The PT phase relations of a primary oceanite from the Reykjanes peninsula,Iceland

The field relationships and petrographic features of the oceanites of the Reykjanes peninsula suggest that they might have originated as primary magmas. The principal phase relationships of primary liquids formed by the partial melting of lherzolites are defined. The phase relations obtained for oceanite RE78 between 0 and 30 kbar at dry conditions suggest that the oceanite originated as a primary magma at 25 kbar and 1580°C, and erupted at a temperature near 1300°C.     

Heat budget of Flakevatn,a subpolar lake

Zusammenfassung Durch Kenntnis von Sommer- und Wintertemperaturen in dem südnorwegischen Gebirgssee Flakevatn (Meeresh?he 1448 m) konnte die Thermik des subpolaren Seetypus charakterisiert werden. Im Sommer herrscht in Flakevatn wiederholte Isothermie bei relativ hohen Temperaturen, im Winter wird der See ganz ausserordentlich abgekühlt (Fig. 1, Tabelle). Die sommerliche W?rmespeicherung betr?gt +5800, die winterliche −22500 cal/cm².      

La Notion de Migration en Paléontologie

Zusammenfassung Gemessen mit dem Maßstab der geologischen Zeiten, dauern die Wanderungen, wie sie die Biologen studieren, nur fast einen Augenblick; demgegenüber aber erstrecken sich die Verschiebungen der Fauna und Flora, wie sie die geologischen Studien festlegen, über Millionen von Jahren. Diese Verschiebungen sind statistische Erscheinungen aus dem Gebiet der Biogeographie und stellen das Ergebnis von zahlreichen biologischen Bewegungen dar. Die Verfasser untersuchen die Wanderungen der Säugetiere (stete Entwicklung durch erwachsene Typen), die Wanderungen der Pflanzen (unstete Entwicklung durch Keime), die Wanderungen der wirbellosen Seetiere, die man in die eine oder in die andere der vorhergehenden Abteilungen einreihen kann. Einige neue Ausdrücke werden vorgeschlagen.     

A Study of Ozone Laminae Using Diabatic Trajectories, Contour Advection and Photochemical Trajectory Model Simulations.

In this paper, we show that the rate of ozone loss in both polar and mid-latitudes, derived from ozonesonde and satellite data, has almost the same vertical distribution (although opposite sense) to that of ozone laminae abundance. Ozone laminae appear in the lower stratosphere soon after the polar vortex is established in autumn, increase in number throughout the winter and reach a maximum abundance in late winter or spring. We indicate a possible coupling between mid-winter, sudden stratospheric warmings (when the vortex is weakened or disrupted) and the abundance of ozone laminae using a 23-year record of ozonesonde data from the World Ozone Data Center in Canada combined with monthly-mean January polar temperatures at 30 hPa.Results are presented from an experiment conducted during the winter of 1994/95, in phase II of the Second European Stratospheric And Mid-latitude Experiment (SESAME), in which 93 ozone-enhanced laminae of polar origin observed by ozonesondes at different time and locations are linked by diabatic trajectories, enabling them to be probed twice or more. It is shown that, in general, ozone concentrations inside laminae fall progressively with time, mixing irreversibly with mid-latitude air on time-scales of a few weeks. A particular set of laminae which advected across Europe during mid February 1995 are examined in detail. These laminae were observed almost simultaneously at seven ozonesonde stations, providing information on their spatial scales. The development of these laminae has been modelled using the Contour Advection algorithm of Norton (1994), adding support to the concept that many laminae are extrusions of vortex air. Finally, a photochemical trajectory model is used to show that, if the air in the laminae is chemically activated, it will impact on mid-latitude ozone concentrations. An estimate is made of the potential number of ozone molecules lost each winter via this mechanism.     

Experimental investigations into variations of ground-based inversions and comparisons with results of simple boundary-layer models

Meteorological data obtained from sensors mounted on a 300-m antenna mast, including wind components and temperature fluctuations together with high resolution profile measurements, were used to calculate quantities which describe the most important processes during the development and decay of ground-based inversions. The vertical distribution of air temperature during the developing phase of radiation inversions has been measured continuously and compared with an existing simple prognostic model. Free and forced convection conditions have been investigated for the inversion lifting phase by measuring the heat fluxes at the surface (H _s) and at the inversion base (H _i), the heating rate of the mixed layer (/z) _m , the friction velocity (u _*) and the entrainment rate (dh/dt). Comparisons between the directly measured entrainment rates and those calculated by models show good agreement. For nearly free convection conditions, the entrainment parameter (k = -H _i/H_s) has been determined to be about 0.25.     

Amplitudes of long-period PcP and the core-mantle boundary

The amplitudes of the core reflection PcP are sensitive to the wave velocities and densities in the neighborhood of the core-mantle boundary (CMB). We study the amplitude ratio of the long-period phases PcP and P from two South American deep-focus earthquakes with favorable fault-plane solution, depth and magnitude, as recorded by WWNSS and CSN stations in North America.Comparison is made with long-period PcP/P amplitude ratios, derived from theoretical seismograms for a variety of CMB models. Models from previous studies, which were mainly derived from short-period PcP observations and which are characterized by discrete layers above the CMB, are almost all inconsistent with the long-period data. The data also discriminate against low nonzero S velocities below the CMB. Simple first-order-discontinuity models of the CMB, for instance according to the Jeffreys-Bullen earth model or according to recent models based mainly on free oscillations, explain the data reasonably well.Model improvements are attempted by varying the P-velocity gradient above the CMB. The best amplitude fit is obtained for a rather strong decrease in P velocity with depth in this zone which, however, gives no acceptable traveltime fit for PcP. The scatter in body-wave amplitudes is considerable even for long-period waves and may prevent the correct assessment of that part of the amplitude variation of a phase with distance that is due to the variation of velocities and densities with depth alone.     

Tveitite,a new calcium yttrium fluoride

Tveitite is a new mineral with formula of the type $\text{Ca}{}_{\mathrm{1?x}}\text{(}\text{Y, RE}\text{)}{}_{\mathrm{x}}\text{F}{}_{\mathrm{2+x}}\text{where}\text{x}$ is approximately 0.3. It is found in a cleavelandite pegmatite at Høydalen in Tørdal, Telemark, S. Norway. The sub-cell is thought to be monoclinic, $\text{a}\text{′=3.924,}\text{b}\text{′=3.893,}\text{c}\text{′=5.525, ß=90°26′,}\text{Z}\text{=2}$. The structure is very similar to that of fluorite and can be described in terms of a pseudo-cubic cell $\text{[1}\text{1}\text{0]}{}_0\text{= 5.527, [110]}{}_0\text{= 5.527,}\text{c}\text{= 5.525, α = 90°18′, γ = 89°37′}$ which contains approximately 1[YCa₃F₉]. The mineral shows twinning in at lest three different directions giving a grating structure probably due to high-low inversion. DTA studies show an inversion point at about 670°C. Material heated above this temperature gives X-ray diffraction patterns corresponding to yttrofluorite (a₀ 5.528). The effect of trivalent ions on the stability of fluorite is discussed.     

Post-depositional remanent magnetization in a re-deposited deep-sea sediment

Re-deposition of some deep-sea clay material in the earth's magnetic field is described. At the time of an induced reversal of the ambient field declination, calcium carbonate layers were introduced for identification purposes. NRM and bulk susceptibility measurements along the still moist sediment cores showed the presence of a time lag of around 10 days between a change in the ambient field direction and a corresponding change in the stable magnetization. AF-demagnetization of discs sampled from a dried core suggested that this time lag was caused by a post-depositional remanent magnetization mechanism. Magnetomineralogical investigations show the presence of the thermally unstable magnetic mineral phase, probably titano-maghemite. A positive correlation between NRM-intensities and water temperature during deposition is discussed. It is suggested that consolidation-rate is a major factor influencing the NRM intensity in deep-sea sediments.     

A new palaeoenvironmental model for the evolution of the Byzovaya Palaeolithic site,northern Russia

Recently, the sediment stratigraphy and geochronology of the well‐known Palaeolithic site Byzovaya in northern Russia were investigated. New technological analyses of the artefacts suggest a Middle Palaeolithic Mousterian culture, and occupation by Neanderthals, not Modern humans as previously thought. We present here a new and detailed documentation of the stratigraphy, including the geological context of the artefacts and faunal remains. From sedimentological criteria we confidently interpret the find‐bearing strata as debris‐flow deposits, covered by aeolian sediments. The chronology is based on radiocarbon and luminescence (OSL) dates from the find‐bearing and overlying strata. The results are utilized to reconstruct the geological history at the excavation area. The stratigraphy varies considerably across the excavation area. The most intact and undisturbed part of the sequence was found inside the most recent Excavation II. In this part the artefacts and bones appear to have been permanently sealed and protected by aeolian sand. The older Excavation I shows a more complicated stratigraphy, as the finds may have been temporarily exposed during the early Holocene owing to ravine incision and slumping activity. The individual radiocarbon dates that were collected from different parts of the site and from various stratigraphic positions are re‐investigated in this study. By using Bayesian statistics the conclusion is that the site was occupied during a restricted period around 30.6–34.7 ka. A series of partly unpublished OSL dates of coversand from different sites demonstrates a regional aeolian signal during the Lateglacial in northern Russia, 15–14 ka.