U–Pb and Hf isotopic analysis of zircon in lower crustal xenoliths from the Navajo volcanic field: 1.4 Ga mafic magmatism and metamorphism beneath the Colorado Plateau

Zircon from lower crustal xenoliths erupted in the Navajo volcanic field was analyzed for U–Pb and Lu–Hf isotopic compositions to characterize the lower crust beneath the Colorado Plateau and to determine whether it was affected by ∼1.4 Ga granitic magmatism and metamorphism that profoundly affected the exposed middle crust of southwestern Laurentia. Igneous zircon in felsic xenoliths crystallized at 1.73 and 1.65 Ga, and igneous zircon in mafic xenoliths crystallized at 1.43 Ga. Most igneous zircon has unradiogenic initial Hf isotopic compositions (ɛ_Hf=+4.1–+7.8) and 1.7–1.6 Ga depleted mantle model ages, consistent with 1.7–1.6 Ga felsic protoliths being derived from “juvenile” Proterozoic crust and 1.4 Ga mafic protoliths having interacted with older crust. Metamorphic zircon grew in four pulses between 1.42 and 1.36 Ga, at least one of which was at granulite facies. Significant variability within and between xenoliths in metamorphic zircon initial Hf isotopic compositions (ɛ_Hf=−0.7 to +13.6) indicates growth from different aged sources with diverse time-integrated Lu/Hf ratios. These results show a strong link between 1.4 Ga mafic magmatism and granulite facies metamorphism in the lower crust and granitic magmatism and metamorphism in the exposed middle crust.     

Effet de l'agrégation sur le transport de la kaolinite recouverte d'acide humique à travers un sable de quartz d'origine naturelleAggregation effect on the transport of humic-coated kaolinite colloids through a natural quartz sand

To evaluate the risk of contaminant transport by mobile colloids, it is necessary to understand how colloids and associated pollutants behave during their migration through uncontaminated soil or groundwater. In this study, we investigated the influence of aggregation induced by Ca²⁺ and trace metals (Pb²⁺, Cu²⁺) concentrations on the transport of humic-coated kaolinite colloids through a natural quartz sand at pH=4. Adsorbed divalent cations reduce the colloids surface charge and thereby induce aggregation and deposition in porous media. To cite this article: R. Ait Akbour et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 981–985.     

Segmentation and kinematics of the North America‐Caribbean plate boundary offshore Hispaniola

We explored the submarine portions of the Enriquillo–Plantain Garden Fault zone (EPGFZ) and the Septentrional–Oriente Fault zone (SOFZ) along the Northern Caribbean plate boundary using high‐resolution multibeam echo‐sounding and shallow seismic reflection. The bathymetric data shed light on poorly documented or previously unknown submarine fault zones running over 200 km between Haiti and Jamaica (EPGFZ) and 300 km between the Dominican Republic and Cuba (SOFZ). The primary plate‐boundary structures are a series of strike‐slip fault segments associated with pressure ridges, restraining bends, step overs and dogleg offsets indicating very active tectonics. Several distinct segments 50–100 km long cut across pre‐existing structures inherited from former tectonic regimes or bypass recent morphologies formed under the current strike‐slip regime. Along the most recent trace of the SOFZ, we measured a strike‐slip offset of 16.5 km, which indicates steady activity for the past ~1.8 Ma if its current GPS‐derived motion of 9.8 ± 2 mm a^?1 has remained stable during the entire Quaternary.     

A middle–late Ediacaran volcano‐sedimentary record from the eastern Arabian‐Nubian shield

The Ediacaran Jibalah Group comprises volcano‐sedimentary successions that filled small fault‐bound basins along the NW–SE‐trending Najd fault system in the eastern Arabian‐Nubian Shield. Like several other Jibalah basins, the Antaq basin contains exquisitely preserved sedimentary structures and felsic tuffs, and hence is an excellent candidate for calibrating late Ediacaran Earth history. Shallow‐marine strata from the upper Jibalah Group (Muraykhah Formation) contain a diversity of load structures and intimately related textured organic (microbial) surfaces, along with a fragment of a structure closely resembling an Ediacaran frond fossil and a possible specimen of Aspidella. Interspersed carbonate beds through the Muraykhah Formation record a positive δ¹³C shift from ?6 to 0‰. U‐Pb zircon geochronology indicates a maximum depositional age of ~570 Ma for the upper Jibalah Group, consistent with previous age estimates. Although this age overlaps with that of the upper Huqf Supergroup in nearby Oman, these sequences were deposited in contrasting tectonic settings on opposite sides of the final suture of the East African Orogen.     

Crystal structure refinement of chromites from two achondrites,their T‐f(O2) conditions,and implications

Six Cr‐spinel grains from NWA 6077 brachinite‐like and NWA 725 winonaite achondrites have been studied by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction and structural refinement. From a chemical point of view, spinels from NWA 6077 show Cr/(Cr + Al) (i.e., Cr#) and Mg/(Mg + Fe²⁺) (i.e., Mg#) values similar to other brachinites, while the Cr# of NWA 725 is lower than that of literature winonaites. Spinels from NWA 6077 and NWA 725 meteorites show similar cell edges, while the oxygen positional parameter is rather different being about 0.2629 for NWA 6077 and 0.2622 for NWA 725. Considering both parameters, NWA 725 shows structural features that are close to some terrestrial spinel occurrences as in komatiites, kimberlites, or included in diamonds; those from NWA 6077 show values that have no terrestrial analogs. Olivine‐chromite closure temperature ranges from ~737 to ~765° C for NWA 725, being similar to that of literature winonaites and ~846 to ~884° C for NWA 6077. The logfO₂ ranges from ?19.8 to ?20.5 and ?17.0 to ?17.9 for the two meteorites, respectively. The u values for terrestrial samples can give information about the cooling history of the samples. For the extraterrestrial samples, it seems that it can give information about the cooling only for spinels where it is lower than 0.2625. For higher values, it appears related only to the chemistry of the spinels.     

Eccentric geomagnetic dipole drift

A recalculation of the rate of westward drift of the eccentric geomagnetic dipole since 1900 has confirmed its correlation with irregularities in the excess length-of-day (LOD) as originally reported by Vestine. The major changes in the LOD curve since 1900 are shown to be well correlated with the westward drift rate from a number of magnetic models covering the interval. A new Magsat model of secular variation for 1980.0 shows no increase in the drift rate which dropped by a factor of three in the interval 1965–1970.     

An Approach for Classification of Groundwaters by Synchronous Fluorescence Spectroscopy and Discriminant Analysis

Monitoring and evaluation of groundwater quality in drinking water protectorates is of particular interest if the uncontrolled entry of pollutants, for example by infiltrating river water, cannot be excluded. A fluorescence spectroscopic method is presented as possible alternative to the conventional expensive hydrochemical investigations. This method uses the information yielded by synchronous fluorescence spectra. After a Fourier transformation of the original spectra and a following discriminant analysis, the samples can be classified in different groups corresponding to the different types of groundwater. The method was tested in the drinking water protectorate of a waterworks of a German metropolis (Halle, Sachsen-Anhalt). We found a prediction rate of about 90% in the investigated case.     

Über die Zufuhr von Turbulenzenergie durch Grenzflächenreibung und labile Schichtung

Zusammenfassung In einer turbulenten Strömung wird die Arbeitsleistung der mittleren Schubspannung an den Begrenzungen durch deren Rauhigkeit in Turbulenzenergie umgewandelt. Das Resultat ist ein Austauschstrom dieser Energie von der Begrenzung in die Flüssigkeit hinein. Dies kann ein sehr wesentlicher Beitrag zur Aufrechterhaltung seiner Turbulenz werden, insbesondere in Fällen stabiler Schichtung in Bodennähe.In den bekannten Ableitungen des Richardsonschen Turbulenzkriteriums und in der gebräuchlichen Gleichung für die Änderung der Turbulenzenergie scheint man diesen Randeinfluß nicht zu berücksichtigen. Beide Beziehungen versagen außerdem bei Anwendung auf neutrale Schichtung. Für diesen Fall liefern sie, wie von K. L. Calder [1949] und O. G. Sutton [1949] bemerkt, eine ständige Zunahme der Turbulenzenergie, weil die Arbeitsleistungen der Zusatzgeschwindigkeiten gegen die turbulenten Schwankungen des Druckgradienten unberücksichtigt blieben. Bei einer korrekten Ableitung und Anwendung sind sie ebenso in Rechnung zu stellen wie die Konvergenz obigen Austauschstromes der Turbulenzenergie.

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On the supply of turbulent energy by boundary friction and unstable stratification

Summary In a turbulent current, the work of the average shearing stress is transformed into eddy energy by the roughness of its boundaries. The result is a turbulent transport of this energy from the boundary into the fluid. This may become an essential contribution to maintaining the turbulence of the current, especially in cases of stable stratification next to the bottom.This influence of the boundary has apparently been considered neither in the known derivations of Richardson's criterion of turbulence nor in the usual equation of the change of eddy energy which both, in addition, fail when being applied to neutral stratification. In this case, the criterion gives a permanent increase of eddy energy contrary to the observations already stated by K. L. Calder [1949] and O. G. Sutton [1949], since the work of the eddy velocities against the fluctuations of the gradient of pressure is not taken into account. In a correct derivation and application we have to consider both, this work and the convergence of the eddy flow of turbulent energy normal to the smoothed boundaries.

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Sur la formation d'énergie turbulente causée par la friction des surfaces de séparation et par la stratification labile

Résumé Dans un courant turbulent le rendement moyen du frottement tangentiel auprès des limites solides est transformé en énergie turbulente grâce à la rugosité de ces limites. Le résultat en est un transport de cette énergie à partir des limites solides jusqu'à l'intérieur de la fluide. Cette énergie peut essentiellement contribuer à la conservation de la turbulence du courant, surtout en présence d'une stratification stable au voisinage du sol.Il semble que l'on ne tienne pas compte de cet effet des limites solides dans les dérivations connues du critérium de turbulence d'après Richardson et dans l'équation usuelle concernant le changement de l'énergie turbulente. En outre, ces deux relations ne correspondent pas aux observations lorsqu'on essaie de les appliquer à la stratification neutre, ce qui était déjà constaté par K. L. Calder [1949] et par O. G. Sutton [1949]. Le critérium fournit dans ce cas-là une augmentation permanente de l'énergie turbulente parce que le rendement de la vitesse additionnelle qui a une influence affaiblissante sur les variations turbulentes du gradient de pression n'est pas considéré. Afin d'assurer une dérivation et une application correcte il est nécessaire de considérer l'influence affaiblissante de la vitesse additionnelle sur les variations du gradient de pression aussi bien que de tenir compte du transport de l'énergie turbulente à partir des limites solides jusqu'à l'intérieur de la fluide.

     

Vertical migration ofcentropages typicus (copepoda) in Chesapeake Bay,with some thoughts on migration studies

Centropages typicus was collected at two hour intervals over a diel cycle at a station near the Chesapeake Bay mouth. The species migrated upward at dusk and downward at dawn. Neither light, temperature, salinity, nor density appeared to cue the migration. Attention is drawn to the need for information on the extent and regularity of migration by individual organisms, and how the lack of such information may lead to poor interpretations of migration data.