Regolith breccia Northwest Africa 7533: Mineralogy and petrology with implications for early Mars

Northwest Africa 7533, a polymict Martian breccia, consists of fine‐grained clast‐laden melt particles and microcrystalline matrix. While both melt and matrix contain medium‐grained noritic‐monzonitic material and crystal clasts, the matrix also contains lithic clasts with zoned pigeonite and augite plus two feldspars, microbasaltic clasts, vitrophyric and microcrystalline spherules, and shards. The clast‐laden melt rocks contain clump‐like aggregates of orthopyroxene surrounded by aureoles of plagioclase. Some shards of vesicular melt rocks resemble the pyroxene‐plagioclase clump‐aureole structures. Submicron size matrix grains show some triple junctions, but most are irregular with high intergranular porosity. The noritic‐monzonitic rocks contain exsolved pyroxenes and perthitic intergrowths, and cooled more slowly than rocks with zoned‐pyroxene or fine grain size. Noritic material contains orthopyroxene or inverted pigeonite, augite, calcic to intermediate plagioclase, and chromite to Cr‐bearing magnetite; monzonitic clasts contain augite, sodic plagioclase, K feldspar, Ti‐bearing magnetite, ilmenite, chlorapatite, and zircon. These feldspathic rocks show similarities to some rocks at Gale Crater like Black Trout, Mara, and Jake M. The most magnesian orthopyroxene clasts are close to ALH 84001 orthopyroxene in composition. All these materials are enriched in siderophile elements, indicating impact melting and incorporation of a projectile component, except for Ni‐poor pyroxene clasts which are from pristine rocks. Clast‐laden melt rocks, spherules, shards, and siderophile element contents indicate formation of NWA 7533 as a regolith breccia. The zircons, mainly derived from monzonitic (melt) rocks, crystallized at 4.43 ± 0.03 Ga (Humayun et al. 2013 ) and a ¹⁴⁷Sm‐¹⁴³Nd isochron for NWA 7034 yielding 4.42 ± 0.07 Ga (Nyquist et al. 2016 ) defines the crystallization age of all its igneous portions. The zircon from the monzonitic rocks has a higher Δ¹⁷O than other Martian meteorites explained in part by assimilation of regolith materials enriched during surface alteration (Nemchin et al. 2014 ). This record of protolith interaction with atmosphere‐hydrosphere during regolith formation before melting demonstrates a thin atmosphere, a wet early surface environment on Mars, and an evolved crust likely to have contaminated younger extrusive rocks. The latest events recorded when the breccia was on Mars are resetting of apatite, much feldspar and some zircons at 1.35–1.4 Ga (Bellucci et al. 2015 ), and formation of Ni‐bearing pyrite veins during or shortly after this disturbance (Lorand et al. 2015 ).     

Initial Results from Fitting $$-Modes Using Intensity Observations from the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager

The Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager project recently started processing the continuum-intensity images following global helioseismology procedures similar to those used to process the velocity images. The spatial decomposition of these images has produced time series of spherical harmonic coefficients for degrees up to \(\ell=300\), using a different apodization than the one used for velocity observations. The first 360 days of observations were processed and are made available. I present initial results from fitting these time series using my fitting method and compare the derived mode characteristics to those estimated using coeval velocity observations.     

A possible link between gabbros bearing High Temperature Iddingsite alteration and huge pegmatoid intrusions: The Society Islands, French Polynesia

This paper reports new field observations and new petrological, textural and geochemical data on two gabbroic intrusions and one pegmatoid dyke from the French Polynesian islands Maupiti and Bora Bora, respectively. Olivine crystals from the Faataufi and Barque de Hiro gabbros (Maupiti) include High Temperature Iddingsite (HTI), exhibiting three distinct morphological facies. Chemical and crystallographical data performed by electron microprobe, scanning microscope, X-ray diffractometry and Near InfraRed spectroscopy show that HTI results from modifications of olivine structure through intense hydroxylation and Fe-oxidation. The HTI-free 120 m-wide Cloche de Hiro dyke (Bora Bora) exhibits a textural zonation from heterogranular/intergranular gabbro (peripheral part) to typical pegmatoid (inner area). We propose a textural tetrahedral classificatory diagram which can be used to clearly distinguish the textural characteristics of the pegmatoids from those of the other coarse-grained samples. Through comparison with a lava flow containing vesicle-rich segregation sheets, we suggest that the Cloche de Hiro dyke may correspond to a huge segregation structure derived from a Maupiti-type HTI-bearing gabbro through a vapor-differentiation process. Both intrusions might be considered as representative of two superposed levels in a vertically arranged magmatic complex. In this view, the Maupiti gabbroic bodies would represent the lower part of the postulated system. Under high oxygen fugacity, olivine crystals would have undergone important modifications of their structure, leading to HTI. The huge Bora Bora pegmatoid dyke would be the upper part of the complex. After expulsion from the HTI-bearing gabbroic solidification zone by build-up of gas pressure, vesicle-rich residual melt would have gathered into a shallow level and crystallized there as a pegmatoid body.     

Sub-grid scale parameterisation of 2D hydrodynamic models of inundation in the urban area

This paper presents preliminary results from a study considering the parameterisation of coarse-grid 2D flood models to take into account sub-grid scale flow patterns occurring in the urban area. A simulation of a severe flood in an urbanized coastal floodplain is first run using a fine grid that can resolve the flow around and between buildings. Next, the same model is run again using the same underlying topography, although stripped from any buildings, and a set of 7 values of the roughness parameter (Manning’s n), all larger than (or equal to) the value used in the original run. A further set of simulations is carried out using a five-fold increased grid cell size. It is found that while it may be possible to model the overall effects of the buildings using strongly increased roughness parameter values, using a coarse grid otherwise has implications related to the loss of information about the site topography that results in flood flow routes being incorrectly modelled.     

Apport des marqueurs isotopiques et biogéochimiques dans la reconstitution du paléoenvironnement de la grotte du Lazaret (Nice,Alpes-Maritimes) au cours du Pléistocène supérieur (stade isotopique 5)

The isotopic composition of calcite from the stalagmitic floor E of the Lazaret Cave is interpreted as proxy of atmospheric circulation and vegetal cover changes during IOS 5. The ${\delta }^{18}\mathrm{O}$ variations could indicate change in precipitation sources, which could originate from the Mediterranean Sea during warm periods and from the Atlantic Ocean during colder periods. The ${\delta }^{13}\mathrm{C}$ variations could be related to vegetal cover and soil type. Tree cover appears to be dominant according to pollen spectra, and organic molecules trapped into calcite (sterols, terpenoids, humic acids). To cite this article: L. Rousseau et al., C. R. Geoscience 337 (2005).     

Fluorescence spectra of Titan tholins: in-situ detection of astrobiologically interesting areas on Titan's surface

We report the three-dimensional fluorescence spectra of Titan tholins in water and acetonitrile, and separate some of the fluorescent components of tholins using two-dimensional thin layer chromatography. In acetonitrile, tholins exhibit a broad fluorescence with a maximum at 471 nm, and an excitation maximum at 410 nm. The fluorescence spectrum of a water extraction displays a more complicated spectrum with multiple peaks. TLC results indicate the presence of at least three distinct fluorescent species. In addition, we obtained the two-dimensional fluorescence spectrum of tholins in water ice at 77 K, close to the surface temperature of Titan. The fluorescence of tholins in a 77 K ice matrix is red-shifted in comparison to a water solution, and undergoes a further red-shift when the water solution is heated prior to freezing. These results suggest that a simple fluorescence probe could be used on the surface of Titan to identify sites where tholins have been mixed with water, and possibly reveal information about the extent of heating the tholin-water mixture has undergone. This would be useful for a future mission with the goal of examining the organic chemistry of Titan.     

Ecohydrological modelling with EcH2O‐iso to quantify forest and grassland effects on water partitioning and flux ages

We used the new process‐based, tracer‐aided ecohydrological model EcH₂O‐iso to assess the effects of vegetation cover on water balance partitioning and associated flux ages under temperate deciduous beech forest (F) and grassland (G) at an intensively monitored site in Northern Germany. Unique, multicriteria calibration, based on measured components of energy balance, hydrological function and biomass accumulation, resulted in good simulations reproducing measured soil surface temperatures, soil water content, transpiration, and biomass production. Model results showed the forest “used” more water than the grassland; of 620 mm average annual precipitation, losses were higher through interception (29% under F, 16% for G) and combined soil evaporation and transpiration (59% F, 47% G). Consequently, groundwater (GW) recharge was enhanced under grassland at 37% (~225 mm) of precipitation compared with 12% (~73 mm) for forest. The model tracked the ages of water in different storage compartments and associated fluxes. In shallow soil horizons, the average ages of soil water fluxes and evaporation were similar in both plots (~1.5 months), though transpiration and GW recharge were older under forest (~6 months compared with ~3 months for transpiration, and ~12 months compared with ~10 months for GW). Flux tracking using measured chloride data as a conservative tracer provided independent support for the modelling results, though highlighted effects of uncertainties in forest partitioning of evaporation and transpiration. By tracking storage—flux—age interactions under different land covers, EcH₂O‐iso could quantify the effects of vegetation on water partitioning and age distributions. Given the likelihood of drier, warmer summers, such models can help assess the implications of land use for water resource availability to inform debates over building landscape resilience to climate change. Better conceptualization of soil water mixing processes and improved calibration data on leaf area index and root distribution appear obvious respective modelling and data needs for improved simulations.     

Mapping a geothermal anomaly using apatite (U‐Th)/He thermochronology in the Têt fault damage zone,eastern Pyrenees,France

(U‐Th)/He ages on apatite obtained in the vicinity of the Têt fault hydrothermal system show a large variability. In the inner damage zone adjacent to the fault core, where fluid flows are concentrated, AHe ages display a large scatter (3–41 Ma) and apatite ageing. Samples from the outer damage zone show young ages with less dispersion (0.9–21.1 Ma) and apatite rejuvenation. Outside the damage zone, ages are consistent with the regional exhumation history between 20 and 12 Ma. The important age dispersion found in the damage zone is interpreted as the result of ⁴He mobility during fluid infiltration. Our results show that thermochronological data close to a fault should be interpreted with caution, but may offer a new tool for geothermal exploration.     

Wind-Flow Dynamics Over a Vineyard

Wind-flow dynamics has been extensively studied over horizontally uniform canopies, but agricultural plantations structured in rows such as vineyards have received less attention. Here, the wind flow over a vineyard is studied in neutral stratification from both large-eddy simulation (LES) and in situ measurements. The impact of row structure on the wind dynamics is investigated over a range of wind directions from cross-row to down-row, and a typical range of row aspect ratio (row separation/height ratio). It is shown that the mean flow over a vineyard is similar to that observed in uniform canopies, especially for wind directions from cross-row to diagonal. For down-row winds, the mean flow exhibits noticeable spatial variability across each elementary row-gap pattern, as the wind is channeled in the inter-row. This spatial variability increases with the aspect ratio. With down-row winds the turbulent structures are also more intermittent and generate larger turbulent kinetic energy and momentum flux. The displacement height and roughness length of the vineyard vary with the aspect ratio in a way similar to their variation with canopy density in uniform canopies. Both parameters take smaller values in down-row wind flow, for which the canopy appears more open. The analysis of velocity spectra and autocorrelation functions shows that vineyard canopies share similar features to uniform canopies in terms of turbulent coherent structures, with only minor changes with wind direction.     

Including the Drag Effects of Canopies: Real Case Large-Eddy Simulation Studies

We use the mesoscale meteorological model Meso-NH, taking the drag force of trees into account under stable, unstable and neutral conditions in a real case study. Large-eddy simulations (LES) are carried out for real orography, using a regional forcing model and including the energy and water fluxes between the surface (mostly grass with some hedges of trees) and the atmosphere calculated using a state-of-the-art soil-vegetation-atmosphere-transfer model. The formulation of the drag approach consists of adding drag terms to the momentum equation and subgrid turbulent kinetic energy dissipation, as a function of the foliage density. Its implementation in Meso-NH is validated using Advanced Regional Prediction System simulation results and measurements from Shaw and Schumann (Boundary-Layer Meteorol, 61(1):47?C64, 1992). The simulation shows that the Meso-NH model successfully reproduces the flow within and above homogeneous covers. Then, real case studies are used in order to investigate the three different boundary layers in a LES configuration (resolution down to 2 m) over the ??Lannemezan 2005?? experimental campaign. Thus, we show that the model is able to reproduce realistic flows in these particular cases and confirm that the drag force approach is more efficient than the classical roughness approach in describing the flow in the presence of vegetation at these resolutions.