Uvaichnites riojana: A new crane-like bird ichnotaxon from the lower Miocene of La Rioja (Ebro Basin,Spain)

A new bird ichnotaxon found in Cenicero (La Rioja, Ebro Basin, Spain) is described here. The footprints are preserved in sandstone beds in a central-distal alluvial fringe with a mud-dominated floodplain, located in the transition unit between the Nájera and Haro formations. This level is positioned between the Y and Z local Agenian biozones (lower Miocene). The footprints were preliminarily studied in another work and considered as an indeterminate ichnotaxon. Uvaichnites riojana ichnogen. nov. and ichnosp. nov. is a tridactyl footprint characterized by a prominent central pad, very large to enormous sized, with unjointed toes at the proximal end. These features differ from Aquatilavipes, Aviadactyla, Avipeda, Ludicharadripodiscus, Fuscinapeda, and Ornithotarnocia of the Avipedidae morphofamily. U. riojana is considered to be similar to common crane (Grus grus) footprints in the Gruidae family. There are a few references about this family in the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands and this find could confirm the presence of Gruidae since at least the lower Miocene.     

Cobalt zoning in microscopic pyrite from Kamoto,Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa)

The Kamoto deposit consists of two stratiform orebodies separated by a barren sedimentary unit. It is a copper and cobalt deposit, the main features of which are summarized in the first part of the paper. Above the upper orebody, dolostone beds are found, where pyrite is the only sulfide mineral. This pyrite was investigated with the help of a microprobe: all idiomorphic grains were found to be surrounded by a well-defined rim, where the cobalt content reaches 4%; framboidal grains were also found to be heterogeneous with respect to cobalt. The distribution of nickel and copper is described. These observations afford one more evidence that post-depositional events played an important role in the Mine Series of Katanga, especially with regard to heavy metals geochemistry.

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Resume Le gisement de Kamoto est constitué de deux corps minéralisés stratiformes séparés par une unité sédimentaire stérile. C'est un gisement de cuivre et de cobalt dont les principales caractéristiques sont brièvement résumées. Audessus du corps minéralisé supérieur, on trouve des couches de dolomie, où la pyrite est le seul sulfure présent. Cette pyrite a été étudiée à l'aide d'une microsonde: tous les grains idiomorphes y sont entourés d'une bordure bien nette, où la teneur en cobalt atteint 4%; les grains d'apparence framboïdale sont également hétérogènes au point de vue de leur teneur en cobalt. La distribution du nickel et du cuivre est décrite. Ces observations apportent um témoignage supplémentaire de l'importance des événements postérieurs au dépôt dans la «Série des Mines» katangaise, tout spécialement en ce qui concerne la géochimie des métaux lourds. Elles démontrent que le «système» constitué par la roche sédimentaire est resté ouvert pendant un certain temps après la sédimentation.

     

Identification of motion parameters from spatio-temporal atmospheric temperature patterns

In near-calm conditions it is difficult to make direct measurements of atmospheric advection reliably and cheaply, particularly at many points over a large area. An alternative indirect method is examined using time-series measurements of atmospheric temperature (or any other convenient conserved field variable) at points on a spatial grid.System identification methodology is applied to analyze atmospheric temperature data obtained in such near-calm conditions during an experiment with a low-flying helicopter. A three-parameter numerical model of atmospheric advection has been identified in the temperature data, the advection parameters being an eddy diffusion coefficient and horizontal components of the wind velocity. It has been demonstrated by analysis of all the assumptions, and using simulated data, that in this case the standard least-square procedure can be applied to recover sensible parameter estimates, even though the model is of the error-in-variables type and parameters appear to change abruptly at certain moments of time (but by a reasonably small amount). The parameter estimates have been validated against independent data.     

Factors controlling the adsorption of acid blue 113 dye from aqueous solution by dried <Emphasis Type="Italic">C. edulis</Emphasis> plant as natural adsorbent

Contamination of surface water and groundwater by organic pollutants is a serious problem due to their persistence, bioaccumulation and biomagnification through food webs. Since the removal of dyes from wastewater is considered an environmental challenge and government legislation requires textile wastewater to be treated, therefore there is a constant need to have an effective process that can efficiently remove these dyes. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the potentiality of dried Carpobrotus edulis plant as low-cost adsorbent for the removal of the industrial acid blue 113 dye from aqueous solutions using the batch equilibration technique. The effects of different physicochemical parameters such as adsorbent dose, contact time, initial dye concentration, solution pH and temperature on adsorption rate of anionic AB113 dye on microparticles of dried C. edulis plant were investigated. The experimental data were analyzed by using mathematical models to determine the thermodynamic parameters. The negative values of free energy change indicated the spontaneous nature of the adsorption and negative value of enthalpy change suggested the exothermic nature of the adsorption process. These results indicate that dried C. edulis plant as an environmentally friendly adsorbent could be potentially used for the removal of anionic dyes from aqueous solutions.     

Hydrothermal bitumen generated from sedimentary organic matter of rift lakes – Lake Chapala, Citala Rift, western Mexico

Lake Chapala is in the Citala Rift of western Mexico, which in association with the Tepic-Zacoalco and Colima Rifts, form the well-known neotectonic Jalisco continental triple junction. The rifts are characterized by evidence for both paleo- and active hydrothermal activity. At the south shore of the lake, near the Los Gorgos sublacustrine hydrothermal field, there are two tar emanations that appear as small islands composed of solid, viscous and black bitumen. Aliquots of tar were analyzed by GC-MS and the mixtures are comprised of geologically mature biomarkers and an UCM. PAH and n-alkanes are not detectable. The biomarkers consist mainly of hopanes, gammacerane, tricyclic terpanes, carotane and its cracking products, steranes, and drimanes. The biomarker composition and bulk C isotope composition (δ¹³C = −21.4%) indicate an organic matter source from bacteria and algae, typical of lacustrine ecosystems. The overall composition of these tars indicates that they are hydrothermal petroleum formed from lacustrine organic matter in the deeper sediments of Lake Chapala exceeding 40 ka (¹⁴C) in age and then forced to the lakebed by tectonic activity. The absence of alkanes and the presence of an UCM with mature biomarkers are consistent with rapid hydrothermal oil generation and expulsion at temperatures of 200–250 °C. The occurrence of hydrothermal petroleum in continental rift systems is now well known and should be considered in future energy resource exploration in such regions.     

The effect of uncertainty on estimates of hurricane surge hazards

It is shown here that uncertainty can significantly affect estimated surge levels over a wide range of annual exceedance probabilities (AEPs). For AEPs in the range of 1 × 10^?2–5 × 10^?2 in the New Orleans area, estimated surge values with and without consideration of uncertainty differ by about 0.5–1.0 m. Similarly, suppression of natural variability, such as using a single value for Mississippi River discharge in surge simulations, rather than allowing the discharge to vary probabilistically, is shown to produce deviations up to 1 m for the 1 × 10^?2 AEP in locations within the mainline river levees in this area. It is also shown that uncertainty can play a critical role in the analysis of very low probability events in the AEP range 1 × 10^?4–1 × 10^?6. Such events are typically used in designs of structures with major societal impacts. It is shown here that, for this range of AEPs along the west coast of Florida, the neglect of uncertainty can under-predict design surge levels by about 20 % compared to estimated surge levels that include uncertainty.     

A review of: “Physical fluid dynamics”

Abstract

by D. J. Tritton, Second Edition, Oxford University Press XVII + 519 pp. Hardback (ISBN 0–19–854489–8) $35.00; paperback (ISBN 0–19–854493–6) $16.95; 1988.     

Simplified approach for design of raft foundations against fault rupture. Part Ⅰ: free-field

Over the past few decades, earthquake engineering research mainly focused on the effects of strong seismicshaking. After the 1999 earthquakes in Turkey and Taiwan, and thanks to numerous cases where fault rupture causedsubstantial damage to structures, the importance of faulting-induced deformation has re-emerged. This paper, along withits companion (Part Ⅱ), exploits parametric results of finite element analyses and centrifuge model testing in developing afour-step semi-analytical approach for analysis of dip-slip (normal and thrust) fault rupture propagation through sand, itsemergence on the ground surface, and its interaction with raft foundations. The present paper (Part Ⅰ) focuses on the effectsof faulting in the absence of a structure (i.e., in the free-field). The semi-analytical approach comprises two-steps: the firstdeals with the rupture path and the estimation of the location of fault outcropping, and the second with the tectonically-induced displacement profile at the ground surface. In both cases, simple mechanical analogues are used to derive simplifiedsemi-analytical expressions. Centrifuge model test data, in combination with parametric results from nonlinear finite elementanalyses, are utilized for model calibration. The derived semi-analytical expressions are shown to compare reasonably wellwith more rigorous experimental and theoretical data, thus providing a useful tool for a first estimation of near-fault seismichazard.     

An outline of the geology of the Afghan Pamirs

In the Great Afghan Pamir (Pamir-e Kaland) the following formations can be distinguished, from bottom to top: Wakhan Fm. (3000–4000 m thick anchimetamorphic slates and sandstones with frequent intercalations of quartzites and rare beds of crystalline limestones; conodonts of Lower Triassic); Qal'a-e Panja Tonalite (epimetamorphic, cataclastic); Qal'a-e Ust Gneiss (meta- and orthogneisses); Issik Granodiorite (batholite of the Afghan Pamirs, equivalent to Baba Tangi-Lunkho Granodiorite; xenoliths, flow structures and diaphtoritic portions; Upper Jurassic to Eocene). The tectonics are determined by the Peripheric Southern Fault of the Pamirs and the Wakhan Fault, showing vertical dislocation up to 1000 m and sinistral thrusting in connection with the Western Himalayan Syntaxis. Late Variscan and Alpine deformations and an intensive middle Alpine metamorphism can be observed. Interpretations of satellite pictures lead to an insertion of the regional tectonic features into the model of plate tectonics of the Himalayan arc.