REE distribution in the resin-asphaltene fractions as a geochemical criterion for identification of sources of trace elements in oil

This paper reports REE data on resin-asphaltene components of oil from six oil-gas-bearing provinces and on bitumoids from inferred oil-source rocks (domanikites and bazhenites). It was shown that, regardless of geological-tectonic structure of the regions, oil composition, depth of reservoirs, and host lithologies, oil exhibits significant REE fractionation, and, unlike bitumoids, positive Eu anomaly. The (Eu/Sm)_n ratio increases from asphaltenes to resins and further to oils. Based on REE distribution in oil, source rocks, and bitumoids, it was concluded that deep-seated fluids were one of the possible sources that defined the trace element composition of oil.     

Geochemical evidence for the ophiolitic nature of the gabbros,gabbroanorthosites, and ultramafic rocks of the Gerbikan fragment of the Baladek Massif of the southeastern framing of the North Asian craton

The Baladek Massif represents a tectonic block located at the boundary between the SE framing of the North Asian craton and the fold structures of the Galam terrane of the Mongol-Okhotsk fold belt. According to the existing concepts, the rocks of this massif are regarded as Precambrian complexes of the aforementioned craton. This paper reports the results of studying the fragment of the Baladek Massif in the Gerbikan River basin. New geochemical data obtained on the gabbros, gabbroanorthosites, and ultramafic rocks testify to their similarity with typical ophiolite complexes. An underlying complex of metamorphic ultrabasic rocks, a layered complex of pyroxenites and “cumulate” gabbros, gabbroanorthosites, and a complex of isotropic gabbros were distinguished within this fragment. It is highly possible that the basic volcanic rocks and jaspers of the Silurian-Lower Devonian sequences of the Galam segment of the Mongol-Okhotsk fold belt also belong to the inferred ophiolite complex.     

Microstructure characteristics and forming environment of late Quaternary Period loess in the Loess Plateau of China

Since the late Quaternary Period, the rapid rising of the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau has greatly changed the East Asian climate and formed different regional monsoon climates. Various microstructures of the loess in northern China have formed under a variety of climatic conditions. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy spectrum analysis are used in this paper to study the relationship between the indexes of loess microstructures and the forming climates, and the indexes include the diameter of sand grains, Ca/Fe value and the characteristic shapes of the loess from SEM microstructures pictures. In terms of their respective climatic circumstances, the major microstructures of regional loess may be classified into nine categories according to their forms and particle sizes, such as loess formed in near-sand source, loess of granule sand dropping, and loess formed in hot and rainy places, i.e. with the loess SEM pictures, climates of about 15 ka b.p. in different places may be evaluated. In conclusion, the clear and distinguishable loess microstructures and their indexes in the Loess Plateau of China can also deduce the evolution of climate, such as warm or cold and wet or dry, and even sandstorm activities when the loess is deposited.     

Detailed architecture of a compound incised valley system and correlation with forced regressive wedges: Example of Late Quaternary Têt and Agly rivers,western Gulf of Lions,Mediterranean Sea,France

Quaternary incised valley systems are usually characterized by the preservation of a single valley-fill attributed to the last post-glacial period. Moreover, there are very few cases of correlation between incised valley system developed on inner shelf and sedimentary units observed on the mid to outer shelf, mainly forced regressive wedges. The Roussillon shelf, in the western part of the Gulf of Lion, is a particular example of preserved Quaternary compound incised valley system also characterized by a direct correlation with the forced regressive lowstand wedges on the mid-outer shelf. High-resolution seismic data and a borehole, 60 m deep, located on the beach barrier permit an accurate study of the geometry and lithology of the system. Six imbricated and more or less preserved incised valleys and valley-fills are observed up to the inner to mid-shelf. The key surfaces associated to the incised valleys are correlated to the boundaries of the forced regressive wedges. They are assumed to be reworked surfaces. At the borehole location, only few thin layers, less than 1 m thick, of coarse grain and/or floating pebbles, are observed and should correspond to preserved fluvial lowstand deposits reworked under marine influence. The valley fills are mainly composed of estuarine muddy silts. From AMS ¹⁴C age dating it is inferred that the uppermost incised valley system is younger than 45 ky cal BP. Based on those observations, the six preserved incised valley systems are assumed to be controlled by the last six 4th order sea-level cycles — 100 ky — of the middle to late Quaternary. The paleo-topography of the underlying Plio-Quaternary deposits controls the compound incised valley system location. The deep topography of the Messinian Erosionnal Surface is a controlling factor at a lower degree. The partial preservation of the successive valley fill is attributed not only to the differential subsidence but also to the lateral migration of each incision and to the hydrodynamic regime.     

3d transition metal L-edge X-ray absorption studies of the dichalcogenides of Fe, Co and Ni

The X-ray absorption spectra of the transition metal L_3,2-edges of the dichalcogenides FeS₂ (pyrite), FeSe₂, FeTe₂, CoS₂, CoSe₂, CoTe₂, NiS₂, NiSe₂ and NiTe₂ have been studied. These spectra are compared with theoretical simulations make using the atomic multiplet approach assuming on octahedral site for the metal atoms. The Ni spectra can be closely simulated using this approach but the Fe and Co spectra show less good fits to the experimental data. The reasons for this and its implications for the use of L-edge spectra in the study of such minerals are discussed in terms of the covalency and the ground states of the compounds; these results indicate the mixing of the ground states increases in the order Ni<Co<Fe.     

Characterization of permineralized kerogen from an Eocene fossil fern

The processes of organic maturation that occur during the permineralization of fossils and the detailed chemistry of the resulting products are incompletely understood. Primary among such processes is the geochemical alteration of biological matter to produce kerogen, such as that which comprises the cell walls of the fossils studied here: essentially unmetamorphosed, Eocene plant axes (specimens of the fossil fern Dennstaedtiopsis aerenchymata cellularly permineralized in cherts of the Clarno Formation of Oregon and the Allenby Formation of British Columbia). The composition and molecular structure of the kerogen that comprises the cell walls of such axes were analyzed using ultraviolet Raman spectroscopy (UV–Raman), solid state ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹³C NMR) and pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (py–GC–MS).Cellularly well-preserved fern axes from both geologic units exhibit similar overall molecular structure, being composed primarily of networks of aromatic rings and polyene chains that, unlike more mature kerogens, lack large polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) constituents. The cell walls of the Allenby Formation specimens are, however, less altered than those of the Clarno chert, exhibiting more prevalent oxygen-containing and alkyl functional groups and comprising a greater fraction of rock mass.The study represents the first demonstration of the effectiveness (and limitations) of the combined use of UV–Raman, ¹³C NMR and py–GC–MS for the analysis of the kerogenous cell walls of chert-permineralized vascular plants.     

Energy release in a prominence-loaded flaring loop

Zaitsev and Stepanov (1991, 1992) proposed a mechanism for energy release in solar flares that involves the intrusion of dense prominence material into a coronal loop. The resulting non-steady state conditions are claimed to increase the resistance of the loop by 8–10 orders of magnitude. It is shown here that the dramatic increase in resistance calculated by Zaitsev and Stepanov depends on a gross overestimate of the of the magnitude of the magnetic force in the loop prior to the flare trigger. A more realistic estimate of the increase due to the mechanism suggests that it is by no more than about four orders of magnitude. As a consequence, the prominence-loading mechanism does not provide a tenable flare model.     

Evolving Photospheric Flux Concentrations and Filament Dynamic Changes

We analyze the role of weak photospheric flux concentrations that evolve in a filament channel, in the triggering of dynamic changes in the shape of a filament. The high polarimetric sensitivity of THEMIS allowed us to detect weak flux concentrations (few Gauss) associated with the filament development. The synoptic instruments (MDI, SOLIS) even if their sensitivity is much less than THEMIS were useful to follow any subsequent strengthening of these flux concentrations after their identification in the THEMIS magnetograms. We found that (1) the northern part of the filament develops an Hα barb at the same time that weak minority polarity elements develop near a plage; (2) a section in the southern part of the Hα filament gradually disappears and later reforms at the same time that several mixed-polarity magnetic elements appear, then subsequently cancel or spread away from each other. These changes correspond to increases in EUV emission, as observed by TRACE, EIT, and CDS. This suggests that the plasma is temporarily heated along the filament spine. An idealized sequence of force-free models of this filament channel, based on plasma-supporting magnetic dips occurring in the windings of a very weakly twisted flux tube, naturally explains the evolution of its southern part as being due to changes in the topology of the coronal magnetic field as the photospheric flux concentrations evolve.     

Small-scale inhomogeneities in the solar corona: Evidence from meter-λ radio bursts

A number of inconsistencies between simple theory and observations of solar radio bursts indicate that mode-mode coupling in the solar corona is much stronger than predicted. The inconsistencies include the absence of predicted reversal of the sense of polarization in a type 1 storm at CMP, and the anomalously weak polarization of type II and type III emission. The strong mode coupling could be explained in terms of small scale inhomogeneities (L _N? 100 km) throughout the relevant regions of the corona. The relevant regions are those with open magnetic field lines overlying active regions. It is suggested that the coronal plasma is confined to magnetically self-pinched sheets, and it is pointed out that another inconsistency, namely the anomalously small amount of Faraday variation in type III bursts, could be explained if the value of n _e B in the inter-sheet region were two orders of magnitude less than in the sheets.