Formation of iron sulfide nodules during anaerobic oxidation of methane

The biomarker compositions of iron sulfide nodules (ISNs; upper Pliocene Valle Ricca section near Rome, Italy) that contain the ferrimagnetic mineral greigite (Fe₃S₄) were examined. In addition to the presence of specific terrestrial and marine biomarkers, consistent with formation in coastal marine sediments, these ISNs contain compounds thought to originate from sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB). These compounds include a variety of low-molecular-weight and branched alkanols and several non-isoprenoidal dialkyl glycerol diethers (DGDs). In addition, archaeal biomarkers, including archaeol, macrocyclic isoprenoidal DGDs and isoprenoidal glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers are also present. Both SRB and archaeal lipid δ¹³C values are depleted in ¹³C (δ¹³C values are typically less than −50‰), which suggests that the SRB and archaea consumed ¹³C depleted methane. These biomarker and isotopic signatures are similar to those found in cold seeps and marine sediments where anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) occurs with sulfate serving as the terminal electron acceptor. Association of AOM with formation of greigite-containing ISNs could provide an explanation for documented remagnetization of the Valle Ricca sediments. Upward migration of methane, subsequent AOM and associated authigenic greigite formation are widespread processes in the geological record that have considerable potential to compromise paleomagnetic records.     

Hydrological response to climate change in a glacierized catchment in the Himalayas

The analysis of climate change impact on the hydrology of high altitude glacierized catchments in the Himalayas is complex due to the high variability in climate, lack of data, large uncertainties in climate change projection and uncertainty about the response of glaciers. Therefore a high resolution combined cryospheric hydrological model was developed and calibrated that explicitly simulates glacier evolution and all major hydrological processes. The model was used to assess the future development of the glaciers and the runoff using an ensemble of downscaled climate model data in the Langtang catchment in Nepal. The analysis shows that both temperature and precipitation are projected to increase which results in a steady decline of the glacier area. The river flow is projected to increase significantly due to the increased precipitation and ice melt and the transition towards a rain river. Rain runoff and base flow will increase at the expense of glacier runoff. However, as the melt water peak coincides with the monsoon peak, no shifts in the hydrograph are expected.     

Contamination of a well in a uniform background flow

In this paper we describe the transport of pollution in groundwater in the neighbourhood of a well in a uniform background flow. We compute the rate at which contaminated particles reach the well as a function of the place of the source of pollution. The motion of a particle in a dispersive flow is seen as a random walk process. The Fokker-Planck equation for the random motion of a particle is transformed using the complex potential for the advective flow field. The resulting equation is solved asymptotically after a stretching transformation. Finally, the analytical solution is compared with results from Monte Carlo simulations with the random walk model. The method can be extended to arbitrary flow fields. Then by a numerical coordinate transformation the analytical results can still be employed.     

Spatial data for landslide susceptibility, hazard, and vulnerability assessment: An overview

The aim of this paper is to discuss a number of issues related to the use of spatial information for landslide susceptibility, hazard, and vulnerability assessment. The paper centers around the types of spatial data needed for each of these components, and the methods for obtaining them. A number of concepts are illustrated using an extensive spatial data set for the city of Tegucigalpa in Honduras. The paper intends to supplement the information given in the “Guidelines for Landslide Susceptibility, Hazard and Risk Zoning for Land Use Planning” by the Joint ISSMGE, ISRM and IAEG Technical Committee on Landslides and Engineered Slopes (JTC-1). The last few decades have shown a very fast development in the application of digital tools such as Geographic Information Systems, Digital Image Processing, Digital Photogrammetry and Global Positioning Systems. Landslide inventory databases are becoming available to more countries and several are now also available through the internet. A comprehensive landslide inventory is a must in order to be able to quantify both landslide hazard and risk. With respect to the environmental factors used in landslide hazard assessment, there is a tendency to utilize those data layers that are easily obtainable from Digital Elevation Models and satellite imagery, whereas less emphasis is on those data layers that require detailed field investigations. A review is given of the trends in collecting spatial information on environmental factors with a focus on Digital Elevation Models, geology and soils, geomorphology, land use and elements at risk.     

Crustal outgassing and LILE enrichment in major lithosphere structures,Archean Abitibi greenstone belt: evidence on the source reservoir from strontium and carbon isotope tracers

Major structural discontinuities in the Abitibi greenstone belt acted as conduits for outgassing of the Archean crust, as reflected in fixation of a select group of lithophile elements including Si, C, K, Rb, Ba, Li, Cs, B and Pb, in metasomatized faults. For two of the largest structures, the Destor-Porcupine (DP) and Kirkland Lake — Cadillac (KC) fault zones 6×10¹⁵ g Si, 3×10¹⁵ g CO₂ and 10¹⁵ g K were introduced into the faults during expulsion of an estimated 6×10¹⁸ g aqueous fluids. Strontium isotope ratios of tourmaline, piemontite, actinolite and scheelite mineral separates, characterized by Rb/Sr0.02, are concordant with respect to ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr initial ratios over local sectors of the faults. The Sr isotope data record geographic variations which, from east to west on the KC fault is 0.7031–0.7041 (Val d'Or), 0.7008–0.7022 (Bourlemaque), 0.7017–0.7019 (Bousquet), 0.7029–0.7031 (Noranda), and 0.7013 to 0.7015 (Kirkland Lake). At Timmins, on the PD fault, ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr initial ratios cluster at 0.7010 to 0.7020. Metasomatised fault zones are systematically more radiogenic than contiguous host lithologies, and imply a source reservoir (0.7010 to 0.7041) generally more radiogenic than the upper mantle at 2690 Ma (0.700±0.001), or contemporaneous volcanic rocks of mafic to ultramafic composition (0.700 to 0.7012). Whereas certain minerals are concordant and retentive, Rb-Sr isochrons based on suites of rocks at progressive intensities of metasomatism, have been systematically reset over an elpased time of 200 Ma after termination of outgassing, due to disturbance accompanying incremental displacements on structures.Carbon isotope compositions of ferroan dolomites in faults are tightly clustered along local fault sectors, but also display a marked provinciality: from east to west ¹³C=–6.0 to –8.5 (Malartic), –8.0 to –9.0 (Cadillac), –2.0 to –4.5 (Kirkland Lake), and –0.5 to –3.5 (Timmins). The observed provinciality of both ¹³C values and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr initial ratios is interpreted to reflect compositional heterogeneities in a radiogenic sialic crust and the green-stone belt supracrustal sequence, both of which supplied volatiles, magmas and lithophile elements to the fault structures during late stage transpressive tectonics.     

Do households prefer to move up or down the urban hierarchy during an economic crisis?

Journal of Geographical Systems - In this paper, we investigate the relationship between adverse economic circumstances and the desire of Dutch households to move up or down the urban hierarchy. We...