The invertebrate benthic community of two solar salt ponds in Aveiro,Portugal

The invertebrate benthic community of two Aveiro salt pond systems was studied in order to evaluate its diversity, density and the influence of organic matter and salt production. Samples were collected monthly at Esmolas and Tanoeiras. Five groups of benthic organisms were found: Nemathelminthes, Annelida (Nereis diversicolor), Crustacea (Sphaeroma serratum andTanais cavolini), Insecta (Chironomidae), Bivalvia Mollusca (Cerastoderma edule, Spisula solida andMya arenaria) and Gasteropoda Mollusca (Hydrobia ulvae, Cingulla cingullus, Cingulla semistriata, Odostomia rissoides, Odostomia unidentata, Scrobicularia alba, Valvata cristata andPaludestrina acuta). The highest density of the benthic community was observed during the non-productive season in all but the crystallizing pond systems. In both salt ponds, salinity acted as limiting factor. The dominant group was Gasteropoda, although high densities of Bivalvia were recorded in some ponds. In the feeder pond and the channels, species diversity was highest in the Tanoeiras salt pond, probably because its physical and chemical characteristics allowed the development of stable communities.     

Estimates of subtidal volume flux in mid-Chesapeake Bay

Utilizing 20 days of current meter and sea level elevation records taken in two cross-sections in mid-Chesapeake Bay an objective interpolation procedure was devised to allow the computation of vertical profiles of the laterally integrated subtidal volume fluxes at each section, at 3-h intervals over the period of the experiment. The presence of a classical mean estuarine circulation was observed; however, departures from this gravitational circulation were revealed on a shorter time scale, reaching the value of 20 000 m³ s^?1 over a day, and featuring behaviors of reverse estuarine, storage and discharge modes.The volume flux computations through each cross-section based on the measured current velocities, the freshwater inflow and the calculated Stokes transport were in agreement with each other. A two-layered box model of the mean subtidal circulation in the segment of the estuary bound by the two cross-sections is offered.A comparison was made between the computations of net volume flux into and out of the Bay above these sections using two independent methods: (1) the accounting of volume continuity based upon direct measurements of volume flux through the sections; and (2) the direct calculation of the time rate of change of volume of the upper Bay obtained from tide gauge records. The agreement between the two results was found to be very good. Further evidence is provided for the upward phase propagation of the oscillations in the residual motion of estuarine waters.     

The zonal distribution of hydrogen in the Jovian atmosphere

The Voyager ultraviolet spectrometer disclosed strong longitude variation in the midlatitude Lyman alpha brightness of Jupiter. Minimum brightness of 16 and 14.4 kR were observed from Voyagers 1 and 2, respectively, with the intensity rising to peaks of 21 and 19.6 kR at a longitude near 110°. Observations of Jovian Lyman alpha, made with the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) beginning in December 1978, and continuing through January 1982, also show a region of persistently enhanced but variable flux near a longitude, λ, of 100°; however, IUE measured brightnesses are consistently lower than those of Voyager. Although the Lyman alpha flux from the “normal” region of the plant between λ 200 and 300° remained nearly constant during the period of the IUE observations, that from the “perturbed” region centered on λ 110° varied by ±25% from the mean. The sources of Lyman alpha flux include resonance scattering of solar and interplanetary Lyman alpha, and excitation by charged particle precipitation. That portion of the dayside flux due to charged particle excitation has been variously estimated at between 2.3 and 7 kR. About 1 kR of the dayside flux is due to resonance scattering of the sky background. It is assumed that H and an absorber (CH₄) are distributed above the homopause according to the local height distribution of temperature. The daytime equation of radiative transfer is solved to determine the longitudinal distribution of freely scattering atomic hydrogen that would account for the observed flux. This daytime solution shows that if the hydrogen bulge is the result of localized heating and a consequent increase in scale height, the temperature in the perturbed region must be about 100°K warmer than that in the normal region. The nightside Lyman alpha brightness exhibits a longitude variation very similar to that on the dayside. The H distribution derived from the dayside solution is used with the nightside flux to estimate the longitude variation of particle precipitation on the nightside.     

Ground water flow parameterization of an Appalachian coal mine complex

We examined a large (240 km2) northern Appalachian bituminous coal basin (Irwin Syncline, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania) comprising 27 mine complexes with nine major (> 2.5 x 10(3) L/min) discharges. The synclinal basin was divided into seven subbasins based on equilibrium hydraulic relationships established during the past 25 years. Recharge rates, mine pool velocity, and residence times respond to hydraulic changes in the overburden induced by mine subsidence. The estimated maximum depth for subsidence fractures is 60 m (30 times mined thickness) with recharge rates decreasing significantly in subbasins with thicker overburden (> 75 m). Calculated subbasin recharge rates range from 2 to 6 x 10(-4) L/min/m2 and are significantly lower than the previously used rate for the basin. Residence time of ground water in the Irwin subbasins calculated using average linear velocity ranged from one to five years and were more consistent with field observations than estimates obtained using discharge and basin volume area. A positive correlation (r2 = 0.80) exists between net alkalinity of the mine water-impacted discharges and residence time in the mine pools. Our results for the Irwin coal basin suggest that use of a subbasin approach incorporating overburden depth, mining methodology, and the extent of postmining inundation will lead to improved determination of ground water flow parameters in mined watersheds in northern Appalachia and elsewhere.     

Search for Solar Periodicities in Tree-ring Widths from Concórdia (S.C., Brazil)

Tree ring studies are usually used to determine or verify climatic factors prevailing at a given place or region that may cause tree-ring width variations. Few studies are dedicated to the solar phenomena which may underlie these tree-ring width variations. Furthermore, it is known that some terrestrial phenomena are influenced by short- and long-time scale solar variability. An optical and computational method was set up and applied to tree samples (Araucaria angustifolia from Santa Catarina State in Southern Brazil) in order to obtain a growth ring width mean chronology. Spectral analysis is used for the search of periodicities, by maximum entropy and iterative regression methods. The results evidenced several embedded signals at periods which may be related to solar activity variations. Cross-correlation analysis between sunspot number and tree-ring data was performed and a lag of zero year was obtained. From our work, it seems that the tropical conifer species Araucaria angustifolia may be a good choice for studies on Sun-Earth relationships and their regional effects.     

Tilt Observations in the Normal Mode Frequency Band at the Geodynamic Observatory Cueva de los Verdes,Lanzarote

We have conducted observations with the aid of a seismo-tiltmeter station, which is based on the Ostrovsky pendulum and installed at the Geodynamic Observatory Cueva de los Verdes at Lanzarote Island since 1995. In this station the signal is separated into two frequency bands – tidal tilts (from 0 to 5 mHz) and ground oscillations in the frequency range of free Earths normal modes (from 0.2 to 5 mHz). The later band, called accelerometer channel, has additional amplification. We analyzed the background records in the frequency range of Earths free oscillations from August 2000 to September 2001, as well as, Earths normal modes after strong earthquakes. We found several distinctive persistent peaks in the spectra of background oscillations. Both amplitudes of distinguished peaks and noises have seasonal variations. We found that spectra of background oscillations are different in the frequency interval between 1.4 and 2.5 mHz for North- South and East-West components.     

Comparison of 1982–1983 and 1997–1998 El Niño effects on the shallow-water fish assemblage of the Patos Lagoon estuary (Brazil)

Meteorological impacts of El Niño events of 1982–1983 and 1997–1998 were observed in locations throughout the world. In southern Brazil, El Niño events are associated with increased rainfall and higher freshwater discharge into Patos Lagoon, a large coastal lagoon that empties into the Atlantic Ocean. Based on interdecadal meteorological and biological data sets encompassing the two strongest El Niño events of the last 50 yr, we evaluated the hypothesis that El Niño-induced hydrological changes are a major driving force controlling the interannual variation in the structure and dynamics of fishes in the Patos Lagoon estuary. High rainfall in the drainage basin of the lagoon coincided with low salinity in the estuarine area during both El Niño episodes. Total rainfall in the drainage basin was higher (767 versus 711 mm) and near-zero salinity conditions in the estuarine area lasted about 3 mo longer during the 1997–1998 El Niño event compared with the 1982–1983 event. Hydrological changes triggered by both El Niño events had similar relationships to fish species composition and diversity patterns, but the 1997–1998 event appeared to have stronger effects on the species assemblage. Although shifts in species composition were qualitatively similar during the two El Niño events, distance between El Niño and non-El Niño assemblage multivariate centroids was greater during the 1996–2000 sampling period compared with the 1979–1983 period. We provide a conceptual model of the principal mechanisms and processes connecting the atmospheric-oceanographic interactions triggered by the El Niño phenomena and their effect on the estuarine fish assemblage.     

Statistical and hydrodynamic models for the operational forecasting of floods in the Venice Lagoon

The risk of flooding in Venice has increased strongly since the beginning of the century. To reduce the damage to the city and the negative impact on the activities in the lagoon, an accurate flood warning system is necessary. This system will also be fundamental during the construction and for the efficient operation of storm surge barriers covering the three existing inlets of the lagoon. In this context new operational statistical and hydrodynamic models have been developed. Forecast winds and pressure fields which constitute basic information for the warning system have been obtained through an ad hoc Limited Area Meteorological model. It has been demonstrated that, provided that this information is available on an operational basis, the implementation of a flood warning system for Venice using the models developed is feasible. The statistical model, which is based on a multiple regression technique, extends the forecasting range of the model presently in operation at the Centro Previsioni e Segnalazioni Maree del Comune di Venezia, from 3 hrs up to 24 hrs, and presents good accuracy (estimated mean absolute errors smaller than 10 cm) for short-term forecasts up to 9 hrs. The hydrodynamic model includes all the physical processes important for the simulation of water levels and currents in coastal and marine environments. The model set-up adopted covers the entire Adriatic Sea, with a grid spacing of 6 km. Special attention has been given to the positioning of the open boundary and to the correct reproduction of the main free oscillation of the Adriatic, which is responsible for the possible recurrence of flooding after the main storm has passed. The inclusion of this model in a flood warning system is mainly intended for long-term forecasts (> 24 hrs), and can typically be used to forecast up to 3–4 days ahead, with an estimated mean absolute error smaller than 20 cm.     

Electrochemical study of hydrothermal and sedimentary pyrite dissolution

The dissolution of pyrite is of interest in the formation of acid mine drainage and is a complex electrochemical process. Being able to measure the rate of dissolution of particular pyrite samples under particular conditions is important for describing and predicting rates of AMD generation. Electrochemical techniques offer the promise of performing such measurements rapidly and with small samples. The oxidation of pyrite and the reduction of Fe³⁺ ions and/or O₂ half reactions involved in the pyrite dissolution process were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and steady-state voltammetry using three pyrite materials formed in both sedimentary and hydrothermal environments. For each sample, two kinds of pyrite working electrodes (conventional constructed compact solid electrode, and carbon paste electrode constructed from fine-grained pyrite particles) were employed. Results indicated that for both the hydrothermal and sedimentary pyrite samples the oxidation and reduction half reactions involved in dissolution were governed by charge transfer processes, suggesting that hydrothermal and sedimentary pyrites obey the same dissolution mechanism despite their different formation mechanisms. In addition, the results showed that it is feasible to use a C paste electrode constructed from fine-grained or powdered pyrite to study the pyrite dissolution process electrochemically and to derive approximate rate expressions from the electrochemical data.     

Comparison of dissolution under oxic acid drainage conditions for eight sedimentary and hydrothermal pyrite samples

The abiotic oxidative dissolution behaviors of eight natural pyrite samples, five sedimentary and three hydrothermal, from various geological environments were compared under oxic conditions at pH 3 and 6 in a highly controlled batch reactor dissolution system. The three sedimentary pyrite samples associated with coal had greater specific surface areas and also exhibited greater apparent dissolution rates and extent than the other two sedimentary and three hydrothermal samples under both pH conditions. However, after normalizing for surface area, the dissolution rate constants for the different pyrite samples were similar; the greatest difference was between the two non-coal sedimentary pyrite samples. Pyrite morphology and the presence of trace metals could contribute to the differences in dissolution behavior as reflected in the normalized dissolution rates. The sulfur:iron ratio observed in the aqueous solution at pH 3 increased with time, but was always less than 2.0 (predicted from the stoichiometry of dissolution) for all the pyrite samples during the 24-h experimental duration. This can be explained by the disproportionation dissociation of thiosulfate, an initial product of pyrite dissolution, to elemental sulfur and sulfate which does not occur in a 1:1 ratio. The results of this work indicate the importance of extracting and using the specific pyrite(s) relevant to particular mining areas in order to understand pyrite dissolution rates and the influence of environmental conditions on those rates.