Long-term development and current status of the Barcelona continental shelf: A source-to-sink approach

The Barcelona continental shelf, off the city of Barcelona (NE Spain), is a relatively narrow canyon-bounded shelf in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. Three medium-size rivers (Tordera, Besós and Llobregat) and several ephemeral rivulets flow into this margin. Two main domains have been recognized in the Barcelona shelf: (i) a modern, river-influenced area, and (ii) a relict, sediment depleted area, both affected by a variety of human impacts. A detailed geomorphologic study based on multibeam bathymetry and backscatter data, high resolution seismic profiles, and surface sediment samples allowed mapping and interpreting the main distinctive seafloor features on the Barcelona shelf. Modern sedimentary features reveal that the Llobregat River is the main sediment source of the Barcelona prodeltaic shelf. High-discharge fluvial events result in the formation of suspended sediment plumes and sediment waves on the shelf floor. Relict (late Pleistocene–Holocene) sedimentary features reflect that an important shift occurred in the seashore direction between MIS 4 and MIS 2, and that recent neotectonic reactivation has created a set of seafloor faults. The Barcelona inner and middle shelf is severely impacted by anthropogenic activities such as the enlargement works of the Port of Barcelona, sewage pipes, dredging, anchoring and trawling.     

Analysis of changes in fire-hazard conditions in the forests in Russia in the 20th and 21st centuries on the basis of climate modeling

Different means to estimate changes in fire-hazard conditions in the Russian forests are analyzed in connection with climate changes. Climate data are considered as based upon standard observations and calculated characteristics obtained from the atmosphere-ocean general circulation models. Space distributions are calculated of changes in extreme conditions for fire hazard at the end of the 21st century, as compared with those at the end of the 20th century.     

River response to variations of periglacial climate in mid-latitude Europe

The Last Glaciation was characterised by considerable changes in climate. Many European river basins reacted to these changes by initial incision and subsequent pattern change. Earlier research explained this by the time lag of vegetation development after a climatic change, which considerably affected the sediment load. However, since some river basins react differently, or do not react at all, this model needs to be refined. This paper deals with the fluvial evolution of several rivers in northern and central Europe during the Last Glaciation, and two of them, the Weiße Elster river in the Leipzig area and the Spree river in the Niederlausitz (Germany), are discussed in more detail. The vegetation cover on the floodplain, in combination with the presence of frozen ground, which affects the discharge characteristics, largely determines the river type. Nevertheless, when the sequences are compared, not only synchronous changes in fluvial development may be observed, but also distinct differences in fluvial development. By analysing the different rivers in their varying geomorphological settings, it appears that grain size, basin configuration and catchment size are important parameters also, which can determine whether a threshold is exceeded or not.     

Cold-water coral banks and submarine landslides: a review

This paper aims to review the relation between cold-water coral bank development and submarine landslides. Both are common features on continental margins, but so far it has not been reviewed which effect—if at all—they may have upon each other. Indirect and direct relations between coral banks and landslides are evaluated here, based on four case studies: the Magellan Mound Province in the Porcupine Seabight, where fossil coral banks appear partly on top of a buried slide deposit; the Sula Ridge Reef Complex and the Storegga landslide both off mid-Norway; and the Mauritania coral bank province, associated with the Mauritanian Slide Complex. For each of these locations, positive and negative relationships between both features are discussed, based on available datasets. Locally submarine landslides might directly favour coral bank development by creating substratum where corals can settle on, enhancing turbulence due to abrupt seabed morphological variations and, in some cases, causing fluid seepage. In turn, some of these processes may contribute to increased food availability and lower sedimentation rates. Landslides can also affect coral bank development by direct erosion of the coral banks, and by the instantaneous increase of turbidity, which may smother the corals. On the other hand, coral banks might have a stabilising function and delay or stop the headwall retrogradation of submarine landslides. Although local relationships can be deduced from these case studies, no general and direct relationship exists between submarine landslides and cold-water coral banks.     

Quaternary stratal architecture of the Barcelona prodeltaic continental shelf (NW Mediterranean)

The Barcelona continental shelf is part of a 6–20 km wide canyon-bounded shelf located off the city of Barcelona (NE Spain). This study integrates newly acquired high-resolution single channel seismic reflection profiles and available lithological information of the Barcelona shelf to describe its late Quaternary architecture and the role of global glacio-eustatic fluctuations and local factors in its development.

Four major sequence boundaries are identified throughout the seismic dataset. They are tentatively correlated with the four last 4th order (100–120 ka) high-amplitude late Quaternary glacio-eustatic lowstands. Most of the stratigraphic record is formed by falling stage systems tracts with forced-regressive deposits, which confers a general progradational vertical stacking pattern. Transgressive systems tracts are represented by continuous units confined directly off river sources and on previously eroded surfaces. Stillstand deposits are difficult to recognize in the available dataset. The uppermost seismic unit corresponds to the Holocene shore-parallel Besos and Llobregat joint prodelta affected by the prevailing south-westward circulation.

The general architecture of the late Quaternary Barcelona shelf deposits is determined by global glacio-eustatic cycles. However, the lateral variability of the seismic units depends largely on local factors such as (i) the position of sediment sources (essentially the Llobregat River); (ii) differential subsidence and, especially, sediment compaction; (iii) erosive processes such as canyon incision, mass wasting or wave base dynamics; and (iv) underlying geomorphic restrictions.     

New period study of the eclipsing binary V865 Cygni

Several new precise times of minima, based on CCD observations, have been secured for the relatively seldom studied eclipsing binary V865 Cyg (P=0^d.365 days). Its O–C diagram was analysed and new light elements are given. We showed that there is probably no parabolic period increase in V865 Cyg. Instead, a single abrupt period increase can be distinguished in the O–C diagram.     

Anaerobic oxidation of methane in a cold-water coral carbonate mound from the Gulf of Cadiz

The Gulf of Cadiz is an area of mud volcanism and gas venting through the seafloor. In addition, several cold-water coral carbonate mounds have been discovered at the Pen Duick escarpment amidst the El Arraiche mud volcano field on the Moroccan margin. One of these mounds -named Alpha mound- has been studied to examine the impact of the presence of methane on pore-water geochemistry, potential sulphate reduction (SR) rate and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) budget of the mound in comparison with off-mound and off-escarpment locations. Pore-water profiles of sulphate, sulphide, methane, and DIC from the on-mound location showed the presence of a sulphate to methane transition zone at 350 cm below the sea floor. This was well correlated with an increase in SR activity. ¹³C-depleted DIC at the transition zone (−21.9‰ vs. Vienna Pee Dee Belemnite) indicated that microbial methane oxidation significantly contribute to the DIC budget of the mound. The Alpha mound thus represents a new carbonate mound type where the presence and anaerobic oxidation of methane has an important imprint on both geochemistry and DIC isotopic signature and budget of this carbonate mound.     

New constraints on the Messinian sealevel drawdown from 3D seismic data of the Ebro Margin,western Mediterranean

We present new 3D seismic and well data from the Ebro Margin, NW Mediterranean Sea, to shed new light on the processes that formed the Messinian Erosion Surfaces (MES) of the Valencia Trough (Mediterranean Sea). We combine these data with backstripping techniques to provide a minimum estimate of the Messinian sea level fall in the EBRO Margin, as well as coupled isostasy and river incision and transport modeling to offer new constraints on the evolution of the adjacent subaerial Ebro Basin. Four major seismic units are identified on the Cenozoic Ebro Margin, based on the seismic data, including two major prograding megasequences that are separated by a major unconfirmity: the MES. The 3D seismic data provide an unprecedented view of the MES and display characteristic features of subaerial incision, including a drainage network with tributaries of at least five different orders, terraces and meandering rivers. The Messinian landscape presents a characteristic stepped‐like profile that allows the margin to be subdivided in three different regions roughly parallel to the coastline. No major tectonic control exists on the boundaries between these regions. The boundary between the two most distal regions marks the location of a relatively stable base level, and this is used in backstripping analysis to estimate the magnitude of sea level drop associated with the Messinian Salinity Crisis on the Ebro Margin. The MES on the Ebro Margin is dominated by a major fluvial system, that we identify here as the Messinian Ebro River. The 3D seismic data, onshore geology and modeling results indicate that the Ebro River drained the Ebro Basin well in advance of the Messinian.     

Temperature extremes and wildfires in Siberia in the 21st century: the MGO regional climate model simulation

Possible changes in temperature extremes and wildfires in the 21st century in the regions of Russia are analyzed using a regional climate model (RCM) with high space-time resolution. The IPCC A2 scenario of greenhouse gas and aerosol concentration increase in the atmosphere is used. It is shown that changes in extreme wildfires appear to be in the 21st century most pronounced relative to changes in moderate and high wildfires. In some areas, along with decreased moderate and high wildfires, a significant increase in extreme wildfires is expected. Further studies should be associated both with RCM development, aimed at improving simulation of the wildfire atmospheric condition, and with enlarging the parameter set for wildfire analysis. Not only seasonal mean, but also monthly mean wildfire conditions should be studied, along with the use of statistical methods of model data interpretation to analyze intraseasonal and interannual variability of wildfire characteristics.     

Environmental governance through information: China and Vietnam

In the field of environmental governance information is starting to become increasingly important, not least because of globalization and the information and communication technologies revolution. The notion of informational governance is a recent coinage that acknowledges the (partial) switch from regulatory‐based forms of governance to information‐based modes. In the information‐rich centres and nodes of the network society, where information is widely produced, disseminated and accessible, this might prove analytically useful. But what are the contours of informational governance in information‐poor environments? This paper looks into the (limited) emergence of informational governance arrangements in environmental protection in two cases characterizing the informational periphery: China and Vietnam.