Origin of Lower Cretaceous quartzose arenites in northern India and the Indus Basins of Pakistan—The result of provenance composition,weathering or diagenesis?

Lower Cretaceous (Aptian-Albian) sandstones of the Ghaggar-Hakra Formation in the Barmer Basin of northwest Rajasthan, India, have a complex depositional history which is confusing given they are quartzose arenites. The heavy mineral grains are very well-rounded, and the assemblage is dominated by zircon and rutile grains suggesting that the sediments have been recycled multiple times, whilst the presence of staurolite indicates a metapelite provenance component. Petrographical analysis suggests that extreme diagenesis cannot account for the quartzose arenite composition, despite Early Cretaceous soil formation and at least two periods of subsequent telogenetic modification. An alternative explanation to extreme chemical weathering in the provenance area is that the Ghaggar-Hakra sandstones are multi-cycle sediments derived, at least in part, from the quartzose arenites of the Cambrian Jodhpur Group. This analysis suggests that variations in detrital mineralogy across the Western India Rift System and Indus Basins are the result of transcontinental fluvial transport systems sourcing sediment from specific basement highs (Nagar Parker High, Devikot High, Deodar Ridge and Aravalli Mountain Range) mixed with varying proportions of sediment derived from sandstones of the Jodhpur Group. Consequently, we suggest that Cretaceous fluvial systems were controlled by the local palaeogeographies within the failed rifts of the Barmer and Cambay Basins and that both basins formed barriers to sediment transport from the Aravalli Mountain Range across the northwest Indian plate and into surrounding basins.     

Effect of Baroclinicity on Vortex Axisymmetrization.Part Ⅱ：Baroclinic Basic Vortex

The effect of baroclinicity on vortex axisymmetrization is examined within a two-layer dynamical model.Three basic state vortices are constructed with varying degrees of baroclinicity：（i） barotropic,（ii） weak baroclinic,and （iii） strong baroclinic.The linear and nonlinear evolution of wavenumber-2 baroclinic disturbances are examined in each of the three basic state vortices.The results show that the radial propagating speed of the vortex Rossby wave at the lower level is larger with the stronger baroclinicity,resulting in a faster linear axisymmetrization process in the stronger baroclinic vortex.It is found that the nonlinear axisymmetrization process takes the longest time in the strongest baroclinic vortex among the three different basic vortices due to the weaker kinetic energy transfer from asymmetric to symmetric circulations at the lower level.A major finding in this study is that the same initial asymmetric perturbation can have different effects on symmetric vortices depending on the initial vortex baroclinicity.In numerical weather prediction models,this implies that there exists a sensitivity of the subsequent structural and intensity change solely due to the specification of the initial vertical shear of the tropical cyclone vortex.     

Anthropogenic organic contaminants in water, sediments and benthic organisms of the mangrove-fringed Segara Anakan Lagoon, Java, Indonesia

Segara Anakan, a mangrove-fringed coastal lagoon in Indonesia, has a high diversity of macrobenthic invertebrates and is increasingly affected by human activities. We found >50 organic contaminants in water, sediment and macrobenthic invertebrates from the lagoon most of which were polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs). Composition of PACs pointed to petrogenic contamination in the eastern lagoon. PACs mainly consisted of alkylated PAHs, which are more abundant in crude oil than parent PAHs. Highest total PAC concentration in sediment was above reported toxicity thresholds for aquatic invertebrates. Other identified compounds derived from municipal sewage and also included novel contaminants like triphenylphosphine oxide. Numbers of stored contaminants varied between species which is probably related to differences in microhabitat and feeding mode. Most contaminants were detected in Telescopium telescopium and Polymesoda erosa. Our findings suggest that more attention should be paid to the risk potential of alkylated PAHs, which has hardly been addressed previously.     

Cyclic spattering,seismic tremor,and surface fluctuation within a perched lava channel,Kīlauea Volcano

In late 2007, a perched lava channel, built up to 45 m above the preexisting surface, developed during the ongoing eruption near Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō cone on Kīlauea Volcano’s east rift zone. The lava channel was segmented into four pools extending over a total of 1.4 km. From late October to mid-December, a cyclic behavior, consisting of steady lava level rise terminated by vigorous spattering and an abrupt drop in lava level, was commonly observed in pool 1. We use geologic observations, video, time-lapse camera images, and seismicity to characterize and understand this cyclic behavior. Spattering episodes occurred at intervals of 40–100 min during peak activity and involved small (5–10-m-high) fountains limited to the margins of the pool. Most spattering episodes had fountains which migrated downchannel. Each spattering episode was associated with a rapid lava level drop of about 1 m, which was concurrent with a conspicuous cigar-shaped tremor burst with peak frequencies of 4–5 Hz. We interpret this cyclic behavior to be gas pistoning, and this is the first documented instance of gas pistoning in lava well away from the deeper conduit. Our observations and data indicate that the gas pistoning was driven by gas accumulation beneath the visco-elastic component of the surface crust, contrary to other studies which attribute similar behavior to the periodic rise of gas slugs. The gas piston events typically had a gas mass of about 2,500 kg (similar to the explosions at Stromboli), with gas accumulation and release rates of about 1.1 and 5.7 kg s⁻¹, respectively. The time-averaged gas output rate of the gas pistoning events accounted for about 1–2% of the total gas output rate of the east rift zone eruption.     

Analysis of bacterial diversity and metals in produced water, seawater and sediments from an offshore oil and gas production platform

Produced water is one of the largest waste products routinely discharged into the ocean from offshore oil and gas platforms. This study analyzed bacterial communities and metals in the produced water, surrounding seawater, and sediment around the Thebaud platform. The bacterial community within the produced water was different from the seawater (SAB = 13.3), but the discharge had no detectable effect on the bacterial communities in the seawater (SAB > 97). In contrast, genomic analysis of sediments revealed that the bacterial community from 250 m was different (SAB = 70) from other locations further from the discharge, suggesting that the produced water had a detectable effect on the bacterial community in the sediment closest to the discharge. These near-field sediments contained elevated concentrations of manganese and iron that are associated with the produced water effluent. The results suggested that the discharge of produced water has influenced the bacterial community structure of sediments adjacent to the platform.     

Confirmation of mass-independent Ni isotopic variability in iron meteorites

We report high-precision analyses of internally-normalised Ni isotope ratios in 12 bulk iron meteorites. Our measurements of ⁶⁰Ni/⁶¹Ni, ⁶²Ni/⁶¹Ni and ⁶⁴Ni/⁶¹Ni normalised to ⁵⁸Ni/⁶¹Ni and expressed in parts per ten thousand (?) relative to NIST SRM 986 as and , vary by 0.146, 0.228 and 0.687, respectively. The precision on a typical analysis is 0.03?, 0.05? and 0.08? for , and , respectively, which is comparable to our sample reproducibility. We show that this ‘mass-independent’ Ni isotope variability cannot be ascribed to interferences, inaccurate correction of instrumental or natural mass-dependent fractionation, fractionation controlled by nuclear field shift effects, nor the influence of cosmic ray spallation. These results thus document the presence of mass-independent Ni isotopic heterogeneity in bulk meteoritic samples, as previously proposed by Regelous et al. (2008) (EPSL 272, 330-338), but our new analyses are more precise and include determination of ⁶⁴Ni. Intriguingly, we find that terrestrial materials do not yield homogenous internally-normalised Ni isotope compositions, which, as pointed out by Young et al. (2002) (GCA 66, 1095-1104), may be the expected result of using the exponential (kinetic) law and atomic masses to normalise all fractionation processes. The certified Ni isotope reference material NIST SRM 986 defines zero in this study, while appropriate ratios for the bulk silicate Earth are given by the peridotites JP-1 and DTS-2 and, relative to NIST SRM 986, yield deviations in , and of −0.006?, 0.036? and 0.119?, respectively. There is a strong positive correlation between and in iron meteorites analyses, with a slope of 3.03 ± 0.71. The variations of Ni isotope anomalies in iron meteorites are consistent with heterogeneous distribution of a nucleosynthetic component from a type Ia supernova into the proto-solar nebula.     

The international developmental state: The Japanese intellectual property system in Vietnam

This article explores the international implications of the developmental state model of Japanese capitalism. It does so by investigating the extension of Japanese intellectual property (IP) policy and practice in Vietnam. The escalating role of intellectual property within Japanese industrial policy is first framed according to Johnson’s developmental state thesis and extended in reference to the ‘flying geese’ model of regional development in East Asia. This latter approach anticipates Vietnam’s growing importance as a site for Japanese foreign direct investment and technology transfer. Interviews with key informants from both countries and analysis of policy documents provide evidence of the extra-territorial practices employed by Japanese companies, government agencies, and IP intermediaries in Vietnam. These accounts bring to light key developmental mechanisms, such as the packaging of IP internationalization within Japan’s official development assistance (ODA) and the overseas pro-bono work performed by IP intermediary associations in which the line between benevolence and self-interest is blurred. The paper concludes by interpreting these practices in accordance with the broader strategic imperatives of Japan in the region.     

Impacts of the ‘<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pacific Adventurer</Emphasis>’ Oil Spill on the Macrobenthos of Subtropical Sandy Beaches

Biological impacts of oil on sandy shore ecosystems remain incompletely understood, especially following smaller spills on subtropical beaches. Here we quantified changes to benthic assemblages on a sandy beach following the 270-t spill of heavy fuel oil from the Pacific Adventurer that occurred in March 2009 off Moreton Island in Eastern Australia. Assessments of ecological impacts are based on spatial contrasts between multiple reference and impact sites sampled 1 week and 3 months after the spill. Benthic invertebrate assemblages exposed to oil had significantly fewer individuals of fewer species 1 week after the spill, markedly changing their ecological structure. Biological differences consistent with oil-related mortality were significant on the lower shore and in the swash and remained so 3 months after the spill. This signals a lack of recovery of these communities in the short term, despite the fairly rapid removal of oil. Results show that, despite the relatively small size of the spill, heavy fuel oil contamination can cause substantial impacts on sandy beach ecosystems, and that recovery may be prolonged.     

Identification of alluvial fans susceptible to debris-flow hazards

We describe and test a method for identifying alluvial fans likely to be affected by debris flows. It is based on identifying catchment parameters by geographical information system interrogation of a digital elevation model, using the Melton ratio as the discriminating parameter. The method was calibrated using data from debris-flow-generating catchments in Coromandel and the adjacent Kaimai Ranges, North Island, NZ, and tested against data from the rest of New Zealand. The procedure is remarkably (but not completely) reliable for identifying debris-flow-capable catchments, and thus fans, across the wide range of climates and lithologies in New Zealand mountains. A case study illustrates the potential of the method for avoiding future hazards and emphasises the need for a precautionary approach when field investigations do not detect evidence for past debris flows.     

Typhoon-induced precipitation impact on nutrient and suspended matter dynamics of a tropical estuary affected by human activities in Hainan,China

Typhoons regularly hit the coasts along the northern South China Sea during summer monsoon. However, little is known on the effects of typhoon-related heavy precipitation on estuarine dynamics and coastal ecosystems. We analyzed physico-chemical characteristics, and concentrations and composition of dissolved and suspended matter in the Wenchang/Wenjiao Estuary (WWE) on the tropical island of Hainan, China, prior to and after typhoon Kammuri in August 2008. Before the typhoon, the estuary displayed vertical and horizontal gradients. High nutrient inputs from agriculture and widespread aquaculture were to a large extent converted into biomass inside the estuarine lagoon resulting in low export of nutrients to coastal waters and a mainly autochthonous origin of total suspended matter (TSM). Heavy typhoon-associated precipitation increased river runoff, which moved the location of the estuarine salinity gradient seaward. It resulted in an export of dissolved and particulate matter to coastal waters one day after the typhoon. Dissolved nutrients increased by up to an order of magnitude and TSM increased approximately twofold compared to pre-typhoon values. Lower δ¹³C_org and δ¹⁵N and elevated C/N ratios of TSM together with lower chlorophyll a (chl a) concentrations indicated an increased contribution of terrestrial material originating from typhoon-induced soil erosion. Local uptake of excess nutrients inside the lagoon was inhibited because of reduced water transparency and the lack of phytoplankton, which had been washed out by the initial freshwater pulse. Two weeks after the typhoon, TSM concentration and composition had almost returned to pre-typhoon conditions. However, physico-chemical properties and nutrients were still different from pre-typhoon conditions indicating that the estuarine system had not fully recovered. Unusually high chl a concentrations in the coastal zone indicated a phytoplankton bloom resulting from the typhoon-induced nutrient export. The typhoon-induced flushing of the WWE resulted in hyposalinity, reduced water transparency, siltation, as well as temporary eutrophication of coastal waters. These are physiological stressors, which are known to impair the performance of adjacent seagrass meadows and coral reefs. The predicted increase in typhoon frequency and intensity will lead to a frequently recurring exposure of coastal ecosystems to these threats, particularly in the South China Sea region where aquaculture is widespread and tropical cyclone frequency is at a maximum.