Effusive natrocarbonatite activity of Oldoinyo Lengai,June 1988

Oldoinyo Lengai in the Tanzanian rift valley is the only active carbonatite volcano in the world and its natrocarbonatitic lavas are unique in composition. The characteristics of effusive natrocarbonatite activity in June 1988 were studied and fresh samples were directly collected from active carbonatitic lava lakes and flows. Analyses of these samples provide the first information on natrocarbonatites since these unusual volcanic rock type was first described from the 1960–1961 eruptions. The analytical results constrain the original chemistry of fresh natrocarbonatite. Temperatures in lava lakes and of carbonatite lava flows range 491–544°C. The natrocarbonatite lava is extremely fluid at these temperatures and reaches incandescence. The most common variety of natrocarbonatite is porphyritic with abundant phenocrysts of nyerereite (Na_0.82K_0.19)₂(Ca, Sr, Ba)_0.975(CO₃)₂ and gregoryite Na_1.74K_0.1(Ca, Sr, Ba)_0.16CO₃, with complex substitution of (CO₃)^2- by (SO₄)^2-, (PO₄)^3-, F^-, and Cl^-. A phenocryst-poor to aphyric natrocarbonatite variety reflects residual liquids separating from the crystal-rich porphyritic flows. Sylvite, fluorite, and Fe-alabandite (Mn_0.7Fe_0.3S) have been identified as additional primary magmatic phases. Rare phases in the matrix are witherite (BaCO₃) and sellaite (MgF₂). Sylvite and gregoryite, and to a lesser extent nyerereite, are water-soluble and are responsible for the immediate decomposition and chemical alteration of natrocarbonatites under atmospheric conditions. A peralkaline combeite-bearing nephelinite lava is closely related to the natrocarbonatite activity, and is isotopically indistinguishable. It is likely that these two magma compositions are related by liquid immiscibility. The unusual hyperalkaline composition of both magma types makes Oldoinyo Lengai an exotic volcano, and its carbonatites have extreme compositions, and are not representative of carbonatites in general.     

Charriage crustal,anatexie et decrochements ductiles dans les Maures orientales (Var,France) au cours de l'orogenese varisque

The kinematics of the deformational events recorded in the catazonal gneisses within the eastern part of the Maures massif (Variscan basement of Provence, southeastern France) has been established. These events can be correlated with both the metamorphic and the magmatic evolution, and the orogenic history of the eastern Maures then consists of the following stages:

1. -HP-metamorphism preserved only in relict eclogites and quartzites rich in calc-silicates,
2. -Catazonal metamorphism involving anatectic melting, broadly contemporaneous with large-scale horizontal transport towards the NNE. During this event, the lithologic units were disrupted and intensively mylonitized.
3. -Intrusion of a first generation of anatectic granitoids.
4. -A second tectonic event under epi-to mesozonal metamorphism conditions is responsible for the northward displacement of the eastern Maures relative to the western part along a sinistral strike-slip fault 4 km wide (Ramatuelle — Plan de la Tour fault) in which the early anatectic granitoids have been mylonitized. Outside the fault zone, this event is marked by upright to W-vergent open folds trending N-S, i.e. parallel to the transport direction.
5. -A moderate cataclastic reactivation of the Ramatuelle — Plan de la Tour fault with a dextral sense of shear, locally accompanied in the eastern part of the area by minor lowtemperature thrusting towards the south.
6. -Intrusion of a second generation of anatectic granites about 320 Ma ago.

The metamorphic, magmatic and tectonic evolution of the eastern Maures suggests a continuous orogenic history in an area of rapid crustal thickening by large-scale thrusting within the continental crust. This evolution may be related to the development of continental subduction during the continent/continent collision responsible for the Variscan orogeny in southern Europe.     

The application of a two-dimensional numerical model of the planetary boundary layer to the Nanticoke region on the north shore of Lake Erie

A two-dimensional atmospheric boundary-layer model is applied to the Nanticoke region on the northern shore of Lake Erie (80 ° 03W and 42 ° 50N) to simulate numerically the observed wind and temperature profiles. In general, the profiles predicted by the model agree reasonably well with the observed profiles.     

On frictional and orographic effects on precipitation in coastal areas

Methods have been designed to calculate orographic and frictional influences on precipitation in coastal regions. A model computes the vertical fluxes of water vapor at the top of the planetary boundary layer due to these two effects. The horizontal downwind displacement of falling precipitation is also allowed for. The procedures are applied over southwestern British Columbia to monthly amounts and maximum 24-h rainfalls for return periods of 2–50 yr. Correlation coefficients between observed and computed precipitation vary from 0.65 to 0.97, the average being 0.84.     

Non-marine bacteria in dialysis bags, in seawater

In a previous study we demonstrated the progressive disappearance of Escherichia coli populations upon contact with marine environment (Bianchi & Mircea, 1976). We have used the same experimental device to study the behaviour of other bacteria of enteric or terrigenous origin (Vibrio cholerae, Streptococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) when rejected into the sea.     

Quartz fabrics in shear-zone mylonites: Evidence for a major imprint due to late strain increments

Geometrical relations between quartz C-axis fabrics, textures, microstructures and macroscopic structural elements (foliation, lineation, folds…) in mylonitic shear zones suggest that the C-axis fabric mostly reflects the late-stage deformation history. Three examples of mylonitic thrust zones are presented: the Eastern Alps, where the direction of shearing inferred from the quartz fabric results from a late deformation oblique to the overall thrusting; the Caledonides nappes and the Himalayan Main Central Thrust zone, where, through a similar reasoning, the fabrics would also reflect late strain increments though the direction of shearing deduced from quartz fabric remains parallel to the overall thrusting direction. Hence, the sense of shear and the shear strain component deduced from the orientation of C-axis girdles relative to the finite strain ellipsoid axes are not simply related nor representative of the entire deformation history.     

Mechanisms of siderophore sorption to smectite and siderophore-enhanced release of structural Fe

Sorption of the trihydroxamate siderophores desferrioxamine-B and -D (DFOB and DFOD, respectively) and of the monohydroxamate ligand acetohydroxamic acid (aHA) to smectite were examined in batch sorption studies (pH 5.5, 0.1 M ionic strength) coupled with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Both DFOB and DFOD, which have similar molecular structures but different charge properties (cationic versus neutral, respectively) showed a high affinity for smectite. In contrast, the smaller aHA molecule did not sorb appreciably. XRD analysis indicated that DFOB and DFOD each absorbed in the interlamellar region of the clay to give d-spacings of 13.4-13.7 Å at equilibrium solution concentrations <250 μM. FTIR spectra of sorbed DFOB and DFOD indicated that the conformation of each species was distinct from its conformation in the crystalline or dissolved states. At elevated initial solution concentrations of 500-1500 μM, DFOB formed a bilayer in the clay interlayer. Changes in the FTIR spectra of the DFOB-loaded clay samples at these higher surface loadings were consistent with the presence of a metal-siderophore complex in the interlayer. DFOB and DFOD both enhanced Fe and Al release from smectite, but aHA did not. Possible dissolution mechanisms are discussed in light of the FTIR and batch dissolution results.     

Application of Multi-Temporal MODIS NDVI Data to Assess Practiced Maize Calendars in Rwanda

Crop calendar is an important tool providing relevant information on crops cycles in a specific area for effective agricultural management. Crop calendars vary in different areas given dissimilarities in agro-ecosystems’ characteristics. This research used multi-temporal MODIS NDVI stratification to assess differences in practiced maize crop calendars in various areas of Rwanda. Four (4) sample NDVI strata dominated by agriculture were purposively chosen, and 433 local farmers were randomly selected from the strata for interviews. The collected information helped to know about their maize planting as well as harvesting dates in order to generate maize calendars per NDVI strata. The generated crop calendars were later classified using k-means unsupervised classification, and produced 4 groupings of practiced maize calendars irrespective of NDVI strata. ANOVA results revealed significant differences between both the generated maize crop calendars by NDVI strata and the practiced crop calendars irrespective of NDVI strata, at p = 0.05. Moreover, chi-square tests and t-tests revealed not only a significant relationship between maize calendars and number of crop growing seasons, but also a significant relationship between maize calendars and NDVI strata, at p = 0.05. Finally, findings of this research contrasted the present conviction that there exist a single general maize calendar all over the country. Instead, the results were in accordance with the fact that Rwanda agro-ecosystems differ from East to West in terms of, mainly, altitude and rainfall patterns variations.     

Using modular 3D digital earth applications based on point clouds for the study of complex sites

This article discusses the use of 3D technologies in digital earth applications (DEAs) to study complex sites. These are large areas containing objects with heterogeneous shapes and semantic information. The study proposes that DEAs should be modular, have multi-tier architectures, and be developed as Free and Open Source Software if possible. In DEAs requiring high reliability in the 3D measurements, point clouds are proposed as basis for the 3D Digital digital earth representation. For the development of DEAs, we propose to follow a workflow with four components: data acquisition and processing, data management, data analysis and data visualization. For every component, technological challenges of using 3D technologies are identified and solutions applied for a case study are presented. The case study is a modular 3D DEA developed for the archaeological project Mapping the Via Appia. The 3D DEA allows archaeologists to virtually analyze a complex study area.