Paleoenvironmental reconstruction from chemical and isotopic compositions of Permo-Pennsylvanian pedogenic minerals

Mineralogical and chemical analysis of Late Pennsylvanian and Early Permian paleosols from the eastern shelf of the Midland basin, north-central Texas, USA, are used to test hypothesized climate change in Late Paleozoic western equatorial Pangea, previously defined independently on the bases of sedimentologic and paleontologic proxies and climate models. The <0.2-μm size phyllosilicate fraction in the studied paleosols exhibits down-profile trends in mineralogy and chemical composition that are consistent with modern weathering profiles suggesting a dominantly pedogenic origin. A stratigraphic trend from kaolinite-dominated profiles in Upper Pennsylvanian paleosols to profiles dominated by smectite and hydroxy-interlayered 2:1 phyllosilicates in Lower Permian paleosols indicates a relatively rapid decrease in soil weathering and leaching in the latest Pennsylvanian followed by a more gradual decrease in leaching throughout the Early Permian. The chemical composition (cation ratios and exchange capacity) of these phyllosilicates further corroborates this shift toward less intensive leaching, presumably in response to climate change from humid to progressively more arid conditions.The phyllosilicates in the <0.2-μm size fraction and contemporaneous pedogenic calcites from the Permo-Pennsylvanian paleosols exhibit a long-term stratigraphic increase in their δ¹⁸O values of as much as ∼3.2‰ and ∼5.2‰, respectively. This long-term trend is consistent with a transition throughout the latest Pennsylvanian through Early Permian toward progressively more evaporatively enriched soil waters. Superimposed on the long-term trend is an apparent rapid enrichment (1.5 to 2‰) in phyllosilicate δ¹⁸O values immediately above the Pennsylvanian-Permian boundary. Observed oxygen isotope fractionation between the phyllosilicates and calcites within individual paleosols indicate isotopic disequilibrium between mineral pairs. This is attributed to a minor detrital component in the pedogenic clay-dominated phyllosilicate fraction coupled with the effects of seasonality of mineral formation. Inferred δ¹⁸O compositions of Late Paleozoic meteoric water (−2‰ to +4‰) are compatible with less intensive soil leaching under conditions of increasing aridity, possibly coupled with a shift in local precipitation from a continental source to a marine source.     

The development of slaty cleavage, fleurieu peninsula, south australia

In low grade, biotite-rich metasiltstones and slates from the western side of Fleurieu Peninsula, the slaty cleavage is defined by elongate deformed old biotites and by the coincident elongate dimensions and (001) planes of thin, well aligned new biotites. Histograms of frequency versus (001)-S₁ angle (S₁ defined by aligned thin muscovite used as the reference plane) were determined in thin section for both populations. The old biotites show a symmetrical bimodal distribution of (001) about S₁, with maxima at around 20° either side ofS₁. This distribution, together with the preserved intracrystalline strain, indicates that these old grains deformed largely by slip on (001) with some modification of grain boundaries by diffusive transfer. The new biotite grains are very well aligned (standard deviation 3.8°) and show no sign of mechanical deformation. They have not been mechanically rotated into alignment but must have nucleated and grown in a specific orientation. The proportion of new to old grains increases with metamorphic grade, causing a rapid strengthening of the crystallographic alignment. In slates and phyllites with similar microstructure, the mica fabric determined by X-ray texture goniometry cannot be used as a quantitative measure of the geometry and magnitude of the bulk strain, as the intensity of the crystallographic fabric will be strongly influenced by the proportion of new mica, which is itself greatly affected by the metamorphic grade during slaty cleavage formation.     

Lithological controls on hillslope sediment supply: insights from landslide activity and grain size distributions

The volumes, rates and grain size distributions of sediment supplied from hillslopes represent the initial input of sediment delivered from upland areas and propagated through sediment routing systems. Moreover, hillslope sediment supply has a significant impact on landscape response time to tectonic and climatic perturbations. However, there are very few detailed field studies characterizing hillslope sediment supply as a function of lithology and delivery process. Here, we present new empirical data from tectonically‐active areas in southern Italy that quantifies how lithology and rock strength control the landslide fluxes and grain size distributions supplied from hillslopes. Landslides are the major source of hillslope sediment supply in this area, and our inventory of ~2800 landslides reveals that landslide sediment flux is dominated by small, shallow landslides. We find that lithology and rock strength modulate the abundance of steep slopes and landslides, and the distribution of landslide sizes. Outcrop‐scale rock strength also controls the grain sizes supplied by bedrock weathering, and influences the degree of coarsening of landslide supply with respect to weathering supply. Finally, we show that hillslope sediment supply largely determines the grain sizes of fluvial export, from catchments and that catchments with greater long‐term landslide rates deliver coarser material. Therefore, our results demonstrate a dual control of lithology on hillslope sediment supply, by modulating both the sediment fluxes from landslides and the grain sizes supplied by hillslopes to the fluvial system. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The restricted 3-body problem with radiation pressure

The restricted 3-body problem is generalised to include the effects of an inverse square distance radiation pressure force on the infinitesimal mass due to the large masses, which are both arbitrarily luminous. A complete solution of the problems of existence and linear stability of the equilibrium points is given for all values of radiation pressures of both liminous bodies, and all values of mass ratios. It is shown that the inner Lagrange point, L₁, can be stable, but only when both large masses are luminous. Four equilibrium points, L₆, L₇, L₈, and L₉ can exist out of the orbital plane when the radiation pressure of the smaller mass is very high. Although L₈ and L₉ are always linearly unstable, L₆ and L₇ are stable for a small range of radiation pressures provided that both large masses are luminous.     

A Study of Governance Arrangements for Land Use and Natural Resource Management Planning in Cape York Peninsula

Complex intersecting social, economic and environmental dilemmas in Australia's Cape York Peninsula present a number of challenges for planners seeking to develop and implement land use and natural resource management (NRM) plans. There have been five different attempts at land use and NRM planning in Cape York Peninsula over the last 20 years. These processes have (to greater or lesser extents) failed to deliver community-owned and government-supported plans to guide development and/or the management of the region's natural resources. The region is remote, sparsely populated, and home to a significant Indigenous population. Much of the contestation within the region surrounds the access, use and ownership of the region's internationally valuable natural resources. This paper reviews, from the literature, the relevancy and applicability of criteria for best practice planning and governance. A range of identified best practice governance and planning principles are applied to assess the governance arrangements for planning in the Peninsula. The paper finds that decision-making arrangements for land use and NRM planning in the Peninsula are still in their infancy and are inadequate to support effective outcomes. The paper concludes that broader attention to best practice principles in governance for planning is needed to improve planning outcomes.