Petrology of gedrite-bearing rocks in mid-crustal ductile shear zones from the Eastern Ghats Belt, India

A suite of metapelitic, basic and quartzofeldspathic rocks intruded by enderbitic gneiss from the southernmost tip of the Eastern Ghats Belt, India, and metamorphosed at c. 750–800  °C, 6  kbar, were subjected to repeated ductile shear deformation, hydration, cooling and accompanying alkali metasomatism along narrow shear zones. Gedrite-bearing assemblages developed in the shear zones traversing metapelitic rocks. Interpretation of the reaction textures in an appropriate P–T  grid in the system FMASH, an isothermal–isobaric μ _H2O– μ _Na2O grid in the system NFMASH, and geothermobarometric data suggest a complex evolutionary history for the gedrite-bearing parageneses. Initially, gedrite-bearing assemblages were produced due to increase in μ _Na2O at nearly constant but high μ _H2O accompanying cooling. Gedrite was partially destabilized to orthopyroxene+albite due to progressively increasing μ _Na2O. During further cooling and at increased μ _H2O a second generation of gedrite appeared in the rocks.     

Simulation of annual biogeochemical cycles of nutrient balance, phytoplankton bloom(s), and DO in Puget Sound using an unstructured grid model

Nutrient pollution from rivers, nonpoint source runoff, and nearly 100 wastewater discharges is a potential threat to the ecological health of Puget Sound with evidence of hypoxia in some basins. However, the relative contributions of loads entering Puget Sound from natural and anthropogenic sources, and the effects of exchange flow from the Pacific Ocean are not well understood. Development of a quantitative model of Puget Sound is thus presented to help improve our understanding of the annual biogeochemical cycles in this system using the unstructured grid Finite-Volume Coastal Ocean Model framework and the Integrated Compartment Model (CE-QUAL-ICM) water quality kinetics. Results based on 2006 data show that phytoplankton growth and die-off, succession between two species of algae, nutrient dynamics, and dissolved oxygen in Puget Sound are strongly tied to seasonal variation of temperature, solar radiation, and the annual exchange and flushing induced by upwelled Pacific Ocean waters. Concentrations in the mixed outflow surface layer occupying approximately 5–20?m of the upper water column show strong effects of eutrophication from natural and anthropogenic sources, spring and summer algae blooms, accompanied by depleted nutrients but high dissolved oxygen levels. The bottom layer reflects dissolved oxygen and nutrient concentrations of upwelled Pacific Ocean water modulated by mixing with biologically active surface outflow in the Strait of Juan de Fuca prior to entering Puget Sound over the Admiralty Inlet. The effect of reflux mixing at the Admiralty Inlet sill resulting in lower nutrient and higher dissolved oxygen levels in bottom waters of Puget Sound than the incoming upwelled Pacific Ocean water is reproduced. By late winter, with the reduction in algal activity, water column constituents of interest, were renewed and the system appeared to reset with cooler temperature, higher nutrient, and higher dissolved oxygen waters from the Pacific Ocean.     

Flotation and adsorption studies of chalcopyrite with cupferron

Flotation tests were conducted in a Hallimond tube on chalcopyrite, with a collector system of cupferron and fuel oil. The reagent concentration, pH and conditioning time were studied as variables. The necessity of the fuel oil was verified by conducting experiments without it. Contact-angle measurements have been conducted by the captivebubble technique. From the results it was found that fuel oil is necessary to promote adhesion of the conditioned mineral particles to the air bubbles. Adsorption experiments were carried out in a column apparatus under similar conditions as in flotation, except for the addition of fuel oil. The adsorption density and flotability were high at weakly acidic range where the reagent complexes the metal ions effectively in an aqueous medium.     

Evolution,architecture and hierarchy of distributary deep‐water deposits: a high‐resolution outcrop investigation from the Permian Karoo Basin,South Africa

Sea floor and shallow seismic data sets of terminal submarine fan lobes can provide excellent planform timeslices of distributive deep‐water systems but commonly only limited information on cross‐sectional architecture. Extensive outcrops in the Tanqua depocentre, south‐west Karoo Basin, provide these three‐dimensional constraints on lithofacies distributions, stacking patterns, depositional geometries and the stratigraphic evolution of submarine lobe deposits at a scale comparable with modern lobe systems. Detailed study (bed‐scale) of a single‐lobe complex (Fan 3) over a 15 km by 8 km area has helped to define a four‐fold hierarchy of depositional elements from bed through to lobe element, lobe and lobe complex. The Fan 3 lobe complex comprises six distinct fine‐grained sandstone packages, interpreted as lobes, which display compensational stacking patterns on a 5 km scale. Between successive lobes are thin‐bedded, very fine‐grained sandstones and siltstones that do not change lithofacies over several kilometres and therefore are identified as a different architectural element. Each lobe is built by many lobe elements, which also display compensational stacking patterns over a kilometre scale. Thickness variations of lobe elements can be extremely abrupt without erosion, particularly in distal areas where isopach maps reveal a finger‐like distal fringe to lobes. Lobe deposits, therefore, are not simple radial sheet‐dominated systems as commonly envisaged.     

Comparative genetic structure in two high-dispersal prawn species from the south-west Indian Ocean

The penaeid prawns Fenneropenaeus indicus and Metapenaeus monoceros support shallow-water prawn fisheries in the south-west Indian Ocean. They are sympatric and have similar life histories, including developmental stages that depend on estuarine and marine habitats and a short dispersal duration. Nevertheless, M. monoceros juveniles display a more generalist habitat preference in estuaries and recruit to offshore habitats during a different season than F. indicus. We hypothesised that these differences would affect dispersal patterns, leading to dissimilar geographic genetic structure between the two taxa. Given their short dispersal phase, we also hypothesised that the Mozambique Channel would form a barrier to dispersal between the southeastern African mainland and Madagascar sites. Population differentiation was assessed based on analysis of mitochondrial DNA control-region sequences. Both species displayed high haplotype and low nucleotide diversity. Pairwise ?_ST statistics supported the existence of admixed populations along the African mainland sites for both species, with geographic distance isolating populations at the extremes of the sampled range (Kenya and east coast of South Africa). The Madagascar population differed significantly from African mainland populations. The concordant patterns in population differentiation suggest that F. indicus and M. monoceros can be considered as single African stocks, or fisheries management units.     

Multi-scale modeling of Puget Sound using an unstructured-grid coastal ocean model: from tide flats to estuaries and coastal waters

Water circulation in Puget Sound, a large complex estuary system in the Pacific Northwest coastal ocean of the United States, is governed by multiple spatially and temporally varying forcings from tides, atmosphere (wind, heating/cooling, precipitation/evaporation, pressure), and river inflows. In addition, the hydrodynamic response is affected strongly by geomorphic features, such as fjord-like bathymetry and complex shoreline features, resulting in many distinguishing characteristics in its main and sub-basins. To better understand the details of circulation features in Puget Sound and to assist with proposed nearshore restoration actions for improving water quality and the ecological health of Puget Sound, a high-resolution (around 50 m in estuaries and tide flats) hydrodynamic model for the entire Puget Sound was needed. Here, a three-dimensional circulation model of Puget Sound using an unstructured-grid finite volume coastal ocean model is presented. The model was constructed with sufficient resolution in the nearshore region to address the complex coastline, multi-tidal channels, and tide flats. Model open boundaries were extended to the entrance of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the northern end of the Strait of Georgia to account for the influences of ocean water intrusion from the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Fraser River plume from the Strait of Georgia, respectively. Comparisons of model results, observed data, and associated error statistics for tidal elevation, velocity, temperature, and salinity indicate that the model is capable of simulating the general circulation patterns on the scale of a large estuarine system as well as detailed hydrodynamics in the nearshore tide flats. Tidal characteristics, temperature/salinity stratification, mean circulation, and river plumes in estuaries with tide flats are discussed.     

Electro-flotation of chalcopyrite fines

Electro-flotation tests were conducted on chalcopyrite particles with a modified Hallimond tube designed for electro-flotation, using platinum anode—copper cathode and graphite anode—copper cathode systems. Flotation tests were carried out for fines of chalcopyrite of size below 20 microns with potassium ethylxanthate as collector. Studies were done on flotation with hydrogen and oxygen separately with the usual variables. Dissolution of chalcopyrite at various current densities, with reagent at optimum conditions and without reagent was also studied. It is observed that electro-flotation particularly with oxygen, is effective in the flotation of fine particles of chalcopyrite.     

Electroflotation of chalcopyrite fines with sodium diethyldithiocarbamate as collector

Electroflotation tests were conducted with a chalcopyrite fines-sodium diethyldithiocarbamate system with normal variables such as effect of concentration, pH of the collector and conditioning time, separately with oxygen and hydrogen bubbles generated electrolytically. Studies were attempted to check the effect of pH changes and electrolyte gases on the surface products. The surface products were extracted with carbon tetrachloride and analysed by UV-visible and I.R. spectrophotometric methods. It was found from the results that the qualitative nature of the surface product was unaffected by the above parameters.     

Tidally averaged circulation in Puget Sound sub-basins: Comparison of historical data,analytical model,and numerical model

Through extensive field data collection and analysis efforts conducted since the 1950s, researchers have established an understanding of the characteristic features of circulation in Puget Sound. The pattern ranges from the classic fjordal behavior in some basins, with shallow brackish outflow and compensating inflow immediately below, to the typical two-layer flow observed in many partially mixed estuaries with saline inflow at depth. An attempt at reproducing this behavior by fitting an analytical formulation to past data is presented, followed by the application of a three-dimensional circulation and transport numerical model. The analytical treatment helped identify key physical processes and parameters, but quickly reconfirmed that response is complex and would require site-specific parameterization to include effects of sills and interconnected basins. The numerical model of Puget Sound, developed using unstructured-grid finite volume method, allowed resolution of the sub-basin geometric features, including presence of major islands, and site-specific strong advective vertical mixing created by bathymetry and multiple sills. The model was calibrated using available recent short-term oceanographic time series data sets from different parts of the Puget Sound basin. The results are compared against 1) recent velocity and salinity data collected in Puget Sound from 2006 and 2) a composite data set from previously analyzed historical records, mostly from the 1970s. The results highlight the ability of the model to reproduce velocity and salinity profile characteristics, their variations among Puget Sound sub-basins, and tidally averaged circulation. Sensitivity of residual circulation to variations in freshwater inflow and resulting salinity gradient in fjordal sub-basins of Puget Sound is examined.