Probing the deep critical zone beneath the Luquillo Experimental Forest,Puerto Rico

Recent work has suggested that weathering processes occurring in the subsurface produce the majority of silicate weathering products discharged to the world's oceans, thereby exerting a primary control on global temperature via the well‐known positive feedback between silicate weathering and CO₂. In addition, chemical and physical weathering processes deep within the critical zone create aquifers and control groundwater chemistry, watershed geometry and regolith formation rates. Despite this, most weathering studies are restricted to the shallow critical zone (e.g. soils, outcrops). Here we investigate the chemical weathering, fracturing and geomorphology of the deep critical zone in the Bisley watershed in the Luquillo Critical Zone Observatory, Puerto Rico, from two boreholes drilled to 37.2 and 27.0 m depth, from which continuous core samples were taken. Corestones exposed aboveground were also sampled. Weathered rinds developed on exposed corestones and along fracture surfaces on subsurface rocks slough off of exposed corestones once rinds attain a thickness up to ~1 cm, preventing the corestones from rounding due to diffusion limitation. Such corestones at the land surface are assumed to be what remains after exhumation of similar, fractured bedrock pieces that were observed in the drilled cores between thick layers of regolith. Some of these subsurface corestones are massive and others are highly fractured, whereas aboveground corestones are generally massive with little to no apparent fracturing. Subsurface corestones are larger and less fractured in the borehole drilled on a road where it crosses a ridge compared with the borehole drilled where the road crosses the stream channel. Both borehole profiles indicate that the weathering zone extends to well below the stream channel in this upland catchment; hence weathering depth is not controlled by the stream level within the catchment and not all of the water in the watershed is discharged to the stream. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Daily accumulation rates of marine debris on sub-Antarctic island beaches

The worlds’ oceans contain a large but unknown amount of plastic debris. We made daily collections of marine debris stranded at two sub-Antarctic islands to establish (a) physical causes of strandings, and (b) a sampling protocol to better estimate the oceans’ plastic loading. Accumulation rates at some beaches were dependent on tide and onshore winds. Most of the 6389 items collected were plastic (Macquarie 95%, Heard 94%) and discarded or lost fishing gear comprised 22% of those plastic items. Stalked barnacles (Lepas spp.) were a regular attachment on Macquarie debris but not at Heard Island. The daily accumulation rate of plastic debris on Macquarie Island was an order of magnitude higher than that estimated from monthly surveys during the same 4 months in the previous 5 years. This finding suggests that estimates of the oceans’ plastic loading are an order of magnitude too low.     

Hf-W chronometry of primitive achondrites

Metal segregation and silicate melting on asteroids are the most incisive differentiation events in the early evolution of planetary bodies. The timing of these events can be constrained using the short-lived ¹⁸²Hf-¹⁸²W radionuclide system. Here we present new ¹⁸²Hf-¹⁸²W data for major types of primitive achondrites including acapulcoites, winonaites and one lodranite. These meteorites are of particular interest because they show only limited evidence for partial melting of silicates and are therefore intermediate between chondrites and achondrites.For acapulcoites we derived a ¹⁸²Hf-¹⁸²W age of Δt_CAI = 4.1 ^+1.2/_−1.1 Ma. A model age for winonaite separates calculated from the intercept of the isochron defines an age of Δt_CAI = 4.8 ^+3.1/_−2.6 Ma (assuming a bulk Hf/W ratio of ∼1.2). Both ages most likely define primary magmatic events on the respective parent bodies, such as melting of metal, although metal stayed in place and did not segregate to form a core. A later thermal event is responsible for resetting of the winonaite isochron, yielding an age of Δt_CAI = 14.3 ^+2.7/_−2.2 Ma, significantly younger than the model age. Assuming a co-genetic relationship between winonaites and silicates present in IAB iron meteorites (based on oxygen isotope composition) and including data by Schulz et al. (2009), a common parent body chronology can be established. Magmatic activity occurred between ∼1.5 and 5 Ma after CAIs. More than 5 Ma later, intensive thermal metamorphism has redistributed Hf-W. Average cooling rates calculated for the winonaite/IAB parent asteroid range between ∼35 and ∼4 K/Ma, most likely reflecting different burial depths. Cooling rates obtained for acapulcoites were ∼40 K/Ma to ∼720 K and then ∼3 K/Ma to ∼550 K.Accretion and subsequent magmatism on the acapulcoite parent body occurred slightly later if compared to most achondrite parent bodies (e.g., angrites, ureilites and eucrites), in this case supporting the concept of an inverse correlation between accretion-age of asteroids and intensity of heating in their interiors as expected from heating by ²⁶Al and ⁶⁰Fe decay. However, the early accretion of the parent asteroid of primitive IAB silicates (∼1.0 Ma after CAIs; Schulz et al., 2009) and the possibly impact-induced melting-history of winonaites show that this concept is too simplistic. Parent body size, impact-driven melting as well as heat-insulating regolith cover also need to be considered in the early history of asteroid differentiation.     

Two- and three-dimensional inversions of magnetic anomalies in the MARK area (Mid-Atlantic Ridge 23° N)

Magnetic data collected in conjunction with a Sea Beam bathymetric survey of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge south of the Kane Fracture Zone are used to constrain the spreading history of this area over the past 3 Ma. Two-dimensional forward modeling and inversion techniques are carried out, as well as a full three-dimensional inversion of the anomaly field along a 90-km-long section of the rift valley. Our results indicate that this portion of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, known as the MARK area, consists of two distinct spreading cells separated by a small, zero-offset transform or discordant zone near 23°10′ N, The youngest crust in the median valley is characterized by a series of distinct magnetization highs which coalesce to form two NNE-trending bands of high magnetization, one on the northern ridge segment which coincides with a large constructional volcanic ridge, and one along the southern ridge segment that is associated with a string of small axial volcanos. These two magnetization highs overlap between 23° N and 23°10° N forming a non-transform offset that may be a slow spreading ridge analogue of the small ridge axis discontinuities found on the East Pacific Rise. The crustal magnetizations in this overlap zone are generally low, although an anomalous, ESE-trending magnetization high of unknown origin is also present in this area. The present-day segmentation of spreading in the MARK area was inherited from an earlier ridge-transform-ridge geometry through a series of small (∼ 10 km) eastward ridge jumps. These small ridge jumps were caused by a relocation of the neovolcanic zone within the median valley and have resulted in an overall pattern of asymmetric spreading with faster rates to the west (14 mm yr⁻¹) than to the east (11 mm yr⁻¹). Although the detailed magnetic survey described in this paper extends out to only 3 Ma old crust, a regional compilation of magnetic data from this area by Schoutenet al. (1985) indicates that the relative positions and dimensions of the spreading cells, and the pattern of asymmetric spreading seen in the MARK area during the past 3 Ma, have characterized this part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge for at least the past 36 Ma.     

Dust and Gas in D/Shoemaker-Levy 9

The spectacular impact of D/Shoemaker-Levy 9 on Jupiter in July 1994 was observed all over the world and from space, leading to many new and exciting clues to the physics of the Jovian atmosphere. However, what do we know of the impactor? There were only 16 months to study D/Shoemaker-Levy 9 between its discovery and destruction. D/Shoemaker-Levy 9 was designated as a comet at time of discovery. Then, due to the apparent absence of volatiles usually present in comets it was repeatedly discussed whether D/Shoemaker-Levy 9 was a comet or an asteroid. Although its true nature can still not be named unambigeously, a cometary origin is indicated from the observational evidence. The results of the dust analysis are consistent with D/Shoemaker-Levy 9 being a typical comet and so far this is not contradicted by any observation.     

Methods for biological assessment of salt-loaded running waters - fundamentals, current positions and perspectives

Salinisation of running waters is a severe problem in many parts of the world. Monitoring and management of such waters require ecological methods which consider the hydrochemical effects of salinisation on the aquatic communities in order to set targets to protect habitats and biodiversity. Several bioassays have been developed for this purpose and are surveyed here. They are based on the salt sensitivity of the following groups of organisms: diatoms, ciliates and macroinvertebrates. In this paper experiences gained so far are also considered as well as practical applications originating from this research.     

Seasonal dynamics of CO2 profiles across a soil chronosequence,Santa Cruz,California

Concentrations of CO₂ in soil atmosphere and CO₂ efflux were measured across a marine terrace soil chronosequence near Santa Cruz, California. Soil development, specifically the formation of an argillic horizon, has created a two-tier soil gas profile in the older terrace soils. The soil above the argillic horizon has seasonal variations in soil CO₂ associated with plant respiration. The older soils with dense argillic horizons maintain a year round ～1%CO₂ below the argillic horizon. The CO₂efflux during the growing season is higher on the older terraces.     

Controls on soil pore water solutes: An approach for distinguishing between biogenic and lithogenic processes

Spatial and temporal variations in pore water compositions are characterized for a deep regolith profile developed on a marine terrace chronosequence near Santa Cruz California. Variations are resolved in terms of the dominance of either a lithogenic process, i.e. chemical weathering, or a biogenic process, i.e. plant nutrient cycling. The concept of elemental fractionation is introduced describing the extent that specific elements are mobilized and cycled as a result of these processes.     

Rare earth element geochemistry of the Woxi W–Sb–Au deposit, Hunan Province, South China

The Woxi W–Sb–Au deposit in Hunan, South China, is hosted by Proterozoic metasedimentary rocks, a turbiditic sequence of slightly metamorphosed (greenschist facies), gray-green and purplish red graywacke, siltstone, sandy slate, and slate. The mineralization occurs predominantly (> 70%) as stratabound/stratiform ore layers and subordinately as stringer stockworks. The former consists of rhythmically interbedded, banded to finely laminated stibnite, scheelite, quartz, pyrite and silty clays, whereas the latter occurs immediately beneath the stratabound ore layers and is characterized by numerous quartz + pyrite + gold + scheelite stringer veins or veinlets that are typically either subparallel or subvertical to the overlying stratabound ore layers. The deposit has been the subject of continued debate in regard to its genesis. Rare earth element geochemistry is used here to support a sedimentary exhalative (sedex) origin for the Woxi deposit. The REE signatures of the metasedimentary rocks and associated ores from the Woxi W–Sb–Au deposit remained unchanged during post-depositional processes and were mainly controlled by their provenance. The original ore-forming hydrothermal fluids, as demonstrated by fluid inclusions in quartz from the banded ores, are characterized by variable total REE concentrations (3.5 to 136 ppm), marked LREE enrichment (La_N/Yb_N = 28–248, ∑LREE/∑HREE = 16 to 34) and no significant Eu-anomalies (Eu/Eu = 0.83 to 1.18). They were most probably derived from evolved seawater that circulated in the clastic sediment pile and subsequently erupted on the seafloor. The bulk banded ores are enriched in HREE (La_N/Yb_N = 4.6–11.4, ∑LREE/∑HREE = 3 to 14) and slightly depleted in Eu (Eu/Eu = 0.63 to 1.14) relative to their parent fluids. This is interpreted as indicating the influence of seawater rather than a crystallographic control on REE content of the ores. Within a single ore layer, the degree of HREE enrichment tends to increase upward while the total REE concentrations decrease, reflecting greater influence and dilution of seawater. There is a broad similarity in chondrite-normalized REE patterns and the amount of REE fractionation of the banded ores in this study and exhalites from other sedex-type polymetallic ore deposits, suggesting a similar genesis for these deposits. This conclusion is in agreement with geologic evidence supporting a syngenetic (sedex) model for the Woxi deposit.