Geysers of Enceladus: Quantitative analysis of qualitative models

Aspects of two qualitative models of Enceladus’ dust plume—the so-called “Cold Faithful” [Porco, C.C., et al., 2006. Cassini observes the active south pole of Enceladus. Science 311, 1393-1401; Ingersoll, A.P., et al., 2006. Models of the Enceladus plumes. In: Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, vol. 38, p. 508] and “Frigid Faithful” [Kieffer, S.W., et al., 2006. A clathrate reservoir hypothesis for Enceladus’ south polar plume. Science 314, 1764; Gioia, G., et al., 2007. Unified model of tectonics and heat transport in a Frigid Enceladus. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 104, 13578-13591] models—are analyzed quantitatively. The former model assumes an explosive boiling of subsurface liquid water, when pressure exerted by the ice crust is suddenly released due to an opening crack. In the latter model the existence of a deep shell of clathrates below Enceladus’ south pole is conjectured; clathrates can decompose explosively when exposed to vacuum through a fracture in the outer icy shell. For the Cold Faithful model we estimate the maximal velocity of ice grains, originating from water splashing in explosive boiling. We find that for water near the triple point this velocity is far too small to explain the observed plume properties. For the Frigid Faithful model we consider the problem of momentum transfer from gas to ice particles. It arises since any change in the direction of the gas flow in the cracks of the shell requires re-acceleration of the entrained grains. While this effect may explain the observed speed difference of gas and grains if the gas evaporates from triple point temperature (273.15 K) [Schmidt, J., et al., 2008. Formation of Enceladus dust plume. Nature 451, 685], the low temperatures of the Frigid Faithful model imply a too dilute vapor to support the observed high particle fluxes in Enceladus’ plume.     

Land water storage contribution to sea level from GRACE geoid data over 2003–2006

Seasonal and inter-annual change in land water storage (expressed in terms of water volume change) over 27 large river basins worldwide are estimated from monthly GRACE geoids solutions computed at GFZ from February 2003 to February 2006. The largest annual water volume change is found in the Amazon basin, followed by the Parana, Ob, Orinoco, Tocantins, Niger, Congo, Ganges, Mekong, and Brahmaputra. In terms of trend over the 3-year period, positive and negative values are observed but in a number of cases computed trends are at the noise level. However significant negative trends are found in the Amazon, Ganges, Mississippi, Nile, Parana, and Zambezi basins, indicating water mass loss over that period. Positive trends (water mass gain) are marginally significant. We have computed the land water contribution to sea level change. On average over the 3-year time span, we find that the net effect is positive (net loss of water in terrestrial reservoirs), on the order of 0.19 +/− 0.06 mm/yr. If sustained over a longer time span than considered here, such a value may become comparable to the ice sheets contribution to sea level rise.     

Thermal evolution of an ancient subduction interface revealed by Lue Hf garnet geochronology,Halilba■? Complex(Anatolia)

The thermal structure of subduction zones exerts a major influence on deep-seated mechanical and chemical processes controlling arc magmatism, seismicity, and global element cycles. Accretionary complexes exposed inland may comprise tectonic blocks with contrasting pressureetemperature(Pe T)histories, making it possible to investigate the dynamics and thermal evolution of former subduction interfaces. With this aim, we present new Lue Hf geochronological results for mafic rocks of the Halilbag?Complex(Anatolia) that evolved along different thermal gradients. Samples include a lawsoniteeepidote blueschist, a lawsoniteeepidote eclogite, and an epidote eclogite(all with counter-clockwise Pe T paths),a prograde lawsonite blueschist with a "hairpin"-type Pe T path, and a garnet amphibolite from the overlying sub-ophiolitic metamorphic sole. Equilibrium phase diagrams suggest that the garnet amphibolite formed at w0.6 -0.7 GPa and 800 -850℃, whereas the prograde lawsonite blueschist records burial from 2.1 GPa and 420℃ to 2.6 GPa and 520℃. Well-defined Lue Hf isochrons were obtained for the epidote eclogite(92.38 ± 0.22 Ma) and the lawsoniteeepidote blueschist(90.19 ± 0.54 Ma),suggesting rapid garnet growth. The lawsoniteeepidote eclogite(87.30 ± 0.39 Ma) and the prograde lawsonite blueschist(ca. 86 Ma) are younger, whereas the garnet amphibolite(104.5 ± 3.5 Ma) is older.Our data reveal a consistent trend of progressively decreasing geothermal gradient from granulite-facies conditions at ~104 Ma to the epidote-eclogite facies around 92 Ma, and the lawsonite blueschist-facies between 90 Ma and 86 Ma. Three Lue Hf garnet dates(between 92 Ma and 87 Ma) weighted toward the growth of post-peak rims(as indicated by Lu distribution in garnet) suggest that the HP/LT rocks were exhumed continuously and not episodically. We infer that HP/LT metamorphic rocks within the Halilbag?Complex were subjected to continuous return flow, with "warm" rocks being exhumed during the tectonic burial of "cold" ones. Our results, combined with regional geological constraints, allow us to speculate that subduction started at a transform fault near a mid-oceanic spreading centre. Following its formation, this ancient subduction interface evolved thermally over more than 15 Myr, most likely as a result of heat dissipation rather than crustal underplating.     

Development and Evaluation of Geostatistical Methods for Non-Euclidean-Based Spatial Covariance Matrices

Mathematical Geosciences - Customary and routine practice of geostatistical modeling assumes that inter-point distances are a Euclidean metric (i.e., as the crow flies) when characterizing spatial...     

Neogene upper‐crustal cooling of the Olympus range (northern Aegean): major role of Hellenic back‐arc extension over propagation of the North Anatolia Fault Zone

The North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ) is one of the most hazardous active faults on Earth, yet its Pliocene space‐time propagation across the north Aegean domain remains poorly constrained. We use low‐temperature multi‐thermochronology and inverse thermal modelling to quantify the cooling history of the upper crust across the Olympus range. This range is located in the footwall of a system of normal faults traditionally interpreted as resulting from superposed Middle–Late Miocene N–S stretching, related to the back‐arc extension of the Hellenic subduction zone, and a Pliocene‐Quaternary transtensional field, attributed to the south‐westward propagation of the NAFZ. We find that accelerated exhumational cooling occurred between 12 and 6 Ma at rates of 15–35 °C Ma^?1 and decreased to <3 °C Ma^?1 by 8–6 Ma. The absence of significant Plio‐Pleistocene cooling across Olympus suggests that crustal exhumation there is driven by late Miocene back‐arc extension, while the impact of the NAFZ remains limited.     

Drop dimensions in Cb-clouds and general meteorological circumstances

Summary During test flights over the North Sea with the Fokker Friendship several cloud spectra have been determined. Seven of them, related to cumulonimbus clouds show that the width of the droplet spectrum can be related to the speed of surface wind. The high correlations cannot be explained completely by the fact that marine condensation nuclei tend to grow with increasing wind. Obviously increased turbulence also plays a role.