Moho depth of the European Plate from teleseismic receiver functions

Crustal structure and the Moho depth are exceptionally well known beneath Europe. The first digital, high-resolution map of the Moho depth for the whole European Plate was compiled in 2007 and recently published in Geophysical Journal International. In the past few years, considerable developments have taken place in the receiver function techniques. Different receiver function techniques provide new, independent information, in particular on the S-wave velocity distribution in the crust and on the Moho depth. This gives an opportunity to compare the Moho depth from the Moho depth map of the European Plate (H _MM) and the Moho depth from receiver function studies (H _RF). Herein, we also compile and analyze the uncertainty of the crustal thickness determinations data obtained with receiver function analysis. The uncertainty is found to be ±2 km for 20-km-thick crust and about ±4 km for 60-km-thick crust. Comparison of the Moho depths shows an approximately linear trend between H _RF and H _MM. For the Moho depth of 30–40 km, the values are approximately equal, while for thin crust, H _RF is about 5 km shallower than H _MM, and for thick crust, it is about 5 km deeper than H _MM. Possible reasons for this, the observed discrepancy between the Moho depths H_MM and H_RF, are discussed.     

Formalizing expert knowledge to compare alternative management plans: Sociological perspective to the future management of Baltic salmon stocks

Designing and implementing long-term management plans is difficult both because of the complexity of the fisheries system, and the behaviour of humans. We compared four alternative management plans for the Baltic salmon stocks through approaching experts who interpreted and expressed the views of different stakeholder groups on the options. The focus of the study was on stakeholders’ commitment to the alternative management plans. Committing enhances the probability of achieving the ultimate objective of a plan, while if stakeholders do not commit, the effects of the plan may be less predictable. Thus commitment is an important part of implementation uncertainty in fisheries management. We present how we coupled qualitative analysis with probabilistic Bayesian networks in analysing expert knowledge related to alternative long term management plans in terms of group commitment. Using a Bayesian net provides potential for creating a holistic picture of a fishery by combining the data describing fishers’ commitment with biological data regarding fish stock dynamics and with economic data analyzing economically sound fisheries management.     

基于温度链浮标获取南极普里兹湾积雪和固定冰厚度的研究

极地积雪和海冰厚度是气候变化的重要指标,也是船舶在冰区航行需要掌握的主要参数。2014和2015年在南极普里兹湾中山站附近布放了一种新式的温度链浮标,该浮标每天进行4次常规温度观测和1次加热升温观测,用于实时获取积雪和海冰剖面温度及厚度数据的研究。通过分析剖面温度曲线和升温曲线反映出的大气、积雪、海冰和海水4种介质的热传导特性差异,可利用人工识别的方法（人工经验法）获得大气/积雪、积雪/海冰和海冰/海水界面的位置。根据统计不同介质在升温响应和垂直温度梯度等方面的特性,找到合理阈值,可通过编写程序自动判断各界面的位置（自动程序法）。本文利用这两种方法来判断不同物质界面位置从而计算得到积雪和海冰厚度。与现场人工观测的海冰厚度相比,人工经验法的平均偏差和均方根偏差分别为2.1 cm和6.4 cm（2014年）以及4.3 cm和6.5 cm（2015年）,自动程序法的平均偏差和均方根偏差分别为-6.8 cm和6.4 cm（2014年）以及4.5 cm和 6.6 cm（2015年）;对于积雪,人工经验法与现场人工观测的平均偏差和均方根偏差分别为0.5 cm和 8.5 cm,而自动程序法的平均偏差和均方根偏差分别为4.7 cm和10.8 cm。自动程序法误差较人工经验法偏大,但考虑到整体冰厚和现场观测的误差,两种方法的结果均是可信的,精度是可以接受的。利用新式的温度链浮标实时获取南极普里兹湾积雪和海冰厚度是可行的。     

Overwintering of Vaccinium vitis-idaea in two sub-Arctic microhabitats: a reciprocal transplantation experiment

Northern plants have to cope with a wide range of overwintering conditions, as the depth and physical properties of snow show high spatial variation in the Arctic. The overwintering of lingonberry ( Vaccinium vitis-idaea ) was studied in a reciprocal transplantation experiment between two sub-Arctic microhabitats in northern Finland. The experiment was set up in the autumn, and physiological traits related to overwintering were measured at the time of snowmelt in the following spring. The origin of the plants was not a significant source of variation for most of the traits measured, whereas major differences were observed between the two sites. Plants that overwintered at an exposed site above the treeline showed high relative winter damage, assessed by the electrolyte leakage of the leaves. No severe winter damage was observed in the plants that overwintered under a moderate snowpack at a sheltered birch forest site. These plants were able to maintain their photosynthetic capacity through the winter. A low capacity of photosystem II and a very low capacity of CO₂ uptake were characteristic of the exposed site, where low temperatures and high irradiation predominate during late winter. However, photosynthetic capacity was recovered within a few days when the plants were kept under favourable conditions after the field experiment. The content of nonstructural carbohydrates was low, probably because of high respiratory losses under the snow. This short-term study suggests that lingonberry, which occupies a wide range of microhabitats in the present climate, may thrive even if the overwintering conditions change as a result of climatic warming.     

Table of Contents

Volume Contents

Table of Contents Volume 103     

Effect of inherent microcrack populations on rock tensile fracture behaviour: numerical study based on embedded discontinuity finite elements

Inherent microcrack populations have a significant effect on the fracture behaviour of natural rocks. The present study addresses this topic in numerical simulations of uniaxial tension and three-point bending tests. For this end, a rock fracture model based on multiple intersecting embedded discontinuity finite elements is developed. The inherent (pre-existing) microcrack populations are represented by pre-embedded randomly oriented discontinuity populations. Crack shielding (through spurious locking) is prevented by allowing a new crack to be introduced, upon violation of the Rankine criterion, in an element with an initial crack unfavourably oriented to the loading direction. Rock heterogeneity is accounted for by random clusters of triangular finite elements representing different minerals of granitic numerical rock. Numerical simulations demonstrate the strength lowering effect of initial microcrack populations. This effect is substantially stronger under uniaxial tension, due to the uniform stress state, than in semicircular three-point bending having a non-uniform stress state with a clear local maximum of tensile stress.

     

Ten Years of Development of Equipment for Measurement of Atmospheric Radioactive Xenon for the Verification of the CTBT

Atmospheric measurement of radioactive xenon isotopes (radioxenon) plays a key role in remote monitoring of nuclear explosions, since it has a high capability to capture radioactive debris for a wide range of explosion scenarios. It is therefore a powerful tool in providing evidence for nuclear testing, and is one of the key components of the verification regime of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). The reliability of this method is largely based on a well-developed measurement technology. In the 1990s, with the prospect of the build-up of a monitoring network for the CTBT, new development of radioxenon equipment started. This article summarizes the physical and technical principles upon which the radioxenon technology is based and the advances the technology has undergone during the last 10 years. In contrast to previously used equipment, which was manually operated, the new generation of radioxenon monitoring equipment is designed for automated and continuous operation in remote field locations. Also the analytical capabilities of the equipment were strongly enhanced. Minimum detectable concentrations of the recently developed systems are well below 1 mBq/m³ for the key nuclide ¹³³Xe for sampling periods between 8 and 24 h. All the systems described here are also able to separately measure with low detection limits the radioxenon isotopes ^131mXe, ^133mXe and ¹³⁵Xe, which are also relevant for the detection of nuclear tests. The equipment has been extensively tested during recent years by operation in a laboratory environment and in field locations, by performing comparison measurements with laboratory type equipment and by parallel operation. These tests demonstrate that the equipment has reached a sufficiently high technical standard for deployment in the global CTBT verification regime.     

The ADV/ASV AATSR aerosol retrieval algorithm: current status and presentation of a full-mission AOD dataset

An advanced along-track scanning radiometer (AATSR) global multi-year aerosol retrieval algorithm is described. Over land, the AATSR dual-view (ADV) algorithm utilizes the measured top of the atmosphere (TOA) reflectance in both the nadir and forward views to decouple the contributions of the atmosphere and the surface to retrieve aerosol properties. Over ocean, the AATSR single-view (ASV) algorithm minimizes the discrepancy between the measured and modelled TOA reflectances in one of the views to retrieve the aerosol information using an ocean reflectance model. Necessary steps to process global, multi-year aerosol information are presented. These include cloud screening, the averaging of measured reflectance, and post-processing. Limitations of the algorithms are also discussed. The main product of the aerosol retrieval is the aerosol optical depth (AOD) at visible/near-infrared wavelengths. The retrieved AOD is validated using data from the surface-based AERONET and maritime aerosol network (MAN) sun photometer networks as references. The validation shows good agreement with the reference (r?=?0.85, RMSE?=?0.09 over land; r?=?0.83, RMSE?=?0.09 at coasts and r?=?0.96, RMSE?=?0.06 over open ocean). The results of the aerosol retrievals are presented for the full AATSR mission years 2002–2012 with seasonally averaged time series for selected regions.