Trace metals in Norwegian surface waters, soils, and lake sediments - relation to atmospheric deposition

Årsliste 2006This report presents results from simultaneous trace metal surveys 1995 in Norway on atmospheric deposition based on moss analysis, the humic layer of soils, lake sediments, and surface waters. The samples of sediment and water were not taken at the same geographical locations as the moss and soil samples, but a direct comparison of the data sets is still feasible. Retrospective studies indicate that long-range transport has been a significant source of heavy metal contamination in southern Norway for the last couple of centuries, but has been considerably reduced over the last 20 years. Long-range transboundary air-pollution (LRTAP) is a very important source of of heavy metal contamination in the Norwegian environment, in particular for As, Cd, Sb, Hg, Pb, and Bi but also to some extent for V, Zn, Se, Mo, Sn, Te, and Tl. The corresponding geographic trend is reflected in samples of moss, surface soil, lake sediment, and lake water. A similar geographic trend is also indicated in the water samples for Be and Co, but not in samples of moss or soil humus. This is interpreted as a possible result of higher acidic deposition in the south wich leads to enhanced weathering of mineral matter and subsequent leaching to the lakes.Norges forskningsråd, (PROFO

Hardangervidda-prosjektet. Resultater fra undersøkelsene i 2006

Årsliste 2007Direktoratet for naturforvaltning

On Morita and derived equivalences for cohomological Mackey algebras

By results of the second author, a source algebra equivalence between two p-blocks of finite groups induces an equivalence between the categories of cohomological Mackey functors associated with these blocks, and a splendid derived equivalence between two blocks induces a derived equivalence between the corresponding categories ofcohomological Mackey functors. The main result of this paper proves a partial converse: an equivalence (resp. Rickard equivalence) between the categories of cohomological Mackey functors of two blocks of finite groups induces a permeable Morita (resp. derived) equivalence between the two block algebras

Hardangervidda-prosjektet. Resultater fra undersøkelsene i 2005

Årsliste 2006Dette er en årsrapport for Hardangervidda-prosjektet som startet i 2000. Det omhandler konsekvenser for fiske og forvaltning av ørret som følge av variasjoner i været og fremtidige klimaendringer. Værdata fra en automatisk målestasjon på Dargesjåen viste at luftemperaturene (LT) samvarierte synkront med vanntemperaturene i innsjøenes overflatelag (VTO). Unntak fra dette skjedde i 2005 da smeltevann reduserte VTO i Sandvatn sommerstid med 1,3 °C fra estimert VTO på grunn av uvanlig mye snø i sydvestre deler av Kvennas nedbørfeltet. Innsjøene er vindeksponerte og lyset trenger langt ned i vannmassene. Dette gjør at varmt overflatevann blir effektivt blandet ned i vannmassene, og bunnområdene blir svært produktive. Ørretens årlige tilvekst i Sandvatn de siste 6 årene er svært godt korrelert til (VTO), og dette kan ha sammenheng med temperaturbetinget vekst av viktige næringsdyr som marflo, skjoldkreps og linsekreps. Effekten av smelte-vannet gjorde at årstilveksten av ørret ble svært lav til tross for at sommeren var varmere enn normalt. Klimascenarier beskriver økte snømengder i de samme områdene i framtiden, og da særlig i Kvennas sydvestlige fjellområder. Våre prognoser indikerer betydelig reduksjon i produksjonen av ørret i Kvennavassdragets øvre deler, men år til år variasjonene vil være store. Innsjøene på Hardangervidda nord for Kvenna vil i langt mindre grad være preget av denne avkjølingseffekten, da isgang og snøsmelting vil skje mer synkront i et område med langt mindre snømengder og et flatere landskap. I denne delen kan fremtidige varmere somre bety økt produksjon av fisk.Direktoratet for naturforvaltning

Regionfelt Østlandet. Konsekvensutredning for temaet: Vann og grunn, inklusive dyreliv i vann

Årsliste 2001Rapporten omhandler en statusbeskrivelse for vannkvalitet og vannlevende dyr i Regionfelt Østlandet. Dette inkluderer generell vannkjemi, tungmetaller i vann, moser, løsmasser, tålegrenser for surt vann, bunndyr, krepsdyrplankton og fisk. Det er utført en konsekvensanalyse på bakgrunn av foreslåtte lokaliseringer av målområder, standplasser, kjøretraseer, baneanlegg, ingeniørøvningsfelt, broskole og oversettningsområde samt bruken av disse, inklusive ammunisjons-regnskap. Tiltak for å begrense skadeeffekter er diskutert og konklusjonen er at de mest effektive tiltakene ligger i en god plan for lokaliseringer av målområdene og de ulike manøvrerings-områdene. Vi har foreslått en basisundersøkelse for områdene som berøres av Ingeniørvåpenets aktiviteter. Årsaken til dette er at de foreslåtte områdene ikke ble nevneverdig berørt i den opprinnelige planen og derfor ikke er nødvendig undersøkt. På bakgrunn av befaringer er det imidlertid gjennomført konsekvensvurderinger til bruk i planarbeidet. Overvåkningsundersøkelsene som allerede er startet opp foreslås videreført og modifisert etter at Ingeniørvåpenets bruksområder er fastlagt. Hensikten er å avdekke endringer i forurensningsituasjonen i vannforekomstene inklusive effekter på vannlevende organismer tidligst mulig slik at tiltak kan iverksettes.Forsvarets bygningstjeneste (FBT

Radiative forcing from modelled and observed stratospheric ozone changes due to the 11-year solar cycle

International audienceThree analyses of satellite observations and two sets of model studies are used to estimate changes in the stratospheric ozone distribution from solar minimum to solar maximum and are presented for three different latitudinal bands: Poleward of 30° north, between 30° north and 30° south and poleward of 30° south. In the model studies the solar cycle impact is limited to changes in UV fluxes. There is a general agreement between satellite observation and model studies, particular at middle and high northern latitudes. Ozone increases at solar maximum with peak values around 40 km. The profiles are used to calculate the radiative forcing (RF) from solar minimum to solar maximum. The ozone RF, calculated with two different radiative transfer schemes is found to be negligible (a magnitude of 0.01 Wm?2 or less), compared to the direct RF due to changes in solar irradiance, since contributions from the longwave and shortwave nearly cancel each other. The largest uncertainties in the estimates come from the lower stratosphere, where there is significant disagreement between the different ozone profiles

Forurensningssituasjonen i Mjøsa med tilløpselver 2012

Denne rapporten gir en kortfattet oversikt over de viktigste resultatene fra overvåkingen i Vannområde Mjøsa i 2012. Undersøkelsene er utført på oppdrag fra Vassdragsforbundet for Mjøsa med tilløpselver. Overvåkingen omfatter fysiske, kjemiske og biologiske forhold i Mjøsas hovedvannmasser, hygieniske forhold, konsentrasjoner og transport av næringsstoffer i de seks største tilløpselvene samt i utløpselva Vorma. Videre er biologiske forhold i utvalgte tilløpselver undersøkt. Årsrapporten for 2012 gir en fyldigere presentasjon av måledata og vurderinger. Data presenteres også fortløpende gjennom NIVAs overvåkingsverktøy Aquamonitor.Vassdragsforbundet for Mjøsa med tilløpselve

Atmospheric Composition Change: Climate-Chemistry Interactions

Chemically active climate compounds are either primary compounds such as methane (CH4), removed by oxidation in the atmosphere, or secondary compounds such as ozone (O3), sulfate and organic aerosols, formed and removed in the atmosphere. Man-induced climate-chemistry interaction is a two-way process: Emissions of pollutants change the atmospheric composition contributing to climate change through the aforementioned climate components, and climate change, through changes in temperature, dynamics, the hydrological cycle, atmospheric stability, and biosphere-atmosphere interactions, affects the atmospheric composition and oxidation processes in the troposphere. Here we present progress in our understanding of processes of importance for climate-chemistry interactions, and their contributions to changes in atmospheric composition and climate forcing. A key factor is the oxidation potential involving compounds such as O3 and the hydroxyl radical (OH). Reported studies represent both current and future changes. Reported results include new estimates of radiative forcing based on extensive model studies of chemically active climate compounds such as O3, and of particles inducing both direct and indirect effects. Through EU projects such as ACCENT, QUANTIFY, and the AEROCOM project, extensive studies on regional and sector-wise differences in the impact on atmospheric distribution are performed. Studies have shown that land-based emissions have a different effect on climate than ship and aircraft emissions, and different measures are needed to reduce the climate impact. Several areas where climate change can affect the tropospheric oxidation process and the chemical composition are identified. This can take place through enhanced stratospheric-tropospheric exchange of ozone, more frequent periods with stable conditions favouring pollution build up over industrial areas, enhanced temperature-induced biogenic emissions, methane releases from permafrost thawing, and enhanced concentration through reduced biospheric uptake. During the last 510 years, new observational data have been made available and used for model validation and the study of atmospheric processes. Although there are significant uncertainties in the modelling of composition changes, access to new observational data has improved modelling capability. Emission scenarios for the coming decades have a large uncertainty range, in particular with respect to regional trends, leading to a significant uncertainty range in estimated regional composition changes and climate impact

The Oslo Health Study: Is bone mineral density higher in affluent areas?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Based on previously reported differences in fracture incidence in the socioeconomic less affluent Oslo East compared to the more privileged West, our aim was to study bone mineral density (BMD) in the same socioeconomic areas in Oslo. We also wanted to study whether possible associations were explained by socio-demographic factors, level of education or lifestyle factors.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Distal forearm BMD was measured in random samples of the participants in The Oslo Health Study by single energy x-ray absorptiometry (SXA). 578 men and 702 women born in Norway in the age-groups 40/45, 60 and 75 years were included in the analyses. Socioeconomic regions, based on a social index dividing Oslo in two regions – East and West, were used.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Age-adjusted mean BMD in women living in the less affluent Eastern region was 0.405 g/cm²and significantly lower than in West where BMD was 0.419 g/cm². Similarly, the odds ratio of low BMD (Z-score ≤ -1) was 1.87 (95% CI: 1.22–2.87) in women in Oslo East compared to West. The same tendency, although not statistically significant, was also present in men. Multivariate analysis adjusted for education, marital status, body mass index, physical inactivity, use of alcohol and smoking, and in women also use of post-menopausal hormone therapy and early onset of menopause, did hardly change the association. Additional adjustments for employment status, disability pension and physical activity at work for those below the age of retirement, gave similar results.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We found differences in BMD in women between different socioeconomic regions in Oslo that correspond to previously found differences in fracture rates. The association in men was not statistically significant. The differences were not explained by socio-demographic factors, level of education or lifestyle factors.</p