Carbon isotope stratigraphy of Lochkovian to Eifelian limestones from the Devonian of central and southern Europe

Lower to Middle Devonian carbonates of the Prague Syncline, the Carnic Alps, the Montagne Noire, and the Cantabrian Mountains were investigated for δ¹³C_carb and δ¹³C_org. These values were measured on bulk rocks, selected components and cements. Many carbonates exhibit primary marine values, but some are altered by diagenesis. A δ¹³C curve can be presented for the latest Pridolian to Emsian time interval. Several sharp or broad positive excursions are obvious in the woschmidti-postwoschmidti, sulcatus, kitabicus, Late serotinus, and kockelianus conodont zones. The excursion at the Silurian–Devonian boundary is known worldwide and therefore considered global in nature. Some of the others are described for the first time from central and southern Europe, and their global nature has to be verified by further investigations in other regions. Most excursions relate to and/or started during major regressions whereas sea-level highstands correspond to minimal δ¹³C values. Similar relationships between sea-level changes and δ¹³C have been observed from other early Palaeozoic intervals. The transgressive Chote? (?) and Ka?ák events are marked by positive isotope excursions, this type of combination is usually observed in late Palaeozoic to Cenozoic black shale events.     

A field evaluation of enhanced reductive dechlorination of chlorinated solvents in groundwater,New York Metropolitan Area

An initial assessment of an old manufacturing site with groundwater impacted by trichloroethene (TCE) contamination in the metropolitan New York area showed that the TCE was being removed naturally by reductive dechlorination. However, complete dechlorination was not expected at the site because the process was progressing too slowly under transitional to aerobic conditions at a degradation constant of –0.0013 and a TCE half life of 533 days. A pilot test was conducted at the site in which a carbohydrate substrate (molasses) was injected into the groundwater to create an In-Situ Reactive Zone (IRZ). Post-pilot test groundwater sampling and analysis indicated that an IRZ was created successfully as the total organic carbon (TOC) content and conductivity increased significantly while oxidation-reduction (REDOX) potential and dissolved oxygen (DO) decreased. The created IRZ caused enhanced reductive dechlorination of TCE at the site, found to proceed with a degradation constant of –0.0158 and a TCE half life of 44 days.     

Comparison of linear and nonlinear shallow wave water equations applied to tsunami waves over the China Sea

This paper discusses the applications of linear and nonlinear shallow water wave equations in practical tsunami simulations. We verify which hydrodynamic theory would be most appropriate for different ocean depths. The linear and nonlinear shallow water wave equations in describing tsunami wave propagation are compared for the China Sea. There is a critical zone between 400 and 500 m depth for employing linear and nonlinear models. Furthermore, the bottom frictional term exerts a noticeable influence on the propagation of the nonlinear waves in shallow water. We also apply different models based on these characteristics for forecasting potential seismogenic tsunamis along the Chinese coast. Our results indicate that tsunami waves can be modeled with linear theory with enough accuracy in South China Sea, but the nonlinear terms should not be neglected in the eastern China Sea region.     

Rapid incorporation of lipids into macromolecules during experimental decay of invertebrates: Initiation of geopolymer formation

Diagenetic alteration is critical for the preservation of fossil cuticles of plant and animal origin and to the formation of kerogen. The process takes place over millions of years, but the stage at which it is initiated is not known. Laboratory decay experiments were carried out on shrimps, scorpions and cockroaches to monitor changes in the chitin–protein of the arthropod cuticle and associated lipids. The cockroach and scorpion exoskeleton remained largely unaltered morphologically, but the shrimp experienced rapid decomposition within a month, which progressed through the 44 week duration of the experiment as revealed using electron microscopy. Mass spectrometry and ¹³C NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) spectroscopy revealed the association of an n-alkyl component with labile lipids, such as fatty acids with up to 24 carbon atoms, which were incorporated into the decaying macromolecule. The scorpion and cockroach cuticle did not reveal the incorporation of additional lipids, indicating that decay is important in initiating in situ lipid association. This experiment provides evidence that lipids can become associated with carbohydrate and proteinaceous macromolecules during the very early stages of decay, representing the first stage in the transformation process that contributes to the aliphatic rich composition ubiquitous in organic fossils and kerogen.     

Low-speed impacts between rubble piles modeled as collections of polyhedra

We present results of modeling rubble piles as collections of polyhedra. The use of polyhedra allows more realistic (irregular) shapes and interactions (e.g. collisions), particularly for objects of different sizes. Rotational degrees of freedom are included in the modeling, which may be important components of the motion. We solved the equations of rigid-body dynamics, including frictional/inelastic collisions, for collections of up to several hundred elements. As a demonstration of the methods and to compare with previous work by other researchers, we simulated low-speed collisions between km-scale bodies with the same general parameters as those simulated by Leinhardt et al. [Leinhardt, Z.M., Richardson, D.C., Quinn, T., 2000. Icarus 146, 133-151]. High-speed collisions appropriate to present-day asteroid encounters require additional treatment of shock effects and fragmentation and are the subject of future work; here we study regimes appropriate to planetesimal accretion and re-accretion in the aftermath of catastrophic events. Collisions between equal-mass objects at low speeds () were simulated for both head-on and off-center collisions between rubble piles made of a power-law mass spectrum of sub-elements. Very low-speed head-on collisions produce single objects from the coalescence of the impactors. For slightly higher speeds, extensive disruption occurs, but re-accretion produces a single object with most of the total mass. For increasingly higher speeds, the re-accreted object has smaller mass, finally resulting in complete catastrophic disruption with all sub-elements on escape trajectories and only small amounts of mass in re-accreted bodies. Off-center collisions at moderately low speeds produce two re-accreted objects of approximately equal mass, separating at greater than escape speed. At high speed, complete disruption occurs as with the high-speed head-on collisions. Head-on collisions at low to moderate speeds result in objects of mostly oblate shape, while higher speed collisions produce mostly prolate objects, as do off-center collisions at moderate and high speeds. Collisions carried out with the same dissipative coefficients (coefficient of restitution ?n=0.8, zero friction) as used by Leinhardt et al. [Leinhardt, Z.M., Richardson, D.C., Quinn, T., 2000. Icarus 146, 133-151] result in a value for specific energy for disruption , somewhat lower than the value of 2 J/kg found by them, while collisions with a lower coefficient of restitution and friction [?n=0.5, ?t=0, μ=0.5, similar to those used by Michel, et al. [Michel, P., Benz, W., Richardson, D.C., 2004. Planet. Space Sci. 52, 1109-1117] for SPH + N-body calculations] yield .     

Roles of Biogeochemical Processes in the Oceanic Carbon Cycle Described with a Simple Coupled Physical-Biogeochemical Model

To evaluate the contribution of biogeochemical processes to the oceanic carbon cycle and to calculate the ratio of calcium carbonate to organic carbon downward export, we have incorporated biological and alkalinity pumps in the yoked high-latitude exchange/interior diffusion-advection (YOLDA) model. The biogeochemical processes are represented by four parameters. The values of the parameters are tuned so that the model can reproduce the observed phosphate and alkalinity distributions in each oceanic region. The sensitivity of the model to the biogeochemical parameters shows that biological production rates in the euphotic zone and decomposition depths of particulate matters significantly influence horizontal and vertical distributions of biogeochemical substances. The modeled vertical fluxes of particulate organic phosphorus and calcium carbonate are converted to vertical carbon fluxes by the biological pump and the alkalinity pump, respectively. The downward carbon flux from the surface layer to the deep layer in the entire region is estimated to be 3.36 PgC/yr, which consists of 2.93 PgC/yr from the biological pump and 0.43 PgC/yr from the alkalinity pump, which is consistent with previous studies. The modeled rain ratio is higher with depth and higher in the Pacific and Indian Oceans than in the Atlantic Ocean. The global rain ratio at the surface layer is calculated to be 0.14 to 0.15. This value lies between the lower and higher ends of the previous estimates, which range widely from 0.05 to 0.25. This study indicates that the rain ratio is unlikely to be higher than 0.15, at least in the surface waters.     

Evidence of hyperpycnal flows at the head of the meandering Kaoping Canyon off SW Taiwan

Using seismic and Chirp sonar profiles, this paper tests the hypothesis that hyperpycnal flows are the main factor controlling the formation and maintenance of the meandering Kaoping submarine canyon off SW Taiwan. Cross-section geometries, and erosional as well as depositional features vary along the canyon course. In the proximal, sinuous part of the canyon, down-cutting into the shelf strata has created a relief of 340 m. The cause of this intense erosion of the seafloor is suggested to be the frequent development of hyperpycnal flows. A seismic section across a meander in the distal part of the canyon shows levees formed by overspilled sediments at the outer bend, and a terrace characterized by relatively flat stratified facies at the inner bend. The geological setting and climatic conditions in SW Taiwan (e.g. earthquakes, typhoons, floods), as well as major river–canyon connections (for example, direct input of highly concentrated suspended sediment) would all promote hyperpycnal flow generation. This causes axial incision, canyon wall slumping, and the formation of levees by spill-over deposition in the upper reach of the Kaoping Canyon.     

Sediment resuspension events induced by the wake wash of deep-draft vessels

Hydrodynamics and sediment resuspension events, induced at the shoreline by a deep-draft vessel passing nearby, are described. Measurements (pressure, currents and turbidity) were obtained at 4 Hz, on a lower beach ~50 m from a channel where large car ferries operate in Wootton Creek, Isle of Wight. The study focuses on a representative 8-min 32-s-long record, during which two large vessels passed the channel section. At the shore, the passage of each vessel induced a long-period water-level drawdown, followed by a water-level oscillation (seiche) of similar period, and the short-period waves of the wake. Both drawdowns were the main constituents of the prevailing wave pattern. The second drawdown was the largest in amplitude, in response to a higher speed of the ferry, and the influence of the seiche which had been activated during the preceding event. Two successive peaks of turbidity were observed shortly after this drawdown. Analyses of current velocity and direction indicate that the sediments resuspended originated from the shallower upper beach. Anthropogenically induced erosion of the foreshore is predicted at Wootton Creek.     

Evidence of NW extension of the North Anatolian Fault Zone in the Marmara Sea: a new interpretation of the Marmara Sea (Izmit) earthquake on 17 August 1999

Active faults aligning in NW–SE direction and forming flower structures of strike-slip faults were observed in shallow seismic data from the shelf offshore of Avcılar in the northern Marmara Sea. By following the parallel drainage pattern and scarps, these faults were traced as NW–SE-directed lineaments in the morphology of the northern onshore sector of the Marmara Sea (eastern Thrace Peninsula). Right-lateral displacements in two watersheds of drainage and on the coast of the Marmara Sea and Black Sea are associated with these lineaments. This right-lateral displacement along the course of these faults suggests a new, active strike-slip fault zone located at the NW extension of the northern boundary fault of the ?ınarcık Basin in the Marmara Sea. This new fault zone is interpreted as the NW extension of the northern branch of the North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ), extending from the ?ınarcık Basin of the Marmara Sea to the Black Sea coast of the Thrace Peninsula, and passing through B üy ük ?ekmece and K ü ? ük ?ekmece lagoons. These data suggest that the rupture of the 17 August 1999 earthquake in the NAFZ may have extended through Avcılar. Indeed, Avcılar and İzmit, both located on the Marmara Sea coast along the rupture route, were strongly struck by the earthquake whereas the settlements between Avcılar and İzmit were much less affected. Therefore, this interpretation can explain the extraordinary damage in Avcılar, based on the newly discovered rupture of the NAFZ in the Marmara Sea. However, this suggestion needs to be confirmed by further seismological studies.