The Hellenic ophiolites: eastward or westward obduction of the Maliac Ocean, a discussion

Ophiolitic bodies in the Dinaro-Hellenic mountain belt are among the most important ones in the Peri-Mediterranean Alpine chains. The characteristic feature of this ophiolitic belt is its Middle to Late Jurassic age of obduction. The ophiolitic bodies form two major belts on each side of the Pelagonian zone: an east Pelagonian belt in the Vardarian domain and a Supra-Pelagonian ophiolitic belt (SPO) to the west. The different hypotheses relative to the origin of the SPO present geodynamic evolution models accounting for most of the available data: a mid-Triassic episode of rifting; a Ladinian–Jurassic episode of sea-floor spreading forming notably the Maliac Ocean; a Middle to Late Jurassic convergent period with subduction and obduction episodes, and finally, a late episode of Tertiary compressional deformation responsible for the westward thrusting of the Jurassic ophiolitic nappes over the external zones. Despite many studies dating from the early 1970s, the eastern or western Pelagonian origin of these ophiolites, especially the SPO, is still under dispute. Whatever the adopted hypothesis, we consider that the main SPO bodies (N-Pindos, Vourinos, Othris, Evia, Argolis) have the same origin because of their geographic continuity and of the similarities in their geological characteristics. We propose that this ocean corresponds everywhere to the Maliac Ocean, defined in Othris from the well-preserved sedimentary (oceanic margin) and ophiolitic nappes thrust during the Late Jurassic obduction onto the Pelagonian platform. There is strong evidence for the existence of two deep basins on both sides of the Pelagonian continental ridge during Triassic–Jurassic times. They correspond, respectively, to the Vardar area to the east and the Pindos domain to the west, one of these domains being at the origin of the SPO. The hypothesis of an eastward emplacement of the SPO from the Pindos domain is based mainly on sedimentological data from the margin series and on structural analyses of ophiolitic bodies. However, we conclude the westward obduction of the Maliac Ocean, originating from the Vardar area, to be the best fitting model. This westward model is supported by paleogeographic and structural constraints on regional scale. Notably, the absence of obducted ophiolites in the Jurassic series of the Koziakas units (units attributed to the western Pelagonian margin) and of the Parnassus domain (on the eastern side of the Pindos basin) is difficult to reconcile with an eastward obduction from the Pindos domain. Other observations, such as the distribution of ophiolitic detritus in the internal and external zones, also promote the westward Late Jurassic obduction of the Maliac Ocean. Our preferred model offers a consistent explanation for the mechanism and timing of the emplacement of the SPO, as well as providing insight on the origin and emplacement of the Vardarian ophiolites. Following this hypothesis, there is no need for a clear boundary between the SPO and the west Vardarian ophiolitic bodies as they were obducted from the same oceanic basin and during the same Jurassic tectonic event. In this paper, we develop evidence in favor of the eastern Pelagonian origin for the SPO (our adopted model) and provide discussion on the data supporting the main alternative hypothesis (western origin for the SPO).     

Estimation of the Probability of Exceedance of Contaminant Concentrations

Several alternative probability distributions for estimating the probability of exceedance of contaminant concentrations are examined for their appropriateness for developing inputs to risk assessments. The rationale is provided for using the log Pearson Type III distribution, a three-parameter model, for estimation of the exceedance probabilities.     

干旱半干旱区土壤含水量反演与验证

基于MODIS遥感影像和表观热惯量法,以新疆为研究区,建立了适用于干旱半干旱区1 m土体的土壤含水量反演模型。模型根据高表观热惯量,高土壤含水量,低表观热惯量,低土壤含水量这一理论,通过日地表温差和宽波段反照率确定土壤含水量的时空变化。假设通过1 m土体的土壤水通量正比于上下底层土壤含水量的差值,利用水平衡方程建立土壤表面和底层土壤含水量关系方程,并利用中国土壤类型特点确定优化模型。通过验证结果表明,壤土和壤质粘土这两类土壤含水量接近真实值,砂土在区域验证中,模拟与实测差值为2.16%,整个模型模拟精度较好,能够准确地从时空上反演干旱半干旱地区1 m土体的土壤水分情况。     

Elemental and isotopic fractionation of Type B calcium-, aluminum-rich inclusions: experiments, theoretical considerations, and constraints on their thermal evolution

Experiments exposing Type B calcium-, aluminum-rich inclusion (CAI)-like melts at high temperatures to high vacuum or reducing hydrogen-rich gas mixtures were used to determine the rates and consequences of elemental and isotopic fractionation by evaporation. Silicon and magnesium were found to evaporate much faster than calcium and aluminum, and the resulting residual liquid trajectories in composition space are reproduced via a thermodynamic model for the saturation vapor pressure of the evaporating species. Isotopic fractionations associated with evaporation were measured for magnesium. The resulting relationship between fraction of magnesium lost and enrichment of the residue in the heavy isotopes of magnesium follows a Rayleigh fractionation curve with a fractionation factor that is close to, but not exactly, the theoretically expected value. The rate of evaporation is found to be a strong function of temperature, oxygen fugacity, and melt composition, which can be understood and modeled in terms of the dependence of the saturation vapor pressures on these variables. The relationship between evaporation rate, which we measure, and calculated saturation vapor involves empirical evaporation coefficients that we find to be significantly less than one (∼0.1). Analytical and numerical models are used to characterize how diffusion in both the melt and in the surrounding gas affects evaporation rates and the degree of chemical and isotopic fractionation. The experimental data and theoretical considerations are combined to give a parameterization of the rates and consequences of evaporation of Type B CAI-like liquids, which is then used to translate the measured isotopic fractionation of Type B CAIs into constraints on their thermal history. Cooling rates of the order of 10°C per hour are indicated.     

Impact of climate and CO2 on a millennium-long tree-ring carbon isotope record

We present one millennium-long (1171-year), and three 100 year long annually resolved δ¹³C tree-ring chronologies from ecologically varying Juniperus stands in the Karakorum Mountains (northern Pakistan), and evaluate their response to climatic and atmospheric CO₂ changes. All δ¹³C records show a gradual decrease since the beginning of the 19th century, which is commonly associated with a depletion of atmospheric δ¹³C due to fossil fuel burning. Climate calibration of high-frequency δ¹³C variations indicates a pronounced summer temperature signal for all sites. The low-frequency component of the same records, however, deviates from long-term temperature trends, even after correction for changes in anthropogenic CO₂. We hypothesize that these high-elevation trees show a response to both climate and elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentration and the latter might explain the offset with target temperature data. We applied several corrections to tree-ring δ¹³C records, considering a range of potential CO₂ discrimination changes over the past 150 years and calculated the goodness of fit with the target via calibration/verification tests (R², residual trend, and Durbin-Watson statistics). These tests revealed that at our sites, carbon isotope fixation on longer timescales is affected by increasing atmospheric CO₂ concentrations at a discrimination rate of about 0.012‰/ppmv. Although this statistically derived value may be site related, our findings have implications for the interpretation of any long-term trends in climate reconstructions using tree-ring δ¹³C, as we demonstrate with our millennium-long δ¹³C Karakorum record. While we find indications for warmth during the Medieval Warm Period (higher than today’s mean summer temperature), we also show that the low-frequency temperature pattern critically depends on the correction applied. Patterns of long-term climate variation, including the Medieval Warm Period, the Little Ice Age, and 20th century warmth are most similar to existing evidence when a strong influence of increased atmospheric CO₂ on plant physiology is assumed.     

中国南京与美国德克萨斯稻田甲烷排放的比较

Field measurements of methane emission from rice paddies were made in Nanjing, China and in Texas, USA, respectively. Soil temperature at approximately 10 cm depth of the flooded soils was automatically recorded. Aboveground biomass of rice crop was measured approximately every 10 days in Nanjing and every other week in Texas. Seasonal variation of soil temperature in Nanjing was quite wide with a magnitude of 15.3℃ and that in Texas was narrow with a magnitude of 2.9℃. Analysis of methane emission fluxes against soil temperature and rice biomass production demonstrated that the seasonal course of methane emission in Nanjing was mostly attributed to soil temperature changes, while that in Texas was mainly related to rice biomass production. We concluded that under the permanent flooding condition, the seasonal trend of methane emission would be determined by the soil temperature where there was a wide variation of soil temperature, and the seasonal trend would be mainly determined by rice biomass production if there are no additional organic matter inputs and the variation of soil temperature over the rice growing season is small.     

Hafnium and neodymium isotopes in surface waters of the eastern Atlantic Ocean: Implications for sources and inputs of trace metals to the ocean

We present hafnium (Hf) and neodymium (Nd) isotopic compositions and concentrations in surface waters of the eastern Atlantic Ocean between the coast of Spain and South-Africa. These data are complemented by Hf and Nd isotopic and concentration data, as well as rare earth element (REE) concentrations, in Saharan dust.Hafnium concentrations range between a maximum of 0.52 pmol/kg in the area of the Canary Islands and a minimum value of 0.08 pmol/kg in the southern Angola Basin. Neodymium concentrations also show a local maximum in the area of the Canary Islands (26 pmol/kg) but are even higher between ∼20°N and ∼4°N reaching maximum concentrations of 35 pmol/kg. These elevated concentrations provide evidence of inputs from weathering of the Canary Islands and from the partial dissolution of dust from the Sahara/Sahel region. The inputs from ocean island weathering are also reflected in radiogenic Hf and Nd isotopes.The Hf isotopic compositions of dust samples themselves are highly variable, ranging between ε_Hf = −20 and −0.6. The combined Hf and Nd isotopic compositions of dust plot close to the “terrestrial array” during periods of appreciable dust load in the atmosphere. During low atmospheric dust loading combined Hf and Nd isotopic compositions similar to seawater are observed. Most of the variability can be explained in terms of variable degrees of zircon loss from the dust samples, which in turn is linked to sorting during atmospheric transport to the eastern Atlantic Ocean and possibly presorting by sedimentary redistribution on the continent. In addition, increasing relative proportions of radiogenic clay minerals with decreasing grain size may contribute to the radiogenic Hf isotopic compositions observed.While the Nd isotopic composition in the surface ocean reflects the Nd isotopic composition of the Saharan dust adjacent to the Sahara/Sahel region, the release of Hf from that dust appears to be incongruent and results in surface ocean Hf isotopic compositions which are ∼10 ε_Hf more radiogenic than the bulk dust. Radiogenic Hf appears to be released from clays and possibly from trace apatite. Rare earth element patterns of dust samples indicate the presence of apatite but provide no evidence for ferromanganese grain coatings, suggesting that such coatings are insignificant in the release of Hf and Nd from Saharan dust to the surface ocean.The Nd isotopic composition of the surface waters becomes less radiogenic south of the equator, most likely reflecting the release of Nd from Congo river sediments. The release of Hf from Saharan dust and the Congo river sediments, however, does not produce distinct Hf isotopic signatures in the surface ocean, implying that the mobile fraction of Hf integrated over large continental areas is isotopically uniform. The Hf isotopic uniformity in the surface ocean means that the limited variability in deep water isotopic compositions is consistent with a short deep water residence time and reflects homogenous continental inputs rather than efficient deep water homogenization.     

Chromium(VI) reduction by sulphur(IV) in aqueous solutions

The rates of the reduction of Cr(VI) with S(IV) were measured in deaerated NaCl solution as a function of pH, temperature and ionic strength. The rates of the reaction were found to be first order with respect to Cr(VI) and second order with respect to S(IV), in agreement with previous results obtained at concentrations two order higher than the present study. The reaction also showed a first-order dependence of the rates on the concentration of the proton and a small influence of temperature with an apparent energy of activation ΔH_app of 22.8 ± 3.4 kJ/mol. The rates were independent of ionic strength from 0.01 to 1 M. The rate of Cr(VI) reduction is described by the general expression

−d[Cr(VI)]/dt=k[Cr(VI)][S(IV)]²