Low-temperature anisotropic diffusion of helium in zircon: Implications for zircon (U-Th)/He thermochronometry

In the last decade the zircon (U-Th)/He (ZHe) thermochronometer has been applied to a variety of geologic problems. Although bulk diffusion coefficients for He in zircon are available from laboratory step-heating experiments, little is known about the diffusion mechanism(s) and their dependence on the crystallographic structure of zircon. Here, we investigate the diffusion of He in perfectly crystalline zircon using atomistic simulation methods that provide insights into the structural pathways of He migration in zircon. Empirical force fields and quantum-mechanical calculations reveal that the energy barriers for He diffusion are strongly dependent on structure. The most favorable pathway for He diffusion is the [0 0 1] direction through the open channels parallel to the c-axis (, activation energy for tracer diffusion of a He atom along [0 0 1]). In contrast, energy barriers are higher in other directions where narrower channels for He diffusion are identified, such as [1 0 0], [1 0 1], and [1 1 0] (ΔE^∗ of 44.8, 101.7, and 421.3 kJ mol⁻¹, respectively). Molecular dynamics simulations are in agreement with these results and provide additional insight in the diffusion mechanisms along different crystallographic directions, as well as the temperature dependence. Below the closure temperature of He in zircon [T_c ∼ 180 °C, Reiners P. W., Spell T. L., Nicolescu S., and Zanetti K. A. (2004) Zircon (U-Th)/He thermochronometry: He diffusion and comparisons with Ar-40/Ar-39 dating. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta68, 1857-1887], diffusion is anisotropic as He moves preferentially along the [0 0 1] direction, and calculated tracer diffusivities along the two most favorable directions differ by approximately five orders of magnitude (D_[001]/D_[100] ∼ 10⁵, at T = 25 °C). Above this temperature, He atoms start to hop between adjacent [0 0 1] channels, along [1 0 0] and [0 1 0] directions (perpendicular to the c-axis). The diffusion along [1 0 0] and [0 1 0] is thermally activated, such that at higher temperatures, He diffusion in zircon becomes nearly isotropic (D_[001]/D_[100] ∼ 10, at T = 580 °C). These results suggest that the anisotropic nature of He diffusion at temperatures near the closure temperature should be considered in future diffusivity experiments. Furthermore, care should be taken when making geologic interpretations (e.g., exhumation rates, timing of cooling, etc.) from this thermochronometer until the effects of anisotropic diffusion on bulk ages and closure temperature estimates are better quantified.     

Interacting Loop Current variability and Mississippi River discharge over the past 400 kyr

The Loop Current mediating the oceanic heat and salt flux from the Caribbean Sea into the Atlantic Ocean and its interference with the Mississippi River discharge are critical for both the regional climate in the Gulf of Mexico area and the water vapor transport towards high northern latitudes. We present a 400-kyr record of sea surface temperature and local surface salinity from the northeastern Gulf of Mexico (IMAGES core MD02-2575) approximated from combined planktonic foraminiferal δ¹⁸O and Mg/Ca, which reflects the temporal dynamics of the Loop Current and its relationship to both varying Mississippi discharge and evolution of the Western Hemisphere Warm pool. The reconstructed sea surface temperature and salinity reveal glacial/interglacial amplitudes that are significantly larger than in the Western Hemisphere Warm pool. Sea surface freshening is observed during the extreme cool periods of Marine Isotope Stages 2, 8, and 10, caused by the strengthened Mississippi discharge which spread widely across the Gulf favored by the less established Loop Current. Interglacial and interstadial sea-surface conditions, instead, point to a strengthened, northward flowing Loop Current in line with the northward position of the Intertropical Convergence Zone, allowing northeastern Gulf of Mexico surface hydrographic conditions to approach those of the Caribbean. At these times, the Mississippi discharge was low and deflected westward, promoted by the extended Loop Current. Previously described deglacial megadischarge events further to the west did not affect the northeastern Gulf of Mexico hydrography, implying that meltwater routing from the Laurentide Ice Sheet via the Mississippi River is unlikely to have affected Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation.     

Numerical studies of the Kelvin-Hemholtz instability in a coronal jet

Kelvin-Hemholtz(K-H)instability in a coronal EUV jet is studied via 2.5D MHD numerical simulations.The jet results from magnetic reconnection due to the interaction of the newly emerging magnetic field and the pre-existing magnetic field in the corona.Our results show that the Alfv e′n Mach number along the jet is about 5–14 just before the instability occurs,and it is even higher than 14 at some local areas.During the K-H instability process,several vortex-like plasma blobs with high temperature and high density appear along the jet,and magnetic fields have also been rolled up and the magnetic configuration including anti-parallel magnetic fields forms,which leads to magnetic reconnection at many X-points and current sheet fragments inside the vortex-like blob.After magnetic islands appear inside the main current sheet,the total kinetic energy of the reconnection outflows decreases,and cannot support the formation of the vortex-like blob along the jet any longer,then the K-H instability eventually disappears.We also present the results about how the guide field and flux emerging speed affect the K-H instability.We find that a strong guide field inhibits shock formation in the reconnecting upward outflow regions but helps secondary magnetic islands appear earlier in the main current sheet,and then apparently suppresses the K-H instability.As the speed of the emerging magnetic field decreases,the K-H instability appears later,the highest temperature inside the vortex blob gets lower and the vortex structure gets smaller.     

Application of infrared spectroscopy for rapid petroleum source rock evaluation

This paper demonstrates the utility of infrared (IR) spectroscopy for rapid routine analysis of rock extracts for the purpose of evaluating the composition of petroleum generated in any given sedimentary sequence penetrated during exploratory drilling. Specifically, ratios of the areas of the IR absorption bands (obtained by planimetry) have been used to estimate both the quality and thermal maturity of the organic matter in the corresponding rock samples. Based on the cross-plots of some of the ratios of the areas of the IR absorption bands, evolution pathways which group the organic matter into source related groups have been proposed.     

Improved representation of topographic effects by a vertical adaptive grid in Vector-Ocean-Model (VOM). Part II: Simulations in unstructured adaptive grids

A static adaptive grid approximates the topography and defines the vertical resolution in Vector-Ocean-Model (VOM). The adaptation to topography creates unstructured grids, which are organised in a one-dimensional vector by column-wise storage of only wet cells. The model’s name reflects this data structure. The intention of VOM is better resolving flow and stratification near topographic boundaries in Z-coordinates. This is the second part of a publication that describes the generation of adaptive grids (part I), and simulations with VOM in unstructured grids (this part). Adaptive grids generated for a synthetic topography in part I include shelf, continental slope, and ocean. Three of those grids are here utilised in upwelling simulations. Under the same forcing increased vertical resolution at seabed and slopes yields a significant increase in flow energy as compared to coarser grids. Results allow explaining the surface intensification of a continental slope jet by vertical displacements of water masses in the seabed Ekman layer. Results in unstructured grids are almost identical to reference simulations in equidistant grids where the respective smallest grid size of unstructured grids was used. Negative effects of grids on predicted flow and stratification are absent also over particularly rough topography, as demonstrated by using vertical velocity as most sensitive indicator. In a further simulation an overflow governed by the advection of water mass properties is presented to demonstrate the conservation properties of the model. After 5 months of simulation the predicted domain average temperature deviated by 10⁻⁸ from the initial temperature field. Compared to equidistant grids the advection/diffusion scheme looses about one order of magnitude in accuracy when used in an unstructured grid. The results of VOM, being defined in Z-coordinates, are void of coordinate transformation errors. In an arbitrary topography unforced zero-flow remains quiescent in a stratification that only varies in the vertical. VOM due to its depth-independent vertical resolution appears particularly suitable for simulations of ocean-shelf exchange.     

Intragroup diffuse light in compact groups of galaxies – II. HCG 15, 35 and 51

This continuing study of intragroup light in compact groups of galaxies aims to establish new constraints to models of formation and evolution of galaxy groups, specially of compact groups, which are a key part in the evolution of larger structures, such as clusters. In this paper we present three additional groups (HCG 15, 35 and 51) using deep wide-field B - and R -band images observed with the LAICA camera at the 3.5-m telescope at the Calar Alto observatory (CAHA). This instrument provides us with very stable flat-fielding, a mandatory condition for reliably measuring intragroup diffuse light. The images were analysed with the ov_wav package, a wavelet technique that allows us to uncover the intragroup component in an unprecedented way. We have detected that 19, 15 and 26 per cent of the total light of HCG 15, 35 and 51, respectively, are in the diffuse component, with colours that are compatible with old stellar populations and with mean surface brightness that can be as low as 28.4 B mag arcsec⁻². Dynamical masses, crossing times and mass-to-light ratios were recalculated using the new group parameters. Also tidal features were analysed using the wavelet technique.     

The stability of fission tracks in epidote and vesuvianite

The stability of fission tracks in epidote and vesuvianite (idiocrase) was studied at different temperatures for several periods of time. The tracks in epidote are almost as heat-resistant as those in garnet; in vesuvianite they are much less stable. These results are in line with the rule that tracks in minerals with high lattice energies need higher activation energies to fade than in minerals with low lattice energies.     

Modeling Sediment Transport Dynamics in Thompson Island Pool,Upper Hudson River

Two-dimensional, vertically-averaged hydrodynamic and sediment transport models were developed and applied as part of a PCB fate and transport modeling study of Thompson Island Pool (TIP), Upper Hudson River. Mechanistic formulations were used to simulate cohesive and non-cohesive suspended load transport; site-specific data were extensively used to determine model inputs. This modeling approach is compared and contrasted to non-mechanistic solids transport sub-models used in other contaminant fate studies. A minimum number of model parameters were adjusted to calibrate the sediment transport model using data collected during the 1994 spring flood. The model was validated during the 1997 spring flood and for a 22-year (1977–1998) period. Successful calibration and validation of the model showed that: (1) deposition and resuspension processes were realistically and accurately formulated in the model; (2) the model is an effective diagnostic tool for quantitatively evaluating net deposition and erosion from various areas of TIP; and (3) sediment transport results can be coupled with a PCB fate model with a high degree of confidence.     

Spurenelemente in Biotiten aus Graniten und Gneisen

91 biotites (53 from granites, 35 from highly metamorphic gneisses, 3 from redwitzites) were separated and analyzed for Fe, Mn, Zn, Cl, Sn, Ni, Co, Or, Cu, V, Mo, Pb. Biotites from gneisses contain much more Ni, Co, Cr, V but less Fe, Mn, Zn than those from granites. However, the distinction between biotites from gneisses and from granites on the basis of these elements is not certain. If a gneiss undergoes anatexis, the contents of Ni, Co, Cr, V, Zn and Sn of the preexistent biotite fractionate: Zn, Sn and Pe enter the anatectic melt readily while Ni, Co, Cr and V concentrate in the remaining matter (restite). Ni, Co, Cr and V are strongly positively correlated with one another but negatively with Fe and Zn, the latter being positively correlated with Pe. The chemical composition of biotites from granites depends not only on a potential degree of secondary decomposition into chlorite and muscovite but much more on the percentage of biotite in the rock: The more biotite, the higher the content of Ni, Co, Cr, V and the lower Fe, Zn and Sn in the biotite. Thus, it is possible to distinguish between normal and abnormal concentrations of an element in a biotite and in a rock. This might be useful in geochemical prospecting. Abnormal high concentrations of Sn and Zn were found in biotites from some granites which are connected with mineralizations of these elements. It is impossible hitherto to gain informations about the history and the parental material of a granitic magma from the minor elements in the rock or the biotite because their concentrations depend on how much biotite could be incorporated by the melt. The distribution coefficient of Cl between the lattice of 4 biotites and their fluid inclusions was determined to be 0,08.