Patos Lagoon outflow within the Río de la Plata plume using an airborne salinity mapper: Observing an embedded plume

Major river systems discharging into continental shelf waters frequently form buoyant coastal currents that propagate along the continental shelf in the direction of coastal trapped wave propagation (with the coast on the right/left, in the northern/southern hemisphere). The combined flow of the Uruguay and Paraná Rivers, which discharges freshwater into the Río de la Plata estuary (Lat. ∼36°S), often gives rise to a buoyant coastal current (the ‘Plata plume’) that extends northward along the continental shelf off Uruguay and Southern Brazil. Depending upon the prevailing rainfall, wind and tidal conditions, the Patos/Mirim Lagoon complex (Lat. ∼32°S) may also produce a freshwater outflow plume that expands across the inner continental shelf. Under these circumstances the Patos outflow plume can be embedded in temperature, salinity and current fields that are strongly influenced by the larger Plata plume. The purpose of this paper is to present observations of such an embedded plume structure and to determine the dynamical characteristics of the ambient and embedded plumes.     

Evaluating Quaternary dating methods: Radiocarbon,U-series,luminescence, and amino acid racemization dates of a late Pleistocene emu egg

A whole emu egg, with infilling sediment believed to be coeval with egg laying and burial, was found in late Pleistocene lunette sediments near Lake Eyre, central Australia. The stratigraphic context and initial amino acid racemization (AAR) results suggested an age between 25 ka and 35 ka, ideal for a multiple cross-dating comparison. The sediment infilling the egg provided material for luminescence dating that minimized problems of association. Age estimations from AAR, ¹⁴C and U series methods were obtained from the eggshell and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) of the infilling sediment. All methods agreed within their respective dating uncertainties confirming the utility of all four methods. They indicate an age for the emu egg of 31.24 ± 0.34 ka.     

Analysis of Interpolation Methods for Kinematic DGPS Control in Aerial Photogrammetry

Kinematic differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) positioning is routinely used in industry for directly observing an aircraft's position at each instant of photographic exposure during a photogammetric survey. A critical aspect of the subsequent data processing is estimation of the aircraft position at the exact time of exposure. GPS measurements are acquired at a uniform sampling rate, typically 1 Hz. The exposure times, however, do not generally coincide with these times. As a result, the exposure station positions must be interpolated from the adjacent GPS positions. This is typically done using a low-order polynomial, expressed as a function of time, for each coordinate dimension. However, trajectory perturbations induced by atmospheric turbulence can render such interpolation methods ineffective. This article will convey the results of an investigation into the use of several different interpolation models with airborne GPS data during straight, level flight. The fundamental task of time series reconstruction will first be addressed, in which several possible interpolation models are described. Two 10-Hz, airborne GPS data sets were collected to test the accuracy of each model. The error properties resulting from the application of each model to these data will be presented and analyzed in terms of time-domain statistics and frequency-domain characteristids. It will be demonstrated that interpolation error can be significantly reduced, especially in the height dimension, through judicious choice of an interpolator. ? 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Terrestrial age measurements using natural thermoluminescence of a drained zone under the fusion crust of Antarctic ordinary chondrites

Abstract— Miono et al. (1990) and Miono and Nakanishi (1994) have proposed that the build‐up of natural thermoluminescence (TL) in a drained layer directly below the meteorite fusion crust can be used to determine terrestrial ages of meteorites in the 40 to 200 ka range. We have measured the natural TL of the drained layer of 15 meteorites. The data indicate that this technique could be used to determine terrestrial ages of meteorites with ages <200 ka, after which TL equilibrium is reached. Comparison of TL build‐up with terrestrial ages for a suite of Antarctic meteorites suggests that the meteorites have been exposed to temperatures of 0 to 5 °C. The close correspondence between natural TL levels and surface exposure TL growth curves suggest that Allan Hills meteorites with ages <200 ka have spent a significant portion of their terrestrial history exposed on the ice surface, rather than being buried in the ice sheet. The technique is, however, sensitive to thermal history; and, for Antarctic meteorites with terrestrial ages <200 ka, natural TL of the drained zone largely reflects exposure on the ice surface.     

Comet Hale-Bopp and the Diffuse Interstellar Lines

As an illustration of the manner in whichserendipitous events can be used to obtain usefulscientific information, the reasons for observing,spectroscopically, the appulse of HD 12895 and CometHale-Bopp are discussed and the conclusions of thestudy are briefly presented.     

The metamorphic rocks of the southern part of the Mainland of Shetland

The paper presents a one mile to the inch geological map of the southern part of the Mainland of Shetland (excluding areas underlain by Old Red rocks) and an account of the metamorphic rocks occurring there. The metasediments mostly belong to the East Mainland Succession which is about 14 km thick. They dip vertically and strike north-south. The metasediments in the west were originally laminated sandstones devoid of current bedding and grading and composed of poorly weathered material. They include several limestones up to half a kilometer thick. In the east the metasediments were originally gritty quartzites and sandstones together with shales which are usually finer grained and composed of more weathered material than those to the west. On two occasions the deposition of these rocks was interrupted by outpourings of spilites. The rocks show signs of four metamorphisms. The first metamorphism was accompanied by a penetrative deformation causing elongation of the rocks in a north-south direction, shortening in an east-west direction and elongation and shortening in different areas in a vertical direction. As a result of this metamorphism the pelitic rocks over the whole area became schists containing such minerals as biotite, chlorite, muscovite, quartz and feldspar, and possibly garnet. In a later metamorphism a belt of these rocks a kilometer or so wide became gneissified, probably due to the passage of high temperature fluids. In various parts of the area such minerals as biotite, chlorite, garnet, staurolite, chloritoid, and kyanite grew as porphyroblasts in a series of episodes referred to collectively as the porphyroblast metamorphism. After these metamorphisms the area was intruded, 400 m.y. ago, by a number of granites. In places these have produced extensive thermal aureoles containing such minerals as staurolite, chloritoid, andalusite, kyanite, sillimanite, garnet, muscovite, biotite and chlorite in pelitic rocks. The emplacement of one of the granites was accompanied by large and small scale folding. Several major faults are described including the Nesting tear fault with a 16 km dextral displacement and a mélange zone beneath a nappe.     

The computation of deformations

The mathematics of irrotational deformation are simplified by presentation in matrix form. Matrix equations are easily programmed and are easily interpreted in geometrical terms. Graphical operations commonly carried out on orientation nets such as rotation of data can be translated into simple matrix equations for use with a computer. If the shape and orientation of the deformation ellipsoid for a pure shear are known, a matrix can be constructed for use as a deformation matrix. This can be used to deform other deformation ellipsoids to obtain a resultant ellipsoid. It can also be used to deform geological structures such as lineations and planes. The matrix equations for these operations are very simple, but their numerical solution often requires a computer.     

Petrogenesis of Cretaceous adakitic and shoshonitic igneous rocks in the Luzong area, Anhui Province (eastern China): Implications for geodynamics and Cu–Au mineralization

Both adakitic and shoshonitic igneous rocks in the Luzong area, Anhui Province, eastern China are associated with Cretaceous Cu–Au mineralization. The Shaxi quartz diorite porphyrites exhibit adakite-like geochemical features, such as light rare earth element (LREE) enrichment, heavy REE (HREE) depletion, high Al₂O₃, MgO, Sr, Sr / Y and La / Yb values, and low Y and Yb contents. They have low ε_Nd(t) values (− 3.46 to − 6.28) and high (⁸⁷Sr / ⁸⁶Sr)_i ratios (0.7051–0.7057). Sensitive High-Resolution Ion Microprobe (SHRIMP) zircon analyses indicate a crystallization age of 136 ± 3 Ma for the adakitic rocks. Most volcanic rocks and the majority of monzonites and syenites in the Luzong area are K-rich (or shoshonitic) and were also produced during the Cretaceous (140–125 Ma). They are enriched in LREE and large-ion lithophile elements, and depleted in Ti, and Nb and Ba and exhibit relatively lower ε_Nd(t) values ranging from − 4.65 to − 7.03 and relatively higher (⁸⁷Sr / ⁸⁶Sr)_i ratios varying between 0.7057 and 0.7062. The shoshonitic and adakitic rocks in the Luzong area have similar Pb isotopic compositions (²⁰⁶Pb / ²⁰⁴Pb = 17.90–18.83, ²⁰⁷Pb / ²⁰⁴Pb = 15.45–15.62 and ²⁰⁸Pb / ²⁰⁴Pb = 38.07–38.80). Geological data from the Luzong area suggest that the Cretaceous igneous rocks are distributed along NE fault zones (e.g., Tanlu and Yangtze River fault zones) in eastern China and were likely formed in an extensional setting within the Yangtze Block. The Shaxi adakitic rocks were probably derived by the partial melting of delaminated lower crust at pressures equivalent to crustal thickness of > 50 km (i.e., 1.5 GPa), possibly leaving rutile-bearing eclogitic residue. The shoshonitic magmas, in contrast, originated mainly from an enriched mantle metasomatized by subducted oceanic sediments. They underwent early high-pressure (> 1.5 GPa) fractional crystallization at the boundary between thickened (> 50 km) lower crust and lithospheric mantle and late low-pressure (< 1.5 GPa) fractional crystallization in the shallow (< 50 km) crust. The adakitic and shoshonitic rocks appear to be linked to an intra-continental extensional setting where partial melting of enriched mantle and delaminated lower crust was probably controlled by lithospheric thinning and upwelling of hot asthenosphere along NE fault zones (e.g., Tanlu and Yangtze River fault zones) in eastern China. Both the shoshonitic and adakitic magmas were fertile with respect to Cu–Au mineralization.     

Early Cretaceous adakitic granites in the Northern Dabie Complex, central China: Implications for partial melting and delamination of thickened lower crust

To date, few adakitic rocks have been reported in direct association with contemporary intra-continental extensional structures, which has cast doubt on genetic models involving partial melting of the lower crust. This study presents Early Cretaceous (143-129 Ma, new Sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) zircon U-Pb ages) adakitic granites, which are directly associated with a contemporary metamorphic core complex (i.e., the Northern Dabie Complex in the Dabie area). These granites exhibit relatively high Sr contents, negligible to positive Eu and Sr anomalies, high La/Yb and Sr/Y ratios, but very low Yb and Y contents, similar to subducted oceanic crust-derived adakites. They are also characterized, however, by very low MgO or Mg^# and Ni values, and Nd-Sr isotope compositions (ε_Nd(t) = −14.6 to −19.4 and (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i = 0.7067-0.7087) similar to Triassic continent-derived eclogites subducted in the Dabie-Sulu Orogen. Additionally, late granitic dikes in the adakitic intrusions exhibit low Sr contents, clearly negative Eu and Sr anomalies, low La/Yb and Sr/Y ratios, but relatively high Yb and Y contents, similar to 118-105 Ma granites in the Northern Dabie Complex. Based on composition and geochronology data of Neoproterozoic amphibolites and orthogneisses, Triassic high- to ultra-high pressure metamorphic rocks, and Early Cretaceous mafic-ultramafic intrusive rocks, and the constraints provided by experimental melt data for tonalites, metabasaltic rocks and eclogites, we suggest that the adakitic granites were most probably generated by partial melting of thickened amphibole or rutile-bearing eclogitic lower crust as a consequence of Triassic-Middle Jurassic subduction and thrusting. The late dikes probably originated from plagioclase-bearing intermediate granulites. Moreover, we suggest that late Mesozoic delamination or foundering of thickened eclogitic lower crust is also a more plausible mechanism for the petrogenesis of Early Cretaceous mafic-ultramafic intrusive rocks in the Dabie area, and probably involved partial melting of a mixed source comprising eclogitic lower crust that had delaminated or foundered into upper lithospheric or asthenospheric mantle peridotite. Asthenospheric upwelling in response to post-collisional delamination of lithospheric mantle was likely to have provided the heat source for the Cretaceous magmatism.     

天山北部石炭纪埃达克岩-高镁安山岩-富Nb岛弧玄武质岩：对中亚造山带显生宙地壳增生与铜金成矿的意义

新疆天山北部地区存在有石炭纪的埃达克岩-高镁安山岩-富Nb玄武质岩组合，并且其中许多岩石与铜（金）矿床伴生（如达巴特、阿希、土屋-延东、赤湖，等等）。埃达克岩富钠、高Sr但亏损Y与Yb，无明显Eu-正Eu异常以及正Sr异常与Nb、Ti亏损。高镁安山（闪长）岩是本次研究首次报道的，这些岩石无明显Eu-正Eu异常以及Nb、Ti亏损，普遍具有高的MgO和Cr、Ni含量，其中阿希金矿区一些样品类似于日本西南新生代Setouchi弧火山岩带中的赞岐岩类。富Nb玄武质岩富钠贫钾，具有微弱负．正Ba、Nb和Ti异常以及高的Nb／La比值，不同于大多数正常岛弧玄武岩。天山北部地区石炭纪埃达克岩具有高的8Nd（t）（＋3．4-＋9．0）和低的（^87Sr／^86Sr）i（0．7032—0．7043）。富Nb玄武质岩具有变化的εNd（t）（＋3．6-＋11．6）和（^87Sr／^86Sr）；（0．7007—0．7067）。我们的研究表明，天山北部地区石炭纪埃达克岩-高镁安山岩-富Nb玄武质岩组合可能是“埃达克岩交代的岛弧岩浆岩系列”。埃达克岩最有可能由石炭纪北天山洋的年轻洋壳在俯冲过程中熔融形成。另外，俯冲板片产生的熔体以及所释放的少量流体在上升过程中可能交代地幔楔橄榄岩或与其发生反应：一方面，触发地幔楔橄榄岩发生熔融形成富Nb岛弧玄武质岩；另一方面，地幔组分迅速进入到板片熔体中，导致其地幔组分增加，乃至形成高镁安山岩。因此，天山北部地区石炭纪埃达克岩-高镁安山岩-富Nb玄武质岩组合表明：（1）天山北部地区石炭纪可能为岛弧环境而非裂谷环境；（2）天山地区石炭纪的地壳生长可能以侧向增生为主；（3）除了亏损地幔之外，俯冲洋壳的熔融可能也在地壳的生长中发挥了重要的作用；（4）俯冲板片产生的埃达克质岩浆具有高的氧逸度，而其与地幔楔橄榄岩的强烈相互作用将导致地幔中的金属硫化物分解，成矿金属元素进入到岩浆中。这可能是新疆北部铜金矿化与一些埃达克岩、高镁安山（闪长）岩或富Nb岛弧玄武质岩密切共生的基本原因。