Climatic control on the growth of gigantic gypsum crystals within hypogenic caves (Naica mine,Mexico)?

Three hypogenic caves within the Naica mine of Mexico (Cueva de los Cristales — CLC, Ojo de la Reina — OR, and Cueva de las Velas — CLV) host spectacular gypsum crystals up to 11 m in length. These caves are close to another shallow cave of the area (Cueva de las Espadas — CLE), with which they cover a 160 m-deep vertical section of the local drainage basin. Similar to other hypogenic caves, all these caves lack a direct connection with the land surface and should be unrelated with climate.A record of multi-technique fluid inclusion data and pollen spectra from cave and mine gypsum indicates surprisingly that climatic changes occurring at Naica could have controlled fluid composition in these caves, and hence crystal growth. Microthermometry and LA-ICP-Mass Spectrometry of fluid inclusions indicate that the shallow, chemically peculiar, saline fluid (up to 7.7 eq. wt.%NaCl) of CLE could have formed from evaporation, during a dry and hot climatic period. The fluid of the deep caves was instead of low salinity (～ 3.5 eq. wt.% NaCl) and chemically homogeneous, and was poorly affected by evaporation. We propose that mixing of these two fluids, generated at different depths of the Naica drainage basin, determined the stable supersaturation conditions for the gigantic gypsum crystals to grow. Fluid mixing was controlled by the hydraulic communication between CLE and the other deep caves, and must have taken place during cycles of warm-dry and fresh-wet climatic periods, which are known to have occurred in the region. Pollen grains from a 35 ka-old gypsum crystal of CLC corresponds to a fairly homogenous catchment basin made of a mixed broadleaf wet forest, which suggests precipitation during a fresh-wet climatic period and confirms our interpretation of the fluid inclusion data.The unusual combination of geological and geochemical factors of Naica suggests that other hypogenic caves found elsewhere may not host similar crystals. However, this work shows that fluid inclusions and pollen spectra represent a useful tool for cave studies in general, and if used in future studies might be essential to unravel the mechanisms of hypogenic deposition.     

Tropical harmful algal blooms: An emerging threat to coral reef communities?

Tropical harmful algal blooms (HABs) are increasing in frequency and intensity and are substantially affecting marine communities. In October/November 2008 a large-scale HAB event (> 500 km², dinoflagellate Cochlodinium polykrikoides) in the Gulf of Oman caused the complete loss of the branching corals, Pocillopora and Acropora spp., and substantial reductions in the abundance, richness and trophic diversity of the associated coral reef fish communities. Although the causative agents of this C. polykrikoides bloom are unknown, increased coastal enrichment, natural oceanographic mechanisms, and the recent expansion of this species within ballast water discharge are expected to be the main agents. With rapid changes in oceanic climate, enhanced coastal eutrophication and increased global distribution of HAB species within ballast water, large-scale HAB events are predicted to increase dramatically in both intensity and distribution and can be expected to have increasingly negative effects on coral reef communities globally.     

Biomonitoring of organochlorine compounds and trace metals along the Eastern Adriatic coast (Croatia) using Mytilus galloprovincialis

The paper presents the results of monitoring trace organic contaminants (17 PCBs and 7 OCPs) and 6 trace metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb and Zn) in the coastal waters of the eastern Adriatic in 2006 using Mytilus galloprovincialis as indicator species. OCPs were found in all samples (0.07-14.3 ng g⁻¹ d.wt.), while in positive samples concentrations of PCBs ranged between 0.16 and 20.5 ng g⁻¹ d.wt. The α-HCH/γ-HCH and DDE/DDT ratios indicated recent input of γ-HCH and DDT. Spatial distributions of HCB, PCBs, DDTs and Hg were significantly correlated with population density. Although elevated concentrations of all trace metals and organic contaminants were recorded in the densely populated and industrialized areas, overall data point to relatively low level of contamination of the eastern Adriatic coast. Evaluation of the risks to human health associated with consumption of the mussels suggested that there is no health risk for moderate shellfish consumers.     

Urban environments as habitats for rare aquatic species: The case of leeches (Euhirudinea, Clitellata) in Warsaw freshwaters

Reduced biological diversity in freshwater habitats situated in urban areas has been discussed in numerous studies. Certain municipal areas, however, can help save animal diversity of freshwater invertebrates. In the present study animals were collected or observed alive in 13 freshwater environments localized in Warsaw - the second largest city of Central Europe - in a densely populated, urban building complex close to the city, and also in suburban areas. Leech assemblages in all the environments under observation were numerically dominated by a few common species, but on the whole 19 species were collected or observed. The populations of six rare leech species inhabit both flowing and standing waters in Warsaw. Five of these species are on the Polish Red List of Species and one is strictly protected. The shallow Lake Powsinkowskie is the richest freshwater environment in the studied area in terms of species richness and rarity and also one of the richest lakes in Poland. Taxonomic diversity in the environments under study seems not to be directly related to the size of the water body or the level of degradation but rather to the habitat complexity, especially the diversity of the bottom in littoral zone. Certain freshwater habitats located inside this great urban complex still create good conditions for rare, highly specialized species.     

地震废墟中人体心脏电场信号的提取

基于人体心脏电场信号的生命探测仪是目前最先进的生命探测仪,其困难之处在于从地震废墟中提取微弱的心脏电场信号。本文主要分析地震废墟中可能出现的对人体电场有干扰的信号情况,提出如何接收废墟中微弱的超低频心脏电场信号,并根据人体心脏电场的特征设计特殊滤波器滤除干扰信号,只保留因人体心脏跳动而产生的360度扩展的超低频非均匀电场。     

汶川8.0级地震前地震空间相关长度变化特征

分析了汶川8.0级地震前的地震空间长度的时空演变。在计算空间相关长度过程中采用长轴与孕震区主要断裂走向一致的椭圆型空间窗,并设计了优化程序。在本次特大地震前观测到了增长的地震空间相关长度。利用合成地震目录对结果进行了显著性检验,结果否定了零假设,表明观察到的模型不是由随机数据干扰造成的,这一观点的置信水平被证实为93.9%。     

兰州台阵响应函数及不同方位小地震事件FK分析结果

计算了兰州台阵不同频率的台阵响应函数,对台阵附近不同方位的4个小震进行了FK分析。结果显示兰州台阵2 Hz以下的台阵响应函数在原点附近呈现出对称的单主峰图样,而高于2Hz时台阵响应函数出现较多旁瓣,表明该台阵对于2 Hz以下的信号具有较好的分辨能力。小震的FK分析结果表明,根据甘肃省地震局地震目录和IASP91速度模型计算得到P波方位角和慢度与FK分析的结果总体上比较一致,但也存在一定差别,这种差别可能由所使用的理论模型和当地模型有差别以及未做台阵校正所引起。     

断裂区带变形分析方法及应用

应用GPS观测技术专门研究活动断裂区带的地壳形变及其服务于地震预测的数据处理方法目前还不够完善与充分。本文针对这一问题并结合实际的需求,从场的角度提出了适合于断裂区带活动特征分析的数据处理方法,并以川滇菱形块体东边界带为例,依据1999-2004年的GPS资料对其进行了简要分析。结果表明:①经过这种处理与描述可使人们从多角度更清楚全面地了解断裂及两侧的相对活动,及在空间上的演化特征;②走滑运动等值线显示川滇菱形块体东边界两侧相对活动量最大达15 mm/a,分布宽度约400 km,然而活动量的2/3只分布在断层两侧近100km的范围内,清晰而定量地显现了高剪切应变的积累与存在的空间;③走滑运动梯度显示川滇形块体东边界带南段变形大于北段;④张压性运动结果显示断裂两侧没有明显的差异变化。     

采用体波谱振幅相关系数方法研究地震集中区震源机制变化过程

同一震源区两次地震到达某台站的直达P波、S波零频观测谱值之比与其辐射图型因子之比线性相关,而后者取决于震源机制的几何特性。用波形记录计算谱振幅相关系数,认为该系数是震源机制异同的归一化数值描述。据此对2003年青岛序列及冀鲁豫交界地区小震集中区地震事件进行聚类分组,给出序列事件的滑动平均相关系数的时序曲线。研究结果表明:青岛序列的滑动平均相关系数时序曲线存在由一致到发散的变化过程,即震源区应力场强度由相对集中向逐步分散过度;冀鲁豫交界地区小震集中区谱振幅相关系数较低,震源机制各不相同,区域应力积累没有形成任何一个优势方向。