Diavik Mine, Canada

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-04-13

This image from NASA Terra spacecraft shows the Diavik Mine in northern Canada.The largest diamond found in North America came from the Diavik Mine. The Foxfire diamond weighs an impressive 187 carats, and was discovered in August 2015; it has been displayed in several museums throughout North America. The Diavik mine is located on an island in Lac de Gras, within the Lac de Gras kimberlite field, among other diamond mines. The image was acquired September 23, 2016, covers an area of 13.8 by 19.4 km, and is located at 64.5 degrees north, 110.2 degrees west. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21536

Distribution and origin of diamonds in Brazil: An overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Svisero, Darcy P.

1995-12-01

Brazil was the first western country to produce diamonds from the washing of alluvial deposits found in central Minas Gerais in the early 1700s. For a century the country remained the world's greatest producer, losing its position only after the discovery of the Kimberley field in South Africa. Currently there are placer deposits (garimpos) scattered throughout the majority of the states with official production averaging 1,000,000 ct/y. Mechanized exploitation using modern dredges has succeeded in only two distinct localities: along the Jequitinhonha River (Diamantina) and at the Fazenda Camargo (Mato Grosso). Large diamonds of several hundred carats have been found periodically in the area of the municipalities of Abaeté and Coromandel in western Minas Gerais State. Carbonado, a polycrystalline variety of diamond, was intensively mined in several localities of the Chapada Diamantina in central Bahia State, mainly in the second half of the last century. Kimberlite-type rocks, on the other hand, were discovered only in the late 1960s, first in the Coromandel area in Minas Gerais and later in Goiás, Mato Grosso, Rondônia and Piauí States. Little is yet known about these intrusions, mainly because the discoveries have been made by foreign companies operating in the country. Detailed studies reported during the Kimberlite Conference of Araxá in 1991 revealed that some intrusions of the Coromandel area have mineralogical and petrographical characteristics, as well as major chemical element compositions, similar to worldwide kimberlites. However, their isotopic signatures in terms of Sr and Nd are intermediate between Groups I and II kimberlites of South Africa. As to mineral inclusions, Brazilian diamonds contain the common phases of olivine, garnets, pyroxenes, sulphides and oxides as observed in diamonds elsewhere. Furthermore, diamonds from the São Luis River in northern Mato Grosso contain, in addition to garnet and pyroxene, periclase, ferripericlase, wüstite, nickel, iron-nickel alloy and moissanite. This high-pressure assemblage resembles the mineralogy predicted for depths of ~650 km, thus suggesting an asthenospheric origin for the São Luis diamonds. This paper presents a review of general aspects of the most representative deposits of diamonds in Brazil. Field relationships point to the existence of at least three distinct ages for the secondary source rocks as illustrated by the Upper Proterozoic metaconglomerates of Diamantina, the Permo-Carboniferous diamictites of Tibagi and the Upper Cretaceous conglomerates of the Romaria Mine. The primary sources remain unknown in all localities. Additional comments are provided on the findings of great diamonds, diamond inclusions and on the study of kimberlite-type rocks carried out in the country in the past two decades.

Intensive Variables in Primary Kimberlite Magmas (Lac de Gras, N.W.T., Canada) and Application for Diamond Preservation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fedortchouk, Y.; Canil, D.; Carlson, J. A.

2002-12-01

Crystallization temperatures (T) and oxygen fugacity (fO2) are not well constrained for kimberlites. Knowledge of these intensive variables of kimberlite melt is important for understanding the origin and evolution of kimberlites and prediction of diamond preservation in the magma. Difficulties in interpreting the equilibrium mineral assemblages in kimberlites and the high degree of secondary alteration usually complicate use of mineral geothermometers and oxygen barometers. Some of Lac de Gras (N.W.T., Canada) kimberlites are extremely fresh and provide opportunity to apply mineral thermobarometers. The presence of numerous chromite inclusions in the rims of olivine phenocrysts allows application of the olivine-spinel thermometer and oxygen barometer to constrain T and fO2 of the melt. We performed T and fO2 calculations on samples from three kimberlite pipes - the Leslie, Aaron and Grizzly. The T obtained from olivine - chromite pairs for crystallization of olivine phenocryst rims are 1050° to 1100°C +/- 50°C (calculated at 1 GPa). Few olivine - chromite pairs from Leslie and Grizzly record higher temperatures of 1250° - 1350°C. The cores of olivine phenocrysts usually lack chromite inclusions and their crystallization T and fO2 could not be estimated. The fO2 recorded by coexisting olivine and chromite are +0.3 to 1.0 +/- 0.4 log units more oxidized than the nickel-nickel oxide (NNO) buffer. The established fO2 of kimberlites would require fO2 in their mantle source to be higher than that of cratonic mantle and oceanic lithosphere producing MORB's but comparable to the source of subduction-related magmas. The T and fO2 for the Lac de Gras kimberlites constrain the path of any mantle material entrained in these magmas in fO2-T-P space and provide limits on diamond destructive processes. Diamonds are not stable in kimberlite magma and are oxidized to CO2 or converted into graphite. The former process is more favorable for their preservation. The results of out thermo-barometric calculations show that at any pressure the Lac de Gras kimberlites were above the Graphite (Diamond)-CCO buffer. Diamonds entrained in these kimberlites were moved into stability field of CO2 without graphitization, favoring better preservation of diamonds.

Diamond collecting in northern Colorado.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Collins, D.S.

1982-01-01

The discovery of numerous diamond-bearing kimberlite diatremes in the N Front Range of Colorado and Wyoming is of both scientific and economic interest. Species recovered from heavy-mineral concentrates include Cr-diopside, spinel, Mg-ilmenite, pyrope and diamond. A nodule tentatively identified as a graphite-diamond eclogite was also found. -G.W.R.

Geodynamics of kimberlites on a cooling Earth: Clues to plate tectonic evolution and deep volatile cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tappe, Sebastian; Smart, Katie; Torsvik, Trond; Massuyeau, Malcolm; de Wit, Mike

2018-02-01

Kimberlite magmatism has occurred in cratonic regions on every continent. The global age distribution suggests that this form of mantle melting has been more prominent after 1.2 Ga, and notably between 250-50 Ma, than during early Earth history before 2 Ga (i.e., the Paleoproterozoic and Archean). Although preservation bias has been discussed as a possible reason for the skewed kimberlite age distribution, new treatment of an updated global database suggests that the apparent secular evolution of kimberlite and related CO2-rich ultramafic magmatism is genuine and probably coupled to lowering temperatures of Earth's upper mantle through time. Incipient melting near the CO2- and H2O-bearing peridotite solidus at >200 km depth (1100-1400 °C) is the petrologically most feasible process that can produce high-MgO carbonated silicate melts with enriched trace element concentrations akin to kimberlites. These conditions occur within the convecting asthenospheric mantle directly beneath thick continental lithosphere. In this transient upper mantle source region, variable CHO volatile mixtures control melting of peridotite in the absence of heat anomalies so that low-degree carbonated silicate melts may be permanently present at ambient mantle temperatures below 1400 °C. However, extraction of low-volume melts to Earth's surface requires tectonic triggers. Abrupt changes in the speed and direction of plate motions, such as typified by the dynamics of supercontinent cycles, can be effective in the creation of lithospheric pathways aiding kimberlite magma ascent. Provided that CO2- and H2O-fluxed deep cratonic keels, which formed parts of larger drifting tectonic plates, existed by 3 Ga or even before, kimberlite volcanism could have been frequent during the Archean. However, we argue that frequent kimberlite magmatism had to await establishment of an incipient melting regime beneath the maturing continents, which only became significant after secular mantle cooling to below 1400 °C during post-Archean times, probably sometime shortly after 2 Ga. At around this time kimberlites replace komatiites as the hallmark mantle-derived magmatic feature of continental shields worldwide. The remarkable Mesozoic-Cenozoic 'kimberlite bloom' between 250-50 Ma may represent the ideal circumstance under which the relatively cool and volatile-fluxed cratonic roots of the Pangea supercontinent underwent significant tectonic disturbance. This created more than 60% of world's known kimberlites in a combination of redox- and decompression-related low-degree partial melting. Less than 2% of world's known kimberlites formed after 50 Ma, and the tectonic settings of rare 'young' kimberlites from eastern Africa and western North America demonstrate that far-field stresses on cratonic lithosphere enforced by either continental rifting or cold subduction play a crucial role in enabling kimberlite magma transfer to Earth's surface.

Role of fluid in the mechanism of formation of volcaniclastic and coherent kimberlite facies: a diamond perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fedortchouk, Yana; Chinn, Ingrid

2016-04-01

Dissolution features on diamonds recovered from kimberlites vary depending on the dissolution conditions and can be used as a reliable proxy for volatiles and their role in kimberlite emplacement. Volatiles determine the mechanism of magma emplacement; variation in volatile content and CO2/CO2+H2O ratio may affect the geology of kimberlite bodies and formation of coherent vs. volcaniclastic kimberlite facies. Here we examine the evolution of a kimberlite system during ascent using the resorption morphology of its diamond population. We use 655 macro-diamonds from a complex kimberlite pipe in the Orapa kimberlite field (Botswana) to examine the role of volatiles in the formation of the three facies comprising this pipe: two coherent kimberlite facies (CKA and CKB) and one massive volcaniclastic facies (MVK). The diamonds come from three drillholes through each of the studied kimberlite facies. Separate diamond samples derived from 2 - 13 m intervals were combined into 40 m depth intervals for statistical purposes. Four independent morphological methods allowed us to reliably discriminate products of resorption in kimberlite magma from resorption in the mantle, and use the former in our study. We found that the proportion of diamonds with kimberlitic resorption is the lowest in CKA - 22%, medium in MVK - 50%, and highest in CKB - 73%, and it increases with depth in each of the drillholes. Each kimberlite facies shows its own style of kimberlite-induced resorption on rounded tetrahexahedron (THH) diamonds: glossy surfaces in MVK, rough corroded surfaces in CKB, and combination of glossy surfaces with chains of circular pits in CKA, where these pits represent the initial stages of development of corrosive features observed on CKB diamonds. Based on the results of our previous experimental studies we propose that resorption of MVK diamonds is a product of interaction with COH fluid, resorption of CKB diamonds is a product of interaction with a volatile-undersaturated melt (possibly carbonatitic), and CKA diamonds show an overprint of melt-controlled resorption over a fluid-controlled resorption. We propose an early separation of the fluid phase during the ascent of this kimberlite magma, segregation of this fluid and rise towards the top of the magma column. Over-pressurisation caused by the expansion of this fluid worked as a driving force for the magma ascent acceleration. The magma column has separated into two parts: (1) the bubble-rich magma towards the top, explosive emplacement of which formed the MVK facies, followed by the "tailing" bubble-poor magma quietly arriving to form the CKA facies, and (2) magma that lost volatiles to the upwardly escaping bubbles, in which a slower ascent caused more intensive diamond resorption and delayed emplacement, forming the CKB facie. It is possible that formation, buoyancy, and growth of fluid bubbles controls the ascent of the kimberlite magma, where emplacement of bubble-rich magma forms volcaniclastic kimberlite facies, while fast rise of the bubbles through the magma column separates the fluid-rich phase that moves up preparing the conduit in the surrounding rocks and forms an explosive pipe at the surface, from a volatile-depleted magma, which slowly rises and fills the pipe with CK kimberlite facies.

Discovery of kimberlite in a magnetically noisy environment: a case study of the Syferfontein and Goedgevonden kimberlites (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webb, S. J.; Van Buren, R.

2013-12-01

Airborne geophysical methods play an important role in the exploration for kimberlites. As regions become more intensively explored, smaller kimberlites, which can be extremely difficult to find, are being targeted. These smaller kimberlites, as evidenced by the M-1 Maarsfontein pipe in the Klipspringer cluster in South Africa, can be highly profitable. The Goedgevonden and Syferfontein pipes are small kimberlites (~0.2 ha) ~25 km NNE of Klerksdorp in South Africa. The Goedgevonden pipe has been known since the 1930s and is diamondiferous, but not commercially viable due to small stone size and low quality of stones. In the early 1990s, Gold Fields used this pipe as a typical kimberlite to collect example geophysical data. The nearby (~1 km to the east) Syferfontein pipe is not diamondiferous but was discovered in 1994 as part of a speculative airborne EM survey conducted by Gold Fields and Geodass (now CGG) as part of their case study investigations. Both kimberlites have had extensive ground geophysical survey data collected and have prominent magnetic, gravity and EM responses that aided in the delineation of the pipes. These pipes represent a realistic and challenging case study target due to their small size and the magnetically noisy environment into which they have been emplaced. The discovery of the Syferfontein pipe in 1994 stimulated further testing of airborne methods, especially as the surface was undisturbed. These pipes are located in a region that hosts highly variably magnetized Hospital Hill shales, dolerite dykes and Ventersdorp lavas, a 2-3 m thick resistive ferricrete cap and significant cultural features such as an electric railroad and high tension power line. Although the kimberlites both show prominent magnetic anomalies on ground surveys, the airborne data are significantly noisy and the pipes do not show up as well determined targets. However, the clay-rich weathered zone of the pipes provides an ideal target for the EM method, and both pipes have significant responses on the DIGHEM system. The HELITEM, helicopter borne time domain EM system also clearly mapped both pipes as did the TEMPEST time domain system from a fixed wing platform. Although there are other EM anomalies in the area, these are easily associated with dykes in the area based on joint interpretation with the aeromagnetic data. The lack of kimberlite exploration in this region is likely due to the lack of alluvial diamonds, the magnetically noisy environment, and the well-developed ferricrete and calcrete layers on surface which trap and resorb heavy minerals such as garnet, traditionally used in soil sampling. In this challenging environment, airborne EM combined with magnetic and ground geophysical methods for ground truthing are viable exploration methods.

Three dimensional inversion of magnetic survey data collected over kimberlite pipes in presence of remanent magnetization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Pengzhi

Magnetic method is a common geophysical technique used to explore kimberlites. The analysis and interpretation of measured magnetic data provides the information of magnetic and geometric properties of potential kimberlite pipes. A crucial parameter of kimberlite magnetic interpretation is the remanent magnetization that dominates the classification of kimberlite. However, the measured magnetic data is the total field affected by the remanent magnetization and the susceptibility. The presence of remanent magnetization can pose severe challenges to the quantitative interpretation of magnetic data by skewing or laterally shifting magnetic anomalies relative to the subsurface source (Haney and Li, 2002). Therefore, identification of remanence effects and determination of remanent magnetization are important in magnetic data interpretation. This project presents a new method to determine the magnetic and geometric properties of kimberlite pipes in the presence of strong remanent magnetization. This method consists of two steps. The first step is to estimate the total magnetization and geometric properties of magnetic anomaly. The second step is to separate the remanent magnetization from the total magnetization. In the first step, a joint parametric inversion of total-field magnetic data and its analytic signal (derived from the survey data by Fourier transform method) is used. The algorithm of the joint inversion is based on the Gauss-Newton method and it is more stable and more accurate than the separate inversion method. It has been tested with synthetic data and applied to interpret the field data from the Lac de Gras, North-West Territories of Canada. The results of the synthetic examples and the field data applications show that joint inversion can recovers the total magnetization and geometric properties of magnetic anomaly with a good data fit and stable convergence. In the second step, the remanent magnetization is separated from the total magnetization by using a determined susceptibility. The susceptibility value is estimated by using the frequency domain electromagnetic data. The inversion method is achieved by a code, named “EM1DFM”, developed by University of British Columbia was designed to construct one of four types of 1D model, using any type of geophysical frequency domain loop-loop data with one of four variations of the inversion algorithm. The results show that the susceptibility of magnetic body is recovered, even if the depth and thickness are not well estimated. This two-step process provides a new way to determine magnetic and geometric properties of kimberlite pipes in the presence of strong remanent magnetization. The joint inversion of the total-field magnetic data and its analytic signal obtains the total magnetization and geometric properties. The frequency domain EM method provides the susceptibility. As a result, the remanent magnetization can be separated from the total magnetization accurately.

Contrasting eruption styles of the 147 Kimberlite, Fort à la Corne, Saskatchewan, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lefebvre, Nathalie; Kurszlaukis, Stephan

2008-06-01

The Cretaceous Fort à la Corne (FALC) kimberlite field was active over a time span of ~ 20 Ma with contemporaneous terrestrial (Mannville Group) to marine (Lower Colorado Group) background sedimentation. Steep-sided pipes, craters and positive landform volcanoes such as scoria or tuff cones are thought to have formed during that period. The 147 Kimberlite is located in the SE section of the field's main cluster and is part of the large (~ 377.5 ha) Orion North volcanic complex. Based on logging of 25 drill cores, the morphology of the country rock/kimberlite interface suggests excavation of a complex crater field down to the upper portion of the Mannville Group sedimentary deposits. At least two types of volcaniclastic deposits are identified: a main kimberlite unit that is typically characterized by crustal xenolith-poor (1-2%), normal graded beds possibly deposited as turbidites in a subaqueous environment, originating from the nearby 148 tephra cone and infilling the adjacent 147 crater, and a second unit, located on the NE margin of the 147 Kimberlite, that represents a thick (~ 60 m) sequence of large (up to 22 m) sedimentary country rock blocks located at least 60 m above their original stratigraphic position. We suggest the following time sequence of events: Crater excavation as a consequence of a shallow magma fragmentation level within the uppermost country rock sequences, together with several closely spaced eruptive centres initially formed the complex, intercalated crater field. Subsequently, ongoing eruptions with a fragmentation level above the country rock produced the lithic fragment poor main infill of the 148 Kimberlite. Resedimentation from the outer flanks of the 148 tephra cone resulted in the deposition of turbidites in the 147 area. A consolidation phase solidified the lowermost portion of the main infill in 147. A subsequent explosion(s) occurred within the Mannville Group in the 147 area, ejecting large blocks of sedimentary country rocks and fracturing the overlying volcaniclastic main infill. Finally, blocks of the main infill tilted and possibly slumped into the subsidence structure developed above the emptied explosion chamber of 147. The different volcanic deposits reflect a change in eruption style and fragmentation level from highly explosive to spatter activity with little fragmentation potential. Cap rocks to build up the volatile overpressure necessary to blast the craters were not present at the time of emplacement. No diatremes were observed in the study area. Assuming that the magma properties remained constant over time, the change in eruption style has to be attributed to external factors, such as water access to the rising magma. The volcanic behaviour of the kimberlite magma appears to be comparable to that of other magmatic systems, both in eruptive style and production rate. No evidence was found for a high, possibly Plinian production rate or dispersion.

Water and Metasomatism in the Slave Cratonic Lithosphere (Canada): An FTIR Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kilgore, McKensie; Peslier, Anne H.; Brandon, Alan D.; Schaffer, Lillian Aurora; Pearson, D. Graham; O'Reilly, Suzanne Yvette; Kopylova, Maya G.; Griffin, William L.

2017-01-01

Water in the mantle influences melting, viscosity, seismic velocity, and electrical conductivity. The role played by water in the long-term stabilization of cratonic roots is currently being debated. This study focuses on water contents of mantle minerals (olivine, pyroxene and garnet) from xenoliths found in kimberlites of the Archean Slave craton. 19 mantle xenoliths from central Lac de Gras, and 10 from northern Jericho were analyzed by FTIR for water, and their equilibration depths span the several compositional layers identified beneath the region. At both locations, the shallow peridotites have lower water contents in their olivines (11-30 ppm H2O) than those from the deeper layers (28-300 ppm H2O). The driest olivines, however, are not at the base of the cratonic lithosphere (>6 GPa) as in the Kaapvaal craton. Instead, the deepest olivines are hydrous (31-72 ppm H2O at Lac de Gras and 275 ppm H2O at Jericho). Correlations of water in clinopyroxene and garnet with their other trace element contents are consistent with water being added by metasomatism by melts resembling kimberlite precursors in the mantle approx.0.35 Ga ago beneath Lac de Gras. The northern Jericho xenoliths are derived from a region of the Slave craton that is even more chemically stratified, and was affected at depth by the 1.27 Ga Mackenzie igneous events. Metasomatism at Jericho may be responsible for the particularly high olivine water contents (up to 300 ppm H2O) compared to those at Lac de Gras, which will be investigated by acquiring trace-element data on these xenoliths. These data indicate that several episodes of metasomatic rehydration occurred in the deep part of the Slave craton mantle lithosphere, with the process being more intense in the northern part beneath Jericho, likely related to a translithospheric suture serving as a channel to introduce fluids and/or melts in the northern region. Consequently, rehydration of the lithosphere does not necessarily cause cratonic root delamination and these peridotites may represent localized metasomatic zones - the wall rocks to kimberlite magma passage.

Basaltic Diatreme To Root Zone Volcanic Processes In Tuzo Kimberlite Pipe (Gahcho Kué Kimberlite Field, NWT, Canada)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seghedi, I.; Kurszlaukis, S.; Maicher, D.

2009-05-01

Tuzo pipe is infilled by a series of coherent and fragmental kimberlite facies types typical for a diatreme to root zone transition level. Coherent or transitional coherent kimberlite facies dominate at depth, but also occur at shallow levels, either as dikes or as individual or agglutinated coherent kimberlite clasts (CKC). Several fragmental kimberlite varieties fill the central and shallow portions of the pipe. The definition, geometry and extent of the geological units are complex and are controlled by vertical elements. Specific for Tuzo is: (1) high abundance of locally derived xenoliths (granitoids and minor diabase) between and within the kimberlite phases, varying in size from sub-millimeter to several tens of meters, frequent in a belt-like domain between 120-200 m depth in the pipe; (2) the general presence of CKC, represented by round-subround, irregular to amoeboid-shaped clasts with a macrocrystic or aphanitic texture, mainly derived from fragmentation of erupting magma and less commonly from previously solidified kimberlite, as well as recycled pyroclasts. In addition, some CKC are interpreted to be intersections of a complex dike network. This diversity attests formation by various volcanic processes, extending from intrusive to explosive; (3) the presence of bedded polymict wall- rock and kimberlite breccia occurring mostly in deep levels of the pipe below 345 m depth. The gradational contact relationships of these deposits with the surrounding kimberlite rocks and their location suggest that they formed in situ. The emplacement of Tuzo pipe involved repetitive volcanic explosions alternating with periods of relative quiescence causing at least partial consolidation of some facies. The volume deficit in the diatreme-root zone after each eruption was compensated by gravitational collapse of overlying diatreme tephra and pre-fragmented wall-rock xenoliths. Highly explosive phases were alternating with weak explosions or intrusive phases, suggesting an external factor to control the explosive behaviour of the magma. The overall constant volatile content of the kimberlite does not explain the observed extreme change in emplacement behaviour. The facies architecture of fragmental facies dominated by vertical elements is similar to that in non- kimberlitic diatremes and indicates deposition from debris jets marking separate and repeated explosive volcanic events. In basaltic pipes, such jets are generated by phreatomagmatic explosions in the explosion chamber(s) of the root zone, causing abundant country rock fragmentation and further efficient mixture of the various particles. Phases of high explosivity formed the finely fragmented kimberlites containing a high percentage of wall-rock xenoliths, while the fluidal-shaped and partly welded texturally variable and wall-rock- poor transitional coherent facies suggest phases of repetitive, hot, and low-energy fragmentation forming kimberlite spatter. Peperite hosted in kimberlite tephra is also typically found in basaltic root zones. Time gaps in between volcanic eruptive periods are indicated by cognate pyroclasts and reworked wall-rock deposits emplaced by sporadic sedimentation events in subterranean cavities under the widening roof of the pipe. The presence of temporary caves in the root zone is proposed also by the occurrence of spherical CKC in deep- seated fragmental kimberlite and by spatter found in transitional coherent rocks. Evidence for caves was mostly preserved at deeper pipe levels advocating continuously recurring processes during the life span of Tuzo.

The P3 kimberlite and P4 lamproite, Wajrakarur kimberlite field, India: mineralogy, and major and minor element compositions of olivines as records of their phenocrystic vs xenocrystic origin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaikh, Azhar M.; Kumar, Satya P.; Patel, Suresh C.; Thakur, Satyajeet S.; Ravi, Subramanian; Behera, Duryadhan

2018-03-01

Distinctly different groundmass mineralogy characterise the hypabyssal facies, Mesoproterozoic diamondiferous P3 and P4 intrusions from the Wajrakarur Kimberlite Field, southern India. P3 is an archetypal kimberlite with macrocrysts of olivine and phlogopite set in a groundmass dominated by phlogopite and monticellite with subordinate amounts of serpentine, spinel, perovskite, apatite, calcite and rare baddeleyite. P4 contains mega- and macrocrysts of olivine set in a groundmass dominated by clinopyroxene and phlogopite with subordinate amounts of serpentine, spinel, perovskite, apatite, and occasional gittinsite, and is mineralogically interpreted as an olivine lamproite. Three distinct populations of olivine, phlogopite and clinopyroxene are recognized based on their microtextural and compositional characteristics. The first population includes glimmerite and phlogopite-clinopyroxene nodules, and Mg-rich olivine macrocrysts (Fo 90-93) which are interpreted to be derived from disaggregated mantle xenoliths. The second population comprises macrocrysts of phlogopite and Fe-rich olivine (Fo 81-89) from P3, megacrysts and macrocrysts of Fe-rich olivine (Fo 85-87) from P4 and a rare olivine-clinopyroxene nodule from P4 which are suggested to have a genetic link with the precursor melt of the respective intrusions. The third population represents clearly magmatic minerals such as euhedral phenocrysts of Fe-rich olivine (Fo 85-90) crystallised at mantle depths, and olivine overgrowth rims formed contemporaneously with groundmass minerals at crustal levels. Close spatial association and contemporaneous emplacement of P3 kimberlite and P4 lamproite is explained by a unifying petrogenetic model which involves the interaction of a silica-poor carbonatite melt with differently metasomatised wall rocks in the lithospheric mantle. It is proposed that the metasomatised wall rock for lamproite contained abundant MARID-type and phlogopite-rich metasomatic veins, while that for kimberlite was relatively refractory in nature.

Comparative geochemistry of West African kimberlites: Evidence for a micaceous kimberlite endmember of sublithospheric origin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, Wayne R.; Tompkins, Linda A.; Haggerty, Stephen E.

1994-10-01

A suite of largely unaltered, aphanitic, mica-bearing hypabyssal kimberlites from the Koidu kimberlite complex of the West African Craton have been investigated to determine their geochemical affinity relative to Group I (nonmicaceous) and Group II (micaceous) kimberlites of southern Africa. Comparison is made with altered kimberlites from Liberia, other West African and global kimberlites. Based on major element oxides, the Koidu kimberlites, though mica-bearing, show closest compositional similarity with the Group IA kimberlites of southern Africa. Based on major and trace elements, the Koidu kimberlites show an unusual geochemical signature. This signature is similar to that of the distinctive, micaceous Aries kimberlite of northwest Australia, and includes high Nb/U (most samples > 46), Ce/Sr(>0.4), Ta/Hf(>2), and Nb/Zr(>1) ratios and low P 2O 5/Ce ∗10 4(<27), Ba/Rb(<32), and U/Th(<0.2) ratios compared with Group I kimberlites. Koidu kimberlites can be readily discriminated from Group II kimberlites by their higher Ti/K(>0.4) and Mb/La(>1) ratios and lower Ba/Nb(<10) and Pb/Ce(<0.06) ratios. The compositions of Liberian kimberlites are leached of mobile incompatible elements, but least affected samples show affinity to Group I. Guinea kimberlites appear to be of two types: one having affinity with Group IA and the other, micaceous variety, having affinity with the Aries kimberlite. Kimberlites with an Aries geochemical signature appear to exist on some other cratons, e.g., the Kundelungu kimberlites (Zaire) and two mica-bearing Group I kimberlites (S. Africa). The Koidu kimberlites exhibit compositionally-dependent isotopic heterogeneity though initial ɛNd and ɛSr values are broadly asthenospheric (i.e., near bulk earth) similar to Group I and Aries. A compositional spectrum appears to exist between nonmicaceous Group I kimberlites through mica-bearing Koidu kimberlites to extreme endmembers of the Aries type. This spectrum can be modelled as partial melts of heterogeneous peridotite sources which incorporate a potassic, high-Nb source component. The component may represent a fluoro-K-richterite-bearing peridotite residue derived by melt extraction from subduction-zone metasomatized peridotites. Such materials may have been trapped, together with former oceanic lithosphere, in the Transition Zone of the mantle. In response to lower mantle upwelling, diapiric uprise accompanying reduced volatile degassing of the kimberlite source may occur. Because of differences in oxidation potential across the 400 km discontinuity, reactions in the ascending diapir will lead to redox melting and ultimately segregation of the kimberlite melt at the base of the thermal boundary layer (P ~ 13 GPa) separating the subcratonic lithosphere from the convective mantle.

Absolute age Determinations on Diamond by Radioisotopic Methods: NOT the way to Accurately Identify Diamond Provenance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shirey, S. B.

2002-05-01

Gem-quality diamond contains such low abundances of parent-daughter radionuclides that dating the diamond lattice directly by isotopic measurements has been and will be impossible. Absolute ages on diamonds typically are obtained through measurements of their syngenetic mineral inclusions: Rb-Sr in garnet; Sm-Nd in garnet and pyroxene; Re-Os and U-Th-Pb in sulfide; K-Ar in pyroxene; and U-Pb in zircon. The application of the first two isotope schemes in the list requires putting together many inclusions from many diamonds whereas the latter isotope schemes permit ages on single diamonds. The key limitations on the application of these decay pairs are the availability and size of the inclusions, the abundance levels of the radionuclides, and instrumental sensitivity. Practical complications of radioisotope dating of inclusions are fatal to the application of the technique for diamond provenance. In all mines, the ratio of gem-quality diamonds to stones with datable inclusions is very high. Thus there is no way to date the valuable, marketable stones that are part of the conflict diamond problem, just their rare, flawed cousins. Each analysis destroys the diamond host plus the inclusion and can only be carried out in research labs by highly trained scientists. Thus, these methods can not be automated or applied to the bulk of diamond production. The geological problems with age dating are equally fatal to its application to diamond provenance. From the geological perspective, for age determination to work as a tool for diamond provenance studies, diamond ages would have to be specific to particular kimberlites or kimberlite fields and different between fields. The southern African Kaapvaal-Zimbabwe Craton and Limpopo Mobile Belt is the only cratonic region where age determinations have been applied on a large enough scale to a number of kimberlites to illustrate the geological problems in age measurements for diamond provenance. However, this southern African example is seen as typical of other cratons. Here, the nearly universal occurrence of Archean or Proterozoic diamonds in much younger (often Cretaceous) kimberlites proves that diamonds are xenocrysts inherited from the ancient mantle lithospheric keel by the host kimberlite as it erupts. Differences in diamond ages are on the scale of the geological assembly of the mantle lithospheric keel and relate to geological terranes in the lithosphere; they have little to do with individual kimberlites. In southern Africa, two age groupings of diamonds exist: Archean (3.2 to 2.9 Ga) diamonds associated with initial creation/final stabilization of the mantle lithosphere and Proterozoic (1 to 2 Ga) diamonds associated with compositional changes to the mantle keel from magmatism and metasomatism. The distribution of these two age types is cratonwide, encompasses many kimberlites and both age groupings can occur in an individual kimberlite. One expects a recurrence of similar ages with a possible 2 Ga age spread from many different kimberlites across the craton. Similar old ages are seen on other cratons (e.g. Siberian, Slave); thus age can not even distinguish diamond source at the scale of a craton. A further complication is that both sampling of diamonds from their lithospheric host and the resting position of diamonds at the final solidification level of the kimberlite in the crust are accidental. This can produce significant variability in the diamond population which is further complicated if erosion and deposition of the diamonds to form alluvial deposits has obscured their host kimberlite.

Macrocrystal phlogopite Rb-Sr dates for the Ekati property kimberlites, Slave Province, Canada: evidence for multiple intrusive episodes in the Paleocene and Eocene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Creaser, Robert A.; Grütter, Herman; Carlson, Jon; Crawford, Barbara

2004-09-01

New Rb-Sr age determinations using macrocrystal phlogopite are presented for 27 kimberlites from the Ekati property of the Lac de Gras region, Slave Province, Canada. These new data show that kimberlite magmatism at Ekati ranges in age from at least Late Paleocene (∼61 Ma) to Middle Eocene time (∼45 Ma). Older, perovskite-bearing kimberlites from Ekati extend this age range to Late Cretaceous time (∼74 Ma). Within this age range, emplacement episodes at ∼48, 51-53, 55-56 and 59-61 Ma can be recognized. Middle Eocene kimberlite magmatism of the previously dated Mark kimberlite (∼47.5 Ma) is shown to include four other pipes from the east-central Ekati property. A single kimberlite (Aaron) may be younger than the 47.5 Ma Mark kimberlite. The economically important Panda kimberlite is precisely dated in this study to be 53.3±0.6 Ma using the phlogopite isochron method, and up to six additional kimberlites from the central Ekati property have Early Eocene ages indistinguishable from that of Panda, including the Koala and Koala North occurrences. Late Paleocene 55-56 Ma kimberlite magmatism, represented by the Diavik kimberlite pipes adjacent to the southeastern Ekati property, is shown to extend onto the southeastern Ekati property and includes three, and possibly four, kimberlites. A precise eight-point phlogopite isochron for the Cobra South kimberlite yields an emplacement age of 59.7±0.4 Ma; eight other kimberlites from across the Ekati property have similar Late Paleocene Rb-Sr model ages. The addition of 27 new emplacement ages for kimberlites from the Ekati property confirms that kimberlite magmatism from the central Slave Province is geologically young, despite ages ranging back to Cambrian time from elsewhere in the Slave Province. With the available geochronologic database, Lac de Gras kimberlites with the highest diamond potential are currently restricted to the 51-53 and 55-56 Ma periods of kimberlite magmatism.

Inclusions of crichtonite-group minerals in Cr-pyropes from the Internatsionalnaya kimberlite pipe, Siberian Craton: Crystal chemistry, parageneses and relationships to mantle metasomatism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rezvukhin, Dmitriy I.; Malkovets, Vladimir G.; Sharygin, Igor S.; Tretiakova, Irina G.; Griffin, William L.; O'Reilly, Suzanne Y.

2018-05-01

Cr-pyrope xenocrysts and associated inclusions of crichtonite-group minerals from the Internatsionalnaya kimberlite pipe were studied to provide new insights into processes in the lithospheric mantle beneath the Mirny kimberlite field, Siberian craton. Pyropes are predominantly of lherzolitic paragenesis (Cr2O3 2-6 wt%) and have trace-element spectra typical for garnets from fertile mantle (gradual increase in chondrite-normalized values from LREE to MREE-HREE). Crichtonite-group minerals commonly occur as monomineralic elongated inclusions, mostly in association with rutile, Mg-ilmenite and Cr-spinel within individual grains of pyrope. Sample INT-266 hosts intergrowth of crichtonite-group mineral and Cl-apatite, while sample INT-324 contains polymineralic apatite- and dolomite-bearing assemblages. Crichtonite-group minerals are Al-rich (1.1-4.5 wt% Al2O3), moderately Zr-enriched (1.3-4.3 wt% ZrO2), and are Ca-, Sr-, and occasionally Ba-dominant in terms of A-site occupancy; they also contain significant amounts of Na and LREE. T-estimates and chemical composition of Cr-pyropes imply that samples represent relatively low-T peridotite assemblages with ambient T ranging from 720 to 820°С. Projected onto the 35 mW/m2 cratonic paleogeotherm for the Mirny kimberlite field (Griffin et al., 1999b. Tectonophysics 310, 1-35), temperature estimates yield a P range of 34-42 kbar ( 110-130 km), which corresponds to a mantle domain in the uppermost part of the diamond stability field. The presence of crichtonite-group minerals in Cr-pyropes has petrological and geochemical implications as evidence for metasomatic enrichment of some incompatible elements in the lithospheric mantle beneath the Mirny kimberlite field. The genesis of Cr-pyropes with inclusions of crichtonite-group minerals is attributed to the percolation of Ca-Sr-Na-LREE-Zr-bearing carbonate-silicate metasomatic agents through Mg- and Cr-rich depleted peridotite protoliths. The findings of several potentially new members of the crichtonite group as inclusions in garnet extend existing knowledge on the compositions and occurrences of exotic titanates stable in the lithospheric mantle.

Invasion of Hydrous Fluids Predates Kimberlite Formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kopylova, M. G.; Wang, Q.; Smith, E. M.

2017-12-01

Petrological observations on diamonds and peridotite xenoliths in kimberlites point towards an influx of hydrous metasomatic fluids shortly predating kimberlite formation. Diamonds may grow at different times within the same segment of the cratonic mantle, and diamonds that form shortly before (<5-7 My) the kimberlite entrainment host the more hydrous fluid inclusions. Younger fibrous diamonds typically contain 10-25 wt.% water in fluid inclusions, while older octahedrally-grown diamonds host "dry" N2-CO2 fluids. Our recent studies of fluids in diamond now show that many different kinds of diamonds can contain fluid inclusions. Specifically, we found a new way to observe and analyze fluids in octahedrally-grown, non-fibrous diamonds by examining healed fractures. This is a new textural context for fluid inclusions that reveals a valuable physical record of infiltrating mantle fluids, that postdate diamond growth, but equilibrate within the diamond stability field at depths beyond 150 km. Another sign of the aqueous fluids influx is the formation of distinct peridotite textures shortly predating the kimberlite. Kimberlites entrain peridotite xenoliths with several types of textures: older coarse metamorphic textures and younger, sheared textures. The preserved contrast in grain sizes between porphyroclasts and neoblasts in sheared peridotites constrain the maximum duration of annealing. Experimental estimates of the annealing time vary from 7x107 sec (2 years) to 106 years (1 My) depending on olivine hydration, strain rate, pressure, temperature and, ultimately, the annealing mechanism. Kimberlite sampling of sheared peridotites from the lithosphere- asthenosphere boundary (LAB) implies their formation no earlier than 1 My prior to the kimberlite ascent. Water contents of olivine measured by FTIR spectrometry using polarized light demonstrated contrasting hydration of coarse and sheared samples. Olivine from sheared peridotite samples has the average water content of 78±3 ppm, in contrast to the less hydrated coarse peridotites (33±6 ppm). LAB hydration results in the lower viscosity of the mantle (1-4 orders of magnitude) translating into 10-104- fold increase in strain rate if stress, its duration, pressure, temperature and the deformation mechanism are assumed constant.

Geothermobarometry for ultramafic assemblages from the Emeishan Large Igneous Province, Southwest China and the Nikos and Zulu Kimberlites, Nunavut, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, D.

2009-05-01

To understand and contrast the origins of ultramafic assemblages from basaltic and kimberlitic rocks and their associated deposits, such as V-Ti magnetite and Ni-Cu-(PGE) sulfide deposits and diamond, applicable thermobarometers were evaluated and applied to the ultramafic assemblages from the Emeishan Large Igneous Province (ELIP), Southwest China and from the Nikos and Zulu Kimberlites of Nunavut, Canada. The ELIP is located in the Yangtze Block, Southwest China and composed of Permian Emeishan Flood basalt (EFB) and associated layered mafic-ultramafic intrusions. Some of these intrusions host V-Ti magnetite deposits; while others contain Ni-Cu-(PGE) sulfide deposits. It is not clear why some intrusions host magnetite deposits and others contain sulfide deposits. The P-T conditions for the ultramafic assemblages from the mafic-ultramafic intrusions in the ELIP were calculated in order to understand the origins and the associated mineral deposits. The ultramafic assemblages are peridotite, olivine pyroxenite, pyroxenite in the layered intrusions and the common minerals include spinel, olivine, clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene, and minor magnetite and ilmenite. Using a two pyroxene thermometer and a Ca-Mg exchange barometer between olivine and clinopyroxene, a spinel-olivine-clinopyroxene-orthopyroxene assemblage from the Xinjie intrusion yields a T-P of 905°C and 17 kbar; and a similar assemblage from the Jinbaoshan intrusion yields a T-P of 1124°C and 31 kbar. The Nikos kimberlite, near Elwin Bay on Somerset Island, is located at the northeast end of the northeast-southwest kimberlite zone; and the Zulu kimberlite is located on the neighboring Brodeur Peninsula of Baffin Island, Nunavut. The ultramafic assemblages from the Canadian Kimberlites include garnet lherzolite, garnet-spinel lherzolite, spinel lherzolite, dunite, garnet websterite, spinel websterite and garnet clinopyroxenite. The calculated P-T conditions are in the range of 760 to 1180°C and 25 to 60 kbar, follow a continental geotherm, and overlap the stability field of diamond. The ultramafic assemblages from the ELIP, Southwest China and from the Canadian Kimberlites were sampled from different depths in the lithosphere.

Synchroneity of cratonic burial phases and gaps in the kimberlite record: Episodic magmatism or preservational bias?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ault, Alexis K.; Flowers, Rebecca M.; Bowring, Samuel A.

2015-01-01

A variety of models are used to explain an apparent episodicity in kimberlite emplacement. Implicit in these models is the assumption that the preserved kimberlite record is largely complete. However, some cratons now mostly devoid of Phanerozoic cover underwent substantial Phanerozoic burial and erosion episodes that should be considered when evaluating models for global kimberlite distributions. Here we show a broad temporal coincidence between regional burial phases inferred from thermochronology and gaps in the kimberlite record in the Slave craton, Superior craton, and cratonic western Australia. A similar pattern exists in the Kaapvaal craton, although its magmatic, deposition, and erosion history differs in key ways from the other localities. One explanation for these observations is that there is a common cause of cratonic subsidence and suppression of kimberlite magmatism. Another possibility is that some apparent gaps in kimberlite magmatism are preservational artifacts. Even if kimberlites occurred during cratonic burial phases, the largest uppermost portions of the pipes would have been subsequently eroded along with the sedimentary rocks into which they were emplaced. In this model, kimberlite magmatism was more continuous than the preserved record suggests, implying that evidence for episodicity in kimberlite genesis should be carefully evaluated in light of potential preservational bias effects. Either way, the correlation between burial and kimberlite gaps suggests that cratonic surface histories are important for understanding global kimberlite patterns.

Kimberlites of the Man craton, West Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skinner, E. M. W.; Apter, D. B.; Morelli, C.; Smithson, N. K.

2004-09-01

The Man craton in West Africa is an Archaean craton formerly joined to the Guyana craton (South America) that was rifted apart in the Mesozoic. Kimberlites of the Man craton include three Jurassic-aged clusters in Guinea, two Jurassic-aged clusters in Sierra Leone, and in Liberia two clusters of unknown age and one Neoproterozoic cluster recently dated at ∼800 Ma. All of the kimberlites irrespective of age occur as small pipes and prolific dykes. Some of the Banankoro cluster pipes in Guinea, the Koidu pipes in Sierra Leone and small pipes in the Weasua cluster in Liberia contain hypabyssal-facies kimberlite and remnants of the so-called transitional-facies and diatreme-facies kimberlite. Most of the Man craton kimberlites are mineralogically classified as phlogopite kimberlites, although potassium contents are relatively low. They are chemically similar to mica-poor Group 1A Southern African examples. The Jurassic kimberlites are considered to represent one province of kimberlites that track from older bodies in Guinea (Droujba 153 Ma) to progressively younger kimberlites in Sierra Leone (Koidu, 146 Ma and Tongo, 140 Ma). The scarcity of diatreme-facies kimberlites relative to hypabyssal-facies kimberlites and the presence of the so-called transitional-facies indicate that the pipes have been eroded down to the interface between the root and diatreme zones. From this observation, it is concluded that extensive erosion (1-2 km) has occurred since the Jurassic. In addition to erosion, the presence of abundant early crystallizing phlogopite is considered to have had an effect on the relatively small sizes of the Man craton kimberlites.

Nd-isotopes in selected mantle-derived rocks and minerals and their implications for mantle evolution

USGS Publications Warehouse

Basu, A.R.; Tatsumoto, M.

1980-01-01

The Sm-Nd systematics in a variety of mantle-derived samples including kimberlites, alnoite, carbonatite, pyroxene and amphibole inclusions in alkali basalts and xenolithic eclogites, granulites and a pyroxene megacryst in kimberlites are reported. The additional data on kimberlites strengthen our earlier conclusion that kimberlites are derived from a relatively undifferentiated chondritic mantle source. This conclusion is based on the observation that the e{open}Nd values of most of the kimberlites are near zero. In contrast with the kimberlites, their garnet lherzolite inclusions show both time-averaged Nd enrichment and depletion with respect to Sm. Separated clinopyroxenes in eclogite xenoliths from the Roberts Victor kimberlite pipe show both positive and negative e{open}Nd values suggesting different genetic history. A whole rock lower crustal scapolite granulite xenolith from the Matsoku kimberlite pipe shows a negative e{open}Nd value of -4.2, possibly representative of the base of the crust in Lesotho. It appears that all inclusions, mafic and ultramafic, in kimberlites are unrelated to their kimberlite host. The above data and additional Sm-Nd data on xenoliths in alkali basalts, alpine peridotite and alnoite-carbonatites are used to construct a model for the upper 200 km of the earth's mantle - both oceanic and continental. The essential feature of this model is the increasing degree of fertility of the mantle with depth. The kimberlite's source at depths below 200 km in the subcontinental mantle is the most primitive in this model, and this primitive layer is also extended to the suboceanic mantle. However, it is clear from the Nd-isotopic data in the xenoliths of the continental kimberlites that above 200 km the continental mantle is distinctly different from their suboceanic counterpart. ?? 1980 Springer-Verlag.

The Fazenda Largo off-craton kimberlites of Piauí State, Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaminsky, Felix V.; Sablukov, Sergei M.; Sablukova, Ludmila I.; Zakharchenko, Olga D.

2009-10-01

In the late 1990s, the Fazenda Largo kimberlite cluster was discovered in the Piauí State of Brazil. As with earlier known kimberlites in this area - Redondão, Santa Filomena-Bom Jesus (Gilbues) and Picos - this cluster is located within the Palaeozoic Parnaiba Sedimentary Basin that separates the São Francisco and the Amazonian Precambrian cratons. Locations of kimberlites are controlled by the 'Transbrasiliano Lineament'. The Fazenda Largo kimberlites are intensely weathered, almost completely altered rocks with a fine-grained clastic structure, and contain variable amounts of terrigene admixture (quartz sand). These rocks represent near-surface volcano-sedimentary deposits of the crater parts of kimberlite pipes. By petrographic, mineralogical and chemical features, the Fazenda Largo kimberlites are similar to average kimberlite. The composition of the deep-seated material in the Fazenda Largo kimberlites is quite diverse: among mantle microxenoliths are amphibolitised pyrope peridotites, garnetised spinel peridotites, ilmenite peridotites, chromian spinel + chromian diopside + pyrope intergrowths, and large xenoliths of pyrope dunite. High-pressure minerals are predominantly of the ultramafic suite, Cr-association minerals (purplish-red and violet pyrope, chromian spinel, chromian diopside, Cr-pargasite and orthopyroxene). The Ti-association minerals of the ultramafic suite (picroilmenite and orange pyrope), as well as rare grains of orange pyrope-almandine of the eclogite association, are subordinate. Kimberlites from all four pipes contain rare grains of G10 pyrope of the diamond association, but chromian spinel of the diamond association was not encountered. By their tectonic position, by geochemical characteristics, and by the composition of kimberlite indicator minerals, the Fazenda Largo kimberlites, like the others of such type, are unlikely to be economic.

Magma ascent, fragmentation and depositional characteristics of "dry" maar volcanoes: Similarities with vent-facies kimberlite deposits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berghuijs, Jaap F.; Mattsson, Hannes B.

2013-02-01

Several maar craters within the Lake Natron-Engaruka monogenetic volcanic field (LNE-MVF) of northern Tanzania show compelling evidence for magmatic fragmentation and dry deposition. This is in contradiction of the common belief that most maars are formed through the explosive interaction between ascending magma and ground- or surface water. We here present a detailed study on the eruptive and depositional characteristics of the Loolmurwak and Eledoi maar volcanoes, two of the largest craters in the LNE-MVF, focusing on high-resolution stratigraphy, sedimentology, grain size distribution, pyroclast textures and morphologies, bulk geochemistry and mineral chemistry. At both maars, ejected material has been emplaced by a combination of pyroclastic surges and fallout. Indicators of phreatomagmatic fragmentation and wet deposition, such as impact sags, accretionary lapilli, vesiculated tuffs and plastering against obstacles, are absent in the deposits. Juvenile material predominantly occurs as fluidal-shaped vesicular melt droplets and contains no glass shards produced by the breakage of bubble walls. The Eledoi deposits comprise a large amount of inversely graded beds and lenses, which result from grain flow in a dry depositional environment. Preferential deposition of fine material toward the northern side of its crater can be related to effective wind winnowing in a dry eruption plume. This large variety of observations testifies to the dominance of magmatic fragmentation as well as dry deposition at the Loolmurwak and Eledoi maars, which is in line with what has been found for other structures in the LNE-MVF but contrasts with current ideas on maar formation. We infer that a volatile-rich, olivine melilitic magma was formed by small amounts of partial melting at upper mantle depths. With minimum average ascent rates of 5.3 m s- 1 for Loolmurwak and 26.2 m s- 1 for Eledoi, this magma rapidly moved toward the surface and exsolved a substantial amount of volatiles, sufficiently large to drive magmatic fragmentation. Both eruptions were pulsating in intensity and relatively short-lived, with estimated durations of 23 and 10 h for Loolmurwak and Eledoi, respectively. The depositional characteristics of these maars, including the abundant occurrence of mantle xenoliths in the deposits, as well as their envisaged mode of emplacement show a strong similarity to the often poorly preserved vent-facies of kimberlitic diatremes. Therefore, future research on well-preserved melilititic maar-diatreme deposits may provide valuable insights into kimberlite emplacement processes.

Crystal-Chemical Correlations in Chromites from Kimberlitic and Non-Kimberlitic Sources.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freckelton, C. N.; Flemming, R. L.

2009-05-01

This study explores the utility of micro X-ray diffraction (μXRD) as a tool for diamond exploration, as a compliment to current industry-standard techniques such as electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). Here we examine chromite. As one of the first phases to crystallize in mantle rocks, it is a useful indicator of upper mantle magmatic conditions in rocks that have been sampled by kimberlites. In addition, chromite does not alter easily from chemical and physical weathering processes. As such, chromite is a useful kimberlite indicator mineral in diamond exploration. We present correlations between crystal structure (unit cell) and chemical composition of chromite, (Fe,Mg)[Cr, Al]2O4, using correlated μXRD and EPMA data for 133 chromites from a three source locations: Two kimberlite sources and one non-kimberlitic source from an Archean granite/greenstone terrain. Quantitative analysis was performed using Electron Probe Microanalysis (EPMA) at Mineral Services, South Africa, prior to the loan of the samples. Randomly-oriented chromite grains, approximately 500 μm in diameter, were analyzed as previously mounted for EPMA. Micro X-ray-diffraction was performed using a Bruker D8-Discover Diffractometer, with θ-θ geometry, with CuKα radiation, operating at 40 kV and 40 mA, with nominal beam diameter of 500 μm. The data were collected in omega scan mode. Two dimensional General Area Detector Diffraction System (GADDS) images were collected for 20 minutes per image, and integrated to produce one-dimensional plots of intensity versus 2θ, for subsequent unit cell refinement using CELREF. Although all samples in this study were considered to be 'chromite', a plot of Cr/(Cr+Al) versus Fe2+/(Fe2++Mg) shows extensive substitution among four dominant members: chromite (FeCr2O4), magnesio-chromite (MgCr2O4), spinel (MgAl2O4), and hercynite (FeAl2O4), where Mg and Fe2+ substitute for one another on the tetrahedral site, and Cr and Al substitute for one another on the octahedral site. Our data are widely variable as compared to the field occupied by chromite inclusions in diamonds (high Cr and Mg (˜60 wt %) and very low Ti (˜0.40 wt %). Plots of the unit cell parameter, ao, versus composition demonstrate a decrease in unit cell size with increasing Al content (and corresponding decrease in Cr content), consistent with a smaller cation radius for Al versus Cr (Al=0.675 Å and Cr=0.905 Å). The trend in unit cell size is unlikely to be effected by Mg-Fe substitution because of the very small difference in their tetrahedral cation radii (Fe2+=0.835 Å and Mg=0.86 Å). Initial plots of composition versus unit cell parameter were clearly able to distinguish a difference between unit cell of kimberlitic chromites and non-kimberlitic chromites. The significantly higher Cr content in kimberlitic chromites (radius=0.905 Å), and correspondingly higher Al content in non-kimberlitic chromites (radius=0.675 Å), results in a striking bimodal distribution in unit cell parameter, ao, where kimberlitic chromites have a larger unit cell (> 8.3 Å) than non-kimberlitic chromites (< 8.3 Å). This preliminary data provides a useful starting point for screening minerals from naturally relevant chromite solid solutions using their corresponding unit cell parameters. Future work will examine which site substitutions (octahedral versus tetrahedral) are affecting the unit cell as well as the effect of cation order-disorder on unit cell parameters.

Kimberlite emplacement record in diamond morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fedortchouk, Y.; Chinn, I.

2015-12-01

Diamond resorption morphology reflects conditions and events in the host kimberlite magma and in diamond sources in subcratonic mantle. Recent experimental studies on diamond dissolution enable us now to use surface features of diamonds to examine magmatic fluid in kimberlites. This study uses optical and scanning electron microscopy examination of ~750 macro-diamonds from two kimberlites in Orapa cluster, Botswana. Kimberlite A is a simple body filled with coherent kimberlite facies (CK); kimberlite B is a complex body with two facies of coherent kimberlite and a massive volcaniclastic kimberlite facies (MVK). Distinction between kimberlite-induced and mantle-derived resorption was based on: the type of the most abundant resorption style, morphology of crystals with attached kimberlite fragments, and the study of pseudohemimorphic diamonds. Kimberlite-induced resorption is the focus of this work. The three facies in the pipe B show three contrasting diamond resorption types. Resorption in MVK facies leads to glossy rounded surfaces with fine striation and hillocks, and is identical to the resorption style in CK facies of pipe A. This type of resorption is typical for volcaniclastic facies and indicates emplacement in the presence of abundant COH fluid with high H2O:CO2 ratio (>50mol% of H2O). We propose that pipe A is a root zone supplying material to a larger kimberlite body filled with VK. The two CK in pipe B have very different resorption style. One forms similar glossy surfaces but with regular small cavities of rounded outline, while the other seems more corrosive and develops extremely rough features and deep cavities. Comparison to the experimental data suggests that the former had almost pure H2O fluid at low pressure (where solubility of SiO2 is low). The later CK facies was emplaced in the absence or very low abundance of a free fluid, and possibly in melt closer to carbonatitic composition.

The Kimberlites and related rocks of the Kuruman Kimberlite Province, Kaapvaal Craton, South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donnelly, Cara L.; Griffin, William L.; O'Reilly, Suzanne Y.; Pearson, Norman J.; Shee, Simon R.

2011-03-01

The Kuruman Kimberlite Province is comprised of 16 small pipes and dikes and contains some of the oldest known kimberlites (>1.6 Ga). In this study, 12 intrusions are subdivided into three groups with distinct petrology, age, and geochemical and isotopic compositions: (1) kimberlites with groundmass perovskites defining a Pb-Pb isochron age of 1787 ± 69 Ma, (2) orangeite with a U-Pb perovskite age of 124 ± 16 Ma, and (3) ultramafic lamprophyres (aillikite and mela-aillikite) with a zircon U-Pb age of 1642 ± 46 Ma. The magma type varies across the Province, with kimberlites in the east, lamprophyres in the west and orangeite and ultramafic lamprophyres to the south. Differences in the age and petrogenesis of the X007 orangeite and Clarksdale and Aalwynkop aillikites suggest that these intrusions are probably unrelated to the Kuruman Province. Kimberlite and orangeite whole-rock major and trace element compositions are similar to other South African localities. Compositionally, the aillikites typically lie off kimberlite and orangeite trends. Groundmass mineral chemistry of the kimberlites has some features more typical of orangeites. Kimberlite whole-rock Sr and Nd isotopes show zoning across the Province. When the kimberlites erupted at ~1.8 Ga, they sampled a core volume (ca 50 km across) of relatively depleted SCLM that was partially surrounded by a rim of more metasomatized mantle. This zonation may have been related to the development of the adjacent Kheis Belt (oldest rocks ~2.0 Ga), as weaker zones surrounding the more resistant core section of SCLM were more extensively metasomatized.

Water and metasomatism in the Slave cratonic lithosphere (Canada): an FTIR study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kilgore, M.; Peslier, A. H.; Brandon, A. D.; Schaffer, L. A.; Pearson, D. G.; O'Reilly, S. Y.; Kopylova, M. G.; Griffin, W. L.

2017-12-01

Water in the mantle influences melting, viscosity, seismic velocity, and electrical conductivity. The role played by water in the long-term stabilization of cratonic roots is currently being debated [1]. This study focuses on water contents of mantle minerals (olivine, pyroxene and garnet) from xenoliths found in kimberlites of the Archean Slave craton. 19 mantle xenoliths from central Lac de Gras, and 10 from northern Jericho were analyzed by FTIR for water, and their equilibration depths span the several compositional layers identified beneath the region [2]. At both locations, the shallow peridotites have lower water contents in their olivines (11-30 ppm H2O) than those from the deeper layers (28-300 ppm H2O). The driest olivines, however, are not at the base of the cratonic lithosphere (>6 GPa) as in the Kaapvaal craton [1]. Instead, the deepest olivines are hydrous (31-72 ppm H2O at Lac de Gras and 275 ppm H2O at Jericho). Correlations of water in clinopyroxene and garnet with their other trace element contents are consistent with water being added by metasomatism by melts resembling kimberlite precursors in the mantle 0.35 Ga ago beneath Lac de Gras [1]. The northern Jericho xenoliths are derived from a region of the Slave craton that is even more chemically stratified, and was affected at depth by the 1.27 Ga Mackenzie igneous events [3,4]. Metasomatism at Jericho may be responsible for the particularly high olivine water contents (up to 300 ppm H2O) compared to those at Lac de Gras, which will be investigated by acquiring trace-element data on these xenoliths. These data indicate that several episodes of metasomatic rehydration occurred in the deep part of the Slave craton mantle lithosphere, with the process being more intense in the northern part beneath Jericho, likely related to a translithospheric suture serving as a channel to introduce fluids and/or melts in the northern region [5]. Consequently, rehydration of the lithosphere does not necessarily cause cratonic root delamination and these peridotites may represent localized metasomatic zones - the wall rocks to kimberlite magma passage. [1] Peslier et al. 2010 Nature 467, p78; [2] Aulbach et al. 2013 CG 352, p153; [3] Heaman et al. 2010 CJES 47, p369; [4] Kopylova et al. 2000 EPSL 181, p71; [5] Poudjom Djomani et al. 2005 GGG 6, n10.

Regularities of spatial association of major endogenous uranium deposits and kimberlitic dykes in the uranium ore regions of the Ukrainian Shield

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalashnyk, Anna

2015-04-01

During exploration works we discovered the spatial association and proximity time formation of kimberlite dykes (ages are 1,815 and 1,900 Ga for phlogopite) and major industrial uranium deposits in carbonate-sodium metasomatites (age of the main uranium ore of an albititic formation is 1,85-1,70 Ga according to U-Pb method) in Kirovogradsky, Krivorozhsky and Alekseevsko-Lysogorskiy uranium ore regions of the Ukrainian Shield (UkrSh) [1]. In kimberlites of Kirovogradsky ore region uranium content reaches 18-20 g/t. Carbon dioxide is a major component in the formation of hydrothermal uranium deposits and the formation of the sodium in the process of generating the spectrum of alkaline ultrabasic magmas in the range from picritic to kimberlite and this is the connection between these disparate geochemical processes. For industrial uranium deposits in carbonate-sodium metasomatitics of the Kirovogradsky and Krivorozhsky uranium ore regions are characteristic of uranyl carbonate introduction of uranium, which causes correlation between CO2 content and U in range of "poor - ordinary - rich" uranium ore. In productive areas of uranium-ore fields of the Kirovogradsky ore region for phlogopite-carbonate veinlets of uranium ore albitites deep δ13C values (from -7.9 to -6.9o/oo) are characteristic. Isotope-geochemical investigation of albitites from Novokonstantynovskoe, Dokuchaevskoe, Partyzanskoe uranium deposits allowed obtaining direct evidence of the involvement of mantle material during formation of uranium albitites in Kirovogradsky ore region [2]. Petrological characteristics of kimberlites from uranium ore regions of the UkrSh (presence of nodules of dunite and harzburgite garnet in kimberlites, diamonds of peridotite paragenesis, chemical composition of indicator minerals of kimberlite, in particular Gruzskoy areas pyropes (Cr2O3 = 6,1-7,1%, MgO = 19,33-20,01%, CaO = 4,14-4,38 %, the content of knorringite component of most grains > 50mol%), chromites (Cr2O3 = 45,32-62,17%, MgO = 7,3-12,5%) allow us to estimate the depth of generation of kimberlite magmas more than 170-200 km. Ilmenites show two groups according to MgO, Cr2O3 and TiO2 content. Reconstructions of the mantle sections show also two intervals of pressures divided at 4.5 GPa, the upper part is highly metasomatized This high degree metasomatism is determined for almost all mantle columns. It is suggested that large-scale of uranium-bearing mantle fluids may be associated with the ancient degasation during the subduction which is highly enriched in U component . Analysis of the reasons for the marked association kimberlitic dykes and major industrial uranium deposits in carbonate-sodium metasomatic in the UkrSh led to the conclusion that hydrothermal uranium deposits are confined to the supply mantle fluid systems of mantle fault zones exercising brings sodium carbonate solutions enriched uranium from mantle sources. References: 1. Kalashnik A.A. New prognostic-evaluation criteria in technology prognosis of forming industrial endogenous uranium deposits of the Ukrainian Shield, 2014. Scientific proceedings of UkrSGRI, № 2, p. 27-54 (in Russian) 2. Stepanjuk L.M., Bondarenko S.V., Somka V.O. and other, 2012. Source of uranium and uranium-bearing sodium albitites for example of Dokuchaievskogo field of the Ingulsky megablock of the UkrSh: Abstracts of scientific conference "Theoretical issues and research practice metasomatic rocks and ores" (Kyiv, 14-16 March 2012), IGMOF, p.78-80. (in Ukrainian)

Use of high-resolution ground-penetrating radar in kimberlite delineation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kruger, J.M.; Martinez, A.; Berendsen, P.

1997-01-01

High-resolution ground-penetrating radar (GPR) was used to image the near-surface extent of two exposed Late Cretaceous kimberlites intruded into lower Permian limestone and dolomite host rocks in northeast Kansas. Six parallel GPR profiles identify the margin of the Randolph 1 kimberlite by the up-bending and termination of limestone reflectors. Five radially-intersecting GPR profiles identify the elliptical margin of the Randolph 2 kimberlite by the termination of dolomite reflectors near or below the kimberlite's mushroom-shaped cap. These results suggest GPR may augment magnetic methods for the delineation of kimberlites or other forceful intrusions in a layered host rock where thick, conductive soil or shale is not present at the surface.

The Homestead kimberlite, central Montana, USA: Mineralogy, xenocrysts, and upper-mantle xenoliths

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carter, Hearn B.

2004-01-01

The Homestead kimberlite was emplaced in lower Cretaceous marine shale and siltstone in the Grassrange area of central Montana. The Grassrange area includes aillikite, alnoite, carbonatite, kimberlite, and monchiquite and is situated within the Archean Wyoming craton. The kimberlite contains 25-30 modal% olivine as xenocrysts and phenocrysts in a matrix of phlogopite, monticellite, diopside, serpentine, chlorite, hydrous Ca-Al-Na silicates, perovskite, and spinel. The rock is kimberlite based on mineralogy, the presence of atoll-textured groundmass spinels, and kimberlitic core-rim zoning of groundmass spinels and groundmass phlogopites. Garnet xenocrysts are mainly Cr-pyropes, of which 2-12% are G10 compositions, crustal almandines are rare and eclogitic garnets are absent. Spinel xenocrysts have MgO and Cr2O3 contents ranging into the diamond inclusion field. Mg-ilmenite xenocrysts contain 7-11 wt.% MgO and 0.8-1.9 wt.% Cr2O3, with (Fe+3/Fetot) from 0.17-0.31. Olivine is the only obvious megacryst mineral present. One microdiamond was recovered from caustic fusion of a 45-kg sample. Upper-mantle xenoliths up to 70 cm size are abundant and are some of the largest known garnet peridotite xenoliths in North America. The xenolith suite is dominated by dunites, and harzburgites containing garnet and/or spinel. Granulites are rare and eclogites are absent. Among 153 xenoliths, 7% are lherzolites, 61% are harzburgites, 31% are dunites, and 1% are orthopyroxenites. Three of 30 peridotite xenoliths that were analysed are low-Ca garnet-spinel harzburgites containing G10 garnets. Xenolith textures are mainly coarse granular, and only 5% are porphyroclastic. Xenolith modal mineralogy and mineral compositions indicate ancient major-element depletion as observed in other Wyoming craton xenolith assemblages, followed by younger enrichment events evidenced by tectonized or undeformed veins of orthopyroxenite, clinopyroxenite, websterite, and the presence of phlogopite-bearing veins and disseminated phlogopite. Phlogopite-bearing veins may represent kimberlite-related addition and/or earlier K-metasomatism. Xenolith thermobarometry using published two-pyroxene and Al-in-opx methods suggest that garnet-spinel peridotites are derived from 1180 to 1390 ??C and 3.6 to 4.7 GPa, close to the diamond-graphite boundary and above a 38 mW/m2 shield geotherm. Low-Ca garnet-spinel harzburgites with G10 garnets fall in about the same T and P range. Most spinel peridotites with assumed 2.0 GPa pressure are in the same T range, possibly indicating heating of the shallow mantle. Four of 79 Cr diopside xenocrysts have P-T estimates in the diamond stability field using published single-pyroxene P-T calculation methods.

Timescales of Crustal Cooling of the Superior Craton near Attawapiskat, Ontario, Canada, and Implications for Extent of Keweenawan Plume Heating.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwards, G. H.; Blackburn, T.; Smit, K.

2017-12-01

The thermal history of the Superior Craton was punctuated by a period of mantle plume heating at 1.1 Ga associated with the Keweenawan Rift, though the plume's spatial extent, temperature, and duration of heating remain unresolved. Kimberlites of Mesoproterozoic and Jurassic age in the Attawapiskat area, Northern Ontario contain lithospheric mantle and lower crustal xenoliths that record the thermal history 600km to the north of exposed 1.1 Ga Keweenawan volcanics and the topographically and gravimetrically defined plume center. Previous work on Attawapiskat kimberlites identified two populations of diamonds with differing thermal histories, suggesting two distinct phases of diamond growth. Corresponding geothermobarometric data indicate geotherm relaxation and broadening of the diamond stability field between the Mesoproterozoic and Jurassic. These data, however, do not uniquely resolve whether the region experienced significant heating coincident with Keweenawan rifting ( 1.1 Ga) or prolonged, unperturbed cooling since amalgamation of the Superior Craton ( 2.6 Ga). To discern between these two possible histories, we use accessory phase U-Pb thermochronology to construct a continuous thermal record of the lower crust. Here we present a dataset of U-Pb ID-TIMS measurements of rutile and apatite from xenoliths (n=8) sourced from the Jurassic age Victor Kimberlite. The U/Pb and Pb isotopic compositions of rutile and apatite from shallow-residing amphibolite xenoliths exhibit Proterozoic dates with a high degree of U-Pb discordance, reflecting slow cooling of the middle crust prior to 1.1 Ga. Granulite and eclogite xenoliths record younger dates consistent with their deeper sample residence, but with a high degree of U-Pb concordance that is inconsistent with continuous cooling through the Proterozoic. Reproducing the measured trend with numerical models requires a reheating event at 1.1 Ga. Imposing a 60-70mW/m2 geotherm at 1.1 Ga is high enough to replicate the observed U-Pb data but low enough to permit cooling that satisfies diamond thermal data. This indicates that the Keweenawan plume head extended to at least the Attawapiskat area, where plume heating abutted, and likely extended beyond, the associated topographic and gravity anomalies of the Superior Region.

Application of Fe-Ti oxide dissolution experiments to the petrogenesis of the Ekati Diamond Mine kimberlites, Northwest Territories, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kressall, R.; Fedortchouk, Y.; McCammon, C. A.

2015-12-01

Composition of kimberlites is ambiguous due to assimilation and fractional crystallization. We propose that the evolution history of minerals can be used to decipher the magmatic history of kimberlites. We use Fe-Ti oxides (chromite and ilmenite) from six kimberlites from the Ekati Diamond Mine and dissolution experiments to elucidate the petrogenesis of kimberlites. Experiments at 0.1 MPa and variable ƒO2s in a diopside-anorthite melt show that the dissolution rate of ilmenite is highly sensitive to ƒO2. No significant difference was observed in chromite. Zoning in chromite is related to the Fe-content and oxidation state of the melt. Experiments at 1 GPa explore the development of chromite surface resorption features in the system Ca-Mg-Si-H-C-O. Five kimberlites contain a low abundance of ilmenite, owing to a relatively high ƒO2, though ilmenite constituted 65% of oxide macocrysts in one kimberlite. Chromite compositions evolve from Mg-chromite to magnesio-ulvöspinel-magnetite (MUM) in all but one kimberlite where chromite evolves to a pleonaste composition perhaps as a result of rapid emplacement. The high abundance of MUM spinel and low abundance of ilmenite in the matrix could be related to the change in the stable Ti-phase with increasing ƒO2. Core compositions of macrocrysts vary for different mantle sources but rims converge to a composition slightly more oxidized and Mg-rich than chromite from depleted peridotite. Ilmenite commonly has rims composed of perovskite, titanite and MUM. We suggest a model where the kimberlite melt composition is controlled by the co-dissolution and co-precipitation of silicates (predominantly orthopyroxene and olivine) to explain chromite evolution in kimberlites. Resorption-related surface features on chromite macrocrysts show trigon protrusions-depressions on {111} faces and step-like features along the crystal edges resembling products of experiments in H2O fluid. We propose predominantly H2O magmatic fluid in Ekati kimberlites.

New Constraints on Upper Mantle Structure Underlying the Diamondiferous Central Slave Craton, Canada, from Teleseismic Body Wave Tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esteve, C.; Schaeffer, A. J.; Audet, P.

2017-12-01

Over the past number of decades, the Slave Craton (Canada) has been extensively studied for its diamondiferous kimberlites. Not only are diamonds a valuable resource, but their kimberlitic host rocks provide an otherwise unique direct source of information on the deep upper mantle (and potentially transition zone). Many of the Canadian Diamond mines are located within the Slave Craton. As a result of the propensity for diamondiferous kimberlites, it is imperative to probe the deep mantle structure beneath the Slave Craton. This work is further motivated by the increase in high-quality broadband seismic data across the Northern Canadian Cordillera over the past decade. To this end we have generated a P and S body wave tomography model of the Slave Craton and its surroundings. Furthermore, tomographic inversion techniques are growing ever more capable of producing high resolution Earth models which capture detailed structure and dynamics across a range of scale lengths. Here, we present preliminary results on the structure of the upper mantle underlying the Slave Craton. These results are generated using data from eight different seismic networks such as the Canadian National Seismic Network (CNSN), Yukon Northwest Seismic Network (YNSN), older Portable Observatories for Lithospheric Analysis and Reseach Investigating Seismicity (POLARIS), Regional Alberta Observatory for Earthquake Studies Network (RV), USArray Transportable Array (TA), older Canadian Northwest Experiment (CANOE), Batholith Broadband (XY) and the Yukon Observatory (YO). This regional model brings new insights about the upper mantle structure beneath the Slave Craton, Canada.

Sm-Nd, K-Ar and petrologic study of some kimberlites from eastern United States and their implication for mantle evolution

USGS Publications Warehouse

Basu, A.R.; Rubury, E.; Mehnert, H.; Tatsumoto, M.

1984-01-01

We provide new data on Sm-Nd systematics, K-Ar dating and the major element chemistry of kimberlites from the eastern United States (mostly from central New York State) and their constituent mineral phases of olivine, clinopyroxene, garnet, phlogopite and perovskite. In addition, we report Nd-isotopes in a few kimberlites from South Africa, Lesotho and from the eastern part of China. The major element compositions of the New York dike rocks and of their constituent minerals including a xenolith of eclogite are comparable with those from the Kimberley area in South Africa. The K-Ar age of emplacement of the New York dikes is further established to be 143 Ma. We have analyzed the Nd-isotopic composition of the following kimberlites and related rocks: Nine kimberlite pipes from South Africa and Lesotho, two from southern India; one from the U.S.S.R., fifteen kimberlite pipes and related dike rocks from eastern and central U.S. and two pipes from the Shandong Province of eastern China. The age of emplacement of these kimberlites ranges from 1300 million years to 90 million years. The initial Nd-isotopic compositions of these kimberlitic rocks expressed as e{open}NdIwith respect to a chondritic bulk-earth growth-curve show a range between 0 and +4, with the majority of the kimberlites being in the range 0 to +2. This range is not matched by any other suite of mantle-derived igneous rocks. This result strengthens our earlier conclusion that kimberlitic liquids are derived from a relatively primeval and unique mantle reservoir with a nearly chondritic Sm/Nd ratio. ?? 1984 Springer-Verlag.

How unique is the Udachnaya-East kimberlite? Comparison with kimberlites from the Slave Craton (Canada) and SW Greenland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamenetsky, Vadim S.; Kamenetsky, Maya B.; Weiss, Yakov; Navon, Oded; Nielsen, Troels F. D.; Mernagh, Terrence P.

2009-11-01

The origin of alkali carbonates and chlorides in the groundmass of unaltered Udachnaya-East kimberlites in Siberia is still controversial. Contrary to existing dogma that the Udachnaya-East kimberlite was either contaminated by the crustal sediments or platform brines, magmatic origin of the groundmass assemblage has been proposed on the basis of melt immiscibility textures, melt inclusion studies, and strontium and neon isotope compositions. We further tested the idea of alkali- and chlorine enrichment of the kimberlite parental melt by studying olivine-hosted melt inclusions and secondary serpentine in kimberlites from the Slave Craton, Canada (Gahcho Kué, Jericho, Aaron and Leslie pipes) and southern West Greenland (Majuagaa dyke). Host olivine phenocrysts closely resemble groundmass olivine from the Udachnaya-East kimberlite in morphology, compositions (high-Fo, low-Ca), complex zoning with cores of varying shapes and compositions and rims of constant Fo. Melt inclusions in olivine consist of several translucent and opaque daughter phases and vapour bubble(s). The daughter crystals studied in unexposed inclusions by laser Raman spectroscopy and in carefully exposed inclusions by WDS-EDS are represented by Na-K chlorides, calcite, dolomite, magnesite, Ca-Na, Ca-Na-K and Ca-Mg-Ba carbonates, bradleyite Na 3 Mg(CO 3)(PO 4), K-bearing nahpoite Na 2(HPO 4), apatite, phlogopite and tetraferriphlogopite, unidentified sulphates, Fe sulphides, djerfisherite, pyrochlore (Na,Ca) 2Nb 2O 6(OH,F), monticellite, Cr-spinel and Fe-Ti oxides. High abundances of Na, K (e.g., (Na + K)/Ca = 0.15-0.85) and incompatible trace elements in the melt inclusions are confirmed by LA-ICPMS analysis of individual inclusions. Heating experiments show that melting of daughter minerals starts and completes at low temperatures (~ 100 °C and 600 °C, respectively), further reinforcing the similarity with the Udachnaya-East kimberlite. Serpentine minerals replacing olivine in some of the studied kimberlites demonstrate elevated abundances of chlorine (up to 3-4 wt.%), especially in the early generation. Despite heterogeneous distribution of chlorine such abundances are significantly higher than in the serpentine in abyssal and ophiolitic peridotites (< 0.5 wt.%). The groundmass of most kimberlites, including those studied here and altered kimberlites from the Udachnaya pipe, contain no alkali carbonates and chlorides and have low Na 2O (< 0.2 wt.%). We believe that alteration disturbs original melt compositions, with the alkaline elements and chlorine being mostly affected. However, the compositions of melt inclusions and serpentine are indicative of the chemical signature of a parental kimberlite melt. It appears that enrichment in alkalies and chlorine, as seen in unaltered Udachnaya-East kimberlites, is shared by other kimberlites, and thus can be assigned to deep mantle origin.

Chemical stratification of cratonic lithosphere: constraints from the Northern Slave craton, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kopylova, Maya G.; Russell, James K.

2000-08-01

We describe the mineralogical and chemical composition of the Northern Slave mantle as deduced from xenoliths of peridotite within the Jericho kimberlite, Northwest Territories. Our data set includes modal, major, trace and rare earth element compositions of bulk samples of spinel peridotite, low-T and high-T garnet peridotite and minor pyroxenite. Compared to primitive upper mantle, Jericho peridotite shows depletion in the major elements and enrichment in incompatible elements (except for HREE). The Slave mantle is also uniquely stratified. Older, depleted spinel peridotite extends to a depth of 80-100 km and is underlain by garnet peridotite which shows a gradual decrease in Mg# with depth to 200 km. The youngest layer of fertile garnet peridotite, enriched in clinopyroxene and garnet, is underlain by a pyroxenite-rich horizon at the base of the petrological lithosphere. The Northern Slave is further distinguished from the Kaapvaal and Siberian upper mantle by a marked vertical stratification in Mg#, lower abundances of orthopyroxene and higher abundances of clinopyroxene. In addition, a deeper layer of garnet peridotite below Jericho shows less depletion than low-T peridotite from other cratons. The Northern Slave peridotite results from a series of chemical events that include: (i) high-degree melting of pyrolite at P>3 Gpa for low-T peridotite and lower pressure melting for high-T peridotite, (ii) enrichment of low-T spinel peridotite in orthopyroxene, and (iii) pervasive metasomatic enrichment in alkali and LREE's by kimberlite-related fluids. The chemical stratification described for two of the three lithospheric domains of the Slave craton makes this craton an exception among cratons with commonly unstratified lithospheres. The gradual increase in fertility with depth below the Slave craton is related to age stratification and may have formed by incremental downward growth of mantle lithosphere with time, and/or later re-fertilization of deeper mantle horizons.

Isotope compositions of C and O of magmatic calcites from the Udachnaya-East pipe kimberlite, Yakutia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomilenko, A. A.; Dublyansky, Yu. V.; Kuzmin, D. V.; Sobolev, N. V.

2017-07-01

It has been demonstrated for the first time that the isotopic compositions of carbon (δ13C) in magmatic calcites from the Udachnaya-East pipe kimberlite groundmass varies from-2.5 to-1.0‰ (V-PDB), while those of oxygen (δ18O) range from 15.0 to 18.2‰ (V-SMOW). The obtained results imply that during the terminal late magmatic and postmagmatic stages of the kimberlite pipe formation, the carbonates in the kimberlite groundmass became successively heavier isotopically, which indicates the hybrid nature of the carbonate component of the kimberlite: it was formed with contributions from mantle and sedimentary marine sources.

Asthenospheric kimberlites: Volatile contents and bulk compositions at 7 GPa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stamm, Natalia; Schmidt, Max W.

2017-09-01

During ascent, kimberlites react with the lithospheric mantle, entrain and assimilate xenolithic material, loose volatiles and suffer from syn- and post-magmatic alteration. Consequently, kimberlite rocks deviate heavily from their primary melt. Experiments at 7 GPa, 1300-1480 °C, 10-30 wt% CO2 and 0.46 wt% H2O on a proposed primitive composition from the Jericho kimberlite show that saturation with a lherzolitic mineral assemblage occurs only at 1300-1350 °C for a carbonatitic melt with <8 wt% SiO2 and >35 wt% CO2. At asthenospheric temperatures of >1400 °C, where the Jericho melt stays kimberlitic, this composition saturates only in low-Ca pyroxene, garnet and partly olivine. We hence forced the primitive Jericho kimberlite into multiple saturation with a lherzolitic assemblage by adding a compound peridotite. Saturation in olivine, low- and high-Ca pyroxene and garnet was obtained at 1400-1650 °C (7 GPa), melts are kimberlitic with 18-29 wt% SiO2 + Al2O3, 22.1-24.6 wt% MgO, 15-27 wt% CO2 and 0.4-7.1 wt% H2O; with a trade-off of H2O vs. CO2 and temperature. Melts in equilibrium with high-Ca pyroxene with typical mantle compositions have ≥2.5 wt% Na2O, much higher than the commonly proposed 0.1-0.2 wt%. The experiments allow for a model of kimberlite origin in the convective upper mantle, which only requires mantle upwelling that causes melting at the depth where elemental carbon (in metal, diamond or carbide) converts to CO2 (at ∼250 km). If primary melts leading to kimberlites contain a few wt% H2O, then adiabatic temperatures of 1400-1500 °C would yield asthenospheric mantle melts that are kimberlitic (>18 wt% SiO2 + Al2O3) but not carbonatitic (<10 wt% SiO2 + Al2O3) in composition, carbonatites only forming 100-200 °C below the adiabat. These kimberlites represent small melt fractions concentrating CO2 and H2O and then acquire part of their chemical signature by assimilation/fractionation during ascent in the subcratonic lithosphere.

Constraints on crustal hydration below the Colorado plateau from Vp measurements on crustal xenoliths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padovani, Elaine R.; Hall, Jeremy; Simmons, Gene

1982-04-01

Seismic velocities have been measured as a function of confining pressure to 8 kbar for crustal xenoliths from the Moses Rock Dike and Mule Ear Diatreme, two kimberlite pipes on the Colorado Plateau. Rock types measured include rhyolite, granite, diorite, metasedimentary schists and gneisses, mafic amphibolites and granulites. Many of our samples have been hydrothermally altered to greenschist facies mineral assemblages during transport to the earth's surface. The velocity of compressional waves measured on altered amphibolites and granulites are too low by 0.1-0.3 km/s for such rock types to be characteristic of deep crustal levels. A direct correlation exists between progressive alteration and the presence of microcracks extending into the xenoliths from the kimberlitic host rock. Velocities of pristine samples are compatible with existing velocity profiles for the Colorado Plateau and we conclude that the crust at depths greater than 15 km has probably not undergone a greenschist facies metamorphic event. The xenolith suite reflects a crustal profile similar to that exposed in the Ivrea-Verbano and Strona-Ceneri zones in northern Italy.

Platinum-group element contents of Karelian kimberlites: Implications for the PGE budget of the sub-continental lithospheric mantle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maier, W. D.; O'Brien, H.; Peltonen, P.; Barnes, Sarah-Jane

2017-11-01

We present high-precision isotope dilution data for Os, Ir, Ru, Pt, Pd and Re in Group I and Group II kimberlites from the Karelian craton, as well as 2 samples of the Premier Group I kimberlite pipe from the Kaapvaal craton. The samples have, on average, 1.38 ppb Pt and 1.33 ppb Pd, with Pt/Pd around unity. These PGE levels are markedly lower, by as much as 80%, than those reported previously for kimberlites from South Africa, Brazil and India, but overlap with PGE results reported recently from Canadian kimberlites. Primitive-mantle-normalised chalcophile element patterns are relatively flat from Os to Pt, but Cu, Ni and, somewhat less so, Au are enriched relative to the PGE (e.g., Cu/Pd > 25.000). Pd/Ir ratios are 3,6 on average, lower than in most other mantle melts. The PGE systematics can be largely explained by two components, (i) harzburgite/lherzolite detritus of the SCLM with relatively high IPGE (Os-Ir-Ru)/PPGE (Rh-Pt-Pd) ratios, and (ii) a melt component that has high PPGE/IPGE ratios. By using the concentrations of iridium in the kimberlites as a proxy for the proportion of mantle detritus in the magma, we estimate that the analysed kimberlites contain 3-27% entrained and partially dissolved detritus from the sub-continental lithospheric mantle, consistent with previous estimates of kimberlites elsewhere (Tappe S. et al., 2016, Chem. Geol. 10.1016/j.chemgeo.2016.08.019).

3D geological modelling of the Renard 2 kimberlite pipe, Québec, Canada: from exploration to extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lépine, Isabelle; Farrow, Darrell

2018-04-01

The Renard 2 kimberlite pipe is one of nine diamondiferous kimberlite pipes that form a cluster in the south-eastern portion of the Superior Province, Québec, Canada and is presently being extracted at the Renard Mine. It is interpreted as a diatreme-zone kimberlite consisting of two Kimberley-type pyroclastic units and related country rock breccias, all cross-cut by coherent kimberlite dykes and irregular intrusives. Renard 2 has been the subject of numerous diamond drilling campaigns since its discovery in 2001. The first two geological models modelled kimberlite and country rock breccia units separately. A change in modelling philosophy in 2009, which incorporated the emplacement envelope and history, modelled the entire intrusive event and projected the pipe shape to depth allowing for more targeted deep drilling where kimberlite had not yet been discovered. This targeted 2009 drilling resulted in a > 400% increase in the volume of the Indicated Resource. Modelling only the kimberlite units resulted in a significant underestimation of the pipe shape. Current open pit and underground mapping of the pipe shape corresponds well to the final 2015 geological model and contact changes observed are within the expected level of confidence for an Indicated Resource. This study demonstrates that a sound understanding of the geological emplacement is key to developing a reliable 3D geological and resource model that can be used for targeted delineation drilling, feasibility studies and during the initial stages of mining.

Some major problems with existing models and terminology associated with kimberlite pipes from a volcanological perspective, and some suggestions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cas, R. A. F.; Hayman, P.; Pittari, A.; Porritt, L.

2008-06-01

Five significant problems hinder advances in understanding of the volcanology of kimberlites: (1) kimberlite geology is very model driven; (2) a highly genetic terminology drives deposit or facies interpretation; (3) the effects of alteration on preserved depositional textures have been grossly underestimated; (4) the level of understanding of the physical process significance of preserved textures is limited; and, (5) some inferred processes and deposits are not based on actual, modern volcanological processes. These issues need to be addressed in order to advance understanding of kimberlite volcanological pipe forming processes and deposits. The traditional, steep-sided southern African pipe model (Class I) consists of a steep tapering pipe with a deep root zone, a middle diatreme zone and an upper crater zone (if preserved). Each zone is thought to be dominated by distinctive facies, respectively: hypabyssal kimberlite (HK, descriptively called here massive coherent porphyritic kimberlite), tuffisitic kimberlite breccia (TKB, descriptively here called massive, poorly sorted lapilli tuff) and crater zone facies, which include variably bedded pyroclastic kimberlite and resedimented and reworked volcaniclastic kimberlite (RVK). Porphyritic coherent kimberlite may, however, also be emplaced at different levels in the pipe, as later stage intrusions, as well as dykes in the surrounding country rock. The relationship between HK and TKB is not always clear. Sub-terranean fluidisation as an emplacement process is a largely unsubstantiated hypothesis; modern in-vent volcanological processes should initially be considered to explain observed deposits. Crater zone volcaniclastic deposits can occur within the diatreme zone of some pipes, indicating that the pipe was largely empty at the end of the eruption, and subsequently began to fill-in largely through resedimentation and sourcing of pyroclastic deposits from nearby vents. Classes II and III Canadian kimberlite models have a more factual, descriptive basis, but are still inadequately documented given the recency of their discovery. The diversity amongst kimberlite bodies suggests that a three-model classification is an over-simplification. Every kimberlite is altered to varying degrees, which is an intrinsic consequence of the ultrabasic composition of kimberlite and the in-vent context; few preserve original textures. The effects of syn- to post-emplacement alteration on original textures have not been adequately considered to date, and should be back-stripped to identify original textural elements and configurations. Applying sedimentological textural configurations as a guide to emplacement processes would be useful. The traditional terminology has many connotations about spatial position in pipe and of process. Perhaps the traditional terminology can be retained in the industrial situation as a general lithofacies-mining terminological scheme because it is so entrenched. However, for research purposes a more descriptive lithofacies terminology should be adopted to facilitate detailed understanding of deposit characteristics, important variations in these, and the process origins. For example every deposit of TKB is different in componentry, texture, or depositional structure. However, because so many deposits in many different pipes are called TKB, there is an implication that they are all similar and that similar processes were involved, which is far from clear.

Identification of kimberlite bodies in Brazil from a 3D audio-magnetotelluric survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Lugao, P. P.; Eric, C. D. O.; Loureiro, F. O.; Arantes, P. R.; Pastana, A. F.

2015-12-01

We report on a succesfull identification of kimberlite bodies in Brazil through the use of the electromagnetic technique audio-magnetotelluric (AMT). Macnae (1979) writes that "In one large survey in South Africa, electromagnetic (EM) techniques have proven to be remarkably effective in detecting the presence of weathered clays or epiclastic kimberlite contained within the pipes." Full tensor AMT data were acquired at 65 points (stations) in a 3D configuration with frequencies ranging from 10kHz to 1Hz. The survey was located in the NW portion of the Mato Grosso state, Brazil, in na area of thick jungle coverage. During the AMT survey, few outcrops were seen because of the dense forest cover. Usually, the occurrences found were of sand deposits, indicating the occurence of Fazenda Casa Branca and Utiariti Formations and gravel from Salto das Nuvens Formation, widely used in paving trails n this region. In the area of the survey, three main targets were confirmed/identified: Kimberlite Area 1 - a classic kimberlite in the region, with the crater facies with different clasts and distinct size. We noted the occurrence of a red-brown soil and an unusual vegetation in this area. The resistivity model provided confirmed the presence of Kimberlite Area 1 and was used to identify other two areas. Area of Interest 1 - area with atypical vegetation along a trail. There is an excavation that displays soil of white color with several blocks present, there are small quartz crystal agglomerates in these blocks. The resistivity model cleary shows a conductive body here, indicative of the presence of a kimberlite. Area of Interest 2 - the presence of a kimberlite was confirmed, not exactly where the targeted Area 2 was, but the southwest of it. Close to this area, there was a very fine rock and a few blocks of pure silica, probably indicating a kimberlitic intrusion. In summary, the 3D resistivity model in depth obtained from inversion of the AMT data confirmed and identified three targets for kimberlites quickly and at a low cost, in na otherwise region of difficult logistics due to the dense jungle cover and remote location.

Subducted slab-plume interaction traced by magnesium isotopes in the northern margin of the Tarim Large Igneous Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Zhiguo; Zhang, Zhaochong; Xie, Qiuhong; Hou, Tong; Ke, Shan

2018-05-01

Incorporation of subducted slabs may account for the geochemical and isotopic variations of large igneous provinces (LIPs). However, the mechanism and process by which subducted slabs are involved into magmas is still highly debated. Here, we report a set of high resolution Mg isotopes for a suite of alkaline and Fe-rich rocks (including basalts, mafic-ultramafic layered intrusions, diabase dykes and mantle xenoliths in the kimberlitic rocks) from Tarim Large Igneous Province (TLIP). We observed that δ26 Mg values of basalts range from -0.29 to - 0.45 ‰, -0.31 to - 0.42 ‰ for mafic-ultramafic layered intrusions, -0.28 to - 0.31 ‰ for diabase dykes and -0.29 to - 0.44 ‰ for pyroxenite xenoliths from the kimberlitic rocks, typically lighter than the normal mantle source (- 0.25 ‰ ± 0.04, 2 SD). After carefully precluding other possibilities, we propose that the light Mg isotopic compositions and high FeO contents should be ascribed to the involvement of recycled sedimentary carbonate rocks and pyroxenite/eclogite. Moreover, from basalts, through layered intrusions to diabase dykes, (87Sr/86Sr)i values and δ18OV-SMOW declined, whereas ε (Nd) t and δ26 Mg values increased with progressive partial melting of mantle, indicating that components of carbonate rock and pyroxenite/eclogite in the mantle sources were waning over time. In combination with the previous reported Mg isotopes for carbonatite, nephelinite and kimberlitic rocks in TLIP, two distinct mantle domains are recognized for this province: 1) a lithospheric mantle source for basalts and mafic-ultramafic layered intrusions which were modified by calcite/dolomite and eclogite-derived high-Si melts, as evidenced by enriched Sr-Nd-O and light Mg isotopic compositions; 2) a plume source for carbonatite, nephelinite and kimberlitic rocks which were related to magnesite or periclase/perovskite involvement as reflected by depleted Sr-Nd-O and extremely light Mg isotopes. Ultimately, our study suggests that subducted slabs could make important contributions to LIP generation, and establishes a potential linkage between plate tectonics and mantle plume.

Dating kimberlite emplacement with zircon and perovskite (U-Th)/He geochronology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanley, Jessica; Flowers, Rebecca

2017-04-01

Kimberlites provide rich information about the composition and evolution of cratonic lithosphere. They can entrain xenoliths and xenocrysts from the entire lithospheric column as they transit rapidly to the surface, providing information on the state of the deep lithosphere as well as any sedimentary units covering the craton at the time of eruption. Accurate geochronology of these eruptions is key for interpreting this information and discerning spatiotemporal trends in lithospheric evolution, but kimberlites can sometimes be difficult to date with available methods. Here we explore whether (U-Th)/He dating of zircon and perovskite can serve as reliable techniques for determining kimberlite emplacement ages by dating a suite of sixteen southern African kimberlites by zircon and/or perovskite (U-Th)/He (ZHe, PHe). Most samples with abundant zircon yielded ZHe dates reproducible to ≤15% dispersion that are in good agreement with published eruption ages, though there were several samples that were more scattered. Since the majority of dated zircon were xenocrystic, zircon with reproducible dates were fully reset during eruption or resided at temperatures above the ZHe closure temperature ( 180 °C) prior to entrainment in the kimberlite magma. We attribute scattered ZHe dates to shallowly sourced zircon that underwent incomplete damage annealing and/or partial He loss during the eruptive process. All seven kimberlites dated with PHe yielded dates reproducible to ≤15% dispersion and reasonable results. As perovskite has not previously been used as a (U-Th)/He chronometer, we conducted two preliminary perovskite 4He diffusion experiments to obtain initial estimates of its temperature sensitivity. These experiments suggest a PHe closure temperature of >300 °C. Perovskite in kimberlites is unlikely to be xenocrystic and its relatively high temperature sensitivity suggests that PHe dates will typically record emplacement rather than post-emplacement processes. ZHe and PHe geochronology can effectively date kimberlite emplacement and provide useful complements to existing techniques.

Diamonds in an Archean greenstone belt: Diamond suites in unconventional rocks of Wawa, Northern Ontario (Canada)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kopylova, Maya; Bruce, Loryn; Ryder, John

2010-05-01

Diamonds typically are found on Archean cratons entrained by younger Phanerozoic kimberlites. In contrast, Wawa diamonds are hosted in "unconventional", non-kimberlitic rocks that formed contemporaneously with the mafic and sedimentary rocks of the Archean Michipicoten Greenstone Belt (MGB). We studied two diamond suites that occur within the 2.9-2.7 Ga greenschist facies rocks of MGB located in the southwest portion of the Superior Craton (E. Canada). The first diamond suite henceforth referred to as the Wawa breccia diamonds (384 stones), are hosted in the 2618-2744 Ma calc-alkaline lamprophyres and volcaniclastic breccias, contemporaneous with pillow basalts and felsic volcanics of MGB. The second suite, the Wawa conglomerate diamonds (80 crystals), are hosted in the 2697-2700 Ma poorly sorted sedimentary polymictic conglomerate which is interpreted as a proximal alluvial fan debris flow in a fan-delta environment. The majority of the diamonds was found within the matrix of the conglomerate. The diamondiferous breccia occurs 20 km north of the town of Wawa, whereas the conglomerate is found 12 km northeast of Wawa. Diamonds from the 2 occurrences were characterized and described for provenance studies. Both the breccia and conglomerate diamonds show similar crystal habits, with the predominance of octahedral single crystals and ~ 10% of cubes. The conglomerate diamonds are significantly less resorbed (no resorbtion in 43% of the stones) than the breccia diamonds (8% non-resorbed stones). In both suites, only 21-24% show high degrees of resorption. The majority of crystals in both suites are colourless, with some yellow, brown and grey stones. Conglomerate diamonds had a wider variety of colours that were not seen in the breccia diamonds, including green and pink. The breccia diamonds contain 0-740 ppm N and show two modes of N aggregation at 0-30 and 60-95%. Among the breccia diamonds, Type IaA stones comprise 17%, whereas IaAB stones make up 49% of the population. Diamonds from the conglomerate have nitrogen contents below 400 ppm N, with 47% of the suite being Type IaA stones. Approximately one third of the conglomerate and breccia diamonds belongs to Type II having no measurable N. The two suites of Wawa diamonds, according to the morphology and nitrogen studies, are deemed to be different. The conglomerate diamonds are significantly less resorbed and contain less aggregated N. The diamonds that occur in the Wawa breccia and conglomerate have different primary volcanic sources. We suggest that the primary volcanic rock of the conglomerate diamonds may be a kimberlite, as kimberlitic indicator minerals are found in the matrix of the conglomerate. These indicator minerals garnet, Cr diopside and ilmenite are absent from the diamoniferous lamprophyric breccias. The hypothetical kimberlites may have occured in proximity to the conglomerates as suggested by low mechanical abrasion of the conglomerate diamonds and indicator minerals, and the preservation of garnet kelyphitic rims and Cr-diopside. Our study infers an episode of the Archean, pre-2.7 Ga kimberlite magmatism in MGB, which also experienced multiple emplacement episodes of the 2.7 Ga syn-orogenic diamondiferous calc-alkaline lamprophyres. Despite the distinct origins of the breccia and conglomerate diamonds, they all have similar red-orange-green cathodoluminescence colours controlled by the CL emission mainly at 520 nm. This contrasts with the prevalent CL emission at 415-440 nm commonly observed in kimberlitic and detrital diamonds. We ascribe the red-orange-green CL colours of the two diamond suites of Wawa to the late imprint of metamorphism.

Composition of primary fluid and melt inclusions in regenerated olivines from hypabyssal kimberlites of the Malokuonapskaya pipe (Yakutia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomilenko, A. A.; Kuzmin, D. V.; Bulbak, T. A.; Timina, T. Yu.; Sobolev, N. V.

2015-11-01

The primary fluid and melt inclusions in regenerated zonal crystals of olivine from kimberlites of the Malokuonapskaya pipe were first examined by means of microthermometry, optic and scanning electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The high-pressure genesis of homogenous central parts of the olivines was revealed, probably under intense metasomatism at early hypogene stages with subsequent regeneration in the kimberlitic melt. The olivine crystals were regenerated from silicate-carbonate melts at about 1100°C. The composition of the kimberlitic melt was changed by way of an increase in the calcium content.

Kimberlite ascent by assimilation-fuelled buoyancy.

PubMed

Russell, James K; Porritt, Lucy A; Lavallée, Yan; Dingwell, Donald B

2012-01-18

Kimberlite magmas have the deepest origin of all terrestrial magmas and are exclusively associated with cratons. During ascent, they travel through about 150 kilometres of cratonic mantle lithosphere and entrain seemingly prohibitive loads (more than 25 per cent by volume) of mantle-derived xenoliths and xenocrysts (including diamond). Kimberlite magmas also reputedly have higher ascent rates than other xenolith-bearing magmas. Exsolution of dissolved volatiles (carbon dioxide and water) is thought to be essential to provide sufficient buoyancy for the rapid ascent of these dense, crystal-rich magmas. The cause and nature of such exsolution, however, remains elusive and is rarely specified. Here we use a series of high-temperature experiments to demonstrate a mechanism for the spontaneous, efficient and continuous production of this volatile phase. This mechanism requires parental melts of kimberlite to originate as carbonatite-like melts. In transit through the mantle lithosphere, these silica-undersaturated melts assimilate mantle minerals, especially orthopyroxene, driving the melt to more silicic compositions, and causing a marked drop in carbon dioxide solubility. The solubility drop manifests itself immediately in a continuous and vigorous exsolution of a fluid phase, thereby reducing magma density, increasing buoyancy, and driving the rapid and accelerating ascent of the increasingly kimberlitic magma. Our model provides an explanation for continuous ascent of magmas laden with high volumes of dense mantle cargo, an explanation for the chemical diversity of kimberlite, and a connection between kimberlites and cratons.

Garnet peridotites from Williams kimberlites, north-central Montana, U.S.A

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hearn, B.C.; McGee, E.S.

1983-01-01

Two Williams kimberlites, 250x350m and 37x390m, in the eastern part of a swarm of 30 middle Eocene alnoitic diatremes in north-central Montana, USA, contain xenoliths of garnet-bearing lherzolites, harzburgites and dunites, in addition to spinel peridotites and upper and lower crustal amphibolites and granulites. Colluvial purple, red, and pink garnets are dominantly Mg- and Cr-rich, indicating their derivation From peridotites or megacrysts, and have CaO and Cr2O3 contents that fall in the lherzolite trend. Temperatures were calculated by the Lindsley-Dixon 20 kb method for lherzolites and by the O'Neill-Wood method for harzburgites and dunites, and pressures were calculated by the MacGregor method, or were assumed to be 50 kb for dunites. Most peridotites equilibrated at 1220-1350?C and 50-60 kb, well above a 44mW/m2 shield geotherm and on or at higher P than the graphite-diamond boundary. Four lherzolites are low T-P (830-990?C, 23-42 kb) and are close to the shield geotherm. All four low T-P lherzolites have coarse textures whereas the high T-P cluster has both coarse and porphyroclastic textures, indicating a range of conditions of deformation and recrystallization in a restricted high T-P range. The tiny size (0.01-0.2 mm) of granulated and euhedral olivines in several xenoliths shows that deformation was occurring just prior to incorporation in kimberlite and that ascent was rapid enough (40-70 km/hr) to retard Further coarsening of fine-grained olivine. For other high T-P peridotites, cessation of deformation and beginning of recrystallization before or during inclusion in kimberlite is suggested by larger (up to 3mm) euhedral olivines in a matrix of fine granulated olivine or by optical continuity of large and nearby small olivines. Two low T-P lherzolites contain distinctive, phlogopite-rimmed, 5-8mm clots of moderate-Cr garnet + Cr-spinel + Cr-diopside + enstatite that are inferred to have formed by reaction of an initial high-Cr garnet brought into the garnet + spinel stability Field. This suggests a reduction in pressure and temperature prior to inclusion in the kimberlite, followed by metasomatic introduction of phlogopite. These textural and compositional variations of peridotites seem most compatible with kimberlite generation and ascent during dynamic diapiric perturbation of the upper mantle.

Hydrothermal alteration of kimberlite by convective flows of external water.

PubMed

Afanasyev, A A; Melnik, O; Porritt, L; Schumacher, J C; Sparks, R S J

Kimberlite volcanism involves the emplacement of olivine-rich volcaniclastic deposits into volcanic vents or pipes. Kimberlite deposits are typically pervasively serpentinised as a result of the reaction of olivine and water within a temperature range of 130-400 °C or less. We present a model for the influx of ground water into hot kimberlite deposits coupled with progressive cooling and serpentisation. Large-pressure gradients cause influx and heating of water within the pipe with horizontal convergent flow in the host rock and along pipe margins, and upward flow within the pipe centre. Complete serpentisation is predicted for wide ranges of permeability of the host rocks and kimberlite deposits. For typical pipe dimensions, cooling times are centuries to a few millennia. Excess volume of serpentine results in filling of pore spaces, eventually inhibiting fluid flow. Fresh olivine is preserved in lithofacies with initial low porosity, and at the base of the pipe where deeper-level host rocks have low permeability, and the pipe is narrower leading to faster cooling. These predictions are consistent with fresh olivine and serpentine distribution in the Diavik A418 kimberlite pipe, (NWT, Canada) and with features of kimberlites of the Yakutian province in Russia affected by influx of ground water brines. Fast reactions and increases in the volume of solid products compared to the reactants result in self-sealing and low water-rock ratios (estimated at <0.2). Such low water-rock ratios result in only small changes in stable isotope compositions; for example, δO 18 is predicted only to change slightly from mantle values. The model supports alteration of kimberlites predominantly by interactions with external non-magmatic fluids.

Kimberlites in western Liberia - An overview of the geological setting in a plate tectonic framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haggerty, S. E.

1982-12-01

Evidence which includes Landsat images is presented for prolonged periods of tectonism, marginal to and extending within the intracratonic region of the West African platform. Also found are indications of intermittent, or perhaps even sustained activity, dating back to more than three billion years. The petrology and mineral chemistry of kimberlites, and their associated nodule suites in the present region, are broadly similar to those from kimberlite localities throughout the African continent, and should therefore be considered as part of a major province. Attention is drawn to the lineament control of kimberlites, and the coincidence of these lineaments with the basement fabric and with faults. The proposed interpretation for the distribution of West African kimberlites is in essential agreement with the intraplate and intracratonic model of Dawson (1970) and Sykes (1978), which calls upon the reactivation of paleofaults and sutures during plate tectonism.

Palaeomagnetic Emplacement Temperature Determinations of Pyroclastic and Volcaniclastic Deposits in Southern African Kimberlite Pipes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fontana, G.; Mac Niocaill, C.; Brown, R.; Sparks, R. S.; Matthew, F.; Gernon, T. M.

2009-12-01

Kimberlites are complex, ultramafic and diamond-bearing volcanic rocks preserved in volcanic pipes, dykes and craters. The formation of kimberlite pipes is a strongly debated issue and two principal theories have been proposed to explain pipe formation: (1) the explosive degassing of magma, and (2) the interaction of rising magma with groundwater (phreatomagmatism). Progressive thermal demagnetization studies are a powerful tool for determining the emplacement temperatures of ancient volcanic deposits and we present the first application of such techniques to kimberlite deposits. Lithic clasts were sampled from a variety of lithofacies, from three pipes for which the internal geology is well constrained (A/K1 pipe, Orapa Mine, Botswana and the K1 and K2 pipes, Venetia Mine, South Africa). The sampled deposits included massive and layered vent-filling breccias with varying abundances of lithic inclusions and layered crater-filling pyroclastic deposits, talus breccias and volcaniclastic breccias. Lithic clasts sampled from layered and massive vent-filling pyroclastic deposits in A/K1 were emplaced at >590° C. Results from K1 and K2 provide a maximum emplacement temperature limit for vent-filling breccias of 420-460° C; and constrain equilibrium deposit temperatures at 300-340° C. Crater-filling volcaniclastic kimberlite breccias and talus deposits from A/K1 were emplaced at ambient temperatures, consistent with infilling of the pipe by post-eruption epiclastic processes. Identified within the epiclastic crater-fill succession is a laterally extensive 15-20 metre thick kimberlite pyroclastic flow deposit emplaced at temperatures of 220-440° C. It overlies the post-eruption epiclastic units and is considered an extraneous pyroclastic kimberlite deposit erupted from another kimberlite vent. The results provide important constraints on kimberlite emplacement mechanisms and eruption dynamics. Emplacement temperatures of >590°C for pipe-filling pyroclastic deposits are consistent with volatile-driven eruptions, and suggest phreatomagmatism did not play a major role in the generation of the deposits. The discovery of an extraneous pyroclastic flow deposit within the Orapa A/K1 epiclastic crater, which was erupted from another vent, suggests kimberlite eruptions are capable of producing sustained eruption columns and thick pyroclastic deposits involving significant transport away from source.

A new approach to reconstructing the composition and evolution of kimberlite melts: A case study of the archetypal Bultfontein kimberlite (Kimberley, South Africa)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soltys, Ashton; Giuliani, Andrea; Phillips, David

2018-04-01

The compositions of kimberlite melts at depth and upon emplacement in the upper crust remain elusive. This can be attributed to the unquantified effects of multiple processes, such as alteration, assimilation, xenocryst contamination, and fractional crystallisation. The inability to accurately constrain the composition and physical properties of kimberlite melts prevents a comprehensive understanding of their petrogenesis. To improve constraints on the compositions of kimberlite melts, we have combined modal analysis including the discrimination of xenocrystic from magmatic phases, with mineral chemistry determinations to reconstruct a whole-rock composition. We apply this approach to a sample of "fresh" macrocrystic hypabyssal kimberlite (sample BK-1) from the Bultfontein mine (Kimberley, South Africa). The accuracy of this whole-rock reconstruction method is validated by the similarity between reconstructed and measured whole-rock compositions. A series of corrections are then applied to account for the effects of post-emplacement serpentinisation, pre-emplacement olivine crystallisation, and the inclusion and assimilation of mantle material. This approach permits discernment of melt compositions at different stages of kimberlite evolution. The primitive melt parental to the Bultfontein kimberlite is estimated to contain 17.4-19.0 wt% SiO2, 20.2-22.8 wt% MgO, 20.9-21.9 wt% CaO, 2.1-2.3 wt% P2O5, 1.2-1.4 wt% TiO2, 0.9-1.1 wt% Al2O3, and 0.6-0.7 wt% K2O, and has a Mg# of 83.4-84.4. Primary volatile contents (i.e., after an attempt to account for volatile loss) are tentatively estimated at 2.1-2.2 wt% H2O and 22.9-25.4 wt% CO2. This composition is deficient in SiO2, MgO and H2O, but enriched in CaO and CO2 compared with most previous estimates of primitive kimberlite melts. We suggest that the primitive melt parental to the Bultfontein kimberlite was a transitional silicate-carbonate melt, which was progressively enriched in SiO2, MgO, Al2O3, Cr2O3, and Na2O through the assimilation of lithospheric mantle material. Comparisons with experimentally produced low-degree melts of carbonated lherzolite indicate that the Bultfontein kimberlite could have formed by 0.5% melting of asthenospheric mantle at 6.0-8.6 GPa (i.e., 190-285 km) and 1400-1500 °C. The low calculated Na2O contents (<0.2 wt%), which are inconsistent with derivation from low-degree melting of lherzolite, suggest that an alkali-bearing, volatile-rich fluid was exsolved during ascent or released after emplacement, and subsequently removed.

Temperature and pressure dependences of kimberlite melts viscosity (experimental-theoretical study)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Persikov, Eduard; Bykhtiyarov, Pavel; Cokol, Alexsander

2016-04-01

Experimental data on temperature and pressure dependences of viscosity of model kimberlite melts (silicate 82 + carbonate 18, wt. %, 100NBO/T = 313) have been obtained for the first time at 100 MPa of CO2 pressure and at the lithostatic pressures up to 7.5 GPa in the temperature range 1350 oC - 1950 oC using radiation high gas pressure apparatus and press free split-sphere multi - anvil apparatus (BARS). Experimental data obtained on temperature and pressure dependences of viscosity of model kimberlite melts at moderate and high pressures is compared with predicted data on these dependences of viscosity of basaltic melts (100NBO/T = 58) in the same T, P - range. Dependences of the viscosity of model kimberlite and basaltic melts on temperature are consistent to the exponential Arrenian equation in the T, P - range of experimental study. The correct values of activation energies of viscous flow of kimberlite melts have been obtained for the first time. The activation energies of viscous flow of model kimberlite melts exponentially increase with increasing pressure and are equal: E = 130 ± 1.3 kJ/mole at moderate pressure (P = 100 MPa) and E = 160 ± 1.6 kJ/mole at high pressure (P = 5.5 GPa). It has been established too that the viscosity of model kimberlite melts exponentially increases on about half order of magnitude with increasing pressures from 100 MPa to 7.5 GPa at the isothermal condition (1800 oC). It has been established that viscosity of model kimberlite melts at the moderate pressure (100 MPa) is lover on about one order of magnitude to compare with the viscosity of basaltic melts, but at high pressure range (5.5 - 7.5 GPa), on the contrary, is higher on about half order of magnitude at the same values of the temperatures. Here we use both a new experimental data on viscosity of kimberlite melts and our structural chemical model for calculation and prediction the viscosity of magmatic melts [1] to determine the fundamental features of viscosity of kimberlite and basaltic magmas at the T, P - parameters of the Earth's crust and upper mantle. The Russian Foundation for Basic Research (project 15-05-01318) and the Russian Science Foundation (project 14-27-00054) are acknowledged for the financial support. [1] Persikov, E.S. & Bukhtiyarov, P.G. (2009) Russian Geology & Geophysics, 50, No 12, 1079-1090.

Kimberlite-related metasomatism recorded in MARID and PIC mantle xenoliths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fitzpayne, Angus; Giuliani, Andrea; Phillips, David; Hergt, Janet; Woodhead, Jon D.; Farquhar, James; Fiorentini, Marco L.; Drysdale, Russell N.; Wu, Nanping

2018-05-01

MARID (Mica-Amphibole-Rutile-Ilmenite-Diopside) and PIC (Phlogopite-Ilmenite-Clinopyroxene) xenoliths are thought to be formed by intense "primary" mantle metasomatism. These rocks also display secondary features, such as cross-cutting veins and geochemical zonation of matrix minerals, which probably reflect later metasomatic events. To investigate the nature and origin(s) of these secondary features, 28 MARID and PIC xenoliths from southern African kimberlites and orangeites have been studied. MARID-hosted veins contain both carbonate and Ti-rich phases (e.g., titanite, phlogopite), suggesting that they formed by the infiltration of a carbonated silicate melt. Elevated TiO2 contents in MARID matrix mineral rims are spatially associated with carbonate-dominated veins, suggesting a genetic relationship between vein formation and geochemical zonation. Spongy rims around primary MARID and PIC clinopyroxene are depleted in Na2O and Al2O3 relative to their cores, possibly reflecting mineral dissolution in the xenoliths during ascent and emplacement of the entraining kimberlite. The preservation of compositional differences between primary and secondary phases in MARID and PIC xenoliths indicates that metasomatism occurred shortly before, or broadly coeval with, kimberlite/orangeite magmatism; otherwise, at typical mantle temperatures, such features would have quickly re-equilibrated. Increased Na2O in some mineral rims (e.g., K-richterite) may therefore reflect equilibration with a more Na-enriched primitive kimberlite melt composition than is commonly suggested. Vein-hosted clinopyroxene 87Sr/86Sri (0.70539 ± 0.00079) in one MARID sample is intermediate between primary clinopyroxene in the sample (0.70814 ± 0.00002) and the host Bultfontein kimberlite (0.70432 ± 0.00005), suggesting that vein minerals are derived from interactions between primary MARID phases and kimberlite-related melts/fluids. Sulfur isotope compositions of barite (δ34SVCDT = +4.69 ‰) and sulfides (δ34SVCDT = -0.69 ‰) in carbonate veins reflect equilibration at temperatures of 850-900 °C, consistent with sulfur-rich melt/fluid infiltration in the lithospheric mantle. In contrast, vein carbonate C-O isotope systematics (δ13CVPDB = -9.18 ‰; δ18OVSMOW = +17.22 ‰) are not typical of kimberlites or other mantle carbonates (δ13CVPDB = -3 to -8 ‰; δ18OVSMOW = 6 to 9 ‰), and may represent post-emplacement hydrothermal interactions of the cooling kimberlite with crustal fluids. These constraints suggest protracted metasomatism of MARID rocks shortly before and during entrainment by the host kimberlite.

Redox state of earth's upper mantle from kimberlitic ilmenites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haggerty, S. E.; Tompkins, L. A.

1983-01-01

Temperatures and oxygen fugacities are reported on discrete ilmenite nodules in kimberlites from West Africa which demonstrate that the source region in the upper mantle is moderately oxidized, consistent with other nodule suites in kimberlites from southern Africa and the United States. A model is presented for a variety of tectonic settings, proposing that the upper mantle is profiled in redox potential, oxidized in the fertile asthenosphere but reduced in the depleted lithosphere.

Structure and evolution of the mantle beneath the Daldyn terrain the comparison of the Alakite and Daldyn kimberlite fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashchepkov, Igor; Ntaflos, Theodoros; Vladykin, Nikolai; Yudin, Denis; Prokopiev, Sergei; Salikhov, Ravil; Travin, Alexei; Kutnenko, Olga

2014-05-01

The Daldyn terrain include two large kimberlite fields Daldyn and Alakite which are to the East and west part of this area correspondingly and referred to the 367-355Ma. The concentrates and mantle xenoliths from the almost 50 kimberlite pipes allow reconstruct the PTXFO2 sections and transects as well as 3D image for the each kimberlite field as well as the for the whole area. In General the common division to the 6 large layers for each parts of SCLM are close but the composition of the layer and rock sequences are different. The Daldyn SCLM is compiled from the alternation of very cold (33 mwm-2) and relatively heated (37-40 mwm-2) large layers while SCLM of Alakite is more uniform and colder in lower part. The Base of the SCLM is much highly heated in Daldyn terrain and in most studied sections are represented by the deformed or HT porphyroclastic peridotites which are rare in the Alakite field. The pyroxenite layer is more thick and pronounced within the Daldyn SCLM. The amount of eclogites and their Mg' number is also higher in general higher in SCLM of Daldyn field The composition of the peridotites are closer to the abyssal MORB peridotites while from Alakit are in general more depleted and closer to continental back arc environment. But the alkalinity of the pyroxenes and abundant metasomatic mineral such as phlogopites and richterites and pargasites are much higher in the Alakite SCKM. The trace elements of primary peridotite Cpx from Alakite SCLM reveal lower melting degrees in Alakite field The boundary between the fields locate between Sytykanskaya and Zagadochnaya pipes is characterized by upwelling of SCLM Base. SCLM layering in eastern part of Daldyn field near the Zarnitsa and Dalnyaya pipe suggests inflexion and is more permeable allowing high scale melt fluid interaction and metasomatism. NE part of the Alakit mantle SCLM from Sytykan to Molodost and further to Fainshteinovskaya pipe is more fertile and consist from the 4 evident units with the Fe# rising upward. In the central part of Alakite region lying on the line Yubileinya - Aykhal pipes and surrounding pipes in clusters represent the most depleted and relatively low metasomatized dunite core. The thermal structure of the Alakite field is in the base is relatively uniform and colder than in Daldyn SCLM. The thermal gradients are more steeper in Alakit mantle. The metasomatic associations in the Daldyn field are marking mainly Archean history in the upper part (2.3-2.5 Ma) of the SCLM (Pokhilenko et al., 2012 and refer the influence of the protokimbelites to the in the lower part ( Ashchepkov et al 2013; Pokhilenko, Alifirova, 2012) . But also the range of the more modern event refer to the Rodinia history (0.7 -1.2 By ) (Pokhilenko et al., 2012 )while or data for the Alakit SCLM mainly mark the modern event from the disseminated abundant metasomatism in the lower in middle part from (1.3 - 0.6 By ). RFBR 11-05-00060; 11-05-91060-PICS.

Dating Kimberlite Eruption and Erosion Phases Using Perovskite, Zircon, and Apatite (U-Th)/He Geochronology to Link Cratonic Lithosphere Evolution and Surface Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanley, J. R.; Flowers, R. M.

2015-12-01

In many cases it is difficult to evaluate the synchronicity and thus potential connections between disparate geologic events, such as the links between processes in the mantle lithosphere and at the surface. Developing new geochronologic tools and strategies for integrating existing chronologic data with other information is essential for addressing these problems. Here we use (U-Th)/He dating of multiple kimberlitic minerals to date kimberlite eruption and cratonic erosion phases. This approach permits us to more directly assess the link between unroofing and thermomodification of the lithosphere by tying our results to information obtained from mantle-derived clasts in the same pipes. Kimberlites are rich sources of information about the composition of the cratonic lithosphere and its evolution over time. Their xenoliths and xenocrysts can preserve a snapshot of the entire lithosphere and its sedimentary cover at the time of eruption. Accurate geochronology of these eruptions is crucial for interpreting spatiotemporal trends, but kimberlites can be difficult to date using standard techniques. Here we show that the mid-temperature thermochonometers of the zircon and perovskite (U-Th)/He (ZHe, PHe) systems can be viable tools for dating kimberlite eruption. When combined with the low temperature sensitivity of (U-Th)/He in apatite (AHe), the (U-Th)/He system can be used to date both the emplacement and the erosional cooling history of kimberlites. The southern African shield is an ideal location to test the utility of this approach because the region was repeatedly intruded by kimberlites in the Cretaceous, with two major pulses at ~200-110 Ma and ~100-80 Ma. These kimberlites contain a well-studied suite of mantle xenoliths and xenocrysts that document lithospheric heating and metasomatism over this interval. Our ZHe and PHe dates overlap with published eruption ages and add new ages for undated pipes. Our AHe dates constrain the spatial patterns of Cretaceous erosion across the craton, with a phase of erosion that overlaps with when the lithosphere was thermochemically modified, especially in the more heavily altered off-craton regions. These results highlight the value of the (U-Th)/He system for dating a range of geologic events and evaluating elusive links between surface and deeper-earth processes.

Carbonate-silicate liquid immiscibility in the mantle propels kimberlite magma ascent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamenetsky, Vadim S.; Yaxley, Gregory M.

2015-06-01

Kimberlite is a rare volcanic rock renowned as the major host of diamonds and originated at the base of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle. Although kimberlite magmas are dense in crystals and deeply-derived rock fragments, they ascend to the surface extremely rapidly, enabling diamonds to survive. The unique physical properties of kimberlite magmas depend on the specific compositions of their parental melts that, in absence of historical eruptions and due to pervasive alteration of kimberlite rocks, remain highly debatable. We explain exceptionally rapid ascent of kimberlite magma from mantle depths by combining empirical data on the essentially carbonatite composition of the kimberlite primary melts and experimental evidence on interaction of the carbonate liquids with mantle minerals. Our experimental study shows that orthopyroxene is completely dissolved in a Na2CO3 melt at 2.0-5.0 GPa and 1000-1200 °C. The dissolution of orthopyroxene results in homogeneous silicate-carbonate melt at 5.0 GPa and 1200 °C, and is followed by unmixing of carbonate and carbonated silicate melts and formation of stable magmatic emulsion at lower pressures and temperatures. The dispersed silicate melt has a significant capacity for storing a carbonate component in the deep mantle (13 wt% CO2 at 2.0 GPa). We envisage that this component reaches saturation and is gradually released as CO2 bubbles, as the silicate melt globules are transported upwards through the lithosphere by the carbonatite magma. The globules of unmixed, CO2-rich silicate melt are continuously produced upon further reaction between the natrocarbonatite melt and mantle peridotite. On decompression the dispersed silicate melt phase ensures a continuous supply of CO2 bubbles that decrease density and increase buoyancy and promote rapid ascent of the magmatic emulsion.

Attrition in the kimberlite system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Thomas J.; Russell, James K.

2018-05-01

The sustained transportation of particles in a suspension commonly results in particle attrition leading to grain size reduction and shape modification. Particle attrition is a well-studied phenomenon that has mainly focussed on sediments produced in aeolian or fluvial environments. Here, we present analogue experiments designed to explore processes of attrition in the kimberlite system; we focus on olivine as it is the most abundant constituent of kimberlite. The attrition experiments on olivine use separate experimental set-ups to approximate two natural environments relevant to kimberlites. Tumbling mill experiments feature a low energy system supporting near continual particle-particle contact and are relevant to re-sedimentation and dispersal processes. Experiments performed in a fluidized particle bed constitute a substantially higher energy environment pertinent to kimberlite ascent and eruption. The run-products of each experiment are analysed for grain size reduction and shape modification and these data are used to elucidate the rates and extents of olivine attrition as a function of time and energy. Lastly, we model the two experimental datasets with an empirical rate equation that describes the production of daughter products (fines) with time. Both datasets approach a fines production limit, or plateau, at long particle residence times; the fluidized system is much more efficient producing a substantially higher fines content and reaches the plateau faster. Our experimental results and models provide a way to forensically examine a wide range of processes relevant to kimberlite on the basis of olivine size and shape properties.

Lithospheric mantle beneath the south-eastern Siberian craton: petrology of peridotite xenoliths in basalts from the Tokinsky Stanovik

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ionov, Dmitri A.; Prikhodko, Vladimir S.; Bodinier, Jean-Louis; Sobolev, Alexander V.; Weis, Dominique

2005-08-01

We provide petrographic, major and trace element data for over 30 spinel peridotite xenoliths from the Tokinsky Stanovik (Tok) volcanic field on the Aldan shield to characterize the lithospheric mantle beneath the south-eastern margin of the Siberian craton, which formed in the Mesoproterozoic. High equilibration temperatures (870 1,010°C) of the xenoliths and the absence of garnet-bearing peridotites indicate a much thinner lithosphere than in the central craton. Most common among the xenoliths are clinopyroxene-poor lherzolites and harzburgites with Al2O3 and CaO contents nearly as low as in refractory xenoliths from kimberlite pipes (Mir, Udachnaya) in the central and northern Siberian craton. By contrast, the Tok peridotites have higher FeO, lower Mg-numbers and lower modal orthopyroxene and are apparently formed by shallow partial melting (≤3 GPa). Nearly all Tok xenoliths yield petrographic and chemical evidence for metasomatism: accessory phlogopite, amphibole, phosphates, feldspar and Ti-rich oxides, very high Na2O (2 3.1%) in clinopyroxene, LREE enrichments in whole-rocks.

The sponge genus Ephydatia from the high-latitude middle Eocene: environmental and evolutionary significance.

PubMed

Pisera, Andrzej; Manconi, Renata; Siver, Peter A; Wolfe, Alexander P

2016-01-01

The freshwater sponge species Ephydatia cf. facunda Weltner, 1895 (Spongillida, Spongillidae) is reported for the first time as a fossil from middle Eocene lake sediments of the Giraffe kimberlite maar in northern Canada. The sponge is represented by birotule gemmuloscleres as well as oxea megascleres. Today, E. facunda inhabits warm-water bodies, so its presence in the Giraffe locality provides evidence of a warm climate at high latitudes during the middle Eocene. The morphological similarity of the birotules to modern conspecific forms suggests protracted morphological stasis, comparable to that reported for other siliceous microfossils from the same locality.

Chasing the Late Jurassic APW Monster Shift in Ontario Kimberlites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kent, D. V.; Muttoni, G.; Gee, J. S.; Kjarsgaard, B. A.

2012-12-01

A 30° gap was recognized in a composite APW path when global poles from predominantly igneous rocks were assembled in North American coordinates using plate reconstructions (Kent & Irving 2010 JGR). The 'monster shift' occurred between a 160-190 Ma cluster of mean poles at 75-80°N 90-110°E to a 140-145 Ma grouping centered at 60-65°N ~200°E. There are hardly any intermediate igneous poles whereas the rather divergent directions from the Late Jurassic Morrison Formation published by Steiner & Helsley (1975 GSA Bulletin) are subject to adjustments for Colorado Plateau rotation and sedimentary inclination error, neither of which are precisely known for this redbed unit sampled in Colorado. On the other hand, similar large rapid swings have been recognized in the Late Jurassic APW path for Adria (Channell et al. 2010 Paleo3), suggesting a global phenomena. In an effort to fill the data gap between ~145 and 160 Ma, we sampled accessible outcrops/subcrops of kimberlites in the Timiskaming area of Ontario, Canada, that are associated with high precision U-Pb perovskite ages (Heamon & Kjarsgaard 2000 EPSL). We report initial results from two of the intrusions: the 153.6±2.4 Ma Peddie kimberlite from outcrop and the Triple B kimberlite that was accessible by trenching and is assumed to be the same age as the nearby 153.7±1.8 Ma Seed kimberlite as delineated by aeromagnetic surveys and borings. Systematic progressive thermal demagnetization indicated in each unit a dominant characteristic component with unblocking temperatures to 575° that presumably reflect a magnetite carrier that will be checked by further rock magnetic experiments. Samples from the Peddie kimberlite had stable downward (normal polarity) magnetizations whose mean direction gives a paleopole at 73°N 184°E. In contrast, samples from the Triple B kimberlite have upward (reverse polarity) magnetizations with a well-grouped direction whose (north) paleopole is 78°N 197°E, proximal to the Peddie pole. The normal and reverse polarities suggest that sufficient time elapsed between emplacement of the Triple B and Peddie to give an opportunity to average secular variation. The combined ~154 Ma Triple B and Peddie pole encouragingly lies about halfway between igneous poles from North America nearest in age: the 169 Ma Moat volcanics and the 142 Ma Ithaca kimberlites. However, preliminary paleomagnetic results from some of the other sampled kimberlite bodies are more problematical and require further paleomagnetic and geochronological work.

Primary melt and fluid inclusions in regenerated crystals and phenocrysts of olivine from kimberlites of the Udachnaya-East Pipe, Yakutia: The problem of the kimberlite melt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomilenko, A. A.; Kuzmin, D. V.; Bul'bak, T. A.; Sobolev, N. V.

2017-08-01

The primary melt and fluid inclusions in regenerated zonal crystals of olivine and homogeneous phenocrysts of olivine from kimberlites of the Udachnaya-East pipe, were first studied by means of microthermometry, optic and scanning electron microscopy, electron and ion microprobe analysis (SIMS), inductively coupled plasma mass-spectrometry (ICP MSC), and Raman spectroscopy. It was established that olivine crystals were regenerated from silicate-carbonate melts at a temperature of 1100°C.

Provenance history of detrital diamond deposits, West Coast of Namaqualand, South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phillips, David; Harris, Jeffrey W.; de Wit, Michiel C. J.; Matchan, Erin L.

2018-05-01

The West Coast of Namaqualand in South Africa hosts extensive detrital diamond deposits, but considerable debate exists as to the provenance of these diamonds. Some researchers have suggested derivation of the diamonds from Cretaceous-Jurassic kimberlites (also termed Group I kimberlites) and orangeites (also termed Group II kimberlites) located on the Kaapvaal Craton. However, others favour erosion of diamonds from the ca.300 Ma Dwyka Group sediments, with older, pre-Karoo kimberlites being the original source(s). Previous work has demonstrated that 40Ar/39Ar analyses of clinopyroxene inclusions, extracted from diamonds, yield ages approaching the time(s) of source kimberlite emplacement, which can be used to constrain the provenance of placer diamond deposits. In the current study, 40Ar/39Ar analyses were conducted on clinopyroxene inclusions from two similar batches of Namaqualand detrital diamonds, yielding (maximum) ages ranging from 117.5 ± 43.6 Ma to 3684 ± 191 Ma (2σ) and 120.6 ± 15.4 Ma to 688.8 ± 4.9 Ma (2σ), respectively. The vast majority of inclusions (88%) produced ages younger than 500 Ma, indicating that most Namaqualand diamonds originated from Cretaceous-Jurassic kimberlites/orangeites, with few, if any, derived from the Dwyka tillites. The provenance of the Namaqualand diamonds from ca.115-200 Ma orangeites is consistent with Late Cretaceous paleo-drainage reconstructions, as these localities could have been sampled by the `paleo-Karoo' River and transported to the West Coast via an outlet close to the current Olifants River mouth. At ca.90 Ma, this drainage system appears to have been captured by the `paleo-Kalahari' River, a precursor to the modern Orange River system. This latter drainage is considered to have transported diamonds eroded from both ca.80-90 Ma kimberlites and ca.115-200 Ma orangeites to the West Coast, which were subsequently reworked along the Namibian coast, forming additional placer deposits.

Geochemical typification of kimberlite and related rocks of the North Anabar region, Yakutia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kargin, A. V.; Golubeva, Yu. Yu.

2017-11-01

The results of geochemical typification of kimberlites and related rocks (alneites and carbonatites) of the North Anabar region are presented with consideration of the geochemical specification of their source and estimation of their potential for diamonds. The content of representative trace elements indicates the predominant contribution of an asthenospheric component (kimberlites and carbonatites) in their source, with a subordinate contribution of vein metasomatic formations containing Cr-diopside and ilmenite. A significant contribution of water-bearing potassium metasomatic parageneses is not recognized. According to the complex of geochemical data, the studied rocks are not industrially diamondiferous.

Reconstruction of a kimberlite eruption, using an integrated volcanological, geochemical and numerical approach: A case study of the Fox Kimberlite, NWT, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Porritt, L. A.; Cas, R. A. F.

2009-01-01

An integrated approach involving volcanology, geochemistry and numerical modelling has enabled the reconstruction of the volcanic history of the Fox kimberlite pipe. The observed deposits within the vent include a basal massive, poorly sorted, matrix supported, lithic fragment rich, eruption column collapse lapilli tuff. Extensive vent widening during the climactic magmatic phase of the eruption led to overloading of the eruption column with cold dense country rock lithic fragments, dense juvenile pyroclasts and olivine crystals, triggering column collapse. > 40% dilution of the kimberlite by granodiorite country rock lithic fragments is observed both in the physical componentry of the rocks and in the geochemical signature, where enrichment in Al 2O 3 and Na 2O compared to average values for coherent kimberlite is seen. The wide, deep, open vent provided a trap for a significant proportion of the collapsing column material, preventing large scale run-away in the form of pyroclastic flow onto the ground surface, although minor flows probably also occurred. A massive to diffusely bedded, poorly sorted, matrix supported, accretionary-lapilli bearing, lithic fragment rich, lapilli tuff overlies the column collapse deposit providing evidence for a late phreatomagmatic eruption stage, caused by the explosive interaction of external water with residual magma. Correlation of pipe morphology and internal stratigraphy indicate that widening of the pipe occurred during this latter stage and a thick granodiorite cobble-boulder breccia was deposited. Ash- and accretionary lapilli-rich tephra, deposited on the crater rim during the late phreatomagmatic stage, was subsequently resedimented into the vent. Incompatible elements such as Nb are used as indicators of the proportion of the melt fraction, or kimberlite ash, retained or removed by eruptive processes. When compared to average coherent kimberlite the ash-rich deposits exhibit ~ 30% loss of fines whereas the column collapse deposit exhibits ~ 50% loss. This shows that despite the poorly sorted nature of the column collapse deposit significant elutriation has occurred during the eruption, indicating the existence of a high sustained eruption column. The deposits within Fox record a complex eruption sequence showing a transition from a probable violent sub-plinian style eruption, driven by instantaneous exsolution of magmatic volatiles, to a late phreatomagmatic eruption phase. Mass eruption rate and duration of the sub-plinian phase of the eruption have been determined based on the dimensions of milled country-rock boulders found within the intra-vent deposits. Calculations show a short lived eruption of one to eleven days for the sub-plinian magmatic phase, which is similar in duration to small volume basaltic eruptions. This is in general agreement with durations of kimberlite eruptions calculated using entirely different approaches and parameters, such as predictions of magma ascent rates in kimberlite dykes.

Conodont geothermometry in pyroclastic kimberlite: constraints on emplacement temperatures and cooling histories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pell, Jennifer; Russell, James K.; Zhang, Shunxin

2018-03-01

Kimberlite pipes from Chidliak, Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada host surface-derived Paleozoic carbonate xenoliths containing conodonts. Conodonts are phosphatic marine microfossils that experience progressive, cumulative and irreversible colour changes upon heating that are experimentally calibrated as a conodont colour alteration index (CAI). CAI values permit us to estimate the temperatures to which conodont-bearing rocks have been heated. Conodonts have been recovered from 118 samples from 89 carbonate xenoliths collected from 12 of the pipes and CAI values within individual carbonate xenoliths show four types of CAI distributions: (1) CAI values that are uniform throughout the xenolith; (2) lower CAIs in core of a xenolith than the rim; (3) CAIs that increase from one side of the xenolith to the other; and, (4) in one xenolith, higher CAIs in the xenolith core than at the rim. We have used thermal models for post-emplacement conductive cooling of kimberlite pipes and synchronous heating of conodont-bearing xenoliths to establish the temperature-time history of individual xenoliths within the kimberlite bodies. Model results suggest that the time-spans for xenoliths to reach the peak temperatures recorded by CAIs varies from hours for the smallest xenoliths to 2 or 3 years for the largest xenoliths. The thermal modelling shows the first three CAI patterns to be consistent with in situ conductive heating of the xenoliths coupled to the cooling host kimberlite. The fourth pattern remains an anomaly.

The importance of the transport system in shaping the growth and form of kimberlite volcanoes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McClintock, Murray; Ross, Pierre-Simon; White, James D. L.

2009-11-01

Understanding the range of transport styles recorded by kimberlite deposits is key to describing the type and style of eruptions. Building a clear picture of the processes that shape deposits is essential for selecting exploration targets and evaluating the grade and value of diamond-bearing kimberlites. Variations in grade reflect differences in the diamond content of different magma parcels erupted during the lifetime of the kimberlite volcano, sorting during transport of eruption products, or reworking of diamonds during crater growth, cone collapse and erosion. The form of the kimberlite volcano is largely determined when the magma arrives near the surface. If magma comes into contact with external water, transport will be driven by a combination of magmatic gases + steam. From a diamond exploration perspective, the resulting deep diatremes make the most attractive targets because they survive erosion and tend to form large geophysical anomalies. If water is too abundant, a tuff cone or tuff ring with no diatreme or a shallow one will form. On the other hand, if external water is very limited or if the conduit is rapidly sealed by chilled melt, the transport system will be driven by magmatic gases alone. The result will then be a spatter cone or cinder cone underlain by a dike, possibly with a related lava flow, but with no diatreme.

Petrogenesis of a Mesoproterozoic shoshonitic lamprophyre dyke from the Wajrakarur kimberlite field, eastern Dharwar craton, southern India: Geochemical and Sr-Nd isotopic evidence for a modified sub-continental lithospheric mantle source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandey, Ashutosh; Chalapathi Rao, N. V.; Chakrabarti, Ramananda; Pandit, Dinesh; Pankaj, Praveer; Kumar, Alok; Sahoo, Samarendra

2017-11-01

Mineralogy and geochemistry of the Udirpikonda lamprophyre, located within the Mesoproterozoic diamondiferous Wajrakarur kimberlite field (WKF), towards the western margin of the Paleo-Mesoproterozoic Cuddapah basin are presented. The lamprophyre is characterised by a panidiomorphic-porphyritic texture imparted by clinopyroxene, olivine and biotite set in a groundmass of feldspar and spinel. Olivine occurs as the microphenocrysts with a composition range of Fo87-78. Clinopyroxenes display reverse as well as oscillatory optical zoning and are diopsidic in nature with a variation in the composition from core (Wo47 En28 Fs20Ac5) to rim (Wo46En41Fs11Ac3). Biotite (Mg# < 0.6) is the only mica present and spinels are titano-magnetites showing ulvospinel- magnetite solid solution. Plagioclase is the dominant feldspar with a variable compositional range of An41-8Ab82-56Or33-3. Based on the mineralogy, the lamprophyre can be classified to be of calc-alkaline variety but its geochemistry display mixed signals of both alkaline and calc-alkaline lamprophyres. K2O/Na2O ranges from 1.49 to 2.79, making it distinctly potassic and highlights its shoshonitic character. Moderate Mg# (60-65), Ni (110-200 ppm) and Cr (110-260 ppm) contents in the bulk-rock indicate substantial fractional crystallization of olivine and clinopyroxene. Fractionated chondrite normalized REE patterns (average (La/Yb)N = 37.56) indicates involvement of an enriched mantle source from within the garnet stability field whereas slightly negative Ta-Nb-Ti and Hf anomalies displayed on the primitive mantle normalized multi-element spider gram highlight involvement of a subducted component in the mantle source. Given the spatial disposition of the studied lamprophyre, the age of the emplacement is considered to be coeval with WKF kimberlites ( 1.1 Ga) and the initial 143Nd/144Nd (0.510065-0.510192) and 87Sr/86Sr (0.705333-0.706223) are strikingly similar to those observed for the Smoky Butte lamproites, Montana, USA. Fluid-related subduction enrichment of the mantle source is apparent from the enriched ratios of La/Nb, Ba/Nb and (Hf/Sm)N, (Ta/La)N < 1. Petrogenetic modelling reveals melt generation from 1 to 2% partial melting of an enriched mantle source that subsequently underwent fractional crystallization. Our study provides geochemical and isotopic evidence for a sub-continental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) modified by subduction and asthenospheric upwelling in the Eastern Dharwar Craton. The partial melting of a resulting heterogeneous Eastern Dharwar Craton SCLM to generate Udiripikonda lamprophyre and Wajrakarur kimberlites has been attributed to the Mesoproterozoic regional lithospheric extension event.

The ascent of kimberlite: Insights from olivine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brett, R. C.; Russell, J. K.; Andrews, G. D. M.; Jones, T. J.

2015-08-01

Olivine xenocrysts are ubiquitous in kimberlite deposits worldwide and derive from the disaggregation of mantle-derived peridotitic xenoliths. Here, we provide descriptions of textural features in xenocrystic olivine from kimberlite deposits at the Diavik Diamond Mine, Canada and at Igwisi Hills volcano, Tanzania. We establish a relative sequence of textural events recorded by olivine during magma ascent through the cratonic mantle lithosphere, including: xenolith disaggregation, decompression fracturing expressed as mineral- and fluid-inclusion-rich sealed and healed cracks, grain size and shape modification by chemical dissolution and abrasion, late-stage crystallization of overgrowths on olivine xenocrysts, and lastly, mechanical milling and rounding of the olivine cargo prior to emplacement. Ascent through the lithosphere operates as a "kimberlite factory" wherein progressive upward dyke propagation of the initial carbonatitic melt fractures the overlying mantle to entrain and disaggregate mantle xenoliths. Preferential assimilation of orthopyroxene (Opx) xenocrysts by the silica-undersaturated carbonatitic melt leads to deep-seated exsolution of CO2-rich fluid generating buoyancy and supporting rapid ascent. Concomitant dissolution of olivine produces irregular-shaped relict grains preserved as cores to most kimberlitic olivine. Multiple generations of decompression cracks in olivine provide evidence for a progression in ambient fluid compositions (e.g., from carbonatitic to silicic) during ascent. Numerical modelling predicts tensile failure of xenoliths (disaggregation) and olivine (cracks) over ascent distances of 2-7 km and 15-25 km, respectively, at velocities of 0.1 to >4 m s-1. Efficient assimilation of Opx during ascent results in a silica-enriched, olivine-saturated kimberlitic melt (i.e. SiO2 >20 wt.%) that crystallizes overgrowths on partially digested and abraded olivine xenocrysts. Olivine saturation is constrained to occur at pressures <1 GPa; an absence of decompression cracks within olivine overgrowths suggests depths <25 km. Late stage (<25 km) resurfacing and reshaping of olivine by particle-particle milling is indicative of turbulent flow conditions within a fully fluidized, gas-charged, crystal-rich magma.

Timescales between mantle metasomatism and kimberlite ascent indicated by diffusion profiles in garnet crystals from peridotite xenoliths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jollands, Michael C.; Hanger, Brendan J.; Yaxley, Gregory M.; Hermann, Jörg; Kilburn, Matthew R.

2018-01-01

Rare garnet crystals from a peridotite xenolith from the Wesselton kimberlite, South Africa, have distinct zones related to two separate episodes of mantle metasomatism. The garnet cores were firstly depleted through melt extraction, then equilibrated during metasomatism by a potentially diamond-forming carbonate-bearing or proto-kimberlitic fluid at 1100-1300 °C and 4.5-5.5 GPa. The garnet rim chemistry, in contrast, is consistent with later overgrowth in equilibrium with a kimberlite at around 1025 ± 25 °C and 4.2 ± 0.5 GPa. This suggests that the rock was physically moved upwards by up to tens of kilometres between the two metasomatic episodes. Preserved high Ca, Al and Cr contents in orthopyroxenes suggest this uplift was tectonic, rather than magmatic. Diffusion profiles were measured over the transitions between garnet cores and rims using electron microprobe (Mg, Ca, Fe for modelling, plus Cr, Mn, Ti, Na, Al) and nano Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (NanoSIMS; 89Y, along with 23Na, Ca, Cr, Fe, Mn and Ti) analyses. The short profile lengths (generally <10 μm) and low Y concentrations (0.2-60 ppm) make the NanoSIMS approach preferable. Diffusion profiles at the interface between the zones yield constraints on the timescale between the second metasomatic event and eruption of the kimberlite magma that brought the xenolith to the surface. The time taken to form the diffusion profiles is on the order of 25 days to 400 yr, primarily based on modelling of Y diffusion along with Ca, Fe and Mg (multicomponent diffusion) profiles. These timescales are too long to be produced by the interaction of the mantle xenolith with the host kimberlite magma during a single-stage ascent to the crust (hours to days). The samples offer a rare opportunity to study metasomatic processes associated with failed eruption attempts in the cratonic lithosphere.

Are diamond-bearing Cretaceous kimberlites related to shallow-angle subduction beneath western North America?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Currie, C. A.; Beaumont, C.

2009-05-01

The origin of deep-seated magmatism (in particular, kimberlites and lamproites) within continental plate interiors remains enigmatic in the context of plate tectonic theory. One hypothesis proposes a relationship between kimberlite occurrence and lithospheric subduction, such that a subducting plate releases fluids below a continental craton, triggering melting of the deep lithosphere and magmatism (Sharp, 1974; McCandless, 1999). This study provides a quantitative evaluation of this hypothesis, focusing on the Late Cretaceous- Eocene (105-50 Ma) kimberlites and lamproites of western North America. These magmas were emplaced along a corridor of Archean and Proterozoic lithosphere, 1000-1500 km inboard of the plate margin separating the subducting Farallon Plate and continental North America Plate. Kimberlite-lamproite magmatism coincides with tectonic events, including the Laramide orogeny, shut-down of the Sierra Nevada arc, and eastward migration of volcanism, that are commonly attributed to a change in Farallon Plate geometry to a shallow-angle trajectory (<25° dip). Thermal-mechanical numerical models demonstrate that rapid Cretaceous plate convergence rates and enhanced westward velocity of North America result in shallow-angle subduction that places the Farallon Plate beneath the western edge of the cratonic interior of North America. This geometry is consistent with the observed continental dynamic subsidence that lead to the development of the Western Interior Seaway. The models also show that the subducting plate has a cool thermal structure, and subducted hydrous minerals (serpentine, phengite and phlogopite) remain stable to more than 1200 km from the trench, where they may break down and release fluids that infiltrate the overlying craton lithosphere. This is supported by geochemical studies that indicate metasomatism of the Colorado Plateau and Wyoming craton mantle lithosphere by an aqueous fluid and/or silicate melt with a subduction signature. Through Cretaceous shallow-angle subduction, the Farallon Plate was in a position to mechanically and chemically interact with North American craton lithosphere at the time of kimberlite-lamproite magmatism, making the subduction hypothesis a viable mechanism for the genesis of these magmas. REFERENCES: McCandless, T.E., Proceedings of the 7th International Kimberlite Conference, v.2, pp.545-549, 1999; Sharp, W.E., Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., v.21, pp.351-354, 1974.

Regional Variations in Composition of Cr-spinel Xenocrysts From Kimberlite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schulze, D. J.

2001-05-01

Important information on the composition of the upper mantle can be obtained by studying mantle xenocrysts in kimberlite, especially in situations in which intact mantle xenoliths are rare to absent. Spinel-group minerals are especially useful as they can coexist with garnet or represent regions of the mantle shallower than garnet-facies rocks, and chromites can exist in rocks too Al-depleted to form garnet. Xenolith studies have shown that along most typical cratonic geothermal gradients, the maximum Cr/(Cr+Al) (cr#) of spinel coexisting with garnet is 0.88. Cr-spinels with cr# > 0.88 are from Al-depleted rocks or from assemblages in which Al is partitioned into another phase (e.g., metasomatic phlogopite). Approximately 2500 Cr-spinel xenocrysts from 36 kimberlites in southern Africa and North America have been analysed (and some published data used) and evaluated, primarily in terms of cr# and Fe2/(Fe2+Mg) (fe#). Differences from pipe to pipe within and between cratons reflect variations in geologic history and fertility/depletion, only some of which can be related to mantle age. Within southern Africa, pipe average values of spinel xenocryst cr# are highest on the Kaapvaal Craton (0.80-0.89) where fe# varies from 0.36 to 0.47. Suites from the craton margin (e.g., in Lesotho) indicate a less depleted mantle (cr# = 0.75-0.80), similar to those from the Zimbabwe Craton (Orapa and Letlhakane, cr# = 0.80-0.81). Jwaneng (Kaapvaal Craton) is similar to the Zimbabwe Craton pipes (cr# = 0.83). Off-craton South African suites (Kalkput and Rietfontein) have lower cr# (0.72-0.75). Most southern African suites contain a significant population of Cr-spinel with cr# > 0.88 (including off-craton Rietfontein) except Liqhobong on the craton margin in Lesotho. Cr-spinel suites from North American kimberlites are quite different, with most suites being significantly more aluminous than African populations. Most Kirkland Lake kimberlites on the Superior Craton have a very restricted fe# (0.41-0.43) at cr# values below those from Kaapvaal and Zimbabwe Cratons (0.67-0.78). Wyoming Craton kimberlites (Sloan and Kelsey Lake) also have aluminous spinel populations (cr# = 0.70-0.76). High-Cr spinel xenocrysts (cr# > 0.88) are common in Superior Craton populations but less abundant on the Wyoming Craton. Off-craton kimberlites (on Grenville basement) in Kentucky and Pennsylvania are much more aluminous (cr# = 0.62) and have almost no xenocrysts with cr# > 0.88. The general increase in fertility (lower cr# in spinel) from craton centre to margin to off-craton is confirmed, but Cr-spinel populations from all tectonic settings in North American kimberlites appear to be less depleted on average than their equivalents in southern Africa.

Fission track dating of kimberlitic zircons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haggerty, Stephen E.; Raber, Ellen; Naeser, Charles W.

1983-04-01

The only reliable method for dating kimberlites at present is the lengthy and specialized hydrothermal procedure that extracts 206Pb and 238U from low-uranium zircons. This paper describes a second successful method by fission track dating of large single-crystal zircons, 1.0-1.5 cm in dimension. The use of large crystals overcomes the limitations imposed in conventional fission track analysis which utilizes crushed fragments. Low track densities, optical track dispersion, and the random orientation of polished surfaces in the etch and irradiation cycle are effectively overcome. Fission track ages of zircons from five African kimberlites are reported, from the Kimberley Pool (90.3 ± 6.5 m.y.), Orapa (87.4 ± 5.7 and 92.4 ± 6.1 m.y.), Nzega (51.1 ± 3.8 m.y.), Koffiefontein (90.0 ± 8.2 m.y.), and Val do Queve (133.4 ± 11.5 m.y.). In addition we report the first radiometric ages (707.9 ± 59.6 and 705.5 ± 61.0 m.y.) of crustal zircons from kimberlites in northwest Liberia. The fission track ages agree well with earlier age estimates. Most of the zircons examined in this study are zoned with respect to uranium but linear correlations are established (by regression analysis) between zones of variable uranium content, and within zones of constant uranium content (by analysis of variance). Concordance between the fission track method and the U/Pb technique is established and we concluded that track fading from thermal annealing has not taken place. Kimberlitic zircons dated in this study, therefore, record the time of eruption.

Fission track dating of kimberlitic zircons

USGS Publications Warehouse

Haggerty, S.E.; Raber, E.; Naeser, C.W.

1983-01-01

The only reliable method for dating kimberlites at present is the lengthy and specialized hydrothermal procedure that extracts 206Pb and 238U from low-uranium zircons. This paper describes a second successful method by fission track dating of large single-crystal zircons, 1.0-1.5 cm in dimension. The use of large crystals overcomes the limitations imposed in conventional fission track analysis which utilizes crushed fragments. Low track densities, optical track dispersion, and the random orientation of polished surfaces in the etch and irradiation cycle are effectively overcome. Fission track ages of zircons from five African kimberlites are reported, from the Kimberley Pool (90.3 ?? 6.5 m.y.), Orapa (87.4 ?? 5.7 and 92.4 ?? 6.1 m.y.), Nzega (51.1 ?? 3.8 m.y.), Koffiefontein (90.0 ?? 8.2 m.y.), and Val do Queve (133.4 ?? 11.5 m.y.). In addition we report the first radiometric ages (707.9 ?? 59.6 and 705.5 ?? 61.0 m.y.) of crustal zircons from kimberlites in northwest Liberia. The fission track ages agree well with earlier age estimates. Most of the zircons examined in this study are zoned with respect to uranium but linear correlations are established (by regression analysis) between zones of variable uranium content, and within zones of constant uranium content (by analysis of variance). Concordance between the fission track method and the U/Pb technique is established and we concluded that track fading from thermal annealing has not taken place. Kimberlitic zircons dated in this study, therefore, record the time of eruption. ?? 1983.

The petrogenesis of oceanic kimberlites and included mantle megacrysts: The Malaitan alnoite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neal, Clive R.

1988-01-01

The study of unambiguous suboceanic mantle was facilitated by the occurrence of anomalous kimberlite-type intrusives on Malaita in the Solomon Islands. The pseudo-kimberlites were termed alnoites, and are basically mica lamprophyres with melilite in the ground mass. Alnoitic magmas were explosively intruded into the Ontong Java Plateau (OJP) 34 Ma ago. The OJP is a vastly overthickened portion of the Pacific plate which now abuts the Indo-Australian plate. Malaita is considered to be the obducted leading edge of the OJP. Initial diapiric upwelling beneath the OJP produced the proto-alnoite magma. After impingement on the rigid lithosphere, megacrysts fractionation occurred, with augites precipitating first, representing the parental magma. Sea water-altered oceanic crust, which underplated the OJP, was assimilated by the proto-alnoite magma during megacrysts fractionation (AFC).

Tracing the depositional history of Kalimantan diamonds by zircon provenance and diamond morphology studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kueter, Nico; Soesilo, Joko; Fedortchouk, Yana; Nestola, Fabrizio; Belluco, Lorenzo; Troch, Juliana; Wälle, Markus; Guillong, Marcel; Von Quadt, Albrecht; Driesner, Thomas

2016-11-01

Diamonds in alluvial deposits in Southeast Asia are not accompanied by indicator minerals suggesting primary kimberlite or lamproite sources. The Meratus Mountains in Southeast Borneo (Province Kalimantan Selatan, Indonesia) provide the largest known deposit of these so-called "headless" diamond deposits. Proposals for the origin of Kalimantan diamonds include the adjacent Meratus ophiolite complex, ultra-high pressure (UHP) metamorphic terranes, obducted subcontinental lithospheric mantle and undiscovered kimberlite-type sources. Here we report results from detailed sediment provenance analysis of diamond-bearing Quaternary river channel material and from representative outcrops of the oldest known formations within the Alino Group, including the diamond-bearing Campanian-Maastrichtian Manunggul Formation. Optical examination of surfaces of diamonds collected from artisanal miners in the Meratus area (247 stones) and in West Borneo (Sanggau Area, Province Kalimantan Barat; 85 stones) points toward a classical kimberlite-type source for the majority of these diamonds. Some of the diamonds host mineral inclusions suitable for deep single-crystal X-ray diffraction investigation. We determined the depth of formation of two olivines, one coesite and one peridotitic garnet inclusion. Pressure of formation estimates for the peridotitic garnet at independently derived temperatures of 930-1250 °C are between 4.8 and 6.0 GPa. Sediment provenance analysis includes petrography coupled to analyses of detrital garnet and glaucophane. The compositions of these key minerals do not indicate kimberlite-derived material. By analyzing almost 1400 zircons for trace element concentrations with laser ablation ICP-MS (LA-ICP-MS) we tested the mineral's potential as an alternative kimberlite indicator. The screening ultimately resulted in a small subset of ten zircons with a kimberlitic affinity. Subsequent U-Pb dating resulting in Cretaceous ages plus a detailed chemical reflection make a kimberlitic origin unfavorable with respect to the regional geological history. Rather, trace elemental analyses (U, Th and Eu) suggest an eclogitic source for these zircons. The age distribution of detrital zircons allows in general a better understanding of collisional events that formed the Meratus orogen and identifies various North Australian Orogens as potential Pre-Mesozoic sediment sources. Our data support a model whereby the majority of Kalimantan diamonds were emplaced within the North Australian Craton by volcanic processes. Partly re-deposited into paleo-collectors or residing in their primary host, these diamond-deposits spread passively throughout Southeast Asia by terrane migration during the Gondwana breakup. Terrane amalgamation events largely metamorphosed these diamond-bearing lithologies while destroying the indicative mineral content. Orogenic uplift finally liberated their diamond-content into new, autochthonous placer deposits.

Dynamical constraints on kimberlite volcanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sparks, R. S. J.; Baker, L.; Brown, R. J.; Field, M.; Schumacher, J.; Stripp, G.; Walters, A.

2006-07-01

Kimberlite volcanism involves the ascent of low viscosity (0.1 to 1 Pa s) and volatile-rich (CO 2 and H 2O) ultrabasic magmas from depths of 150 km or greater. Theoretical models and empirical evidence suggest ascent along narrow (˜1 m) dykes at speeds in the range > 4 to 20 m/s. With typical dyke breadths of 1 to 10 km, magma supply rates are estimated in the range 10 2 to 10 5 m 3/s with eruption durations of many hours to months. Based on observations, theory and experiments we propose a four-stage model for kimberlite eruptions to explain the main geological relationships of kimberlites. In stage I magma reaches the Earth's surface along fissures and erupts explosively due to their high volatile content. The early flow exit conditions are overpressured with choked flow conditions; an exit velocity of ˜200 m/s is estimated as representative. Explosive expansion and near surface overpressures initiate crater and pipe formation from the top downwards. In stage II under-pressures (the difference between the lithostatic pressure and pressure of the erupting mixture) develop within the evolving pipe causing rock bursting at depth, undermining overlying rocks and causing down-faulting and crater rim slumping. Rocks falling into the pipe interior are ejected by the strong explosive flows. Stage II is the erosive stage of pipe formation. As the pipe widens and deepens larger under-pressures develop enhancing pipe wall instability. A critical threshold is reached when the exit pressure falls to one atmosphere. As the pipe widens and deepens further the gas exit velocity declines and ejecta becomes trapped within the pipe, initiating stage III. A fluidised bed of pyroclasts develops within the pipe as the eruption wanes to form typical massive volcaniclastic kimberlite. Marginal breccias represent the transition between stages II and III. After the eruption stage IV is a period of hydrothermal metamorphism (principally serpentinisation) and alteration as the pipe cools and meteoric waters infiltrate the hot pipe fill. Following an eruption an open crater can be filled by kimberlite- and country-rock derived sediments, forming the crater-facies.

Petrology of the Northern Anabar alkaline-ultramafic rocks (the Siberian Craton, Russia) and the role of metasomatized lithospheric mantle in their genesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kargin, Alexey; Golubeva, Yulia; Demonterova, Elena

2017-04-01

The southeastern margin of the Anabar shield (the Siberian Craton) in Mesozoic was characterized by intense alkaline-ultramafic (include diamondiferous kimberlite) magmatism. This zone is located within the Archean-Proterozoic Hapchan terrane and includes several fields of alkaline-ultramafic rocks that formed during three main episodes (Zaytsev and Smelov, 2010; Sun et al., 2014): Late Triassic (235-205 Ma), Middle-Late Jurassic (171-149 Ma), Cretaceous (105 Ma). Following the revised classification scheme of Tappe et al. (2005), the alkaline-ultramafic rocks of the Anabar region were identified, correspondingly, as 1) Late Triassic aillikites, damtjernites, and orangeites; 2) Middle-Late Jurassic silicocarbonatites and 3) Cretaceous carbonatites. According to mineralogical, geochemical and isotopic (Sm-Nd, Rb-Sr) data on the alkaline-ultramafic rocks of the Anabar region, the following scheme of the mantle source evolution is suggested: 1). Ascent of the asthenospheric (or plume) material to the base of the lithospheric mantle containing numerous carbonate- and phlogopite-rich veins in Late Triassic led to the generation of orangeite and aillikite magmas; 2). Evolution of aillikite magmas during their ascent and interaction with the surrounding lithospheric mantle (e.g. mantle-rock assimilation and/or melt differentiation) resulted in the accumulation of Mg-Si components in alkaline-ultramafic magmas and was accompanied by a change in liquidus minerals (from apatite-carbonate to olivine and Ca-silicate). Exsolution of carbonate-rich fluid at this stage was responsible for the formation of damtjernite magmas. 3). The tectonothermal activation within the Anabar region in Jurassic was marked by the generation of silicocarbonatitic magmas. Their geochemical composition suggests decreasing abundance of phlogopite-rich veins in the lithospheric mantle source. 4). In Cretaceous, the alkaline-ultramafic magmatism shifted into the central part of the Hapchan terrane where produced several carbonatite pipes and dykes. Their geochemical composition indicates the predominance of the carbonate component in the source region and a decrease of the thickness of the lithospheric mantle. This study was supported by Russian Science Foundation №16-17-10068. Tappe S., Foley S.F., Jenner G.A. et al. 2006. Genesis of Ultramafic Lamprophyres and Carbonatites at Aillik Bay, Labrador: a Consequence of Incipient Lithospheric Thinning beneath the North Atlantic Craton // J. Petrology. V. 47 (7). P. 1261-1315. Sun J., Liu C.Z., Tappe S. et al. 2014. Repeated kimberlite magmatism beneath Yakutia and its relationship to Siberian flood volcanism: Insights from in situ U-Pb and Sr-Nd perovskite isotope analysis // Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. V. 404. P. 283-295. Zaytsev A.I., Smelov A.P., 2010. Isotope Geochronology of Kimberlite Formation Rocks from Yakutian Province // Publication of the Institute of Diamonds Geology, Siberian branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Yakutsk (107 pp. (in Russian)).

Tectonic Mechanism for the Mid-Cretaceous - Early Paleogene Intraplate Magmatism from the Gulf of Mexico to Northwestern Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Y.; Murphy, M. A.; Snow, J. E.; van Wijk, J.; Cannon, J. M.; Parsons, C.

2017-12-01

Tectonic mechanisms have remained controversial for a number of intraplate igneous suites of mid-Cretaceous - early Paleogene age across North America. They span the northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM), through Arkansas and Kansas in the US, to Saskatchewan and Northwestern Territories in Canada, resembling a belt that is located 1000+ km inboard from, and aligned sub-parallel to, the western margin of North America. The northern GoM magmatism is characterized by lamproites, carbonatites, nephelinites, with other alkaline rocks, whereas the rest igneous provinces are dominated by kimberlites. Their geochemical signatures, in general, point to a sub-lithospheric mantle origin. Hypotheses that explain the tectonic origin of these magmatic rocks include: (1) hotspots and mantle plumes, (2) edge-driven convection, (3) lithospheric reactivation, and (4) low-angle subduction. Evaluation based on our integration of published geological and geophysical data shows that contradictions exist in each model between observations and predictions. To explain this plate-scale phenomenon, we propose that the Farallon slab may have stagnated within or around the mantle transition zone during the Early Cretaceous, with its leading edge reaching ca. 1600 km inland beneath the North American plate. Dehydration and decarbonation of the slab produces sporadic, dense, low-degree partial melts at the mantle transition zone depths. As the slab descends into the lower mantle, Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities are induced at slab edges, causing passive upwelling that brings alkali-rich carbonate silicate melts to the base of the overriding plate. Subsequently, the North American lithosphere with varying thicknesses, discontinuities, and compositions interacts with the rising partial melts, generating a spectrum of igneous rocks. Fragments of the once-stagnated slab may still be detectable in the lower mantle beneath eastern US in seismic tomography models. This study highlights a profound plate-scale relationship between the intraplate magmatism and the subduction factory down to the transition zone depth, and anticipates future discoveries of kimberlites, potentially diamondiferous, in the mid-west of the North American continent.

P-T Equilibrium Conditions of Xenoliths from the Udachnaya Kimberlite Pipe: Thermal Perturbations in the Lithospheric Mantle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tychkov, Nikolay; Agashev, Alexey; Malygina, Elena; Pokhilenko, Nikolay

2014-05-01

Integrated study of 250 peridotite xenoliths from Udachnaya -East pipe show difference in mineral paragenesises and textural-structural peculiarities in the different level of cratonic lithosphere mantle (CLM). The compositions of minerals were determined using EPMA. Thermobarometric parameters (Brey, Kohller, 1990) were determined for all rocks occupying different fields on geothermal curve. The deepest layer (the pressure interval of 5.0-7.0 GPa) contains mostly pophyroclastic lherzolites. Anyway, some rocks of this layer have an idiomorphic texture being also enriched in incompatible components. Higher in the CLM sequence, the interval (4.2-6.3 GPa) is composed of the most depleted rocks: megacristalline ultradepleted harzburgite-dunites and depleted granular harzburgite-dunites, as well as lherzolites in a subordinate amount. They correspond strate to 35 mW/m2 and partly overlap the deeper layer in dapth. It is likely that rocks of this layer are in equilibrium and were not subject to significant secondary changes due to kimberlite magma intrusion. Thus, this interval of the CLM sequence reflects the true (relic) geotherm for the area of the Udachnaya kimberlite pipe. Moreover, it is obvious that this interval was a major supplier of diamonds into kimberlites of the Udachnaya pipe. The interval of 4.2-2.0 GPa in the CLM sequence is also composed of coarse depleted lherzolites and harzburgites. Rocks of this interval are slightly more enriched than those of the underlying interval. This is confirmed by the distinct predominance of lherzolites over harzburgite-dunites. The heat flow in this layer varies in the range of 38-45 mW/m2 and shows a general tendency to increase with decreasing depth. According to occurrence of nonequilibrium mineral assemblages and increased heat flow relative to the major heat flow of 35 mW/m2, this interval is similar to the deepest interval of secondary enriched rocks. Interval of less than 2.0 GPa composed of spinel lherzolites and harzburgites. The temperature range of stability of these rocks is 600-900oC (average 754oC) for the geotherm curve of 45 mW/m2. The paleogeotherm obtained as a result of our study has a relatively complicated stepped structure. The geotherm knee in the deep part of the sequence, described for different regions, is connected with the temperature perturbations at the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary. The increased heat flow at the depth corresponding to a pressure of <4.2 GPa is rather unusual. It is obvious that it is not connected with deep processes on the CLM bottom. We assume, that thermal perturbations of this interval are due to large-scale crystallization and heating when going up silicate-carbonate kimberlitic magma reach the depth of peridotite+CO2 solidus curve bend. 11-05-91060-PICS

Phanerozoic burial and unroofing history of the western Slave craton and Wopmay orogen from apatite (U-Th)/He thermochronometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ault, Alexis K.; Flowers, Rebecca M.; Bowring, Samuel A.

2009-06-01

Low temperature thermochronometry of cratonic regions can illuminate relationships among burial and unroofing patterns, surface subsidence and uplift, and lithosphere-asthenosphere interactions. The Slave craton, initially stabilized by the development of a thick lithospheric mantle root in late Archean time, is an excellent location in which to examine these connections. Although the Slave craton currently lacks Phanerozoic cover, Phanerozoic sedimentary xenoliths entrained in ca. 610 to 45 Ma kimberlites indicate that the region underwent a more dynamic history of burial and unroofing than widely recognized. We report new apatite (U-Th)/He thermochronometry data along a southeast to northwest transect from the interior of the Slave craton into the adjacent Paleoproterozoic Wopmay orogen to resolve the region's depositional and denudational history. Six samples from the western Slave craton and three samples from Wopmay orogen yield mean dates from 296 ± 41 Ma to 212 ± 39 Ma. Individual apatite dates are broadly uniform over a wide span of apatite [eU], and this pattern can be used to more tightly restrict the spectrum of viable temperature-time paths that can explain the dataset. When coupled with geologic and stratigraphic information, temperature-time simulations of the thermochronometry results suggest complete He loss from the apatites at minimum peak temperatures of ~ 88 °C in Devonian-Pennsylvanian time, cooling to near-surface conditions by the Early Cretaceous, followed by reheating to ≤ 72 °C during Cretaceous-Early Tertiary time. Consideration of modern and ancient geotherm constraints implies ≥ 3.3 km of burial during the first Phanerozoic heating phase, with an ancillary phase of reburial in late Mesozoic-Cenozoic time. The uniformity of the apatite (U-Th)/He dates indicates that the rocks encompassed by our > 250 km-long sample transect experienced similar Phanerozoic thermal histories. Despite the distinctly different lithospheric architecture on either side of the Paleoproterozoic suture between the Slave craton and Wopmay orogen, the region behaved as a single, broadly coherent cratonic unit since at least ca. 250 Ma. The Phanerozoic burial and unroofing patterns across the craton may be a response to far-field convergent activity at the northern and western margins of North America and processes associated with episodic kimberlite emplacement.

Sources and mobility of carbonate melts beneath cratons, with implications for deep carbon cycling, metasomatism and rift initiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tappe, Sebastian; Romer, Rolf L.; Stracke, Andreas; Steenfelt, Agnete; Smart, Katie A.; Muehlenbachs, Karlis; Torsvik, Trond H.

2017-05-01

Kimberlite and carbonatite magmas that intrude cratonic lithosphere are among the deepest probes of the terrestrial carbon cycle. Their co-existence on thick continental shields is commonly attributed to continuous partial melting sequences of carbonated peridotite at >150 km depths, possibly as deep as the mantle transition zone. At Tikiusaaq on the North Atlantic craton in West Greenland, approximately 160 Ma old ultrafresh kimberlite dykes and carbonatite sheets provide a rare opportunity to study the origin and evolution of carbonate-rich melts beneath cratons. Although their Sr-Nd-Hf-Pb-Li isotopic compositions suggest a common convecting upper mantle source that includes depleted and recycled oceanic crust components (e.g., negative ΔεHf coupled with > + 5 ‰ δ7Li), incompatible trace element modelling identifies only the kimberlites as near-primary low-degree partial melts (0.05-3%) of carbonated peridotite. In contrast, the trace element systematics of the carbonatites are difficult to reproduce by partial melting of carbonated peridotite, and the heavy carbon isotopic signatures (-3.6 to - 2.4 ‰ δ13C for carbonatites versus -5.7 to - 3.6 ‰ δ13C for kimberlites) require open-system fractionation at magmatic temperatures. Given that the oxidation state of Earth's mantle at >150 km depth is too reduced to enable larger volumes of 'pure' carbonate melt to migrate, it is reasonable to speculate that percolating near-solidus melts of carbonated peridotite must be silicate-dominated with only dilute carbonate contents, similar to the Tikiusaaq kimberlite compositions (e.g., 16-33 wt.% SiO2). This concept is supported by our findings from the North Atlantic craton where kimberlite and other deeply derived carbonated silicate melts, such as aillikites, exsolve their carbonate components within the shallow lithosphere en route to the Earth's surface, thereby producing carbonatite magmas. The relative abundances of trace elements of such highly differentiated 'cratonic carbonatites' have only little in common with those of metasomatic agents that act on the deeper lithosphere. Consequently, carbonatite trace element systematics should only be used with caution when constraining carbon mobility and metasomatism at mantle depths. Regardless of the exact nature of carbonate-bearing melts within the mantle lithosphere, they play an important role in enrichment processes, thereby decreasing the stability of buoyant cratons and promoting rift initiation - as exemplified by the Mesozoic-Cenozoic breakup of the North Atlantic craton.

Reactive Transport of Slab-Derived Carbonatitic Melts in the Deep Upper Mantle and Generation of Kimberlites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, C.; Dasgupta, R.

2017-12-01

Kimberlite is a diamond-bearing CO2-rich ultramafic magma from the mantle at depths of >200 km, featured by enrichment of incompatible elements [1]. It has been considered significant for understanding mantle geochemistry and particularly for providing information of deep carbon cycle. Recent experimental studies suggested that partial melts of carbonated peridotites at high pressures and temperatures could resemble the MgO (>20 wt%) and enriched incompatible elements in kimberlites only when the source experienced refertilization with perhaps prior depletion (e.g., [2]). Although addition of CO2 and incompatible elements in the deep mantle is often linked to subducted components, partial melts directly from carbonated oceanic crusts do not have high enough MgO (e.g., ≤8.2 wt%; [3]). A crucial question is how slab-derived CO2-rich melt evolves in reaction with ambient mantle, which may provide a feasible mechanism for kimberlite generation. To investigate the fate of slab-derived carbonatitic melt in the deep ambient mantle, we have performed multi-anvil experiments at 7-10 GPa and 1400-1450 °C. The starting compositions were synthesized by mixing a fertile peridotite composition, KLB-1, with variable proportions (0-45 wt.%) of Ca-rich carbonatitic melt similar to those derived from a carbonated ocean crust at 13-21 GPa [3]. Experiments were performed in Pt, Pt/Gr, Au-Pd and Au-Pd/Gr capsules, and the experimental phases include olivine ± opx + cpx + majoritic garnet ± carbonated silicate melt. With the increase of melt-rock ratios, experimental melts become progressively enriched in CaO (13.0-23.1 wt%) and CO2 (14.2-38.7 wt%) but depleted in MgO (28.9-19.9 wt%), SiO2 (33.1-7.9 wt%), and Al2O3 (2.7-0.2 wt%). The net flux of melt increases with the increase of infiltrating carbonatitic melt proportion and with the decrease of pressure. Kimberlite melts were produced from experiments with 5-25 wt% infiltrating carbonatitic melts by dissolution of olivine and orthopyroxene and precipitation of clinopyroxene. Thus, a localized influx of slab-derived CO2-rich melts can enlarge the mantle porosity, enhance melt focusing, and initiate a channelized flow of kimberlite melts. [1] Becker & Le Roex (2006) J. Pet. 47: 673-703; [2] Brey et al. (2008) J. Pet. 49: 797-821; [3] Thomson et al. (2016) Nature 529: 76-79.

Use of RADARSAT-1 satellite imagery and geophysical data for oil and kimberlite exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paganelli, Flora

The synergy of RADARSAT-1 and seismic imagery interpretation has been applied in the Blackstone area of the Central Alberta Foothills in the Canadian Cordillera thrust and fold belt to map the continuity of geological structures, which are of importance for oil and gas exploration. The reconstruction of the continuity of thrust-fold related major structures known in the area has been successful. Transverse faults and lineaments with ENE-WSW, NE-SW, and NNE-SSW trends have been delineated on the radar images. The ENE-WSW transverse faults have an extensional character, cut across the inner and outer Foothills and are persistent at the regional scale. The NE-SW and NNE-SSW transverse faults are wrench type faults, which are mainly localized in the inner Foothills. These structures have been identified for the first time in the area and are possibly a third generation fault-play type for oil and gas exploration. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of RADARSAT-1 images was applied in the Buffalo Head Hills area, in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin (WCSB), to provide an enhanced image base for structural mapping. North- and NNE-trending lineaments bounding the eastern edge of the Buffalo Head Hills along the Loon River valley, a conjugate set of NW- and NE-trending lineaments, and ENE-trending lineaments identifying the latest features in the area were outlined. The development of these structures has been related to Precambrian terrane assemblage in the WCSB during the Early Proterozoic, the development of the Peace River Arch, and the Laramide Orogeny. In the Buffalo Head Hills area a weights of evidence statistical approach was used to determine the spatial relationship of NNE-, NE-, -NW, and ENE-trending lineaments to known kimberlite locations. This method outlined different degrees of spatial correlation between kimberlites and lineaments, with higher correlations defined for the NNE, NE, and ENE lineament datasets. A weights of evidence model was then constructed using the structural lineament maps, the Buffalo High and Buffalo Utikuma terrane boundary, Bouguer gravity data, and magnetic characteristics of the Buffalo High and Buffalo Utikuma terranes. The model reveals maximum favourability for kimberlite exploration along the Buffalo High and Buffalo Utikuma terrane boundary in correspondence with NNE-trending lineaments and their intersections with NE and ENE lineaments. The relationship of the kimberlite occurrences along the Buffalo High-Buffalo Utikuma terrane boundary and structural lineaments seems to favour an hypothesis of kimberlite emplacement through a major zone of weakness in the basement, here characterized by the boundary between the Buffalo High and Buffalo Utikuma terranes.

Cr-rich rutile: A powerful tool for diamond exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malkovets, V. G.; Rezvukhin, D. I.; Belousova, E. A.; Griffin, W. L.; Sharygin, I. S.; Tretiakova, I. G.; Gibsher, A. A.; O'Reilly, S. Y.; Kuzmin, D. V.; Litasov, K. D.; Logvinova, A. M.; Pokhilenko, N. P.; Sobolev, N. V.

2016-11-01

Mineralogical studies and U-Pb dating have been carried out on rutile included in peridotitic and eclogitic garnets from the Internatsionalnaya pipe, Mirny field, Siberian craton. We also describe a unique peridotitic paragenesis (rutile + forsterite + enstatite + Cr-diopside + Cr-pyrope) preserved in diamond from the Mir pipe, Mirny field. Compositions of rutile from the heavy mineral concentrates of the Internatsionalnaya pipe and rutile inclusions in crustal almandine-rich garnets from the Mayskaya pipe (Nakyn field), as well as from a range of different lithologies, are presented for comparison. Rutile from cratonic mantle peridotites shows characteristic enrichment in Cr, in contrast to lower-Cr rutile from crustal rocks and off-craton mantle. Rutile with Cr2O3 > 1.7 wt% is commonly derived from cratonic mantle, while rutiles with lower Cr2O3 may be both of cratonic and off-cratonic origin. New analytical developments and availability of standards have made rutile accessible to in situ U-Pb dating by laser ablation ICP-MS. A U-Pb age of 369 ± 10 Ma for 9 rutile grains in 6 garnets from the Internatsionalnaya pipe is consistent with the accepted eruption age of the pipe (360 Ma). The equilibrium temperatures of pyropes with rutile inclusions calculated using Ni-in-Gar thermometer range between 725 and 1030 °C, corresponding to a depth range of ca 100-165 km. At the time of entrainment in the kimberlite, garnets with Cr-rich rutile inclusions resided at temperatures well above the closure temperature for Pb in rutile, and thus U-Pb ages on mantle-derived rutile most likely record the emplacement age of the kimberlites. The synthesis of distinctive rutile compositions and U-Pb dating opens new perspectives for using rutile in diamond exploration in cratonic areas.

Tectonic fault monitoring at open pit mine at Zarnitsa Kimberlite Pipe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vostrikov, VI; Polotnyanko, NS; Trofimov, AS; Potaka, AA

2018-03-01

The article describes application of Karier instrumentation designed at the Institute of Mining to study fracture formation in rocks. The instrumentation composed of three sensors was used to control widening of a tectonic fault intersecting an open pit mine at Zarnitsa Kimberlite Pipe in Yakutia. The monitoring between 28 November and 28 December in 2016 recorded convergence of the fault walls from one side of the open pit mine and widening from the other side. After production blasts, the fault first grows in width and then recovers.

The x ray microprobe determination of chromium oxidation state in olivine from lunar basalt and kimberlitic diamonds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sutton, S. R.; Bajt, S.; Rivers, M. L.; Smith, J. V.

1993-01-01

The synchrotron x-ray microprobe is being used to obtain oxidation state information on planetary materials with high spatial resolution. Initial results on chromium in olivine from various sources including laboratory experiments, lunar basalt, and kimberlitic diamonds are reported. The lunar olivine was dominated by Cr(2+) whereas the diamond inclusions had Cr(2+/Cr(3+) ratios up to about 0.3. The simpliest interpretation is that the terrestrial olivine crystallized in a more oxidizing environment than the lunar olivine.

Mantle metasomatism in the Kaapvaal Craton lithosphere: constraints on the composition of the metasomatic agent from fluid inclusions in MARID-type xenoliths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konzett, J.; Krenn, K.; Hauzenberger, Ch.

2012-04-01

The emplacement of both group I and group II kimberlites in the Kaapvaal Craton of the Kimberley region in South Africa is associated with an intense metasomatic alteration of the country rocks as evidenced by a diverse suite of xenoliths sampled by the kimberlites mainly comprising metasomatized peridotites and minor MARID-type xenoliths. These are characterized by hydrous potassic silicates and LILE-HFSE-rich titanates. Because the metasomatic agent is not preserved in these rocks its composition has to be inferred from that of the metasomatic assemblages. Here we present for the first time data on fluid inclusions from two MARID-xenoliths sampled by group-I kimberlites of the Kimberley cluster. They provide direct evidence for the nature of the metasomatic fluids involved in kimberlite-related metsomatism. The xenoliths contain phlogopite+K-richterite+diopside+ilmenite±rutile±apatite±zircon. Fluid inclusions with 4-10 µm in size were found in diopside, K-richterite and zircon and contain L+V+one-to-several daughter phases. Investigations with the freezing and heating stage indicate two different chemical systems for the fluids: (1) H2O-NaCl dominant fluids found as L+V+S inclusions in zircon together with abundant needle-like apatite, rutile and phlogopite solid inclusions. The fluid inclusions in part occur along zircon host-rutile/apatite inclusion grain boundaries which indicates that the fluids were trapped during zircon growth. They contain 30-32 mass% NaCl and show a density of 0.87-0.94 g/cm3. Halos of tiny fluid inclusions, however, indicate that most if not all zircon inclusions are decrepitated during ascent from depth and/or superheating during entrainment of the xenoliths into the kimberlite. Using EMPA, enstatite and a SiO2 polymorph were identified in opened fluid inclusions exposed at the surface of polished thin sections. Because these phases were exclusively found in the fluid inclusions, they are considered daughter crystals. The enstatite composition is identical to that found in the matrix of other MARID xenoliths. Projection on a 40 mW/m2 geotherm of Ca-in-opx temperatures yields ˜950°C/˜4 GPa which are thought to be P and T of MARID-crystallization and fluid entrapment; (2) H2O-CaCl2 dominant fluids trapped in diopside and K-richterite as tubular to rounded L+V inclusions. These inclusions have 35-45 mass% CaCl2 and densities of 0.51-0.98 g/cm3 without any evidence for significant NaCl. During heating all inclusions of this type show a solid with Tm in the range 0-30°C which is consistent with the solid being CaCl2 x 6 H2O. This study provides physical evidence for the presence of saline brines during metasomatism associated with kimberlite emplacement on the Kaapvaal Craton and contributes to the growing body of evidence for the important role of Cl in kimberlite evolution and diamond genesis.

Syn- and post-eruptive volcanic processes in the Yubileinaya kimberlite pipe, Yakutia, Russia, and implications for the emplacement of South African-style kimberlite pipes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurszlaukis, S.; Mahotkin, I.; Rotman, A. Y.; Kolesnikov, G. V.; Makovchuk, I. V.

2009-11-01

The Yubileinaya kimberlite pipe, with a surface area of 59 ha, is one of the largest pipes in the Yakutian kimberlite province. The Devonian pipe was emplaced under structural control into Lower Paleozoic karstic limestone. The pipe complex consists of several smaller precursor pipes which are cut by the large, round Main pipe. While the precursor pipes show many features typical for root zones, Main pipe is younger, cuts into the precursor pipes and exposes well-bedded volcaniclastic sediments. The maximum estimated erosion since emplacement is 250 m. Open pit mapping of a 180 m thick kimberlite sequence documents the waning phases of the volcanic activity in the kimberlite pipe and the onset of its crater infill by resedimentation. Three volcanic lithofacies types can be differentiated. The deepest and oldest facies type is a massive volcaniclastic rock ("AKB") only accessible in drill core. It is equivalent to Tuffisitic Kimberlite in South African pipes and thought to be related to the main volcanic phase which was characterized by violent explosions. The overlying lithofacies type comprises primary and resedimented volcaniclastic sediments as well as rock avalanche deposits sourced from the exposed maar crater collar. It represents the onset of sedimentation onto the crater floor during the waning phase of volcanic eruptions, where primary pyroclastic deposition was contemporaneous with resedimentation from the tephra wall and the widening maar crater. Ongoing volcanic activity is also testified by the presence of a vertical feeder conduit marking the area of the last volcanic eruption clouds piercing through the diatreme. This feeder conduit is overlain by the third and youngest lithofacies type which consists mainly of resedimented volcaniclastic material and lake beds. During the sedimentation of this facies, primary volcanic activity was only minor and finally absent and resedimentation processes dominated the crater infill. The Yubileinaya pipe complex exposes root zones, contact breccias as well as diatreme and crater infill sediments. It has all features typical of large South African-style pipes and much can be learned from Yubileinaya about the emplacement sequence and behaviour of these pipes. Emplacement of the pipe occurred over an extended time span with intermittent phases of volcanic quiescence and consolidation. The AKB reveals little direct evidence of what sort of emplacement process was dominant during the main period of volcanic activity. There is neither textural evidence that violent degassing of a juvenile gas phase has caused pipe excavation, nor that external water was present during the main phase of volcanic eruptions. However, there is clear evidence in rock textures that meteoric surface water was present during crater infill. Base surge deposits forming part of the bedded crater infill sequence indicate that water was present in the eruption clouds and, hence, the root zone of the pipe. There is no reason to assume that groundwater did not also have access to the ascending magma during the main phase of volcanic activity that excavated the pipe and formed the AKB.

Mineral inclusions and geochemical characteristics of microdiamonds from the DO27, A154, A21, A418, DO18, DD17 and Ranch Lake kimberlites at Lac de Gras, Slave Craton, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davies, Rondi M.; Griffin, William L.; O'Reilly, Suzanne Y.; Doyle, Buddy J.

2004-09-01

A mineral inclusion, carbon isotope, nitrogen content, nitrogen aggregation state and morphological study of 576 microdiamonds from the DO27, A154, A21, A418, DO18, DD17 and Ranch Lake kimberlites at Lac de Gras, Slave Craton, was conducted. Mineral inclusion data show the diamonds are largely eclogitic (64%), followed by peridotitic (25%) and ultradeep (11%). The paragenetic abundances are similar to macrodiamonds from the DO27 kimberlite (Davies, R.M., Griffin, W.L., O'Reilly, S.Y., 1999. Diamonds from the deep: pipe DO27, Slave craton, Canada. In: Gurney, J.J., Gurney, J.L., Pascoe, M.D., Richardson, S.H. (Eds.), The J. B. Dawson Vol., Proc. 7th Internat. Kimberlite Conf., Red Roof Designs, Cape Town, pp. 148-155) but differ to diamonds from nearby kimberlites at Ekati (e.g., Lithos (2004); Tappert, R., Stachel, T., Harris, J.W., Brey, G.P., 2004. Mineral Inclusions in Diamonds from the Panda Kimberlite, S. P., Canada. 8th International Kimberlite Conference, extended abstracts) and Snap Lake to the south (Dokl. Earth Sci. 380 (7) (2001) 806), that are dominated by peridotitic stones. Eclogitic diamonds with variable inclusion compositions and temperatures of formation (1040-1300 °C) crystallised at variable lithospheric depths sometimes in changing chemical environments. A large range to very 13C-depleted C-isotope compositions ( δ13C=-35.8‰ to -2.2‰) and an NMORB bulk composition, calculated from trace elements in garnet and clinopyroxene inclusions, are consistent with an origin from subducted oceanic crust and sediments. Carbon isotopes in the peridotitic diamonds have mantle compositions ( δ13C mode -4.0‰). Mineral inclusion compositions are largely harzburgitic. Variable temperatures of formation (garnet TNi=800-1300 °C) suggest the peridotitic diamonds originate from the shallow ultra-depleted and deeper less depleted layers of the central Slave lithosphere. Carbon isotopes ( δ13C av.=-5.1‰) and mineral inclusions in the ultradeep diamonds suggest they formed in peridotitic mantle (˜670 km). The diamonds may have been entrained in a plume and subcreted to the base of the central Slave lithosphere. Poorly aggregated nitrogen (IaA without platelets) in a large number of eclogitic (67%) and peridotitic (32%) diamonds, with similar nitrogen contents, indicates the diamonds were stored in the mantle at low temperatures (1060-<1100 °C) following crystallisation in the Archean. Type IaA diamonds have largely cubo-octahedral growth forms, and Type II and Type IaAB diamonds, with higher nitrogen aggregation states, mostly have octahedral morphologies. However, no correlation between these groups and their mineral inclusion compositions, C-isotopes, and N-contents rules out the possibility of unique source origins and suggests eclogitic and peridotitic diamonds experienced variable mantle thermal states. Variation in mineral inclusion chemistries in single diamonds, possible overgrowths of 13C-depleted eclogitic diamond on diamonds with peridotitic and ultradeep inclusions, and Type I ultradeep diamond with low N-aggregation is consistent with diamond growth over time in changing chemical environments.

Diamond ages from Victor (Superior Craton): Intra-mantle cycling of volatiles (C, N, S) during supercontinent reorganisation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aulbach, S.; Creaser, Robert A.; Stachel, Thomas; Heaman, Larry M.; Chinn, Ingrid L.; Kong, Julie

2018-05-01

The central Superior Craton hosts both the diamondiferous 1.1 Ga Kyle Lake and Jurassic Attawapiskat kimberlites. A major thermal event related to the Midcontinent Rift at ca. 1.1 Ga induced an elevated geothermal gradient that largely destroyed an older generation of diamonds, raising the question of when, and how, the diamond inventory beneath Attawapiskat was formed. We determined Re-Os isotope systematics of sulphides included in diamonds from Victor by isotope dilution negative thermal ionisation mass spectrometry in order to obtain insights into the age and nature of the diamond source in the context of regional tectonothermal evolution. Regression of the peridotitic inclusion data (n = 14 of 16) yields a 718 ± 49 Ma age, with an initial 187Os/188Os ratio of 0.1177 ± 0.0016, i.e. depleted at the time of formation (γOs -3.7 ± 1.3). Consequently, Re depletion model ages calculated for these samples are systematically overestimated. Given that reported 187Os/188Os in olivine from Attawapiskat xenoliths varies strongly (0.1012-0.1821), the low and nearly identical initial Os of sulphide inclusions combined with their high 187Re/188Os (median 0.34) suggest metasomatic formation from a mixed source. This was likely facilitated by percolation of amounts of melt sufficient to homogenise Os, (re)crystallise sulphide and (co)precipitate diamond; that is, the sulphide inclusions and their diamond host are synchronous if not syngenetic. The ∼720 Ma age corresponds to rifting beyond the northern craton margin during Rodinia break-up. This suggests mobilisation of volatiles (C, N, S) and Os due to attendant mantle stretching and metasomatism by initially oxidising and S-undersaturated melts, which ultimately produced lherzolitic diamonds with high N contents compared to older Kyle Lake diamonds. Thus, some rift-influenced settings are prospective with respect to diamond formation. They are also important sites of hidden, intra-lithospheric volatile redistribution that can be revealed by diamond studies. Later emplacement of the Attawapiskat kimberlites, linking the carbon cycle to the surface, was associated with renewed disturbance during passage of the Great Meteor Hotspot. Lherzolitic diamond formation from oxidising small-volume melts may be the expression of an early and deep stage of the lithospheric conditioning required for the successful eruption of kimberlites, which complements the late and shallow emplacement of volatile-rich metasomes after upward displacement of a redox freezing front.

Spectroscopy of Moses Rock Kimberlite Diatreme

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pieters, C. M.; Mustard, J. F.

1985-01-01

Three types of remote sensing data (Airborne Imaging Spectroscopy (AIS), NS001, Zeiss IR-photographs) were obtained for the Moses Rock kimberlite dike in southern Utah. The goal is to identify and characterize the mantle derived mafic component in such volcanic features. The Zeiss and NS001 images provide information on the regional setting and allow units of the dike to be distinguished from surrounding material. A potential unmapped satellite dike was identified. The AIS data provide characterizing information of the surface composition of the dike. Serpentized olivine-bearing soils are (tentatively) identified from the AIS spectra for a few areas within the dike.

Primary differentiation in the early Earth: Nd and Sr isotopic evidence from diamondiferous eclogites for both old depleted and old enriched mantle, Yakutia, Siberia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snyder, Gregory A.; Jerde, Eric A.; Taylor, Lawrence A.; Halliday, Alex N.; Sobolev, Vladimir N.; Sobolev, Nickolai V.; Clayton, Robert N.; Mayeda, Toshiko K.; Deines, Peter

1993-01-01

Ancient, stable, continental cratons possess thick, subcontinental-lithospheric mantle 'keels' which favor particularly the emplacement of diamondiferous kimberlites and included peridotites and eclogites. These refractory mantle samples of the roots provide hard constraints on the theories of formation, growth, and evolution of these cratons. Xenoliths containing only primary garnet and clinopyroxene (eclogites), although rare in most kimberlites, can retain the geochemical signatures of their parent protoliths (e.g., subducted oceanic crust, ancient mantle) thus offering the opportunity to address mantle processes which may have taken place at earlier times in the Earth's history. In fact, it has been postulated that some eclogites are residues from the accretion of the early Earth. Nd and Sr isotopic data are presented which may be interpreted as evidence of an early (greater than 4 Ga) mantle differentiation event. The kimberlites of Yakutia are located both marginal and central to the Siberian craton, and a wide variety of xenoliths are present within them. The Siberian mantle samples have received little attention in the western world, largely because suitable suites of Yakutian samples have not been readily available. Importantly, there is evidence that metasomatism of the Siberian lithosphere has been considerably less intense or extensive than for the Kaapvaal craton. Therefore, it should be considerably easier to elicit the igneous/metamorphic histories of Siberian kimberlitic xenoliths. One of the notable features of the Siberian eclogites is the common appearance of diamonds, especially in the Mir and Udachnaya pipes. In all, eight eclogite samples (eight garnet separates and eight clinopyroxene separates) have been analyzed to date on the Udachnaya pipe, seven from our group.

Some Pb and Sr isotopic measurements on eclogites from the Roberts Victor mine, South Africa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Manton, W.I.; Tatsumoto, M.

1971-01-01

Five nodules of eclogite, one nodule of garnet peridotite and one sample of kimberlite from the Roberts Victor mine were analyzed for concentrations of U, Th, Pb, Rb and Sr and isotopic compositions of Pb and Sr. In the eclogites, U content ranges from 0.09 to 0.26 ppm, Th from 0.35 to 1.1 ppm, Pb from 0.79 to 5.5 ppm, Rb from 2.1 to 28 ppm and Sr from 133 to 346 ppm; 206Pb/204Pb ratios range from 14.8 to 18.5, 207Pb/204Pb from 14.9 to 15.7, 208Pb/204Pb from 35.2 to 38.5. The garnet peridotite contains 0.22 ppm U, 0.97 ppm Th, 1.05 ppm Pb, 6.9 ppm Rb and 108 ppm Sr and the kimberlite contains 2.5 ppm U, 30 ppm Th, 37 ppm Pb, 113 ppm Rb and 2040 ppm Sr. The lead in the eclogites has two components, a lead pyroextractable at 1100-1200?? and a non-pyroextractable residual lead. In three of the eclogites, which are to some extent altered, a proportion of the pyroextractable lead may be contaminating lead from the kimberlite, but an altered kyanite eclogite does not appear to be contaminated by this same kimberlite. The pyroextractable lead from a less altered eclogite contains a much larger proportion of 206Pb. Compositions calculated for the residual leads vary greatly. In many of the pyroextraction runs the primary eclogitic phases disappeared and the new phases plagioclase, clinopyroxene and a magnetic iron compound were formed. Why part of the lead should have been retained by these new phases is not understood. ?? 1971.

Subcalcic diopsides from kimberlites: Chemistry, exsolution microstructures, and thermal history

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCallister, R.H.; Nord, G.L.

1981-01-01

Twenty-six subcalcic diopside megacrysts (Ca/(Ca+ Mg)) = 0.280-0.349, containing approximately 10 mol% jadeite, from 15 kimberlite bodies in South Africa, Botswana, Tanzania, and Lesotho, have been characterized by electron microprobe analysis, X-ray-precession photography, and transmission electron microscopy. Significant exsolution of pigeonite was observed only in those samples for which Ca/(Ca+Mg)???0.320. The exsolution microstructure consists of coherent (001) lamellae with wavelengths ranging from 20 to 31 nm and compositional differences between the hosts and lamellae ranging from 10 to 30 mol% wollastonite. These observations suggest that the exsolution reaction mechanism was spinodal decomposition and that the megacrysts have been quenched at various stages of completion of the decomposition process. Annealing experiments in evacuated SiO2 glass tubes at 1,150?? C for 128 hours failed to homogenize microstructure, whereas, at 5 kbar and 1,150?? C for only 7.25 hours, the two lattices were homogenized. This "pressure effect" suggests that spinodal decomposition in the kimberlitic subcalcic diopside megacrysts can only occur at depths less than ???15 km; the cause of the effect may be the jadeite component in the pyroxene. "Apparent quench" temperatures for the exsolution process in the megacrysts range from 1,250?? C to 990?? C, suggesting that decomposition must have commenced at temperatures of more than ???1,000?? C. These P-T limits lead to the conclusion that, in those kimberlites where spinodal decomposition has occurred in subcalcic diopside megacrysts, such decomposition occurred at shallow levels (<15 km) and, at the present erosion level, temperatures must have been greater than 1,000?? C. ?? 1981 Springer-Verlag.

Fluid inclusions in Ebelyakh diamonds: Evidence of CO2 liberation in eclogite and the effect of H2O on diamond habit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Evan M.; Kopylova, Maya G.; Frezzotti, Maria Luce; Afanasiev, Valentin P.

2015-02-01

Fluid inclusions were studied in six octahedrally-grown, eclogitic diamonds from the Ebelyakh River mine, northern Russia, using microthermometry and Raman spectroscopy. The fluids are CO2-N2 mixtures with 40 ± 4 mol% N2, which are trapped along fractures that healed in the diamond stability field. The CO2-rich composition of the fluids provides the first empirical evidence that CO2 can be liberated as a free phase in eclogite in the diamond stability field of the lithospheric mantle, as has been previously predicted from theory. This finding means that the interpretation of carbon isotopes in eclogitic diamonds should not overlook isotopic fractionation due to CO2 liberation from carbonatitic diamond-forming media as it percolates through eclogites. Preferential nucleation of CO2 bubbles in eclogite compared to peridotite may lead to a rock type-specific fracturing mechanism and sampling bias that would help explain the overabundance of eclogite xenoliths in kimberlites. Fluid inclusions in octahedrally-grown, non-fibrous diamonds from both the studied Ebelyakh diamonds and those from other cratons do not show detectable amounts of water. In comparison, fibrous diamond fluid inclusions typically contain 10-25 wt.% water. The absence of "dry" fluids in fibrous diamonds and the presence of these in octahedrally-grown diamonds may indicate different compositions of fluids equilibrated with these two types of diamonds. If there is variability in the water content in diamond-forming fluids, it should affect diamond growth morphology. Water could be responsible for causing fibrous diamond growth, by inhibiting the advancement of growth steps within octahedral faces.

Mantle transition zone input to kimberlite magmatism near a subduction zone: Origin of anomalous Nd-Hf isotope systematics at Lac de Gras, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tappe, Sebastian; Graham Pearson, D.; Kjarsgaard, Bruce A.; Nowell, Geoff; Dowall, David

2013-06-01

Late Cretaceous-Eocene kimberlites from the Lac de Gras area, central Slave craton, show the most extreme Nd-Hf isotope decoupling observed for kimberlites worldwide. They are characterized by a narrow range of moderately enriched Nd isotope compositions (ɛNd(i)=-0.4 to -3.5) that contrasts strongly with their moderately depleted to highly enriched ɛHf(i) values (+3.9 to -9.9). Although digestion of cratonic mantle material in proto-kimberlite melt can theoretically produce steep arrays in Nd-Hf isotope space, the amount of contaminant required to explain the Lac de Gras data is unrealistic. Instead, it is more plausible that mixing of compositionally discrete melt components within an isotopically variable source region is responsible for the steep Nd-Hf isotope array. As development of strongly negative ΔɛHf requires isotopic aging of a precursor material with Sm/Nd≫Lu/Hf for billion-year timescales, a number of models have been proposed where ancient MORB crust trapped in the mantle transition zone is the ultimate source of the extreme Hf isotope signature. However, we provide a conceptual modification and demonstrate that OIB-type domains within ancient subducted oceanic lithosphere can produce much stronger negative ΔɛHf during long-term isolation. Provided that these OIB-type domains have lower melting points compared with associated MORB crust, they are among the first material to melt within the transition zone during thermal perturbations. The resulting hydrous alkali silicate melts react strongly with depleted peridotite at the top of the transition zone and transfer negative ΔɛHf signatures to less dense materials, which can be more easily entrained within upward flowing mantle. Once these entrained refertilized domains rise above 300 km depth, they may become involved in CO2- and H2O-fluxed redox melting of upper mantle peridotite beneath a thick cratonic lid. We argue that incorporation of ancient transition zone material, which includes ultradeep diamonds, into the convecting upper mantle source region of Lac de Gras kimberlites was due to vigorous mantle return flow. This occurred in direct response to fast and complex subduction along the western margin of North America during the Late Cretaceous.

Timing of Precambrian melt depletion and Phanerozoic refertilization events in the lithospheric mantle of the Wyoming Craton and adjacent Central Plains Orogen

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carlson, R.W.; Irving, A.J.; Schulze, D.J.; Hearn, B.C.

2004-01-01

Garnet peridotite xenoliths from the Sloan kimberlite (Colorado) are variably depleted in their major magmaphile (Ca, Al) element compositions with whole rock Re-depletion model ages generally consistent with this depletion occurring in the mid-Proterozoic. Unlike many lithospheric peridotites, the Sloan samples are also depleted in incompatible trace elements, as shown by the composition of separated garnet and clinopyroxene. Most of the Sloan peridotites have intermineral Sm-Nd and Lu-Hf isotope systematics consistent with this depletion occurring in the mid-Proterozoic, though the precise age of this event is poorly defined. Thus, when sampled by the Devonian Sloan kimberlite, the compositional characteristics of the lithospheric mantle in this area primarily reflected the initial melt extraction event that presumably is associated with crust formation in the Proterozoic-a relatively simple history that may also explain the cold geotherm measured for the Sloan xenoliths. The Williams and Homestead kimberlites erupted through the Wyoming Craton in the Eocene, near the end of the Laramide Orogeny, the major tectonomagmatic event responsible for the formation of the Rocky Mountains in the late Cretaceous-early Tertiary. Rhenium-depletion model ages for the Homestead peridotites are mostly Archean, consistent with their origin in the Archean lithospheric mantle of the Wyoming Craton. Both the Williams and Homestead peridotites, however, clearly show the consequences of metasomatism by incompatible-element-rich melts. Intermineral isotope systematics in both the Homestead and Williams peridotites are highly disturbed with the Sr and Nd isotopic compositions of the minerals being dominated by the metasomatic component. Some Homestead samples preserve an incompatible element depleted signature in their radiogenic Hf isotopic compositions. Sm-Nd tie lines for garnet and clinopyroxene separates from most Homestead samples provide Mesozoic or younger "ages" suggesting that the metasomatism occurred during the Laramide. Highly variable Rb-Sr and Lu-Hf mineral "ages" for these same samples suggest that the Homestead peridotites did not achieve intermineral equilibrium during this metasomatism. This indicates that the metasomatic overprint likely was introduced shortly before kimberlite eruption through interaction of the peridotites with the host kimberlite, or petrogenetically similar magmas, in the Wyoming Craton lithosphere. ?? 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Relationships between oxygen fugacity and metasomatism in the Kaapvaal subcratonic mantle, represented by garnet peridotite xenoliths in the Wesselton kimberlite, South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanger, Brendan J.; Yaxley, Gregory M.; Berry, Andrew J.; Kamenetsky, Vadim S.

2015-01-01

A suite of 12 peridotite xenoliths from the Wesselton kimberlite was studied and found to sample the subcratonic lithospheric mantle over a pressure range from 3.6 to 4.7 GPa and a temperature range of 880 to 1120 °C. Major, minor and trace element compositions indicate that both metasomatised and un-metasomatised samples are present over this pressure range. Fe3 +/∑ Fe in garnet from four xenoliths was determined using Fe K-edge XANES spectroscopy, enabling the redox state of the sampled subcratonic mantle to be determined for three garnet bearing samples. ΔlogfO2[FMQ] varied from 0 to - 3.3 over the sampled pressure interval, with the un-metasomatised samples falling within the global trend of decreasing ΔlogfO2[FMQ] with increasing depth. Superimposed on this was an oxidation trend, at higher pressures (≥ 4.5 GPa), with ΔlogfO2 increasing by 1.5 to 2 units in the metasomatically enriched samples, indicating a clear link between metasomatism and oxidation. One potential source of this oxidation is a carbonated silicate melt, which will increase in carbonate content as ΔlogfO2 increases. Mantle minerals affected by such a melt have the potential to shift from the field of diamond stability into that of carbonate, threatening the stability of diamond.

Olivine inclusions in Siberian diamonds and mantle xenoliths: Contrasting water and trace-element contents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jean, M. M.; Taylor, L. A.; Howarth, G. H.; Peslier, A. H.; Fedele, L.; Bodnar, R. J.; Guan, Y.; Doucet, L. S.; Ionov, D. A.; Logvinova, A. M.; Golovin, A. V.; Sobolev, N. V.

2016-11-01

A subject of continuing debate is how the Earth's lithospheric portion of the upper mantle has remained the thickest (> 200 km) and oldest (> 3 Gy) beneath cratons and is yet surrounded by a vigorously convecting asthenosphere. It is generally admitted that water is a key parameter in the strength and longevity of cratonic roots, because olivine, the main phase of the lithospheric mantle, becomes stronger if its water content decreases. Expanding upon the work presented in Novella et al. (2015) and Taylor et al. (2016), we report new water contents for additional olivine inclusions in diamonds together with the trace-element composition for all olivine inclusions, as well as for mantle xenoliths from various kimberlite pipes located on the Siberian craton. The olivine diamond inclusions from this study have systematically low-water contents (< 50 ppmw H2O), moderate to high forsterite (e.g., Fo91-94) contents and low Ni, Co, and Zn ppm contents (e.g., < 2848, < 108, and < 47 ppm, respectively). In contrast, olivines from Siberian craton mantle xenoliths have a wide range of water contents (6-323 ppmw H2O) and extend to lower-Fo (91-92), Ni, Co, and Zn-rich compositions, compared to the diamond inclusions. Depleted incompatible trace-element concentrations in olivine (0.1-0.001 × Primitive Mantle) advance our hypothesis for the protogenetic origins for the majority of Siberian diamond inclusions. These observations are consistent with the peridotite xenoliths as representing a part of the cratonic lithosphere that has experienced melt re-fertilization, which has also transported water. The olivine diamond inclusions, on the other hand, preserve "micro-samples" of an initial, dry cratonic lithosphere, mostly resulting from melting events. These inclusions are likely sourced from the initial cratonic mantle lithosphere, which thereby, resisted delamination over time, due to its buoyancy and strength, imparted from melt and water depletion, respectively. And thus, our data provides a major argument that the kimberlite-hosted mantle xenoliths may be more metasomatized than common rocks at the base of the Siberian and other cratonic roots away from kimberlite fields.

Lu-Hf, in-situ Sr and Pb isotope and trace element systematics for mantle eclogites from the Diavik diamond mine: Evidence for Paleoproterozoic subduction beneath the Slave craton, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidberger, Stefanie S.; Simonetti, Antonio; Heaman, Larry M.; Creaser, Robert A.; Whiteford, Sean

2007-02-01

Lu-Hf, Sm-Nd and in-situ clinopyroxene Sr and Pb isotope systematics, and mineral major and in-situ trace element compositions were obtained for a suite of non-diamond and diamond-bearing eclogites from the Diavik kimberlites (A154; 55 Ma old), Slave craton (Canada). Temperature estimates of last equilibration in the lithosphere for the non-diamond-bearing Diavik eclogites define two groups; low-temperature (800-1050 °C) and high-temperature eclogites (1100-1300 °C). Most diamond-eclogites indicate temperatures similar to those of the high-temperature eclogites. Isotopic and major and trace element systematics for the non-diamond- and diamond-bearing eclogites indicate overlapping chemical compositions suggesting similar rock formational histories. Calculated whole rock major and trace element abundances using chemical and modal abundances for constituent minerals exhibit broad similarities with mafic cumulates from ophiolite sequences. Most importantly the calculated whole rock eclogite compositions display positive Sr and Eu anomalies, typically interpreted as the result of plagioclase accumulation in cumulate rocks of oceanic crust sequences. Initial whole rock Hf isotopic values and in-situ Sr isotope data from clinopyroxene grains provide evidence that the eclogites were derived from precursor rocks with depleted mantle isotope characteristics. These combined results support the interpretation that the eclogites from Diavik represent remnants of subducted oceanic crust. Lu-Hf isotope systematics indicate that the oceanic protolith for the eclogites formed in the Paleoproterozoic at ˜ 2.1 Ga, which is in agreement with the in-situ Pb isotope data from clinopyroxene. This result also corroborates the ˜ 2.1 Ga Lu-Hf model ages recorded by mantle zircons from eclogite found within the Jericho kimberlite in the northern Slave Province (˜ 200 km northwest of Diavik). The results from both studies indicate a link between eclogite formation and Paleoproterozoic subduction of oceanic lithosphere along the present-day western margin of the Archean Slave craton.

Distribution of radioactive isotopes in rock and ore of Arkhangelskaya pipe from the Arkhangelsk diamond province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiselev, G. P.; Yakovlev, E. Yu.; Druzhinin, S. V.; Galkin, A. S.

2017-09-01

The contents of radioactive elements and the uranium isotopic composition of kimberlite in the Arkhangelskaya pipe at the M.V. Lomonosov deposit and of nearby country rocks have been studied. A surplus of 234U isotope has been established in rocks from the near-pipe space. The high γ = 234U/238U ratio is controlled by the geological structure of the near-pipe space. A nonequilibrium uranium halo reaches two pipe diameters in size and can be regarded as a local ore guide for kimberlite discovery. The rocks in the nearpipe space are also characterized by elevated or anomalous U, Th, and K contents with respect to the background.

Evolution of diamond resorption in a silicic aqueous fluid at 1-3 GPa: Application to kimberlite emplacement and mantle metasomatism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhihai; Fedortchouk, Yana; Hanley, Jacob J.

2015-06-01

Natural diamonds grow and partially dissolve during mantle metasomatism and undergo further resorption during the ascent to the Earth's surface in kimberlite magmas. This study uses atomic force microscopy (AFM) for quantitative characterization of diamond resorption morphology in order to provide robust constraints of the composition of kimberlitic and mantle metasomatic fluids. We performed experiments in a piston-cylinder apparatus at pressures (P) of 1-3 GPa and temperatures (T) of 1150-1400 °C to examine the impact of P, T, and silica content of an aqueous fluid on diamond dissolution. Petrographic observation and microthermometry of synthetic fluid inclusions trapped in olivine at the run conditions provide constraints on the composition and density of the fluid reacting with the diamond. Our results confirm an inverse relationship between P and T on diamond dissolution kinetics. A P increase of 1 GPa suppresses diamond oxidation rates by the same value as a T decrease by 50 °C, while the transformation rate of diamond crystal morphology from octahedron to tetrahexahedron increases with both P and T. All dissolved diamonds develop glossy surfaces, ditrigonal {111} faces, sheaf striations, and negative trigons, while circular pits only occur in aqueous fluids with low silica content (≤ 4.2 mol/kg) at 1 GPa. We identify five distinct morphological groups of trigons: two types of point-bottomed (p/b) (trumpet- and V-shaped) and three types of flat-bottomed (f/b) (trumpet-shaped, trapezoid-shaped and rounded). AFM measurements of trigons from two successive runs showed three stages of their evolution. Etch pits nucleate at defects as trumpet p/b trigons with the vertical dissolution rate (Vd) faster than the dissolution rates at the surface free of defects; they further develop by growth of the bottoms in (111) plane to create trumpet-shaped f/b trigons accompanied by decrease in Vd; and finally form trapezoid-shaped f/b trigon with constant wall angles. The diameter of f/b trigons developed in the aqueous fluids depends on the diamond weight loss and dissolution kinetics, and does not correlate with their depth. Integration of our AFM data with the theoretical model for trigon formation suggests that the change from point- to flat-bottomed trigons depends on the defect sizes and dissolution conditions. Application of our results to the diamonds from Ekati diamond Mine, Canada, suggests that variations in diamond rounding in different pipes implies variable depth of fluid exsolution; presence of circular pits on diamonds indicates predominantly aqueous fluid during the latest stages of kimberlite emplacement; and comparison to the mantle-derived morphologies on Ekati diamonds implies the importance of CO2-rich fluids and/or carbonate melts during mantle metasomatism. The constrained effect of P on diamond dissolution kinetics indicates that appreciable diamond weight loss can only happen at P < 1 GPa and therefore the conditions at the latest stages of kimberlite emplacement are very important for assessments of diamond preservation in a kimberlite pipe.

Physical Cause of Kimberlite Occurrences Clustering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khazan, Y.; Aryasova, O.

2011-12-01

High abundances of incompatible elements in kimberlites are indicative of low or even infinitesimal melting degree in a source. This means that initially protokimberlite melts exist as a system of dispersed small inclusions while the kimberlite transportation to the surface assumes formation of macroscopic melt pools. In other words, an inevitable stage of the protokimberlite melt evolution is its segregation from the porous matrix inside a partially molten zone and accumulation to the zone top where the melt fraction greatly exceeds the initial melting degree. Khazan (2010), Khazan, Aryasova (2011) demonstrated that the characteristic segregation time, τ, depends on the ratio L/δ of the molten zone thickness, L, to the compaction length, δ, (McKenzie, 1984), which in its turn is defined by melt and matrix viscosities and matrix permeability. For low-viscosity melts the segregation time decreases with increasing molten zone thickness as τ≈19.5(η/ΔρgL) (η is the matrix viscosity, Δρ is the density contrast) and is independent of poorly known melt viscosity, matrix permeability, and melting degree. Since no system can exist longer than its decay time is, the decreasing segregation time dependence on the molten zone thickness constrains the latter. To illustrate, assume that the melting is due to decompression and accompanies ascent of a mantle diapir with a velocity V. In this case the molten zone thickness increases linearly with time L=Vt where t is measured from the onset of melting and cannot exceed the segregation time, so that t≤τ (Fig. 1) and L≤L*=4.4(Vη/Δρg)^0.5. Under a robust parameter choice (η=10^19 Pa s, Δρ=300 kg/m^3, V=3 cm/year) L* is about 8 km, with the corresponding segregation time τ being of 0.3 Myear (Fig. 1). After the first segregation, a new partially molten zone grows resulting in the next segregation when its thickness reaches the maximum possible value L*. This sequence of events repeats until the whole diapir passes by the melting level. One may estimate a diapir diameter D of 30 to 80 km based upon a size of low-amplitude uplifts associated with the kimberlite fields (e. g., Kaminsky et al., 1995). So the diapir ascent results in a cluster of ~D/L*=3-10 same age and composition eruptions. A total activity accociated with the cluster continues of τD/L*=1 to 3 Myear as it is really observed (Heaman et al.,2004). The described sequence of events is schematic(lly illustrated in Fig. 2. Heaman L et al., Lithos, 2004, 76, 377. Kaminsky F et al., J. Geochem. Explor. 1995, 53, 167. Khazan Y, Geoph. J. Int. 2010, 183, 601. Khazan Y, Aryasona O, Izvestiya, Phys. Solid Earth. 2011, 47, No. 5, 425. McKenzie D, J Petrol. 1984, 25, 713.

Lunar breccias, petrology, and earth planetary structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ridley, W. I.

1978-01-01

Topics covered include: (1) petrologic studies of poikiloblastic textured rocks; (2) petrology of aluminous mare basalts in breccia 14063; (3) petrology of Apollo 15 breccia 15459; (4) high-alumina mare basalts; (5) some petrological aspects of imbrium stratigraphy; (6) petrology of lunar rocks and implication to lunar evolution; (7) the crystallization trends of spinels in Tertiary basalts from Rhum and Muck and their petrogenetic significance; (8) the geology and evolution of the Cayman Trench; (9) The petrochemistry of igneous rocks from the Cayman Trench and the Captains Bay Pluton, Unalaska Island and their relation to tectonic processes at plate margins; and (10) the oxide and silicate mineral chemistry of a Kimberlite from the Premier Mine with implications for the evolution of kimberlitic magma.

Diamond brecciation and annealing accompanying major metasomatism in eclogite xenoliths from the Sask Craton, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czas, Janina; Stachel, Thomas; Pearson, D. Graham; Stern, Richard A.; Read, George H.

2018-05-01

We studied eclogite xenoliths (diamond-free n = 28; diamondiferous n = 22) from the Cretaceous Fort à la Corne Kimberlite Field in Western Canada for their major element, trace element and oxygen isotope compositions to assess their origin and metasomatic history, and possible relationships between metasomatism and diamond formation. All eclogites have major element and oxygen isotope compositions consistent with a derivation from different levels of subducted, seawater altered oceanic crust. While barren xenoliths are more likely to be of gabbroic origin, diamond-bearing samples commonly have signatures consistent with shallow basaltic protoliths. The mineral chemistry in bimineralic diamond-free eclogites spans a wide compositional range, yet it is typically homogenous within individual xenoliths. Temperatures calculated from Mg-Fe exchange between garnet and clinopyroxene range widely for these eclogites, from 740 to 1300 °C, indicating the presence of eclogite through most of the lithospheric mantle. Diamondiferous samples are restricted to high temperatures (1180-1390 °C), consistent with derivation from the zone of diamond stability. Compositionally, diamond-bearing eclogites span a broad range similar to their barren counterparts, but there is also heterogeneity in mineral chemistry on the intra-sample level and in particular garnets are characterised by strong internal chemical gradients. This intra-sample heterogeneity is interpreted as the result of intense melt metasomatism, which occurred in temporal proximity to host kimberlite magmatism, strongly affected major, trace and even oxygen isotope values and resulted in diamond brecciation and annealing.

Garnet peridotite xenoliths in a Montana, U.S.A., kimberlite

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carter, Hearn B.; Boyd, F.R.

1975-01-01

Within a swarm of late middle Eocene subsilicic-alkalic diatremes, one diatreme 270 by 370 m and an associated dike contain common xenoliths of granulite and rare xenoliths of spinel peridotite and garnet peridotite. Six garnet lherzolite xenoliths have been found and these show a range of textures. Four are granular, and two are intensely sheared. Phlogopite is absent from the intensely sheared xenoliths and is thought to be primary in part in the granular xenoliths. Estimated temperatures and depths of equilibration of xenolith pyroxenes range from 920??C, 106 km (32 kbar) to 1315??C, 148 km (47 kbar). The xenoliths show increasing amounts of deformation with greater inferred depths of origin. The temperature-depth points suggest a segment of an Eocene geotherm for Montana which is similar in slope to the steep portion of the pyroxene-determined Lesotho geotherm (Boyd and Nixon, this volume) and is considerably steeper than typical calculated shield and continental geotherms at present. The steep trend could be a result of plate-tectonic shearing and magma ascension within an Eocene low-velocity zone. Preservation of intensely sheared textures requires rapid transport of material from about 150 km depth during active deformation of relatively dry rock. The occurrence of monticellite peridotite in this kimberlite diatreme suggests that magmas which crystallized to monticellite peridotite at relatively shallow depth could be one of the primitive types of kimberlite magma. ?? 1975.

Convection pattern and stress system under the African plate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, H.-S.

1977-01-01

Studies on tectonic forces from satellite-derived gravity data have revealed a subcrustal stress system which provides a unifying mechanism for uplift, depression, rifting, plate motion and ore formation in Africa. The subcrustal stresses are due to mantle convection. Seismicity, volcanicity and kimberlite magmatism in Africa and the development of the African tectonic and magnetic features are explained in terms of this single stress system. The tensional stress fields in the crust exerted by the upwelling mantle flows are shown to be regions of structural kinship characterized by major concentration of mineral deposits. It is probable that the space techniques are capable of detecting and determining the tectonic forces in the crust of Africa.

Kimberlite Wall Rock Fragmentation: Venetia K08 Pipe Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnett, W.; Kurszlaukis, S.; Tait, M.; Dirks, P.

2009-05-01

Volcanic systems impose powerful disrupting forces on the country rock into which they intrude. The nature of the induced brittle deformation or fragmentation can be characteristic of the volcanic processes ongoing within the volcanic system, but are most typically partially removed or obscured by repeated, overprinting volcanic activity in mature pipes. Incompletely evolved pipes may therefore provide important evidence for the types and stages of wall rock fragmentation, and mechanical processes responsible for the fragmentation. Evidence for preserved stages of fragmentation is presented from a detailed study of the K08 pipe within the Cambrian Venetia kimberlite cluster, South Africa. This paper investigates the growth history of the K08 pipe and the mechanics of pipe development based on observations in the pit, drill core and thin sections, from geochemical analyses, particle size distribution analyses, and 3D modeling. Present open pit exposures of the K08 pipe comprise greater than 90% mega-breccia of country rock clasts (gneiss and schist) with <10% intruding, coherent kimberlite. Drill core shows that below about 225 m the CRB includes increasing quantities of kimberlite. The breccia clasts are angular, clast-supported with void or carbonate cement between the clasts. Average clast sizes define sub-horizontal layers tens of metres thick across the pipe. Structural and textural observations indicate the presence of zones of re-fragmentation or zones of brittle shearing. Breccia textural studies and fractal statistics on particle size distributions (PSD) is used to quantify sheared and non- sheared breccia zones. The calculated energy required to form the non-sheared breccia PSD implies an explosive early stage of fragmentation that pre-conditions the rock mass. The pre-conditioning would have been caused by explosions that are either phreatic or phreatomagmatic in nature. The explosions are likely to have been centered on a dyke, or pulses of preceding volatile-fluid phases, which have encountered a local hydrologically active fault. The explosions were inadequate in mechanical energy release (72% of a mine production blast) to eject material from the pipe, and the pipe may not have breached surface. The next stage of fragmentation is interpreted to have been an upward-moving collapse of the pre-conditioned hanging wall of a subterranean volcanic excavation. This would explain the mega-scale layering across the width of the breccia pipe. It must be questioned whether the preserved K08 architecture represents early pipe development in general, or is a special case of a late pipe geometry modification process. Previous literature describes sidewall and hanging wall caving processes elsewhere in the Venetia cluster and other kimberlites world wide. A requirement for emplacement models that include upward pipe growth processes is the availability of space (mass deficit at depth) into which the caving and/or dilating breccia can expand. It is possible that K08 might be connected to adjacent K02 at a depth somewhere below 400m, which would explain the presence of volcaniclastic kimberlite at depth within the K08 pipe. K08 is likely an incomplete ancillary sideward development to K02. The latest stage of brecciation is quantified through an observed evolution in the fractal dimension of the PSD. It is interpreted to be due to complex adjustments in volume in the pipe causing shearing and re-fragmentation of the breccia.

Diffusion of helium, hydrogen and deuterium in diamond: Experiment, theory and geochemical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cherniak, D. J.; Watson, E. B.; Meunier, V.; Kharche, N.

2018-07-01

Diffusivities of helium, deuterium and hydrogen have been characterized in diamond. Polished CVD diamond was implanted with either 3He, 2H, or 1H. Implanted samples were sealed under vacuum in silica glass capsules, and annealed in 1-atm furnaces. 3He, 2H and 1H distributions were measured with Nuclear Reaction Analysis. We obtain these Arrhenius relations: DHe = 4.00 × 10-15 exp(-138 ± 14 kJ mol-1/RT) m2 s-1. D2H = 1.02 × 10-4 exp(-262 ± 17 kJ mol-1/RT) m2 s-1. D1H = 2.60 × 10-4 exp(-267 ± 15 kJ mol-1/RT) m2 s-1. Diffusivities of 1H and 2H agree within experimental uncertainties, indicating little diffusive mass fractionation of hydrogen in diamond. To complement the experimental measurements, we performed calculations using a first-principles quantum mechanical description of diffusion in diamond within the Density Functional Theory (DFT). Differences in 1H and 2H diffusivities from calculations are found to be ∼4.5%, reflected in differences in the pre-exponential factor. This small difference in diffusivities, despite the large relative mass difference between these isotopes, is due to the fact that the atomistic process involved in the transition along the diffusion pathway is dictated by local changes to the diamond structures rather than to vibrations involving 1H/2H. This finding is consistent with the experimental results given experimental uncertainties. In contrast, calculations for helium diffusion in diamond indicate a difference of 15% between diffusivities of 3He and 4He. Calculations of diffusion distances for hydrogen using our data yield a distance of 50 μm in diamond in 300,000 years at 500 °C and ∼30 min at 1400 °C. Diffusion distances for He in diamond are shorter than for H at all temperatures above ∼350 °C, but differences increase dramatically with temperature because of the higher activation energy for H diffusion. For example, a 50 μm diffusion distance for He would be attained in ∼40 Myr at 500 °C and 400 yr at 1400 °C. For comparison, a 50 μm diffusion distance for N in diamond would require nearly 1 billion years at 1400 °C. The experimental data indicate that diamonds equilibrate with ambient H and He in the mantle on timescales brief relative to most geological processes and events. However, He diffusion in diamond is slower than in any other mineral measured to date, including other kimberlite-hosted minerals. Under some circumstances, diamond may provide information about mantle He not recoverable from other minerals. One possibility is diamonds entrained in kimberlites. Since the ascent of kimberlite from the mantle to near-surface is very rapid, entrained diamonds may retain most or all of the H and He acquired in mantle environments. Calculations using reasonable ascent rates and T-t paths indicate that He diffusive loss from kimberlite-hosted diamonds is negligible for grains of 1.0-0.2 mm radius, with fractional losses <0.15% for all ascent rates considered. If the host kimberlite magma is effectively quenched in the near-surface (or is erupted), diamonds should contain a faithful record of [He] and He isotopes from the mantle source region. Preservation of H in kimberlite-hosted diamonds is less clear-cut, with model outcomes depending critically upon rates of ascent and cooling.

Diamond exploration and regional prospectivity of Western Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutchison, Mark T.

2018-06-01

Pre-1.6 Ga rocks comprise around 45% of the onshore area of Western Australia (WA), constituting the West Australian Craton (WAC) (including the Archean Yilgarn and Pilbara Cratons) and the western part of the North Australian Craton (NAC). These areas provide the conditions suitable for diamond formation at depth, and numerous diamondiferous lamproite and kimberlite fields are known. As emplacement ages span close to 2500 Ma, there are significant opportunities for diamond-affinity rocks being present near-surface in much of the State, including amongst Phanerozoic rocks. WA's size, terrain, infrastructure and climate, mean that many areas remain underexplored. However, continuous diamond exploration since the 1970s has resulted in abundant data. In order to advance future exploration, a comprehensive database of results of diamond exploration sampling (Geological Survey of Western Australia 2018) has been assessed. The Yilgarn and Pilbara Cratons have spinel indicators almost exclusively dominated by chromite (>90% of grains), whereas (Mg,Fe,Ti)-bearing Al-chromites account for more of the indicator spinels in the NAC, up to 50% of grains at the Northern Territory (NT) border. Increasing dominance of Al in chromites is interpreted as a sign of weathering or a shallower source than Al-depleted Mg-chromites. Garnet compositions across the State also correlate with geological subdivisions, with lherzolitic garnets showing more prospective compositions (Ca-depleted) in WAC samples compared to the NAC. WAC samples also show a much broader scatter into strongly diamond-prospective G10 and G10D compositions. Ilmenites from the NAC show Mg-enriched compositions (consistent with kimberlites), over and above those present in NT data. However, ilmenites from the WAC again show the most diamond-prospective trends. Numerous indicator mineral concentrations throughout the State have unknown sources. Due in part to the presence of diamondiferous lamproites, it is cautioned that some accepted indicator mineral criteria do not apply in parts of WA. For example Ca-depleted garnets, Mg-depleted ilmenites and Cr-depleted and Al-absent clinopyroxenes are all sometimes associated with strongly diamondiferous localities. Quantitative prospectivity analysis has also been carried out based on the extent and results of sampling, age of surface rocks relative to ages of diamond-prospective rocks, and the underlying mantle structure. Results show that locations within the NAC and with proximity to WA's diamond mines score well. However, results point to parts of the WAC being more prospective, consistent with mineral chemical data. Most notable are the Hamersley Basin, Eastern Goldfields Superterrane and the Goodin Inlier of the Yilgarn Craton. Despite prolific diamond exploration, WA is considerably underexplored and the ageing Argyle mine and recent closure of operations at Ellendale warrant a re-evaluation of diamond potential. Results of mineral chemistry and prospectivity analysis make a compelling case for renewed exploration.

Morphological Features of Diamond Crystals Dissolved in Fe0.7S0.3 Melt at 4 GPa and 1400°C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sonin, V. M.; Zhimulev, E. I.; Pomazanskiy, B. S.; Zemnuhov, A. L.; Chepurov, A. A.; Afanasiev, V. P.; Chepurov, A. I.

2018-01-01

An experimental study of the dissolution of natural and synthetic diamonds in a sulfur-bearing iron melt (Fe0.7S0.3) with high P-T parameters (4 GPa, 1400°C) was performed. The results demonstrated that under these conditions, octahedral crystals with flat faces and rounded tetrahexahedral diamond crystals are transformed into rounded octahedroids, which have morphological characteristics similar to those of natural diamonds from kimberlite. It was suggested that, taking into account the complex history of individual natural diamond crystals, including the dissolution stages, sulfur-bearing metal melts up to sulfide melts were not only diamond-forming media during the early evolution of the Earth, but also natural solvents of diamond in the mantle environment before the formation of kimberlitic melts.

Inclusions in diamonds constrain thermo-chemical conditions during Mesozoic metasomatism of the Kaapvaal cratonic mantle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weiss, Yaakov; Navon, Oded; Goldstein, Steven L.; Harris, Jeff W.

2018-06-01

Fluid/melt inclusions in diamonds, which were encapsulated during a metasomatic event and over a short period of time, are isolated from their surrounding mantle, offering the opportunity to constrain changes in the sub-continental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) that occurred during individual thermo-chemical events, as well as the composition of the fluids involved and their sources. We have analyzed a suite of 8 microinclusion-bearing diamonds from the Group I De Beers Pool kimberlites, South Africa, using FTIR, EPMA and LA-ICP-MS. Seven of the diamonds trapped incompatible-element-enriched saline high density fluids (HDFs), carry peridotitic mineral microinclusions, and substitutional nitrogen almost exclusively in A-centers. This low-aggregation state of nitrogen indicates a short mantle residence times and/or low mantle ambient temperature for these diamonds. A short residence time is favored because, elevated thermal conditions prevailed in the South African lithosphere during and following the Karoo flood basalt volcanism at ∼180 Ma, thus the saline metasomatism must have occurred close to the time of kimberlite eruptions at ∼85 Ma. Another diamond encapsulated incompatible-element-enriched silicic HDFs and has 25% of its nitrogen content residing in B-centers, implying formation during an earlier and different metasomatic event that likely relates to the Karoo magmatism at ca. 180 Ma. Thermometry of mineral microinclusions in the diamonds carrying saline HDFs, based on Mg-Fe exchange between garnet-orthopyroxene (Opx)/clinopyroxene (Cpx)/olivine and the Opx-Cpx thermometer, yield temperatures between 875-1080 °C at 5 GPa. These temperatures overlap with conditions recorded by touching inclusion pairs in diamonds from the De Beers Pool kimberlites, which represent the mantle ambient conditions just before eruption, and are altogether lower by 150-250 °C compared to P-T gradients recorded by peridotite xenoliths from the same locality. Oxygen fugacity (fO2) differs as well. The fO2 calculated for the saline HDF compositions (Δlog ⁡ fO 2 (FMQ) = - 2.47 to -1.34) are higher by about a log unit compared with that recorded by xenoliths at 4-7 GPa. We conclude that enriched saline HDFs mediated the metasomatism that preceded Group I kimberlite eruptions in the southwestern Kaapvaal craton, and that their 'cold and oxidized' nature reflects their derivation from a deep subducting slab. This event had little impact on the temperature and redox state of the Kaapvaal lithosphere as a reservoir, however, it likely affected its properties along limited metasomatized veins and their wall rock. To reconcile the temperature and oxygen fugacity discrepancy between inclusions in diamonds and xenoliths, we argue that xenoliths did not equilibrate during the last saline metasomatic event or kimberlite eruption. Thus the P-T- fO2 gradients they record express pre-existing lithospheric conditions that were likely established during the last major thermal event in the Kaapvaal craton (i.e. the Karoo magmatism at ca. 180 Ma).

Natural occurrence of silicon carbide in a diamondiferous kimberlite from Fuxian

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leung, I.; Guo, W.; Friedman, I.; Gleason, J.

1990-01-01

Considerable debate surrounds the existence of silicon carbide in nature, mostly owing to the problem of possible contamination by man-made SiC. Recently, Gurney1 reviewed reports of rare SiC inclusions in diamonds, and noted that SiC can only be regarded as a probable rather than proven cogenetic mineral. Here we report our observation of clusters of SiC coexisting with diamond in a kimberlite from Fuxian, China. Macrocrysts of ??-SiC are overgrown epitaxially by ??-SiC, and both polymorphs are structurally well ordered. We have also measured the carbon isotope compositions of SiC and diamonds from Fuxian. We find that SiC is more enriched in 12C than diamond by 20% relative to the PDB standard. Isotope fractionation might have occurred through an isotope exchange reaction in a common carbon reservoir. Silicon carbide may thus ultimately provide information on carbon cycling in the Earth's mantle.

Coesite-Diamond Assemblage in Ultrahigh Pressure Crustal and Mantle rocks: Evidence for Carbon Recycling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sobolev, N. V.

2010-12-01

Coesite, a high-pressure polymorph of silica, was first discovered as part of a coesite-eclogite assemblage (coesite, garnet, omphacite) in equilibrium with diamond as diamond inclusion (DI) in Siberian diamond placers (Sobolev et al., 1976, Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR, 230: 1442). In recent years, coesite has become a key mineral coexisting with diamond both in kimberlite (DIs) and in UHP metamorphic rocks of the Kokchetav massif, Kazakhstan (diamondiferous gneisses and calcsilicate rocks). In the UHPM rocks of Kokchetav massif, coesite was first detected as inclusions in zircon associated with diamonds (Sobolev et al., 1991, Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR, 321: 184), as a result of the initial studies that had identified diamonds as inclusions in garnets and zircons (Sobolev, Shatsky, 1990, Nature, 343: 742). Garnet and omphacitic clinopyroxene are the principal primary minerals associated with coesite and diamond in UHP mantle and crustal rocks. Their compositions plot distinctly within the eclogitic compositional field and substantiate the existence of coesite presence as DIs in eclogitic (E-type) diamonds, as well as sometimes in xenoliths of diamondiferous eclogites (Shatsky et al., 2008, Lithos, 105:289). One of the major significant features of these eclogitic minerals in both UHPM and kimberlitic mantle occurrences is the K2O contents of the clinopyroxenes, reaching 1.6 wt.%, with Na2O and MnO in Ca-Mg-Fe garnets reaching 0.3 and 6.0 wt.%, respectively. Stable isotope data for C in diamonds and O in garnet, pyroxene and coesite have resulted in establishing a very wide range for these isotopes most typical for crustal conditions - i.e., atypical of mantle values. This is clearly shown for coesite DIs (Schulze et al., 2003, Nature, 428:68), garnets from diamondiferous eclogite xenoliths from Siberian kimberlites (Spetsius et al., 2008, Eur. J. Min., 20:375), garnets and clinopyroxenes from UHP calcsilicate diamondiferous rocks of the Kokchetav massif (Sobolev et al., in press, Contr. Min. Petr.). This extensive wide range in δ13C (PDB) for coesite-bearing diamonds, from -28 to +1.5 ‰, along with common crustal δ18O (SMOW) values from the principal rock-forming minerals (garnet and clinopyroxene) and accessory mineral (coesite), is typical for diamondiferous mantle eclogites, crustal UHPM rocks, and DIs. The petrogenetic evidences from all these rocks and minerals are indicative of major subduction of crustal protoliths (Ringwood, 1972, EPSL, 14:233), including the recycling of crustal carbon into diamonds in mantle eclogites, first speculated on by V.S. Sobolev and N.V. Sobolev (1980, Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR, 249: 1217).

Limiting depth of magnetization in cratonic lithosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Toft, Paul B.; Haggerty, Stephen E.

1988-01-01

Values of magnetic susceptibility and natural remanent magnetization (NRM) of clino-pyroxene-garnet-plagioclase granulite facies lower crustal xenoliths from a kimberlite in west Africa are correlated to bulk geochemistry and specific gravity. Thermomagnetic and alternating-field demagnetization analyses identify magnetite (Mt) and native iron as the dominant magnetic phases (totaling not more than 0.1 vol pct of the rocks) along with subsidiary sulfides. Oxidation states of the granulites are not greater than MW, observed Mt occurs as rims on coarse (about 1 micron) Fe particles, and inferred single domain-pseudosingle domain Mt may be a result of oxidation of fine-grained Fe. The deepest limit of lithospheric ferromagnetism is 95 km, but a limit of 70 km is most reasonable for the West African Craton and for modeling Magsat anomalies over exposed Precambrian shields.

The first allanite-bearing eclogite xenolith in kimberlite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trojman-Nichols, S.; Heaman, L.

2015-12-01

Here we report the first allanite-bearing mantle eclogite xenolith, entrained in the 173 Ma Jericho kimberlite pipe, located in the Slave craton, northwestern Canada. This eclogite is unique among the other Jericho eclogites by an extreme LREE enrichment in all phases, and garnet alteration rims that are more calcic than the garnet cores. Allanite is an abundant accessory phase, present as dull orange, subhedral crystals. Other minerals in the paragenesis are garnet, clinopyroxene, apatite and sulfides; two compositionally and texturally distinct generations of phlogopite constitute a secondary paragenesis where allanite is no longer stable. Allanite in this sample is La-, Ce- and Th- rich, with concentrations at the weight % level, while Y is only present at the relatively low concentration of ~100 ppm. Electron backscatter imaging reveals complex zonation within the allanite crystals that is off-centre, non-symmetric, and patchy. It is often asserted that eclogite xenoliths represent subducted oceanic lithosphere, despite significant differences in the composition and mineralogy between mantle-derived eclogite xenoliths and eclogite massif material. Both types of eclogite occurrences can contain quartz/coesite; massif eclogites often have small, sparse allanite inclusions, but allanite has never been reported in eclogite xenoliths in kimberlite. Allanite in massif eclogite is thought to form during subduction by the break-down of lawsonite and the incorporation of LREE into zoisite. Lawsonite breaks down into grossular and H20 at high pressures, which may explain the anomalous high-Ca rims measured in some garnets in this sample. This allanite-bearing eclogite may provide an unprecedented window for exploring a crucial stage of eclogite metamorphism and fluid mobilization in subduction zones. In addition, the U-Pb systematics currently under investigation may constrain the age of eclogitization.

Orapa Diamond Mine, Botswana

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-11-16

This image from NASA Terra spacecraft shows the Orapa diamond mine, the world largest diamond mine by area. The mine is located in Botswana. It is the oldest of four mines operated by the same company, having begun operations in 1971. Orapa is an open pit style of mine, located on two kimberlite pipes. Currently, the Orapa mine annually produces approximately 11 million carats (2200 kg) of diamonds. The Letlhakane diamond mine is also an open pit construction. In 2003, the Letlhakane mine produced 1.06 million carats of diamonds. The Damtshaa diamond mine is the newest of four mines, located on top of four distinct kimberlite pipes of varying ore grade. The mine is forecast to produce about 5 million carats of diamond over the projected 31 year life of the mine. The image was acquired October 5, 2014, covers an area of 28 by 45 km, and is located at 21.3 degrees south, 25.4 degrees east. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20104

3-D X-ray tomography of diamondiferous mantle eclogite xenoliths, Siberia: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howarth, Geoffrey H.; Sobolev, Nikolay V.; Pernet-Fisher, John F.; Ketcham, Richard A.; Maisano, Jessica A.; Pokhilenko, Lyudmila N.; Taylor, Dawn; Taylor, Lawrence A.

2015-04-01

Diamonds form over billions of years, hundreds of kilometers beneath the Earth's surface, and in combination with inclusions trapped within, provide important constraints on the evolution of the mantle over geological time. Diamonds are generally studied as individual crystals sourced from highly explosive kimberlite pipes, which entrain and subsequently disaggregate mantle fragments (xenoliths) en route to the surface. This has resulted in a general absence of robust textural descriptions of diamonds relative to their hosting mantle protolith. The textural associations of diamonds within their mantle host rocks are reviewed here on the basis of a compilation of X-ray tomographic data for 17 diamondiferous eclogite xenoliths from Siberian kimberlites. This review represents a comprehensive description of diamonds relative to their host silicates. The lack of such descriptions in previous studies is largely due to the rarity of these xenoliths, the difficulty in preparing petrographic thin sections containing diamonds, and their high-monetary value. High-resolution computed X-ray tomography (HRCXT) produces up to 1200 sequential 2-D slices through individual xenoliths, each of which represents a 'pseudo thin-section' with a resolution on the order of 5-20 μm. The improved resolution of X-ray imaging in recent studies allows for the identification of not only primary minerals, but metasomatic minerals assemblages, including: 'spongy' textured clinopyroxene, phlogopite/K-richterite, and hercynitic spinel, allowing for the delineation of distinct metasomatic pathways through the xenoliths and their relationship to diamonds. Diamonds are observed in three distinct textural settings, potentially representing several temporally distinct diamond growth events, these setting includes: (1) diamonds completely enclosed in garnet; (2) diamonds associated with highly embayed silicate grain boundaries; and (3) diamonds contained within distinct metasomatic 'plumbing-systems'. Diamonds observed completely enclosed in garnets suggest an early diamond-forming event prior to major re-crystallization and eclogite formation during subduction. The occurrence of diamond in association with embayed garnets suggests that diamond grew at the expense of the hosting silicate protolith. In addition, the spatial relationships of diamonds with metasomatic pathways, which are generally interpreted to result from late-stage proto-kimberlitic fluid percolation, indicate a period of diamond growth occurring close to, but prior to, the time of kimberlite emplacement. Furthermore, the paragenesis of sulfides within eclogite xenoliths are described using 3-D models for entire xenoliths volumes, providing important constraints of the timing of sulfide mobilization within the mantle. Three-D animations created using X-ray tomography data for ten of the xenoliths can be viewed at the following link: http://eps.utk.edu/faculty/taylor/tomography.php

Mixed fluid sources involved in diamond growth constrained by Sr-Nd-Pb-C-N isotopes and trace elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klein-BenDavid, Ofra; Pearson, D. Graham; Nowell, Geoff M.; Ottley, Chris; McNeill, John C. R.; Cartigny, Pierre

2010-01-01

Sub-micrometer inclusions in diamonds carry high-density fluids (HDF) from which the host diamonds have precipitated. The chemistry of these fluids is our best opportunity of characterizing the diamond-forming environment. The trace element patterns of diamond fluids vary within a limited range and are similar to those of carbonatitic/kimberlitic melts that originate from beneath the lithospheric mantle. A convecting mantle origin for the fluid is also implied by C isotopic compositions and by a preliminary Sr isotopic study (Akagi, T., Masuda, A., 1988. Isotopic and elemental evidence for a relationship between kimberlite and Zaire cubic diamonds. Nature 336, 665-667.). Nevertheless, the major element chemistry of HDFs is very different from that of kimberlites and carbonatites, varying widely and being characterized by extreme K enrichment (up to ˜ 39 wt.% on a water and carbonate free basis) and high volatile contents. The broad spectrum of major element compositions in diamond-forming fluids has been related to fluid-rock interaction and to immiscibility processes. Elemental signatures can be easily modified by a variety of mantle processes whereas radiogenic isotopes give a clear fingerprint of the time-integrated evolution of the fluid source region. Here we present the results of the first multi radiogenic-isotope (Sr, Nd, Pb) and trace element study on fluid-rich diamonds, implemented using a newly developed off-line laser sampling technique. The data are combined with N and C isotope analysis of the diamond matrix to better understand the possible sources of fluid involved in the formation of these diamonds. Sr isotope ratios vary significantly within single diamonds. The highly varied but unsupported Sr isotope ratios cannot be explained by immiscibility processes or fluid-mineral elemental fractionations occurring at the time of diamond growth. Our results demonstrate the clear involvement of a mixed fluid, with one component originating from ancient incompatible element-enriched parts of the lithospheric mantle while the trigger for releasing this fluid source was probably carbonatitic/kimberlitic melts derived from greater depths. We suggest that phlogopite mica was an integral part of the enriched lithospheric fluid source and that breakdown of this mica releases K and radiogenic Sr into a fluid phase. The resulting fluids operate as a major metasomatic agent in the sub-continental lithospheric mantle as reflected by the isotopic composition and trace element patterns of G10 garnets.

Mantle eclogites and garnet pyroxenites - the meaning of two-point isochrons, Sm-Nd and Lu-Hf closure temperatures and the cooling of the subcratonic mantle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shu, Qiao; Brey, Gerhard P.; Gerdes, Axel; Hoefer, Heidi E.

2014-03-01

The Earth's mantle is a huge metamorphic complex which undergoes permanent changes ruled by plate tectonics. It also has enclaves underneath Archean crust which are exempt from the convecting mantle since at least 2.5 Ga. Since then, this mantle may cool slowly as a result of diminishing heat input from the asthenosphere, of declining heat production from radioactive decay and of denudation of the crust. Under such circumstances, two point garnet-clinopyroxene isochrons from mantle xenoliths (here garnet pyroxenites and eclogites) reflect either cooling ages or eruption ages depending on whether the mantle portion under consideration was below or above the closure temperature of a radiogenic system. Available literature data from the Slave and Kaapvaal craton for the Sm-Nd and Lu-Hf isotope systems and our own new data from Bellsbank (Kaapvaal) provide a whole range of two-point isochron ages from younger than the kimberlite eruption age to early Proterozoic. The meaning of ages other than the kimberlite eruption age is unclear. We use here a compilation of Sm-Nd and Lu-Hf two-point isochron age data from this study and the literature, to assess the meaning of such isochrons. This is achieved by plotting the temperature of last equilibration as derived from the Fe-Mg exchange between garnet and clinopyroxene versus the two-point isochron age. There is a low temperature alignment for both systems of increasing age with decreasing temperature and an alignment around the kimberlite eruption ages at high temperatures. We interpret the intersect between the low temperature limb and the kimberlite eruption age as closure temperature which gives about 920 °C for the Lu-Hf system and about 850 °C for the Sm-Nd system. The differences of the cooling ages between the two isotope systems for individual samples combined with the closure temperatures from this study are used to deduce the cooling of the Slave and Kaapvaal subcratonic mantle from the early Proterozoic until today. We deduce that the subcratonic mantle cooled since 2 Ga from a geothermal gradient of 46 mW/m to 38 mW/m at 120 Ma ago with a rate of around 0.1 °C/Ma. This value is in agreement with previous estimates which were based on various geophysical and geological constraints, heat production by radioactive elements and diffusivity of radiogenic elements.

Reconciling Electromagnetic and Seismic Constraints on Lithospheric Thickness and Composition of the Kaapvaal Craton, South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muller, M. R.; Fullea, J.; Jones, A. G.

2010-12-01

Much of the long-running debate regarding the depth extent of the continental lithosphere beneath Archean shield areas has focussed on the Kaapvaal Craton of South Africa. Our recent magnetotelluric surveys across the Kaapvaal Craton, as part of the Southern African Magnetotelluric Experiment (SAMTEX), indicate a lithospheric thickness of the order of 220 km or greater for the central core of the craton. In contrast, a recently published S-wave receiver function study and several surface wave studies suggest that the Kaapvaal lithosphere is characterized by an approximately 160 km thick high-velocity “lid” underlain by a low-velocity layer that is between 65 - 150 km thick, with the base of the high-velocity lid inferred to represent the “lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary”. Other body-wave, surface wave and S-wave receiver function studies in the area suggest that the (high-velocity) lithosphere is substantially thicker, in excess of 250 km for the most part. Evidence from mantle xenolith pressure-temperature arrays derived from Mesozoic kimberlites found across the Kaapvaal Craton requires that the base of the lithosphere (i.e., the base of the thermal boundary layer above which a conductive geotherm is maintained) be at least 220 km deep, if observed mantle geotherms in the range 35 - 38 mWm-2 are to be accounted for. The presence of richly diamondiferous kimberlites across the Kaapvaal Craton is also impossible to reconcile with a 160 km lithospheric thickness: the top of the diamond (pressure-temperature) stability field is deeper than 160 km for the mantle geotherm associated with a 160 km lithospheric thickness. In the work presented here, we use the recently developed LitMOD software package to derive both seismic velocity and electrical resistivity models for the lithosphere that are fully chemically, petrologically and thermodynamically consistent, and assess whether these apparently disparate views of the Kaapvaal lithosphere - provided by seismic, magnetotelluric and xenolith studies - can be reconciled. We address directly several key issues: (i) whether a 160 km lithospheric thickness (and its associated temperature and pressure variation with depth) is “internally” consistent with the high (> 4.7 km/s) S-wave velocities predicted for the seismic high-velocity lid, given typical Kaapvaal geochemical compositions from xenolith analyses, (ii) whether a 160 km lithospheric thickness and its associated electrical resistivity variation with depth is consistent with observed magnetotelluric responses, and (iii) whether the observed (negative) mantle conversion event at 160 km depth in one S-wave receiver function study can be explained by compositional layering within the Kaapvaal Craton, given that the geochemistry of xenoliths from younger Group I kimberlites provides evidence for chemical refertilization of the lithosphere in the depth range 160 - 200 km.

High-resolution reconstruction of Arctic paleoclimate derived from 53 million year old kimberlite-hosted Metasequoia wood

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walker, J. J.; Halfar, J.; Schulze, D.; Gedalof, Z.; Moore, G. W. K.

2009-04-01

The recovery of exceptionally well preserved Eocene wood from kimberlite pipes in the Lac de Gras region of the Northwest Territories, Canada, has allowed for the characterization of the local temperature and hydrologic patterns on an annual scale for this arctic ecosystem (present day latitude: 64 deg N). Wood fragments of ancient Metasequoia sp. trees mixed into the crater facies during kimberlite emplacement were recovered from the Ekati and Diavik diamond mines. Wood recovered from the Ekati "Panda" pipe, which has been dated using Rb-Sr age determination at 53.3 +/- 0.6 million years, is unique in that it exhibits extremely low vitrinite reflectance values, comparable to that of modern near-surface peats. The implication is that the wood has undergone minimal thermal or compressional alteration, thus preserving the geochemical signatures originally formed during growth. Ring width measurements representing over 100 years of climate data show congruence between multiple samples, thus enabling the development of a floating master chronology. Patterns contained in this chronology are of particular interest as the early Eocene was characterized by a period of unusual warming that has been compared to modern day climate change. Wood cellulose does not exchange atoms with its surroundings after formation, making it an ideal candidate for stable isotope analysis once it has been separated from associated whole-wood components. A robotic micromilling device was used to collect whole wood samples of latewood from annual tree rings. The α-cellulose in the samples will be isolated and analyzed for δ13C and δ18O, generating a 34-year floating chronology that can be used to reconstruct decadal scale temperature and humidity patterns. Successful application of this technique suggests that a longer Eocene chronology, using additional wood samples recovered from the Panda pipe as well as samples from neighbouring pipes in the Lac de Gras region, can be developed.

Prospecting history leading to the discovery of Botswana's diamond mines: from artefacts to Lesedi La Rona

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Wit, Michiel C. J.

2018-02-01

Bechuanaland/Botswana has a long and colourful history in exploration and mining. Here these activities are subdivided into three phases: pre-historic, historic and modern. Quarrying stone in Botswana was ongoing 500,000 years ago during the Early Stone Age (ESA). Actual mining of stones probably only started during the Middle Stone Age (MSA) i.e. post 250,000 BP, and the first prehistoric hard rock mining of specularite and limonite, likely started during the Late Stone Age (LSA) 20,000 to 2,000 BP. In east Botswana iron and copper were mined from AD 800 onwards; the mining of gold started in the thirteenth century. Historic mining started with the re-discovery of gold close to Francistown in 1865 and lasted until the 1950s. Rumours of diamonds in Bechuanaland had already surfaced in the 1880s, and it was Ngamiland, in the northwest, that was first explored systematically for diamonds and gold between 1896 and 1899. A joint initiative between Anglo American and De Beers started serious prospecting parts of eastern Bechuanaland between 1932 and 1938; and in 1938 the first diamond finds in Bechuanaland were reported. Modern mining and exploration started with the signing of an agreement in 1959, allowing Consolidated African Selection Trust Ltd (CAST) into the Bamangwato Tribal Reserve. CAST found a few diamonds in the Motloutse River, but concluded that these were reworked and dropped the exploration rights. De Beers believed that these diamonds had come from west of the Motloutse headwaters, across the watershed in the Kalahari. This ultimately led to the discovery of the Orapa kimberlite field in 1967, a year after Botswana became independent. This discovery triggered a major exploration boom across Botswana adding important diamond-bearing kimberlites such as at Letlhakane (1968), Jwaneng (1973), Gope (1981) and Lerala (1991).

Concentrates and mantle xenocrysts from the Lao river Guinea and reconstructions of the mantle structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Afanasiev, Valentin; Ashchepkov, Igor; Nikolenko, Eeugeny

2015-04-01

The discovery of the kimberlite dykes in Quinea in the basin of the Lao river means finding of the new diamondiferous kimberlite field in the West Africa. It is locating 100 km SW from Bubudu and contains large dykes and placers in Lao river. The kimberlite concentrate and diamondiferous placers are containing pyropes, chromites, Ilmenites and Cr diosides and low Cr- pyroxenes. Two river placers in Lao and Bobeko and newly discovered dyke slightly differ in compositions of minerals. mainly in representatives of the minerals though their compositional trends are in general similar. The concentrates from and Druzhba pipe (Bunudu) contains mainly ilmenite and more are pyropes. Garnets from all localities are close and belong mainly to the lherzolite field to 10 wt%Cr2O3. But the dyke contains essential amount of harzburgitic garnets starting from 2 %wt Cr2O3 and they became prevailing from 6 wt %Cr2O3. There are also megacrystic low - Cr pyropes in dyke concentrate. Dyke is rich in peridotites and coarse grained garnet pyroxenite xenoliths which are ranging from the low Cr -to Cr -diopside type Chromites from Dyke are Ti - low but are often Al rich. While chromites from Bobeko and especially Lao placers define the Cr- rich trend from 60 to 40 wt%Cr2O3 and demonstrate the deviation to ulvospinel trends with increasing of Al2O3 . Cr - Diopsides clinopyroxenites trace the Fe- Ti-Na-Al enrichment trend. Ilmenites from three localities - define close trends splitting to the two intervals 60-40 wt% TiO2 and 33-27 TiO2 which are enriched in Cr2O3 to 5wt% reflecting the crystallization of megacrystalline association at the lithosphere base and Ilm metasomatic vein stockwark near the Moho in pre-eruption feeding system. The Dyke ilmenites are Mg rich and mainly are captured from the deep part of the mantle section. Babeko and Druzhba localities are similar variations of ilmenite trends. Some ilmenites from Lao and Druzhba are Mn - rich and are less in Cr possibly reflecting the interaction protokimberlite magma with subducted material. The calculated PTXFO2 diagrams with monominreral methods (Ashchepkov et al ., 2010 -2014) the layered structure and presence of thick pyroxenite enriched lens in the middle part of mantle section which also contain harzburgite associations. He interval 4.5-5.5 GPa contains the Crromite bearing peridotites together with Ga- harburghites. Cr- low pyroxenites probablly are associated with the ilmenites while some of them are more Fe rich and reflects the de -eclogitization. The typical deformed peridotite association were not detected but heating for the garnets is found along the magma feeder traced by ilmenites. The TRE geochemistry show that most of Cr clinopyroxenes are typical for Ga- bearing peridotites with concave upward REE patterns. They are also are rich in Nb - Ba- U and extremely depleted in Zr suggesting probably the preceding depletion with the H2O rich melts . Zircon is abundant in concentrates what corresponds to large scale H2O bearing metasomatism. Garnets demonstrates semi round HREE - high patterns with MREE humper typical for pyroxenites and small LREE- enrichment. RFBR grants 05-05-64718, 03-05-64146; 11 -05-00060a 11-05-91060-PICSа

The diamondiferous xenoliths from kimberlites of Yakutia: a key for the diamonds origin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spetsius, Zdislav V.; Kovalchuck, Oleg E.

2010-05-01

More than 400 diamondiferous xenoliths have been discovered in the kimberlite pipes of Yakutia. Diamond-bearing specimens are encountered among ultramafic xenoliths predominantly dunite harzburgites and in all types of eclogitic rocks: bimineral eclogites, kyanite and corundum eclogites and also in garnet-websterites. The diamonds in xenoliths are found mainly as separate crystals but in some xenoliths the amount of diamonds may be as high as 1000. The distribution of crystals in the specimens is irregular and does not coincide with the specimen surfaces. The sizes of the crystals vary from fraction of millimeter to 10 millimeters. The diamonds from xenoliths are correlated with the diamonds from kimberlites by their morphology and physical properties. Mineral inclusions are rare in the xenolith diamonds. Careful examination of more than 300 diamonds from about 100 xenoliths shows that 40% of macrodiamonds (size > 1mm) contain some visible inclusions. In most cases these are a little tiny opaque grain. Microprobe data suggest that overwhelming majority of them are sulfides. Silicate inclusions of garnet, clinopyroxene and very seldom rutile or others are rare. The diamonds in some specimens have sulfide rims around them. A number of facts show that in the process of diamonds growth the sulfide melt was present together with the silicate melt. The mechanism of diamond growth should be discussed in a complex sulfide-silicate system enriched in fluids. The diamondiferous eclogites do not stand out of the general series of mantle eclogites from kimberlite pipes either by specific properties and minerals composition, or major and trace elements distribution between coexisting garnets and clinopyroxenes. Intensive partial melting is characteristic feature for most of the specimens. To some extent this is a typomorphic sign of diamondiferous eclogites. A selective enrichment pattern REE is observed in some xenolith minerals (high content of LREE in clinopyroxene and enhanced HREE in garnet). In proposed topic will be summarized data on diamondiferous xenoliths from the Udachnaya, Nyurbinskaya and other pipes of Yakutia. These results comprise in the whole about 300 samples and include data on major and trace element chemistry of xenolith minerals with attention to the morphology and distribution of diamonds in separate xenoliths. Special attention will be given to variation of physical properties of diamonds that were measured in 500 diamonds recovered from new parcel of 30 xenoliths. These properties include total content of nitrogen, co-variations in B1 and B2 defects and hydrogen. It should be pointed that there exist a rather strong correlation between morphology and some physical properties of diamonds. Special remarks will be given to the evidence of possible metasomatic origin of diamonds in some xenoliths.

MARID-type Glimmerites from Kimberley, South Africa: Metasomes or high-pressure cumulates?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Förster, Michael W.; Prelevic, Dejan; Buhre, Stephan; Jacob, Dorrit E.

2015-04-01

Mica- amphibole- rutile- ilmenite- diopside (MARID) xenoliths are alkali-rich, coarse-grained ultramafic rocks, typical for heavily metasomatized subcontinental lithospheric mantle (Dawson & Smith, 1977). They are produced either by interaction of mantle wall rock with lamproitic melts that percolate through the mantle (Dawson and Smith 1977; Sweeney 1993), or as direct crystallization products of those melts (Waters 1987). Two rock samples of mica-rich (>90% phlogopite) xenoliths from the Boshof Road Dump of the Bultfontein kimberlite diamond mine in Kimberley, South Africa were analyzed for major and trace elements of minerals. Millimeter sized phlogopite is the dominant mineral, making up more than 90% of the rock. Other phases are in descending order: diopside, K-richterite, rutile and ilmenite. Phlogopite is homogenous in composition and appears without zonation. They are perpotassic with K/Al between 1.1 and 1.2 at an Mg#-value of 84.5-86.5. Clinopyroxene is low in Al2O3 with values <0.8%, but high in SiO2 with values around 55% and CaO values of 21% for both samples. Clinopyroxene show a slight zonation with Cr2O3 values rising towards the rim from 0.4 to 0.8%. All clinopyroxenes lie within the field of diopsides. REE to pyrolite normed pattern for diopsides show enrichment in LREE compared to HREE and a pronounced low in Ti. The examined specimens are classified as Glimmerite-type xenoliths as they comprise >90% phlogopite. Perpotassic phlogopites with K/Al >1 values are typical for MARID-type xenoliths by comprising low Mg# of 82-88 (Dawson 1987). We performed thermobarometric calculations on the clinopyroxenes, by using the equations of Putirka (2008). With a proposed lamproitic melt, like Waters (1987) suggested for a MARID parental magma, a pressure of 13 kbar (39 km) and a temperature of 1300 C was calculated. This depth coincides with the crustal thickness of the Kaapvaal craton (Nguuri et al. 2001). However, the pressure calculations depend on the fractionation of Al between melt and mineral and are not realistic for low-Al diopsides. Calculations by Konzett et al. (2014) yielded 4.2 GPa (155 km) by using a Ca-in-opx thermometer and a cratonic geotherm of 40 mW/m² and seem to be more realistic. By applying a sandwich experimental approach, mixing glimmerite samples with harzburgitic peridotites, we hope to achieve deeper insights into the origin of MARID-type glimmerites. References Dawson, J. B., & Smith, J. V. (1977). The MARID (mica-amphibole-rutile-ilmenite-diopside) suite of xenoliths in kimberlite. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 41(2), 309-323. Dawson, J. B. (1987). The MARID suite of xenoliths in kimberlite: relationship to veined and metasomatised peridotite xenoliths. Mantle Xenoliths. Chichester: John Wiley, 465-474. Konzett, J., Krenn, K., Rubatto, D., Hauzenberger, C., & Stalder, R. (2014). The formation of saline mantle fluids by open-system crystallization of hydrous silicate-rich vein assemblages-Evidence from fluid inclusions and their host phases in MARID xenoliths from the central Kaapvaal Craton, South Africa. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 147, 1-25. Nguuri, T. K., Gore, J., James, D. E., Webb, S. J., Wright, C., Zengeni, T. G., Gwavava, O. & Snoke, J. A. (2001). Crustal structure beneath southern Africa and its implications for the formation and evolution of the Kaapvaal and Zimbabwe cratons. Geophysical Research Letters, 28(13), 2501-2504. Putirka, K. D. (2008). Thermometers and barometers for volcanic systems. Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry, 69(1), 61-120. Sweeney, R. J., Thompson, A. B., & Ulmer, P. (1993). Phase relations of a natural MARID composition and implications for MARID genesis, lithospheric melting and mantle metasomatism. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 115(2), 225-241. Waters, F. G. (1987). A suggested origin of MARID xenoliths in kimberlites by high pressure crystallization of an ultrapotassic rock such as lamproite. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 95(4), 523-533.

1D Cole-Cole inversion of TEM transients influenced by induced polarization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seidel, Marc; Tezkan, Bülent

2017-03-01

Effects of induced polarization (IP) can have an impact on time-domain electromagnetic measurements (TEM) and may lead to sign reversals in the recorded transients. To study these IP effects on TEM data, a new 1D inversion algorithm was developed for both, the central-loop and the separate-loop TEM configurations using the Cole-Cole relaxation model. 1D forward calculations for a homogeneous half-space were conducted with the aim of analyzing the impacts of the Cole-Cole parameters on TEM transients with respect to possible sign reversals. The forward modelings showed that the variation of different parameters have comparable effects on the TEM transients. This leads to an increasing number of equivalent models as a result of inversion calculations. Subsequently, 1D inversions of synthetic data were performed to study the potentials and limitations of the algorithm regarding the resolution of the Cole-Cole parameters. In order to achieve optimal inversion results, it was essential to error-weight the data points in the direct vicinity of sign reversals. The obtained findings were eventually adopted on the inversion of real field data which contained considerable IP signatures such as sign reversals. One field data set was recorded at the Nakyn kimberlite field in Western Yakutiya, Russia, in the central-loop configuration. Another field data set originates from a waste site in Cologne, Germany, and was measured utilizing the separate-loop configuration.

Diamond growth from oxidized carbon sources beneath the Northern Slave Craton, Canada: A δ 13C-N study of eclogite-hosted diamonds from the Jericho kimberlite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smart, Katie A.; Chacko, Thomas; Stachel, Thomas; Muehlenbachs, Karlis; Stern, Richard A.; Heaman, Larry M.

2011-10-01

Diamonds from high- and low-MgO groups of eclogite xenoliths from the Jericho kimberlite, Slave Craton, Canada were analyzed for carbon isotope compositions and nitrogen contents. Diamonds extracted from the two groups show remarkably different nitrogen abundances and δ 13C values. While diamonds from high-MgO eclogites have low nitrogen contents (5-82 ppm) and extremely low δ 13C values clustering at ˜-40‰, diamonds from the low-MgO eclogites have high nitrogen contents (>1200 ppm) and δ 13C values from -3.5‰ to -5.3‰. Coupled cathodoluminescence (CL) imaging and SIMS analysis of the Jericho diamonds provides insight into diamond growth processes. Diamonds from the high-MgO eclogites display little CL structure and generally have constant δ 13C values and nitrogen contents. Some of these diamonds have secondary rims with increasing δ 13C values from -40‰ to ˜-34‰, which suggests secondary diamond growth occurred from an oxidized growth medium. The extreme negative δ 13C values of the high-MgO eclogite diamonds cannot be produced by Rayleigh isotopic fractionation of average mantle-derived carbon (-5‰) or carbon derived from typical organic matter (˜-25‰). However, excursions in δ 13C values to -60‰ are known in the organic sedimentary record at ca. 2.7 and 2.0 Ga, such that diamonds from the high-MgO eclogites could have formed from similar organic matter brought into the Slave lithospheric mantle by subduction. SIMS analyses of a diamond from a low-MgO eclogite show an outer core with systematic rimwards increases in δ 13C values coupled with decreases in nitrogen contents, and a rim with pronounced alternating growth zones. The coupled δ 13C-nitrogen data suggest that the diamond precipitated during fractional crystallization from an oxidized fluid/melt from which nitrogen was progressively depleted during growth. Model calculations of the co-variation of δ 13C-N yielded a partition coefficient ( KN) value of 5, indicating that nitrogen is strongly compatible in diamond relative to the growth medium. δ 13C values of diamond cores (-4‰) dictate the growth medium had higher δ 13C values than primary mantle-derived carbon. Therefore, possible carbon sources for the low-MgO eclogite diamonds include oxidized mantle-derived (e.g. protokimberlite or carbonatite) fluids/melts that underwent some fractionation during migration or, devolatilized subducted carbonates.

Multi-proxy Paleoclimate and CO2 Reconstruction from the Latest Middle Eocene Sedimentary Fill of a Subarctic Kimberlitic Maar Crater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reyes, A. V.; Wolfe, A. P.; Royer, D. L.; Greenwood, D. R.; Tierney, J. E.; Doria, G.; Gagen, M. H.; Siver, P.; Westgate, J.

2016-12-01

Eocene paleoclimate reconstructions are rarely accompanied by parallel estimates of CO2, complicating assessment of the equilibrium climate responses to CO2. We reconstruct temperature, precipitation, and CO2 from latest middle Eocene ( 38 Myrs ago) peats in subarctic Canada, preserved in sediments that record infilling of a kimberlite pipe maar crater. Mutual climatic range analyses of pollen, together with oxygen isotope analyses of a-cellulose from unpermineralized wood and inferenecs from branched glycerol diakyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs), reveal a high-latitude humid-temperate forest ecosystem with mean annual temperatures (MATs) >17 °C warmer than present, mean coldest month temperatures above 0 °C, and mean annual precipitation 4x present. Metasequoia stomatal indices and gas-exchange modeling produce median CO2 concentrations of 634 and 432 ppm, respectively, with a consensus median estimate of 494 ppm. Reconstructed MATs are >6 °C warmer than those produced by Eocene climate models forced at 560 ppm CO2, underscoring the capacity for exceptional polar amplification of warming and hydrological intensification under relatively modest CO2 concentrations, once both fast and slow feedbacks become expressed.

Composition of the lithospheric mantle in the Siberian craton : New constraints from fresh peridotites from the Udachnaya-East Kimberlite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doucet, Luc-Serge; Ionov, Dmitri A.; Ashchepkov, Igor

2010-05-01

Peridotite xenoliths from the Udachnaya kimberlite pipe represent the major source of lithospheric mantle samples beneath central Siberian craton. An important problem with the availble data [1], however, is that the Udachnaya xenoliths, like many other kimberlite-hosted peridotite suites worldwide, are extensively altered due to interaction with host magma and post-eruption alteration. This alteration causes particular dificulties for whole-rock studies including microstructures, modal estimates and chemical compositions. We report petrographic data and major and trace element compositions for whole-rocks and minerals of some 30 unusually fresh peridotite xenolith from the Udachnaya-East kimberlite. Our study has two goals. The first is to present and discuss trace element data on rocks and minerals from Udachnaya, whose composition remains little known. The other one is to explore how the availability of the fresh peridotites improves our knowledge of petrology and geochemistry of cratonic mantle in relation to published data on altered samples [1]. The xenoliths are spinel, garnet-spinel and garnet facies peridotites including garnet- and cpx-rich lherzolites, garnet and spinel harzburgites and dunites. Thermobarometric estimates for garnet bearing rocks yield T = 800-1350°C and P = 20-70 kbar, low-T spinel facies rocks may originate from shallower levels. Thus, the suite represents a lithospheric profile from the sub-Moho mantle down to ~210 km. The deeper peridotites commonly have porphyroclastic microstructures with mainly neoblast olivine, opx porphyroclasts and cpx and garnet with broadly variable morphologies whereas rocks of shallow origin are commonly protogranular. Trace element compositions in bulk rocks appear to be affected by host magma contamination with enrichments in highly to moderately incompatible elements as well as in alkalis. Nevertheless, the kimberlite-related contamination cannot explain a combination of low Th and U and high Sr contents. The broad range of heavy REE appears to be controlled by the presence and the abundance of garnet and is also related to microstructures such that granular spinel harzburgites have lower HREE contents than "fertile" porphyroclastic garnet lherzolites. Trace elements in cpx and garnet have equilibrated patterns in porphyroclastic peridotites and complex sinusoidal shapes in granular peridotites. Bulk-rock major element compositions show important variations in Mg# (0.89 - 0.93), SiO2 (41.5 - 46.6%), Al2O3 (0.3 - 4%) and CaO (0.3 - 4%). As for compatible trace elements, the major element compositions appear to be related to microstructures. Calculated modal compositions show highly variable opx contents (4.5 - 24%), which are generally lower than in Kaapvaal peridotites but are similar to those from the North Atlantic craton [3]. Overall, modal compositions and the contents of low-mobility elements, are consistent with an origin by variable degrees of partial melting of fertile mantle [1-3]. The range in FeO contents (6-8.5%) may indicate either variable melting depths [2] or post-melting enrichments. Enrichments in SiO2 show some similarities to those in supra-subduction xenoliths [4]; enrichments in highly incompatible elements can be explained by metasomatism with possible involvement of subduction-related fluids. Strong correlations between chemical compositions and microstructures indicate the involvement of tectonic processes in melt percolation and metasomatism. We suggest that the cratonic lithosphere in Siberia was formed in three stages: (1) formation of proto-cratonic mantle by high-degree melting at variable depth, (2) accretion of the proto-craton domains in subduction-related settings, (3) metasomatism commonly accompanied by deformation. [1] Boyd et al (1997) Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 128, 228-246. [2] Herzberg (2004) J. Petrol. 45, 2507-2530. [3] Wittig et al (2008) Lithos 71, 289-322. [4] Ionov (2009) J. Petrol. In press

Lithospheric scale conductivity anomalies at the Proterozoic-Phanerozoic transition of Australia- Insights from AusLAMP MT data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robertson, K. E.; Thiel, S.; Heinson, G. S.

2017-12-01

The intraplate deformation of the north-south trending Neoproterozoic Ikara-Flinders Ranges in South Australia, Australia, draws interest due to its high heat flow, elevated seismicity and the presence of diamondiferous kimberlites and mineral deposits. To the west lies the highly prospective Archean-Paleoproterozoic Gawler Craton, boasting the world's largest IOCG-U deposit, Olympic Dam. The Paleo-Mesoproterozoic Curnamona Province lies to the east, thought to have once been connected to the Gawler Craton and host to the world-class Broken Hill Ag-Pb-Zn deposit. A total of 162 long-period (10 s - 10,000 s) magnetotelluric (MT) stations from the Australia-wide AusLAMP (Australian Lithospheric Architecture Magnetotelluric Project) dataset were used to image the electrical resistivity beneath the Ikara-Flinders Ranges and adjacent Curnamona Province. The most recent acquisition extends this survey region northward to an area predominantly covered with Paleo-Mesozoic sedimentary basins including the most significant on-shore oil and gas region in Australia, the Cooper Basin. The resultant model from 3D inversions using ModEM software shows a relatively resistive Ikara-Flinders Ranges, with two parallel arcuate conductors (the WNAC and ENAC) at 20 to 80 km depth in the Nackara Arc. These conductors correlate well with locations of diamondiferous kimberlites which suggests that the conductors may have derived from the ascent of carbon-rich kimberlite-hosting magma and volatiles up large lithospheric scale structures. The conductors appear to have no correlation with regions of intraplate seismicity within the Ikara-Flinders Ranges which may mean that enhanced pore fluid pressure is not the main cause for the seismicity as was recently proposed. A large conductor covering most of the Curnamona Province (the CC) extends over depths of 10-40 km. The Curnamona Province's most recent tectonothermal activity is from Delamerian reworking during the Cambrian at its margins but is thought to exhibit a mostly cratonic core, supported by high wavespeeds imaged using seismic tomography. Given the pervasive nature of the conductor, it is attributed to a widespread fossil fluid flux event, perhaps either a long-lived response from Olarian (1.6 Ga) subduction-related fluids or a more recent event.

Hotspots in Hindsight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Julian, B. R.; Foulger, G. R.; Hatfield, O.; Jackson, S.; Simpson, E.; Einbeck, J.; Moore, A.

2014-12-01

Torsvik et al. [2006] suggest that the original locations of large igneous provinces ("LIPs") and kimberlites, and current locations of melting anomalies (hot-spots) lie preferentially above the margins of two Large Lower-Mantle Shear Velocity Provinces" (LLSVPs), at the base of the mantle, and that the correlation has a high significance level (> 99.9999%). They conclude the LLSVP margins are Plume-Generation Zones, and deep-mantle plumes cause hotspots and LIPs. This conclusion raises questions about what physical processes could be responsible, because, for example the LLSVPs are likely dense and not abnormally hot [Trampert et al., 2004]. The supposed LIP-hotspot-LLSVP correlations probably are examples of the "Hindsight Heresy" [Acton, 1959], of basing a statistical test upon the same data sample that led to the initial formulation of a hypothesis. In doing this, many competing hypotheses will have been considered and rejected, but this fact will not be taken into account in statistical assessments. Furthermore, probabilities will be computed for many subsets and combinations of the data, and the best-correlated cases will be cited, but this fact will not be taken into account either. Tests using independent hot-spot catalogs and mantle models suggest that the actual significance levels of the correlations are two or three orders of magnitude smaller than claimed. These tests also show that hot spots correlate well with presumably shallowly rooted features such as spreading plate boundaries. Consideration of the kimberlite dataset in the context of geological setting suggests that their apparent association with the LLSVP margins results from the fact that the Kaapvaal craton, the site of most of the kimberlites considered, lies in Southern Africa. These observations raise questions about the distinction between correlation and causation and underline the necessity to take geological factors into account. Fig: Left: Cumulative distributions of distances from hotspots to nearest ridge for 5 hotspot lists; heavy red curve: Distribution function for a random point on Earth's surface. Hotspots are closer to ridges than expected at random. Right: For each list, the probability of at least as many random points being as close to a ridge. Values to right have higher significance.

Southern African Phanerozoic Carbonatites: Perspectives on Their Sources and Petrogeneses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janney, P. E.; Ogungbuyi, P. I.; Marageni, M.; Harris, C.; Reid, D. L.

2017-12-01

Found worldwide, carbonatites are particularly numerous in southern Africa and reflect one expression of abundant intraplate alkaline magmatism of Proterozoic to Paleogene age in the region. Phanerozoic southern African carbonatites tend to be concentrated near the margins of the continent (especially the western margin), and near the East African Rift, and often occur in discrete magmatic lineations also containing kimberlites, melilitites, nephelinites and differentiated silica-undersaturated rocks such as phonolites and syenites. We present a synthesis of geochemical and radiogenic and stable isotope results for southern African carbonatites, including new trace element and isotope data from four Phanerozoic carbonatite complexes in South Africa and Namibia: Marinkas Quellen (MQ; southernmost Namibia, ≈525 Ma), Saltpeterkop (SPK; near Sutherland, South Africa, 74 Ma), Zandkopsdrift (ZKD; near Garies, South Africa, 55 Ma, a major REE deposit in development), and Dicker Willem (DW; near Aus, southern Namibia, 49 Ma). All are located in the Early-mid Proterozoic Namaqua-Natal mobile belt. These carbonatite complexes are each associated with linear, NE-SW oriented magmatic provinces, i.e., the Kuboos-Bremen Line of felsic alkaline intrusions and ultramafic lamprophyres (MQ); the Western Cape olivine melilitite province (SPK); the Namaqualand-Bushmanland-Warmbad province of olivine melilitites and kimberlites (ZKD) and the Schwarzeberg-Klinghardt-Gibeon swarm of nephelinites, phonolites and kimberlites (DW), the latter three provinces are of Paleogene to Late Cretaceous age and are clearly age progressive. Each of the four carbonatite complexes contain silica-undersaturated igneous rocks such as potassic trachyte (MQ, SPK & DW), alkaline lamprophyre (ZKD), ijolite (MQ & DW) and olivine melilitite (ZKD and SPK). Most also contain hybrid silicate-carbonate igneous rocks with <35 wt.% SiO2 and ≥20 wt.% CO2 such as nepheline sövite (DW), aillikite (ZKD) and other carbonated ultramafic lamprophyre types (SPK) that could represent magmas parental to the carbonatites. Like the magmatic provinces that host them, the carbonatites span a range of isotopic compositions from strong HIMU to EM1. We will present a model of carbonatite origin and source evolution related to lithospheric setting.

A Lithospheric Origin for the Elk Creek Carbonatite Complex, SE Nebraska?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farmer, G. L.

2015-12-01

The Elk Creek carbonatite complex in southeastern Nebraska is part of a widespread Cambrian-Ordovician alkali igneous event that affected much of North America during and after the break-up of the Rodinian supercontinent. We conducted whole rock and mineral Nd, Sr, Pb and Hf isotopic analyses of drill cores obtained from this complex in order to assess the source regions of the parental carbonatite magma. Low precision laser ablation U-Pb age determinations from individual zircon grains separated from carbonate-rich "syenites" range from 480 +/- 20 Ma to 540+/- 14 Ma. Whole rock Nd, Sr and Pb isotopic compositions all plot on Cambrian (~550 Ma) isochrons, implying that the carbonatites crystallized from melts with homogeneous radiogenic isotopic compositions. Initial ɛNd and ɛHf are well defined at ~+2 and ~0, respectively, while initial 87Sr/86Sr values are more variable and range from 0.7028 to 0.7058. The contemporaneously emplaced State Line kimberlites in the Front Range of north central Colorado share the same Nd and Sr isotopic compositions imply that sources of these rocks were similar and geographically widespread. Overall, the isotopic compositions are those expected from "Group 1" alkaline igneous rocks, usually interpreted as derivates from the sublithospheric mantle. Cretaceous-Tertiary alkaline rocks in North America generally belong to "Group 1" and may have originated in this fashion (Genet et al., 2014, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett.). An alternative possibility is that the Cambrian-Ordovician carbonatites and kimberlites were derived from underlying, carbonated portions of the lithospheric mantle that formed after the original stabilization of the latter in the Paleoproterozoic. Nd and Hf depleted mantle model ages for the Elk Creek and State Line alkaline rocks range from ~0.8 Ga to ~1.1 Ga and allow the possibility that both sets of intrusive rocks represent melting of mantle metasomatized either during or after the assembly of Rodinia. Widespread thinning and heating of the metasomatized mantle during the subsequent breakup of Rodinia could have led to the widespread kimberlite and carbonatite magmatism observed in North America during the Cambrian.

Exsolution lamellae as fast diffusion pathways in rutile: implications for U-Pb thermochronology and Zr thermometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smye, A.; Seman, S.; Roberts, N. M. W.; Condon, D. J.; Davis, B.

2017-12-01

Geophysical processes impart characteristic thermal signatures to the lithosphere. Near-continuous thermal histories can be obtained from inversion of intracrystalline U-Pb age profiles in rutile and apatite provided that it can be shown that profile formed in response to Fickian-type diffusion. Here, we present the results of a combined LA-ICPMS and ID-TIMS U-Pb study on rutile grains from two garnet-bearing granulite xenoliths from a kimberlite in the Archean Slave province. Interpreted using numerical models, we show that the rutile U-Pb isotope systematics are consistent with slow-cooling following crystallization at 1.2 Ga, contemporaneous with the Mackenzie dike swarm. However, inversion of rutile U-Pb age gradients is complicated by the ubiquitous presence of ilmenite exsolution lamellae. We show that these lamellae act as fast diffusion pathways for Pb and High Field Strength Elements, including Zr. This has important implications for the use of rutile as a U-Pb themochronometer and as a single-phase thermometer.

Regional patterns in the paragenesis and age of inclusions in diamond, diamond composition, and the lithospheric seismic structure of Southern Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shirey, Steven B.; Harris, Jeffrey W.; Richardson, Stephen H.; Fouch, Matthew; James, David E.; Cartigny, Pierre; Deines, Peter; Viljoen, Fanus

2003-12-01

The Archean lithospheric mantle beneath the Kaapvaal-Zimbabwe craton of Southern Africa shows ±1% variations in seismic P-wave velocity at depths within the diamond stability field (150-250 km) that correlate regionally with differences in the composition of diamonds and their syngenetic inclusions. Seismically slower mantle trends from the mantle below Swaziland to that below southeastern Botswana, roughly following the surface outcrop pattern of the Bushveld-Molopo Farms Complex. Seismically slower mantle also is evident under the southwestern side of the Zimbabwe craton below crust metamorphosed around 2 Ga. Individual eclogitic sulfide inclusions in diamonds from the Kimberley area kimberlites, Koffiefontein, Orapa, and Jwaneng have Re-Os isotopic ages that range from circa 2.9 Ga to the Proterozoic and show little correspondence with these lithospheric variations. However, silicate inclusions in diamonds and their host diamond compositions for the above kimberlites, Finsch, Jagersfontein, Roberts Victor, Premier, Venetia, and Letlhakane do show some regional relationship to the seismic velocity of the lithosphere. Mantle lithosphere with slower P-wave velocity correlates with a greater proportion of eclogitic versus peridotitic silicate inclusions in diamond, a greater incidence of younger Sm-Nd ages of silicate inclusions, a greater proportion of diamonds with lighter C isotopic composition, and a lower percentage of low-N diamonds whereas the converse is true for diamonds from higher velocity mantle. The oldest formation ages of diamonds indicate that the mantle keels which became continental nuclei were created by middle Archean (3.2-3.3 Ga) mantle depletion events with high degrees of melting and early harzburgite formation. The predominance of sulfide inclusions that are eclogitic in the 2.9 Ga age population links late Archean (2.9 Ga) subduction-accretion events involving an oceanic lithosphere component to craton stabilization. These events resulted in a widely distributed younger Archean generation of eclogitic diamonds in the lithospheric mantle. Subsequent Proterozoic tectonic and magmatic events altered the composition of the continental lithosphere and added new lherzolitic and eclogitic diamonds to the already extensive Archean diamond suite.

Field-aligned currents in Saturn's northern nightside magnetosphere: Evidence for interhemispheric current flow associated with planetary period oscillations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hunt, G. J.; Cowley, S. W. H.; Provan, G.; Bunce, E. J.; Alexeev, I. I.; Belenkaya, E. S.; Kalegaev, V. V.; Dougherty, M. K.; Coates, A. J.

2015-09-01

We investigate the magnetic perturbations associated with field-aligned currents observed on 34 Cassini passes over the premidnight northern auroral region during 2008. These are found to be significantly modulated not only by the northern planetary-period oscillation (PPO) system, similar to the southern currents by the southern PPO system found previously, but also by the southern PPO system as well, thus providing the first clear evidence of PPO-related interhemispheric current flow. The principal field-aligned currents of the two PPO systems are found to be co-located in northern ionospheric colatitude, together with the currents of the PPO-independent (subcorotation) system, located between the vicinity of the open-closed field boundary and field lines mapping to ~9 Saturn radius (Rs) in the equatorial plane. All three systems are of comparable magnitude, ~3 MA in each PPO half-cycle. Smaller PPO-related field-aligned currents of opposite polarity also flow in the interior region, mapping between ~6 and ~9 Rs in the equatorial plane, carrying a current of ~ ±2 MA per half-cycle, which significantly reduce the oscillation amplitudes in the interior region. Within this interior region the amplitudes of the northern and southern oscillations are found to fall continuously with distance along the field lines from the corresponding hemisphere, thus showing the presence of cross-field currents, with the southern oscillations being dominant in the south, and modestly lower in amplitude than the northern oscillations in the north. As in previous studies, no oscillations related to the opposite hemisphere are found on open field lines in either hemisphere.

Structure of the mantle lithosphere beneath the Siberian kimberlite pipes reconstructed by monomineral thermobarometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashchepkov, I. V.

2009-04-01

The original methods of the monomineral thermobarometry for clinopyroxene, garnet, ilmenite, chromite (Ashchepkov,2008) and orthopyroxene (Brey, Kohler, 1990- McGregor, 1974) thermobarometer allow to reconstruct the mantle columns. TP diagram for Udachnaya pipe suggests creation at least in tree stages of the melt percolation through the mantle column differing in Fe# and other parameters. The most high temperature (HT) (45 mvm-2) and Fe# rich refer to the last HT reactions with the protokimberlite melts formed the megacrystalline associations. Relict low temperature (LT) geotherm (35 45 mvm-2 and lower) is close to the conductive geotherm (Boyd et al., 1997). Most of ТР parameters for the minerals refer to the middle part of the geotherm (40- 45 mvm-2). Monomineral thermobarometry reconstructing the PTX values (Fe#; CrCpx, Cr-Ilm CaGar, TiChr) showing the high overlapping formed by the the melt percolation. The clinopyroxene growth in the mantle lithosphere in Daldyn, Akakite, Nakyn and Upper Muna are produced by the refertilization events under the influence of the protokimberlite melts. Their spreading in the lower part of mantle section of Garnet trend to subcalsic and pyroxenitic types is likely the result of submelting and heating of the mantle peridotites. Similar process for eclogites is responsible for the appearance of LT eclogites tracing subduction gradients and HT branches with the Ti- bearing associations corresponding to advective gradients. . For the larger pipes the scale of the perturbation is much higher then for smaller. The levels of the melt intrusions are reconstructed by the clotting of TP values inflections of TP paths and TiChr, CrIlm and Fe#. Ilmenite trends reveal the polybaric character of the fractionation and high degree interaction with the wall rock peridotites visible by CrIlm increase. The metasomatic associations differ in PTX diagrams by higher Cr and LT conditions the HT megacrystalls. The evident layered nature of the mantle columns (10-13) is reconstructed by the stepped TPX trends formed at first by the combinations of subduction and superplume events coinciding with the Re/Os ages (Spetsius, 2007), overprinted by the reactions with the plume and other percolating melts The Fe# increase near the 60 kbar refer to the last superplume events the previous leave similar rhythmic Fe- dunite horizons at 11-12 levels. The comparison of the compositions of minerals and reconstruction of mantle roots for several phases for Yubileinay, Udachnaya and Nyurbinskaya pipes allow to reveal the evolution of the magmatic sources and their interaction with the mantle lithosphere. Reconstruction of the mantle columns beneath 60 pipes allow to make the transsects of the kimberlite fields and the 3D model of the mantle beneath the dense kimberlite clusters with many close located diatrems Mesozoic mantle columns beneath the Anabar, Olenek, Aldan show the HT -Fe# alteration in 60-40 kbar due to interaction with the PT superplume, but relic and LT and low Fe# associations occurs to 60 kbar also. RBRF 05-05-74718, 06-05-65021, 06-05-64416.

On the tectonics and metallogenesis of West Africa: a model incorporating new geophysical data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hastings, David A.

1982-01-01

The gold, diamond and manganese deposits of Ghana have attracted commercial interest, but appropriate geophysical data to delineate the tectonic setting of these and other deposits have been lacking until recently. Recent gravity surveys, however, now cover about 75% of the country. When used in a synthesis of the sometimes contradictory existing theories about the geology and metallogenesis of West Africa, the available gravity, magnetic, and seismic data lead to a preliminary tectonic model that postulates rifting at the time of the (1800-2000 m.y. old) Eburnean orogeny and is consistent with the occurrences of mineral deposits in the region. In this model, diamond-bearing kimberlites formed during the commencement of rifting during the Eburnean orogenesis. Later emplacement of kimberlites was associated with the initiation of Mesozoic rifting of Gondwanaland. Primary gold vein deposits were probably formed by the migration of hydrothermal fluids (associated with the formation of granitoids) into dilatant zones, such as rift-related faults and anticlinal axial areas, toward the end of the Eburnean orogeny. At this time, the major concordant granitoids were formed, with smaller plutonic granitoids forming on the fringes of the concordant masses as partial melting fractions of the latter. Sedimentary manganese deposits were formed along the margins of rift lakes toward the end of the orogeny.

Formation of the Sun-aligned arc region and the void (polar slot) under the null-separator structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, T.; Obara, T.; Watanabe, M.; Fujita, S.; Ebihara, Y.; Kataoka, R.

2017-04-01

From the global magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling simulation, we examined the formation of the Sun-aligned arc region and the void (polar slot) under the northward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) with negative By condition. In the magnetospheric null-separator structure, the separatrices generated from two null points and two separators divide the entire space into four types of magnetic region, i.e., the IMF, the northern open magnetic field, the southern open magnetic field, and the closed magnetic field. In the ionosphere, the Sun-aligned arc region and the void are reproduced in the distributions of simulated plasma pressure and field-aligned current. The outermost closed magnetic field lines on the boundary (separatrix) between the northern open magnetic field and the closed magnetic field are projected to the northern ionosphere at the boundary between the Sun-aligned arc region and the void, both on the morning and evening sides. The magnetic field lines at the plasma sheet inner edge are projected to the equatorward boundary of the oval. Therefore, the Sun-aligned arc region is on the closed magnetic field lines of the plasma sheet. In the plasma sheet, an inflated structure (bulge) is generated at the junction of the tilted plasma sheet in the far-to-middle tail and nontilted plasma sheet in the ring current region. In the Northern Hemisphere, the bulge is on the evening side wrapped by the outermost closed magnetic field lines that are connected to the northern evening ionosphere. This inflated structure (bulge) is associated with shear flows that cause the Sun-aligned arc.

Survival and height growth of northern white-cedar from 18 provenances

Treesearch

Richard M. Jeffers

1976-01-01

Northern white-cedar from 18 provenances was evaluated for total height in the nursery and for survival and total height in two field plantings in northern Wisconsin and in western Upper Michigan. There were significant differences among provenances in survival at one location and in height at both field locations 5 years after planting; there were no differences among...

Field guide to forest plants of northern Idaho

Treesearch

Patricia A. Patterson; Kenneth E. Neiman; Jonalea K. Tonn

1985-01-01

This field guide -- designed for use by people with minimal botanical training -- is an identification aid for nearly 200 plant species having ecological indicator value in northern Idaho forest habitat types. It contains line drawings, simplified taxonomic descriptions , characteristics tables, conspectuses, and keys. It emphasizes characteristics useful for field...

Evidence of mantle metasomatism in garnet peridotites from V. Grib kimberlite pipe (Arkhangelsk region, Russia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shchukina, Elena; Agashev, Alexey; Golovin, Nikolai; Pokhilenko, Nikolai

2013-04-01

We have studied 26 samples of garnet peridotite xenoliths from V.Grib pipe and 17 of them are phlogopite bearing. Studied peridotites have features of two types of modal metasomatism: low-temperature (˜ 1100 C°) and high-temperature (˜ 1100 C°). Low-temperature modal metasomatism: 17 samples contain modal phlogopite, which is present in the form of tabular grains (to 3 mm in size) and rims around pyrope grains. Chemical composition of minerals from phlogopite-garnet peridotites and phlogopite free peridotites is distinctly different. Olivine, garnet, orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene have higher concentration of FeO relative to these minerals in phlogopite free peridotites. Occurrence of phlogopite in peridotites indicates the influence of melt enriched in K2O, H2O, FeO and other incompatible elements. Two types of phlogopite have difference in chemical composition that indicates two different sources. High-temperature modal metasomatism: Reconstructed V.Grib pipe peridotite whole-rocks composition and high Mg# of peridotite olivines indicates that these samples are residues after 30-40 % partial melting of primitive mantle. At those high degree of partial melting all clinopyroxene and probably all garnet should be exhausted from residue. Character of REE patterns in garnets and clinopyroxenes indicates that the most garnets and all clinopyroxene in studied peridotites are of metasomatic origin. We used the method of geochemical modeling of fractional crystallization to establish the source's composition for garnets and clinopyroxenes. For geochemical modeling we used the composition of tholeitic basalts, picrites and carbonatites which occurred in Arkhangelsk diamondiferous province (ADP) and have emplacement ages similar to that of kimberlites. Modeling result indicates that garnets could be crystallized from alkali picrite and tholeite basalts compositions. Peridotites containing garnets equilibrated with picritic melt have a different position in lithospheric mantle section from that of peridotites with tholeitic originated garnets. Two geochemically distinct types of clinopyroxenes could be the products of crystallization of tholeite basalts (type 1) and carbonatites (type 2). Overall, the lithospheric mantle beneath V. Grib kimberlite pipe experienced a complex history including multiply metasomatic events. Metasomatic agents parental to peridotitic garnets and clinopyroxenes are similar in composition to basalts and carbonatites located within the ADP indicating that magmatic events within the province are interconnected.

Planetary period modulations of Saturn's magnetotail current sheet during northern spring: Observations and modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cowley, S. W. H.; Provan, G.

2017-06-01

We study Cassini magnetic field observations at Saturn on a sequence of passes through the near-equatorial magnetotail during 2015, focusing on dual modulation of the plasma/current sheet associated with northern and southern planetary period oscillations (PPOs). Previous study of inner magnetosphere PPOs during this northern spring interval showed that the southern system amplitude was generally half that of the northern during the first part of the year to late August, after which the southern amplitude weakened to less than one-fifth that of the northern. We examine four sequential tail passes in the earlier interval, during which prominent PPO-related tail field modulations were observed, with relative (beat) phases of the two PPO systems being near in phase, antiphase, and two opposite near-quadrature conditions. We find that the radial field displayed opposite "sawtooth" asymmetry modulations under opposite near-quadrature conditions, related to previous findings under equinoctial conditions with near-equal northern and southern PPO amplitudes, while modulations were near symmetric for in-phase and antiphase conditions, but with larger radial field modulations for in-phase and larger colatitudinal field modulations for antiphase. A simple physical mathematical model of dual modulation is developed, which provides reasonable correspondence with these data using one set of current sheet parameters while varying only the relative PPO phases, thus demonstrating that dual modulation can be discerned and modeled even when the northern and southern amplitudes differ by a factor of 2. No such effects were consistently discerned during the later interval when the amplitude ratio was >5.

History of the Colorado-Wyoming state line diatremes.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Collins, D.S.; Heyl, A.V.

1984-01-01

Although >90 kimberlite diatremes have been found in the area, it was not until after 1963 that these bodies were correctly identified. The presence of large inclusions of sedimentary rocks had hindered their recognition. In 1975 a diamond crystal 3.5 carats). They are usually colourless, but light-brown, blue-white, pale orange, pale to bright yellow and nearly black crystals occur. Associated minerals, including chrome-diopside, chromite, magnesian ilmenite, pyrope and omphacite, are described.-R.S.M.

Deep mantle structure as a reference frame for movements in and on the Earth

PubMed Central

Torsvik, Trond H.; van der Voo, Rob; Doubrovine, Pavel V.; Burke, Kevin; Steinberger, Bernhard; Ashwal, Lewis D.; Trønnes, Reidar G.; Webb, Susan J.; Bull, Abigail L.

2014-01-01

Earth’s residual geoid is dominated by a degree-2 mode, with elevated regions above large low shear-wave velocity provinces on the core–mantle boundary beneath Africa and the Pacific. The edges of these deep mantle bodies, when projected radially to the Earth’s surface, correlate with the reconstructed positions of large igneous provinces and kimberlites since Pangea formed about 320 million years ago. Using this surface-to-core–mantle boundary correlation to locate continents in longitude and a novel iterative approach for defining a paleomagnetic reference frame corrected for true polar wander, we have developed a model for absolute plate motion back to earliest Paleozoic time (540 Ma). For the Paleozoic, we have identified six phases of slow, oscillatory true polar wander during which the Earth’s axis of minimum moment of inertia was similar to that of Mesozoic times. The rates of Paleozoic true polar wander (<1°/My) are compatible with those in the Mesozoic, but absolute plate velocities are, on average, twice as high. Our reconstructions generate geologically plausible scenarios, with large igneous provinces and kimberlites sourced from the margins of the large low shear-wave velocity provinces, as in Mesozoic and Cenozoic times. This absolute kinematic model suggests that a degree-2 convection mode within the Earth’s mantle may have operated throughout the entire Phanerozoic. PMID:24889632

Deep mantle structure as a reference frame for movements in and on the Earth.

PubMed

Torsvik, Trond H; van der Voo, Rob; Doubrovine, Pavel V; Burke, Kevin; Steinberger, Bernhard; Ashwal, Lewis D; Trønnes, Reidar G; Webb, Susan J; Bull, Abigail L

2014-06-17

Earth's residual geoid is dominated by a degree-2 mode, with elevated regions above large low shear-wave velocity provinces on the core-mantle boundary beneath Africa and the Pacific. The edges of these deep mantle bodies, when projected radially to the Earth's surface, correlate with the reconstructed positions of large igneous provinces and kimberlites since Pangea formed about 320 million years ago. Using this surface-to-core-mantle boundary correlation to locate continents in longitude and a novel iterative approach for defining a paleomagnetic reference frame corrected for true polar wander, we have developed a model for absolute plate motion back to earliest Paleozoic time (540 Ma). For the Paleozoic, we have identified six phases of slow, oscillatory true polar wander during which the Earth's axis of minimum moment of inertia was similar to that of Mesozoic times. The rates of Paleozoic true polar wander (<1°/My) are compatible with those in the Mesozoic, but absolute plate velocities are, on average, twice as high. Our reconstructions generate geologically plausible scenarios, with large igneous provinces and kimberlites sourced from the margins of the large low shear-wave velocity provinces, as in Mesozoic and Cenozoic times. This absolute kinematic model suggests that a degree-2 convection mode within the Earth's mantle may have operated throughout the entire Phanerozoic.

Phenocrysts and megacrysts of olivines from ultramafic lamprophyres of the Chadobets and Il'bokich uplifts, Southwestern Siberia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smirnova, Maria; Sazonova, Lyudmila; Nosova, Anna; Kargin, Alexey; Shcherbakov, Vasiliy

2017-04-01

The study of composition and zoning of olivines from ultramafic lamprophyres of the SW Siberian craton allowed us to distinguish their main types (phenocrysts and megacrysts) and to estimate the possible P-T conditions of phenocryst crystallization. The studied rocks occur as sills and dikes in the Chadobets and Il'bokich uplifts of the Irkeneeva-Chadobets trough. The ultramafic lamprophyres of these uplifts are spaced around 80 km apart and differ in age by more than 150 Ma. The rocks of the Il'bokich Uplift are dated at Devonian, while the age of the Chadobets Complex is restricted to the Triassic. The episodes of these complexes formation were separated by the large flood basalt event. According to classification (Tappe et al., 2005), the studied rocks are aillikite and damtjernite. Olivine phenocrysts from the rocks of the Il'bokich and Chadobets complexes are represented by sub- and euhedral grains. They are composed of core, transitional zone, and rim. Olivine cores in the aillikites of the Il'bokich Complex are characterized by Mg# 89; CaO - 0.13-0.14 wt %; TiO2 around 0.03 wt %, Al - 200-380 ppm, and Cr - 130-340 ppm. The cores of phenocrysts from the Chadobets lamprophyres have Mg# 85-87, CaO varying within 0.1-0.2 wt %, and TiO2 - 0.02-0.05 wt %. The megacrysts differ from the phenocrysts of these rocks in the lower Mg# 83-84 and CaO - 0.08-0.14 wt % at higher TiO2 - 0.04-0.05 wt %. Al - 100-700 ppm, Cr - 20-65 ppm. The most striking difference between olivines of the two complexes is observed between their Mg#-Ni relations. The cores of olivine phenocrysts from the Il'bokich lamprophyres are characterized by the high Mg number (Mg# = 89) and Ni content (2800-3000 ppm), whereas olivine cores of the Chadobets aillikites have higher contents of Ni (3000-3500 ppm) at lowered (Mg# = 86-88). These characteristics reflect the compositions of their protolith. The temperature was estimated using monomineral olivine thermometer based on the contents of Cr and Al in olivine (De Hooge et al., 2010). This geothermometer was calibrated for a wide compositional range, including kimberlites, and correspondingly, may be used for alkaline-ultrabasic lamprophyres. At pressures above 4 GPa, olivine phenocrysts fall in the field of olivine-kimberlite melt equilibrium (Girnis et al., 1995). The Il'bokich olivine phenocrysts were formed at higher temperature than the Chadobets phenocrysts: from 1240 to 1340oC for the Il'bokich rocks and from 1080 to 1225oC for the Chadobets rocks. In the P-T diagram showing the geotherm of 40 mV/m2, olivines from the Il'bokich and Chadobets lamprophyres lie to the right of the geotherm, which excludes the presence of xenogenic lithospheric mantle olivine in these rocks. De Hoog J.C.M., Gall L., Cornell D.H. 2010. Trace-element geochemistry of mantle olivine and application to mantle petrogenesis and geothermobarometry // Chem. Geol. 270.1: 196-21. Girnis A.V., Brey G.P., Ryabchikov I.D. 1995. Origin of group 1A kimberlites: fluid-saturated melting experiments at 45-55 kbar // EPSL. 134.3: 283-296. Tappe S., Foley S.F., Jenner G.A. et al. 2006. Genesis of Ultramafic Lamprophyres and Carbonatites at Aillik Bay, Labrador: a Consequence of Incipient Lithospheric Thinning beneath the North Atlantic Craton // J. Petrology. 47 (7). 1261-1315.

Preservation of an Archaean whole rock Re-Os isochron for the Venetia lithospheric mantle: Evidence for rapid crustal recycling and lithosphere stabilisation at 3.3 Ga

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Meer, Quinten H. A.; Klaver, Martijn; Reisberg, Laurie; Riches, Amy J. V.; Davies, Gareth R.

2017-11-01

Re-Os and platinum group element analyses are reported for peridotite xenoliths from the 533 Ma Venetia kimberlite cluster situated in the Limpopo Mobile Belt, the Neoarchaean collision zone between the Kaapvaal and Zimbabwe Cratons. The Venetian xenoliths provide a rare opportunity to examine the state of the cratonic lithosphere prior to major regional metasomatic disturbance of Re-Os systematics throughout the Phanerozoic. The 32 studied xenoliths record Si-enrichment that is characteristic of the Kaapvaal lithospheric mantle and can be subdivided into five groups based on Re-Os analyses. The most pristine group I samples (n = 13) display an approximately isochronous relationship and fall on a 3.28 ± 0.17 Ga (95 % conf. int.) reference line that is based on their mean TMA age. This age overlaps with the formation age of the Limpopo crust at 3.35-3.28 Ga. The group I samples derive from ∼50 to ∼170 km depth, suggesting coeval melt depletion of the majority of the Venetia lithospheric mantle column. Group II and III samples have elevated Re/Os due to Re addition during kimberlite magmatism. Group II has otherwise undergone a similar evolution as the group I samples with overlapping 187Os/188Os at eruption age: 187Os/188OsEA, while group III samples have low Os concentrations, unradiogenic 187Os/188OsEA and were effectively Re-free prior to kimberlite magmatism. The other sample groups (IV and V) have disturbed Re-Os systematics and provide no reliable age information. A strong positive correlation is recorded between Os and Re concentrations for group I samples, which is extended to groups II and III after correction for kimberlite addition. This positive correlation precludes a single stage melt depletion history and indicates coupled remobilisation of Re and Os. The combination of Re-Os mobility, preservation of the isochronous relationship, correlation of 187Os/188Os with degree of melt depletion and lack of radiogenic Os addition puts tight constraints on the formation and subsequent evolution of Venetia lithosphere. First, melt depletion and remobilisation of Re and Os must have occurred within error of the 3.28 Ga mean TMA age. Second, the refractory peridotites contain significant Re despite recording >40 % melt extraction. Third, assuming that Si-enrichment and Re-Os mobility in the Venetia lithospheric mantle were linked, this process must have occurred within ∼100 Myr of initial melt depletion in order to preserve the isochronous relationship. Based on the regional geological evolution, we propose a rapid recycling model with initial melt depletion at ∼3.35 Ga to form a tholeiitic mafic crust that is recycled at ∼3.28 Ga, resulting in the intrusion of a TTG suite and Si-enrichment of the lithospheric mantle. The non-zero primary Re contents of the Venetia xenoliths imply that TRD model ages significantly underestimate the true depletion age even for highly depleted peridotites. The overlap of the ∼2.6 Ga TRD ages with the time of the Kaapvaal-Limpopo collision is purely fortuitous and has no geological significance. Hence, this study underlines the importance of scrutiny if age information is to be derived from whole rock Re-Os analyses.

Peridotite-suite dominated mineral inclusions in diamonds from Kelsey Lake Mine, Colorado U.S.A.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schulze, D. J.; Coopersmith, H. G.

2005-12-01

Thirty silicate and oxide inclusions large enough for in situ WDS electron microprobe analysis were exposed by grinding/polishing of 16 diamonds from the Kelsey Lake Mine in the Colorado-Wyoming State Line kimberlite district. Three garnets in two stones belong to the eclogite (E) suite, and 18 olivines, three Mg-chromites and six Cr-pyropes in the other 14 stones belong to the peridotite (P) suite. The peridotite-dominated population is in stark contrast to the other suites studied in the State Line district. The reported inclusion population from George Creek is completely eclogitic and that of the Sloan pipe is overwhelmingly eclogitic, with only a minor, relatively Fe-rich peridotite component. Multiple inclusions are common in single stones, with 12 olivines (of uniform composition) exposed in one example. Kelsey Lake olivine inclusions are magnesian (17 of 18 grains in 9 stones are in the range Fo 92.7-93.1), typical of P-suite stones worldwide, but unlike the more Fe-rich Sloan olivine suite (13 of 14 in the range Fo 91.3-92.2). Mg-chromites (wt percent MgO = 12.8-13.8, wt percent Cr2O3 = 61.4-66.6) are in the lower MgO range of diamond inclusion chromites worldwide. Six Cr-pyropes in four stones have moderately low calcium contents (wt percent CaO = 3.5-4.5) but are very Cr-rich (wt percent Cr2O3 = 10.5-16.7). An olivine-garnet pair in one stone yields a Mg-Fe exchange temperature of 895 degrees C, possibly indicating disequilibrium, whereas an olivine-chromite pair yields an Mg-Fe exchange temperature of 1035 degrees C, cool but reasonable for equilibration within the diamond stability field. Comparison with diamond inclusion minerals worldwide reveals that the Kesley Lake suite is most similar to those from the Slave Craton in Canada, especially in terms of Cr-pyrope compositions. Both suites are somewhat less depleted than suites from southern Africa or Siberian kimberlites. By analogy with the Slave P-suite diamonds of Archean age and a Proterozoic eclogitic component in the Slave mantle, the mixed diamond inclusion populations from the State Line district may support models in which blocks of Archean mantle survive buried beneath Proterozoic continental crust, mixed with eclogitic regimes emplaced by Proterozoic subduction.

Alluvial diamond resource potential and production capacity assessment of Mali

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chirico, Peter G.; Barthelemy, Francis; Kone, Fatiaga

2010-01-01

In May of 2000, a meeting was convened in Kimberley, South Africa, and attended by representatives of the diamond industry and leaders of African governments to develop a certification process intended to assure that rough, exported diamonds were free of conflictual concerns. This meeting was supported later in 2000 by the United Nations in a resolution adopted by the General Assembly. By 2002, the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) was ratified and signed by diamond-producing and diamond-importing countries. Over 70 countries were included as members of the KPCS at the end of 2007. To prevent trade in "conflict diamonds" while protecting legitimate trade, the KPCS requires that each country set up an internal system of controls to prevent conflict diamonds from entering any imported or exported shipments of rough diamonds. Every diamond or diamond shipment must be accompanied by a Kimberley Process (KP) certificate and be contained in tamper-proof packaging. The objective of this study was (1) to assess the naturally occurring endowment of diamonds in Mali (potential resources) based on geological evidence, previous studies, and recent field data and (2) to assess the diamond-production capacity and measure the intensity of mining activity. Several possible methods can be used to estimate the potential diamond resource. However, because there is generally a lack of sufficient and consistent data recording all diamond mining in Mali and because time to conduct fieldwork and accessibility to the diamond mining areas are limited, four different methodologies were used: the cylindrical calculation of the primary kimberlitic deposits, the surface area methodology, the volume and grade approach, and the content per kilometer approach. Approximately 700,000 carats are estimated to be in the alluvial deposits of the Kenieba region, with 540,000 carats calculated to lie within the concentration grade deposits. Additionally, 580,000 carats are estimated to have been released from the primary kimberlites in the region. Therefore, the total estimated diamond resources in the Kenieba region are thought to be nearly 1,300,000 carats. The Bougouni zones are estimated to have 1,000,000 carats with more than half, 630,000 carats, contained in concentrated deposits. When combined, the Kenieba and Bougouni regions of Mali are estimated to be host to 2,300,000 carats of diamonds.

Structural analysis and implicit 3D modelling of high-grade host rocks to the Venetia kimberlite diatremes, Central Zone, Limpopo Belt, South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basson, I. J.; Creus, P. K.; Anthonissen, C. J.; Stoch, B.; Ekkerd, J.

2016-05-01

The Beit Bridge Complex of the Central Zone (CZ) of the Limpopo Belt hosts the 519 ± 6 Ma Venetia kimberlite diatremes. Deformed shelf- or platform-type supracrustal sequences include the Mount Dowe, Malala Drift and Gumbu Groups, comprising quartzofeldspathic units, biotite-bearing gneiss, quartzite, metapelite, metacalcsilicate and ortho- and para-amphibolite. Previous studies define tectonometamorphic events at 3.3-3.1 Ga, 2.7-2.5 Ga and 2.04 Ga. Detailed structural mapping over 10 years highlights four deformation events at Venetia. Rules-based implicit 3D modelling in Leapfrog Geo™ provides an unprecedented insight into CZ ductile deformation and sheath folding. D1 juxtaposed gneisses against metasediments. D2 produced a pervasive axial planar foliation (S2) to isoclinal F2 folds. Sheared lithological contacts and S2 were refolded into regional, open, predominantly southward-verging, E-W trending F3 folds. Intrusion of a hornblendite protolith occurred at high angles to incipient S2. Constrictional-prolate D4 shows moderately NE-plunging azimuths defined by elongated hornblendite lenses, andalusite crystals in metapelite, crenulations in fuchsitic quartzite and sheath folding. D4 overlaps with a: 1) 2.03-2.01 Ga regional M3 metamorphic overprint; b) transpressional deformation at 2.2-1.9 Ga and c) 2.03 Ga transpressional, dextral shearing and thrusting around the CZ and d) formation of the Avoca, Bellavue and Baklykraal sheath folds and parallel lineations.

Evidence for recent populations bottlenecks in northern spotted owls (Strix occidentalis Caurina)

Treesearch

W.Chris Funk; Eric D. Forsman; Matthew Johnson; Thomas D. Mullins; Susan M. Haig

2009-01-01

The northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) is one of the most controversial threatened subspecies ever listed under the US Endangered Species Act. Despite protection of its remaining forest habitat, recent field studies show continued declines of northern spotted owls. One potential threat to northern spotted owls which has not yet been...

Mineral inclusions in diamonds from the Kelsey Lake Mine, Colorado, USA: Depleted Archean mantle beneath the Proterozoic Yavapai province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schulze, Daniel J.; Coopersmith, Howard G.; Harte, Ben; Pizzolato, Lori-Ann

2008-03-01

Thirty-four silicate and oxide inclusions large enough for in situ WDS electron microprobe analysis were exposed by grinding/polishing of 19 diamonds from the Kelsey Lake Mine in the Colorado-Wyoming State Line Kimberlite district. Eighteen olivines, seven Cr-pyropes, four Mg-chromites, and one orthopyroxene in 15 stones belong to the peridotite (P) suite and three garnets and one omphacite in three stones belong to the eclogite (E) suite. The fact that this suite is dominated by the peridotite population is in stark contrast to the other diamond suites studied in the State Line district (Sloan, George Creek), which are overwhelmingly eclogitic. Kelsey Lake olivine inclusions are magnesian (17 of 18 grains in 9 stones are in the range Fo 92.7-93.1), typical of harzburgitic P-suite stones worldwide, but unlike the more Fe-rich (lherzolitic) Sloan olivine suite. Mg-chromites (wt% MgO = 12.8-13.8; wt% Cr 2O 3 = 61.4-66.6) are in the lower MgO range of diamond inclusion chromites worldwide. Seven harzburgitic Cr-pyropes in five stones have moderately low calcium contents (wt% CaO = 3.3-4.3) but are very Cr-rich (wt% Cr 2O 3 = 9.7-16.7). A few stones have been analyzed by SIMS for carbon isotope composition and nitrogen abundance. One peridotitic stone is apparently homogeneous in carbon isotope composition (δ 13C PDB = -6.2‰) but with variable nitrogen abundance (1296-2550 ppm). Carbon isotopes in eclogitic stones range from "normal" for the upper mantle (δ 13C PDB = -5.5‰) to somewhat low (δ 13C PDB = -10.2‰), with little internal variation in individual stones (maximum difference is 3.6‰). Nitrogen contents (2-779 ppm) are lower than in the peridotitic stone, and are lower in cores than in rims. As, worldwide, harzburgite-suite diamonds have been shown to have formed in Archean time, we suggest that the Kelsey Lake diamond population was derived from a block of Archean lithosphere that, at the time of kimberlite eruption, existed beneath the Proterozoic Yavapai province. The mixed diamond inclusion populations from the State Line kimberlites appear to support models in which volumes of Wyoming Craton Archean mantle survive buried beneath Proterozoic continental crust. Such material may be mixed with eclogitic/lherzolitic regimes emplaced beneath or intermingled with the Archean rocks by Proterozoic subduction.

High pressure Raman and single crystal X-ray diffraction of the alkali/calcium carbonate, shortite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Q. C.; Vennari, C.; O'Bannon, E. F., III

2015-12-01

Raman and synchrotron-based single crystal x-ray diffraction data have been collected on shortite (Na2Ca2(CO3)3) up to 10 GPa at 300 K. Shortite is of geological importance due to its presence in the ground-mass of kimberlites, and the alkaline-/carbon-rich character of kimberlitic eruptions. This investigation focuses on shortite's high pressure behavior and is relevant to the behavior of alkali-carbonate systems within Earth's upper mantle. X-ray data demonstrate that shortite's symmetry remains stable at high pressures—retaining orthorhombic C crystal system (Amm2) up to 10 GPa; diffraction data show a 12% volume decrease from room pressure, and a bulk modulus of 71.0(3) GPa. These also demonstrate that the c-axis is twice as compressible as the a- and b-axes. This anisotropic compression is likely due to the orientation of the relatively stiff carbonate groups, a third of which are oriented close to the plane of the a- and b-axes, c axis compression primarily involves the compaction of the 9-fold coordinate sodium and calcium polyhedral. The two distinct carbonate sites within the unit cell give rise to two Raman symmetric stretching modes of the symmetric stretch; the carbonate group stretching vibration which is close to in plane with the a- and b-axes shifts at 3.75 cm-1/GPa as opposed to the carbonate groups which is closer to in plane with the b- and c-axes which shift at 4.25 cm-1/GPa. This furthers evidence for anisotropic compression observed using x-ray diffraction--as the carbonate in plane with the a- and b-axes is compressed, the strength of oxygen bonds along the c-axis with the cations increases, thus decreasing the pressure shift of the mode. The out of plane bending vibration shifts at -0.48 cm-1/GPa, indicating an enhanced interaction of the oxygens with the cations. The multiple in plane bending modes all shift positively, as do at the low frequency lattice modes, indicating that major changes in bonding do not occur up to 10 GPa. The data collected indicates that this phase is stable at 300 K to 10 GPa. The anisotropic compaction of this alkali-rich carbonate appears to be governed by the orientation of the sodium sites, thus the behavior of alkali-rich carbonates within the kimberlitic systems is likely dependent on the bonding and local geometry of alkali cations.

Mantle xenocrysts of Chompolo field of the alkaline volcanics, Aldan shield, South Yakutia.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikolenko, Evgeny; Tychkov, Nikolay; Afanasiev, Valentin

2015-04-01

New mineralogical and chemical constraints for 10 dikes, veins (360-800m) and pipes (60-110 m) of Chompolo field discovered in 1957-1958 are discussed. Feld is located within Central Aldan Archean and Paleoproterozoic granulite-orthogneiss superterrane of Aldan-Stanovoy Shield, with peak of metamorphism - 2.1-1.9 Ga (Smelov, Timofeev, 2007). Originally (Shilina and Zeitlin 1959) and later (Kostrovitsky and Garanin 1992, Ashchepkov, Vladykin et al. 2001) these rocks were classified as kimberlites by mineralogy including pyrope, Cr spinel, and Cr diopside. Panina and Vladykin (1994), Davies et al, (2006) identified them as lamprophyres and lamproites. The age of Chompolo rocks is pre-Jurassic (Vladimirov et. al., 1989) dated by 40Ar/39Ar as 164.7±1 Ma (233.7±2.2 next plato)(unpublished Ashchepkov). The Rb-Sr isochron for lamprophyre "intrusions 104" indicate later age of 131±4 Ma (Zaitsev, Smelov, 2010). Magmatic bodies (Aldanskaya, Sputnik, Gornaya, Ogonek, Perevalnaya, Kilier-E) were studied during 2012-2013 fieldworks. Most of igneous rocks occur as inequigranular volcanic breccias with micro- or crypto-crystalline groundmass of K feldspar (up to 16.3 wt.% K2O, up to 3.2 wt.% FeO), chlorite, opaque minerals, melanocratic xenocrysts and phenocrysts (garnet, pyroxene, amphibole, Cr spinel, apatite, zircon, mica), and abundant xenogenic fragments of wallrock and crystalline basement. Garnet chemistry records the presence of mantle and crustal material. Mantle garnets lack the common megacryst, wehrlite, and high-temperature lherzolite varieties. Mantle mineralization prevails in the Aldan dike and the Sputnik, Gornaya, and Ogonek pipes, while crustal and elcogitic material is in the Perevalnaya and Kilier-E pipes. The Cr spinel consists of (in wt%) 3.5 to 50.9 Al2O3, 18.6-63.5 wt% Cr2O3, 6.1 to 19.1 MgO, and 0 to 1.61 TiO2. Al and Cr in spinels are in inverse proportion. The Chompolo alkaline volcanic rocks are most similar to the Central Aldan lamproites in trace-element compositions. Anomalously low HFSE (Nb, Ta, Ti), low HREE, and high La/Nb ratios in multi-element spectra indicate high oxygen fugacity and possible crustal contamination (or influence of fluids). Cpx thermobarometry (Nimis et al., 2001) indicate a lithospheric thickness beneath Chompolo field > 130 km (4.1 GPa) supported by P38 monomineral garnet barometer (Grütter et al., 2006). We infer that the Chompolo alkali volcanic rocks are not kimberlites but rather low-Ti alkaline rocks similar to those in the Aldan province. Unlike the Aldan lamproite (Tobuk-Khatystyr field, etc.), the Chompolo rocks contain both crustal and mantle minerals. The compositions of pyrope and Cr spinel, as well as thermobarmetry estimates of lithospheric thickness at the time of magmatic activity, indicate that the Chompolo rocks are diamond-barren. RFBR 15-05-04885. Smelov A.P., Timofeev V.F. Gondwana Research. 2007, 12:279-288 Zaitsev A.I., Smelov A.P. DPMGI SB RAS. Y akutsk. 2010, p. 108 Kostrovitsky S.I., Garanin V.K. Zapiski RMO. 1992, 1: 67-72 Shilin, G., S. Zeitlin, Sov.Geol. 1959, 10:132-136. Panina, L. and N. Vladykin, Russian Geology and Geophysics. 1994, 35(12): 100-113. Davies G. et al. Journal of Petrology, 2006, 47(6): 1119-1146.

Lower-crustal xenoliths from Jurassic kimberlite diatremes, upper Michigan (USA): Evidence for Proterozoic orogenesis and plume magmatism in the lower crust of the southern Superior Province

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zartman, Robert E.; Kempton, Pamela D.; Paces, James B.; Downes, Hilary; Williams, Ian S.; Dobosi, Gábor; Futa, Kiyoto

2013-01-01

Jurassic kimberlites in the southern Superior Province in northern Michigan contain a variety of possible lower-crustal xenoliths, including mafic garnet granulites, rare garnet-free granulites, amphibolites and eclogites. Whole-rock major-element data for the granulites suggest affinities with tholeiitic basalts. P–T estimates for granulites indicate peak temperatures of 690–730°C and pressures of 9–12 kbar, consistent with seismic estimates of crustal thickness in the region. The granulites can be divided into two groups based on trace-element characteristics. Group 1 granulites have trace-element signatures similar to average Archean lower crust; they are light rare earth element (LREE)-enriched, with high La/Nb ratios and positive Pb anomalies. Most plot to the left of the geochron on a 206Pb/€204Pb vs 207Pb/€204Pb diagram, and there was probably widespread incorporation of Proterozoic to Archean components into the magmatic protoliths of these rocks. Although the age of the Group 1 granulites is not well constrained, their protoliths appear to be have been emplaced during the Mesoproterozoic and to be older than those for Group 2 granulites. Group 2 granulites are also LREE-enriched, but have strong positive Nb and Ta anomalies and low La/Nb ratios, suggesting intraplate magmatic affinities. They have trace-element characteristics similar to those of some Mid-Continent Rift (Keweenawan) basalts. They yield a Sm–Nd whole-rock errorchron age of 1046 ± 140 Ma, similar to that of Mid-Continent Rift plume magmatism. These granulites have unusually radiogenic Pb isotope compositions that plot above the 207Pb/€204Pb vs 206Pb/€204Pb growth curve and to the right of the 4·55 Ga geochron, and closely resemble the Pb isotope array defined by Mid-Continent Rift basalts. These Pb isotope data indicate that ancient continental lower crust is not uniformly depleted in U (and Th) relative to Pb. One granulite xenolith, S69-5, contains quartz, and has a unique peraluminous composition. It has the lowest εNd and εHf values of the suite. Its isotopic compositions indicate that it is significantly older than the other granulites. Broken zircon cores encased by younger overgrowths suggest that this granulite includes a large component of pre-existing sedimentary rocks. Two distinct populations of zircons from S69-5 were dated by sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe. Abundant rounded zircons yield ages of 1104 ± 42 (2σ) Ma, which coincide with the Mid-Continent Rift flood basalt eruptions. Their morphology is similar to those found in lower-crustal rocks that have undergone granulite-facies metamorphism and thus they are considered to represent the age of Group 2 granulites. Also present are less abundant elongate zircon grains that yield a mean age of 1387 ± 32 (2σ) Ma. Their elongate shapes indicate growth from a melt or fluid, possibly associated with 1·3–1·5 Ga anorogenic granite magmatism exposed in the shallow crust to the south in Wisconsin, or related to an initial encroachment of the Keweenawan plume upon the lower crust. Older ages recognized in zircon cores are less well constrained but may be related to tectono-magmatic events in the southern Superior craton. Within the studied suite only S69-5 was recognized as a remnant of the Late Archean lower crust into which the Group 1 and 2 mafic granulite precursor basalts were intruded. Collectively, the data show that the lower crust beneath northern Michigan formed in Archean times and underwent a variety of tectono-magmatic processes throughout the Proterozoic, including orogenesis, partial melting and mafic magmatic underplating in response to upwelling mantle plumes.

Genetics Show Current Decline and Pleistocene Expansion in Northern Spotted Owls

USGS Publications Warehouse

Funk, W. Chris; Forsman, Eric D.; Mullins, Thomas D.; Haig, Susan M.

2008-01-01

The northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) is one of the most controversial threatened subspecies ever listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Because of concern for persistence of the subspecies, logging on Federal lands in the U.S. Pacific Northwest was dramatically reduced under the Northwest Forest Plan in 1994. Despite protection of its remaining forest habitat, recent field studies show continued demographic declines of northern spotted owls. One potential threat to northern spotted owls that has not yet been shown is loss of genetic variation from population bottlenecks that can increase inbreeding depression and decrease adaptive potential. Here, we show recent genetic bottlenecks in northern spotted owls using a large genetic dataset (352 individuals from across the subspecies' range and 11 microsatellite loci). The signature of bottlenecks was strongest in Washington State, in agreement with field data. Interestingly, we also found a genetic signature of Pleistocene expansion in the same study areas where recent bottlenecks were shown. Our results provide independent evidence that northern spotted owls have recently declined, and suggest that loss of genetic variation is an emerging threat to the subspecies' persistence. Reduced effective population size (Ne), shown here in addition to field evidence for demographic decline, highlights the increasing vulnerability of this bird to extinction.

Iraq: World Oil Report 1991

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1991-08-01

This paper reports that no reliable information on Iraqi E and P operations and only a few reports on oil field facilities damage have been available since last August. Most of what is known originated from the Middle East Economic Survey (MEES), the authoritative newsletter covering the Middle East. According to MEES reports in major northern oil fields (Kirkuk, Bai Hasan and Jambur) is put at 800,000 bpd. The northern fields and the pipeline system through Turkey to the Mediterranean Sea that serves as an export outlet for the area apparently were not damaged much by coalition air strikes ormore » subsequent fighting by the Kurds. Last May production was estimated at 250,000 bpd, presumably from northern fields. If and when U.N. sanctions are lifted, Iraq should be able to export promptly through the Turkish line.« less

To Be Transformed: Emotions in Cross-Cultural, Field-Based Learning in Northern Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Sarah; Hodge, Paul

2012-01-01

Students undertaking field-based learning, in which they work with Indigenous people in Northern Australia, describe a profound learning experience redolent with emotion. Inspired, challenged and transformed, the students are compelled in ways that require them to interrogate their own selves and taken-for-granted beliefs. In this paper, we draw…

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands' forest resources, 2004

Treesearch

Joseph A. Donnegan; Sarah L. Butler; Olaf Kuegler; Bruce A. Hiserote

2011-01-01

The Forest Inventory and Analysis program collected, analyzed, and summarized field data on 37 field plots on the islands of Rota, Tinian, and Saipan in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Estimates of forest area, tree stem volume and biomass, the numbers of trees, tree damages, and the distribution of tree sizes were summarized for this...

The Victor Mine (Superior Craton, Canada): Neoproterozoic lherzolitic diamonds from a thermally-modified cratonic root

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stachel, Thomas; Banas, Anetta; Aulbach, Sonja; Smit, Karen V.; Wescott, Pamela; Chinn, Ingrid L.; Kong, Julie

2018-05-01

The Jurassic Victor kimberlite (Attawapiskat Field) was emplaced into an area of the central Superior Craton that was affected by a lithosphere-scale thermal event at 1.1 Ga. Victor diamonds formed ca. 400 million years after this event, in a lithospheric mantle characterized by an unusually cool model geotherm (37-38 mW/m2; Hasterok and Chapman 2011). The bulk of Victor diamonds derives from a thin (<10 km thick) layer that is located at about 180 km depth and represents lherzolitic substrates (for 85% of diamonds). Geothermobarometric calculations (average pressure and temperature at the 1 sigma level are 57 ± 2 kbar and 1129 ± 16 °C) coupled with typical fluid metasomatism-associated trace element patterns for garnet inclusions indicate diamond precipitation under sub-solidus (lherzolite + H2O) conditions. This conclusion links the presence of a diamond-rich lherzolitic layer in the lithospheric mantle, just above the depth where ascending melts would freeze, to the unusually low paleogeotherm beneath Attawapiskat, because along an average cratonic geotherm (40 mW/m2) lherzolite in the presence of hydrous fluid would melt at depths >140 km.

Sowing pregerminated northern red oak acorns

Treesearch

Richard M. Godman; Gilbert A. Mattson

1992-01-01

Northern red oak is extremely difficult to regenerate, although it has produced good acorn crops nearly half of the last 32 years in northern Wisconsin. Field trials have shown that for successful seeding, you must protect acorns from predation by wildlife and sow them when temperatures are most favorable for germination.

Eclogite formation beneath the northern Slave craton constrained by diamond inclusions: Oceanic lithosphere origin without a crustal signature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smart, Katie A.; Chacko, Thomas; Stachel, Thomas; Tappe, Sebastian; Stern, Richard A.; Ickert, Ryan B.; EIMF

2012-02-01

We report the geochemical and oxygen isotope compositions for eclogitic mineral inclusions in diamonds hosted by high-MgO eclogite xenoliths from the Jericho kimberlite, Canada. These data are used to constrain the nature and evolution of the eclogite protolith. The garnet and clinopyroxene diamond inclusions (DIs) are compositionally different than their host eclogite counterparts. In particular, garnet DIs have much lower Mg-numbers (54 vs. 82) and Cr2O3 contents (0.1 vs. 0.6 wt.%) and higher CaO contents (7.6 vs. 4.3 wt.%) than host eclogite garnet. DI and host eclogite clinopyroxenes are more similar but differences include lower Mg-numbers (78-81 vs. 93) and higher Na2O contents (2.3 vs. 1.8 wt.%) in the DIs. The DIs lack typical shallow oceanic crust signatures such as strong positive Eu and Sr anomalies, and oxygen isotope compositions that deviate significantly from the pristine mantle average. On the contrary, both the Jericho DIs and host eclogite garnets have small negative Eu and Sr anomalies, fractionated HREE patterns ((LuN/GdN) ~ 3-5) and pristine mantle-like δ18O values of 5.2-6.0‰, indicating that shallow, plagioclase-rich oceanic crust protoliths are unlikely. The eclogitic DI trace-element characteristics require that both garnet and plagioclase were present in the protolith, which likely crystallized in the shallow upper mantle. DI-based reconstructed whole-rock eclogite compositions have higher Mg-numbers and lower Al2O3 contents than found in typical basaltic or gabbroic oceanic crust, and are similar to pyroxenitic veins found in orogenic peridotite massifs. Due to the lack of clear oceanic crust signatures and the mantle-like δ18O values of the studied DIs, we propose that the Jericho diamond eclogites originally crystallized as pyroxenite cumulates that formed veins within the oceanic mantle lithosphere. Following partial melt extraction, the eclogite protoliths were subducted into the diamond stability field beneath the evolving Slave craton. Hence, the Jericho DIs and host high-MgO eclogites may represent an example of eclogite formation in an oceanic setting without the diagnostic 'crustal signatures' that are typically observed in cratonic eclogite xenolith suites worldwide.

Evidence For Rapid Spatiotemporal Changes in Genetic Structure of an Alien Whitefly During Initial Invasion

PubMed Central

Chu, Dong; Guo, Dong; Tao, Yunli; Jiang, Defeng; Li, Jie; Zhang, Youjun

2014-01-01

The sweetpotato whitefly Bemisia tabaci Q species is a recent invader and important pest of agricultural crops in China. This research tested the hypothesis that the Q populations that establish in agricultural fields in northern China each year are derived from multiple secondary introductions and/or local populations that overwinter in greenhouses (the pest cannot survive winters in the field in northern China). Here, we report the evidence that the Q populations in agricultural fields mainly derive from multiple secondary introductions. In addition, the common use of greenhouses during the winter in certain locations in northern China helps increase the genetic diversity and the genetic structure of the pest. The genetic structure information generated from this long-term and large-scale field analysis increases our understanding of B. tabaci Q as an invasive pest and has important implications for B. tabaci Q management. PMID:24637851

Microdiamond grade as a regionalised variable - some basic requirements for successful local microdiamond resource estimation of kimberlites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stiefenhofer, Johann; Thurston, Malcolm L.; Bush, David E.

2018-04-01

Microdiamonds offer several advantages as a resource estimation tool, such as access to deeper parts of a deposit which may be beyond the reach of large diameter drilling (LDD) techniques, the recovery of the total diamond content in the kimberlite, and a cost benefit due to the cheaper treatment cost compared to large diameter samples. In this paper we take the first step towards local estimation by showing that micro-diamond samples can be treated as a regionalised variable suitable for use in geostatistical applications and we show examples of such output. Examples of microdiamond variograms are presented, the variance-support relationship for microdiamonds is demonstrated and consistency of the diamond size frequency distribution (SFD) is shown with the aid of real datasets. The focus therefore is on why local microdiamond estimation should be possible, not how to generate such estimates. Data from our case studies and examples demonstrate a positive correlation between micro- and macrodiamond sample grades as well as block estimates. This relationship can be demonstrated repeatedly across multiple mining operations. The smaller sample support size for microdiamond samples is a key difference between micro- and macrodiamond estimates and this aspect must be taken into account during the estimation process. We discuss three methods which can be used to validate or reconcile the estimates against macrodiamond data, either as estimates or in the form of production grades: (i) reconcilliation using production data, (ii) by comparing LDD-based grade estimates against microdiamond-based estimates and (iii) using simulation techniques.

Cretaceous potassic intrusives with affinities to aillikites from Jharia area: Magmatic expression of metasomatically veined and thinned lithospheric mantle beneath Singhbhum Craton, Eastern India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srivastava, Rajesh K.; Chalapathi Rao, N. V.; Sinha, Anup K.

2009-11-01

Cretaceous potassic dykes and sills at the Jharia area intrude the Permo-carboniferous coal-bearing Gondwana sediments of the Eastern Damodar Valley, Singhbhum craton. These intrusives are widely regarded as a part of the Mesozoic alkaline and Rajmahal flood basalt magmatism in the Eastern Indian shield. Jharia intrusives display a wide petrographic diversity; olivine, phlogopite and carbonate are the predominant phases whereas apatite and rutile constitute important accessories. Impoverishment in sodium, silica and alumina and enrichment in potassium, titanium and phosphorous are the hallmark of these rocks and in this aspect they are strikingly similar to the rift-related aillikites (ultramafic lamprophyres) of Aillik Bay, Labrador. Crustal contamination of the Jharia magmas is minimal and the incompatible trace element ratios demonstrate (i) their generation by greater degrees of partial melting of a sub-continental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) source similar to that of the kimberlites of Dharwar craton, southern India, and (ii) retention of long-term memories of ancient (Archaean) subduction experienced by their source regions. We infer that a metasomatically veined and thinned lithosphere located at the margin of the Singhbhum craton and the inheritance of an ancient (Archaean) subducted component has played a significant role in deciding the diverging petrological and geochemical characters displayed by the Jharia potassic intrusives: those of kimberlites (orangeites) and lamproites (cratonic signature) and those of aillikites (rift-related signature). A substantial melt component of Jharia potassic intrusives was derived from the SCLM and the melt contribution of the Kerguelen plume is inferred to be minimal.

Silvicultural guide for northern hardwoods in the northeast

Treesearch

William B. Leak; Mariko Yamasaki; Robbo. Holleran

2014-01-01

This revision of the 1987 silvicultural guide includes updated and expanded silvicultural information on northern hardwoods as well as additional information on wildlife habitat and the management of mixed-wood and northern hardwood-oak stands. The prescription methodology is simpler and more field-oriented. This guide also includes an appendix of familiar tables and...

Recent Trends in Soil Science and Agronomy Research in the Northern Great Plains of North America

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The book “Recent Trends in Soil Science and Agronomy Research in the Northern Great Plains of North America” summarizes published research in soil science and agronomy from various field experiments conducted in the soil-climatic/agro-ecological regions of the Northern Great Plains of North America....

Hydrous Na-garnet from Garnet Ridge; products of mantle metasomatism underneath the Colorado Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakamaki, Kunihiko; Sato, Yuto; Ogasawara, Yoshihide

2016-12-01

This is the first report on amphibole exsolution in pyrope from the Colorado Plateau. Pyrope crystals delivered from mantle depths underneath the Colorado Plateau by kimberlitic volcanism at 30 Ma were collected at Garnet Ridge, northern Arizona. The garnet grains analyzed in this study occur as discrete crystals (without adjacent rock matrix) and are classified into two major groups, Cr-rich pyrope and Cr-poor pyrope. The Cr-poor pyrope group is divided into four subgroups based on exsolved phases: amphibole lamella type, ilmenite lamella type, dense lamellae type, and clinopyroxene/amphibole lamellae type. Exsolved amphibole occurs in amphibole lamella type, dense lamellae type, and clinopyroxene/amphibole lamellae type of Cr-poor pyrope. The amphibole crystals tend to have preferred orientations in their garnet hosts and occur as monomineralic hexagonal or rhombic prisms and tablets, and as multimineralic needles or blades with other exsolved phases. Exsolved amphibole has pargasitic compositions (Na2O up to 1.6 apfu based on 23 oxygen). Garnet host crystals that have undergone amphibole exsolution have low OH contents (2-42 ppmw H2O) compared to garnets that do not have amphibole lamellae (up to 115 ppmw H2O). The low OH contents of garnets hosting amphibole lamellae suggest loss of OH from garnet during amphibole exsolution. Amphibole exsolution from pyrope resulted from breakdown of a precursor "hydrous Na-garnet" composition (Mg,Na+ x)3(Al2 - x, Mgx)2Si3O12 - 2x(OH)2x. Exsolution of amphibole and other phases probably occurred during exhumation to depths shallower than 100 km prior to volcanic eruption.

The magnetic field in the central parsec of the Galaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roche, P. F.; Lopez-Rodriguez, E.; Telesco, C. M.; Schödel, R.; Packham, C.

2018-05-01

We present a polarization map of the warm dust emission from the minispiral in the central parsec of the Galactic Centre. The observations were made at a wavelength of 12.5 μm with CanariCam mounted on the 10.4-m Gran Telescopio Canarias. The magnetic field traced by the polarized emission from aligned dust grains is consistent with previous observations, but the increased resolution of the present data reveals considerably more information on the detailed structure of the B field and its correspondence with the filamentary emission seen in both mid-infrared continuum emission and free-free emission at cm wavelengths. The magnetic field appears to be compressed and pushed by the outflows from luminous stars in the Northern Arm, but it is not disordered by them. We identify some magnetically coherent filaments that cross the Northern Arm at a position angle of ˜45°, and which may trace orbits inclined to the primary orientation of the Northern Arm and circumnuclear disc. In the east-west bar, the magnetic fields implied by the polarization in the lower intensity regions lie predominantly along the bar at a position angle of 130°-140°. In contrast to the Northern Arm, the brighter regions of the bar tend to have lower degrees of polarization with a greater divergence in position angle compared to the local diffuse emission. It appears that the diffuse emission in the east-west bar traces the underlying field and that the bright compact sources are unrelated objects presumably projected on to the bar and with different field orientations.

Widespread refertilization of cratonic and circum-cratonic lithospheric mantle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Yan-Jie; Zhang, Hong-Fu; Ying, Ji-Feng; Su, Ben-Xun

2013-03-01

Studies of mantle xenoliths have confirmed that Archean subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) is highly depleted in basaltic components (such as Al, Ca and Na) due to high-degree extraction of mafic and ultramafic melts and thus is refractory and buoyant, which made it chronically stable as tectonically independent units. However, increasing studies show that ancient SCLM can be refertilized by episodic rejuvenation events like infiltration of upwelling fertile material. The North China Craton is one of the most typical cases for relatively complete destruction of its Archean keel since the eruption of Paleozoic kimberlites, as is evidenced by a dramatic change in the compositions of mantle xenoliths sampled by Paleozoic to Cenozoic magmas, reflecting significant lithospheric thinning and the change in the character of the SCLM. The compositional change has been interpreted as the result of refertilization of Archean SCLM via multiple-stage peridotite-melt reactions, suggested by linear correlations between MgO and indices of fertility, covariations of Al2O3 with CaO, La/Yb, 87Sr/86Sr, 143Nd/144Nd, 187Os/188Os and Re-depletion ages (TRD), high Re abundances, scatter in Re-Os isotopic plot, variable in situ TRD ages of sulfides, and correlation between TRD ages and olivine Fo of peridotite xenoliths in Paleozoic kimberlites and Cenozoic basalts on the craton. By integrating major and trace element, Sr, Nd and Os isotopic compositions of peridotite xenoliths and orogenic massif peridotites from the continents of Europe, Asia, America, Africa and Australia, together with previous studies of petrology and geochemistry of global peridotites, we suggest that (1) refertilization of cratonic and circum-cratonic lithospheric mantle is widespread; (2) Archean SCLM worldwide has experienced a multi-stage history of melt depletion and refertilization since segregation from the convecting mantle; (3) cratonic SCLM may be more susceptible to compositional change caused by refertilization than is generally assumed; (4) the original character of much Archean cratonic mantle has been partly overprinted, or even erased by varying degrees of refertilization, which may play a key role in the rejuvenation and erosion of the SCLM beneath the Archean cratons. Due to the refertilization of ancient SCLM, (1) many published whole-rock Re-depletion ages cannot represent the formation ages of peridotites, but the mixtures of different generations of sulfides. Thus, the chronological significance of the Re-Os isotopic composition in individual peridotite should be cautiously interpreted; (2) many kimberlite- and intraplate basalt-borne lherzolite xenoliths, with major element compositions close to primitive mantle, may be the fragments of the ancient SCLM, strongly refertilized by infiltration of asthenosphere-derived melts, rather than newly-accreted SCLM. Consequently, new accretion of SCLM beneath ancient cratons such as the North China Craton may be less than was previously assumed.

Diamond and moissanite in ophiolitic mantle rocks and podiform chromitites: A deep carbon source?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, J.; Xu, X.; Wiedenbeck, M.; Trumbull, R. B.; Robinson, P. T.

2010-12-01

Diamonds are known from a variety of occurreces, mainly from mantle-derived kimberlites, meteorite impact craters, and continental deep subduction and collision zones. Recently, an unusual mineral group was discovered in the Luobusa ophiolitic chromitites from the Yarlung Zangbu suture, Tibet, which probably originated from a depth of over 300 km in the mantle. Minerals of deep origin include coesite apparently pseudomorphing stishovite, and diamond as individual grains or inclusions in OsIr alloy. To determine if such UHP and unusual minerals occur elsewhere, we collected about 1.5 t of chromitite from two orebodies in an ultramafic body in the Polar Urals. Thus far, more than 60 different mineral species have been separated from these ores. The most exciting discovery is the common occurrence of diamond, a typical UHP mineral in the Luobusa chromitites. These minerals are very similar in composition and structure to those reported from the Luobusa chromitites. So far diamond and/or moissanite have been discovered from many different ophiolitic ultramafic rocks, including in-situ grains in polished chromitite fragments. These discoveries demonstrate that the Luobusa ophiolite is not a unique diamond-bearing massif. Secondary ion mass spectrometric (SIMS) analysis shows that the ophiolite-hosted diamond has a distinctive 13C-depleted isotopic composition (δ13C from -18 to -28‰, n=70), compatible to the ophiolite-hosted moissanite (δ13C from -18 to -35‰, n=36), both are much lighter than the main carbon reservoir in the upper mantle (δ13C near -5‰). The compiled data from moissanite from kimberlites and other mantle settings share the characteristic of strongly 13C-depleted isotopic composition. This suggests that diamond and moissanite originates from a separate carbon reservoir in the mantle or that its formation involved strong isotopic fractionation. Subduction of biogenic carbonaceous material could potentially satisfy both the unusual isotopic and redox constraints on diamond and moissanite formation, but this material would need to stay chemically isolated from the upper mantle until it reached the high-T stability field of diamond and moissanite. The origin of diamond and moissanite in the mantle is still unsolved, but all evidence from the upper mantle indicates that they cannot have formed there, except under special and local redox conditions. We suggest, alternatively, that diamond and moissanite may have formed in the lower mantle, where the existence of 13C-depleted carbon is strongly suspected.

Mesoproterozoic orangeites of Karelia (Kostomuksha-Lentiira): evidence for composition of mantle lithosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kargin, Alexey; Nosova, Anna; Larionova, Yulia; Kononova, Voctoria; Borisovskiy, Sergey; Kovalchuk, Elena; Griboedova, Irina

2014-05-01

The 1.23-1.20 Ga old diamondiferous lamproites and orangeites (kimberlites of II group) of the Kostomuksha-Taloveys and the Lentiira-Kuhmo dyke fields intrude the Archaean crust of the Karelian craton, NE of the East European Platform. Mineral (a trend of compositional evolution of mica, presence of carbonate minerals in basis, composition of olivine) and geochemical (major elements, ratio of trace elements, primitive mantle normalized trace elements patterns) characteristics of these rocks suggest an orangeitic rather than lamproitic or lamprophyric nature. The composition of Phl-Ol orangeites suggests intensive processes of fractional crystallization for their melts. Cpx-Phl-Ol orangeites indicate higher intensity of lithospheric mantle assimilation then other orangeitic types. Phl-Carb orangeites of the Taloveys area and Cpx-Phl-Ol one of the Lentiira area are closest to primary melts. The Ol-Phl-Cpx orangeites of the Lentiira area contain three generations of unaltered olivine that vary in composition and origin: a) xenocryst derived from depleted mantle peridotite; b) orangeitic olivine phenocryst and c) and olivine like early stage crystallization of megacryst assemblage or a product of metasomatic interaction between mantle peridotite and protokimberlitic melt. Orangeites of Kostomuksha-Lentiira have low- and medium-radiogenic value of (87Sr/86Sr)1200 that range from 0.7038 to 0.7067. Phl-Carb orangeites of Taloveys have less radiogenic isotopic composition of Nd (eNd -11 ... -12) then Cpx-Phl-Ol and Phl-Ol orangeites of Kostomuksha (eNd -6.9 ... -9.4). The study of Sm-Nd and Rb-Sr isotopic systems suggests that an ancient metasomatic mantle source took part in origin of orangeites. We propose a two-steps model of origin of their source (Kargin et al., 2014): 1) The metasomatic component of mantle source (like as MARID-type veins) formed during Lapland-Kola and/or Svecofennian orogeny events (2.1-1.8 Ga ago). 2) The intrusion of orangeites is comparable by time and geological setting with back-arc extensions (such as magmatism of CSDG) during the first stage of Sveconorwegian orogeny, initial stage of assembly of the supercontinent Rodinia (1.31-1.14 Ga). These back-arc extensions inspired of asthenosphere-derived melts to metasomatic lithospheric mantle and a generation of orangeitic melts. Kargin A.V., Nosova A.A., Larionova Yu.O. et al. Mesoproterozoic orangeites (kimberlites II) of Western Karelia: mineralogical, geochemical and Nd-Sr isotopic-geochemical characteristics // Petrology. 2014. V.2. in press.

Noble gas isotopes and halogens in volatile-rich inclusions in diamonds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burgess, Raymond; Turner, Grenville

1994-01-01

Application of the (40)Ar-(39)Ar method and noble gas studies to diamonds has increased our understanding of their age relationships to the host kimberlite or lamproite, and of the source and composition of volatile-rich fluids in the upper mantle. The properties of diamond (inert, high mechanical strength and low gas diffusivities) means they are especially useful samples for studying gases trapped deep within the earth (less than 150 km) as they are unlikely to have undergone loss or exchange of entrapped material since formation. Volatile-rich fluids (H2O-CO2) are important agents for metasomatic processes in the upper mantle, and the noble gases and halogens preferentially partition into this phase leading to a strong geochemical coherence between these groups of elements. The abundances of the halogens in the major reservoirs of the Earth shows a marked progression from chlorine, concentrated in the oceans, through to iodine which, through its affinity to organic material, is concentrated mainly in sediments. Abundances in the upper mantle are low. This is particularly true for iodine which is of special interest in view of its potential significance as an indicator of sediment recycling and by way of its link to (129)Xe amomalies in the mantle through the low extinct isotope (129)I. Extensions of the (40)Ar-(39)Ar technique enable measurements of halogens and other elements (K, Ca, Ba, U) by production of noble gas isotopes from these species during neutron irradiation. Samples analyzed in this way include 15 coated stones from an unknown source in Zaire, 3 boarts from the Jwaneng and 1 boart from the Orapa kimberlites, both in Botswana.

Water in the Cratonic Mantle: Insights from FTIR Data on Lac De Gras Xenoliths (Slave Craton, Canada)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peslier, Anne H.; Brandon, Alan D.; Schaffer, Lillian Aurora; O'Reilly, Suzanne Yvette; Griffin, William L.; Morris, Richard V.; Graff, Trevor G.; Agresti, David G.

2014-01-01

The mantle lithosphere beneath the cratonic part of continents is the deepest (> 200 km) and oldest (>2-3 Ga) on Earth, remaining a conundrum as to how these cratonic roots could have resisted delamination by asthenospheric convection over time. Water, or trace H incorporated in mineral defects, could be a key player in the evolution of continental lithosphere because it influences melting and rheology of the mantle. Mantle xenoliths from the Lac de Gras kimberlite in the Slave craton were analyzed by FTIR. The cratonic mantle beneath Lac de Gras is stratified with shallow (<145 km) oxidized ultradepleted peridotites and pyroxenites with evidence for carbonatitic metasomatism, underlain by reduced and less depleted peridotites metasomatized by kimberlite melts. Peridotites analyzed so far have H O contents in ppm weight of 7-100 in their olivines, 58 to 255 in their orthopyroxenes (opx), 11 to 84 in their garnet, and 139 in one clinopyroxene. A pyroxenite contains 58 ppm H2O in opx and 5 ppm H2O in its olivine and garnet. Olivine and garnet from the deep peridotites have a range of water contents extending to higher values than those from the shallow ones. The FTIR spectra of olivines from the shallow samples have more prominent Group II OH bands compared to the olivines from the deep samples, consistent with a more oxidized mantle environment. The range of olivine water content is similar to that observed in Kaapvaal craton peridotites at the same depths (129-184 km) but does not extend to as high values as those from Udachnaya (Siberian craton). The Slave, Kaapvaal and Siberian cratons will be compared in terms of water content distribution, controls and role in cratonic root longevity.

Nature of diamonds in Yakutian eclogites: views from eclogite tomography and mineral inclusions in diamonds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anand, Mahesh; Taylor, Lawrence A.; Misra, Kula C.; Carlson, William D.; Sobolev, Nikolai V.

2004-09-01

We have performed dissections of two diamondiferous eclogites (UX-1 and U33/1) from the Udachnaya kimberlite, Yakutia in order to understand the nature of diamond formation and the relationship between the diamonds, their mineral inclusions, and host eclogite minerals. Diamonds were carefully recovered from each xenolith, based upon high-resolution X-ray tomography images and three-dimensional models. The nature and physical properties of minerals, in direct contact with diamonds, were investigated at the time of diamond extraction. Polished sections of the eclogites were made, containing the mould areas of the diamonds, to further investigate the chemical compositions of the host minerals and the phases that were in contact with diamonds. Major- and minor-element compositions of silicate and sulfide mineral inclusions in diamonds show variations among each other, and from those in the host eclogites. Oxygen isotope compositions of one garnet and five clinopyroxene inclusions in diamonds from another Udachnaya eclogite (U51) span the entire range recorded for eclogite xenoliths from Udachnaya. In addition, the reported compositions of almost all clinopyroxene inclusions in U51 diamonds exhibit positive Eu anomaly. This feature, together with the oxygen isotopic characteristics, is consistent with the well-established hypothesis of subduction origin for Udachnaya eclogite xenoliths. It is intuitive to expect that all eclogite xenoliths in a particular kimberlite should have common heritage, at least with respect to their included diamonds. However, the variation in the composition of multiple inclusions within diamonds, and among diamonds, from the same eclogite indicates the involvement of complex processes in diamond genesis, at least in the eclogite xenoliths from Yakutia that we have studied.

A New Strategy to Land Precisely on the Northern Plains of Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheng, Yang; Huertas, Andres

2010-01-01

During the Phoenix mission landing site selection process, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) images revealed widely spread and dense rock fields in the northern plains. Automatic rock mapping and subsequent statistical analyses showed 30-90% CFA (cumulative fractional area) covered by rocks larger than 1 meter in dense rock fields around craters. Less dense rock fields had 5-30% rock coverage in terrain away from craters. Detectable meter-scale boulders were found nearly everywhere. These rocks present a risk to spacecraft safety during landing. However, they are the most salient topographic features in this region, and can be good landmarks for spacecraft localization during landing. In this paper we present a novel strategy that uses abundance of rocks in northern plains for spacecraft localization. The paper discusses this approach in three sections: a rock-based landmark terrain relative navigation (TRN) algorithm; the TRN algorithm feasibility; and conclusions.

The gravity field and crustal structure of the northwestern Arabian Platform in Jordan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batayneh, A. T.; Al-Zoubi, A. S.

2001-01-01

The Bouguer gravity field over the northwestern Arabian Platform in Jordan is dominated by large variations, ranging from -132 to +4 mGal. A study of the Bouguer anomaly map shows that the gravity field maintains a general north-northeasterly trend in the Wadi Araba-Dead Sea-Jordan Riff, Northern Highlands and Northeast Jordanian Limestone Area, while the remainder of the area shows north-northwesterly-trending gravity anomalies. Results of 2-D gravity modeling of the Bouguer gravity field indicate that the crustal thickness in Jordan is ˜ 38 km, which is similar to crustal thicknesses obtained from refraction data in northern Jordan and Saudi Arabia, and from gravity data in Syria.

Evidence for geomagnetic imprinting as a homing mechanism in Pacific salmon.

PubMed

Putman, Nathan F; Lohmann, Kenneth J; Putman, Emily M; Quinn, Thomas P; Klimley, A Peter; Noakes, David L G

2013-02-18

In the final phase of their spawning migration, Pacific salmon use chemical cues to identify their home river, but how they navigate from the open ocean to the correct coastal area has remained enigmatic. To test the hypothesis that salmon imprint on the magnetic field that exists where they first enter the sea and later seek the same field upon return, we analyzed a 56-year fisheries data set on Fraser River sockeye salmon, which must detour around Vancouver Island to approach the river through either a northern or southern passageway. We found that the proportion of salmon using each route was predicted by geomagnetic field drift: the more the field at a passage entrance diverged from the field at the river mouth, the fewer fish used the passage. We also found that more fish used the northern passage in years with warmer sea surface temperature (presumably because fish were constrained to more northern latitudes). Field drift accounted for 16% of the variation in migratory route used, temperature 22%, and the interaction between these variables 28%. These results provide the first empirical evidence of geomagnetic imprinting in any species and imply that forecasting salmon movements is possible using geomagnetic models. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Native iron in the continental lower crust - Petrological and geophysical implications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haggerty, S. E.; Toft, P. B.

1985-01-01

Lower crustal granulite xenoliths recovered from a kimberlite pipe in western Africa contain native iron (Fe) as a decomposition product of garnet and ilmenite. Magnetic measurements show that less than 0.1 percent (by volume) of iron metal is present. Data from geothermometry and oxygen geobarometry indicate that the oxide and metal phases equilibrated between iron-wuestite and magnetite-wuestite buffers, which may represent the oxidation state of the continental lower crust, and the depleted lithospheric upper mantle. Ferromagnetic native iron could be stable to a depth of about 95 kilometers and should be considered in the interpretation of long-wavelength static magnetic anomalies.

Native iron in the continental lower crust - Petrological and geophysical implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haggerty, S. E.; Toft, P. B.

1985-08-01

Lower crustal granulite xenoliths recovered from a kimberlite pipe in western Africa contain native iron (Fe) as a decomposition product of garnet and ilmenite. Magnetic measurements show that less than 0.1 percent (by volume) of iron metal is present. Data from geothermometry and oxygen geobarometry indicate that the oxide and metal phases equilibrated between iron-wuestite and magnetite-wuestite buffers, which may represent the oxidation state of the continental lower crust, and the depleted lithospheric upper mantle. Ferromagnetic native iron could be stable to a depth of about 95 kilometers and should be considered in the interpretation of long-wavelength static magnetic anomalies.

Cavitations synthesis of carbon nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voropaev, S.

2011-04-01

Originally an idea of diamonds production by hydrodynamical cavitation was presented by academician E M Galimov. He supposed the possibility of nature diamonds formation at fast magma flowing in kimberlitic pipes during bubbles collapse. This hypothesis assumes a number of processes, which were not under consideration until now. It concerns cavitation under high pressure, growth and stability of the gas- and vapors bubbles, their evolution, and corresponding physical- and chemical processes inside. Experimental setup to reproduce the high pressure and temperature reaction centers by means of the cavitation following the above idea was created. A few crystalline nanocarbon forms were successfully recovered after treatment of benzene (C6H6).

Auroral field-aligned current observations during the Cassini F-ring and Proximal orbits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hunt, G. J.; Bunce, E. J.; Cao, H.; Cowley, S.; Dougherty, M. K.; Khurana, K. K.; Provan, G.; Southwood, D. J.

2017-12-01

Cassini's F-ring and Proximal orbits have provided a fantastic opportunity to examine Saturn's magnetic field closer to the planet than ever before. It is critical to understand external contributions to the azimuthal field component, as it can provide information on any asymmetry of the internal field. However, signatures of the auroral field-aligned currents are also present in this field component. Here we will identify and discuss these current signatures in the dawn and dusk sections in the northern and southern hemispheres, respectively. Previous results from observations during 2008 showed that in southern hemisphere these currents were strongly modulated by the southern planetary period oscillation (PPO) system. While the northern hemisphere data was modulated by both northern and southern PPOs, thus giving the first direct evidence of inter-hemispheric PPO currents. In both hemispheres, the PPO currents that give rise to the 10.7 h magnetic field oscillations observed throughout Saturn's magnetosphere, were separated from the PPO-independent (e.g. subcorotation) currents. These results provide a framework to which the Grand Finale orbits can be examined within. Here, we will assess how the field-aligned currents have evolved in comparison to the 2008 dataset. We will show that for the most part the observed field-aligned currents agree with the theoretical expectations. However, we will discuss the differences in terms of the PPO modulation, seasonal, and local time changes between the two datasets. Finally, we will discuss the implications of the azimuthal magnetic field contributions of these field-aligned currents on the data from the Proximal orbits.

Temporal genetic analysis of the endangered tidewater goby: extinction-colonization dynamics or drift in isolation?

PubMed

Kinziger, Andrew P; Hellmair, Michael; McCraney, W Tyler; Jacobs, David K; Goldsmith, Greg

2015-11-01

Extinction and colonization dynamics are critical to understanding the evolution and conservation of metapopulations. However, traditional field studies of extinction-colonization are potentially fraught with detection bias and have rarely been validated. Here, we provide a comparison of molecular and field-based approaches for assessment of the extinction-colonization dynamics of tidewater goby (Eucyclogobius newberryi) in northern California. Our analysis of temporal genetic variation across 14 northern California tidewater goby populations failed to recover genetic change expected with extinction-colonization cycles. Similarly, analysis of site occupancy data from field studies (94 sites) indicated that extinction and colonization are very infrequent for our study populations. Comparison of the approaches indicated field data were subject to imperfect detection, and falsely implied extinction-colonization cycles in several instances. For northern California populations of tidewater goby, we interpret the strong genetic differentiation between populations and high degree of within-site temporal stability as consistent with a model of drift in the absence of migration, at least over the past 20-30 years. Our findings show that tidewater goby exhibit different population structures across their geographic range (extinction-colonization dynamics in the south vs. drift in isolation in the north). For northern populations, natural dispersal is too infrequent to be considered a viable approach for recolonizing extirpated populations, suggesting that species recovery will likely depend on artificial translocation in this region. More broadly, this work illustrates that temporal genetic analysis can be used in combination with field data to strengthen inference of extinction-colonization dynamics or as a stand-alone tool when field data are lacking. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Mercury's Surface Magnetic Field Determined from Proton-Reflection Magnetometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winslow, Reka M.; Johnson, Catherine L.; Anderson, Brian J.; Gershman, Daniel J.; Raines, Jim M.; Lillis, Robert J.; Korth, Haje; Slavin, James A.; Solomon, Sean C.; Zurbuchen, Thomas H.;

Field-Aligned Currents in Saturn's Nightside Magnetosphere: Subcorotation and Planetary Period Oscillation Components During Northern Spring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bradley, T. J.; Cowley, S. W. H.; Provan, G.; Hunt, G. J.; Bunce, E. J.; Wharton, S. J.; Alexeev, I. I.; Belenkaya, E. S.; Kalegaev, V. V.; Dougherty, M. K.

2018-05-01

We newly analyze Cassini magnetic field data from the 2012/2013 Saturn northern spring interval of highly inclined orbits and compare them with similar data from late southern summer in 2008, thus providing unique information on the seasonality of the currents that couple momentum between Saturn's ionosphere and magnetosphere. Inferred meridional ionospheric currents in both cases consist of a steady component related to plasma subcorotation, together with the rotating current systems of the northern and southern planetary period oscillations (PPOs). Subcorotation currents during the two intervals show opposite north-south polar region asymmetries, with strong equatorward currents flowing in the summer hemispheres but only weak currents flowing to within a few degrees of the open-closed boundary (OCB) in the winter hemispheres, inferred due to weak polar ionospheric conductivities. Currents peak at 1 MA rad-1 in both hemispheres just equatorward of the open-closed boundary, associated with total downward polar currents 6 MA, then fall across the narrow auroral upward current region to small values at subauroral latitudes. PPO-related currents have a similar form in both summer and winter with principal upward and downward field-aligned currents peaking at 1.25 MA rad-1 being essentially collocated with the auroral upward current and approximately equal in strength. Though northern and southern PPO currents were approximately equal during both intervals, the currents in both hemispheres were dual modulated by both systems during 2012/2013, with approximately half the main current closing in the opposite ionosphere and half cross field in the magnetosphere, while only the northern hemisphere currents were similarly dual modulated in 2008.

12 CFR 4.5 - District and field offices.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

..., New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont..., Nevada, New Mexico, Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and Guam... Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. The office address and the geographical...

12 CFR 4.5 - District and field offices.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

..., New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont..., Nevada, New Mexico, Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and Guam... Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. The office address and the geographical...

12 CFR 4.5 - District and field offices.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

..., New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont..., Nevada, New Mexico, Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and Guam... Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. The office address and the geographical...

Fractional ultrabasic-basic evolution of upper-mantle magmatism: Evidence from xenoliths in kimberlites, inclusions in diamonds and experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Litvin, Yuriy; Kuzyura, Anastasia

2017-04-01

Ultrabasic peridotites and pyroxenites together with basic eclogites are the upper-mantle in situ rocks among xenoliths in kimberlites. Occasionally their diamond-bearing varieties have revealed within the xenoliths. Therewith the compositions of rock-forming minerals demonstrate features characteristic for primary diamond-included minerals of peridotite and eclogite parageneses (the elevated contents of Cr-component in peridotitic garnets and Na-jadeitic component in eclogitic clinopyroxenes). High-pressure experimental study of melting equilibria on the multicomponent peridotie-pyroxenite system olivine Ol - orthopyroxene Opx - clinopyroxene Cpx - garnet Grt showed that Opx disappeared in the peritectic reaction Opx+L→Cpx (Litvin, 1991). As a result, the invariant peritectic equilibrium Ol+Opx+Cpx+Grt+L of the ultrabasic system was found to transform into the univariant cotectic assemblage Ol+Cpx+Grt+L. Further experimental investigation showed that olivine reacts with jadeitic component (Jd) with formation of garnet at higher 4.5 GPa (Gasparik, Litvin, 1997). Study of melting relations in the multicomponent system Ol - Cpx - Jd permits to discover the peritectic point Ol+Omph+Grt+L (where Omph - omphacitic clinopyroxene) at concentration 3-4 wt.% Jd-component in the system. The reactionary loss of Opx and Ol makes it possible to transform the 4-phase garnet lherzolite ultrabasic association into the bimineral eclogite assemblage. The regime of fractional Ol, Cpx and Grt crystallization must be accompanied by increasing content of jadeitic component in residual melts that causes the complete "garnetization of olivine". In the subsequent evolution, the melts would have to fractionate for basic SiO2-saturated compositions responsible for petrogenesis of eclogite varieties marked with accessory corundum Crn, kyanite Ky and coesite Coe. Both the peritectic mechanisms occur in regime of fractional crystallization. The sequence of the upper-mantle fractional ultrabasic-basic magmatic evolution and petrogenesis may be controlled by the following melting relations: from Ol, Opx, L field to cotectic curve Ol, Opx, Cpx, L, peritectic point Ol, Opx, Cpx, Grt, L (loss of Opx), cotectic curve Ol, (Cpx+Jd), Grt, L, peritectic point Ol, (Cpx→Omph), Grt, L (loss of Ol), divariant field Omph,Grt,L, cotectic curve Ky, Omph, Grt, L, eutectic point Ky,Coe,Omph, Grt,L, subsolidus assemblage Ky,Coe,Omph, Grt. The fractional ultrabasic-basic evolution of the upper-mantle silicate-carbonate-carbon melts-solutions, which are responsible for genesis of diamond-and-inclusions associations and diamond-bearing peridotites and eclogites, follows the similar physico-chemical mechanisms (Litvin et al., 2016). This is illustrated by fractional syngenesis diagram for diamonds and associated minerals which construction is based on evidence from high pressure experiments. References Gasparik T., Litvin Yu.A (1997). Stability of Na2Mg2Si2O7 and melting relations on the forsterite - jadeite join at pressures up to 22 GPa. Eur, J. Mineral. 9(2), 311-326. Litvin Yu.A. (1991). Physico-Chemical Study of Melting of Materials from the Deep Earth. Moscow: Nauka. 312 p. Litvin Yu.A., Spivak A.V., Kuzyura A.V. (2016). Fundamentals of the mantle-carbonatite concept of diamond genesis, Geochemistry Internat. 34(10), 839-857.

Martian low-altitude magnetic topology deduced from MAVEN/SWEA observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Shaosui; Mitchell, David; Liemohn, Michael; Fang, Xiaohua; Ma, Yingjuan; Luhmann, Janet; Brain, David; Steckiewicz, Morgane; Mazelle, Christian; Connerney, Jack; Jakosky, Bruce

2017-02-01

The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution mission has obtained comprehensive particle and magnetic field measurements. The Solar Wind Electron Analyzer provides electron energy-pitch angle distributions along the spacecraft trajectory that can be used to infer magnetic topology. This study presents pitch angle-resolved electron energy shape parameters that can distinguish photoelectrons from solar wind electrons, which we use to deduce the Martian magnetic topology and connectivity to the dayside ionosphere. Magnetic topology in the Mars environment is mapped in three dimensions for the first time. At low altitudes (<400 km) in sunlight, the northern hemisphere is found to be dominated by closed field lines (both ends intersecting the collisional atmosphere), with more day-night connections through cross-terminator closed field lines than in the south. Although draped field lines with 100 km amplitude vertical fluctuations that intersect the electron exobase ( 160-220 km) in two locations could appear to be closed at the spacecraft, a more likely explanation is provided by crustal magnetic fields, which naturally have the required geometry. Around 30% of the time, we observe open field lines from 200 to 400 km, which implies three distinct topological layers over the northern hemisphere: closed field lines below 200 km, open field lines with foot points at lower latitudes that pass over the northern hemisphere from 200 to 400 km, and draped interplanetary magnetic field above 400 km. This study also identifies open field lines with one end attached to the dayside ionosphere and the other end connected with the solar wind, providing a path for ion outflow.

Magnesium isotope fractionation in co-existing clino-pyroxene and garnet: implications for geothermometry and mantle source characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakrabarti, R.; Jacobsen, S. B.; Basu, A. R.

2011-12-01

It is now well established that the Mg isotopic composition of the bulk silicate Earth, as represented by olivines, peridotites and basalts is identical to bulk meteorites and the Moon. However, small differences have been documented between co-existing olivines and clino-pyroxenes in mantle xenoliths as well as co-existing hornblendes and biotites in granitoids; spinels show some of the heaviest δ26Mg (deviation of the 26Mg/24Mg ratio from the Dead Sea Metal standard). A recent study has documented a large Mg isotopic fractionation between co-existing omphacite and garnet (Δ26MgOMP-GT = δ26MgOMP - δ26MgGT ~1.14) from eclogites in the Dabie orogen of China. This large equilibrium Mg isotope fractionation is explained by the difference in coordination number of Mg in omphacite (six) and garnet (eight). We report stable Mg isotopic compositions of co-existing garnet and clino-pyroxenes from different mantle-derived rocks. Garnet-omphacite pairs analyzed are from an eclogite xenolith from the Roberts Victor kimberlite pipe, the ultra-high pressure Tso Morari eclogite from the Ladakh Himalayas and the Healdsburg eclogite from the Franciscan Subduction Complex, which have a wide range in estimated temperatures of equilibration. Although, the latter two eclogites were exhumed in orogenic belts, our selective picking of the mineral cores for analysis avoided retrograded compositions. We have also analyzed Cr-diopside and pyrope-rich garnet pairs from several southern African kimberlite pipes. These include granular garnet peridotite xenoliths (P = 30-40 kbar, T =950-10500C) as well as the deeper sheared xenoliths (P = 50-60 kbar, T = 13500C). Rapid quenching of the kimberlite-hosted xenoliths ensures minimal low temperature pervasive alteration of these samples. Also analyzed are samples from the Gore Mt. amphibolite and a wollastonite-diopside-garnet skarn from the Adirondacks with equilibration temperatures of 700-7260C. Minerals were separated by hand-picking under a binocular microscope. Mg was quantitatively separated from other matrix elements using cation exchange chromatography. All three Mg isotopes were simultaneously measured using the IsoProbe-P MC-ICPMS at Harvard University by sample-standard bracketing. Our results from 11 garnet-clinopyroxene mineral pairs with widely varying temperatures of equilibration indicate that δ26Mg in garnet (-0.6 to -2.3) is much lower than that in co-existing clino-pyroxenes (-0.1 to -0.6 and -1.3 in the wollastonite skarn). This result is consistent with theoretical predictions as well as recent results from the Dabie orogen. Δ26Mg between clino-pyroxene and garnet ranges from 0.7 to 2.3. Our results suggest a temperature dependence of Δ26Mg between clino-pyroxene and garnet in mantle-derived rocks which can potentially be used as a geothermometer. Large Mg isotopic fractionation between co-existing garnet and clino-pyroxenes has implications for source characterization (garnet peridotite versus eclogite) of mantle-derived melts.

The Northern Plains MSATT Meeting, and a call for a field-oriented successor to MSATT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kargel, J. S.

1993-01-01

The workshop was devoted to a review of our knowledge of the Martian northern plains and presentation of recent ideas pertaining to the geologic and climatic evolution of this interesting region. The meeting was held in Fairbanks to allow easy access to Mars-like terrains in central and northern Alaska. There is no place on Earth that is a close analog of the Martian northern plains, but parts of Alaska come reasonably close in some respects, so we may expect that some of the processes occurring there are similar to processes that have occurred on Mars.

Geology of the Right Stepover region between the Rodgers Creek, Healdsburg, and Maacama faults, northern San Francisco Bay region: a contribution to Northern California Geological Society Field Trip Guide, June 6-8, 2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

McLaughlin, Robert J.; Sarna-Wojcicki, Andrei

2003-01-01

This Open file report was written as part of a two-day field trip on June 7 and 8, 2003, conducted for the Northern California Geological Society. The first day of this field trip (June 7) was led by McLaughlin and Sarna-Wojcicki in the area of the right- step between the Rodgers Creek- Healdsburg fault zone and the Maacama fault. The second day of the trip (June 8), was led by David Wagner of the California Geological Survey and students having recently completed MS theses at San Jose State University (James Allen) and San Francisco State University (Carrie Randolph-Loar), as well as a student from San Francisco State University whose MS thesis was in progress in June 2003 (Eric Ford). The second day covered the Rodgers Creek fault zone and related faults of the Petaluma Valley area (the Tolay and Petaluma Valley fault zones).

Mechanized thinning of northern hardwood pole stands: methods and economics.

Treesearch

Frank E. Biltonen; Wiliam A. Hillstrom; Helmuth M. Steinhilb; Richard M. Godman

1976-01-01

Describes a study of various thinning treatments in northern hardwood pole stands, using mechanized felling, skidding, and field chipping, as well as chain saw felling. Cost analyses showed that a profit can be made although it is less than can be made with clearcutting.

The gravity field of Mars: results from Mars Global Surveyor.

PubMed

Smith, D E; Sjogren, W L; Tyler, G L; Balmino, G; Lemoine, F G; Konopliv, A S

1999-10-01

Observations of the gravity field of Mars reveal a planet that has responded differently in its northern and southern hemispheres to major impacts and volcanic processes. The rough, elevated southern hemisphere has a relatively featureless gravitational signature indicating a state of near-isostatic compensation, whereas the smooth, low northern plains display a wider range of gravitational anomalies that indicates a thinner but stronger surface layer than in the south. The northern hemisphere shows evidence for buried impact basins, although none large enough to explain the hemispheric elevation difference. The gravitational potential signature of Tharsis is approximately axisymmetric and contains the Tharsis Montes but not the Olympus Mons or Alba Patera volcanoes. The gravity signature of Valles Marineris extends into Chryse and provides an estimate of material removed by early fluvial activity.

Structure of the Photospheric Magnetic Field During Sector Crossings of the Heliospheric Magnetic Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Getachew, Tibebu; Virtanen, Ilpo; Mursula, Kalevi

2017-11-01

The photospheric magnetic field is the source of the coronal and heliospheric magnetic fields (HMF), but their mutual correspondence is non-trivial and depends on the phase of the solar cycle. The photospheric field during the HMF sector crossings observed at 1 AU has been found to contain enhanced field intensities and definite polarity ordering, forming regions called Hale boundaries. Here we separately study the structure of the photospheric field during the HMF sector crossings during Solar Cycles 21 - 24 for the four phases of each solar cycle. We use a refined version of Svalgaard's list of major HMF sector crossings, mapped to the Sun using the solar wind speed observed at Earth, and the daily level-3 magnetograms of the photospheric field measured at the Wilcox Solar Observatory in 1976 - 2016. We find that the structure of the photospheric field corresponding to the HMF sector crossings and the existence and properties of the corresponding Hale bipolar regions varies significantly with solar cycle, solar cycle phase, and hemisphere. The Hale boundaries in more than half of the ascending, maximum, and declining phases are clear and statistically significant. The clearest Hale boundaries are found during the (+,-) HMF crossings in the northern hemisphere of odd Cycles 21 and 23, but less systematical during the (+,-) crossings in the southern hemisphere of even Cycles 22 and 24. No similar difference between odd and even cycles is found for the (-,+) crossings. This shows that the northern hemisphere has a more organized Hale pattern overall. The photospheric field distribution also depicts a larger area for the field of the northern hemisphere during the declining and minimum phases, in a good agreement with the bashful ballerina phenomenon.

Planetary period modulations of Saturn's magnetotail current sheet: A simple illustrative mathematical model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cowley, S. W. H.; Provan, G.; Hunt, G. J.; Jackman, C. M.

2017-01-01

We mathematically model the modulation effects on Saturn's equatorial magnetotail and magnetodisk current sheet produced by the combined magnetic field perturbations of the northern and southern planetary period oscillation (PPO) systems, specifically north-south displacements associated with the radial perturbation field and thickness modulations associated with the colatitudinal perturbation field. Since the phasing of the two PPO systems is taken to be related to the radial field perturbations, while the relative phasing of the colatitudinal perturbations is opposite for the two systems, the north-south oscillations reinforce when the two PPO systems are in phase, while the thickening-thinning effects reinforce when they are in antiphase. For intermediate relative phases we show that when the northern PPO system leads the southern the sheet is thicker when moving south to north than when moving north to south, while when the northern PPO system lags the southern the sheet is thicker when moving north to south than when moving south to north, thus leading to sawtooth profiles in the radial field for near-equatorial observers, of opposite senses in the two cases. Given empirically determined modulation amplitudes, the maximum sawtooth effect is found to be small when one system dominates the other, but becomes clear when the amplitude of one system lies within a factor of 2 of the other.

Origins of cratonic mantle discontinuities: A view from petrology, geochemistry and thermodynamic models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aulbach, Sonja; Massuyeau, Malcolm; Gaillard, Fabrice

2017-01-01

Geophysically detectible mid-lithospheric discontinuities (MLD) and lithosphere-asthenosphere boundaries (LAB) beneath cratons have received much attention over recent years, but a consensus on their origin has not yet emerged. Cratonic lithosphere composition and origin is peculiar due to its ultra-depletion during plume or accretionary tectonics, cool present-day geothermal gradients, compositional and rheological stratification and multiple metasomatic overprints. Bearing this in mind, we integrate current knowledge on the physical properties, chemical composition, mineralogy and fabric of cratonic mantle with experimental and thermodynamic constraints on the formation and migration of melts, both below and within cratonic lithosphere, in order to find petrologically viable explanations for cratonic mantle discontinuities. LABs characterised by strong seismic velocity gradients and increased conductivity require the presence of melts, which can form beneath intact cratonic roots reaching to 200-250 km depth only in exceptionally warm and/or volatile-rich mantle, thus explaining the paucity of seismical LAB observations beneath cratons. When present, pervasive interaction of these - typically carbonated - melts with the deep lithosphere leads to densification and thermochemical erosion, which generates topography at the LAB and results in intermittent seismic LAB signals or conflicting seismic, petrologic and thermal LAB depths. In rare cases (e.g. Tanzanian craton), the tops of live melt percolation fronts may appear as MLDs and, after complete lithosphere rejuvenation, may be sites of future, shallower LABs (e.g. North China craton). Since intact cratons are presently tectonomagmatically quiescent, and since MLDs produce both positive and negative velocity gradients, in some cases with anisotropy, most MLDs may be best explained by accumulations (metasomes) of seismically slow minerals (pyroxenes, phlogopite, amphibole, carbonates) deposited during past magmatic-metasomatic activity, or fabric inherited from cratonisation. They may accumulate as layers at, or as subvertical veins above, the depth at which melt flow transitions from pervasive to focussed flow at the mechanical boundary layer, causing azimuthal and radial anisotropy. Thermodynamic calculations investigating the depth range in which small-volume melts can be produced relative to the field of phlogopite stability and the presence of MLDs show that phlogopite precipitates at various pressures as a function of age-dependent thermal state of the cratonic mantle, thus explaining variable MLD depths. Even if not directly observed, such metasomes have been shown to be important ingredients in small-volume volatile-rich melts typically penetrating cratonic lithospheres. The apparent sparseness of evidence for phlogopite-rich assemblages in the mantle xenolith record at geophysically imaged MLD depths, if not due to preferential disaggregation in the kimberlite or alteration, may relate to vagaries of both kimberlite and human sampling.

Evaluation of critical temperatures for heat damage in northern highbush blueberry

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Overhead sprinklers are often used to cool blueberry fields in the Pacific Northwest, but more information is needed to determine exactly when cooling is needed. The objective of this study was to identify the critical temperatures for heat damage in northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum...

Primates and their habitats in northern Colombia with recommendations for future management and research

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scott, Norman J.; Struhsaker, Thomas T.; Glander, Kenneth; Chiriví, Hernano

1976-01-01

This report covers a survey of forests and wild primates carried out by its authors in northern Colombia during May, July, and August 1974. The results of a 1973 field report on this report by Bernstein et al. (1) are also included.

Trophic Structure Over the Northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge: The Bathypelagic Zone Really Matters

EPA Science Inventory

We present preliminary results and ongoing efforts to characterize the trophic structure and energy flow of the pelagic ecosystems of the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR), from Iceland to the Azores. This study is one component of the international CoML field project MAR-ECO (ww...

Strong ionospheric field-aligned currents for radial interplanetary magnetic fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hui; Lühr, Hermann; Shue, Jih-Hong; Frey, Harald. U.; Kervalishvili, Guram; Huang, Tao; Cao, Xue; Pi, Gilbert; Ridley, Aaron J.

2014-05-01

The present work has investigated the configuration of field-aligned currents (FACs) during a long period of radial interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) on 19 May 2002 by using high-resolution and precise vector magnetic field measurements of CHAMP satellite. During the interest period IMF By and Bz are weakly positive and Bx keeps pointing to the Earth for almost 10 h. The geomagnetic indices Dst is about -40 nT and AE about 100 nT on average. The cross polar cap potential calculated from Assimilative Mapping of Ionospheric Electrodynamics and derived from DMSP observations have average values of 10-20 kV. Obvious hemispheric differences are shown in the configurations of FACs on the dayside and nightside. At the south pole FACs diminish in intensity to magnitudes of about 0.1 μA/m2, the plasma convection maintains two-cell flow pattern, and the thermospheric density is quite low. However, there are obvious activities in the northern cusp region. One pair of FACs with a downward leg toward the pole and upward leg on the equatorward side emerge in the northern cusp region, exhibiting opposite polarity to FACs typical for duskward IMF orientation. An obvious sunward plasma flow channel persists during the whole period. These ionospheric features might be manifestations of an efficient magnetic reconnection process occurring in the northern magnetospheric flanks at high latitude. The enhanced ionospheric current systems might deposit large amount of Joule heating into the thermosphere. The air densities in the cusp region get enhanced and subsequently propagate equatorward on the dayside. Although geomagnetic indices during the radial IMF indicate low-level activity, the present study demonstrates that there are prevailing energy inputs from the magnetosphere to both the ionosphere and thermosphere in the northern polar cusp region.

Cumulative impacts of oil fields on northern Alaskan landscapes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Walker, D.A.; Webber, P.J.; Binnian, Emily F.; Everett, K.R.; Lederer, N.D.; Nordstrand, E.A.; Walker, M.D.

1987-01-01

Proposed further developments on Alaska's Arctic Coastal Plain raise questions about cumulative effects on arctic tundra ecosystems of development of multiple large oil fields. Maps of historical changes to the Prudhoe Bay Oil Field show indirect impacts can lag behind planned developments by many years and the total area eventually disturbed can greatly exceed the planned area of construction. For example, in the wettest parts of the oil field (flat thaw-lake plains), flooding and thermokarst covered more than twice the area directly affected by roads and other construction activities. Protecting critical wildlife habitat is the central issue for cumulative impact analysis in northern Alaska. Comprehensive landscape planning with the use of geographic information system technology and detailed geobotanical maps can help identify and protect areas of high wildlife use.

North Atlantic storm track variability and its association to the North Atlantic oscillation and climate variability of northern Europe

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rogers, J.C.

The primary mode of North Atlantic track variability is identified using rotated principal component analysis (RPCA) on monthly fields of root-mean-squares of daily high-pass filtered (2-8-day periods) sea level pressures (SLP) for winters (December-February) 1900-92. It is examined in terms of its association with (1) monthly mean SLP fields, (2) regional low-frequency teleconnections, and (3) the seesaw in winter temperatures between Greenland and northern Europe. 32 refs., 9 figs.

A new species of Leptotrombidium (Acari:Trombiculidae) collected in active rice fields in northern Thailand.

PubMed

Tanskul, P; Linthicum, K J

1997-05-01

Leptotrombidium (Leptotrombidium) chiangraiensis Tanskul & Linthicum is described and illustrated as new from specimens collected from the rodents Rattus rattus (L., 1758), Rattus argentiventer (Robinson & Kloss, 1916), Rattus losea (Swinhoe, 1870), and Bandicota indica (Bechstein, 1800) in Chiangrai Province northern Thailand. The new species was collected in active rice fields and adjacent fruit plantation areas. The etiological agent of scrub typhus, Orientia (formerly Rickettsia) tsutsugamushi (Hayashi), has been isolated from patients who live and work in the same habitat where L. chiangraiensis is the predominant Leptotrombidium species.

Database compilation for the geologic map of the San Francisco volcanic field, north-central Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bard, Joseph A.; Ramsey, David W.; Wolfe, Edward W.; Ulrich, George E.; Newhall, Christopher G.; Moore, Richard B.; Bailey, Norman G.; Holm, Richard F.

2016-01-08

The orignial geologic maps were prepared under the Geothermal Research Program of the U.S. Geological Survey as a basis for interpreting the history of magmatic activity in the volcanic field. The San Francisco field, which is largely Pleistocene in age, is in northern Arizona, just north of the broad transition zone between the Colorado Plateau and the Basin and Range province. It is one of several dominantly basaltic volcanic fields of the late Cenozoic age situated near the margin of the Colorado Plateau. The volcanic field contains rocks ranging in composition from basalt to rhyolite—the products of eruption through Precambrian basement rocks and approximately a kilometer of overlying, nearly horizontal, Paleozoic and Mesozoic sedimentary rocks. About 500 km3 of erupted rocks cover about 5,000 km2 of predominantly Permian and locally preserved Triassic sedimentary rocks that form the erosionally stripped surface of the Colorado Plateau in Northern Arizona.

Habitat use and movement patterns of Northern Pintails during spring in northern Japan: the importance of agricultural lands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yamaguchi, Noriyuki M.; Hupp, Jerry W.; Flint, Paul L.; Pearce, John M.; Shigeta, Yusuke; Shimada, Tetsuo; Hiraoka, Emiko N.; Higuchi, Hiroyoshi

2012-01-01

From 2006 to 2009, we marked 198 Northern Pintails (Anas acuta) with satellite transmitters on their wintering areas in Japan to study their migration routes and habitat use in spring staging areas. We hypothesized that the distribution of pintails during spring staging was influenced by patterns of land use and expected that the most frequently used areas would have more agricultural habitat than lesser-used areas. We obtained 3031 daily locations from 163 migrant pintails marked with satellite transmitters and identified 524 stopover sites. Based on a fixed kernel home range analysis of stopover utilization distribution (UD), core staging areas (areas within the 50% UD) were identified in northern Honshu and western Hokkaido, and were used by 71% of marked pintails. Core staging areas had a greater proportion of rice fields than peripheral (51–95% UD) and rarely used (outside the 95% UD) staging areas. Stopover sites also contained more rice fields and other agricultural land than were available at regional scales, indicating that pintails selected rice and other agricultural habitats at regional and local scales. Pintails remained at spring staging areas an average of 51 d. Prolonged staging in agricultural habitats of northern Japan was likely necessary for pintails to prepare for transoceanic migration to Arctic nesting areas in eastern Russia.

Pollination biology of northern red and black oak

Treesearch

Robert A. Cecich; William W. Haenchen

1995-01-01

Pistillate flower abortion in northern red oak and black oak was evaluated in relation to pollination and fertilization. The presence, position, and characteristics of the pollen grains, pollen tubes, and ovules were determined with bright field and fluorescence microscopy. Flower survival counts were made weekly, from late April to mid- September. Both species have...

Case Study on Education Opportunities for Hill Tribes in Northern Thailand: Implications for Sustainable Rural Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fujioka, Rika

This research analyzes the impact of the Thai government's activities to promote educational opportunities for people of the northern hill tribes. In addition to interviews with government and nongovernmental organization staff, field surveys were conducted in hill tribe villages. The introductory chapter provides background information on the…

MODELING FLOW PATTERNS IN A SMALL VEGETATED AREA IN THE NORTHERN CHICHUAHUAN DESERT USING QUIC ( QUIC URBAN AND INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX )

EPA Science Inventory

Sandstorms are frequent in the northern Chihuahuan Desert in New Mexico, an area characterized by open areas lacking vegetation, individual mesquite bushes, and mesquite coppice dunes. Field measurements of sand fluxes and wind velocities over a two year period provided a descri...

Establishment of northern red oak genetic tests with nursery-graded seedlings

Treesearch

S. A. Lay; M. A. Remaley; S. E. Schlarbaum; P. P. Kormanik; T. Tibbs; R. A. Cox; T. LaFarge; A. M. Saxton

1997-01-01

Artificial regeneration of northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) has had variable success over time. Current nursery practices generally involve the growth of seedlings to a standardized height and form with little regard to seed source, seedling quality, or subsequent field performance. Additionally, there is not an accepted culling criteria for...

Peat landforms along the Albany River, northern Ontario. An ecological study of peat landforms in Canada and Alaska

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glaser, P. H.

1985-01-01

During the summer of 1985 a field investigation was started in the Hudson Bay lowland region of northern Ontario, which represents the largest expanse of peatland in North America and is an important sink in the global carbon cycle. A key area in the lowlands is situated along the Albany River near the confluence of the Chepay River. Here the striking vegetation-landforms are transitional between those found on the bed of Glacial Lake Agassiz in northern Minnesota and southern Manitoba and the more northern peatlands in the Hudson Bay lowland region. In peatland studies elsewhere the landform patterns have been used not only to classify different peatland types but also as an indicator of potential developmetnal trends. The study area is generally defined by that covered by the TM scene E-40062-15532 taken on Sept. 16, 1982. The purpose of the field work is to acquire sufficent information to interpret the TM imagery and test various hypotheses on peatland development on the gasis of the pattern transitions.

Northern Colorado Transportation Internship Program (NCTIP)

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-05-01

The field of transportation is rapidly becoming a popular career choice for undergraduate engineering students. Many work opportunities are available in the area of transportation including computer software analysis, field testing, and consulting. U...

Seismic anisotropy of the Slave craton, NW Canada, from joint interpretation of SKS and Rayleigh waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snyder, David; Bruneton, Marianne

2007-04-01

Teleseismic events recorded at a 25-element array in NW Canada between 2001 and 2006 provided sufficient distribution in back azimuth to demonstrate birefringence in SKS and SKKS waves as well as directional dependence of Rayleigh-wave phase velocities. Typical delays between orthogonally polarized SKS waves are 0.8-1.2 s, and modelling of azimuthal dependence indicates two nearly horizontal layers of anisotropy within the mantle. Anisotropy of Rayleigh waves is generally consistent with models of layered Vs anisotropies that increase with depth from 1 per cent at the Moho to 9 per cent at 200 km but vary between subarrays. Consistency between the SKS and Rayleigh wave anisotropies in one subarray suggests that the assumption of symmetry about a horizontal axis is valid there but is not fully valid in other parts of the craton. The upper layer of anisotropy occupies approximately the uppermost 120 km in which the fast polarization direction strikes generally north-south, coinciding with regional-scale fold axes mapped at the surface. The fast polarization direction of the deeper layer aligns with current North America plate motion, but its correlation with trends of coeval kimberlite eruptions within the Lac de Gras field suggests it can be at least partly attributed to structural preferred orientation of vertical dykes inferred to exist to depths of 200 km.

Spatial and temporal variations in the sediment state of North American dune fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halfen, Alan F.; Lancaster, Nicholas; Wolfe, Stephen

2015-04-01

This research evaluates geomorphic and chronologic data from the INQUA Dune Atlas for three areas of North America: 1) the Prairie, Parkland and Boreal ecozones of the northern Great Plains in Canada; 2) the Central Great Plains of the USA; and 3) the deserts of southwestern USA and northern Mexico. Chronometric data for periods of dune activity and stability are compared with palaeoenvironment reconstructions to assess dune system response to changes in sediment supply, availability, and mobility. Dune fields in the northern Great Plains were formed from glaciofluvial or glaciolacustrine sediments deposited during deglaciation 16-11 ka. Subsequent aeolian deposition occurred in Parkland and Prairie dune fields as a result of mid-Holocene (8-5 ka) and late-Holocene (< 3.5 ka) activity related to drought conditions. In the Central Great Plains, many dune fields are closely linked to fluvial sediment sources. Sediment supply was high in these dune fields during deglaciation of the Rocky Mountains and resulted in widespread dune construction 16-10 ka. Multiple periods of Holocene reactivation are recorded and reflect increased sediment availability during drought episodes. Dune fields in the southwestern deserts experienced periods of construction as a result of enhanced supply of sediment from fluvial and lacustrine sources during the period 11.8 - 8 ka and at short but repeated intervals during the late Holocene. Despite spatial and temporal gaps in chronometric data, the record from North American dune fields indicates the strong influence of sediment supply on dune construction, with changes in sediment availability, as a result of drought, being the primary driver of dune activity during the Holocene.

In situ analysis of carbon isotopes in North American diamonds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Rythoven, A. D.; Hauri, E. H.; Wang, J.; McCandless, T.; Shirey, S. B.; Schulze, D. J.

2010-12-01

Diamonds from three North American kimberlite occurrences were investigated with cathodoluminescence (CL) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) to determine their growth history and carbon isotope composition. Diamonds analyzed include fourteen from Lynx (Quebec), twelve from Kelsey Lake (Colorado) and eleven from A154 South (Diavik mine, Northwest Territories). Growth histories for the diamonds vary from simple to highly complex based on their CL images and depending on the individual stone. Deformation laminae are evident in CL images of the Lynx diamonds that typically are brownish in color. Two to five points per diamond were analyzed by SIMS for carbon isotope composition. Sample heterogeneity is minimal in terms of δ13C (vs. PDB) values. Points within single diamond had a maximum range of approximately 1 ‰. The results for the A154 South (-6.4 to -3 ‰) and Kelsey Lake (-11.2 to -2.6 ‰) stones were in accordance with earlier reported values. The Lynx kimberlite stones have anomalously high ratios and range from -3.5 to +0.2 ‰ (average: -1.4 ‰). No previous carbon isotope analyses on diamonds from Lynx or any other eastern Superior craton occurrence have been published. The diamonds possess carbon isotope ratios higher than those for the only other reported analyses of Superior craton diamonds at Wawa, Ontario (-5.5 to -1.1 ‰). In global terms, the only published analyses of diamonds that consistently contain even higher values are those from New South Wales (Australia). However, these diamonds are alluvial and contain eclogitic and/or exotic mineral inclusions. The Lynx diamonds are entirely peridotitic and from a primary deposit. The unusually low (i.e. >-5‰) δ13C values of the Lynx (and Wawa) diamonds may indicate a different carbon reservoir for the Superior craton mantle as compared to other cratons.

A subduction wedge origin for Paleoarchean peridotitic diamonds and harzburgites from the Panda kimberlite, Slave craton: evidence from Re-Os isotope systematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Westerlund, K. J.; Shirey, S. B.; Richardson, S. H.; Carlson, R. W.; Gurney, J. J.; Harris, J. W.

2006-09-01

An extensive study of peridotitic sulfide inclusion bearing diamonds and their prospective harzburgitic host rocks from the 53 Ma Panda kimberlite pipe, Ekati Mine, NWT Canada, has been undertaken with the Re-Os system to establish their age and petrogenesis. Diamonds with peridotitic sulfide inclusions have poorly aggregated nitrogen (<30% N as B centers) at N contents of 200-800 ppm which differs from that of chromite and silicate bearing diamonds and indicates residence in the cooler portion of the Slave craton lithospheric mantle. For most of the sulfide inclusions, relatively low Re contents (average 0.457 ppm) and high Os contents (average 339 ppm) lead to extremely low 187Re/188Os, typically << 0.05. An age of 3.52 ± 0.17 Ga (MSWD = 0.46) and a precise initial 187Os/188Os of 0.1093 ± 0.0001 are given by a single regression of 11 inclusions from five diamonds that individually provide coincident internal isochrons. This initial Os isotopic composition is 6% enriched in 187Os over 3.5 Ga chondritic or primitive mantle. Sulfide inclusions with less radiogenic initial Os isotopic compositions reflect isotopic heterogeneity in diamond forming fluids. The harzburgites have even lower initial 187Os/188Os than the sulfide inclusions, some approaching the isotopic composition of 3.5 Ga chondritic mantle. In several cases isotopically distinct sulfides occur in different growth zones of the same diamond. This supports a model where C-O-H-S fluids carrying a radiogenic Os signature were introduced into depleted harzburgite and produced diamonds containing sulfides conforming to the 3.5 Ga isochron. Reaction of this fluid with harzburgite led to diamonds with less radiogenic inclusions while elevating the Os isotope ratios of some harzburgites. Subduction is a viable way of introducing such fluids. This implies a role for subduction in creating early continental nuclei at 3.5 Ga and generating peridotitic diamonds.

Volatile composition of microinclusions in diamonds from the Panda kimberlite, Canada: Implications for chemical and isotopic heterogeneity in the mantle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burgess, Ray; Cartigny, Pierre; Harrison, Darrell; Hobson, Emily; Harris, Jeff

2009-03-01

In order to better investigate the compositions and the origins of fluids associated with diamond growth, we have carried-out combined noble gas (He and Ar), C and N isotope, K, Ca and halogen (Cl, Br, I) determinations on fragments of individual microinclusion-bearing diamonds from the Panda kimberlite, North West Territories, Canada. The fluid concentrations of halogens and noble gases in Panda diamonds are enriched by several orders of magnitude over typical upper mantle abundances. However, noble gas, C and N isotopic ratios ( 3He/ 4He = 4-6 Ra, 40Ar/ 36Ar = 20,000-30,000, δ 13C = -4.5‰ to -6.9‰ and δ 15N = -1.2‰ to -8.8‰) are within the worldwide range determined for fibrous diamonds and similar to the mid ocean ridge basalt (MORB) source value. The high 36Ar content of the diamonds (>1 × 10 -9 cm 3/g) is at least an order of magnitude higher than any previously reported mantle sample and enables the 36Ar content of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle to be estimated at ˜0.6 × 10 -12 cm 3/g, again similar to estimates for the MORB source. Three fluid types distinguished on the basis of Ca-K-Cl compositions are consistent with carbonatitic, silicic and saline end-members identified in previous studies of diamonds from worldwide sources. These fluid end-members also have distinct halogen ratios (Br/Cl and I/Cl). The role of subducted seawater-derived halogens, originally invoked to explain some of the halogen ratio variations in diamonds, is not considered an essential component in the formation of the fluids. In contrast, it is considered that large halogen fractionation of a primitive mantle ratio occurs during fluid-melt partitioning in forming silicic fluids, and during separation of an immiscible saline fluid.

Origin of zircon-bearing mantle eclogites entrained in the V. Grib kimberlite (Arkhangelsk region, NW Russia): Evidence from mineral geochemistry and the U-Pb and Lu-Hf isotope compositions of zircon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shchukina, Elena V.; Agashev, Alexey M.; Zedgenizov, Dmitry A.

2018-05-01

The concentrations of major and trace elements in minerals, reconstructed whole-rock compositions of zircon-bearing equigranular eclogites from the V. Grib kimberlite pipe located within the Arkhangelsk Diamondiferous Province (North-Western Russia), and results of the U-Pb and Lu-Hf isotope analyses of zircon grains from eclogites and granulite xenoliths are reported. These data suggest that the equigranular eclogites could represent the fragments of mid-ocean-ridge basalt that were metamorphosed during Paleoproterozoic subduction at 1.7-1.9 Ga. The Hf isotope compositions of the eclogitic zircon display uniformity and indicate corresponding Hf-depleted mantle model ages of 2.2-2.3 Ga. The formation of zircon in eclogites could have resulted from interactions with metasomatic/subduction-related fluids just prior to, but associated with, Paleoproterozoic eclogite formation. A link between eclogitic zircon formation and continental lower-crustal rocks can be excluded based on differences in the Hf isotope compositions of eclogitic and granulitic zircon grains. The U-Pb upper intercept age of granulitic zircon of 2716 ± 61 Ma provides a new minimum age constraint for zircon crystallisation and granulite formation. The U-Pb ages obtained from granulitic zircon show two stages of Pb loss at 2.2-2.6 Ga and 1.7-2.0 Ga. The late Paleoproterozoic stage of Pb loss recorded in granulitic zircon is due to the intensive reworking of basement crustal rocks, which was caused by a tectonic process/subduction event associated with equigranular eclogite formation. Our data, along with evidence previously obtained from the V. Grib pipe coarse-granular eclogites, show at least two main subduction events in the lithospheric mantle of the Arkhangelsk region: the Archean (2.8 Ga) and Paleoproterozoic (1.7-1.9 Ga) subductions, which correspond to major magmatic and metamorphic events in the Baltic Shield.

The ambient stress field in the continental margin around the Korean Peninsula and Japanese islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, J.; Hong, T. K.; Chang, C.

2016-12-01

The ambient stress field is mainly influenced by regional tectonics. The stress field composition is crucial information for seismic hazard assessment. The Korean Peninsula, Japanese Islands and East Sea comprise the eastern margin of the Eurasian plate. The regions are surrounded by the Okhotsk, Pacific, and Philippine Sea plates. We investigate the regional stress field around the Korean Peninsula and Japanese islands using the focal mechanism solutions of regional earthquakes. Complex lateral and vertical variations of regional crustal stress fields are observed around a continental margin. The dominant compression directions are ENE-WSW around the Korean Peninsula and eastern China, E-W in the central East Sea and northern and southern Japan, NW-SE in the central Japan, and N-S around the northern Nankai trough. The horizontal compression directions are observed to be different by fault type, suggesting structure-dependent stress field distortion. The regional stress field change by depth and location, suggesting that the compression and tension stress may alternate in local region. The stress field and structures affect mutually, causing stress field distortion and reactivation of paleo-structures. These observation may be useful for understanding of local stress-field perturbation for seismic hazard mitigation of the region.

Northern Forest DroughtNet: A New Framework to Understand Impacts of Precipitation Change on the Northern Forest Ecosystem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asbjornsen, H.; Rustad, L.; Templer, P. H.; Jennings, K.; Phillips, R.; Smith, M.

2014-12-01

Recent trends and projections for future change for the U.S. northern forests suggest that the region's climate is becoming warmer, wetter, and, ironically, drier, with more precipitation occurring as large events, separated by longer periods with no precipitation. However, to date, precipitation manipulation experiments conducted in forest ecosystems represent only ~5% of all such experiments worldwide, and our understanding of how the mesic-adapted northern forest will respond to greater frequency and intensity of drought in the future is especially poor. Several important challenges have hampered previous research efforts to conduct forest drought experiments and draw robust conclusions, including difficulties in reducing water uptake by deep and lateral tree roots, logistical and financial constraints to establishing and maintaining large-scale field experiments, and the lack of standardized approaches for determining the appropriate precipitation manipulation treatment (e.g., amount and timing of throughfall displacement), designing and constructing the throughfall displacement infrastructure, identifying key response variables, and collecting and analyzing the field data. The overarching goal of this project is to establish a regional research coordination network - Northern Forest DroughtNet - to investigate the impacts of changes in the amount and distribution of precipitation on the hydrology, biogeochemistry, and carbon (C) cycling dynamics of northern temperate forests. Specific objectives include the development of a standard prototype for conducting precipitation manipulation studies in forest ecosystems (in collaboration with the international DroughtNet-RCN) and the implementation of this prototype drought experiment at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest. Here, we present the advances made thus far towards achieving the objectives of Northern Forest DroughtNet, plans for future work, and an invitation to the larger scientific community interested in precipitation manipulation experiments in forest ecosystems to participate in the network.

Boundary Conditions for Aeolian Activity in North American Dune Fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halfen, A. F.; Lancaster, N.; Wolfe, S.

2014-12-01

Geomorphic and chronological data for dune fields are evaluated for three contrasting areas of North America: 1) the Prairie-Parkland-Boreal ecozones of the northern Great Plains in Canada; 2) the Central Great Plains of the USA; and 3) the deserts of southwestern USA and northern Mexico. Luminescence and radiocarbon ages for periods of dune accumulation and stability are compared with palaeoenvironment proxies to provide an assessment of the boundary conditions of dune system response to changes in sediment supply, availability, and mobility. Dune fields in the northern Great Plains were formed from sediment originating from glaciofluvial or glaciolacustrine sediments deposited during deglaciation 16-11 ka. Subsequent aeolian deposition occurred in Parkland and Prairie dune fields as a result of mid-Holocene (8-5 ka) and late-Holocene (< 3.5 ka) activity related to drought conditions that reworked pre-existing aeolian sands. In the Central Great Plains, dune fields are closely linked to fluvial sediment sources. Sediment supply was high during deglaciation of the Rocky Mountains and resulted in widespread dune construction 16-10 ka. Multiple periods of Holocene reactivation are recorded and reflect increased sediment availability during drought episodes. Dune fields in the southwestern deserts experienced periods of construction as a result of enhanced supply of sediment from fluvial and lacustrine sources during the period 11.8-8 ka and at multiple intervals during the late Holocene. Despite spatial and temporal gaps in chronometric data as a result of sampling biases, the record from North American dune fields indicates the strong influence of sediment supply on dune construction, with changes in sediment availability as a result of drought episodes resulting in dune field reactivation and reworking of pre-existing sediment.

Ground-based observations of Saturn's H3+ aurora and ring rain from Keck in 2013

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Donoghue, J.; Melin, H.; Stallard, T.; Provan, G.; Moore, L.; Badman, S. V.; Baines, K. H.; Miller, S.; Cowley, S. W. H.

2014-12-01

The ground-based 10-metre Keck telescope was used to probe Saturn's H3+ ionosphere in 2013. The slit on the high resolution near infrared spectrometer (NIRSPEC; (R~25,000) was aligned pole-to-pole along Saturn's rotational axis at local noon. This is also aligned (within uncertainties) to the effectively dipolar magnetic field. Four polar/auroral regions of Saturn's ionosphere were measured simultaneously as the planet rotated: 1) the northern noon main auroral oval; 2) the northern midnight main oval; 3) the northern polar cap and 4) the southern main oval at noon. The results here contain twenty-three H3+ temperatures, column densities and total emissions located at the above regions spread over timescales of both hours and days. The main findings of this study are that ionospheric temperatures in the northern main oval are cooler than their southern counterparts by tens of K; supportive of the hypothesis that the total thermospheric heating rate (Joule heating and ion drag) is inversely proportional to magnetic field strength. The main oval H3+ density and emission is lower at northern midnight than at noon, and this is in agreement with an electron influx peaking at 08:00 Saturn local time and having a minimum at midnight. When ordering the northern main oval parameters of H3+ as a function of the oscillation period seen in Saturn's magnetic field - the planetary period oscillation (PPO) phase - we see a large peak in H3+ density and emission at ˜110° phase, with a full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of ˜40°. This seems to indicate that the influx of electrons associated with the PPO phase at 90° is responsible at least in part for the behavior of all H3+ parameters. In addition to the auroral/polar data we also present the latest results from observations of Saturn's mid-to-low latitude H3+ emission. This emission is thought to be modulated by charged water product influx which flows into the planet along magnetic field lines from Saturn's rings, i.e. ring rain. Figure: H3+ Q(1,0) parameters as a functon of northern PPO phase. The x- and y-axes show the PPO phase angle versus the H3+ parameters in each of the four panels: a) Q(1,0) line intensity, b) temperature, c) column density and d) total emission. The blue, green and red correspond to the 19th, 20th and 21st of April, respectively.

Measurements and simulation of forest leaf area index and net primary productivity in Northern China.

PubMed

Wang, P; Sun, R; Hu, J; Zhu, Q; Zhou, Y; Li, L; Chen, J M

2007-11-01

Large scale process-based modeling is a useful approach to estimate distributions of global net primary productivity (NPP). In this paper, in order to validate an existing NPP model with observed data at site level, field experiments were conducted at three sites in northern China. One site is located in Qilian Mountain in Gansu Province, and the other two sites are in Changbaishan Natural Reserve and Dunhua County in Jilin Province. Detailed field experiments are discussed and field data are used to validate the simulated NPP. Remotely sensed images including Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper plus (ETM+, 30 m spatial resolution in visible and near infrared bands) and Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER, 15m spatial resolution in visible and near infrared bands) are used to derive maps of land cover, leaf area index, and biomass. Based on these maps, field measured data, soil texture and daily meteorological data, NPP of these sites are simulated for year 2001 with the boreal ecosystem productivity simulator (BEPS). The NPP in these sites ranges from 80 to 800 gCm(-2)a(-1). The observed NPP agrees well with the modeled NPP. This study suggests that BEPS can be used to estimate NPP in northern China if remotely sensed images of high spatial resolution are available.

Reworking of Archean mantle in the NE Siberian craton by carbonatite and silicate melt metasomatism: Evidence from a carbonate-bearing, dunite-to-websterite xenolith suite from the Obnazhennaya kimberlite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ionov, Dmitri A.; Doucet, Luc S.; Xu, Yigang; Golovin, Alexander V.; Oleinikov, Oleg B.

2018-03-01

The Obnazhennaya kimberlite in the NE Siberian craton hosts a most unusual cratonic xenolith suite, with common rocks rich in pyroxenes and garnet, and no sheared peridotites. We report petrographic and chemical data for whole rocks (WR) and minerals of 20 spinel and garnet peridotites from Obnazhennaya with Re-depletion Os isotope ages of 1.8-2.9 Ga (Ionov et al., 2015a) as well as 2 pyroxenites. The garnet-bearing rocks equilibrated at 1.6-2.8 GPa and 710-1050 °C. Some xenoliths contain vermicular spinel-pyroxene aggregates with REE patterns in clinopyroxene mimicking those of garnet. The peridotites show significant scatter of Mg# (0.888-0.924), Cr2O3 (0.2-1.4 wt.%) and high NiO (0.3-0.4 wt.%). None are pristine melting residues. Low-CaO-Al2O3 (≤0.9 wt.%) dunites and harzburgites are melt-channel materials. Peridotites with low to moderate Al2O3 (0.4-1.8 wt.%) usually have CaO > Al2O3, and some have pockets of calcite texturally equilibrated with olivine and garnet. Such carbonates, exceptional in mantle xenoliths and reported here for the first time for the Siberian mantle, provide direct evidence for modal makeover and Ca and LREE enrichments by ephemeral carbonate-rich melts. Peridotites rich in CaO and Al2O3 (2.7-8.0 wt.%) formed by reaction with silicate melts. We infer that the mantle lithosphere beneath Obnazhennaya, initially formed in the Mesoarchean, has been profoundly modified. Pervasive inter-granular percolation of highly mobile and reactive carbonate-rich liquids may have reduced the strength of the mantle lithosphere leading the way for reworking by silicate melts. The latest events before the kimberlite eruption were the formation of the carbonate-phlogopite pockets, fine-grained pyroxenite veins and spinel-pyroxene symplectites. The reworked lithospheric sections are preserved at Obnazhennaya, but similar processes could erode lithospheric roots in the SE Siberian craton (Tok) and the North China craton, where ancient melting residues and reworked garnet-bearing peridotites are absent. The modal, chemical and Os-isotope compositions of the Obnazhennaya xenoliths produced by reaction of refractory peridotites with melts are very particular (high Ca/Al, no Mg#-Al correlations, highly variable Cr, low 187Os/188Os, continuous modal range from olivine-rich to low-olivine peridotites, wehrlites and websterites) and distinct from those of fertile lherzolites in off-craton xenoliths and peridotite massifs. These features argue against the concept of 'refertilization' of cratonic and other refractory peridotites by mantle-derived melts as a major mechanism to form fertile to moderately depleted lherzolites in continental lithosphere. The Obnazhennaya xenoliths represent a natural rock series produced by 'refertilization', but include no rocks equivalent in modal, major and trace element to the fertile lherzolites. This study shows that 'refertilization' yields broad, continuous ranges of modal and chemical compositions with common wehrlites and websterites that are rare among off-craton xenoliths.

In situ crystal chemical study of solid diamond inclusions from Quaternary alluvial deposit in the Siberian craton

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dera, P. K.; Manghnani, M. H.; Hushur, A.; Sobolev, N. V.; Logvinova, A. M.; Newville, M.; Lanzirotti, A.

2013-12-01

Kimberlites belong to rare rock type available only within the Earth's cratonic areas and have been a subject of detailed studies because of the great depth of their origin in the mantle. Kimberlitic diamonds often contain pristine inclusions derived from significant depths with different histories of their origins. Many of kimberlitic diamonds were formed in ultramafic (peridotitic) and mafic (eclogitic) environments of the upper mantle. Thus far only a handful of comprehensive in situ studies including single-crystal X-ray diffraction characterization of pristine diamond solid inclusions have been reported (e.g. Kunz et al. 2001, Nestola et al. 2011). In this study five single-crystal solid inclusions from diamonds found in the Quaternary alluvial deposit in NW of the Siberian craton have been investigated using a combination of in situ single-crystal X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, synchrotron X-ray microfluorescence and X-ray Absorption Near Edge Spectroscopy (XANES). The grains were identified to be a suite of major upper mantle minerals including olivine, enstatite orthopyroxene (opx), C2/c omphacite clinopyroxene (cpx) and majoritic garnet (two grains), indicating eclogitic origin. All five inclusions are chemically homogeneous, do not show compositional zoning, and exhibit very similar major element chemistry, with significant amounts of Mn2+, Ni2+ and Cr3+ incorporated into the crystal structures, suggesting common geologic origin. All samples were studied in situ, while still embedded in the diamond crystals. High quality single-crystal X-ray diffraction data was collected at the Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory to reveal details of the crystal structures and provide crystal chemical information. Some of the structural characteristics of the solid inclusions were found to be fairly uncommon, e.g. the orthoenstatite exhibits an unusually high Ca2+ content (Carlson et al. 1988), and omphacite occurs as the less common C2/c polymorph (Banno, 1970), both of which are considered signatures of eclogitic high-temperature facies. Fe Ka-edge XANES was used to investigate the oxidation state of iron in the solid inclusions. All of the inclusions show predominantly Fe2+, indicating reducing conditions of formation. The combined results of our spectroscopic and diffraction experiments will be interpreted in the context of the conditions and mechanism of formation (syngenesis vs. protogenesis) and possible retrograde transformation the inclusions may have experienced when transported to the surface. References Carlson, W.D. J.S. Swinnea, D.E. Miser (1988) 'Stability of orthoenstatite at high temperature and low pressure' Amer. Mineral. 73: 1255-1263. Banno, S. (1970) 'Classification of eclogites in terms of physical condition of their origin' Phys. Earth. Planet. Interiors 3: 405-421. Kunz, M., P. Gillet, et al. (2002). "Combined in situ X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy on majoritic garnet inclusions in diamonds." Earth and Planet. Sci. Lett. 198: 485-493. Nestola, F., P. Nimis, et al. (2011). "First crystal-structure determination of olivine in diamond: Composition and implications for provenance in the Earth's mantle." Earth and Planet. Sci. Lett. 305: 249-255.

Helium isotope evidence for plume metasomatism of Siberian continental lithosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barry, P. H.; Hilton, D. R.; Howarth, G. H.; Pernet-Fisher, J. F.; Day, J. M.; Taylor, L. A.

2013-12-01

The Siberian craton contains more than 1000 kimberlite intrusions of various ages (Silurian to Jurassic), making it an ideal setting for understanding temporal and spatial variations in subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) composition and metasomatism. This region also experienced one of the largest flood basalt events in the geologic record. The Permo-Triassic Siberian Flood Basalts (SFB) are considered to have erupted in response to plume-head impingement under the Siberian SCLM. Here we present new He-isotope data for a suite of peridotitic xenoliths (n=19) from two temporally and petrologically-distinct kimberlite pipes (i.e., Late-Devonian Udachnaya and Jurassic Obnazhennaya) in Siberia that span the age of eruption of the SFB. All samples have previously been well-characterized, mineralogically, petrographically, and for major- and trace-element abundance geochemistry. He-isotope ratios (3He/4He) of garnet, pyroxene and olivine separates from 2.7-3.1 Ga Siberian peridotites range from 0.11 to 8.4 RA, displaying both strongly radiogenic (i.e., low 3He/4He) and mantle-like (i.e., SCLM = 6.1 × 0.9 RA; MORB = 8 × 1 RA) values. In contrast, SFB values extend up to ~13 RA [1]. Helium concentrations span ~ five orders of magnitude from 0.05 to 350 [4He]C (×10-6) cm3STP/g. These findings are consistent with previous studies [2], which suggested that the SCLM is heterogeneous with respect to He and that this heterogeneity is strongly dependent on lithospheric age. Notably, all but one Obnazhennaya sample displays 3He/4He values in the mantle range and are He depleted. In contrast, all but one Udachnaya samples are radiogenic and have higher He contents. Previous studies have suggested that partially-melted subducted ocean crust amalgamated to form the Siberian craton at ~3 Ga [3], followed by a complex history of metasomatism until eruption of xenolith samples within kimberlites [4]. For example, during the main stage of SFB emplacement (i.e., Siberian plume activity), large degree partial-melts percolated through the SCLM towards crustal magma chambers. As a result, xenoliths from the younger Obnazhennaya pipe show strong petrological evidence for plume-related basaltic metasomatism, whereas older Udachnaya samples do not [4]. Thus, we interpret the marked He-isotope disparity between ';pre-plume' Udachnaya and ';post-plume' Obnazhennaya xenoliths to be the direct result of metasomatic refertilization associated with the emplacement of the SFB. The lower He concentrations in Obnazhennaya xenoliths may also point to extensive He-loss during the SFB, that may also be coupled with key volatiles that are outgassed into the atmosphere during flood basalt volcanism (e.g.,CO2). Our new results provide compelling evidence that mantle plume impingement can profoundly modify continental regions and that He isotopes are a very sensitive tracer of metasomatism. [1] Basu et al., 1995. Science, 822-825. [2] Day et al., 2012, AGU Abstract V53A-2796. [3] Pearson et al., 1995. GCA, 59, 959-977. [4] Howarth et al., 2013 Lithos, In review.

Forest habitat types of northern Idaho: A second approximation

Treesearch

Stephen V. Cooper; Kenneth E. Neiman; David W. Roberts

1991-01-01

The addition of more than 900 plots to the Daubenmire's original 181-plot database has resulted in a refinement of their potential natural vegetation-based land classification for northern Idaho. A diagnostic, indicator species-based key is provided for field identification of the eight climax series, 46 habitat types, and 60 phases. Recognized syntaxa are...

Northern Indian California Education Project; An Analysis of Responses by Practicing School Psychologists on a Pre-Questionaire.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tarbet, Don; Miles, Marilyn

School psychologists (13) representing the 6 counties served by the Northern Indian California Education Project (Title III, Elementary and Secondary Education Act) attended a workshop on January 14, 1972, at Humboldt State College. Also attending were Humboldt State personnel from the fields of education and psychology. The workshop was intended…

Realized gains from block-plot coastal Douglas-fir trials in the northern Oregon Cascades

Treesearch

Terrence Z. Ye; Keith J.S. Jayawickrama; J. Bradley St. Clair

2010-01-01

Realized gains for coastal Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii) were evaluated using data collected from 15-year-old trees from five field trials planted in large block plots in the northern Oregon Cascades. Three populations with different genetic levels (elite--high predicted gain; intermediate--moderate predicted gain; and an...

Petroleum resource potential GIS of northern Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Steinshouer, Douglas W.; Klett, Timothy R.; Ulmishek, Gregory F.; Wandrey, Craig J.; Wahl, Ronald R.; Hill, Ronald J.; Pribil, Michael J.; Pawlewicz, Mark J.; King, J. David; Agena, Warren F.; Taylor, David J.; Amirzada, Abdulla; Selab, Amir Mohammad; Mutteh, Abdul-Salam; Haidari, Ghulam Naqshband; Wardak, Moeengul Gullabudeen

2006-01-01

The CD-ROM contains an ESRI ArcReader format GIS project presenting the results of a petroleum resource assessment of Northern Afghanistan, and other data used in the petroleum assessment. Geologic, structural, field, well, political, and other GIS layers covering Afghanistan, Northern Afghanistan and adjacent areas, along with associated geochemical and other data tables pertinent to a petroleum assessment are included. The purpose of this GIS is to provide the basic data layers and tables required to support the petroleum assessment, data for further exploration and development, and an index of known data.

Preliminary Findings from the One-Year Electric Field Study in the North Slope of Alaska (OYES-NSA), Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Field Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lavigne, T.; Liu, C.

2017-12-01

Previous studies focusing on the comparison of the measured electric field to the physical properties of global electrified clouds have been conducted almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere. The One-Year Electric Field Study-North Slope of Alaska (OYES-NSA) aims to establish a long-running collection of this valuable electric field data in the Northern Hemisphere. Presented here is the six-month preliminary data and results of the OYES-NSA Atmospheric Radiation Mission (ARM) field campaign. The local electric field measured in Barrow, Alaska using two CS110 reciprocating shutter field meters, has been compared to simultaneous measurements from the ARM Ka-Band zenith radar, to better understand the influence and contribution of different types of clouds on the local electric field. The fair-weather electric field measured in Barrow has also been analyzed and compared to the climatology of electric field at Vostok Station, Antarctica. The combination of the electric field dataset in the Northern Hemisphere, alongside the local Ka cloud radar, global Precipitation Feature (PF) database, and quasi-global lightning activity (55oN-55oS), allows for advances in the physical understanding of the local electric field, as well as the Global Electric Circuit (GEC).

Within-field spatial distribution of Cephus cinctus (Hymenoptera: Cephidae) larvae in Montana wheat fields

Treesearch

Christian Nansen; David K. Weaver; Sharlene E. Sing; Justin B. Runyon; Wendell L. Morrill; Matthew J. Grieshop; Courtney L. Shannon; Megan L. Johnson

2005-01-01

The wheat stem sawfly, Cephus cinctus Norton, is a major insect pest in dryland wheat (Triticum L. spp.; Poaceae) fields in the northern Great Plains of the United States and in southern regions of the prairie provinces of Canada. Field infestations by this pest commonly show a distinct "edge effect", with infestation...

A study of the asymmetrical distribution of solar activity features on solar and plasma parameters (1967-2016)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Borie, M. A.; El-Taher, A. M.; Aly, N. E.; Bishara, A. A.

2018-04-01

The impact of asymmetrical distribution of hemispheric sunspot areas (SSAs) on the interplanetary magnetic field, plasma, and solar parameters from 1967 to 2016 has been studied. The N-S asymmetry of solar-plasma activities based on SSAs has a northern dominance during solar cycles 20 and 24. However, it has a tendency to shift to the southern hemisphere in cycles 21, 22, and 23. The solar cycle 23 showed that the sorted southern SSAs days predominated over the northern days by ˜17%. Through the solar cycles 21-24, the SSAs of the southern hemisphere were more active. In contrast, the northern SSAs predominate over the southern one by 9% throughout solar cycle 20. On the other hand, the average differences of field magnitude for the sorted northern and southern groups during solar cycles 20-24 are statistically insignificant. Clearly, twenty years showed that the solar plasma ion density from the sorted northern group was denser than that of southern group and a highest northern dominant peak occurred in 1971. In contrast, seventeen out of fifty years showed the reverse. In addition, there are fifteen clear asymmetries of solar wind speed (SWS), with SWS (N) > SWS (S), and during the years 1972, 2002, and 2008, the SWS from the sorted northern group was faster than that of southern activity group by 6.16 ± 0.65 km/s, 5.70 ± 0.86 km/s, and 5.76 ± 1.35 km/s, respectively. For the solar cycles 20-24, the grand-averages of P from the sorted solar northern and southern have nearly the same parameter values. The solar plasma was hotter for the sorted northern activity group than the southern ones for 17 years out of 50. Most significant northern prevalent asymmetries were found in 1972 (5.76 ± 0.66 × 103 K) and 1996 (4.7 ± 0.8 × 103 K), while two significant equivalent dominant southern asymmetries (˜3.8 ± 0.3 × 103 K) occurred in 1978 and 1993. The grand averages of sunspot numbers have symmetric activity for the two sorted northern and southern hemispheres through the solar cycles 20 and 21. The sunspots tend to be the southern dominance during the solar cycles 22 and 23, and it shifted during solar cycle 24 to symmetric distribution on both solar hemispheres.

Long Term, Operational Monitoring Of Enhanced Oil Recovery In Harsh Environments With INSAR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, S.; Henschel, M. D.

2012-01-01

Since 2004, MDA GSI has provided ground deformation measurements for an oil field in northern Alberta, Canada using InSAR technology. During this period, the monitoring has reliably shown the slow rise of the oil field due to enhanced oil recovery operations. The InSAR monitoring solution is essentially based on the observation of point and point-like targets in the field. Ground conditions in the area are almost continuously changing (in their reflectivity characteristics) making it difficult to ob- serve coherent patterns from the ground. The extended duration of the oil operations has allowed us to continue InSAR monitoring and transition from RADARSAT-1 to RADARSAT-2. With RADARSAT-2 and the enhancement of the satellite resolution capability has provided more targets of opportunity as identified by a differential coherence method. This poster provides an overview of the long term monitoring of the oil field in northern Alberta, Canada.

The system CaO-MgO-SiO2-CO2 at 1 GPa, metasomatic wehrlites, and primary carbonatite magmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, W. J.; Wyllie, P. J.

New experimental data in CaO-MgO-SiO2-CO2 at 1GPa define the vapor-saturated silicate-carbonate liquidus field boundary involving primary minerals calcite, forsterite and diopside. The eutectic reaction for melting of model calcite (1% MC)-wehrlite at 1GPa is at 1100°C, with liquid composition (by weight) 72% CaCO3 (CC), 9% MgCO3 (MC), and 18% CaMgSi2O6 (Di). These data combined with previous results permit construction of the isotherm-contoured vapor-saturated liquidus surface for the calcite/dolomite field, and part of the adjacent forsterite and diopside fields. Nearly pure calcite crystals in mantle xenoliths cannot represent equilibrium liquids. We recently determined the complete vapor-saturated liquidus surface between carbonates and model peridotites at 2.7GPa the peritectic reaction for dolomite (25% MC)-wehrlite at 2.7GPa occurs at 1300°C, with liquid composition 60% CC, 29% MC, and 11% Di. The liquidus field boundaries on these two surfaces provide the road-map for interpretation of magmatic processes in various peridotite-CO2 systems at depths between the Moho and about 100km. Relationships among kimberlites, melilitites, carbonatites and the liquidus phase boundaries are discussed. Experimental data for carbonatite liquid protected by metasomatic wehrlite have been reported. The liquid trends directly from dolomitic towards CaCO3 with decreasing pressure. The 1.5GPa liquid contains 87% CC and 4% Di, much lower in silicate components than our phase boundary. However, the liquids contain approximately the same CaCO3 (90+/- 1wt%) in terms of only carbonate components. For CO2-bearing mantle, all magmas at depth must pass through initial dolomitic compositions. Rising dolomitic carbonatite melt will vesiculate and may erupt as primary magmas through cracks from about 70km. If it percolates through metasomatic wehrlite from 70km toward the Moho at 35-40km, primary calcic siliceous carbonatite magma can be generated with silicate content at least 11-18% (70-40km) on the silicate-carbonate boundary.

Development and corroboration of a bioenergetics model for northern pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus oregonensis) feeding on juvenile salmonids in the Columbia River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Petersen, J.H.; Ward, D.L.

1999-01-01

A bioenergetics model was developed and corroborated for northern pikeminnow Ptychocheilus oregonensis, an important predator on juvenile salmonids in the Pacific Northwest. Predictions of modeled predation rate on salmonids were compared with field data from three areas of John Day Reservoir (Columbia River). To make bioenergetics model estimates of predation rate, three methods were used to approximate the change in mass of average predators during 30-d growth periods: observed change in mass between the first and the second month, predicted change in mass calculated with seasonal growth rates, and predicted change in mass based on an annual growth model. For all reservoir areas combined, bioenergetics model predictions of predation on salmon were 19% lower than field estimates based on observed masses, 45% lower than estimates based on seasonal growth rates, and 15% lower than estimates based on the annual growth model. For each growth approach, the largest differences in field-versus-model predation occurred at the midreservoir area (-84% to -67% difference). Model predictions of the rate of predation on salmonids were examined for sensitivity to parameter variation, swimming speed, sampling bias caused by gear selectivity, and asymmetric size distributions of predators. The specific daily growth rate of northern pikeminnow predicted by the model was highest in July and October and decreased during August. The bioenergetics model for northern pikeminnow performed well compared with models for other fish species that have been tested with field data. This model should be a useful tool for evaluating management actions such as predator removal, examining the influence of temperature on predation rates, and exploring interactions between predators in the Columbia River basin.

Metal films on the surfaces and within diamond crystals from Arkhangelskaya and Yakutian diamond provinces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makeev, A. B.; Kriulina, G. Yu.

2012-12-01

Representative samples of diamonds from five kimberlite pipes (Lomonosovskaya, Archangel'sk, Snegurochka, XXIII Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU), and Internationalnaya) of the Arkhangelskaya and Yakutian diamond provinces in Russia have been studied. Thirty-three varieties of metal films have been identified as syngenetic associated minerals. The films consist of 15 chemical elements that occur in the form of native metals and their natural alloys. Remnants of metal films were detected within diamond crystals. The metal films coating diamonds are a worldwide phenomenon. To date, these films have been described from Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa. Native metals, their alloys, and intermetallides are actual companion minerals of diamond.

The distribution of reconnection geometry in flux transfer events using energetic ion, plasma and magnetic data. [on dayside magnetopause

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Daly, P. W.; Rijnbeek, R. P.; Sckopke, N.; Russell, C. T.; Saunders, M. A.

1984-01-01

The distribution of energetic ion anisotropies in flux transfer events (FTEs) about the dayside magnetopause has been determined for ISEE 2 crossings of the boundary in 1977 and 1978. When the events are sorted according to the sign of the east-west component of the magnetic field in the magnetosphere, a clear correlation is observed on the northern morningside. When the field is eastward, particles flow antiparallel to the field, implying field line connection to the Northern Hemisphere; when the field is westward, the opposite is true. On the afternoonside, the particle anisotropies are correlated with latitude. Explanations for this pattern are discussed which involve FTE formation at low latitudes with subsequent motion at a velocity given by the vector superposition of the Alfven velocity from the release of magnetic tension and the magnetosheath bulk flow velocity. Evidence that the geomagnetic and not the geocentric solar magnetospheric equator is the source of FTEs is considered.

Phototaxis of larval and juvenile northern pike

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zigler, S.J.; Dewey, M.R.

1995-01-01

Age- Phi northern pike Esox lucius prefer vegetated habitats that are difficult to sample with standard towed gears. Light traps can be effective for sampling larval fishes in dense vegetation, given positive phototaxis of fish. We evaluated the phototactic response of young northern pike by comparing the catches of larvae and juveniles obtained with plexiglass traps deployed with a chemical light stick versus traps deployed without a light source (controls) in a laboratory raceway and in a vegetated pond. In the laboratory tests, catches of protolarvae and mesolarvae in lighted traps were 11-35 times greater than catches in control traps. The catches of juvenile northern pike in field and laboratory experiments were 3-15 times greater in lighted traps than in control traps, even though the maximum body width of the larger juveniles was similar to the width of the entrance slots of the traps (5 mm). Larval and juvenile northern pike were photopositive; thus, light traps should effectively sample age-0 northern pike for at least 6 weeks after hatching.

Dynamical properties and extremes of Northern Hemisphere climate fields over the past 60 years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faranda, Davide; Messori, Gabriele; Alvarez-Castro, M. Carmen; Yiou, Pascal

2017-12-01

Atmospheric dynamics are described by a set of partial differential equations yielding an infinite-dimensional phase space. However, the actual trajectories followed by the system appear to be constrained to a finite-dimensional phase space, i.e. a strange attractor. The dynamical properties of this attractor are difficult to determine due to the complex nature of atmospheric motions. A first step to simplify the problem is to focus on observables which affect - or are linked to phenomena which affect - human welfare and activities, such as sea-level pressure, 2 m temperature, and precipitation frequency. We make use of recent advances in dynamical systems theory to estimate two instantaneous dynamical properties of the above fields for the Northern Hemisphere: local dimension and persistence. We then use these metrics to characterize the seasonality of the different fields and their interplay. We further analyse the large-scale anomaly patterns corresponding to phase-space extremes - namely time steps at which the fields display extremes in their instantaneous dynamical properties. The analysis is based on the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data, over the period 1948-2013. The results show that (i) despite the high dimensionality of atmospheric dynamics, the Northern Hemisphere sea-level pressure and temperature fields can on average be described by roughly 20 degrees of freedom; (ii) the precipitation field has a higher dimensionality; and (iii) the seasonal forcing modulates the variability of the dynamical indicators and affects the occurrence of phase-space extremes. We further identify a number of robust correlations between the dynamical properties of the different variables.

The stress field below the NE German Basin: effects induced by the Alpine collision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marotta, A. M.; Bayer, U.; Scheck, M.; Thybo, H.

2001-02-01

We use a thin-sheet approach for a viscous lithosphere to investigate the effects induced by the Alpine collision on the vertical deformation and regional stress in northern Europe, focusing on the NE German Basin. New seismic studies indicate a flexural-type deep crustal structure under the basin, which may be induced by compressive forces transmitted from the south and related to Alpine tectonics. Finite element techniques are used to solve the vertical deformation and stress field for a viscous European lithosphere with horizontal rheological heterogeneities. Our results support the idea that a relatively strong lithosphere below the northern margin of the German Basin at the transition into the Baltic Shield may explain the characteristic regional stress field, especially the fan-like pattern that is observed within the region.

Performance of an elite, hybrid family of a northern × southern highbush cross (‘Draper’ × ‘Jewel’)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A family of the cross of the northern highbush blueberry ‘Draper’ × the southern highbush ‘Jewel’ (D×J) was propagated and phenotyped for fruit and plant traits for two years in the field in Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Michigan (MI) and Oregon (OR). In addition, a controlled greenhouse study was con...

Forest statistics for the Northern Mountains of Virginia, 1992

Treesearch

Tony G. Johnson

1992-01-01

This report highlights the principal findings of the sixth forest survey of the Northern Mountains of Virginia. Field work began in September 1991 and was completed in November 1991. Five previous surveys, completed in 1940, 1957, 1966, 1977, and 1986, provide statistics for measuring changes and trends over the past 52 years. The primary emphasis in this report is on...

Field Performance of High-Quality and Standard Northern Red Oak Seedlings in Tennessee

Treesearch

David S. Buckley

2002-01-01

First-year performance of high-quality (HQ), high-quality cull (HQC) and standard (ST) northern red oak (Quercus rubra) nursery seedlings was compared in a study established in a recent clearcut in mid-March, 2000. Objectives were to test effects of 1) seedling type, 2) planting treatment, and 3) control of competitors on the growth, browsing, and...

Placing our northern hardwood woodlots under management

Treesearch

Russell J. Hutnik

1956-01-01

Do you own a woodlot? Does it contain mostly northern hardwoods - that is, beech, birch, maple, and ash, with some hemlock and spruce? If the answers to these two questions are "yes," then you may be interested in the work that is carried on at the Bartlett Experimental Forest in New Hampshire. This is one of the field laboratories established by the U. S....

CHANGES IN THE STRUCTURE AND ROLES OF SPANISH-AMERICAN FAMILIES OF NORTHERN NEW MEXICO.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

KNOWLTON, CLARK S.

DATA FOR THIS PAPER WERE OBTAINED FROM EXAMINATION OF AVAILABLE LITERATURE AND FROM FIELD WORK IN SAN MIGUEL AND MORA COUNTIES OF NORTHERN NEW MEXICO. THE EXTENDED PATRIARCHAL FAMILY WAS THE PRIMARY SOCIAL SYSTEM AMONG THE SPANISH AMERICANS, OFTEN CONSISTING OF MEMBERS OF THREE OR FOUR GENERATIONS HEADED BY THE GRANDFATHER. THIS FAMILY COOPERATED…

Forest statistics for the Northern Piedmont of Virginia, 1992

Treesearch

Michael T. Thompson

1992-01-01

This report highlights the principal findings of the sixth forest survey of the Northern Piedmont of Virginia. Field work began in June 1991 and was completed in September 1991. Five previous surveys, completed in 1940, 1957, 1965, 1976, and 1986, provide statistics for measuring changes and trends over the past 52 years. The primary emphasis in this report is on the...

Indentation tectonics in northern Taiwan: insights from field observations and analog models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Chia-Yu; Lee, Jian-Cheng; Malavieille, Jacques

2017-04-01

In northern Taiwan, contraction, extension, transcurrent shearing, and block rotation are four major tectonic deformation mechanisms involved in the progressive deformation of this arcuate mountain belt. The recent evolution of the orogen is controlled not only by the oblique convergence between the Eurasian plate and the Philippine Sea plate but also by the corner shape of the plate boundary. Based on field observations, analyses, geophysical data (mostly GPS) and results of experimental models, we interpret the curved shape of northern Taiwan as a result of contractional deformation (involving imbricate thrusting and folding, backthrusting and backfolding). The subsequent horizontal and vertical extrusion, combined with increasing transcurrent & rotational deformation (bookshelf-type strike-slip faulting and block rotation) induced transcurrent/ rotational extrusion and extrusion related extensional deformation. A special type of extrusional folds characterizes that complex deformation regime. The tectonics in northern Taiwan reflects a single, regional pattern of deformation. The crescent-shaped mountain belt develops in response to oblique indentation by an asymmetric wedge indenter, retreat of Ryukyu trench and opening of the Okinawa trough. Three sets of analog sandbox models are presented to illustrate the development of tectonic structures and their kinematic evolution

Volcanogenic massive sulphide and orogenic gold deposits of northern southeast Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sack, Patrick J; Karl, Susan M.; Steeves, Nathan; Gemmell, J Bruce

2016-01-01

This five-day field trip visits the most significant mineral deposits in northern southeast Alaska. The trip begins and ends with regional transects in the interior Intermontane terranes around Whitehorse, Yukon, and the Insular terranes along the northern Chatham Strait region of southeast Alaska (Fig. A-1 and Fig. A-2; Plate-1). To put the deposits in a regional tectonic framework, the guidebook begins with an introduction to northern Cordilleran geology, tectonics and metallogeny. The foci of the deposit portion of the field trip are Late Triassic volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposits of the Alexander Triassic metallogenic belt and Paleogene orogenic gold deposits of the Juneau gold belt. Details of the local geology are further elaborated in each segment of the guide book (Days 1-5). The data that provide the basis for the VMS deposit interpretations come from a series of PhD and MSc studies by the Centre of Excellence in Ore Deposit Research (CODES) at the University of Tasmania and the University of Ottawa. These deposit-scale studies are complimented by a long history of regional mapping and research by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Oxygen-Carbon and Strontium Isotope Evidence for the Origin and Evolution of CO2-rich Volatiles from Oligocene to Miocene Mantle Magmas, Southwestern Colorado and Northwestern New Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzales, D. A.; Zbrozek, M.

2012-12-01

Oligocene to Miocene, alkaline mafic to ultramafic, rocks that are exposed in the Navajo volcanic field and dikes on the northern San Juan basin (NVSJ) contain calcite in vugs, veins, and breccias. Oxygen-carbon and Sr isotope signatures of bulk carbonate samples from these rocks were used to test hypotheses on the history of volatiles related to this pulse of mantle magmatism. Elevated fluorine in rocks, and fluorite-calcite breccias in some outcrops, indicate that magmatic volatiles were released by NVSJ melts. Oxygen and carbon isotope data for carbonate samples record a complex paragenetic history. δ13C values are mostly -8‰ to -4‰ with a mean value of -5.3 ± 2.0‰, similar to δ13C for primary mantle-derived carbonate. A subset of δ18O values are +5‰ to +10‰ which are within the accepted range of δ18O values for magmatic carbonate in carbonatite and kimberlite. A majority of δ18O values, however, range from +10‰ to +24‰ revealing that low-δ18O magmatic volatiles were overprinted by processes that caused enrichment of 18O at some stage during melt generation and emplacement. A subset of 87Sr/86Sri data from carbonate samples are nearly identical to 87Sr/86Sri for related rocks, hinting that the melts and volatiles came from the same source. Generally, NVSJ calcite samples have higher 87Sr/86Sri ratios than those of rocks, reflecting different melt-volatile sources or crustal contamination from Paleozoic limestone. Field and petrologic evidence does not lend convincing support for crustal contamination. Limestone fragments comprise less than 1% of xenoliths in NVSJ rocks. Also, rock samples do not show elevated CaO, MgO, FeO, Ba or Sr with increasing δ18O calcite which is expected for contamination of magmas with limestone. We propose that CO2-H2O-F volatiles in NVSJ magmas came from distinct melt-volatile sources, similar to the interpretation of Nowell (1993). Our assertion is that CO2-rich volatiles that exsolved from low δ18O mafic melts interacted with volatiles and melts from carbonate-bearing metasomatized lithospheric mantle. This is consistent with the subtle increase of 87Sr/86Sri rock and fluorine over the +6‰ to +24‰ range of δ18Ocalcite values recorded in minette samples. This hypothesis is supported by other studies that document +21‰ to +25‰ δ18O for carbonate in mantle xenoliths from Pliocene alkaline basalts in the region. Incipient to extensive alteration of olivine and phlogopite phenocrysts in NVSJ rocks reveals that deuteric isotopic exchange with H2O-CO2 magmatic fluids was a plausible factor for some of the variation in δ18O of calcite samples. In addition, melt contamination with limestone cannot be ruled out, but it requires nearly complete digestion of xenoliths in feeder dikes that had relatively low volumes of magma and cooled quickly. Overall, the isotope data combined with field and petrologic results are not consistent with models that invoke groundwater as the main source of volatiles in NVSJ magmas.

Isolation, characterization, and expression of a second {beta}-tubulin-encoding gene from Colletotrichum gloeosporioides f. sp. aeschynomene

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Buhr, T.L.; Dickman, M.B.

1994-11-01

Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Sacc. F. sp. aeschynomene incites anthracnose on Aeschynomene virgininica (northern jointvetch). Northern jointvetch is a leguminous weed in rice and soybean fields. Contaminating northern jointvetch seeds greatly reduce the market value of rice. C. gloeosporioides (Penz.) Sacc. F. sp. aeschynomene has been commercially marketed as a mycoherbicide to decrease populations of northern jointvetch. Development of a transformation system would be extremely useful for investigating the molecular biology of C. gloeosporioides (Penz.) Sacc. F. sp. aeschynomen. This paper reports the nucleotide sequence of a second gene for {beta} Tub (TUB2) in C. gloeosporioides (Penz.) Sacc. F. sp. aeschynomenemore » and identifies a molecular lesion which likely confers BEN (systemic fungicide) resistance.« less

Field Responsive, Center Specific: A Model for Collaborative Partnerships.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawkes, Richard R.; Stahlhut, Richard G.

A description is given of the Regional Partnership Program, a field-responsive, center-specific model established at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) designed to oversee clinical field experiences for student teachers. This cooperative partnership calls for a resident tenure track professor to be placed in a geographic area away from the main…

A step forward in understanding step-overs: the case of the Dead Sea Fault in northern Israel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dembo, Neta; Granot, Roi; Hamiel, Yariv

2017-04-01

The rotational deformation field around step-overs between segments of strike-slip faults is poorly resolved. Vertical-axis paleomagnetic rotations can be used to characterize the deformation field, and together with mechanical modeling, can provide constraints on the characteristics of the adjacent fault segments. The northern Dead Sea Fault, a major segmented sinistral transform fault that straddles the boundary between the Arabian Plate and Sinai Subplate, offers an appropriate tectonic setting for our detailed mechanical and paleomagnetic investigation. We examine the paleomagnetic vertical-axis rotations of Neogene-Pleistocene basalt outcrops surrounding a right step-over between two prominent segments of the fault: the Jordan Gorge section and the Hula East Boundary Fault. Results from 20 new paleomagnetic sites reveal significant (>20˚) counterclockwise rotations within the step-over and small clockwise rotations in the vicinity. Sites located further (>2.5 km) away from the step-over generally experience negligible to minor rotations. Finally, we construct a mechanical model guided by the observed rotational field that allows us to characterize the structural, mechanical and kinematic behavior of the Dead Sea Fault in northern Israel.

Bats respond to polarity of a magnetic field.

PubMed

Wang, Yinan; Pan, Yongxin; Parsons, Stuart; Walker, Michael; Zhang, Shuyi

2007-11-22

Bats have been shown to use information from the Earth's magnetic field during orientation. However, the mechanism underlying this ability remains unknown. In this study we investigated whether bats possess a polarity- or inclination-based compass that could be used in orientation. We monitored the hanging position of adult Nyctalus plancyi in the laboratory in the presence of an induced magnetic field of twice Earth-strength. When under the influence of a normally aligned induced field the bats showed a significant preference for hanging at the northern end of their roosting basket. When the vertical component of the field was reversed, the bats remained at the northern end of the basket. However, when the horizontal component of the field was reversed, the bats changed their positions and hung at the southern end of the basket. Based on these results, we conclude that N. plancyi, unlike all other non-mammalian vertebrates tested to date, uses a polarity-based compass during orientation in the roost, and that the same compass is also likely to underlie bats' long-distance navigation abilities.

Phylogenetic analysis of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus isolates from Northern Ireland.

PubMed

Smith, Natalie; Power, Ultan F; McKillen, John

2018-05-29

To investigate the genetic diversity of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) in Northern Ireland, the ORF5 gene from nine field isolates was sequenced and phylogenetically analysed. The results revealed relatively high diversity amongst isolates, with 87.6-92.2% identity between farms at the nucleotide level and 84.1-93.5% identity at the protein level. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that all nine isolates belonged to the European (type 1) genotype and formed a cluster within the subtype 1 subgroup. This study provides the first report on PRRSV isolate diversity in Northern Ireland.

Salinity tolerance of germinating alternative oilseeds

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Integrating oilseed crops into rotations can improve soil health benefits, nutrient retention, and pollinator provisions. Field margins represent areas where incorporation of oilseeds is feasible. However in the northern Great Plains, field margins can oftentimes be areas of saline soil, which can i...

A corotation electric field model of the Earth derived from Swarm satellite magnetic field measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maus, Stefan

2017-08-01

Rotation of the Earth in its own geomagnetic field sets up a primary corotation electric field, compensated by a secondary electric field of induced electrical charges. For the geomagnetic field measured by the Swarm constellation of satellites, a derivation of the global corotation electric field inside and outside of the corotation region is provided here, in both inertial and corotating reference frames. The Earth is assumed an electrical conductor, the lower atmosphere an insulator, followed by the corotating ionospheric E region again as a conductor. Outside of the Earth's core, the induced charge is immediately accessible from the spherical harmonic Gauss coefficients of the geomagnetic field. The charge density is positive at high northern and southern latitudes, negative at midlatitudes, and increases strongly toward the Earth's center. Small vertical electric fields of about 0.3 mV/m in the insulating atmospheric gap are caused by the corotation charges located in the ionosphere above and the Earth below. The corotation charges also flow outward into the region of closed magnetic field lines, forcing the plasmasphere to corotate. The electric field of the corotation charges further extends outside of the corotating regions, contributing radial outward electric fields of about 10 mV/m in the northern and southern polar caps. Depending on how the magnetosphere responds to these fields, the Earth may carry a net electric charge.

Impacts of forest harvest on active carbon and microbial properties of a volcanic ash cap soil in northern Idaho

Treesearch

Deborah S. Page-Dumroese; Matt D. Busse; Steven T. Overby; Brian D. Gardner; Joanne M. Tirocke

2015-01-01

Soil quality assessments are essential for determining impacts on belowground microbial community structure and function. We evaluated the suitability of active carbon (C), a rapid field test, as an indicator of soil biological quality in five paired forest stands (clear cut harvested 40 years prior and unharvested) growing on volcanic ash-cap soils in northern Idaho....

Planting northern red oak: a comparison of stock types

Treesearch

J.J. Zaczek; K.C. Steiner; T.W. Bowersox

1991-01-01

Height and survival values of northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) were compared three years after outplanting as functions of: stock types (direct-seeded, 1-0, 2-0, 1-1, 2-1, and 2-year-old seedlings grown in 7.9-liter pots), presence or absence of undercutting in the nursery, and presence or absence of top-clipping when field planting. In all, 33 or...

Student Teachers of Technology and Design into Industry: A Northern Ireland Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibson, Ken

2013-01-01

This paper, based in Northern Ireland, is a case study of an innovative programme which places year 3 B.Ed. post-primary student teachers of Technology and Design into industry for a five-day period. The industrial placement programme is set in an international context of evolving pre-service field placements and in a local context defined by the…

Coalbed methane potential in the Appalachian states of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee; an overview

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lyons, Paul C.

1996-01-01

This report focuses on the coalbed methane (CBM) potential of the central Appalachian basin (Virginia, eastern Kentucky, southern West Virginia, and Tennessee) and the northern Appalachian basin (Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia, Maryland, and Ohio). As of April 1996, there were about 800 wells producing CBM in the central and northern Appalachian basin. For the Appalchian basin as a whole (including the Cahaba coal field, Alabama, and excluding the Black Warrior Basin, Alabama), the total CBM production for 1992, 1993, 1994, and 1995, is here estimated at 7.77, 21.51, 29.99, and 32 billion cubic feet (Bcf), respectively. These production data compare with 91.38, 104.70, 110.70, and 112.11 Bcf, respectively, for the same years for the Black Warrior Basin, which is the second largest CBM producing basin in the United States. For 1992-1995, 92-95% of central and northern Appalachian CBM production came from southwestern Virginia, which has by far the largest CBM production the Appalachian states, exclusive of Alabama. For 1994, the average daily production of CBM wells in Virginia was 119.6 Mcf/day, which is about two to four times the average daily production rates for many of the CBM wells in the northern Appalachian basin. For 1992-1995, there is a clear increase in the percentage of CBM being produced in the central and northern Appalachian basin as compared with the Black Warrior Basin. In 1992, this percentage was 8% of the combined central and northern Appalachian and Black Warrior Basin CBM production as compared with 22% in 1995. These trends imply that the Appalachian states, except for Alabama and Virginia, are in their infancy with respect to CBM production. Total in place CBM resources in the central and northern Appalachian basin have been variously estimated at 66-76 trillion cubic feet (Tcf), of which an estimated 14.55 Tcf (3.07 Tcf for central Appalachian basin and 11.48 Tcf for northern Appalachian basin) is technically recoverable according to Ricei s (1995) report. This compares with 20 Tcf in place and 2.30 Tcf as technically recoverable CBM for the Black Warrior Basin. These estimates should be considered preliminary because of unknown CBM potential in Ohio, Maryland, Tennessee, and eastern Kentucky. The largest potential for CBM development in the central Appalachian basin is in the Pocahontas coal beds, which have total gas values as much as 700 cf/ton, and in the New River coal beds. In the northern Appalachian basin, the greatest CBM potential is in the Middle Pennsylvanian Allegheny coal beds, which have total gas values as much as 252 cf/ton. Rice (1995) estimated a mean estimated ultimate recovery per well of 521 MMcfg for the central Appalachian basin and means of 121 and 216 MMcfg for the anticlinal and synclinal areas, respectively, of the northern Applachian basin. There is potential for CBM development in the Valley coal fields and Richmond basin of Virginia, the bituminous region of southeastern Kentucky, eastern Ohio, northern Tennessee, and the Georges Creek coal field of western Maryland and adjacent parts of Pennsylvania. Moreover, the Anthracite region of eastern Pennsylvania, which has the second highest known total gas content for a single coal bed (687 cf/ton) in the central and northern Appalachian basin, should be considered to have a fair to good potential for CBM development where structure, bed continuity, and permeability are favorable. CBM is mainly an undeveloped unconventional fossil-fuel resource in the central and northern Appalachian basin states, except in Virginia, and will probably contribute an increasing part of total Appalachian gas production into the next century as development in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, and other Appalachian states continue. The central and northern Appalachian basins are frontier or emerging regions for CBM exploration and development, which will probably extend well into the next century. On the basis of CBM production

Lithospheric-Mantle Structure of the Kaapvaal Craton, South Africa, Derived From Thermodynamically Self-Consistent Modelling of Seismic Surface-Wave and S-wave Receiver Function, Heat-flow, Elevation, Xenolith and Magnetotelluric Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muller, M. R.; Fullea, J.; Jones, A. G.; Adam, J.; Lebedev, S.; Piana Agostinetti, N.

2012-12-01

Results from recent geophysical and mantle-xenolith geochemistry studies of the Kaapvaal Craton appear, at times, to provide disparate views of the physical, chemical and thermal structure of the lithosphere. Models from our recent SAMTEX magnetotelluric (MT) surveys across the Kaapvaal Craton indicate a resistive, 220-240 km thick lithosphere for the central core of the craton. One published S-wave receiver function (SRF) study and other surface-wave studies suggest a thinner lithosphere characterised by a ~160 km thick high-velocity "lid" underlain by a low-velocity zone (LVZ) of between 65-150 km in thickness. Other seismic studies suggest that the (high-velocity) lithosphere is thicker, in excess of 220 km. Mantle xenolith pressure-temperature arrays from Mesozoic kimberlites require that the base of the "thermal" lithosphere (i.e., the depth above which a conductive geotherm is maintained) is at least 220 km deep, to account for mantle geotherms in the range 35-38 mWm-2. Richly diamondiferous kimberlites across the Kaapvaal Craton require a lithospheric thickness substantially greater than 160 km - the depth of the top of the diamond stability field. In this paper we use the recently developed LitMod software code to derive, thermodynamically consistently, a range of 1-D seismic velocity, density, electrical resistivity and temperature models from layered geochemical models of the lithosphere based on mantle xenolith compositions. In our work, the "petrological" lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary (pLAB) (i.e., the top of the fertile asthenospheric-mantle) and the "thermal" LAB (tLAB as defined above) are coincident. Lithospheric-mantle models are found simultaneously satisfying all geophysical observables: new surface-wave dispersion data, published SRFs, MT responses, surface elevation and heat-flow. Our results show: 1. All lithospheric-mantle models are characterised by a seismic LVZ with a minimum velocity at the depth of the petrological/thermal LAB. The top of the LVZ does not correspond with the LAB. 2. Thin (~160 km-thick) lithospheric-mantle models are consistent with surface elevation and heat-flow observations only for unreasonably low average crustal heat production values (~0.4 μWm-3). However, such models are inconsistent both with the surface-wave dispersion data and youngest (Group I) palaeo-geotherms defined by xenolith P-T arrays. 3. A three-layered geochemical model (consistent with mantle xenoliths), with lithospheric thickness in excess of 220 km, is required to match all geophysical constraints. 4. The chemical transition from a depleted harzburgitic composition (above) to a refertilised high-T lherzolitic composition (below) at 160 km depth produces a sharp onset of the seismic LVZ and a sharp increase in density. Synthetic SRFs will assess whether this chemical transition may account for the reported S-to-P conversion event at 160 km depth. However, in this this instance the SRF conversion event would not represent the petrological/thermal LAB.

Lithospheric-Mantle Structure of the Kaapvaal Craton, South Africa, Derived from Thermodynamically Self-Consistent Modelling of Magnetotelluric, Surface-Wave Dispersion, S-wave Receiver Function, Heat-flow, Elevation and Xenolith Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muller, Mark; Fullea, Javier; Jones, Alan G.; Adam, Joanne; Lebedev, Sergei; Piana Agostinetti, Nicola

2013-04-01

Results from recent geophysical and mantle-xenolith geochemistry studies of the Kaapvaal Craton appear, at times, to provide disparate views of the physical, chemical and thermal structure of the lithosphere. Models from our recent SAMTEX magnetotelluric (MT) surveys across the Kaapvaal Craton indicate a resistive, 220-240 km thick lithosphere for the central core of the craton. One published S-wave receiver function (SRF) study and other surface-wave studies suggest a thinner lithosphere characterised by a ~160 km thick high-velocity "lid" underlain by a low-velocity zone (LVZ) of between 65-150 km in thickness. Other seismic studies suggest that the (high-velocity) lithosphere is thicker, in excess of 220 km. Mantle xenolith pressure-temperature arrays from Mesozoic kimberlites require that the base of the "thermal" lithosphere (i.e., the depth above which a conductive geotherm is maintained - the tLAB) is at least 220 km deep, to account for mantle geotherms in the range 35-38 mWm-2. Richly diamondiferous kimberlites across the Kaapvaal Craton require a lithospheric thickness substantially greater than 160 km - the depth of the top of the diamond stability field. In this paper we use the recently developed LitMod software code to derive, thermodynamically consistently, a range of 1-D electrical resistivity, seismic velocity, density and temperature models from layered geochemical models of the lithosphere based on mantle xenolith compositions. In our work, the "petrological" lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary (pLAB) (i.e., the top of the fertile asthenospheric-mantle) and the "thermal" LAB (tLAB) are coincident. Lithospheric-mantle models are found simultaneously satisfying all geophysical observables: MT responses, new surface-wave dispersion data, published SRFs, surface elevation and heat-flow. Our results show: 1. All lithospheric-mantle models are characterised by a seismic LVZ with a minimum velocity at the depth of the petrological/thermal LAB. The top of the LVZ does not correspond with the LAB. 2. Thin (~160 km-thick) lithospheric-mantle models are consistent with surface elevation and heat-flow observations only for unreasonably low average crustal heat production values (~0.4 µWm-3). However, such models are inconsistent both with the surface-wave dispersion data and youngest (Group I) palaeo-geotherms defined by xenolith P-T arrays. 3. A three-layered geochemical model, with lithospheric thickness in excess of 230 km, is required to match all geophysical and xenolith constraints. 4. The chemical transition from a depleted harzburgitic composition (above) to a refertilised high-T lherzolitic composition (below) at 160 km depth produces a sharp onset of the seismic LVZ and a sharp increase in density. Synthetic SRFs indicate that this chemical transition is able to account for the reported S-to-P conversion event at 160 km depth. In this this instance the 160 km deep SRF event does not represent the petrological/thermal LAB.

Detecting of the processes of the diamond formation using the monomineral thermobarometry .

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashchepkov, Igor; Afanasiev, Valentin; Pokhilenko, Lyudmila; Logvinova, Alla; Vladykin, Nikolai

2010-05-01

The methods of the monomineral thermobarometry used for the reconstruction of the mantle sections beneath the kimberlite pipes (Ashchepkov et al., 2009) allow to determined PT range for the diamond inclusions (DI) and diamond bearing associations. They show various conditions for the crystallization of diamond for in mantle lithosphere beneath the Yakutia, Africa, and North America. In Yakutia most DI (Sobolev ea 1997, 2004; Logvinova ea., 2005 and ref their in) (Cr-pyropes, Mg -opx) form Mir and Udachnaya pipes are referred to the cold geotherms 35 (partly 33 mvm-2) at the pressure range from 35 to 80 kbar. Cr- pyropes (Ti-bearing) partly drops the on the heated area near convective branches 40-45 mvm-2 convective geotherms. Most Cr- rich pyroxenes refer to the coldest or heated (metasomatic type) at the deeper parts of the mantle columns while mildly Cr-rich varieties refer to the conditions of the crystallization from the melts related to the protokimberlites and associated carbonatites near the Graphite-Diamond boundary (G-D). They are more widely distributed in mantle beneath the Mir pipe where the essential part of mantle column from 50 to 35kbar was subjected to the refertilization. But chromite PT estimates mostly refer the heated conditions of the convective branch at the lithosphere base (~70-60kbar). They are most typical for the Alakite pipes. Diamond bearing eclogites show the some separate levels of crystallization with the high T-range reflecting conditions 35 to 45 mvm-2 mostly in the 60-50 kbar interval. They coincide with the levels of the intensive heating in the mantle columns. For the South Africa in the Mesozoic pipes beneath Lesotho - Jagersfontein (Viljoen ea. 2005), Finsch (Appleyard ea., 2004; Gurney, Switzer, 1973; She ea., 1983), Koffiefontein (Rickard ea., 1986), diamond bearing associations refer to three geotherm branches. The coldest (Cr-pyropes and Mg-Opx) is related to ancient subduction with the heating at 60 and 75 kbars. The 40 mvm-2 is related to the Diam-eclogites (To according to Krogh, 1988), Fe- Opx and chromites. And hottest (45mvm-2) refers to the magmatic type eclogites (cumulates) and some HT chromites (restites). In mantle columns beneath the Proterozoic pipes like Roberts Victor (Souter, Harte, 1988; Jacob ea, 2004), Premier (Gurney ea., 1985; Viljoin ea, 2009) the eclogitic DI trace mostly 40 mvm-2 geotherm but large amount of PT point drops onto advective hottest branch. Mostly eclogites are separated to several branches according to Mg#. The Fe- rich (ancient trondjemitic cumulates) are commonly low-To (LT). Conditions for the mantle beneath Tanzania (Stachel ea, 1998) and Ghana (Stachel ea, 1997) are close to 40mvm-2 geotherm from the deepest~80 kbar level to 35 kbar. The PT estimates for DI from Guinea (Denies, Harris, 2004), those from Angola kimberlites refer to colder geotherm branch. Similar but hotter conditions are detected for the V-Cm kimberlites from Botswana - Venetia (Viljoen ea 2009; Hin et al., 2009) which in mantle columns reveals subadiabatic branch from 1450oC (45mvm-2) but the Late Mesozoic pipes in this region like Letlhakane (Achtenbergh ea, 2001; Stienfenhofer ea, 1997; Deines, Harris, 2004), Orapa (Denies ea., 2009; Stachel ea., 2004) reveal conditions close to 42 mvm-2. PT for mantle xenoliths from the "of craton" Namibian pipes (Louwrensia, Hanous) (Mitchel, 1984; Boyd ea., 2004) trace the G-D boundary or are plotted above it and only relic associations are correspondent to the levels ~65-70 kbar. The PT for OPx and some Cpx in diamonds (Harris ea, 2004) from placers are close to this boundary but those for hot (1400oC) eclogites (magmatic type) are correspondent to the lower levels of mantle columns or coincides with the hottest PT conditions for peridotites. The location of the PT estimate for DI above the Diam -Graph boundary is probably due to metastable crystallization or mantle diapirism. In North America kimberlites the conditions for the DI are mostly LT. Garnet DI from the Diavic mine (Schultze ea, 2008) locate from 50 to 70 kbar near 36 mvm-2 geotherm. Hi-Mg eclogites demonstrate more LT conditions, while the conditions for Hi-Fe eclogite are close to convective 40 mvm-2 branch similar to those for Chromite DI and several points are lose to 45 mvm-2or locate slightly above Diam-Graph. DI from Panda (Tomlinson ea, 2006; Greighton ea, 2009) kimberlites from the same region reveals close PT but are slightly LT. The PT conditions for diamondiferous eclogites from Jericho (Lac De Gras) (Heaman ea, 2004) are most LT in Slave craton (33 -36 mvm-2) at 50-65 kbar range. The eclogitic Cpx and peridotitic pyrope DI (Aulbach et al., 2004) from Buffalo Heard (Banas ea., 2006) at the west of region also trace 36 heating to 40 mvm-2 geotherm at 70 kbar and some more hot PT points trace D-G line. In Wayoming craton the Cr-pyrope DI from low Paleozoic KL-1 pipe (Coopersmith ea ., 2004; Schultze ea 2008) reflect the range 35-40 mvm-2 of heating at lithosphere base 75-65 kbar and more Fe-rich Opx demonstrate HT conditions probably refer to cumulates. Thus the mantle inclusion in different part of the Earth mantle in general repeats the conditions of the whole mantle column. They reflect higher PT gradients in ancient time. In Africa they are hotter in general and often trace advective branches. While in the thicker and colder lithosphere beneath the Slave craton DI reveal colder and deeper in general conditions. In Siberia many of DI especially Chr as well as Diam- eclogites reflect the conditions of the heating and the influence of the protokimberlite melts.

Oblique map of the northern Sierra Nevada, California, showing location of gold-bearing areas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Alpha, T.R.; Dodge, F.C.W.; Bliss, J.D.

1987-01-01

Locations of lode gold prospects and mines shown on the map were obtained from the U.S. Geological Survey's Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS), a computerized mineral-resource information file, and plotted in their respective locations (D.F. Huber, written commun., 1986). Some locations from two northern counties, missing from the MRDS retrival, were added. The twenty lode mines believed to be the most productive are cited in table 1. A total of nearly 4,000 sites, including both prospects and mines, were initially plotted, but about a third of those were obscured by topography on the oblique map. Locations of Tertiary river channels and gold-dredging fields were taken from published general references modified by examining specific sources and by cursory field examination. Seven of the major dredge fields are identified in table 2.

Evaluation plan : the I-40 Traveler and Tourist Information System field operational test

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-02-25

The I-40 Traveler and Tourist Information System (TTIS) in northern Arizona is a Field Operational Test (FOT) of Traveler Information Services in Tourism Areas funded through the National Advanced Rural Transportation Systems Program. The segment of ...

75. VIEW OF SECOND WEAPONS STORAGE AREA IGLOO FIELD FROM ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

75. VIEW OF SECOND WEAPONS STORAGE AREA IGLOO FIELD FROM ROOF OF BUILDING 328 LOOKING NORTHWEST SHOWING BUILDING 327-318. - Loring Air Force Base, Weapons Storage Area, Northeastern corner of base at northern end of Maine Road, Limestone, Aroostook County, ME

72. OVERALL VIEW OF WEAPONS STORAGE AREA IGLOO FIELDS. TAKEN ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

72. OVERALL VIEW OF WEAPONS STORAGE AREA IGLOO FIELDS. TAKEN FROM ROOF OF BUILDING 232 (MINE SHOP) LOOKING NORTH. - Loring Air Force Base, Weapons Storage Area, Northeastern corner of base at northern end of Maine Road, Limestone, Aroostook County, ME

Emissions from Prescribed Burning of Agricultural Fields in the Pacific Northwest

EPA Science Inventory

Prescribed burns of winter wheat stubble and Kentucky bluegrass fields in northern Idaho and eastern Washington states (U.S.A.) were sampled using ground-, aerostat-, airplane-, and laboratory-based measurement platforms to determine emission factors, compare methods, and provide...

Sympatric diversification vs. immigration: deciphering host-plant specialization in a polyphagous insect, the stolbur phytoplasma vector Hyalesthes obsoletus (Cixiidae).

PubMed

Imo, Miriam; Maixner, Michael; Johannesen, Jes

2013-04-01

The epidemiology of vector transmitted plant diseases is highly influenced by dispersal and the host-plant range of the vector. Widening the vector's host range may increase transmission potential, whereas specialization may induce specific disease cycles. The process leading to a vector's host shift and its epidemiological outcome is therefore embedded in the frameworks of sympatric evolution vs. immigration of preadapted populations. In this study, we analyse whether a host shift of the stolbur phytoplasma vector, Hyalesthes obsoletus from field bindweed to stinging nettle in its northern distribution range evolved sympatrically or by immigration. The exploitation of stinging nettle has led to outbreaks of the grapevine disease bois noir caused by a stinging nettle-specific phytoplasma strain. Microsatellite data from populations from northern and ancestral ranges provide strong evidence for sympatric host-race evolution in the northern range: Host-plant associated populations were significantly differentiated among syntopic sites (0.054 < F(HT) < 0.098) and constant over 5 years. While gene flow was asymmetric from the old into the predicted new host race, which had significantly reduced genetic diversity, the genetic identity between syntopic host-race populations in the northern range was higher than between these populations and syntopic populations in ancestral ranges, where there was no evidence for genetic host races. Although immigration was detected in the northern field bindweed population, it cannot explain host-race diversification but suggests the introduction of a stinging nettle-specific phytoplasma strain by plant-unspecific vectors. The evolution of host races in the northern range has led to specific vector-based bois noir disease cycles. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Overview of 2010-2013 spring campaigns of Seven South East Asian Studies (7-SEAS) in the northern Southeast Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, N.; Tsay, S.; Hsu, N. C.; Holben, B. N.; Anh, N.; Reid, J. S.; Sheu, G.; Chi, K.; Wang, S.; Lee, C.; Wang, L.; Wang, J.; Chen, W.; Welton, E. J.; Liang, S.; Sopajaree, K.; Maring, H. B.; Janjai, S.; Chantara, S.

2013-12-01

The Seven South East Asian Studies (7-SEAS) is a grass-root program and seeks to perform interdisciplinary research in the field of aerosol-meteorology and climate interaction in the Southeast Asian region, particularly for the impact of biomass burning on cloud, atmospheric radiation, hydrological cycle, and regional climate. Participating countries include Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam, and USA. A series of field experiments have been conducted during springtime biomass burning seasons in northern Southeast Asia, i.e., Dongsha Experiment in 2010, Son La Campaigns in 2011 and 2012, and BASELInE (Biomass-burning Aerosols & Stratocumulus Environment: Lifecycles and Interactions Experiment) in 2013, respectively. Given an example, during 2010 Dongsha Experiment, a monitoring network for ground-based measurements was established, including five stations from northern Thailand and central Vietnam to Taiwan, with a supersite at the Dongsha Island (i.e. Pratas Island) in South China Sea (or East Sea). Aerosol chemistry sampling was performed for each station for characterizing the compositions of PM2.5/PM10 (some for TSP) including water-soluble ions, metal elements, BC/OC, Hg and dioxins. This experiment provides a relatively complete and first dataset of aerosol chemistry and physical observations conducted in the source/sink region for below marine boundary layer and lower free troposphere of biomass burning/air pollutants in the northern SE Asia. This presentation will give an overview of these 7-SEAS activities and their results, particularly for the characterization of biomass-burning aerosol at source regions in northern Thailand and northern Vietnam, and receptor stations in Taiwan, which is rarely studied.

Neuropsychiatric perspectives on nodding syndrome in northern Uganda: a case series study and a review of the literature.

PubMed

Musisi, S; Akena, D; Nakimuli-Mpungu, E; Abbo, C; Okello, J

2013-06-01

Nodding Syndrome (NS), previously called Nodding Disease, is a chronic and debilitating illness affecting thousands of children aged 3-18 years in post-conflict Northern Uganda and South Sudan. Characterised by malnutrition, stunted growth, mental retardation and seizures, some researchers have designated it as epilepsy. With reports appearing in Northern Uganda in1997, NS reached epidemic proportions around 2000-2003 when people were moved into Internally Displaced People's (IDP) camps. Investigations for infections (onchocerciasis) and toxins have been inconclusive as to cause, treatment or outcome. No study has addressed the possible relationship of NS to childhood war-trauma experiences. To explore a possible relationship of exposure to prolonged war-trauma and the emergence of epidemic NS in Northern Uganda. This study was a case-series descriptive psychiatric naturalistic field observations of NS cases from homesteads in Northern Uganda and psychiatric investigations and treatment of NS cases referred to Mulago National Referral and Teaching Hospital. Detailed Psychiatric clinical evaluations and field observations revealed that NS children had been exposed to severe war-related psychological and physical trauma as well as non-specific CNS insults including untreated CNS infections/infestations and malnutrition possibly causing seizures. Many children suffered post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. NS could present as an association of childhood complex PTSD, (called Developmental Trauma Disorder), occurring in the chronically war-traumatised children of Northern Uganda, complicated by severe prolonged depression with its characteristic symptoms of psychomotor retardation, anxiety, anhedonia and anorexia. This, coupled with food shortages, resulted in malnutrition, wasting and stunted growth with severe avitaminoses. Many children had seizures. All this calls for multi-disciplinary treatment approaches.

Inter-regional mating compatibility among Bactrocera dorsalis populations in Thailand (Diptera,Tephritidae)

PubMed Central

Chinvinijkul, Suksom; Srikachar, Sunyanee; Kumjing, Phatchara; Weera Kimjong; Sukamnouyporn, Weerawan; Polchaimat, Nongon

2015-01-01

Abstract Mating compatibility among recently colonized (wildish) populations of Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) from different geographic origins in Thailand was assessed through inter-regional mating tests. Outdoor octagonal nylon screen field cages containing single potted mango trees (Mangifera indica L.) were used. Sexual compatibility was determined using the index of sexual isolation (ISI), the male relative performance index (MRPI), and the female relative performance index (FRPI). The ISI values indicated that the northern population of Bactrocera dorsalis from Chiang Mai province was sexually compatible with the southern population of Bactrocera dorsalis (previously Bactrocera papayae) from Nakhon Si Thammarat province. The MRPI values showed that the northern males had a slightly higher tendency to mate than southern males, while the FRPI data reflected that females of both origins participated equally in matings. In all combinations there were no differences between homotypic and heterotypic couples in mating latency. Southern males tended to mate first with southern females, followed by northern males mating with northern females, while the latest matings involved heterotypic couples, in particular northern males mating with southern females. Overall, more couples were collected from higher parts of the field cage and the upper tree canopy, while there were no differences between the origins of flies in terms of elevation of couples within the cage. Laboratory assessments of fecundity showed no differences in the average number of eggs resulting from inter-regional crosses. Development of immature stages was also equal in the two hybrid crosses, with no differences found in the number of pupae produced, percentage pupal recovery, and percent adult emergence. The practical implication of this study is that colony of Bactrocera dorsalis derived from any northern or southern region of Thailand can potentially be used in sterile insect technique programs against this pest. PMID:26798264

Helium isotope, C/3He, and Ba-Nb-Ti signatures in the northern Lau Basin: Distinguishing arc, back-arc, and hotspot affinities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lupton, John; Rubin, Ken H.; Arculus, Richard; Lilley, Marvin; Butterfield, David; Resing, Joseph; Baker, Edward; Embley, Robert

2015-04-01

The northern Lau Basin hosts a complicated pattern of volcanism, including Tofua Arc volcanoes, several back-arc spreading centers, and individual "rear-arc" volcanoes not associated with these structures. Elevated 3He/4He ratios in lavas of the NW Lau Spreading Center suggest the influence of a mantle plume, possibly from Samoa. We show that lavas from mid-ocean ridges, volcanic arcs, and hotspots occupy distinct, nonoverlapping fields in a 3He/4He versus C/3He plot. Applied to the northern Lau Basin, this approach shows that most of Lau back-arc spreading systems have mid-ocean ridge 3He/4He-C/3He characteristics, except the NW Lau spreading center, which has 3He/4He-C/3He similar to "high 3He" hotspots such as Loihi, Kilauea, and Yellowstone, but with slightly lower C/3He. Niua seamount, on the northern extension of the Tofua Arc, falls squarely in the arc field. All the NE Lau rear-arc volcanoes, including the recently erupting West Mata, also have arc-like 3He/4He-C/3He characteristics. Ba-Nb-Ti contents of the lavas, which are more traditional trace element indicators of mantle source enrichment, depletion, and subduction input, likewise indicate arc and hot spot influences in the lavas of the northern Lau Basin, but in a more ambiguous fashion because of a complex prior history. This verifies that 3He/4He-C/3He systematics are useful for differentiating between mid-ocean ridge, arc, and hotspot affinities in submarine volcanic systems, that all three of these affinities are expressed in the northern Lau Basin, and provides additional support for the Samoan plume influence in the region.

Neogene carbonate exploration play concepts for Northern New Guinea: New iteration from field work and seismic stratigraphy along the Northern New Guinea Fault Zone

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pigott, J.D.; Geiger, C.

1994-07-01

Recent field reconnaissance, petrography, nanno and foraminifera age determinations, and seismic stratigraphy of the Sepik and Piore subbasins of northern New Guinea reveal the existence of an extensive, tectonically unstable, Miocene-Pliocene carbonate shelf system. These findings represent the first recorded evidence of northern Papuan limestones coeval in age to those of the hydrocarbon productive Salawati Basin of Irian Jaya. Moreover, these observations also demonstrate the significance of episodic activities of the northern New Guinea fault zone upon the changes in carbonate sedimentation and diagenesis. During the Neogene, algal biosparites to foraminiferal biomicrites defined the clean portion of a mixed clastic-carbonatemore » shelf system of the northern New Guinea basin, which began at the central New Guinea cordillera and deepened northward. This shelf was interrupted by coral-coralline algal boundstone fringing- to patch-reef buildups with associated skeletal grainstones. Clean carbonates were spatially and temporally restricted to basement blocks, which episodically underwent uplift while terrigenous dilutes carbonates were more common in adjacently subsiding basement block bathymetric lows. These tectonic expressions were caused by the spatially transient nature of constraining bends of the evolving north New Guinea faults. As shown by seismic stratigraphy, by the late Miocene to the early Pliocene the uplift of the Bewani-Torricelli Mountains sagittally divided the shelf of the northern New Guinea basin into the Ramu-Sepik and the Piore basins. Continued regional sinistral transpression between the Pacific and the New Guinea leading edge of the Indo-Australian plates led to the reverse tilting of the Piore basin, the shallowing of the former distal shelf with concomitant extensive biolithite development (e.g., on subsiding volcanic islands) eventual uplifting of the Oenake Range, and en echelon faulting of the Bewani-Torricelli Mountains.« less

Petroleum geology and resource assessment of the Timan-Pechora Basin, USSR, and the adjacent Barents-northern Kara shelf

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ulmishek, G.

1982-06-01

The regions discussed contain thick sequences of sedimentary rocks ranging in age from early Paleozoic to Late Cretaceous and, occasionally, Cenozoic. Over 50 oil and gas fields, including two giants, are found in the Timan-Pechora Basin. The Barents-northern Kara shelf is still in the earliest stage of exploration. This report considers (1) tectonic regionalization of the Timan-Pechora Basin and major structures in each region; (2) facies characteristics of the sedimentary cover and the history of geological development; (3) the main hydrogeological features; (4) producing regions of each basin and the major oil and gas fields; (5) specificity of oil-gas generationmore » and formation of fields; and (6) geology and conditions for expected productivity of the Barents-northern Kara shelf. Initial recoverable petroleum resources of the Timan-Pechora basin are estimated at 0.86 x 10/sup 9/ t (6.4 x 10/sup 9/ bbl) of oil and 1.7 x 10/sup 12/ m/sup 3/ (60 TCF) of gas, of which 0.41 x 10/sup 9/ t (3.0 x 10/sup 9/ bbl) of oil and 1.2 x 10/sup 12/ m/sup 3/ (42 TCF) of gas are yet to be discovered. Potential recoverable resources of the Barents-northern Kara shelf are estimated at 3.2 x 10/sup 9/ t (23.7 x 10/sup 9/ bbl) of oil and 10.2 x 10/sup 12/ m/sup 3/ (360 TCF) of gas.« less

Beneficial Insect Borders Provide Northern Bobwhite Brood Habitat

PubMed Central

Moorman, Christopher E.; Plush, Charles J.; Orr, David B.; Reberg-Horton, Chris

2013-01-01

Strips of fallow vegetation along cropland borders are an effective strategy for providing brood habitat for declining populations of upland game birds (Order: Galliformes), including northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus), but fallow borders lack nectar-producing vegetation needed to sustain many beneficial insect populations (e.g., crop pest predators, parasitoids, and pollinator species). Planted borders that contain mixes of prairie flowers and grasses are designed to harbor more diverse arthropod communities, but the relative value of these borders as brood habitat is unknown. We used groups of six human-imprinted northern bobwhite chicks as a bioassay for comparing four different border treatments (planted native grass and prairie flowers, planted prairie flowers only, fallow vegetation, or mowed vegetation) as northern bobwhite brood habitat from June-August 2009 and 2010. All field border treatments were established around nine organic crop fields. Groups of chicks were led through borders for 30-min foraging trials and immediately euthanized, and eaten arthropods in crops and gizzards were measured to calculate a foraging rate for each border treatment. We estimated arthropod prey availability within each border treatment using a modified blower-vac to sample arthropods at the vegetation strata where chicks foraged. Foraging rate did not differ among border treatments in 2009 or 2010. Total arthropod prey densities calculated from blower-vac samples did not differ among border treatments in 2009 or 2010. Our results showed plant communities established to attract beneficial insects should maximize the biodiversity potential of field border establishment by providing habitat for beneficial insects and young upland game birds. PMID:24376759

New GPS velocity field in the northern Andes (Peru - Ecuador - Colombia): heterogeneous locking along the subduction, northeastwards motion of the Northern Andes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nocquet, J.; Mothes, P. A.; Villegas Lanza, J.; Chlieh, M.; Jarrin, P.; Vallée, M.; Tavera, H.; Ruiz, G.; Regnier, M.; Rolandone, F.

2010-12-01

Rapid subduction of the Nazca plate beneath the northen Andes margin (~6 cm/yr) results in two different processes: (1) elastic stress is accumulating along the Nazca/South American plate interface which is responsible for one of the largest megathrust earthquake sequences during the last century. The 500-km-long rupture zone of the 1906 (Mw= 8.8) event was partially reactivated by three events from the 1942 (Mw = 7.8), 1958 (Mw = 7.7), to the 1979 (Mw = 8.2). However, south of latitude 1°S, no M>8 earthquake has been reported in the last three centuries, suggesting that this area is slipping aseismically (2) permanent deformation causes opening of the Gulf of Guayaquil, with northeastwards motion of the Northern Andean Block (NAB). We present a new GPS velocity field covering the northern Andes from south of the Gulf of Guayaquil to the Caribbean plate. Our velocity field includes new continuously-recording GPS stations installed along the Ecuadorian coast, together with campaign sites observed since 1994 in the CASA project (Kellogg et al., 1989). We first estimate the long-term kinematics of the NAB in a joint inversion including GPS data, earthquake slip vectors, and quaternary slip rates on major faults. The inversion provides an Euler pole located at long. -107.8°E, lat. 36.2°N, 0.091°/Ma and indicates little internal deformation of the NAB (wrms=1.2 mm/yr). As a consequence, 30% of the obliquity of the Nazca/South America motion is accommodated by transcurrent to transpressive motion along the eastern boundary of the NAB. Residual velocities with respect to the NAB are then modeled in terms Models indicate a patchwork of highly coupled asperities encompassed by aseismic patches over the area of rupture of the M~8.8 1906 earthquake. Very low coupling is found along the southern Ecuadorian and northern Peru subduction.

Extensional Structures on the Po Valley Side of the Northern Apennines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bettelli, G.; Vannucchi, P.; Capitani, M.

2001-12-01

The present-day tectonics of the Northern Apennines is characterized by extension in the inner Tyrrhenian side and compression in the outer Po Valley-Adriatic side. The boundary separating the two domains, extensional and compressional, is still largely undetermined and mainly based on geophysical data (focal mechanisms of earthquakes). Map-scale extensional structures have been studied only along the Tyrrhenian side of the Northern Apennines (Tuscany), while along the Po Valley-Adriatic area the field studies concentrated on compressional features. A new, detailed field mapping of the Po Valley side of the Northern Apennines carried out in the last ten years within the Emilia Romagna Geological Mapping Program has shown the presence of a large extensional fault crossing the high Bologna-Modena-Reggio Emilia provinces, from the Sillaro to the Val Secchia valleys. This Sillaro-Val Secchia Normal Fault (SVSNF) is NW-SE trending, NE dipping and about 80 km long. The age, based on the younger displaced deposits, is post-Miocene. The SVSNF is a primary regional structure separating the Tuscan foredeep units from the Ligurian Units in the south-east sector of the Northern Apennines, and it is responsible for the exhumation of the Tuscan foredeep units along the Apennine water divide. The sub-vertical, SW-NE trending faults, formerly interpreted as strike slip, are transfer faults associated to the extensional structure. A geological cross-section across the SVSNF testifies a former thickness reduction and lamination of the Ligurian Units, as documented in the field, in the innermost areas of the Bologna-Modena-Reggio Emilia hills, implying the occurrence of a former extensional fault. These data indicate that the NE side of the water divide has already gone under extension reducing the compressional domain to the Po Valley foothills and plain. They can also help in interpreting the complex Apennines kinematics.

Using Polar Coronal Hole Area Measurements to Determine the Solar Polar Magnetic Field Reversal in Solar Cycle 24

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Karna, N.; Webber, S.A. Hess; Pesnell, W.D.

2014-01-01

An analysis of solar polar coronal hole (PCH) areas since the launch of the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) shows how the polar regions have evolved during Solar Cycle 24. We present PCH areas from mid-2010 through 2013 using data from the Atmospheric Imager Assembly (AIA) and Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) instruments onboard SDO. Our analysis shows that both the northern and southern PCH areas have decreased significantly in size since 2010. Linear fits to the areas derived from the magnetic-field properties indicate that, although the northern hemisphere went through polar-field reversal and reached solar-maximum conditions in mid-2012, the southern hemisphere had not reached solar-maximum conditions in the polar regions by the end of 2013. Our results show that solar-maximum conditions in each hemisphere, as measured by the area of the polar coronal holes and polar magnetic field, will be offset in time.

An MHD simulation of the effects of the interplanetary magnetic field By component on the interaction of the solar wind with the earth's magnetosphere during southward interplanetary magnetic field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ogino, T.; Walker, R. J.; Ashour-Abdalla, M.; Dawson, J. M.

1986-01-01

The interaction between the solar wind and the earth's magnetosphere has been studied by using a time-dependent three-dimensional MHD model in which the IMF pointed in several directions between dawnward and southward. When the IMF is dawnward, the dayside cusp and the tail lobes shift toward the morningside in the northern magnetosphere. The plasma sheet rotates toward the north on the dawnside of the tail and toward the south on the duskside. For an increasing southward IMF component, the plasma sheet becomes thinner and subsequently wavy because of patchy or localized tail reconnection. At the same time, the tail field-aligned currents have a filamentary layered structure. When projected onto the northern polar cap, the filamentary field-aligned currents are located in the same area as the region 1 currents, with a pattern similar to that associated with auroral surges. Magnetic reconnection also occurs on the dayside magnetopause for southward IMF.

Heliospheric Magnetic Field: The Bashful Ballerina dancing in Waltz Tempo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mursula, K.

The recent developments in the long-term observations of the heliospheric magnetic field HMF observed at 1 AU have shown that the HMF sector coming from the northern solar hemisphere systematically dominates in the late declining to minimum phase of the solar cycle This leads to a persistent southward shift or coning of the heliospheric current sheet at these times that can be picturesquely described by the concept of the Bashful Ballerina This result has recently been verified by direct measurements of the solar magnetic field The average field intensity is smaller and the corresponding area is larger in the northern hemisphere Also ground-based observations of the HMF sector structure extend these results to 1920s Moreover it has been shown that the global HMF has persistent active longitudes whose dominance depicts an oscillation with a period of about 3 2 years Accordingly the Bashful Ballerina takes three such steps per activity cycle thus dancing in waltz tempo We discuss the implications of this behaviour

A Saturnian cam current system driven by asymmetric thermospheric heating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, C. G. A.

2011-02-01

We show that asymmetric heating of Saturn's thermosphere can drive a current system consistent with the magnetospheric ‘cam’ proposed by Espinosa, Southwood & Dougherty. A geometrically simple heating distribution is imposed on the Northern hemisphere of a simplified three-dimensional global circulation model of Saturn's thermosphere. Currents driven by the resulting winds are calculated using a globally averaged ionosphere model. Using a simple assumption about how divergences in these currents close by flowing along dipolar field lines between the Northern and Southern hemispheres, we estimate the magnetic field perturbations in the equatorial plane and show that they are broadly consistent with the proposed cam fields, showing a roughly uniform field implying radial and azimuthal components in quadrature. We also identify a small longitudinal phase drift in the cam current with radial distance as a characteristic of a thermosphere-driven current system. However, at present our model does not produce magnetic field perturbations of the required magnitude, falling short by a factor of ˜100, a discrepancy that may be a consequence of an incomplete model of the ionospheric conductance.

Northern nursing practice in a primary health care setting.

PubMed

Vukic, Adele; Keddy, Barbara

2002-12-01

This paper explicates the nature of outpost nursing work, and/or the day-to-day realities of northern nursing practice in a primary health care setting in Canada. The study was carried out to systematically explore the work of nurses in an indigenous setting. Institutional ethnography, pioneered by Dorothy Smith was the methodology used to guide this research. The theoretical perspective of this methodology does not seek causes or links but intends to explicate visible practices. It is intended to explicate the social organization of specific discourses that inform work processes of nurses working in remote indigenous communities. The data originated from various sources including spending 2 weeks in a northern remote community shadowing experienced nurses, taking field notes and audio taping interviews with these nurses. One of the two researchers was a northern practice nurse for many years and has had taught in an outpost nursing programme. As part of the process, texts were obtained from the site as data to be incorporated in the analysis. The lived experiences have added to the analytical understanding of the work of nurses in remote areas. Data uncovered documentary practices inherent to the work setting which were then analysed along with the transcribed interviews and field notes derived from the on-site visit. Identifying disjuncture in the discourse of northern nursing and the lived experience of the nurses in this study was central to the research process. The results indicated that the social organization of northern community nursing work required a broad generalist knowledge base for decision making to work effectively within this primary health care setting. The nurse as 'other' and the invisibility of nurses' work of building a trusting relationship with the community is not reflected in the discourse of northern nursing. Trust cannot be quantified or measured yet it is fundamental to working effectively with the community. The nurses in this study saw building trust to promote health and well-being in communities as very important, yet very difficult to achieve. The difficulty in part stems from the constraining, structural, administrative, historical, cultural and political contextual realities that have shaped northern community nursing.

Use of damage surveys and field inventories to evaluate oak and sugar maple health in the northern United States

Treesearch

Randall S Morin; Christopher W. Woodall; Jim Steinman; Charles H. Perry

2009-01-01

Oak species (Quercus spp.) and sugar maple (Acer saccharum) are substantial components of the forest ecosystems in the 24-state region spanning the northern U.S. During recent decades, both damage surveys and forest inventories have documented declines of sugar maple and oak health. In order to more fully assess the status of oak and sugar maple health, we examined...

Comparing line-intersect, fixed-area, and point relascope sampling for dead and downed coarse woody material in a managed northern hardwood forest

Treesearch

G. J. Jordan; M. J. Ducey; J. H. Gove

2004-01-01

We present the results of a timed field trial comparing the bias characteristics and relative sampling efficiency of line-intersect, fixed-area, and point relascope sampling for downed coarse woody material. Seven stands in a managed northern hardwood forest in New Hampshire were inventoried. Significant differences were found among estimates in some stands, indicating...

Combining satellite imagery with forest inventory data to assess damage severity following a major blowdown event in northern Minnesota, USA

Treesearch

Mark D. Nelson; Sean P. Healey; W. Keith Moser; Mark H. Hansen

2009-01-01

Effects of a catastrophic blowdown event in northern Minnesota, USA were assessed using field inventory data, aerial sketch maps and satellite image data processed through the North American Forest Dynamics programme. Estimates were produced for forest area and net volume per unit area of live trees pre- and post-disturbance, and for changes in volume per unit area and...

Petrochemical and petrophysical characterization of the lower crust and the Moho beneath the West African Craton, based on Xenoliths from Kimberlites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haggerty, Stephen E.; Toft, Paul B.

1988-01-01

Additional evidence to the composition of the lower crust and uppermost mantle was presented in the form of xenolith data. Xenoliths from the 2.7-Ga West African Craton indicate that the Moho beneath this shield is a chemically and physically gradational boundary, with intercalations of garnet granulite and garnet eclogite. Inclusions in diamonds indicate a depleted upper mantle source, and zenolith barometry and thermometry data suggest a high mantle geotherm with a kink near the Moho. Metallic iron in the xenoliths indicates that the uppermost mantle has a significant magnetization, and that the depth to the Curie isotherm, which is usually considered to be at or above the Moho, may be deeper than the Moho.

Deep mantle cycling of oceanic crust: evidence from diamonds and their mineral inclusions.

PubMed

Walter, M J; Kohn, S C; Araujo, D; Bulanova, G P; Smith, C B; Gaillou, E; Wang, J; Steele, A; Shirey, S B

2011-10-07

A primary consequence of plate tectonics is that basaltic oceanic crust subducts with lithospheric slabs into the mantle. Seismological studies extend this process to the lower mantle, and geochemical observations indicate return of oceanic crust to the upper mantle in plumes. There has been no direct petrologic evidence, however, of the return of subducted oceanic crustal components from the lower mantle. We analyzed superdeep diamonds from Juina-5 kimberlite, Brazil, which host inclusions with compositions comprising the entire phase assemblage expected to crystallize from basalt under lower-mantle conditions. The inclusion mineralogies require exhumation from the lower to upper mantle. Because the diamond hosts have carbon isotope signatures consistent with surface-derived carbon, we conclude that the deep carbon cycle extends into the lower mantle.

Predation by northern pikeminnow on juvenile salmonids in The Dalles Dam tailrace: field, laboratory, and habitat modeling studies (FY2000)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Petersen, James H.; Barfoot, Craig A.; Sheer, Mindi B.

2001-01-01

Predation by resident fish is known to be a substantial cause of juvenile salmonid mortality, especially in dam tailraces and outfall locations. Conditions in The Dalles Dam tailrace are unique compared to other projects on the Columbia or Snake rivers, having a complex basin with a series of downriver islands where predators are known to reside. In May-June of 1999, northern pikeminnow and smallmouth bass were sampled in the tailrace of The Dalles Dam during periods immediately following the release of PIT-tagged juvenile salmonids for survival studies. Over twice as many smallmouth bass (N = 101) were collected as northern pikeminnow (N = 40), but none of the predators had PIT tags within their gut. A laboratory study was conducted to estimate the time required for PIT tags in juvenile salmonids to be evacuated from the gut of northern pikeminnow after consuming a tagged preyfish. Evacuation rate was sensitive to temperature, with median evacuation time being 21 h at 18 oC and 30 h at 14 oC. These results suggest that field studies to estimate predator population sizes, feeding rates, or predation on specific release groups would require considerably more effort than we allocated during 1999.

Review: Characterization, evolution, and environmental issues of karst water systems in Northern China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Yongping; Gao, Xubo; Zhao, Chunhong; Tang, Chunlei; Shen, Haoyong; Wang, Zhiheng; Wang, Yanxin

2018-05-01

In Northern China, karst systems in widely distributed carbonate rocks are one of the most important water supplies for local inhabitants. Constrained by the specific geological and geomorphological conditions, most karst water in this region is discharged as individual or groups of springs. This paper summarizes the characteristics, chemistry, and environmental quality of these karst systems in Northern China. Five structural models of karst water systems were identified based on the relationships between the karst geological strata and karst groundwater flow fields. These specific structural models may closely relate to the attendant environmental geological issues and consistent risks from pollution. Over the past 40 years, the karst water systems in Northern China have suffered from various environmental problems, including deteriorating water quality, the drying up of springs, a continuous decline in the level of karst water, and so on. Based on the field investigation and previous data, a preliminary summary is provided of the environmental problems related to the development and evolutionary trends of karst water in this region. The results highlight the significant challenges associated with karst water, and it is essential that all segments of society be made aware of the situation in order to demand change. In addition, the study provides a scientific basis for the management, protection, and sustainable utilization of karst water resources.

Non-Potassic Melts In CMAS-CO2-H2O-K2O Model Peridotite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buisman, I.; Walter, M. J.; Keshav, S.

2009-12-01

Volatile mediated model systems have been fundamental in shaping our knowledge about the way we view melting phase relations of peridotite at various depths in the Earth. Volatiles not only affect the melting temperatures, but the resulting liquids are, in some case, dramatically different than those witnessed in melting of dry peridotite. For example, the influence of CO2 and H2O on the melting phase relations of model peridotite shows a remarkable decrease in the solidus temperatures when compared to the dry peridotite (Gudfinnsson and Presnall, 2005). These model systems illustrate a gradational change above the solidus from carbonatites to kimberlites over several hundreds of degrees. Group-II kimberlites are ultrapotassic rocks with high water content where the mineral phlogopite is abundant. To get a better understanding of the melting phase relations related to carbonatitic and kimberlitic magmas, K2O was added to the system CMAS-CO2-H2O. In these systems, fluid and melt can co-exist in P-T space. However, from past studies, it is also known that in hydrous systems, both the fluid and melt will become indistinguishable from one another creating a singularity (second critical endpoint). Starting from the solidus located in six components (Keshav and Gudfinnsson, AGU abstract, 2009), with seven phases, melting phase relations in CMAS-CO2-H2O-K2O involving, fo-opx-cpx-garnet-carbonate-melt-fluid, are divariant. Fluid was recognized with the observation of large cavities seen in exposed capsules. Moreover, the presence of bright, needle-like grains found in large cavities in backscattered images implies the presence of solute in the fluid phase. Significantly, liquids on this divariant region have about 1000 ppm K2O, and so is the case with accompanying cpx. Hence, with this non-interesting amount of K2O in the mentioned phases, fluid must have all the potassium. At 30 kbar/1100C, with fo-opx-cpx-garnet-carbonate-phlogopite-melt-fluid, the melting phase relations become isobarically invariant. In contrast, the solidus in CMAS-CO2-H2O at 30 kbar is at 1000C. Above 1100C, phlogopite is no longer in equilibrium with the phase assemblage. In all the experimental charges, capsules were pierced, and a hydrous solution was seen escaping. When tested with litmus paper, in all cases at 25-50 kbar, this solution was determined to be highly basic (pH>10). Upon evaporation of the hydrous solution, a white precipitate was left behind around the piercing on the capsule wall. In CMAS-CO2-H2O, the fluid was found to be almost neutral (pH 7-8). The melt present in our experiments is carbonatitic in nature and does not contain any significant amounts of K2O. This contradicts a recent study on K2O in a natural composition (Foley et al, 2009) where carbonatitic melt had up to 13 wt% of K2O. Significantly, since K2O is perhaps all in the fluid, source regions for potassic magmas in the Earth’s mantle could not be created by metasomatism of alkali-rich, carbonatitic melts.

HCMM: Soil moisture in relation to geologic structure and lithology, northern California. [Northern Coast Range, Sacramento Valley, and the Modoc Plateau

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rich, E. I. (Principal Investigator)

1981-01-01

Heat capacity mapping mission images of about 80,000 sq km in northern California were qualitatively evaluated for usefulness in regional geologic investigations of structure and lithology. The thermal characteristics recorded vary among the several geomorphic provinces and depend chiefly on the topographic expression and vegetation cover. Identification of rock types, or groups of rock types, was most successfully carried out within the semiarid parts of the region; however, extensive features, such as faults, folds and volcanic fields could be delineated. Comparisons of seasonally obtained HCMM images are of limited value except in semiarid regions.

Deep nightside photoelectron observations by MAVEN SWEA: Implications for Martian northern hemispheric magnetic topology and nightside ionosphere source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Shaosui; Mitchell, David; Liemohn, Michael; Dong, Chuanfei; Bougher, Stephen; Fillingim, Matthew; Lillis, Robert; McFadden, James; Mazelle, Christian; Connerney, Jack; Jakosky, Bruce

2016-09-01

The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission samples the Mars ionosphere down to altitudes of ˜150 km over a wide range of local times and solar zenith angles. On 5 January 2015 (Orbit 520) when the spacecraft was in darkness at high northern latitudes (solar zenith angle, SZA >120° latitude >60°), the Solar Wind Electron Analyzer (SWEA) instrument observed photoelectrons at altitudes below 200 km. Such observations imply the presence of closed crustal magnetic field loops that cross the terminator and extend thousands of kilometers to the deep nightside. This occurs over the weak northern crustal magnetic source regions, where the magnetic field has been thought to be dominated by draped interplanetary magnetic fields (IMF). Such a day-night magnetic connectivity also provides a source of plasma and energy to the deep nightside. Simulations with the SuperThermal Electron Transport (STET) model show that photoelectron fluxes measured by SWEA precipitating onto the nightside atmosphere provide a source of ionization that can account for the O2+ density measured by the Suprathermal and Thermal Ion Composition (STATIC) instrument below 200 km. This finding indicates another channel for Martian energy redistribution to the deep nightside and consequently localized ionosphere patches and potentially aurora.

Integrating Field-Based Research into the Classroom: An Environmental Sampling Exercise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeSutter, T.; Viall, E.; Rijal, I.; Murdoff, M.; Guy, A.; Pang, X.; Koltes, S.; Luciano, R.; Bai, X.; Zitnick, K.; Wang, S.; Podrebarac, F.; Casey, F.; Hopkins, D.

2010-01-01

A field-based, soil methods, and instrumentation course was developed to expose graduate students to numerous strategies for measuring soil parameters. Given the northern latitude of North Dakota State University and the rapid onset of winter, this course met once per week for the first 8 weeks of the fall semester and centered on the field as a…

Five-year field trials using preservative-treated, second-growth Douglas-fir exposed in ground contact in Australia

Treesearch

Rodney C. De Groot; Douglas M. Crawford; Jack Norton; John Keith

2000-01-01

The durability of preservative-treated stakes of second-growth Coastal Douglas-fir was evaluated in a field plot in northern Queensland, Australia. Results from this field trial indicate that second-growth Douglas-fir can be treated with preservatives to meet Australian standards and will provide long-term durability in adverse environments. Data presented indicate...

Gravity Field and Internal Structure of Mercury from MESSENGER

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, David E.; Zuber, Maria T.; Phillips, Roger J.; Solomon, Sean C.; Hauck, Steven A., II; Lemoine, Frank G.; Mazarico, Erwan; Neumann, Gregory A.; Peale, Stanton J.; Margot, Jean-Luc;

Gravity field and internal structure of Mercury from MESSENGER.

PubMed

Smith, David E; Zuber, Maria T; Phillips, Roger J; Solomon, Sean C; Hauck, Steven A; Lemoine, Frank G; Mazarico, Erwan; Neumann, Gregory A; Peale, Stanton J; Margot, Jean-Luc; Johnson, Catherine L; Torrence, Mark H; Perry, Mark E; Rowlands, David D; Goossens, Sander; Head, James W; Taylor, Anthony H

2012-04-13

Radio tracking of the MESSENGER spacecraft has provided a model of Mercury's gravity field. In the northern hemisphere, several large gravity anomalies, including candidate mass concentrations (mascons), exceed 100 milli-Galileos (mgal). Mercury's northern hemisphere crust is thicker at low latitudes and thinner in the polar region and shows evidence for thinning beneath some impact basins. The low-degree gravity field, combined with planetary spin parameters, yields the moment of inertia C/MR(2) = 0.353 ± 0.017, where M and R are Mercury's mass and radius, and a ratio of the moment of inertia of Mercury's solid outer shell to that of the planet of C(m)/C = 0.452 ± 0.035. A model for Mercury's radial density distribution consistent with these results includes a solid silicate crust and mantle overlying a solid iron-sulfide layer and an iron-rich liquid outer core and perhaps a solid inner core.

The effects of interplanetary magnetic field orientation on dayside high-latitude ionospheric convection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heelis, R. A.

1984-01-01

The Atmosphere Explorer C data base of Northern Hemisphere ionospheric convection signatures at high latitudes is examined during times when the interplanetary magnetic field orientation is relatively stable. It is found that when the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) has its expected garden hose orientation, the center of a region where the ion flow rotates from sunward to antisunward is displaced from local noon toward dawn irrespective of the sign of By. Poleward of this rotation region, called the cleft, the ion convection is directed toward dawn or dusk depending on whether By is positive or negative, respectively. The observed flow geometry can be explained in terms of a magnetosphere solar wind interaction in which merging is favored in either the prenoon Northern Hemisphere or the prenoon Southern Hemisphere when the IMF has a normal sector structure that is toward or away, respectively.

Extent and Nature of the Penetration Electric Field in the Northern Hemisphere During the 2013 St. Patrick's Day Storm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hairston, M. R.; Coley, W. R.; Kunduri, B.; Ruohoniemi, J. M.; Maruyama, N.

2017-12-01

During the 17 March 2013 St. Patrick's Day storm there were four operational DMSP spacecraft (F15 through F18) measuring the ionospheric plasma flows at 840 km. At this time these polar orbiting spacecraft were observing the ionosphere at eight different solar local times, approximately 3.5, 5.4, 5.8, 8.1, 15.5, 17.4, 17.8, and 20.1 hours. Based on the observed zonal flows from each of these local time legs during the period of February through April 2013 we have developed quiet time models of the zonal flows between 10º and 75º geographic latitude. By comparing the observed zonal flows during the storm period with these quiet time models we use the excess difference in the flow to determine the latitudinal extent of the electric penetration field in the northern hemisphere over the course of the storm. By examining the history of the penetration field at different local times we will show the asymmetry in the extent of the field. Additionally, the northern SuperDARN radars observed two SAPS events during this period: one between 5:00 and 10:00 UT on the day prior to the storm and the second between 6:05 and 7:40 UT on the storm day. We will contrast the observed SuperDARN flows during these SAPS events with the quiet time flow models derived from DMSP.

Study of mosquito fauna in rice ecosystems around Hanoi, northern Vietnam.

PubMed

Ohba, Shin-ya; Van Soai, Nguyen; Van Anh, Dinh Thi; Nguyen, Yen T; Takagi, Masahiro

2015-02-01

Species of the Culex vishnui subgroup, Cx. fuscocephala and Cx. gelidus, which are known Japanese encephalitis (JE) vectors, are distributed in rice agroecosystems in Asian countries. Hence, although ecological studies of rice agroecosystems in northern Vietnam are necessary, very few integrated studies of breeding habitats of mosquitoes, including JE vectors, have been conducted. We carried out a field study and investigated the mosquito fauna in six rice production areas in northern Vietnam during the rainy and dry seasons of 2009. Mosquitoes and potential mosquito predators were collected from aquatic habitats by using larval dippers. We collected 1780 Culex individuals (including 254 Cx. tritaeniorhynchus; 113 Cx. vishnui, 58 Cx. vishnui complex, consisting of Cx. vishnui and Cx. pseudovishnui; 12 Cx. gelidus; 1 Cx. bitaeniorhynchus; and 1 Cx. fuscocephala), 148 Anopheles individuals (including 5 An. vagus), 1 Mansonia annulifera, and 1 Mimomyia chamberlaini during the rainy season. During the dry season, we collected 176 Culex individuals (including 33 Cx. vishnui, 24 Cx. tritaeniorhynchus, 8 Cx. vishnui complex, and 1 Cx. gelidus) and 186 Anopheles individuals (including 9 An. tessellatus, 2 An. kochi, and 2 An. barbumbrosus). We found mosquitoes in all aquatic habitats, namely, rice fields, ditches, ponds, wetlands, irrigation canals, and rice nurseries, and Cx. tritaeniorhynchus and Cx. vishnui complex were found in all the above six areas. Heteroptera such as Micronecta, Veliidae, and Pleidae were abundant and widely distributed in both the seasons. The abundance of mosquito larvae was higher in the rice fields, ditches, and ponds during the rainy season than during the dry season. Cx. tritaeniorhynchus, Cx. vishnui complex, Cx. fuscocephala, and Cx. gelidus were abundant in rice agroecosystems (rice fields, ditches, ponds, and wetlands) in northern Vietnam, and their abundance was high during the rainy season. These findings deepen our understanding of mosquito ecology and strengthen mosquito control strategies to be applied in rice ecosystems Vietnam in the future. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A statistical study of the low-altitude ionospheric magnetic fields over the north pole of Venus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, T. L.; Baumjohann, W.; Russell, C. T.; Villarreal, M. N.; Luhmann, J. G.; Teh, W. L.

2015-08-01

Examination of Venus Express (VEX) low-altitude ionospheric magnetic field measurements during solar minimum has revealed the presence of strong magnetic fields at low altitudes over the north pole of Venus. A total of 77 events with strong magnetic fields as VEX crossed the northern polar region were identified between July 2008 and October 2009. These events all have strong horizontal fields, slowly varying with position. Using the superposed epoch method, we find that the averaged peak field is about 45 nT, which is well above the average ambient ionospheric field of 20 nT, with a full width at half maximum duration of 32 s, equivalent to a width of about 300 km. Considering the field orientation preference and spacecraft trajectory geometry, we conclude that these strong fields are found over the northern hemisphere with an occurrence frequency of more than 33% during solar minimum. They do not show a preference for any particular interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) orientation. However, they are found over the geographic pole more often when the interplanetary field is in the Venus orbital plane than when it is perpendicular to the orbital plane of Venus. The structures were found most frequently in the -E hemisphere, determined from the IMF orientation. The enhanced magnetic field is mainly quasi perpendicular to solar wind flow direction, and it is suggested that these structures form in the low-altitude collisional ionosphere where the diffusion and convection times are long.

Bibliography on Cold Regions Science and Technology. Volume 41. Part 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-12-01

Seismic surveys, (•eophysical surveys, Bering Sea, Beaaforl Sea. 41-2608 Oil and gas fields in the Kast Coast and Arctic basins of Canada...existing design codes is given. 41-646 Spray-ice islands evaluated for Arctic-drilling struc- tures. Juvkam-Wold, H.C., Oil and gas journal, Apr. 21...Models, Instruments. 41-696 Northern Oil and Gas Action Program (NOGAP) bibliography. Volume 1. Canada. Department of Indian and Northern

The central and northern Appalachian Basin-a frontier region for coalbed methane development

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lyons, P.C.

1998-01-01

The Appalachian basin is the world's second largest coalbed-methane (CBM) producing basin. It has nearly 4000 wells with 1996 annual production at 147.8 billion cubic feet (Bcf). Cumulative CBM production is close to 0.9 trillion cubic feet (Tcf). The Black Warrior Basin of Alabama in the southern Appalachian basin (including a very minor amount from the Cahaba coal field) accounts for about 75% of this annual production and about 75% of the wells, and the remainder comes from the central and northern Appalachian basin. The Southwest Virginia coal field accounts for about 95% of the production from the central and northern parts of the Appalachian basin. Production data and trends imply that several of the Appalachian basin states, except for Alabama and Virginia, are in their infancy with respect to CBM development. Total in-place CBM resources in the central and northern Appalachian basin have been variously estimated at 66 to 76 trillion cubic feet (Tcf), of which an estimated 14.55 Tcf (~ 20%) is technically recoverable according to a 1995 U.S. Geological Survey assessment. For comparison in the Black Warrior basin of the 20 Tcf in-place CBM resources, 2.30 Tcf (~ 12%) is technically recoverable. Because close to 0.9 Tcf of CBM has already been produced from the Black Warrior basin and the proved reserves are about 0.8 Tcf for 1996 [Energy Information Administration (EIA), 1997]. U.S. Crude Oil, Natural Gas, and Natural Gas Liquids Reserves, 1996 Annual Report. U.S. Department of Energy DOE/EIA-0216(96), 145 pp.], these data imply that the central and northern Appalachian basin could become increasingly important in the Appalachian basin CBM picture as CBM resources are depleted in the southern Appalachian basin (Black Warrior Basin and Cahaba Coal Field). CBM development in the Appalachian states could decrease the eastern U.S.A.'s dependence on coal for electricity. CBM is expected to provide over the next few decades a virtually untapped source of unconventional fossil fuel in the Appalachian states, where the CBM resources are large and the demand for cleaner fossil-fuel energy is high.The central and northern Appalachian basin could become increasingly important in the Appalachian basin coalbed methane (CBM) picture as CBM resources are depleted in the southern Appalachian basin. Total in-place CBM resources in the central and the northern Appalachian basin have been estimated at 66 to 76 Tcf, of which 14.55 Tcf is technically recoverable.

The uniquely high-temperature character of Cullinan diamonds: A signature of the Bushveld mantle plume?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korolev, N. M.; Kopylova, M.; Bussweiler, Y.; Pearson, D. G.; Gurney, J.; Davidson, J.

2018-04-01

The mantle beneath the Cullinan kimberlite (formerly known as "Premier") is a unique occurrence of diamondiferous cratonic mantle where diamonds were generated contemporaneously and shortly following a mantle upwelling that led to the formation of a Large Igneous Province that produced the world's largest igneous intrusion - the 2056 Ma Bushveld Igneous Complex (BIC). We studied 332 diamond inclusions from 202 Cullinan diamonds to investigate mantle thermal effects imposed by the formation of the BIC. The overwhelming majority of diamonds come from three parageneses: (1) lithospheric eclogitic (69%), (2) lithospheric peridotitic (21%), and (3) sublithospheric mafic (9%). The lithospheric eclogitic paragenesis is represented by clinopyroxene, garnet, coesite and kyanite. Main minerals of the lithospheric peridotitic paragenesis are forsterite, enstatite, Cr-pyrope, Cr-augite and spinel; the sublithospheric mafic association includes majorite, CaSiO3 phases and omphacite. Diamond formation conditions were calculated using an Al-in-olivine thermometer, a garnet-clinopyroxene thermometer, as well as majorite and Raman barometers. The Cullinan diamonds may be unique on the global stage in recording a cold geotherm of 40 mW/m2 in cratonic lithosphere that was in contact with underlying convecting mantle at temperatures of 1450-1550 °C. The studied Cullinan diamonds contain a high proportion of inclusions equilibrated at temperatures exceeding the ambient 1327 °C adiabat, i.e. 54% of eclogitic diamonds and 41% of peridotitic diamonds. By contrast, ≤ 1% of peridotitic diamond inclusions globally yield equally high temperatures. We propose that the Cullinan diamond inclusions recorded transient, slow-dissipating thermal perturbations associated with the plume-related formation of the 2 Ga Bushveld igneous province. The presence of inclusions in diamond from the mantle transition zone at 300-650 km supports this view. Cullinan xenoliths indicative of the thermal state of the cratonic lithosphere at 1.2 Ga are equilibrated at the relatively low temperatures, not exceeding adiabatic. The ability of diamonds to record super-adiabatic temperatures may relate to their entrainment from the deeper, hotter parts of the upper mantle un-sampled by the kimberlite in the form of xenoliths or their equilibration in a younger lithosphere after a decay of the thermal disturbance.

Density of alkali carbonate melts in the upper mantle and implications for the mobility of carbon at depth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ritter, X.; Sanchez-Valle, C.; Laumonier, M.; King, A.; Guignot, N.; Gaillard, F.; Sifre, D.; Perrillat, J. P.

2017-12-01

The occurrence of carbonate-rich mantle rocks and diamonds in kimberlite rocks provide evidence for the presence of CO2 in the mantle. Carbon is recycled into the mantle via subduction and released through volcanic outgassing. An important fraction is retained at depth where partial melting of subducted lithologies produce alkali-rich carbonates along the CaCO3-MgCO3-K2CO3 join that infiltrate the mantle wedge [1]. Although volumetrically minor, these melts act as effective metasomatic agents that are related to source regions for diamond-bearing kimberlites [2]. The mobility of carbon at depth is controlled by the physical properties of carbonate liquids that remain largely unknown [3,4]. Here we report in-situ density measurements of alkaline carbonates at crustal and upper mantle conditions using synchrotron X-ray absorption in a Paris-Edinburgh press at beamline Psiché (Synchrotron Soleil). Experiments were conducted in several compositions along the CaCO3-K2CO3 and MgCO3-K2CO3 join up to 1400 K and 3 GPa. The starting materials included a mixture of synthetic K2CO3 and natural calcite and K2Mg(CO3)2 glasses synthesized at 0.15 GPa and 1098 K in an internally heated pressure vessel. The samples were cold pressurized and heated until the molten stage was confirmed by X-ray diffraction. The results were fitted to derive the first robust model for the density of alkali carbonates that mimic liquids from the incipient melting of subducted lithologies at crustal and upper mantle conditions. We combine the results of the present study with available data on the viscosity of carbonate liquids and molecular dynamic predictions to discuss the mobility and migration rates of carbonate liquids in the upper mantle.[1] Litasov et al. 2012 Geology 41, 79-82. [2] Grassi and Schmidt 2011, Contrib Min Petr 162, 169-191. [3] Dobson et al. 1996, EPSL 143, 207-215. [4] Kono et al. 2014 Nature Communications 5:5091.

The effect of CO2 on the water-saturated solidus of K-poor peridotite between 4 and 6 GPa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dvir, Omri; Kessel, Ronit

2017-06-01

The effect of various amounts of CO2 on the solidus of H2O-CO2-bearing peridotite was examined by determining the composition of H2O-CO2-bearing fluids and melts in equilibrium with garnet peridotite at 4-6 GPa and 900-1100 °C. Two capsules were placed in a rocking multi-anvil apparatus in each experiment. Both capsules contained a fertile peridotite with 10 wt% H2O, one with 1 (CLZ1) and the other with 5 wt% CO2 (CLZ5). In both capsules a diamond trap was placed on one end of the capsule as a fluid/melt trap. The H2O and CO2 content in the fluid or melt trapped in between the diamonds were measured using the quartz-tube-system technique by releasing the volatiles through infrared gas analyzer. The total dissolved solids in these phases were determined using the cryogenic laser-ablation - inductive couple plasma - mass spectrometry technique. The residual lherzolite consists of olivine, orthopyroxene, ±clinopyroxene, garnet, and ±magnesite as carbonate phase. The solidus of CLZ1 peridotite was located between 900 and 1000 °C at 4 GPa and between 1000 and 1100 °C at 5 and 6 GPa. CLZ5 peridotite melts below 900 °C at 4 GPa and between 900 and 1000 °C at 5 and 6 GPa. The results demonstrate a decrease in melting temperature of hydrous peridotite at pressures between 4 and 6 GPa with increasing amount of CO2. The H2O-CO2-bearing fluids found in this study at 900-1000 °C are similar in composition to low-Mg carbonatitic to silicic high-density fluids found in fluid inclusions in diamonds. With increasing temperature, the melts approach type II kimberlites. We propose that H2O-CO2-induced partial melting of metasomatized garnet lherzolite at 4-6 GPa is a possible origin for group II kimberlites.

Infrared spectral and carbon isotopic characteristics of micro- and macro-diamonds from the Panda kimberlite (Central Slave Craton, Canada)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melton, G. L.; Stachel, T.; Stern, R. A.; Carlson, J.; Harris, J. W.

2013-09-01

One hundred and twenty-one micro-diamonds (< 1 mm) and 90 macro-diamonds (2.5 mm to 3.4 mm) from the Panda kimberlite (Ekati mine, Central Slave Craton, Canada) were analyzed for nitrogen content, nitrogen aggregation state (%B) and platelet and hydrogen peak areas (cm- 2). Micro-diamond nitrogen concentrations range from < 10 at. ppm to 1696 at. ppm (median = 805 at. ppm) and the median aggregation state is 23%B. Macro-diamonds range from < 10 at. ppm to 1260 at. ppm (median = 187 at. ppm) nitrogen and have a median nitrogen aggregation of 26%B. Platelet and hydrogen peaks were observed in 37% and 79% of the micro-diamonds and 79% and 56% of the macro-diamonds, respectively. Nitrogen based time averaged residence temperatures indicate that micro- and macro-diamonds experienced similar thermal mantle residence histories, both populations displaying bimodal residence temperature distributions with a gap between 1130 °C and 1160 °C (at 3.5 Ga residence). In addition, SIMS carbon isotopic analyses for the micro-diamonds were obtained: δ13C compositions range from - 6.9‰ to + 1.8‰ (median = - 4.3‰). CL imaging reveals distinct growth layers that in some samples differ by > 2‰, but mostly vary by < 0.5‰. Comparison of only the “gem-quality” samples (n = 49 micro- and 90 macro-diamonds) between the two diamond sets, indicates a statistically significant shift of + 1.3‰ in average δ13C from macro- to micro-diamonds and this shift documents distinct diamond forming fluids, fractionation process or growth histories. A broad transition to heavier isotopic values is also observed in connection to decreasing mantle residence temperatures. The bimodal mantle residence temperature distribution may coincide with the transition from highly depleted shallow to more fertile deep lithospheric mantle observed beneath the Central Slave Craton. The increase in δ13C with decreasing residence temperature (proxy for decreasing depth) is interpreted to reflect diamond formation from a carbonate-bearing metasomatic fluid/melt that isotopically evolves as it percolates upward through the lithosphere.

Thermal state, oxygen fugacity and COH fluid speciation in cratonic lithospheric mantle: New data on peridotite xenoliths from the Udachnaya kimberlite, Siberia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goncharov, A. G.; Ionov, D. A.; Doucet, L. S.; Pokhilenko, L. N.

2012-12-01

Oxygen fugacity (fO2) and temperature variations in a complete lithospheric mantle section (70-220 km) of the central Siberian craton are estimated based on 42 peridotite xenoliths in the Udachnaya kimberlite. Pressure and temperature (P-T) estimates for the 70-140 km depth range closely follow the 40 mW/m2 model conductive geotherm but show a bimodal distribution at greater depths. A subset of coarse garnet peridotites at 145-180 km plots near the "cold" 35 mW/m2 geotherm whereas the majority of coarse and sheared rocks at ≥145 km scatter between the 40 and 45 mW/m2 geotherms. This P-T profile may reflect a perturbation of an initially "cold" lithospheric mantle through a combination of (1) magmatic under-plating close to the crust-mantle boundary and (2) intrusion of melts/fluids in the lower lithosphere accompanied by shearing. fO2 values estimated from Fe3+/∑Fe in spinel and/or garnet obtained by Mössbauer spectroscopy decrease from +1 to -4 Δlog fO2 (FMQ) from the top to the bottom of the lithospheric mantle (˜0.25 log units per 10 km) due to pressure effects on Fe2+-Fe3+ equilibria in garnet. Garnet peridotites from Udachnaya appear to be more oxidized than those from the Kaapvaal craton but show fO2 distribution with depth similar to those in the Slave craton. Published fO2 estimates for Udachnaya xenoliths based on C-O-H fluid speciation in inclusions in minerals from gas chromatography are similar to our results at ≤120 km, but are 1-2 orders of magnitude higher for the deeper mantle, possibly due to uncertainties of fO2 estimates based on experimental calibrations at ≤3.5 GPa. Sheared peridotites containing garnets with u-shaped, sinusoidal and humped REE patterns are usually more oxidized than Yb, Lu-rich, melt-equilibrated garnets, which show a continuous decrease from heavy to light REE. This further indicates that mantle redox state may be related to sources and modes of metasomatism.

Diamonds: Exploration, mines and marketing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Read, George H.; Janse, A. J. A. (Bram)

2009-11-01

The beauty, value and mystique of exceptional quality diamonds such as the 603 carat Lesotho Promise, recovered from the Letseng Mine in 2006, help to drive a multi-billion dollar diamond exploration, mining and marketing industry that operates in some 45 countries across the globe. Five countries, Botswana, Russia, Canada, South Africa and Angola account for 83% by value and 65% by weight of annual diamond production, which is mainly produced by four major companies, De Beers, Alrosa, Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton (BHPB), which together account for 78% by value and 72% by weight of annual diamond production for 2007. During the last twelve years 16 new diamond mines commenced production and 4 re-opened. In addition, 11 projects are in advanced evaluation and may begin operations within the next five years. Exploration for diamondiferous kimberlites was still energetic up to the last quarter of 2008 with most work carried out in Canada, Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Botswana. Many kimberlites were discovered but no new economic deposits were outlined as a result of this work, except for the discovery and possible development of the Bunder project by Rio Tinto in India. Exploration methods have benefitted greatly from improved techniques of high resolution geophysical aerial surveying, new research into the geochemistry of indicator minerals and further insights into the formation of diamonds and the relation to tectonic/structural events in the crust and mantle. Recent trends in diamond marketing indicate that prices for rough diamonds and polished goods were still rising up to the last quarter of 2008 and subsequently abruptly sank in line with the worldwide financial crisis. Most analysts predict that prices will rise again in the long term as the gap between supply and demand will widen because no new economic diamond discoveries have been made recently. The disparity between high rough and polished prices and low share prices of publicly traded diamond companies may be due to investors losing patience with the slow pace or absence of new promising discoveries and switching into shares of base metals and fertilizers for agriculture (potash and phosphates).

Microfilming maps of abandoned anthracite mines: mines in the southern anthracite field

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gait, G.B.

1978-01-01

This report is the fifth in a series concerning the Bureau of Mines program for microfilming maps of abandoned mines in the Pennsylvania anthracite region. A catalog of the microfilmed maps of 47 of 49 major mines and 18 independent mines in the Southern field is presented. Previous reports included catalogs of microfilmed maps of mines in the Eastern Middle field, the Wyoming and Lackawanna Basins of the Northern field, and the Western Middle anthracite field.

Gravity, Topography, and Magnetic Field of Mercury from Messenger

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neumann, Gregory A.; Solomon, Sean C.; Zuber, Maria T.; Phillips, Roger J.; Barnouin, Olivier; Ernst, Carolyn; Goosens, Sander; Hauck, Steven A., II; Head, James W., III; Johnson, Catherine L.;

New 40Ar/39Ar age determinations and paleomagnetic results bearing on the tectonic and magmatic history of the northern Madison Range and Madison Valley region, southwestern Montana, U.S.A

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kellogg, K.S.; Harlan, S.S.

2007-01-01

Detailed 40Ar/39Ar dating and paleomagnetic analysis of dacite porphyry sills and dikes that intrude Cretaceous sedimentary rocks in the northern Madison Range in southwestern Montana show that Laramide shortening was essentially complete by ???69 Ma. A negative paleomagnetic fold test indicates that Laramide folding occurred before cooling of the dacite sills and dikes at ???69 Ma. Laramide deformation began synchronous with deposition of the Livingston Formation rocks at ???79 Ma. These results are consistent with previous observations in the region that show the onset of Laramide deformation in the northern Rocky Mountains becoming progressively younger toward the east. 40Ar/39Ar dating of additional igneous rocks in the northern Madison Valley and around Norris, Montana better define post-Laramide tectonomagmatic events in the region, including Eocene-Oligocene volcanism and Basin and Range crustal extension. Dates from three rhyolitic intrusions near Red Mountain are between 48.71 ?? 0.18 Ma and 49.42 ?? 0.18 Ma, similar to the dates from basal silicic flows of the Virginia City volcanic field (part of the southwest Montana volcanic province), suggesting that the Red Mountain intrusions may have been the sources for some of the early extrusive rocks. Magmatism in the Virginia City volcanic field became generally more mafic with time, and a ???30-Ma basalt flow near Norris is considered a late, outlying member of the volcanic field. A tuff along the east side of the Madison Valley half graben yielded a early middle Miocene date (16.2 ?? 0.19 Ma), suggesting that accelerated crustal extension and associated rapid basin sedimentation probably began in the early Miocene, slightly earlier than previous estimates.

Characteristics of the near-bottom suspended sediment field over the continental shelf off northern California based on optical attenuation measurements during STRESS and SMILE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trowbridge, J. H.; Butman, B.; Limeburner, R.

1994-08-01

Time-series measurements of current velocity, optical attenuation and surface wave intensity obtained during the Sediment Transport Events on Shelves and Slopes (STRESS) experiments, combined with shipboard measurements of conductivity, temperature and optical attenuation obtained during the Shelf Mixed Layer Experiment (SMILE), provide a description of the sediment concentration field over the central and outer shelf off northern California. The questions addressed are: (1) existence and characteristics of bottom nepheloid layers and their relationship to bottom mixed layers; (2) characteristics of temporal fluctuations in sediment concentration and their relationship to waves and currents; (3) spatial scales over which suspended sediment concentrations vary horizontally; and (4) vertical distribution of suspended sediment.

Remote sensing of spring phenology in northeastern forests: A comparison of methods, field metrics and sources of uncertainty

Treesearch

Katharine White; Jennifer Pontius; Paul Schaberg

2014-01-01

Current remote sensing studies of phenology have been limited to coarse spatial or temporal resolution and often lack a direct link to field measurements. To address this gap, we compared remote sensing methodologies using Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery to extensive field measurements in a mixed northern hardwood forest. Five vegetation indices, five mathematical...

Differences of the Plasma Drift and Upper Thermospheric Wind Behaviour in the Northern and Southern Polar Regions due to the Geomagnetic Field Asymmetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foerster, M.; Cnossen, I.; Haaland, S.

2013-12-01

The non-dipolar portions of Earth's main magnetic field constitute substantial differences between the geomagnetic field configurations of both hemispheres. They cause in particular different magnetic field flux densities in the opposite polar regions and different offsets of the invariant poles with respect to the rotation axis of the Earth. The offset is presently considerable larger (factor ~2) in the Southern Hemisphere compared to the Northern, which has substantial implications for the coupled magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere system under the influence of external drivers. Recent observations have shown that the ionospheric/thermospheric response to solar wind and IMF dependent processes in the magnetosphere can be very dissimilar in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere. We present statistical studies of both the high-latitude ionospheric convection and the upper thermospheric circulation patterns obtained from almost a decade of measurements starting in 2001 of the electron drift instrument (EDI) on board the Cluster satellites and an accelerometer on board the CHAMP spacecraft, respectively. Using the Coupled Magnetosphere-Ionosphere-Thermosphere (CMIT) model, on the other hand, we simulated a 20-day spring equinox interval of low solar activity with both symmetric dipole and realistic (IGRF) geomagnetic field configurations to prove the importance of the hemispheric differences for the plasma and neutral wind dynamics. The survey of both the numerical simulation and the statistical observation results show some prominent asymmetries between the two hemispheres, which are likely due to the different geographic-geomagnetic offset, or even due to different patterns of geomagnetic flux densities. Plasma drift differences can partly be attributed to differing ionospheric conductivities. The forthcoming Swarm satellite mission will provide valuable observations for further detailed analyses of the North-South asymmetries of plasma convection and neutral wind dynamics.

The First in situ Observation of Kelvin-Helmholtz Waves at High-Latitude Magnetopause during Strongly Dawnward Interplanetary Magnetic Field Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hwang, K.-J.; Goldstein, M. L.; Kuznetsova, M. M.; Wang, Y.; Vinas, A. F.; Sibeck, D. G.

2012-01-01

We report the first in situ observation of high-latitude magnetopause (near the northern duskward cusp) Kelvin-Helmholtz waves (KHW) by Cluster on January 12, 2003, under strongly dawnward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions. The fluctuations unstable to Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI) are found to propagate mostly tailward, i.e., along the direction almost 90 deg. to both the magnetosheath and geomagnetic fields, which lowers the threshold of the KHI. The magnetic configuration across the boundary layer near the northern duskward cusp region during dawnward IMF is similar to that in the low-latitude boundary layer under northward IMF, in that (1) both magnetosheath and magnetospheric fields across the local boundary layer constitute the lowest magnetic shear and (2) the tailward propagation of the KHW is perpendicular to both fields. Approximately 3-hour-long periods of the KHW during dawnward IMF are followed by the rapid expansion of the dayside magnetosphere associated with the passage of an IMF discontinuity that characterizes an abrupt change in IMF cone angle, Phi = acos (B(sub x) / absolute value of Beta), from approx. 90 to approx. 10. Cluster, which was on its outbound trajectory, continued observing the boundary waves at the northern evening-side magnetopause during sunward IMF conditions following the passage of the IMF discontinuity. By comparing the signatures of boundary fluctuations before and after the IMF discontinuity, we report that the frequencies of the most unstable KH modes increased after the discontinuity passed. This result demonstrates that differences in IMF orientations (especially in f) are associated with the properties of KHW at the high-latitude magnetopause due to variations in thickness of the boundary layer, and/or width of the KH-unstable band on the surface of the dayside magnetopause.

Checklist, distribution, and a new record of Nepomorphan water bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) in northern Tunisia.

PubMed

Slimani, Noura; Moulet, Pierre; Chen, Ping-Ping; Nieser, Nico; Pluot-Sigwalt, Dominique; Boumaïza, Moncef; Guilbert, Eric

2015-07-03

We report on the results of a survey of the Nepomorpha of northern Tunisia, and list twenty-three species belonging to twelve genera and seven families: Nepidae, Ochteridae, Corixidae, Micronectidae, Naucoridae, Notonectidae, and Pleidae. These records are based on intensive field surveys during the year 2013 and examination of the entomological collections of the National Museum Natural History of Paris. Ranatra linearis (Linnaeus, 1758) is recorded for the first time from Tunisia. The occurrence of Sigara (Halicorixa) stagnalis stagnalis (Leach, 1817) in Tunisia is confirmed. A preliminary checklist of the Nepomorpha of Northern Tunisia and updated distribution maps for all species treated are provided for further studies.

Groundwater management in northern Iraq

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stevanovic, Zoran; Iurkiewicz, Adrian

2009-03-01

Groundwater is vital and the sole resource in most of the studied region of northern Iraq. It has a significant role in agriculture, water supply and health, and the elimination of poverty in rural areas. Although Iraq is currently dramatically disturbed by complex political and socio-economic problems, in its northern part, i.e. the Kurdish-inhabited region, fast urbanization and economic expansion are visible everywhere. Monitoring and water management schemes are necessary to prevent aquifer over-exploitation in the region. Artificial recharge with temporary runoff water, construction of subsurface dams and several other aquifer management and regulation measures have been designed, and some implemented, in order to improve the water situation. Recommendations, presented to the local professionals and decision-makers in water management, include creation of Water Master Plans and Water User Associations, synchronization of drilling programmes, rehabilitation of the existing well fields, opening of new well fields, and the incorporation of new spring intakes in some areas with large groundwater reserves, as well as construction of numerous small-scale schemes for initial in situ water treatment where saline groundwater is present.

Lightning Behavior and its Dependence on Storm Kinematic and Precipitation Processes in Northern Alabama

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Elsie V.; Petersen, W. A,

2009-01-01

Numerous case studies and recent modeling studies have found that various metrics of updraft intensity appear to be reasonably well correlated to lightning production in thunderstorms, particularly severe thunderstorms. Indeed, the relationship between updraft and lightning flash rate is hypothesized to be the physical connection between a lightning "jump" signature and manifestations of severe weather such as tornadic activity. This study further examines this connection using a combination of dual Doppler wind retrievals made with the UAH ARMOR dual polarimetric and KHTX WSR 88D Doppler radar pair, together with northern Alabama Lightning Mapping Array (LMA) data. The dual Doppler data were used to construct three dimensional wind fields and the retrieved vertical velocity fields were subsequently compared to collocated total lightning flash rates observed by the LMA. Particular attention was paid to the timing of updraft pulses relative to changes in the flash rate, with the goal of assessing impacts on warning decision lead time. Results from the analysis of severe and non severe thunderstorms in Northern Alabama will be presented including the EF 4 tornado producing supercell on 6 February 2008.

Community-Provider Partnerships to Reduce Immunization Disparities: Field Report From Northern Manhattan

PubMed Central

Findley, Sally E.; Irigoyen, Matilde; See, Donna; Sanchez, Martha; Chen, Shaofu; Sternfels, Pamela; Caesar, Arturo

2003-01-01

In 1996 we launched a community–provider partnership to raise immunization coverage for children aged younger than 3 years in Northern Manhattan, New York City. The partnership was aimed at fostering provider knowledge and accountability, practice improvements, and community outreach. By 1999 the partnership included 26 practices and 20 community groups. Between 1996 and 1999, immunization coverage rates increased in Northern Manhattan 5 times faster than in New York City and 8 times faster than in the United States (respectively, 3.4% vs 0.4% [t = 6.05, p < 0.001] and vs 0.6% [t = 5.65, p < 0.001]). The coverage rate for Northern Manhattan stayed constant through 2000, although it declined during this period for the United States and New York City. We attribute the success at reducing the gap to the effectiveness of our partnership. PMID:12835176

An Ionosphere/Magnetosphere Coupling Current System Located in the Gap Between Saturn and its Rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khurana, K. K.; Dougherty, M. K.; Cao, H.; Hunt, G. J.; Provan, G.

2017-12-01

The Grand Finale Orbits of the Cassini spacecraft traversed through Saturn's D ring and brought the spacecraft to within 3000 km of Saturn's cloud tops. The closest approaches (CA) were near the equatorial plane of Saturn and were distributed narrowly around the local noon. The difference field (observations - internal field - magnetospheric ring current field) obtained from the Grand Finale orbits show persistent residual fields centered around the CA which diminish at higher latitudes on field lines that connect to the ring. Modeling of this perturbation in terms of internal harmonics shows that the perturbation is not of internal origin but is produced by external currents that couple the ionosphere to the magnetosphere. The sense of the current system suggests that the southern feet of the field lines in the ionosphere lead their northern footprints. We show that the observed field perturbations are consistent with a meridional Pedersen current whose strength is 1 MA/radian, i.e. comparable in strength to the Planetary-period-oscillation related current systems observed in the auroral zone. We show that the implied Lorentz force in the ionosphere extracts momentum from the faster moving southern ionosphere and passes it on to the northern ionosphere. We discuss several ideas for generating this current system. In particular, we highlight a mechanism that involves shears in the neutral winds in the thermospheric region to generate the observed magnetic field.

University Historians and Their Role in the Development of a "Shared" History in Northern Ireland Schools, 1960s-1980s: An Illustration of the Ambiguous Social Function of Historians

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fischer, Karin

2011-01-01

A common history curriculum was introduced for the first time in Northern Ireland schools in 1991, which attempted to bridge the longstanding gap between Catholic and state schools in this field. This paper outlines the various aspects of the crucial role played by a number of historians from all the major universities in Ireland, North and South,…

Structural mapping based on potential field and remote sensing data, South Rewa Gondwana Basin, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chowdari, Swarnapriya; Singh, Bijendra; Rao, B. Nageswara; Kumar, Niraj; Singh, A. P.; Chandrasekhar, D. V.

2017-08-01

Intracratonic South Rewa Gondwana Basin occupies the northern part of NW-SE trending Son-Mahanadi rift basin of India. The new gravity data acquired over the northern part of the basin depicts WNW-ESE and ENE-WSW anomaly trends in the southern and northern part of the study area respectively. 3D inversion of residual gravity anomalies has brought out undulations in the basement delineating two major depressions (i) near Tihki in the north and (ii) near Shahdol in the south, which divided into two sub-basins by an ENE-WSW trending basement ridge near Sidi. Maximum depth to the basement is about 5.5 km within the northern depression. The new magnetic data acquired over the basin has brought out ENE-WSW to E-W trending short wavelength magnetic anomalies which are attributed to volcanic dykes and intrusive having remanent magnetization corresponding to upper normal and reverse polarity (29N and 29R) of the Deccan basalt magnetostratigrahy. Analysis of remote sensing and geological data also reveals the predominance of ENE-WSW structural faults. Integration of remote sensing, geological and potential field data suggest reactivation of ENE-WSW trending basement faults during Deccan volcanism through emplacement of mafic dykes and sills. Therefore, it is suggested that South Rewa Gondwana basin has witnessed post rift tectonic event due to Deccan volcanism.

Association of wintering raptors with Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program grasslands in Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, A.; Brittingham, M.; Grove, G.

2010-01-01

Conservation grasslands can provide valuable habitat resource for breeding songbirds, but their value for wintering raptors has received little attention. We hypothesized that increased availability of grassland habitat through the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) has resulted in an increase or redistribution in numbers of four species of raptors in Pennsylvania since 2001. We tested this by analyzing winter raptor counts from volunteer surveys, conducted from 2001 to 2008, for Red-tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis), Rough-legged Hawks (Buteo lagopus), Northern Harriers (Circus cyaneus), and American Kestrels (Falco sparverius). During that period, numbers of wintering Northern Harriers increased by more than 20% per year. Log-linear Poisson regression models show that all four species increased in the region of Pennsylvania that had the most and longest-established conservation grasslands. At the county scale (N= 67), Bayesian spatial models showed that spatial and temporal population trends of all four species were positively correlated with the amount of conservation grassland. This relationship was particularly strong for Northern Harriers, with numbers predicted to increase by 35.7% per year for each additional 1% of farmland enrolled in CREP. Our results suggest that conservation grasslands are likely the primary cause of the increase in numbers of wintering Northern Harriers in Pennsylvania since 2001. ?? 2010 The Authors. Journal of Field Ornithology ?? 2010 Association of Field Ornithologists.

Evaluation of LiDAR Imagery as a Tool for Mapping the Northern San Andreas Fault in Heavily Forested Areas of Mendocino and Sonoma Counties, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prentice, C. S.; Koehler, R. D.; Baldwin, J. N.; Harding, D. J.

2004-12-01

We are mapping in detail active traces of the San Andreas Fault in Mendocino and Sonoma Counties in northern California, using recently acquired airborne LiDAR (also known as ALSM) data. The LiDAR data set provides a powerful new tool for mapping geomorphic features related to the San Andreas Fault because it can be used to produce high-resolution images of the ground surfaces beneath the forest canopy along the 70-km-long section of the fault zone encompassed by the data. Our effort represents the first use of LiDAR data to map active fault traces in a densely vegetated region along the San Andreas Fault. We are using shaded relief images generated from bare-earth DEMs to conduct detailed mapping of fault-related geomorphic features (e.g. scarps, offset streams, linear valleys, shutter ridges, and sag ponds) between Fort Ross and Point Arena. Initially, we map fault traces digitally, on-screen, based only on the geomorphology interpreted from LiDAR images. We then conduct field reconnaissance using the initial computer-based maps in order to verify and further refine our mapping. We found that field reconnaissance is of utmost importance in producing an accurate and detailed map of fault traces. Many lineaments identified as faults from the on-screen images were determined in the field to be old logging roads or other features unrelated to faulting. Also, in areas where the resolution of LiDAR data is poor, field reconnaissance, coupled with topographic maps and aerial photographs, permits a more accurate location of fault-related geomorphic features. LiDAR images are extremely valuable as a base for field mapping in this heavily forested area, and the use of LiDAR is far superior to traditional mapping techniques relying only on aerial photography and 7.5 minute USGS quadrangle topographic maps. Comparison with earlier mapping of the northern San Andreas fault (Brown and Wolfe, 1972) shows that in some areas the LiDAR data allow a correction of the fault trace location of up to several hundred meters. To date we have field checked approximately 24 km of the 70-km-long section of the fault for which LiDAR data is available. The remaining 46 km will be field checked in 2005. The result will be a much more accurate map of the active traces of the northern San Andreas Fault, which will be of great use for future fault studies.

Geological probability calculation of new gas discoveries in wider area of Ivana and Ika Gas Fields, Northern Adriatic, Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomislav, Malvić; Josipa, Velić; Režić, Mate

2016-09-01

There are eleven reservoirs in Ivana Gas Field and they are composed of Pleistocene sands, silt sands and siltstones, developed in dominant clays and marls depositional sequences. Ika Gas Field is the only field in Adriatic with gas accumulated in carbonate rocks, which are the deepest reservoir of the total four reservoirs. A carbonate reservoir is defined with tectonical and erosional unconformity, which is placed between Mesozoic and Pliocene rocks. The three younger Ika reservoirs are composed of Pleistocene sands, silt sands and siltstones that are laminated into clays and marls. The goal of our study was to assess the `Probability Of Success' (POS) of finding new gas accumulations within the marginal area of those two fields, either in the form of Mesozoic rocks or Pleistocene deposits. The assessment was successfully completed using the Microsoft Excel POS table for the analyzed areas in the Croatian part of the Po Depression, namely, Northern Adriatic. The methodology was derived and adapted from a similar POS calculation, which was originally used to calculate the geological probability of hydrocarbon discoveries in the Croatian part of the Pannonian Basin System (CPBS).

Palynological evidence of the replacement of the hygrophilous forest by field vegetation during the last 7,000 years B.P. in the northern coast of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

PubMed

Luz, Cynthia F P da; Barth, Ortrud M; Martin, Louis; Silva, Cleverson G; Turcq, Bruno J

2011-09-01

Historians claim that European colonizers of the northern coast of Rio de Janeiro State found vast herbaceous fields when arrived in this region. Hypotheses about the origin of these fields include forest burning by the Goitacás indians and periodical floods by the Paraíba do Sul River and the lagoon system. The palynologycal analysis of two lake cores obtained in the municipality of Campos dos Goytacazes revealed opening episodes of hygrophilous forest and the establishment of field vegetation, recorded at ca. 6,500 and ca. 4,000 (14)C yr BP. The partial replacement of forest by field vegetation in the first episode was probably caused by floods of the lower areas during the development of the Holocene lagoon phase. During the second episode, successions of vegetational patterns occurred due to lowering of the sea level. Drying and enlarging of the coastal plain have allowed its colonization by herbs and heliophyte plants. The palynological analysis does not provide any evidence that sustains the theories of use of fire and agricultural activities by indigenous groups during these periods.

Agreement between selectors at seven Eastern U.S. locations in the second field generation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Clone x location interactions are known to be large for many traits in potatoes. Early generation selection in northern breeding programs may eliminate clones that perform better in other locations. The purpose of this study was to examine the agreement between selectors in the second field genera...

HISTORY OF AMPHIBIAN DECLINE AND THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE RESEARCH WITH UV LIGHT AND OTHER STRESSORS

EPA Science Inventory

This talk is an overview of the history of amphibian decline and the lab research and field monitoring results generated by MED and other agencies. Included are the general field observations leading up to our research initiation, UV-light exposures to the Northern Leopard Frog...

Forests of Minnesota, 2017

Treesearch

Scott Hillard

2018-01-01

This resource update provides an overview of forest resources in Minnesota based on an inventory conducted by the USDA Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program of the Northern Research Station in cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Estimates are based on field data collected from 2013–2017 with comparisons made to field...

Distributional patterns of fall armyworm parasitoids in a corn field and pasture field in Florida

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

An assessment of parasitoids and their selective patterns among Spodoptera frugiperda corn and rice host strains was performed from August 2008-August 2010 in a corn crop and a grass pasture in northern Florida under different seasonal conditions (spring and fall). Sentinel larvae from our laborator...

WIND VELOCITIES AND SAND FLUXES IN MESQUITE DUNE-LANDS IN THE NORTHERN CHIHUAHUAN DESERT: A COMPARISON BETWEEN FIELD MEASUREMENTS AND THE QUIC (QUICK URBAN AND INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX) MODEL

EPA Science Inventory

The poster shows comparisons of wind velocities and sand fluxes between field measurements and a computer model, called QUIC (Quick Urban & Industrial Complex). The comparisons were made for a small desert region in New Mexico.

Hydrogen and Carbon Groups in the Structures of Rock-Forming Minerals of Rocks of the Lithospheric Mantle: FTIR and STA + QMS Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babushkina, M. S.; Ugolkov, V. L.; Marin, Yu. B.; Nikitina, L. P.; Goncharov, A. G.

2018-04-01

Using IR-Fourier spectrometry (FTIR) and simultaneous thermal analysis combined with quadrupole mass spectrometry of thermal decomposition products (STA + QMS), olivines and clinopyroxene from xenolites of spinel and garnet lherzolites contained in kimberlites and alkaline basalts were studied to confirm the occurrence of hydrogen and carbon within the structure of the minerals, as well as to specify the forms of H and C. The presence of hydroxyl ions (OH-) and molecules of crystal hydrate water (H2Ocryst) along with CO2, CH, CH2, and CH3 groups was detected, which remained within the structures of mantle minerals up to 1300°C (by the data of both techniques). The total water (OH-and H2Ocryst) was the prevailing component of the C-O-H system.

Goat paddock cryptoexplosion crater, Western Australia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harms, J.E.; Milton, D.J.; Ferguson, J.; Gilbert, D.J.; Harris, W.K.; Goleby, B.

1980-01-01

Goat Paddock, a crater slightly over 5 km in diameter (18??20??? S, 126??40???E), lies at the north edge of the King Leopold Range/Mueller Range junction in the Kimberley district, Western Australia (Fig. 1). It was noted as a geological anomaly in 1964 during regional mapping by the Bureau of Mineral Resources, Geology and Geophysics and the Geological Survey of Western Australia. The possibility of its being a meteorite impact crater has been discussed1, although this suggestion was subsequently ignored2. Two holes were drilled by a mining corporation in 1972 to test whether kimberlite underlay the structure. Here we report the findings of five days of reconnaissance in August 1979 which established that Goat Paddock is a cryptoexplosion crater containing shocked rocks and an unusually well exposed set of structural features. ?? 1980 Nature Publishing Group.

Magnetic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aboud, Essam; El-Masry, Nabil; Qaddah, Atef; Alqahtani, Faisal; Moufti, Mohammed R. H.

2015-06-01

The Rahat volcanic field represents one of the widely distributed Cenozoic volcanic fields across the western regions of the Arabian Peninsula. Its human significance stems from the fact that its northern fringes, where the historical eruption of 1256 A.D. took place, are very close to the holy city of Al-Madinah Al-Monawarah. In the present work, we analyzed aeromagnetic data from the northern part of Rahat volcanic field as well as carried out a ground gravity survey. A joint interpretation and inversion of gravity and magnetic data were used to estimate the thickness of the lava flows, delineate the subsurface structures of the study area, and estimate the depth to basement using various geophysical methods, such as Tilt Derivative, Euler Deconvolution and 2D modeling inversion. Results indicated that the thickness of the lava flows in the study area ranges between 100 m (above Sea Level) at the eastern and western boundaries of Rahat Volcanic field and getting deeper at the middle as 300-500 m. It also showed that, major structural trend is in the NW direction (Red Sea trend) with some minor trends in EW direction.

Subsurface Structure of the Ismenius Area and Implications for Evolution of the Martian Dichotomy and Magnetic Field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smrekar, S. E.; Raymond, C. A.; McGill, G. E.

2004-01-01

The Martian dichotomy divides the smooth, northern lowlands from the rougher southern highlands. The northern lowlands are largely free of magnetic anomalies, while the majority of the significant magnetic anomalies are located in the southern highlands. An elevation change of 2-4 km is typical across the dichotomy, and is up to 6 km locally. We examine a part of the dichotomy that is likely to preserve the early history of the dichotomy as it is relatively unaffected by major impacts and erosion. This study contains three parts: 1) the geologic history, which is summarized below and detailed in McGill et al., 2) the study of the gravity and magnetic field to better constrain the subsurface structure and history of the magnetic field (this abstract), and 3) modeling of the relaxation of this area. Our overall goal is to place constraints on formation models of the dichotomy by constraining lithospheric properties. Initial results for the analysis of the geology, gravity, and magnetic field studies are synthesized in Smrekar et al..

Origin of the 'dike-like' structure and transitions in eruptive styles at Colton Crater, northern Arizona: San Francisco Volcanic Field REU

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Witter, M. R.; Ort, M. H.; Leudemann, L. A.

2013-12-01

Colton Crater, located within the San Francisco Volcanic Field (SFVF) in northern Arizona, is one of over 600 scoria cones in the field. Unlike most other volcanoes in the SFVF, Colton Crater is characterized as a hybrid volcano that had Strombolian, Hawaiian, and Surtseyan explosions. Surtseyan explosions led to the excavation of the center of the volcano, creating a large 1.3-km-diameter crater with a 30-m post-phreatomagmatic scoria cone at its center. A vertical erosion-resistant feature along the northern rim of the crater, originally mapped as a dike, provides valuable information about the sequence and timing of the transition to phreatomagmatic eruptions because it disrupts the otherwise continuous spatter layers deposited just prior to that change. Stratigraphic sections and paleomagnetic analysis of Colton Crater reveal the origin and timing of emplacement of this vertical structure and its place in the transitional eruptive history. The prominent upper layers in the crater walls show some variation throughout the crater, but generally are composed of agglutinated spatter, welded scoria and bombs, and rootless lava flows. The uppermost portion of the outward-dipping spatter layers that lie between the two saddles on the northern rim closely match the layers observed in the vertical structure, revealing that the structure is a section of rotated spatter. The characteristic remanent magnetization (ChRM), identified using alternating field (AF) demagnetization, shows the timing of the displacement of sections of the agglutinated spatter and welded cinder. Sites along the vertical structure yield ChRMs statistically identical to non-rotated sites, which indicates that rotation of the vertical structure occurred before the ChRM had been set, i.e., the layers were above the Curie temperature during rotation. The eruption started as Strombolian and Hawaiian perhaps because the flux of magma overpowered the influx of water from local aquifer formations, creating a stable and sealed conduit. Lava flows associated with the Strombolian and Hawaiian activity breached the northern flank and destabilized the walls of the crater. Water may have been introduced to the magmatic system through conduit collapse beneath the water table or vent migration to a conduit location with greater water flux, leading to the Surtseyan explosions. As space was created on the northern rim, the destabilized spatter layers detached and rotated, creating the vertical structure. The eruption ended with a small Strombolian phase, forming the 30-m-high scoria cone in the bottom of the crater. The sequence of these events must have happened within a short time period because the rotated spatter layers of the vertical structure remained above 580 oC.

Ground-based observations of Saturn's auroral ionosphere over three days: Trends in H3+ temperature, density and emission with Saturn local time and planetary period oscillation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Donoghue, James; Melin, Henrik; Stallard, Tom S.; Provan, G.; Moore, Luke; Badman, Sarah V.; Cowley, Stan W. H.; Baines, Kevin H.; Miller, Steve; Blake, James S. D.

2016-01-01

On 19-21 April 2013, the ground-based 10-m W.M. Keck II telescope was used to simultaneously measure H3+ emissions from four regions of Saturn's auroral ionosphere: (1) the northern noon region of the main auroral oval; (2) the northern midnight main oval; (3) the northern polar cap and (4) the southern noon main oval. The H3+ emission from these regions was captured in the form of high resolution spectral images as the planet rotated. The results herein contain twenty-three H3+ temperatures, column densities and total emissions located in the aforementioned regions - ninety-two data points in total, spread over timescales of both hours and days. Thermospheric temperatures in the spring-time northern main oval are found to be cooler than their autumn-time southern counterparts by tens of K, consistent with the hypothesis that the total thermospheric heating rate is inversely proportional to magnetic field strength. The main oval H3+ density and emission is lower at northern midnight than it is at noon, in agreement with a nearby peak in the electron influx in the post-dawn sector and a minimum flux at midnight. Finally, when arranging the northern main oval H3+ parameters as a function of the oscillation period seen in Saturn's magnetic field - the planetary period oscillation (PPO) phase - we see a large peak in H3+ density and emission at ∼115° northern phase, with a full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of ∼44°. This seems to indicate that the influx of electrons associated with the PPO phase at 90° is responsible at least in part for the behavior of all H3+ parameters. A combination of the H3+ production and loss timescales and the ±10° uncertainty in the location of a given PPO phase are likely, at least in part, to be responsible for the observed peaks in H3+ density and emission occurring at a later time than the peak precipitation expected at 90° PPO phase.

Late Holocene lava flow morphotypes of northern Harrat Rahat, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Implications for the description of continental lava fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murcia, H.; Németh, K.; Moufti, M. R.; Lindsay, J. M.; El-Masry, N.; Cronin, S. J.; Qaddah, A.; Smith, I. E. M.

2014-04-01

A "lava morphotype" refers to the recognizable and distinctive characteristics of the surface morphology of a lava flow after solidification, used in a similar way to a sedimentary facies. This classification method is explored on an example volcanic field in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where copious lava outpourings may represent an important transition between monogenetic and flood basalt fields. Here, young and well-preserved mafic lava fields display a wide range of surface morphologies. We focussed on four post-4500 yrs. BP lava flow fields in northern Harrat Rahat (<10 Ma) and propose a framework for describing systematic changes in morphotypes down-flow. The morphotypes give insight into intrinsic and extrinsic parameters of emplacement, rheology and dominant flow behavior, as well as the occurrence and character of other lava structures. The Harrat Rahat lava flow fields studied extend up to 23 km from the source, and vary between 1-2 m and 12 m in thickness. Areas of the lava flow fields are between ˜32 and ˜61 km2, with individual flow field volumes estimated between ˜0.085 and ˜0.29 km3. They exhibit Shelly-, Slabby-, and Rubbly-pahoehoe, Platy-, Cauliflower-, and Rubbly-a'a, and Blocky morphotypes. Morphotypes reflect the intrinsic parameters of: composition, temperature, crystallinity and volatile-content/vesicularity; along with external influences, such as: emission mechanism, effusion rate, topography and slope control of flow velocity. One morphotype can transition to another in individual flow-units or lobes and they may dominate zones. Not all morphotypes were found in a single lava flow field. Pahoehoe morphotypes are related to the simple mechanical disaggregation of the crust, whereas a'a morphotypes are related to the transitional emergence and subsequent transitional disappearance of clinker. Blocky morphotypes result from fracturing and auto-brecciation. A'a morphotypes (i.e. platy-, cauliflower-, rubbly-a'a) dominate the lava flow field surfaces in northern Harrat Rahat, which suggests that core-dominated flows were predominant during flow movement. Lava structures are well-developed and well-preserved and some may be related to some morphotypes. Down-flow changes exhibit key illustrative and easy recognizable features in the lava flow fields and might provide insights into real-time monitoring of future flows in this region.

Analyzing source apportioned methane in northern California during Discover-AQ-CA using airborne measurements and model simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Matthew S.; Yates, Emma L.; Iraci, Laura T.; Loewenstein, Max; Tadić, Jovan M.; Wecht, Kevin J.; Jeong, Seongeun; Fischer, Marc L.

2014-12-01

This study analyzes source apportioned methane (CH4) emissions and atmospheric mixing ratios in northern California during the Discover-AQ-CA field campaign using airborne measurement data and model simulations. Source apportioned CH4 emissions from the Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) version 4.2 were applied in the 3-D chemical transport model GEOS-Chem and analyzed using airborne measurements taken as part of the Alpha Jet Atmospheric eXperiment over the San Francisco Bay Area (SFBA) and northern San Joaquin Valley (SJV). During the time period of the Discover-AQ-CA field campaign EDGAR inventory CH4 emissions were ∼5.30 Gg day-1 (Gg = 1.0 × 109 g) (equating to ∼1.90 × 103 Gg yr-1) for all of California. According to EDGAR, the SFBA and northern SJV region contributes ∼30% of total CH4 emissions from California. Source apportionment analysis during this study shows that CH4 mixing ratios over this area of northern California are largely influenced by global emissions from wetlands and local/global emissions from gas and oil production and distribution, waste treatment processes, and livestock management. Model simulations, using EDGAR emissions, suggest that the model under-estimates CH4 mixing ratios in northern California (average normalized mean bias (NMB) = -5.2% and linear regression slope = 0.20). The largest negative biases in the model were calculated on days when large amounts of CH4 were measured over local emission sources and atmospheric CH4 mixing ratios reached values >2.5 parts per million. Sensitivity emission studies conducted during this research suggest that local emissions of CH4 from livestock management processes are likely the primary source of the negative model bias. These results indicate that a variety, and larger quantity, of measurement data needs to be obtained and additional research is necessary to better quantify source apportioned CH4 emissions in California.

Analyzing Source Apportioned Methane in Northern California During DISCOVER-AQ-CA Using Airborne Measurements and Model Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Matthew S.

2014-01-01

This study analyzes source apportioned methane (CH4) emissions and atmospheric concentrations in northern California during the Discover-AQ-CA field campaign using airborne measurement data and model simulations. Source apportioned CH4 emissions from the Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) version 4.2 were applied in the 3-D chemical transport model GEOS-Chem and analyzed using airborne measurements taken as part of the Alpha Jet Atmospheric eXperiment over the San Francisco Bay Area (SFBA) and northern San Joaquin Valley (SJV). During the time period of the Discover-AQ-CA field campaign EDGAR inventory CH4 emissions were 5.30 Gg/day (Gg 1.0 109 grams) (equating to 1.9 103 Gg/yr) for all of California. According to EDGAR, the SFBA and northern SJV region contributes 30 of total emissions from California. Source apportionment analysis during this study shows that CH4 concentrations over this area of northern California are largely influenced by global emissions from wetlands and local/global emissions from gas and oil production and distribution, waste treatment processes, and livestock management. Model simulations, using EDGAR emissions, suggest that the model under-estimates CH4 concentrations in northern California (average normalized mean bias (NMB) -5 and linear regression slope 0.25). The largest negative biases in the model were calculated on days when hot spots of local emission sources were measured and atmospheric CH4 concentrations reached values 3.0 parts per million (model NMB -10). Sensitivity emission studies conducted during this research suggest that local emissions of CH4 from livestock management processes are likely the primary source of the negative model bias. These results indicate that a variety, and larger quantity, of measurement data needs to be obtained and additional research is necessary to better quantify source apportioned CH4 emissions in California and further the understanding of the physical processes controlling them.

Analyzing source apportioned methane in northern California during Discover-AQ-CA using airborne measurements and model simulations

DOE PAGES

Johnson, Matthew S.; Yates, Emma L.; Iraci, Laura T.; ...

2014-12-01

This study analyzes source apportioned methane (CH 4) emissions and atmospheric mixing ratios in northern California during the Discover-AQ-CA field campaign using airborne measurement data and model simulations. Source apportioned CH 4 emissions from the Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) version 4.2 were applied in the 3-D chemical transport model GEOS-Chem and analyzed using airborne measurements taken as part of the Alpha Jet Atmospheric eXperiment over the San Francisco Bay Area (SFBA) and northern San Joaquin Valley (SJV). During the time period of the Discover-AQ-CA field campaign EDGAR inventory CH 4 emissions were ~5.30 Gg day –1 (Ggmore » = 1.0 × 10 9 g) (equating to ~1.90 × 10 3 Gg yr –1) for all of California. According to EDGAR, the SFBA and northern SJV region contributes ~30% of total CH 4 emissions from California. Source apportionment analysis during this study shows that CH 4 mixing ratios over this area of northern California are largely influenced by global emissions from wetlands and local/global emissions from gas and oil production and distribution, waste treatment processes, and livestock management. Model simulations, using EDGAR emissions, suggest that the model under-estimates CH 4 mixing ratios in northern California (average normalized mean bias (NMB) = –5.2% and linear regression slope = 0.20). The largest negative biases in the model were calculated on days when large amounts of CH 4 were measured over local emission sources and atmospheric CH 4 mixing ratios reached values >2.5 parts per million. Sensitivity emission studies conducted during this research suggest that local emissions of CH 4 from livestock management processes are likely the primary source of the negative model bias. These results indicate that a variety, and larger quantity, of measurement data needs to be obtained and additional research is necessary to better quantify source apportioned CH 4 emissions in California.« less

Hemispheric asymmetry in coronal hole evolution: Cause of the bashful ballerina?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mursula, K.; Tlatov, A.; Virtanen, I.

2012-12-01

The magnetic hemisphere prevalent in the solar northern hemisphere has been shown to cover a larger area than in the south for about three years in the declining phase of several solar cycles. Correspondingly, the average field intensity is weaker in the northern hemisphere and the heliospheric current sheet (HCS) is shifted southward at these times. This phenomenon, now called the bashful ballerina, has been verified using several databases and methods, including the in situ observations of the heliospheric magnetic field (HMF) at 1 AU by the OMNI data base, at about 2 AU by the Ulysses probe, and at different radial distances by the Voyager 1 and 2 and Pioneer 10 and 11 probes. The Ulysses observations show that the mean southward shift of the HCS was about 2 degrees in the declining phase of both cycle 22 and cycle 23, although the polar strengths were very different between the two cycles. The HMF observations by the Voyager and Pioneer probes show a very consistent structure of HMF sectors and HCS location in the entire heliosphere, and even beyond the termination shock. Moreover, they suggest a systematic difference in the development of northern and southern polar coronal holes. While the northern coronal holes developed very systematically during all the four solar minima since mid-1970s, the evolution of southern coronal holes was less systematic and delayed with respect to the northern hemisphere. This delay in the evolution of southern coronal holes leads to a larger extent of northern coronal holes and a southward shift of the heliospheric current sheet (the bashful ballerina phenomenon) for a few years in the declining phase of the solar cycle. Here we study direct observations of solar coronal holes and verify this difference in the evolution of coronal holes between the two solar hemispheres, which explains the bashful ballerina phenomenon.

Correlation of Aerogravity and BHT Data to Develop a Geothermal Gradient Map of the Northern Western Desert of Egypt using an Artificial Neural Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamed, Haby S.; Abdel Zaher, Mohamed; Senosy, Mahmoud M.; Saibi, Hakim; El Nouby, Mohamed; Fairhead, J. Derek

2015-06-01

The northern part of the Western Desert of Egypt represents the second most promising area of hydrocarbon potential after the Gulf of Suez province. An artificial neural network (ANN) approach was used to develop a new predictive model for calculation of the geothermal gradients in this region based on gravity and corrected bottom-hole temperature (BHT) data. The best training data set was obtained with an ANN architecture composed of seven neurons in the hidden layer, which made it possible to predict the geothermal gradient with satisfactory efficiency. The BHT records of 116 deep oil wells (2,000-4,500 m) were used to evaluate the geothermal resources in the northern Western Desert. Corrections were applied to the BHT data to obtain the true formation equilibrium temperatures, which can provide useful constraints on the subsurface thermal regime. On the basis of these corrected data, the thermal gradient was computed for the linear sections of the temperature-versus-depth data at each well. The calculated geothermal gradient using temperature log data was generally 30 °C/km, with a few local high geothermal gradients in the northwestern parts of the study area explained by potential local geothermal fields. The Bouguer gravity values from the study area ranged from -60 mGal in the southern parts to 120 mGal in the northern areas, and exhibited NE-SW and E-W trends associated with geological structures. Although the northern Western Desert of Egypt has low regional temperature gradients (30 °C/km), several potential local geothermal fields were found (>40 °C/km). The heat flow at each well was also computed by combining sets of temperature gradients and thermal conductivity data. Aerogravity data were used to delineate the subsurface structures and tectonic framework of the region. The result of this study is a new geothermal gradient map of the northern Western Desert developed from gravity and BHT log data.

Description of extreme-wave deposits on the northern coast of Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles

USGS Publications Warehouse

Watt, Steven G.; Jaffe, Bruce E.; Morton, Robert A.; Richmond, Bruce M.; Gelfencaum, Guy

2010-01-01

To develop a better understanding of the origins of extreme-wave deposits and to help assess the potential risk of future overwash events, a field mapping survey was conducted in November 2006 on the northern coast of Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles. Deposits were mapped and analyzed to help develop a systematic sedimentological approach to distinguish the type of extreme-wave event (tsunamis or storms) or combination of events that formed and modified the deposits over time. Extreme-wave deposits on the northern coast of Bonaire between Boka Onima and Boka Olivia have formed sand sheets, poly-modal ridge complexes, and boulder fields on a Pleistocene limestone platform 3?8 meters above sea level. The deposits exhibit characteristics that are consistent with both large storm and tsunami processes that often overlap one another. Sand sheets occur as low-relief features underlying and incorporated with boulder field deposits. The seaward edge of ridge complexes are deposited up to 70 m from the shoreline and can extend over 200 m inland. Over 600 clasts were measured in fields and range in size from coarse gravel to fine block, weigh up to 165 metric tons, and are placed over 280 m from the shoreline. Our analyses indicate that the deposits may have been produced by a combination of hurricane and tsunami events spanning 10s to 1000s of years. Comparing the different deposit morphologies between study sites highlights the importance of shoreline orientation to the distribution of extreme-wave deposits onshore. However, further investigation is required to fully understand the processes that have produced and modified these deposits over time.

Ringed Birds: Story of Bird Banding at the Lorado Taft Field Campus, 1956-1973. Taft Campus Occasional Paper No. 18.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guptill, Wayne; Wade, Douglas E.

Published to aid students in comprehending the philosophy of the Department of Outdoor Teacher Education at Northern Illinois' Taft Field Campus, this paper on bird banding encompasses: (1) a brief history of bird banding; (2) the rationale behind bird banding; (3) a description of the bird banding station at the Lorado Taft Field Campus and its…

Bashful ballerina unveiled: Multipole analysis of the coronal magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Virtanen, I.; Mursula, K.

2012-12-01

Heliospheric current sheet (HCS) is the continuum of the coronal magnetic equator, dividing the heliospheric magnetic field (HMF) into two sectors (polarities). Because of its wavy structure, the HCS is often called the ballerina skirt. Several studies have proven that the HCS is southward shifted during about three years in the solar declining phase. This persistent phenomenon, called the bashful ballerina, has been verified by geomagnetic indices since 1930s, by OMNI data base since 1960s, by the WSO PFSS model since mid-1970s and by the Ulysses probe measurements during the fast latitude scans in 1994-1995 and 2007. We study here the Wilcox Solar Observatory measurements of the photospheric magnetic field and the PFSS extrapolation of the coronal magnetic field. We show that the quadrupole moment of the photospheric magnetic field, which is important for the HCS asymmetry (bashful ballerina), mainly arises from the difference between northern and southern polar field strengths. According to the WSO data the minimum time quadrupole is mainly due to the difference between the highest northern and southern latitude bins. Related studies imply that the southward shift of the HCS is related to the delayed development of southern coronal holes. We also discuss the suggested connection of the HCS asymmetry to sunspot hemispheric asymmetry.

Differential predation by northern squawfish Ptychocheilus oregonensis on live and dead juvenile salmonids in the Bonneville Dam tailrace (Columbia River)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Petersen, James H.; Gadomski, Dena M.; Poe, Thomas P.

1994-01-01

Juvenile salmonids (Oncorhynchus spp.) that have been killed or injured during dam passage may be highly vulnerable or preferred prey of predators that aggregate below dams. Salmonid loss due to predation will be overestimated using gut content analysis if some prey were dead or moribund when consumed. To examine this issue, field experiments were conducted in the Bonneville Dam tailrace (Columbia River) to compare rates of capture of live and dead juvenile salmonids by northern squawfish (Ptychocheilus oregonensis). Known numbers of coded-wire-tagged live and dead chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha) were released into the tailrace on six nights. Northern squawfish were collected after each release and their gut contents were examined for tags. When 50% of salmon released were dead, northern squawfish consumed 62% dead salmon. When 10% of salmon released were dead, comparable with dam passage mortality, 22% of the tags found in northern squawfish digestive tracts were from dead salmon. These results indicate that predator feeding behavior and prey condition are important considerations when estimating the impact of predation on a prey population.

GeoWall use in an Introductory Geology laboratory: Impacts in Student Understanding of Field Mapping Concepts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ross, L. E.; Kelly, M.; Springer, A. E.

2003-12-01

In the Fall semester of 2003, Northern Arizona University will introduce the GeoWall to its introductory geology courses. This presents an opportunity to assess the impact of this new technology on students' understanding of basic topographic concepts and the spatial relationships between geology, topography, and hydrology on a field trip. Introductory Geology fulfills the Lab Science component of the Liberal Studies Program at Northern Arizona University. The class is open to all Northern Arizona University students, and is most commonly taken by non-science majors. In this class students learn to: locate their position using maps, identify common minerals and rocks, recognize the relationship between geology and geomorphology, visualize how rocks exposed at the surface continue into the subsurface, and to draw conclusions about possible geologic hazards in different settings. In this study we will report how a GeoWall 3D visualization technology was used in a field study of a graben south of Flagstaff. The goal of the field exercise is to improve students' ability to synthesize data collected at field stops into a conceptual model of the graben, linking geology, geomorphology and hydrology. We plan to present a quantitative assessment of the GeoWall learning objectives from data collected from a paired test and control group of students. Teaching assistants (TAs) with two or more lab classes have been identified; these TAs will participate in both GeoWall and non-GeoWall lab exercises. The GeoWall use will occur outside of normal lab hours to avoid disrupting the lab schedule during the eighth week of lab. This field preparation exercise includes a 3D visualization of the Lake Mary graben rendered with the ROMA software. The following week, all students attend the graben field trip; immediately following the trip, students will interviewed about their gain in understanding of the geologic features illustrated during the field trip. The results of the post-fieldtrip interviews will also be presented to quantitatively assess how students perceive the use of the GeoWall in this introductory geology setting, and how it affected their understanding.

Aeromagnetic and Gravity Maps of the Central Marysvale Volcanic Field, Southwestern Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Campbell, David L.; Steven, Thomas A.; Cunningham, Charles G.; Rowley, Peter D.

1999-01-01

Gravity and aeromagnetic features in the Marysvale volcanic field result from the composite effects of many factors, including rock composition, style of magmatic emplacement, type and intensity of rock alteration, and effects of structural evolution. Densities and magnetic properties measured on a suite of rock samples from the Marysvale volcanic field differ in systematic ways. Generally, the measured densities, magnetic susceptibilities, and natural remanent magnetizations all increase with mafic index, but decrease with degree of alteration, and for tuffs, with degree of welding. Koenigsberger Q indices show no such systematic trends. The study area is divided into three geophysical domains. The northern domain is dominated by aeromagnetic lows that probably reflect reversed-polarity volcanic flows. There are no intermediate-sized magnetic highs in the northern domain that might reflect plutons. The northern domain has a decreasing-to-the-south gravity gradient that reflects the Pavant Range homocline. The central domain has gravity lows that reflect altered rocks in calderas and low-density plutons of the Marysvale volcanic field. Its aeromagnetic signatures consist of rounded highs that reflect plutons and birdseye patterns that reflect volcanic flows. In many places the birdseyes are attenuated, indicating that the flows there have been hydrothermally altered. We interpret the central domain to reflect an east-trending locus of plutons in the Marysvale volcanic field. The southern domain has intermediate gravity fields, indicating somewhat denser rocks there than in the central domain, and high-amplitude aeromagnetic birdseyes that reflect unaltered volcanic units. The southern domain contains no magnetic signatures that we interpret to reflect plutons. Basin-and-range tectonism has overprinted additional gravity features on the three domains. A deep gravity low follows the Sevier and Marysvale Valleys, reflecting grabens there. The gravity gradient in the north reflects the southern flank of a structural dome that led to the Pavant Range homocline and whose southern edge lies along the Clear Creek downwarp.

North-Seeking Magnetotactic Gammaproteobacteria in the Southern Hemisphere

PubMed Central

Leão, Pedro; Teixeira, Lia C. R. S.; Cypriano, Jefferson; Farina, Marcos; Abreu, Fernanda; Bazylinski, Dennis A.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) comprise a phylogenetically diverse group of prokaryotes capable of orienting and navigating along magnetic field lines. Under oxic conditions, MTB in natural environments in the Northern Hemisphere generally display north-seeking (NS) polarity, swimming parallel to the Earth's magnetic field lines, while those in the Southern Hemisphere generally swim antiparallel to magnetic field lines (south-seeking [SS] polarity). Here, we report a population of an uncultured, monotrichously flagellated, and vibrioid MTB collected from a brackish lagoon in Brazil in the Southern Hemisphere that consistently exhibits NS polarity. Cells of this organism were mainly located below the oxic-anoxic interface (OAI), suggesting it is capable of some type of anaerobic metabolism. Magnetosome crystalline habit and composition were consistent with elongated prismatic magnetite (Fe3O4) particles. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing indicated that this organism belongs to a distinct clade of the Gammaproteobacteria class. The presence of NS MTB in the Southern Hemisphere and the previously reported finding of SS MTB in the Northern Hemisphere reinforce the idea that magnetotaxis is more complex than we currently understand and may be modulated by factors other than O2 concentration and redox gradients in sediments and water columns. IMPORTANCE Magnetotaxis is a navigational mechanism used by magnetotactic bacteria to move along geomagnetic field lines and find an optimal position in chemically stratified sediments. For that, magnetotactic bacteria swim parallel to the geomagnetic field lines under oxic conditions in the Northern Hemisphere, whereas those in the Southern Hemisphere swim antiparallel to magnetic field lines. A population of uncultured vibrioid magnetotactic bacteria was discovered in a brackish lagoon in the Southern Hemisphere that consistently swim northward, i.e., the opposite of the overwhelming majority of other Southern Hemisphere magnetotactic bacteria. This finding supports the idea that magnetotaxis is more complex than previously thought. PMID:27401974

Coronal magnetic structures observing campaign. I - Simultaneous microwave and soft X-ray observations of active regions at the solar limb

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nitta, N.; White, S. M.; Kundu, M. R.; Gopalswamy, N.; Holman, G. D.; Brosius, J. W.; Schmelz, J. T.; Saba, J. L. R.; Strong, K. T.

1991-06-01

Using simultaneous microwave and soft X-ray measurements made with the Very Large Array (VLA) at 6 and 20 cm and the X-ray Polychromator (XRP) aboard the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM), we have studied two active regions near the solar limb. These observations were taken as part of the Coronal Magnetic Structures Observing Campaign (CoMStOC), a collaboration designed to study the magnetic field in the solar corona. The images in soft X-rays and at 20 cm wavelength are similar: both show peaks above the active regions and extended bridge of emission 200,000 km long connecting the two regions. The brightness temperature of the 20 cm emission is lower than that predicted from the X-ray emitting material, however; it can be attributed to free-free emission in cooler (<106 K) plasma not visible to XRP, with an optical depth ˜1. The 6 cm emission is concentrated at lower altitudes and in a ˜160,000 km long bundle of loops in the northern active region. Comparison of the 6 cm map with the potential magnetic field lines computed from photospheric magnetic fields (measured 2 days earlier) indicates that the 6 cm emission is associated with fields of less than ˜200 G. Such fields would be too weak to attribute the observed 6 cm emission to gyroresonance radiation. Analysis of the 6 cm loop bundle indicates that it is strongly asymmetric, with the magnetic field in the northern leg ˜2 times stronger than in the southern leg; the 6 cm emission most likely arises from a combination of hot ( ≥ 2 × 106 K) and cool plasmas, while the 20 cm emission becomes optically thick in the cooler (˜9 × 103 K) plasma. We estimate an Alfvén speed ˜7000 km s-1 and ratio of electron gyrofrequency to plasma frequency ˜1.0 in the northern leg of the 6 cm loop.

Inclusion/lamella mineralogy and chemical characteristics of garnets from the Garnet Ridge in the Colorado Plateau, northern Arizona

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, Y.; Ogasawara, Y.

2013-12-01

A wide variety of garnets as xenocrysts and those in xenoliths, come from kimberlitic diatreme (Smith et al. 2004), occurs at the Garnet Ridge. Koga and Ogasawara (2012) classified these garnets into 9 groups: (a) Cr and pyrope-rich garnet, (b) pyrope-rich reddish brown garnet, (c) reddish brown garnet, (d) garnet in eclogite, (e) garnet in metasomatized eclogite, (f) garnet aggregate, (g) garnet megacryst, (h) garnet in metasomatic rock I, (i) garnet in metasomatic rock II. They divided genetically these groups into four: mantle peridotite (a, b), subducted oceanic crust (d, e), high-pressure metasomatism (c, f, g), low-pressure metasomatism (h, i).In this study, the following 4 groups (a, b, f, g) were chose for inclusion mineralogy by laser Raman spectroscopy. Groups (a) and (b): pyrope-rich garnets (a: 45-82, b: 61-80 Prp mol%) both Cr-rich and Cr-poor (a: 1.0-5.9, b: 0.0-1.0 wt.% Cr2O3) are Ca-poor (1.5-7.0 wt.% CaO) and single-crystals of 5-15 mm in diameter. Group (a) is identical to chrome-pyrope based on the classification of kimberlitic garnets by Dawson and Stephens (1975). CaO-Cr2O3 ratio of (a, b) indicates lherzorite origin (Turkin and Sobolev 2009). Wang et al. (1999) have reported the detailed inclusion and lamella mineralogy of pyrope-rich garnets from the Garnet Ridge. We identified inclusions of Chl (OH: 3450, 3582, 3679 cm-1), Amp (OH: 3685, 3711 cm-1), Ol, Opx, Cpx, Rt (OH: 3295 cm-1), Mgs, Dol, Cal, sulfides, fluid (OH: 3445 cm-1) and spherical composite inclusions of Amp, Ap, Dol, Mgs, Rt and sulfides, and oriented lamellae (presumable exsolution) of Qz, Ol, Opx, Cpx, Amp, Chl, Rt, Ilm, crichtonite (6-7 Peaks at 120-820 cm-1), carmichaelite (710-782 cm-1, OH: 3340 cm-1), Ap (OH: 3570 cm-1) and Ti-Chn (OH: 3404, 3527, 3564 cm-1) adjacent to the oriented Ol. The mineral assemblages of the inclusion and lamella show a correlation with the host garnet compositions; inclusions: (a, b) Ol + Opx + Cpx × composite, (b, low Mg) Opx + Cpx + Amp, oriented lamellae: (a) Rt + Cr-bearing titanates + Ol, (b) Rt + titanates + Px or Ol, (b, low Mg) Rt + Ilm + Amp + Chl. Groups (f) and (g): aggregate (f) and megacryst (g) are rich in Alm, Grs and Pyp; almost 1:1:1. The chemistries of the garnets fall into pyrope-grossular almandine by Dawson and Stephens (1975). Both garnets contain Cpx, Zrn, sulfides, and oriented Ap and Rt rods. Chl, Cpx, Rt and Ilm grains occur near grain boundaries of (f). A significant variation of hydroxyls was detected in the garnets from the Garnet Ridge (Ogasawara et al. 2012); hydroxyls in garnets (c, f, g) and (a, b), but no hydroxyls in garnet (d).Detected hydroxyls in the host garnet and in identified inclusion/lamella and their assemblages may lead to clarify the volatile environments of the metasomatic processes in peridotites and subducted materials underneath the Colorado Plateau. References Turkin, A.I., Sobolev, N.V. (2009) Russ. J. Geol. Geophys., 50, 1169-1182. Smith, D. et al. (2004) Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst., 5, 4. Dawson, J. B., Stephens, W. E. (1975) J. Geol., 83, 589-607. Koga, I., Ogasawara, Y. (2012) AGU Fall Meeting, V43A-2824. Wang, L. et al., (1999) Contrib. Mineral. Petrol., 135, 164-178. Ogasawara, Y., Sakamaki, K. and Koga, I. (2012) AGU Fall Meeting, V43A-2821.

Life cycles of persistent anomalies. I - Evolution of 500 mb height fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dole, Randall M.

1989-01-01

The life cycles of persistent anomalies of the extratropical Northern Hemisphere wintertime circulation are studied, focusing on the typical characteristics of the 500 mb height anomaly and flow patterns accompanying the development and breakdown of large-scale flow anomalies in the eastern North Atlantic and the northern Soviet Union. Following onset, anomaly centers develop and intensify in sequence downstream from the main center, forming a quasi-stationary wavetrain pattern. From development through decay, corresponding positive and negative patterns have similar evolutions.

Preliminary Analysis of AVIRIS Data for Tectonostratigraphic Assessment of Northern Guerrero

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lang, Harold R.; Cabral-Cano, Enrique

1996-01-01

The tectonostratigraphic evolution of the southern margin of North American Plate in Mexico is still in debate. Recent explanations assert Laramide age (Campanian-Eocene) accretion of far-traveled oceanic terranes (Campa and Coney, 1983; Sedlock et al. 1993). In 1989, we began an effort to bring new data to this debate through field mapping, incorporating Lansat Thematic Mapper and digital elevation data, along a 30km by 250km, east-west geologic transect on northern Guerrero State.

Estimates of the seasonal mean vertical velocity fields of the extratropical Northern Hemisphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, G. H.

1983-01-01

Indirect methods are employed to estimate the wintertime and summertime mean vertical velocity fields of the extratropical Northern Hemisphere and intercomparisons are made, together with comparisons with mean seasonal patterns of cloudiness and precipitation. Twice-daily NMC operational analyses produced general circulation statistics for 11 winters and 12 summers, permitting calculation of the seasonal NMC averages for 6 hr forecasts, solution of the omega equation, integration of continuity equation downward from 100 mb, and solution of the thermodynamic energy equation in the absence of diabatic heating. The methods all yielded similar vertical velocity patterns; however, the magnitude of the vertical velocities could not be calculated with great accuracy. Orography was concluded to have less of an effect in summer than in winter, when winds are stronger.

ROTATION RATE DIFFERENCES OF POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE SOLAR MAGNETIC FIELDS BETWEEN ±60° LATITUDES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shi, X. J.; Xie, J. L., E-mail: shixiangjun@ynao.ac.cn

2015-04-15

Based on a cross-correlation analysis of the Carrington synoptic maps of solar photospheric magnetic fields from Carrington Rotations Nos. 1625 to 2135 (from 1975 February to 2013 March), the sidereal rotation rates of the positive and negative magnetic fields in the latitude range of ±60° are obtained, and the rotation rate differences between them are investigated. The time–latitude distribution of the rate differences is shown, which looks like a butterfly diagram at the low and middle latitudes. For comparison, the time–latitude distribution of the longitudinally averaged photospheric magnetic fields is shown. We conclude that the magnetic fields having the samemore » polarity as the leading sunspots at a given hemisphere rotate faster than those exhibiting the opposite polarity at low and middle latitudes. However, at higher latitudes, the magnetic fields having the same polarity as the leading sunspots at a given hemisphere do not always rotate faster than those with the opposite polarity. Furthermore, the relationship between the rotation rate differences and solar magnetic fields is studied through a correlation analysis. Our result shows that the correlation coefficients between them reach maximum values at 13° (14°) latitude in the northern (southern) hemisphere, and change sign at 28° latitude in both hemispheres, then reach their minimum values at 58° (53°) latitude in the northern (southern) hemisphere.« less

Types of stratigraphic traps in Lower Cretaceous Muddy Formation, northern Powder River Basin, Wyoming

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lovekin, J.R.; Odland, S.K.; Quartarone, T.S. Gardner, M.H.

1986-08-01

Stratigraphic traps account for most of the oil produced from the Muddy Sandstone in the northern Powder River basin. Two categories of traps exist. The first trap type is the result of lateral and vertical facies changes. Reservoir facies include tidal channels, point bars, bayhead deltas, barrier islands, and strand-plain sandstones; trapping facies include bay-fill and estuarine sediments, mud-filled tidal channels, and flood-plain deposits. The second of the two categories of traps results from an unconformity that juxtaposes permeable and impermeable sediments of quite different ages. Structural and diagenetic factors often modify and locally enhance reservoir quality within both categoriesmore » of stratigraphic traps. The various types of traps are demonstrated by studies of six field areas: (1) barrier-island sandstones, sealed updip by back-barrier shales, produce at Ute and Kitty fields; (2) tidal channels produce at Collums and Kitty fields; (3) bayhead deltas, encased in estuarine sediments, form traps at Oedekoven and Kitty fields; (4) fluvial point-bar sandstones form traps at Oedekoven, Store, and Kitty fields; (5) unconformity-related traps exist where Muddy fluvial valley-fill sediments lap out against impermeable valley walls of Skull Creek Shale on the updip side at Store, Oedekoven, and Kitty fields; and (6) the clay-rich weathered zone, directly beneath an intraformational unconformity, forms the seal to the reservoirs at Amos Draw field.« less

Technical-Environmental Permafrost Observatories (TEPO) of northern West Siberia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurchatova, A. N.; Griva, G. I.; Osokin, A. B.; Smolov, G. K.

2005-12-01

During the last decade one of the most developed topics in environmental studies was the effect of global climate change. This has been shown to be especially pronounced in northern regions, having an important influence on the subsequent transformation of frozen soil distribution and potential permafrost degradation. In West Siberia such studies are especially important with the prospect of plans for development of oil-gas fields (Yamal, Gydan and Kara Sea shelf). Presently the enterprises independently determine the necessary research for ecological control of the territory. Therefore, the Tyumen State Oil and Gas University (TSOGU) together with one of the leading gas enterprises "Nadymgasprom" started to create an observational network along the meridian transect of northern West Siberia (Yamal-Nenets administrative district). Observational network consists from a number of monitoring sites - Technical-Environmental permafrost Observatories (TEPO). The research complex includes temperature observations in boreholes (depths of 30) equipped with automatic systems for registration and data collection; seasonal field investigations on spatial distribution and temporal variability of the snow cover and vegetation and soil distribution. TSOGU and "Nadymgasprom" plan for the realization of long-term monitoring to obtain representative results on permafrost-climate interaction. At present there are three monitoring observatories located in the main landscape types and gas fields in use since 1972 (Medvezhye), 1992 (Yubileynoe) and in development (Harasavey). The next contribution to International Polar Year (2007-2008) will be renewal of one of the former monitoring sites (established in 1972) with a long-term period of observation and creation of a new site at the Yamal peninsula (Arctic tundra zone). At the last site the installation of an automatic Climate-Soil Station is being planned in the framework of the INTAS Infrastructure Action project with cooperation of the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research and the University of Hamburg, Germany. One of the responsibilities of TEPO is to provide assistance to students taking part in scientific research (undergraduate and post-graduate practical work and organization of summer schools and seminars). In 2005 a joint summer student field excursion with the Moscow State University Department of Cryolithology and Glaciology took place at TEPO headquarters. The teaching courses consist of the following main topics: 1. Environment and Permafrost of northern West Siberia; 2. Paleocryogenic Formation of Alluvial Terraces; 3. Hydrology and Hydrogeological Conditions of the Territory; 4. Geotechnical Monitoring of Gas Fields; 5. Geotechnical Dangers in the Cryolithozone. The workshop "Stability of Pipelines in the Cryolithozone" held in Nadym at August, 29-31 with participation of "Nadymgasprom", TSOGU and Hokkaido University, Graduate School of Engineering (Japan) included a field excursion. TEPO is expected to be the basis for scientific and educational exchange with national and foreign universities and research institutes and part of the global international monitoring in the northern regions.

The velocity field of clusters of galaxies within 100 megaparsecs. II - Northern clusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mould, J. R.; Akeson, R. L.; Bothun, G. D.; Han, M.; Huchra, J. P.; Roth, J.; Schommer, R. A.

1993-01-01

Distances and peculiar velocities for galaxies in eight clusters and groups have been determined by means of the near-infrared Tully-Fisher relation. With the possible exception of a group halfway between us and the Hercules Cluster, we observe peculiar velocities of the same order as the measuring errors of about 400 km/s. The present sample is drawn from the northern Galactic hemisphere and delineates a quiet region in the Hubble flow. This contrasts with the large-scale flows seen in the Hydra-Centaurus and Perseus-Pisces regions. We compare the observed peculiar velocities with predictions based upon the gravity field inferred from the IRAS redshift survey. The differences between the observed and predicted peculiar motions are generally small, except near dense structures, where the observed motions exceed the predictions by significant amounts. Kinematic models of the velocity field are also compared with the data. We cannot distinguish between parameterized models with a great attractor or models with a bulk flow.

Tribal lands provide forest management laboratory for mainstream university students

Treesearch

Serra J. Hoagland; Ronald Miller; Kristen M. Waring; Orlando Carroll

2017-01-01

Northern Arizona University (NAU) faculty and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) foresters initiated a partnership to expose NAU School of Forestry (SoF) graduate students to tribal forest management practices by incorporating field trips to the 1.68-million acre Fort Apache Indian Reservation as part of their silviculture curriculum. Tribal field trips were contrasted and...

Field-cage methodology for evaluating climatic suitability for introduced wood-borer parasitoids: preliminary results from the emerald ash borer system

Treesearch

Michael D. Ulyshen; Jian J. Duan; Leah S. Bauer; Juli Gould; Phil Taylor; Dick Bean; Carol Holko; Roy Van Driesche

2011-01-01

Field-cage methods were developed to evaluate the abilities of Tetrastichus planipennisi Yang (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) and Spathius agrili Yang (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), biocontrol agents of Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), to parasitize, develop and overwinter following three late-season releases at both a northern (Michigan) and a southern (...

Geologic field-trip guide to the Lassen segment of the Cascades Arc, northern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clynne, Michael A.; Muffler, L. J. Patrick

2017-08-17

This field-trip guide provides an overview of Quaternary volcanism in and around Lassen Volcanic National Park, California, emphasizing the stratigraphy of the Lassen Volcanic Center. The guide is designed to be self-guided and to focus on geologic features and stratigraphy that can be seen easily from the road network.

Emissions from prescribed burning of agricultural fields in the Pacific Northwest

Treesearch

A. L. Holder; B. K. Gullett; S. P. Urbanski; R. Elleman; S. O' Neill; D. Tabor; W. Mitchell; K. R. Baker

2017-01-01

Prescribed burns of winter wheat stubble and Kentucky bluegrass fields in northern Idaho and eastern Washington states (U.S.A.) were sampled using ground-, aerostat-, airplane-, and laboratory-based measurement platforms to determine emission factors, compare methods, and provide a current and comprehensive set of emissions data for air quality models, climate models,...

Reappraisal of the relationship between the northern Nevada rift and Miocene extension in the northern Basin and Range Province

USGS Publications Warehouse

Colgan, Joseph P.

2013-01-01

The northern Nevada rift is a prominent mafic dike swarm and magnetic anomaly in north-central Nevada inferred to record the Middle Miocene (16.5-15.0 Ma) extension direction in the northern Basin and Range province in the western United States. From the 245°-250° rift direction, Basin and Range extension is inferred to have shifted 45° clockwise to a modern direction of 290°-300° during the late Miocene. The region surrounding the northern Nevada rift was actively extending while the rift formed, and these domains are all characterized by extension oriented 280°-300°. This direction is distinctly different from the rift direction and nearly identical to the modern Basin and Range direction. Although the rate, structural style, and distribution of Basin and Range extension appear to have undergone a significant change in the late Miocene (ca. 10 Ma), the overall spreading direction does not. Middle Miocene extension was directed perpendicular to the axis of the thickest crust formed during Mesozoic shortening and this orientation may reflect gravitational collapse of this thick crust. Orientation of northern Nevada rift dikes may reflect a short-lived regional stress field related to the onset of Yellowstone hotspot volcanism.

Susceptibility of northern corn rootworm Diabrotica barberi (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) to mCry3A and eCry3.1Ab Bacillus thuringiensis proteins.

PubMed

Oyediran, Isaac O; Matthews, Phillip; Palekar, Narendra; French, Wade; Conville, Jared; Burd, Tony

2016-12-01

The susceptibility of the northern corn rootworm Diabrotica barberi (Smith & Lawrence) to mCry3A and eCry3.1Ab proteins derived from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) was determined using a diet bioassay. Northern corn rootworm neonates were exposed to different concentrations of mCry3A and eCry3.1Ab, incorporated into artificial diet. Larval mortality was evaluated after 7 d. The mCry3A and eCry3.1Ab proteins were found to be toxic to the northern corn rootworm larvae. The LC 50 and LC 99 values for mCry3A were 5.13 and 2482.31 μg/mL, respectively. For eCry3.1Ab, the LC 50 and LC 99 values were 0.49 and 213.01 μg/mL. Based on the estimated lethal concentrations, eCry3.1Ab protein was more efficacious to northern corn rootworm larvae than mCry3A. These lethal concentration values will be used as diagnostic doses for routine annual monitoring for change in susceptibility of field collected northern corn rootworm to mCry3A, and eCry3.1Ab toxins. © 2015 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Structure of the active rift zone and margins of the northern Imperial Valley from Salton Seismic Imaging Project (SSIP) data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Livers, A.; Han, L.; Delph, J. R.; White-Gaynor, A. L.; Petit, R.; Hole, J. A.; Stock, J. M.; Fuis, G. S.

2012-12-01

First-arrival refraction data were used to create a seismic velocity model of the upper crust across the actively rifting northern Imperial Valley and its margins. The densely sampled seismic refraction data were acquired by the Salton Seismic Imaging Project (SSIP) , which is investigating rift processes in the northern-most rift segment of the Gulf of California extensional province and earthquake hazards at the southern end of the San Andreas Fault system. A 95-km long seismic line was acquired across the northern Imperial Valley, through the Salton Sea geothermal field, parallel to the five Salton Butte volcanoes and perpendicular to the Brawley Seismic Zone and major strike-slip faults. Nineteen explosive shots were recorded with 100 m seismometer spacing across the valley and with 300-500 m spacing into the adjacent ranges. First-arrival travel times were picked from shot gathers along this line and a seismic velocity model was produced using tomographic inversion. Sedimentary basement and seismic basement in the valley are interpreted to be sediment metamorphosed by the very high heat flow. The velocity model shows that this basement to the west of the Brawley Seismic Zone is at ~4-km depth. The basement shallows to ~2-km depth in the active geothermal field and Salton Buttes volcanic field which locally coincide with the Brawley Seismic Zone. At the eastern edge of the geothermal field, the basement drops off again to ~3.5-km depth. The eastern edge of the valley appears to be fault bounded by the along-strike extension of the Sand Hills Fault, an inactive strike-slip fault. The seismic velocities to the east of the fault correspond to metamorphic rock of the Chocolate Mountains, different from the metamorphosed basement in the valley. The western edge of the valley appears to be fault bounded by the active Superstition Hills Fault. To the west of the valley, >4-km deep valley basement extends to the active Superstition Hills Fault. Basement then shallows westward towards exposures of granitic basement in the Superstition Mountains. The basin between the Superstition Mountains and Coyote Mountains is ~2 km deep.

On the role of electric field direction in the formation of sporadic E-layers in the southern polar cap ionosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parkinson, M. L.; Dyson, P. L.; Monselesan, D. P.; Morris, R. J.

1998-03-01

Measurements of the occurrence of sporadic E (Es)-layers and F-region electric fields were obtained with a modern, HF digital ionosonde located at Casey, Antarctica (66.3°S, 110.5°E, 81°S CGM latitude) during the late austral summer of 1995/96. The occurrence of Es-layers was inferred from the presence of appropriate traces in normal swept-frequency ionograms, and the electric fields were inferred from F-region ``drift-mode'' velocities assuming that the plasma convection velocities given by E × B/B2 were measured, on average, by the interferometer. The theory of formation of high-latitude Es-layers predicts that electric fields directed toward the south west (SW) should be particularly effective at producing thin layers in the southern hemisphere. Our measurements made at a true polar cap station are consistent with this expectation, and are contrasted with observations made by incoherent scatter radars in the northern hemisphere, which also show the importance of SW electric fields, whereas the same theory predicts that NW electric fields should be important at northern latitudes. We reconcile the interhemispheric differences with simple calculations of ion convergence driven by the electric fields specified by the IZMIRAN electrodynamic model (IZMEM) in both hemispheres. The importance of the interplanetary magnetic field in the control of high-latitude Es formation is emphasised as an important adjunct to space weather modelling and forecasting.

The Northern Manitoba Mining Academy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexandre, Paul

2017-04-01

The Northern Manitoba Mining Academy (NMMA, miningacademy.ca) is a new educational institution located in Flin Flon, Manitoba. It is associated with the University College of the North and is specifically intended to serve the needs of the Northern Manitoban communities with regards to job creation by providing training in a variety of mining, construction, and exploration related areas. NMMA's mission is to provide innovative and responsible solutions for the creation of a knowledgeable, skilled, and sustainable workforce within a vibrant, mineral-rich resource industry. It facilitates strategic training initiatives and research activities in order to strengthen the social, economic, and environmental benefits of a robust mining and resources sector. In terms of education, NMMA offers its own programs, mostly short courses in health and safety, courses organized by the University College of the North (wilderness safety, prospecting, and exploration), and courses organized in association with provincial Industries-Based Safety Programs and Associations (a variety of construction-related trades). However, the programming is not limited to those courses already on the syllabus: the Academy operates on open-doors policy and welcomes people with their unique and diverse needs; it prides itself in its ability to tailor or create specific on-demand courses and deliver them locally in the North. The Northern Manitoba Mining Academy also provides access to its world-class facilities for field-based undergraduate courses, as well as graduate students and researchers doing field work. Full sample preparation facilities are offered to students and scientists in all natural and environmental sciences.

Compensation and climate: Latitudinal variation in ecototherm response to environmental change

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Curtin, C.G.

1995-06-01

Thermal preference measured in a laboratory thermal gradient, and field body temperatures in a field enclosure, contrast the fundamental and realized thermal niches of ornate box turtles (Terrapene ornata) from northern, central, and southern locations. The relatively warmer thermal preference of southern turtles appears to result in lower body temperatures and relatively shorter activity periods. Variation in thermal constraints are input into computer simulations of ectotherm response to climate to assess latitudinal variation in turtle response to microclimate cooling (4{degrees} C), current climate (1970-1990), and climatic warming (3-5{degrees} C). Climatic warming is calculated to lead to a northward shift inmore » turtle range and distribution with increases in northern and declines in southern populations. Microclimate cooling is estimated to result in declines in northern areas and in the core of the box turtle range. The local changes in microclimate, such as can result from shifts in land-use, can be greater than those resulting from large scale changes in climate. Suggesting that land managers and conservation biologists need to focus greater attention on the impact of changes in within patch structure of plant associations and its implications for alteration of microclimate and species life history.« less

Exploring the North-South asymmetry in a Babcock-Leighton dynamo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belucz , B.; Forgács-Dajka, E.; Dikpati, M.

2013-11-01

We present here a Babcock-Leighton, kinematic flux-transport solar dynamo model, based on an earlier model (Dikpati & Charbonneau 1999), operating in a full spherical shell of the convection zone, to investigate the properties of North-South (N-S) asymmetry. We develop a C language code for this model in order to examine the N-S asymmetry. The main components of the model are a solar-like internal differential rotation profile, a depth-dependent diffusivity, and a Babcock-Leighton type poloidal source. Our purpose here is to study what kind of North-South asymmetry is produced in solar cycle patterns when the Babcock-Leighton poloidal source is asymmetric between North and South. We present our solutions in the form of model butterfly diagrams in which we plot the tachocline toroidal field and surface radial field, and compare them with observations. We find that the dynamos in the northern and southern hemispheres operate nearly independently - if the Babcock-Leighton source is much smaller in the southern hemisphere with respect to that in the northern hemisphere, the dynamo in the southern hemisphere gets weaker and weaker, but the dynamo in the northern hemisphere runs without being affected by the dynamo in the southern hemisphere.

Analysis of field-aligned structure of compressional Pc 5 waves and associated energetic ion modulations observed by Polar at L~9.5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Capman, E.; Engebretson, M. J.; Pilipenko, V.; Russell, C. T.; Peterson, W. K.

2012-12-01

Nearly all previous studies of storm-time compressional Pc 5 waves have used data from low-inclination satellites, so the field-aligned structure of these waves could be determined only statistically or by inference. However, the high inclination of the Polar satellite's orbit allowed it to approximately follow a flux tube across the equator. In this study we present examples of compressional Pc 5 events identified during Polar's 2001-02 and 2002-03 duskside passages. The focus of this presentation is on exploring the field-aligned structure of the observed waves near the geomagnetic equator. At least two frequencies were identified in each event. In many cases these are a 1st (fundamental) harmonic with a node in the field-aligned (Bz) component near the geomagnetic equator, and a 2nd harmonic with an anti-node near the equator. To verify this assumption we applied the analytical signal method, verified by manual hodogram analysis, to monitor the amplitude and phase variations of the radial (Bx) and compressional (Bz) components at certain frequencies. The following transitions occurred near the time when Polar crossed the geomagnetic equator: The phase difference was 0° in the southern hemisphere and then 180° out of phase in the northern hemisphere. The waves were often linearly polarized, and the inclination angle of the polarization ellipse in the Bx-Bz plane was negative in the southern hemisphere and positive in the northern hemisphere. The ellipticity still had a slight positive bias in the southern hemisphere and a slight negative bias in the northern hemisphere. These observational results are compared with the results of modeling of coupled MHD Alfven and slow magnetosonic modes.

Ground-based observations of Saturn's auroral H3+: short- and long-term trends in thermospheric temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Donoghue, J.; Melin, H.; Stallard, T.; Moore, L.

2014-04-01

The observations presented here used the 10-m Keck telescope situated on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. They were designed to be an integral part of the Saturn Auroral Observing Campaign of April-May 2013 (to be published in the Icarus special issue of 2014). These overlap with observations performed by the Cassini spacecraft, Hubble space telescope and the NASA infrared telescope facility (IRTF). During the observations, Saturn's sub-solar latitude was 18 degrees, i.e. Saturn was well into northern springtime/ southern autumn. In three nights of data we have found 1) the northern hemisphere is on average ~50 K cooler than the southern. This is consistent with previous work, which suggests that magnetic field strength is inversely proportional to the total heating rate. 2) the combined northern and southern temperatures range typically between 380 and 500 K on time-scales of hours/days. 3) there may be a correlation between planetary period oscillation (PPO) phase and temperature in the northern main auroral oval.

Denan Depression controlled by northeast-directed Olongbulak Thrust Zone in northeastern Qaidam basin: Implications for growth of northern Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Xiangjiang; Guo, Zhaojie; Zhang, Qiquan; Cheng, Xiang; Du, Wei; Wang, Zhendong; Bian, Qing

2017-10-01

The Denan Depression is a unique depression in the northeastern Qaidam basin, with a maximum Cenozoic sedimentary thickness of 5 km. Detailed field work, interpretation of seismic profiles and analyzation of well data were conducted to define the Cenozoic tectonic evolution of the northeastern Qaidam basin. All geological evidences indicate that the Denan Depression is controlled by the northeast-directed Olongbulak Thrust at its southern boundary. The Denan Depression grew in concert with the development of the northeast-directed Olongbulak Thrust at least since it began to accept the Xiaganchaigou Formation, supporting the early Cenozoic growth of the northern Tibetan Plateau. Surface and subsurface data both point to enhanced tectonic activity since the Quaternary in the northeastern Qaidam basin, leading to a more individual Denan Depression relative to the main Qaidam basin. The northern boundary of the Denan Depression is a passive boundary, and no foreland developed at the northern slope of the Denan Depression.

Formation of the Dayside Magnetopause and Its Boundary Layers Under the Radial IMF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pi, Gilbert; Němeček, Zdeněk.; Å afránková, Jana; Grygorov, Kostiantyn; Shue, Jih-Hong

2018-05-01

The global structure of magnetopause boundary layers under the radial interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions is studied by a comparison of experimental and simulation results. In magnetohydrodynamic simulations, the hemispherical asymmetry of the reconnection locations was found. The draped field adjacent to the magnetopause points northward in the Northern Hemisphere, but it is oriented southward in the Southern Hemisphere at the beginning of the simulation for negative IMF Bx. The magnetopause region affected by the positive IMF Bz component enlarges over time, and the density profile exhibit a north-south asymmetry near the magnetopause. The experimental part of the study uses the Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorm data. We analyze profiles of the plasma parameters and magnetic field as well as the ion pitch-angle distributions. The nonsimultaneous appearance of parallel and antiparallel aligned flows suggests two spatially separated sources of these flows. We have identified (1) the inner part of the low-latitude boundary layer (LLBL) on closed magnetic field lines; (2) the outer LLBL on open field lines; (3) the inner part of the magnetosheath boundary layer (MSBL) formed by dayside reconnection in the Southern Hemisphere; and (4) the outer MSBL resulting from lobe reconnection in the Northern Hemisphere.

Fences and grazing management in northern Namibia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prudat, Brice; Bloemertz, Lena; Kuhn, Nikolaus J.

2016-04-01

Since Namibian independence, many fences have been erected in the communal land of the Ohangwena region in northern Namibia. Most fencing issues discussed so far in the region concern large-scale fencing of communal land by the new Namibian elite. Rarely discussed are the fences erected around small-scale farmers' parcels. This paper will discuss the impact of such increased small-scale fencing activities in northern Namibia. Fencing of land has different functions, including protection of fields against livestock and securing property rights. However, not all community members can afford the monetary and labor costs involved. In the annual agricultural cycle of the study area, livestock is left un-herded after the harvest of most crops. They can then feed on available crop remains and grass on the fields. The livestock then freely utilizes unfenced and unprotected land. This system has the advantage to accelerate crop degradation and fertilize the soils. However, by erecting efficient fences, the new middle-class community members concentrate fertility in their own field, thereby degrading agricultural soils of poorer farmers. Potentially, such small-scale fencing of land has therefore an impact on sol quality and thus fosters degradation of unfenced cropland. By using fences as features to determine the limits of the new land rights, the ongoing Communal Land Reform may not only promote the erection of fences, but may also have a negative impact on soil quality and potentially food security of small-scale farmers without cattle.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fresquez, Philip R.

Field mice are effective indicators of contaminant presence. This paper reports the concentrations of various radionuclides, heavy metals, polychlorinated biphenyls, high explosives, perchlorate, and dioxin/furans in field mice (mostly deer mice) collected from regional background areas in northern New Mexico. These data, represented as the regional statistical reference level (the mean plus three standard deviations = 99% confidence level), are used to compare with data from field mice collected from areas potentially impacted by Laboratory operations, as per the Environmental Surveillance Program at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Chromatographic study of formation conditions of rhombododecahedral diamond crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhimulev, E. I.; Sonin, V. M.; Chepurov, A. I.; Tomilenko, A. A.

2009-06-01

The results of chromatographic study of the formation of rhombododecahedral diamonds synthesized in the Fe-Ni-(Ti)-C system at 5.5-6.0 GPa and 1350-1450°C are presented, including crystals with rounded surfaces of the rhombododecahedron with parallel striation, which are morphological analogues of natural diamonds abundant at various kimberlite, lamproite, and placer deposits. Chromatography was performed at 150°C with mechanical breakup of diamonds. The stable release of methane when diamonds of habit {110} are crushed is established. It is concluded that the appearance of the habit rhombododecahedron may be related not only to the effect of temperature and pressure on crystal growth but also to reductive conditions of crystallization. At the same time, the appearance of significant amounts of hydrocarbons in the system probably results in stopping of the growth of faces {110} and {100} and, instead, formation of specific surfaces that are composed of microscopic accessories faced by planes {111}.

Unusual paired pattern of radiohaloes on a diamond crystal from Guaniamo (Venezuela)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schulze, Daniel J.; Nasdala, Lutz

2016-11-01

An octahedral diamond crystal from Guaniamo, Venezuela shows a multitude of round radiocolouration spots that indicate a remarkable formation history. Spots always occur in pairs, with similar spacing and intensity ratio between the two spots of each pair. We interpret this pattern to be the result of long-term irradiation of the stone emanating from a multitude of radioactive point sources. At some point during the irradiation, the stone must have experienced a translational movement which shifted it ca. 50 μm relative to the adjacent material [i.e., the (111) crystal face was a fault plane], after which irradiation continued. The Neoproterozoic age of the Guaniamo kimberlites and the high degree of radiation damage suggest that both of the two irradiation periods lasted over hundreds of millions of years. This interpretation is supported by results of He-irradiation experiments.

A Substantial Plume of Escaping Planetary Ions in the MSE Northern Hemisphere Observed by MAVEN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Y.; Fang, X.; Brain, D. A.; McFadden, J. P.; Halekas, J. S.; Connerney, J. E. P.; Curry, S.; Harada, Y.; Luhmann, J. G.; Jakosky, B. M.

2015-12-01

The Mars-solar wind interaction accelerates and transports planetary ions away from Mars through a number of processes, including pick-up by the electromagnetic fields. The Mars Atmospheric and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) spacecraft has frequently detected strong escaping planetary ion fluxes in both tailward and upstream solar wind motional electric field directions since the beginning of its science phase in November 2014. Our statistical study using three-month MAVEN data from November 2014 through February 2015 illustrates a substantial plume-like escaping planetary ion population organized by the upstream electric field with strong fluxes widely distributed in the northern hemisphere of the Mars-Sun-Electric-field (MSE) coordinate system, which is generally consistent with model predictions. The plume constitutes an important planetary ion escape channel from the Martian atmosphere in addition to the tailward escape. The >25eV O+ escape rate through the plume is estimated to be ~35% of the tailward escape and ~25% of the total escape. We will compare the dynamics of the plume and tailward escaping ions based on their velocity-space distributions with respect to the electromagnetic fields. We will also discuss the variations of the plume characteristics between different ion species (O+, O2+, and CO2+) and from the effect of different solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions.

Gaseous mercury fluxes from forest soils in response to forest harvesting intensity: A field manipulation experiment

Treesearch

M. Mazur; C.P.J. Mitchell; C.S. Eckley; S.L. Eggert; R.K. Kolka; S.D. Sebestyen; E.B. Swain

2014-01-01

Forest harvesting leads to changes in soil moisture, temperature and incident solar radiation, all strong environmental drivers of soil-air mercury (Hg) fluxes. Whether different forest harvesting practices significantly alter Hg fluxes from forest soils is unknown.We conducted a field-scale experiment in a northern Minnesota deciduous forest wherein gaseous Hg...

Impact of a Rural Special Education Field-Based Program on the Kayenta School System and Community.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silva, Charlie; And Others

In partnership with the Kayenta Unified School District (KUSD) on the Navajo Reservation in northeastern Arizona, Northern Arizona University developed the Rural Special Education Project (RSEP) as a field-based training program for special education teachers. In the past 3 years, 22 Anglo American and 26 Navajo students have graduated from RSEP.…

An MHD simulation of By-dependent magnetospheric convection and field-aligned currents during northward IMF

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ogino, T.; Walker, R. J.; Ashour-Abdalla, M.; Dawson, J. M.

1985-01-01

A three-dimensional MHD simulation code is used to model the magnetospheric configuration when the IMF has both a northward B(z) component and a B(y) component in the east-west direction. Projections of the plasma pressure, the field-aligned velocity, the field-aligned vorticity, and the field-aligned current along the magnetic field lines into the northern ionosphere are shown and discussed. Cross-sectional patterns of these parameters are shown. The results demonstrate that the B(y) component of the IMF strongly influences the plasma sheet configuration and the magnetospheric convection pattern.

A Dwarf Dissolving? - A Kinematic Analysis of Andromeda XXVII and the Northern Arc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collins, Michelle; Rich, R. M.; Chapman, S. C.; Ibata, R.; Irwin, M.; McConnachie, A. W.

2013-01-01

We report internal kinematics for an unusual M31 dwarf spheroidal galaxy, And XXVII, which is superposed against the Northern Arc Stream feature, isolated in the PandAS (Pan-Andromeda Archaeological Survey). In contrast to the coherent, cold velocity fields of most Andromeda dwarf spheroidals, And XXVII has a trimodal velocity distribution spanning 100 km/sec, with a relatively cold central peak at -530 km/sec , and a velocity dispersion of sigma= 8 km/sec. While all of the candidate members are < 2' (or approximately one half light radii, ~600 pc) from the core, the full velocity range is not consistent with a system of luminosity Mv=-7.9. We propose that And XXVII may be in the process of dissolving into the Northern Arc.

Interpretation of recent gravity profiles over the ophiolite belt, Northern Oman Mountains, United Arab Emirates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khattab, M. M.

1993-04-01

The compiled Bouguer gravity anomaly map over parts of the ophiolite rocks of the Northern Oman Mountains suggests the existence of three partially serpentinized nappes: two along the Gulf of Oman coast with axes near Dadnah, near Fujira and the third 17 km SSE of Masafi. Modeling of the subsurface geology, beneath two gravity profiles (Diba-Kalba and Masafi-Fujira), is based on the occurrence (field evidence) of multiphase low-angle thrusting of the members of the Tethyan lithosphere in northern and Oman Mountains. An assumed crustal model at the Arabian continental margin, beneath the Masafi-Fujira profile, is made to explain an intense gravity gradient. Gravity interpretation is not inconsistent with a gliding mechanism for obduction of the ophiolite on this part of the Arabian continental margin.

Field evaluation of repellent formulations containing deet and picaridin against mosquitoes in Northern Territory, Australia.

PubMed

Frances, S P; Waterson, D G E; Beebe, N W; Cooper, R D

2004-05-01

Field efficacy of repellent formulations containing picaridin (1-methyl-propyl 2-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperidinecarboxylate) or deet (N,N,-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide) against mosquitoes in Northern Territory, Australia, was evaluated. The following repellent treatments were evaluated: 19.2% picaridin (Autan Repel Army 20), a solution of 20% deet in ethanol, and 35% deet in a gel (Australian Defense Force [ADF]). The predominant mosquito species were Culex annulirostris Skuse (57.8%), Anopheles merankensis Venhuis (15.4%), and Anopheles bancroftii Giles (13.2%). The protection provided by repellents against Anopheles spp. was relatively poor, with 19.2% picaridin and ADF deet providing >95% protection for only 1 h, whereas 20% deet provided <95% protection at 1 h after repellent application. In contrast, the repellents provided good protection against Cx. annulirostris, with 19.2% picaridin providing >95% protection for 5 h and both deet formulations providing >95% protection for 7 h when collections ceased. This study provides additional field data showing tolerance of Anopheles spp. for repellents. The response of field populations of Cx. annulirostris, an important vector of arboviruses in Australia, to repellents containing deet and picaridin is reported for the first time.

Use of no-till winter wheat by nesting ducks in North Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Duebbert, H.F.; Kantrud, H.A.

1987-01-01

Nesting of dabbling ducks (Anatinae) was studied in fields of no-till winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) in the prairie pothole region of North Dakota during 1984 and 1985. Total area of 59 fields searched in 1984 was 1,135 ha and total area of 70 fields searched in 1985 was 1,175 ha. Field sizes ranged from 3 ha to 110 ha. Nests of five duck species were found: blue-winged teal (Anas discors), 55 nests; northern pintail (A. acuta), 44; mallard (A. platyrhynchos), 29; gadwall (A. strepera), 15; and northern shoveler (A. clypeata), 8. The average number of nests found was 8/100 ha in 1984 and 6/100 ha in 1985. Nest success for all species averaged 26% in 1984 and 29% in 1985. Predation by mammals was the principal cause of nest destruction. No egg or hen mortality could be attributed to pesticide use. Only 6 of 151 nests (4%) were abandoned during the two years. We also found 29 nests of seven other ground-nesting bird species. The trend toward increased planting of no-till winter wheat in the prairie pothole region should benefit production of ducks and other ground-nesting birds.

Major off-axis hydrothermal activity on the northern Gorda Ridge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rona, Peter A.; Denlinger, Roger P.; Fisk, M. R.; Howard, K. J.; Taghon, G. L.; Klitgord, Kim D.; McClain, James S.; McMurray, G. R.; Wiltshire, J. C.

1990-01-01

The first hydrothermal field on the northern Gorda Ridge, the Sea Cliff hydrothermal field, was discovered and geologic controls of hydrothermal activity in the rift valley were investigated on a dive series using the DSV Sea Cliff. The Sea Cliff hydrothermal field was discovered where predicted at the intersection of axis-oblique and axis-parallel faults at the south end of a linear ridge at mid-depth (2700 m) on the east wall. Preliminary mapping and sampling of the field reveal: a setting nested on nearly sediment-free fault blocks 300 m above the rift valley floor 2.6 km from the axis; a spectrum of venting types from seeps to black smokers; high conductive heat flow estimated to be equivalent to the convective flux of multiple black smokers through areas of the sea floor sealed by a caprock of elastic breccia primarily derived from basalt with siliceous cement and barite pore fillings; and a vent biota with Juan de Fuca Ridge affinites. These findings demonstrate the importance of off-axis hydrothermal activity and the role of the intersection of tectonic lineations in controlling hydrothermal sites at sea-floor spreading centers.

Passing of northern pike and common carp through experimental barriers designed for use in wetland restoration

USGS Publications Warehouse

French, John R. P.; Wilcox, Douglas A.; Nichols, S. Jerrine

1999-01-01

Restoration plans for Metzger Marsh, a coastal wetland on the south shore of western Lake Erie, incorporated a fish-control system designed to restrict access to the wetland by large common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Ingress fish passageways in the structure contain slots into which experimental grates of varying size and shape can be placed to selectively allow entry and transfer of other large fish species while minimizing the number of common carp to be handled. We tested different sizes and shapes of grates in experimental tanks in the laboratory to determine the best design for testing in the field. We also tested northern pike (Esox lucius) because lack of access to wetland spawning habitat has greatly reduced their populations in western Lake Erie. Based on our results, vertical bar grates were chosen for installation because common carp were able to pass through circular grates smaller than body height by compressing their soft abdomens; they passed through rectangular grates on the diagonal. Vertical bar grates with 5-cm spacing that were installed across much of the control structure should limit access of common carp larger than 34 cm total length (TL) and northern pike larger than 70 cm. Vertical bar grates selected for initial field trials in the fish passageway had spacings of 5.8 and 6.6 cm, which increased access by common carp to 40 and 47 cm TL and by northern pike to 76 and 81 cm, respectively. The percentage of potential common carp biomass (fish seeking entry) that must be handled in lift baskets in the passageway increased from 0.9 to 4.8 to 15.4 with each increase in spacing between bars. Further increases in spacing would greatly increase the number of common carp that would have to be handled. The results of field testing should be useful in designing selective fish-control systems for other wetland restoration sites adjacent to large water bodies.

Spectroscopic and Photometric Survey of Northern Sky for the ESA PLATO space mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ženovienė, Renata; Bagdonas, Vilius; Drazdauskas, Arnas; Janulis, Rimvydas; Klebonas, Lukas; Mikolaitis, Šarūnas; Pakštienė, Erika; Tautvaišienė, Gražina

2018-04-01

The ESA-PLATO 2.0 mission will perform an in-depth analysis of the large part of the sky-sphere searching for extraterrestrial telluric-like planets. At the Molėtai Astronomical Observatory of Vilnius University, we started a spectroscopic and photometric survey of the northern sky fields that potentially will be targeted by the PLATO mission. We aim to contribute in developing the PLATO input catalogue by delivering a long-duration stellar variability information and a full spectroscopic characterization of brightest targets. First results of this survey are overviewed.

Indications of Subsurface Ice: Polygons on the Northern Plains

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Someone's kitchen floor? A stone patio?This picture actually does show a floor--the floor of an old impact crater on the northern plains of Mars. Each 'tile' is somewhat larger than a football field. Polygonal patterns are familiar to Mars geologists because they are also common in arctic and antarctic environments on Earth. Typically, such polygons result from the stresses induced in frozen ground by the freeze-thaw cycles of subsurface ice. This picture was taken by MOC in May 1999 and is illuminated from the lower left.

Out-migration and depopulation of the Russian North during the 1990s.

PubMed

Heleniak, T

1999-01-01

The large-scale out-migration from Russia's northern regions that has taken place over the course of the 1990s is analyzed. "The study is based on unpublished oblast-level migration data compiled by the Russian Government, field work by the author, as well as two extensive 1998 surveys of recent and potential migrants, respectively. Age, gender, and educational level of migrants are analyzed to determine the extent of change in Northern population structure attributable to migration. A concluding section presents Russian Government projections of the North's population to 2010." excerpt

Satellite Monitoring of the Northern Territories Disturbed by Oil Production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bondur, V. G.; Vorobyev, V. E.; Lukin, A. A.

2017-12-01

The results of satellite monitoring of the state of northern territories disturbed by oil production are presented by the example of the Usinsk oil field in the Komi Republic. The sets of vegetation indices formed by the results of processing long-term series of multispectral satellite images for the period from 1988 to 2014 are analyzed. They are used to assess long-term environmental changes, to reveal the most disturbed zones, and to estimate the dynamics of changes in the vegetation cover area caused by the extraction and transportation of hydrocarbons.

Forest Fires in Russia and Northern China

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

Smoke plumes from forest fires scattered along the border between the Russian Far East and northern China are clearly visible in this true-color image from the Sea-viewing Wide-Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) on June 16, 2000. Fires in Siberia occur every summer, and severe outbreaks occur every ten years or so, with the most recent in 1998. The fires are ignited by lightning, and are so remote that it is impossible to fight them effectively. Provided by the SeaWiFS Project, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, and ORBIMAGE

The Mesozoic palaeo-relief and immature front belt of northern Tianshan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, K.; Gumiaux, C.; Augier, R.; Chen, Y.; Wang, Q.

2012-04-01

The modern Tianshan (central Asia) extends east-west on about 2500 km long with an average of more than 2000 m in altitude. At first order, the finite structure of this range obviously displays a crust-scale 'pop-up' of Palaeozoic rocks surrounded by two Cenozoic foreland basins. Up to now, this range is regarded as a direct consequence of the Neogene to recent reactivation of a Palaeozoic belt due to the India - Asia collision. This study focuses on the structure of the northern front area of Tianshan and is mainly based on field structural works. In particular, relationships in between sedimentary cover and basement units allow discussing the tectonic and morphological evolution of the northern Tianshan during Mesozoic and Cenozoic times. The study area is about 250 km long, from Wusu to Urumqi, along the northern piedmont of the Tianshan. Continental sedimentary series of the basin as well as structure of the cover/basement interface can well be observed along several incised valleys. Sedimentological observations argue for a limited transport distance for Lower and Uppermost Jurassic deposits that are preserved within intra-mountainous basins or within the foreland basin, along the range front. Moreover, some of the studied geological sections show that Triassic to Jurassic sedimentary series can be continuously followed from the basin to the range where they unconformably overlie the Carboniferous basement. Such onlap type structures of the Jurassic series, on top of the Palaeozoic rock units, can also be observed at more local-scale (~a few 100 m). At different scales, our observations thus clearly evidence i) the existence of a substantial relief during Mesozoic times and ii) very limited deformation, after Mesozoic, along some segments of the northern range front. Yet, thrusting of the Palaeozoic basement on the Mesozoic or Cenozoic sedimentary series of the basin is also well exposed along some other river valleys. As a consequence, the northern front of Tianshan displays as very uncylindrical with rapid lateral transitions from one type to the other. This study shows that the Cenozoic reactivation of the Tianshan range has not yielded important deformation along its contact with the juxtaposed Junggar basin, into the studied segment. Besides, the topography of the current northern Tianshan area can not be considered as the unique consequence of Cenozoic reactivation. Finally, from a compilation of structural field observations with available seismic geophysical data, regional cross sections show only moderate shortening in the deformed belt of the northern piedmont of Tianshan. Structure of the fold-and-thrust belt looks controlled by several basement thrusts faults separating rigid blocks. This study suggests that the northern front of the intra-continental Tianshan range may be considered as an immature thrust belt and is still at an early developing stage of its orogenic evolution.

Remediation System Evaluation, Brewster Wellfield Superfund Site

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Brewster Well Field, located on the northern bank of the East Branch Croton River (the “River”),was found in 1978 to be contaminated with chlorinated volatile organic chemicals (CVOCs) includingtetrachloroethene (PCE), trichloroethene (TCE) and..

Integrating Saharan dust forecasts into a regional chemical transport model: a case study over Northern Italy.

PubMed

Carnevale, C; Finzi, G; Pisoni, E; Volta, M; Kishcha, P; Alpert, P

2012-02-15

The Po Valley in Northern Italy is frequently affected by high PM10 concentrations, where both natural and anthropogenic sources play a significant role. To improve air pollution modeling, 3D dust fields, produced by means of the DREAM dust forecasts, were integrated as boundary conditions into the mesoscale 3D deterministic Transport Chemical Aerosol Model (TCAM). A case study of the TCAM and DREAM integration was implemented over Northern Italy for the period May 15-June 30, 2007. First, the Saharan dust impact on PM10 concentration was analyzed for eleven remote PM10 sites with the lowest level of air pollution. These remote sites are the most sensitive to Saharan dust intrusions into Northern Italy, because of the absence of intensive industrial pollution. At these remote sites, the observed maxima in PM10 concentration during dust events is evidence of dust aerosol near the surface in Northern Italy. Comparisons between modeled PM10 concentrations and measurements at 230 PM10 sites in Northern Italy, showed that the integrated TCAM-DREAM model more accurately reproduced PM10 concentration than the base TCAM model, both in terms of correlation and mean error. Specifically, the correlation median increased from 0.40 to 0.65, while the normalized mean absolute error median dropped from 0.5 to 0.4. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Seasonal changes and driving forces of inflow and outflow through the Bohai Strait

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhixin; Qiao, Fangli; Guo, Jingsong; Guo, Binghuo

2018-02-01

This work focuses on analyzing seasonal variation of inflow and outflow through the Bohai Strait that greatly affect the marine environment in the Bohai Sea, using observational data including sea bed mounted acoustic Doppler current profiler currents, CTD salinity data on deck, sea level anomalies of coastal tide gauge stations, and climatological monthly sea level anomalies from Archiving, Validation and Interpretation of Satellite Oceanographic data. Our results show three patterns of outflow and inflow through the Bohai Strait. The first is such that outflow and inflow occur respectively in the southern and northern parts of the strait, as in the traditional understanding. Our results suggest that this pattern occurs only in autumn and winter. Beginning in late September, Ekman currents driven by the northwesterly monsoon carry Bohai Sea water that piles up in the southern part of that sea and then exits eastward to the Yellow Sea. In this process, the pressure and current fields are continuously adjusted, until a quasi balance state between wind stress, Coriolis force and pressure gradient force is reached in winter. Inflow with a compensating property through the northern channel is close to the outflow through the southern channel in winter. The second pattern is a single inflow in spring, and the current and pressure fields are in adjustment. In early spring, the northwesterly monsoon ceases, Yellow Sea water enters the Bohai Sea under the pressure gradient force. With southeasterly monsoon establishment and strengthening, northern Yellow Sea water continually flows into the Bohai Sea and causes sea level rise northward. In the third pattern, outflow is much greater than inflow in summer. The currents run eastward in the central Bohai Sea and then enter the northern Yellow Sea through the northern channel and upper layer of the southern channel, while a westward current with a compensating property enters via the lower layer of the southern channel. Larger net transport is through the Bohai Strait to the northern Yellow Sea, which is related to strong precipitation and runoff into the Bohai Sea.

February 2003 marine atmospheric conditions and the bora over the northern Adriatic

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dorman, C.E.; Carniel, S.; Cavaleri, L.; Sclavo, M.; Chiggiato, J.; Doyle, J.; Haack, T.; Pullen, J.; Grbec, B.; Vilibic, I.; Janekovic, I.; Lee, C.; Malacic, V.; Orlic, M.; Paschini, E.; Russo, A.; Signell, R.P.

2007-01-01

A winter oceanographic field experiment provided an opportunity to examine the atmospheric marine conditions over the northern Adriatic. Mean February winds are from a northeasterly direction over most of the Adriatic and a more northerly direction along the western coast. Wind speeds are fastest in jets over the NE coast during bora events and weakest in the mid-northwestern Adriatic. Diurnal air temperature cycles are smallest on the NE coast and largest in the midwestern Adriatic. The maximum sea-air difference is +10??C on the eastern coast and near zero on the midwestern Adriatic. Boras are northeasterly (from) wind events that sweep off Croatia and Slovenia, bringing slightly colder and drier air over the northern Adriatic. The main bora season is December to March. Winter 2002-2003 was normal for bora events. Synoptic-scale temporal variations are correlated over the northern Adriatic. Fastest Bora winds and highest wind stress over the northern Adriatic is concentrated in four topographically controlled jets. The strongest is the Senj Jet, while the Trieste Jet extends across the entire northern Adriatic. Between each two jets is a weak wind zone. The greatest mean net heat loss is in bora jets in the NE Adriatic, where it was -438 W m-2 and is weakest in the midwestern northern Adriatic, where it was near zero. Wind stress is concentrated over the NE half of Adriatic in four bora jets, while wind stress is weak in the NW Adriatic. There is significant variation in wind stress mean and standard deviation structure over the northern Adriatic with each bora event. Copyright 2006 by the American Geophysical Union.

Effects of propagation parallel to the magnetic field on the type 1 electrojet irregularity instability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, K.; Kennel, C. F.

1972-01-01

A simple analysis is presented which indicates that Type 1 irregularities which have a slight component of propagation along the magnetic field may be more unstable than those which propagate across the field. It was found that significant irregularity amplitudes may occur at the northern or southern extremities of the equatorial electrojet from those modes with large north-south group velocity, and they could significantly change our understanding of nonlinear solutions of the electrojet instability.

Field-Aligned Currents in Saturn's Magnetosphere: Observations From the F-Ring Orbits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hunt, G. J.; Provan, G.; Bunce, E. J.; Cowley, S. W. H.; Dougherty, M. K.; Southwood, D. J.

2018-05-01

We investigate the azimuthal magnetic field signatures associated with high-latitude field-aligned currents observed during Cassini's F-ring orbits (October 2016-April 2017). The overall ionospheric meridional current profiles in the northern and southern hemispheres, that is, the regions poleward and equatorward of the field-aligned currents, differ most from the 2008 observations. We discuss these differences in terms of the seasonal change between data sets and local time (LT) differences, as the 2008 data cover the nightside while the F-ring data cover the post-dawn and dusk sectors in the northern and southern hemispheres, respectively. The F-ring field-aligned currents typically have a similar four current sheet structure to those in 2008. We investigate the properties of the current sheets and show that the field-aligned currents in a hemisphere are modulated by that hemisphere's "planetary period oscillation" (PPO) systems. We separate the PPO-independent and PPO-related currents in both hemispheres using their opposite symmetry. The average PPO-independent currents peak at 1.5 MA/rad just equatorward of the open closed field line boundary, similar to the 2008 observations. However, the PPO-related currents in both hemispheres are reduced by 50% to 0.4 MA/rad. This may be evidence of reduced PPO amplitudes, similar to the previously observed weaker equatorial oscillations at similar dayside LTs. We do not detect the PPO current systems' interhemispheric component, likely a result of the weaker PPO-related currents and their closure within the magnetosphere. We also do not detect previously proposed lower latitude discrete field-aligned currents that act to "turn off" the PPOs.

Concepts for diamond exploration in "on/off craton" areas—British Columbia, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simandl, George J.

2004-09-01

The tectonic setting of British Columbia (BC) differs from classic diamond-bearing intracratonic regions such as the Northwest Territories and South Africa. Nevertheless, several diamond occurrences have been reported in BC. It is also known that parts of the province are underlain by Proterozoic and possibly Archean basement. Because the continents of today are composites of fragments of ancient continents, it is possible that some of the regions underlain by old crystalline basement in eastern British Columbia were associated with a deep crustal keel. The keel may have predated the break-up of the early Neoproterozoic supercontinent called Rodinia and was preserved possibly until the Triassic. Some of these old continental fragments may have been displaced relative to their position of origin and dissociated from their keel, or the keel may have since been destroyed. Such fragments represent favourable exploration grounds in terms of the "Diamondiferous Mantle Root" model (DMR model) if they were intersected by kimberlites or lamproites prior to displacement or destruction of their underlying deep keel. Therefore, extrapolation of fragments of the diamond-bearing Precambrian basement from the Northwest Territories or Alberta to BC provides a sufficient reason for initiating reconnaissance indicator mineral surveys. The "Eclogite Subduction Zone" model (ES model) predicts formation of diamonds at lower pressure (i.e., depth) than required by the DMR model in convergent tectonic settings. Although not proven, this model is supported by thermal modeling of cold subduction zones and recent discoveries of diamonds in areas characterized by convergent tectonic settings. If the ES model is correct, then the parts of BC with a geological history similar to today's "cold" subduction zones, such as Honshu (Japan), or to continental collision zones, such as Kokchetav massif (Kazakhstan) and the Dabie-Sulu Terrane (east central China), may be diamondiferous. The terranes where geological evidences suggest an ultrahigh pressure (UHP) metamorphic event followed by rapid tectonic exhumation (which could have prevented complete resorption of diamonds on their journey to the surface) are worth investigating. If UHP rocks were intercepted at depth by syn- or post-subduction diamond elevators, such as kimberlites, lamproites, lamprophyres, nephelinites or other alkali volcanic rocks of deep-seated origin, the diamond potential of the area would be even higher.

In situ Analysis of North American Diamond: Implications for Diamond Growth Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schulze, D. J.; Van Rythoven, A. D.; Hauri, E.; Wang, J.

2014-12-01

Diamond crystals from three North American kimberlite occurrences were investigated with cathodoluminescence (CL) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) to determine their growth history, carbon isotope composition and nitrogen content. Samples analyzed include sixteen from Lynx (Quebec), twelve from Kelsey Lake (Colorado) and eighteen from A154 South (Diavik mine, Northwest Territories). Growth histories for the samples vary from simple to highly complex based on their CL images and depending on the individual stone. Deformation lamellae are evident in CL images of the Lynx crystals which typically are brownish in color. Two to five points per diamond were analyzed by SIMS for carbon isotope composition (δ13CPDB) and three to seven points for nitrogen content. The results for the A154 South (δ13CPDB = -6.76 to -1.68 ‰) and Kelsey Lake (δ13CPDB = -11.81 to -2.43 ‰) stones (mixed peridotitic and eclogitic suites) are similar to earlier reported values. The Lynx kimberlite stones have anomalously high carbon isotope ratios and range from -3.58 to +1.74 ‰. The Lynx diamond suite is almost entirely peridotitic. The unusually high (i.e. >-5‰) δ13C values of the Lynx diamonds, as well as those from Wawa, Ontario and Renard, Quebec, may indicate an anomalous carbon reservoir for the Superior cratonic mantle relative to other cratons. In addition to the heavier carbon isotope values, the Lynx samples have very low nitrogen contents (<100 ppm). Nitrogen contents for Kelsey Lake and Diavik samples are more typical and range to ~1100 ppm. Comparison of observed core to rim variations in nitrogen content and carbon isotopes with modeled Rayleigh fractionation trends for published diamond growth mechanisms allows for evaluation of carbon speciation and other parent fluid conditions. Observed trends that closely follow modeled data are rare, but appear to suggest diamond growth from carbonate-bearing fluids at Lynx and Diavik, and growth from a methane-bearing fluid at Kelsey Lake. However the majority of crystals appear to have very complex growth histories that are clearly the result of multiple growth and resorption events. Trends observed in most of the samples from this study are chaotic and no consistent patterns are seen.

Mantle Evolution Beneath The Colorado Palteau: Interpreta-tion of The Study of Mineral Concentrate From Kimberlite Pipe Kl-1 Colorado.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashchepkov, I.; Vladykin, N.; Mitchell, R.; Coopersmith, H.; Garanin, V.; Saprykin, A. I.; Khmelnikova, O. S.

Mineral grains and their intergrowth from the concentrate form the KL1- kimberlite pipe Colorado plateau was analyzed by EPMA and LAM ICP MS in Analytic Center of UIGGM. Garnets reveal nearly continuous trend of the compositions divided into 5 intervals. 1 cumulates from the crust and Sp facie mantle; 2. Gar-Sp lherzolites; 3- Gar- wehrlites, lherzolites and harzburgites; 4- Gar lherzolites and harzburgites; 4. Pyroxenites and Il peri-dotites . They reveal three trend of Ti decrease with the ris- ing Cr content. Those in the inter-growth with the pyroxenes are less in Tio2 as well as the pyroxenes. Discrete large Cpx grains are richer in Na, Al, Cr. TP conditions determined for the clinopyroxenes with Nimis- Taylor, 2001 thermobarometer and barometer Ashchepkov, 2001 reveal the heating from 35 to 40-42 mv/m2 in 30-50kbar interval. The spinels show two compositional intervals 64-50% Cr2O3 and 47-30%. The branch with the essential enrichment to 8% TiO2with the Cr decrease what also suppose the peridotite alteration due to rising of evolving Ti-rich melts. Two descend- ing crystallization lines for the ilmenites suggest the (polybaric) differentiation in two magmatic chambers. The Cr-rich ilmenites and most Cr-rich subcalcis garnets were found in the serpentinized ilmenite harzburgites that probably surround the most deep mag-matic chamber. The Ilm -Q (coesite) intergrowth suggests the deep differenti- ation. Several ilmenites contain up to 11%MnO. Trace elements determined for the clinopyroxenes suppose small decree melting possibly under influence of subducted- related melts having definite U peak and Ta-Nb minimums. Their reaction with peri- dotites with garnet dissolution according to AFC model decrease La/Ybn ration as well as the Pb* and U peak. Two stages of the Ti-rich melt percolations suggested to be accompanied the plum- re-lated melts influence on the peridotite of Wyoming craton keel which was followed with fur-ther followed by submelting of the subducted essentially eclogitic Na-Ti material. The de-formations assist the melt percolation at the final stage. Supported by RBEF grants 05-99-65688, 00-05-65288

Silicon Carbide in Heavy-Mineral Samples: Indicator of Diamond Deposits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leung, I. S.; Wang, W.

2013-12-01

Since kimberlite Pipe 50 of Wafangdian, 120 km northeast of the port city Dalian in Liaoning Province, ceased production in 2002, exploration programs have been conducted along tributaries of the Fuzhou River south of Wafangdian. The heavy-mineral method is often based on finding deep red G10 pyrope garnets which can be identified accurately by means of microprobe analysis to confirm their particular range of composition: high chromium, low calcium. Garnets are prone to hydrothermal alteration during kimberlite eruption, oxidation on Earth's surface, or be broken during mass transport. Unlike garnet, silicon carbide (SiC) resists chemical and mechanical alterations, but it crystallized at similarly high temperatures as diamond in Earth's mantle, and has the same atomic structure as diamond. Thus, SiC seems to be an ideal diamond indicator, although it is one of the rarest minerals in nature. Because of its characteristic blue-green color and adamantine luster, it can be recognized easily, no matter how minute the grains may be. We decided to re-examine small samples of heavy minerals collected and previously studied by exploration geologists, respectively from 3 tributaries of the Fuzhou River (Laogugao, Saocentun, Pingiaying), and from 3 ravines in the vicinity of Wafangdian (Songiagao, Dlitun, Lidianzhun), among which Songiagao, flowing into Qingnian Reservoir, is apparently a pristine water system, unpolluted by human activities. We found one grain of SiC in all the samples. From Fuzhou River: (1) Blue-green, euhedral, hexagonal shape, water-clear, one edge slightly chipped. (2) Light green, slightly corroded edges. (3) Green, half of the crystal's surface is covered by a blister-like yellow overgrowth; this material protrudes out on one side like a thick tapering paint brush. From Wafandian Vicinity: (1) Blue-green, with patchy black edges. (2) Green, with deep green rims and one brown inclusion. (3) Pale green, subhedral with one beige inclusion. All the crystals show various hues of green and blue, variable color saturation both within itself and between different grains. All crystals have different shapes, forms, coatings, types of reaction rims, while two crystals carry one or two inclusions, The multitude of features suggests a history of intricacies in the growth environment, an implication worthy of our contemplation as we try to understand the problem of diamond genesis.

Planetary period oscillations in Saturn's magnetosphere: New results from the F-ring and proximal orbits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Provan, G.; Cowley, S. W. H.; Bunce, E. J.; Hunt, G. J.; Dougherty, M. K.

2017-12-01

We investigate planetary period oscillations (PPOs) in Saturn's magnetosphere using Cassini magnetic field data during the high cadence ( 7 days) F-ring and proximal orbits. Previous results have shown that there are two PPO systems, one in each hemisphere. Both PPO periods show seasonal dependence, and since mid-2014 the Northern PPO period has been 10.8 h and the Southern PPO period 10.7 h. The beat period of the two oscillations is 45 days. Previous results demonstrated that in the Northern (Southern) polar region only pure Northern (Southern) oscillations can be observed, whilst in the equatorial region both oscillations are present and constructively and destructively interfere over the beat-cycle of the two oscillations. The PPOs are believed to be driven by twin-cell convection patterns in the polar ionosphere/thermosphere regions, with two systems of field-aligned currents transmitting the PPO flows to the magnetospheric plasma.The F-ring and proximal orbits uniquely observe the PPOs over 6 orbits during each PPO beat cycle. This high-cadence data demonstrates that over a beat cycle both the periods and amplitudes of the PPO observed within the each polar region are modulated by the PPO system from the opposite hemisphere. When the two oscillations are in phase (anti-phase) the `drag' of one system on the other acts to decrease (increase) the amplitude of the oscillations and the two PPO periods diverge (converge). We present a theoretical model showing that this coupling is due to the PPO flows from one hemisphere not just being communicated to the magnetosphere as previously assumed, but also to the opposite hemisphere. The result is inter-hemispheric coupling of the PPO flow systems within the ionosphere/thermosphere system, so that the northern PPO system drives a northern twin-cell convection pattern in the southern hemisphere, and vice versa, thus leading to the observed polar modulations of the PPOs.We will also present PPO phase models determined throughout the entire Cassini mission. These models define the orientations of the two PPO current/field systems with respect to the Sun at any instant of time, thus allowing any Saturnian observations to be organized by PPO phase. The models are freely available to the community.

Modeling small-scale variability in the composition of goshawk habitat on the Kaibab National Forest

Treesearch

Suzanne M. Joy; Robin M. Reich; Richard T. Reynolds

2000-01-01

We used field data, topographical information (elevation, slope, aspect, landform), and Landsat Thematic Mapper imagery to model forest vegetative types to a 10-m resolution on the Kaibab National Forest in northern Arizona. Forest types were identified by clustering the field data and then using a decision tree based on the spectral characteristics of a Landsat image...

Late summer disease symptoms in western Washington red raspberry fields associated with co-occurrence of Phytophthora rubi, Verticillium dahliae, and Pratylenchus penetrans, but not Raspberry bushy dwarf virus

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

60% of the $109 million processed by the U.S. red raspberry industry is in northern Washington. In 2012, late summer disease symptoms were observed in many raspberry fields. These symptoms were initially attributed to Verticillium dahliae, but other soilborne pathogens (Phytophthora rubi, Pratylench...

Cultivar preferences of ovipositing wheat stem sawflies as influenced by the amount of volatile attractant

Treesearch

David K. Weaver; Micaela Buteler; Megan L. Hofland; Justin B. Runyon; Christian Nansen; Luther E. Talbert; Peggy Lamb; Gregg R. Carlson

2009-01-01

The wheat stem sawfly, Cephus cinctus Norton, causes severe losses in wheat grown in the northern Great Plains. Much of the affected area is planted in monoculture with wheat, Triticum aestivum L., grown in large fields alternating yearly between crop and no-till fallow. The crop and fallow fields are adjacent. This cropping landscape creates pronounced edge effects of...

The Initiation of Lightning and the Growth of Electric Fields in Thunderstorms

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-12-01

characteristics and the temperature in the regions of strongest fields; which features are themselves dependent on air- mass characteristics and...climatological condsiderations. A recently identified unresolved question is why, in continental Northern Hemisphere thunderclouds at least, the sign of the... questions of primary and secondary ice production, and the development of precipitation particles. Primary ice nucleation was found to occur when the cloud

Deep geothermal resources in the Yangbajing Field, Tibet

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhao Ping; Jin Jian; Duo Ji

1997-12-31

Since the first well was bored in July 1997 in the Yangbajing geothermal field, more than 80 wells have been drilled. The total of installed capacity is 25.18MWe for geothermal power plant that has generated about 1.0 x 10{sup 9} kWh electricity in all. Temperatures inside shallow reservoir are in the range from 150{degrees}C to 165{degrees}C. No high-temperature field if found below the shallow reservoir in the southern part. In order to enlarge the installed capacity and solve pressure decline in current productive wells, an exploration project of deep geothermal resources has been carried out in the northern part. Themore » highest temperature of 329{degrees}C was detected in well ZK4002 at 1850m depth in 1994. Well ZK4001 drilled in 1996 flows out high-enthalpy thermal fluid at the wellhead, in which the average temperature is 248{degrees}C in the feeding zones. There is a great potential for power generation in the northern part. The exploitation of deep geothermal resources would effect the production of existing wells.« less

Early Pottery Making in Northern Coastal Peru. Part II: Field Firing Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimada, I.; Goldstein, D.; Sosa, J.; Wagner, U.

2003-09-01

We present data from three seasons of experimental field work designed to recreate ancient Andean coastal ceramic firing techniques. Based on the recent discovery of two different archaeological ceramic production sites in the La Leche river valley of northern coastal Peru, the opportunity arose to apply Mössbauer spectroscopy and other analytical methods to reconstruct ancient firing procedures. Two sets of firings took place in 1993 and 1997 in Batán Grande using a partially restored Formative kiln from about 800 BC, local hardwood and cow dung as fuel. A third experiment followed in 2000 after the discovery of a Middle Sicán ceramics workshop in use between ca. AD 950 and 1050 at Huaca Sialupe, where an exact replica of an ancient kiln was built from local clay, and fired with local wood and cow dung. Additionally, inverted urns found at Huaca Sialupe were tested for their potential use as furnaces for metal working. Mössbauer spectroscopy was used to compare the physical and chemical state of specimens produced in the field experiments with ancient ceramics and with specimens produced in controlled laboratory experiments.

Automated Identification of Northern Leaf Blight-Infected Maize Plants from Field Imagery Using Deep Learning.

PubMed

DeChant, Chad; Wiesner-Hanks, Tyr; Chen, Siyuan; Stewart, Ethan L; Yosinski, Jason; Gore, Michael A; Nelson, Rebecca J; Lipson, Hod

2017-11-01

Northern leaf blight (NLB) can cause severe yield loss in maize; however, scouting large areas to accurately diagnose the disease is time consuming and difficult. We demonstrate a system capable of automatically identifying NLB lesions in field-acquired images of maize plants with high reliability. This approach uses a computational pipeline of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) that addresses the challenges of limited data and the myriad irregularities that appear in images of field-grown plants. Several CNNs were trained to classify small regions of images as containing NLB lesions or not; their predictions were combined into separate heat maps, then fed into a final CNN trained to classify the entire image as containing diseased plants or not. The system achieved 96.7% accuracy on test set images not used in training. We suggest that such systems mounted on aerial- or ground-based vehicles can help in automated high-throughput plant phenotyping, precision breeding for disease resistance, and reduced pesticide use through targeted application across a variety of plant and disease categories.

Potential of environmental DNA to evaluate Northern pike (Esox lucius) eradication efforts: An experimental test and case study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dunker, Kristine J.; Sepulveda, Adam; Massengill, Robert L.; Olsen, Jeffrey B.; Russ, Ora L.; Wenburg, John K.; Antonovich, Anton

2016-01-01

Determining the success of invasive species eradication efforts is challenging because populations at very low abundance are difficult to detect. Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling has recently emerged as a powerful tool for detecting rare aquatic animals; however, detectable fragments of DNA can persist over time despite absence of the targeted taxa and can therefore complicate eDNA sampling after an eradication event. This complication is a large concern for fish eradication efforts in lakes since killed fish can sink to the bottom and slowly decay. DNA released from these carcasses may remain detectable for long periods. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of eDNA sampling to detect invasive Northern pike (Esox lucius) following piscicide eradication efforts in southcentral Alaskan lakes. We used field observations and experiments to test the sensitivity of our Northern pike eDNA assay and to evaluate the persistence of detectable DNA emitted from Northern pike carcasses. We then used eDNA sampling and traditional sampling (i.e., gillnets) to test for presence of Northern pike in four lakes subjected to a piscicide-treatment designed to eradicate this species. We found that our assay could detect an abundant, free-roaming population of Northern pike and could also detect low-densities of Northern pike held in cages. For these caged Northern pike, probability of detection decreased with distance from the cage. We then stocked three lakes with Northern pike carcasses and collected eDNA samples 7, 35 and 70 days post-stocking. We detected DNA at 7 and 35 days, but not at 70 days. Finally, we collected eDNA samples ~ 230 days after four lakes were subjected to piscicide-treatments and detected Northern pike DNA in 3 of 179 samples, with a single detection at each of three lakes, though we did not catch any Northern pike in gillnets. Taken together, we found that eDNA can help to inform eradication efforts if used in conjunction with multiple lines of inquiry and sampling is delayed long enough to allow full degradation of DNA in the water.

Potential of Environmental DNA to Evaluate Northern Pike (Esox lucius) Eradication Efforts: An Experimental Test and Case Study.

PubMed

Dunker, Kristine J; Sepulveda, Adam J; Massengill, Robert L; Olsen, Jeffrey B; Russ, Ora L; Wenburg, John K; Antonovich, Anton

2016-01-01

Determining the success of invasive species eradication efforts is challenging because populations at very low abundance are difficult to detect. Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling has recently emerged as a powerful tool for detecting rare aquatic animals; however, detectable fragments of DNA can persist over time despite absence of the targeted taxa and can therefore complicate eDNA sampling after an eradication event. This complication is a large concern for fish eradication efforts in lakes since killed fish can sink to the bottom and slowly decay. DNA released from these carcasses may remain detectable for long periods. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of eDNA sampling to detect invasive Northern pike (Esox lucius) following piscicide eradication efforts in southcentral Alaskan lakes. We used field observations and experiments to test the sensitivity of our Northern pike eDNA assay and to evaluate the persistence of detectable DNA emitted from Northern pike carcasses. We then used eDNA sampling and traditional sampling (i.e., gillnets) to test for presence of Northern pike in four lakes subjected to a piscicide-treatment designed to eradicate this species. We found that our assay could detect an abundant, free-roaming population of Northern pike and could also detect low-densities of Northern pike held in cages. For these caged Northern pike, probability of detection decreased with distance from the cage. We then stocked three lakes with Northern pike carcasses and collected eDNA samples 7, 35 and 70 days post-stocking. We detected DNA at 7 and 35 days, but not at 70 days. Finally, we collected eDNA samples ~ 230 days after four lakes were subjected to piscicide-treatments and detected Northern pike DNA in 3 of 179 samples, with a single detection at each of three lakes, though we did not catch any Northern pike in gillnets. Taken together, we found that eDNA can help to inform eradication efforts if used in conjunction with multiple lines of inquiry and sampling is delayed long enough to allow full degradation of DNA in the water.

Potential of Environmental DNA to Evaluate Northern Pike (Esox lucius) Eradication Efforts: An Experimental Test and Case Study

PubMed Central

Dunker, Kristine J.; Sepulveda, Adam J.; Massengill, Robert L.; Olsen, Jeffrey B.; Russ, Ora L.; Wenburg, John K.; Antonovich, Anton

2016-01-01

Determining the success of invasive species eradication efforts is challenging because populations at very low abundance are difficult to detect. Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling has recently emerged as a powerful tool for detecting rare aquatic animals; however, detectable fragments of DNA can persist over time despite absence of the targeted taxa and can therefore complicate eDNA sampling after an eradication event. This complication is a large concern for fish eradication efforts in lakes since killed fish can sink to the bottom and slowly decay. DNA released from these carcasses may remain detectable for long periods. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of eDNA sampling to detect invasive Northern pike (Esox lucius) following piscicide eradication efforts in southcentral Alaskan lakes. We used field observations and experiments to test the sensitivity of our Northern pike eDNA assay and to evaluate the persistence of detectable DNA emitted from Northern pike carcasses. We then used eDNA sampling and traditional sampling (i.e., gillnets) to test for presence of Northern pike in four lakes subjected to a piscicide-treatment designed to eradicate this species. We found that our assay could detect an abundant, free-roaming population of Northern pike and could also detect low-densities of Northern pike held in cages. For these caged Northern pike, probability of detection decreased with distance from the cage. We then stocked three lakes with Northern pike carcasses and collected eDNA samples 7, 35 and 70 days post-stocking. We detected DNA at 7 and 35 days, but not at 70 days. Finally, we collected eDNA samples ~ 230 days after four lakes were subjected to piscicide-treatments and detected Northern pike DNA in 3 of 179 samples, with a single detection at each of three lakes, though we did not catch any Northern pike in gillnets. Taken together, we found that eDNA can help to inform eradication efforts if used in conjunction with multiple lines of inquiry and sampling is delayed long enough to allow full degradation of DNA in the water. PMID:27626271

Knickzone propagation in the Black Hills and northern High Plains: a different perspective on the late Cenozoic exhumation of the Laramide Rocky Mountains

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zaprowski, Brent J.; Evenson, Edward B.; Pazzaglia, Frank J.; Epstein, Jack B.

2001-01-01

Geomorphic research in the Black Hills and northern High Plains poses an intriguing hypothesis for the Cenozoic evolution of this salient of the Laramide Rockies. Most recently, geologists have appealed to late Cenozoic epeirogenic uplift or climate change to explain the post-Laramide unroofing of the Rockies. On the basis of field mapping and the interpretation of long-valley profiles, we conclude that the propagation of knickzones is the primary mechanism for exhumation in the Black Hills. Long profiles of major drainages show discrete breaks in the slope of the channel gradient that are not coincident with changes in rock type. We use the term knickzones to describe these features because their profiles are broadly convex over tens of kilometers. At and below the knickzone, the channel is incising into bedrock, abandoning a flood plain, and forming a terrace. Above the knickzone, the channel is much less incised, resulting in a broad valley bottom. Numerous examples of stream piracy are documented, and in each case, the capture is recorded in the same terrace level. These observations are consistent with migrating knickzones that have swept through Black Hills streams, rearranging drainages in their wake. We demonstrate there are two knickzone fronts associated with mapped terraces. Preliminary field evidence of soil development shows that these terraces are time transgressive in nature. Our data strongly suggest that knickzone propagation must be considered a viable mechanism driving late Cenozoic fluvial incision and exhumation of the northern High Plains and adjacent northern Rocky Mountains.

New High Proper Motion Stars from the Digitized Sky Survey. II. Northern Stars with 0.5" yr-1 < μ < 2.0" yr-1 at High Galactic Latitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lépine, Sébastien; Shara, Michael M.; Rich, R. Michael

2003-08-01

In a continuation of our systematic search for high proper motion stars in the Digitized Sky Survey, we have completed the analysis of northern sky fields at Galactic latitudes above 25°. With the help of our SUPERBLINK software, a powerful automated blink comparator developed by us, we have identified 1146 stars in the magnitude range 8

Air Quality Case Studies Report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-05-29

The Branson Travel and Recreational Information Program (TRIP) in Branson, Missouri, and the I-40 Traveler and Tourist Information System (TTIS) in the I-40 corridor of northern Arizona are two Field Operational Tests (FOTs) of Traveler Information S...

Northern Shenandoah Valley ITS -- public safety initiative : final report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-01-23

This report summarizes the efforts of The Pennsylvania State Universitys Applied Research Laboratory (PSU/ARL) to conduct field tests using a handheld data collection system to enable emergency medical personnel (EMS) to collect and transfer patie...

Three-dimensional evolution of water vapor distributions in the Northern Hemisphere stratosphere as observed by the MLS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lahoz, W. A.; O'Neill, A.; Carr, E. S.; Harwood, R. S.; Froidevaux, L.; Read, W. G.; Waters, J. W.; Kumer, J. B.; Mergenthaler, J. L.; Roche, A. E.

1994-01-01

The three-dimensional evolution of stratospheric water vapor distributions observed by the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) during the period October 1991 - July 1992 is documented. The transport features inferred from the MLS water vapor distributions are corroborated using other dynamical fields, namely, nitrous oxide from the Cryogenic Limb Array Etalon Spectrometer instrument, analyzed winds from the U.K. Meteorological Office (UKMO), UKMO-derived potential vorticity, and the diabatic heating field. By taking a vortex-centered view and an along-track view, the authors observe in great detail the vertical and horizontal structure of the northern winter stratosphere. It is demonstrated that the water vapor distributions show clear signatures of the effects of diabatic descent through isentropic surfaces and quasi-horizontal transport along isentropic surfaces, and that the large-scale winter flow is organized by the interaction between the westerly polar vortex and the Aleutian high.

Observations and Modeling of the August 27, 2012 Earthquake and Tsunami affecting El Salvador and Nicaragua

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borrero, Jose C.; Kalligeris, Nikos; Lynett, Patrick J.; Fritz, Hermann M.; Newman, Andrew V.; Convers, Jaime A.

2014-12-01

On 27 August 2012 (04:37 UTC, 26 August 10:37 p.m. local time) a magnitude M w = 7.3 earthquake occurred off the coast of El Salvador and generated surprisingly large local tsunami. Following the event, local and international tsunami teams surveyed the tsunami effects in El Salvador and northern Nicaragua. The tsunami reached a maximum height of ~6 m with inundation of up to 340 m inland along a 25 km section of coastline in eastern El Salvador. Less severe inundation was reported in northern Nicaragua. In the far-field, the tsunami was recorded by a DART buoy and tide gauges in several locations of the eastern Pacific Ocean but did not cause any damage. The field measurements and recordings are compared to numerical modeling results using initial conditions of tsunami generation based on finite-fault earthquake and tsunami inversions and a uniform slip model.

The Universal Cpx Jd-Di barometer for mantle peridotite eclogite and pyroxenites and it using for the mantle petrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashchepkov, Igor

2015-04-01

The Jd-Di exchange in clinopyroxenes used for the calibration of pyroxene barometer (Ashchepkov, 2000;2002; Ashchepkov et al 2010;2011;2012) was transformed to make one universal equation for mantle peridotite eclogites and pyroxenites. The original barometer (Ashchepkov, 2002) calibrated on pressures produced by Opx barometry (McGregor , 1974) was transformed (Ashchepkov et al ., 2004; 2010; 2011) to satisfy the increasing data bases for the mantle xenoliths and experimental values 530 in peridotitic and 650 in elcogitic systems . The obtained difference Pd =Pcpx- Pexp were studied for the dependence on each component and their combination . Instead of the common activities we used the temperature-dependent empirical equations. The three separate equations for the common peridotites, pyroxenites and eclogites (Ashchepkov et al., 2010) were checked and complex To and Al-Na-Fe dependent universal coefficients were received. The KD is determined as follows: KD=Na/AlCr*Mg/Ca The logarithmic dependence between P and KD was transformed to a linear one. Final pressure equations are: AlCr=(Al-0.01) *((T-600)/700)**0.75+Cr*(ToK-100)/1000+(4*Ti-0.0125)/ (T0-801)*650 +0.55*((Fe-0.23) *(T0-900)/10000-K) P=0.26*(5+12*(Al+0.30*Na)KD* ToK**0.75 /(1+Fe+ Fe*(ToK-600)/1000)-ln(1273/ ToK))*40*(7*Na-Al-15*Ti+10*Cr+Mg/4)+7.5*Si-20*( Al*Na*Mg/Ca/(Al-2*Ti+Na-2*Fe/(Fe+Mg))+50*(Na+0.1*Al-2*Ti+0.05*Mg-0.22*Ca-0.7*Na)/Ca). Obtained equation in combination with the (Nimis,Taylor, 2000) thermometer allow to reconstruct position of the magma feeder systems of the alkali basaltic magma withing the mantle diapirs in modern platforms like in Vitim plateau (Ashchepkov et al., 2011) and now was applicated to reconstruct the deep seated magma conduits beneath the mountain collision systems, island arcs ocean plateaus etc. This equation allows to receive the positions of the major groups of eclogites mantle sections and to find out the regularities of their behavior. The Fe rich eclogites commonly trace he boundary between the lower upper part of subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) at 3 -4 GPa marking pyroxenite eclogites layer. Ca- rich eclogites and especially grospydites in SCLM beneath Precambrian kimberlites occurs near pyroxenite layer but in younger mantle sections they became common in the lower parts marking presence of the subducted sediments. The Mg Cr- less group eclogites commonly diamondiferous and referring to the ancient island arc complexes are also common in the middle part of mantle sections and near 5-6 GPa. The group is often dominated in the young kimberlites and sometimes is highly diamondiferous. Commonly P-Fe# for eclogites in the lower SCLM part show rising Fe# with decreasing pressures which very of then reflect the differentiation of the magmatic systems commonly rather significant. Commonly the Fe#-values for the eclogites show that they can't be simple subucted oceanic basalts but material remelted not only during the low angle "hot"subduction but also under the influence of the kimberlite melts including protokimberlite magmas. The Mg - rich and Fe rich pyroxenites also show the extending in pressures trends which suggest the anatexic melting under the influence of volatiles or under the plum magma hybridization. RBRF grants 05-05-64718, 03-05-64146; 11 -05-00060a; 11-05-91060-PICS. Projects 77-2, 65-03, 02-05 IGM SD RAS and ALROSA Stock Company.

Winter in Northern Europe (WINE). The project Winter in Northern Europe (MAP/WINE): Introduction and outlook

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vonzahn, U.

1989-01-01

The project Winter in Northern Europe (WINE) of the international Middle Atmosphere Program (MAP) comprised a multinational study of the structure, dynamics and composition of the middle atmosphere in winter at high latitudes. Coordinated field measurements were performed during the winter 1983 to 1984 by a large number of ground-based, air-borne, rocket-borne and satellite-borne instruments. Many of the individual experiments were performed in the European sector of the high latitude and polar atmosphere. Studies of the stratosphere, were, in addition, expanded to hemispheric scales by the use of data obtained from remotely sensing satellites. Beyond its direct scientific results, which are reviewed, MAP/WINE has stimulated quite a number of follow-on experiments and projects which address the aeronomy of the middle atmosphere at high and polar latitudes.

Reliability of biomass burning estimates from savanna fires: Biomass burning in northern Australia during the 1999 Biomass Burning and Lightning Experiment B field campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Russell-Smith, Jeremy; Edwards, Andrew C.; Cook, Garry D.

2003-02-01

This paper estimates the two-daily extent of savanna burning and consumption of fine (grass and litter) fuels from an extensive 230,000 km2 region of northern Australia during August-September 1999 encompassing the Australian continental component of the Biomass Burning and Lightning Experiment B (BIBLE B) campaign [, 2002]. The extent of burning for the study region was derived from fire scar mapping of imagery from the advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR) on board the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellite. The mapping was calibrated and verified with reference to one Landsat scene and associated aerial transect validation data. Fine fuel loads were estimated using published fuel accumulation relationships for major regional fuel types. It is estimated that more than 43,000 km2 was burnt during the 25 day study period, with about 19 Mt of fine (grass and litter) fuels. This paper examines assumptions and errors associated with these estimates. It is estimated from uncalibrated fire mapping derived from AVHRR imagery that 417,500 km2 of the northern Australian savanna was burnt in 1999, of which 136,405 km2, or 30%, occurred in the Northern Territory study region. Using generalized fuel accumulation equations, such biomass burning consumed an estimated 212.3 Mt of fine fuels, but no data are available for consumption of coarse fuels. This figure exceeds a recent estimate, based on fine fuels only, for the combined Australian savanna and temperate grassland biomass burning over the period 1990-1999 but is lower than past estimates derived from classification approaches. We conclude that (1) fire maps derived from coarse-resolution optical imagery can be applied relatively reliably to estimate the extent of savanna fires, generally with 70-80% confidence using the approach adopted here, over the major burning period in northern Australia and (2) substantial further field assessment and associated modeling of fuel accumulation, especially of coarse fuels, is required.

An Approach for Forest Inventory in Canada's Northern Boreal region, Northwest Territories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahoney, C.; Hopkinson, C.; Hall, R.; Filiatrault, M.

2017-12-01

The northern extent of Canada's northern boreal forest is largely inaccessible resulting in logistical, financial, and human challenges with respect to obtaining concise and accurate forest resource inventory (FRI) attributes such as stand height, aboveground biomass and forest carbon stocks. This challenge is further exacerbated by mandated government resource management and reporting of key attributes with respect to assessing impacts of natural disturbances, monitoring wildlife habitat and establishing policies to mitigate effects of climate change. This study presents a framework methodology utilized to inventory canopy height and crown closure over a 420,000 km2 area in Canada's Northwest Territories (NWT) by integrating field, LiDAR and satellite remote sensing data. Attributes are propagated from available field to coincident airborne LiDAR thru to satellite laser altimetry footprints. A quality controlled form of the latter are then submitted to a k-nearest neighbor (kNN) imputation algorithm to produce a continuous map of each attribute on a 30 m grid. The resultant kNN stand height (r=0.62, p=0.00) and crown closure (r=0.64, p=0.00) products were identified as statistically similar to a comprehensive independent airborne LiDAR source. Regional uncertainty can be produced with each attribute to identify areas of potential improvement through future strategic data acquisitions or the fine tuning of model parameters. This study's framework concept was developed to inform Natural Resources Canada - Canadian Forest Service's Multisource Vegetation Inventory and update vast regions of Canada's northern forest inventories, however, its applicability can be generalized to any environment. Not only can such a framework approach incorporate other data sources (such as Synthetic Aperture Radar) to potentially better characterize forest attributes, but it can also utilize future Earth observation mission data (for example ICESat-2) to monitor forest dynamics and the status, health and sustainability of Canada's northern boreal regions as areas where detailed inventory information is typically not available.

Different populations of blacklegged tick nymphs exhibit differences in questing behavior that have implications for human lyme disease risk.

PubMed

Arsnoe, Isis M; Hickling, Graham J; Ginsberg, Howard S; McElreath, Richard; Tsao, Jean I

2015-01-01

Animal behavior can have profound effects on pathogen transmission and disease incidence. We studied the questing (= host-seeking) behavior of blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) nymphs, which are the primary vectors of Lyme disease in the eastern United States. Lyme disease is common in northern but not in southern regions, and prior ecological studies have found that standard methods used to collect host-seeking nymphs in northern regions are unsuccessful in the south. This led us to hypothesize that there are behavior differences between northern and southern nymphs that alter how readily they are collected, and how likely they are to transmit the etiological agent of Lyme disease to humans. To examine this question, we compared the questing behavior of I. scapularis nymphs originating from one northern (Lyme disease endemic) and two southern (non-endemic) US regions at field sites in Wisconsin, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Florida. Laboratory-raised uninfected nymphs were monitored in circular 0.2 m2 arenas containing wooden dowels (mimicking stems of understory vegetation) for 10 (2011) and 19 (2012) weeks. The probability of observing nymphs questing on these stems (2011), and on stems, on top of leaf litter, and on arena walls (2012) was much greater for northern than for southern origin ticks in both years and at all field sites (19.5 times greater in 2011; 3.6-11.6 times greater in 2012). Our findings suggest that southern origin I. scapularis nymphs rarely emerge from the leaf litter, and consequently are unlikely to contact passing humans. We propose that this difference in questing behavior accounts for observed geographic differences in the efficacy of the standard sampling techniques used to collect questing nymphs. These findings also support our hypothesis that very low Lyme disease incidence in southern states is, in part, a consequence of the type of host-seeking behavior exhibited by southern populations of the key Lyme disease vector.

Different populations of blacklegged tick nymphs exhibit differences in questing behavior that have implications for human lyme disease risk

USGS Publications Warehouse

Arsnoe, Isis M.; Hickling, Graham J.; Ginsberg, Howard S.; McElreath, Richard; Tsao, Jean I.

2015-01-01

Animal behavior can have profound effects on pathogen transmission and disease incidence. We studied the questing (= host-seeking) behavior of blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) nymphs, which are the primary vectors of Lyme disease in the eastern United States. Lyme disease is common in northern but not in southern regions, and prior ecological studies have found that standard methods used to collect host-seeking nymphs in northern regions are unsuccessful in the south. This led us to hypothesize that there are behavior differences between northern and southern nymphs that alter how readily they are collected, and how likely they are to transmit the etiological agent of Lyme disease to humans. To examine this question, we compared the questing behavior of I. scapularis nymphs originating from one northern (Lyme disease endemic) and two southern (non-endemic) US regions at field sites in Wisconsin, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Florida. Laboratory-raised uninfected nymphs were monitored in circular 0.2 m2 arenas containing wooden dowels (mimicking stems of understory vegetation) for 10 (2011) and 19 (2012) weeks. The probability of observing nymphs questing on these stems (2011), and on stems, on top of leaf litter, and on arena walls (2012) was much greater for northern than for southern origin ticks in both years and at all field sites (19.5 times greater in 2011; 3.6-11.6 times greater in 2012). Our findings suggest that southern origin I. scapularis nymphs rarely emerge from the leaf litter, and consequently are unlikely to contact passing humans. We propose that this difference in questing behavior accounts for observed geographic differences in the efficacy of the standard sampling techniques used to collect questing nymphs. These findings also support our hypothesis that very low Lyme disease incidence in southern states is, in part, a consequence of the type of host-seeking behavior exhibited by southern populations of the key Lyme disease vector.

Historical and projected carbon balance of mature black spruce ecosystems across north america: The role of carbon-nitrogen interactions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clein, Joy S.; McGuire, A.D.; Zhang, X.; Kicklighter, D.W.; Melillo, J.M.; Wofsy, S.C.; Jarvis, P.G.; Massheder, J.M.

2002-01-01

The role of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) interactions on sequestration of atmospheric CO2 in black spruce ecosystems across North America was evaluated with the Terrestrial Ecosystem Model (TEM) by applying parameterizations of the model in which C-N dynamics were either coupled or uncoupled. First, the performance of the parameterizations, which were developed for the dynamics of black spruce ecosystems at the Bonanza Creek Long-Term Ecological Research site in Alaska, were evaluated by simulating C dynamics at eddy correlation tower sites in the Boreal Ecosystem Atmosphere Study (BOREAS) for black spruce ecosystems in the northern study area (northern site) and the southern study area (southern site) with local climate data. We compared simulated monthly growing season (May to September) estimates of gross primary production (GPP), total ecosystem respiration (RESP), and net ecosystem production (NEP) from 1994 to 1997 to available field-based estimates at both sites. At the northern site, monthly growing season estimates of GPP and RESP for the coupled and uncoupled simulations were highly correlated with the field-based estimates (coupled: R2= 0.77, 0.88 for GPP and RESP; uncoupled: R2 = 0.67, 0.92 for GPP and RESP). Although the simulated seasonal pattern of NEP generally matched the field-based data, the correlations between field-based and simulated monthly growing season NEP were lower (R2 = 0.40, 0.00 for coupled and uncoupled simulations, respectively) in comparison to the correlations between field-based and simulated GPP and RESP. The annual NEP simulated by the coupled parameterization fell within the uncertainty of field-based estimates in two of three years. On the other hand, annual NEP simulated by the uncoupled parameterization only fell within the field-based uncertainty in one of three years. At the southern site, simulated NEP generally matched field-based NEP estimates, and the correlation between monthly growing season field-based and simulated NEP (R2 = 0.36, 0.20 for coupled and uncoupled simulations, respectively) was similar to the correlations at the northern site. To evaluate the role of N dynamics in C balance of black spruce ecosystems across North America, we simulated historical and projected C dynamics from 1900 to 2100 with a global-based climatology at 0.5?? resolution (latitude ?? longitude) with both the coupled and uncoupled parameterizations of TEM. From analyses at the northern site, several consistent patterns emerge. There was greater inter-annual variability in net primary production (NPP) simulated by the uncoupled parameterization as compared to the coupled parameterization, which led to substantial differences in inter-annual variability in NEP between the parameterizations. The divergence between NPP and heterotrophic respiration was greater in the uncoupled simulation, resulting in more C sequestration during the projected period. These responses were the result of fundamentally different responses of the coupled and uncoupled parameterizations to changes in CO2 and climate. Across North American black spruce ecosystems, the range of simulated decadal changes in C storage was substantially greater for the uncoupled parameterization than for the coupled parameterization. Analysis of the spatial variability in decadal responses of C dynamics revealed that C fluxes simulated by the coupled and uncoupled parameterizations have different sensitivities to climate and that the climate sensitivities of the fluxes change over the temporal scope of the simulations. The results of this study suggest that uncertainties can be reduced through (1) factorial studies focused on elucidating the role of C and N interactions in the response of mature black spruce ecosystems to manipulations of atmospheric CO2 and climate, (2) establishment of a network of continuous, long-term measurements of C dynamics across the range of mature black spruce ecosystems in North America, and (3) ancillary measureme

Near infrared photographic sky survey - A field index

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rossano, G. S.; Craine, E. R.

1980-01-01

The book presents an index of previously cataloged objects located in the fields of the northern sky included in the Steward Observatory Near Infrared Photographic Sky Survey, which was intended to be used for identification purposes in an effort to locate extremely red objects. The objects included in the index were taken from 16 catalogs of bright nebulae, dark nebulae, infrared objects, reflection nebulae, supernova remnants and other objects, and appear with their corresponding field numbers, computed field center coordinates, object name and 1950 epoch equatorial coordinates, as well as supplementary descriptive information as available. An appendix is also provided in which the center coordinates of each field are listed.

Comparing the solar magnetic field in the corona and in the inner heliosphere during solar cycles 21-23

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Virtanen, I. I.; Mursula, K.

2009-04-01

We compare the open solar magnetic field estimated by the PFSS model based on the WSO photospheric field observations, with the inner heliospheric magnetic field. We trace the observed radial HMF into the coronal PFSS boundary at 2.5 solar radii using the observed solar wind velocity, and determine the PFSS model field at the line-of-sight footpoint. Comparing the two field values, we calculate the power n of the apparent decrease of the radial field. According to expectations based on Maxwell's equations, also reproduced by Parker's HMF model, the radial HMF field should decrease with n=2. However, comparison gives considerably lower values of n, indicating the effect of HCS in the PFSS model and the possible superexpansion. The n values vary with solar cycle, being roughly 1.3-1.4 at minima and about 1.7 at maxima. Interestingly, the n values for the two HMF sectors show systematic differences in the late declining to minimum phase, with smaller n values for the HMF sector dominant in the northern hemisphere. This is in agreement with the smaller field value in the northern hemisphere and the southward shifted HCS, summarized by the concept of the bashful ballerina. We also find that the values of n during the recent years, in the late declining phase of solar cycle 23, are significantly larger than during the same phase of the previous cycles. This agrees with the exceptionally large tilt of the solar dipole at the end of cycle 23. We also find that the bashful ballerina appears even during SC 23 but the related hemispheric differences are smaller than during the previous cycles.

Chirp subbottom profile data collected in 2015 from the northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Forde, Arnell S.; DeWitt, Nancy T.; Fredericks, Jake J.; Miselis, Jennifer L.

2018-01-30

As part of the Barrier Island Evolution Research project, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center conducted a nearshore geophysical survey around the northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana, in September 2015. The objective of the project is to improve the understanding of barrier island geomorphic evolution, particularly storm-related depositional and erosional processes that shape the islands over annual to interannual time scales (1–5 years). Collecting geophysical data can help researchers identify relations between the geologic history of the islands and their present day morphology and sediment distribution. High-resolution geophysical data collected along this rapidly changing barrier island system can provide a unique time-series dataset to further the analyses and geomorphological interpretations of this and other coastal systems, improving our understanding of coastal response and evolution over medium-term time scales (months to years). Subbottom profile data were collected in September 2015 offshore of the northern Chandeleur Islands, during USGS Field Activity Number 2015-331-FA. Data products, including raw digital chirp subbottom data, processed subbottom profile images, survey trackline map, navigation files, geographic information system data files and formal Federal Geographic Data Committee metadata, and Field Activity Collection System and operation logs are available for download.

Functional response and capture timing in an individual-based model: predation by northern squawfish (Ptychocheilus oregonensis) on juvenile salmonids in the Columbia River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Petersen, James H.; DeAngelis, Donald L.

1992-01-01

The behavior of individual northern squawfish (Ptychocheilus oregonensis) preying on juvenile salmonids was modeled to address questions about capture rate and the timing of prey captures (random versus contagious). Prey density, predator weight, prey weight, temperature, and diel feeding pattern were first incorporated into predation equations analogous to Holling Type 2 and Type 3 functional response models. Type 2 and Type 3 equations fit field data from the Columbia River equally well, and both models predicted predation rates on five of seven independent dates. Selecting a functional response type may be complicated by variable predation rates, analytical methods, and assumptions of the model equations. Using the Type 2 functional response, random versus contagious timing of prey capture was tested using two related models. ln the simpler model, salmon captures were assumed to be controlled by a Poisson renewal process; in the second model, several salmon captures were assumed to occur during brief "feeding bouts", modeled with a compound Poisson process. Salmon captures by individual northern squawfish were clustered through time, rather than random, based on comparison of model simulations and field data. The contagious-feeding result suggests that salmonids may be encountered as patches or schools in the river.

Distribution and characteristic of nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation bacteria by comparative analysis of wastewater treatment plants and agriculture fields in northern China

PubMed Central

Ma, Ru

2016-01-01

Nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (n-damo) is a recently discovered biological process which has been arousing global attention because of its potential in minimizing greenhouse gases emissions. In this study, molecular biological techniques and potential n-damo activity batch experiments were conducted to investigate the presence and diversity of M. oxyfera bacteria in paddy field, corn field, and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) sites in northern China, as well as lab-scale n-damo enrichment culture. N-damo enrichment culture showed the highest abundance of M. oxyfera bacteria, and positive correlation was observed between potential n-damo rate and abundance of M. oxyfera bacteria. Both paddy field and corn field sites were believed to be better inoculum than WWTP for the enrichment of M. oxyfera bacteria due to their higher abundance and the diversity of M. oxyfera bacteria. Comparative analysis revealed that long biomass retention time, low NH\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document} }{}${}_{4}^{+}$\\end{document}4+ and high NO\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document} }{}${}_{2}^{-}$\\end{document}2− content were suitable for the growth of M. oxyfera bacteria. PMID:27994974

Workshop on the Martian Northern Plains: Sedimentological, periglacial, and paleoclimatic evolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kargel, J. S. (Editor); Parker, T. J. (Editor); Moore, J. M. (Editor)

1993-01-01

The penultimate meeting in the Mars Surface and Atmosphere Through Time (MSATT) series of workshops was held on the campus of the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, Alaska, 12-13 Aug. 1993. This meeting, entitled 'The Martian Northern Plains: Sedimentological, Periglacial, and Paleoclimatic Evolution,' hosted by the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska, was designed to help foster an exchange of ideas among researchers of the Mars science community and the terrestrial glacial and periglacial science community. The technical sessions of the workshop were complemented by field trips to the Alaska Range and to the Fairbanks area and a low-altitude chartered overflight to the Arctic Costal Plain, so that, including these trips, the meeting lasted from 9-14 Aug. 1993. The meeting, field trips, and overflight were organized and partially funded by the Lunar and Planetary Institute and the MSATT Study Group. The major share of logistical support was provided by the Publications and Program Services Department of the Lunar and Planetary Institute. The workshop site was selected to allow easy access to field exposures of active glaciers and glacial and periglacial landforms. In all, 25 scientists attended the workshop, 24 scientists (plus 4 guests and the meeting coordinator) participated in the field trips, and 18 took part in the overflight. This meeting reaffirmed the value of expertly led geologic field trips conducted in association with topical workshops.

Farming system and wheat cultivar affect infestation of, and parasitism on, Cephus cinctus in the Northern Great Plains.

PubMed

Adhikari, Subodh; Seipel, Tim; Menalled, Fabian D; Weaver, David K

2018-03-26

Cephus cinctus infestation causes $350 million in annual losses in the Northern Great Plains. We compared infestation and parasitism of C. cinctus in spring (including Kamut; Triticum turgidum ssp. turanicum) and winter wheat cultivars grown in organic and conventional fields in Montana, USA. In the greenhouse, we compared C. cinctus preference and survival in Kamut, Gunnison, and Reeder spring wheat cultivars. Stems cut by C. cinctus varied by farming system and the seasonality of the wheat crop. No stems of Kamut in organic fields were cut by C. cinctus, but 1.5% [±0.35% standard error (SE)] of stems in conventional spring wheat, 5% (±0.70% SE) of stems in organic winter wheat, and 20% (±0.93% SE) of stems in conventional winter wheat fields were cut by C. cinctus. More larvae of C. cinctus were parasitized in organic (27 ± 0.03% SE) compared with conventional (5 ± 0.01% SE) winter wheat fields. Cephus cinctus oviposition, survival, and the number of stems cut were lowest in Kamut compared with Gunnison and Reeder. Cephus cinctus infestation was more common in winter wheat than in spring wheat. Organic fields with fewer cut stems also supported more parasitoids. Kamut is a genetic resource for developing C. cinctus-resistant cultivars. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Structure and flow-induced variability of the subtidal salinity field in northern San Francisco Bay

USGS Publications Warehouse

Monismith, Stephen G.; Kimmerer, W.; Burau, J.R.; Stacey, M.T.

2002-01-01

The structure of the salinity field in northern San Francisco Bay and how it is affected by freshwater flow are discussed. Two datasets are examined: the first is 23 years of daily salinity data taken by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation along the axis of northern San Francisco Bay: the second is a set of salinity transects taken by the U.S. Geological Survey between 1988 and 1993. Central to this paper is a measure of salinity intrusion. X2: the distance from the Golden Gate Bridge to where the bottom salinity is 2 psu. Using X2 to scale distance, the authors find that for most flow conditions, the mean salinity distribution of the estuary is nearly self-similar with a salinity gradient in the center 70% of the region between the Golden Gate and X2 that is proportional to X2-1. Analysis of covariability of Q and X2 showed a characteristics timescale of adjustment of the salinity field of approximately 2 weeks. The steady-state response deduced from the X2 time series implies that X2 is proportional to riverflow to the 1/7 power. This relation, which differs from the standard 1/3 power dependence that is derived theoretically assuming constant exchange coefficients, shows that the upstream salt flux associated with gravitational circulation is more sensitive to the longitudinal salinity gradient than theory supposes. This is attributed to the strengthening of stratification caused by the stronger longitudinal salinity gradient that accompanies larger river flows.

New Politics of Clean Air and Transportation

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-05-20

The Branson Travel and Recreational information Program (TRIP) in Branson, Missouri, and the I-40 Traveler and Tourist Information System (TTIS) in the I-40 corridor of Northern Arizona are two Field Operational Tests (FOTs) of Traveler Information S...

Estimating Emissions Reductions from Vehicle Retirement Programs

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-05-29

The Branson Travel and Recreational Information Program (TRIP) in Branson, Missouri, and the I-40 Traveler and Tourist Information System (TTIS) in the I-40 corridor of northern Arizona are two Field Operational Tests (FOTs) of Traveler Information S...

Highway Economic Requirements System - v. III. User's Guide.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-05-18

The Branson Travel and Recreational Information Program (TRIP) in Branson, Missouri, and the I-40 Traveler and Tourist Information System (TTIS) in the I-40 corridor of northern Arizona are two field Operational Tests (FOTs) of Traveler Information S...

Impact of groundwater flow on permafrost degradation and transportation infrastructure stability.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-02-01

A warming climate has been identified as unequivocal by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change with greater and faster temperature increase demonstrated at : northern latitudes, and with an overall increase in precipitation. Analysis of field ...

Seasonal Changes in Northern Mars Dune Field

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-02-03

Three images of the same location, taken by NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter at different times on Mars, show seasonal activity causing sand avalanches and ripple changes on a Martian dune. Time sequence of the images progresses from top to bottom.

Evidence for the interaction of the IRS 16 wind with the ionized and molecular gas at the Galactic center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yusef-Zadeh, Farhad; Wardle, Mark

1993-01-01

We present a number of high-resolution radio images showing evidence for the dynamical interaction of the outflow arising from the IRS 16 complex with the ionized gas associated with the Northern Arm of Sgr A West, and with the northwestern segment of the circumnuclear molecular disk which engulfs the inner few parsecs of the Galactic center. We suggest that the wind disturbs the dynamics of the Northern Arm within 0.1 pc of the center, is responsible for the waviness of the arm at larger distances, and is collimated by Sgr A West and the circumnuclear disk. The waviness is discussed in terms of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability induced by the ram pressure of the wind incident on the surface of the Northern Arm. Another consequence of this interaction is the strong mid-IR polarization of the Northern Arm in the vicinity of the IRS 16 complex which is explained as a result of the ram pressure of the wind compressing the gas and the magnetic field.

New data on Callovian (Middle Jurassic) belemnites and palynomorphs from the Northern Caucasus, southwest Russia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dzyuba, Oksana S.; Goryacheva, Anna A.; Ruban, Dmitry A.; Gnezdilova, Victoria V.; Zayats, Pavel P.

2016-03-01

Palaeontological data on the Caucasus are highly important for large-scale stratigraphical and palaeobiogeographical assessment of the northern Tethyan margin, but this information is often scarce and not available in English. Field studies in the Northern Caucasus have now permitted to amass some new data. Two belemnite species are described from the stratotype section of the Kamennomostskaja Formation (Callovian, Middle Jurassic) near the town of Kamennomostskij in Adygeja (Northern Caucasus). These are Belemnopsis subhastata (von Zieten, 1831) and Rhopaloteuthis ominosa Gustomesov, 1968. The latter is a rare species, and the present find allows new insights into its taxonomy. A palyno-logical analysis of the belemnite-bearing sample was carried out, and a diverse assemblage of dinocysts, acritarchs and prasinophytes, plus pollen and spores recognised. The most abundant palynomorphs are Micrhystridium and Classopollis. Data on belemnites coupled with those on palynomorphs indicate the early Callovian age of the sample level. This interpretation differs slightly from previous conclusions based on ammonites and dinocysts. If this age is correct, the degree of condensation of Callovian deposits in the section studied was lesser than previously assumed.

[Application of Landsat ETM+ in monitoring of desertification in agro-pastoral ecotone of northern China].

PubMed

Mi, Jia; Wang, Kun; Wang, Hong-mei

2011-03-01

Agro-pastoral ecotone of northern China is a transitional and interlaced zone of agricultural cultivation region and grazing region The ecotone is a complex containing several ecosystems. Soil desertification has become a serious problem that endangered sustainable development in the ecotone. The area of desertification land has been increasing year after year in agro-pastoral ecotone of northern China. This problem concerns the ecological environment, economic development and living quality of people in northern and central eastern of China. For these reasons, ecotone has recently become a focus of research of restoration ecology and global climate change. Remote sensing monitoring of desertification land is a key technique to collect the status and development of sandy land, providing scientific bases for the national desertification control. Landsat ETM+ is an advanced multispectral remote sensing system for the research of regional scale and has been widely used in many fields, such as geologic surveys, mapping, vegetation monitoring, etc. In the present, the authors introduce that spectral characteristics, desertification information extraction, desertification classification and development analyses in detail, and summarizes the study progresses discusses the problems and trends.

Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center—Celebrating 50 years of science

USGS Publications Warehouse

Austin, Jane E.; Shaffer, Terry L.; Igl, Lawrence D.; Johnson, Douglas H.; Krapu, Gary L.; Larson, Diane L.; Mech, L. David; Mushet, David M.; Sovada, Marsha A.

2017-10-30

The Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center (NPWRC) celebrated its 50-year anniversary in 2015. This report is written in support of that observance. We document why and how the NPWRC came to be and describe some of its many accomplishments and the influence the Center’s research program has had on natural resource management. The history is organized by major research themes, proceeds somewhat chronologically within each theme, and covers the Center’s first 50 years of research. During that period, Center scientists authored more than 1,700 publications and reports. More than 1,000 seasonal or temporary field personnel, and more than 100 graduate students, contributed to the Center’s success; many went on to have exemplary careers in natural resource management, conservation, and education. The mission of the Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center today remains true to the original vision: to provide the knowledge needed to understand, conserve, and manage the Nation’s natural resources for current and future generations, with an emphasis on species and ecosystems of the northern Great Plains. The Center’s first 50 years of applied biological research provides a deep scientific foundation on which to address emerging issues for the natural resources in the northern Great Plains and beyond.

Oceanization starts from below during continental rupturing in the northern Red Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Y.; Ligi, M.; Bonatti, E.; Bosworth, W.; Cipriani, A.; Palmiotto, C.; Rasul, N. M.; Ronca, S.; Sanfilippo, A.; Seyler, M.; Nomani, S.; AlQutub, A. S.

2015-12-01

The role of magmatism in continental rupturing and in the birth of a new ocean is not well understood. Continental rupture can take place with intense and voluminous volcanism, as in the Southern Red Sea or in a relatively amagmatic mode, as in the Northern Red Sea. Mantle upwelling and melting may be affected by the south to north decreasing opening rate of the Red Sea and by the influence of the Afar plume, also decreasing from south to north. The tholeiitic basalts of the Red Sea spreading system contrast with the extensive Cenozoic basaltic lava fields of the western part of the Arabian peninsula that form one of the largest alkali basalt provinces in the world. In order to establish possible relationship between the Red Sea rift evolution and the western Saudi Arabia intraplate alkali volcanism, field work was carried out on Lunayyir, Ishara, al Kura and Khaybar volcanic fields. Collected samples cover a wide range of chemical diversity (from olivine basalt to trachyte) and span over a 20 Ma interval. We attempt a comparison of the geochemistry of igneous rocks from western Arabia dykes and volcanic fields with those from the Red Sea axis and from the islands of Zabargad and Brothers in the northern Red Sea, that represent basaltic melts injected into the thinned continental crust before continental rupturing and initiation of seafloor spreading. Gabbros drilled in the western Red Sea and exposed on the Brothers islands suggest that continental break up in the northern Red Sea, a relatively non-volcanic rift, is preceded by intrusion of oceanic-type basaltic melts that crystallize at progressively shallower crustal depths as rifting progresses towards continental break-up. A seismic reflection profile running across the central part of the southern Thetis basin shows a ~5 km wide reflector that marks the roof of a magma chamber located ~3.5 km below seafloor. The presence of a few kilometers deep subrift magma chamber soon after the initiation of oceanic spreading implies the crystallization of lower oceanic crust intrusives as a last step in a sequence of basaltic melt intrusion from pre-oceanic continental rifting to oceanic spreading. Thus oceanic crust accretion in the Red Sea rift starts at depth before continental break up, emplacement of oceanic basalt at the sea floor, and development of Vine-Matthews magnetic anomalies.

Identification of Hydrated Sulfates Collected in the Northern Rio Tinto Valley by Reflectance and Raman Spectroscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chemtob, S. M.; Arvidson, R. E.; Fernandez-Remolar, D. C.; Amils, R.; Morris, R. V.; Ming, D. W.; Prieto-Ballesteros, O.; Mustard, J. F.; Hutchinson, L.; Stein, T. C.;

HCMM: Soil moisture in relation to geologic structure and lithology, northern California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rich, E. I. (Principal Investigator)

1981-01-01

Some HCMM images of about 80,000 sq km in northern California were qualitatively evaluated for usefulness in regional geologic investigations of structure and lithology. The thermal characteristics recorded vary among the several geomorphic provinces and depends chiefly on the topographic expression and vegetation cover. Identification of rock types, or groups of rock types, was most successfully carried out within the semi-arid parts of the region; however, extensive features, such as faults, folds and volcanic fields could be delineated. Comparisons of seasonally obtained HCMM images were limited value, except in semi-arid regions.

Use of digital Munsell color space to assist interretation of imaging spectrometer data: Geologic examples from the northern Grapevine Mountains, California and Nevada

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kruse, F. A.; Knepper, D. H., Jr.; Clark, R. N.

1986-01-01

Techniques using Munsell color transformations were developed for reducing 128 channels (or less) of Airborne Imaging Spectrometer (AIS) data to a single color-composite-image suitable for both visual interpretation and digital analysis. Using AIS data acquired in 1984 and 1985, limestone and dolomite roof pendants and sericite-illite and other clay minerals related to alteration were mapped in a quartz monzonite stock in the northern Grapevine Mountains of California and Nevada. Field studies and laboratory spectral measurements verify the mineralogical distributions mapped from the AIS data.

From Data to Equations: Inferring the Laws governing Saturn's Ring Temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Altobelli, N.; Lopez-Paz, D.; Spilker, L.; Pilorz, S.

2011-10-01

Six years after Saturn Orbit Insertion (SOI), the Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) on-board the Cassini Spacecraft has been performing a thermal mapping of Saturn's main rings, by measuring the thermal radiance in the far-infrared ( [10-600] cm-1 ) for different viewing geometries. So far, more than 2.5 millions individual spectra have been recorded, from Saturn's northern winter solstice till Saturn's northern spring. We present a first attempt of treating the data set globally by applying numerical data mining techniques inherited from the field of artificial intelligence, such as neural networks and genetic programing.

Field evidences for a Mesozoic palaeo-relief through the northern Tianshan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gumiaux, Charles; Chen, Ke; Augier, Romain; Chen, Yan; Wang, Qingchen

2010-05-01

The modern Tianshan mountain belt, located in Central Asia, offers a natural laboratory to study orogenic processes linked with convergent geodynamical settings. Most of the previous studies either focused on the Paleozoic evolution of the range - subductions, arc accretions and continental collision - or on its Cenozoic intra-continental evolution linked with the India-Asia collision. At first order, the finite structure of this range obviously displays a remarkable uprising of Paleozoic "basement" rocks - as a crustal-scale ‘pop-up' - surrounded by two Cenozoic foreland basins. The present-day topography of the Tianshan is traditionally related to the latest intra-continental reactivation of the range. In contrast, the present field study of the northern Tianshan brings new and clear evidences for the existence of a significant relief, in this area, during Mesozoic times. The investigation zone is about 250 km long, from Wusu to Urumqi, along the northern flank of the Tianshan where the rivers deeply incised the topography. In such valleys, lithologies and structural relationships between Paleozoic basement rocks, Mesozoic and Cenozoic sedimentary series are particularly well exposed along several sections. Jurassic series are mostly characterized by coal-bearing, coarse-grained continental deposits. Within intra-mountain basins, sedimentary breccias, with clasts of Carboniferous basement rocks, have been locally found at the base of the series. This argues for the presence of a rather proximal palaeo-relief of basement rocks along the range front and the occurrence of proximal intra-mountain basins, during the Jurassic. Moreover, while a major thrust is mostly evoked between Jurassic deposits and the Paleozoic units, some of the studied sections show that the Triassic to Jurassic sedimentary series can be followed from the basin to the range. In these cases, the unconformity of the Mesozoic series on top of the Carboniferous basement has been locally clearly identified quite high in the mountain range or even, surprisingly, directly along the northern Tianshan "front" itself. Combining available information from geological maps, field investigations and numerous drilling wells, regional-scale cross-sections have been built. Some of them show "onlap" type deposit of the Triassic to Jurassic clastic sediments on top of the Paleozoic basement that was thus significantly sloping down to the North at that time. Our study clearly evidences, at different scales, the existence of a major palaeo-relief along the northern Tianshan range during Mesozoic, and particularly during Jurassic times. Such results are compatible with previous fission tracks and sedimentology studies. From this, the Tianshan's uplift and the movements associated with along its northern front structures, which are traditionally assigned to its Cenozoic reactivation, must be reduced. These new results question on the mode and timing of reactivation of structures and on the link between topography and intra-continental collisional settings.

A Cultural Resources Reconnaissance Report for the Saipan Small Boat Harbor Study Area, Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands,

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-03-01

3 Expectations ........ .................... 7 ~8 RECONNAISSANCE SURVEY .................. Field Methods...Construction. . . 25 7. Remains of a Japanese Tugboat (Object 1) Aground Near the Small Boat Harbor Entrance .. ......... ... 26 8. The Remains of a Possible...acted as field assistant for the project. iT ’S vi .r ABSTRACT Members of the Pacific Studies Institute and Maritime Historian, Mr. Ronald Strong, of

Evaluation of Actual Nitrogen Losses From a Watershed Preliminary Results of a Case Study in the Po Vally (Northern Italy)

Treesearch

Maurizio Borin; Tomaso Bisol; Gabriele Bonaiti; Francesco Morari; Devendra M. Amatya

2004-01-01

The evaluation of potential N losses from individual fields is not sufficient to provide an estimate of the actual nitrogen loads reaching the main watercourses and therefore becoming a relevant source of pollution. Along the travel path from a field to the outlet of a watershed several biogeochemical processes may occur, leading to significant changes in the N amount...

The Federal Cylinder Project: A Guide to Field Cylinder Collections in Federal Agencies. Volume 3, Great Basin/Plateau Indian Catalog, Northwest Coast/Arctic Indian Catalog.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, Judith A., Ed.

Two catalogs inventory wax cylinder collections, field recorded among Native American groups, 1890-1942. The catalog for Great Basin and Plateau Indian tribes contains entries for 174 cylinders in 7 collections from the Flathead, Nez Perce, Thompson/Okanagon, Northern Ute, and Yakima tribes. The catalog for Northwest Coast and Arctic Indian tribes…

Global Distributions of Ionospheric Electrostatic Potentials for Various Interplanetary Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kartalev, M.; Papitashvili, V.; Keremidarska, V.; Grigorov, K.; Romanov, D.

2001-12-01

We report on a study of the global ionospheric electrostatic potential distributions obtained from combining two algorithms used for the mapping of high-latitude and middle-latitude ionospheric electrodynamics; that is, the LiMIE (http://www.sprl.umich.edu/mist/) and IMEH (http://geospace.nat.bg) models, respectively. In this combination, the latter model utilizes the LiMIE high-latitude field-aligned current distributions for various IMF conditions and different seasons (summer, winter, equinox). The IMEH model is a mathematical tool, allowing us to study conjugacy (or non-conjugacy) of the ionospheric electric fields on a global scale, from the northern and southern polar regions to the middle- and low-latitudes. The proposed numerical scheme permits testing of different mechanisms of the interhemispheric coupling and mapping to the ionosphere through the appropriate current systems. The scheme is convenient for determining self-consistently the separatrices in both the northern and southern hemispheres. In this study we focus on the global ionospheric electrostatic field distributions neglecting other possible electric field sources. Considering some implications of the proposed technique for the space weather specification and forecasting, we developed a Web-based interface providing global distributions of the ionospheric electrostatic potentials in near-real time from the ACE upstream solar wind observations at L1.

Prediction for potential landslide zones using seismic amplitude in Liwan gas field, northern South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xishuang; Liu, Baohua; Liu, Lejun; Zheng, Jiewen; Zhou, Songwang; Zhou, Qingjie

2017-12-01

The Liwan (Lw) gas field located in the northern slope of the South China Sea (SCS) is extremely complex for its sea-floor topograghy, which is a huge challenge for the safety of subsea facilities. It is economically impractical to obtain parameters for risk assessment of slope stability through a large amount of sampling over the whole field. The linkage between soil shear strength and seabed peak amplitude derived from 2D/3D seismic data is helpful for understanding the regional slope-instability risk. In this paper, the relationships among seabed peak, acoustic impedance and shear strength of shallow soil in the study area were discussed based on statistical analysis results. We obtained a similar relationship to that obtained in other deep-water areas. There is a positive correlation between seabed peak amplitude and acoustic impedance and an exponential relationship between acoustic impedance and shear strength of sediment. The acoustic impedance is the key factor linking the seismic amplitude and shear strength. Infinite slope stability analysis results indicate the areas have a high potential of shallow landslide on slopes exceeding 15° when the thickness of loose sediments exceeds 8 m in the Lw gas field. Our prediction shows that they are mainly located in the heads and walls of submarine canyons.

Structural analysis and implicit 3D modelling of Jwaneng Mine: Insights into deformation of the Transvaal Supergroup in SE Botswana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Creus, P. K.; Basson, I. J.; Stoch, B.; Mogorosi, O.; Gabanakgosi, K.; Ramsden, F.; Gaegopolwe, P.

2018-01-01

Country rock at Jwaneng Diamond Mine provides a rare insight into the deformational history of the Transvaal Supergroup in southern Botswana. The ca. 235 Ma kimberlite diatremes intruded into late Archaean to Early Proterozoic, mixed, siliciclastic-carbonate sediments, that were subjected to at least three deformational events. The first deformational event (D1), caused by NW-SE directed compression, is responsible for NE-trending, open folds (F1) with associated diverging, fanning, axial planar cleavage. The second deformational event (D2) is probably progressive, involving a clockwise rotation of the principal stress to NE-SW trends. Early D2, which was N-S directed, involved left-lateral, oblique shearing along cleavage planes that developed around F1 folds, along with the development of antithetic structures. Progressive clockwise rotation of far-field forces saw the development of NW-trending folds (F2) and its associated, weak, axial planar cleavage. D3 is an extensional event in which normal faulting, along pre-existing cleavage planes, created a series of rhomboid-shaped, fault-bounded blocks. Normal faults, which bound these blocks, are the dominant structures at Jwaneng Mine. Combined with block rotation and NW-dipping bedding, a horst-like structure on the northwestern limb of a broad, gentle, NE-trending anticline is indicated. The early compressional and subsequent extensional events are consistent throughout the Jwaneng-Ramotswa-Lobatse-Thabazimbi area, suggesting that a large area records the same fault geometry and, consequently, deformational history. It is proposed that Jwaneng Mine is at or near the northernmost limit of the initial, northwards-directed compressional event.

New Stability Field of Jeffbenite (ex-"TAPP"): Possibility of Super-Deep Origin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anzolini, C.; Drewitt, J.; Lord, O. T.; Walter, M. J.; Nestola, F.

2016-12-01

Jeffbenite is a new tetragonal phase with garnet-like stoichiometry (Nestola et al., 2016) previously referred to as TAPP (Tetragonal Almandine-Pyrope Phase), which is found exclusively in nature as inclusions in super-deep diamonds and may provide key information about their depth of formation. Nevertheless, whether jeffbenite forms as a primary phase in the transition zone (TZ) or in the lower mantle (LM), or is the product of retrogression from high-pressure mantle phases is still controversial. At present two possibilities are proposed for its formation: 1) entrapment as a primary mineral by diamond in the upper mantle at pressures up to 13 GPa (Armstrong & Walter, 2012); 2) retrograde formation from a bridgmanite or a majoritic garnet below 13 GPa (Armstrong & Walter, 2012; Brenker et al., 2002; Harte & Hudson, 2013). The only previously experimentally determined stability field for jeffbenite is that of Armstrong & Walter (2012), which provides a maximum pressure for jeffbenite stability of 13 GPa ( 390 km) at 1700 K. This suggested that jeffbenite is a sub-lithospheric mineral, but ruled out direct incorporation of jeffbenite into diamond at the TZ-LM boundary. These results were obtained on a Ti-rich jeffbenite, which is usually found as part of composite inclusions, and not on a Ti-free jeffbenite, which occurs as single-phase inclusions in diamonds. We therefore performed new laser heated diamond-anvil cell experiments from 5 to 30 GPa on a Ti-free jeffbenite, in order to determine the role that TiO2 plays in its stability field and to determine if jeffbenite can be directly incorporated into diamond in the TZ or LM. Our preliminary results indicate that the absence of TiO2 extends the stability field of jeffbenite to higher pressures than previously determined. This work was supported by Fondazione CaRiPaRo, NERC Grant NE/M000419/1 to MJW, NERC Fellowship Grant NE/J018945/1 to OTL and ERC-2012-StG 307322 to FN. Armstrong, L.S. & Walter, M.J. (2012) Eur J Mineral, 24:587-597. Brenker, F.E., Stachel, T., Harris, J.W. (2002) Earth Planet Sci Lett, 198:1-9. Harte & Hudson (2013) Proceedings of 10th International Kimberlite Conference, 235-253. Nestola, F., Burnham, A.D., Peruzzo, L., Tauro, L., Alvaro, M., Walter, M.J., Gunter, M., Anzolini, C., Kohn, S.C. (2016) Mineral Mag, DOI: 10.1180/minmag.2016.080.059

New interpretation of the so-called Nubian strata in northeast Africa

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Klitzsch, E.H.; Squyres, C.H.

1988-08-01

Stratigraphical interpretation of the so-called Nubian Sandstone of Egypt and northern Sudan have led to new ideas on the structural and paleogeographical development of northeast Africa. The strata formerly comprised under the term Nubian Sandstone include sediments from Cambrian to Paleocene age. Based on field work and paleontological investigations during the last 10 years, these strata can be subdivided into three major cycles, each characterizing a certain structural situation of northeast Africa. The first or Paleozoic cycle comprises strata of Cambrian to Early Carboniferous age. These strata were deposited during a period of generally northern dip of northeast Africa; continentalmore » sediments transported northward interfinger with marine strata resulting from southward transgressions. Sediments of the second cycle were deposited during and after Gondwana and northern continents collided, which caused updoming of large areas of Egypt and bordering areas to the west and east. As a result, most of Egypt became subject to erosion; transgressions remained near the present northern edge of the continent, and purely continental deposition took place in northern Sudan and bordering areas in Chad and Libya. The resulting strata are similar to the Karroo of East Africa. Strata of the third cycle were deposited after Pangea began to disintegrate. Northeast Africa now had a generally northern dip again, and consequently deposition was controlled - as during the first cycle - by northward drainage and southward transgressions. This last cycle began during Late Jurassic time.« less

Magnetic helicity of the global field in solar cycles 23 and 24

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pipin, V. V.; Pevtsov, A. A.

2014-07-01

For the first time we reconstruct the magnetic helicity density of the global axisymmetric field of the Sun using the method proposed by Brandenburg et al. and Pipin et al. To determine the components of the vector potential, we apply a gauge which is typically employed in mean-field dynamo models. This allows for a direct comparison of the reconstructed helicity with the predictions from the mean-field dynamo models. We apply this method to two different data sets: the synoptic maps of the line-of-sight magnetic field from the Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) andmore » vector magnetic field measurements from the Vector Spectromagnetograph (VSM) on the Synoptic Optical Long-term Investigations of the Sun (SOLIS) system. Based on the analysis of the MDI/SOHO data, we find that in solar cycle 23 the global magnetic field had positive (negative) magnetic helicity in the northern (southern) hemisphere. This hemispheric sign asymmetry is opposite to the helicity of the solar active regions, but it is in agreement with the predictions of mean-field dynamo models. The data also suggest that the hemispheric helicity rule may have reversed its sign during the early and late phases of cycle 23. Furthermore, the data indicate an imbalance in magnetic helicity between the northern and southern hemispheres. This imbalance seems to correlate with the total level of activity in each hemisphere in cycle 23. The magnetic helicity for the rising phase of cycle 24 is derived from SOLIS/VSM data, and qualitatively its latitudinal pattern is similar to the pattern derived from SOHO/MDI data for cycle 23.« less

High-temperature flooding injury

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This problem, also called scald, is most serious in the hot desert valleys of the southwestern United States, subtropical regions in eastern Australia, and western Asia and northern Africa (Middle East) where fields are established and irrigated under high temperatures. The disorder also occurs to...

Importance of tropospheric ClNO2 chemistry across the Northern Hemisphere

EPA Science Inventory

Laboratory and field experiments have revealed that the heterogeneous hydrolysis of dinitrogen pentoxide produces nitryl chloride and nitric acid in the presence of particulate chloride. We incorporate the heterogeneous chemistry of nitryl chloride into the hemispheric Community ...

Hydrology of vernal pools at three sites, southern Sacramento Valley

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2005-04-01

The subsurface hydrology of vernal pools at three vernal pool complexes was investigated during three wet seasons in 2002- : 2004. The complexes were at Gridley Ranch, Valensin Ranch, and the Mather Field in northern California. The selected : comple...

The San Francisco volcanic field, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Priest, S.S.; Duffield, W.A.; Malis-Clark, Karen; Hendley, J. W.; Stauffer, P.H.

2001-01-01

Northern Arizona's San Francisco Volcanic Field, much of which lies within Coconino and Kaibab National Forests, is an area of young volcanoes along the southern margin of the Colorado Plateau. During its 6-million-year history, this field has produced more than 600 volcanoes. Their activity has created a topographically varied landscape with forests that extend from the Pi?on-Juniper up to the Bristlecone Pine life zones. The most prominent landmark is San Francisco Mountain, a stratovolcano that rises to 12,633 feet and serves as a scenic backdrop to the city of Flagstaff.

Key aspects of cost effective collector and solar field design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

von Reeken, Finn; Nicodemo, Dario; Keck, Thomas; Weinrebe, Gerhard; Balz, Markus

2016-05-01

A study has been performed where different key parameters influencing solar field cost are varied. By using levelised cost of energy as figure of merit it is shown that parameters like GoToStow wind speed, heliostat stiffness or tower height should be adapted to respective site conditions from an economical point of view. The benchmark site Redstone (Northern Cape Province, South Africa) has been compared to an alternate site close to Phoenix (AZ, USA) regarding site conditions and their effect on cost-effective collector and solar field design.

Summer monsoon response of the Northern Somali Current, 1995

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schott, Friedrich; Fischer, Jürgen; Garternicht, Ulf; Quadfasel, Detlef

Preliminary results on the development of the northern Somali Current regime and Great Whirl during the summer monsoon of 1995 are reported. They are based on the water mass and current profiling observations from three shipboard surveys of R/V Meteor and on the time series from a moored current-meter and ADCP array. The monsoon response of the GW was deep-reaching, to more than 1000m. involving large deep transports. The northern Somali Current was found to be disconnected from the interior Arabian Sea in latitude range 4°N-12°N in both, water mass properties and current fields. Instead, communication dominantly occurs through the passages between Socotra and the African continent. From moored stations in the main passage a northward throughflow from the Somali Current to the Gulf of Aden of about 5 Sv was determined for the summer monsoon of 1995.

A Multi-Year Study of Mosquito Feeding Patterns on Avian Hosts in a Southeastern Focus of Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus

PubMed Central

Estep, Laura K.; McClure, Christopher J. W.; Burkett-Cadena, Nathan D.; Hassan, Hassan K.; Hicks, Tyler L.; Unnasch, Thomas R.; Hill, Geoffrey E.

2011-01-01

Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) is a mosquito-borne pathogen that cycles in birds but also causes severe disease in humans and horses. We examined patterns of avian host use by vectors of EEEV in Alabama from 2001 to 2009 using blood-meal analysis of field-collected mosquitoes and avian abundance surveys. The northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) was the only preferred host (fed on significantly more than expected based on abundance) of Culiseta melanura, the enzootic vector of EEEV. Preferred hosts of Culex erraticus, a putative bridge vector of EEEV, were American robin (Turdus migratorius), Carolina chickadee (Poecile carolinensis), barred owl (Strix varia), and northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottis). Our results provide insight into the relationships between vectors of EEEV and their avian hosts in the Southeast and suggest that the northern cardinal may be important in the ecology of EEEV in this region. PMID:21540380

Characterization of Northern California petroleum by stable carbon isotopes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lillis, Paul G.; Magoon, Leslie B.; Stanley, Richard G.; McLaughlin, Robert J.; Warden, Augusta

2001-01-01

The purpose of this study is to characterize natural occurrences of petroleum at the surface and in the subsurface within northern California in order to define and map petroleum systems for U.S. Geological Survey energy resource assessments. Furthermore, the chemical characterization and mapping of natural petroleum occurrences could also be used to discriminate natural occurrences from accidental oil spills during the activities of extraction or transportation of petroleum. Samples include petroleum from exploratory well tests, producing fields, natural seeps, and oil-stained rocks, and condensates from gas wells. Most of the sample localities are in northern California but a few samples from central and southern California are included for comparison (table 1). Even though other analyses were performed, only stable carbon isotope (δ13C) data are presented here for brevity and because δ13C values are one of the most discriminating characteristics of California petroleum.

Monitoring of Sea Ice Dynamic by Means of ERS-Envisat Tandem Cross-Interferometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pasquali, Paolo; Cantone, Alessio; Barbieri, Massimo; Engdahl, Marcus

2010-03-01

The interest in the monitoring of sea ice masses has increased greatly over the past decades for a variety of reasons. These include:- Navigation in northern latitude waters;- transportation of petroleum;- exploitation of mineral deposits in the Arctic, and- the use of icebergs as a source of fresh water.The availability of ERS-Envisat 28minute tandem acquisitions from dedicated campaigns, covering large areas in the northern latitudes with large geometrical baseline and very short temporal separation, allows the precise estimation of sea ice displacement fields with an accuracy that cannot be obtained on large scale from any other instrument. This article presents different results of sea ice dynamic monitoring over northern Canada obtained within the "ERS-Envisat Tandem Cross-Interferometry Campaigns: CInSAR processing and studies over extended areas" project from data acquired during the 2008-2009 Tandem campaign..

Preliminary digital map of cryptocrystalline occurrences in northern Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moyer, Lorre A.

1999-01-01

The purpose was to identify potential cryptocrystalline material sources for tools used by indigenous people of the northern Nevada portion of the Great Basin. Cryptocrystalline occurrence data combed from the U.S. Geological Survey's Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS, 1995) were combined with sites described in Nevada rockhound guides and entered into a geographic information system (GIS). The map area encompasses northern Nevada (fig.1). This open-file report describes the methods used to convert cryptocrystalline occurrence data into a digital format, documents the file structures, and explains how to download the digital files from the U.S. Geological Survey's World Wide Web site. Uses of the spatial dataset include, but are not limited to, natural and cultural resource management, interdisciplinary activities, recreational rockhounding, and gold exploration. It is important to note that the accuracy of the spatial data varies widely, and for some purposes, field checks are advised.

Assessment of coal geology, resources, and reserves in the northern Wyoming Powder River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scott, David C.; Haacke, Jon E.; Osmonson, Lee M.; Luppens, James A.; Pierce, Paul E.; Rohrbacher, Timothy J.

2010-01-01

The abundance of new borehole data from recent coal bed natural gas development in the Powder River Basin was utilized by the U.S. Geological Survey for the most comprehensive evaluation to date of coal resources and reserves in the Northern Wyoming Powder River Basin assessment area. It is the second area within the Powder River Basin to be assessed as part of a regional coal assessment program; the first was an evaluation of coal resources and reserves in the Gillette coal field, adjacent to and south of the Northern Wyoming Powder River Basin assessment area. There are no active coal mines in the Northern Wyoming Powder River Basin assessment area at present. However, more than 100 million short tons of coal were produced from the Sheridan coal field between the years 1887 and 2000, which represents most of the coal production within the northwestern part of the Northern Wyoming Powder River Basin assessment area. A total of 33 coal beds were identified during the present study, 24 of which were modeled and evaluated to determine in-place coal resources. Given current technology, economic factors, and restrictions to mining, seven of the beds were evaluated for potential reserves. The restrictions included railroads, a Federal interstate highway, urban areas, and alluvial valley floors. Other restrictions, such as depth, thickness of coal beds, mined-out areas, and areas of burned coal, were also considered. The total original coal resource in the Northern Wyoming Powder River Basin assessment area for all 24 coal beds assessed, with no restrictions applied, was calculated to be 285 billion short tons. Available coal resources, which are part of the original coal resource that is accessible for potential mine development after subtracting all restrictions, are about 263 billion short tons (92.3 percent of the original coal resource). Recoverable coal, which is that portion of available coal remaining after subtracting mining and processing losses, was determined for seven coal beds with a stripping ratio of 10:1 or less. After mining and processing losses were subtracted, a total of 50 billion short tons of recoverable coal was calculated. Coal reserves are the portion of the recoverable coal that can be mined, processed, and marketed at a profit at the time of the economic evaluation. With a discounted cash flow at 8 percent rate of return, the coal reserves estimate for the Northern Wyoming Powder River Basin assessment area is 1.5 billion short tons of coal (1 percent of the original resource total) for the seven coal beds evaluated.

Distribution of atmospheric mercury in northern Southeast Asia and South China Sea during Dongsha Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheu, Guey-Rong; Lin, Neng-Huei; Lee, Chung-Te; Wang, Jia-Lin; Chuang, Ming-Tung; Wang, Sheng-Hsiang; Chi, Kai Hsine; Ou-Yang, Chang-Feng

2013-10-01

Northern South China Sea (SCS) is adjacent to major atmospheric mercury (Hg) emission source regions; however, studies concerning regional atmospheric Hg distribution and cycling are very limited. Accordingly, measurements of atmospheric Hg were conducted in March and April during the 2010 Dongsha Experiment to study its spatial and temporal distribution. Atmospheric Hg was measured at Hengchun and Dongsha Island (Taiwan), Da Nang (Vietnam), Chiang Mai (Thailand) and over the northern SCS. Atmospheric Hg concentrations ranged between 1.54 and 6.83 ng m-3, mostly higher than the Northern Hemisphere background value. Regional wind fields and backward trajectories indicated that the atmospheric Hg concentrations over northern SCS should principally reflect the export of the East Asian Hg emissions by northeast monsoon. However, significantly elevated Hg concentrations were always observed at Da Nang, possibly due to the influence of local Hg emissions. Chiang Mai is located in the intense biomass burning region in northern Thailand. Therefore, atmospheric Hg concentrations at Chiang Mai reflected the influence of regional biomass burning Hg emissions. Two dust storms were encountered at Dongsha Island, one on March 16 and the other on March 21, with atmospheric Hg enhancements. Compared with the 2008 summer values, elevated Hg levels were observed at Dongsha Island in the spring of 2010. Summer air masses were mainly from the deep SCS, representing relatively clean marine air. On the other hand, air masses were from the north in spring, passing eastern China or Taiwan prior to reaching Dongsha Island. Results of this research thus demonstrated the transport of atmospheric Hg from the East Asian continent to northern SCS by regional monsoon activity in spring, but special events, such as biomass burning and dust storms, can also cause enhancements of ambient Hg levels.