Paleoclimatic changes in southern Africa during the intensification of Northern Hemisphere glaciation: evidence from ODP Leg 175 Site 1085

Pliocene age sediments from Ocean Drilling Program Leg 175, Site 1085-A and B in the Cape Basin were analyzed to investigate the impact of the intensification of Northern Hemisphere glaciation (INHG) on the South Atlantic Benguela Current system from 4 to 2 Ma. Proxies for productivity (concentrations and mass accumulation rates of total organic carbon, carbon to nitrogen ratios, percent calcium carbonate, and percent biogenic silica) as well as weight percent sand (a proxy for preservation or winnowing) peak at 3.2, 3.0, 2.4, and 2.25 Ma. Normative calculations of allied trace and major elemental determinations indicate synchronous increases in productivity peaks, as well as high concentrations and accumulations of terrigenous sediments. Coeval increases in hemipelagic sedimentation and productivity indicators could be the result of enhanced eolian sedimentation resulting from strengthened winds, leading to elevated rates of upwelling and enhanced productivity. However, rapid burial, as indicated by high sedimentation rates, could also enhance preservation. The very high concentrations (>30%) and accumulations (up to 60 g/cm²/kyr) limit the likelihood that eolian sedimentation was the only transport mechanism, invoking an additional fluvial source. Rapid burial by either eolian or fluvial transport links these intervals of enhanced preservation and productivity with continental climate changes resulting from (1) increased winds and/or dust availability due to higher aridity in the Namibia/northern South Africa region; (2) lowered sea-level related to increased ice volume; (3) increased sediment load due to wetter conditions in the continental interior; or (4) some combination. Peaks at 3.2, 2.4 and 2.25 Ma are coincident with maximum precession, suggesting a link between hemipelagic sedimentation and enhanced monsoonal circulation over southern Africa. The Site 1085 sedimentary record during the INHG seems to be controlled by low-latitude processes linked to precession rather than hig-latitude processes.     

The cosmic ray energy spectrum between 10 and 10 eV

The energy spectrum of cosmic rays with primary energies between 10¹⁴ eV and 10¹⁶ eV has been studied with the CASA-MIA air shower array. The measured differential energy spectrum is a power law (dj/dE ∝ E^−y) with spectral indices γ of 2.66±0.02 below approximately 10¹⁵ eV and 3.00±0.05 above. A new method is used for measuring primary energy derived from ground-based data in a compositionally insensitive way. In contrast with some previous reports, the “knee” of the energy spectrum does not appear sharp, but rather a smooth transition over energies from 10¹⁵ eV to 3.0 × 10¹⁵ eV.     

Numerical modeling of ocean hydrodynamics with variational assimilation of observational data

Models and methods of the numerical modeling of ocean hydrodynamics dating back to the pioneering works of A.S. Sarkisyan are considered, with emphasis on the formulation of problems and algorithms of mathematical modeling and the four-dimensional variational assimilation of observational data. An algorithm is proposed for studying the sensitivity of the optimal solution to observational data errors in a seasurface temperature assimilation problem in order to retrieve heat fluxes on the surface. An example of a solution of the optimal problem of the World Ocean hydrodynamics with the assimilation of climatic temperature and salinity observations is offered.     

Climate Change Impacts for the Conterminous USA: An Integrated Assessment

Here we simulate dryland agriculture in the United States in order to assess potential future agricultural production under a set of general circulation model (GCM)-based climate change scenarios. The total national production of three major grain crops—corn, soybeans, and winter wheat—and two forage crops—alfalfa and clover hay—is calculated for the actual present day core production area (CPA) of each of these crops. In general, higher global mean temperature (GMT) reduces production and higher atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration ([CO₂]) increases production. Depending on the climatic change scenarios employed overall national production of the crops studied changes by up to plus or minus 25% from present-day levels. Impacts are more significant regionally, with crop production varying by greater than ±50% from baseline levels. Analysis of currently possible production areas (CPPAs) for each crop indicates that the regions most likely to be affected by climate change are those on the margins of the areas in which they are currently grown. Crop yield variability was found to be primarily influenced by local weather and geographic features rather than by large-scale changes in climate patterns and atmospheric composition. Future US agronomic potential will be significantly affected by the changes in climate projected here. The nature of the crop response will depend primarily on to what extent precipitation patterns change and also on the degree of warming experienced.     

Structural control of Au–Pd mineralization (Jacutinga): An example from the Cauê Mine, Quadrilátero Ferrífero, Brazil

Precambrian banded iron formations (BIFs) in the Quadrilátero Ferrífero host a special kind of Au–Pd mineralization known as Jacutinga. The main orebodies are hosted within the Cauê Syncline, a SW-verging fold that involves Paleoproterozoic metasedimentary rocks in the Itabira District, a regional synclinorium with BIFs in the core of synclinal folds in the northeastern part of Quadrilatéro Ferrífero, Minas Gerais. Structural analysis reveals two important features of the district: the polydeformed character of the rocks and the importance of brittle structures in the control of the orebodies. Two deformational events are recognized in this area. The first event developed the main foliation, S1, that is the enveloping surface of the Cauê Syncline. The second event is better defined in the northern boundary of the structure where it is represented by a right-lateral wrench fault zone that has developed a foliation, S2, that truncates S1. This wrench fault was also responsible for the development of a system of fractures (Frm) that host the Au–Pd mineralization. The auriferous bodies of Cauê Syncline (Y, X, Área Central, Aba Norte, Noroeste and Aba Leste/Aba Leste Inferior) were generated during this second event. Shear fractures (R, R′ and P) and tension fractures (T) developed in response to the wrench fault system under brittle conditions. The best-developed, and most commonly mineralized fractures are R and T in all auriferous bodies. Elsewhere, the best mineralization occurs in the contacts of hematite bodies (soft/hard) and intrusive rocks with fractured itabirites. Other mineralization (Aba Norte, Área Central and X) is hosted on the contacts of other units.A system of fractures, as well as their intersections, thus represents the structural control on Jacutinga bodies and is responsible for the geometry of the orebodies. Of importance, there is no control by mineral/stretching lineations, fold axes and other ductile structure on the geometry and plunge of the orebodies.     

A multidisciplinary approach to evaluating impacts of shellfish aquaculture on benthic communities

The impact of suspended mussel culture (Mytilus edulis, M. trossulus) on the benthos of a small Nova Scotia cove (7 m depth) was assessed using meehods involving both benthic metabolism and community structure. Due to deposition of mussel feces and pseudofeces, sedimentation rate was higher under the mussel culture lines than at an adjacent reference site of similar sediment texture. Porewater profiles of sediment sulfate and sulfide indicated greater anaerobic metabolism at the mussel site than at the reference site, but sulfide was absent from the upper centimeters of sediments under the mussels. Seasonal measures of sediment oxygen demand showed little change between sites, but maximum rates of ammonium release at the mussel site were twice the highest rates measured at the reference site. Abundance of benthic macrofauna was higher at the reference site, but biomass was generally lower. Biomass at the mussel site was dominated by molluscs (Ilyanassa spp. andNucula tenuisulcata), that were attracted to mussels fallen from the culture and/or enriched organic matter due to biodeposition. Species diversity was lower at the reference site due to the dominance of the polychaeteNephtys neotena. Abundance-biomass comparisons (ABC method) of faunal analysis did not indicate any impact of biodeposition at this site: however, disturbance did not result in a typical assemblage of small opportunistic species anticipated with this method. Cluster analysis of macrofauna usually provided a clear separation between the sites. Since the contruction of a causeway (1968), foraminifera species composition showed a temporal response to temperature changes in the cove by shifting toward calcareous species, but assemblages downcore showed little or no relationship to aquaculture impacts. Although there is a shift toward anaerobic metabolism at the mussel lines, the impact of mussels falling to the sediments was more noticeable in benthic community structure than was any impact due to organic sedimentation or hypoxia. In general the impact of aquaculture on the benthos appeared to be minor. Furtyher assesment of these consequences may mandate both taxonomic and energetic approaches to impact assessment.     

Bottom microtopography as a factor responsible for variations in the thickness of the Turonian-Coniacian sequence in the Melovoe-Nizhnyaya Bannovka area (Saratov Region)

The Turonian-Coniacian carbonate sequence outcropping in the Melovoe-Nizhnyaya Bannovka area (Saratov region) is described along with the characterization of its geomorphologic, sedimentologic, and sequence-stratigraphy aspects and accompanying isopach maps. A sedimentation model is proposed for explaining factors responsible for variations in the thickness of the sequence.     

Exhumation of the Dayman dome metamorphic core complex, eastern Papua New Guinea

The ～750 km² Dayman dome of the Late Cretaceous Suckling‐Dayman massif, eastern Papua New Guinea, is a domed landform that rises to an elevation of 2850 m. The northern edge of the dome is a fault scarp >1000 m high that is now part of an active microplate boundary separating continental crust of the New Guinea highlands from continental and oceanic crust of the Woodlark microplate. Previous work has shown that a parallel belt of eclogite‐bearing core complexes north‐east of the Dayman dome were exhumed from up to 24–28 kbar in the last few millions of years. The remarkably fresh and lightly eroded scarp of the Dayman dome exposes shallowly‐dipping mylonitic (S1) metabasite rocks (500 m thick) on the northern flank of Mount Dayman. Field relationships near the base of this scarp show a cross cutting suite of ductile and brittle meso‐structures that includes: (i) rare ductile S2 folia with a shallowly ESE‐plunging mineral elongation lineation defined by sodic‐calcic blue amphibole; (ii) narrow steeply‐dipping ductile D2 shear zones; and (iii) semi‐brittle to brittle fault zones. Pumpellyite‐actinolite facies assemblages reported by previous workers to contain local aragonite, lawsonite and/or glaucophane are found in the core of the complex at elevations greater than 2000 m. These assemblages indicate peak metamorphic pressures of 6–9.5 kbar, demonstrating exhumation of the core of the Dayman dome from depths of 20–30 km. The S1 metamorphic mineral assemblage in metabasite includes actinolite‐chlorite‐epidote‐albite‐quartz‐calcite‐titanite, indicative of greenschist facies conditions for the main deformation. New mineral equilibria modelling suggests that this S1 assemblage evolved at 5.9–7.2 kbar at ～425 °C. Modelling variable Fe³⁺ indicates that the sodic‐calcic blue amphibole (D2) formed under a higher oxidation state compared with the S1 assemblage, probably at <4.5 kbar. A SE‐dipping, Mio‐Pliocene sedimentary sequence (Gwoira Conglomerate) forms a hangingwall block juxtaposed by low‐angle fault contact with the metabasite footwall. Prehnite‐bearing D3 brittle fault zones separate the two blocks and likely accommodated the final exhumation of the S1 greenschist facies assemblage in the footwall. These results indicate that the extensive Mt Dayman fault surface coincides with a domed S1 greenschist facies foliation that was last active at >20 km depth. Exhumation of this foliation must therefore be controlled by brittle faults of the active microplate boundary that are largely not observed in the study area. The structural record of the final exhumation of the Dayman dome to the surface was likely lost as a result of erosion, poor exposure or wide spacing of semi‐brittle to brittle fault zones.     

Effect of shallow and narrow water on added mass of cylinders with various cross-sectional shapes

The sway, heave and roll added masses of three uniform cylinders with semi-circular, rectangular and triangular cross-sectional shapes in shallow and narrow water are numerically analysed. The method is based on simulation of the potential flow induced by the cylinder's mode of motion. The effects of shallow and narrow water on added mass are analysed and presented. It is concluded that the shallow and narrow water effects on added mass depend on the different cross-section shapes of the cylinders. In particular, the water depth effect on sway added mass is stronger than that on heave added mass while the narrow water effect on sway is weaker than that on heave. The shallow water effect on added mass tends to weaken the narrow water effect. Lastly the effect of shallow and narrow water on added mass on a rectangular cylinder is the strongest while that on a triangular cylinder is the weakest.     

Application of array-based waveform cross-correlation techniques to aftershock sequences: the 2003 Lefkada Island,Greece, case

Cross-correlation analysis was applied to events in the 2003 Lefkada Island, Greece, sequence in order to identify clusters of seismicity within the extensive aftershock sequence along a fault zone of approximately 100 km length. Data from the small-aperture TRISAR array, covering the first 2 days of aftershock activity, were used. Array-based waveform correlation has a great advantage over single channel correlation analysis in that the validity of waveform matches with relatively low correlation coefficients can be examined by checking the alignment of correlation traces on the different channels. The length of the fault zone leads inevitably to a great diversity in the waveforms, although a small number of clusters of very similar events emerge from the TRISAR data. Events which the correlation analysis had placed within the same cluster were listed in the ISC Bulletin with separations of up to tens of kilometres. This made it necessary to check the validity of the TRISAR clusters by applying the same procedure independently to the three-component stations of the National Seismographic Network of the National Observatory of Athens, located at local to regional distances from the aftershock area. Results suggest that array-based waveform correlation provides a robust tool both for identifying event clusters within large aftershock areas and for identifying situations in which bulletin event location estimates need re-evaluation.