Bacterial communities in Hoito Gol hot spring,Eastern Sayan,and the ecologic-geological conditions of their development

Hoito Gol hot spring of weakly mineralized warm (36–29°C) neutral and partly alkaline nitrogen-carbon dioxide waters belongs to the hydrogeological structure of the actively water-flooded fault marked by the Sentsy River at the southwestern termination of the Baikal rift system. The spatiotemporal evolution of the major parameters of the underground aqueous ecosystem of this spring is controlled mainly by geological and geodynamic factors, whereas the parameters of the surface system are determined mostly by bacterial factors. Variations in these factors are correlated with changes in the composition, structure, and spatial distribution of the bacterial communities.     

The study of metal contamination in urban topsoils of Mexico City using GIS

This research presents and discusses information concerning the spatial distribution of heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Zn, Ba, Co, Cr, Ni and V) in the urban environments of Mexico City using geographical information system and statistical analysis. Superficial soil samples (n = 146) were analyzed. The highest contamination indices were found in the north and center zone of the metropolitan area. In contrast, the surrounding rural fields show a lower impact grade. The higher concentrations of Pb, Cu, Zn and Ba were observed as being related to high vehicular traffic, nevertheless other elements such as Co, Cr, Ni and V do not show anthropogenic influence and their content can be attributed to the parental rock. The results are compared with previous surveys carried out in 2003 in order to evaluate temporal deposition trends. No changes were found on reported concentrations except for Cu and Zn, whose concentration has increased in later years. The results suggest that spatial distribution analysis and results in comparison with previous studies could be useful for the management and sustainable development of the metropolitan area of Mexico City.     

Analysis of soil drying incorporating a constitutive model for curling

This paper focuses on the shrinkage behavior of soil specimens involving sand, kaolinite, and kaolinite/sand mixtures subjected to desiccation under controlled conditions. Both, free and restrained shrinkage conditions are studied. The experiments show that pure soils do not curl upon unrestrained shrinkage; however, (under the same conditions) kaolinite/sand mixtures exhibited a marked curling. Furthermore, the mixture with the higher sand content broke through the middle of the sample after displaying a significant curling. Soils subjected to restricted shrinkage developed cracks with slight curling. To simulate the observed behavior, a mechanical model able to reproduce the detachment of the soil sample from the mold is proposed in this work and implemented in a fully coupled hydro-mechanical finite-element code. It is concluded that suction and differential shrinkage are key factors influencing the curling behavior of soils. The proposed framework was able to satisfactorily explain and reproduce the different stages and features of soil behavior observed in the experiments.

     

Validation of Landslide Susceptibility Maps; Examples and Applications from a Case Study in Northern Spain

A procedure for validating landslide susceptibility maps wasapplied in a study area in northern Spain and the results obtained compared. Validationwas used to carry out sensitivity analysis for individual variables and combinationsof variables. The validity of different map-making methods was tested, as well as theutility of different types of Favourability Functions. The results obtained show thatvalidation is essential to determine the predictive value of susceptibility maps. Italso helps to better select the most suitable function and significant variables, thus improving the efficiency of the mapping process. Validation based on a temporal strategy makes it possible to derive hazard maps from susceptibility maps.     

Incorporating hydro-mechanical coupling in an analysis of the effects of rainfall patterns on unsaturated soil slope stability

Rainfall-induced landslides can cause loss of life and damage to property, infrastructure, and the environment. Rainfall patterns affect the pore-water pressure of unsaturated soil slopes, and are related to the slopes’ stability. Four rainfall patterns were chosen to represent natural rainfall patterns for an examination of rainfall infiltration into soil slopes using numerical models incorporating coupled water infiltration and deformation in unsaturated soils. Our analysis showed that rainfall patterns play a significant role in the distribution of the pore-water pressure in soil slopes, and influence the slope stability. The pore-water pressure profile of soil slopes and the factor of safety are affected by the ratio of rainfall intensity and the coefficient of permeability. The depth and shape of the shallow sliding plane of the landslide is closely related to the rainfall pattern; moreover, the results showed a correlation between the factor of safety of the slope and the rainfall intensity. This relationship can be described by a dimensionless rainfall intensity. The nonlinear relationship can be used to estimate the slope stability resulting from rainfall infiltration when the hydro-mechanical coupling in unsaturated soil slopes is considered.     

Geochemical and structural evolution of micas in the Rožná and Dobrá Voda pegmatites,Czech Republic

Summary The chemistry, structural parameters, polytypism, optical properties and Rb-Sr isotopes were examined in 11 to 60 samples of biotite, muscovite and lepidolite from the pegmatites at Roná (the type locality of lepidolite; 323 ± 4Ma) and Dobrá Voda (306 ± 9Ma) in western Moravia. At both localities, early endocontact biotite is followed inwards by muscovite and lepidolite, which is concentrated in and around the core. At Roná, a 1M lepidolite follows after 2M₁ muscovite but all later generations of lepidolite are 2M₂, close to Tri₅₀ Ply₅₀ and in part associated with muscovite 2M₁. At Dobrá Voda, all lepidolite types are 1M and free of muscovite, and the late varieties approximate Tri₃₀ Ply₇₀. At both localities, a trend of increasing HF is indicated during the progress of mica crystallization, culminating in precipitation of topaz. Polytypism of lepidolite is not correlatable with any compositional or growth feature, or their combination. Throughout the mica crystallization, Rb/Cs decreases but K/Rb becomes reversed after an initial decrease. Boron is partitioned preferentially into muscovite (up to 1.10 wt.% B₂O₃) but Be, Zn, Mn and Sc are enhanced in lepidolite. A slight increase in Fe, Ba and Cl in the last generation of lepidolite might be possibly due to mixing of residual pegmatite fluids with metamorphic pore solutions.

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Geochemische und strukturelle Entwicklung der Glimmer in den Pegmatiten von Roná und Dobrá Voda, Tschechische Republik

Zusammenfassung In 11 bis 60 Proben von Biotit, Muskovit und Lepidolith aus den Pegmatiten von Roná (Typlokalität des Lepidoliths; 323 ± 9 Ma) in Westmähren wurden Chemie, Struktur-parameter, Polytypie, optische Eigenschaften und Rb-Sr-Isotopie untersucht. An beiden Lokalitäten wird früher Biotit an Endokontakten nach Innen von Muskovit und Lepidolith gefolgt, letzterer ist in und um den Kern konzentriert. In Roná folgt 1M-Lepidolith auf 2M₁-Muskovit, aber alle späteren Lepidolithgenerationen sind 2M₂, nahe Tri₅₀Ply₅₀ und zum Teil mit 2M₁-Muskovit vergesellschaftet. In Dobrá Voda sind alle Lepidolithe vom Typ 1M und frei von Muskovit, die späten Varietäten kommen Tri₅₀Ply₅₀ nahe. An beiden Lokalitäten ist während des Fortschreitens der Glimmerkristallisation eine Tendenz von steigendem HF angezeigt, die in der Ausfällung von Topas ihren Höhepunkt findet. Die Polytypie des Lepidoliths kann nicht mit irgendeiner Eigenheit der Zusammensetzung oder des Wachstums korreliert worden, auch nicht mit einer Kombination von diesen. Während der ganzen Glimmerkristallisation nimmt Rb/Cs ab, aber die Tendenz von K/Rb ändert sich nach anfänglichem Abfall. Das Bor verteilt sich bevorzugt auf den Muskovit (bis zu 1.10 Gew. -% B₂O₃), aber die Be-, Zn-, Mn- und Sc-Gehalte sind im Lepidolith erhöht. Ein leichter Ansteig von Fe, Ba und Cl in der letzten Lepidolithgeneration könnte vielleicht durch eine Mischung von pegmatitischen Restlösungen mit metamorphen Porenlösungen verursacht sein.

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With 9 Figures     

Vertical distribution and water solubility of phosphorus and heavy metals in sediments of the St. Lucie Estuary, South Florida, USA

Accumulation and distribution of heavy metals and phosphorus in sediments impact water quality. There has been an increasing concern regarding fish health in the St. Lucie Estuary, which is related to increased inputs of nutrients and metals in recent decades. To investigate vertical changes of contaminants (P, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, and Mn) in sediments of the St. Lucie Estuary in South Florida, 117 layer samples from six of the 210 to 420 cm depth cores were analyzed for their total and water-soluble P and heavy metals, clay, total Fe, Al, K, Ca, Mg, Na, and pH. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used in two sets of analytical data (total and water-soluble contaminant concentrations) to document changes of contaminants in each core of sediments. The PCA of total contaminants and minerals resulted in two factors (principal components). The first and second factors accounted for 61.7 and 17.2 % of the total variation in all variables, and contrast indicators associated with contaminants of P, Cd, Co, Cr, Ni, Pb, Zn, and Mn and accumulation of Fe and Al oxides, respectively. The first factor could be used for overall assessment of P and heavy metal contamination, and was higher in the upper 45–90 cm than the lower depths of each core. The concentrations of P and heavy metals in the surface layers of sediments significantly increased, as compared with those in the sediments deeper than 45–90 cm. The PCA of water-soluble contaminants developed two factors. The second factor (Cu–P) was higher in the upper than the lower depths of the sediment, whereas the highest score of the first factor (Cd–Co–Cr–Ni–Pb–Zn–Mn) occurred below 100 cm. The water-soluble Cu and P concentrations were mainly dependent on their total concentrations in the sediments, whereas the water-soluble Cd, Co, Cr, Ni, Pb, Zn, and Mn concentrations were mainly controlled by pH.     

Composition, P-T parameters, and metasomatic transformations of mafic schists of the Svyatoi Nos Peninsula, Eastern Baikal Area

The paper reports data on rock and mineral compositions from the Svyatonosskaya Formation, which is a continuation of the Ol’khon Series in the northern part of the Svyatoi Nos Peninsula, eastern shore of Lake Baikal. The pyroxene-amphibole-plagioclase schists (metagabbro) are replaced there by the garnet-biotite-quartz assemblage, which was formed, according to the data of various geothermometers and calculations by the THERMOCALC computer program, under conditions corresponding to the transition from the granulite (848–811°C) to high grades of the amphibolite (715–670°C) facies under high pressures (8.7 ±1.6 kbar). In petrogenetic grids, these conditions fall onto the line of the onset of eclogitization. In nature these rocks are a continuation of the Chernorudskaya-Barakchinskaya zone of elevated pressures in the Ol’khon area. The metasomatic rocks were formed simultaneously with strike-slip faulting, when coupled zones of relatively high-(eclogite-like) and low-pressure (quartzite-marble melange) developed at the inflow of SiO₂ and K₂O and the removal of MgO and CaO. Analogous compositional changes in gneisses and schists in tectonic extension zones in Ol’khon Island and neighboring areas occurred during the development of migmatites. The migmatization of the gneisses was likely coupled with the garnetization of mafic schists in high-pressure zones and the formation of eclogite-like rocks replacing marbles. The accompanying graphitization of this block suggests that the metasomatic fluid had a hydrocarbon-hydrogen composition.     

新疆希勒库都克铜钼矿区岩浆混合作用: 来自锆石U-Pb年代学的证据

新疆北部富蕴县内希勒库都克铜钼矿区的花岗闪长岩及其包体岩相学、矿物化学和岩石地球化学特征及野外地质特征显示其为岩浆混合作用的结果。本文获得花岗闪长岩及其中暗色微粒包体玄武安山玢岩、细粒辉长闪长岩锆石U-Pb年龄为326.8±2.1Ma、327.6±2.4Ma、329.3±2.3Ma,年龄值基本一致,这一结果从年代学角度为花岗闪长岩及其中暗色微粒包体的岩浆混合作用成因提供证据。偏酸性的花岗闪长质与偏基性玄武安山质岩浆混合作用形成了331.9±2.1Ma的安山玢岩脉。     

The Fresnel space imager as a disk evolution watcher

The Fresnel Diffractive Imaging Arrays form high resolution images by diffraction with low radiometric efficiencies. They are extremely good devices to make high resolution imaging and integral field spectroscopy of bright sources. Thirty meter arrays will provide a spatial resolution of 0.8 mas at Lyman-?? that will open a completely new field of research: the study of matter distribution around disks and their gravitational drives. In this contribution, the potentials of the 3.6 m precursors (or probes) for astrophysical disks and jets research, are described. Main emphasis is made on young planetary disks.