Petrogenesis of the magmatic complex at Mount Ascutney,Vermont, USA

The Ascutney Mountain igneous complex in eastern Vermont, USA, is composed of three principal units with compositions ranging from gabbro to granite. Sr and O isotopic and major element relationships for mafic rocks, granites, and nearby gneissic and schistose country rock have been investigated in order to describe the petrogenesis of the mafic suite which ranges from gabbro to diorite. The entire complex appears to have been formed within a short interval 122.2±1.2 m.y. ago. The granites with ¹⁸O near +7.8 had an initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr of 0.70395(±6) which is indistinguishable from the initial ratio of the most primitive gabbro. Initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios and ¹⁸O values for the mafic rocks range from 0.7039 to 0.7057 and +6.1 to +8.6, respectively. The isotopic ratios are highly correlated with major element trends and reflect considerable crustal contamination of a mantle-derived basaltic parent magma. The likely contaminant was Precambrian gneiss similar to exposed bedrock into which the basic rocks were emplaced. A new approach to modelling of assimilation during the formation of a cogenetic igneous rock suite is illustrated. Chemical and isotopic modelling indicate that the mafic rocks were produced by simultaneous assimilation and fractional crystallization. The relative amounts of fractionation and assimilation varied considerably. The mafic suite was not produced by a single batch of magma undergoing progressive contamination; rather, the various rocks probably were derived from separate batches of magma each of which followed a separate course of evolution. The late stage granite was apparently derived from basaltic magma by fractionation with little or no crustal assimilation. The early intrusive phases are much more highly contaminated than the final one. The observed relationships have important implications for the formation of comagmatic complexes and for isotopic modelling of crustal contamination.     

A room-temperature phase transition in maximum microcline

A type of hysteresis, similar to that observed in the heat capacity measurements (Openshaw et al., 1979), has been found in the room temperature unit cell parameters of a microcline sample 71104 and likewise indicates the existence of two forms of this microcline. The A-form (obtained on cooling the sample to approximately 80 K) has significantly different values of b, β and V to the B-form which is the more stable form above 300±10 K. The transition from the A- to the B-form occurs over a period of months and has an associated ΔV of ?0.0011 nm³. The cell parameters of the B-form have been measured up to 1278 K and show significant changes: a and V increase, b constracts, and c is unchanged on increasing temperature. The calculated thermal expansion ellipsoid is nearly uniaxial and similar in shape to that for sanidine. Below room temperature the isobaric thermal expansion coefficent α_p, for a natural microcline is nearly four times as large as that for sanidine. Above room temperature α_p for 71104 microcline decreases markedly with increasing temperature. This implies a rapid change in the thermal expansion behavior of microcline which has been correlated with the proposed phase transition.     

Updraft properties deduced statistically from Rawin soundings

Between 1966 and 1973, National Severe Storms Laboratory mesonetwork soundings were taken near thunderstorms and squall lines. Thirty-four of these soundings sampled updrafts at various levels. Because of instrumental noise and atmospheric fine structure, many of the individual soundings were hard to interpret. However, significant results were obtained from the data as a whole and from the four fastest updraft cases. Typically, the updrafts were associated with moderate thunderstorms that formed in baroclinic regions with maritime tropical air near the surface overlaid by drier air aloft. The immediate environments were potentially, conditionally, and latently unstable but were stable with respect to parcel displacement from the lifted condensation level. The updrafts were generally located in regions of strong radar reflectivity gradient at 0° antenna tilt. The updraft soundings often showed pseudo-adiabatic lapse rates immediately above the updraft condensation level. Statistical analysis of the data confirms that updrafts are warm core at mid- and upper levels and that they are relatively cool at low levels (below 700 mb). Important effects of perturbation pressure gradient forces are emphasized. We also find that local updraft speed is positively correlated at the 95% confidence level with local potential wet-bulb temperature between 0.9 and 9.3 km MSL. The average vertical velocity is a maximum at a relatively low height (4.8 km MSL); this agrees with other experiments that involve tracking objects released below cloud base. However, flight train icing and other extraneous factors may be influencing this result. The average horizontal winds in the updraft and environment agree with recent conceptual Great Plains thunderstorm models.     

The probable occurrence of interstitial Al in hydrous,F-bearing and F-free aluminosilicate melts

Experiments carried out on the system SiO₂-NaAlSi₃O₈-KAlSi₃O₈(Qz-Ab-Or) at 1 kbar in the presence of H₂O and F show that the quartz-alkali feldspar field boundary is progressively displaced towards the feldspar join as F contents increase from 0 to 4 wt. %F. Increasing , in the absence of F, has already been shown to have a similar effect (Tuttle and Bowen 1958; Luth, Jahns, and Tuttle 1964). The increased size of the quartz field in the F-bearing system compared to the hydrous system is believed to be caused by progressive removal of Al from the tetrahedral network of the melt by complexing with F. The residual network in the melt is thus enriched in Si and this stabilizes precipitation of quartz rather than feldspar for certain bulk compositions. The common presence of quench cryolite (Na₃AlF₆) in certain experiments carried out with 4 wt.% F supports this interpretation and indicates that some Al in the melt may be present in six-fold coordination with F^–. The effect of H₂O in the absence of F may be similar, with Al being progressively removed from four-fold coordination as more H₂O is dissolved in the melt. Although a proportion of Al in hydrous melts may occur in six-fold coordination, dry melts predominantly contain Al in four-fold coordination. This major difference in Al complexing may be one of the main causes for differences in the high-pressure phase relations of wet and dry Albearing silicate systems.     

Plutonium diffusivity in compacted bentonite

Measurements on plutonium diffusivity in water-saturated compacted bentonite were carried out. Representative specimens of sodium bentonite were taken from the Tsukinuno and Kuroishi mines situated in northeast Japan. Tsukinuno bentonite was divided into three types: raw type, purified Na-type, and H-type which was prepared by treating Na-type bentonite with hydrochloric acid. Kuroishi bentonite contained chlorite as impurity. H-type bentonite was used as reference for the convenience of profile measurement in bentonite, since plutonium diffusivity in H-type bentonite was considered to be larger than that in Na-type bentonite because of low pH and low swelling pressure of H-type bentonite.

Sampled bentonite was compacted into pellets of 20 mm in diameter and 20 mm in height. Bulk densities of these specimens were 1200–1800 kg/m³ for purified Na-type and H-type bentonite and 1600 kg/m³ for raw type bentonite.

Plutonium profiles obtained in H-type bentonite can be explained by diffusion equation with constant concentration source. Diffusivity ranges from 10^-13 to 10¹² m²/s for H-type and Kuroishi impure sodium bentonite. Diffusivity in both raw type and purified Tsukinuno bentonite was was estimated to less than 10^-14 M²/s. Diffusivity in H-type bentonite showed a tendency to decrease with increasing density. Influence of in bentonite was also studied. Quartz content up to 50% or hematite content up to 1% did not influence diffusivity significantly in H-type bentonite.

The chemical species of plutonium in pore water of Na-type and H-type were estimated Pu(OH)₃^-; and PuO₂^- , respectively.     

Use of L-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy to characterize multiple valence states of 3d transition metals; a new probe for mineralogical and geochemical research

2p (L _2,3) X-ray absorption spectra are presented for a range of minerals to demonstrate the usefulness of L-edge spectroscopy as a symmetry- and valenceselective probe. 2p XAS provides a sensitive fingerprint of the electronic states of 3 d transition metals and can be applied to phases containing mixtures of such elements. Calculated spectra for 3d ⁿ → 2p ⁵ 3d ⁿ⁺¹ transitions provide a basis for the interpretation of the measured spectra. Thus, in principle, multiple valence states of a particular 3 d metal can be precisely characterized from a single L-edge spectrum. Examples of vanadium L-edge spectra are presented for a range of minerals; these complex spectra hold information concerning the presence of vanadium in multiple valence states. The Cu L-edge spectrum of sulvanite (Cu₃ VS₄) indicates the presence of both Cu⁺ and Cu²⁺; the V L-edge spectrum of the same sample shows that both V²⁺ and V⁵⁺ are present. Spectral simulations representing mixtures of Fe d ⁵ and Fe d ⁶ states are used to quantify Fe³⁺/∑Fe in a spinel, a glass, and an amphibole, all of which contain Fe as a major component. To illustrate the sensitivity of 2p XAS in a dilute system, the Fe L-edge spectrum of amethyst (α-SiO₂: Fe) has been recorded; this spectrum shows that ～68% of the Fe in amethyst is Fe²⁺, and ～32% is Fe³⁺. Although previous studies on amethyst using other spectroscopic methods cite evidence for Fe⁴⁺, there is no indication in the L-edge spectrum for Fe⁴⁺ in amethyst. Comparison of theoretical and experimental spectra not only allows the valence states of 3 d ions to be recognised, but also provides site-symmetry information and crystal field parameters for each ion site.     

Base-isolated buildings with soil-structure interaction

The equations of motion of building systems with soil-structure interaction are formulated for foundations comprising a joint mat or a set of individual spread footings. The influence of soil-structure interaction and the possible effects of building and foundation rocking are examined by investigating the modal properties. Simplifications in the analysis are also suggested.     

A County‐Level Risk Assessment of the Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico

This paper undertakes a risk assessment of coastal counties in the Gulf of Mexico impacted by the 2010 Deep Water Horizon oil spill. The study evaluates hazard risk from the perspective of community resilience, social capital, and access to resources. The proposed hazard risk location model re‐specifies risk as a function of hazard, exposure, and coping ability. The model employs an autoregressive function and a threshold analysis to develop a place‐based risk assessment. The results indicate that spatial variation in risk levels coincides with locational differences in social capital across the study area. Geographical proximity to the spill, population density, and unemployment rate are also key factors in determining overall risk. Furthermore, temporal variation in risk levels is determined by exposure to previous hazard events and changes in the business cycle.