Modelling Salt Intrusion and Nitrate Concentrations in the Ythan Estuary

A one-dimensional salt intrusion model is used to investigate the hydrography of the Ythan estuary, a small shallow macrotidal estuary in the north-east of Scotland. The model simulates the longitudinal distributions of water level, salinity and total oxidized nitrogen (TON) in the estuary. The model employs upstream differencing and the Smolarkiewicz anti-diffusion scheme to avoid the numerical difficulties typically encountered when modelling strong tidal flows using centred differences. The physical mechanisms driving the simulations are the tide at the entrance to the estuary and freshwater discharge at the head. The model was calibrated against measurements of water level made at three locations in the estuary, salinity observations made at a central platform and axial salinity distributions. At both spring and neap tides, the full range of salinity observed at the central platform was simulated. However, at the midway stage between springs and neaps, the simulated peak salinity was less than that observed. This was probably due to the sensitivity of the model to the digitisation of the estuarine bathymetry.The model successfully simulated salinity distributions for periods of high and low river flow, and was used to illustrate how TON concentrations fluctuated in response to variations in river flow. The potential implications of variations in the bathymetry of the estuary on salinity and nutrient distributions were predicted to be slight. However, the four fold increase in riverine TON concentrations that has occurred over the past 30 years was shown to increase TON distributions along the entire length of the estuary. The calculated estuary flushing time was strongly dependent on river flow and varied between 11–60 h.     

Tidal influence on the hydrodynamics of the French Guiana continental shelf

This study investigates the circulation on the French Guiana continental shelf under tidal influence. Indeed, hydrodynamics are characterised by a weak salinity tongue located in the middle of the shelf and induced by the Amazon River, a coastal current flowing from the southeast, and a tidal standing wave whose co-range lines are parallel to the coast.     

Heritage and landscape change: Recording,archiving and engaging with photogrammetry on the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site

The Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site is a landscape defined by change and process. As such, the approach to its heritage must be similarly flexible and active. A balance must be found between celebrating these processes of change, whilst also conserving those invaluable discoveries and features that so define this coast, as well as encouraging ongoing research and public engagement. This delicate task can be aided firstly by thinking about this geologically defined World Heritage Site as a landscape. In this way it is possible to develop rich and nuanced narratives between the human and geological. Secondly, by embracing new technologies and methodologies to record, archive and communicate features and finds, as well as the process of change itself. Here, we explore these ideas through two unique sites of geological and palaeontological interest discovered in the process of quarrying. To balance keeping the sites open to the public with the risk of natural and human damage to the sites, Structure-from-Motion photogrammetry was used to create accurate, high-resolution, georeferenced 3D models. The process and potentials of the technique are discussed, alongside a discussion of the broader ideas of heritage and approaches already at play on this coastline.     

Resonance in rocks: Building a sustainable learning and engagement programme for the Jurassic Coast

World Heritage Sites have a duty, through educational and information programmes, to strengthen appreciation and respect by their peoples of the cultural and natural heritage of that site. The Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site (JCWHS) showcases nearly 185 million years of Earth’s history across 95 miles of coast and exemplifies some of the most spectacular rocks, fossils and landforms in the world. However, imparting these values to non-specialist audiences of all ages, abilities and needs provides unique challenges and opportunities. A critical factor for success in addressing such a wide audience is ensuring that content is relevant, meaningful and focused on the expectations of the end user. In this paper we present our learning framework that is based around two approaches. Firstly, we map out the needs and expectations of each of our four core audience groups and set out guidelines for who we should aim our content at and how that should be delivered. Secondly, we set out three pathways (Inspire, Curious and Motivated) through which a person may choose to engage with the Jurassic Coast. We argue that if our tailored content and experiences can resonate with a person at an emotional and intellectual level, they will ultimately become devoted to the Jurassic Coast. Through empowering a community of people who understand and appreciate the geoheritage of the Jurassic Coast, they can become advocates and champions for its protection and conservation in the future.     

基于区际经济联系的海峡西岸经济区空间整合研究

引入区域间相互作用的引力模型,以海峡西岸经济区作为研究对象,测算出城市间的经济联系强度,并用对应的航空、公路和铁路客运联系资料进行验证,得出海峡西岸经济区内部的主要联系方向以及省际的主要联系方向。研究结果表明,海峡西岸经济区内部的经济联系主要集中在东部的海峡西岸城市群;而海峡西岸经济区的省际经济联系方向仍然是长江三角洲和珠江三角洲地区,所得结论与实际基本吻合。     

Community cooperation with natural flood management: a case study in the Scottish Borders

The cooperation of communities and landowners in the upper catchment is vital for the successful implementation of natural flood management (NFM) projects as few incentives are in place to reward them to host such projects. The aim of this paper is to initiate an exploration of the issues that affect a community's decision to cooperate. The results of a case study in Scotland show that willingness to cooperate is affected by concern about alternative flood management techniques, a sense of responsibility to help connected communities at risk of flooding and the expectation of beneficial impacts from the project. Indeed, these issues appeared to over-ride the hostility generated towards the project as a result of poor communication and engagement with the community from organisations associated with the proposed project. The results of the research suggest that if NFM projects are to proliferate, close attention must be paid to community attitudes towards flood management and related communities at risk, and that NFM projects must be developed and implemented according to well-established principles of public participation.     

Assessing the responses of coastal cetaceans to the construction of offshore wind turbines

The expansion of offshore renewables has raised concerns over potential disturbance to coastal cetaceans. In this study, we used passive acoustic monitoring to assess whether cetaceans responded to pile-driving noise during the installation of two 5 MW offshore wind turbines off NE Scotland in 2006. Monitoring was carried out at both the turbine site and a control site in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Harbour porpoises occurred regularly around the turbine site in all years, but there was some evidence that porpoises did respond to disturbance from installation activities. We use these findings to highlight how uncertainty over cetacean distribution and the scale of disturbance effects constrains opportunities for B-A-C-I studies. We explore alternative approaches to assessing the impact of offshore wind farm upon cetaceans, and make recommendations for the research and monitoring that will be required to underpin future developments.     

Discussion of ‘Oceanographic and eustatic control of carbonate platform evolution and sequence stratigraphy on the Cretaceous (Valanginian–Campanian) passive margin,northern Gulf of Mexico’ by Phelps et al. (2014), Sedimentology, 61, 461–496

Errors in Phelps et al. ( 2014 ) arise from: (i) inclusion of the East Texas Basin and basin‐flank formations in a regional stratigraphic transect purported to represent the San Marcos Arch (axis of the Comanche Platform, central and south Texas); and (ii) revision of Edwards Group strata (Person Formation) that ignores well‐documented studies in the subsurface and adjacent outcrops in the Balcones fault zone and Edwards Plateau. Consequently, the Upper Albian Composite Sequence 104–101 of Phelps et al. ( 2014 ) should be revised from one cycle to three and the upper boundary of the Albian Supersequence should be elevated to 99·6 Ma.     

Metamorphism at a late Mesozoic accretionary margin: a study from the Coast Belt of the North American Cordillera

The late Mesozoic and Cenozoic metamorphic evolution of the western North American continental margin is recorded in a belt of homogeneous metapelitic rocks, the Kluane metamorphic assemblage (KMA), in the northern Coast Belt of Yukon Territory. A record of Late Cretaceous medium‐pressure and ‐temperature (c. 7 kbar, 500 °C) metamorphism, M1, is preserved in Ca‐rich garnet and Na‐rich plagioclase cores in rocks that were little affected by later events. M1 was synchronous with mylonitization and is attributed to accretion of the KMA to the ancient continental margin. Isothermal decompression during rapid uplift was followed by early Eocene emplacement of the Ruby Range Batholith (RRB), part of a magmatic arc produced by subduction of the Kula plate. The intrusion of the RRB led to a contact metamorphic overprint, M2, producing a 5–6 km wide aureole in which the grade ranges from subgarnet zone to garnet–cordierite–K‐feldspar zone. Pressure and temperature estimates for M2, calculated from mineral equilibria, are 3.5–4.5 kbar and 530–720 °C, generally consistent with the stability limits of the observed mineral assemblages. Comparison of mineral assemblages and P–T conditions in the KMA with those in the Mclaren Glacier metamorphic belt in Alaska does not support the correlation of the two metamorphic sequences. This weakens the hypothesis proposing 400 km of dextral slip along the Denali fault zone.     

Variations in the pattern and rate of isostatic uplift indicated by a comparison of Holocene sea-level curves from Scotland

Differences in the timing of maxima and minima and shape between sea-level curves from the western Forth valley, lower Strathearn, inner Moray Firth and eastern Solway Firth areas of Scotland are interpreted as being due to differences in isostatic uplift and different methodologies used to interpret the basic data. Possible changes in the relative rates of uplift between areas suggest that the practice of applying the western Forth ‘model’ of relative sea-level change to other parts of Scotland must be questioned.