Ecological classification of macrophytes and phytobenthos for rivers in Germany according to the water framework directive

A new assessment system for macrophytes and phytobenthos in German rivers meeting the requirements of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) of the European Community is described. Biocoenotic types based on biological, chemical and hydromorphological data from over 200 river sites covering the main ecoregions, hydromorphological stream types and degradation forms have been defined. For developing a classification system the quality element macrophytes and phytobenthos was divided into three components: macrophytes, benthic diatoms and remaining phytobenthos. For macrophytes seven types including one subtype, for benthic diatoms 14 types including three subtypes and for the remaining phytobenthos five river types were identified. The benthic vegetation at reference condition was described for most of the river types. Degradation is characterised as deviation in benthic vegetation species composition and abundance from the reference biocoenosis. For classification in five ecological status classes, several metrics were developed and used in combination with existing indices. For some of the described river types additional investigations are necessary before a classification system can be developed.     

Geodynamic significance of the Raspas Metamorphic Complex (SW Ecuador): geochemical and isotopic constraints

The Raspas Metamorphic Complex of southwestern Ecuador is regarded as the southernmost remnant of oceanic and continental terranes accreted in the latest Jurassic–Early Cretaceous. It consists of variably metamorphosed rock types. (1) Mafic and ultramafic rocks metamorphosed under high-pressure (HP) conditions (eclogite facies) show oceanic plateau affinities with flat REE chondrite-normalized patterns, Nd_{150 Ma} ranging from +4.6 to 9.8 and initial Pb isotopic ratios intermediate between MORB and OIB. (2) Sedimentary rocks metamorphosed under eclogitic conditions exhibit LREE enriched patterns, strong negative Eu anomalies, Rb, Nb, U, Th, Pb enrichments, low Nd_{150 Ma} values (from −6.4 to −9.5), and high initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and ^206,207,208Pb/²⁰⁴Pb isotopic ratios suggesting they were originally sediments derived from the erosion of an old continental crust. (3) Epidote-bearing amphibolites show N-MORB affinities with LREE depleted patterns, LILE, Zr, Hf and Th depletion, high Nd_{150 Ma} (>+10) and low initial Pb isotopic ratios.The present-day well defined internal structure of the Raspas Metamorphic Complex seems to be inconsistent with the formerly proposed interpretation of a “tectonic mélange”. The association of oceanic plateau rocks and continent-derived sediments both metamorphosed in HP conditions suggests that the thin edge of the oceanic plateau first entered the subduction zone and dragged sediments downward of the accretionary wedge along the Wadatti–Benioff zone. Subsequently, when its thickest part arrived into the subduction zone, the oceanic plateau jammed the subduction processes, due to its high buoyancy.In Ecuador and Colombia, the latest Jurassic–Early Cretaceous suture involves HP oceanic plateau rocks and N-MORB rocks metamorphosed under lower grades, suggesting a composite or polyphase nature for the latest Jurassic–Early Cretaceous accretionary event.     

Layered amphibolite sequence in NE Sardinia,Italy: remnant of a pre-Variscan mafic silicic layered intrusion?

A banded amphibolite sequence of alternating ultramafic, mafic (amphibolite) and silicic layers, tectonically enclosed within Variscan migmatites, outcrops at Monte Plebi (NE Sardinia) and shows similarities with leptyno-amphibolite complexes. The ultramafic layers consist of amphibole (75–98%), garnet (0–20%), opaque minerals (1–5%) and biotite (0–3%). The mafic rocks are made up of amphibole (65–80%), plagioclase (15–30%), quartz (0–15%), opaque minerals (2–3%) and biotite (0–2%). The silicic layers consist of plagioclase (60–75%), amphibole (15–30%) and quartz (10–15%). Alteration, metasomatic, metamorphic and hydrothermal processes did not significantly modify the original protolith chemistry, as proved by a lack of K₂O-enrichment, Rb-enrichment, CaO-depletion, MgO-depletion and by no shift in the rare earth element (REE) patterns. Field, geochemical and isotopic data suggest that ultramafic, mafic and silicic layers represent repeated sequences of cumulates, basic and acidic rocks similar to macrorhythmic units of mafic silicic layered intrusions. The ultramafic layers recall the evolved cumulates of Skaergaard and Pleasant Bay mafic silicic layered intrusions. Mafic layers resemble Thingmuli tholeiites and chilled Pleasant Bay mafic rocks. Silicic layers with Na₂O: 4–6 wt%, SiO₂: 67–71 wt% were likely oligoclase-rich adcumulates common in many mafic silicic layered intrusions. Some amphibolite showing a strong Ti-, P-depletion and REE-depletion are interpreted as early cumulates nearly devoid of ilmenite and phosphates. All Monte Plebi rocks have extremely low Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf content and high LILE/HFSE ratios, a feature inherited from the original mantle sources. The mafic and ultramafic layers show slight and strong LREE enrichment respectively. Most mafic layer samples plot in the field of continental tholeiites in the TiO₂–K₂O–P₂O₅ diagram and are completely different from N-MORB, E-MORB and T-MORB as regards REE patterns and Nd, Sr isotope ratios but show analogies with Siberian, Deccan and proto-Atlantic rift tholeiites. Comparisons with Thingmuli, Skaergaard and Kiglapait rocks and with experimental data suggest that the Monte Plebi intrusion was an open-to-oxygen system with fO₂ FMQ. Mafic and ultramafic samples yielded _Nd(460)=+0.79 /+3.06 and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr=0.702934–0.703426, and four silicic samples _Nd(460)=–0.53/–1.13; ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr=0.703239–0.703653. Significant differences in Nd isotope ratios between mafic and silicic rocks prove that both groups evolved separately in deeper magma chambers, from different mantle sources, with negligible interaction with crustal material, and were later repeatedly injected within a shallower magma chamber. The spectrum of Sr and Nd isotope data is consistent with a slightly enriched mantle metasomatized during an event earlier than 460 Ma. The metasomatising component was represented by alkali-Th-rich fluids of crustal origin rather than by sedimentary materials, able to modify alkali and Sr–Nd isotope systematics. Monte Plebi layered amphibolites might represent the first example of a strongly metamorphosed fragment of an early Paleozoic mafic silicic layered intrusion emplaced in a thinning continental crust and then tectonically dismembered by Variscan orogeny.     

Compton dragged gamma-ray bursts: the spectrum

Recently several studies have jointly analysed data from different cosmological probes with the motivation of estimating cosmological parameters. Here we generalize this procedure to allow freedom in the relative weights of various probes. This is done by including in the joint χ ² function a set of 'hyper-parameters', which are dealt with using Bayesian considerations. The resulting algorithm, which assumes uniform priors on the log of the hyper-parameters, is very simple: instead of minimizing     (where     is per data set j ) we propose to minimize     (where N _j is the number of data points per data set j ). We illustrate the method by estimating the Hubble constant H ₀ from different sets of recent cosmic microwave background (CMB) experiments (including Saskatoon, Python V, MSAM1, TOCO and Boomerang ). The approach can be generalized for combinations of cosmic probes, and for other priors on the hyper-parameters.     

Is the Linné impact crater morphology influenced by the rheological layering on the Moon's surface? Insights from numerical modeling

Linné is a simple crater, with a diameter of 2.23 km and a depth of 0.52 km, located in northwestern Mare Serenitatis. Recent high‐resolution data acquired by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera revealed that the shape of this impact structure is best described by an inverted truncated‐cone. We perform morphometric measurements, including slope and profile curvature, on the Digital Terrain Model of Linné, finding the possible presence of three subtle topographic steps, at the elevation of +20, ?100, and ?200 m relative to the target surface. The kink at ?100 m might be related to the interface between two different rheological layers. Using the iSALE shock physics code, we numerically model the formation of Linné crater to derive hints on the possible impact conditions and target physical properties. In the initial setup, we adopt a basaltic projectile impacting the Moon with a speed of 18 km s^?1. For the local surface, we consider either one or two layers, in order to test the influence of material properties or composite rheologies on the final crater morphology. The one‐layer model shows that the largest variations in the crater shape take place when either the cohesion or the friction coefficient is varied. In particular, a cohesion of 10 kPa marks the threshold between conical‐ and parabolic‐shaped craters. The two‐layer model shows that the interface between the two layers would be exposed at the observed depth of 100 m when an intermediate value (~200 m) for the upper fractured layer is set. We have also found that the truncated‐cone morphology of Linné might originate from an incomplete collapse of the crater wall, as the breccia lens remains clustered along the crater walls, while the high‐albedo deposit on the crater floor can be interpreted as a very shallow lens of fallout breccia. The modeling analysis allows us to derive important clues on the impactor size (under the assumption of a vertical impact and collision velocity equal to the mean value), and on the approximate, large‐scale preimpact target properties. Observations suggest that these large‐scale material properties likely include some important smaller scale variations, disclosed as subtle morphological steps in the crater walls. Furthermore, the modeling results allow advancing some hypotheses on the geological evolution of the Mare Serenitatis region where Linné crater is located (unit S14). We suggest that unit S14 has a thickness of at least a few hundreds of meters up to about 400 m.     

Italian strong motion records in ITACA: overview and record processing

The published version 1.0 of the new Italian strong-motion database ITACA (Italian ACcelerometric Archive, ) includes to date (December 2010) about 4,000 three-component waveforms up to M 6.9, from more than 1,800 earthquakes up to 6.9, recorded by about 400 stations in the period 1972–2009. The uncorrected and corrected strong motion data are archived and can be retrieved with their metadata, concerning events, stations and waveforms. The aim of this paper is to present the procedures for processing the records included in ITACA, accounting for the heterogeneity of this data set, both in terms of quality and amplitude of records as well as illustrating the main features of the ITACA strong-motion dataset. Later, we focus on the “exceptional” ground-motion records, that we, conventionally, denote as those having peak acceleration and peak velocity larger than 300 cm/s² and 15 cm/s, respectively. These records are less than 2% of the whole ITACA dataset but they are the most relevant for the seismic hazard and engineering implications. Such large peak values, recorded at distances up to 30 km, are related not only to the strongest Italian earthquakes, but also to events with magnitude down to 4. Furthermore, we investigate the dependence of the largest peak values on horizontal and vertical directions and on source-to-site distance.     

Variations in bottom water activity at the southern Argentine margin: indications from a seismic analysis of a continental slope terrace

Continental slope terraces at the southern Argentine margin are part of a significant contourite depositional system composed of a variety of drifts, channels, and sediment waves. Here, a refined seismostratigraphic model for the sedimentary development of the Valentin Feilberg Terrace located in ~4.1?km water depth is presented. Analyzing multichannel seismic profiles across and along this terrace, significant changes in terrace morphology and seismic reflection character are identified and interpreted to reflect variations in deep water hydrography from Late Miocene to recent times, involving variable flow of Antarctic Bottom Water and Circumpolar Deep Water. A prominent basin-wide aggradational seismic unit is interpreted to represent the Mid-Miocene climatic optimum (~17?C14?Ma). A major current reorganization can be inferred for the time ~14?C12?Ma when the Valentin Feilberg Terrace started growing due to the deposition of sheeted and mounded drifts. After ~12?Ma, bottom water flow remained vigorous at both margins of the terrace. Another intensification of bottom flow occurred at ~5?C6?Ma when a mounded drift, moats, and sediment waves developed on the terrace. This may have been caused by a general change in deep water mass organization following the closure of the Panamanian gateway, and a subsequent stronger southward flow of North Atlantic Deep Water.