Shifting sands on Mars: insights from tropical intra‐crater dunes

Evidence for sand motion is found in repeated observations of sand dunes at three sites in the Martian tropics by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. An eroding outcrop of layered sediments is identified as a possible source of the sand in Pasteur crater. Ancient layered sediments in Becquerel crater are actively being carved into flutes and yardangs by the blowing sands. Dunes in an un‐named crater in Meridiani near the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity landing site advanced as much as 50 cm over an interval of one Martian year. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Interaction of the solar wind with Mars from Mars Global Surveyor MAG/ER observations

The observations of the magnetometer/electron reflectometer (MAG/ER) investigation onboard the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) have greatly contributed to improve our understanding of the interaction of the solar wind with Mars. These observations established conclusively that a global dynamo-generated magnetic field does not exist at Mars, and that the interaction with solar wind is of the atmospheric type. This article reviews the most important results obtained from MGS MAG/ER on the study of two major features in the Mars solar wind interaction. The first feature is the occurrence of large-amplitude, highly coherent waves at the proton cyclotron frequency in the region upstream from the Martian bow shock. The second feature is the magnetic pileup boundary (MPB), a well-defined plasma boundary inside of which the planetary exospheric ions outnumber the solar wind ions. The study of these two elements is crucial to characterize the properties of the Martian exosphere. In addition, the occurrence of an MPB at comets and Venus reveals common processes to all these unmagnetized atmospheric bodies in spite of their different physical nature and characteristic scales.     

Evolution of the Bayramiç magmatic complex, northwestern Anatolia

During the Oligocene–Middle Miocene period widespread magmatic activity developed in Western Anatolia, following the continental collision between the Sakarya continent and the Tauride–Anatolide platform. This produced both intrusive and extrusive rocks, which appear to be associated in space and time, as exemplified from the Bayramiç area. In the Bayramiç area, the magmatic activity started with the intrusion of the Evciler granite, and the coeval lower volcanic association. This was followed by the development of the upper volcanic association. These rock groups form collectively the Bayramiç magmatic complex, which was generated under an on-going north–south compressional regime. The Bayramiç magmatic complex has a subalkaline composition, displaying a calcalkaline trend. Trace elements and REE contents resemble to island-arc and collision-related magmas. According to the isotope values the Bayramiç magmatic complex was derived from the magmas of lithospheric mantle origin, which were later contaminated, while passing through the thick continental crust, in a post-collisional tectonic setting, during the Oligocene–Early Miocene period. The latest product of the magmatism is the Late Miocene–Pliocene basalt lavas. Their geochemical properties are clearly different from the Oligocene–Early Miocene magmatic rocks. The basalts were generated when the north–south compression gave way to the north–south extensional regime.     

Geochemical modeling of evaporation processes on Mars: Insight from the sedimentary record at Meridiani Planum

New data returned from the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission have revealed abundant evaporites in the sedimentary record at Meridiani Planum. A working hypothesis for Meridiani evaporite formation involves the evaporation of fluids derived from the weathering of martian basalt and subsequent diagenesis. On Earth, evaporite formation in exclusively basaltic settings is rare. However, models of the evaporation of fluids derived from experimentally weathering synthetic martian basalt provide insight into possible formation mechanisms. The thermodynamic database assembled for this investigation includes both Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ in Pitzer's ion interaction equations to evaluate Fe redox disequilibrium at Meridiani Planum. Modeling results suggest that evaporation of acidic fluids derived from weathering olivine-bearing basalt should produce Mg, Ca, and Fe-sulfates such as jarosite and melanterite. Calculations that model diagenesis by fluid recharge predict the eventual breakdown of jarosite to goethite as well as the preservation of much of the initial soluble evaporite component at modeled porosity values appropriate for relevant depositional environments (< 0.30). While only one of several possible formation scenarios, this simple model is consistent with much of the chemical and mineralogical data obtained on Meridiani Planum outcrop.     

火星感应磁场模型及其磁力线分布

本文利用火星具有电离层而无内禀磁场的特点以及它与太阳风相互作用的性质,通过适当的假设,建立了火星感应磁场模型.此模型建立如下,利用电流连续的特性: Δ·j=0 (j为感应电流)以及对火星磁层中的电流体系分布的合理假设给出电流,并由毕奥—萨伐尔定理得到火星周围的磁场强度的表达式;利用我们自编的磁力线跟踪程序由求得的磁场强度得到火星周围的磁力线分布.我们发现:利用此火星磁场模型得到的火星周围的磁力线分布与卫星观测的结果以及其他方法得到的结果符合的很好.     

火星磁场和行星发电机理论

火星磁场是火星主要观测物理场之一,火星磁场研究对火星探索具有重要的科学意义.本文侧重介绍火星磁场探测所取得的主要成果,在介绍火星行星磁场起源的行星发电机理论的基础上,重点讨论了动力学机制、起始时间、停止的原因等关键性问题,并指出了研究中存在的一些问题.     

Investigating the ancient Martian magnetic field using microwaves

The new microwave palaeointensity technique has been used to investigate samples from the Martian meteorite Nakhla. This technique is a promising new way to obtain absolute palaeointensity information regarding the ancient Martian magnetic field as recorded by the Martian meteorites. Assuming that a part of the magnetic remanence is of thermal origin and originating on Mars the two samples studied yield estimates of 4 μT for the Martian magnetic field at 1.35 Ga.     

Spectral scaling in Mars topography: effect of craters

Extensive computer simulations aimed at testing a hypothesis that impact craters may explain the scaling behaviour of surface spectra are presented. The simulations show that indeed crater effects alone may explain the spectral scaling of Mars’ topography revealed from MOLA data. The range of the scaling exponents obtained for a wide range of simulation parameters does not exceed the limits observed for Mars. The simulations suggest that the shape of large craters is the key factor leading to the two scaling ranges in the surface spectra. Particular values of the scaling exponents may additionally depend on the depth-diameter relationship and the crater size distribution.     

磁性矿物的磁学鉴别方法回顾

磁性矿物的组成和颗粒粒径的分布决定了岩石或沉积物的基本磁学性质及其所携带的天然剩磁在地质时期内的稳定性.由于自然界中磁性矿物的复杂性和多样性，如何有效的确定磁性矿物的成分和粒径分布一直是岩石磁学的基础和难点.本文对确定磁性矿物成分和粒径分布的常见方法进行了较为详细的总结和分析，并对常见磁性矿物在高温和低温下的磁学性质进行了详细的论述.最后对如何应用综合方法判定样品中的磁性矿物种类以及粒度分布进行了探讨.     

Mars Global Digital Dune Database (MGD3): north polar region (MC‐1) distribution,applications, and volume estimates

The Mars Global Digital Dune Database (MGD³) now extends from 90°N to 65°S. The recently released north polar portion (MC‐1) of MGD³ adds ~844 000 km² of moderate‐ to large‐size dark dunes to the previously released equatorial portion (MC‐2 to MC‐29) of the database. The database, available in GIS‐ and tabular‐format in USGS Open‐File Reports, makes it possible to examine global dune distribution patterns and to compare dunes with other global data sets (e.g. atmospheric models). MGD³ can also be used by researchers to identify areas suitable for more focused studies. The utility of MGD³ is demonstrated through three example applications. First, the uneven geographic distribution of the dunes is discussed and described. Second, dune‐derived wind direction and its role as ground truth for atmospheric models is reviewed. Comparisons between dune‐derived winds and global and mesoscale atmospheric models suggest that local topography may have an important influence on dune‐forming winds. Third, the methods used here to estimate north polar dune volume are presented and these methods and estimates (1130 km³ to 3250 km³) are compared with those of previous researchers (1158 km³ to 15 000 km³). In the near future, MGD³ will be extended to include the south polar region. Published in 2011. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.     

Subducted slabs beneath the eastern Indonesia-Tonga region: insights from tomography

Tomographic images of mantle structure beneath the region north and northeast of Australia show a number of anomalously fast regions. These are interpreted using a recent plate tectonic reconstruction in terms of current and former subduction systems. Several strong anomalies are related to current subduction. The inferred slab lengths and positions are consistent with Neogene subduction beneath the New Britain and Halmahera arcs, and at the Tonga and the New Hebrides trenches where there has been rapid rollback of subduction hinges since about 10 Ma. There are several deeper flat-lying anomalies which are not related to present subduction and we interpret them as former subduction zones overridden by Australia since 25 Ma. Beneath the Bird’s Head and Arafura Sea is an anomaly interpreted to be due to north-dipping subduction beneath the Philippines-Halmahera arc between 45 and 25 Ma. A very large anomaly extending from the Papuan peninsula to the New Hebrides, and from the Solomon Islands to the east Australian margin, is interpreted to be the remnant of south-dipping subduction beneath the Melanesian arc between 45 and 25 Ma. This interpretation implies that a flat-lying slab can survive for many tens of millions of years at the bottom of the upper mantle. In the lower mantle there is a huge anomaly beneath the Gulf of Carpentaria and east Papua New Guinea. This is located above the position where the tectonic model interprets a change in polarity of subduction from north-dipping to south-dipping between 45 and 25 Ma. We suggest this deep anomaly may be a slab subducted beneath eastern Australian during the Cretaceous, or subducted north of Australia during the Cenozoic before 45 Ma. The tomography also supports the tectonic interpretation which suggests little Neogene subduction beneath western New Guinea since no slab is imaged south of the New Guinea trench. However, one subduction zone in the tectonic model and many others, that associated with the Trobriand trough east of Papua New Guinea and the Miocene Maramuni arc, is not seen in the tomographic images and may require reconsideration of currently accepted tectonic interpretations.     

Dynamics of the magnetic field and velocity field in an emerging active region

The dynamics of the magnetic field and velocity field during the birth and an early development stage of a major active region is studied. SOHO MDI longitudinal-component magnetograms, Dopplergrams, and continuum images are used. The presence of an enhanced material upflow in the photosphere during the passing of the top of the magnetic flux loop, forming the active region, is revealed. The maximum upflow velosity is 2 km/s and the maximum size of the upflow area exceeds 20000 km. The lifetime of the upflow is about two hours. The undulating form of the magnetic flux tubes crossing the photosphere is confirmed. A structural-analysis technique is used to show that the trailing polarity field at the formation stage of the active region is more highly structured than the leading polarity field.     

Comparison Between the Nutations of the Planet Mars and the Nutations of the Earth

The nutations of the planets Mars andEarth are investigated and compared. Alarge number of interior structureparameters are involved in the nutationcomputations. The comparison between the observations and the computationsprovides several constraints on these parmeters andtherefore allows a better understanding of the physics of the interior of theplanet. For the Earth, the high precision of the observations of the nutationshas led to a very good determination of interior properties of the planet. ForMars, observations of nutations are not yet available, and we review how theamplitude of the Martian nutations depends on the hypotheses consideredfor its interior. Although Mars is very similar to the Earth, its interior is not well known;for example, we don't knowif its core is liquid or solid. Only if the core is liquid,the Free Core Nutation (FCN) normal mode exists and can alter the nutationswhich are close to the resonance. From the observed geoids, it is known thatboth planets are not in hydrostatic equilibrium. The departure is larger forMars than for the Earth, and consequently, the implication of considering a convective mantle instead of a mantle in hydrostatic equilibrium described byClairaut's equation for the initial equilibrium state of the planet is largeron the Martian nutations than on the Earth nutations. The consequences of theuncertainty in the core dimensions are also examined and shown to be of a veryhigh influence for Mars if the core is liquid, due to the potential changes inthe FCN resonance. The influence of the presence of an inner core, which isknown to exist for the Earth, could be more important for Mars than for theEarth if the inner core is large. Due to the presence of Tharsis on Mars, thetriaxiality of this planet has, additionally, larger effects than on Earth.     

泥河湾盆地大长梁剖面河湖相沉积物的岩石磁学性质

以热磁分析为主,对中国北方泥河湾盆地更新世河湖相地层中灰绿色粉砂和灰黄色粉砂/细砂两种典型沉积物进行了详细的岩石磁学研究,有效确定了这两类沉积物中磁性矿物的种类、粒度特征以及加热过程中磁性矿物的变化过程和产物,并对其包含的古环境意义进行了初步探讨.灰绿色粉砂样品主要含有磁铁矿和赤铁矿两种磁性矿物,磁性相对较弱,颗粒相对较细;灰黄色粉砂/细砂主要含有磁铁矿和磁赤铁矿,磁性相对较强,颗粒相对较粗.在氩气环境中经700℃加热处理后,这两种沉积物中的绿泥石都分解,并生成超细粒（处于超顺磁和单畴颗粒区间）的磁铁矿,导致磁化率大幅升高.因此泥河湾盆地沉积物的热磁特征可以用来检测样品中绿泥石的相对含量,进而反映该地区化学风化作用强度的变化.此外,灰绿色粉砂样品中绿泥石含量比灰黄色粉砂/细砂样品的含量高,在氩气中加热后,磁化率升高幅度也较高,可能反映了化学风化相对较弱的沉积环境.     

Multi-instrument observations of the electric and magnetic field structure of omega bands

High time resolution data from the CUTLASS Finland radar during the interval 01:30–03:30 UT on 11 May, 1998, are employed to characterise the ionospheric electric field due to a series of omega bands extending 5° in latitude at a resolution of 45 km in the meridional direction and 50 km in the azimuthal direction. E-region observations from the STARE Norway VHF radar operating at a resolution of 15 km over a comparable region are also incorporated. These data are combined with ground magnetometer observations from several stations. This allows the study of the ionospheric equivalent current signatures and height integrated ionospheric conductances associated with omega bands as they propagate through the field-of-view of the CUTLASS and STARE radars. The high-time resolution and multi-point nature of the observations leads to a refinement of the previous models of omega band structure. The omega bands observed during this interval have scale sizes 500 km and an eastward propagation velocity 0.75 km s^–1. They occur in the morning sector (05 MLT), simultaneously with the onset/intensification of a substorm to the west during the recovery phase of a previous substorm in the Scandinavian sector. A possible mechanism for omega band formation and their relationship to the substorm phase is discussed.     

甘肃西山坪遗址岩石磁学性质及其研究意义探讨

对甘肃西山坪遗址剖面样品进行磁化率、频率磁化率、热磁分析、非磁滞剩磁和等温剩磁等一系列岩石磁学实验测试,分析环境磁学参数特征变化,试图探讨西山坪遗址研究意义,为今后深入研究该沉积序列蕴含的古环境记录提供了岩石磁学基础.结果表明：西山坪遗址剖面沉积物中磁性矿物主要以低矫顽力的磁铁矿和磁赤铁矿为主,高矫顽力磁性矿物赤铁矿含量极其有限,越向剖面表层,强磁性矿物含量逐渐增加.磁性矿物颗粒表现出黄土的典型特征,以单畴、准单畴为主,含有一定量的超顺磁颗粒,颗粒度越向剖面表层越细.从物源上看,遗址沉积物主要来自近源的黄土风尘堆积,主要是风成堆积,并混合大量人类活动信息,给今后综合研究岩石磁学与人类活动特征的关系有一定借鉴意义.     

Provenance and diagenesis of the evaporite-bearing Burns formation, Meridiani Planum, Mars

Impure reworked evaporitic sandstones, preserved on Meridiani Planum, Mars, are mixtures of roughly equal amounts of altered siliciclastic debris, of basaltic provenance (40 ± 10% by mass), and chemical constituents, dominated by evaporitic minerals (jarosite, Mg-, Ca-sulfates ± chlorides ± Fe-, Na-sulfates), hematite and possibly secondary silica (60 ± 10%). These chemical constituents and their relative abundances are not an equilibrium evaporite assemblage and to a substantial degree have been reworked by aeolian and subaqueous transport. Ultimately they formed by evaporation of acidic waters derived from interaction with olivine-bearing basalts and subsequent diagenetic alteration. The rocks experienced an extended diagenetic history, with at least two and up to four distinct episodes of cementation, including stratigraphically restricted zones of recrystallization and secondary porosity, non-randomly distributed, highly spherical millimeter-scale hematitic concretions, millimeter-scale crystal molds, interpreted to have resulted from dissolution of a highly soluble evaporite mineral, elongate to sheet-like vugs and evidence for minor synsedimentary deformation (convolute and contorted bedding, possible teepee structures or salt ridge features). Other features that may be diagenetic, but more likely are associated with relatively recent meteorite impact, are meter-scale fracture patterns, veins and polygonal fractures on rock surfaces that cut across bedding. Crystallization of minerals that originally filled the molds, early cement and sediment deformation occurred syndepositionally or during early diagenesis. All other diagenetic features are consistent with formation during later diagenesis in the phreatic (fluid saturated) zone or capillary fringe of a groundwater table under near isotropic hydrological conditions such as those expected during periodic groundwater recharge. Textural evidence suggests that rapidly formed hematitic concretions post-date the primary mineral now represented by crystal molds and early pore-filling cements but pre-date secondary moldic and vug porosity. The second generation of cements followed formation of secondary porosity. This paragenetic sequence is consistent with an extended history of syndepositional through post-depositional diagenesis in the presence of a slowly fluctuating, chemically evolving, but persistently high ionic strength groundwater system.     

渤海南部莱州湾Lz908孔沉积物的岩石磁学性质

亚洲大陆边缘海和陆表海在区域的物质和能量交换以及区域气候与环境演化过程中扮演了关键角色.磁性地层学和环境磁学方法是建立年代框架和环境演变序列的有效手段,但是,由于该地区边缘海和陆表海沉积物中磁性矿物来源十分复杂,磁性地层学和环境磁学研究的重要基础是要精细地解译沉积物的岩石磁学性质.为此,本文利用渤海南部莱州湾Lz908孔与钻孔附近的现代沉积物样品进行了详细的岩石磁学对比研究.结果显示,渤海南部沉积物中的磁性矿物主要是较粗颗粒(较大的准单畴至多畴)磁铁矿,还有少量磁赤铁矿,部分沉积物还含有赤铁矿和针铁矿,其中磁铁矿是特征剩磁的主要载体;莱州湾现代河流-海洋沉积物和钻孔样品之间的磁性特征无显著差异,说明莱州湾沉积物堆积之后尚未经历明显的沉积后期改造.