Diamondiferous eclogites from Yakutia,Siberia: evidence for a diversity of protoliths

Major-element and REE compositions of 14 diamondiferous eclogites from the Udachnaya kimberlite in Yakutia, Siberia have been determined by electron microprobe and secondary ion mass spectrometer (SIMS). Based on previous clinopyroxene classification schemes (e.g., Taylor and Neal 1989), all of these eclogite xenoliths belong to Group B/C, although some of the garnet compositions and mineral REE abundances are inconsistent with the indicated groups. This demonstrates the inadequacy of the classification scheme based on African eclogites for application to Siberian samples. Because of the coarse grain size of the Udachnaya nodules, meaningful modal abundances could not be obtained. However, reconstructed REE compositions using various garnet: clinopyroxene ratios demonstrate relative insensitivity to changes in mode for common eclogitic assemblages. Many of these reconstructed REE compositions show LREE depletions. Some depletions are consistent with an origin (either directly or through partial melting) as normal or Type-I ocean floor basalt. Others, however, require material of eclogitic or pyroxenitic affinities to undergo partial melting; this facilitates the depletion of LREE while leaving the HREE at nearly original levels. Many of the eclogites of South Africa are consistent with a protolith of anomalous or Type II ocean floor basalt. This fundamental difference between the two regions is the likely cause of the inconsistencies with the chemicallybased classification.     

Different response of δD values of n-alkanes, isoprenoids, and kerogen during thermal maturation

This study investigates the extent of post-depositional alteration of δD values of n-alkyl lipids, isoprenoids, and kerogen isolated from a continuous 450 m core that covers the transition from thermally immature to early mature sediments in the lacustrine Kissenda Formation, Lower Cretaceous, Gabon Basin. Large variations in δD values (up to 40‰ for nC₁₇ and up to 30‰ for nC₂₉ alkanes as well as up to 10‰ for kerogen) in closely spaced samples are evident throughout the core and remain preserved even at the bottom of the section. δD values of individual n-alkanes show a slight overall D-enrichment with depth, and a general trend of increasing δD values with increasing n-alkane chain length characterizes all samples, particularly in those below 600 m depth. Hydrogen isotopic compositions of kerogen samples overlap with those of n-alkanes throughout the section. δD values of pristane and phytane are more negative than those of nC₁₇ alkane by as much as 120‰ at shallow depths but increase dramatically and approach δD values of nC₁₇ alkane in the samples closest to the oil window. Integration of analytical and computational results indicates that: (1) n-alkanes and isoprenoids have the potential to preserve the original biological signal before the onset of oil generation; (2) isomeric and structural rearrangements taking place at the beginning stages of oil generation do not influence significantly the δD values of n-alkanes and kerogen. However, these processes have a major effect on the isotopic composition of isoprenoids, causing isotopic D-enrichment up to 90‰.     

Mikrobiologische Untersuchungen an deponiebeeinflußten Wässern unter besonderer Berücksichtigung sulfatreduzierender Bakterien

In seepage waters of eight different dumping sites, counts on agar and gelatine of endobacteria, coliforms, Escherichia coli, enterococci and sulphate reducers are determined and the influences exerted on them by various chemical criteria are discussed. Locations of dumping sites which can be regarded as dumping sites of noxious substances due to the Eh and pH values of their seepage waters indicate this status by low or lacking bacterial counts. The bacterial counts of the sulphate reducers correlate with the Eh/pH values. In fourty samples partly high numbers for sulphate reducers were found also above the limit of BAAS-BECKING Eh = 4–115 mV. Considerably reduced conditions with high concentrations of sulphide and ammonium lead to the death of sulphate reducers. By impoundage of water in municipal refuse disposal sites there are created conditions for sulphuretes due to which these refuse disposal sites develop into sites of noxious substances.     

Comparison of lightning activity and radar-retrieved microphysical properties in EULINOX storms

A combined analysis of microphysical thunderstorm properties derived by C-band polarimetric Doppler radar measurements and lightning observations from two ground-based systems are presented. Three types of storms, a multicell, a supercell, and a squall line, that were observed during the European Lightning Nitrogen Oxides project (EULINOX) are investigated. Correlations are sought between the mass of rain, graupel, hail, and snow derived form radar observations at different height levels and the electrical activity, represented either by cloud-to-ground or intracloud flashes. These relationships are explained by connecting the radar-derived properties with the non-inductive charging process. For the multicell and the supercell storm, the lightning activity can be linearly correlated to both the hydrometeor total mass and class specific mass in the upper part of the storm. It is shown that the fractions of graupel and hail above the −20 °C-level in these storms positively correlate with the intracloud flash activity in the supercell, and negatively for the cloud-to-ground lightning frequency in the multicell. No such relation can be established for the squall line, indicating that the convective organization plays a crucial role in the lightning development. The analysis of the masses in the different storms shows that lightning activity cannot be parameterized by total mass alone, other parameters have to be identified. The results provide important information for all lightning studies that rely on bulk properties of thunderstorms, e.g., the parameterization of lightning in mesoscale models or the nowcasting of lightning by radar.     

Increasing Accuracy of the GLONASS Time Service

GLONASS time is the reference for all time scales aboard GLONASS satellites. It is derived from the Central Synchronizer (CS), which consists of an ensemble of hydrogen clocks (HC) having a instability of (1...3) × 10⁻¹⁴ (averaging interval 24 hours). The CS time is compared to UTC(SU) in a differential mode using a TV channel of the Technical TV Center. Presently the error of GLONASS time is within 20...150 ns; however, there is a potential to decrease this value to 15 to 50 ns (3σ). The paper discusses the possible benefits of mutual phase comparisons between the HCs to determine the grouped frequency standard. These comparisons are averaged daily. The approach yields an accuracy of better than 10 ns (3σ) for CS, bringing the expected GLONASS time accuracy to the level of 15 to 50 ns (3σ). ? 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

2.8-Ma ash-flow caldera at Chegem River in the northern Caucasus Mountains (Russia), contemporaneous granites, and associated ore deposits

Diverse latest Pliocene volcanic and plutonic rocks in the north-central Caucasus Mountains of southern Russia are newly interpreted as components of a large caldera system that erupted a compositionally zoned rhyolite-dacite ash-flow sheet at 2.83 ± 0.02 Ma (sanidine and biotite ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar). Despite its location within a cratonic collision zone, the Chegem system is structurally and petrologically similar to typical calderas of continental-margin volcanic arcs. Erosional remnants of the outflow Chegem Tuff sheet extend at least 50 km north from the source caldera in the upper Chegem River. These outflow remnants were previously interpreted by others as erupted from several local vents, but petrologic similarities indicate a common origin and correlation with thick intracaldera Chegem Tuff. The 11 × 15 km caldera and associated intrusions are superbly exposed over a vertical range of 2,300 m in deep canyons above treeline (elev. to 3,800 m). Densely welded intracaldera Chegem Tuff, previously described by others as a rhyolite lava plateau, forms a single cooling unit, is > 2 km thick, and contains large slide blocks from the caldera walls. Caldera subsidence was accommodated along several concentric ring fractures. No prevolcanic floor is exposed within the central core of the caldera. The caldera-filling tuff is overlain by andesitic lavas and cut by a 2.84 ± 0.03-Ma porphyritic granodiorite intrusion that has a cooling age analytically indistinguishable from that of the tuffs. The Eldjurta Granite, a pluton exposed low in the next large canyon (Baksan River) 10 km to the northwest of the caldera, yields variable K-feldspar and biotite ages (2.8 to 1.0 Ma) through a 5-km vertical range in surface and drill-hole samples. These variable dates appear to record a prolonged complex cooling history within upper parts of another caldera-related pluton. Major W-Mo ore deposits at the Tirniauz mine are hosted in skarns and hornfels along the roof of the Eldjurta Granite, and associated aplitic phases have textural features of Climax-type molybdenite porphyries in the western USA. Similar ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages, mineral chemistry, and bulk-rock compositions indicate that the Chegem Tuff, intracaldera intrusion, and Eldjurta Granite are all parts of a large magmatic system that broadly resembles the middle Tertiary Questa caldera system and associated Mo deposits in northern New Mexico, USA. Because of their young age and superb three-dimensional exposures, rocks of the Chegem-Tirniauz region offer exceptional opportunities for detailed study of caldera structures, compositional gradients in volcanic rocks relative to cogenetic granites, and the thermal and fluid-flow history of a large young upper-crustal magmatic system.     

Doppler radar observation, CG lightning activity and aerial survey of a multiple downburst in southern Germany on 23 March 2001

Two downburst events from one thunderstorm are investigated, which occurred on 23 March 2001, in Germany's climatologic annual minimum of downburst activity. Observations by two Doppler radars are combined with hail reports, ground lightning detection and an aerial survey conducted after the event. The downburst-producing storm had formed at a synoptic convergence line within the warm sector of a cyclone. It had a remarkably high propagation speed of up to 31 m s^− 1 corresponding to the mid-tropospheric flow. Thus, by superposition with the storm motion, even two weak downbursts were sufficient to cause the observed damage of F1 and F2 intensity, respectively. While in its late stages, the storm was dynamically characterized by lower- and mid-tropospheric divergence; at about the time of the first downburst, a mesocyclonic vortex signature was verified. Aside from mid-tropospheric dry air entrainment, a thermodynamic explanation for the triggering of the two downbursts by melting of small hail according to recent findings by Atlas et al. [Atlas, D., Ulbrich, C.W., Williams, C.R., 2004. Physical origin of a wet microburst: observations and theory. J. Atmos. Sci. 61, 1186–1196] appears probable. Despite the lack of warnings to the public, the storm's potential for hail and strong straight-line winds was detected by the German weather service radar software CONRAD more than a half hour before the downbursts occurred.     

The main structure and tectonic features of the Chernorud-Mukhor site on the western shore of Lake Baikal from TEM and SP measurements

Transient electromagnetic (TEM), self-potential (SP) and geoelectrical mapping measurements were carried out at the Chernorud-Mukhor site in the Priolkhonje area on the western shore of the Lake Baikal. All measurements were made along several profiles across the main strike of the regional Primorsky fault. TEM measurements were carried out in a time range from a few tens of microseconds to several tens of milliseconds. The most important result of the 1D modelling of TEM soundings is the discovery of nearly horizontal boundaries that divide high resistive overlying and well conducting underlying rocks. The resistivity of the former is in the range from 100 Ωm to 1000 Ωm, while the resistivity of the latter varies from less than 1 Ωm to several tens of Ωm. This good conductive zone could also be verified by geoelectrical mapping using Schlumberger array (AB/2=100 m). Due to high conductivity of the underlying rocks only the upper boundary of the conductive layer could be determined by TEM soundings. A regional SP anomaly with amplitude of about −450 mV has also been observed above the low resistivity zone indicating the electron nature of its conductance. Geologically, the conductive zone is represented by a graphite-bearing layer within the region of archean rocks. Since that layer extends over a large area, it may be used as a key in studying structures and tectonics of the Priolkhonje area. A 1D TEM geoelectric section shows a wide, gently sloping syncline as a probable base structure of the Chernorud-Mukhor site. Neotectonic faults divide the syncline into vertically displaced blocks that form a wide complicated graben with a total amplitude of about 250 m.     

Notes on the variation of magnetization within basalt lava flows and dikes

Summary The magnetic properties of basaltic rocks are dominated by the contained primary Fe–Ti oxides. At solidus temperature (1000°C) the composition of these primary oxides is restricted to titanomagnetite (Fe_3-xTi_xO₄) and hemoilmenites (Fe_2-yTi_yO₃). The examination of 269 chemical analyses of the primary Fe–Ti oxides in basalts (in sensu lato) gives an average ofx=0.61 (T _c=168°C) for the titanomagnetites andy=0.89 (T _c=–121°C) for the hemoilmenites. If distinction is made between tholeiites, alkali basalts and andesites, a clear difference for thex-values is observed: the average for tholeiitesx=0.64 (T _c=144°C), for alkali basaltsx=0.52 (T _c=253°C), for andesitesx=0.38 (T _c=341°C).Environment of crystallization and cooling rate are major interrelated factors influencing subsequent changes in the mineralogy of the primary Fe–Ti oxides and resulting magnetic properties. This has been tested by studying the variation of magnetization and some of its parameters in three different basalt rock units: a dike, 180 cm, and two lava flows, 3 m and 33 m thick, respectively. Grain size and oxidation state of the titanomagnetites control the variation of magnetization in these basalt units.