Hematite spherules in basaltic tephra altered under aqueous, acid-sulfate conditions on Mauna Kea volcano, Hawaii: Possible clues for the occurrence of hematite-rich spherules in the Burns formation at Meridiani Planum, Mars

Iron-rich spherules (> 90% Fe₂O₃ from electron microprobe analyses) ∼10-100 μm in diameter are found within sulfate-rich rocks formed by aqueous, acid-sulfate alteration of basaltic tephra on Mauna Kea volcano, Hawaii. Although some spherules are nearly pure Fe, most have two concentric compositional zones, with the core having a higher Fe / Al ratio than the rim. Oxide totals less than 100% (93-99%) suggest structural H₂O and/or OH^− 1. The transmission Mössbauer spectrum of a spherule-rich separate is dominated by a hematite (α-Fe₂O₃) sextet whose peaks are skewed toward zero velocity. Skewing is consistent with Al³⁺ for Fe³⁺ substitution and structural H₂O and/or OH^− 1. The grey color of the spherules implies specular hematite. Whole-rock powder X-ray diffraction spectra are dominated by peaks from smectite and the hydroxy sulfate mineral natroalunite as alteration products and plagioclase feldspar that was present in the precursor basaltic tephra. Whether spherule formation proceeded directly from basaltic material in one event (dissolution of basaltic material and precipitation of hematite spherules) or whether spherule formation required more than one event (formation of Fe-bearing sulfate rock and subsequent hydrolysis to hematite) is not currently constrained. By analogy, a formation pathway for the hematite spherules in sulfate-rich outcrops at Meridiani Planum on Mars (the Burns formation) is aqueous alteration of basaltic precursor material under acid-sulfate conditions. Although hydrothermal conditions are present on Mauna Kea, such conditions may not be required for spherule formation on Mars if the time interval for hydrolysis at lower temperatures is sufficiently long.     

Brood patch temperature during provocation of common eiders in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard

In this short note we describe the behaviour and body changes of three incubating female common eiders ( Somateria mollissima ) during provocation made by humans approaching the nest. The study site was near the settlement of Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard. Temperture transmitters were implanted subcutaneously at the brood patch and data recorded using a VHF receiver. We found that the female experiment exhibited a passive defence response ("freezing"), accompanied by a significant drop in brood patch temperature (0.6 °C) during provocation; this temperature drop lasted for 5 minutes. These accord with other studies of the physiological changes which the passive defence response in birds and other animals.     

Productivity, management and development problems in the arid rangelands of the central Mendoza plains (Argentina)

The central Mendoza plains (56,000 km²), located in the eastern foothills of the Andes, belong to the vast phytogeographic province of ‘Monte’ (c.500,000 km²) in Argentina. This area is a typical warm arid zone and vegetation is typically a shrubland. Perennial grasses are predominantly C₄species. Land-use is for livestock grazing; the average stocking rate is 28 ha per large stock unit (LSU), year-long. Ecological and range research have been actively pursued in the region by IADIZA over the past 25 years. Two experiment stations were established 25 and 10 years ago, respectively: The Ñacuñán Biosphere Reserve and the El Divisadero Cattle and Range Station. Primary production and its relationship to climatic and edaphic parameters were analysed and compared in the two stations. Rain-use efficiency (RUE, kg DM ha⁻¹year⁻¹mm⁻¹) and useful rains efficiency (URE, P −0·1 PETp) were similar in both cases (RUE = 1·7 and 2·0; URE = 3·0 and 2·9, respectively), when herbs are concerned. However, the variability of annual production was much higher on the silty soils of Ñacuñán than on the coarse sands of El Divisadero; PRVR (Production to Rain Variability Ratio) was 2·5 and 0·53, respectively. Utilization of such experimental figures allows for the prediction of primary production and carrying capacity for a given year, based on rainfall probabilities and, therefore, to determine stocking rates in a rational manner. Basing stocking rates on annual dependable rains (f 0·8) and on useful rains probability (P − 0·1 PETp) proved to be a sound and realistic assessment, validated by long-term experiments and experience. The results of the studies on brush control, cattle diet composition, animal productivity and feed value of forage species were analysed. Current and future research programmes in IADIZA for the Mendoza plains are mentioned. Although research on resource inventory and basic ecological processes in the Mendoza plains should carry on, the emphasis and therefore the resources should henceforth be devoted to the consequences of resource management alternatives on overall arid land productivity, i.e. research for development. A better integration of applied ecology for management and investigations on basic arid land ecological processes should appear in IADIZA programmes.     

Geochemical constraints on the bimodal origin of High Himalayan leucogranites

Major and trace element and Rb-Sr isotope systematics of the Manaslu leucogranite, Central Nepal, have been examined to constrain the role of mineral fractionation and fluids in peraluminous granite petrogenesis. Biotite and tourmaline are, for the most part, mutually exclusive, with a predominance of two-mica leucogranites over tourmaline leucogranites. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr initial isotopic ratios (Sr_i) indicate that leucogranitic melts were derived from two different sources, the two-mica leucogranites having a metagreywacke origin (with Sr_i < 0.752 and εNd < −15) and the tourmaline leucogranites a metapelitic one (Sr_i> 0.752; εNd > − 15). Such a bimodal nature of the source zone does not directly influence the magmatic evolution, except that probably the higher initial boron content in the metapelitic rocks may increase the Na₂O/K₂O ratio. In contrast, the amount of water present during melting principally controls in part anatectic processes and element behaviour. Water-saturated conditions probably occured during melting of metagreywackeous rocks and favoured crystallization of two-mica leucogranites whereas water-absent conditions prevailed during melting of metapelitic layers and favoured biotite, plagioclase and monazite fractionation in the source zone and tourmaline crystallization in the leucogranite.     

Electrical structure of the crust in South Eastern Tibet

As part of the Sino-French earth science programme in Tibet, magnetotelluric and geomagnetic soundings were carried out in the southwestern part of Tibet. Eight magnetotelluric sounding sites and nineteen geomagnetic stations were occupied along roughly north-south profiles. The magnetotelluric profile runs from Lhozag to the south of Yangbajain to the north. The geomagnetic profile runs from Lang Kartse to Gulu. These experiments indicate a conductive layer at about 25 km in depth. This layer corresponds to the isotherm 1100°C. Shallow conductive structures related to the presence of significant partial melting were evidenced to the south of the Zangbo suture. A conductive structure was also evidenced at about 15 km in depth below the Nyainquentanglha range. This structure may correspond to partial melting due to the presence of fluids at the dipping plane between two overthrusting crustal blocks.     

Core-mantle interactions

Several aspects of core-mantle interactions were considered during a Royal Astronomical Society Discussion Meeting on 12th May 1989, including modelling the geomagnetic field at the core surface, the morphology of the field between 1600 and 1820 AD, dynamo theory, Taylor's constraint, fluid motions at the top of the core that reproduce the observed secular variation, pressure coupling between the core and mantle and its geophysical consequences, topographic core-mantle coupling, angular momentum transfer at the core-mantle interface, the detection and implications of core oscillations, particularly those with associated fluctuations in the Earth's rotation rate, and the seismological determination of the core-mantle boundary topography from lateral inhomogeneities in the mantle.     

Badrinath-Gangotri plutons (Garhwal, India): petrological and geochemical evidence for fractionation processes in a high Himalayan leucogranite

The Gangotri leucogranite is the western end of the Badrinath granite, one of the largest bodies of the High Himalayan Leucogranite belt (HHL). It is a typical fine grained tourmaline + muscovite ± biotite leucogranite. The petrography shows a lack of restitic phases. The inferred crystallization sequence is characterized by the early appearance of plagioclase, quartz and biotite and by the late crystallization of the K-feldspar. This suggests that, in spite of being of near minimum melt composition, the granite probably had long crystallization or melting interval, in agreement with previous experimental studies. Tourmaline and muscovite have a mainly magmatic origin. Even though the major element composition is homogeneous, there are several geochemical trends (when CaO decreases there is an increase in Na₂O, Rb, Sn, U, B, F and a decrease in K₂O, Fe₂O₃, TiO₂, Sr, Ba, Zr, REE, Th) which are best explained by a fractionation process with early crystallizing phases. Experimental solubility models for zircon and monazite in felsic melt support a magmatic origin for these two accessory phases as well.Rb/Sr isotope data show this granite to have, like other HHL, heterogeneous isotopic values for Sr (initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios, calculated at 20 Ma, range between 0.765 and 0.785). Therefore no mixing (i.e. no convection) occurred between the different batches of magma. In contrast ¹⁸O data show little variation (13.04% ± 0.25), implying a source with homogeneous ¹⁸O values. Differences in timing between fluid infiltration and the onset of melting, related to differences in temperature of the source, could explain why source homogenization occurred for the Gangotri and not for the Manaslu granite.The use of experimental results for solubility and the position of the accessory minerals during melting, predict a low viscosity for the melt during its extraction. This in turn explains the lack of restitic phases (major and accessory) in the granite as well as some field features (lensoid shape, pronounced magmatic layering). Based on the petrographic and isotopic studies, it is suggested that the mechanism of ascent was not diapiric but rather that the melt ascended along several fractures and the level of emplacement was partialy controlled by the density contrast between the melt and host rocks.