40Ar–39Ar dating of volcanogenic products from the AND-2A core (ANDRILL Southern McMurdo Sound Project, Antarctica): correlations with the Erebus Volcanic Province and implications for the age model of the core

The AND-2A drillcore (Antarctic Drilling Program—ANDRILL) was successfully completed in late 2007 on the Antarctic continental margin (Southern McMurdo Sound, Ross Sea) with the aim of tracking ice proximal to shallow marine environmental fluctuations and to document the 20-Ma evolution of the Erebus Volcanic Province. Lava clasts and tephra layers from the AND-2A drillcore were investigated from a petrographic and stratigraphic point of view and analyzed by the ⁴⁰Ar–³⁹Ar laser technique in order to constrain the age model of the core and to gain information on the style and nature of sediment deposition in the Victoria Land Basin since Early Miocene. Ten out of 17 samples yielded statistically robust ⁴⁰Ar–³⁹Ar ages, indicating that the AND-2A drillcore recovered ≤230 m of Middle Miocene (∼128–358 m below sea floor, ∼11.5–16.0 Ma) and >780 m of Early Miocene (∼358–1093 m below sea floor, ∼16.0–20.1 Ma). Results also highlight a nearly continuous stratigraphic record from at least 358 m below sea floor down hole, characterized by a mean sedimentation rate of ∼19 cm/ka, possible oscillations of no more than a few hundreds of ka and a break within ∼17.5–18.1 Ma. Comparison with available data from volcanic deposits on land, suggests that volcanic rocks within the AND-2A core were supplied from the south, possibly with source areas closer to the drill site for the upper core levels, and from 358 m below sea floor down hole, with the “proto-Mount Morning” as the main source.     

Thick self-standing bent crystals as optical elements for a Laue lens for applications in astrophysics

In this paper we report progresses in the realization of self-standing bent crystals, which are suitable as optical elements for Laue lenses, i.e. for optic to focus hard X-rays in the 100–1000 keV energy range. The curvature of the crystals is a key factor to enhance diffraction efficiency and energy bandpass for such an optic. In particular, two bent crystals featuring a thickness of 5 mm, made of Si and Ge respectively, were produced at the Sensor and Semiconductor Laboratory in Ferrara, Italy. The crystals were bent through the application of a carbon fibre composite. This proved to be a relatively low cost method for crystal bending, suitable for mass production. The manufactured samples were characterised via optical interferometry, and showed a fairly uniform curvature. Finally, the samples were tested exploiting hard X-ray diffraction at the ID11 facility of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, France. A careful analysis of the experimental data highlighted that the samples feature large energy bandpass, wide geometrical acceptance for incoming hard X-rays, and high diffraction efficiency. We therefore conclude that such self-standing crystals are good candidates as Laue lens components for astrophysics applications.     

Benthic mucilaginous aggregates in the Mediterranean Sea: Origin, chemical composition and polysaccharide characterization

Benthic mucilaginous aggregates are frequently formed in various parts of the Mediterranean basin, as in the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic Seas. Notwithstanding their wide spatial distribution, the role played by these aggregates in the biogeochemical cycling of organic matter is still largely unknown.The characteristics of the benthic aggregates examined in the present study showed that they are different from other mucilaginous aggregates, such as the “pelagic” ones that can form in the same areas in the water column and subsequently sediment to the seafloor. The aggregates are usually formed of structures of the filamentous macroalgae Acinetospora crinita, Chrysonephos lewisii and Nematochrysopsis marina. The elemental composition of the aggregates showed a marine macrophyte origin on the basis of the bulk organic matter content of the aggregates. Carbohydrates and proteins account for 26.6 to 55.9% of the organic carbon in the mucilage, respectively. Monosaccharide composition of exopolysaccharides in the mucilage aggregates revealed a characteristic pattern, with galactose, xylose or mannose and fucose as the major components. The relatively high content of deoxysugars is another distinctive feature. The abundant sulphate and uronic groups present in the polysaccharides in addition to their macromolecular dimensions and elongation contribute to inter-chain aggregation. Electron microscopic observations suggest that the polysaccharide fraction is the main macromolecular component in the formation of the persistent gel network in the aggregates.     

Origin and interaction of mafic and felsic magmas in an evolving late orogenic setting: the Early Paleozoic Terra Nova Intrusive Complex, Antarctica

The Abbott Unit (∼508 Ma) and the Vegetation Unit (∼475 Ma) of the Terra Nova Intrusive Complex (northern Victoria Land, Antarctica) represent the latest magmatic events related to the Early Paleozoic Ross Orogeny. They show different emplacement styles and depths, ranging from forcible at 0.4–0.5 GPa for the Abbott Unit to passive at ∼0.2 GPa for the Vegetation Unit. Both units consist of mafic, felsic and intermediate facies which collectively define continuous chemical trends. The most mafic rocks from both units show different enrichment in trace element and Sr-Nd isotopic signatures. Once the possible effects of upper crustal assimilation-fractional crystallisation (AFC) and lower crustal coupled AFC and magma refilling processes have been taken into account the following features are recognised: (1) the modelled primary Abbott Unit magma shows a slightly enriched incompatible element distribution, similar to common continental arc basalts and (2) the modelled primary Vegetation Unit magma displays highly enriched isotope ratios and incompatible element patterns. We interpreted these major changes in magmatic affinity and emplacement style as linked to a major change in the tectonic setting affecting melt generation, rise and emplacement of the magmas. The Abbott Unit mafic melts were derived from a mantle wedge above a subduction zone, with subcontinental lithospheric mantle marginally involved in the melting column. The Vegetation Unit mafic melts are regarded as products of a different source involving an old layer of subcontinental lithospheric mantle. The crustal evolution of both types of mafic melts is marked by significant compositional contrasts in Sr and Nd isotopes between mafic and associated felsic rocks. The crustal isotope signature showed an increase with felsic character. Geochemical variations for both units can be accounted for by a similar two-stage hybridisation process. In the first stage, the most mafic magma evolved mainly by fractional crystallisation coupled with assimilation of metasedimentary rocks having crustal time-integrated Sr and Nd compositions similar to those of locally exposed metamorphic basement. The second stage involves contaminated products mixing with independently generated crustal melts. Petrographic, geochemical and isotope data also provide evidence of significant compositional differences in the felsic end-members, pointing to the involvement of metaigneous and metasedimentary source rocks for the Abbott granite and Vegetation leucogranite, respectively. Received: 31 March 1998 / Accepted: 3 May 1999     

Hysteretic behaviour of bracing‐type pure aluminium shear panels by experimental tests

This paper deals with experimental tests aimed at assessing the structural performance of pure aluminium shear panels to be employed as passive energy dissipation devices with a bracing type configuration. The AW1050 A H24 is adopted as the basic material. It is an aluminium alloy with a negligible content of impurity, allowing it to be considered as a pure aluminium. In this paper, the results of four full‐scale 5thinspacemm thick multi‐stiffened square‐shaped specimens tested under cyclic diagonal loads and characterized by different slenderness ratios are presented. In order to determine the main resisting mechanisms for different shear strain demands, a careful examination of the experimental evidences is provided. Then, the global performance of tested shear panels is evaluated by the comparison of the obtained hysteretic responses, evidencing the effect of the plate slenderness on the energy dissipation capacity. Finally, a suitable analytical model, which could be useful to implement global dynamic non‐linear analysis, is set up in order to interpret the behaviour of shear panels for which the development of premature buckling phenomena is completely inhibited. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Geodynamic evolution of ophiolites from Albania and Greece (Dinaric-Hellenic belt): one, two, or more oceanic basins?

All the geological constraints for an exhaustive reconstruction of the Triassic to Tertiary tectonic history of the southern Dinaric-Hellenic belt can be found in Albania and Greece. This article aims to schematically reconstruct this long tectonic evolution primarily based on a detailed analysis of the tectonic setting, the stratigraphy, the geochemistry, and the age of the ophiolites. In contrast to what was previously reported in the literature, we propose a new subdivision on a regional scale of the ophiolite complexes cropping out in Albania and Greece. This new subdivision includes six types of ophiolite occurrences, each corresponding to different tectonic units derived from a single obducted sheet. These units are represented by: (1) sub-ophiolite mélange, (2) Triassic ocean-floor ophiolites, (3) metamorphic soles, (4) Jurassic fore-arc ophiolites, (5) Jurassic intra-oceanic-arc ophiolites, and (6) Jurassic back-arc basin ophiolites. The overall features of these ophiolites are coherent with the existence of a single, though composite, oceanic basin located east of the Adria/Pelagonian continental margin. This oceanic basin was originated during the Middle Triassic and was subsequently (Early Jurassic) affected by an east-dipping intra-oceanic subduction. This subduction was responsible for the birth of intra-oceanic-arc and back-arc oceanic basins separated by a continental volcanic arc during the Early to Middle Jurassic. From the uppermost Middle Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous, an obduction developed, during which the ophiolites were thrust westwards firstly onto the neighboring oceanic lithosphere and then onto the Adria margin.