Platinum-group minerals in quaternary gold placers in the upper Chindwin area of northern Burma

In the Chindwin Basin in northern Burma, there is a system of five Pleistocene terraces in which gold placers with low concentrations of platinum-group minerals (PGM) occur. Samples were taken from four sites in the Chindwin Basin and one from near an ophiolite occurrence on the northeast side of the Chindwin Basin; they were studied under the microscope, with a scanning electron microscope, and an electron microprobe. The main minerals were Pt-Fe and Os-Ir-Ru alloys, usually in a ratio between 2 and 5. In most cases, the shape of the grains allowed a quick distinction between the two types. Sperrylite, laurite, irarsite, cooperite, tulameenite, and isomertieite occur infrequently as individual mineral grains and sometimes as inclusions in the alloy grains. Braggite, platarsite, hollingworthite, bowieite, keithconnite, cuproiridsite, malanite, stibiopalladinite, geversite, kashinite, several unnamed PGM, and Fe, Ni, and Cu sulfides were observed as inclusions, mainly in the Pt-Fe alloys and also to a lesser extent in the Os-Ir-Ru alloys. Lamellar and myrmekite-like intergrowths, oriented exsolution lamellae, and idiomorphic inclusions of sulfides in the alloys indicate a magmatic origin of the PGM. The origin of the PGM is assumed to be ophiolites in northern Burma. A continual decrease in mean grain size occurred during transport.

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Platingruppenminerale in quartären Goldseifen im oberen Chindwingebiet in Nord-Burma

Zusammenfassung Im Gebiet des Chindwin Basin in Nordburma ist ein System von fünf pleistozänen Terrassen ausgebildet, in denen Goldseifen mit geringen Anteilen an PGM auftreten.PGM-Konzentrate von vier Vorkommen des Chindwin Basin und eine weitere Probe aus der Nähe eines Ophiolithvorkommens im Nordosten des Chindwin Basin wurden mit optischer Mikroskopie, Rasterelektronenmikroskopie und Mikrosonde untersucht.Hauptmineralien sind Pt-Fe-Legierungen und Os-Ir-Ru-Legierungen in einem Verhältnis von 2: 1 bis 5: 1. Ihre Morphologie kugeliger oder plattiger, teilweise idiomorpher Körner erlaubt in den meisten Fällen eine rasche Identifizierung der beiden Typen. Sehr selten treten als Einzelminerale, aber auch als Einschlüsse in Legierungen, Sperrylith, Laurit, Irarsit, Cooperit, Tulameenit und Isomertieit auf. Braggit, Platarsit, Hollingworthit, Bowieit, Keithconnit, Cuproiridsit, Malanit, Stibiopalladinit, Geversit, Kaschinit, einige unbekannte PGM und Fe-, Ni- und Cu-Sulfide wurden nr als Einschlüsse, hauptsächlich in Pt-Fe-Legierungen, weniger in Os-Ir-Ru-Legierungen, beobachtet.Lamellare und myrmekitische Verwachsungen, orientierte Entmischungen und idiomorphe Einschlüsse von Sulfiden in Legierungen weisen auf eine magmatische Entstehung der PGM hin. Die Herkunft der PGM wird in Ophiolithen Nordburmas vermutet. Beim Transport hat eine kontinuierliche Abnahme der mittleren Korngrösse stattgefunden.

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With 8 Figures     

The atmospheric tide as a continuous spectrum: Lunar semidiurnal tide in surface pressure

Summary The standard equations for the theory of atmospheric tides are solved here by an integral representation on the continuous spectrum of free oscillations. The model profile of back-ground temperature is that of the U.S. Standard Atmosphere in the lower and middle atmosphere, and in the lower thermosphere, above which an isothermal top extends to arbitrarily great heights. The top is warm enough to bring both the Lamb and the Pekeris modes into the continuous spectrum.Computations are made for semidiurnal lunar tidal pressure at sea level at the equator, and the contributions are partitioned according to vertical as well as horizontal structure. Almost all the response is taken up by the Lamb and Pekeris modes of the slowest westward-propagating gravity wave. At sea level, the Lamb-mode response is direct and is relatively insensitive to details of the temperature profile. The Pekeris mode at sea level has an indirect response-in competition with the Lamb mode-and, as has been known since the time of its discovery, it is quite sensitive to the temperature profile, in particular to stratopause temperature. In the standard atmosphere the Lamb mode contributes about +0.078 mb to tidal surface pressure at the equator and the Pekeris mode about –0.048 mb.The aim of this investigation is to illustrate some consequences of representing the tide in terms of the structures of free oscillations. To simplify that task as much as possible, all modifying influences were omitted, such as background wind and ocean or earth tide. Perhaps the main defect of this paper's implementation of the free-oscillation spectrum is that, in contrast to the conventional expansion in the structures of forced oscillations, it does not include dissipation, either implicity or explicity, and thus does not satisfy causality. Dissipation could be added implicity by means of an impedance condition, for example, which would cause up-going energy flux to exceed downgoing flux at the base of the isothermal top layer. To achieve complete causality, however, the dissipation must be modeled explicity. Nevertheless, since the Lamb and Pekeris modes are strongly trapped in the lower and middle atmosphere, where dissipation is rather weak (except possibly in the surface boundary layer), more realistic modeling is not likely to change the broad features of the present results.Symbols a earth's mean radius; expansion coefficient in (5.3) - b recursion variable in (7.4); proximity to resonance in (9.2) - c sound speed in (2.2); specific heatc _p in (2.2) - f Coriolis parameter 2sin in (2.2) - g standard surface gravity - h equivalent depth - i ; discretization index in (7.3) - j index for horizontal structure - k index for horizontal structure; upward unit vectork in (2.2) - m wave number in longitude - n spherical-harmonic degree; number of grid layers in a model layer - p tidal pressure perturbation; background pressurep ₀ - q heating function (energy per mass per time) - r tidal state vector in (2.1) - s tidal entropy perturbation; background entropys ₀ - t time - u tidal horizontal velocityu - w tidal vertical component of velocity - x excitation vector defined in (2.3); vertical coordinate lnp _*/p ₀ [except in (3.8), where it is lnp /p ₀] - y vertical-structure function in (7.1) - z geopotential height - A constant defined in (6.2) - C spherical-harmonic expansion coefficient in (3.6) - D vertical cross section defined in (5.6) and (5.9) - E eigenstate vector - F vertical-structure function for eigenstate pressure in (3.2) [re-defined with WKB scaling in (7.2)] - G vertical-structure function for eigenstate vertical velocity in (3.2) [re-defined with WKB scaling in (7.2)] - H pressure-scale height - I mode intensity defined in (8.1) - K quadratic form defined in (4.4) - L quadratic form defined in (4.4); horizontal-structure magnification factor defined in (5.11) - M vertical-structure magnification factor defined in (4.6) - P eigenstate pressure in (3.2); tidal pressure in (6.2) - R tidal state vector in (5.1) - S eigenstate entropy in (3.2); spherical surface area, in differential dS - T background molecular-scale (NOAA, 1976) absolute temperatureT ₀ - U eigenstate horizontal velocityU in (3.2); coefficient in (7.3) - V horizontal-structure functionV for eigenstate horizontal velocity in (3.2); recursion variable in (7.3) - W eigenstate vertical velocity in (3.2) - X excitation vector in (5.1) - Y surface spherical harmonic in (3.7) - Z Hough function defined in (3.6) - +dH/dz - (1––)/2 - Kronecker delta; Dirac delta; correction operator in (7.6) - equilibrium tide elevation - (square-root of Hough-function eigenvalue) - ratio of specific gas constant to specific heat for air=2/7 - longitude - - - background density ₀ - eigenstate frequency in (3.1) - proxy for heating functionq =c _P/t - latitude - tide frequency - operator for the limitz - horizontal-structure function for eigenstate pressure in (3.2) - Hough function defined in (6.2) - earth's rotation speed - horizontal gradient operator - ()₀ background variable - ()_* surface value of background variable - () value at base of isothermal top layer - Õ state vector with zerow-component - , energy product defined in (2.4) - | | energy norm - ()^* complex conjugate With 10 Figures     

Über stratigraphische Untersuchungsmethoden in rezenten Tiefseesedimenten

Zusammenfassung Durch Bestimmung der Foraminiferenanzahl in I g Sediment wird die biostratigraphische Untersuchungsmethode, die mittels einer qualitativen und quantitativen Erfassung der Foraminiferenfauna in den Tiefseekernen der deutschen Meteor-Expedition und schwedischen Albatroß-Expedition durchgeführt werden ist, auf ihre Richtigkeit hin geprüft. Die Untersuchung hat die Anwendbarkeit dieser stratigraphischen Methode bestätigt. Sie hat daneben wiederum gezeigt, daß die Verbreitung und Entwicklung der einzelnen Foraminiferenarten vor allem von der Temperatur des Meerwassers abhängig sind; andere Faktoren wie Phosphatgehalt des Wassers usw. scheinen in dieser Hinsicht eine mehr untergeordnete Rolle zu spielen. Unter gewissen Voraussetzungen können Tiefseekerne durch Bestimmung der Foraminiferenanzahl je 1 g Sediment in groben Zügen stratigraphisch gegliedert werden; auch kann die Individuenanzahl der einzelnen Foraminiferenarten aus der Foraminiferenanzahl in 1 g Sediment und aus der prozentualen Zusammensetzung der Gesamtfauna errechnet werden. Mit den hier gewonnenen Erkenntnissen wird versucht, die engen Bezichungen zwischen dem prozentualen Anteil der Warmwasserforaminiferen in der Gesamtfauna und dem CO₂-Gehalt des Sedimentes, dieOvey im Kern 241 der schwedischen Albatroß-Expedition beobachtet hat, zu deuten.Herrn Professor Dr.Carl W. Correns zum 60. Geburtstag gewidmet.     

On the distribution of rainfall over the Sultanate of Oman

Rainfall distribution over the Sultanate of Oman is analysed. Data from seven recently installed weather stations as well as supporting data from scattered sources were used. Distribution maps were drawn. NW and NE winter wind meet resulting in troughs and rainfall on the Mountains and Coastal Strips. Summer monsoon wind dominates the S. Central areas of overlap receive light showers from both summer monsoons and winter local troughs. Heavier amounts of rainfall are generally associated with high altitude.     

Crystal structure refinement of hendricksite,A Zn- and Mn-rich trioctahedral potassium mica: A contribution to the crystal chemistry of zinc-bearing minerals

Summary The crystal structure of hendricksite, a trioctahedral mica of biotite type, characterized by high Zn²⁺ and Mn²⁺ contents has been refined by least square methods. The structural formula is: (K_0.89Na_0.10Ba_0.04)(Mg_1.57Zn_0.54Mn _0.40 ²⁺ Fe _0.25 ²⁺ Al_0.07Ti_0.07Cr_0.01)(Si_2.92Al_1.08)O₁₀ (OH)₂. The space group isC2/m and the cell parameters are:a=5.340(2) Å,b=9.524(2) Å,c=10.235(3) Å, =100.07(2)^o, the cell volume isV=497.98 ų. The final unweightedR=0.072. Average cation-anion distances in polyhedra are: T–O=1.659 Å, M(1)–O=2.093 Å, M(2)–O=2.088 Å, A–O_long=3.316 Å and A–O_short=3.004 Å; A is the alkaline cation. The rotation angle of tetrahedra is =6.7°. The analysis of electron densities, of the dimensions and distorsions of polyhedra shows that Zn²⁺ is exclusively in octahedral sites; there is no order between six-fold coordinated cations. A comparison between the structural features of hendricksite and those of the two main end-members of biotites, phlogopite and annite, is presented.The effect of the strong covalence of Zn–O bonds is particularly visible on the dimensions and orientations of the thermal ellipsoids of octahedral sites M(1) and M(2) which contain zinc. In all the published structures of trioctahedral micas, the ellipsoids of cationic sites are uniaxial positive, elongated parallel toc ^*. In hendricksite, this is observed only for the two zinc-free sites (T and A; in the octahedra M(1) and M(2), which contain zinc, the ellipsoids are approximately uniaxial negative, flattened parallel toa, which is a unique situation.Zinc which habitually favours the tetrahedral coordinations with oxygen, enters the octahedra only, i.e. the chemically anisotropic sites, in hendricksite. The strong polarizability of Zn²⁺ is proposed to explain this behaviour.An examination of the behaviour of Zn²⁺ in other compounds shows that this situation is general, zinc favours chemically anisotropic sites and specially those adjacent to OH or H₂O.

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Affinement de la structure cristalline de la hendricksite, mica trioctaédrique potassique riche en Zn et Mn; une contribution à la connaissance cristallochimique des minéraux zincifères

Résumé On a affiné par moindres carrés la structure de la hendricksite, mica trioctaédrique de type biotite, caractérisé par une teneur élevée en Zn²⁺ et Mn²⁺. La formule structurale de ce mica est: (K_0m89Na_0,10Ba_0,04)(Mg_1,57Zn_0,54Mn _0,40 ²⁺ Fe _0,25 ²⁺ Al_0,07Ti_0,07Cr_0,01)(Si_2,92Al_1,08)O₁₀(OH)₂. Le groupe spatial estC2/m et les paramètres de la maille:a=5,340(2) Å,b=9,254(2) Å,c=10,235(3) Å, =100,07(2)°; le volume de la maille estV=497,98 ų. Le résidu final non-pondéré estR=0,072. Les distances cation-anion moyennes dans les polyèdres sont les suivantes: T–O=1,659 Å, M(1)–O=2,093 Å, M(2)–O=2,088 Å, A–O_long=3,316 Å et A–O_court=3,004 Å où A désigne le cation alcalin. L'angle de rotation tétraédrique, =6,7°, est très semblable à celui de la phlogopite. L'analyse des densités électroniques, des dimensions et distorsions des polyèdres montre que Zn²⁺ est exclusivement en coordinance octaédrique et qu'il n'y a pas d'ordre entre les cations hexacoordonnés. On présente une comparaison des caractères structuraux de la hendricksite avec ceux des deux principaux pôles des biotites, la phlogopite et l'annite.L'effet de la forte covalence de la liaison Zn–O est particulièrement visible sur les dimensions et orientations des ellipsoides d'agitation thermique des deux sites octaédriques, sites zincifères. Dans toutes les structures de micas trioctaédriques publiées, les ellipsoides des sites cationiques sont uniaxes positifs, allongés parallèlement àc ^*, ce qui s' observe effectivement dans les deux sites non-zincifères (T et A) de la hendricksite, par contre, dans les octaèdres M(1) et M(2), qui contiennent le zinc, les ellipsoides sont approximativement uniaxes négatifs, applatis parallèlement àa, ce qui est une situation unique.Le zinc, qui se fixe généralement en sites tétraédriques dans les structures de type oxyde, occupe les sites octaédriques, c'est-à-dire les sites chimiquement anisotropes dans la hendricksite. La forte polarisabilité de Zn²⁺ est proposée pour expliquer ce comportement.Un examen du comportement de Zn²⁺ dans d'autres phases montre que cette situation est tout à fait générale, le zinc privilégiant les sites chimiquement anisotropes et en particulier ceux adjacents à OH où H₂O.