Soil redistribution and pedologic transformations in coastal plain croplands

In agricultural basins of the southeastern coastal plain there are typically large disparities between upland soil erosion and sediment delivered to streams. This suggests that colluvial storage and redistribution of eroded soil within croplands is occurring, and/or that processes other than fluvial erosion are at work. This study used soil morphology and stratigraphy as an indicator of erosion and deposition processes in a watershed at Littlefield, North Carolina. Soil stratigraphy and morphology reflect the ways in which mass fluxes associated with cultivation transform the local soils. Fluvial, aeolian and tillage processes were all found to be active in the redistribution of soil. The soil transformations are of five general types. First, erosion and compaction in the cultivated area as a whole result in the thinning of Arenic and Grossarenic Paleudults and Paleaquults to form Arenic, Typic and Aquic Paleudults and Paleaquults. Second, redistribution of surficial material within the fields results in transitions between Arenic and Typic or Aquic subgroups as loamy sand A and E horizons are truncated or accreted. Third, aeolian deposition at forested field boundaries leads to the formation of compound soils with podzolized features. Fourth, sandy rill fan deposits at slope bases create cumulic soils distinct from the loamy sands of the source area or the darker, finer terrace soils buried by the fan deposits. Finally, tillage and fluvial deposition in upland depressions results in the gradual burial of Rains (poorly drained Typic Paleaquults) soils. Results confirm the importance of upland sediment storage and redistribution, and the role of tillage and aeolian processes as well as fluvial processes in the region. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Paleoecology and geochronology of glacial Lake Hind during the Pleistocene–Holocene transition: A context for Folsom surface finds on the Canadian Prairies

Stratigraphic and paleoecologic (palynomorph, macrobotanical) data obtained from a cutbank of the Souris River in southwestern Manitoba establish some fundamental parameters of Folsom land‐use in association with a proglacial lake on the Canadian Prairies. By dating the regression of glacial Lake Hind, we observed that recorded Folsom sites are restricted to areas of the Hind basin drained shortly before 10,400 yr B.P. This pattern may therefore record the interception of seasonal resources on recently‐drained proglacial lake surfaces. Based on paleovegetation reconstructions, we note that these surfaces were rapidly colonized by emergent and aquatic vegetation following regression, generating a viable resource base for Folsom hunter‐gatherers. However, low plant productivity and diversity may have greatly limited the extent to which this locale was exploited, in contrast to nonperiglacial regions on the Plains. We also suggest that wetland plant succession during the Pleistocene‐Holocene transition was due, at least locally, to climate‐forced fluctuations in groundwater levels. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Elemental abundances for Nova LMC 1990#1

We present our analysis of the UV spectra of the fast ONeMg Nova LMC 1990#1. Observations with the IUE began on 1990 January 18 and continued through to 1990 March 15. We have analysed these spectra, and determined line fluxes and physical parameters as a function of time. Using both He  ii lines and the Balmer decrement, we find the reddening for the nova to be E ( B − V )≃0.22. Using the photoionization code cloudy 90.03b and the minimization routine minuit , we derive elemental abundances for the ejecta. We find the following abundances, relative to solar material: He=1, C=8, N=109, O=20, Ne=62, Mg=16, Al=257 and Si=41. These results are based on independent fits to different data sets acquired three weeks apart. These abundances are extremely similar to those found for V693 Corona Austrinae 1981. Given the position of V693 CrA in the Galaxy and the range of distances found for it, the similar abundances imply that the V693 CrA outburst took place on an older population white dwarf. The high N/O ratio implies an outburst on a massive white dwarf.     

Spatial Patterns in Surface Energy Balance Components Derived from Remotely Sensed Data

A relatively simple modeling approach for estimating spatially distributed surface energy fluxes was applied to two small watersheds, one in a semi‐arid climate region and one in a sub‐humid region. This approach utilized a combination of ground‐based meteorological data and remotely sensed data to estimate ‘instantaneous’ surface energy fluxes at the time of the satellite or aircraft overpasses. The spatial resolution in the watershed grid cells, which was on the order of 100‐400 km, was selected to be compatible with ground measurements used for validation. The model estimates of surface energy fluxes compared well with ground‐based measurements of surface flux (typically within approximately 40 Wm^?2). The model accuracy may be slightly less for bare soil surfaces due to an overestimation of the soil heat flux. In addition to demonstrating the feasibility of computing spatially distributed values of surface energy fluxes, these maps were used to qualitatively infer the dominant factors controlling the energy fluxes for the time period shortly following precipitation events in the basins. For the semi‐arid watershed, values of sensible heat flux varied considerably over the watershed and displayed a pattern very similar to that of the spatially variable cumulative precipitation for at least one to eight days prior to the image acquisition. Due to the large fraction of exposed bare soil in a semi‐arid ecosystem, even very small precipitation events had a strong influence on the pattern of sensible heat fluxes observed shortly after the event (less than 24 hours). For the sub‐humid watershed, the fluxes tended to be more uniform across the watershed, and were influenced by a combination of precipitation total and land cover type.     

X-ray-luminous radio supernovae in the centre of M82?

We investigate the X-ray emission from the central regions of the prototypical starburst galaxy M82. Previous observations have shown a bright central X-ray point source, with suggestions as to its nature including a low-luminosity active galactic nucleus or an X-ray binary. A new analysis of ROSAT HRI observations finds four X-ray point sources in the central kiloparsec of M82, and we identify radio counterparts for the two brightest X-ray sources. The counterparts are probably young radio supernovae (SNe) and are amongst the most luminous and youthful SNe in M82. We therefore suggest that we are seeing X-ray emission from young SNe in M82, and in particular that the brightest X-ray source is associated with the radio source 41.95+57.5. We discuss the implications of these observations for the evolution of X-ray-luminous SNe.     

THE COLONY METEORITE AND VARIATIONS IN CO3 CHONDRITE PROPERTIES

The Colony meteorite is an accretionary breccia containing several millimeter-to centimeter-size chondritic clasts embedded in a chondritic host. Colony is one of the least equilibrated CO3 chondrites; it has an unrecrystallized texture and contains compositionally heterogeneous olivine and low-Ca pyroxene, kamacite with low Ni and Co and high Cr, amoeboid inclusions with low FeO and MnO, a fine-grained silicate matrix with very high FeO, and numerous small chondrules with clear pink glass. However, Colony differs from normal CO chondrites in several respects: Although Al, Sc, V, Cr, Ir, Fe, Au and Ga abundances are consistent with a CO chondrite classification, certain lithophiles (Mg and Mn), siderophiles (Ni and Co) and chalcophiles (Se and Zn) are depleted by factors of 10–40%. The shape of Colony's thermoluminescence (TL) glow curve is similar to that of Allan Hills A77307 (another unequilibrated chondrite with CO3 petrological characteristics) and different from those of normal CO chondrites. [ALHA77307 also resembles Colony in having low Mg, Mn, Ni and Co, compared to normal CO chondrites, but it possesses CO-CV levels of Se and Zn and nearly CV levels of Cd.] Colony is badly weathered; it contains 22.7 wt.% Fe₂O₃ and 5.7 wt.% H₂O. Recalculating the analysis on an H₂O-free basis with all Fe₂O₃, NiO and CoO converted to metal, yields an inferred original metallic Fe, Ni abundance of ～ 19 wt.%. This is similar to that of Kainsaz (an unweathered CO3 fall), but much higher than that of all other CO3 chondrites (< 6.3 wt.%). Although it is possible that Colony and either ALHA77307 or Kainsaz constitute distinct CO3 chemical subgroups, the weathered nature of Colony and ALHA77307 preclude the drawing of firm conclusions. Nevertheless, it is clear that CO3 chondrites vary more in compositional and petrological properties than was previously recognized.     

Thermoluminescence and the shock and reheating history of meteorites—II: Annealing studies of the Kernouve meteorite

Samples of the unshocked, equilibrated chondrite, Kernouve (H6), have been annealed for 1–100 hours at 500–1200°C, their thermoluminescence sensitivity measured and Na, K, Mn, Ca and Sc determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis. The TL sensitivity decreased with temperature until by 1000°C it had fallen by 40%. The process responsible has an activation energy of ~8 kcal/mole and probably involves diffusion. Samples annealed 1000–1200°C had TL sensitivities 10^?2 times the unannealed values, most of the decrease occurring ~1100°C. This process has an activation energy of ~100 kcal/mole and is probably related to the melting of the TL phosphor, feldspar, with some decomposition and loss of Cs, Na and K. Meteorites whose petrography indicates healing > 1100°C by natural shock heating events (shock facies d-f). have TL sensitivities similar to samples annealed > 1100°C. Our own and literature compositional data indicate that TL is more stable to annealing than Ag, In, Tl, Bi, Zn and Te and less stable than Na, K, Mn, Ca, Se and Co, while the TL decrease resembles very closely the pattern of Cs loss on annealing.     

Trace elements in fines from the Apollo 15 deep drill

No systematic variations in concentrations with depth were found for 1O trace elements in samples from the Apollo 15 deep drill. Presence of a significant amount of KREEP is indicated.     

The influence of morphology in determining the decomposition of two salt marsh macrophytes

Annual decomposition rates of Spartina alterniflora height forms and Juncus roemerianus were determined in situ in three North Carolina salt marshes using the litter bag method. The decomposition of Spartina was significantly influenced by size, i.e., height form, with the taller plants which had greater amounts of stem tissue, being more resistant to decay. Instantaneous decay rates for short and medium Spartina were not significantly different at any site, but they were both significantly greater than that of the tall form at two of the three study sites. Juncus decomposed more slowly than Spartina during the first 8 months, but had decomposed as completely as all three height forms of Spartina at two of the study sites by the end of the 13-month study period. Constant submergence appeared to inhibit decomposition since there was twice as much undecomposed plant material remaining in bags placed in tidal creeks as in those on the marsh surface.