Mineralogy, aqueous alteration, and primitive textural characteristics of fine-grained rims in the Y-791198 CM2 carbonaceous chondrite: TEM observations and comparison to ALHA81002

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to study the microtextural and mineralogical characteristics of fine-grained rims in the unbrecciated CM2 chondrites, Y-791198 and ALHA81002, in an effort to provide constraints on the origins of the rims themselves. Our TEM observations show that the rims in Y-791198 are composed of two distinct types of region, sulfide-poor and sulfide-rich, that are intermixed in a complex manner at the micron to submicron level. The sulfide-poor regions are largely composed of amorphous silicate material or nanocrystalline serpentine, but rare fibrous and coarse-grained serpentine grains have also been identified. No fine-grained cronstedtite or tochilinite were observed, although coarse-grained lumps of tochilinite are present in the rims. In contrast, the sulfide-rich regions are characterized by the presence of a myriad, nanometer-sized Fe, Ni sulfide grains (pentlandite with some Ni-rich pyrrhotite) embedded within an amorphous silicate similar in composition to that of the sulfide-poor regions. The sulfide-rich regions also contain rare phases such as olivine, and Fe, Ni metal grains with grain sizes that are always >100 nm in size. Z-contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) reveals that the fine-grained rims consist of a mosaic of irregularly-shaped sulfide-poor and sulfide-rich-regions with sizes of about 0.2-0.5 μm, that have been compacted together during parent body lithification. Despite aqueous alteration, the distinct mineralogical characteristics of these different regions are preserved on a fine-scale and probably represent primitive heterogeneity in the dust from which these rims formed.Serpentine is much better developed and more widespread in the fine-grained rims of ALHA81002 than Y-791198. Complex mats of serpentine fibers are commonly found and cronstedtite and tochilinite are plentiful. Anhydrous minerals such as olivine are rare and have usually been replaced by serpentine. Like Y-791198, all the fine-grained rims studied in ALHA81002 show the same mineral assemblages and textural characteristics throughout and between rims. The homogeneity of the mineralogy, textural relationships and degree of hydration in the rims of these two chondrites is more consistent with parent-body alteration than with pre-accretionary alteration.     

Measures of transport mode segmentation of trajectories

ABSTRACT

Rooted in the philosophy of point- and segment-based approaches for transportation mode segmentation of trajectories, the measures that researchers have adopted to evaluate the quality of the results (1) are incomparable across approaches, hence slowing the progress in the field and (2) do not provide insight about the quality of the continuous transportation mode segmentation. To address these problems, this paper proposes new error measures that can be applied to measure how well a continuous transportation mode segmentation model performs. The error measures introduced are based on aligning multiple inferred continuous intervals to ground truth intervals, and measure the cardinality of the alignment and the spatial and temporal discrepancy between the corresponding aligned segments. The utility of this new way of computing errors is shown by evaluating the segmentation of three generic transportation mode segmentation approaches (implicit, explicit–holistic, and explicit–consensus-based transport mode segmentation), which can be implemented in a thick client architecture. Empirical evaluations on a large real-word data set reveal the superiority of explicit–consensus-based transport mode segmentation, which can be attributed to the explicit modeling of segments and transitions, which allows for a meaningful decomposition of the complex learning task.     

Climatic and halokinetic controls on alluvial–lacustrine sedimentation during compressional deformation,Andean forearc,northern Chile

The Salar de Atacama forms one of a series of forearc basins developed along the western flank of the Central Andes. Exposed along the northwest margin of the basin, a salt‐cored range, the Cordillera de la Sal, records the Mid‐Miocene to recent sedimentological and structural development of this basin. Sediments of the Mid‐Miocene Vilama Formation record the complex interaction between regional/local climate change, halokinesis and compressional deformation. This study reveals how these factors have controlled the facies development and distribution within the Salar de Atacama. Detailed sedimentary logging, cross‐sections and present day geomorphology through the northern Cordillera de la Sal have been used to establish a lithostratigraphy, chronostratigraphy and the regional distribution of the Vilama Formation. The Vilama Formation documents an increase in aridity with a hiatus in sedimentation from Mid‐Miocene to 9 Ma with initial uplift of the Cordillera de la Sal. From 9 Ma to 8.5 Ma deposition of a meandering fluvial system is recorded followed by a rapid decrease in sedimentation till 6 Ma. From 6 to 2 Ma, the deposition of extensive palustrine carbonates and distal alluvial–mudflat–lacustrine demonstrates the existence of an extensive lake within the Salar de Atacama. Post 2 Ma, the lake decreased in size and braided alluvial gravels associated with alluvial fans were widespread through the region suggesting a final shift to hyperarid conditions. By comparing the Vilama Formation with similar age facies throughout northern Chile and southern Peru, several shifts in climate are recognized. Climate signatures within northern Chile appear to be largely diachronous with the last regional event in the Mid‐Miocene. Since that time, humid events have been restricted to either Precordillerian basins or the Central Atacama. Within the Central Atacama, the final switch to hyperarid conditions was not till the earliest Pleistocene, much later than previously estimated within the region.     

High-resolution characterization and integrated study of a reservoir formation: the danian carbonate platform in the Aquitaine Basin (France)

This paper provides an example of an integrated multi-scale study of a carbonate reservoir. The Danian Lower R2 carbonate reservoir is located in the South of the Aquitaine Basin (France) and represents a potential underground gas storage site for Gaz de France. The Danian Lower R2 reservoir was deposited as a prograding carbonate platform bordered by a reef barrier. The effects of sedimentary and diagenetic events on the reservoir properties, particularly dolomitization, were evaluated. In this study, the reservoir quality has been assessed by seismic analyses at the basin scale, by log-analysis at the reservoir scale, by petrographic methods and by petrophysical tools at the pore-core scale.Two dolomitization stages, separated by a compaction event with associated fracturing and stylolites, have been identified. These diagenetic events have significantly improved the Lower R2 carbonate reservoir properties. It is demonstrated that the reservoir quality is mainly controlled by the pore-geometry, which is determined by various diagenetic processes. The permeability values of the reservoir range over 4 orders of magnitude, from 0.1 to 5600 mD and the porosity values range between 2 and 42%. Reservoir unit 4 (a karstic dolomite) shows the best reservoir properties with average porosity values ranging between 11.1% and 19.3% and an average permeability ranging between 379 and 766 mD. Reservoir unit 2 (a fine-grained limestone) shows the worst reservoir properties. The cementation factors range from 1.68 to 2.48. The dolomitic crystal carbonate texture (mainly units 3 and 4) shows the highest value of the cementation factor (1.98–2.48) and formation factor (9.54–36.97), which is due to its high degree of cementation. The saturation exponents vary between 1.2 and 3.4. Using these experimental electrical parameters and the resistivity laterolog tool we predicted the water saturation in the various reservoir units. The permeability was predicted by combining the formation factor with the micro-geometric characteristic length. The best fit is obtained with the Katz and Thompson's model and for a constant of 1/171.     

Site selection for offshore facilities

A simplified input-output process is used to describe the end-members of two methods of site selection: one in which the structure controls the site and the other in which the site controls the structure. Most site selection processes are combinations of these two methods. Factors ranging from atmospheric, oceanic, and seafloor conditions to marine biota, constructional, and political-demographic-geographic are tabulated to show the variety that may be considered in the site selection process. The bathymetric, geological-geophysical, and geotechnical components of siting surveys are reviewed, together with location control. The state-of-the-art of siting all kinds of structures on the continental margins and deepsea floor beyond the continental margin could be improved in almost all areas to increase the reliability of operations at sea and to decrease costs.     

Political transformation,urban policy and the state in London's Docklands

The contemporary restructuring of urban space in the United Kingdom can be understood in terms of much broader social, political, and economic changes. This paper provides an analysis of this experience in London's Docklands, as a way of highlighting the connections between these social relations. We can best understand these changes by drawing upon regulation theory, which posits a firm, but dynamic, link between economic and political processes. Through an analysis of urban policy changes, political struggles, and economic shifts in London's Docklands, I argue for a more central role for the state and social movements in the understanding of social regulation and urban change. Finally, the paper considers the establishment of an Urban Development Corporation in the area in 1981, which represents an attempt by the central government to establish a new regime of economic and political life in the area. This has produced important conflicts at a local level, which typify the conflictual nature of attempts to restructure the economic and political relations of urban locales.     

Grassroots innovations in community energy: The role of intermediaries in niche development

Community energy projects are attracting increasing attention as potential sources of innovation to support sustainable energy transitions. Research into ‘grassroots innovations’ like community energy often recognises the difficulties they face in simply surviving let alone in growing or seeding wider change. Strategic niche management theory is potentially helpful here as it highlights the important roles played by ‘intermediary actors’ in consolidating, growing and diffusing novel innovations. This paper presents the first in-depth analysis of intermediary work in the UK community energy sector. New empirical evidence was gathered through interviews with 15 community energy intermediaries and a content analysis of 113 intermediary-produced case studies about community energy projects. Analysis finds intermediaries adopting a variety of methods to try and diffuse generic lessons about context-specific projects, but that trying to coordinate support for local projects that exist amidst very different social and political circumstances is challenging. This is exacerbated by the challenges of building a coherent institutional infrastructure for a sector where aims and approaches diverge, and where underlying resources are uncertain and inconsistent. Applications of relatively simple, growth-oriented approaches like strategic niche management to grassroots innovations need to be reformulated to better recognise their diverse and conflicted realities on the ground.     

On the testing of fully integrated surface–subsurface hydrological models

Studies employing integrated surface–subsurface hydrological models (ISSHMs) have utilized a variety of test cases to demonstrate model accuracy and consistency between codes. Here, we review the current state of ISSHM testing and evaluate the most popular ISSHM test cases by comparing the hydrodynamic processes simulated in each case to the processes found in well‐characterized, real‐world catchments and by comparing their general attributes to those of successful benchmark problems from other fields of hydrogeology. The review reveals that (1) ISSHM testing and intercode comparison have not adopted specific test cases consistently; (2) despite the wide range of ISSHM metrics available for model testing, only two model performance diagnostics are typically adopted: the catchment outflow hydrograph and the catchment water balance; (3) in intercode comparisons, model performance is usually judged by evaluating only one performance diagnostic: the catchment outflow hydrograph; and (4) ISSHM test cases evaluate a small number of hydrodynamic processes that are largely uniform across the model domain, representing a limited selection of the processes of interest in well‐characterized, real‐world catchments. ISSHM testing would benefit from more intercode comparisons using a consistent set of test cases, aimed at evaluating more catchment processes (e.g. flooding) and using a wider range of simulation diagnostics (e.g. pressure head distributions). To achieve this, a suite of test case variations is required to capture the relevant catchment processes. Finally, there is a need for additional ISSHM test problems that compare model predictions with hydrological observations from intensively monitored field sites and controlled laboratory experiments. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.