Holocene Climate in the Northern Great Plains Inferred from Sediment Stratigraphy, Stable Isotopes, Carbonate Geochemistry, Diatoms, and Pollen at Moon Lake, North Dakota

Seismic stratigraphy, sedimentary facies, pollen stratigraphy, diatom-inferred salinity, stable isotope (δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C), and chemical composition (Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca) of authigenic carbonates from Moon Lake cores provide a congruent Holocene record of effective moisture for the eastern Northern Great Plains. Between 11,700 and 9500¹⁴C yr B.P., the climate was cool and moist. A gradual decrease in effective moisture occurred between 9500 and 7100¹⁴C yr B.P. A change at about 7100¹⁴C yr B.P. inaugurated the most arid period during the Holocene. Between 7100 and 4000¹⁴C yr B.P., three arid phases occurred at 6600–6200¹⁴C yr B.P., 5400–5200¹⁴C yr B.P., and 4800–4600¹⁴C yr B.P. Effective moisture generally increased after 4000¹⁴C yr B.P., but periods of low effective moisture occurred between 2900–2800¹⁴C yr B.P. and 1200–800¹⁴C yr B.P. The data also suggest high climatic variability during the last few centuries. Despite the overall congruence, the biological (diatom), sedimentological, isotopic, and chemical proxies were occassionally out of phase. At these times the evaporative process was not the only control of lake-water chemical and isotopic composition.     

Least-squares center-to-center and mean object ellipse fabric analysis

The subjectivity of ellipse fitting in many strain techniques has hindered the determination of fabric anisotropy and tectonic strain. However, many sets of x, y co-ordinates can be approximated as an ellipse using a least-squares algorithm to calculate a best-fit ellipse and associated average radial error. For instance, the two dimensional shape of many objects can be approximated as an ellipse by entering digitized co-ordinates of the object margin into the ellipse algorithm.The rim of maximum point density in a normalized Fry diagram is defined by normalized center-to-center distances between touching or nearly touching objects. The enhanced normalized Fry (ENFry) method automates ellipse fitting by entering center-to-center distances between these “touching” objects into the least-squares ellipse algorithm. For homogeneously deformed populations of 200 objects, the ENFry method gives an accurate and precise measure of whole-rock fabric anisotropy, particularly for low ellipticities. When matrix strain exceeds clast strain, manual ellipse fitting of normalized Fry plots gives more accurate matrix anisotropies.The mean object ellipse (MOE) method calculates the best-fit ellipse from the geometry of the objects. Three points from the margin of each object ellipse, centered at the origin and expanded or reduced to unit volume, are used to calculate the best-fit fabric ellipse. The MOE method is very precise for small data sets, making it a good method for mapping heterogenous object strain. However, least-squares calculations maximize the influence of distal and spurious ellipticities, causing the MOE method to overestimate the fabric ellipticity of most aggregates.     

Platinum group metals in common plants of northern forests: developments in analytical methods, and the application of biogeochemistry to exploration strategies

All platinum-group metals (PGM) in ashed plant tissues, from an area of platinum mineralization in Saskatchewan, have been measured by neutron activation analysis of a NiS fire assay bead. Concentrations of up to 1350 ppb (ng/g) Pd, 880 ppb Pt, 49 ppb Rh, 37 ppb Ru, 24 ppb Ir, and 15 ppb Os occur in ashed twigs of black spruce (Picea mariana), indicating that the ratios of PGM uptake are about the same as those occurring in the bedrock. Plants growing on drift-covered diabase, known to have about 100 ppb PGM, contain up to 77 ppb Pt in ash, demonstrating the potential value of biogeochemical methods in helping to delineate platiniferous zones. Twigs of black spruce, jack pine, and labrador tea appear to be the optimum sample media in this environment.A rapid multi-element neutron activation analysis by direct irradiation of tissue permits measurement of 0.05 ppb Ir in dry material, or 2 ppb Ir in ashed samples. In view of the normally very low concentrations of Ir in plants, any detectable Ir probably indicates enrichment of PGM in the substrate.Comparison of several wet-chemical analytical methods indicates that the optimum (cost-effective) technique for detecting 1–2 ppb Pt, Pd, or Rh in 2-g samples of ash is by Te co-precipitation (following fusion and dissolution), and analysis by ICP-MS with sample introduction by electrothermal vaporization. However, care must be taken to ensure complete dissolution of all PGMs in the ash.     

Activity variations attending tungsten skarn formation,Pine Creek,California

An integrated geochemical analysis of the well-exposed Pine Creek, California tungsten skarn deposit has been undertaken to evaluate changes in chemical gradients across various lithologies. Thermodynamic calculations using available experimental and thermodynamic data allow limits to be assigned to the activities of important chemical components in the metasomatic environment. Quantifiable changes in “non-volatile” component activites (CaO, MgO, Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃, WO₃) and in fugacities (O₂, F₂) have been traced across the system. The activities of Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃ and WO₃ generally increase from the marble (<10², <10⁻⁶, <10⁻⁵ respectively), through the outer skarn zone and into the massive garnet skarn (10^−1.7±0.3, 10^−3.4±0.4, 10^−4.8±0.1) While CaO and MgO activities decrease for the same traverse from 10⁻⁵ and 10^−2.1±1 respectively, to <10^−5.7 and <10⁻³. Calculated oxygen fugacities are 10^−23.5+1.0 at T=800 K (527° C), about one log unit below QFM, and more reducing than that required by Mt-Py-Po. The high variance of the garnet-pyroxene-quartz assemblages adds sufficient uncertainty to the calculated activities for individual specimens that only the large-scale trends survive the small-scale scatter. None of the chemical variables emerge as major independent or controlling factors for the mineralogy or phase compositions. Changes in the activity of one component may be offset by compensatory changes in another resulting in an environment that, while different from Pine Creek, could still host scheelite mineralization. Mass balance calculations indicate that the exposed endoskarn cannot have supplied the necessary chemical components to convert the country rock to skarn.     

Determining past atmospheric HCl mixing ratios from ice core analyses

Laboratory and field measurements have been performed in order to improve our understanding of the HCl air-snow transfer function. The solubility and diffusion of HCl in laboratory grown single crystals of ice have been measured as a function of HCl partial pressure,P _HCl, between –8 and –25 °C. Measurements ofP _HCl and of the mole fraction of HCl in snow,X'_HCl, have been measured at Summit, Greenland. Comparison of the field and laboratory measurements show that theX'_HCl values are well below equilibrium values. The major processes involved in the formation of snow crystals and in their evolution after deposition are discussed in order to attempt to understand theX'_HCl values and their variations. The discussion is focussed on a few well identified snow layers. It is concluded that sublimation and recrystallization of snow probably play a major role in the evolution ofX'_HCl, but that our understanding of the HCl transfer function is very incomplete. Laboratory and field measurements are suggested to improve this situation.     

The nature of the short period fluctuations in solar irradiance received by the earth

An analysis of the periodicities found in the Nimbus-7 satellite measurements of solar irradiance (Solar Constant) indicates variations on three scales. Two of these variations are shown to be related to variations in solar activity as given by various indicators of solar photosphere disturbances. The high frequency periodicity is due to the solar rotation period. The second periodicity is based on the integral effect of the high frequency oscillation over an 11 year solar cycle. The third variation (secular trend) is discussed in regard to the high precision cavity data and the recent record of high altitude solar constant measurements.     

Ar/Ar dating of Apollo 12 regolith: Implications for the age of Copernicus and the source of nonmare materials

Twenty-one 2–4 mm rock samples from the Apollo 12 regolith were analyzed by the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronological technique in order to further constrain the age and source of nonmare materials at the Apollo 12 site. Among the samples analyzed are: 2 felsites, 11 KREEP breccias, 4 mare-basalt-bearing KREEP breccias, 2 alkali anorthosites, 1 olivine-bearing impact-melt breccia, and 1 high-Th mare basalt. Most samples show some degree of degassing at 700–800 Ma, with minimum formation ages that range from 1.0 to 3.1 Ga. We estimate that this degassing event occurred at 782 ± 21 Ma and may have been caused by the Copernicus impact event, either by providing degassed material or by causing heating at the Apollo 12 site. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of two alkali anorthosite clasts yielded ages of 3.256 ± 0.022 Ga and 3.107 ± 0.058 Ga. We interpret these ages as the crystallization age of the rock and they represent the youngest age so far determined for a lunar anorthosite. The origin of these alkali anorthosite fragments is probably related to differentiation of shallow intrusives. Later impacts could have dispersed this material by lateral mixing or vertical mixing.     

Engineering characterization of hydraulic properties in a pilot rock cavern for underground LNG storage

Feasibility of storing LNG in a lined rock cavern was evaluated using a pilot cryogenic rock cavern constructed in Daejeon, Korea. The pilot program included hydrogeological and engineering characterization of the rock mass around the cavern, design and construction of a drainage system, and pilot operation of the cryogenic cavern. An appropriate drainage system is most important to protect the containment system of LNG from thermal shocks due to ice lenses and hydrostatic pressure of groundwater. As a part of the pilot program, this study focused on the evaluation of hydraulic and engineering properties of the rock mass around the cavern. For this purpose, engineering logging of the rock cores, single and cross-hole hydraulic tests, and recharge/drainage tests were performed using seven drilled holes with different trends and plunges. Three main joint sets were found from the logging of the rock cores, acoustic borehole televiewer, and window mapping. The orientations of the three major joint sets were 60/209, 40/171, and 29/331, which can provide the main groundwater flow paths. Mean RQD values ranged from 56 to 88, which were classified as fair and good, although varying with depth along single boreholes. Hydraulic conductivity from the single and cross-hole hydraulic tests estimated in the order of 10⁻⁶ or 10⁻⁷ m/s and corresponding transmissivity ranged between 10⁻⁵ and 10⁻⁶ m²/s. Permeable intervals identified from the hydraulic tests were mostly located above the cavern roof. Below the roof, the permeable zone was difficult to observe. According to the hydraulic communication tests performed for some designated intervals, hydraulic connection between boreholes was highly varied with depth or location, which indicated a very different distribution of water conducting joint sets along the boreholes. When water was injected at R1 with constant or varying flow rates, monotonous and stable seepage was observed at observation boreholes. From this, some stable drainage was expected even in relatively heavy rainfalls. When designing the drainage system of the cavern, the drainage holes should be orientated to maximize frequency of encountering the major joint sets and the permeable intervals identified from this study.