Chemical dynamics of N-containing ionic species in a boreal forest snowcover during the spring melt period

A study of the changes in the ionic loads of NO, NH, SO and H⁺ in a boreal forest snowpack at Lake Laflamme, Québec was carried out using hydrological and chemical data from field lysimeters. The results showed that depletion of the N-containing species occurs periodically in the snowpack during meltwater discharge. Rain-on-snow events led to in-pack losses of NO and NH at a rate of 130 μeq m^?2 day^?1 and 101·3 μeq m^?2day^?1 respectively. On dry days, however, dry deposition and deposition of organic debris from the canopy resulted in increases of 183·3 μeq m^?2day^?1 for NO and 4·5 μeq m^?2day^?1 for NH in the pack. In contrast, SO₄^2? showed continual in-pack increases due to deposition of 5·0 μeq m^?2day^?1 for wet days and 92·6 μeq m^?2day^?1 for dry days. The depletion of NO and NH is due to microbiological uptake of these nutrients during periods when the free water content of the pack is high. Controlled melts in a laboratory snowmelt simulator containing snow and organic matter from the forest canopy at Lake Laflamme showed losses of NO and NH similar to those observed in the field. As the microbiological uptake proceeds at a rate comparable to that of ionic load increases in the pack by dry deposition, models of the chemical dynamics of snowmelt should take the former into account in any system where organic content of the snowpack is appreciable.     

Are all maps mental maps?

The article focuses on the way in which map content reflects the cartographer's World view and system of values. Different World views are illustrated historically. Examples of topographical, land-use and vegetation maps from different parts of the World indicate the prevalence of Eurocentric perceptions in cartography. Different geological maps of Norden show how the visual image depends on the classification system adopted. All maps are mental maps in that their content is culturally determined and ethnocentric in origin.     

Characteristics of VLF emissions manifested by their cross-spectral phase information

Natural VLF emissions received by a single antenna can be characterised at each point in the emissions' frequency-time domain by a power and a phase. Emissions received at a single point by two antennae with a fixed relative orientation in space can be similarly described by the cross-spectral power and relative phase. It is shown that the cross-spectral phase contains information on the propagation characteristics of the waves which is better utilised in wave analysis than the power. In fact, the phase information allows weak signals to be identified more readily than is possible from a power spectrogram. It also allows the recognition of waves propagating with different wave normal directions. Data from the Geos-1 electric and magnetic antennae, pre-processed by the on-board correlator, are used to study the cross-spectral characteristics of VLF hiss and chorus in the Earth's magnetosphere.     

First results of micropulsation activity observed by sabre

Between September 1981 and March 1982 many Pc5 micropulsation events have been observed by the Wick component of the new SABRE auroral radar. A feature of these observations is that in addition to the characteristic poleward drifting regions of radar backscatter, equatorward moving regions are frequently observed. A consistent diurnal pattern in the direction of drift emerges from a statistical analysis of the data.