Atmospheric CO2 sink: Silicate weathering or carbonate weathering?

It is widely accepted that chemical weathering of Ca–silicate rocks could potentially control long-term climate change by providing feedback interaction with atmospheric CO₂ drawdown by means of precipitation of carbonate, and that in contrast weathering of carbonate rocks has not an equivalent impact because all of the CO₂ consumed in the weathering process is returned to the atmosphere by the comparatively rapid precipitation of carbonates in the oceans. Here, it is shown that the rapid kinetics of carbonate dissolution and the importance of small amounts of carbonate minerals in controlling the dissolved inorganic C (DIC) of silicate watersheds, coupled with aquatic photosynthetic uptake of the weathering-related DIC and burial of some of the resulting organic C, suggest that the atmospheric CO₂ sink from carbonate weathering may previously have been underestimated by a factor of about 3, amounting to 0.477 Pg C/a. This indicates that the contribution of silicate weathering to the atmospheric CO₂ sink may be only 6%, while the other 94% is by carbonate weathering. Therefore, the atmospheric CO₂ sink by carbonate weathering might be significant in controlling both the short-term and long-term climate changes. This questions the traditional point of view that only chemical weathering of Ca–silicate rocks potentially controls long-term climate change.     

Laser‐cut Rb–Sr microsampling dating of deformational events in the Mont Blanc‐Aiguilles Rouges region (European Alps)

Spatial control for in situ dating of mineral phases in fine‐grained rocks is a significant challenge in geochronology, and the precision of microsampling is a crucial factor in obtaining accurate results. In this study, a new microsampling approach to Rb–Sr geochronology has been applied to greenschist facies mylonitic shear zones in the Mont Blanc‐Aiguille Rouges region of the western European Alps. Using a laser‐ablation system for microsampling by laser cutting followed by conventional TIMS Rb–Sr isotopic analysis of μg‐sized samples provides an improved workflow for texturally controlled, quasi in situ dating of mineral phases. The automated cutting process minimizes material loss and the risk of handling errors, while facilitating sampling of complex shapes of almost any size, a significant improvement over earlier microscope‐mounted microdrills. The new Rb–Sr white mica–calcite ages of between 27 and 30 Ma indicate Oligocene deformation in Alpine shear zones from two specific areas in the Mont Blanc‐Aiguilles Rouges region.     

东西特提斯晚白垩世深水底栖有孔虫生物相和岩相

白垩纪深水古海洋学研究仍处于早期发展阶段,一方面是由于来自钙质底栖有孔虫的稳定同位素和地球化学数据的缺乏,其原因在于白垩纪高碳酸盐补偿深度;另一方面在于深水有机质胶结有孔虫示踪古海洋还没有充分发展起来。深海环境深水胶结有孔虫的分布主要取决于碳酸盐可利用状况、原始生产的输入通量、深水交换、环境波动(深海洋流、浊流和快速沉积事件)和底层沉积类型,因此对于重建深海环境具有非常巨大的潜力。东、西特提斯Campanian Maastrichtian深水底栖有孔虫组合的统计分析揭示出6个生物相,代表着明显不同的沉积环境。包括:深海红色泥岩与矮小深海生物组合(生物相1);红色深海泥灰岩(“Couches Rouges”相),含钙质胶结有孔虫组合(生物相3);深水远洋灰岩(“Scaglia Rossa”相),含易碎的Rhizammina组合(生物相2);绿色灰色半远洋泥灰岩,含适应高输出通量生物组合(生物相4);半远洋泥岩和粉砂岩,含Aschemocella Nothia 组合(生物相5);陆源浊积层序,含“复理石型”Rhabdammina组合(生物相6)。Campanian Maastrichtian红色氧化深水环境动物组合与现今深海类似,而白垩纪贫氧深海环境胶结组合在现今无法找到相类似物。随着古生态信息的增加和数据库的扩展,深水胶结有孔虫有望成为揭示古海洋条件的重要工具,尤?     

Reconstruction of Middle to Late Quaternary sea level using submerged speleothems from the northeastern Yucatán Peninsula

We examined 14 subaerially deposited speleothems retrieved from submerged caves in the northeastern Yucatán Peninsula (Mexico). These speleothems grew during the Middle to Late Quaternary and were dated by ²³⁰Th-U techniques to provide upper depth limits for past sea levels. We report the first relative sea-level limits for Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 11 and 6, and present new evidence for sea-level oscillations during MIS 5 and early MIS 1. For the latter periods, the origin of growth interruptions is evaluated by combining petrographic methods with trace element analyses. The MIS 5c sea-level highstand probably occurred between 103.94 ± 0.58 ka and 96.82 ± 0.42 ka and must have exceeded -10.8 m (relative to present-day local sea level). The minimum average rate of sea-level fall over a 9.4 ka-long period during the MIS 5e/5d transition is calculated from stalagmite and published coral data at 1.74 ± 0.37 m/ka. For the early Holocene, previous discrepancies with respect to a potential multimetre oscillation of local sea level were found to be challenging to reconcile with the existing speleothem data from the area.     

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) by the construction of subsurface dams in the semi-arid regions: A case study of the Kalangi river basin, Andhra Pradesh

Overuse of groundwater in coastal areas, due to high population and agricultural activity results in seawater intrusion into the coastal aquifer. This paper presents the control measures taken to manage aquifer recharge (MAR) and also to overcome the problem of seawater intrusion into the coastal aquifer along the Kalangi river, Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh, India having connectivity with Pulicat (saltwater) lake estuary. Due to overexploitation of groundwater and less rainfall in past years, adjacent seawater has started intruding in the Kalangi river sub-surface and deteriorating groundwater quality up to 11.6 km from the confluence of the river with Pulicat lake. To prevent this situtation, subsurface dams were constructed in traditional manner using local earth material in three different places across the Kalangi river near Sullurpet town. The water storage capacities calculated after the sub-surface dams’ construction are 1.28 mcft at GK Engineering College, 6.23 mcft at Challamagudi and 3.143 mcft at Holy Cross School sites. The Holy Cross School sub-surface dam is the first full scale dam-cum-check dam constructed to prevent salt water intrusion in the Kalangi river at Sullurpet, Nellore district, Andhra Pradesh. At the Kalangi river estuary portion (at the mouth of sea) a groyne was reconstructed over old groyne site with the introduction of clay bed and wooden sheet piles at down stream. Apart from prevention of sea water entry into Kalangi river sub-surface (during seasons) the groyne top level was raised to prevent mixing of high sea water tides with fresh water and ensuring additional storage of fresh water at upstream side. The reconstructed groyne was serving the purpose of obstructing the surface seawater entry in the Kalangi river and water quality has improved in the river as well as in the wells. After construction of sub-surface dam, as per the Simpson ratio classification, there is substantial improvement of water quality in the SHAR infiltration well situated near the Holy Cross School sub-surface dam.     

Interglacial complex and solcomplex

All younger Pleistocene interglacials form interglacial complexes. The term interglacial complex is a short term for a tight complex of interglacials, interstadials and breviglacials, separating a complex of warm periods from the long glacial periods (euglacials). In the terrestric environment the interglacial complexes are represented by soil clusters (solcomplexes). Therein which occur interglacial and interstadial soils of different types in the loess environment separated by thin beds of loess or loess derivates (breviglacials). This article considers the mutilation and simulation of solcomplexes. Frequently, fossil solcomplexes present themselves as diminished to a few soils or to one single soil. This mutilation of solcomplexes can be due to soil convergence (soils of different warm periods — interglacials, interstadials — merge to form optically one soil), syn-solcomplex erosion or post-solcomplex erosion and sometimes to soil disguise. Conversely solcomplexes may be simulated by narrowing of soils which belong to different interglacial complexes and moreover by soil divergence (splitting of a soil of one single warm period by an interlayer of rock) or by reworked soil sediment.     

Transmission electron microscopy on meteoritic troilite

Phase transitions and associated domains of meteoritic troilite (FeS) have been studied by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Three polymorphs have been found, two of which can be described by superstructures of the NiAs-type structure (A, C subcell). The P \(\overline 6\) 2c (√3A, 2C) polymorph, stable at room temperature, displays antiphase domains with the displacement vector 1/3< \(\overline {\text{1}}\) 10>. In situ heating experiments showed that the P \(\overline 6\) 2c polymorph changes at temperatures of 115°–150° C into an orthorhombic pseudohexagonal transitional phase with the probable space group Pmcn (A,√3A, C). It contains antiphase domains with the displacement vector 1/2 [110] and twins with a threefold twin-axis parallel c. When heated above 210° C the transitional phase transforms into the high-temperature modification with NiAs structure (P6 ₃/mmc). All observed phase transitions are reversible. The occurrence of antiphase and twin domains, respectively, agrees with the symmetry reductions involved in the subsolidus phase transitions. This is demonstrated by group-subgroup relationships among the space groups P6 ₃/mmc, Pmcn, and P \(\overline 6\) 2c.     

Multi-stage Ag–Bi–Co–Ni–U and Cu–Bi vein mineralization at Wittichen,Schwarzwald, SW Germany: geological setting,ore mineralogy,and fluid evolution

The Wittichen Co–Ag–Bi–U mining area (Schwarzwald ore district, SW Germany) hosts several unconformity-related vein-type mineralizations within Variscan leucogranite and Permian to Triassic redbeds. The multistage mineralization formed at the intersection of two fault systems in the last 250 Ma. A Permo-Triassic ore stage I with minor U–Bi–quartz–fluorite mineralization is followed by a Jurassic to Cretaceous ore stage II with the main Ag and Co mineralization consisting of several generations of gangue minerals that host the sub-stages of U–Bi, Bi–Ag, Ni–As–Bi and Co–As–Bi. Important ore minerals are native elements, Co and Ni arsenides, and pitchblende; sulphides are absent. The Miocene ore stage III comprises barite with the Cu–Bi sulfosalts emplectite, wittichenite and aikinite, and the sulphides anilite and djurleite besides native Bi, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, galena and tennantite. The mineral-forming fluid system changed from low salinity (<5 wt.% NaCl) at high temperature (around 300°C) in Permian to highly saline (around 25 wt.% NaCl + CaCl₂) at lower temperatures (50–150°C) in Triassic to Cretaceous times. Thermodynamic calculations and comparison with similar mineralizations worldwide show that the Mesozoic ore-forming fluid was alkaline with redox conditions above the hematite–magnetite buffer. We suggest that the precipitation mechanism for native elements, pitchblende and arsenides is a decrease in pH during fluid mixing processes. REE patterns in fluorite and the occurrence of Bi in all stages suggest a granitic source of some ore-forming elements, whereas, e.g. Ag, Co and Ni probably have been leached from the redbeds. The greater importance of Cu and isotope data indicates that the Miocene ore stage III is more influenced by fluids from the overlying redbeds and limestones than the earlier mineralization stages.     

Tritium and90Sr in North Atlantic surface water

Areal distributions and complete time histories since 1952 are presented of the tritium and⁹⁰Sr concentrations in North Atlantic surface water. The distributions are based on a compilation of measured North Atlantic surface water tritium concentrations which is part of this paper and includes hitherto unpublished measurements, and on available⁹⁰Sr compilations. To reconstruct the insufficiently represented early concentrations, a two-box North Atlantic mixing model with tropospheric input is employed, for which the input is specified (on relative scales), and which is fitted to the available surface water observations. This procedure gives a natural tritium concentration of 0.2 TU (±30%), and furthermore suggests that part of the old oceanic tritium and⁹⁰Sr measurements are high. The fit requires characteristic model mixing times of 2.5 years (exchange with an intermediate-depth reservoir about three times the size of the surface box) and 30 years (loss into the deep ocean), and a tritium/⁹⁰Sr input ratio of 310 Ci/Ci. The areal distributions and time histories can serve as boundary value data for evaluations of subsurface tritium and⁹⁰Sr measurements.