Solute transport in formations of very low permeability: profiles of stable isotope and dissolved noble gas contents of pore water in the Opalinus Clay, Mont Terri, Switzerland

Pore water profiles of water, stable isotope, and dissolved noble gas content have been determined across the Opalinus Clay and adjacent formations at the rock laboratory at Mont Terri. We have found enhanced helium contents (up to [⁴He] = 1 × 10⁻⁴ cubic centimeters at standard pressure and temperature per gram of pore water) and argon isotope ratios (⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar ratios up to 334) due to accumulation of ⁴He and ⁴⁰Ar produced in situ. The helium profile was found to be in steady state with respect to in situ production and diffusive loss into the adjacent limestones where groundwater circulates. From this profile a representative mean value of the apparent diffusion coefficient for helium in the pore water of the whole formation was derived for the first time to be D_a = 3.5 × 10⁻¹¹ m² · s⁻¹, which is more than two orders of magnitude lower than the diffusion coefficient D₀ in free water. The stable isotope profile, however, indicates a component of fossil marine pore water, which has not yet been replaced by molecular diffusion of meteoric water from the adjacent limestone and shale formations over the past 10 million years.     

Sodic Pyroxene and Sodic Amphibole as Potential Reference Materials for In Situ Lithium Isotope Determinations by SIMS

Two large pegmatitic crystals of sodic pyroxene (aegirine) and sodic amphibole (arfvedsonite) from the agpaitic igneous Ilímaussaq Complex, south Greenland were found to be suitable as reference materials for in situ Li isotope determinations. Lithium concentrations determined by SIMS and micro‐drilled material analysed by MC‐ICP‐MS generally agreed within analytical uncertainty. The arfvedsonite crystal was homogeneous with [Li] = 639 ± 51 μg g^?1 (2s, n = 69, MC‐ICP‐MS and SIMS results). The aegirine crystal shows strongly developed sector zoning, which is a common feature of aegirines. Using qualitative element mapping techniques (EPMA), the homogeneous core of the crystal was easily distinguished from the outermost sectors of the crystals. The core had a mean [Li] of 47.6 ± 3.6 μg g^?1 (2s, n = 33) as determined by SIMS. The seven micro‐drilled regions measured by solution MC‐ICP‐MS returned slightly lower concentrations (41–46 μg g^?1), but still overlap with the SIMS data within uncertainty. Based on MC‐ICP‐MS and SIMS analyses, the variation in δ⁷Li was about 1‰ in each of the two crystals, which is smaller than that in widely used glass reference materials, making these two samples suitable to serve as reference materials. There was, however, a significant offset between the results of MC‐ICP‐MS and SIMS. The latter deviated from the MC‐ICP‐MS results by ?6.0 ± 1.9‰ (2s) for the amphibole and by ?3.9 ± 1.9‰ (2s) for the aegirine. This indicates the presence of a significant matrix effect in SIMS determinations of Li isotopes for amphibole and pyroxene relative to the basalt glasses used for calibration. Based on the MC‐ICP‐MS results, mean δ⁷Li values of +0.7 ± 1.2‰ (2s, n = 10) for the arfvedsonite crystal and of ?3.7 ± 1.2‰ (2s, n = 7) for the core of the aegirine crystal were calculated. Adopting these values, SIMS users can correct for the specific IMF (instrumental mass fractionation) of the ion probe used. We propose that these two crystals serve as reference materials for in situ Li isotope determinations by SIMS and pieces of these two crystals are available from the first author upon request.     

The Catalogue of the Vogtland/Western Bohemia Earthquakes and Vocatus as an Auxiliary Code

The catalogue of earthquakes from the Vogtland/Western Bohemia region joins data which have been observed with local seismic stations since 1962. Up to now, data on more than 17.000 earthquakes were compiled to the catalogue. A special code VOCATUS supports its use and explains the collected data. Both, catalogue and code VOCATUS are described. From the catalogue, there follows a recurrence of the earthquake occurrence which is discussed in detail.     

Dust tail streamers of a comet with rotating nucleus

Synthetic images of the dust tail are presented for a comet which has a rotating nucleus with one predominant dust source fixed to it. The images have been generated using a new computer model which, unlike similar models, allows for the study of dust tails caused by a rotating nucleus with an anisotropic distribution of sources.The dust tail is studied in the post-perihelion phase of a parabolic comet with a perihelion distance of 0.5 AU. One finds that in the case of a rotating nucleus with anisotropic emission characteristics streamers caused solely by the dynamics of the dust particles are forming in the dust tail even if there is no dependence between the solar irradiation angle of the source and the amount of dust emitted. If the dust emission depends on the solar irradiation angle of the dust source, then the brightest tail regions do not necessarily coincide with the synchrones for the times of maximum dust emission.As a consequence, a thorough analysis of streamer patterns in a cometary dust tail requires assumptions on the rotational state and the dust source distribution of the nucleus. Otherwise, it seems not possible to discern between streamers which are caused dynamically by nucleus rotation and others which reflect variations in the emission activity.     

The influence of the anomalous cosmic-ray component on the dynamics of the solar wind

It is well known that both the galactic and anomalous cosmic rays show positive intensity gradients in the outer heliosphere which are connected with corresponding pressure gradients. Due to an efficient dynamical coupling between the solar wind plasma and these highly energetic media by means of convected MHD turbulences, there exists a mutual interaction between these media. As one consequence of this scenario the enforced pressure gradients influence the distant solar wind expansion. Here we concentrate in our theoretical study on the interaction of the solar wind only with the anomalous cosmic-ray component. We use the standard two-fluid model in which the cosmic-ray fluid modifies the solar wind flow via the cosmic-ray pressure gradient. Then we derive numerical solutions in the following steps: first we calculate an aspherical pressure distribution for the anomalous cosmic rays, describing their diffusion in an unperturbed radial solar wind. Second, we then consider the perturbation of the solar wind flow due to these induced anomalous cosmic-ray pressure gradients. Within this context we especially take account of the action of a non-spherical geometry of the heliospheric shock which may lead to pronounced upwinddownwind asymmetries in the pressures and thereby in the resulting solar wind flows. As we can show in our model, which fits the available observational data, radial decelerations of the distant solar wind by between 5 to 11% are to be expected, however, the deviations of the bulk solar wind flow from the radialdirections are only slightly pronounced.     

Electron density distribution and bond critical point properties for forsterite, Mg2 SiO4, determined with synchrotron single crystal X-ray diffraction data

A generalized X-ray scattering factor model experimental electron density distribution has been generated for the orthosilicate forsterite, using an essentially extinction and absorption free set of single crystal diffraction data recorded with intense, high energy synchrotron X-ray radiation (E=100.6 keV). A refinement of the model converged with an R(F)=0.0061. An evaluation of the bond critical point, bcp, properties of the distribution at the (3, –1) stationary points for the SiO and MgO bonded interactions, yielded values that agree typically within ~5%, on average, with theoretical values generated with quantum chemical computational strategies, using relatively robust basis sets. On the basis of this result, the modeling of the experimental distribution is considered to be adequate. As the bcp properties increase in magnitude, the MgO and SiO bonds decrease in length as calculated for a number of rock forming silicates. As asserted by Coppens (X-ray charge densities and chemical bonding. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1997), large negative ²(r_c) values, characteristic of shared interactions involving first row atoms, may not be characteristic of closed shell covalent bonded interactions involving second row Si, P and S atoms bonded to O. This study adds new evidence to the overall relatively good agreement between theoretical bcp properties generated with computational quantum strategies, on the one hand, and experimental properties generated with single crystal high energy synchrotron diffraction data on the other. The similarity of results not only provides a basis for using computational strategies for studying and modeling structures, defects and the reactivity of representative structures, but it also provides a basis for improving our understanding of the crystal chemistry of earth materials and the character of the SiO bonded interaction.     

Practical use of video imagery in nearshore oceanographic fieldstudies

An approach was developed for using video imagery to quantify, in terms of both spatial and temporal dimensions, a number of naturally occurring (nearshore) physical processes. The complete method is presented, including the derivation of the geometrical relationships relating image and ground coordinates, principles to be considered when working with video imagery and the two-step strategy for calibration of the camera model. The techniques are founded on the principles of photogrammetry, account for difficulties inherent in the use of video signals, and have been adapted to allow for flexibility of use in field studies. Examples from field experiments indicate that this approach is both accurate and applicable under the conditions typically experienced when sampling in coastal regions. Several applications of the camera model are discussed, including the measurement of nearshore fluid processes, sand bar length scales, foreshore topography, and drifter motions. Although we have applied this method to the measurement of nearshore processes and morphologic features, these same techniques are transferable to studies in other geophysical settings