Low temperature spectral studies of Mn3+-bearing andalusite and epidote type minerals in the range 30000–5000 cm−1

Polarized absorption spectra of natural piemontite (Ca_1.802Mn ²⁺_0.178 Mg_0.025) (Mn ³⁺_0.829 Fe ³⁺_0.346 Al_1.825) [(Si_2.992Al_0.008) O₁₂OH], viridine (Al_1.945Mn ³⁺_0.033 Fe ³⁺_0.063 Mg_0.003) [O|Si_0.970 O₄], and kanonaite (Al_1.291Mn ³⁺_0.682 Fe ³⁺_0.019 ) [O|Si_1.006 O₄] were measured at 295 and ca. 100 K. For piemontite, lowering the temperature resulted in a sharpening of broad bands in the 10 000–25 000 cm⁻¹ region supporting their assignment to single ion Mn³⁺ in M3 non-centrosymmetric sites.

Alternatively, in kanonaite, temperature behaviour pointed to a slightly stronger influence of vibronic coupling on strong bands near 16 000 and 22 000 cm⁻¹, which supported an interpretation of Mn³⁺ in nearly centrosymmetric M1 sites. Measurements at ca. 100 K show pronounced fine structure in the viridine spectra which is attributed to Fe³⁺. The ɛ values for Mn³⁺ spin-allowed bands in the three minerals lie in the range 18 to 227 [1·g-atom⁻¹·cm⁻¹].

For the same band and polarisation, ɛ values in Mn³⁺-bearing andalusite-type minerals viridine and kanonaite are the same, which indicates an absence of strong magnetic coupling effects between Mn³⁺ ions in the andalusite type structure down to ca. 100 K.

In silicates, the high ɛ values for Mn³⁺ spin-allowed bands, in comparison to those obtained for Fe²⁺ spin-allowed bands from sites of “similar distortion”, is attributed to a higher degree of covalency in the Mn³⁺-O bonds compared to the Fe²⁺-O bonds, as a result of the higher valence state of manganese.

     

Experimental determination of the temperature and pressure dependence of the Fe-Mg partition coefficient for coexisting garnet and clinopyroxene

An experimental study initiated to calibrate the distribution coefficient \(K_D = \frac{{({\text{FeO}}/{\text{MgO}})_{{\text{ga}}} }}{{{\text{(FeO}}/{\text{MgO)}}_{{\text{cpx}}} }}\) in eclogites as a geothermometer has been done on (a) a mineral mis, (b) a glass of the typical tholeiite composition and (c) a series of glasses of tholeiite compositions with \(6.2 < \frac{{100{\text{Mg}}}}{{{\text{Mg}} + {\text{Fe}}^{ + + } }} < 93.\) The mineral mix was found to be unsuitable as reactant due to incomplete equilibration but the minimum K _D of the mineral mix and the K _D from glass of tholeiite composition are identical within experimental uncertainty. These data constitute a reversal of the garnet/clinopyroxene partition relationship and provide justification of the use of glass as a reactant for the project. To eliminate any uncertainty in interpretation of mineral analyses due to possible variation in Fe⁺⁺⁺/Fe⁺⁺ between runs, experiments were carried out in iron capsules on the nine tholeiite glasses, thus maintaining iron as Fe⁺⁺. Microprobe analytical techniques yielded mineral analyses of comparable accuracy to analyses of natural phases for experiments within the temperature range from 600° C to 1500° C and a pressure range from 20 kb to 40 kb. It has been shown that for \(6.2 < \frac{{100{\text{Mg}}}}{{{\text{Mg}} + {\text{Fe}}^{ + + } }} < 85\) , the bulk chemical composition does not perceptibly affect the K _D value. At 30 kb the K _D value ranges from 18.0 at 600° C to 1.45 at 1400° C, defining the linear relationship in a ln K _D vs 1/T(°K) plot. The pressure dependence of the K _D -value has been shown to be greater than previously predicted. There is a straight line relationship in ln K _D vs Pressure (Kb) between 20 and 40 kb at constant temperature (1100°C). This enables us to determine K _D =fn (T, P) and \(T(^\circ {\text{K}}) = \frac{{3686 + 28.35 \times P({\text{Kb}})}}{{\ln K_D + 2.33}}\) . This expression uniquely determines the temperature of equilibration of natural eclogites of basaltic bulk composition when the K _D ^ga,cpx is known and a pressure estimate can be given.     

Sm-Nd dating of Seve eclogites,Norrbotten, Sweden — Evidence for early Caledonian (505 Ma) subduction

The Seve Nappes consist of long-transported thrust sheets belonging to the Upper Allochthon within the Scandinavian Caledonides. Eclogites from two different megalenses within the Seve Nappe Complex in Norrbotten (northern Sweden) have been dated with the Sm-Nd method. The two eclogite-bearing megalenses have been subjected to different pressure and temperature conditions during the high-pressure metamorphism. Garnet + omphacite + whole-rock from TS2 within the Tsäkkok Lens give an age of 505±18 Ma (2), I=0.512231±0.000024, MSWD=0.10. Garnet and whole-rock from TS5 and whole-rock TS3 also fall on the above isochron. The composite isochron gives an age of 503±18 Ma (2). These results are interpreted to date the peak of the high-pressure metamorphism (500–630° C and 12–15 kbars) for the Tsäkkok Lens. The eclogites in the Vaimok Lens (at Grapesvarre) were subjected to higher pressure and temperature conditions and more extensive reequilibration during the early cooling stages. Retrograde breakdown-reactions accompanied by retrograde zoning of relict garnet seems to be associated with disturbance of the Sm-Nd isotopic systems. In contrast, a sample with unzoned garnet and well preserved high-pressure mineralogy from Grapesvarre gives a Sm-Nd garnet + omphacite age of 503±14 Ma (2), I = 0.512010±0.000038 (2). The ages for the Seve eclogites are significantly older than the Sm-Nd eclogite dates from the Western Gneiss Region of Norway (WGR), suggesting the existence of at least two eclogite-forming events in the Caledonide Orogen. The younger event has been related to the main continent-continent collision stage of the Caledonian Orogeny, while the older event that led to the production of the Norrbotten eclogites must have taken place several hundred kilometres to the north and in a different tectonic setting more oceanward to the WGR. It appears that the older event (ca. 505 Ma) was restricted to the subduction of dyke-intruded sedimentary cover rocks which are thought to represent the rifted edge of the Baltic continent.     

Models to predict water chemical cluster variables

This study is an attempt to quantify and rank variables of significance to predict mean values of lake pH and related variables (alkalinity, conductivity, hardness, etc.) in small glacial lakes. The work is based on a new and extensive set of data from 95 Swedish lakes and their catchment areas. Several empirical models based on catchment and lake morphometric parameters have been presented. These empirical models can only be used to predict mean values of these variables for lakes of the same type, and these models based on geological map parameters can evidently not be used for highly time-dependent and site-typical predictions. Various hypotheses concerning the factors regulating the mean values of the cluster variables were formulated and tested. Different statistical tests were used to separate random influences from causal. The most important map parameters were: the percent of rocks and open (=cultivated) land in the so-called near area to the lake [as determined with the drainage area zonation (DAZ) method], mean depth, linked to resuspension and the form and size of lakes, relief of the drainage area and lake area. Each of these variables only provides a limited degree of (statistical) explanation of the variability in mean annual values of pH and the water chemical cluster variables among the lakes. The predictability of some of the models can be markedly improved by accounting for the distribution of the characteristics in the drainage area. The variability in mean annual values of pH (and related variables) from other parameters, such as specific anthropogenic load, etc., may then be quantitatively differentiated from the impact of these geological parameters. This paper also gives a simple method to estimate natural, preindustrial reference values of these water chemical variables from the presented models.     

Slow Crack Propagation and Slip Correlations

— The propagation of an interfacial crack through a weak plane of a transparent Plexiglas block is studied experimentally. The toughness is controlled artificially by a sand blasting procedure, and fluctuates locally in space like uncorrelated random noise. The block is fractured in mode I at low speed (10^?7?10^?4 m/s). The crack front is observed optically with a microscope and a high resolution digital camera. During the propagation, the front is pinned by micro-regions of high toughness and becomes rough. Roughness of the crack front is analyzed in terms of self-affinity. The in-plane roughness exponent is shown to be 0.63±0.05. Experimental results are compared to a numerical model. The model reproduces the self-affine behavior of the crack front, i.e., long-range correlations of the roughness. Analogies between mode I and mode III are presented in order to discuss implications of the experimental results for creeping faults. Accordingly, correlations of the slip pattern are shown to exist over scales substantially larger than the asperity sizes.     

Hekla 1947, 1845, 1510 and 1158 tephra in Finland: challenges of tracing tephra from moderate eruptions

Several cryptotephra layers that originate from Icelandic volcanic eruptions with a volcanic explosivity index (VEI) of ≤ 4 and tephra volumes of < 1 km³ have previously been identified in Northern Europe, albeit within a restricted geographical area. One of these is the Hekla 1947 tephra that formed a visible fall-out in southern Finland. We searched for the Hekla 1947 tephra from peat archives within the previously inferred fall-out zone but found no evidence of its presence. Instead, we report the first identification of Hekla 1845 and Hekla 1510 cryptotephra layers outside of Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Ireland and the UK. Additionally, Hekla 1158 tephra was found in Finland for the first time. Our results confirm that Icelandic eruptions of moderate size can form cryptotephra deposits that are extensive enough to be used in inter-regional correlations of environmental archives and carry a great potential for refining regional tephrochronological frameworks. Our results also reveal that Icelandic tephra has been dispersed into Finnish airspace at least seven times during the past millennium and in addition to a direct eastward route the ash clouds can travel either via a northerly or a southerly transport pathway.     

Late Quaternary glacier and sea-ice history of northern Wijdefjorden,Svalbard

The deglaciation history and Holocene environmental evolution of northern Wijdefjorden, Svalbard, are reconstructed using sediment cores and acoustic data (multibeam swath bathymetry and sub-bottom profiler data). Results reveal that the fjord mouth was deglaciated prior to 14.5±0.3 cal. ka BP and deglaciation occurred stepwise. Biomarker analyses show rapid variations in water temperature and sea ice cover during the deglaciation, and cold conditions during the Younger Dryas, followed by minimum sea ice cover throughout the Early Holocene, until c. 7 cal. ka BP. Most of the glaciers in Wijdefjorden had retreated onto land by c. 7.6±0.2 cal. ka BP. Subsequently, the sea-ice extent increased and remained high throughout the last part of the Holocene. We interpret a high Late Holocene sediment accumulation rate in the northernmost core to reflect increased sediment flux to the site from the outlet of the adjacent lake Femmilsjøen, related to glacier growth in the Femmilsjøen catchment area. Furthermore, increased sea ice cover, lower water temperatures and the re-occurrence of ice-rafted debris indicate increased local glacier activity and overall cooler conditions in Wijdefjorden after c. 0.5 cal. ka BP. We summarize our findings in a conceptual model for the depositional environment in northern Wijdefjorden from the Late Weichselian until present.     

Towards a calculation of organic carbon release from erosion of Arctic coasts using non-fractal coastline datasets

Changing environmental conditions in the Arctic will affect patterns of coastal erosion processes and thus modify the carbon cycle in the Arctic Ocean. To address this issue, a coastal classification of the Arctic was established to provide the first reliable estimate of organic carbon input from coastal erosion to the Arctic Ocean. The calculation relies on geomorphic parameters and the length of the coastline in the form of a line dataset used in geographical information systems (the World Vector Shoreline). The statistical self-similarity of Arctic shorelines (i.e. the fact that they exhibit similar features and hence different lengths at different scales) hampers the calculation process. Delineating the same section of shoreline at different spatial scales produces changes in the calculated length of the coastline and therefore in the volume of sediment released by up to 30% in some cases. The amount of change differs depending on the type and morphology of the coastline. The length of the World Vector Shoreline does not correlate well to any one scale and is inappropriate for use at the global level. Computations of erosion based on areas instead of lengths (i.e. buffers instead of shoreline lengths) provide a valuable yet simple substitute to the length-based method. Differences in quantities of eroded sediment are, on average, 70% less affected by scale changes when areas are used. Area-based methods are therefore recommended for circum-polar, computation-demanding, shoreline-based erosion calculations.     

Polar 5—an electron accelerator experiment within an aurora. 1. Instrumentation and geophysical conditions

A “mother-daughter” rocket was launched from Andøya, Norway, February 1 1976 over two auroral structures. The “daughter” payload carried a 10keV electron accelerator and the “mother” carried a series of diagnostic instruments for monitoring optical and wave effects generated through beam-atmospheric interactions and production of secondary electrons.The experimental details are presented in this paper together with a survey of some of the results. This paper is also intended as a reference for a series of accompanying papers.