Reducing standard errors by incorporating spatial autocorrelation into a measurement scheme for soil carbon credits

Several studies have suggested that geostatistical techniques could be employed to reduce overall transactions costs associated with contracting for soil C credits by increasing the efficacy of sampling protocols used to measure C-credits. In this paper, we show how information about the range of spatial autocorrelation can be used in a measurement scheme to reduce the size of the confidence intervals that bound estimates of the mean number of C-credits generated per hectare. A tighter confidence interval around the mean number of C-credits sequestered could increase producer payments for each hectare enrolled in a contract to supply C-credits. An empirical application to dry land cropping systems in three regions of Montana shows that information about the spatial autocorrelation exhibited by soil C could be extremely valuable for reducing transactions costs associated with contracts for C-credits but the benefits are not uniform across all regions or cropping systems. Accounting for spatial autocorrelation greatly reduced the standard errors and narrowed the confidence intervals associated with sample estimates of the mean number of C-credits produced per hectare. For the payment mechanism considered in this paper, tighter confidence intervals around the mean number of C-credits created per hectare enrolled could increase producer payments by more than 100 percent under a C-contract.     

Petrology and geochronology of basalt breccia from the 1996 earthquake swarm of Loihi seamount, Hawaii: magmatic history of its 1996 eruption

 Samples of basalt were collected during the Rapid Response cruise to Loihi seamount from a breccia that was probably created by the July to August 1996 Loihi earthquake swarm, the largest swarm ever recorded from a Hawaiian volcano. ²¹⁰Po–²¹⁰Pb dating of two fresh lava blocks from this breccia indicates that they were erupted during the first half of 1996, making this the first documented historical eruption of Loihi. Sonobuoys deployed during the August 1996 cruise recorded popping noises north of the breccia site, indicating that the eruption may have been continuing during the swarm. All of the breccia lava fragments are tholeiitic, like the vast majority of Loihi's most recent lavas. Reverse zoning at the rim of clinopyroxene phenocrysts, and the presence of two chemically distinct olivine phenocryst populations, indicate that the magma for the lavas was mixed just prior to eruption. The trace element geochemistry of these lavas indicates there has been a reversal in Loihi's temporal geochemical trend. Although the new Loihi lavas are similar isotopically and geochemically to recent Kilauea lavas and the mantle conduits for these two volcanoes appear to converge at depth, distinct trace element ratios for their recent lavas preclude common parental magmas for these two active volcanoes. The mineralogy of Loihi's recent tholeiitic lavas signify that they crystallized at moderate depths (∼8–9 km) within the volcano, which is approximately 1 km below the hypocenters for earthquakes from the 1996 swarm. Taken together, the petrological and seismic evidence indicates that Loihi's current magma chamber is considerably deeper than the shallow magma chamber (∼3–4 km) in the adjoining active shield volcanoes. Received: 21 August 1997 / Accepted: 15 February 1998     

Geophysical Expression of Low Sulphidation Epithermal Au-Ag Deposits and Exploration Implications –Examples from the Hokusatsu Region of SW Kyushu, Japan–

Abstract: Low sulphidation epithermal Au-Ag deposits constitute a major exploration target for many mining companies worldwide. These deposits are commonly characterized by quartz vein systems which formed at temperatures often in the range 150–250°C giving rise to major alteration halos. Accompanying mineralization and associated alteration is the destruction and redistribution of magnetite in the host rocks and the formation of various K-bearing minerals such as adularia, illite and alunite. These alteration halos can often cover an area of at least several square kilometres and as such have the potential to be detected during reconnaissance geological surveys utilizing high resolution airborne aeromagnetic and radiometric sensors.
Analysis of airborne magnetic and radiometric data recently acquired over the Hokusatsu Region of SW Kyushu indicates that major low sulphidation epithermal Au-Ag deposits are characterized by several distinct geophysical features varying with the degree of post-mineralization cover and level of erosion. Several deposits coincide with extensive magnetic "flat" and high radiometric K–counts. In addition, several workers have shown that a very close association exists between Bouguer gravity highs and epithermal Au mineralization in the Hokusatsu Region. The combined use of areomagnetics, radiometrics and gravity data therefore provides an exceptionally effective approach to exploration for low sulphidation epithermal Au–Ag deposits in the Hokusatsu Region of Japan.     

From subduction to transform motion: a seabeam survey of the Hellenic trench system

Preliminary results of a multi-narrow beam survey of the Hellenic trench system, in the Eastern Mediterranean, are presented. The southwestern Ionian branch is divided in small basins, partly filled with Pleistocene sediments. The morphology suggests that the basins are deformed by a compressional stress acting roughly perpendicularly to the trench along N50°E. This direction is the direction of the regional slip vector of the shallow thrust-type earthquakes. The structure of the southeastern Pliny-Strabo branch is quite different. Narrow en-e´chelon slots, oriented N40°E, have been mapped within the main troughs oriented N60°E. The regional earthquake slip vector is also oriented along N40°E. We conclude that the Hellenic trench system is an active subduction system, dominated by thrust along the Ionian branch and by transform motion along the Pliny-Strabo branch.     

Lichens and the determination of river channel capacity

The identification of channel capacity associated with a particular frequency of peak discharges is necessary for discharge estimation for planning purposes at ungauged sites. Although lichen limits have been suggested to be useful for this purpose, previous studies have not elaborated their hydrological significance. Lichen limits are clearly defined on the sides of rock channels in New England. Australia and they are analyzed in relation to discharge at 6 gauging stations with up to 52 years of continuous record. It is demonstrated that the lowest lichen limit is maintained by peak discharges which occur on average at least once or twice each year. Recurrence intervals based on Annual Series and on Annual Exceedance Series are calculated and for the annual series are fairly consistent for the lowest lichen limit and range from 1·14 to 1·37 years. Lichenometry can be applied to the analysis of river channels in relation to the frequency of peak discharges. By reference to growth curves based upon lichens on Armidale tombstones it is shown that lichenometry may be employed to indicate dates for channel modification due to the removal of blocks and to dam construction and also to date the rock surface between lichen limits. Detailed analysis of the record from gauging stations indicates that where several lichen limits occur in a channel cross section each limit is related to periods when peak discharges exceeded the limits on at least 5 occasions. The lichen-free surfaces were then recolonized by Parmelia spp. and the size of the lichen thalli indicates the time elapsing since these frequent high discharges.     

Non-Stoichiometric magnesian spinels in shale xenoliths from a native iron-bearing andesite at Asuk,Disko, central West Greenland

A strongly reduced native iron-bearing andesite breccia from Disko contains graphite-rich modified shale xenoliths with magnesian spinels. These spinels are free from or very poor in ferric iron and vary considerably within the MgO-FeO-Cr₂O₃-Al₂O₃ compositional space. Through a simple substitution of the type 3 (Mg, Fe)²⁺ ⇆ 2(Al, Cr)³⁺+□_vacancy, the spinels vary from stoichiometric (Mg, Fe)²⁺ (Al, Cr)³⁺ ₂O₄ towards (Al, Cr)₂O₃. The simple substitution of Cr for Al suggests that Cr was accepted into the spinel structure as Cr³⁺, despite the reduced nature of the enclosing andesite. The most magnesian spinels are cation deficient spinel_ss in the synthetic systems MgO-Al₂O₃ and MgO-Al₂O₃-Cr₂O₃. The absence of exolved (Al, Cr)₂O₃-component is probable due to rapid quenching.     

Sulfide‐rich metallic impact melts from chondritic parent bodies

Abstract– Sacramento Wash 005 (SaW) 005, Meteorite Hills 00428 (MET) 00428, and Mount Howe 88403 (HOW) 88403 are S‐rich Fe,Ni‐rich metal meteorites with fine metal structures and homogeneous troilite. We compare them with the H‐metal meteorite, Lewis Cliff 88432. Phase diagram analyses suggest that SaW 005, MET 00428, and HOW 88403 were liquids at temperatures above 1350 °C. Tridymite in HOW 88403 constrains formation to a high‐temperature and low‐pressure environment. The morphology of their metal‐troilite structures may suggest that MET 00428 cooled the slowest, SaW 005 cooled faster, and HOW 88403 cooled the quickest. SaW 005 and MET 00428 contain H‐chondrite like silicates, and SaW 005 contains a chondrule‐bearing inclusion that is texturally and compositionally similar to H4 chondrites. The compositional and morphological similarities of SaW 005 and MET 00428 suggest that they are likely the result of impact processing on the H‐chondrite parent body. SaW 005 and MET 00428 are the first recognized iron‐ and sulfide‐rich meteorites, which formed by impact on the H‐chondrite parent body, which are distinct from the IIE‐iron meteorite group. The morphological and chemical differences of HOW 88403 suggest that it is not from the H‐chondrite body, although it likely formed during an impact on a chondritic parent body.     

Factors controlling regional spatial distribution of 53 elements in coastal sea sediments in northern Japan: Comparison of geochemical data derived from stream and marine sediments

In all, 53 elements were analyzed in 1406 coastal sea sediment samples collected from an area off Hokkaido and the Tohoku region of Japan during a nationwide marine geochemical mapping project. The spatial distribution patterns of the elemental concentrations in coastal seas along with the existing geochemical maps in terrestrial areas were used to define natural geochemical background variation and mass transport processes. The terrestrial area is covered by mafic volcanic rocks and accretionary complexes associated with ophiolite, which has small amounts of felsic volcanic rocks and granite. The spatial distribution patterns of elements enriched in mafic lithologies such as Fe (Total Fe₂O₃) and Sc in marine environments are influenced by adjoining terrestrial materials. The spatial distribution patterns of Cr and Ni concentrations, which are highly abundant in ultramafic rocks on land, are used to evaluate the mass transport from land to the sea and the dispersive processes caused by oceanic currents. The scale of mass transport by oceanic currents occurs up to a distance of 100–200 km from the coast along the coastal areas. The regional differences of elements rich in felsic lithologies such as K (K₂O), Nb and La in marine sediments are determined mainly by the relative proportion of minerals and lithic fragments enriching felsic materials to those associated with mafic materials. The spatial distribution of elemental concentration is not always continuous between the land areas and coastal sea areas. That difference is interpreted as resulting from (1) transportation of marine sediments by oceanic currents and storm waves, (2) contribution of volcanic materials such as tephra, (3) occurrence of shell fragments and foraminifera tests and (4) distribution of relict sediments of the last glacial age and early transgression age. Contamination with Cu, Zn, Cd, As, Mo, Sn, Sb, Hg, Pb and Bi was not observed in marine environments because the study area has little anthropogenic activity. Terrestrial materials are the dominant source for these metals. The Mo, Cd, Sn, Sb, Hg, Pb and Bi are abundant in silty and clayey sediments locally because of early diagenetic processes, authigenic precipitation and organic substances associated with these elements. The spatial distribution of As concentration shows exceptions: it is concentrated in some coarse and fine sands on the shelf. The enrichment is explained by adsorption of As, sourced from a coal field, to Fe hydroxide.