Multi‐transient electromagnetic repeatability experiment over the North Sea Harding field‡

We present results of synthetic time‐lapse and real repeatability multi‐transient electromagnetic surveys over the North Sea Harding field. Using Archie's law to convert porosity and fluid saturation to resistivity we created 3D isotropic models of the reservoir resistivity at different stages of production from the initial state in 1996 through to complete hydrocarbon production by 2016 and, for each stage, we simulated an east‐west transient electromagnetic survey line across Harding. Unconstrained 1D full‐waveform Occam inversions of these synthetic data show that Harding should be detectable and its lateral extent reasonably well‐defined. Resistivity changes caused by hydrocarbon production from initial pre‐production state to production of the oil rim in 2011 are discernible as are significant changes from 2011–2016 during the modelled gas blowdown phase. The 2D repeatability surveys of 2007 and 2008 tied two wells: one on and the other off the structure. Between the two surveys the segment of the field under investigation produced 3.9 million barrels of oil – not enough to generate an observable time‐lapse electromagnetic anomaly with a signal‐to‐noise ratio of 40 dB. Processing of the 2007 and 2008 data included deconvolution for the measured source current and removal of spatially‐correlated noise, which increased the signal‐to‐noise ratio of the recovered impulse responses by about 20 dB and resulted in a normalized root‐mean‐square difference of 3.9% between the data sets. 1D full‐waveform Occam inversions of the real data showed that Harding was detectable and its lateral extent was also reasonably well‐defined. The results indicate that the multi‐transient electromagnetic method is suitable for exploration, appraisal and monitoring hydrocarbon production.     

Phyllocladane in brown coal from Handlová, Slovakia: Isolation and structural characterization

Aliphatic diterpenes were isolated from brown coal from Handlová, Slovakia, using microwave assisted extraction of mechanically activated coal powder. The parameters of the extraction procedure were optimized to get the target compounds in high yield. The total extract was separated using adsorption chromatography. GC–MS revealed tetracyclic and tricyclic diterpanes in the aliphatic fraction; they were identified as 16α(H)-phyllocladane (83%), isopimarane (11%), 18-norisopimarane (4%), abietane (2%) and fichtelite (<0.1%). It was found that more than 2 g of the most abundant diterpane, 16α(H)-phyllocladane could be extracted from 1 kg of Handlová coal. Because of the scarcity of relevant analytical data, 16α(H)-phyllocladane was thoroughly characterized by spectroscopic and chromatographic methods. A complete set of ¹H and ¹³C NMR data is given including their comparison with published values and ab initio calculations. EI mass and IR spectra of 16α(H)-phyllocladane are shown and discussed. Kováts retention indices measured on two common GC stationary phases are also given.     

Spectroscopic characterisation and crystal field calculations of varicoloured kyanites from Loliondo, Tanzania

Orange, ochre-coloured, light green and dark blue varieties of kyanite, ideally Al₂SiO₅, from Loliondo, Tanzania, have been characterised by electron microprobe analysis and polarised infrared and optical absorption spectroscopy. All colour varieties show elevated Fe contents of 0.39 to 1.31 wt.% FeO, but Ti contents only in the range of the EMP detection limit. Orange and ochre-coloured crystals have Mn contents of 0.23 and 0.06 wt.% MnO, respectively, the dark blue kyanite contains 0.28 wt.% Cr₂O₃, while the light green sample is nearly free from transition metal cations other than Fe. Polarised infrared spectra reveal OH defect concentrations of 3 to 17 wt.ppm H₂O with structural OH defects partially replacing the O_B (O2) oxygen atoms. Polarised optical absorption spectra show that the colour of all four varieties is governed by crystal field d-d transitions of trivalent cations, i.e. Fe³⁺ (all samples), Mn³⁺ (orange and ochre) and Cr³⁺ (blue kyanite), replacing Al in sixfold coordinated triclinic sites of the kyanite structure. Intervalence charge transfer, the prevalent colour-inducing mechanism in ‘usual’ (Cr-poor) blue kyanites, seems to play a very minor, if any, role in the present samples. Crystal field calculations in both a ‘classic’ tetragonal and in the semiempirical Superposition Model approach, accompanied by distance- and angle-least-squares refinements, indicate that Fe³⁺ preferably occupies the Al4 site, Cr³⁺ prefers the Al1 and Al2 sites, and Mn³⁺ predominantly enters the Al1 site. In each case specific local relaxation effects were observed according to the crystal chemical preferences of these transition metal cations. Furthermore, the high values obtained in the calculations for the interelectronic repulsion parameter Racah B correspond to a high ionic contribution to Me³⁺–O bonding in the kyanite structure. In the particular case of the blue sample, band positions specifically related to the high Racah B value enable this ‘unusual’ type of blue colouration of kyanite solely due to Cr³⁺ cations.     

RARE EARTH ELEMENT CONCENTRATIONS IN USGS AND CCRMP IGNEOUS ROCK STANDARDS DETERMINED BY HIGH PERFORMANCE ION CHROMATOGRAPHY

Eleven rare earth elements (REE) have been determined in ten USGS and two CCRMP igneous rock standards using high performance ion chromatography. Duplicate analyses of two or more separately prepared aliquots of each sample were undertaken; reproducibility was better than 5% for each of the REE. In most cases, the results compare closely with published REE values for those samples for which the REE are well characterised. Where the results for individual elements are in disagreement with published data, the more erratic patterns yielded by the earlier data when plotted on chondrite-normalised REE diagrams suggest that values determined in this study are of greater accuracy.     

Petrogenesis of picrite and associated basalts from the southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Basalts dredged from the south wall of a fracture zone transecting the southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge (SMAR) at 54° S are unusual in that they include a suite of highly olivine phyric basalts, sampled along with more normal sparsely plagioclase phyric basalts, and a highly plagioclase phyric basalt. Four basalt types (olivine phyric, sparsely plagioclase phyric, evolved sparsely plagioclase phyric and highly plagioclase phyric) are readily distinguished on the basis of petrography, mineralogy and bulk composition. They range from primitive to evolved, with the olivine phyric basalts having elevated MgO (up to 15.5%) and the plagioclase phyric basalt having elevated Al₂O₃ (19.3%) and CaO (13.1%) contents. Compositional variations are extremely consistant, with the olivine phyric basalts and the sparsely plagioclase phyric basalts defining coherent linear trends. On the basis of the ratios and covariation of the incompatible trace elements Zr, Nb, Y and Ba, distinct parental magmas for each basalt type are required. An investigation of Fe-Mg and Mg-Ni distribution coefficients between olivine and magma indicates that olivines from the olivine phyric basalts are on average too forsteritic and too Ni poor to have crystallized in a magma corresponding to the host bulk rock composition. This implies that these basalts are enriched in xenocrystic olivine. Olivines from the other basalt types are mostly of equilibrium composition, although there are some exceptions. Petrogenetic models for the formation of the different basalt types are quantitatively evaluated in terms of fractional crystallization/crystal accumulation processes. These indicate that (1) the olivine phyric basalts are the products of olivine and minor Cr-spinel accumulation and do not represent analogues of primary magma, or a liquid fractionation trend; (2) that the sparsely plagioclase phyric basalts were formed by polybaric fractional crystallization of olivine, plagioclase and clinopyroxene; and (3) that the evolved sparsely plagioclase phyric basalts are not readily related to one another. The single highly plagioclase phyric basalt is unrelated to the other basalt types and is cumulus enriched in plagioclase.The different basalt types are unrelated to one another and document the presence of at least four distinct magma types erupted in close proximity at this ridge/transform intersection on the southern end of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.     

Calcium isotope fractionation in modern scleractinian corals

The ⁴⁴Ca/⁴⁰Ca ratios of cultured (Acropora sp.) and open ocean (Pavona clavus, Porites sp.) tropical reef corals are positively correlated with growth temperature. The slope of the temperature-fractionation relation is similar to inorganic aragonite precipitates. However, δ^44/40Ca of the coral aragonite is offset from inorganic and sclerosponge aragonite by about +0.5‰. This offset can neither be explained by the very fast, biologically controlled calcification of scleractinian corals, nor as a consequence of calcification from a partly closed volume of fluid. As corals actively transport calcium through several cell layers to the site of calcification, the most likely explanation for the offset is a biologically induced fractionation. Our results indicate a limited use of Ca isotopes in scleractinian corals as temperature proxy.     

Moderately compact helix antennas with cutoff patterns for millimeter RTK positioning

GPS Solutions - Helical antennas have been developed that feature a cutoff pattern and are suitable for practical positioning at millimeter level. The antennas are in the form of a tube with...     

Flare-associated coronal expansion phenomena

Two classes of coronal expansion phenomena have been studied in Sacramento Peak coronal movies: Slow, slightly decelerated expansion phenomena (v=∼10− =∼ 2 km/sec) and fast, accelerated, quasi-exploding arches (v =∼ 10 - > 100 km/sec). The various phenomena were found to be associated with flares in different ways: The slow expansions were long lived post-flare phenomena initiated by the flare; the accelerated expanding arches were either (a) arches expanding prior to and apparently exploding at flare onset, or (b) arches apparently emerging from the flare (probably in its initial phase) and rapidly expanding and exploding, or (c) the expansion and disruption of (originally stable) coronal arches during occurrence of a distant flare. These expansions may be considered as evidence for corresponding flare associated changes in the coronal magnetic field. Mitteilung aus dem Fraunhofer Institut Nr. 96.