CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Air–Sea Exchange due to Calcium Carbonate and Organic Matter Storage,and its Implications for the Global Carbon Cycle

Release of CO₂ from surface ocean water owing to precipitation of CaCO₃ and the imbalance between biological production of organic matter and its respiration, and their net removal from surface water to sedimentary storage was studied by means of a quotient θ = (CO₂ flux to the atmosphere)/(CaCO₃ precipitated). θ depends not only on water temperature and atmospheric CO₂ concentration but also on the CaCO₃ and organic carbon masses formed. In CO₂ generation by CaCO₃ precipitation, θ varies from a fraction of 0.44 to 0.79, increasing with decreasing temperature (25 to 5°C), increasing atmospheric CO₂ concentration (195–375 ppmv), and increasing CaCO₃ precipitated mass (up to 45% of the initial DIC concentration in surface water). Primary production and net storage of organic carbon counteracts the CO₂ production by carbonate precipitation and it results in lower CO₂ emissions from the surface layer. When atmospheric CO₂ increases due to the ocean-to-atmosphere flux rather than remaining constant, the amount of CO₂ transferred is a non-linear function of the surface layer thickness because of the back-pressure of the rising atmospheric CO₂. For a surface ocean layer approximated by a 50-m-thick euphotic zone that receives input of inorganic and organic carbon from land, the calculated CO₂ flux to the atmosphere is a function of the CaCO₃ and C_org net storage rates. In general, the carbonate storage rate has been greater than that of organic carbon. The CO₂ flux near the Last Glacial Maximum is 17 to 7×10¹² mol/yr (0.2–0.08 Gt C/yr), reflecting the range of organic carbon storage rates in sediments, and for pre-industrial time it is 38–42×10¹² mol/yr (0.46–0.50 Gt C/yr). Within the imbalanced global carbon cycle, our estimates indicate that prior to anthropogenic emissions of CO₂ to the atmosphere the land organic reservoir was gaining carbon and the surface ocean was losing carbon, calcium, and total alkalinity owing to the CaCO₃ storage and consequent emission of CO₂. These results are in agreement with the conclusions of a number of other investigators. As the CO₂ uptake in mineral weathering is a major flux in the global carbon cycle, the CO₂ weathering pathway that originates in the CO₂ produced by remineralization of soil humus rather than by direct uptake from the atmosphere may reduce the relatively large imbalances of the atmosphere and land organic reservoir at 10²–10⁴-year time scales.     

‘Surface Drag in the Arctic Marginal Sea-ice Zone: A Comparison of Different Parameterisation Concepts’

Two parameterisation schemes for the turbulent surface fluxes and drag coefficients over the Arctic marginal sea-ice zone (MIZ) are (further) developed, and their results are compared with each other. Although the schemes are based on different principles (flux averaging and parameter averaging), the resulting drag coefficients differ only slightly in the case of neutral and stable stratification. For unstable stratification and sea-ice conditions being typical for the north-eastern Fram Strait, the drag coefficients resulting from the parameter-averaging concept are 5–10% larger than those of the flux-averaging concept. At a sea-ice concentration of 45%, the parameter-averaging method overestimates the heat fluxes by a factor of 1.2. An inclusion in the schemes of form drag caused by floe edges and ridges has a much larger effect on the drag coefficient, and on the momentum fluxes, than the choice between the parameter-averaging or flux-averaging methods. Based on sensitivity studies with the flux-averaging scheme, a simple formula for the effective drag coefficient above the Arctic MIZ is derived. It reduces the computational costs of the more complex parameterisations and could also be used in larger scale models. With this simple formula, the effective drag coefficient can be calculated as a function of the sea-ice concentration and skin drag coefficients for water and ice floes. The results obtained with this parameterisation differ only slightly from those using the more complex schemes. Finally, it is shown that in the MIZ, drag coefficients for sea-ice models may differ significantly from the effective drag coefficients used in atmospheric models.     

Average slip rate,earthquake rupturing segmentation and recurrence behavior on the Litang fault zone,western Sichuan Province,China

The Litang fault zone (LFZ) is an important active fault within the northwestern Sichuan sub-block. To-gether with the Garzê-Yushu, Xianshuihe, and An-ninghe fault zones on its northern, eastern and south-eastern sides, the LFZ constitutes the lateral extrusion tectonic system in the southeastern part of the Qing-hai-Tibetan Plateau[1,2] (Fig. 1). According to instru-mental records, historical recordings and field investi- gation, an earthquake (Ms7.3) occurred on its middle to south se…     

Volcanic risk ranking for Auckland, New Zealand. I: Methodology and hazard investigation

Volcanic eruptions typically produce a number of hazards, and many regions are at risk from more than one volcano or volcanic field. So that detailed risk assessments can be carried out, it is necessary to rank potential volcanic hazards and events in terms of risk. As it is often difficult to make accurate predictions regarding the characteristics of future eruptions, a method for ranking hazards and events has been developed that does not rely on precise values. Risk is calculated individually for each hazard from each source as the product of likelihood, extent and effect, based on the parameters order of magnitude. So that multiple events and outcomes can be considered, risk is further multiplied by the relative probability of the event occurring (probability_e) and the relative importance of the outcome (importance_o). By adding the values obtained, total risk is calculated and a ranking can be carried out.This method was used to rank volcanic hazards and events that may impact the Auckland Region, New Zealand. Auckland is at risk from the Auckland volcanic field, Okataina volcanic centre, Taupo volcano, Tuhua volcano, Tongariro volcanic centre, and Mt. Taranaki volcano. Relative probabilities were determined for each event, with the highest given to Mt. Taranaki. Hazards considered were, for local events: tephra fall, scoria fall and ballistic impacts, lava flow, base surge and associated shock waves, tsunami, volcanic gases and acid rain, earthquakes and ground deformation, mudflows and mudfills, lightning and flooding; and for distal events: tephra fall, pyroclastic flows, poisonous gases and acid rain, mudflows and mudfills, climate variations and earthquakes. Hazards from each source were assigned values for likelihood, with the largest for tephra fall from all sources, earthquakes and ground deformation, lava flows, scoria fall and base surge for an Auckland eruption on land, and earthquakes and ground deformation from an Auckland eruption in the ocean. The largest values for extent were for tephra fall and climate variation from each of the distal centres. However, these parameters do not give a true indication of risk. In a companion paper the effect of each hazard is fully investigated and the risk ranking completed.     

辽南北瓦沟长英质岩石应变组构演化

岩石的应变组构型式与岩石成分、变形环境和应变过程有着密切关系。北瓦沟地区低角闪岩相条作下的长英质岩石,表现脆性、韧性和韧脆性过渡,因而在剪切作用过程中形成了相应的应变组构型式,即脆性应变组构、韧性应变组构和脆-韧性应变组构。而且随着应变过程的发展,应变组构也表现出一定的演化规律。     

Sheathfolds in rheomorphic ignimbrites

Structural reappraisal of several classic rheomorphic ignimbrites in Colorado, Idaho, the Canary Islands and Italy has, for the first time, revealed abundant oblique folds, curvilinear folds and sheathfolds which formed during emplacement. Like their equivalents in tectonic shear-zones, the sheathfold axes lie sub-parallel to a pervasive elongation lineation, and appear as eye structures on rock surfaces normal to the transport direction. With the recognition of sheathfolds, ignimbrites previously inferred to have undergone complex rheomorphic deformation histories are re-interpreted as recording a single, progressive deformation event. In some examples, the trends of sheathfolds and related lineations change with height through a single ignimbrite suggesting that rheomorphism did not affect the entire thickness of ignimbrite synchronously. Instead, we infer that in these ignimbrites a thin ductile shear-zone rose gradually through the aggrading agglutinating mass whilst the flow direction varied with time. This suggests that, in some cases, both welding and rheomorphism can be extremely rapid, with ductile strain rates significantly exceeding rates of ignimbrite aggradation.Editorial responsibility: T. Druitt     

Geochemical characteristics of the slip zones of a landslide in granitic saprolite,Hong Kong: implications for their development and microenvironments

Geochemical investigations of the slip zones of a landslide in granitic saprolite revealed that they have signatures distinct from their host materials. These distinctions include stronger Si depletion, higher Al enrichment, greater LOI, significant fixations of Mn, Ba and Ce, stronger negative Eu anomalies, and greater accumulations of other rare earth elements (REE). Altogether, these geochemical characteristics indicate that: (a) the slip zones have greater abundance of clays, consistent with field and microscopic observations; (b) concentration of clay size particles within the slip zones may have been from downward leaching and deposition, and lateral transportation of Al-Si solutions and colloids through pores and fractures within the saprolite; and (c) there were prevailing oxidation and poor drainage, and occasional reduction conditions within the slip zones. It was concluded that geochemical analyses could be effective in gathering clues for understanding the development and nature of slip zones in landslide investigations.     

江西金山金矿田东蒋金矿床地质特征及找矿远景

阐述了东蒋金矿床的成矿地质背景,通过对该金矿区地质特征的分析和总结,认为东蒋韧性剪切带为一卓具规模的控矿、容矿构造,其具有构造岩分带、蚀变分带及金矿化强度分带“三位一体”的规律性分布特点。指出该区业已发现韧性剪切带中的似层状金矿体和陡倾斜断裂带(F1)中的脉状金矿体,而该带目前无矿的东段分布有物探激电、航磁、重力异常及化探异常,这些都显示该区尚具有良好的找矿前景。     

Geochemistry of the ophiolite and oceanic island basalt in the Kangxian-Pipasi-Nanping tectonic mélange zone,South Qinling and their tectonic significance

Detailed studies indicate that Kangxian-Pipasi-Nanping tectonic zone is a complicated mélange zone which includes many tectonic slabs of different origins. Ophiolite (MORB-type basalt), oceanic island tholeiite and alkaline basalt have been identified. Moreover, this tectonic mélange zone is eastward connected with the Mianlüe suture zone. The deformation characteristics, consisting components and volcanic rock geochemical features for the Kangxian-Pipasi-Nanping tectonic mélange zone are much similar to those of the Mianlüe suture zone and Deerni ophiolite. Therefore, the Kangxian-Pipasi-Nanping tectonic mélange zone should be the westward extension part of the Mianlüe suture zone. It indicates that the Mianlüe suture zone had extended to the Nanping area.