The South East Regional Marine Plan: Implementing Australia's Oceans Policy

In 1998, the Australian Government released Australia's Oceans Policy (AOP), a world first policy initiative focused on providing a framework for integrated ecosystem-based management of Australia's vast marine domain. The South East Regional Marine Plan, the first regional marine plan to be implemented under AOP, was released on 21 May 2004. This paper argues that although full integration across sectors and jurisdictions has not occurred, new AOP initiatives, institutions and governance processes have considerably increased sectoral and jurisdictional coordination in the South East region.     

Dissolved Humic Substances Can Directly Affect Freshwater Organisms

Direct effects of pure humic substance (BS1 FA) on three different aquatic organisms (Ceratophyllum demersum, Dreissena polymorpha, and Chaetogammarus ischnus) were demonstrated in this study. Exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations (0.5 mg/L) of this humic substance led to the activation of the microsomal and soluble glutathione S‐transferase (GST) in Ceratophyllum demersum. Exposure to 3‐chlorobiphenyl showed also an elevation of GST activity, which is due to the proposed detoxication metabolism of these chlorinated biphenyl. Coexposure to a mixture of 3‐chlorobiphenyl and BS1 FA showed a reduction of enzyme elevation, but still significant over an untreated control. The direct impact of humic substances seems not to be restricted to a specific class of organisms.     

Numerical weather prediction relevant to the monsoon problem

In this short paper we have identified some of the modelling groups that have the capability of simulating or carrying out short range numerical weather prediction over the monsoon belt. We have next outlined some of the important and desirable ingredients for a multilevel primitive equation model over the tropics, with most of the emphasis on the present version of Florida State University's Tropical Prediction Model. Finally, we present briefly some important results based on the present version of our prediction models that relate to the NWP efforts over the monsoon belt. Here we have identified the importance of mountains, convection, the radiative heating balance of the earth's surface, and the planetary boundary layer over the Arabian Sea.     

Mapping block-and-ash flow hazards based on Titan 2D simulations: a case study from Mt. Taranaki,NZ

Numerical models for simulation of mass flows are typically focussed upon accurately predicting the paths, travel times and inundation from a single flow or collapse event. When considering catchment-based hazards from a volcano, this is complicated by often being faced with several possible scenarios. Over the last 800 years at Mt. Taranaki/Egmont, a number of dome growth and collapse events have resulted in the genesis and emplacement of block-and-ash flows (BAFs). Each BAF was directed northwestward by a breach in the crater rim. The latest dome collapse events in the AD 1880s and AD 1755 inundated the northwestern flank and had run-out lengths 10 km from source. Future activity of this type could have a devastating effect on the Taranaki region’s communities, infrastructure and economy. Hazard planning has involved constructing volcanic hazard maps based upon the areas inundated by past volcanic flows, with little consideration of present-day topography. Here, a numerical geophysical mass flow modelling approach is used to forecast the hazards of future comparable BAF events on NW Mt. Taranaki. The Titan2D programme encompasses a “shallow water”, continuum solution-based, granular flow model. Flow mechanical properties needed for this approach include estimates of internal and basal friction as well as the physical dimensions of the initial collapse. Before this model can be applied to Taranaki BAFs, the input parameters must be calibrated by simulating a range of past collapse events. By using AD 1860 and AD 1755 scenarios, initial collapse volumes can be well constrained and internal and basal friction angles can be evaluated through an iterative approach from previous run-out lengths. A range of possible input parameters was, therefore, determined to produce a suite of potentially inundated areas under present-day terrain. A suite of 10 forecasts from a uniformly distributed range were combined to create a map of relative probabilities of inundation by future BAF events. These results were combined in a GIS package to produce hazard zones related to user-specified hazard thresholds. Using these input parameter constraints, future hazard forecasts for this scale and type of event can also take into account changing summit and topographic configurations following future eruptive or collapse events.     

Accretion disc in the massive V448 Cygni system

The UBV light curves of the early-type eclipsing binary V448 Cygni, obtained at the Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory from 1964 to 1967, are re-analysed here. The analysis was made assuming the presence of an accretion disc in the system, as inferred from the light-curve shape and spectroscopic characteristics of the system. The Roche model of a binary was used, containing a geometrically and optically thick accretion disc around the hotter and more massive star. By solving the inverse problem, the orbital elements and the physical parameters of the system components and of the accretion disc were estimated. This result is important for understanding the star formation and evolution processes in the systems with massive components.     

Eruption episodes and magma recharge events in andesitic systems: Mt Taranaki,New Zealand

Eruption episodes, where a series of eruption events are generically related, can include the eruption of a wide spectrum of volcanic activity over decadal periods. This paper concentrates on the opening phases of an eruption episode which occurred approximately 1800 yrs BP from Mt Taranaki, New Zealand. These events spanned the eruption of differing bulk compositions and styles from two distinct vent locations; an andesitic sub-plinian eruption from the summit vent and a scoria cone-building eruption of basaltic magma from a satellite vent. Compositional profiles and zoning textures of plagioclase, amphibole and clinopyroxene phenocrysts from the opening andesitic event show evidence of magma mixing and subsequent crystallisation just prior to the initiation of the eruption episode. Titanomagnetite grain morphology and Ti variation suggest that the magma mixing event occurred within a few days to weeks before the eruption acting as a trigger for it. We present a magmatic model which is constrained by the petrological observations and eruptions of the episode. In this model magma differentiation at depth causes its rise and recharging of a mid-crustal magma storage area at 5–7 km. Although the recharging magma differed slightly in oxygen fugacity and temperature, it was compositionally and physically similar enough to the residing andesitic magma to allow efficient mixing. The petrological characteristics described here can be readily observed and enable identification of mixing events in other recent eruption episodes.     

Dust attenuation in starburst galaxies determined by measuring the dependence of the optical color indices on galaxy inclination

We use optical color indices (colors) from the SDSS database to study the effect of dust in starburst galaxies by mea‐suring the dependence of colors on galaxy inclination. Starburst galaxies with ongoing star formation, are rich with metals/dust and are, therefore, an excellent objects for studying the effect of dust in galaxies. They are selected using the [O III ]λ 5007/Hα vs. [N II ]λ 6584/Hβ diagram, that is, the BPT‐diagram. We use Kauffmann's empirical demarcation line in the BPT‐diagram to exclude galaxies with active galactic nuclei (AGN) from the sample because they have different physical and dust properties from normal galaxies. The sample is divided into bins according to galaxy stellar mass and 4000 Å break (which is a coarse measure of a galaxy star formation history; SFH) and the reddening with inclination is studied as a function of these two physical parameters. Assuming that the dust effect is negligible in the SDSS z ‐band, we derive the attenuation curves for these galaxies. We fit the attenuation curves with a simple power law and use power law index to interpret the relative distribution of dust and stars in the starburst galaxies (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Late Pleistocene and Holocene depositional systems and the palaeogeography of the Dogger Bank, North Sea

3D seismic data from the Dogger Bank, North Sea, allow the mapping of Late Pleistocene and Holocene depositional systems in unprecedented detail. The data demonstrate that glacial processes resulted in the development of incised tunnel valley systems during the Weichselian and that these were subsequently modified by fluvial processes in a pro-glacial setting. Subsequently, the Dogger Bank formed an emergent plain during the Holocene with a complex meandering river system, associated tributary or distributary channels and lakes, dominating the region. Prior to the sea level rising sufficiently to submerge the Dogger Bank around 7500 yr ago, the meandering river system was replaced by a dendritic channel network of potential fluvial, estuarine or intertidal origin. As the Holocene depositional features bear no systematic relationship to the bathymetry this study demonstrates that previously published bathymetry-based models for the Holocene palaeogeographic development of the North Sea require modification.