The Evolution of HII Regions

Here we review some recent results on the observed properties of UCH IIregions, and on the new class of Super-ultra-compact H II regions, and describe the theoretical scheme for H II region expansion, from star-forming cloud cores to the more diffuse external medium. High-pressure cores can stop the expansion on relatively short time scales, of the order of 3× 10⁴ yr, and the resulting pressure equilibrium UCH II regions have small sizes and large ion densities. If the ionization front enters into the decreasing density gradient of the cloud core, the expansion is accelerated and the H II region“pops” out of the core and becomes a “blister”-like region. The properties of the outflows depend on the cloud density structure, and a variety of different shocks can be formed. Density inhomogeneities inside photoionized regions are smoothed out on short time scales, but new clumps are continuously created at the cool shell generated by the shock front. Instabilities in both the ionization and shock fronts cause the fragmentation of the shell, maintaining the presence of clumps during the whole evolution. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Three-dimensional VP and VP /VS models of the upper crust in the Friuli area (northeastern Italy)

3-D images of P velocity and P - to S -velocity ratio have been produced for the upper crust of the Friuli area (northeastern Italy) using local earthquake tomography. The data consist of 2565 P and 930 S arrival times of high quality. The best-fitting V _P and V _P / V _S 1-D models were computed before the 3-D inversion. V _P was measured on two rock samples representative of the investigated upper layers of the Friuli crust. The tomographic V _P model was used for modelling the gravity anomalies, by converting the velocity values into densities along three vertical cross-sections. The computed gravity anomalies were optimized with respect to the observed gravity anomalies. The crust investigated is characterized by sharp lateral and deep V _P and V _P / V _S anomalies that are associated with the complex geological structure. High V _P / V _S values are associated with highly fractured zones related to the main faulting pattern. The relocated seismicity is generally associated with sharp variations in the V _P / V _S anomalies. The V _P images show a high-velocity body below 6 km depth in the central part of the Friuli area, marked also by strong V _P / V _S heterogeneities, and this is interpreted as a tectonic wedge. Comparison with the distribution of earthquakes supports the hypothesis that the tectonic wedge controls most of the seismicity and can be considered to be the main seismogenic zone in the Friuli area.     

Upper Ocean Temperatures Hit Record High in 2020

The long-term warming of the ocean is a critical indicator of both the past and present state of the climate system. It also provides insights about the changes to come, owing to the persistence of both decadal variations and secular trends,which the ocean records extremely well(Hansen et al., 2011;IPCC, 2013;Rhein et al., 2013;Trenberth et al., 2016;Abram et al., 2019).     

Rare earth elements in waters from the albitite-bearing granodiorites of Central Sardinia, Italy

With the aim of contributing to the knowledge of the geochemical behaviour and mobility of the rare earth element (REE) in the natural water systems, the ground and surface waters of the Ottana-Orani area (Central Sardinia, Italy) were sampled. The study area consists of albititic bodies included in Hercynian granodiorites. The waters have pH in the range of 6.0-8.6, total dissolved solid (TDS) of between 0.1 and 0.6 g/l, and major cation composition dominated by Ca and Na, whereas predominant anions are Cl and/or HCO₃.The pH and the major-element composition of the waters are the factors affecting the concentration of REE in solution. The concentrations of ∑REE+Y in the samples filtered at 0.4 μm vary between 140 and 1600 ng/l, with La of between 14 and 314 ng/l, and Yb of between <6 and 12 ng/l. A negative Ce anomaly, especially marked at high pH, is observed in the groundwaters. The surface waters show lower REE concentrations, which are independent of pH, and negligible Ce anomaly.Speciation calculations, carried out with the EQ3NR computer program, showed that the complexes with the CO₃²⁻ ligand are the dominant REE species at pH in the range of 6.7-8.6. The REE³⁺ ions dominate the speciation at pH <6.7 and only in the light REE (LREE).The relative concentrations of REE in water roughly reflect those in the aquifer host rocks. However, when concentrations of REE in water are normalised relative to the parent rocks, a preferential fractionation of heavy REE (HREE) into the water phase can be observed, suggesting the greater mobility and stability of HREE in aqueous solution.     

CMF模式的排他性依据和造山型银矿实例：东秦岭铁炉坪银矿同位素地球化学

河南熊耳山区的铁炉坪银矿定位于高级变质基底中的NE向断裂带中,是熊耳山脉状造山型金、银、铅锌矿床的重要组成部分。成矿作用包括了早、中、晚3个阶段,分别形成石英-黄铁矿,多金属硫化物和碳酸盐脉3类矿物组合。早阶段成 矿温度大约为373℃左右,成矿流体δD=-90‰,δ~(13)C_(co_2)=2.0‰,δ~(18)O=9‰,来源较深;晚阶段流体温度<203℃,δD=70‰,δ~(13)C_(co_2)=-1.3‰,δ~(18)O=-2‰,属于浅源大气降水热液;中阶段流体均一温度210～249℃,δD=-109‰,δ~(13)C_(co_2)=0.1‰,δ~(18)O=2‰,是深源与浅源流体的混合。对比讨论表明,熊耳山区的早前寒武纪变质基底、熊耳群火山岩和燕山期花岗岩类的三者之一或它们的混合物,均无法提供具有早阶段流体D-O-c同位素组成(高δ~(18)O和δ~(13)C,低δD)的成矿流体,表明早阶段流体来自栾川群和管道口群的碳酸盐-页岩-硅质岩建造的变质脱水作用。矿石硫同位素组成较低,铅同位素比值较高,同样不可能来自熊耳山的主要地质体,更不可能来自其下伏的地幔和下地壳,指示成矿物质和流体应主要来自栾川群和管道口群。尽管栾川群和管道口群地层的同位素地球化学研究尚待补充,铁炉坪银矿的同位素地球化学特征似乎只能借助碰撞造山成岩成矿与流体作用模式才能合理解释。即华南与华     

东北地区浅成低温热液矿床的地质特征和构造背景

通过中国东北地区浅戍低温热液矿床的综合特征研究,将矿床的分布划分为德尔布干、呼玛、小兴安岭和吉东4个矿集区,根据其矿床地质、地球化学特征初步确定成矿流体主要来自大气降水,部分混有岩浆水;戍矿物质主要来自赋矿围岩和戍矿岩浆-流体系统;多数矿床形成于中低温、中浅成环境,个别矿床成矿温度高、深度大,显示了斑岩型或造山型与浅成低温溶液型成矿系统之间的连续性;厘定大规模成岩成矿时间为130Ma左右,构造环境是古亚洲洋闭合后陆陆碰撞过程的挤压-伸展转变体制,并以矿集区尺度的CMF模式解释了浅成低温热液矿床岩浆-流体系统的发育机制。     

Neo-deterministic definition of seismic input for residential seismically isolated buildings

This paper deals with the neo-deterministic definition of the seismic input in the municipality of Nimis (Italy), aimed at the design of residential seismically isolated buildings. The seismic input is defined by the computation of realistic synthetic seismograms considering different levels of detail for the earthquake source, both for a bedrock model and taking into account the specific site conditions. The horizontal response spectrum, calculated in the centre of the municipality by modelling the most dangerous source, advises against the construction of a building with a fixed base, but it is compatible with the seismic isolation, and it has been, therefore, used for the design of a residential seismically isolated building. The maximum displacement for the isolation system has been estimated about 17 cm, a value much lower than that provided by the code design response spectrum (28 cm). The importance of the realistic modelling, which permits the generalization of empirical observations by means of, physically sound, theoretical considerations, is evident, as it allows for the optimisation of the structural design with respect to the site of interest.     

Petrogenesis of Al–silicate-bearing trondhjemitic migmatites from NE Sardinia, Italy

The migmatites from Punta Sirenella (NE Sardinia) are layered rocks containing 3–5 vol.% of centimeter-sized stromatic leucosomes which are mainly trondhjemitic and only rarely granitic in composition. They underwent three deformation phases, from D₁ to D₃. The D₁ deformation shows a top to the NW shear component followed by a top to the NE/SE component along the XZ plane of the S₂ schistosity. Migmatization started early, during the compressional and crustal thickening stage of Variscan orogeny and was still in progress during the following extensional stage of unroofing and exhumation.

The trondhjemitic leucosomes, mainly consisting of quartz, plagioclase, biotite ± garnet ± kyanite ± fibrolite, retrograde muscovite and rare K-feldspar, are locally bordered by millimeter-sized biotite-rich melanosomes. The rare granitic leucosomes differ from trondhjemitic ones only in the increase in modal content of K-feldspar, up to 25%. Partial melting started in the kyanite field at about 700–720 °C and 0.8–0.9 GPa, and was followed by re-equilibration at 650–670 °C and 0.4–0.6 GPa, producing fibrolite–biotite intergrowth and coarse-grained muscovite.

The leucosomes have higher SiO₂, CaO, Na₂O, Sr and lower Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃, MgO, TiO₂, K₂O, P₂O₅, Rb, Ba, Cr, V, Zr, Nb, Zn and REE content with respect to proximal hosts and pelitic metagreywackes. Sporadic anomalous high content of calcium and ferromagnesian elements in some leucosomes is due to entrainment of significant amounts of restitic plagioclase, biotite and accessory phases. The rare granitic leucosomes reveal peritectic K-feldspar produced by muscovite-dehydration melting. Most leucosomes show low REE content, moderately fractionated REE patterns and marked positive Eu anomaly. Proximal hosts and pelitic metagraywackes are characterized by higher REE content, more fractionated REE patterns and slightly negative Eu anomaly.

The trondhjemitic leucosomes were generated by H₂O-fluxed melting at 700 °C of a greywacke to pelitic–greywacke metasedimentary source-rock. The disequilibrium melting process is the most reliable melting model for Punta Sirenella leucosomes.     

Mineralogy,chemistry, and grain size composition of recent sediments in the northern Tyrrhenian Sea: Contribution to the study of sediment transport and distribution

As a contribution to an environmental study on Tuscany's marine shelf, textural, mineralogical, and chemical characteristics of recent sediments in the northern Tyrrhenian Sea between Elba Island and Livorno have been analyzed. The data provide clear information on sediment sources and movement patterns. The main sediment source appears to be the Cecina River; very subordinate is the contribution of the Fine River. As to sediment movement patterns, the surveyed basin appears to be divided into two subbasins: (1) a greater, southern subbasin, bounded by Tuscany mainland, Elba Island and Elba Ridge, and Capraia Isle, and Vada Shoals; and (2) a smaller, northern subbasin, enclosed between Vada Shoals and Meloria Shoals (off Livorno port).In the former the coarse-grade Cecina River sediments are transported southward along most of the mainland coast by littoral drift and coastal current; a northward flowing countercurrent seems to be active only in the southernmost part. Silts and clays are distributed in concentric belts around basin's central part, being transported mainly by slow circular water movements. In the marginal western zone, very little terrigenous influx is coupled with a high biologic productivity, and biogenic debris sedimentation prevails there.In the northern subbasin the sediment contribution from Fine River is more appreciable. Here the environmental energies are very low and the coarse sediments are restricted to a few small pocket beaches where they are deposited by local creeks. Most of the subbasin area is occupied by sapropelitic muds, again distributed by slow small-scale gyres.     

Photoluminescence properties of S<Subscript>2</Subscript> molecule trapped in Melanophlogite

We studied the photoluminescence properties of a sample of SiO₂-clathrate Melanophlogite, a crystalline microporous material which is found in nature as a rare mineral. Upon β irradiation, the material displays an intense light emission under near-UV illumination. We studied in detail this optical activity by steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence measurements as a function of temperature. The spectroscopic properties we find can be ascribed to a population of quasi-free molecules trapped within each of the two different types of cage available in the structure of this clathrate, although the spectroscopic properties of the guest molecules are affected by their interactions with the host matrix. Based on the available data, we attribute the observed photoluminescence to trapped S₂ molecules, emitting from their excited ³Σ _u ^? or ³Π _u electronic states, depending on the cage they are trapped in and on temperature. Our results have an impact on the fundamental understanding of host–guest interactions characteristic of microporous systems such as clathrates. Indeed, the data highlight that even a relatively weak coupling between quasi-free S₂ molecules and the two types of cages provided by the Melanophlogite host has a surprisingly complex influence on the optical properties of the guest.