Mineral dissolution in the Cape Cod aquifer, Massachusetts, USA: I . Reaction stoichiometry and impact of accessory feldspar and glauconite on strontium isotopes, solute concentrations, and REY distribution

To compare relative reaction rates of mineral dissolution in a mineralogically simple groundwater aquifer, we studied the controls on solute concentrations, Sr isotopes, and rare earth element and yttrium (REY) systematics in the Cape Cod aquifer. This aquifer comprises mostly carbonate-free Pleistocene sediments that are about 90% quartz with minor K-feldspar, plagioclase, glauconite, and Fe-oxides. Silica concentrations and pH in the groundwater increase systematically with increasing depth, while Sr isotopic ratios decrease. No clear relationship between ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and Sr concentration is observed. At all depths, the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of the groundwater is considerably lower than the Sr isotopic ratio of the bulk sediment or its K-feldspar component, but similar to that of a plagioclase-rich accessory separate obtained from the sediment. The Si-⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr-depth relationships are consistent with dissolution of accessory plagioclase. In addition, solutes such as Sr, Ca, and particularly K show concentration spikes superimposed on their respective general trends. The K-Sr-⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr systematics suggests that accessory glauconite is another major solute source to Cape Cod groundwater. Although the authigenic glauconite in the Cape Cod sediment is rich in Rb, it is low in in-grown radiogenic ⁸⁷Sr because of its young Pleistocene age. The low ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios are consistent with equilibration of glauconite with seawater. The impact of glauconite is inferred to vary due to its variable abundance in the sediments. In the Cape Cod groundwater, the variation of REY concentrations with sampling depth resembles that of K and Rb, but differs from that of Ca and Sr. Shale-normalized REY patterns are light REY depleted, show negative Ce anomalies and super-chondritic Y/Ho ratios, but no Eu anomalies. REY input from feldspar, therefore, is insignificant compared to input from a K-Rb-bearing phase, inferred to be glauconite. These results emphasize that interpretation of groundwater chemistry, even in relatively simple aquifers, may be complicated by solute contributions from “exotic” accessory minerals such as glauconite. To detect such peculiarities, groundwater studies should combine the study of elemental concentration and isotopic composition of several solutes that show different geochemical behavior.     

Constraints on the composition of the Venus atmosphere from microwave measurements near 1.35 cm wavelength

The determination of the brightness temperature of Venus near 1.35 cm wavelength is reviewed. The observed brightness temperature is compared with models for the microwave emission based on the physical and chemical structure of the atmosphere as obtained from spacecraft. Upper limits are set on the concentrations of microwave-absorbing minor constituents. In particular, upper limits are determined for SO₂ (180 ppm) and H₂O (0.3%) for a mixing-ratio profile that is uniformly mixed up to the cloud bottom at 50 km and is rapidly depleted ($\text{scale height}\text{? 1}\text{km}\text{)}$ at higher altitudes. The total optical depth of the cloud region at or above 50 km is <0.17 at 1.35 cm wavelength. The SO₂ upper limit is only in marginal agreement with the spacecraft results, and it may be that the latter have been overestimated, or that the distribution of SO₂ is more complex than given by the uniform mixing model.     

Evidence for the depletion of ammonia in the Uranus atmosphere

The theoretical disk brightness temperature spectra for Uranus are computed and compared with the observed microwave spectrum. It is shown that the emission observed at short centimeter wavelengths originates deep below the region where ammonia would ordinarily begin to condense. We demonstrate that this result is inconsistent with a wide range of atmospheric models in which the partial pressure of NH₃ is given by the vapor-pressure equation in the upper atmosphere. It is estimated that the ammonia mixing ratio must be less than 10^?6 in the 150 to 200°K temperature range. This is two orders of magnitude less than the expected mixing ratio based on solar abundances. The evidence for this depletion and a possible explanation are discussed.     

Remote spectroscopic identification of carbonaceous chondrite mineralogies: Applications to Ceres and Pallas

High-resolution spectroscopic observations of asteroids Ceres and Pallas have been obtained in the 1.0- to 2.6-μm region. Combined with previous spectralmeasurements at other wavelengths, this work presents the broadband spectral reflectances of these asteroids over the 0.4 to 3.6-um region. This extended coverage permits new analyses of the surface mineralogies of these objects. Using laboratory comparison spectra of meteorites and mixtures of terrestrial minerals, the surfaces of Ceres and Pallas are consistent with mixtures of opaques and hydrated silicates, such as are found in types C1 and C2 meteorites. This research emphasizes the importance of the 3-um spectral region for studying by remote methods the relationship of carbonaceous chondrite mineralogies to asteroid surfaces.     

Intrinsic orbital coordinates on a Hamiltonian surface

A reversible dynamical system with two degrees-of-freedom is reduced to a second-order, Hamiltonian system under a change of independent variable. In certain circumstances, the reduced order system may be integrated following an orthogonal curvilinear transformation from Cartesian x,y to intrinsic orbital coordinates , . Solutions for the orbit position and true time variables are expressed by: % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+- % feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn % hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr % 4rNCHbGeaGGipm0dc9vqaqpepu0xbbG8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9 % vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x % fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaGaamiEaiabg2 % da9iaadAgacaGGOaGaeqOVdGNaaiilaiabeE7aOjaacMcacaGGSaGa % aeiiaiaadMhacqGH9aqpcaWGNbGaaiikaiabe67a4jaacYcacqaH3o % aAcaGGPaGaaiilaiaabccacaWGKbGaamiDaiabg2da9iabgglaXoaa % dmaabaWaaSaaaeaacaWGibWaa0baaKqaahaacqaH+oaEaeaacaqGYa % aaaOGaam4raiabgUcaRiaadIeadaqhaaqcbaCaaiabeE7aObqaaiaa % ikdaaaGccaWGfbaabaGaaGOmaiaacIcacaWGibGaey4kaSIaamyvai % aacMcaaaaacaGLBbGaayzxaaWaaWbaaSqabKqaGhaacaaIXaGaai4l % aiaaikdaaaGccaWGKbGaeqiXdqhaaa!6498! \[ x = f(\xi ,\eta ),{\rm{ }}y = g(\xi ,\eta ),{\rm{ }}dt = \pm \left[ {\frac{{_\xi ^{\rm{2}} {\ie} + _\eta ^2 }}{{2( + U)}}} \righ \]1446 1040 where U is the potential function, and z is the new independent variable. The functions f, g may be expressed by quadratures when the metric coefficients {\er},{\ie} are specified. Two second-order, partial differential equations specify {\er}, {\ie} and Hamiltonian {\tH}. Auxiliary conditions are needed because the solutions are underdetermined. For example, both sets of curvilinear coordinate lines are orbits when certain dynamical compatibility conditions between U and {\ie} (or {\er}) are satisfied. Alternatively, when orbits cross the parametric curves, the auxiliary condition {\er} = {\ie} specifies a conformal transformation, and the partial differential equation for {\tH} may be reduced to an ordinary differential equation for the orbit curve. In either case, integrability is guaranteed for Lionville dynamical systems. Specific applications are presented to illustrate direct solution for the orbit (e.g., two fixed centers) and inverse solution for the potential.     

The scattering mean free path in the Uranian atmosphere

New measurements of the equivalent widths of the 4-0 S(0) and S(1) H₂ quadrupole lines in the Uranian spectrum have been obtained using high dispersion (4.12 Å/mm) image-tube spectrography. The measured equivalent widths are $\text{62 ± 19}\text{m}\text{A}\text{?}\text{and}\text{58 ± 13}\text{m}\text{A}\text{?}$ for the S(0) and S(1) lines, respectively. Curve-of-growth analysis in terms of a reflecting layer model yields an H₂ column-density of 780_?330⁺⁹⁴⁰km amagat and a temperature of 78_?24⁺⁸⁰°K. Interpretation using a semi-infinite, homogeneous, isotropically scattering model for line formation yields a scattering mean free path at λ6400 Å of 550 ± 250 km amagat. Quoted errors for both the H₂ column-density and the scattering mean free path include the effect of uncertainty in the choice of atmospheric temperature. The results are discussed in terms of current models for the Uranian atmosphere.