Himalayan tectonics, weathering processes, and the strontium isotope record in marine limestones

The time evolution of the isotopic composition of seawater strontium (the ratio of strontium-87 to strontium-86) over the last 500 million years has the form of an asymmetric trough. The values are highest in the Cambrian and Recent (0.7091) and lowest in the Jurassic (0.7067). Superimposed on this trend are a number of smaller oscillations. Consideration of the geochemical cycle of strontium and the dynamics of weathering shows that only Himalayan-style continental collisions can influence the isotope ratio on the scale observed. The contemporary Himalayan orogeny is by far the largest since the late Precambrian Pan-African event that produced the high in the Cambrian.     

Determining chondritic impactor size from the marine osmium isotope record

Decreases in the seawater 187Os/188Os ratio caused by the impact of a chondritic meteorite are indicative of projectile size, if the soluble fraction of osmium carried by the impacting body is known. Resulting diameter estimates of the Late Eocene and Cretaceous/Paleogene projectiles are within 50% of independent estimates derived from iridium data, assuming total vaporization and dissolution of osmium in seawater. The variations of 187Os/188Os and Os/Ir across the Late Eocene impact-event horizon support the main assumptions required to estimate the projectile diameter. Chondritic impacts as small as 2 kilometers in diameter should produce observable excursions in the marine osmium isotope record, suggesting that previously unrecognized impact events can be identified by this method.     

Chemostratigraphic evidence of Deccan volcanism from the marine osmium isotope record

Continental flood basalt (CFB) volcanism is hypothesized to have played a causative role in global climate change and mass extinctions. Uncertainties associated with radiometric dating preclude a clear chronological assessment of the environmental consequences of CFB volcanism. Our results document a 25% decline in the marine 187Os/188Os record that predates the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary (KTB) and coincides with late Maastrichtian warming. We argue that this decline provides a chemostratigraphic marker of Deccan volcanism and thus constitutes compelling evidence that the main environmental consequence of Deccan volcanism was a transient global warming event of 3 degrees to 5 degrees C that is fully resolved from the KTB mass extinction.     

Comment on "Determining chondritic impactor size from the marine osmium isotope record"

Paquay et al. (Reports, 11 April 2008, p. 214) reported that osmium isotope ratios in marine sediments can be used to determine the size of a chondritic impactor. Their assumptions on the fate of an impacting projectile may need to be reassessed, however, because only a small, unpredictable fraction of the impactor ends up dissolved in seawater.     

Late glacial climate record of midwestern United States from the hydrogen isotope ratio of lake organic matter

A hydrogen isotope time series obtained from an analysis of organic matter extracted from a lake core in Kalamazoo, southwestern Michigan, reveals four distinct isotope stages within the last 12,000 years that can be interpreted in terms of oscillations between cold and warm, dry climates. The most dramatic are a cold phase between 12,000 and 9000 years before present (B.P.), a warm, dry period between 8500 and 2000 years B.P., a cold period between 2000 and 1000 years B.P., and a warming trend since 1000 years B.P. The warming trend of the last 1000 years is comparable in magnitude to the mid-Holocene warm phase.     

Seawater strontium isotopic variations from 2.5 million years ago to the present

Measurements of marine carbonate samples indicate that during the past 2.5 million years the (87)Sr/(86)Sr ratio of seawater has increased by 14 x 10(-5). The high average rate of increase of (87)Sr/(86)Sr indicates that continental weathering rates were exceptionally high. Nonuniformity in the rate of increase suggests that weathering rates fluctuated by as much as +/-30 percent of present-day values. Some of the observed shifts in weathering rates are contemporaneous with climatic changes inferred from records of oxygen isotopes and carbonate preservation in deep sea sediments.     

Superplumes from the core-mantle boundary to the lithosphere: implications for heat flux

Three-dimensional modeling of upper-mantle anelastic structure reveals that thermal upwellings associated with the two superplumes, imaged by seismic elastic tomography at the base of the mantle, persist through the upper-mantle transition zone and are deflected horizontally beneath the lithosphere. This explains the unique transverse shear wave isotropy in the central Pacific. We infer that the two superplumes may play a major and stable role in supplying heat and horizontal flow to the low-viscosity asthenospheric channel, lubricating plate motions and feeding hot spots. We suggest that more heat may be carried through the core-mantle boundary than is accounted for by hot spot fluxes alone.     

Acantharian fluxes and strontium to chlorinity ratios in the north pacific ocean

Data on particulate strontium sulfate fluxes and strontium to chlorinity ratios were compared to provide insights into the strontium cycle of the North Pacific. Freedrifting sediment traps were used to derive large particle fluxes between depths of 100 and 3500 meters in the eastern and western North Pacific Ocean. Flux data revealed substantial quantities of acantharian skeletons and cysts (both made of strontium sulfate) settling through the upper kilometer of the water column. The greatest fluxes of celestite were detected at 400 meters. Minimal to nondetectable fluxes noted at and below 900 meters provide evidence that by this horizon, the majority of acantharian specimens had dissolved, thereby contributing to the pool of dissolved strontium. Growth and subsequent dissolution of acantharians in the upper kilometer are qualitatively consistent with the well-developed minimum and maximum strontium to chlorinity ratios that are consistently noted in these waters. These fluxes of particulate strontium and model calculations for fluxes of dissolved strontium indicate that acantharians play an important role in the ocean's strontium budget.     

Polychlorinated biphenyls: transfer from microparticulates to marine phytoplankton and the effects on photosynthesis

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's) initially associated with microparticulates are incorporated into marine diatom cells. The time course of transfer is rapid; equilibrium is attained within several hours. Assays with chlorophyll a fluorescence in vivo indicate that the transferred PCB's reach sites in the photosynthetic machinery that are sensitive to the effects of these compounds.     

Large clusters of metal ions: the transition from molecular to bulk magnets

Clusters of metal ions are a class of compounds actively investigated for their magnetic properties, which should gradually change from those of simple paramagnets to those of bulk magnets. However, their interest lies in a number of different disciplines: chemistry, which seeks new synthetic strategies to make larger and larger clusters in a controlled manner; physics, which can test the validity of quantum mechanical approaches at the nanometer scale; and biology, which can use them as models of biomineralization of magnetic particles.     

Climate and vegetation history of the midcontinent from 75 to 25 ka: A speleothem record from crevice cave, missouri, USA

Four Missouri stalagmites yield consistent overlapping records of oxygen and carbon isotopic changes and provide a climate and vegetation history with submillennial resolution from 75 to 25 thousand years ago (ka). The thorium-230-dated records reveal that between 75 and 55 ka, the midcontinental climate oscillated on millennial time scales between cold and warm, and vegetation alternated among forest, savanna, and prairie. Temperatures were highest and prairie vegetation peaked between 59 and 55 ka. Climate cooled and forest replaced grassland at 55 ka, when global ice sheets began to build during the early part of Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage 3.     

黄旗海流域景观格局动态分析

农牧交错带处于气候上的过渡区和生态系统上的脆弱地带,在气候变化和人类活动双重影响下,土地景观格局发生了巨大变化。利用1976、1987、1993、1999、2006和2010年遥感影像,运用ENVI 4.7、ArcGIS 9.3 和FRAGSTATS 3.3,分析农牧交错带黄旗海流域景观格局变化及其驱动力。结果表明,1976—2010年间,耕地和建设用地等人工景观的面积不断扩增,草地和湿地等自然景观面积大量萎缩,其中,湿地面积从193.5 km²减为52.9 km²,减少了73%。在景观水平上,选取斑块密度、景观形状指数、蔓延度和香农多样性指数分析景观格局。34年间流域景观形状变得复杂,异质性程度增加,景观破碎化加剧,作为优势景观类型的草地对整个景观的控制作用减小。人类活动是黄旗海流域景观变化的主要驱动力。人口增加和农牧业发展使建设用地和耕地大规模扩增,经济增长需要消耗大量水资源,人工水利设施的建设改变了流域水资源的自然配置,使得湿地资源大量消失。     

黄河流域2001—2013年生境适宜性变化研究

生境适宜性评价是开展生物多样性保护的基础与关键,对实现流域可持续发展具有重要意义。本文选取土地利用类型、海拔高程、坡度、距保护区距离、距道路距离和距水源距离作为指标因子,利用基于加速遗传算法的层次分析法（AGA-AHP）计算各指标因子的权重,构建生境适宜性评价模型（Habitat Suitability Index model, HSI）,对黄河流域2001—2013年间的生境适宜性进行评价。结果表明：距保护区距离指标因子对黄河流域的生境适宜性影响最大,土地利用类型指标因子次之,高程和坡度因子最小;从整体分布来看,黄河源头及中游生境适宜性较高,黄河上游兰州至头道拐一带以及黄河下游三门峡以下的区域生境适宜性则相对较低;从变化趋势来看,2013年黄河流域的整体生境质量要优于2001年,处于上升趋势;其中生境适宜性变好的区域面积为1.25×106 km2,占15.8%,主要集中在河套平原、黄土高原、关中平原西部、西北部和黄河三角洲;生境适宜性变差的区域面积为6.43×105 km2,占8.1%,主要集中在鄂尔多斯高原中西部、关中平原中部和宁夏平原中南部。     

Radiocarbon content of marine shells from the california and mexican west coast

The radiocarbon content of contemporary pre-bomb marine shells from the upwelling environment of the California and the West Mexican coast has been determined. In addition, factors leading to the apparent ages of different magnitude for various marine environments are discussed.     

2001-2018年黄河流域植被NPP的时空分异及生态经济协调性分析

基于NDVI、LSWI、土地利用数据以及气象和统计数据,借助CASA-VPM模型和生态经济协调耦合度模型分析了黄河流域2001-2018年植被NPP时空分异特征;探讨了生态和经济发展现状,并以此对生态经济协调耦合度做出评价.结果表明:2001-2018年黄河流域植被NPP年平均值为288.33 gC/(m2·a),且持...     

1965—2015年海河流域干旱时空变化特征分析

基于海河流域1965—2015年月降水和气温数据,利用标准化降水蒸发指数（Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index, SPEI）、Mann-Kendall检验和经验正交函数(Empirical Orthogonal Function, EOF)分析等方法,分析海河流域干旱时空特征。结果表明：1）就时间变化来看,年、春、夏季SPEI序列呈干旱化趋势,秋季呈湿润化趋势,仅夏季干旱变化通过了0.05显著性检验。年、季干旱发生频率表明春旱显著,各年代干旱站次比表明近51年来干旱范围有所增加。2）就空间变化来看,中等干旱在年、夏季集中于永定河系的东部、大清河系及北三河系,春、秋季集中于滦河河系、大清河系及漳卫河系的西部;轻度干旱在年、春、夏季集中于滦河河系、北三河系、大清河系,秋季集中于永定河系、子牙河系及漳卫河系。年、春、夏季在流域范围内呈干旱化趋势,秋季在永定河系、大清河系、北三河系及滦河河系呈湿润化趋势。3）就空间模态来看,近51年来海河流域第一模态的年、季主要时空分布型为全流域一致型,第二模态的年、夏、秋季主要时空分布型为南部—北部反向分布型,春季呈西北部—东南部反向分布型。     

Late Tertiary Microflora from the Basin and Range Province,Arizona

Sediments of probable Clarendonian age from central Arizona have furnished the only late Tertiary pollen assemblage known from the Southwest. The associated trees, shrubs, and herbs resemble the chaparral and conifer-oak woodland communities of the semiarid foothills and mountains of central and southeastern Arizona, and suggest a late Tertiary landscape and climate for central Arizona similar to that of today.     

Sources of continental crust: neodymium isotope evidence from the sierra nevada and peninsular ranges

Granitic rocks from batholiths of the Sierra Nevada and Peninsular Ranges exhibit initial (143)Nd/(144)Nd ratios that vary over a large range and correlate with (87)Sr/(86)Sr ratios. The data suggest that the batholiths represent mixtures of materials derived from (i) chemically depleted mantle identical to the source of island arcs and (ii) old continental crust, probably sediments or metasediments with a provenance age of approximately 1.6 x 10(9) years. These conclusions are consistent with a model for continental growth whereby new crustal additions are repeatedly extracted from the same limited volume of the upper mantle, which has consequently become depleted in elements that are enriched in the crust. There is little evidence that hydrothermally altered, subducted oceanic crust is a primary source of the magmas.