An unusual fluvial to tidal transition in the mesoarchean Moodies Group, South Africa: A response to high tidal range and active tectonics

The Moodies Group in the Dycedale Syncline, Barberton Greenstone Belt consists of a 100–130 m-thick upward-fining succession that exhibits a transition from fluvial to tide-modified sedimentation. A basal, 10–30 m-thick conglomerate–sandstone interval of alluvial origin is overlain by stacked upward-fining, decimeter- to meter-scale cycles within which three facies are recognized: 1) conglomerate lag; 2) cross-bedded sandstone; and 3) interlaminated sandstone–siltstone and mudstone. Within the cycles, the abundance of mudstone drapes increases upwards. Structureless conglomerates and cross-beds lacking mudstone drapes record braided-alluvial processes. In contrast, cross-beds with mudstone drapes and interlaminated sandstone–siltstone and mudstone are products of flows modified by various tidal beats. Sand and/or silt transport took place during the ebb and flood stages and mudstone accumulated during slack water phases. Alternating thick–thin laminations reflect dominant and subordinate, twice-daily tides. Thicker groupings of foresets and thicker intervals of vertically stacked sandstone–siltstone and mudstone laminations are interpreted as spring tide deposits whereas thinner groupings of foresets and thinner laminations record neap tides. Desiccated mudstone drapes on foresets indicate that bedforms rarely were locally exposed during some portion of the tidal cycle. Abundant exposure structures in the interlaminated sandstone–siltstone and mudstone facies indicate that the cycles are upward shoaling. The stacked upward-fining cycles are attributed to alternating subaerial exposure and fluvial influx followed by marine inundation, probably related to absolute sea level fluctuations. Lack of high-order vegetation on the Archean landscape promoted rapid lateral migration or avulsion of tidally influenced fluvial channels.

The association of facies within the 100–130 m-thick upward-fining succession is comparable to Holocene and ancient paleovalley fills characterized by basal alluvial gradational upwards into estuarine facies. However, in the absence of vegetation, the land–ocean interface in the Archean probably consisted of laterally extensive fan or braid deltas rather than point sources of sediment characteristic of most modern rivers. The abrupt up-section change from syntectonic, high-energy, alluvial–fluvial flash flood deposits to tide-influenced sedimentation implies a proximal source that provided sediment to a shoreline influenced by strong tidal action. Possible Holocene analogues are orogenic settings such as the Canterbury Plains of New Zealand, the Indo-Gangetic Plains of India and strike-slip settings such as the Gulf of Aqaba but all three examples lack a direct transition to tidally influenced sedimentation.     

A study on the preparation of fine and low soda alumina

A simple process to produce fine and low soda α-alumina (α-Al₂O₃) from a commercial grade aluminium trihydroxide (gibbsite, Al(OH)₃) produced by KC Corporation Ltd was developed. There are two options for this process with the first one producing low soda α-alumina (< 0.05% Na₂O) having a mean particle size of 50 μm. The second option yields a fine product with a mean size of less than 10 μm. In the first option, a plant aluminium trihydroxide containing 0.20% Na₂O was first fluidized with nitrogen at 400–600 °C to yield an amorphous activated alumina. This intermediate product was then treated with acetic or oxalic acid, washed with water and heated to 1200 °C to form calcined α-alumina, having a Na₂O content of less than 0.05%. A 20 min leaching using 0.2 M acetic or oxalic acid could yield an alumina product containing 0.04% Na₂O. In the second option, a new technique for the preparation of fine and low soda α-alumina was evaluated using an attrition mill working also as a leaching vessel at 80 °C. Fine (< 10 μm in mean particle size) and low soda (< 0.04% Na₂O) alumina was produced by a 20 min leaching step with 0.2 M acetic acid and concurrent attrition milling.     

Microbial effects on geochemical behavior of arsenic in As-contaminated sediments

The purpose of this study is to investigate the contamination level and chemical speciation of As in sediments from the Hwachon Au mine area, and to study the effects of indigenous bacteria on geochemical behavior of As in As-contaminated sediments from the mine. Concentrations of heavy metal and metalloids in one composite sample of 9 Hwachon sediments were 24.9 As mg/kg, 16.6 Cd mg/kg, 230 Pb mg/kg and 1080 Zn mg/kg. This indicates that this area was seriously contaminated with As, Cd and Zn. From the result of sequential extraction analysis, most of As (87.9%) existed as a phase of As which coprecipitated with Fe oxyhydroxides. Under aerobic condition, As concentration leached from sediments were 4 times higher in non-sterile than in sterile condition. This enrichment of As leaching could be caused by increase of pH and exudation secreted during microbial metabolism. On the other hand, under anaerobic condition, As concentration has dramatically increased in non-sterile solution with time. This As leaching has begun on 4–5th days of incubation and the highest concentration of 511 As μg/l was recorded on about 11th day. Arsenic leaching under anaerobic condition was caused by microbial enhancement of Fe leaching. Total Fe concentration increased from the 4th day, and this Fe leaching might cause lixiviation of As which had been coprecipitated with Fe oxyhydroxide.     

Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Network

Information included in this summary is based on more detailed reports published in the Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network, vol. 31, no. 1, January 2006 (on the Internet at ). Edited by scientists at the Smithsonian, this bulletin includes reports provided by a worldwide network of correspondents. The reports contain the names and contact information for all sources. Please note that these reports are preliminary and subject to change as events are studied in more detail. The Global Volcanism Program welcomes further reports of current volcanism, seismic unrest, monitoring data, and field observations.     

Comparison of satellite measurements of the low-latitude nighttime upper ionosphere with IRI

In this paper, we report the results of our comparison study between satellite measurements and the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) model on the seasonal and longitudinal changes of the low-latitude nighttime topside ionosphere during the period of solar maximum from June 2000 to July 2001. Satellite measurements were made by KOMPSAT-1 and DMSP F15 at 685 km altitude and 840 km altitude, respectively. The results show that the IRI2001 model gives reasonable density estimations for the summer hemisphere and the March equinox at both altitudes. However, the observed wintertime densities are smaller than the predictions of the IRI2001 model, especially at a higher (840 km) altitude, manifesting strong hemispheric asymmetries. The observed electron temperatures generally reside between the two estimations of IRI2001, one based on the Aeros–ISIS data and the other based on Intercosmos, and the latter estimation better represents the observations. With more or less monotonic increase with latitude, the temperature profiles of the IRI2001 model do not predict the enhancement seen around 15° magnetic latitude of the winter hemisphere. Longitudinal variation, probably caused by the zonal winds, is seen in all seasons at both altitudes, while the IRI2001 model does not show a large variation. The observed density and temperature show significant changes according to the F10.7 values in the whole low-latitude region from 40°S to 40°N geomagnetic latitude. The effect is manifested as increases in the density and temperature, but not in the hemispheric asymmetry or in the longitudinal variation.     

Kornerupine parageneses in whiteschists and other magnesian rocks: is kornerupine + talc a high-pressure assemblage equivalent to tourmaline + orthoamphibole?

Kornerupine, (□,Fe,Mg)(Mg,Fe,Al)₉(Si,Al,B)₅ (O,OH,F)₂₂, has been reported with talc in rocks from six localities worldwide, but only at Chilapila Hill in the Lufilian Arc, Zambia do textural relationships imply that kornerupine (Krn) equilibrated with talc (Tlc) during a prograde metamorphic event at T≈ 640 °C, P≈ 13 kbar; a prograde Krn + Tlc assemblage has also been reported from Mautia Hill, Tanzania (P ≤ 13 kbar). In order to estimate possible constraints on the stability range for the kornerupine + talc paragenesis in nature, we constructed a P-T diagram in the model system MgO-Al₂O₃-SiO₂-H₂O (MASH) for seven phases quartz (Qtz), B-free kornerupine sensu stricto, anthophyllite (Ath), chlorite (Chl), cordierite (Crd), kyanite (Ky), and talc. The minimum pressure for Krn + Tlc + Ky stability in MASH is close to that for Ky + Tlc stability, i.e., 6–8 kbar, at T≤ 780 °C. However, in the natural system, B₂O₃ and Na₂O are major constituents in Krn and orthoamphibole (Oam), respectively, and dravitic tourmaline (Tur) is widespread. The critical assemblage alternative to Krn + Tlc in nature is Tur + Oam. The upper pressure limit of Tur + Ath is determined by the upper pressure for anthophyllite: 7.7–10.5 kbar at 682–794 °C in the MgO-SiO₂-H₂O system (Chernosky et al. 1985, Am Mineral 70:223–236), and is undoubtedly higher in the presence of Na₂O, CaO, and Al₂O₃. At three of the six localities, talc is a retrograde phase; nonetheless, it possibly equilibrated with kornerupine on the retrograde path or during a later metamorphic event at P-T conditions appropriate for Ky + Tlc. At the sixth locality (Mulvoj, southwestern Pamir Mountains, Tajikistan), Krn is found in the same thin section as talc and kyanite and all three minerals formed during a prograde metamorphic event at T≥ 650 °C, P near 7 kbar. However, Krn is restricted to a lens 4 to 6 mm thick of phlogopite + anthophyllite + Tur and it does not touch either talc or kyanite. A reaction relating the Mulvoj and Chilapila Hill (Krn + Tlc + Ky + Qtz + Tur) parageneses is calculated from compositions in the Mulvoj rock to be 0.40Tur + 2.55Ath + 1.33H₂O + 0.27F = Krn + 2.16Tlc + 0.36B₂O₃ + 0.02Rutile + 0.19Na₂O + 0.17CaO. Given the difference in metamorphic pressures estimated for Mulvoj and Chilapila Hill, Krn + Tlc is inferred to be favored by increasing pressure as well as by low Na₂O and CaO contents. Some FeO, F, Fe₂O₃, and BeO are present in measurable amounts in at least one of the phases in the Mulvoj and Chilapila Hill whiteschists (e.g., Krn contains 0.24–0.67 wt% BeO), but the effect of these constituents is subordinate to that of Na₂O, CaO and B₂O₃. The Krn + Tlc could be a more important assemblage in B-bearing whiteschists than has been reported to date, particularly at pressures where orthoamphibole is no longer stable. Received: 21 April 1997 / Accepted: 13 October 1997     

The high-velocity molecular stream in W51B: a ring structure with compact H ii regions

We present ¹³ CO J  = 1 − 0 line observations of the H  ii region complex W51B located in the high-velocity (HV) stream. These observations reveal a filamentary and clumpy structure in the molecular gas. The mean local standard of rest (LSR) velocity ∼ + 65 km s⁻¹ of the molecular gas in this region is greater than the maximum velocities allowed by kinematic Galactic rotation curves. The size and mass of the molecular clouds are ∼ 48 × 17 pc² and ∼ 2.4 × 10⁵ M⊙ respectively. In a position–velocity diagram, molecular gas in the southern part comprises a redshifted ring structure with v _LSR=+ 60 to +73 km s⁻¹. The velocity gradient of this ring is ∼ 0.5 km s⁻¹ pc⁻¹, and the mass is ∼ 6.2 × 10⁴ M⊙. If we assume that the ring is expanding with a uniform velocity, the expansion velocity, radius and kinetic energy are ∼ 7 km s⁻¹, ∼ 13 pc and ∼ 3.0 × 10 ⁴⁹ erg respectively. The kinetic energy and mass spectrum of the ring could be explained by an expanding cylindrical cloud with a centrally condensed mass distribution. The locations of two compact H  ii regions, G49.0−0.3 and G48.9−0.3, coincide with the two molecular clumps in this ring. We discuss star formation, and the mechanism that produced the ring structure.     

Ultra-High Resolution Nitrate in Polar Ice as Indicator of Past Solar Activity

Ionization in the polar atmosphere causes the formation of nitrate compounds, which are frozen out and incorporated into the layers of the polar ice sheets. From a 122-m ice core collected in 1992 on the central Greenland ice sheet, it has been possible to examine a solar signal in a ultra-high resolution record of nitrate concentrations. The sequence extends over a period of 415 years at a temporal resolution of no less than one analysis per month (total number of samples 7776 resulting from 1.5 cm sampling along the entire core). This type of measurement reveals major nitrate anomalies which are thought to result from the injection of individual solar proton events into the winter polar stratosphere. For this reason, the large nitrate anomalies provide the possibility to delineate a signal of solar activity well beyond the known geophysical records.     

COARSE-PARTICLE TRANSPORT IN A GRAVEL-BED RIVER

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