Beach sediment temperature variations through depth and time

Data obtained from a site at mean tide level on Belfast Lough, Northern Ireland, show temperature fluctuations on various timescales. Hourly means differ markedly from month to month but are similar for different depths during the same month. The short-term temperature fluctuations recorded at the surface are largely dissipated at a sediment depth of 20 cm with the proportion of total flux occurring at any depth remaining similar irrespective of the absolute temperature range. It is suggested that temperature flux ratios may provide an objective in situ assessment of beach exposure and/or water flow through sediments. A plea for a standardized methodology is made.     

Wisconsinan Late-glacial environmental change in southern New England: A regional synthesis

A synthesis of vegetational and climatic history during the Wisconsinan Late-glacial (13-9 ka BP) is presented for the southern New England region. The interpretations are based on a number of pollen-stratigraphical investigations supported by plant macrofossil data. Chronology is based partly on AMS dates of plant macrofossils. Reference is made briefly to the controversial nature of the evidence for deglaciation in the region. A curve representing mean July temperature changes in the region during the period 13-9 ka BP is provided.     

Shock temperatures in anorthite glass

Summary. Temperatures of CaAl₂Si₂O₈ (anorthite glass) shocked to pressures between 48 and 117 GPa have been measured in the range from 2500 to 5600 K, using optical pyrometry techniques. The pressure dependence of the shock temperatures deviates significantly from predictions based on a single high-pressure phase. Either a variable specific heat, or the existence of three phase transitions, at pressures of about 55, 85 and 100 GPa and with transition energies of about 0.5 MJ kg⁻¹ each (∼ 1.5 MJ kg⁻¹ total) can explain the shock-temperature data. The proposed phase transition at 100 GPa can possibly be identified with the stishovite melting transition. Theoretical models of the time dependence of the thermal radiation from the shocked anorthite based on the geometry of the experiment and the absorptive properties of the shocked material yield good agreement with observations, indicating that it is not necessary to invoke intrinsic time dependences to explain the data in many cases. Observed time dependences were used to calculate absorption coefficients of the shocked material of from about 2 mm⁻¹ to greater than 24 mm⁻¹– an increasing function of shock pressure. The assumption that the shocked material radiates as a black body is supported by the theoretical model, and by the close agreement between measured and calculated black body spectral radiance as a function of wavelength.     

Metamorphic evolution of granulites in the Minto Block, northern Québec: extraction of peak P-T conditions taking account of late Fe-Mg exchange

In the central Minto Block of northern Québec, the Lake Minto and Goudalie domains are dominated, respectively, by orthopyroxene-bearing plutonic suites (granite-granodiorite and diatexite) and a tonalitic gneiss complex, both of which contain scattered remnant paragneisses. Two main granulite-grade mineral assemblages are observed in the paragneiss: garnet (Grt)-orthopyroxene (Opx)-plagioclase-quartz (GOPQ) and garnet (Grt)-cordierite (Crd)-sillimanite-plagioclase-quartz (GCSPQ). These show distinct lithological associations, with the GCSPQ assemblages occurring exclusively within the diatexite in the Lake Minto domain. Petrogenetic grid considerations demonstrate that the GOPQ rocks are higher grade than the GCSPQ rocks. Maximum temperatures for GOPQ rocks, obtained from equilibria based on Al solubility in orthopyroxene in equilibrium with garnet, range from 950 to 1000d? C, significantly higher than garnet-orthopyroxene Fe-Mg exchange temperatures of 700 ± 50d? C, the latter probably representing a closure temperature below peak conditions. The Al temperatures were corrected for late cation exchange by adjusting the Fe/(Fe + Mg) ratios in garnet and orthopyroxene, to achieve internal consistency between the GOPQ thermometers and barometers. Grt-Crd thermometry records temperatures of 750±50d? C. Peak P-T conditions range from 5-6 kbar and 750-800d? C in the Goudalie and eastern Lake Minto domains, to 7-10 kbar and 950-1000d? C in the western and central Lake Minto domain. This variability contrasts with the uniform crustal pressures of 5 ± 1 kbar recorded by the GCSPQ assemblages in the diatexites and the hornblende granodiorites (c. 4-5 kbar) across the same area. The GOPQ rocks are inferred to record earlier P-T conditions that prevailed before the formation of GCSPQ assemblages and the intrusion of the granodiorites. Partial P-T paths in GOPQ rocks from both domains, based on net transfer equilibria corrected for Fe-Mg resetting, document cooling of 100-250d? C from thermal-peak conditions, concomitant with a modest pressure decrease of 2-3 kbar. Although textures diagnostic of isobaric cooling are not developed, the paths are consistent with a tectonic model in which granulite metamorphism and crustal thickening in the Minto Block were consequences of magmatic underplating. The progression from higher P-T conditions recorded by GOPQ assemblages to lower P-T conditions recorded by GCSPQ assemblages is attributed to variable amounts of synmagmatic uplift and cooling in a single, continuous thermal event in the Minto crust, associated with protracted crustal magmatism. In the Goudalie and eastern Lake Minto domains, where GOPQ and GCSPQ rocks and Hbl granodiorites have similar P-T conditions of equilibration, the crust may not have been thickened as much as further west, where GOPQ P-T conditions are significantly higher than those of the hornblende granodiorites and the GCSPQ rocks.     

The relationship between abundances of meiofauna and their suspected microbial food (diatoms and bacteria)

Samples were taken bi-weekly for one year at a sand site and a mud site in the North Inlet Estuary, Georgetown, South Carolina, for meiofauna, their suspected microbial food (bacteria and diatoms), and associated physical factors. Linear regression techniques were used to correlate food abundance and physical factors with the density of meiofaunal taxa. At both sites diatoms positively correlated with meiofauna taxa, but bacteria did not. Physical factors were not correlated with meiofaunal or microbial abundances at the sand site. Whereas, at the mud site meiofauna and diatom abundances were positively correlated with the depth of the redox layer and inversely correlated with temperature. Peaks of meiofaunal abundance did not follow peaks of food abundance. Analysis of copepods at the species level indicated that taxa response was due to the response of the dominant species. Even though some correlations existed, this study suggests that copepod species and meiofauna at the gross taxonomic level do not respond to changes in potential food abundance. Physical factors apparently influence both meiofauna and diatoms in the same fashion. However, bacterial abundance was not positively correlated with any of the factors studied.     

Dehydration melting of solid amphibolite at 2.0 GPa: Effects of time and temperature

The dehydration melting of the natural rock at high pressure is important to investigating the magma formation in the earth’s interior. Since the 1970s, a lot of geological scientists have paid more atten- tion to the dehydration melting of the natural rock[1―5]. Previous experiments of dehydration melting and observations of fieldwork argued that the dehy- dration melting of the rock was probably the most important fashion for the melting of the lower crust rock[6―12]. The genesis of most …     

A Model to Calculate what a Remote Sensor ‘Sees’ of an Urban Surface

Whilst the measurement of radiation emissions from a surface is relatively straightforward, correct interpretation and proper utilization of the information requires that the surface area seen be known accurately. This becomes non-trivial when the target is an urban surface, due to its complex three-dimensional form and the different thermal, radiative and moisture properties of its myriad surface facets. The geometric structure creates shade patterns in combination with the solar beam and obscures portions of the surface from the sensor, depending on where it is pointing and its field-of-view (FOV). A model to calculate these surface-sensor-sun relations (SUM) is described. SUM is tested against field and scale model observations, and theoretical calculations, and found to perform well. It can predict the surface area seen by a sensor of known FOV pointing in any direction when placed at any point in space above a specified urban surface structure. Moreover, SUM can predict the view factors of the roof, wall and ground facets seen and whether they are sunlit or shaded at any location and time of day. SUM can be used to determine the optimal placement and orientation of remote sensors to study urban radiation emissions; if the facet temperatures are known or modelled it can calculate the average temperature of the system, and it can determine the directional variation of temperature (anisotropy) due to any particular surface-sensor-sun geometric combination. The present surface geometry used in SUM is relatively simple, but there is scope to make it increasingly realistic.     

甘肃省森林、草原火灾定量判识方法研究

利用EOS/MODIS资料分析了2002年12月到2003年5月发生在甘肃省的6次草原、森林火灾的火区、火灾影响区及环境的亮温关系,结果表明:火区、火灾影响区及正常环境区在20通道与31通道的亮温存在近似的临界值,即(T20-T31)/T20<0.08的区域为正常环境区;0.08<(T20-T31)/T20<0.093的区域为火灾影响区;(T20-T31)/T20>0.093的区域为火区。同时此方法对"4.15"迭部森林火灾进行定量分析表明:此方法对火灾不同区域的判识及火灾面积的估算有很好的效果,为火灾监测及火灾面积的估算提供了一定的参考依据。     

Ultrahigh temperature deformation microstructures in felsic granulites of the Napier Complex, Antarctica

Detailed electron microscope and microstructural analysis of two ultrahigh temperature felsic granulites from Tonagh Island, Napier Complex, Antarctica show deformation microstructures produced at  1000 °C at 8–10 kbar. High temperature orthopyroxene (Al 7 wt.% and  11 wt.%), exhibits crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO) and frequent subgrain boundaries which point to dislocation creep as the dominating deformation mechanism within opx. Two different main slip systems are observed: in opx bands with exclusively opx grains containing subgrain boundaries with traces parallel to [010] and a strong coupling of low angle misorientations (2.5°–5°) with rotation axes parallel to [010] the dominating slip system is (100)[001]. Isolated opx grains and grain clusters of 2–5 grains embedded in a qtz–fsp matrix show an additional slip system of (010)[001]. The latter slip system is harder to activate. We suggest that differences in the activation of these slip systems is a result of higher differential stresses imposed onto the isolated opx grains and grain clusters. In contrast to opx, large qtz grains (up to 200 μm) show random crystallographic orientation. This together with their elongate and cuspate shape and the lack of systematic in the rotation axes associated with the subgrain boundaries is consistent with diffusion creep as the primary deformation mechanism in quartz.Our first time detailed microstructural observations of ultrahigh temperature and medium to high pressure granulites and their interpretation in terms of active deformation mechanisms give some insight into the type of rheology that can be expect at lower crustal conditions. If qtz is the mineral phase governing the rock rheology, Newtonian flow behaviour is expected and only low differential stress can be supported. However, if the stress supporting mineral phase is opx, the flow law resulting from dislocation creep will govern the rheology of the rock unit; hence, an exponential relationship between stress and strain rate is to be expected.