Geochemical background – can we calculate it?

 The term "background" is discussed and a definition is suggested to put an end to the currently unsatisfying (non-)definition of geochemical or natural background. Based on the requirements stated in the definition, several simple and robust statistical methods are applied to different data sets (n>50) from the atmosphere, pedosphere, and biosphere in order to explore their potential for the evaluation of a useful and robust background. Compared with the original data set both the calculated distribution, based upon the lower 50% of the values, as well as a 2σ-approximation of the normalised data set lead to promising and realistic results. Both methods seem appropriate for a fast and reliable evaluation of likely upper limits of background values. Nevertheless, even this robust method is not able to present absolute and doubtlessly correct background values. True quantification of any natural or geochemical background still requires a thorough investigation and is impossible without costly expert knowledge. Received: 12 July 1999 · Accepted: 9 September 1999     

台湾大青枣在钦州种植的气象条件分析

通过对台湾大青枣的生物特性及其气象条件进行分析，并指出影响其果品品质的主要气象因素及应对措施。     

徐州环境保护WebGIS系统的结构及其设计

论述了徐州环境保护WebGIS系统的设计思路、结构和功能，为徐州环保部门的工作提供了一种行之有效并方便快捷的方式，同时也对徐州环境污染问题、信息严重滞后等问题提供了有效的解决途径。     

More evidence for a planetary wave link with midlatitude E region coherent backscatter and sporadic E layers

Measurements of midlatitude E region coherent backscatter obtained during four summers with SESCAT, a 50 MHz Doppler system operating in Crete, Greece, and concurrent ionosonde recordings from the same ionospheric volume obtained with a CADI for one of these summers, are used to analyse the long-term variability in echo and E_s occurrence. Echo and E_s layer occurrences, computed in percent of time over a 12-h nighttime interval, take the form of time sequences. Linear power spectrum analysis shows that there are dominant spectral peaks in the range of 2–9 days, the most commonly observed periods appearing in two preferential bands, of 2–3 days and 4–7 days. No connection with geomagnetic activity was found. The characteristics of these periodicities compare well with similar properties of planetary waves, which suggests the possibility that planetary waves are responsible for the observed long-term periodicities. These findings indicate also a likely close relation between planetary wave (PW) activity and the well known but not well understood seasonal E_s dependence. To test the PW postulation, we used simultaneous neutral wind data from the mesopause region around 95 km, measured from Collm, Germany. Direct comparison of the long-term periodicities in echo and E_s layer occurrence with those in the neutral wind show some reasonable agreement. This new evidence, although not fully conclusive, is the first direct indication in favour of a planetary wave role on the unstable midlatitude E region ionosphere. Our results suggest that planetary waves observation is a viable option and a new element into the physics of midlatitude E_s layers that needs to be considered and investigated.     

A comparison between mesospheric wind measurements made near Christchurch (44°S, 173°E) using the high resolution doppler imager (HRDI) and a medium frequency (MF) radar

We report on the comparison of winds measured by a medium frequency (MF) radar near Christchurch, New Zealand, and by the high resolution doppler imager (HRDI). Previous comparisons have demonstrated that there can be significant differences in the winds obtained by the two techniques, and our results are no different. However, these data show relatively good agreement in the meridional direction, but large differences in the zonal direction, where the radar is regularly measuring the zonal wind as too easterly. To do the comparison, overpasses from the satellite must be obtained when it is close to the radar site. The radar data are averaged in time around the overpass because we know the radars sample phenomena which have spatial and temporal scales which make them invisible to HRDI. There are a limited number of overpass comparisons which limit our confidence in these results, but a detailed analysis of these data show that the proximity of the overpass is often an important factor in the differences obtained. Other factors examined include the influence of the local time of the overpass, and the amount of radar data averaged around the overpass time.     

Statistical distributions of water content and sizes for clouds above Europe

The statistics of quantities involved in the synthesis of cloud scenes have been investigated from an original data base. Frequency distributions of ice and water content (IWC), horizontal and vertical sizes (L and H), and top temperatures (T) of clouds above Europe have been derived for nine types of clouds (As, Cb, Ci, Cg, LwCg, OrCg, Cs, Ns, Sc). It appears that the cumulated frequency plots can be well fitted with log-normal or Weibull profiles, and that for IWC and T cloud types can be split into two or three classes according to slopes in logarithmic coordinates. Cross-correlation coefficients between IWC, L, H and T have been also derived. Implications for the physics of the cloud build-up processes are briefly outlined. Critical analysis and comparison of other published results are proposed.     

Climatic features of the Mediterranean Sea detected by the analysis of the longwave radiative bulk formulae

Some important climatic features of the Mediterranean Sea stand out from an analysis of the systematic discrepancies between direct measurements of longwave radiation budget and predictions obtained by the most widely used bulk formulae. In particular, under clear-sky conditions the results show that the surface values of both air temperature and humidity over the Mediterranean Sea are larger than those expected over an open ocean with the same amount of net longwave radiation. Furthermore, the twofold climatic regime of the Mediterranean region strongly affects the downwelling clear-sky radiation. This study suggests that a single bulk formula with constant numerical coefficients is unable to reproduce the fluxes at the surface for all the seasons.     

Climate hypersensitivity to solar forcing?

We compare the equilibrium climate responses of a quasi-dynamical energy balance model to radiative forcing by equivalent changes in CO₂, solar total irradiance (S_tot) and solar UV (S_UV). The response is largest in the S_UV case, in which the imposed UV radiative forcing is preferentially absorbed in the layer above 250 mb, in contrast to the weak response from global-columnar radiative loading by increases in CO₂ or S_tot. The hypersensitive response of the climate system to solar UV forcing is caused by strongly coupled feedback involving vertical static stability, tropical thick cirrus ice clouds and stratospheric ozone. This mechanism offers a plausible explanation of the apparent hypersensitivity of climate to solar forcing, as suggested by analyses of recent climatic records. The model hypersensitivity strongly depends on climate parameters, especially cloud radiative properties, but is effective for arguably realistic values of these parameters. The proposed solar forcing mechanism should be further confirmed using other models (e.g., general circulation models) that may better capture radiative and dynamical couplings of the troposphere and stratosphere.     

Letter to the editor A strange cloud in the Arctic summer stratosphere 1998 above Esrange (68°N), Sweden

When the University of Bonn lidar on the Esrange (68°N, 21°E), Sweden, was switched on in the evening of July 18, 1998, a geometrically and optically thin cloud layer was present near 14 km altitude or 400 K potential temperature, where it persisted for two hours. The tropopause altitude was 4 km below the cloud altitude. The cloud particles depolarized the lidar returns, thus must they have been aspherical and hence solid. Atmospheric temperatures near 230 K were approximately 40 K too high to support ice particles at stratospheric water vapour pressures of a few ppmv. The isentropic back trajectory on 400 K showed the air parcels to have stayed clear of active major rocket launch sites. The air parcels at 400 K had travelled from the Aleutians across Canada and the Atlantic Ocean arriving above central Europe and then turned northward to pass over above the lidar station. Parcels at levels at ±25 K from 400 K had come from the pole and joined the 400 K trajectory path above eastern Canada. Apparently the cloud existed in a filament of air with an origin different from those filaments both above and below. Possibly the 400 K level air parcels had carried soot particles from forest wild fires in northern Canada or volcanic ash from the eruption of the Korovin Volcano in the Aleutian Islands.     

Environmental geological investigations at the Van open dump site, southeastern Turkey

 This study evaluates the geological, hydrogeological and hydrological conditions at the open waste dump site of the Van municipality in eastern Anatolia, Turkey. A geological map and a three-dimensional view of the project site have been prepared. All lithological units exposed at and near the dump site have been determined and their boundary relationships identified. Drainage basin characteristics of the dump site along with the water bearing properties of different lithological units have been assessed. For the rehabilitation of the existing dump site, material availability (clay as a liner, cap, and daily cover material; granular soil as a filter material) has been researched. Based on the geological, hydrogeological, morphological and hydrological conditions of the existing waste dump site, recommendations to minimize its environmental impact are presented. Received: 8 March 1999 · Accepted: 3 May 1999