Continuous zircon growth during long-lived granulite facies metamorphism: a microtextural,U–Pb,Lu–Hf and trace element study of Caledonian rocks from the Arctic

Microtextural, U–Pb, trace element and Lu–Hf analyses of zircons from gneisses dredged from the Chukchi Borderland indicate a long-lived, Cambrian–Ordovician, granulite facies metamorphism. These results reveal a complete prograde, peak and cooling history of zircon growth during anatexis. Early increasing temperatures caused modification and Pb-loss of Precambrian zircons by recrystallization and dissolution/re-precipitation of existing grains. Small variations in initial ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf results (0.282325–0.282042) and flat HREE patterns of these zircons indicate that they grew by dissolution/re-precipitation in the presence of garnet. Zircons subsequently crystallized from a partial melt during peak to post-peak metamorphism from 530 to 485 Ma. A broad range of initial ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf ratios (0.282693–0.282050) and mineral inclusions within zircons suggest that this phase of growth incorporated Zr and Hf obtained from the breakdown of Zr-enriched phases. Microtextural evidence along with trace element and isotopic data suggests that final growth of metamorphic rims on zircon occurred during slow cooling and crystallization of residual partial melts during the early Ordovician (485–470 Ma). Younger, late Ordovician–Silurian (420–450 Ma) euhedral, oscillatory-zoned, trace element-enriched zircons crystallized within leucocratic veins that intrude the gneisses. Their age corresponds to granitoids dated from this same dredge. The intrusives and veins provide evidence that the Chukchi Borderland rifted from a position near Pearya and northwest Svalbard, which represent the northern continuation of the Caledonian orogen. Evidence for earlier Cambrian metamorphism has not been reported from this region. The age of granulite facies metamorphism reported here represents the earliest phase of deformation in the Arctic Caledonides.     

Dehydration melting of solid amphibolite at 2.0 GPa: Effects of time and temperature

The dehydration melting of the natural rock at high pressure is important to investigating the magma formation in the earth’s interior. Since the 1970s, a lot of geological scientists have paid more atten- tion to the dehydration melting of the natural rock[1―5]. Previous experiments of dehydration melting and observations of fieldwork argued that the dehy- dration melting of the rock was probably the most important fashion for the melting of the lower crust rock[6―12]. The genesis of most …     

Electrical conductivity of the plagioclase–NaCl–water system and its implication for the high conductivity anomalies in the mid-lower crust of Tibet Plateau

In order to investigate the origin of the high conductivity anomalies geophysically observed in the mid-lower crust of Tibet Plateau, the electrical conductivity of plagioclase–NaCl–water system was measured at 1.2 GPa and 400–900 K. The relationship between electrical conductivity and temperature follows the Arrhenius law. The bulk conductivity increases with the fluid fraction and salinity, but is almost independent of temperature (activation enthalpy less than 0.1 eV). The conductivity of plagioclase–NaCl–water system is much lower than that of albite–NaCl–water system with similar fluid fraction and salinity, indicating a strong effect of the major mineral phase on the bulk conductivity of the brine-bearing system. The high conductivity anomalies of 10^?1 and 10⁰ S/m observed in the mid-lower crust of Tibet Plateau can be explained by the aqueous fluid with a volume fraction of 1 and 9%, respectively, if the fluid salinity is 25%. The anomaly value of 10^?1 S/m can be explained by the aqueous fluid with a volume fraction of 6% if the salinity is 10%. In case of Southern Tibet where the heat flow is high, the model of a thin layer of brine-bearing aqueous fluid with a high salinity overlying a thick layer of partial melt is most likely to prevail.     

‘A Case Study on a Polar Cold Air Outbreak over Fram Strait using a Mesoscale Weather Prediction Model’

The mesoscale weather prediction model ’Lokal-Modell’ (LM) of the Deutscher Wetterdienst is applied to the situation of an Arctic cold air outbreak in the Fram Strait region in April 1998. Observations are available from a flight along 5⁰E carried out during the ARTIST campaign. Initial and time-dependent boundary data for the simulation are taken from a larger scale operational model system. Using the standard configuration of LM, the simulation reproduced the propagation of cold air and the characteristic structure of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) in fair agreement with the observations. However, a detailed comparison revealed three basic problems. Firstly, there is evidence that the available data on sea-ice conditions were insufficient approximations to the true state for several reasons. A modification of the sea-ice data towards observations revealed that parts of the discrepancies were due to the original sea-ice data. Secondly, a control run with the model in its standard configuration shows an insufficient warming of the ABL downstream of the ice edge due to underestimation of surface heat fluxes. A simple modification of the approach for the scalar roughness length resulted in the strongest benefit, while comparative studies showed only a slight sensitivity to different types of parametrisation of turbulent mixing or the inclusion of an additional moist convection parametrisation. Thirdly, in all the simulations the deepening of the convective ABL downstream of the ice edge is weaker than observed. This may be partly due to the thermal stratification above the ABL in the analysis data, which is more stable than observed; but it may also be a hint to the fact that processes near the inversion are insufficiently parametrised in mesoscale models with resolutions as used in LM. The simulated cloud layer in the convective ABL is similar to that observed with respect to condensate content, a sharply defined cloud top, a diffuse lower bound, and continuous light precipitation.     

Acidity of Aerosols during Winter Heavy Haze Events in Beijing and Gucheng,China

We investigated the acidity and concentrations of water-soluble ions in PM_2.5 aerosol samples collected from an urban site in Beijing and a rural site in Gucheng, Hebei Province from November 2016 to January 2017 to gain an insight into the formation of secondary inorganic species. The average SO₄^2–, NO₃^–, and NH₄⁺ concentrations were 8.3, 12.5, and 14.1 μg m^–3, respectively, at the urban site and 14.0, 14.2, and 24.2 μg m^–3, respectively, at the rural site. The nitrogen and sulfur oxidation ratios in urban Beijing were correlated with relative humidity (with correlation coefficient r = 0.79 and 0.67, respectively) and the aerosol loadings. Based on a parameterization model, we found that the rate constant of the heterogeneous reactions for SO₂ on polluted days was about 10 times higher than that on clear days, suggesting that the heterogeneous reactions in the aerosol water played an essential role in haze events. The ISORROPIA II model was used to predict the aerosol pH, which had a mean (range) of 5.0 (4.9–5.2) and 5.3 (4.6–6.3) at the urban and rural site, respectively. Under the conditions with this predicted pH value, oxidation by dissolved NO₂ and the hydrolysis of N₂O₅ may be the major heterogeneous reactions forming SO₄^2– and NO₃^– in haze. We also analyzed the sensitivity of the aerosol pH to changes in the concentrations of SO₄^2–, NO₃^–, and NH₄⁺ under haze conditions. The aerosol pH was more sensitive to the SO₄^2– and NH₄⁺ concentrations with opposing trends, than to the NO₃^– concentrations. The sensitivity of the pH was relatively weak overall, which was attributed to the buffering effect of NH₃ partitioning.     

The effect of chemical composition and oxygen fugacity on the electrical conductivity of dry and hydrous garnet at high temperatures and pressures

The in situ electrical conductivity of hydrous garnet samples (Py₂₀Alm₇₆Grs₄–Py₇₃Alm₁₄Grs₁₃) was determined at pressures of 1.0–4.0 GPa and temperatures of 873–1273 K in the YJ-3000t apparatus using a Solartron-1260 impedance/gain-phase analyzer for various chemical compositions and oxygen fugacities. The oxygen fugacity was controlled by five solid-state oxygen buffers (Fe₂O₃ + Fe₃O₄, Ni + NiO, Fe + Fe₃O₄, Fe + FeO, and Mo + MoO₂). Experimental results indicate that within a frequency range from 10⁻² to 10⁶ Hz, electrical conductivity is strongly dependent on signal frequency. Electrical conductivity shows an Arrhenius increase with temperature. At 2.0 GPa, the electrical conductivity of anhydrous garnet single crystals with various chemical compositions (Py₂₀Alm₇₆Grs₄, Py₃₀Alm₆₇Grs₃, Py₅₆Alm₄₃Grs₁, and Py₇₃Alm₁₄Grs₁₃) decreases with increasing pyrope component (Py). With increasing oxygen fugacity, the electrical conductivity of dry Py₇₃Alm₁₄Grs₁₃ garnet single crystal shows an increase, whereas that of a hydrous sample with 465 ppm water shows a decrease, both following a power law (exponents of 0.061 and −0.071, respectively). With increasing pressure, the electrical conductivity of this hydrous garnet increases, along with the pre-exponential factors, and the activation energy and activation volume of hydrous samples are 0.7731 ± 0.0041 eV and −1.4 ± 0.15 cm³/mol, respectively. The results show that small hopping polarons ( \textFe_\textMg ^· ) \left( {{\text{Fe}}_{\text{Mg}}^{ \cdot } } \right) and protons ( \textH ^· {\text{H}}^{ \cdot } ) are the dominant conduction mechanisms for dry and wet garnet single crystals, respectively. Based on these results and the effective medium theory, we established the electrical conductivity of an eclogite model with different mineral contents at high temperatures and high pressures, thereby providing constraints on the inversion of field magnetotelluric sounding results in future studies.     

Practical evaluation of carbon sources of forest soils in Slovenia from stable and radio-carbon isotope measurements

Carbon sources were estimated by measuring carbon isotope ratios (??¹³C and ??¹⁴C) with accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) in forest soils of different lithology. Six locations were selected in temperate deciduous and coniferous stands in Slovenia (?irovski vrh, Idrija, Ko?evski Rog, Pohorje, Gori?nica, and Rakitna), where carbonate rocks consisting of limestone and dolomite are abundant as underlying bedrock. Carbon isotope fractionation would not have occurred in two carbonaceous soils, since the values of both ??¹³C and ??¹⁴C changed consistently in these soils after thermal (550°C, 2?h) or chemical (1?M HCl, 24?h) treatments. Organic components were found to be predominant carbon sources (70?C100%) in the uppermost portions (0?C2?cm in depth). In deeper portions at a depth of about 30?C35?cm, soil carbon may be derived completely from underlying carbonate minerals in Idria, western part of Slovenia. The Combination of heat and chemical treatments with AMS provides practical information on soil carbon sources in carbonaceous soils.     

Spatially explicit measures of production of young alewives in Lake Michigan: Linkage between essential fish habitat and recruitment

The identification and protection of essential habitats for early life stages of fishes are necessary to sustain fish stocks. Essential fish habitat for early life stages may be defined as areas where fish densities, growth, survival, or production rates are relatively high. To identify critical habitats for young-of-year (YOY) alewives (Alosa pseud oharengus) in Lake Michigan, we integrated bioenergetics models with GIS (Geographic Information Systems) to generate spatially explicit estimates of potential population production (an index of habitat quality). These estimates were based upon YOY alewife bioenergetic growth rate potential and their salmonine predators’ consumptive demand. We compared estimates of potential population production to YOY alewife yield (an index of habitat importance). Our analysis suggested that during 1994–1995, YOY alewife habitat quality and yield varied widely throughout Lake Michigan. Spatial patterns of alewife yield were not significantly correlated to habitat quality. Various mechanisms (e.g., predator migrations, lake circulation patterns, alternative strategies) may preclude YOY alewives from concentrating in areas of high habitat quality in Lake Michigan.     

Magnetic Twist and Writhe of δ Active Regions

We have selected 104 active regions with a δ magnetic configuration from 1996 to 2002 to study how important a role the kink instability plays in such active regions. In this study, we employ the systematic tilt angle of each active region as a proxy for the writhe of a flux tube and the force-free parameter, α_best, as a proxy for the magnetic field twist in the flux tube. It is found that 65–67% of the active regions have the same sign of twist and writhe. About 34% (32%) of the active regions violate (follow) the Hale-Nicholson and Joy's Laws (HNJL) but follow (violate) the hemispheric helicity rule (HHR). Sixty-one (61) of the 104 active regions studied each produced more than five large flares. Active regions violating HNJL, but following HHR, have a much stronger tendency to produce X-class flares and/or strong proton events. Comparing with previous studies for active regions with well-defined (simpler) bipolar magnetic configuration, it is found that the numbers following both HNJL and HHR are significantly lower in the δ-configuration case, while numbers violating one of the laws and the rule significantly increase with the increase of the magnetic complexity of the active regions. These results support the prediction for the presence of a kink instability, that the twist and writhe of the magnetic fields exhibit the same sign for δ active regions (Linton et al., Astrophys. J. 507, 40, 1998, Astrophys. J. 522, 1205, 1999; Fan et al., Astrophys. J. 521, 460, 1999). Finally, we analyze possible origins of the twist and writhe of the magnetic fields for the active regions studied.     

Regional bivariate modeling of droughts using L-comoments and copulas

The regional bivariate modeling of drought characteristics using the copulas provides valuable information for water resources management and drought risk assessment. The regional frequency analysis (RFA) can specify the similar sites within a region using L-comoments approach. One of the important steps in the RFA is estimating regional parameters of the copula function. In the present study, an optimization-based method along with the adjusted charged system search are introduced and applied to estimate the regional parameters of the copula models. The capability of the proposed methodology is illustrated by copula functions on drought events. Three commonly used copulas containing Clayton, Frank and Gumbel are employed to derive the joint distribution of drought severity and duration. The result of the new method are compared to the method of moments and after applying several goodness-of-fit tests, the results indicate that the new method provides higher accuracy than the classic one. Furthermore, the results of the upper tail dependence coefficient indicate that the Gumbel copula is the best-fitted copula among the other ones for modeling drought characteristics.