Glasses in howardites: Impact melts or pyroclasts?

We have analyzed glasses in eight howardites with the aim of distinguishing their origins as impact melts or pyroclasts. Although theoretical calculations predict that pyroclastic eruptions could have taken place on Vesta, the occurrence of pyroclastic glasses in HED meteorites has not been documented. This study involved petrographic examination of textures, electron microprobe analysis of major and minor elements, and LA‐ICP‐MS analysis for selected trace elements. Previously documented textural and compositional differences between lunar impact‐melt and pyroclastic glasses partly guided this study. This work yielded no positive identification of pyroclastic glasses. The most likely explanation is that pyroclastic glasses never formed, either because Vesta contains insufficient volatiles to have powered explosive eruptions, or because eruptive conditions produced optically dense fire‐fountains that allowed melt drops to collect as lava ponds. The impact‐melt glasses were grouped (low‐alkali, Ca‐rich, and K‐rich) based on compositions. We suggest that these glasses are the result of impacts onto known HED lithologies. The low‐alkali glasses are impact melts of bulk HED lithologies. We hypothesize that the Ca‐rich and K‐rich glasses result from oversampling of plagioclase and of mesostasis that experienced liquid immiscibility, respectively, during micrometeorite impacts into eucrite targets.     

The utility of regional Chinese seismograms for source and path studies in central Asia

Summary. Broadband seismograms from the National Seismic Network of the People's Republic of China (PRC) have recently become available through a data exchange programme between NOAA and the State Seismological Bureau of the PRC. In this study, regional surface waves recorded at the Urumchi station located about 700 km north of the Tibetan Plateau in the Sinkiang Province are used to study East Kazakh explosions and wave propagation in central Asia. The data consist of broadband (flat to displacement between 0.1 and 10 Hz), photographic records from an SK Kirnos galvanometric system. Simultaneous inversion of Rayleigh wave phase and group velocities for the path from East Kazakh through the Dzhungarian Basin yields a crustal model dominated by the presence of very low velocities and a strong positive velocity gradient above 15 km depth. Velocities below 15 km depth are not significantly different from other continental structures underlain by Palaeozoic or Precambrian basement. Seismic moments were estimated for seven East Kazakh explosions using models of explosion sources with associated tectonic strain release. The largest explosion studied occurred on 1980 September 14 and had an m_b of 6.2 and a seismic moment of 2.7 × 10²³ dyn cm. The observed amplitude spectra of Rayleigh waves are richer in high frequencies than spectra calculated from our models. This could be caused by a path effect involving seismic wave focusing by the Dzhungarian Basin, although source medium effects cannot be ruled out.     

Seismic evidence for a sharp lithospheric base persisting to the lowermost mantle beneath the Caribbean

Broad-band data from South American earthquakes recorded by Californian seismic networks are analysed using a newly developed seismic wave migration method—the slowness backazimuth weighted migration (SBWM). Using the SBWM, out-of-plane seismic P -wave reflections have been observed. The reflection locations extend throughout the Earth's lower mantle, down to the core–mantle boundary (CMB) and coincide with the edges of tomographically mapped high seismic velocities. Modelling using synthetic seismograms suggests that a narrow (10–15 km) low- or high-velocity lamella with about 2 per cent velocity contrast can reproduce the observed reflected waveforms, but other explanations may exist. Considering the reflection locations and synthetic modelling, the observed out-of-plane energy is well explained by underside reflections off a sharp reflector at the base of the subducted lithosphere. We also detect weaker reflections corresponding to the tomographically mapped top of the slab, which may arise from the boundary between the Nazca plate and the overlying former basaltic oceanic crust. The joint interpretation of the waveform modelling and geodynamic considerations indicate mass flux of the former oceanic lithosphere and basaltic crust across the 660 km discontinuity, linking processes and structure at the top and bottom of the Earth's mantle, supporting the idea of whole mantle convection.     

EXPERIMENTS ON THE STABILITY OF FeOOH ON THE SURFACE OF THE MOON

The FeOOH phase in Apollo 16 rocks is akaganéite. Other polymorphs of FeOOH, i.e. geothite and lepidocrocite, may exist but have not been identified by X-ray diffraction. Experiments performed during this study using akaganéite, geothite, and lepidocrocite placed at 135°C and under a pumping vacuum of 10^?2 torr, demonstrate that these forms of FeOOH are not stable on the surface of the Moon, where daytime temperatures are about 140°C and pressures are about 10^?7 torr. The effect of the vacuum is to strip off the water, and the temperature speeds up this dehydration process. These data lend support to the contention of Taylor et al. (1973) that the FeOOH in lunar rocks formed by the oxyhydration of lawrencite, FeCl₂, due to contamination by terrestrial water vapor.     

Structure of mineral glasses—III. NaAlSi3O8 supercooled liquid at 805°C and the effects of thermal history

The distribution of interatomic distances in amorphous NaAlSi₃O₈ has been determined at 805°C by X-ray radial distribution analysis to investigate structural differences between the glass (T < 763°C) and the supercooled liquid (763°C < T < 1118°C). Except for slight differences attributable to thermal expansion, no significant changes were observed. The sample crystallized during the course of the experiment, but at least one crystal-free data set was obtained. The transition from the inferred six-membered ring structure of the supercooled liquid to the four-membered ring structure of the crystal was clearly visible in radial distribution function (RDF's) determined before and after crystallization.RDF's were also determined at 25°C for two NaAlSi₃O₈ glasses with different histories. The first was derived from a melt that had been cooled slowly from 1600 to 32°C above the melting point (T_f = 1118°C) to detect possible repolymerization to a more ‘crystal-like’ structure as the melt approached T_f. The second glass was prepared by holding a single crystal of Amelia albite at 50°C above T_f to see if the crystalline four-membered ring structure was preserved in melts at temperatures just above the liquidus. No significant differences were observed between these two RDF's and one obtained from a glass quenched from 1800°C. These results suggest that in addition to the destruction of formation of a periodic structure, melting and crystallization in NaAlSi₃O₈ also involves a repolymerization of tetrahedra. This would explain the observed kinetic barrier to melting and crystallization in the anhydrous system and the catalytic effect of small amounts of water or alkali oxide.     

Chemical relationships among irghizites,zhamanshinites, Australasian tektites and Henbury impact glasses

Analytical data for 40 elements are presented for three irghizites (tektite-like forms) and two zhamanshinites (impact glasses) from the Zhamanshin impact structure (Lat. 49°N, Long. 61°E), 200 km north of the Aral Sea, Kazakstahn SSR, USSR. Comparative data for 10 Australasian tektites (3 javanites, 5 australites, an indochinite and a philippinite), Henbury impact glass and parental Henbury subgreywacke sedimentary rocks are also presented.There is close similarity in composition between the three silica-rich samples from Zhamanshin (two irghizites and one zhamanshinite) and the high Mg-Cr tektites from Java, except that the irghizites contain high Ni and Co contamination from the impacting body. The silica-rich zhamanshinite is nearly identical in composition to Henbury impact glass. The refractory trace elements and REE show close similarities among all 17 silica-rich samples, although the tektites show a smaller spread in composition compared with the samples from Zhamanshin. All the silica-rich samples have REE patterns consistent with derivation from terrestrial sedimentary rocks of post-Archean age. All are thoroughly terrestrial. The silica-poor zhamanshinite and irghizite have Al, Na, K, Ni, Cr, Th, U and REE abundances consistent with derivation from a basaltic andesite parent material.The close similarity in chemistry and age between the silica-rich samples from Zhamanshin and Javan tektites from the Australasian strewnfleld warrants a close examination of the Zhamanshin impact structure as a possible source region for the Australasian tektites.     

Evolution of deep‐lead palaeodrainages and gold exploration at Ballarat,Australia

Ballarat in western Victoria hosts substantial hard‐rock and palaeoplacer gold deposits. The most famous placers are the deep leads—channel deposits of a middle Cenozoic drainage system that were buried by voluminous basalt flows over the past few million years. The basalt has also shielded large areas of the highly prospective bedrock from exploration for more of the hard‐rock gold deposits. Although difficult to explore for, such deposits could express themselves as geochemical plumes in the major aquifer system hosted by the deep leads. Groundwater sampling may provide a vector to such deposits, but around Ballarat debate has long surrounded the distribution and flow directions of the deep leads, which are critical for this exploration methodology. The present landscape around Ballarat began to develop in the Early Cenozoic when a pre‐existing Mesozoic landscape was severely dissected during Australia‐Antarctica breakup. Several cycles of erosion left several generations of fluvial placer deposits scattered across the present landscape. New data from regional mapping, boreholes and compilation of historical records elucidates the positions and flow directions of the deep leads. The distribution and flow directions of the deep leads beneath the basalt are different to, and cannot be inferred from, the present drainage upon the basalt. The deep‐lead drainage divide runs beneath the city of Ballarat with divergence of up to 30 km between the deep lead and the present drainage divides. The divide was shifted northward to its present position by the process of drainage diversion because the basalt eruptions built new topography to greater heights than along the pre‐existing deep‐lead divide.     

The Gulf: A young sea in decline

This review examines the substantial changes that have taken place in marine habitats and resources of the Gulf over the past decade. The habitats are especially interesting because of the naturally high levels of temperature and salinity stress they experience, which is important in a changing world climate. However, the extent of all natural habitats is changing and their condition deteriorating because of the rapid development of the region and, in some cases from severe, episodic warming episodes.Major impacts come from numerous industrial, infrastructure-based, and residential and tourism development activities, which together combine, synergistically in some cases, to cause the observed deterioration in most benthic habitats. Substantial sea bottom dredging for material and its deposition in shallow water to extend land or to form a basis for huge developments, directly removes large areas of shallow, productive habitat, though in some cases the most important effect is the accompanying sedimentation or changes to water flows and conditions. The large scale of the activities compared to the relatively shallow and small size of the water body is a particularly important issue.Important from the perspective of controlling damaging effects is the limited cross-border collaboration and even intra-country collaboration among government agencies and large projects. Along with the accumulative nature of impacts that occur, even where each project receives environmental assessment or attention, each is treated more or less alone, rarely in combination. However, their combination in such a small, biologically interacting sea exacerbates the overall deterioration. Very few similar areas exist which face such a high concentration of disturbance, and the prognosis for the Gulf continuing to provide abundant natural resources is poor.     

The Electric Field During Blowing Snow Events

A model is proposed to determine the electric field strength in blowing snow. To test this model, the electric field strength was measured over an 80-day period during the Canadian Arctic Shelf Exchange Study (CASES) in 2004. The electric field strength at 0.5 m correlates well with the difference between 10-m wind speed and a threshold wind speed, although there is a large amount of variation between the electric fields generated during different blowing snow events. Although the model predicts that the electric field should be proportional to particle number density, the correlation is weak. The correlation of wind speed and electric field strength suggests that particles become charged primarily due to friction-induced temperature difference as they impact upon the surface. The strength of the electric field is likely influenced by a large number of other factors that are difficult to measure. However, the model predicts electric field strengths in excess of 25 kV m⁻¹ near the surface, which would have a significant effect on particle motion.