Going underground: in search of Carboniferous coal forests     

Howard J. Falcon-Lang  William A. DiMichele  Scott Elrick  & W. John Nelson 《Geology Today》2009,25(5):181-184

The development of coal forests during the Carboniferous is one of the best-known episodes in the history of life. Although often reconstructed as steamy tropical rainforests, these ancient ecosystems were a far cry from anything we might encounter in the Amazon today. Bizarre giant club-mosses, horsetails and tree ferns were the dominant plants, not flowering trees as in modern rainforests. At their height, coal forests stretched all the way from Kansas to Kazakhstan, spanning the entire breadth of tropical Pangaea. Most of what we know of their biodiversity and ecology has been quite literally mined out of the ground through two centuries of hard labour. Without coal mining, our knowledge would be greatly impoverished. Over the past few years, we've been exploring underground coal mines in the United States, where entire forested landscapes have been preserved intact over huge areas. Never before have geologists had the opportunity to walk out through mile upon mile of fossilized forest. In this feature article, we describe some of our recent explorations and attempt to shed new light on these old fossils.  相似文献   

Chemistry of Supraglacial Ponds in the Debris-Covered Area of Lirung Glacier in Central Nepal Himalayas     

Maya P. Bhatt  Nozomu Takeuchi  Miguel F. Acevedo 《Aquatic Geochemistry》2016,22(1):35-64

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Influence of pore size and geometry on peat unsaturated hydraulic conductivity computed from 3D computed tomography image analysis     

F. Rezanezhad  W. L. Quinton  J. S. Price  T. R. Elliot  D. Elrick  K. R. Shook 《水文研究》2010,24(21):2983-2994

In organic soils, hydraulic conductivity is related to the degree of decomposition and soil compression, which reduce the effective pore diameter and consequently restrict water flow. This study investigates how the size distribution and geometry of air‐filled pores control the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of peat soils using high‐resolution (45 µm) three‐dimensional (3D) X‐ray computed tomography (CT) and digital image processing of four peat sub‐samples from varying depths under a constant soil water pressure head. Pore structure and configuration in peat were found to be irregular, with volume and cross‐sectional area showing fractal behaviour that suggests pores having smaller values of the fractal dimension in deeper, more decomposed peat, have higher tortuosity and lower connectivity, which influences hydraulic conductivity. The image analysis showed that the large reduction of unsaturated hydraulic conductivity with depth is essentially controlled by air‐filled pore hydraulic radius, tortuosity, air‐filled pore density and the fractal dimension due to degree of decomposition and compression of the organic matter. The comparisons between unsaturated hydraulic conductivity computed from the air‐filled pore size and geometric distribution showed satisfactory agreement with direct measurements using the permeameter method. This understanding is important in characterizing peat properties and its heterogeneity for monitoring the progress of complex flow processes at the field scale in peatlands. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.  相似文献   

The mineralogical composition of precursor sediments of calcareous rhythmites: a new approach   总被引：2，自引：0，他引：2  

A. Munnecke  H. Westphal  M. Elrick  J. Reijmer 《International Journal of Earth Sciences》2001,90(4):795-812

Previous studies in Silurian carbonates from Gotland (Sweden) have led to a model for the development of limestone-marl alternations. This model postulates that early diagenesis of precursor sediments without strong primary differences can result in a differentiation by selective dissolution of aragonite in marl beds and reprecipitation of calcite cement in limestone beds. This model is described as a set of mathematical equations that quantify the diagenetic processes (aragonite dissolution and calcite reprecipitation) that occur during the formation of limestone-marl interbeds from a hypothetical homogeneous precursor sediment. The calculations demonstrate that resulting hypothetical limestone-marl alternations show characteristic mathematical relationships between the ratios of the bed thicknesses of limestones and marls on one side, and the carbonate contents, on the other. By reversing this model, the original mineralogical composition of the precursor sediment of real-world rhythmic successions can be determined. In this study, alternations from the Silurian of Gotland, the Cambrian, Devonian, and Mississippian of North America, the Jurassic of France and Germany, and the Cretaceous of France are shown to exhibit mathematical relationships similar to those calculated for hypothetical precursor sediments without primary differences. Therefore, the mineralogical composition of their precursor sediments can be estimated. In contrast, the clear mismatch shown by the Lower Jurassic Belemnite Marls from Dorset indicates that these rhythms did not suffer an early diagenetic overprint. Our model helps to differentiate between rhythmites with strong depositional variations and those without; however, it cannot indicate whether a given alternation is the product of rhythmic diagenesis of a homogeneous precursor sediment or the result of diagenetic enhancement of subtle underlying sedimentary rhythms. For horizontally correlated patterns, such as laterally extensive beds and layers of nodules, an a priori unknown external signal has to be assumed.  相似文献   

Exsolution and shock microstructures of igneous pyroxene clasts in the Northwest Africa 7533 Martian meteorite          下载免费PDF全文

Hugues Leroux  Damien Jacob  Maya Marinova  Roger H. Hewins  Brigitte Zanda  Sylvain Pont  Jean‐Pierre Lorand  Munir Humayun 《Meteoritics & planetary science》2016,51(5):932-945

Northwest Africa (NWA) 7533 is a Martian regolith breccia. This meteorite (and its pairings) offers a good opportunity to study (near‐) surface processes that occurred on early Mars. Here, we have conducted a transmission electron microscope study of medium‐ and coarse‐grained (a few tens to hundreds of micrometers) Ca‐rich pyroxene clasts in order to define their thermal and shock histories. The pyroxene grains have a high‐temperature (magmatic) origin as revealed by the well‐developed pigeonite–augite exsolution microstructure. Exsolution lamella characteristics (composition, thickness, and spacing) indicate a moderately slow cooling. Some of the pyroxene clasts display evidence for local decomposition into magnetite and silica at the submicron scale. This phase decomposition may have occurred at high temperature and occurred at high oxygen fugacity at least 2–3 log units above the QFM buffer, after the formation of the exsolution lamellae. This corresponds to oxidizing conditions well above typical Martian magmatic conditions. These oxidizing conditions seem to have prevailed early and throughout most of the history of NWA 7533. The shock microstructure consists of (100) mechanical twins which have accommodated plastic deformation. Other pyroxene shock indicators are absent. Compared with SNC meteorites that all suffered significant shock metamorphism, NWA 7533 appears only mildly shocked. The twin microstructure is similar from one clast to another, suggesting that the impact which generated the (100) twins involved the compacted breccia and that the pyroxene clasts were unshocked when they were incorporated into the NWA 7533 breccia.  相似文献   

Chemistry of the heavily urbanized Bagmati River system in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal: export of organic matter, nutrients, major ions, silica, and metals     

Maya P. Bhatt  William H. McDowell  Kevin H. Gardner  Jens Hartmann 《Environmental Earth Sciences》2014,71(2):911-922

Water quality in less-developed countries is often subject to substantial degradation, but is rarely studied in a systematic way. The concentration and flux of major ions, carbon, nitrogen, silicon, and trace metals in the heavily urbanized Bagmati River within Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, are reported. The concentrations of all chemical species increased with distance downstream with the exceptions of protons and nitrate, and showed strong relationships with population density adjacent to the river. Total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), dominated by NH₄, was found in high concentrations along the Bagmati drainage system. The export of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and TDN were 23 and 33 tons km^?2 year^?1, respectively, at the outlet point of the Kathmandu Valley, much higher than in relatively undeveloped watersheds. The cationic and silica fluxes were 106 and 18 tons km^?2 year^?1 at the outlet of the Bagmati within Kathmandu Valley, and 36 and 32 tons km^?2 year^?1 from the relatively pristine headwater area. The difference between headwaters and the urban site suggests that the apparent weathering flux is three times higher than the actual weathering rate in the heavily urbanized Bagmati basin. Fluxes of cations and silica are above the world average, as well as fluxes from densely populated North American and European watersheds. End-member composition of anthropogenic sources like sewage or agricultural runoff is needed to understand the drivers of this high rate of apparent weathering.  相似文献   

Mineral inclusions in fibrous diamonds: constraints on cratonic mantle refertilization and diamond formation   总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1  

Christine E. Miller  Maya Kopylova  Evan Smith 《Mineralogy and Petrology》2014,108(3):317-331

We analyzed mineral microinclusions in fibrous diamonds from the Wawa metaconglomerate (Superior craton) and Diavik kimberlites (Slave craton) and compared them with published compositions of large mineral inclusions in non-fibrous diamonds from these localities. The comparison, together with similar datasets available for Ekati and Koffiefontein kimberlites, suggest a general pattern of metasomatic alteration imposed on the ambient mantle by formation of fibrous diamond. Calcium and Fe enrichment of peridotitic garnet and pyroxenes and Fe enrichment of olivine associated with fibrous diamond-forming fluids contributes to refertilization of the cratonic mantle. Saline—carbonatitic—silicic fluid trapped by fibrous diamonds may represent one of the elusive agents of mantle refertilization. Calcium enrichment of peridotitic garnet and pyroxenes is expected in local mantle segments during fibrous diamond production, as Ca in the carbonatitic fluids is deposited into the surrounding mantle when oxidized carbon is reduced to diamond. Harzburgitic garnet evolves towards Ca-rich compositions even when it interacts with Ca-poor saline fluids. An unusual trend of Mg enrichment to Fo_95–98 is observed in some olivine inclusions in Wawa fibrous diamonds. The trend may result from the carbonatitic composition of the fluid that promotes crystallization of magnesian olivine and preferentially oxidizes the fayalite component. We propose a generic model of fibrous and non-fibrous diamond formation from carbonatitic fluids that explains enrichment of the mantle in mafic magmaphile and incompatible elements and accounts for locally metasomatized compositions of diamond inclusions.  相似文献   

Coral reef ecosystems protect shore from high-energy waves under climate change scenarios     

Cesar Villanoy  Laura David  Olivia Cabrera  Michael Atrigenio  Fernando Siringan  Porfirio Aliño  Maya Villaluz 《Climatic change》2012,112(2):493-505

Coral reefs and other coastal ecosystems such as seagrasses and mangroves are widely recognized to provide protection against the devastating effects of strong waves associated with tsunamis and storms. The predicted warming climate brings to fore the role of these ecosystems in providing protection against stronger typhoons that can result in more devastating waves of greater amplitude. We performed a model simulation of storm generated waves on a Philippine reef, which is located along the path of tropical storms, i.e., at least 10 typhoons on the average pass through the study site yearly. A model to simulate wave propagation was developed using Simulating Waves Nearshore (SWAN) and DELFT3D-WAVE computer simulation software. Scenarios involving local monsoonal wind forcing and storm conditions were simulated. In addition, as climate change may also result to increased relative sea level, a 0.3 m and 1 m rise in sea level scenarios were also used in the wave model simulations. Results showed that the extensive reef system in the site helped dissipate wave energy that in turn reduced wave run-up on land. A significant reduction in wave energy was observed in both climate change, i.e., stronger wind and higher sea level, and non-climate change scenarios. This present study was conducted in a reef whose coral cover is in excellent condition (i.e., 50 to 80% coral cover). Estimates of coral reef growth are in the same order of magnitude as estimates of relative sea level rise based on tide gauge and satellite altimeter data, thus it is possible that the role of reefs in attenuating wave energy may be maintained if coral reef growth can keep up with the change in sea level. Nonetheless, to maintain reef growth, it is imperative to manage coral reef ecosystems sustainably and to eliminate the stressors that are within human control. Minimizing activities such as illegal and destructive blast and poison fishing methods, pollution and siltation, is crucial to minimize the impacts of high-energy waves that may increase with climate change.  相似文献   

Visionary Politics: Technologies of Government in the Capital of Innovation     

John W. Elrick 《社会与自然资源》2017,30(7):860-876

ABSTRACT

Taking up experiments in “civic innovation” as windows into the making of new urban worlds, I attempt in this essay to map out the parameters of a novel framework for municipal rule and account for the conditions underlying its ascendance in San Francisco, CA. I explore how productions of urban space and nature today serve as the means and objects of an emerging mode of government premised on yoking all forms of urban activity to the dictates of innovation. When proponents of civic innovation pursue particular forms of intervention in the built environment to constitute urban subjects as human capital, they imbibe, reproduce, and enact normative notions about the nature of the city as a problem to manage. Though the project of civic innovation is neither complete nor inevitable, the political vision animating it entails the subsumption of urban life as such within a rubric of decision making modeled on the market.  相似文献   

Cosmic factors influence on the inter-annual variations of the green 557.7 Nm line and red 630.0 Nm line nightglow intensities and their possible coupling with cloud covering at Abastumani (41.75°N, 42.82°E)     

Maya Todua  Goderdzi G. Didebulidze 《Acta Geophysica》2014,62(2):381-399

We studied the inter-annual distributions of the nightglow intensities of the thermosphere atomic oxygen red 630.0 nm and green 557.7 nm lines observed from Abastumani during cloudless nights, the planetary geomagnetic Ap index, solar F_10.7, and galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) flux. It is demonstrated that: on magnetically weakly disturbed/ quiet conditions (Ap < 12) in equinoctial months the red line intensities are minimal, while those of the green line are maximal; the red line intensity increases in May-July and is comparatively low in June, where, unlike most mid-latitude regions, the green line intensity is maximal. The red and green line intensities increase with growing solar activity but their behaviors stay the same, which is considered as a possible regional manifestation of lower and upper atmosphere vertical coupling. It was also detected that, for cloudless nights in June, the number of magnetically disturbed day-nights is maximal and the decrease of the GCRs flux is the biggest during a year.  相似文献