Adaptive balance of global development processes

We study the processes of global self-regulation of Earth’s biota (GAIA-theory) by applying the method of adaptive balance of causes proposed by the authors. By using, as an example, the Daisy World model constructed by this method, we reveal the phenomenon of preservation of the mean temperature of Earth’s surface due to the presence of the vegetation cover. We develop an integral model of global natural, social, and economic processes in which the World Ocean is one of the factors regulating the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The decrease in the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere caused by the GAIA-effects increases the number of hurricanes and floods on the Earth. As a result, the levels of ecological and social hazards for the mankind become much higher. To eliminate these threats, it is necessary to intensify the processes of self-organization of the society realized via the improvement of education, development of science, and global regulation of the competition for natural resources. We present the results of numerical experiments performed by using the model demonstrating possible scenarios of global development with regard for the processes of self-organization of the society. __________ Translated From Morskoi Gidrofizicheskii Zhurnal, No. 3, Pp. 62–80, May–June, 2007.     

Petrogenetic modelling of strongly residual metapelitic xenoliths within the southern Platreef,Bushveld Complex,South Africa

Xenoliths of quartz‐absent Fe‐rich aluminous metapelite are common within the platinum group element‐rich mafic/ultramafic magmatic rocks of the Platreef. Relative to well‐characterized protoliths, the xenoliths are strongly depleted in K₂O and H₂O, and have lost a substantial amount of melt (>50 vol.%). Mineral equilibria calculations in the NCKFMASHTO system yield results that are consistent with observations in natural samples. Lower‐grade rocks that lack staurolite constrain peak pressures to ～2.5 kbar in the southern Platreef. Smaller xenoliths and the margins of larger xenoliths comprise micro‐diatexite rich in coarse acicular corundum and spinel, which record evidence for the metastable persistence of lower‐grade hydrous phases and rapid melting consequent on a temperature overstep of several hundred degrees following their incorporation in the mafic/ultramafic magmas. In the cores of larger xenoliths, temperatures increased more slowly enabling progressive metamorphism by continuous prograde equilibration and the loss of H₂O by subsolidus dehydration; the H₂O migrated to xenolith margins where it may have promoted increased melting. According to variations in the original compositional layering, layers became aluminosilicate‐ and/or cordierite‐rich, commonly with spinel but only rarely with corundum. The differing mineralogical and microstructural evolution of the xenoliths depends on heating rates (governed by their size and, therefore, proximity to the Platreef magmas) and the pre‐intrusive metamorphic grade of the protoliths. The presence or absence of certain phases, particularly corundum, is strongly influenced by the degree of metastable retention of lower‐grade hydrates in otherwise identical protolith bulk compositions. The preservation of fine‐scale compositional layering that is inferred to be relict bedding in xenolith cores implies that melt loss by compaction was extremely efficient.     

Corrosion Resistance of the Nd–Ti Matrix for Actinides

Doklady Earth Sciences - Leaching of Np and Pu in water from samples composed of two titanate phases Nd2Ti3O9 (75 wt %) and Nd2Ti2O7 (25 wt %) is investigated. The rates of leaching actinides...     

Linearized Stability Analysis of Charged and Scalar Hairy Thin-shell Wormhole

Astronomy Reports - We construct a spherically symmetric charged thin-shell wormhole using the cut-and-paste technique implemented by Visser in Einstein–Maxwell gravity with a conformally...     

A new form of generalized Boussinesq equations for varying water depth

A new set of equations of motion for wave propagation in water with varying depth is derived in this study. The equations expressed by the velocity potentials and the wave surface elevations include first-order non-linearity of waves and have the same dispersion characteristic to the extended Boussinesq equations. Compared to the extended Boussinesq equations, the equations have only two unknown scalars and do not contain spatial derivatives with an order higher than 2. The wave equations are solved by a finite element method. Fourth-order predictor–corrector method is applied in the time integration and a damping layer is applied at the open boundary for absorbing the outgoing waves. The model is applied to several examples of wave propagation in variable water depth. The computational results are compared with experimental data and other numerical results available in literature. The comparison demonstrates that the new form of the equations is capable of calculating wave transformation from relative deep water to shallow water.     

A PETROGRAPHICAL STUDY OF THE CHINESE AGALMATOLITES

Ⅰ. INTRODUCTION. The most popular Chinese agalmatolites are Shoushanshih (壽山石), Changhuashih (昌化石), Chingtienshih (青田石) and Kwanglushih (廣綠石). They are named after the names of places, as the name Shoushanshih is from     

Differential subduction and exhumation of crustal slices in the Sulu HP-UHP metamorphic terrane: insights from mineral inclusions, trace elements, U-Pb and Lu-Hf isotope analyses of zircon in orthogneiss

Based on new evidence the Sulu orogen is divided from south‐east to north‐west into high‐pressure (HP) crustal slice I and ultrahigh‐pressure (UHP) crustal slices II and III. A combined set of mineral inclusions, cathodoluminescence images, U‐Pb SHRIMP dating and in situ trace element and Lu‐Hf isotope analyses was obtained on zircon from orthogneisses of the different slices. Zircon grains typically have three distinct domains that formed during crystallization of the magmatic protolith, HP or UHP metamorphism and late‐amphibolite facies retrogression, respectively: (i) oscillatory zoned cores, with low‐pressure (LP) mineral inclusions and Th/U > 0.38; (ii) high‐luminescent mantles (Th/U < 0.10), with HP mineral inclusions of Qtz + Grt + Arg + Phe + Ap for slice I zircon and Coe + Grt + Phe + Kfs + Ap for both slices II and III zircon; (iii) low‐luminescent rims, with LP mineral inclusions and Th/U < 0.08. Zircon U‐Pb SHRIMP analyses of inherited cores point to protolith ages of 785–770 Ma in all seven orthogneisses. The ages recorded for UHP metamorphism and subsequent retrogression in slice II zircon (c. 228 and c. 215 Ma, respectively) are significantly older than those of slice III zircon (c. 218 and c. 202 Ma, respectively), while slice I zircon recorded even older ages for HP metamorphism and subsequent retrogression (c. 245 and c. 231 Ma, respectively). Moreover, Ar‐Ar biotite ages from six paragneisses, interpreted as dating amphibolite facies retrogression, gradually decrease from HP slice I (c. 232 Ma) to UHP slice II (c. 215 Ma) and UHP slice III (c. 203 Ma). The combined data set suggests decreasing ages for HP or UHP metamorphism and late retrogression in the Sulu orogen from south‐east to north‐west. Thus, the HP‐UHP units are interpreted to represent three crustal slices, which underwent different subduction and exhumation histories. Slice I was detached from the continental lithosphere at ～55–65 km depth and subsequently exhumed while subduction of the underlying slice II continued to ～100–120 km depth (UHP) before detachment and exhumation. Slice III experienced a similar geodynamic evolution as slice II, however, both UHP metamorphism and subsequent exhumation took place c. 10 Myr later. Magmatic zircon cores from two types of orthogneiss in UHP slices II and III show similar mid‐Neoproterozoic crystallization ages, but have contrasting Hf isotope compositions (εHf_(～785) = ?2.7 to +2.2 and ?17.3 to ?11.1, respectively), suggesting their formation from distinct crustal units (Mesoproterozoic and Paleoproterozoic to Archean, respectively) during the breakup of Rodinia. The UHP and the retrograde zircon domains are characterized by lower Th/U and ¹⁷⁶Lu/¹⁷⁷Hf but higher ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf(t) than the Neoproterozoic igneous cores. The similarity between UHP and retrograde domains indicates that late retrogression did not significantly modify chemical and isotopic composition of the UHP metamorphic system.     

Isotope geochemistry and Re–Os geochronology of the Yanjiagou Mo deposit in the central North China Craton

The Yanjiagou deposit, located in the central North China Craton (NCC), is a newly found porphyry‐type Mo deposit. The Mo mineralization here is spatially associated with the Mapeng batholith. In this study, we identify four stages of ore formation in this deposit: pyrite phyllic stage (I), quartz–pyrite stage (II), quartz–pyrite–molybdenite stage (III), which is the main mineralization stage, and quartz–carbonate stage (IV). We present sulphur and lead isotope data on pyrite, and rhenium and osmium isotopes of molybdenite from the porphyry deposit and evaluate the timing and origin of ore formation. The δ³⁴S values of the pyrite range from ‐1.1‰ to −0.6‰, with an average of −0.875‰, suggesting origin from a mixture of magmatic/mantle sources and the basement rocks. The Pb isotope compositions of the pyrite show a range of 16.369 to 17.079 for ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, 15.201 to 15.355 for ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, and 36.696 to 37.380 for ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, indicating that the ore‐forming materials were derived from a mixture of lower crust (or basement rocks) and mantle. Rhenium contents in molybdenite samples from the main ore stage are between 74.73 to 254.43 ppm, with an average of 147.9 ppm, indicating a mixed crustal‐mantle source for the metal. Eight molybdenite separates yield model ages ranging from 124.17 to 130.80 Ma and a mean model age of 128.46 Ma. An isochron age of 126.7 ± 1.1 Ma (MSWD = 2.1, initial ¹⁸⁷Os = 0.0032 ± 0.0012 ppb) is computed, which reveals a close link between the Mo mineralization and the magmatism that generated the Mapeng batholith. The age is close to the zircon U–Pb age of ca. 130 Ma from the batholith reported in a recent study. The age is also consistent with the timing of mineralization in the Fuping ore cluster in the central NCC, as well as the peak time of lithosphere thinning and destruction of the NCC. We evaluate the spatio‐temporal distribution of the Mo deposits in the NCC and identify three important molybdenum provinces along the northern and southern margins of the craton formed during three distinct episodes: Middle to Late Triassic (240–220 Ma), Early Jurassic (190–175 Ma), and Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous (150–125 Ma). The third period is considered to mark the most important metallogenic event, coinciding with the peak of lithosphere thinning and craton destruction in the NCC. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.