Crack-fill porphyroblastesis

Garnet‐mica schists from the Scottish Highlands provide new insight into an important mechanism of phyllosilicate growth, termed ‘crack‐fill porphyroblastesis’. It is shown that grain boundary dilatancy, microcracking and porphyroblast‐matrix decoupling all play a significant role in facilitating growth in regimes of noncoaxial shear. With respect to chlorite porphyroblasts, there are three growth stages. Following nucleation, the initial phase of growth is by progressive matrix replacement, to preserve inclusion trails of fine carbonaceous material. The second growth stage produced new optically continuous inclusion‐free chlorite on the {001} margins of those crystals at a high angle to the schistosity. This growth results from decoupling at the porphyroblast–matrix contact on those margins at a high angle to the principal axis of extension. The development of dilatant cracks at porphyroblast margins provides a sink for material migrating down P_f and chemical potential gradients. This causes precipitation of new optically continuous ‘clear’ chlorite on the pre‐existing, heavily included core. The porphyroblast–matrix boundary continues to dilate after porphyroblast growth had terminated, producing plano‐convex quartz‐rich strain shadows. Similar growth behaviour is recognised in biotite porphyroblasts, indicating that ‘crack‐fill porphyroblastesis’ is an important growth mechanism for phyllosilicates in actively deforming metamorphic rocks. It also indicates that decoupling and crack‐fill development at porphyroblast margins could be important in controlling the pattern of material transfer, and may have significant implications for matrix permeability and fluid‐flow characteristics.     

Adaptation, innovation and domestic food production in Jamaica: Some examples of survival strategies of small-scale farmers

Small-scale farmers' experimental innovations have not generally been considered for on-farm research trials as those in the traditional sector have been perceived as recipients, rather than originators, of technical knowledge and sustainable and viable practices. Yet there is abundant evidence throughout the tropics that small-scale farmers are adaptive and experimental problem solvers, and experts at devising innovative survival strategies. While literature on the topic is rich with accounts from Africa, Asia and Latin America, there is a general dearth of examples from the Caribbean. This paper highlights some examples of farm- and village-level problem solving and survival practices among small-scale domestic food producers in the challenging agroecological environment of Jamaica.     

Channel change following European settlement: Gilmore Creek,southeastern Australia

European settlement in southeastern Australia led to rapid changes in the morphology of many upland streams. However, our knowledge of the nature of these changes is limited as historical records and preserved palaeochannels are rare. In this study we compare a well‐preserved section of the late Holocene palaeochannel of Gilmore Creek to its present channel. We used a combination of map and aerial photograph interpretation, field survey, OSL dating and discharge analysis to describe and compare the modern and palaeochannels and establish a firm date for the timing of channel change. In common with many other streams in southeastern Australia Gilmore Creek's late Holocene channel meandered across a stable well‐vegetated and frequently inundated floodplain. After about 1830 European settlers quickly modified the catchment by clearing riparian and hillslope vegetation, introducing grazing animals and other exotic species and mining for alluvial gold in the headwaters. The OSL dates show that between about 1850 and 1880 the small meandering channel aggraded with coarse sands and then up to about 1 m of silty sand was deposited over the floodplain. Declining sediment input from upstream channel avulsion before 1890 resulted in the establishment of a straighter, larger capacity channel that incised to the level of basal cobbles and, in places, to bedrock. The dramatic change in channel pattern resembles that described on the Cann River in eastern Victoria following the removal of riparian vegetation and within‐channel coarse woody debris. At Gilmore Creek increased channel capacity has greatly reduced the average frequency of floodplain inundation. High values of specific stream power suggest that channel morphology is now well adjusted to the present flow regime. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Tsunami Assessment for Risk Management at Nuclear Power Facilities in Japan

The present study focuses on evaluation of the maximum and minimum water levels caused by tsunamis as risk factors for operation and management at nuclear power facilities along the coastal area of Japan. Tsunamis generated by submarine earthquakes are examined, basing literature reviews and databases of information on historical tsunami events and run-up heights. For simulation of water level along the coast, a numerical calculation system should be designed with computational regions covering a particular site. Also the calculation system should be verified by comparison of historical and calculated tsunami heights. At the beginning of the tsunami assessment, the standard faults, their locations, mechanisms and maximum magnitudes should be carefully estimated by considering historical earthquake-induced tsunamis and seismo-tectonics at each area. Secondly, the range of errors in the model parameters should be considered since earthquakes and tsunamis are natural phenomena that involve natural variability as well as errors in estimating parameters. For these reasons, uncertainty-induced errors should be taken into account in the process of tsunami assessment with parametric study of the tsunami source model. The element tsunamis calculated by the standard fault models with the errors would be given for the design. Then, the design tsunami can be selected among the element tsunamis with the most significant impact, maximum and minimum water levels, on the site, bearing in mind the possible errors in the numerical calculation system. Finally, the design tsunami is verified by comparison with the run-up heights of historical tsunamis, ensuring that the design tsunami is selected as the highest of all historical and possible future tsunamis at the site.     

First recorded eruption of Mount Belinda volcano (Montagu Island), South Sandwich Islands

The MODVOLC satellite monitoring system has revealed the first recorded eruption of Mount Belinda volcano, on Montagu Island in the remote South Sandwich Islands. Here we present some initial qualitative observations gleaned from a collection of satellite imagery covering the eruption, including MODIS, Landsat 7 ETM+, ASTER, and RADARSAT-1 data. MODVOLC thermal alerts indicate that the eruption started sometime between 12 September and 20 October 2001, with low-intensity subaerial explosive activity from the islands summit peak, Mount Belinda. By January 2002 a small lava flow had been emplaced near the summit, and activity subsequently increased to some of the highest observed levels in August 2002. Observations from passing ships in February and March 2003 provided the first visual confirmation of the eruption. ASTER images obtained in August 2003 show that the eruption at Mount Belinda entered a new phase around this time, with fresh lava effusion into the surrounding icefield. MODIS radiance trends also suggest that the overall activity level increased significantly after July 2003. Thermal anomalies continued to be observed in MODIS imagery in early 2004, indicating a prolonged low-intensity eruption and the likely establishment of a persistent summit lava lake, similar to that observed on neighboring Saunders Island in 2001. Our new observations also indicate that lava lake activity continues on Saunders Island.Editorial responsibility: J. Gilbert     

Scale‐dependency of hydraulic conductivity: an example from Thorne Moor,a raised mire in South Yorkshire,UK

The hydraulic conductivity (K) of many low permeability materials is strongly scale‐dependent. In raised mires and other types of peat deposit the effects of features such as abandoned infilled ditches, root holes and localized woody material, cause K to be heterogeneous and scale‐dependent. Despite this, field measurements are routinely made using auger hole (slug) tests at the scale of only a few tens of centimetres. Such measurements are locally valid, but where the regional subsurface movement of water through peat bogs is simulated using groundwater models, typically at the scale of hundreds of metres, they give rise to a systematic underestimate of flows and an overprediction of water table elevations. Until now, techniques to obtain values at a scale sufficiently large to include the effects of localized features of higher permeability have not been applied routinely. Research at Thorne Moor, a large raised mire, demonstrates that the K of peat varies over several orders of magnitude when measured at different scales, using a variety of techniques. Laboratory and auger hole tests cannot be relied upon to provide results that represent the hydraulic conductivity of large expanses of peatland. This has significant implications for the management and long‐term restoration of peatlands where both regional and local control of water levels is crucial. For groundwater models to be used successfully to plan such schemes, it is essential to apply the K values relevant to the scale of the simulation. This paper describes and tests novel techniques, using ditches, for the derivation of K at large scales which overcome many of the problems that have been identified with conventional techniques and are capable of producing estimates that are appropriate to the application of physically based regional flow models. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Geochronology of archean gneisses in the Lake Helen area,Southwestern Big Horn Mountains,Wyoming

The RbSr and UPb methods were used to study gneisses in the $\text{7}\text{1}\text{2}\text{-}\text{minute}$ Lake Helen quadrangle of the Big Horn Mountains, Wyoming. Two episodes of magmatism, deformation and metamorphism occurred during the Archean. Trondhjemitic to tonalitic orthogneisses and amphibolite of the first episode (E-1) are cut by a trondhjemite pluton and a calc-alkaline intrusive series of the second episode (E-2). The E-2 series includes hornblende-biotite quartz diorite, biotite tonalite, biotite granodiorite and biotite granite.A RbSr whole-rock isochron for E-1 gneisses indicates an age of 3007 ± 34 Ma (1 sigma) and an initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr of 0.7001 ± 0.0001. UPb determination on zircon from E-1 gneisses yield a concordia intercept age of 2947 ± 50 Ma. The low initial ratio suggests that the gneisses had no significant crustal history prior to metamorphism, and that the magmas from which they formed had originated from a mafic source.A RbSr whole-rock isochron for E-2 gneisses gives an age of 2801 ± 31 Ma. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr initial ration is 0.7015 ± 0.0002 and precludes the existence of the rocks for more than 150 Ma prior to metamorphism. The E-2 magmas may have originated from melting of E-1 gneisses or from a more mafic source.     

Signal contribution sections and their use in resistivity studies

Summary. The electrostatic analogue to direct current resistivity prospecting is employed to construct vertical sections through lines of four electrodes. These show the relative contributions made by individual volume elements of earth to the total potential difference measured between the two potential electrodes. Signal contribution sections enable a comparison of the response of various electrode configurations to subsurface conditions and help to explain, for example, why the dipole—dipole configuration is so suited to horizontal profiling and the Wenner and Schlumberger configurations to vertical sounding.
The spurious response of apparent resistivity curves to near surface lateral resistivity variations is also explained with particular attention being given to the Wenner tripotential configurations.     

Specific accumulation and temporal trends of organochlorine contaminants in Dall's porpoises (Phocoenoides dalli) from Japanese coastal waters

Organochlorine compounds (OCs) such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and its metabolites (DDTs), chlordane related compounds, hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (HCHs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), tris(4-chlorophenyl) methane (TCPMe) and tris(4-chlorophenyl) methanol were determined in the blubber of Dall's porpoises (Phocoenoides dalli) collected from Japanese coastal waters in 1998/1999. Among OCs analyzed, PCBs were the predominant contaminants with concentrations ranging from 1.5 to 39 microg/g on a wet weight basis. OCs concentrations were relatively low and less variable in mature females possibly due to the lactational excretion from their bodies, while in males the concentrations were increased with body length. Concentrations and compositions of DDTs and HCHs showed significant differences between the truei-type population off the Pacific coast of northern Japan and dalli-type from the Sea of Japan/Okhotsk, suggesting its usefulness to discriminate different populations. OCs levels detected in truei-type porpoises collected in 1998/1999 were lower than those collected in 1984, except TCPMe. On the other hand, except DDTs, the residue levels of other organochlorines in dalli-type porpoises showed no significant decrease since 1984.