Kyanite-Andalusite Equilibrium from 700{degrees} to 800{degrees}C

The metastable kyaniteandalusite equilibrium in the Al(2)SiO(5) system has been reversed at 700 degrees , 750 degrees , and 800 degrees C at elevated water pressures, with a variety of natural and synthetic kyanites and andalusites as starting materials. Sillimanite, the stable form of Al(2)SiO(5) under these conditions, did not appear. The value of the transition pressure at 750 degrees C is 6.6 +/- 0.4 kilobars, several kilobars below pressures given by several convergent previous determinations. The Al(2)SiO(5) pressure-temperature triple point now indicated lies far from the points found by others. The revised aluminum silicate phase diagram indicates that many rocks crystallized at lower pressures than formerly thought possible.     

Crystal Structure of the Solid Electrolyte(C5H5NH) Ag5I6 at -30{degrees}C

The crystal structure of pyridinium hexaiodopentaargentate, (C(5)H(5)NH) Ag(5)l(6), is unique among those of the halide and chalcogenide solid electrolytes in that face-sharing iodide octahedra as well as face-sharing tetrahedra and face-sharing between octahedra and tetrahedra provide the paths for silver ion transport. There are two formula units in a hexagonal cell, space group P6/mcc (D6h(2)). At -30 degrees C, the lattice constants are a = 11.97 +/- 0.02, c = 7.41 +/- 0.01 A. The structure has three sets of sites for the silver ions. At -30 degrees C two of these sets are apparently filled with the ten silver ions per unit cell, while the third set of tetrahedrally coordinated general positions is empty. Therefore, the conductivity at this temperature is limited by the thermal excitation of the silver ions into the empty tetrahedra.     

Kyanite-Sillimanite Equilibrium at 750{degrees}C

Reversal of the kyanite-sillimanite inversion has been accomplished hydrothermally at 750 degrees C. The inversion pressure at 750 degrees C is 8.1 +/- 0.4 kilobars. The calculated pressuretemperature slope at this point is 17.7+/- 1.0 bars per degree celsius. Geologically, this result seems more plausible than previous estimates of the location of the boundary. When combined with other work on the relative stability of andalusite, the data indicate that andalulsite cannot be stable at a pressure greater than 4.2 kilobars.     

Kaolinite Synthesis at 25{degrees}C

The addition of quercetin, an organic flavone (C(15)H(10)O(7)), to aqueous solutions containing silica and aluminum and adjusted to final pH's from 6.5 to 8.5 produced a 1 : 1 alumninosilicate precipitate which, after 6 to 16 months of aging in solution at 25 degrees C, contained as much as 5 percent well-formed kaolinite plates. Similar solutions containing no organic material produced relatively amorphous precipitates with the same composition and stability (standard free energy of formation = -897+/-1 kilocalories per mole) but with substantially smaller amounts of crystaline material even after 2 years of aging.     

Interhemispheric ice-sheet synchronicity during the Last Glacial Maximum

The timing of the last maximum extent of the Antarctic ice sheets relative to those in the Northern Hemisphere remains poorly understood. We develop a chronology for the Weddell Sea sector of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet that, combined with ages from other Antarctic ice-sheet sectors, indicates that the advance to and retreat from their maximum extent was within dating uncertainties synchronous with most sectors of Northern Hemisphere ice sheets. Surface climate forcing of Antarctic mass balance would probably cause an opposite response, whereby a warming climate would increase accumulation but not surface melting. Our new data support teleconnections involving sea-level forcing from Northern Hemisphere ice sheets and changes in North Atlantic deep-water formation and attendant heat flux to Antarctic grounding lines to synchronize the hemispheric ice sheets.     

Flight of Winter Moths Near 0{degrees}C

Some noctuid winter moths fly at near 0 degrees C by maintaining an elevated(30 degrees to 35 degrees C) thoracic muscle temperature. Geometrid winter moths sustain themselves in free flight at subzero muscle temperatures. However, the temperature characteristics of citrate synthase and pyruvate kinase from both of these different kinds of moths and from a sphinx moth that flies with a muscles temperature of 40 degrees C are nearly identical. Furthermore, mass-specific rates of energy expenditure of both kinds of winter moths are also similar at given thoracic temperature (near 0 degrees C). The geometrids that are able to fly with a thoracic temperature near 0 degrees C do so largely because of unusually low wing-loading, which permits a low energetic cost of flight.     

Activity Coefficients of Aqueous Sodium Chloride from 15{degrees} to 50{degrees}C Measured with a Glass Electrode

Values of the mean activity coefficient of sodium chloride at 15 degrees , 250, 380 and 50 degrees C were determined for aqueous NaCl solutions of 0.01 to 1.0 molal from electromotive force measurements on the cell: (sodium-sensitive glass electrode, aqueous sodium chloride, silver chloride-silver).     

Atlantic meridional overturning circulation during the Last Glacial Maximum

The circulation of the deep Atlantic Ocean during the height of the last ice age appears to have been quite different from today. We review observations implying that Atlantic meridional overturning circulation during the Last Glacial Maximum was neither extremely sluggish nor an enhanced version of present-day circulation. The distribution of the decay products of uranium in sediments is consistent with a residence time for deep waters in the Atlantic only slightly greater than today. However, evidence from multiple water-mass tracers supports a different distribution of deep-water properties, including density, which is dynamically linked to circulation.     

Biochemistry at 100{degrees}C: Explosive Secretory Discharge of Bombardier Beetles (Brachinus)

The defensive chemical spray of bombardier beetles is ejected at 100 degrees C, with a heat content of about 0.2 calorie per milligram.     

Thermal Properties of Meteoritic Iron from -150{degrees} to 300{degrees} Celsius

Thermal diffusivity and specific heat have been measured by the flash method on a small specimen of meteoritic iron from the Canyon Diablo fall. Measurements have been made over the temperature range -150 degrees to 300 degrees C from which thermal conductivity values have been calculated.     

Protodolomite Synthesis at 100{degrees}C and Atmospheric Pressure

Ordered protodolomite, CaMg(CO(3))(2), has been synthesized at 100 degrees C by reaction of metastable precipitated carbonates with aqueous magnesium-bearing solutions. Initial reaction products have expanded crystallographic cells, attributed to the presence of structural water. Longer reaction time produces a protodolomite approaching ideal composition and exhibiting order reflections in x-ray powder.     

Crystal Structure of Krypton Difluoride at -80{degrees}C

Krypton difluoride is tetragonal, space group P4(2)/ mnm, with two linear molecules per unit cell aligned in planes perpendicular to the tetrad axes. The alignment alternates by 90 degrees between successive planes. The kryptonfluorine bond distance is 1.89 +/- 0.02 angstroms.     

Supercooling of Water to -92{degrees}C Under Pressure

The temperature at which "clean" supercooled water freezes has been determined as a function of pressure up to 3 kilobars, using a differential thermal analysis technique on subdivided water samples. The supercooling limit of such samples, -38 degrees C at normal pressure, is lowered by initial increase of pressure, reaching a minimum value of -92 degrees C at 2.00 kilobars.     

Observations of Hydrogen at Room Temperature (25{degrees}C) and High Pressure (to 500 Kilobars)

Hydrogen becomes a solid at 25 degrees C when subjected to a pressure of 57 kilobars. The high-pressure phase appears as a transparent crystalline mass. The refractive index of the high-pressure phase increases sharply with pressure, indicating a density increase of similar magnitude. At 360 kilobars the calculated density of the high-pressure phase is 0.6 to 0.7 grams per cubic centimeter.     

Climate sensitivity estimated from temperature reconstructions of the Last Glacial Maximum

Assessing the impact of future anthropogenic carbon emissions is currently impeded by uncertainties in our knowledge of equilibrium climate sensitivity to atmospheric carbon dioxide doubling. Previous studies suggest 3 kelvin (K) as the best estimate, 2 to 4.5 K as the 66% probability range, and nonzero probabilities for much higher values, the latter implying a small chance of high-impact climate changes that would be difficult to avoid. Here, combining extensive sea and land surface temperature reconstructions from the Last Glacial Maximum with climate model simulations, we estimate a lower median (2.3 K) and reduced uncertainty (1.7 to 2.6 K as the 66% probability range, which can be widened using alternate assumptions or data subsets). Assuming that paleoclimatic constraints apply to the future, as predicted by our model, these results imply a lower probability of imminent extreme climatic change than previously thought.     

Regional synthesis of Mediterranean atmospheric circulation during the Last Glacial Maximum

Atmospheric circulation leaves few direct traces in the geological record, making reconstructions of this crucial element of the climate system inherently difficult. We produced a regional Mediterranean synthesis of paleo-proxy data from the sea surface to alpine altitudes. This provides a detailed observational context for change in the three-dimensional structure of atmospheric circulation between the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM, approximately 23,000 to 19,000 years ago) and the present. The synthesis reveals evidence for frequent cold polar air incursions, topographically channeled into the northwestern Mediterranean. Anomalously steep vertical temperature gradients in the central Mediterranean imply local convective precipitation. We find the LGM patterns to be analogous, though amplified, to previously reconstructed phases of enhanced meridional winter circulation during the Maunder Minimum (the Little Ice Age).     

Loss of carbon from the deep sea since the Last Glacial Maximum

Deep-ocean carbonate ion concentrations ([CO(3)(2-)]) and carbon isotopic ratios (δ(13)C) place important constraints on past redistributions of carbon in the ocean-land-atmosphere system and hence provide clues to the causes of atmospheric CO(2) concentration changes. However, existing deep-sea [CO(3)(2-)] reconstructions conflict with one another, complicating paleoceanographic interpretations. Here, we present deep-sea [CO(3)(2-)] for five cores from the three major oceans quantified using benthic foraminiferal boron/calcium ratios since the last glacial period. Combined benthic δ(13)C and [CO(3)(2-)] results indicate that deep-sea-released CO(2) during the early deglacial period (17.5 to 14.5 thousand years ago) was preferentially stored in the atmosphere, whereas during the late deglacial period (14 to 10 thousand years ago), besides contributing to the contemporary atmospheric CO(2) rise, a substantial portion of CO(2) released from oceans was absorbed by the terrestrial biosphere.     

Shoot Initiation from Carnation Shoot Apices Frozen to -196{degrees}C

Aseptically excised shoot apices from Dianthus caryophyllus were frozen to -196 degrees C and subsequently thawed to room temperature. Survival rates as high as 33 percent, determined by callus formation, growth, or chlorophyll formation, are reported; plant formation has been observed.