Iron isotopic analyses of geological reference materials on MC-ICP-MS with instrumental mass bias corrected by three independent methods

Here we report iron (Fe) isotopic data of three pure Fe solution standards (IRMM-014, GSB Fe, and NIST 3126a) and five widely used geological reference materials (RMs) from the United States Geological Survey and Geological Survey of Japan obtained on a Neptune Plus multi-collector–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS) in our laboratory over the past 3 years. The instrumental mass bias was corrected by three independent methods: sample-standard bracketing (SSB), Ni doping?+?SSB, and ⁵⁷Fe–⁵⁸Fe double spike?+?SSB. Measurements reveal that both the Ni doping and double spike methods helped calibrate short-term fluctuations in mass bias. Collectively, almost all measurements of RMs yielded δ⁵⁶Fe within?±?0.05 of recommended values, provided that each sample was measured four times on MC-ICP-MS. For the first time, new recommended values for NIST SRM3126a are reported (δ⁵⁶Fe?=?0.363?±?0.006, 2SE, 95% CI; and δ⁵⁷Fe?=?0.534?±?0.010, 2SE).     

The effect of annealing on the luminescence decay-time of synthetic calcite:Mn

Calcite was synthesized by four methods, and the luminescence decay-time was measured for nine samples before and after heating hydrothermally in the temperature range 200–400°C. Decay-time data were collected between room temperature and approximately 15 K. The decay time at room temperature is approximately 50 ms, with little difference between a given calcite before and after hydrothermal treatment. The decay time at 15 K is always greater than at room temperature as the effect of thermal quenching diminishes. Differences in decay time before and after heating are more apparent at low temperature owing to this reduction in thermal quenching. The decay time decreased significantly in two samples, and an increase in decay time was observed in the remaining seven samples following heating. Among the latter group, the change in decay time was insignificant in three samples. The results are compared with previous data in which it was shown that the effect of heating is to increase the intensity of luminescence.     

Citizens as sensors: the world of volunteered geography

In recent months there has been an explosion of interest in using the Web to create, assemble, and disseminate geographic information provided voluntarily by individuals. Sites such as Wikimapia and OpenStreetMap are empowering citizens to create a global patchwork of geographic information, while Google Earth and other virtual globes are encouraging volunteers to develop interesting applications using their own data. I review this phenomenon, and examine associated issues: what drives people to do this, how accurate are the results, will they threaten individual privacy, and how can they augment more conventional sources? I compare this new phenomenon to more traditional citizen science and the role of the amateur in geographic observation.     

黔西南水银洞金矿床流体包裹体研究

水银洞金矿床是黔西南典型的特大型卡林型金矿床之一。但其成矿流体来源尚有争议。通过对水银洞金矿床脉石英和方解石中流体包裹体的温度与压力、盐度与密度、包裹体成分和包裹体H和O同位素等方面的研究,指出水银洞卡林型金矿床成矿流体属中低温(96.7~220℃)、低盐度(NaCl)0.635%~9.861%,平均值为4.282%±2.260%、中等密度(0.725~0.977 g/cm3,平均值为0.910±0.061 g/cm3);脉石英阶段流体水化学类型属Cl--Na+型或SO42--Cl-Na+型,方解石阶段属SO42--Cl--Ca2+型。成矿流体压力可能为高-超高压(160±40 MPa);成矿流体主要是大气降水形成的地下热水,可能有部分岩浆热液的掺入。     

汶川8.0级地震前BSQ型数字垂直摆倾斜仪观测到的地形变异常现象

地倾斜连续观测是地壳形变观测研究中重要内容。汶川8.0级地震前,布设在四川德阳金河测点的新型BSQ型数字垂直摆倾斜仪观测到了明显的地形变异常现象。分析其观测结果可知,汶川8.0级地震前约半月时间内德阳金河测点的地倾斜运动速度较过去的平均运动水平提高了数十倍,且震前地表快速倾斜的方向在N25°W左右。除此之外,德阳金河BSQ型数字垂直摆倾斜仪测点还观测到较为完整的,对应于可以反映地表应力集中、释放过程的震前地表破裂过程。上述现象为今后研究强震孕育机理提供了重要的信息。介绍与分析了布设在龙门山断裂带附近的其它类型地倾斜仪在震前的观测结果。事实证明,BSQ型数字垂直摆倾斜仪在强震前的浅表过程监测中具有重要意义,值得在今后的地震前兆台网工作中进行推广。     

人体乳腺矿化集合体类型与临床相关性分析

选取123例乳腺病理性矿化样品,利用光镜、扫描电镜对乳腺矿化进行了微形貌分类研究,并利用统计学方法探讨了乳腺矿化集合体类型与患者年龄、乳腺病变类型和癌变阶段的相关性。研究发现,根据乳腺矿化在光学显微镜下的可分辨形态,将其分为两种类型:粒状集合体与块状集合体;其中粒状集合体为小于200μm的规则粒状钙化,少部分有环带结构,和有机组织结合紧密;而块状集合体则为大于200μm的片状钙化,形状不规则。统计分析数据显示,随年龄增加,块状集合体出现病理比例增加,粒状集合体出现病理比例减少,敏感年龄分区界限为50岁;粒状集合体在50岁以上和50岁以下患者中单独出现的概率分别为24%和53%;块状集合体在乳腺原位癌(71. 4%)患者中占主导,粒状集合体在乳腺纤维腺瘤(64. 5%)患者中占主导。该研究可为未来乳腺癌的诊断提供基于乳腺矿化精细矿物学特征的辅助新方法。     

Structural improvement of age-hardened gypsum-treated bauxite red mud waste using readily decomposable phyto-organics

Several years (7) after incidental lithification by added gypsum, the effect of crushing and phyto-organics on some physical properties of red mud wastes (RMW) was examined under laboratory conditions. It was hypothesized that mechanically breaking up the hardened masses would increase their permeability. However, on the contrary, crushing these rock-hard masses into <2-mm particles did not increase permeability. A phyto-organic treatment on the other hand greatly improved permeability of the crushed entities such that infiltration rates increased from 0 to 10 cm/h. After 24 weeks of incubation, the structure of the newly formed phyto-organically treated gypsum-hardened RMW aggregates was also substantially improved over that of the controls, as a >3-fold increase in resistance to disintegration during wet sieving was exhibited by the phyto-organically treated samples. The increase in water infiltration by combining crushing with phyto-organic applications was ascribed to a decrease in particle dispersion, creating more stable clay clusters, which in turn stabilized channels and pores. Conversely, it was concluded that the singular crushing of gypsum-hardened bauxite waste in the waste dumps is potentially wasteful and ineffective.     

西藏当雄地区拉屋矿床磁黄铁矿Re-Os同位素测年 和成矿物质来源示踪

拉屋矿床位于西藏自治区当雄县境内,大地构造位置处于冈底斯成矿区申扎-旁多铜、银、铅、锌、金成矿带,为大型矽卡岩型铜铅多金属矿床。在系统研究拉屋矿床地质地球化学特征的基础上,以矿石的磁黄铁矿为对象,测定Re-Os同位素年龄,获得等时线年龄数据为(309±31)Ma,187Os/188Os的初始值为0.51±0.12,γOs值为306.90~880.29,Re/Os为20.46~80.46。上述结果,结合矿区野外地质特征和稳定同位素特征,证明拉屋矿床主要形成于晚石炭世来故期,其成矿物质来源于地幔,并在喷流过程中与地壳海底卤水汇合,遭受了壳源物质的混染,形成喷流成因矽卡岩型矿床。     

长江、黄河大洪水前期地球系统演变的分析

通过分析江、淮、黄、海四大洪共１４个大洪水年的前期地震场特征,发现大洪水前在青藏高原东南地区、亚欧中纬地带和台湾以东洋面三处的有强地震发生,若强震出现在中印缅热点则对应着江淮大小;强震出现在川青甘地区则对应着黄海河大水。引发大水的直接原因是本地区地热涡的强烈发展,它因刚好位于数组”同向等距地热涡族”的相交点上,交相干共振的结果,文中详细分析了１９５４和１９８２年两个个例。最后分析了“中印缅热点”的