Asteroid impact in the Black Sea. Death by drowning or asphyxiation?

Normally the consequences of an impact of an asteroid in a water body are discussed in terms of the beach run up of impact-generated waves. If even a small asteroid would hit the Black Sea, however, the potential emissions of toxic and flammable gases could be more disastrous to the region (comprised of Romania, Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, Turkey and Bulgaria) than the tsunami caused by the impact.     

Metavolcanic host rocks,mineralization, and gossans of the Shaib al Tair and Rabathan volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits of the Wadi Bidah Mineral District,Saudi Arabia

The Wadi Bidah Mineral District of Saudi Arabia contains more than 16 small outcropping stratabound volcanogenic Cu–Zn–(Pb) ± Au-bearing massive sulphide deposits and associated zones of hydrothermal alteration. Here, we use major and trace element analyses of massive sulphides, gossans, and hydrothermally altered and least altered metamorphosed host rock (schist) from two of the deposits (Shaib al Tair and Rabathan) to interpret the geochemical and petrological evolution of the host rocks and gossanization of the mineralization. Tectonic interpretations utilize high-field-strength elements, including the rare earth elements (REE), because they are relatively immobile during hydrothermal alteration, low-grade metamorphism, and supergene weathering and therefore are useful in constraining the source, composition, and physicochemical parameters of the primary igneous rocks, the mineralizing hydrothermal fluid and subsequent supergene weathering processes. Positive Eu anomalies in some of the massive sulphide samples are consistent with a high temperature (>250°C) hydrothermal origin, consistent with the Cu contents (up to 2 wt.%) of the massive sulphides. The REE profiles of the gossans are topologically similar to nearby hydrothermally altered felsic schists (light REE (LREE)-enriched to concave-up REE profiles, with or without positive Eu anomalies) suggesting that the REE experienced little fractionation during metamorphism or supergene weathering. Hydrothermally altered rocks (now schists) close to the massive sulphide deposits have high base metals and Ba contents and have concave-up REE patterns, in contrast to the least altered host rocks, consistent with greater mobility of the middle REE compared to the light and heavy REE during hydrothermal alteration. The gossans are interpreted to represent relict massive sulphides that have undergone supergene weathering; ‘chert’ beds within these massive sulphide deposits may be leached wall-rock gossans that experienced silicification and Pb–Ba–Fe enrichment from acidic groundwaters generated during gossan formation.     

辉锑锡铅矿的穆斯堡尔谱及其晶体化学研究

辉锑锡铅矿是结构复杂而尚未确定,以及晶体化学尚有争议的一种稀有矿物。X射线衍射结果表明其结构是由假四方亚层(称T层)和假六方亚层(称H层)穿插组成的层状结构。T层的化学成分具有MeS形式,H层则具有MeS_2形式。本文通过广西大厂的辉锑锡铅矿的穆斯堡尔谱研究,确定了矿物中Sn的大部分为Sn~(4+),而Sn~(2+)只占较少的部分;Fe中含有Fe~(3+)和Fe~(3+)。它们在T层和H层中的分布为Sn~(2+)(T)占5.6%,Sn~(4+)(T)占25.9%,Sn~(4+)(H)占68.5%,Fe~(2+)(T)占59.5%,Fe~(3+)(H)占40.5%。从Sn、Fe的穆斯堡尔谱参数还可看出H层的共价性比T层的强。     

新疆西天山哈勒尕提铁铜矿床流体包裹体和氢氧同位素特征及其成矿意义

哈勒尕提铁铜矿床位于新疆西天山博罗科努多金属成矿带,矿体呈似层状、透镜状产于晚泥盆世中酸性侵入体与上奥陶统碳酸盐岩接触带上,是一个典型的矽卡岩矿床。本文从流体包裹体和氢氧同位素研究入手,讨论了成矿流体的特征、来源和演化及其与成矿的关系。岩相学观察表明,本矿床热液矿物中流体包裹体存在5种类型:富液相气液两相盐水包裹体(Ⅰ类)、含子矿物多相包裹体(Ⅱ类)、富气相气液两相盐水包裹体(Ⅲ类)、纯液相水包裹体(Ⅳ类)和纯气相水包裹体(Ⅴ类)。其中,Ⅰ类包裹体数量最多,各阶段热液矿物中均有发育;Ⅱ类包裹体数量较少,只见于进化交代蚀变阶段的石榴石和早退化阶段的绿帘石中;Ⅲ、Ⅳ和Ⅴ类包裹体数量最少,主要发育于晚退化阶段的石英和方解石中。流体包裹体显微测温表明,从进化交代蚀变阶段→早退化阶段→晚退化阶段,成矿流体经历了从高温(404~562℃)、中-高盐度(11.1%~51.6%NaC leqv)、中-低密度(0.47~0.80g/cm~3)到中-高温(207~465℃)、中-低盐度(2.9%~44.1%NaC leqv)、中-低密度(0.64~0.89g/cm~3)再到中-低温(117~337℃)、低盐度(1.6%~4.5%NaC leqv)、中-高密度(0.90~0.97g/cm~3)的演化过程。氢氧同位素研究表明,进化交代蚀变阶段和早退化阶段的成矿流体主要源于岩浆水,晚退化阶段则有大气降水的加入。根据流体包裹体岩相学特征,结合矿床宏观地质特征,认为流体不混溶(沸腾)是导致本矿区金属沉淀成矿的主要机制。     

Hydroperoxides in the marine troposphere over the Atlantic Ocean

Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and organic hydroperoxides (ROOH) were measured on board of theRV Polarstern during its cruise across the Atlantic Ocean from 20 October to 12 November 1990 (54° N to 51° S latitude) by the enzyme fluorometric method. The H₂O₂ mixing ratio varied from below the detection limit of about 0.12 ppbv up to 3.89 ppbv, showing a latitudinal dependence with generally higher values around the equator and decreasing values poleward. The shape of the latitudinal H₂O₂ distribution agrees well with an analytical steady state expression for H₂O₂ using the measured H₂O and O₃ distribution and a wind dependent H₂O₂ deposition rate. The ROOH mixing ratio varied from below the detection limit of about 0.08 ppbv up to 1.25 ppbv with qualitatively the same latitudinal dependence as H₂O₂. The observed ratio ROOH/(ROOH + H₂O₂) varied between 0.17 and 0.98 showing higher values at the lowest H₂O₂ mixing ratios at high latitudes. The measured H₂O₂ mixing ratio shows a significant diurnal variation with a maximum around 14:00 local time, explicable by a superposition of the photochemical H₂O₂ production with a constant H₂O₂ deposition rate. Four independent estimations of the average effective H₂O₂ deposition rate inferred from the H₂O₂ decrease in the night, from the midday H₂O₂ production deficit (as derived from comparison with a photochemical model and from the daily ozone loss), and from the offset in the latitudinal H₂O₂ distribution, were consistent. An episode of maximum H₂O₂ concentration suggests the possibility of its formation in clouds.     

Identification and investigation of sulphur plumes along the Namibian coast using the MERIS sensor

In the upwelling area along the Namibian coast of SW-Africa sulphur discolorations were investigated to study the impact of hydrogen sulphide on the ecosystem using satellite imagery. The formation of colloidal sulphur in the upper water layer results from the oxidation of hydrogen sulphide. The occurrence of sulphur plumes as well as their temporal and spatial development was investigated in relation to the driving meteorological and oceanographic conditions. Because of the sporadic occurrence of sulphur events and the limited number of ship-borne investigations in that area remote sensing of ocean colour is the only method to follow these phenomena continuously and synoptically. In the past the sulphur plumes were studied by true colour images derived from ocean colour satellite data like sea-viewing wide field of view sensor or moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer and identified by their typical milky turquoise discoloration.     

Spatial-temporal Variations of H2 Concentration in Soil Gas in the Seismic Fault Zone Produced by the Wenchuan MS 8.0 Earthquake

Degassing of Hydrogen (H₂) from fault may be a good indicator of fault activity. The concentration of H₂ in soil gas in the seismic surface rupture zone produced by the Wenchuan M_S 8.0 earthquake was investigated in twenty three measuring regions in order to explore the relationship between the spatio-temporal variations of H₂ concentration in soil gas along the seismic rupture zone and the vertical displacements and aftershocks activities. The results indicated: ① the sources of H₂ were directly related to from the release of natural gas reservoirs; ②the average concentration of H₂ in soil gas spatially decreased from Yingxiu to Nanba; ③the magnitudes of the H₂ concentration anomalies declined significantly with time. It is very significant to study the variation tendency of atmospheric environment with further research of degassing of H₂ from faults.     

桂林地区大气降水的D和18Ｏ同位素的研究

研究了桂林地区近16年( 1983- 1998年)大气降水的氢、氧同位素组成,提出了大气降水线方程为δD= 8. 42,δ18O+ 16. 28,并与全国及全球降水线进行比较,揭示了该降水线方程的特征。研究表明,桂林地区全年降水来源较为单一,主要为海洋性气团,夏季大气降水同位素组成主要受夏季风或夏季台风的影响,降水δ值与平均降水、气温均呈负相关关系; 降水中δD与δ18O 的降水量效应明显,且该影响远远掩盖了温度效应。      

Geological and geochemical characteristics of the Baimazhai Ni-Cu-（PGE） sulphide deposit in Yunnan, China

The sulphide ores of the Baimazhai deposit, although typically orthomagmatic, locally exhibit peculiar textural features and are intimately associated with hydrothermal minerals, such as biotite, amphibole and chlorite. This association suggests that the magmatic sulphide ores were subjected to hydrothermal alteration and subsequent redistribution, resulting in the observed textural features. Geochemically, the Baimazhai sulphide ores are enriched in Cu, Pd and Au, which,according to previous studies, reflects the action of hydrothermal fluids. Interestingly, Ar-Ar dating yielded the plateau ages of about 160–170 Ma, which are at odds with the established Permian age of the Emeishan large igneous province. We interpreted these younger ages as due to thermal resetting during post-Permian tectonothermal events. We have proposed a model in which tectonic movements and hydrothermal fluids related to these events modified the pre-existing magmatic sulphides. Given the degree of overprint, we suggested two possible scenarios: 1) the sulphide disseminations that surround the massive magmatic ores are the result of deformation and hydrothermal alteration; and 2) there were both magmatic massive and disseminated sulphides, in which case the scale and relocation of remobilization would have been smaller, but still detectable.