Mega-monsoon variability during the late Triassic: Re-assessing the role of orbital forcing in the deposition of playa sediments in the Germanic Basin

The formation of the supercontinent Pangaea during the Permo–Triassic gave rise to an extreme monsoonal climate (often termed ‘mega-monsoon’) that has been documented by numerous palaeo-records. However, considerable debate exists about the role of orbital forcing in causing humid intervals in an otherwise arid climate. To shed new light on the forcing of monsoonal variability in subtropical Pangaea, this study focuses on sediment facies and colour variability of playa and alluvial fan deposits in an outcrop from the late Carnian (ca 225 Ma) in the southern Germanic Basin, south-western Germany. The sediments were deposited against a background of increasingly arid conditions following the humid Carnian Pluvial Event (ca 234 to 232 Ma). The ca 2·4 Myr long sedimentary succession studied shows a tripartite long-term evolution, starting with a distal mud-flat facies deposited under arid conditions. This phase was followed by a highly variable playa-lake environment that documents more humid conditions and finally a regression of the playa-lake due to a return of arid conditions. The red–green (a*) and lightness (L*) records show that this long-term variability was overprinted by alternating wet/dry cycles driven by orbital precession and ca 405 kyr eccentricity, without significant influence of obliquity. The absence of obliquity in this record indicates that high-latitude forcing played only a minor role in the southern Germanic Basin during the late Carnian. This is different from the subsequent Norian when high-latitude signals became more pronounced, potentially related to the northward drift of the Germanic Basin. The recurring pattern of pluvial events during the late Triassic demonstrates that orbital forcing, in particular eccentricity, stimulated the occurrence and intensity of wet phases. It also highlights the possibility that the Carnian Pluvial Event, although most likely triggered by enhanced volcanic activity, may also have been modified by an orbital stimulus.     

Is climate change causing the increasing narwhal (Monodon monoceros) catches in Smith Sound, Greenland?

This paper evaluates recent changes in narwhal ( Monodon monoceros ) catches in Siorapaluk, the northernmost community in Greenland, in consideration of the effects of changing climate and uncertainty of stock delineation. The catch statistics show a significant increase in narwhal catches by hunters in Siorapaluk after 2002, which does not appear to be a result of increased effort. Hunters attribute the increase to changed sea-ice conditions providing access by boat to Smith Sound as early as June and July. This indicates that climate change is likely to have a considerable impact on narwhal hunting in northern Greenland. Traditional ecological knowledge and scientific surveys suggest that narwhal in Smith Sound constitute an independent stock. The absence of scientific recommendations for this stock has been seen as an opportunity to increase quotas in West Greenland. Scientific management recommendations are urgently needed to allow the authorities to assign sustainable quotas for this stock. The development of collaborative management agreements and locally based monitoring are recommended to ensure local acceptance of regulations, and to allow rapid responses to climate change.     

Timing of Proterozoic magmatism in the Sunsas belt,Bolivian Precambrian Shield,SW Amazonian Craton

We present new U-Pb zircon and monazite ages from the Sunsas belt granitic magmatism in Bolivia,SW Amazonian Craton.The geochronological results revealed four major magmatic events recorded along the Sunsas belt domains.The older igneous event formed a granitic basement coeval to the Rio Apa Terrane(1.95-1.85 Ga)in the southern domain.The second magmatic episode is represented by 1.68 Ga granites associated to the Paraguá Terrane(1.69-1.66 Ga)in the northern domain.The 1.37-1.34 Ga granites related to San Ignacio orogeny represent the third and more pervasive magmatic event,recorded throughout the Sunsas belt.Moreover,magmatic ages of～1.42 Ga revealed that the granitogenesis asso-ciated to the Santa Helena orogeny also affected the Sunsas belt,indicating that it was not restricted to the Jauru Terrane.Lastly,the 1.10-1.04 Ga youngest magmatism was developed during the Sunsas oro-geny and represents the final magmatic evolution related to Rodinia assembly.Likewise,the 1.95-1.85 and 1.68 Ga inherited zircon cores obtained in the～1.3 Ga and 1.0 Ga granite samples suggest strong par-tial melting of the Paleoproterozoic sources.The 1079±14 Ma and 1018±6 Ma monazite crystallization ages can be correlated to the collisional tectono-thermal event of the Sunsas orogeny,associated to reac-tions of medium-to high-grade metamorphism.Thus,the Sunsas belt was built by heterogeneous 1.95-1.85 Ga and 1.68 Ga crustal fragments that were reworked at 1.37-1.34 Ga and 1.10-1.04 Ga related to orogenic collages.Furthermore,the 1.01 Ga monazite age suggests that granites previously dated by zir-con can bear evidence of a younger thermal history.Therefore,the geochronological evolution of the Sunsas belt may have been more complex than previously thought.     

Multi-proxy geoarchaeological study redefines understanding of the paleocoastlines and ancient harbours of Liman Tepe (Iskele, Turkey)

Determining the position of Liman Tepe's (ancient `Clazomenae') archaeological features relative to the coastline is important for understanding their intended function and reconstructing the character of Aegean maritime activities and sea-based trade. Previous attempts at reconstructing harbour locations at Liman Tepe relied on extrapolating paleoenvironments based on modern surface topography. In light of this, samples from a sediment coring survey and terrestrial and underwater archaeological excavations were analysed using multi-proxy geoarchaeological methods to determine paleoenvironmental facies. Micropaleontological (foraminifera), sedimentological (grain-size analysis) and geochemical (δ¹³C/δ¹⁸O) analyses resulted in the reconstruction of the coastal paleogeomorphology, including the presence and absence of ancient harbouring areas. Neither of the previous coastal reconstructions was supported by the new results. Instead, two separate harbouring areas were recognized, one coincident with the Early Bronze Age (4800–3900 years bp) and a second during the archaic and classical periods ( c. 2800–2400 years bp). These results emphasize the necessity for multi-proxy geoarchaeological studies when approaching coastal archaeological sites as a means to reconstruct paleocoastal geomorphology and understand ancient maritime development better .     

Archaean and Lower Proterozoic units in Central Brazil

The following main units have been recognized as Archaean basement rocks in central Brazil: a) High-grade granite-gneiss terrain composed predominantly by granodioritic and tonalitic gneisses; these rocks are cut by amphibolite dykes and present several nucleii locally surrounded by an array of Archaean greenstone belts, b) Greenstone belts presenting basal komatiitic ultramafic-mafic lavas with abundant spinifex textures, followed by basalts and chemical sediments such as cherts, limestones and graphitic pelites, that are often interbedded with acid and intermediate volcanics; metamorphism is within greenschist facies. Granulite mobile belt, including the granulitized mafic-ultramafic complexes of Barro Alto, Niquelândia and Brava. The Lower Proterozoic is represented by: a) metasedimentary sequences overlying the granite-greenstone terrains, with several tin bearing granite intrusions. b) Gabbro-anorthosite layered plutons and their associated mafic volcanics which are followed by acid and intermediate volcanics and ocean floor sediments. c) Mafic-ultramafic layered intrusions in the granulite terrain.

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Zusammenfassung Im zentralen Brasilien wurden folgende Haupteinheiten als Archaischer Sockel erkannt: a) hochmetamorphes Granit-Gneis-Gebiet mit vorwiegend granodioritischen und tonalitischen Gneisen; diese Gesteine werden von amphibolitischen Gängen durchschlagen. Sie bilden einzelne Kerne, die von Zonen Archaischer Grünsteingürtel umgeben werden. b) Grünsteingürtel, die basale komatiitische ultramafitische bis mafischen Laven representieren mit häufig auftretenden Spinifex-Gefügen. Diesen folgen Basalte und chemische Sedimente wie Kieselschiefer, Kalke und graphitische Pelite, in die häufig saure und intermediäre Vulkanite eingeschaltet sind. Die Metamorphose liegt in der Grünschiefer-Fazies. c) Mobiler Granulit-Gürtel, der die granulitisierten mafisch-ultramafischen Komplexe von Barro Alto, Niquelândia und Cana Brava einschließt.Das untere Proterozoikum wird durch folgende Einheiten vertreten: a) Metasedimentfolgen, die die Granit-Grünstein-Serien überlagern und die einige zinnführende GranitIntrusionen aufweisen. b) Lagige Gabbro-Anorthosit-Plutone mit dazugehörenden mafischen Vulkaniten, die von sauren und intermediären Vulkaniten und ozeanischen Sedimenten gefolgt werden. c) Mafisch-ultramafische Intrusionen innerhalb des Granulit-Gebietes.

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Resumo As seguintes unidades geológicas principais foram reconhecidas no embasamento da região central do Brasil: a) Terrenos granito-gnáissicos constituídos dominantemente por gnaisses de composição granodiorítica e tonalítica cortados por diques de anfibolito e mostrando vários núcleos graníticos localmente envolvidos por seqüências vulcano-sedimentares do tipo greenstone belt. b) Cinturões arqueanos de rochas verdes apresentando na base lavas komatiíticas com abundantes texturas tipo spinifex, seguidas de basaltos almofadados e de sedimentos químicos tais como chert, calcário e pelitos grafitosos, frequentemente intercalados com vulcânicas intermediárias e ácidas; o metamorfismo é de facies xisto verde. c) Cinturão móvel granulítico incluindo os complexos granulitizados de Barro Alto, Niquelândia e Cana Brava. Proterozóico Inferior é representado por: a) Seqüências sedimentares sobrepostas aos terrenos granito-greenstone, localmente intrudidas por granitos estaniferos; b) Plutões gabro-anortosíticos acamadados; c) Intrusões máfico-ultramáficas alojadas nos terrenos granulíticos.-- : ) - ; , , ) , . , , , , , . ; ) , - Barro Alto, Niguelandia Brava. : ) , - , , ; ) -- , ; ) - .

     

Contributions to the theory of spiral structure. II. The density wave theory and the very hot interstellar gas component

Starting from the argument that the density wave theory of spiral structure is incompatible with the existence of a stationary very hot extended component of the interstellar gas, we develop a cyclic model, in which an interstellar gas of a temperature around 10⁴ K is heated to roughly 10⁶ K by type II supernovae resulting from the enhanced star formation triggered by the density wave, and cools down again to 10⁴ K after the supernova activity subsides to be ready for shock compression in the next sweep of the density wave pattern. The time scales for heating by supernovae and subsequent cooling turn out to be consistent with current density wave theory. The scenario proposed is corroborated by recent results on cosmic ray composition and -ray observations.     

Orbit Propagation with Lie Transfer Maps in the Perturbed Kepler Problem

The Lie transfer map method may be applied to orbit propagation problems in celestial mechanics. This method, described in another paper, is a perturbation method applicable to Hamiltonian systems. In this paper, it is used to calculate orbits for zonal perturbations to the Kepler (two-body) problem, in both expansion in the eccentricity and closed form. In contrast with a normal form method like that of Deprit, the Lie transformations here are used to effect a propagation of phase space in time, and not to transform one Hamiltonian into another.