Shock-induced formation mechanism of seifertite in shergottites

The Martian meteorites Shergotty, Zagami and Dhofar 378 have been re-investigated in order to elucidate the shock-induced formation of seifertite. The occurrence of orthorhombic seifertite (α-PbO₂ structured SiO₂) has been confirmed for the mesostasis of Shergotty and Zagami by transmission electron microscopy with lattice parameters of a = 4.05(1) Å, b = 5.05(1) Å and c = 4.45(1) Å. Seifertite crystals are interpreted as shock-induced transformation products occurring together with maskelynite of both plagioclase and alkali-feldspar composition in a largely preserved eutectic crystallisation texture. Shock-induced microstructures in accessory minerals demonstrate that these regions cannot have been completely re-molten. No further features indicating shock-pressures above ~30 GPa are detected. Hence, seifertite must have been formed below its stability field by a fast solid-state process. Significantly higher shock-pressures of Dhofar 378 indicate an inhibition of a potential seifertite crystallisation by resulting high post-shock temperatures. Crystallographic considerations reveal that a direct formation of seifertite from a high-pressure derivate of cristobalite is possible without breaking any silicon-oxygen bonds. Important implications arise from the existence of such a non-equilibrium pathway. Inferring shock-pressures from metastably formed phases appears implausible, and the transition pressure could be even below 30 GPa. Furthermore, the transformation product is determined by the precursor phase. Epitaxial intergrowth with other silica high-pressure polymorphs should be induced by certain features of the precursor, for example, planar defects, or heterogeneous strain conditions. Due to symmetrical considerations, seifertite will get amorphous during a potential back-transformation, which provides an explanation for the formation of numerous amorphous lamellae.     

Heavy metals contamination levels at the Coast of Aliağa (Turkey) ship recycling zone

Alia?a Bay is one of the most important maritime zones of Turkey where shipping activity, shipbreaking industry, steel works and petrochemical complexes exist together. Concentrations of heavy metals and organic carbon in sediment of the Alia?a Bay were investigated to evaluate an environmental risk assessment from metals contamination in 2009-2010. Comparison of the metal concentrations with average shale and Mediterranean background levels revealed that most of the samples from the Alia?a were polluted with Hg, Cd, Pb, Cr, Cu, Zn, Mn and Ni. It was found that Hg, Pb, Cu, Zn and Ni levels in Alia?a Bay exceeded the PEL values. Sediments, contaminated with Pb, Cr, Cu, Zn and Ni were considered as heavily polluted per the SQG.     

Discussion: a critique of Possible waterways between the Marmara Sea and the Black Sea in the late Quaternary: evidence from ostracod and foraminifer assemblages in lakes ?znik and Sapanca, Turkey, Geo-Marine Letters, 2011

The identification of past connection routes between the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara, other than the traditional one through to the Bosphorus Strait, would be of considerable interest to the international scientific community. Nazik et al. (Geo-Mar Lett 31:75?C86 (2011) doi:10.1007/s00367-010-0216-9) suggest the possibility of two alternative waterway connections via lakes Sapanca and ?znik. Their Black Sea to Sea of Marmara multi-connection hypothesis, which is based on undated marine fossils collected in both lakes from surficial grab samples, conflicts with many earlier studies. In this contribution, the hypothesis and the underlying data are discussed in the light of previous tectonic, sedimentological and limnological findings showing that it is impossible to have had marine connections through lakes Sapanca and ?znik during the last 11.5?ka. Global sea-level trends and tectonic uplift rates would accommodate a connection between the Sea of Marmara and Lake ?znik in the middle Pleistocene. Uplift rates for the northern block of the North Anatolian Fault, when compared with the global sea-level curve, clearly indicate that there cannot have been a connection through the ?zmit Gulf?CLake Sapanca?CSakarya Valley for at least the past 500?ka. Moreover, borehole sediments along the western shores of Lake Sapanca, which reach down to the bedrock, do not contain any marine fossils.     

Vertical Variability of the Undrained Shear Strength of Golden Horn Clay

In this study, a stochastic method was applied to investigate if there exists a statistical correlation between values of undrained shear strength at various vertical distances along Golden Horn. Therefore, the undrained shear strength values measured by field vane shear tests at different depths were used to determine the depth dependent variation of the mean value and standard deviation. Futhermore, autocorrelation functions were defined to describe the correlation between values of c_u at different depths. The study showed that the applied method might provide a statistical range to estimate the undrained shear strength value at depths where no measurements are undertaken.     

A critical review of the Kibyra Fault (Burdur-Fethiye Shear Zone,SW Turkey)

The Kibyra Fault is considered as the most significant evidence about the existence of the NE–SW-striking left-lateral Burdur-Fethiye Fault Zone in the south-western Anatolia in previous studies. However, recent studies show that there is a shear regime, named the Burdur-Fethiye Shear Zone, dominated by normal and left-lateral oblique normal faults in this region. A large number of ancient cities lie on this zone and many of them have been damaged by ancient earthquakes. One of these ancient cities is the ancient city of Kibyra. Most of previous studies suggest the Kibyra Fault depending on the damage in the city. However, the closest fault is located on the western side of the city and the earthquake damage was most likely caused by ground shaking. In this study, the existence of the supposed Kibyra Fault is discussed by integrating field studies, geological maps, trench data, digital elevation model and geomorphological analysis. In conclusion, it is understood that there is no evidence directly indicating a 35-km-long left-lateral fault in this region. The aim of this study is to examine the existence of the Kibyra Fault, take a different approach to the active fault studies and emphasise the importance of active faults for socio-economic conditions.     

历史寒冬极端气候事件的复原研究——1670/1671 年冬季严寒事件

1670/1671 年冬季中国东部地区异常严寒。本文依据历史文献记载复原该寒冬实况,绘制了雪、冰、冻雨和动植物冻害的地域分布图,连续降雪日数分布图和最大积雪深度分布图,可见河流封冻南界达27°N,是小冰期我国河流封冻的最南位置。依据各地寒冷记录和江河封冻、树木冻死的临界温度条件定量推断各地极端最低温度值,指出1671年1 月湖南衡山县的最低气温低至-15 ℃,比现代（1951—2000 年）极端最低气温记录低7 ℃。1670/1671 年寒冬之后华北、长江中下游地区夏季高温酷暑。这是小冰期寒冷阶段的典型寒冬之一,又是冬季严寒、夏季异常炎热的罕见个例。     

Plants as soil indicators along the Saudi coast of the Arabian Gulf

Soils of different vegetation types of the Saudi Arabian Gulf coast, dominated by mangrove, salt marsh and desert plant communities have been analysed for their soil profiles, texture, salinity, pH, water content and ionic concentration (Ca²⁺, Cl⁻, K⁺, Na⁺, SO₄²⁻). The results show some important relationships between soils and plants. Special emphasis was given to the dominant intertidal plantsAvicennia marina, Arthrocnemum macrostachyum, Salicornia europaea, Halocnemum strobilaceum, Halopeplis perfoliata, Limonium axillare, the terrestrialZygophyllum qatarense, and non-vegetated sabkhas.     

Improved indirect phase reflection height measurements at Panská ves - first results

Summary Indirect phase reflection height measurements have been performed at the Panská Ves Observatory, Czechoslovakia, on two frequencies of 162 (earlier 164) and 153 kHz (earlier 155) for 30 years. However, they were used only for solar flare effect (SFA) monitoring. After introducing new measuring equipment in 1985, the quality of the 162 kHz records became sufficient to apply the indirect phase height analysis (IPHA) method in full. The method itself, the measuring equipment, and the method of evaluation are described in [1]. The purpose of this paper is to describe the first results and to verify the reliability of the 162 kHz IPHA data. The IPHA method as applied to the 162 kHz measurements made at Panská Ves, allows ionospheric and neutral atmospheric parameters to be studied simultaneously and appears to provide reliable and good quality data. The expected seasonal variation and response to sudden stratospheric warmings are observed. The use of the 162 kHz IPHA data in the international MAC/SINE and DYANA campaigns and for monitoring pressure variability at 80 km are briefly described.     

Trocken- und Niederschlagsperioden und ihre theoretische Behandlung

Zusammenfassung Die beobachtete Anzahl von Trocken- und Niederschlagsperioden einer gewissen Länge und Mindestlänge sowie die mittlere Perioden-Andauer wird mit den Erwartungswerten nach der Theorie vonL. v. Bortkiewicz verglichen und keine befriedigende Übereinstimmung festgestellt; das gleiche ergibt sich bezüglich einer Poissonschen Verteilung. Berücksichtigt man eine eventuelle Verkettung der Merkmale trocken oder Niederschlag aufeinanderfolgender Tage nach der Theorie der Wahrscheinlichkeits-Ansteckung, so stehen Theorie und Beobachtung in weit besserer Übereinstimmung. Zur Erweiterung der Theorie ist zu berücksichtigen, daß die mittlere Andauer der Perioden bei verschiedenen Typen von Wetterlagen verschieden groß ist und daß eine Verkettung über die Größenordnung der Periodendauer hinaus noch dadurch zustande kommt, daß gewisse Wetterlagen gehäuft auftreten. Die Theorie führt zu zusammengesetzten Poisson-Verteilungen. Zahlenwerte über die mittlere Periodendauer bei verschiedenen Typen von Wetterlagen liegen noch nicht vor.

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Summary The observed number of dry and wet periods of a certain length and minimum length as well as the mean duration of the periods compared with the expectation values of the theory ofL. v. Bortkiewicz. As a result no satisfactory agreement was found. The result was the same with regard to a Poisson distribution. If an eventual concatenation of the characteristics dry or wet of successive days is taken into account according to the theory of probability contagion, theory and observation are in much better agreement. To extend the theory it must be considered that the mean duration of the periods varies with different types of weather conditions and that a concatenation, beyond the order of magnitude of the period duration, is caused by a greater frequency of certain weather situations. The theory leads to composite Poisson distributions. Numerical values of the mean period duration with different types of weather situations are not yet available.

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Résumé L'auteur compare le nombre de périodes sèches et humides d'une longueur déterminée ainsi que la durée moyenne des périodes aux valeurs résultant de l'application de la théorie deL. v. Bortkiewicz et ne trouve pas d'accord satisfaisant; la distribution de Poisson ne fournit pas de meilleur résultat. Si l'on considère un enchaînement éventuel entre jours secs et pluvieux du point de vue de la théorie de contagion probable, l'accord se révèle bien meilleur. Si l'on veut développer la théorie, il faut admettre que la longueur moyenne des périodes diffère selon les types de temps et que certaines périodes peuvent être anormalement longues par suite d'une fréquence accure de certaines situations météorologiques. On aboutit alors à des combinaisons de distributions de Poisson. On ne possède pas encore de données relatives aux périodes sèches et humides classées par types de temps.