Holocene Sediment Magnetic Properties Along a Transect from Isafjardardjup to Djupall, Northwest Iceland

Holocene changes in terrestrial provenance and processes of sediment transport and deposition are tracked along a fjord-to-shelf transect adjacent to Vestfirdir, Iceland, using the magnetic properties ofmarine sediments.Magnetic susceptibility (MS) profiles of 10 cores (gravity and piston) were obtained onboard using a Bartington MS loop. Remanent magnetizations were measured at 1-cm intervals from u-channel samples taken from six cores on a cryogenic magnetometer. Between six and nine alternating field demagnetization steps were used to isolate the characteristic magnetization directions. The chronologies of the cores used in this study were determined from AMS14 C dates on mollusks and foraminifera and contrained by the regional occurrance ofthe 10,200 6 60 cal yr. BP Saksunavatn tepha. Correlative fluctuations in magneticconcentration are noted between the fjord and shelf sites, though these fluctuations are partiallymasked by regional variations in carbonate content. The onset of Neoglaciation is interpreted by changes in magnetic properties including an increase in mass magneticsusceptibility that began approximately 3000 cal yr. BP. The maximum angular deviation and the median destructive field (generally 20 mT) suggest that the natural remanent magnetization is carried by a coarse ferrimagnetite mineralogy, likely magnetite or titano-magnetite. Reproducible paleomagnetic inclination values are observed in several records, including a nearly vertical inclination around 8000 cal yr. BP, suggesting that the magnetic pole may have been proximal to Iceland, followed by an interval of much shallower inclination (6000–7000 cal yr. BP)

Trace metal distributions in sulfide scales of the seawater-dominated Reykjanes geothermal system: Constraints on sub-seafloor hydrothermal mineralizing processes and metal fluxes

Highlights • Predictable trace element enrichments and depletions in the Reykjanes system. • Boiling exerts a major influence on the enrichment of metals. • High concentrations of Au and Ag and Pb indicate accumulation in reservoir fluids. • Three quarters of the metal budget is deposited at depth or in the upflow zone. Abstract Mineral precipitation in the seawater-dominated Reykjanes geothermal system on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Iceland is caused by abrupt, artificially induced, pressure and temperature changes as deep high-temperature liquids are drawn from reservoir rocks up through the geothermal wells. Sulfide scales within these wells represent a complete profile of mineral precipitation through a seafloor hydrothermal system, from the deep reservoir to the low-temperature silica-rich surface discharge. Mineral scales have formed under a range of conditions from high pressures and temperatures at depth (>2 km) to boiling conditions in the upflow zone and at the surface. Consistent trace element enrichments, similar to those in black smoker chimneys, are documented: Cu, Zn, Cd, Co, Te, V, Ni, Mo, W, Sn, Fe and S are enriched at higher pressures and temperatures in the deepest scales, Zn and Cu, Bi, Pb, Ag, As, Sb, Ga, Hg, Tl, U, and Th are enriched at lower temperatures and pressures nearer to the surface. A number of elements (e.g., Co, Se, Cd, Zn, Cu, and Au) are deposited in both high- and low-pressure scales, but are hosted by distinctly different minerals. Other trace elements, such as Pb, Ag, and Ga, are strongly partitioned into low-temperature minerals, such as galena (Pb, Ag) and clays (Ga). Boiling and destabilization of metal-bearing aqueous complexes are the dominant control on the deposition of most metals (particularly Au). Other metals (e.g., Cu and Se) may also have been transported in the vapor phase. Very large enrichments of Au, Ag and Pb in the scales (e.g., 948 ppm Au, 23,200 ppm Ag, and 18.8 wt.% Pb) versus average concentrations in black smoker chimneys likely reflect that some elements are preferentially deposited in boiling systems. A mass accumulation of 5.7 t/yr of massive sulfide was calculated for one high-temperature production well, equating to metal fluxes of 1.7 t/yr Zn, 0.3 t/yr Cu, 23 kg/yr Pb, 4.1 kg/yr Ag, and 0.5 kg/yr Au. At least three quarters of the major and trace element load is precipitated within the well before reaching the surface. We suggest that a similar proportion of metals may be deposited below the seafloor in submarine hydrothermal systems where significant boiling has occurred. Mass accumulation estimations over the lifetime of the Reykjanes system may indicate significant enrichment of Zn, Pb, Au, and Ag relative to both modern and ancient mafic-dominated seafloor massive sulfide deposits, and highlights the potential for metal enrichment and accumulation in the deep parts of geothermal systems

The impact of damming on riverine fluxes to the ocean: A case study from Eastern Iceland

Anthropogenic water management has extensively altered the world's river systems through impoundments and channel diversions to meet the human's need for water, energy and transportation. To illuminate the effect of such activities on the environment, this study describes the impact of the installation of the Kárahnjúkar Dam in Eastern Iceland on the transport of riverine dissolved- and particulate material to the ocean by the Jökulsá á Dal and the Lagarfljót rivers. This dam, completed in 2007, collects water into the 2.2 km3 Hálslón reservoir and diverts water from the glacial Jökulsá á Dal river into the partially glaciated Lagarfljót lagoon via a headrace tunnel. The impact of the damming was evaluated by sampling water from both the Jökulsá á Dal and the Lagarfljót rivers over a 15 year period spanning from 1998 to 2013. The annual flux of most dissolved elements increased substantially due to the damming. The fluxes of dissolved Zn, Al, Co, Ti and Fe increased most by damming; these fluxes increased by 46–391%. These differences can be attributed to changed saturation states of common secondary minerals in the Jökulsá á Dal due to reduced discharge, increased residence time and dissolution of suspended material, and, to a lesser degree, reduced photosynthesis due to less transparency in the Lagarfljót lagoon. The removal of particulate material and thus decreasing adsorption potential in the Jökulsá á Dal is the likely reason for the Fe flux increase. In contrast, approximately 85% of the original riverine transported mass of particulate material is trapped by the dam; that which passes tends to be relatively fine grained, increasing the average specific surface area of that which continues to flow towards the ocean. Consequently, the particulate geometric surface area flux is decreased by only 50% due to the damming. The blooming of silica diatoms during the spring consumes dissolved silica from the coastal waters until it becomes depleted; making the riverine spring dissolved silica flux an important source of this nutrient. Despite extensive riverine flux changes due to the Kárahnjúkar dam construction, the total spring dissolved silica flux increased, and thus so too the potential for a silica diatom spring bloom in the coastal waters. This is likely because the spring flux is dominated by snow melting downstream of the dam

Using 3D scanning to support conservation treatments for paintings

Modern and Contemporary Studie

Role of Electronic Data Exchange in an International Outbreak Caused by Salmonella enterica Serotype Typhimurium DT204b

From July through September 2000, patients in five European countries were infected with a multidrug-resistant strain of Salmonella Typhimurium DT204b. Epidemiologic investigations were facilitated by the transmission of electronic images (Tagged Image Files) of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis profiles. This investigation highlights the importance of standardized protocols for molecular typing in international outbreaks of foodborne disease

A rare missense mutation in CHRNA4 associates with smoking behavior and its consequences

Using Icelandic whole-genome sequence data and an imputation approach we searched for rare sequence variants in CHRNA4 and tested them for association with nicotine dependence. We show that carriers of a rare missense variant (allele frequency = 0.24%) within CHRNA4, encoding an R336C substitution, have greater risk of nicotine addiction than non-carriers as assessed by the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (P= 1.2 × 10−4). The variant also confers risk of several serious smoking-related diseases previously shown to be associated with the D398N substitution in CHRNA5. We observed odds ratios (ORs) of 1.7–2.3 for lung cancer(LC;P= 4.0 × 10−4), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD;P= 9.3 × 10−4), peripheral artery disease (PAD;P= 0.090) and abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs; P= 0.12), and the variant associates strongly with the early-onset forms of LC (OR = 4.49,P= 2.2 × 10−4), COPD (OR = 3.22,P= 2.9 × 10−4), PAD (OR = 3.47,P= 9.2 × 10−3) and AAA (OR = 6.44, P= 6.3 × 10−3). Joint analysis of the four smoking-related diseases reveals significant association (P= 6.8 × 10−5), particularly for early-onset cases (P=2.1 × 10−7). Our results are in agreement with functional studies showing that the human α4β2 isoform of the channel containing R336C has less sensitivity for its agonists than the wild-type form following nicotine incubation