Stratospheric final warmings in the Southern Hemisphere and their energetics

Summary.  Using 9 years (1985–1993) data, final stratospheric warmings in the Southern Hemisphere are studied. Interannual variations in the onset date and the temperatures are noted. In 1985 the stratosphere was colder by about 5 K and the wave activity was less. This year the final warming got delayed. In contrast in 1988 the final warming occurred earlier when compared with the mean picture and the wave activity was more. An examination of Eliassen-Palm fluxes showed the important role of planetary waves in the wave-mean flow interaction. In the energetics the most spectacular change is the reduction of zonal kinetic energy. Before the warming the energy exchanges were P_z → P_e → K_e → K_z ← P_z and after the warming they were P_z ← P_e ← K_e → K_z ← P_z. The dramatic reduction of zonal kinetic energy seems to be due to two effects: the reduction in K_e → K_z conversion and the weakening of direct meridional circulation. Received October 3, 2001; revised June 5, 2002     

Experimental biological effects assessment associated with on-shore brine discharge from the creation of gas storage caverns

Most of the studies on biological and ecological effects associated with brine discharge into the marine environment are related to the operation of desalination plants, for the production of freshwater. In this study we analysed the biological effects of a brine effluent from a completely different source, produced from the lixiviation of rock salt caves, for the creation of natural gas storage caverns. Lethal and sub-lethal endpoints following exposure to the brine were studied in a range of macrofauna species characteristic of the soft and hard bottom habitats in the vicinity of the discharge area, namely the isopod Eurydice pulchra, the annelids Sabellaria alveolata and Ophelia radiata, the sea-urchin Paracentrotus lividus and the bivalve Mytilus galloprovincialis. In a first series of experiments, brine, with salinity above 300, was diluted in distilled water to a salinity value close to that of the seawater in the discharge area (salinity 36) and, surprisingly, none of the exposed species was able to survive or develop into viable larvae. A second series of experiments exposed the species to brine diluted with seawater, simulating more realistic discharge circumstances. All the tested species at all the measured endpoints (adult survival, larval abnormal development, sperm fertilization success) showed negative biological effects in brine solutes always at a lower salinity than that of a salinity control obtained with concentrated seawater. The sub-lethal experiments with larval development of P. lividus, S. alveolata and M. galloprovincialis, and the fertilization success of P. lividus gave EC₅₀ values for the brine solute with salinity in the range of 40.9–43.5, whereas the EC₅₀ values for the concentrated seawater were in the range of salinity 44.2–49.0. It is hypothesised that differences in the ionic composition of the brine cause the inability of the species to tolerate the exposure to brine.     

Benthic invertebrate assemblages and functional feeding groups in the Paraná River floodplain (Argentina)

The benthic invertebrate assemblages and functional feeding groups in different mesohabitats of the Middle Paraná River–floodplain system were analyzed. Benthic invertebrates and bottom sediments were sampled in a secondary channel (center and bank mesohabitats), a temporal marginal fluvial wetland adjacent to the river, an isolated lake and a connected lake during low water level. Cluster analysis of average invertebrate densities based on the Bray Curtis dissimilarity index yielded a group composed by the mesohabitats with higher species richness, the floodplain lakes, banks mesohabitats and the wetland. The center mesohabitat of the main channel characterized by sandy sediments with low organic matter content and the lowest invertebrate densities and species richness was classified separately. Alpha diversity increased from the center mesohabitat (6 taxa) to the adjacent wetland (71 taxa), and were similar between the floodplain lakes (24 and 22 taxa) and the river bank mesohabitat (24 taxa). Gamma and beta diversities (Whittaker index) were 92 and 2.19, respectively. The highest turnover of taxa was between the river and the other mesohabitats and the lowest between floodplain lakes. Detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) showed a clear separation of wetland and banks from other mesohabitats (axis 1 and 2 explained 52.25% variance) explained by shredders and collector-filterers. The other mesohabitats were arranged in a gradient from the main channel mostly related to collector-gatherers to the connected lake and the isolated lake that were mostly characterized by predators and scrapers. The invertebrate assemblage complexity and functional feeding groups composition increased in the lateral dimension, from the center of the main channel to the temporal marginal fluvial wetland due to the influences of the spatial heterogeneity caused by different sources of organic matter inputs.     

Geologic evolution of the Serrinha nucleus granite–greenstone terrane (NE Bahia, Brazil) constrained by U–Pb single zircon geochronology

U–Pb single zircon crystallization ages were determined using TIMS and sensitive high resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) on samples of granitoid rocks exposed in the Serrinha nucleus granite–greenstone terrane, in NE Brazil. Our data show that the granitoid plutons can be divided into three distinct groups. Group 1 consists of Mesoarchaean (3.2–2.9 Ga) gneisses and N-S elongated TTG (Tonalite-Trondhjemite-Granodiorite) plutons with gneissic borders. Group 2 is represented by ca. 2.15 Ga pretectonic calc-alkaline plutons that are less deformed than group 1. Group 3 is ca. 2.11–2.07 Ga, late to post-tectonic plutons (shoshonite, syenite, K-rich granite and lamprophyre). Groups 2 and 3 are associated with the Transamazonian orogeny. Xenocryst ages of 3.6 Ga, the oldest zircon yet recorded within the São Francisco craton, are found in the group 3 Euclides shoshonite within the Uauá complex and in the group 2 Quijingue trondhjemite, indicating the presence of Paleoarchaean sialic basement.Group 1 gneiss-migmatitic rocks (ca. 3200 Ma) of the Uauá complex constitute the oldest known unit. Shortly afterwards, partial melting of mafic material produced a medium-K calc-alkaline melt, the younger Santa Luz complex (ca. 3100 Ma) to the south. Subsequent TTG melts intruded in different phases now exposed as N-S elongated plutons such as Ambrósio (3162 ± 26 Ma), Araci (3072 ± 2 Ma), Requeijão (2989 ± 11 Ma) and others, which together form a major part of the Archaean nucleus. Some of these plutons have what appear to be intrusive, but are probably remobilized, contacts with the Transamazonian Itapicuru greenstone belt. The older gneissic rocks occur as enclaves within younger Archaean plutons. Thus, serial additions of juvenile material over a period of several hundred m.y. led to the formation of a stable micro-continent by 2.9 Ga. Evidence for Neoarchaean activity is found in the inheritance pattern of only one sample, the group 2 Euclides pluton.Group 2 granitoid plutons were emplaced at 2.16–2.13 Ga in a continental arc environment floored by Mesoarchaean crust. These plutons were subsequently deformed and intruded by late to post-tectonic group 3 alkaline plutons. This period of Transamazonian orogeny can be explained as a consequence of ocean closure followed by collision and slab break-off. The only subsequent magmatism was kimberlitic, probably emplaced during the Neoproterozoic Braziliano event, which sampled older zircon from the basement.     

A method for assessing kinematic bending moments at the pile head

The conventional design methods for seismically loaded piles still concentrate in providing adequate resistance from the pile to withstand only the inertial bending moments generated from the oscillation of the superstructure, thus neglecting the effect of kinematic interaction between pile and soil. By contrast there has been extensive research on kinematic effects induced by earthquakes and a number of simplified methods are available for a preliminary evaluation of kinematic bending moments at the interface between two soil layers. Less attention has been paid to the effects of kinematic interaction at the pile‐head. The paper summarizes recent research work on kinematic response analysis of fixed‐head piles aimed at the performance evaluation of a piled foundation. Results from an extensive parametric study, undertaken by means of three‐dimensional FE analyses, suggest a new criterion to predict kinematic bending effects at the pile head, where the combination of kinematic and inertial effect may be critical. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Filter-feeder macroinvertebrates as key players in culturable bacteria biodiversity control: a case of study with Sabella spallanzanii (Polychaeta: Sabellidae)

The present study investigates the effect of the filtering activity of Sabella spallanzanii on the culturable heterotrophic bacterial community through the comparison of the bacterial diversity in transplanted polychaetes and the surrounding seawater. For isolation of culturable heterotrophic bacteria, seawater samples as well as polychaete homogenates were plated in triplicates onto Bacto Marine Agar 2216 (Difco). All the colonies grown were isolated, subcultured and identified by several morphological, biochemical and cultural methods. Some bacterial genera showed higher average abundances in polychaetes than in seawater (i.e. Lucibacterium and Photobacterium). Aeromonas represented a conspicuous component of the bacterial community both in S. spallanzanii and seawater. The presence of Cytophaga and Pseudomonas was also relevant in the examined seawater samples. The selective concentrations of some bacterial genera inside S. spallanzanii either by grazing on bacteria or their capability as bacterial reservoirs, provides evidence for the role of macrobenthic invertebrates as key determinants for microbial diversity.     

Star formation and AGN

We analyse the data from narrow band H and [O III] CCD imaging of a sample of nearby spiral galaxies with active nuclei. The results show that the large scale star formation depends on the level of nuclear activity, with Seyfert 2 presenting the strongest disk and circum-nuclear star formation, while Seyfert 1 show very little. We present particular results for the galaxies NGC 3982, NGC 4579, NGC 5427 and NGC 7469.     

Lower Carboniferous post-orogenic granites in central-eastern Sierra de Velasco,Sierras Pampeanas,Argentina: U–Pb monazite geochronology,geochemistry and Sr–Nd isotopes

The central-eastern part of the Sierra de Velasco (Sierras Pampeanas, NW Argentina) is formed by the large Huaco (40 × 30 km) and Sanagasta (25 × 15 km) granite massifs and the small La Chinchilla stock (2 × 2 km). The larger granites intrude into Ordovician metagranitoids and crosscut Devonian (?) mylonitic shear zones, whereas the small stock sharply intrudes into the Huaco granite. The two voluminous granites are biotitic-muscovitic and biotitic porphyritic syeno- to monzogranites. They contain small and rounded tonalitic and quartz-dioritic mafic microgranular enclaves. The small stock is an equigranular, zinnwaldite- and fluorite-bearing monzogranite. The studied granites are silica-rich (SiO₂ >70%), potassium-rich (K₂O >4%), ferroan, alkali-calcic to slightly calk-alkalic, and moderately to weakly peraluminous (A/CNK: 1.06–1.18 Huaco granite, 1.01–1.09 Sanagasta granite, 1.05–1.06 La Chinchilla stock). They have moderate to strong enrichments in several LIL (Li, Rb, Cs) and HFS (Nb, Ta, Y, Th, U) elements, and low Sr, Ba and Eu contents. U–Pb monazite age determinations indicate Lower Carboniferous crystallization ages: 350–358 Ma for the Huaco granite, 352.7 ± 1.4 Ma for the Sanagasta granite and 344.5 ± 1.4 Ma for the La Chinchilla stock. The larger granites have similar ?Nd values between ?2.1 and ?4.3, whereas the younger stock has higher ?Nd of ?0.6 to ?1.4, roughly comparable to the values obtained for the Carboniferous San Blas granite (?1.4 to ?1.7), located in the north of the sierra. The Huaco and Sanagasta granites have a mainly crustal source, but with some participation of a more primitive, possibly mantle-derived, component. The main crustal component can be attributed to Ordovician peraluminous metagranitoids. The La Chinchilla stock derives from a more primitive source, suggesting an increase with time in the participation of the primitive component during magma genesis. The studied granites were generated during a post-orogenic period in a within-plate setting, possibly as a response to the collapse of the previous Famatinian orogen, extension of the crust and mantle upwelling. They are part of the group of Middle Devonian–Lower Carboniferous granites of the Sierras Pampeanas. The distribution and U–Pb ages of these granites suggests a northward arc-parallel migration of this mainly post-orogenic magmatism with time.     

Buoyancy-controlled eruption of magmas at Mt Etna

Buoyancy controls the ability of magma to rise, its ascent rate and the style of the eruptions. Geophysical, geological and petrological data have been integrated to evaluate the buoyancy of magmas at Mt Etna. The density difference between host rocks and magmas is mainly related to the amount of H₂O dissolved in the magma and to the bubble‐liquid separation processes. In the depth interval 22–2 km b.s.l. highly hydrated (H₂O ～ 3%) basaltic magmas or mixtures of bubbles + liquid have positive buoyancy and rise rapidly. Conversely, bubble‐depleted liquids, with an intermediate H₂O content (～ 1.5%), having neutral buoyancy, will spread out and form magmatic reservoirs at different depths until cooling/crystallization further modify composition and density. These different processes account for the magma compositions, location of magmatic reservoirs as determined by geophysical methods, and the complex eruptive cycles (slow effusions, fire fountains and Plinian eruptions) that have been observed in the history of the volcano.     

Compact Groups of Galaxies: Evolution of the Stellar Population

We present a study focusing on the nature of compact groups (CGs) through the study of their elliptical (E) galaxies. Parameters describing the internal dynamics and the stellar populations of the galaxies are compared with their counterparts in other environments. Our sample has24 bright E galaxies located in the core of Hickson CGs and 11 bright ‘bona fide’ Es, located in the field or very loose groups. Their spectra were obtained with the 2.1 m Telescope at KPNO and have a 4.1 Å resolution over the wavelength range 3500–7000 Å. We have found that, from the dynamical point of view, E galaxies in CGs are essentially similar to those in dense clusters. Moreover, the stellar populations of Es in CGs seem to be older and less metal rich than those in the field, behaviour which has also been observed by Rose et al. (1994).