Oxygen isotope and geochemical variations in the Missouri River

Oxygen isotope ratios in streamflow of the Missouri River basin vary geographically due to differences in source precipitation and the integration of waters from upstream regions. Average '¹⁸O values in the Missouri River main stem systematically increase from less than -17‰ in the headwaters to about -9‰ in the lower basin. Seasonal variations at a given location result from fluctuations in meteoric precipitation, residence time in reservoirs and groundwater systems, evaporation, and snowmelt. Average water chemistry values are successfully predicted for the upstream stations of two reaches on the lower Missouri River based on changes in discharge along each reach and water quality measurements collected at the downstream stations. Source regions for some dissolved ions found in the lower Missouri River are also identified. Sodium and sulfate originate predominantly from the basin above Sioux City, Iowa, while nitrate is largely derived from agricultural regions below Sioux City.     

Conductive cooling of spherical bodies with emphasis on the Earth

To explore planetary evolution, we provide conductive cooling profiles that account for planet size, phonon diffusivity and various internal heating scenarios. Our new analytical solution for simple cooling of spheres reveals that heat is removed from only Earth's outermost ~1000 km over geological time. Numerical models with decaying heat production show that any upward concentration of radionuclides causes high temperatures at shallow depths, forcing interior temperatures to increase with time while producing a thermal gradient that forbids lower mantle convection. Hence, differentiation drives upper mantle magmatism and tectonics, leaving a quiescent but hot deep interior, while slowly melting the core.     

Strontium and oxygen isotopic variations in Mesozoic and Tertiary plutons of central Idaho

Regional variations in initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (r _i) of Mesozoic plutons in central Idaho locate the edge of Precambrian continental crust at the boundary between the late Paleozoic-Mesozoic accreted terranes and Precambrian sialic crust in western Idaho. The r _i values increase abruptly but continuously from less than 0.704 in the accreted terranes to greater than 0.708 across a narrow, 5 to 15 km zone, characterized by elongate, lens-shaped, highly deformed plutons and schistose metasedimentary and metavolcanic units. The chemical and petrologic character of the plutons changes concomitantly from ocean-arc-type, diorite-tonalite-trondhjemite units to a weakly peraluminous, calcic to calcalkalic tonalite-granodiorite-granite suite (the Idaho batholith). Plutons in both suites yield Late Cretaceous ages, but Permian through Early Cretaceous bodies are confined to the accreted terranes and early Tertiary intrusions are restricted to areas underlain by Precambrian crust. The two major terranes were juxtaposed between 75 and 130 m.y. ago, probably between 80 and 95 m.y. Oxygen and strontium isotopic ratios and Rb and Sr concentrations of the plutonic rocks document a significant upper-crustal contribution to the magmas that intrude Precambrian crust. Magmas intruding the arc terranes were derived from the upper mantle/subducted oceanic lithosphere and may have been modified by anatexis of earlier island-arc volcanic and sedimentary units. Plutons near the edge of Precambrian sialic crust represent simple mixtures of the Precambrian wall-rocks with melts derived from the upper mantle or subducted oceanic lithosphere with r _i of 0.7035. Rb/Sr varies linearly with r _i, producing “pseudoisochrons” with apparent “ages” close to the age of the wall rocks. Measured δ ¹⁸O values of the wall rocks are less than those required for the assimilated end-member by Sr-O covariation in the plutons, however, indicating that wall-rock δ ¹⁸O was reduced significantly by exchange with circulating fluids. Metasedimentary rocks of the Belt Supergroup are similarly affected near the batholith, documenting a systematic depletion in ¹⁸O as much as 50 km from the margin of the batholith. Plutons of the Bitterroot lobe of the Idaho batholith are remote from the accreted terranes and represent mixtures of Precambrian wall-rocks with melts dominated by continental lower crust (r _i>0.708) rather than mantle. “Pseudoisochrons” resulting from these data are actually mixing lines that yield apparent “ages” less than the true age of the wall rocks and meaningless “r_i”. Assimilation/ fractional-crystallization models permit only insignificant amounts of crystal fractionation during anatexis and mixing for the majority of plutons of the region.     

Method for calibrating a theoretical model in karst springs: an example for a hydropower station in South China

A theoretical, dimensionless rainfall–runoff model was used to simulate the discharge of Wulongdong spring in western Hubei province, South China. The single parameter (time constant τ) in the model is easy to obtain by fitting the recession rate of the observed hydrographs. The model was scaled by simply matching the total annual flow volume of the model to the observed value. Annual distribution of actual evapotranspiration was embedded in the model input to calculate the accumulated deficit of soil moisture before each rain event. Hourly precipitation input data performed better than daily data, defining τ of 0.85 days and returning a Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency of 0.89 and the root mean square error of 0.07. This model offers an effective way to simulate the discharge of karst springs that respond sensitively to rainfall events. The model parameters of a successful simulation can be used to estimate the recharge area and indicate the intrinsic response time of the basin. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Properties of a Diffusive Hydrograph and the Interpretation of Its Single Parameter

The mathematical properties of the normalized diffusive hydrograph allow for easy determination of intrinsic basin characteristics. These include lag times between storm events and peak flow, recession rate, and the total, temporally integrated flow volume, all in terms of a single parameter, the basin time constant “b”. This simple function displays surprising fidelity to measured hydrographs of springs and hundreds of streams and small rivers. We explain this fidelity by showing that the curvature of the theoretical hydrograph matches that of the natural hydrographs better than several alternate models, and by demonstrating that the simple hydrograph function can be integrated over a range of time constants (0 to b _max) to represent the hierarchy of flow paths of varying lengths that exist in real watersheds. Surprisingly, the unwieldy analytical results from this integration are almost numerically indistinguishable from a simple hydrograph using a single, suitably-weighted average for the time constant. The peak flow times are shifted slightly. The accuracy with which the simple hydrograph approximates the integrated results for hierarchies of hydrographs representing individual flow paths explains why the former can realistically describe the discharge behaviors of complex natural watersheds.     

Oxygen isotope map of the giant metamorphic-hydrothermal system around the northern part of the Idaho batholith, U.S.A.

Determinations of δ¹⁸O values from 100 outcrops of Belt Supergroup (Wallace Fm.) metasedimentary rocks in the Idaho panhandle reveal a regular regional pattern that was produced by pervasive fluid infiltration and isotopic exchange. Low grade argillites at large distances (60 km) from the Idaho batholith have high δ¹⁸O values +15, compatible with their probable primary values. Pelitic rocks with anomalously low δ¹⁸O values of + 8.7 to + 12.7‰ occur in the following zones: (1) in a 5000 km² zone of schist and gneiss peripheral to the Idaho batholith, generally coincident with high-grade (sillimanite-bearing) assemblages; (2) in high-grade metasedimentary roof pendants within the Idaho batholith; (3) peripheral to small Cretaceous stocks; and (4) within and near the scapolite-bearing zone south-west of St. Regis. On δ¹⁸O−δ¹⁸O plots, data from coexisting minerals define trends with unit slopes, indicating that the reductions in ¹⁸O occurred under high-grade metamorphic conditions. This metamorphism culminated in the emplacement of the Idaho batholith, probably as a consequence of profound crustal thickening associated with the Cretaceous accretion of the Wallowa-Seven Devils arc terranes with North America. The huge low-¹⁸O region is bounded by a “steep” δ¹⁸O gradient (0.1–0.5‰/km) that occurs in low-grade rocks along and near the Lewis and Clark Line, well below the biotite isograd. This boundary zone may be analogous to, but is not nearly as sharp as, those of meteoric-hydrothermal systems in many regions. The important ore deposits of the Coeur d'Alene district are located in this peripheral zone, suggesting that the metamorphic-hydrothermal system may have been intimately involved in their formation. In addition, the metamorphic-hydrotermal system in Idaho is larger, deeper and higher in temperature than typical meteoric-hydrothermal systems, and it involved fluids with much higher δ¹⁸O values that were probably dominantly derived from formation waters. Accordingly, this system produced rocks with δ¹⁸O values similar to those of the Idaho batholith, and mineral assemblages that approach isotopic equilibrium under high temperature conditions.     

Comment on “Estimates of heat flow from Cenozoic seafloor using global depth and age data” by M. Wei and D. Sandwell

To obtain the desired answer in support of a popular, previous cooling model for the sea floor, Wei and Sandwell provide a construct that is contrary to the simple physics governing subsidence of cooling oceanic crust and is also fraught with mathematical errors. Seven of their eight equations are either misused or incorrect or both. Errors made by Wei and Sandwell include not conserving rock-mass, incorrect differentiation, dividing by zero, moving variable parameters freely in and out of integrals, and neglecting variations in density that embody the essence of the phenomenon being modeled. We demonstrate all the above, show that their construct is closely related to the half-space cooling model, and that the linear, not volumetric thermal expansivity should have been used.     

Design and routing of storm flows in an urbanized watershed without surface streams

In the karst geologic setting of Greenbrier County, West Virginia, USA, the drainage network in the watersheds do not support surface streams, but depend entirely on sinkholes, solution cavities, or injection wells as discharge points for accumulated storm water. By providing a systematic framework for designing and routing storms in this geologic setting, functioning retention and attenuation structures have been developed which are protective of water quality while still safely discharging storm water in a controlled manner to the subsurface. This article provides a rationale for the design methodology and then examines the successful implementation of an attenuation and storm water retention design to manage the surface discharges for an entire watershed. By examining the pre-development flows and evaluating future land use patterns (i.e., installation of impermeable surfaces over large areas), as well as sinkhole conveyance capabilities, it was necessary to examine alternative disposal options for collected storm water as well as devise a basin-wide management strategy to coordinate future development of the watershed. Additionally, innovative water quality measures were implemented to help prevent contamination from preferentially infiltrating into the subsurface as a result of these land development activities.