Effects of lava flows on lunar crater populations

It is shown that endogenic lava flow processes can be identified by their characteristic effects on lunar crater size distributions without necessarily being able to recognise individual flows on the photographs studied. The thickness of lava flows or a series of flows can be estimated from these crater size distribution characteristics. The lava flow histories of the Apollo landing sites 11, 12 and 15 are discussed in detail. The thicknesses of the most recent (3–3.4 × 10⁹ years ago) flows there and of the youngest flows in an area in south-west Mare Imbrium (3 × 10⁹ years) are found to range between 30 and 60 m. The subsequent flow episodes at the landing sites showing up in the crater size distributions can be related to differences in the radiometric ages of the respective lunar rocks.     

Deep structure and kinematics of the Northern Calcareous Alps (TRANSALP Profile)

The Northern Calcareous Alps (NCA) of southern Bavaria and northern Tyrol constitute a carbonate-dominated polyphase fold-thrust wedge; together with its Grauwacken Zone Basement, it is the northernmost part of the far-travelled Upper Austroalpine thrust complex of the Eastern Alps. The present geometry developed in several kinematic stages. Jurassic extensional faults that affected large parts of the NCA and their basement originated when the main part of the NCA was still located southeast of the Central Alpine Ötztal-Silvretta complex. These faults and related facies transitions influenced the later style of detachment of the NCA thrust sheets. Mid to Late Cretaceous detachment, thrust-sheet stacking and motion over the Central Alpine complex are registered in clastic deposits of syntectonic basins. The latest Cretaceous to Cenozoic NNE- to N-directed motion of the NCA towards Europe in front of the Central Alpine complex created another set of significant contraction structures, which at depth overprinted all previous structures. During Cretaceous to Cenozoic deformation, the NCA experienced about 80 km of shortening, i.e., about 73% along the TRANSALP Profile. The European basement and autochthonous Mesozoic cover beneath the allochthonous NCA thrust sheets and flysch complexes seem to have remained relatively undeformed.     

Paleoenvironmental evolution of the Paratethys in the Slovenian Basin during the Late Paleogene

Several sections from the uppermost Eocene and Oligocene of northern Slovenia have been investigated with respect to sedimentary facies, foraminiferal assemblages, stable isotopes, carbonate microfacies, and palynology. The main objective was to reconstruct the paleoenvironmental history of the Paleogene Paratethys in this region of the eastern Alpine realm. The sediments exhibit a transgressive succession beginning with conglomerates, sandstones, and mudstones of fluvial and lacustrine origin followed by carbonates and muddy marls indicating marine conditions. The foraminiferal faunal changes from brackish to shallow marine to deeper marine assemblages and the distribution of the palynofloras corroborate the sedimentological results. Microfacies analysis of the limestones shows a wide variation of shallow water, generally mud-rich facies dominated by coralline algae, foraminifera, and corals. Microfaunas adapted to low-oxygen conditions indicate temporal sluggish bottom-water circulation which can be associated with high fresh-water fluxes. These results are discussed as reflecting both the global sea-level rise during the Early Oligocene and the regional tectonic and climatic evolution.     

The LMDZ4 general circulation model: climate performance and sensitivity to parametrized physics with emphasis on tropical convection

The LMDZ4 general circulation model is the atmospheric component of the IPSL–CM4 coupled model which has been used to perform climate change simulations for the 4th IPCC assessment report. The main aspects of the model climatology (forced by observed sea surface temperature) are documented here, as well as the major improvements with respect to the previous versions, which mainly come form the parametrization of tropical convection. A methodology is proposed to help analyse the sensitivity of the tropical Hadley–Walker circulation to the parametrization of cumulus convection and clouds. The tropical circulation is characterized using scalar potentials associated with the horizontal wind and horizontal transport of geopotential (the Laplacian of which is proportional to the total vertical momentum in the atmospheric column). The effect of parametrized physics is analysed in a regime sorted framework using the vertical velocity at 500 hPa as a proxy for large scale vertical motion. Compared to Tiedtke’s convection scheme, used in previous versions, the Emanuel’s scheme improves the representation of the Hadley–Walker circulation, with a relatively stronger and deeper large scale vertical ascent over tropical continents, and suppresses the marked patterns of concentrated rainfall over oceans. Thanks to the regime sorted analyses, these differences are attributed to intrinsic differences in the vertical distribution of convective heating, and to the lack of self-inhibition by precipitating downdraughts in Tiedtke’s parametrization. Both the convection and cloud schemes are shown to control the relative importance of large scale convection over land and ocean, an important point for the behaviour of the coupled model.     

Pre-Cenozoic intra-plate magmatism along the Central Andes (17–34°S): Composition of the mantle at an active margin

Sr–Nd–Pb isotope ratios of alkaline mafic intra-plate magmatism constrain the isotopic compositions of the lithospheric mantle along what is now the eastern foreland or back arc of the Cenozoic Central Andes (17–34°S). Most small-volume basanite volcanic rocks and alkaline intrusive rocks of Cretaceous (and rare Miocene) age were derived from a depleted lithospheric mantle source with rather uniform initial ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ( 0.5127–0.5128) and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ( 0.7032–0.7040). The initial ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratios are variable (18.5–19.7) at uniform ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratios (15.60 ± 0.05). A variety of the Cretaceous depleted mantle source of the magmatic rocks shows elevated Sr isotope ratios up to 0.707 at constant high Nd isotope ratios. The variable Sr and Pb isotope ratios are probably due to radiogenic growth in a metasomatized lithospheric mantle, which represents the former sub-arc mantle beneath the early Palaeozoic active continental margin. Sr–Nd–Pb isotope signatures of a second mantle type reflected in the composition of Cretaceous (one late Palaeozoic age) intra-plate magmatic rocks (¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd  0.5123, ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr  0.704, ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb  17.5–18.5, and ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb  15.45–15.50) are similar to the isotopic composition of old sub-continental lithospheric mantle of the Brazilian Shield.

Published Nd and Sr isotopic compositions of Mesozoic to Cenozoic arc-related magmatic rocks (18–40°S) represent the composition of the convective sub-arc mantle in the Central Andes and are similar to those of the Cretaceous (and rare Miocene) intra-plate magmatic rocks. The dominant convective and lithospheric mantle type beneath this old continental margin is depleted mantle, which is compositionally different from average MORB-type depleted mantle. The old sub-continental lithospheric mantle did not contribute to Mesozoic to Cenozoic arc magmatism.     

A Discussion of IGS Solutions and Their Impact on Geodetic and Geophysical Applications

The International Association of Geodesy officially established the International GPS Service (IGS) on Janaury 1, 1994. Its prime objective is to provide support and a rerefence system for a wide variety of scientific and practical applications involving GPS. To fulfill its role the IGS also generates, in addition to its fundamental products (orbital/staion positions and consistent Earth orientation parameters), additional reference-system products providing the necessary infrastructure, standards, and means of calibrations for timing and various atmospheric applications of GPS. The generation and efficient application of IGS products and their impact on a number of positioning and atmospheric applications, including low earth orbit satellites, is reviewed and discussed. @ 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Strain determination from the measurement of pebble shapes

Cross-sections of pebbles or other near-ellipsoidal bodies in rocks can be measured in three planes, conveniently chosen orthogonal to each other, but otherwise oriented arbitrarily. The three sets of measurements, referred to a single Cartesian coordinate system, can in principle be used to calculate the average pebble shape. Some of these measurements, however, are necessarily redundant and, generally, not compatible without adjustments for the distribution of an error. The calculation of the average ellipsoid is developed, as is that of the strain which transforms an original sphere into such an ellipsoid. This calculation involves the distribution by a weighted least-squares method of the error due to redundancy and leads to the assignment of an estimated error to each of the second-rank tensor components of the strain. The assumption is made that, after being referred to the common coordinate system, the measured values for each tensor component have a normal distribution. This assumption may not always be correct but could be tested before this method is used.     

Eodiagenetische Vorgänge bei der Bildung von Salinargesteinen

Zusammenfassung Chemische Präzipitate bleiben als Sedimente nur so lange erhalten, als sie mit der darüberstehenden Lösung, dem Bodenwasser des Salinarbeckens, im chemischen Gleichgewicht stehen. Die in dem Laugenkörper solcher Meeresbecken bestehenden, horizontalen Dichtegrenzen, die auf Konzentrationsunterschieden beruhen, können sich durch klimatische, meeresgeographische u. a. Veränderungen vertikal verschieben. Dadurch ist das Sediment (der Bodenkörper) Umbildungen ausgesetzt. Verdünnung der Lauge bringt entweder totale Wiederauflösung oder selektive Rücklösung der leichtestlöslichen Sediment-Anteile mit sich: durch NaCl-Auflösung bei Haliten ein tonig-anhydritisches Residuum (hardground), Sylvinitisierung (bis Halitisierung) durch Ent-Carnallitisierung (MgCl₂-Wegführung) bei Kalisalzen. Tiefgreifende Umkristallisationen und Entstehung von polygonalen Pfeilern erheblicher Tiefenerstreckung sprechen für Stillstand der Sedimentation und für subaquatische Verkarstung. Auf mechanische Umformungen durch Wellenschlag gehen wohl Augensalze und Knollenanhydrite zurück (Tempestite). An paläogeographisch geeigneten Positionen entstanden durch Gleitbewegungen (slumping) Breccienbänke und Falten erheblichen Ausmaßes in Anhydriten und Kalisalzen. Alle diese Vorgänge werden in das früheste Stadium der Diagenese eingeordnet.Zur Vermeidung der aus zwei verschiedenen Sprachen zusammengesetzten Wortkombination Frühdiagenese wird die BezeichnungEodiagense hiermit in Vorschlag gebracht.

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Chemical deposits are only preserved as sediments when they are in chemical equilibrium with the lowermost part of the brine basin. The brine bedding, caused by density, or concentration respectively, can be disturbed by changes of climate, by currents a. s. o. When the brine boundaries are shifted in vertical direction the bottom sediment may be transformed. A thinning of the brine will give rise either to total re-dissolution or to any selective removal of the highest soluble substance, f. i. NaCl from rock salt, by leaving anhydritic or marly residuals (hardground), or MgCl₂ from Carnallite, by leaving Sylvite etc. Breaks within the progressive sedimentation produce polygonal structures reaching several meters down into the pre-existing halite sediment. And thatone may be recrystallized in big scale. Physical influence, as movement in the waterbody by wind and waves, gave rise to so-called augensalz, fragmental anhydrites a. s. o. Brecciated anhydrites as well as huge creeping folds in anhydrites and in potash beds have to be explaned by slumping.All these transformations are caused by early diagenesis. For avoiding the term early diagenesis≓ which is composed by 2 words of different languages, the wordEodiagenesis is proposed herewith.

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Résumé Les sédiments chimiques ne sont conservés qu'aussi longtemps qu'ils sont en équilibre chimique avec la partie basale de la saumure qui se trouve au-dessus d'eux. Les plans de stratification, dûs aux différences de densité liées à la concentration en sels dans la saumure peuvent se déplacer verticalement sous l'action d'influences climatiques, océaniques, tectoniques etc., ce qui expose le sédiment déposé à des transformations. Une dilution de la saumure peut provoquer une redissolution totale ou une dissolution sélective des sels suivant leur solubilité. Par example: dans les halites normales, la solubilisation du NaCl laissera comme résidu un »hardground« composé d'une substance argiloanhydritique; dans les sels potassique, par la dissolution sélective du MgCl₂, la carnallitite sera transformée en sylvinite. — Dans nombre de gisements de halite des structures en pilliers polygonaux de quelques mètres de puissance, où la halite peut Être complètement récrystallisée sont probablement à attribuer à un arrÊt de la sédimentation et à une karstification.Des textures »conglomératiques« observées dans les anhydrites et dans les halites (»Knollenanhydrit«, »Augensalz«), sont à rapporter à l'action des vagues et pourraient donc Être des »tempestites«. Des bancs bréchoides et les plis d'ampleur considérable dans les anhydrites et les sels potassiques ne peuvent Être expliqués que par des glissements subaquatiques.Tous ces événements sont à classer dans un stade très précoce de la diagénèse. Pour éviter le terme de »Frühdiagenese« qui provient de deux langues différentes, il est proposé ici, de désigner ces changements diagénétique précoces sous le nom de »éodiagénèse«.

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, . , . — « » — . , , , - — hardground —, — — . . . . . , , « » «».

     

Thermal metamorphism of primitive meteorites—IX. On the mechanism of trace element loss from Allende heated up to 1400° C

We report data for Ag, Bi, Cd, Co, Cs, Ga, In, Se, Te, Tl and Zn determined by neutron activation in Allende samples heated for one week at 100° increments in the 1000–1400°C range in a low pressure (initially 10^?5atmH₂) environment using an apparatus of novel design. In the extremes, concentrations of these trace elements—initially present at ppm-ppb levels—in unheated material are lowered even farther by factors of 10^?4–10^?5 over a broad temperature span. Loss of some elements above 1000°C extends trends evident below 1000°C; loss of others is even more extreme. On Arrhenius diagrams some elements exhibit but one apparent activation energy over the entire temperature span of loss while others exhibit 2 or 3, each operative in a particular temperature region. These discontinuities seem related to mineralogic/petrologic alteration and probably reflect differences in diffusion mechanism rather than siting differences. The extension of previous experiments into the temperature regime postulated for chondritic differentiation should lead to a better understanding of the evolution of meteoritic parent bodies.     

Zur geomagnetischen Tiefensondierung

Zusammenfassung Eine Kurvenvergleichsmethode zur Interpretation räumlicher Induktions-pfeilprofile wird unter der Voraussetzung entwickelt, dass die Verteilung der von den geomagnetischen Variationen im Erdinnern induzierten Ströme linear ist. Sie gründet sich auf die lineare Abhängigkeit der Länge des Induktionspfeils von der vertikalen Komponente des Biot-Savartschen Gesetzes. Die Frequenzabhängigkeit des Induktionspfeiles ermöglicht die Angabe eines für die Leitfähigkeitsstruktur charakteristischen Widerstandes und einer Induktivität. Wird zur Bestimmung von Induktionspfeilen das gesamte Horizontalfeld benutzt, so geht die Linearität der Beziehung zwischen Pfeillänge und Ortsfunktion verloren. Für eine Reihe von Strommodellen werden derartige Ortsfunktionenp _z berechnet und diskutiert. Sie dienen als Beispiele von Musterkurven für die entwickelte Interpretationsmethode.

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Summary One curve-matching method is developed in order to interprete the geomagnetic induction arrow profiles when the distribution of telluric currents in the underground is assumed to be linear. It bases on the linear dependence of the lengths of the induction arrows from the vertical component of the Biot-Savarts Law, which is a function of the radius vector. This is valid when the inducing field has only a horizontal component and the induced horizontal field is zero. In case that the model approximates the current distribution one gets a resistivity and an inductivity from the dependence of frequency of the induction arrows. Some model curves concerning several current distributions are drawn and discussed.

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Mitteilung aus dem Geomagnetischen Institut der DAW, Potsdam, Nr. 212.