Seismic and field evidence for selective inversion of Cretaceous normal faults, Salta rift, northwest Argentina

Northwestern Argentina was the site of the continental Salta rift in Cretaceous to Paleogene time. The Salta rift had a complex geometry with several subbasins of different trends and subsidence patterns surrounding a central high. Fault trends in the rift were extremely variable. There is evidence of normal and/or transfer faults trending N, NE, E and SE. It is not clear if all these faults were active at the same time, indicating a poorly defined extension direction, or if they formed in different, non-coaxial extension phases. In either case, their trends were very likely influenced by preexisting fault systems. Beginning in early Eocene time, the rift basins were superseded by Andean foreland basins and later became caught in the Andean thrust deformation propagating eastward, resulting in the inversion of rift faults. Due to their different orientations, not all faults were equally prone to reactivation as thrusts. N to NNE trending faults were apparently most strongly inverted, probably often to a degree where the traces of their normal fault origin have become obliterated. We present seismic evidence of moderately inverted N trending faults in the Tres Cruces basin and field examples of preserved E trending normal faults. However, reactivation sometimes also affects faults trending approximately parallel to the main Neogene shortening direction, indicating short-term deviations from the general pattern of Neogene thrust deformation. These pulses of orogen-parallel contraction may be linked to the intermittent activity of oblique transfer zones.     

On the application of the classic Kessler and Berry schemes in Large Eddy Simulation models with a particular emphasis on cloud autoconversion, the onset time of precipitation and droplet evaporation

Many Large Eddy Simulation (LES) models use the classic Kessler parameterisation either as it is or in a modified form to model the process of cloud water autoconversion into precipitation. The Kessler scheme, being linear, is particularly useful and is computationally straightforward to implement. However, a major limitation with this scheme lies in its inability to predict different autoconversion rates for maritime and continental clouds. In contrast, the Berry formulation overcomes this difficulty, although it is cubic. Due to their different forms, it is difficult to match the two solutions to each other. In this paper we single out the processes of cloud conversion and accretion operating in a deep model cloud and neglect the advection terms for simplicity. This facilitates exact analytical integration and we are able to derive new expressions for the time of onset of precipitation using both the Kessler and Berry formulations. We then discuss the conditions when the two schemes are equivalent. Finally, we also critically examine the process of droplet evaporation within the framework of the classic Kessler scheme. We improve the existing parameterisation with an accurate estimation of the diffusional mass transport of water vapour. We then demonstrate the overall robustness of our calculations by comparing our results with the experimental observations of Beard and Pruppacher, and find excellent agreement.     

Assessment of soil organic carbon in semi-arid Sudan using GIS and the CENTURY model

Using the UNFCCC as a basis, and the objectives of estimating soil organic carbon (SOC) changes during the period 1900–2100, a spatially explicit database of climate, land cover and soil texture was compiled for a 262,000 km² region in semi-arid Sudan. The area is characterized by low input cultivation of millet, sorghum and sesamé combined with livestock grazing. By integrating the database with the CENTURY ecosystem model, we were able to estimate historical, current and future pools of SOC as a function of land management and climate.The SOC (upper 20 cm) decrease from 1900 to 2000 was estimated to be 6·8 Mt and the maximum potential carbon sink (SOC increase) for the period 2000 to 2100 was estimated to be 17 Mt. Cropland and grassland lost 293 and 152 t SOC km⁻² respectively whereas the savannahs gained 76 t SOC km⁻² from 1900 to 2000. The SOC sequestration scenario simulated during 2000–2100 recovered 94, 84 and 75 t km⁻² for cropland, grassland and savannah respectively.In addition to climate and soils, cropping intensity, fallow periods, fire frequency and grazing intensity also influence cropland SOC variation. Grassland and savannah SOC variations depend on grazing intensity and fire return interval. Land management may affect future amounts of SOC in semi-arid areas thereby turning them from sources into sinks of carbon. SOC estimates were reasonably consistent with measurements (r²=0·70, n=13).     

Exchange flux of total gaseous mercury between air and natural water surfaces in summer season

The exchanges of mercury between surface and air are of significance in the biogeochemical cycling of Hg in the environment, but there are still few reliable data on air/surface exchange in aquatic systems. Field measurement campaigns over seawater surface at Kristineberg Marine Research Station (KMRS) and over Hovg?rds?n River surface at Knobesholm in southwestern Sweden were conducted to measure mercury flux using a dynamic flux chamber technique coupled with automatic mercury vapor-phase analyzers. Both sites show net emissions during summer time. Mercury fluxes measured over both river and seawater surfaces exhibit a consistently diurnal pattern with maximum fluxes during the daytime period and minimum fluxes during the nighttime period. At freshwater site, mercury flux is strongly correlated with the intensity of net solar radiation, and negatively correlated with relative humidity. A typical exponential relationship between mercury flux and water temperature was observed at freshwater measurement site. At seawater site, a strong correlation between mercury flux and intensity of solar radiation was obtained. The driving force of mercury emission from water surface to air is the super-saturation of dissolved gaseous mercury in aqueous phase.     

Trace metal occurrence in a mineralised and a non-mineralised spodosol in northern Sweden

In order to determine the metal-bearing phases with special emphasis on Cu, a sequential extraction has been carried out on seven soil samples from a sulphide-bearing spodosol profile in Liikavaara Östra, close to the Aitik Copper Mine in northern Sweden. A reference spodosol profile with very low abundances of sulphides located far from anthropogenic emissions was also studied. Five fractions were selected for the extraction: (I) CH₃COONa-extractable (exchangeable/adsorbed/carbonate); (II) Na₄P₂O₇-extractable (labile organics); (III) 0.25 M NH₂OH·HCl-extractable (amorphous Fe oxyhydroxides/Mn oxides); (IV) 1 M NH₂OH·HCl-extractable (crystalline Fe oxides); and (V) KClO₃/HCl-extractable (organics and sulphides). The distribution of trace elements (Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) in the profile in Liikavaara Östra is different from that in the reference profile. Possible explanations for these differences are (i) the presence of sulphides in the soil, (ii) atmospheric deposition of dust derived from mining activities at the Aitik Copper Mine, and (iii) mineralogical heterogeneities inherited from the deposition of the till. There is no straightforward correlation between the amount of the extracted phases and the metal extractability in the soils. This fact indicates that other factors are important for the retention of trace metals as well. The data presented in this study suggest that Co, Cr and Ni, to a fairly large extent, are associated with the organic matter in the B-horizon in both profiles, while in the C-horizon in Liikavaara Östra, sulphides are probably the more important carriers of these elements. For Co and Ni, Fe oxyhydroxides seem to be important. Most of the Cr occurred in the residual remaining after the leaching procedure. Copper and Zn seem to be associated with the organic matter to some extent in the B-horizon. The concentration of Cu in the C-horizon in Liikavaara Östra is high (2310 ppm), but only a very small fraction is likely to be hosted by sulphides. It is concluded that the major part of Cu in the C-horizon and a prominent fraction in the B-horizon in Liikavaara Östra are associated with some secondary phase that is extractable during extractions III and IV. Possible candidates for this phase are goethite and inclusions of native Cu in weathered biotite.     

Abundance and growth of larval and early juvenile cod (Gadus morhua) in relation to variable environmental conditions west of Iceland

Around Iceland, the west- and north-flowing coastal current, induced by freshwater runoff, provides a transport mechanism for pelagic eggs and larvae derived from the main spawning grounds off the southwest coast to the main nursery grounds off the north coast. In the present study, abundance and growth of larval and juvenile cod were recorded during a series of cruises conducted in June/July of 1998–2001 along the drift route southwest and west of Iceland. The cruises provided information on approximately 2–8-week-old individuals. Hatch dates and abundance varied greatly between years. Hatch dates ranged from Julian Day 92 to 167. Growth rate differed also between the years studied. Relative abundance was generally greatest in temperatures above 7.5 °C and in low-salinity waters, characteristic for the coastal current. The study demonstrates the link between the coastal current and larval/juvenile distribution, thus providing evidence for its importance in promoting successful recruitment of the Icelandic cod stock.     

Open boundary conditions for nonlinear channel flow

Open boundary conditions are derived for the one-dimensional nonrotating two-layer shallow-water equations. The conditions are based on characteristics of the external and internal modes. It is possible to find exact nonlinear characteristic conditions for the external mode, as well as approximate nonlinear conditions for the internal mode. These conditions can also be linearised by Taylor expansion; the approximate linear conditions are similar to those used in several previous studies. Both of the nonlinear and linearised conditions perform well, indicating that either the nonlinear or linearised conditions may potentially be extended to the more general case of multi-layer flows.     

Two distinct Miocene age ranges of basaltic rocks from the Rhön and Heldburg areas (Germany) based on Ar/Ar step heating data

New ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age data are determined for Cenozoic basaltic rocks from the Thuringian Rhön and Heldburg Gangschar (area also referred to as Grabfeld), integral parts of the Central European Volcanic Province. Applying the incremental heating technique on groundmass and plagioclase separates provided data which considerably specify our knowledge on the eruption ages in these volcanic fields and narrow down the duration of volcanic activity compared to earlier studies. All data but one outlier range between 20 and 14 Ma, being thus similar to those of the neighbouring Vogelsberg volcanic complex. The spectrum of ages is clearly divided into two distinct subsets: the Rhön ages are between 20 and 18 Ma, those of the Heldburg Gangschar are between 16 and 14 Ma. Thus, the present data clearly indicate a striking regional and temporal division of the Thuringian Miocene volcanism. The composition of the volcanic rocks in the two volcanic fields is remarkably diverse, ranging from tholeiitic basalts over alkali basalts and basanites to nephelinites. However, radiometric ages do not correlate with geochemical or petrological characteristics of the volcanics within each volcanic field, indicating that the different magma types erupted broadly contemporaneously.The outlier in age (29 Ma) is from a volcanic dyke of the NE Rhön area close to the NW end of the Thuringian Forest. However, more data are required to approve the significance of this age value, in particular since the rock showed isotopic age disturbance.