The distribution and utility of sea‐level indicators in Eurasian sub‐Arctic salt marshes (White Sea,Russia)

In support of efforts to reconstruct relative sea level (RSL), we investigated the utility of foraminifera, diatoms and bulk‐sediment geochemistry (δ¹³C, C:N and parameters measured by Rock‐Eval pyrolysis) as sea‐level indicators in Eurasian sub‐Arctic salt marshes. At three salt marshes (<15 km apart) in Dvina Bay (White Sea, Russia), we collected surface sediment samples along transects from subtidal to Taiga forest environments. Foraminifera at all sites formed bipartite assemblages, where elevations below mean high higher water (MHHW) were dominated by Miliammina spp. and elevations between MHHW and the highest occurrence of foraminifera were dominated by Jadammina macrescens and Balticammina pseudomacrescens. Five high‐diversity groups of diatoms were identified and they displayed pronounced variability amongst the study sites. Bulk‐sediment geochemistry recognized two groups (clastic‐dominated environments below MHHW and organic‐rich environments above MHHW). As one group included subtidal elevations and the other included supratidal elevations, we conclude that the measured geochemical parameters are not stand‐alone sea‐level indicators. Core JT2012 captured a regressive sediment succession of clastic, tidal‐flat sediment overlain by salt‐marsh organic silt and freshwater peat. The salt‐marsh sediment accumulated at 2804±52 years before present and preserved foraminifera (Jadammina macrescens and Balticammina pseudomacrescens) with good analogy to modern assemblages indicating that RSL was +2.60±0.47 m at this time. Diatoms confirm that marine influence decreased through time, but the lack of analogy between modern and core assemblages limited their utility as sea‐level indicators. Geochemical parameters also indicate a reduction in marine influence through time. We conclude that RSL reconstructions derived from salt‐marsh sediment preserved beneath Eurasian sub‐Arctic peatlands can provide valuable insight into the spatio‐temporal evolution of the Fennoscandian and Eurasian ice sheets.     

The socio-political context for deploying carbon capture and storage in China and the U.S

Together, the U.S. and China emit roughly 40% of world's greenhouse gas emissions, and these nations have stated their desire to reduce absolute emissions (U.S.) or reduce the carbon intensity of the economy (China). However, both countries are dependent on coal for a large portion of their energy needs, which is projected to continue over the next several decades. They also have large amounts of coal resources, coal-dependent electricity production, and in China's case, extensive use of coal in the industrial sector, making any shift from coal socio-politically difficult. Both nations could use carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies to simultaneously decrease greenhouse gas emissions and continue the use of domestic coal resources; however, the socio-political context for CCS deployment differs substantially between the two countries and potentially makes large-scale CCS deployment challenging. Here, we examine and compare the political and institutional contexts shaping CCS policy and CCS deployment, both for initial pilot projects and for the creation of large-scale CCS technology deployment, and analyze how the socio-political context for CCS in China and the United States aligns with national climate, energy security, and economic priorities.     

Characterization of the D beneath the Galapagos Islands using SKKS and SKS waveforms

SKS and SKKS waveforms from 16 events occurring between 2003 and 2005 in the Tonga Trench that were recorded by the BOLIVAR array are analyzed to determine the structure of the D layer beneath the Galapagos Islands.248 differential travel-time residuals of SKKS-SKS are measured and reveal a region of positive residuals of differential travel times in the northeast portion of the sampled region.Analyzing correlation statistics between the measured SKKS-SKS residuals and the observed absolute travel time dela...     

Field Study of Enhanced TCE Reductive Dechlorination by a Full‐Scale Whey PRB

This study evaluates the efficiency of a full‐scale, 81 m‐wide permeable reactive barrier (PRB) configured by injection of dairy whey in the downgradient region of a contaminant source zone to enhance the in situ biodegradation of high concentrations (10² to 10³μg/L) of chlorinated ethenes (CEs). Ten biannual whey injections were completed in a 3.5‐year pilot phase and 1.5‐year operational phase. Improved and sustained dechlorination was observed at extraction/injection and downgradient wells in the fully‐operational phase, when dried whey masses were increased from 13.6 kg to 230–360 kg, whey slurry volumes were increased from 2300 L to 307,000–480,000 L, and extraction/injection well loops were employed for the application of whey. At extraction/injection wells, CEs decreased to low (≤10 μg/L) or undetectable levels. At downgradient wells, average trichloroethene concentrations decreased, by as much as 100% (from ≤384.2 during the pilot phase to ≤102.6 μg/L during the operational phase), while average cis‐dichloroethene concentrations decreased by as much as 57.5% (from ≤6466.1 to ≤4912.2 μg/L). Downgradient vinyl chloride averages either increased by as much as 63.8% (from ≤859.6 to ≤1407.9 μg/L) or decreased by 64.0% (from 1375.4 to 880 μg/L). Downgradient ethene + ethane averages increased by as much as 73.2% (from ≤1145.3 to ≤1347.1 μg/L). On the basis of the 2008 average market price, the estimated material cost of whey is $1.96/kg organic carbon or, for the configuration of an 81 m PRB by biannual application of 300 kg whey, $325/year. Carbon substrate cost comparisons and implications for efficient in situ treatment design are discussed.     

Natural and anthropogenic heavy metals in estuarine cohesive sediments: geochemistry and bioavailability

The geochemistry, mineralogy, and grain size distribution of several estuarine cohesive sediment samples from potentially human-influenced areas without such an influence were analyzed to determine the natural heavy metal content and evaluate its impact on the Bahía Blanca estuarine environment. The data were compared with different ranges of concentrations for heavy metals in marine sediments established by the NOAA Screening Quick Reference Tables in which values range from background levels to those considered toxic to the marine environment. Our total heavy metal contents were below the established hazardous levels in all the analyzed samples, even though the potentially human-influenced areas (harbors, industry, urban spread) showed the highest total concentration values as well as greater percentages of bioavailable compounds. This would imply a low and not extensive anthropogenic input into the environment. The relatively high proportions in which Cd, Pb, and Cr appear as bioavailable compounds at some sites not influenced by human activity suggest the presence of a natural source for these elements. This could be attributed to the weathering of naturally occurring volcanic minerals, indicating that special care must be taken when monitoring of sediment for anthropogenic activity is carried out within this environment. According to the results obtained, and in order to minimize the environmental impact caused by periodic water injection dredging, relocation of sewage outfalls from vessel mooring areas into open waters is strongly recommended.     

Early Archean crustal evolution of the Jack Hills Zircon source terrane inferred from Lu-Hf, Pb/Pb, and δO systematics of Jack Hills zircons

Several lines of isotopic evidence - the most direct of which is from Hadean Jack Hills zircons - suggest a very early history of crust formation on Earth that began by about 4.5 Ga. To constrain both the fate of the reservoir for this crust and the nature of crustal evolution in the sediment source region of the Jack Hills, Western Australia, during the early Archean, we report here initial ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf ratios and δ¹⁸O systematics for <4 Ga Jack Hills zircons. In contrast to the significant number of Hadean zircons which contain highly unradiogenic ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf requiring a near-zero Lu/Hf reservoir to have separated from the Earth’s mantle by 4.5 Ga, Jack Hills zircons younger than ca. 3.6 Ga are more radiogenic than -13ε (CHUR) at 3.4 Ga in contrast to projected values at 3.4 Ga of -20ε for the unradiogenic Hadean reservoir indicating that some later juvenile addition to the crust is required to explain the more radiogenic younger zircons. The shift in the Lu-Hf systematics together with a narrow range of mostly mantle-like δ¹⁸O values among the <3.6 Ga zircons (in contrast to the spread towards sedimentary δ¹⁸O among Hadean samples) suggests a period of transition between 3.6 and 4 Ga in which the magmatic setting of zircon formation changed and the highly unradiogenic low Lu/Hf Hadean crust ceased to be available for intracrustal reworking. Constraining the nature of this transition provides important insights into the processes of crustal reworking and recycling of the Earth’s Hadean crust as well as early Archean crustal evolution.     

The structure of the upper mantle beneath the Delamerian and Lachlan orogens from simultaneous inversion of multiple teleseismic datasets

Distant earthquake data recorded by seven sub-arrays of the ongoing WOMBAT rolling seismic array deployment in southeast Australia are combined for the first time to constrain 3-D variations in upper mantle P-wavespeed via teleseismic tomography. The seven arrays comprise a total of 276 short period recorders spaced at intervals of approximately 50 km, thus allowing unprecedented resolution of the upper mantle over a large region. In the mantle lithosphere immediately below the crust (~ 50 km depth), dominant variations in velocity tend to strike east–west, and share little resemblance to Palaeozoic boundaries in the shallow crust inferred from surface geology and potential field data. A broad region of elevated wavespeed beneath northern Victoria may represent the signature of underplated igneous rocks associated with detachment faulting during the break-up of Australia and Antarctica. A distinct low velocity anomaly in southern Victoria appears to correlate well with the Quaternary Newer Volcanic Provinces. Towards the base of the mantle lithosphere, the dominant structural trend becomes north–south, and five distinct velocity zones become apparent. Of particular note is a transition from higher wavespeed in the west to lower wavespeed in the east beneath the Stawell Zone, implying that the Proterozoic lithosphere of the Delamerian Orogen protrudes eastward beneath the Western subprovince of the Lachlan Orogen. This transition zone extends northwards from southern Victoria into central New South Wales (the northward limit of the arrays), and is one of the dominant features of the model. Further east, there is a transition from lower to higher wavespeeds in the vicinity of the boundary between the Western and Central subprovinces of the Lachlan Orogen, which has several plausible explanations, including the existence of a Proterozoic continental fragment beneath the Wagga–Omeo Zone. The presence of elevated wavespeeds beneath the Melbourne Zone in Victoria, although not well constrained due to limited data coverage, provides some support to the Selwyn Block model, which proposes a northward extension beneath Bass Strait of the Proterozoic core of Tasmania.     

Multiple provenance of detrital zircons from the Permian–Triassic boundary in the Bükk Mts., Hungary

Detailed zircon analyses were carried out on samples from the Bálvány North section, which contains the Permian–Triassic boundary. A fine-grained sandstone bed within the “boundary shale” contains a significant amount of zircon crystals. Pupin morphological, scanning electron microscopy [secondary electron, back-scattered electron, cathodoluminescence (CL)] and laser ablation inductively coupled mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) investigations were done in selected single grains to combine morphological information with radiometric ages, and infer the provenance of zircons. Three populations are distinguished on the basis of Pupin morphology. Their centres of gravity are S17, S2 and P1. The LA-ICP-MS radiometric ages reveal three main age groups and a smaller one, apart from a few scattered old ages. The largest group, comprising ca. 50% of the measured grains, has an age of 470–440 Ma. The two other main groups, which together represent ca. 25% of the measured grains, are around 280 and 600 Ma. The 280 Ma group contains slightly more grains than the 600 Ma group. A small group has an age of 370–340 Ma. In addition, there are some older grains with ages of 850, 969, 1,050 and 2,150 Ma. Based on the zircon morphology no clear separation of the different age groups could be made. Both the 280 Ma and the 470–440 Ma age groups tend to show zircon crystals derived from three types of sources: crustal granites, calc-alkaline granitoids and alkali granites and/or their volcanic equivalents. Zircons in the 450 Ma group have a magmatic rim around their altered, relict core, as revealed by CL images. Post-magmatic processes also affected the rim. The age of the core is possibly reset during the formation of the magmatic rim. This suggestion is supported by the LA-ICP-MS data, because no difference was seen between the core and the rim. The different roundness of the zircons, the well-sorted crystals and the at least five different source rocks indicate previous concentration of the grains, before their transportation into the “boundary shale”. Austroalpine and Southern Alpine rocks could be the sources of the zircon crystals, which fit well into the paleogeographical model of the area, which suggests that the Bükk Mts. was located in the foreground of the Alpine units.