ALBERT

Description: [1]  The Dead Sea rift (DSR), developed along the Dead Sea transform plate boundary, is characterized by salient flanks and morphotectonic asymmetry. Apatite fission-track thermochronology (AFT) along ~1200 m high vertical profiles in Neoproterozoic basement and overlying Cambrian sandstone in southwestern Jordan is used to reconstruct the timing, magnitude and rate of uplift and denudation of the eastern DSR flank and examine its relationship to rift development and its flank landscape. Time-temperature models based on AFT data suggest three major Phanerozoic heating and cooling episodes, Late Paleozoic, Early Cretaceous and Oligocene. The latest episode, on which this study focuses, indicates uplift of ~3.8 ± 0.3 km under a moderate paleogeothermal gradient. About 40% of the uplift was tectonically driven with the remainder attributed to isostatic rebound in response to denudation and erosion. Models suggest that uplift commenced in the Oligocene with a considerable part occurring prior to development of the DSR, despite being ~200 km from the Red Sea-Gulf of Suez rift margin. The uplift is probably part of a regional rearrangement along the western margin of the Arabian platform occurring at the time of Red Sea rift initiation. The transition from primarily sedimentary layer stripping, most likely by scarp retreat, to one of dominantly incision of the underlying crystalline basement occurred in Late Miocene-Pliocene time following enhanced subsidence and development of a low base level in the DSR. Consequently, the magnitude of uplift by isostatic rebound due to incision exceeded lowering by surface truncation and increased summit elevation and riftward flexing of the flank.

Description: Abstract The role of copepod Calanus sinicus on the production of dimethylsulfide (DMS)/dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) in Jiaozhou Bay was evaluated in field measurements and laboratory experiments. Samples at 10 sites in the bay were collected monthly from June 2010 to May 2011 (except for March 2011), and zooplankton species composition was analyzed. Effects of C. sinicus grazing on DMS/DMSP production at different conditions (i.e., algal diets, food concentrations, and salinities) were assessed in the laboratory. Data from the field experiment showed that C. sinicus was the dominant copepod in Jiaozhou Bay (up to 123 individuals m−3 in May 2011) and preferred to graze on diatom. DMS and DMSP concentrations not only depend on phytoplankton abundance, but also phytoplankton species and bacterial abundance. In the laboratory experiment, compared with Gymnodinium sp. or Emiliania huxleyi, C. sinicus feeding on Isochrysis galbana and Chaetoceros curvisetus exhibited increased DMS concentration, whereas high salinity inhibited DMS production. Copepod ingested 0.5%‐35% of DMSP in filtered phytoplankton, and copepod DMSP ingestion turnover rate in Jiaozhou Bay was up to 29 pmol L−1 d−1. Although the microbial DMSP consumption rate was 10‐2620 fold of copepod turnover rate, copepod grazing was still one of the important routes in DMSP loss processes through food chain. This study indicated that DMSP was transferred from phytoplankton to copepod body, fecal pellet, and seawater through copepod grazing. Our results provided important information to understand the biogeochemical cycle of DMSP in Jiaozhou Bay.

Description: Advancements in both land surface models (LSM) and land surface data assimilation, especially over the last decade, have substantially advanced the ability of land data assimilation systems (LDAS) to estimate evapotranspiration (ET). This article provides a historical perspective on international LSM intercomparison efforts and the development of LDAS systems, both of which have improved LSM ET skill. In addition, an assessment of ET estimates for current LDAS systems is provided along with current research that demonstrates improvement in LSM ET estimates due to assimilating satellite-based soil moisture products. Using the Ensemble Kalman Filter in the Land Information System, we assimilate both NASA and Land Parameter Retrieval Model (LPRM) soil moisture products into the Noah LSM Version 3.2 with the North American LDAS phase 2 (NLDAS-2) forcing to mimic the NLDAS-2 configuration. Through comparisons with two global reference ET products, one based on interpolated flux tower data and one from a new satellite ET algorithm, over the NLDAS2 domain, we demonstrate improvement in ET estimates only when assimilating the LPRM soil moisture product. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Description: An accurate estimate of the microwave surface emissivity is necessary for the retrieval of atmospheric quantities from microwave imagers or sounders. The objective of this study is to evaluate the microwave land surface emissivity modeling of the Community Radiative Transfer Model (CRTM), providing quantitative statistic information for further model improvements. First, the model-simulated emissivity is compared to emissivity estimates derived from satellite observations (TELSEM, Tool to Estimate Land Surface Emissivities at Microwaves). The model simulations agree reasonably well with TELSEM over snow-free vegetated areas, especially at vertical polarization up to 40 GHz. For snow-free surfaces, the mean difference between CRTM and TELSEM emissivities at vertical polarization is lower than 0.01 below 40 GHz and increases to 0.02 at 89 GHz. At horizontal polarization it increases with frequency, from 0.01 at 10.6 GHz to 0.04 at 89 GHz. Over deserts and snow, larger differences are observed, which can be due to the lack of quality inputs to the model in these complex environments. A further evaluation is provided by comparing brightness temperature (Tbs) simulations with AMSR-E observations, where CRTM emissivity and TELSEM emissivity are coupled into a comprehensive radiative transfer model to simulate the brightness temperatures, respectively. The comparison shows smaller RMS errors with the satellite-derived estimates than with the model, despite some significant bias at midday with the satellite-derived emissivities at high frequencies. This study confirms and extends to the global scale previous evaluations of land surface microwave emissivity model. It emphasizes the needs for better physical modeling in arid regions and snow-covered surfaces.

Description: The electronic, structural and optical properties of two red phosphors, Rb 2 HfF 6 :Mn 4+ and Cs 2 HfF 6 :Mn 4+ , are evaluated using the first-principles and crystal field theory methods. The calculated trigonal splitting of the Mn 4+ orbital triplets perfectly matches the experimental excitation spectra. The structural and electronic properties of the mixed compound RbCsHfF 6 are also studied theoretically. In the mixed compound, the inversion center symmetry around the Hf site is removed. This symmetry lowering may result in an increase in the Mn 4+ 2 E 4 A 2 zero phonon line (ZPL) intensity, which is very weak in the two end members. This finding may be of interest for increasing the phosphor luminosity. It is believed that such a mechanism of local site symmetry lowering by preparing solid solutions may be used for other systems as well, to gain ZPL intensity and perhaps to minimize thermal losses, eventually leading to improved phosphor materials. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Description: ABSTRACT [1]  Similarities and differences of spatial error structures of surface precipitation estimated with successive version-6 (V6) and version-7 (V7) Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) algorithms are systematically analyzed through comparison with the China Meteorological Administration's national daily precipitation analysis from June 2008 to May 2011. The TMPA products include V6 and V7 real-time products 3B42RTV6 and 3B42RTV7 and research products 3B42V6 and 3B42V7. Both versions of research products outperform their respective real-time counterparts. 3B42V7 clearly improves upon 3B42V6 over China in terms of daily mean precipitation; the correlation coefficient (CC) increases from 0.89 to 0.93, the relative bias (RB) improves from -4.91% to -0.05%, and the root mean square error (RMSE) improves from 0.69 mm to 0.54 mm. When considering 3-year mean precipitation, 3B42V7 shows similar spatial patterns and statistical performance to 3B42V6. Both 3B42RTV7 and 3B42RTV6 demonstrate similar bias patterns in most regions of China with overestimation by 20% in arid regions (i.e., the north and west of China) and slight underestimation in humid regions (e.g., -5.82% in southern China). However, 3B42RTV7 overestimates precipitation more than 3B42RTV6 in the cold Qinghai-Tibetan plateau, resulting in a much higher RB of 139.95% (128.69%, 136.09%, and 121.11%) in terms of 3-year annual (spring, summer, and autumn) daily mean precipitation and an even worse performance during winter. In this region, 3B42RTV7 shows an overall slightly degraded performance than 3B42RTV6 with CC decreasing from 0.81 to 0.73 and RB (RMSE) increasing from 21.22% (0.95 mm) to 35.84% (1.27 mm) in terms of daily precipitation.

Description: Abstract A semi‐empirical bankfull Shields number relation as a function of slope, bed, and bank sediment grain size is obtained based on a field data set that includes the delta of the Selenga River, Russia, and other rivers from around the globe. The new Shields number relation is used in conjunction with continuity, flow resistance, and sediment transport equations to deduce predictive relations for bankfull width, depth, and slope of sand‐bed rivers. In addition, hydraulic geometry relations are obtained specifically for the Selenga River delta. Key results of this study are as follows: (1) bankfull width is strongly dependent on water discharge and is directly related to bank sediment size; (2) bankfull shear velocity is weakly dependent on bed sediment size and is inversely related to bank sediment size; (3) sand‐bed deltas with multiple distributary channels maintain smaller bankfull Shields numbers than is typical of alluvial rivers. This analysis is the first of its kind to include bank sediment size into a predictive bankfull Shields number relation to obtain relations for bankfull hydraulic geometry. The relations presented here can be utilized in morphodynamic models that explore how fluvial and deltaic systems respond to a range of imposed conditions, such as variable base level, sediment, and water supply.

Description: The Selenga River delta (Russia) is a large (〉 600 km 2 ) fluvially-dominated fresh water system that transfers water and sediment from an undammed drainage basin into Lake Baikal, a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage Site. Through sedimentation processes, the delta and its wetlands provide important environmental services, such as storage of sediment-bound pollutants (e.g., metals), thereby reducing their input to Lake Baikal. However, in the Selenga River delta and many other deltas of the world, there is a lack of knowledge regarding impacts of potential shifts in the flow regime (e.g., due to climate change and other anthropogenic impacts) on sedimentation processes, including sediment exchanges between deltaic channels and adjacent wetlands. This study uses field measurements of water velocities and sediment characteristics in the Selenga River delta, investigating conditions of moderate discharge, which have become more frequent over the past decades (at the expense of peak flows, Q 〉 1350 m 3 s -1 ). The aims are to determine if the river system under moderate flow conditions is capable of supporting sediment export from the main distributary channels of the delta to the adjacent wetlands. The results show that most of the deposited sediment outside of the deltaic channels is characterized by a large proportion of silt and clay material (i.e., 〈 63 μm). For example, floodplain lakes function as sinks of very fine sediment (e.g., 97% of sediment by weight 〈 63 μm). Additionally, bed material sediment is found to be transported outside of the channel margins during conditions of moderate and high water discharge conditions ( Q ≥ 1000 m 3 s -1 ). Submerged banks and marshlands located in the backwater zone of the delta accumulate sediment during such discharges, supporting wetland development. Thus, these regions likely sequester various metals bound to Selenga River sediment.

Description: Animal treading can change soil physical properties, and thus is an important factor in hydrological modelling. We investigated the impacts of animal treading on infiltration by using a series of rainfall simulation experiments at Whatawhata Research Center, Waikato, New Zealand. The study identified significant variables for estimating soil steady-state infiltration at a micro-site (0-5 m2) and fitted the Green and Ampt equation by modifying or including variables for soil and water parameters and animal activities on grazing paddocks. A regression function for estimating steady-state infiltration rate was created for each of four scenarios: between tracks (inter-track), track, easy slope with ash soil, and easy slope with clay soil. Significant variables included the number of days after treading, antecedent soil moisture, field capacity, percentage of bare ground, bulk density, and the high degree of soil damage (damage not compacted). Regression models explained more than 71% of the variance in steady-state infiltration for three scenarios, but only 53% for the easy slope with clay soil. The remodified Green and Ampt equation provided satisfactory estimation of infiltration for all scenarios (accuracy 〉 80%), and thus enables us to use the modified model for Waikato hill country pastures of different topography, soil physical condition, season and grazing management. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.