47 research outputs found
Extent of the Ross Orogen in Antarctica: new data from DSDP 270 and Iselin Bank
The Ross Sea is bordered by the Late Precambrian–Cambrian Ross–Delamerian Orogen of East Antarctica and the more Pacific-ward Ordovician–Silurian Lachlan–Tuhua–Robertson Bay–Swanson Orogen. A calcsilicate gneiss from Deep Sea Drilling Project 270 drill hole in the central Ross Sea, Antarctica, gives a U-Pb titanite age of 437 ± 6 Ma (2σ). This age of high-grade metamorphism is too young for typical Ross Orogen. Based on this age, and on lithology, we propose a provisional correlation with the Early Palaeozoic Lachlan–Tuhua–Robertson Bay–Swanson Orogen, and possibly the Bowers Terrane of northern Victoria Land. A metamorphosed porphyritic rhyolite dredged from the Iselin Bank, northern Ross Sea, gives a U-Pb zircon age of 545 ± 32 Ma (2σ). The U-Pb age, petrochemistry, Ar-Ar K-feldspar dating, and Sr and Nd isotopic ratios indicate a correlation with Late Proterozoic–Cambrian igneous protoliths of the Ross Orogen. If the Iselin Bank rhyolite is not ice-rafted debris, then it represents a further intriguing occurrence of Ross basement found outside the main Ross–Delamerian Orogen
Structure of the icosahedral Ti-Zr-Ni quasicrystal
The atomic structure of the icosahedral Ti-Zr-Ni quasicrystal is determined
by invoking similarities to periodic crystalline phases, diffraction data and
the results from ab initio calculations. The structure is modeled by
decorations of the canonical cell tiling geometry. The initial decoration model
is based on the structure of the Frank-Kasper phase W-TiZrNi, the 1/1
approximant structure of the quasicrystal. The decoration model is optimized
using a new method of structural analysis combining a least-squares refinement
of diffraction data with results from ab initio calculations. The resulting
structural model of icosahedral Ti-Zr-Ni is interpreted as a simple decoration
rule and structural details are discussed.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figure