Origin of siderite mineralisation in Petrova and Trgovska Gora Mts., NW Dinarides

The Petrova and Trgovska Gora Mts. (Gora=Mountain) are Variscan basement units incorporated into the northwestern Dinarides during the Alpine orogeny. They host numerous siderite-quartz-polysulphide, siderite-chalcopyrite, siderite-galena and barite veins, as well as stratabound hydrothermal-replacement ankerite bodies within carbonates in non-metamorphosed, flysch-like Permo-Carboniferous sequences. The deposits have been mined for Cu, Pb, Ag and Fe ores since Medieval times. Fluid inclusion studies of quartz from siderite-polysulphide-quartz and barite veins of both regions have shown the presence of primary aqueous NaCl?CaCl₂±MgCl₂?H₂O±CO₂ inclusions. The quartz-sulphide stage of both regions show variable salinities; 2.7–26.2 wt% NaCl eq. for the Trgovska Gora region and 3.4–23.4 wt% NaCl eq. for the Petrova gora region, and similar homogenisation temperatures (100–230°C). Finally, barite is precipitated from low salinity-low temperature solutions (3.7–15.8 wt % NaCl equ. and 115–145°C). P-t conditions estimated via isochore construction yield formation temperatures between 180–250°C for the quartz-sulphide stage and 160–180°C for the barite stage, using a maximum lithostatic pressure of 1 kbar (cc. 3 km of overburden). The sulphur isotope composition of barite from both deposits indicates the involvement of Permian seawater in ore fluids. This is supported by the elevated bromium content of the fluid inclusion leachates (120–660 ppm in quartz, 420–960 ppm in barite) with respect to the seawater, indicating evaporated seawater as the major portion of the ore-forming fluids. Variable sulphur isotope compositions of galena, pyrite and chalcopyrite, between ?3.2 and +2.7‰, are interpreted as a product of incomplete thermal reduction of the Permian marine sulphate mixed with organically- and pyrite-bound sulphur from the host sedimentary rocks. Ore-forming fluids are interpreted as deep-circulating fluids derived primarily from evaporated Permian seawater and later modified by interaction with the Variscan basement rocks. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar data of the detrital mica from the host rocks yielded the Variscan age overprinted by an Early Permian tectonothermal event dated at 266–274 Ma. These ages are interpreted as those reflecting hydrothermal activity correlated with an incipient intracontinental rifting in the Tethyan domain. Nevertheless, 75 Ma recorded at a fine-grained sericite sample from the alteration zone is interpreted as a result of later resetting of white mica during Campanian opening/closure of the Sava back arc in the neighbouring Sava suture zone (Ustaszewski et al. 2008).     

Dating of soil layers in a young floodplain using iron oxide crystallinity

Dating of fluvial deposits is essential for a more quantitative understanding of landscape evolution and soil development in floodplain environments. We collected soil layers in defined depth intervals down to 60 cm along a substrate age gradient in a floodplain of the Danube River near Vienna, Austria. Depth profiles of fallout ¹³⁷Cs were used to assess short-term sedimentation, and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating was used to attribute sediment deposits to time periods between the early last millennium BC and the 18th century AD. In the studied soils, the ratio of oxalate- to dithionite-extractable iron (Fe_o/Fe_d), which indicates the degree of iron oxide crystallinity, progressively decreased from ratios greater than 0.5 to values less than 0.2 with increasing soil age and proved to be a reliable indicator of soil maturity. We linked the observed Fe_o/Fe_d ratios to the radiometric and OSL ages in a chronofunction, which allows to approximately date soil layers that lack an independent age control. The soil ages calculated with this chronofunction accurately reflected their geomorphological position, resulted in consistent age trends with depth, and highlighted the active morphodynamics of the studied floodplain. The chronofunction was further validated by dating a soil profile near the studied chronosequence that contained an archaeological find dated to the La Tène period (5th to 1st century BC).     

Mineralogical alteration of artificial meteorites during atmospheric entry. The STONE-5 experiment

The generic concept of the artificial meteorite experiment STONE is to fix rock samples bearing microorganisms on the heat shield of a recoverable space capsule and to study their modifications during atmospheric re-entry. The STONE-5 experiment was performed mainly to answer astrobiological questions. The rock samples mounted on the heat shield were used (i) as a carrier for microorganisms and (ii) as internal control to verify whether physical conditions during atmospheric re-entry were comparable to those experienced by “real” meteorites. Samples of dolerite (an igneous rock), sandstone (a sedimentary rock), and gneiss impactite from Haughton Crater carrying endolithic cyanobacteria were fixed to the heat shield of the unmanned recoverable capsule FOTON-M2. Holes drilled on the back side of each rock sample were loaded with bacterial and fungal spores and with dried vegetative cryptoendoliths. The front of the gneissic sample was also soaked with cryptoendoliths.

The mineralogical differences between pre- and post-flight samples are detailed. Despite intense ablation resulting in deeply eroded samples, all rocks in part survived atmospheric re-entry. Temperatures attained during re-entry were high enough to melt dolerite, silica, and the gneiss impactite sample. The formation of fusion crusts in STONE-5 was a real novelty and strengthens the link with real meteorites. The exposed part of the dolerite is covered by a fusion crust consisting of silicate glass formed from the rock sample with an admixture of holder material (silica). Compositionally, the fusion crust varies from silica-rich areas (undissolved silica fibres of the holder material) to areas whose composition is “basaltic”. Likewise, the fusion crust on the exposed gneiss surface was formed from gneiss with an admixture of holder material. The corresponding composition of the fusion crust varies from silica-rich areas to areas with “gneiss” composition (main component potassium-rich feldspar). The sandstone sample was retrieved intact and did not develop a fusion crust. Thermal decomposition of the calcite matrix followed by disintegration and liberation of the silicate grains prevented the formation of a melt.

Furthermore, the non-exposed surface of all samples experienced strong thermal alterations. Hot gases released during ablation pervaded the empty space between sample and sample holder leading to intense local heating. The intense heating below the protective sample holder led to surface melting of the dolerite rock and to the formation of calcium-silicate rims on quartz grains in the sandstone sample.     

The value of commodity biographies: integrating tribal farmers in India into a global organic agro-food network

The production of organic food has been regarded for a long time as being synonymous with ecological regional production systems. However, the increased production of organic food products has led to an ongoing industrialisation and also to a global spread of network structures within this segment of agriculture. This paper provides a case study of the integration of organic pepper farmers from an indigenous tribe in Kerala, India, into global agro-food networks, linking them to a German producer of organic meat products. The results of this study show that the importance of the territorial embeddedness and the abandonment of the exercise of power can be crucial for the success of global organic agro-food networks.     

Heavy metal distribution in karst soils from Croatia and Slovakia

With the use of the optimised three-step BCR sequential-extraction procedure it was possible to assess the mobility of selected elements in soil profiles from Croatian and Slovakian karst terrains. The soils in the Croatian karst were enriched in Cr, Ni, V, Mn, Cu, Cd and Mo, while soils from the Slovak Karst had high Pb and Zn concentrations. It was determined that the elements were most readily mobilised from the topsoil and the degree of mobility decreased with depth. Cr and Ni were mainly bound to the residual fraction, and Pb in the oxidisable fraction. Cu mobility was high in samples treated with agrochemicals throughout the soil profile.     

Photoelectric observations of CPM stars in theBVRI system

Summary A photometric program to estimate the frequency of close unresolved companions in visual binary systems has been developed. The sensitivity of the detection depends on the accuracy of the differential photometric measurements of binary components. Unresolved companions up to seven magnitudes fainter than the primary are detectable in theBVRI photometric system. Presented by K. D. Rakos.     

Simulation of stiff massless tethers

A model is developed and an algorithm presented for the time simulation of low-tension tethers with torsional and bending stiffness. Computational performance is extremely good owing to the neglect of all inertial terms, and quaternions enable arbitrary deflections. A first example verifies the accuracy of the program, and a second illustrates tether behavior during a complex maneuver.