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University of South Florida

2013

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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Elementary Differential Equations, William F. Trench Dec 2013

Elementary Differential Equations, William F. Trench

Textbooks Collection

Elementary Differential Equations with Boundary Value Problems is written for students in science, engineering, and mathematics who have completed calculus through partial differentiation. If your syllabus includes Chapter 10 (Linear Systems of Differential Equations), your students should have some preparation in linear algebra.

In writing this book I have been guided by the these principles:

An elementary text should be written so the student can read it with comprehension without too much pain. I have tried to put myself in the student’s place, and have chosen to err on the side of too much detail rather than not enough.

An …


Student Solutions Manual For Elementary Differential Equations And Elementary Differential Equations With Boundary Value Problems, William F. Trench Dec 2013

Student Solutions Manual For Elementary Differential Equations And Elementary Differential Equations With Boundary Value Problems, William F. Trench

Textbooks Collection

No abstract provided.


Introduction To Real Analysis, William F. Trench Dec 2013

Introduction To Real Analysis, William F. Trench

Textbooks Collection

This is a text for a two-term course in introductory real analysis for junior or senior math- ematics majors and science students with a serious interest in mathematics. Prospective educators or mathematically gifted high school students can also benefit from the mathe- matical maturity that can be gained from an introductory real analysis course.

The book is designed to fill the gaps left in the development of calculus as it is usually presented in an elementary course, and to provide the background required for insight into more advanced courses in pure and applied mathematics. The standard elementary calcu- lus sequence …


Elementary Differential Equations With Boundary Value Problems, William F. Trench Dec 2013

Elementary Differential Equations With Boundary Value Problems, William F. Trench

Textbooks Collection

Elementary Differential Equations with Boundary Value Problems is written for students in science, engineering, and mathematics who have completed calculus through partial differentiation. If your syllabus includes Chapter 10 (Linear Systems of Differential Equations), your students should have some prepa- ration in linear algebra.

In writing this book I have been guided by the these principles:

An elementary text should be written so the student can read it with comprehension without too much pain. I have tried to put myself in the student’s place, and have chosen to err on the side of too much detail rather than not enough. …


Photographic And Sediment Monitoring Procedures And Initial Results For A Brazilian Iron Ore Cave, Vitor Moura, Augusto Auler, Marina Leão, Luciana Alt Nov 2013

Photographic And Sediment Monitoring Procedures And Initial Results For A Brazilian Iron Ore Cave, Vitor Moura, Augusto Auler, Marina Leão, Luciana Alt

National Cave and Karst Management Symposium 2013

The definition, development and application of monitoring procedures for caves are currently in demand in Brazil. The need for environmental licensing processes and effective environmental control actions has been increasing since the beginning of this century due to the intensification of economic activities.

This work discusses the development of a method of photographic and sediment monitoring and the application of this method in an iron ore cave. This cave is located inside an industrial area currently under development by a mining company. This situation demands effective and specific environmental control measures.

The method’s simplicity, effectiveness and multidisciplinary approach indicate that …


Icaverns: Interpretation, There's An App For That!, Sandra Dianne Joop Nov 2013

Icaverns: Interpretation, There's An App For That!, Sandra Dianne Joop

National Cave and Karst Management Symposium 2013

A quarter of a century ago, cave and karst resources were declared irreplaceable with the passing of the Federal Cave Resources Protection Act. Yet, today, few understand the importance or fragility of these resources. Human interactions in karst areas make these resources highly susceptible to damage. Nonpersonal interpretation digital media products could serve as an important tool to bridge this informational gap.

Worldwide, there are hundreds of parks or parklike attractions focusing on cave, spring, or sinkhole resources. Their visitors have a built-in curiosity about these places. Engaging this audience in interpretive programming could greatly increase their speleological knowledge. Paradoxically, …


Understanding And Managing Karst Water Resources In Belize: Case Studies Of Both Past And Present In A Changing Climate, Jason S. Polk, Leslie A. North, Ben Miller, Jonathan Oglesby, Kegan Mcclanahan, Lowell Neeper, Aaron Holland, Bernie Strenecky Nov 2013

Understanding And Managing Karst Water Resources In Belize: Case Studies Of Both Past And Present In A Changing Climate, Jason S. Polk, Leslie A. North, Ben Miller, Jonathan Oglesby, Kegan Mcclanahan, Lowell Neeper, Aaron Holland, Bernie Strenecky

National Cave and Karst Management Symposium 2013

Belize is a developing country that faces water resource issues in the forms of both quality and quantity, stemming from a long history of environmental stress and population threats, from the ancient Maya to present. Belize’s karst landscape, which comprises a large part of the country from the coast to the Maya Mountains, is characterized by springs, caves, sinkholes, and aquifers systems formed from the dissolution of carbonate (limestone, dolomite) rock. This research presents several different case studies, spanning from the ancient Maya and issues with drought to modern communities that rely on groundwater resources quickly being depleted. Past drought …


The Fort Stanton Cave Study Project: A Model For Agency – Caver Partnership In Cave Management, Steve S. Peerman, Michael J. Bilbo Nov 2013

The Fort Stanton Cave Study Project: A Model For Agency – Caver Partnership In Cave Management, Steve S. Peerman, Michael J. Bilbo

National Cave and Karst Management Symposium 2013

The Fort Stanton Cave Study Project and the Roswell Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management have been working together to manage Fort Stanton Cave for over 40 years. This successful partnership is a shining example of resource managers and resource users collaborating to the mutual benefit of both. There are several specific aspects to this partnership which could be regarded as a model for other user groups and agencies who need or want to enter into a cooperative relationship.


Hydrogeologic Controls On The Occurrence And Movement Of Groundwater Discharged At Magic Springs In The Spring Branch Creek Drainage Basin: Spring Branch, Texas, Mark T. Childre Nov 2013

Hydrogeologic Controls On The Occurrence And Movement Of Groundwater Discharged At Magic Springs In The Spring Branch Creek Drainage Basin: Spring Branch, Texas, Mark T. Childre

National Cave and Karst Management Symposium 2013

The hydrogeologic controls, flow velocities, flow direction, groundwater delineation, and physical characteristics in a joint controlled dendritic conduit-spring system have been characterized. The known conduit branches from Magic Springs past C My Shovel (CM) Cave with 4475 meters (m) of measurable passages and tributaries. Surface entrance to CM Cave is located 1360 m upstream from discharge at Magic Springs.

Four storm events were measured characterizing the dynamics. The rise time and half flow period time (t0.5) occur in less than one day. The conduit volume exceeds one half million m3. The conduit-spring system drains within 3.7 …


Solution Mining And The Protection Of Karst Groundwater Supplies In Burton Flats, Southeast New Mexico, Usa, James R. Goodbar Nov 2013

Solution Mining And The Protection Of Karst Groundwater Supplies In Burton Flats, Southeast New Mexico, Usa, James R. Goodbar

National Cave and Karst Management Symposium 2013

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency of the United States of America Department of Interior and responsible for stewardship of public lands. It is committed to manage, protect and improve these lands in a manner to serve the needs of the American people. Management is based upon the principles of multiple use and sustained yield of our nation’s resources within a framework of environmental responsibility and scientific technology. These resources include recreation, rangelands, timber, minerals, watershed, fish and wildlife habitat, wilderness, air and scenic quality, as well as scientific and cultural values.

The BLM received a potash …


Postglacial Faunal Records From Cave Deposits In Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada, Christopher N. Jass, Greg Horne, Dave Critchley Nov 2013

Postglacial Faunal Records From Cave Deposits In Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada, Christopher N. Jass, Greg Horne, Dave Critchley

National Cave and Karst Management Symposium 2013

In 2009, we initiated an on-going, long term research project that focuses on exploration of fossil-bearing cave deposits in Jasper National Park. Specifically, we were interested in understanding patterns of mammalian re-colonization of mountainous regions following late Pleistocene deglaciation. Our work has focused on the identification of fossil-bearing cave deposits, excavation and sampling of those deposits, and radiocarbon dating of recovered remains. Examined sites have at least an age of 9600 years BP. Research at four cave sites, located in relatively close proximity to one another, is contributing to an improved understanding of the late Quaternary record of Jasper National …


Understanding A Globally Unique Nexus Of Acid Mine Drainage, Karst And World Heritage Site, Philip J. Hobbs, P.J. (Peter) Mills Nov 2013

Understanding A Globally Unique Nexus Of Acid Mine Drainage, Karst And World Heritage Site, Philip J. Hobbs, P.J. (Peter) Mills

National Cave and Karst Management Symposium 2013

The Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site (COH WHS), South Africa, is the only UNESCO-protected karst landscape in the world that is under threat from acid mine drainage (AMD). This has generated wide and considerable concern for the preservation of the fossil sites and karst ecosystems of the WHS. A recent assessment of the water resources environment and continued water resources monitoring has better informed this situation, providing support for management efforts to protect the aquatic environment and outstanding universal value of the site. Allogenic recharge of AMD (salinity >300 mS/m, pH 7, PO4-P ~4 mg/l, E. coli ~240 000 …


Paleohydrology And The Origin Of Jewel Cave, Mike Wiles Nov 2013

Paleohydrology And The Origin Of Jewel Cave, Mike Wiles

National Cave and Karst Management Symposium 2013

With more than 267 m (166 miles) of mapped cave passages, Jewel Cave is the third longest cave in the world. The passages are beneath an area of 775 ha (3 mi2), located almost entirely within the Hell Canyon drainage basin. The canyon itself is situated in the bottom of a south-plunging syncline and most of the cave passages are located within the east limb. A down-dip cross section shows the cave passages assuming the shape of an elongate lens, located just below the Pahasapa/Minnelusa contact. The lower boundary is a maximum of 75 m (250 feet) below …


Caver Quest 3d Virtual Cave Simulation Of Snowy River In Fort Stanton Cave, Ronald J. Lipinski, Pete Lindsley Nov 2013

Caver Quest 3d Virtual Cave Simulation Of Snowy River In Fort Stanton Cave, Ronald J. Lipinski, Pete Lindsley

National Cave and Karst Management Symposium 2013

Virtual worlds, or 3D simulations through which an avatar can travel, is becoming a common means to display products or provide training in new environments. This paper describes the steps in producing the 3D virtual simulation of Snowy River in Fort Stanton Cave, New Mexico. A traditional cave survey and map with cross sections was used to produce a 3D meshed surface of the cave walls using the Blender software package. Photographs were taken of the walls, ceiling, and floor and merged together. The merged montage was applied to the 3D mesh walls as a “texture”. Unity3D was used to …


The Western Kentucky University Crumps Cave Research And Education Preserve, Chris Groves, Jason Polk, Ben Miller, Pat Kambesis, Carl Bolster, Sean Vanderhoff, Beth Tyrie, Micah Ruth, Gilman Ouellette, Laura Osterhoudt, Dan Nedvidek, Kegan Mcclanahan, Nocholas Lawhon, Veronica Hall Nov 2013

The Western Kentucky University Crumps Cave Research And Education Preserve, Chris Groves, Jason Polk, Ben Miller, Pat Kambesis, Carl Bolster, Sean Vanderhoff, Beth Tyrie, Micah Ruth, Gilman Ouellette, Laura Osterhoudt, Dan Nedvidek, Kegan Mcclanahan, Nocholas Lawhon, Veronica Hall

National Cave and Karst Management Symposium 2013

Crumps Cave is located about one kilometer northeast of Smiths Grove, Kentucky (Figures 1, 2, and 3). The only known entrance was purchased by Western Kentucky University (WKU) in 2009 through a grant from the Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Fund and the cave is managed as the focal point of a research and education preserve to study a wide range of environmental conditions and dynamics, and their interactions, using high-resolution electronic monitoring along with geochemical sampling, analysis and modeling. Crews from WKU’s Hoffman Environmental Research Institute visit the cave weekly for sampling, data downloading, and equipment maintenance, with a major …


The Nps Cave Visitor Impact Vital Signs Monitoring Protocol, Rodney Horrocks Nov 2013

The Nps Cave Visitor Impact Vital Signs Monitoring Protocol, Rodney Horrocks

National Cave and Karst Management Symposium 2013

The national Cave Visitor Impact Vital Signs Monitoring Protocol is an attempt to standardize visitor impact monitoring in all National Park Service managed caves. With standardized monitoring in place, it will be feasible for the first time to compare monitoring data from caves across the country. This cave monitoring protocol was initiated at the NPS Cave Vital Signs Workshop held in Lakewood, Colorado in 2008. That workshop identified the vital signs that were common to all caves, including cave visitor impact. A committee convened at that workshop decided that the cave visitor impact monitoring protocol would address four parameters of …


City Of Tampa Urban Forest Management Plan, Robert J. Northrop, Kathy Beck, Rob Irving, Shawn M. Landry, Michael G. Andreu Nov 2013

City Of Tampa Urban Forest Management Plan, Robert J. Northrop, Kathy Beck, Rob Irving, Shawn M. Landry, Michael G. Andreu

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.


The 5 September 2012 Nicoya, Costa Rica Mw 7.6 Earthquake Rupture Process From Joint Inversion Of High‐Rate Gps, Strong‐Motion, And Teleseismic P Wave Data And Its Relationship To Adjacent Plate Boundary Interface Properties, Han Yue, Thorne Lay, Susan Y. Schwartz, Luis Rivera, Marino Protti, Timothy H. Dixon, Susan Owen, Andrew V. Newman Oct 2013

The 5 September 2012 Nicoya, Costa Rica Mw 7.6 Earthquake Rupture Process From Joint Inversion Of High‐Rate Gps, Strong‐Motion, And Teleseismic P Wave Data And Its Relationship To Adjacent Plate Boundary Interface Properties, Han Yue, Thorne Lay, Susan Y. Schwartz, Luis Rivera, Marino Protti, Timothy H. Dixon, Susan Owen, Andrew V. Newman

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

On 5 September 2012, a large thrust earthquake (Mw 7.6) ruptured a densely instrumented seismic gap on the shallow‐dipping plate boundary beneath the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica. Ground motion recordings directly above the rupture zone provide a unique opportunity to study the detailed source process of a large shallow megathrust earthquake using very nearby land observations. Hypocenter relocation using local seismic network data indicates that the event initiated with small emergent seismic waves from a hypocenter ~10 km offshore, 13 km deep on the megathrust. A joint finite‐fault inversion using high‐rate GPS, strong‐motion ground velocity recordings, GPS static offsets, …


A Preliminary Assessment Of Speleothem Sampling Methods For Paleoclimate Research, Sarah Truebe Sep 2013

A Preliminary Assessment Of Speleothem Sampling Methods For Paleoclimate Research, Sarah Truebe

National Cave and Karst Management Symposium 2013

Speleothems are incomparable archives of paleoclimate information. Most methods to extract past climate information from speleothems are necessarily destructive; sampling must occur along the growth axis. Development of sustainable methods for sampling these nonrenewable resources, whereby the needs of science and cave conservation are balanced, ought to be a priority of the paleoclimate community. Ergo, I am studying currently practiced methods in the field of speleothem paleoclimatology. Part 1 of this two-part study entails surveying active speleothem paleoclimatology labs nationally and internationally. The results of this portion of the survey will be converted to an anonymous list of current methods …


Unusual Polygenetic Void And Cave Development In Dolomitized Miocene Chalks On Barbados, West Indies, Jonathan B. Sumrall, John E. Mylroie, Hans G. Machel Sep 2013

Unusual Polygenetic Void And Cave Development In Dolomitized Miocene Chalks On Barbados, West Indies, Jonathan B. Sumrall, John E. Mylroie, Hans G. Machel

International Journal of Speleology

Barbados provides an unusual case of polygenetic cave development within dolomitized chalks and marls of the Miocene Oceanics Group. These diagenetic processes are driven by a succession and interplay of tectonic uplift, fracturing, hypogene fluid injection, overprinting by mixing zone diagenesis, and mechanical and biological erosion in the current littoral zone. The significance of the voids and caves within the chalks on Barbados are: 1) these appear to be the first dissolution caves documented in dolomitized chalk, and 2) these features show a polygenetic origin documenting the diagenetic changes in lithology that allowed the development and preservation of these cave …


Hypogenic Origin Of Provalata Cave, Republic Of Macedonia: A Distinct Case Of Successive Thermal Carbonic And Sulfuric Acid Speleogenesis, Marjan Temovski, Philippe Audra, Andrej Mihevc, Jorge E. Spangenberg, Victor Polyak, William Mcintosh, Jean-Yves Bigot Sep 2013

Hypogenic Origin Of Provalata Cave, Republic Of Macedonia: A Distinct Case Of Successive Thermal Carbonic And Sulfuric Acid Speleogenesis, Marjan Temovski, Philippe Audra, Andrej Mihevc, Jorge E. Spangenberg, Victor Polyak, William Mcintosh, Jean-Yves Bigot

International Journal of Speleology

Provalata Cave (Republic of Macedonia) is a small but remarkable hypogenic cave, developed in Cambrian marbles by successive thermal carbonic and sulfuric acid speleogenesis. The cave has a thick partly corroded calcite crust, abundant gypsum deposits, with cupolas, ceiling and wall channels, feeders and replacement pockets as some of the most characteristic morphological features. Distribution of morphology and deposits suggest a hypogenic origin in two distinct speleogenetic phases: the first by thermal CO2 rich waters, the second by sulfuric acid dissolution, which were separated by complete infilling of cave passages with pyroclastic-derived clays. In the first phase of speleogenesis, …


Insights Into Distributed Plate Rates Across The Walker Lane From Gps Geodesy, Zachery M. Lifton, Andrew V. Newman, Kurt L. Frankel, Christopher W. Johnson, Timothy H. Dixon Sep 2013

Insights Into Distributed Plate Rates Across The Walker Lane From Gps Geodesy, Zachery M. Lifton, Andrew V. Newman, Kurt L. Frankel, Christopher W. Johnson, Timothy H. Dixon

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

Contemporary geodetic slip rates are observed to be approximately two times greater than late Pleistocene geologic slip rates across the southern Walker Lane. Using a dense GPS network, we compare the present‐day crustal velocities to observed geologic slip rates in the region. We find that the Walker Lane is characterized by a smooth transition from westward extension in the Basin and Range to northwestward motion of the Sierra Nevada block. The GPS velocity field indicates that (1) plate parallel (N37°W) velocities define a velocity differential of 10.6 ± 0.5 mm/yr between the western Basin and Range and the Sierra Nevada …


Concentration And Stable Carbon Isotopic Composition Of Co2 In Cave Air Of Postojnska Jama, Slovenia, Magda Mandić, Andrej Mihevc, Albrecht Leis, Ines Krajcar Bronić Sep 2013

Concentration And Stable Carbon Isotopic Composition Of Co2 In Cave Air Of Postojnska Jama, Slovenia, Magda Mandić, Andrej Mihevc, Albrecht Leis, Ines Krajcar Bronić

International Journal of Speleology

Partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) and its isotopic composition (δ13CairCO2) were measured in Postojnska jama, Slovenia, at 10 locations inside the cave and outside the cave during a one-year period. At all interior locations the pCO2 was higher and δ13CairCO2 lower than in the outside atmosphere. Strong seasonal fluctuations in both parameters were observed at locations deeper in the cave, which are isolated from the cave air circulation. By using a binary mixing model of two sources of CO2, one of them being the atmospheric CO2 …


City Of Tampa 2011 Urban Forest Analysis: The Structure, Composition, Function And Economic Benefits Of Trees And The Urban Forest, Shawn M. Landry, Robert J. Northrop, Madison Andreu, Carolyn Cheatham Rhodes Sep 2013

City Of Tampa 2011 Urban Forest Analysis: The Structure, Composition, Function And Economic Benefits Of Trees And The Urban Forest, Shawn M. Landry, Robert J. Northrop, Madison Andreu, Carolyn Cheatham Rhodes

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.


Source Assessment Of Deposited Particles In A Slovenian Show Cave (Postojnska Jama): Evidence Of Long-Lasting Anthropogenic Impact, Gregor Muri, Aleksandra Jovičić, Andrej Mihevc Aug 2013

Source Assessment Of Deposited Particles In A Slovenian Show Cave (Postojnska Jama): Evidence Of Long-Lasting Anthropogenic Impact, Gregor Muri, Aleksandra Jovičić, Andrej Mihevc

International Journal of Speleology

Postojnska jama (Postojna Cave) is one of the most famous karst caves in the world and has been a well-known tourist attraction for nearly 200 years. It is particularly famous for its unique double-track railway. Eight heavy metals – aluminium (Al), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), strontium (Sr), and zinc (Zn) – were determined in dust deposits by ICP-MS in order to assess sources of deposited particles on the cave walls. The samples were collected along the main passage in the cave, at different horizontal and vertical levels, in order to test horizontal homogeneity and …


Initial Morphologic Evolution Of Perdido Key Berm Nourishment, Florida, Ping Wang, Katherine E. Brutsche, Tanya M. Beck, Julie D. Rosati, Linda S. Lillycrop Aug 2013

Initial Morphologic Evolution Of Perdido Key Berm Nourishment, Florida, Ping Wang, Katherine E. Brutsche, Tanya M. Beck, Julie D. Rosati, Linda S. Lillycrop

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

This Coastal and Hydraulics Engineering Technical Note (CHETN) documents the initial morphologic evolution of the Perdido Key, FL, swash-zone berm based on beach-nearshore profile, sediment samples, and nearshore wave data collected during the first six months after berm construction. The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Mobile District, dredged the navigation channel at Pensacola Pass, FL, from November 2011 to January 2012 and placed the 520,000 cubic yards (yd3) of dredged sand as a swash-zone berm nearshore of Perdido Key, FL. Beach quality sands are a valuable resource within the coastal zone in maintaining regional sediment balance. Compared to a …


Performance Monitoring Of A Nearshore Berm At Ft. Myers Beach, Florida: Final Report, Ping Wang, Katherine E. Brutsche, James W. Lagrone, Tanya M. Beck, Julie D. Rosati, Linda S. Lillycrop Aug 2013

Performance Monitoring Of A Nearshore Berm At Ft. Myers Beach, Florida: Final Report, Ping Wang, Katherine E. Brutsche, James W. Lagrone, Tanya M. Beck, Julie D. Rosati, Linda S. Lillycrop

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

This report documents the placement and monitoring of an active nearshore berm at Ft. Myers Beach, Florida. From May to July 2009, mixed sand and finer sediment dredged from a nearby inlet were placed in the active littoral zone in the form of a bar-shaped nearshore berm. Six sets of beach-nearshore profile surveys and two periods of sediment sampling along profiles were collected. The Ft. Myers Beach nearshore berm migrated onshore roughly 300 ft during the first 2 years. The elevation of the berm crest increased up to 2 ft. Nearly half of the onshore migration occurred during the first …


Incision History Of Glenwood Canyon, Colorado, Usa, From The Uranium-Series Analyses Of Water-Table Speleothems, Victor J. Polyak, Harvey R. Duchene, Donald G. Davis, Arthur N. Palmer, Margaret V. Palmer, Yemane Asmerom Jul 2013

Incision History Of Glenwood Canyon, Colorado, Usa, From The Uranium-Series Analyses Of Water-Table Speleothems, Victor J. Polyak, Harvey R. Duchene, Donald G. Davis, Arthur N. Palmer, Margaret V. Palmer, Yemane Asmerom

International Journal of Speleology

Uranium-series analyses of water-table-type speleothems from Glenwood Cavern and “cavelets” near the town of Glenwood Springs, Colorado, USA, yield incision rates of the Colorado River in Glenwood Canyon for the last ~1.4 My. The incision rates, calculated from dating cave mammillary and cave folia calcite situated 65 and 90 m above the Colorado River, are 174 ± 30 m/My for the last 0.46 My and 144 ± 30 m/My for the last 0.62 My, respectively. These are consistent with incision rates determined from nearby volcanic deposits. In contrast, δ234U model ages (1.39 ± 0.25 My; 1.36 ± 0.25 …


Distinct Iron Isotopic Signatures And Supply From Marine Sediment Dissolution, William B. Homoky, Seth G. John, Tim M. Conway, Rachel A. Mills Jul 2013

Distinct Iron Isotopic Signatures And Supply From Marine Sediment Dissolution, William B. Homoky, Seth G. John, Tim M. Conway, Rachel A. Mills

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

Oceanic iron inputs must be traced and quantified to learn how they affect primary productivity and climate. Chemical reduction of iron in continental margin sediments provides a substantial dissolved flux to the oceans, which is isotopically lighter than the crust, and so may be distinguished in seawater from other sources, such as wind-blown dust. However, heavy iron isotopes measured in seawater have recently led to the proposition of another source of dissolved iron from ‘non-reductive’ dissolution of continental margins. Here we present the first pore water iron isotope data from a passive-tectonic and semi-arid ocean margin (South Africa), which reveals …


Evidence For Reactive Reduced Phosphorus Species In The Early Archean Ocean, Matthew A. Pasek, Jelte P. Hammeijer, Roger Buick, Maheen Gull, Zachary D. Atlas Jun 2013

Evidence For Reactive Reduced Phosphorus Species In The Early Archean Ocean, Matthew A. Pasek, Jelte P. Hammeijer, Roger Buick, Maheen Gull, Zachary D. Atlas

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

It has been hypothesized that before the emergence of modern DNA–RNA–protein life, biology evolved from an “RNA world.” However, synthesizing RNA and other organophosphates under plausible early Earth conditions has proved difficult, with the incorporation of phosphorus (P) causing a particular problem because phosphate, where most environmental P resides, is relatively insoluble and unreactive. Recently, it has been proposed that during the Hadean–Archean heavy bombardment by extraterrestrial impactors, meteorites would have provided reactive P in the form of the iron–nickel phosphide mineral schreibersite. This reacts in water, releasing soluble and reactive reduced P species, such as phosphite, that could then …