High-levels of microplastic pollution in a large,remote, mountain lake

Despite the large and growing literature on microplastics in the ocean, little information exists on microplastics in freshwater systems. This study is the first to evaluate the abundance, distribution, and composition of pelagic microplastic pollution in a large, remote, mountain lake. We quantified pelagic microplastics and shoreline anthropogenic debris in Lake Hovsgol, Mongolia. With an average microplastic density of 20,264 particles km⁻², Lake Hovsgol is more heavily polluted with microplastics than the more developed Lakes Huron and Superior in the Laurentian Great Lakes. Fragments and films were the most abundant microplastic types; no plastic microbeads and few pellets were observed. Household plastics dominated the shoreline debris and were comprised largely of plastic bottles, fishing gear, and bags. Microplastic density decreased with distance from the southwestern shore, the most populated and accessible section of the park, and was distributed by the prevailing winds. These results demonstrate that without proper waste management, low-density populations can heavily pollute freshwater systems with consumer plastics.     

Origin, timing, and temperature of secondary calcite-silica mineral formation at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

The origin of secondary calcite-silica minerals in primary and secondary porosity of the host Miocene tuffs at Yucca Mountain has been hotly debated during the last decade. Proponents of a high-level nuclear waste repository beneath Yucca Mountain have interpreted the secondary minerals to have formed from cool, descending meteoric fluids in the vadose zone; critics, citing the presence of two-phase fluid inclusions, argued that the minerals could only have formed in the phreatic zone from ascending hydrothermal fluids. Understanding the origin, temperature, and timing of these minerals is critical in characterizing geologically recent fluid flux at the site, and has significant implications to whether waste should be stored at Yucca Mountain.Petrographic and paragenetic studies of 155 samples collected from the Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF) and repository block cross drift (ECRB) tunnels indicate that heterogeneously distributed calcite with lesser chalcedony, quartz, opal, and fluorite comprise the oldest secondary minerals. These are typically overgrown by intermediate-aged calcite, often exhibiting distinctive bladed habits. The youngest event recorded across the site is the deposition of Mg-enriched (up to ∼1 wt%) and depleted, growth-zoned calcite intergrown with U-enriched opal. The cyclical variation in Mg enrichment and depletion is probably related to climate changes that have occurred during the last few million years. The distribution of secondary minerals is consistent with precipitation in the vadose zone.Fluid inclusion petrography of sections from the 155 samples determined that 96% of the fluid inclusion assemblages (FIAs) contained liquid-only inclusions that formed at ambient temperatures (<35°C). However, 50% of the samples (n = 78) contained relatively rare FIA that contain both liquid-only and liquid plus vapor inclusions (herein termed two-phase FIAs) that formed at temperatures above 35°C. Virtually all of these two-phase FIAs occur in paragenetically old calcite; rare two-phase inclusion assemblages were also observed in early fluorite and quartz, and early-intermediate calcite. Homogenization temperatures (≡ trapping temperatures) across Yucca Mountain are generally 45 to 60°C, but higher temperatures reaching 83°C were recorded in calcite from the north portal and ramp of the ESF. Cooler temperatures of ∼35 to 45°C were recorded in the intensely fractured zone. Multiple populations of two-phase FIAs from lithophysal cavities in the ESF and ECRB cross drift indicate early fluid cooling with time from temperatures >45°C in early calcite, to <35 to 45°C in paragenetically younger calcite. Freezing point depressions range from −0.2 to −1.6°C, indicating trapping of a low salinity fluid. The majority of intermediate calcite and all outermost Mg-enriched calcite contains rare all-liquid inclusions and formed from ambient temperature (<35°C) fluids.Carbon and oxygen isotope data reveal a consistent trend of decreasing δ¹³C (from 9.5 to −8.5‰) and increasing δ¹⁸O (from 5.2 to 22.1‰) values from paragenetically early calcite to Mg-enriched growth-zoned calcite. Depleted δD values (−131 to −90‰) of inclusion fluids from intermediate and the youngest Mg-enriched calcite indicate derivation from surface meteoric fluids. Recalculation of δ¹⁸O_H2O values of −12 to −10‰ is consistent with derivation from paleometeoric fluids.Results of integrated U-Pb dating (opal and chalcedony) and fluid inclusion microthermometry indicate that two-phase FIAs that trapped fluids of >50°C are older than 6.29 ± 0.30 Ma. Two-phase FIAs in paragenetically later calcite, which formed from fluids of 35 to 45°C, are older than 5.32 ± 0.02 Ma. There is no evidence for trapping of fluids with elevated temperatures during the past 5.32 my. The youngest Mg-enriched calcite intergrown with opal began to precipitate between about 1.9 to 2.9 Ma and has continued to precipitate within the past half million years. The presence of liquid-only inclusions and the consistent occurrence of Mg-enriched calcite and opal as the youngest event indicate a minor, but chemically distinct, ambient temperature (<35°C) fluid flux during the past 2 to 3 my.     

苏拉威西俯冲带结构与俯冲起始机制的三维地震观测

苏拉威西海具有独特的演化过程—位于北婆罗洲及苏禄岛弧下的苏拉威西海板块停止俯冲后,其俯冲板块的另一侧开始向苏拉威西岛俯冲,形成了诸如俯冲转换边缘、对向俯冲系统等独特的地质现象。针对这种同一板块一侧俯冲停止后在板块另一侧发育新俯冲的过程,科学界提出了众多的板块初始俯冲机制模式,如前陆盆地碰撞后发育新俯冲、大陆/岛弧边缘重力失稳后解耦后俯冲、岩石圈浅部小范围的地幔对流活动导致俯冲等14种初始模式。由于难以获得处于俯冲初始阶段俯冲带的深部岩石圈的地震观测资料,造成这些板块活动模式仍止步于推测。苏拉威西海区的天然地震观测资料不仅是研究苏拉威西海俯冲系统岩石圈深部构造及演化的基础,而且也是认识俯冲过程初始机制的关键一环。本文重点介绍了国家自然科学基金委员会重大研究计划“西太平洋地球系统多圈层相互作用”所属重点项目“苏拉威西海与古南海对向俯冲系统的三维地震观测与板块活动机制”在苏拉威西海区针对北苏拉威西海俯冲板片结构所开展的三维地震观测研究。该项研究实验以揭示俯冲系统深部结构与板块活动机制为目标,通过多边国际合作,于2019年8月15—25日在苏拉威西海区成功投放了27台国产宽频带海底地震仪（BBOBS）,拟采集10个月的天然地震数据。同时计划利用印尼合作方的陆区地震台站数据,与OBS数据一同开展研究区岩石圈三维结构的地震学研究与数值模拟,认识俯冲下插板片的变形形态与特征、上覆地壳增厚程度及与俯冲系统持续作用过程之间的关系,讨论该地区独特俯冲系统的初始机制。     

The fluvial and geomorphic context of Indian Knoll,an Archaic shell midden in West‐Central Kentucky

Indian Knoll is the largest Archaic shell midden excavated by WPA archaeologists in Kentucky. Situated in a large alluvial valley, the site is not associated with a known river shoal as might be expected, making its fluvial and geomorphic setting of interest. Based on sediment cores and auger samples, undisturbed portions of the site remain despite extensive excavations. In undisturbed portions, a shell‐bearing layer is overlain by a shell‐free midden layer. Profiles of organic matter and calcium carbonate content for both layers are similar to those of other Green River shell middens. New radiocarbon determinations date the shell deposit at 5590–4530 cal yr B.P. Analysis of mussel species collected from the Indian Knoll indicates that shell fishing took place in a swiftly flowing, shallow to moderately deep setting of the main river channel. Overall, the prehistoric river setting adjacent to Indian Knoll was characterized by deeper water on average with variable but finer‐grained substrate compared to other Green River shell midden sites. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.