The origin and response of zircon in eclogite to metamorphism during the multi-stage evolution of the Huwan Shear Zone,China: Insights from Lu–Hf and U–Pb isotopic and trace element geochemistry

The Huwan Shear Zone (HSZ) is an eclogite bearing transpressive wrench zone located along the Shangdan Suture that juxtaposes the Paleozoic Qinling and Mesozoic Hong'an–Dabie orogenic terrains. The region preserves a complex history that bridges the gap between adjacent orogenic terrains. Simultaneous in-situ trace element, U–Th–Pb and Lu–Hf‐isotope analysis of zircon grains from samples of the Xiongdian and Sujiahe eclogite identify a late Carboniferous to early Permian period of high pressure metamorphism, ca. 283 to 306 Ma. Zircon grains are observed to respond to metamorphic overprint via a two stage process: (1) An initial prograde stage of fluid catalyzed interface coupled dissolution–reprecipitation, involving exsolution of a non-ideal solid solution thorite (ThSiO₄) end member and loss of highly incompatible components (LREE and Pb), (2) A second stage of coupled zircon dissolution, coarsening, and new rim growth in equilibrium with garnet at high pressure conditions.We identify Proterozoic whole rock Sm–Nd and zircon grain Lu–Hf isotopic evidence which challenges the traditional interpretation that the Xiongdian and Sujiahe eclogite formed in response to early Paleozoic mantle melting and oceanic crust generation. We argue the Huwan Shear Zone contains no conclusive evidence of early/middle Paleozoic oceanic crust, but rather Proterozoic crustal components analogous to those found in the Northern Qinling Terrain and associated with formation of the Shangdan Suture. We present a simpler geodynamic model involving continuous convergence and accretion of terrains onto the southern margin of the North China Block during the Paleozoic Qinling and Mesozoic Dabie orogenies.     

From the pore scale to the lab scale: 3-D lab experiment and numerical simulation of drainage in heterogeneous porous media

A well-controlled 3-D experiment with pre-defined block heterogeneities is conducted, where neutron tomography is used to map 3-D water distribution after two successive drainage steps. The material and hydraulic properties of the two sands are first measured in the laboratory with multistep outflow experiments. Additionally, the pore structure of the sands is acquired by means of image analysis of synchrotron tomography data and the structure is used for pore-scale simulation of one- and two-phase flow with Lattice-Boltzmann methods. This gives us another set of material and hydraulic parameters of the sands. The two sets of hydraulic properties (from the lab scale and from the pore scale) are then used in numerical simulations of the 3-D experiment.     

Seasonal variation in mussel Mytilus edulis digestive gland cytochrome P4501A- and 2E-immunoidentified protein levels and DNA strand breaks (Comet assay).

Mytilus edulis digestive gland microsomes were prepared from indigenous populations sampled from a clean reference site (Port Quin) and an urban-industrial contaminated site (Blackpool) in the UK. Samples were collected in March/April, May, August and December 1998. Western blot analysis was performed using polyclonal antibodies to fish CYP1A and rat CYP2E using partially purified M. edulis CYP as a positive control, to aid identification. CYP1A- and CYP2E-immunopositive protein levels showed different site-specific seasonal variation with higher levels of CYP2E determined in May (P < 0.05). At both sites, lower levels of CYP1A-immunopositive protein but not CYP2E-immunopositive protein were observed in the samples collected in December (P < 0.05). This correlated with lower levels of nuclear DNA damage (Comet assay expressed as per cent tail DNA) observed in December compared to August (P < 0.05).     

Galaxies in the connection machine

Many problems in galactic dynamics require computer speeds orders of magnitude larger than what can be achieved on current single-processor machines. In the near future such speeds are likely to become available through computer architectures based on large-scale, fine-grained parallelism. An example of a highly parallel computer is the Connection Machine, with up to 65,636 processors. We have benchmarked gravitationalN-body algorithms on the Connection Machine, and compared those with similar benchmarks which we have obtained on more traditional vector supercomputers. Our conclusions are: (1) The direct summation algorithm, with of orderN ² interactions forN particles, can be made to run with high efficiency on either type of computer. As a result, the Connection Machine clearly wins in speed over all supercomuters tested, with the exception of an 8-processor ETA, which shows a comparable performance. (2) A more efficient tree algorithm reduces the growth of the number of interactions fromN ² toN logN. However, the greater complexity of this algorithm causes a considerable degradation of efficiency, by a factor which is larger on the Connection Machine than on vector supercomputers. As a result, out tree code runs at comparable speeds on both types of machines, with the notable exception of the 8-processor ETA, which has an extrapolated speed for running our tree code which is higher than any of the other machines we have tested.     

Alonso's Theory of Movements: Developments in Spatial Interaction Modeling

 The Spatial Interaction Model proposed by Alonso as “Theory of Movements” offers an innovative specification of spatial origin-destination flow models. Equations for flows between regions, total outflow from and total inflow to a region are linked by balancing factors. This paper presents a consistent formulation of Spatial Interaction Models in the Wilson tradition and Alonso's Theory of Movements. The paper is intended as an introduction to the model and a review of␣the state of the art. Besides it is argued that simultaneous equation techniques are required to estimate the so-called systemic parameters. Received: 21 May 2000 / Accepted: 18 January 2001     

West African palaeosynoptic patterns at the last glacial maximum

Summary The composite method and an atmospheric moisture budget is applied to study the present synoptic summer situation in the West African Sahel. This allows the information of the synoptic scale flow systems at the last glacial maximum to be obtained. Relying on the results of general circulation models and of local geological findings the palaeosynoptic situation was found to consist of the same constituents as today's given pattern. In both time slices the strength of the midtropospheric African Easterly Jet determines the intensity and frequency of the Sahelian synoptic disturbances: the Easterly Waves and the Squall Lines. The glacial rainfall intensity of the Squall Lines, the most effective rain-bearing system of the Sahel, is calculated to be 2/3 of the modern one. Additionally, only half the number of Squall Lines propagated across the West African continent per summer month. Thus the glacial rainfall amount of the Sahel was roughly 30% of the value observed today.With 6 Figures     

Molecular investigations into pollutant impact on roundnose grenadier (C. rupestris) and transplanted common mussel (M. edulis) in Skagerrak, the North Sea

The use of a suite of different biochemical markers in the deep sea fish Roundnose grenadier and caged common mussels, and analyses of contaminant levels in the mussels, indicate that Skagerrak are more polluted than waters around the Faroe Islands. In Roundnose, induction of ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) is consistent with increased benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase (BPH) in mussels and elevated levels of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in mussels and sediment from Skagerrak. This evidence of a large-scale environmental impact of pollutants should lead to further efforts to decrease transport into, and deposition of, waste compounds in the Skagerrak area.     

Use of the half-cycle analysis method to compare measured wave height and simulated Gaussian data having the same variance spectrum

Using the half-cycle analysis method, a comparison is made between extreme events in half-hour intervals of hurricane Camille wave data and extreme events in synthesized Gaussian realizations having the same variance spectra as the measured data. While various statistical comparisons of measured and simulated Gaussian data reveal a consistent trend toward Gaussian behavior for the majority of wave events in the hurricane generated data, it is shown using the half-cycle analysis method that the more extreme wave events occurring near the height of the storm were distinctly non-Gaussian.