Arctic margin gravity highs: Deeper meaning for sediment depocenters?

Morphologic, gravity, and seismic reflection/refraction data from ca. 10,000 km of Arctic passive continental margins suggest that the numerous oval free-air gravity anomalies, their +50–150 mGal extrema typically located just landward of shelf breaks, are caused by combinations of rapidly deposited Plio-Pleistocene glacial marine sediment loads, older post-breakup sediments, and perhaps causally related density anomalies (mascons) in the underlying oceanic crust. Dispersed seismicity associated with some gravity highs may reflect ongoing brittle, flexural adjustment to the loads. Multi-channel-seismic-controlled depocenter models for several prominent highs (including the Hornsund gravity high re-examined here) suggest that sediments alone do not suffice to explain the gravity highs, unless depocenter seismic velocities have been significantly underestimated. A flexural backstripping model for the Hornsund anomaly only roughly replicates observed gravity. Subjacent 'mascons', if present below some depocenters, may be caused by (1) anomalous subsidence of initially formed dense/thin crust; (2) depocenter blanketing of early-formed crust, mitigating hydrothermal fracturing and related density reduction; or (3) metastable phase transitions, converting basalt/gabbro to denser phases (Neugebauer–Spohn hypothesis), while cracks close or fill under the increased pressures and temperatures.     

Bioremediation of contaminated coastal sediment: Optimization of slow release biostimulant ball using response surface methodology (RSM) and stabilization of metals from contaminated sediment

The aim of the present study is to optimize the slow release biostimulant ball (BSB) for bioremediation of contaminated coastal sediment using response surface methodology (RSM). Metals contamination and stabilization of metals in coastal sediments using BSB were investigated. The effects of BSB size (1–5 cm), distance (1–10 cm), and time (1–4 months) on the stabilization of metals including Fe, Cd, Cu, and Pb were determined. The maximum stabilization percentages of Fe, Cd, Cu, and Pb, of 64.5%, 54.9%, 63.8%, and 47.6%, respectively, were observed at a 3 cm ball size, 5.5 cm distance, and a period of 4 months; these values are the optimum conditions for effective treatment of contaminated coastal sediment. The determination coefficient of the R² value suggests that > 91.55%, 89.97%, 96.10%, and 86.40% of the variance is attributable to the variables of Fe, Cd, Cu, and Pb, respectively.     

Volatiles,vesicles, and vugs: Unraveling the magmatic and eruptive histories of Steno crater basalts

In 1972, Apollo 17 astronauts returned 170.4 kg of lunar material. Within 1 month of their return, a subset of those samples was specially curated with the forethought that future analytical techniques would offer new insight into the formation and evolution of the Moon. Of interest in this work is sample 71036, a basalt collected from the rim of Steno crater in the Taurus–Littrow Valley, which was stored frozen and was processed and released for study 50 years later. We report, for the first time, the detailed mineralogy and petrology of 71036 and its companion samples 71035, 71037, and 71055 using a novel combination of 2-D and 3-D methods. We investigate lunar volatiles through in situ measurements of apatite and 3-D measurements of vesicles to understand the degassing histories of the Steno crater basalts. Our coupled 2-D petrography and 3-D tomography data sets support a model of the Steno crater basalts crystallizing in the upper crust of a mare lava flow. Apatite F and OH chemistry and the late-stage deformation of voids and formation of smaller vesicles provide evidence supporting coeval degassing of volatiles and crystallization of mesostasis apatite in Apollo 17 basalts. This work helps to close knowledge gaps surrounding the origin, magmatic evolution, emplacement, and crystallization history of high-titanium basalts.     

The recent capture of the periodic comet P/Scotti (2000 Y3)

Numerical integrations of 99 orbits centered on that of comet P/Scotti (P/2000 Y3), and of the nominal orbit, were made 4000 days backwards in time, and 73000 days into the future. The integrations show that this comet has been transferred into its present orbit as recently as 1998. The future orbital evolution indicates a stable period for almost 150 years, when another close encounter with Jupiter may lead to further drastic changes of the present orbit.