First results from the Isaac Newton Telescope Wide Angle Survey: the quasar survey

We report the first results of an observational programme designed to determine the luminosity density of high-redshift quasars     quasars) using deep multicolour CCD data. We report the discovery and spectra of three     high-redshift     quasars, including one with     . At     , this is the fourth highest redshift quasar currently published. Using these preliminary results we derive an estimate of the         quasar space density in the redshift range     of     . When completed, the survey will provide a firm constraint on the contribution to the ionizing UV background in the redshift range     from quasars by determining the faint-end slope of the quasar luminosity function. The survey uses imaging data taken with the 2.5-m Isaac Newton Telescope as part of the Public Isaac Newton Group Wide Field Survey (WFS). This initial sample of objects is taken from two fields of effective area ∼12.5 deg² from the final ∼100 deg².     

The chlorine isotope composition of iron meteorites: Evidence for the Cl isotope composition of the solar nebula and implications for extensive devolatilization during planet formation

The bulk chlorine concentrations and isotopic compositions of a suite of non‐carbonaceous (NC) and carbonaceous (CC) iron meteorites were measured using gas source mass spectrometry. The δ³⁷Cl values of magmatic irons range from ?7.2 to 18.0‰ versus standard mean ocean chloride and are unrelated to their chlorine concentrations, which range from 0.3 to 161 ppm. Nonmagmatic IAB irons are comparatively Cl‐rich containing >161 ppm with δ³⁷Cl values ranging from ?6.1 to ?3.2‰. The anomalously high and low δ³⁷Cl values are inconsistent with a terrestrial source, and as Cl contents in magmatic irons are largely consistent with derivation from a chondrite‐like silicate complement, we suggest that Cl is indigenous to iron meteorites. Two NC irons, Cape York and Gibeon, have high cooling rates with anomalously high δ³⁷Cl values of 13.4 and 18.0‰. We interpret these high isotopic compositions to result from Cl degassing during the disruption of their parent bodies, consistent with their low volatile contents (Ga, Ge, Ag). As no relevant mechanisms in iron meteorite parent bodies are expected to decrease δ³⁷Cl values, whereas volatilization is known to increase δ³⁷Cl values by the preferential loss of light isotopes, we interpret the low isotope values of <?5‰ and down to ?7.2‰ to most closely represent the primordial isotopic composition of Cl in the solar nebula. Similar conclusions have been derived from low δ³⁷Cl values down to ?6, and ?3.8‰ measured in Martian and Vestan meteorites, respectively. These low δ³⁷Cl values are in contrast to those of chondrites which average around 0‰ previously explained by the incorporation of isotopically heavy HCl clathrate into chondrite parent bodies. The poor retention of low δ³⁷Cl values in many differentiated planetary materials suggest that extensive devolatilization occurred during planet formation, which can explain Earth's high δ³⁷Cl value by the loss of approximately 60% of the initial Cl content.     

Uranium speciation and stability after reductive immobilization in aquifer sediments

It has generally been assumed that the bioreduction of hexavalent uranium in groundwater systems will result in the precipitation of immobile uraninite (UO₂). In order to explore the form and stability of uranium immobilized under these conditions, we introduced lactate (15 mM for 3 months) into flow-through columns containing sediments derived from a former uranium-processing site at Old Rifle, CO. This resulted in metal-reducing conditions as evidenced by concurrent uranium uptake and iron release. Despite initial augmentation with Shewanella oneidensis, bacteria belonging to the phylum Firmicutes dominated the biostimulated columns. The immobilization of uranium (∼1 mmol U per kg sediment) enabled analysis by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). Tetravalent uranium associated with these sediments did not have spectroscopic signatures representative of U-U shells or crystalline UO₂. Analysis by microfocused XAS revealed concentrated micrometer regions of solid U(IV) that had spectroscopic signatures consistent with bulk analyses and a poor proximal correlation (μm scale resolution) between U and Fe. A plausible explanation, supported by biogeochemical conditions and spectral interpretations, is uranium association with phosphoryl moieties found in biomass; hence implicating direct enzymatic uranium reduction. After the immobilization phase, two months of in situ exposure to oxic influent did not result in substantial uranium remobilization. Ex situ flow-through experiments demonstrated more rapid uranium mobilization than observed in column oxidation studies and indicated that sediment-associated U(IV) is more mobile than biogenic UO₂. This work suggests that in situ uranium bioimmobilization studies and subsurface modeling parameters should be expanded to account for non-uraninite U(IV) species associated with biomass.     

Preface: Proceedings of the 5th International Symposium on Lithographic Limestone and Plattenkalk

Magmatic rocks from the pre-Mesozoic basements of the Sambuco and Maggia nappes have been dated by U–Pb zircon ages with the LA-ICPMS technique. Several magmatic events have been identified in the Sambuco nappe. The mafic banded calc-alkaline suite of Scheggia is dated at 540 Ma, an age comparable to that of mafic rocks in the Austroalpine Silvretta nappe. The Sasso Nero peraluminous augengneiss has an age of 480–470 Ma, like many other “older orthogneisses” in Alpine basement units. It hosts a large proportion of inherited zircons, which were dated around 630 Ma, a Panafrican age indicating the Gondwanan affiliation of the Sambuco basement. The calc-alkaline Matorello pluton yielded ages around 300 Ma, similar to numerous Late Carboniferous intrusions in other basement units of the Lower Penninic (Monte Leone, Antigorio, Verampio) and Helvetic domains (Gotthard and other External Crystalline Massifs). Associated lamprophyric dykes are slightly younger (300–290 Ma), like similar dykes sampled in gneiss blocks included in the sedimentary cover of the underlying Antigorio nappe (290–285 Ma). The Cocco granodiorite and Rüscada leucogranite, both intruding the basement of the neighbouring Maggia nappe, yielded ages of ca. 300–310 Ma, identical within errors to the age of the Matorello pluton. They are significantly older than former age determinations. This age coincidence, coupled with remarkable petrologic similarities between the Cocco and Matorello granodiorites, strongly suggests paleogeographic proximity of the Sambuco and Maggia nappes in Late Carboniferous times. In recent publications these two nappes have been interpreted as belonging to distinct Mesozoic paleogeographic domains: “European” for Sambuco and “Briançonnais” for Maggia, separated by the “Valais” oceanic basin. In this case, the similarity of the Matorello and Cocco intrusions would demonstrate the absence of any significant transcurrent movement between these two continental domains. Alternatively, according to a more traditional view, Sambuco and Maggia might belong to a single large Alpine tectonic unit.     

Tracing nitrogen in volcanic and geothermal volatiles from the Nicaraguan volcanic front

We report new chemical and isotopic data from 26 volcanic and geothermal gases, vapor condensates, and thermal water samples, collected along the Nicaraguan volcanic front. The samples were analyzed for chemical abundances and stable isotope compositions, with a focus on nitrogen abundances and isotope ratios. These data are used to evaluate samples for volatile contributions from magma, air, air-saturated water, and the crust. Samples devoid of crustal contamination (based upon He isotope composition) but slightly contaminated by air or air-saturated water are corrected using N₂/Ar ratios in order to obtain primary magmatic values, composed of contributions from upper mantle and subducted hemipelagic sediment on the down-going plate. Using a mantle endmember with δ¹⁵N = −5‰ and N₂/He = 100 and a subducted sediment component with δ¹⁵N = +7‰ and N₂/He = 10,500, the average sediment contribution to Nicaraguan volcanic and geothermal gases was determined to be 71%. Most of the gases were dominated by sediment-derived nitrogen, but gas from Volcán Mombacho, the southernmost sampling location, had a mantle signature (46% from subducted sediment, or 54% from the mantle) and an affinity with mantle-dominated gases discharging from Costa Rica localities to the south. High CO₂/N_{2 exc.} ratios (N_{2 exc.} is the N₂ abundance corrected for contributions from air) in the south are similar to those in Costa Rica, and reflect the predominant mantle wedge input, whereas low ratios in the north indicate contribution by altered oceanic crust and/or preferential release of nitrogen over carbon from the subducting slab. Sediment-derived nitrogen fluxes at the Nicaraguan volcanic front, estimated by three methods, are 7.8 × 10⁸ mol N/a from ³He flux, 6.9 × 10⁸ mol/a from SO₂ flux, and 2.1 × 10⁸ and 1.3 × 10⁹ mol/a from CO₂ fluxes calculated from ³He and SO₂, respectively. These flux results are higher than previous estimates for Central America, reflecting the high sediment-derived volatile contribution and the high nitrogen content of geothermal and volcanic gases in Nicaragua. The fluxes are also similar to but higher than estimated hemipelagic nitrogen inputs at the trench, suggesting addition of N from altered oceanic basement is needed to satisfy these flux estimates. The similarity of the calculated input of N via the trench to our calculated outputs suggests that little or none of the subducted nitrogen is being recycled into the deeper mantle, and that it is, instead, returned to the surface via arc volcanism.     

Restoring capability of bilinear hysteretic seismic isolation systems

The restoring capability (or re‐centering capability) is identified by the current design codes as a fundamental feature of seismic isolation systems. In this paper, the restoring capability of bilinear hysteretic or frictional seismic isolation systems is investigated in some detail. Certain energy considerations are examined first in order to provide insight into and reveal governing parameters on individual aspects of the problem. The restoring capability is then investigated through an extensive parametric study of smooth bilinear single‐degree‐of‐freedom hysteretic systems, with parameters covering a range of typical seismic isolation systems, subjected to a large group of recorded earthquakes. The results of the parametric analyses are processed statistically and regression analysis relations are derived that show the dependence of the residual displacement after the earthquake and the cumulative build up of displacements after a series of successive earthquakes on the governing parameters. Based on the analysis results, the features of the bilinear system that ensure sufficient restoring capability are identified. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Temporal variations in bedload transport rates associated with the migration of bedforms

Temporal variations in bedload transport rates that occur at a variety of timescales, even under steady flow conditions, are accepted as an inherent component of the bedload transport process. Rarely, however, has the cause of such variations been explained clearly. We consider three data sets, obtained from laboratory experiments, that refer to measurements of bedload transport made with continuously recording bedload traps. Each data set is characterized by a predominant low-frequency oscillation, on which additional higher-frequency oscillations generally are superimposed. The period of these oscillations, as isolated through the use of spectral analysts, ranged between 0·47 and 168 minutes, and was associated unequivocally with the migration of bedforms such as ripples, dunes, and bars. The extent to which such oscillatory behaviour may be recognized in a data set depends on the duration of sampling and the length of the sampling time, with respect to the period of a given bedform. Several theoretical probability distribution functions have been developed to describe the frequency distributions of (relative) bedload transport rates that are associated with the migration of bedforms (Einstein, 1937b; Hamamori, 1962; Carey and Hubbell, 1986). These distribution functions were derived without reference to a sampling interval. We present a modification of Hamamori's (1962) probability distribution function, generated by Monte Carlo simulation, which permits one to specify the sampling interval, in relation to the length of a bedform. Comparisons between the simulated and observed frequency distributions, that were undertaken on the basis of the data described herein, are good (significant at the 90 per cent confidence level). Finally, the implications that temporal variability, which is associated with the migration of bedforms, have for the accurate determination of bedload transport rates are considered.