Investigation by backscatter radar of artificial irregularities produced in ionospheric plasma heating experiments

The artificial ionospheric turbulence occurs in the ionosphere illuminated by high power HF radio waves. There are a lot of irregularities stretched along the geomagnetic field in this region. The investigation of the artificially disturbed ionospheric region is based on the reception of back scattered signals (BSS) which permits the basic parameters of this region to be estimated and its inhomogeneous structure to be described.Experiments were carried out using ‘Sura’ heating facility in the frequency range of ? = 4.7–9 MHz (ordinary mode) with the effective radiated power P_eff = 50–70 MW beamed vertically upwards. The most important dynamic and statistical BSS characteristics (the built-up time, the relaxation and autocorrelation times, the BSS amplitude spatial correlation function and power spectra) were measured using probe waves in the frequency range of that made it possible to obtain the basic parameters of the artificial irregularities. The model representation of a disturbed region in a form of a periodic structure gives a possibity to evaluate the scale of the structure, the whole size of the disturbance and its power and to calculate the main BSS characteristics.     

Geology of the volcanic-hosted Brockman rare-metals deposit,Halls Creek Mobile Zone,northwest Australia. l. Volcanic environment,geochronology and petrography of the Brockman volcanics

Summary Rare-metals mineralization of the Brockman deposit (Halls Creek Mobile Zone, NW Australia) is hosted in a fluorite-bearing, rhyolitic volcaniclastic unit informally termed the Niobium Tuff. The Tuff, more correctly described as a tuffaceous volcaniclastic deposit, is the lowermost unit of a sequence of trachyte-to-rhyolite lavas, trachyandesite subvolcanic rocks, and volcaniclastic units of the Brockman volcanics located within the Halls Creek Group, a thick, early Proterozoic volcano-sedimentary sequence. High precision SHRIMP ion-microprobe zircon dating of the Niobium Tuff gives an eruption age of 1870 ± 4 Ma. Regional geochronological constraints indicate the Niobium Tuff was deposited about 15 Ma before major orogenic activity affected the area. Despite folding, faulting and low-grade metamorphism, the Brockman volcanics show excellent preservation of primary volcanological features, including pillow-lavas and pillow-breccias, that suggest a dominantly subaqueous, below-wave-base emplacement environment. The style of eruption products and magma volume constraints suggest the trachyte-dominated volcanics were erupted from a small shield volcanic complex probably in a rift-related basin in a shallow-marine setting. The tectonic setting was intraplate but differs from most Tertiary to recent trachyte volcanic complexes which are largely subaerial, are built on relatively thick continental crust, and show no post-eruptive orogenic history. Brockman-style rare-metal deposits are characterized by preservation of subaqueous volcanics beneath a thick sedimentary sequence, eruption of early incompatible-element enriched products followed by less differentiated magmas, and fine-grained mineralogy influenced by alteration processes. Prospects exist for discovery of analogous deposits, particularly in early Proterozoic mobile belts and Tertiary intraplate shield volcanic provinces.

---

Geologie der an Vulkanite gebundenen Seltene-Metalle-Lagerstätte Brockman, Halls Creek Mobile Zone, Nordwest-Australien. I. Vulkanologie, Geochronologie und Petrographie der Brockman-Vulkanite

Zusammenfassung Selten-Metall-Vererzung der Brockman-Lagerstätten (Halls Creek Mobile Zone, NW Australien) sitzt in einer Fluorit-führenden, rhyolitischen vulkanoklastischen Einheit auf, die informell als der Niob-Tuff bezeichnet wird. Es handelt sich hier um ein vulkanoklastisches Tuff-Sediment; dieses ist die unterste Einheit einer Abfolge vor Trachyt bis Rhyolit-Laven, trachyandesitischen Subvulkaniten and vulkanoklastischen Einheiten der Brockman Vulkanite innerhalb der Halls Creek Gruppe, einer mächtigen frühproterozoischen vulkanosedimentdren Abfolge. Prüzisionsdatierungen des Niob Tuffs mit der SHRIMP Ionen-Mikrosonde ergeben ein Eruptionsalter von 1870 +-4 Millionen Jahren. Regionale geochronologische Zusammenhänge zeigen, daß der Niob Tuff etwa 15 Millionen Jahre vor einer größeren Orogenese, die das Gebiet betroffen hat, abgelagert wurde. Trotz Faltung, Bruchtektonik and niedriggradiger Metamorphose zeigen die Brockman-Vulkanite einen hervorragenden Erhaltungszustand primärer vulkanologischer Erscheinungen. Diese urnfassen auch Kissenlaven und KissenBreckzien, die eine vorwiegend subaquatische Ablagerung in ruhigem Wasser erkennen lassen. Die Art der Eruptionsprodukte and das Magmavolumen zeigen, daß die Trachytdominierten Vulkanite von einem kleinen Schildvulkan stammer, wahrscheinlich in einem Becken in einer Rift-Situation im seichten marinen Milieu. Die tektonische Situation war intraplate, aber unterscheidet sich von den meisten tertiären bis rezenten trachytischen Vulkan-Komplexen, die hauptsächlich subaerisch sind, auf einer relativ mächtigen kontinentalen Kruste aufsitzen, and keine post-eruptive orogene Entwicklung zeigen. Seltene-Metalle-Lagerstatten des Brockman-Typs rind durch die Erhaltung subaquatischer-Vulkanite unterhalb einer machtigen sedimentdren Abfolge gekennzeichnet; welters durch frühe Eruptionsprodukte, die an inkompatiblen Elementen angereichert sind, auf die dann weniger differenzierte Magmen folgten, und schließlich durch einen feinkörnigen Mineralbestand, der vor Umwandlungsprozessen betroffen war. Es besteht die Möglichkeit der Entdeckung analoger Lagerstätten, besonders in frühproterozoischen mobilen Gürteln und in tertidren intraplate Schildvulkan Provinzen.

---

---

With 5 Figures

---

Deceased     

Pristine vs. contaminated trends in Nb,Ta-oxide minerals of the Jihlava Pegmatite District,Czech Republic

Summary Columbite-tantalite is widespread in the lepidolite-subtype rare-element pegmatites of the Jihlava pegmatite district, western Moravia, Czechoslovakia. In most pegmatites, fractionation of columbite-tantalite shows initial enrichment in Mn followed by increasing Ta, in accordance with the usual trend from ferrocolumbite through mangano-columbite to manganotantalite, typical of the lepidolite pegmatites. Many dikes, however, show local deviations toward Fe- and Ti-rich compositions. In extreme cases, all columbite-tantalite is strongly enriched in Fe and Ti, and is associated with ixiolite and tantalian rutile. The degree of enrichment of the Nb,Ta oxide-mineral assemblage in Fe and Ti is proportional to tectonic introduction of wallrock xenoliths of mafic pyroxene-biotite syenite into the pegmatites during late stages of their consolidation. Extensive reaction of the residual pegmatite melt with the xenoliths contaminated the near-by melt, and generated Nb,Ta oxide minerals and tourmaline of non-typical chemistries. Late fersmite probably formed after thermal equilibration of the pegmatites with their syenitic country rocks, from Ca-bearing regional interstitial fluids pervading through the solidified pegmatites.

---

Zusammenfassung In Selten-Element Pegmatiten (Lepidolith-Subtyp) des Jihlava Pegmatit Distriktes, West-Mähren, Tschechien, ist Columbit-Tantalit weitverbreitet. In den meisten Pegmatiten führte die Fraktionierung von Columbit-Tantalit zur einer anflinglichen Anreicherung von Mn gefolgt von einer Zunahme in Ta, vergleichbar mit dem für Lepidolith-Pegmatit bekannten Trend Ferrocolumbit-Manganocolumbit-Manganotantalit. Viele Gänge zeigen jedoch lokale Abweichungen zu Fe- und Ti-reichen Zusammensetzungen. In extremen Fällen ist Columbit-Tantalit stark an Fe und Ti angereichert und mit Ixiolith und Tantalo-Rutil vergesellschaftet. Das Ausmaß der Fe und Ti Anreicherung in (Nb,Ta)-Oxid-Assoziationen ist proportional dem tektonisch bedingten Eindringen von maischen Pyroxen-Biotit-reichen Syenit-Nebengesteinsxenolithen in die Pegmatite gegen Ende ihrer Verfestigung. Tiefgreifende Reaktion der Pegmatit-Restschmelze mit den Xenolithen kontaminierte die Schmelze und führte zur Bildung von (Nb,Ta)-Oxid-Mineralen und Turmalin ungewöhnlicher Zusammensetzung. Möglicherweise nach der thermischen Gleichgewichtseinstellung der Pegmatite mit ihren syenitischen Nebengesteinen bildete sich Fersmit unter Beteiligung von Ca-führenden regionalen Porenlösungen, welche die verfestigten Pegmatite durchdrangen.

---

---

With 6 Figures     

Organic contaminants and characteristics of sediments from Oso Bay,south Texas,USA

The Oso Bay, Texas, sediments from nine sites were analyzed by GC-MS for organics to measure contamination in the bay. In most of the sites sediments contained tetrachloroethene (87–1433 g/kg), bis (2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (40–193 g/kg), and aliphatic hydrocarbons, C₈-C₁₃ (720–2491 g/kg). Sources of these contaminants include a landfill, military facilities, and municipal and industrial discharges. Size analysis of the sediments indicates they contain a high percentage of muddy sand (50–75 percent), which suggests that Oso Bay consists of common bay margin sediments.     

Lithological and Structural Controls on Regional 3-D Fluid Flow Patterns during Greenschist Facies Metamorphism of the Dalradian of the SW Scottish Highlands

Greenschist facies metabasite sills enclosed within phyllitesand psammites of the Dalradian Supergroup of the SW ScottishHighlands have been used as quantitative sensors of fluid flow,from which ‘fossil’ fluid flow-paths have been mapped.Infiltration of H₂O–CO₂ fluid caused carbonation of themetabasite assemblage. Consequently, metabasite sills have developeda characteristic asymmetric zonation of reacted (carbonate-bearing)margins and unreacted (carbonate-absent) interiors. Reactionfront advection theory has been used to constrain the time-integratedfluid flux and flow direction in one dimension, for each sill,from the widths of the reacted margins. Three-dimensional fluxesand flow directions have been constrained from one-dimensionalfluxes by geometrical computation, and regional fluid flow patternshave been deduced. On a regional scale, fluid flow was channelled through phyllitesand focused towards the axial zone of major antiformal foldstructures. Fluid flow was channelled through the 6 km thickArdrishaig Phyllites, within which fluid fluxes were found toincrease exponentially with proximity to the axial surface ofthe Ardrishaig Anticline. Fluid flow through the psammites waslimited to narrow zones of intense deformation associated withmetabasic or phyllitic intercalations. Although time-integratedfluid fluxes were locally high (4 10² m³/m²), average fluxes(100 m¹/m²) are compatible with availability of fluid from underlyingdevolatilizing rocks. Complete isotopic homogenization of phyllites,psammites and metabasites within the axial region of the ArdrishaigAnticline is predicted by these high measured fluxes. KEY WORDS: 3-D flow; Dalradian; SW Scotland; greenschist facies; metabasites ^*Corresponding author. Telephone: 0131-650-5885 Fax: 0131-668-3184 E-mail: askelton{at}glg.ed.ac.uk     

The Lilloise Intrusion, East Greenland: Fractionation of a Hydrous Alkali Picritic Magma

The Lilloise is an 8 km4 km layered mafic intrusion which cutsthe plateau basalts of the East Greenland Tertiary province.Lilloise was intruded at 50 Ma, 4–5 Ma after cessationof the voluminous tholeiitic magmatism which accompanied riftingof the East Greenland continental margin. Lilloise is unusualamong layered intrusions in the province because it had a hydrousalkali picrite parent magma and generated a late-stage effluxof magmatic water from the intrusion into the aureole rocks.The three major subdivisions of the layered rocks are: olivine-clinopyroxene,olivine-clinopyroxene-plagioclase and plagioclase-amphibolecumulates. Massive subsidence of the intrusion before completesolidification resulted in deformation of the internal layeringand downturn of the bedding in the surrounding basalts. A strikingfeature of the intrusion is the injection of the layered rocksby a plexus of magmatic sheets which formed at the time of subsidence.The composition of these sheets is representative of the fractionationtrend of the intrusion and ranges from hawaiite to mildly saturatedquartz trachyte. The fractionation trend is successfully explainedby extraction of cumulus minerals of the layered rocks froma parent magma represented by alkali picrite dykes of a contemporaneousregional dyke swarm. Saturated to mildly over-saturated syenitesare a major component of the East Greenland province and theLilloise intrusion is illustrative of an important magmatictrend towards such compositions at this stage in the openingof the North Atlantic. KEY WORDS: Lilloise intrusion; East Greenland; alkali picrite magma; layered intrusion; magmatic differentiation ^*Corraponding author     

People and environment in the Russian far east from Paleolithic to Middle Ages: Chronology,palaeogeography, interaction

The Late Paleolithic sites existed in cold and dry climat (Ustinovka I, 10–25 ky ago; Ust-Ulma, 19, 360 ± 65 BP) with warmer stages (Suvorovo IV, 15,300 ± 140 BP) and on the Pleistocene/Holocene transition, near 10,000 BP (Suvorovo III). The Final Paleolithic sites existed in Late Glacial time, 10,000–12,000 BP (Gorbatka III, lower level) and in Boreal period, 8,000–9,000 BP (Ilistaya I, 7, 840 ± 60 BP; Timofeevka I). The Developed Neolithic sites existed during the warm and humid Middle-Late Atlantic period, 6,000–8,000 BP; the Late Neolithic sites — 3,000–5,000 BP. The human impact in the Paleolithic-Neolithic was restricted to burning and trampling the vegetation near the sites; the bases of paleoeconomy were hunting, fishing, gathering. The presence of pastoral anthropogenic indicators in pollen spectra of the Neolithic sites may reflect the beginning of cattle breeding.The Bronze Age (end of the 4th-2nd millenia BC) provides the first reliable evidence of cultivated plants (foxtail and Japanese millet) and domestic animals (pig, dog). In the paleoeconomy agriculture and cattle breeding appeared; the first stage of human impact increased (4,000–4,500 BP, ie 2550–3230 cal. BC) is reflected in pollen spectra from cultural layers. From the Early Iron Age to the Middle Ages (end of 2nd millenium BC-13th century AD) agriculture and cattle breeding were the base of paleoeconomy. From the 8th to the 10th centures AD, due to the development of ploughing (arable), the human impact intensified.Paper was presented on the 27th International Geographical Congress, Washington, DC, USA, August 9–14, 1992 (section Human Induced Environmental Change, the Ancient Past)     

Structural control of tertiary Au-Ag-bearing breccias in an extensional environment,Nelson area,Southern Nevada,USA

Gold-silver mineralization in the Nelson area of southern Nevada was controlled by structures associated with intrusion of an east-west oriented pluton. Flatlying breccias formed during intrusion have allowed passive flooding of highly permeable zones and deposition of mineralized quartz and calcite. Steep fractures were formed in the pluton and immediate country rock during cooling, and later reactivated by north-south extension. These fractures have channelled fluids, and some have been the sites of hydrothermal eruptions which produced further brecciation and deposition of mineralized quartzcalcite veins. The mineralizing fluid was water which was boiling at or near 100 °C. The calcite deposited by this water has ¹³C = –5.4 to –7.1, and ¹⁸O = +5.8 to +11.3, and the water was probably meteoric in origin. Mineralization had an epithermal style, with strong local structural control, rather than deep-sourced regional detachment-related hydrothermal origin.     

Possible creep-related tilt precursors obtained in the Central Apennines (Italy) and in the Southern Caucasus (Georgia)

Daily averaged tilt component data from two sites of the Central Apennines (Italy) and of the Southern Caucasus (Georgia), respectively, revealed intermediate-term tilts as possible precursors to earthquakes (M=3.0÷4.7) which occurred in the above-mentioned seismic areas within a distance of 50 km from the sites. A good temporal correlation as well as a fair spatial correspondence between these residual tilts (with amplitude and duration of some microradians and months, respectively) and main shocks were pointed out, by removing both secular trends and seasonal thermoelastic effects from the raw tilts. An attempt was made to justify the above-mentioned results, based on the assumption that the observed intermediate-term preseismic tilts are the manifestation of aseismic creep episodes of comparable duration in the fault materials of thrust faults close to the tilt sites. The mechanism refers to a strain field slowly propagating from the preparation focal area to the tilt site, through crustal blocks separated by weak transition zones. This propagation is thought to be the cause of the local aseismic fault slip recorded by the tiltmeters. Previously, both discrete structures and strain propagation effects were revealed in the Central Apennines and are thought also to exist in the Southern Caucasus. As in the past, the rheological properties of fault materials are revealed as viscoelastic ones. In fact, creep equations obtained by applying several viscoelastic models on our data, proved to fit quite well some of the observed tilt precursors, producing viscosity and rigidity values very similar to those reported in literature.Professor Petr Viktorovich Manjgaladze died during the writing of this paper     

Room temperature solid-state detectors for Gamma ray burst spectroscopy

We have evaluated several solid state detectors which offer excellent energy resolution at room temperature for soft X-rays. For soft X-rays (< 1 keV to 20 keV), silicon P-intrinsic-N (PIN) and avalanche-mode photodiodes (APD's) have been studied. Using commercially available charge sensitive pre-amplifiers, these photodiodes provide 1 keV resolution without cooling. Their detection efficiencies are limited to about 20 keV and 15 keV, respectively. To overcome this constraint, we have studied thick (1.5 mm) PIN detectors made by Micron Semiconductor Ltd., U.K., as well as compound semiconducting materials with high Z constituents such as CZT and PbI₂. PbI₂ allows high detection efficiencies of photons up to 100 keV with detectors 100–300 microns thick. These new detectors offer the capability to study the low-energy spectral evolution of Gamma ray bursts (GRBs). A matrix of these detectors could be used as an image plane detector with moderate spatial resolution for imaging.