Comparison of crude oils and their alteration products

A simple method is proposed for using gas Chromatographic data on the high molecular weight saturated fractions of crude oils to make comparisons of source materials, migration mechanisms and, in particular, alteration processes within reservoirs. The preferential loss of normal alkanes by bacterial attack on a light crude is one of several processes readily followed using this scheme.     

Primary fractionation of elements among iron meteorites

The primary fractionation process in iron meteorites is that responsible for the distribution of elements between the groups, most notably Ga and Ge, which show concentration ranges of 10³ and 10⁴ respectively. To investigate the cause of the primary fractionation, concentrations of 16 elements were converted to relative abundances by dividing the element/Ni ratio by the CI chondrite ratio. These abundances were plotted on logarithmic graphs with data for each group (except IB and IIICD) and each cluster of closely related anomalous irons averaged.Co, P, Au, As, Cu, Sb, Ge and Zn are positively correlated with Ga. For most groups (except IA, IC and IIAB) relative abundances of these elements tend to decrease from about 1 in approximately the order listed above. This is the expected order in which these elements will condense into Fe, Ni during equilibrium nebular condensation. Mean relative abundances of refractory elements in groups generally lie within a narrow range of 0.5–2, and are uncorrelated with Ga. Although the equilibrium model may be only a gross approximation, it suggests that most primary fractionation did occur during nebular condensation.The anomalous irons are essential for defining many of the primary fractionation trends. On several element-Ga graphs the displacements of the anomalous irons from the primary curves indicate that these irons experienced the same secondary fractionation process (probably fractional crystallization) that produced the trends within most groups. The anomalous irons appear to be samples from over 50 minor groups, which have similar histories to the 12 major groups.     

Chemical exchange during hydrothermal alteration of basalt by seawater—I. Experimental results for major and minor components of seawater

Fresh mid-ocean ridge basalt of varying crystallinity has been powdered and reacted with seawater and an artificial Na-K-Ca-Cl solution at 200–500°C and 500–1000 bar in sealed gold capsules. Water/rock mass ratios of 1–3 were used and durations ranged from 2 to 20 months.These time periods were sufficient for most elements to approach a steady-state concentration in solution which was determined by equilibrium with alteration minerals (Mg, SiO₂, SO₄), by rate of formation of these minerals (Na, Ca), or by depletion from the rock (K, B, Ba). The resulting solutions closely resemble the brines from the basalt-seawater geothermal system at Reykjanes, Iceland. Mg was almost completely removed from seawater into the alteration products smectite, tremolite-actinolite, or talc. Sulfate also was removed to low concentrations, both by precipitation of anyhydrite and by reduction to sulfide. Net transfer of Na from seawater into solids occurred in most experiments by formation of sodic feldspar and possibly analcime. Sr was removed from seawater in some experiments but showed no change or a small gain in others. SiO₂, Ca, K, Ba, B and CO₂ were leached from basalt and enriched in solution. SiO₂ concentrations were controlled by saturation with quartz at 300°C and above. The principal Ca-bearing phases which formed were anhydrite, the hydrated Ca-silicate truscottite, tremolite-actinolite, and possibly wairakite. No K-rich phases formed. For some minerals the crystallinity of the starting basalt affected the amount which formed.Removal of Mg from seawater into solid alteration products occurred rapidly and was balanced largely by leaching of Ca from basalt. Net transfer of Na from seawater into solids occurred more slowly and was balanced mainly by leaching of additional Ca from basalt. Thus, reaction between seawater and basalt at low water/rock ratios can be considered to consist of two exchanges: Mg for Ca, and Na for Ca.     

Determination of the sources and circulation paths of thermal fluids: the Abano region,northern Italy

Water samples from natural springs and artesian wells in the Abano region of northern Italy are characterized by anomalous temperatures and compositions. Concentrations of major components and oxygen isotopes in samples of these fluids have been interpreted in the context of the regional geologic environment, circulation of groundwaters, and reactions between rocks and circulating groundwaters. These considerations define sourceregions and pathlines of the groundwaters.Circulation of fluids in the Abano region is interpreted to be the result of meteoric water infiltration into outcrops of Permian and Mesozoic aquifers in the pre-Alps, which lie north of the Abano region. These aquifers have southerly dips and, therefore, extend under the Abano region at depths between 0.5 and 2.5 km. This aquifer geometry is conducive to forced convection both of aqueous ions derived from the evaporate, limestone and dolomite bearing formations, and of thermal energy along flow paths which extend from the outcrops in the sourceregions to depths of 2 km below the Abano region and upward along high angle faults to thermal springs. Local variation in compositions of water samples is consistent with the mixing of local meteoric waters and formation fluids that were ultimately derived from Alpine sources.     

Fair weather and storm sand transport on the Long Island, New York, inner shelf

Both spring-summer and fall-winter sand transport have been observed on the Long Island, New York, inner shelf at water depths of 20-22 m using a radio-isotope sand tracer system. The extent of dispersal of the tagged, fine sand was measured at 3 week intervals in two 70 day experiments. In the late spring and early summer, movement was primarily diffusive in nature, extending 100 m around the line of tracer injection, while late fall-winter patterns had strong advective features, including an ellipsoidal outline extending approximately 1500 m westward of the injection points after the passage of several storms with strong northeasterly winds. Near-bottom current observations made with Savonius rotor sensors identify the event responsible for the bulk of the transport over the 135 day observation period as a storm flow of 2 days duration. Tracer and current observations together suggest that westward winter storm flow along the Long Island shelf is the major mechanism of sand transport at these depths on a yearly time scale. A least-squares fit of several of the observed winter patterns with a plume model yields average sediment mass flux lower bounds of 3.2 × 10^?3 gm/cm/sec and 1.7 × 10^?1 gm/cm/sec for ‘typical’ and extreme winter storm activity.     

Distribution and relations of 4- to 10-km-diameter craters to global geologic units of Mars

By correlating the 1:25,000,000 geologic map of Mars of Scott and Carr (1977) with 4- to 10-km-diameter crater density data from Mariner 9 images, the average crater density for 23 of the equatorial geologic-geomorphic units on Mars was computed. The correlation of these two data sets was accomplished by digitizing both the crater density data and geologic map at the same scale and by comparing them in a computer. This technique assigns the crater density value found in the corresponding location on the geologic data set to a discrete computer file assigned each of the 23 geologic units. By averaging the crater density values accumulated in each file, an “average” crater density for each geologic unit was obtained. Condit believes these average crater density values are accurate indicators of the relative age of the geologic units considered. The statistical validity of these average values is strongest for the geologic units of the largest areal extent. The relative ages as obtained from the average crater density values for the seven largest geologic units, from youngest to oldest, are: Tharsis volcanic material, 21 ± 4 craters/10⁶km²; smooth plains material, 57 ± 14 craters/10⁶km²; rolling plains material, 66 ± 16 craters/10⁶km²; plains materials, 80 ± 17 craters/10⁶km²; ridged plains material, 128 ± 25 craters/10⁶km²; hilly and cratered material, 137 ± 38 craters/10⁶km²; and cratered plateau material, 138 ± 27 craters/10⁶km².     

Effective temperatures,radii and bolometric magnitudes of Ap and Am stars

The effective temperatures radii and bolometric magnitudes of Ap, Am and normal A stars have been estimated from their energy distribution curves between 478 nm and 680 nm. All the Am stars and one Ap star (i.e. CrB) were found to be affected by line blanketing, a rough estimation of which in the respective (B-V) colours has been found out in each case.The range in effective temperature is 0.45–0.60 in terms of (=5040/T _e), while it is 1.8–4.8R in the case of radius, that in bolometric magnitude being from-0^m.67 to+1^m.61. An approximate estimate of the masses shows that they are between 1.5 and 3.0M . All these estimates are in agreement with those of the normal A stars. The Ap and Am stars are found to be slightly evolved and, therefore, are probably in the hydrogen shell-burning phase.     

Reflectance spectra for sodium and potassium doped ammonia frosts: Implications for Io's surface

This paper reports measurements of the reflection spectra of sodium and potassium doped ammonia frosts as a function of alkali metal concentration which cover the wavelength range 0.35–2.5 μm. The purpose of the measurements was to determine whether or not the reflection spectra for such a solid was compatible with the spectral albedo of Io. The data show that with a sufficiently large alkali metal concentration, the reflection spectra of the doped ammonia frost do not display the characteristic ammonia features at 2.0 and 2.25 μm. The high reflectance of the more concentrated samples and the character of the observed reflection spectrum make it difficult to rule out sodium doped ammonia frost as a surface constituent on Io on the basis of existing data.     

Formation of whistler ducts

A theory of whistler duct formation is presented. By means of order of magnitude calculations it is shown that, when the ring current overlaps the outer plasmasphere, irregularities will cause field-aligned currents to flow, which are below the threshold sensitivity of satellite-borne magnetometers. These currents must be continuous with horizontal ionospheric currents, which produce horizontal electric fields. These fields map up to the equatorial plane and are large enough to produce flux tube interchange and hence the formation of whistler ducts in the outer plasmasphere.     

Linear force-free fields in the lower corona

We have computed the surface Green's function for linear force-free magnetic fields, where × B = B and is a constant, for application to low coronal levels of the solar atmosphere. Boundary conditions are imposed on the normal component of B on two parallel planes which delineate the force-free volume. This procedure ensures that the magnetic field energy remains bounded, and that the field lines have a smooth behavior. A simple bipolar source distribution is treated and representative field line tracings are shown.