The meteoritic origin of Tutankhamun's iron dagger blade

Scholars have long discussed the introduction and spread of iron metallurgy in different civilizations. The sporadic use of iron has been reported in the Eastern Mediterranean area from the late Neolithic period to the Bronze Age. Despite the rare existence of smelted iron, it is generally assumed that early iron objects were produced from meteoritic iron. Nevertheless, the methods of working the metal, its use, and diffusion are contentious issues compromised by lack of detailed analysis. Since its discovery in 1925, the meteoritic origin of the iron dagger blade from the sarcophagus of the ancient Egyptian King Tutankhamun (14th C. BCE) has been the subject of debate and previous analyses yielded controversial results. We show that the composition of the blade (Fe plus 10.8 wt% Ni and 0.58 wt% Co), accurately determined through portable x‐ray fluorescence spectrometry, strongly supports its meteoritic origin. In agreement with recent results of metallographic analysis of ancient iron artifacts from Gerzeh, our study confirms that ancient Egyptians attributed great value to meteoritic iron for the production of precious objects. Moreover, the high manufacturing quality of Tutankhamun's dagger blade, in comparison with other simple‐shaped meteoritic iron artifacts, suggests a significant mastery of ironworking in Tutankhamun's time.     

Mode of formation of the Nile Gorge in northern Egypt: a study by DEM‐SRTM data and GIS analysis

This is an overview of the mode of formation of the Nile Gorge in northern Egypt. It is based on the interpretation of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) data along with detailed analysis of landsat image, geological map and seismic data. The results show that the current course of the Nile was caused by a differential uplift of two plateaus: Ma'aza, to the east, and Western Desert plateau, to the west of the river. This uplift is caused by dynamic forces resulting from subsurface convection processes. It also contributed to the formation of several drainage systems, basins and structural features. Abundant faults and fractures that are parallel to the Nile Valley on both flanks that are associated with uplift are proven to be contemporaneous with formation of the river. We conclude that understanding of the uplift is crucial to visualizing the Nile course and its geodynamic formation. The information derived from the SRTM data reveals invaluable knowledge in support of the presented remotely sensed geological features. The paper clearly explains the stages of formation of the Nile segments in space and time and structural controls on the path of the Nile River in Egypt. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Geochemical characterization of Archaean amphibolites from the eastern part of Anshan–Benxi iron producing area,northeastern China: implication for tectonic setting of BIFs

The Anshan–Benxi iron producing area, which is located at the northeastern margin of the North China Craton, is the main distribution area of Archaean BIFs in China. In their eastern part, including the Gongchangling and Waitoushan deposits, BIFs mainly are hosted in the Archaean middle Anshan Group. Amphibolites are widely distributed in the iron‐bearing rock series, reflecting the tectonic setting of BIFs. Amphibolites not only have MORB‐like compositional characteristics, but also have island arc‐like ones, and they are consistent with back‐arc basin basalts (BABB). In the study area, the protolith of amphibolites belongs to Okinawa‐type BABB; it indicates that tectonic setting of BIFs is the intra‐continental back‐arc basin. In the study area, the formation of sedimentary basins for BIFs had been associated with oceanic plate subduction. Amphibolites from Gongchangling deposit are characterized by relative enrichments in LILE and LREE, and depletions in HFSE. This indicates that they had a relatively large influence of subduction in their formation. Amphibolites from Waitoushan deposit are characterized by relative enrichments in LILE without conspicuous depletions in HFSE, indicating relatively low subduction rates. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Latest Devonian to earliest Carboniferous conodont and carbon isotope stratigraphy of a shallow‐water sequence in South China

To improve regional and intercontinental correlation of the uppermost Devonian–lowermost Carboniferous, we examined the conodont faunas and carbon isotopic records of the Tangbagou Formation in the Qilinzhai section, southern Guizhou, South China. The Tangbagou Formation is a succession of mixed carbonate–siliciclastic rocks that accumulated on a shallow‐water platform under normal marine conditions. Seven conodont zones for shallow‐water biofacies in South China, the Cl. gilwernensis–Cl. unicornis Zone, the Po. spicatus Zone, the Si. homosimplex Zone, the Si. sinensis Zone, the Si. eurylobata Zone, the Ps. multistriatus Zone and the Po. co. porcatus Zone in ascending order, are recognized in the Tangbagou Formation. Although apparently limited in its value for global correlation, this conodont zonation is more applicable to shallow‐water biofacies in South China. Carbonate samples have yielded carbon isotopic signatures consistent with those recorded in Euroamerica sections, in particular showing four distinct characteristics: (1) the peak values of Hangenberg Carbon Isotope Excursion (HICE) during the latest Devonian, (2) a minor positive shift (P1) in the Si. homosimplex Zone during the early Tournaisian, (3) a second minor positive shift (P2) in the Si. sinensis Zone and (4) the middle Tournaisian Carbon Isotope Excursion (TICE) in the middle part of the Tangbagou Formation. The similarity in peak values (~5.5‰) and magnitude of TICE for the Qilinzhai and Belgian sections indicates that the Euro‐asia δ¹³C_carb trends may reflect the changes in global mean ocean δ¹³C_DIC, rather than having been overprinted by local carbon cycling. Integration of conodont biostratigraphy and δ¹³C stratigraphy provides a powerful tool for stratigraphic correlation. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

太平洋潜热通量及其与黄淮夏季降水的关系

研究了1979—2010年太平洋潜热通量的变化特征及其与中国黄淮夏季降水的关系。结果表明,潜热通量的气候场和方差场均存在着明显的季节变化,且各季节气候场的极值中心也是变化幅度较大的区域。黄淮地区降水与前期春季的潜热场相关性最好。定义了黄淮夏季降水指数来研究影响降水的潜热场关键区,发现春季潜热关键区为10°~20°N之间的中东太平洋和热带东太平洋沿岸海区。春季当上述两个海区净潜热通量增多时,后期夏季500hPa和850hPa位势高度异常场中,在太平洋西海岸-阿拉斯加南部一线上均表现为"正—负—正"的分布型,黄淮降水偏多。     

A brief introduction to BNU-HESM1.0 and its earth surface temperature simulations

Integrated assessment models and coupled earth system models both have their limitations in understanding the interactions between human activity and the physical earth system. In this paper,a new human–earth system model,BNUHESM1.0,constructed by combining the economic and climate damage components of the Dynamic Integrated Model of Climate Change and Economy to the BNU-ESM model,is introduced. The ability of BNU-HESM1.0 in simulating the global CO2 concentration and surface temperature is also evaluated. We find that,compared to observation,BNU-HESM1.0underestimates the global CO2 concentration and its rising trend during 1965–2005,due to the uncertainty in the economic components. However,the surface temperature simulated by BNU-HESM1.0 is much closer to observation,resulting from the overestimates of surface temperature by the original BNU-ESM model. The uncertainty of BNU-ESM falls within the range of present earth system uncertainty,so it is the economic and climate damage component of BNU-HESM1.0 that needs to be improved through further study. However,the main purpose of this paper is to introduce a new approach to investigate the complex relationship between human activity and the earth system. It is hoped that it will inspire further ideas that prove valuable in guiding human activities appropriate for a sustainable future climate.     

南阳市1960—2013年高温日数变化特征及原因分析

根据国家气象信息中心气象资料室1960—2013年南阳市地面气象月报表的观测资料,采用线性回归、简单相关系数法、M-K突变检验和Morlet小波分析等方法,研究了南阳市高温日数的变化特征,结果表明:1960—2013年南阳市共出现788次高温日;出现高温日数最多的是2013年,为37天;1987年无高温日。南阳市高温日数6月份最多,占高温天气发生总次数的36.7%;9月最少,占总次数的2.2%。从1960—2013年高温日的逐年分布情况可以看出,54 a间高温日数整体呈下降趋势,倾向率为-1.59天/10a。南阳市年高温日数在20世纪70年代的降低是一突变,具体是从1971年开始。由南阳高温日数小波系数实部图可见,高温日数存在多重时间周期尺度上的嵌套复杂结构现象,包含了多个不同尺度的周期变化,南阳年高温日数变化存在3个明显的周期振荡,分别是10~12 a、26~28 a和50~51 a的尺度。从小波方差图中可以看出,12 a、28 a、50 a存在峰值,其中尺度50 a峰值最高,能量最大;其次是尺度12 a的。高温日数较多年比高温日数较少年6—8月500 h Pa平均环流场副高西伸脊点更偏西;高温日数较多年500 h Pa平均环流场更为平直,以纬向环流为主,不利于冷空气南下,因此多晴热天气。高温日数较少年环流场上华北地区波动幅度更大,冷空气和降水天气过程较多。1960—2013年5—9月降水量呈增加趋势,这也相应地减少了高温天气。1960—2013年5—9月南阳市日照时数一直处于下降趋势,日照时数的下降也使高温日数减少。     

A composite Fe,Ni‐FeS and enstatite‐forsterite‐diopside‐glass vitrophyre clast in the Larkman Nunatak 04316 aubrite: Origin by pyroclastic volcanism

Abstract– We studied the mineralogy, petrology, and bulk, trace element, oxygen, and noble gas isotopic compositions of a composite clast approximately 20 mm in diameter discovered in the Larkman Nunatak (LAR) 04316 aubrite regolith breccia. The clast consists of two lithologies: One is a quench‐textured intergrowth of troilite with spottily zoned metallic Fe,Ni which forms a dendritic or cellular structure. The approximately 30 μm spacings between the Fe,Ni arms yield an estimated cooling rate of this lithology of approximately 25–30 °C s^?1. The other is a quench‐textured enstatite‐forsterite‐diopside‐glass vitrophyre lithology. The composition of the clast suggests that it formed at an exceptionally high degree of partial melting, perhaps approaching complete melting, and that the melts from which the composite clast crystallized were quenched from a temperature of approximately 1380–1400 °C at a rate of approximately 25–30 °C s^?1. The association of the two lithologies in a composite clast allows, for the first time, an estimation of the cooling rate of a silicate vitrophyre in an aubrite of approximately 25–30 °C s^?1. While we cannot completely rule out an impact origin of the clast, we present what we consider is very strong evidence that this composite clast is one of the elusive pyroclasts produced during pyroclastic volcanism on the aubrite parent body ( Wilson and Keil 1991 ). We further suggest that this clast was not ejected into space but retained on the aubrite parent body by virtue of the relatively large size of the clast of approximately 20 mm. Our modeling, taking into account the size of the clast, suggests that the aubrite parent body must have been between approximately 40 and 100 km in diameter, and that the melt from which the clast crystallized must have contained an estimated maximum range of allowed volatile mass fractions between approximately 500 and approximately 4500 ppm.     

Meteorites at Meridiani Planum provide evidence for significant amounts of surface and near‐surface water on early Mars

Abstract– Six large iron meteorites have been discovered in the Meridiani Planum region of Mars by the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity in a nearly 25 km‐long traverse. Herein, we review and synthesize the available data to propose that the discovery and characteristics of the six meteorites could be explained as the result of their impact into a soft and wet surface, sometime during the Noachian or the Hesperian, subsequently to be exposed at the Martian surface through differential erosion. As recorded by its sediments and chemical deposits, Meridiani has been interpreted to have undergone a watery past, including a shallow sea, a playa, an environment of fluctuating ground water, and/or an icy landscape. Meteorites could have been encased upon impact and/or subsequently buried, and kept underground for a long time, shielded from the atmosphere. The meteorites apparently underwent significant chemical weathering due to aqueous alteration, as indicated by cavernous features that suggest differential acidic corrosion removing less resistant material and softer inclusions. During the Amazonian, the almost complete disappearance of surface water and desiccation of the landscape, followed by induration of the sediments and subsequent differential erosion and degradation of Meridiani sediments, including at least 10–80 m of deflation in the last 3–3.5 Gy, would have exposed the buried meteorites. We conclude that the iron meteorites support the hypothesis that Mars once had a denser atmosphere and considerable amounts of water and/or water ice at and/or near the surface.