A late Paleocene fauna from shallow-water chemosynthesis-based ecosystems, Spitsbergen, Svalbard

We present a systematic study of late Paleocene macrofauna from methane seep carbonates and associated driftwood in the shallow marine Basilika Formation, Spitsbergen, Svalbard. The fauna is composed of 22 taxa, comprising one brachiopod, 14 bivalves, three gastropods, three crustaceans, and one bony fish. The reported fish remains are among the first vertebrate body fossils from the Paleogene of Spitsbergen. One genus is new: the munidid decapod Valamunida Klompmaker and Robins gen. nov. Four new species are described: the terebratulide brachiopod Neoliothyrina nakremi Bitner sp. nov., the protobranch bivalve Yoldiella spitsbergensis Amano sp. nov., the xylophagain bivalve Xylophagella littlei Hryniewicz sp. nov., and the munidid decapod Valamunida haeggi Klompmaker and Robins gen. et sp. nov. New combinations are provided for the mytilid bivalve Inoperna plenicostata, the thyasirid bivalve Rhacothyas spitzbergensis, the ampullinid gastropod Globularia isfjordensis, and the munidid decapod Protomunida spitzbergica. Thirteen taxa are left in open nomenclature. The fauna contains a few last occurrences of Cretaceous survivors into the Paleocene, as well as first occurrences of Cenozoic taxa. It is composed of chemosymbiotic thyasirid bivalves and background species common in the northern Atlantic and Arctic during the Paleocene. Our results provide no evidence for a Paleocene origin of vesicomyid and bathymodiolin bivalves typical for Eocene and younger seep environments; instead, the Paleo cene seeps of the Basilika Formation are more similar to their Late Cretaceous equi valents rich in thyasirids

Time-delay measurement of MgII broad line response for the highly-accreting quasar HE 0413-4031: Implications for the MgII-based radius-luminosity relation

We present the monitoring of the AGN continuum and MgII broad line emission for the quasar HE 0413-4031 ($z=1.38$) based on the six-year monitoring by the South African Large Telescope (SALT). We managed to estimate a time-delay of $302.6^{+28.7}_{-33.1}$ days in the rest frame of the source using seven different methods: interpolated cross-correlation function (ICCF), discrete correlation function (DCF), $z$-transformed DCF, JAVELIN, two estimators of data regularity (Von Neumann, Bartels), and $\chi^2$ method. This time-delay is below the value expected from the standard radius-luminosity relation. However, based on the monochromatic luminosity of the source and the SED modelling, we interpret this departure as the shortening of the time-delay due to the higher accretion rate of the source, with the inferred Eddington ratio of $\sim 0.4$. The MgII line luminosity of HE 0413-4031 responds to the continuum variability as $L_{\rm line}\propto L_{\rm cont}^{0.43\pm 0.10}$, which is consistent with the light-travel distance of the location of MgII emission at $R_{\rm out} \sim 10^{18}\,{\rm cm}$. Using the data of 10 other quasars, we confirm the radius-luminosity relation for broad MgII line, which was previously determined for broad H$\beta$ line for lower-redshift sources. In addition, we detect a general departure of higher-accreting quasars from this relation in analogy to H$\beta$ sample. After the accretion-rate correction of the light-travel distance, the MgII-based radius-luminosity relation has a small scatter of only $0.10$ dex.Comment: 39 pages (23 pages - Main text, 16 pages - Appendix), 21 figures, 14 tables; accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

Time delay measurement of Mg II line in CTS C30.10 with SALT

We report 6 yr monitoring of a distant bright quasar CTS C30.10 (z = 0.90052) with the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT). We measured the rest-frame time-lag of $562\pm 2$ days between the continuum variations and the response of the Mg II emission line, using the Javelin approach. More conservative approach, based on five different methods, imply the time delay of $564^{+109}_{-71}$ days. This time delay, combined with other available measurements of Mg II line delay, mostly for lower redshift sources, shows that the Mg II line reverberation implies a radius-luminosity relation very similar to the one based on a more frequently studied H$\beta$ line.Comment: submitted to ApJ; comments welcom

Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous hydrocarbon seep boulders from Novaya Zemlya and their faunas

The paper describes Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous seep carbonate boulders from the Russian Arctic island of Novaya Zemlya, collected in 1875 by A.E. Nordenskiöld during his expedition to Siberia. The carbonates are significantly depleted in heavy carbon isotopes (δ13C values as low as ca. − 40‰) and show textures typical for carbonates formed under the influence of hydrocarbons, such as fibrous carbonate cements and corrosion cavities. The rocks contain index fossils of Late Oxfordian–Early Kimmeridgian, Late Tithonian (Jurassic) and latest Berriasian–Early Valanginian (Cretaceous) age. The fossil fauna is species rich and dominated by molluscs, with subordinate brachiopods, echinoderms, foraminifera, serpulids and ostracods. Most of the species, including two chemosymbiotic bivalve species, likely belong to the ‘background’ fauna. Only a species of a hokkaidoconchid gastropod, and a possible abyssochrysoid gastropod, can be interpreted as restricted to the seep environment. Other seep faunas with similar taxonomic structure are suggestive of rather shallow water settings, but in case of Novaya Zemlya seep faunas such structure might result also from high northern latitude

Paleocene methane seep and wood-fall marine environments from Spitsbergen, Svalbard

A recently discovered Paleocene seep locality from Fossildalen on Spitsbergen, Svalbard, is described. This is one of a very few seep communities of the latest Cretaceous–earliest Palaeogene age, and the best preserved Paleocene seep community known so far. The seep carbonates and associated fossils have been first identified in museum collections, and subsequently sampled in the field. The carbonates are exclusively ex-situ and come from the offshore siltstones of the Basilika Formation. Isotopically light composition (δ13C values approaching -50‰ V-PDB), and characteristic petrographic textures of the carbonates combined with the isotopically light archaeal lipid are consistent with the formation at fossil hydrocarbon seep. The invertebrate fauna associated with the carbonates is of moderate diversity (16 species) and has a shallow water affinity. It contains a species of the thyasirid genus Conchocele, common in other seeps of that age. The finding sheds new light onto the history of seepage on Svalbard, and onto the evolution and ecology of seep faunas during the latest Cretaceous–earliest Palaeogene time interval

A new sediment-dwelling pholadid bivalve from Oligocene glaciomarine sediments of King George Island, West Antarctica

We present a re-description of the pholadid bivalve from the Oligocene Polonez Cove Formation, King George Island, West Antarctica, previously identified as Penitella sp. The study is based on a collection of 210 specimens, preserved exclusively in life position in flask-shaped Gastrochaenolites type borings which have been subsequently buried by glaciomarine diamictite. The systematic study showed that this pholadid is a new species belonging to the genus Pholadidea rather than to Penitella and we name it Pholadidea gradzinskii sp. nov. The species is one of very few Late Cretaceous–Paleogene pholadids that we could safely identify as Pholadidea. All of them are known exclusively from the southern Pacific and adjacent areas (New Zealand, Antarctica, and Patagonia). We demonstrate that the genus attained its Recent broad distribution before the middle Miocene, when the first species of Pholadidea appeared in the Northern Hemisphere. The mass occurrence of P. gradzinskii in the Oligocene of West Antarctica results from favourable living condition in a shallow marine environment. Low sedimentation rate allowed the settlement of numerous larvae and their subsequent metamorphosis, growth, and maturity terminated by the mass mortality caused by the burial by marine diamictite. The sediment-boring Paleogene species of Pholadidea, among them P. gradzinskii, follow the wood-boring Late Cretaceous species P. (Hatasia) wiffenae, which reflects a general pattern of evolution of substrate selection among pholadoid bivalves

Synthesis on research results of FGD gypsum briquetting

FGD gypsum products can be characterized by significant solubility in water and dusting in dry state. These characteristics can cause a considerable pollution of air, water and soil. Among many approaches of preparing utilization of this waste, the process of compaction using briquetting has proved to be very effective. Using FGD gypsum products a new material of fertilizers characteristics has been acquired and this material is resistant to the conditions of transportation. This paper presents results of experimental briquetting of flue gas desulphurisation products in a roll press. The experiments were conducted in a laboratory roll presses LPW 450 and LPW 1100 equipped with two interchangeable forming rings that form material into saddle-shaped briquettes with volume 6,5 cm3 and 85 cm3. The experiments were conducted with various percentage amounts of FGD gypsum moisture. The results provided information regarding influence of moisture and roll press configuration on quality of briquettes. On the basis of obtained results, technological process and a general outline of technological line for FGD gypsum were developed. Two roll presses of own construction with different outputs were identified as appropriate for this purpose. A range of necessary works related to their adaptation for the FGD gypsum briquetting were pointed out