Insights into Holocene relative sea-level changes in the southern North Sea using an improved microfauna-based transfer function

In light of global warming and rising relative sea level (RSL), detailed reconstructions of RSL histories and their controlling processes are essential in order to manage coastal-protection challenges. This study contributes to unravelling Holocene RSL change on the East Frisian North Sea coast in high resolution and with a new approach for the German Bight. For the first time, a transfer function (vertical error: 29.7 cm ? ~11% of the mean tidal range) for RSL change based on a combined training set of benthic foraminifers and ostracods from the back-barrier tidal basin of Spiekeroog is applied to the Holocene record of the back-barrier tidal basin of Norderney. The resulting RSL curve for the Norderney tidal basin is corrected for decompaction and shows a deceleration in RSL rise between 6000 and 5000 cal bp. The smallest possible error envelope (~1 m) results from the good suitability of salt-marsh layers between 5000 and 4000 cal bp. The RSL curve provides an approach towards the closure of the common data gap of peat-based curves for the southern North Sea related to a lack of basal peats in the youngest age range, and verifies regional differences in glacial isostatic adjustment.     

Diffusion-controlled spherulite growth in obsidian inferred from H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O concentration profiles

Spherulites are spherical clusters of radiating crystals that occur naturally in rhyolitic obsidian. The growth of spherulites requires diffusion and uptake of crystal forming components from the host rhyolite melt or glass, and rejection of non-crystal forming components from the crystallizing region. Water concentration profiles measured by synchrotron-source Fourier transform spectroscopy reveal that water is expelled into the surrounding matrix during spherulite growth, and that it diffuses outward ahead of the advancing crystalline front. We compare these profiles to models of water diffusion in rhyolite to estimate timescales for spherulite growth. Using a diffusion-controlled growth law, we find that spherulites can grow on the order of days to months at temperatures above the glass transition. The diffusion-controlled growth law also accounts for spherulite size distribution, spherulite growth below the glass transition, and why spherulitic glasses are not completely devitrified. An erratum to this article can be found at     

Geophysical characterization of the Daskop granophyre dyke and surrounding host rocks,Vredefort impact structure,South Africa

Granophyre dykes in the central part of the Vredefort impact structure are believed to be the remnants of the impact melt sheet, which intruded downwards along the fractures in the crater floor. Little is known about their original penetration depth, dip, structural relationships with the host rocks, and their general geophysical characteristics. This information is critical to understand the emplacement history of the granophyre dykes, as it relates to the formation and modification of large impact structures. We conducted magnetic and resistivity surveys across the Daskop granophyre dyke (DGD), one of the impact melt dykes in the structure's core. The magnetic survey revealed that the DGD gives a strong magnetic response at positions where the dyke outcrop exceeds the surface topography, but a very weak response where the outcrop is nearly at the same elevation as the surrounding topography. The magnetic anomaly is thus predominantly due to the outcrop protruding above ground level, suggesting a limited volume of dyke material in the subsurface and a small penetration depth. The resistivity survey performed on two profiles, set perpendicularly across the DGD, indicated a shallow penetration depth (<3 m), consistent with the magnetic interpretation. Thus, our geophysical study demonstrates that the DGD is currently at the very bottom of its original emplacement. This may either be an erosional coincidence, or it may be controlled by a fundamental process of impact cratering. Further studies are warranted to determine if other granophyre dykes at Vredefort are similarly at their lowermost terminations.     

Effect of chlorine on near‐liquidus crystallization of olivine‐phyric shergottite NWA 6234 at 1 GPa: Implication for volatile‐induced melting of the Martian mantle

Martian magmas are thought to be rich in chlorine compared with their terrestrial counterparts. Here, we experimentally investigate the effect of chlorine on liquidus depression and near‐liquidus crystallization of olivine‐phyric shergottite NWA 6234 and compare these results with previous experimental results on the effect of chlorine on near‐liquidus crystallization of the surface basalts Humphrey and Fastball. Previous experimental results showed that the change in liquidus temperature is dependent on the bulk composition of the basalt. The effect of chlorine on liquidus depression is greater for lower SiO₂ and higher Al₂O₃ magmas than for higher SiO₂ and lower Al₂O₃ magmas. The bulk composition for this study has lower Al₂O₃ and higher FeO contents than previous work; therefore, we provide additional constraints on the effect of the bulk composition on the influence of chlorine on near‐liquidus crystallization. High pressure and temperature crystallization experiments were performed at 1 GPa on a synthetic basalt, of the bulk composition of NWA 6234, with 0–4 wt% Cl added to the sample as AgCl. The results are consistent with previous notions that with increasing wt% Cl in the melt, the crystallization temperature decreases. Importantly, our results have a liquidus depression ?T (°C) from added chlorine that is consistent with the difference in bulk composition and suggest a dependence on both the bulk Al₂O₃ and FeO content. Our results suggest that the addition of chlorine to the Martian mantle may lower magma genesis temperatures and potentially aid in the petrogenesis of Martian magmas.     

Composition of Coronal Streamers from the SOHO Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer

The Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer on the SOHO satellite covers the 940–1350 Å range as well as the 470–630 Å range in second order. It has detected coronal emission lines of H, N, O, Mg, Al, Si, S, Ar, Ca, Fe, and Ni, particularly in coronal streamers. Resonance scattering of emission lines from the solar disk dominates the intensities of a few lines, but electron collisional excitation produces most of the lines observed. Resonance, intercombination and forbidden lines are seen, and their relative line intensities are diagnostics for the ionization state and elemental abundances of the coronal gas. The elemental composition of the solar corona and solar wind vary, with the abundance of each element related to the ionization potential of its neutral atom (First Ionization Potential–FIP). It is often difficult to obtain absolute abundances, rather than abundances relative to O or Si. In this paper, we study the ionization state of the gas in two coronal streamers, and we determine the absolute abundances of oxygen and other elements in the streamers. The ionization state is close to that of a log T = 6.2 plasma. The abundances vary among, and even within, streamers. The helium abundance is lower than photospheric, and the FIP effect is present. In the core of a quiescent equatorial streamer, oxygen and other high-FIP elements are depleted by an order of magnitude compared with photospheric abundances, while they are depleted by only a factor of 3 along the edges of the streamer. The abundances along the edges of the streamer (‘legs’) resemble elemental abundances measured in the slow solar wind, supporting the identification of streamers as the source of that wind component.     

Cosmic‐ray exposure ages of pallasites

We analyzed cosmogenic nuclides in metal and/or silicate (primarily olivine) separated from the main‐group pallasites Admire, Ahumada, Albin, Brahin, Brenham, Esquel, Finmarken, Glorieta Mountain, Huckitta, Imilac, Krasnojarsk, Marjalahti, Molong, Seymchan, South Bend, Springwater, and Thiel Mountains and from Eagle Station. The metal separates contained an olivine fraction which although small, <1 wt% in most cases, nonetheless contributes significantly to the budgets of some nuclides (e.g., up to 35% for ²¹Ne and ²⁶Al). A correction for olivine is therefore essential and was made using model calculations and/or empirical relations for the production rates of cosmogenic nuclides in iron meteoroids and/or measured elemental concentrations. Cosmic‐ray exposure (CRE) ages for the metal phases of the main‐group pallasites range from 7 to 180 Ma, but many of the ages cluster around a central peak near 100 Ma. These CRE ages suggest that the parent body of the main‐group pallasites underwent a major break‐up that produced most of the meteorites analyzed. The CRE age distribution for the pallasites overlaps only a small fraction of the distribution for the IIIAB iron meteorites. Most pallasites and IIIAB irons originated in different collisions, probably on different parent bodies; a few IIIABs and pallasites may have come out of the same collision but a firm conclusion requires further study. CRE ages calculated from noble gas and radionuclide data of the metal fraction are higher on average than the ²¹Ne exposure ages obtained for the olivine samples. As the metal and olivine fractions were taken in most cases from different specimens, the depth‐dependency of the production rate ratio ¹⁰Be/²¹Ne in metal, not accounted for in our calculations, may explain the difference.     

Zum Einfluß des gelösten organischen Kohlenstoffs (DOC) auf das Mobilitätsverhalten einiger Pestizide

Interaction of Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) with some Pesticides in Aqueous Systems. Several independent methods (batch sorption studies, chromatography) were used to study interactions of natural organic matter with two pesticides (Terbutylazine, Pendimethaline). After 24 hrs contact time, significant amounts of pesticides were (in part irreversibly) associated with the colloidal and high molecular weight fraction. The interactions were observed for soil organic matter and groundwater-DOC. It is assumed that the mobility of pesticides in natural systems is strongly influenced by interactions of this kind. The hypothesis is supported by chromatographic measurements of DOC with ¹⁴C-labeled Pendimethaline in lysimeter leachates.     

Phosphatase activities in the waters of a shallow estuary,Western Australia

Phosphatase activities in a large, shallow estuary in south western Western Australia have been assessed. Differences were found in enzyme activities in the two sections of the estuary. There were seasonal and diurnal variations as well. Phosphatase activities were most closely correlated with chlorophyll and organic nitrogen concentrations. In diurnal studies, the rates of change of phosphatase activity corresponded with the rates of change in orthophosphate. The role of phosphatase activity in regeneration of esterified phosphorus in the estuary is discussed.