Hydrodynamics of coalbed methane reservoirs in the Black Warrior Basin: Key to understanding reservoir performance and environmental issues

The Black Warrior Basin of the southeastern United States hosts one of the world’s most prolific and long-lived coalbed methane plays, and the wealth of experience in this basin provides insight into the relationships among basin hydrology, production performance, and environmental issues. Along the southeast margin of the basin, meteoric recharge of reservoir coal beds exposed in an upturned fold limb exerts a strong control on water chemistry, reservoir pressure, and production performance. Fresh-water plumes containing Na–HCO₃ waters with low TDS content extend from the structurally upturned basin margin into the interior of the basin. Northwest of the plumes, coal beds contain Na–Cl waters with moderate to high-TDS content. Carbon isotope data from produced gas and mineral cements suggest that the fresh-water plumes have been the site of significant bacterial activity and that the coalbed methane reservoirs contain a mixture of thermogenic and late-stage biogenic gases.     

Indigenous Australians’ knowledge of weather and climate

Although the last 200 years of colonisation has brought radical changes in economic and governance structures for thousands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders living in remote areas of northern Australia, many of these Indigenous people still rely upon, and live closely connected to, their natural environment. Over millennia, living ‘on country’, many of these communities have developed a sophisticated appreciation of their local ecosystems and the climatic patterns associated with the changes in them. Some of this knowledge is recorded in their oral history passed down through generations, documented in seasonal weather calendars in local languages and, to a limited degree, transcribed and translated into English. This knowledge is still highly valued by these communities today, as it is used to direct hunting, fishing and planting as well as to inform many seasonally dependant cultural events. In recent years, local observations have been recognised by non-Indigenous scientists as a vital source of environmental data where few historic records exist. Similar to the way that phenological observations in the UK and US provide baseline information on past climates, this paper suggests that Indigenous observations of seasonal change have the potential to fill gaps in climate data for tropical northern Australia, and could also serve to inform culturally appropriate adaptation strategies. One method of recording recent direct and indirect climate and weather observations for the Torres Strait Islands is documented in this paper to demonstrate the currency of local observations of climate and its variability. The paper concludes that a comprehensive, participatory programme to record Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge of past climate patterns, and recent observations of change, would be timely and valuable for the communities themselves, as well as contributing to a greater understanding of regional climate change that would be useful for the wider Australian population.     

Fe and O isotope composition of meteorite fusion crusts: Possible natural analogues to chondrule formation?

Meteorite fusion crust formation is a brief event in a high‐temperature (2000–12,000 K) and high‐pressure (2–5 MPa) regime. We studied fusion crusts and bulk samples of 10 ordinary chondrite falls and 10 ordinary chondrite finds. The fusion crusts show a typical layering and most contain vesicles. All fusion crusts are enriched in heavy Fe isotopes, with δ⁵⁶Fe values up to +0.35‰ relative to the solar system mean. On average, the δ⁵⁶Fe of fusion crusts from finds is +0.23‰, which is 0.08‰ higher than the average from falls (+0.15‰). Higher δ⁵⁶Fe in fusion crusts of finds correlate with bulk chondrite enrichments in mobile elements such as Ba and Sr. The δ⁵⁶Fe signature of meteorite fusion crusts was produced by two processes (1) evaporation during atmospheric entry and (2) terrestrial weathering. Fusion crusts have either the same or higher δ¹⁸O (0.9–1.5‰) than their host chondrites, and the same is true for Δ¹⁷O. The differences in bulk chondrite and fusion crust oxygen isotope composition are explained by exchange of oxygen between the molten surface of the meteorites with the atmosphere and weathering. Meteorite fusion crust formation is qualitatively similar to conditions of chondrule formation. Therefore, fusion crusts may, at least to some extent, serve as a natural analogue to chondrule formation processes. Meteorite fusion crust and chondrules exhibit a similar extent of Fe isotope fractionation, supporting the idea that the Fe isotope signature of chondrules was established in a high‐pressure environment that prevented large isotope fractionations. The exchange of O between a chondrule melt and an ¹⁶O‐poor nebula as the cause for the observed nonmass dependent O isotope compositions in chondrules is supported by the same process, although to a much lower extent, in meteorite fusion crusts.     

Performance spectra based method for the seismic design of structures equipped with passive supplemental damping systems

A new direct performance‐based design method utilizing design tools called performance‐spectra (P‐Spectra) for low‐rise to medium‐rise frame structures incorporating supplemental damping devices is presented. P‐Spectra are graphic tools that relate the responses of nonlinear SDOF systems with supplemental dampers to various damping parameters and dynamic system properties that structural designers can control. These tools integrate multiple response quantities that are important to the performance of a structure into a single compact graphical format to facilitate direct comparison of different potential solutions that satisfy a set of predetermined performance objectives under various levels of seismic hazard. An SDOF to MDOF transformation procedure that defines the required supplemental damping properties for the MDOF structure to achieve the response defined by the target SDOF system is also presented for hysteretic, linear viscous and viscoelastic damping devices. Using nonlinear time‐history analyses of idealized shear structures, the accuracy of the transformation procedure is verified. A seismic performance upgrade design example is presented to demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed method for achieving design performance goals using supplemental damping devices. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Anthropogenic nitrogen deposition induces rapid ecological changes in alpine lakes of the Colorado Front Range (USA)

Recent sediments from two alpine lakes (> 3300 m asl) in the Colorado Front Range (USA) register marked and near-synchronous changes that are believed to represent ecological responses to enhanced atmospheric deposition of fixed nitrogen from anthropogenic sources. Directional shifts in sediment proxies include greater representations of mesotrophic diatoms and increasingly depleted ¹⁵N values. These trends are particularly pronounced since ~ 1950, and appear to chronicle lake responses to excess N derived from agricultural and industrial sources to the east. The rate and magnitude of recent ecological changes far exceed the context of natural variability, as inferred from comparative analyses of a long core capturingthe entire 14,000-year postglacial history of one of the lakes. Nitrogen deposition to these seemingly pristine natural areas has resulted in subtle but detectable limnological changes that likely represent the beginning of a stronger response to nitrogen enrichment.     

Earth-orbit-approaching comets and their theoretical meteor radiants

Sixteen comets produce recognizable meteor showers that are found in A. F. Cook's (1973, In Evolutionary and Physical Properties of Meteoroids (C. L. Hemenway, P. M. Millman, and A. F. Cook, Eds.), pp. 183–191, U.S. Govt. Printing Office, Washington, D.C.), working list of meteor streams. Of these, five are long period, including one in a parabolic and one in a hyperbolic orbit. The largest Earth-comet orbit miss distance is 0.20 AU for P/Encke and the Northern and Southern Taurids. Using this is an upper limit for meteor showers from comets, all comets which approach the Earth's orbit to within 0.20 AU were extracted from the Catalogue of Cometary Orbits (B. G. Marsden, 1979. 3rd ed., Central Bureau of Astronomical Telegrams, IAU SAO, Cambridge, Mass.). A compilation of such comets is presented by date minimum approach, along with the distance of closest approach and the theoretical geocentric radiants and velocities of possible associated meteor showers. Both pre- and postpperihelion encounters with the Earth's orbit are considered. There are 240 entries for 178 long-period comets, and 36 for 28 short-period comets. It is noted that all short-period comets that have approached the Earth's orbit to within 0.08 AU have produced meteors, except P/Lexell, P/Finlay, P/Denning-Fujikawa, and P/Grigg-Skjellerup. Attention is called to the favorable observing conditions for detecting meteors from P/Grigg-Skjellerup in April 1982, and for the possibility of another great Draconid storm from P/Giacobini-Zinner in October 1985. A comparison is made between observed sporadic meteor rates and the distribution of theoretical radiants throughout the year, from which it is concluded that the currently known comets can account for sporadic meteors. A criterion is developed to test whether or not an observed meteor shower can be associated with a given theoretical radiant. Based on known examples, a qualitative model for comet/meteor relationships is also presented.     

Evaluating new fault-controlled hydrothermal dolomitization models: Insights from the Cambrian Dolomite,Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin

Fault-controlled hydrothermal dolomitization in tectonically complex basins can occur at any depth and from different fluid compositions, including ‘deep-seated’, ‘crustal’ or ‘basinal’ brines. Nevertheless, many studies have failed to identify the actual source of these fluids, resulting in a gap in our knowledge on the likely source of magnesium of hydrothermal dolomitization. With development of new concepts in hydrothermal dolomitization, the study aims in particular to test the hypothesis that dolomitizing fluids were sourced from either seawater, ultramafic carbonation or a mixture between the two by utilizing the Cambrian Mount Whyte Formation as an example. Here, the large-scale dolostone bodies are fabric-destructive with a range of crystal fabrics, including euhedral replacement (RD1) and anhedral replacement (RD2). Since dolomite is cross-cut by low amplitude stylolites, dolomitization is interpreted to have occurred shortly after deposition, at a very shallow depth (<1 km). At this time, there would have been sufficient porosity in the mudstones for extensive dolomitization to occur, and the necessary high heat flows and faulting associated with Cambrian rifting to transfer hot brines into the near surface. While the δ¹⁸O_water and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios values of RD1 are comparable with Cambrian seawater, RD2 shows higher values in both parameters. Therefore, although aspects of the fluid geochemistry are consistent with dolomitization from seawater, very high fluid temperature and salinity could be suggestive of mixing with another, hydrothermal fluid. The very hot temperature, positive Eu anomaly, enriched metal concentrations, and cogenetic relation with quartz could indicate that hot brines were at least partially sourced from ultramafic rocks, potentially as a result of interaction between the underlying Proterozoic serpentinites and CO₂-rich fluids. This study highlights that large-scale hydrothermal dolostone bodies can form at shallow burial depths via mixing during fluid pulses, providing a potential explanation for the mass balance problem often associated with their genesis.     

Micrometeorite craters and related features on lunar rock surfaces

Craters in the 0.4 mm and larger size class were observed on six Apollo 12 whole rock surfaces (12017, 12021, 12038, 12047, 12051 and 12073). Craters on crystalline surfaces are characterized by a central, glass-lined cavity, a concentric zone of shock fractured, high albedo material and a concentric spallation area. The crater geometries observed are similar to craters produced on glasses and crystalline materials in the laboratory with projectile velocities exceeding 10 km/sec. The high projectile velocities required and the presence of a distinct demarcation line between cratered and uncratered surfaces on individual rocks indicate that most of the microcraters are produced by primary cosmic particles. These discrete impact events account for most of the erosion and fragmentation of lunar surface rocks.