Platinum-Group Elements and Gold Determination in NiS Fire Assay Buttons by UV Laser Ablation ICP-MS

The direct analysis of nickel sulfide fire assay buttons by UV laser ablation ICP-MS was used to determine the platinum-group elements and gold in the following reference materials: UMT-1, WPR-1, WMG-1, GPt-4, GPt-6 and CHR-Bkg. The instrument was calibrated with buttons prepared using quartz doped with the appropriate standard solutions. Analytical precision (RSD) was generally better than 10%, although occasional higher RSDs may infer local heterogeneities within nickel sulfide buttons. Good or excellent agreement was observed between analysed and reference material values except Rh in UMT-1 and WMG-1, which suffered an interference from copper. Detection limits calculated as 10 s quantitation limits were Au (1.7 ng g⁻¹), Pd (3.3 ng g⁻¹), Pt (8.3 ng g⁻¹), Os (1.3 ng g⁻¹), Rh (1 ng g⁻¹), Ru (5 ng g⁻¹) and Ir (0.7 ng g⁻¹).     

Facies,geometry and growth phases of the Valdorria carbonate platform (Pennsylvanian,northern Spain)

The 14 km wide Valdorria outcrop (Pennsylvanian, northern Spain) is one of the few examples of entirely exposed flat‐topped and high‐relief carbonate platforms reported in the fossil rock record. Laterally and vertically traceable stratal patterns expose three phases of growth. Phase I is a 430 m thick platform to slope succession that prograded over 6 km, and is dated as Early Bashkirian (Akavasian–Askynbashian). Phase II aggraded and prograded, exhibiting 180 m thickness of cyclical platform top deposits, dated as Late Bashkirian (Asatauian). Phase III is a mound‐shape structure that developed over the platform top of Phase II as a new phase of platform nucleation. It is 535 m thick and 2 km wide, and dated as Late Bashkirian (Asatauian–Transition interval). The observed changes of growth styles during platform evolution, from a prograding to an aggrading–prograding system, and a rapid aggradational phase, are inferred to be controlled by flexural subsidence in the active Cantabrian foreland basin, at the Variscan orogenic front. The metre‐scale shallowing‐upward cycles of the platform top are most probably due to glacioeustasy, as evidenced by well‐recorded subaerial exposure surfaces superimposed on subtidal deposits, and by a stratal pattern recurrent in a short interval of about 160 kyr. Observations of outcropping Bashkirian cyclothems in an isolated carbonate system, devoid of siliciclastic input, are relevant for a better understanding of the impact of high‐frequency sea‐level fluctuations on the carbonate factory. Moreover, progradation of the platform margin during Phase I reaches a rate of 2500 m/Myr, and 1810 m/Myr during Phase II; rates that are high when compared to other Pennsylvanian examples. The aggradation rate of 447 m/Myr calculated for the Late Bashkirian–Transition interval (Phases II and III; uncorrected for compaction, missing beats and erosion) is uncommonly high in comparison to coeval Pennsylvanian examples. The platform exhibits a self‐nourishing prograding microbial boundstone‐dominated slope. Thus, the slope‐shedding model applies well to Valdorria. However, Phase II recorded eustatic variations able to inhibit the slope microbial boundstone factory during low sea‐level stands; this is marked by common slope red‐stained breccias synchronous to platform top subaerial exposure phases. Contrarily, periods of relative high sea‐level and rapid subsidence in Phase III registered a greater development of cemented microbial boundstone. These observed, partly opposing relationships of sea‐level stands, shedding modes and slope architecture provide an improvement of the currently used slope‐shedding model. The overall architecture of the Valdorria outcrop compares well with that of other contemporaneous platforms, such as Sierra del Cuera and Bolshoi Karatau. Valdorria shares the high‐relief and flat‐topped, steep slopes, cyclothemic patterns and occurrence of karst features with the Pricaspian Basin platforms (Tengiz, Karachaganak and Kashagan), with minor variations in facies distribution of the internal platform. Furthermore, the continuous seismic‐scale outcrop of Valdorria, together with its isolated setting and asymmetrical growth, makes it a very good candidate for potential subsurface analogues of hydrocarbon‐bearing systems.     

Robust regression based on shrinkage with application to Living Environment Deprivation

Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment - A robust estimator is proposed for the parameters that characterize the linear regression problem. It is based on the notion of shrinkages,...     

Modelling background seismicity components identified by nearest neighbour and stochastic declustering approaches: the case of Northeastern Italy

Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment - An adequate characterization of the temporal features of background seismicity, namely after removal of temporally and spatially clustered...     

Multi-nest high-resolution model of submesoscale circulation features in the Gulf of Taranto

Recent oceanographic field measurements and high-resolution numerical modelling studies have revealed intense, transient, submesoscale motions characterised by a horizontal length scale of 100–10,000 m. This submesoscale activity increases in the fall and winter when the mixed layer (ML) depth is at its maximum. In this study, the submesoscale motions associated with a large-scale anticyclonic gyre in the central Gulf of Taranto were examined using realistic submesoscale-permitting simulations. We used realistic flow field initial conditions and multiple nesting techniques to perform realistic simulations, with very-high horizontal resolutions (> 200 m) in areas with submesoscale variability. Multiple downscaling was used to increase resolution in areas where instability was active enough to develop multi-scale interactions and produce 5-km-diameter eddies. To generate a submesoscale eddy, a 200-m resolution was required. The submesoscale eddy was formed through small-scale baroclinic instability in the rim of a large-scale anticyclonic gyre leading to large vertical velocities and rapid restratification of the ML in a time-scale of days. The submesoscale eddy was confirmed by observational data from the area and we can say that for the first time we have a proof that the model reproduces a realistic submesoscale vortex, similar in shape and location to the observed one.     

Climate extremes in South Western Siberia: past and future

In this study, the temporal and spatial trends of ten climate extreme indices were computed based on observed daily precipitation and on daily maximum and minimum temperatures at 26 weather stations in South Western Siberia during the period 1969–2011 and, based on projected daily maximum and minimum temperatures, during 2021–2050. The Mann–Kendall test was employed to analyze the temporal trend and a combination of multiple linear regressions and semivariogram functions were used to evaluate the regional spatial trends and the local spatial variability of climate extremes, respectively. The results show that the temperature-based climate extremes increase at a 0.05 significance level while none of the precipitation-based climate extremes did. Spatially, dominant gradients are observed along latitude: The northern taiga vegetation zone experiences a colder and wetter climate while the southern forest steppe zone is drier and hotter. Over time, a tendency towards homogenization of the regional climate is observed through a decrease of the spatial variability for most climate extreme indices. In the future, the most intense changes are anticipated for the bio-climate indicators “growing season length” and “growing degree days” in the north, while the warming indicators, “warm day” and “warm night” are expected to be high to the south.     

Occurrence of selected estrogens in mangrove sediments

This paper presents results related to the occurrence and distribution of estrogens along the Brazilian coast. Three mangrove areas were chosen to evaluate the presence of estrogens in surface sediments of mangrove forests. The presence of estrogens was observed in all studied sites. 17-α-Ethinylestradiol (EE2), a synthetic estrogen, was the most common and has been found in higher concentration (0.45-129.78 ng/g) compared to 17-β-estradiol (E1) and estrone (E2) (both being natural estrogens). The concentrations of E1 and E2 ranged from 0.02 to 49.27 ng/g and 0.03 to 39.77 ng/g, respectively. Theoretically, under anaerobic conditions EE2 can be reduced to E1 even in environments such as sediments of mangrove forests, which are essentially anaerobic. Even if the concentrations of estrogens seem to be insignificant in some samples, the effects remain uncertain.     

Probabilistic modelling of macroseismic attenuation and forecast of damage scenarios

According to the idea now widespread that macroseismic intensity should be expressed in probabilistic terms, a beta-binomial model has been proposed in the literature to estimate the probability of the intensity at site in the Bayesian framework and a clustering procedure has been adopted to define learning sets of macroseismic fields required to assign prior distributions of the model parameters. This article presents the results concerning the learning sets obtained by exploiting the large Italian macroseismic database DBM1I11 (Locati et al. in DBMI11, the 2011 version of the Italian Macroseismic Database, 2011. http://emidius.mi.ingv.it/DBMI11/) and discusses the problems related to their use in probabilistic modelling of the attenuation in seismic regions of the European countries partners of the UPStrat-MAFA project (2012), namely South Iceland, Portugal, SE Spain and Mt Etna volcano area (Italy). Anisotropy and the presence of offshore earthquakes are some of the problems faced. All the work has been carried out in the framework of the Task B of the project.     

Responses of humpback whales to a changing climate in the Southern Hemisphere: Priorities for research efforts

Globally, baleen whales were severely depleted by historic whaling. Recovering populations have been observed to alter their behaviour. These changes have been attributed to climate change in some cases and raise concerns over the successful recovery of baleen whale populations. Current data-driven statistical habitat and behavioural models have proven useful for addressing questions of whale distribution changes within their limitations. Given observed changes in oceanic conditions, a new approach to managing baleen whale population recovery is necessary. Model predictions of future whale movements and distributions under climate change scenarios are vital to enable adequate conservation management. This paper presents a new perspective on understanding the impacts of climate change on humpback whales, arguing the need for a system-based multidisciplinary research approach. Our approach includes coupled, mechanistic models based upon robust ecological principles, and integrates key physical, biogeochemical, biological and ecological modules to address long-term changes associated with climate change. To illustrate the need for this system-based multidisciplinary approach, we focus on Southern Hemisphere humpback whales, the recovery of which may be impacted by rapid changes in habitat conditions brought about by anthropogenic climate change.