The provenance of late Cenozoic East Asian Red Clay : Tectonic-metamorphic history of potential source regions and a novel combined zircon-rutile approach

Constraining the provenance of aeolian mineral dust is critical in understanding past climate changes, atmospheric dust activity, circulation, and sediment generation. On the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP), use of detrital zircon U-Pb age data as source tracers for the dust has seen a huge growth and lead to breakthroughs in understanding dust provenance. However, significant ambiguities remain especially regarding the provenance of the aeolian Neogene Red Clay (RC). To address this, here we review the state of the art of understanding of Neogene RC provenance, with a focus on single-grain analyses, and introduce detrital rutile geochemistry as a tool to complement zircon U-Pb dating. Furthermore, to better utilise the link between the detrital minerals and their primary origin, we compile primary source region geologic background and single-grain data relevant for use of geochronological and metamorphic provenance proxy minerals. We discuss four major tectonic divisions in northern China and southern Mongolia: North China Craton (NCC), Tarim Craton (TC), Central China Orogen (CCO), parts of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB), and briefly summarize the Tibetan-Himalayan orogen. Many of these regions have been tectonically active during the same time periods in the Earth's history, and our analysis demonstrates how use of zircon age data alone has limitations in differentiating between a number of key potential dust sources to the CLP. Addition of a metamorphic source tracer such as rutile allows some of these possible source areas to be distinguished. For example, the proximal northern NCC regions that show high-/ ultrahigh-temperature metamorphic conditions can potentially be diagnostic of a northerly source component to CLP dust. Our combined zircon-rutile data analysis of ca. 4 Ma Nihewan RC in northern CLP verifies the utility of the novel rutile provenance proxy in sourcing CLP sediments. The zircon and rutile data suggest similar dust provenance: the dominant sources are proximal areas on the NCC, while contributions from the dry areas in parts of the CAOB, central deserts, and the Yellow River are also likely. Our results also hint at a minor source component deriving from distal western source regions in the TC, and/or in the central parts of the CCO, but rutile data from potential secondary source areas are needed to verify this possibility. We also conclude that multi-proxy single-grain provenance analyses are needed for more reliable provenance analyses.Peer reviewe

Paleoproterotsooisten arclogiittien jäljillä - Muutos 1.88 Ga kalkkialkalisesta magmatismista 1.86 Ga korkean Nb:n ja adakiitti-tyyppiseen magmatismiin Fennoskandian kilven keskiosissa

Arclogites, i.e., lower crustal gamet-pyroxenite cumulates, are suggested to play an important role in controlling magma differentiation in modem continental arcs. Until now, arclogite-related magmatism has only been described from the Phanerozoic Era. The Svecofennian orogen in the central Fennoscandian Shield hosts a rare association of 1.86 Ga igneous rocks geochemically distinct from the surrounding and much more abundant 1.90-1.87 Ga subduction-related talc-alkaline magmatism. The 1.86 Ga magmatic rocks are divided into three groups: 1) high-Nb gabbros (HNB) which are enriched in Fe2O3T, TiO2, P2O5, F. LILE, and HFSE (especially Nb: 18.9-44 ppm), show positive initial epsilon(Nd) value, and near-chondritic but variable initial zircon epsilon(Hf) values; 2) high-Mg gabbros (HMG) which are characterised by high MgO, CaO, Cr and Ni contents, slight enrichment in LILE, positive epsilon(Hf), and positive but variable zircon epsilon(Hf) values; 3) adakite-like rocks showing high Al2O3 and Na2O contents, slight enrichment in LILE, relative depletion in some HFSE, positive CNd value, and chondritic to negative zircon epsilon(Nd) values. The three groups yield zircon U-Pb ages of similar to 1.86 Ga and exhibit undeformed textures in contrast to the surrounding supracrustal rocks metamorphosed at similar to 1.88 Ga. The ages and compositions are dearly different from the adjacent 1.90-1.87 Ga arc-related igneous rocks suggesting a distinct origin. Despite similar ages and close spatial relationship, separate sources are required for each of the different 1.86 Ga rock groups. Trace element modelling of partial melting suggests that arclogites, with compositions similar to pyroxenite xenoliths found in the kimberlite pipes of eastern Finland, are the source for the HNB rocks. In contrast, subduction-modified mantle peridotite is the source for the HMG rocks, and a mafic lower crustal source is suggested for the adakite-like rocks. The following geodynamic model is suggested: (rutile-bearing) arclogite formation at 1.90-1.87 Ga followed by arclogite delamination and partial melting during extension of the thickened Svecofennian crust at 1.86 Ga. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

Constraints over the age of magmatism and subsequent deformation for the Neoarchean Kukkola Gneiss Complex, northern Fennoscandia

The Archean crust in northern Fennoscandia preserves a fragmentary geological record, making direct correlation among Archean domains challenging. This study presents two new zircon U-Pb age determinations from the Archean Kukkola Gneiss Complex (KGC) that straddles the border between Finland and Sweden. The results indicate that crystallization of tonalites within the magmatic core of the complex occurred at 2711 +/- 8 Ma, somewhat earlier than previously considered. A new pulse of magmatism occurred at 2675 +/- 10 Ma as demonstrated by hornblende-tonalites cutting the 2.71 Ga rocks. The results further indicate that the first deformation event responsible for development of penetrative foliations occurred after the first magmatic event at 2.71 Ga and prior to the subsequent tectonothermal event at 2.68 Ga. These findings are in concert with the known major periods of magmatism (2.8-2.7 Ga) and deformation (2.7 Ga) within better-known Archean domains in northern Fennoscandia, and hence support their correlation with KGC. Three complementary age determinations on the Haparanda-suite granites and tonalites were conducted: the results indicate crystallization ages of 1.90-1.89 Ga, overlapping with the known age range of the suite and supporting its predominance over the 1.8 Ga Lina suite granites in the Tornio-Haparanda area.Peer reviewe

Parental magma composition of the main zone of the Bushveld complex: evidence from in situ LA-ICP-MS trace element analysis of silicate minerals in the cumulate rocks

In situ trace element analysis of cumulus minerals may provide a clue to the parental magma from which the minerals crystallized. However, this is hampered by effects of the trapped liquid shift (TLS). In the Main Zone (MZ) of the Bushveld Complex, the Ti content in plagioclase grains shows a clear increase from core to rim, whereas most other elements [e.g. rare earth elements (REE), Zr, Hf, Pb] do not. This is different from the prominent intra-grain variation of all trace elements in silicate minerals in mafic dikes, which have a faster cooling rate. We suggest that crystal fractionation of trapped liquid occurred in the MZ of Bushveld and the TLS may have modified the original composition of the cumulus minerals for most trace elements except Ti during slow cooling. Quantitative model calculations suggest that the influence of the TLS depends on the bulk partition coefficient of the element. The effect on highly incompatible elements is clearly more prominent than that on moderately incompatible and compatible elements because of different concentration gradients between cores and rims of cumulate minerals. This is supported by the following observations in the MZ of Bushveld: (1) positive correlation between Cr, Ni and Mg# of clinopyroxene and orthopyroxene; (2) negative correlation between moderately incompatible elements (e.g. Mn and Sc in clinopyroxene and orthopyroxene; Sr, Ba and Eu in plagioclase); but (3) poor correlation between highly incompatible elements and Mg# of clinopyroxene and orthopyroxene or An# of plagioclase. Modeling suggests that the extent of the TLS for a trace element is also dependent on the initial fraction of the primary trapped liquid, with strong TLS occurring if the primary trapped liquid fraction is high. This is supported by the positive correlation between highly incompatible trace element abundances in cumulus minerals and whole-rock Zr contents. We have calculated the composition of the parental magma of the MZ of the Bushveld Complex. The compatible and moderately incompatible element contents of the calculated parental liquid are generally similar to those of the B3 marginal rocks, but different from those of the B1 and B2 marginal rocks. For the highly incompatible elements, we suggest that the use of the sample with the lowest whole-rock Zr content and the least degree of TLS is the best approach to obtain the parental magma composition. The heavy REE contents of the magma calculated from orthopyroxene are similar to those of B3 rocks and lower than those of B2 rocks. The calculated REE contents from clinopyroxene are generally significantly higher than for B2 or B3 rocks, and those from plagioclase are in the lower level of B2, but slightly higher than for B3. However, the calculated REE patterns for both clinopyroxene and plagioclase show strong negative Eu anomalies, which are at the lower level of the B2 field and within the B3 field, respectively. We suggest that Eu may be less affected by TLS than other REE owing to its higher bulk compatibility. Based on this and the fact that the calculated REE contents of the parental magma should be higher than the real magma composition owing to some degree of crystal fractionation and TLS, even for the sample with the lowest amount of trapped liquid, we propose that a B3 type liquid is the most likely parental magma to the MZ of the Bushveld Complex. In the lowermost part of the MZ, there is involvement of the Upper Critical Zone (UCZ) magma

A bottom-up fabrication method for the production of visible light active photonic crystals

A method which combines polymer particle assembly, chemical infiltration and etching with an aerosol assisted deposition process is described for the fabrication of 3D inverse opal (10) structures with sub-micron periodicity and precision. This procedure not only overcomes limitations associated with slow, expensive micro-fabrication methods but also permits the tuning of refractive index contrast via the direct incorporation of photonically-active, preformed, tailored silicon nanostructures. It is demonstrated that this approach can be used to modify the photonic band gap (PBG) by effectively depositing/patterning optically active silicon nanocrystals (ncSi) onto the pore walls of a 3D inverse opal structure. This simple, yet effective method for preparing functional complex 3D structures has the potential to be used generically to fabricate a variety of functional porous 3D structures that could find application not only in new or improved photonic crystal (PC) devices but also in areas such as catalysis, separation, fuel cells technology, microelectronics and optoelectronics

Smoke signals: The decline of brand identity predicts reduced smoking behaviour following the introduction of plain packaging

This study tests a social identity based mechanism for the effectiveness of plain tobacco packaging legislation, introduced in Australia in December 2012, to reduce cigarette smoking. 178 Australian smokers rated their sense of identification with fellow smokers of their brand, positive brand stereotypes, quitting behaviours and intentions, and smoking intensity, both before and seven months after the policy change. Mediation analyses showed that smokers, especially those who initially identified strongly with their brand, experienced a significant decrease in their brand identity following the introduction of plain packaging and this was associated with lower smoking behaviours and increased intentions to quit. The findings provide the first quantitative evidence that brand identities may help maintain smoking behaviour, and suggest the role of social-psychological processes in the effectiveness of public health policy

Neogene global climate change and East Asian dust sources: Combined rutile geochemistry and zircon U-Pb analysis from the northern Chinese Loess Plateau

Peer reviewe

Constraining the provenance of the Stonehenge ‘Altar Stone’:Evidence from automated mineralogy and U–Pb zircon age dating

The Altar Stone at Stonehenge is a greenish sandstone thought to be of Late Silurian-Devonian (‘Old Red Sandstone’) age. It is classed as one of the bluestone lithologies which are considered to be exotic to the Salisbury Plain environ, most of which are derived from the Mynydd Preseli, in west Wales. However, no Old Red Sandstone rocks crop out in the Preseli; instead a source in the Lower Old Red Sandstone Cosheston Subgroup at Mill Bay to the south of the Preseli, has been proposed. More recently, on the basis of detailed petrography, a source for the Altar Stone much further to the east, towards the Wales-England border, has been suggested. Quantitative analyses presented here compare mineralogical data from proposed Stonehenge Altar Stone debris with samples from Milford Haven at Mill Bay, as well as with a second sandstone type found at Stonehenge which is Lower Palaeozoic in age. The Altar Stone samples have contrasting modal mineralogies to the other two sandstone types, especially in relation to the percentages of its calcite, kaolinite and barite cements. Further differences between the Altar Stone sandstone and the Cosheston Subgroup sandstone are seen when their contained zircons are compared, showing differing morphologies and U-Pb age dates having contrasting populations. These data confirm that Mill Bay is not the source of the Altar Stone with the abundance of kaolinite in the Altar Stone sample suggesting a source further east, towards the Wales-England border. The disassociation of the Altar Stone and Milford Haven undermines the hypothesis that the bluestones, including the Altar Stone, were transported from west Wales by sea up the Bristol Channel and adds further credence to a totally land-based route, possibly along a natural routeway leading from west Wales to the Severn estuary and beyond. This route may well have been significant in prehistory, raising the possibility that the Altar Stone was added en route to the assemblage of Preseli bluestones taken to Stonehenge around or shortly before 3000 BC. Recent strontium isotope analysis of human and animal bones from Stonehenge, dating to the beginning of its first construction stage around 3000 BC, are consistent with the suggestion of connectivity between this western region of Britain and Salisbury Plain.This study appears to be the first application of quantitative automated mineralogy in the provenancing of archaeological lithic material and highlights the potential value of automated mineralogy in archaeological provenancing investigations, especially when combined with complementary techniques, in the present case zircon age dating

The impact of maintaining serum potassium ≥3.6 mEq/L vs ≥4.5 mEq/L on the incidence of new-onset atrial fibrillation in the first 120 hours after isolated elective coronary artery bypass grafting - study protocol for a randomised feasibility trial for the proposed Tight K randomized non-inferiority trial.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) occurs in approximately one in three patients after cardiac surgery, and is associated with increased short-term and long-term mortality, intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital stay, and increased cost of care. In an attempt to reduce AF incidence in these patients, serum potassium (K+) levels are commonly maintained at the high end of normal (4.5-5.5 mEq/L). However, such potassium supplementation is without proven benefit, and is not without negative consequences. It carries clinical risk, negatively impacts patient experience and is both time-consuming and costly. This protocol describes a randomised controlled pilot trial to assess the feasibility of a proposed randomised non-inferiority trial to investigate the impact of maintaining serum potassium ≥ 3.6 mEq/L vs ≥ 4.5 mEq/L on the incidence of new-onset atrial fibrillation in the first 120 hours after isolated elective coronary artery bypass grafting. METHODS: Design: this is a randomized feasibility trial as a pilot for a randomized non-inferiority trial. PARTICIPANTS: are 160 patients undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass grafting at two centres. Allocation: patients will be randomized (1:1) to protocols aiming to maintain serum potassium at either ≥ 3.6 mEq/L ("relaxed control") or ≥ 4.5 mEq/L ("tight control"). Primary analytic aim: was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of planning and delivering the intervention and trial methods to inform a full-scale non-inferiority trial. OUTCOME: the primary indicative efficacy outcome measures being field-tested are feasibility of participant recruitment and randomization, maintaining a protocol violation rate < 10%, and retaining 90% patient follow up 28 days after surgery. The primary clinical outcome measure of the future full "Tight K Study" will be incidence of AF after cardiac surgery. DISCUSSION: The Tight K Pilot will assess the feasibility of conducting the full trial, which is intended to confirm or refute the efficacy of current potassium management in preventing AF after cardiac surgery. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03195647 . Registered on 23 May 2017. Last updated 19June 2017