Brackish marshes erode twice as fast as saline marshes in the Mississippi Delta region

Marsh soil properties vary drastically across estuarine salinity gradients, which can affect soil strength and, consequently, marsh edge erodibility. Here, we quantify how marsh erosion differs between saline and brackish marshes of the Mississippi Delta. We analyzed long-term (1932–2015) maps of marsh loss and developed an algorithm to distinguish edge erosion from interior loss. We found that the edge erosion rate remains nearly constant at decadal timescales, whereas interior loss varies by more than 100%. On average, roughly half of marsh loss can be attributed to edge erosion, the other half to interior loss. Based on data from 42 cores, brackish marsh soils had a lower bulk density (0.17 vs. 0.27 g/cm³), a higher organic content (43% vs. 26%), a lower shear strength (2.0 vs. 2.5 kPa), and a lower shear strength in the root layer (13.8 vs. 20.7 kPa) than saline marsh soils. We then modified an existing marsh edge erosion model by including a salinity-dependent erodibility. By calibrating the erodibility with the observed retreat rates, we found that the brackish marsh is two to three times more erodible than the saline marshes. Overall, this model advances the ability to simulate estuarine systems as a whole, thus transcending the salinity boundaries often used in compartmentalized marsh models.     

The contribution of seismic data in microzonation studies for downtown L��Aquila

After the 2009 April 6th Mw 6.3 L??Aquila earthquake (Central Italy) the Italian Civil Defense Department promoted the microzoning study in the ten zones in the epicentral area that suffered major damage. In this paper we present the activities and the results concerning a temporary seismic network installed in the historical L??Aquila city center indicated as ??macroarea 1?? in the microzoning project. Seismic data were collected to investigate the amplification effects in the city and to support the microzoning activities in verifying both geological profiles and 1D numerical modeling of the seismic response of the city. The conventional spectral approaches using both microtremor and earthquake data allowed to determine the fundamental resonance frequencies and the amplification factors within the city respectively. The spatial variability of these quantities can be related to the geological and geomorphologic characteristics of the investigated area. A comparison between the network data and the data recorded by the two strong motion instruments installed in the city was also made. This allows verifying the relative response of the accelerometric stations that recorded in the city the major events of the sequence.     

Geochemistry of phlogopite, diopside, calcite, anhydrite and apatite pegmatites and syenites of southern Madagascar: evidence for crustal silicocarbonatitic (CSC) melt formation in a Panafrican collisional tectonic setting

The phlogopite, diopside, calcite, anhydrite and apatite pegmatites of Ampandrandava and Beraketa are examples for the many other pegmatites of similar silicocarbonatitic composition found in the Bekily and Betroka-Beraketa Precambrian belts of southern Madagascar. The two studied pegmatites and associated syenites crystallised from immiscible silicocarbonatitic and peralkaline syenitic melts in a time span between 515 and 504 Ma in the final extensional phase of the Panafrican continental collision and connected metamorphic/metasomatic event. Model T _Nd ages suggest that the melts were produced by partial melting of 3.5 Ga partially evaporitic continental crust. The studied pegmatites and genetically associated syenitic rocks are very rare examples for crustal silicocarbonatitic melts generated in a Panafrican collisional setting. The overwhelming majority of carbonatites and associated peralkaline rocks are mantle derived, much poorer in phosphate and sulfate and found in a cratonic environment. In light of the present results, genetic models for other sulfate- and phosphate-rich magmatic rocks (e.g., phlogopite–apatite–calcite mineralisations in the Grenville-Hasting formation in Canada and in the Sludyanka group in Eastern Siberia) should be reevaluated.     

Climate-related variations in crustal trace elements in Dome C (East Antarctica) ice during the past 672 kyr

Cr, Fe, Rb, Ba and U were determined by inductively coupled plasma sector field mass spectrometry (ICP-SFMS) in various sections of the 3,270 m deep ice core recently drilled at Dome C on the high East Antarctic plateau as part of the EPICA program. The sections were dated from 263 kyr bp (depth of 2,368 m) to 672 kyr bp (depth of 3,062 m). When combined with the data previously obtained by Gabrielli and co-workers for the upper 2,193 m of the core, it gives a detailed record for these elements during a 672-kyr period from the Holocene back to Marine Isotopic Stage (MIS) 16.2. Concentrations and fallout fluxes of all elements are found to be highly variable with low values during the successive interglacial periods and much higher values during the coldest periods of the last eight climatic cycles. Crustal enrichment factors indicates that rock and soil dust is the dominant source for Fe, Rb, Ba and U whatever the period and for Cr during the glacial maxima. The relationship between Cr, Fe, Rb, Ba and U concentrations and the deuterium content of the ice appears to be similar before and after the Mid-Brunhes Event (MBE, around 430 kyr bp). Mean concentration values observed during the successive interglacials from the Holocene to MIS 15.5 appear to vary from one interglacial to another at least for part of the elements. Concentrations observed during the successive glacial maxima suggest a decreasing trend from the most recent glacial maxima (MIS 2.2 and 4.2) to the oldest glacial maxima such as MIS 14.2, 14.4 and 16.2, which could be linked with changes in the size distribution of dust particles transported from mid-latitude areas to the East Antarctic ice cap.     

Petrological study and radiometric age determination of the migmatites in the Penninic rocks of the Zillertaler Alpen (Tyrol/Austria)

Summary Migmatites are very common in the Penninic Zentralgneis series of the Western Tauern Window. Nebulitic migmatites occurring near the Berliner Hütte (Zillertaler Alpen) have been studied by petrological and geochronological methods in order to determine the conditions and time of their formation. These migmatites occur in an area in which Alpine metamorphism attained its highest grade.An Rb/Sr isochron for the migmatites yielded a Hercynian age of 283±28 m.y. This age probably corresponds to the climax of Hercynian metamorphism in the Penninic area of the Tauern Window. Rb/Sr age determinations on the phengites and biotites of these migmatites give ages of 21 and 14 m.y., respectively. These ages are the result of cooling of the rocks below 500°C and 300°C, respectively, during Alpine times.From the chemical composition of the migmatites a solidus temperature of about 670°C at 4 kb is inferred. Consideration of oxygen isotope and mineral stability data for minerals formed during high grade Alpine metamorphism indicates that these P-T conditions were not achieved during Alpine times. This also supports a pre-Alpine age for the migmatization.

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Petrologische Studie und radiometrische Altersbestimmung an penninischen Migmatiten der Zillertaler Alpen (Tirol, Österreich)

Zusammenfassung In den penninischen Zentralgneisarealen des westlichen Tauernfensters treten weit verbreitet Migmatite auf. Für die Migmatisation wurde sowohl ein prä-alpidisches als auch ein alpidisches Alter angenommen. Zur Festlegung des Alters der Migmatisation wurden die in der Nähe der Berliner Hütte auftretenden nebulitischen in-situ gebildeten Migmatite petrologisch untersucht und ihr Bildungsalter geochronologisch bestimmt. Diese Migmatite liegen in dem Gebiet höchstgradiger alpidischer Metamorphose. Eine Rb/Sr-Isochrone ergab für diese Gesteine ein herzynisches Bildungsalter von 283±28 m.y. Dieses Alter entspricht wahrscheinlich dem Höhepunkt der herzynischen Metamorphose. Rb/Sr-Altersbestimmungen an den Phengiten und Biotiten ergaben für die Abkühlung dieser Gesteine unter 500 bzw. 300°C ein alpidisches Alter von ca. 21 bzw. 14 m.y.Aus der chemischen Zusammensetzung der Migmatite und einer Druckabschätzung für die herzynische Metamorphose von ca. 4 kb ergibt sich für das Leukosom der Migmatite eine Solidustemperatur von ca. 670°C.Aus den Stabilitätsbeziehungen alpin gebildeter Minerale, den¹⁸O/¹⁶O Temperaturen und der Soliduskurve des Leukosoms der Migmatite ergibt sich, daß eine alpidische Migmati sation selbst unter den Bedingungen der höchstgradigen alpidischen Metamorphose nicht möglich ist.

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With 8 Figures     

Mineralogical and chemical composition of some carbonate minerals from the Zillerthal Alps,Tyrol (Austria)

Summary 32 carbonate samples from a series of metamorphic rocks of greenschist to almandine-amphibolite facies in the Zillerthal Alps were investigated by optical and chemical methods, X-ray diffractometry, and the scanning electron microscope.The carbonates consist mainly of calcite which contains up to 11 mole % (MgCO₃+FeCO₃). Some of the calcites are characterized by skeleton-like dolomitic exsolutions of rhombohedral shape that are orientated on rhombohedron planes of the calcite matrix.The relations between metamorphic grade and calcite composition will be discussed. The (FeCO₃+MgCO₃)-content of calcite depends on the temperature of formation, CO₂ pressure, and the Fe and Mg concentrations of the carbonate-forming solutions.

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Mineralogische und chemische Zusammensetzung von Karbonaten aus den Zillertaler Alpen, Tirol (Österreich)

Zusammenfassung 32 Karbonatproben aus den Zillertaler Alpen (Tirol, Österreich) wurden mit optischen und röntgendiffraktometrischen Methoden sowie mit dem Elektronenrastermikroskop untersucht.Die Karbonate sind Calcite, die bis zu 11 Mol% (MgCO₃+FeCO₃) enthalten. Die Calcitkristalle zeichnen sich durch skelettartige Dolomitentmischungen aus, die parallel zu Rhomboederflächen des Calcites orientiert sind.Die Karbonate stammen aus einer Serie metamorpher Gesteine der Grünschiefer- bis Almandin-Amphibolitfazies. Es werden die Beziehungen zwischen der Calcitzusammensetzung und dem Metamorphosegrad diskutiert. Der (FeCO₃+MgCO₃)-Gehalt der Calcite hängt von der Bildungstemperatur, vom CO₂-Druck und vom Fe- und Mg-Gehalt der Lösungen ab, aus denen sich die Karbonate gebildet haben.

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With 10 Figures     

Quartzdiorite-granite contacts in the Cima d'Asta pluton (North Italy)

It is shown in 4 geochemical profiles that in the Cima d'Asta pluton the quartzdioritic rocks continually change into granitic rocks. This continuous transition contradicts the opinion, that in this region three sharply defined intrusions of granitic, granodioritic, and quartzdioritic composition exist.The granodiorite is considered a transition zone, where the chemical composition of the quartzdiorite changes into a granitic composition. Near the contact the granodioritic zone is of less extension than in the further distant parts.     

Geochemical and petrographic studies of Ta mineralization in the Nuweibi albite granite complex, Eastern Desert, Egypt

The Nuweibi albite granite is one of 14 known Sn-Ta-Nb bearing granitoids in the Eastern Desert region of Egypt. The granite is a highly leucocratic, albite-rich rock with accessory columbite-tantalite, cassiterite, microlite and ixiolite as well as topaz, garnet and white mica. Ages of 450–600 Ma were obtained from zircons by the ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb evaporation method. Great uncertainty is caused by the small size and poor quality of the grains, but the precision is sufficient to indicate that the granite is late- or postorogenic with respect to the Panafrican orogeny. The Nuweibi granite is divided into a western and an eastern part by a regional fault. Both parts of the granite are compositionally similar but there are important differences and a clear compositional gap between them, so they are considered separate facies of an intrusive complex. The eastern part of the granite is more highly mineralized, has higher modal albite contents and higher Ta/Nb ratios, both in the whole rock and in the ore minerals. It is suggested that the two parts of the granite evolved from a common source and were emplaced sequentially, the eastern part representing a later, more fractionated magma. Textural evidence strongly suggests that the granite has a magmatic origin overall, but disturbance of geochemical trends at the whole-rock scale and at the scale of zoning profiles in individual grains of columbite-tantalite indicate post-magmatic overprinting. By analogy with other Ta-bearing albite granites, the sodic bulk composition of the Nuweibi granite can be explained by fluorine enrichment in the magma. Fluorine contents in the magma were high enough to stabilize topaz, and muscovites contain 2–4 wt.%. F. However, whole-rock F contents are low. We speculate that the low Ca, Al and P contents of the magma prevented abundant F-bearing minerals to form and led to loss of fluorine to now-eroded roof rocks. Received: 8 November 1995 / Accepted: 10 June 1996     

Secondary Ca–Al silicates in plutonic rocks: implications for their cooling history

Secondary Ca-Al silicates are used to constrain the P-T-x conditions of the very early post-magmatic stage of the intermediate to basic Hercynian plutonic complexes of Charroux-Civray (NW Massif Central, France) and Fichtelgebirge (NE Bavaria, Germany). The secondary Ca-Al silicates hydrogarnet, prehnite, pumpellyite, epidote and laumontite form lenses within unaltered or only slightly chloritized biotite. Hydrogarnet as the first occurring Ca-Al silicate phase crystallizes at temperatures above 340 °C. The common paragenesis prehnite + pumpellyite post-dates hydrogarnet and indicates rather narrow ranges of temperature (200-280 °C) and pressure (2-3 kbar). Laumontite is formed at the end of Ca-Al silicate crystallization (180-260 °C, 1-3 kbar), mostly in small fractures in association with prehnite and adularia. The observed crystallization sequence of the Ca-Al silicates and their stabilities define a retrograde alteration path for the plutonic rocks. The Ca-Al silicate assemblage results from an early pervasive alteration of the plutonic rocks by low X_CO2 fluids during post-magmatic cooling. Subsolidus cooling starts at about 4 kbar at solidus temperatures as indicated by magmatic epidote stability, hornblende barometry and fluid inclusion data, and continues under slightly decreasing pressure (uplift) down to 2-3 kbar at 200-280 °C (prehnite-pumpellyite paragenesis). This shows that Ca-Al silicate assemblages may be a unique tool to constrain the P-T conditions of the subsolidus cooling of intermediate to basic plutonic bodies.