Food security,remoteness and consolidation of supermarket distribution centres: Factors contributing to food pricing inequalities across Queensland,Australia

There is a clear association between food prices, affordability and issues of food security. Australian food supply chains have lengthened in recent years in response to consolidation policies of the dominant supermarkets, which have reduced the number of distribution centres in order to maximise economic efficiencies. This study presents a spatial analysis of a healthy food basket survey undertaken across Queensland, Australia in order to identify the primary determinants of food pricing. Ambiguity in the academic literature on this subject is largely due to limitations of the utilised methods. Our results indicate that food price variability is directly related to the type of store surveyed, and the distance of the surveyed store to the supermarket distribution centres in Brisbane, or urban centres on the east coast of Australia. Population size of towns and the level of social disadvantage observed in communities were indirect determinants of food prices. Therefore, in order to lessen the disadvantage already encountered by communities located in outer regional and remote areas who pay increasingly more for food than their urban counterparts, policy interventions need to move beyond subsiding food costs and consider the relationship between fuel prices and the lengthening of dominant food supply chains, in addition to the capacity of local supply chains.     

Monitoring the TOPEX and Jason-1 Microwave Radiometers with GPS and VLBI Wet Zenith Path Delays

Monitoring of altimeter microwave radiometer measurements is necessary in order to identify radiometer drifts or offsets that if uncorrected will introduce systematic errors into ocean height measurements. To examine TOPEX Microwave Radiometer (TMR) and Jason-1 Microwave Radiometer (JMR) behavior, we have used coincident wet zenith delay estimates from Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) and Global Positioning System (GPS) geodetic sites near altimeter ground tracks. We derived a TMR path delay drift rate of -1.1 ± 0.1 mm/yr using GPS data for the period from 1993.0-1999.0 and -1.2 ± 0.5 mm/yr using VLBI data. Thereafter, the drift appears to have leveled off. Already after 2.3 years (82 cycles) of the Jason-1 mission, it is clear that there have been significant systematic errors in the JMR path delay measurements. From comparison with GPS wet delays, there is an offset of -5.2 ± 0.6 mm at about cycle 30 and a more abrupt offset of -11.5 ± 0.8 mm at cycle 69. If we look at the behavior of the JMR coldest brightness temperatures, we see that the offsets near cycle 30 and cycle 69 are mainly caused by corresponding offsets in the 23.8 GHz channel of -0.49 ± 0.12 K and -1.18 ± 0.13 K, although there is a small 34.0 GHz offset at cycle 69 of 0.75 ± 0.22 K. Drifts in the 18.0 and 34.0 GHz channels produce a small path delay drift of 0.3 ± 0.5 mm/yr.     

Assessment of wind-forcing impact on a global wind-wave model using the TOPEX altimeter

The study presents assessment of an operational wave model (Wavewatch III), focusing upon the model sensitivity to wind-forcing products. Four wind fields are used to drive the model, including the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis and three other products that assimilate various satellite wind measurements having high spatial resolution, including the QuikSCAT scatterometer. Three wave field statistics: significant wave height, mean zero-crossing wave period, and mean square slope are compared with collocated TOPEX altimeter derivatives to gauge the relative skill of differing wind-forced model runs, as well as to demonstrate an extended use of the altimeter beyond simply supplying wave height for wave model validation and assimilation. Results suggest that model output is critically sensitive to choice of the wind field product. Higher spatial resolution in the wind fields does lead to improved agreement for the higher-order wave statistics.     

Characterization of Global Mean Sea Level Variations Observed by TOPEX/POSEIDON Using Empirical Orthogonal Functions

The TOPEX/POSEIDON (T/P) satellite altimeter mission has provided estimates of global mean sea level since late 1992 with a precision of approximately 4 mm. Over the first 3.5 years of the mission, T/P has observed a mean sea level rise of +0.5 mm/year when on-board estimates of the instrument drift are employed (and after correcting for a recently discovered software error), and +2.8 mm/year when an additional external tide gauge-based calibration estimate is used. A preliminary estimate of the error in the latter estimate is 1.3 mm/year, however this issue requires more research. Characterization of the observed sea level variations using Empirical Orthogonal Functions (EOFs) indicates that most of the mean sea level rise can be described by a single mode of the EOF expansion. The spatial characteristics of this mode suggests it is related to the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomena. EOF analysis of sea level variations from the Semtner/Chervin ocean circulation model reveal a nearly identical mode, although its effect on mean sea level is unknown due to a constant volume constraint used in the model. EOF analysis of measured sea surface temperature (SST) variations also show a mode with similar temporal and spatial structure. However, the concentration of the observed sea level rise in this mode does not preclude the possibility that multiple phenomena have contributed to this mode, thus a link between the observed sea level rise and the ENSO phenomena is only weakly suggested. The absolute value of the observed mean sea level rise will depend on refinements currently being made in the instrument calibration techniques. In addition, the possibility of interannual and decadal variations of global mean sea level requires that a much longer time series of satellite altimetry be collected before variations caused by climate change can be unambiguously detected.     

Estimated SLR station position and network frame sensitivity to time-varying gravity

This paper evaluates the sensitivity of ITRF2008-based satellite laser ranging (SLR) station positions estimated weekly using LAGEOS-1/2 data from 1993 to 2012 to non-tidal time-varying gravity (TVG). Two primary methods for modeling TVG from degree-2 are employed. The operational approach applies an annual GRACE-derived field, and IERS recommended linear rates for five coefficients. The experimental approach uses low-order/degree $4\times 4$ coefficients estimated weekly from SLR and DORIS processing of up to 11 satellites (tvg4x4). This study shows that the LAGEOS-1/2 orbits and the weekly station solutions are sensitive to more detailed modeling of TVG than prescribed in the current IERS standards. Over 1993–2012 tvg4x4 improves SLR residuals by 18 % and shows 10 % RMS improvement in station stability. Tests suggest that the improved stability of the tvg4x4 POD solution frame may help clarify geophysical signals present in the estimated station position time series. The signals include linear and seasonal station motion, and motion of the TRF origin, particularly in Z. The effect on both POD and the station solutions becomes increasingly evident starting in 2006. Over 2008–2012, the tvg4x4 series improves SLR residuals by 29 %. Use of the GRGS RL02 $50\times 50$ series shows similar improvement in POD. Using tvg4x4, secular changes in the TRF origin Z component double over the last decade and although not conclusive, it is consistent with increased geocenter rate expected due to continental ice melt. The test results indicate that accurate modeling of TVG is necessary for improvement of station position estimation using SLR data.     

Nutrients in an oligotrophic boundary current: Evidence of a new role for the Leeuwin Current

New observations along the continental shelf of Western Australia provide a novel explanation for the established ∼60 years relationship between Leeuwin Current (LC) strength and greater winter nitrate concentrations at 32°S plus the inter-annual variation in the magnitude of the annual, shelf-scale, phytoplankton bloom. The potential source of dissolved nitrogen to support the annual shelf scale phytoplankton bloom was identified as thin layers of an unprecedented areal extent, nitrate concentration and shallow nature that were observed off the northwest of Australia. We propose that the dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) in these layers enters the LC at depth and then enters the euphotic zone via by three mechanisms: instability that results in a warm core eddy, cooling that deepens the surface mixed layer and shallowing of the thin layer. During the onset of the annual phytoplankton bloom along the west coast of Australia from 22°S to 34°S the poleward flowing LC was clearly evident as a surface intensified ocean boundary current transporting warmer, lower-salinity, greater-silicate waters in a shallow mixed layer rapidly southward. Between 24 and 26°S the core of the LC was present as a 50–100 m deep layer over one or more thin layers, 15–50 m thick, with high nitrate and low dissolved oxygen (DO). These layers were of lower salinity, cooler water with markedly reduced DO, high nitrate concentrations and distinct nitrate:silicate (NO₃:Si(OH)₄) nutrient ratios. As the LC flowed south it cooled and deepened thereby entraining the thin layers of high nitrate water into the euphotic zone. The LC also formed large (greater than 100 km diameter) warm core eddies with a deep surface mixed layer that also entrained nitrate from these thin layers. In some locations as far south as 32°S the LC was still present with the thin layer of high nitrate intact but now within the euphotic zone. Thus, the available evidence suggests the LC arises under conditions that favour rapid and shallow nitrification. This nitrification fuels a shelf-scale bloom on a downwelling favourable coast. Depending upon the rate of nitrification the source of the particular organic matter may be local or delivered from the tropics via horizontal advection in a subsurface layer of the LC.     

Assessing the long-term impact of climatic variability and human activities on the water resources of a meso-scale Mediterranean catchment

Abstract

This article addresses the critical need for a better quantitative understanding of how water resources from the Hérault River catchment in France have been influenced by climate variability and the increasing pressure of human activity over the last 50 years. A method is proposed for assessing the relative impacts of climate and growing water demand on the decrease in discharge observed at various gauging stations in the periods 1961–1980 and 1981–2010. An annual water balance at the basin scale was calculated first, taking into account precipitation, actual evapotranspiration, water withdrawals and water discharge. Next, the evolution of the seasonal variability in hydroclimatic conditions and water withdrawals was studied. The catchment was then divided into zones according to the main geographical characteristics to investigate the heterogeneity of the climatic and human dynamics. This delimitation took into account the distribution of climate, topography, lithology, land cover and water uses, as well as the availability of discharge series. At the area scale, annual water balances were calculated to understand the internal changes that occurred in the catchment between both past periods. The decrease in runoff can be explained by the decrease in winter precipitation in the upstream areas and by the increase during summer in both water withdrawals and evapotranspiration in the downstream areas, mainly due to the increase in temperature. Thus, water stress increased in summer by 35%. This work is the first step of a larger research project to assess possible future changes in the capacity to satisfy water demand in the Hérault River catchment, using a model that combines hydrological processes and water demand.

Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz     

Negative Bias and Increased Variability in VOC Concentrations Using the HydraSleeve in Monitoring Wells

The HydraSleeve is a sampling device for collecting groundwater from the screened interval of a monitoring well without purging that uses a check valve to take in water over the first 3 to 5 feet of an upward pulling motion. If the check valve does not perform as expected, then the HydraSleeve has the potential to collect water from an incorrect depth interval, possibly above the screened interval of the well. We have evaluated volatile organic chemical (VOC) results from groundwater samples collected with the HydraSleeve sampler compared to other methods for sampling monitoring wells at three sites. At all three sites, lower VOC concentration results were observed for samples collected using the HydraSleeve. At two of these three sites, the low concentration sample results were most strongly associated with monitoring wells with more than 10 feet of water above the monitoring well‐screened interval. At the site with the largest dataset, the median bias for samples collected with HydraSleeve was ?20% (p < 0.001). At this site, a bias of ?26% (p < 0.001) was observed for the subset of monitoring wells with greater than 10 feet of water above the screened interval compared to a bias of ?7% (p = 0.21) for wells screened across the top of the water table. In addition to lower VOC concentrations, the monitoring records obtained using the HydraSleeve were more variable compared to monitoring records obtained using purge sampling methods, a characteristic that would make it more difficult to determine the long‐term concentration trend in the well.