Holocene environments and climate in the Mongolian Altai reconstructed from the Hoton-Nur pollen and diatom records: a step towards better understanding climate dynamics in Central Asia

This study presents the results of the palynological and diatom analyses of the sediment core recovered in Hoton-Nur Lake (48°37′18″N, 88°20′45″E, 2083 m) in 2004. Quantitative reconstruction of the Holocene vegetation and climate dynamics in the semiarid Mongolian Altai suggests that boreal woodland replaced the primarily open landscape of northwestern Mongolia at about 10 kyr BP (1 kyr = 1000 cal yr) in response to a noticeable increase in precipitation from 200–250 mm/yr to 450–550 mm/yr. A decline of the forest vegetation and a return to a predominance of open vegetation types occurred after 5 kyr BP when precipitation sums decreased to 250–300 mm/yr. Prior to 11.5 kyr BP diatom concentrations are relatively low and the lake is dominated by planktonic Cyclotella and small Fragilariaceae, suggesting the existence of a relatively deep and oligotrophic/mesotrophic lake. The great abundance of Staurosirella pinnata from the beginning of the record until 10.7 kyr BP might imply intensified erosion processes in the catchment and this is fully consistent with the presence of scarce and dry vegetation and the generally arid climate during this period. From about 10.7 kyr BP, more planktonic diatom taxa appeared and increased in abundance, indicating that the lake became more productive as diatom concentration increased. This change correlates well with the development of boreal woodland in the catchment. Decrease in precipitation and changes in the vegetation towards steppe are reflected by the rapid increase in Aulacoseira distans from about 5 kyr BP. The Holocene pollen and diatom records do not indicate soil and vegetation cover disturbances by the anthropogenic activities, implying that the main transformations of the regional vegetation occurred as a result of the natural climate change. Our reconstruction is in agreement with the paleomonsoon records from China, demonstrating an abrupt strengthening of the summer monsoon at 12 kyr BP and an associated increase in precipitation and in lake levels between 11 and 8 kyr BP, followed by the stepwise attenuation of the monsoon circulation and climate aridization towards the modern level. The records from the neighboring areas of Kazakhstan and Russia, situated west and north of Hoton-Nur, demonstrate spatially and temporally different Holocene vegetation and climate histories, indicating that the Altai Mountains as a climate boundary are of pivotal importance for the Holocene environmental and, possibly, habitation history of Central Asia.     

Trace element compositions of submicroscopic inclusions in coated diamond: A tool for understanding diamond petrogenesis

Trace element compositions of submicroscopic inclusions in both the core and the coat of five coated diamonds from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC, formerly Zaire) have been analyzed by Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Mass Plasma Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Both the diamond core and coat inclusions show a general 2-4-fold enrichment in incompatible elements relative to major elements. This level of enrichment is unlikely to be explained by the entrapment of silicate mantle minerals (olivine, garnet, clinopyroxene, phlogopite) alone and thus submicroscopic fluid or glass inclusions are inferred in both the diamond coat and in the gem quality diamond core. The diamond core fluids have elevated High Field Strength Element (Ti, Ta, Zr, Nb) concentrations and are enriched in U relative to inclusions in the diamond coats and relative to chondrite. The core fluids are also moderately enriched in LILE (Ba, Sr, K). Therefore, we suggest that the diamond cores contain inclusions of silicate melt. However, the Ni content and Ni/Fe ratio of the trapped fluid are very high for a silicate melt in equilibrium with mantle minerals; high Ni and Co concentrations in the diamond cores are attributed to the presence of a sulfide phase coexisting with silicate melt in the diamond core inclusions. Inclusions in the diamond coat are enriched in LILE (U, Ba, Sr, K) and La over the diamond core fluids and to chondrite. The coats have incompatible element ratios similar to natural carbonatite (coat fluid: Na/Ba ≈0.66, La/Ta≈130). The coat fluid is also moderately enriched in HFSE (Ta, Nb, Zr) when normalized to chondritic Al. LILE and La enrichment is related to the presence of a carbonatitic fluid in the diamond coat inclusions, which is mixed with a HFSE-rich hydrous silicate fluid similar to that in the core. The composition of the coat fluid is consistent with a genetic link to group 1 kimberlite.     

Neogene upper‐crustal cooling of the Olympus range (northern Aegean): major role of Hellenic back‐arc extension over propagation of the North Anatolia Fault Zone

The North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ) is one of the most hazardous active faults on Earth, yet its Pliocene space‐time propagation across the north Aegean domain remains poorly constrained. We use low‐temperature multi‐thermochronology and inverse thermal modelling to quantify the cooling history of the upper crust across the Olympus range. This range is located in the footwall of a system of normal faults traditionally interpreted as resulting from superposed Middle–Late Miocene N–S stretching, related to the back‐arc extension of the Hellenic subduction zone, and a Pliocene‐Quaternary transtensional field, attributed to the south‐westward propagation of the NAFZ. We find that accelerated exhumational cooling occurred between 12 and 6 Ma at rates of 15–35 °C Ma^?1 and decreased to <3 °C Ma^?1 by 8–6 Ma. The absence of significant Plio‐Pleistocene cooling across Olympus suggests that crustal exhumation there is driven by late Miocene back‐arc extension, while the impact of the NAFZ remains limited.     

Overstepping the garnet isograd: a comparison of QuiG barometry and thermodynamic modeling

The consequences of overstepping the garnet isograd reaction have been investigated by comparing the composition of garnet formed at overstepped P–T conditions (the overstep or “OS” model) with the P–T conditions that would be inferred by assuming garnet nucleated in equilibrium with the matrix assemblage at the isograd (the equilibrium or “EQ” model). The garnet nucleus composition formed at overstepped conditions is calculated as the composition that produces the maximum decrease in Gibbs free energy from the equilibrated, garnet-absent, matrix assemblage for the bulk composition under study. Isopleths were then calculated for this garnet nucleus composition assuming equilibrium with the matrix assemblage (the EQ model). Comparison of the actual P–T conditions of nucleation (the OS model) with those inferred from the EQ model reveals considerable discrepancy between the two. In general, the inferred garnet nucleation P–T conditions (the EQ model) are at a lower temperature and higher or lower pressure (depending on the coexisting calcic phase(s)) than the actual (OS model) nucleation conditions. Moreover, the degree of discrepancy increases with the degree of overstepping. Independent estimates of the pressure of nucleation of garnet were made using the Raman shift of quartz inclusions in garnet (quartz-in-garnet or QuiG barometry). To test the validity of this method, an experimental synthesis of garnet containing quartz inclusions was made at 800 °C, 20 kbar, and the measured Raman shift reproduced the synthesis conditions to within 120 bars. Raman band shifts from three natural samples were then used to calculate an isochore along which garnet was presumed to have nucleated. Model calculations were made at several temperatures along this isochore (the OS model), and these P–T conditions were compared to those computed assuming equilibrium nucleation (the EQ model) to estimate the degree of overstepping displayed by these samples. A sample from the garnet isograd in eastern Vermont is consistent with overstepping of around 10 degrees and 0.6 kbar (affinities of around 2 kJ/mole garnet). A sample from the staurolite–kyanite zone in the same terrane requires overstepping of around 50 °C and 2–5 kbar (affinities of around 10–18 kJ/mole garnet). A similar amount of overstepping was inferred for a blueschist sample from Sifnos, Greece. These results indicate that overstepping of garnet nucleation reactions may be common and pronounced in regionally metamorphosed terranes, and that the P–T conditions and paths inferred from garnet zoning studies may be egregiously in error.     

Efficacy of Coagulants and Ballast Compounds in Removal of Cyanobacteria (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Microcystis</Emphasis>) from Water of the Tropical Lagoon Jacarepaguá (Rio de Janeiro,Brazil)

Eutrophication is considered the most important water quality problem in freshwaters and coastal waters worldwide promoting frequent occurrence of blooms of potentially toxic cyanobacteria. Removal of cyanobacteria from the water column using a combination of coagulant and ballast is a promising technique for mitigation and an alternative to the use of algaecides. In laboratory, we tested experimentally the efficiency of two coagulants, polyaluminium chloride (PAC) and chitosan (made of shrimp shells), alone and combined with two ballasts: red soil (RS) and the own lagoon sediment, to remove natural populations of cyanobacteria, from an urban brackish coastal lagoon. PAC was a very effective coagulant when applied at low doses (≤8 mg Al L^?1) and settled the cyanobacteria, while at high doses (≥16 mg Al L^?1) large flocks aggregated in the top of test tubes. In contrast, chitosan was not able to form flocks, even in high doses (>16 mg L^?1) and did not efficiently settle down cyanobacteria when combined with ballast. The RS itself removed 33–47 % of the cyanobacteria. This removal was strongly enhanced when combined with PAC in a dose-dependent matter; 8 mg Al L^?1 was considered the best dose to be applied. The lagoon sediment alone did not promote any settling of cyanobacteria but removal was high when combined with PAC. Combined coagulant and ballast seems a very efficient, cheap, fast and safe curative measure to lessen the harmful cyanobacteria bloom nuisance in periods when particularly needed, such as around the 2016 Olympics in Jacarepaguá Lagoon.     

Contribution of geophysical methods to karst-system exploration: an overview

The karst environment is one of the most challenging in terms of groundwater, engineering and environmental issues. Geophysical methods can provide useful subsurface information in karst regions concerning, for instance, hazard estimation or groundwater exploration and vulnerability assessment. However, a karst area remains a very difficult environment for any geophysical exploration; selection of the best-suited geophysical method is not always straightforward, due to the highly variable and unpredictable target characteristics. The state of the art is presented, in terms of the contributions made by geophysical methods to karst-system exploration, based on extensive analysis of the published scientific results. This report is an overview and should be used as a preliminary methodological approach, rather than a guideline.     

Natural geobatteries associated with sulphide ore deposits, II. Field studies at the viburnum trend, southeast Missouri, U.S.A.

Any conductive sulphide ore body can generate electrical ore potentials and this can be regarded as a geobattery, with an upper positive cathode and a lower negative anode. Two mechanisms which can occur simultaneously and which appear to explain these potentials are the oxygen concentration cell (OCC) and the sulphide galvanic cell (SGC). When there is a difference of O₂ concentration between the cathode and anode, the OCC operates by contributing oxygen to the anode, and ceases when the difference is diminished. However, gradients of pH, temperature or pressure can keep the cell operating. In the SGC the sulphides dissolve at the anode (producing metal ions, sulphur and electrons), while at the cathode, either sulphides dissolve producing metal and sulphur ions, or reaction is as in the OCC. The ore potential measured in the field is the sum of the oxygen concentration cell and at times locally dominant sulphide galvanic cells.