Comparative study of scintillations at the magnetic equator and at the crest region of the equatorial anomaly in Indian zone

Using simultaneous long-term observations of ionospheric scintillation at equator and anomaly crest region in the same longitude (Indian) zone comparative features of scintillation occurrence are brought out. The salient features are: (a) predominantly pre-midnight occurrence of scintillation at equator during winter and equinox seasons, (b) increase of pre-midnight scintillation occurrence with solar activity (c) shifting of occurrence peak during summer from post-midnight in low to pre-midnight in high solar activity periods (d) similarity of scintillation behaviour at these locations during winter and equinoxes but dissimilarity during summer. The solar activity response and magnetic effects indicate that the scintillations at the anomaly crest region in winter and equinox, particularly during high solar activity periods, are of equatorial origin while the summer events may be of local or mid-latitude origin.     

Scaling variables and interpretation of eigenvalues in principal component analysis of geologic data

The dominant feature distinguishing one method of principal components analysis from another is the manner in which the original data are transformed prior to the other computations. The only other distinguishing feature of any importance is whether the eigenvectors of the inner product-moment of the transformed data matrix are taken directly as the Q-mode scores or scaled by the square roots of their associated eigenvalues and called the R-mode loadings. If the eigenvectors are extracted from the product-moment correlation matrix, the variables, in effect, were transformed by column standardization (zero means and unit variances), and the sum of the p-largest eigenvalues divided by the sum of all the eigenvalues indicates the degree to which a model containing pcomponents will account for the total variance in the original data. However, if the data were transformed in any manner other than column standardization, the eigenvalues cannot be used in this manner, but can only be used to determine the degree to which the model will account for the transformed data. Regardless of the type of principal components analysis that is performed—even whether it is Ror Q-mode—the goodness-of-fit of the model to the original data is given better by the eigenvalues of the correlation matrix than by those of the matrix that was actually factored.     

Fractionation of the platinum-group elments and Re during crystallization of basalt in Kilauea Iki Lava Lake, Hawaii

Kilauea Iki lava lake formed during the 1959 summit eruption of Kilauea Volcano, then crystallized and differentiated over a period of 35 years. It offers an opportunity to evaluate the fractionation behavior of trace elements in a uniquely well-documented basaltic system. A suite of 14 core samples recovered from 1967 to 1981 has been analyzed for 5 platinum-group elements (PGE: Ir, Os, Ru, Pt, Pd), plus Re. These samples have MgO ranging from 2.4 to 26.9 wt.%, with temperatures prior to quench ranging from 1140 °C to ambient (110 °C). Five eruption samples were also analyzed.Osmium and Ru concentrations vary by nearly four orders of magnitude (0.0006–1.40 ppb for Os and 0.0006–2.01 ppb for Ru) and are positively correlated with MgO content. These elements behaved compatibly during crystallization, mostly likely being concentrated in trace phases (alloy or sulfide) present in olivine phenocrysts or included chromite. Iridium also correlates positively with MgO, although less strongly than Os and Ru. The somewhat poorer correlation for Ir, compared with Os and Ru, may reflect variable loss of Ir as volatile IrF₆ in some of the most magnesian samples.Rhenium is negatively correlated with MgO, behaving as an incompatible trace element. Its behavior in the lava lake is complicated by apparent volatile loss of Re, as suggested by a decrease in Re concentration with time of quenching for lake samples vs. eruption samples. Platinum and Pd concentrations are negatively, albeit weakly, correlated with MgO, so these elements were modestly incompatible during crystallization of the major silicate phases. Palladium contents peaked before precipitation of immiscible sulfide liquid, however, and decline sharply in the most differentiated samples. In contrast, Pt appears to have been unaffected by sulfide precipitation. Microprobe data confirm that Pd entered the sulfide liquid before Re, and that Pt is not strongly chalcophile in this system. Occasional high Pt values in both eruption and lava lake samples suggest the presence of unevenly distributed, unidentified Pt-rich trace phases in some Kilauea Iki materials.Estimated mineral (olivine + chromite)/melt D values for Os, Ir, Ru and Pt for equilibrium crystallization for samples from ~ 7 to 27 wt.% MgO are 26, 8.2, 19 and 0.55, respectively. These Os, Ir and Ru estimates are somewhat higher than previous estimates for similar systems. If fractional crystallization is instead assumed, D values are much more similar.Results confirm many prior observations in other mafic systems that olivine (together with included phases) has a major effect on absolute and relative abundances of Re and the PGE. The relatively linear correlations between these elements and MgO potentially permit accurate estimation of the concentrations of these elements in the primary melts of comparable systems, especially in instances where the MgO content of the primary melt is well constrained.     

Botryococcus—A planktonic green alga, the source of petroleum through the ages: Transmission electron microscopical studies of oil shales and petroleum source rocks

The hydrocarbon secreting alga Botryococcus has been identified in organic remains of sediments ranging from Precambrian to Recent, and is believed to have been a major source material for petroleum generation throughout the geological time. In some petroleum source rocks of Lower Palaeozoic and Precambrian age, identification of the alga is only possible by electron microscopy. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has been used in the present study to identify microstructures of the algal remains in a range of oil shales and petroleum source rocks. It has been established that Botryococcus is the predominant alga in the Kukersite oil shale of Estonia. Similarly, the alga has been shown to be a major contributor to petroleum source rocks in Cambrian and Precambrian sedimentary basins in Australia. TEM has been applied to observations of Botryococcus in torbanites and to products from simulated maturation experiments on torbanite. A comparison with algal remains from Cambrian and Precambrian sediments ranging from undermature to overmature, enabled the distinction of organic matter in various stages of oil generation. Maturation/thermal effects on alginite have been established by reflectance and fluorescence, and compared with experimental results.     

石榴石钇(Y)元素电子探针分析及应用——以佛子岭石榴云母片岩为例SCIEI北大核心CSCD

石榴石是最重要的造岩矿物之一,通常能够保留早期的矿物结构和物质并记录较为晚期的变形和变质反应。石榴石钇(Y)元素环带特征丰富、复杂,不同的环带特征通常暗示不同的形成环境或经历了不同的变质事件,是变质演化历史研究的重要媒介之一。以往的研究中,多以LA-ICP-MS作为石榴石Y元素的主要分析手段,EPMA主要用于主量元素的分析。但是,LA-ICP-MS的束斑尺寸(44μm)和基底效应较EPMA(0~5μm)大,当石榴石颗粒小、包体和裂隙发育或成分环带以微区尺寸内存在较大变化时,大束斑更容易覆盖某些特殊信息。通过对石榴石Y元素测试参数的调试和标样验证,最终确定峰位测试时长和背景测试时长分别为140s和70s,并进行了PHA谱峰干扰剥离,降低检测限至54×10^(-6)。本文将通过对比佛子岭石榴云母片岩(LD025)4颗石榴石的EPMA主、微量原位分析(Ca、Mg、Mn、Fe、Y、Al、Si、Cr、Ti、Na)和LA-ICP-MS石榴石Y元素分析结果,论证EPMA分析Y元素的可行性。石榴石X-ray Mapping和主量成分剖面揭示该4颗石榴石均为生长环带,Mn呈钟形分带,Y与X Sps呈强烈正相关性,与X Grs、X Alm、X Prp相关性不清晰。EPMA和LA-ICP-MS分析结果显示Y含量曲线在核部和幔部具有良好的一致性,Grt1~Grt3中Y均表现出自核部(500×10^(-6)~1200×10^(-6))向幔部(200×10^(-6)~500×10^(-6))逐渐降低,极边部Y含量低(20×10^(-6)~200×10^(-6))且变化复杂;Grt4中Y含量差异相对较小(180×10^(-6)~450×10^(-6)),仅在边部出现不同程度的升降。因EPMA对于Y元素含量较低(<200×10^(-6))时灵敏度不够或者LA-ICP-MS束斑尺寸大容易掩盖边部窄带成分真实变化等原因,二者在边部Y元素差异较大。分别对EPMA和LA-ICP-MS的分析结果应用Grt-Xtm温度计和Grt单矿物压力计获得的变质PT结果显示Grt1~Grt3(核-幔-边)和Grt4(核-边)均记录较为完整、统一的温压演化过程。M1→M2→M3的变质温压变化分别为T=530~544℃、P=0.78~0.82GPa→T=577~616℃、P=0.89~0.98GPa→T=631~661℃、P=1.01~1.07GPa,表现为顺时针演化型式,M1至M3反映的是一个“暖俯冲”过程。根据温度评价结果,Grt1~Grt3(1.2~1.4mm,自形程度高)形成时间应早于Grt4(0.8mm,自形程度低)。由此可知,大颗粒的石榴石Y元素含量及变化特征通常更容易揭示相对完整的变质演化历史。本次研究为变泥质岩演化历史、变质温压评价等研究提供了不同视角和思路,结合EPMA主量(矿物成分、X-ray mapping、BSE分析)和微量元素(Y等)分析能够更加精准、全面地解读地质信息。     

Similar morphological and chemical variations of Gloeocapsomorpha prisca in Ordovician sediments and cultured Botryococcus braunii as a response to changes in salinity

Most Ordovician source rocks consist of accumulation of a colonial marine microorganism, Gloeocapsomorpha prisca (G. prisca) whose nature, ecology and affinity with extant organisms have been in dispute for years. Furthermore, recent studies have shown major differences in phenol moieties between two G. prisca-rich samples. Examination of five G. prisca-rich kerogens by electron microscopy and pyrolysis studies revealed (i) the occurrence of two markedly distinct “morpho/chemical” types: a “closed/phenol-rich” type (Baltic samples) and an “open/phenol-poor” one (North American samples) and (ii) the selective preservation of the resistant micromolecular material building up the thick cell walls in the original organism. Comparison with extant Botryococcus braunii (a widespread green microalga) grown on media of increasing salinity suggests that G. prisca is likely to be a planktonic green microalga related to B. braunii, which can adapt to large salinity variations which, in turn, control its polymorphism. The large differences in colony morphology and in the content of phenol moieties observed in fossil G. prisca and the resulting occurrence of two “morpho/chemical” types, should therefore reflect depositional environments with different salinities. The presence of thick, highly aliphatic, resistant walls in G. prisca selectively preserved during fossilization, accounts for the major contribution of this organism to Ordovician organic-rich sediments and for the resulting typical signature of Ordovician oils.     

单颗粒释光测年技术及其在地质考古中的应用研究进展

近年来光释光测年在单颗粒技术上的研究取得了一系列重要进展,极大地提高了测年精度,为地质考古测年提供了更大的空间,研究者们对全球重要考古遗址点进行了详细的单颗粒测年,取得诸多考古新发现。单颗粒释光技术是在光释光单片技术上发展而来,对样品的单个石英或长石颗粒进行独立测试,基于单个颗粒测量结果,结合误差理论、统计学分析和样品地质沉积特征分析获得样品的准确年龄。本文结合大量地质考古样品的单颗粒测年数据,重点阐述了单颗粒释光测年技术的原理、发展历程、实验流程、筛选条件和年龄模型。单颗粒释光技术为地质考古的精确定年提供了可能性,尤其是对由于晒退不充分等原因导致的等效剂量分散的样品,如过度分散值(OD)高达20%甚至超过50%的地质考古样品,提供了新的方法和及时支持。通过开展释光测年信号分析,选择不同的单颗粒样品年龄模型分析,可以得到较为可靠的年龄,为诸多地质考古遗迹建立年代学框架。     

Variations in abundances and distributions of isoprenoid chromans and long-chain alkylbenzenes in sediments of the Mulhouse Basin: a molecular sedimentary record of palaeosalinity

The abundances and distribution patterns of mono-, di- and trimethylated 2-methyl-2-(4,8,12-trimethyltridecyl) chromans (MTTCs) and long-chain alkylbenzenes in extracts of marl (66 samples), anhydrite (15) and halite (1) strata of the Salt IV Formation of the Oligocene Mulhouse Basin are reported. The distributions of the methylated MTTCs indicate salinity changes of the upper part of a density stratified water column of the basin. These variations are explained by a tectonically or climatically induced change in the supply of water of relative lower salinity to form a layer overlying the deeper water brine. Hence, it is suggested that mesohaline (3.5–15%) conditions in the surface waters were established as a result of periodic incursions of marine water and subsequent evaporation. Conversely, during periods when the surface water was derived mainly from fresh water from the hinterland, lower average salinity in the surface layer resulted. The distributions of long-chain alkylbenzenes also appear to record these changes.     

Ammonium ion behaviour in feldspar: variable-temperature infrared and 2H NMR studies of synthetic buddingtonite, N(D,H)4AlSi3O8

The behaviour of the ammonium ion in synthetic buddingtonite, N(D,H)₄AlSi₃O₈, has been studied by infrared (IR) spectroscopy from 20 K to 298 K and by ²H NMR spectroscopy from 120 K to 298 K. IR spectra were collected from 500 to 3500 cm^–1. Static ²H NMR spectra collected at 298 K and 120 K are very similar, consisting of a single sharp isotropic resonance, indicating complete averaging of quadrupolar interactions and implying that at these temperatures the ammonium ion is in rapid (<1 s) randomised motion within the M-site cavity of the feldspar framework. NMR spectroscopy indicates that the splitting of the internal modes of the ammonium ion observed by IR spectroscopy is not due to freezing in of the ammonium ion. This observation rules out the formation of a preferred N–H...O hydrogen bond, with precession of the ion about it, as proposed by Kimball and Megaw (1978), because any N–H...O hydrogen bond must be very weak and transient in nature. Contraction of the cavity site upon cooling imposes a distortion upon the ammonium ion that affects vibrational modes. This distortion does not affect the motion of the ammonium ion as observed on the NMR time-scale.