Regional Sources of Methyl Chloride, Chloroform and Dichloromethane Identified from AGAGE Observations at Cape Grim, Tasmania, 1998–2000

There are large uncertainties in identifying and quantifying the natural and anthropogenic sources of chloromethanes – methyl chloride (CH₃Cl), chloroform (CHCl₃) and dichloromethane (CH₂Cl₂), which are responsible for about 15% of the total chlorine in the stratosphere. We report two years of in situ observations of these species from the AGAGE (Advanced Global Atmospheric Gas Experiment) program at Cape Grim, Tasmania (41° S, 145° E). The average background levels of CH₃Cl, CHCl₃ and CH₂Cl₂ during 1998–2000 were 551± 8, 6.3± 0.2 and 8.9± 0.2 ppt (dry air mole fractions expressed in parts per 10¹²) respectively, with a two-year average amplitude of the seasonal cycles in background air of 25, 1.1 and 1.5 ppt respectively. The CH₃Cl and CHCl₃ records at Cape Grim show clear episodes of elevated mixing ratios up to 1300 ppt and 55 ppt respectively, which are highly correlated, suggesting common source(s). Trajectory analyses show that the sources of CH₃Cl and CHCl₃ that are responsible for these elevated observations are located in coastal-terrestrial and/or coastal-seawater regions in Tasmania and the south-eastern Australian mainland. Elevated levels of CH₂Cl₂ (up to 70 ppt above background) are associated mainly with emissions from the Melbourne/Port Phillip region, a large urban/industrial complex (population 3.5 million) 300 km north of Cape Grim.Now at the Centre for Atmospheric ChemistryNow at School of Environmental Sciences     

Identification of Regional Sources of Methyl Bromide and Methyl Iodide from AGAGE Observations at Cape Grim,Tasmania

There are large uncertainties in identifying and quantifying the globally significant sources and sinks of methyl bromide (CH₃Br) and methyl iodide (CH₃I). Long-term, quasi-continuous observations can provide valuable information about their regional sources, which may be significant in the global context. We report 3 years of in situobservations of these trace gases from the AGAGE (Advanced Global Atmospheric Gas Experiment) program at Cape Grim, Tasmania (41 °S, 145 °E). The average background levels of CH₃Br and CH₃I during March 1998–March 2001 were 8.05 and 1.39 ppt (dry air mole fractions expressed in parts per 10¹²), respectively. The CH₃Br background data showed little seasonal variability. Trajectory analyses reveal that air masses showing elevated CH₃Br levels at Cape Grim have had significant contact with coastal-terrestrial and/or coastal-seawater and/or urban source regions. The CH₃I background data showed a seasonal cycle with a 3-year average amplitude of 0.47 ppt and maximum concentrations in summer, suggesting that the Southern Ocean is a significant source.Trajectory analyses reveal that air masses showing highly elevated CH₃I levels at Cape Grim have had significant contact with coastal-terrestrial and/or coastal-seawater regions and/or the open-ocean regions of Bass Strait and the Tasman Sea.     

AGAGE Observations of Methyl Bromide and Methyl Chloride at Mace Head, Ireland, and Cape Grim, Tasmania, 1998–2001

In situ AGAGE GC-MS measurements of methyl bromide (CH₃Br) and methyl chloride (CH₃Cl) at Mace Head, Ireland and Cape Grim, Tasmania (1998–2001) reveal a complex pattern of sources. At Mace Head both gases have well-defined seasonal cycles with similar average annual decreases of 3.0% yr⁻¹ (CH₃Br) and 2.6% yr⁻¹ (CH₃Cl), and mean northern hemisphere baseline mole fractions of 10.37 ± 0.05 ppt and 535.7 ± 2.2 ppt, respectively. We have used a Lagrangian dispersion model and local meteorological data to segregate the Mace Head observations into different source regions, and interpret the results in terms of the known sources and sinks of these two key halocarbons. At Cape Grim CH₃Br and CH₃Cl also show annual decreases in their baseline mixing ratios of 2.5% yr⁻¹ and 1.5% yr⁻¹, respectively. Mean baseline mole fractions were 7.94 ± 0.03 ppt (CH₃Br) and 541.3 ± 1.1 ppt (CH₃Cl). Although CH₃Cl has astrong seasonal cycle there is no well-defined seasonal cycle in the Cape Grim CH₃Br record. The fact that both gases are steadily decreasing in the atmosphere at both locations implies that a change has occurred which is affecting a common, major source of both gases (possibly biomass burning) and/or their major sink process (destruction by hydroxyl radical).     

Combined processing of seismic reflection and borehole measurements in the Moroccan basin offshore NW-Africa at DSDP-site 416

The Ocean Drilling Program (ODP), and its predecessor DSDP, collected a unique data set which can be used to verify fundamental hypotheses on the origin and constitution of the oceanic crust.The combination of geophysical surface- and boreholemeasurements with geological and petrological probing requires a multidisciplinary approach.In this respect, the purpose of this paper is to show the possibilities of reflection seismic data to support stratigraphic interpretation. The data used in this investigation come from one of the prime targets of German ODP-research, namely the Moroccan basin offshore NW-Africa. Drill Site 416 and two multichannel seismic profiles were at our disposal. The punctuate information on physical rock properties and logging results at Site 416 were processed to appear comparable with the seismic profiles. Computation of synthetic seismograms using borehole data as input (forward modelling) allowed to associate reflection horizons with geological boundaries. Calculation of pseudo-velocity logs from reflection profiles (inverse modelling), calibrated by the borehole measurements, enables us to extend the local information of the drill site into a wider area. Although reconnaissance surveys within ODP-programs do not produce a data set comparable in quantity and quality with commercial seismic exploration campaigns, they present an excellent opportunity to use quantitative modelling techniques to understand the origin of the seismic record in a specific region and to examine the potential of seismic stratigraphy as an important tool in marine geosciences.

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Zusammenfassung Das Ocean Drilling Project (ODP, früher DSDP) liefert einen einmaligen Datensatz, der für die Verifizierung von fundamentalen Hypothesen zur Entstehung und Zusammensetzung der ozeanischen Kruste dienen kann.Die Kombination von geophysikalischen Oberflächenund Bohrlochmessungen erfordert zusammen mit den geologischen und petrologischen Daten einen interdisziplinären Ansatz.In dieser Hinsicht möchte der folgende Artikel die Möglichkeiten aufzeigen, die seismische Daten für die Unterstützung einer stratigraphischen Interpretation bieten. Die Daten dieser Untersuchung stammen aus einem Hauptzielgebiet der deutschen ODP-Forschung, dem marokkanischen Becken westlich der NW-Küste Afrikas. Die DSDP-Bohrlokation 416 und zwei seismische Mehrkanal-Profile standen uns zur Verfügung. Die punktuelle Information über die physikalischen Gesteinseigenschaften und die Ergebnisse der Bohrlochmessungen des Site 416 wurden so bearbeitet, daß sie mit den seismischen Profilen vergleichbar sind. Die Berechnungen von synthetischen Seismogrammen mit den Bohrlochmessungen als Eingangsdaten (Vorwärtsmodellierung) erlaubt die Verbindung von Reflexionshorizonten mit geologischen Grenzen. Die Berechnung von Pseudo-Geschwindigkeitslogs, kalibriert an den Bohrlochmessungen, aus den reflexionsseismischen Profilen (inverses Modellieren), ermöglicht es, die lokale Information des Bohrlochs über einen größeren Bereich um das Bohrloch zu erweitern. Obwohl die Vorerkundungsarbeiten innerhalb des ODP-Projekts Daten erbringen, die in Quantität und Qualität nur eingeschränkt mit denen kommerzieller seismischer Explorationserkundungen vergleichbar sind, stellen sie eine hervorragende Möglichkeit zur Anwendung von quantitativen Modellierungstechniken dar, die zur Interpretation der Seismogramme der untersuchten Region beitragen und die Leistungsfähigkeit der seismischen Stratigraphie als ein wichtiges Werkzeug in den marinen Geowissenschaften zeigen.

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Résumé L' «Ocean Drilling Program» (ODP), comme son prédécesseur le DSDP, a récolté un ensemble unique de renseignements utilisables à la vérification des hypothèses fondamentales relatives à l'origine et à la constitution de la croûte océanique.La combinaison des mesures géophysiques, effectuées en surface et en sondage, avec les données géologiques et pétrologiques exige une approche pluridisciplinaire.A cet égard, l'objet de cette note est de montrer l'apport de la sismique — réflexion dans l'interprétation stratigraphique. Les données utilisées proviennent d'une des premières cibles du programme allemand ODP, à savoir le bassin marocain situé au large du NW de l'Afrique. Nous avons eu à notre disposition le sondage n 416, ainsi que deux profils sismiques multicanaux. Les informations ponctuelles sur les propriétés physiques des roches et les mesures effectuées dans le sondage 416 ont été traitées de manière à être comparables aux profils sismiques. Des séismogrammes synthétiques ont été calculés à partir des mesures faites dans le sondage (modélisation directe), ce qui a permis de corréler les réflecteurs avec les limites géologiques. Le calcul, à partir des profils «réflexion», de logs de pseudo-vitesse (modélisation inverse) calibrés par les mesures faites dans le sondage nous a permis d'étendre les informations locales fournies par le sondage à une aire plus étendue. Bien que les levés de reconnaissance que comporte le programme ODP ne fournissent pas un ensemble de données comparables en qualité et en quantité à celles d'une campagne d'exploration sismique commerciale, ils procurent néanmoins une excellente occasion d'appliquer les techniques de la modélisation quantitative à l'interprétation des enregistrements sismiques et de montrer les possibilités de l'outil important que constitue la stratigraphie sismique dans la géologie sous-marine.

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Forensic view on two Raspberry Shake burglargrams

Journal of Seismology - A steadily increasing number of citizen seismological stations, often located in populated areas, record a plethora of man-made events. These events are especially of...     

Seismic sources for shallow investigations: A field comparison from Northern Germany

A field test of 14 seismic P-wave sources was designed to show the capabilities of several sources for shallow subsurface investigations in the quaternary landscapes of Northern Germany. The sources included accelerated dropped weights, shallow blasts, a shotgun using blank cartridges and controlled signal sources. Local changes in subsurface conditions showed a strong influence on the recorded data, so it proved necessary to record up to 120 shots per source in order to get representative results and to compare not only single shot records but stacked sections as well. Reducing the geophone spacing to 1 m, it became possible to trace very local features like fluctuations in travel times or in the recorded amplitudes. The amplitude spectra of the recorded traces indicated energy at frequencies up to 200 Hz and showed remarkable spatial changes due to different subsurface conditions near the receiver locations. Changes in signal form and amplitude due to compacting effects were visible in the first four impacts of strong sources.