Rate of late Quaternary ice-cap thinning on King George Island, South Shetland Islands, West Antarctica defined by cosmogenic 36Cl surface exposure dating

Glacial landforms on the Barton and Weaver peninsulas of King George Island in the South Shetland Islands, West Antarctica were mapped and dated using terrestrial cosmogenic ³⁶Cl methods to provide the first quantitative terrestrial record for late Quaternary deglaciation in the South Shetland Islands. ³⁶Cl ages on glacially eroded and striated bedrock surfaces range from 15.5±2.5 kyr to 1.0±0.7 kyr. The ³⁶Cl ages are younger with decreasing altitude, indicating progressive downwasting of the southwestern part of the Collins Ice Cap at a rate of ∼12 mm yr⁻¹ since 15.5±2.5 kyr ago, supporting the previously published marine records for the timing and estimate of the rate of deglaciation in this region.     

Two-stage growth of porphyroblastic biotite and garnet in the Barrovian metapelites of the Imjingang belt, central Korea

Porphyroblastic biotite and garnet in the Barrovian metapelites of the Imjingang belt, Korea, were investigated to unravel the sequence and mechanism of mineral growth. Poikiloblastic biotite contains straight inclusion trails (S_i) discontinuous to the major foliation, and develops clear zones at the grain margin. These microstructures suggest an initial growth of biotite between two contractional deformations (D_n−1 and D_n) followed by an overgrowth during D_n. Although garnet poikiloblasts contain variable S_i patterns, their major growth is likely to have occurred during D_n on the basis of compositional relationships among variable garnet types. Early poikiloblasts of both minerals were formed by chemical replacement of the matrix that consisted mainly of chlorite, muscovite and quartz. Subsequent growth of biotite was governed by a crack-filling mechanism, and was accompanied by the production of extensional cracks inside or around biotite, providing fluid pathways. The overgrowth of garnet was favoured at the biotite–garnet interface, and the consequence was a partial replacement of inclusion-poor garnet after biotite subsequent to D_n. In addition, clear zones and pressure shadows as well as the matrix around biotite porphyroblasts were replaced by garnet, suggesting an inheritance of various pre-existing microstructures in the S_i pattern of garnet. Further attention is thus required for any attempt to delineate the microstructural interaction between deformation and metamorphism, particularly in a sample containing early-grown porphyroblasts. Microstructural evidence for the two-stage growth of biotite and garnet is present up to the kyanite zone, indicating that this growth mechanism is prevalent during progressive metamorphism of Barrovian metapelites.     

A New Video and Digital Camera System for Studies of the Dynamics of Microtopographic Features on Tidal Flats

A newly developed video and camera system for tidal flat microtopographic studies is presented. It consists of a SONY handy cam placed in an underwater housing mounted on a frame about 70?cm above the sediment surface. A rectangular surface area of 30?×40?cm is imaged by the camera. The camera records video sequences and/or digital images at predetermined time lapses. The total number of images is about 540, and a similar number of 10-second long video sequences can be recorded. The camera is programmed with a PC before deployment, and the total deployment time depends on the time lapse between recordings. The camera is connected to an external power supply (12?volt), and a halogen projector pointing towards the sediment surface ensures that the system is operable on a 24-hours scale. The system has been tested in the Danish Wadden Sea. It has proved to be a very useful tool in studies of topographic effects of erosion and deposition sequences, and for studies of benthic organisms-sediment interactions. The test site was further equipped with sensors for water and seabed measurements, which proved to be indispensable regarding the interpretation of recorded image time-series.     

The diel vertical migration of the sound-scattering layer in the Yellow Sea Bottom Cold Water of the southeastern Yellow Sea：focus on its relationship with a temperature structure

Using the hydroacoustic method with a 200 kHz scientific echo sounding system,the diel vertical migration(DVM) of the sound-scattering layer(SSL) in the Yellow Sea Bottom Cold Water(YSBCW) of the southeastern Yellow Sea was studied in April(spring) and August(summer) of 2010 and 2011.For each survey,13–27 hours of acoustic data were continuously collected at a stationary station.The acoustic volume scattering strength(Sv) data were analyzed with temperature profile data.In the spring of both 2010 and 2011,the SSL clearly showed the vertical migration throughout the entire water column,moving from the surface layer at night to near the bottom during the day.Conductivity,temperature,and depth data indicated that the entire water column was well mixed with low temperature of about 8 C.However,the SSL showed different patterns in the summers of 2010 and 2011.In the summer of 2010(28 C at the surface),the SSL migrated to near the bottom during the day,but there were two SSLs above and below the thermocline at depth of 10–30 m at night.In the summer of 2011(20 C at the surface),the SSL extended throughout the entire water column at night,possibly owing to an abrupt change in sea weather conditions caused by the passage of a Typhoon Muifa over the study area.It was concluded that the DVM patterns in summer in the YSBCW area may be greatly influenced by a strengthened or weakened thermocline.     

Sea‐level rise,depth‐dependent carbonate sedimentation and the paradox of drowned platforms

A mathematical model of carbonate platform evolution is presented in which depth‐dependent carbonate growth rates determine platform‐top accumulation patterns in response to rising relative sea‐level. This model predicts that carbonate platform evolution is controlled primarily by the water depth and sediment accumulation rate conditions at the onset of relative sea‐level rise. The long‐standing ‘paradox of a drowned platform’ arose from the observation that maximum growth rate potentials of healthy platforms are faster than those of relative sea‐level rise. The model presented here demonstrates that a carbonate platform could be drowned during a constant relative sea‐level rise whose rate remains less than the maximum carbonate production potential. This scenario does not require environmental changes, such as increases in nutrient supply or siliciclastic sedimentation, to have taken place. A rate of relative sea‐level rise that is higher than the carbonate accumulation rate at the initial water depth is the only necessary condition to cause continuous negative feedbacks to the sediment accumulation rates. Under these conditions, the top of the carbonate platform gradually deepens until it is below the active photic zone and drowns despite the strong maximum growth potential of the carbonate production factory. This result effectively resolves the paradox of a drowned carbonate platform. Test modelling runs conducted with 2·5 m and 15 m initial sea water depths at bracketed rates of relative sea‐level rise have determined how fast the system catches up and maintains the ‘keep‐up’ phase. This is the measure of time necessary for the basin to respond fully to external forcing mechanisms. The duration of the ‘catch‐up’ phase of platform response (termed ‘carbonate response time’) scales with the initial sea water depth and the platform‐top aggradation rate. The catch‐up duration can be significantly elongated with an increase in the rate of relative sea‐level rise. The transition from the catch‐up to the keep‐up phases can also be delayed by a time interval associated with ecological re‐establishment after platform flooding. The carbonate model here employs a logistical equation to model the colonization of carbonate‐producing marine organisms and captures the initial time interval for full ecological re‐establishment. This mechanism prevents the full extent of carbonate production to be achieved at the incipient stage of relative sea‐level rise. The increase in delay time due to the carbonate response time and self‐organized processes associated with biological colonization increase the chances for platform drowning due to deepening of water depth (> ca 10 m). Furthermore this implies a greater likelihood for an autogenic origin for high‐frequency cyclic strata than has been estimated previously.     

Depth distribution of Calanus finmarchicus and C. glacialis in relation to environmental conditions in the Barents Sea

Stage composition and vertical distribution of copepodids of Calanus finmarchicus and C. glacialis are described during spring and summer in Atlantic and Arctic waters, respectively. The two species co-occurred in the region of the Polar Front, both in moderate to high population densities. Ontogenetic migration, meaning that the migration range becomes progressively wider with advancing stage, was found in both species. The present study also revealed that C. finmarchicus had modifications in its ontogenetic vertical distribution. The standing crop of phytoplankton, predominantly Phaeocystis pouchetii , appeared to influence the degree of stage-specific segregation. Both low and high food concentrations tended to increase the vertical distribution of the instars. On the other hand, a narrow subsurface stratum of abundant phytoplankton led to an aggregation of copepodids at this depth. In the region of the Polar Front, where the two species co-occur, C. glacialis had a deeper distribution than C. finmarchicus , thus creating a bimodal vertical distribution pattern within the uppermost 200 m.     

Martian atmospheric and indigenous components of xenon and nitrogen in the Shergotty,Nakhla, and Chassigny group meteorites

Abstract— In a study of the isotopic signatures of trapped Xe in shock-produced glass of shergottites and in ALH 84001, we observe three components: (1) modern Martian atmospheric Xe that is isotopically mass fractionated relative to solar Xe, favoring the heavy isotopes, (2) solar-like Xe, as previously observed in Chassigny, and (3) an isotopically fractionated (possibly ancient) component with little or no radiogenic ¹²⁹Xe_rad. In situ-produced fission and spallation components are observed predominantly in the high-temperature steps. Heavy N signatures in ALH 84001, EET 79001 and Zagami reveal Martian atmospheric components. The low-temperature release of ALH 84001 shows evidence for the presence of a light N component (δ¹⁵N ≤ -21%), which is consistent with the component observed in the other Shergotty, Nakhla and Chassigny (SNC) group meteorites. The highest observed ¹²⁹Xe/¹³⁰Xe ratio of 15.60 in Zagami and EET 79001 is used here to represent the present Martian atmospheric component, and the isotopic composition of this component is compared with other solar system Xe signatures. The ¹²⁹Xe/¹³⁰Xe ratios in ALH 84001 are lower but appear to reflect varying mixing ratios with other components. The consistently high ¹²⁹Xe/¹³⁰Xe ratios in rocks of different radiometric ages suggest that Martian atmospheric Xe evolved early on. As already concluded in earlier work, only a small fission component is observed in the Martian atmospheric component. Assuming that a chondritic ²⁴⁴Pu/¹²⁹I initial ratio applies to Mars, this implies that either Pu-derived fission Xe is retained in the solid planet (in fact, in situ-produced fission Xe is observed in ALH 84001) or may reflect a very particular degassing history of the planet.     

Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis of Ocean Cables

This study has focused on developing numerical procedures for the dynamic nonlinear analysis of cable structures subjected to wave forces and ground motions in the ocean. A geometrically nonlinear finite element procedure using the isoparamnetrie curved cable element based on the Lagrangian folmulation is briefly summarized. A simple and accurate method to determine the initial equilibrium state of cable systems associated with self-weights, buoyancy and the motion of end points is presented using the load incremental method combined with penalty method. Also the Newmark method is used for dynamic nonlinear analysis of ocean cables. Numerical examples are presented to validate the present numerical method.     

朝鲜平南盆地埃迪卡拉系-下寒武统地层碳同位素特征

中朝古陆(华北古陆)平南盆地位于朝鲜半岛中部,广泛发育新元古界-古生界地层。根据化石记录,一般认为燕滩群(自下而上包括飞狼洞组和棱里组)主体属于埃迪卡拉系,黄州(超)群坪山组和中和组主体属于下寒武统。然而,该套地层记录的新元古界-古生界界线处在什么位置,燕滩群是否记录冰期事件(如,Gaskiers冰期),尚有争议。本文对这些地层开展了碳、氧同位素分析。结果表明,飞浪洞组δ13C值从底部+2‰开始,在+2‰和+6‰之间变化,最上部为+2‰;棱里组从下到上从0降至-7‰;坪山组在-3.1‰~0‰之间变化;中和组基本上在-1.2‰~+1.9‰范围变化。这些数据表明,原先认为有冰碛岩的飞浪洞组可能没有记录Gaskiers冰期;棱里组δ13C值与Gaskiers或Marinoan等冰期不可对比,而可能对应于埃迪卡拉系最末期的负漂移。通过将平南盆地燕滩群-黄州群地层碳同位素值变化趋势与国际地层对比,明确地层时代属于埃迪卡拉系末期-下寒武统;由于不存在明确的的不整合,燕滩群-黄州群地层可以作为这一时期连续剖面。我们认为黄州群坪山组底部含磷、含金属硫化物黑色板岩可以作为界线标志层。     

白头山火山渣锥的岩浆演化研究

火山渣锥是白头山(或长白山)火山喷发的重要产物,主要沿熔岩台地周边呈圆锥状寄生小火山锥体分布。野外特征显示,火山渣是火山渣锥的重要组成;岩石手标本显示,火山渣具有气孔构造,样品自顶部至底部,颜色从赤色、赤褐色,向褐色、灰色发生转变。地球化学特征表明,火山渣岩性包括玄武岩、粗面玄武岩、玄武岩质粗面安山岩、粗面安山岩岩,具有较高SiO_2(46.22%~55.38%),Al_2O3含量(15.28%~22.11%),低MgO(2.05%~4.94%),FeOT(6.79%~14.76%)的特征;同时具有较高的碱Na_2O/K_2O(Na_2O/K_2O1)比值,为钠质火山岩。其轻稀土(LREE)和重稀土(HREE)分异明显,具有弱的δEu正异常,并且具有富集K、Rb、Ba、Sr等大离子亲石元素(LILE)和相对亏损Nb、Ti等高场强元素(HFSE)的特征。此外,火山渣的分异指数(DI)范围为36.93~64.48,高于造盾阶段的幔源玄武岩的分异指数;其固结指数(SI)为10.73~24.09,低于早期幔源玄武岩的固结指数(SI=25~45),这些特征说明火山渣成分发生了较高程度的岩浆分异作用。同时,火山渣的Nb/La、Sm/Nd、La/Nb和Ba/Nb比值几乎全部介于幔源玄武岩和大陆地壳之间,说明具有明显的地壳混染的特征。因此,我们认为研究区火山渣的岩浆可能是由幔源基性玄武岩上升过程中发生分离结晶和地壳混染作用形成的。