Provenance, environmental and paleogeographic controls on sandstone composition in an incised-valley system: the Eocene La Meseta Formation, Seymour Island, Antarctica

The Eocene La Meseta Formation is the youngest exposed unit of the back-arc James Ross Basin, Antarctic Peninsula, cropping out in Seymour (Marambio) Island. The formation comprises 720 m of clastic sedimentary rocks of deltaic, estuarine and shallow marine origin. It was subdivided into six unconformity-based units (Valle de Las Focas, Acantilados, Campamento, Cucullaea I, Cucullaea II and Submeseta Allomembers) grouped into three main facies associations. Facies association I represents valley-confined deposition in a progradational/aggradational tide-dominated and wave-influenced delta front/delta plain environment. Facies association II includes tidal channels, mixed tidal flats, tidal inlets and deltas, washover and beach environments. Facies association III represents nonconfined tide- and storm-influenced nearshore environments. La Meseta Formation sandstones are quartzofeldspathic with some hybrid arenites (glauconite and carbonate bioclasts-rich). Sandstone detrital modes are subdivided into two distinctive petrofacies: the low quartz petrofacies (petrofacies I, Q<55% and L>12%), interpreted to retain the original provenance signal, and the high quartz petrofacies (petrofacies II, Q>55% and L<12%), representing the reworking product of the former after selective elimination of the more labile components. Petrofacies I sandstone framework grains were mainly derived from a dissected magmatic arc and an associated metamorphic belt. Textural evidence for recycling of some grains (e.g. garnet) from older sedimentary units during valley incision is not conclusive. Changes in the relative participation of source areas during the evolution of the incised-valley system are evaluated from the relative proportions of lithic fragments and monomineralic clasts derived from each rock type. Two lithic assemblages were recognized. The mixed lithic assemblage (Rv/Rm+Rp<1.4) shows participation of all rock types; it represented valley-confined environments, either during the initial stage of valley development, or after main episodes of incision. The volcanic lithic assemblage (Rv/Rm+Rp>1.4) is clearly dominated by volcanic-derived clasts; it developed at times of high sea level and/or during later stages of the valley fill, when an “energy fence” at the shoreline prevented delivery of sediment from the Antarctic Peninsula, thus enhancing the relative participation of local volcanic sources.     

Time-dependent degradation of biotic carbonates and the search for past life on Mars

Searching for traces of extinct and/or extant life on the surface of Mars is one of the major objectives for remote-sensing and in-situ exploration of the planet. In the present paper we study the infrared (IR) spectral modifications induced by thermal processing on differently preserved calcium carbonate fossils, in order to discriminate them from their abiotic counterparts.The main conclusion of this study is that the degree of alteration of the fossils, derived from IR spectral analysis, seems to be well correlated with the sample age, and that terrestrial fossils after a billion years are so altered that it becomes impossible to trace their biotic origin. Since it is reasonable to assume that the putative Martian fossils should be at least 3.5 billion years old, this would imply that our spectroscopic method could not be able to detect them, if their degradation rate were the same as that we have found in usual conditions for the terrestrial fossils. However, due to the different climate evolution of the two planets, there is the possibility of having two different degradation rates, much lower for Mars than for Earth, especially if the fossils are embedded in a protective layer, such as a clay deposit. In this case IR spectroscopy, coupled with thermal processing, can be a useful tool for discriminating between abiotic and biotic (fossil) carbonate samples collected on the Martian surface.     

Limits on the detectability of the CMB B-mode polarization imposed by foregrounds

We investigate which practical constraints are imposed by foregrounds on the detection of the B-mode polarization generated by gravitational waves, in the case of experiments of the type currently being planned. As the B-mode signal is probably dominated by foregrounds at all frequencies, the detection of the cosmological component depends drastically on our ability to remove foregrounds. We provide an analytical expression with which to estimate the level of the residual polarization for Galactic foregrounds, according to the method employed for their subtraction. We interpret this result in terms of the lower limit of the tensor-to-scalar ratio r that allows us to disentangle the cosmological B-mode polarization from the foreground contribution. Polarized emission from extragalactic radio sources and gravitational lensing is also taken into account. As a first approach, we consider the ideal limit of an instrumental noise-free experiment: for full-sky coverage and a resolution of 1°, we obtain a limit of   r ∼ 10⁻⁴  . This value can be improved by high-resolution experiments and, in principle, there is no clear fundamental limit on the detectability of the polarization of gravitational waves. Our analysis is also applied to planned or hypothetical future polarization experiments, taking into account expected noise levels.     

The Crati Submarine Fan, Ionian Sea

The Crati Fan is located in the tectonically active submerged extension of the Apennines chain and foretrough. The small fan system is growing in a relatively shallow (200 to 450 m), elongate nearshore basin receiving abundant input from the Crati River. The fan is characterized by a short, steep, channelized section (inner or upper fan) and a smooth, slightly bulging distal section (outer or lower fan). The numerous subparallel channels head in the shelf or littoral zone and do not form branching distributary patterns. Sand and mud depositional lobes of the outer fan stretch over more than 60% of fan length. Margin setting represents fan and/or source area     

Explicit Adaptive Symplectic (Easy) Integrators: A Scaling Invariant Generalisation of the Levi-Civitaand KS Regularisations

We present a generalisation of the Levi-Civita and Kustaanheimo-Stiefel regularisation. This allows the use of more general time rescalings. In particular, it is possible to find a regularisation which removes the singularity of the equations and preserves scaling invariance. In addition, these equations can, in certain cases, be integrated with explicit symplectic Runge-Kutta-Nyström methods. The combination of both techniques gives an explicit adaptive symplectic (EASY) integrator. We apply those methods to some perturbations of the Kepler problem and illustrate, by means of some numerical examples, when scaling invariant regularisations are more efficient that the LC/KS regularisation.     

Anthropogenic input of heavy metals in two Audouin’s gull breeding colonies

Anthropogenic activities have become an important source of heavy metals to the marine environments. Biological sentinels like seabirds’ chicks have been widely used to monitorize the levels of some heavy metals. Due to its mainly marine foraging habits, Audouin’s gull fits well for this purpose. Mercury and lead levels were measured in mantle feathers of Audouin’s gull chicks from two colonies in NE Iberian Peninsula: the Ebro Delta and the Llobregat Delta. Both are anthropized areas subject to differential pollutant inputs. Lead levels were significantly higher in the Llobregat Delta probably due to the use of leaded fuel in the nearby Barcelona airport. On the other side, mercury concentrations were higher in the Ebro Delta, in relation with the disposal of the toxic sediments at the Flix site carried down by the Ebro River. These mercury levels in the Ebro chicks reached values that have been described as toxic.     

Assessing spectral evidence of aqueous activity in two putative martian paleolakes

We evaluate the evidence for the presence of mineral spectral signatures indicative of the past presence of water at two putative paleolakes on Mars using observations by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) Compact Reconnaissance Image Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM). CRISM spectra of both sites are consistent with laboratory spectra of Mg-rich phyllosilicates. Our analysis represents the first detailed evaluation of these locations. The spatial occurrence and association with topographic features within the craters is distinctly different for the two sites. The occurrence of these minerals supports the conclusion that water was once active in the areas sampled by these craters. The distribution of the phyllosilicates in Luqa does not provide distinctive evidence for the presence of a previous standing body of water and is consistent with either impact emplacement or post-impact alteration. For Cankuzo, the phyllosilicate distribution provides evidence of a layer in the crater wall indicative of aqueous activity, but does not require a paleolake.     

Tsunamigenic incisions produced by the December 2004 earthquake along the coasts of Thailand, Indonesia and Sri Lanka

Field observations and satellite images indicate that tsunami waves exhibit specific patterns during flooding and recession forming characteristic incisions in the coastal landscape. To study these incisions we analyze high resolution remote sensing images of the coastline of Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka impacted by the tsunami of December 26th, 2004. The analysis sheds light on the different mechanisms by which currents scour incisions during the flooding and receding phases of a tsunami. During flooding the high velocity flow indents the levees of existing tidal channels and bays, leaving short flood scours. The receding water then dissects the coastline with equally spaced return channels widening toward the coast.