Carbon dioxide in cave atmospheres. New results in belgium and comparison with some other countries

More than 600 measurements of the carbon dioxide content of cave air in Belgium lead up to the conclusion that the main factors of its distribution are: (1) a flow originating from the biomass and diffusing in the soil and the voids of bedrock; (2) a trend, discernible in very still air only, to go down by density; (3) in some caves, draughts caused, for instance, by a swift underground stream. Results in Belgium are compared with published and unpublished data from other countries, showing that CO₂ is often less abundant in cold climate caves and in caves of semi-arid regions (influence of the biomass). Special attention is paid to human contamination during analyses: the influence of people passing through the cave nearby the operator, but also the influence of the operator himself are discussed, and the use of special precautions (including a CO₂-absorbing mask) in defined critical situations is stressed.     

Spectroscopic measurements of atmospheric carbon monoxide and methane. 2: Seasonal variations and long-term trends

A spectroscopic technique for measuring CO and CH₄ contents is described and the latitudinal distributions of these gases are presented. Carbon monoxide abundance decreases southward, having two local maxima: in midlatitudes and in the tropics. The slope of latitude dependence varies according to the season of the year. The difference in CH₄ content does not exceed the accuracy of the method (±8%).     

Geochemistry of the late Cenomanian-early Turonian chalks of the Paris Basin: Manganese and carbon isotopes in carbonates as paleooceanographic indicators

In the North Atlantic DSDP/IPOD cores, carbon isotope data on the bulk carbonates show significant fluctuations. In sediments now exposed on land coeval fluctuations in the carbon isotope concentrations are also recorded in pelagic and epeiric facies. For instance, in the Upper Cretaceous chalks of the Paris Basin, there is a major break at the Cenomanian-Turonian boundary. At this time, the manganese content of the chalks was also at a maximum and consequently a positive relation can be demonstrated between δ¹³C and manganese concentrations. The same positive correlation is also recorded in many pelagic limestones.In the North Atlantic cores, carbon isotope events are related to the black shale facies and to global oceanic anoxic events and one can suppose that in sediments deposited on the continental margins they are also related to mildly anoxic conditions. Considering the manganese geochemistry in carbonate rocks, a high manganese content in such a reducing environment can be found in the sediments only if the Mn concentration of the interstitial solutions are abnormally high. As a high Mn content in marine pore waters is believed to originate from hydrothermal process, Mn and δ¹³C positive excursions are ultimately related to mid-oceanic ridge activity and to a closely connected phenomenon, the great transgressive pulses during which mid-depth waters may have been anoxic. Consequently, major Mn and carbon isotope events would seem to be useful tools in paleooceanographic reconstructions.     

Consequences of Incomplete Surface Energy Balance Closure for CO2 Fluxes from Open-Path CO2/H2O Infrared Gas Analysers

We present an approach for assessing the impact of systematic biases in measured energy fluxes on CO₂ flux estimates obtained from open-path eddy-covariance systems. In our analysis, we present equations to analyse the propagation of errors through the Webb, Pearman, and Leuning (WPL) algorithm [Quart. J. Roy. Meteorol. Soc. 106, 85–100, 1980] that is widely used to account for density fluctuations on CO₂ flux measurements. Our results suggest that incomplete energy balance closure does not necessarily lead to an underestimation of CO₂ fluxes despite the existence of surface energy imbalance; either an overestimation or underestimation of CO₂ fluxes is possible depending on local atmospheric conditions and measurement errors in the sensible heat, latent heat, and CO₂ fluxes. We use open-path eddy-covariance fluxes measured over a black spruce forest in interior Alaska to explore several energy imbalance scenarios and their consequences for CO₂ fluxes.     

Carbon isotopic records from stalagmites and the signification of paleo-ecological environment in the area of Guangxi—Guizhou, China

High resolution carbon isotopic records in millennial, centennial and decadal timescales from three stalagmites from three different caves under a similar monsoon climate in Guangxi–Guizhou, China, provided detailed information on the paleo-ecological environmental conditions in the past 15,000 years. The results indicate that during the glacial period, or cold-dry period, such as Heinrich event H1 and Younger Dryas event karst development was poor as was pedogenesis, C3 vegetation didn’t grow well, resulting in C4 plants dominating and with heavy δ¹³C values in stalagmites. In a warm-humid stage, C3 vegetation grew well and predominated with negative δ¹³C values. The δ¹³C records from stalagmites could be indicative of sensitive vegetation changes and reflective of climate changes in precipitation, temperature, etc. The δ¹³C records may also be used to distinguish different effects from nature or human activity. Particularly since the late Holocene, human activities have increased disturbances to environment, even more than natural factors. Forest vegetation was destroyed, C4 plants became dominant, and rock desertification was aggravated because of severe water and soil loss, all resulting in sharply increasing δ¹³C values of stalagmites that are heavier than pre-middle Holocene δ¹³C values.     

Correlation of Barremian-Aptian (mid-Cretaceous) dinoflagellate cyst assemblages between the Tethyan and Austral realms

Quantified organic-walled dinoflagellate cyst (dinocyst) assemblages are presented for two sedimentary successions deposited in neritic environments of the Tethys Ocean during the Barremian and Aptian in an attempt to reconcile established dinocyst biostratigraphic schemes for Tethyan and Austral regions. One section is at Angles, southeast France (the Barremian stratotype section); the other is at Deep Sea Drilling Project Site 263, off northwest Australia. We also construct a carbon isotope record for Site 263 using bulk organic carbon.Both sections contain abundant, well-preserved dinocyst assemblages. These are diverse, with 89 taxa identified at Angles and 103 taxa identified at Site 263. Of these, more than 93% are cosmopolitan. When combined with other work at Angles and Site 263, we found that nine dinocysts have their first occurrence (FO) or last occurrence (LO) at both locations. These dinocyst events are, in alphabetical order: LO of Cassiculosphaeridia magna, FO of Criboperidinium? tenuiceras, LO of Kleithriasphaeridium fasciatum, LO of Muderongia staurota, FO of Odontochitina operculata, LO of Phoberocysta neocomica, FO of Prolixosphaeridium parvispinum, FO of Pseudoceratium retusum var. securigerum, and FO of Tehamadinium sousense. Although these events support a Barremian–Aptian age for both sections, their stratigraphic order is not the same in the sections. The δ¹³C_org record at Site 263 displays a characteristic series of changes that have also been recorded in other carbon isotope curves spanning the Late Barremian–Early Aptian. Such independent dating (along with ammonite zones at Angles) suggests that three of the nine dinocyst events are approximately isochronous at Angles and Site 263: the LO of K. fasciatum in the mid Barremian, the FO of P. retusum var. securigerum and the FO of C.? tenuiceras in the earliest Aptian; the other six dinocyst events are diachronous. Dinocyst assemblages at Site 263 can be loosely placed within existing Australian zonation schemes, providing much-needed calibration. Our data suggest that the Muderongia testudinaria Zone ends in sediments of mid Barremian age, the succeeding Muderongia australis Zone extends into the Early Aptian, and the younger Odontochitina operculata Zone begins in Early Aptian deposits. The boundary between the M. australis and O. operculata zones, and the Ovoidinium cinctum (as Ascodinium) Subzone, positioned at the top of the M. australis Zone when present, could not be recognized incontrovertibly. Interestingly, however, this horizon broadly correlates with the onset and extent of the Selli Event, a time of major biogeochemical change.     

Long-term biogeochemical cycling in agroecosystems inferred from C, C and N

We investigated C and N cycling in long-term agroecological experiments initiated over 50 years ago at a cool, semi-arid site on the North American Great Plains. We used isotopes at natural abundance to trace C and N exchange between soils and plants in contrasting cropping systems. Both ¹³C and ¹⁴C indicated that the soil organic matter was isotopically distinct from current plant inputs, suggesting that recently added plant C was cycling independently of much of the soil C pool. For tracing recent C flows, bomb-¹⁴C was more sensitive than ¹³C, and increased more in high – than in low – yielding systems. Analysis of ¹⁵N in plant tissues, as an index of ¹⁵N in actively cycling soil N, suggested that biological and industrial N fixation both tended to decrease plant ¹⁵N, whereas livestock manure addition increased ¹⁵N abundance. Collectively, the data suggest that soil organic matter is kinetically heterogeneous, so that a majority of soil C and N inputs and outputs exchange with only the small pool of soil organic matter that is actively cycling. Consequently, recently photosynthesized C and deposited N may not readily enter the old, stable fractions of soil organic matter. Practices to retain CO₂ from the atmosphere and prevent leakage of reactive N to non-agricultural systems should therefore focus on management of this active pool.     

A 2200-yr record of hydrologic variability from Foy Lake, Montana, USA, inferred from diatom and geochemical data

A 2200-yr long, high-resolution (∼5 yr) record of drought variability in northwest Montana is inferred from diatoms and δ¹⁸O values of bio-induced carbonate preserved in a varved lacustrine core from Foy Lake. A previously developed model of the diatom response to lake-level fluctuations is used to constrain estimates of paleolake levels derived from the diatom data. High-frequency (decadal) fluctuations in the de-trended δ¹⁸O record mirror variations in wet/dry cycles inferred from Banff tree-rings, demonstrating the sensitivity of the oxygen-isotope values to changes in regional moisture balance. Low frequency (multi-centennial) isotopic changes may be associated with shifts in the seasonal distribution of precipitation. From 200 B.C. to A.D. 800, both diatom and isotope records indicate that climate was dry and lake level low, with poor diatom preservation and high organic carbon: nitrogen ratios. Subsequently, lake level rose slightly, although the climate was drier and more stable than modern conditions. At A.D. 1200, lake level increased to approximately 6 m below present elevation, after which the lake fluctuated between this elevation and full stage, with particularly cool and/or wetter conditions after 1700. The hydrologic balance of the lake shifted abruptly at 1894 because of the establishment of a lumber mill at the lake's outlet. Spectral analysis of the δ¹⁸O data indicates that severe droughts occurred with multi-decadal (50 to 70 yr) frequency.     

以减少碳损失为目标的印度大城市可持续林业：以德里地区为例

试图识别德里从大气中固碳的碳源行为以及进一步证明各种造林工程有利于控制碳损失。碳化气的释放来源于城市的各个环节，包括城市的居民生活、工业过程、电力生产和轮船及热源工厂的辐射。这里主要想证明德里的土地利用/覆盖变化通过砍伐森林来进行地铁、立交桥、建筑和其他非森林可持续的城市建设对森林和树木覆盖造成的压力。所有的这些都导致德里的微气候变化，尤其是气温的升高。造林工程可以提供大量的气候变化缓解效应。     

华北地区燕山期岩浆活动热供给的初步数值模拟

大陆地壳和地幔岩石圈形成之后,还可能再次有对流地幔的注入,对原有的陆壳和地幔岩石圈进行改造。华北克拉通于新太古—古元古代形成的陆壳和大陆根,在侏罗纪—白垩纪(J—K)的燕山期遭受重大改造,有对流地幔的一次重要注入。一维的数值模拟表明:(1)在1GPa条件下,1250℃底侵玄武岩对于初始温度400℃的英云闪长岩围岩的加热,并达到使其发生局部熔融作用,其纯的熔融量与纯的底侵玄武岩岩浆结晶的厚度的比值约为0·12;假设仅有25%的熔浆能够分离出来,则能够分离出的熔浆量与底侵玄武岩结晶总量比约为0·03。由此可以推测,如果要产生总量为1km厚的花岗岩的岩基需要33·3km的底侵玄武岩岩浆的全部结晶来提供热通量。而33·3km的底侵玄武岩岩浆可能需要约333km的软流圈物质参与(假设10%的局部熔融,并且全部熔体均能分离出来)。(2)华北克拉通燕山期玄武岩的喷发和地壳浅部辉长岩侵入体的发育,说明底侵的玄武岩岩浆不可能全部固结,从模拟的角度说明,燕山运动需要非常大量的底侵玄武岩岩浆和热通量的注入,才能诱发现今所观察到的燕山期强烈的岩浆活动。文中数值模拟工作对进一步理解“燕山运动”发生的深部背景即来源于软流圈的贡献有一定的意义。