Coupled (H, M) substitutions in forsterite

Coupled substitutions involving hydrogen plus trivalent elements (Al, Eu, Fe, Ga, Gd, Lu, Mn, Nd, Pu, Sc, Y and Yb) in forsterite (Mg₂SiO₄) are studied using atomistic simulation methods. Incorporation of hydrogen is energetically favourable when included in the forsterite lattice as hydroxyl groups (OH⁻) at O3 sites while the trivalent cations replace either magnesium or silicon. Our calculations show a strong dependence on the ionic radius of the impurity species and some variation with pressure. There are also significant structural distortions around the impurity defects. At low pressure (0 GPa), the smaller trivalent cations, (e.g. Al, Fe, Mn and Ga) substitute into forsterite by replacing Si as: . The larger trivalent cations (e.g. Eu, Gd, Lu, Nd, Pu, Y and Yb) however, replace Mg at the M2 site coupled with an Mg1 vacancy as described by . At 12 GPa, the large cations are more stable at Mg1 relative to Mg2, but both are predicted to be less stable than configurations associated with Si vacancies. The trivalent ionic radius has a significant effect on the H incorporation mechanism, however, the high formation energy of Si vacancies suggests that the presence of H in forsterite could inhibit incorporation of these elements, particularly at high pressure.     

In a PICL: The sedimentary deposits and facies of perennially ice‐covered lakes

Perennially ice‐covered lakes can have significantly different facies than open‐water lakes because sediment is transported onto the ice, where it accumulates, and sand grains preferentially melt through to be deposited on the lake floor. To characterize the facies in these lakes, sedimentary deposits from five Antarctic perennially ice‐covered lakes were described using lake‐bottom observations, underwater video and images, and sediment cores. One lake was dominated by laminated microbial mats and mud (derived from an abutting glacier), with disseminated sand and rare gravel. The other four lakes were dominated by laminated microbial mats and moderately well to moderately sorted medium to very coarse sand with sparse granules and pebbles; they contained minor interstitial or laminated mud (derived from streams and abutting glaciers). The sand was disseminated or localized in mounds and 1 m to more than 10 m long elongate ridges. Mounds were centimetres to metres in diameter; conical, elongate or round in shape; and isolated or deposited near or on top of one another. Sand layers in the mounds had normal, inverse, or no grading. Nine mixed mud and sand facies were defined for perennially ice‐covered lakes based on the relative proportion of mud to sand and the style of sand deposition. While perennially ice‐covered lake facies overlap with other ice‐influenced lakes and glaciomarine facies, they are characterized by a paucity of grains coarser than granules, a narrow range in sand grain sizes, and inverse grading in the sand mounds. These facies can be used to infer changes in ice cover through time and to identify perennially ice‐covered lakes in the rock record. Ancient perennially ice‐covered lakes are expected on Earth and Mars, and their characterization will provide new insights into past climatic conditions and habitability.     

The Adaptation of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer to a Change in Surface Roughness

The adaptation of the atmospheric boundary layer to a change in the underlying surface roughness is an interesting problem and hence much research, theoretical, experimental, and numerical, has been undertaken. Within the atmospheric boundary layer an accurate numerical model for the turbulent properties of the atmospheric boundary layer needs to be implemented if physically realistic results are to be obtained. Here, the adaptation of the atmospheric boundary layer to a change in surface roughness is investigated using a first-order turbulence closure model, a one-and-a-half-order turbulence closure model and a second-order turbulence closure model. Perturbations to the geostrophic wind and the pressure gradients are included and it is shown that the second-order turbulence closure model, namely the standard k - model, is inferior to a lower-order closure model if a modification to limit the turbulent eddy size within the atmospheric boundary layer is not included within the model.     

Large tectonic rotation of part of New Zealand in the last 5 Ma

Detailed paleomagnetic data from the Wairoa Syncline, a middle Miocene to the present forearc basin on the East Coast of the North Island, New Zealand, show that the rate of clockwise rotation for the last 5 Ma has been 7–8°/Ma of which less than 1.5°/Ma can be explained by apparent polar wander due to motion of the Australian or Pacific plates. This rotation is similar to a present-day rate of 7°/Ma determined from geodetic data. Between 5 and 20 Ma ago the rate of tectonic rotation is poorly determined and may be between 0° and 2°/Ma.

The change in the rate of rotation of the Wairoa Syncline around 5 Ma is probably related to a markedly different tectonic style in the New Zealand region within the last 5 Ma, associated with a change in position of the Euler poles of rotation for the Pacific-Australian plates.     

Fabrics,facies control and diagenesis of lacustrine ooids and associated grains from the Upper Triassic,southwest England

Petrographic analysis of ooids from the Upper Triassic (Mercia Mudstone Group) of southwest England provides an opportunity to assess in detail the origins, transport pathways and diagenesis of an ancient oolite. The Clevedon Oolite is dolomitized and contains a variety of dissolved ooids (oomoulds) and associated grains. The oomoulds occur in well‐sorted, planar and cross‐stratified grainstones, packstones, sandstones and conglomerates associated with shoreface, intershoal, foreshore, beachrock and littoral strandplain deposits. The ooids grew in suspension in the shoreface zone and developed a radial aragonite microstructure. The ooids grew to 0.80 mm in diameter, after which they fractured or ceased growing. Broken grains deposited on or near mobile shoals were rapidly recoated, while other grains, deposited in less agitated, intershoal and lower foreshore areas, were micritized or microbially bound into grapestone aggregates. Locally peloids, intraclasts, quartz grains and micritized grains from intershoal areas supplied nuclei for ooids on nearby shoals. Grains deposited in foreshore areas were rapidly cemented into beachrock and reworked into conglomerates. Soon after deposition, the ooids were subjected to widespread aragonite dissolution followed by dolomitization. The lack of pre‐dolomitization calcite, together with the abundance of early (pre‐compaction) dolospar cements and fabric‐selective dolomitization of micritic fabrics, suggest aragonite dissolution by dolomitizing fluids. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.