Mutual replacement reactions in alkali feldspars I: microtextures and mechanisms

Intracrystal microtextures formed by a process of mutual replacement in alkali feldspars record fluid–rock reactions that have affected large volumes of the Earth’s crust. Regular, ≤1 μm-scale ‘strain-controlled’ perthitic microtextures coarsen, by up to 10³, by a dissolution–reprecipitation process, producing microporous patch or vein perthites on scales >100 μm. We have developed earlier studies of such reactions in alkali feldspar cm-scale primocrysts in layered syenites from the Klokken intrusion, South Greenland. We present new hyperspectral CL, SEM images, and laser ICPMS analytical data, and discuss the mechanism of such replacement reactions. The feldspars grew as homogeneous sodic sanidines which unmixed and ordered by volume diffusion during cooling into the microcline field at ~450°C, giving regular, fully coherent ‘braid’ cryptoperthite. At ≤450°C the crystals reacted with a circulating post-magmatic aqueous fluid. The braid perthite behaved as a single reactant ‘phase’ which was replaced by two product phases, incoherent subgrains of low albite and microcline, with micropores at their boundaries. The driving force for the reactions was coherency strain energy, which was greater than the surface energy in the subgrain mosaic. The external euhedral crystal shapes and bulk major element composition of the primocrysts were unchanged but they became largely pseudomorphs composed of subgrains usually with the ‘pericline’ and ‘adularia’ habits (dominant {110} and subordinate {010} morphology) characteristic of low T growth. The subgrains have an epitactic relationship with parent braid perthite. Individual subgrains show oscillatory zoning in CL intensity, mainly at blue wavelengths, which correlates with tetrahedral Ti. Regular zoning is sometimes truncated by irregular, discordant surfaces suggesting dissolution, followed by resumption of growth giving regular zoning. Zones can be traced through touching subgrains, of both albite and microcline, for distances up to ~500 μm. At ≤340°C, the microcline subgrains underwent a third stage of unmixing to give straight lamellar film perthites with periodicities of ~1 μm, which with further cooling became semicoherent by the development of spaced misfit dislocations. Sub-grain growth occurred in fluid films that advanced through the elastically strained braid perthite crystals, which dissolved irreversibly. Braid perthite was more soluble than the strain-free subgrain mosaics which precipitated from the supersaturated solution. Some volumes of braid texture have sharp surfaces that suggest rapid dissolution along planes with low surface energies. Others have complex, diffuse boundaries that indicate a phase of coherent lamellar straightening by volume diffusion in response to strain relief close to a slowly advancing interface. Nucleation of strain-free subgrains was the overall rate-limiting step. To minimise surface energy subgrains grew with low energy morphologies and coarsened by grain growth, in fluid films whose trace element load (reflected in the oscillatory zoning) was dictated by the competitive advance of subgrains over a range of a few tens of mm. The cross-cutting dissolution surfaces suggest influxes of fresh fluid. Removal of feldspar to give 2 vol% porosity would require a feldspar:fluid ratio of ~1:26 (by wt). The late reversion to strain-controlled exsolution in microcline subgrains is consistent with loss of fluid above 340°C following depressurization of the intrusion. A second paper (Part II) describes trace element partitioning between the albite and microcline subgrains, and discusses the potential of trace elements as a low-T geothermometer. This paper and the Part II are dedicated in memory of J.V. Smith and W.L. Brown, both of whom died in 2007, in acknowledgement of their unrivalled contributions to the study of the feldspar minerals over more than half a century.     

Palaeoenvironment of mid- to late Holocene loess deposit of the southern margin of the Tarim Basin,NW China

Holocene environmental history in the Tarim Basin and the Taklimakan Desert is known mainly from isolated eolian and lacustrine deposits and remain puzzling. Here we present an adequately preserved loess section, covering the past 5000 years, at a highland (2,850 m a.s.l) on the northern slope of Kunlun Mountains. Pollen preserved in the section reveal a drying trend with significant moisture fluctuations around 3000–2600 cal yr BP and 1800 cal yr BP at the study site. Comparing the pollen, grain size from the same section provides a different scene occurred in the Tarim basin and the Taklimakan desert. Comparison of grain size to A/C ration of pollen suggests that active sand southward shifting in south margin of the desert is coincident with increasing moisture condition at the section locality, implying a casual link. This moisture pattern occurred at the upper and lower elevation of the slope is best explained by the vertical variation of local precipitation along the slope.     

塔什库尔干地区赞坎铁矿矿物学特征与成因

赞坎铁矿石西昆仑成矿带近年来新发现的一处超大型铁矿床,矿区内广泛出露古元古代布伦阔勒变质岩层,矿体主要赋存于布伦阔勒岩群角闪斜长片岩和黑云石英片岩内部,部分产于霏细岩与黑云石英片岩接触带内。矿床由Ⅰ~Ⅶ号矿体组成,其中Ⅰ号和Ⅲ号矿体为主要矿体。根据矿石组构、矿物共生关系等特征,成矿过程可划分为早期沉积期、中期变质期及晚期岩浆热液期3个成矿期,其中,岩浆热液期可进一步划分为矽卡岩阶段、热液改造阶段和硫化物阶段。早期沉积期磁铁矿呈微细粒他形晶结构,被变质期石英颗粒包裹,以较低含量的TFeO、MgO、MnO和较高含量的TiO2、Al2O3为特征;中期变质期磁铁矿分布于条带状矿石内,他形晶粒状结构,与早期相比,TFeO、MgO、MnO等含量相对升高而TiO2、Al2O3等含量相对降低;晚期岩浆热液期矽卡岩阶段磁铁矿分布于块状矿石内,自形晶粒状结构,以相对富TFeO、MgO、MnO而贫TiO2、Al2O3为特征;晚期热液改造阶段磁铁矿分布于浸染状矿石中,半自形-自形粒状结构、交代残余结构为主,TFeO、Al2O3、TiO2、MnO等含量变化较大。认为赞坎铁矿是沉积变质型铁矿床,遭受后期岩浆热液作用交代改造。     

考虑桩-土体系渐进破坏的单桩承载特性研究

针对目前桩基承载特性确定时未考虑桩-土体系渐进变形过程的现状,采用现场试验和理论分析等手段对考虑桩-土体系渐进破坏的单桩承载特性展开研究。首先,利用现场试验数据对侧阻和端阻的软化特性展开深入探讨,提出了侧阻和端阻软化模型,明确了模型中各参数取值方法,并验证了其合理性。同时,根据提出的侧阻和端阻软化模型,建立了一种可考虑桩-土体系渐进破坏的单桩承载特性的迭代算法。算例分析表明,计算获得的破坏性单桩承载特性与实测值有较好的一致性,且可反映侧阻和端阻的破坏特性。实际工程中,结合单桩承载特性分析算法,可根据单桩的实际受力特点灵活选用不同形式的侧阻和端阻荷载传递函数来分析不同桩顶荷载水平下的单桩受力特性。     

微波消解—冷原子荧光光谱法测定植物样品中的汞

为了简化测量植物中汞含量的方法,提高灵敏度及结果的可信度,实验采用微波消解植物样品的办法,使样品经氯化亚锡还原,再用冷原子荧光测定出植物样品中汞的含量。确定了消解样品的方法和微波消解样品的条件,优化了仪器的最佳工作参数。方法检出限0.30×10-9(稀释因子100倍),精密度(n=12)在2.09%~6.05%,加标回收率94.1%~105.5%,方法经生物国家一级标准物质验证方法准确可靠。     

Assessment of soil salinization based on a low-cost method and its influencing factors in a semi-arid agricultural area,northwest China

An investigation of soil salinization was carried out in the Nanshantaizi area (Northwest China) with WET Sensor. This device can measure such soil parameters as bulk soil electrical conductivity, water content, and the pore water electrical conductivity that are important for soil salinization assessments. A distribution map of soil salinization was produced, and the factors influencing soil salinization and its processes were discussed in detail. The study shows that moderately salinized to salt soils are mainly observed in the alluvial plain, where groundwater level is high and lateral recharge water contains high salinity. Nanshantaizi is covered by slightly salinized soils. The soil salinization distribution estimated by WET Sensor is generally consistent with the actual levels of salinization. Soil salinity in Nanshantaizi is mostly of natural origin and accumulated salts could leach to deeper soils or aquifers by water percolation during irrigation. Groundwater evaporation, groundwater level depth and quality of recharge water are important factors influencing soil salinization in the alluvial plain.     

Tectonometamorphic Evolution of Jutulsessen,Gjelsvikfjella, cDML,East Antarctica

The Jutulsessen area, can provide a vital clue to the supercontinent assembly of Gondwana Land as it is situated within the Circum East Antarctic Mobile Belt just east of the Penksockett rift marking the divide between the central Dronning Maud Land from the Western Dronning Maud Land. This landmass is dominated by migmatitic quartzo-feldspathic rocks intruded by syn to post-tectonic granites. The work highlights the data from western part cDML area with a view to arrive at a more comprehensive model for the cDML and subsequently to the super continent assembly. Granitic and migmatitic gneisses comprising of amphibolitic and biotite rich enclaves. The gneisses show variations from quartzo-felspathic gneiss to amphibolitic gneiss. The area has witnessed complex geological history involving at different deformational episodes with concomitant metamorphism. The pervasive dominant foliation trends NW-SE with shallow to medium dips towards SW. In the Stabben area, a nonfoliated intrusive syenite-gabbro pluton limits the gneissic exposures. Compositionally, the orthogneisses plot in the monzogranitegranodiorite field where as the mafic dykes/enclaves plot in the basalt-andesite-rhyodacite field. The bulk geochemical characteristics suggest significant crustal contamination. Garnet-biotite Fe-Mg exchange thermometry gives peak metamorphic temperature of 483° C for the gneisses and 628° C for the dioritic enclave within gneisses. A peak metamorphic grade of upper amphibolite to granulite facies is deduced from the mineral assemblages. Widespread anatexis has led to extensive occurrence of migmatites in the area. Recent geochronological studies assign an age of 1170 Ma to 970 Ma for the migmatites/gneisses and an emplacement age of 501 Ma for the Stabben gabbro and syenite. The discriminant plots of the Jutulsessen rocks indicate diverse origin ranging from pre-plate collision to post-collision orogenic tectonic setting. The mafic enclaves/dykes show ocean island arc to MORB affinities. Voluminous addition of juvenile crust during the Pan-African orogeny strongly overprints earlier structures.     

Satellite altimetry for measuring river stages in remote regions

The advent in satellite altimetry with the most accurate satellite radar altimeter since 1992 and its successive missions have enabled the routine global monitoring of water-level (or stage) for surface waters and changes in the quantities of dammed water reservoirs. However, satellite altimeter measurements typically have spatial resolution capable of observing only large water bodies, such as major lakes and rivers. This paper addresses the challenges of how to investigate water levels in medium (~?1 km in width) to small (~?100 m and narrower) rivers. Comparisons between the ENVISAT altimetry ICE-1 waveform retracking height and standard water-level measurements for multiple sections of Ohio River, Columbia River, and Red River of the North in the United States (US) reveals that the satellite altimetry measured water levels agree well with those observed at nearby US Geological Survey gaging stations over the 10-year period starting from 2002. The significant results include those obtained at Thompson, North Dakota (ND, correlation coefficient or R value of 0.76 between satellite and in situ water-level measurements) and Fargo, ND (R?=?0.74), where the stream channels of Red River are merely?~?50 m and ~?40 m wide, respectively, under normal climatic conditions. In addition, demonstrations of the approach over largely inaccessible portions of Tigris–Euphrates Rivers and Helmand River in the Middle East aided in understanding hydrology in these systems. This study demonstrates the ability of satellite radar altimetry to characterize rivers in these study regions which are much narrower than 100 m in width.     

Neo-rural populations and their relations with local decision makers in rural Québec: collaboration or conflict?

The socio-demographic recomposition of the countryside is affecting local interactions and power relations. Understanding these relationships remains a challenge, as the studies to date are often limited to conflicts between neo-rural populations (newcomers) and long-time country residents over partial issues, without including decision makers. To go beyond this conflictual and fragmentary perspective, the objective of this article is to present an overall picture of both cooperative and oppositional relations between four groups, namely, newcomers, long-time rural residents, leaders of local organizations and municipal officials, in regard to all the issues that concern them. The data are based on interviews with these various actors in two contrasting rural areas of Québec (Canada). After looking at the newcomers’ mixed assessment of their participation in community life, we concentrate on areas of collaboration and/or conflict between all the actors regarding demographic, economic, sociocultural, political, environmental and agricultural issues. Three main trends emerge, revealing unexpected ways of interacting, complex power relations and antagonistic conceptions of rural spaces and their future development.