Regional geoid model for the area of the subglacial Lake Vostok

We present a regional geoid model for the area of Lake Vostok, Antarctica, from a combination of local airborne gravity, ice-surface and ice-thickness data and a lake bathymetry model. The topography data are used for residual terrain modelling (RTM) in a remove-compute-restore approach together with the GOCE satellite model GOCO03S. The disturbing potential at the Earth's surface, i.e. the quasigeoid, is predicted by least-squares collocation (LSC) and subsequently converted to geoid heights. Compared to GOCO03S our regional solution provides an additional short-wavelength signal of up to 1.48 m, or 0.56 m standard deviation, respectively. More details can be found in Schwabe et. al (2014).

Composition of Upper Quaternary bottom sediments from the Syrian area of the Mediterranean Sea

Results of a lithological study of bottom sediments in the Syrian region of the Mediterranean Sea during Cruise 27 of R/V Vityaz (1993) are reported. Suspended sediment discharge of the Nile River are of the greatest importance for terrigenous sedimentation in the SE part of the Mediterranean Sea, especially in deep-sea areas. Suspended load entering from the Syrian catchment area plays an important role in formation of recent shelf and slope deposits. Supply of aerosols from Syrian and Arabian deserts was distinguished by the patchiness of surface distribution of quartz. During Late Quaternary accumulation of terrigenous material supplied from both the Syrian and the Nile drainage areas was irregular. Sedimentation was remarkably enhanced during sapropel formation 7000-9000 years BP.

Particulate matter fluxes determined in the area of the NS Komsomolets wreck in different years

The sedimentation system of the bottom contour current over the continental slope of the Bear Island in the Norwegian Sea is considered. The nepheloid layer that provides high horizontal flux of sedimentary material represents the main source of matter for bottom sediments. Vertical particulate matter flux is largely formed in the nepheloid layer; flux from higher layers of the water column is insignificant. Horizontal and vertical fluxes of sedimentary matter show positive correlation. Matter flux from bottom sediment into the nepheloid layer and residence time of particles in the latter are estimated.

Presence-absence species/sample matrix for the measured sections at the area of Maghara, North Sinai, Egypt

As age-diagnostic fossils are rare in the Middle to Upper Jurassic sedimentary succession of Gebel Maghara, North Sinai, Egypt, and in order to ensure maximal stratigraphic resolution, chronostratigraphic boundaries were determined based on quantitative biostratigraphy. A data matrix comprising 231 macrofaunal taxa in 93 samples from four sections has been processed with the Unitary Association (UA) Method. This led to construction of a sequence of 29 UAs (maximal sets of actually or virtually coexisting taxa), which have been grouped into 14 laterally reproducible association zones. The UA method allowed an in-depth analysis of the stratigraphically conflicting taxa, enabled the biostratigraphic subdivision of the studied interval, and also provided stratigraphic correlation among the measured sections and with the Tethyan ammonite zones.

(Table 1) Biomass per area of picoplankton algae, cyanobacteria, and total picoplankton and their contribution to total phytoplankton biomass in 0-200 m layer

Abundance of picophytoplankton in the Subantarctic and subtropical frontal zones was found to be 10**6-10**7 cells/l. Biomass of eucaryotes and procaryotes reached 2 g/m**2 and accounted for 1-15% of total phytoplankton biomass. A deep peak in the distribution of phytoplankton abundance was found at 40-120 m. Maximum number of dividing cyanobacteria cells occurred at depths of 40-60 m. An estimate of picophytoplankton production shows that picophytoplankton accounts for 30-40% of total primary production.

Hydro-sedimentary parameters measurements within the proglacial area of the Bossons glacier (Mont-Blanc massif, France)

This dataset presents hydro-sedimentary data within the Bossons glacier proglacial area. Bossons glacier is rapidly retreating and its proglacial area is deglaciated for ~ 30 years. It is an intriguing location to study periglacial, proglacial and subglacial erosion processes which requires estimating Total Dissolved Solid (TDS) and Total Suspended Solid (TSS) concentrations, and discharge. Measurements were performed at three distinct locations within Bosson glacier watershed : Bossons downstream (BDS), Bossons upstream (BUS) and Crosette (CRO). The latter is located at the glacier termini whereas BDS and BUS stations are farther downstream from the glacier, at 1.5 and 1.15 km, respectively .

Figure 1 Geomorphological map of proglacial area of Yala (Dakpatsen) Glacier, Langtang Himal, Nepal (pdf 500 kB)

A series of minor moraine ridges are observed on the till surface in the proglacial area of Yala Glacier, Nepal Himalaya. The till surface, which is often fluted, consists ofsix different till sheets. It lies present glacial margin and the bulky terminal moraine ridges. These till sheets correspond to six re-advance stages during the general retreat which followed Little Ice Age ad- vance which formed the bulky terminal moraine ridges. Field observations and till fabric analysis suggest that the minor moraine ridges of Yala Glacier seem to be formed annually, by ice push. On the assumption that their annual character was maintained for a long time, and that the time span needed for each re-advance was proportional to the height of terminal moraine of each till sheet, the dating of Little fee Age moraines was attempted. The results indicate that Little Ice Age advances occurred in 1815 and in 1843, roughly simultanously with those in Europe.