Nature and origin of nodular textures in anorthositic cumulates from the East Bull Lake Intrusion,Ontario, Canada

Summary Nodular anorthosite, containing rounded aggregates (nodules) of plagioclase set in a gabbroic to pyroxenitic matrix, is developed in constrictions (< 500 m wide) within the central and eastern parts of the Early Proterozoic East Bull Lake Intrusion, central Ontario, Canada. The nodules typically occur as spherical to ovoidal aggregates ranging from 1 cm to 14 cm in diameter. Larger nodules are physical agglomerations of smaller nodules that formed in isolation. Plagioclase core compositions for the nodules display little variation in anorthite content (An_68–75), indicating a homogeneous and nonfractionating parent magma during the initial stages of nodule development.The restricted occurrence of the nodular anorthosite is consistent with a model in which the nodules formed in response to elevated degrees of undercooling within dike-like constrictions in the proto-chamber. Undercooling resulted in the rapid nucleation and growth of plagioclase upon pre-existing plagioclase phenocrysts (disequilibrium crystallization). The resultant primary nodules then aggregated together forming secondary nodules, possibly through an agglomeration process involving a Mg-Fe-rich residual liquid. Migration of some of this relatively dense liquid out of the nodular anorthosite unit during the final stages of consolidation resulted in compaction and promoted the formation of large tertiary nodules.

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Zusammensetzung und Entstehung nodularer Texturen in anorthositischen Kumulaten von der East Bull Lake Intrusion, Ontario, Canada

Zusammenfassung Nodulare Anorthosite, die gerundete Aggregate (nodules) von Plagioklas in einer gabbroischen pyroxenitischen Matrix enthalten, kommen in beschränkten Bereichen (weniger als 500 m breit) in zentralen und östlichen Teilen der frühproterozoischen East Bull Lake Intrusion im zentralen Ontario, Canada, vor. Die Nodules liegen vorwiegend als kugelförmige bis ovoidale Aggregate vor, deren Durchmesser von 1 bis 14 cm schwankt. Größere Nodules sind aus Gruppen von aneinander gelagerten kleineren Nodules entstanden. Die Zusammensetzung von Plagioklaskernen in den Nodules zeigen geringe Variationen im Anorthit-Gehalt (An_68–78), und dies weist auf ein homogenes und nicht fraktioniertes Ursprungsmagma während der ersten Stadien der Nodule-Entwicklung hin.Das beschränkte Vorkommen des nodularen Anorthosits läßt sich durch ein Modell erklären, in dem die Nodules als Reaktion auf Unterkühlung innerhalb gangartiger Bereiche in der Proto-Magmenkammer entstehen. Unterkühlung resultierte in rascher Nukleation und im Wachstum von Plagioklas auf präexistierenden Plagioklaskristallen (Ungleichgewichts-Kristallisation). Die resultierenden primären Nodules verbinden sich dann und bilden sekundäre Nodules, möglicherweise durch einen Prozeß, der eine Mg-Fe-reiche Restschmelze involviert. Migration von einem Teil dieser relativ dichten Schmelze aus der nodularen Anorthosit-Einheit während der Endstadien der Verfestigung führte zur Kompaktion und erleichterte die Bildung von großen tertiären Nodules.

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With 4 Figures     

Energy cascades in the upper ocean

1 INTRODUCTION Wave-wave interactions play a key role in the evolution of the dynamics of upper ocean phenomena. Even though they conserve total wave energy, these interactions cause energy cascades to occur in which wave-energy is transferred at the surf…     

Contrasting patterns in the abundance of fish communities targeted by fishers on two coral reefs in southern Mozambique

Coastal populations of maritime countries in eastern Africa rely on fish as a primary source of protein, but baseline information on the abundance of fish communities on these coastlines is often lacking. We used baited remote underwater video stations to compare the abundance and diversity of reef fishes targeted by fishing at two sites in southern Mozambique, one at Lighthouse Reef within the Bazaruto Archipelago National Park and the other to the south at San Sebastian Reef on the San Sebastian Peninsula. Fish that are known targets of fisheries (mostly small-scale and artisanal) had an abundance that was almost three-times greater at San Sebastian Reef (80.22 ind. h^–1 [SE 18.00]) than at Lighthouse Reef (29.70 ind. h^–1 [SE 8.91]). Similarly, there was greater mean species richness at San Sebastian Reef (38.74 species h^–1 [SE 2.79]) than at Lighthouse Reef (25.37 species h^–1 [SE 3.66]). The main drivers of targeted fish abundance were habitat and depth, with shallow (<15 m) and mixed reef areas having the greatest abundance and richness. More sampling was done over sand habitat at Lighthouse Reef, which likely led to the lower abundance and species richness observed at this site; however, that finding could also be attributable to the fact that protection is provided to only a section of available coral reef habitat in a small area. Nevertheless, fish community structure was comparable between the sites, with similar proportions of carnivores (78–81%), herbivores (12–14%) and omnivores (7–8%). Our findings highlight the variation in species abundance and assemblages of coral-reef fish targeted by fishing in Mozambique and emphasise the importance of localised environmental variables as a driver of these patterns. To ensure maximum protection of Lighthouse Reef fish communities, we recommend an extension of the no-take zone to include the entire reef complex.     

A velocity projection framework for inferring shallow water currents from surface tracer fields

To the extent that sea surface temperature and colors can be considered passive tracers, their motions can be tracked to estimate the current velocities, or a conservation equation can be invoked to relate their temporal variations to the velocities. We investigate the latter, the so-called tracer inversion problem, with a particular focus on (1) the conditions under which the problem can be rendered over-determined for least squares solutions, (2) the possibility of using the tracer conservation equation within the “velocity projection” framework to estimate subsurface current profiles in shallow coastal waters, and (3) the accuracy of the tracer inversion calculation in terms of the data resolution and noise. The velocity projection framework refers to relating surface motion, either measured directly or made visible by tracers, to the subsurface current motion through the equations of motion. The accuracy of the tracer inversion calculation is quantified in terms of the spatial and temporal resolution of the tracer distribution. In the presence of irreducible tracer noise, the accuracy of the inversion rapidly degrades, and it is shown that the inversion with velocity projection can help improve accuracy. The tracer inversion method developed in this study is applied to the satellite sea surface temperature data, and the velocity result is compared to the velocity measurements made with the shore-based HF Coastal Current Radar. The potential of improving the velocity estimation with the present approach is indicated.     

The sulfur species in hot rocky exoplanet atmospheres

The first JWST observations of hot Jupiters showed an unexpected detection of SO ${}_2$ in their hydrogen-rich atmospheres. We investigate how much sulfur can be expected in the atmospheres of rocky exoplanets and which sulfur molecules can be expected to be most abundant and detectable by transmission spectroscopy. We run thermochemical equilibrium models at the crust–atmosphere interface, considering surface temperatures 500–5000 K, surface pressures 1–100 bar, and various sets of element abundances based on common rock compositions. Between 1000 and 2000 K, we find gaseous sulfur concentrations of up to 25% above the rock in our models. SO ${}_2$, SO, H ${}_2$S, and S ${}_2$ are by far the most abundant sulfur molecules. SO ${}_2$ shows potentially detectable features in transmission spectra at about 4 $\mu$m, between 7 and 8 $\mu$m, and beyond 15 $\mu$m. In contrast, the sometimes abundant H ${}_2$S molecule is difficult to detect in these spectra, which are mostly dominated by H ${}_2$O and CO ${}_2$. Although the molecule PS only occurs with concentrations ppm, it can cause a strong absorption feature between 0.3 and 0.65 $\mu$m in some of our models for high surface pressures. The detection of sulfur molecules would enable a better characterization of the planetary surface.