calcification. We investigated the effects of five CO₂ partial pressure (pCO₂) levels in adjusted seawater ranging from 300 μatm (pre‐industrial) to 800 μatm (near‐future) and strong and weak light intensity on maximum photosynthetic efficiency and calcification of a branching coral, Stylophora pistillata, as this species has often been used in rearing experiments to investigate the effects of acidified seawater on calcification and photosynthetic algae of corals. We found that, the photosynthetic efficiencies and recovery patterns under different light conditions did not differ among pCO₂ treatments. Furthermore, calcification of S. pistillata was not affected by acidified seawater under weak or strong light conditions. Our results indicate that the photosynthetic efficiency and calcification of S. pistillata are insensitive to changes in ocean acidity.     

Fast and slow timescales in the tropical low-cloud response to increasing CO2 in two climate models

To obtain physical insights into the response and feedback of low clouds (C _l ) to global warming, ensemble 4?×?CO₂ experiments were carried out with two climate models, the Model for Interdisciplinary Research on Climate (MIROC) versions 3.2 and 5. For quadrupling CO₂, tropical-mean C _l decreases, and hence, acts as positive feedback in MIROC3, whereas it increases and serves as negative feedback in MIROC5. Three time scales of tropical-mean C _l change were identified—an initial adjustment without change in the global-mean surface air temperature, a slow response emerging after 10–20?years, and a fast response in between. The two models share common features for the former two changes in which C _l decreases. The slow response reflects the variability of C _l associated with the El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation in the control integration, and may therefore be constrained by observations. However, the fast response is opposite in the two models and dominates the total response of C _l . Its sign is determined by a subtle residual of the C _l increase and decrease over the ascending and subsidence regions, respectively. The regional C _l increase is consistent with a more frequent occurrence of a stable condition, and vice versa, as measured by lower-tropospheric stability (LTS). The above frequency change in LTS is similarly found in six other climate models despite a large difference in both the mean and the changes in the low-cloud fraction for a given LTS. This suggests that the response of the thermodynamic constraint for C _l to increasing CO₂ concentrations is a robust part of the climate change.     

Geochemistry and Os–Nd–Sr isotopes of the Gaositai Alaskan-type ultramafic complex from the northern North China craton: implications for mantle–crust interaction

We report petrological, chemical and Os–Nd–Sr isotopic data for the Gaositai ultramafic complex from northern North China craton (NCC) to reveal its petrogenesis. The complex shows features of Alaskan-type intrusions, including (1) the concentric zoning from dunite core, to clinopyroxenite and hornblendite in the rim, and the common cumulative textures; (2) the abundance of olivine, clinopyroxene and hornblende, and the scarcity of orthopyroxene and plagioclase, and (3) the systematic decrease in Mg# of ferromagnesian phases from core to rim, accompanied by the Fe-enrichment trend of accessory spinel. The different rock types show highly varied, radiogenic Os isotopic ratios (0.129–5.2), and unradiogenic Nd isotopic composition (ε_Nd(t) = −8 to −15), but are homogeneous in I_Sr ratios (0.7054–0.7066). The (¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os)_i ratios are found to be anti-correlated with ε_Nd(t) values and whole-rock Mg# as well. These data suggest significant crustal contamination during magma evolution. The crustal contaminants are dominantly Archean mafic rocks in the lower crust, and subordinate TTG gneisses at shallower crustal levels. The parental magma was hydrous picritic in composition, derived from an enriched lithospheric mantle source above a subduction zone. The zoned pattern of the complex formed probably through “flow differentiation” of a rapidly rising crystal mush along a fracture zone that was developed as a result of lithospheric extension in a back-arc setting in the northern margin of the NCC at ca. 280 Ma.     

A multiple-code simulation study of the long-term EDZ evolution of geological nuclear waste repositories

This simulation study shows how widely different model approaches can be adapted to model the evolution of the excavation disturbed zone (EDZ) around a heated nuclear waste emplacement drift in fractured rock. The study includes modeling of coupled thermal-hydrological-mechanical (THM) processes, with simplified consideration of chemical coupling in terms of time-dependent strength degradation or subcritical crack growth. The different model approaches applied in this study include boundary element, finite element, finite difference, particle mechanics, and elasto-plastic cellular automata methods. The simulation results indicate that thermally induced differential stresses near the top of the emplacement drift may cause progressive failure and permeability changes during the first 100 years (i.e., after emplacement and drift closure). Moreover, the results indicate that time-dependent mechanical changes may play only a small role during the first 100 years of increasing temperature and thermal stress, whereas such time-dependency is insignificant after peak temperature, because of decreasing thermal stress.