A new high-pressure phase of strontium carbonate

High-pressure and high-temperature experiments conducted in a laser-heated diamond-anvil cell with a synchrotron X-ray diffraction method have revealed a phase transformation in the aragonite-type SrCO₃ at pressures above 10 GPa. The new phase has an orthorhombic symmetry and was confirmed to remain stable to 32 GPa. The Birch-Murnaghan equation of state for new phase was determined from the experimental unit cell parameters, with K₀ = 101 (± 16) GPa, K₀ = 4 (constrained value), and V₀ = 111.9 (± 2.2). This transformation in SrCO₃ is different from that in BaCO₃ as reported in previous studies. After decompression at ambient pressure, the high-pressure phase transforms to a metastable structure, which has an orthorhombic symmetry. This result should also resolve a dispute regarding the stable high-pressure phases in BaCO₃, which is an analog material of CaCO₃ and SrCO₃.This revised version was published in February 2005 with corrections to the Introduction and to the References.     

Comparison of Time-Dependent Tracer Ages in the Western North Pacific: Oceanic Background Levels of (SF6, CFC-11, CFC-12 and CFC-113

To verify the actual usefulness of time-dependent tracer dating techniques in the ocean, we simultaneously obtained two cross sections of sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) and chlrofluoromethanes (CFC-11, trichlorofluoromethane; CFC-12, dichloro-difluromethane; CFC-113, trichlorotrifluoroethane) in the western North Pacific in 1998. The vertical distribution patterns of SF₆ and CFC-113 were similar in shape to those of CFC-11 and CFC-12. Maximum penetration depths of SF₆ and CFC-113 remained around 800 m in the subpolar region and 400 m in the tropical region, while the maximum penetration depths of CFC-11 and CFC-12 were still found below 1000 m depth. We also found all maximum contents of these tracers around 26.6−26.8σ_θ with a gradual decrease southward. This suggested that a new subsurface water mass in the subpolar region spread out over the entire North Pacific, which agrees closely with previous studies based on the salinity minimum. Moreover, we compared the tracer ages (the elapsed period of a water mass from when the water mass left from the ocean surface) using ten time-dependent tracer dating techniques, CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-113, SF₆, CFC-11/CFC-12, CFC-113/CFC-11, CFC-113/CFC-12, SF₆/CFC-11, SF₆/CFC-12 and SF₆/CFC-113. This quantitative evaluation of multiple tracer dating techniques in the ocean was the first confirmation of its usefulness based on the observational data on the ocean basin-wide scale. We conclude that SF₆/CFC-11, SF₆/CFC-12, SF₆/CFC-113 and SF₆ dating techniques would be the most promising tools for determining the age of water mass not only just for the past several decades but for the future, too. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

First-principles simulation of high-pressure polymorphs in MgAl<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>

We have used density functional theory to investigate the stability of MgAl₂O₄ polymorphs under pressure. Our results can reasonably explain the transition sequence of MgAl₂O₄ polymorphs observed in previous experiments. The spinel phase (stable at ambient conditions) dissociates into periclase and corundum at 14 GPa. With increasing pressure, a phase change from the two oxides to a calcium-ferrite phase occurs, and finally transforms to a calcium-titanate phase at 68 GPa. The calcium-titanate phase is stable up to at least 150 GPa, and we did not observe a stability field for a hexagonal phase or periclase + Rh₂O₃(II)-type Al₂O₃. The bulk moduli of the phases calculated in this study are in good agreement with those measured in high-pressure experiments. Our results differ from those of a previous study using similar methods. We attribute this inconsistency to an incomplete optimization of a cell shape and ionic positions at high pressures in the previous calculations.     

The nature of megafaunal extinctions during the MIS 3–2 transition in Japan

The nature of late Quaternary megafaunal extinctions has been the subject of intense debate since the 1960s. Traditionally, scientists cite either climatic changes or human predation as the primary reason for worldwide megafaunal extinctions. In many island cases (e.g., Madagascar, New Zealand), scientists have had a tendency to lean toward humans as being the direct or indirect dominant cause for the relatively quick extirpation of indigenous megafaunas. This study evaluates the record for megafaunal (e.g., Palaeoloxodon, Mammuthus, Sinomegaceros) extinctions in the Japanese islands and draw the tentative conclusion that: (1) humans directly and/or indirectly influenced the extinction of some large herbivores; and (2) the megafaunal extinctions likely began earlier than originally proposed; during the marine isotope stage (“MIS”) 3–2 transition (～30–20 ka) rather than during the MIS 2–1 (～15–10 ka) shift that roughly coincides with the advent of the Jomon period in Japan. However, we temper our findings due to the current paucity of sites in Japan that have associated archaeology and vertebrate paleontological materials that date to the MIS 3–2 transition.     

柴达木盆地跃进斜坡区油源判识与原油勘探方向

跃进斜坡区南北分别为扎哈泉凹陷和英雄岭凹陷,是凹陷油气运移有利指向区,油气来源充足。烃源岩综合评价表明,扎哈泉凹陷E²₃烃源岩厚度大、分布面积广、有机质丰度高、有机质类型较好,目前已到成熟阶段,具有巨大供烃能力。油源对比研究表明,跃东构造原油与跃进一号构造原油特征一致,为北面英雄岭凹陷来源。跃进二号、乌南-绿草滩和昆北油田原油均来自扎哈泉凹陷E²₃源岩,但原油成熟度不同。跃进二号原油成熟度较低,与乌南-绿草滩原油和昆北油田储层固体沥青基本一致,明显低于昆北油田原油,属于烃源岩低成熟-成熟阶段早期产物,跃进斜坡区尚未发现源岩生烃高峰期产物。跃进斜坡区相对昆北油田更靠近凹陷生烃中心,源岩生烃高峰期产物具有优先充注的特征,斜坡区下倾方向大量发育的岩性圈闭和构造-岩性圈闭具有巨大的勘探潜力。     

贵州广顺二叠系化学地层的划分及沉积环境分析

本文以贵州省广顺二叠纪坝子头－茶叶剖面作了基准剖面，通过野外观察和室内岩相分析，根据岩石的成岩作用，颜色，微相特征及岩层的厚度和叠置关系，进行了层序的划分。在此基础上，以该剖面５９个岩层的１７个微量元素（Ａｓ，Ｂ，Ｂａ，Ｃｏ，Ｃｒ，Ｃｕ，Ｇａ，Ｍｎ，Ｍｏ，Ｎｉ，Ｐｂ，Ｓｎ，Ｓｒ，Ｔｉ，Ｖ，Ｚｎ和Ｚｒ）为变量，用因子分析和群分析进行了化学地层单元的划分，通过化学地层和层序地层划分结果的对比，结合化学     

Equation of state of hexagonal aluminous phase in basaltic composition to 63 GPa at 300 K

A laser-heated diamond-anvil cell that is capable of operating up to a pressure of 63 GPa, with X-ray diffraction facilities using a synchrotron radiation source at the SPring-8, has been developed to observe the compressibility of a hexagonal aluminous phase, [K_0.15Na_1.66Ca_0.11Mg_1.29Fe²⁺ _0.86Al_3.13Ti_0.09Si_1.98] _Σ9.27O₁₂. The hexagonal aluminous phase is a potassium host mineral from the subducted oceanic crust in the Earth's lower mantle. A sample was heated using a YAG laser at each pressure increment to relax the deviatoric stress in the sample. X-ray diffraction measurements were carried out at 300 K using an angle-dispersive technique. Pressure was measured using an internal platinum pressure calibrant. The observed unit-cell volumes were used to obtain a third-order Birch–Murnaghan equation of state: unit-cell volume V _o=185.94(±16) ų, density ρ _o=4.145 g/cm³, and bulk modulus K _o=198(±3) GPa when the first pressure is derivative of the bulk modulus K ^′ _o is fixed to 4. The density of hexagonal aluminous phase is lower than that of coexisting Mg-perovskite in the subducted oceanic crust.     

Compressibility of the calcium aluminosilicate, CAS, phase to 44 GPa

In situ X-ray diffraction measurements on a calcium aluminosilicate (CAS) phase have been carried out using a laser-heated diamond anvil cell up to a pressure of 44 GPa, employing a synchrotron radiation source. CAS is the major mineral formed from sediments subducted into the Earth's mantle. The sample was heated using a YAG laser after each pressure increment to relax the deviatoric stress in the sample. X-ray diffraction measurements were carried out at T = 300 K using an angle-dispersive technique. The pressure was calculated using an internal platinum metal pressure calibrant. The Birch–Murnaghan equation of state for the CAS phase obtained from the experimental unit cell parameters showed a density of ρ₀ = 3.888 g/cm³ and a bulk modulus of K₀ = 229 ± 9 GPa for K^′₀ = 4.7 ± 0.7. When the first pressure derivative of the bulk modulus was fixed at K^′₀ = 4, then the value of K₀ = 239 ± 2 GPa. From the experimental compressibility, the density of the CAS phase was observed to be lower than the density of co-existing Al-bearing stishovite, calcium perovskite, calcium ferrite-type phases, and (Fe,Al)-bearing Mg-perovskite in subducted sediments in the lower mantle. Therefore, the density of subducted sediments in the lower mantle decreases with increasing mineral proportion of the CAS phase.     

Accuracy of gravimetric deflections of the vertical and optimization of gravity networks

In order to solve the problems of determining the shape of a part of the earth of national or continental extent, that is, of rigorous constituting and computing of the astrogeodetic network, it is required to determine gravimetric deflections of the vertical with an accuracy of, say, 0″.3. For this it is adequate to carry out additional gravity surveys in the neighborhoods of computation points, in addition to a given uniform gravity survey (normal density gravity survey). The study offers a method to determine the optimal distribution of gravity stations in such a gravity survey, which guarantees a given accuracy of computed gravimetric deflections of the vertical for a given statistical condition which characterizes the variation of the gravity field. The approach used here is based on the concept of the error of representation and the error propagation of Vening Meinesz integrals.