Spatially explicit methane inventory for Switzerland with 500 m x 500 m resolution for 2011 (NetCDF 25 MB)

We present the first high-resolution (500 m × 500 m) gridded methane (CH4) emission inventory for Switzerland, which integrates the national emission totals reported to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and recent CH4 flux studies conducted by research groups across Switzerland. In addition to anthropogenic emissions, we also include natural and semi-natural CH4 fluxes, i.e., emissions from lakes and reservoirs, wetlands, wild animals as well as uptake by forest soils. National CH4 emissions were disaggregated using detailed geostatistical information on source locations and their spatial extent and process- or area-specific emission factors. In Switzerland, the highest CH4 emissions in 2011 originated from the agricultural sector (150 Gg CH4/yr), mainly produced by ruminants and manure management, followed by emissions from waste management (15 Gg CH4/yr) mainly from landfills and the energy sector (12 Gg CH4/yr), which was dominated by emissions from natural gas distribution. Compared to the anthropogenic sources, emissions from natural and semi-natural sources were relatively small (6 Gg CH4/yr), making up only 3 % of the total emissions in Switzerland. CH4 fluxes from agricultural soils were estimated to be not significantly different from zero (between -1.5 and 0 Gg CH4/yr), while forest soils are a CH4 sink (approx. -2.8 Gg CH4/yr), partially offsetting other natural emissions. Estimates of uncertainties are provided for the different sources, including an estimate of spatial disaggregation errors deduced from a comparison with a global (EDGAR v4.2) and a European CH4 inventory (TNO/MACC). This new spatially-explicit emission inventory for Switzerland will provide valuable input for regional scale atmospheric modeling and inverse source estimation.

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.

Magnetic anomaly map of the Weddell Sea Region, Antarctic (Scale 1:2 500 000)

This paper describes a 1 : 2 500 000 scale aeromagnetic anomaly map produced by the joint efforts of VNIIOkeangeologia, Polar Marine Geological Research Expedition (PMGRE) and the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWl) for the Weddell Sea region covering 1 850 000 km' of West Antarctica. Extensive regional magnetic survey flights with line-spacing of about 20 km and 5 km were carried out by the PMGRE between 1977 and 1989. In course of these investigations the PMGRE flew 9 surveys with flight-line spacing of 20 km and 6 surveys with flight-line spacing of 5 km mainly over the mountain areas of southern Palmer Land, western Dronning Maud Land, Coats Land and Pensacola Mountains, over the Ronne lee Shelf and the Filchner Ice Shelf and the central part of the Weddell Sea. More than 215 000 line-kilometers of total field aeromagnetic data have been acquired by using an Ilyushin Il-14 ski-equipped aircraft. Survey operations were centered on the field base stations Druzhnaya-1, -2, and -3, from which the majority of the Weddell Sea region network was completed. The composite map of the Weddell Sea region is prepared in colour, showing magnetic anomaly contours at intervals of 50-100 nT with supplemental contours at an interval of 25 nT in low gradient areas, on a polar stereographic projection. The compiled colour magnetic anomaly map of the Weddell Sea region demonstrates that features of large areal extent, such as geologic provinces, fold-belts, ancient eratonic fragments and other regional structural features can be readily delineated. The map allows a comparison of regional magnetic features with similar-scale geological structures on geological and geophysical maps. It also provides a database for the future production of the ''Digital Magnetic Anomaly Map of Antarctica'' in the framework of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research/International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy (SCAR/IAGA) compilation.

Radio-echo sounding investigation of the western Dronning Maud Land and north-eastern Coats Land, East Antarctica (Scale 1:2 500 000)

During two Antarctic field seasons, western Dronning Maud Land and eastern Coats Land were covered by airborne radio-echo sounding surveys, conducted in combination with magnetic and gravity measurements along the 50 NW-SE-directed tracks, totaling about 11200 km and spaced 20 km apart. The data were collected in analogue form and then processed to compile ice surface, ice thickness and bedrock topography maps in I : 2 500 000 scale which gave a new and/or more detailed information on the region than previous compilations. The maps show that western Dronning Maud Land is dominated by a large mountainous area with altitudes up to 2800 m including rock outcrops of Annandagstoppane, Borgmassivet, Kirwanveggen and Heimefrontfjella. Upland terrains of Vestfjella and Mannefallknausane have an isolated position and are surrounded by a plain with bedrock depressions of 600 m deep below sea level. A narrow strip of north-eastern Coats Land studied by radio-echo soundings exhibits a smooth subice relief with altitudes close to sea level. The structural style of bedrock topography was mostly determined by extensional tectonics.