A mathematical model of trace element and isotopic behavior during simultaneous assimilation and imperfect fractional crystallization

The process of coupled assimilation and fractional crystallization (AFC) is one of the most popular petrogenetic concepts that explains magmatic differentiation. Conventional geochemical models for this process assume that crystals are removed instantaneously from the magma body as they are produced; however, recent advances in isotopic microanalysis have clarified that the crystals are suspended within the magma body for a certain period, affecting the whole-rock composition in response to the intra-grain isotopic zoning. This study develops a mass balance model for simultaneous assimilation and imperfect fractional crystallization (AIFC) to describe the effects of suspended crystals on the path of magma evolution. The mass balance differential equations for the liquid and suspended crystals are solved simultaneously. The analytical solution of the AIFC equations gives a quantitative account of the evolution paths of trace elements and isotopes within bulk crystals, liquid, and magma (crystals plus liquid). The chemical path of the magma differs markedly from that predicted by the conventional AFC model.     

The balloon observations of small cosmic X-ray bursts

In the record of the balloon observation which was performed on 27 September, 1970, a transient burst of X-rays was found. This event is concluded to be a cosmic gamma-ray burst of a smaller size or of a larger distance compared to the Vela bursts observed over the X-ray energy range. The energy spectrum is consistent with that of some of the Vela bursts. The time profile of the event is qualitatively similar to the 27 April, 1972 event studied by Apollo 16. The detection of small bursts over the X-ray energy range by the balloon observation during a period of the order of 10 to 100 h is not surprising considering a probable frequency-size distribution of the burst.Paper presented at the COSPAR Symposium on Fast Transients in X- and Gamma-Rays, held at Varna, Bulgaria, 29–31 May, 1975.     

Crustal structure and transform margin development south of Svalbard based on ocean bottom seismometer data

The Barents Sea is located in the northwestern corner of the Eurasian continent, where the crustal terrain was assembled in the Caledonian orogeny during Late Ordovician and Silurian times. The western Barents Sea margin developed primarily as a transform margin during the early Tertiary. In the northwestern part south of Svalbard, multichannel reflection seismic lines have poor resolution below the Permian sequence, and the early post-orogenic development is not well known here. In 1998, an ocean bottom seismometer (OBS) survey was collected southwest to southeast of the Svalbard archipelago. One profile was shot across the continental transform margin south of Svalbard, which is presented here. P-wave modeling of the OBS profile indicates a Caledonian suture in the continental basement south of Svalbard, also proposed previously based on a deep seismic reflection line coincident with the OBS profile. The suture zone is associated with a small crustal root and westward dipping mantle reflectivity, and it marks a boundary between two different crystalline basement terrains. The western terrain has low (6.2–6.45 km s⁻¹) P-wave velocities, while the eastern has higher (6.3–6.9 km s⁻¹) velocities. Gravity modeling agrees with this, as an increased density is needed in the eastern block. The S-wave data predict a quartz-rich lithology compatible with felsic gneiss to granite within and west of the suture zone, and an intermediate lithological composition to the east. A geological model assuming westward dipping Caledonian subduction and collision can explain the missing lower crust in the western block by subduction erosion of the lower crust, as well as the observed structuring. Due to the transform margin setting, the tectonic thinning of the continental block during opening of the Norwegian-Greenland Sea is restricted to the outer 35 km of the continental block, and the continent–ocean boundary (COB) can be located to within 5 km in our data. Distinct from the outer high commonly observed on transform margins, the upper part of the continental crust at the margin is dominated by two large, rotated down-faulted blocks with throws of 2–3 km on each fault, apparently formed during the transform margin development. Analysis of the gravity field shows that these faults probably merge to one single fault to the south of our profile, and that the downfaulting dominates the whole margin segment from Spitsbergen to Bjørnøya. South of Bjørnøya, the faulting leaves the continental margin to terminate as a graben 75 km south of the island. Adjacent to the continental margin, there is no clear oceanic layer 2 seismic signature. However, the top basement velocity of 6.55 km s⁻¹ is significantly lower than the high (7 km s⁻¹) velocity reported earlier from expanding spread profiles (ESPs), and we interpret the velocity structure of the oceanic crust to be a result of a development induced by the 7–8-km-thick sedimentary overburden.     

Mercury concentration in the ocean

Seventy percent of 342 seawater samples collected in the Bering Sea, North and South Pacific, Japan Sea, East and South China Seas, and Indian Ocean had concentrations of “total” mercury ranging from 3 to 6 ng Hg l^?1 with an arithmetic mean of 5.3 ng l^?1 and a geometric mean of 5.0 ng l^?1. In some cases, a higher concentration was observed at the surface, at the halocline or thermocline, or in the bottom water. But in general, there was no consistent correlation between mercury concentration and depth, except for a statistical tendency for mercury concentration to be slightly higher in the surface water. This tendency suggests that mercury in the ocean is supplied from the atmosphere by rain washout. The latitudinal variation of surface mercury concentrations showed that the maximum concentration at each latitude decreased from 40°N to 30°S. This variation provides evidence that atmospheric mercury is emitted mainly from continental areas naturally or anthropogenically.     

A new method of evaluating the mineralization of particulate and dissolved photoassimilated organic matter

A new method of evaluating the rate of mineralization of photoassimilated organic matter is described. This method enables us to compare the rate of direct mineralization of particulate organic carbon (POC) to CO₂ with the rate of solubilization of photoassimilated organic carbon followed by the mineralization of the resultant dissolved organic carbon (DOC) under the same conditions. The direct mineralization of photoassimilated carbon from POC to CO₂ is a more significant process compared with the mineralization of extracellular released organic carbon. The first-order rate coefficients range from 0.132 to 0.434 day^–1 for direct mineralization and 0.034 to 0.189 day^–1 for solubilization.     

Volcanic and Seismic Swarm Events on the Reykjanes Ridge and Their Similarities to Events on Iceland: Results of a Rapid Response Mission

On 21 May 1989, a major earthquake swarm on the Reykjanes Ridge at59°44 N, 29°32 W at a water depth of about 1000 m andabout 500 km southwest of Iceland was detected on both the WorldwideStandard Seismic Network (WWSSN) and Icelandic seismic networks. As part ofa multi-institutional response to this swarm, the Naval ResearchLaboratory arranged for a P3 Orion Aircraft to deploy sonobuoys and AXBTs inthe immediate vicinity of the swarm activity. The detection of the swarmmotivated a survey of the region in 1990, using the towed SeaMARC IIside-looking sonar system. In 1990–1991 the Russian ShirshovInstitute of Oceanology offered the use of its MIR deep-divingsubmersibles to investigate the rise axis for recent volcanism. During 1992,a scientific team comprised of five US and ten Russian scientists mobilizedthe twin, deep diving Russian submersibles to study the spreading axis ofthe Reykjanes Ridge. The resulting data analyses allows us to conclude thatthe 1989 seismic swarm event occurred adjacent to and east of the largeaxial high in the center of our survey area. The length, width and depthrange of the earthquakes were very similar to major seismic swarm eventsconfined to fissure systems in the Krafla region of Iceland. It is likelythat the earthquake swarm was located on a fresh, well-defined systemof fissures and faults extending south of the northernmost axial highstudied. The earthquake swarm was probably associated with an emanation oflava creating a region of high backscatter, located just to the east of thecentral axial high. In addition, the region of high-backscatterremains unsampled because it lay underneath the nadir of the processedSeaMARC tracks used to plan the submersible survey. However many sampleswere taken and structural studies of the evolving Reykjanes Ridge werecarried out.     

Calcium in the Antarctic Ocean

Calcium in sea water was determined of the samples taken from the Antarctic and Indian Oceans. Surface water commonly contains less calcium relative to chlorinity than does deep water. The tendency, however, is very faint in the Antarctic Ocean. In the surface waters, the Ca/Cl ratio is lower in the tropical and subtropical waters and the ratio well correlates with phosphate. The Ca/P ratio is calculated as 37 in atomic ratio. These may indicate that calcium is uptaken by organisms to make skeletal parts from surface water which is supersaturated with respect to calcite or aragonite. On the other hand, no definite correlationship between calcium and phosphate is found in subsurface water. This fact suggests that the regeneration process of calcium from organic debris is different from that of phosphate. The increase-rate of calcium in the abyssal water is estimated to be 0.18g at./(1 yr), which is due to the dissolution of calcium carbonate. The rate is about a half of total carbonate increase in the water.     

A new method to detect viable bacteria in natural seawater using 16SrRNA oligonucleotide probe

Fluorescent oligonucleotide probes were used to detectVibrio cholerae directly under epifluorescence microscope. The probe which is complementary to the specific 16SrRNA sequence ofVibrio cholerae was labelled with Texas-Red, whereas the universal probe was labelled with Fluorescein. These probes allowed the distinctionVibrio cholerae from other eubacteria under the same microscopic field. In order to detect and enumerate specific bacteria in natural seawater, this method was combined with the direct viable count (DVC) technique. The combined method increased intracellular rRNA levels in the sample, and made it possible to detect the target bacteria with the specific gene probe. The applicability of this new method was confirmed both for the laboratory mixed culture system and natural seawater.