Evaporation of perennial semi‐arid woodland in southeastern Australia is adapted for irregular but common dry periods

Measurements of water vapour flux from semi‐arid perennial woodland (mallee) were made for 3 years using eddy covariance instrumentation. There have been no previous long‐term, detailed measures of water use in this ecosystem. Latent energy flux (LE) on a half hourly basis was the measure of the combined soil and plant evaporation, ‘evapotranspiration’ (E_LE) of the site. Aggregation over 3 years of the site measured rain (1136 mm) and the estimated evaporation (794 mm) suggests that 342 mm or 30% of rain had moved into or past the root zone of the vegetation. Above average rainfall during 2011 and the first quarter of 2012 (633 mm, 15 months) would likely have been the period during which significant groundwater recharge occurred. At times immediately after rainfall, E_LE rates were the same or exceeded estimates of potential E calculated from a suitably parameterized Penman–Monteith (E_PMo) equation. Apparent free water E from plant interception and soil evaporation was about 2.3 mm and lasted for 1.3 days following rainfall in summer, while in autumn, E was 5.1 mm that lasted over 5.4 days. The leaf area index (LAI) needed to adjust a wind function calibrated Penman equation (E_PMe) to match the E_LE values could be back calculated to generate seasonal change in LAI from 0.12 to 0.46 and compared well with normalized difference vegetation index; r = 0.38 and p = 0.0213* and LAI calculated from digital cover photography. The apparently conservative response of perennial vegetation evaporation to available water in these semi‐arid environments reinforces the conclusion that these ecosystems use this mechanism to survive the reasonably common dry periods. Plant response to soil water availability is primarily through gradual changes in leaf area. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Defining the Potential of Nanoscale Re‐Os Isotope Systematics Using Atom Probe Microscopy

Atom probe microscopy (APM) is a relatively new in situ tool for measuring isotope fractions from nanoscale volumes (< 0.01 μm³). We calculate the theoretical detectable difference of an isotope ratio measurement result from APM using counting statistics of a hypothetical data set to be ± 4δ or 0.4% (2s). However, challenges associated with APM measurements (e.g., peak ranging, hydride formation and isobaric interferences), result in larger uncertainties if not properly accounted for. We evaluate these factors for Re‐Os isotope ratio measurements by comparing APM and negative thermal ionisation mass spectrometry (N‐TIMS) measurement results of pure Os, pure Re, and two synthetic Re‐Os‐bearing alloys from Schwander et al. (2015, Meteoritics and Planetary Science, 50, 893) [the original metal alloy (HSE) and alloys produced by heating HSE within silicate liquid (SYN)]. From this, we propose a current best practice for APM Re‐Os isotope ratio measurements. Using this refined approach, mean APM and N‐TIMS ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁹Os measurement results agree within 0.05% and 2s (pure Os), 0.6–2% and 2s (SYN) and 5–10% (HSE). The good agreement of N‐TIMS and APM ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁹Os measurements confirms that APM can extract robust isotope ratios. Therefore, this approach permits nanoscale isotope measurements of Os‐bearing alloys using the Re‐Os geochronometer that could not be measured by conventional measurement principles.     

Highly Oxidized Magma and Fluid Evolution of Miocene Qulong Giant Porphyry Cu‐Mo Deposit,Southern Tibet,China

The Miocene Qulong porphyry Cu‐Mo deposit, which is located at the Gangdese orogenic belt of Southern Tibet, is the largest porphyry‐type deposit in China, with confirmed Cu ～10 Mt and Mo ～0.5 Mt. It is spatially and temporally associated with multiphase granitic intrusions, which is accompanied by large‐scale hydrothermal alteration and mineralization zones, including abundant hydrothermal anhydrite. In addition to hydrothermal anhydrite, magmatic anhydrite is present as inclusions in plagioclase, interstitial minerals between plagioclase and quartz, and phenocrysts in unaltered granodiorite porphyry, usually in association with clusters of sulfur‐rich apatite in the Qulong deposit. These observations indicate that the Qulong magma‐hydrothermal system was highly oxidized and sulfur‐rich. Three main types of fluid inclusions are observed in the quartz phenocrysts and veins in the porphyry: (i) liquid‐rich; (ii) polyphase high‐salinity; and (iii) vapor‐rich inclusions. Homogenization temperatures and salinities of all type inclusions decrease from the quartz phenocrysts in the porphyry to hydrothermal veins (A, B, D veins). Microthermometric study suggests copper‐bearing sulfides precipitated at about 320–400°C in A and B veins. Fluid boiling is assumed for the early stage of mineralization, and these fluids may have been trapped at about 35–60 Mpa at 460–510°C and 28–42 Mpa at 400–450°C, corresponding to trapping depths of 1.4–2.4 km and 1.1–1.7 km, respectively.     

A procedure for evaluating seismic energy demand of framed structures

Energy serves as an alternative index to response quantities like force or displacement to include the duration‐related seismic damage effect. A procedure to evaluate the absorbed energy in a multistorey frame from energy spectra was developed. For low‐ to medium‐rise frames, it required a static pushover analysis of the structure to determine the modal yield force and ductility factor of an equivalent single‐degree‐of‐freedom system for the first two modes. The energy spectra were then used to determine the energy contribution of each mode. A procedure was also developed to distribute the energy along the frame height based on energy shapes. This study showed that the second‐mode response in some cases needs to be considered to reflect the energy (or damage) concentration in the upper floors. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modelling controls on aeolian dune‐field pattern evolution

A second‐generation, source‐to‐sink cellular automaton‐based model presented here captures and quantifies many of the factors controlling the evolution of aeolian dune‐field patterns by varying only a small number of parameters. The role of sediment supply, sediment availability and transport capacity (together defined as sediment state) in the development and evolution of an aeolian dune‐field pattern over long time scales is quantified from model simulations. Seven dune‐field patterns can be classified from simulation results varying the sediment supply and transport capacity that control the type and frequency of dune interactions, the sediment availability of the system and, ultimately, the development of dune‐field patterns. This model allows predictions to be made about the range of sediment supply and wind strengths required to produce the dune‐field patterns seen in the real world. A new clustered dune‐field pattern is identified from model results and used to propose an alternative mechanism for the formation of superimposed dunes. Bedforms are hypothesized to cluster together, simultaneously forming two spatial scales of bedforms without first developing a large basal dune with small superimposed dunes. Manipulation of boundary conditions produces evolving dune fields with different spatial configurations of sediment supply. Trends of spacing and crest length increase with decreasing variability as the dune field matures. This simple model is a valuable tool which can be used to elucidate the dominant control of aeolian sediment state on the construction and evolution of aeolian dune‐field patterns.     

Modelling the effect of changing precipitation inputs on deep soil water utilization

Forests in the Southeastern United States are predicted to experience future changes in seasonal patterns of precipitation inputs as well as more variable precipitation events. These climate change‐induced alterations could increase drought and lower soil water availability. Drought could alter rooting patterns and increase the importance of deep roots that access subsurface water resources. To address plant response to drought in both deep rooting and soil water utilization as well as soil drainage, we utilize a throughfall reduction experiment in a loblolly pine plantation of the Southeastern United States to calibrate and validate a hydrological model. The model was accurately calibrated against field measured soil moisture data under ambient rainfall and validated using 30% throughfall reduction data. Using this model, we then tested these scenarios: (a) evenly reduced precipitation; (b) less precipitation in summer, more in winter; (c) same total amount of precipitation with less frequent but heavier storms; and (d) shallower rooting depth under the above 3 scenarios. When less precipitation was received, drainage decreased proportionally much faster than evapotranspiration implying plants will acquire water first to the detriment of drainage. When precipitation was reduced by more than 30%, plants relied on stored soil water to satisfy evapotranspiration suggesting 30% may be a threshold that if sustained over the long term would deplete plant available soil water. Under the third scenario, evapotranspiration and drainage decreased, whereas surface run‐off increased. Changes in root biomass measured before and 4 years after the throughfall reduction experiment were not detected among treatments. Model simulations, however, indicated gains in evapotranspiration with deeper roots under evenly reduced precipitation and seasonal precipitation redistribution scenarios but not when precipitation frequency was adjusted. Deep soil and deep rooting can provide an important buffer capacity when precipitation alone cannot satisfy the evapotranspirational demand of forests. How this buffering capacity will persist in the face of changing precipitation inputs, however, will depend less on seasonal redistribution than on the magnitude of reductions and changes in rainfall frequency.     

Zircon U-Pb Geochronology and Geochemical Characteristics of the Volcanic Host Rocks from the Tongyu VHMS Copper Deposit in the Western North Qinling Orogen and Their Geological Significance

Precise in situ zircon U-Pb dating and Lu–Hf isotopic measurement using an LA-ICP-MS system, whole-rock major and trace element geochemistry and Sr–Nd isotope geochemistry were conducted on the volcanic host rocks of the Tongyu copper deposit on the basis of further understanding of its geological characteristics. Three zircon samples from the volcanic host rocks yielded 206Pb/238 U weighted average ages ranging from 436±4 Ma to 440±5 Ma, which are statistically indistinguishable and coeval with the ca. 440 Ma northward subduction event of the Paleo-Qinling oceanic slab. The volcanic host rocks were products of magmatic differentiation that evolved from basalt to andesite to dacite to rhyolite, forming an integrated tholeiitic island arc volcanic rock suite. The primitive mantle-normalized trace element patterns for most samples show characteristics of island arc volcanic rocks, such as relative enrichment of LILE(e.g. Th, U, Pb and La) and depletion of HFSE(e.g. Nb, Ta, Ti, Zr and Hf). Discrimination diagrams of Ta/Yb vs Th/Yb, Ta vs Th, Yb vs Th/Ta, Ta/Hf vs Th/Hf, Hf/3 vs Th vs Nb/16, La vs La/Nb and Nb vs Nb/Th all suggest that both the volcanic host rocks from the Tongyu copper deposit and the volcanic rocks from the regional Xieyuguan Group were formed in an island arc environment related to subduction of an oceanic slab. Values of ISr(0.703457 to 0.708218) and εNd(t)(-2 to 5.8) indicate that the source materials of volcanic rocks from the Tongyu copper deposit and the Xieyuguan Group originated from the metasomatised mantle wedge with possible crustal material assimilation. Most of the volcanic rock samples show good agreement with the values of typical island arc volcanic rocks in the ISr-εNd(t) diagram. The involvement of crustal-derived material in the magma of the volcanic rocks from the Tongyu copper deposit was also reflected in the zircon εHf(t) values, which range from-3.08 to 10.7, and the existence of inherited ancient xenocrystic zircon cores(2616±39 Ma and 1297±22 Ma). The mineralization of the Tongyu copper deposit shows syn-volcanic characteristics such as layered orebodies interbedded with the volcanic rock strata, thus, the zircon U-Pb age of the volcanic host rocks can approximately represent the mineralization age of the Tongyu copper deposit. Both the Meigou pluton and the volcanic host rocks were formed during the ca. 440 Ma northward subduction of the Paleo-Qinling Ocean when high oxygen fugacity aqueous hydrothermal fluid released by dehydration of the slab and the overlying sediments fluxed into the mantle wedge, triggered partial melting of the mantle wedge, and activated and extracted Cu and other ore-forming elements. The magma and ore-bearing fluid upwelled and erupted, and consequently formed the island arc volcanic rock suite and the Tongyu VHMS-type copper deposit.