El Niño and La Niña influence on mean river flows of southern South America in the 20th century

The influence of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon on monthly mean river flows of 12 rivers in the extreme south of South America in the 20th century is analysed. The original dataset of each river is divided into two subsets, i.e. warm ENSO events or El Niño, and cold ENSO events or La Niña. The elements of the subsets are composites of 24 consecutive months, from January of the year when the ENSO event begins to December of the following year. The ENSO signal is analysed by comparing the monthly mean value of each subset to the long-term monthly mean. The results reveal that, in general, monthly mean El Niño (La Niña) river flows are predominantly larger (smaller) than the long-term monthly mean in the rivers studied. The anomalies are more evident during the second half of the year in which the event starts and the first months of the following year.     

Radial Velocity Measurements with FXCOR

We present measured radial velocities of two peculiar early B type stars, to check their membership to the open cluster NGC 663. The radial velocities have been obtained with the cross correlation technique, using as a template stars from the list of Liu et al. (1989). We have obtained accuracies around 3-4 km/s in our radial velocity measurements. From our results we conclude that both stars are probably non members of the cluster. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Analysis of Wind Roses Using Hierarchical Cluster and Multidimensional Scaling Analysis at La Plata,Argentina

Knowledge of frequency wind patterns is very important for air pollution modelling, especially in a city like La Plata (approximately 850,000 inhabitants) with high vehicular and industrial activities and no air monitoring network. An hourly wind analysis was carried out on data from two local weather stations (points A and J). An initial result was that, in spite of differences in data quality, the local weather stations observations were consistent with local and regional National Meteorological Service (NMS) monthly based observations. Two non conventional multivariate statistical methods were employed to further analyse hourly data at points A and J. Hierarchical cluster resulted in a good summarising tool to visualise prevailing hourly winds. Resultant vectors emerging from the clustering process showed good similarity between sites and seasons; this allowed a further visualization of the average diurnal wind development. Multidimensional scaling (MDS) permitted a pairwise comparison of a large number of hourly wind roses. These wind roses were more similar to each other in colder seasons and at site A (the one that is closer to the river) than in warmer seasons and at site J. Most of the observed variations regarding seasons and sites revealed by cluster and MDS analysis are explained in terms of the sea-land breeze circulations. The methodology applied proved to be of utility for simplifying the analysis of high dimensional data with numerous observations.     

Atmospheric circulation associated with extreme generalized frosts persistence in central-southern South America

Generalized frosts (GF) in central-southern South America have a strong impact due to their spatial extension, and they are especially important when they become persistent. This paper aims at identifying the atmospheric circulation features that determine the extreme GF persistence, i.e. very persistent and without persistence, and the differences between them, during the 1961–1990 winters. Since the GF without persistence group outnumbers the other one, two subgroups are composed with events selected from winters with maximum and minimum frequency of GF occurrence, respectively. Additionally, the individual event of July 1988 within the very persistent GF group is analyzed due to its exceptional persistence. GF persistence is mainly conditioned by two large-scale dynamic factors. One is the Rossby wave train propagation across the Pacific Ocean, and the other one is the location with respect to the continent and the magnitude of the confluence in the jet entrance region in subtropical latitudes. A predominantly meridional Rossby wave train propagation with a confluence region to the west of the continent prior to the event favors GF with intermediate (null) persistence depending on the greater (lesser) jet acceleration. This is conditioned by the magnitude of the confluence, which, in turn, depends on the disposition of the wave train propagation pattern. Instead, an essentially zonal propagation with a confluence region to the east of the continent favors the GF persistence for several days, yet if there is no confluence the event does not persist. The greatest persistence of an event combines the confluence/diffluence of the jet entrance/exit region, which depends on the disposition with respect to the continent of the zonally propagating Rossby wave trains.     

Isotopic and fluid-inclusion constraints on the formation of polymetallic vein deposits in the central Argentinian Patagonia

The lead isotope compositions of galena and the fluid-inclusion systematics of nine barite-bearing polymetallic (Au, Ag, Pb, Zn) deposits of the central Argentinian Patagonia (Chubut and Rio Negro provinces) have been investigated to constrain the compositions and sources of the mineralizing fluids. Most of the deposits occur as veins, with less common wall-rock disseminations and/or stockworks, and are low-sulfidation epithermal deposits hosted in Jurassic volcanic rocks. Fluid-inclusion homogenization temperatures (Th) from quartz and sphalerite from the deposits fall within the range of 100-300 °C, with the highest measured average temperatures for the most eastern deposits (Mina Angela - 298 °C; Cañadón Bagual - 343 °C). The salinities of the hydrothermal fluids at all deposits were low to moderate (⢪.4 equiv. wt% NaCl). Three groups of ore deposits can be defined on the basis of ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratios for galena and these show a general decrease from west to east (from 18.506 to 18.000). The central Argentinian Patagonia deposits have distinctly less radiogenic lead isotope compositions than similar deposits from Peru and Chile, except for the porphyry copper deposits of central and southern Peru. Galena from the Mina Angela deposit is characterized by very low radiogenic lead isotope compositions (18.000<²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb<18.037 and 38.03<²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb<38.09) and reflects interaction with Precambrian basement. The geographic trend in lead isotope compositions of both galena and whole rocks indicates a crustal contribution which increases eastwards, also reflected in the strontium-neodymium isotope systematics of the host lavas. Finally, due to the lack of precise age determinations for the central Patagonian polymetallic deposits, a potential link with Andean porphyry copper systems remains an open question.     

Metallogenic and tectonic characteristics of the paleozoic ophiolitic belt of the southern Chile coastal Cordillera

The comparison of the tectonic, geochemical, and metallogenic information of the Crystalline Paleozoic Basement of the South Coast Range of Chile, with those classical ophiolites complexes like Cyprus, Oman, the Apennines, Magellean, etc., allows to find many similarities between them: ultramafic rocks, mainly wherlites, harzburgites and dunites with strong serpentinization, and rodingites; tholeiitic basalts with pillow structures; volcano-clastic sediments (»green schists«) of tholeiitic composition and meta-pelites (»grey schists«).From a metallogenitic point of view, the frame is completed by podiform chromites: occurrences associated to the serpentinizing banded iron formations, stratiform manganese oxides (mainly pyrolusite) associated to meta-cherts and quartzites, and polymetallic massive sulphide horizons interbedded with green schists.It is proposed that this sequence, based on its tectonic, petrographical, geochemical and metallogenetical characteristics, corresponds to an ophiolite back arc complex associated to an island arc developed during the Paleozoic.

---

Zusammenfassung Das kristalline Grundgebirge der Küstenkordillere Südchiles zeigt in tektonischer, geochemischer und metallogenetischer Hinsicht viele Ähnlichkeiten mit den bekannten, klassischen Ophiolithkomplexen, wie z.B. Cypern, Oman, Apenninen und Magallanes. Bemerkenswert sind Rodingite und stark serpentinisierte ultrabasische Gesteine, u.a. Wehrlite, Harzburgite sowie Dunite. Au\erdem treten Basalte mit Pillow-Strukturen, vulkanoklastische Sedimente tholeiitischer Zusammensetzung (Grünschiefer) und Metapelite (Grauschiefer) auf. Von metallogenetischer Bedeutung ist die Anwesenheit von podiformen Chromit in Serpentiniten, von gebÄnderten Eisenerzen (BIF-Typ), stratiformen Mn-Oxid-Lagen in Metacherts und Quarziten sowie polymetallischen, massiven Sulfidschichten in Grünschiefern.Das metamorphe Grundgebirge wird aufgrund seiner tektonischen, petrographischen, geochemischen und metallogenetischen Gegebenheiten als Ophiolithkomplex des »back arc«-Typs angesehen, der im Zusammenhang mit einem palÄozoischen Inselbogen gebildet wurde.

---

Resumen Al comparar las características tectónicas, geoquímicas y metalogenéticas del Basamento Cristalino Paleozoico de la Cordillera de la Costa del sur de Chile, con complejos ofiolíticos clásicos como Chipre, Omán, Los Apeninos, Magallanes, etc., se encuentran muchas similaridades entre ellos: rocas ultramáficas, principalmente wehrlitas, harzburgitas y dunitas, con fuerte serpentinización, y rodingitas; basaltos con estructura de almohadilla; sedimentos volcano-clásticos (»esquistos verdes«) de composición tholeiitica y metapelitas (»esquistos grises«).Desde el punto de vista metalogénico, el cuadro se completa con la ocurrencia de cromita podiforme asociada a serpentinitas; formaciones de hierro bandeado (BIF); óxidos de manganeso estratiformes asociados a meta-cherts y cuarcitas, y sulfuros masivos polimetálicos intercalados con esquistos verdes.Se propone que esta secuencia, basado en sus características tectónicas, petrográficas, geoquímicas y metalogénicas, corresponde a un complejo ofiolítico tipo »back arc« asociado a un arco de islas desarrollado durante el Paleozoico.

---

, , .: , , . , - , . , — — — —. , BIF-, — metacherts — , . , , , « » — back arc -, .

     

Conodont geothermometry of the lower Paleozoic from the Precordillera (Cuyania terrane), northwestern Argentina

The thermal history of the Precordillera terrane of northwestern Argentina has been constrained by the conodont colour alteration index (CAI) in combination with previously published paleothermal data (e.g., illite crystallinity and clay mineral assemblages). The pattern of paleotemperatures displays an increase in paleotemperatures to the west and south of the basin. This configuration shows a gradual and continuous transition from diagenesis to low-grade metamorphism, which is apparently not controlled by any of the morpho-structural subdivisions of the Precordillera (i.e., Western, Central, or Eastern). According to our results, the lower Paleozoic sedimentary burial played a secondary role in the heating of the Precordillera. Instead, the predominant component was loading by thrust sheets, which reflects the effects of the Devonian collision of Chilenia, particularly, in the Western Precordillera. Conversely, our paleothermometric data from the easternmost exposures of the Precordillera do not evidence anomalies referable to any of the accretionary events that contributed to the early Paleozoic building of the southern proto-Andean margin of Gondwana. Instead, the expected thermally altered conodonts from the Cuyania accretion are represented by metamorphosed conodont elements transported to the deeper settings of the west. The CAI data also suggest that overburden depth varied from ca. 3.6 km in the shelf region of the Eastern Precordillera to ca. 12 km in the slope to rise deposits of the Western Precordillera, thus providing constrains for the palinspastic restoration across the orogen. On the other hand, the smooth increase of peak paleotemperatures to the south of the Precordillera is associated with the exposure of deeper crustal levels at that sector, probably related to larger shortening due to stronger collisional effects, or alternatively, a weaker mechanical response of its elastic lithosphere.     

Building participatory landscape-based conservation alternatives: A case study of Michoacán, Mexico

Michoacán, as one of the most species-rich provinces of Mexico and with high levels of endemism, was used for testing the potential of a conservation approach based on biodiversity as determined by scientists and local stakeholder's preferences. The resulting zones covered over 17% of the area of Michoacán in 18 zones. As a result of this study the first “large” tropical dry forest biosphere reserve in Mexico is currently being established. In conclusion, landscape-based conservation zoning based on local stakeholders' perspectives as well as on critical biodiversity indicators, proved to be effective for achieving science-based and politically acceptable nature conservation schemes.     

Dynamical Behavior of Asteroids Near Resonance: the 4:1 gap and the 7:2 Group

A comparative study of the evolution of the Sun–Jupiter–Asteroid system near the 4:1 and 7:2 resonances is performed by means of two techniques that proceed differently from the Hamiltonian corresponding to the planar restricted elliptic three-body problem. One technique is based on the classical Schubart averaging while the other is based on a mapping method in which the perturbing part of the Hamiltonian is expanded and the resulting terms are ordered according to a weight function that depends on the powers of eccentricities and the coefficients of the terms. For the mapping method the effect of Saturn on the asteroidal evolution is introduced and the degree of chaos is estimated by means of the Lyapunov time. Both methods are shown to lead to similar results and can be considered a suitable tool for describing the evolution of asteroids in the Kirkwood gap and the group corresponding to the 4:1 and 7:2 Jovian resonances, respectively. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.