An occurrence of ardennite in quartz veins in piemontite schist,Western Otago,New Zealand

Summary Ardennite of complex composition: (Mn²⁺ _3.488Ca_0.509Ba_0.002)₌₄(Mg_0.916916 Fe³⁺ _0.165 Mn³⁺ _0.099Cu_0.033Ni_0.009Zn_0.006 Ti_0.008Al_4.764)₌₆(As⁵⁺ _0.823V⁵⁺ _0.022P_0.005B_0.069Al_0.042Si_5.039)₌₆O_21.81(OH)_6.17 occurs in crack-seal quartz veins in quartz-albite-piemontite-spessartine-phengitehematite-chlorite-rutile-tourmaline ± calcite schist of the Haast Schist Group near Arrow Junction, western Otago, New Zealand. The Mn²⁺/Mn³⁺-ratio is sensitive to calculations and to accuracy of analyses. Boron is detected in ardennite for the first time. Other properties include = 1.734(3), = 1.735(3), = 1.751(3), 2V_Z = 30(2)°;a = 8.721(1),b = 5.816(1),c = 18.545(3) Å,V = 940.7(2) ų. Associated mineral phases are spessartine, hematite, piemontite containing 0.7% SrO and 0.06% PbO, and phengite. Later-stage vein minerals comprise chlorite, albite, and manganoan calcite which were deposited under less highly oxidizing conditions. Digenite with minor intergrown covellite occurs in small amount with manganoan calcite and quartz in a cross-cutting late-stage veina chalcopyrite and native copper occur in other late-stage veins. Arsenic and other components of the ardennite and associated minerals are derived from highly oxidized ferromanganese oxide- and hydroxide-bearing siliceous pelagic sediments that formed the protolith for the piemontite schist. The veins formed at a relatively early stage after metamorphism peaked in the chlorite zone of the greenschist facies under conditions that have been estimated at about 4.5 kbar, 390 °C.

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Vorkommen von Ardennit in Quarzgängen aus Piemontit-Schiefern, West-Otago, Neuseeland

Zusammenfassung Ardennit mit der Zusammensetzung (Mn²⁺ _3.488Ca_0.509Ba_0.002)₌₄(Mg_0.916Fe³⁺ _0.165Mn³⁺ _0.099Cu_0.033Ni_0.009Zn_0.006 Ti_0.008Al_4.764)₌₆(As⁵⁺ _0.823V⁵⁺ _0.022P_0.005B_0.069Al_0.042Si_5.039)₌₆O_21.81(OH)_6.17 tritt in Crack-seal-Quarzgängen in Quarz-Albit-Piemontit-Spessartin-Phengit-Hämatit-Chlorit-Rutil-Turmalin ± Calcit-Schiefern der Haast Schiefer-Gruppe nahe der Arrow Junction, West-Otago, Neuseeland, auf. Die Proportionen von Mn²⁺/Mn³⁺ hängen von der Kalkulation und der Genauigkeit der Analyse ab. Bor wird zum ersten Mal im Ardennit bestimmt. Andere Eigenschaften sind: = 1.734(3), = 1.735(3), = 1.751(3), 2Vz = 30(2)°; a = 8.721(1), b = 5.816(1), c = 18.545(3) Å, V = 940.7(2) Å3. Assoziierte Mineralphasen sind Spessartin, Hämatit, Piemontit, der 0.7% SrO und 0.06% PbO enthält und Phengit. Spät gebildete Gangmineralien, wie Chlorit, Albit und Mn-Calcit, sind unter geringer oxidierenden Bedingungen entstanden. Digenit mit etwas Covellin tritt in kleinen Mengen zusammen mit Mn-Calcit und Quartz in einem querschlägigen Gang auf, Chalcopyrit und gediegenes Kupfer kommen in anderen späten Gängen vor. Arsen und andere Komponenten des Ardennites and der assoziierten Minerale können von hochoxidierten, Fe-Mn-Oxid- und Hydroxyd-führenden, Sireichen, pelagischen Sedimenten hergeleitet werden, die das Ausgangsgestein für den Piemontit darstellen. Die Gänge wurden in einem relativ frühen Stadium, nach dem Metamorphosehöhepunkt, innerhalb der Chloritzone der Grünschiefer-Fazies, unter ungefähr 4.5 kbar und 390°C, gebildet.

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With 4 Figures     

On the significance of CO2 inclusions in plagioclase microphenocrysts in tholeiite from Moeraki,New Zealand

Liquid plus vapour inclusions of CO₂ are widespread in plagioclase microphenocrysts in small tholeiitic intrusions and tephra of the Moeraki and adjacent areas of northeast Otago, New Zealand. They imply the presence of immiscible CO₂ droplets in the magma at depths of about 7–14 km. Their presence within 5 μm of the edges of microphenocrysts as little as 35 μm thick and 118 μm long indicates minimal feldspar crystal growth during the final ascent and quenching of the magma. Delicate branching clusters of lath-like microphenocrysts escaped disruption during this ascent. Such CO₂ inclusions are a potential source of ‘excess argon’ perturbing K-Ar age determinations. Received March 24, 1993/Accepted September 10, 1993     

Late Cenozoic mesa basalt sheet in northwestern United States

Numerous occurrences of late Cenozoic (Late Pliocene or early Quaternary) diktytaxitic, olivine basalt in Oregon, northeastern California, northwestern Nevada and southwestern Idaho are interpreted as remnants of a regionally extensive, thin basalt sheet, manifesting a single volcanic event of vast magnitude.     

Andradite and andradite-grossular solid solutions in very low-grade regionally metamorphosed rocks in Southern New Zealand

Almost pure andradite and intermediate members of the andradite-grossular series (gros_40–49, and _47–54, py_0–3, alm_0–3, spess_0–2, hydrogarnet_0–3), often framboidal in habit, are widespread in metabasites including lavas, minor intrusions, and volcanic sandstones and breccias metamorphosed under prehnite-pumpellyite and pumpellyite-actinolite facies conditions, possibly extending into the zeolite facies. Coexisting phases include iron-rich epidotes (100 Fe*/Fe*+Al=22–34), pumpellyite, prehnite, actinolite, and chlorite, electron microprobe analyses of which are given, as well as quartz, albite, and calcite. Zoisite (100 Fe*/Fe*+Al=1–5) and iron-poor epidote (100 Fe*/Fe*+Al=11–18) occur in 2 rocks in pseudomorphs after plagioclase together with more iron-rich epidote, but not in close association with the garnets. Coexisting pumpellyite is iron-rich (FeO* 9–14%) in the prehnite-pumpellyite facies and iron-poor (FeO* 5%) in the pumpellyiteactinolite facies. Chlorites and actinolites vary widely and sympathetically in FeO/MgO+FeO ratio. Andradite is also described from a stilpnomelane-actinolite-hematite-bearing andradite quartzite of the pumpellyite-actinolite facies. Conditions of formation involved temperatures of 300 to 400 ° or less, at pressures up to a few kilobars. A wide range of oxygen fugacities is possible, but in the fluid phase was low. Grandite and chlorite are incompatible in the pumpellyite-actinolite and greenschist facies in the presence of quartz but the 2 minerals occur together in some pumpellyite-actinolite facies assemblages as a result of incomplete reaction and/or local deficiency in silica. In the greenschist facies the association is replaced by epidote-actinolite±hematite and sodic amphibole. Whereas at medium to high grades of metamorphism andradite and grandite are characteristic of skarns irrespective of , at very low grades they are found in mafic volcanic rocks and volcanogenic sediments as well as in certain cherty rocks of unusual composition, rodingites, and serpentinites, where was very low.     

Estimating population parameters in an ‘open’ fish population

A model for an ‘open’ fish population is described. Basically an expansion of the classical catch equation, it includes a ‘population change’ coefficient to allow for changes in population size induced by causes other than fishing. The model relates this coefficient to catch, fishing effort, initial population size, and catchability coefficient. With observed catch and fishing effort data incorporated, the remaining parameters are estimated by minimising sums of squares. This estimation process is applied to data from both real and simulated fisheries, and is shown to be effective if the basic assumptions of the model are met. If this is not so considerable errors occur, and these are investigated with respect to the examples.     

Anoxia over the western continental shelf of India: bacterial indications of intrinsic nitrification feeding denitrification

Studies on the Arabian Sea coastal anoxia have been of immense interest, but despite its ecological significance there is sparse understanding of the microbes involved. Hence, observations were carried out off Goa (15 degrees 30'N, 72 degrees 40'E to 15 degrees 30'N, 72 degrees 59'E) to understand the processes that mediate the changes in various inorganic nitrogen species in the water column during anoxia. Water column chemistry showed a clear distinct oxic environment in the month of April and anoxic condition in October. Our study based on microbial signatures indicated that oxygen deficit appeared as a well-defined nucleus almost 40 km away from the coast during the oxic period (April) and spreads there after to the entire water column synchronizing with the water chemistry. Striking results of net changes in inorganic nitrogen species in nitrification blocked and unblocked experimental systems show that denitrification is the predominant process in the water column consuming available nitrate ( approximately 0.5 microM) to near zero levels within approximately 72 h of incubation. These observations have been supported by concomitant increase in nitrite concentration ( approximately 4 microM). Similar studies on denitrification-blocked incubations, demonstrate the potential of nitrification to feed denitrification. Nitrification could contribute almost 4.5 microM to the total nitrate pool. It was found that the relation between ammonium and total dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) pool (r=0.98, p<0.001, n=122) was significant compared to the latter with nitrite and nitrate. The occurrence of high ammonium under low phosphate conditions corroborates our observations that ammonium does not appear to be locked under low oxygen regimes. It is suggested that ammonium actively produced by detrital breakdown (ammonification) is efficiently consumed through nitrification process. The three processes in concert viz. ammonification, nitrification and denitrification appear to operate in more temporal and spatial proximity than hitherto appreciated in these systems and this gives additional cues on the absence of measurable nitrate at surface waters, which was earlier attributed only to efficient algal uptake. Hence we hypothesize that the alarming nitrous oxide input into the atmosphere could be due to high productivity driven tighter nitrification-denitrification coupling, rather than denitrification driven by extraneous nitrate.     

Effects of CO2 on benthic biota: An in situ benthic chamber experiment in Storfjorden (Norway)

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) methods, either sub-seabed or in ocean depths, introduces risk of CO₂ leakage and subsequent interaction with the ecosystem. It is therefore important to obtain information on possible effects of CO₂. In situ CO₂ exposure experiments were carried out twice for 10 days during 2005 using a Benthic Chamber system at 400 m depth in Storfjorden, Norway. pCO₂ in the water above the sediment in the chambers was controlled at approximately 500, 5000 and 20,000 μatm, respectively. This article describes the experiment and the results from measured the biological responses within the chamber sediments. The results show effects of elevated CO₂ concentrations on biological processes such as increased nanobenthos density. Methane production and sulphate reduction was enhanced in the approximately 5000 μatm chamber.     

Spatial Sampling Strategies for Mapping a Volcanic Ground Water Plume in Sierra Valey,California

Accurately mapping a region’s ground water quality depends upon the spatial sampling strategies employed, including where and how often field data are collected. This study compares the relative values of three field sampling strategies for mapping a known migrating plume of volcanic ground water in Sierra Valley, California. The first strategy sampled wells once each year during 1957, 1972, and 1980 (n=63, 45, and 57, respectively) and portrayed spatial–temporal changes in ground water quality more clearly on maps than did two alternative sampling strategies. One of these alternatives, Strategy 2, sampled one well per township per year during 1957, 1972, and 1980 (n=11) and did not detect the migrating plume, despite being a recommended strategy. The other alternative, Strategy 3, frequently sampled in time a small, fixed group of indicator wells (n=13) every four years for the same period, again producing maps with little correlation to the original pattern detected by Strategy 1.