Movements of spawning rainbow smelt,Osmerus mordax,in a massachusetts estuary

Movements of spawning rainbow smelt, Osmerus mordax, were followed in the Parker River estuary, Massachusetts during 1974 and 1975. Fish marked with vinyl subcutaneous tags (n=1,492) or fin clips (n=577) were recaptured on three separate spawning sites in three different tributaries; the distribution patterns of marked fish indicated a homogeneous spawning stock. Interstream movement may have been facilitated by tidal transport since smelt ascended to the spawning sites on flood tides and moved downstream as tides ebbed. Rates of recapture of fish tagged on the spawning areas were 2.61 and 5.61 times greater for males than females in 1974 and 1975 respectively. Individual tagged males were recovered up to four times during the spawning period; females were recaptured a maximum of once. The proportion of age II and older females sampled from the angling fishery prior to spawning in 1975 (47.38%) was greater than the cumulative proportion sampled on the spawning sites (11.93%) due to longer spawning period of individual males.     

Periodic counts for estimating the size of the spawning population of alewives,Alosa pseudoharengus (Wilson)

The number of migrating alewives in the Parker River, Massachusetts, can be counted visually by standing at the upper end of each of the 6 fish ladders in the system. Estimating the entire run of up to a month’s duration by this procedure is not economically feasible, but we suggest a subsampling procedure that can provide sufficient accuracy and be economical. The reliability of periodic sample counts when used to estimate population numbers of anadromous alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus) was indicated by the low variance of paired counts, small random errors of individual counts, and by the low variability between counts on days of large runs in the Parker River. Analyses of computer-simulated runs using actual data suggested that short counts taken frequently are superior to longer counts taken less often. Both field and computer-simulated data suggested that ten-minute counts taken hourly will estimate the true population of alewife runs within 10% error at the .05 level of probability.     

General considerations of the physics of planetary interiors

A deeper understanding of the constituents of the Solar System has been obtained over the last decade due primarily to the success of a variety of space missions which have provided a wealth of data to augment that obtained from Earth based observatories. Although the measurements refer directly to both the surface and atmospheric conditions, inferences can be made about conditions within the main bodies of the planets. This has been achieved through the closest collaboration between physicists, chemists and geologists in the study of these problems.In the present review we explore in a general way some of the types of problem involved with the physics of the interiors of planetary bodies. Concern will be with elucidating the structure of these bodies on the basis of the properties observed now. The arguments will be made in general terms and will not be concerned with any one planet in close detail.     

Evolution of the Taupo-Hikurangi subduction system

The present day Taupo-Hikurangi subduction system is a southward extension of the Tonga-Kermadec Arc system into a sediment-rich continental margin environment. It consists of a shallow structural trench (the Hikurangi Trough), a 150 km wide, imbricate thrust controlled accretionary borderland (the continental slope, shelf, and coastal hills of eastern North Island), a frontal ridge (the main “greywacke” ranges of North Island), and a volcanic arc and marginal basin (the Taupo Volcanic Zone).Structural elements become progressively more elevated and subduction more oblique towards the south. The whole NNE-trending system is truncated at a largely strike-slip, transform boundary that extends along the southwestern part of the Hikurangi Trough and the Hope fault of South Island to the main Alpine Fault.The volcanic arc is 200–270 km from the structural trench and comprises a NNE trending chain of andesite-dacite volcanoes extending along the eastern side of the Taupo Volcanic Zone. Most of the andesites are olivine-bearing and have been erupted within the last 50,000 years.It is suggested the Taupo-Hikurangi margin has evolved by rotation of accretionary elements, from an original NW-trending subduction system north of New Zealand. The older elements of the prism were associated with subduction of a re-entrant of the Pacific Plate (and perhaps the South Fiji Basin) in Mid Tertiary times. They subsequently became separated from their NW-trending volcanic arc by dextral strike-slip movement along curved faults east of the main “greywacke” ranges. During the Plio-Pleistocene, oblique subduction and accretion intensified as the Taupo-Hikurangi margin rotated into line with the NNE-trending Kermadec system and a marginal basin was developed along a similar trend to form the Taupo Volcanic Zone. Within the last 50,000 years olivine-bearing andesite volcanism has commenced along the eastern side of the Taupo Volcanic Zone.     

Early diagenesis in anaerobic lake sediments: chemical equilibria in interstitial waters

As part of a study of early diagenesis in anaerobic lake sediments the major ions and P, Fe, Mn, pS, p? and pH were measured in interstitial waters of cores from eutrophic Greifensee in north-central Switzerland. A guide for the interpretation of such data is thermodynamic equilibrium between the dissolved species and mineral phases. The results show that CaCO₃, which precipitates from the lake water, dissolves rapidly in the CO₂-rich interstitial waters resulting in equilibrium with calcite in the top few centimeters of sediment. Siderite, on the other hand, is nearly ten-fold supersaturated 20–30 cm below the surface. Iron monosulfides are metastable in the surface 10–20 cm of sediment and pS and p? results indicate equilibrium between polysulfides and orthorhombic sulfur. Vivianite appears to be limiting the solubility of phosphate below a few centimeters of sediment.The above processes are highly interactive, especially in the case of ferrous iron, with one result being a two order of magnitude decrease in dissolved phosphate in a depth interval of 20cm in the interstitial waters.     

Gariboldi volcanic complex,Ethiopia

The Garibaldi Complex is one of a chain of predominantly silicic volcanic cones along the centre of the Main Ethiopian Rift, which form part of the Pleistocene-Recent Aden Series (Mohr, 1962a). The present form of the Complex is largely a result of silicic conebuilding episodes, between which ignimbrites were erupted and areas collapsed to form calderas, and to a lesser extent of recent basalt eruptions. Comparisons are made with other areas of caldera collapse and attention drawn to the possible relationship between caldera complexes and plutonic ring structures.