Mercury enrichments in core sediments in Hugli–Matla–Bidyadhari estuarine complex,north-eastern part of the Bay of Bengal and their ecotoxicological significance

Mercury concentrations (Hg_T) in fine-grained fraction (<63 μm) of core sediments of the Hugli–Matla–Bidyadhari estuarine complex, India were analyzed. Results revealed a wide range of spatial variations (<4–93 ng g⁻¹ dry weight) with a definite enhancement level at the lower stretch of the estuarine complex infested with mangrove plants, which might act as a sink to Hg_T. An elevated concentration of Hg was encountered in surface/subsurface layer of the core in majority of the cases resulting from physical, biogenic and postdepositional diagenetic processes that remobilized and resuspended the metal from deeper sediments. A strong positive correlation was observed between the Hg and clay fraction content of the sediments, while the correlations of Hg with Al, Fe and Mn were poor. Based on the index of geoaccumulation (I _geo) and effects range-low (ER-L) value, it is considered that the sediments are less polluted and thus there is less chance of ecotoxicological risk to organisms living in sediments.     

Spatial heterogeneity in near surface aerosol characteristics across the Brahmaputra valley

In order to examine the spatial variability of the aerosol characteristics across the Brahmaputra valley, a land campaign was conducted during late winter (February 3–March 2) 2011. Measurements of particulate matter (PM, PM₁₀, PM_2.5) and black carbon (BC) concentrations were made onboard an interior redesigned vehicle. The length of the campaign trail stretched about 700 km, covering the longitude belt of 89.97°–95.55°E and latitude belt of 26.1°–27.6°N, comprising 13 measurement locations. The valley is divided into three sectors longitudinally: western sector (R1: 89.97°–91.75°E), middle sector (R2: 92.5°–94.01°E) and eastern sector (R3: 94.63°–95.55°E). Spatial heterogeneity in aerosol distribution has been observed with higher PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 concentrations at the western and middle sectors compared to the eastern sector. The locations in the western sector are found to be rich in BC compared to the other two sectors and there is a gradual decrease in BC concentrations from west to east of the Brahmaputra valley. Two hotspots within the western and middle sectors with high PM and BC concentrations have been identified. The associated physico-optical parameters of PM reveal abundance of PM_2.5 aerosols along the entire valley. High population density in the western and middle sectors, together with the contribution of remote aerosols, leads to higher anthropogenic aerosols over those regions. Spectral Radiation-Transport Model for Aerosol Species (SPRINTARS) slightly underestimates the measured PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 at the eastern sector while the model overestimates the measurements at a number of locations in the western sector. In general, BC is underestimated by the model. The variation of BC within the campaign trail has not been adequately captured by the model leading to higher variance in the western locations as compared to the middle and eastern locations.     

Dinosaur coprolites from the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) Lameta Formation of India: isotopic and other markers suggesting a C3plant diet

A single locality of the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) Lameta Formation at Pisdura in Central India has yielded a large number of coprolites attributed to titanosaurian dinosaurs. Internally the coprolites are dark grey and contain abundant plant tissues and other organic materials. The plant tissues are mostly of gymnospermous origin. In addition, remains of bacterial colonies, fungal spores and algae are seen in the macerated fraction under scanning electron microscope. The dark grey appearance is probably attributable to fine-grained organic matter within voids in tracheids or xylem. The average ¹³C/¹²C ratio of the organic matter in the coprolites is -24‰ (relative to PDB) suggesting that plants of C₃type were the main diet of their producers. A comparison of δ¹⁵N value (about 4‰ w.r.t. air) of the coprolites with that of faecal matter of modern herbivores and carnivores suggests that gut fermentation may not have been an active mechanism in the digestion process of titanosaurs.     

Neoarchean high-pressure margarite–phengitic muscovite–chlorite corona mantled corundum in quartz-free high-Mg,Al phlogopite–chlorite schists from the Bundelkhand craton,north central India

In quartz-free Fe, Na-poor and high-Mg, Al schists from the Bundelkhand craton in north central India, corundum porphyroblasts in finely interleaved phlogopite–chlorite aggregates with rare clinozoisite are mantled by fine-grained (<3 μm) intergrowths of outer collars (>200 μm wide) of phengitic-muscovite and chlorite (phlogopite + corundum + H₂O → phengitic-muscovite + chlorite), and <100 μm wide inner collars of margarite–muscovite (corundum + clinozoisite + phengitic muscovite → margarite + muscovite + H₂O). Wide-beam electron probe microanalyses indicate Mg in the bi-layered corona increases from corundum outwards, with a complementary decrease in Al and K. Si and Ca increase and then decrease to matrix values. The sharp chemical gradients across the highly structured bi-layered corona are inferred to suggest that the corona-forming reactions were promoted by local grain-boundary-controlled thermodynamic instability as opposed to element transport by advective diffusion. The P–T convergence of KMASH reactions and NCKMASH pseudosection phase relations computed using micro-domain compositions indicate the chlorite–phengitic muscovite outer collar formed at 18–20 kbar and ca. 630°C. The NCKMASH margarite–muscovite inner collar yielded lower metamorphic P–T conditions of 11 ± 3 kbar, ca. 630°C. U–Th–Pb chemical dating of metamorphic monazite and LA-ICPMS U–Pb isotope dating of re-equilibrated zircon yield ca. 2.78 Ga ages, which are interpreted to date corona formation and Neoarchean high-P metamorphism in the Bundelkhand craton, hitherto unknown in the Indian Precambrian. (220)     

Heat flow and crustal thermal structure in the Late Archaean Closepet Granite batholith,south India

The Late Archaean Closepet Granite batholith in south India is exposed at different crustal levels grading from greenschist facies in the north through amphibolite and granulite facies in the south along a ∼400 km long segment in the Dharwar craton. Two areas, Pavagada and Magadi, located in the Main Mass of the batholith, best represent the granitoid of the greenschist and amphibolite facies crustal levels respectively. Heat flow estimates of 38 mW m⁻² from Pavagada and 25 mW m⁻² from Magadi have been obtained through measurements in deep (430 and 445 m) and carefully sited boreholes. Measurements made in four boreholes of opportunity in Pavagada area yield a mean heat flow of 39 ± 4 (s.d.) mW m⁻², which is in good agreement with the estimate from deep borehole. The study, therefore, demonstrates a clear-cut heat flow variation concomitant with the crustal levels exposed in the two areas. The mean heat production estimates for the greenschist facies and amphibolite facies layers constituting the Main Mass of the batholith are 2.9 and 1.8 μW m⁻³, respectively. The enhanced heat flow in the Pavagada area is consistent with the occurrence of a radioelement-enriched 2-km-thick greenschist facies layer granitoid overlying the granitoid of the amphibolite facies layer which is twice as thick as represented in the Magadi area. The crustal heat production models indicate similar mantle heat flow estimates in the range 12–14 mW m⁻², consistent with the other parts of the greenstone-granite-gneiss terrain of the Dharwar craton.     

New constraints on UHT metamorphism in the Eastern Ghats Province through the application of phase equilibria modelling and in situ geochronology

High Mg–Al granulites from the Sunki locality in the central portion of the Eastern Ghats Province record evidence for the high-temperature peak and retrograde evolution. Peak metamorphic phase assemblages from two samples are garnet + orthopyroxene + quartz + ilmenite + melt and orthopyroxene + spinel + sillimanite + melt, respectively. Isochemical phase diagrams (pseudosections) based on bulk rock compositions calculated in the chemical system Na₂O–CaO–K₂O–FeO–MgO–Al₂O₃–SiO₂–H₂O–TiO₂–Fe₂O₃ (NCKFMASHTO) and Al contents in orthopyroxene indicate peak UHT metamorphic conditions in excess of 960 °C and 9.7 kbar. Microstructures and the presence of cordierite interpreted to record the post-peak evolution show that the rocks underwent decompression and minor cooling from conditions of peak UHT metamorphism to conditions of ~ 900 °C at ~ 7.5 kbar. In situ U–Pb isotope analyses of monazite associated with garnet and cordierite using the Sensitive High Resolution Ion Microprobe (SHRIMP) yield a weighted mean ²⁰⁷Pb/²³⁵U age of ca. 980 Ma, which is interpreted to broadly constrain the timing of high-temperature monazite growth during decompression and melt crystallization at ~ 900–890 °C and 7.5 kbar. However, the range of ²⁰⁷Pb/²³⁵U monazite ages (from ca. 1014 Ma to 959 Ma for one sample and ca. 1043 Ma to 922 Ma for the second sample) suggest protracted monazite growth during the high-temperature retrograde evolution, and possibly diffusive lead loss during slow cooling after decompression. The results of the integrated petrologic and geochronologic approach presented here are inconsistent with a long time gap between peak conditions and the formation of cordierite-bearing assemblages at lower pressure, as proposed in previous studies, but are consistent with a simple evolution of a UHT peak followed by decompression and cooling.     

Genetic reinterpretation of crystallographicintergrowths of jacobsite andhausmannite from natural assemblages

Summary Crystallographic intergrowths of jacobsite and hausmannite (vredenburgite) occur in association with braunite in the Precambrian Sausar Group of rocks, India, that were metamorphosed under 600-700°C and P 6 kb. Quartz, hematite, rhodochrosite and a later hausmannite may occasionally occur as minor associates. Detailed characterization of the intergrown phases reveals that hausmannite lamellae, oriented in 4 or 5 crystallographic directions in the jacobsite host, show a wide variation in thickness and tapered intersections at low angles. The lamellae may be locally deformed. Analytical data reveal that the composition of natural hausmannite and jacobsite in the intergrowths cannot be approximated within the system Fe₃O₄ -Mn₃O₄, as has been conventionally done. These really belong to the Fe₂O₃-Mn₃O₄ subsystem. In the two phase intergrowths, hausmannite is depleted and the jacobsite is enriched in Fe in higher grade rocks. Mineral associations and petrographic considerations suggest that the jacobsite-hausmannite intergrowth originated through prograde decarbonation-oxidation reactions of a carbonatic precursor in an unbuffered X CO₂ situation, but f O₂ was held between hematite-magnetite and bixbyite-hausmannite buffers at the ambient physical conditions of metamorphism. Subsequent oxidation yielded a strong oxygenbuffering assemblage jacobsite, hausmannite, braunite, hematite and quartz. This study negates the commonly held idea that hausmannite jacobsite crystallographic intergrowth (vredenburgite) originates through unmixing of a high ([ldvredenburgite) originates through unmixing of a high temperature spinel_ss temperature spinel_ss during cooling.

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Genetische Reinterpretation der kristallographischen Verwachsungen von Jakobsit und Hausmannit in natürlichen Vorkommen

Zusammenfassung Kristallographische Verwachsungen von Jakobsit und Hausmannit (Vredenburgit) treten in Verbindung mit Braunit in Gesteinen der präkambrischen Sausargruppe in Indien auf. Die Gesteine wurden bei Drucken von ca. 6 kbar und Termperaturen von 600–700°C metamorphosiert. Quarz, Hämatit, Rhodochrosit, und Hausmannit als Spätphase treten gelegentlich als untergeordnete Gemengteile auf. Hausmannit-Lamellen, die in vier oder fünf kristallographischen Richtungen in Jakobsit orientiert sind, haben sehr unterschiedliche Durchmesser und bilden versetzte Zwickel in kleinem Winkel mit dem Jakobsit. Die Lamellen können lokal deformiert sein. Analytische Daten zeigen, daß die Zusammensetzung von natürlichem Hausmannit und Jakobsit in Verwachsungen nicht, wie bisher angenommen, in dem System Fe₃O₄-Mn₃O₄ dargestellt werden kann. Diese Verwachsungen gehören vielmehr in das Fe₂O₃-Mn₃O₄ System. In höher-gradigen metamorphen Gesteinen ist Fe in zwei-phasigen Verwachsungen im Hausmannit ab- und im Jakobsit angereichert. Die Mineralzusammensetzung und petrographische Gesichtspunkte lassen darauf schließen, daß die Jakobsit/Hausmannit Verwachsung durch prograde Dekarbonatisierung/Oxydationsreaktion eines karbonatischen Vorläufers in einem nicht gepufferten X CO₂ Milieu entstanden ist. F O₂ wurde durch Hämatit-Magnetit und Bixbyit-Hausmannit Puffer unter den gegebenen physikalischen Bedingungen der Metamorphose stabil gehalten. Eine nachfolgende Oxydation führte zu einer starken Sauerstoff-puffernden Assoziation von Jakobsit, Hausmannit, Braunit, Hämatit und Quarz. Diese Untersuchungen widerlegen die allgemein verbreitete Ansicht, daß die kristallographische Verwachsung von Hausmannit und Jakobsit (Vredenburgit) durch Entmischung eines Hochtemperatur-Spinells während der Abkühlung entstanden ist.

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With 1 figure     

Palaeomonsoon and palaeoproductivity records of δ18O, δ{13}C and CaCO3 variations in the northern Indian Ocean sedimentsC and CaCO3 variations in the northern Indian Ocean sediments

δ¹⁸ O and δ¹³C of G.sacculifer have been measured in five cores from the northern Indian Ocean. In addition, high resolution analysis (1 to 2 cm) was performed on one core (SK-20-185) for both δ¹⁸O and gd¹³C in five species of planktonic foraminifera. CaCO₃ variation was measured in two cores. The results, presented here, show that

Note on the stability of parallel magnetic fields

The stability characteristics of parallel magnetic fields when fluid motions are present along the lines of force is studied. The stability criterion for both symmetric (m=0) and asymmetric (m=1) modes are discussed and the results obtained by Trehan and Singh (1978) are amended in the present study. The results obtained for the cylindrical geometry are shown to play an important role forka<4, wherek is the wave number,a is the radius of the cylinder, compared to the results obtained by Geronicolas (1977) for the slab geometry.