Surface lowering of limestone pavement as determined by cosmogenic (36Cl) analysis

Determination of the rate and total amount of limestone pavement surface lowering is a critical issue in developing models of regional landscape change in limestone terrain. Erratic‐capped pedestals have frequently been used for this purpose but problems concerning definition and measurement of pedestal height, and the absence of a secure timeframe for erratic emplacement, have resulted in conflicting interpretations. We have used cosmogenic (³⁶Cl) to establish the emplacement age of erratic boulders and the total amount of pavement surface lowering at sites in northwest England. Since erratic emplacement at 17.9 ka the limestone pavement has been lowered by 22–45 cm (average: 33 ± 10 cm), assuming lowering was continuous. Although indicating some spatial heterogeneity, the results contrast with earlier reported values based on the measurement of pedestal heights and inferred age for deglaciation. We consider that changes in climate and the character and duration of regolith covers to have been important influences in promoting surface lowering. It is argued that nivation (chemical and mechanical snow‐related processes) associated with several cool/cold periods is likely to have played an important role in surface lowering. Complicating factors associated with surface lowering (thickness and longevity of snow and regolith covers) are identified but as yet cannot be quantified. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydro-gravimetry in West-Africa: First results from the Djougou (Benin) superconducting gravimeter

The increasing number of hydro-gravimetry studies proves the rising interest of the hydrology community toward this monitoring method. The accuracy of superconducting gravimeters (SG) potentially allows the retrieval of small water storage changes (WSC) down to a few millimeters of equivalent water thickness. However, the importance of corrections applied to SG data to achieve such a precision in gravity residuals should be recalled. The Djougou permanent gravity station presented in this paper and located in northern Benin, West-Africa, provides a good opportunity to review these considerations. This station is equipped since July 2010 with the superconducting gravimeter SG-060 aimed at deriving WSC at different time-scales, daily to inter-annual. In this area, WSC are (1) part of the control system for evapotranspiration (ET) process, a key variable of the West-African monsoon cycle and (2) the state variable for resource management, a critical issue in storage-poor hard rock basement contexts such as in northern Benin. The potential for deriving WSC from time-lapse gravity data partly depends on environmental features such as topography and the instrument shelter. Therefore, this issue is addressed first, with the background idea that such sensitivity analysis should be undertaken before setting up any new instrument. In Djougou, local topography is quite flat leading to a theoretical straightforward relationship between gravity changes and WSC, close to the standard Bouguer value. However, the shelter plays a significant masking role, which is the principal limitation to the retrieval of fast hydrological processes such as ET following a rain event. Several issues concerning classical gravity corrections are also addressed in the paper. These include gap-filling procedures during rain-events and drift estimates for short time series. Special attention is provided to atmospheric corrections, and different approaches are tested: a simple scalar admittance, a filtered scalar admittance, a frequency-dependent admittance and direct atmospheric loading calculations. It is shown that the physically based approach of direct loading calculations performs better in both residual minimization and ET retrieval. Moreover, non-local hydrological effects are investigated and account for about 20% of the gravity residuals. Finally, gravity residuals are briefly analyzed at two distinct time scales: rapid (up to a few days) and seasonal. At the rapid time-scale, it is shown that ET retrieval is hardly achievable given shelter size and state-of-the-art atmospheric corrections. Still, mean values retrieved from this study are in accordance with known values of potential ET and lateral flow. Direct comparison of gravity changes with hydrological data (neutron probe monitoring and water table levels) show some discrepancies, particularly for the hydrological year of 2011, for which all hydrological data show a deficit, but SG and FG5 data do not. This preliminary analysis both provides a basis and call for further hydro-gravity modeling, to comprehensively investigate the water-cycle at the Djougou station.     

Dating chert (diagenetic silica) using in-situ produced 10Be: Possible complications revealed through a comparison with 36Cl applied to coexisting limestone

This paper highlights potential complications that may arise while using in situ produced ¹⁰Be to date exposure or burial events using diagenetic silica (chert). The initiation and evolution of large gravitational collapses in sedimentary rocks were constrained using cosmic ray exposure dating. Because these collapses occurred in a stratigraphic level composed of chert (diagenetic silica) concretions interbedded in limestone layers, their development was studied by performing in situ-produced ³⁶Cl and ¹⁰Be concentration measurements in both the limestone and coexisting diagenetic silica (chert), respectively. Following the routinely used decontamination and preparation protocols for ¹⁰Be produced in diagenetic silica, large discrepancies were observed with exposure ages determined by ³⁶Cl within carbonate for samples originating from the same scarp. While ³⁶Cl exposure ages were clustered as expected for a unique single gravitational event, ¹⁰Be exposure ages were scattered along the same studied scarps. To determine the origin of such a bias, petrological investigations were carried out for chert (diagenetic silica). Thin sections highlighted a complex mineralogical texture characterized by remnant silicified ooids showing calcitic cores, calcite inclusions and a dominant amorphous hydrated silica (grain > 20 μm). To decipher and characterize the potential origins of the excess measured ¹⁰Be within diagenetic silica, all samples were first reprocessed following the routine decontamination protocol (HCL–H₂SiF₆ leachings and three partial HF dissolutions) but starting from three different grain size fractions (GS1: 1000–500, GS2: 500–250 and GS3: 250–50 μm). The resulting concentrations clearly showed a decreasing ¹⁰Be content as a function of the grain size, but still yielded ¹⁰Be exposure ages significantly higher than ³⁶Cl counterparts. Because potential adsorption of ¹⁰Be at the surface of amorphous silica grains was suspected, partial dissolution steps following by a leaching step in hydroxylamine were investigated. Finally, it seems that an additional leaching in KOH allowed removal of the amorphous silica phase and the measured ¹⁰Be concentrations yielded ¹⁰Be exposure ages agreeing within uncertainties with the ³⁶Cl ones. This work suggests that measuring in situ produced ¹⁰Be within chert (amongst other types of diagenetic silica, e.g. flint, hornstone, jasper, etc.) containing amorphous silica requires caution.     

Surface exposure dating of Holocene basalt flows and cinder cones in the Kula volcanic field (Western Turkey) using cosmogenic 3He and 10Be

The Kula volcanic field in Western Turkey comprises about 80 cinder cones and associated basaltic lava flows of Quaternary age. Based on geomorphological criteria and K-Ar dating, three eruption phases, β2–β4, were distinguished in previous studies. Human footprints in ash deposits document that the early inhabitants of Anatolia were affected by the volcanic eruptions, but the age of the footprints has been poorly constrained. Here we use ³He and ¹⁰Be exposure dating of olivine phenocrysts and quartz-bearing xenoliths to determine the age of the youngest lava flows and cinder cones. In the western part of the volcanic field, two basalt samples from a 15-km-long block lava flow yielded ³He ages of 1.5 ± 0.3 ka and 2.5 ± 0.4 ka, respectively, with the latter being in good agreement with a ¹⁰Be age of 2.4 ± 0.3 ka for an augen gneiss xenolith from the same flow. A few kilometers farther north, a metasedimentary xenolith from the top of the cinder cone Çakallar Tepe gave a ¹⁰Be age of 11.2 ± 1.1 ka, which dates the last eruption of this cone and also the human footprints in the related ash deposits. In the center of the volcanic field, a basalt sample and a metasedimentary xenolith from another cinder cone gave consistent ³He and ¹⁰Be ages of 2.6 ± 0.4 ka and 2.6 ± 0.3 ka, respectively. Two β4 lava flows in the central and eastern part of the volcanic province yielded ³He ages of 3.3 ± 0.4 ka and 0.9 ± 0.2 ka, respectively. Finally, a relatively well-preserved β3 flow gave a ³He age of ∼13 ka. Taken together, our results demonstrate that the penultimate eruption phase β3 in the Kula volcanic field continued until ∼11 ka, whereas the youngest phase β4 started less than four thousand years ago and may continue in the future.     

Lavini di Marco (Trentino,Italy): 36Cl exposure dating of a polyphase rock avalanche

The Lavini di Marco rock avalanche deposit (“Marocca di Marco”) is located along the left side of the middle Adige Valley, south of the town of Rovereto (NE Italy). The deposit is estimated to have a volume of ∼2 × 10⁸ m³ and cover an area of ∼6.8 km². It comprises Jurassic Calcari Grigi limestones that detached from the western slope of Mt. Zugna Torta. The Lavini di Marco is composed of at least two different rock avalanche bodies, the main deposit known as Lavini di Marco (the principal) and the much smaller Costa Stenda deposit. Costa Stenda deposits overlie Lavini di Marco deposits. Samples for ³⁶Cl exposure dating were collected from boulders within the deposits, from sliding plane bedrock and from the bedrock wall at the head scarp. Exposure ages range from 800 ± 210 to 21310 ± 1000 years. The latter age stands as a notable outlier suggesting that that Costa Stenda boulder was exposed for a considerable amount of time in the pre-slide bedrock. Lavini di Marco and Costa Stenda boulder ages are 2600 ± 200, 2700 ± 200, 3100 ± 300, 3300 ± 300, 3400 ± 300, 4400 ± 290, 5300 ± 300, and 5400 ± 300 years. The latter three are Costa Stenda boulders which we also interpret to contain inherited nuclide concentrations. The five remaining boulder ages cluster around 3000 years. We calculate a mean age for the Lavini di Marco and Costa Stenda rockslides of 3000 ± 400 years. Within the uncertainties of our data the two slides were simultaneous. For the bedrock sliding plane we obtained significantly younger ages, 1600 ± 100 and 1400 ± 100 years, and for the head scarp 800 ± 200 years. The sliding plane ages record small-scale reactivation which seems to overlap in time with a catastrophic flood event of the Adige River in Verona, as reported in the Fulda Annales, in 883 AD. Only the single age of 800 ± 210 years suggests activity at Lavini di Marco coincident with the well-known Verona earthquake (1117 AD).     

First results from the hot plasma instrument PROMICS-3 on Interball-2

The PROMICS-3 instrument on Interball-2 is nominally identical to the PROMICS-3 instrument on Interball-1. It performs three-dimensional measurements of ions in the energy range 4 eV–70 keV with mass separation and of electrons in the energy range 300 eV–35 keV. Interball-2 was launched on August 29, 1996, into an orbit with the same inclination as that of Interball-1, 63°, but with apogee at 20 000 km. In this study the PROMICS-3 instrument on Interball-2 is briefly described and examples of the first results are presented. Firstly, we report observations of upward moving molecular ions with energies of up to 700 eV at the poleward edge of the auroral oval. Previous observations of outflowing molecular ions have been at lower altitudes and lower energies. Secondly, we show observations of dawnside magnetosheath plasma injections. Using conjugate data from both PROMICS-3 instruments we have found dispersion structures above the morningside auroral oval, which occurred simultaneously with isolated “pockets” of magnetosheath plasma at a distance of X_GSM = −14 to −12 R_E, which had been injected into the inner part of the low-latitude boundary layer. These isolated plasma structures were sites of strong field-aligned currents and are proposed to be the magnetospheric counterparts of the dispersion structures.     

Inter-comparison of cosmogenic in-situ He, Ne and Cl at low latitude along an altitude transect on the SE slope of Kilimanjaro volcano (3°S, Tanzania)

Because the intensity and energy spectrum of the cosmic ray flux are affected by atmospheric depth and geomagnetic-field strength, cosmogenic nuclide production rates increase considerably with altitude and to a lesser degree with latitude. The scaling methods used to account for spatial variability in production rates assume that all cosmogenic nuclides have the same altitude dependence. In this study we evaluate whether the production rates of cosmogenic ³⁶Cl, ³He and ²¹Ne change differently with altitude, which is plausible due to the different threshold energies of their production reactions. If so, nuclide-specific scaling factors would be required.Concentrations of the three cosmogenic nuclides were determined in mafic phenocrysts over an altitude transect between 1000 and 4300 m at Kilimanjaro volcano (3°S). Altitude dependence of relative production rates was assessed in two ways: by determination of concentration ratios and by calculation of apparent exposure age ratios for all nuclide pairs. The latter accounts for characteristics of ³⁶Cl that the stable nuclides ³He and ²¹Ne do not possess (radioactive decay, high sensitivity to mineral composition and significant contributions from production reactions other than spallation). All ratios overlap within error over the entire transect, and altitudinal variation in relative production rates is not therefore evident. This suggests that nuclide-specific scaling factors are not required for the studied nuclides at this low-latitude location. However, because previous studies have documented anomalous altitude-dependent variations in ³He production at mid-latitude sites, the effect of latitude on cross-calibrations should be further evaluated.We determined cosmogenic ²¹Ne/³He concentration ratios of 0.1864 ± 0.0085 in pyroxenes and 0.377 ± 0.018 in olivines, agreeing with those reported in previous studies.Despite the absence of independently determined ages for the studied lava surfaces, the consistency in the dataset should enable progress to be made in the determination of the production rates of all three nuclides as soon as the production rate of one of the nuclides has been accurately defined.To our knowledge this is the first time that ³⁶Cl has been measured in pyroxene. The Cl extraction method was validated by measuring ³⁶Cl in co-existing plagioclase phenocrysts in one of the samples.     

First results from the plasma composition spectrometer PROMICS-3 in the Interball project

PROMICS-3 is a plasma experiment flown in the Russian project Interball. It performs three-dimensional (3D) measurements of ions in the energy range 4 eV–70 keV with mass separation and of electrons in the energy range 12 eV–35 keV. The Interball project consists of two main satellites, the Tail Probe and the Auroral Probe, each with one subsatellite. The Interball Tail Probe was launched on 3 August 1995, into a 65° inclination orbit with apogee at about 30 R_E. Both main satellites carry identical PROMICS-3 instruments and thus direct comparisons of the particle distributions will be possible once the Auroral Probe is launched. Furthermore, PROMICS-3-Tail is the first instrument measuring the 3D ion distribution function in the magnetospheric boundary layers at high latitudes. In this paper we describe the PROMICS-3 instrument and show initial results from the Tail probe, measurements of the mag-netosheath, plasma sheet, and ring current plasmas.     

In situ cosmogenic ~(10)Be,~(26)Al,and ~(21)Ne dating in sediments from the Guizhou Plateau,southwest China

Landscape evolution is modulated by the regional tectonic uplift,climate change,and river dynamics.However,how to distinguish these mechanisms through the research of surface exhumation and fluvial incision remains controversial.In this study,cosmogenic~(10)Be,~(26)Al,and~(21)Ne concentrations in quartz from cave deposits,modern river sediments,and bedrocks were measured to constrain the applicability of cosmogenic~(21)Ne and discuss Quaternary landscape evolution history in the Guizhou Plateau,southeast China.Using the~(26)Al-~(10)Be and~(21)Ne-~(10)Be pairs to distinguish the cosmogenic~(21)Ne concentration from the excess~(21)Ne,we found that the nucleogenic~(21)Ne produced by the U and Th decay in quartz is significant in the samples although there is the possibility of inherited cosmogenic~(21)Ne.Combining with previous studies,we suggest that the precise approach for applying the cosmogenic~(21)Ne could be reached by (1) estimating the contribution from nucleogenic~(21)Ne,(2) avoiding samples with complex burial histories to exclude inherited cosmogenic~(21)Ne,and (3) combining the~(10)Be-~(26)Al-~(21)Ne nuclides method for the Quaternary samples.In addition,both pre-burial basin denudation rates and burial ages derived from the~(26)Al-~(10)Be pair were used to determine the different timescale surface denudation rate and fluvial incision rate in relation to previous work.The consistency of the different timescales pre-burial basin denudation rate,~(36)Cl surface denudation rate,and modern basin denudation rate indicates that the landscape-scale surface denudation has been likely stabilized since the Quaternary in the Guizhou Plateau area.The slightly higher river incision rates than the local surface denudation rate show that the river dynamics may not have reached a steady-state due to the regional tectonic uplift in the Guizhou Plateau.     

Monthly record of the Cl and 36Cl fallout rates in a deciduous forest ecosystem in NE France in 2012 and 2013

This study aims at determining the chlorine and chlorine-36 fallout rates in an experimental beech forest site located in NE France (48°31′55″ N, 5°16′8″ E). A monthly record of Cl and ³⁶Cl concentrations in rainfall samples collected above the canopy was performed during two years, from March 2012 to February 2014. The results show that the Cl concentrations mainly originate from sea-spray while the ³⁶Cl concentrations originate from the stratosphere and therefore present a seasonal dependency. Abrupt and important inputs of ³⁶Cl from the stratosphere indeed yield sharp increases of the recorded concentrations during the spring-summer. We also show that a too short sampling period might bias the determined ³⁶Cl fallout rate. To smooth the seasonal and sporadic bursts of ³⁶Cl, a minimum of 6 months sampling period is required. A mean ³⁶Cl fallout rate of (77 ± 21) atoms m⁻² s⁻¹ can be deduced from our study, which is 45% higher than the modelled value. This discrepancy suggests more studies aiming at measuring the ³⁶Cl fallout rate worldwide are necessary.     

The distribution of large mixotrophic ciliates (Stentor) in deep North Patagonian lakes (Chile): First results

This study showed first results on the geographical distribution of mixotrophic ciliates of the genus Stentor in the Chilean North Patagonian Lake District. Thirteen deep North Patagonian lakes were sampled during 2004 and 2005, and important ecological parameters as nutrients, light climate, chlorophyll a and all plankton groups were analysed. The data were evaluated using correlation, cluster and discriminant function analyses.In four of 13 lakes, Stentor was an important constituent of the plankton community and contributed significantly to the total zooplankton biomass. It coinhabited lakes with calanoid copepods (Boeckella, Tumeodiaptomus) and small cladocerans (Eubosmina, Ceriodaphnia). Stentor was negatively correlated with cyclopoid copepods and large cladocerans. Cyclopoid copepods were a very good predictor to discriminate between lakes with and without Stentor. It is suggested that cyclopoid copepods have top-down impact on Stentor.     

Petrology of the Izmir-Karaburun volcanic area (West Turkey)

The Izmir-Karaburun region is located on the West coast of Turkey. In this area volcanic rocks of the late Miocene-Pliocene age outcrop. On the basis of the collected petrographic and geochemical data it has been possible to subdivide these rocks in to three series:a) calc-alkaline series of Karaburun-Koca dag-Izmir (quantitatively the most important). This series is formed by latite-andesites-dacites-rhyodacites.b) Silicic series of Izmir-Lebedos, mainly constituted by alkali rhyolitic rocks.c) Urla series, formed by alkali trachytes and alkali rhyolites, associated with scarce basic lavas of hawaiitic type. A different genesis is assumed for these series. In a first phase the latite-andesitic magma was formed by a partial melting in the lower crust or in the upper mantle. Afterwards a subcrustal magma with alkali basaltic affinity rose slowly through the crust forming an intermediate reservoir and differentiating predominantly towards alkali trachytic terms. Finally silicic magma of Izmir-Lebedos was formed by an anatectic process. It is possible that the fusion has been favoured by the presence of basic magma in the upper crust.     

Age of radiolarian-chert blocks from the Senonian Ophiolitic Mélange (Ankara, Turkey)

Abstract The Senonian Ophiolitic Mélange of the Ankara Mélange Supergroup includes numerous blocks of radiolarian cherts. These blocks contain various radiolarian assemblages from the Albian to the Turonian ( Pseudodictyomitra pseudomacrocephala, Thanarla tieneta) , the Lower Cretaceous ( Thanarla conica, Alievium helenae, Pseudodictyomitra carpatica) , the Kimmeridgian-Tithonian ( Ristola altissima, Sethocapsa cetia, Podocapsa umphitreptera) and the lower Jurassic ( Parahsuum simplum). Upper Norian radiolarians were obtained from two of these blocks. The assemblage is represented by Betraccium deweveri Pessagno and Blome, Ferresium triquetrum Carter, Pylostephanidium ankaraense n. sp. (Genus Pylostephanidizi was formerly unknown in the upper Triassic) and other taxa. Thus, upper Norian fauna of Turkey exhibits close similarity to the radiolarian assemblages of western North America, Eastern Russia, Japan and the Philippines. This provides further evidence for the correlation of Mediterranean and Pacific Triassic sequences. These data allow for the conclusion that the sedimentation of radiolarian cherts was common in this part of Tethys during the Late Triassic and the Jurassic.     

Assessment of organotin (butyltin species) contamination in marine biota from the Eastern Aegean Sea, Turkey

The marine environment continues to be adversely affected by tributyltin (TBT) release from maritime traffic. Therefore the concentrations of TBT, dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT) were measured in barnacles, mussels and fish along the Eastern Aegean coastline. The average concentrations of TBT ng Sn g⁻¹ were found to be 235 in fish, 116 in mussels and 635 in barnacles. The highest concentrations of TBT, DBT and MBT were observed in the barnacles which had been sampled in marinas and harbors. All mussels sampled showed values of TBT + DBT, which were below the “tolerable average residue level (TARL)” as currently accepted. This indicates a lack of risk to the consumer. However, 7 out of the 15 fish sampled displayed TBT + DBT levels above the TARL, which indicates that a fish consumer group may be at risk. Barnacles have high potential as biomonitors for the presence of organotin in the Aegean Sea.     

First results from ground-based daytime optical investigation of the development of the equatorial ionization anomaly

A meridional scanning OI 630.0-nm dayglow photometer was operated from Ahmedabad (17.2^°N dip lat.) scanning a region towards the south in the upper atmosphere extending over \sim5^° in latitude from 10.2^°N to 15.2^°N dip latitude. From the spatial and temporal variabilities of the dayglow intensity in the scanning region we show for the first time, evidence for the passage of the crest of the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) in the daytime by means of a ground-based optical technique. The relationship between the daytime eastward electric field over the dip equator in the same longitude zone as inferred from the equatorial electrojet strength and the evolutionary pattern of EIA is clearly demonstrated. The latter as inferred from the dayglow measurements is shown to be consistent with our present understanding of the electrodynamical processes in the equatorial region. The present results reveal the potential of this ground-based optical technique for the investigation of ionospheric/thermospheric phenomena with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution.     

Evolution of Br/Cl ratios in fumarolic salammoniac from Vulcano (Aeolian Islands,Italy)

 Bromine/chlorine ratios in salammoniac samples, collected from 1983 to 1994 at the Fossa crater fumaroles of Vulcano (Aeolian Islands), were determined. The data obtained in this work have been compared to those obtained by Coradossi et al. (1985) in order to carry out a systematic study of the Br/Cl ratio variations since 1977. Br/Cl ratios range from 0.04 to 0.29. The Br/Cl ratio variations observed have been interpreted as the result of different contributions among deep and shallow components feeding the fumarolic fluids of Vulcano. The Br/Cl increases, which occurred from 1977 to 1979, in 1983–1984 and in 1992–1993, have been connected to an increased input of magmatic gases. Received: 10 November 1995 / Accepted: 12 July 1996     

Frequency-Dependent Attenuation of Coda Waves in the Crust in Southwest Anatolia (Turkey)

The attenuation of coda waves in the earth’s crust in southwest (SW) Anatolia is estimated by using the coda wave method, which is based on the decrease of coda wave amplitude in time and distance. A total of 159 earthquakes were recorded between 1997 and 2010 by 11 stations belonging to the KOERI array. The coda quality factor Q _c is determined from the properties of scattered coda waves in a heterogeneous medium. Firstly, the quality factor Q ₀ (the value of Q _c at 1 Hz.) and its frequency dependency η are determined from this method depending on the attenuation properties of scattered coda waves for frequencies of 1.5, 3.0, 6.0, 8.0, 12 and 20 Hz. Secondly, the attenuation coefficients (δ) are estimated. The shape of the curve is controlled by the scattering and attenuation in the crustal volume sampled by the coda waves. The average Q _c values vary from 110 ± 15 to 1,436 ± 202 for the frequencies above. The Q ₀ and η values vary from 63 ± 7 to 95 ± 10 and from 0.87 ± 0.03 to 1.04 ± 0.09, respectively, for SW Anatolia. In this region, the average coda Q–f relation is described by Q _c = (78 ± 9)f ^0.98±0.07 and δ = 0.012 km^?1. The low Q ₀ and high η are consistent with a region characterized by high tectonic activity. The Q _c values were correlated with the tectonic pattern in SW Anatolia.     

Seismological investigations of fireworks factory explosions in Hendek-Sakarya (Turkey)

Journal of Seismology - On July 3, 2020, a sequence of explosions occurred in the Hendek fireworks factory in Sakarya, Turkey. The explosion caused great material damage and loss of life. In this...