Isotopic and fluid-inclusion constraints on the formation of polymetallic vein deposits in the central Argentinian Patagonia

The lead isotope compositions of galena and the fluid-inclusion systematics of nine barite-bearing polymetallic (Au, Ag, Pb, Zn) deposits of the central Argentinian Patagonia (Chubut and Rio Negro provinces) have been investigated to constrain the compositions and sources of the mineralizing fluids. Most of the deposits occur as veins, with less common wall-rock disseminations and/or stockworks, and are low-sulfidation epithermal deposits hosted in Jurassic volcanic rocks. Fluid-inclusion homogenization temperatures (Th) from quartz and sphalerite from the deposits fall within the range of 100-300 °C, with the highest measured average temperatures for the most eastern deposits (Mina Angela - 298 °C; Cañadón Bagual - 343 °C). The salinities of the hydrothermal fluids at all deposits were low to moderate (⢪.4 equiv. wt% NaCl). Three groups of ore deposits can be defined on the basis of ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratios for galena and these show a general decrease from west to east (from 18.506 to 18.000). The central Argentinian Patagonia deposits have distinctly less radiogenic lead isotope compositions than similar deposits from Peru and Chile, except for the porphyry copper deposits of central and southern Peru. Galena from the Mina Angela deposit is characterized by very low radiogenic lead isotope compositions (18.000<²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb<18.037 and 38.03<²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb<38.09) and reflects interaction with Precambrian basement. The geographic trend in lead isotope compositions of both galena and whole rocks indicates a crustal contribution which increases eastwards, also reflected in the strontium-neodymium isotope systematics of the host lavas. Finally, due to the lack of precise age determinations for the central Patagonian polymetallic deposits, a potential link with Andean porphyry copper systems remains an open question.     

PROPOSAL TO ORGANIZE A WORLD ASSOCIATION FOR SEDIMENT RESEARCH

Sediment Problems·Matter of Global Concern In the twenty-first eentury,humanity will be confronted with three major Problems,namely raPid inerease in PoPulation,shortage of natural resources and Proteetion of the     

初始方程三层模式业务数值预报的初步总结

自1975年9月16日起我们制作三层业务数值预报,每天根据08时(北京时,下同)高空资料作一次直到72小时的700毫巴、500毫巴、300毫巴的环流形势预报。用的是DJS-6电子计算机,该机平均运算速度5万次(浮点)—7万次(定点),内存容量3万2千个48位二进制单元。 上述业务数值预报,在每天14:05时由控制台打字机打入电传命令后,调度程序即行控制自高空气象电报纸带输入至数值预报图输出的自动化过程。14:10时二盘纸带输     

Molecular and isotopic constraints on the sources of suspended particulate organic carbon on the northwestern Atlantic margin

The abundance, carbon isotopic composition (Δ¹⁴C and δ¹³C), and lipid biomarker (alkenones and saturated fatty acids) distributions of suspended particulate organic matter were investigated at three stations centered on the 2000, 3000, and 3500 m isobaths over the New England slope in order to assess particulate carbon sources and dynamics in this highly productive and energetic region. Transmissometry profiles reveal that particle abundances exhibit considerable fine structure, with several distinct layers of elevated suspended particulate matter concentration at intermediate water depths in addition to the presence of a thick bottom nepheloid layer at each station. Excluding surface water samples, the Δ¹⁴C values of particulate organic carbon (POC) indicated the presence of a pre-aged component in the suspended POC pool (Δ¹⁴C<+38‰). The Δ¹⁴C values at the 3000 m station exhibited greater variability and generally were lower than those at the other two stations where the values decreased in a more systematic matter with increasing sampling depth. These lower Δ¹⁴C values were consistent with higher relative abundances of terrigenous long-chain fatty acids at this station than at the other two stations. Two scenarios were considered regarding the potential provenances of laterally transported POC: cross-shelf transport of shelf sediment (Δ¹⁴C=?140‰) and along-slope transport of the slope sediment proximal to the sampling locations (Δ¹⁴C=?260‰). Depending on the scenario, isotopic mass balance calculations indicate allochthonous POC contributions ranging between 15% and 54% in the meso- and bathy-pelagic zone, with the highest proportions at the 3000 m station. Alkenone-derived temperatures recorded on suspended particles from surface waters closely matched in-situ temperatures at each station. However, alkenone-derived temperatures recorded on particles from the subsurface layer down to 250 m were lower than those of overlying surface waters, especially at the 3000 m station, implying supply of phytoplankton organic matter originally produced in cooler surface waters. AVHRR images and temperature profiles indicate that the stations were under the influence of a warm-core ring during the sampling period. The low alkenone-derived temperatures in the subsurface layer coupled with the lower Δ¹⁴C values for the corresponding POC suggests supply of OC on resuspended sediments underlying cooler surface waters distal to the study area, possibly further north or west. Taken together, variations in Δ¹⁴C values, terrigenous fatty acid abundances, and alkenone-derived temperatures among the stations suggest that input of laterally advected OC is a prominent feature of POC dynamics on the NW Atlantic margin, and is spatially heterogeneous on a scale smaller than the distance between the stations (<150 km).     

Effect of the wind on the shelf dynamics: Formation of a secondary upwelling along the continental margin

In this paper, the authors study the influence of the wind on the dynamics of the continental shelf and margin, in particular the formation of a secondary upwelling (or downwelling) front along the shelf break.Observations during the MOUTON2007 campaign at sea along the Portuguese coast in summer 2007 reveal the presence of several upwelling fronts, one being located near the shelf break. All upwellings are characterized by deep cold waters close to or reaching the surface and with high chlorophyll concentrations. Simplified numerical models are built in order to study a possible physical mechanism behind this observation. First, a simple shallow water model with three distinct layers is used to study the formation of secondary upwelling fronts. We show that the physical mechanism behind this process is associated with onshore transport of high potential vorticity anomalies of the shelf for upwelling favorable conditions. Sensitivity studies to bottom friction, shelf width, continental slope steepness, shelf “length” are analysed in terms of potential vorticity dynamics. In particular bottom friction is analyzed in detail and we find that, even though bottom friction limits the barotropic velocity field, it enhances the cross-shore circulation, so that no steady state is possible when stratification is taken into account. Bottom friction accelerates the onshore advection of high potential vorticity, but also drastically reduces its amplitude because of diabatic effects. The net effect of bottom friction is to reduce the secondary upwelling development. Based on similar mechanisms, previous results are then extended to downwelling favorable conditions. Finally a more realistic configuration, with bottom topography, wind forcing and stratification set up from observations, is then developed and the results confronted to the observations. Simulations overestimate the velocity amplitude but exhibit good agreement in terms of density ranges brought over the shelf and general isopycnal patterns.The application and extension of the results to more general oceanic regions is discussed and we conclude on the influence of such process on the dynamics of wind driven circulation over a shelf.     

Strategies for managing reservoir sedimentation

Sediment deposition in reservoirs has caused the loss of 66% of the reservoir capacity in China. The main sedimentation control strategies are： 1） storing the clear water and releasing the turbid water; 2） releasing turbidity currents; 3） Draw-down flushing and empty flushing; and 4） dredging, The paper summarizes these strategies with examples. Sediment transport in many Chinese rivers occurs mostly during the 2-4 month flood season, that is, 80-90% of the annual sediment load is transported with 50-60% of the annual runoff. By storing the clear water after the flood season and releasing the turbid water during the flood season, less sediment deposits in the reservoir while the reservoir is still able to store enough water for power generation in the low flow season. The Three Gorges and Sanmenxia reservoirs apply this strategy and control sedimentation effectively. Turbidity currents have become the main sedimentation control strategy for the Xiaolangdi Reservoir. Empty flushing involves reservoir draw-down to temporarily establish riverine flow along the impound reach, flushing the eroded sediment through the outlets. Case studies with the Hengshan Reservoir and Zhuwo Reservoir are presented. Jet dredgers have been used to agitate the reservoir deposit so that the deposit is released from the reservoir with currents. The sediment releasing efficiency is 30-100% for storing the clear and releasing the turbid; 6-40 % for turbidity current; and 2,400-5,500% for empty flushing. Empty flushing causes high ecological stress on the ecosystem to the downstream reaches. Storing the clear and releasing the turbid is the best strategy to control reservoir sedimentation while achieving hydro-power benefit and maintain ecological stability.     

A macroelement formulation for shallow foundations on cohesive and frictional soils

The scope of this paper is to present a macroelement model for shallow foundations encompassing the majority of combinations of soil and foundation–soil interface conditions that are interesting for practical applications. The basic idea of the formulation is to raise the common assumption that the surface of ultimate loads of the foundation is identified as a yield surface in the space of force parameters which the footing is subjected to. Instead, each non‐linear mechanism participating in the global response of the system is modelled independently and the surface of ultimate loads is retrieved as the combined result of all active mechanisms. This allows formulating each mechanism by respecting its particular characteristics and offers the possibility of activating, modifying or deactivating each mechanism according to the context of application. The model comprises three non‐linear mechanisms: (a) the mechanism of sliding at the soil–footing interface, (b) the mechanism of soil yielding in the vicinity of the footing and (c) the mechanism of uplift as the footing may get detached from the soil. The first two are irreversible and dissipative and are combined within a multi‐mechanism plasticity formulation. The third mechanism is reversible and non‐dissipative. It is reproduced with a phenomenological non‐linear hyperelastic model. The model is validated with respect to the existing results for shallow foundations under quasi‐static loading tests. It is shown that although the ultimate surface of the foundation is not explicitly used in the formulation of the model, the obtained force states by the model are always contained within it. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

IPCC-AR4 climate simulations for the Southwestern US: the importance of future ENSO projections

Future climate trends for the Southwestern US, based on the climate models included in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report, project a more arid climate in the region during the 21st century. However, future climate variability associated with El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO)—an important driver for winter climate variability in the region—have not been addressed. In this work we evaluate future winter ENSO projections derived from two selected IPCC models, and their effect on Southwestern US climate. We first evaluate the ability of the IPCC coupled models to represent the climate of the Southwest, selecting the two models that best capture seasonal precipitation and temperature over the region and realistically represent ENSO variability (Max Planck Institute’s ECHAM5 and the UK Met Office HadCM3). Our work shows that the projected future aridity of the region will be dramatically amplified during La Niña conditions, as anomalies over a drier mean state, and will be characterized by higher temperatures (~0.5°C) and lower precipitation (~3 mm/mnt) than the projected trends. These results have important implications for water managers in the Southwest who must prepare for more intense winter aridity associated with future ENSO conditions.     

Formal ratification of the Quaternary System/Period and the Pleistocene Series/Epoch with a base at 2.58 Ma

In June 2009, the Executive Committee of the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) formally ratified a proposal by the International Commission on Stratigraphy to lower the base of the Quaternary System/Period to the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) of the Gelasian Stage/Age at Monte San Nicola, Sicily, Italy. The Gelasian until then had been the uppermost stage of the Pliocene Series/Epoch. The base of the Gelasian corresponds to Marine Isotope Stage 103, and has an astronomically tuned age of 2.58 Ma. A proposal that the base of the Pleistocene Series/Epoch be lowered to coincide with that of the Quaternary (the Gelasian GSSP) was also accepted by the IUGS Executive Committee. The GSSP at Vrica, Calabria, Italy, which had hitherto defined the basal boundary of both the Quaternary and the Pleistocene, remains available as the base of the Calabrian Stage/Age (now the second stage of the revised Pleistocene). In ratifying these proposals, the IUGS has acknowledged the distinctive qualities of the Quaternary by reaffirming it as a full system/period, correctly complied with the hierarchical requirements of the geological timescale by lowering the base of the Pleistocene to that of the Quaternary, and fully respected the historical and widespread current usage of both the terms ‘Quaternary’ and ‘Pleistocene’. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

South Atlantic circulation in a world ocean model

The circulation in the South Atlantic Ocean has been simulated within a global ocean general circulation model. Preliminary analysis of the modelled ocean circulation in the region indicates a rather close agreement of the simulated upper ocean flows with conventional notions of the large-scale geostrophic currents in the region. The modelled South Atlantic Ocean witnesses the return flow and export of North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) at its northern boundary, the inflow of a rather barotropic Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) through the Drake Passage, and the inflow of warm saline Agulhas water around the Cape of Good Hope. The Agulhas leakage amounts to 8.7 Sv, within recent estimates of the mass transport shed westward at the Agulhas retroflection. Topographic steering of the ACC dominates the structure of flow in the circumpolar ocean. The Benguela Current is seen to be fed by a mixture of saline Indian Ocean water (originating from the Agulhas Current) and fresher Subantarctic surface water (originating in the ACC). The Benguela Current is seen to modify its flow and fate with depth; near the surface it flows north-westwards bifurcating most of its transport northward into the North Atlantic Ocean (for ultimate replacement of North Atlantic surface waters lost to the NADW conveyor). Deeper in the water column, more of the Benguela Current is destined to return with the Brazil Current, though northward flows are still generated where the Benguela Current extension encounters the coast of South America. At intermediate levels, these northward currents trace the flow of Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) equatorward, though even more AAIW is seen to recirculate poleward in the subtropical gyre. In spite of the model’s rather coarse resolution, some subtle features of the Brazil-Malvinas Confluence are simulated rather well, including the latitude at which the two currents meet. Conceptual diagrams of the recirculation and interocean exchange of thermocline, intermediate and deep waters are constructed from an analysis of flows bound between isothermal and isobaric surfaces. This analysis shows how the return path of NADW is partitioned between a cold water route through the Drake Passage (6.5 Sv), a warm water route involving the Agulhas Current sheeding thermocline water westward (2.5 Sv), and a recirculation of intermediate water originating in the Indian Ocean (1.6 Sv).