Characterization of the Rapanui mass-transport deposit and the basal shear zone: Mount Messenger Formation,Taranaki Basin,New Zealand

Submarine mass-transport deposits are important in many ancient and modern basins. Mass-transport deposits can play a significant role in exploration as reservoir, seal or source units. Although seismic data has advanced the knowledge about these deposits, more outcrop studies are needed to better understand gravity mass flows and predict the properties of their resultant deposits. It is proposed that sufficiently well-exposed outcrops of mass-transport deposits can be divided into three strain-dominant morphodomains: headwall, translational and toe. The outcrops of the Rapanui mass-transport deposit, part of the Lower Mount Messenger Formation in the Taranaki Basin, New Zealand, are exposed along a ca 4 km transect in coastal cliffs that enable the identification of the three morphodomains. The aim of this study is to characterize the stratigraphic and sedimentological nature of the Miocene-age Rapanui mass-transport deposit outcrops and the evolution of its basal shear zone. The basal shear zone of a mass-transport deposit is defined as the stratal zone formed in the interface between the overriding mass flow and the underlying in situ deposits or sea floor. Accordingly, the deformation structures in the Rapanui mass-transport deposit and the basal shear zone were documented in an established spatial framework. Traditional methodologies were used to characterize the sedimentology of the Rapanui mass-transport deposit. Data collected from intrafolial folds, rafted blocks and samples from the Rapanui mass-transport deposit were used to investigate strain and matrix texture evolution, estimate palaeoflow direction, and calculate yield strength and overpressure at time of deposition. Additionally, a one-dimensional numerical model was used to test sedimentation-driven overpressure as probable trigger. This work demonstrates that the basal shear zone, as well as the matrix texture of a mass-transport deposit, can vary spatially as sediments from underlying deposits are entrained during shear-derived mixing. This phenomenon can impact the seal potential of mass-transport deposits and their interaction with fluids in the subsurface.     

Molecular dynamics modeling of stishovite

A Morse-stretch potential charge equilibrium force field for silica system has been employed to simulate the thermodynamics of stishovite with the molecular dynamics (MD) method. The equation of state, thermal expansivity and melting curve of stishovite have been obtained. This simple force field yielded results in accordance with the static and dynamic experiments. The stishovite melting simulation appears to validate the interpretation of superheating of the solid along the Hugoniot in the shock melting experiments. MD simulations show that the thermal expansivity of stishovite at lowermost mantle conditions is a weak function of temperature. The phase diagram of silica up to the mega bar regime is proposed based on the experimental and theoretical studies. The related physical and geophysical implications are addressed.     

Organochlorine pesticide and trace metal monitoring of Russian rivers flowing to the Arctic Ocean: 1990-1996

Information is presented on the concentrations of organochlorine pesticides (HCHs and DDT residues) and trace metals (Fe, Cu, Zn and Ni) in waters of 15 large Russian rivers flowing to the Arctic Ocean during 1990-1996. Estimates of the corresponding annual fluxes are made. Other contaminants (Hg, Pb, Cr, Mn, beta-HCH and dihydroheptachlor) were examined briefly. Concentration data are presented as averaged annual means for each of the seven years with the ranges, standard deviations and numbers of samples. Also given are data on locations, the methods of analysis and limited quality assurance data. Data on discharges to the Northern Seas for the more frequently monitored contaminants are given for rivers accounting for >70% of the total northerly flows. Scaled-up fluxes to account for unmonitored rivers as well are given for each sea; totals over the period were: Fe, 1452; Cu, 15; Zn, 59 (x 10(3) t yr(-1)); alpha-HCH, 25; gamma-HCH, 44 (t yr(-1)). Ni was monitored at too few rivers to estimate its total Russian flux. The fluxes for the HCHs considerably exceed previous estimates and indicate that the Arctic Ocean is not in balance as much as was previously believed.     

The role of horizontal resolution in simulating drivers of the global hydrological cycle

The role of atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) horizontal resolution in representing the global energy budget and hydrological cycle is assessed, with the aim of improving the understanding of model uncertainties in simulating the hydrological cycle. We use two AGCMs from the UK Met Office Hadley Centre: HadGEM1-A at resolutions ranging from 270 to 60 km, and HadGEM3-A ranging from 135 to 25 km. The models exhibit a stable hydrological cycle, although too intense compared to reanalyses and observations. This over-intensity is explained by excess surface shortwave radiation, a common error in general circulation models (GCMs). This result is insensitive to resolution. However, as resolution is increased, precipitation decreases over the ocean and increases over the land. This is associated with an increase in atmospheric moisture transport from ocean to land, which changes the partitioning of moisture fluxes that contribute to precipitation over land from less local to more non-local moisture sources. The results start to converge at 60-km resolution, which underlines the excessive reliance of the mean hydrological cycle on physical parametrization (local unresolved processes) versus model dynamics (large-scale resolved processes) in coarser HadGEM1 and HadGEM3 GCMs. This finding may be valid for other GCMs, showing the necessity to analyze other chains of GCMs that may become available in the future with such a range of horizontal resolutions. Our finding supports the hypothesis that heterogeneity in model parametrization is one of the underlying causes of model disagreement in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP) exercises.     

Failure to achieve stringent carbon reduction targets in a second-best policy world

Legislation to decarbonise energy systems within overall greenhouse gas reduction targets represents an immense and unprecedented energy policy challenge. However there is a dichotomy between this level of policy ambition and prior modelling studies that find such targets economically, technologically and socially feasible under idealised ?Dfirst-best policies. This paper makes a significant contribution to current analytical efforts to account for realistic ?Dsecond-best climate mitigation policy implementation. This is achieved via a technical classification of secondbest common mode issues at a detailed national level: both internal (behavioural change, infrastructure implementation) and external (new technologies, resource availability). Under a combinatory second-best scenario, meeting targets greater than a 70% reduction in CO₂ by 2050 entail costs above a subjective barrier of 1% of GDP, while extreme mitigation scenarios (>90% CO₂ reduction) are infeasible. These high costs are equally due to disappointing progress in behavioural and technological mitigation efforts. Expensive second-best mitigation scenarios can still rely on extreme assumptions including the full deployment of the UK??s offshore wind resource or the complete diffusion of energy efficiency measures in end-use sectors. By demonstrating the fragilities of a low carbon energy system pathway, policy makers can explore protective and proactive strategies to ensure targets can actually be met. Additionally, systematic analysis of failure in stringent long term decarbonisation scenarios teaches energy analysts about the trade-offs in model efficacy vs. confidence.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987111001113

The Rheic Ocean was one of the most important oceans of the Paleozoic Era.It lay between Laurentia and Gondwana from the Early Ordovician and closed to produce the vast Ouachita-Alleghanian -Variscan orogen during the assembly of Pangea.Rifting began in the Cambrian as a continuation of Neoproterozoic orogenic activity and the ocean opened in the Early Ordovician with the separation of several Neoproterozoic arc terranes from the continental margin of northern Gondwana along the line of a former suture.The rapid rate of ocean opening suggests it was driven by slab pull in the outboard lapetus Ocean.The ocean reached its greatest width with the closure of lapetus and the accretion of the periGondwanan arc terranes to Laurentia in the Silurian.Ocean closure began in the Devonian and continued through the Mississippian as Gondwana sutured to Laurussia to form Pangea.The ocean consequently plays a dominant role in the Appalachian-Ouachita orogeny of North America,in the basement geology of southern Europe,and in the Paleozoic sedimentary,structural and tectonothermal record from Middle America to the Middle East.Its closure brought the Paleozoic Era to an end.