Trace element partitioning between orthopyroxene and anhydrous silicate melt on the lherzolite solidus from 1.1 to 3.2 GPa and 1,230 to 1,535°C in the model system Na<Subscript>2</Subscript>O–CaO–MgO–Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>–SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>

We determined experimentally the Nernst distribution coefficient between orthopyroxene and anhydrous silicate melt for trace elements i in the system Na₂O–CaO–MgO–Al₂O₃–SiO₂ (NCMAS) along the dry model lherzolite solidus from 1.1 GPa/1,230°C up to 3.2 GPa/1,535°C in a piston cylinder apparatus. Major and trace element composition of melt and orthopyroxene were determined with a combination of electron microprobe and ion probe analyses. We provide partitioning data for trace elements Li, Be, B, K, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Sm, Nd, Yb, Lu, Hf, Ta, Pb, U, and Th. The melts were chosen to be boninitic at 1.1 and 2.0 GPa, picritic at 2.3 GPa and komatiitic at 2.7 and 3.2 GPa. Orthopyroxene is Tschermakitic with 8 mol% Mg-Tschermaks MgAl[AlSiO₆] at 1.1 GPa while at higher pressure it has 18–20 mol%. The rare earth elements show a continuous, significant increase in compatibility with decreasing ionic radius from D _La^opx−melt ∼ 0.0008 to D _Lu^opx−melt ∼ 0.15. For the high-field-strength elements compatibility increases from D _Th^opx−melt ∼ 0.001 through D _Nb^opx−melt ∼ 0.0015, D _U^opx−melt ∼ 0.002, D _Ta^opx−melt ∼ 0.005, D _Zr^opx−melt ∼ 0.02 and D _Hf^opx−melt ∼ 0.04 to D _Ti^opx−melt ∼ 0.14. From mathematical and graphical fits we determined best-fit values for D ₀^M1, D ₀^M2, r ₀^M1, r ₀^M2, E ₀^M1, and E ₀^M2 for the two different M sites in orthopyroxene according to the lattice strain model and calculated the intracrystalline distribution between M1 and M2. Our data indicate extreme intracrystalline fractionation for most elements in orthopyroxene; for the divalent cations D _i ^M2−M1 varies by three orders of magnitude between D _Co^M2−M1 = 0.00098–0.00919 and D _Ba^M2−M1 = 2.3–28. Trivalent cations Al and Cr almost exclusively substitute on M1 while the other trivalent cations substitute on M2; D _La^M2−M1 reaches extreme values between 6.5 × 10⁷ and 1.4 × 10¹⁶. Tetravalent cations Ti, Hf, and Zr almost exclusively substitute on M1 while U and Th exclusively substitute on M2. Our new comprehensive data set can be used for polybaric-polythermal melting models along the Earth’s mantle solidus. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Variations in the Number of Intestinal Loops in Scaphopoda (Mollusca)

Abstract. The intestinal loops of two species of the genus Bathoxiphus (Entalinidae) and of Cadulus aberrans (Gadilidae) have been reconstructed from serial sections. The results are compared to the 'textbook scaphopod' Antalis dentalis having the hindgut coiled in three loops. Bathoxiphus ensiculus has four or five intestinal loops, B. sp. S 153 four, and C. aberrans two. The buccal pouch contents included Foraminifera in all species, with agglomerates of sediment being found only in Bathoxiphus and Antalis. The mean ratio of intestinal length to body length ranges from 1.05 in B. ensiculus , over 0.98 in the four-looped B. sp. S 153, to 0.7 in A. dentalis and 0.6 in the twice-looped C. aberrans. The correlation of intestinal length with diet—additional deposit-feeding in Bathoxiphus and highly specialized 'carnivory' in C. aberrans —is probable. Despite the differences in feeding ecology, the elongated hindgut of both deep-sea species of Bathoxiphus resembles the adaptations of some bivalves to poorly nutritious deep-sea sediments.     

High-temperature carbon reduction of silica: A novel approach for oxygen isotope analysis of biogenic opal

A new technique has been developed for the determination of the oxygen isotope composition from biogenic silica. The iHTR method (inductive high temperature carbon reduction) is based on the reduction of silica by carbon with temperatures of up to 1830°C (maximum T 2200°C) to produce carbon monoxide for isotope analysis. Basically, samples of silica are mixed with graphite and filled into a sample holder made of a glassy carbon rod. The rod is introduced into a glassy carbon cylinder liner closed at the top which itself is enclosed by a double-walled glass vessel. The glassy carbon rod is inductively heated under vacuum to the temperature needed for quantitative conversion of the particular silica material to CO. The most critical process of dehydration (in the case of opal) and reduction to CO is routinely achieved in the iHTR device. Weakly bound oxygen and oxygen-containing contaminants, like hydroxyl groups, as well as remaining minor organic constituents are volatilized stepwise under high vacuum at temperatures of 850°C and 1050°C without isotopic exchange before the reduction of the silica. After completion of dehydration, the temperature is raised to the value needed for silica reduction. For both biogenic silica and quartz a temperature of 1550°C was found to be adequate. The technical design with a standard preparation routine and various test experiments is presented proving the reliability and capability of the new iHTR method, especially with respect to fresh diatom materials and diatom opal. The amount of sample material necessary at present is ∼1.5 mg of silica and the reproducibility achieved for natural samples is better than ±0.15‰. Replicate analysis of the quartz standard NBS28 resulted in a δ¹⁸O value of 9.62‰ ± 0.11‰ (n = 17).     

Das Überleiten von variscischer zu saxonischer Tektonik am nordwestlichen Thüringer Walde

Zusammenfassung Im Thüringer Walde sind zwischen Oberrotliegendem und Zechstein Bewegungen orogener Art nachweisbar. Die Diskordanz der noch zur variscischen Ära gehörenden Mosbacher Phase (nach Ort und Bach Mosbach) umfaßt auch vorzechsteinzeitliche Verwerfungen. Die bisher als primär angesehenen Grenzen der Oberrotliegendverbreitung sind infolge dieser sekundären Beeinflussung somit nicht mehr sicher festzulegen. Doch dürften die Störungen von mosbacher Alter hauptsächlich die unterpermischen Beckenränder betroffen haben. Am Nordrande des Thüringer Waldes ist die jüngere saxonische Tektonik einem solchen vorzechsteinzeitlichen Bruch gefolgt. Über der alten Narbe, die Gebiete grundsätzlich verschiedenen Baues trennt, entstand ein verwickelt gebauter — erst gezerrter, dann gepreßter — Grabenzug. Nach regionalen. Bohrergebnissen ist zu vermuten, daß auch benachbarte Gräben (z. B. Netra—Eisenach) auf einer solchen alten Naht zwischen hochliegendem Grundgebirge einerseits, permischem Beckenareal andererseits entstanden sind. Für spätere Zeiten mag sich die Hoffnung ergeben, daß aus dem saxonischen Bau einmal gewisse Rückschlüsse auf die Struktur des Untergrundes möglich werden könnten.