Theoretical growth of framboidal and sunflower pyrite using the R-package frambgrowth

Mineralogy and Petrology - Framboids and sunflowers are the most ubiquitous shapes of sedimentary pyrite. Framboids are spherical aggregates of nanocrystals, while sunflowers are formed by...     

Criteria for recognizing shelf-slope clinoforms in outcrop; Jurassic Lajas and Los Molles formations,S. Neuquén Basin,Argentina

Seismic-reflection data show that most deepwater (>200 m water depth) basins are filled by sand and mud dispersed across clinoformal geometries characterized by gently dipping topsets, steeper foresets and gently dipping bottomsets. However, the entire geometry of these ubiquitous clinoforms is not always recognized in outcrops. Sometimes the infill is erroneously interpreted as “layer cake” or “ramp” stratigraphy because the topset-foreset-bottomset clinoforms are not well exposed. Regional 2-D seismic lines show clinoforms in the Lower to Middle Jurassic Challaco, Lajas, and Los Molles formations in S. Neuquén Basin in Argentina. Time equivalent shelf, slope and basin-floor segments of clinoforms are exposed, and can be walked out in hundreds of metres thick and kilometres-wide outcrops. The studied margin-scale clinoforms are not representing a continental-margin but a deepwater shelf margin that built out in a back-arc basin. Lajas-Los Molles clinoforms have been outcrop-mapped by tracing mudstones interpreted as flooding surfaces on the shelf and abandonment surfaces (low sedimentation rate) in the deepwater basin. The downslope and lateral facies variability in the outcrops is also consistent with a clinoform interpretation. The Lajas topset (shelf) is dominated by fluvial and tidal deposits. The shelf-edge rollover zone is occasionally occupied by a 40–50-m-thick coarse-grained shelf-edge delta, sometimes incising into the underlying slope mudstones, producing oblique clinoforms expressing toplap erosion on seismic. A muddy transgressive phase capping the shelf-edge deltas contains tidal sandbodies. Shelf-edge deltas transition downslope into turbidite- and debris flow-filled channels that penetrate down the mud-prone Los Molles slope. At the base-of-slope, some 300m below the shelf edge, there are basin-floor fan deposits (>200 m thick) composed of sandy submarine-fan lobes separated by muddy abandonment intervals. The large-scale outcrop correlation between topset–foreset–bottomset allows facies and depositional interpretation and sets outcrop criteria recognition for each clinoform segment.     

不同气候变化情景下亚洲北山羊（Capra sibirica）的响应（英文）

目前很少见到关于气候变化影响亚洲北山羊物种栖息地的研究。通过调查气候变化对塔吉克斯坦东部亚洲北山羊(Capra sibirica)分布的影响,并采用生态位建模比较了亚洲北山羊的适宜栖息地的当前与未来分布情况。预计到2070年,现有适宜栖息地的18%(2689 km^2)将变得不适宜亚洲北山羊的生存,损失的区域主要位于研究区域的东南部和西北部地区。新的适宜栖息地可能会扩展到当前亚洲北山羊范围之外:到2070年将扩展30%(4595 km^2)的范围,这些区域与亚洲北山羊现有的分布有很强的相关性。东南部的损失与该地区当前大多数的亚洲北山羊栖息地重叠,主要出现在比研究区域海拔低得多的区域(3500–4000 m)。当同时考虑损失和收益时,亚洲北山羊可能会净扩展到新的适宜栖息地。到2070年,亚洲北山羊的平均栖息地增加量约为30%(1379 km^2),表明适宜栖息地已向北部低温栖息地转移。研究结果有助于规划气候变化情景下塔吉克斯坦东部山区对生物多样性保护的潜在影响。应该特别注意东南地区的高地山羊种群,那里的栖息地可能由于气候对山区生态系统的影响而变得不适合该物种继续生存。     

Photometric investigation and orbital period analyses of the W UMa binaries FP Lyn,FV CVn and V354 UMa

New light curves and photometric solutions of FP Lyn, FV CVn and V354 UMa are presented.We found that these three systems are W-subtype shallow contact binaries. In addition, it is obvious that the light curves of FP Lyn and V354 UMa are asymmetric. Therefore, a hot spot was added on the primary star of FP Lyn and a dark spot was added on the secondary star of V354 UMa. At the same time, we added a third light to the photometric solution of FP Lyn for the final result. The obtained mass ratios and fill-out factors are q = 1.153 and f = 13.4% for FP Lyn, q = 1.075 and f = 4.6% for FV CVn, and q = 3.623 and f = 10.7% for V354 UMa respectively. The investigations of orbital period for these three systems indicate that the periods are variable. FP Lyn and V354 UMa were discovered to have secularly increasing components with rates of dp/dt = 4.19 × 10~(-7) d yr~(-1) and dp/dt = 7.70 × 10~(-7) d yr~(-1) respectively,which are feasibly caused by conservative mass transfer from the less massive component to the more massive component. In addition, some variable components were discovered for FV CVn, including a rate of dp/dt =~(-1).13 × 10~(-6) d yr~(-1) accompanied by a cyclic oscillation with amplitude and period of 0.0069 d and 10.65 yr respectively. The most likely explanation for the long-term decrease is angular momentum loss.The existence of an additional star is the most plausible explanation for the periodic variation.     

Co-clustering geo-referenced time series: exploring spatio-temporal patterns in Dutch temperature data

Clustering allows considering groups of similar data elements at a higher level of abstraction. This facilitates the extraction of patterns and useful information from large amounts of spatio-temporal data. Till now, most studies have focused on the extraction of patterns from a spatial or a temporal aspect. Here we use the Bregman block average co-clustering algorithm with I-divergence (BBAC_I) to enable the simultaneous analysis of spatial and temporal patterns in geo-referenced time series (time evolving values of a property observed at fixed geographical locations). In addition, we present three geovisualization techniques to fully explore the co-clustering results: heatmaps offer a straightforward overview of the results; small multiples display the spatial and temporal patterns in geographic maps; ringmaps illustrate the temporal patterns associated to cyclic timestamps. To illustrate this study, we used Dutch daily average temperature data collected at 28 weather stations from 1992 to 2011. The co-clustering algorithm was applied hierarchically to understand the spatio-temporal patterns found in the data at the yearly, monthly and daily resolutions. Results pointed out that there is a transition in temperature patterns from northeast to southwest and from ‘cold’ to ‘hot’ years/months/days with only 3 years belonging to ‘cool’ or ‘cold’ years. Because of its characteristics, this newly introduced algorithm can concurrently analyse spatial and temporal patterns by identifying location-timestamp co-clusters that contain values that are similar along both the spatial and the temporal dimensions.     

A high resolution stratigraphic framework for the remarkable fossil cetacean assemblage of the Miocene/Pliocene Pisco Formation,Peru

The Miocene/Pliocene Pisco Formation of Peru contains a rich marine vertebrate fossil record, providing a unique opportunity for the study of paleoecology and evolution, along with the sedimentological context of the fossils. The lack of a high-resolution stratigraphic framework has hampered such study. In this paper we develop the needed stratigraphy for the areas in the Pisco Formation where most of the vertebrate paleontological research is occurring. In the Ica Valley and in the vicinity of Lomas, series of lithologically or paleontologically unique marker beds were identified. These were walked out and documented with GPS technology. Measured sections connecting these marker beds provide a stratigraphic framework for the areas studied. GPS locations, maps of the marker beds on aerial photographs, and outcrop photographs allow field determination of the stratigraphic positions of study areas.     

Do photosynthetic bacteria have a protective mechanism against carbonate precipitation at their surfaces?

Closed reactor kinetic experiments, SEM and TEM imaging, EDX analyses, and zeta potential measurements were used to assess the existence of metabolic process protecting cyanobacteria against carbonate mineralization on their surfaces. Carbonate precipitation rates measured at pH of ∼8.2 and 23 °C in initially supersaturated solutions in the presence of active Synechococcus sp. and Planktothrix sp. correspond closely to those measured in analogous inorganic control experiments. TEM imaging and EDX analysis indicates the absence of Ca²⁺ on active Synechococcus sp. and Planktothrix sp. surfaces. Electrophoretic measurements of active cyanobacteria surfaces demonstrate development of a positive surface potential on active Synechococcus sp. and Planktothrix sp. cyanobacteria at pH 8-10. This positive charge was suppressed by the presence of 1 mM HCO₃⁻ but enhanced by increasing aqueous Ca²⁺ concentration in the fluid phase. These observations suggest the existence of a mechanism, based on the metabolic maintenance of a positive surface charge at alkaline pH, protecting active cyanobacteria against Ca²⁺ adsorption and subsequent carbonate precipitation on their surfaces.