Mineralogical characterization of a unique material having heavy oxygen isotope anomaly in matrix of the primitive carbonaceous chondrite Acfer 094

We report the mineral compositions and micro-texture of the isotopically anomalous (δ^17,18O_SMOW ∼ +180‰) Fe-S-Ni-O material recently discovered in matrix of the primitive carbonaceous chondrite Acfer 094 [Sakamoto N., Seto Y., Itoh S., Kuramoto K., Fujino K., Nagashima K., Krot A. N. and Yurimoto H. (2007) Oxygen isotope evidence for remnants of the early solar system primordial water. Science317, 231-233]. Synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy studies indicate that this material consists of the symplectitically intergrown magnetite (Fe₃O₄) and pentlandite (Fe_5.7Ni_3.3S₈) with magnetite/pentlandite volume ratio of ∼2.3. Magnetite forms column-shaped grains (10-30 nm in diameter and 100-200 nm in length); pentlandite occurs as worm-shaped grains or aggregates of grains 100-300 nm in size between magnetite crystals. Although both the X-ray diffraction and electron energy loss spectra support identification of iron oxide as magnetite, the electron diffraction patterns show that magnetite has a weak 3-fold superstructure, possibly due to ordering of vacancies. We infer that the isotopically anomalous symplectite formed by sulfurization and oxidization of metal grains either in the solar nebula or on an icy planetesimal. The intersite cation distribution of pentlandite suggests that timescale of oxidation was no longer than 1000 years.     

Dynamics and control of a towed underwater vehicle system, part I: model development

Autonomous vehicles are being developed to replace the conventional, manned surface vehicles that tow mine hunting towed platforms. While a wide body of work exists that describes numerical models of towed systems, they usually include relatively simple models of the towed bodies and neglect the dynamics of the towing vehicle. For systems in which the mass of the towing vehicle is comparable to that of the towed vehicle, it becomes important to consider the dynamics of both vehicles. In this work, we describe the development of a numerical model that accurately captures the dynamics of these new mine hunting systems. We use a lumped mass approximation for the towcable and couple this model to non-linear numerical models of an autonomous surface vehicle and an actively controlled towfish. Within the dynamics models of the two vehicles, we include non-linear controllers to allow accurate maneuvering of the towed system.     

Infrared polarization of venus: Its periodic fluctuations and evidence for thin haze

Infrared polarimetry of Venus over the phase angles from 18 to 171° has been made extending previous measurements (S. Sato, K. Kawara, Y. Kobayashi, H. Okuda, K. Noguchi, T. Mukai, and S. Mukai (1980). Icarus43, 288) in both wavelength λ and phase angle θ. The results of polarization measurements at 2.25 μm ? λ ? 5.0 μm are (i) small positive and negative values at K(2.25 μm), (ii) a remarkable variation with λ in the CVF(2.2?4.2μm) filter region, (iii) a nearly smooth curve as a function of θ having a peak value of ～36% at θ ～ 90° at both 3.6 μm and L′(3.8 μm), and (iv) a decrease with increasing field of view at M(5.0 μm) due to the contamination of thermal emission from the dark crescent. Furthermore, at 3.6 μm and L′(3.8 μm), (v) higher values at the poles than at the equator and (vi) 4.5- to 5.9-day periodic fluctuations are also found. From a comparison with model calculations, the results confirm the existence of a thin haze layer consisting of submicron-size particles above the main clouds of Venus; e.g., its optical thickness is about 0.1 at λ ～ 0.94 μm. In addition, result (vi) could be explained by a variation of the optical thickness of the haze layer or that of the brightness temperature of the main clouds.     

Decarbonation reaction of magnesite in subducting slabs at the lower mantle

High-pressure and temperature experiments (28–62 GPa, and 1,490–2,000 K, corresponding to approximately 770–1,500 km depth in the mantle) have been conducted on a MgCO₃ + SiO₂ mixture using a laser-heated diamond anvil cell combined with analytical transmission electron microscope observation of the product phases to constrain the fate of carbonates carried on the subducting basalt into the lower mantle. At these conditions, the decarbonation reaction MgCO₃ (magnesite) + SiO₂ (stishovite) → MgSiO₃ (perovskite) + CO₂ (solid) has been recognized. This indicates that above reaction takes place as a candidate for decarbonation of the carbonated subducting mid ocean ridge basalts in the Earth’s lower mantle.     

Neural dynamic modelling on earthquake magnitude series

Earthquake magnitude prediction is of vital importance for human safety. The earthquake is a very complicated and non-linear dynamic process. It cannot be described adequately by any deterministic models. In this paper a neural dynamic modelling for earthquake magnitude prediction is reported. Historical records of earthquake magnitude series are used to construct the optimal non-linear dynamic model, and the consequent outcome of the earthquake behaviour is then predicted by this model. In turn, the latest recorded data set can be fed back to improve the accuracy of the neural dynamic model. The modelling of experiments of three earthquake magnitude series in China and Japan and their extrapolated predictions are included in this paper. The values predicted by extrapolation are in good agreement with the historical data.     

Polymetallic Mineralization at the Suttsu Vein-type Deposit, Southwestern Hokkaido, Japan

Abstract. The Suttsu polymetallic vein-type deposit, hosted by tuff, tuff breccia and shale of the Miocene Kunnui Formation and propylitized hornblende-augite andesite, is located in southwestern Hokkaido, Japan. It has been exploited and explored for Cu, Pb, Zn and Ag until 1962.
In this study, we examined K-Ar ages, ore mineralogical characteristics and fluid inclusions to obtain new data for the deposit.
The K-Ar ages on sericite indicate that the polymetallic mineralization occurred in Late Miocene (8.1–5.7 Ma). The polymetallic banded ore from the Ohkubo vein is characterized by an abundance of Au, Ag, Sn, Bi, in, Se and Te. These metals are mainly ascribed to electrum (30.3–37.8 atom% Ag), Se-bearing pavonite (8.5–9.5 wt% Se), gustavite-lillianite solid solution, Se-bearing bismuthinite (5.0–5.3 wt% Se), kawazulite, cassiterite, Sn-bearing chalcopyrite (3.3–4.2 wt% Sn), In-bearing stannite, stannite-chalcopyrite solid solution, and In- and Sn-bearing sphalerite (2.6–8.4 wt% In and 1.8–4.3 wt% Sn), occurring in narrow bands of the ore. The In- and Sn-bearing sphalerite likely forms a sphalerite-roquesite-stannite solid solution with the contents of roquesite and stannite being about 2–9 and 2-A mole%, respectively. Temperatures and salinities (in wt% NaCl equiv.) of the ore fluids are estimated to be 180-250C and 3–4 wt%, respectively. The Sn-bearing chalcopyrite therefore probably precipitated metastably. The geologic and mineralogical features suggest that pre-Tertiary basement rocks rich in organic material underlie the Miocene Kunnui Formation nearby the deposit and that they contributed to local and temporary reduction of magnetite-series magmas favorable for the early stage tin-polymetallic mineralization.     

“探宝号”船可变阵列震源的实现及应用

2001年，广州海洋地质调查局对“探宝号”船原有震源更新升级为阵列可变的BOLT震源系统。随着更新改造工程的成功，该船已成为具备承担高分辨率、常规、低频深水油气地震勘探的多功能地震调查船。本文介绍了地震勘探震源的基本工作原理以及三种阵列的分布、波形、频谱等特性。     

双船双方位角地震探测技术方法及应用效果

南海东沙海域的陆坡台地区, 浅表断裂及生物礁发育众多, 浅层新生界多为碳酸盐岩层, 中深层的中生界内部构造复杂, 断裂较多, 常规单船窄方位地震剖面显示中深层反射品质较差。利用双船可以设计灵活的观测系统, 形成双方位角地震探测方式, 对于地下同一反射点的照明, 可以获得比窄方位角探测更好的效果, 也可以改善高速屏蔽层下方、高陡倾角斜层等区域的成像质量。文章通过重点技术的攻关研发, 进行了单源激发、双缆接收的双方位角采集试验, 成功实现该方法在南海海域中深层地震勘探中的应用。