Elastoplastic model with loading memory surfaces (LMS) for monotonic and cyclic behaviour of geomaterials

A new elastoplastic model called loading memory surface based on the critical state concept and the multi‐surface framework is proposed for geomaterials. The model uses a hypoelastic formulation and two plastic mechanisms. The formulations of the model are made in three‐dimensional stress–strain space and work under both monotonic and cyclic loadings. A newly introduced formalism makes it possible to obtain the cyclic response directly from the monotonic loading one. This formalism gives a three‐dimensional generalization of the well‐known Masing rule. The model has been validated against test results of Hostun sand under several conditions: monotonic and cyclic, drained and undrained, tests in compression and in extension, and at different confining pressures and different densities. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analysis of the vortivity and divergence of the thermal wind in pure geostrophic flow

By applying the horizontal del operator to the thermal wind equation in vectorial form and considering only horizontal geostrophic motion, expressions are found for the vorticity and divergence of thermal wind. It is shown that vorticity, in the case of pure geostrophic flow at all levels, depends upon four factors, namely: latitude, horizontal distribution of temperature, temperature lapse rate and divergence of horizontal temperature gradient. The divergence of the thermal wind, on the other hand, depends only upon the orientation of the mean isotherms of an isobaric layer relative to the parallel circles. These terms are evaluated and it is shown that the latitude term and the lapse rate term are far greater than the remaining terms of the vorticity equation for geostrophic flow. A criterion is then given which enables to determine the conditions for irrotational horizontal motion with vertical geostrophic wind shear.

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Zusammenfassung Durch Anwendung des horizontalenNabla-Operators auf die thermische Windgleichung in vektorieller Form und bei ausschließlicher Berücksichtigung der geostrophischen Horizontalbewegung lassen sich Ausdrücke für die vorticity und die Divergenz des thermischen Windes herleiten. Es wird gezeigt, daß die vorticity im Falle einer rein geostrophischen Strömung in allen Niveaus von folgenden vier Faktoren bedingt ist: Breite, horizontale Temperaturverteilung, vertikaler Temperaturgradient und Divergenz des horizontalen Temperaturgradienten. Andrerseits hängt die Divergenz des thermischen Windes nur von der Orientierung der mittleren Isothermen einer in Bezug auf die Parallelkreise isobaren Schicht ab. Diese vier Terme werden ausgewertet und es wird gezeigt, daß das Breitenglied und der Term für den Vertikalgradienten viel größer sind als die übrigen Terme der vorticity-Gleichung für geostrophische Strömung. Schließlich wird ein Kriterium entwickelt, das gestattet, die Bedingungen für rotorfreie Horizontalbewegung mit vertikaler geostrophischer Windscherung zu bestimmen.

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Résumé On peut déduire des équations sur la rotationelle et la divergence du vent thermique en appliquant l'opérateur nabla horizontal à l'équation du vent thermique sous une forme vectorielle et en ne considérant que le mouvement géostrophique horizontal. On démontre que la rotationelle, dans le cas d'un courant géostrophique pur, dépend dans tous les niveaux des quatre facteurs suivants: latitude, répartition horizontale de la température, gradient vertical de la température et divergence du gradient horizontal de température. D'autre part, la divergence du vent thermique ne dépend que de l'orientation des isothermes moyennes d'une couche isobare par rapport aux parallèles. En évaluant ces quatre termes, on montre que les termes relatifs à la latitude et au gradient vertical sont beaucoup plus grands que les autres termes de l'équation de la rotationelle pour un courant géostrophique. Pour terminer, l'auteur développe un critère qui permet de déterminer les conditions pour un mouvement horizontal irrotationel mais avec un cisaillement vertical géostrophique du vent.

     

An EPR and SQUID magnetometry study of bornite

A magnetic and spectroscopic characterisation has been performed on a natural bornite sample from the Natural History Museum of the University of Florence. The combination of magnetic measurements and continuous-wave electron paramagnetic resonance (cw-EPR) spectroscopy at different temperatures and frequencies provided information about the distribution and valence states of Cu and Fe in bornite. The studied sample was found to obey the Curie–Weiss law with a transition from a paramagnetic to an antiferromagnetic phase at 64 K; its possible attribution to a disordered spin glass phase was ruled out by ac susceptibility measurements. Q- and X-band cw-EPR measurements confirmed the presence of Fe(III) as fundamental valence state in bornite: the single EPR line registered in the temperature range from 300 to 65 K can be assigned, in fact, to the Fe(III) single ions. Some Cu(II) signals were revealed in the low temperature EPR spectra and attributed to an early stage of the surface alteration. The width of the Fe(III) EPR spectrum, which hinders any characteristic spectral structure, can be ascribed to the exchange interaction. The pure antiferromagnetic character of the magnetic transition confirms the ordering between Fe and Cu in the bornite structure, at least at low temperature (≤70 K). Moreover, the relatively high Nèel temperature suggests the accepted model of Collins et al.’s (Can J Phys 59:535–539, 1981) to conveniently explain the overall magnetic properties in the range 298–4 K. Despite the increasing of the susceptibility in the paramagnetic range, in fact, the integrated EPR line area decreases by lowering the temperature, thus suggesting a progressive rising of the antiferromagnetic interactions among next-nearest-neighbouring paramagnetic centres.     

Large- and small-mammal distribution patterns and chronostratigraphic boundaries from the Late Pliocene to the Middle Pleistocene of the Italian peninsula

Over the last 50 years the studies on terrestrial mammals of the Italian peninsula have provided a large volume of data and a more detailed knowledge of faunal events during the Late Pliocene and Quaternary. Moreover geological, sedimentological, palynological and magnetostratigraphical investigations on the Pliocene–Pleistocene continental sedimentary basins have yielded the possibility of a detailed calibration of the faunal successions. Thus, palaeontologists have been able to reconstruct faunal sequences and to propose biochronological scales based on large and small mammals, respectively. In the present contribution an integration of the two biochronological scales is proposed, and the successions of bioevents are carefully compared. This integrated approach allows the constraint of the sequence of large- and small-mammal events in a more reliable way, and therefore it results in a more detailed and consistent chronological use of mammalian assemblages. Particular attention is paid to the faunal changes that correspond to the Middle–Late Pliocene (2.6 ma), Pliocene–Pleistocene (1.8 ma) and Early–Middle Pleistocene (Gauss–Matuyama transition) chronostratigraphical boundaries.     

A Fe K-edge XAS study of amethyst

An X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) study of the Fe local environment in natural amethyst (a variety of α-quartz, SiO₂) has been carried out. Room temperature measurements were performed at the Fe K-edge (7,112 eV), at both the X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) regions. Experimental results were then compared with DFT calculations. XANES experimental spectra suggest Fe to occur mainly in the trivalent state, although a fraction of Fe²⁺ is identified. EXAFS spectra, on the other hand, reveal an unusual short distance for the first coordination shell:  = 1.78(2) Å, the coordination number being 2.7(5). These results allow to establish that Fe replaces Si in its tetrahedral site, and that numerous local distortions are occurring as a consequence of the presence of Fe³⁺ variably compensated by protons and/or alkaline ions, or uncompensated. The formal valence of Fe, on the basis of both experimental and DFT structural features, can be either 4+ or 3+. Taking into account the XANES evidences, we suggest that Fe mainly occurs in the trivalent state, compensated by protons, and that a minor fraction of Fe⁴⁺ is stabilised by the favourable local structural arrangement.     

Research progress in volcanology in the Neapolitan area, southern Italy: a review and some alternative views

Comprehensive reviews are given for the major volcanic systems that occur in the greater metropolitan area of Naples, southern Italy; Mt. Somma-Vesuvius to the east and the Campi Flegrei volcanic system to the west. Also included in the review is a detailed discussion of the large, highly explosive Campania Volcanic Zone (CVZ) ignimbrite events. These volcanic areas have been studied for more than 100 years, yet significant differences of opinion exist related to fundamental issues of origin and distribution. We present some alternative views related to petrogenesis on some issues based on more than 25 years of research. The relationship between risk assessment and management that impacts the threatened society or culture and the past and ongoing fundamental volcanological research is an essential part of the science. Countries with limited resources may be forced to accept an increased risk but even highly industrialized societies may not be able to completely eliminate deaths from volcanic eruptions. Scientific studies of the hazardous regions should be comprehensive and include reasonable alternative interpretations as this information reveals the level of confidence that must be conveyed to the public officials. The authors review the state of the art of risk assessment and management of the volcanic hazards in the Neapolitan region in light of the review of research.     

Phase Equilibria Constraints on the Chemical and Physical Evolution of the Campanian Ignimbrite

The Campanian Ignimbrite is a > 200 km³ trachyte–phonolitepyroclastic deposit that erupted at 39·3 ± 0·1ka within the Campi Flegrei west of Naples, Italy. Here we testthe hypothesis that Campanian Ignimbrite magma was derived byisobaric crystal fractionation of a parental basaltic trachyandesiticmelt that reacted and came into local equilibrium with smallamounts (5–10 wt%) of crustal rock (skarns and foid-syenites)during crystallization. Comparison of observed crystal and magmacompositions with results of phase equilibria assimilation–fractionationsimulations (MELTS) is generally very good. Oxygen fugacitywas approximately buffered along QFM + 1 (where QFM is the quartz–fayalite–magnetitebuffer) during isobaric fractionation at 0·15 GPa ( 6km depth). The parental melt, reconstructed from melt inclusionand host clinopyroxene compositions, is found to be basaltictrachyandesite liquid (51·1 wt% SiO₂, 9·3 wt%MgO, 3 wt% H₂O). A significant feature of phase equilibria simulationsis the existence of a pseudo-invariant temperature, 883 °C,at which the fraction of melt remaining in the system decreasesabruptly from 0·5 to < 0·1. Crystallizationat the pseudo-invariant point leads to abrupt changes in thecomposition, properties (density, dissolved water content),and physical state (viscosity, volume fraction fluid) of meltand magma. A dramatic decrease in melt viscosity (from 1700Pa s to 200 Pa s), coupled with a change in the volume fractionof water in magma (from 0·1 to 0·8) and a dramaticdecrease in melt and magma density acted as a destabilizingeruption trigger. Thermal models suggest a timescale of 200kyr from the beginning of fractionation until eruption, leadingto an apparent rate of evolved magma generation of about 10^–3km³/year. In situ crystallization and crystal settling in density-stratifiedregions, as well as in convectively mixed, less evolved subjacentmagma, operate rapidly enough to match this apparent volumetricrate of evolved magma production. KEY WORDS: assimilation; Campanian Ignimbrite; fractional crystallization; magma dynamics; phase equilibria     

Somma-Vesuvius’ activity: a mineral chemistry database

Mineralogy and Petrology - Clinopyroxene and olivine are ubiquitous phases in Somma-Vesuvius (SV) volcanics and for the first time they were systematically studied in several products younger than...     

Arsenic uptake by natural calcite: An XAS study

As-bearing travertine rocks from Tuscany (Italy), where previous studies suggested the existence of a CO₃²⁻ ⇔ AsO₃³⁻ substitution in the calcite lattice, were investigated with X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) at the As K-edge (11,867 eV). In two of the studied samples, XANES indicates that As is in the 5+ oxidation state only, and EXAFS analysis reveals a local environment typical of arsenate species. For these samples, the lack of detectable second shell signals suggests a poorly ordered environment, possibly corresponding to an adsorption onto oxide and/or silicate phases. On the other hand, in the third sample XANES reveals a mixed As oxidation state (III and V). This sample also presents evident next nearest neighbor coordination shells, attributed to As-Ca and As-As contributions. The occurrence of next neighbor shells is evidence that part of As is incorporated in an ordered lattice. Furthermore, the local structure revealed by EXAFS is compatible with As incorporation in the calcite phase, as further supported by DFT simulations. The observation of next neighbors shells only in the As(III)-rich sample suggests the substitution of the arsenite group in place of the carbonate one (CO₃²⁻ ⇔ AsO₃³⁻). The conclusion of this work is that uptake of As by calcite is in general less favored than adsorption onto iron oxhydroxides, but could become environmentally important wherever the latter phenomenon is hindered.