Radar observations of asteroid 1580 Betulia

Radar observations of the asteroid 1580 Betulia, made at a wavelength of 12.6 cm, show a mean radar cross section of 2.2 ± 0.8 km² and a total spectral bandwidth of 26.5 ± 1.5 Hz. Combining our bandwidth measurements with the optically determined rotation period sets a lower limit to the asteroid's radius of 2.9 ± 0.2 km.     

Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne remove blooms of the invasive green algaCaulerpa brachypus formaparvifolia (Harvey) cribb from coral reefs off Northern Palm Beach County, Florida

Coral reefs worldwide are under stress from a variety of anthropogenic activities that can alter or inhibit recovery from catastrophic physical disturbances such as hurricanes. On coral reefs off southeast Florida, land-based nutrient pollution contributed to a successful invasion ofCaulerpa brachypus fornaparvifolia that dominated (up to 90% cover) reefs between January 2003 and August 2004. In September 2004, physical effects from Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne removed virtually all of theC. brachypus from the affected reefs. In July 2005, small patches ofC. brachypus began to re-emerge and the area was affected again by Hurricane Wilma in October 2005. Although these hurricanes provided temporary relief from theC. brachypus invasion, the future of these reefs is uncertain because of competition with other opportunistic macroalgae and biota that may respond to the combination of newly created space and continued nutrient stress.     

Detrital zircon reference for the North China block

U–Pb analyses of 250 single detrital zircons from Upper Proterozoic to Ordovician strata collected from the Zhuozi Shan in north-central China provide a detrital zircon reference for the North China block, a major crustal entity in the Asian tectonic collage. The results, which range in age from 1.72 to 2.97 Ga, shed new light on the age of the crystalline basement in North China, much of which is covered by younger sedimentary units. In addition, this detrital zircon reference can be used to help determine the provenance of clastic sedimentary units and for assessing validity of paleogeographic and regional tectonic models that include the complex history of Asian continental amalgamation, terrane accretion, and subsequent translation that is ongoing today.     

The effect of multiple stressors on salt marsh end-of-season biomass

It is becoming more apparent that commonly used statistical methods (e.g. analysis of variance and regression) are not the best methods for estimating limiting relationships or stressor effects. A major challenge of estimating the effects associated with a measured subset of limiting factors is to account for the effects of unmeasured factors in an ecologically realistic matter. We used quantile regression to elucidate multiple stressor effects on end-of-season biomass data from two salt marsh sites in coastal Louisiana collected for 18 yr. Stressor effects evaluated based on available data were flooding, salinity air temperature, cloud cover, precipitation deficit, grazing by muskrat, and surface water nitrogen and phosphorus. Precipitation deficit combined with surface water nitrogen provided the best two-parameter model to explain variation in the peak biomass with different slopes and intercepts for the two study sites. Precipitation deficit, cloud cover, and temperature were significantly correlated with each other. Surface water nitrogen was significantly correlated with surface water phosphorus and muskrat density. The site with the larger duration of flooding showed reduced peak biomass, when cloud cover and surface water nitrogen were optimal. Variation in the relatively low salinity occurring in our study area did not explain any of the variation inSpartina alterniflora biomass.     

Formation of silica oncoids around geysers and hot springs at El Tatio, northern Chile

Siliceous oncoids, up to 4 cm in diameter, are common on the laterally extensive sinter aprons that surround the spectacular geysers and hot springs at El Tatio in northern Chile. Many of these complex oncoids developed close to geyser and spring vents that discharge boiling water. Internally the oncoids, which are composed of precipitated amorphous silica, are formed of complex arrays of spicules and concentric laminae as well as detrital volcanic grains. Spicular growth is dominant in most examples. The formation and growth of the spicules and concentric laminae were mediated by a microbial community which included filamentous microbes, mucus, and possibly bacteria. The microbes and mucus were silicified by replacement and encrustation. In some laminae the filamentous microbes lay parallel to the growth surface; in other laminae most filaments forming the thin mats were suberect. Amorphous silica precipitated between the filaments occluded porosity and commonly disguised the microbial fabric. The oncoids grew on the proximal sinter aprons around the geyser vents and hot spring pools. Most growth took place subaerially with the silica delivered to the precipitation sites by splashing water from the geysers and/or periodic shallow flooding of the discharge aprons. Unlike silica oncoids at other geothermal sites, vertical growth of oncoids that formed in some rimstone pools was not limited by water depth.     

Genetic significance of fluid inclusions in the CSA Cu–Pb–Zn deposit, Cobar, Australia

CSA mine exploits a ‘Cobar-type’ Cu–Pb–Zn±Au±Ag deposit within a cleaved and metamorphosed portion of the Cobar Supergroup, central New South Wales. The deposit comprises systems of ‘lenses’ that encompass veins, disseminations and semi-massive to massive Cu–Pb–Zn ores. The systems and contained lenses truncate bedding, are approximately coplanar with regional cleavage and similarly oriented shear zones and plunge parallel to the elongation lineation. Systems have extreme vertical continuity (>1000 m), short strike length (400 m) and narrow width (100 m), exhibit vertical and lateral ore-type variation and have alteration haloes. Models of ore formation include classical hydrothermalism, structurally controlled remobilisation and polymodal concepts; syntectonic emplacement now holds sway.Fluid inclusions were examined from quartz±sulphide veins adjacent to now-extracted ore, from coexisting quartz–sulphide within ore, and from vughs in barren quartz veins. Lack of early primary inclusions precluded direct determination of fluids associated with D₂–D₃ ore and vein emplacement. Similarly, decrepitation (by near-isobaric heating) of the two oldest secondary populations precluded direct determination of fluid phases immediately following D₂–D₃ ore and vein emplacement. Post-decrepitation outflow (late D₃ to early post-D₃) is recorded by monophase CH₄ inclusions. Entrained outflow of deeply circulated meteoric fluid modified the CH₄ system; modification is recorded by H₂O+CH₄ and H₂O+(trace CH₄) secondary populations and by an H₂O+(trace CH₄) primary population. The contractional tectonics (D₂–D₃) of ore emplacement was superseded by relaxational tectonics (D_4P) that facilitated meteoric water penetration and return flow.Under D₂ prograde metamorphism, entrapment temperatures (Tt) and pressures (Pt) for pre-decrepitation secondary inclusions are estimated as Tt300–330 °C and Pt1.5–2 kbar≈Plith (the lithostatic pressure). Decrepitation accompanied peak metamorphism (T350–380 °C) in mid- to late-D₃, while in late-D₃ to early post-D₃, essentially monophase CH₄ secondary inclusions were entrapped at Tt350 °C and Pt=1.5–2 kbar≈Plith. Subsequently, abundant CH₄ and entrained meteoric water were entrapped as H₂O+CH₄ secondaries under slowly decreasing temperature (Tt330–350 °C) and constant pressure (Pt1.5–2 kbar). Finally, with increasingly dominant meteoric outflow, H₂O+(trace CH₄) populations record decreasing temperatures (Tt>300 to <350 down to 275–300 °C) at pressures of Phydrostatic<Pt (1 kbar) <Plith (1.5 kbar).The populations of inclusions provide insight into fluid types, flow regimes and P–T conditions during parts of the deposit's evolution. They indirectly support the role of basin-derived CH₄ fluids in ore formation, but provide no insight into a basement-sourced ore-forming fluid. They fully support post-ore involvement of meteoric water. The poorly constrained entrapment history is believed to span 10 Ma from 395 to 385 Ma.