Distribution of hydrate on Europa: Further evidence for sulfuric acid hydrate

Sulfuric acid hydrate has been proposed as an important species on Europa's surface, the acid being produced by radiolysis of surficial sulfur compounds. We investigated the spectral properties of disordered and crystalline forms of sulfuric acid and suggest that the hydration properties of Europa's hypothesized sulfuric acid lie between two end members: liquid sulfuric acid and its higher crystalline hydrates. The spectra of these end members are similar except for spectral shifts at the band edges. We measured the optical constants of sulfuric acid octahydrate and used these with simple radiative transfer calculations to fit Europa spectra obtained by Galileo's Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS). The global distribution of the hydrate that we associate here with hydrated sulfuric acid shows a strong trailing-side enhancement with a maximum fractional hydrate abundance of 90% by volume, corresponding to a sulfur atom to water molecule ratio of 10%. The hydrate concentration spatially correlates with the ultraviolet and visible absorption of the surface and with the sulfur dioxide concentration. The asymmetric global distribution is consistent with Iogenic plasma ion implantation as the source of the sulfur, possibly modified by electron irradiation and sputtering effects. The variegated distribution also correlates with geologic forms. A high spatial resolution image shows resolved lineae with less hydrate appearing within the lineae than in nearby crustal material. The low concentration of hydrated material in these lineae argues against their conveying sulfurous material to the surface from the putative ocean.     

Elastic collisions in ion irradiation experiments: A mechanism for space weathering of silicates

Ion irradiation experiments have been performed on silicates (bulk samples) rich of olivine, pyroxene, and serpentine to simulate the effects of space weathering induced on asteroids by solar wind ions. We have used different ions (H⁺, He⁺, Ar⁺, Ar²⁺) having different energies (from 60 to 400 keV) to weather the samples, probed by Raman spectroscopy and UV-vis-NIR reflectance spectroscopy. All the irradiated materials have shown reddening and darkening of reflectance spectra in the 0.25-2.7 μm spectral range. We have found that the increase of the spectral slope of the continuum across the 1-μm band is strongly related with the number of displacements caused by colliding ions because of elastic collisions with the target nuclei. The spectral slopes have been compared, at increasing ion fluence, with those from irradiated Epinal meteorite. We show that formation of nuclear displacements by solar wind ion irradiation is a physical mechanism that reddens the asteroidal surfaces on a time-scale lower than 10⁶ years.     

Effects of catastrophic flooding on stream biogeochemistry in a headwater stream in Shenandoah National Park,USA

This study examined the stream chemistry changes in Staunton River (a second‐order headwater stream with an average annual discharge 704 m³ ha^?1 yr^?1, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia) resulting from a catastrophic flood in June 1995. This flood, which followed after 800 mm of rain in a 4‐day period, caused large‐scale debris flows and complete scouring of riparian soils down to bedrock in the lower 2 km of the stream, and has been estimated to be a 1000‐year flood. The flood affected stream chemistry on both short‐ and long‐term time scales. The primary short‐term response was elevations in stream concentration of Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and K⁺ by 59%, 87%, and 49%, respectively, for 6 months immediately following the flood. The long‐term impact of decreased concentration of all base cations and SiO₂ during summer months (8% average) lasted about 2 years. At the episodic time scale, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and K⁺ flushed from soil sources during pre‐flood storms while Na⁺ and SiO₂ diluted; these trends generally reversed during post‐flood storms for 2 years. Short‐term effects are attributed to the leaching of unconsolidated soil and upturned organic matter that clogged the streambed after the flood. The long‐term and superimposed episodic impacts may have resulted from the loss of riparian soils and vegetation in the flood. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

E24 profile slope stability analysis in Haizhou Opencast Coal Mine of Fuxin

The E24 profile slope analyzed belongs to a series of excavated slopes of the Haizhou Opencast Coal Mine. It seems to be divided into Downslope Part and Upslope Part. Its profile comprises two noticeable coal seams, called the 8# and 9# weak layers, considered as the potential failure surfaces. In consideration of the actual configuration as in the perspective of any modification, assessing the stability of this slope with various profile forms under given conditions, and assessing the risk of instability and quantifying the influence of earthworks or other modifications to the stability of this slope, have constituted the primordial objectives carried out. From assumed potential failure surfaces, any specific profiles and specified slip surfaces are defined. A factor of safety (FoS) is computed for each specified slip surface; the smallest FoS found corresponds to the least favorable slip surface. The safety factor values obtained are compared to the suggested safety factor. Limit equilibrium methods of vertical slices implemented in Slope/W, computer program for slope stability analyses, have been adopted to perform the E24 slope stability analysis. The safety factor values computed with 9# weak layer are lower than for 8#; the factors of safety obtained with Sarma's method are the smallest; more, without groundwater (long term) overall values are greater than those determined under groundwater condition (short term). The lowest safety factor value is found for a profile depending on an adopted earthwork sequence. The E24 profile slope stability analysis shows the instability risk for the deepest weak layer, and also shows the short and long term stability of this slope for the envisaged earth movements. However it demonstrates the existence of instability risk for any earthwork firstly affecting the downslope part.     

Chronological Study of Coal-seam Water and its Implication on Gas Production in the South Qinshui Basin

The knowledge of the residence time of formation water is fundamental to understanding the subsurface flow and hydrological setting. To better identify the origin and evolution of coal seam water and its impact on gas storage and production, this study collected coalbed methane co-produced water in the southeast Qinshui Basin and detected chemical and isotopic compositions, especially 36Cl and 129I concentrations. The calculated tracer ages of 129I (5.2–50.6 Ma) and 36Cl (0.13–0.76 Ma) are significantly younger than the age of coal-bearing formation (Pennsylvanian - Cisuralian), indicating freshwater recharge after coal deposition. The model that utilises 129I/I and 36Cl/Cl ratios to constrain the timing of recharge and the proportion of recharge water reveals that over 60% of pre-anthropogenic meteoric water entered coal seams since 10 Ma and mixed with residue initial deposition water, corresponding to the basin inversion in Cenozoic. The spatial distribution of major ion concentrations reveals the primary recharge pathway for meteoric water from coal outcrops at the eastern margin to the basin center. This study demonstrates the occurrence of higher gas production rates from wells that accept water recharge in recent times and suggests the possible potential of the non-stagnant zones for high gas production.     

煤矿地区国土总体规划的初步研究

本文通过制定总体规划方案应重点协调的六个关系的探讨,对煤矿地区国上总体规划进行了初步研究。     

Petrographic, Chemical and B-Isotopic Insights into the Origin of Tourmaline-Rich Rocks and Boron Recycling in the Martinamor Antiform (Central Iberian Zone, Salamanca, Spain)

Tourmaline in the Martinamor antiform occurs in tourmalinites(rocks with >15–20% tourmaline by volume), clasticmetasedimentary rocks of the Upper Proterozoic Monterrubio formation,quartz veins, pre-Variscan orthogneisses and Variscan graniticrocks. Petrographic observations, back-scattered electron (BSE)images, and microprobe data document a multistaged developmentof tourmaline. Overall, variations in the Mg/(Mg + Fe) ratiosdecrease from tourmalinites (0·36–0·75),through veins (0·38–0·66) to granitic rocks(0·23–0·46), whereas Al increases in thesame order from 5·84–6·65 to 6·22–6·88apfu. The incorporation of Al into tourmaline is consistentwith combinations of ^xAl(NaR)_–1 and AlO(R(OH))_–1exchange vectors, where ^x represents X-site vacancy and R is(Mg + Fe²⁺ + Mn). Variations in ^x/(^x + Na) ratios are similarin all the types of tourmaline occurrences, from 0·10to 0·53, with low Ca-contents (mostly <0·10apfu). Based on field and textural criteria, two groups of tourmaline-richrocks are distinguished: (1) pre-Variscan tourmalinites (probablyCadomian), affected by both deformation and regional metamorphismduring the Variscan orogeny; (2) tourmalinites related to thesynkinematic granitic complex of Martinamor. Textural and geochemicaldata are consistent with a psammopelitic parentage for the protolithof the tourmalinites. Boron isotope analyses of tourmaline havea total range of ¹¹B values from –15·6 to 6·8;the lowest corresponding to granitic tourmalines (–15·6to –11·7) and the highest to veins (1·9to 6·8). Tourmalines from tourmalinites have intermediate¹¹B values of –8·0 to +2·0. The observedvariations in ¹¹B support an important crustal recycling ofboron in the Martinamor area, in which pre-Variscan tourmaliniteswere remobilized by a combination of mechanical and chemicalprocesses during Variscan deformation, metamorphism and anatexis,leading to the formation of multiple tourmaline-bearing veinsand a new stage of boron metasomatism. KEY WORDS: tourmalinites; metamorphic and granitic rocks; mineral chemistry; whole-rock chemistry; boron isotopes     

Volatile Organic Compounds in the Po Basin. Part B: Biogenic VOCs

Measurements of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were performed in the Po Basin, northern Italy in early summer 1998, summer 2002, and autumn 2003. During the three campaigns, trace gases and meteorological parameters were measured at a semi-rural station, around 35 km north of the city center of Milan. Bimodal diurnal cycles of isoprene with highest concentrations in the morning and evening were found and could be explained by the interaction of emissions, chemical reactions, and vertical mixing. The diurnal cycle could be qualitatively reproduced by a three-dimensional Eulerian model. The nighttime decay of isoprene could be attributed mostly to reactions with NO₃, while the decay of the isoprene oxidation products could not be explained with the considered chemical reactions. Methanol reached very high mixing ratios, up to 150 ppb. High concentrations with considerable variability occurred during nights with high relative humidities and low wind speeds. The origin of these nighttime methanol concentrations is most likely local and biogenic but the specific source could not be identified.     

Refined relationship between the position of the fundamental OH stretching and the first overtones for clays

The aim of this paper is to determine a relationship between the wavenumbers of the first OH-stretching overtones (W_2OH) and the wavenumbers of the OH-stretching fundamentals (W_OH) to help to interpret the near-infrared (NIR) spectra. The first overtone (2OH) bands appear at wavenumbers less than twice those of the fundamental bands (OH), due to the anharmonic character of vibrations, X = W_2OH/2 - W_OH, with X being the anharmonicity constant. Talc samples with various crystal chemistries are used to solve the equation and the experimental data are well fitted with X = –85.6 cm^–1. As far as the authors are aware, it is the first time that the anharmonicity constant for the OH-stretching vibrations is determined for phyllosilicates. The anharmonicity constant remains almost unchanged for several types of clay samples. Therefore the relation, established from talc samples because their absorption bands are narrow and their wavenumber range of OH vibrations is wide, can be used for any other clay minerals.     

Geochemistry of beryllium in Bulgarian coals

The beryllium content of about 3000 samples (coal, coaly shales, partings, coal lithotypes, and isolated coalified woods) from 16 Bulgarian coal deposits was determined by atomic emission spectrography. Mean Be concentrations in coal show great variability: from 0.9 to 35 ppm for the deposits studied. There was no clear-cut relationship between Be content and rank. The following mean and confidence interval Be values were measured: lignites, 2.6 ± 0.8 ppm; sub-bituminous coals, 8.2 ± 3.3 ppm; bituminous coals, 3.0 ± 1.2 ppm; and anthracites, 19 ± 9.0 ppm. The Be contents in coal and coaly shales for all deposits correlated positively suggesting a common source of the element. Many samples of the coal lithotypes vitrain and xylain proved to be richer in Be than the hosting whole coal samples as compared on ash basis. Up to tenfold increase in Be levels was routinely recorded in fusain. The ash of all isolated coalified woods was found to contain 1.1 to 50 times higher Be content relative to its global median value for coal inclusions.Indirect evidence shows that Be occurs in both organic and inorganic forms. Beryllium is predominantly organically bound in deposits with enhanced Be content, whereas the inorganic form prevails in deposits whose Be concentration approximates Clarke values.The enrichment in Be exceeding the coal Clarke value 2.4 to 14.5 times in some of the Bulgarian deposits is attributed to subsynchronous at the time of coal deposition hydrothermal and volcanic activity.