A helium stratified and ingassed lower mantle: resolving the helium paradoxes

It is generally believed a variation of 3He/4He isotopic ratios in the mantle is due to only the decay of U and Th,which produces4 He as well as heat.Here we show that not only3He/4He isotopic ratios but also helium contents can be fractionated by thermal diffusion in the lower mantle.The driving force for that fractionation is the adiabatic or convective temperature gradient,which always produces elemental and isotopic fractionation along temperature gradient by thermal diffusion with higher light/heavy isotopic ratio in the hot end.Our theoretical model and calculations indicate that the lower mantle is helium stratified,caused by thermal diffusion due to*400℃temperature contrast across the lower mantle.The highest3He/4He isotopic ratios and lowest He contents are in the lowermost mantle,which is a consequence of thermaldiffusion fractionation rather than the lower mantle is a primordial and undegassed reservoir.Therefore,oceanicisland basalts derived from the deepest lower mantle with high3He/4He isotopic ratios and less He contents—the long-standing helium paradox,is solved by our model.Because vigorous convection in the upper mantle had resulted in disordered or disorganized thermal-diffusion effects in He,Mid-ocean ridge basalts unaffected by mantle plume have a relatively homogenous and lower!3He/4He isotopic compositions.Our model also predicts that 3He/4He isotopic ratios in the deepest lower mantle of early Earth could be even higher than that of Jupiter,the initial He isotopic ratio in our solar system,because the temperature contrast across the lower mantle in the early Earth is the largest and less4 He had been produced by the decay of U and Th.Moreover,the early helium-stratified lower mantle owned the lowest He contents due to over-degassing caused by the largest temperature contrast.Consequently,succeeding evolution of the lower mantle is a He ingassed process due to secular cooling of the deepest mantle.This explains why significant amount of He produced by the decay of U and Th in the lower mantle were not released,another long-standing heat–helium paradox.     

Deep Fractionation of Clinopyroxene in the East Pacific Rise 13°N:Evidence from High MgO MORB and Melt Inclusions

Mid-ocean ridge basalts(MORBs)from East Pacific Rise(EPR)13°N are analysed for major and trace elements,both of which show a continuous evolving trend.Positive MgO-Al_2O3 and negative MgO-Sc relationships manifest the cotectic crystallization of plagioclase and olivine,which exist with the presence of plagioclase and olivine phenocrysts and the absence of clinopyroxene phenocrysts.However,the fractionation of clinopyroxene is proven by the positive correlation of MgO and CaO.Thus,MORB samples are believe...     

“蒸发悖论”在黑河流域的探讨

利用黑河流域12个气象站点1960-2010年的气象资料,运用FAO Penman-Monteith模型计算潜在蒸散量,采用旋转经验正交函数、Mann-Kendall检验等方法系统分析了过去51 a间潜在蒸散量及气温的变化趋势,重点对"蒸发悖论"在黑河流域的规律进行分析.结果表明:根据潜在蒸散量的旋转经验正交函数分区结果,黑河流域可以划分为4个子区."蒸发悖论"仅于1960-1993年存在于黑河流域河西走廊区(Ⅱ区、Ⅲ区);其它各区无"蒸发悖论".1994-2010年由于潜在蒸散量的显著上升,河西走廊区"蒸发悖论"消失.1993年是黑河流域潜在蒸散量变化趋势的一个转折点,1994-2010年黑河流域的潜在蒸散量表现为统计显著的上升趋势.风速的变化是影响黑河流域河西走廊区"蒸发悖论"出现和消失的重要因素.     

等高线悖论与广义等高线定义的研究

根据等高线是地图上可视化的线并与地图比例尺密切相关的条件,推出了等高线悖论,即等高线是地面上一定范围内高程相等或不相等的点的连线在水平面上的投影。提出了点元概念,推导了等高线是地面上的等高点元集在地图平面上的同胚或拓朴映射的广义等高线定义。本定义包容了传统的等高线定义并可解释制图综合规律。因此,广义等高线定义更适用于等高线可视化的地图应用环境。     

聊古一井氦异常与地震的关系

处理了聊古一井1981 ～1984 年氦的观测资料,发现在两次较近的地震(1981 年宁晋MS5 .8 和1983 年菏泽MS5 .9) 前,氦都有明显的形态相似的异常变化.     

Processes controlling 234U and 238U isotope fractionation and helium in the groundwater of the St. Lawrence Lowlands,Quebec: The potential role of natural rock fracturing

The goal of this study is to explain the origin of ²³⁴U–²³⁸U fractionation in groundwater from sedimentary aquifers of the St. Lawrence Lowlands (Quebec, Canada), and its relationship with ³He/⁴He ratios, to gain insight regarding the evolution of groundwater in the region. (²³⁴U/²³⁸U) activity ratios, or (²³⁴U/²³⁸U)_act, were measured in 23 groundwater samples from shallow Quaternary unconsolidated sediments and from the deeper fractured regional aquifer of the Becancour River watershed. The lowest (²³⁴U/²³⁸U)_act, 1.14 ± 0.01, was measured in Ca–HCO₃-type freshwater from the Quaternary Shallower Aquifer, where bulk dissolution of the carbonate allows U to migrate into water with little ²³⁴U–²³⁸U isotopic fractionation. The (²³⁴U/²³⁸U)_act increases to 6.07 ± 0.14 in Na–HCO₃–Cl-type groundwater. Preferential migration of ²³⁴U into water by α-recoil is the underlying process responsible for this isotopic fractionation. An inverse relationship between (²³⁴U/²³⁸U)_act and ³He/⁴He ratios has been observed. This relationship reflects the mixing of newly recharged water, with (²³⁴U/²³⁸U)_act close to the secular equilibrium and containing atmospheric/tritiogenic helium, and mildly-mineralized older water (¹⁴C ages of 6.6 kyrs), with (²³⁴U/²³⁸U)_act of ≥6.07 and large amounts of radiogenic ⁴He, in excess of the steady-state amount produced in situ. The simultaneous fractionation of (²³⁴U/²³⁸U)_act and the addition of excess ⁴He could be locally controlled by stress-induced rock fracturing. This process increases the surface area of the aquifer matrix exposed to pore water, from which produced ⁴He and ²³⁴U can be released by α-recoil and diffusion. This process would also facilitate the release of radiogenic helium at rates greater than those supported by steady-state U–Th production in the rock. Consequently, sources internal to the aquifers could cause the radiogenic ⁴He excesses measured in groundwater.     

Sustainable agricultural intensification or Jevons paradox? The role of public governance in tropical South America

The process of global deforestation calls for urgent attention, particularly in South America where deforestation rates have failed to decline over the past 20 years. The main direct cause of deforestation is land conversion to agriculture. We combine data from the FAO and the World Bank for six tropical Southern American countries over the period 1970–2006, estimate a panel data model accounting for various determinants of agricultural land expansion and derive elasticities to quantify the effect of the different independent variables. We investigate whether agricultural intensification, in conjunction with governance factors, has been promoting agricultural expansion, leading to a “Jevons paradox”. The paradox occurs if an increase in the productivity of one factor (here agricultural land) leads to its increased, rather than decreased, utilization. We find that for high values of our governance indicators a Jevons paradox exists even for moderate levels of agricultural productivity, leading to an overall expansion of agricultural area. Agricultural expansion is also positively related to the level of service on external debt and population growth, while its association with agricultural exports is only moderate. Finally, we find no evidence of an environmental Kuznets curve, as agricultural area is ultimately positively correlated to per-capita income levels.     

Noble gas data from Goldfield and Tonopah epithermal Au-Ag deposits,ancestral Cascades Arc,USA: Evidence for a primitive mantle volatile source

The He, Ne, and Ar isotopic composition of fluid inclusions in ore and gangue minerals were analyzed to determine the source of volatiles in the high-grade Goldfield and Tonopah epithermal Au-Ag deposits in southwestern Nevada, USA. Ar and Ne are mainly atmospheric, whereas He has only a minor atmospheric component. Corrected ³He/⁴He ratios (with atmospheric He removed) range widely from 0.05 to 35.8 times the air ³He/⁴He ratio (R_A), with a median of 1.43 R_A. Forty-one percent of measured ³He/⁴He ratios are ≥4 R_A, corresponding to ≥50% mantle He assuming a mantle ratio of 8 R_A. These results suggest that mafic magmas were part of the magmatic-hydrothermal system underlying Goldfield and Tonopah, and that associated mantle-sourced volatiles may have played a role in ore formation. The three highest corrected ³He/⁴He ratios of 17.0, 23.7, and 35.8 R_A indicate a primitive mantle He source and are the highest yet reported for any epithermal-porphyry system and for the Cascades arc region. Compiled ³He/⁴He measurements from epithermal-porphyry systems in subduction-related magmatic arcs around the world (n = 209) display a statistically significant correlation between ³He/⁴He and Au-Ag grade. The correlation suggests that conditions which promote higher fluid inclusion ³He/⁴He ratios (abundance of mantle volatiles and focused upward volatile transport) have some relation to conditions that promote higher Au-Ag grades (focused flow of metal-bearing fluids and efficient chemical traps). Results of this and previous investigations of He isotopes in epithermal-porphyry systems are consistent with the hypothesis posed in recent studies that mafic magmas serve an important function in the formation of these deposits.     

天津王3井逸出氦气浓度变化特征分析

对天津王3井逸出氦气浓度日变化和年变化特征进行了分析,结果表明：①王3井逸出氦气浓度日变幅背景值在0.0012%—0.0036%之间,日变幅在冬季偏高;②在大多数观测日的10—18时左右,王3井逸出氦气浓度日变化曲线有“波谷”,但没有明显的“波峰”,但在部分观测日逸出氦气浓度日变化曲线的“波谷”却不明显,王3井逸出氦气浓度日变化形态不属于“固体潮”型;③王3井逸出氦气浓度年变化曲线呈上升的“双峰双谷”似“潮汐”形态,一般在6月、12月左右出现“波峰”,3月、9月左右出现“波谷”,相比较而言,“波峰”更显著。通过对井孔所在地的地质构造、大气温度、降水、同井孔水位、周边地热资源开采等因素的分析,笔者认为王3井逸出氦气浓度的变化基本不受大气温度、降水和同井孔水位变化的影响,主要与井孔所在地的断层活动性和周边地热资源的开采有关。     

Performance of CRONUS-P – A pyroxene reference material for helium isotope analysis

Helium isotope analyses are central to modern earth science and measured by many noble gas laboratories around the globe (Burnard, 2013; Wieler et al., 2002), spanning a wide spectrum of fundamental research – from identifying primordial reservoirs in the Earth mantle to paleoclimate reconstructions. The CRONUS-Earth initiative included the manufacturing, distribution and analysis of a pyroxene reference material (CRONUS-P) that was designed to be useful for internal reliability control of ³He measurements within a few percent and potentially for ⁴He on a higher level of uncertainty.This short paper describes the CRONUS-P material and its performance as ³He and ⁴He reference sample for noble gas laboratories. The companion paper by Blard et al. 2015 describes in depth the inter-laboratory helium isotope experiment within CRONUS-Earth.We show normalized helium isotope data of CRONUS-P measured at three different noble gas laboratories. Data from all three laboratories show no relation between helium isotope concentrations and sample mass, implying that the material is homogeneous. The data show that CRONUS-P is useful as an internal standard for ³He within better 2% (1σ) and for ⁴He within better 10%.