Saddle-shaped reticulate <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nummulites</Emphasis> from Early Oligocene rocks of Khari area,SW Kutch,India

Saddle-shaped reticulate Nummulites from the Early Oligocene rocks of Khari area, SW Kutch, India is reported here for the first time. Unusual shape of this Nummulites is due to the curved nature of the coiling plane, indicating space constrained postembryonic test growth. With regular development of chambers, septa and septal filaments, the saddle-shaped Nummulites constitutes the third morphotype of N. cf. fichteli Michelotti form A. Other morphotypes of the species reported earlier include inflated lenticular and conical tests. Multiple morphotypes of N. cf. fichteli form A indicates varied test growth in response to substrate conditions. Morphological variability exhibited by N. cf. fichteli form A from Kutch and some Early Oligocene reticulate Nummulites from the Far East are comparable. This faunal suite is morphologically distinct from the contemporary reticulate Nummulites of the European localities.     

DÉCONVOLUTION RAPIDE *

During the last ten years data processing has enabled the geophysicist to seriously attack the problem of how to improve the quality of seismic sections. For instance new processing methods have been proposed for improving the resolving power of the seismic pulse. These methods are based on deconvolution and they require lengthy computations. The method discussed here for pulse contraction is based on the use of Hadamard transforms. It is very fast but nevertheless the quality of the result stands comparison with that of conventional methods.     

Reduction of thermohaline circulation during deglaciation: the effect on atmospheric radiocarbon and CO2

A two-? ocean reservoir model is employed to examine the combined effects of vertical ocean circulation, organic matter extraction and cosmic ray production on the¹⁴C/¹²C in the atmosphere, ocean and sediment. In this model, dissolution of deep-sea calcium carbonate sediment is assumed to respond to the supply of particulate carbonate from the surface ocean and to the dissolved carbonate-ion concentration of the deep-sea.If the vertical ocean circulation decreased by 50% during the maximum rate of deglaciation, the atmospheric¹⁴C/¹²C would have increased concurrently by 10% relative to the pre-bomb present. Further, if cosmic ray production of¹⁴C was 50% greater than present at about 7800 years B.P. as suggested by archeomagnetic measurements, a double maximum of 10% occurs. The first is at about 10.5 ka and the second at 6.5 ka. This result is similar to the variation of¹⁴C/¹²C over the last 10,000 years calculated from the¹⁴C dates measured by Stuiver on the varved Lake of the Clouds. The result is not sensibly altered if 10¹⁷ moles of organic carbon is extracted from the ocean during sea-level rise.Reduction of the thermohaline ocean circulation by 50% over a one- to two-thousand-year interval would not be sensibly detected in the dating of deep-sea sediment. If Broecker's organic nutrient extraction occurs in conjunction with reduction of vertical circulation, a decrease in the atmospheric P_CO2 will precede the eventual rise.     

A dispersion scale effect in model calibrations and field tracer experiments

Field tracer experiments and model calibrations indicate that the magnitude of dispersivity increases as a function of the scale at which observations are made. Calculations presented in this study suggest that some part of this scaling may be explained as an artifact of the models used. Specifically, a scaling-up of dispersivity will occur whenever an (n − 1)-dimensional model is calibrated or otherwise employed to describe an n-dimensional system. The calibrated coefficients for such models will depend not only on size of the contaminant plume or tracer experiment at the time of calibration, but will exhibit a size dependency beyond the calibration period. The magnitude of scaling appears to be sufficient to encompass the range of differences between laboratory measurements of dispersivity and model calibrations.     

Organic carbon deposition and phosphorus accumulation during Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 in Tarfaya, Morocco

With a multi-proxy approach, an attempt was made to constrain productivity and bottom-water redox conditions and their effects on the phosphorus accumulation rate at the Mohammed Plage section on the Tarfaya coast, Morocco, during the Cenomanian-Turonian Anoxic Event (OAE 2). A distinct δ¹³C_org isotope excursion of +2.5‰ occurs close to the top of the section. The unusually abrupt shift of the isotope excursion and disappearance of several planktonic foraminiferal species (e.g. Rotalipora cushmani and Rotalipora greenhornensis) in this level suggests a hiatus of between 40–60 kyrs at the excursion onset. Nevertheless, it was possible to determine both the long-term environmental history as well as the processes that took place immediately prior to and during OAE 2. TOC% values increase gradually from the base of the section to the top (from 2.5% to 10%). This is interpreted as the consequence of a long-term eustatic sea-level rise and subsidence causing the encroachment of less oxic waters into the Tarfaya Basin. Similarly a reduction in the mineralogically constructed ‘detrital index’ can be explained by the decrease in the continental flux of terrigenous material due to a relative sea-level rise. A speciation of phosphorus in the upper part of the section, which spans the start and mid-stages of OAE 2, shows overall higher abundances of P_reactive mass accumulation rates before the isotope excursion onset and lower values during the plateau. Due to the probable short hiatus, the onset of the decrease in phosphorus content relative to the isotope excursion is uncertain, although the excursion plateau already contains lower concentrations. The C_org/P_total and V/Al ratios suggest that this reduction was mostly likely caused by a decrease in the available bottom oxygen content (probably as a result of higher productivity) and a corresponding fall in the phosphorus retention ability of the sediment. Productivity appears to have remained high during the isotope plateau possibly due to a combination of ocean-surface fertilisation via increased aridity (increased K/Al and Ti/Al ratios) and/or higher dissolved inorganic phosphorus content in the water column as a result of the decrease in sediment P retention. The evidence for decreased P-burial has been observed in many other palaeoenvironments during OAE 2. Tarfaya's unique upwelling paleosituation provides strong evidence that the nutrient recycling was a global phenomenon and therefore a critical factor in starting and sustaining OAE 2.     

Spatial analysis of groundwater potential using remote sensing and GIS in the Kanyakumari and Nambiyar basins,India

Remotely sensed data can provide useful information in understanding the distribution of groundwater, an important source of water supply throughout the world. In the present study, the modern geomatic technologies, namely remote sensing and GIS were used in the identification of groundwater potential zones in the Kanyakumari and Nambiyar basins of Tamil Nadu in India. The multivariate statistical technique was used to find out the relationship between rainfall and groundwater resource characteristics. It has been found out that groundwater not only depends upon rainfall, but various other factors also influence its occurrence. Eight such parameters were considered and multi criterion analysis has been carried out in order to find out the potential zones. Accordingly, it had been concluded that the Kanyakumari river basin has more ground water potential, whereas the Nambiyar basin has less potential. Thus surface investigation of groundwater has proved to be easier, time consistent and cheaper using the geomatic technologies.     

Thorium and uranium isotopes in a manganese nodule from the Peru basin determined by alpha spectrometry and thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS): Are manganese supply and growth related to climate?

Thorium- and uranium isotopes were measured in a diagenetic manganese nodule from the Peru basin applying alpha- and thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS). Alpha-counting of 62 samples was carried out with a depth resolution of 0.4 mm to gain a high-resolution²³⁰Th_excess profile. In addition, 17 samples were measured with TIMS to obtain precise isotope concentrations and isotope ratios. We got values of 0.06–0.59 ppb (²³⁰Th), 0.43–1.40 ppm (²³²Th), 0.09–0.49 ppb (²³⁴U) and 1.66–8.24 ppm (²³⁸U). The uranium activity ratio in the uppermost samples (1–6 mm) and in two further sections in the nodule at 12.5±1.0 mm and 27.3–33.5 mm comes close to the present ocean water value of 1.144±0.004. In two other sections of the nodule, this ratio is significantly higher, probably reflecting incorporation of diagenetic uranium. The upper 25 mm section of the Mn nodule shows a relatively smooth exponential decrease in the²³⁰Th_excess concentration (TIMS). The slope of the best fit yields a growth rate of 110 mm/Ma up to 24.5 mm depth. The section from 25 to 30.3 mm depth shows constant²³⁰Th_excess concentrations probably due to growth rates even faster than those in the top section of the nodule. From 33 to 50 mm depth, the growth rate is approximately 60 mm/Ma. Two layers in the nodule with distinct laminations (11–15 and 28–33 mm depth) probably formed during the transition from isotopic stage 8 to 7 and in stage 5e, respectively. The Mn/Fe ratio shows higher values during interglacials 5 and 7, and lower ones during glacials 4 and 6. A comparison of our data with data from adjacent sediment cores suggests (a) a variable supply of hydrothermal Mn to sediments and Mn nodules of the Peru basin or (b) suboxic conditions at the water sediment interface during periods with lower Mn/Fe ratios.     

The limits of validity of the Frequency Ratio Method: The particular case of γ Doradus stars

This work provides a general vision of the limits of validity of the Frequency Ratio Method applied to the g‐mode pulsators in asymptotic regime, the γ Doradus stars. In particular, the work is mainly focused on the role of rotation which is found one of the most important source of uncertainty of the method. The particular case of the moderately rotating γ Doradus star HD48501 is discussed. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Pre-flare association of magnetic fields and millimeter-wave radio emission

Observations of radio emission at 3.3 mm wavelength associated with magnetic fields in active regions are reported. Results of more than 200 regions during the years 1967–1968 show a strong correlation between peak enhanced millimeter emission, total flux of the longitudinal component of photospheric magnetic fields and the number of flares produced during transit of active regions. For magnetic flux greater than 10²¹ maxwells flares will occur and for flux of 10²³ maxwells the sum of the H flare importance numbers is about 40. The peak millimeter enhancement increases with magnetic flux for regions which subsequently flared. Estimates of the magnetic energy available and the correlation with flare production indicate that the photospheric fields and probably chromospheric currents are responsible for the observed pre-flare heating and provide the energy of flares.This work was supported in part by NASA Contract No. NAS2-7868 and in part by Company funds of The Aerospace Corporation.