Isotope fractionation of neon during stepheating extraction?: a comment on ‘Re‐interpretation of the existence of a primitive plume under Australia based on neon isotope fractionation during step heating’ by Gautheron and Moreira (2003)

Using a Rayleigh distillation fractionation model, we calculate that the maximum isotope fractionation potentially achievable is less than 5% during the early stages of gas release from a sample. Our calculation corrects the erroneous conclusions of Gautheron and Moreira (2003), who re‐interpreted the plume‐like neon isotopic compositions found in metasomatic apatite from a south‐eastern Australian xenolith (Matsumoto et al., 1997) to be the result of Rayleigh‐type isotope fractionation of originally MORB‐type neon during stepheating gas extraction. We stress that the modelling of neon isotopic fractionation by Gautheron and Moreira (2003) is incorrect, and that the finding of a plume‐like neon isotopic composition in the apatite by Matsumoto et al. (1997) remains a quite valid and robust conclusion.     

Mezen Bay—a key area for understanding Weichselian glaciations in northern Russia

Sediment successions in coastal cliffs around Mezen Bay, southeastern White Sea, record an unusually detailed history of former glaciations, interstadial marine and fluvial events from the Weichselian. A regional glaciation model for the Weichselian is based on new data from the Mezen Bay area and previously published data from adjacent areas. Following the Mikulinian (Eemian) interglacial a shelf‐centred glaciation in the Kara Sea is reflected in proglacial conditions at 100–90 ka. A local ice‐cap over the Timan ridge existed between 75 and 65 ka. Renewed glaciation in the Kara Sea spread southwestwards around 60 ka only, interrupted by a marine inundation, before it advanced to its maximum position at about 55–50 ka. After a prolonged ice‐free period, the Scandinavian ice‐sheet invaded the area from the west and terminated east of Mezen Bay about 17 ka. The previously published evidence of a large ice‐dammed lake in the central Arkhangelsk region, Lake Komi, finds no support in this study. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evidence of climatic warming in the southern Urals region derived from borehole temperatures and meteorological data

Thirty borehole temperature–depth profiles in the central and southern Urals, Russia were scrutinized for evidence of ground surface temperature histories. We explored two inversion schemes: a simple ramp inversion in which solutions are parameterized in terms of an onset time and magnitude of change and a more sophisticated functional space inverse algorithm in which the functional form of the solution is left unspecified. To enhance and potentially identify latitudinal differences in the ground surface temperature signal, we subdivided the data into three groups based on geographic proximity and simultaneously inverted the borehole temperature–depth logs. The simultaneous inversions highlighted 13 temperature–depth logs that could not both fit a common ground surface temperature history and a priori models within reasonable bounds. Our results confirm that this is an effective way to reduce site-specific noise from an ensemble of boreholes. Each inversion scheme gives comparable results indicating locally variable warming on the order of 1°C starting between 1800 and 1900 AD. Similarly surface air temperature records from 12 nearby meteorological stations exhibit locally variable warming also on the order of 1°C of warming during the 20th century. To explore the degree to which borehole temperatures and surface air temperature (SAT) time series are responding to the same signal, we average the SAT data into the same three groups and used these averages as a forcing function at the Earth's surface to generate synthetic transient temperature profiles. Root mean square (RMS) misfits between these synthetic temperature profiles and averaged temperature–depth profiles are low, suggesting that first-order curvature in borehole temperatures and variations in SAT records are correlated.     

Growth, interaction and seismogenic potential of coupled active normal faults (Isernia Basin, central-southern Italy)

The inception and growth of the active Carpino-Le Piane Basin Fault System (CLPBFS; central-southern Apennines, Italy) was analysed with respect to the neighbouring Isernia and Surrounding (ISFS) and Boiano Basin (BBFS) extensional Fault Systems. ³⁹Ar–⁴⁰Ar dating showed that the BBFS was already active 649 ± 21 ka bp and that the ISFS was active at least 476 ±10 ka bp , whereas the activity of the CLPBFS started certainly later than 253 ± 22 ka bp , and very probably as recently as <28 ka bp . These ages, combined with structural data (geometry and kinematics of the fault systems), indicate that the inception and development of the CLPBFS could be strictly related to the stress changes caused by earthquakes occurring on the BBFS.     

On the detailed magnetostratigraphy of greigite — (Smythite) mineralization,Sokolov Brown-Coal Basin,bohemia

Summary In the Middle Miocene claystones containing fossil micro-organic matter and overlying the brown-coal seams in the Jii quarry of the Sokolov Brown-Coal Basin, a strongly magnetic layer was found and subjected to detailed palaeomagnetic investigations. The principal carrier of magnetism in this bed (called Kocián's bed) is the ferrimagnetic mineralization of greigite or greigitesmythite showing pronounced metastable properties. This mineralization must be treated with caution during laboratory tests aimed at deriving palaeomagnetic directions. In Kocián's bed, about two metres thick, two zones of palaeomagnetic field transition were identified. The high degree of demagnetization achieved by using thermal stepwise procedures and a MAVACS apparatus enabled the origin of the self-reversal of remanence to be defined after heating to 360°C. The process of chemo-remanent magnetization of the authigenic greigite-(smythite) mineralization fossilizing the palaeomagnetic field was relatively fast; the transition of the palaeomagnetic field is recorded in layers not exceeding a thickness of 2 × 10^–2 m.Presented at 2nd conference on New Trends in Geomagnetism, Castle of Bechyn, Czechoslovakia, September 24–29, 1990.     

The development, present significance and future prospects of socialist agricultural enterprises in Slovenia

An important state sector developed in Slovenian agriculture under communism and although it accounted for a less than a tenth of the agricultural area it assumed a major role in supplying food to the urban markets; also in providing raw material to the food processing industry and for exporting. In the context of the transition to a market economy legislation has been enacted that provides for denationalisation and the restructuring of enterprises. This threatens the survival of the state sector and creates problems for the food market because the private farmers are not yet well-organised to provide an alternative supply. The government is committed by the legislation already passed but is anxious to avoid marketing problems.     

Détection des cavités à l'aide de mesures électriques et du géoradar dans une galerie d'amenée d'eau

Old water-delivery tunnels can become leaky and produce water losses of some economic importance. The detection of solution cavities behind the concrete lining was the purpose of an investigation in a 2 km long part of a water-delivery tunnel in Switzerland. A gypsum zone of about 700 m length was considered to be especially critical. Two geophysical methods were used at the same time: resistivity profiling with three different array lengths, and ground-penetrating radar. The cavities were characterized by higher electrical resistivity, principally for the short array (AB = 3 m). Detailed measurements with a pole-dipole array were made for a better depth interpretation of anomalies in some critical zones. The GPR investigations were made with an antenna of 500 MHz. Some transverse profiles were carried out with GPR in order to better delineate the discovered cavernous or weathered zones. GPR located cavities up to a few meters in length, at depths between 0 and 4 m behind the lining. Anomalies found by one investigation method were often confirmed by the other one. Their complementarity thus allowed a more reliable interpretation of the gathered data. Verifying drillholes have mostly confirmed the good correlation between geophysical interpretation and drilling results. Endoscopic investigations in the drillholes enabled us to have a real vision of discovered cavities.Although GPR-profiling has the advantage of a continuous underground imaging and of greater efficiency during data acquisition (investigation speed) we consider the combination of both methods in the present study as a good example of an integrated geophysical survey, which enables a more reliable interpretation of the gathered data.

Résumé

Les galeries d'amenée d'eau d'un certain âge peuvent poser des problèmes à cause de pertes d'eau parfois importantes. L'objectif de cette étude a été la mise en évidence et le positionnement de cavités derrière le revêtement d'une galerie en Suisse, sur une longueur de 2 km. Une zone de gypse longue de 700 m était considérée comme particulièrement critique. Deux méthodes géophysiques ont été conjointement utilisées: le traîné électrique multiple avec trois longueurs de ligne d'envoi de courant et le géoradar. Les cavités, caractérisées par des résistivités élevées, ont surtout été mises en évidence par le dispositif le plus court (AB = 3 m). Des mesures de détail ont été réalisées dans les zones critiques avec un dispositif pôle-dipôle en vue d'une meilleure interprétation des anomalies en profondeur. Les mesures de géoradar ont été exécutées avec une antenne de 500 MHz. Quelques profils transversaux ont été effectués pour vérifier l'extension des zones d'altérations ou des cavités. Le géoradar a pu localiser des cavités mesurant jusqu'à plusieurs mètres en longueur à des profondeurs variant entre 0 et 4 m derrière le revêtement de la galerie. Les anomalies décelées par une méthode ont souvent pu être confirmées par l'autre et leur complémentarité a permis une interprétation plus sûre. Des forages carottés ont montré une bonne corrélation entre les anomalies géophysiques et la réalité. Des mesures de fibroscopie dans les forages nous ont permis de déterminer la géométrie des cavités.Le géoradar possède des avantages certains: imagerie continue du massif rocheux et grande rapidité dans l'acquisition des données. Néanmoins, nous considérons la combinaison des deux méthodes utilisées dans cette étude comme le bon exemple d'une investigation géophysique combinée permettant une interprétation optimale de tous les résultats.     

Magnetic properties,self-reversal remanence and thermal alteration products of smythite

Summary This study is a follow up of the investigation of some magnetic properties and metastability of greigite in samples obtained from Miocene claystones in the Kruné hory (Erzgebirge) Piedmont basins (Bohemia). Three different methods of upgrading the smythite were applied; the magnetic properties of the concentrates are compared. The thermal conversion of smythite sets in at 200°C while greigite converts at 250°C. The first intermediate products to be formed are iron sulphides, marcasite clearly dominating over pyrite and pyrrhotite. Apart from a Fe³⁺ sulphate with a composition of Fe₂(SO₄)₃, oxidation of these sulphides gives rise to -Fe₂O₃. The result of the subsequent decomposition of the mentioned sulphate is the formation of -Fe₂O₃, which retains the sulphate structure. The final product of the thermal decomposition at 800°C is -Fe₂O₃. In the smythite concentrate the conversion to Fe³⁺ sulphate and -Fe₂O₃ is about twice as intensive as in greigite. No direct conversion to -Fe₂O₃ was found. During the thermal process self-reversals of remanence were observed, in various samples as many as four reversals in the temperature interval from 340 to 590°C. The occurrences of self-reversals of remanence were only observed at high degrees of thermal demagnetization, of the order of 10^–2 down to 10^–3 in the temperature interval of sulphide origin (below 400°C), and of the order of 10^–4 down to 10^–6 in the temperature interval of Fe-oxides origin (above 400°C).Presented at the 3rd Conference on New Trends in Geomagnetism, Castle of Smolenice, Czechoslovakia, June 22–29, 1992