Benthic foraminiferal distribution and sedimentary structures suggest tectonic erosion at the Costa Rica convergent plate margin

ABSTRACT Distribution patterns of benthic foraminiferal faunas from ODP Leg 170 Sites 1041 and 1042 show that the Costa Rican convergent margin subsided from coastal to abyssal depth from Middle Miocene to Present. This favours the model of a margin undergoing active subduction erosion. We propose that subduction erosion leads to the removal of material from the base of the forearc wedge and, as a consequence, to progressive subsidence of the forearc. A mean subsidence rate is estimated to be approximately 0.4 mm yr⁻¹.     

An ESA NEOCC Effort to Eliminate High Palermo Scale Virtual Impactors

In this work we summarize the initial results of a targeted effort of the ESA NEO Coordination Centre to obtain additional observational data in order to eliminate or reduce the impact probability estimate of a subset of the known near-Earth objects representing the highest fraction of the total known impact risk, as measured by the Palermo Scale.     

Über das Alter von Rundhöckern bei Lysekil (Bohuslän) an der schwedischen Skagerrak-Küste

Zusammenfassung In Bohuslän an der schwedischen Skagerrak-Küste befinden sich bei Lysekil Rundhöcker, die aus klüftigem Granit bestehen. Das Gefügeinventar ist sehr umfangreich, doch fällt eine Hauptrichtung auf, welche die Eisbewegung steuerte. Außer den tektonischen Klüften tritt die Entspannungsklüftung in ihrer typischen Art insofern auf, als sie morphoparallel ist und die Außenform der Rundhöcker nachbildet. Durch das Vorhandensein einer Diskordanz zwischen der Aufgleitfläche des Eises und den Entspannungsflächen im Granit ist über das Alter der Rundhöcker auszusagen, daß ihre Anlage älter als die Eisbedeckung ist. Das Eis benutzte die Entspannungsflächen teilweise als Bewegungsbahn oder kappte sie. Das Alter der Rundhöcker und ihre räumliche Anordnung wird daher präglazial sein und ist in das Tertiär zu stellen. Die vorgefundenen älteren Formen überprägte das Eis oft am stärksten auf der Leeseite und schuf dann steilwandige Nischen mit ortsfremden Findlingen als Inhalt.

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In the Bohuslän District, on the Swedish Skagerrak coast, humps may be found near Lysekil, which consist of jointed granite. The fabric is very comprehensive, but there is one main direction guiding the ice movement. Besides these joints, there are relaxation planes in their typical formations; they run parallel to the morphology and re-shape the exterior forms of the humps.The presence of a discordance between the gliding surface and the relaxation planes in the granite determines the age of the humps, i. e., their origin is older than the ice cover. The ice made use of these planes by moving on or by cutting them. The age of the humps and their arrangement in space should, therefore, be preglacial and be assigned to the tertiary. The older forms encountered re-formed the ice most strongly on the leeward side, and there are precipitous niches containing erratic blocks.

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Résumé A Bohuslän sur la côte suédoise de Skagerrak se trouvent à côté de Lysekil des roches moutonnées, formées de granit diaclase. La structure en question est très riche, mais une direction principale se distingue, celle qui réglait le mouvement glaciaire. Apart les diaclases intervient une diaclase de relaxation dans sa forme typique aussi loin qu'elle est morphoparallèle et qu'elle imite la forme extérieure des roches moutonnées. A travers l'existence d'une discordance mécanique entre la surface de glissement du glacier et les surfaces de relaxation dans le granit peut on déterminer l'âge des roches moutonnées, que leur formation est plus vieille que celle de la couverture glaciaire. Le glacier utilisait les surfaces de relaxation comme voie de déplacement, ou bien il les coupait. C'est pour cela que l'âge des roches moutonnées et leur disposition dans l'éspace est préglacial, et est à ranger dans l'ère tertiaire. Le glacier influença les anciennes formes trouvées, souvent le plus fort sur le côté sous le vent, et fit des nids à falaises abruptes contenant des blocs erratiques venant d'autre part.

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A forced response to twentieth century climate conditions of two Spanish forests inferred from widths and stable isotopes of tree rings

This dendroclimatological research is based on two close pine forests (Pinus sylvestris and Pinus uncinata) located at the Northern Iberian System (Spain), and three tree-ring variables (ring widths, δ ¹³C and δ ¹⁸O). The climate-tree growth system was assessed at local and regional scales using three climate datasets. Calibration of tree-ring records with climate showed a diversity of information recorded in the different variables, such as a general response to temperature and precipitation of current growing period, and an important contribution of previous year conditions understood as the use of food reserves. The analysis of the stability of climate-tree growth relationships throughout the twentieth century showed a shift of those climatic variables to which trees responded and results suggested an enhancement of reserve use on current tree growth. The results obtained in this research made clear a physiological adaptation of trees to changing climate. The results provided hints that the recent warming coupled to slight precipitation decay are forcing growth of studied trees to a higher stress status and to a higher climate-growth synchronisation. These instabilities also have implications on future dendroclimatic reconstructions performed with trees growing under changing environments.     

Solar irradiance below 120 nm and its variations

The solar irradiance below 120 nm was first predicted by astronomers. Since its accurate measurement required the solution of a variety of technological problems, little is known about the variability before 1972, though for more than two decades data have been collected. Therefore, on a quantitative basis only a very rough picture can be given for the solar cycle 19. Also, not enough data with sufficient absolute accuracy are available to describe the solar EUV flux variations of the solar cycle 20, especially during the period of solar maximum. However, due to technological improvements of space and laboratory instrumentations, an almost complete set of data has been obtained from 1972 to date. These observations exhibit strong differences of the flux variations from solar cycle 20 to 21. - For the theoretical and for semi-empirical treatments of many aeronomic processes controlled by the solar EUV radiation, its adequate representation e.g. as indices is required. The problems involved and possible solutions are discussed. Results from some relevant aeronomically oriented computations based on variable solar EUV fluxes are presented.Proceedings of the 14th ESLAB Symposium on Physics of Solar Variations, 16–19 September 1980, Scheveningen, The Netherlands.     

The ‘land-locked’ viewpoint

While the Draft Convention still leaves the land-locked states with very considerable disadvantages, it can be said to represent a success for such states in so far as the notion of land-locked states forms a definite part of the proposed law of the sea and therefore provided them with the power to influence further developments.     

Elektronenstrahl-Mikroanalyse des Meteoriten von Steinbach

Zusammenfassung Eine uns vom Naturhistorischen Museum in Wien freundlicherweise zur Verfügung gestellte Probe des Meteoriten von Steinbach wurde mit einem Elektronenstrahl-Mikroanalysator vom Typ CAMECA qualitativ und quantitativ auf die chemische Zusammensetzung der einzelnen Phasen untersucht.Besonders eingehend wurde dabei die Metallphase analysiert, da diese sich durch die Anwesenheit einer gut ausgebildeten Widmanstättenschen Struktur in Gegenwart von Tridymit als Druckindikator auszeichnet.Die nichtmetallischen Phasen wurden ebenfalls quantitativ bestimmt und ergeben leicht abweichende Ergebnisse von den Analysen vonN. Story-Maskelyne, O. Winkler undF. Heide. Interessant sind vor allem der relativ hohe Mangangehalt in Bronzit und Chromit sowie der Chromgehalt des Troilits.Die Anwendung der neuen Berechnungen über die Abkühlungsgeschichte der Meteoritenmutterkörper vonWood auf unsere quantitativen Analysen ergab eine Abkühlungsgeschwindigkeit von 10°/Million Jahre, was einem Mutterkörper von ca. 50–90 km Durchmesser und einem Zentraldruck von 200 b entspricht.

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Summary A sample of the meteorite of Steinbach, made available by the Naturhistorisches Museum at Vienna, has been analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively by a CAMECA electron-beam microanalyzer.Detailed examination has been made on the structure of the metal phase, as the presence of a well-grown Widmanstätten-structure in contact with trydimite as a pressure-indicator is a direct proof for the formation of the Widmanstätten-structure without pressure.The nonmetallic phases have been analyzed quantitatively and the results are slightly different from those ofStory-Maskelyne, Winkler andHeide. Very interesting is the relatively high content of manganese in bronzite and chromite, also the chromium content of troilite.The application of the new computations ofWood, dealing with the cooling history of meteorite-parentbodies to our quantitative analyses indicate a cooling rate of 10° C/Million years, according to a parentbody of appr. 50–90 km diameter and a central pressure of appr. 200 b.

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Mit 8 Textabbildungen

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Herrn Professor Dr.F. Machatschki zum 70. Geburtstag gewidmet.