Nature of the Martian uplands: Effect on Martian meteorite age distribution and secondary cratering

Abstract— Martian meteorites (MMs) have been launched from an estimated 5–9 sites on Mars within the last 20 Myr. Some 80–89% of these launch sites sampled igneous rock formations from only the last 29% of Martian time. We hypothesize that this imbalance arises not merely from poor statistics, but because the launch processes are dominated by two main phenomena: first, much of the older Martian surface is inefficient in launching rocks during impacts, and second, the volumetrically enormous reservoir of original cumulate crust enhances launch probability for 4.5 Gyr old rocks. There are four lines of evidence for the first point, not all of equal strength. First, impact theory implies that MM launch is favored by surface exposures of near‐surface coherent rock (≤10² m deep), whereas Noachian surfaces generally should have ≥10² m of loose or weakly cemented regolith with high ice content, reducing efficiency of rock launch. Second, similarly, both Mars Exploration Rovers found sedimentary strata, 1–2 orders of magnitude weaker than Martian igneous rocks, favoring low launch efficiency among some fluvial‐derived Hesperian and Noachian rocks. Even if launched, such rocks may be unrecognized as meteorites on Earth. Third, statistics of MM formation age versus cosmic‐ray exposure (CRE) age weakly suggest that older surfaces may need larger, deeper craters to launch rocks. Fourth, in direct confirmation, one of us (N. G. B.) has found that older surfaces need larger craters to produce secondary impact crater fields (cf. Barlow and Block 2004). In a survey of 200 craters, the smallest Noachian, Hesperian, and Amazonian craters with prominent fields of secondaries have diameters of ?45 km, ?19 km, and ?10 km, respectively. Because 40% of Mars is Noachian, and 74% is either Noachian or Hesperian, the subsurface geologic characteristics of the older areas probably affect statistics of recognized MMs and production rates of secondary crater populations, and the MM and secondary crater statistics may give us clues to those properties.     

On the effectiveness of the ocean's biological pump in global CO2 scenarios

An evaluation is made of the effectiveness of the ocean's biological pump in driving the deep-sea excess CO₂ from the atmosphere. It is based on sediment-trap data available in the literature and on estimates of present and future inputs of anthropogenic nitrogen and phosphorous. The fraction of annual CO₂ production from fossil fuel combustion going into this sink turns out to be insignificant in the total budget of man-made CO₂. A discussion is presented on the formation of macroflocs under oceanic conditions, a process that has been believed to be important for the effectiveness of the biological pump.     

Effect of shallow and narrow water on added mass of cylinders with various cross-sectional shapes

The sway, heave and roll added masses of three uniform cylinders with semi-circular, rectangular and triangular cross-sectional shapes in shallow and narrow water are numerically analysed. The method is based on simulation of the potential flow induced by the cylinder's mode of motion. The effects of shallow and narrow water on added mass are analysed and presented. It is concluded that the shallow and narrow water effects on added mass depend on the different cross-section shapes of the cylinders. In particular, the water depth effect on sway added mass is stronger than that on heave added mass while the narrow water effect on sway is weaker than that on heave. The shallow water effect on added mass tends to weaken the narrow water effect. Lastly the effect of shallow and narrow water on added mass on a rectangular cylinder is the strongest while that on a triangular cylinder is the weakest.     

Surface circulation of the Levantine Basin: Comparison of model results with observations

The eastern Mediterranean (Levantine Basin) hydrography and circulation are investigated by comparing the results of a high-resolution primitive equation model with observations. After a 10-year integration, the model is able to reproduce the major water masses and the circulation patterns of the eastern Mediterranean. Comparisons with the POEM hydrographical observations show good agreement. The vertical distribution of the water masses matches that of the observations quite well in terms of monthly mean. The model surface circulation is in agreement with circulation schemes derived from recent observations. Some well-known mesoscale features of the upper thermocline circulation are also realistically reproduced. In agreement with satellite observations, the model shows that high-energy mesoscale eddies dominate the upper thermocline circulation in the southern and the central parts of the Levantine Basin. Most of the Atlantic Water follows the north African coast and forms a strong coastal jet near the Libyan coast rather than forming the Mid-Mediterranean Jet described by several authors. The sub-basin circulation shows a strong seasonal signal. A strong and stable current flows along the isobaths in winter, becoming weaker and with more meanders in summer. The mesoscale eddies throughout the whole basin are more energetic in summer than in winter.     

Evaluating the effects of protection on fish predators and sea urchins in shallow artificial rocky habitats: a case study in the northern Adriatic Sea

Man-made defence structures (e.g., breakwaters, jetties) are becoming common features of marine coastal landscapes all around the world. The ecology of assemblages of species associated with such artificial structures is, however, poorly known. In this study, we evaluated the density and size of fish predators of echinoids (i.e., Diplodus sargus, Diplodus vulgaris, Sparus aurata), and the density of sea urchins (i.e., Paracentrotus lividus) at defence structures (i.e., breakwaters) inside and outside the marine protected area of Miramare (northern Adriatic Sea) in order to: (1) assess possible differences in fish predator density and size between protected and fished breakwaters; (2) assess whether fish predation may have the potential to affect sea urchin density in artificial rocky habitats. Surveys were carried out at four random times over a period of two years. Total density, and density of medium- and large-sized individuals of the three predatory fishes were generally greater at the protected than at the fished breakwaters, whereas no differences were detected in the density of small-sized individuals. Density of the sea urchin P. lividus did not show any difference between protected and fished breakwaters. The results of this study suggest that: (1) protection may significantly affect predatory fishes in artificial rocky habitats; (2) differences in predatory fish density, and size may be unrelated with the density of the sea urchin P. lividus; (3) protected artificial structures such as breakwaters, originally planned for other purposes, could represent a potential tool for fish population recovery and enhancement of local fisheries.     

Bioerosion by chemosynthetic biological communities on Holocene submarine slide scars

Geomorphic, stratigraphic, and faunal observations of submarine slide scars that occur along the flanks of Monterey Canyon in 2.0–2.5 km water depths were made to identify the processes that continue to alter the surface of a submarine landslide scar after the initial slope failure. Deep-sea chemosynthetic biological communities and small caves are common on the sediment-free surfaces of the slide scars, especially along the headwall. The chemosynthetic organisms observed on slide scars in Monterey Canyon undergo a faunal succession based in part on their ability to maintain their access to the redox boundaries in the sediment on which they depend on as an energy source. By burrowing into the seafloor, these organisms are able to follow the retreating redox boundaries as geochemical re-equilibration occurs on the sole of the slide. As these organisms dig into the seafloor on the footwall, they often generate small caves and weaken the remaining seafloor. While chemosynthetic biological communities are typically used as indicators of fluid flow, these communities may be supported by methane and hydrogen sulfide that are diffusing out of the fresh seafloor exposed at the sole of the slide by the slope failure event. If so, these chemosynthetic biological communities may simply mark sites of recent seafloor exhumation, and are not reliable fluid seepage indicators.     

Preliminary report on radionuclide concentrations in the bottom waters at the entrance of Wakasa Bay with special reference to the Japan Sea Proper Water

Marked fluctuation of concentrations of⁹⁰Sr and¹³⁷Cs was observed in the bottom waters at the entrance of Wakasa Bay during 1987–1992, and the cause was investigated. The concentrations of⁹⁰Sr and¹³⁷Cs in the bottom waters were significantly low when the upper level of the Japan Sea Proper Water (JSPW) was high and covered the sampling depth, but high when the upper level of the JSPW was low. The cause of the fluctuation observed in the bottom waters is, therefore, suggested to be the vertical fluctuation of the upper level of the JSPW on the shelf slope, which has been little described before.     

A stratigraphic and tectonofacies framework of the “calcari aLucina” in the Apennine Chain,Italy

The Apennine Chain provides the first example of stratigraphic (time) and synsedimentary tectonic (space) distribution of the calcari aLucina Miocene equivalents of modern cold-vent carbonates. Chemosynthetic faunal assemblages and related carbonate deposits are found at different stratigraphic levels, with peaks during Langhian-Serravallian and late Tortonian-early Messinian times. A general increase in frequency and volume occurs with time. A genetic link between venting and the Messinian Evaporite event is difficult to demonstrate. However,Lucina limestones are limited to preevaporitic times, and their maximum abundance is reached just before the onset of the Messinian Evaporite accumulation.Lucina limestones occur in almost all tectofacies of the orogen, from backland to foreland.     

Coastal conditions in West Africa—A review

This paper describes the coastal system between Cape Palmas bordering the Ivory Coast and Liberia and Mount Cameroon, as a basis for regional coastal-erosion management.The area includes the rocky coasts of the Ivory Coast and Ghana, the long sandy beaches of Togo and Benin and the deltas of the Volta and Niger Rivers. Important elements of the system appear to be its geographical setting, its geological history, oceanological impacts, the sediment supply by rivers and coastal erosion, littoral transport and the rise of mean sea level. The morphological processes are influenced by human activities in the catchments of the rivers (dams), in the estuaries (dredging) and along the coasts (port construction).It appears that future human interventions and the impact of increased sea-level rise will require intergovernmental co-ordination in coastal-erosion management, as the various coasts are all part of one system.     

Tortonian-Pleistocenic oceanic features in the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea: magnetic inverse model of the Selli-Vavilov region

We show the magnetic model of the Selli-Vavilov region. The Selli Line is known as the northwestern edge of the southern Tyrrhenian Basin. The tectonic evolution of the Tyrrhenian Basin is dominated by a Tortonian-Quaternary extension through the eastward movement of the Apennine subduction system. This migration has generated a diffuse stretching of the continental crust with the emplacement of new oceanic material. This latter occurred in several localized zones where the eastward retreating of the Ionian subduction system produced a strong depletion of the crust with formation of basins and correlated spreading. Nowadays the presence of oceanic crust is confirmed through direct drilling investigation but a complete mapping of the oceanic crustal distribution is still lacking. The Selli-Vavilov region shows a differentiated crustal setting where seamount structures, the oceanic basement portions and continental crust blocks are superimposed. To this aim, a 2D inversion of the magnetic data of this region was conducted to define buried structures. The magnetic susceptibility pattern was computed by solving the least squares problem of the misfit between the predicted and real data for separated wavebands. This method produced two 2D models of the high and low frequency fields of the Selli-Vavilov region. The two apparent susceptibility maps provide different information for distinct ranges of depth. The results of the inversions were also combined with seismic data of the Selli region highlighting the position of the highly magnetized buried bodies. The results confirm a role for the Selli Line as a deep crustal boundary dividing the Sardinian passive domain from the easternmost active region where different oceanic structures are located. The Selli Line has worked as a detachment fault system which has moved eastward. Finally, the Selli-Vavilov region may be interpreted as a tectonic result due to a passive asymmetrical rift occurred between the Tortonian and Pliocene.