Holocene paleoenvironmental change inferred from two sediment cores collected in the Tibetan lake Taro Co

Journal of Paleolimnology - The Tibetan Plateau, also known as the “Water Tower of Asia” because of its function as a water storage and supply region, responds dramatically to modern...     

Dacite formation on Vesta: Partial melting of the eucritic crust

The Dominion Range 2010 howardite pairing group contains an evolved lithic clast of dacite composition. The dacite contains an assemblage of plagioclase, quartz, and augite, with minor pigeonite, troilite, ilmenite, FeNi metal, K‐feldspar, and phosphates. Primary augite occurs as >1 mm oikocrysts enclosing plagioclase. Quartz is abundant, comprising approximately 30% of the clast. Textural and geochemical characteristics support the hypothesis that the dacite is a primary igneous lithology, and represents a partial melt of the eucritic crust. Numerical modeling (MELTS) suggests 10–20% partial melting of a Juvinas source could have produced the dacite lithology; quantitative trace element modeling further supports crustal partial melting as the magma source for the dacite. The dacite likely formed as evolved‐melt pockets, and thus represents a volumetrically minor lithology in the Vestan crust, although its formation provides direct support for a genetic relationship between Stannern and residual trend eucrites, and is the first identification of residual eucrite complementary melts. We propose the dacite clast is the first characterized sample of tertiary crust on Vesta.     

On the Fringe of Neoliberalism: residential development in outer suburban Sydney

Although there is widespread consensus in human geography that neoliberalism is achieved through the intersection of multiple scales and states, there has been growing emphasis in recent years on the hybrid qualities of neoliberalist-styles of governance. Because hybrid approaches draw attention to the wide range of actors and contradictory agendas underpinning the always uneven expression of neoliberalist projects, they are particularly suited to the identification of residual state capacities in contexts where neoliberalist forms dominate economic and political life. Drawing on two cases of large-scale residential development in New South Wales, namely Warnervale Town Centre on the New South Wales Central Coast and the Australian Defence Industry site at St Marys in Sydney's west, the present paper adopts an hybrid approach in order to identify current state capacities. Through a comparison of both sites, it identifies the potential for socially and ecologically balanced development in the outer suburban context.     

Mud volcanoes and gas vents in the Okhotsk Sea area

Gas emissions from mud volcanoes on Sakhalin Island and water-column gas flares arising from cold seeps in the Okhotsk Sea appear to be related. They are likely activated by tectonic movements along the transform plate boundary separating the Okhotsk Sea Plate from the Eurasian and Amur plates. Gas vents (flares) and methane anomalies occur in the waters offshore Sakhalin Island, along with NE-SW-trending mounds and fluid escape structures on the seafloor. The intersection of the NE-striking transverse faults on land with the Central Sakhalin and Hokkaido-Sakhalin shear zones apparently determines the sites of mud volcanoes, a pattern that continues offshore where the intersection with the East Sakhalin and West Derugin shear zones determines the sites of the submarine gas vents.     

Characterisation of the seismological pattern in a slowly deforming intraplate region: Central and western France

We analyzed the seismicity of central and western France, using historical data, a compilation of all recorded earthquakes from 1962 to 2002 (4574 events, relocated), and all published focal mechanisms (119 focal solutions). The aim is to understand what are the causes of earthquakes and stress accumulation in a slowly deforming intraplate region. The distribution of earthquakes and focal mechanisms is first correlated with recognized faults, geological structures and tomographic images. Then, in order to better understand the distribution of hypocenters and seek deeper crustal sources for stress accumulation, Euler solutions are computed from the available Bouguer anomaly data. The analysis of the obtained pattern for heat flow values, provides a better understanding of the concentration of seismicity in some particular zones.Two different behaviors of this slowly deforming intraplate region are evidenced. One is linked to the presence of a hot spot under the Massif Central, the other to reactivation of the Hercynian structural heritage. Our results highlight that several possible sources for earthquake clustering can be invoked in central–western France.     

Geogas transport in fractured hard rock – Correlations with mining seismicity at 3.54 km depth, TauTona gold mine, South Africa

An on-site gas monitoring study has been conducted in the framework of an earthquake laboratory (The International NELSAM–DAFGAS projects) at the TauTona gold mine, South Africa. Five boreholes up to 60 m long were drilled at 3.54 km depth into the highly fractured Pretorius Fault Zone and instruments for chemical and seismic monitoring installed therein. Over the span of 4 years sensitive gas monitoring devices were continuously improved to enable the direct observation of geogas concentration variations in the DAFGAS borehole. The major gas concentrations are constant and air-like with about 78% N₂, 21% O₂, 1% Ar. The geogas components CO₂, CH₄, He and H₂ show the most interesting trends and variations on the minute-by-minute basis and significantly correlate with seismic data, while the ²²²Rn activity remains constant. Time series and cross correlation analysis allow the identification of different gas components (geogas and tunnel air) and the identification of two processes influencing the borehole gas composition: (1) pumping-induced tunnel air breakthrough through networks of initially water-saturated fault fractures; and (2) seismicity induced permeability enhancement of fault fractures to above ∼5 × 10^-10 m². The current set-up of the gas monitoring system is sensitive enough to quantify the resulting geogas transport during periods of intense blasting activities (including recorded blasts with seismic moment ?1 × 10⁹ Nm, located within 1000 m of the cubby) and, it is suggested, also during induced earthquakes, a final goal of the project.     

Microbiological processes in banded iron formation deposition

Banded iron formations have been studied for decades, particularly regarding their potential as archives of the Precambrian environment. In spite of this effort, the mechanism of their deposition and, specifically, the role that microbes played in the precipitation of banded iron formation minerals, remains unresolved. Evidence of an anoxic Earth with only localized oxic areas until the Great Oxidation Event ca 2·45 to 2·32 Ga makes the investigation of O₂‐independent mechanisms for banded iron formation deposition relevant. Recent studies have explored the long‐standing proposition that Archean banded iron formations may have been formed, and diagenetically modified, by anaerobic microbial metabolisms. These efforts encompass a wide array of approaches including isotope, ecophysiological and phylogeny studies, molecular and mineral marker analysis, and sedimentological reconstructions. Herein, the current theories of microbial processes in banded iron formation mineral deposition with particular regard to the mechanisms of chemical sedimentation and post‐depositional alteration are described. The main findings of recent years are summarized and compared here, and suggestions are made regarding cross‐disciplinary information still required to constrain the role of the biosphere in banded iron formation deposition.     

Multi-tracer tests to evaluate the hydraulic setting of a complex aquifer system (Brévilles spring catchment, France)

For good management of groundwater resources, and to comply with European and national regulations, a detailed understanding of an aquifer’s hydraulic setting is required. In order to better characterize a sandy aquifer that is affected by diffuse pollution (Brévilles spring catchment, Val d’Oise, France), and to quantify the transfer time in the saturated zone, a multi-tracer test involving a new technique, the ‘finite volume point dilution method’, has been performed in natural flow conditions. In November 2005, injections of four different tracers took place in four piezometers involving different locations and depths in the aquifer. Recovery of the tracers was observed at two different places near the aquifer outlet. A particularly long and unusual monitoring exercise (27 months) demonstrated the existence of several different velocities within the sandy layer, which seems to be linked to the decrease of hydraulic conductivity with depth. The new insight and parameter quantification brought by interpretation of these tests contribute to a better characterization of the saturated zone. The particularly long-term monitoring exercise also gives new information to understand and forecast the trend and persistence of groundwater contamination by pesticides in the catchment.     

Insights into the origin of primitive silica-undersaturated arc magmas of Aoba volcano (Vanuatu arc)

Aoba picrites in Vanuatu arc (Southwestern Pacific) offer the opportunity to address the question of the origin of Si-undersaturated arc magmas, through the geochemical study of their olivine-hosted melt inclusions. These latter delineate a differentiation trend of calc-alkaline silica-undersaturated basalts, with typical trace-element patterns of arc magmas. The most primitive melt inclusions, preserved in olivines with Fo ≥ 89, have normative nepheline compositions with CaO/Al₂O₃ > 0.8, but belong to three distinct populations differing in their enrichment or depletion in LILE, Cl, and alkalis (Rb, K). The dominant population is characterized by medium-LILE concentrations (La/Yb ~ 7–8) and represents the parental magma of the Aoba lavas. The two others (La/Yb ~ 20 and 2) are either significantly enriched or extremely depleted in LILE, Cl, and alkalis. This compositional variability of primitive magma batches requires the multi-stage mixing between melts generated by partial melting of both peridotite and clinopyroxene-rich lithologies. Medium-LILE magma derives from the mixing between peridotite- and clinopyroxenite-derived melts, whereas the high- and low-LILE melts involve amphibole-bearing and amphibole-free clinopyroxenite sources, respectively.     

The resilience paradox: flooding experience,coping and climate change mitigation intentions

Climate change is projected to increase the frequency, intensity and unpredictability of extreme weather events across the globe and these events are likely to have significant mental health implications. The mental health literature broadly characterises negative emotional reactions to extreme weather experiences as undesirable impacts on wellbeing. Yet, other research in psychology suggests that negative emotional responses to extreme weather are an important motivation for personal action on climate change. This article addresses the intersection of mental health and functional perspectives on negative emotions, with a specific focus on the potential that reduced negative emotional responses to extreme weather may also translate to diminished motivation to undertake climate change mitigation actions – which we term the ‘resilience paradox’. Using survey data gathered in the aftermath of severe flooding across the UK in winter 2013/2014, we present new evidence indicating that self-appraised coping ability moderates the link between flooding experience and negative emotions and thereby attenuates the indirect link between flooding experience and climate change mitigation intentions. We conclude that support for flood victims should extend beyond addressing emotional, physical and financial stresses to include acknowledgement of the involvement of climate change and communication of the need for action to combat future climate risks.

Key policy insights

• Psychological resilience to flooding and other extreme weather events can translate to diminished motivation to mitigate climate change

• Negative emotional reactions need to occur at an optimal level to enable people to respond appropriately to climate risks.

• Flood victims’ subjective appraisal of their ability to cope does not necessarily encompass consideration of the role played by climate change. Therefore, support for victims of extreme weather should include explicit acknowledgement of the involvement of climate change and the need for action to mitigate future climate risks.