Use of magnetic signatures to correlate tephra layers in Holocene loessial soil profiles from a small region, SE Iceland

Rock magnetic measurements have been applied to two adjacent loessial soil sections from a small region, SE Iceland. The soils are composed of reworked locally derived sediment (including airfall tephra) and also contain several visible discrete airfall tephra layers. The main magnetic minerals in the airfall tephras are ferrimagnetic (e.g. magnetite) with paramagnetic minerals also present. The main magnetic grain sizes in the tephras are pseudo single domain. The results show that individual tephras do not have unique magnetic signatures that can be used for identification and correlation between sedimentary sequences. However, a correlation of tephra layers was achieved through the application of statistical techniques to a comprehensive dataset of magnetic parameters. Similarity coefficients and Euclidian distance measures were used to identify the best correlation between tephra layers in the two soil profiles. The technique works well providing some tephras present within both profiles have been formally identified (e.g. Oraefajokulla ad 1362) using electron microprobe analyses. Given this initial framework, the statistical analyses of the magnetic parameters can help in the identification and correlation of unknown tephras between two soil profiles.     

HF doppler observations on the occurrence of equatorial spread-F

HF doppler observations of the vertical drift velocity and group height of the 5.5 MHz plasma frequency level of the post-sunset bottomside F-region obtained on a fewESF (equatorial spread-F) and non-ESF days at Trivandrum are presented. The results show that on the non-ESF days, the maximum group height attained is about 400 km and the maximum velocity is less than 30 m/sec. On theESF days, however, the corresponding values are found to be in the range of 400–650 km and 30–50 m/sec. TheESF onset is found to be significantly delayed relative to the velocity peak indicating that it is more closely linked to the layer height than to the drift velocity.     

Advances in microwave remote sensing of the ocean and atmosphere

This article reviews the current state-of-the-art and future prospects of the microwave techniques for remote sensing of the earth’s atmosphere and ocean. Geophysical parameters and their relationship with measured thermal microwave radiation is established through radiative transfer processes. The atmospheric temperature profile obtained from microwave sounding unit (msu) onboardtiros-N series of satellites is operational and is used for numerical weather prediction. The demonstrated applications of scanning multichannel microwave radiometer (smmr) onboard most recent and advancedseasat satellite are highlighted.The capability ofseasat active sensors for monitoring ocean parameters have also been indicated. Feasible applications of microwave techniquese.g. moisture profile with advanced moisture sounder (amsu), and surface pressure from multifrequency active microwave pressure sounder (mps) are also described. Finally the recent and advanced microwave limb sounding (mls) technique and its applications to upper atmospheric research has been reviewed.     

Quantitative technique for prediction of local oil and gas

Conclusion Allowing for regional trends, the character of saturation and lithological features can be used in this technique as an efficient tool for predicting local oil and gas potential. The algorithm of the procedure has been programmed infortran for the EC computer.     

On the chemical composition of anorthoclase from Mt. Kibo/Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)

The chemical composition of anorthoclase from Mt. Kibo has been studied by means of microprobe, X-ray fluorescence and optical emission analysis. The preparation technique for X-ray fluorescence analysis is shortly described.

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Zusammenfassung Neue Mikrosonden-, Röntgenfluorescenz- und Emissionsspektraldaten von Anorthoklas aus den Khombenporphyren des Kilimandscharo werden mit den klassischen Analysen von Fletcher und Hyland (1887/88) verglichen und ein Präparationsverfahren zur RF-Analyse kurz beschrieben.

     

Sunspot cycle prediction using multivariate regression and binary mixture of Laplace distribution model

Prediction of sunspot cycle is a vital activity in space mission planning and various engineering decision making. In the present study, the sunspot cycle prediction has been carried out by a hybrid model which employs multivariate regression technique and the binary mixture of Laplace distribution (BMLD) function. The Expectation Maximization (EM) algorithm is being applied to the multivariate regression analysis to obtain a robust prediction of the sunspot cycle. Sunspot cycle 24 has been predicted using this technique. Multivariate regression model has been derived based on the available cycles 1 to 23. This model could predict cycle 24 as an average of previous cycles. Prediction from this model has been refined to capture the cycle characteristics such as bimodal peak at the high solar activity period by incorporating a predicted peak sunspot number from the BMLD model. This revised prediction has shown more accuracy in forecasting the major discrete features of sunspot cycle like maximum amplitude, the Gnevyshev gap, time duration from peak to peak amplitude, and the epoch of peak amplitude. This refined prediction shows that cycle 24 will be having a peak amplitude of 78 with an uncertainty of ±25. Moreover, the present forecast says that, cycle 24 will be having double peak with a strong second peak compared to the first peak. This hypothesis is found to be true with the realized data of cycle 24. Further, this techniques have been validated by predicting sunspot cycles 22 and 23. A preliminary level prediction of sunspot cycle 25 also been carried out using the technique presented here. Present study predicts that, cycle 25 also will be a modest cycle like the present cycle 24, and the peak amplitude may vary in a band of 75–95.     

Subaqueous morphology of Lake Lucerne (Central Switzerland): implications for mass movements and glacial history

Bathymetric data available for Swiss lakes have typically only low to moderate resolution and variable quality, making them insufficient for detailed underwater geomorphological studies. This article presents results of a new bathymetric survey in perialpine Lake Lucerne using modern hydrographic equipment. A digital terrain model (DTM) of the lake floor (raster dataset with 1 m cell size) covering the Chrüztrichter and Vitznau basins documents signatures of major Holocene mass movements and relics from the glacial history of the lake. Combining the bathymetry data with reflection seismic profiles and an existing event chronology allows investigating the morphology in its geological context. Subaqueous sediment slide scars with sharp headwalls cover large areas on moderately inclined slopes. The particularly large Weggis slide complex, correlated with an historical earthquake (ad 1601), features a ~9 km long and 4–7 m high headwall and covers an area of several square kilometers. Large debris cones of prehistoric rockfalls and the deposits of recent rockfall events imaged on the almost flat basin plain document mass-movement activity on steep slopes above the lake. Six transverse moraines, visible as subaqueous ridges, as lake-floor lineaments, or only imaged on reflection seismic profiles, indicate a complex glacial-inherited morphology. As many of the documented features result from potentially catastrophic events, high-resolution bathymetry can significantly improve natural hazard assessment for lakeshore communities by extending classical hazard maps to the subaqueous domain.     

Obtaining Accurate Isotopic Compositions with the Double Spike Technique: Practical Considerations

Ever‐increasing precision in isotope ratio measurements requires a concomitant small bias within and between laboratories. The double spike technique is the most suitable method to obtain reliable isotope composition data that are accurately corrected for instrumental mass fractionation. Compared with other methods, such as sample‐calibrator bracketing (SCB), only the double spike technique can correct for all sources of fractionation after equilibration of the sample with the double spike, such as that incurred during chemical separation and measurement. In addition, it is not dependent on a priori assumptions of perfect matrix matching of samples to reference materials or quantitative recovery of the sample through the chemical separation procedure to yield accurate results. In this review article, we present a detailed discussion of the merits of the double spike technique, how to design and calibrate a suitable double spike and analytical strategies. Our objective is to offer a step‐by‐step introduction to the use of the double spike technique in order to lower potential barriers that researchers new to the subject might face, such that double spiking will replace SCB as the measurement method of choice.     

Site response zones and short-period earthquake ground motion projections for the Las Vegas Basin

A deterministic seismic hazard analysis was conducted to address the effect of local soil conditions on earthquake-induced strong ground motion in the Las Vegas Basin, Nevada (US). Using a large geological and geotechnical database, two response units were defined: a fine-grained unit, predominantly clay; and a coarse-grained unit, predominantly gravel. A moderate number of high-quality shallow shear wave velocity measurements were collected from which characteristic shear wave velocity profiles were developed for each response unit. An equivalent-linear one-dimensional site response model was used. The model was calibrated using a basin-wide, small-strain ground motion database. Calibration tests showed that ground motion projections become increasingly conservative with increasing ground-motion amplitude. Projections were overconservative for the coarse-grained response unit, likely due to the sparseness of the velocity database. For the earthquake response analyses, historical ground motions were used to model characteristic ‘bedrock’ motion for earthquakes on 10 faults judged to be critical. Response spectral envelopes were generated for each unit through Monte-Carlo simulations. For the fine-grained response unit, 95th percentile peak ground acceleration, peak spectral acceleration and predominant period were 310 cm/s², 1100 cm/s², and 0.29 s, respectively. With respect to codified design spectra, projections are lower at short periods and higher at long periods. Projections of peak spectral accelerations for the coarse-grained response unit, were more than double that of codified spectra; however, they are believed to be overconservative. Near-fault effects and basin-edge effects, though potentially important, were not considered in these analyses.     

Estimation of Pore Water Concentrations from DGT Profiles: A Modelling Approach

The technique of Diffusional Gradients in Thin-films (DGT) can be used in situ to obtain high resolution profiles of trace-metals in sediment pore waters. Substances sampled by DGT continuously diffuse through a diffusion layer comprising a hydrogel prior to being immobilized by binding to a resin layer. DGT therefore measures a time averaged flux from the pore water to the resin. Interpretation of this flux as pore water concentration is problematic for two reasons. Firstly, the pore water concentration adjacent to the sampler may become depleted by the DGT induced flux. Secondly, if there are steep vertical chemical gradients in the pore waters, they may relax by diffusion along the gradient within the gel layer. The extent of relaxation depends on the diffusion coefficient, gradient steepness, and diffusion layer thickness. Two dimensional (2D) numerical models of DGT deployments in horizontally uniform sediments were used to investigate to what extent DGT measured profiles accurately reproduced (a) the shape of pore water concentration profiles, and (b) the magnitude of pore water concentrations. A method is developed which translates high resolution DGT measured flux profiles into reliable estimates of pore water concentrations. Linear relationships are given which estimate the minimum DGT measured peak width (as a function of diffusion layer thickness) that ensures accurate reproduction of the shape and the magnitude of peaks in pore water concentrations. Peaks in DGT profiles obtained from assemblies with diffusion layer thicknesses of 0.3 mm (0.5 mm) should be at least 1.2 mm (1.8 mm) wide for their shape to reflect accurately their true shape in the pore water, and at least 1.7 mm (2.7 mm) wide to ensure the peak concentration is accurately estimated.     

Determination of time-integrated metamorphic fluid fluxes from the reaction progress of multivariant assemblages

An expression is derived for the calculation of time-integrated metamorphic fluid fluxes in two or more dimensions in rocks undergoing multivariant reactions under conditions of varying pressure, temperature and angle of flow. This calcuation requires knowledge of mineral assemblages, modes and compositions, which are obtained from isobaric T-X _CO2 pseudosections constructed using the program THERMOCALC and compared with those observed in east central Vermont. THERMOCALC is capable of reproducing peak mineral assemblages, modes, compositions and the observed reaction sequences within the system KCaNaFMASCH for two kyanite grade pelitic carbonate rocks from a Barrovian style regional metamorphic terrain in east central Vermont, U.S.A. Calculation of fluid fluxes for decarbonation reactions under conditions of horizontal, layer-parallel flow produces time-integrated fluid flux figures of the order of 10⁸ moles m⁻². Allowance for possible cross-layer flow from adjacent dehydrating pelites reduces this figure significantly, with episodic cross-layer fluxes of the order of 10⁵ moles m⁻² being capable of driving the observed decarbonation. Chlorite bearing carbonate protoliths would have initially dehydrated with increasing temperature, a process requiring down-temperature fluid flow to produce the assemblages currently observed. Received: 28 January 1998 / Accepted: 20 September 1998     

海岸带地区137Cs沉积剖面类型划分及其意义

作为一种人工核素,<'137>Cs年代学方法已在海岸地区得到广泛应用,并成为重建现代地质过程的重要方法.搜集了海岸带地区报道的200余组<'137>Cs沉积剖面数据(其中中国海岸带地区121个站住,其它地区100余站位),通过对<'137>Cs沉积剖面形态的分析.并与理想<'137>Cs沉积剖面对比研究,结果显示,海岸...     

海岸带地区~（137）Cs沉积剖面类型划分及其意义

作为一种人工核素,137Cs年代学方法已在海岸地区得到广泛应用,并成为重建现代地质过程的重要方法。搜集了海岸带地区报道的200余组137Cs沉积剖面数据（其中中国海岸带地区121个站位,其它地区100余站位）,通过对137Cs沉积剖面形态的分析,并与理想137Cs沉积剖面对比研究,结果显示,海岸带地区137Cs沉积剖面表现为以下6种主要类型：①不连续137Cs曲线、②无特征峰型的连续137Cs曲线、③特征峰型偏下的连续137Cs曲线、④特征峰型偏上的连续137Cs曲线、⑤比活度向下增大的137Cs曲线和⑥比活度向下减小的137Cs曲线。各种类型的沉积剖面反映的沉积环境是多样的;侵蚀作用、混合作用和沉积物供给变化是控制137Cs沉积剖面的主要因素;同时,137Cs定年的取样要尽量做到无扰动,数据解释要考虑到取样分辨率的影响;在没有大气沉降监测的海岸带地区,其附近沉积环境相对稳定地区的137Cs沉积剖面可作为潮间带、浅海区的背景参考值。     

Fabry-Perot spectroscopy in space science

The paper describes use of Fabry-Perot (fp) systems in spectroscopic studies of astronomy and earth’s upper atmosphere. Factors influencing the resolution, luminosity and instrumental line shape offp spectrometer are discussed and the need for their optimization is emphasised, if desired luminosity gain is to be realised in practice. Use offp as imaging spectrometer, scanning spectrometer and as a narrow band filter are illustrated. Tandemfp systems are briefly dealt with.     

Relationship between all-India summer monsoon rainfall and southern oscillation/eastern equatorial Pacific sea surface temperature

The interannual variability of all-India summer monsoon (June to September) rainfall and its teleconnections with the southern oscillation index (SOI) and sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly of the eastern equatorial Pacific ocean have been examined for the period 1871–1978 for different seasons (i.e., winter, spring, summer and autumn). The relationship (correlation coefficient) between all-India summer monsoon rainfall andSOI for different seasons is positive and highly significant. Further examination of 10-, 20- and 30-year sliding window lengths’ correlations, brings out the highly consistent and significant character of the relationships. The relationship between all-India monsoon rainfall andSST for different seasons is negative and is significant at 1 % level or above. Drought years are characterised by negative anomalies ofSOI and positive anomalies ofSST and vice versa with flood years. The relationship betweenSOI andSST is negative and significant at 0.1 % level. The relationships between all-India summer monsoon rainfall,SOI and sst are expected to improve our understanding of the interannual variability of the summer monsoon.     

山东蒙阴钻石的三维荧光光谱特征及其与紫外荧光特征的对比

三维荧光光谱是20世纪80年代发展起来的一种新的荧光分析技术,其与紫外荧光光谱相比,前者能获得激发波长和发射波长同时变化时的荧光强度信息,在多组分混合物的定性与定量分析、在环境、生物、化学等方面的应用较成熟,而在珠宝玉石的测试与研究中则应用较少。选取山东蒙阴矿区产出的25颗钻石样品作为研究对象,采用三维荧光和紫外荧光对其进行了测试与分析。结果表明,该钻石样品的三维荧光光谱特征可分为无荧光谱峰、单荧光谱峰、双荧光谱峰和3个荧光谱峰4种类型,与其紫外荧光特征呈一一对应关系。     

Elementverteilung im Liegenden des Kupferschiefers

The leached zone below the Kupferschiefer was investigated in two drillholes (drillhole Drevenack: Zechsteinconglomerate, drillhole Rannungen: grey sandstone) using sedimentpetrographical and geochemical methods. Samples were taken from the uppermost red coloured Rotliegend up to directly below the Kupferschiefer. No big differences concerning the mineral composition and the distribution of elements between the red coloured and the leached rocks have been found. The border between the two is no boundary for the changes which took place during diagenesis.The trace element concentrations in both profiles are higher than the average values. The higher concentrations of elements in the whole leached zone must be interpreted as due to mobilisation from the underground. Besides, there is a clear zone of additional enrichment just below the Kupferschiefer which is a result of impregnation from it.The elements were set free during recrystallisation of haematite. Cu, Ni and Pb are present possibily as sulfides whereas Mn and Zn are in the carbonates.

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Herrn Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. C. W. Correns und Herrn Prof. Dr. K. H. Wedepohl danke ich für zahlreiche Diskussionen und Anregungen. Herrn Prof. Dr. H. Harder danke ich für die Arbeitsmöglichkeit im Sedimentpetrographischen Institut.

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Der Gewerkschaft Brigitta danke ich für die Überlassung der Bohrproben Rannungen, der Hamborner Bergbau AG für die Proben der Bohrung Drevenack.

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Der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft bin ich für finanzielle Unterstützung zu Dank verpflichtet.     

The Moon as a piece of Mercury

The giant impact on Earth proposed by some to generate the Moon could not have happened because the amount of carbonate rock and organic carbon present on Earth closely approximates the amount of CO₂ predicted for the Earth's early atmosphere by comparison with the present atmosphere of Venus. It is suggested that the Moon may have fissioned from Mercury more than 4.4 billion years ago and may have been captured by the Earth no later than 3.2 billion years ago.A model for the origin of the Earth-Moon system that has been gaining favor recently visualizes a Marssize body impacting Earth and excavating enough material from the Earth to form the Moon (Newsome &Taylor, 1989). This giant impact not only would have sterilized the planet (Maher &Stevenson, 1988), obliterating any form of life that might have existed at the time, but also would have blown off the Earth's atmosphere (Kaula, 1990). As the story goes, Venus suffered no giant impact and conserved its CO₂ atmosphere, whereas the loss of her CO₂ atmosphere cooled the Earth's surface allowing the oceans to rain out (Kaula, 1990). It is widely believed that the different histories in the early evolution of their atmospheres set markedly different courses for the subsequent evolution of the two planets. I agree with this conclusion but disagree with the cause for the difference.If the giant impact really happened, it must have taken place not only after the Earth's accumulation was practically completed but also after a substantial core had formed (to account for the lesser density of the Moon).Venus has approximately 89 kg/cm² of CO₂ for a total of 4.110²⁰kg. The Earth with a mass 1.226 greater than Venus, should have had 5.010²⁰ kg of CO₂. If entirely precipitated as carbonate, the Earth should now have 1.110²¹ kg of carbonate. A recent estimate (Hay, 1985) gives the total volume of carbonate rock on Earth as 276.110⁶ km³ which, for an average density of 2.83, corresponds to a mass of 7.810²⁰ kg. This figure and the ratio limestone/shale/sandstone of 15/74/11 (Garrels &Mackenzie, 1971) leads to the carbonate inventory shown in Table 1.     

Discovering the ancient lakelet of the archeological site of pasargadae in Iran using a multi-layer technique

Pasargadae complex had been the main center of Persian history during the Achaemenian period (560–330 bc), registered as one of the world heritage sites by UNESCO in 2004. This research is an attempt to recognize the natural setting and landscape of Pasargadae during the Achaemenian period, in Iran. The method is based on the application of a multi-layer technique. Collected data by fieldwork, especially in geology, hydrology, and hydrogeology, along with the analysis of aerial data and satellite information provided the baseline information for preparing historic and environmental layers and have made it possible to recognize a natural lakelet in the this area. The results show that the geometry of lakelet together with the ancient river of Pasargadae had been the main elements that formed the character of the site; they were also important in the locations of buildings in the Pasargadae complex.     

Improved earthquake locations in the Koyna-Warna seismic zone

In estimating the likelihood of an earthquake hazard for a seismically active region, information on the geometry of the potential source is important in quantifying the seismic hazard. The damage from an earthquake varies spatially and is governed by the fault geometry and lithology. As earthquake damage is amplified by guided seismic waves along fault zones, it is important to delineate the disposition of the fault zones by precisely determined hypocentral parameters. We used the double difference (DD) algorithm to relocate earthquakes in the Koyna-Warna seismic zone (KWSZ) region, with the P- and S-wave catalog data from relative arrival time pairs constituting the input. A significant improvement in the hypocentral estimates was achieved, with the epicentral errors <30 m and focal depth errors <75 m i.e. errors have been significantly reduced by an order of magnitude from the parameters determined by HYPO71. The earthquake activity defines three different fault segments. The seismogenic volume is shallower in the south by 3 km, with seismicity in the north extending to a depth of 11 km while in the south the deepest seismicity observed is at a depth of 8 km. By resolving the structure of seismicity in greater detail, we address the salient issues related to the seismotectonics of this region.