The energetics of aluminum solubility into MgSiO3 perovskite at lower mantle conditions

Experiments [T. Irifune (1994) Nature 370, 131–133; E. Ito et al. (1998) Geophys. Res. Lett. 25, 821–824; A. Kubo, M. Akaogi (2000) Phys. Earth Planet. Int. 121, 85–102] indicate that (Mg,Fe)SiO₃ perovskite, commonly believed to be the most abundant mineral in the Earth, is the preferred host phase of Al₂O₃ in the Earth’s lower mantle. Aiming to better understand the effects of Al₂O₃ on the thermoelastic properties of the lower mantle, we use atomistic models to examine the chemistry and elasticity of solid solutions within the MgSiO₃(perovskite)–Al₂O₃(corundum)–MgO(periclase) mineral assemblage under conditions pertinent to the lower mantle: low Al cation concentrations, P=25–100 GPa, and T=1000–2000 K. We assess the relative stabilities of two likely substitution mechanisms of Al into MgSiO₃ perovskite in terms of reactions involving MgSiO₃, MgO, and Al₂O₃, in a manner similar to the 0 Kelvin calculations of Brodholt [J.P. Brodholt (2000) Nature 407, 620–622] and Yamamoto et al. [T. Yamamoto et al. (2003) Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 206, 617–625]. We determine the equilibrium composition of the assemblage by examining the chemical potentials of the Al₂O₃ and MgO components in solid solution with MgSiO₃, as functions of concentration. We find that charge coupled substitution dominates at lower mantle pressures and temperatures. Oxygen vacancy-forming substitution accounts for 3–4% of Al substitution at shallow lower mantle conditions, and less than 1% in the deep mantle. For these two pressure regimes, the corresponding adiabatic bulk moduli of aluminous perovskite are 2% and 1% lower than that of pure MgSiO₃ perovskite.     

Korean East Coast wave predictions by means of ensemble Kalman filter data assimilation

To respond to the need for preventing offshore and coastal accidents, damage and flooding, a state-of-the-art coastal wave forecast system for the East Coast of Korea waters is being developed. Given that the quality of the input wind has been identified as the main factor influencing the quality of the wave results, the effectiveness of adjusting the wind fields by means of data assimilation using the ensemble Kalman filter technique has been explored. In this article the model setup, the data assimilation parameters and the validation of the predictions during stormy periods is described. The validation shows that the model is able to provide predictions of coastal waves fulfilling available benchmarks; especially, the data assimilation analysis and forecast predictions are judged to be of high quality.     

From subsurface to surface: a multidisciplinary approach to decoding uplift histories in tectonically-active karst landscapes

We present an integrated study of subsurface and surficial karst landforms to unravel the uplift history of karst landscape in a tectonically-active area. To this end, we apply a multidisciplinary approach by combining cave geomorphology and Th/U dating of speleothems with remote sensing plus geophysical imaging of surface landforms. We use as an example Mt. Menikio in northern Greece where four caves share well-defined epiphreatic/shallow phreatic characteristics that are related to the distribution of surface and buried doline fields and provide evidence for three distinct water table stillstands (e.g. expressed as cave levels) now lying at ~130 m, ~800 m and ~1600 m a.m.s.l. Our dating constraints delimit the age of the lower water table stillstand prior to 77 ka ago and imply a maximum rate of relative base level drop of 0.45 mma^-1, which is consistent with relative tectonic uplift rate estimates along currently active normal faults. We interpret the elevation of the higher water table stillstands to reflect earlier phases of uplift related to the regional tectonic events associated with the development of the North Anatolian Fault and the Northern Aegean area. Our analysis shows that the combined study of epiphreatic/shallow phreatic caves and surficial karst landforms together, is a robust way to investigate the uplift history of a karst landscape in a tectonically-active setting. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Do the shallow‐water habitats of a hypersaline tropical estuary act as nursery grounds for fishes?

Fish assemblages were studied in a hypersaline tropical estuary in Northeastern Brazil. A total of 104 species were collected by beach seine during the dry and rainy seasons of 2012. Two families, Atherinopsidae and Gerreidae, were numerically dominant in all zones of the estuary; juveniles of Atherinella brasiliensis, Eucinostomus argenteus, Lile piquitinga, Ulaema lefroyi, Lutjanus analis and Sphoeroides greeleyi contributed 77% of the total catch. The factors that best explained the fish abundance pattern were salinity and depth, which were related to spatial segregation. Species richness was lowest in the upper zone, an area with high salinity and shallow depth. The distinct roles of structurally different habitats (submerged macrophyte beds and mangrove prop‐roots) and the influence of physicochemical conditions in the middle zone of the estuary may influence taxonomic diversity. The middle zone of the estuary is the one most attractive to juveniles of reef species (Lutjanidae and Serranidae). The fish assemblages are clearly dominated by marine estuarine dependent species, highlighting the importance of the ecosystem as a nursery ground for marine species of the Brazilian coast.     

Late Quaternary glacier and sea-ice history of northern Wijdefjorden,Svalbard

The deglaciation history and Holocene environmental evolution of northern Wijdefjorden, Svalbard, are reconstructed using sediment cores and acoustic data (multibeam swath bathymetry and sub-bottom profiler data). Results reveal that the fjord mouth was deglaciated prior to 14.5±0.3 cal. ka BP and deglaciation occurred stepwise. Biomarker analyses show rapid variations in water temperature and sea ice cover during the deglaciation, and cold conditions during the Younger Dryas, followed by minimum sea ice cover throughout the Early Holocene, until c. 7 cal. ka BP. Most of the glaciers in Wijdefjorden had retreated onto land by c. 7.6±0.2 cal. ka BP. Subsequently, the sea-ice extent increased and remained high throughout the last part of the Holocene. We interpret a high Late Holocene sediment accumulation rate in the northernmost core to reflect increased sediment flux to the site from the outlet of the adjacent lake Femmilsjøen, related to glacier growth in the Femmilsjøen catchment area. Furthermore, increased sea ice cover, lower water temperatures and the re-occurrence of ice-rafted debris indicate increased local glacier activity and overall cooler conditions in Wijdefjorden after c. 0.5 cal. ka BP. We summarize our findings in a conceptual model for the depositional environment in northern Wijdefjorden from the Late Weichselian until present.     

Origin of scattered disk resonant TNOs: Evidence for an ancient excited Kuiper belt of 50 AU radius

Resonance occupation of trans-neptunian objects (TNOs) in the scattered disk (>48 AU) was investigated by integrating the orbits of 85 observed members for 4 Gyr. Twenty seven TNOs were locked in the 9:4, 16:7, 7:3, 12:5, 5:2, 8:3, 3:1, 4:1, 11:2, and 27:4 resonances. We then explored mechanisms for the origin of the resonant structure in the scattered disk, in particular the long-term 9:4, 5:2, and 8:3 resonant TNOs (median 4 Gyr), by performing large scale simulations involving Neptune scattering and planetary migration over an initially excited planetesimals disk (wide range of eccentricities and inclinations). To explain the formation of Gyr-resident populations in such distant resonances, our results suggest the existence of a primordial planetesimal disk of at least 45-50 AU radius that suffered a dynamical perturbation leading to 0.1-0.3 or greater eccentricities and a range of inclinations up to ∼20° during early stages of the Solar System history, before planetary migration.     

Natural to anthropogenic forcing in the Holocene evolution of three coastal lagoons (Caldas da Rainha valley, western Portugal)

In the coast of Central Portugal three lagoons were created by the Holocene flooding of diapiric-related depressions but experienced afterwards a significant sediment accumulation. Fast environmental and morphological changes after the Middle Holocene were clearly forced by anthropogenic activities since the Middle Ages and show a strong feedback on the human communities. Erosion in the studied watersheds depends on climatic and anthropic changes; especially, demographic rises increase agriculture and deforestation in the watersheds, and sedimentation in the lagoons. The region was successively occupied by ethnic groups since the Neolithic (including Romans, Sueves, Visigoths and Muslims), but the main changes were largely due to anthropic forcing following the Christian Reconquest by the Kingdom of Portugal. In fact, during the Middle Ages and Renaissance the area had intense nautical, fishing and agricultural activities, even if reduced during the 14th century crisis. Later, due to severe sediment accumulation and shoaling, sailing was drastically reduced and most of the area drowned in the maximum transgression was claimed to farming. It is also noteworthy that the social evolution and sediment entrainment in the watersheds appear to be in tune with climatic trends deduced after regional and global data. In synthesis, we conclude that the human activities during the last millennium greatly accelerated the natural silting trend of the lagoons.     

Luminescence Variations in Fast-Growing Stalagmites from Uppsala, Sweden

Two fast‐growing stalagmites from a cellar vault in Uppsala, southeast Sweden, are analysed for their luminescent properties. The results indicate that variations in luminescence intensity in the stalagmites are annual. Due to problems in finding a suitable absolute dating method this assumption cannot yet be firmly tested; however, results from radiocarbon dating of one of the stalagmites do not contradict the proposal that the laminae are annual. If so, the speleothems have been growing for 10–15 years with a growth rate of 3–8 mm per year, which is a similar rate to other fast‐growing speleothems in Great Britain that have formed from the reaction of lime mortar and carbon dioxide. It is likely that the assumed annual laminae of the luminescence record represent a flush of organic material.     

Two triaxial induction tools: sensitivity to radial invasion profile‡

I study the responses of two different triaxial induction tools to invaded dipping anisotropic formations. I show that the triaxial measurements have generally higher sensitivity to the radial invasion profile, compared to the conventional induction measurements. This enables accurate interpretation of both the anisotropic formation properties and the invasion parameters. Multi‐spacing and single‐spacing multi‐frequency triaxial induction tools can both be used for this purpose. Failure to take the invasion properties into account may lead to misinterpretation of the vertical formation resistivity. Symmetrization of the apparent conductivity matrix opens ways for a visual interpretation of triaxial induction logs for the formation and the invasion zone properties. This technique enables simpler and faster inversion algorithms. I study how the effect of a conductive annulus forming around the invasion zone couples with effects of the dipping anisotropy and the dipping boundaries and show when these effects are additive. Thus, a visual detection of log parts affected by a conductive annulus becomes possible. The key tool for interpretation in complex 3D scenarios is efficient modelling software. I use a 3D finite‐difference modelling approach to simulate responses of induction logging tools of the new generation. Its high efficiency enables simultaneous multi‐spacing and multi‐frequency computing of the tool responses to arbitrary 3D anisotropic formations that made the study possible.