Acidic deposition impacts mediated by sulfur cycling in a coastal plain forest ecosystem

Deposition in the New Jersey Pinelands was very acidic (pH=4.17) and contained high levels of SO₂ ⁻² based on bulk deposition measurementsfrom July 1984–July 1986. Streamwater over the same interval in undisturbed watersheds was less acidic (pH =4.52) and had proportionately less SO₄ ⁻². A preliminary alkalinity budget for undisturbed watersheds suggested that SO₄ ⁻² retention within Pinelands watersheds accounted for a large portion of the total alkalinity generated and thereby lessened the impact of acidic deposition on surface waters. The only process capable of explaining the retention of SO₄ ⁻² was microbial sulfate reduction in the extensive wetlands surrounding Pinelands streams which occurred at high rates.     

Stream-sediment geochemical prospecting for uranium in the paleozoic of the Belgian ardennes

During the years 1979 and 1980, a preliminary program of uranium exploration in the Paleozoic of the Belgian Ardennes was carried out under the sponsorship of the Commission of European Communities. The Laboratory of Mineralogy of the Polytechnic Faculty of Mons was charged with the radiometric section of the program, the Geochemistry Laboratory of the Free University of Brussels with the hydrogeochemical exploration, and the Geochemistry Laboratory of the University of Louvain with the stream sediment exploration. The Geological Survey of Belgium had the responsibility for coordinating the three programs, the statistical and computer treatment of the data, and the compilation of the different maps.Orientation studies at the Geochemistry Laboratory of the University of Louvain showed that a positive geochemical response for uranium could be obtained with bank sampling, which consists of collecting colluvium and alluvium on both sides of the rivers. This necessitates a large sampling density of about one sample per km² (10 205 samples from an area of 11 000 km²).The frequency distribution of the values of uranium follows the lognormal law with a geometric mean of 1.06 ppm and a threshold of 2.36 ppm (P= 0.954). The anomalies (> 3 ppm) fall into three main areas each in a different geological setting: (1) at the periphery of the Cambro-Silurian Massif of Stavelot; (2) within the transition beds between the Visean and Namurian; and (3) in the lower Devonian of the central Ardennes.The first two areas coincide with zones of known radiometric anomalies and of the occurrence of uraniferous minerals.In the third zone, follow-up work has led to the discovery of a uraniferous mineral assemblage consisting of a weathered mass of iron oxide, leucoxene and phosphates.Statistical analyses of the results indicate no significant relationship between U and either organic carbon or Mn, a negative correlation between U and carbonate and pH, and a good positive correlation between U and Cu, V and Fe. The last correlation may indicate an association of U, V, and Cu with iron oxides formed during meteoric alteration.     

Extrusion movements of a tunnel head reinforced by finite length bolts—a closed‐form solution using homogenization approach

An analytical model on the general behaviour of a tunnel head, reinforced by finite length bolts is proposed. This model is based on the homogenization method and spherical symmetry assumption. Despite its simplicity, and in consequence its limits of validity, it does allow a quick estimation of the key design parameters: frontal displacement, extension of decompressed zone, ground stresses and bolt tension, and constitutes thereby a very useful and handy tool for design engineers. In particular, the influence of the reinforcement length, as well as other important design parameters, are studied by the proposed model. The charts resulting from the parametric studies are directly applicable. Otherwise, the comparison to a 3D numerical model is also presented in this paper. The first results provide the validation of the analytical solution, at least in terms of average extrusion movements. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

High-Resolution Seismic Reflection Evidence for Middle Holocene Environmental Change, Owasco Lake, New York

Approximately 70 km of new decimeter-resolution seismic reflection profile data from Owasco Lake, New York define a middle Holocene (4600 ¹⁴C yr B.P.) erosion surface in the north end of the lake at water depths as great as 26 m. Beneath the lake, post-glacial sediments are up to 9 m thick and represent about 10% of the total sediment fill. Early to middle Holocene sediments, 6 m thick, contain biogenic gas at the south end of the basin and a large (4 km×300 m×15 m) subaqueous slide deposit along the east-central portion of the lake. Late Holocene sediments are thinner or absent, particularly at the north end of the lake. The middle Holocene erosion surface may have been produced by a drop in lake level. Alternatively, it may represent a change in climate during the transition between the relatively warm Holocene hypsithermal and cool neoglacial. At this time (4600 ¹⁴C yr B.P.) circulation in Owasco Lake appears to have evolved from sluggish to active. The increased circulation, which persists today, probably resulted from atmospheric cold fronts with strong southwesterly winds that piled up water at the north end of the lake. The increased water circulation may have been ultimately driven by decreasing insolation, which produced an increased pole-to-equator thermal gradient and, thus, stronger global winds that began at the transition between the hypsithermal and neoglacial.     

High- and low-Cr chromitite and dunite in a Tibetan ophiolite: evolution from mature subduction system to incipient forearc in the Neo-Tethyan Ocean

The microstructures, major- and trace-element compositions of minerals and electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) maps of high- and low-Cr# [spinel Cr# = Cr³⁺/(Cr³⁺ + Al³⁺)] chromitites and dunites from the Zedang ophiolite in the Yarlung Zangbo Suture (South Tibet) have been used to reveal their genesis and the related geodynamic processes in the Neo-Tethyan Ocean. The high-Cr# (0.77–0.80) chromitites (with or without diopside exsolution) have chromite compositions consistent with initial crystallization by interaction between boninitic magmas, harzburgite and reaction-produced magmas in a shallow, mature mantle wedge. Some high-Cr# chromitites show crystal-plastic deformation and grain growth on previous chromite relics that have exsolved needles of diopside. These features are similar to those of the Luobusa high-Cr# chromitites, possibly recycled from the deep upper mantle in a mature subduction system. In contrast, mineralogical, chemical and EBSD features of the Zedang low-Cr# (0.49–0.67) chromitites and dunites and the silicate inclusions in chromite indicate that they formed by rapid interaction between forearc basaltic magmas (MORB-like but with rare subduction input) and the Zedang harzburgites in a dynamically extended, incipient forearc lithosphere. The evidence implies that the high-Cr# chromitites were produced or emplaced in an earlier mature arc (possibly Jurassic), while the low-Cr# associations formed in an incipient forearc during the initiation of a new episode of Neo-Tethyan subduction at ~130–120 Ma. This two-episode subduction model can provide a new explanation for the coexistence of high- and low-Cr# chromitites in the same volume of ophiolitic mantle.     

An absolute paleotemperature record from 10 to 6 Ka inferred from fluid inclusion D/H ratios of a stalagmite from Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

By using continuous helium flow during the crushing of calcite speleothem samples, we are able to recover liberated inclusion waters without isotopic fractionation. A paleotemperature record for the Jacklah Jill Cave locality, Vancouver Island, BC, was obtained from a 30-cm tall stalagmite that grew 10.3-6.3 Ka ago, using δ¹⁸O values of the crushed calcite and of the inclusion water as inferred from its δD. It is found that the locality experienced mean annual temperature variations up to 11 °C over a 4-Ka period in the early Holocene. At the beginning of the period, local temperature quickly increased from a minimum of ∼1 °C to around 10 °C, but this early climate optimum, about 3 °C warmer than today, only lasted for ∼1200 years. About 8.6 Ka ago, temperature had declined to ∼7 °C, approximately the same as the modern cave temperature. Since then, the study area has experienced only minor temperature fluctuations, but there was a brief fall to ∼4 °C at around 7 Ka ago, which might be caused by a short lived expansion of local alpine glaciers. The long-term T-dependence of δD was 1.47‰/°C, identical to the value in modern precipitation.     

Long-term change in precipitation in southern Italy

Summary Annual average precipitation values obtained at 765 Italian raingauge stations south of the Rome parallel and in the Italian Isles, are analyzed. The analysis is extended over 18 years and marked variations in precipitation with the Zürich annual relative sunspot numbers are found. It is found furthermore that the magnitude of change appears to depend also on the average altitude of the 5 categories of stations considered.

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Riassunto In questo articolo viene fatta un'analisi sulle variazioni delle precipitazioni medie annue in base ai dati forniti da 765 stazioni pluviometriche dell'Italia meridionale, Sicilia e Sardegna, negli anni dal 1926 al 1943 incluso. Tali variazioni sembrano essere legate al numero medio annuo di macchie solari e dipendono anche dall'altezza delle stazioni.

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Contribution of the Centro Nucleazione Aerosoli of the National Research Council of Italy; Via Vettore 4 (Monte Sacro)