AGE ESTIMATES OF INLAND DUNES IN EAST-CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN USING SOILS DATA

Extensive deposits of eolian sand occur deep (>50 km) within the interior of east-central lower Michigan. These dunes are most common in the Saginaw lowland where they are parabolic, with limbs oriented northwesterly. Their presence on densely forested landscapes indicates that paleoenvironmental conditions differed sufficiently for dune formation to have occurred. In a previous study, Arbogast et al. (1997) illustrated that surface soils in the northwestern part of the Saginaw dune field were morphologically similar, consisting of weakly developed Spodosols (A/E/Bs/C horizonation). Thus, these dunes must have stabilized concurrently following regional mobilization of eolian sand. In this study, we present soils data from dunes in the southeastern part of the Saginaw dune field. Surface soils were analyzed at 19 sites in the Deford State Game Area in Tuscola County. Morphologically, the soils within the Deford area are similar (A/E/Bs/C horizonation), indicating that Deford dunes stabilized concurrently. Statistical (ANOVA, KW, factor analysis) comparison of Deford soils and soils to the northwest, however, reveals that significant developmental differences exist between the two areas, with Deford soils being better developed. Given that variables (climate, soil texture, pH) are more conducive for Spodosol development to the northwest, we conclude that Deford soils are older. Thus, Deford dunes must have stabilized prior to their counterparts to the northwest. [Key words: eolian processes, sand dunes, soils, Spodosols, Michigan.]     

Mo isotope composition in Mo-rich high- and low-T hydrothermal systems from the Swiss Alps

We analyzed the molybdenum (Mo) isotope compositions (IC) of 59 samples from two molybdenite mineralizations (Alpjahorn and Grimsel) and from a Mo-rich hydrothermal breccia (Grimsel) from the Aar Massif, Switzerland. The formation temperature of the Late Paleozoic Mo mineralizations (300-600 °C) is much higher than that of the Pliocene breccia (100-160 °C). The Mo IC of the molybdenites varies over 1.35‰. Even in a single hand specimen it spans 0.45‰, indicating that fractionation processes during molybdenite precipitation can vary on a cm scale. The Mo IC of most molybdenites analyzed here are significantly heavier than that of the host rock (δ^98/95Mo = (0.05 ± 0.1)‰) and show a bimodal distribution centered around δ^98/95Mo ≈ 1.1‰ and 0.2‰. This result rules out single stage Rayleigh fractionation as the relevant formation mechanism and instead, redox variations are suggested to be a main factor controlling the Mo IC of the studied high-temperature Mo deposits. The range of the Mo IC in one single deposit, the Alpjahorn, overlaps with the variation range of almost all other published values for Mo IC in Mo deposits. Compared to the molybdenites, the breccia shows an even wider variation of 3.0‰ (δ^98/95Mo between −1.6‰ and +1.4‰). In contrast to the high-T molybdenite deposits, here the Mo was transported via oxidized surface waters into the breccia system, where it was reduced and precipitated. This indicates that oxidation and reduction of Mo complexes may lead to highly variable Mo IC in hydrothermal systems.     

Geotechnical Aspects of Clayey Sediments Off Badagara on the Kerala Coast,India

Offshore geotechnical surveys form part of an integrated investigation to rejuvenate a decrepit minor port at Badagara, Kerala on the southwestern coast of India. The sediments typify a fluvio-marine milieu ranging from silty clay, sand, silty sand, sandy silt and clayey silt. Geotechnical and sedimentological studies of shallow cores reveal the geotechnical aspects besides the depositional history of the sediments. Downcore geotechnical variations and regressive coefficients based on their inter-relationships highlight diverse factorial inferences. X-Ray Diffraction data indicate the prominent clay type.

A comparative evaluation of the geotechnical characteristics of clayey sediments off Badagara, with similar studies along various sectors of the Kerala coast, both on land as well as in the near shore, is broadly attempted. Geotechnical studies carried out earlier on the uplifted Cochin marine clays provide comparative data for evaluating the possible variations between present day marine clayey sediments occurring along the Kerala coast and uplifted marine clays which, besides their gross variations in levels with respect to the present sea-level, also obviously relate to a much older depositional environment and provenance during probable Holocene times.     

Cryogenic Core Collection (C3) from Unconsolidated Subsurface Media

We evaluated tools and methods for in situ freezing of cores in unconsolidated subsurface media. Our approach, referred to as cryogenic core collection (C₃), has key aspects that include downhole circulation of liquid nitrogen (LN) via a cooling system, strategic use of thermal insulation to focus cooling into the core, and controlling LN back pressure to optimize cooling. Two cooling systems (copper coil and dual‐wall cylinder) are described. For both systems, the time to freeze a single 2.5‐foot (76‐cm) long by 2.5‐inch (63‐mm) diameter core is 5 to 7 min. Frozen core collection rates of about 30 feet/day (10 m/day) were achieved at two field sites, one impacted by petroleum‐based light nonaqueous phase liquids (LNAPLs) and the other by chlorinated solvents. Merits of C₃ include (1) improved core recovery, (2) potential control of flowing sand, and (3) improved preservation of critical sediment attributes. Development of the C₃ method creates novel opportunities to characterize sediment with respect to physical, chemical, and biological properties. For example, we were able to resolve water, LNAPL, and gas saturations above and below the water table. By eliminating drainage of water, gas and LNAPL saturations in the range of 6 to 23% and 1 to 3% of pore space, respectively, were measured in LNAPL‐impacted intervals below the water table.     

Gravity field contribution analysis of GOCE gravitational gradient components

A gravity field model is computed from the four accurate gravitational gradient components of GOCE (Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer), combined with the analysis of the kinematic orbits, and some moderate constraint (or stabilization) in the polar areas where no observation from GOCE is available due to the orbit geometry. The normal matrix of each component is computed individually in order to study its contribution to the combined solution. The results show that the contribution of V_zz is the largest, with an average value of 32.74% of the total solution; the second and the third largest are V_zz and V_yy, with average values of 28.04% and 26.08%, respectively; the component V_xz contributes 11.81%. Validation with external data shows that each component has its characteristic value and that the information content of the component V_xz is not negligible and should be included for gravity field recovery. The orbit part as derived from high-low satellite-to-satellite tracking (SST-hl) to the GPS contributes mostly to the coefficients below degree and order (d/o) 20, and to non-zonal coefficients from d/o 20 to 80. The mean value of the contribution of the polar stabilization is the smallest with a value of 0.22%, nevertheless it is important. In addition to the contribution analysis in terms of the normal matrices, each individual component of the gradiometer has been combined with SST and polar stabilization, to give a set of single component gravity field models. These partially combined solutions are compared to the fully combined solution in terms of geoid differences. They show that the partially combined solution with V_zz is closest to the complete solution. Even closer is a combination with V_xx and V_yy. In addition to the GOCE-only solution, a GOCE-GRACE (Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment) combined gravity field model is derived and the information content of GOCE and an available set of normal equations of GRACE are investigated. Results show that, as expected, GRACE dominates the solution below degree 90 and GOCE above degree 140.     

PERSPECTIVE ON CLIMATE CHANGE IN NORTH AMERICA DURING THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

The climate record from many parts of North America provides ample evidence of climate change. For specific elements such as temperature or precipitation, a substantial portion of these changes can be shown to be statistically significant; that is, they either reflect an unusual combination of events in a stationary process or they reflect a nonstationary process. The practical significance of a climate change, however, even when it can be shown to be statistically significant, cannot be assumed. Conversely, it is entirely possible to have a practically significant climate change without statistical significance, although this is less likely to occur.

The preponderance of evidence over recent years suggests that any notion regarding static climate regimes must be dismissed in favor of a dynamic system. The differential heating of our planet which results in a restless atmosphere can also yield a restless climate. Whether this dynamic climate system is merely a manifestation of natural variations or at least partly caused by changes in external influences, we cannot yet be certain. The fact that the climate has changed in North America during the 20th century, and in all likelihood will probably continue to do so in the future, should be considered in any decision-making process related to climate. [Key words: climatic change.]     

Triaxial shear testing of polished slickensided surfaces

A series of consolidated-drained triaxial tests were performed on precut and polished clay specimens to measure their drained residual strength. Two soils were tested during this research program: Rancho Solano Clay and San Francisco Bay Mud. Specimens were tested using a specially modified triaxial compression device which was developed to minimize the effects of end-platen restraint on the measured strengths. Special attention was paid to the influence of changing specimen area and membrane effects during the test. Triaxial test results were compared with baseline measurements of drained residual shear strength that were made for each of the clay soils using Bromhead ring shear tests and polished-specimen direct shear tests. Residual strength values measured in the triaxial device were higher than the drained residual strengths measured in the Bromhead ring shear apparatus and the direct shear device, indicating that this test approach is more challenging than the use of direct shear tests conducted on polished slickensided surfaces. Comparison of single stage and multistage triaxial test data indicates that multistage triaxial testing may work well for specimens that fail along a well-defined plane, provided that careful attention is given to the effects of end platen restraint, membrane restraint, and changes in specimen area during shear.     

Short contribution: Buried Canopic channel identified near Egypt's Nile delta coast with radar (SRTM) imagery

Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) data, with ground‐based geologic investigations, define the geographic position of the relict Canopic channel in Egypt's NW Nile delta. Two sinuous channel segments south of Abu Qir Bay are observed on a radar image: a more sinuous trace (36 km in length) west of Idku lagoon, and an eastern one (˜20 km), reaching the lagoon's southeast corner. Sediment cores recovered along channel traces show sand‐rich deposits (to > 4 m thick) beneath the surface, in contrast with silty muds in areas away from channels. Historic and archaeological findings indicate that the Ptolemaic Roman city of Schedia once lay directly along the Canopic that channeled water from the 3rd to 2nd centuries B.C. until ˜5th century A.D., after which Nile water was displaced to the east via Bolbitic and, later, Rosetta branches. Identification of buried, but well‐defined, Canopic channels provides baselines for renewed archaeological exploration in this delta sector. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.