Calculation of subsolidus phase relations in carbonates and pyroxenes

This formulation of the free energy of mixing in a binary system takes as parameters a Bragg-Williams type cooperative disordering energy and the difference in free energy between different structures for the end-members. Subsolidus phase relations in carbonate systems such as CaCO₃—MgCO₃ and CdCO₃—MgCO₃ are calculated. Similar equations also reproduce the topologies of subsolidus phase relations in pyroxenes, including orthopyroxene-clinopyroxene phase boundaries in the enstatitediopside and ferrosilite-hedenbergite systems, the pigeonite-augite solvus, and the stability field of iron-free pigeonite.     

In-water and remote measurements of ocean color

Spectral measurements of downwelling irradiance, E _d(), above the surface, and of upwelling irradiance just below the surface, E _u(), allow computation of spectral values of the diffuse reflectance R() = E _u()/E _d(); this yields full information about the true color and brightness of the ocean. Typical results are presented and interpreted for waters very different in turbidity and phytoplankton content. Conversely, the possibility of infering the water content from R() data at selected wavelengths is examined in terms of the respective number of equations and unknowns. The necessary use of assumptions and of empirical laws is emphasized.The magnitude of the useful signal emerging from the water, and the magnitude of the additional signals due to specular reflexion at the interface and to atmospheric scattering, are compared on the basis of spectroradiometric measurements performed within and above the sea, from different altitudes. These unwanted signals are dominant, causing a drastic change in the spectral composition of the light received by a remote sensor. The evaluation of the atmospheric effect must be very precise in order to recover the marine signal with a sufficient accuracy for a meaningful application of any kind of algorithm.This work was supported in part by the Centre National d'Exploitation des Océans (under contract CNEXO 77/1695) and in part by the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (RCP 247 & ERA 278).     

Report of the working group on water color

This report on water color is divided into two parts: a summary of the formal and informal presentations made at the meeting, and a summary of the conclusions and recommendations reached during the working group meetings. The group's discussions were divided into four categories: inwater studies and algorithms, atmospheric effects and correction algorithms, design of the next generation of spacecraft sensors, and future projects. Naturally, most of the discussion concerned the Coastal Zone Color Scanner on Nimbus-G but discussion was not restricted to this sensor. There were few members of the working group specializing in sediment studies; this is reflected in the fact that the major portion of the report deals with the remote determination of phytoplankton pigments.On leave from Department of Physics, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida.     

Petrology and geochemistry of alkali basalts and ultramafic inclusions from the palei-aike volcanic field in Southern Chile and the origin of the patagonian plateau lavas

The Palei-Aike volcanic field, the southernmost unit of the Patagonian plateau lavas, consists of Pleistocene to Recent alkali olivine basalts petrologically and geochemically similar to alkali basalts from diverse tectonic environments. The Palei-Aike basalts have lower SiO₂ and Al₂O₃ and higher TiO₂ and P₂O₃ than published analyses of other Patagonian plateau basalts. Garnet, garnet + spinel-, and phlogopite-peridotites, not reported from other Patagonian plateau lavas or from elsewhere in South America, are common inclusions within Palei-Aike lavas along with spinel-lherzolite, dunite, granulites, and aluminous clinopyroxene megacrysts. The inclusion of these high-pressure assemblages indicates a mantle origin for the Palei-Aike lavas. The Patagonian plateau lavas are located in a tectonic position similar to back-arc basins, and their origin may be a consequence of subduction. The origin and distinct chemical features of the Palei-Aike basalts may be due in part to thermal or mechanical perturbations of the mantle related to changes in plate boundaries and motions in the vicinity of the unstable trench-transform triple junction formed by the South American, Antarctic and Scotia plates.     

Long-term change in eelgrass distribution at Bahía San Quintín,Baja California,Mexico, using satellite imagery

Seagrasses are critically important components of many marine coastal and estuarine ecosystems, but are declining worldwide. Spatial change in distribution of eelgrass,Zostera marina L., was assessed at Bahía San Quintín, Baja California, Mexico, using a map to map comparison of data interpreted from a 1987 Satellite Pour l'Observation de la Terre multispectral satellite image and a 2000 Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapping image. Eelgrass comprised 49% and 43% of the areal extent of the bay in 1987 and 2000, respectively. Spatial extent of eelgrass was 13% less (−321 ha) in 2000 than in 1987 with most losses occurring in subtidal areas. Over the 13-yr study period, there was a 34% loss of submerged eelgrass (−457 ha) and a 13% (+136 ha) gain of intertidal eelgrass. Within the two types of intertidal eelgrass, the patchy cover class (<85% cover) expanded (+250 ha) and continuous cover class (≥85% cover) declined (−114 ha). Most eelgrass losses were likely the result of sediment loading and turbidity caused by a single flooding event in winter of 1992–1993. Recent large-scale agricultural development of adjacent uplands may have exacerbated the effects of the flood. Oyster farming was not associated with any detectable losses in eelgrass spatial extent, despite the increase in number of oyster racks from 57 to 484 over the study period.     

Thermochemistry of jarosite-alunite and natrojarosite-natroalunite solid solutions

The thermochemistry of jarosite-alunite and natrojarosite-natroalunite solid solutions was investigated. Members of these series were either coprecipitated or synthesized hydrothermally and were characterized by XRD, FTIR, electron microprobe analysis, ICP-MS, and thermal analysis. Partial alkali substitution and vacancies on the Fe/Al sites were observed in all cases, and the solids studied can be described by the general formula K_1-x-yNa_y(H₃O)_xFe_zAl_w(SO₄)₂(OH)_6-3(3-z-w)(H₂O)_3(3-z-w). A strong preferential incorporation of Fe over Al in the jarosite/alunite structure was observed. Heats of formation from the elements, ΔH°_f, were determined by high-temperature oxide melt solution calorimetry. The solid solutions deviate slightly from thermodynamic ideality by exhibiting positive enthalpies of mixing in the range 0 to +11 kJ/mol. The heats of formation of the end members of both solid solutions were derived. The values ΔH°_f = −3773.6 ± 9.4 kJ/mol, ΔH°_f = −4912.2 ± 24.2 kJ/mol, ΔH°_f = −3734.6 ± 9.7 kJ/mol and ΔH°_f = −4979.7 ± 7.5kJ/mol were found for K_0.85(H₃O)_0.15Fe_2.5(SO₄)₂(OH)_4.5(H₂O)_1.5, K_0.85(H₃O)_0.15Al_2.5(SO₄)₂(OH)_4.5(H₂O)_1.5, Na_0.7(H₃O)_0.3Fe_2.7(SO₄)₂(OH)_5.1(H₂O)_0.9, and Na_0.7(H₃O)_0.3Al_2.7(SO₄)₂(OH)_5.1(H₂O)_0.9 respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first experimentally-based report of ΔH°_f for such nonstoichiometric alunite and natroalunite samples. These thermodynamic data should prove helpful to study, under given conditions, the partitioning of Fe and Al between the solids and aqueous solution.     

Palaeomagnetic data from Ediacaran (Vendian) sediments of the Arkhangelsk region, NW Russia: An alternative apparent polar wander path of Baltica for the Late Proterozoic–Early Palaeozoic

The study area is situated along the Zolotica river in NW Russia, located within the Kola–Dvyna Rift System in the Baltic Shield that developed during Meso and Neoproterozoic times. A 9-m thick section made up of shallow marine sediments of Upper Ediacaran age was sampled in this locality. Two volcaniclastic levels from the middle part of the section yielded an age of 556 Ma. (U/Pb SHRIMP-II on zircons). Two magnetic components were successfully isolated, component A (Decl = 157.1, Incl = 68.0, ₉₅ = 1.9°, N = 575 in situ) carried by magnetite and component B (Decl = 120.3, Incl = − 31.7, ₉₅ = 3.9°, N = 57, bedding corrected), carried by haematite. While component A is thought to represent a younger overprint direction, the in situ direction for component B on the other hand, is dissimilar to any expected younger direction and is considered to be primary magnetisation in origin, acquired during or soon after deposition of the sediments in the Late Ediacaran. The corresponding palaeomagnetic pole for component A in situ is located at Lon = 55.4°E, Lat = 31°N, A₉₅ = 2.7° and for component B at Lon = 110°E, Lat = 28.3°S, A₉₅ = 3.8°, N = 57. Combined with other palaeomagnetic poles of the same tectonostratigraphic unit an alternative apparent polar wander path for the Late Proterozoic–Early Palaeozoic of Baltica is proposed. Such an alternative path shows that after the mid Cryogenian (750 Ma), the poles that were situated over South Africa (p.d.c.) moved to the east until they reached Australia during the Late Ediacaran (555 Ma) where they remained approximately stationary until the beginning of the Cambrian (545 Ma). Finally, they moved to the northwest until they reached the Arabian Peninsula in the Early Ordovician. Palaeolatitudes indicate that Baltica situated near the equator from the Cryogenian through to the Ediacaran moving gradually to the south at c. 1 cm/yr. During the Late Early Ediacaran, the plate suddenly began to drift northward at c. 8 cm/yr and in the boundary with the Cambrian it was positioned in low to intermediate latitudes. Finally, Baltica began to move back to the south at c. 13 cm/yr until in the Early Ordovician, reaching intermediate to high southern latitudes.     

Characterisation of dispersed organic matter from lower Palaeozoic metasedimentary rocks by organic petrography, X-ray diffraction and micro-Raman spectroscopy analyses

Dispersed organic matter (DOM) concentrates of C-rich rocks from areas with different metamorphic characteristics were studied by organic petrography, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and micro-Raman spectroscopy analysis. The concentrates contain several types of DOM with different morphologies, reflectance, X-ray diffraction and micro-Raman characteristics.Four different morphological types were identified in the two studied areas. The different types have different distributions and their reflectance is quite variable in the four types, with a dominance of the highest reflectance values in the DOM from the area with the highest metamorphic grade.XRD analyses of samples from the areas reveal the presence of fine graphite together with non-graphitised carbons.The Raman spectral profiles show the usual bands G (1582 cm⁻¹) and D1 (1350 cm⁻¹), on the first-order Raman spectrum, and S1 (2700 cm⁻¹) on the second-order spectrum. Additional weaker bands, D2 (1620 cm⁻¹), and more rarely D3 (1500 cm⁻¹) and S2 (2900 cm⁻¹), are present. These are characteristic for disordered carbons in the different types of DOM and in both studied areas. However, the Raman parameters (D1/G intensity area ratio and the frequency and width of G band) indicate variable degrees of organisation in all DOM types.The existence of different types of DOM with different degrees of ordering in the same lithologies and metamorphic grade seems to be related to different organic precursors, as they are graphitised to different extents under the same metamorphic conditions. However, in the same lithologies and metamorphic grade, the existence of various stages of graphitisation within the same type of DOM can only be explained though the interaction of DOM with the metamorphic fluids present in the rocks. The ordering graphitisation process may be due to the existence of metamorphic fluid circulation events with a variety of compositions.     

The Thermodynamics of Ordered Perovskites on the CaTiO3-FeTiO3 Join

The enthalpies of formation from ilmenite, FeTiO₃, and perovskite, CaTiO₃, of two intermediate ordered perovskite phases, CaFeTi₂O₆ and CaFe₃Ti₄O₁₂, have been measured at 801°C using oxide melt solution calorimetry. These data, in combination with experiments at high pressure and temperature, indicate that below 1518±50°C CaFe₃Ti₄O₁₂ is stable at lower pressures (∼7 GPa at 1200°C) than CaFeTi₂O₆ (∼13 GPa at 1200°C). This relationship should be reversed, and CaFeTi₂O₆ should become stable at lower pressures than CaFe₃Ti₄O₁₂, at temperatures above 1518±50°C. These intermediate phases are of petrological interest because they form as a reaction between two minerals, ilmenite and perovskite, which are commonly associated in kimberlites, and because their pressure-temperature range of formation overlaps that of origin of kimberlites. Received: 10 November 1997 / Revised; accepted: 15 January 1998     

Cyclical Spectral and Photometric Variations of the Apparently Single Wolf-Rayet Star WR 134

Evidence is presented for the existence of a 2.3 day periodicity in the line-profile changes of the apparently singleWolf-Rayet star WR 134. This cyclical variability may be induced either by the presence of an orbiting collapsed companion, or by the rotational modulation of a largely inhomogeneous outflow. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.