European Observatories Research Articles

Analysis of soil moisture memory from observations in Europe

Soil moisture is known to show distinctive persistence characteristics compared to other quantities in the climate system. As soil moisture is governing land‐atmosphere feedbacks to a large extent, its persistence can provide potential to improve seasonal climate predictions. So far, many modeling studies have investigated the nature of soil moisture memory, with consistent, but model‐dependent results. This study investigates soil moisture memory in long‐term observational records based on data from five stations across Europe. We investigate spatial and seasonal variations in soil moisture memory and identify their main climatic drivers. Also, we test an existing framework and introduce an extension thereof to approximate soil moisture memory and evaluate the contributions of its driving processes. At the analyzed five sites, we identify the variability of initial soil moisture divided by that of the accumulated forcing over the considered time frame as a main driver of soil moisture memory that reflects the impact of the precipitation regime and of soil and vegetation characteristics. Another important driver is found to be the correlation of initial soil moisture with subsequent forcing that captures forcing memory as it propagates to the soil and also land‐atmosphere interactions. Thereby, the role of precipitation is found to be dominant for the forcing. In contrast to results from previous modeling studies, the runoff and evapotranspiration sensitivities to soil moisture are found to have only a minor influence on soil moisture persistence at the analyzed sites. For the central European sites, the seasonal cycles of soil moisture memory display a maximum in late summer and a minimum in spring. An opposite seasonal cycle is found at the analyzed site in Italy. High soil moisture memory is shown to last up to 40 days in some seasons at most sites. Extremely dry or wet states of the soil tend to increase soil moisture memory, suggesting enhanced prediction potential during extreme events at most sites considered in this study.

Improving evapotranspiration in a land surface model using biophysical variables derived from MSG/SEVIRI satellite

Abstract. Monitoring evapotranspiration over land is highly dependent on the surface state and vegetation dynamics. Data from spaceborn platforms are desirable to complement estimations from land surface models. The success of daily evapotranspiration monitoring at continental scale relies on the availability, quality and continuity of such data. The biophysical variables derived from SEVIRI on board the geostationary satellite Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) and distributed by the Satellite Application Facility on Land surface Analysis (LSA-SAF) are particularly interesting for such applications, as they aimed at providing continuous and consistent daily time series in near-real time over Africa, Europe and South America. In this paper, we compare them to monthly vegetation parameters from a database commonly used in numerical weather predictions (ECOCLIMAP-I), showing the benefits of the new daily products in detecting the spatial and temporal (seasonal and inter-annual) variability of the vegetation, especially relevant over Africa. We propose a method to handle Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Fractional Vegetation Cover (FVC) products for evapotranspiration monitoring with a land surface model at 3–5 km spatial resolution. The method is conceived to be applicable for near-real time processes at continental scale and relies on the use of a land cover map. We assess the impact of using LSA-SAF biophysical variables compared to ECOCLIMAP-I on evapotranspiration estimated by the land surface model H-TESSEL. Comparison with in-situ observations in Europe and Africa shows an improved estimation of the evapotranspiration, especially in semi-arid climates. Finally, the impact on the land surface modelled evapotranspiration is compared over a north–south transect with a large gradient of vegetation and climate in Western Africa using LSA-SAF radiation forcing derived from remote sensing. Differences are highlighted. An evaluation against remote sensing derived land surface temperature shows an improvement of the evapotranspiration simulations.

Assessing the contribution from different parts of Canary islands to the hemispheric spectral sky radiance levels over European Northern Observatories

AbstractIn this paper, we suggest to use a sky radiance model which accounts for heterogeneous distribution of light fixtures, their photometry, the ground reflectance and topography, to infer the point to point contribution of Canary Islands to the artificial sky radiance at Observatorio del Teide (Tenerife) and Observatorio Roque de los Muchachos (La Palma). In-situ hyperspectral sky radiance measurements, acquired on site in 2010, have been used to calibrate the model and to evaluate its inherent error. We aim to identify and characterize zones at which any lighting level increase or decrease may have a larger impact on light pollution at both European Northern Observatory sites, and then help to control and/or reduce their light pollution levels. This innovative methodology, can then be seen as a high level decision tool to help local authorities to restrict or reduce light pollution with the objective of protecting research class astronomical sites.

The impact of production type and region on polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran (PCDD/F) concentrations in Canadian chicken egg yolks

Chicken eggs from five different production types (conventional, omega-3 enriched, free range, organic and free run) were collected, when available, from three regions (west, central and east) of Canada to determine persistent organic pollutant (POP) concentrations. Total polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations (∑37 congeners) in yolks from the eggs ranged from 0.162ngg−1 lipid to 24.8ngg−1 lipid (median 1.25ngg−1 lipid) while the concentration of the sum of the 6 indicator PCBs ranged from 0.100ngg−1 lipid to 9.33ngg−1 lipid (median 0.495ngg−1 lipid). Total polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin/dibenzofuran (PCDD/F) concentrations ranged from 2.37pgg−1 lipid to 382pgg−1 lipid (median 9.53pgg−1 lipid). The 2005 WHO toxic equivalency (TEQ) ranged from 0.089pg TEQPCDD/F+dioxin-like[DL]-PCBg−1 lipid to 12.8pg TEQPCDD/F+DL-PCBg−1 lipid (median 0.342pg TEQPCDD/F+DL-PCBg−1 lipid). PCB and PCDD/F concentrations were significantly different (p<0.001) in egg yolks from different regions of collection. In contrast to observations in Europe, PCB and PCDD/F concentrations in Canadian egg yolks were not impacted solely by the production type (e.g., conventional, free range, organic, etc.) used to maintain the laying chickens. Additionally, only one Canadian free range yolk from western Canada (12.8pg TEQPCDD/F+DL-PCBg−1 lipid) exceeded the European toxic equivalent concentration limits for eggs (5pg TEQPCDD/F+DL-PCBg−1 lipid). This differs from observations in Europe where free range/home produced eggs frequently have higher POP concentrations than eggs from other production types. Median PCB dietary intake estimates based on consumption of eggs were less than 10ngd−1 while median PCDD/F intakes were less than 45pgd−1.

Technology for Scanning Astronomical Photographic Plates

Here we describe the technology and the experience during the astronomical photographic plate digitization with flatbed EPSON scanners. More than 275000 plates in different observatories in Europe were digitized with such scanners last decade.

Photographic Plate Libraries at European Astronomical Observatories

This paper presents the efforts to organize photographic plate libraries at European astronomical observatories and institutions. The Wide-Field Plate Database project, launched in 1991, has been collecting data about the plates, including plate archives, plate index catalogue data extracted from the logbooks, and digitized plate images. Developing further the WFPDB project, we intend to complete the high-resolution digitization of the plates (in standardized FITS file format) and a suitable digitalization of the catalogues and logbooks (in JPEG and TIFF), with flatbed scanners, and also to organize links to the relevant scientific research papers. At present about 250000 plates have been digitized and await implementation of online access. The main idea is to build an Astro-Multimedia Library, based on the latest methods of Computer Science, in particular on Multiresolution Analysis techniques, which allow for efficient representation of image scans at different resolutions.

Global modeling of SOA formation from dicarbonyls, epoxides, organic nitrates and peroxides

Abstract. Recent experimental findings indicate that secondary organic aerosol (SOA) represents an important and, under many circumstances, the major fraction of the organic aerosol burden. Here, we use a global 3-D model (IMPACT) to test the results of different mechanisms for the production of SOA. The basic mechanism includes SOA formation from organic nitrates and peroxides produced from an explicit chemical formulation, using partition coefficients based on thermodynamic principles together with assumptions for the rate of formation of low-volatility oligomers. We also include the formation of low-volatility SOA from the reaction of glyoxal and methylglyoxal on aqueous aerosols and cloud droplets as well as from the reaction of epoxides on aqueous aerosols. A model simulation including these SOA formation mechanisms gives an annual global SOA production of 120.5 Tg. The global production of SOA is decreased substantially to 90.8 Tg yr−1 if the HOx regeneration mechanism proposed by Peeters et al. (2009) is used. Model predictions with and without this HOx (OH and HO2 regeneration scheme are compared with multiple surface observation datasets, namely: the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) for the United States, the European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP), and aerosol mass spectrometry (AMS) data measured in both the Northern Hemisphere and tropical forest regions. All model simulations show reasonable agreement with the organic carbon mass observed in the IMPROVE network and the AMS dataset, however observations in Europe are significantly underestimated, which may be caused by an underestimation of primary organic aerosol emissions (POA) in winter and of emissions and/or SOA production in the summer. The modeled organic aerosol concentrations tend to be higher by roughly a factor of three when compared with measurements at three tropical forest sites. This overestimate suggests that more measurements and model studies are needed to examine the formation of organic aerosols in the tropics. The modeled organic carbon (OC) in the free troposphere is in agreement with measurements in the ITCT-2K4 aircraft campaign over North America and in pollution layers off Asia during the INTEX-B campaign, although the model underestimates OC in the free troposphere in comparison with the ACE-Asia campaign off the coast of Japan.

Evaluation of NWP results for wintertime nocturnal boundary‐layer temperatures over Europe and Finland

AbstractFour operational numerical weather prediction (NWP) models were evaluated in winter conditions against (a) synoptic observations in Europe, (b) observations at a 48 m high micrometeorological mast in Sodankylä, northern Finland, and (c) observations at the Helsinki Testbed stations: (i) to evaluate the skills of the models to compute nocturnal 2 m air temperature (T2m) and the temperature inversion; and (ii) to distinguish between the T2m bias and the subgrid‐scale spatial variability of T2m. The models were (1) the Integrated Forecast System (IFS) of the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), (2) the High Resolution Limited Area Model (HIRLAM), (3) the Applications of Research to Operations at Mesoscale (AROME) developed by Météo‐France, and (4) the Global Forecasting System (GFS) of the US National Center for Environmental Predictions (NCEP). The results demonstrated a T2m bias increasing with decreasing temperature and strengthening temperature inversion. When a strong temperature inversion was observed in Sodankylä, the models underestimated it, whereas in near‐neutral conditions the stratification was overestimated. Comparison of observed and modelled 3 h temperature tendencies showed that the T2m tendency in the models was on average only 17–20% of the observed one. The warm bias in T2m forecast in Sodankylä during periods of observed temperature inversion partly resulted from a warm bias in the initial conditions. This was due to problems in data assimilation in IFS and HIRLAM, in initialization in AROME, and in either or both procedures in GFS. In particular, the IFS data assimilation increased the T2m bias. Evaluation of modelled T2m against grid‐averaged T2m observed at Helsinki Testbed demonstrated that the T2m model error dominated over the spatial variability of observed T2m. This suggests that over an almost flat terrain horizontal resolution is not a major factor for the accuracy of T2m forecast at low T2m typically associated with temperature inversions. Copyright © 2012 Royal Meteorological Society

The application of the Modified Band Approach for the calculation of on-line photodissociation rate constants in TM5: implications for oxidative capacity

Abstract. A flexible and explicit on-line parameterization for the calculation of tropospheric photodissociation rate constants (J-values) has been integrated into the global Chemistry Transport Model TM5. Here we provide a comprehensive description of this Modified Band Approach (MBA) including details of the optimization procedure employed, the methodology applied for calculating actinic fluxes, the photochemical reaction data used for each chemical species, the aerosol climatology which is adopted and the parameterizations adopted for improving the description of scattering and absorption by clouds. The resulting J-values change markedly throughout the troposphere when compared to the offline approach used to date, with significant increases in the boundary layer and upper troposphere. Conversely, for the middle troposphere a reduction in the actinic flux results in a decrease in J-values. Integrating effects shows that application of the MBA introduces seasonal dependent differences in important trace gas oxidants. Tropospheric ozone (O3) changes by ±10% in the seasonal mean mixing ratios throughout the troposphere, especially over land. These changes and the perturbations in the photolysis rate of O3 induce changes of ±15% in tropospheric OH. In part this is due to an increase in the re-cycling efficiency of nitrogen oxides. The overall increase in northern hemispheric tropospheric ozone strengthens the oxidizing capacity of the troposphere significantly and reduces the lifetime of CO and CH4 by ~5 % and ~4%, respectively. Changes in the tropospheric CO burden, however, are limited to a few percent due to competing effects. Comparing the distribution of tropospheric ozone in the boundary layer and middle troposphere against observations in Europe shows there are improvements in the model performance during boreal winter in the Northern Hemisphere near regions affected by high nitrogen oxide emissions. Monthly mean total columns of nitrogen dioxide and formaldehyde also compare more favorably against OMI and SCIAMACHY total column observations.

OPINIONS In vitro babies – medical and legal aspects: a European and North American perspective

ENWEndNote BIBJabRef, Mendeley RISPapers, Reference Manager, RefWorks, Zotero AMA Gadzinowski J, Merritt T, Jopek A, Kochanski A, Lavery A, Merritt T. OPINIONSIn vitro babies – medical and legal aspects: a European and North American perspective. BioTechnologia. 2012;93(1):9-26. doi:10.5114/bta.2012.46565. APA Gadzinowski, J., Merritt, T., Jopek, A., Kochanski, A., Lavery, A., & Merritt, T. (2012). OPINIONSIn vitro babies – medical and legal aspects: a European and North American perspective. BioTechnologia, 93(1), 9-26. https://doi.org/10.5114/bta.2012.46565 Chicago Gadzinowski, Janusz, T. Allen Merritt, Aleksandra Jopek, Andrzej Kochanski, Adrian Lavery, and Travis Merritt. 2012. "OPINIONSIn vitro babies – medical and legal aspects: a European and North American perspective". BioTechnologia 93 (1): 9-26. doi:10.5114/bta.2012.46565. Harvard Gadzinowski, J., Merritt, T., Jopek, A., Kochanski, A., Lavery, A., and Merritt, T. (2012). OPINIONSIn vitro babies – medical and legal aspects: a European and North American perspective. BioTechnologia, 93(1), pp.9-26. https://doi.org/10.5114/bta.2012.46565 MLA Gadzinowski, Janusz et al. "OPINIONSIn vitro babies – medical and legal aspects: a European and North American perspective." BioTechnologia, vol. 93, no. 1, 2012, pp. 9-26. doi:10.5114/bta.2012.46565. Vancouver Gadzinowski J, Merritt T, Jopek A, Kochanski A, Lavery A, Merritt T. OPINIONSIn vitro babies – medical and legal aspects: a European and North American perspective. BioTechnologia. 2012;93(1):9-26. doi:10.5114/bta.2012.46565.

The 16 May 1909 Northern Great Plains Earthquake

Abstract The largest historical earthquake in the northern Great Plains occurred on 16 May 1909. Our analysis of intensity assignments places the earthquake location (48.81° N, 105.38° W) close to the Montana–Saskatchewan border with an intensity magnitude M I of 5.3–5.4. Observations from two seismic observatories in Europe give an average M s value of 5.3. The 1909 earthquake is near an alignment of epicenters of small earthquakes in Montana and Saskatchewan and on strike with the mapped Hinsdale fault in Montana. Thus, the 1909 earthquake may have occurred on a 300-km-long seismically active fault, which could have seismic-hazard implications for the region, particularly for the hydraulically emplaced earth-filled Fort Peck Dam, constructed in the 1930s on the Missouri River in northeast Montana.

History of Field Observations on Volcanic Rocks of Western Mexico, Pre-Columbian to Recent

By the time the first detailed reports on western Mexico's volcanic rocks had begun to appear in the 1970s, most of the earlier observations on these rocks and most knowledge of those who made these observations were all but forgotten. A review of previous field observations in this region shows, however, a long history of geologic discovery reflecting or even preceding developments elsewhere.Ethnological studies suggest that the Pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Sierra Madre Occidental (SMO) observed the characteristics of rock formations in their sierra homeland and understood something of the regional stratigraphic relationships. Late sixteenth and early seventeenth century explorers of the Spanish Colonial Period singled out volcanic rock known to them as piedra de malpaís for special recognition, and Padre Kino and his fellow explorers clearly recognized the volcanic origin of piedra de malpaís decades prior to similar observations in Europe. As the Spanish Colonial Period came to a close, Andrés Manuel del Río help organize a state-of-theart mining college in Mexico City where students were instructed in Werner's geognosy prior to their taking positions in Mexico's mining industry, most of it located in western Mexico's volcanic rocks.Although the first part of the tumultuous period between Mexico's revolutions of 1810 and 1910 saw few advances in geological knowledge, the reign of President Porfirio Díaz produced a geologic map of Mexico, the founding of the Instituto de Geología, and an ‘American invasion’ of geologists and mining engineers who locally gathered information on the nature of volcanic rocks of western Mexico. During the same period, Instituto geologist Ezequiel Ordóñez established the general stratigraphic sequence in the SMO, recognized the widespread occurrence of rhyolite there, and applied the petrographic microscope to the study of SMO volcanic rocks. The first identification of ignimbrites in the SMO came as a result of the World War II-era search for strategic minerals, and NASA's push to put a man on the Moon supported a series of student mapping projects producing the SMO's first geologic maps showing individual ignimbrite units and calderas.

Quantifying extreme behavior in geomagnetic activity

Understanding the extremes in geomagnetic activity is an important component in understanding just how severe conditions can become in the terrestrial space environment. Extreme activity also has consequences for technological systems. On the ground, extreme geomagnetic behavior has an impact on navigation and position accuracy and the operation of power grids and pipeline networks. We therefore use a number of decades of one‐minute mean magnetic data from magnetic observatories in Europe, together with the technique of extreme value statistics, to provide a preliminary exploration of the extremes in magnetic field variations and their one‐minute rates of change. These extremes are expressed in terms of the variations that might be observed every 100 and 200 years in the horizontal strength and in the declination of the field. We find that both measured and extrapolated extreme values generally increase with geomagnetic latitude (as might be expected), though there is a marked maximum in estimated extreme levels between about 53 and 62 degrees north. At typical midlatitude European observatories (55–60 degrees geomagnetic latitude), compass variations may reach approximately 3–8 degrees/minute, and horizontal field changes may reach 1000–4000 nT/minute, in one magnetic storm once every 100 years. For storm return periods of 200 years the equivalent figures are 4–11 degrees/minute and 1000–6000 nT/minute.

OC/EC ratio observations in Europe: Re-thinking the approach for apportionment between primary and secondary organic carbon

Abstract This study explores a large set of OC and EC measurements in PM 10 and PM 2.5 aerosol samples, undertaken with a long term constant analytical methodology, to evaluate the capability of the OC/EC minimum ratio to represent the ratio between the OC and EC aerosol components resulting from fossil fuel combustion (OC ff /EC ff ). The data set covers a wide geographical area in Europe, but with a particular focus upon Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom, and includes a great variety of sites: urban (background, kerbside and tunnel), industrial, rural and remote. The highest minimum ratios were found in samples from remote and rural sites. Urban background sites have shown spatially and temporally consistent minimum ratios, of around 1.0 for PM 10 and 0.7 for PM 2.5 .The consistency of results has suggested that the method could be used as a tool to derive the ratio between OC and EC from fossil fuel combustion and consequently to differentiate OC from primary and secondary sources. To explore this capability, OC and EC measurements were performed in a busy roadway tunnel in central Lisbon. The OC/EC ratio, which reflected the composition of vehicle combustion emissions, was in the range of 0.3–0.4. Ratios of OC/EC in roadside increment air (roadside minus urban background) in Birmingham, UK also lie within the range 0.3–0.4. Additional measurements were performed under heavy traffic conditions at two double kerbside sites located in the centre of Lisbon and Madrid. The OC/EC minimum ratios observed at both sites were found to be between those of the tunnel and those of urban background air, suggesting that minimum values commonly obtained for this parameter in open urban atmospheres over-predict the direct emissions of OC ff from road transport. Possible reasons for this discrepancy are explored.

Ionospheric reflection of the magnetic activity described by the index η

Differences in the external part of the vertical geomagnetic component point to the existence of local inhomogeneities in the magnetosphere or the ionosphere. Usually used magnetic indices are not sufficient to express the state of ionosphere, the common used global Kp index derived in the three-hour interval does not indicate much more rapidly changes appearing in ionosphere. Magnetic index η reflects ionospheric disturbances when other indices show very quiet conditions. Data of ionospheric characteristics (foE, foEs, h’E, h’F2) during 28-day long quiet day conditions (Kp = 0–2) in 2004 were analyzed. The correlations between strong local disturbances in ionosphere during very quiet days and high values of magnetic index η were found. The most sensitive to magnetic influence – ionospheric E layer data (foE characteristic) – reaches median deviations up to (+0.8 MHz and −0.8 MHz) during very low magnetic activity (Kp = 0–1). The high peaks (2–2.7) of the magnetic index η correlate in time with large local median deviations of foE. Such local deviations can suggest local inhomogeneities (vertical drifts) in the ionosphere. The correlation in space is not trivial. The strong peak of η is situated between the positive and negative deviations of foE. Additional observation is connected with correlation in time of the high η value with the negative median deviations of h’F2 (in some cases up to −90 km). The analysis was based on one-minute data recorded at each of 20 European Magnetic Observatories working in the INTERMAGNET network and from 19 ionosondes for 2004. Ionospheric data are sparse in time and in space in opposite to the magnetic data. The map of the magnetic indices can suggest the behavior of ionospheric characteristics in the areas where we have no data.

Ecological requirements of a rare saproxylic beetle Cucujus haematodes- the beetles’ stronghold on the edge of its distribution area

Abstract. 1. Cucujus haematodes is a rare obligate saproxylic beetle with Eurasian distribution range. 2. The species has suffered a sharp decline in the European part of its distribution range, which can be attributed to the loss of forest habitats with a continuous supply of dead wood. 3. We found that this species is largely distributed in the Primorskiy Region (far eastern Russia), where it can reach strong populations in late stages of pioneer forest succession. 4. Contrary to the observations in Europe, C. haematodes occurred predominantly in lower altitudes and it preferred broadleaved trees. 5. Our guild analysis showed springtails (Collembola), mites (Acarina), ants (Formicidae) and subcortical histerids (Histeridae) and carabids (Carabidae) to be the most associated species at the microhabitat level. 6. Cucujus haematodes can be considered as a species of high conservation value because it shares the habitat with some other threatened saproxylic beetles, such as Boros schneideri (Boridae), Pytho kolwensis (Pythidae), Cardiophorus nigerrimus (Elateridae) and Dendrophagus crenatus (Silvanidae).

Ozone, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides time series at four alpine GAW mountain stations in central Europe

Abstract. Long-term, ground based in-situ observations of ozone (O3) and its precursor gases nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and carbon monoxide (CO) from the four sites Hohenpeissenberg and Zugspitze (D), Sonnblick (A) and Jungfraujoch (CH) are presented for the period 1995–2007. These Central European alpine mountain observatories cover an altitude range of roughly 1000 to 3500 m. Comparable analytical methods and common quality assurance (QA) procedures are used at all sites. For O3 and CO, calibration is linked to primary calibrations (O3) or CO standards provided by the Central Calibration Laboratory (CCL) at NOAA/ESRL. All stations have been audited by the World Calibration Centre (WCC) for CO and O3 (WCC-Empa; CH). Data from long-term measurements of NO2 and CO are only available from Hohenpeissenberg and Jungfraujoch. Both sites show slightly decreasing mixing ratios of the primarily emitted NO2 and the partly anthropogenically emitted CO between 1995 and 2007. The findings are generally consistent with shorter observation periods at Zugspitze and Sonnblick and thus are considered to represent regional changes in Central European atmospheric composition at this altitude range. Over the same period, 1995–2007, the O3 mixing ratios have slightly increased at three of the four sites independent of wind sector. Trends are often more pronounced in winter and less in summer; highest declines of NO2 and CO are observed in winter and the lowest in summer, whereas the strongest O3 increase was detected in winter and lowest or even decline in summer, respectively. Weekly cycles demonstrate anthropogenic impact at all elevations with enhanced NO2 on working days compared to weekends. Enhanced O3 values on working days indicating photochemical production from anthropogenic precursors are only observed in summer, whereas in all other seasons anti-correlation with NO2 was found due to reduced O3 values on working days. Trends are discussed with respect to anthropogenic impacts and vertical mixing. The observed trends for NO2 at the alpine mountain sites are less pronounced than trends estimated based on emission inventories.

Ecological requirements of a rare saproxylic beetle Cucujus haematodes- the beetles’ stronghold on the edge of its distribution area

Abstract. 1. Cucujus haematodes is a rare obligate saproxylic beetle with Eurasian distribution range. 2. The species has suffered a sharp decline in the European part of its distribution range, which can be attributed to the loss of forest habitats with a continuous supply of dead wood. 3. We found that this species is largely distributed in the Primorskiy Region (far eastern Russia), where it can reach strong populations in late stages of pioneer forest succession. 4. Contrary to the observations in Europe, C. haematodes occurred predominantly in lower altitudes and it preferred broadleaved trees. 5. Our guild analysis showed springtails (Collembola), mites (Acarina), ants (Formicidae) and subcortical histerids (Histeridae) and carabids (Carabidae) to be the most associated species at the microhabitat level. 6. Cucujus haematodes can be considered as a species of high conservation value because it shares the habitat with some other threatened saproxylic beetles, such as Boros schneideri (Boridae), Pytho kolwensis (Pythidae), Cardiophorus nigerrimus (Elateridae) and Dendrophagus crenatus (Silvanidae).

Towards modelling of decay risk of wooden materials

An empirical model for wood decay development which can be incorporated into a hygrothermal model of building physics is presented. The model is applied to the ERA-40 reanalysis data, based on six-hour weather observations in Europe, to estimate wood decay in different parts of Europe. These studies provide new tools for evaluating the durability and service life of wooden products and a preliminary European wood decay risk level map. The effects of the projected climate change on wood decay may also be considered by this methodology.

A new magnetic index based on the external part of vertical geomagnetic variations

Variations of geomagnetic components X, Y, and Z recorded in 19 Intermagnet European observatories in 2004 were analysed. The original data from all observatories were preliminarily processed. In the first step, periods longer than three hours were filtered out. In the second step, variations of vertical geomagnetic component Z were separated into external and internal parts. We introduced a non-dimensional index η defined as the square root of a ratio of the energy of the external part of the vertical component to that of the horizontal components. Maps of the surface distribution of a new magnetic index η for the area of Europe at selected time periods were created, and their time changes are presented. The time changes of η for selected observatories are also shown. Moreover, we discuss a very interesting phenomenon we discovered, that has never been described in geophysical literature. Namely, in the recordings of all the observatories we noticed the presence of very regular variations, observed almost exclusively in the vertical component Z, which is quite unusual. These regular variations occur in the form of sinusoidal “wave packets”. The amplitudes of these variations do not depend on the geomagnetic latitude and appear in the records of all the observatories we analyzed. They occur in quiet days, which suggests that their source is in the ionosphere.