Nondimensionalization of the Atmospheric Boundary-Layer System: Obukhov Length and Monin–Obukhov Similarity Theory

Boundary-Layer Meteorology - The Obukhov length, although often adopted as a characteristic scale of the atmospheric boundary layer, has been introduced purely based on a dimensional argument...     

Stable isotope composition of subfossil Cerastoderma glaucum shells from the Szczecin Bay brackish deposits and its palaeogeographical implications (South Baltic Coast,Poland)

The environmental conditions of the Szczecin Bay, which existed prior to Szczecin Lagoon, have been reconstructed on the basis of the stable carbon and oxygen isotope (¹⁸O and ¹³C) analysis and radiocarbon dates obtained for subfossil shells of Cerastoderma (Cardium) glaucum. The shells in the collected core were well preserved in their life positions, representing a geochemical record of past temperature variation over the middle Holocene. Three major periods with different thermal conditions have been distinguished in the interval ~ 6000–4300 cal yr BP, when the important Littorina regional transgression took place. During the first period, 6000–5250 cal yr BP, water temperature decreased by 1.4°C, and then remained constant over the second period (5250–4750 cal yr BP). In contrast, during the third period (4750–4300 cal yr BP) both δ-values were highly variable and the mean summer temperature (March–November) increased by about 3.5°C. During first two periods, δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C were significantly correlated, indicating stability of the environmental conditions.     

A SIMS zircon age for a biostratigraphically dated Upper Viséan (Asbian) bentonite in the Central-European Variscides (Bardo Unit,Polish Sudetes)

A Lower Carboniferous platform sedimentary sequence (the Paprotnia Beds) in the Bardo Unit of the central Sudetes (NE part of the Bohemian Massif, SW Poland) is biostratigraphically well dated, based on rich macro- and micro-fossil evidence, as Late Viséan (late Asbian, crenistria, Go III α zone). The beds contain several bentonite layers, one of which was dated using the U–Pb SHRIMP method on volcanic zircons and yielded an age of 334 ± 3 Ma. This date fits well to the recently established chronostratigraphic limits of the Viséan, and is consistent with the newest isotopic age constraints of 336.5–332 Ma for the Asbian boundaries.     

UHP metamorphism recorded by kyanite-bearing eclogite in the Seve Nappe Complex of northern Jämtland,Swedish Caledonides

The first evidence for ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphism in the Seve Nappe Complex of the Scandinavian Caledonides is recorded by kyanite-bearing eclogite, found in a basic dyke within a garnet peridotite body exposed close to the lake Friningen in northern Jämtland (central Sweden). UHP metamorphic conditions of ~ 3 GPa and 800 °C, within the stability field of coesite, are constrained from geothermobarometry and calculated phase equilibria for the peak-pressure assemblage garnet + omphacite + kyanite + phengite. A prograde metamorphic evolution from a lower P–T (1.5–1.7 GPa and 700–750 °C) stage during subduction is inferred from inclusions of pargasitic amphibole, zoisite and kyanite in garnet cores. The post-UHP evolution is constrained from breakdown textures, such as exsolutions of kyanite and silica from the Ca-Eskola clinopyroxene. Near isothermal decompression of eclogite to lower crustal levels (~ 0.8–1.0 GPa ) led to formation of sapphirine, spinel, orthopyroxene and diopside at granulite facies conditions. Published age data suggest a Late Ordovician (460–445 Ma) age of the UHP metamorphism, interpreted to be related to subduction of Baltoscandian continental margin underneath an outboard terrane, possibly outermost Laurentia, during the final stages of closure of the Iapetus Ocean. The UHP rocks were emplaced from the hinterland collision zone during Scandian thrusting of the nappes onto the Baltoscandian foreland basin and platform. The record of P–T conditions and geochonological data from UHP rocks occurring within the allochthonous units of the Scandinavian Caledonides indicate that Ordovician UHP events may have affected much wider parts of the orogen than previously thought, involving deep subduction of the continental crust prior to final Scandian collision between Baltica and Laurentia.     

Early Carboniferous (Viséan) emplacement of the collisional Kłodzko–Złoty Stok granitoids (Sudetes, SW Poland): constraints from geochemical data and zircon U–Pb ages

Sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe zircon U–Pb dating and geochemical data of igneous rocks from the composite K?odzko–Z?oty Stok (KZS) Granite Pluton, Sudetic Block, indicate that the granitoids represent an Early Carboniferous Viséan phase of Variscan metaluminous, high-K, I-type, syn-collisional granite magmatism within the Saxothuringian Zone of the Central European Variscides. Igneous zircon records hypabyssal magmatism that produced various granitoids and lamprophyre (spessartite) emplaced from ca. 340 to 331 Ma. The KZS granitoids have compositions ranging from granodiorite to monzonite, low A/CNK ratios (<1), and are associated with abundant mafic members. Most of them are alkaline, highly potassic, and moderately evolved. The major and trace element contents of the KZS granitoids suggest geochemical heterogeneity, and the hybrid nature of magmas derived from a range of sources in the middle crust, with a strong input of material from the upper mantle. Mixing of magmas of mantle origin with high-K material from partly melted continental crust was probably a more important factor than fractional crystallization, in controlling the evolution of the magmas. The mean Pb–U ages of the main population of igneous zircon from a quartz monzodiorite (?elazno) and hornblende monzonite (Droszków) are 340.2 ± 2.5 Ma and 339.5 ± 3.1 Ma, respectively. A slightly younger biotite-hornblende granodiorite from Chwalis?aw, 336.7 ± 2.5 Ma, was cut by a spessartite dyke at 333.1 ± 3.1 Ma. This indicates that mafic magmas were immediately intruded into fractured, probably incompletely solidified, granodiorites. The lamprophyric dyke also contains igneous zircon of Neoproterozoic age, 566.3 ± 6.4 Ma, typical of the crust in the Saxothuringian Zone. Tonalite from Ptasznik Hill near Droszków is of similar age to the spessartite, 331.5 ± 2.6 Ma. High REE contents in the tonalite and its igneous zircon indicate advanced differentiation of granitic magma, producing a more leucocratic melt associated with post-magmatic activity including abundant late crosscutting pegmatites and quartz veins, and contact metasomatic mineralization. The KZS granitoids have rather similar petrographic and geochemical characteristics to granitoids from other parts of the Central European Variscides, where a thickened orogenic root caused a substantial rise in crustal temperatures, producing granitoid magmas closely correlated with regional tectonic activity between the Saxothuringian and Brunovistulia Terranes at the NE margin of the Bohemian Massif.     

Sequential granite emplacement: a structural study of the late Variscan Strzelin intrusion, SW Poland

The Strzelin Massif in SW Poland (Central European Variscides) records a protracted igneous evolution, with three main magmatic stages: (1) tonalitic I, (2) granodioritic and (3) tonalitic II/granitic. In the northern part of this Massif, the Strzelin intrusion proper comprises three successively emplaced rock types: a medium-grained biotite granite (303 ± 2 Ma), a fine-grained biotite granite (283 ± 8 Ma) and a fine-grained biotite-muscovite granite; based on field evidence, the third variety postdates both types of the biotite granites. The structural data from the three granites, including their parallel, approximately E–W striking and steeply dipping lithological contacts and ENE–WSW trending subhorizontal magmatic lineations, suggest that the emplacement of all three successive granite varieties was controlled by an active, long-lived strike-slip fault, striking ESE–WNW, with a dextral sense of movement. After the emplacement of the youngest biotite-muscovite granite, the intrusion underwent brittle extension which produced “Q joints” striking NNW–SSE to N–S and dipping at 55–70° WSW to W, and showing evidence of broadly N–S directed sinistral displacements. The structural observations, supported by new geochronological data, indicate that the internal structure of the composite granitoid intrusion, including the faint magmatic foliation and lineation, formed in a long-lived strike-slip setting, different from the subsequent, post-emplacement extensional tectonics that controlled the development of brittle structures.     

Increased hydrocarbon recovery and CO2 management, a Croatian example

Enhanced oil recovery based on CO₂ injection is expected to increase recovery from Croatian oil fields. Large quantities of CO₂ are generated during hydrocarbon processing produced from gas and gas condensate fields situated in the north-western part of Croatia. First CO₂ injection project will be implemented on the Ivani? Oil Field. Numerical modelling based on Upper Miocene sandstone core samples testing results have shown the decrease of oil viscosity during CO₂ injection. Some of the characteristics of the testing samples are porosity 21.5–23.6 %, permeability 14–80 × 10^?15 m² and initial water saturation 28–38.5 %. Water alternating foam (WAF) and water alternating gas (WAG) simulations have provided satisfactory results. The WAF injection process has provided better results, but due to the process sensitivity and costs WAG is recommended for future application. During the pilot project 16 × 10⁶ m³ CO₂ and 5 × 10⁴ m³ of water were injected. Additional amounts of hydrocarbons (4,440 m³ of oil and 2.26 × 10⁶ m³ of gas) were produced which confirmed injection of CO₂ as a successful tertiary oil recovery mechanism in Upper Miocene sandstone reservoirs in the Croatian part of the Pannonian Basin System.     

Impact of microtopography on the geochemistry of soils within archaeological sites in SE Poland

The geochemical record of human impact within three archaeological sites in SE Poland was analysed. The total levels of Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn and P were defined. The content of the studied elements was found to be higher than the determined geochemical background. In all cases, significantly higher concentrations (2–3 times) of trace metals were found in sediments filling small depressions and foot-slope locations. These concentrations were often higher than in the profiles within the archaeological objects. The vertical distributions of elements were also different from soil profiles located on flat surfaces. The study thus confirms that microtopography and soil erosion may impact (diversify) the initial horizontal and vertical variation of geochemistry of soils within archaeological sites caused by human activity. This should be taken into account when using geochemical prospecting in archaeological studies in areas with varied topography.     

Comparison of source parameters estimated in the frequency and time domains for seismic events at the Rudna copper mine,Poland

Source parameters estimated in the frequency domain for 100 selected seismic events from the Rudna copper mine, with moment magnitude ranging from 1.4 to 3.6, were collected to study their scaling relations and to compare them with the parameters estimated in the time domain. The apparent stress and static stress drop, corrected for the limited bandwidth recording, increase slightly in a similar manner with increasing seismic moment. The ratio of apparent stress to static stress drop, a measure of radiation efficiency, is practically constant and its mean value is close to 0.1. For 37 seismic events, with moment magnitude between 1.9 and 3.4, source parameters were estimated in the time domain from relative source time functions, that displayed unilateral rupture propagation, and their rupture velocity could be estimated. It ranges from 0.23 to 0.80 of shear wave velocity and is almost independent of seismic moment. The fault length, estimated from the average source pulse width and rupture velocity, is clearly dependent on seismic moment and is smaller than the source radius estimated from the corner frequency on the average by about 25 percent. There is no correlation between the values of static stress drop estimated in the frequency and time domains, but the time domain stress drop is in general similar to that estimated in the frequency domain. The apparent stress increases with increasing rupture velocity, and the ratio of apparent stress to static stress drop seems also to depend on rupture velocity.     

Remarks on the thermal conductivity and heat flow density of the Indian Craton

The virtual or effective thermal conductivity (ETC) of the Indian subcontinental crust model is calculated from geochemical/geothermal data on the mean radiogenic heat production and on the real thermal conductivity (TC) of crystalline rocks of India. This ETC, amounting to about 3.45 W/m·K, is 1.4 time greater than the mean real TC value (about 2.5 W/m·K). This is in good agreement with the empirical relation between the surface heat flow density and the Curie depth for the Indian Craton.