Neogene palaeoclimate reconstructions in Anatolia (Turkey)

Neogene basins are widespread in Turkey and contain important lignite deposits. In this study, we reconstruct quantitatively the Late Oligocene-Miocene climate evolution in western and central Anatolia by applying the Coexistence Approach to the palynoflora. The obtained results are compared with the data derived from the published and ongoing studies in western and central Anatolia palynofloras by application of the Coexistence Approach. The Coexistence Approach results show that the sedimentation mainly developed on terrestrial environment under the warm subtropical climatic conditions and marine influence during the Chattian and Aquitanian period in western Anatolia (16.5-21.3°C of mean annual temperature (MAT) and 5.5-13.3°C of mean temperature of coldest month (CMT)). After the regression of the sea during the Burdigalian period, the vegetation developed under the terrestrial conditions, which had started in the Burdigalian time in western and central Anatolia and continued in the early-middle Serravallian period. Warm subtropical climate is suggested during the Chattian and Aquitanian period in western Anatolia and becomes cooler in subtropical conditions because of decreasing of the P/A-ratio during the latest Burdigalian-Langhian. The climate was subtropical in western and central Anatolia during the Early-Late Serravalian due to the increasing of the subtropical elements (17.2 to 20.8°C of MAT and 9.6 to13.1°C of CMT). Besides, decreasing of the CMT and MAT values in western and central Anatolia supports the latest Chattian-earliest Aquitanian warming and middle Miocene climatic optimum that is also globally observed. Warm temperate climatic conditions are observed in the Late Miocene. During the early-middle Tortonian, the values are 15.6 to 20.8°C for the MAT, 5.5 to 13.3°C for the CMT and 823 and 1520 mm for the mean annual precipitation (MAP). They had also dry seasons due to lower boundary of MAP lying at 823mm during the middle-Late Tortonian. The palaeotopography of central Anatolia was higher when compared to that of western Anatolia because dominance of the mountain forests was present during the Middle-Late Miocene in central Anatolia. This study provides the first quantitative model for Late Oligocene-Miocene palaeoclimatic evolution in western and central Anatolia.

AMS and EBSD maps of rock salt - lamprophyre dyke contact zone, Loule diapir, Algarve basin, Portugal

A rock salt-lamprophyre dyke contact zone (sub-vertical, NE-SW strike) was investigated for its petrographic, mechanic and physical properties by means of anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) and rock magnetic properties, coupled with quantitative microstructural analysis and thermal mathematical modelling. The quantitative microstructural analysis of halite texture and solid inclusions revealed good spatial correlation with AMS and halite fabrics. The fabrics of both lamprophyre and rock salt record the magmatic intrusion, "plastic" flow and regional deformation (characterized by a NW-SE trending steep foliation). AMS and microstructural analysis revealed two deformation fabrics in the rock salt: (1) the deformation fabrics in rock salt on the NW side of the dyke are associated with high temperature and high fluid activity attributed to the dyke emplacement; (2) On the opposite side of the dyke, the emplacement-related fabric is reworked by localized tectonic deformation. The paleomagnetic results suggest significant rotation of the whole dyke, probably during the diapir ascent and/or the regional Tertiary to Quaternary deformation.

Bathymetry grids and maps of Mozambique Ridge compiled from cruises 64PE305, 64PE306, SO-87, SO-182, SO-183, ME-33/2, ME-63/1 bathymetry

Based on data from R.V. Pelagia, R.V. Sonne and R.V. Meteor multibeam sonar surveys, a high resolution bathymetry was generated for the Mozambique Ridge. The mapping area is divided into five sheets, one overview and four sub-sheets. The boundaries are (west/east/south/north): Sheet 1: 28°30' E/37°00' E/36°20' S/24°50' S; Sheet 2: 32°45' E/36°45' E/28°20' S/25°20' S; Sheet 3: 31°30' E/36°45' E/30°20' S/28°10' S; Sheet 4: 30°30' E/36°30' E/33°15' S/30°15' S; Sheet 5: 28°30' E/36°10' E/36°20' S/33°10' S. Each sheet was generated twice: one from swath sonar bathymetry only, the other one is completed with depths from ETOPO2 predicted bathymetry. Basic outcome of the investigation are Digital Terrain Models (DTM), one for each sheet with 0.05 arcmin (~91 meter) grid spacing and one for the entire area (sheet 1) with 0.1 arcmin grid spacing. The DTM's were utilized for contouring and generating maps. The grid formats are NetCDF (Network Common Data Form) and ASCII (ESRI ArcGIS exchange format). The Maps are formatted as jpg-images and as small sized PNG (Portable Network Graphics) preview images. The provided maps have a paper size of DIN A0 (1189 x 841 mm).

Distribution of planktonic foraminifera in the Southern Ocean (maps)

There are about 30 species of planktonic Foraminifera, as contrasted with the more than 4200 benthic species in the oceans of the world. Most of the planktonic species belong to the families Globigerinidae and Globorotaliidae. Of the 30 species, 9 occur in Antarctic and Subantarctic waters; however, none of these cold-water species are restricted to the Southern Ocean, except possibly the newly recognized Globorotalia cavernula (Be, 1967b). These species are distributed in broad zones of similar temperature in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Hence, it is not possible to refer to these species as endemic to the Antarctic or Subantarctic, although some of them do appear in very high concentrations of 10 specimens/m**3 or more in the Antarctic regions. The plankton samples upon which the accompanying maps are based were collected between 1960 and 1965 on the research vessels Eltanin of the National Science Foundation (U.S. Antarctic Research Program), and Vema and Conrad of the Lamont Geological Observatory. All surface (0 m to 10 m) and vertical (0 m to 300 m) tows were obtained with plankton nets of uniform mesh size and material (NITEX202 = 202 µm mesh-aperture width) and were provided with flowmeters for quantitative readings of amounts of water filtered.

Bathymetry grids and maps of Mozambique Basin compiled from cruise SO183 bathymetry

Based on data from R/V Sonne multibeam sonar surveys in 2005 a high resolution bathymetry was generated for the Mozambique Basin. The area covers approx. 466,475 sqkm. The mapping area is divided into four sheets with boundaries (west/east/south/north): Sheet I (north-west), 37:00/39:45/-24:00/-20:20; Sheet II (north-east), 39:45/42:30/-24:00/-20:20; Sheet III (south-west), 37:00/39:45/-27:40/-24:00; Sheet IV (south-east), 39:45/42:30/-27:40/-24:00. Basic outcome of the investigation are Digital Terrain Models (DTM), one for each sheet with 0.05 arcmin (~91 meter) grid spacing and one for the entire area with 0.1 arcmin grid spacing. The DTM's were utilized for contouring and generating maps. Moreover the measured bathymetry was combined and compared with GEBCO bathymetry and predicted bathymetry, derived from altimeter satellites. The provided maps have a paper size of DIN A0 (1188.9 x 841 mm).

Maps of Waxeggkees glacier 1950-2000

Photogrammetric surveys have been made and maps drawn of a number of glaciers in the eastern Alps, among them the Waxeggkees in the Zillertal Alps of Tyrol, at approximately ten-year intervals since 1950. Terrestrial photogrammetry was used for the pictures taken in 1950, 1960, 1980, 1989 and 2000, while aerial photogrammetry was employed for the 1969 photo. These maps were subsequently used to calculate the changes in area, elevation and volume for elevational zones of 50 m. The numeric values are given in two tables. The illustration of surface changes in Waxeggkees is continued cartographically on 5 map sheets at the scale of 1 : 15.000 and a vertical interval of the contour lines of 50 m. Changes in glacier area are marked in light red to indicate a decrease in area, and in light blue for an increase. Changes in elevation can only be indicated indirectly, namely in the form of vertical interval bands, referring to the surface areas that arise due to the relocation of the contour lines, resulting from an elevational change. Decrease in elevation is indicated in red, increase in blue, on 100 m contour lines.

Daily pan-Arctic sea-ice lead maps for 2003-2015, with links to maps in netCDF format

The presence of sea-ice leads represents a key feature of the Arctic sea ice cover. Leads promote the flux of sensible and latent heat from the ocean to the cold winter atmosphere and are thereby crucial for air-sea-ice-ocean interactions. We here apply a binary segmentation procedure to identify leads from MODIS thermal infrared imagery on a daily time scale. The method separates identified leads into two uncertainty categories, with the high uncertainty being attributed to artifacts that arise from warm signatures of unrecognized clouds. Based on the obtained lead detections, we compute quasi-daily pan-Arctic lead maps for the months of January to April, 2003-2015. Our results highlight the marginal ice zone in the Fram Strait and Barents Sea as the primary region for lead activity. The spatial distribution of the average pan-Arctic lead frequencies reveals, moreover, distinct patterns of predominant fracture zones in the Beaufort Sea and along the shelf-breaks, mainly in the Siberian sector of the Arctic Ocean as well as the well-known polynya and fast-ice locations. Additionally, a substantial inter-annual variability of lead occurrences in the Arctic is indicated.

Maps of subsoil temperature and active layer depth of Yakutian ASSR (Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic of the Soviet Union)

Based on the map of landscapes and permafrost conditions in Yakutia (Merzlotno-landshaftnaya karta Yakutskoi0 ASSR, Gosgeodeziya SSSR, 1991), rasterized maps of permafrost temperature and active-layer thickness of Yakutia, East Siberia were derived. The mean and standard deviation at 0.5-degree grid cell size are estimated by assigning a probability density function at 0.001-degree spatial resolution. Spatial pattern of both variables are dominated by a climatic gradient from north to south, and by mountains and the soil type distribution. Uncertainties are highest in mountains and in the sporadic permafrost zone in the south. The maps are best suited as a benchmark for land surface models which include a permafrost module.