Fayalitic olivine in matrix of the Krymka LL3.1 chondrite: Vapor-solid growth in the solar nebula

Abstract— Fayalitic olivine (Fa_54–94) is a ubiquitous component in the matrix of Krymka (LL3.1) as well as in other highly unequilibrated chondrites (ordinary and carbonaceous). In Krymka, the fayalitic olivine has an unusual anisotropic platy morphology that occurs in at least five types of textural settings that can be characterized as: (1) isolated platelets, (2) clusters of platelets, (3) euhedral to subhedral crystals, (4) overgrowths of platelets on forsteritic olivine, and (5) fluffy (porous) aggregates. From transmission electron microscope (TEM) investigation, the direction of elongation of the platy olivine overgrowths on forsteritic olivine substrates is along the c axis and in most cases it corresponds with the c axis of the substrate olivine, which suggests that the fayalitic olivine grew in this unusual morphology and is not a replacement product of preexisting material. The fayalitic olivine in the matrix of Krymka is compositionally similar to olivine with platy morphology in the matrix of some CV3 chondrites and both have similar Fe/Mn ratios, but important morphological differences indicate that their relationship needs to be explored further. Textural and compositional data indicate that the fayalitic olivine in the matrix of Krymka, as well as in some other unequilibrated ordinary chondrites, formed prior to final lithification of the meteorite and probably prior to parent body accretion. We find that formation of the fayalitic olivine by vapor-solid growth provides the best explanation for our observations and data and is the only feasible mechanism for the formation of fayalitic olivine in the matrix of Krymka. We propose that the fayalitic olivine formed by vaporization and recondensation of olivine rich-dust, during a period of enhanced dust/gas ratio in the nebula.     

Future changes of the atmospheric composition and the impact of climate change

The development of the future atmospheric chemical composition is investigated with respect to NO _y and O₃ by means of the off‐line coupled dynamic‐chemical general circulation model ECHAM3/CHEM. Two time slice experiments have been performed for the years 1992 and 2015, which include changes in sea surface temperatures, greenhouse gas concentrations, emissions of CFCs, NO _x and other species, i.e., the 2015 simulation accounts for changes in chemically relevant emissions and for a climate change and its impact on air chemistry. The 2015 simulation clearly shows a global increase in ozone except for large areas of the lower stratosphere, where no significant changes or even decreases in the ozone concentration are found. For a better understanding of the importance of (A) emissions like NO _x and CFCs, (B) future changes of air temperature and water vapour concentration, and (C) other dynamical parameters, like precipitation and changes in the circulation, diabatic circulation, stratosphere‐troposphere‐exchange, the simulation of the future atmosphere has been performed stepwise. This method requires a climate‐chemistry model without interactive coupling of chemical species. Model results show that the direct effect of emissions (A) plays a major rôle for the composition of the future atmosphere, but they also clearly show that climate change (B and C) has a significant impact and strongly reduces the NO _y and ozone concentration in the lower stratosphere.     

Evidence from Muriah, Indonesia, for the Interplay of Supra-Subduction Zone and Intraplate Processes in the Genesis of Potassic Alkaline Magmas

The high-K alkaline volcano Muriah is situated in central Javaand has erupted two lava series, a younger highly potassic series(HK) and an older potassic series (K). The HK series has higherK2O contents for a given MgO content; greater silica undersaturation;and higher concentrations of LILE (Rb, Sr, Ba, and K), LREE(La and Ce), and HFSE (Nb, Zr, Ti, and P), than the K series.The HK series lavas have incompatible trace element patternssimilar in many respects to ocean island basalts. The K serieshas slightly higher ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (O70453 [GenBank] -O70498) and ¹⁸O (+6?2to + 8?4%o) and lower ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd (0?512530–0?5126588)than the HK series (for which 87Sr/86Sr = 0?70426–0?70451,<518O = +6?52 to +7–0%o, and 1*3Nd/1*4Nd= 0?512623–0?512679),and higher LILE/HFSE and LREE/ HFSE ratios. A7/4 and A8/4 arehigh and do not show any systematic change from the K to theHK series. The proposed model for the Muriah lavas involvesthree source components: (1) the astheno-sphere of the mantlewedge of the Sunda arc, which has Indian Ocean MORB characteristics;(2) a metasomatic layer situated at the base of the lithosphere,which has characteristics similar to enriched mantle (i.e.,EMU); (3) subducted pelagic sediments from the Indian Ocean. Trace element and isotope data indicate that the characteristicsof the K series are produced by mixing of two endmember magmas:an undersaturated magma derived wholly from within-plate sourcesand a calc-alkaline magma derived from the subduction-modifiedasthenospheric mantle. The calc-alkaline magma is believed tobe contaminated by the arc crust before mixing. Low-pressurefractionation took place in the K series after mixing. Initiallithospheric extension in the Bawean trough (in which Muriahis located), may be responsible for decompressive melting ofthe metasomatic layer and thus the production of the HK serieslavas. The magmas erupted from Muriah show a transition fromintraplate to subduction zone processes in their genesis.     

Asymmetrically zoned reaction rims: assessment of grain boundary diffusivities and growth rates related to natural diffusion-controlled mineral reactions

This study explores garnet coronas around hedenbergite, which were formed by the reaction plagioclase + hedenbergite→garnet + quartz, to derive information about diffusion paths that allowed for material redistribution during reaction progress. Whereas quartz forms disconnected single grains along the garnet/hedenbergite boundaries, garnet forms ～20‐μm‐wide continuous polycrystalline rims along former plagioclase/hedenbergite phase boundaries. Individual garnet crystals are separated by low‐angle grain boundaries, which commonly form a direct link between the reaction interfaces of the plagioclase|garnet|hedenbergite succession. Compositional variations in garnet involve: (i) an overall asymmetric compositional zoning in Ca, Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺ and Al across the garnet layer; and (ii) micron‐scale compositional variations in the near‐grain boundary regions and along plagioclase/garnet phase boundaries. These compositional variations formed during garnet rim growth. Thereby, transfer of the chemical components occurred by a combination of fast‐path diffusion along grain boundaries within the garnet rim, slow diffusion through the interior of the garnet grains, and by fast diffusion along the garnet/plagioclase and the garnet/hedenbergite phase boundaries. Numerical simulation indicates that diffusion of Ca, Al and Fe²⁺ occurred about three to four, four and six to seven orders of magnitude faster along the grain boundaries than through the interior of the garnet grains. Fast‐path diffusion along grain boundaries contributed substantially to the bulk material transfer across the growing garnet rim. Despite the contribution of fast‐path diffusion, bulk diffusion through the garnet rim was too slow to allow for chemical equilibration of the phases involved in garnet rim formation even on a micrometre scale. Based on published garnet volume diffusion data the growth interval of a 20‐μm‐wide garnet rim is estimated at ～10³–10⁴ years at the inferred reaction conditions of 760 ± 50 °C at 7.6 kbar. Using the same parameterization of the growth law, 100‐μm‐ and 1‐mm‐thick garnet rims would grow within 10⁵–10⁶ and 10⁶–10⁷ years respectively.     

Ultrahigh-Temperature Metamorphism and Multistage Evolution of Garnet-Orthopyroxene Granulites from the Proterozoic Epupa Complex, NW Namibia

Migmatitic semipelitic granulites of the Proterozoic Epupa Complex,NW Namibia, underwent ultrahigh-temperature metamorphism asis indicated by the high alumina contents of orthopyroxene (8–11wt % Al₂O₃) coexisting with garnet. Peak P–T conditionsof     

VARIATIONS OF SNOW DEPTH AND DURATION IN THE SWISS ALPS OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS: LINKS TO CHANGES IN LARGE-SCALE CLIMATIC FORCINGS

A study of snow statistics over the past 50 years at several climatological stations in the Swiss Alps has highlighted periods in which snow was either abundant or not. Periods with relative low snow amounts and duration are closely linked to the presence of persistent high surface pressure fields over the Alpine region during late Fall and in Winter. These high pressure episodes are accompanied by large positive temperature anomalies and low precipitation, both of which are unfavorable for snow accumulation during the Winter. The fluctuations of seasonal to annual pressure in the Alpine region is strongly correlated with anomalies of the North Atlantic Oscillation index, which is a measure of the strength of the westerly flow over the Atlantic. This implies that large-scale forcing, and not local or regional factors, plays a dominant role in controling the timing and amount of snow in the Alps, as evidenced by the abundance or dearth of snow over several consecutive years. Furthermore, since the mid-1980s, the length of the snow season and snow amount have substantially decreased, as a result of pressure fields over the Alps which have been far higher and more persistent than at any other time this century. A detailed analysis of a number of additional Alpine stations for the last 15 years shows that the sensitivity of the snow-pack to climatic fluctuations diminishes above 1750 m. In the current debate on anthropogenically-induced climatic change, this altitude is consistent with other studies and estimates of snow-pack sensitivity to past and projected future global warming.     

Convergent flow of ice within the Astrolabe subglacial basin, Trre Adélie, East Antarctica: an hypothesis derived from nummerical modelling experiments

The existence of a large subglacial lake beneath the antarctic Ice Sheet at Terre Adélie indicates the presence of basal ice at its pressure-melting temperature. A numerical model of the ice-sheet thermal regime is employed using the balance velocity of the ice sheet as an initial model input in order to calculate ice-sheet basal temperatures. However, the results from this model show the Terre Adélie area to be characterised by basal freezing. Heat in addition to that accounted for in the model is thus required at the ice-sheet base in order for pressure melting temperatures to be attained. The sources for such heat are (1) an enhanced geothermal heat flux and (2) an increase in frictional heating caused by the flow of ice. In this paper the latter possibility is expanded by hypothesising that subglacial topography induces convergent ice flow around Terre Adélie, causing enhanced basal ice velocities. Model experiments indicate that an increase in ice velocity (from 7 to at least 42 m yr⁻¹) is required to raise the temperature of the basal ice to the pressure melting value. Increased ice velocity, and consequent frictional heat production due to convergent ice flow, may therefore be important in explaining the location of the subglacial lake in this region. These results allow the process of convergent ice flow within a contemporary ice sheet to be quantified. A verification (or otherwise) of the model results may be possible if ice surface velocity measurements from modem GPS methods are made.     

LANDSCAPE PERMANENCE AND NUCLEAR WARNINGS

ABSTRACT. From the perspective of a human lifetime, the hazards of some nuclear wastes are permanent, so the warnings we place at contaminated nuclear sites must be permanent too. I address questions of how best to provide one hundred centuries of public warning at the first facility for permanent disposal, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico. Scenarios of intrusion developed to guide the design of warning markers predicted that most of the changes in the area will be social and cultural. Because blatant and permanent markers will increase, not reduce, the probability of inadvertent intrusion, the most appropriate warning is a “landscape of illusion.” Such a landscape needs not permanent surface markers but underground warning devices beneath a soft surface marker. No warning can guarantee deterrence for 10,000 years, however.