Shocked quartz grains from the Målingen structure,Sweden—Evidence for a twin crater of the Lockne impact structure

The Målingen structure in Sweden has for a long time been suspected to be the result of an impact; however, no hard evidence, i.e., shock metamorphic features or traces of the impactor, has so far been presented. Here we show that quartz grains displaying planar deformation features (PDFs) oriented along crystallographic planes typical for shock metamorphism are present in drill core samples from the structure. The shocked material was recovered from basement breccias, below the sediment infill, and the distribution of the orientation of the shock‐produced PDFs indicates that the studied material experienced low shock pressures. Based on our findings, we can exclude that the material is transported from the nearby Lockne impact structure, which means that the Målingen structure is a separate impact structure, the seventh confirmed impact structure in Sweden. Furthermore, sedimentological and biostratigraphic aspects of the deposits that fill the depression at Målingen are very similar to features at the Lockne impact structure. This implies a coeval formation age and thus also the confirmation of the first known marine target doublet impact craters on Earth (i.e., the Lockne–Målingen pair).     

An Interpretation of the Occurrence of Pyrite at two Localities in Western Jutland,Denmark

Jakobsen, Bjarne Holm: An Interpretation of the Occurrence of Pyrite at two Localities in Western Jutland, Denmark. Geografisk Tidsskrift 85: 9–14. Copenhagen, June 1985.

The pronounced occurrence of pyrite in two geomorphologically different wetland areas in Western Jutland, Denmark is described. Two models for pyrite formation are outlined and discussed.     

Debris flood risk assessment for Mosquito Creek, British Columbia, Canada

Mosquito Creek drains a 15.5 km² watershed on the North Shore Mountains north of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and flows through the densely urbanized District and then City of North Vancouver. Previous studies determined that the creek is subject to debris floods (hyperconcentrated flows). The National Research Council of Canada is applying multi-hazard risk assessment procedures for various regions in B.C. and chose Mosquito Creek as one of its target areas. As part of its natural hazard management plan, the District of North Vancouver (DNV) requested an assessment of debris flood hazards and associated risk to life. Using a combination of empirical methods, dendrochronology and some judgment, BGC Engineering Inc. assessed debris flood hazard extent, velocity and depth for estimated 100-, 200-, 500- and 2,500-year debris flow return periods. Based on the results from the hazard assessment, risk for individuals and groups living within the hazard area, including residential homes and a fire hall, was estimated. Compared to risk tolerance criteria accepted on an interim basis by the DNV, we estimate that societal risk exceeds tolerable standards and that individual risk exceeds tolerable standards for 10 homes. The results from the risk to loss of life study have prompted DNV to implement a series of risk reduction measures including installation of a debris containment net and watershed restoration measures.     

石灰土发育过程中土壤腐殖质组成及其与土壤钙赋存形态关系

选取桂林典型石灰土不同发育阶段土样(黑色石灰土、棕色石灰土、黄色石灰土),对土壤中腐殖质组成、土壤钙的形态及其含量进行测定。结果显示:(1)石灰土发育过程中,黑色石灰土、棕色石灰土、黄色石灰土总碳量分别为230.15mg/g、37.49mg/g、17.94mg/g,胡敏酸所占比例分别为31.94%、9.44%、7.25%,富啡酸所占比例为1.04%、36.14%、66.16%,胡敏素为67.02%、54.41%、26.59%;(2)黑色石灰土、棕色石灰土、黄色石灰土中土壤钙全量分别为21486.66mg/kg、6913.33mg/kg、5540.17mg/kg,且三种土壤中均是酸溶态所占比例最高,分别为57.58%、74.69%、80.83%,其次为可还原态、残渣态和可氧化态;(3)相关性分析表明,土壤钙及其各形态均与土壤有机碳总量、胡敏酸、胡敏素成正相关关系,与富啡酸成负相关关系,土壤腐殖质组成及其含量在很大程度上影响着土壤钙含量及赋存形态。      

正断层诱发砂土中群桩基础破坏及避让距离研究

地震中发震断层诱发桩基失效,导致上部结构破坏甚至坍塌,相关破坏机制和避让距离缺乏系统研究。通过离心机试验和数值模拟,针对基岩正断层活动诱发上覆砂土中群桩基础的静力破坏展开研究,考察不同群桩断层相对位置下群桩的破坏特征。试验与计算结果均表明,当群桩跨越断层时,正断层活动使群桩向上盘一侧倾斜,并使基桩弯向上盘一侧。基桩桩顶荷载的重分布进一步使基桩形成受拉和受压两种破坏模式。数值参数分析表明,在不同桩位上,群桩的变形响应可划分为5个特征区域。对于埋深为20.0 m的基岩正断层,群桩在上盘和下盘一侧的安全避让距离分别为23.5 m和15.9 m,其中下盘一侧离开断层7.9 m至上盘一侧离开断层4.1 m的区域需要进行重点避让。     

Reduction of nitrogen compounds in oceanic basement and its implications for HCN formation and abiotic organic synthesis

Hydrogen cyanide is an excellent organic reagent and is central to most of the reaction pathways leading to abiotic formation of simple organic compounds containing nitrogen, such as amino acids, purines and pyrimidines. Reduced carbon and nitrogen precursor compounds for the synthesis of HCN may be formed under off-axis hydrothermal conditions in oceanic lithosphere in the presence of native Fe and Ni and are adsorbed on authigenic layer silicates and zeolites. The native metals as well as the molecular hydrogen reducing CO₂ to CO/CH₄ and NO₃ ^-/NO₂ ^- to NH₃/NH₄ ⁺ are a result of serpentinization of mafic rocks. Oceanic plates are conveyor belts of reduced carbon and nitrogen compounds from the off-axis hydrothermal environments to the subduction zones, where compaction, dehydration, desiccation and diagenetic reactions affect the organic precursors. CO/CH₄ and NH₃/NH₄ ⁺ in fluids distilled out of layer silicates and zeolites in the subducting plate at an early stage of subduction will react upon heating and form HCN, which is then available for further organic reactions to, for instance, carbohydrates, nucleosides or even nucleotides, under alkaline conditions in hydrated mantle rocks of the overriding plate. Convergent margins in the initial phase of subduction must, therefore, be considered the most potent sites for prebiotic reactions on Earth. This means that origin of life processes are, perhaps, only possible on planets where some kind of plate tectonics occur.     

Petrological inferences on the evolution of magmas erupted in the Andagua Valley,Peru (Central Volcanic Zone)

Major and trace element and Sr and Nd isotope data is presented from the Andagua valley scoria cone and lava field (15°32′ S 72°19′ W), Southern Peru in the northernmost part of the Central Volcanic Zone (CVZ). The rocks are all quite evolved in composition (SiO₂ = 55–64 wt.%) and classify as benmoreites, latites and few mugearites and trachytes. Samples are characterized by high Na₂O (4.2–5.2 wt.%), Sr (600–1300 ppm), Ba (800–1600 ppm). The main difference between the benmoreites and latites is in the Na₂O content that reach the highest so far reported from CVZ for these SiO₂ concentrations. The rocks are generally nearly aphyric but latites and trachytes are more porphyritic. Amphibole microphenocrysts generally are only present in latites and trachytes. The difference between benmoreite and latite samples is reflected in lower P₂O₅ and Zr content of the latite samples documenting the existence of two compositional different parental magma types. The investigated volcanic activity spans the Pleistocene to Recent with the historic activity concentrated in the area just south of Andagua. Combined relative stratigraphy, petrography and geochemistry define volcanic units and demonstrate that rocks from Chilcayoc Grande, Chilcayoc Chico 2, Jenchana, Sucna 1 and Chilcayoc Chico 1 represent the most recent volcanic activity. The main trend samples, each form a co-magmatic group resulting in sub-parallel trends in many variations diagrams. It is furthermore shown that these trends point towards calculated mixing lines relating the individual units through a binary mixing process, thus indicating a two stage evolution. In the case of Jenchana, Sucna 1 and Chilcayoc Chico 1, the samples define positive correlation trends in the Sr vs. Rb diagram that can be extrapolated back towards origo indicating nearly perfect incompatibility of Sr and Rb. This together with generally high Sr/Y (50–105) and low Y content (< 16 ppm) suggest lack of plagioclase fractionation and residual garnet in the source and is taken as evidence for relatively high pressure (lower crustal) origin of the mixing event. The amphibole bearing samples form individual co-magmatic groups that cannot be related to each other. This means that the amphibole bearing samples originates from different magmas. The lavas of the Ninamama group are comparable in age to the main trend samples but different in petrography and composition, why the two compositional different magmas must have existed within a small confined area within a limited time span.     

Quantitative analysis of Arctic ice flow acceleration with increasing temperature

This study explores the ice flow acceleration(21.1%) of Pedersenbreen during 2016–2017 after the extremely warm winter throughout the whole Arctic in 2015/2016 using in situ data and quantitatively analyses the factors contributing to this acceleration. Several data sets, including 2008–2018 air temperature data from Ny-?lesund,ten-year in situ GPS measurements and Elmer/Ice ice flow modelling under different ice temperature scenarios,suggest that the following factors contributed to the ice flow acceleration: the softened glacier ice caused by an increase in the air temperature(1.5℃) contributed 2.7%–30.5%, while basal lubrication contributed 69.5%–97.3%.The enhanced basal sliding was mostly due to the increased surface meltwater penetrating to the bedrock under the rising air temperature conditions; consequently, the glacier ice flow acceleration was caused mainly by an increase in subglacial water. For Pedersenbreen, there was an approximately one-year time lag between the change in air temperature and the change in glacier ice flow velocity.