A computer simulation study of Al/Si ordering in gehlenite and the paradox of the low transition temperature

The ordering of Al and Si in gehlenite is considered using computer simulation. The enthalpy of ordering ΔH per 2Al+2Si atoms is found to be 0.52 eV. It is dominated by the nearest neighbour interaction, but the analysis is carried out to fifth neighbours. The nearest neighbour interaction differs significantly from that for other materials. The structure does not have a connected network of ordering sites, which mainly accounts for the unobservably low transition temperature for Al/Si ordering. Two alternatives are given for the likely ordering pattern.     

Complex coastal change in response to autogenic basin infilling: An example from a sub‐tropical Holocene strandplain

Thick bay‐fill sequences that often culminate in strandplain development serve as important sedimentary archives of land–ocean interaction, although distinguishing between internal and external forcings is an ongoing challenge. This study employs sediment cores, ground‐penetrating radar surveys, radiocarbon dates, palaeogeographic reconstructions and hydrodynamic modelling to explore the role of autogenic processes – notably a reduction in wave energy in response to coastal embayment infilling – in coastal evolution and shoreline morphodynamics. Following a regional 2 to 4 m highstand at ca 5·8 ka, the 75 km² Tijucas Strandplain in southern Brazil built from fluvial sediments deposited into a semi‐enclosed bay. Holocene regressive deposits are underlain by fluvial sands and a Pleistocene transgressive–regressive sequence, and backed by a highstand barrier‐island. The strandplain is immediately underlain by 5 to 16 m of seaward‐thickening, fluvially derived, Holocene‐age, basin‐fill mud. Several trends are observed from the landward (oldest) to the seaward (youngest) sections of the strandplain: (i) the upper shoreface and foreshore become finer and thinner and shift from sand‐dominated to mud‐dominated; (ii) beachface slopes decrease from >11° to ca 7°; and (iii) progradation rates increase from 0·4 to 1·8 m yr^?1. Hydrodynamic modelling demonstrates a correlation between progressive shoaling of Tijucas Bay driven by sea‐level fall and sediment infilling and a decrease in onshore wave‐energy transport from 18 to 4 kW m^?1. The combination of allogenic (sediment supply, falling relative sea‐level and geology) and autogenic (decrease in wave energy due to bay shoaling) processes drove the development of a regressive system with characteristics that are rare, if not unique, in the Holocene and rock records. These findings demonstrate the complexities in architecture styles of highstand and regressive systems tracts. Furthermore, this article highlights the diverse internal and external processes and feedbacks responsible for the development of these intricate marginal marine sedimentary systems.     

Top-down versus bottom-up limitation in benthic infaunal communities: Direct and indirect effects

Top-down effects of predators and bottom-up effects related to resource availability can be important in determining community structure and function through both direct and indirect processes. Their relative influence may vary among habitats. We examined the effects of nutrient enhancement and predation in southeastern North Carolina to determine relative effects on benthic macrofaunal communities. Short-term nutrient additions and predator exclusions were conducted in two estuaries to examine main and interactive effects on benthic microalgae and infauna. This experimental approach was complemented by comparisons of microalgal biomass, infaunal abundance and composition, predator abundance and predator exclusion among four estuarine systems that varied in background nutrient levels. In the short-term experiments, nutrient enhancement induced increased microalgal biomass but had limited effects on abundances or sizes of infauna. Predator exclusion increased the density of sedentary and near-surface dwelling fauna, but we did not observe interactions between predation and responses to nutrient additions as might be predicted from a simple cascade model. General patterns of abundance were explained to a larger extent by interannual and amongestuary pattems. These results indicate a lack of simple trophic cascade responses for this community over a short time scale and little evidence for local interactive effects. The lack of interactive effects may reflect the opportunistic nature of the dominant infaunal species and potentially different time and spatial scales for the effects of predation and resource controls.     

Untersuchung von suspendiertem Material in den Hydrothermallaugen des Atlantis-II-Tiefs

Suspended matter was separated from the hydrothermal brines of the Atlantis-II Deep in the Red Sea. Contents of iron, manganese, copper, and zink collected on membrane filters were measured by X-ray-flourescence, and the main results were:

1. Metal concentrations in suspended form were lower by 10^?1 to 10^?5 compared to the dissolved concentrations of the brines.
2. Suspended copper and zink were enriched most pronounced in the deeper brine zone — markedly so in the SW-basin, values there ranged between 10 and 30μg/l, one Zn-value was as high as 60μ/l, the other basins contained mostly less than 1 to 10μg/l.
3. Iron, copper, and zink in the deeper brine zone and in few cases also in the 50°-brine were suspended in the form of sulfide compounds. This conclusion is based only on the slightly purple-, green-, and blue-colored gray hues of the material on the filters and its rapid oxidation upon contact with the air.
4. In the transition zone of the 50°/60°-brine iron hydroxides were highly concentrated with values ranging up to 1000μg Fe/l.
5. Suspended manganese is found only within the transition zone of brine to the normal sea water, where up to 200μg Mn/l in form of darkbrown manganese hydroxides were found.
6. Concurrently with the increased thermal activity since 1966 more strongly reducing conditions within the brines seemed apparent which were caused by discharge of higher amounts of Sulfides into the basins. Increased precipitation of heavy metal sulfides was found to be most pronounced in the SW-basin.

     

Rare earth geochemistry of fused ophiolitic and alpine lherzolites

Partial fusion hypotheses have been proposed for the origin of lherzolite-harzburgite alpine peridotite associations. Analyzed lherzolites from Othris, Ronda, Lanzo and Beni Bouchera, have light REE depleted to chondritic REE abundances, and clinopyroxenes contain most of the REE relative to depleted olivine and orthopyroxene. Variation in the level of REE enrichment within these lherzolites indicates mantle heterogeneity probably caused by partial melting processes. The Beni Bouchera spinel lherzolite and the Othris plagioclase lherzolite are the best candidates for relatively undepleted mantle based on REE studies. Fractional fusion calculations (15–25%) reveal that partial melts have REE characteristics somewhat similar to oceanic tholeiites. Conversely, computed source peridotites from oceanic tholeiites (Schilling, 1975) are similar to the alpine lherzolites reported here. Alpine lherzolites are, however, depleted in trace elements (K, Rb, Sr and Ba, Menzies and Murthy 1976). Since the lherzolites have an undepleted major, minor and REE chemistry close to that of pyrolite, the lost trace element-rich fraction must represent a small degree of melting. It is proposed that alpine lherzolites are residue left after the loss of a nephelinitic/alkalic fraction, ([Ce/Yb]_N=2.0–4.01) representing a small degree of partial fusion. This labile fraction may have existed as an intergranular phase or hydrous mineral prior to melting.     

Lateglacial and Holocene environmental history of the central Kola region,northwestern Russia revealed by a sediment succession from Lake Imandra

Bolshaya Imandra, the northern sub-basin of Lake Imandra, was investigated by a hydro-acoustic survey followed by sediment coring down to the acoustic basement. The sediment record was analysed by a combined physical, biogeochemical, sedimentological, granulometrical and micropalaeontological approach to reconstruct the regional climatic and environmental history. Chronological control was obtained by ¹⁴C dating, ¹³⁷Cs, and Hg markers as well as pollen stratigraphy and revealed that the sediment succession offers the first continuous record spanning the Lateglacial and Holocene for this lake. Following the deglaciation prior to c. 13 200 cal. a BP, the lake's sub-basin initially was occupied by a glacifluvial river system, before a proglacial lake with glaciolacustrine sedimentation established. Rather mild climate, a sparse vegetation cover and successive retreat of the Scandinavian Ice Sheet (SIS) from the lake catchment characterized the Bølling/Allerød interstadial, lasting until 12 710 cal. a BP. During the subsequent Younger Dryas chronozone, until 11 550 cal. a BP, climate cooling led to a decrease in vegetation cover and a re-advance of the SIS. The SIS disappeared from the catchment at the Holocene transition, but small glaciers persisted in the mountains at the eastern lake shore. During the Early Holocene, until 8400 cal. a BP, sedimentation changed from glaciolacustrine to lacustrine and rising temperatures caused the spread of thermophilous vegetation. The Middle Holocene, until 3700 cal. a BP, comprises the regional Holocene Thermal Maximum (8000–4600 cal. a BP) with relatively stable temperatures, denser vegetation cover and absence of mountain glaciers. Reoccurrence of mountain glaciers during the Late Holocene, until 30 cal. a BP, presumably results from a slight cooling and increased humidity. Since c. 30 cal. a BP Lake Imandra has been strongly influenced by human impact, originating in industrial and mining activities. Our results are in overall agreement with vegetation and climate reconstructions in the Kola region.     

Identification of a karst system’s intrinsic hydrodynamic parameters: upscaling from single springs to the whole aquifer

For water management purposes, information about an entire aquifer system is generally more important than information about a specific spring. Since a karstic aquifer system might drain to several outlets, conclusions derived from a single spring can be misleading for characterization and modeling. In this study we apply a conceptual model to an Alpine dolomite karst system in Austria. The particular challenge was that several small springs with strongly varying hydrological behavior and diffuse flow into surrounding streams drain this system. Instead of applying the model to a single spring, it was calibrated simultaneously to several observations within the system aiming to identify the karst system’s intrinsic hydrodynamic parameters. Parameter identification is supported by modeling the transport of water isotopes (δ¹⁸O). The parameters were transferred to the whole system with a simple upscaling procedure and a sensitivity analysis was performed to unfold influence of isotopic information on parameter sensitivity and simulation uncertainty. The results show that it is possible to identify system intrinsic parameters. But the sensitivity analysis revealed that some are hardly identifiable. Only by considering uncertainty reasonable predictions can be provided for the whole system. Including isotopic information increases the sensitivity of some intrinsic parameters, but it goes along with a sensitivity decrease for others. However, a possible reduction of prediction uncertainty by isotopic information is compensated by deficiencies in the transport modeling routines.     

The influence of groundwater abstraction on interpreting climate controls and extreme recharge events from well hydrographs in semi-arid South Africa

There is a scarcity of long-term groundwater hydrographs from sub-Saharan Africa to investigate groundwater sustainability, processes and controls. This paper presents an analysis of 21 hydrographs from semi-arid South Africa. Hydrographs from 1980 to 2000 were converted to standardised groundwater level indices and rationalised into four types (C1–C4) using hierarchical cluster analysis. Mean hydrographs for each type were cross-correlated with standardised precipitation and streamflow indices. Relationships with the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) were also investigated. The four hydrograph types show a transition of autocorrelation over increasing timescales and increasingly subdued responses to rainfall. Type C1 strongly relates to rainfall, responding in most years, whereas C4 notably responds to only a single extreme event in 2000 and has limited relationship with rainfall. Types C2, C3 and C4 have stronger statistical relationships with standardised streamflow than standardised rainfall. C3 and C4 changes are significantly (p <?0.05) correlated to the mean wet season ENSO anomaly, indicating a tendency for substantial or minimal recharge to occur during extreme negative and positive ENSO years, respectively. The range of different hydrograph types, sometimes within only a few kilometres of each other, appears to be a result of abstraction interference and cannot be confidently attributed to variations in climate or hydrogeological setting. It is possible that high groundwater abstraction near C3/C4 sites masks frequent small-scale recharge events observed at C1/C2 sites, resulting in extreme events associated with negative ENSO years being more visible in the time series.

     

Using soil and contaminant properties to assess the potential for groundwater contamination to the lower Great Lakes,USA

Contaminant risk factors in surface soil were evaluated within the urbanized Rouge River watershed in southeastern Michigan, USA, which includes metropolitan Detroit. An analytical risk factor model and Geographic Information Systems overlays were used to quantify and characterize the potential impacts of five categories of contaminants including DNAPLs (dense nonaqueous phase liquids), LNAPLs (light nonaqueous phase liquids), PAHs (polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons), PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), and lead. The results indicate that DNAPL compounds released into sand, moraine, and sandy and silty clay soil types have the greatest potential to affect groundwater, and impact the Great Lakes ecosystem and the public health.     

甘肃西秦岭新生代钾霞橄黄长岩火山作用及其构造含义

钾霞橄黄长岩是一种产于大洋和/或大陆环境,尤以大陆裂谷最为多见的超钾质火山岩,也是世界上出露最少的火成岩之一,目前世界只有少数几个国家和地区有这类岩石的报道.甘肃西秦岭新生代火山岩是我国目前唯一有报道的钾霞橄黄长岩产区.本文详细介绍了西秦岭新生代钾霞橄黄长岩及深源包体的岩石学特征,提供了该区13个岩体30个具代表性的全岩化学和主要矿物的化学成分分析结果,6个具代表性的Sr,Nd,Pb同位素分析结果,以及2个火山岩全岩Ar/Ar同位素定年结果.研究表明西秦岭新生代钾霞橄黄长岩主要是中新世火山作用的产物.火山岩的化学成分贫SiO2和Al2O3,富MgO,CaO,TiO2和(K2O+Na2O),以及具有高的[MgO]值(平均大于68)和NNiO 含量(平均在0.3%以上).火山岩中含有丰富的深源包体,岩石的结晶程度很差.所有这些表明西秦岭存在原生钾霞橄黄长岩浆.而且本区钾霞橄黄长岩与碳酸岩密切共生,显示了典型的大陆区钾霞橄黄长岩的特征.火山岩的∑REE在365×10-6～649×10-6之间,其中轻稀土总量(∑LREE)达319×10-6～569×10,尤以强烈富集大离子轻石元素(K、Rb、Sr、Ba)和相对亏损高场强元素(Nb、Ta等)为特征.火山岩具有相对高的143Nd/144Nd值(0.512768～0.512911),相对低的87Sr/86Sr值(0.70412～0.70525)和206Pb/204Pb(18.418～18.625).εNd介于+1. 8209～+2.1002之间,207Pb/204Pb和208Pb/204Pb比值分别为15.476～15.551和38.618～38.792.本区火山岩的Sr,Nd和Pb同位素与东非裂谷,意大利,德国等地的钾霞橄黄长岩不同,也与青藏高原周边其它地区的钾质火山岩不同.结合火山岩中深源包体温压计算结果,以及火山岩的形成时代,大地构造背景及地球物理资料的分析,对火山岩产出的构造环境及起源和成因进行了初步讨论.提出本区钾霞橄黄长岩火山作用是印度-欧亚板块碰撞后青藏高原强烈隆升在周边地区的反映,本区原生钾霞橄黄长岩岩浆直接起源于地幔,其成因与岩石圈伸展的条件下,岩石圈底部热边界层(TBL)的低度部分熔融有关.这种热边界层(TBL)在发生岩浆作用之前是被来自软流圈深部的流体和/或熔体交代富集过的地幔.