In Situ Determination of Au and Cu in Natural Pyrite by Near‐Infrared Femtosecond Laser Ablation‐Inductively Coupled Plasma‐Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry: No Evidence for Matrix Effects

Gold and copper concentrations were determined in natural pyrite by near‐infrared femtosecond LA‐ICP‐QMS, using both sulfide reference materials (pyrrhotite Po‐726 and in‐house natural chalcopyrite Cpy‐RM) and NIST SRM 610 as external calibrators. Firstly, using NIST SRM 610 as the external calibrator, we calculated the Au concentration in Po‐726 and the Cu concentration in Cpy‐RM. The calculated concentration averages for Au and Cu were similar to the values published for Po‐726 and Cpy‐RM, respectively. Secondly, we calculated Au and Cu concentrations taking NIST SRM 610 as an unknown sample and using Po‐726 and Cpy‐RM as external calibrators. Again, the average values obtained closely reflected the preferred concentrations for NIST SRM 610. Finally, we calculated Au and Cu concentrations in natural pyrite using sulfide and silicate reference materials as external calibrators. In both cases, calculated concentrations were very similar, independent of the external calibrator used. The aforementioned data, plus the fact that we obtained very small differences in relative sensitivity values (percentage differences are between 5% and 17% for ⁵⁷Fe, ⁶³Cu and ¹⁹⁷Au) on analyses of silicate and sulfide RMs, indicate that there were no matrix effects related to the differences in material composition. Thus, it is possible to determine Au and Cu in natural sulfides using NIST silicate glasses as an external calibrator.     

Hydrothermal activity on the southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge: Tectonically- and volcanically-controlled venting at 4–5°S

We report results from an investigation of the geologic processes controlling hydrothermal activity along the previously-unstudied southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge (3–7°S). Our study employed the NOC (UK) deep-tow sidescan sonar instrument, TOBI, in concert with the WHOI (USA) autonomous underwater vehicle, ABE, to collect information concerning hydrothermal plume distributions in the water column co-registered with geologic investigations of the underlying seafloor. Two areas of high-temperature hydrothermal venting were identified. The first was situated in a non-transform discontinuity (NTD) between two adjacent second-order ridge-segments near 4°02′S, distant from any neovolcanic activity. This geologic setting is very similar to that of the ultramafic-hosted and tectonically-controlled Rainbow vent-site on the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The second site was located at 4°48′S at the axial-summit centre of a second-order ridge-segment. There, high-temperature venting is hosted in an  18 km² area of young lava flows which in some cases are observed to have flowed over and engulfed pre-existing chemosynthetic vent-fauna. In both appearance and extent, these lava flows are directly reminiscent of those emplaced in Winter 2005−06 at the East Pacific Rise, 9°50′N and reference to global seismic catalogues reveals that a swarm of large (M 4.6−5.6) seismic events was centred on the 5°S segment over a  24 h period in late June 2002, perhaps indicating the precise timing of this volcanic eruptive episode. Temperature measurements at one of the vents found directly adjacent to the fresh lava flows at 5°S MAR (Turtle Pits) have subsequently revealed vent-fluids that are actively phase separating under conditions very close to the Critical Point for seawater, at  3000 m depth and 407 °C: the hottest vent-fluids yet reported from anywhere along the global ridge crest.     

Improving neural network performance on the classification of complex geographic datasets

Neural Networks are now established computational tools used for search minimisation and data classification. They offer some highly desirable features for landuse classification problems since they are able to take in a variety of data types, recorded on different statistical scales, and combine them. As such, neural networks should offer advantages of increased accuracy. However, a barrier to their general acceptance and use by all but `experts' is the difficulty of configuring the network initially.  This paper describes the architectural problems of applying neural networks to landcover classification exercises in geography and details some of the latest developments from an ongoing research project aimed at overcoming these problems. A comprehensive strategy for the configuration of neural networks is presented, whereby the network is automatically constructed by a process involving initial analysis of the training data. By careful study of the functioning of each part of the network it is possible to select the architecture and initial weights on the node connections so the constructed network is `right first time'. Further adaptations are described to control network behaviour, to optimise functioning from the perspective of landcover classification. The entire configuration process is encapsulated by a single application which may be treated by the user as a `black box', allowing the network to the applied in much the same way as a maximum likelihood classifier, with no further effort being required of the user.     

Variation of the geomagnetic field in Costa Rica during the total solar eclipse of July 11, 1991

Ground measurements of the geomagnetic field, during the total solar eclipse of July 11, 1991, were carried out at three sites in Costa Rica located within the eclipse's path of totality. Near totality, there was a significant change in the total intensity,F. Its normal decrease in the afternoon hours was interrupted during a period of about 45 min, in whichF varied very little. This was due mainly to a small variation in horizontal intensity,H, during such a period. The departure ofF from normal lasted about 100 min; its maximum departure was near 10 nT and occurred about 38 min after totality, The declination,D, also experienced a small change (about 2.3 min) during the total period of the eclipse. The vertical intensity,Z, and the inclination,I, did not show significant changes.     

Newania carbonatites, Western India: example of mantle derived magnesium carbonatites

The key mineralogical features of the Newania carbonatites, that illustrate their derivation from primary mantle melts (Gruau et al. Terra Nova, Abstract Suppl 1:336, 1995; Viladkar Petrology 6(3):272–283, 1998; Basu and Murty Abstracts of Goldschmidt Conference A40, 2006), are the presence of magnesite, graphite and Cr-rich magnetite. Magnesite is an early crystallizing phase. Cr-rich magnetite and graphite coexist with carbonatite minerals and precipitated from carbonate magma. Graphite, as well as gaseous CO₂ and carbonate minerals such as dolomite and magnesite, can be stable in peridotite mantle. Coexistence of these minerals is controlled by fO ₂ and PT-conditions. Mineral geothermometers for the Newania carbonatite give temperatures from 463 to 950°C. The parental source for Newania carbonatites was characterized by a relatively high log (fHF/fH₂O) level which increased during the crystallization history of Newania. The estimated oxygen fugacity (for ilmenite–magnetite pairs) varies from ?1.5 to +3.5 (log-bar unit deviation from FMQ buffer), which is supported by the presence of Fe-columbite, and the composition of phlogopite, amphibole and pyroxene that have an elevated concentration of Fe³⁺. However, the oxygen fugacity range represented by co-existing early-crystallized graphite and magnesite is below that of the FMQ buffer and lies on the CCO buffer.     

An improved methodology to measure flag performance for the shipping industry

The subject of measuring the performance of registries has been a topic of policy discussions in recent years at the regional level due to the recasting of the European Union (EU) port state control (PSC) directive which introduces incentives for flags which perform better. Since the current method used in the EU region entails some shortcomings, it has therefore been the subject of substantial scrutiny. Furthermore, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) developed a set of performance indicators which however lacks the ability to measure compliance as set out in one of its strategic directions towards fostering global compliance. This article develops a methodology to measure flag state performance which can be applied on the regional or global level and to other areas of legislative interest (e.g. recognized organizations, Document of Compliance Companies). The proposed methodology overcomes some of the shortcomings of the present method and presents a more refined, less biased approach of measuring performance. To demonstrate its usefulness, it is applied to a sample of 207,821 observations for a 3-year time frame and compared to the current method.     

Heavy metal accumulation in river sediments: A response to environmental pollutionSchwermetall-anreicherung in fluviatilen sedimenten als ausdruck der verschmutzung unserer umwelt

As evidenced by catastrophic cadmium and mercury poisonings in japan, heavy metals belong to the most toxic environmental pollutants. Through the investigation of sediments, the extent, distribution and provenance of heavy metal contamination in rivers and lakes can be determined and traced. Eight heavy metals from the clay fraction of sediments from major rivers within the Federal Republic of Germany were determined by means of atomic adsorption spectrometry. Heavy metals especially known for their high toxicity are enriched most: mercury, lead and zinc by a factor of 10; cadmium by a factor of 50, as compared with the natural background of these elements. A mobilisation of heavy metals from the suspended load and from the sediments, as to be observed in rivers approaching the marine enviromment, could endanger marine organisms, thus negatively influencing the acquatic food chain. With a further increase of heavy metal pollution, a threat to the drinking water supplied by rivers and lakes cannot be excluded.     

Monohydrocalcite,hydromagnesite, nesquehonite,dolomite, aragonite,and calcite in speleothems of the Fränkische Schweiz,Western Germany

The formation of calcite, aragonite, dolomite, hydromagnesite, and nesquehonite in speleothems of a small cave within dolostone may be compared with the formation of these carbonate minerals in much larger environments in which evaporation exceeds precipitation (salt lakes, tropical lagoons, sebkhas etc...). In all cases the formation and diagenetic alteration is mainly governed by the Mg/Ca-ratio of the solutions, from which precipitation (or transformation) takes place.The certain occurrence of monohydrocalcite in the speleothems and in technical incrustations lead to the conclusion, that this very rare mineral precipitates from solutions which are transported as aerosols.     

Die rezenten Sedimente im Golf von Neapel 1. Die sedimente des Golfes von Pozzuoli

Zusammenfassung Im Golf von Pozzuoli wurden 30 Sedimentproben entnommen und mechanisch, chemisch und mineralogisch untersucht.Die Sedimentation zeigt eine regelmäßige Abfolge: Am Strand werden grobkörnige, relativ gut sortierte Sedimente abgelagert, nach der größeren Wassertiefe hin wird die Korngröße stetig kleiner, der Sortierungsgrad schlechter. Die Zerlegung in verschiedene Korngrößen bedingt gleichzeitig eine Differenzierung in mineralogischer Hinsicht. Über 90% des Sedimentmaterials entstammt den einsprenglingsreichen Tuffen der den Golf von Pozzuoli umrandenden Phlegräischen Felder, daneben ist die leuzittephritische Vulkanprovinz des Vesuvs besonders in den feinkörnigen Sedimenten deutlich vertreten.