PMODTRAN: a parallel implementation based on MODTRAN for massive remote sensing data processing

MODerate resolution atmospheric TRANsmission (MODTRAN) is a commercial remote sensing (RS) software package that has been widely used to simulate radiative transfer of electromagnetic radiation through the Earth's atmosphere and the radiation observed by a remote sensor. However, when very large RS datasets must be processed in simulation applications at a global scale, it is extremely time-consuming to operate MODTRAN on a modern workstation. Under this circumstance, the use of parallel cluster computing to speed up the process becomes vital to this time-consuming task. This paper presents PMODTRAN, an implementation of a parallel task-scheduling algorithm based on MODTRAN. PMODTRAN was able to reduce the processing time of the test cases used here from over 4.4 months on a workstation to less than a week on a local computer cluster. In addition, PMODTRAN can distribute tasks with different levels of granularity and has some extra features, such as dynamic load balancing and parameter checking.     

Variability in bedform morphology and kinematics with transport stage

Bedform geometry is widely recognized to be a function of transport stage. Bedform aspect ratio (height/length) increases with transport stage, reaches a maximum, then decreases as bedforms washout to a plane bed. Bedform migration rates are also linked to bedform geometry, in so far as smaller bedforms in coarser sediment tend to migrate faster than larger bedforms in finer sediment. However, how bedform morphology (height, length and shape) and kinematics (translation and deformation) change with transport stage and suspension have not been examined. A series of experiments is presented where initial flow depth and grain size were held constant and the transport stage was varied to produce bedload dominated, mixed‐load dominated and suspended‐load dominated conditions. The results show that the commonly observed pattern in bedform aspect ratio occurs because bedform height increases then decreases with transport stage, against a continuously increasing bedform length. Bedform size variability increased with transport stage, leading to less uniform bedform fields at higher transport stage. Total translation‐related and deformation‐related sediment fluxes all increased with transport stage. However, the relative contribution to the total flux changed. At the bedload dominated stage, translation‐related and deformation‐related flux contributed equally to the total flux. As the transport stage increased, the fraction of the total load contributed by translation increased and the fraction contributed by deformation declined because the bedforms got bigger and moved faster. At the suspended‐load dominated transport stage, the deformation flux increased and the translation flux decreased as a fraction of the total load, approaching one and zero, respectively, as bedforms washed out to a plane bed.     

Significance of shallow core transects for reef models and sea‐level curves,Heron Reef,Great Barrier Reef

A sequence of shallow reef cores from Heron Reef, Great Barrier Reef, provides new insights into Holocene reef growth models. Isochron analysis of a leeward core transect suggests that the north‐western end of Heron Reef reached current sea‐level by ca 6·5 kyr bp and then prograded leeward at a rate of ca 19·6 m/kyr between 5·1 kyr and 4·1 kyr bp (pre‐1950) to the present reef margin. A single short core on the opposing margin of the reef is consistent with greater and more recent progradation there. Further to the east, one windward core reached modern sea‐level by ca 6·3 kyr bp , suggesting near ‘keep‐up’ behaviour at that location, but the opposing leeward margin behind the lagoon reached sea‐level much more recently. Hence, Heron Reef exhibited significantly different reef growth behaviour on different parts of the same margin. Mean reef accretion rates calculated from within 20 m of one another in the leeward core transect varied between ca 2·9 m and 4·7 m/kyr depending on relative position in the prograding wedge. These cores serve as a warning regarding the use of isolated cores to inform reef growth rates because apparent aggradation at any given location on a reef varies depending on its location relative to a prograding margin. Only transects of closely spaced cores can document reef behaviour adequately so as to inform reef growth models and sea‐level curves. The cores also emphasize potential problems in U‐series dates for corals within a shallow (ca 1·5 m) zone beneath the reef flat. Apparent age inversions restricted to that active diagenetic zone may reflect remobilization and concentration of Th in irregularly distributed microbialites or biofilms that were missed during sample vetting. Importantly, the Th‐containing contaminant causes ages to appear too old, rather than too young, as would be expected from younger cement.     

Development of large‐scale seismites in Upper Cretaceous fluvial sandstones in a fault‐proximal setting

Large‐scale soft‐sediment deformation structures occur within fluvial sandstone bodies of the Upper Cretaceous Wahweap Formation in the Kaiparowits basin, southern Utah, USA. These structures represent an exceptional example of metre‐scale fault‐proximal, seismogenic load structures in nearly homogenous sandstones. The load structures consist of two types: large‐scale load casts and wedge‐shaped load structures. Large‐scale load casts penetrate up to 4·5 m into the underlying sandstone bed. Wedge‐shaped load structures include metre‐scale, parallel, sub‐vertical features and decimetre‐scale features along the periphery of the large‐scale load casts or other wedge‐shaped load structures. Wedge‐shaped load structures contain well‐developed, medial cataclastic shear deformation bands. All load structures contain pervasive well‐defined millimetre‐thick to centimetre‐thick internal laminae, oriented parallel to the outside form of the load structures and asymptotic to deformation bands. Both types of load structures formed because of an inverted density profile, earthquake‐triggered liquefaction and growth of irregularities (a Rayleigh–Taylor instability) on the sandstone–sandstone erosional contact. The internal laminae and deformation bands formed during deformation and clearly demonstrate polyphase deformation, recording a transition from liquefied to hydroplastic to brittle modes of deformation. Decimetre‐scale wedge‐shaped load structures on the edge of the large‐scale load casts probably formed towards the end of a seismic event after the sediment dewatered and increased the frictional contact of grains enough to impart strength to the sands. Metre‐scale wedge‐shaped load structures were created as the tips of downward foundering sediments were driven into fractures, which widened incrementally with seismic pulsation. With each widening of the fracture, gravity and a suction effect would draw additional sediment into the fracture. Superimposed laminae indicate a secondary syndeformational origin for internal laminae, probably by flow‐generated shearing and vibrofluidization mechanisms. Large‐scale and wedge‐shaped load structures, polyphase deformation and secondary laminae may characterize soft‐sediment deformation in certain fault‐proximal settings.     

Progradational and backstepping shoreface deposits in the Ladinian to Early Norian Snadd Formation of the Barents Sea

Shoreface sandstone deposits within the Early Carnian part of the Snadd Formation of the Norwegian Barents Sea can be traced for hundreds of kilometres in the depositional strike direction and for tens of kilometres in the depositional‐dip direction. This study uses three‐dimensional seismic attribute mapping and two‐dimensional regional seismic profiles to visualize the seismic facies of these shoreface deposits and to map their internal stratigraphic architecture at a regional scale. The shoreface deposits are generally elongate but show variable width from north‐east to south‐west, which corresponds to a sediment source in the northern part of the basin and a southward decrease in longshore sediment transport. The Snadd Formation presents an example of how large‐scale progradational shoreface deposits develop. The linear nature of its shoreface deposits contrasts with more irregular, cuspate wave‐dominated deltaic shorelines that contain river outlets, and instead implies longshore drift as the main sediment source. In map view, discrete sets of linear features bounded by truncation surfaces scale directly to beach ridge sets in modern counterparts. The shoreface deposits studied here are characteristic in terms of scale and basin‐wide continuity, and offer insight into the contrast between shallow marine deposition under stable Triassic Greenhouse and fluctuating Holocene Icehouse climates. Findings presented herein are also important for hydrocarbon exploration in the Barents Sea, because they describe a hitherto poorly understood reservoir play in the Triassic interval, wherein the most prominent reservoir plays have so far been considered to be found in channelized deposits in net‐progradational delta‐plain strata that form the topsets to shelf‐edge clinoforms. The documented presence of widespread wave‐dominated shoreface deposits also has implications for how the relative importance of different sedimentary processes is considered within the basin during this period.     

Iron isotopic systematics of UHP eclogites respond to oxidizing fluid during exhumation

The iron stable isotope compositions (δ⁵⁶Fe) and iron valence states of ultrahigh‐pressure eclogites from Bixiling in the Dabie orogen belt, China, were measured to trace the changes of geochemical conditions during vertical transportation of earth materials, for example, oxygen fugacity. The bulk Fe³⁺/ΣFe ratios of retrograde eclogites, determined by Mössbauer spectroscopy, are consistently higher than those of fresh eclogites, suggesting oxidation during retrograde metamorphism and fluid infiltration. The studied eclogites (five samples) display limited mid‐ocean ridge basalts (MORB)‐like (~0.10‰) δ⁵⁶Fe values, which are indistinguishable from their protoliths, that is, gabbro cumulates formed through differentiation of mantle‐derived basaltic magma. This suggests that Fe isotope fractionation during continental subduction is limited. Garnet separates display limited δ⁵⁶Fe variation ranging from ?0.08 ± 0.07 ‰ to 0.02 ± 0.07‰, whereas coexisting omphacite displays a large variation of δ⁵⁶Fe values from 0.15 ± 0.07‰ to 0.47 ± 0.07‰. Omphacite also has highly variable Fe³⁺/ΣFe ratios from 0.367 ± 0.025 to 0.598 ± 0.024, indicating modification after peak metamorphism. Omphacite from retrograde eclogites has elevated Fe³⁺/ΣFe ratios (0.54–0.60) compared to that from fresh eclogites (~0.37), whereas garnet displays a narrow range of ferric iron content with Fe³⁺/ΣFe ratios from 0.039 ± 0.013 to 0.065 ± 0.022. The homogenous δ⁵⁶Fe values and Fe³⁺/ΣFe ratios of garnet suggest that it survived the retrograde metamorphism and preserved its Fe‐isotopic features and ferric contents of peak metamorphism. Because of similar diffusion rates of Fe and Mg in garnet and omphacite, and constant Δ²⁶Mg_{omphacite‐garnet} values (1.14 ± 0.04‰), equilibrium iron isotope fractionation between garnet and omphacite was probably achieved during peak metamorphism. Elevated Fe³⁺/ΣFe ratios of omphacite from retrograde eclogites and variant Δ⁵⁶Fe_{omphacite‐garnet} values of the studied eclogites (0.13 ± 0.10‰ to 0.48 ± 0.10‰) indicate that oxidized geofluid infiltration resulted in the elevation of δ⁵⁶Fe values of omphacite during retrograde metamorphism.     

X射线荧光光谱-电子探针在中酸性火山岩鉴定中的应用

中酸性火山岩多具斑状结构,基质可见微晶状结构、隐晶状结构、玻璃质结构等,由于基质矿物颗粒多细小,常用的偏光显微镜受放大倍数的限制,很难准确鉴定矿物种属及含量,这类岩石仅依靠偏光显微镜分类命名会存在误差。本文采用X射线荧光光谱(XRF)、电子探针(EMPA)和偏光显微镜下观察相结合的方法,对中酸性火山岩进行鉴定。结果表明:对于基质呈隐晶质、显微晶质的中酸性火山岩,基质特征相似,偏光显微镜下无法确定长石、石英的含量,因此无法对岩石准确命名;再通过XRF进行主量元素分析,并对分析结果进行标准矿物QAPF双三角图解分类、TAS图解分类及李氏火山岩定量分类,对比结果显示三种分类命名方法存在差异;通过电子探针对矿物进行校验显示,QAPF及李氏火山岩定量分类图解与显微镜下鉴定相符,TAS图解与其他分析结果存在一定偏差。因此,对于中酸性火山岩准确命名,应采用多种分析方法相结合的方式,避免测试单一引起的误差。     

河北东坪金矿地质地球化学特征

东坪金矿位于河北省崇礼区,大地构造处于华北地台北缘,燕辽沉降带与内蒙地轴结合处南侧,距尚义-崇礼-赤城深大断裂10km。区内出露地层主要为太古界桑干群变质岩系,岩性以片麻岩为主。区内断裂构造较发育,主要有EW向,NW向和NE向,其中以EW向的最为发育。 区内岩浆岩也比较发育,沿尚义-崇礼-赤城深大断裂分布,主要有小张家口超基性岩、水泉沟碱性杂岩和上水泉花岗岩。水泉沟碱性杂岩体呈EW向展布,向南北两侧倾斜,主要岩性为碱性长石正长岩、辉石角闪碱性长石正长岩、辉石角闪正长岩和角闪碱性长石正长岩等。