Distribution of dissolved molybdenum,uranium and vanadium in baltic sea waters

This study presents dissolved molybdenum, uranium and vanadium profiles from eight stations in the main Baltic subregions. The elements were analysed by a new analytical procedure based on total-reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF). Mo and U reveal a strong, positive correlation with salinity (with r = 0.95 and 0.93, respectively). The estimated end-member concentrations (for S = 35 × 10^?3) are consistent with North Atlantic Ocean water values, indicating conservative mixing with Baltic river waters as the dominating process. In contrast, dissolved V shows relatively low levels, with mean surface and deep layer values of 2.7 and 1.7 nmol kg^?1, respectively. Compared with recently investigated Atlantic Ocean waters (normalized to S = 35 × 10^?3), Baltic waters are deplated in dissolved V by more than 60%. The removal is attributed to scavenging processes by terrigenous and/or biogenic material during the course of mixing. However, the data did not indicate that precipitation or other removal processes were significant in the anaerobic waters.     

Database of Comet Polarimetry: Analysis and Some Results

We present the electronic database (EAR-C-COMPIL-5-DB-COMET-POLARIMETRY-V1.0, NASA Planetary Data System) involving published and some unpublished results of cometary polarimetry. The database contains more than 2600 measurements of linear and circular polarization for 64 comets since 1940s. The narrow-band and wide-band measurements within the spectral region 0.3–2.2 micron are presented. The ranges of phase angles, helio- and geocentric distances of comets are 0.4–122°, 0.6–4.8 AU, 0.03–4.9 AU, respectively. We have comprised more than 60 references to the published papers and unpublished sources. The data we included are presented in a tabular format in the ASCII codes. The database can be used as the observational basis for detailed theoretical modeling, interpretation of the phase-angle and spectral dependence of polarization, classification of comets, laboratory simulating, and for selecting future space-mission targets. Analysis of the available data allowed us to summarize some observed characteristics of linearly and circularly polarized light and their phase-angle, heliocentric, spectral, and spatial dependencies.     

Classification of five new ordinary chondrites (RC 073, 074, 076–078) from Roosevelt County,New Mexico

Abstract— Five new ordinary chondrites from Roosevelt County, New Mexico, USA, have been assigned to a chemical group, petrologic type and shock stage. All five are moderately to heavily weathered. They are: RC 073, H5(S2); RC 074, L5(S3); RC 076, L4(S3); RC 077 , L4(S2); RC 078, L4(S2).     

MINERALOGY AND CHEMISTRY OF THE KYLE,TEXAS, CHONDRITE

The Kyle, Texas, U.S.A., chondrite was identified in 1965. Electron microprobe analyses and microscopic examination show the following mineralogy: olivine (Fa 26.2 mole %), orthopyroxene (Fs 21.0 mole %), clinopyroxene, plagioclase (An 10.3 mole %), chlorapatite, whitlockite, kamacite, taenite, troilite, chromite, and an iron-bearing terrestrial weathering product. Eutectic intergrowths of metaltroilite and a brecciated matrix indicate that the Kyle chondrite was shocked. Recrystallization and shock have obliterated chondrule-matrix boundaries. A chemical analysis of the meteorite shows the following results (in weight %): Fe 0.38, Ni 1.22, Co 0.05, FeS 5.98, SiO₂ 38.41, TiO₂ 0.11, Al₂O₃ 2.13, Cr₂O₃ 0.55, Fe₂O₃ 8.02, FeO 14.83, MnO 0.31, MgO 23.10, CaO 1.60, Na₂O 0.74, K₂O 0.08, P₂O₅ 0.19, H₂O⁺ 1.73, H₂O^? 0.37, C 0.03, Sum 99.83. On the basis of bulk chemistry, composition of olivine and orthopyroxene, and the recrystallized matrix, the Kyle meteorite is classified as an L6 chondrite.     

THE LANDES METEORITE

The Landes silicate-bearing octahedrite is a new find from Grant County, West Virginia. Minerals and their compositions are very similar to those in Odessa-type silicate inclusions. The angular nature of the inclusions, recrystallization textures, and mineral compositions indicate a “xenolithic” origin for the inclusions.     

Internal structure of an alpine rock glacier based on crosshole georadar traveltimes and amplitudes

Rapid melting of permafrost in many alpine areas has increased the probability of catastrophic rock slides. In an attempt to provide critical structural information needed for the design and implementation of suitable mitigation procedures, we have acquired low frequency (22 MHz) cross‐hole radar data from within a fast‐moving rock glacier, an important form of alpine permafrost. Since the ice, rock and pockets of water and air found in the underground of high alpine areas have very different dielectric permittivities and electrical conductivities, the radar method was well‐suited for investigating the structure and state of the rock glacier. Our interpretation of the radar velocities and attenuations was constrained by geomorphological observations, borehole lithological logs and the results of a surface seismic survey. The radar data revealed the existence of a discontinuous 7–11 m thick ice‐rich zone distinguished by high velocities (0.14–0.17 m/ns) and low attenuations (0.04–0.09 m^?1) and a thin underlying ice‐free zone characterized by moderate velocities (0.11–0.12 m/ns) and low attenuations (0.04–0.09 m^?1). Beneath these two zones, we observed a prominent band of high velocities (0.14–0.17 m/ns) and moderately high attenuations (0.10–0.20 m^?1) associated with unconsolidated glacial sediments and numerous large air‐filled voids, which in the past were probably filled with ice. At greater depths, the variably dry to water‐saturated sediments were represented by generally lower velocities (0.08–0.10 m/ns) and higher attenuations (0.16–0.24 m^?1). The bedrock surface was represented by an abrupt ～0.03 m/ns velocity increase. We speculate that the disappearance of ice, both laterally and with depth, occurred during the past one to two decades.     

Requirements for Next Generation Spatial Data Infrastructures-Standardized Web Based Geoprocessing and Web Service Orchestration

Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDI) have been widely accepted to exchange geospatial data among organizations. Today SDIs main focus lies on the provision of geospatial data in the form of distributed spatial web services, the retrieval through catalogues, and visualization in the form of Web Map Services (WMS). The hypothesis presented in this paper takes SDI's one step further by providing a method to process geodata in an Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) compliant way into information. Two case studies present the potential of standardized geoprocessing services. In addition, this paper addresses the problem of service chaining by providing a system architecture to implement complex geoprocessing models and workflows based on web services using Web Service Orchestration (WSO). The proposed methods utilize spatial standards provided by OGC, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and ‘mainstream IT’ standards provided by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS) to establish a generic web service architecture for providing common geoprocessing capabilities (e.g. spatial algorithms, map algebra, etc.) for usage in SDIs.     

Early core formation in asteroids and late accretion of chondrite parent bodies: Evidence from Hf-W in CAIs, metal-rich chondrites, and iron meteorites

The ¹⁸²Hf-¹⁸²W isotopic systematics of Ca-Al-rich inclusions (CAIs), metal-rich chondrites, and iron meteorites were investigated to constrain the relative timing of accretion of their parent asteroids. A regression of the Hf-W data for two bulk CAIs, various fragments of a single CAI, and carbonaceous chondrites constrains the ¹⁸²Hf/¹⁸⁰Hf and ε_W at the time of CAI formation to (1.07 ± 0.10) × 10⁻⁴ and −3.47 ± 0.20, respectively. All magmatic iron meteorites examined here have initial ε_W values that are similar to or slightly lower than the initial value of CAIs. These low ε_W values may in part reflect ¹⁸²W-burnout caused by the prolonged cosmic ray exposure of iron meteorites, but this effect is estimated to be less than ∼0.3 ε units for an exposure age of 600 Ma. The W isotope data, after correction for cosmic ray induced effects, indicate that core formation in the parent asteroids of the magmatic iron meteorites occurred less than ∼1.5 Myr after formation of CAIs. The nonmagmatic IAB-IIICD irons and the metal-rich CB chondrites have more radiogenic W isotope compositions, indicating formation several Myr after the oldest metal cores had segregated in some asteroids.Chondrule formation ∼2-5 Myr after CAIs, as constrained by published Pb-Pb and Al-Mg ages, postdates core formation in planetesimals, and indicates that chondrites do not represent the precursor material from which asteroids accreted and then differentiated. Chondrites instead derive from asteroids that accreted late, either farther from the Sun than the parent bodies of magmatic iron meteorites or by reaccretion of debris produced during collisional disruption of older asteroids. Alternatively, chondrites may represent material from the outermost layers of differentiated asteroids. The early thermal and chemical evolution of asteroids appears to be controlled by the decay of ²⁶Al, which was sufficiently abundant (initial ²⁶Al/²⁷Al >1.4 × 10⁻⁵) to rapidly melt early-formed planetesimals but could not raise the temperatures in the late-formed chondrite parent asteroids high enough to cause differentiation. The preservation of the primitive appearance of chondrites thus at least partially reflects their late formation rather than their early and primitive origin.     

GeoReM: A New Geochemical Database for Reference Materials and Isotopic Standards

We have developed a new database named GeoReM ( http://georem.mpch-mainz.gwdg.de ) for reference materials and isotopic standards of geochemical and mineralogical interest. Reference samples include rock powders originating from the USGS, GSJ, GIT-IWG, synthetic and natural reference glasses originating from NIST, USGS, MPI-DING, as well as mineral (e.g., 91500 zircon), isotopic (e.g., La Jolla, E&A, NIST SRM 981), river water and seawater reference materials. GeoReM is a relational database, which strongly follows the concept of the three EARTHCHEM databases. It contains published analytical and compilation values (major and trace element concentrations, radiogenic and stable isotope ratios), important metadata about the analytical values, such as uncertainty, uncertainty type, method and laboratory. Sample information and references are also included. Three different ways of interrogating the database are possible: (1) sample names or material types, (2) chemical criteria and (3) bibliography. Some typical applications are described. GeoReM currently (October 2005) contains more than 750 geological reference materials, 6000 individual sets of results and references to 650 publications.