Estimates of non-tidal exchange transport between the Sea of Okhotsk and the North Pacific

The outflow from the Sea of Okhotsk to the North Pacific is important in characterising the surface-to-intermediate-depth water masses in the Pacific Ocean. The two basins are separated by the Kuril Islands with numerous straits, among which the Bussol and the Kruzenshterna Straits are deeper than 1000 m. The physics governing the transport between the two basins is complicated, but when the semidiurnal and diurnal tides are subtracted, the observed density and velocity structures across the Bussol Strait suggest a significant contribution from geostrophic balance. Using a two-layer model with the interface at 27.5σ _θ , part of the upper layer transport that is not driven by tides is estimated using two previously unexplored data sets: outputs from the Ocean General Circulation Model for Earth Simulator (OFES), and historical hydrographic data. The Pacific water flows into the Sea of Okhotsk through the northeastern straits. The greatest inflow is through the Kruzenshtern Strait, but the OFES results show that the contributions from other shallower straits are almost half of the Kruzenshtern inflow. Similarly, the outflow from the Sea of Okhotsk is through the southwestern straits of the Kuril Islands with the largest Bussol Strait contributing 60% of the total outflow. The OFES and hydrographic estimates agree that the exchange is strongest in February to March, with an inflow of about −6 to −12 Sv (negative indicates the flow from the North Pacific, 1 Sv = 10⁶ m³s⁻¹), and an outflow from the Sea of Okhotsk of about +8 to +9 Sv (positive indicates the flow from the Sea of Okhotsk), which is weakest in summer (−3 to +1 Sv through the northeastern straits and +0 to +3 Sv through the southwestern straits). The estimated seasonal variation is consistent with a simple analytic model driven by the difference in sea surface height between the two basins.     

Estimation of snow ablation under a dust layer covering a wide range of albedo

Ablation processes of snow under a thin dust cover are complicated compared with those under a thick cover, mainly owing to the effects of aggregation (redistribution) of dust particles on the conditions of surface melting. Aggregation of dust particles causes the snow surface to brighten after the initial dust configuration, thus affecting the relationship between initial dust concentration and surface albedo. In order to estimate snow ablation rate under a thin dust cover, we used a composite energy balance model in which the surface albedo is taken as a measured input variable. The estimated results of snow ablation agreed reasonably well with the observation, considering the measurement errors inherited in the snow depressions. Comparison of the two cases, that is, one considering the aggregation of dust particles (observation: albedo variable) and the other without aggregation (assumption: albedo constant), showed that the ablation rates were noticeably lower on the former case. This suggests that the aggregation of dust particles induces a reduction of snow ablation. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers in Bangladesh: basin denudation and sedimentation

Every year the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers in Bangladesh transport 316 and 721 million tonnes of sediment, respectively. These high loads of suspended sediment reflect the very high rate of denudation in their drainage basins. The average mechanical denudation rate for the Ganges and Brahmaputra basins together is 365 mm 10³ yr⁻¹. However, the rate is higher in the Brahmaputra Basin than that in the Ganges Basin. Several factors, including mean trunk channel gradient, relief ratio, runoff, basin lithology and recurring earthquakes are responsible for these high denudation rates. Of the total suspended sediment load (i.e. 1037 million tonnes) transported by these rivers, only 525 million tonnes (c. 51% of the total load) are delivered to the coastal area of Bangladesh and the remaining 512 million tonnes are deposited within the lower basin, offsetting the subsidence. Of the deposited load, about 289 million tonnes (about 28% of the total load) are deposited on the floodplains of these rivers. The remaining 223 million tonnes (about 21% of the total load) are deposited within the river channels, resulting in aggradation of the channel bed at an average rate of about 3·9 cm yr⁻¹. Although the Brahmaputra transports a higher sediment load than the Ganges, the channel bed aggradation rate is much higher for the Ganges. This study also documents a wide range of interannual, seasonal and daily variation in suspended sediment transport and water discharge. Interannual variation in sediment deposition within the basin is also suggested. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Provenance and reconnaissance study of detrital zircons of the Palaeozoic Cape Supergroup in South Africa: revealing the interaction of the Kalahari and R��o de la Plata cratons

In order to facilitate the understanding of the geological evolution of the Kalahari Craton and its relation to South America, the provenance of the first large-scale cratonic cover sequence of the craton, namely the Ordovician to Carboniferous Cape Supergroup was studied through geochemical analyses of the siliciclastics, and age determinations of detrital zircon. The Cape Supergroup comprises mainly quartz-arenites and a Hirnantian tillite in the basal Table Mountain Group, subgreywackes and mudrocks in the overlying Bokkeveld Group, while siltstones, interbedded shales and quartz-arenites are typical for the Witteberg Group at the top of the Cape Supergroup. Palaeocurrent analyses indicate transport of sediment mainly from northerly directions, off the interior of the Kalahari Craton with subordinate transport from a westerly source in the southwestern part of the basin near Cape Town. Geochemical provenance data suggest mainly sources from passive to active continental margin settings. The reconnaissance study of detrital zircons reveals a major contribution of Mesoproterozoic sources throughout the basin, reflecting the dominance of the Namaqua-Natal Metamorphic Belt, situated immediately north of the preserved strata of Cape Supergroup, as a source with Archaean-aged zircons being extremely rare. We interpret the Namaqua-Natal Metamorphic Belt to have been a large morphological divide at the time of deposition of the Cape Supergroup that prevented input of detrital zircons from the interior early Archaean Kaapvaal cratonic block of the Kalahari Craton. Neoproterozoic and Cambrian zircons are abundant and reflect the basement geology of the outcrops of Cape strata. Exposures close to Cape Town must have received sediment from a cratonic fragment that was situated off the Kalahari Craton to the west and that has subsequently drifted away. This cratonic fragment predominantly supplied Meso- to Neoproterozoic, and Cambrian-aged zircon grains in addition to minor Silurian to Lower Devonian zircons and very rare Archaean (2.5?Ga) and late Palaeoproterozoic (1.8-2.0?Ga) ones. No Siluro-Devonian source has yet been identified on the Kalahari Craton, but there are indications for such a source in southern Patagonia. Palaeozoic successions in eastern Argentina carry a similar detrital zircon population to that found here, including evidence of a Silurian to Lower Devonian magmatic event. The Kalahari and Río de la Plata Cratons were thus in all likelihood in close proximity until at least the Carboniferous.     

Geospatial Information and Environmental Isotopes for Hydrogeological Evaluation: Ras Alam El Rum,Northwestern Coast of Egypt

The present study demonstrates the potential of the geospatial information as well as isotopes and chemical analyses to elucidate the hydrogeological setting of the study area. The main objective of this research is to identify factors affecting the occurrence and quality of groundwater in the study area. The Ras Alam El Rum is the pilot area chosen in the northwestern coast of Egypt to evaluate the carbonate aquifer with emphasis on the Middle Miocene aquifer, which has been explored recently. The average of annual precipitation and surface runoff amounts were estimated to indicate possibility of groundwater recharge, where the water-bearing rocks are mainly fractured. The isotope data indicate that the groundwater was derived from rainwater, the recharge source is local precipitation, and no indication of seawater intrusion was recorded. The salinity of the groundwater is attributed to interaction between the water and aquifer rocks represented by limestone, dolomitic limestone, and marl. The mineral indices obtained from the geochemical model reveal that the groundwater is over-saturated with aragonite, calcite, dolomite, strontianite, and barite. The hydrogeological evaluation of the study area led to recommendations to determine of the suitable areas for exploration of the Middle Miocene aquifer and to protect groundwater from deterioration.     

Influence of ignimbrite on the chemistry of river water in Shirasu plateau,Japan

River, rain and spring water samples from a region covered in “Shirasu” ignimbrite were collected on Kyushu Island, Japan. The analytical results were subjected to multivariate statistical analysis and stoichiometric calculation to understand the geographical distribution of chemical components in water and to extract geochemical underlying factors. The multivariate statistical analysis showed that the river-water chemistry is only slightly influenced by hot springs or polluted waters, but is highly controlled by weathering of ignimbrite. On the basis of the stoichiometric calculation based on water–rock interaction, the water chemistry was successfully estimated by a simple equation:\({\left[ {{\text{Si}}} \right]}{\text{ = 2}}{\left[ {{\text{Na}}^{{\text{ + }}} } \right]}{\text{ + }}{\left[ {{\text{Mg}}^{{{\text{2 + }}}} } \right]}\) in the upstream area, complemented by \({\left[ {{\text{Si}}} \right]}{\text{ = }}{\left[ {{\text{Na}}^{{\text{ + }}} } \right]}{\text{ - 3}}{\left[ {{\text{K}}^{{\text{ + }}} } \right]}{\text{ + }}{\left[ {{\text{Mg}}^{{{\text{2 + }}}} } \right]}{\text{ - 2}}{\left[ {{\text{Ca}}^{{{\text{2 + }}}} } \right]}\) in the downstream area.     

Uncertainties in global mapping of Argo drift data at the parking level

We used Argo float drift data to estimate average ocean currents at 1000 dbar depth from early 2000 to early 2010. Our estimates cover the global oceans, except for marginal seas and ice-covered regions, at a resolution of 1 degree in latitude and longitude. The estimated flow field satisfies the horizontal boundary condition of no flow through the topography, and is in geostrophic balance. We also estimated the uncertainty in the average flow field, which had a typical magnitude of 0.03 ms⁻¹. The uncertainty is relatively large (>0.03 ms⁻¹ in both the zonal and meridional directions) near the Equator and in the Southern Ocean. The array bias, which is the bias due to the horizontal gradient in the spatial density of the float data, is generally negligible, with an average magnitude outside the equatorial region of 0.007 ms⁻¹, becoming relatively large (>0.01 ms⁻¹) only near the coastal regions. The measurement uncertainty is assumed to be spatially uniform and includes errors due to the Argos positioning system, internal clock drift, unknown surface drift before submerging or after surfacing, and unknown drifts during ascent and descent between the surface and the parking depth. We found that the overall uncertainty was not sensitive to the assumed value of the measurement uncertainty (ɛ _m )^1/2 when (ɛ _m )^1/2 < 0.01 ms⁻¹ but it increased with (ɛ _m )^1/2 for (ɛ _m )^1/2 > 0.01 ms⁻¹.