Hydrothermal synthesis of kaolinite illustrated by X-ray diffractograms and scanning electron micrographs,part II

Summary The hydrothermal synthesis of kaolinite from various alumina and silica starting materials reacted at 200°C in aqueous solutions of oxalic acid and H₂SO₄ with the corresponding saturated water vapour pressure, in periods of time from 10 to 25 days, has been followed by X-ray diffraction measurements, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive analysis of the products. The temperature and time periods of reactions were chosen on the basis of previously collected data on the effects of H₄EDTA, a complex-forming agent, and of H₂SO₄, an inorganic acid, on the rate of formation of kaolinite. Aluminium-complexing acids increase the rate of formation or decrease the temperature of formation of kaolinite as shown by evidence from X-ray diffraction patterns. The influence of the starting materials as sources of aluminum, amorphous aluminum hydroxides, pseudoboehmite, allophane or gibbsite, has also been examined by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and by energy dispersive analysis. Scanning electron micrographs indicated that silica is a more mobile phase than alumina, based on the progressive formation of a thin coating on gibbsite during early reaction, then by growth of clusters of platy crystals of kaolin, and finally by production of pellets of stacked crystal flakes. Where gibbsite was used in the reaction mixture, boehmite was commonly observed as an intermediate phase.With 16 Figures     

Determination of Total Sulfur in Fifteen Geological Materials Using Inductively Coupled Plasma‐Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP‐OES) and Combustion/Infrared Spectrometry

A method for the determination of total sulfur in geological materials by inductively coupled plasma‐optical emission spectrometry (ICP‐OES) is described. We show that good results were obtained using this method even for sample types with very low (< 20 μg g^?1) sulfur concentration (e.g., peridotite). Sulfur was determined in fifteen geological reference materials with different sulfur contents. For reference materials with certified sulfur contents, the ICP‐OES method gave results in excellent agreement with certified values, and uncertainties better than 4% RSD. ICP‐OES results for sulfur in other reference materials yielded RSDs better than 10%, where S concentrations were > 100 μg g^?1 (except for diabase W‐2a, 16% RSD). Reference materials with lower sulfur contents (< 40 μg g^?1) showed much higher RSDs (17–18%). Except for RMs with certified values for sulfur, most data obtained by the combustion infrared detection method generally showed higher concentrations than those measured by ICP‐OES and a better RSD (≤ 8% for all materials except DTS‐2b).     

A small-scale landslide susceptibility assessment for the territory of Western Carpathians

This study presented herein compares the bivariate and multivariate landslide susceptibility mapping methods and presents the landslide susceptibility map of the territory of Western Carpathians in small scale. This study also describes pioneer work for the territory of Western Carpathians, overreaching state borders, using verified sophisticated statistical methods. In the susceptibility mapping, digital elevation model was first constructed using a GIS software, and parameter maps affecting the slope stability such as geology, seismicity, precipitation, topographical elevation, slope angle, slope aspect and land cover were considered. In the last stage of the analyses, landslide susceptibility maps were produced using bivariate and multivariate analyses, and they were then compared by means of their validations. The validation of the bivariate analysis data was performed using the results of bivariate analysis for landslide areas of Slovakia containing five classes of susceptibility in scale 1:500,000. The validation area is the area of Western Carpathians within Slovakia. Eighty-two per cent of area does not differ in more than one class. The validation of the multivariate analysis data was performed using the results from the Kysuce region in the northern part of Slovakia in scale 1:10,000. The raster calculator was used to express the difference between each pair of pixels within these two layers. Seventy-seven per cent of the pixels do not differ in more than 25 %, 94 % of the pixels do not differ in more than 50 %. The maximal possible difference is 100 % (one pixel with value 0 and other with value 1, or vice versa). Receiver operating characteristic analysis was also performed, the area under curve value for bivariate model was calculated to be 0.735, while it was 0.823 for multivariate. The results of the validation can be considered as satisfactory.     

Structural Preconditions of West Bohemia Earthquake Swarms

The West Bohemia and adjacent Vogtland are well known for quasi-periodical earthquake swarms persisting for centuries. The seismogenic area near Nový Kostel involved about 90 % of overall earthquake activity clustered here in space and time. The latest major earthquake swarm took place in August–September 2011. In 1994 and 1997, two minor earthquake swarms appeared in another location, near Lazy. Recently, the depth-recursive tomography yielded a velocity image with an improved resolution along the CEL09 refraction profile passing between these swarm areas. The resolution, achieved in the velocity image and its agreement with the inverse gravity modeling along the collateral 9HR reflection profile, enabled us to reveal the key structural background of these West Bohemia earthquake swarms. The CEL09 velocity image detected two deeply rooted high-velocity bodies adjacent to the Nový Kostel and Lazy focal zones. They correspond to two Variscan mafic intrusions influenced by the SE inclined slab of Saxothuringian crust that subducted beneath the Teplá-Barrandian terrane in the Devonian era. In their uppermost SE inclined parts, they roof both focal zones. The high P-wave velocities of 6,100–6,200 m/s, detected in both roofing caps, indicate their relative compactness and impermeability. The focal domains themselves are located in the almost gradient-free zones with the swarm foci spread near the axial planes of profound velocity depressions. The lower velocities of 5,950–6,050 m/s, observed in the upper parts of focal zones, are indicative of less compact rock complexes corrugated and tectonically disturbed by the SE bordering magma ascents. The high-velocity/high-density caps obviously seal the swarm focal domains because almost no magmatic fluids of mantle origin occur in the Nový Kostel and Lazy seismogenic areas of the West Bohemia/Vogtland territory, otherwise rich in the mantle-derived fluids. This supports the hypothesis of the fluid triggering of earthquake swarms. The sealed focal domains retain ascending magmatic fluids until their critical pressure and volumes accumulated cause rock micro-fractures perceived as single earthquake bursts. During a swarm period, the focal depths of these sequential events become shallower while their magnitudes grow. We assume that coalescence of the induced micro-fractures forms temporary permeability zones in the final swarm phase and the accumulated fluids release into the overburden via the adjacent fault systems. The fluid release usually occurs after the shallowest events with the strongest magnitudes M_L > 3. The seasonal summer declines of hydrostatic pressure in the Cheb Basin aquifer system seem to facilitate and trigger the fluid escape as happened for the 2000, 2008, and 2011 earthquake swarms. The temporary fluid release, known as the valve-fault action, influences the surface aquifer systems in various manners. In particular, we found three quantities, the strain, mantle-derived ³He content in CO₂ surface sources and ground water levels, which display a 3–5 months decline before and then a similar restoration after each peak earthquake during the swarm activities. The revealed structure features are particularly important since the main Nový Kostel earthquake swarm area is proposed as a site for the ICDP project, ‘Eger Rift Drilling’.     

Magnetic scanning and interpretation of paleomagnetic data from Prague Synform’s volcanics

Magnetic images have been produced at the distance of 0.1 mm from the polished basaltic thin sections of rocks from Prague Synform in Barrandian area. Three different magnetic textures were seen and when combined with optical imaging could be related to petrological features. The first magnetic texture revealed that most of the magnetic signature is localized within the amygdales formed later after the basalts became part of the sedimentary sequence. The second texture showed that the basaltic body contains large grain size distribution of magnetic carriers possibly with variable viscous magnetizations. The third texture suggested a presence of magnetic anisotropy of igneous origin. Such textural magnetic information along with the paleomagnetic characteristics of the basaltic rocks of Silurian age constrained the overall geological interpretation.     

Rapid apsidal motion in V381 Cassiopeiae

V381 Cas is a relatively bright and early-type eclipsing binary system. Several new times of its eclipses were measured as part of our long-term observational project of eccentric eclipsing binaries. Based on a current O–C diagram solution, we found for the first time that its orbit is slightly eccentric (e = 0.025) and shows a very rapid apsidal advance with short period of about 20 years only. The relativistic and third body effects are negligible, being about 3% of the total apsidal motion rate.     

Microstructural and metamorphic evolution of a high‐pressure granitic orthogneiss during continental subduction (Orlica–Śnieżnik dome,Bohemian Massif)

A microstructural and metamorphic study of a naturally deformed medium‐ to high‐pressure granitic orthogneiss (Orlica–?nie?nik dome, Bohemian Massif) provides evidence of behaviour of the felsic crust during progressive burial along a subduction‐type apparent thermal gradient (～10 °C km^?1). The granitic orthogneisses develops three distinct microstructural types, as follows: type I – augen orthogneiss, type II – banded orthogneiss and type III – mylonitic orthogneiss, each representing an evolutionary stage of a progressively deformed granite. Type I orthogneiss is composed of partially recrystallized K‐feldspar porphyroclasts surrounded by wide fronts of myrmekite, fully recrystallized quartz aggregates and interconnected monomineralic layers of recrystallized plagioclase. Compositional layering in the type II orthogneiss is defined by plagioclase‐ and K‐feldspar‐rich layers, both of which show an increasing proportion of interstitial minerals, as well as the deformation of recrystallized myrmekite fronts. Type III orthogneiss shows relicts of quartz and K‐feldspar ribbons preserved in a fine‐grained polymineralic matrix. All three types have the same assemblage (quartz + plagioclase + K‐feldspar + muscovite + biotite + garnet + sphene ± ilmenite), but show systematic variations in the composition of muscovite and garnet from types I to III. This is consistent with the equilibration of the three types at different positions along a prograde P?T path ranging from <15 kbar and <700 °C (type I orthogneiss) to 19–20 kbar and >700 °C (types II and III orthogneisses). The deformation types thus do not represent evolutionary stages of a highly partitioned deformation at constant P?T conditions, but reflect progressive formation during the burial of the continental crust. The microstructures of the type I and type II orthogneisses result from the dislocation creep of quartz and K‐feldspar whereas a grain boundary sliding‐dominated diffusion creep regime is the characteristic of the type III orthogneiss. Strain weakening related to the transition from type I to type II microstructures was enhanced by the recrystallization of wide myrmekite fronts, and plagioclase and quartz, and further weakening and strain localization in type III orthogneiss occurred via grain boundary sliding‐enhanced diffusion creep. The potential role of incipient melting in strain localization is discussed.     

Rare eclogite‐mafic granulite in felsic granulite in Blanský les: precursor of intermediate granulite in the Bohemian Massif?

Mafic granulite, generated from eclogite, occurs in felsic granulite at Kle?, Blanský les, in the Bohemian Massif. This is significant because such eclogite is very rare within the felsic granulite massifs. Moreover, at this locality, strong interaction has occurred between the mafic granulite and the adjacent felsic granulite producing intermediate granulite, such intermediate granulite being of enigmatic origin elsewhere. The mafic granulite involves garnet from the original eclogite, containing large idiomorphic inclusions of omphacite, plagioclase and quartz, as well as rutile. The edge of the garnet is replaced by a plagioclase corona, with the garnet zoned towards the corona and also the inclusions. The original omphacite–quartz–?plagioclase matrix has recrystallized to coarse‐grained polygonal (‘equilibrium’‐textured) plagioclase‐diopsidic clinopyroxene–orthopyroxene also with brown amphibole commonly in the vicinity of garnet. Somewhat larger quartz grains are embedded in this matrix, along with minor ilmenite, rutile and zircon. Combining the core garnet composition with core inclusion compositions gives a pressure of the order of 18 kbar from assemblage and isopleths on a P?T pseudosection, with temperature poorly constrained, but most likely >900 °C. From this P?T pseudosection, the recrystallization of the matrix took place at ~12 kbar, and from Zr‐in‐rutile thermometry, at relatively hot conditions of 900–950 °C. It is largely at these conditions that the eclogite/mafic granulite interacted with the felsic granulite to make intermediate granulite (see next paper).     

Differences between true mean daily, monthly and annual air temperatures and air temperatures calculated with three equations: a case study from three Croatian stations

Differences between true mean daily, monthly and annual air temperatures T0 [Eq. (1)] and temperatures calculated with three different equations [(2), (3) and (4)] (commonly used in climatological practice) were investigated at three main meteorological Croatian stations from 1 January 1999 to 31 December 2011. The stations are situated in the following three climatically distinct areas: (1) Zagreb-Gri? (mild continental climate), (2) Zavi?an (cold mountain climate), and (3) Dubrovnik (hot Mediterranean climate). T1 [Eq. (2)] and T3 [Eq. (4)] mean temperatures are defined by the algorithms based on the weighted means of temperatures measured at irregularly spaced, yet fixed hours. T2 [Eq. (3)] is the mean temperature defined as the average of daily maximum and minimum temperature. The equation as well as the time of observations used introduces a bias into mean temperatures. The largest differences occur for mean daily temperatures. The calculated daily difference value from all three equations and all analysed stations varies from ?3.73 °C to +3.56 °C, from ?1.39 °C to +0.79 °C for monthly differences and from ?0.76 °C to +0.30 °C for annual differences.