On a new cluster of H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O maser spots in the source ON2

We present the results of our observations of the H₂O maser emission toward the complex source ON2 associated with an active star-forming region. The observations were performed in a wide range of radial velocities, from ?75 to 90 km s^?1. We have detected an emission with flux densities of 9.2, 4, and 26 Jy at radial velocities of ?33.5, ?24.4, and ?18.8 km s^?1, respectively, at which no emission has been observed previously. The detected emission is most likely associated with a hitherto unknown cluster of maser spots located between the northern (N) and southern (S) components of the source ON2 (closer to the northern one). This cluster may be associated with one of the three CO molecular outflows in the ON2 region. We have also detected an emission at ?22 and ?14.5 km s^?1 in N and at 12.6 km s^?1 in S, which has extended significantly the velocity ranges of the maser emission in these sources and allowed their models to be improved.     

Geochemical constraints on the modes of carbonate precipitation in peridotites from the Logatchev Hydrothermal Vent Field and Gakkel Ridge

The ultramafic-hosted Logatchev Hydrothermal Field (LHF) at 15°N on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the Arctic Gakkel Ridge (GR) feature carbonate precipitates (aragonite, calcite, and dolomite) in voids and fractures within different types of host rocks. We present chemical and Sr isotopic compositions of these different carbonates to examine the conditions that led to their formation. Our data reveal that different processes have led to the precipitation of carbonates in the various settings. Seawater-like ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios for aragonite in serpentinites (0.70909 to 0.70917) from the LHF are similar to those of aragonite from the GR (0.70912 to 0.70917) and indicate aragonite precipitation from seawater at ambient conditions at both sites. Aragonite veins in sulfide breccias from LHF also have seawater-like Sr isotope compositions (0.70909 to 0.70915), however, their rare earth element (REE) patterns show a clear positive europium (Eu) anomaly indicative of a small (< 1%) hydrothermal contribution. In contrast to aragonite, dolomite from the LHF has precipitated at much higher temperatures (~ 100 °C), and yet its ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (0.70896 to 0.70907) are only slightly lower than those of aragonite. Even higher temperatures are calculated for the precipitation of deformed calcite veins in serpentine–talc fault schists form north of the LHF. These calcites show unradiogenic ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (0.70460 to 0.70499) indicative of precipitation from evolved hydrothermal fluids. A simple mixing model based on Sr mass balance and enthalpy conservation indicates strongly variable conditions of fluid mixing and heat transfers involved in carbonate formation. Dolomite precipitated from a mixture of 97% seawater and 3% hydrothermal fluid that should have had a temperature of approximately 14 °C assuming that no heat was transferred. The much higher apparent precipitation temperatures based on oxygen isotopes (~ 100 °C) may be indicative of conductive heating, probably of seawater prior to mixing. The hydrothermal calcite in the fault schist has precipitated from a mixture of 67% hydrothermal fluid and 33% seawater, which should have had an isenthalpic mixing temperature of ~ 250 °C. The significantly lower temperatures calculated from oxygen isotopes are likely due to conductive cooling of hydrothermal fluid discharging along faults. Rare earth element patterns corroborate the results of the mixing model, since the hydrothermal calcite, which formed from waters with the greatest hydrothermal contribution, has REE patterns that closely resemble those of vent fluids from the LHF. Our results demonstrate, for the first time, that (1) precipitation from pure seawater, (2) conductive heating of seawater, and (3) conductive cooling of hydrothermal fluids in the sub-seafloor all can lead to carbonate precipitation within a single ultramafic-hosted hydrothermal system.     

鄂尔多斯盆地长9油层组石油运聚规律研究

鄂尔多斯盆地长9油层组是一个新发现的含油层。迄今为止,有关长9油层组石油运聚成藏机理尚不清楚,特别是对石油运聚规律缺乏认识。该问题的解决会进一步完善鄂尔多斯盆地中生界延长组石油成藏理论;同时,对长9油层组石油勘探开发具有重要的指导作用。我们对长9油层组石油来源、油气输导体系、油气运移路径和油气运移动力等油气运聚条件特征及其不同地区差异进行了研究,结果表明,长9油层组原油主要来自长7烃源岩,只有在志丹局部地区来自长7和长9烃源岩;长9油层组石油的纵向运移路径是由上向下运移;孔隙型输导体和断层、构造裂隙输导体是长9油层组石油运移的主要输导体;盆地长7油层组普遍存在高过剩压力带,长7与长9油层组之间存在较大的流体压力差,因此长7油层组生成的油气在高过剩压力驱动下可以向下运移,进入储层物性相对好的长9砂体聚集成藏。同时,建立了3种长9油层组油气运聚模式,讨论了长9油层组油气运聚机理     

Atlantic Water flow through the Barents and Kara Seas

The pathway and transformation of water from the Norwegian Sea across the Barents Sea and through the St. Anna Trough are documented from hydrographic and current measurements of the 1990s. The transport through an array of moorings in the north-eastern Barents Sea was between 0.6 Sv in summer and 2.6 Sv in winter towards the Kara Sea and between zero and 0.3 Sv towards the Barents Sea with a record mean net flow of 1.5 Sv. The westward flow originates in the Fram Strait branch of Atlantic Water at the Eurasian continental slope, while the eastward flow constitutes the Barents Sea branch, continuing from the western Barents Sea opening.About 75% of the eastward flow was colder than 0°C. The flow was strongly sheared, with the highest velocities close to the bottom. A deep layer with almost constant temperature of about −0.5°C throughout the year formed about 50% of the flow to the Kara Sea. This water was a mixture between warm saline Atlantic Water and cold, brine-enriched water generated through freezing and convection in polynyas west of Novaya Zemlya, and possibly also at the Central Bank. Its salinity is lower than that of the Atlantic Water at its entrance to the Barents Sea, because the ice formation occurs in a low salinity surface layer. The released brine increases the salinity and density of the surface layer sufficiently for it to convect, but not necessarily above the salinity of the Atlantic Water. The freshwater west of Novaya Zemlya primarily stems from continental runoff and at the Central Bank probably from ice melt. The amount of fresh water compares to about 22% of the terrestrial freshwater supply to the western Barents Sea. The deep layer continues to the Kara Sea without further change and enters the Nansen Basin at or below the core depth of the warm, saline Fram Strait branch. Because it is colder than 0°C it will not be addressed as Atlantic Water in the Arctic Ocean.In earlier decades, the Atlantic Water advected from Fram Strait was colder by almost 2 K as compared to the 1990s, while the dense Barents Sea water was colder by up to 1 K only in a thin layer at the bottom and the salinity varied significantly. However, also with the resulting higher densities, deep Eurasian Basin water properties were met only in the 1970s. The very low salinities of the Great Salinity Anomaly in 1980 were not discovered in the outflow data. We conclude that the thermal variability of inflowing Atlantic water is damped in the Barents Sea, while the salinity variation is strongly modified through the freshwater conditions and ice growth in the convective area off Novaya Zemlya.     

The Torun catalogue of 6.7 GHz methanol masers

We report the observations of 289 methanol maser sources at 6.7 GHz obtained over a two month period with the Torun 32 m telescope. The data form a catalogue of all objects north of δ = –22° brighter than 7.5 Jy in the peak emission. The positions of sub‐arcsecond accuracy are updated for 76 % of the objects. We find that about one third of the sources show changes in the peak fluxes by a factor of two or more on time scales of 8.5–9.5 years (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Ore-Bearing Formations of the Precambrian in South China and Their Prospects

In the Precambrian System of the Yangtze and Cathaysian plates six ore-bearing formations can be identified: the Cu-Pb-Zn-bearing formations in volcanic rocks of marine facies of the Neoarchean-Paleoproterozoic, Cu-Au-bearing formations and Pb-Zn-bearing formations in volcanic rocks of marine facies of the Mesoproterozoic, Pb-Zn-bearing formations in volcaniclastic rock and carbonate rock of the Neoproterozoic, Fe-Mn-bearing formations in the volcaniclastic rock of the Neoproterozoic, and Ni-Cr-serpentine-bearing formations in ophiolite and ultrabasic rock of the Meso- and Neoproterozoic. They were mostly formed in the marginal rift valleys of the Yangtze and Cathaysian plates, where occur stratabound and stratiform ore deposits, thermal deposits and porphyry polymetallic deposits. The six regions with ore-bearing formations have good prospects for ore deposits.     

X‐rays from young stars: A summary of highlights from the XMM‐Newton Extended Survey of the Taurus Molecular Cloud (XEST)

The XMM‐Newton Extended Survey of the Taurus Molecular Cloud (XEST) is a survey of the nearest large star‐forming region, the Taurus Molecular Cloud (TMC), making use of all instruments on board the XMM‐Newton X‐ray observatory. The survey, presently still growing, has provided unprecedented spectroscopic results from nearly every observed T Tauri star, and from ≈50% of the studied brown dwarfs and protostars. The survey includes the first coherent statistical sample of high‐resolution spectra of T Tauri stars, and is accompanied by an U ‐band/ultraviolet imaging photometric survey of the TMC. XEST led to the discovery of new, systematic X‐ray features not possible before with smaller samples, in particular the X‐ray soft excess in classical T Tauri stars and the Two‐Absorber X‐ray (TAX) spectra of jet‐driving T Tauri stars. This paper summarizes highlights from XEST and reviews the key role of this large project. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)