Comparative Morphology, Ecology, and Fatty Acid Composition of West Indian Spheciospongia (Demospongea)

Abstract. The morphological variability of the common West Indian loggerhead sponge, Spheciospongia vesparium, is examined in light of the latest morphological and ecological information and new biochemical criteria, that is, composition and concentration of fatty acids. A typical and a yellow ecophenotypical form are distinguished. Comparing this species with its next relatives in the same zoogeographical region it is found that S. othella, first described from Bermuda, cannot be maintained as a separate species. S. cuspidifera, previously misinterpreted as "Xestospongia tier-neyi", is confirmed as a distinct species of Spheciospongia, whereas "Prianos" tierneyi is considered a morphological variant of S. vesparium.     

Geophysical investigations of large landslides in the Carnic Region of southern Austria

The area under investigation for the past two decades is in the vicinity of the Gailtal lineament, which is the most dominant tectonic feature of the eastern Alps of southern Austria. An area of about 8 km² is in a state of constant instability, as documented by movement of road tracks of several centimetres per year. Geotechnical and surveying techniques have been used to measure these movements in the past but without solving the problem of the mechanism of these failure processes. Geophysical methods (seismic refraction, geoelectrics, and electromagnetics) were applied in order to determine the validity of one of the discussed movement models. In-situ velocity measurements were used to identify different lithologies beneath surficial talus deposits. The thickness of these talus deposits, of about 4–30 m, found by seismic refraction clearly demonstrates that huge ‘blocks’ (i.e. more or less undisturbed lithologic units) within the talus/debris are in close contact with the basement. This basement, which shows lower seismic velocities in different parts combined with low electric resistivities, is obviously strongly disturbed by different failure surfaces. The different gliding velocity of the blocks and the talus/debris deposits leads to a geological model in which huge rock blocks move slowly in relation to the disintegrating basement, whereas the talus/debris deposits move over the surface of these blocks at a higher velocity. The interpretation of these landslide studies is not a straightforward analysis. It is a complex problem with a complex solution, including all information from geotechnical, geophysical, and surveying investigations.     

Anorthite‐rich chondrules in CR and CH carbonaceous chondrites: Genetic link between calcium‐aluminum‐rich inclusions and ferromagnesian chondrules

Abstract— Anorthite‐rich chondrules in CR and CH carbonaceous chondrites consist of magnesian low‐Ca pyroxene and forsterite phenocrysts, FeNi‐metal nodules, interstitial anorthite, Al‐Ti‐Cr‐rich low‐Ca and high‐Ca pyroxenes, and crystalline mesostasis composed of silica, anorthite and high‐Ca pyroxene. Three anorthite‐rich chondrules contain relic calcium‐aluminum‐rich inclusions (CAIs) composed of anorthite, spinel, ±Al‐diopside, and ± forsterite. A few chondrules contain regions which are texturally and mineralogically similar to magnesian (type I) chondrules and consist of forsterite, low‐Ca pyroxene and abundant FeNi‐metal nodules. Anorthite‐rich chondrules in CR and CH chondrites are mineralogically similar to those in CV and CO carbonaceous chondrites, but contain no secondary nepheline, sodalite or ferrosilite. Relatively high abundances of moderately‐volatile elements such as Cr, Mn and Si in the anorthite‐rich chondrules suggest that these chondrules could not have been produced by volatilization of the ferromagnesian chondrule precursors or by melting of the refractory materials only. We infer instead that anorthite‐rich chondrules in carbonaceous chondrites formed by melting of the reduced chondrule precursors (olivine, pyroxenes, FeNi‐metal) mixed with the refractory materials, including relic CAIs, composed of anorthite, spinel, high‐Ca pyroxene and forsterite. The observed mineralogical and textural similarities of the anorthite‐rich chondrules in several carbonaceous chondrite groups (CV, CO, CH, CR) may indicate that these chondrules formed in the region(s) intermediate between the regions where CAIs and ferromagnesian chondrules originated. This may explain the relative enrichment of anorthite‐rich chondrules in ¹⁶O compared to typical ferromagnesian chondrules (Russell et al., 2000).     

Time-dependent greenhouse warming computations with a coupled ocean-atmosphere model

Climate changes during the next 100 years caused by anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases have been simulated for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Scenarios A (business as usual) and D (accelerated policies) using a coupled ocean-atmosphere general circulation model. In the global average, the near-surface temperature rises by 2.6 K in Scenario A and by 0.6 K in Scenario D. The global patterns of climate change for both IPCC scenarios and for a third step-function 2 x CO₂ experiment were found to be very similar. The warming delay over the oceans is larger than found in simulations with atmospheric general circulation models coupled to mixed-layer models, leading to a more pronounced land-sea contrast and a weaker warming (and in some regions even an initial cooling) in the Southern Ocean. During the first forty years, the global warming and sea level rise due to the thermal expansion of the ocean are significantly slower than estimated previously from box-diffusion-upwelling models, but the major part of this delay can be attributed to the previous warming history prior to the start of present coupled ocean-atmosphere model integration (cold start).     

Sensitivity of high-resolution Arctic regional climate model projections to different implementations of land surface processes

This paper discusses the effects of vegetation cover and soil parameters on the climate change projections of a regional climate model over the Arctic domain. Different setups of the land surface model of the regional climate model HIRHAM were realized to analyze differences in the atmospheric circulation caused by (1) the incorporation of freezing/thawing of soil moisture, (2) the consideration of top organic soil horizons typical for the Arctic and (3) a vegetation shift due to a changing climate. The largest direct thermal effect in 2 m air temperature was found for the vegetation shift, which ranged between −1.5 K and 3 K. The inclusion of a freeze/thaw scheme for soil moisture shows equally large sensitivities in spring over cool areas with high soil moisture content. Although the sensitivity signal in 2 m air temperature for the experiments differs in amplitude, all experiments show changes in mean sea level pressure (mslp) and geopotential height (z) throughout the troposphere of similar magnitude (mslp: −2 hPa to 1.5 hPa, z: −15 gpm to 5 gpm). This points to the importance of dynamical feedbacks within the atmosphere-land system. Land and soil processes have a distinct remote influence on large scale atmospheric circulation patterns in addition to their direct, regional effects. The assessment of induced uncertainties due to the changed implementations of land surface processes discussed in this study demonstrates the need to take all those processes for future Arctic climate projections into account, and demonstrates a clear need to include similar implementations in regional and global climate models.     

Mineralogy and petrology of Al-rich objects and amoeboid olivine aggregates in the CH carbonaceous chondrite North West Africa 739

The aluminum-rich (>10 wt% Al₂O₃) objects in the CH carbonaceous chondrite North West Africa (NWA) 739 include Ca,Al-rich inclusions (CAIs), Al-rich chondrules, and isolated mineral grains (spinel, plagioclase, glass). Based on the major mineralogy, 54 refractory inclusions found in about 1 cm² polished section of NWA 739 can be divided into hibonite-rich (16%), grossite-rich (26%), melilite-rich (28%), spinel-pyroxene-rich (16%) CAIs, and amoeboid olivine aggregates, (AOA's, 17%). Most CAIs are rounded, 25–185 μm (average=70 μm) in apparent diameter, contain abundant, tiny perovskite grains, and typically surrounded by a single- or double-layered rim composed of melilite and/or Al-diopside; occasionally, layers of spinel+hibonite and forsterite are observed. The AOAs are irregularly shaped, 100–250 μm (average=175 μm) in size, and consist of forsterite, Fe,Ni-metal, and CAIs composed of Al-diopside, anorthite, and minor spinel. One AOA contains compact, rounded melilite-spinel-perovskite CAIs and low-Ca pyroxene replacing forsterite. The Al-rich (>10 wt% bulk Al₂O₃) chondrules are divided into Al-diopside-rich and plagioclase-rich. The Al-diopside-rich chondrules, 50–310 μm (average=165 μm) in apparent diameter, consist of Al-diopside, skeletal forsterite, spinel, ±Al-rich low-Ca pyroxene, and ±mesostasis. The plagioclase-rich chondrules, 120–455 μm (average=285 μm) in apparent diameter, are composed of low-Ca and high-Ca pyroxenes, forsterite, anorthitic plagioclase, Fe,Ni-metal nodules, and mesostasis. The isolated spinel occurs as coarse, 50–125 μm in size, subhedral grains, which are probably the fragments of Al-diopside chondrules. The isolated plagioclase grains are too coarse (60–120 μm) to have been produced by disintegration of chondrules or CAIs; they range in composition from nearly pure anorthite to nearly pure albite; their origin is unclear. The Al-rich objects show no evidence for Fe-alkali metasomatic or aqueous alteration; the only exception is an Al-rich chondrule fragment with anorthite replaced by nepheline. They are texturally and mineralogically similar to those in other CH chondrites studied (Acfer 182, ALH85085, PAT91467, NWA 770), but are distinct from the Al-rich objects in other chondrite groups (CM, CO, CR, CV). The CH CAIs are dominated by very refractory minerals, such as hibonite, grossite, perovskite and gehlenitic melilite, and appear to have experienced very low degrees of high-temperature alteration reactions. These include replacement of grossite by melilite, of melilite by anorthite, diopside, and spinel, and of forsterite by low-Ca pyroxene. Only a few CAIs show evidence for melting and multilayered Wark-Lovering rims. These observations may suggest that CH CAIs experienced rather simple formation history and escaped extensive recycling. In order to preserve the high-temperature mineral assemblages, they must have been efficiently isolated from the hot nebular region, like some chondrules and the zoned Fe,Ni-metal grains in CH chondrites.     

Wert und Grenzen der Conodonten-Stratigraphie

Zusammenfassung Conodonten können mit Säuren aus Kalken und Dolomiten herausgeätzt werden. Die Vorzüge von Essigsäure, Ameisensäure und Monochloressigsäure für die verschiedenen Gesteinstypen werden diskutiert. Die systematische Stellung der Conodonten ist noch immer ungeklärt. Die Verbreitung ist vom Mittelkambrium bis in die obere Trias gesichert, das Vorkommen in der Oberkreide ist sehr wahrscheinlich. Hauptzeiten der Entwicklung sind Ordovicium, Mittelbis Oberdevon und Unterkarbon. Die wichtigsten Leitgattungen aus den verschiedenen Formationen werden zusammengestellt und in repräsentativen Arten abgebildet.Conodonten können sowohl in der praktisch-stratigraphischen Arbeit als auch zur Korrelation über weite Räume wertvoll sein. Dabei muß allerdings auf die Problematik offensichtlicher Differenzen des Ein- und Aussetzens bestimmter Arten des Devons und der Trias in den verschiedenen Gebieten hingewiesen werden. Diese beruhen vielleicht auf Unterschieden der Lebensweise der einzelnen Conodontengattungen, für das Vorhandensein solcher ökologisch-fazieller Unterschiede wird Material zusammengetragen.