Correlation of210Po and210Pb enrichments in the sea-surface microlayer with neuston biomass

Samples of the surface microlayer, of bulk seawater from 20-cm depth and of the neustonic organisms inhabiting the top 5 cm of the sea were collected at regular intervals over a period of 17 months at a site 3 km off Monaco and analysed for the naturally occurring radionuclides²¹⁰Po and²¹⁰Pb. Enrichment of²¹⁰Po in the microlayer compared with the bulk seawater was always observed, and the degree of enrichment was found to be correlated significantly with the neuston biomass per unit volume. Enrichment of²¹⁰Pb in the microlayer was also observed, but only under the higher neuston biomass conditions. The²¹⁰Po:²¹⁰Pb ratio was always higher in the microlayer than in the bulk seawater. Additional information was obtained from²¹⁰Po measurements made on the bulk seawater in which the neuston had been collected and in which it had stood for periods of 2 to 4 h. These showed that the neuston lost²¹⁰Po to the water at a rate of about 1 pCi g^?1 dry biomass h^?1. A significant flux of²¹⁰Po from bulk seawater to the surface microlayer, and thence possibly to the atmosphere, is estimated. This flux is mediated by the biota, and will vary seasonally with the planktonic biomass. Under high biomass conditions a similar flux for²¹⁰Pb may also be significant. An association of²¹⁰Po with the organic cycle at the top of the sea, and with marine bacteria in particular, is suggested.     

Comments on: “The partitioning of nickel between olivine and silicate melt” by S.R. Hart and K.E. Davis

We study a set of very high-quality records of first-order overtone Rayleigh waves from the deep-focus earthquake of September 29, 1973, in the Japan Sea. Standard surface wave techniques are used with these overtones, treated as individual seismic phases, to retrieve radiation pattern, Q, moment and phase velocity. A figure of M₀ = (6.7 ± 1.4) × 10²⁷dyn-cm is obtained, in total agreement with published values computed from either P waves, or fundamental Rayleigh waves. We also demonstrate the feasibility of using overtones as individual seismic phases in order to investigate their dispersion and attenuation properties.     

Determination of quantitative cation distribution in orthopyroxenes from electronic absorption spectra

Electronic and Mössbauer absorption spectra and electron microprobe data are correlated for iron-bearing orthopyroxenes. The correlation provides a means of quantitatively determining the distribution of Fe²⁺ between the M(1) and M(2) sites of orthopyroxene crystals from electronic spectra and electron microprobe analysis. The electronic spectra are used to analyze the changes in the Fe²⁺ distribution produced during heating experiments and confirm earlier results from Mössbauer spectra. Two components of the spin-allowed transition of Fe²⁺ in the M(1) site are identified at about 13,000 cm^?1 and 8,500 cm^?1 in γ. Molar absorptivity (?) values for all spin-allowed Fe²⁺ absorption bands in the near-infrared region are determined. The M(2) Fe²⁺ band at ～5,000 cm^?1 in β is the analytically most useful for site occupancy determinations. It remains linear with concentration (?=9.65) over the entire compositional range. The band at ～10,500 cm^?1 in α is the most sensitive to M(2) Fe²⁺ concentration (?=40.8), but deviates from linearity at high iron concentrations. The origins of spin-forbidden transitions in the visible region are examined.     

The pressure quench formation of rapakivi texture

Chemical and textural data for rapakivi granites are combined with experimentally determined phase equilibria to provide constraints on the growth of mantled feldspars by a pressure quench mechanism. In water saturated melts of granitic composition the mantled texture develops in response to a decrease in pressure of as little as 1–0.5 kbar. In water undersaturated melts a similar mechanism is operable over a wider range of pressures and a restricted range of water contents. Water undersaturated granites containing 6–10 wt % water undergoing a change in pressure from 5–2 kbar will develop mantling as will a more calcic granodiorite containing 1–5wt% water undergoing a pressure change from 10-1 kbar. The mantling process is interpreted as a reflection of the reduction of pressure accompanying the emplacement of a magma.     

WASP hunts planets

Don Pollacco reviews progress so far on SuperWASP, a wide-field astronomy project designed to detect extrasolar planets and more, built with a lot of hard work – and a little help from eBay.     

The effect of halogens on Zr diffusion and zircon dissolution in hydrous metaluminous granitic melts

Diffusion of Zr and zircon solubility in hydrous, containing approximately 4.5 wt% H₂O, metaluminous granitic melts with halogens, either 0.35 wt% Cl (LCl) or 1.2 wt% F (MRF), and in a halogen-free melt (LCO) were measured at 1.0 GPa and temperatures between 1,050 and 1,400 °C in a piston-cylinder apparatus using the zircon dissolution technique. Arrhenius equations for Zr diffusion in each hydrous melt composition are, for LCO with 4.4ǂ.4 wt% H₂O: % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+- % feaaeaart1ev0aaatCvAUfKttLearuavP1wzZbItLDhis9wBH5garm % Wu51MyVXgaruWqVvNCPvMCG4uz3bqee0evGueE0jxyaibaieYlf9ir % Veeu0dXdh9vqqj-hEeeu0xXdbba9ev6pc9fs0-rqaqpepmKs4qpepe % I8kaL8kuc9pgc9q8qqaq-dhH6hb9hs0dXdHu6deP0u0-vr0-vr0db8 % meaabaqaciGacaGaaeaabaWaaeaaeaaakeaacqWGebarcqGH9aqpcq % aIYaGmcqGGUaGlcqaI4aaocqaI4aaocqGHXcqScqaIWaamcqGGUaGl % cqaIWaamcqaIZaWmcqWG4baEcqaIXaqmcqaIWaamdaahaaWcbeqaai % abgkHiTiabiIda4aaakiGbcwgaLjabcIha4jabcchaWnaabmaabaWa % aSaaaeaacqGHsislcqaIXaqmcqaI0aancqaIWaamcqGGUaGlcqaIXa % qmcqGHXcqScqaIZaWmcqaIZaWmcqGGUaGlcqaI5aqoaeaacqWGsbGu % cqWGubavaaaacaGLOaGaayzkaaaaaa!571F! D = 2.88 ±0.03x10 ^{- 8} exp( [( - 140.1 ±33.9)/(RT)] )D = 2.88 \pm 0.03x10^{ - 8} \exp \left( {{{ - 140.1 \pm 33.9} \over {RT}}} \right) , for LCl with 4.5ǂ.5 wt% H₂O: % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+- % feaaeaart1ev0aaatCvAUfKttLearuavP1wzZbItLDhis9wBH5garm % Wu51MyVXgaruWqVvNCPvMCG4uz3bqee0evGueE0jxyaibaieYlf9ir % Veeu0dXdh9vqqj-hEeeu0xXdbba9ev6pc9fs0-rqaqpepmKs4qpepe % I8kaL8kuc9pgc9q8qqaq-dhH6hb9hs0dXdHu6deP0u0-vr0-vr0db8 % meaabaqaciGacaGaaeaabaWaaeaaeaaakeaacqWGebarcqGH9aqpcq % aIYaGmcqGGUaGlcqaIZaWmcqaIZaWmcqGHXcqScqaIWaamcqGGUaGl % cqaIWaamcqaI1aqncqWG4baEcqaIXaqmcqaIWaamdaahaaWcbeqaai % abgkHiTiabisda0aaakiGbcwgaLjabcIha4jabcchaWnaabmaabaWa % aSaaaeaacqGHsislcqaIYaGmcqaI1aqncqaI0aancqGGUaGlcqaI4a % aocqGHXcqScqaI2aGncqaI0aancqGGUaGlcqaIXaqmaeaacqWGsbGu % cqWGubavaaaacaGLOaGaayzkaaaaaa!5719! D = 2.33 ±0.05x10 ^{- 4} exp( [( - 254.8 ±64.1)/(RT)] )D = 2.33 \pm 0.05x10^{ - 4} \exp \left( {{{ - 254.8 \pm 64.1} \over {RT}}} \right) and for MRF with 4.9ǂ.3 wt% H₂O: % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+- % feaaeaart1ev0aaatCvAUfKttLearuavP1wzZbItLDhis9wBH5garm % Wu51MyVXgaruWqVvNCPvMCG4uz3bqee0evGueE0jxyaibaieYlf9ir % Veeu0dXdh9vqqj-hEeeu0xXdbba9ev6pc9fs0-rqaqpepmKs4qpepe % I8kaL8kuc9pgc9q8qqaq-dhH6hb9hs0dXdHu6deP0u0-vr0-vr0db8 % meaabaqaciGacaGaaeaabaWaaeaaeaaakeaacqWGebarcqGH9aqpcq % aIYaGmcqGGUaGlcqaI1aqncqaI0aancqGHXcqScqaIWaamcqGGUaGl % cqaIWaamcqaIZaWmcqWG4baEcqaIXaqmcqaIWaamdaahaaWcbeqaai % abgkHiTiabiwda1aaakiGbcwgaLjabcIha4jabcchaWnaabmaabaWa % aSaaaeaacqGHsislcqaIYaGmcqaIYaGmcqaIZaWmcqGGUaGlcqaI4a % aocqGHXcqScqaIXaqmcqaI1aqncqGGUaGlcqaI1aqnaeaacqWGsbGu % cqWGubavaaaacaGLOaGaayzkaaaaaa!5715! D = 2.54 ±0.03x10 ^{- 5} exp( [( - 223.8 ±15.5)/(RT)] )D = 2.54 \pm 0.03x10^{ - 5} \exp \left( {{{ - 223.8 \pm 15.5} \over {RT}}} \right) . Solubilities determined by the dissolution technique were reversed for LCO +4.5ǂ.5 wt% H₂O by crystallization of a Zr-enriched glass of LCO composition at 1,200 and 1,050 °C at 1.0 GPa. The solubility data were used to calculate partition coefficients of Zr between zircon and hydrous melt, which are given by the following expressions: for LCO % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+- % feaaeaart1ev0aaatCvAUfKttLearuavP1wzZbItLDhis9wBH5garm % Wu51MyVXgaruWqVvNCPvMCG4uz3bqee0evGueE0jxyaibaieYlf9ir % Veeu0dXdh9vqqj-hEeeu0xXdbba9ev6pc9fs0-rqaqpepmKs4qpepe % I8kaL8kuc9pgc9q8qqaq-dhH6hb9hs0dXdHu6deP0u0-vr0-vr0db8 % meaabaqaciGacaGaaeaabaWaaeaaeaaakeaacyGGSbaBcqGGUbGBcq % WGebardaqhaaWcbaGaemOwaOLaemOCaihabaGaemOEaONaemyAaKMa % emOCaiNaem4yamMaem4Ba8MaemOBa4Maei4la8IaemyBa0Maemyzau % MaemiBaWMaemiDaqhaaOGaeyypa0JaeGymaeJaeiOla4IaeGOnayJa % eG4mamZaaeWaaeaadaWcaaqaaiabigdaXiabicdaWiabicdaWiabic % daWiabicdaWaqaaiabdsfaubaaaiaawIcacaGLPaaacqGHsislcqaI % 1aqncqGGUaGlcqaI4aaocqaI3aWnaaa!5924! lnD_Zr^zircon/melt = 1.63( [10000/(T)] ) - 5.87\ln D_{Zr}^{zircon/melt} = 1.63\left( {{{10000} \over T}} \right) - 5.87 , for LCl % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+- % feaaeaart1ev0aaatCvAUfKttLearuavP1wzZbItLDhis9wBH5garm % Wu51MyVXgaruWqVvNCPvMCG4uz3bqee0evGueE0jxyaibaieYlf9ir % Veeu0dXdh9vqqj-hEeeu0xXdbba9ev6pc9fs0-rqaqpepmKs4qpepe % I8kaL8kuc9pgc9q8qqaq-dhH6hb9hs0dXdHu6deP0u0-vr0-vr0db8 % meaabaqaciGacaGaaeaabaWaaeaaeaaakeaacyGGSbaBcqGGUbGBcq % WGebardaqhaaWcbaGaemOwaOLaemOCaihabaGaemOEaONaemyAaKMa % emOCaiNaem4yamMaem4Ba8MaemOBa4Maei4la8IaemyBa0Maemyzau % MaemiBaWMaemiDaqhaaOGaeyypa0JaeGymaeJaeiOla4IaeGinaqJa % eG4naCZaaeWaaeaadaWcaaqaaiabigdaXiabicdaWiabicdaWiabic % daWiabicdaWaqaaiabdsfaubaaaiaawIcacaGLPaaacqGHsislcqaI % 0aancqGGUaGlcqaI3aWncqaI1aqnaaa!5920! lnD_Zr^zircon/melt = 1.47( [10000/(T)] ) - 4.75\ln D_{Zr}^{zircon/melt} = 1.47\left( {{{10000} \over T}} \right) - 4.75 and, for MRF by % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+- % feaaeaart1ev0aaatCvAUfKttLearuavP1wzZbItLDhis9wBH5garm % Wu51MyVXgaruWqVvNCPvMCG4uz3bqee0evGueE0jxyaibaieYlf9ir % Veeu0dXdh9vqqj-hEeeu0xXdbba9ev6pc9fs0-rqaqpepmKs4qpepe % I8kaL8kuc9pgc9q8qqaq-dhH6hb9hs0dXdHu6deP0u0-vr0-vr0db8 % meaabaqaciGacaGaaeaabaWaaeaaeaaakeaacyGGSbaBcqGGUbGBcq % WGebardaqhaaWcbaGaemOwaOLaemOCaihabaGaemOEaONaemyAaKMa % emOCaiNaem4yamMaem4Ba8MaemOBa4Maei4la8IaemyBa0Maemyzau % MaemiBaWMaemiDaqhaaOGaeyypa0JaeGymaeJaeiOla4IaeGinaqJa % eG4naCZaaeWaaeaadaWcaaqaaiabigdaXiabicdaWiabicdaWiabic % daWiabicdaWaqaaiabdsfaubaaaiaawIcacaGLPaaacqGHsislcqaI % 0aancqGGUaGlcqaI5aqocqaIXaqmaaa!591C! lnD_Zr^zircon/melt = 1.47( [10000/(T)] ) - 4.91\ln D_{Zr}^{zircon/melt} = 1.47\left( {{{10000} \over T}} \right) - 4.91 . Experiments on the same compositions, but with water contents down to 0.5 wt%, demonstrated reductions in both the diffusion coefficient of Zr and zircon solubility in the melt. The addition of halogens at the concentration levels studied to metaluminous melts has a small effect on either the diffusion of Zr in the melt, or the solubility of zircon at all water concentrations and temperatures investigated. At 800 °C, the calculated diffusion coefficient of Zr is lowest in LCl, 9᎒^-17 m² s^-1, and is highest in LCO, 4᎒^-15 m² s^-1. Extrapolation of the halogen-free solubility data to a magmatic temperature of 800 °C yields solubilities of approximately one-third of those directly measured in similar compositions, predicted by earlier studies of zircon dissolution and based upon analyses of natural rocks. This discrepancy is attributed to the higher oxygen fugacity of the experiments of this study compared with previous studies and nature, and the effect of oxygen fugacity on the structural role of iron in the melt, which, in turn, affects zircon solubility, but does not significantly affect Zr diffusion.     

Edge-driven convection

We consider a series of simple calculations with a step-function change in thickness of the lithosphere and imposed, far-field boundary conditions to illustrate the influence of the lithosphere on mantle flow. We consider the effect of aspect ratio and far-field boundary conditions on the small-scale flow driven by a discontinuity in the thickness of the lithosphere. In an isothermal mantle, with no other outside influences, the basic small-scale flow aligns with the lithosphere such that there is a downwelling at the lithospheric discontinuity (edge-driven flow); however, the pattern of the small-scale flow is strongly dependent on the large-scale thermal structure of a much broader area of the upper mantle. Long-wavelength temperature anomalies in the upper mantle can overwhelm edge-driven flow on a short timescale; however, convective motions work to homogenize these anomalies on the order of 100 million years while cratonic roots can remain stable for longer time periods. A systematic study of the effect of the boundary conditions and aspect ratio of the domain shows that small-scale, and large-scale flows are driven by the lithosphere. Edge-driven flow produces velocities on the order of 20 mm/yr. This is comparable to calculations by others and we can expect an increase in this rate as the mantle viscosity is decreased.