The SOLAS air-sea gas exchange experiment (SAGE) 2004

The SOLAS air-sea gas exchange experiment (SAGE) was a multiple-objective study investigating gas-transfer processes and the influence of iron fertilisation on biologically driven gas exchange in high-nitrate low-silicic acid low-chlorophyll (HNLSiLC) Sub-Antarctic waters characteristic of the expansive subpolar zone of the southern oceans. This paper provides a general introduction and summary of the main experimental findings. The release site was selected from a pre-voyage desktop study of environmental parameters to be in the south-west Bounty Trough (46.5°S 172.5°E) to the south-east of New Zealand and the experiment was conducted between mid-March and mid-April 2004. In common with other mesoscale iron addition experiments (FeAX’s), SAGE was designed as a Lagrangian study, quantifying key biological and physical drivers influencing the air-sea gas exchange processes of CO₂, DMS and other biogenic gases associated with an iron-induced phytoplankton bloom. A dual tracer SF₆/³He release enabled quantification of both the lateral evolution of a labelled volume (patch) of ocean and the air-sea tracer exchange at tenths of kilometer scale, in conjunction with the iron fertilisation. Estimates from the dual-tracer experiment found a quadratic dependency of the gas exchange coefficient on windspeed that is widely applicable and describe air-sea gas exchange in strong wind regimes. Within the patch, local and micrometeorological gas exchange process studies (100 m scale) and physical variables such as near-surface turbulence, temperature microstructure at the interface, wave properties and windspeed were quantified to further assist the development of gas exchange models for high-wind environments.There was a significant increase in the photosynthetic competence (F_v/F_m) of resident phytoplankton within the first day following iron addition, but in contrast to other FeAX’s, rates of net primary production and column-integrated chlorophyll a concentrations had only doubled relative to the unfertilised surrounding waters by the end of the experiment. After 15 days and four iron additions totalling 1.1 ton Fe²⁺, this was a very modest response compared to other mesoscale iron enrichment experiments. An investigation of the factors limiting bloom development considered co-limitation by light and other nutrients, the phytoplankton seed-stock and grazing regulation. Whilst incident light levels and the initial Si:N ratio were the lowest recorded in all FeAXs to date, there was only a small seed-stock of diatoms (less than 1% of biomass) and the main response to iron addition was by the picophytoplankton. A high rate of dilution of the fertilised patch relative to phytoplankton growth rate, the greater than expected depth of the surface mixed layer and microzooplankton grazing were all considered as factors that prevented significant biomass accumulation. In line with the limited response, the enhanced biological draw-down of pCO₂ was small and masked by a general increase in pCO₂ due to mixing with higher pCO₂ waters. The DMS precursor DMSP was kept in check through grazing activity and in contrast to most FeAX’s dissolved dimethylsulfide (DMS) concentration declined through the experiment. SAGE is an important low-end member in the range of responses to iron addition in FeAX’s. In the context of iron fertilisation as a geoengineering tool for atmospheric CO₂ removal, SAGE has clearly demonstrated that a significant proportion of the low iron ocean may not produce a phytoplankton bloom in response to iron addition.     

Loads on Sprayed Waterproof Tunnel Linings in Jointed Hard Rock: A Study Based on Norwegian Cases

A composite tunnel lining system based on a sprayed waterproofing membrane combined with sprayed concrete is currently being considered for future Norwegian rail and road tunnels. Possible loading of the tunnel linings caused by water pressure is being investigated. This tunnel lining system consists of a waterproof membrane which, during application on the sprayed concrete lining, bonds mechanically to the sprayed concrete on either side. Hence, a continuous, sealing, and non-draining structure from the rock mass to the interior tunnel surface is formed in the walls and crown. Experiences from some successful recent projects with this lining system in Europe are reviewed. However, these experiences are not directly comparable to the Scandinavian hard rock tunnel lining approach, which utilizes a relatively thin sprayed and irregular concrete layer for permanent lining. When considering the sprayed membrane and sprayed concrete composite lining concept, introducing a partially sealing and undrained element in the lining, the experiences with the traditionally used lining systems in Norway need to be reconsidered and fully understood. A review of several hard rock tunnels with adverse conditions, in which the tunnel lining has been subject to load monitoring, shows that only very small loads in the tunnel linings occur. Recent investigations with in situ water pressure testing, including two sites with the composite sprayed membrane in a partially drained waterproof tunnel lining, are discussed. In a case with a cavern located in a hydraulically saturated rock mass subjected to approximately 8 bar hydrostatic pressure, a negative pressure gradient towards the tunnel lining has been measured. The investigation results from the Norwegian test sites indicate that no significant loading of the tunnel lining takes place in a hydraulically saturated rock when applying this composite waterproof tunnel lining in parts of the tunnel perimeter.     

Single‐Grain Luminescence Dating of Sediment Surrounding a Possible Late Pleistocene Artifact from the Wenas Creek Mammoth Site,Pacific Northwest,USA

Excavations at the Wenas Creek Mammoth Site yielded mammoth, bison, and two possible artifacts in a single colluvial stratum, with radiocarbon bone dates ∼17 ka. Eight infrared‐stimulated luminescence (IRSL) samples were collected to establish general ages of site strata, returning multi‐grain estimates consistent with stratigraphic integrity and the radiocarbon dates. Four additional IRSL samples were collected to estimate the depositional age of one artifact found in place. These produced a pooled total of 94 single‐grain estimates from near the artifact, 80% averaging 16.8 ± 0.9 ka, and 20% averaging 5.1 ± 0.5 ka. These results could be interpreted to demonstrate pre‐Clovis age artifact deposition consistent with the bone dates, or a mid to late Holocene intrusion into older deposits, possibly by bioturbation. The single‐grain IRSL dates do not provide proof of pre‐Clovis presence beyond reasonable doubt at this site, but do show that this technique is valuable in assessing the stratigraphic integrity needed for any such claim.     

Petrography and geochemistry of Cretaceous to quaternary siliciclastic rocks in the Tarfaya basin,SW Morocco: implications for tectonic setting,weathering, and provenance

The petrography, heavy mineral analysis, major element geochemical compositions and mineral chemistry of Early Cretaceous to Miocene–Pliocene rocks, and recent sediments of the Tarfaya basin, SW Morocco, have been studied to reveal their depositional tectonic setting, weathering history, and provenance. Bulk sediment compositional and mineral chemical data suggest that these rocks were derived from heterogeneous sources in the Reguibat Shield (West African Craton) including the Mauritanides and the western Anti-Atlas, which likely form the basement in this area. The Early Cretaceous sandstones are subarkosic in composition, while the Miocene–Pliocene sandstones and the recent sediments from Wadis are generally carbonate-rich feldspathic or lithic arenites, which is also reflected in their major element geochemical compositions. The studied samples are characterized by moderate SiO₂ contents and variable abundances of Al₂O₃, K₂O, Na₂O, and ferromagnesian elements. Binary tectonic discrimination diagrams demonstrate that most samples can be characterized as passive continental marginal deposits. Al₂O₃/Na₂O ratios indicate more intense chemical weathering during the Early Cretaceous and a variable intensity of weathering during the Late Cretaceous, Early Eocene, Oligocene–Early Miocene, Miocene–Pliocene and recent times. Moreover, weathered marls of the Late Cretaceous and Miocene–Pliocene horizons also exhibit relatively low but variable intensity of chemical weathering. Our results indicate that siliciclastics of the Early Cretaceous were primarily derived from the Reguibat Shield and the Mauritanides, in the SW of the basin, whereas those of the Miocene–Pliocene had varying sources that probably included western Anti-Atlas (NE part of the basin) in addition to the Reguibat Shield and the Mauritanides.     

Subduction of lithospheric upper mantle recorded by solid phase inclusions and compositional zoning in garnet: Example from the Bohemian Massif

This paper presents monomineral and multiphase inclusions in garnet from eclogites and clinopyroxenites, which form layers and boudins in garnet peridotites from two areas in the Moldanubian zone of the Bohemian Massif. The garnet peridotites occur in felsic granulites and reached UHP conditions prior to their granulite facies overprint. In addition to complex compositional zoning, garnets from hosting eclogites and clinopyroxenites preserve inclusions of hydrous phases and alkali silicate minerals including: amphiboles, chlorites, micas and feldspars. Amphibole, biotite and apatite inclusions in garnet have a high concentration of halogens; CO₂ and sulfur are involved in carbonates and sulfide inclusions, respectively. The inclusion patterns and compositional zoning in garnet in combination with textural relations among minerals, suggest that the ultramafic and mafic bodies are derived from lithospheric mantle above the subduction zone and were transformed into garnet pyroxenites and eclogites in the subduction zone. Based on compositional, mineral and textural relations, all of these rocks along with the surrounding crustal material were overprinted by granulite facies metamorphism during their exhumation.     

The 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey: a targeted study of catalogued clusters of galaxies

We have carried out a study of known clusters within the 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey (2dFGRS) observed areas and have identified 431 Abell, 173 APM and 343 EDCC clusters. Precise redshifts, velocity dispersions and new centroids have been measured for the majority of these objects, and this information is used to study the completeness of these catalogues, the level of contamination from foreground and background structures along the cluster's line of sight, the space density of the clusters as a function of redshift, and their velocity dispersion distributions. We find that the Abell and EDCC catalogues are contaminated at the level of about 10 per cent, whereas the APM catalogue suffers only 5 per cent contamination. If we use the original catalogue centroids, the level of contamination rises to approximately 15 per cent for the Abell and EDCC catalogues, showing that the presence of foreground and background groups may alter the richness of clusters in these catalogues. There is a deficiency of clusters at     that may correspond to a large underdensity in the Southern hemisphere. From the cumulative distribution of velocity dispersions for these clusters, we derive a space density of     clusters of     This result is used to constrain models for structure formation; our data favour low-density cosmologies, subject to the usual assumptions concerning the shape and normalization of the power spectrum.