Chemical and biological features of the saline Lake Krasnovishnevoye (Baraba,Russia) in comparison with Lake Malinovoe (Kulunda,Russia): a reconnaissance study

The Baraba and Kulunda steppes are located in southwestern Siberia in an area with an arid continental climate. This paper presents results of the first study of the hypersaline Lake Krasnovishnevoye(Baraba steppe, TDS(total dissolved solids)=297 g/L, pH 7.88). The major chemical, mineralogical and biological features of the lake were studied and compared to those of Lake Malinovoe, a typical saline neutral lake of Kulunda steppe(TDS=396 g/L, pH 7.63). The phytoplankton composition and the culturable diversity of anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria from Lake Krasnovishnevoye correspond to the ones in the Kulunda lakes. Nevertheless, the peculiarities of water composition and regime of Lake Krasnovishnevoye reduce the biodiversity to prokaryotes and unicellular algae.     

Solar Microflares Observed by SphinX and RHESSI

In 2009, the Russian Complex Orbital Observations Near-Earth of Activity of the Sun (CORONAS-Photon) spacecraft was launched, carrying the Polish Solar PHotometer In X-rays (SphinX). The SphinX was most sensitive in the spectral range 1.2?–?15 keV, thus an excellent opportunity appeared for comparison with the low-energy end of Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) spectra. Common spectral measurements with these instruments cover the range where most of the flare energy is accumulated. We have chosen four consecutive small solar events observed on 4 July 2009 at 13:43 UT, 13:48 UT, 13:52 UT, and 13:55 UT (RHESSI flare peak times) and used them to compare the data and results from the two instruments. Moreover, we included Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) records in our analysis. In practice, the range of comparison performed for SphinX and RHESSI is limited roughly to 3?–?6 keV. RHESSI fluxes measured with a use of one, four, and nine detectors in the 3?–?4 keV energy band agree with SphinX measurements. However, we observed that SphinX spectral irradiances are three times higher than those of RHESSI in the 4?–?6 keV energy band. This effect contributes to the difference in obtained emission measures, but the derived temperatures of plasma components are similar. RHESSI spectra were fitted using a model with two thermal components. We have found that the RHESSI hot component is in agreement with GOES, and the RHESSI hotter component fits the SphinX flaring component well. Moreover, we calculated the so-called thermodynamic measure and the total thermal energy content in the four microflares that we studied. The results obtained show that SphinX is a very sensitive complementary observatory for RHESSI and GOES.     

Mitigation of lunar dust adhesion by surface modification

Dust has been recognized as one of the greatest hazards in continued lunar exploration due to its tenacious adhesion to everything with which it comes into contact. Unfortunately, there is little known about the mechanisms of adhesion on widely varying surface types: van der Waals and electrostatic forces are the dominant forces under consideration here. Surface energy, roughness, mechanical properties and electronic properties are all known to contribute to the adhesion characteristics. An optimal solution to mitigate dust adhesion would be to identify the dominant components of the adhesive force and to reduce that force by surface modification. In this study, an ion beam process was used to modify (treat) the surfaces of three dramatically different materials spanning the range of conductor (black Kapton), semiconductor (silicon), and insulator (quartz). Adhesive forces between less than JSC-1 lunar simulants and these virgin/treated surfaces were measured in vacuum using a centrifugal force detachment method. We found that JSC-1 particles adhered less to treated silicon and quartz surfaces, correlated with a reduction in van der Waals force due to a reduced surface energy. The large reduction in adhesion for treated black Kapton is mainly due to the large decrease in the electrostatic (image) force that results from reduced contact charging. Materials in space and on the lunar surface will be directly exposed to high-energy ultraviolet radiation prior to being covered by dust, so the UV irradiation effects on surface adhesion were also examined. Both virgin and treated quartz surfaces are most affected by the UV-irradiation, showing dramatically increased adhesion.     

High‐Arctic climate conditions for the last 7000 years inferred from multi‐proxy analysis of the Bliss Lake record,North Greenland

The Arctic is more vulnerable to climate change than are mid latitudes. Therefore, palaeolimnological studies from the High Arctic are important in providing insights into the dynamics of the climate system. Here we present a multi‐proxy study from one of the world's northernmost lakes: Bliss Lake, Peary Land, Greenland. The early Holocene (10 850–10 480 cal. a BP) is characterized by increased erosion and gradually more marine conditions. Full marine conditions developed from 10 480 cal. a BP until the lake was isolated at 7220 cal. a BP. From its marine isolation at 7220 cal. a BP Bliss Lake becomes a lacustrine environment. Evidence from geochemical proxies (δ¹³C and total organic carbon) suggests that warmer conditions prevailed between 7220 and 6500 cal. a BP, corresponding to the Holocene thermal maximum, and from 3300 until 910 cal. a BP. From 850 to 500 cal. a BP colder climate conditions persisted. The transition from warmer to colder climate conditions taking place around 850 cal. a BP may be associated with the transition from the Medieval Warm Period to the Little Ice Age. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Anticipating the effects of groundwater withdrawal on seawater intrusion and soil settlement in urban coastal areas

Intensive pumping in urban coastal areas is a common threat to water resource quality due to seawater intrusion. In those areas where subsurface water resources are not usually used for human consumption or irrigation, intensive pumping is associated with other activities like the lowering of the water table necessary to support underground structures and building foundations. This activity also increases the likelihood of soil settlement that affects building stability and the corrosion of concrete structures due to groundwater salinity. Under these circumstances, the awareness of a certain municipality (Calonge, NE Spain) of the potential effects of groundwater withdrawal upon foundations has led to an integrated approach to anticipate seawater intrusion related to urban development. Geological mapping and correlation of borehole logs, electrical resistivity tomography, and hydrochemical data provide comprehensive knowledge of the geology and hydrogeology of the area and act as screening tools necessary to discern the influence of hydrological processes in coastal areas. Developing Strack's analytical solution, new comprehensive, dimensionless expressions are herein derived to determine the critical pumping rate necessary to prevent seawater intrusion, as well as to reproduce the evolution of the wedge toe and the water table stagnation point under different withdrawal rates. Furthermore, the Dupuit–Forchheimer well discharge formula allows the estimation of the effects of the water table lowering due to such critical pumping in the surrounding building foundations. Field data from the Calonge coastal plain illustrate this approach and provide assessment criteria for future urban development and planning. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Problems of ratifying international environmental agreements: Overcoming initial obstacles in the post-agreement negotiation process

The post-agreement period typically is characterized by negotiations between various stakeholders to reach mutually beneficial and acceptable means to achieve national implementation of, and compliance with, treaty provisions. National ratification of international environmental agreements is often the first subprocess of these ‘postagreement negotiations’. This article places ratification negotiations within the larger conceptual context of postagreement negotiations, with the goal of understanding and explaining problems of treaty Implementation. An empirical analysis reveals that delay in national ratification of environmental agreements is a chronic problem, but is worse for complex, multi-issue treaties. Strong public concern over local environmental issues, low quality of life, low national wealth, and low public research and development expenditures for environmental protection contribute to ratification delay. Ultimately, the authors are interested in identifying ways of improving the international negotiation process that initiated these later problems in implementation. Recommendations are offered in this regard.     

Magma mixing,the petrogenetic link between anorthositic suites and rapakivi granites, Åland,SW Finland

Summary The Åland, rapakivi batholith consists of several granites that differ texturally and mineralogically from quartz-porphyritic varieties to rapakivi varieties with K-feldspar ovoids (wiborgites and pyterlites) and aplitic granites. Closely associated with the batholith there is a mafc magmatic series of dolerite dykes, norites, anorthosites and monzodiorites.The earliest major intrusive phase of the Åland, rapakivi batholith consists of quartzporphyritic hornblende rapakivi. This rock contains small amoeboidal mafc enclaves, labradorite megacrysts, quartz ocelli, amphibole-mantled xenoliths and irregular clots of granophyric granite. These disequilibrium features are products of mixing between basaltic and granitic magmas. Geochemical modelling indicates that the quartzporphyritic hornblende rapakivi is a mixture of 15% hi-Fe monzodiorite (mafic endmember) and 85% quartz-feldspar porphyry (felsic end-member). The monzodiorite is derived from a norite-anorthosite-monzodiorite series. The quartz-feldspar porphyry is produced by partial melting of the country rock caused by intrusions of hot basic magma.Structural, textural and geochemical features suggest that magma mixing was an important petrogenetic process in the formation of the earliest rapakivi granite intrusions in the Åland, rapakivi batholith. Petrographic evidence of magma mixing can also be found in the major intrusion of the batholith, the wiborgite rapakivi granites. Chemically the mixing is difficult to specify in these rocks because of a high proportion of felsic component. Zircon and apatite fractionation trends, however, indicate that the wiborgite rapakivis also contain components from a mixed source.

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Magmamixing, die petrogenetische Verbindung zwischen Anorthositen und RapakiviGraniten, Åland, SW Finnland

Zusammenfassung Der Rapakivi Batholit von Åland besteht aus verschiedenen Graniten, die in ihrer Textur und Zusammensetzung das Feld von quarzporphyritischen über Rapakivigranite mit K-Feldspat-Ovoiden (Wiborgite und Pyterlite) und aplitischen Graniten abdecken. Eine mafische magmatische Serie von Dolerit-Gängen, Noriten, Anorthositen und Monzodioriten ist mit diesen Batholiten eng verbunden.Die erste größere Intrusivphase des Åland, Rapakivi Batholiten besteht aus quarzporphyritischem Hornblende Rapakivi. Dieses Gestein enhält kleine Amöboide, mafische Enklaven, Labradorit Megakristalle, Quarzocelli, Xenolithe mit Amphibolrändern und unregelmäßige Aggregate von granophyrischem Granit. Diese Produkte von Ungleichgewichts-Bedingungen gehen auf die Mischung zwischen basaltischen und granitischen Magmen zurück. Geochemische Modelle zeigen, daß der quarzporphyritische Hornblende-Rapakivi eine Mischung von 15%. eisenreichen Monzodiorit (mafisches Endglied) und 85% Quarz-Feldspatporphyr (felsisches Endglied) ist. Der Monzodiorit stammt von einer Norit-Anorthosit-Monzodiorit Serie. Der QuarzFeldspat-Porphyr entstand durch teilweise Aufschmelzung des Nebengesteines, die durch Intrusionen heißen basischen Magmas verursacht wurden.Strukturelle, texturelle und geochemische Daten zeigen, daß Magmamischung ein wichtiger petrogenetischer Prozeß der Bildung der frühesten Rapakivi-Granit-Intrusionen im Åland, Batholith waren. Petrographische Hinweise auf Magmamischung können auch in der größten Intrusion des Batholiths, dem Wiborg Rapakivi Granit, gefunden werden. Wegen des hohen Anteils felsischer Komponenten ist es schwierig, das Magmamixing in diesen Gesteinen chemisch zu quantifizieren. Zirkon- und Apatitfraktionierungs-Trends weisen jedoch darauf hin, daß auch die WiborgitRapakivis Komponenten aus einer gemischten Quelle enthalten.

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With 5 figures     

Recruitment of Mytilus edulis L. in the Thames estuary,with evidence for differences in the time of maximal settling along the Connecticut shore

In the Thames Estuary at the eastern end of Long Island Sound, most mussels achieve maximal gonadal development during the summer and larval settlement occurs primarily during the fall. The timing of reproductive events is several months later than has been reported for other populations of mussels in Long Island Sound but corresponds to that of mussels inhabiting the south shore of Long Island. The data support the growing body of evidence which indicates that temperature is not a major factor determining the reproductive period of this bivalve.     

PGE fractionation in seafloor hydrothermal systems: examples from mafic- and ultramafic-hosted hydrothermal fields at the slow-spreading Mid-Atlantic Ridge

The distribution of platinum group elements (PGEs) in massive sulfides and hematite–magnetite±pyrite assemblages from the recently discovered basalt-hosted Turtle Pits hydrothermal field and in massive sulfides from the ultramafic-hosted Logatchev vent field both on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge was studied and compared to that from selected ancient volcanic-hosted massive sulfide (VHMS) deposits. Cu-rich samples from black smoker chimneys of both vent fields are enriched in Pd and Rh (Pd up to 227 ppb and Rh up to 149 ppb) when compared to hematite–magnetite-rich samples from Turtle Pits (Pd up to 10 ppb, Rh up to 1.9 ppb). A significant positive correlation was established between Cu and Rh in sulfide samples from Turtle Pits. PGE chondrite-normalized patterns (with a positive Rh anomaly and Pd and Au enrichment), Pd/Pt and Pd/Au ratios close to global MORB, and high values of Pd/Ir and Pt/Ir ratios indicate mafic source rock and seawater involvement in the hydrothermal system at Turtle Pits. Similarly shaped PGE chondrite-normalized patterns and high values of Pd/Pt and Pd/Ir ratios in Cu-rich sulfides at Logatchev likely reflect a similar mechanism of PGE enrichment but with involvement of ultramafic source rocks.