High-pressure X-ray study of LiCrSi2O6 clinopyroxene and the general compressibility trends for Li-clinopyroxenes

High-pressure single-crystal X-ray diffraction measurements of synthetic LiCrSi₂O₆ clinopyroxene (with space group P2₁/c) were performed in a diamond-anvil cell up to 7.970 GPa. No phase transition has been observed within the pressure range investigated, but the elastic behavior at lower pressures (up to ~2.5 GPa) is affected by an anomalous softening due to the proximity of the phase transition to the HT-C2/c phase at 330 K and at ambient pressure. A third-order Birch–Murnaghan equation of state fitted to the compression data above 2.5 GPa yields a bulk modulus K _T0 = 93(2) GPa and its first derivative K′ = 8.8(6). The structural data measured up to 7.970 GPa confirm that the space group P2₁/c is maintained throughout the whole pressure range investigated. The atomic parameters, obtained from the integrated diffraction intensities, suggest that the Li coordination polyhedron changes its coordination number from 5 to 6 at 6–7 GPa by means of the approach of the bridging O atom, related to the increased kinking of the B tetrahedral chain. Furthermore, at higher pressures, the structural evolution of LiCrSi₂O₆ provides evidence in the variation of kinking angles and bond lengths of a potential phase transition above 8 GPa to the HP-C2/c space group. A comparison of the Li-clinopyroxenes (M1 = Cr, Al, Sc, Ga, Mg + Fe) previously investigated and our sample shows that their elastic behavior and structural mechanisms of compression are analogous.     

Early Berriasian ammonites from Shal, Talesh region (NW Alborz Mountains, Iran)

An early Berriasian (Berriasella jacobi Zone) ammonite fauna is described for the first time from the Alborz Mountains in northwest Iran. It has been collected from a section located near the village of Shal (Talesh region); in addition to rare phylloceratids, lytoceratids and Neolissoceras, the majority of ammonites belong to the neocomitid subfamily Berriasellinae. With the exception of a new genus and species, Taleshites fuersichi, these taxa are common in European and North African Tethyan successions. Associated calpionellids confirm the early Berriasian age of the ammonite-bearing levels.     

Comparison of three geostatistical methods for hydrofacies simulation: a test on alluvial sediments

The hydrodispersive properties of porous sediments are strongly influenced by the heterogeneity at fine scales, which can be modeled by geostatistical simulations. In order to improve the assessment of the properties of three different geostatistical simulation methods (Sequential indicator simulation, SISIM; Transition probability geostatistical simulation, T-PROGS; Multiple point simulation, MPS) a comparison test at different scales was performed for a well-exposed aquifer analogue. In the analysed volume (approximately 30,000?m³) four operative hydrofacies have been recognised: very fine sand and silt, sand, gravelly sand and open framework gravel. Several equiprobable realizations were computed with SISIM, MPS and T-PROGS for a test volume of approximately 400?m³ and for the entire volume, and the different outcomes were compared with visual inspection and connectivity analysis of the very or poorly permeable structures. The comparison of the different simulations shows that the geological model is best reproduced when the simulations are realised separately for each highest rank depositional element and subsequently merged. Moreover, the three methods yield different images of the volume; in particular MPS is efficient in mapping the geometries of the most represented hydrofacies, whereas SISIM and T-PROGS can account for the distribution of the less represented facies.     

Vesta's mineralogical composition as revealed by the visible and infrared spectrometer on Dawn

The Dawn spacecraft mission has provided extensive new and detailed data on Vesta that confirm and strengthen the Vesta–howardite–eucrite–diogenite (HED) meteorite link and the concept that Vesta is differentiated, as derived from earlier telescopic observations. Here, we present results derived by newly calibrated spectra of Vesta. The comparison between data from the Dawn imaging spectrometer—VIR—and the different class of HED meteorites shows that average spectrum of Vesta resembles howardite spectra. Nevertheless, the Vesta spectra at high spatial resolution reveal variations in the distribution of HED‐like mineralogies on the asteroid. The data have been used to derive HED distribution on Vesta, reported in Ammannito et al. (2013), and to compute the average Vestan spectra of the different HED lithologies, reported here. The spectra indicate that, not only are all the different HED lithologies present on Vesta, but also carbonaceous chondritic material, which constitutes the most abundant inclusion type found in howardites, is widespread. However, the hydration feature used to identify carbonaceous chondrite material varies significantly on Vesta, revealing different band shapes. The characteristic of these hydration features cannot be explained solely by infalling of carbonaceous chondrite meteorites and other possible origins must be considered. The relative proportion of HEDs on Vesta's surface is computed, and results show that most of the vestan surface is compatible with eucrite‐rich howardites and/or cumulate or polymict eucrites. A very small percentage of surface is covered by diogenite, and basaltic eucrite terrains are relatively few compared with the abundance of basaltic eucrites in the HED suite. The largest abundance of diogenitic material is found in the Rheasilvia region, a deep basin, where it clearly occurs below a basaltic upper crust. However, diogenite is also found elsewhere; although the depth to diogenite is consistent with one magma ocean model, its lateral extent is not well constrained.     

An energy-based methodology for the assessment of seismic demand

A methodology for the assessment of the seismic energy demands imposed on structures is proposed. The research was carried out through two consecutive phases. Inelastic design input energy spectra for systems with a prescribed displacement ductility ratio were first developed. The study of the inelastic behavior of energy factors and the evaluation of the response modification in comparison with the elastic case were performed by introducing two new parameters, namely: (1) the Response Modification Factor of the earthquake input energy (R_E), representing the ratio of the elastic to inelastic input energy spectral values and (2) the ratio α of the area enclosed by the inelastic input energy spectrum in the range of periods between 0.05 and 4.0 s to the corresponding elastic value. The proposed design inelastic energy spectra, resulting from the study of a large set of strong motion records, were obtained as a function of ductility, soil type, source-to-site distance and magnitude.Subsequently, with reference to single degree of freedom systems, the spectra of the hysteretic to input energy ratio were evaluated, for different soil types and target ductility ratios. These spectra, defined to evaluate the hysteretic energy demand of structures, were described by a piecewise linear idealization that allows to distinguish three distinct regions as a function of the vibration period. In this manner, once the inelastic design input energy spectra were determined, the definition of the energy dissipated by means of inelastic deformations followed directly from the knowledge of hysteretic to input energy ratio.The design spectra of both input energy and hysteretic to input energy ratio were defined considering an elasto-plastic behavior. Nevertheless, other constitutive models were taken into account for comparison purposes.     

Late Barremian to early Aptian calcareous nannofossil paleoceanography and paleoecology from the Ocean Drilling Program Hole 641C (Galicia Margin)

Calcareous nannofossil assemblages at Site 641C (Galicia Margin, North Atlantic) were investigated in order to determine changes in fertility and temperature of surface waters. Taxa such as Zeughrabdotus spp. <3.5 μm, Biscutum constans, Discorhabdus rotatorius and Diazomatolithus lehmanii, which thrived in higher fertility conditions, are particularly abundant across the CM0 interval as opposed to those with oligotrophic affinities such as Watznaueria spp. and Nannoconus spp., which are generally reduced in abundance. The abundances of nannoconids are much lower than those observed in Tethyan sections, indicating higher fertility conditions. Slumpings and low recovery prevent the identification of the onset of the “nannoconid crisis”, but a sharp drop in nannoconid abundances, observed prior to the CM0 interval, correlates with the “nannoconid decline” observed in several Tethys sections.The normalized ratio between low and high fertility taxa (Fertility Index) was used to characterize the nannofossil assemblages in terms of productivity changes. The highest values of the Fertility Index were observed across magnetic chron CM0. The paucity of cold water taxa such as Seribiscutum spp. and Repagulum parvidentatum suggests warm water conditions throughout the deposition of upper Barremian–lower Aptian sediments on the Galicia Margin.     

Quantum-mechanical modeling of minerals at high pressures. The role of the Hamiltonian in a case study: the beryl (Al4Be6Si12O36)

Ab initio calculations of the beryl structure at room and higher pressures, and of its equation of state, have been performed both at the Hartree–Fock (HF) and density functional (DFT) level. In the latter case, three different hybrid HF/DFT Hamiltonians have been employed, in which the exact non-local exchange contribution increases from 20% (B3LYP Hamiltonian, indicated with the symbol F20) to 50% (F50) and 60% (F60). Within the DFT series, the equilibrium volume (V ₀) increases as the HF exchange contribution decreases; with respect to the experimental datum, F20 overestimates V ₀ by 2.9%, whereas F60 underestimates it by 0.9%; F50 (and HF) volume is very close to the experimental datum (error less than −0.1%). All four Hamiltonians overestimate the bulk modulus (K ₀); with respect to the experimental datum (obtained in the present work) [K ₀=179(1) GPa], the F20 Hamiltonian leads to the smallest error (+2.7%); the corresponding errors for the F50, F60 and HF Hamiltonians are +13.2, +16.2 and +16.3%, respectively. In the case of F20, in spite of the small error in K ₀, the relatively large error in V ₀ leads to an incorrect P(V) equation of state, which significantly overestimates the pressure at a given volume, compared to the experimental one at the same volume; the maximum error in the pressure range investigated is at the largest pressure (P _max=26.4 GPa) and amounts to +34.8%. The corresponding errors for the F50, F60 and HF Hamiltonians are +12.9, +5.7 and +15.5%.     

Characterization of displacement demand for elastic and inelastic SDOF systems

The results of a research concerning the characterization of elastic and inelastic displacement spectral demand as a function of magnitude, source-to-site distance, and soil type are presented. The displacement spectra were computed for single degree of freedom systems subjected to a large set of strong ground motion records.In the elastic case, design displacement spectra, modeled in a simplified way with a bilinear shape in the period range 0–4 s, are then proposed for the estimation of the displacement demand to structures located on different local soil condition, at different distance from the causative fault, and for different levels of magnitude. In order to evaluate the reliability of the proposed design displacement spectra, probabilistic displacement spectra corresponding to different levels of probability of non-exceedance were also carried out.The inelastic displacement demand to elasto-plastic systems was analyzed through the ratio between inelastic and elastic spectral displacements. Simplified relationships of the inelastic displacement ratio are then proposed as a function of displacement ductility, soil condition and period of vibration. Finally, as a comparison, the inelastic displacement ratios were also estimated considering other constitutive models.     

Growth and Survival of Pacific Saury Cololabis saira in the Kuroshio-Oyashio Transitional Waters

Growth and mortality rates of larval and early juvenile Pacific saury Cololabis saira were estimated for spring and autumn spawning seasons in the Kuroshio-Oyashio transitional waters and for winter spawning season in the Kuroshio waters in 9 years from 1990–1998, based on quantitative fish sampling and otolith daily ring readings. Growth and mortality rates were more variable in the Kuroshio-Oyashio transitional waters than in the Kuroshio waters. The estimated production of 40-mm preschooling juveniles was a positive function of larval production in the hatching length class (5.9–9.9 mm) in the Kuroshio waters. In the Kuroshio-Oyashio transitional waters, rather than larval production in the hatching length class, cumulative survival through the larval and early juvenile stages determined the juvenile production. Variable growth and survival rates of saury observed in the transitional waters seem to be associated with large environmental variability in the waters, including shifts of the Kuroshio and Oyashio fronts and development of streamers and eddies between the fronts. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.