Cadmium,zinc, copper,and barium in foraminifera tests

The concentrations of cadmium, zinc, copper and barium have been determined on 2-mg samples of single-species foraminifera populations. Cleaning techniques were tested using North Atlantic core tops, and followed by a detailed downcore study for the last 30,000 years in South Atlantic core V22-174. Raw foram tests cleaned by crushing followed by ultrasonic removal of fine-grained material, and dissolved in a pH 5.5 acetate buffer, contain appreciable amounts of trace elements associated with ferromanganese and alumino-silicate contaminants. A reductive/complexing cleaning treatment reduces ferromanganese contamination by 1–2 orders of magnitude. Acetate buffers at pH 5.5 complex iron and raise the solubility of ferromanganese oxides; these buffers are unsuitable for separating carbonate lattice-bound trace elements from the fraction associated with ferromanganese phases. Improved mechanical and ultrasonic reductive cleaning combined with a mild dissolution in distilled water under 1 atm.P_CO2 reduces contaminant levels another order of magnitude. The Cd and Zn concentrations (order 10^?8 mole Cd/mole Ca and 10^?5 mole Zn/mole Ca) of species with low surface area show an increase with decreasing isotopic temperatures. This increase is consistent with the increasing concentrations of these metals from low values in surface waters to higher values at depth. The variance of Cd and Zn over the last 30,000 years in the central South Atlantic is consistent with the probable variability of the dissolved trace elements at the calcification levels of the species analyzed. Cu and Ba are irreproducible and probably sensitive to residual contaminant phases. The trace element content of the tests differs from levels observed in a recent coprecipitation study. Foraminifera may be a significant vector in zinc cycling in the ocean.     

Deterministic signals in precipitation in Arkansas,Louisiana, and Mississippi

Evidence for a signal near 19 years is found in 51 out of 65 rain gauge records in the tri-state region of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, While another term with period 10 to 11 years is found in 39 instances. These are identified as the 18.6-year luni-solarM _n and solar cycleS _c signals in climate variability. In terms of both amplitude and phase the luni-solar wave trains are highly nonstationary; in particular, the waves commonly change phase by 180°. Examples of theM _n andS _c terms in corn yield for Arkansas and Missouri are presented, and the implications for economic science briefly discussed.     

Turbulence,entrainment, and mixing in cloud dynamics

The various models that have been proposed for describing the dynamical development of small cumuli are discussed in terms of how well they predict the observed distribution of liquid water. The entrainment concept is examined and shown to involve contradictions when applied to growing blobs. An alternative process is offered in which the dominating factor in the cloud dynamics is the mixing in of drier overlying air down through the cloud until temporary static equilibrium is established. Consideration of the mixing process and calculations of the required dilution show this process can lead to the observed liquid water distributions.     

Deccan plume,lithosphere rifting,and volcanism in Kutch,India

Kutch (northwest India) experienced lithospheric thinning due to rifting and tholeiitic and alkalic volcanism related to the Deccan Traps K/T boundary event. Alkalic lavas, containing mantle xenoliths, form plug-like bodies that are aligned along broadly east–west rift faults. The mantle xenoliths are dominantly spinel wehrlite with fewer spinel lherzolite. Wehrlites are inferred to have formed by reaction between transient carbonatite melts and lherzolite forming the lithosphere. The alkalic lavas are primitive (Mg# = 64–72) relative to the tholeiites (Mg# = 38–54), and are enriched in incompatible trace elements. Isotope and trace element compositions of the tholeiites are similar to what are believed to be the crustally contaminated Deccan tholeiites from elsewhere in India. In terms of Hf, Nd, Sr, and Pb isotope ratios, all except two alkalic basalts plot in a tight cluster that largely overlap the Indian Ridge basalts and only slightly overlap the field of Reunion lavas. This suggests that the alkalic magmas came largely from the asthenosphere mixed with Reunion-like source that welled up beneath the rifted lithosphere. The two alkalic outliers have an affinity toward Group I kimberlites and may have come from an old enriched (metasomatized) asthenosphere. We present a new model for the metasomatism and rifting of the Kutch lithosphere, and magma generation from a CO₂-rich lherzolite mantle. In this model the earliest melts are carbonatite, which locally metasomatized the lithosphere. Further partial melting of CO₂-rich lherzolite at about 2–2.5 GPa from a mixed source of asthenosphere and Reunion-like plume material produced the alkalic melts. Such melts ascended along deep lithospheric rift faults, while devolatilizing and exploding their way up through the lithosphere. Tholeiites may have been generated from the main plume head further south of Kutch.     

Ar,Kr, and Xe in terrestrial materials

³⁶Ar, ⁸⁴Kr, and ¹³²Xe abundances along with Kr and Xe isotopic compositions are reported for two African shales and samples of chert from the Gunflint Formation in Canada. It is observed that these data and similar abundance data from other terrestrial materials show correlations between ³⁶Ar-⁸⁴Kr and between ⁸⁴Kr-¹³²Xe. The elemental ratios defined by all the above data differ significantly from and show greater variations than those measured in carbonaceous chondrites, a well-investigated class of extraterrestrial material. Physical absorption and equilibrium solubility acting on the atmosphere are investigated as explanations for the observations. The Kr and Xe isotopic spectra are also consistent with a mass-dependent incorporation process acting on a reservoir of atmospheric composition.     

Rare gases,water, and carbon in kaersutites

Kaersutites from Kakanui, New Zealand and from three localities in the southwestern United States have been analyzed for rare gases, water and carbon to investigate the volatile signature of the sub-continental mantle. This study does not confirm the high ³He/⁴He and ²¹Ne/²²Ne ratios reported by Saito et al. [1] for the Kakanui kaersutite. Instead, a ³He/⁴He ratio of 6 R_A and atmospheric ²¹Ne/²²Ne ratios were measured which are consistent with our current knowledge of the earth's mantle. A low ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar of 320 and more than 10^?8 cm³/g of ³⁶Ar confirms the argon results of Saito et al. and indicates that significant quantities of ³⁶Ar reside in this portion of the mantle. Kaersutites from the southwestern United States (Arizona) have a heterogeneous helium isotope signature, ranging from 8.8 R_A at San Carlos to 0.46 at Hoover Dam. All D/H ratios for the water in kaersutites (?56‰ to ?78‰) represent typical mantle values with no apparent correlation with ³He/⁴He. The correlation of increasing carbon content (140–400 ppm) with increasing δ¹³C (?24.5‰ to ?16.7‰) may reflect differences in the proportions of oxidized and reduced carbon in these samples.     

Quench rates in air, water, and liquid nitrogen, and inference of temperature in volcanic eruption columns

We apply a geospeedometer previously developed in this lab to investigate cooling rate profiles of rhyolitic samples initially held at 720–750°C and quenched in water, liquid nitrogen, and air. For quench of mm-size samples in liquid nitrogen and in air, the cooling rate is uniform and is controlled by heat transfer in the quench medium instead of heat conduction in the sample. The heat transfer coefficient in ‘static’ air decreases with increasing sample size. For quench of mm-size samples in water, heat transfer in water is rapid and the cooling rate is largely controlled by heat conduction in the sample. Our experimental results are roughly consistent with previous calculations for cooling in air and in water (although constant heat transfer coefficients were used in these calculations), but cooling rate in liquid nitrogen is only 1.8–2.3 times that in ‘static’ air, and slower by a factor of 2 than calculated by previous authors. Cooling rate in compressed airflow is about the same as that in liquid nitrogen. The experimental results are applied to interpret cooling rates of pyroclasts in ash beds of the most recent eruptions of the Mono Craters. Cooling rates of pyroclasts are inversely correlated with sample size and slower than those in air. The results indicate that the hydrous species concentrations of the pyroclasts were frozen in the eruption column, rather than inside ash beds or in flight in ambient air. From the cooling rates, we infer eruption column temperature in a region where and at a time when hydrous species concentrations in a pyroclast were locked in. The temperature ranges from 260 to 570°C for the most recent eruptions of Mono Craters. These are the first estimates of temperatures in volcanic eruption columns. The ability to estimate cooling rates and eruption column temperatures from eruptive products will provide constraints to dynamic models for the eruption columns.     

Complexity,magnetic field topology,criticality, and metastability in magnetotail dynamics

Recently, it has been shown that certain features of magnetotail dynamics in response to solar wind changes may resemble the behavior of a complex system near a dynamical critical state (Chang, Phys. Plasmas 6 (1999) 4137; Consolini and Chang, Space Sci. Rev. 95 (2001) 309), and of topological phase transitions (Chang, Phys. Scr. (2001), 80). Moreover, the impulsive part of the magnetotail response seems to be well described by cellular automata and other simulation models displaying criticality.Here, the relevance of the magnetic field topological disorder will be discussed in connection with observed complexity and near-criticality, showing how the impulsive character of the magnetotail response could be viewed as fluctuation-induced topological transitions among metastable configurations of magnetic field topology.     

Earthquake distribution and volcanism in Kamchatka,Kurile Islands,and Hokkaido

Summary The morphology of the Wadati-Benioff zone in the region of Central Kuriles, based on the distribution of 1202 earthquake foci, verified the existence of an intermediate depth aseismic gap and its relation to active andesitic volcanism. Several deep seismically active fracture zones of different tectonic function were delineated in the continental plate and confirmed by the results of deep seismic sounding. A seismically active fracture zone, found in front of the Kamchatka-Kurile trench, indicates the segmented nature of fracturing of the subducting Pacific plate.     

Zinc in Fish, Crabs, Oysters, and Mangrove Flora and Fauna from Cleveland Bay

Zinc in muscle tissue from 28 species of fish, three species of sharks and rays, two species of squid and cuttlefish, and three species of crustacea collected from Cleveland Bay, together with some measurements made on oysters and mangrove flora and fauna are reported. In the fish species the mean Zn concentration in muscle tissue was 4.83 ± 2.82 μg/g wet weight, slightly lower than zinc measurements (7 μg/g wet weight) made in 14 fish species collected from the bay in 1975. Zinc in sharks and rays ranged from 3.5 to 7.2 μg/g wet wt, in squid and cuttlefish 13–16 μg/g wet wt, and in crustacea levels ranged from 14 to 18 μg/g wet wt. Zinc levels in fish varied between species with concentrations well below the ANZECC Maximum Residue Limit of zinc in seafood (150 μg/g wet wt). Although lower zinc concentrations were found in oysters collected from the Townsville Harbour area (2080 μg/g wet wt), compared with previous measurements made 25 years ago at this site, these levels are still above the Maximum Residue Limit for zinc in oysters (1000 μg/g wet wt). Concentrations of zinc in oysters from Orpheus Island (2547 μg/g wet wt), about 74 km away from industrial and urban activity, are also above the safe guideline values. Horseshoe Bay oysters transplanted to Ross Creek accumulated zinc at a rate of about 100 μg/g of oyster tissue per week, suggesting that dissolved zinc levels at this site are elevated, and that oysters rapidly accumulate zinc. Highest concentrations of zinc in mangrove leaves (30–65 μg/g dry wt) occurred in Osbornia octodonta, Exocaria agalocha, and Aegialitus annulata, compared with Ceriops tagal, and Avicennia marina (5–10 μg/g dry wt). No significant difference in zinc concentration occurred between leaves and litter fall for most of these species, with the sole exception of Exocaria, which showed almost a twofold increase in concentration. In seven species of mangrove fauna levels of zinc were very uniform and close to 50 μg/g (dry wt) Telescopium telescopium from the mouth of the Ross Estuary was the exception with levels at 400 μg/g (dry wt).     

Massive and brecciated dikes in the McDougall and Despina faults, Noranda, Quebec, Canada

The McDougall and Despina faults of the central Noranda volcanic complex cut subaqueous volcanic rocks in the Archean Abitibi greenstone belt. Rhyodacitic dikes occupy the faults, along with lesser amounts of andesitic, dioritic and a mixed basaltic-rhyodacitic dike. There are two types of rhyodacitic dikes, one massive the other brecciated. Massive dikes are homogeneous and spherulitic; brecciated dikes are dominated by curved, angular fragments with a few vesicles. Both occur either alone or together in the faults. Where the two occur together they are commonly interlayered in concentric layered lobes.The faults are interpreted as fissures for pulses of nonexplosive rhyodacitic lava. Many intrusive pulses interacted with an external fluid which occupied the faults. This interaction resulted in brecciated, glassy margins and massive, crystalline pulse interiors. Magma/fluid interaction is thus invoked as the mechanism responsible both for dike brecciation and the concentric layering. The dikes are considered as intrusive analogs of extrusive rhyolitic lobe lava observed in Iceland and in Noranda.     

Monitoring,causality, and uncertainty in a stratospheric context

Our increasingly complex understanding of stratospheric chemistry and transport processes leaves us with various theoretical possibilities of appreciable and perhaps serious environmental impact due to human activities. These possibilities raise policy questions in which the economic and other costs of regulating human activities must be weighed against the possible consequences of no such regulation. The natural variability of the atmosphere, the physical and other limitations on our global sampling and monitoring abilities, and the difficulties in establishing causal connections leave us in a state of uncertainty as to the reality and magnitude of at least some of these theoretical environmental impacts. Policy-makers must make decisions in the face of these uncertainties.The proper role of scientists as such in narrowing and quantifying the uncertainties is discussed, with particular regard to the evidence that cultural and other biases often affect individual scientists' conclusions. Conscious efforts are needed to minimize bias, quantify uncertainties, and speed up the process of scientific consensus-building. A careful distinction should be drawn between scientifically determined probabilities, and cost-benefit analyses which necessarily involve value judgments.     

Mixing,hypersalinity and gradients in Hervey Bay,Australia

Hervey Bay, a large coastal embayment situated off the central eastern coast of Australia, is a shallow tidal area (average depth = 15 m), close to the continental shelf. It shows features of an inverse estuary, due to the high evaporation rate (approx. 2 m/year), low precipitation (less than 1 m/year) and on average almost no freshwater input from rivers that drain into the bay. The hydro- and thermodynamical structures of Hervey Bay and their variability are presented here for the first time, using a combination of four-dimensional modelling and observations from field studies. The numerical studies are performed with the Coupled Hydrodynamical Ecological Model for Regional Shelf Seas (COHERENS). Due to the high tidal range (>3.5 m), the bay is considered as a vertically well-mixed system, and therefore, only horizontal fronts are likely. Recent field measurements, but also the numerical simulations, indicate characteristic features of an inverse/hypersaline estuary with low salinity (35.5 psu) in the open ocean and peak values (>39.0 psu) in the head water of the bay. The model further predicts a nearly persistent mean salinity gradient of 0.5 psu across the bay (with higher salinities close to the shore). The investigation further shows that air temperature, wind direction and tidal regime are mainly responsible for the stability of the inverse circulation and the strength of the salinity gradient across the bay. Due to an ongoing drying trend, the occurrence of severe droughts at the central east coast of Australia and, therefore, a reduction in freshwater supply, the salinity flux out of the bay has increased, and the inverse circulation has also strengthened.     

Primordial neon,helium, and hydrogen in oceanic basalts

A primordial neon component in neon from Kilauea Volcano and deep-sea tholeiite glass has been identified by the presence of excess²⁰Ne; relative to atmospheric neon the²⁰Ne enrichments are 5.4% in Kilauea neon and about 2.5% in the basalts. The²⁰Ne anomalies are associated with high³He/⁴He ratios; the ratio in Kilauea helium is 15 times the atmospheric ratio, while mid-ocean ridge basalts from the Atlantic, Pacific, and Red Sea have uniform ratios about 10 times atmospheric. Mantle neon and helium are quite different in isotopic composition from crustal gases, which are highly enriched in radiogenic²¹Ne and⁴He. The²¹Ne/⁴He ratios in crustal gases are consistent with calculated values based on G. Wetherill's¹⁸O (α,n) reaction; the lack of²⁰Ne enrichment in these gases shows that the mantle²⁰Ne anomalies are not radiogenic.²¹Ne enrichments in Kilauea neon and “high-³He” Pacific tholeiites are much less than in crustal neon, about 2 ± 2% vs. present atmospheric neon, as expected from the much lower⁴He/Ne ratios.Neon concentrations in two Atlantic tholeiites were found to be only 1–2% of the values obtained by Dymond and Hogan; helium concentrations are slightly greater and our He/Ne ratios are greater by a factor of 150. The large Ne excess relative to solar wind and meteoritic gases is thus not confirmed. Pacific and Atlantic basalts appear to be quite different in He/Ne ratios however, and He and Ne may be inversely correlated. He concentration variations due to diffusive loss can be distinguished from variations due to two-phase partitioning or mantle heterogeneity by the effects on³He/⁴He ratios. The He isotopic and concentration measurements on “low-³He” basalts are consistent with diffusive loss and dilution of the 3/4 ratio by in-situ radiogenic⁴He, and may provide a method for dating basalt glasses.Deuterium/hydrogen ratios in Atlantic and Pacific tholeiite glasses are 77% lower than the ratio in seawater. The inverse correlation between deuterium and water content observed by Friedman in erupting Kilauea basalts is consistent with a Rayleigh separation process in which magmatic water is separated from an initial melt with the same D/H ratio as observed in deep-sea tholeiites. The consistency of the D/H ratios in tholeiites containing primordial He and Ne components indicates that these ratios are probably characteristic of primordial or juvenile hydrogen in the mantle.     

Groundwater Origin in Qanats,Chemo-Isotopic,and Hydrogeological Evidence

A systematic study of the chemo-isotopic characteristics and origin of the groundwater was carried out at six major qanats in the hyper-arid Gonabad area, eastern Iran. These qanats as a sustainable groundwater extraction technology have a long history, supporting human life for more than a thousand years in this region. The Gonabad qanats are characterized by outlet electrical conductivity (EC) values of 750 to 3900 µS/cm and HCO₃-Na-Mg and Cl-Na water types. The Gonabad meteoric water line (G_nMWL) was drawn at the local scale as δ²H = 6.32×δ¹⁸O + 8.35 (with R² = 0.90). It has a lower slope and intercept than the global meteoric water line due to different water vapor sources and isotope kinetic fractionation effects during precipitation in this arid region. The altitude effects on isotopic content of precipitation data were derived as δ¹⁸O = (−0.0031 × H_(m.a.s.l))−1.3). The δ²H and δ¹⁸O isotopes signatures demonstrate a meteoric origin of the groundwater of these qanats. The shift of the qanat's water samples from the local meteoric water line (LMWL) in a dry period with higher temperatures is most probably due to evaporation during the infiltration process and water movement in qanat gallery. Based on the isotopic results and mass balance calculations, the qanats are locally recharged from an area between 2000 to 2400 m.a.s.l of nearby carbonate formations and coarse alluvial sediments. The dissolution of evaporate interlayers in Neogene deposits deteriorates the groundwater quality, especially in Baidokht qanat.