First complementary observations by ionospheric tomography, the EISCAT Svalbard radar and the CUTLASS HF radar

Experimental results are presented from ionospheric tomography, the EISCAT Svalbard radar and the CUTLASS HF radar. Tomographic measurements on 10 October 1996, showing a narrow, field-aligned enhancement in electron density in the post-noon sector of the dayside auroral zone, are related to a temporal increase in the plasma concentration observed by the incoherent scatter radar in the region where the HF radar indicated a low velocity sunwards convection. The results demonstrate the complementary nature of these three instruments for polar-cap ionospheric studies.     

The oxygen isotopic composition and temperature of Southern Ocean bottom waters during the last glacial maximum

We provide two new determinations of the oxygen isotopic composition of seawater during the last glacial maximum (LGM). High-resolution oxygen isotopic measurements were made on interstitial waters from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Sites 1168 and 1170 in the southeast Indian Ocean sector of the Southern Ocean. We use a diffusion-advection numerical model to calculate the glacial-interglacial change in bottom-water δ¹⁸O_sw from the pore water δ¹⁸O profiles; the first such determinations from this part of the oceans. Statistical analyses of the model runs indicate that Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW) δ¹⁸O_sw changed by 1.0-1.1±0.15‰ since the last glacial maximum (LGM). Our results are consistent with a previous calculation from a South Atlantic Southern Ocean location (ODP Site 1093) also situated within CDW. The new values determined in this study, together with previous estimates, are converging on a global average Δδ¹⁸O_sw of 1.0-1.1‰.Using the calculated bottom-water δ¹⁸O_sw, we have extracted the temperature component from the benthic foraminiferal δ¹⁸O record at Sites 1168 and 1170. Since the LGM, bottom waters at these two sites warmed by 2.6 and 1.9°C, respectively. The absolute temperature estimates for the LGM (−0.5°C [Θ=−0.6°C] at Site 1168 and −0.2°C [Θ=−0.4°C] at Site 1170) are slightly warmer than those reported from previous studies using the same technique, but are consistent with more homogenous deep-ocean temperatures during the LGM relative to the modern.     

Influence of colloidal silica grout on liquefaction potential and cyclic undrained behavior of loose sand

Cyclic triaxial tests were performed to investigate the influence of colloidal silica grout on the deformation properties of saturated loose sand. Distinctly different deformation properties were observed between grouted and ungrouted samples. Untreated samples developed very little axial strain prior to the onset of liquefaction. However, once liquefaction was triggered, large strains occurred rapidly and the samples collapsed within a few additional loading cycles. In contrast, grouted sand samples experienced very little strain during cyclic loading. Additionally, the strain accumulated uniformly throughout loading rather than rapidly prior to collapse and the samples never collapsed. Cyclic triaxial tests were done on samples stabilized with colloidal silica at concentrations of 5, 10, 15, and 20%. In general, samples stabilized with higher concentrations of colloidal silica experienced very little strain during cyclic loading. Sands stabilized with lower concentrations tolerated cyclic loading well, but experienced slightly more strain. Thus, treatment with colloidal silica grout significantly increased the deformation resistance of loose sand to cyclic loading.     

Nepheline-bearing rocks from the Poohbah Lake complex,Ontario: Malignites and Malignites

Malignites from the Poohbah Lake complex of northwestern Ontario, Canada are melanocratic cumulates. Cumulus pyroxene and apatite are poikilitically enclosed in a groundmass of large plates of intercumulus orthoclase and nepheline. Nepheline-feldspar fingerprint-like intergrowths occur. Nephelines are commonly zeolitized and pyroxenes altered to aggregates of biotite and/or garnet by deuteric alteration. Pyroxenes are weakly zoned from Di₇₁ Hd¹⁸Ac₁₁ to Di₆₃Hd₂₂Ac₁₅, and are similar to the least evolved pyroxenes of other alkaline rocks. Nephelines all have compositions within the Morozewicz-Buerger convergence field and feldspars have a limited compositional range from Or⁸⁸ to Or⁹⁵. Perthites are absent.Inconsistancies in the usage of the terms malignite and juvite are discussed and it is considered that a non-genetic petrographic classification of nepheline syenites leads to the obscuration of a group of potassic nepheline syenites, characterized by the presence of nepheline plus orthoclase which are typically associated with saturated to over-saturated alkaline rocks, contain pseudo-leucite or nepheline-orthoclase intergrowths, are emplaced in mobile belts and are not associated with rocks of the ijolite-carbonatite suite.A genetic classification of nepheline syenites is suggested and it is proposed that; (1) mafic-rich nepheline syenites be referred to as mela-nepheline syenites (sensu lato) rather than as malignites; (2) the term malignite be used for magmatic potassic nepheline syenites characterised by the presence of nepheline plus a single potassium-rich feldspar (orthoclase or microcline) and devoid of exsolution perthite under subsolvus conditions; (3) the metasomatic malignites and juvites of ijolite-carbonatite complexes be referred to as varieties of fenites.     

Copper-nickel-enriched ferromanganese nodules and associated crusts from the Bauer Basin,northwest Nazca plate

Analysis of a suite of ferromanganese nodules and crusts from the dredge Y73-3-22D in the Bauer Deep (13°40′S, 102°08′W) shows distinct differences between the nodules and crusts. Ultra-slow-scan X-ray diffraction shows that the nodules are more enriched in todorokite while the crusts are more enriched in δ MnO₂. Both have phillipsite and smectite as accessory minerals as well as minor amounts of apatite, barite, and quartz. Chemical analyses show that the nodules also have higher abundances of Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Ba, while crusts are more enriched in Fe, Co, and Ca. We suggest that normal authigenic precipitation of ferromanganese oxyhydroxides from seawater controls the mineralogy and chemistry of the crusts, while nodule mineralogy and chemistry are governed by small-scale diagenetic reactions in the sediment. Todorokite may form because iron in the Fe-Mn oxyhydroxide material dispersed in the sediment reacts with amorphous silica to form iron-rich smectites. The remaining oxyhydroxide material recrystallizes as todorokite.     

Primary, agpaitic and deuteric stages in the evolution of accessory Sr, REE, Ba and Nb-mineralization in nepheline-syenite pegmatites at Pegmatite Peak, Bearpaw Mts, Montana

Summary The pegmatites at Pegmatite Peak (Bearpaw Mts., Montana) crystallized from an evolved fraction of nepheline-syenitic melt enriched in Sr, Ba, light REE and Nb. These rocks are composed essentially of microcline (up to 1.1 wt.% Na₂O and 1.0 wt.% BaO), altered nepheline (replaced by analcime, zeolites, muscovite and gibbsite), and prismatic aegirine set in an aggregate of fibrous and radial aegirine. The early accessory assemblage includes Mg-Fe mica, rutile, zircon, titaniferous magnetite and thorite. Precipitation of these phases was followed by crystallization of a plethora of rare minerals enriched in Sr, Ba, light REE and Nb. Three major stages are distinguished in the evolution of this mineralization: primary, agpaitic and deuteric. Primary repositories for Sr, REE and Nb included betafite, loparite-(Ce), crichtonite and ilmenite-group minerals. Betafite (Ta-poor, REE- and Th-rich) is present in very minor amounts and did not contribute significantly to the sequestration of incompatible elements from the nepheline-syenite melt. Loparite-(Ce) evolved predominantly by depletion in Sr and Ca and enrichment in Nb, Na and REE, i.e. from strontian niobian loparite (up to 22.0 wt.% SrO) to niobian loparite (up to 17.6 wt.% Nb₂O₅). Crichtonite contains minor Na, Ca and K, lacks detectable Ba and REE, and is unusually enriched in Mn (7.0–13.6 wt.% MnO). The ilmenite-group minerals evolved from manganoan ilmenite to ferroan pyrophanite, and have relatively low Nb contents ( 0.9 wt.% Nb₂O₅). During the agpaitic stage, the major repositories for incompatible elements were silicates, including lamprophyllite, titanite and chevkinite-group minerals. Lamprophyllite is generally poor in Ba, and contains relatively minor Ca and K; only few small crystals exhibit rims of barytolamprophyllite with up to 26.3 wt.% BaO. Titanite is devoid of Al and depleted in Fe, but significantly enriched in Nb, Sr, REE and Na: up to 6.4, 4.5, 4.4. and 2.9 wt.% oxides, respectively. The chemical complexity of titanite suggests involvement of several substitution mechanisms: Ca²⁺+Ti⁴⁺Na¹⁺+Nb⁵⁺, Ca² Sr²⁺, 2Ca²⁺Na¹⁺+REE³⁺, and Ca t++OZ-~--Nal+ + (OH)^1–. Chevkinite group minerals evolved from Sr-rich (strontiochevkinite) to REE-rich compositions [chevkinite-(Ce)]. Strontiochevkinite from Pegmatite Peak is compositionally similar to the type material from Sarambi, and has high ZrO₂ (up to 7.8 wt.%) and low FeOT ( 2.5 wt.%) contents. During the final stages of formation of the pegmatites, a deuteric F-bearing fluid enriched in Sr and REE precipitated carbonates and minor phosphates confined to fractures and cavities in the rock. In this youngest assemblage of minerals, ancylite-(Ce) is the most common Sr-REE host. Some discrete crystals of ancylite show significant enrichment in Th (up to 6.0 wt.% ThO₂). Ancylite-(Ce) and bastnaesite associated with metaloparite and TiO₂ (anatase?) comprise a replacement assemblage after primary loparite. The typical replacement pattern includes a loparite core with locally developed metaloparite, surrounded by a bastnaesite-anatase intermediate zone and an ancylite rim. Fluorapatite is rare, and has very high Sr, Na and REE contents, up to 21.4, 2.6 and 12.9 wt.% oxides, respectively. Compositionally, this mineral corresponds to the solid solution series between fluorapatite and belovite-(Ce). At this stage, hollandite-group minerals became a minor host for Ba; they demonstrate the evolutionary trend from priderite (5.2 wt. % K₂O, 7.4 wt. % BaO) to Ba-Fe hollandite (19.2–21.4 wt. % BaO). Thus, the evolution of Sr, REE, Ba and Nb mineralization was a complex, multi-stage process, and involved primary crystallization, re-equilibration phenomena and late-stage deuteric alteration.

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Die primäre, agpaitische und deuterische Hauptphase in der Entwicklung der akzessorischen Sr, REE, Ba und Nb-Mineralisation in den nephelinsyenitischen Pegmatiten von Pegmatite Peak, Bearpaw Mts., Montana

Zusammenfassung Die Pegmatite von Pegmatite Peak (Bearpaw Mts., Montana) sind aus dem Restdifferentiat einer nephelinsyenitischen Schmelze, die an Sr, Ba, leichten SEE und Nb angereichert war, auskristallisiert. Diese Gesteine bestehen hauptsächlich aus Mikroklin (max. 1.1 Gew.% Na₂O und max. 1.0 Gew.% BaO), alteriertem Nephelin (verdrängt durch Analcim, Zeolithe, Muscovit und Gibbsit) und prismatischem Agirin, welcher von einem Aggregat aus fasrigem und strahligem Ägirin umgeben ist. Als frühe akzessorische Mineralien sind Mg-Fe Glimmer, Rutil, Zirkon, titanführender Magnetit und Thorit auskristallisiert. Anschließend bildete sich eine Vielzahl seltener, Sr-, Ba, leichter SEE- und Nb-reicher Mineralien aus. In den Proben von Pegmatite Peak sind drei Hauptphasen in der Entwicklung der akzessorischen Sr-, Ba-, SEE- und Nb-Mineralisation zu unterscheiden: eine primäre, eine agpaitische und eine deuterische. Primär wurden Sr, SEE und Nb in Betafit, Loparit-(Ce), Crichtonit und Mineralien der Ilmenitgruppe eingebaut. Betafit (Ta-arm, SEE- und Th-reich) ist ein sehr seltenes Mineral in den Pegmatiten, und hat die inkompatiblen Elemente nur unbedeutend konzentriert. Loparit-(Ce) entsteht im wesentlichen durch den Austausch von Sr und Ca durch Nb, Na und SEE; d.h. durch Umwandlung von strontium- und niobhältigem Loparit ( 22.0 Gew.% SrO) zu niobhältigem Loparit ( 17.6 Gew.% Nb₂O₅). Crichtonit enthält eine geringe Menge Na, Ca und K, ist ohne feststellbare SEE und Ba und ist gewönlich Mn-reich (7.0-13.6 Gew.% MnO). Mineralien der Ilmenitgruppe entwickeln sich von manganfiihrendem Ilmenit hin zu eisenführendem Pyrophanit und haben relativ niedrige Nb-Gehalte ( 0.9 Gew.% Nb₂O₅). Während der agpaitischen Phase waren Silikate wie Lamprophyllit, Titanit und Mineralien der Tscheffkinitgruppe die wichtigsten Träger von inkompatiblen Elementen. Lamprophyllit ist generell Ba-arm und ist durch relativ niedrige Ca- und K-Gehalte charakterisiert. Nur wenige kleine Kristalle zeigen barytolamprophyllitische Ränder (< 26.3 Gew.% BaO). Fe ist im Titanit (Al-frei) abgereichert während Nb, Sr, SEE und Na (jeweils max. 6.4, 4.5, 4.4 und 2.9 Gew.% Oxid) angereichert wurden. Die chemische Zusammensetzung des Titanits kann durch mehrere Substituierungen erklärt werden: Ca l++Ti4+~Nal+-I-Nbs+, Ca²⁺ Sr²⁺, 2Ca²⁺ Na¹⁺+REE³⁺, und Ca²⁺ +O2^– Na¹⁺ +(OH)^1–. Mineralien der Tscheffkinitgruppe entwickeln sich aus Sr-reichen (Strontiotscheffkinit) hin zu SEE-reichen Gliedern [Tscheffkinit-(Ce)]. Strontiotscheffkinit von Pegmatite Peak mit hohem ZrO₂-(< 7.8 Gew.%) und niedrigem FeOT-Gehalt (< 2.5 Gew.%) hat eine ähnliche Zusammensetzung wie der Holotyp von Sarambi. Während der letzten Phasen der Bildung der Pegmatite brachte ein deuterisches, F-haltiges, Sr- und SEE-reiches Fluid Karbonate und in geringer Mengen Phosphate in Spalten und Hohlräumen im Gestein zur Ausfällung. Ankylit-(Ce) ist das häufigste Sr- und SEE-führende Mineral dieser jüngsten Mineralassoziation. Manche einzelne Ankylitkristalle zeigen eine bedeutende Anreicherung von Th (< 6.0 Gew.% ThO₂). Ankylit, Bastnäsit, Metaloparit und TiO₂ (Anatas?) ersetzten den ursprünglichen Loparit. Typische Verdrängungen zeigen sich als Körner mit loparitischen Kernen, welche örtlich mit Metaloparit verwachsen sind, weiters einer Bastnäsit-Anatas Zwischenzone und einem ankylitischen Rand. Fluorapatit ist hier ein seltenes Mineral und hat sehr hohe Sr-, Na- und SEE-Gehalte (jeweils 21.4, 2.6 und 12.9 Gew.% Oxid). Von der chemischen Zusammensetzung aus gesehen gehört dieses Mineral zur Fluoapatit-Belovit-(Ce)-Mischkristallreiche. Während der deuterischen Phase dienten die Mineralien der Hollanditgruppe untergeordnet als Träger für Ba; sie legen die Entwicklung von Priderit (5.2 Gew.% K20, 7.4 Gew.% BaO) zu Ba-Fe-Hollandit (19.2–21.4 Gew.% BaO). Somit ist die Entwicklung der Sr-, SEE-, Ba- und Nb-Mineralisation ein komplexer mehrphasiger Prozeß und umfaßt die primäre Kristallisation, Reäquilibrierungsphänomene und eine späte deuterische Alteration.

     

Episodic mesozoic volcanism in Namibia and Brazil: A K—Ar Isochron study bearing on the opening of the south atlantic

An attempt is made to find a more objective and precise basis for the correlation of volcanics from southwestern Africa and South America than is possible by frequency diagrams of individual K—Ar ages. This leads to a critical appraisal of conventionally calculated K—Ar ages with the conclusion thata priori assumption regarding the isotopic composition of non-radiogenic argon and, hence, the standard atmospheric correction, are no longer tenable.K—Ar isotoopic data on Mesozoic basalts and dolerites from Namibia and Brazil are presented in terms of an isochron model. Plots for cogenetic rocks are unacceptably scattered on a “radiogenic”⁴⁰Ar vs. K diagram, but show a high degree of collinearity on⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar diagrams0K/³⁶Ar diagrams. Using the latter plots, a number of isochrons are generated which indicate that Mesozoic volcanism in these regions occured as several discrete episodes of fairly short duration. Effusion of the extensive Serra Geral basalts of Brazil and the Kaoko basalts of Namibia is shown to have occured simultaneeously at 121 m.y.B.P. Basalts from a series of boreholes along the central Parana Basin, as well as a group of dykes from Sao Paulo, yield isochrons of 128 m.y., which coincides with the postulated onset of separation of Africa and South America based on marine magnetic anomalies. Linear dyke swarms along the Namibian seaboard, interpreted as an expression of the earliest rift phase, have an isochron age of 134 m.y. Sills and dykes, mainly from southern Namibia, with isochron ages of 183 m.y. are considered to be the westernmost manifestation of Stormberg volcanism, not necessarily related to rifting. Most of the igneous suites examined have initial⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar ratios significantly different from the modern atmospheric value.     

Sulphur isotope geochemistry of carbonatites

Sulphur isotopic data for sulphides and barite from several carbonatites (Mountain Pass, Oka, Magnet Cove, Bearpaw Mountains, Phalabora) show that individual carbonatites have different mean sulphide or barite isotopic compositions which deviate from the meteoritic mean $\text{δ}{}^{34}\text{S(0‰)}$.Classification of carbonatites in terms of T,?O₂ and pH during formation of the sulphur-bearing assemblages indicates that with decreasing T and increasing relative ?O₂ the mean δ³⁴S sulphide becomes increasing negative relative to the mean magma δ³⁴S. Only barite-free high temperature carbonatites (Phalabora) in which the mean δ^34S sulphide approaches the mean magmaδ³⁴S as a consequence of the paucity of oxidized anionic sulphur species in the magma can be used to directly estimate the mean isotopic composition of the source material.Barites from the Mountain Pass carbonatite show an increase in δ³⁴S with sequence of intrusion of the carbonatite units; dolomitic carbonatite (mean δ³⁴S, + 5.4‰), calcitic carbonatite (+ 4.8%.), silicified carbonatite (+ 6.9‰), tabular carbonatite dikes (+ 8.7‰), mineralized shear zones (+ 9.5‰). Within each of these units a spread of 6.8%. is evident. Isotopic trends in this low temperature (300°C) carbonatite are evaluated by treating the system as a hydrothermal fluid. The observed isotopic variations can be explained by removal of large amounts of sulphur from a fluid whose mean δ³⁴S is 0 to + 1‰     

Phyto-geomorphic classification of the landscape

The subdivision of landscape into phyto-geomorphic units forms a useful basis for land resource surveys and for providing a holistic approach to potential biological productivity. This paper explains the natural basis for such units, justifies their subdivision into a hierarchy and gives definitive criteria for each categoric level. The main levels are the land zone, land division, land province, land region, land system, land catena and land facet, of which the province, system and facet are the more important. Most bear some analogy with categories recognized in pedology and plant ecology. Vegetation varies in importance in relation to landforms in land unit definition both regionally and categorically, being most important in forested areas and for certain other land categories. Sample areas in the United Kingdom, Australia and Jordan illustrate complete hierarchies of land units for different climatic zones. A simple procedure based on critical path analysis and using remotely sensed imagery, maps and other data can give a landscape analysis suitable for planning at a variety of scales.     

Reconstructing the historical changes in Daphnia mean size and planktivorous fish abundance in lakes from the size of Daphnia ephippia in the sediment

The zooplankton community structure in lakes is highly influenced by size-selective predation by fish, with small zooplankton species dominating at high predation pressure. Remains of cladocerans are preserved in the sediment and may be used to trace historical changes in fish predation. We determined how contemporary data on planktivorous fish were related to the size of Daphnia ephippia (dorsal length) in the surface sediment (0-1 cm) of 52 mainly shallow lakes with contrasting densities of fish and nutrients (TP: 0.002-0.60 mg P l^-1). Density of fish expressed as catch per unit effort, in terms of numbers in multiple mesh-sized gill nets (CPUE_n), decreased significantly with increasing mean size of ephippia. The relationship was improved by adding TP as an independent variable, now explaining 90% of the variation in CPUE_n on the full data set covering lakes in Denmark, Greenland and New Zealand, and 78% if only data on Danish lakes were used. CPUE by weight of planktivorous fish and mean weight of Daphnia in the pelagial during summer were also related to ephippial size. By including contemporary data on established relationships between the sizes of egg-bearing female Daphnia and ephippia, we inferred changes in the CPUE_n, mean size of ephippia-bearing Daphnia and summer mean body weight of Daphnia from ephippial size in four lakes during the past 1-2 centuries. In a hypertrophic lake subject to periodic fish kills, Daphnia mean body weight was high and CPUE_n was low compared with those in two eutrophic lakes, while CPUE_n was low and Daphnia body weight was high in the least eutrophic, clearwater lake. Estimated CPUE_n and Daphnia mean weight in the surface sediment of these four lakes corresponded well with contemporary data. Only small changes in ephippial size with time were observed in the clearwater lake and in one of the lakes that had suffered early eutrophication, while major changes occurred in the two other lakes that had been subjected to a major increase in nutrient input or fish kills. We conclude that Daphnia ephippia preserved in the surface sediments of lakes may be a useful and efficient method to quantify the present-day abundance of planktivorous fish and Daphnia mean size. The method is particularly valid in surveys aimed to give a general picture of the fish stock and the ecological state in a set of lakes in a region rather than a precise estimate for a single lake. Though some evidence is provided, more work is needed to evaluate whether the equations are valid for hind-casting in down-core palaeoecological studies.