Geochemistry of the Sabie River Basalt Formation in the central Lebombo, Karoo Igneous Province

The Sabie River Basalt Formation is a group of tholeiitic basaltic rocks erupted ca 190 Ma ago in the eastern zone of the Karoo Igneous Province of southern Africa. It is traceable over a distance of 700 km from Zululand, northwards along the Lebombo monocline into the Transvaal and south-east Zimbabwe. An abrupt compositional change in this formation occurs about halfway down its length in the vicinity of the Sabie and Komati Rivers: basalts to the north are known to be enriched in certain incompatible elements relative to basalts in the south, which are comparable in geochemistry to most basaltic rocks in the southern part of the Karoo Igneous Province. New data obtained in this work include 134 major and trace element whole-rock analyses, some 400 analyses of constituent minerals, 38 ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio determinations, 19 ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratio determinations, 16 common Pb determinations and 12 oxygen isotope analyses. The "normal" (N) and "enriched" basaltic rocks are distinguished by differences in the concentrations of Ti, P, Zr, Nb, Y, La, Ce and Nd (high field strength elements). Broadly these differences are substantiated by K, Rb, Ba and Sr, but with much more overlap. The "enriched" group of basaltic rocks has been further subdivided into a low-Fe "enriched" (LFE) group and a high-Fe "enriched" group (HFE). The LFE-group basalts, which predominate at the base of the stratigraphic sections, are considered to be equivalent to basalts occurring in the N. Lebombo. In the central Lebombo N-group basalts predominate in the mid- and upper portions of the sections and HFE-group basalt occurs near the top of each section. Interbedding of all basalt groups occurs in the Sabie River section at the northern end of the study area, while the N- and HFE-group basalts are interbedded in the Crocodile and Komati River sections further to the south. The decrease in LFE-group basalt abundance southwards is accompanied by an increase in N-group basalt abundance. HFE-group basalts appear to be unique to the central Lebombo area of the Karoo Igneous Province and are volumetrically less significant than N- or LFE-group basalts. Petrogenetic models involving closed-system fractional crystallization; coupled assimilation (of granitic crust) fractional crystallization; replenished, tapped and fractionated magma chambers and partial melting are examined. Granitic crustal contamination appears to have been significant only in some samples of the N group where assimilation of granitic material has proceeded in a bulk fashion described by an AFC model. RTF models are dynamically more realistic than closed-system fractional crystallization models and explain increases in incompatible elements with decreasing MgO in the LFE and HFE groups. Variations in the N group, however, require varying degrees of partial melting of a N-type source to be explained fully. RTF models may explain the absence of any stratigraphic correlations of element abundances in the three groups. The HFE group may be related to an uncontaminated N-type parent composition by a combination of continued fractional crystallization from an N-group parent composition and varying degrees of partial melting of an N-type source. The only petrogenetic process by which the N and LFE groups may be related is different degrees of partial melting. However, this demands a source composition which has no resemblance on trace element and isotopic grounds, to observed mantle xenolith compositions. The preferred model is one in which the LFE group is derived from old sub-cratonic mantle similar to garnet-bearing "cold" peridotite xenoliths and the N group from a source similar in composition to estimates of primitive mantle. The existence of two types of mantle derived continental flood basalt magmas occurs in other Mesozoic basalt provinces in "southern" Gondwanaland (e.g. Kirwanveggan of Antarctica, Etendeka of Namibia and the Parana Basin of South America). It is suggested that there is a geographical association of LFE-type basalts with Archaean crust (or Archaean crust re-worked in low temperature - high pressure events) and N-type basalts with post-Archaean crust (or Archaean crust re-worked in high temperature - low pressure events). This model suggests the derivation of the LFE group, from old sub-cratonic lithospheric mantle relatively enriched in incompatible elements and the N group being derived from more recently accreted and less enriched lithospheric mantle underlying younger crustal terraines

Non-retroactivity, candour and ‘transitional relativism’:a response to the ECtHR judgment in Maktouf and Damjanović v. Bosnia and Herzegovina

This contribution makes a close analysis of the recent ECHR judgment in Maktouf and Damjanović v. Bosnia and Herzegovina, which resulted in the release from prison of perpetrators of genocide at Srebrenica. The article examines ECHR cases on non-retroactivity, and traces their development in transitional cases back to the ‘Berlin Wall cases’. Two main arguments are made: first it was not necessary to release the applicants in the Maktouf case, even though they won in Strasbourg, be- cause they only challenged their sentence rather than their guilt; and second, that the case can be situated in a complex transitional milieu where states, like Bosnia & Herzegovina, may ask for – but only occasionally receive – a form of ‘transitional relativism’

Narrative of James Sweeney

"This narrative was written by J. Ross Mackenzie, M. D., as related to him by James Sweeney, now living at Carrington, Foster County, North Dakota, where he located in the Spring of 1883, and has resided continuously, respected by all who know him, for his rugged character and sterling honesty.

An incubatable direct current stimulation system for in vitro studies of Mammalian cells.

The purpose of this study was to provide a simplified alternative technology and format for direct current stimulation of mammalian cells. An incubatable reusable stimulator was developed that effectively delivers a regulated current and does not require constant monitoring

A 'credible' response to persons fleeing armed conflict

This contribution addresses two key issues in relation to the plight of those who are fleeing armed conflict: firstly and more briefly, the UK’s reluctance to participate in the UN’s resettlement scheme for Syrian refugees; and secondly the role of ‘credibility’ within the process of determining eligibility for international protection. The relationship between credibility and the 'benefit of the doubt' principle is explored, particularly in the light of the UK Upper Tribunal's determination in KS (benefit of the doubt) [2014] UKUT 552 (IAC). It is argued that a narrow understanding of credibility overlaps with one dimension of the benefit of the doubt, and sees it as confined to the admissibility of the applicant’s unsupported statements; statements which, by giving applicants the benefit of the doubt, should be allowed to enter into the balance towards satisfying the low standard of proof as long as they are ‘credible’ in the sense of not being demonstrably false

Dual Constraint Problem Optimization Using A Natural Approach: Genetic Algorithm and Simulated Annealing

Constraint optimization problems with multiple constraints and a large solution domain are NP hard and span almost all industries in a variety of applications. One such application is the optimization of resource scheduling in a pay per use grid environment. Charging for these resources based on demand is often referred to as Utility Computing, where resource providers lease computing power with varying costs based on processing speed. Consumers using this resource have time and cost constraints associated with each job they submit. Determining the optimal way to divide the job among the available resources with regard to the time and cost constraints is tasked to the Grid Resource Broker (GRB). The GRB must use an optimization algorithm that returns an accurate result in a timely mam1er. The Genetic Algorithm and the Simulated Annealing algorithm can both be used to achieve this goal, although Simulated Annealing outperforms the Genetic Algorithm for use by the GRB. Determining optimal values for the variables used in each algorithm is often achieved through trial and error, and success depends upon the solution domain of the problem. Although this work outlines a specific grid resource allocation application, the results can be applied to any optimization problem based on dual constraints

Margins of appreciation, cultural relativity and the European Court of Human Rights

This thesis is about establishing a balance between universal human rights and particular cultures or local conditions. It examines the universality debate with reference to the "margin of appreciation" in the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights, in particular from the end of the Cold Wax when new Contracting Parties from central and eastern Europe came under the Court's jurisdiction.The thesis considers that analysis of these issues must not be parochial. In Part One the universality debate in international human rights law is therefore examined in detail. It is argued that universal human rights do not require absolute uniformity in their protection - even universal human rights are necessarily and defensibly qualified. In order to link the margin of appreciation to this universality debate its evolution, operation and the factors which underpin it are also clarified in Part Two. It is demonstrated that the margin of appreciation has evolved from a concession to states into a methodology for demanding ever greater justifications for their limitations upon human rights. In doing so the margin permitted accords with the defensible level of local qualification to human rights already identified.Part Three tests these conclusions against original analysis of recent case law, showing that the Court has been responsive to the differing needs of the new Contracting Parties. The Court had evolved a coherent and defensible approach to cases that have raised complex localised issues, and has maintained this even since its jurisdiction expanded. Whilst allowing modulation of European human rights protection according to local characteristics, use of the margin of appreciation does not amount to cultural relativism even in the expanded Council of Europe