Trace element Geochemistry

Improving estimates of past ocean temperatures is paramount to our understanding of ocean circulation and its role in climate change. Magnesium/calcium (Mg/Ca) ratios of carapaces of the benthic ostracod genus Krithe were determined from new, globally distributed core top samples from the Norwegian Sea, Cape Hatteras shelf, Gulf of Mexico, Sulawesi Margin (Indonesia), New Zealand shelf, Ceara Rise, and the North Atlantic. A linear regression of the Krithe Mg/Ca ratios and bottom water temperature (BWT) reveals a significant correlation for locations where temperature during carapace calcification was above ∼3°C, which can be described by the equation Mg/Ca = (0.972 ± 0.152) * BWT + (7.948 ± 1.103) consistent with previous North Atlantic calibrations. Deviations from the global calibration line below ∼3°C follow the same pattern observed for benthic foraminifera, suggesting that the incorporation of magnesium into ostracodal calcite may be secondarily controlled by changes in carbona...

El desarrollo industrial y post-industrial durante la primera mitad del siglo XX ha estado asociado a la explotación y utilización masiva de los metales (Pb, Hg, Zn, Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni). El consumo de los mismos ha aumentado en tres veces aproximadamente durante este periodo. En este mismo contexto a fines del siglo XX, la utilización de nuevas tecnologías: láser, máseres, materiales magneto-ópticos, sistemas de comunicación, ha incrementado la demanda de nuevos metales. Este es caso de los lantánidos, cuya utilización se ha incrementado en cinco veces en las últimas décadas, esto sumado a la necesidad de obtener conocimientos verificados sobre el comportamiento natural de dichos elementos, hace importante tener un mejor entendimiento sobre la dispersión y distribución geoquímica de los elementos lantánidos y la posible relación existente con otros elementos traza ya estudiados anteriormente con mayor amplitud.

The Sierra de las Navajas is a Late Pliocene volcanic complex with a rhyolitic composition and peralkaline affinity. It is located on the northeastern edge of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt in the state of Hidalgo. Within this rocky massif lies Cerro de las Navajas, the site of the most intensively exploited archaeological obsidian deposit in Mesoamerica. Obsidian extraction in this area has been carried out through open-pit mining and unique underground mining. The geological identity of the deposit encompasses the origin, distribution, and petrological characteristics of the obsidian from Cerro de las Navajas, determined through detailed geological mapping, petrographic study, and geochemical analysis. The results reveal the obsidian deposit's style as well as its temporal and spatial position within the eruptive evolution of the region. The deposit originated from a local explosive eruptive mechanism associated with the partial collapse of a lava dome, forming a Block and Ash Flow Deposit (BAFD). The obsidian blocks, exploited by different cultures, correspond to the pyroclastic blocks within this deposit, which can reach up to 1 m in diameter and are embedded in a weakly consolidated ash matrix. The BAFD was later buried by (a) subsequent volcanic events, (b) structural adjustments of the volcanic edifice, and (c) soils derived from the erosion of other volcanic units. This obsidian deposit was mined underground from the Early Formative period to the Colonial era by the cultures of the Central Highlands and colonized societies. Interest in the vitreous quality and exotic nature of obsidian lithics from the BAFD led to the development of a complex exploitation system, which was generationally refined by the Teotihuacan, Toltec, and Aztec states.

High resolution in situ trace element μXRF maps and profiles were measured on the enamel exposed in cross sections through archaeological human permanent molars from seven Late Neolithic/Early Chalcolithic funerary caves and megalithic graves of north-central Iberia. Changes in concentrations of Fe, Zn and Sr in inward direction into the enamel shed light on diagenetic and endogenous trace element concentrations in archaeological tooth enamel. Most of these profiles resemble sigmoid-shaped leaching profiles, suggesting that a combination of diffusion and advection processes govern the uptake of trace elements into the enamel from pore fluids on the outside of the tooth and in the more porous dentine. The present study shows how diffusion-advection (DA) models can be fitted to these trace element profiles to explain changes in trace element concentrations that happen during diagenesis. DA models explain a major part of the variation observed in leaching profiles into the enamel and can be used to reconstruct endogenous trace element concentrations, leaching times and leaching depth as well as trace element concentrations in ambient pore water during diagenesis. Models of trace element leaching together with trace element mapping reveal that Fe, Zn and Sr concentrations consistently increase during diagenesis, regardless of the type of burial site (i.e. funerary caves vs. megalithic graves). Profiles of Pb concentrations show much smaller concentration gradients, causing DA model fitting to be less accurate. Modelled leaching depths of 300-400 μm warrant a careful approach when sampling for endogenous archaeological tooth enamel for trace element and stable isotope analysis. Results also show that it is possible to reconstruct endogenous trace element concentrations from these samples, even without applying pretreatment procedures, because leaching of trace elements into the enamel often remains limited to the outer 300-400 μm of the enamel on archaeological timescales. Modelled leaching times are about ten times lower than the age of the samples, suggesting that the rate of trace element leaching into tooth enamel slows down or even halts during the burial period.

Recent evidence from the sulfur isotopic record indicates a transition Â/2.5 billion years ago from an ocean chemistry first dominated by iron and then by sulfide. It has been hypothesized that the selection of metal centers in metalloenzymes has been influenced by the availability of metals through geological time, in particular as a result of large differences in the solubility of metals-sulfides. In this study, we examine the trace metal requirements and sensitivities of marine cyanobacteria and use recent stability constants to model the abundance and chemical speciation of metals across this chemical transition Â/2.5 billion years ago. Two major results are reported here: (1) the marine cyanobacterial species studied thus far show trace metal preferences and sensitivities that are consistent with their evolution in a sulfidic marine environment, and (2) in an ancient ocean dominated by high fluxes and concentrations of iron, the relative availability of trace metals would have been similar to that of a sulfidic system */Fe!/ Mn, Ni, Co '/Cd, Zn, Cu */as a result of the formation of dissolved sulfide complexes. Thus, the formation of strong aqueous metal-sulfide complexes was likely as important as the precipitation of minerals in influencing the selection of metals in biology. These results suggest that marine biogeochemical cycles and marine bioinorganic chemistry have co-evolved, and that the evidence for this co-evolution has been preserved in the physiology and genomes of modern descendants of the early cyanobacteria.

Boron is an essential mineral that plays an important role in several biological processes. Boron is required for growth of plants, animals, and humans. There are increasing evidences of this nutrient showing a variety of pleiotropic effects, ranging from antiinflammatory and antioxidant effects to the modulation of different body systems. In the past few years, the trials showed diseaserelated polymorphisms of boron in different species, which has drawn attention of scientists to the significance of boron to health. Low boron profile has been related with poor immune function, increased risk of mortality, osteoporosis, and cognitive deterioration. High boron status revealed injury to cell and toxicity in different animals and humans. Some studies have shown some benefits of higher boron status, but findings have been generally mixed, which perhaps accentuates the fact that dietary intake will benefit only if supplemental amount is appropriate. The health benefits of boron are numerous in animals and humans; for instance, it affects the growth at safe intake. Central nervous system shows improvement and immune organs exhibit enhanced immunity with boron supplementation. Hepatic metabolism also shows positive changes in response to dietary boron intake. Furthermore, animals and human fed diets supplemented with boron reveal improved bone density and other benefits including embryonic development, wound healing, and cancer therapy. It has also been reported that boron affects the metabolism of several enzymes and minerals. In the background of these health benefits, low or high boron status is giving cause for concern. Additionally, researches are needed to further elucidate the mechanisms of boron effects, and determine the requirements in different species.

Greisenization is typically linked with highly fractionated granites and is often associated with hydrothermal vein systems. Late to postmagmatic metasomatic processes involve the enrichment of volatile components such as boron and halogens as well as several metallic elements. The purpose of this study is to reveal the main metasomatic effects and paragenetic sequences of the related mineralizations in Highiş granitoids, Romania. In a natural outcrop, more than 30 samples were collected from granitoids, felsic veins, and country rocks. We carried out a detailed mineralogical and petrological characterization of carefully selected samples using X-ray powder diffractometry, electron microprobe analysis, and microscopic methods together with K–Ar ages of whole rocks and K-bearing minerals. Several characteristic features of albitization, sericitization, tourmalinization, epidotization, and hematitization were recognized in the studied samples. Crystallization of quartz, K-feldspar, an...

The Degree of Pyritization (DOP) and the Indicator of Anoxicity (IA) were used as tools to assess the degree of redox conditions in Lower and Middle Jurassic strata from Bulgaria. Normally-oxygenated (with DOP values < 0.45 and IA values < 0.4), oxygen-restricted (0.45 < DOP < 0.7; 0.4 < IA < 0.5), and oxygen-depleted (DOP > 0.7 and IA > 0.5) bottom-water conditions were recognized on a selection of samples, mainly from the Ozirovo Formation (upper Pliensbachian-Toarcian), but also from the Etropole Formation (lower Bajocian). DOP and IA yielded the highest values (> 0.9 for DOP and > 0.5 for IA) from samples of the lower Toarcian Tenuicostatum and Falciferum ammonite zones, and thus, denoted declined oxygen levels and enrichment of reactive Fe at the sea floor. Beyond this stratigraphic level, both parameters indicated for prevailing normally-oxygenated to oxygen-restricted setting, with limitedly imposed environments beneath stratified water-column.

The Jurassic sequences in Bulgaria include widespread shelf sediments that often contain organicrich strata. The bulk of these rocks comprise dispersed organic components covering a wide range of amount and composition. However, a defined number of stratigraphic intervals correspond to sedimentary rocks with elevated organic carbon contents and denote sedimentary accumulations under oxygen-deficient conditions. The organic-rich shelf deposits of the Lower Jurassic in Bulgaria mainly correspond to the transgressive mudrock lithologies of the Ozirovo Formation. It is known that in these strata the fade of the oxygen bottom deficiency accumulation settings concurs around with the Pliensbachian/Toarcian boundary. It is also known that most of them do not correspond to typical black shale facies, as being relatively coarse-grained and often with scarce organic carbon contents. Both their lithologies and fossil biofacies indicate frequent intervals of seafloor oxygenation (e.g., Sapunov e...

This study examines geochemical proxies, mainly for watermass redox conditions, in Upper Cretaceous platform carbonates in Croatia that were deposited during OAE1a (Early Aptian). These deposits accumulated on the Adriatic Carbonate Platform, which covered an immense area (>500,000 km2) in the central Tethys during the Early Cretaceous. The authors' main theses are that (1) redox conditions became at least somewhat reducing, possibly in multiple pulses rather than a single event, on the platform top during OAE1a, and (2) reduced oxygen levels played a role in stressing shallow-marine biotas during this event.

Carbon and oxygen isotope fractionations between calcite and aragonite were investigated by analyzing marine gastropods and bivalves that lived under temperate to tropical climates. Species that secrete both aragonite and calcite layers were studied to ensure similitude of changes in the isotopic composition of water, in diet, and in metabolic activity during shell growth. Aragonite and calcite layers from the adult parts of the shell were identified and mapped by using Raman spectroscopy. Powder samples were obtained by microdrilling under a stereo microscope. Thirty-six pairs of aragonite-calcite samples were obtained from ten gastropod and five bivalve species. Biogenic aragonite is 13 C-enriched by 0.95 ± 0.81‰ and 18 O-enriched by 0.37 ± 0.65‰ relative to co-existing biogenic calcite. Direction and magnitude of the carbon isotope fractionation are compatible with those already determined by using low-temperature experimental approaches. The observed oxygen isotope difference between biogenic aragonite and calcite is assigned to the difference (≈0.4‰) in the acid fractionation factor values that must be taken into account during digestion of carbonate polymorphs at 90 °C. It is concluded that biogenic calcium carbonate polymorphs precipitate close to, but not in isotopic equilibrium with seawater. Therefore, empirical oxygen isotope fractionation equations that were established on the basis of modern mollusc shells and ambient waters should be preferred for the calculation of aquatic paleotemperatures.

We introduce the notion of topological fragility and briefly discuss some examples from the literature. An important example of this type of fragility is the way globally anisotropic Bianchi V generalisations of the FLRW k = -1 model result in a radical restriction on the allowed topology of spatial sections, thereby excluding compact cosmological models with negatively curved three-sections with anisotropy. An outcome of this is to exclude chaotic mixing in such models, which may be relevant, given the many recent attempts at employing compact FLRW k = -1 models to produce chaotic mixing in the cosmic microwave background radiation, if the Universe turns out to be globally anisotropic.

Paramolar tubercle (PT) is an additional cusp occuring on buccal surface of both upper and lower permanent molars. PT is also known as parastyle when tubercle is present in upper molars, as protostylid when tubercle is present in lower molars. The aim of this study was to evaluate prevalence of PTs in Turkish population with cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). Presence of PT in molar teeth were evaluated retrospectively using CBCT images of 210 patients (102 male, 108 female) between 18-77 years old. A total of 909 teeth were analyzed. Because of various reasons some teeth were excluded and final analyze was done with 653 teeth. Prevalence of PT was found as 2.76 % (18 out of 653). Highest frequency of PT was detected 5 in #27, 4 in #17, 2 in #48 among all molar teeth respectively. In two cases; 2 PTs were on the same tooth, bilateral PT was found only in one case. PT was undetected on upper first molars. Prevalence of PTs on permanent molars is a rare phenomenon in the studied population. Use of CBCT in such anatomic variations will provide valuable and detailed information during treatment modalities. Since this pilot study represents Turkish subpopulation, comprehensive studies with increased number of cases should be undertaken to clarify the prevalence of paramolars in Turkish population. Advanced imaging techniques like CBCT will be more helpful in understanding and detecting exact morphological and anatomical variations of PTs during treatment modalities.

The Eocene Rasht-Abad volcanic rocks are located in the Alborz-Azerbaijan magmatic belt (including the Tarom-Hashtjin province) of NW Iran. Those are mainly mafic to intermediate with calc-alkaline affinities, comprising andesite, andesitebasalt, trachy-andesite, and dacite. Clinopyroxene ranging in composition from diopside to augite is the most significant mafic mineral of the basic rocks. Aluminum partitioning between tetrahedral and octahedral sites shows that those crystalized at low pressure. Ferric iron of clinopyroxene also indicates high oxygen fugacity for formation of crystal. Geothermobarometry using clinopyroxene-melt equilibrium calculations constrains the crystallization temperature and pressure of this mineral as 1100-1200 °C and 2-6 kbar. Ce/Pb values of the mafic lavas are lower than values expected for mantle-derived melts but do not support crustal contamination. Co-existing basalt to trachyandesite lavas display parallel and tight REE patterns that suggest these rocks originated from a common mantle source or parental magma. Tectonomagmatic discrimination diagrams and mineral compositions are consistent with the host volcanic rocks having the characteristics of continental margin arcs. Geochemical data are consistent with the parental magma of mafic-intermediate rocks of Rasht-Abad area being derived from a typical subcontinental lithospheric mantle which was enriched by subducted slab-derived fluids and melts during tectonic events in the active continental margin. The data support a model of Eocene flare-up magmatism associated with rollback of a flattened slab.

The Eocene Rasht-Abad volcanic rocks are located in the Alborz-Azerbaijan magmatic belt (including the Tarom-Hashtjin province) of NW Iran. Those are mainly mafic to intermediate with calc-alkaline affinities, comprising andesite, andesitebasalt, trachy-andesite, and dacite. Clinopyroxene ranging in composition from diopside to augite is the most significant mafic mineral of the basic rocks. Aluminum partitioning between tetrahedral and octahedral sites shows that those crystalized at low pressure. Ferric iron of clinopyroxene also indicates high oxygen fugacity for formation of crystal. Geothermobarometry using clinopyroxene-melt equilibrium calculations constrains the crystallization temperature and pressure of this mineral as 1100-1200 °C and 2-6 kbar. Ce/Pb values of the mafic lavas are lower than values expected for mantle-derived melts but do not support crustal contamination. Co-existing basalt to trachyandesite lavas display parallel and tight REE patterns that suggest these rocks originated from a common mantle source or parental magma. Tectonomagmatic discrimination diagrams and mineral compositions are consistent with the host volcanic rocks having the characteristics of continental margin arcs. Geochemical data are consistent with the parental magma of mafic-intermediate rocks of Rasht-Abad area being derived from a typical subcontinental lithospheric mantle which was enriched by subducted slab-derived fluids and melts during tectonic events in the active continental margin. The data support a model of Eocene flare-up magmatism associated with rollback of a flattened slab.

The increased global demand for and price of rare earth elements (REEs) has led to intensive search for them in rocks of the upper continental crust all over the world. This study is aimed at characterising the granitoids at Okeho within Southwestern Nigeria using geochemical data and assessing their potential for REE enrichment. Ten representative rock samples of the Proterozoic intrusives, syenite and granodiorite, were studied for their mineralogical and elemental compositions. Elemental concentrations were analysed using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Average major oxide concentrations revealed SiO2 (57.53 wt. %), Al2O3 (13.25 wt. %), CaO (5.05 wt. %), and MgO (5.59 wt. %) for the syenite and SiO2 (62.39 wt. %), Al2O3 (14.98 wt. %), CaO (3.67 wt. %), and MgO (3.25 wt. %) for the granodiorite. Total Alkali–Silica (TAS), Aluminum Saturation Index (ASI), and La/10-Y/15-Nb/8 plots discriminated the granitoids as metaluminous monzonite-syenite and peraluminous...

We present the results of Organic Residue Analysis (ORA) from 15 Aegean-type vessels – mainly closed shapes – from the Bronze Age fortified settlement of Roca Vecchia in Southern Apulia. These analyses were carried out in the frame of a wider project aimed at investigating some aspects of the production, exchange and use of ceramics at Roca Vecchia. Residues have been identified in all 15 vessels and can be related to five organic products, variously mixed: animal fats, plant fats/oils, waxes, resins, fruit and/or fermented fruit. Trace element analyses (NAA) on these ceramics point to a provenance from Crete (Chaniá), Greece (Achaea/Elis) and Apulia. Several vessels, including a large closed-shape recipient imported from Achaea/Elis (In-Pot 1), contained a resinated wine. It seems that wine was sometimes mixed with other ingredients, such as dairy products; this practice is documented in the Iliad, as well as in Greek, Italic and Etruscan contexts. Organic residues in some vessels testify to different contents in the same pot. Sulphur has been identified in several samples. Even if it has been primarily interpreted as an ingredient of grape juice derivatives, it could also be interpreted, such as in the case of In-Pot 15, as the result of the ritual practices carried out in the Cult Center of Roca Vecchia.

Understanding shale petrophysical parameters is of interest due to its direct implications as cap rocks for CO 2 or hydrogen storage, waste depositions, and as unconventional reservoirs. The generation and propagation of natural and induced fracture networks in such rocks is highly dependent on the mechanical behavior linked to several sedimentological parameters, as lithological discontinuities or bioturbation. This study is focused on a different sedimentological parameter that consists of trace fossils and their implication on the generation of fluid-assisted fractures, called bedding-parallel veins. In the Austral-Magallanes Basin, Southern Patagonia, Argentina, both geological features, Skolithos Ichnofacies (doomed pioneers trace fossils) and bedding-parallel veins, are numerous, especially at the top of the turbiditic bodies. The trace fossils exhibit U-shaped vertically oriented burrows composed of clean sandstone, partially cemented by calcite, and a spreite in the central part with heterogenous laminated siltstone. Bedding-parallel veins are composed of calcite fibers with some pyrite grains and bitumen. They are located on the top of the trace fossils along the lithological discontinuity between the turbiditic bodies and the impermeable shales. On their surfaces, a radial pattern starts growing from the trace fossils. Moreover, the number of bedding-parallel veins is dependent on the bioturbation intensity. With this study, we infer that trace fossils represent ichnological mechanical discontinuities (IMD) that have a key role in the generation and development of bedding-parallel veins. By correlation, we also suggest that these geological features must be thoroughly studied, especially regarding their potential for the development of induced fracturing networks.

Pollen preserved in caves provides a little-appreciated opportunity to study past vegetation and climate changes in regions where conventional wetland sediments are either unavailable, contain little organic matter, and/or are difficult to date accurately. Most palynology in caves has focused on clastic infill sediments, but pollen preserved in growing speleothems provides important new opportunities to develop vegetation and climatic records that can be dated accurately with radiometric methods. However, when pollen is present in speleothems, concentrations can vary by orders of magnitude, highlighting how little we know about the processes that transport pollen into caves and onto speleothem surfaces, and that determine the pollen's preservation probability. To explore these aspects of speleothem pollen taphonomy, we investigated the distribution of pollen and microscopic charcoal within several stalagmites from southwest Australia. We examined spatial patterns in pollen and charcoal preservation in order to distinguish whether observed gradients result from preservation or are products of systematic transport processes working along stalagmite surfaces. We find that pollen grains and charcoal fragments are located preferentially on the flanks of most stalagmites. This suggests that pollen grain and charcoal deposition on speleothems is influenced by transport and accumulation of detrital debris on growing surfaces. These insights will assist in future sampling campaigns focusing on speleothem pollen and charcoal contents.

Red mud (RM) contains large quantities of microscale particles < 1 m and high concentrations of potentially toxic elements. In this research, we have used two types of RM of similar chemical properties but containing different quantities of micro-particles, to test whether their size plays a role in the uptake of chemical elements by earthworm Eisenia fetida. Earthworms were exposed for seven days to artificial soils (prepared in the laboratory following a protocol) amended with increasing quantities of RM. Mortality of 86% occurred when earthworms were exposed to amended soil containing 46% of particles below 1 µm. Surprisingly, tissue analyses have shown decreased concentrations of metals instead of the expected toxic effect. SEM analysis revealed that micro-particles strongly adhere to the earthworm epidermis putting them under the large stress. Micro-particles in RM clog their 2 minute dermal pores of 90 nm to 735 nm in diameter, which size depends on whether the earthworm's body is contracted or stretched. Strong adhesion of micro-particles to earthworms' epidermis and blockage of their microsize pores prevented normal dermal respiration and absorption of chemical elements through their epithelium resulting in a decrease of most measured metals, especially essential elements potassium, calcium and iron, followed by the lethal outcomes.

Red mud (RM) contains large quantities of microscale particles < 1 m and high concentrations of potentially toxic elements. In this research, we have used two types of RM of similar chemical properties but containing different quantities of micro-particles, to test whether their size plays a role in the uptake of chemical elements by earthworm Eisenia fetida. Earthworms were exposed for seven days to artificial soils (prepared in the laboratory following a protocol) amended with increasing quantities of RM. Mortality of 86% occurred when earthworms were exposed to amended soil containing 46% of particles below 1 µm. Surprisingly, tissue analyses have shown decreased concentrations of metals instead of the expected toxic effect. SEM analysis revealed that micro-particles strongly adhere to the earthworm epidermis putting them under the large stress. Micro-particles in RM clog their 2 minute dermal pores of 90 nm to 735 nm in diameter, which size depends on whether the earthworm's body is contracted or stretched. Strong adhesion of micro-particles to earthworms' epidermis and blockage of their microsize pores prevented normal dermal respiration and absorption of chemical elements through their epithelium resulting in a decrease of most measured metals, especially essential elements potassium, calcium and iron, followed by the lethal outcomes.

Groundwater has emerged as a crucial water source, supplying half of the world's domestic water needs, particularly in rural areas without supply systems. This study assesses the impact of travertine formations, on water quality in Chahar Takab village, Iran, focusing on suitability for human consumption and ecosystem sustainability where groundwater is the primary source. Thirty-four samples from various sources, including travertine springs, surface water, and groundwater, underwent ICP-OES analysis. Travertine springs exhibited higher electrical conductivity (EC), lower pH, and elevated concentrations of major cations (Na, Ca, Mg) and anions (Cl, HCO 3). In them, all samples exceeded European Union limits for Cl and Na in drinking water. Hydrochemical facies were influenced by water-rock interactions, leading to Ca-HCO 3 dominance in surface and groundwater samples and Ca-Mg-Cl dominance in travertine springs. Heavy metal analysis revealed high concentrations of As, B, Fe, Mn, and Pb in travertine spring and surface water samples, with As exceeding World Health Organization limits by up to 28.5 times. Additionally, the Metal Index indicated values exceeding drinking water guidelines set by the World Health Organization in 58% of the samples. Travertine springs had the highest toxicity risks, especially for As, Cd, and Pb. Results suggest a tectonic origin for heavy metal contamination (As-containing travertine springs), emphasizing the need for mitigation measures and regular monitoring. Action is necessary to address water quality issues in the region. Highlights • Travertine reduces groundwater quality. • Ca-HCO 3 dominates surface and groundwater. • Ca-Mg-Cl dominantes in travertine springs. • High concentrations of As, B, Fe, Mn, and Pb. • Toxicity risks associated with As, Cd, and Pb.

Geologic archives show that the Earth was dustier during the last glacial period. One model suggests that increased gustiness (stronger, more frequent winds) enhanced dustiness. We tested this at Loveland, Iowa, one of the thickest deposits of last-glacial-age (Peoria) loess in the world. Based on K/Rb and Ba/Rb, loess was derived not only from glaciogenic sources of the Missouri River, but also distal loess from non-glacial sources in Nebraska. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages provide the first detailed chronology of Peoria Loess at Loveland. Deposition began after ~ 27 ka and continued until ~ 17 ka. OSL ages also indicate that mass accumulation rates (MARs) of loess were not constant. MARs were highest and grain size was coarsest during the time of middle Peoria Loess accretion, ~ 23 ka, when ~ 10 m of loess accumulated in no more than ~ 2000 yr and possibly much less. The timing of coarsest grain size and highest MAR, indicating strongest winds, coincides with a summ...

This study utilizes Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and advanced 3D modeling techniques to monitor and analyze the evolution of a significant landslide in Pyrra, Trikala, following the severe weather event known as Daniel in 2023. Specifically, In September 2023, Greece was impacted by the severe weather event known as Daniel, which led to intense rainfall and caused widespread natural disasters in Thessaly, including extensive landslides and floods (Dimitriou et al.,2024). The village of Pyrra in Trikala was notably affected, experiencing a large-scale landslide. This study focuses on documenting and monitoring this landslide to understand its progression over time. Objectives: The primary objectives of this study was to employ advanced geospatial technologies to capture detailed data on the landslide and to use this data to monitor its evolution. (Highland & Bobrowsky, 2008). By doing so, the study aims to contribute to a better understanding of landslide dynamics and inform future mitigation strategies. Geological setting: The landslide in Pyrra, occurred in an area consisting mainly of Pindus flysch. The failure mechanism of the landslide is a translational slide influenced by pre-existing cracks, the geometry of the slope and dye to the continuous rainfall. Methods: The methodology involves multiple steps. Initially, high-resolution aerial imagery of the landslide area was captured using UAVs. These images were processed using photogrammetric methods, specifically the Structure from Motion (SfM) technique, to create detailed 3D models of the terrain. CloudCompare software was employed to analyze the changes in the landscape by comparing datasets collected at two different times: October 2023 and June 2024. The software's C2C (Cloud-to-Cloud) and M3C2 (Multiscale Model-to-Model Cloud Comparison) methods were used to quantify the displacement of materials and provide a comprehensive assessment of the landslide's evolution. Results: The analysis revealed substantial material displacement and changes in the morphology of the landslide. The generated 3D models offer a detailed visualization of the impacted region, showing significant shifts in terrain and volume changes. Quantitative analysis revealed the extent of material movement and highlighted critical areas of instability.

This paper reviews previous research on the chemical characterization of Carpathian obsidians to distinguish between geological sources and correlate archaeological finds with specific sources. We also present new Portable X-ray Fluorescence (pXRF) measurements for obsidian samples collected from seven geological locations in the Carpathian obsidian province and compare the results with those obtained by previous researchers employing laboratory-based EDXRF, LA-ICP-MS, ICP-MS and NAA. Our findings have implications for the terminology applied to obsidian sources in the Carpathians and emphasize the importance of accurately georeferencing the obsidian samples used for source characterization.

The interior of the Australian continent shows evidence for late Quaternary to Recent fault-controlled mantle 3 He and CO 2 degassing. A series of interconnected NW-striking sinistral faults, the Norwest fault zone (NFZ), in south-central Australia are associated with travertine mounds, the latter show a regular spacing of 50-70 km. U-series ages on 26 samples range from 354 ± 7 to 1.19 ± 0.02 ka (2σ errors) and suggest a clustering every ∼3-4 ka since ∼26 ka. Geochemical data demonstrate a remarkable mantleto-groundwater connection. Isotopic data indicate that the groundwater is circulating to depths >3 km and interacting with Neoproterozoic/Cambrian basement and mantle volatiles. 3 He/ 4 He isotope ratios show that the He comes in part from the mantle. This demonstrates that the NFZ cuts through the entire crust and provides pathways for mantle degassing. Scaling relationships suggest that the series of sinistral faults that make up the NFZ are interconnected at depths and have a significant strike length of 60-70 km or more. The NFZ occurs where a major compositional boundary and a significant heat flow anomaly occurs, and a major step in lithospheric thickness has been mapped. We discuss a tectonic model in which recent stress field, heat flow and lithospheric structure in central Australia reactivated a set of steeply dipping Neoproterozoic faults, which may now be growing into a crustal/lithospheric-scale structure.

The Mesozoic dikes of southern coastal Maine have experienced 150 years of research interest that began with C. T. Jackson's original survey of the state in 1838 in which he hypothesized three phases of dike intrusion. Investigation in the 1800's culminated with Kemp's (1890) detailed mapping and petrographic examination of dikes in the Bald Head exposures near Ogunquit. Research in the early 1900's included an extensive regional survey of petrographic dike types by Wandke (1922a) and a study of the detailed intrusive relations in multiple dikes by at Cape Neddick. The regional geologic survey of York County by Hussey (1962) provided a solid background in which an older and younger group of dikes were thought to be intermediate in age between the Early Mesozoic Agamenticus alkaline igneous complex and the younger Cape Neddick gabbroic complex. Recent orientation studies of dikes in coastal exposures revealed a progressive northward change in dike trend from N25°E at Gerrish Island through N4S°E at Cape Neddick to N60°E at Bald Head. This dike trend variation is interpreted to reflect increasing control on dike intrusion by preexisting structures. These preexisting structures include a near-vertical N60°E bedding-anisotropy as the vertical limbs of regional Fz isoclinal folds and a N45°E FJ-related cleavage-anisotropy in the host Kittery Formation. A detailed mapping program (1:240) focusing on these near-continuous coastal exposures (Swanson, , 1988, and in progress) , and in progress) has included most of the 12 kilometer coastline about the Agamenticus and Cape Neddick igneous complexes and south to Gerrish Island. The resulting detailed mosaic map sheets (1:480) of large, continuous sections of outcrop allow the recognition of a complex mafic-felsic dike intrusion sequence based on the detailed crosscutting map relations and the observed compositional and textural varieties. These relationships suggest the following intrusive history: a sequence of early Agamenticus minor (mafic and felsic) intrusions associated with peripheral host rock deformation; intrusion of the main phases of northeast-trending mafic dikes; a late Agamenticus sequence of mafic and felsic dikes largely postdating the main phase dikes; and lastly, a complex, Cape Neddick mafic-felsic sequence of intrusions.

El área de investigación corresponde a la cuenca del río Huaura en el departamento de Lim a, en la que se ha efectuado un muestreo de sedimentos activos de corriente en 393 estaciones representativamente distribuidas. Dichas muestras han sido tamizadas con la malla 200 y analizadas por el método ICP-MS, previa digestión con agua regia. Geológicamente la zona de estudio muestra tres ambientes bien definidos: Unidades sedimentarias del Jurásico-Cretácico, Volcánicos del Paleógeno-Neógeno e Intrusivos del Cretácico-Neógeno. La mayoría de las zonas de mayor interés prospectivo están relacionadas a prospectos y yacim ientos mineros, como Uchucchacua, Pachangara, Iscaycruz, Invicta, Pampahuay, Mallay y Mercedes 3L. Con la aplicación del análisis de componentes principales en una muestra de variables, se identificó al Zr, Li, V y Hf como elementos traza distintivos de acuerdo al ambiente geológico del cual provienen los sedimentos. Los elementos de interés económico relacionados a los elementos distintivos han sido determinados mediante el análisis cluster, ellos fueron el Cr y Cu.

Diagramación: A & M Soluciones Tecnológicas. Fotografías de la carátula: Anomalías mutielementales en el curso bajo del río Piura e integración de variables regionalizadas. Publicación disponible en libre acceso en la página web (www.ingemmet.gob.pe). La utilización, traducción y creación de obras derivadas de la presente publicación están autorizadas, a condición de que se cite la fuente original ya sea contenida en medio impreso o digital (GEOCATMIN -). Los términos empleados en esta publicación y la presentación de los datos que en ella aparecen son de exclusiva responsabilidad del equipo de investigación.

This study examines trends in infant diet, breastfeeding and weaning in Portugal through time in Roman, Medieval Muslim and Christian skeletal assemblages (1st to the 15th century CE). New stable carbon (δ 13 C) and nitrogen (δ 15 N) measurements were collected from 143 non-adults and 46 adults that are analysed alongside comparative published datasets from contemporaneous Iberian populations. A statistical package was used to model bone collagen nitrogen isotope data of individuals, quantitatively estimating weaning onset and completion across diverse historical sites. Nutritional intake from infancy to adolescence was reconstructed via Bayesian modelling supported by the OsteoBioR platform using incremental dentine-collagen isotope ratio analysis in six adult individuals. Childhood diets in historical Portugal showed a prolonged weaning time while weaning food included varying degrees of high trophic level protein during both the Roman and Medieval periods. The Bayesian statistical approach offers a comprehensive perspective on child-rearing practices through the lens of diet, including breastfeeding, weaning and nutritional intake during childhood in historical Portugal. The results highlight the variability and complexity of childhood diets over time and between different locations. Overall, the study informs debates about child nutrition practices globally while also offering unique insights into infant nutrition in Iberia over nearly 1500 years.

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Stalagmite ER78, from Grotta di Ernesto cave in NE Italy displays clear annual lamination consistent with its shallow depth below a forest ecosystem subject to autumnal peaking of water infiltration. Synchrotron radiation scanning micro-X-ray fluorescence analyses of heavy elements at European Synchrotron Radiation Facility beamline ID22, and light elements at ID21, with 1-3 lm resolution has been combined with data from ion microprobe analyses to reveal chemical variability across the visible layers of these annual laminae. A series of elements display a symmetrical peak, centered around the thin, dark layer at the top of each lamina. The peak concentration is ordered Y > Zn, Cu and Pb > P and Br. This hierarchy is thought to reflect the selectivity of transport of these elements, possibly by organic colloids flushed from the soil zone during autumn infiltration. Ion microprobe analysis indicates Na and F also increase, as does H, the latter reflecting increased microporosity. Sr displays a trough around the dark and thin autumn layer implying that its incorporation may be limited by competition with other elements. Mg and S show a different pattern of annual variation and Fe displays none. The trace metals, Br and Y display peak abundance in the early 20th century, which appears to reflect a period of tree-felling rather than a climatic anomaly. The results demonstrate the power of the high spatial resolution and low detection limits of the synchrotron technique, and its ability to produce quantitative maps that allow distinction of layered structure from that of isolated particles, or irregular inhomogeneities.

Through the Floods Indice Contents Collezione Maramotti presenta Attraverso i diluvi, ampia esposizione collettiva concepita a partire da opere dell'archivio della Collezione -molte delle quali mai esposte in questi spazi -sul tema della catastrofe accompagnate, per la prima volta, da capolavori di arte del passato in prestito da importanti istituzioni italiane e internazionali. Con oltre cinquanta opere dal XII sec. a.C. al 2024, la mostra si pone come sguardo asincrono sulle catastrofi dell'uomo e del mondo, evocando corrispondenze tra immagini appartenenti a epoche distanti tra loro, ma anche rivelando i mutamenti di sensibilità e di percezione dell'esperienza del disastro nel tempo. Apertura e conclusione del percorso di visita circolare è il maestoso dipinto di Filippo Palizzi Oltre il diluvio (1864), originale ra gurazione di ciò che seguì al Diluvio universale: in un aspro, a lato paesaggio appena liberato dalle acque, con l'arca arenata quasi tramutata in roccia, e in assenza di Noè, una vibrante esplosione di animali multicolori invade la tela, accompagnata dalla flebile traccia di un arcobaleno. Diluvi, naufragi, inondazioni, esplosioni, uragani, incendi, guerre, epidemie, azioni violente e predatorie dell'uomo sulla natura: può un evento catastrofico configurarsi come forma di conoscenza o come punto di accesso a un nuovo scenario? Quali immaginari individuali e collettivi la catastrofe può attivare nella sua accezione di "rovesciamento" e "rivolgimento", quali visioni per attraversare il mondo? Il rapporto con le esperienze catastrofiche, oggi, è sempre meno caratterizzato da tratti di eccezionalità. Favoriti da specifiche scelte politiche ed economiche e innescati da processi che si sviluppano anche nel lungo periodo, i disastri appaiono come avvenimenti sempre meno improvvisi e come presenze ricorrenti, quasi quotidiane nelle nostre vite. Allo stesso tempo il flusso costante delle informazioni e delle immagini sembra aver anestetizzato l'intensità della percezione del loro manifestarsi: l'eccesso di visibilità, la di-Collezione Maramotti presents Through the Floods, an exhibition on the theme of catastrophe. Built around artworks from the collection's archive -many of them never previously exhibited in this space -this large group show juxtaposes them, for the first time, with masterpieces of the past on loan from prestigious international institutions. Featuring over fifty works that date from the 12th century BC to the present, it o ers an asynchronous look at human and planetary disasters, drawing connections between images from very di erent eras, but also highlighting changes in the general sensitivity and response to catastrophic experience over the course of time. The circular path through the exhibition opens and closes with Filippo Palizzi's majestic painting Oltre il diluvio (After the Flood, 1864), a unique depiction of what happened after the Flood: amid a harsh, rugged landscape that has just emerged from the waters, where the stranded ark seems almost turned to stone and Noah is nowhere in sight, a vibrant explosion of multicoloured animals pours out across the canvas, presided over by the faint trace of a rainbow. Floods, shipwrecks, explosions, hurricanes, wildfires, wars, epidemics, human actions that ravage nature: can a catastrophic event become a form of discovery or a gateway into a new scenario? What private and shared imaginaries does it evoke with its implication of "reversal" and "upheaval"; what visions for our journey through this world? Nowadays, cataclysmic events are no longer such an anomalous experience. Fuelled by specific political and economic decisions and arising from long-term processes that continue to unfold, disasters feel less and less unexpected, having become a recurrent, almost constant presence in our lives. At the same time, the constant flow of information and images seems to have dulled the intensity of our reaction to these phenomena: media saturation and overexposure paradoxically tend to desensitize the gaze, yielding a generalized, simplified response. Introduzione Attraverso i diluvi Through the Floods Mazuku, o la catastrofe invisibile Mazuku, or the Invisible Catastrophe Riccardo Venturi

Las rocas del flysch que afloran en los acantilados del tramo litoral entre Deba y Zumaia poseen un gran valor naturalistico y paisajistico, pero se caracterizan sobre todo por albergar uno de los registros geologicos mas completos e importantes del mundo de finales del Cretacico Superior y comienzos del Paleogeno, periodos que estuvieron jalonados por importantes acontecimientos fisicos y biologicos. Este trabajo ofrece una sintesis de algunos de los aspectos mas significativos que hacen de la sucesion flysch aflorante entre Deba y Zumaia un laboratorio geologico de primer orden para cualquier aficionado o profesional de la Geologia que pretenda enriquecer su conocimiento sobre rocas marino profundas tipo flysch o sobre cualquiera de los eventos registrados durante la evolucion de los oceanos y del conjunto del planeta en ese tiempo.

Obsidian sourcing (or provenancing) is the process by which obsidian artifacts are matched to the geological sources from which the raw material originated. Given that obsidian is a substance that has been used from the emergence of our genus to the 21st century, reconstructing the movement of obsidian artifacts has great relevance to a wide variety of research questions. Matching obsidian artifacts to their origins has been called “one of the success stories of archaeological science” as well as “one of the most productive and successful research programs of archaeological science” (Williams-Thorpe, 1995). Furthermore, it has been labeled as “a microcosm of the development of archaeological science” (Henderson, 2001), reflecting wider trends within archaeology. Identifying an artifact’s source is only a proximate goal: the ultimate aim is to elucidate human behavior in the past. Since its inception during the 1960s, a variety of technological and methodological advances have been incorporated into obsidian sourcing research around the world. The focus here is not an overview of global obsidian sourcing articles. Instead, this paper is organized according to a set of familiar questions: What? When? Who? Where? How? Why? What next? The goal here is to address how obsidian sourcing has been, is now, and can be used to better understand our past, eventually moving from generating data to developing archaeological models and theories.

Artificial feeding of young infants is considered a modern phenomenon. However, historical sources note its practice in some past European populations. This research explores factors that contributed to a short to absent period of breastfeeding in pre-modern Netherlands. Stable nitrogen and carbon isotope analysis is undertaken on 277 19 th century individuals from Beemster, a, rural, mainly Protestant, dairy farming community. An intra-individual sampling approach for �6 year-olds compares newer metaphyseal to older diaphyseal long bone collagen to classify feeding status at death. Archivally identified individuals permit analyses of sex and year-of-death. Few infants have isotopic evidence for breastfeeding and, if present, it was likely of short duration or a minor source of dietary protein. From only a few weeks to months of age infants were fed cow's milk and paps with sugar. There is broad dietary homogeneity with no sex or temporal isotopic differences, but young infants (1-11 months) have the most δ 15 N and δ 13 C variation highlighting the effect of multiple dietary and physiological processes. Beemster had many factors associated with high rates of breastfeeding in other Dutch communities, yet, most mothers did not breastfeed, or not for long, showing that regional variation in infant feeding is influenced by community values and traditions. On top of child rearing and domestic chores, female dairy farmers were in charge of milking cattle and dairy production, an important income source, suggesting high workload was also a factor in short or absent breastfeeding periods, aided by the constant supply of fresh milk that could be fed to an infant by an older sibling.

Information about sea surface temperature (SST) allows both local and global climate reconstructions dating back centuries to millennia. To determine SST variations over time, including the deep past, a number of proxies are used. Li/Mg, Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca, and U/Ca ratios in coral skeletons are the most commonly used high-resolution temperature proxies. Various methods, using diferent types of instrumentation, are employed to obtain high-precision data on the variation of these ratios in coral skeletons. Generally, each method has its own advantages and disadvantages; however, a common drawback of most is that they are time-consuming. Tis article presents a quick, simple, and high-throughput method for determining mentioned ratios in coral skeletons using quadrupole ICP-MS. Te reduction of calcium concentration to 3 ppm in the analytical solutions, combined with optimized operating conditions and quasi-simultaneous measurement of each element pair, ensures excellent signal sensitivity and stability of ratio values during sample runs. Te drift of ratio values was investigated using the in-house coral secondary standard NEP-3b. During some runs, the drift of ratios during the analysis was so low that it provided excellent repeatability of results without ofline mathematical correction of the obtained data. Due to the selected ICP-MS operating conditions, this high-sensitivity method enables for the analysis of all studied isotopes in a single measurement, whereas typical procedures require two sample preparations and separate measurements. As a result, this method doubles the throughput compared to the previous procedures while demonstrating comparable short-and long-term precisions, both of which were assessed using the international standard sample JCp-1.