The Morávka meteorite fall: 3. Meteoroid initial size,history, structure,and composition

Abstract— The properties and history of the parent meteoroid of the Morávka H5–6 ordinary chondrites have been studied by a combination of various methods. The pre‐atmospheric mass of the meteoroid was computed from fireball radiation, infrasound, seismic signal, and the content of noble gases in the meteorites. All methods gave consistent results. The best estimate of the pre‐atmospheric mass is 1500 ± 500 kg. The fireball integral bolometric luminous efficiency was 9%, and the acoustic efficiency was 0.14%. The meteoroid cosmic ray exposure age was determined to be (6.7 ± 1.0) × 10⁶ yr. The meteorite shows a clear deficit of helium, both ³He and ⁴He. This deficit can be explained by solar heating. Numerical backward integration of the meteoroid orbit (determined in a previous paper from video records of the fireball) shows that the perihelion distance was probably lower than 0.5 AU and possibly as low as 0.1 AU 5 Ma ago. The collision which excavated Morávka probably occurred while the parent body was on a near‐Earth orbit, as opposed to being confined entirely to the main asteroid belt. An overview of meteorite macroscopic properties, petrology, mineralogy, and chemical composition is given. The meteorites show all mineralogical features of H chondrites. The shock level is S2. Minor deviations from other H chondrites in abundances of trace elements La, Ce, Cs, and Rb were found. The ablation crust is enriched with siderophile elements.     

The Berduc L6 chondrite fall: Meteorite characterization,trajectory, and orbital elements

Abstract– The fall of the Berduc meteorite took place on April 7, 2008, at 01 h 02 min 28 s ± 1 s UTC. A daylight fireball was witnessed by hundreds of people from Argentina and Uruguay, and also recorded by an infrasound array in Paraguay. From the available data, the fireball trajectory and radiant have been reconstructed with moderate accuracy. The modeled trajectory was tested to fit the infrasound and strewn field data. From the computed apparent radiant α = 87 ± 2° and δ = ?11 ± 2° and taking into account a range of plausible initial velocities, we obtained a range of orbital solutions. All of them suggest that the progenitor meteoroid originated from the main asteroid belt and followed an orbit of low inclination. Based on petrography, mineral chemistry, magnetic susceptibility, and bulk chemistry, the Berduc meteorite is classified as an L6 ordinary chondrite.     

Petrology of the Blue Mountain Complex, Marlborough, New Zealand

Blue Mountain is a central-type alkali ultrabasic-gabbro ringcomplex (1?1?5 km) introducing Upper Jurassic sediments, Marlborough,New Zealand. The ultrabasic-gabbroic rocks contain lenses ofkaersutite pegmatite and sodic syenite pegmatite and are intrudedby ring dykes of titanaugite-ilmenite gabbro and lamprophyre.The margin of the intrusion is defined by a ring dyke of alkaligabbro. The plutonic rocks are cut by a swarm of hornblende-biotite-richlamprophyre dykes. Thermal metamorphism has converted the sedimentsto a hornfels ranging in grade from the albite-epidote hornfelsfacies to the upper limit of the hornblende hornfels facies. The rocks are nepheline normative and consist of olivine (Fo_82-74),endiopside (Ca₄₅Mg₄₈Fe₇-Ca₃₆Mg₅₅Fe₉), titanaugite (Ca₄₀Mg₅₀Fe₁₀-Ca₄₄Mg₃₉Fe₁₇),plagioclase (An_73-18), and ilmenitetitaniferous magnetite, withvarious amounts of titaniferous hornblende and titanbiotite.There is a complete gradation between end-iopside and titanaugitewith the coupled substitution R_y^+z+Si(Ti⁺⁴+Fe⁺³)+Al⁺³ and asympathetic increase in CaAl₂SiO₆ (0?2-10?2 percent) and CaTiAl₂O₆(2?1-8?1 per cent) with fractionation. Endiopside shows a small,progressive Mg enrichment along a trend subparallel to the CaMgSi₂O₆-Mg₂Si₂O₆boundary, and titanaugite is enriched in Ca and Fe⁺²+Fe⁺³ withdifferentiation. Oscillatory zoning between endiopside and titanaugiteis common. Exsolved ilmenite needles occur in the most Fe-richtitanaugites. The amphiboles show the trend: titaniferous hornblende(1?0–5?7 per cent TiO₂)kaersutite (6?4 per cent TiO₂)Fe-richhastingsite (18?0–19?1 per cent FeO as total Fe). Biotiteis high in TiO₂ (6?6–7?8 per cent). Ilmenite and titaniferousmagnetite (3?5–10?6 per cent TiO₂) are typically homogeneousgrains; their composition can be expressed in terms of R⁺²RO₃:R⁺²O:R₂⁺³O₄. The intrusion of igneous rocks was probably controlled by subterraneanring fracturing. Subsidence of the country rock within the ringfracture provided space for periodic injections of magma froma lower reservoir up the initial ring fracture to form the BlueMountain rocks at a higher level. Downward movement of the floorof the intrusion during crystallization caused inward slumpingof the cumulates which affected the textural, mineralogical,and chemical evolution of the rocks in different parts of theintrusion. The order of mineral fractionation is reflected by the chemicalvariation in the in situ ultrabasic-gabbroic rocks and the successiveintrusions of titanaugite-ilmenite gabbro and lamprophyre ringdykes, marginal alkali gabbro and lamprophyre dyke swarm. Aninitial decrease, then increase in SiO₂; a steady decrease inMgO, CaO, Ni, and Cr: an initial increase, then decrease inFeO+Fe₂O₃, TiO₂, MnO, and V; almost linear increase in Al₂O₃and late stage increase in alkalis and P₂O₃, implies fractionationof olivine and endiopside, followed by titanaugite and Fe-Tioxides, followed by plagioclase, hornblende, biotite, and apatite.Reversals in the composition of cumulus olivine and endiopsideand Solidification Index, indicate that the ultrabasic-gabbroicsequence is composed of four main injections of magma. The ultrabasic rocks crystallized under conditions of high PH₂Oand fairly high, constant P_O2; P_H2 and P_O2 increased duringthe formation of the gabbroic rocks until fracturing of thechamber roof occurred. The abundance of euhedral amphibole inthe latter injection phases suggests that amphibole accumulatedfrom a hydrous SiO₂ undersaturated magma when an increase inP_O2, stabilized its crystallization. Plutonic complexes similar to Blue Mountain are found withinand beneath the volcanic piles of many oceanic islands, e.g.Canaries, Reunion, and Tahiti, and those intruding thick sedimentarysequences, as at Blue Mountain, e.g. the pipe-like intrusionsof the Monteregian Hills, Quebec.     

Petrology of the Blue Mountain Complex, Marlborough, New Zealand

Blue Mountain is a central-type alkali ultrabasic-gabbro ringcomplex (lxl7middot;5 km) introducing Upper Jurassic sediments,Marlborough, New Zealand. The ultrabasic-gabbroic rocks containlenses of kaersutite pegmatite and sodic syenite pegmatite andare intruded by ring dykes of titanaugite-ilmenite gabbro andlamprophyre. The margin of the intrusion is defined by a ringdyke of alkali gabbro. The plutonic rocks are cut by a swarmof hornblendebiotite-rich lamprophyre dykes. Thermal metamorphismhas converted the sediments to a hornfels ranging in grade fromthe albite-epidote hornfels facies to the upper limit of thehornblende hornfels facies. The rocks are nepheline normative and consist of olivine (Fo_82–74),endiopside (Ca₄₅Mg₄₈Fe₇–Ca₃₆Mg₅₅Fe₉), titanaugite (Ca₄₀Mg₅₀Fe₁₀–Ca₄₄Mg₃₉Fe₁₇),plagioclase (An_73–18), and ilmenitetitaniferous magnetite,with various amounts of titaniferous hornblende and titanbiotite.There is a complete gradation between endiopside and titanaugitewith the coupled substitution R_y⁺²+Si;;(Ti⁺⁴+Fe⁺³+Al⁺³ and asympathetic increase in CaAl₂SiO₆ (0·2–10·2percent) and CaTiAl₂O₆ (2·1–8·1 per cent)with fractionation. Endiopside shows a small, progressive Mgenrichment along a trend subparallel to the CaMgSi₂O₆–Mg₂Si₂O₆boundary, and titanaugite is enriched in Ca and Fe⁺²+Fe⁺³ withdifferentiation. Oscillatory zoning between endiopside and titanaugiteis common. Exsolved ilmenite needles occur in the most Fe-richtitanaugites. The amphiboles show the trend: titaniferous hornblende(1·0–57middot;7 per cent TiO₂) kaersutite (6·4per cent TiO2) Fe-rich hastingsite (18·0–19·1per cent FeO as total Fe). Biotite is high in TiO₂ (6·6–7·8per cent). Ilmenite and titaniferous magnetite (3·5–10·6per cent TiO₂) are typically homogeneous grains; their compositioncan be expressed in terms of R⁺²RO₃:R⁺²O:R₂⁺³O₄. The intrusion of igneous rocks was probably controlled by subterraneanring fracturing. Subsidence of the country rock within the ringfracture provided space for periodic injections of magma froma lower reservoir up the initial ring fracture to form the BlueMountain rocks at a higher level. Downward movement of the floorof the intrusion during crystallization caused inward slumpingof the cumulates which affected the textural, mineralogical,and chemical evolution of the rocks in different parts of theintrusion. The order of mineral fractionation is reflected by the chemicalvariation in the in situ ultrabasic-gabbroic rocks and the successiveintrusions of titanaugite-ilmenite gabbro and lamprophyre ringdykes, marginal alkali gabbro and lamprophyre dyke swarm. Aninitial decrease, then increase in SiO2; a steady decrease inMgO, CaO, Ni, and Cr: an initial increase, then decrease inFeO+Fe₂O₃, TiO₂, MnO, and V; almost linear increase in A1₂O₃and late stage increase in alkalis and P₂O₃, implies fractionationof olivine and endiopside, followed by titanaugite and Fe-Tioxides, followed by plagioclase, hornblende, biotite, and apatite.Reversals in the composition of cumulus olivine and endiopsideand Solidification Index, indicate that the ultrabasic-gabbroicsequence is composed of four main injections of magma. The ultrabasic rocks crystallized under conditions of high P_H2Oand fairly high, constant     

Mineralogy and petrology of a piemontite-bearing schist, western Otago, New Zealand

Abstract. Pink piemontite-spessartine-bearing and grey-green spessartine-bearing manganiferous quartzose schists derived from siliceous pelagites, and green quartzofeldspathic schists, are described from the greenschist facies of the Haast Schist terrane, near Arrow Junction, western Otago. Electron microprobe data are reported for sphene, spessartine-rich garnet, manganoan epidote, piemontite, tourmaline, phengitic muscovite, chlorite, albite, haematite, rutile, manganoan calcite and chalcopyrite. Metamorphism occurred at about 6.4kbar, 400°C. X_co2 was above the quartz-rutile-calcite-sphene buffer (X_co2± 0.02) throughout the recorded metamorphic history of the piemontite schists. It dropped from above to below this critical buffering value in a spessartine-rich schist and it was close to or below the buffering value in the quartzofeldspathic schists. Production of piemontite required high f_O2, believed to be inherited from MnO_x in the parent pelagite. Substantial loss of O₂ (e.g. minimum of 0.19% by weight in one rock) during diagenesis and/or metamorphism is inferred. In the grey-green schists this inhibited piemontite formation. Slight loss of O₂ and Ca²⁺ accompanied minor late-stage replacement of piemontite by second generation spessartine. Observed zoning and mineral replacements indicate rise of temperature, drop in pressure, or invasion by solutions of lower f_O2 and X_CO2 equilibrated with surrounding schists. The detailed chemistry of the minerals studied correlates with available Mn and with bulk-rock (Fe³⁺ x 100)/(Fe²⁺+ Fe³⁺). The oxidation ratio ranges from 24 in average green quartzofeldspathic schist, through 78 in average grey-green manganiferous quartzose schist, to almost 100 in some piemontite-bearing schists. As Fe²⁺ gives way to Fe³⁺, Mg/Fe ratios tend to rise in chlorite, phengite, tourmaline, spessartine, and calcite, Mn increases and Ti decreases in haematite, Mn increases in spessartine and calcite, and Fe increases in rutile. Available divalent cations are depleted relative to Al; chlorite is more aluminous, and phengite more paragonitic than in typical Haast schists.     

Current Status and Future Challenges of Weather Radar Polarimetry: Bridging the Gap between Radar Meteorology/Hydrology/Engineering and Numerical Weather Prediction

After decades of research and development, the WSR-88 D(NEXRAD) network in the United States was upgraded with dual-polarization capability, providing polarimetric radar data(PRD) that have the potential to improve weather observations,quantification, forecasting, and warnings. The weather radar networks in China and other countries are also being upgraded with dual-polarization capability. Now, with radar polarimetry technology having matured, and PRD available both nationally and globally, it is important to understand the current status and future challenges and opportunities. The potential impact of PRD has been limited by their oftentimes subjective and empirical use. More importantly, the community has not begun to regularly derive from PRD the state parameters, such as water mixing ratios and number concentrations, used in numerical weather prediction(NWP) models.In this review, we summarize the current status of weather radar polarimetry, discuss the issues and limitations of PRD usage, and explore potential approaches to more efficiently use PRD for quantitative precipitation estimation and forecasting based on statistical retrieval with physical constraints where prior information is used and observation error is included. This approach aligns the observation-based retrievals favored by the radar meteorology community with the model-based analysis of the NWP community. We also examine the challenges and opportunities of polarimetric phased array radar research and development for future weather observation.     

Physical characterization of aerosol particles during nucleation events

Particle concentrations and size distributions have been measured from different heights inside and above a boreal forest during three BIOFOR campaigns (14 April–22 May 1998, 27 July–21 August 1998 and 20 March–24 April 1999) in Hyytiälä, Finland. Typically, the shape of the background distribution inside the forest exhibited 2 dominant modes: a fine or Aitken mode with a geometric number mean diameter of 44 nm and a mean concentration of 1160 cm⁻³ and an accumulation mode with mean diameter of 154 nm and a mean concentration of 830 cm⁻³. A coarse mode was also present, extending up to sizes of 20 μm having a number concentration of 1.2 cm⁻³, volume mean diameter of 2.0 μm and a geometric standard deviation of 1.9. Aerosol humidity was lower than 50% during the measurements. Particle production was observed on many days, typically occurring in the late morning. Under these periods of new particle production, a nucleation mode was observed to form at diameter of the order of 3 nm and, on most occasions, this mode was observed to grow into Aitken mode sizes over the course of a day. Total concentrations ranged from 410–45 000 cm⁻³, the highest concentrations occurring on particle production days. A clear gradient was observed between particle concentrations encountered below the forest canopy and those above, with significantly lower concentrations occurring within the canopy. Above the canopy, a slight gradient was observed between 18 m and 67 m, with at maximum 5% higher concentration observed at 67 m during the strongest concentration increases.     

Complex exposure histories for meteorites with “short” exposure ages

Abstract— We report measurements of ²⁶Al and ¹⁰Be activities in nine ordinary chondrites and of the light noble gas concentrations and ³⁶Cl and ⁴¹Ca activities in subsets of those meteorites. All but Murray have low ²¹Ne concentrations (<1.0 × 10^?8cm³STP/g) and have previously been used to estimate ²¹Ne production rates. Ladder Creek, Murchison, Sena, and Timochin have inventories of cosmogenic radionuclides that are compatible with a single stage of irradiation and give ²¹Ne production rates that are consistent with the standard L-chondrite value of 0.33 × 10^?8cm³STP/g/Ma. In contrast, Cullison, Guenie, Shaw, and Tsarev experienced complex irradiation histories. They and several other meteorites with low nominal exposure ages also have lower ³He/²¹Ne ratios than expected based on their ²²Ne/²¹Ne ratios. A general association between low ²¹Ne contents and ³He losses suggests that meteorites with short lifetimes often occupy orbits with small perihelia. However, meteorites with low ²¹Ne contents, one-stage exposure histories, and losses of cosmogenic ³He are rare. Possible explanations for the scarcity are (1) statistical, (2) that it is harder for more deeply buried protometeoroids to lose gas in a liberating collision, and (3) that it is harder to insert more deeply buried protometeoroids directly into orbits with small perihelia.     

苏鲁超高压变质岩的构造热历史：中国大陆科学钻探工程(CCSD)主孔（MH）和先导孔（PP2）的磷灰石裂变径迹约束

本文包括中国大陆科学钻（CCSD）主孔（MH）0~5000m和先导孔（PP2）0~1000m的磷灰石裂变径迹分折结果,先导孔PP2的裂变径迹表观年龄变化范围为79.5±5.1~50.4±6.2Ma,主孔的裂变径迹表观年龄变化范围为98.6±17.0~2.9±2.0Ma,主孔在4200m以下,磷灰石样品中实际上已不存在自发裂变径迹,表明裂变径迹时钟已经“置零”。实验资料表明,裂变径迹表观年龄值随样品深度的增加而逐渐减少,直到一定深度,即达到磷灰石的裂变径迹封闭温度（~120℃）以后,年龄值为零。根据主孔0~2000m和先导孔0~1000m的裂变径迹年龄剖面,作为一级近似,计算出超高压变质岩体在90~30Ma期间,平均隆升速度为~35m/Ma。对主孔测定了9个样品的约束径迹（Confined track）长度,样品约束径迹平均长度的变化范围约为13.1~7.4μm,总的变化趋势是：约束径迹平均长度随样品深度的增加而逐渐减少。样品的约束径迹长度分布都具有双峰型特征。根据裂变径迹年龄和约束径迹长度的资料,应用计算机模拟得到了样品的时间-温度（t-T）轨迹。结果表明,岩体从早白垩世（~120Ma）快速冷却以后,在晚白垩世和始新世又经历了两次加热作用,始新世末岩体所达到的温度大约是80℃,随后岩体则一直上升和缓慢冷却到现今所处的位置。在最后~30Ma岩体的平均隆升速度为~53m/Ma。     

Glaciomarine varves and the character of deglaciation, Säveån valley, southwestern Sweden

Glaciomarine varves, in contrast to glaciolacustrine varves, are primarily dependent upon sedimentation from meltwater overflow. They are usually developed in proximal positions and are a more reliable reflection of deglaciation character within a specific area than 'classical' glaciolacustrine varves, which are generally more distal and greater influenced by bottom topography. The close relationship with ice-front processes in the glaciomarine environment is discussed and utilized to suggest correlations between the varve stratigraphy, ice-front positions and climate shifts during the deglaciation of the Savean valley, where two varve localities have been documented. A varve sequence outside this valley shows similar general trends in varve-thickness variation, and comparison between localities may help in extending the lines connecting positions of concurrent ice-marginal deposition. The study of glaciomarine varves provides a more continuous record of changes in the ice-front character than can be obtained from intermittent moraine positions.