Sedimentary evolution and environmental history of Lake Van (Turkey) over the past 600 000 years

The lithostratigraphic framework of Lake Van, eastern Turkey, has been systematically analysed to document the sedimentary evolution and the environmental history of the lake during the past ca 600 000 years. The lithostratigraphy and chemostratigraphy of a 219 m long drill core from Lake Van serve to separate global climate oscillations from local factors caused by tectonic and volcanic activity. An age model was established based on the climatostratigraphic alignment of chemical and lithological signatures, validated by ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages. The drilled sequence consists of ca 76% lacustrine carbonaceous clayey silt, ca 2% fluvial deposits, ca 17% volcaniclastic deposits and 5% gaps. Six lacustrine lithotypes were separated from the fluvial and event deposits, such as volcaniclastics (ca 300 layers) and graded beds (ca 375 layers), and their depositional environments are documented. These lithotypes are: (i) graded beds frequently intercalated with varved clayey silts reflecting rising lake levels during the terminations; (ii) varved clayey silts reflecting strong seasonality and an intralake oxic–anoxic boundary, for example, lake‐level highstands during interglacials/interstadials; (iii) CaCO₃‐rich banded sediments which are representative of a lowering of the oxic–anoxic boundary, for example, lake level decreases during glacial inceptions; (iv) CaCO₃‐poor banded and mottled clayey silts reflecting an oxic–anoxic boundary close to the sediment–water interface, for example, lake‐level lowstands during glacials/stadials; (v) diatomaceous muds were deposited during the early beginning of the lake as a fresh water system; and (vi) fluvial sands and gravels indicating the initial flooding of the lake basin. The recurrence of lithologies (i) to (iv) follows the past five glacial/interglacial cycles. A 20 m thick disturbed unit reflects an interval of major tectonic activity in Lake Van at ca 414 ka bp . Although local environmental processes such as tectonic and volcanic activity influenced sedimentation, the lithostratigraphic pattern and organic matter content clearly reflect past global climate changes, making Lake Van an outstanding terrestrial archive of unprecedented sensitivity for the reconstruction of the regional climate over the last 600 000 years.     

Homogeneous reprocessing of GPS,GLONASS and SLR observations

The International GNSS Service (IGS) provides operational products for the GPS and GLONASS constellation. Homogeneously processed time series of parameters from the IGS are only available for GPS. Reprocessed GLONASS series are provided only by individual Analysis Centers (i. e. CODE and ESA), making it difficult to fully include the GLONASS system into a rigorous GNSS analysis. In view of the increasing number of active GLONASS satellites and a steadily growing number of GPS+GLONASS-tracking stations available over the past few years, Technische Universität Dresden, Technische Universität München, Universität Bern and Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich performed a combined reprocessing of GPS and GLONASS observations. Also, SLR observations to GPS and GLONASS are included in this reprocessing effort. Here, we show only SLR results from a GNSS orbit validation. In total, 18 years of data (1994–2011) have been processed from altogether 340 GNSS and 70 SLR stations. The use of GLONASS observations in addition to GPS has no impact on the estimated linear terrestrial reference frame parameters. However, daily station positions show an RMS reduction of 0.3 mm on average for the height component when additional GLONASS observations can be used for the time series determination. Analyzing satellite orbit overlaps, the rigorous combination of GPS and GLONASS neither improves nor degrades the GPS orbit precision. For GLONASS, however, the quality of the microwave-derived GLONASS orbits improves due to the combination. These findings are confirmed using independent SLR observations for a GNSS orbit validation. In comparison to previous studies, mean SLR biases for satellites GPS-35 and GPS-36 could be reduced in magnitude from \(-35\) and \(-38\)  mm to \(-12\) and \(-13\)  mm, respectively. Our results show that remaining SLR biases depend on the satellite type and the use of coated or uncoated retro-reflectors. For Earth rotation parameters, the increasing number of GLONASS satellites and tracking stations over the past few years leads to differences between GPS-only and GPS+GLONASS combined solutions which are most pronounced in the pole rate estimates with maximum 0.2 mas/day in magnitude. At the same time, the difference between GLONASS-only and combined solutions decreases. Derived GNSS orbits are used to estimate combined GPS+GLONASS satellite clocks, with first results presented in this paper. Phase observation residuals from a precise point positioning are at the level of 2 mm and particularly reveal poorly modeled yaw maneuver periods.     

Lithium isotope geochemistry of marine pore waters - Insights from cold seep fluids

Lithium concentration and isotope data (δ⁷Li) are reported for pore fluids from 18 cold seep locations together with reference fluids from shallow marine environments, a sediment-hosted hydrothermal system and two Mediterranean brine basins. The new reference data and literature data of hydrothermal fluids and pore fluids from the Ocean Drilling Program follow an empirical relationship between Li concentration and δ⁷Li (δ⁷Li = −6.0(±0.3) · ln[Li] + 51(±1.2)) reflecting Li release from sediment or rocks and/or uptake of Li during mineral authigenesis. Cold seep fluids display δ⁷Li values between +7.5‰ and +45.7‰, mostly in agreement with this general relationship. Ubiquitous diagenetic signals of clay dehydration in all cold seep fluids indicate that authigenic smectite-illite is the major sink for light pore water Li in deeply buried continental margin sediments. Deviations from the general relationship are attributed to the varying provenance and composition of sediments or to transport-related fractionation trends. Pore fluids on passive margins receive disproportionally high amounts of Li from intensely weathered and transported terrigenous matter. By contrast, on convergent margins and in other settings with strong volcanogenic input, Li concentrations in pore water are lower because of intense Li uptake by alteration minerals and, most notably, adsorption of Li onto smectite. The latter process is not accompanied by isotope fractionation, as revealed from a separate study on shallow sediments. A numerical transport-reaction model was applied to simulate Li isotope fractionation during upwelling of pore fluids. It is demonstrated that slow pore water advection (order of mm a⁻¹) suffices to convey much of the deep-seated diagenetic Li signal into shallow sediments. If carefully applied, Li isotope systematics may, thus, provide a valuable record of fluid/mineral interaction that has been inherited several hundreds or thousands of meters below the actual seafloor fluid escape structure.     

Multiproxy evidence for terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem responses during the 8.2 ka cold event as recorded at Højby Sø, Denmark

A sediment succession from Højby Sø, a lake in eastern Denmark, covering the time period 9400–7400 cal yr BP was studied using high-resolution geochemistry, magnetic susceptibility, pollen, macrofossil, diatom, and algal pigment analysis to investigate responses of the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems to the 8.2 ka cold event. A reduced pollen production by thermophilous deciduous tree taxa in the period c. 8250–8000 cal yr BP reveal that the forest ecosystem was affected by low temperatures during the summer and winter/early-spring seasons. This finding is consistent with the timing of the 8.2 ka cold event as registered in the Greenland ice cores. At Højby Sø, the climate anomaly appears to have started 200–250 yr earlier than the 8.2 ka cold event as the lake proxy data provide strong evidence for a precipitation-induced distinct increase in catchment soil erosion beginning around 8500 cal yr BP. Alteration of the terrestrial environment then resulted in a major aquatic ecosystem change with nutrient enrichment of the lake and enhanced productivity, which lasted until c. 7900 cal yr BP.     

Investigating dissolution of mechanically activated olivine for carbonation purposes

Mineral carbonation is one of several alternatives for CO₂ sequestration and storage. The reaction rates of appropriate minerals with CO₂, for instance olivine and serpentine with vast resources, are relatively slow in a CO₂ sequestration context and the rates have to be increased to make mineral carbonation a good storage alternative. Increasing the dissolution rate of olivine has been the focus of this paper. Olivine was milled with very high energy intensity using a laboratory planetary mill to investigate the effect of mechanical activation on the Mg extraction potential of olivine in 0.01 M HCl solution at room temperature and pressure. Approximately 30–40% of each sample was dissolved and water samples were taken at the end of each experiment. The pH change was used to calculate time series of the Mg concentrations, which also were compared to the final Mg concentrations in the water samples. Percentage dissolved and the specific reaction rates were estimated from the Mg concentration time series. The measured particle size distributions could not explain the rate constants found, but the specific surface area gave a good trend versus dissolution for samples milled wet and the samples milled with a small addition of water. The samples milled dry had the lowest measured specific surface areas (<4 m²/g), but had the highest rate constants. The crystallinity calculated from X-ray diffractograms, was the material parameter with the best fit for the observed differences in the rate constants. Geochemical modelling of mechanically activated materials indicated that factors describing the changes in the material properties related to the activation must be included. The mechanically activated samples in general reacted faster than predicted by the theoretical models. Mechanical activation as a pre-treatment method was found to enhance the initial specific reaction rates by approximately three orders of magnitude for a sample milled dry for 60 min in a planetary mono mill compared to an unactivated sample. Wet milling in the planetary mill did not produce samples with the same maximum reaction rate as dry milling, but wet milling in general might be easier to implement into a wet carbonation process. Mechanical activation in a planetary mill is likely to consume too much energy for CO₂ sequestration purposes, but the increase in obtained olivine rate constants illustrates a potential for using milling as a pre-treatment method.     

2002年和2003年夏季波弗特海海冰叶绿素a和小型生物的研究

海冰在极地海洋中是个较为独特的生境,海冰卤道系统中的光照强度、温度、盐度和生存空间随着季节更替发生显著变化[1].春天,在北极新冰和多年冰的底部冰藻旺发,随后浮游植物生产力上升[2,3].     

Animal production and climate variation in the Faeroe Islands in the 19th century

The article deals with aspects of the historical geography of the Faeroe Islands in the 19th century with a focus on animal production, i.e. sheep and cows. It is based on material from the Regional Archive, Føroya Landsskjalasavn. The tithe lists showing the King's third from Norderöe district, 1801–1859, are analysed in detail and compared with the statements from another series of documents, the Sheriff s half-yearly reports on the state of the district. Together these two sets of records give a detailed picture of the development and variation in the number of cows, paying “butter-tithe” and the number of sheep slaughtered, paying “wool-tithe”. The number of cows surviving the winter, depended on the amount and quality of winter fodder or hay, which was produced in the infield the preceding summer. The sheep, on the other hand, that can survive the winter while grazing in the outfield, are dependent on the severity or mildness of the winter as well as their condition in the lambing period. The two series provide data on summer as well as winter weather conditions. The analysis makes an attempt, using the concepts known from the critical realist theory of science, to find the mechanisms as well as necessary and contingent conditions involved in the two processes.     

Iodine Chemistry and its Role in Halogen Activation and Ozone Loss in the Marine Boundary Layer: A Model Study

A detailed set of reactions treating the gas and aqueous phase chemistry of the most important iodine species in the marine boundary layer (MBL) has been added to a box model which describes Br and Cl chemistry in the MBL. While Br and Cl originate from seasalt, the I compounds are largely derived photochemically from several biogenic alkyl iodides, in particular CH2I2, CH2ClI, C2H5I, C3H7I, or CH3I which are released from the sea. Their photodissociation produces some inorganic iodine gases which can rapidly react in the gas and aqueous phase with other halogen compounds. Scavenging of the iodine species HI, HOI, INO2, and IONO2 by aerosol particles is not a permanent sink as assumed in previous modeling studies. Aqueous-phase chemical reactions can produce the compounds IBr, ICl, and I2, which will be released back into the gas phase due to their low solubility. Our study, although highly theoretical, suggests that almost all particulate iodine is in the chemical form of IO-3. Other aqueous-phase species are only temporary reservoirs and can be re-activated to yield gas phase iodine. Assuming release rates of the organic iodine compounds which yield atmospheric concentrations similar to some measurements, we calculate significant concentrations of reactive halogen gases. The addition of iodine chemistry to our reaction scheme has the effect of accelerating photochemical Br and Cl release from the seasalt. This causes an enhancement in ozone destruction rates in the MBL over that arising from the well established reactions O(1D) + H2O 2OH, HO2 + O3 OH + 2O2, and OH + O3 HO2 + O2. The given reaction scheme accounts for the formation of particulate iodine which is preferably accumulated in the smaller sulfate aerosol particles.     

Age relationships in supracrustal sequences of the northern part of the Murchison Terrane,Archaean Yilgarn Craton,Western Australia: A combined field and zircon U–Pb study

Mapping carried out in the northern Murchison Terrane of the Archaean Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia, shows that correlation of units between isolated greenstone belts is very difficult and an informal stratigraphic subdivision is proposed where the greenstone sequences have been divided into a number of assemblages. The assemblages may not necessarily be time equivalent throughout the region. The lower units (Assemblages 1–3) consist of ultramafic, mafic and intermediate volcanic rocks deposited without significant breaks in volcanism. Felsic volcanic packages (Assemblage 4) are conformable with underlying units, but are spatially restricted. Discordant units of graphitic sedimentary rocks are developed along major crustal structures (Assemblage 5). SHRIMP and conventional U–Pb study of zircons reveal that felsic volcanic rocks of Assemblage 4 in the Dalgaranga Greenstone Belt were emplaced at 2747 ± 5 Ma, whereas those in the adjacent Meekatharra — Mt Magnet Greenstone Belt range in age from 2762 ± 6 to 2716 ± 4 Ma. The age of emplacement of a differentiated gabbro sill in the Dalgaranga Greenstone Belt at 2719 ± 6 Ma places a maximum age on major folding in the belt. The presence of 2.9–3.0 Ga inherited zircons in some of the felsic volcanic rocks indicates contamination with, or reworking of, underlying 3 Ga sialic crust. This distinguishes the Murchison Terrane from the central parts of the Eastern Goldfields terranes to the south, where there is no evidence for a 3 Ga imprint in zircons from volcanic or granitic rocks, and also from the Narryer Gneiss Terrane to the north and west, which is composed of older gneisses and granitoids. The ca 2.76–2.71 Ga felsic volcanism in the Murchison Terrane is significantly older than 2.71–2.67 Ga felsic volcanism in the Eastern Goldfields lending support to models advocating assemblage of the craton by terrane accretion.     

Cenozoic intra-plate magmatism in the Darfur volcanic province: mantle source, phonolite-trachyte genesis and relation to other volcanic provinces in NE Africa

Chemical and Sr, Nd and Pb isotopic compositions of Late Cenozoic to Quaternary small-volume phonolite, trachyte and related mafic rocks from the Darfur volcanic province/NW-Sudan have been investigated. Isotope signatures indicate variable but minor crustal contributions. Some phonolitic and trachytic rocks show the same isotopic composition as their primitive mantle-derived parents, and no crustal contributions are visible in the trace element patterns of these samples. The magmatic evolution of the evolved rocks is dominated by crystal fractionation. The Si-undersaturated strongly alkaline phonolite and the Si-saturated mildly alkaline trachyte can be modelled by fractionation of basanite and basalt, respectively. The suite of basanite–basalt–phonolite–trachyte with characteristic isotope signatures from the Darfur volcanic province fits the compositional features of other Cenozoic intra-plate magmatism scattered in North and Central Africa (e.g., Tibesti, Maghreb, Cameroon line), which evolved on a lithosphere that was reworked or formed during the Neoproterozoic.