40Ar-39Ar dating of the H3 chondrite Sainte Rose

Abstract— A whole rock sample from the H3 chondrite Sainte Rose, which was discovered in 1983, was dated with the ⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar technique. From the K/Ca spectrum and from an analysis of the ³⁹Ar recoil effect we conclude that this meteorite has at least two distinguishable K-carriers: a low temperature, high-K/Ca, fine-grained carrier with a typical grain size of about 2 μm and a high temperature, low-K/Ca, more coarse-grained carrier. The K-Ar clocks of both were started 4.40 ± 0.01 Ga ago.     

Risk Assessment for Tuzla Naval Base Breakwater

1 .IntroductionTurkeywasstruckbytwomajorearthquakeeventsonAugust 1 7thandNovember 1 2th ,1 999,namedIzmit (Mw=7.4 )andD櫣ｚｃｅ (Mw=7.2 )earthquakes,respectively .ThestationsoperatedbytheGeneralDirectorateofDisasterAffairs,theKandilliObservatoryandEarthquakeResearchInstituteofIstanbulTechnicalUniversitymeasuredatleast 2 7stronggroundmotionsfortheIzmitearthquakewithin 2 0 0kmofthefault.AsignificantsegmentofthefaultrupturedintheareabetweenthewestofGolcukandtheeastofLakeSapanca .Inthesou…     

40Ar39Ar ages of Allende

KAr and/or ⁴⁰Ar³⁹Ar plateau ages of Allende samples—whole rock, matrix, chondrules, white inclusions–range from 3.8 AE for matrix of ?5 AE for some white inclusions, but cluster strongly near 4.53 AE. This age marks the dominant KAr resetting of Allende materials. Age spectra show disturbances due to ³⁹Ar recoil or some other argon redistribution processes. Possible explanations for the apparent presolar ages (>4.6 AE) include: ?20% loss of ³⁹Ar; ?40% loss of ⁴⁰K ～3.8 AE ago with no loss of ⁴⁰Arl trapped argon of unique ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar isotopic composition; admixture of “very old” presolar grains.     

Damage risk assessment of breakwaters under tsunami attack

Turkey was struck by two major events on 17 August and 12 November 1999, named Izmit (M _w = 7.4) and Düzce (M _w = 7.2) earthquakes, respectively. Rubble mound breakwaters in Izmit Bay experienced little damage, as forecasted by the new risk assessment model in which tsunami occurrence risk was included in the damage estimations. In order to determine the occurrence probability of structural damage under design conditions, including the environmental loading parameters of tsunami and storm waves, tidal range and storm surge, the Conditional Expections Monte Carlo simulation was applied in the risk assessment model developed in this study for the Esenköy Fishery Harbour, Turkey. A tsunami was not the key design parameter when compared to storm waves for the main breakwater of the harbour, however, in places with great seismic activity, the tsunami risk should be important depending on the occurrence probability and magnitude of the tsunami.     

In situ U–Pb analysis of shocked zircon from the Charlevoix impact structure,Québec,Canada

Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (LA‐ICP‐MS) U–Pb geochronology of shocked zircon grains in a vesicular‐fluidal impact melt rock from the ≥54 km Charlevoix impact structure, Québec, Canada, suggests an Ordovician to Silurian age of 450 ± 20 Ma for the impact. This age is anchored by concordant U–Pb results of ~450 Ma for a U‐rich, cryptocrystalline zircon grain in the melt rock, interpreted as a recrystallized metamict zircon crystal; the U–Th–Pb system of the metamict grain was seemingly chronometrically reset by the Charlevoix impact, but withstood later tectonometamorphic events. The new zircon age for Charlevoix is in agreement with a stratigraphically constrained Late Ordovician maximum age of ~453 Ma and corroborates earlier suggestions that the impact occurred most likely in the Ordovician, and not ~100 Myr later, as indicated by previous K/Ar and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronologic results. The latter may reflect postimpact thermal overprint of impactites during the Salinian (Late Silurian to Early Devonian) and/or Acadian (Late Devonian) orogenies. U–Pb geochronology of zircon crystals in anorthosite exposed in the central uplift of the impact structure yielded a Grenvillian crystallization age of 1062 ± 11 Ma. The preferred Ordovician age for the Charlevoix impact structure, which is partially overthrusted by the Appalachian front, suggests the impact occurred during a phase of Taconian tectonism and an episode of enhanced asteroid bombardment of the Earth. Our results, moreover, demonstrate that (recrystallized) metamict zircon grains may be of particular interest in impact geochronology.     

Experimental impact cratering: A summary of the major results of the MEMIN research unit

This paper reviews major findings of the Multidisciplinary Experimental and Modeling Impact Crater Research Network (MEMIN). MEMIN is a consortium, funded from 2009 till 2017 by the German Research Foundation, and is aimed at investigating impact cratering processes by experimental and modeling approaches. The vision of this network has been to comprehensively quantify impact processes by conducting a strictly controlled experimental campaign at the laboratory scale, together with a multidisciplinary analytical approach. Central to MEMIN has been the use of powerful two-stage light-gas accelerators capable of producing impact craters in the decimeter size range in solid rocks that allowed detailed spatial analyses of petrophysical, structural, and geochemical changes in target rocks and ejecta. In addition, explosive setups, membrane-driven diamond anvil cells, as well as laser irradiation and split Hopkinson pressure bar technologies have been used to study the response of minerals and rocks to shock and dynamic loading as well as high-temperature conditions. We used Seeberger sandstone, Taunus quartzite, Carrara marble, and Weibern tuff as major target rock types. In concert with the experiments we conducted mesoscale numerical simulations of shock wave propagation in heterogeneous rocks resolving the complex response of grains and pores to compressive, shear, and tensile loading and macroscale modeling of crater formation and fracturing. Major results comprise (1) projectile–target interaction, (2) various aspects of shock metamorphism with special focus on low shock pressures and effects of target porosity and water saturation, (3) crater morphologies and cratering efficiencies in various nonporous and porous lithologies, (4) in situ target damage, (5) ejecta dynamics, and (6) geophysical survey of experimental craters.     

The atmospheric heat budget over the western part of the Tibetan plateau during Monex, 1979

The atmospheric heat source strength over western Tibet has been computed for the period beginning with the last ten days in May, 1979 and extending through August, 1979. Our results show a significantly smaller heat source than that obtained by other authors. The discrepancy is mainly due to adjustments in the dray, coefficient suggested by observations and numerical modeling experiments. We subdivided western Tibet into northern and southern parts. In the north sensible heating, SH, provides the dominant input into the atmospheric heat source, whereas in the southern part latent heat, LP, offers a significant contribution after the start of the rainy season.Detailed heat budget calculations were also carried out over limited regions of southwestern Tibet which hau good station coverage. During periods with area-averaged rainfall ≤1 mm/day an atmospheric heat source maximum was located over southwestern Tibet near the 500 hPa level, while a heat sink dominated the upper troposphere in a layer of subsidence. When rainfall exceeded 4 mm/day, ascending motions and heal sources prevailed throughout the troposphere with maxima near 400 hPa. Time series analyses of the heat sourcs components show that the total atmospheric heat source is strongly modulated by the release of latent heat. Atmospheric radiational cooling reveals a phase shift in its relation with precipitation. During the first part of the observation period a correlation of that cooling exists mainly with the net radiation at the top of the atmosphere, during the last part with the net radiation at the ground.     

A simplified hydrodynamic mesoscale model suitable for use over high plateau regions

Summary A simplified hydrodynamic primitive equation model in -coordinates is described. This model includes the main physical processes that influence development and motion of mesoscale vortices over plateau regions: elevated terrain effects, effects of large-scale and synoptic-scale systems on the mesoscale systems, sensible heating from the earth's surface, moisture cycle and condensation heating released by both large-scale stable precipitation and cumulus convective precipitation, evaporation and the feedback effect of precipitation on evaporation, friction in the planetary boundary layer, horizontal diffusion by subgrid scale eddies and vertical eddy flux of meteorological elements (momentum, temperature, moisture, etc.) due to turbulence, cumulus convection and other smaller-scale physical processes. The model incorporates observed data as much as possible and equations are simplified so that it may be run using either a high-speed computer or a desktop computer.Two developing vortices that originated over the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Platau and moved eastward producing heavy precipitation over the lower elevations are used to test the model. It is shown that the model is capable of simulating the major features of the vortices including the precipitation distribution and may be used for studies of mesoscale and synoptic scale weather systems over plateau regions.

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Ein vereinfachtes für hochländer geeignetes hydrodynamisches mesoscale-modell

Zusammenfassung Es wird ein vereinfachtes hydrodynamisches Grundgleichungsmodell in -Koordinaten be schrieben. Dieses Modell beinhaltet die wichtigsten physikalischen Prozesse, die die Entwicklung und Bewegung von mesoskaligen Wirbeln über Hochplateaus beeinflussen: Effekte der Hochfläche, Effekte von großräumigen und synoptischen Systemen, die fühlbare Wärme von der Erdoberfläche, den Feuchtigkeitskreislauf und die Kondensationswärme, sowohl von großräumigen als auch von Konvektionsniederschlägen, die Evaporation und die Beeinflussung der Evaporation durch den Niederschlag, die Reibung in der planetaren Grenzschicht, die horizontale Diffusion durch Turbulenzen, die kleiner als die Gitterkonstante sind und den vertikalen Fluß meteorologischer Elemente (Impuls, Temperatur, Feuchte etc.) durch Turbulenzen, Konvektion und andere kleinräumige Prozesse. In das Modell sind die Beobachtungswerte weitestgehend integriert und die Gleichungen soweit vereinfacht, daß es sowohl auf einem Hochleistungs- als auch auf einem Mikrocomputer laufen kann.Zum Testen des Modells wurden zwei sich entwickelnde Wirbel verwendet, die vom Qinghai-Xizang-Plateu (Hochland von Tibet) ausgingen, sich ostwärts bewegten und dabei zu schweren Niederschlägen in den Tiefländern führten. Es wird gezeigt, daß das Modell die wichtigsten Eigenschaften der Wirbel und die Niederschlagsverteilung simulieren und für Untersuchungen von mesoskaligen und synoptischen Wettersystemen über Hochländern herangezogen werden kann.

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With 18 figures