Correlation of Swedish glacial varves with the Greenland (GRIP) oxygen isotope record

A mean varve thickness curve has been constructed for a part of the Swedish varve chronology from the northwestern Baltic proper. The mean varve thickness curve has been correlated with the δ¹⁸O record from the GRIP ice-core using the Younger Dryas–Preboreal climate shift. This climate shift was defined by pollen analyses. The Scandinavian ice-sheet responded to a warming at the end of the Younger Dryas, ca. 10995 to 10700 clay-varve yr BP. Warming is recorded as a sequence of increasing mean varve thickness and ice-rafted debris suggesting intense calving of the ice front. The Younger Dryas–Preboreal climatic shift is dated to ca. 10650 clay-varve yr BP, about 40 yr after the final drainage of the Baltic Ice Lake. Both the pollen spectra and a drastic increase in varve thickness reflect this climatic shift. A climate deterioration, correlated with the Preboreal oscillation, is dated to ca. 10440 to 10320 clay-varve yr BP and coincides with the brackish water phase of the Yoldia Sea stage. The ages of the climatic oscillations at the Younger Dryas–Preboreal transition show an 875 yr discrepancy compared with the GRIP record, suggesting a large error in the Swedish varve chronology in the part younger than ca. 10300 clay-varve yr BP. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Volcanic ash layers from the Last Glacial Termination in the NGRIP ice core

The tephrochronological record of the 1400–1640 m depth (～10 000–16 000 calendar ice core years before present) of the NGRIP ice core has been established by particle screening of selected samples. Ash was identified in 20 samples. Correlation with ice, marine and terrestrial records from volcanic source regions in the northern hemisphere positively identifies the Saksunarvatn Ash and the Vedde Ash (Ash Zone 1). Major element chemistry of the remaining identified ash layers mainly points towards an Icelandic origin. This tephrochronological record provides new important marker horizons for correlating the timing of the climatic changes associated with the Last Glacial Termination within the North Atlantic region, as well as outlining more details concerning the frequency and composition of volcanic eruptions occurring at this deglaciation. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The hydrodynamic foundation for salmon lice dispersion modeling along the Norwegian coast

Ocean Dynamics - Norway has complicated dynamics in the coastal ocean and in the fjords. In this area is also the largest salmon aquaculture industry in the world. The salmon industry is valuable...     

Gabbroic xenoliths from La Palma, Tenerife and Lanzarote, Canary Islands: evidence for reactions between mafic alkaline Canary Islands melts and old oceanic crust

Gabbroic and hornblendite xenoliths from La Palma, Tenerife and Lanzarote fall into three main groups based on petrography and chemistry. One group (comprising all xenoliths from Lanzarote and some from La Palma) consists of highly deformed orthopyroxene-bearing gabbroic rocks that show a strong affinity to N-MORB and oceanic gabbro cumulates in terms of mineral chemistry and REE relations. However, they show mild enrichment in the most incompatible elements (particularly Rb+Ba±K) relative to intermediate and heavy REE, and their Sr–Nd isotope ratios fall within or close to the N-MORB field. The second group (60% of the xenoliths from La Palma) are gabbroic cumulates with zoned clinopyroxenes (Ti–Al-poor cores, Ti–Al-rich rims) and reaction rims of hornblende, biotite and clinopyroxene on other phases. Their trace-element and Sr–Nd isotope relations are in general transitional between N-MORB cumulates and Canary Islands alkali basalts, but they show strong enrichment in Rb, Ba and K relative to other strongly incompatible elements. The third group (comprising some xenoliths from La Palma and all those from Tenerife) are undeformed gabbroic and hornblendite rocks in which hornblende and biotite appear to belong to the primary assemblage. These rocks show strong affinities to Canary Islands alkali basaltic magmas with respect to mineral, trace-element, and Sr–Nd isotope chemistry. The first two groups are interpreted as fragments of old oceanic crust which have been mildly to strongly metasomatized through reactions with Canary Islands alkaline magmas. The reaction process is a combination of enrichment in elements compatible with biotite (and hornblende), and simple mixing between N-MORB cumulates and trapped alkaline magmas. The third group represents intrusions/cumulates formed from mafic alkaline Canary Islands magmas. Modeling indicates that locally up to 50% new material has been added to the old oceanic crust through reactions with ocean island basalts. Reactions and formation of cumulates do not represent simple underplating at the mantle/crust boundary, but have taken place within the pre-existing oceanic crust, and are likely to have significantly thickened the old oceanic crust.     

Measurements of positive ion conversion and removal reactions relating to the Jovian ionosphere

Measured rates are presented for the reaction of He⁺ ions with H₂ (and D₂) molecules to form H⁺, H₂⁺, and HeH⁺ ions, as well as for the subsequent reactions of H⁺ and HeH⁺ ions with H₂ to form H₃⁺. The neutralization of H₃⁺ (and H₅⁺) ions by dissociative recombination with electrons is shown to be fast. The reaction He⁺ + H₂ is slow (k = 1.1 × 10^?13 cm³/sec at300°K) and produces principally H⁺ by the dissociative charge transfer branch. It is concluded that there may be a serious bottleneck in the conversion of two of the primary ions of the upper Jovian ionosphere, H⁺ and He⁺ (which recombine slowly), to the rapidly recombining H₃⁺ ion (α[H₃⁺]?3.4 × 10^?7 cm³/sec at 150°K).     

Origin of salt giants in abyssal serpentinite systems

International Journal of Earth Sciences - Worldwide marine salt deposits ranging over the entire geological record are generally considered climate-related evaporites, derived from the...     

Measured ion-molecule reaction rates for modelling Titan's atmosphere

Rate coefficients for several two- and three-body ion-molecule reactions involving hydrocarbons have been determined at thermal energies and above using drift tube-mass spectrometer techniques. The measured rates for clustering and breakup reactions involving CH₅⁺ and C₂H₅⁺ ions in methane are found to be strongly temperature dependent in the range from 80 to 240 K. The equilibrium constants determined for these reactions differ somewhat from those of Hiraoka and Kebarle. Rate coefficients for two-body reactions of CH₅⁺, C₂H₅⁺, N⁺, H⁺ and D⁺ ions with methane and/or ethane have been measured. The results indicate that the product yields of several of the fast ion-molecule reactions depend strongly on ion energy (temperature), and therefore previous room-temperature results may be of limited value for model calculations of Titan's atmosphere.