Hydrophobic and electrostatic parameters in bacterial adhesion

Recently it has been shown that the initial stages of bacterial adhesion to a model-surface of sulphated polystyrene can best be described using hydrophobic and electrostatic parameters. In the present study it is tested whether these parameters can generally be applied to predict bacterial adhesion by using (i) glass, as a model for hydrophilic and natural surfaces of silicates and oxides, (ii) polystyrene coated with proteins, as a model for a surface coated with an organic layer, and (iii) river Rhine sediment, as an example of a natural surface. Adhesion to glass was dominated by electrostatic interaction, whereas adhesion to polystyrene coated with various types of proteins depended on the surface characteristics of the bacteria and the type of protein. By relating Van der Waals interactions to hydrophobicity of the interacting species, the adhesion of bacteria to the various surfaces including the river Rhine sediments could be interpreted in terms of the DLVO-theory. It is therefore concluded that the conceptual principles of the DLVO-theory (interplay of Van der Waals and electrostatic interactions) are suitable to describe, at least qualitatively, the initial processes of bacterial adhesion to a wide range of surfaces.     

Die Entwicklung der Tethystrias und Herkunft ihrer Fauna

Zusammenfassung Es wird zunächst ein kurzer Überblick über die stratigraphische und fazielle Entwicklung der Trias im Gesamtraum der Tethys zwischen Betischer Kordillere in Spanien und Timor gegeben. Hierbei zeigt sich, daß im Westabschnitt, besonders im mediterranen Raum, eine mio- und aristogeosynklinale und nur untergeordnet eugeosynklinale Entwicklung der Trias vorliegt, in Ostasien (Himalaya, China) auch eugeosynklinal entwickelte Trias vermehrt auftritt. Die europäische Entwicklung der Tethystrias ist durch ihre vielfältige Individualisierung von der asiatischen Trias, die in ihrem Oberteil weiträumig durch eine detritische Fazies beherrscht ist, unterschieden, was besonders auf den Einfluß der indosinischen Faltung in Ostasien zurückgeht. Nord- und Südast der Tethys aber deshalb und auf Grund eines verschiedenartigen Erbes als Paläo- und Neotethys zu bezeichnen, geht zu weit, da die Einheit der gesamten Tethys hierdurch begrifflich zerrissen werden würde.Besonders hervorzuheben ist die Tatsache, daß zahlreiche typische Triasschichtglieder in verschiedenen Abschnitten des Gesamtraumes der Tethys auftreten, nach Litho- und Biofazies und Altersstellung eindeutig als gleichartig identifiziert werden können und demnach im gesamten Raum mit gleichen Namen belegt werden sollen. Das gilt besonders für Reichenhaller Rauhwacke, Gutensteiner Kalk, Reiflinger Kalk, Wettersteinkalk, Hallstätter Kalk, Dachsteinkalk, Kössener Schichten, Rhätoliaskalk — um nur einige Glieder zu nennen, die vom gesamten Raum vom mediterranen Gebiet bis über China hinaus, und zwar z. T. bis Timor — und im Falle des Hallstätter Kalkes bis Südamerika -, verfolgt werden können. Die Ursache liegt im gleichen Schicksal der Kontinentrandgebiete, teils durch Eustatik, teils durch die Mobilität des Schelfs, teils durch die gleichartigen Gesteinsbildner in Fauna und Flora bewirkt.Die Gemeinsamkeit von entscheidenden Faunenelementen über den gesamten Raum der Tethys hin ist ein nächstes, besonders ins Auge stechendes Merkmal. Sie bezieht sich nicht nur auf planktonische und pelagische Elemente, sondern auch auf vagil-benthonische, ja sessile Organismen und umfaßt überraschend viele Arten der Makro- und Mikrofauna, darunter viele Leitfossilien. Zahlreiche Formen sind bisher unter verschiedenen Lokalnamen beschrieben worden, deren Nachuntersuchung nun die Gleichartigkeit über den gesamten Raum der Tethys bestätigt hat. Natürlich bezieht sich diese Feststellung nur auf einen Teil der Fauna, daneben erscheinen auch an Faunenprovinzen gebundene Elemente.Schließlich werden Überlegungen über die Herkunft der Tethysfauna angestellt. Als Heimat eines wesentlichen überregional verbreiteten Anteils wird der ostpazifische Raum am amerikanischen Kontinentalrand, besonders der Raum von Britisch-Kolumbien abgeleitet. Als Gründe sprechen dafür: 1. Reichliche Beteiligung von Tethyselementen an der Fauna dieser ostpazifischen Provinz, 2. Fehlen eines Meeresweges quer durch (Mittel-) Amerika nach Osten zur Tethys in der Zeit der Trias, 3. Rekonstruktion eines Paläowind- und Meeresströmungssystems auf Grund der Triaspaläogeographie und aktualistischer Prinzipien, das eine Drift von Osten nach Westen durch Pazifik und Tethys bewirkt haben muß, 4. Die Möglichkeit dieser Wanderung von Faunenelementen über den Pazifik auch für vagiles und sessiles Benthos mit Hilfe von Larvenstadien und in pseudoplanktonischer Form auf Tang und Treibholz. Abgesehen von diesem über den gesamten tropischen bis tropennahen Raum von Pazifik und Tethys verbreiteten Anteil kommt naturgemäß noch ein autochthoner Anteil der Fauna hinzu, der sich in den einzelnen Faunenprovinzen jeweils autonom entwickelt hat — besonders begünstigt im asiatischen Teil der Tethys. Schließlich liegt nach der Verbreitung bestimmter Arten und Artgruppen noch die Möglichkeit der Wanderung eurasiatischer Formen in höheren Breiten mit den ostgerichteten Gegenströmungen von Tethys und Pazifik nahe.

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The development of the Triassic within the Tethys realm and the origin of its fauna

Summary This paper gives at first a survey about the stratigraphy and facies of the Triassic within the Tethys realm between Betic Cordillera in Spain and Timor in Indonesia. This review shows that the western part of the Tethys in the Mediterranean region comprises a mio-, (eu-)and aristogeosynclinal facies of the Triassic and prooves that the eugeosynclinal facies is more significant for the central- and eastasiatic part of the Tethys realm.The European development is characterized by an extreme individualisation of faciestypes and a hight specification of Triassic formations, whilst the Asiatic region is dominated by an extensive spreading of immense masses of detritus in the Upper Triassic — particularly in the northern branch of Tethys -, in dependence on the Indosinic orogenesis at the end of the Middle Triassic. The distinction of a northern Paleotethys and a southern Neotethys during the Mesozoic era with regard to this event can't be sanctioned, respecting the integrity of the Tethys as a whole.The following chapter stresses the fact that many alpine formations are spreaded whole over the Tethys realm, identic in lithofacies, biofacies, fauna, flora and stratigraphic position, so that one must not hesitate denominating the same formations with the same name (Lugeon/Andrusov-principle). Those formations and members, identical all over the Tethys region, are e. g. Reichenhaller cellular dolomite, Gutenstein Wurstel-limestone, Reifling-, Wetterstein-, Hallstatt- and Dachstein-limestone, which can be observed from the Mediterranean region up to China and Timor — the Hallstatt limestone as fare as Southern America. The reason of this surprisingly fact is caused by the same conditions of the plate margins during the Triassic tectonic history, moreover by the same conditions for the formation of organogeneous limestone by time-specific organismes and in some cases also in eustatic movements of the sea level.The next fact shown in this paper is the result that a lot of characteristic alpin fauna elements are spreaded all over the Tethys area, from the Alps to Indonesia. This statement concerns not only planctonic and pseudoplanctonic taxa, but also many bentonic elements living in a vagil or sessil manner within the macro- and microfauna — comprisingly also many index-fossils. Hitherto a lot of those species have been described under local names. The revision of the fossil material, collected directly by the authors in many sectors of the Tethys has confirmed this result of widespread species whole over the Tethys ocean.Finally some reflections are made about the origin of the Tethys fauna. A part of the Tethys fauna which is common with the fauna of the Eastern Pacific region, is regarded as originally developed in Western America, particularly in the territory of British Columbia, and transported by the Pacific ocean currents westwards into the Tethys. A short connection between Eastern Pacific and Western Tethys by a Protoatlantic (Poseidon) did not existe in consequence of the existence of Pangea during the Triassic time. Therefore the communication of the identic faunistic elements of Eastern Pacific and Tethys must have be realized by transpacific way: New observations about the longevity of larval stages, also of recent benthic organisms and reflections about the Triassic paleocurrent system in the Panthalassa established on actualistic principles (Fig. 2) proove the feasibility of such a theory. By the counter-current in high latitudes the transport of Tethyal elements to eastern areas along the shore of America could be effected.

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Résumé Cet article donne premièrement un résumé de la stratigraphie et du faciès du Trias de la région mesogéenne entre la Cordillère Bétique et Timor en Indonésie. Il apparaît ainsi qu'on trouve dans les régions méditerranéennes notamment un faciès mio- et aristogéosynclinal, tandis que le faciès eugéosynclinal est plus fréquent dans la partie centrale et orientale de la Téthys asiatique.La partie européenne de la Téthys est caractérisée par une individualisation extrême des types de faciès et des formations. Au contraire, le faciès de la région asiatique est dominé par des masses détritiques dans le Trias supérieur, comme conséquence de la phase orogénique indosinienne dans l'Asie orientale.Par la suite on démontre que bien des formations alpines sont répandues dans toute la région de la Téthys, identiques en lithofaciès, biofaciès, faunes, flores et dans leur position stratigraphique — en conséquence, il ne faut pas hésiter d'employer les mêmes désignations pour les mêmes formations dans tout le territoire en question. On retrouve par exemple les cargnieules de Reichenhall, les calcaires vermiculés de Gutenstein, les calcaires de Reifling, du Wetterstein, de Hallstatt et du Dachstein etc. à partir de la région méditerranéenne jusqu' en Chine et à Timor; d'autre part, les calcaires de Hallstatt se retrouvent jusqu' en Amérique méridionale. Ce fait étonnant tient à des conditions identiques valables pour les bords des plaques continentales pendant le Triassique, ainsi qu'à une formation identique des calcaires organogènes provoquée par l'existence simultanée des mêmes organismes et aussi par des oscillations eustatiques de l'océan.Un autre résultat que nous aimerions mentionner dans cet article est le fait qu' un nombre assez grand des éléments de la faune alpine est répandu dans tout le territoire de la Téthys. Cette constatation ne concerne pas seulement les éléments (pseudo-)planctoniques, mais aussi beaucoup d'organismes bentoniques (vagiles et sessiles) de la macroet microfaune. Jusqu' à présent, beaucoup de ces espèces sont décrites sous des noms locaux. La révision des suites des fossiles, collectionnées par les auteurs eux-mêmes dans les différents secteurs de la Téthys, a confirmé ce fait.Enfin des réflexions sont faites sur l'origine de la faune téthysienne. Une partie de cette faune de la Téthys, celle qui correspond à la faune de la région pacifique orientale, se serait développée d'abord en Amérique septentrionale, notamment en Colombie britannique, et aurait été transportée par le courant pacifique central vers l'ouest, dans la Téthys. Une communication directe, pendant le Trias, entre le Pacifique et la Téthys occidentale, par un Protoatlantique («Poseidon») n'existait pas du fait que la Pangéa était intacte. La migration des éléments faunistiques dans le Pacifique oriental et dans la Téthys n'était possible que le long de la route transpacifique. Des observations nouvelles sur la longue durée des stades larvales des organismes bentoniques ainsi que des réflexions concernant les paléocourants de la Panthalassa (Fig. 2) prouvent le bien-fondé de cette théorie. Par des contre-courants dans des latitudes supérieures, le transport des éléments faunistiques de la Téthys dans des régions arctiques et antarctiques de l'Amérique était possible.

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Arbeit im Rahmen des Int. Geol. Correl. Programme, Projekt 73/I/4, Triassic of the Tethys Realm, durchgeführt.     

Geochemistry of the Sweetwater Wash Pluton,California: Implications for “anomalous” trace element behavior during differentiation of felsic magmas

Field relations, mineralogy and major and trace element data for the very felsic, peraluminous Sweetwater Wash pluton establish a differentiation sequence dominantly controlled by fractional crystallization processes. Elements Ba and Sr show depletion by factors of 50–60X from the earliest granite unit analyzed to the late-stage pegmatites and aplites. The strong Ba depletion is largely due to the partitioning behavior of this element in K-feldspar, while the Sr depletion is due to the combined effects of the two feldspars. The 4-fold increase in Rb during crystallization is also predictable from mineral/ melt partition coefficients.Coefficients for the light rare-earth elements (LREE) in major mineral species predict that these elements should behave incompatibly during crystallization and increase with fractionation. In fact, the LREE abundances decrease by a factor of 10–20X during crystallization. This anomalous behavior is commonly observed in felsic plutonic and volcanic sequences. In the Sweetwater Wash pluton monazite occurs in minute quantities, but it is sufficiently abundant to govern the partitioning of LREE and Th during crystallization. Petrographic observations indicate that monazite was on the liquidus throughout most of the crystallization. Analyses of silicate mineral separates suggest that the monazite contains more than 75% of the LREE in the whole rocks.Fractionation of REE-rich accessories (in particular monazite) from felsic magmas may be the general cause of REE depletion during differentiation of these melts. Monazite can easily be mistaken for zircon and, because it typically contains 50% LREE, extremely minute and easily overlooked quantities of monazite can control LREE abundances.     

Improved magnetic anomalies of the Antarctic lithosphere from satellite and near-surface data

The Antarctic magnetic anomaly map compiled marine and airborne surveys collected south of 60°S through 1999 and used Magsat data to help fill in the regional gaps between the surveys. Ørsted and CHAMP satellite magnetic observations with greatly improved measurement accuracies and temporal and spatial coverage of the Antarctic, have now supplanted the Magsat data. We combined the new satellite observations with the near-surface survey data for an improved magnetic anomaly map of the Antarctic lithosphere. Specifically, we separated the crustal from the core and external field components in the satellite data using crustal thickness variations estimated from the terrain and the satellite-derived free-air gravity observations. Regional gaps in the near-surface surveys were then filled with predictions from crustal magnetization models that jointly satisfied the near-surface and satellite crustal anomalies. Comparisons in some of the regional gaps that also considered newly acquired aeromagnetic data demonstrated the enhanced anomaly estimation capabilities of the predictions over those from conventional minimum curvature and spherical harmonic geomagnetic field models. We also noted that the growing number of regional and world magnetic survey compilations involve coverage gaps where these procedures can contribute effective near-surface crustal anomaly estimates.     

Seismic,petrologic, and geodetic analyses of the 1999 dome-forming eruption of Guagua Pichincha volcano,Ecuador

Guagua Pichincha, located 14 km west of Quito, Ecuador, is a stratovolcano bisected by a horseshoe-shaped caldera. In 1999, after some months of phreatic activity, Guagua Pichincha entered into an eruptive period characterized by the extrusion of several dacitic domes, vulcanian eruptions, and pyroclastic flows. We estimated the three-dimensional (3-D) P-wave velocity structure beneath Guagua Pichincha using a tomographic inversion method based on finite-difference calculations of first-arrival times. Hypocenters of volcano-tectonic (VT) earthquakes and long-period (LP) events were relocated using the 3-D P-wave velocity model. A low-velocity anomaly exists beneath the caldera and may represent an active volcanic conduit. Petrologic analysis of eruptive products indicates a magma storage region beneath the caldera, having a vertical extent of 7–8 km with the upper boundary at about sea level. This zone coincides with the source region of deeper VT earthquakes, indicating that a primary magma body exists in this region. LP swarms occurred in a cyclic pattern synchronous with ground deformation during magma extrusions. The correlation between seismicity and ground deformation suggests that both respond to pressure changes caused by the cyclic eruptive behavior of lava domes.     

GPS radio holography as a tool for remote sensing of the atmosphere, mesosphere, and terrestrial surface from space

GPS radio occultation (RO) signals are highly coherent and precise, and thus sufficient for holographic investigation of the atmosphere, ionosphere, and the Earth's surface from space. In principle, three-dimensional radio-holographic remote sensing is possible by using new radio holographic equations to retrieve the radio field within the atmosphere from a radio field known at some interface outside the atmosphere. A simplified two-dimensional form of the radio-holographic equations which are developed under an assumption of local spherical symmetry can be used to obtain two-dimensional radio images of the atmosphere and terrestrial surface. To achieve this, radio holograms recorded by a GPS receiver onboard a low earth orbit (LEO) satellite at two GPS frequencies can be used and focused synthetic aperture principle applied. Analysis of GPS/MET RO data is presented to show the effectiveness of a radio-holographic approach. It is shown that the amplitude of GPS radio signals (in addition to phase data) can be used to obtain detailed altitude profiles of the vertical gradient of refractivity in the atmosphere and electron density in the mesosphere. The results demonstrate the applicability of GPS radio holography for a detailed global study of the natural processes in the atmosphere and mesosphere. Electronic Publication     

The development of computer networks: First results from a microeconomic model

 Computer networks like the Internet are gaining importance in social and economic life. The accelerating pace of the adoption of network technologies for business purposes is a rather recent phenomenon. Many applications are still in the early, sometimes even experimental, phase. Nevertheless, it seems to be certain that networks will change the socioeconomic structures we know today. This is the background for our special interest in the development of networks, in the role of spatial factors influencing the formation of networks, and consequences of networks on spatial structures, and in the role of externalities. This paper discusses a simple economic model – based on a microeconomic calculus – that incorporates the main factors that generate the growth of computer networks. The paper provides analytic results about the generation of computer networks. The paper discusses (1) under what conditions economic factors will initiate the process of network formation, (2) the relationship between individual and social evaluation, and (3) the efficiency of a network that is generated based on economic mechanisms. Received: 5 July 2000 / Accepted: 28 November 2000     

The late Quaternary development of three ancient tarns on southwestern Cumberland Peninsula, Baffin Island, Arctic Canada: paleolimnological evidence from diatoms and sediment chemistry

Sediment diatom and chemical analyses of cores from three poorly buffered extra-glacial lakes on the northeastern margin of the Canadian Shield (Cumberland Peninsula, Baffin Island) record interactions between aquatic and terrestrial spheres that were influenced by late Quaternary climatic conditions. Although differences exist between each of the lakes, notably with regards to the intensity of pre-Holocene catchment erosion and the timing of the onset of organic sedimentation, an underlying pattern of lake ontogeny, common to all three lakes, is identified. Although intensified watershed erosion characterized the Late Wisconsinan and Neoglacial cold periods, the lakes nonetheless remained viable ecosystems at these times. Sudden catchment stabilization during the late-glacial to earliest Holocene is associated with incipient organic sedimentation. Lake-water pH increased at this time, likely in response both longer base cation residence times as lake flushing rates decreased, and enhanced alkalinity production from sediment biogeochemical reactions. Subsequently, as the catchments remained stable during the productive early Holocene (c.9–7 ka BP), then gradually received a renewed increase of minerogenic sedimentation, the breakdown of sources of lake alkalinity resulted in natural acidification. Burial of cation-rich mineral sediments and the loss of permanent sedimentary sinks for the products of microbial reduction likely impeded within-lake alkalinity production, and catchment-derived base cations appeared ineffective in curtailing pH declines. The general nature of the Holocene development of these lakes is similar to that observed elsewhere on crystalline terrains, following deglaciation. Our data therefore suggest that catchment glaciation is not a necessary precursor for models of lake development characterized by initial base cation enrichment and subsequent gradual acidification.     

On the causes of landslides: Human activities,perception, and natural processes

Conceptual equations are presented for the net benefits, total risk, and total vulnerability associated with hazard zone occupation. It is shown that, as they are polycausal phenomena, landslides require a more sophisticated approach to this form of analysis than that employed for most other forms of hazard.Three examples of landsliding are examined. At Cuyocuyo, in the Peruvian Cordillera Oriental, slope instability is virtually inevitable, but human intervention may be disturbing some very fragile natural equilibria. At Calciano, in southern Italy, deforestation has resulted in a mudflow disaster, although man-made factors are not the only causes at work. Finally, in the Valle dell'Orco (also in southern Italy) demographic and agrarian change have aided the partial metamorphosis of the catchment into a large-scale mudflow complex (although the longer-term causes are natural, tectonic ones). These examples illustrate parts of the continuum that extends from dominant natural to dominant anthropogenic causes.Human intervention has played a key role in stimulating the natural antecedents of landslides occurring in the study areas. It is concluded that risk perception has not been wide enough to promote adequate risk mitigation, in part because of a failure properly to conceive of landslides as polycausal phenomena, in which man-made causes effectively cannot—and should not—be separated from natural ones.