Ionic conductivity in gem-quality single-crystal alkali feldspar from the Eifel: temperature,orientation and composition dependence

We measured the ion conductivity of single-crystal alkali feldspar originating from two different locations in the Eifel/Germany, named Volkesfeld and Rockeskyller sanidine and having potassium site fractions \(C_\mathrm{K}\) of 0.83 and 0.71, respectively. The dc conductivities resulting from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy over the temperature range of 300–900 \(^{\circ }\hbox {C}\) show a weak composition dependence but pronounced differences between the b-direction [\(\perp (010)\)] and \(c^{*}\)-direction [\(\perp (001)\)] of the monoclinic feldspar structure. Conductivity activation energies obtained from the observed linear Arrhenius plots are close to 1.2 eV in all cases, which is closely similar to the activation energies of the \(^{22}\mathrm{Na}\) tracer diffusivity in the same crystals. Taking into account literature data on K tracer diffusion and diffusion correlation effects, the present results point to a predominance of the interstitialcy mechanism over the vacancy mechanism in mass and charge transport on the alkali sublattice in potassium-rich alkali feldspar.     

Ri-μi/μm-Ci dependent oblateness of deformed pebbles in the Baraitha conglomerate,Central India and tectonic implications

Strain analysis of the Baraitha conglomerate is attempted by direct measurements on extracted pebbles and by micrometric analysis. The overall deformation is of flattening type, with thek value lower by more than half in the matrix than in the pebbles. The viscosity contrast between pebbles and matrix (μ _i/μ_m) is in the ratio of 2:1 and the bulk deformation appears to be strongly controlled by C_i (concentration of pebbles expressed as percentage). The total shortening (≃35%) in the Baraitha conglomerate is comparable with the shortening accomplished in the folding of the overlying Bijawar Group volcanosedimentary sequence. The bulk strain axesX _t, Y_t andZ _t, as determined from the analysis of the deformed conglomerate, are unsymmetrically oriented with reference to folds formed by oblique flexural-slip with neitherX _t norY _tcoincident with the fold hinges. The lack of transection of folds by cleavage again suggests flattening deformation. The extension in theY _tdirection is greater in the matrix than in the pebbles.     

Three-dimensional nonlinear analysis for seismic soil–pile-structure interaction

A three-dimensional method of analysis is presented for the seismic response of structures constructed on pile foundations. An analysis is formulated in the time domain and the effects of material nonlinearity of soil on the seismic response are investigated. A subsystem model consisting of a structure subsystem and a pile-foundation subsystem is used. Seismic response of the system is found using a successive-coupling incremental solution scheme. Both subsystems are assumed to be coupled at each time step. Material nonlinearity is accounted for by incorporating an advanced plasticity-based soil model, HiSS, in the finite element formulation. Both single piles and pile groups are considered and the effects of kinematic and inertial interaction on seismic response are investigated while considering harmonic and transient excitations. It is seen that nonlinearity significantly affects seismic response of pile foundations as well as that of structures. Effects of nonlinearity on response are dependent on the frequency of excitation with nonlinearity causing an increase in response at low frequencies of excitation.     

Soil–Structure Interaction of Damped Infinite Beams on Extensible Geosynthetic Reinforced Earth Beds Under Moving Loads

In the present paper, soil-structure interaction analysis of an infinite beam resting on extensible geosynthetic reinforced earth beds has been carried out for an applied load moving with constant velocity. The viscous damping of the soil-foundation system has been given due consideration in the analytical procedure. The infinite beam has been treated as resting on a granular fill layer overlying the naturally occurring weak soil layer. Geosynthetic layer has been provided in the granular fill layer and has been considered as extensible. This extensible nature has been incorporated with the help of no slip and the compatibility conditions at the interface between reinforcing layer and the neighboring soil. These conditions help in eliminating the two interfacial shear stress parameters and in considering the tensile modulus of geosynthetic layer in the analysis. The influence of various parameters, like magnitude and velocity of applied moving load, viscous damping, relative stiffness of granular fill and tensile modulus of geosynthetic layer, on the response of soil-foundation system has been studied. It has been observed that all these parameters affect the response significantly, however, the effect of velocity of moving load and viscous damping has been found to be more significant especially at higher velocities.     

Analysis of beams on tensionless reinforced granular fill‐soil system

In this paper, a beam subjected to end concentrated loads has been modeled and analyzed to estimate its flexural response. The beam has been assumed to rest on reinforced earth beds with reinforcing elements having some finite bending stiffness. The reinforcing elements have been idealized as beams with smooth surface characteristics. The foundation system has been assumed to react only in compression (tensionless foundation), i.e. the separation between the upper beam and the ground surface has been taken into consideration. Winkler springs of different stiffnesses have been used to idealize the upper dense and lower poor soils. As the analysis considers the separation between the upper beam and the soil, the weight of the upper beam has been taken into account. The governing differential equations have been derived and presented in a non‐dimensional form. These equations have been solved using finite difference method with the help of appropriate boundary and continuity conditions. The response of the foundation system has been compared with the case when the beam is in perfect contact with the ground surface. The parametric study shows that the response of the model is greatly affected by the length ratio of beams, ratio of stiffness of upper and lower soil layers, ratio of flexural rigidity of upper and lower beams and weight of the upper foundation beam. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Estimation of Sea Ice Freeboard from SARAL/AltiKa Data

An attempt has been made to derive sea ice freeboard from Ka-band Altimeter (SARAL/AltiKa) over Arctic region for 15 March–15 April 2013 (spring) and 15 September–15 October 2013 (autumn). A waveform template matching technique is employed for classification of leads and floe pixels. The estimated sea ice freeboards were found in close agreement with “Operation IceBridge quick look” freeboards (RMSD = 0.30 m). The differences between the two freeboards were largely due to snow layer over sea ice (R = 0.8). The estimated freeboards were of the order of 0.08–0.15 m during the two seasons.     

Dynamic impedances of pile groups with embedded caps in homogeneous elastic soils using CIFECM

Significant research has been reported on the dynamic analysis of pile groups. However, in most of the cases, the effect of pile cap is neglected despite the fact that there may be additional interactions due to the presence of the cap. This paper presents the dynamic impedances for the pile groups with caps embedded in isotropic homogeneous elastic soils. A general three-dimensional finite element procedure is developed. The system is sub-structured into bounded near-field and an unbounded far-field. The pile-soil system of the near-field is modeled using solid finite elements, and the unbounded elastic soil system of the far-field is modeled using the consistent infinitesimal finite element cell method (CIFECM) in the frequency domain.     

Global nature of the Paleoproterozoic Lomagundi carbon isotope excursion: A review of occurrences in Brazil,India, and Uruguay

Positive carbon isotope excursion is reported from Paleoproterozoic carbonates of the Aravalli Supergroup (northwestern India), the Minas Supergroup (Brazil), and new sections of the Paso Severino Formation (Uruguay). The 2.42 Ga Gandarela Formation, Minas Gerais, Brazil, contains red carbonate-facies BIF grading into dolostones and limestones and yielding δ¹³C values ranging from −1.6 to +0.4‰ V-PDB. The positive C-isotope excursion (up to + 11‰ V-PDB) in marine shallow-water carbonates in India and Brazil (Jhamarkotra Formation in northwestern India, and Cercadinho and Fecho do Funil formations in Minas Gerais State, Brazil) is comparable to that observed in 2.22–2.1 Ga carbonate successions worldwide that were deposited during the Lomagundi excursion. In Uruguay, δ¹³C values up to +11.6‰ V-PDB in the deep-water Paso Severino Formation of the Piedra Alta Terrane are compatible with deposition at ca. 2.15 Ga, as indicated by the 2146 ± 7 Ma U–Pb age of dacites occurring at the top of the unit. Negative δ¹³C values are also present in carbonates of the Paso Severino Formation, but an origin related to organic-matter remineralization cannot be ruled out. Thin carbonate beds in the Rio Itapicuru greenstone belt, Bahia State, Brazil, are associated, as in the Paso Severino Formation, with deep-water black shales and have carbon isotope values up to +9‰ V-PDB. High metamorphic grade carbonates of the Jacurici terrane in the Medrado-Ipueira area, Bahia, Brazil, have carbon isotope values up to +6.9‰ V-PDB, consistent with their minimum age of 2085 ± 5 Ma inferred from the intrusive contact with and the age of the Medrado norite. No evidence was found in India, Brazil, or Uruguay for Paleoproterozoic glacial events recognized in the 2.45–2.22 Ga sedimentary successions worldwide. Unconformities between the Gandarela and Cercadinho formations in Brazil and the banded gneissic Complex and the Lower Aravalli Supergroup in India might explain the absence of glacial record. Compositional and isotopic data presented here for studied Paleoproterozoic carbonate successions allow their integration into the global record of the Paleoproterozoic evolution as well as correlation with other successions of similar age. The study highlights the global nature of the Lomagundi excursion. Furthermore, it indicates that the Lomagundi excursion is recorded in both shallow-water (Aravalli and Minas supergroups) and deep-water carbonates (Paso Severino Formation and Rio Itapicuru greenstone belt) negating a significant impact of stromatolite productivity and hypersaline conditions on carbon isotope values of carbonates deposited in shallow-water, open-marine and isolated basins.     

Long-term variability in Arctic sea surface temperatures

In this study, we used 30 years of an operational sea surface temperature (SST) product, the NOAA Optimum Interpolation (OI) SST Version 2 dataset, to examine variations in Arctic SSTs during the period December 1981–October 2011. We computed annual SST anomalies and interannual trends in SST variations for the period 1982–2010; during this period, marginal (though statistically significant) increases in SSTs were observed in oceanic regions poleward of 60°N. A warming trend is evident over most of the Arctic region, the Beaufort Sea, the Chuckchi Sea, Hudson Bay, the Labrador Sea, the Iceland Sea, the Norwegian Sea, Bering Strait, etc.; Labrador Sea experienced higher temperature anomalies than those observed in other regions. However, cooling trends were observed in the central Arctic, some parts of Baffin Bay, the Kara Sea (south of Novaya Zemlya), the Laptev Sea, the Siberian Sea, and Fram Strait. The central Arctic region experienced a cooling trend only during 1992–2001; warming trends were observed during 1982–1991 and 2002–2010. We also examined a 30-yr (1982–2011) record of summer season (June–July–August) SST variations and a 29-yr (1982–2010) record of September SST variations, the results of which are discussed.     

Delivery of dark material to Vesta via carbonaceous chondritic impacts

NASA’s Dawn spacecraft observations of Asteroid (4) Vesta reveal a surface with the highest albedo and color variation of any asteroid we have observed so far. Terrains rich in low albedo dark material (DM) have been identified using Dawn Framing Camera (FC) 0.75 μm filter images in several geologic settings: associated with impact craters (in the ejecta blanket material and/or on the crater walls and rims); as flow-like deposits or rays commonly associated with topographic highs; and as dark spots (likely secondary impacts) nearby impact craters. This DM could be a relic of ancient volcanic activity or exogenic in origin. We report that the majority of the spectra of DM are similar to carbonaceous chondrite meteorites mixed with materials indigenous to Vesta. Using high-resolution seven color images we compared DM color properties (albedo, band depth) with laboratory measurements of possible analog materials. Band depth and albedo of DM are identical to those of carbonaceous chondrite xenolith-rich howardite Mt. Pratt (PRA) 04401. Laboratory mixtures of Murchison CM2 carbonaceous chondrite and basaltic eucrite Millbillillie also show band depth and albedo affinity to DM. Modeling of carbonaceous chondrite abundance in DM (1–6 vol.%) is consistent with howardite meteorites. We find no evidence for large-scale volcanism (exposed dikes/pyroclastic falls) as the source of DM. Our modeling efforts using impact crater scaling laws and numerical models of ejecta reaccretion suggest the delivery and emplacement of this DM on Vesta during the formation of the ～400 km Veneneia basin by a low-velocity (<2 km/s) carbonaceous impactor. This discovery is important because it strengthens the long-held idea that primitive bodies are the source of carbon and probably volatiles in the early Solar System.