Iron concretions within a highly altered unit of the Berlins Porphyry,New Zealand: an abiotic or biotic story?

Mineralogy and Petrology - The Berlins Porphyry located on the South Island of New Zealand provides an opportunity to examine iron concretions formed in a subterranean system. Specifically, an...     

Survey evaluations to assess marine bioinvasions

Countries need to know what species are present within their waters to effectively manage the issue of non-indigenous marine species. Five survey methods are currently employed to detect introduced marine species: the Hewitt and Martin protocols (66% of effort; 73 ports, 12 countries); Rapid Assessment Surveys (7% of effort; 8 regions, 4 countries); the Bishop Museum protocols (7% of effort; 8 ports, 3 countries); the Chilean aquaculture surveys (1% of effort; numerous regions; 1 country); and Passive Sampling protocols (18% of effort; 20 ports, 2 countries). These methods use either quantitative, qualitative, or a mixture of the two sampling techniques and tend to target locations that are potential inoculation sites (i.e., such as ports, marinas and aquaculture facilities). To date, introduced marine species surveys have been implemented in 19 countries and have detected more than 1185 non-indigenous, 735 cryptogenic and 15,315 native species.     

Wind variations in Jupiter's equatorial atmosphere: A QQO counterpart?

Jupiter's equatorial atmosphere, much like the Earth's, is known to show quasi-periodic variations in temperature, particularly in the stratosphere, but variations in other jovian atmospheric tracers have not been studied for any correlations to these oscillations. Data taken at NASA's Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) from 1979 to 2000 were used to obtain temperatures at two levels in the atmosphere, corresponding to the upper troposphere (250 mbar) and to the stratosphere (20 mbar). We find that the data show periodic signals at latitudes corresponding to the troposphere zonal wind jets, with periods ranging from 4.4 (stratosphere, 95% confidence at 4° S planetographic latitude) to 7.7 years (troposphere, 97% confidence at 6° N). We also discuss evidence that at some latitudes the troposphere temperature variations are out of phase from the stratosphere variations, even where no periodicity is evident. Hubble Space Telescope images were used, in conjunction with Voyager and Cassini data, to track small changes in the troposphere zonal winds from 20° N to 20° S latitude over the 1994-2000 time period. Oscillations with a period of 4.5 years are found near 7°-8° S, with 80-85% significance. Further, the strongest evidence for a QQO-induced tropospheric wind change tied to stratospheric temperature change occurs near these latitudes, though tropospheric temperatures show little periodicity here. Comparison of thermal winds and measured zonal winds for three dates indicate that cloud features at other latitudes are likely tracked at pressures that can vary by up to a few hundred millibar, but the cloud altitude change required is too large to explain the wind changes measured at 7° S.     

FIB‐TEM analysis of cometary material in 10 Stardust foil craters

Aluminum foils from the Stardust cometary dust collector contain impact craters formed during the spacecraft's encounter with comet 81P/Wild 2 and retain residues that are among the few unambiguously cometary samples available for laboratory study. Our study investigates four micron‐scale (1.8–5.2 μm) and six submicron (220–380 nm) diameter craters to better characterize the fine (<1 μm) component of comet Wild 2. We perform initial crater identification with scanning electron microscopy, prepare the samples for further analysis with a focused ion beam, and analyze the cross sections of the impact craters with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). All of the craters are dominated by combinations of silicate and iron sulfide residues. Two micron‐scale craters had subregions that are consistent with spinel and taenite impactors, indicating that the micron‐scale craters have a refractory component. Four submicron craters contained amorphous residue layers composed of silicate and sulfide impactors. The lack of refractory materials in the submicron craters suggests that refractory material abundances may differentiate Wild 2 dust on the scale of several hundred nanometers from larger particles on the scale of a micron. The submicron craters are enriched in moderately volatile elements (S, Zn) when normalized to Si and CI chondrite abundances, suggesting that, if these craters are representative of the Wild 2 fine component, the Wild 2 fines were not formed by high‐temperature condensation. This distinguishes the comet's fine component from the large terminal particles in Stardust aerogel tracks which mostly formed in high‐temperature events.     

Young orogenic gold mineralisation in active collisional mountains, Taiwan

Gold-bearing vein systems in the high mountains of Taiwan are part of the youngest tectonic-hydrothermal system on Earth. Tectonic collision initiated in the Pliocene has stacked Eocene–Miocene marine sedimentary rocks to form steep mountains nearly 4 km high. Thinner portions of the sedimentary pile (∼5 km) are currently producing hydrocarbons in a fold and thrust belt, and orogenic gold occurs in quartz veins in thicker parts of the pile (∼10 km) in the Slate Belt that underlies the mountains. Metamorphic fluids (2–5 wt.% NaCl equivalent) are rising from the active greenschist facies metamorphic zone and transporting gold released during rock recrystallisation. Metamorphic fluid flow at the Pingfengshan historic gold mine was focussed in well-defined (4 km³) fracture zones with networks of quartz veins, whereas large surrounding volumes of rock are largely unveined. Gold and arsenopyrite occur in several superimposed vein generations, with ankeritic alteration of host rocks superimposed on chlorite–calcite alteration zones as fluids cooled and became out of equilibrium with the host rocks. Mineralising fluids had δ¹⁸O near +10‰, δ¹³C was between −1‰ and −6‰ and these fluids were in isotopic equilibrium with host rocks at ∼350°C. Ankeritic veins were emplaced in extensional sites in kink fold axial surfaces, formed as the rock mass was transported laterally from compressional to extensional regimes in the orogen. Rapid exhumation (>2 mm/year) of the Slate Belt is causing a widespread shallow conductive thermal anomaly without igneous intrusions. Meteoric water is penetrating into the conductive thermal anomaly to contribute to crustal fluid flow and generate shallow boiling fluids (∼250°C) with fluid temperature greater than rock temperature. The meteoric-hydrothermal system impinges on, but causes only minor dilution of, the gold mineralisation system at depth.     

Geotechnical properties of municipal sewage sludge

The geotechnical properties of municipal sewage sludge, in particular those pertinent to the handling and landfilling of the material, are presented. Index, drying, compaction, shear strength and consolidation tests were conducted on the material at different states of biodegradation. The organic content and specific gravity of solids were found to be inversely related, with typical organic contents of 50–70% and specific gravity of solids values of 1.55–1.80. The density of the compacted material was low in comparison with mineral soils. Standard Proctor compaction yielded a maximum dry density of 0.56 tonne/m³ at 85% water content. Laboratory vane-shear and triaxial compression tests indicated that, below about 180% water content, the shear strength of the sludge material increased exponentially with reducing water content. Consolidated-undrained triaxial compression tests on the pasteurised sludge material indicated an effective angle of shearing resistance of 32° for the moderately degraded material and 37° for the strongly degraded material. Biogas was produced at rates of up to 0.33 L/day/kg slurry due to ongoing biodegradation and the resulting pore pressure response must be taken into account in any stress analysis. Consolidation tests using the hydraulic consolidation cell, oedometer and triaxial apparatus indicated that the sludge material was highly compressible although practically impermeable, for example the coefficient of permeability for the moderately degraded slurry was of the order of 10⁻⁹m/s. However, creep deformation was significant with typical coefficient of secondary compression values of 0.02–0.08 for the compacted material. A more free-draining material was produced at higher states of biodegradation.     

Identification, definition and quantification of goods and services provided by marine biodiversity: implications for the ecosystem approach

This paper identifies and defines ecosystem goods and services provided by marine biodiversity. Case studies have been used to provide an insight into the practical issues associated with the assessment of marine ecosystem goods and services at specific locations. The aim of this research was to validate the definitions of goods and services, and to identify knowledge gaps and likely difficulties of quantifying the goods and services. A validated theoretical framework for the assessment of goods and services is detailed, and examples of the goods and services at a variety of case study areas are documented. These results will enable future assessments of marine ecosystem goods and services. It is concluded that the utilisation of this goods and services approach has the capacity to play a fundamental role in the Ecosystem Approach, by enabling the pressures and demands of society, the economy and the environment to be integrated into environmental management.     

Soil-Gas Surveying for Subsurface Gasoline Contamination Using Total Organic Vapor Detection Instruments Part I. Theory and Laboratory Experimentation

Factors influencing the response of total organic vapor detection instruments used in soil-gas surveying for subsurface gasoline leakage were investigated through performing theoretical assessments and laboratory experiments. Theoretical assessments indicate that total organic vapor measurements will depend on response conditions and the relative concentration of constituents in soil gas, in addition to absolute constituent levels. Laboratory tests conducted using flame ionization, photoionization and explosimeter devices indicated that conditions influencing their responses included instrument flow rate and soil-air permeability when performing direct-probe sampling; the linear range of the instrument; the multicomponent nature of gasoline vapors; and levels of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and relative humidity in soil air. If an instrument's response to these conditions is not taken into account, survey results may be misleading. To circumvent adverse instrument responses, a serial dilution technique is presented.     

Bulk density effects on soil hydrologic and thermal characteristics: A numerical investigation

Soil bulk density (ρ_b) is commonly treated as static in studies of land surface dynamics. Magnitudes of errors associated with this assumption are largely unknown. Our objectives were to (a) quantify ρ_b effects on soil hydrologic and thermal properties and (b) evaluate effects of ρ_b on surface energy balance and heat and water transfer. We evaluated 6 soil properties, volumetric heat capacity, thermal conductivity, soil thermal diffusivity, water retention characteristics, hydraulic conductivity, and vapour diffusivity, over a range of ρ_b, using a combination of 6 models. Thermal conductivity, water retention, hydraulic conductivity, and vapour diffusivity were most sensitive to ρ_b, each changing by fractions greater than the associated fractional changes in ρ_b. A 10% change in ρ_b led to 10–11% change in thermal conductivity, 6–11% change in saturated and residual water content, 49–54% change in saturated hydraulic conductivity, and 80% change in vapour diffusivity. Subsequently, 3 field seasons were simulated with a numerical model (HYDRUS‐1D) for a range of ρ_b values. When ρ_b increased 25% (from 1.2 to 1.5 Mg m^?3), soil temperature variation decreased by 2.1 °C in shallow layers and increased by 1 °C in subsurface layers. Surface water content differed by 0.02 m³ m^?3 for various ρ_b values during drying events but differences mostly disappeared in the subsurface. Matric potential varied by >100 m of water. Surface energy balance showed clear trends with ρ_b. Latent heat flux decreased 6%, sensible heat flux increased 9%, and magnitude of ground heat flux varied by 18% (with a 25% ρ_b increase). Transient ρ_b impacted surface conditions and fluxes, and clearly, it warrants consideration in field and modelling investigations.     

Simulating conservative tracers in fractured till under realistic timescales

Discrete-fracture and dual-porosity models are infrequently used to simulate solute transport through fractured unconsolidated deposits, despite their more common application in fractured rock where distinct flow regimes are hypothesized. In this study, we apply four fracture transport models--the mobile-immobile model (MIM), parallel-plate discrete-fracture model (PDFM), and stochastic and deterministic discrete-fracture models (DFMs)--to demonstrate their utility for simulating solute transport through fractured till. Model results were compared to breakthrough curves (BTCs) for the conservative tracers potassium bromide (KBr), pentafluorobenzoic acid (PFBA), and 1,4-piperazinediethanesulfonic acid (PIPES) in a large-diameter column of fractured till. Input parameters were determined from independent field and laboratory methods. Predictions of Br BTCs were not significantly different among models; however, the stochastic and deterministic DFMs were more accurate than the MIM or PDFM when predicting PFBA and PIPES BTCs. DFMs may be more applicable than the MIM for tracers with small effective diffusion coefficients (De) or for short timescales due to differences in how these models simulate diffusion or incorporate heterogeneities by their fracture networks. At large scales of investigation, the more computationally efficient MIM and PDFM may be more practical to implement than the three-dimensional DFMs, or a combination of model approaches could be employed. Regardless of the modeling approach used, fractures should be incorporated routinely into solute transport models in glaciated terrain.