17 research outputs found
Physically based hydrogeological and slope stability modeling of the Turaida castle mound
This study explores the potential of integrating state-of-the-art physically based hydrogeological modeling into slope stability simulations to identify the hydrogeological triggers of landslides. Hydrogeological models considering detailed morphological, lithological, and climatic factors were elaborated. Groundwater modeling reveals locations with elevated pore water pressures in the subsurface and allows the quantification of temporal dynamics of the pore water pressures. Results of the hydrogeological modeling were subsequently applied as boundary conditions for the slope stability simulations. The numerical models illustrate that the hydrogeological impacts affecting hillslope stability are strongly controlled by local groundwater flow conditions and their conceptualization approach in the hydrogeological model. Groundwater flow itself is heavily influenced by the inherent geological conditions and the dynamics of climatic forcing. Therefore, both detailed investigation of the landslideās hydrogeology and appropriate conceptualization and scaling of hydrogeological settings in a numerical model are essential to avoid an underestimation of the landslide risk. The study demonstrates the large potential in combining state-of-the-art computational hydrology with slope stability modeling in real-world cases
Chapter 8 The Status and Role of the alpine Cryosphere in Central Asia
The alpine cryosphere including snow, glaciers and permafrost are critical to water management in the Aral Sea Basin (ASB) and larger Central Asia (CA) under changing climate: as they store large amounts of water in its solid forms. Most cryospheric components in the Aral Sea Basin are close to melting point, and hence very vulnerable to a slight increase in air temperature with significant consequences to long-term water availability and to water resources variability and extremes. Current knowledge about different components of cryosphere and their connection to climate in the Basin and in the entire Central Asia, varies. While it is advanced in the topics of snow and glaciers, knowledge on permafrost it rather limited. Observed trends in runoff point in the direction of increasing water availability in July and August at least until mid-century and increasing possibility for water storage in reservoirs and aquifers. However, eventually this will change as glaciers waste away. Future runoff may change considerably after mid-century and start to decline if not compensated by increasing precipitation. Cryosphere monitoring systems are the basis for sound estimates of water availability and water-related hazards associated with snow, glaciers and permafrost. They require a well-distributed observational network for all cryospheric variables. Such systems need to be re-established in the Basin after the breakup of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. This process is slowly emerging in the region. Collaboration between local operational hydro-meteorological services and academic sector, and with international research networks may improving the observing capabilities in high mountain regions of CA Asia in general and the ASB specifically
Using 81Kr and Noble Gases to Characterize and Date Groundwater and Brines in the Baltic Artesian Basin on the One-Million-Year Timescale
Analyses for Kr and noble gases on groundwater from the deepest
aquifer system of the Baltic Artesian Basin (BAB) were performed to determine
groundwater ages and uncover the flow dynamics of the system on a timescale of
several hundred thousand years. We find that the system is controlled by mixing
of three distinct water masses: Interglacial or recent meteoric water
(\delta^{18}\text{O} \approx -10.4\unicode{x2030}) with a poorly evolved
chemical and noble gas signature, glacial meltwater (\delta^{18}\text{O} \leq
-18\unicode{x2030}) with elevated noble gas concentrations, and an old,
high-salinity brine component (\delta^{18}\text{O} \geq -4.5\unicode{x2030},
\geq 90 \text{g Cl}^{-}/\text{L}) with strongly depleted atmospheric noble gas
concentrations. The Kr measurements are interpreted within this mixing
framework to estimate the age of the end-members. Deconvoluted Kr ages
range from 300 ka to 1.3 Ma for interglacial or recent meteoric water and
glacial meltwater. For the brine component, ages exceed the dating range of the
ATTA 3 instrument of 1.3 Ma. The radiogenic noble gas components He* and
Ar* are less conclusive but also support an age of > 1 Ma for the brine.
Based on the chemical and noble gas concentrations and the dating results, we
conclude that the brine originates from evaporated seawater that has been
modified by later water-rock interaction. As the obtained tracer ages cover
several glacial cycles, we discuss the impact of the glacial cycles on flow
patterns in the studied aquifer system.Comment: Accepted for publication in Geochimica et Cosmochimica Act
Middle and Late Weichselian paraglacial and subglacial ervironments in the coastal plains of western Latvia
Tomas Saks
Promocijas darbs: āVidus Vislas un VÄlÄs Vislas laika
paraglaciÄlie un zemledÄja vides apstÄkļi Rietumlatvijas
piekrastes lÄ«dzenumosā
AnotÄcija
Å ajÄ pÄtÄ«jumÄ ir prezentÄti Baltijas jÅ«ras stÄvkrastu glaciotektonisko struktÅ«ru
kartÄÅ”anas, glaciÄlo reljefa formu deÅ”ifrÄÅ”anas rezultÄti un precizÄta Rietumlatvijas
pleistocÄna slÄÅkopas augÅ”ÄjÄs daļas hronostratigrÄfjija. Zem morÄnas smilÅ”ainajos
nogulumos ir veikti 13 jauni OSL datÄjumi.
Glaciotektonisko struktÅ«ru kartÄÅ”anas rezultÄti ļauj izŔķirt trÄ«s dažÄdus ledÄja
gultnes deformÄcijas veidus: (I) Atsegumu posmi, kas atbilst ledus mÄļu centrÄlajai
zonai, un kuriem ir raksturÄ«gs mozaÄ«kveida zemledÄja deformÄcijas un morÄnas
akrÄcijas sadalÄ«jums. (II) Atsegumu posmi, kas raksturojas ar kompresijas
deformÄcijas struktÅ«ru sistÄmu. Å ie atsegumu posmi atbilst ledus mÄļu marginÄlajÄm
zonÄm, un ir ŔķÄrsgriezums bÄ«des sÄnu morÄnÄm. (III) Atsegumu posmi, kuros nav
zemledÄja deformÄcijas pazÄ«mes, kas ataino stagnanta ledÄja apstÄkļus.
ApriÄ·u ledÄja mÄles gultnes deÅ”ifrÄÅ”anas rezultÄti liecina, ka glaciÄlÄs reljefa
formas un gultnes topogrÄfija mainÄs strauji, lÄ«dz ar pamatiežu virsmas dziļuma un
sastÄva izmaiÅÄm.
OSL datÄÅ”anas rezultÄti liecina par datÄtÄs slÄÅkopas uzkrÄÅ”anÄs laiku Vidus
Vislas laikmetÄ, kas ļauj pÄrskatÄ«t Rietumlatvijas pleistocÄna slÄÅkopas augÅ”ÄjÄs daļas
hronostratigrÄfiju.
AtslÄgas vÄrdi: DiapÄ«ri, drumlini, sÄnu bÄ«des morÄnas, OSL datÄjumi, Baltijas ledus
lielplūsma.
Latvijas UniversitÄte
19.06.2010Tomas Saks
Promocijas darbs: āMiddle and Late Weichselian paraglacial
and subglacial environments in the coastal plains of western
Latviaā
Abstract
In this thesis are presented results of: glacial geology and glaciotectonics of
the Baltic sea coastal bluffs, mapping of the glacial landscape and established
chronostratigraphy of the upper part of western Latvia Pleistocene sedimentary
sequence.
Results from the glaciotectonic structure reconstructions allow to differentiate
three distinct subglacial deformation environments: (I) diapiric flow of the subglacial
sediments induced by the changes of pore water pressure; (II) unidirectional
compression deformation of the subglacial sediments; (III) areas of no subglacial
deformation, resembling frozen to the bed ice conditions.
Glacial bedform mapping results of the ApriÄ·i glacial tongue bed allow to
conclude that glacial landscape is changing abruptly along with the changes in
bedrock composition and depth.
Obtained OSL dates of the sandy sequence below upper till suggest Middle
Weichselian age which allows reinterpreting the chronostratigraphy of the western
Latvia Pleistocene sedimentary sequence upper part.
Key words: Diapirs, drumlins, margin shear moraines, OSL dates, Baltic Ice Stream.
Latvijas UniversitÄte
19.06.201
Personality and school performance: Incremental validity of self- and peer-ratings over intelligence
This paper examines the relationship of self and other-assessed personality with school grades in 255 (88 male) Croatian pupils. Conscientiousness was the strongest personality correlate of school grades for both self and peer-ratings. Grades were also negatively correlated with self-assessed Extraversion and Emotional Stability, and positively correlated with peer-ratings of Autonomy. When cognitive ability was partialled out correlations between personality and school grades showed little change, indicating that the effects of personality on academic performance were independent of intelligence. Hierarchical regressions indicated that personality accounted for unique variance in school grades: 18% by self- and 25% by peer-ratings. Self-ratings had only marginal incremental validity over peer-ratings in predicting school grades (3%), while incremental validity of peer- over self-ratings was larger (9%)
Hydrogeological model of the Baltic Artesian Basin
http://www.link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10040-013-0970-
Reconstructed Centennial Mass Balance Change for Golubin Glacier, Northern Tien Shan
Mass balance measurements for Golubin glacier in Northern Tien Shan, Kyrgyzstan, have been discontinuous over the last century, with significant data gaps. We provide a unique over 100-year-long mass balance series on daily resolution. We applied a temperature index model calibrated with glaciological measurements and validated with secular mass balances derived from independent length change observations. A comparison with other recent geodetic studies reveals good agreement. Golubin lost ā0.16 Ā± 0.45 m w.e. aā1 from 1900/1901 to 2020/2021. From the long-term mass balance time series, we identify a shift to a more negative/less positive regime with time, with a steepening of the ablation and accumulation gradients, especially for the past two decades. We observe a parallel shift of the mass balance gradient accompanied by a rotation of the ablation gradient due to increased ablation at the glacier tongue and accumulation above the equilibrium line altitude. This tendency is believed to intensify in the future, affecting glaciersā mass balance sensitivity to changes in atmospheric conditions and year-to-year variability and resulting in irregular melt water release feeding the rivers that provide water to Bishkek. These kinds of datasets are sparse for Tien Shan and, yet, indispensable to enhancing our understanding of glacier changes in High Mountain Asia
Glacier Runoff Variation Since 1981 in the Upper Naryn River Catchments, Central Tien Shan
Water resources in Central Asia strongly depend on glaciers, which in turn adjust their size in response to climate variations. We investigate glacier runoff in the period 1981-2019 in the upper Naryn basin, Kyrgyzstan. The basins contain more than 1,000 glaciers, which cover a total area of 776 km(2). We model the mass balance and runoff contribution of all glaciers with a simplified energy balance melt model and distributed accumulation model driven by ERA5 LAND re-analysis data for the time period of 1981-2019. The results are evaluated against discharge records, satellite-derived snow cover, stake readings from individual glaciers, and geodetic mass balances. Modelled glacier volume decreased by approximately 6.7 km(3) or 14%, and the majority of the mass loss took place from 1996 until 2019. The decreasing trend is the result of increasingly negative summer mass balances whereas winter mass balances show no substantial trend. Analysis of the discharge data suggests an increasing runoff for the past two decades, which is, however only partly reflected in an increase of glacier melt. Moreover, the strongest increase in discharge is observed in winter, suggesting either a prolonged melting period and/or increased groundwater discharge. The average runoff from the glacierized areas in summer months (June to August) constitutes approximately 23% of the total contributions to the basin's runoff. The results highlight the strong regional variability in glacier-climate interactions in Central Asia.ISSN:2296-665