Spatter-rich pyroclastic flow deposits on Santorini,Greece

Pyroclastic deposits exposed in the caldera walls of Santorini Volcano (Greece), contain several prominent horizons of coarse-grained andesitic spatter and cauliform volcanic bombs. These deposits can be traced around most of the caldera wall. They thicken in depressions and are intimately associated with ignimbrite and co-ignimbrite lithic lag breccias. They are interpreted as a proximal facies of pyroclastic flow deposits. Evidence for a flow origin includes the presence of a fine-grained pumiceous matrix, flow deformation of ductile spatter clasts, exceedingly coarse grain sizes several kilometres from any plausible vent, imbrication of flattened spatter clasts, intimate interbedding with normal pyroclastic flow deposits and the presence of inversely graded basal layers. The deposits contain hydrothermally altered, rounded lithic ejecta including gabbro nodules. The andesitic ejecta and the fine matrix are typically moderately to poorly vesicular indicating that magmatic gas had a subordinate role in the eruptive process. The andesitic clasts contain abundant angular lithic inclusions and some clasts are themselves formed of pre-existing agglutinate. We propose that these eruptions occurred when external water gained access to the vents, causing large-scale explosions which formed pyroclastic flows rich in coarse, semifluid but poorly vesicular ejecta. We postulate that large volumes of coarse pyroclastic ejecta and degassed lava accumulated in a deep crater prior to being disrupted by these large explosions to form pyroclastic flows.     

A review of the assessments of the major fisheries resources in South Africa

The waters off South Africa's coastline boast a rich mix of commercially fished species. Quantitative assessments of these marine resources have developed from simple methods first applied in the 1970s, to models that encompass a wide range of methodologies. The more valuable resources have undergone regular assessments in recent decades, with frequencies closely related to the management approach employed for each fishery. Many of these assessments form the operating models used to simulation-test candidate management procedures. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the assessments of 11 of the most important fisheries resources in South Africa. Some assessments use simple biomass dynamics models, whereas others are a hybrid of age- and length-based models, each designed to model the specific characteristics of the resource and fishery concerned. Many of the assessments have been disaggregated by species/stock and/or area as related multispecies/stock/ distribution hypotheses have arisen. This paper explores the similarities and differences in the data available and the methods applied. The review indicates that, whereas the status of three of these resources cannot be estimated reliably at present, the status of six resources is considered to be reasonable to good, whereas that of abalone Haliotis midae and West Coast rock lobster Jasus lalandii remains poor.     

Cosmochemical and spectroscopic properties of Northwest Africa 7325—A consortium study

This work is part of a project to build an infrared database in order to link IR data of planetary materials (and therefore possible Mercury material) with remote sensing observations of Mercury, which will probably be obtained by the MERTIS instrument on the forthcoming BepiColombo mission. The unique achondrite Northwest Africa (NWA) 7325, which has previously been suggested to represent the first sample from Mercury, was investigated by optical and electron microscopy, and infrared and Raman spectroscopy. In addition, the oxygen, strontium, xenon, and argon isotopes were measured and the abundance of selected trace elements determined. The meteorite is a cumulate rock with subchondritic abundances of HFSE and REE and elevated Sr contents, which underwent a second heating and partial remelting process. Oxygen isotope measurements show that NWA 7325 plots in the ureilite field, close to the ALM‐A trachyandesitic fragment found in the unique Almahata Sitta meteorite breccia. On the other hand, mineralogical investigations of the pyroxenes in NWA 7325 provide evidence for similarities to the lodranites and acapulcoites. Furthermore, the rock is weakly shocked and argon isotope data record ancient (~4.5 Ga) plateau ages that have not been reset. The sample records a cosmogenic exposure age of ~19 Ma. Systematics of Rb‐Sr indicate an extreme early volatile depletion of the precursor material, similar to many other achondrite groups. However, despite its compositional similarities to other meteorite groups, our results suggest that this meteorite is unique and unrelated to any other known achondrite group. An origin for NWA 7325 as a sample from the planet Mercury is not supported by the results of our investigation. In particular, the evidence from infrared spectroscopy indicates that a direct relationship between NWA 7325 and the planet Mercury can be ruled out: no acceptable spectral match between laboratory analyses and remote sensing observations from Mercury has been obtained. However, we demonstrate that infrared spectroscopy is a rapid and nondestructive method to characterize mineral phases and thus an excellent tool for planetary surface characterization in space missions.     

Palaeoenvironmental significance of Late Permian palaeosols in the South‐Eastern Iberian Ranges,Spain

The Late Permian (Wuchiapingian) Alcotas Formation in the SE Iberian Ranges consists of one red alluvial succession where abundant soil profiles developed. Detailed petrographical and sedimentological studies in seven sections of the Alcotas Formation allow six different types of palaeosols, with distinctive characteristics and different palaeogeographical distribution, to be distinguished throughout the South‐eastern Iberian Basin. These characteristics are, in turn, related to topographic, climatic and tectonic controls. The vertical distribution of the palaeosols is used to differentiate the formation in three parts from bottom to top showing both drastic and gradual vertical upwards palaeoenvironmental changes in the sections. Reconstruction of palaeoenvironmental conditions based on palaeosols provides evidence for understanding the events that occurred during the Late Permian, some few millions of years before the well‐known Permian‐Triassic global crisis.     

Conservation status of New Zealand marine invertebrates, 2009

A re-evaluation of the threat status of New Zealand's marine invertebrates was undertaken in 2009, following earlier review of New Zealand's Threat Classification System and subsequent refinement of the national criteria for classifying threat of extinction to New Zealand's flora and fauna. Sufficient information was available to enable 295 marine invertebrate taxa to be fully evaluated and assigned to a national threat category. The 10 taxa at most risk of extinction (‘nationally critical’) were the giant seep clam Calyptogena sp., the primitive acorn barnacle Chionelasmus crosnieri, O'Shea's vent barnacle Volcanolepas osheai, the stalked barnacle Ibla idiotica, the four-blotched umbrella octopus Cirroctopus hochbergi, the roughy umbrella octopus Opisthoteuthis chathamensis, the giant squid Idioteuthis cordiformis, the large-egged polychaete Boccardiella magniovata and two gravel maggots, Smeagol climoi and Smeagol manneringi. The key threatening processes identified for marine invertebrates were fishing and land-use associated impacts such as sedimentation. We identified no taxa that had improved in threat status as a result of past or ongoing conservation management action, nor any taxa that had worsened in threat status because of known changes in their distribution, abundance or rate of population decline. We evaluated a small fraction of New Zealand's marine invertebrate fauna for their threat status. Many taxa remain ‘data deficient’ or unlisted. In addition to the most threatened taxa, we recommend these taxa and their habitats as priorities for further survey and monitoring.     

粉煤灰——漂珠复合低密度水泥浆固井试验与应用

针对吴起地区固井中一些低压地层由于破裂压力低,不能承受常规水泥浆液柱压力,出现固井水泥浆漏失、水泥返高达不到设计要求的问题,开展了低密度水泥浆体系研究。通过室内试验,对减轻材料粉煤灰、漂珠及二者复合体系进行了较系统的研究,确定了适合的配方。研究选用增稳剂ZW 加入低密度体系,提高了低密度水泥的强度。实验结果及现场实践表明: 用减轻材料配制低密度水泥浆及降低水泥浆液柱压力,是确保低压易漏地层固井水泥浆返高的有效途径,对提高固井质量和延长油井寿命都将起到积极作用。     

Reactions of the feldspar surface with metal ions: Sorption of Pb(II), U(VI) and Np(V), and surface analytical studies of reaction with Pb(II) and U(VI)

Feldspar minerals are thermodynamically unstable in the near-surface environment and their surfaces are well known to react readily with aqueous solutions, leading to incongruent dissolution at low pH values, but congruent dissolution at neutral and high pH values. Interactions with mineral surfaces are an important control on the environmental transport of trace elements and detrital feldspars are abundant in soils and sediments. However, the interactions of metal ions in solution with the reacting feldspar surface have not been widely explored. The interactions of Pb(II), U(VI) and Np(V) ions with the feldspar surface have therefore been studied. Lead is taken up by the microcline surface at pH 6 and 10, but no uptake could be measured at pH 2. There was measurable uptake of Pb(II) on the plagioclase surface at pH 2, 6 and 10. Uptake always increased with pH. In most conditions, Pb(II) reacts through cation exchange process although, at high pH, a discrete phase, probably hydrocerrusite, is observed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) to precipitate on the plagioclase surface. Supersaturation with hydrocerrusite in these conditions is expected from thermodynamic calculations. Uptake of uranyl ion , generally through surface complex formation, could only be measured at pH 6 and 10. At pH 6 and an initial U(VI) concentration above 21.0 μM, precipitation of becquerelite (Ca[(UO₂)₃O₂(OH)₃]₂·8H₂O), identified by AFM and characterised by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, is observed on plagioclase. The U(VI) concentration range in which becquerelite precipitation begins (dissolved U(VI) 1-5 μM) is consistent with that predicted from thermodynamic modelling. On plagioclase feldspar, secondary ion mass spectrometry showed diffusion of uranium into the altered surface layer. Uptake of the neptunyl ion (Np(V)) was found at pH 6 and 10 for microcline and at pH 2, 6 and 10 for plagioclase, and was generally lower than uptake of U(VI). By combining batch sorption experiments with imaging and surface analysis, and thermodynamic modelling, it has been possible to gain a mechanistic insight into the reactions of the feldspar surface with metal ions in solution.     

Siphonostomatoid copepods infecting Squalus acutipinnis Regan, 1908 off South Africa

Squalus acutipinnis (previously included in S. megalops) individuals caught off the east, south and west coasts of South Africa were examined for siphonostomatoid copepod infection. Collected siphonostomatoids were fixed and preserved in 70% ethanol and studied under microscopes using both transmitted and incidental light. The copepods were identified and the host-parasite associations estimated by calculating their prevalence, mean intensity and mean abundance. The siphonostomatoids represented four families and six species, and included new host records for Nemesis sp., Lernaeopoda sp. and Eudactylina acanthii, and a new geographical record for E. acanthii. Squalus acutipinnis individuals were infected by relatively low loads of siphonostomatoids. The most commonly found species was Achtheinus pinguis, the only species found off all three coasts. There was no difference in the prevalence of A. pinguis in sharks sampled off the three coasts but the highest mean intensity was found on the East Coast followed by the West Coast. The overall prevalence of A. pinguis was 33.6%, and was an order of magnitude higher than that of the other siphonostomatoids recorded. At such low levels of infection it will thus be necessary to examine a large number of hosts to determine the biodiversity of siphonostomatoids and geographical differences in prevalence in South African waters.     

Thickness and structure of the water film deposited from vapour on calcite surfaces

Synchrotron X-ray reflectivity (SXR) was used to measure the thickness of the water film that adsorbs on a {} cleavage surface of calcite (CaCO₃) in a sample chamber where relative humidity could be controlled within the range from <4% to 90%. Gases used to carry water vapour were initially either 100% N₂ or 100% CO₂. The product water film was remarkably constant in thickness at 15.5 Å (±1 Å) and independent of humidity. When N₂ was used as the carrier gas, this film displayed a gap in its electron density at between 0.6 and 2 Å distance from the calcite surface, depending on humidity. This implies that a change in the arrangement of water molecules occurs in direct proximity to the surface. This electron density discontinuity was measurably further from the calcite surface, at 3.4 Å, when CO₂ was used as the carrier gas. Except for this thin low density region proximate to the calcite surface, the density of the adsorbed water layer was 0.9 g cm⁻³, therefore suggesting a significant degree of ordering. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images were completed in conjunction with the SXR measurements on similarly prepared calcite cleavage surfaces. AFM showed that terraces may be atomically flat over 1 μm or more. SXR corroborated this observation, with results showing that carefully cleaved surfaces had a starting root mean square (r.m.s.) roughness of ∼1.2 Å. Diffuse scatter measurements constrained the correlation lengths of these surfaces to be at least 18,000 Å. For comparison with the cleaved samples, a surface was also prepared by chemo-mechanical Syton polishing. This surface gave an r.m.s roughness by SXR that was an order of magnitude higher, equal to 12.1 Å. In this case, diffuse scatter resolved a correlation length of 950 Å, and revealed a fractal dimension that was higher than for the cleaved surface. On Syton polished samples, the water film determined by SXR was about twice as thick as for freshly cleaved surfaces, with a density of 1.0 g cm⁻³, equal to that of bulk water. However, surface roughness was too large to allow resolution of any gap in the electron density within the water layer proximate to the solid surface. Our AFM observations also confirm previous reports of calcite surface recrystallization. The electron density of the solid surface determined by SXR is indistinguishable from that of calcite, indicating that any material recrystallized within the adsorbed water film is compositionally indistinguishable from the calcite substrate.     

Investigating the shock histories of lunar meteorites Miller Range 090034, 090070, and 090075 using petrography,geochemistry, and micro‐FTIR spectroscopy

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and cathodoluminescence (CL) imaging techniques, combined with electron microprobe analyses, have been used to determine the physical state of feldspathic phases that have been subject to varying levels of shock in the grouped lunar meteorites Miller Range 090034, 090070, and 090075. Six feldspathic phases have been identified based on spectral, textural, and chemical properties. A specific infrared wavelength band ratio (1064/932 cm^?1 equivalent to 9.40/10.73 μm), chosen because it can distinguish between some of the feldspathic phases, can be used to estimate the pressure regimes experienced by these phases. In addition, FTIR spatial mapping capabilities allow for visual comparison of variably shocked phases within the samples. By comparing spectral and compositional data, the origin and shock history of this lunar meteorite group has been determined, with each of the shocked feldspathic phases being related to events in its geological evolution. As such, we highlight that FTIR spectroscopy can be easily employed to identify shocked feldspathic phases in lunar samples; estimate peak shock pressures; and when compared with chemical data, can be used to investigate their shock histories.