U-Pb monazite ages in amphibolite- to granulite-facies orthogneiss reflect hydrous mineral breakdown reactions: Sveconorwegian Province of SW Norway

In the Rogaland–Vest Agder terrain of the Sveconorwegian Province of SW Norway, two main Sveconorwegian metamorphic phases are reported: a phase of regional metamorphism linked to orogenic thickening (M1) and a phase of low-pressure thermal metamorphism associated with the intrusion of the 931 ± 2 Ma anorthosite-charnockite Rogaland igneous complex (M2). Phase M1 reached granulite facies to the west of the terrane and M2 culminated locally at 800–850 °C with the formation of dry osumilite-bearing mineral associations. Monazite and titanite U-Pb geochronology was conducted on 17 amphibolite- to granulite-facies orthogneiss samples, mainly from a suite of 1050 ⁺²/₋₈ Ma calc-alkaline augen gneisses, the Feda suite. In these rocks, prograde negatively discordant monazite crystallized during breakdown of allanite and titanite in upper amphibolite facies at 1012–1006 Ma. In the Feda suite and other charnockitic gneisses, concordant to slightly discordant monazite at 1024–997 Ma probably reflects breakdown of biotite during granulite-facies M1 metamorphism. A spread of monazite ages down to 970 Ma in biotite ± hornblende samples possibly corresponds to the waning stage of this first event. In the Feda suite, a well defined monazite growth episode at 930–925 Ma in the amphibolite-facies domain corresponds to major clinopyroxene formation at the expense of hornblende during M2. Growth or resetting of monazite was extremely limited during this phase in the granulite-facies domain, up to the direct vicinity of the anorthosite complex. The M2 event was shortly followed by cooling through ca. 610 °C as indicated by tightly grouped U-Pb ages of accessory titanite and titanite relict inclusions at 918 ± 2 Ma over the entire region. A last generation of U-poor monazite formed during regional cooling below 610 °C, in hornblende-rich samples at 912–904 Ma. This study suggests: (1) that monazite formed during the prograde path of high-grade metamorphism may be preserved; (2) that monazite ages reflect primary or secondary growth of monazite linked to metamorphic reactions involving redistribution of REEs and Th, and/or fluid mobilisation; (3) that the U-Pb system in monazite is not affected by thermal events up to 800–850 °C, provided that conditions were dry during metamorphism. Received: 9 January 1997 / Accepted: 15 April 1998     

The surface free energies of talc and pyrophyllite

The components of the interfacial surface tension of talc and pyrophyllite were determined by measuring the rate of the capillary rise of a number of liquids through thin, sedimented deposits of the powdered minerals. The rate of capillary rise of a liquid in a powder is related to the contact angle between the liquid and the solid by the Washburn equation. The contact angles thus derived were used to determine the apolar (Lifshitzvan der Waals) component, γ ^LW , and the polar, electronacceptor and electron-donor parameters, γ ^⊕ and γ ^? respectively, of the Lewis acid/base component of the total interfacial surface energy using the Young equation. The values of γ ^LW for talc and pyrophyllite (31.5 and 34.4 mJ/m²) are slightly smaller than for smectite clay minerals (e.g., the value for hectorite is 39.9 mJ/m²), the electron donor parameter values are roughly comparable for talc and pyrophyllite (γ ^⊕ = 2.4 and 1.7 mJ/m²) as are the values of the electron acceptor parameter (γ ^? = 2.7 and 3.2 mJ/m²). The well-known hydrophobicity of these two minerals is due to the remarkably small value (for silicate minerals) of γ ^?(γ^⊕ is normally small or zero for silicates and many other oxides). The small values of both γ ^⊕ and γ ^? mean that the Lewis acid/base interactions between talc or pyrophyllite and highly polar water molecules are very weak. In contrast, low-charge smectites, the minerals most similar chemically and structurally to talc and pyrophyllite, have much greater values of γ ^? (≥ 30 mJ/m²) and are hydrophyllic.     

Impact of rehabilitation of Assiut barrage, Nile River, on groundwater rise in urban areas

To make optimum use of the most vital natural resource of Egypt, the River Nile water, a number of regulating structures (in the form of dams and barrages) for control and diversion of the river flow have been constructed in this river since the start of the 20th century. One of these barrages is the Assiut barrage which will require considerable repairs in the near future. The design of the rehabilitation of the barrage includes a headpond with water levels maintained at a level approximately 0.60 m higher than the highest water level in the headpond of the present barrage. This development will cause an increase of the seepage flow from the river towards the adjacent agricultural lands, Assiut Town and villages. The increased head pond level might cause a rise of the groundwater levels and impedance of drainage outflows. The drainage conditions may therefore be adversely affected in the so-called impacted areas which comprise floodplains on both sides of the Nile for about 70 km upstream of the future barrage. A rise in the groundwater table, particularly when high river levels impede drainage, may result in waterlogging and secondary salinization of the soil profile in agricultural areas and increase of groundwater into cellars beneath buildings in the urban areas. In addition, a rise in the groundwater table could have negative impact on existing sanitation facilities, in particular in the areas which are served with septic tanks. The impacts of increasing the headpond level were assessed using a three-dimensional groundwater model. The mechanisms of interactions between the Nile River and the underlying Quaternary aquifer system as they affect the recharge/discharge processes are comprehensively outlined. The model has been calibrated for steady state and transient conditions against historical data from observation wells. The mitigation measures for the groundwater rise in the urban areas have been tested using the calibrated mode.     

The Lower Wonderfontein Spruit: an exposé

During the nineteenth century the Wonderfontein Valley and Spruit were described as a 'natural jewel' by adventurers. The valley underlain by dolomitic aquifers contained copious volumes of water and partly overlies gold-mining excavations, which were under a threat of flooding. For safety and economic reasons, large-scale dewatering of some of the dolomitic aquifers was decided upon as a matter of policy. This led to the lowering of the water table, which accelerated the formation of sinkholes and dolines in geologically sensitive areas. The streambed along approximately the first 30 km of the Lower Wonderfontein Spruit is particularly vulnerable. The mining sector attempted to rehabilitate the affected parts of the streambed by filling the sinkholes with various materials. Unfortunately, many of the treated sinkholes were reactivated by storm flow.     

Summary findings of the fourth international radiocarbon intercomparison (FIRI)(1998–2001)

Interlaboratory comparisons have been widely used in applied radiocarbon science. These are an important part of ongoing quality assurance (QA) programmes, which are vital to the appropriate interpretation of the evidence provided by the ¹⁴C record in Quaternary applications (including climate change and environmental reconstruction). International comparisons of laboratory performance are an essential component of the quality assurance process in radiocarbon dating. If the user community is to have confidence in radiocarbon results, it needs to be assured that laboratories world wide are producing measurements that are reliable and in accordance with ‘good practice’. The findings from the most recent (completed in 2001) and extensive (more than 90 participating laboratories) radiocarbon intercomparison (FIRI) are reported here. This study was designed (i) to assess comparability, or otherwise, of the results from different laboratories and (ii) to quantify the extent and possible causes of any interlaboratory variation. The results demonstrate that there are no significant differences amongst the main measurement techniques (gas proportional counting, liquid scintillation counting and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS)) but there is evidence of small laboratory offsets relative to known age samples for some laboratories. There is also evidence in some cases of underestimation of measurement precision. Approximately 10% of all results were classified as extreme (outliers) and these results were generated by 14% of the laboratories. Overall, the evidence supports the fact that radiocarbon laboratories are generally accurate and precise but that, notwithstanding internal QA procedures, some problems still occur, which can best be detected by participation in independent intercomparisons such as FIRI, where the results allow individual laboratories to assess their performance and to take remedial measures where necessary. The results from FIRI are significant in that they show a broad measure of agreement between measurements made in different laboratories on a wide range of materials and they also demonstrate no statistically significant difference between measurements made by radiometric or AMS techniques. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Moscow and St. Petersburg, a sequence of capitals, a tale of two cities

From early modern times until the present, Russia (temporarily extended to the USSR) had two capital cities: Moscow and Petersburg. Moscow was the original capital, it was succeeded by Petersburg from the beginning of the 18th century. From the early 20th century onward Moscow again became the capital, but it became a different kind of capital at the end of the 20th century. The paper describes the evolution of the representation of the state function in the appearance of the capital cities by way of the state buildings, the monuments, the street names. In addition it analyses the fate of the former capitals (first Moscow, then Petersburg) in terms of their symbolic functions. Petersburg originated as a capital turned to the outside emphasizing Russia's European vocation, while Moscow was at first the inward looking capital city representing the distinctive spiritual values of Russia. Changes had to do with the changes in the nature of the successive political regimes and with the changing roles of the two cities within those regimes.     

Sr and Pb isotopic composition of five USGS glasses (BHVO-2G, BIR-1G, BCR-2G, TB-1G, NKT-1G)

Sr isotopic compositions and Rb / Sr ratios of three USGS glasses (BHVO-2G, BIR-1G, BCR-2G) are identical to those of the original USGS reference materials. NKT-1G and TB-1G give values of 0.70351 and 0.70558, respectively. Pb isotopic ratios were measured by the standard-sample bracketing technique on an MC-ICP-MS, which give results that are comparable in accuracy and reproducibility to double spike analyses. However, assessment of the reproducibility of the technique is hampered by inhomogeneous contamination of all USGS reference materials analysed. This contamination is likely to be the reason why the USGS glasses do not all have the same Pb isotopic composition as their unfused originals. Powdered glasses, distributed for characterisation of the glasses by bulk analytical techniques, do not all have the same Pb isotopic compositions as the solid glass material, and can therefore not be used for this purpose.