On the choice of relaxation coefficients for Davies' lateral boundary scheme for regional weather prediction models

Summary Relaxation coefficients for Davies' lateral boundary scheme for limited-area numerical weather prediction models are constructed in such a way that, under idealized conditions, the unwanted partial reflection of outgoing waves (leaving the limited area) at the boundary is minimized.With 2 Figures     

Two modified smoky quartz centers in natural citrine

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements on natural citrine and greenish-yellow quartz revealed the presence of several localized hole centers adjacent to an aluminium impurity. The g tensors and their principal axes directions were determined for the two most prominent centers. The g-tensor variations and ²⁷Al hyperfine splittings are roughly half as large as for the well-known smoky quartz centers. Optical and infrared absorption, thermal stability and thermoluminescence were also studied. In these citrine centers an additional defect must be present in the immediate neighborhood of the hole, but the exact nature of this defect is still unknown.     

Tin distribution in mid-Andean volcanic rocks

Volcanic rocks of the Rhyolite and Andesite Formations from the Central Andes (Chile, Argentina, Bolivia) have been analyzed for tin. Mean values of tin in rhyolitic rocks from Chile and Argentina are about 2 ppm, from the Bolivian Altiplano 3 ppm, and from the Bolivian Eastern Cordillera 4, 5 ppm. This means that an elemental increase of regional scale towards the Bolivian tin province exists.     

A Precambrian core sample from the Altiplano/Bolivia

Drilling in the Bolivian Altiplano discovered the Precambrian basement at 2.744 m of depth, Paleozoic strata lacking. The core is composed of hornblende meta-granite (hornblende granoblastite), in the upper part of biotite meta-granite (biotite granoblastite). Radiometric dating provides evidence for a Grenvillian magmatic or anatectic rock formation (1.050±100 my) and a later metamorphic event of 530±30 my in age.

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Zusammenfassung In einem Bohraufschluß vom Altiplano in Bolivien wurde in 2.744 m Teufe unter tertiärer und kretazischer Bedeckung das präkambrische Basement angetroffen. Der präkambrische Bohrkern besteht teils aus Hornblende-Meta-Granit (Hornblende-Kalifeldspat-Quarz-Plagioklas-Gneis), teils aus Biotit-Meta-Granit (Biotit-Kalifeldspat-Quarz-Plagioklas-Gneis). Nach Rb-Sr Datierung dürfte das Bildungsalter etwa 1.050±100 my betragen, eine Aufheizungsperiode um 530±30 my ist nach K-Ar Analyse zu vermuten.

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Résumé Lors d'un forage dans l'Altiplano bolivien le substratum précambrien a été rencontré à une profondeur de 2.744 m. La couverture sédimentaire comprend des couches tertiaires et crétaciques. La carotte précambrienne se compose d'un micro-granite gneissique de l'assemblage hornblende — feldspath potassique — quartz — plagioclase et d'un microgranite gneissique de biotite — feldspath potassique — quartz — plagioclase. L'âge de constitution de la roche est d'après l'analyse Rb-Sr de 1.050 ± 100 my. L'analyse K-Ar laisse supposer une transformation métamorphique de 530 ± 30 my.

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- , 2744 . — ( - -- —, - (- -- -). - 1050 ± 100 , , - , 530 ± 30 .

     

Thermoluminescence of shock-loaded amethyst quartz

In natural amethyst samples subjected to shock pressures between 10 and 50 GPa (1 GPa=10⁹ Pa), thermoluminescence (TL) was observed after subsequent X-ray irradiation, in some cases even without high energy irradiation. The glow curves could be decomposed into at most five components of Gaussian shape, but no reliable activation energies could be determined from them, perhaps due to a wide distribution of trap depths. With increasing shock pressures traps of higher thermal stability were favored. Emission bands with maxima near 14000 cm^?1 were observed independent of shock pressure. They appear to be characteristic of defects created during the shock events, but it is uncertain whether the observed TL is connected with the iron impurities characteristic for amethyst. In natural amethyst samples of the same origin no TL could be observed, even after additional X-ray irradiation. It is concluded that TL in amethysts reported in the literature was actually caused by defects associated with aluminium impurities, not by destruction of Fe⁴⁺.     

Geo-ecologic environment of a river main floodplain sediment profile: a micro-scale study

In the forest of Enkheim near the city of Frankfurt, the depositional sequence of a river Main floodplain sediment was analyzed with regard to the elemental composition of its sediment-facies using XRD- and XRF-techniques. The study includes: residual minerals (mainly Zr and Ti species, which are extremely resistant to weathering), detrital minerals (quartz, K-feldspars, plagioclases), secondary minerals (mainly clay minerals such as Illitehydrous mica, kaolinite, vermiculite, chlorite, smectite and mixed-layer clays) and precipitated minerals (mainly calcite). The processes of weathering are defined in terms of buffer ranges (pH-Eh stability fields). The impact of the acid weathering front on the upper part of the sedimentary sequence was established by the analyses of the mechanisms of dissolution, transport and sorption of selected constituents (major cations; heavy metals) of which their eco-availability is of importance when measures of environmental protection have to be taken.     

Formation of the strata-bound Kellhuani tin deposits,Bolivia

A magmatic-hydrothermal model of tin ore formation can best explain the geological, petrographical and geochemical data on the strata-bound Kellhuani tin district. The tin specialization of the magmatic system of the Chacaltaya porphyry stock, centered in the Kellhuani mining area, is the result of advanced fractional crystallization. The regional tin background of the least fractionated members of the Cordillera Real granite series and of their sedimentary country rocks corresponds to average crustal tin contents.Dedicated to Prof. H.-J. Schneider on the occasion of his 60th birthday     

The dual isotopes of deep nitrate as a constraint on the cycle and budget of oceanic fixed nitrogen

We compare the output of an 18-box geochemical model of the ocean with measurements to investigate the controls on both the mean values and variation of nitrate δ¹⁵N and δ¹⁸O in the ocean interior. The δ¹⁸O of nitrate is our focus because it has been explored less in previous work. Denitrification raises the δ¹⁵N and δ¹⁸O of mean ocean nitrate by equal amounts above their input values for N₂ fixation (for δ¹⁵N) and nitrification (for δ¹⁸O), generating parallel gradients in the δ¹⁵N and δ¹⁸O of deep ocean nitrate. Partial nitrate assimilation in the photic zone also causes equivalent increases in the δ¹⁵N and δ¹⁸O of the residual nitrate that can be transported into the interior. However, the regeneration and nitrification of sinking N can be said to decouple the N and O isotopes of deep ocean nitrate, especially when the sinking N is produced in a low latitude region, where nitrate consumption is effectively complete. The δ¹⁵N of the regenerated nitrate is equivalent to that originally consumed, whereas the regeneration replaces nitrate previously elevated in δ¹⁸O due to denitrification or nitrate assimilation with nitrate having the δ¹⁸O of nitrification. This lowers the δ¹⁸O of mean ocean nitrate and weakens nitrate δ¹⁸O gradients in the interior relative to those in δ¹⁵N. This decoupling is characterized and quantified in the box model, and agreement with data shows its clear importance in the real ocean. At the same time, the model appears to generate overly strong gradients in both δ¹⁸O and δ¹⁵N within the ocean interior and a mean ocean nitrate δ¹⁸O that is higher than measured. This may be due to, in the model, too strong an impact of partial nitrate assimilation in the Southern Ocean on the δ¹⁵N and δ¹⁸O of preformed nitrate and/or too little cycling of intermediate-depth nitrate through the low latitude photic zone.     

Using a pore‐scale model to quantify the effect of particle re‐arrangement on pore structure and hydraulic properties

A pore‐scale model based on measured particle size distributions has been used to quantify the changes in pore space geometry of packed soil columns resulting from a dilution in electrolyte concentration from 500 to 1 mmol l^?1 NaCl during leaching. This was applied to examine the effects of particle release and re‐deposition on pore structure and hydraulic properties. Two different soils, an agricultural soil and a mining residue, were investigated with respect to the change in hydraulic properties. The mining residue was much more affected by this process with the water saturated hydraulic conductivity decreasing to 0·4% of the initial value and the air‐entry value changing from 20 to 50 cm. For agricultural soil, there was little detectable shift in the water retention curve but the saturated hydraulic conductivity decreased to 8·5% of the initial value. This was attributed to localized pore clogging (similar to a surface seal) affecting hydraulic conductivity, but not the microscopically measured pore‐size distribution or water retention. We modelled the soil structure at the pore scale to explain the different responses of the two soils to the experimental conditions. The size of the pores was determined as a function of deposited clay particles. The modal pore size of the agricultural soil as indicated by the constant water retention curve was 45 µm and was not affected by the leaching process. In the case of the mining residue, the mode changed from 75 to 45 µm. This reduction of pore size corresponds to an increase of capillary forces that is related to the measured shift of the water retention curve. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.