Concentrations and annual fluxes of sediment‐associated chemical constituents from conterminous US coastal rivers using bed sediment data

Coastal rivers represent a significant pathway for the delivery of natural and anthropogenic sediment‐associated chemical constituents to the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf of Mexico coasts of the conterminous USA. This study entails an accounting segment using published average annual suspended sediment fluxes with published sediment‐associated chemical constituent concentrations for (1) baseline, (2) land‐use distributions, (3) population density, and (4) worldwide means to estimate concentrations/annual fluxes for trace/major elements and total phosphorus, total organic and inorganic carbon, total nitrogen, and sulphur, for 131 coastal river basins. In addition, it entails a sampling and subsequent chemical analysis segment that provides a level of ‘ground truth’ for the calculated values, as well as generating baselines for sediment‐associated concentrations/fluxes against which future changes can be evaluated. Currently, between 260 and 270 Mt of suspended sediment are discharged annually from the conterminous USA; about 69% is discharged from Gulf rivers (n = 36), about 24% from Pacific rivers (n = 42), and about 7% from Atlantic rivers (n = 54). Elevated sediment‐associated chemical concentrations relative to baseline levels occur in the reverse order of sediment discharges: Atlantic rivers (49%) > Pacific rivers (40%) > Gulf rivers (23%). Elevated trace element concentrations (e.g. Cu, Hg, Pb, Zn) frequently occur in association with present/former industrial areas and/or urban centres, particularly along the northeast Atlantic coast. Elevated carbon and nutrient concentrations occur along both the Atlantic and Gulf coasts but are dominated by rivers in the urban northeast and by southeastern and Gulf coast (Florida) ‘blackwater’ streams. Elevated Ca, Mg, K, and Na distributions tend to reflect local petrology, whereas elevated Ti, S, Fe, and Al concentrations are ubiquitous, possibly because they have substantial natural as well as anthropogenic sources. Almost all the elevated sediment‐associated chemical concentrations found in conterminous US coastal rivers are lower than worldwide averages. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Parallel optimal choropleth map classification in PySAL

In this article, we report on our experiences with refactoring a spatial analysis library to support parallelization. Python Spatial Analysis Library (PySAL) is a library of spatial analytical functions written in the open-source language, Python. As part of a larger scale effort toward developing cyberinfrastructure of GIScience, we examine the particular case of choropleth map classification through alternative parallel implementations of the Fisher-Jenks optimal classification method using a multi-core, single desktop environment. The implementations rely on three different parallel Python libraries, PyOpenCL, Parallel Python, (PP) and Multiprocessing. Our results point to the dominance of the CPU-based Parallel Python and Multiprocessing implementations over the Graphical Processing Unit (GPU)-based PyOpenCL approach.     

Chronology of eclogite retrogression within the Seve Nappe Complex,Råvvejaure,Sweden: Evidence from40Ar/39Ar mineral ages

Amphibole concentrates from four samples of variably retrogressed eclogite from the Tsäkkok Lens of the Seve Nappe Complex display discordant⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age spectra suggestive of extraneous argon contamination.³⁶Ar/⁴⁰Ar vs.³⁹Ar/⁴⁰Ar isotope correlations are well-defined for two samples and yield ages of 464.7 ± 1.3 Ma and 463.2 + 6.3 Ma. Inverse ordinate intercepts are very much larger than 295 and confirm significant extraneous argon components. Two white mica concentrates from metasedimentary units of the Tsäkkok Lens display internally concordant⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age spectra which define plateau ages of 448.2 ± 1.6 Ma and 468.4 ± 0.9 Ma. An amphibole concentrate from a metamorphosed basic dike within the Sarek Lens of the Seve Nappe Complex yields an isotope correlation age of 463.8 ± 12.3 Ma, suggesting a post-metamorphic thermal evolution similar to that of the Tsäkkok Lens. The amphibolite and white mica ages are interpreted to date post-metamorphic cooling through appropriate temperatures for intracrystalline retention of argon following amphibolite facies retrogression of the eclogite facies assemblages. The Seve Nappe Complex appears to have originated within distal facies of the late Proterozoic-early Paleozoic miogeocline of Baltica. The present⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar results provide a record of early Paleozoic (pre-Middle Ordovician) tectonothermal activity and therefore are compatible with previous suggestions of significant early Caledonian orogenesis within the Scandinavian Caledonides.

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Zusammenfassung Die Amphibolitkonzentrate aus vier Proben unterschiedlich regressiver Eklogite aus der Tsäkkok-Linse des Seve-Deckenkomplexes spiegeln diskordante⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar Altersspektren wieder. Diese deuten an, daß eine Argonkontamination von außen stattgefunden hat.³⁶Ar/⁴⁰Ar gegen³⁹Ar/⁴⁰Ar Isotopen sind für zwei Proben genau bestimmt und liefern Alter von 464,7 ± 1,3 Mio. und 463,2 ± 6,3 Mio. Jahre. Inverse Ordinatenabschnitte sind sehr viel größer als 295 und bestätigen erhebliche Argon-Fremdkomponenten. Zwei Hellglimmerkonzentrate aus metasedimentären Einheiten der Tsäkkok-Linse zeigen intern konkordante⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar Altersspektren, welche Plateaualter von 448,2 ± 1,6 Mio. und 468,4 ± 0,9 Mio. Jahre besitzen. Ein Amphibolkonzentrat aus einem metamorphen basischen Gang innerhalb der Sarek-Linse des Seve-Deckenkomplexes liefert ein Isotopenkorrelationsalter von 463,8 ±12,3 Mio. Jahre, welches eine postmetamorphe thermale Entwicklung andeutet, die ähnlich der Tsäkkok-Linse ist. Die Amphibol- und Hellglimmeralter werden dahingehend interpretiert, daß sie die postmetamorphe thermale Abkühlung durch entsprechende Temperaturen für das intrakristalline Zurückhalten des Argons datieren, die im Anschluß an die Amphibolitfaziesregression der Eklogitfaziesvergesellschaftung folgte. Der Seve-Deckenkomplex scheint aus einer distalen Fazies spätprotero- bis frühpalaeozoischen Miogeosynklinale von Baltika hervorgegangen zu sein. Die jetzigen⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar Ergebnisse liefern eine Aufzeichnung von frühpaleozoischen (Vor-Mittelordovizium) tektono-thermalen Aktivitäten, und sie sind daher vergleichbar mit früheren Vermutungen von einer bedeutenden frühkaledonischen Orogenese innerhalb der skandinavischen Kaledoniden.

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Résumé Les concentrés d'amphiboles de quatre échantillons d'éclogites, rétromorphosés à des degrés divers, provenant de la lentille de Träkkok («Seve Nappe Complex») montre un spectre discordant d'âges⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar, ce qui suggère une contamination par un apport d'argon. Les corrélations entre³⁶Ar/⁴⁰Ar et³⁹Ar/⁴⁰Ar sont bien définies pour deux échantillons et fournissent des âges de 464,7 ± 1,3 Ma et 463,2 ±6,3 Ma. Les rapports⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar sont beaucoup plus élevés que 295 et confirment un apport extérieur d'argon significatif. Deux concentrés de mica blanc provenant des unités métasédimentaires de la lentille de Tsäkkok présentent des spectres d'âges⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar concordants, qui définissent des âges-plateau de 448,2 ± 1,6 Ma et 468,4 ± 0,9 Ma. Un concentré d'amphibole provenant d'un dyke basique métamorphisé dans la lentille des Sarek du «Seve Nappe Complex» fournit par corrélation isotopique un âge de 463,8 ± 12,9 Ma, ce qui suggère une évolution thermique post-métamorphique similaire à celle de la lentille de Tsäkkok. Les âges fournis par les amphiboles et les micas blancs sont interprétés comme correspondant au refroidissement post-métamorphique, à travers des températures permettant la rétention intracristalline de l'argon, à la suite de la rétromorphose des éclogites dans le faciès des amphiboles. Le «Seve Nappe Complex» a dû être engendré dans les faciès distaux du miogéosynclinal tardi-protérozoïque à éo-paléozoïque de la Baltique. Les valeurs actuelles de⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar enregistrent l'activité tectonothermique du Paléozoïque inférieur (pré-Ordovicien moyen); elles sont donc en accord avec l'hypothèse antérieurement émise d'une orogenèse éo-calédonienne au sein des Calédonides Scandinaves.

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Tsäkkok Seve, , ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar. , -. ³⁶Ar/⁴⁰Ar ³⁹Ar/⁴⁰Ar 464,7±1,3 , 463,2±6,3 . 295 , . Tsäkkok , 448,2±1,6 468,4±0,9 . Sarek Seve 463,8±12,3 ., , Tsäkkok. , , , coxpa . Seve, , - . ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar - , .. . .