Review of Survey activities 2010

This Review of Survey activities presents a selection of 19 papers reflecting the wide spectrum of activities of the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, from the microscopic to the plate-tectonic level. The Survey's activities in Denmark and surrounding areas are illustrated by 12 articles covering petroleum geology, groundwater geology, applied marine geology, Quaternary stratigraphy, sea-level changes, disposal of radioactive waste and the use of satellite radar data to detect elevation changes. The depth of two earthquakes has been determined using data from array stations in Canada and Niger. Activities in Greenland are covered by six papers dealing with mineral and petroleum exploration. One paper comes with further evidence that the controversial Wegener Fault is a myth. The influence of recent climate change on the Greenland ice sheet is the subject of another article; 2010 was the warmest year ever recorded in Greenland, and the ice sheet is losing mass at an accelerating rate. The Survey's international activities are the subject of a paper dealing with quality control of geophysical data in Ghana

Voices from Kilbarchan : Two versions of "The Cruel Mother" from south-west Scotland, 1825

In what follows I shall first give an outline of the earliest extensively documented singing community in the Anglo-Scottish ballad tradition, and then present a detailed analysis of two versions of the same ballad story ("The Cruel Mother") taken down on the same day in 1825 from two singers from the same Scottish village. The fact that Motherwell's material includes alternative performances of the same ballad story from the same area allows us to get one of the earliest glimpses into ballads as a living oral tradition. We may assess at close hand the degree of variability and multiformity that is characteristic of texts in oral tradition (Foley 1998:5), and thus gain an appreciation of the ballads as a living cultural phenomenon./

Evolution of precipitates, in particular cruciform and cuboid particles, during simulated direct charging of thin slab cast vanadium microalloyed steels

A study has been undertaken of four vanadium based steels which have been processed by a simulated direct charging route using processing parameters typical of thin slab casting, where the cast product has a thickness of 50 to 80mm ( in this study 50 mm) and is fed directly to a furnace to equalise the microstructure prior to rolling. In the direct charging process, cooling rates are faster, equalisation times shorter and the amount of deformation introduced during rolling less than in conventional practice. Samples in this study were quenched after casting, after equalisation, after 4th rolling pass and after coiling, to follow the evolution of microstructure. The mechanical and toughness properties and the microstructural features might be expected to differ from equivalent steels, which have undergone conventional processing. The four low carbon steels (~0.06wt%) which were studied contained 0.1wt%V (V-N), 0.1wt%V and 0.010wt%Ti (V-Ti), 0.1wt%V and 0.03wt%Nb (V-Nb), and 0.1wt%V, 0.03wt%Nb and 0.007wt%Ti (V-Nb-Ti). Steels V-N and V-Ti contained around 0.02wt% N, while the other two contained about 0.01wt%N. The as-cast steels were heated at three equalising temperatures of 1050C, 1100C or 1200C and held for 30-60 minutes prior to rolling. Optical microscopy and analytical electron microscopy, including parallel electron energy loss spectroscopy (PEELS), were used to characterise the precipitates. In the as-cast condition, dendrites and plates were found. Cuboid particles were seen at this stage in Steel V-Ti, but they appeared only in the other steels after equalization. In addition, in the final product of all the steels, fine particles were seen, but it was only in the two titanium steels that cruciform precipitates were present. PEELS analysis showed that the dendrites, plates, cuboids, cruciforms and fine precipitates were essentially nitrides. The two Ti steels had better toughness than the other steels but inferior lower yield stress values. This was thought to be, in part, due to the formation of cruciform precipitates in austenite, thereby removing nitrogen and the microalloying elements which would have been expected to precipitate in ferrite as dispersion hardening particles

Reproductive Specializations in a Viviparous African Skink: Implications for Evolution and Biological Conservation

Recent research on the African scincid lizard, Trachylepis ivensi, has significantly expanded the range of known reproductive specializations in reptiles. This species is viviparous and exhibits characteristics previously thought to be confined to therian mammals. In most viviparous squamates, females ovulate large yolk-rich eggs that provide most of the nutrients for development. Typically, their placental components (fetal membranes and uterus) are relatively unspecialized, and similar to their oviparous counterparts. In T. ivensi, females ovulate tiny eggs and provide nutrients for embryonic development almost entirely by placental means. Early in gestation, embryonic tissues invade deeply into maternal tissues and establish an intimate “endotheliochorial” relationship with the maternal blood supply by means of a yolk sac placenta. The presence of such an invasive form of implantation in a squamate reptile is unprecedented and has significant functional and evolutionary implications. Discovery of the specializations of T. ivensiillustrates why the study of a few convenient “animal models” is no substitute for broad-based studies of biological diversity as directed by phylogenetic considerations. Our study also underscores the value of museum collections to studies of biological diversity

Six years of petroleum geological activities in North-East Greenland (2008–2013): projects and a view of the future

The deadline for applications to the first licence round for petroleum exploration offshore North-East Greenland was 15 December 2012. The round was restricted, allowing only members of the KANUMAS consortium to be operators (BP, Chevron, Exxon, JOGMEG, Shell and Statoil). Nunaoil is also part of KANUMAS, but it is a carried, non-operator partner. An ordinary licensing round followed shortly after with a deadline on 15 October 2013

Long-Term Survival After Resection of Ductal Carcinoma in the Body and Tail of Pancreas

We report on a 62-year-old male, who had resection of a large ductal carcinoma in the body and tail of the pancreas. Four months later a metastasis was removed from the abdominal scar, and 14 months later another metastasis was removed from the anterior wall of the stomach. Moreover, he had a left mastectomy followed by radiation therapy for a primary ductal carcinoma and a transurethral resection of the prostate because of benign hyperplasia. A minor focus of primary highly differentiated adenocarcinoma was found in the chips. More than 6 years later, the patient is without any signs of recurrences

Age of oils in West Greenland: was there a Mesozoic seaway between Greenland and Canada?

For many years the existence of an oil-prone source rock off West Greenland was challenged by industry. But since 1992 when active oil seeps were found onshore West Greenland on the Nuussuaq peninsula (Fig. 1; Christiansen et al. 1996; Bojesen-Koefoed et al. 1999), the question has changed focus to the age, distribution and potential of the source rock. Five different oils – each with their own characteristics – have been reported by the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS). One of these, a typical marine shalederived oil with a possible regional distribution, is known as the Itilli oil. Geochemical analysis suggests that it may have been generated from Cenomanian–Turonian age marine shales, equivalent to prolific source rocks known from Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada. Three of the other oils were generated from deltaic source rocks of Albian, Campanian and Paleocene ages, while one is of unknown origin (Bojesen-Koefoed et al. 1999). The presence of a regional marine source rock is important to petroleum exploration; GEUS has therefore investigated the possible existence of Mesozoic, in particular Cenomanian–Turonian, petroleum source rocks in West Greenland offshore areas. Since sediments older than the Santonian are not known from any of the six wells drilled offshore West Greenland (Fig. 1), assessment of oil-prone source rocks in older sedimentary successions must rely on circumstantial evidence offered by oil chemistry data and analogy studies. Petroleum in quantities amenable to chemical analysis has so far not been recovered from offshore. However, oilbearing fluid inclusions are known from the Ikermiut-1 well (unpublished data 2001, Phillips Petroleum and GEUS), a gas-kick was recorded during drilling of the Kangâmiut-1 well (Bate 1997), and seismic data indicate hydrocarbons in many areas (cross-cutting reflectors, bright spots, smearing of seismic). Petroleum exploration offshore West Greenland suffered for many years under the misconception that oceanic crust covered vast areas, rendering the region unattractive. However, the presence of thick sedimentary successions and rotated fault blocks in Cretaceous basins have been demonstrated to be present in areas previously believed to be underlain by Cretaceous–Tertiary oceanic crust (cf. Chalmers & Pulvertaft 2001). New high-quality seismic data, acquired by the seismic company TGS-NOPEC over recent years, combined with gravimetric data, have further demonstrated the presence of deep basins containing thick sedimentary successions in other areas (e.g. Christiansen et al. 2002). Despite the progress made over the past few years, the geological evolution of the Davis Strait region in general remains poorly understood, but new data on oil chemistry may shed some light on the history of this region

Grades of brain arteriovenous malformations and risk of hemorrhage and death

Objective: To assess the relationship of the grade of unruptured and untreated Brain Arteriovenous Malformations (AVMs), with the risk of subsequent stroke and death during follow-up. Methods: This prospective study was drawn from a cohort of adult patients with unruptured AVMs, who participated in the conservative treatment arm (medical management only for headache or seizures) of the randomized clinical trial of unruptured brain AVMs (ARUBA study). The grade of AVMs (Spetzler–Martin scale) was dichotomized into categories: AVMs of grades I and II were considered low grade; AVMs of grades III and IV were considered high grade. There were no grade V AVM patients in ARUBA. The primary outcome was symptomatic stroke (hemorrhagic or ischemic – documented by imaging) or death. Results: The conservative treatment group had 123 patients (“as treated” analysis). 71 (57.7%) had lesions characterized for this analysis as low-grade lesions and 52 (42.2%) as high grade. From the total of 10 (8.13%) primary outcomes, three occurred (4.22%) in low-grade AVMs and seven (13.46%) in high-grade AVMs (P = 0.0942). Interpretation: Statistical analysis of the cohort of patients with unruptured and untreated AVMs from ARUBA study showed that the graduation categories (Spetzler–Martin grades) were not associated with the outcome of subsequent stroke or death