Geochemical variations in Andean basaltic and silicic lavas from the Villarrica-Lanin volcanic chain (39.5° S): an evaluation of source heterogeneity,fractional crystallization and crustal assimilation

At 39.5° S in the southern volcanic zone of the Andes three Pleistocene-recent stratovolcanoes, Villarrica, Quetrupillan and Lanin, form a trend perpendicular to the strike of the Andes, 275 to 325 km from the Peru-Chile trench. Basalts from Villarrica and Lanin are geochemically distinct; the latter have higher incompatible element abundances and La/Sm but lower Ba/La and alkali metal/La ratios. These differences are consistent with our previously proposed models involving: a) a west to east decrease in an alkali metal-rich, high Ba/La slab-derived component which causes an across strike decrease in degree of melting; or b) a west to east increase in the contamination of subduction-related magma by enriched subcontinental lithospheric mantle. Silicic and mafic lavas from the stratovolcanoes have overlapping Sr, Nd and O isotopic ratios. Silicic lavas also have geochemical differences that parallel those of their associated basalts, e.g., rhyolite from Villarrica has lower La/Sm and incompatible element contents than high-SiO₂ andesite from Lanin. At each volcano the most silicic lavas can be modelled by closed system fractional crystallization while andesites are best explained by magma mixing. Apparently crustal contamination was not an important process in deriving the evolved lavas. Basaltic flows from small scoria cones, 20–35 km from Villarrica volcano have high incompatible element contents and low Ba/La, like Lanin basalts, but trend to higher K/Rb (356–855) and lower ⁸⁷Sr/ ⁸⁶Sr (0.70361–0.70400) than basalts from either stratovolcano. However all basalts have similar Nd, Pb and O isotope ratios. The best explanation for the unique features of the cones is that the sources of SVZ magmas, e.g., slab-derived fluids or melts of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle, have varying alkali metal and radiogenic Sr contents. These heterogeneities are not manifested in stratovolcano basalts because of extensive subcrustal pooling and mixing. This model is preferable to one involving crustal contamination because it can account for variable Sr isotope ratios and uniform Nd and Pb isotope ratios among the basalts, and the divergence of the cones from across-strike geochemical trends defined by the stratovolcanoes.     

Übermikroskopische Untersuchung Von Zinkoxyden. Versuch einer Ultra-Mikromorphologie

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Smithian and Spathian (Early Triassic) ammonoid assemblages from terranes: Paleoceanographic and paleogeographic implications

Early Triassic paleobiogeography is characterised by the stable supercontinental assembly of Pangea. However, at that time, several terranes such as the South Kitakami Massif (SK), South Primorye (SP) and Chulitna (respectively, and presently located in Japan, eastern Russia and Alaska) straddled the vast oceans surrounding Pangea. By means of quantitative biogeographical methods including Cluster Analysis, Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling and Bootstrapped Spanning Network applied to Smithian and Spathian (Early Triassic) ammonoid assemblages; we analyze similarity relationships between faunas and suggest paleopositions for the above-cited terranes.Taxonomic similarities between faunas indicate that primary drivers of the ammonoid distribution were Sea Surface Temperature and currents. Possible connections due to current-controlled faunal exchanges between both sides of the Panthalassa are shown and terranes such as SK, SP and Chulitna played an important role as stepping stones in the dispersal of ammonoids. SK and SP terranes show strong sub-equatorial affinities during the Smithian, thus suggesting a location close to South China. At the same time, the Chulitna terrane shows strong affinities with equatorial faunas of the eastern Panthalassa. This paleoceanographic pattern was markedly altered during the Spathian, possibly indicating significant modifications of oceanic circulation at that time, as illustrated by the development of a marked intertropical faunal belt across Tethys and Panthalassa.     

Metamorphism and exhumation of basement gneiss domes in the Quadrilátero Ferrífero:Two stage dome-and-keel evolution?

The presence of dome-and-keel provinces in Archean cratons has been connected with the initiation of plate tectonics on Earth as these features are most commonly observed in Archean rocks.The Quadrilátero Ferrífero in Brazil has been identified as a Paleoproterozoic dome-and-keel province for more than three decades.The prevailing model suggests that it formed during the Rhyacian Transamazonian orogeny,making it unique among dome-and-keel provinces.However,a lack of appropriate lithologies,datable minerals and the metamorphic overprint of later orogenesis has resulted in a cryptic metamorphic record for the formation of this dome-and-keel province.A clinopyroxene-bearing migmatite from the core of the Ba??o dome has peak P-T conditions of 5-7 kbar and 700-750 ℃ and a published age of ca.2730 Ma based on U-Pb ages of zircon from leucosomes,suggesting that this age represents the migmatisation event.A fine-grained epidote-albite-titanite assemblage overprints the coarse-grained clinopyroxene and amphibole,giving P-7 conditions of 8-9 kbar and 550 ℃ with an associated titanite age of ca.2050 Ma.A garnet-bearing amphibolite sample also from the core of the dome has peak P-T conditions of 7-8 kbar and 650-700 ℃,and texturally late titanite from this sample produces an age of ca.2060 Ma.Three additional samples were collected from the edges of the dome.A garnet-gedrite bearing felsic schist produces peak P-T conditions of 8-9 kbar and 650-700℃ on a clockwise P-T evolution.This sample has a U-Pb zircon age of ca.2775 Ma,which could date metamorphism or be the age of its volcaniclastic protolith.Texturally unconstrained titanite from the sample gives an age of ca.2040 Ma.A garnet-bearing amphibolite that occurs as a boudin within the felsic schist gives both zircon and titanite ages of ca.2050 Ma and has peak P-T conditions of 5-6 kbar and 650-700 ℃ on a near isobaric P-T path.An amphibolite dike,observed to cross-cut the felsic schist produces a zircon U-Pb age of ca.2760 Ma.Altogether this data suggests that the samples were metamorphosed in the Archean(ca.2775-2730 Ma)and again during the Transamazonian event.The most plausible explanation for this data is that dome-and-keel formation occurred in the Archean with migmatisation and high-temperature metamorphism occurring at this time.The Paleoproterozoic event is interpreted as a reactivation of the dome-and-keel formation structures,with Paleoproterozoic keels crosscutting Archean keels and producing metamorphic aureoles.The high radiogenic heat production and the presence of dense sedimentary successions in Archean terranes make dome-and-keel provinces a uniquely Archean feature,but they are susceptible to reworking,resulting in an enigmatic record of formation.     

ADM1‐Based Robust Interval Observer for Anaerobic Digestion Processes

A robust state estimation scheme is proposed for anaerobic digestion (AD) processes to estimate key variables under the most uncertain scenarios (namely, uncertainties on the process inputs and unknown reaction and specific growth rates). This scheme combines the use of the IWA Anaerobic Digestion Model No. 1 (ADM1), the interval observer theory and a minimum number of measurements to reconstruct the unmeasured process variables within guaranteed lower and upper bounds in which they evolve. The performance of this robust estimation scheme is evaluated via numerical simulations that are carried out under actual operating conditions. It is shown that under some structural and operational conditions, the proposed robust interval observer (RIO) has the property of remaining stable in the face of uncertain process inputs, badly known kinetics and load disturbances. It is also shown that the RIO is indeed a powerful tool for the estimation of biomass (composed of seven different species) from a minimum number of measurements in a system with a total of 32 variables from which 24 correspond to state variables.     

Simplified macro‐model for infill masonry walls considering the out‐of‐plane behaviour

One of the main challenges in earthquake risk mitigation is the assessment of existing buildings not designed according to modern codes and the development of effective techniques to strengthen these structures. Particular attention should be given to RC frame structures with masonry infill panels, as demonstrated by their poor performance in recent earthquakes in Europe. Understanding the seismic behaviour of masonry‐infilled RC frames presents one of the most difficult problems in structural engineering. Analytical tools to evaluate infill–frame interaction and the failure mechanisms need to be further studied. This research intends to develop a simplified macro‐model that takes into account the out‐of‐plane behaviour of the infill panels and the corresponding in‐plane and out‐of‐plane interaction when subjected to seismic loadings. Finally, a vulnerability assessment of an RC building will be performed in order to evaluate the influence of the out‐of‐plane consideration in the building response. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Human impact on Holocene sediment dynamics in the Eastern Mediterranean – the example of the Roman harbour of Ephesus

During the past millennia, many erosion and accumulation processes have been modified by anthropogenic impact. This holds especially true for the environs of ancient settlements and their harbours along the Mediterranean coasts. Our multi‐proxy investigations in the Roman harbour and the harbour canal of Ephesus (western Turkey) reveals that humans have significantly triggered soil erosion during the last three millennia. Since the eighth century bc , and especially since the Hellenistic period, a high sedimentation rate indicates fast alluviation and delta progradation of the Küçük Menderes. Deforestation, agriculture (especially ploughing) and grazing (especially goats) were the main reasons for erosion of the river catchment area. One consequence was significant siltation of the Hellenistic/Roman harbour basin. This sediment trap archives the human impact, which was strongly enhanced from Hellenistic/Roman to Byzantine times (second/first centuries bc to the sixth/seventh centuries ad ), evidenced by high sedimentation rates, raised values of heavy metal contaminations [lead (Pb), copper (Cu)], the occurrence of fruit tree pollen and of intestinal parasites. From the middle to the end of the first millennium ad , the influence of Ephesus declined, which resulted in a decrease of human impact. Studies of several ancient settlements around the Mediterranean Sea tell a comparable story. They also confirm that during their most flourishing periods the human impact totally overprinted the climatic one. To detect the latter, geo‐bio‐archives of relatively pristine areas have to be investigated in detail. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Comparison of marine and river water humic substances in a Patagonian environment (Argentina)

Structural aspects of humic substances (HSs) in marine waters of Engaño Bay (Atlantic Ocean) and water from the Chubut River (Patagonia, Argentina) were compared. The HSs were isolated, purified, and analyzed using a multiple-method approach for structural characterization: elemental analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance (¹³C and ¹H NMR), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-visible absorption and fluorescence. Similarities between the marine and freshwater components were evaluated on the basis of N and O contents, H/C and C/N atomic ratios, infrared bands from nitrogen-containing and carboxylic groups, percentage of functional groups obtained from NMR spectra, spectral slope coefficient of absorption spectra, absorbance ratios at 250 and 365 nm (E ₂/E ₃), aromaticity, excitation–emission matrices and fluorescence quantum yield. Both the Engaño Bay and Chubut River waters have HSs that are mainly composed of fulvic acids (FAs); although they are very similar, they may be distinguished from one another. Similarities include the predominance of aliphatic carbon content (low aromatic content); however, the water bodies differed in their content of proteins and carboxylic acids. The Engaño Bay FAs have mainly an aquatic origin; although the Chubut River FAs suggest a similar aquagenic origin, there is also evidence of contributions from pedogenic FAs.