Some critical remarks on the analysis of phengite and paragonite components in muscovite by X-ray diffractometry

In the past lattice parameters b and c of muscovite s.1. from pelitic schists have been used to determine its phengite and paragonite component. A critical review of the literature and of some new data shows, however,

that a convincing statistical correlation between these physical and chemical properties does not exist

that an eventual trend-like correlation cannot be used for a quantitative analysis of phengite and/or paragonite components in muscovite.

Obviously further factors influence the lattice parameters of muscovite s.1., besides octahedral and interlayer chemistry.     

Constraints on the origin of Damaran granites by Rb/Sr and δ18O data

The mean (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) and mean (⁸⁷Rb/⁸⁶Sr) ratios of the intrusive granites from the North and South of the Orogen's Central Zone plot on straight lines. These are interpreted as areal isochrons indicating the time of last Sr isotope homogenization 526 and 571 Ma ago in the respective source rocks.Initial (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) and mean (⁸⁷Rb/⁸⁶Sr) ratios of approximately coeval granites of the main magmatic pulses in the North (470 Ma) and in the South (520 Ma) line up along isochrons suggesting that in both cases 60 Ma passed after the homogenization in the protolith before large scale intrusions took place.The data require that the intrusions have preserved the Rb/Sr ratios of their source rocks permitting only very little assimilation or fractionation.The source rocks in the North and South had rather unradiogenic Sr 526 and 571 Ma ago, respectively. At R_i0.7066 all presently known Damaran metasediments and metavolcanics as well as the basement must be excluded as the protoliths. A hypothetical source with a large proportion of low (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) volcanic material is required. In the center, on the other hand, the Sr isotope ratios are more radiogenic and derivation from common Damaran metasediments is a distinct possibility.The total rock ¹⁸O values show an unusual spread from 7.1 to 15.2, the majority being very heavy. This excludes granulites and requires sediments or heavily altered volcanics as source rocks. A plot of ¹⁸O vs. initial Sr isotope ratios of the granites from the center which could have been derived from Damaran metasediments has a very clear negative slope. No trend is visible for the southern granites. Of the northern granites the older group shows a negative, the younger group a positive correlation. This is interpreted as indicating mainly altered volcanics (perhaps spilites) for the older and a mixture of volcanogenic and metasedimentary rocks as the source for the younger group. The high ¹⁸O values show that the granites are crustal remelts.     

Oxidation and Accumulation of Benzo(a)pyrene in the Presence of the Baltic Algae

In batch experiments with 0.5 nM benzo(a)pyrene in artificial sea water there are investigated the distribution and degradation of benzopyrene in the presence of various plants: Cladophora glomerata, Enteromorpha intestinalis, Fucus vesiculosus and Chara aspera (in each case 10 … 20 g/l dry weight). The conversion of benzopyrene in the presence of the plants is considerably promoted compared with the pure autoxidation, except in the presence of Fucus. Obviously, there prevails initially the accumulation of benzopyrene in the biomass. Whereas for Fucus even after 10 d still 89% of benzopyrene can be detected in the biomass, in the other species a degradation of benzopyrene in the biomass takes place, the respective oxidation products as diols, quinones and phenols being detected in the biomass in proportionately higher concentrations. With the exception of Fucus, the degradation of benzopyrene comes up to 40 … 60% within a period of 5 … 6d with the other species tested.     

Productivity,detritus flux,and nutrient cycling in a Carex lyngbyei tidal marsh

Net annual primary production of a sedge Carex lyngbyei dominated tidal marsh in the Fraser River estuary, British Columbia, Canada was 634 g ash-free dry weight (AFDW) per m² per yr (687 g dry weight per m² per yr). Mean maximum shoot elongation during the short (May to August) growing season was 1.88 cm per day from overwintering shoots. The maximum aboveground standing crop of 690 g AFDW per m² represented only 25% of the total below-ground biomass, which appears to be controlling most of the critical life history processes of the sedge marsh. An estimate of 14 percent of the aboveground standing crop was lost through leaching of dissolved organic carbon from the growting plant. Aboveground tissue losses, which were negligible during the growing season, occurred primarily via translocation in autumn and tidal export during the winter. In situ measurements showed that of the original maximum standing crop, approximately 38%, 37%, and 25% were lost by downward translocation, tidal export, and sediment burial, respectively. Based on changes in above and belowground nutrient pools, rapid spring (May to late June) uptake rates of 109 mg N per m² per day and 23.0 mg P per m² per day by shoots were followed by downward translocation rates of 44.8 mg N per m² per day and 12.2 mg P per m² per day during late June to the end of August. Aboveground leaching rates were estimated as 23.9 mg N per m² per day and 7.8 mg P m² per day and belowground uptake rates as 100 mg N per m² per day and 26 mg P per m² per day; root uptake occurred primarily after late June. Nutrient levels in decomposing litter more than doubled over the winter period showing a pattern of nutrient enrichment characteristic of marsh ecosystems. *** DIRECT SUPPORT *** A01BY023 00004     

Can a pollution event be detected using a single biological effects monitoring method?

The trends of malformation prevalence in embryos of dab, Limanda limanda, in the southern North Sea after the year 1990 mirrored the drop in major pollutants in the rivers draining into the German Bight. Despite this general decline, we detected a pollution event in the southern North Sea in winter 1995/1996 employing the prevalence of malformations in pelagic dab embryos as an indicator. An abrupt rise in malformation prevalence in the embryos of dab, corresponded to a dramatic increase in DDT levels in parent fish from the same area, indicating a hitherto unnoticed introduction of considerable quantities of DDT into the system.     

Modelling the variability of midlatitude storm activity on decadal to century time scales

The output of several multi-century simulations with a coupled ocean–atmosphere general circulation model is examined with respect to the variability of global storm activity in winter on time scales of decades and longer. The frequency of maximum wind speed events within a grid box, using the lower limits on the Beaufort wind speed scale of 8 and 10 Bft as thresholds, is taken as the characteristic parameter. Two historical climate runs with time-dependent forcing of the last five centuries, one control simulation, and three climate change experiments are considered. The storm frequency shows no trend until recently. Global maps for the industrially influenced period hardly differ from pre-industrial maps, even though significant temperature anomalies temporarily emerge in the historical runs. Two indicators describing the frequency and the regional shift of storm activity are determined. In historical times they are decoupled from temperature. Variations in solar and volcanic forcing in the historical simulations as well as in greenhouse gas concentrations for the industrially influenced period are not related to variations in storm activity. Also, anomalous temperature regimes like the Late Maunder Minimum are not associated with systematic storm conditions. In the climate change experiments, a poleward shift of storm activity is found in all three storm track regions. Over the North Atlantic and Southern Ocean, storm activity increases, while it decreases over the Pacific Ocean. In contrast to the historical runs, and with the exception of the North Pacific storm frequency index, the storm indices parallel the development of temperature, exceeding the 2 σ-range of pre-industrial variations in the early twenty-first century.     

Improved magnetic anomalies of the Antarctic lithosphere from satellite and near-surface data

The Antarctic magnetic anomaly map compiled marine and airborne surveys collected south of 60°S through 1999 and used Magsat data to help fill in the regional gaps between the surveys. Ørsted and CHAMP satellite magnetic observations with greatly improved measurement accuracies and temporal and spatial coverage of the Antarctic, have now supplanted the Magsat data. We combined the new satellite observations with the near-surface survey data for an improved magnetic anomaly map of the Antarctic lithosphere. Specifically, we separated the crustal from the core and external field components in the satellite data using crustal thickness variations estimated from the terrain and the satellite-derived free-air gravity observations. Regional gaps in the near-surface surveys were then filled with predictions from crustal magnetization models that jointly satisfied the near-surface and satellite crustal anomalies. Comparisons in some of the regional gaps that also considered newly acquired aeromagnetic data demonstrated the enhanced anomaly estimation capabilities of the predictions over those from conventional minimum curvature and spherical harmonic geomagnetic field models. We also noted that the growing number of regional and world magnetic survey compilations involve coverage gaps where these procedures can contribute effective near-surface crustal anomaly estimates.