First U–Pb SHRIMP age of the Hauterivian stage, Neuquén Basin, Argentina

A high-resolution ion-microprobe (SHRIMP) U–Pb zircon age from a tuff layer intercalated in the ammonoid bearing sedimentary succession of the Neuquén Basin in Argentina provides a robust geochronologic date to add to the absolute ages and to improve the relative chronology of the Early Cretaceous Hauterivian stage. The tuff layer appears interbedded between shales of the upper member (Agua de la Mula) of the Agrio Formation within the Spitidiscus riccardii ammonoid zone (base of the Late Hauterivian) yielding a date of 132.5 ± 1.3 Ma. This date confirms and supports an accurate correlation between the ammonoid biostratigraphy of the Neuquén Basin with the Western Mediterranean Province of the Tethys during the Early Cretaceous and matches with the most recently published time scale. It also casts doubts on the validity of K–Ar ages on glauconite-grains recently reported from the Lower Cretaceous of the Vocontian Basin of France.     

Longitudinal strength of a high-speed ferry

The longitudinal strength of the high-speed ferry was investigated by subjecting the ship's hull girder to long-term loads obtained from a frequency-domain panel code. Prior to the statistical analysis, linearly computed transfer functions were corrected for nonlinear effects, yielding two sets of transfer functions valid for different wave amplitudes. One set corresponded to the hogging condition; the other set, to the sagging condition. Two regular equivalent design waves were specified that resulted in loads representing the most severe global design load conditions. The still-water loading condition, yielding a still-water vertical bending moment in hogging, was superimposed on the wave-induced loads to obtain the total (design) loads in hogging. For the sagging condition only, additional impact-related loads were superimposed to obtain the total (design) loads in sagging. A finite element model of the ship's structure was subjected to pressure distributions according to the two regular design waves. For comparison with classification society rule values, a simple beam theory strength analysis of the ship's midship section was performed first, and then another finite element analysis was carried out, whereby the imposed loads were tuned to the rule values of vertical bending moments. Rule-based magnitudes of nominal maximum longitudinal stress deviated significantly (25–39%) from comparable stresses obtained by the panel code based finite element analysis. However, stresses obtained from the rule-based finite element analysis agreed more favorably, especially in hogging. In the uppermost deck, for example, the panel code based compressive stress was only 9% larger than the comparable stress from the rule-based finite element analysis.     

Factors affecting spatial and temporal variability in material exchange between the Southern Everglades wetlands and Florida Bay (USA)

Physical and biological processes controlling spatial and temporal variations in material concentration and exchange between the Southern Everglades wetlands and Florida Bay were studied for 2.5 years in three of the five major creek systems draining the watershed. Daily total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) fluxes were measured for 2 years in Taylor River, and ten 10-day intensive studies were conducted in this creek to estimate the seasonal flux of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), total organic carbon (TOC), and suspended matter. Four 10-day studies were conducted simultaneously in Taylor, McCormick, and Trout Creeks to study the spatial variation in concentration and flux. The annual fluxes of TOC, TN, and TP from the Southern Everglades were estimated from regression equations. The Southern Everglades watershed, a 460-km² area that includes Taylor Slough and the area south of the C-111 canal, exported 7.1 g C m⁻², 0.46 g N m⁻², and 0.007 g P m⁻², annually. Everglades P flux is three to four orders of magnitude lower than published flux estimates from wetlands influenced by terrigenous sedimentary inputs. These low P flux values reflect both the inherently low P content of Everglades surface water and the efficiency of Everglades carbonate sediments and biota in conserving and recycling this limiting nutrient. The seasonal variation of freshwater input to the watershed was responsible for major temporal variations in N, P, and C export to Florida Bay; approximately 99% of the export occurred during the rainy season. Wind-driven forcing was most important during the later stages of the dry season when low freshwater head coincided with southerly winds, resulting in a net import of water and materials into the wetlands. We also observed an east to west decrease in TN:TP ratio from 212:1 to 127:1. Major spatial gradients in N:P ratios and nutrient concentration and flux among the creek were consistent with the westward decrease in surface water runoff from the P-limited Everglades and increased advection of relatively P-rich Gulf of Mexico (GOM) waters into Florida Bay. Comparison of measured nutrient flux from Everglades surface water inputs from this study with published estimates of other sources of nutrients to Florida Bay (i.e. atmospheric deposition, anthropogenic inputs from the Florida Keys, advection from the GOM) show that Everglades runoff represents only 2% of N inputs and 0.5% of P input to Florida Bay.     

A Comparison of Benzene and Toluene Plume Lengths for Sites Contaminated with Regular vs. Ethanol-Amended Gasoline

This article describes various statistical analyses of plume-length data to evaluate the hypothesis that the presence of ethanol in gasoline may hinder the natural attenuation of hydrocarbon releases. Plume dimensions were determined for gasoline-contaminated sites to evaluate the effect of ethanol on benzene and toluene plume lengths. Data from 217 sites in Iowa (without ethanol; set 1) were compared to data from 29 sites in Kansas that were contaminated by ethanol-amended gasoline (10% ethanol by volume; set 2). The data were log-normally distributed, with mean benzene plume lengths (± standard deviation) of 193 ± 135 feet for set 1 and 263 ± 103 feet for set 2 (36% longer). The median lengths were 156 feet and 263 feet (69% longer), respectively. Mean toluene plume lengths were 185± 131 feet for set 1 and 211 ±99 feet for set 2 (14% longer), and the median lengths were 158 feet and 219 feet (39% longer), respectively. Thus, ethanol-containing BTEX plumes were significantly longer for benzene (p < 0.05), but not for toluene. A Wilcoxon signed rank test showed that toluene plumes were generally shorter than benzene plumes, which suggests that toluene was attenuated to a greater extent than benzene. This trend was more pronounced for set 2 (with ethanol), which may reflect that benzene attenuation is more sensitive to the depletion of electron acceptors caused by ethanol degradation. These results support the hypothesis that the presence of ethanol in gasoline can lead to longer benzene plumes. The importance of this effect, however, is probably site-specific, largely depending on the release scenario and the available electron acceptor pool.     

Generation of a crust-mantle magma mixture: magma sources and contamination at Cerro Panizos,central Andes

 Cerro Panizos, a large caldera in the central Andes Mountains, produced two large dacitic ignimbrites at 7.9 Ma and 6.7 Ma and many andesitic and dacitic lava flows and domes. The older rhyodacitic Cienago Ignimbrite represents the most silicic magma erupted by the system. The younger, much larger volume dacitic Cerro Panizos Ignimbrite is very crystal-rich, containing up to 50% biotite, plagioclase, and quartz crystals in the pumice. It is weakly zoned, with most of the zoning apparent between two main cooling units. Major and most trace elements show little variation through the Cerro Panizos Ignimbrite, but the small range of composition is consistent with typical fractionation trends. Sr, Nd, and Pb isotopic ratios are very “crustal”, with initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr values of 0.711 to 0.715, ɛ_Nd values of –7.5 to –10.2, and nearly invariant Pb isotopic ratios (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb=18.85, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb=15.67, and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb=38.80). The limited zonation observed in the Cerro Panizos Ignimbrite is explained by impeded crystal settling due to high crystal content. The magma body was a crystal-liquid mush before ascent to the pre-eruption crustal levels. Crystals formed, but did not separate easily from the magma. Limited fractionation of plagioclase and biotite may have occurred, but the composition was largely controlled by lower crustal MASH processes. AFC modeling shows that the Cerro Panizos magmas resulted from a mixture of roughly equal proportions of late Miocene mantle-derived basalts and melts from ∼1.0 Ga (Grenville age) lower crust. This occurred in a MASH zone in the lower crust, and set the crustal isotopic ratios observed in the Cerro Panizos magmas. The great thickening of the crust beneath the central Andes Mountains sent upper and middle crustal rock types to lower crustal (and deeper) depths, and this explains the “upper crustal” isotopic signatures of the Cerro Panizos rocks. Minor upper crustal assimilation of early Miocene volcanic or subvolcanic rocks produced much of the isotopic variation seen in the system. The nearly invariant high Pb isotopic values and high Pb concentrations indicate that Pb came almost entirely from the crustal source, and was little altered by any subsequent upper crustal assimilation. This Pb signature is isotopically similar to that of the southern Bolivian Tin Belt, suggesting a widely distributed Pb source. The great difference between compositions of Miocene and Quaternary central Andean volcanic rocks is explained by crustal thickening in early Miocene time leading to abundant lower crustal water and associated fluxed melting during the time of the earlier eruptions. The lower crust dried out considerably by Quaternary time, so less crustal component is present. Received: 22 December 1994 / Accepted: 13 September 1995     

Age and tectonostratigraphic significance of the Upper Carboniferous series in the basement of the Andean Frontal Cordillera: Geodynamic implications

The age and tectonosedimentary environment of the Palaeozoic sediments on the Frontal Cordillera is not well known and earlier studies have been unable to satisfactorily explain the geological history of the basement of the Andes.In the vicinity of the old Castaño Viejo mine crop out various levels of partially metamorphosed microbialite limestones, which alternate with thin marly–lutitic interstrata. These levels contain abundant palynomorph remains, which allow the series to be dated as Silurian–Devonian. These data, together with the presence of warm climate fossils, lend support to the hypothesis of a major allochtony of the Chilenia Terrane (of which the Frontal Cordillera formed part), relative to the Cuyania Terrane (which included the Precordillera), prior to their amalgamation.Upper Carboniferous palynomorphs found during this study occur in association with resedimented palynomorphs and chitinozoa, of possible Devonian age. This demonstrates the equivalence of both fossiliferous series and their location within the upper part of the Upper Carboniferous Agua Negra Fm. The Silurian–Devonian elements, deformed during a phase prior to the Gondwanic orogeny, were eroded and transported to the foreland basin during the Upper Carboniferous.The palynomorph associations found in all samples correspond to the Ancistrospora palynological zone and to the Raistrickia densa–Convolutispora muriornata Biozone, which are indicative of Upper Carboniferous times. Characteristic forms such as Ancistrospora verrucosa and C. muriornata, both indicative of an Upper Carboniferous age, were found in samples from the Castaño Viejo area.Earlier interpretations of the Frontal Cordillera attributing the sedimentation to a palaeo-latitude at some distance from Gondwana, were based on the presence of Silurian–Devonian hot water stromatolithic limestones. Our results suggest that Cuyania and Chilenia were not necessarily separated by a great distance before their amalgamation. This in turn means that a large ocean was not necessarily consumed in the process.