No iridium anomaly after the 1908 Tunguska impact: Evidence from a Greenland ice core

Abstract— We have determined the abundances of Ir and other elements by neutron activation analysis on annual dust samples from an ice core from Site B in the Crête region in central Greenland covering the years 1905–1914. Iridium was detected in all samples, but we found no excess Ir above the background in the years following the Tunguska event. The lack of an Ir anomaly in the years after the Tunguska impact combined with the knowledge of the energy released during the impact and our present knowledge about stratospheric transport implies either a very low Ir content of the impactor or an exceptionally high geocentric velocity for the impactor.     

Application of environmental groundwater tracers at the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine, California, USA

Boron, chloride, sulfate, δD, δ¹⁸O, and ³H concentrations in surface water and groundwater samples from the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine (SBMM), California, USA were used to examine geochemical processes and provide constraints on evaporation and groundwater flow. SBMM is an abandoned sulfur and mercury mine with an underlying hydrothermal system, adjacent to Clear Lake, California. Results for non-³H tracers (i.e., boron, chloride, sulfate, δD, and δ¹⁸O) identify contributions from six water types at SBMM. Processes including evaporation, mixing, hydrothermal water input and possible isotopic exchange with hydrothermal gases are also discerned. Tritium data indicate that hydrothermal waters and other deep groundwaters are likely pre-bomb (before ~1952) in age while most other waters were recharged after ~1990. A boron-based steady-state reservoir model of the Herman Impoundment pit lake indicates that 71–79% of its input is from meteoric water with the remainder from hydrothermal contributions. Results for groundwater samples from six shallow wells over a 6–month period for δD and δ¹⁸O suggests that water from Herman Impoundment is diluted another 3% to more than 40% by infiltrating meteoric water, as it leaves the site. Results for this investigation show that environmental tracers are an effective tool to understand the SBMM hydrogeologic regime.

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Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Résumé Les concentrations en bore, chlorure, sulfate, δD, δ¹⁸O, et ³H d’échantillons d’eaux de surface et souterraine prélevés dans le banc de soufre de la mine de mercure (SBMM en anglais) en Californie, USA, ont été utilisées pour étudier les processus géochimiques et pour fournir des contraintes à l’évaporation et à l’écoulement des eaux souterraines. La SBMM est une mine de soufre et de mercure abandonnée, adjacente au lac Clear en Californie et sous laquelle se trouve un système hydrothermal.Les résultats des traceurs autres que le tritium (bore, chlorure, sulfate, δD, et δ¹⁸O) ont permis d’identifier des contributions de six types d’eaux à SBMM. Des processus tels que l’évaporation, le mélange, l’entrée d’eau hydrothermale et de possibles échanges isotopiques avec des gaz hydrothermaux ont également été identifiés. Les données de tritium montrent que les eaux hydrothermales et d’autres eaux profondes sont probablement d’age antérieure à la bombe (avant ~1952), alors que la plupart des autres eaux sont issues de la recharge après ~1990. Un modèle de réservoir représentant le lac situé dans la partie Herman Impoundment de l’ancienne mine, en régime permanent et basé sur le bore, montre que 71–79% de l’eau provient des précipitations, le reste provenant de contributions hydrothermales. Les résultats de δD et δ¹⁸O pour des échantillons d’eau souterraine de six puits peu profonds sur une période de 6 mois suggèrent que l’eau de Hermann Impoundment est encore diluée entre 3% jusqu’à plus de 40% lorsqu’elle quitte le site du fait de l’infiltration d’eau météorique. Les résultats de cette étude montrent que les traceurs environnementaux constituent un outil efficace pour comprendre le régime hydrogéologique de la SBMM.

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Resumen Se han utilizado datos de concentraciones de boro, cloruros, sulfatos, δD, δ¹⁸O, y ³H en muestras de aguas superficiales y subterráneas procedentes de la Mina de Mercurio Sulphur Bank (SBMM), California, USA, para estudiar los procesos geoquímicos y caracterizar la evaporación y el flujo del agua subterránea. SBMM es una mina abandonada de azufre y mercurio con un sistema hidrotermal subyacente, cercano al Lago Clear, California.Los resultados de los trazadores que no son ³H (por ejemplo, boro, cloruros, sulfatos δD, y δ¹⁸O) identifican las contribuciones de seis tipos de agua en la SBMM. Se han identificado diversos procesos, como evaporación, mezcla, entrada de agua hidrotermal y la posibilidad de intercambios isotópicos con gases hidrotermales. Los datos de tritio indican que las aguas hidrotermales y otras aguas subterráneas profundas son probablemente pre-bombas (previas a ~1952) en edad mientras que la mayoría de las otras aguas se han recargado después de ~1990. Un modelo estacionario basado en el boro de la fosa del lago Herman Impoundment indica que el 71–79% de su entrada procede de agua meteórica con restos de contribución hidrotermal. Los resultados para las muestras de aguas subterráneas procedentes de seis pozos superficiales en un periodo de 6 meses para δD y δ¹⁸O sugieren que el agua procedente de Herman Impoundment se diluye en otro 3% hasta más del 40% debido a la infiltración de agua meteórica., que sale del sitio. Los resultados de esta investigación muestran que los trazadores ambientales son una herramienta efectiva para entender el régimen hidrogeológico de la SBMM.

     

The international conference “Vortices and coherent structures: from ocean to microfluids”, Vladivostok,Russia, 28–31 August 2017

The international conference “Vortices and coherent structures: from ocean to microfluids” was held at the Pacific Oceanological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Vladivostok (Russia) from August 28 to August 31, 2017. The event gathered experimentalists and theoreticians, oceanographers and physicists, with a common interest in observing and modelling fluid flows in different media, from the ocean to laboratory flows. It was a fruitful idea to bring together researchers from a variety of backgrounds to benefit from a vigorous discussion of concepts across different disciplines in oceanography and hydrodynamics.

     

U–Pb SHRIMP zircon geochronology and T–t–d history of the Kampa Dome, southern Tibet

Structural, petrographic and geochronologic studies of the Kampa Dome provide insights into the tectonothermal evolution of orogenic crust exposed in the North Himalayan gneiss domes of southern Tibet. U–Pb ion microprobe dating of zircons from granite gneiss exposed at the deepest levels within the dome yields concordia ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age populations of 506 ± 3 Ma and 527 ± 6 Ma, with no evidence of new zircon growth during Himalayan orogenesis. However, the granite contains penetrative deformation fabrics that are also preserved in the overlying Paleozoic strata, implying that the Kampa granite is a Cambrian pluton that was strongly deformed and metamorphosed during Himalayan orogenesis. Zircons from deformed leucogranite sills that cross-cut Paleozoic metasedimentary rocks yield concordant Cambrian ages from oscillatory zoned cores and discordant ages ranging from ca. 491–32 Ma in metamict grains. Since these leucogranites clearly post-date the metasedimentary rocks they intrude, the zircons are interpreted as xenocrysts that are probably derived from the Kampa granite. The Kampa Dome formed via a series of progressive orogenic events including regional ~ N–S contraction and related crustal thickening (D₁), predominately top-to-N ductile shearing and crustal extension (D₂), top-to-N brittle–ductile faulting and related folding on the north limb of the dome, localized top-to-S faulting on the southern limb of the dome, and crustal doming (D₃), and continued N–S contraction, E–W extension and doming (D₄). Structural and geochronologic variability amongst adjacent North Himalayan gneiss domes may reflect changes in the magnitude of crustal exhumation along the North Himalayan antiform, possibly relating to differences in the mid-crustal geometry of the exhuming fault systems.     

华北燕山带东部三叠纪和侏罗纪大地构造演化：来自备受争议的邓杖子组及相邻地层的线索

位于辽西凌源市南部的牛营子-邓杖子地区侏罗系地质问题多年来困扰着地质学家。争论最多的构造形迹是一套平面上呈狭长矩形,以断层为界的近直立中元古界常州沟组石英岩,及局部长城系顶部地层。这套地层绵延35 km,呈北北东展布。其西界为近直立的大齐子断层（新命名断层）和大部分向东倒转的陡倾下侏罗统邓杖子组;东界为近直立的朱杖子断层（新命名断层）和西倾的中侏罗统郭家店组。前人的构造解释倾向于大齐子断层为邓杖子组一侧下降的陡倾正断层,朱杖子断层为郭家店组一侧下降的陡倾逆断层。文中不同意这样的解释,并发现有证据表明上述两个断层都形成于之前尚未识别出的侏罗纪构造事件时期。将大齐子断层解释为早侏罗世晚期-中侏罗世早期形成的一条向西逆冲的断层,沿着它使长城系推覆于邓杖子组之上,然后,该逆冲断层上、下盘地层共同卷入后期褶皱变形当中。朱杖子断层原本为正断层,形成于原来未识别出的中侏罗世伸展变形阶段,并构成了郭家店半地堑边界断层。朱杖子断层沿着向东倾斜的常州沟组石英岩与串岭沟组页岩的界面发育。随着断层的发育,位于常州沟组石英岩之上的串岭沟组及长城系上部地层发生拆离沉降并被埋藏在半地堑之下。随后,发生在中侏罗世晚期或晚侏罗世早期收缩构造变形,改造了邓杖子-常州沟-郭家店组构造组合的几何形态。本期改造导致以下结果：（1）朱杖子正断层发生反转成为逆断层;（2）蓟县系沿着杨杖子-瓦房店逆冲断层向东掩覆于断层围限的长城系地层及相邻侏罗系之上。同时,邓杖子组倾角加大并向东倒转。研究表明,辽西地区的侏罗纪构造演化过程远比原先所认为的要复杂。     

Drought in Bulgaria and atmospheric synoptic conditions over Europe

Drought in Bulgaria is analyzed from the multiple viewpoints of statistical occurrence, spatial patterns, and synoptic conditions. A new index of drought, the SD (spatial-dryness) index, characterizes drought by both intensity and spatial extent. The occurrence of the SD index is analyzed using global gridded data sets. Examination of transitional probabilities of multiple months and years with drought occurrence suggests persistence is sufficiently frequent to be important for climate-related environmental planning. Finally, it is shown that specific seasonal synoptic patterns are associated with wet and dry conditions in Bulgaria. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

An autochthonous Avalonian basement source for the latest Ordovician Brenton Pluton in the Meguma terrane of Nova Scotia: U–Pb–Hf isotopic constraints and paleogeographic implications

International Journal of Earth Sciences - The Ediacaran–Ordovician Meguma Supergroup was thrust over Avalonia basement prior to the intrusion of post-Acadian, ca. 370 Ma, S-type...