An exotic Cretaceous kimberlite linked to metasomatized lithospheric mantle beneath the southwestern margin of the Francisco Craton,Brazil

We present major and trace element compositions of mineral concentrates comprising garnet xenocrysts,ilmenite,phlogopite,spinel,zircon,and uncommon minerals (ti...     

Zur Bestimmung des Schneeanteils am Gesamtniederschlag

Zusammenfassung Aus den Monatsberichten einiger hydrographischer Stationen der Ostalpen in verschiedenen Höhenlagen wird bestimmt, welche Niederschlagsmengen 1 cm der gemessenen Neuschneehöhen entsprechen, im Monats- und im Jahresmittel. In Abhängigkeit von der Höhenlage weist die Niederschlagsmenge pro Zentimeter Neuschneehöhe ein ausgeprägtes Minimum bei 1350 m Seehöhe auf. Durch Multiplikation des der Seehöhe entsprechenden Wertes dieser Kurve mit der an einer Station der Ostalpen gemessenen Neuschneehöhe der Periode 1896/97–1915/16 erhält man den Schneeanteil dieser Station am Gesamtniederschlag. Die auf diese Art bestimmten Anteilmengen sind in der Regel dann größer bzw. kleiner als die nachV. Conrad berechneten Werte, wenn die Anomalien der jährlichen Neuschneehöhen nachE. Ekhart positiv bzw. negativ sind.

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Summary On the base of monthly reports of several hydrographic stations in the Eastern Alps, the amounts of precipitation corresponding to 1 cm of fresh snow-depth have been calculated in the monthly and yearly average. As a function of the altitude the amount of precipitation per cm fresh snow-depth shows a marked minimum at the altitude of 1350 m. By multiplication of the fresh snow-depths, measured at a station of the Eastern Alps during the period 1896/97–1915/16, with the corresponding value of the above curve the snow fraction of the total precipitation of this station can be obtained. As a rule, the fractions determined in this way are greater or smaller than those calculated byV. Conrad according as the anomalies of the yearly fresh snow-depths given byE. Ekhart are respectively positive or negative.

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Résumé On calcule la quantité d'eau météorique correspondant à 1 cm. de neige fraîche (moyennes mensuelles et annuelles) sur la base des rapports mensuels de quelques stations hydrographiques des Alpes orientales. Cette quantité, considérée en fonction de l'altitude, présente un minimum net vers 1350 m. En multipliant la valeur correspondant à l'altitude d'une station des Alpes orientales où furent mesurées les hauteurs de neige fraîche pendant la période 1896/97 à 1915/16 par cette hauteur même, on obtient la fraction en neige des précipitations totales en ce point. Les fractions ainsi calculées sont dans la règle plus grandes ou plus petites que les valeurs établies parV. Conrad selon que les anomalies des hauteurs annuelles de neige fraîche, d'aprèsE. Ekhart, sont respectivement positives ou négatives.

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Mit 2 Textabbildungen.     

Evaluation of the physico-mechanical parameters affecting the deterioration rate of Ahlat ignimbrites (Bitlis,Turkey)

The paper principally focuses on the durability assessment of various stratigraphic levels of Ahlat ignimbrites collected from the eastern region of Turkey. A total of four different ignimbrite types with dissimilar color, texture and particularly welding degree were tested in laboratory. The laboratory tests performed on the ignimbrite specimens indicate that the welding degree as well as the lithic material content mainly controls the strength and capillarity properties of the ignimbrites. In addition, the durability of highly porous ignimbrites strongly depends upon the degree of welding. The effect of several weathering agents on the ignimbrites was evaluated on the basis of decay constant parameter. Accordingly, salt and ice crystallization pressures are a couple of major destructive agents acting within the micropores of the ignimbrites. Conversely, the investigated specimens are relatively durable against cyclic wetting–drying. Statistical evaluations reveal that the pore diameter is the major controlling factor on the deterioration rate of the ignimbrites after specifically recurrent freeze–thaw cycles. Moreover, the dry unit weight of the ignimbrites is more significant than the uniaxial compressive strength considering the deterioration rates during wetting–drying and salt crystallization. A less significant relationship was obtained between pore diameter and salt crystallization decay constant.     

1730年夏季黄淮地区暴雨极端事件研究

1730年（清雍正八年）7—8月,我国黄淮地区连续暴雨17 d,引起黄河、大运河和淮河暴涨、决堤的大范围洪涝灾害。这是小冰期中相对温暖时段气候背景下的极端气候事件。本文依据历史文献记载复原了1730年夏季暴雨时段的天气实况,绘制了暴雨区域图显示强降雨中心移动动态和水灾地域分布图,概述当年气候特点,指出暴雨事件与台风活动的关联。1730年是太阳活动周极小年的前3年、有重大火山活动,是极强的厄尔尼诺事件后的第2年。这些天气特点和背景条件与现代罕见的1975年河南“75?8暴雨”相似。     

Perthite microstructure in magmatic alkali feldspar with oscillatory zoning; Weinsberg Granite, Upper Austria

Feldspar megacrysts from the Weinsberg granite (Moldanubian Zone) show oscillatory zoning with respect to the albite- and orthoclase components. All growth zones show perthitic exsolutions which take the form of bleb- and lens shaped albite-rich precipitates in an orthoclase-rich host. The average sizes and shapes of the precipitates show systematic variation with the integrated bulk compositions of the respective growth zones. The precipitates are abundant and relatively small in growth zones with intermediate bulk composition (Or50Ab41An09 - Or80Ab18An02), and they are less abundant and larger in more orthoclase-rich zones (Or88Ab11An01). Small precipitates have a relatively high aspect ratio, whereas the large precipitates in the potassium-rich zones are more spherical. The relation between microstructure and integrated bulk composition suggests that exsolution and subsequent growth and coarsening occurred by different mechanisms in the respective growth zones. Numerical modeling shows that rapid growth of precipitates over extended periods of time and attainment of relatively large final size is favored, if only few nuclei are formed in an oversaturated host. In contrast, precipitates can grow rapidly only over limited time intervals and remain relatively small, if abundant nuclei are present. During cooling of the oscillatorily zoned alkali-feldspar, exsolution started at relatively high temperatures in growth zones of intermediate integrated bulk composition as compared to exsolution in the more orthoclase-rich growth zones. Irrespective of whether exsolution occurred by spinodal decomposition or by nucleation at relatively high temperatures in the growth zones of intermediate integrated bulk composition, it produced abundant nuclei and resulted in relatively small precipitates. In contrast, comparatively few nuclei were formed in the orthoclase-rich growth zones resulting in large precipitates. The Na/K partitioning between precipitates and the host is independent of the integrated bulk composition of the respective growth zone reflecting re-equilibration during cooling down to relatively low temperatures (<?400°C). The shape of the precipitates probably has evolved from an initially lamellar or spindle-like geometry with high aspect ratio to more isometric, spheroidal shapes during precipitate growth and coarsening. Host/precipitate interfaces served as fluid pathways during late stage deuteric alteration.     

Modelling climate and land-use change impacts with SWIM: lessons learnt from multiple applications

Abstract

The Soil and Water Integrated Model (SWIM) is a continuous-time semi-distributed ecohydrological model, integrating hydrological processes, vegetation, nutrients and erosion. It was developed for impact assessment at the river basin scale. SWIM is coupled to GIS and has modest data requirements. During the last decade SWIM was extensively tested in mesoscale and large catchments for hydrological processes (discharge, groundwater), nutrients, extreme events (floods and low flows), crop yield and erosion. Several modules were developed further (wetlands and snow dynamics) or introduced (glaciers, reservoirs). After validation, SWIM can be applied for impact assessment. Four exemplary studies are presented here, and several questions important to the impact modelling community are discussed. For which processes and areas can the model be used? Where are the limits in model application? How to apply the model in data-poor situations or in ungauged basins? How to use the model in basins subject to strong anthropogenic pressure?

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor C. Perrin     

Linear dichroism in ALD layers of TiO2

We prepare TiO₂ film by ALD and study their electronic properties by soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and photoelectron spectroscopy. We focus on XAS and X-ray linear dichroism to indentify band onset and learn about local distortion of the Ti–O octahedral atomic and about defects which cause Ti-based electronic states within the band gap.     

Ambient pressure thermal desorption spectroscopy (AP-TDS) of NiO/SiO2 catalysts

The Sabatier reaction is a key process in the “power-to-gas” application which is considered to contribute to future chemical energy storage systems. In this contribution we focus on the catalytic active sites of a NiO catalyst supported on SiO₂ (NiO/SiO₂) which is commonly used in the Sabatier reaction. A novel technique for the characterization of the active sites is presented and discussed using thermal desorption spectroscopy at ambient pressure. This analytical tool is operated under reaction conditions and allows element specific measurements during the catalytic process of CO₂ reforming towards methane. Beside the desorption experiments, XPS and XAS measurements of pristine and catalytically used samples are performed to determine the influence of the Sabatier reaction conditions on the surface structure of the catalyst.     

Radiation Induced Dynamics of the Galactic Halo

We show results of numerical simulations of a three component plasma consisting of electrons, ions and dust with external gravitation and radiation fields. We perform simulation runs, starting from an analytic halo equilibrium, balancing pressure, gravitational, and radiative forces. Within these the equilibrium is perturbed by the radiation of a typical OB-star association. The perturbation has a total energy input of 10⁷ L _⊙ and a duration of 30 Myrs. After switching off the perturbation, the simulations are continued to further investigate the dynamics induced. We start with a self consistent one-fluid MHD model without background magnetic field and show for an asymmetric case that the system approaches a new equilibrium after switching on the perturbation. Later it relaxes into the starting configuration again, when the additional radiation is turned off. We then show, first by including a disk-parallel magnetic field and then by redoing the simulations with a full three-fluid code, the influence of magnetic fields and species separation on the plasma dynamics. With our computations we demonstrate that these features can be important for the explanation of the structures of galactic halos and large scale mass flows. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

High-Resolution Records of the Holocene Paleoenvironmental Variation Reflected by Carbonate and Its Isotopic Compositions in Bosten Lake and Response to Glacial Activities

Abstract: The Early Holocene paleoclimate in Bosten Lake on the northern margin of the Tarim Basin, southern Xinjiang, is reconstructed through an analysis of a 953 cm long core (BSTC2000) taken from Bosten Lake. Multiple proxies of this core, including the mineral components of carbonate, carbonate content, stable isotopic compositions of carbonate, Ca/Sr, TOC and C/N and C/S of organic matter, are used to reconstruct the climatic change since 8500 a B.P. The chronology model is made by nine AMS 14C ages of leaves, seeds and organic matter contained in two parallel cores. The climate was cold and wet during 8500 to 8100 a B.P. Temperature increased from 8100 to 6400 a B.P., the climate was warm and humid, and the lake expanded. The lake level was highest during this stage. Then from 6400 to 5100 a B.P., the climate became cold and the lake level decreased slightly. During the late mid-Holocene, the climate was hot and dry from 5100 to 3100 a B.P., but there was a short cold period during 4400 to 3800 a B.P. At this temporal interval, a mass of ice and snow melting water supplied the lake at the early time and made the lake level rise. The second highest lake level stage occurred during 5200 to 3800 a B.P. The climate was cool and wet during 3100 to 2200 a B.P., when the lake expanded with decreasing evaporation. The lake had the last short-term high level during 3100 to 2800 a B.P. After this short high lake level period, the lake shrank because of the long-term lower temperature and reduced water supply. From 2200 to 1200 a B.P., the climate was hot and dry, and the lake shrank greatly. Although the temperature decreased somewhat from 1200 a B.P. to the present, the climate was warm and dry. The lake level began to rise a little again, but it did not reach the river bed altitude of the Konqi River, an outflow river of the Bosten Lake.