State of water molecules and silanol groups in opal minerals: a near infrared spectroscopic study of opals from Slovakia

Recently, near infrared spectroscopy in combination with double derivative technique has been effectively used by Christy (Vib Spectrosc 54:42–49, 2010) to study and differentiate between free and hydrogen bonded silanol groups on silica gel surface. The method has given some insight into the type of functionalities, their location in silica gel samples, and the way the water molecules bind onto the silanol groups. The important information in this respect comes from the overtones of the OH groups of water molecules hydrogen-bonded to free silanol groups, and hydrogen-bonded silanol groups absorbing in the region 5,500–5,100 cm⁻¹. Chemically, opal minerals are hydrated silica and the same approach was adapted to study the state of water molecules, silanol functionalities, and their locations in opal samples from Slovakia. Twenty opal samples classified into CT and A classes and one quartz sample were used in this work. The samples were crushed using a hydraulic press and powderized. Each sample was then subjected to evacuation process to remove surface-adsorbed water at 200°C, and the near infrared spectrum of each sample was measured using a Perkin Elmer NTS FT-NIR spectrometer equipped with a transflectance accessory and a DTGS detector. The samples were also heated to 750°C to remove the hydrogen-bonded silanol groups on the surface to reveal their locality. Second derivative profiles of the near infrared reflectance spectra were obtained using the instrument’s software and used in the detailed analysis of the samples. The analysis of the near infrared spectra and their second derivative profiles had the aim in finding relationships between the surface chemical structure and the classification of opal samples. The dry opal samples were also tested for their surface adsorption effectivity toward water molecules. The results indicate that the opal samples contain (1) surface-adsorbed water, (2) free and hydrogen-bonded silanol groups on the surface, (3) trapped water molecules in the bulk, and (4) free and hydrogen-bonded silanol groups in the cavity surfaces in the bulk. A part of the water molecules in the bulk of opal minerals are found as free molecules and the rest are found in hydrogen-bonded state to either free or vicinal or geminal silanol groups.     

Detrital and xenocrystic zircon ages from Neoproterozoic to Palaeozoic arc terranes of Mongolia: Significance for the origin of crustal fragments in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt

The Central Asian Orogenic Belt contains many Precambrian crustal fragments whose origin is unknown, and previous speculations suggested these to be derived from either Siberia, Tarim or northern Gondwana. We present an age pattern for detrital and xenocrystic zircons from Neoproterozoic to Palaeozoic arc and microcontinental terranes in Mongolia and compare this with patterns for Precambrian rocks in southern Siberia, the North China craton, the Tarim craton and northeastern Gondwana in order to define the most likely source region for the Mongolian zircons. Our data were obtained by SHRIMP II, LA-ICP-MS and single zircon evaporation and predominantly represent arc-related low-grade volcanic rocks and clastic sediments but also accretionary wedges and ophiolitic environments.The Mongolian pattern is dominated by zircons in the age range ca. 350–600 and 700–1020 Ma as well as minor peaks between ca. 1240 and 2570 Ma. The youngest group reflects cannibalistic reworking of the Palaeozoic arc terranes, whereas the Neoproterozoic to late Mesoproterozoic peak reflects both reworking of the arc terranes as well as Neoproterozoic rifting and a Grenville-age crust-formation event.The 700–1020 Ma peak does not exist in the age spectra of the Siberian and North China cratons and thus effectively rules out these basement blocks as potential source areas for the Mongolian zircons. The best agreement is with the Tarim craton where a major Grenville-age orogenic event and early Neoproterozoic rifting have been identified. The age spectra also do not entirely exclude northeastern Gondwana as a source for the Mongolian zircons, but here the Neoproterozoic age peak is related to the Pan-African orogeny, and a minor Grenville-age peak may reflect a controversial orogenic event in NW India.Our Mongolian detrital and xenocrystic age spectrum suggests that the Tarim craton was the main source, and we favour a tectonic scenario similar to the present southwestern Pacific where fragments of Australia are rifted off and become incorporated into the Indonesian arc and microcontinent amalgamation that will evolve into a future orogenic belt.     

Probabilistic landslide hazard assessment using homogeneous susceptible units (HSU) along a national highway corridor in the northern Himalayas, India

The increased socio-economic significance of landslides has resulted in the application of statistical methods to assess their hazard, particularly at medium scales. These models evaluate where, when and what size landslides are expected. The method presented in this study evaluates the landslide hazard on the basis of homogenous susceptible units (HSU). HSU are derived from a landslide susceptibility map that is a combination of landslide occurrences and geo-environmental factors, using an automated segmentation procedure. To divide the landslide susceptibility map into HSU, we apply a region-growing segmentation algorithm that results in segments with statistically independent spatial probability values. Independence is tested using Moran’s I and a weighted variance method. For each HSU, we obtain the landslide frequency from the multi-temporal data. Temporal and size probabilities are calculated using a Poisson model and an inverse-gamma model, respectively. The methodology is tested in a landslide-prone national highway corridor in the northern Himalayas, India. Our study demonstrates that HSU can replace the commonly used terrain mapping units for combining three probabilities for landslide hazard assessment. A quantitative estimate of landslide hazard is obtained as a joint probability of landslide size, of landslide temporal occurrence for each HSU for different time periods and for different sizes.     

Precambrian basement around Wadi Halfa,Sudan: a new perspective on the evolution of the East Saharan Craton

This paper provides new geochemical and isotopic data on the evolution of the western foreland to the Nubian shield of north-east Africa. There is abundant evidence for early to middle Proterozoic crust west of the River Nile, but this was severely affected by the Pan-African ( 500–900 Ma) orogenic cycle. The results are reported of Rb-Sr whole rock and zircon evaporation geochronological studies and whole rock Sm-Nd and feldspar Pb isotopic analyses for four rock units around Wadi Halfa in northernmost Sudan. These results indicate the presence of heterogeneous pre-Pan-African crustal components, preserved in mylonitic gneisses and in conglomerates that unconformably overlie the gneisses. Several episodes of crust formation, inferred from zircon ages, are preserved in the gneisses : 2.6, 2.4, 2.0, 1.7, 1.2 and 0.72 Ga. Nd model ages for the same units are invariably older than the zircon ages, yet still record a predominantly late Archaean and Palaeoproterozoic history, with depleted mantle model ages between 1.3 and 2.8 Ga. The earliest recorded Pan-African magmatic event is about 720 Ma and dates the beginning of collisional deformation. A younger Pan-African volcanic sequence ( 650 Ma) has isotopic compositions of Sr and Nd compatible with derivation from late Prote rozoic asthenospheric mantle. A 530 Ma anorogenic A-type granite also has isotopic compositions suggesting derivation from a primitive source. The inferred tectonic evolution began with rifting to form an oceanic re-entrant. This was followed by subduction leading to collision at about 700 Ma, accompanied by post-orogenic rifting at about 650 Ma.     

Orthogneisses in the Spessart Crystalline Complex,north-west Bavaria: Silurian granitoid magmatism at an active continental margin

The Spessart Crystalline Complex, north-west Bavaria contains two orthogneiss units of granitic to granodioritic composition, known as the Rotgneiss and Haibach gneiss, respectively, which are structurally conformable with associated metasediments. The igneous origin of the Rotgneiss is apparent from field and textural evidence, whereas strong deformation and recrystallization in the Haibach gneiss has obscured most primary textures. New geochemical data as well as zircon morphology prove the Haibach gneiss to be derived from a granitoid precursor, which was chemically similar to the Rotgneiss protolith, thus suggesting a genetic link between those two rock units. Both gneiss types have chemical compositions typical of anatectic two-mica leucogranites. They show characteristics of both I- and S-type granites. Rb-Sr whole rock data on the Haibach gneiss provide an isochron age of 407±14 Ma (IR = 0.7077±0.0007; MSWD 2.2), which is slightly younger than the published date for the Rotgneiss (439±15 Ma; IR=0.7048±0.0026; MSWD 4.9). Single zircon dating of six idiomorphic grains, using the evaporation method, yielded a mean ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb age of 410±18 Ma for the Haibach gneiss and 418±18 Ma for the Rotgneiss. Both zircon ages are within analytical error of the Rb-Sr isochron dates and are interpreted to reflect the time of protolith emplacement in Silurian times. Three xenocrystic zircon grains from the Rotgneiss yielded ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ages of 2278±12, 2490±13 and 2734±10 Ma, respectively, suggesting that late Archaean to early Proterozoic crust was involved in the generation of the granite from which the Rotgneiss is derived. Although it is assumed that the granitic protoliths of the two gneisses were formed through anatexis of older continental crust, the relatively low ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr initial ratios of both gneisses may also indicate the admixture of a mantle component. The Rotgneiss and the Haibach gneiss thus document granitic magmatism at an active continental margin during late Silurian times.     

GPS and GLONASS Integration: Modeling and Ambiguity Resolution Issues

The integration of GPS with GLONASS may be considered a major milestone in satellite-based positioning, because it can dramatically improve the reliability and productivity of said positioning. However, unlike GPS, GLONASS satellites transmit signals at different frequencies, which result in significant complexity in terms of modeling and ambiguity resolution for integrated GPS and GLONASS positioning systems. In this paper, a variety of mathematical and stochastic modeling methodologies and ambiguity resolution strategies are analyzed, and some remaining research challenges are identified. The exercise, of developing mathematical models and processing methodologies for integrated systems based on more than one satellite system, is a valuable one as it identified crucial issues concerned with the combination of any two or more microwave positioning systems, be they satellite-based or terrestrial. Hence these are experiences that can be applied to future projects that might integrate GPS with Galileo, or GLONASS and Galileo, or all three. ? 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The upper mantle beneath Kapfenstein and the Transdanubian volcanic region,E Austria and W Hungary: A comparison

Summary A representative suite of ultramafic xenoliths from Kapfenstein, Austria, has been investigated petrographically. Textures and mineral chemistries are compared with published data on Hungarian xenoliths and discussed within the framework of the hypothesis of a mantle diapir beneath the Transdanubian Volcanic Region (TVR) of E Austria and W Hungary. We succeeded in recognizing important differences which seem to support the TVR mantle diapir concept. Below the external part of the TVR (Kapfenstein) the upper mantle seems to be essentially untectonized and lithologically rather monotonous (e.g., Type II clinopyroxenites are absent). In contrast, both deformed (equigranular) and undeformed (protogranular) peridotite xenoliths occur in the internal part (Balaton area) where Type II clinopyroxenite xenoliths as well as Type I/Type II composite rocks are present. It is remarkable that at Gérce (Hungary), situated approximately mid-way between the internal and external regions, almost exclusively porphyroclastic xenoliths occur.The undeformed xenoliths from Kapfenstein are largely unfractionated. A small proportion exhibits depletions in basaltic component or some mild influence of mantle metasomatism. Several mineral chemical parameters, such asmg-number of olivine, Al₂O₃ content of spinel and clinopyroxene, apparent pyroxene equilibration temperature, etc., show a narrow distribution with a pronounced maximum in the undeformed Kapfenstein xenoliths. By contrast, the deformed xenoliths from the internal TVR show a much broader range of values with no distinct maximum, attesting to a more complex chemical and physical evolution. Thus a direct relationship between deformation and chemistry seems to be confirmed. The deformed rocks can be extreme in two ways: they can either be strongly depleted or strongly enriched as documented by the high contents of clinopyroxene in equigranular xenoliths from Szigliget. Tectonization apparently opens the way for mass transport in either direction.

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Der obere Mantel unterhalb Kapfenstein und der Transdanubischen Vulkanischen Region, E-Österreich und W-Ungarn: Ein Vergleich

Zusammenfassung Eine repräsentative Suite von ultramafischen Xenolithen von Kapfenstein, Steiermark, wurde petrologisch untersucht. Die Gefüge und Mineralchemismen werden mit publizierten Daten von ungarischen Vorkommen verglichen und im Rahmen der Mantel-Diapir-Hypothese für die Transdanubische Vulkanische Region (TVR) diskutiert. Der Vergleich ergab wesentliche Unterschiede, welche das TVR-Mantel-Diapir-Konzept unterstützen. Der Mantel unterhalb des äußeren Teiles der TVR (Kapfenstein) ist praktisch untektonisiert und lithologisch monoton (z.B. fehlen Typ II Klinopyroxenite). Im Gegensatz dazu finden sich im inneren Teil (Balaton-Region) sowohl deformierte (equigranulare) als auch nicht-deformierte (protogranulare) Xenolithe zusammen mit Typ II Klinopyroxeniten. Auch zusammengesetzte Xenolithe, bestehend aus Typ I und Typ II Gesteinen sind vorhanden. Bemerkenswert ist, daß bei Gérce (Ungarn), eine Lokalität, welche sich zwischen dem inneren und äußeren Teil der TVR befindet, fast ausschließlich nur porphyroklastische Xenolithe vorkommen.Die undeformierten Xenolithe von Kapfenstein sind größtenteils unfraktioniert. Einige wenige zeigen Verarmungen oder geringfügige metasomatische Anreicherungen. Histogramme mineralchemischer Parameter zeigen sehr deutlich die Unterschiede zwischen den undeformierten Kapfenstein Xenolithen und den deformierten der inneren TVR. Die Kapfenstein Xenolithe zeigen typischerweise regelmäßige Verteilungen mit einem deutlichen Maximum. Die Xenolithe der inneren TVR hingegen zeigen eine flache Verteilung und weisen damit auf eine wesentlich komplexere chemische Entwicklung hin. Unsere Daten scheinen einen direkten Zusammenhang zwischen Deformation und chemischer Veränderung aufzuzeigen. Die deformierten Gesteine können in dieser Hinsicht zwei Extreme annehmen: Sie können entweder stark verarmt oder stark angereichert sein. Letzeres wird z.B. beeindruckend durch die hohen Gehalte an Klinopyroxen der equigranularen Xenolithe von Szigliget dokumentiert. Tektonisierung scheint die Wege für Massen-Transporte in beiden Richtungen zu öffnen.

     

Melt inclusions and crystal-liquid separation in rhyolitic magma of the Bishop Tuff

Melt inclusions in quartz phenocrysts from a single clast of pumice near the base of the plinian pumice fall of the Bishop Tuff were studied to test ideas concerning separation of melt and crystals in silicic magmas. Ten analyzed inclusions from the pumice clast are of high silica rhyolite composition with very low contents of the highly compatible elements Ba, Sr, and Eu, consistent with extensive fractionation. The concentrations of U, La, Ce, Mg, and Ca of these ten melt inclusions vary considerably as determined by ion microprobe. Petrologic considerations indicate that uranium is an incompatible element with a maximum bulk partition coefficient D of about 0.2 and that the evolution of the uranium content of the melt was controlled by crystallization of the magma. A minimum of 33 wt% perfect fractional crystallization is required to explain the observed range in uranium. However, only 17 wt% crystals occurred in the pumice clast. The greater calculated fraction of crystals requires significant separation of crystals and melt before the eruption of the plinian pumice fall in spite of the fact that crystal mixing (settling, etc.) did not occur in the Bishop magma.