Petrogenesis of anomalous K-enriched MORB from the Southwest Indian Ridge: 11°53′E to 14°38′E

Glassy pillow basalts with unusual geochemical characteristics for mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) have been dredge sampled from the Southwest Indian Ridge between 12 and 15°E during Leg ANT IV/4 of the F.S. POLARSTERN. Lavas from 4 of 6 dredges are moderately nepheline normative, highly K-enriched (0.5–1.77 wt% K₂O) alkali basalts and hawaiites. Mg-numbers indicate that many of the lavas are fairly primitive (Mg No.=63–67), yet show extreme enrichment in incompatible elements; e.g. Nb (24–60 ppm), Ba (170–470 ppm) and Sr (258–460 ppm). Incompatible-element ratios such as Zr/Nb (3–5) and Y/Nb (0.46–1.1) are extremely low even for E-type (enriched) MORB, whereas (La/Yb)_n ratios are particularly high (3.4–7.8). ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (0.70290–0.70368), ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd (0.51302–0.51284) and ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb (18.708–19.564) isotopic ratios further indicate the geochemically enriched nature of these lavas, which range from the compositional field for depleted N-type (normal) MORB towards the composition of Bouvet Island lavas. Mutually correlated incompatible-element and Sr-, Nd- and Pb-isotopic ratios allow a fairly well constrained model to be developed for the petrogenesis of these unusually alkalic mid-ocean ridge lavas. The alkalic nature and degree of enrichment in incompatible elements is ascribed to particularly low degrees of partial melting (3–5 wt%), at greater than usual depth, of a source region that has experienced prior geochemical enrichment (by veining) related to the upwelling Bouvet mantle plume. To account for the observed compositional variations, a model is proposed whereby mixing between partial melts derived from these geochemically enriched silicate veins, and an incipient to low percentage (±2%) melt from the surrounding geochemically depleted suboceanic asthenosphere occurs as a consequence of increasing degree of melting with adiabatic upwelling. Eruption of these alkalic lavas in this spreading ridge environment is attributed to a temporary hiatus in tholeiitic volcanism and associated spreading along this section of the Southwest Indian Ridge, related to readjustment of spreading direction to a more stable plate geometry.     

Relativistic effects for near-earth satellite orbit determination

The relativistic formulations for the equations which describe the motion of a near-Earth satellite are compared for two commonly used coordinate reference systems (RS). The discussion describes the transformation between the solar system barycentric RS and both the non-inertial and inertial geocentric RSs. A relativistic correction for the Earth's geopotential expressed in the solar system barycentric RS and the effect of geodesic precession on the satellite orbit in the geocentric RS are derived in detail. The effect of the definition of coordinate time on scale is also examined. A long-arc solution using 3 years of laser range measurements of the motion of the Lageos satellite is used to demonstrate that the effects of relativity formulated in the geocentric RS and in the solar system barycentric RS are equivalent to a high degree of accuracy.     

Electron microscopic observations of shale diagenesis, offshore Louisiana, USA, Gulf of Mexico

 Scanning and transmission electron microscopic analyses of shale samples from offshore Louisiana, USA, Gulf of Mexico, reveal the relationship between mineralogical and microfabric changes during burial diagenesis. The local geopressured zone begins at 2200-m depth. Above that depth the shales are smectite-rich, generally lack particle orientation, and contain appreciable pores. Below the 2200-m depth, the shales become more illite-rich with increasing burial, more crystalline, and less porous. Microfabric changes are mainly caused by compaction during burial diagenesis; mineralogical changes (smectite-to-illite) and crystal growth also play an important role in fabric alteration during deep burial diagenesis. Received: 12 May 1998 / Revision received: 14 July 1998     

Something old,something new,something red,something blue*

Abstract

Hydrologists responsible for flood management need real-time data in order to manage imminent or ongoing floods. In this paper, innovative methods for accessing hydrological data and their spatial visualization are introduced. A multitude of relevant real-time, forecast and historical information is provided in a single, self-updating hydrological map information system. The system consists of a central database and a cartographic user interface and provides harmonized and filtered data in the form of interactive, customizable maps. Maps may also be cross-referenced with historical maps or may be animated for improved comprehension and decision making. Emphasis is placed on the development of the hydrological real-time database that manages large amounts of spatial, temporal and attributive data. The paper focuses on the cartographic user interface, its functionality and the resulting interactive hydrological maps.

Citation Lienert, C., Weingartner, R. &; Hurni, L. (2011) An interactive, web-based, real-time hydrological map information system. Hydrol. Sci. J. 56(1), 1–16     

Delay coordinates: a sensitive indicator of nonlinear dynamics in single charged particle motion in magnetic reversals

The delay coordinate technique is examined as an indicator of the regime of particle dynamics for the system of single charged particle motion in magnetic reversals. Examples of numerically integrated trajectories in both static (zero electric field) and time dependent (corresponding nonzero induction electric field) simple models for magnetic reversals are considered. In the static case, the dynamics can in principle be directly classified by constructing Poincaré surfaces of section; here we demonstrate that whilst the Poincaré surface contains the relevant information to classify the dynamics, the corresponding delay coordinate plot can provide a far more sensitive indication of the onset of nonregular behaviour. In the case of nonperiodic time dependence considered here Poincaré plots cannot in general be constructed directly. Nevertheless, delay coordinate plots can still reveal details of the phase space portrait of the system, and here are shown to indicate whether segments of stochastic motion exist in a given trajectory. It is anticipated that the delay coordinate plot technique as realized here will be a valuable tool in characterizing the behaviour in large numbers of trajectories that are evolved in time-dependent systems, thereby giving us insight into the evolution of the distribution function as a whole, either in prescribed fields or in self-consistent numerical simulations.     

Numerical simulations of protostellar encounters — II. Coplanar disc–disc encounters

It is expected that an average protostar will undergo at least one impulsive interaction with a neighbouring protostar whilst a large fraction of its mass is still in a massive, extended disc. Such interactions must have a significant impact upon the evolution of the protostars and their discs.   We have carried out a series of simulations of coplanar encounters between two stars, each possessing a massive circumstellar disc, using an SPH code that models gravitational, hydrodynamic and viscous forces. We find that during a coplanar encounter, disc material is swept up into a shock layer between the two interacting stars, and the layer then fragments to produce new protostellar condensations. The truncated remains of the discs may subsequently fragment; and the outer regions of the discs may be thrown off to form circumbinary disc-like structures around the stars. Thus coplanar disc–disc encounters lead efficiently to the formation of multiple star systems and small- N clusters, including substellar objects.     

A High-Resolution Solar Telescope Using Dark-Lens Diffractive Optics

A telescope based upon dark-lens diffractive optics would be a uniquely new instrument for solar astronomy. The image formation process in such a telescope gives an intrinsically higher resolving power and a greatly reduced image intensity compared to that of refracting or reflecting optical systems of similar lens dimension. This low image intensity would be an advantage for solar observations made using a very large imaging element. After a brief overview of the history of solar instrument development, a quantitative evaluation of the dark-lens diffracting solar telescope concept is presented, showing the potential of this imaging method to meet or even to exceed the most demanding resolution goals currently being considered for future space-borne solar telescopes.     

Polynomial expansions in likelihoods for spatial data: A case study

This paper illustrates the computational benefits of polynomial representations for quantities in the likelihood function for the spatial linear model based on the power covariance scheme. These benefits include a comprehensive study of likelihoods and maximum likelihood estimators for data. For simplicity, we focus on a relatively simple covariance scheme and data observed at equal intervals along a transect; we briefly indicate how generalizations to more complicated covariance functions and higher dimensions will operate.     

Palaeomagnetism of the Macaronesian Insular Region: The Cape Verde Islands

Palaeomagnetic pole positions have been determined for a collection of igneous rocks, comprising nearly five hundred samples, from the Cape Verde Islands of Santa Antao, Sao Vicente, Sao Nicolao and Sao Tiago. Limited data from the islands of Sal, Maio and Fogo are also presented. Stratigraphic control suggusts that the lavas are overwhelmingly Miocene in age on Sao Tiago and Sao Nicolao. Similarity in the palaeomagnetic pole positions indicates that Miocene lavas are also dominant on Santa Antao and Sao Vicente.
Substantial areas within two of the islands are of reversed polarity only, suggesting either a rapid extrusion rate, or the existence of a long reversed polarity epoch during the Miocene period. The palaeomagnetic pole positions for each island are close to the present geographic pole, excluding the possibility of Post-Miocene differential crustal spreading (or rotation about a vertical axis) in this part of the Atlantic. The palaeomagnetic pole position for the entire survey is consistent with the Miocene geographic pole being removed from, but close to, the present geographic pole; and is in harmony with the European polar wandering curve.