Magnetic properties,self-reversal remanence and thermal alteration products of smythite

Summary This study is a follow up of the investigation of some magnetic properties and metastability of greigite in samples obtained from Miocene claystones in the Kruné hory (Erzgebirge) Piedmont basins (Bohemia). Three different methods of upgrading the smythite were applied; the magnetic properties of the concentrates are compared. The thermal conversion of smythite sets in at 200°C while greigite converts at 250°C. The first intermediate products to be formed are iron sulphides, marcasite clearly dominating over pyrite and pyrrhotite. Apart from a Fe³⁺ sulphate with a composition of Fe₂(SO₄)₃, oxidation of these sulphides gives rise to -Fe₂O₃. The result of the subsequent decomposition of the mentioned sulphate is the formation of -Fe₂O₃, which retains the sulphate structure. The final product of the thermal decomposition at 800°C is -Fe₂O₃. In the smythite concentrate the conversion to Fe³⁺ sulphate and -Fe₂O₃ is about twice as intensive as in greigite. No direct conversion to -Fe₂O₃ was found. During the thermal process self-reversals of remanence were observed, in various samples as many as four reversals in the temperature interval from 340 to 590°C. The occurrences of self-reversals of remanence were only observed at high degrees of thermal demagnetization, of the order of 10^–2 down to 10^–3 in the temperature interval of sulphide origin (below 400°C), and of the order of 10^–4 down to 10^–6 in the temperature interval of Fe-oxides origin (above 400°C).Presented at the 3rd Conference on New Trends in Geomagnetism, Castle of Smolenice, Czechoslovakia, June 22–29, 1992     

Seasonal variation of fluxes and distributions of dissolved methane in the North Yellow Sea

The concentrations and sea-to-air fluxes of dissolved methane (CH₄) were investigated in the North Yellow Sea during August 2006, January, April and October 2007. Dissolved CH₄ concentrations showed obvious seasonal variation, with maximum values occurring in summer and lowest values occurring in winter. The saturations of dissolved CH₄ in surface waters ranged from 78.7% to 1679.7% with an average of 252.4%. The estimated atmospheric CH₄ fluxes using the Liss and Merlivat (LM86), and Wanninkhof formulae (W92) were (4.2±4.7), (11.6±10.3), (8.5±12.7) and (0.2±1.0), and (6.9±7.3), (14.6±22.3), (13.8±14.3) and (0.4±1.7) μmol·(m² d)⁻¹, respectively, for spring, summer, autumn and winter. Based on the average annual atmospheric CH₄ flux and the area of the North Yellow Sea, the annual CH₄ emission was estimated to be (2.4×10⁻²–4.2×10⁻²) Tg a⁻¹, which suggests that the North Yellow Sea was a net source of atmospheric CH₄.     

Contributions of H2S to the atmospheric sulfur cycle

H₂S is a most important biogenic sulfur compound with regard to the atmospheric sulfur cycle. Our present knowledge of the spatial and temporal distribution of this trace gas is rather incomplete owing to unreliable analytical methods. Therefore, a new method for the analysis of H₂S in the g-range was applied. This paper deals with the results of ground- and aircraft measurements of H₂S in unpolluted air over swamps and tidal flats. Based on the measured vertical distributions a removal coefficient of 2.3×10^–5 sec^–1 and an average lifetime of 12 hours were calculated. Some conclusions of the contribution of H₂S to the atmospheric sulfur budget are added.     

Fault dimensions,displacements and growth

Maximum total displacement (D) is plotted against fault or thrust width(W) for 65 faults, thrusts, and groups of faults from a variety of geological environments. Displacements range from 0.4 m to 40 km and widths from 150 m to 630 km, and there is a near linear relationship betweenD andW ². The required compatibility strains (e _s) in rocks adjacent to these faults increases linearly withW and with and ranges frome _s=2×10^–4 toe _s=3×10^–1. These are permanent ductile strains, which compare with values ofe _s=2×10^–5 for the elastic strains imposed during single slip earthquake events, which are characterised by a linear relationship between slip (u) andW.The data are consisten with a simple growth model for faults and thrusts, in which the slip in successive events increases by increments of constant size, and which predicts a relationship between displacement and width of the formD=cW ². Incorporation of constant ductile strain rate into the model shows that the repreat time for slip events remains constant throughout the life of a fault, while the displacement rate increases with time. An internally consistent model withe _s=2×10^–5, giving repeat times of 160 years and instantaneous displacement rates of 0.02 cm/yr, 0.2 cm/yr, and 2.0 cm/yr when total displacement is 1 m, 100 m, and 10 km, and slip increasing by 0.5 mm with each event, gives a good approximation of the data. The model is also applicable to stable sliding, the slip rate varying with ductile strain rate and withW ².     

Correlated seasonal and climatic variations of trace constituents in the stratosphere

Summary Spectrometric experiments performed, in November 1976, within the framework of the Latitude Survey Mission on board the NASA Convair 990 from Ames Research Center are briefly deseribed. The results presented concern odd nitrogen molecules, HCl and water vapor. In terms of vertical column density, HNO₃ is predominant over NO+NO₂ at all latitudes higher than 40 degrees. A seasonal variation of NO₂ abundance is observed, with larger values in the summer hemisphere at high latitude. The mean zenith column density of HCl above 11 km is 1.5×10¹⁵ mol.cm^–2, with no evidence for any seasonal or climatic variation. Local number densities as high as 1.4×10¹⁰ mol.cm^–3 for HNO₃ and 5.4×10¹⁴ mol.cm^–3 for water vapor have been measured during the same flight near 11 km.     

Hydrocarbons in the atmosphere

Trace concentrations of highly reactive hydrocarbons of biogenic origin have been proposed for some time as being important in aerosol formation processes in the atmosphere. More recently, assessments of potential photochemical reactions in the troposphere have proposed a role in the atmospheric ozone cycle for hydrocarbons, even for compounds such as methane that had previously been considered nonreactive. An assessment of the atmospheric hydrocarbon reaction system has been limited by a lack of observational information on the nature of conditions in the remote or non-urban atmosphere. Recent data on terpene concentrations and other biogenic hydrocarbon compounds are presented. Data on ethane and acetylene from aircraft samples taken over the north and south Pacific Ocean show concentrations in the 0.5 to 1 /m³ range for ethane and in the 0.05 to 0.3 g/m³ range for acetylene. A concentration gradient is present for these compounds between the northern and southern hemisphere. A rudimentary global concentration pattern for these C₂ compounds has been developed on the basis of recent data.     

The influence of plants on atmospheric carbon monoxide and dinitrogen oxide

It is shown by laboratory experiments and extensivein-situ measurements that higher plants (Vicia faba, Platanus acerifolia, Fagus silvatica, andPinus silvestris) produce carbon monoxide. The measurements were carried out under natural conditions with respect to the concentrations of O₂ and H₂O, and temperature. The CO₂- and CO-mixing ratios were varied in the ranges 350 to 530 ppm and 3–270 ppb, respectively. The CO-production rates were found to be light dependent with an average value per cm² of leaf area of 3×10^–13 g/sec for a radiation intensity of 5×10⁴ erg/cm² sec. The production rates are independent of the CO₂- and CO-mixing ratios employed in the test atmosphere. Considering the production rate of 3×10^–13 g/cm² sec to be representative for global conditions the total CO-production by plants is estimated to be 0.5–1.0×10¹⁴ g/year. In contrast to carbon monoxide atmospheric dinitrogen oxide is not influenced by plants in the same manner.     

Differences in the concentrations of atmospheric trace gases in and above the tropical boundary layer

Weekly air samples were collected at Cape Kumakahi (0 km) and at nearby Mauna Loa Observatory (3.4 km) which is above the boundary layer. EC/GC and GC/FID techniques were used to measure CH₃I, CHCl₃, CO and CH₄, which are largely natural in origin, and C₂Cl₄, CCl₄, CH₃, CCl₃, CCl₃F (F-11), CCl₂F₂ (F-12), CHClF₂ (F-22) and C₂F₃Cl₃ (F-113), which are due to anthropogenic activities. It was found that all these gases are significantly (0.05) more abundant in the boundary layer than above it.     

Mean equatorial gravity derived from various geopotential models

Summary Mean equatorial gravity has been computed from geopotential models GEM-10C, GEM-7, GEM-T1, GEM-T2, GEM-T3, JGM-1, JGM-2, JGM-3 and OSU91A and compared to the normal equatorial gravity, _e=978 032·699 × 10^–5 m s^–2, computed from four given parameters defining the Earth's level ellipsoid. In all models g_e>_e.     

Die anlagerungsgechwindigkeit der elektrisch geladenen und neutralen Emanationsfolgeprodukte an das atmosphärische Aerosol

Zusammenfassung Die Anlagerungsgeschwindigkeiten der elektrisch geladenen und neutralen²¹²Pb (ThB)-Atome an das atmosphärische Aerosol wurden experimentell bestimmt. Bei einer mittleren Aerosolkonzentration von 5·10⁴ Teilchen/cm³ wurden die Anlagerungshalbwertszeiten _a = 29 für positive und _a ⁰ = 46 für neutrale Radon-Folgeprodukte erhalten. Ausserdem konnte gezeigt werden, dass bis zu 40% der Teilchen des atmosphärischen Aerosols dem RadienbereichR10^–6cm angehören, und dass dieser Teilchenanteil die Grösse der Anlagerungshalbwertszeiten nur geringfügig (2–4%) beeinflusst, d.h. der Anteil der angelagerten Radionuklide ist in diesem Teilchenradienbereich vernachlässigbar. Zum Schluss wurde mit Hilfe der gemessenen Anlagerungskonstanten der prozentuale Anteil der unangelagerten²²²Rn- und²²⁰Rn-Folgeprodukte in der Atmosphäre berechnet.

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Summary The velocities of attachment of neutral and charged radon-220 daughters to the natural atmospheric aerosol were measured. The half-lives of attachment _a = 29 for positive and _a ⁰ = 46 for neutral radon decay peoducts were found with an average aerosol concentration of 5·10⁴ particles/cm³. It is also shown that about 40% of the atmospheric particles have radiiR10^–6 cm and that these particles have only a small influence (2–4%) on the values of the half-lives of attachment; therefore, in this range of particle radii the number of the attached radioactive atoms can be neglected. Finally the percentage of the unattached²²²Rn and²²⁰Rn-decay products in the atmosphere was computed.

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Résumé Les vitesses de l'agglomération des descendats neutres et électriquement chargés de²²⁰Rn atomes à l'aérosol atmosphérique sont mésurées. Les périodes de l'agglomération _a = 29 pour les descendants positives et _a ⁰ = 46 pour le neutres, étaient établis à une concentration d'aérosol moyenne de 5·10⁴ particules/cm³. De plus on pouvait montrer, que jusqu'à 40% des particules de l'aérosol atmosphérique ont un rayonR10^–6cm et que cette part des particules n'a que une petite influence sur la valeur des périodes d'agglomération (2–4%), c'est-à-dire que le nombre des descendants agglomérés à cet domaine des rayons est négligeable. Finalement le pourcentage des particules non-agglomérés a eté calculé au moyen des paramètres de l'agglomération mésurées.

     

The geomagnetic dynamo-elementary energetics and thermodynamics

This paper is a non-mathematical review, summarising the work in this field.Estimates are made of the power needed to maintain the electric currents which give the main geomagnetic field. The observed surface field needs at least 2×10⁸ W, but unobservable fields may need much more; a toroidal field of peak value 10 or 50nT would need 10¹⁰ or 2.5×10¹¹ W.Ways of obtaining this power from the Earth's rotation, particularly through precession, are considered and rejected.Thermal power sources have the disadvantages that there is inherent thermodynamic inefficiency in driving the dynamo, and that a significant fraction of the heat input will be carried away by conduction rather than convection. Radioactivity will only be important if there is a substantial amount of potassium in the core. If this is not the case the core might be cooling; cooling at 20K per 10⁹ yr would release specific heat at a rate of 10¹² W. If the cooling causes the inner core to grow by freezing from the liquid core, then an additional 10¹² W would be released from the latent heat of freezing. These heat fluxes might support a dynamo having a small toroidal field.If, as seems likely, the solid inner core is significantly denser than the liquid, such cooling would also release 0.6×10¹² W of gravitational energy, giving compositional convection which would drive the dynamo very efficiently and give a large toroidal field.     

Unified approach to amplitude attenuation and coda excitation in the randomly inhomogeneous lithosphere

A unified model is proposed for explaining the frequency dependent amplitude attenuation and the coda wave excitation on the basis of the single scattering process in the randomly inhomogeneous lithosphere. Adopting Birch's law and a direct proportion between density and wave velocity, we statistically describe the inhomogeneous medium by one random function characterized by the von Karman autocorrelation function. We calculate the amplitude attenuation from the solid angle integral of scattered wave energy on the basis of the Born approxiimation after subtracting the travel-time fluctuation effect caused by slowly varying velocity inhomogeneities. This subtraction is equivalent to neglect energy loss by scattering within a cone around the forward direction. The random inhomogeneity of the von Karman autocorrelation function of order 0.35 with the mean square fractional fluctuation of 7.2×10^–3 1.3×10^–2 and the correlation distance of 2.15.1 km well explains observed backward scattering coefficientg and the ratioQ _P ^–1 /Q _S ^–1 , and observed and partially conjecturedQ _S ^–1 for frequencies between 0.5 Hz and 30 Hz.     

Determination of characteristics of steam reservoirs by Radon-222 measurements in geothermal fluids

The authors conducted a Rn²²² survey in wells of the Larderello geothermal field (Italy) and observed considerable variations in concentrations. Simple models show that flow-rate plays an important part in the Rn²²² content of each well, as it directly affects the fluid transit time in the reservoirs. Rn²²² has been sampled from two wells of the Serrazzano area during flow-rate drawdown tests. The apparent volume of the steam reservoir of each of these two wells has been estimated from the Rn²²² concentration versus flow-rate curves.List of symbols Q Flow-rate (kg h^–1) - Decay constant of Rn²²² (=7.553×10^–3 h^–1) - Porosity of the reservoir (volume of fluid/volume of rock) - ₁ Density of the fluid in the reservoir (kg m^–3) - ₂ Density of the rock in the reservoir (kg m^–3) - M Stationary mass of fluid filling the reservoir (kg). - E Emanating power of the rock in the reservoir (nCi kg _rock ^–1 h^–1). - P Production rate of Rn²²² in the reservoir: number of atoms of Rn²²² (divided by 1.764×10⁷) transferred by the rock to the mass unit of fluid per unit time (nCi kg _fluid ^–1 h^–1). - N Specific concentration of Rn²²² in the fluid (nCi kg^–1) - Characteristic time of the steam reservoir at maximum flow-rate (=M/Q)     

A modelling study of tropospheric distributions of the trace gases CFCl3 and CH3CCl3 in the 1980s

Interhemispheric transport is a key process affecting the accuracy of source quantification for species such as methane by inverse modelling, and is a source of difference among global three-dimensional chemistry transport models (CTMs). Here we use long-term observations of the atmospheric concentration of long-lived species such as CH₃CCl₃ and CFCl₃ for testing three-dimensional chemistry transport models (CTMs); notably their ability to model the interhemispheric transport, distribution, trend, and variability of trace gases in the troposphere. The very striking contrast between the inhomogeneous source distribution and the nearly homogeneous trend, observed in the global ALE/GAGE experiments for both CH₃CCl₃ and CFCl₃ illustrates an efficient interhemispheric transport of atmospherically long-lived chemical species. Analysis of the modelling data at two tropical stations, Barbados (13°N, 59°W) and Samoa (14°S, 124°W), show the close relationship between inter-hemispheric transport and cross-equator Hadley circulations. We found that cross-equator Hadley circulations play a key role in producing the globally homogeneous observed trends. Chemically, the most rapid interaction between CH₃CCl₃ and OH occurs in the northern summer troposphere; while the most rapid photolysis of CH₃CCl₃ and CFCl₃, and the chemical reactions between CFCl₃ and O(¹D), take place in the southern summer stratosphere. Therefore, the cross-equator Hadley circulation plays a key role which regulates the southward flux of chemical species. The regulation by the Hadley circulations hence determines the amount of air to be processed by OH, O(¹D), and ultraviolet photolysis, in both hemispheres. In summary, the dynamic regulation of the Hadley circulations, and the chemical processing (which crucially depends on the concentration of OH, O(¹D), and on the intensity of solar insolation) of the air contribute to the seasonal variability and homogeneous growth rate of observed CH₃CCl₃ and CFCl₃.     

Expanding earth hypothesis and the Earth's gravitational potential energy

Summary The gravitational potential energy of the actual Earth has now been estimated at –2·485 × 10³² J. Three density models of the hypothetical Earth before the hypothetical expansion have been adopted for estimating the internal energy necessary for expanding: 7 × 10³¹ J. No dynamical evidence exists for the origin of this energy in the last 450 × 10⁶ y. The hypothetical increase in the Earth's mass M of about 0·4 M since 2 × 10⁸ y B.P. required for a dynamical balance has also no support in the paleodynamics of the Earth-Moon-Sun system since the M. Ordovician.Dedicated to the Memory of K. P     

Fluid infiltration into fault zones: Chemical,isotopic, and mechanical effects

Fluid infiltration into fault zones and their deeper-level counterparts, brittle-ductile shear zones, is examined in diverse tectonic environments. In the 2.7 Ga Abitibi greenstone belt, major tectonic discontinuities, with lateral extents of hundreds of kilometres initiated as listric normal faults accommodating rift extension and acted as sites for komatiite extrusion and locally intense metasomatism. During reverse motion on the structures, accommodating shortening of the belt, these transcrustal faults were utilised as a conduit for the ascent of trondhjemitic magmas from the base of the crust and of alkaline magmas from the asthenosphere and for the discharge of thousands of cubic kilometres of hydrothermal fluids. Such fluids were characterised by ¹⁸O=+6±2, D=–50±20, ¹³C=–4±4, and temperatures of 270 to 450°C, probably derived from devolatilisation of crustal rocks undergoing prograde metamorphism. Hydrothermal fluids were more radiogenic (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr=0.7010 to 0.7040) and possessed higher than did contemporaneous mantle, komatiites or tholeiites, and thus carried a contribution from older sialic basement. A provinciality of⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and ¹³C is evident, signifying that fault plumbing sampled lower crust which was heterogeneous at the scale of tens of kilometres. Mineralised faults possess enrichments of large ion lithophile (LIL), LIL elements, including K, Rb, Ba, Cs, B, and CO₂, and rare elements, such as Au, Ag, As, Sb, Se, Te, Bi, and W. Fluids were characterised by X_{CO 2}0.1, neutral to slightly acidic pH, low salinity 3 wt-%, K/Na=0.1, they carried minor CH₄, CO, and N₂, and they underwent transient effervescence of CO₂ during decompression. Clastic sediments occupy graben developed at fault flexures. The⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar release spectra indicate that fault rocks experienced episodic disturbance on time scales of hundreds of millions of years.At the Grenville front, translation was accommodated along two mylonite zones and an intervening boundary fault. The high-temperature (580°C) and low-temperature (430 to 490°C) mylonite zones, formed in the presence of deep-level crust-equilibrated fluids of metamorphic origin. Late brittle faults contain quartz veins precipitated from fluids with extemely negative ¹⁸O (–14 per mil) at 200 to 300°C. The water may have been derived from downward penetration into fault zones of precipitation of low¹⁸O on a mountain range induced by continental collision, with uplift accommodated at deep levels by the mylonite zones coupled with rebound on the boundary faults.Archean gneisses overlie Proterozoic sediments along thrust surfaces at Lagoa Real, Brazil; the gneisses are transected by brittle-ductile shear zones locally occupied by uranium deposits. Following deformation at 500 to 540°C, in the presence of metamorphic fluids and under conditions of low water-to-rock ratio, shear zones underwent local intense oxidation and desilication. All minerals undergo a shift of –10 per mil, indicating discharge of meteoric-water-recharged formation brines in the underlying Proterozoic sediments up through the Archean gneisses, during overthrusting; 1000 km³ of solutions passed through these structures. The shear zones and Proterozoic sediments are less radiogenic (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr=0.720) than contemporaneous Archean gneisses (0.900), corroborating the transport of fluids and solutes through the structure from a large external reservoir.Major crustal detachment faults of Tertiary age in the Picacho Cordilleran metamorphic core complex of Arizona show an upward transition from undeformed granitic basement through mylonitic to brecciated and hydrothermally altered counterparts. The highest tectonic levels are allochthonous, oxidatively altered Miocene volcanics. This transition is accompanied by an increase of 12 per mil in ¹⁸O, from +7 to +19, and a 400°C decrease in temperature. Lower tectonic levels acted as aquifers for the expulsion of large volumes of higher-temperature reduced metamorphic fluids and/or evolved formation brines. The Miocene allochthon was influenced by a lower-temperature reservoir inducing oxidative potassic alteration; mixing occurred between cool downward-penetrating thermal waters and the hot, deeper aqueous reservoir.In general, flow regimes in these fault and shear zones follow a sequence, from conditions of high temperature and pressure with locally derived fluids at low water-to-rock ratios, during initiation of the structures, to high fluxes of reduced formation or metamorphic fluids along conduits as the structures propagate and intersect hydrothermal reservoirs. Later in the tectonic evolution and at shallower crustal levels there was incursion of oxidising fluids from near-surface reservoirs into the faults. In general, magmatism, tectonics, and fluid motion are intimately related.     

Traces of NO 3 ′ ions contained in ice crystals influence charge separation upon crystal fragmentation

Summary If needle-shaped ice crystals are grown in an atmosphere containing traces of nitrous gases, the amount of electrical charge generated when sharp crystal points break away, is between 10 and 50 times as high as in the case of crystals grown in absence of nitrous gases A definite relation has been found to exist between the NO ₃ ion concentration of the ice crytals and the amount of charge (average value 2.7×10^–8, maximum value 13×10^–8 coulombs per gram of ice splinters) generated upon fragmentation. The relation found is possibly of importance with respect to thunderstorm electricity generation.Physikalisch-Bioklimatische Forschungsstelle der Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Garmisch-Partenkirchen.     

Global distribution of gaseous mercury in the troposphere

Atmospheric mercury concentrations were measured during a nautical expedition on the Atlantic Ocean between Hamburg (54°N, 10°E) and Santo Domingo (20°N, 67°W). In addition, samples were taken during flights on a commerical aircraft in the upper and middle troposphere between 60°N and 55°S, mostly over the Pacific Ocean. The data obtained in the lower troposphere over the Northern Atlantic show considerable variation in the Hg concentrations, with values ranging between 1 and 11 ng/m³; the average concentration was found to be 2.8 ng/m³. The upper tropospheric data show an interhemispheric difference with average values of 1.45 ng/m³ and 1.08 ng/m³ in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere, respectively. This suggests that mercury production occurs predominantly over the continents both by natural and anthropogenic processes. The mercury content in aerosols was found to be 0.3 ng/m³, or one-tenth of the atmospheric concentration. The data indicate a mean residence time of mercury in the atmosphere of a few months to one year.     

Chemical aspects of iron oxide coagulation in water: Laboratory studies and implications for natural systems

Initial coagulation rates of colloidal hematite (-Fe₂O₃) particles (diameter less than 0.1 µm) were measured experimentally in well-defined laboratory systems at constant temperature. The relative stability ratio,W, was obtained at various ionic strengths in NaCl medium and at pH values in the range from 3 to 12. ExperimentalW values ranged from 1 to 10⁴ in various systems. The results delineate the roles ofspecific andgeneralized coagulation mechanisms for iron oxides. Among the specifically-interacting species (G _ads ⁰ >G _coul ⁰ ) studied were phosphate, monomeric organic acids of various structures, and polymeric organic acids. The critical coagulation-restabilization concentrations of specifically-interacting anions (from 10^–7 to 10^–4 molar) can be compared with the general effects of non-specific electrolyte coagulants (10^–3 to 10^–1 molar). The laboratory results are interpreted with the help of a Surface Complex Formation/Diffuse Layer Model (SCF/DLM) which describes variations of interfacial charge and potential resulting from variations of coagulating species in solution. Comparison of these laboratory experiments with observations on iron behavior in estuarine and lake waters aids in understanding iron removal mechanisms and coagulation time scales in natural systems.