Origin of complex zoning in olivine from diverse,diamondiferous kimberlites and tectonic settings: Ekati (Canada), Alto Paranaiba (Brazil) and Kaalvallei (South Africa)

Olivine in kimberlites can provide unique insights into magma petrogenesis, because it is the most abundant xenocrystic phase and a stable magmatic product over most of the liquid line of descent. In this study we examined the petrography and chemistry of olivine in kimberlites from different tectonic settings, including the Slave craton, Canada (Ekati: Grizzly, Koala), the Brasilia mobile belt (Limpeza-18, Tres Ranchos-04), and the Kaapvaal craton, South Africa (Kaalvallei: Samada, New Robinson). Olivine cores display a wide range of compositions (e.g., Mg# = 78–95). The similarity in olivine composition, resorption of core zones and inclusions of mantle-derived phases, indicates that most olivine cores originated from the disaggregation of mantle peridotites, including kimberlite-metasomatised lithologies (i.e. sheared lherzolites and megacrysts). Olivine rims typically show a restricted range of Mg#, with decreasing Ni and increasing Mn and Ca contents, a characteristic of kimberlitic olivine worldwide. The rims host inclusions of groundmass minerals, which implies crystallisation just before and/or during emplacement. There is a direct correlation between olivine rim composition and groundmass mineralogy, whereby high Mg/Fe rims are associated with carbonate-rich kimberlites, and lower Mg/Fe rims are correlated with increased phlogopite and Fe-bearing oxide mineral abundances. There are no differences in olivine composition between explosive (Grizzly) and hypabyssal (Koala) kimberlites. Olivine in kimberlites also displays transitional zones and less common internal zones, between cores and rims. The diffuse transitional zones exhibit intermediate compositions between cores and rims, attributed to partial re-equilibration of xenocrystic cores with the ascending kimberlite melt. In contrast, internal zones form discrete layers with resorbed margins and restricted Mg# values, but variable Ni, Mn and Ca concentrations, which indicates a discrete crystallization event from precursor kimberlite melts at mantle depths. Overall, olivine exhibits broadly analogous zoning in kimberlites worldwide. Variable compositions for individual zones relate to different parental melt compositions rather than variations in tectonic setting or emplacement mechanism.

     

Estimation of the transfer function by autoregressive deconvolution techniques—An application to time series analysis

The transfer function of time-dependent models is classically inferred by the ordinary least squares (OLS) techniques. This OLS technique assumes independence of the residuals with time. However, in practical cases, this hypothesis is often not justified producing inefficient estimation of the transfer function. When the residuals constitute an autoregressive process, we propose to apply the Box-Jenkins' method to model the residuals, and to modify in a simple manner the primary convolution equation. Then, a multivariate regression technique is used to infer the transfer function of the new equation producing time-independent residuals. This three-step autoregressive deconvolution technique is particularly efficient for time series analysis. The reconstitution and the forecasting of real data are improved efficiently. Theoretically, the proposed method can be extended to the convolution equations for which the residuals follow a moving average or an autoregressive-moving average process, but the mathematical formulation is no longer direct and explicit. For this general case, we propose to approximate the moving average or the autoregressive-moving average process by an autoregressive process of sufficient order, and then the transfer function. Two case studies in hydrogeology will be used to illustrate the procedure.     

Rubidium-Strontium-Altersbestimmungen an Biotit-Muskowit-Granitgneisen (Typus Augen- und Flasergneise) aus dem nördlichen Großvenedigerbereich (Hohe Tauern)

Zusammenfassung An vier Proben aus dem Augen- und Flasergneiskomplex in Großvenedigergebiet (Hohe Tauern) wurden Rb–Sr-Altersbestimmungen durchgeführt. Die Biotit-Alterswerte lagen bei zirka 20 M. J. Sie sind der alpidischen Tauernkristallisation zuzuordnen. Eine Gesamtgesteinsisochrone von drei typischen Augen- und Flasergranitgneisen ergab 246 M. J. und wird als Bildungsalter eines magmatischen Granitkörpers interpretiert. Es muß daher zur Perm-Zeit in den westlichen Hohen Tauern ein ausgedehnter Granitmagmatismus angenommen werden. Auf die Schwierigkeiten, dieses Ereignis in das derzeitige geologische-Entstehungsbild einzuordnen, wurde hingewiesen.

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Rubidium-strontium age determinations on biotite-muscovite-gneisses (Augen-and Flaser-gneisses) from the Northern Grossvenediger region (Tauern, Austrian Alps)

Summary Rb–Sr ages were determined for 4 samples from the Augen- and Flaser-gneiss complex of the Grossvenediger region, Hohe Tauern, Austria. The biotite ages of 20 m. y. may be attributed to the Tauern-crystallization of Alpidic age. A total rock isochrone of 246 m. y. based on 3 typical Augen- and Flaser-granite gneisses is interpreted as the age of a granite body. Thus extensive granite magmatism is assumed to have prevailed in the western part of the Hohe Tauern during the Permian. There are, however, difficulties in correlating this event with the present picture of the geologic evolution in this region.

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Mit 2 Abbildungen     

The occultation of κ geminorum by Eros

The predictions and observations of the occultation of κ Gem by Eros on January 24, 1975, are described. At least eight positive and several critical negative observations were made in western New England. The paucity of observations on the western side of the track makes the analysis somewhat ambiguous, but a circular cross section of diameter up to 23 km gives a good fit to most of the available data. Consideration of a crucial, unconfirmed negative observation indicates that an elliptical solution 17 by 7 km (with the long axis in the direction of motion of the “shadow” of Eros) may be preferable, but this does not represent the positive observations so satisfactorily. The ellipse was therefore distorted into a more irregular shape about 20 km long and 7 km wide, rounded on one long side and flattened on the other. Both this irregular shape and the ellipse yield geometric albedos near 0.5, which is considerably higher than has been derived for most other planets or satellites lacking an atmosphere. The albedo that corresponds to the circular solution (0.1) is less than the polarimetric albedo of 0.21 for Eros. It is suggested either that the circle should be warped into an ellipse of dimensions 21 by 13 km, or, if some weight is given to the critical negative observation and the westernmost positive observation, that the profile is a kind of dumbbell.     

Pseudosection modelling for a selected eclogite body from the Koralpe (Hohl), Eastern Alps

In the Kor-, Saualpe and Pohorje regions of the Eastern Alps eclogite bodies occur within metapelitic gneisses. The bodies are between 1 meter and several hundreds of meters in size and some of them were defined by Haüy (1822) as the type locality for the rock type “eclogite”. A growing body of petrological work has documented the metamorphic evolution of the metapelites surrounding the eclogites. However, few phase diagrams have been constructed for the eclogite bodies themselves. Here we use recently available activity models for amphiboles to present new thermodynamic pseudosections for the Hohl locality of the Koralpe eclogites. We show that this eclogite reached peak conditions in a narrow PT field obliquely oriented in PT space between 16.5 and 20.5 kbar and 620°C to 720°C and that its metamorphic evolution was likely to have occurred under water saturated conditions. We conclude that eclogite and the surrounding metapelites have certainly undergone the same metamorphic peak in Eo-alpine time. Comparison of our results with different PT estimates on the eclogite from Pohorje, suggest that a PT gradient from Koralpe to Pohorje is likely.     

Internal variability in a regional climate model over West Africa

Sensitivity studies with regional climate models are often performed on the basis of a few simulations for which the difference is analysed and the statistical significance is often taken for granted. In this study we present some simple measures of the confidence limits for these types of experiments by analysing the internal variability of a regional climate model run over West Africa. Two 1-year long simulations, differing only in their initial conditions, are compared. The difference between the two runs gives a measure of the internal variability of the model and an indication of which timescales are reliable for analysis. The results are analysed for a range of timescales and spatial scales, and quantitative measures of the confidence limits for regional model simulations are diagnosed for a selection of study areas for rainfall, low level temperature and wind. As the averaging period or spatial scale is increased, the signal due to internal variability gets smaller and confidence in the simulations increases. This occurs more rapidly for variations in precipitation, which appear essentially random, than for dynamical variables, which show some organisation on larger scales.     

Global and temporal variations in hydrocarbons and nitriles in Titan's stratosphere for northern winter observed by Cassini/CIRS

Mid-infrared spectra measured by Cassini's Composite InfraRed Spectrometer (CIRS) between July 2004 and January 2007 (Ls=293°-328°) have been used to determine stratospheric temperature and abundances of C₂H₂, C₃H₄, C₄H₂, HCN, and HC₃N. Over 65,000 nadir spectra with spectral resolutions of 0.5 and 2.5 cm⁻¹ were used to probe spatial and temporal composition variations in Titan's stratosphere. Cassini's 180° orbital transfer in mid-2006 allowed low emission angle observations of the north polar region for the first time in the mission and allowed us to probe the full latitude range. We present the first measurements of composition variations within the polar vortex, which display increasing abundances right up to 90° N. The lack of a homogeneous abundance-latitude variation within the vortex indicates limited horizontal mixing and suggests that subsidence is greatest at the vortex core. Contrary to numerical model predictions and tropospheric cloud observations, we do not see any evidence for a secondary circulation cell near the south pole, which suggests a single Hadley-type circulation in the stratosphere at this epoch. This difference can be reconciled if the secondary cell is restricted to altitudes below 100 km, where there is no sensitivity in our data. Temporal variations in composition were observed in the south, with volatile species becoming less abundant as the season progressed. The observed variations are compared to numerical model predictions and observations from Voyager.     

Cover crops and precipitation influence soluble reactive phosphorus losses via tile drain discharge in an agricultural watershed

Subsurface tile drainage speeds water removal from agricultural fields that are historically prone to flooding. While managed drainage systems improve crop yields, they can also contribute tothe eutrophication of downstream ecosystems, as tile-drained systems are conduits for nutrients to adjacent waterways. The changing climate of the Midwestern US has already altered precipitation regimes which will likely continue into the future, with unknown effects on tile drain water and nutrient loss to waterways. Adding vegetative cover (i.e., as winter cover crops) is one approach that can retain water and nutrients on fields to minimize export via tile drains. In the current study, we evaluate the effect of cover crops on tile drain discharge and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) loads using bi-monthly measurements from 43 unique tile outlets draining fields with or without cover crops in two watersheds in northern Indiana. Using four water years of data (n = 844 measurements), we examined the role of short-term antecedent precipitation conditions and variation in soil biogeochemistry in mediating the effect of cover crops on tile drain flow and SRP loads. We observed significant effects of cover crops on both tile drain discharge and SRP loads, but these results were season and watershed specific. Cover crop effects were identified only in spring, where their presence reduced tile drain discharge in both watersheds and SRP loads in one watershed. Varying effects on SRP loads between watersheds were attributed to different soil biogeochemical characteristics, where soils with lower bioavailable P and higher P sorption capacity were less likely to have a cover crop effect. Antecedent precipitation was important in spring, and cover crop differences were still evident during periods of wet and dry antecedent precipitation conditions. Overall, we show that cover crops have the potential to significantly decrease spring tile drain P export, and these effects are resilient to a wide range of precipitation conditions.