Ediacaran terrane accretion within the Arabian–Nubian Shield

The Ad Dawadimi Terrane is an Ediacaran basin of the Arabian Nubian Shield (ANS), Saudi Arabia. This basin terrane is situated in the far eastern part of the ANS and represents the youngest accretion event of the exposed ANS. Therefore, the timing of events within the basin is key to understanding both the closure of the Mozambique Ocean and the amalgamation of Gondwana along the northern East African Orogen. Here we present U/Pb detrital zircon data for the Abt Formation, the principle basin sediments of the Ad Dawadimi Terrane, along with ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages on muscovite and whole rock Sm/Nd data. These data indicate that deep-water deposition in the Abt Basin did not end until after ca. 620 Ma and that deformation and greenschist-facies metamorphism of the Abt Formation occurred at 620 ± 3 (2σ) Ma along an active margin. This is the youngest terrane amalgamation event reported so far in the Arabian–Nubian Shield, but we suggest even younger sutures lie further east beneath the Phanerozoic cover of eastern Saudi Arabia. Our results suggest that the Ediacaran basins of the eastern ANS were not part of the Huqf basin in Oman, which was instead part of a passive margin of Neoproterozoic India, separated from the active margin of Africa by the Mozambique Ocean that probably did not close until the late Ediacaran or early Cambrian.     

Experimental Study of Brittle Behavior of Clay Shale in Rapid Triaxial Compression

The brittle failure behavior of an over-consolidated clay shale (Opalinus Clay) in undrained rapid triaxial compression was studied. The confining stress levels were chosen to simulate the range of confining stresses relevant for underground excavations at the Mont Terri Underground Research Laboratory, and to investigate the transition from axial splitting failure to macroscopic shear failure. Micro-crack initiation was observed throughout the confining stress range utilized in this study at a differential stress of 2.1 MPa on average, which indicates that friction was not mobilized at this stage of brittle failure. The rupture stress was dependent on confinement indicating friction mobilization during the brittle failure process. With increasing confinement net volumetric strain decreased suggesting that dilation was suppressed, which is possibly related to a change in the failure mode. At confining stress levels ≤0.5 MPa specimen rupture was associated with axial splitting. With increasing confinement, transition to a macroscopic shearing mode was observed. Multi-stage triaxial tests consistently showed lower strengths than single-stage tests, demonstrating cumulative damage in the specimens. Both the Mohr–Coulomb and Hoek–Brown failure criteria could not satisfactorily fit the data over the entire confining stress range. A bi-linear or S-shaped failure criterion was found to satisfactorily fit the test data over the entire confinement range studied.     

Stardust-NExT,Deep Impact,and the accelerating spin of 9P/Tempel 1

The evolution of the spin rate of Comet 9P/Tempel 1 through two perihelion passages (in 2000 and 2005) is determined from 1922 Earth-based observations taken over a period of 13 year as part of a World-Wide observing campaign and from 2888 observations taken over a period of 50 days from the Deep Impact spacecraft. We determine the following sidereal spin rates (periods): 209.023 ± 0.025°/dy (41.335 ± 0.005 h) prior to the 2000 perihelion passage, 210.448 ± 0.016°/dy (41.055 ± 0.003 h) for the interval between the 2000 and 2005 perihelion passages, 211.856 ± 0.030°/dy (40.783 ± 0.006 h) from Deep Impact photometry just prior to the 2005 perihelion passage, and 211.625 ± 0.012°/dy (40.827 ± 0.002 h) in the interval 2006–2010 following the 2005 perihelion passage. The period decreased by 16.8 ± 0.3 min during the 2000 passage and by 13.7 ± 0.2 min during the 2005 passage suggesting a secular decrease in the net torque. The change in spin rate is asymmetric with respect to perihelion with the maximum net torque being applied on approach to perihelion. The Deep Impact data alone show that the spin rate was increasing at a rate of 0.024 ± 0.003°/dy/dy at JD2453530.60510 (i.e., 25.134 dy before impact), which provides independent confirmation of the change seen in the Earth-based observations.The rotational phase of the nucleus at times before and after each perihelion and at the Deep Impact encounter is estimated based on the Thomas et al. (Thomas et al. [2007]. Icarus 187, 4–15) pole and longitude system. The possibility of a 180° error in the rotational phase is assessed and found to be significant. Analytical and physical modeling of the behavior of the spin rate through of each perihelion is presented and used as a basis to predict the rotational state of the nucleus at the time of the nominal (i.e., prior to February 2010) Stardust-NExT encounter on 2011 February 14 at 20:42.We find that a net torque in the range of 0.3–2.5 × 10⁷ kg m² s^?2 acts on the nucleus during perihelion passage. The spin rate initially slows down on approach to perihelion and then passes through a minimum. It then accelerates rapidly as it passes through perihelion eventually reaching a maximum post-perihelion. It then decreases to a stable value as the nucleus moves away from the Sun. We find that the pole direction is unlikely to precess by more than ～1° per perihelion passage. The trend of the period with time and the fact that the modeled peak torque occurs before perihelion are in agreement with published accounts of trends in water production rate and suggests that widespread H₂O out-gassing from the surface is largely responsible for the observed spin-up.     

Bolla Bollana boulder beds: A Neoproterozoic trough mouth fan in South Australia?

The Bolla Bollana Formation is an exceptionally thick (ca 1500 m), rift‐related sedimentary succession cropping out in the northern Flinders Ranges, South Australia, which was deposited during the Sturtian (mid Cryogenian) glaciation. Lithofacies analysis reveals three distinct facies associations which chart changing depositional styles on an ice‐sourced subaqueous fan system. The diamictite facies association is dominant, and comprises both massive and stratified varieties with a range of clast compositions and textures, arranged into thick beds (1 to 20 m), representing stacked, ice‐proximal glaciogenic debris‐flow deposits. A channel belt facies association, most commonly consisting of normally graded conglomerates and sandstones, displays scour and fill structure of ca 10 m width and 1 to 3 m depth: these strata are interpreted as channelized turbidites. Rare mud‐filled channels in this facies association bear glacially striated lonestones. Finally, a sheet heterolithics facies association contains a range of conglomerates through sandstones to silty shales arranged into clear, normally graded cycles from the lamina to bed scale. These record a variety of non‐channelized turbidites, probably occupying distal and/or inter‐channel locations on the subaqueous fan. Coarsening and thickening‐up cycles, capped by dolomicrites or mudstones, are indicative of lobe build out and abandonment, potentially as a result of ice lobe advance and stagnation. Dropstones, recognized by downwarped and punctured laminae beneath pebbles to boulders in shale, or in delicate climbing ripple cross‐laminated siltstones, are clearly indicative of ice rafting. The co‐occurrence of ice‐rafted debris and striated lonestones strongly supports a glaciogenic sediment source for the diamictites. Comparison to Pleistocene analogues enables an interpretation as a trough mouth fan, most probably deposited leeward of a palaeo‐ice stream. Beyond emphasizing the highly dynamic nature of Sturtian ice sheets, these interpretations testify to the oldest trough mouth fan recorded to date.     

Interactive visual analytics of hydrodynamic flux for the coastal zone

Researchers wish to study the potential impact of sea level rise from climate change, and visual analytic tools can allow scientists to visually examine and explore different possible scenarios from simulation runs. In particular, hydrodynamic flux is calculated to understand the net movement of water; but typically this calculation is tedious and is not easily achieved with traditional visualization and analytic tools. We present a visual analytic method that incorporates a transect profiler and flux calculator. The analytic software is incorporated into our visual analytics tool Vinca, and generates multiple transects, which can be visualized and analysed in several alternative visualizations; users can choose specific transects to compare against real-world data; users can explore how flux changes within a domain. In addition, we report how ocean scientists have used our tool to display multiple-view views of their data and analyse hydrodynamic flux for the coastal zone.     

Strontium isotopic evidence for prehistoric transport of gray‐ware ceramic materials in the eastern Grand Canyon region,USA

Through a novel application of strontium (Sr) isotopic analysis, we evaluate geological sources for prehistoric ceramics in the eastern Grand Canyon region of northern Arizona, focusing on two gray‐ware traditions in the Upper Basin of the Coconino Plateau. Building on a conceptual framework for the general potential of Sr isotopes in the analysis of geological materials, we suggest that the eastern Grand Canyon is specifically well suited archaeologically and geologically for: (1) exploring the utility of Sr isotopes for ceramic provenance research and (2) testing long‐standing hypotheses that gray‐ware ceramics were invariably made with local materials. Sr isotopic compositions indicate that the ceramic samples represent at least three different geological sources, and that different raw materials were used in the manufacture of the two gray‐ware traditions found in the Upper Basin. One of the gray‐ware traditions is not compositionally consistent with local geology, indicating that either the ceramics or the raw materials were transported at least 20 km to the Upper Basin. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Physical properties of chondrules in different chondrite groups: Implications for multiple melting events in dusty environments

Chondrite groups (CV, CK, CR) with large average chondrule sizes have low proportions of RP plus C chondrules, high proportions of enveloping compound chondrules, high proportions of chondrules with (thick) igneous rims, and relatively low proportions of type-I chondrules containing sulfide. In contrast, chondrite groups (CM, CO, OC, R, EH, EL) with smaller average chondrule sizes have the opposite properties. Equilibrated CK chondrites have plagioclase with relatively low Na; equilibrated OC, R, EH and EL chondrites have more sodic plagioclase. Enveloping compound chondrules and chondrules with igneous rims formed during a remelting event after the primary chondrule was incorporated into a dustball. Repeated episodes of remelting after chondrules were surrounded by dust would tend to produce large chondrules. RP and C chondrules formed by complete melting of their precursor assemblages; remelting of RP and C chondrules surrounded by dust would tend to produce porphyritic chondrules as small dust particles mixed with the melt, providing nuclei for crystallizing phenocrysts. This process would tend to diminish the numbers of RP and C chondrules. Correlations among these chondrule physical properties suggest that chondrite groups with large chondrules were typically surrounded by thick dust-rich mantles that formed in locally dusty nebular environments. Chondrules that were surrounded by thick dust mantles tended to cool more slowly because heat could not quickly radiate away. Slow cooling led to enhanced migration of sulfide to chondrule surfaces and more extensive sulfide evaporation. These chondrules also lost Na; the plagioclase that formed from equilibrated CK chondrites was thus depleted in Na.