Powder- and single crystal Mössbauer spectroscopy on synthetic fayalite

Mössbauer measurements on synthetic iron orthosilicate Fe₂SiO₄ (fayalite) were carried out in the antiferromagnetic spin state below T _N 65 K. The Mössbauer parameters isomer shift , inner magnetic field H(0), angle between H(0) and the z-component of the electric field gradient (efg), quadrupole splitting QS and asymmetry parameter were determined as a function of temperature. These parameters could be attributed to the two crystallographic sites M1 and M2.The smaller isomer shift on M1 with respect to M2 displays the more covalent character of the Fe-O bond on M1, which is supported by previous neutron diffraction experiments. H(0) shows a Brillouin-type behaviour with different fields on the two crystallographic sites (stronger on M1) and a small discontinuity at T = 23 K which corresponds with previous magnetic measurements. The quadrupole splitting is equal on both sites within error bars, in agreement with previous theoretical results and in contradiction to previous Mössbauer refinements published elsewhere.     

THREE-DIMENSIONAL NUMERICAL MODELING OF COHESIVE SEDIMENT TRANSPORT BY TIDAL CURRENT IN PEARL RIVER ESTUARV

IINTRODUCTIONEstUariesareprominentcoastalfeatUres.Estuariesareofgreateconomicssignificancetomankind.Attheseareas,manyharborsandwaterchannelshavetobebuiltforeconomicpurposes.ThedesignandconstrUctionofcoastalstrUctUresinestUariesrequireknowledgeofhydrodynamicsaswellassedimenttransportinsuchregions.ThenatUreofestuariesiscontrolledbyvariouscoastalhydrodynamicprocesses.Undertheactionofhydrodynamics,sedimentdepositionsorerosionswilloccurinestuariesornearcoastalstrUCtures.Tomaintainnavigati…     

Ionospheric Joule dissipation as a damping mechanism for high latitude ULF pulsations: Observational evidence

On 9 January 1979 an SI-excited pulsation event was observed by the Scandinavian Magnetometer Array. The pulsation period shows a clear variation with latitude which suggests decoupled oscillations of individual magnetic field shells. The pulsation amplitudes exhibit an e-fold decay with the damping rate γ varying both in longitudinal and latitudinal directions. Assuming Joule heating in the ionosphere as the dominant damping mechanism (and thus γ ～ Σ^?1_p) approximate height-integrated Pedersen conductivity profiles were calculated which fit well with previously observed Σ_p distributions. This is interpreted as observational evidence for ionosopheric Joule dissipation as the major damping mechanism for high-latitude ULF-pulsations.     

Soil survey of command area for planning of water management: A case study of an area in Hardoi district,U.P.

Development of irrigation potential for increasing agricultural production is the main aim of Command Area Development. This involves interaction amongst various factors; the soil, the crop, the climate, the topograpny and others. Water management in Command Area requires careful planning, based upon adequate data regarding soils, land use and topography. It is essential to make the best possible use of the available water without creating waterlogging, salinity and alkalinity problems in the command area. The use of aerial photographs is a well recognized expedient, convenient and economical method of data collection, which appreciably suits the requirement of the survey of Command Areas. As large areas have to be surveyed for data collection, the best way to accomplish this is by taking up survey of command area in different levels: reconnaissance, semi-detailed and detailed. The reconnaissance and semi-detailed survey would enable us to identify problem areas. Detailed survey are needed in these areas for taking up reclamation measures. A case study of soil survey carried out in the Sharda Sahayak Command Area of a part of Hardoi District is given as an example to illustrate the use of aerial photographs for planning of water management practices.     

Early miocene post-collisional calc-alkaline magmatism along the easternmost segment of the periadriatic fault system (Slovenia and Croatia)

Summary Early Miocene calc-alkaline igneous rocks from the easternmost segment of the Periadriatic fault system can be subdivided into two series of different alkalinity: (1) Volcanics which occur in the vicinity of the Velenje-Rogatec Line range from high-alumina basalt via low-K and medium-K andesites to medium-K dacites. (2) In the Pohorje Mountains mafic rocks are lacking. A high-K tonalitic pluton crystallized at pressures of about 0.7 GPa as indicated by Al-in-hornblende barometry and accessory magmatic epidote. Rapid exhumation of the tonalite during dextral transtension along the Periadriatic fault system is indicated by tonalitic pebbles in Helvetian (?) clastic sediments. High-K andesitic to dacitic volcanics are interlayered with, and dikes cut, the clastic sediments.Compositional variations shown by the volcanics from the Velenje-Rogatec Line are consistent with fractionation of the observed phenocryst assemblages (olivine, plagioclase, clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene, titanomagnetite). Substantial fractionation of plagioclase is indicated by decreasing Sr/Nd and Sr/Y values and increasing negative Eu anomalies with increasing SiO₂. All samples have chondrite-normalized HREE > 9.6 and low (Tb/Yb)_n ratios (1.29–1.08). With increasing SiO₂, the abundances of HREE and Y (18 to 39 ppm) increase and those of Sc (32.5 to 20.9 ppm) decrease slightly. These features, together with low Hf/Lu and Zr/Y values (10.1–5.7 and 5.7–3.6, respectively), rule out garnet as a major fractionating phase. Since (La/Yb)_n values (3.24–6.59) do not increase with SiO₂ and chondrite-normalized REE patterns do not show concave-upward shapes, fractionation of amphibole was probably insignificant. Although Rb/Cs values ( 18) are generally low, a significant contribution by continental crustal materials to the magmas by an AFC process is suggested by negative correlations of Nb/U(7.16 to 3.14) and Nb/Th(2.14 to 0.87) values with SiO₂, as well as by low Hf/Ta(7.8–3.4), and in part also by K/Rb (340-71) and Zr/Rb (5.0–1.7) values.Rocks from the Pohorje Mountains have high abundances of U. Values of Nb/U and Nb/Th are low (3.55 to 1.85 and 1.27 to 0.64, respectively) and are negatively correlated with SiO₂. These features, in combination with high values of Ba/Nb (56 to 93), Ba/La (23–30), and Rb/Cs (19–56), as well as with previously published ¹⁸O values ( 9) for the tonalite indicate a substantial contribution of the continental crust to these magmas. High Sr abundances (455 to 984 ppm) and moderate negative Eu anomalies suggest that fractionation of plagioclase was of minor importance. Although the rocks have relatively low Sc (9.3 to 3.8 ppm) and Y (21 to 14 ppm) contents, low (Tb/Yb)_n values (1.67–1.14) indicate that garnet was not a major fractionating phase. Instead, fractionation of amphibole is a viable mechanism to explain the combination of high (La/Yb)_n (21.8–13.1) and low (Tb/Yb)_n.

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Untermiozäner, kalkalkaliner Post-Kollisions-Magmatismus entlang des östlichsten Segmentes des periadriatischen Störungssystems (Slowenien und Kroatien)

Zusammenfassung Untermiozäne Kalkalkali-Magmatite aus dem östlichen Bereich des Periadriatischen Lineaments gliedern sich in zwei Serien unterschiedlicher Alkalinität: (1) Entlang der Velenje-Rogatec-Linie treten High-Al-Basalte, Low-K- und Medium-K-Andesite und Medium-K-Dazite auf. (2) Im Pohorje-Gebirge, wo basische Magmatite fehlen, kristallisierte ein High-K-Tonalit bei Drücken von ca. 0.7 GPa (Al-in-Hornblende-Barometer, magmatischer Epidot). Gerölle dieses Tonalits in einer untermiozänen (Helvet?) klastischeu Abfolge belegen eine schnelle Heraushebung des Tonalits durch dextrale Transtension im östlichsten Bereich des periadriatischen Lineaments. Eingeschaltet in die klastischen Sedimente sind andesitische bis dazitische Pyroklastika und Laven sowie diskordante dazitische Gänge, die alle der High-K-Serie angehören.Die chemische Variation innerhalb der Vulkanitserie von der Velenje-Rogatec-Linie läßt sich durch Fraktionierung der Einsprenglingsminerale Olivin, Plagioklas, Klinopyroxen, Orthopyroxen und Titanomagnetit erklären. Abnehmende Sr/Nd- und Sr/Y-Werte und zunehmende negative Eu-Anomalien mit steigendem SiO₂ weisen auf eine bedeutende Plagioklas-Fraktionierung hin. Alle Vulkanite besitzen hohe Gehalte an schweren Seltenen Erden (chondritnormiert > 9.6) und geringe (Tb/Yb)_n-Werte (1.29–1.08). Mit zunehmendem SiO₂ nehmen die Gehalte an Yb(2.02 bis 4.30 ppm) und Y(18 bis 39 ppm) zu, während die Sc-Gehalte (32.5 bis 20.9 ppm) nur geringfügig abnehmen. Diese Charakteristika, zusammen mit geringen Hf/Lu- und Zr/Y-Werten (10.1–5.87 bzw. 5.7–3.6), schließen Granat als wesentliche, fraktionierende Phase aus. Da die (La/Yb)_n-Verhältnisse (3.24–6.59) nicht mit SiO₂ korrelieren und die chondritnormierten SeltenenErden-Muster keine nach oben konkaven Formen aufweisen, spielte die Fraktionierung von Amphibol keine wesentliche Rolle. Trotz geringer Rb/Cs-Werte ( 18) wird eine beträchtliche krustale Kontamination der Magmen angenommen. Für einen AFC-Prozeß sprechen negative Korrelationen von Nb/U(7.16–3.14) und Nb/Th(2.14–0.87) mit SiO₂ (bei steigenden Nb-, U- und Th-Gehalten), geringe Hf/Ta-Werte (7.8–4.3) und teilweise auch geringe K/Rb- (340-71) und Zr/Rb-Verhältnisse (5.0–1.7).Die Magmatite des Pohorje-Gebirges weisen hohe U-Gehalte sowie geringe Nb/U-und Nb/Th-Verhältnisse auf (3.55–1.85 bzw. 1.27–0.64), die eine schwache negative Korrelation mit SiO₂ zeigen. Zusammen mit hohen Ba/Nb-(56–93), Ba/La-(23-30) und Rb/Cs-Verhältnissen (19–56) sowie bereits publizierten ⁸O-Werten ( 9) weisen diese Eigenschaften auf einen beträchtlichen Anteil assimilierten Krustenmaterials in den Magmen hin. Hohe Sr-Gehalte (455–984 ppm) und relativ geringe negative Eu-Anomalien machen es unwahrscheinlich, daß während des AFC-Prozesses in der Unterkruste wesentliche Mengen an Plagioklas fraktioniert wurden. Obwohl die Gehalte an Sc (9.3–3.8 ppm) und Y (21–14 ppm) relativ gering sind, scheidet Granat aufgrund der geringen (Tb/Yb)_n- Verhältnisse (1.67–1.14) als dominierende Fraktionierungsphase aus. Die Kombination von hohen (La/Yb)_n- Verhältnissen (21.8–13.1) und geringen (Tb/Yb)_n-Verhältnissen deutet eher auf Amphibol als wichtige, fraktionierende Phase hin.

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With 9 Figures     

Multi-decadal synthesis of benthic–pelagic coupling in the western arctic: Role of cross-shelf advective processes

Using geographic information systems (GIS) software and geostatistical techniques, we utilized three decades of water-column chlorophyll a data to examine the relative importance of autochthonous versus allochthonous sources of reduced carbon to benthic communities that occur from the northern Bering to the eastern Beaufort Sea shelf. Spatial trend analyses revealed areas of high benthic biomass (>300 g m⁻²) and chlorophyll (>150 mg m⁻²) on both the southern and northern Chukchi shelf; both areas are known as depositional centers for reduced organic matter that originates on the Bering Sea shelf and is advected northward in Anadyr and Bering shelf water masses. We found a significant correlation between biomass and chlorophyll a in the Chukchi Sea, reflective of the strong benthic–pelagic coupling in a system that is utilized heavily by benthic-feeding marine mammals. In contrast, there was no significant correlation between biomass and chlorophyll in the Beaufort Sea, which by comparison, is considerably less productive (biomass and chlorophyll, <75 g m⁻² and <50 mg m⁻², respectively). One notable exception is an area of relatively high biomass (50–100 g m⁻²) and chlorophyll (80 mg m⁻²) near Barter Island in the eastern Beaufort Sea. Compared to other adjacent areas in the Beaufort Sea, the chlorophyll values in the vicinity of Barter Island were considerably higher and likely reflect a long-hypothesized upwelling in that area and close coupling between the benthos and autochthonous production. In the Bering Sea, a drop in benthic biomass in 1994 compared with previous measurements (1974–1993) may support earlier observations that document a decline in biomass that began between the 1980s and 1990s in the Chirikov Basin and south of St. Lawrence Island. The results of this study indicate that the benthos is an excellent long-term indicator of both local and physical advective processes. In addition, this work provides further evidence that secondary production on arctic shelves can be significantly augmented by reduced carbon advected from highly productive adjacent shelves.     

Dissolved oxygen variations in alpine glacial meltwaters

Recent models of chemical weathering in alpine glacial meltwaters suggest that sulphide oxidation is a major source of solute in the distributed component of the subglacial hydrological system. This reaction requires O₂, and may lower dissolved oxygen levels to below saturation with respect to the atmosphere. This should result in an inverse association between SO₇^2- and dissolved oxygen saturation. However, measurements of O₂ saturation in bulk meltwaters draining the Haut Glacier d'Arolla, Switzerland, show that there is a positive association between SO₄^2- and O₂ saturation. The O₂ content of glacial meltwaters depends on the initial content of snow and icemelt, which may be controlled by the rate of melting, and the kinetic balance between O₂ losses (e.g. sulphide oxidation, microbial respiration) and gains (e.g. diffusion of O₂ into solution).     

Evolution of errors in the altimetric bathymetry model used by Google Earth and GEBCO

We analyze errors in the global bathymetry models of Smith and Sandwell that combine satellite altimetry with acoustic soundings and shorelines to estimate depths. Versions of these models have been incorporated into Google Earth and the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO). We use Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) multibeam surveys not previously incorporated into the models as “ground truth” to compare against model versions 7.2 through 12.1, defining vertical differences as “errors.” Overall error statistics improve over time: 50th percentile errors declined from 57 to 55 to 49 m, and 90th percentile errors declined from 257 to 235 to 219 m, in versions 8.2, 11.1 and 12.1. This improvement is partly due to an increasing number of soundings incorporated into successive models, and partly to improvements in the satellite gravity model. Inspection of specific sites reveals that changes in the algorithms used to interpolate across survey gaps with altimetry have affected some errors. Versions 9.1 through 11.1 show a bias in the scaling from gravity in milliGals to topography in meters that affected the 15–160 km wavelength band. Regionally averaged (>160 km wavelength) depths have accumulated error over successive versions 9 through 11. These problems have been mitigated in version 12.1, which shows no systematic variation of errors with depth. Even so, version 12.1 is in some respects not as good as version 8.2, which employed a different algorithm.     

Geophysical and geochemical observations on actively seeping hydrocarbon gases on the south-eastern Yellow Sea continental shelf

In the southeastern Yellow Sea, active seepage of hydrocarbon gases has been observed by high-resolution (3.5 kHz) seismic profiling both in 1987 and 2001, occurring through a large number of plumes from the topmost pre-Holocene sedimentary layer. It is strong enough to compensate for current speed, extending vertically up to the sea surface. The gas seepage often appears to be explosive to form craters and diapirs, although pockmarks are rare due to the redistribution of mobile palimpsest sands. In core-top seawater and sediments, the gases are characterized by high amounts of C₂, homogenous ¹³C₁ values and a large difference (19.7 on average) between ¹³C₁ (–55.2 to –53.6 PDB) and ¹³C₂ (–36.8 to –32.5 PDB) values. The gases are considered to be generated with a smaller amount of C₁ at the early thermal cracking stage of labile source materials, after which the C₂ gas is enriched in ¹³C by diffusion or biological alternation at the generation or accumulation site. The homogenous ¹³C₁ values may be one of the geochemical characteristics of gases acquired at depth which are less altered in the case of rapid diffusive gas migration to the seafloor.     

Temporal vulnerability in hazardscapes: Flood memory-networks and referentiality along the North Carolina Neuse River (USA)

Social models of population vulnerability to disasters increasingly include the notion that vulnerability has a strong temporal component. While this temporality is typically conceptualized as objective (making vulnerability “dynamic,” “multiscalar,” and/or “historical”), it consistently fails to acknowledge that among stakeholders managing hazardscapes temporality is also a social process in which subjective experience of time may play a role in creating situations of population vulnerability. This paper proposes that the temporal situatedness of a population relative to past hazard events and the quality with which stakeholders engage hazard memory-chains combine to significantly influences its vulnerability to natural hazards. It is proposed that this temporal vulnerability is characterized by shared, population level potential for surprise and can be evaluated by exploration of time-series depth and temporal reference points in historical ecological narratives and documents. Based on ethnohistoric research conducted from 2002 to 2006 in flood-prone eastern North Carolina (USA), it is illustrated how temporal vulnerability was relatively higher in the Neuse River watershed located at the City of Kinston than surrounding watersheds. Due to the combination of factors including the damming of the Neuse River in the 1980s, outdated official floodplain maps, relatively unmonitored floodplain development, the stochastic timing of flood events (placing the last major flood more than a generation away), technological optimism, and turnover of floodplain officials and residents, local stakeholders were seriously misinformed about the space-time risks involved both before and after the disaster of Hurricane Floyd (1999) happened. To deal with this inconsistency, the temporal rarity of Hurricane Floyd as a “500-year event” has been motivated and embraced by many in an effort to continue life-as-is. The paper proposes that the concept of temporal vulnerability is further explored and used as key dimension in the vulnerability sciences.