Population connectivity of an overexploited coastal fish,Argyrosomus coronus (Sciaenidae), in an ocean-warming hotspot

The West Coast dusky kob Argyrosomus coronus is a commercially exploited fish with a distribution confined to the Angola–Benguela Frontal Zone (ABFZ) of the southeastern Atlantic Ocean. A previous study revealed that during a recent period of local warming the species extended its distribution into Namibian waters, where it hybridised with the resident and congeneric Argyrosomus inodorus. Environmental changes are a major threat to marine biodiversity and when combined with overfishing have the potential to accelerate the decline of species. However, little is known regarding the evolutionary history and population structure of A. coronus across the ABFZ. We investigated genetic diversity, population structure and historical demographic changes using mtDNA control region sequences and genotypes at six nuclear microsatellite loci, from 180 individuals. A single, genetically homogeneous population was indicated across the distributional range of A. coronus (φ_ST = 0.041, F_ST = 0.000, D = 0.000; p > 0.05). These findings imply that the oceanographic features within the ABFZ do not appear to significantly influence population connectivity in A. coronus, which simplifies management of the species. However, reconstruction of the demographic history points to a close link between the evolutionary history of A. coronus and the environmental characteristics of the ABFZ. This outcome suggests the species’ vulnerability to the rapid environmental changes being observed across this region, and highlights a pressing need for transboundary management to mitigate the impacts of climate change in this global hotspot of seawater temperature changes.     

Orbital Elements of 2004 Perseid Meteoroids Perturbed by Jupiter

Jupiter and Saturn produce important gravitational impulses on meteoroids released by comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. The meteoroids from this comet once released follow retrograde orbits that during their periodic approaches to these planets (within 1.6 and 0.9 A.U., respectively) are impulsed gaining orbital energy. This perturbation effect is translated into a net inward shift in the node of the perturbed meteoroids. Such geometry with Jupiter occurred in 2004 over a meteoroid trail ejected by this comet during the 1862 A.D. return of the comet to perihelion. In order to study the predicted outburst produced by one-revolution meteoroids, the Spanish Photographic Meteor Network (SPMN) performed an extensive campaign. As a part of this observational effort here are presented 10 accurate meteoroid orbits. We discuss their origin by comparing them with the theoretical orbital elements of the dust trails intercepting the Earth during the 2004 Perseid return.     

Retrowedge-related Carboniferous units and coeval magmatism in the northwestern Neuquén province, Argentina

The studied Carboniferous units comprise metasedimentary (Guaraco Norte Formation), pyroclastic (Arroyo del Torreón Formation), and sedimentary (Huaraco Formation) rocks that crop out in the northwestern Neuquén province, Argentina. They form part of the basement of the Neuquén Basin and are mostly coeval with the Late Paleozoic accretionary prism complex of the Coastal Cordillera, south-central Chile. U–Pb SHRIMP dating of detrital zircon yielded a maximum depositional age of 374?Ma (Upper Devonian) for the Guaraco Norte Formation and 389?Ma for the Arroyo del Torreón Formation. Detrital magmatic zircon from the Guaraco Norte Formation are grouped into two main populations of Devonian and Ordovician (Famatinian) ages. In the Arroyo del Torreón Formation, zircon populations are also of Devonian and Ordovician (Famatinian), as well as of Late Neoproterozoic and Mesoproterozoic ages. In both units, there is a conspicuous population of Devonian magmatic zircon grains (from 406?±?4?Ma to 369?±?5?Ma), indicative of active magmatism at that time range. The ε_Hf values of this population range between ?2.84 and ?0.7, and the TDM-(Hf) are mostly Mesoproterozoic, suggesting that the primary sources of the Devonian magmatism contained small amounts of Mesoproterozoic recycled crustal components. The chemical composition of the Guaraco Norte Formation corresponds to recycled, mature polycyclic sediment of mature continental provenance, pointing to a passive margin with minor inputs from continental margin magmatic rocks. The chemical signature of the Huaraco Formation indicates that a magmatic arc was the main provenance for sediments of this unit, which is consistent with the occurrence of tuff—mostly in the Arroyo del Torreón Formation and very scarcely in the Huaraco Formation—with a volcanic-arc signature, jointly indicating the occurrence of a Carboniferous active arc magmatism during the deposition of the two units. The Guaraco Norte Formation is interpreted to represent passive margin deposits of mostly Lower Carboniferous age (younger than 374?Ma and older than 326?Ma) that precede the onset of the accretionary prism in Chile and extend into the earliest stage of the accretion, in a retrowedge position. The Arroyo del Torreón and Huaraco formations are considered to be retrowedge basin deposits to the early frontal accretionary prism (Eastern Series) of Chile. The presence of volcanism with arc signature in the units provides evidence of a Mississippian magmatic arc that can be correlated with limited exposures of the same age in the Frontal Cordillera (Argentina). The arc would have migrated to the West (Coastal Batholith) during Pennsylvanian–Permian times (coevally with the later basal accretionary prism/Western Series). The source of a conspicuous population of Devonian detrital zircon interpreted to be of magmatic origin in the studied units is discussed in various possible geotectonic scenarios, the preferred model being a magmatic arc developed in the Chilenia block, related to a west-dipping subduction beneath Chilenia before and shortly after its collision against Cuyania/Gondwana, at around 390?Ma and not linked to the independent, Devonian–Mississippian arc, developed to the south, in Patagonia.     

Hydrostratigraphic analysis of the Darling River valley (Australia) using electromagnetic induction data and a spatially constrained algorithm for quasi-three-dimensional electrical conductivity imaging

Efforts are being made to improve the irrigation efficiency in the Murray-Darling River Basin, Australia, to deal with predicted rainfall decline and to reduce the incidence of secondary soil and water salinization. The latter commonly occurs as a result of locating water reservoirs upon relic drainage channels. To better manage irrigation, information is required about the spatial distribution of soil type and the stratigraphic features capable of redistributing deep-draining water. In previous research, electromagnetic (EM) induction instruments (e.g. EM38 and EM34) have been used to map the distribution of soil type, hydrological processes (e.g. deep drainage) and vadose-zone features. The aim of this research is to demonstrate how a joint inversion of EM38 and EM34 data, using a one-dimensional spatially constrained algorithm for quasi three-dimensional (quasi-3D) electrical conductivity imaging, can be used to infer the areal distribution of soil types and physiographic and hydrogeological units. The quasi-3D modeling of true electrical conductivity provides a framework for future environmental monitoring and management to mitigate the hydrological processes that drive localized secondary salinization in the study area.     

3D Gravity Inversion of Northern Sinai Peninsula: A Case Study

The Sinai Peninsula has attracted the attention of many geological and geophysical studies as it is influenced and bounded by major tectonic events. Those are (1) the Mesozoic to Early Cenozoic tectonically active opening of the Tethys, (2) the Late Cretaceous to Early Tertiary (Laramide) Syrian arc system, due to closing of the Tethys (3) the Oligo-Miocene Gulf of Suez rifted basin, and (4) the Late Miocene to Recent transform Dead Sea–Gulf of Aqaba rift. Additionally, the shear zones inside Sinai such as the Ragabet El-Naam and Minsherah-Abu Kandu Shear Zones. Each of these major tectonic events has affected dramatically the structure evolution of the northern Sinai area. The present paper estimates the 3D density contrast model using the gravity data of northern Sinai. The estimated 3D density contrast model elucidated the peculiarities of the main structural elements in the region. The estimated 3D density contrast model showed the high and low gravity anomalies that form the main mountains and main valleys in northern Sinai. The estimated low density zones are in agreement with the inferred faults resulting from the first horizontal derivative. Comparing the 3D model with the tectonic history of the region and the results of the first horizontal derivative and least square separation increased the reliability of the model.     

A global model study of natural bromine sources and the effects on tropospheric chemistry using MOZART4

Halogens in the atmosphere chemically destroy ozone. In the troposphere, bromine has higher ozone destruction efficiency than chlorine and is the halogen species with the widest geographical spread of natural sources. We investigate the relative strength of various sources of reactive tropospheric bromine and the influence of bromine on tropospheric chemistry using a 6-year simulation with the global chemistry transport model MOZART4. We consider the following sources: short-lived bromocarbons (CHBr₃, CH₂BrCl, CHBr₂Cl, CHBrCl₂, and CH₂Br₂) and CH₃Br, bromine from airborne sea salt particles, and frost flowers and sea salt on or in the snowpack in polar regions. The total bromine emissions in our simulations add up to 31.7 Gmol(Br)/yr: 63 % from polar sources, 24.6 % from short-lived bromocarbons and 12.4 % from airborne sea salt particles. We conclude from our analysis that our global bromine emission is likely to be on the lower end of the range, because of too low emissions from airborne sea salt. Bromine chemistry has an effect on the oxidation capacity of the troposphere, not only due to its direct influence on ozone concentrations, but also by reactions with other key chemical species like HO _x and NO _x . Globally, the impact of bromine chemistry on tropospheric O₃ is comparable to the impact of gas-phase sulfur chemistry, since the inclusion of bromine chemistry in MOZART4 leads to a decrease of the O₃ burden in the troposphere by 6 Tg, while we get an increase by 5 Tg if gas-phase sulfur chemistry is switched off in the standard model. With decreased ozone burden, the simulated oxidizing capacity of the atmosphere decreases thus affecting species associated with the oxidation capacity of the atmosphere (CH₃OOH, H₂O₂).     

Dark matter as an effect of the quantum vacuum

The interaction between the quantum vacuum and a weak gravitational field is calculated for the vacuum fields of quantum electrodynamics. The result shows that the vacuum state is modified by the gravitational field, giving rise to a nonzero interaction energy. This suggests a model that fits in the main properties of the hypothetical dark matter in galactic haloes.     

Petrogenesis of early paleozoic peralkaline rhyolites from the Macedo de Cavaleiros region (NE Portugal)

The petrology and geochemistry of Variscan peralkaline gneisses from NE Portugal, discovered in 1962, is presented. Major and trace element data for the oversaturated sequence of the Macedo de Cavaleiros area depict some specific geochemical patterns: high Fe₂O₃ ^(t) (even higher than in the Ethiopian Main Rift), high REE concentrations and small Eu anomalies. Field and petrographical observations also suggest that liquid immiscibility has played an important petrogenetic role in the crystallization trends. The alternating pyroxenefeldsparhematite-rich bands observed in outcrop are interpreted as resulting from fluctuating fO₂ conditions. Petrological and geochemical data show that these pantelleritic and comenditic rocks are the end members of an alkaline-transitional basaltic sequence, by which they are overlain. An uppermost sequence of oceanic tholeiitic basalts completes the picture of an evolving rift environment, where mantle processes generate crustal thinning and eventually oceanic crust.

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Zusammenfassung Petrologie und Geochemie variszischer peralkaliner Gneisse aus Nordostportugal, 1962 entdeckt, werden dargestellt. Die Haupt- und Spurenelementanalysen dieser übersättigen Gesteine weisen Besonderheiten auf, wie z. B. die hohen Fe203-Gehalte, die selbst noch die des »Ethiopian Main Rift« übersteigen, die hohen Konzentrationen an Seltenen Erdelementen und die kleine negative Eu-Anomalie. Geländegeologie und Petrographie suggerieren, da\ die liquid-magmatische Entmischung eine wichtige petrogenetische Rolle im Kristallisationsablauf spielte. Im Aufschlu\ wird eine Wechsellagerung von Pyroxen-Feldspat- und Hämatit-reichen Schichten beobachtet, die hier als Folge von fO2-Schwankungen erklärt wird. Die petrologischen und geochemischen Daten zeigen, da\ die pantelleritischen und comenditischen Gesteine die letzten Glieder in einer Abfolge vom alkalinen übergangstyp darstellen... Die vulkanische Abfolge im Gebiet von Macedo de Cavaleiros endet mit tholeiitischen Basalten, die damit das Bild der magmatischen Entwicklung in einem Rift-Bereich, in dem Mantelprozesse eine Krustenverdünnung in einem Rift-Bereich, in dem Mantelprozesse eine Krustenverdünnung und die Bildung ozeanischer Kruste bewirkten, vervollständigen.

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Résumé L'auteur présente la pétrologie et la géochimie des gneiss varisques peralcalins du nord-est du Portugal, découverts en 1962. Les analyses des éléments majeurs et en traces dans ces roches sursaturées montrent quelques caractéristiques spéciales comme la haute teneur en Fe₂O₃ (t) (supérieure mÊme à celles de l'»Ethiopian Main Rift«), la haute concentration en terres rares et la faible anomalie négative de Eu. La géologie de terrain et les observations pétrographiques suggèrent aussi que l'imiscibilité entre liquides a joué un rÔle pétrogénétique important au cours de la cristallisation. Les alternances de bandes alternativement riches en pyroxène-feldspath et en hématite, observées sur les affleurements, sont interprétées comme le résultat de la fluctuation de fO₂. Les données pétrologiques et géochimiques montrent que les roches pantéléritiques et comenditiques représentent les derniers termes d'une séquence du type alcalintransitionel qui les surmonte. La séquence volcanique dans le secteur de Macedo de Calvaleiros se termine par des basaltes tholéiitiques qui complètent le cadre d'une environnement d'un zone de »rift« dans laquelle les processus mantéliques ont déterminé l'amincissement crustal et la formation d'une croûte océanique.

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Mineralogical and geochemical spatial analyses of a waste-rock dump at the Libiola Fe–Cu sulphide mine (Eastern Liguria,Italy)

In this work, we investigated a 3 ha sulphide-bearing waste-rock dump (Libiola Mine, Italy) using mineralogical, geochemical, and geostatistical analyses. The dumped materials were highly heterogeneous in grain size and lithology and varied both laterally and vertically. Other than the host rock of the ore, basalts and serpentinites, the dumped materials contained high amounts of low-grade chalcopyrite- and pyrite-rich mineralisations. Due to these characteristics and to the absence of minerals able to neutralise acidity, this waste-rock dump can be classified as an acid mine drainage (AMD) producer. The study confirms that AMD is still active and, in the best scenario, can persist for up to 6.17 × 10³ years. The consequences of this process are of serious environmental concern as it involves strong acidification of the circulating waters, the release of potentially toxic metals into the soil, streams and rivers and the precipitation of huge quantities of secondary Fe-oxides and Fe-oxyhydroxides.