Origin and evolution of the Steamboat Springs siliceous sinter deposit, Nevada, U.S.A.

Siliceous hot spring deposits from Steamboat Springs, Nevada, U.S.A., record a complex interplay of multiple, changing, primary environmental conditions, fluid overprinting and diagenesis. Consequently these deposits reflect dynamic geologic and geothermal processes. Two surface sinters were examined—the high terrace, and the distal apron-slope, as well as 13.11 m (43 ft) of core material from drill hole SNLG 87-29. The high terrace sinter consists of vitreous and massive-mottled silica horizons, while the distal deposit and core comprise dominantly porous, indurated fragmental sinters. Collectively, the three sinter deposits archive a complete sequence of silica phase diagenetic minerals from opal-A to quartz. X-ray powder diffraction analyses and infrared spectroscopy of the sinters indicate that the distal apron-slope consists of opal-A and opal-A/CT mineralogy; the core yielded opal-A/CT and opal-CT with minor opal-A; and the high terrace constitutes opal-C, moganite, and quartz. Mineralogical maturation of the deposit produced alternating nano–micro–nano-sized silica particle changes. Based on filament diameters of microbial fossils preserved within the sinter, discharging thermal outflows fluctuated between low-temperatures (< 35 °C, coarse filaments) and mid-temperatures ( 35–60 °C, fine filaments). Despite transformation to quartz, primary coarse and fine filaments were preserved in the high terrace sinter. AMS ¹⁴C dating of pollen from three horizons within core SNLG 87-29, from depths of 8.13 to 8.21 m (26′8″ to 26′11″), 10.13 to 10.21 m (33′3″ to 33′6″), and 14.81 to 14.88 m (48′7″ to 48′10″), yielded dates of 8684 ± 64 years, 11,493 ± 70 years and 6283 ±60 years, respectively. In the upper section of the core, the stratigraphically out-of-sequence age likely reflects physical mixing of younger sinter with quartzose sinter fragments derived from the high terrace. Within single horizons, mineralogical and morphological components of the sinter matrix were spatially patchy. Overall, the deposit was modified by sub-surface flow of alkali-chloride thermal fluids depositing a second generation of silica, and periodically, by acidic steam condensate formed during periods when the water table was low. Local faulting produced considerable fracturing of the sinter. Hence, the Steamboat Springs sinter experienced a complex history of primary and secondary hydrothermal, geologic and diagenetic events, and their inter-relationships and effects are locked within the physical, chemical and biological signatures of the deposit.     

Anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) in marine sediments from the Skagerrak (Denmark): II. Reaction-transport modeling

A steady-state reaction-transport model is applied to sediments retrieved by gravity core from two stations (S10 and S13) in the Skagerrak to determine the main kinetic and thermodynamic controls on anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM). The model considers an extended biomass-implicit reaction network for organic carbon degradation, which includes extracellular hydrolysis of macromolecular organic matter, fermentation, sulfate reduction, methanogenesis, AOM, acetogenesis and acetotrophy. Catabolic reaction rates are determined using a modified Monod rate expression that explicitly accounts for limitation by the in situ catabolic energy yields. The fraction of total sulfate reduction due to AOM in the sulfate-methane transition zone (SMTZ) at each site is calculated. The model provides an explanation for the methane tailing phenomenon which is observed here and in other marine sediments, whereby methane diffuses up from the SMTZ to the top of the core without being consumed. The tailing is due to bioenergetic limitation of AOM in the sulfate reduction zone, because the methane concentration is too low to engender favorable thermodynamic drive. AOM is also bioenergetically inhibited below the SMTZ at both sites because of high hydrogen concentrations (∼3-6 nM). The model results imply there is no straightforward relationship between pore water concentrations and the minimum catabolic energy needed to support life because of the highly coupled nature of the reaction network. Best model fits are obtained with a minimum energy for AOM of ∼11 kJ mol⁻¹, which is within the range reported in the literature for anaerobic processes.     

A seismic refraction study of cretaceous oceanic lithosphere in the Northwest Pacific Basin

A seismic refraction study on old (110 Myr) lithosphere in the northwest Pacific Basin has placed constraints on crustal and uppermantle seismic structure of old oceanic lithosphere, and lithospheric aging processes. No significant lateral variation in structure other than azimuthally anisotropic mantle velocities was found, allowing the application of powerful amplitude modeling techniques. The anisotropy observed is in an opposite sense to that expected, suggesting the tectonic setting of the area may be more complex than originally thought. Upper crustal velocities are generally larger than for younger crust, supporting current theories of decreased porosity with crustal aging. However, there is no evidence for significant thickening of the oceanic crust with age, nor is there any evidence of a lower crustal layer of high or low velocity relative to the velocity of the rest of Layer 3. The compressional and shear wave velocities rule out a large component of serpentinization of mantle materials. The only evidence for a basal crustal layer of olivine gabbro cumulates is a 1.5 km thick Moho transition zone. In the slow direction of anisotropy, upper mantle velocities increase from 8.0 km s^-1 to 8.35 km s^-1 in the upper 15 km below the Moho. This increase is inconsistent with an homogeneous upper mantle and suggests that compositinal or phase changes occur near the Moho.     

Evaluation of toxicity in tributaries of the Mersey estuary using the isopod Asellus aquaticus (L.)

Increasing numbers of industrial, agricultural and natural chemicals are present in sewage effluent and are known to elicit toxic effects in laboratory exposures, but little is known of their combined sub-lethal effect in the field. In this study, a combination of esterase activity and ventilation rate assays was performed to determine the neurological and physiological function of the freshwater crustacean Asellus aquaticus (L.) at sites above and below a sewage treatment works (STW). Cholinesterase and carboxylesterase activities were significantly inhibited (n=8, P<0.05) and ventilation rates increased (n=8, P=0.0001) in A. aquaticus at STW sites compared to those from reference sites, indicating a decrease in neurological and physiological function. The ecological relevance of these findings for the population dynamics of the organisms in the field is discussed.     

Freezing as a method of sample preservation for the analysis of dissolved inorganic nutrients in seawater

It is often desirable or necessary to store collected seawater samples prior to analysis for dissolved inorganic nutrients. It is therefore important to establish preservation and storage techniques that will ensure sample integrity and will not alter the precision or accuracy of analysis. We have performed a series of experiments on the storage of nutrient samples collected at the oligotrophic North Pacific benchmark Station ALOHA, using both standard autoanalyses and low-level techniques. Our results reveal that for oligotrophic oceanic waters, the immediate freezing of an unfiltered water sample in a clean polyethylene bottle is a suitable preservation method. This procedure is simple, it avoids potentially contaminating sample manipulations and chemical additions, and it adequately preserves the concentrations of nitrate + nitrite, soluble reactive phosphate, and soluble reactive silicate within a single water sample.     

Dynamics of the long-period tides

The long-period tides are a tool for understanding oceanic motions at low frequencies and large scales. Here we review observations and theory of the fortnightly, monthly and pole tide constitutents. Observations have been plagued by low signal-to-noise ratios and theory by the complex lateral geometry and great sensitivity to bottom slopes. A new spectral element model is used to compute the oceanic response to tidal forcing at 2-week and monthly periods. The general response is that of a heavily damped (Q ≈ 5) system with both the energy input from the moon and the dissipation strongly localized in space. The high dissipation result is probably generally applicable to all low frequency barotropic oceanic motions. Over much of the ocean, the response has both the character of a large-scale and a superposed Rossby wave-like character, thus vindicating two apparently conflicting earlier interpretations. To the extent that free waves are excited they are consistent with their being dominated by Rossby and topographic Rossby wave components, although gravity modes are also necessarily excited to some degree. In general, a modal representation is not very helpful. The most active regions are the Southern Ocean and the western and northern North Atlantic. These results are stable to changes in geometry, topography, and tide period. On a global average basis, the dynamical response of Mm is closer to equilibrium than is Mf.     

Microwave emission from a sunspot

From the gyroresonance brightness temperature spectrum of a sunspot, one can determine the magnetic field strength by using the property that microwave brightness is limited above a frequency given by an integer-multiple of the gyrofrequency. In this paper, we use this idea to find the radial distribution of magnetic field at the coronal base of a sunspot in the active region, NOAA 4741. The gyroresonance brightness temperature spectra of this sunspot are obtained from multi-frequency interferometric observations made at the Owens Valley Radio Observatory at 24 frequencies in the range of 4.0–12.4 GHz with spatial resolution 2.2″–6.8″. The main results of present study are summarized as follows: first, by comparison of the coronal magnetic flux deduced from our microwave observation with the photospheric magnetic flux measured by KPNO magnetograms, we show that theo-mode emission must arise predominantly from the second harmonic of the gyrofrequency, while thex-mode arises from the third harmonic. Second, the radial distribution of magnetic fieldsB(r) at the coronal base of this spot (say, 2000–4000 km above the photosphere) can be adequately fitted by $$B(r) = 1420(1 \pm 0.080)\exp \left[ { - \left( {\frac{r}{{11.05''(1 \pm 0.014)}}} \right)^2 } \right]G,$$ wherer is the radial distance from the spot center at coronal base. Third, it is found that coronal magnetic fields originate mostly from the photospheric umbral region. Fourth, although the derived vertical variation of magnetic fields can be approximated roughly by a dipole model with dipole moment 1.6 × 10³⁰ erg G^?1 buried at 11000 km below the photosphere, the radial field distribution at coronal heights is found to be more confined than predicted by the dipole model.     

Bipolar outflows from stars and galaxies as a tornado phenomenon

At an early stage in the lives of stars and galaxies when they are surrounded by discs, vorticity in the disc concentrates into a central vortex, thus converting a Keplerian velocity fieldu _ø r ^–1/2 into an irrotational velocity fieldu _ør ^–1, which implies inward transfer of angular momentum. Centrifugal forces due to spin-up of the inner region and gravity dominant in the outer region then squeeze gas at intermediate layers, increasing pressure gradient in the axial direction sufficiently to drive a wide-angle low-velocity bipolar outflow from the disc. A logarithmic singularity of vorticity at the axis implies strong centrifugal forces which expand plasma to radiusR where pressure gradient balances centrifugal force density of ions; the much weaker centrifugal force density of electrons cannot balance pressure gradient, so that electrons are driven inwards relative to ions until charge separation limits the relative displacement. Now the radial gradient ofu _øcauses ions to rotate at a different rate to electrons, generating an azimuthal current densityj _øwhich is the source of an axial magnetic fieldB _zin the core of the central vortex. Centrifuging carries lines of B to the core wall, where they are wound into helical force-free configuration with B j. An annular channel of radiusR and thickness R into which parallel helical lines ofj andB are compressed constitutes a magnetic vortex tube (MVT). An MVT separates an inner high-velocity highly collimated outflow from the outer low-velocity wide-angle outflow, and is responsible for jets. Magnetic pinches in the MVT may constrict the core flow at HH objects.