Formation of silica oncoids around geysers and hot springs at El Tatio, northern Chile

Siliceous oncoids, up to 4 cm in diameter, are common on the laterally extensive sinter aprons that surround the spectacular geysers and hot springs at El Tatio in northern Chile. Many of these complex oncoids developed close to geyser and spring vents that discharge boiling water. Internally the oncoids, which are composed of precipitated amorphous silica, are formed of complex arrays of spicules and concentric laminae as well as detrital volcanic grains. Spicular growth is dominant in most examples. The formation and growth of the spicules and concentric laminae were mediated by a microbial community which included filamentous microbes, mucus, and possibly bacteria. The microbes and mucus were silicified by replacement and encrustation. In some laminae the filamentous microbes lay parallel to the growth surface; in other laminae most filaments forming the thin mats were suberect. Amorphous silica precipitated between the filaments occluded porosity and commonly disguised the microbial fabric. The oncoids grew on the proximal sinter aprons around the geyser vents and hot spring pools. Most growth took place subaerially with the silica delivered to the precipitation sites by splashing water from the geysers and/or periodic shallow flooding of the discharge aprons. Unlike silica oncoids at other geothermal sites, vertical growth of oncoids that formed in some rimstone pools was not limited by water depth.     

Stratigraphic and structural setting of the Griqualand West and the Olifantshoek Sequences at Black Rock,Beeshoek and Rooinekke Mines,Griqualand West,South Africa

The Black Rock to Rooinekke area has been influenced by the Kheis and Namaqua orogenies. Thrusting associated with the Kheis orogeny is well documented throughout the mining area. Thrusting at Rooinekke resulted in the Griqualand West Sequence rocks overlying parts of the Olifantshoek Sequence. At Black Rock lithologies of the Voëlwater Subgroup have been thrusted onto the Olifantshoek Sequence. A prominent N-S trending graben structure has been observed in the Rooinekke, Beeshoek and Black Rock mining areas. The thrusts are disrupted by these N-S faults. At Rooinekke supergene replacement and enrichment of the iron ore is associated with pre-Olifantshoek N-S faulting. The Namaqua orogeny may also have played a part in upgrading the existing ore bodies under discussion.     

Numerical models of quiescent normal polarity prominences

We present 2-D numerical models of quiescent solar prominences with normal magnetic polarity. These models represent an extension to the classical Kippenhahn-Schlüter model in that the prominence is treated as having finite width and height and the external coronal field is matched smoothly to the internal prominence field so that there are no current sheets at the prominence sides. Using typical prominence and coronal values we find solutions to the generalised Grad-Shafranov equation which illustrate the necessary magnetic support. We also discuss some extensions to the basic model.     

Be star candidates in the Large Magellanic Cloud: the catalogue and comparison with the Small Magellanic Cloud sample

We present a catalogue with coordinates and photometric data of 2446 Be star candidates in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), based on a search of the OGLE II data base. The I -band light curves of these stars show outbursts in 24 per cent of the sample (Type-1 stars), high and low states in 10 per cent, periodic variations in 6 per cent (Type-3 stars), and stochastic variations in 60 per cent of the cases. We report on the result of the statistical study of light curves of Type-1 and Type-3 stars in the LMC, and the comparison with the previously reported results of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) sample. We find a statistically significant difference between amplitude, duration and asymmetry distributions of outbursts in both galaxies. Outbursts of SMC Type-1 stars are usually brighter, longer and with a slower decline. We find a bimodal distribution of periods of Type-3 stars in both galaxies, probably related to the recently discovered double periodic blue variables. We find also period and amplitude distributions of Type-3 LMC stars statistically different from those of the SMC stars. Our findings above suggest that the mechanisms causing the observed photometric variability of Type-1 and Type-3 stars could depend on metallicity. Moreover, they suggest that the outbursts are not primarily caused by stellar winds.     

Geochemical reconstruction of late Holocene drainage and mixing in Kluane Lake,Yukon Territory

The level of Kluane Lake in southwest Yukon Territory, Canada, has fluctuated tens of metres during the late Holocene. Contributions of sediment from different watersheds in the basin over the past 5,000 years were inferred from the elemental geochemistry of Kluane Lake sediment cores. Elements associated with organic material and oxyhydroxides were used to reconstruct redox fluctuations in the hypolimnion of the lake. The data reveal complex relationships between climate and river discharge during the late Holocene. A period of influx of Duke River sediment coincides with a relatively warm climate around 1,300 years BP. Discharge of Slims River into Kluane Lake occurred when Kaskawulsh Glacier advanced to the present drainage divide separating flow to the Pacific Ocean via Kaskawulsh and Alsek rivers from flow to Bering Sea via tributaries of Yukon River. During periods when neither Duke nor Slims river discharged into Kluane Lake, the level of the lake was low and stable thermal stratification developed, with anoxic and eventually euxinic conditions in the hypolimnion.     

Problems of accuracies in combined terrestrial and statellite control networks

Summary The combination of terrestrial and satellite aided network observations requires hybrid models of two kinds: a hybrid functional model and a stochastic model being able to process the heterogeneous observations approapriately. An appropriate combination of stochastic information means to adjoin proper weights to the various types of observations on one hand and on the other hand to separate the relelevant internal accuracy from that accuracy which is affected by a number of network external influences. The first task can be overcome by the technique of estimating variance components of the individual observation groups, the second one can be handled by applying S-transformations to covariance matrices. The paper deals with problems of the hybrid stochastic model. Examples are given.     

Harzburgite to lherzolite and back again: metasomatic processes in ultramafic xenoliths from the Wesselton kimberlite, Kimberley, South Africa

Garnets from phlogopite harzburgite xenoliths from the Wesselton kimberlite show zoning from low-Ca harzburgitic cores to rims with lherzolitic Ca-Cr relations. Garnet cores are depleted in Y and HREE, but have sinuous REE patterns enriched in the MREE. Rimwards increase in Ca and decrease in Cr and Mg is accompanied by increases in Zr, Y, Ti and HREE. Secondary replacement rims on some garnets consist of garnet with low Ca and Cr, but high Mg, Ti and HREE. The zoning, and the secondary replacement rims, are attributed to different stages of a metasomatic process that has converted harzburgite to lherzolite, at temperatures near 1000 °C. Modelling of zoning profiles suggests that the process can be divided into three parts: (a) Inwards diffusion of Ca, Zr and Y over periods of 10,000–30,000 years, from a fluid depleted in Ti, Ga and Y; (b) formation of overgrowths high in Ca, Zr, Y and Ti, followed by annealing over periods of several thousand years; (c) formation of secondary reaction rims of low-Ca garnet, on very short timescales prior to eruption. The sinuous REE patterns of the garnet cores are regarded as “primary” features reflecting an ancient metasomatic event superimposed on a depleted protolith. The high Zr/Y, Zr/Ti and Zr/Ca of the fluids corresponding to stage (a) are ascribed to the presence of phlogopite and garnet in the matrix near the fluid source (presumed to be a melt, possibly a kimberlite precursor), leading to the development of concentration fronts in the percolating fluid. The overgrowths of stage (b) appear to coincide with the precipitation of phlogopite in the rock. The low Ca of the fluid responsible for the secondary replacement rims of stage (c) may reflect the late precipitation of clinopyroxene or Ca-carbonate as part of the metasomatic assemblage. These processes have significantly modified the modal, major- and trace-element composition of the mantle volume sampled by the Wesselton kimberlite, within <1 Ma of eruption. Recognition of such effects and their distribution in time and space is essential to understanding of the evolution of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle. Received: 11 February 1998 / Accepted: 24 June 1998     

Derivation of a Tidal Inundation Model to Support Environmental Research in Roebuck Bay (Western Australia)

A method for deriving mean inundation times for a large expanse of intertidal mudflats is presented. Image processing techniques are used to extract waterlines from two Landsat Thematic Mapper scenes at approximately high and low tides, respectively. Along with data based on standard tidal predictions, the waterlines are utilised to derive an initial Digital Elevation Model (DEM) for the tidal flat within a GIS environment. As the model fails to fully cover the mean spring tidal range, a routine is developed to linearly extrapolate this surface to the elevation of the mean spring low tide. Tidal interpolation equations are then utilised to generate an inundation time in hours for each cell on this extrapolated DEM. Output from the generalised model is a series of maps showing isolines of inundation for both the mean spring and neap tidal cycles, as well as sets of point data that may be integrated with existing biological sample data. These data will be used to support an ongoing geologic and biologic investigation of the bay and its ecology.