Temporal and spatial variability in export production in the SE Pacific Ocean: evidence from siliceous plankton fluxes and surface sediment assemblages

Flux of siliceous plankton and taxonomic composition of diatom and silicoflagellate assemblages were determined from sediment trap samples collected in coastal upwelling-influenced waters off northern Chile (30°S, CH site) under “normal” or non-El Niño (1993–94) and El Niño conditions (1997–98). In addition, concentration of biogenic opal and siliceous plankton, and diatom and silicoflagellate assemblages preserved in surface sediments are provided for a wide area between 27° and 43°S off Chile. Regardless of the year, winter upwelling determines the maximum production pattern of siliceous microorganisms, with diatoms numerically dominating the biogenic opal flux. During the El Niño year the export is markedly lower: on an annual basis, total mass flux diminished by 60%, and diatom and silicoflagellate export by 75%. Major components of the diatom flora maintain much of their regular seasonal cycle of flux maxima and minima during both sampling periods. Neritic resting spores (RS) of Chaetoceros dominate the diatom flux, mirroring the influence of coastal-upwelled waters at the CH trap site. Occurrence of pelagic diatoms species Fragilariopsis doliolus, members of the Rhizosoleniaceae, Azpeitia spp. and Nitzschia interruptestriata, secondary components of the assemblage, reflects the intermingling of warmer waters of the Subtropical Gyre. Dictyocha messanensis dominates the silicoflagellate association almost year-around, but Distephanus pulchra delivers ca. 60% of its annual production in less than three weeks during the winter peak. The siliceous thanatocoenosis is largely dominated by diatoms, whose assemblage shows significant qualitative and quantitative variations from north to south. Between 27° and 35°S, the dominance of RS Chaetoceros, Thalassionema nitzschioides var. nitzschioides and Skeletonema costatum reflects strong export production associated with occurrence of coastal upwelling. Both highest biogenic opal content and diatom concentration at 35° and 41°–43°S coincide with highest pigment concentrations along the Chilean coast. Predominance of the diatom species Thalassiosira pacifica and T. poro-irregulata, and higher relative contribution of the silicoflagellate Distephanus speculum at 41°–43°S suggest the influence of more nutrient-rich waters and low sea surface temperatures, probably associated with the Antarctic Circumpolar Water.     

A comparative study of uranium–thorium accumulation at the western edge of the Arabian Peninsula and mineral deposits worldwide

Jordan, located at the western edge of the Arabian Plate, stands out from the remaining part of the Arabian Peninsula by its abundance in radioactive elements, mainly uranium, in a way so far not found elsewhere on the Arabian Peninsula. Uranium (U) and thorium in Jordan are concentrated in eight different types of ore mineralization: (1) intrusive-related (intramagmatic), (2) vein-type, (3) superficial, (4) sandstone-hosted (5) limestone-hosted, (6) U-Th-REE placer-type, (7) black shales, and (8) phosphorites. The major concentration of radioactive elements are synsedimentary and diagenetic in nature, mainly in near-shore marine depositional environments where uranium contents are abnormally high in the late Cretaceous to Paleogene phosphorites and increasing towards the mobile shelf of the Tethys ocean. These uraniferous phosphorites form the source of uranium that was redeposited within terrigenous chemical residues of lacustrine-fluvial depositional systems in Central Jordan (calcretes). Faultbound radiometric anomalies are caused by hot brines being vented along with the Jordan-Dead-Sea rifting. Presumably, low-grade U accumulation in (hot) black shales and marls of Silurian age are responsible for these radiometric anomalies. In the present paper, the Jordanian uranium concentrations are compared with reference types of uranium deposits elsewhere in the world to get an idea if the geological, chemical, and mineralogical features of analogue uranium mineralization in Jordan are indicative of economic targets. The uranium concentration in Jordanian phosphorites has been tracked beyond the border into Syria, Iraq, Israel, and Saudi Arabia. The uranium potential in neighboring countries is assessed based on the current geological data available for the Mediterranean Phosphorite Belt which is poised to become a another string to the bow with respect to energy supply on the Arabian Peninsula.     

The electric field gradient in natural iron-doped chrysoberyl Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>BeO<Subscript>4</Subscript> and sinhalite MgAlBO<Subscript>4</Subscript> single crystals

This work reports on the evaluation of the electric field gradient (EFG) in natural chrysoberyl Al₂BeO₄ and sinhalite MgAlBO₄ using two different procedures: (1) experimental, with single crystal Mössbauer spectroscopy (SCMBS) on the three principal sections of each sample and (2) a “fully quantitative” method with cluster molecular orbital calculations based on the density functional theory. Whereas the experimental and theoretical results for the EFG tensor are in quantitative agreement, the calculated isomer shifts and optical d–d-transitions exhibit systematic deviations from the measured values. These deviations indicate that the substitution of Al and Mg with iron should be accompanied by considerable local expansion of the coordination octahedra.     

Der Salzstock von Cardona in Nordostspanien

Zusammenfassung Der Salzstock von Cardona liegt in dem von den SüdpyrenÄen und dem Katalonischen Küstengebirge begrenzten tertiÄren Ampurdanbecken. Die Beckenfüllung besteht aus vorwiegend marinem AlttertiÄr, obereozÄnem Salinar und dem mÄchtigen kontinentalen Abtragsschutt der Randgebirge.Der Salzstock von Cardona gehört der nördlichen von zwei NE-streichenden Antiklinalen an und tritt als langgestreckter Salzaufbruch (Montana de Sal) bei Cardona zutage. Der Salzkörper ist insgesamt südvergent und bricht nördlich neben dem Antiklinalscheitel über Tage aus.Das Deckgebirge der Nordflanke ist bis 40 aufgebogen, das der Südflanke in einer schmalen, langerstreckten Zone steilgestellt und zum Teil eng verfaltet. Im Westteil des Aufbruchs liegt auf dem Salzhut steilgestelltes, einen Aufstiegsstillstand markierendes PliopleistozÄn.Die Tektonik im zentralen Ampurdanbecken wird auf Halokinese zurückgeführt. Der Salzaufstieg erscheint als kontinuierlicher, durch Zeiten intensiver Salzlösung unterbrochener Vorgang.

---

The Cardona salt dome in NE Spain is situated in the Tertiary Ampurdan Basin which is framed in the N by the Southern Pyrenees and in the SW by the Cataluña coastal ranges. The sediments of the Ampurdan Basin consist of predominantly marine early Tertiary, of Upper Eocene evaporitic series, and of thick detrital continental material derived from the surrounding mountain ranges.The Cardona salt dome belongs to the northern of two parallel anticlines striking SW-NE. Near the Cardona village, there is a salt uprise (2 km in length and about 0.5 km in width) with the famous Montaña de Sal (salt mountain) in its western part. As a whole the salt plug is asymmetric with the movement directed to the south. It crops out little north of the crest line.At its northern flank the covering strata are uptilted to 40, whereas at the southern flank in a narrow long zone, the cover dips steeply and locally is narrowly folded. In the western part of the salt uprise, the cap rock is overlain by steeply dipping deposits of Plio-Pleistocene age, which indicate a standstill in the rise of the salt.The tectonic movements in the central Ampurdan Basin seem to result from the salt movement caused by overburden (Trusheim, 1957). The upward movement of the salt probably was a continous process, interrupted only by times of intensive salt solution.

---

Resumen El domo salino de Cardona se encuentra en el NW de la Península Ibérica, situado en la cuenca terciaria del Ampurdan, que está bordeada al N por los Pirineos meridionales y al SW por la Cordillera Litoral Catalana.En el presente trabajo, primeramente se describe la tectónica de la cuenca del Ampurdan, expresada de modo esquematico por médio de un mapa tectónico y un corte geológico general. Lbs afloramientos superficiales del domo salino de Cardona (montaña de sal) y los terrenos posteriores de recubrimiento sedimentario, están expresados tectónicamente, en detalle, por mapas y cortes geológicos. Acompaña al presente trabajo un breve itinerario, Útil para él que desee visitar tan interesante lugar geológico, universalmente conocido.En los depósitos sedimentarios basales de la cuenca terciaria predominan los depósitos marinos del terciario antiguo; sigue encima el eoceno superior salino; estos terrenos están recubiertos por los potentes depósitos continentales resultantes de la demolición subaérea.En la cuenca del Ampurdan afloran dos anticlinales de rumbo SW-NE, cuyos nÚcleos están constituidos por materiales salinos. El domo salino de Cardona pertenece al anticlinal nórdico. En conjunto, el domo salino muestra una vergencia sur y aflora por el norte, immediate a la cresta divisoria del anticlinal.Los terrenos de recubrimiento del flanco norte está abombado, con un buzamiento que llega hasta los 40. Los del flanco sur son, en una zona larga y estrecha, casi verticales y, en parte, se presentan estrechamente replegados. Por la parte oeste del diapiro, los depósitos pliopleistocenos están en posición vertical e indican un período de quietud en el ascenso del diapiro. La tectónica del centro de la cuenca del Ampurdan se atribuye a la halocinesis (Trusheim, 1957). El ascenso del domo salino es un fenómeno continuo, interrumpido de vez en cuando por periodos de mayor intensidad de a disolución salina.

---

Cardona Ampurdan . , . Cardona (Montana de sal). . 40, — , . -. . , , .

     

In remembrance of Prof. PhD Dr. h.c. Wolfgang H. Berger

International Journal of Earth Sciences -     

Structure and Mössbauer spectroscopy of barbosalite Fe2+Fe3+ 2 (PO4)2(OH)2 between 80 K and 300 K

Natural barbosalite Fe²⁺Fe³⁺ ₂ (PO₄)₂(OH)₂ from Bull Moose Mine, South Dakota, U.S.A., having ideal composition, was investigated with single crystal X-ray diffraction techniques, Mössbauer spectroscopy and SQUID magnetometry to redetermine crystal structure, valence state of iron and evolution of ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer parameter and to propose the magnetic structure at low temperatures. At 298?K the title compound is monoclinic, space group P2₁/n, a _o ?= 7.3294(16)?Å, b _o ?=?7.4921(17)?Å, c _o ?=?7.4148 (18)?Å, β?=?118.43(3)°, Z?=?2. No crystallographic phase transition was observed between 298?K and 110?K. Slight discontinuities in the temperature dependence of lattice parameters and bond angles in the range between 150?K and 180?K are ascribed to the magnetic phase transition of the title compound. At 298?K the Mössbauer spectrum of the barbosalite shows two paramagnetic components, typical for Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ in octahedral coordination; the area ratio Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ is exactly two, corresponding to the ideal value. Both the Fe²⁺ and the Fe³⁺ sublattice order magnetically below 173?K and exhibit a fully developed magnetic pattern at 160?K. The electric field gradient at the Fe²⁺ site is distorted from axial symmetry with the direction of the magnetic field nearly perpendicular to V_zz, the main component of the electric field gradient. The temperature dependent magnetic susceptibility exhibits strong antiferromagnetic ordering within the corner-sharing Fe³⁺-chains parallel to [101], whereas ferromagnetic coupling is assumed within the face-sharing [1?1?0] and [?1?1?0] Fe³⁺-Fe²⁺-Fe³⁺ trimer, connecting the Fe³⁺-chains to each other.