The hydrothermal system of Volcan Puracé, Colombia

This paper presents chemical and isotopic data for thermal waters, gases and S deposits from Volcan Puracé (summit elevation 4600 m) in SW Colombia. Hot gas discharges from fumaroles in and around the summit crater, and thermal waters discharge from three areas on its flanks. The waters from all areas have D values of-75±1, indicating a single recharge area at high elevation on the volcano. Aircorrected values of³He/⁴He in thermal waters range from 3.8 to 6.7 R_A, and approach those for crater fumarole gas (6.1–7.1 R_A), indicating widespread addition of magmatic volatiles. An economic S deposit (El Vinagre) is being mined in the Rio Vinagre fault zone at 3600 m elevation. Sulfur isotopic data are consistent with a magmatic origin for S species in thermal waters and gases, and for the S ore deposit. Isotopic equilibration between S species may have occurred at 220±40°C, which overlaps possible equilibration temperatures (170±40°C) determined by a variety of other geothermometers for neutral thermal waters. Apparent CH₄–CO₂ equilibration temperatures for gases from thermal springs (400±50°C) and crater fumaroles (520±60°C) reflect higher temperatures deeper in the system. Hot magmatic gas ascending through the Rio Vinagre fault zone is though to have precipitated S and generated thermal waters by interaction with descending meteoric waters.     

Sea level change: a philosophical approach

The present Cenozoic era is an icehouse episode characterized by a low sea level. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, the human race has been emitting greenhouse gases, increasing the global atmospheric temperature, and causing a rise in sea level. If emissions continue to increase at the present rate, average global temperatures may rise by 1.5°C by the year 2050, accompanied by a rise of about 30 cm in sea level. However, the prediction of future climatic conditions and sea level is hampered by the difficulty in modelling the interactions between the lithosphere, kryosphere, biosphere and atmosphere; in addition, the buffering capacity of our planet is still poorly understood. As scientists cannot offer unambiguous answers to simple questions, sorcerer's apprentices fill in the gaps, presenting plans to save planet without inconveniencing us.The geological record can help us to learn about the regulation mechanisms of our planet, many of which are connected with or expressed as sea level changes. Global changes in sea level are either tectono-eustatic or glacioeustatic. Plate tectonic processes strongly control sea levels and climate in the long term. There is a strong feed-back mechanism between sea level and climate; both can influence and determine each other. Although high sea levels are a powerful climatic buffer, falling sea levels accelerate climatic accentuation, the growth of the polar ice caps and will hence amplify the drop in sea level. Important sources of fossil greenhouse gases are botanic CO₂ production, CO₂ released by volcanic activity, and water vapour. The latter is particularly important when the surface area of the sea increases during a rise in sea level (maritime greenhouse effect). A volcanogenic greenhouse effect (release of volcanogenic CO₂) is possibly not equally important, as intense volcanic activity may take place both during icehouse episodes as well as during greenhouse episodes. The hydrosphere, land vegetation and carbonate platforms are major CO₂ buffers which may both take up and release CO₂. CO₂ can be released from the ocean due to changes in the pCO₂ caused by growth of coral reefs and by uptake of CO₂-rich freshwater from karst provinces. Efficient sinks of CO₂ are the weathering products of silicate rocks; long-term sinks are organic deposits caused by regional anoxic events which preferrably develop during sea level rises and highstands; and coal-bearing strata. Deposition of limestone also removes CO₂ from the atmospheric-hydrospheric cycle at a long term. Biotic crises are often related to either sea-level lows or sea-level highs. Long-term sea-level lows, characteristic of glacial periods, indicate cooling as major cause of extinction. During verly long-lasting greenhouse episodes the sea level is very high, climate and circulation systems are stable and biotic crises often develop as a consequence of oxygen depletion. On land, niche-splitting, complex food web structures and general overspecialization of biota will occur. Whether the crisis is caused by a single anoxic event (e.g. in the Late Devonian) or a disturbance by an asteroid impact (e.g. the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary), it will only trigger total collapse of an ecosystem if a large part of it was already in decline. The regulatory mechanisms and buffers are thermodynamically extremely efficient if they are given sufficient time in which to deploy their power. However, after major catastrophes the re-establishment of successful ecosystems will take millions of years. The present rate of sea level and associated temperature rise is much too fast to be compensated and buffered by the network of natural controls. It is likely that the transitional time towards a new steady state will be an extremely variable and chaotic episode of unpredictable duration. Correspondence to: H. Seyfried     

A DIAGNOSTIC STUDY OF FEEDBACK MECHANISM IN GREENHOUSE EFFECTS SIMULATED BY NCAR CCM1

This paper describes a diagnostic study of the feedback mechanism in greenhouse effects of increased CO_2 and oth-er trace gases(CH_4,N_2O and CFCs),simulated by general circulation model.The study is based on two sensitivity exper-iments for doubled CO_2 and the inclusion of other trace gases,respectively,using version one of the community climatemodel(CCM1)developed at the National Centre for Atmospheric Research.A one-dimensional(1-D)and atwo-dimensional(2-D)radiative-convective models are used to diagnose the feedback effect.It shows that thefeedback factors in global and annual mean conditions are in the sequence of surface albedo,water vapor amount,watervapor distribution,cloud height,critical lapse rate and cloud cover,while in zonal and annual mean conditions in thetropical region the above sequence does not change except the two water vapor terms being the largest feedback compo-nents.Among the feedback components,the total water vapor feedback is the largest(about 50%).The diagnosis alsogives a very small feedback of either the cloud cover or the lapse rate,which is substantially different from the 1-Dfeedback analysis by Hansen et al.(1984).The small lapse rate feedback is considered to be partly caused by theconvective adjustment scheme adopted by CCM1 model.The feedback effect for doubled CO_2 is very different from that of the addition of other trace gases because of theirdifferent vertical distributions of radiative forcing although the non-feedback responses of surface air temperature forboth cases are almost the same.For instance,the larger forcing at surface by the addition of other trace gases can causestronger surface albedo feedback than by doubled CO_2.Besides,because of the negative forcing of doubled CO_2 in thestratosphere,cloud height feedback is more intense.The larger surface forcing in the case of other trace gases can also in-fluence atmospheric water vapor amount as well as the water vapor distribution,which will in turn have strongerfeedback effects.All these indicate that it is incorrect to use“effective CO_2”to replace other trace gases in the generalcirculation model.     

Modern hot spring geochemistry at the Tanlu fault and Jiaoliao block in eastern China

The δD, δ¹⁸O values of the hot springs are always more negative than those of the local cold springs. The main cause for the ocrurrence is physically isotope fractionation during the deep circulating process of the groundwater. The relational expression between the δD, δ¹⁸O values and the maximum circulating depths of the groundwaters is given. The gases escaped from the geothermal fluid are mostly crust-derived gases in the studied area. The compressive structure of the Tanlu fault could extend to the deep crust, and basically stop the ascent of deep-seated gases towards the surface. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 49373165)     

近百年全球气候变暖的分析

本文对比分析了IPCC，Vinnikov，Jones及Hansen的北半球，南半球及全球共12个地面温度序列，以及中国的气温序列。资料为1880—1991年。近百年气候变暖的速度为0.5℃/100 a。温度的长期变化趋势占序列总方差60%以上。但气候变暖有突变性，在1890年代中，1920年代中及1970年代末有3次突然气候变暖。分析表明，总的变暖趋势与CO2浓度及太阳活动有密切关系。火山活动也可能有一定作用。但前两次突然变暖可能与火山活动沉寂有关。最后一次突然变暖则可能是温室效应加剧的结果。     

Measurements of selected C2-C5 hydrocarbons in the background troposphere: Vertical and latitudinal variations

Meridional cross sections of the concentration of light hydrocarbons are reported. They were obtained from 20. April to 10. May, 1980, during the French research flight STRATOZ II, and cover the latitudes between 60° N and 60° S and the altitudes between 800 mb and 200 mb. The mixing ratios of ethane, ethene, acetylene, propane, propene, n-butane, i-butane, n-pentane, and i-pentane range between 2.0 and 0.02 ppb. Globally, a decrease in concentration with increasing altitude and -in most cases-with decreasing latitude is observed. In addition the 2-dimensional concentration fields show structures of different scales. In particular, isolated maxima of high concentrations are found in the upper troposphere. They point to fast vertical transport between the boundary layer and the upper troposphere. In the present case these maxima seem to be correlated with large scale meteorological systems, such as low pressure regions or the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone. It is argued that the NMHC provide a set of tracers well suited to the detection of fast vertical transport.     

Monitoring of the integrated column of hydrogen fluoride above the Jungfraujoch Station since 1977 — the HF/HCl column ratio

The amount of hydrogen fluoride (HF) above the International Scientific Station of the Jungfraujoch (Switzerland) has been monitored during the last 8 years. The results deduced spectro-scopically from solar IR absorption measurements near 2.48 m indicate a cumulative trend equivalent to (8.5±1)% increase per year, as well as short-term variability which appears to be strongly correlated with meridional circulation patterns during the February–April months. Based on intensified measurements made over the last three years, it is found that the integrated content of HF undergoes a seasonal change with a minimum occurring in the fall. The HF/HCl ratio derived from simultaneous HF and HCl measurements was found equal to 0.15 during the period 1977–79, and 0.24 for the 1983–85 timespan.     

Optical measurement in the middle atmosphere

The various measurement techniques and general problems in remote orin situ optical measurement of atmospheric minor gases are described.     

Differences in the concentrations of atmospheric trace gases in and above the tropical boundary layer

Weekly air samples were collected at Cape Kumakahi (0 km) and at nearby Mauna Loa Observatory (3.4 km) which is above the boundary layer. EC/GC and GC/FID techniques were used to measure CH₃I, CHCl₃, CO and CH₄, which are largely natural in origin, and C₂Cl₄, CCl₄, CH₃, CCl₃, CCl₃F (F-11), CCl₂F₂ (F-12), CHClF₂ (F-22) and C₂F₃Cl₃ (F-113), which are due to anthropogenic activities. It was found that all these gases are significantly (0.05) more abundant in the boundary layer than above it.     

What do climate models tell us about global warming?

It has become widely accepted that an increase in the infrared optical depth of the atmosphere must lead to an increase in the global surface temperature. It is demonstrated here that this need not be so, implying a limited predictive capability for modern climate models.