Geologic setting of the Snake Pit hydrothermal site: An active vent field on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

TheSnake Pit Hydrothermal Site lies on the axis of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge at 23°22′ N latitude, about 30 km south of the Kane Transform Intersection. Active ‘black smoker’ vents and a surrounding field of hydrothermal sediment occur at the crest of a laterally extensive neovolcanic ridge. It is one of the first active hydrothermal vent fields to be found on a slow-spreading ridge axis and despite significant differences in its geologic setting from those of the East Pacific Rise, has many similarities to its fast-spreading counterparts. Although preliminary reports have documented many interesting aspects of these vents and their surroundings, new data collected from the manned submersible ALVIN and the deep-towed ANGUS camera system define the regional tectonic setting as well as the local geologic environment of this fascinating area. The Snake Pit vents are located on a local peak of a volcanic constructional ridge at a depth of 3450 m, 700–800 m deeper than vents known from the East Pacific Rise, Galapagos, or Juan de Fuca spreading centers. The vent field is at least 600 m long and up to 200 m wide and is covered by a thick blanket of greenish to yellow-orange hydrothermal sediment. Both active and extinct vents are perched along the crests of steep-sided sulfide mounds that reach heights of over 40 m. High-temperature (350° C) fluids are vented from black smoker chimneys and low-temperature (226° C) fluids seep from sulphide domes and subordinate anhydrite constructions. Water temperatures, flow rates, fluid chemistries, and mineralization are strikingly similar to vents of faster spreading ridge crests; however, a somewhat distinct fauna inhabit the area.     

Some observations on the stable carbon isotope composition of dissolved and particulate organic carbon in the marine environment

δ¹³C_PDB compositions for 39 samples of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from the Gulf of Mexico-Caribbean Sea-Atlantic Ocean system, the South Pacific and Ross Sea are reported. Deep water values are similar with a mean of ?21.8%. attesting to the homogeneity of the oceanic DOC pool. In Antarctic waters, a 5%. difference between DOC and particulate organic carbon (POC), with POC having values similar to modern plankton (δ¹³C_PDB approx ?27%.) supports the idea of the transient nature of POC as compared to DOC.Total, lipid, acid hydrolyzed, amino acid and residue fractions of POC are about 5, 3, 7, 5 and 3%. respectively, more negative in 2000 m water as compared to surface water samples from the Gulf of Mexico.     

The vertical structure and thickness of Saturn's rings

We have considered the steady state vertical structure of Saturn's rings with regard to whether collapse to a monolayer due to collisions between particles, the end state predicted by Jeffreys (1947a), may be prevented by any of a variety of mechanisms. Given a broad distribution of particle sizes such as a typical power law n(R) = n₀R^?3, it is found that gravitational scattering of small particles by large particles maintains a true ring thickness of several times the radius of the largest particles, or many times the radius of the smallest particles. Thus the “many-particle-thick” condition which best satisfies optical observations, such as the opposition effect, may be reconciled with ongoing particle collisions. If we consider the obvious sources of energy available for such a process, we find that a ring thickness of only tens of meters may be sustained over the lifetime of the solar system. This implies a maximum particle size on the order of a few meters.     

Mission to the universe

This paper represents a commentary on the importance of communicating science to the general public, and offers specific suggestions on how best to gain public support for space astronomy. The presentation of space astronomy makes use of the contextual framework called Mission to the Universe, as developed by an international working group of astrophysicists and by the author.Presented at the 2nd UN/ESA Workshop, held in Bogotá, Colombia, 9–13 November, 1992.Humanity has embarked on a great voyage of discovery, with a mission to understand the origin, nature, and fate of our universe. Our ships are an international fleet of space observatories. Our captains are scientists from nearly every country of the world. All of us can be the explorers. Come share in our adventure...     

Correction to: Multilevel Graph Partitioning for Three-Dimensional Discrete Fracture Network Flow Simulations

Mathematical Geosciences - The publication of this article unfortunately contained a mistake. The assignment to the affiliations of author Satish Karra was not correct     

Co-development of Jurassic I-type and A-type granites in southern Hunan,South China: Dual control by plate subduction and intraplate mantle upwelling

Two types of spatially and temporally associated Jurassic granitic rocks, I-type and A-type, occur as pluton pairs in several locations in southern Hunan Province, South China. This paper aims to investigate the genetic relationships and tectonic mechanisms of the co-development of distinct granitic rocks through petrological, geochemical and geochronological studies. Zircon LA-ICPMS dating results yielded concordant U–Pb ages ranging from 180 to 148 Ma for the Baoshan and Tongshanling I-type granodiorites, and from 180 to 158 Ma for the counterpart Huangshaping and Tuling A-type granites. Petrologically, the I-type granodiorites consist of mafic minerals such as hornblende whereas the A-type granites are dominated by felsic minerals (e.g., quartz, K-feldspar and plagioclase). Major and trace element analyses indicate that the I-type granodiorites have relatively low SiO₂ (64.5–71.0%) and relatively high TiO₂ (0.28–0.51%), Al₂O₃ (13.8–15.5%), total FeO (2.3–4.7%), MgO (1.3–2.6%) and P₂O₅ (0.10–0.23%) contents, and the A-type granites are characterized by high concentrations of Rb (212–1499?ppm), Th (18.3–52.6?ppm), U (11.8–33.6?ppm), Ga (20.0–36.6?ppm), Y (27.1–134.0?ppm) and HREE (20.3–70.0?ppm), with pronounced negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu*?=?0.01–0.15). Moreover, the I-type granodiorites are classified as collision-related granites emplaced under a compressional environment, whereas the A-type granites are within-plate granites generated in an extensional setting. Zircon Hf isotopic compositions vary substantially for these granitic rocks. The I-type granodiorites are characterized by relatively young Hf model ages (T_DM1?=?1065–1302 Ma, T_DM^C =1589–2061 Ma) and moderately negative εHf(t) values (–5.9 to –11.5), whereas the A-type granites have very old model ages (T_DM1?=?1454–2215 Ma, T_DM^C?=?2211–2974 Ma) and pronounced negative εHf(t) values (–15.8 to –28.3). These petrochemical and isotopic characteristics indicate that the I-type granodiorites may have been derived from a deep source involving mantle-derived juvenile (basaltic) and crustal (pelitic) components, whereas the A-type granites may have been sourced from melting of meta-greywacke in the crust. This study proposes that the pressure and temperature differences in the source regions caused by combined effects of intra-plate mantle upwelling and plate subduction are the major controlling factors of the co-development of the two different types of magmas. Crustal anatexis related to lithospheric delamination and upwelling of hot asthenosphere under a high pressure and temperature environment led to the formation of the I-type magmas. On the other hand, the A-type magmas were formed from melting of the shallower part of the crust, where extensional stress was dominant and mantle-crust interaction was relatively weak. Rifts and faults caused by mantle upwelling developed from surface to depth and successively became channels for the ascending I- and A-type magmas, resulting in the emplacement of magmas in adjacent areas from sources at different depths.     

Anthropogenic influences on Zuni agricultural soils

Farmers in the Zuni area of the semiarid American Southwest have successfully cultivated maize and other crops for over three millennia without using artificial fertilizers. Zuni agricultural fields are among the oldest, more or less continuously cultivated areas in the United States. Traditional Zuni agriculture is based on runoff farming, a system whereby runoff and organic‐rich sediment generated in small watersheds are captured and directed onto fields for crop use. We conducted a study to compare soil properties associated with paired and unpaired cultivated, abandoned, and uncultivated fields to evaluate the long‐term effects of cultivation on soil quality. Sampling and analytical methods of this research are especially applicable to geoarchaeological studies of anthropogenic effects on soil fertility and agricultural sustainability in ancient and traditional historical farming systems. Results of the Zuni soil study indicate that cultivation has altered some soil properties, including bulk density, organic carbon, total nitrogen, and C:N ratios in paired fields, but there is no indication that agricultural soils are degraded. This assessment supports the perception of Zuni farmers that long‐term cultivation has not caused a decline in agricultural productivity. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.