Holocene sea‐level reconstruction in the Young Sound region,Northeast Greenland

A relative sea‐level curve over the Holocene is constructed for the Young Sound region in northeastern Greenland. The reconstruction is derived by dating the heights of raised beach ridges in coastal plains using optically stimulated luminiscence (OSL), and by dating palaeoterrestrial surface levels now buried beneath the intertidal frame using the ¹⁴C technique. The relative sea‐level curve reveals a rapid fall of at least 10 mm a^?1 from ca. 9500 to 7500 a ago, which slowed to 2 mm a^?1 until it reached the present sea level ca. 3000 a ago. This part of the curve is based on the raised beach ridge data. Thereafter, relative sea level continued to fall, to reach a minimum level at about 0.5 m below the present sea level ca. 2300 a ago. Since then, relative sea level has experienced a slow rise of about 0.2 mm a^?1. This part of the curve uses the data from the palaeoterrestrial surfaces. The study supplements other estimates of Holocene relative sea‐level changes and supports the observations of a decreasing trend in the timing of the cross point and in minimum relative sea level from South to North Greenland. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

What determines the volume of the oceans?

The volume of Earth's oceans may be determined by a dynamic mechanism involving exchange of water between the crust and the mantle. Fast-spreading mid-ocean ridges are currently submerged to a depth at which the pressure is close to the critical pressure for seawater. This ensures optimal convective heat transport and, hence, maximal penetration of hydrothermal circulation along the ridge axes. The oceanic crust is hydrated to a depth of a kilometer or more and can therefore carry a substantial flux of water to the upper mantle when it is subducted. The current ingassing rate of water by this process is probably at least sufficient to balance the outgassing rate. If the oceans were shallower, as they may have been in the distant past, convective heat transport would be reduced and the depth of hydrothermal penetration and crustal hydration would decrease. Outgassing would exceed ingassing and ocean volume would increase. The system is self-stabilizing as long as the depth of the oceans does not exceed its present value. This mechanism could explain why continental freeboard has remained approximately constant since the Archean despite probable increases in continental area.     

Ar–Ar geochronology of Santo Antão, Cape Verde Islands

Santo Antão, the northernmost island of the Cape Verde Archipelago, consists entirely of silica-undersaturated volcanic products and minor intrusions. ⁴⁰Ar–³⁹Ar incremental heating experiments have been carried out on 24 samples that cover the entire exposed chronological sequence. The oldest lavas (7.57±0.56 Ma), representing an older volcanic basement, are exposed about 620 m above mean sea level. After an interval of quiescence of up to 4.3 Ma the volcanic activity resumed and continued at low eruption rates. The older basement is unconformably overlain by a ca. 810-m-thick lava sequence that spans an age range from 2.93±0.03 to 1.18±0.01 Ma. This sequence is cut by many dykes and sills. Simultaneous volcanic activity occurred in the northeastern, central and eastern part of the island. A phonolitic pumice deposit that forms a noteworthy feature over most of the island has an estimated age of 0.20 Ma. This predates volcanic activity that formed the highest point of the island (Tope de Coroa) which has an age of 0.17±0.02 Ma. The most recent eruption on the island formed nephelinitic lavas in the Porto Novo region at 0.09±0.03 Ma. The oldest volcanism exposed on Santo Antão, which took place about 7.6 Ma ago, was simultaneous with waning activity on Maio at the eastern end of the Cape Verde Archipelago.     

A new approach to interpreting Rock-Eval S2 and TOC data for kerogen quality assessment

A simple method for application in source potential mapping is used to assess the original oil and gas potentials in source rock horizons based upon Rock-Eval potential (S₂) and total organic carbon (TOC) values. The method assumes that kerogens consist of mixtures of end-members with assigned hydrogen index values. Based on suggested algorithms, the average amounts of oil-prone, gas-prone and inert organic material over source rock intervals are determined in TOC units. The method uses regression lines from plots of remaining hydrocarbon potentials (S₂) versus total organic carbon (TOC), and “quick-look” transparent overlays are used to read the appropriate kerogen mixture.Mineral matrix effects during pyrolysis, when strong, can cause erroneous results. This effect which occurs for oil-prone kerogens and adsorptive minerals can cause problems particularly for lean samples (S₂ = 0–3 mg HC/g rock) whilst the errors for richer samples are less.The method is applied on three sections of Upper Jurassic organic-rich rocks from the Danish North Sea sector, which are at different maturity stages. One of these sections is dominated by gas-prone material, one is dominated by oil-prone material and the third section contains a mixture of oil- and gas-prone material.The method has been compared with other methods that split kerogens in oil and gas generating potential and has given reasonable results.Experience using the method and a presented example suggest that sedimentological, system tract information may be derived from S₂ to TOC cross-plots. A constructed modelling example suggests that the end-member concept used in this approach may be used in forward type source rock prediction models when combined with sedimentological models. The resulting S₂–TOC plots can be used in order to check the forward modelling results against observed values.     

Interpretation of the magnetic field from a sphere in the wavenumber domain

A Fourier transformation of the magnetic field from a magnetized sphere allows a particularly simple interpretation of the parameters of the sphere. The depth to the centre and total magnetic moments of the sphere are related to the intercept and slope of the power spectrum. The horizontal centre and direction of magnetization are related to slope and intercept of the phase spectra in two perpendicular, horizontal directions. Examples with artificial data contaminated by various noise components are presented.     

Origin of the acidic volcanics of the Tolfa district,Tuscan Province,central Italy: an elemental and Sr-isotopic study

Volcanic rocks from the southern part of the Tuscan Province, the Tolfa district, range in composition from dacites to rhyolites. They have relatively high contents of many incompatible elements and their ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios vary between 0.7129 and 0.7148 (28 analyses) with one analysis of 0.7112. The four major eruption centres of the district can be distinguished geochemically. It is shown that the variation of major and trace elements within each area can be explained by fractional crystallization without significant crustal assimilation. The geochemical patterns of the incompatible elements of the investigated volcanics have a close similarity to the alkaline undersaturated volcanics from the nearby Roman Province. The geochemical and isotopic similarity between the Tolfa volcanics and those of the Roman Province suggests a common origin for these components of the magmas. It is suggested that, while the origin of the LIL-element enrichment of the Roman Province magmas is a mantle which was metasomatised by fluids or melts derived from upper crustal material of sedimentary origin recycled into the mantle by subduction, the Tolfa volcanics were derived directly from the subducted material by melting.     

Oxygen Transfer Through Flexible Tubing and Its Effects on Ground Water Sampling Results

A model for the diffusion of gases through polymeric tubing was derived which predicts that the amount of gas transferred is proportional to the tubing length and inversely proportional to the pumping rate. The model was experimentally tested and confirmed for oxygen transfer through fluorinated ethylene-propylene copolymer (FEP) tubing using tubing lengths and flow rates typical of ground water sampling. Diffusion can introduce measurable concentrations of oxygen into initially anoxic water. Diffusive loss of carbon dioxide from water that is oversaturated with respect to atmospheric CO₂ does not measurably affect pH under similar usage conditions.     

Rapid physicochemical changes in the high Arctic Lake Kongressvatn caused by recent climate change

High Arctic lakes are among the most sensitive ecosystems and climate change strongly affects their physical properties, especially water temperature, and mixing processes. To study the effect of recent climate change on such a lake in the Arctic environment, we measured water chemistry and temperature from 2005 to 2010 in Kongressvatn, a crenogenic meromictic lake in Spitsbergen (Svalbard). In addition, we monitored water column temperatures during two consecutive years and compared them to regional air temperature data and physicochemical lake data from 1962 and 1968, two relatively cold years. Summer surface water temperature was highly correlated to air temperature, and both have increased by approximately 2°C since 1962. Temperature monitoring during 2?years showed that the warm summer of 2007 resulted in increased water temperatures even in the stratified, denser hypolimnion. Our water chemistry measurements showed that the chemocline position in 2005?C2010 was ca 12?m deeper than in 1962?C1968, and a second, weaker, chemocline appeared at metalimnetic depths of 7?C15?m. During the study period, the water level decreased by 4?m, and this change accelerated between 2008 and 2010. Our data support the hypothesis that water temperatures and stratification patterns are changing rapidly with air temperature, but changes in the catchment, such as glacial retreat and permafrost melting, may have an even stronger impact on lake properties.     

Recent history provides sustainable African water quality project insight

Small-scale projects to provide clean drinking water undertaken in the developing world can contribute to significantly improving the livelihood of rural communities. There has been a historical tendency to poorly plan such projects leading to an unsustainable future. Recent history indicates three simple steps to ensuring successful and enduring clean water projects. First, identification of need by the indigenous community provides ownership in the project. Second, a partnership between key individuals in the indigenous community with the donor provides for ambassadors on both sides of the project. Finally, an exit strategy by the donors for the indigenous communities ensures local sustainability for the future. The study site is the village of Geisha in northern Malawi, Africa. Sustainable implementation approaches are discussed in this case study as well as the various lessons learned. Improved project processes ensure sustainable small-scale water quality projects by donor organizations in developing countries.