Chondritic Mg isotope composition of the Earth

The processes of planetary accretion and differentiation have potentially been recorded as variations in the stable isotope ratios of the major elements between planetary objects. However, the magnitude of observed isotopic variations for several elements (Mg, Fe, Si) is at the limit of what current analytical precision and accuracy are able to resolve. Here, we present a comprehensive data set of Mg isotope ratios measured in ocean island and mid-ocean ridge basalts, peridotites and chondrites. The precision and accuracy were verified by isotopic standard addition for two samples, one carbonaceous chondrite (Murchison) and one continental flood basalt (BCR-1). In contrast with some previous studies, our data from terrestrial and chondritic materials have invariant Mg isotope ratios within the uncertainty of the method (0.1‰ for the ²⁶Mg/²⁴Mg ratio, 2SD). Although isotopic variations of less than about 0.1‰ could still be present, the data demonstrate that, at this level of uncertainty, the bulk silicate Earth and chondritic Mg reservoir have a homogeneous δ²⁶Mg = −0.23‰ (²⁶Mg/²⁴Mg ratio of the sample relative to the DSM3 standard set to zero by definition). This implies that neither planetary accretion processes nor partial mantle melting and subsequent shallow-level differentiation have fractionated Mg isotope ratios. These observations imply in particular that the formation of the Earth cannot stem from preferential sorting of chondrite constituents that would have been fractionated in their Mg isotope composition. It also implies that unlike oxygen isotopes, there was no zonation in Mg isotopes in the inner solar system.     

Compactional behavior of fine-grained sediments — examples from Deep Sea Drilling Project cores

Laboratory experiments, statistical analysis of field data and theoretical models are combined in the attempt to derive standard compaction curves for various deep-sea sediments which are in compaction equilibrium with the overburden. A revised and generalized version of Athy's law together with laboratory experiments allows the classification of sediments in terms of the amount of porewater structurally bound to the particles' surfaces. Especially suction pressure experiments are useful in quantifying the forces that bind water on the particle surfaces. The sediments analyzed almost range from systems of »suspended grains« to nearly perfect »colloidal systems«. The methods and equations required to derive the relevant parameters are given for both, downhole porosity/density measurements and laboratory experiments.

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Zusammenfassung Die Synthese experimenteller Labordaten, statistischer Analysen von Messungen an Kernen und theoretischer Modellierung der Kompaktion im Gleichgewicht mit der Auflast ermöglicht die Definition von Typ-Kurven für das Kompaktionsverhalten von verschiedenen Tiefsee-Sedimenten. Eine erweiterte und verbesserte Form der Athy'schen Gleichung erlaubt zusammen mit Laborexperimenten, Sedimente entsprechend des Anteils an strukturell gebundenem Porenwasser zu klassifizieren. Anhand von Saugspannungsexperimenten können die Bindungskräfte zwischen Wasser und Partikeloberflächen abgeschätzt werden. Die untersuchten Sedimente reichen von »suspendierten Körnern« bis zu einem »kolloidalen System«. Die notwendigen Methoden und Gleichungen zur Bestimmung der relevanten Parameter aus Bohrlochdaten und Laborexperimenten werden diskutiert.

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Résumé A partir d'une synthèse de résultats d'expériences de laboratoires, d'analyses statistiques de données de terrain et d'une modélisation théorique, il est possible d'établir des courbes standard du processus de compaction pour divers types de sédiments de mer profonde, pour lesquels la compaction est en équilibre avec la charge. Une version revue et généralisée de la loi d'Athy permet, en accord avec les résultats expérimentaux, de classer les sédiments selon la quantité d'eau intersticielle liée structuralement à la surface des particules. Les sédiments analysés correspondent à des systèmes qui vont du type à «grains suspendus» à des colloïdes presque parfaits. Les auteurs présentent une discussion détaillée des méthodes et des équations néssaires à l'obtention des paramètres significatifs tant à partir des expériences de laboratoire qu'à partir des mesures de porosité/densité effectuées dans les forages.

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High resolution time series of lead and zinc in sediments of Lake Constance

Sediments in Lake Constance have been dated by radiometric methods and lamination counting. Investigations into the concentrations of lead and zinc in the sediments were carried out to get detailed information about environmental history. Maximum concentrations were found at the beginning of the 1960's. The lead maximum contamination occurred 3 years before the zinc maximum and has an unidentified source. The use of coal, leaded gasoline or the remobilization within the sediment could be excluded to result in the lead maximum. The fluctuations in zinc contamination could be explained with increasing and decreasing pollution (industry, coal burning, building of sewage plants). The greatest fluctuations of both metals occur during periods of great change in the economic history of Germany.     

Deep structure of the bohemian massif from phase velocities of Rayleigh and Love waves

Summary Phase velocities of Rayleigh and Love waves have been measured between the broadband seismic stations KHC (Kaperské Hory, South Bohemia) and KSP (Ksi, Lower Silesia), a profile that nearly coincides with the Interactional DSS Profile VII. The data for both wave types were separately inverted into models of shear-wave velocity versus depth. Novotný's model KHKS 82[1] for the DSS Profile VII was used as a start model. While the crustal section of Novotný's model is compatible with both of our data sets, our Rayleigh-wave data require smaller shear-wave velocities, on the average by 0.24 km/s, in the top 180 km of the mantle. The average difference between Novotný's model and our Love-wave model in that depth range is only 0.06 km/s. If our identification of the observed Love waves as the fundamental mode is correct, this result indicates the presence of polarization anisotropy in the uppermost mantle.

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Manifestation and measurement of the fractal characteristics of karst hydrogeological formations

A new method of estimating the fractal dimension of the percolation backbone of karst systems, which are discharged through karst springs, is presented. This method is based on the simulation of the spring by the MODKARST deterministic mathematical model. Application has been made to the Psiloritis karst formation in Crete, which feeds the periodically brackish karst spring “Almiros” in Crete. Furthermore, the estimated dimension justifies an independently determined power law that quantifies the sea intrusion into the karst system.     

The effect of mountainous topography on moisture exchange between the “surface” and the free atmosphere

Typical numerical weather and climate prediction models apply parameterizations to describe the subgrid-scale exchange of moisture, heat and momentum between the surface and the free atmosphere. To a large degree, the underlying assumptions are based on empirical knowledge obtained from measurements in the atmospheric boundary layer over flat and homogeneous topography. It is, however, still unclear what happens if the topography is complex and steep. Not only is the applicability of classical turbulence schemes questionable in principle over such terrain, but mountains additionally induce vertical fluxes on the meso-γ scale. Examples are thermally or mechanically driven valley winds, which are neither resolved nor parameterized by climate models but nevertheless contribute to vertical exchange. Attempts to quantify these processes and to evaluate their impact on climate simulations have so far been scarce. Here, results from a case study in the Riviera Valley in southern Switzerland are presented. In previous work, measurements from the MAP-Riviera field campaign have been used to evaluate and configure a high-resolution large-eddy simulation code (ARPS). This model is here applied with a horizontal grid spacing of 350 m to detect and quantify the relevant exchange processes between the valley atmosphere (i.e. the ground “surface” in a coarse model) and the free atmosphere aloft. As an example, vertical export of moisture is evaluated for three fair-weather summer days. The simulations show that moisture exchange with the free atmosphere is indeed no longer governed by turbulent motions alone. Other mechanisms become important, such as mass export due to topographic narrowing or the interaction of thermally driven cross-valley circulations. Under certain atmospheric conditions, these topographical-related mechanisms exceed the “classical” turbulent contributions a coarse model would see by several times. The study shows that conventional subgrid-scale parameterizations can indeed be far off from reality if applied over complex topography, and that large-eddy simulations could provide a helpful tool for their improvement.     

Deformation microstructures in experimentally deformed Maryland diabase

Experimentally deformed Maryland diabase has been examined using the transmission electron microscope in order to determine the mechanisms of deformation operative over a range of temperatures and pressures and thereby aid in the interpretation of polyphase flow data. Deformation mechanisms within the plagioclase and clinopyroxene of the diabase have been compared to those within monomineralic aggregates of these phases deformed at the same conditions. Both phases deform by microfracturing, mechanical twinning, and intracrystalline slip.Data for the monomineralic aggregates show that plagioclase is stronger than clinopyroxene at <800°C, but weaker at ≥ 800°C, for a pressure of 15 kbar and strain rate of 10^?6/sec. Observations of the diabase are consistent with this result: at < 800°C, the plagioclase and pyroxene grains are about equally strained, whereas at ≥ 800°C, almost all of the sample strain is accommodated by the plagioclase, the more continuous phase.     

Description of an aerodynamic levitation apparatus with applications in Earth sciences

Background  

In aerodynamic levitation, solids and liquids are floated in a vertical gas stream. In combination with CO₂-laser heating, containerless melting at high temperature of oxides and silicates is possible. We apply aerodynamic levitation to bulk rocks in preparation for microchemical analyses, and for evaporation and reduction experiments.     

Das Verhalten des Mikroorganismus Metallogenium spec. in einer kontinuierlichen Kultur

A series of 7 growth experiments with Metallogenium sp. was conducted in a flow-through reactor (chemostat). The results demonstrate that Metallogenium sp. grows under simulated lake water conditions in the laboratory. Metallogenium reacted in the chemostat in the same way as a microorganism. The growth rates of the microorganism Metallogenium were determined. It can be concluded therefore that the maximal growth rate at a temperature of 15 °C was 0.7 d⁻¹.