Subdaily meteorological measurements of temperature, direction of the movement of the clouds, and cloud cover in the Late Maunder Minimum by Louis Morin in Paris

We have digitized three meteorological variables (temperature, direction of the movement of the clouds, and cloud cover) from copies of Louis Morin’s original measurements (Source: Institute of History / Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern) and subjected them to quality analysis to make these data available to the scientific community. Our available data cover the period 1665–1709 (temperature beginning in 1676). We compare the early instrumental temperature dataset with statistical methods and proxy data to validate the measurements in terms of inhomogeneities and claim that they are, apart from small inhomogeneities, reliable. The Late Maunder Minimum (LMM) is characterized by cold winters and autumns, and moderate springs and summers, with respect to the reference period of 1961–1990. Winter months show a significant lower frequency of westerly direction of movement of the clouds. This reduction of advection from the ocean leads to a cooling in Paris in winter. The influence of the advection becomes apparent when comparing the last decade of the 17th century (cold) and the first decade of the 18th century (warm). A lower frequency of westerly direction of movement of the clouds can also be seen in summer, but the influence is stronger in winter than in summer. Consequently, the unusually cold winters in the LMM can be attributed to a lower frequency of westerly direction of movement of the clouds. An impact analysis reveals that the winter of 1708/09 was a devastating one with respect of consecutive ice days, although other winters are more pronounced (e.g., the winters of 1676/77, 1678/79, 1683/84, 1692/93, 1694/95 and 1696/97) in terms of mean temperature, ice 15 days, cold days or consecutive cold days. An investigation of the cloud cover data revealed a high discrepancy in the seasons, where the winter season (DJF) (−13.2 %) and the spring season (MAM) (−12.6 %) show a negative anomaly of the total cloud cover (TCC), whereas summer (JJA) (−0.5 %) shows a moderate anomaly of TCC with respect to the 30 year mean of the Meteobluedata (1985–2014).

Analysis of Subdaily Meteorological Measurements by Louis Morin in the Late Maunder Minimum 1665 – 1709 in Paris

<p>Based on copies of the original data (source: Oeschger Center for Climate Change Research) we perform climate reconstructions for Paris between 1665 - 1709. The focus lies on the following meteorological variables: temperature, cloudiness, direction of movement of the clouds, precipitation and humidity. Apart from humidity, these meteorological variables were measured three times a day over the entire period from Louis Morin. Temperature and humidity were measured with instruments, whereas cloud cover, direction of movement of the clouds and precipitation were measured in a descriptive manner. In addition to the quantitative temperature measurements, conclusions about synoptic air movements over Europe are possible due to the additional meteorological variables. The Late Maunder Minimum is characterised by cold winters and moderate summers. Winter is characterised by a lower frequency of westerly direction of movement of the clouds. This reduction of advection from the ocean leads to cooling in Paris and also to less precipitation in winter. This can be seen very strongly between the last decade of the 17<sup>th</sup> century (cold) and the first decade of the 18<sup>th</sup> century (warm). A lower frequency of westerly direction of movement of the clouds can also be seen in summer, but the influence is stronger in winter than in summer. However, this reduction leads to moderate/warm temperatures in summer. So unusually cold winters in the Late Maunder Minimum can be attributed to a lower frequency of westerly direction of movement of the clouds.</p>

Distribution of Dermacentor andersoni (Acari: Ixodidae) in Grassland Regions of Alberta, Canada

The geographic distribution of the Rocky Mountain wood tick, Dermacentor andersoni Stiles, was determined in Alberta, Canada, by drag sampling at 86 and 89 sites during 2011 and 2012, respectively. Tick density and prevalence varied between years, averaging (range) 1.0 (0–26.2) and 5.9 (0–110) ticks/1,000 m2 in 2011 and 2012, respectively. Ticks were detected at 24.4% and 42.7% of the sites sampled in each respective year. Tick density and presence declined in a northerly direction to 51.6°N and in a westerly direction to ca. 113°W, except for a small area of high density at the edge of the Rocky Mountains in the southeastern portion of the province. Ticks were most abundant in the Dry Mixedgrass and Montane natural subregions and in areas with Brown Chernozemic, Regosol, and Solodized Solonetzic great soil groups. A logistic regression model indicated that tick presence was increased in the Dry Mixedgrass natural subregion and in regions with greater temperatures during the previous summer and normal winter precipitation but was reduced in areas with Dark Brown Chernozemic soils. The model will be useful for predicting tick presence and the associated risk of tick-borne diseases in the province.

Orientation of buried people in the necropolises of Bystryanka culture (northern foothills of Altai, Scythian-Saka time)

The article presents the results of studying the orientation of buried in a certain sector of the horizon on the basis of materials from the excavations of the necropolises of the Bystryanka archaeological culture. Information about 168 burials investigated at 26 necropolises of the northern foothills of Altai of the Scythian-Saka period was used. It has been established that the dominant tradition was to direct the buried people with their heads to the western sector of the horizon. At the same time, deviations are recorded due to various factors. A number of approaches traditionally used in this kind of research were used to interpret the identified orientations. The authors concluded that the observed deviations from the westerly direction are associated with the seasonal movement of the sun. At the same time, a possible basis on which the population of Bystryanka culture relied when orienting the dead is the sunset point. The most probable explanation for the spread of directions other than those in the West is the contacts with carriers of other cultural traditions. Opportunities for further study and interpretation of the revealed patterns in the orientation of the buried people based on the materials of the Bystryanka culture are associated with a more detailed analysis of individual necropolises, including the specification of the landscape features of specific monuments. Of particular importance is the expansion of the data used by attracting information about unpublished complexes. In addition, the correlation of the considered element of the ritual with other indicators of funeral practice, including the peculiarities of the position of the buried people and the traditions of placing goods in the grave, seems promising.

Autumn movements of fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) from Svalbard, Norway, revealed by satellite tracking

Insight into animal movements is essential for understanding habitat use by individuals as well as population processes and species life-history strategies. In this study, we instrumented 25 fin whales with ARGOS satellite-transmitters in Svalbard, Norway, to study their movement patterns and behaviour (Area Restricted Search (ARS), transiting or unknown) during boreal autumn/early winter. Ten of the whales stayed in the tagging area (most northerly location: 81.68°N) for their entire tracking periods (max 45 days). The other 15 whales moved in a south-westerly direction; the longest track ended off the coast of northern Africa (> 5000 km from the tagging location) after 96 days. The whales engaged in ARS behaviour intermittently throughout their southward migrations. During transit phases the whales moved quickly; one individual maintained an average horizontal speed of 9.3 km/h (travelling 223 km per day) for a period of a week. This study documents that: (1) some fin whales might remain at high latitudes during winter; (2) the whales that do migrate probably feed along the way; (3) they can maintain high transiting speed for long periods and; (4) one breeding area for this species is likely located in deep, warm water some 100 km west of Morocco.

Geodynamics of the Talish region according to earthquake source mechanisms and GPS-stations

В статье представлено описание тектонического строения иссле- дуемого региона, а также проанализирована геодинамика Талышского региона по данным механизмов очагов землетрясений. Целью работы являлось определить скорости современных горизонтальных сме- щений отдельных тектонических блоков Талышского региона и проанализировать влияние их на сильные землетрясения, произошедшие за 2016 и 2019 гг. Методы исследования. На основе метода полярности первых вступлений продольных волн были проанализированы механизмы очагов землетрясений. Анализ показал, что в исследуемом регионе в основном преобладает тип подвижки – взброс и сдвиг. Углы паде- ния для подвижек разных типов превышают 45°, что свидетельствует о достаточно крутом погружении зон разломов. Это согласуется с тем, что в исследуемой зоне большинство поперечных разломов имеет углы падения сместителей 50‑90°, то есть углы, достаточно близкие к вертикали. Основное влияние на сейсмическую активность оказывают Талышский, Предталышский, Ярдымоинский и Астаринские разло- мы. Результаты исследования. На основе полученных результатов была построена схематическая карта ориентации осей сжатия и растяжений исследуемых сильных землетрясений. На основе катакластиче- ского анализа механизмов очагов землетрясений c ml>3,0. Установлено, что большая часть исследуемой территории подвержена сжатию, сдвиги отмечены в районе Лерика и Ярдымлы. Для Талышского региона установлены три основных типа подвижек: взбросы (36 %), сдвиги (34 %) и сбросы (30 %). Анализ ско- ростей горизонтальных движений по данным GPS-наблюдений показал движение поверхности земной коры в С-СВ направлении относительно Евразии. Отмечено уменьшение скорости в пунктах наблюдений PQLG, XNGG, ZKTG, ATGG, IMLG и GBLG, расположенных перпендикулярно к Главному Кавказкому Над- вигу. Пункты GPS-наблюдений, расположенные вдоль ГКН, показывают уменьшение скорости в западном направлении. С-СВ движение земной поверхности интерпретируется как одна из причин накопления на- пряжений на этом надвиге. In addition, the article provides a description of the tectonic structure of the region under study, and also analyzes the geodynamics of the Talish region using data from the mechanisms of earthquake sources. Aim of the work was to determine the velocities of modern horizontal displacements of individual tectonic blocks of the Talish region and to analyze their influence on strong earthquakes that occurred in 2016 and 2019yy. Methods. Based on the method of polarity of the first arrivals of longitudinal waves, the mechanisms of earthquake sources were analyzed. The analysis showed that in the studied region the type of movement predominates – reverse faults and strike-slips. The angles of incidence for motions of various types exceed 45°, which indicates a rather steep immersion of fault zones. This is consistent with the fact that in the studied zone the majority of transverse faults have angles of incidence of 50‑90°, that is, angles quite close to the vertical. The main influence on seismic activity is exerted by the Talish, Predtalish, Yardimli and Astara faults. Results. Based on the results obtained, a schematic map of the orientation of the compression and extension axes of the studied strong earthquakes was constructed. On the basis of a cataclastic analysis of the mechanisms of earthquake sources with ml> 3.0, it was established that most of the study area is subject to compression, strike-slip faults were noted in the Lerik and Yardimla regions. For the Talish region, three main types of shifts are established: reverse faults (36 %), strike-slips (34 %) and normal faults (30 %). An analysis of horizontal velocities according to GPS observations showed the movement of the surface of the earth’s crust in the northwest direction relative to Eurasia. A decrease in speed was noted at the observation points PQLG, XNGG, ZKTG, ATGG, IMLG and GBLG located perpendicular to the Main Caucasian Thrust. GPS observation points located along the Main Caucasian Thrust show a decrease in speed in a westerly direction. C-NE motion of the earth’s surface is interpreted as one of the reasons for the accumulation of stresses on this thrust

The influence of canopy disturbances on landslide susceptibility in mountain forests

<p>The Bannwald Hallstatt in the Upper Austrian Salzkammergut, is one of the oldest measures to protect the people, the settlement area, the energy supply of the community Hallstatt, as well as important infrastructure facilities in the region. In particular, the Hallstatt World Cultural Heritage Site with its settlements and access roads, which is strongly influenced by tourism, is protected.</p><p>A new project planned for 2020 will extend the area of the Bannwald forest, which has existed since 1879, in a south-westerly direction, thus protecting the permanent settlement area of the Echerntal Valley from gravitational natural hazards. As a result, the project area, which currently covers 270 hectares, will almost double to 489 hectares. 20 million euros have been budgeted for the implementation of the project, for the next 30 years. In order to be able to use these funds in an optimal and targeted manner, it is extremely important to know the protection performance of the existing forest. In the present study a model was developed to show the protective effect against rockfall and avalanches. For this purpose, an evaluation matrix with differently weighted influencing variables was developed, which was presented as a thematic map in the form of a traffic light system ("ideal"/green, "minimal"/orange, "not fulfilled"/red.). In order to be able to better illustrate the tendencies of the achieved protection effect, a “protective-forestometer” was developed. This visualizes the protection performance of the observed partial area with a pointer and a percentage indication.</p><p>However, the aim of this work was to derive the protective performance of the individual forest areas from a purely economically oriented forest management system. Hence, the data basis for this work was the 2017 forest inventory of the Austrian Federal Forestry Company (Österreichische Bundesforste AG).</p>

Advective Transport Modeling for Spatial Analysis of Atmospheric Aerosols over Lagos Area of South Western Nigeria

In this study atmospheric aerosols distribution over Lagos area of southwestern part of Nigeria was analyzed using backward air mass trajectory model. GPS information of the study region was used to simulate meteorological variables and aerosol data that have been stored by satellite imagery from the National Oceanography and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Air Resource Laboratory (ARL). Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectories HYSPLIT was used to determine the wind-field information and also to obtain the backward air mass trajectory for atmospheric aerosols transport pattern at heights 0, 1000m and 2000m above ground level. The result showed that aerosols of sea-salt origin evolved from Atlantic ocean and spread over Lagos during the period under consideration. The average wind speed observed within the period ranged between 4 and 7m/s in south westerly direction which is attributed to the influence Atlantic Ocean. The results also showed that aerosol traversing Lagos area are mainly sea salts

Studies of particle fluxes of sedimentary matter along multiyear transoceanic section in northern Atlantic and Arctic interaction area

New data on the particle fluxes of sedimentary matter and its main components at the meridional section along 59°30' N in the North Atlantic under the influence of multidirectional transfer of water masses are given. The material for the study was collected for two years from July 2015 to July 2017 using sediment traps installed as part of four automatic deep-water sedimentary observatories. In the subsurface layer, the annual variation of the fluxes and the change in the composition of the sinking matter are determined by the primary production. Near-bottom fluxes of sedimentary matter on the slopes of the Reykjanes ridge are formed under conditions of water masses and, respectively, suspended particulate matter transfer in a south-westerly direction along the ridge from the Iceland-Faeroe and Greenland-Iceland rises. There is a reverse directional transfer of matter at the foot of the European continental slope. The composition of the sinking matter is dominated by the biogenic component, the proportion of which decreases with depth due to dissolution, and in winter due to the weakening of the biological activity of the upper active layer. The role of lithogenic matter is maximal in the bottom layer, including due to the supply of material from the bottom.

Numerical Simulation of Crustal Strain in Turkey from Continuous GNSS Measurements in the Interval 2009–2017

The present study investigates the crustal strain in Turkey by using data from the Turkish permanent GNSS network (TPGN) and international GNSS services (IGS) observations for a period of 9 years, 2009 t0 2017. The positional variation of GNSS sites is studied to understand the coordinate reliability, interseismic and coseismic effects and linear velocities as well as three dimensional principal strains across the country. The study of coordinate reliability shows that the horizontal and vertical residuals in 2013 and 2015 are of the order of 100 mm per coordinate or higher than those of 2009 and 2011 and 10 times higher than those of 2017. The changes in baseline length relative to an arbitrary zero-o_set for the selected period shows that the most of the sites have displacement in the interval −10 to 10 mm but some sites have larger variations. These displacements are mostly related to motion of the Turkish tectonic plate, regional crustal deformation and small amounts of errors inGNSS positioning. The most GNSS site velocities located all over Turkey give significant information for the study. The GNSS data shows that the Anatolian plate relative to the Eurasia is moving in a western direction in the central part of Turkey and starts to move in a south-westerly direction in the west part of the country. The westward motion of Anatolia increases gradually from 20 mm/yr in central Anatolia to 30 mm/yr in south-west Turkey. The numerical simulation of the crustal strain in the Aegean region shows a maximum 1.0446×10