Abundances of F,Cl S and P in Volcanic Magmas and Their Evolution,Wudalianchi

F, Cl, S and P were determined, using electron microprobe, in magmatic inclusions trapped within minerals and glass mesostasis from Wudalianchi volcanic rocks. The initial volcanic magma from Wudalianchi corresponds to the basanitic magma crystallized near the surface ( pressure < 91 Mpa ). The potential H₂O content of this magma is in the range 2 — 4 wt. %. The initial composition of volcanic magmas varies regularly from early to late volcanic events. From the Middle Pleistocene to the recent eruptions (1719 – 1721 yr.), the basicity of volcanic magma tends to increase, as reflected by an increase in MgO and CaO contents and by a progressive decrease in SiO₂ and K₂O contents. Meanwhile. from early (Q₂ ) to late (Q₃) episodic eruptions of the Middle Pleistocene, the initial concentrations of chlorine in volcanic magmas range from 1430 – 1930 ppm to 1700 ppm and decrease to 700 — 970 ppm for the first episodic eruption during the Holocene (Q ₄ ¹ ). The chlorine concentrations of volcanic magmas of recent eruption (Q ₄ ² ) are increased again to 2600 – 2870 ppm. A parallel evolution trend for phosphorus and chlorine concentrations in magmas has been certified: 1500 – 5970 ppm (Q₂)→ 3500 – 4210 ppm (Q₃)→ 1100– 3500 ppm (Q ₄ ¹ )→ 6800– 7900 ppm (Q ₄ ² ). The fluorine contents of volcanic magmas, from early to late volcanic events, show the same trend: 770 – 2470 ppm → 200–700 ppm → 700 – 800 ppm. During the crystallization-evolution of volcanic magmas, fluorine and phosphorus tend to be enriched in residual magmas as a result of crystal-melt differentiation. for example. the fluorine contents reach 5000– 6800 ppm and the phosphorus contents, 2.93wt.% in residual magmas. An appreciable amount of chlorine may be lost from water rich volcanic magmas prior to eruption as a result of degassing. Apparently, water serves as a gas carrier for the chlorine. The chlorine contents of residual magmas may decrease to 100 – 300 ppm. The volcanic magmas from Wudalianchi are poor in sulfur, normally ranging from 200 to 400ppm. On account of the behavior of sulfur in magmas and the strontium and oxygen isotopic analyses ((⁸⁷Sr /⁸⁶Sr)_i=0.70503– 0.70589; δ¹⁸O = + 5.50 – + 6.89 ‰ ), it can be considered that the basanitic magmas in the Wudalianchi volcanic area came from the upper mantle and have not yet been contaminated probably by continental crust materials.     

Do we have enough pieces of the jigsaw to integrate CO2 fluxes in the coastal ocean?

Annually integrated air-water CO₂ flux data in 44 coastal environments were compiled from literature. Data were gathered in 8 major ecosystems (inner estuaries, outer estuaries, whole estuarine systems, mangroves, salt marshes, coral reefs, upwelling systems, and open continental shelves), and up-scaled in the first attempt to integrate air-water CO₂ fluxes over the coastal ocean (26×10⁶ km²), taking into account its geographical and ecological diversity. Air-water CO₂ fluxes were then up-scaled in global ocean (362×10⁶ km²) using the present estimates for the coastal ocean and those from Takahashi et al. (2002) for the open ocean (336×10⁶ km²). If estuaries and salt marshes are not taken into consideration in the up-scaling, the coastal ocean behaves as a sink for atmospheric CO₂(−1.17 mol C m⁻² yr⁻¹) and the uptake of atmospheric CO₂ by the global ocean increases by 24% (−1.93 versus −1.56 Pg C yr⁻¹). The inclusion of the coastal ocean increases the estimates of CO₂ uptake by the global ocean by 57% for high latitude areas (−0.44 versus −0.28 Pg C yr⁻¹) and by 15% for temperate latitude areas (−2.36 versus −2.06 Pg C yr⁻¹) At subtropical and tropical latitudes, the contribution from the coastal ocean increases the CO₂ emission to the atmosphere from the global oceam by 13% (0.87 versus 0.77 Pg C yr⁻¹). If estuaries and salt marshes are taken into consideration in the upscaling, the coastal ocean behaves as a source for atmospheric CO₂ (0.38 mol C m⁻² yr⁻¹) and the uptake of atmospheric CO₂ from the global ocean decreases by 12% (−1.44 versus −1.56 Pg C yr⁻¹) At high and subtropical and tropical latitudes, the coastal ocean behaves as a source for atmospheric CO₂ but at temperate latitudes, it still behaves as a moderate CO₂ sink. A rigorous up-scaling of air-water CO₂ fluxes in the coastal ocean is hampered by the poorly constrained estimate of the surface area of inner estuaries. The present estimates clearly indicate the significance of this biogeochemically, highly active region of the biosphere in the global CO₂ cycle.     

Sulfur diffusion in rhyolite melts

 Diffusion rates for sulfur in rhyolite melt have been measured at temperatures of 800–1100° C, water contents of 0–7.3 wt%, and oxygen fugacities from the quartz-fayalite-magnetite buffer to air. Experiments involved dissolution of anhydrite or pyrrhotite into rhyolite melt over time scales of hours to days. Electron microprobe analysis was used to measure sulfur concentration profiles in the quenched glasses. Regression of the diffusion data in dry rhyolite melt gives D_sulfur=0.05·exp{−221±80RT}, which is one to two orders of magnitude slower than diffusion of other common magmatic volatiles such as H₂O, CO₂ and Cl^-. Diffusion of sulfur in melt with 7 wt% dissolved water is 1.5 to 2 orders of magnitude faster than diffusion in the anhydrous melt, depending on temperature. Sulfur is known to dissolve in silicate melts as at least two different species, S²⁻ and S⁶⁺, the proportions of which vary with oxygen fugacity; despite this, oxygen fugacity does not appear to affect sulfur diffusivity except under extremely oxidizing conditions. This result suggests that diffusion of sulfur is controlled by one species over a large range in oxygen fugacity. The most likely candidate for the diffusing species is the sulfide ion, S²⁻. Re-equilibration between S²⁻ and S⁶⁺ in oxidized melts must generally be slow compared to S²⁻ diffusion in order to explain the observed results. In a silicic melt undergoing degassing, sulfur will tend to be fractionated from other volatile species which diffuse more rapidly. This is consistent with analyses of tephra from the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo, Philippines, and from other high-silica volcanic eruptions. Received: 26 April 1995 / Accepted: 1 November 1995     

Effect of elevated CO2 on carbon pools and fluxes in a brackish marsh

The effects of long-term exposure to elevated atmospheric CO₂ (ambient + 340 ppmv) on carbon cycling were investigated for two plant communities in a Chesapeake Bay brackish marsh, one dominated by the C₃ sedgeSchoenplectus americanus and the other by the C₄ grassSpartina patens. Elevated CO₂ resulted in a significant increase in porewater concentrations of DIC at 30 cm depth (p < 0.1). The CO₂ treatment also yielded increases in DOC (15 to 27%) and dissolved CH₄ (12–18%) in the C₃ marsh (means for several depths over the period of June 1998 and June 1999), but not at a significant level. Elevated CO₂ increased mean ecosystem emissions of CO₂ (34–393 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹) and CH₄ (0.21–0.40 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹) in the C₃ community, but the effects were only significant on certain dates. For example, CO₂ enrichment increased C export to the atmosphere in the C₃ community during one of two winter seasons measured (p = 0.09). In the C₄ community, gross photosynthesis responded relatively weakly to elevated CO₂ (18% increase, p > 0.1), and the concomitant effects on dissolved carbon concentrations, respiration, and CH₄ emissions were small or absent. We concluded that elevated CO₂ has the potential to increase dissolved inorganic carbon export to estuaries.     

Relationship between soil CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> flux and volcanic tremor at Mt. Etna: Implications for magma dynamics

Large variations of the CO₂ flux through the soil were observed between November 2002 and January 2006 at Mt. Etna volcano. In many cases, the CO₂ flux was strongly influenced by changes in air temperature and atmospheric pressure. A new filtering method was then developed to remove the atmospheric influences on soil CO₂ flux and, at the same time, to highlight the variations strictly related to volcanic activity. Successively, the CO₂ corrected data were quantitatively compared with the spectral amplitude of the volcanic tremor by cross correlation function, cross-wavelet spectrum and wavelet coherence. These analyses suggested that the soil CO₂ flux variations preceded those of volcanic tremor by about 50 days. Given that volcanic tremor is linked to the shallow (a few kilometer) magma dynamics and soil CO₂ flux related to the deeper (~12 km b.s.l.) magma dynamics, the “delayed similarity” between the CO₂ flux and the volcanic tremor amplitude was used to assess the average speed in the magma uprising into the crust, as about 170–260 m per day. Finally, the large amount of CO₂ released before the onset of the 2004–2005 eruption indicated a deep ingression of new magma, which might have triggered such an eruption.     

An organic carbon budget for the Mississippi River turbidity plume and plume contributions to air-sea CO2 fluxes and bottom water hypoxia

We investigated seasonal variability in organic carbon (OC) budgets using a physical-biological model for the Mississippi River turbidity plume. Plume volume was calculated from mixed layer depth and area in each of four salinity subregions based on an extensive set of cruise data and satellite-derived suspended sediment distributions. These physical measurements were coupled with an existing food web model to determine seasonally dependent budgets for labile (reactive on time scales of days to weeks) OC in each salinity subregion. Autochthonous gross primary production (GPP) equaled 1.3×10¹² g C yr⁻¹ and dominated labile OC inputs (88% of the budget) because riverine OC was assumed mostly refractory (nonreactive). For perspective, riverine OC inputs amounted to 3.9×10¹² g C yr⁻¹, such that physical inputs were 3 times greater than biological inputs to the plume. Annually, microbial respiration (R) accounted for 65% of labile OC losses and net metabolism (GPP—R) for the entire plume was, autotrophic, equaling 5.1×10¹¹ g C yr⁻¹. Smaller losses of labile OC occurred via sedimentation (20%), advection (10%), and export to higher trophic levels (5%). In our present model, annual losses of labile OC are 10% higher than inputs, indicating future improvements are required. Application of our model to estimate air-sea carbon dioxide (CO₂) fluxes indicated the plume was a net sink of 2.0×10⁹ mol CO₂ yr⁻¹, of which 90% of the total drawdown was from biotic factors. In all seasons, low salinity waters were a source of CO₂ (pCO₂=560–890 μatm), and intermediate to high salinity waters were a sink of CO₂ (pCO₂=200–370 μatm). Our model was also used to calculate O₂ demand for the development, of regional hypoxia, and our spring and early summer budgets indicated that sedimentation of autochthonous OC from the immediate plume contributed 23% of the O₂ demand necessary for establishment of hypoxia in the region.     

The threshold value of epikarst runoff in forest karst mountain area

Hydrochemical investigations were carried out in Damagh area, Hamadan, western Iran, to assess chemical composition of groundwater. Forty representative groundwater samples were collected from different wells to monitor the water chemistry of various ions. Chemical analysis of the groundwater showed that the mean concentration of the cations is in the order Na⁺ > Ca²⁺ > Mg²⁺ > K⁺, while that for anions was HCO₃⁻ > Cl⁻ > SO₄^{2 −} > NO₃⁻. All of the investigated groundwaters present two different chemical facies (Ca–HCO₃ and Na–HCO₃) which is in relation with their interaction with the geological formations of the basin, cation exchange between groundwater and clay minerals and anthropogenic activities. The principal component analysis (PCA) performed on groundwater identified three principal components controlling their variability in groundwater. Electrical conductivity, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, SO₄²⁻, and Cl⁻ content were associated in the same component (PC1) (salinity), determined principally by anthropogenic activities. The pH, CO₃^{2 −}, HCO₃⁻, and Ca²⁺ (PC2) content were related to the geogenic factor. Finally, the NO₃⁻, Cl⁻ and K⁺ (PC3) were controlled by anthropogenic activity as a consequence of inorganic fertilizers.     

Geochemistry and origin of gas pools in the Gaoqing-Pingnan fault zone,Jiyang Depression

In the surroundings of the Gaoqing-Pingnan fault zone are developed quite a number of gas reservoirs. Based on gas compositions, they can be divided into two groups, i.e., CO2 and CH4. Their composition and isotope geochemistry were dealt with in this study. The CO2 contents range from 60.72%–99.99%, the δ13CCO2 values from -3.41‰– -9.8‰, and the 3He/4He ratios from 4.35×10-6–6.35×10-6 (i.e. R/Ra=4.45–4.35). Based on the data on composition and isotope geochemistry, deep geological background, deep faults and volcanic rocks, it is shown that CO2 ,distributed in the Gaoqing area, mostly originated from mantle-source inorganic matter which is associated with magmatic rocks. The favorable tectonic environment for the formation of CO2 reservoirs is the rift, which is related to great fault-magmatic activity, the formation of CO2 gas pools and their space-time correlation to the most recent magmatic activities. Hydrocarbon gas pools occur in the Huagou area. The CH4 contents are within the range of 88.83%–99.12%, and the δ13CCH4 values, -44.7‰– -54.39‰. This indicates that the hydrocarbon gas resulted from the decomposition of oil-type gas at high temperatures. Volcanic rocks in the CO2 gas pool-and CH4 gas pool-distributed areas show significant differences in Fe2O3 and FeO contents. This has proven that the hydrocarbon gas may have resulted from various chemical reactions. Magmatic activities are the primary reason for the distribution of CO2 and CH4 gas pools in the Gaoqing-Pingnan fault zone.     

Air-sea exchange of CO2 in the Gulf of Kutch,northern Arabian Sea based on bomb-carbon in corals and tree rings

Radiocarbon analyses were carried out in the annual bands of a 40 year old coral collected from the Gulf of Kutch (22.6°N, 70°E) in the northern Arabian Sea and in the annual rings of a teak tree from Thane (19°14′N, 73°24′E) near Bombay. These measurements were made in order to obtain the rates of air-sea exchange of CO₂ and the advective mixing of water in the Gulf of Kutch. The Δ¹⁴C peak in the Thane tree occurs in the year 1964, with a value of ∼630‰, significantly lower than that of the mean atmospheric Δ¹⁴C of the northern hemisphere (∼ 1000‰). The radiocarbon time series of the coral was modelled considering the supply of carbon and radiocarbon to the gulf through air-sea exchange and advective water transport from the open Arabian Sea. A reasonable fit for the coral data was obtained with an air-sea CO₂ exchange rate of 11–12 mol m⁻² yr⁻¹, and an advective velocity of 28 m yr⁻¹ between the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Kutch; this was based on a model generated time series for radiocarbon in the Arabian Sea. The deduced velocity (∼ 28 m yr⁻¹) of the advective transport of water between the gulf and the Arabian Sea is much lower than the surface tidal current velocity in this region, but can be understood in terms of net fluxes of carbon and radiocarbon to the gulf to match the observed coral Δ¹⁴C time series.     

Analysis of the spatial and temporal changes in soil CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> flux in alpine meadow of Qilian Mountain

Field experiments on the CO₂ flux of alpine meadow soil in the Qilian Mountain were conducted along the elevation gradient during the growing season of 2004 and 2005. The soil CO₂ flux was measured using the Li-6400-09 soil respiration chamber attached to the Li-6400 portable photosynthesis system. The effects of water and heat and roots on the soil CO₂ flux were statistically analyzed. The results show that soil CO₂ flux along the elevation gradient gradually decreases. The soil CO₂ flux was low at night, with lowest value occurring between 0200 and 0600 hours, started to rise rapidly during 0700–0830 hours, and then descend during 1600–1830 hours. The peak CO₂ efflux appears during 1100–1600 hours. The diurnal average of soil CO₂ efflux was between 0.56 ± 0.32 and 2.53 ± 0.76 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹. Seasonally, soil CO₂ fluxes are relatively high in summer and autumn and low in spring and winter. The soil CO₂ efflux, from the highest to the lowest in the ranking order, occurred in July and August (4.736 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹), June and September, and May and October, respectively. The soil CO₂ efflux during the growing season is positively correlated with soil temperature, root biomass and soil water content.     

The influence of volcanism on paleoclimate in the northeast of China： Insights from Jinchuan peat, Jilin Province, China

Just like contemporary sediments, peat itself is a good repository of information about climate change, the effects of volcanic activity on climate change have been truly recorded in peat, since it is a major archive of volcanic eruption incidents. A section of sand was identified as tephra from the Jinchuan peat, Jilin Province, China, for the grains look like slag with surface bubbles and pits, characterized by high porosity, and loose structure with irregular edges and corners. According to the peat characteristics of uniform deposition, the tephra was dated at 2002–1976 a B.P. by way of linear interpolation, so the time of volcanic eruption was 15 B.C.–26 A.D. (the calibrated age). While the geochemical characteristics of tephra in this study are quite the same as those of tephra from the Jinlongdingzi volcano at Longgang and from alkaline basaltic magma, with the contents of SiO₂<55%, and the similar contents to Al₂O₃ and Fe, but the contents of Na₂O>K₂O. We speculated that the tephra in this study came from the Longgang volcano group. Compared with 11 recorded volcanic eruption events as shown on the carbon and oxygen isotope curves of the Jinchuan peat cellulose, it is obviously seen that adjacent or large-scale volcanic eruptions are precisely corresponding to the minimum temperature and humidity. It seems that these volcanic eruptions indeed affected the local climate, leading to the drop of regional temperature and humidity. As a result, there was prevailing a cold and dry climate there, and all these changes can be well recorded in peat. So the comparison of volcanic eruption events with information about climate change developed from peat, can provide strong evidence for the impact of volcanism on climate change.     

Reconstruction of composition of the earth’s primary aqueous phase. Part 1: Formation from carbonaceous chondrite matter

The equilibrium composition was modeled for the water-carbonaceous chondrite matter system open to CO₂ and CH₄. It was shown that at 25°C, total pressure of 1 bar, and definite proportions between partial pressures of CO₂ (10⁻⁵–10⁻⁸ bars) and CH₄ (10⁻⁴–10⁻⁸ bar), the aqueous phase is characterized by a K/Na ratio of 4–12, which corresponds to the ratios of these elements in the cellular liquid of organisms. Aqueous phase has pH = 8−9, Eh = −450 ± 50 mV, and ammonia nitrogen, and K, Na, and Mg concentrations close to those in the cellular liquid.     

Magma degassing during 7600 14C Kurile Lake caldera-forming eruption and its climatic impact

The main goal of this investigation is estimating volume of volatile emission, atmospheric and climatic impact of the Kurile Lake caldera-forming eruption, one of the Earth’s largest Holocene explosive eruptions. The volatile content of magma before the eruption was estimated by comparing H₂O, S, Cl and F contents in natural quenched glassy melt inclusions trapped by plagioclase phenocrysts. The volatile content of igneous rocks after eruption was estimated by comparing concentrations of degassed matrix glasses. As a result of KO-eruption not more than (3.7–4.2) × 10¹² kg of water, (4.3–4.9) × 10¹⁰ kg of chlorine, (8.6–9.8) × 10⁹ kg of fluorine and (2.6–2.9) × 10¹⁰ kg of sulphur were injected into the atmosphere. This eruption had to produce an important climatic impact.     

Denitrification and the stoichiometry of nutrient regeneration in Waquoit Bay, Massachusetts

To determine the removal of regenerated nitrogen by estuarine sediments, we compared sediment N₂ fluxes to the stoichiometry of nutrient and O₂ fluxes in cores collected in the Childs River, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The difference between the annual PO₄ ³⁻ (0.2 mol P m⁻² yr⁻¹) and NH₄ ⁺ (1.6 mol N m⁻² yr⁻¹) flux and the Redfield N∶P ratio of 16 suggested an annual deficit of 1.5 mol N m⁻² yr⁻¹. Denitrification predicted from O₂∶NH₄ ⁺ flux ratios and measured as N₂ flux suggested a nitrogen sink of roughly the same magnitude (1.4 mol N m⁻² yr⁻¹). Denitrification accounted for low N∶P ratios of benthic flux and removed 32–37% of nitrogen inputs entering the relatively highly nutrient loaded Childs River, despite a relatively brief residence time for freshwater in this system. Uptake of bottom water nitrate could only supply a fraction of the observed N₂ flux. Removal of regenerated nitrogen by denitrification in this system appears to vary seasonally. Denitrification efficiency was inversely correlated with oxygen and ammonium flux and was lowest in summer. We investigated the effect of organic matter on denitrification by simulating phytoplankton deposition to cores incubated in the lab and by deploying chambers on bare and macroaglae covered sediments in the field. Organic matter addition to sediments increased N₂ flux and did not alter denitrification efficiency. Increased N₂ flux co-varied with O₂ and NH₄ ⁺ fluxes. N₂ flux (261±60 μmol m⁻² h⁻¹) was lower in chambers deployed on macroalgal beds than deployed on bare sediments (458±70 μmol m⁻² h⁻¹), and O₂ uptake rate was higher in chambers deployed on macroalgal beds (14.6±2.2 mmol m⁻² h⁻¹) than on bare sediments (9.6±1.5 mmol m⁻² h⁻¹). Macroalgal cover, which can retain nitrogen in the system, is a link between nutrient loading and denitrification. Decreased denitrification due to increasing macroalgal cover could create a positive feedback because decreasing denitrification would increase nitrogen availability and could increase macroalgae cover.     

Setting load limits for nutrients and suspended solids based upon seagrass depth-limit targets

Total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and total suspended solids (TSS) loadings [log (kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹)] were regressed against seagrass depth limits (percent of depth-limit targets) to back-predict the load limits or allocations (kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ or kg yr⁻¹) necessary to meet targeted seagrass depth limits in the Indian River and Banana River (IRBR) lagoons, Florida. Because the load allocations can be applied as total maximum daily loads (TMDL) for the IRBR (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency mandate), the method and results are developed and presented toward that end. The regression analyses indicate that the range of surface-discharge load limits (nonpoint + point source), per watershed area, required to achieve the desired depth limits for seagrass in the IRBR are approximately 2.4–3.2 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ TN, 0.41–0.64 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ TP, and 48–64 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ TSS. This simple regression method may have application to other shallow estuarine lagoons or bays where seagrass growth is limited by light and water transparency, water transparency is strongly affected by watershed pollutant loadings, water residence times are sufficiently long to allow seagrass coverage to respond to and covary with total load inputs, and multiyear monitoring has yielded sufficient variability in both pollutant loadings and seagrass coverages to develop a statistically meaningful relationship.     

U–Pb zircon geochronology of silicic tuffs from the Timber Mountain/Oasis Valley caldera complex, Nevada: rapid generation of large volume magmas by shallow-level remelting

Large volumes of silicic magma were produced on a very short timescale in the nested caldera complex of the SW Nevada volcanic field (SWNVF). Voluminous ash flows erupted in two paired events: Topopah Spring (TS, >1,200 km³, 12.8 Ma)–Tiva Canyon (TC, 1,000 km³, 12.7 Ma) and Rainier Mesa (RM, 1,200 km³, 11.6 Ma)–Ammonia Tanks (AT, 900 km³, 11.45 Ma; all cited ages are previously published ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar sanidine ages). Within each pair, eruptions are separated by only 0.1–0.15 My and produced tuffs with contrasting isotopic values. These events represent nearly complete evacuation of sheet-like magma chambers formed in the extensional Basin and Range environment. We present ion microprobe ages from zircons in the zoned ash-flow sheets of TS, TC, RM, and AT in conjunction with δ¹⁸O values of zircons and other phenocrysts, which differ dramatically among subsequently erupted units. Bulk zircons in the low-δ¹⁸O AT cycle were earlier determined to exhibit ∼1.5‰ core-to-rim oxygen isotope zoning; and high-spatial resolution zircon analyses by ion microprobe reveal the presence of older grains that are zoned by 0.5–2.5‰. The following U–Pb isochron ages were calculated after correcting for the initial U–Pb disequilibria: AT (zircon rims: 11.7 ± 0.2 Ma; cores: 12.0 ± 0.1 Ma); pre-AT rhyolite lava: (12.0 ± 0.3 Ma); RM: 12.4 ± 0.3); TC: (13.2 ± 0.15 Ma); TS: (13.5 ± 0.2). Average zircon crystallization ages calculated from weighted regression or cumulative averaging are older than the Ar–Ar stratigraphy, but preserve the comparably short time gaps within each of two major eruption cycles (TS/TC, RM/AT). Notably, every sample yields average zircon ages that are 0.70–0.35 Ma older than the respective Ar–Ar eruption ages. The Th/U ratio of SWNVF zircons are 0.4–4.7, higher than typically found in igneous zircons, which correlates with elevated Th/U of the whole rocks (5–16). High Th/U could be explained if uranium was preferentially removed by hydrothermal solutions or is retained in the protolith during partial melting. For low-δ¹⁸O AT-cycle magmas, rim ages from unpolished zircons overlap within analytical uncertainties with the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar eruption age compared to core ages that are on average ∼0.2–0.3 My older than even the age of the preceding caldera forming eruption of RM tuff. This age difference, the core-to-rim oxygen isotope zoning in AT zircons, and disequilibrium quartz–zircon and melt-zircon isotopic fractionations suggest that AT magma recycled older zircons derived from the RM and older eruptive cycles. These results suggest that the low-δ¹⁸O AT magmas were generated by melting a hydrothermally-altered protolith from the same nested complex that erupted high-δ¹⁸O magmas of the RM cycle only 0.15 My prior to the eruption of the AT, the largest volume low-δ¹⁸O magma presently known.Electronic supplementary material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at and is accessible for authorized users.     

Respiration and Calcification of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crassostrea gigas</Emphasis>: Contribution of an Intertidal Invasive Species to Coastal Ecosystem CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Fluxes

Respiration and calcification rates of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas were measured in a laboratory experiment in the air and underwater, accounting for seasonal variations and individual size, to estimate the effects of this exotic species on annual carbon budgets in the Bay of Brest, France. Respiration and calcification rates changed significantly with season and size. Mean underwater respiration rates, deducted from changes in dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), were 11.4 μmol DIC g⁻¹ ash-free dry weight (AFDW) h⁻¹ (standard deviation (SD), 4.6) and 32.3 μmol DIC g⁻¹ AFDW h⁻¹ (SD 4.1) for adults (80–110 mm shell length) and juveniles (30–60 mm), respectively. The mean daily contribution of C. gigas underwater respiration (with 14 h per day of immersion on average) to DIC averaged over the Bay of Brest population was 7.0 mmol DIC m⁻² day⁻¹ (SD 8.1). Mean aerial CO₂ respiration rate, estimated using an infrared gas analyzer, was 0.7 μmol CO₂ g⁻¹ AFDW h⁻¹ (SD 0.1) for adults and 1.1 μmol CO₂ g⁻¹ AFDW h⁻¹ (SD 0.2) for juveniles, corresponding to a mean daily contribution of 0.4 mmol CO₂ m⁻² day⁻¹ (SD 0.50) averaged over the Bay of Brest population (with 10 h per day of emersion on average). Mean CaCO₃ uptake rates for adults and juveniles were 4.5 μmol CaCO₃ g⁻¹ AFDW h⁻¹ (SD 1.7) and 46.9 μmol CaCO₃ g⁻¹ AFDW h⁻¹ (SD 29.2), respectively. The mean daily contribution of net calcification in the Bay of Brest C. gigas population to CO₂ fluxes during immersion was estimated to be 2.5 mmol CO₂ m⁻² day⁻¹ (SD 2.9). Total carbon release by this C. gigas population was 39 g C m⁻² year⁻¹ and reached 334 g C m⁻² year⁻¹ for densely colonized areas with relative contributions by underwater respiration, net calcification, and aerial respiration of 71%, 25%, and 4%, respectively. These observations emphasize the substantial influence of this invasive species on the carbon cycle, including biogenic carbonate production, in coastal ecosystems.     

Environmental research of groundwater in the urban and suburban areas of Attica region,Greece

In this study, 92 groundwater samples were collected from the Attica region (Greece). Moreover, geographical information system database, geochemistry of groundwater samples and statistics were applied. These were used for studying the chemical parameters (NO₃ ⁻, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Cl⁻, and Na⁺) and conductivity spatial distribution and for assessing their environmental impact. The ranges of chemical parameters of the water samples (in mg L⁻¹) are: NO₃ ⁻ 1–306, Mg²⁺ 2–293, Ca²⁺ 3–453, Cl⁻ 5–1,988, and Na⁺ 4–475. The elevated concentrations of sodium, Mg²⁺, Cl⁻ are attributed to natural contamination (seawater intrusion). On the other hand, NO₃ ⁻ elevated concentrations are attributed to anthropogenic contamination (nitrate fertilizers). The results of the GIS analysis showed that elevated values of Na⁺, Mg²⁺, Cl⁻ are related to shrubby and sparsely vegetated areas, while elevated values of NO₃ ⁻ are connected with urban and agricultural areas.     

Superdense CO2 inclusions in Cretaceous quartz–stibnite veins hosted in low-grade Variscan basement of the Western Carpathians, Slovakia

CO₂ inclusions with density up to 1,197 kg m⁻³ occur in quartz–stibnite veins hosted in the low-grade Palaeozoic basement of the Gemericum tectonic unit in the Western Carpathians. Raman microanalysis corroborated CO₂ as dominant gas species accompanied by small amounts of nitrogen (<7.3 mol%) and methane (<2.5 mol%). The superdense CO₂ phase exsolved from an aqueous bulk fluid at temperatures of 183–237°C and pressures between 1.6 and 3.5 kbar, possibly up to 4.5 kbar. Low thermal gradients (∼12–13°C km⁻¹) and the CO₂–CH₄–N₂ fluid composition rule out a genetic link with the subjacent Permian granites and indicate an external, either metamorphogenic (oxidation of siderite, dedolomitization) or lower crustal/mantle, source of the ore-forming fluids.According to microprobe U–Pb–Th dating of monazite, the stibnite-bearing veins formed during early Cretaceous thrusting of the Gemeric basement over the adjacent Veporic unit. The 15- to 18-km depth of burial estimated from the fluid inclusion trapping PT parameters indicates a 8- to 11-km-thick Upper Palaeozoic–Jurassic accretionary complex overlying the Gemeric basement and its Permo-Triassic autochthonous cover.     

Influence of hydrogeochemical processes on temporal changes in groundwater quality in a part of Nalgonda district, Andhra Pradesh, India

Geochemical processes that take place in the aquifer have played a major role in spatial and temporal variations of groundwater quality. This study was carried out with an objective of identifying the hydrogeochemical processes that controls the groundwater quality in a weathered hard rock aquifer in a part of Nalgonda district, Andhra Pradesh, India. Groundwater samples were collected from 45 wells once every 2 months from March 2008 to September 2009. Chemical parameters of groundwater such as groundwater level, EC and pH were measured insitu. The major ion concentrations such as Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Cl⁻, and SO₄ ²⁻ were analyzed using ion chromatograph. CO₃ ⁻ and HCO₃ ⁻ concentration was determined by acid–base titration. The abundance of major cation concentration in groundwater is as Na⁺ > Ca²⁺ > Mg²⁺ > K⁺ while that of anions is HCO₃ ⁻ > SO₄ ²⁻ > Cl⁻ > CO₃ ⁻. Ca–HCO₃, Na–Cl, Ca–Na–HCO₃ and Ca–Mg–Cl are the dominant groundwater types in this area. Relation between temporal variation in groundwater level and saturation index of minerals reveals the evaporation process. The ion-exchange process controls the concentration of ions such as calcium, magnesium and sodium. The ionic ratio of Ca/Mg explains the contribution of calcite and dolomite to groundwater. In general, the geochemical processes and temporal variation of groundwater in this area are influenced by evaporation processes, ion exchange and dissolution of minerals.