Improved spatial delineation of streambed properties and water fluxes using distributed temperature sensing

A new method was developed for analysing and delineating streambed water fluxes, flow conditions and hydraulic properties using coiled fibre‐optic distributed temperature sensing or closely spaced discrete temperature sensors. This method allows for a thorough treatment of the spatial information embedded in temperature data by creating a matrix visualization of all possible sensor pairs. Application of the method to a 5‐day field dataset reveals the complexity of shallow streambed thermal regimes. To understand how velocity estimates are affected by violations of assumptions of one‐dimensional, saturated, homogeneous flow and to aid in the interpretation of field observations, the method was also applied to temperature data generated by numerical models of common field conditions: horizontal layering, presence of lateral flow and variable streambed saturation. The results show that each condition creates a distinct signature visible in the triangular matrices. The matrices are used to perform a comparison of the behaviour of one‐dimensional analytical heat‐tracing models. The results show that the amplitude ratio‐based method of velocity calculation leads to the most reliable estimates. The minimum sensor spacing required to obtain reliable velocity estimates with discrete sensors is also investigated using field data. The developed method will aid future heat‐tracing studies by providing a technique for visualizing and comparing results from fibre‐optic distributed temperature sensing installations and testing the robustness of analytical heat‐tracing models. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Isotope hydrological study of mean transit times in an alpine basin (Wimbachtal, Germany)

Measurements of tritium and ¹⁸O concentrations in precipitation and runoff were used to provide further insight into the groundwater storage properties of the Wimbachtal Valley, a catchment area of 33.4 km², extending between 636 and 2713 m a.s.l. in the Berchtesgaden Alps. The catchment includes three aquifer types: a dominant porous aquifer; a fractured dolomite; a karstic limestone aquifer. Employing a simple hydrological model, information about mean transit times of environmental tracers is derived for the groundwater runoff component and several karst springs from the application of the exponential and dispersion flow models to the isotopic input and output data. The mean transit times calculated from a dispersion model with transit times of 4.1 years for ¹⁸O and 4.2 years for tritium, which agree well, allow calculation of total (mobile + stagnant) groundwater storage volume, which is equivalent to 6.6 m of water depth. Direct runoff appears negligible as in many other cases.     

Nachweis der allgemeinen Gültigkeit des Gefrierkernspektrums

Zusammenfassung Durch weitere experimentelle Untersuchungen wird festgestellt, dass das an destillierten Wassertropfen ermittelte Gefrierkernspektrum von speziellen Versuchsbedingungen unabhängig ist und auch für Wasserarten mit verschiedenen natürlichen oder künstlichen Verunreinigungen gilt. Es kann ausserdem in allen bisher im Laboratorium und in der Atmosphäre durchgeführten Untersuchungen über die Eiskeimbildung nachgewiesen werden. Dieser Befund stützt als notwendige Bedingung die Deutung des Gefrierkernspektrums durch Strukturänderungen des Wassers und besagt, dass im Laboratorium und in der Atmosphäre dieselben Gefrierkerne vorhanden sind und dass bei der atmosphärischen Eiskeimbildung auch nur die aus Untersuchungen im Laboratorium bekannten Besonderheiten des Gefrieveorgangs (im unterkühlten Wasser) vorliegen.

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Summary Further experimental investigations demonstrate the «Gefrierkernspektrum», which was found for droplets from destilled water, to be independent from special experimental conditions and valid for sorts of water containing natural or artificial impurities, too. Furthermore it can be pointed out from all existing investigations on ice-nucleation, made in laboratory and in the atmosphere. This result supports, as a necessary condition, the interpretation of the «Gefrierkernspektrum» by means of changes in the structure of water itself and proves, that there are the same freezing nuclei both in the laboratory and the fre atmosphere and that ice-nucleation in the atmosphere holds but the same peculiarities of freezing (of supercooled water), known from laboratory work.

     

Size distributions of ambient air particles and enrichment factor analyses of metallic elements at Taichung Harbor near the Taiwan Strait

This work attempts to characterize metallic elements associated with atmospheric particulate matter on a dry deposition plate, a TE-PUF high-volume air sampler and a universal air sampler. Dry deposition fluxes of particulates and concentrations of total suspended particulate, fine (PM_2.5) and coarse (PM_2.5–10) particulate matters were collected at Taichung harbor sampling sites from August 2004 to January 2005. Chemical analyses of metallic elements were made using a flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer coupled with hollow cathode lamps. Concentrations of metal elements in the forms of coarse particles and fine particles as well as the coarse/fine particulate ratios were presented. Statistical methods such as correlation analysis, principal component analysis and enrichment factor analysis were performed to compare the chemical components and identify possible emission sources at the sampling sites. Metallic elements of Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr, Ni and Mg had higher EF_crust ratios in winter and spring than in summer and autumn. Diurnal and nocturnal variations of metallic element concentrations in fine and coarse particles were also discussed.     

Recent discoveries of supersoft X‐ray sources in M 31

Classical novae (CNe) have recently been reported to represent the major class of supersoft X‐ray sources (SSSs) in the central area of our neighbouring galaxy M 31. This paper presents a review of results from recent X‐ray observations of M 31 with XMM‐Newton and Chandra. We carried out a dedicated optical and X‐ray monitoring program of CNe and SSSs in the central area ofM 31. We discovered the first SSSs in M 31 globular clusters (GCs) and their connection to the very first discovered CN in a M 31 GC. This result may have an impact on the CN rate in GCs. Furthermore, in our optical and X‐ray monitoring data we discovered the CN M3 1N 2007‐11a, which shows a very short SSS phase of 29–52 days. Short SSS states (durations ≤ 100 days) of CNe indicate massive white dwarfs (WDs) that are candidate progenitors of supernovae type Ia. In the case of M31N 2007‐11a, the optical and X‐ray light curves suggest a binary containing a WD with M_WD > 1.0 M_⊙. Finally, we present the discovery of the SSS counterpart of the CN M31N 2006‐04a. The X‐ray light curve of M31N 2006‐04a shows short‐time variability, which might indicate an orbital period of about 2 hours (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Spatial and temporal changes in dry-snow line altitude on the Antarctic Peninsula

Drastic changes were detected in glacial systems of the Antarctic Peninsula in the last decades. The observed phenomena comprise the disintegration of ice shelves, acceleration and thinning of glaciers, and retreat of glacier fronts. However, due to the lack of consistent systematic observations in particular of the higher parts of the glacial systems, it is difficult to predict further responses of the Antarctic Peninsula glaciers to climatic change. The present paper analyses spatial and temporal variations of changes in the dry-snow line altitude on the Antarctic Peninsula as extracted from a time series (1992–2005) of ERS-1/2 SAR and Envisat ASAR data. Upward changes in dry-snow line altitude were observed in general, and are attributed to extreme high-temperature events impacting the central plateaus of the Antarctic Peninsula and the increasing duration of warming periods. A mean decrease in dry-snow line altitude was detected on the west side of the peninsula and is identified as a response to recorded increase in precipitation and accumulation. These results validate the capability of SAR data for deriving superficial parameters of glaciers to be used as indicators of climatic changes in high-latitude regions where operational restrictions limit conventional meteorological observations.     

Investigation of the thermal regime and subsurface properties of a tidally affected,variably saturated streambed

Temperature and moisture content in the variably saturated subsurface are two of the most important physical parameters that govern a wide variety of geochemical and ecological processes. An understanding of thermal and hydraulic processes and properties of transient vadose zones is therefore fundamental in the evaluation of such processes. Here, an investigation of the thermal regime and subsurface properties of a tidally affected, variably saturated streambed is presented. Field and laboratory measurements, as well as a forward numerical model, are jointly employed in the investigation. Temperature, soil moisture, surface level, and water level data were recorded in a transect perpendicular to a tidally driven stream. Frequency‐domain analysis of the subsurface temperature measurements revealed the rapid decay of the tidal temperature driver within the top ～30 cm of sediment. Several techniques were used to evaluate subsurface thermal and hydraulic properties, including thermal conductivity and the soil water retention curve. These properties were used to constrain a forward numerical model that included coupled treatment of relevant variable saturation thermal and hydraulic physics. Even though the investigated vadose zone is intermittent and relatively shallow ( 20 cm), the results illustrate how error can be introduced into heat‐transport calculations if unsaturated conditions are not taken into account.