Manganese and iron distributions off central California influenced by upwelling and shelf width

In July 2002, a combination of underway mapping and discrete profiles revealed significant along-shore variability in the concentrations of manganese and iron in the vicinity of Monterey Bay, California. Both metals had lower concentrations in surface waters south of Monterey Bay, where the shelf is about 2.5 km wide, than north of Monterey Bay, where the shelf is about 10 km wide. During non-upwelling conditions over the northern broad shelf, dissolvable iron concentrations measured underway in surface waters reached 3.5 nmol L⁻¹ and dissolved manganese reached 25 nmol L⁻¹. In contrast, during non-upwelling conditions over the southern narrow shelf, dissolvable iron concentrations in surface waters were less than 1 nmol L⁻¹ and dissolved manganese concentrations were less than 5 nmol L⁻¹. A pair of vertical profiles at 1000 m water depth collected during an upwelling event showed dissolved manganese concentrations of 10 decreasing to 2 nmol L⁻¹, and dissolvable iron concentrations of 12–20 nmol L⁻¹ in the upper 100 m in the north, compared to 3.5–2 nmol L⁻¹ Mn and 0.6 nmol L⁻¹ Fe in the upper 100 m in the south, suggesting the effect of shelf width influences the chemistry of waters beyond the shelf.These observations are consistent with current understanding of the mechanism of iron supply to coastal upwelling systems: Iron from shelf sediments, predominantly associated with particles greater than 20 μm, is brought to the surface during upwelling conditions. We hypothesize that manganese oxides are brought to the surface with upwelling and are then reduced to dissolved manganese, perhaps by photoreduction, following a lag after upwelling.Greater phytoplankton biomass, primary productivity, and nutrient drawdown were observed over the broad shelf, consistent with the greater supply of iron. Incubation experiments conducted 20 km offshore in both regions, during a period of wind relaxation, confirm the potential of these sites to become limited by iron. There was no additional growth response when copper, manganese or cobalt was added in addition to iron. The growth response of surface water incubated with bottom sediment (4 nmol L⁻¹ dissolvable Fe) was slightly greater than in control incubations, but less than in the presence of 4 nmol L⁻¹ dissolved iron. This may indicate that dissolvable iron is not as bioavailable as dissolved iron, although the influence of additional inhibitory elements in the sediment cannot be ruled out.     

Regolith depth growth on an icy body orbiting Saturn and evolution of bidirectional reflectance due to surface composition changes

Using a Markov chain model, we consider the regolith growth on a small body in orbit around Saturn, subject to meteoritic bombardment, and assuming all impact ejecta are re-collected. We calculate the growth of regolith and the fractional pollution, assuming an initial pure ice body and amorphous carbon as a pollutant. We extend the meteorite flux of Cuzzi and Estrada (Cuzzi, J., Estrada, P. [1998]. Icarus 132, 1-35) to larger sizes to consider the effect of disruption of the moonlet on other moonlets in the ensemble. This is a relatively small effect, completely negligible for moonlets of 1 m radius. For the given impact model, fractional pollution reaches 22% for 1 m bodies, but only 3% for 10 m bodies, 1.7% for 20 m bodies, and 1% for 30 m bodies after 4 byr. By considering an ensemble of moonlets, which have identical cross-sections for releasing and capturing ejecta, this analysis can be extended to a model of particles in Saturn’s rings, where the calculated spectra can be compared to observed ring spectra. The measured spectral reflectance of Saturn’s rings from Cassini observations therefore constrains the size and age of the ring particles. The comparison between 1 m, 10 m, 20 m, and 30 m particles confirms that for larger ring mass, the current rings would be less polluted; for the largest particles, we expect negligible changes in the UV spectrum after 4 byr of meteoritic bombardment. We consider two end members for mixing of the meteoritic material: areal and intimate. Given the uncertainties in the actual mixing of the meteoritic infall and in its composition (as a worst case, we assume the meteoritic material is 100% amorphous carbon, intimately mixed) initially pure ice 30 m ring particles would darken after 4 byr of exposure by 15%.     

Mineralogy and thermal properties of V-type Asteroid 956 Elisa: Evidence for diogenitic material from the Spitzer IRS (5-35 μm) spectrum

We present the thermal infrared (5-35 μm) spectrum of 956 Elisa as measured by the Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph (“IRS”; Houck, J.R. et al. [2004]. Astrophys. J. Suppl. 154, 18-24) together with new groundbased lightcurve data and near-IR spectra. From the visible lightcurve photometry, we determine a rotation period of 16.494 ± 0.001 h, identify the rotational phase of the Spitzer observations, and estimate the visible absolute magnitude (H_V) at that rotational phase to be 12.58 ± 0.04. From radiometric analysis of the thermal flux spectrum, we find that at the time of observation 956 Elisa had a projected radius of 5.3 ± 0.4 km with a visible albedo p_V = 0.142 ± 0.022, significantly lower than that of the prototype V-type asteroid, 4 Vesta. (This corresponds to a radius of 5.2 ± 0.4 km at lightcurve mean.) Analysis with the standard thermal model (STM) results in a sub-solar temperature of 292.3 ±  2.8 K and beaming parameter η = 1.16 ± 0.05. Thermophysical modeling places a lower limit of on the thermal inertia of the asteroid’s surface layer (if the surface is very smooth) but more likely values fall between 30 and depending on the sense of rotation.The emissivity spectrum, calculated by dividing the measured thermal flux spectrum by the modeled thermal continuum, exhibits mineralogically interpretable spectral features within the 9-12 μm reststrahlen band, the 15-16.5 μm Si-O-Si stretching region, and the 16-25 μm reststrahlen region that are consistent with pyroxene of diogenitic composition: extant diogenitic pyroxenes fall within the narrow compositional range Wo_2±1En_74±2Fs_24±1. Spectral deconvolution of the 9-12 μm reststrahlen features indicates that up to ≈20% olivine may also be present, suggesting an olivine-diogenite-like mineralogy. The mid-IR spectrum is inconsistent with non-cumulate eucrite as the major component on the surface of 956 Elisa, although cumulate eucrite material may be present at abundances lower than that of the diogenite component.Analysis of new near-IR spectra of 956 Elisa with the Modified Gaussian Model (MGM; Sunshine, J.M., Pieters, C.M., Pratt, S.F. [1990]. J. Geophys. Res. 95 (May), 6955-6966) results in two pyroxene compositions: 75% magnesian low-Ca pyroxene and 25% high-Ca pyroxene. High-Ca pyroxene is not evident in the mid-IR data, but may belong to a component that is underrepresented in the mid-IR spectrum either because of its spatial distribution on the asteroid or because of its particle size. High-Ca pyroxenes that occur as exsolution lamellae may also be more evident spectrally in the NIR than in the mid-IR. In any case, we find that the mid-IR spectrum of 956 Elisa is dominated by emission from material of diogenite-like composition, which has very rarely been observed among asteroids.     

Carbonaceous chondrites as analogs for the composition and alteration of Ceres

The mineralogy and geochemistry of Ceres, as constrained by Dawn's instruments, are broadly consistent with a carbonaceous chondrite (CM/CI) bulk composition. Differences explainable by Ceres’s more advanced alteration include the formation of Mg‐rich serpentine and ammoniated clay; a greater proportion of carbonate and lesser organic matter; amounts of magnetite, sulfide, and carbon that could act as spectral darkening agents; and partial fractionation of water ice and silicates in the interior and regolith. Ceres is not spectrally unique, but is similar to a few other C‐class asteroids, which may also have suffered extensive alteration. All these bodies are among the largest carbonaceous chondrite asteroids, and they orbit in the same part of the Main Belt. Thus, the degree of alteration is apparently related to the size of the body. Although the ammonia now incorporated into clay likely condensed in the outer nebula, we cannot presently determine whether Ceres itself formed in the outer solar system and migrated inward or was assembled within the Main Belt, along with other carbonaceous chondrite bodies.     

An analysis of Apollo lunar soil samples 12070,889, 12030,187, and 12070,891: Basaltic diversity at the Apollo 12 landing site and implications for classification of small‐sized lunar samples

Lunar mare basalts provide insights into the compositional diversity of the Moon's interior. Basalt fragments from the lunar regolith can potentially sample lava flows from regions of the Moon not previously visited, thus, increasing our understanding of lunar geological evolution. As part of a study of basaltic diversity at the Apollo 12 landing site, detailed petrological and geochemical data are provided here for 13 basaltic chips. In addition to bulk chemistry, we have analyzed the major, minor, and trace element chemistry of mineral phases which highlight differences between basalt groups. Where samples contain olivine, the equilibrium parent melt magnesium number (Mg#; atomic Mg/[Mg + Fe]) can be calculated to estimate parent melt composition. Ilmenite and plagioclase chemistry can also determine differences between basalt groups. We conclude that samples of approximately 1–2 mm in size can be categorized provided that appropriate mineral phases (olivine, plagioclase, and ilmenite) are present. Where samples are fine‐grained (grain size <0.3 mm), a “paired samples t‐test” can provide a statistical comparison between a particular sample and known lunar basalts. Of the fragments analyzed here, three are found to belong to each of the previously identified olivine and ilmenite basalt suites, four to the pigeonite basalt suite, one is an olivine cumulate, and two could not be categorized because of their coarse grain sizes and lack of appropriate mineral phases. Our approach introduces methods that can be used to investigate small sample sizes (i.e., fines) from future sample return missions to investigate lava flow diversity and petrological significance.     

Identifying hot spots of security vulnerability associated with climate change in Africa

Given its high dependence on rainfed agriculture and its comparatively low adaptive capacity, Africa is frequently invoked as especially vulnerable to climate change. Within Africa, there is likely to be considerable variation in vulnerability to climate change both between and within countries. This paper seeks to advance the agenda of identifying the hot spots of what we term “climate security” vulnerability, areas where the confluence of vulnerabilities could put large numbers of people at risk of death from climate-related hazards. This article blends the expertise of social scientists and climate scientists. It builds on a model of composite vulnerability that incorporates four “baskets” or processes that are thought to contribute to vulnerability including: (1) physical exposure, (2) population density, (3) household and community resilience, and (4) governance and political violence. Whereas previous iterations of the model relied on historical physical exposure data of natural hazards, this paper uses results from regional model simulations of African climate in the late 20th century and mid-21st century to develop measures of extreme weather events—dry days, heat wave events, and heavy rainfall days—coupled with an indicator of low-lying coastal elevation. For the late 20th century, this mapping process reveals the most vulnerable areas are concentrated in Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Somalia, Sudan, and South Sudan, with pockets in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Guinea, Mauritania, and Sierra Leone. The mid 21st century projection shows more extensive vulnerability throughout the Sahel, including Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, northern Nigeria, Niger, and across Sudan.     

On the effect of compaction on the progression of concentrated leaks in cohesive soils

Acta Geotechnica - The purpose of this study is to conduct hole erosion tests (HETs) to better understand the progression of concentrated leaks in compacted soils. While samples with high levels of...     

Combating piracy and armed robbery in Asia: The ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC)

The Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) Information Sharing Centre (ISC) is an international organisation that comprises 14 member countries in the region. Despite its many advantages, the ISC has some weaknesses, which when addressed could bring regional cooperation to a new level and which could make the ISC a model for other regions.     

Divergent trends in ecosystem services under different climate-management futures in a fire-prone forest landscape

While ecosystem services and climate change are often examined independently, quantitative assessments integrating these fields are needed to inform future land management decisions. Using climate-informed state-and-transition simulations, we examined projected trends and tradeoffs for a suite of ecosystem services under four climate change scenarios and two management scenarios (active management emphasizing fuel treatments and no management other than fire suppression) in a fire-prone landscape of dry and moist mixed-conifer forests in central Oregon, USA. Focal ecosystem services included fire potential (regulating service), timber volume (provisioning service), and potential wildlife habitat (supporting service). Projections without climate change suggested active management in dry mixed-conifer forests would create more open forest structures, reduce crown fire potential, and maintain timber stocks, while in moist mixed-conifer forests, active management would reduce crown fire potential but at the expense of timber stocks. When climate change was considered, however, trends in most ecosystem services changed substantially, with large increases in wildfire area predominating broad-scale trends in outputs, regardless of management approach (e.g., strong declines in timber stocks and habitat for closed-forest wildlife species). Active management still had an influence under a changing climate, but as a moderator of the strong climate-driven trends rather than being a principal driver of ecosystem service outputs. These results suggest projections of future ecosystem services that do not consider climate change may result in unrealistic expectations of benefits.     

Rb‐Sr geochronology and Sr isotopic composition of Devonian granitoids,eastern Tasmania

Biotite igneous ages and well‐defined isochron ages of plutons from the composite Blue Tier Batholith and the Coles Bay area in northeastern Tasmania range from 395 to 370 Ma. The older limit of this range, for the George River granodiorite, is considerably older than any age previously recorded for NE Tasmania. The ages of the youngest plutons (Mt Paris and Anchor granites), which host cassiterite ores, record pervasive hydrothermal alteration events. The initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁰Sr ratios of the granitoids range from 0.7061 to 0.7136 and suggest different protolith compositions, consistent with mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of each pluton. The S‐type garnetbiotite granites (Ansons Bay and Booby alia granites) have initial ratios greater than 0.7119, indicative of enriched, high Rb/Sr ratio, crustal source‐rocks of Proterozoic age (1700–800 Ma). The S‐type biotite granites (Poimena and Pearson granites) have relatively high initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (0.7070, 0.7105) but overlap with those of the I‐type granodiorites (George River, Scamander Tier, Pyengana and Coles Bay granodiorites) which are in the range of 0.7061 to 0.7073. The initial ratios of the enriched altered plutons are poorly constrained, and on both hand‐specimen and thin‐section scales, reveal open‐system Sr isotopic patterns.

Isochron ages for the arenite‐lutite and lutite sedimentary associations of the Mathinna Beds, which are intruded by the granitoids, reflect an approach to Sr isotopic equilibrium during regional metamorphism. The metamorphic age (401 ± 7 Ma) of the early Pragian arenite‐lutite association indicates a relatively small time interval between deposition, regional metamorphism and granitoid intrusion. The isotopic age for the lutite sedimentary association (423 ± 22 Ma) is tentatively correlated with a Benambran‐age burial metamorphic event that has not previously been recorded in Tasmania.