Ionprobe U-Pb zircon ages from the high-pressure/low-temperature mélange of Syros, Greece: age diversity and the importance of pre-Eocene subduction

The Cycladic blueschist belt in the central Aegean Sea has experienced high‐pressure (HP) metamorphism during collisional processes between the Apulian microplate and Eurasia. The general geological and tectonometamorphic framework is well documented, but one aspect which is yet not sufficiently explored is the importance of HP mélanges which occur within volcano‐sedimentary successions. Unresolved issues concern the range in magmatic and metamorphic ages recorded by mélange blocks and the significance of eventual pre‐Eocene HP metamorphism. These aspects are here addressed in a U‐Pb zircon study focusing on the block–matrix association exposed on the island of Syros. Two gneisses from a tectonic slab of this mélange, consisting of an interlayered felsic gneiss‐glaucophanite sequence, yielded zircon ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U ages of 240.1 ± 4.1 and 245.3 ± 4.9 Ma, respectively, similar to Triassic ages determined on zircon in meta‐volcanic rocks from structurally coherent sequences elsewhere in the Cyclades. This strongly suggests that parts of these successions have been incorporated in the mélanges and provides the first geochronological evidence that the provenance of mélange blocks/slabs is neither restricted to a single source nor confined to fragments of oceanic lithosphere. Zircon from a jadeitite and associated alteration zones (omphacitite, glaucophanite and chlorite‐actinolite rock) all yielded identical ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U ages of c. 80 Ma. Similar Cretaceous U‐Pb zircon ages previously reported for mélange blocks have been interpreted by different authors to reflect magmatic or metamorphic ages. The present study adds a further argument in favour of the view that zircon formed newly in some rock types at c. 80 Ma, due to hydrothermal or metasomatic processes in a subduction zone environment, and supports the interpretation that the Cycladic blueschist belt records both Cretaceous and Eocene HP episodes and not only a single Tertiary HP event.     

Size and shape evolution of pores in a viscoplastic matrix under compression

The frequent use of soils and earth materials for hydraulic capping and for geo‐environmental waste containment motivated our interest in detailed modelling of changes in size and shape of macro‐pores to establish links between soil mechanical behaviour and concurrent changes in hydraulic and transport properties. The objective of this study was to use finite element analysis (FEA) to test and extend previous analytical solutions proposed by the authors describing deformation of a single macro‐pore embedded in linear viscoplastic soil material subjected to anisotropic remote stress. The FEA enables to consider more complex pore geometries and provides a detailed picture of matrix yield behaviour to explain shortcomings of approximate analytical solutions. Finite element and analytical calculations agreed very well for linear viscous as well as for viscoplastic materials, only limited for the case of isotropic remote stress due to the simplifications of the analytical model related to patterns and onset of matrix‐yielding behaviour. FEA calculations were compared with experimental data obtained from a compaction experiment in which pore deformation within a uniform modelling clay sample was monitored using CAT scanning. FEA predictions based on independently measured material properties and initial pore geometry provided an excellent match with experimentally determined evolution of pore size and shape hence lending credence to the potential use of FEA for more complex pore geometries and eventually connect macro‐pore deformation with hydraulic properties. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

High-resolution H i and radio continuum observations of the SNR G290.1−0.8

We have observed the supernova remnant (SNR) G290.1−0.8 in the 21-cm H  i line and the 20-cm radio continuum using the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA). The H  i data were combined with data from the Southern Galactic Plane Survey to recover the shortest spatial frequencies. In contrast, H  i absorption was analysed by filtering extended H  i emission, with spatial frequencies shorter than 1.1 kλ. The low-resolution ATCA radio continuum image of the remnant shows considerable internal structure, resembling a network of filaments across its 13-arcmin diameter. A high-resolution ATCA radio continuum image was also constructed to study the small-scale structure in the SNR. It shows that there are no structures smaller than ∼17 arcsec, except perhaps for a bright knot to the south, which is probably an unrelated object. The H  i absorption study shows that the gas distribution and kinematics in front of SNR G290.1−0.8 are complex. We estimate that the SNR probably lies in the Carina arm, at a distance 7 (±1) kpc. In addition, we have studied nearby sources in the observed field using archival multiwavelength data to determine their characteristics.     

Geological environment conflicts of Kunming Basin and its urban sustainable development

Kunming Basin locates middle of Yunnan altiplano and has a particularity in geography,topographic and geological environment.With the urban dilation quickly,add the reason of the unreasonable city layout,conflicts between environment and urban resources consumption become shrill increasingly.It is human being activities that lead to vulnerability and depravation of geological environment in local.Take a few examples on geological environment to expatiate relationship between urban construction and geological environment carrying capacity,and find a way how to make a better plan for urban sustainable development to achieve new balance between man and nature in local.     

Search for groups of extragalactic radio sources

We explore the possibility of searching for groups of radio sources from the FIRST catalog on angular scales 1′–5′. We developed an efficient method of searching for such groups that takes into account the need for combining the components of extended sources represented in the catalog by separate objects. We found 31 groups of radio sources with angular sizes <5′ that contain no fewer than five sources with flux densities ≥3 mJy. This number is at least triple the expected number of such groups for a random Poisson distribution of radio sources in the sky. The prospects for using groups of radio sources to detect and study distant systems of galaxies are discussed.     

Doublet craters on Venus

Of the impact craters on Earth larger than 20 km in diameter, 10-15% (3 out of 28) are doublets, having been formed by the simultaneous impact of two well-separated projectiles. The most likely scenario for their formation is the impact of well-separated binary asteroids. If a population of binary asteroids is capable of striking the Earth, it should also be able to hit the other terrestrial planets as well. Venus is a promising planet to search for doublet craters because its surface is young, erosion is nearly nonexistent, and its crater population is significantly larger than the Earth's. After a detailed investigation of single craters separated by less than 150 km and “multiple” craters having diameters greater than 10 km, we found that the proportion of doublet craters on Venus is at most 2.2%, significantly smaller than Earth's, although several nearly incontrovertible doublets were recognized. We believe this apparent deficit relative to the Earth's doublet population is a consequence of atmospheric screening of small projectiles on Venus rather than a real difference in the population of impacting bodies. We also examined “splotches,” circular radar reflectance features in the Magellan data. Projectiles that are too small to form craters probably formed these features. After a careful study of these patterns, we believe that the proportion of doublet splotches on Venus (14%) is comparable to the proportion of doublet craters found on Earth (10-15%). Thus, given the uncertainties of interpretation and the statistics of small numbers, it appears that the doublet crater population on Venus is consistent with that of the Earth.     

High-resolution calculations of merging neutron stars – II. Neutrino emission

The remnant resulting from the merger of two neutron stars produces neutrinos in copious amounts. In this paper we present the neutrino emission results obtained via Newtonian, high-resolution simulations of the coalescence event. These simulations use three-dimensional smoothed particle hydrodynamics together with a nuclear, temperature-dependent equation of state and a multiflavour neutrino leakage scheme. We present the details of our scheme, discuss the neutrino emission results from a neutron star coalescence and compare them with the core-collapse supernova case where neutrino emission has been studied for several decades. The average neutrino energies are similar to those in the supernova case, but contrary to the latter, the luminosities are dominated by electron-type antineutrinos that are produced in the hot, neutron-rich, thick disc of the merger remnant. The cooler parts of this disc contain substantial fractions of heavy nuclei, which, however, do not influence the overall neutrino emission results significantly. Our total neutrino luminosities from the merger event are considerably lower than those found in previous investigations. This imposes constraints on the ability of neutron star mergers to produce a gamma-ray burst via neutrino annihilation. The neutrinos are emitted preferentially along the initial binary rotation axis, an event seen 'pole-on' would appear much brighter in neutrinos than a similar event seen 'edge-on'.     

The petrogenesis of type B1 Ca‐Al‐rich inclusions: The spinel perspective

Abstract— Minor element variations in MgAl₂O₄ spinel from the type B1 calcium‐aluminum‐rich inclusion (CAI) Allende TS‐34 confirm earlier studies in showing correlations between the minor element chemistry of spinels with their location within the inclusion and with the chemistry of host silicate phases. These correlations result from a combination of crystallization of a liquid produced by re‐melting event(s) and local re‐equilibration during subsolidus reheating. The correlation of the Ti and V in spinel inclusions with the Ti and V in the adjacent host clinopyroxene can be qualitatively explained by spinel and clinopyroxene crystallization prior to melilite, following a partial melting event. There are, however, difficulties in quantitative modeling of the observed trends, and it is easier to explain the Ti correlation in terms of complete re‐equilibration. The correlation of V in spinel inclusions with that in the adjacent host clinopyroxene also cannot be quantitatively modeled by fractional crystallization of the liquid produced by re‐melting, but it can be explained by partial re‐equilibration. The distinct V and Ti concentrations in spinel inclusions in melilite from the edge regions of the CAI are best explained as being affected by only a minor degree of re‐equilibration. The center melilites and included spinels formed during crystallization of the liquid produced by re‐melting, while the edge melilites and included spinels are primary. The oxygen isotope compositions of TS‐34 spinels are uniformly ¹⁶O‐rich, regardless of the host silicate phase or its location within the inclusion. Similar to other type B1 CAIs, clinopyroxene is ¹⁶O‐rich, but melilite is relatively ¹⁶O‐poor. These data require that the oxygen isotope exchange in TS‐34 melilite occurred subsequent to the last re‐melting event.