Seasonal variations of atmospheric sulfur dioxide and dimethylsulfide concentrations at Amsterdam Island in the southern Indian Ocean

Daily measurements of atmospheric sulfur dioxide (SO₂) concentrations were performed from March 1989 to January 1991 at Amsterdam Island (37°50 S–77°30 E), a remote site located in the southern Indian Ocean. Long-range transport of continental air masses was studied using Radon (²²²Rn) as continental tracer. Average monthly SO₂ concentrations range from less than 0.2 to 3.9 nmol m^-3 (annual average = 0.7 nmol m^-3) and present a seasonal cycle with a minimum in winter and a maximum in summer, similar to that described for atmospheric DMS concentrations measured during the same period. Clear diel correlation between atmospheric DMS and SO₂ concentrations is also observed during summer. A photochemical box model using measured atmospheric DMS concentrations as input data reproduces the seasonal variations in the measured atmospheric SO₂ concentrations within ±30%. Comparing between computed and measured SO₂ concentrations allowed us to estimate a yield of SO₂ from DMS oxidation of about 70%.     

The concentration and distribution of different mercury species in the water columns and sediment of Aha Lake

In order to find out whether Aha Lake was polluted by the acid mining waste water or not, the concentration and distribution of different mercuryspecies in the water columns and sediment profile collected from Aha Lake were investigated. It was found that discernible seasonal variation of different mercury species in water body were obtained in the Aha Reservoir. With regards to the whole sampling periods, the concentrations of HgP in the Aha Reservoir water body were evidently correlated to the concentrations of total mercury, showing that total mercury was mostly associated with particle mercury. The concentrations of methylmercury in water body were also evidently correlated to the concentrations of dissolved mercury. The dissolved mercury evidently affects the distribution and transportation of methylmercury. However, there is no correlation between methylmercury and total mercury. The dissolved mercury, reactive mercury, dissolved methylmercury levels in the water body of high flow period were much higher than those in low flow period. The distribution, speciation and levels of mercury within the Aha Reservoir water body were governed by several factors, such as the output of river, the release of sediment . Discernible seasonal variation of total mercury and methylmercury in porewater was described during the sampling periods, with the concentrations in high flow period generally higher than those in low flow period. The methylmercury in pore water column was evidently correlated to that of the sediment. The results indicated that highly elevated MeHgD concentrations in the porewater were produced at the depths from 2 to 5 cm in the sediment profile, and decreased sharply with depth. A positive correlation has been found between MeHgD formation and sulfate reducing bacterial activity. These highly elevated concentrations of MeHgD at the intersurface between waters and sediments suggest a favorable methylation condition. Moreover,     

Response of Ruppia maritima to the reclaimed wastewater in coastal artificial landscape river

In recent years, reclaimed wastewater as a water source for urban artificial landscape rivers is being rapidly developed in some coastal cities with limited water resource available in China. However, eutrophication occurs more often in the landscape waterbody with reclaimed wastewater than in natural rivers and lakes. The study of restoration and reconstruction of macrophytes, especially the submerged aquatic vegetation, is essential to inhibit eutrophication of reclaimed wastewater. This study investigated the seasonal variation of biomass of Ruppia maritima in the artificial landscape river using reclaimed wastewater as the only water source in Tianjin, China. It was found that there were two seasonal growth peaks of Ruppia maritima each year in the coastal reclaimedwastewater. The contents of nitrogen and phosphorus of Ruppia maritima varied with the season.     

A comparative error analysis of manual versus automated methods of data acquisition for algebraic strain estimation

This paper presents a statistical analysis of the algebraic strain estimation algorithm of Shimamoto and Ikeda [Shimamoto, T., Ikeda, Y., 1976. A simple algebraic method for strain estimation from deformed eillipsoidal objects: 1. Basic theory. Tectonophysics 36, 315–337]. It is argued that the error in their strain estimation procedure can be quantified using an expected discrepancy measure. An analysis of this measure demonstrates that the error is inversely proportional to the number of clasts used. The paper also examines the role of measurement error, in particular that incurred under (i) a moment based and (ii) manual data acquisition methods. Detailed analysis of these two acquisition methods shows that in both cases, the effect of measurement error on the expected discrepancy is small relative to the effect of the sample size (number of objects). Given their relative speed advantage, this result favours the use of automated measurement methods even if they incur more measurement error on individual objects. Validation of these results is carried out by means of a simulation study, as well as by reference to studies appearing in previous literature. The results are also applied to obtain an upper bound on the error of strain estimation for various studies published in the literature on strain analysis.     

Centennial to millennial geomagnetic secular variation

A time-varying spherical harmonic model of the palaeomagnetic field for 0–7 ka is used to investigate large-scale global geomagnetic secular variation on centennial to millennial scales. We study dipole moment evolution over the past 7 kyr, and estimate its rate of change using the Gauss coefficients of degree 1 (dipole coefficients) from the CALS7K.2 field model and by two alternative methods that confirm the robustness of the predicted variations. All methods show substantial dipole moment variation on timescales ranging from centennial to millennial. The dipole moment from CALS7K.2 has the best resolution and is able to resolve the general decrease in dipole moment seen in historical observations since about 1830. The currently observed rate of dipole decay is underestimated by CALS7K.2, but is still not extraordinarily strong in comparison to the rates of change shown by the model over the whole 7 kyr interval. Truly continuous phases of dipole decrease or increase are decadal to centennial in length rather than longer-term features. The general large-scale secular variation shows substantial changes in power in higher spherical harmonic degrees on similar timescales to the dipole. Comparisons are made between statistical variations calculated directly from CALS7K.2 and longer-term palaeosecular variation models: CALS7K.2 has lower overall variance in the dipole and quadrupole terms, but exhibits an imbalance between dispersion in   g ¹₂  and   h ¹₂  , suggestive of long-term non-zonal structure in the secular variations.     

Documentary Evidence of an Economic Character as a Source for the Study of Meteorological and Hydrological Extremes and their Impacts on Human Activities

This paper deals with documentary evidence of an economic character as a proxy for direct study of meteorological and hydrological extremes. Taxation records and reports of those who administrated domains and estates are described with respect to information about meteorological and hydrological extremes. Based on data from eight domains or estates from Moravia (in the Czech Republic), frequency series of floods and convective storms (including hailstorms) were developed for the period 1650–1849. One example of disastrous weather, which took place on 10 August 1694 in the Pern?tejn domain, is used to demonstrate the potential for such studies of the intensity of extremes and their impact on human activities. The importance of economic evidence in the instrumental period is shown through tax rebate data contingent upon hailstorm damage in Moravia (1896–1906). The benefits of employing documentary economic evidence for historical climatology and the study of the impact of meteorological and hydrological extremes on human activities are discussed.     

A geochronological approach to understanding the role of solar activity on Holocene glacier length variability in the Swiss Alps

We present a radiocarbon data set of 71 samples of wood and peat material that melted out or sheared out from underneath eight presentday mid‐latitude glaciers in the Central Swiss Alps. Results indicated that in the past several glaciers have been repeatedly less extensive than they were in the 1990s. The periods when glaciers had a smaller volume and shorter length persisted between 320 and 2500 years. This data set provides greater insight into glacier variability than previously possible, especially for the early and middle Holocene. The radiocarbon‐dated periods defined with less extensive glaciers coincide with periods of reduced radio‐production, pointing to a connection between solar activity and glacier melting processes. Measured long‐term series of glacier length variations show significant correlation with the total solar irradiance. Incoming solar irradiance and changing albedo can account for a direct forcing of the glacier mass balances. Long‐term investigations of atmospheric processes that are in interaction with changing solar activity are needed in order to understand the feedback mechanisms with glacier mass balances.     

叶尔羌河冰川阻塞性洪水发生的气象因素

2002年8月12日，叶尔羌河再次发生因高原冰川阻塞形成的洪水。本文对叶尔羌河历次高原冰川阻塞性洪水的成因以及与气象的关系做了较详尽的分析，并提出了从气象角度预报该类型洪水的方法和利用卫星遥感技术对冰川阻塞湖进行监测的建议，期望对叶尔羌河今后的防洪工作有一些指导意义。     

黑龙江气候变暖的时空变化特征

进入80年代以来，黑龙江气温明显变暖，近120年来年平均气温上升1.4℃，春季次之，气温突变在1990年前后，从年、各季平均气温变化趋势与全国北半球及全球气温变化进行比较，年及冬季我国增暖中心在黑龙江，春季增暖中心在内蒙古北部及黑龙江省；夏秋增暖不明显，但仍有上升趋势，近50年来，50～70年代黑龙江省及全国各大区域普遍增暖不明显，80年代开始黑龙江省增暖明显，三北地区次之，90年代黑龙江增暖更加明显，而全国及其他区域上升已达到80年代北方增温幅度，这里从黑龙江变暖的事实，突变时间，与全球、北半球、全国区域的气温及雪盖海温变化关系来揭示黑龙江气候变化的时空特点。