A new amber deposit from the Cretaceous (uppermost Albian-lowermost Cenomanian) of southwestern France

A Cretaceous amber deposit has recently been discovered in a quarry of Charente-Maritime (southwestern France), at Cadeuil. This paper presents the sedimentary and palaeoenvironmental settings of the uppermost Albian-lowermost Cenomanian series including the amber deposit. A preliminary analysis of the amber samples reveals diverse fossil arthropods (a few mites and at least 20 insect families within 9 orders), as well as numerous micro-organisms, mainly algae and mycelia. A myceloid colony of bacteria, a flagellate algae and four especially well preserved insects are illustrated (Diptera Dolichopodidae, Diptera Chironomidae, Hymenoptera Parasitica, and Heteroptera Tingidae). The abundance of the limnic micro-organisms is discussed in terms of bloom events. Their relative scarcity in almost all the amber pieces containing fossil arthropods is attributed to differences in the origin of resin: production along trunk and branches for amber with arthropods; production by aquatic roots for amber rich in algae. The absence of pollen and spores in amber is attributed to differences in the respective periods of resin and palynomorph production, which may be related to a seasonal climate during the Albian-Cenomanian transition in Western Europe.     

Do S-type granites commonly sample infracrustal sources? New results from an integrated O, U–Pb and Hf isotope study of zircon

In contrast to I-type granites, which commonly comprise infracrustal and supracrustal sources, S-type granites typically incorporate predominantly supracrustal sources. The initial aim of this study was to identify the sources of three Scottish Caledonian (~460 Ma) S-type granites (Kemnay, Cove and Nigg Bay) by conducting oxygen, U–Pb and Hf isotope analyses in zircon in order to characterise one potential end-member magma involved in the genesis of the voluminous late Caledonian (~430–400 Ma) I-type granites. Field, whole-rock geochemical and isotopic data are consistent with the generation of the S-type granites by melting their Dalradian Supergroup country rocks. While Hf isotope compositions of magmatic zircon, U–Pb data of inherited zircons, and high mean zircon δ¹⁸O values of 9.0 ± 2.7‰ (2SD) and 9.8 ± 2.0‰ for the Kemnay and Cove granites support this model, the Nigg Bay Granite contains zircons with much lower δ¹⁸O values (6.8 ± 2.1‰), similar to those found in Scottish I-type granites. This suggests that the Nigg Bay Granite contains low-δ¹⁸O material representing either altered supracrustal material, or more likely, an infracrustal source component with mantle-like δ¹⁸O. Mixing trends in plots of δ¹⁸O vs. εHf for S-type granite zircons indicate involvement of at least two sources in all three granites. This pilot study of Scottish Caledonian S-type granites demonstrates that, while field and whole-rock geochemical data are consistent with local melting of only supracrustal sources, the oxygen isotopic record stored in zircon reveals a much more complex petrogenetic evolution involving two or more magma sources.     

Characterization and quantification of inorganic constituents of tropical peats and organic-rich deposits from Tasek Bera (Peninsular Malaysia): implications for coals

Since the Carboniferous, tropical latitudes have been the site of formation of many economic coal deposits, most of which have a restricted range of mineralogical composition as a result of their depositional environment, climatic conditions, and diagenesis. Mineralogical and microscopic investigations of tropical peats from Tasek Bera, Peninsular Malaysia, were performed in order to better understand some of these factors controlling the nature, distribution and association of inorganic matter in peat-forming environments. Distribution and nature of the inorganic fraction of peat deposits give insight into the weathering conditions and detrital input into the mire system. Because the inorganic composition of peat deposits is determined by plant communities, height of water table, and climate, the results of the quantitative and qualitative analysis can be used to reconstruct palaeoclimatic conditions.Tasek Bera is a peat-accumulating basin in humid tropical Malaysia with organic deposits of low- to high-ash yield and thus representative of many ancient peat-forming environments. Clay minerals dominate the mineralogical composition of the peat and organic-rich sediments, while quartz and clays dominate the underlying siliciclastic deposits. Kaolinite is the most abundant clay mineral in the organic deposits with minor amounts of illite and vermiculite. Particle size analyses indicate that >50% of the inorganic detrital fraction is <2 μm. Most detrital quartz grains range in size from fine silt to fine sand. The fine sand fraction accounts for a maximum of 5 wt.% of the inorganic constituents. In addition, abundant biogenic and non-biogenic, Al- and Si-rich amorphous matter occur. In the ombrotrophic (low-nutrient) environment, biogenic inorganic material contributes up to >75% of the ash constituents. As a consequence, the vegetational communities make an important contribution to the inorganic and overall ash composition of peats and coals. The ash content of the often inundated peat consists on average of 10% opaline silica from diatoms and sponge spicules, while the ash of the top deposits may have up to 50% biogenic silica. Hence, Al- and Si-hydroxides and the opaline silica from diatoms and sponges represent a large repository of Al and Si, which may form the basis of mineral transformation, neoformation and alteration processes during coalification of the peat deposits. As a result, most coal deposits from paleotropical environments are anticipated to have little to no biogenic inorganic material but high amounts of secondary clays, such as kaolinite (detrital kaolinite, resilisified kaolinite, or desilisified gibbsite) or illite, and various amounts of detrital and authigenetic quartz.     

Will a drier climate result in more lightning?

With recent projections of a warmer climate in the future, one of the key questions is related to the impact of global warming on thunderstorms, and severe weather. Will lightning activity increase in a warmer world? Since the majority of global lightning activity occurs in the tropics, changes in future global lightning activity will depend on changes in the tropical climate. The latest IPCC [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). 2007] projections show a partial drying out of the tropical landmasses as the global climate gets warmer. This is caused by both changes in rainfall patterns, but also due to increases in evapo-transpiration. We would expect a drier climate to produce fewer thunderstorms, and less lightning. However, experimental and modeling studies have shown that as tropical regions dry in the present climate, they experience greater lightning activity. This paradox may be explained by noting that while drier climate conditions result in fewer thunderstorms and less rainfall, the thunderstorms that do occur are more explosive, resulting in more lightning activity.     

Characteristic features of air ions at Mace Head on the west coast of Ireland

Coastal nucleation events and behavior of cluster ions were characterized through the measurements of air ion mobility distributions at the Mace Head research station on the west coast of Ireland in 2006. We measured concentrations of cluster ions and charged aerosol particles in the size range of 0.34–40 nm. These measurements allow us to characterize freshly nucleated charged particles with diameters smaller than 3 nm. The analysis shows that bursts of intermediate ions (1.6–7 nm) are a frequent phenomenon in the marine coastal environment. Intermediate ion concentrations were generally close to zero, but during some nucleation episodes the concentrations increased to several hundreds per cm³. Nucleation events occurred during most of the measurement days. We classified all days into one of seven classes according to the occurrence and type of new particle formation. Nucleation events were observed during 207 days in 2006, most prominently in the spring and summer months. Rain-induced events, in turn, were observed during 132 days. Particle formation and growth events mostly coincided with the presence of low tide. Also small cluster ions (0.34–1.6 nm) were characterized. Average concentrations of small ions were 440 cm^− 3 for the negative ions and 423 cm^− 3 for the positive ions. Average mean mobilities of small ions were 1.86 cm²V^− 1s^− 1 and 1.49 cm²V^− 1s^− 1 for the negative and positive polarities, respectively. Concentrations of small ions were observed to be strongly dependent on the variations of meteorological parameters including wind speed and direction.     

A Comparative Analysis of Four Kinds of Polysaccharides Purified from Furcellaria lumbricalis

1 Introduction Carrageenan, a water-soluble sulfated polymer, usually extracted from red algae, has been widely used in food industry due to its unique properties, such as gelation, emulsification, protein stabilizer, and so on. There are at least 13 types of carrageenans defined structurally based on the content of sulfate, galactose (Gal) and 3,6-anhydro-galactose (AnG), but only three types of them are commercially available, i.e., κ-, ι- and λ-type carrageenan. Different red algae prod…     

Surface Charge Concentrations on Silica in Different 1.0 M Metal-Chloride Background Electrolytes and Implications for Dissolution Rates

The empirical rate laws formulated to describe the dissolution rates of oxide minerals include the surface charge concentration that results from the protonation and deprotonation of surface functional groups. Previous experiments on quartz and silica have shown that dissolution rates vary as a function of different background electrolyte solutions, however, such experiments are often conducted at elevated temperatures where it is difficult to estimate surface charge along with the dissolution rates. In the present study we measuresurface charge concentrations for silica in different electrolyte solutions at 298 K in order to quantify the extent to which the different counterions could affect the dissolution rates through their influence on the surface charge concentrations. The experimental solutions in the electrolyte series: LiCl, NaCl, KCl, RbCl, CaCl₂, SrCl₂ and BaCl₂ were prepared to maintain a constant metal concentration of 1.0 M. For the alkali-metal chlorides, the surface charge concentrations correlate with the size of the hydrated alkali metal, consistent with the idea that these counterions affect charge via outer-sphere coordination that shield proton surface complexes from one another. The reactivity trend for alkaline-earth cations is less clear, but the data demonstrate distinct differences in the acid-base propertiesof the silica surface in these different electrolytes. We then discuss how these trends are manifested in the rate equations used to interpret dissolution experiments.     

Chemical mass balance of calcrete genesis on the Toledo granite (Spain)

The chemical mass balance of calcrete genesis is studied on a typical sequence developed in granite, in the Toledo mountains, Central Spain.

Field evidence and petrographic observations indicate that the texture and the bulk volume of the parent rock are strictly preserved all along the studied calcrete profile.

Microscopic observations indicate that the calcitization process starts within the saprolite, superimposed on the usual mechanisms of granite weathering: the fresh rock is first weathered to secondary clays, mainly smectites, which are then pseudomorphically replaced by calcite. Based on this evidence, chemical mass transfers are calculated, assuming iso-volume transformation from the parent rock to the calcrete.

The mass balance results show the increasing loss of matter due to weathering of the primary phases, from the saprolite towards the calcrete layers higher in the sequence. Zr, Ti or Th, which are classically considered as immobile during weathering, are also depleted along the profile, especially in the calcrete layer. This results from the prevailing highly alkaline conditions, which could account for the simultaneous precipitation of CaCO₃ and silicate dissolution.

The calculated budget suggests that the elements exported from the weathering profile are provided dominantly by the weathering of plagioclase and biotite. We calculate that 8–42% of the original Ca remains in granitic relics, while only 15% of the authigenic Ca released by weathering is reincorporated in the calcite. This suggests that 373 kg/m² of calcium (i.e., three times the original amount) is imported into the calcrete from allochtonous sources, probably due to aeolian transport from distant limestone formations.     

基于电场总场矢量有限元法的接地长导线源三维正演

电磁场数值模拟的背景场/异常场算法是三维正演的有效策略之一,优点为采用解析法计算电磁场背景场代替场源项、克服了场源奇异性,缺点为不适用于发射源布置于起伏地表或背景模型复杂的情形.总场算法是直接对电磁场总场开展数值模拟,其难点是有效加载场源、保证近区与过渡区数值解精度.本文以水平电偶源形式分段加载接地长导线源,并以电场总场Helmholtz方程为矢量有限元法控制方程,实现了基于非结构化四面体网格剖分的接地长导线源频率域电磁法三维正演.通过与均匀全空间中水平电偶源产生的电场解析解对比,验证了本文算法的正确性,并分析了四面体外接圆半径与其最短棱边的最大比值和四面体二面角最小值对数值解精度的影响规律.通过与块状高导体地电模型的积分方程法、有限体积法和基于磁矢量势Helmholtz方程的有限元法数值解对比,进一步验证了本文算法正确性,同时说明了非结构化四面体网格能够更加精细地剖分电性异常体,利于获得精确数值解.