Kepone®: Toxicity and bioaccumulation in blue crabs

Two long-term studies were conducted to determine toxicity, uptake and depuration of Kepone in blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus). In the first, Kepone was administered to crabs in seawater (0.03 or 0.3 μg Kepone/I) or food (eastern oyster,Crassostrea virginica, containing 0.25 μg/g Kepone). Uptake of Kepone in 28 days was primarily through the contaminated oysters. When these crabs were held in Kepone-free seawater and fed Kepone-free oysters for 28 days, no loss of the insecticide was evident. There were adverse effects on molting and survival in crabs fed oysters that contained 0.25 μg/g Kepone. A second study was conducted to determine: (1) the depuration of Kepone over a 90-day period in blue crabs fed oysters from the James River, Virginia (containing 0.15 μg/g Kepone); and (2) the effects of Kepone on molting and survival of blue crabs fed James River oysters or laboratory-contaminated oysters that contained 0.15 or 1.9 μg/g Kepone. Crabs fed Kepone-contaminated oysters followed by a diet of Kepone-free oysters for 90 days had detectable concentrations of the insecticide in tissues. Also, blue crabs that ate oysters containing Kepone in concentrations similar to those found in oysters from the James River, died or molted less frequently than crabs fed Kepone-free oysters meats.     

Glacial conglomerates of the Appalachian Plateau,New York

Three generations of Quaternary conglomerates formed by cementation of glacial gravels are found in drift of the Appalachian Plateau in south-central New York. Postglacial conglomerates have been locally cemented by carbonate minerals within limestone-bearing (erratic-rich) gravels of Late Wisconsin (Woodfordian) age. Conglomerates cemented during the Mid-Wisconsin interstade occur as numerous fragments in erratic-rich Late Wisconsin drift, and as a single in situ mound near Syracuse. Mid-Wisconsin conglomerate contains fragments of a still older conglomerate believed to be of possible pre-Wisconsin (Sangamon) age. Both postglacial and Mid-Wisconsin conglomerates were cemented in the same manner, as a result of diagenetic processes in the vadose zones of limestone-bearing terraces. Information gleaned from conglomerate fragments indicates that Early Wisconsin drift was similar to Late Wisconsin drift; the Early and Late Wisconsin glaciations and deglaciations of the plateau probably proceeded in much the same fashion.     

Temperature calibration of amino acid racemization age implications for the Yuha skeleton

D/L of aspartic acid ranged from 0.52 to 0.56 for femur samples of the Yuha skeleton. Subsurface temperature measurements made at the burial site indicate average annual temperature is 18°C and diagenetic temperature is 21.6°C. These data and a relation derived for the dependence of the aspartic acid rate constant on diagenetic temperature indicate an age of 23,600. The result is consistent with¹⁴C and²³⁰Th dating of calcrete found coating the bones.     

Gypsum and halite from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge,DSDP Site 395

Gypsum and halite crystals, together with saponite and phillipsite, were found in a vein in a basalt sill 625 m below the sea floor at DSDP Site 395A, located 190 km west of the crest of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The δ³⁴S value of the gypsum (+19.4‰) indicates a seawater source for the sulfate. The δ¹⁸O values of the saponite (+19.9‰) and phillipsite (+18.1‰) indicate either formation from normal seawater at about 55°C or formation from¹⁸O-depleted seawater at a lower temperature.The gypsum (which could be secondary after anhydrite) was formed by reaction between Ca²⁺ released from basalt and SO₄^2? in circulating seawater. The halite could have formed when water was consumed by hydration of basalt under conditions of extremely restricted circulation. A more probable mechanism is that the gypsum was originally precipitated as anhydrite at temperatures above 60°C. As the temperature dropped the anhydrite converted to gypsum. The conversion would consume water, which could cause halite precipitation, and would cause an increase in the volume of solids, which would plug the vein and prevent subsequent dissolution of the halite.     

The dynamical and liquid water structure of the small cumulus as determined from its environment

This paper examines the evidence for the model of a small cumulus cloud represented as a quasi static but turbulent entity, growing on the upshear side and decaying on the downshear side. While the air just outside the cloudy outline is, on average, stationary relative to the embedding airmass, there is a slight flow, upwards and forward as though the updraft has induced upward motion in the clear air outside the cloud, on the growing side. On the decaying side the motion is downwards and away from the cloud.This is a flow pattern which is not consistent with the air flowing around the cloud as it moves forward but it agrees well with the picture given. Decayed remnants of cloud are found throughout the air previously occupied by the cloud. The cloud outline moves through the embedding air at a velocity which is almost as large as the relative motion of the subcloud feeding airflow (which is almost free from internal wind shear in strong convection).The mixing of dry air from above the inversion yields the observed diluted liquid water content in small cumuli, if such mixing is allowed to proceed until the cloud density equals that of the surrounding air. Quantitative conditions relating the liquid water to inversion temperature and moisture changes, and to the stability of the environment are presented. The strong vertical mixing from the top of the cloud downwards is important to microphysical processes.     

Partial chemical characterization of estuarine dissolved organic matter

Activated charcoal chromatography was used to isolate dissolved organic matter from a series of water samples collected in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, during 1975–1976. The range of dissolved organic carbon values in the samples was 1.46–3.75 mg OC/1. A relatively constant amount of organic carbon was isolated giving overall recoveries of 23 to 63% (mean of 45%). The isolated organic matter was characterized by spectrophotometric measurements, stable carbon isotope determinations, and copper solubilizing capacities. In general, the isolated material displayed considerable constancy in terms of the parameters measured. However, several chemical variations were detected that were probably related to the introduction of organic matter from diatom blooms and terrigenous runoff.     

Two metallogenic maps for North America

Part of the interior of the North American continent is covered by relatively undisturbed sedimentary rocks not available to the entrance of ore-bearing fluids from depths, but a wide belt along the Pacific Coast, a narrower belt along the Atlantic Coast, and most of the north-east quadrant of the continent have been mineralized. If we plot all the known ore deposits in these latter areas, we find considerable differences in the densities of occurrences but no well defined patterns except a crowding along most of the area near the Pacific Coast. If, on the other hand, we plot only the major occurrences, we can see some linear patterns transverse to the edges of the continent.Transverse ore deposit patterns in an ENE direction are conspicuous in western United States and northern Mexico and in Ontario and Quebec of Canada but are almost unknown in British Columbia and Alaska. East-west patterns (within 5 degrees of a 90degree azimuth) are much more rare: one in southern British Columbia, one in Quebec and Ontario, one in Missouri, and one in Tennessee. No north-south patterns of any great length can be recognized.In addition to these rich ridges there are many inhomogeneities in the distribution of the major ore deposits, and these I think are due to subcrustal inhomogeneities in the distribution of metals, presumably in the upper mantle and probably of a late stage in the formation of the earth. I will attempt to show that the large ore deposits of North America form belts bounded approximately by parallels of latitude, separated by gaps in which no large deposits occur. Without undue distortions I have been able to draw outlines to include all the approximately 250 major ore deposits, except in the area north of latitude 60 where recorded occurrences are at present too sparse and too widely distributed.The localization of ore deposits in North America is thus the result of linear zones, probably deep crustal or sub-crustal fracture zones, crossing latitudinal belts of anomalous concentrations of metals probably of pre-crustal age.I have no explanations for the processes that formed either the transverse patterns or the latitudinal belts. They are not prominent and will be judged by many to be nonexistent. The lack of an explanation must not, however, be used to deny their existence— an attitude that surely limits the progress of metallogenic theory. Correlations with similar studies on other continents will be most useful.

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Zusammenfassung Ein Teil des Inneren des Nordamerikanischen Kontinents ist mit relativ ungestörten Sedimentgesteinen bedeckt, die ein Eindringen von Erz-bringenden Lösungen aus der Tiefe verhinderten. Dagegen sind ein breiter Streifen entlang der Pazifikküste, ein schmalerer Streifen entlang der Atlantikküste und der größte Teil des Nordostquadranten des Kontinentes mineralisiert. Wenn wir alle bekannten Erzlagerstätten in diese Gebiete eintragen, so finden wir auffällige Unterschiede in der Verteilung der Punkte, aber kein regelmäßiges Muster, ausgenommen das Gebiet nahe der Pazifikküste. Wenn wir dagegen nur die größeren Vorkommen auftragen, so ergeben sich lineare Anordnungen, die quer auf die Ecken des Kontinentes zulaufen.Quer verlaufende Muster in ENE-Richtung sind auffallend in den westlichen Vereinigten Staaten, in Nord-Mexico, in Ontario und Quebec; diese Richtung ist jedoch in British Columbia und in Alaska unbekannt.E-W-Muster mit±5° Schwankungen sind sehr viel seltener. Eines finden wir im südlichen British Columbia, eines in Quebec und Ontario, eines in Missouri und Tennessee, N-S-streichende Lineationen sind unbekannt.Über die Anordnung in reichen Zonen hinaus finden wir viele Inhomogenitäten in der Verteilung der wichtigsten Erzlagerstätten; diese sind meiner Meinung nach von subkrustalen Inhomogenitäten in der Verteilung der Metalle bestimmt. Vielleicht spielt hier eine frühe Verteilung im oberen Mantel zur Zeit der Entstehung der Erde eine Rolle. Ich will versuchen zu zeigen, daß die großen Erzlagerstätten an Zonen gebunden sind, die annähernd parallel zu den Breitengraden verlaufen und durch erzfreie Zonen getrennt sind. Ohne Schwierigkeiten lassen sich Umgrenzungen mit dieser Orientierung aufzeigen, die alle 250 größeren Erzlagerstätten umfassen, ausgenommen im Gebiet nördlich des 60. Breitengrades, wo die Dichte der Lagerstätten zu gering ist.Die Anordnung der Erzlagerstätten Nordamerikas ist auf lineare Zonen zurückzuführen, die wahrscheinlich auf Bruchstrukturen der Unterkruste oder des oberen Mantels begründet sind. Die Konzentration der Metalle in Querstrukturen zu den Breitenkreisen ist vermutlich eine Auflage, die vor der Bildung der Kruste entstanden ist. Ich habe keine Erklärung für die Prozesse, die zu dieser Metallkonzentration geführt haben. Viele mögen eine derartig vorgegebene Anordnung ablehnen; man sollte jedoch bedenken, daß das Fehlen einer Erklärung noch nicht zur Ablehnung auffälliger Phänomene berechtigt. Es sollten auch andere Kontinente daraufhin untersucht werden.

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Résumé Une partie de l'intérieur du continent Nord Américain est couverte par des roches sédimentaires peu dérangées et défavorables à l'accès de fluides minéralisants venus de la profondeur. Par contre une large ceinture le long de la côte pacifique, un ceinture plus étroit de long de la côte atlantique, et la majeure partie du quadrant Nord-Est du continent ont été minéralisées. Si l'on reporte sur carte tous les dépôts connus dans ces domaines, on trouve des différences considérables dans les »densités d'occurrences« mais aucun réseau bien défini, à l'exception d'un fort peuplement dans presque tout le domaine proche du Pacifique. Si, d'autre part, on ne reporte que les occurrences majeures, on voit apparaître des lignes directrices transversales sur les bordures du continent.De telles transversales dirigées ENE apparaissent dans l'Ouest des Etats-Unis, le Nord du Mexique, l'Ontario et le Québec (Canada) mais sont presque inconnues en Colombie britannique et en Alaska.Des directions Est-Ouest (avec une variation de 5) sont beaucoup plus rares: une dans le Sud de la Colombie britannique, une dans le Québec et l'Ontario, une dans le Missouri et une dans le Tennessee. Aucune direction Nord-Sud de grande longueur ne peut être reconnue.En plus de ces »arêtes riches« existent beaucoup d'inhomogénéités dans la distribution des gisements importants, et celles-ci sont dues, à mon avis, à des hétérogénéités souscrustales de la distribution des métaux, probablement au niveau du manteau supérieur et remontant à une étape tardive de la formation de la Terre. Je désire essayer de montrer que les grands gisements métallifères de l'Amérique du Nord s'intègrent dans des ceintures approximativement limitées par des parallèles de latitude et séparées par des intervalles dépourvus de grands dépôts. Ainsi, sans distorsions abusives, j'ai pu tracer des enveloppes englobant environ 250 gisements majeurs, sauf dans une aire située au Nord du parallèle 60 Nord, où les occurrences jusqu'ici enregistrées sont encore trop rares et disséminées.La localisation des gisements métallifères de l'Amérique du Nord est donc due à des zones linéaires, probablement des zones de fractures crustales profondes ou sous-crustales, croisant des ceintures latitudinales de concentrations anormales de métaux, elles-mêmes probablement précrustales.Je n'offre pas d'explication pour les processus qui ont formé les ceintures latitudinales et les transversales. Les unes et les autres ne sont pas fortement apparentes, et beaucoup estimeront qu'elles n'existent pas. Cette absence d'explication ne doit cependant pas être utilisée pour nier leur existence, attitude qui limiterait certainement les progrès des théories métallogéniques. Des comparaisons avec des ètudes similaires sur d'autres continents seraient certainement très utiles.

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Structural identification using linear models and earthquake records

The problem of determining linear models of structures from seismic response data is investigated using ideas from the theory of system identification. The approach is to determine the optimal estimates of the model parameters by minimizing a selected measure-of-fit between the responses of the structure and the model. Because earthquake records are normally available from only a small number of locations in a structure, and because of noise in the records, it is necessary in practice to estimate parameters of the dominant modes in the records, rather than the stiffness and damping matrices of the linear model. A new algorithm is developed to determine the optimal estimates of the modal parameters. After tests with simulated data, the method is applied to a multi-storey building using records from the 1971 San Fernando earthquake in California. New information is obtained concerning the properties of the lower modes of the building and the time-varying character of the equivalent linear parameters.     

A reported early-man site adjacent to southern Alaska's continental shelf: A geologic solution to an archeologic enigma

An extensive ancient archeologic site containing lithic artifacts and associated with mammoth remains was reported at Chinitna Bay, southern Alaska in 1943. The presence of such a site adjacent to the continental shelf at the base of the rugged Aleutian Range suggested that humans may have inhabited the inner shelf environment during the late Pleistocene at times of lowered sea level. Because of the site's potential significance, an interdisciplinary research team relocated and reinvestigated the area in 1978, but failed to find evidence of prehistoric human habitation. Geologic studies and radiocarbon dating indicate that the strata reported at the site are intertidal in origin, very late Holocene in age, and have undergone significant tectonic movement in the recent past. These observations indicate that the previously published observations of the Chinitna Bay site are probably invalid.