Stable carbon isotope evidence for two sources of organic matter in coastal sediments: seagrasses and plankton

Organic carbon from sediments collected in Texas seagrass meadows was enriched in ¹³C by an average of 6.6% relative to organic carbon from offshore sediments. Within the South Texas hay system examined. δ¹³C values became increasingly more typical of offshore sediments with increasing distance from seagrass meadows. This permits the use of carbon isotope data as a measure of the relative contributions of seagrasses and plankton to sedimentary organic matter.     

Organic carbon isotope ratios of recent sediments from coastal lagoons of the Gulf of Mexico,Mexico

The stable carbon isotope composition sedimentary organic carbon was determined in the sediments of seven coastal lagoons of the Gulf of Mexico, Mexico. For most of the lagoons the δ¹³C values for sediments ranged from ?20.1 to ?23.9%. Anomalously low values, ?26.8 to 29.3%. were determined in sediments of two of the studied lagoons, probably due to the presence of organic carbon from anthropogenic sources, naturally absent in these environments. The δ¹³C values determined in the tissues of oysters collected at the same time in the different lagoons were very similar to those recorded in the sediments.     

Large-scale silicic alkalic magmatism associated with the Buckhorn Caldera, Trans-Pecos Texas, USA: comparison with Pantelleria, Italy

Three major rhyolite systems in the northeastern Davis and adjacent Barrilla Mountains include lava units that bracketed a large pantelleritic ignimbrite (Gomez Tuff) in rapid eruptions spanning 300,000 years. Extensive silicic lavas formed the shields of the Star Mountain Formation (37.2 Ma-K/Ar; 36.84 Ma ³⁹Ar/⁴⁰Ar), and the Adobe Canyon Formation (37.1 Ma-K/Ar; 36.51-³⁹Ar/⁴⁰Ar). The Gomez Tuff (36.6 Ma-K/Ar; 36.74-³⁹Ar/⁴⁰Ar) blanketed a large region around the 18×24 km diameter Buckhorn caldera, within which it ponded, forming sections up to 500 m thick. Gomez eruption was preceded by pantelleritic rhyolite domes (36.87, 36.91 Ma-³⁹Ar/⁴⁰Ar), some of which blocked movement of Star Mountain lava flows. Following collapse, the Buckhorn caldera was filled by trachyte lava. Adobe Canyon rhyolite lavas then covered much of the region. Star Mountain Formation (~220 km³) is composed of multiple flows ranging from quartz trachyte to mildly peralkalic rhyolite; three major types form a total of at least six major flows in the northeastern Davis Mountains. Adobe Canyon Formation (~125 km³) contains fewer flows, some up to 180 m thick, of chemically homogenous, mildly peralkalic comendite, extending up to 40 km. Gomez Tuff (~220 km³) may represent the largest known pantellerite. It is typically less than 100 m thick in extra-caldera sections, where it shows a pyroclastic base and top, although interiors are commonly rheomorphic, containing flow banding and ramp structures. Most sections contain one cooling unit; two sections contain a smaller, upper cooling unit. Chemically, the tuff is fairly homogeneous, but is more evolved than early pantelleritic domes. Overall, although Davis Mountains silicic units were generated through open system processes, the pantellerites appear to have evolved by processes dominated by extensive fractional crystallization from parental trachytes similar to that erupted in pre- and post-caldera lavas. Comparison with the Pantelleria volcano suggests that the most likely parental magma for the Buckhorn series is transitional basalt, similar to that erupted in minor, younger Basin and Range volcanism after about 24 Ma. Roughly contemporaneous mafic lavas associated with the Buckhorn caldera appear to have assimilated or mixed with crustal melts, and, generally, may not be regarded as mafic precursors of the Buckhorn silicic rocks, They thus form a false Daly Gap as opposed to the true basalt/trachyte Daly gap of Pantelleria. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. This paper constitutes part of a special issue dedicated to Bill Bonnichsen on the petrogenesis and volcanology of anorogenic rhyolites.     

Comparison Of Three Uncertainty-Analysis Methods To Assess Impacts On Groundwater Of Constituents Leached From Land-Disposed Waste

Assessment of the environmental fate and behavior of constituents that have the potential to leach from waste-disposal pits that are associated with petroleum exploration and production activities is a problem of interest to industry and regulatory agencies. A stochastic modeling approach for the migration of constituents in soil and groundwater was developed to assess the impact on groundwater at receptors that are downgradient from a waste pit. The model evaluates uncertainties in constituent concentrations in groundwater due to uncertainties in waste-composition and hydrogeologic properties of waste sites, and it determines the probability distributions of constituent concentration at receptor points by using Monte Carlo (MC), First-Order (FO), and Point-Estimate (PE) methods. Application of the FO and PE methods to assess probability distributions requires an assumption of the form of the probability density function for concentration at a receptor point. A log-normal distribution is employed here. A comparison of the three uncertainty-analysis methods is performed to evaluate the efficiency and accuracy of the FO and PE methods relative to the MC method. Results suggest that for non-reactive and conservative constituents the level of accuracy provided by FO method is similar to that of the MC method. The computational effort for the FO method is about 1 percent of that for the MC method. For nonconservative constituents, the FO method compared less favorably with the MC results. Thus, the use of the MC method is warranted, for nonconservative constituents or for cases where a higher degree of precision in the probability distribution is needed. RÉSUMÉ: L'industrie et les organismes de contrôle s'intéressent particulièrement au problème de la prédiction du devenir et du comportement environnemental de composés susceptibles de lixivier des pollutants à partir de puits de stockage de déchets associés à des zones d'exploration et de production pétrolières. Une modélisation stochastique de la migration de composées dans le sol et les eaux souterraines est proposée en vue de prédire l'impact sur les eaux souterraines en des points de prélèvement situés en aval-gradient d'un puits de stockage. Le modèle fournit une estimation des incertitudes sur les teneurs des composés dans les eaux souterraines en fonction de la composition des déchets et des propriétés hydrogéologiques des sites de stockage; il détermine les distributions de probabilité de la concentration des composés à des points de prélèvement au moyen des méthodes de Monte-Carlo (MC), du Premier Ordre (PO) et de l'Estimation Ponctuelle (EP). Le recours aux méthodes PO et EP pour prédire les distributions de probabilité impose une hypothèse sur la forme de la fonction de densité de probabilité pour la concentration en un point de prélèvement. Une distrubution log-normale est utilisée ici. Une comparaison des trois méthodes d'analyse de l'incertude a été réalisée afin d'estimer l'efficacité et la précision des méthodes PO et EP par rapport à la méthode MC. Les résultats indiquent que, pour des composés conservatifs, le degré de précision atteint par la méthode PO est comparable à celle de la méthode MC. La puissance de calcul requise par la méthode PO est 1% environ de celle nécessaire pour la méthode MC. Pour des composés non conservatifs, la comparaison avec la méthode MC est moins favorable à la méthode PO. Par conséquent, la méthode MC est préférable pour les composés non conservatifs ou dans les cas où un meilleur degré de précision de la distribution de probabilité est nécessaire. RESUMEN: La evaluación del comportamiento de constituyentes lixiviables desde vertidos de residuos asociados a actividades de exploración y producción petrolífera, así como su posible impacto ambiental, es un problema de interés para la industria y las agencias reguladoras. Se ha desarrollado una modelación estocástica para estudiar la migración de los constituyentes en el suelo y el agua subterránea, con el objetivo de evaluar su impacto en receptores situados aguas abajo de un vertido. El modelo evalúa las incertidumbres en las concentraciones de los constituyentes debidas a las incertidumbre en la composición de los residuos y de las propiedades hidrogeológicas de la zona de vertido y determina las distribuciones de probabilidad de dichas concentraciones en puntos de recepción mediante los métodos de Monte Carlo (MC), Primer-Orden (FO) y Estimación Puntual (PE). La aplicación de los métodos FO y PE para evaluar las distribuciones de probabilidad reqiere suponer conocida la forma de la función de densidad de probabilidad para la concentración en el punto receptor. En este caso, se emplea una distribución log-normal. Se lleva a cabo una comparación entre los tres métodos de análisis de errores para evaluar la eficiencia y exactitud de los métodos FO y PE respecto al MC. Los resultados sugieren que para constituyentes conservativos no-reactivos, el nivel de exactitud suministrado por el método FO es comparable con el del MC. El esfuerzo computacional para el método FO, en cambio, es alrededor del 1% del método MC. Para constituyentes no conservativos, es método FO no compara tan favorablemente frente a los resultados del MC. Por tanto, el uso del método MC está obligado para constituyentes no conservativos y para casos en los que se requiere un alto nivel de precisión en la distribución de probabilidad.     

Computer simulations of the structural and physical properties of the olivine and spinel polymorphs of Mg2SiO4

The aim of the work presented is to develop a computer simulation technique which will predict the structure and physical properties of forsterite and ringwoodite, the major mantle-forming polymorphs of Mg₂SiO₄. The technique is based upon energy minimization, in which all structural parameters are varied until the configuration with the lowest energy is achieved. The lattice energy and physical properties (e.g. elasticity and dielectric constants) are calculated from interatomic potentials, which generally include electrostatic and short-range terms. We investigate several types of traditional potential models, and present a new type of model which includes partial ionic charges and a Morse potential to describe the effect of covalency on the Si-O bond. This new form of potential model is highly successful, and not only reproduces the zero-pressure structural, elastic and dielectric properties of forsterite and ringwoodite, but also accurately describes their pressure dependence.     

Gravitational and magnetic fields of some simple solids of revolution

Summary. Exact spherical harmonic expansions are given for calculating the gravitational and magnetic fields associated with certain uniform solids of revolution. The figures are those made by rotating a conic section about one of its principal axes. The coefficients in the expansions can be computed accurately and efficiently and this approach leads to a very satisfactory method for calculating the fields of geological bodies with approximate circular symmetry about a vertical axis. A complete theory of convergence is given for the expansions. Somewhat unexpectedly, the sphere of convergence is determined by the location of a number of equivalent point or line sources that lie within the body or on its edges.     

The Influence of Place on the Willingness to Pay for Ecosystem Services

Sense of place, including an individual’s attitudes toward specific geographic settings, is generally predicted to influence willingness to engage in place-protective behaviors. Relatively little research, however, has empirically examined the influence of people’s attitudes toward a place on their willingness to pay for environmental protection. Using the example of a payment for ecosystem services (PES) initiative in the McKenzie River watershed, Oregon, USA, we found that place attitudes were a significant predictor of respondents’ willingness to pay for a program designed to benefit drinking water quality. These results suggest that connecting conservation actions to landscapes that are meaningful to people may increase their financial support for PES and other conservation programs. While program managers have little or no influence over stakeholders’ political ideology, gender, or income, managers may be able to influence prospective PES buyers’ awareness and attitudes through targeted communications, thereby potentially increasing support for place-based conservation efforts.     

The nature of the sunspot phenomenon

This paper points out the basic relation between the conversion of thermal energy into convective fluid motion (Alfvén waves when a strong vertical magnetic field is present) and the convective transport of thermal energy. It is shown that heat transport necessarily accompanies convective driving of fluid motion. Convective motions restricted to a layer whose thickness is a small fraction of the local scale height can divert no more than the same fraction of the energy into Alfvén waves. But if the convecting layer extends over many scale heights, then the convective forces may convert more energy into fluid motion than they transport. Hence the creation of a cool sunspot requires convection extending coherently over several scale heights, at least 500 km. This requirement is basically just the familiar thermodynamic efficiency of an ideal heat engine. The calculations establish that convection need not be much less efficient than the ideal.