The Sedimentary Cycle on Early Mars

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott M. McLennan ◽  
John P. Grotzinger ◽  
Joel A. Hurowitz ◽  
Nicholas J. Tosca

Two decades of intensive research have demonstrated that early Mars ([Formula: see text]2 Gyr) had an active sedimentary cycle, including well-preserved stratigraphic records, understandable within a source-to-sink framework with remarkable fidelity. This early cycle exhibits first-order similarities to (e.g., facies relationships, groundwater diagenesis, recycling) and first-order differences from (e.g., greater aeolian versus subaqueous processes, basaltic versus granitic provenance, absence of plate tectonics) Earth's record. Mars’ sedimentary record preserves evidence for progressive desiccation and oxidation of the surface over time, but simple models for the nature and evolution of paleoenvironments (e.g., acid Mars, early warm and wet versus late cold and dry) have given way to the view that, similar to Earth, different climate regimes on Mars coexisted on regional scales and evolved on variable timescales, and redox chemistry played a pivotal role. A major accomplishment of Mars exploration has been to demonstrate that surface and subsurface sedimentary environments were both habitable and capable of preserving any biological record. ▪ Mars has an ancient sedimentary rock record with many similarities to but also many differences from Earth's sedimentary rock record. ▪ Mars’ ancient sedimentary cycle shows a general evolution toward more desiccated and oxidized surficial conditions. ▪ Climatic regimes of early Mars were relatively clement but with regional variations leading to different sedimentary mineral assemblages. ▪ Surface and subsurface sedimentary environments on early Mars were habitable and capable of preserving any biological record that may have existed.

Perception ◽  
10.1068/p3433 ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 525-544 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reinoud J Bootsma ◽  
Cathy M Craig

In four experiments we examined the nature of the information used in judging whether events would or would not give rise to a collision in the near future. Observers were tested in situations depicting approaches between two objects (lateral approaches) and approaches between an object and the point of observation (head-on approaches), with objects moving according to constant deceleration or sinusoidal deceleration patterns. Judgments were found to be based, to a large extent, on the (in)sufficiency of current deceleration to avoid upcoming collision, as specified optically by tau-dot (τ̇). However, the information specified by tau (τ), that is the current (first-order) time remaining until contact, was also found to play a significant role. We deduce that judgment of upcoming collision is based on the detection of τ and its evolution over time, suggesting that observers are sensitive to Δτ rather than to τ̇ itself.


2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 265-296
Author(s):  
Richard D. Evans ◽  
◽  
Glenn R. Mueller ◽  

Metro market real estate cycles for office, industrial, retail, apartment, and hotel properties may be specified as first order Markov chains, which allow analysts to use a well-developed application, ¡§staying time¡¨. Anticipations for time spent at each cycle point are consistent with the perception of analysts that these cycle changes speed up, slow down, and pause over time. We find that these five different property types in U.S. markets appear to have different first order Markov chain specifications, with different staying time characteristics. Each of the five property types have their longest mean staying time at the troughs of recessions. Moreover, industrial and office markets have much longer mean staying times in very poor trough conditions. Most of the shortest mean staying times are in hyper supply and recession phases, with the range across property types being narrow in these cycle points. Analysts and investors should be able to use this research to better estimate future occupancy and rent estimates in their discounted cash flow (DCF) models.


2011 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 316-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamilton César de O Charlo ◽  
Sueyde F de Oliveira ◽  
Renata Castoldi ◽  
Pablo F Vargas ◽  
Leila T Braz ◽  
...  

Knowledge about the growth of crops allows the planning of rational cultivation methods which contribute to achieve greater potential of plant species, besides supplying information for the construction of descriptive mathematical models of growth. The growth curve of sweet pepper (Eppo hybrid), cultivated in coconut fiber in a greenhouse with fertirrigation, was determined. The experiment consisted initially of 160 plants divided into four blocks. Two plants were analyzed per block every 21 days after transplanting, ending at 189 days after transplant. The cultivation was carried out in plastics pots of 13 L containing coconut fiber, which were arranged in double rows, spaced 0.5 x 0.8 m between simple rows and 1.1 m between double rows. In each harvest the plant growth, production and quality of mature fruits were evaluated. The dry mass of the shoot increased with time, following the experimental model exponential of first order, reaching a maximum of 451.5 g/plant, 189 days after transplanting (DAT). The production of dry mass of leaves, stem, root and fruit also increased over time reaching maximum values of 68.7, 65.8, 11.5 and 302.9 g/plant, respectively, at 189 DAT. The same occurred with the leaf area per plant, plant height and the absolute rate of growth, whose maximum values were 6.183,5 cm², 136.9 cm and 4.4 g/plant/day, respectively. The growth of the plant was continuous throughout the cycle, and the highest amount of dry mass was accumulated in fruits, reaching a marketable production of 97.3 t ha-1. All fruits were classified as Extra.


1998 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-61
Author(s):  
Henrich Cheng ◽  
Matt Fraidakis ◽  
Birger Blombäck ◽  
Paul Lapchak ◽  
Barry Hoffer ◽  
...  

One novel method to deliver trophic factor locally in the CNS is to mix it into fibrin glue. In the present studies, [125I]-labeled GDNF-containing fibrin glue balls were used to determine binding and spread of the trophic factor. First, the binding of different concentrations of [125I]-labelèd GDNF in fibrin glue was determined in vitro. Within the six concentrations used (from 200 nM to 0.004 nM, 0 M as control), there was a strong linear correlation between the [125I]-GDNF concentration and the recovered radioactivity (r = 0.992). The mean bound radioactivity in 16 samples with 4 nM [125I]-GDNF was 71262 + 2710 CPM, and accounted for 89.8% of the mean initial count of free [125I]-GDNF (79369 + 3499 CPM). Second, [125I]-GDNF-containing glue balls were implanted into the anterior chamber of adult rats. The implanted fibrin glue balls decreased in size with time, but could still be identified on the irises 2 wk after implantation. Radioactivity was concentrated at the implantation sites in the early stages with a distribution in the surrounding iris tissue, which became separated into focal radioactive spots at the third week. Counts of radioactivity were significantly higher in the [125I]-GDNF glue ball-implanted irises than controls until 14 days after implantation. A study of the [125I] decay over time using least-squares linear regression demonstrated first-order kinetics (r = —0.98, p < 0.02) with k = 0.0091 and T 1/2 = 76 h. Finally, [125I]-GDNF–containing glue balls were implanted in the spinal cord of adult rats. Radioactivity was concentrated at the implantation sites in the early stages and was later distributed more widely in the surrounding thoracic cord. The [125I]-GDNF–containing glue degraded over time and became a porous meshwork with decreasing radioactivity at the later time points. Radioactivity in the spinal cords subjected to implantation of [125I]-GDNF–containing glue balls was higher than in controls for 14 days. Study of the [125I] decay by time with least-squares linear regression demonstrated first-order kinetics (r = -0.97, p = 0.001) with T 1/2 = 75.6 h. We conclude that the trophic factor GDNF becomes bound in the fibrin glue matrix from which it is gradually released. Our results suggest that fibrin glue is an effective substrate for keeping a trophic factor localized in situ for a finite period, protected from the circulation, surrounding aqueous humor or CSF.


2019 ◽  
Vol 60 (7) ◽  
pp. 1299-1348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire E Bucholz ◽  
Christopher J Spencer

Abstract Strongly peraluminous granites (SPGs) form through the partial melting of metasedimentary rocks and therefore represent archives of the influence of assimilation of sedimentary rocks on the petrology and chemistry of igneous rocks. With the aim of understanding how variations in sedimentary rock characteristics across the Archean–Proterozoic transition might have influenced the igneous rock record, we compiled and compared whole-rock chemistry, mineral chemistry, and isotope data from Archean and Paleo- to Mesoproterozoic SPGs. This time period was chosen as the Archean–Proterozoic transition broadly coincides with the stabilization of continents, the rise of subaerial weathering, and the Great Oxidation Event (GOE), all of which left an imprint on the sedimentary rock record. Our compilation of SPGs is founded on a detailed literature review of the regional geology, geochronology, and inferred origins of the SPGs, which suggest derivation from metasedimentary source material. Although Archean and Proterozoic SPGs are similar in terms of mineralogy or major-element composition owing to their compositions as near-minimum melts in the peraluminous haplogranite system, we discuss several features of their mineral and whole-rock chemistry. First, we review a previous analysis of Archean and Proterozoic SPGs biotite and whole-rock compositions indicating that Archean SPGs, on average, are more reduced than Proterozoic SPGs. This observation suggests that Proterozoic SPGs were derived from metasedimentary sources that on average had more oxidized bulk redox states relative to their Archean counterparts, which could reflect an increase in atmospheric O2 levels and more oxidized sedimentary source rocks after the GOE. Second, based on an analysis of Al2O3/TiO2 whole-rock ratios and zircon saturation temperatures, we conclude that Archean and Proterozoic SPGs formed through partial melting of metasedimentary rocks over a similar range of melting temperatures, with both ‘high-’ and ‘low-’temperature SPGs being observed across all ages. This observation suggests that the thermo-tectonic processes resulting in the heating and melting of metasedimentary rocks (e.g. crustal thickening or underplating of mafic magmas) occurred during generation of both the Archean and Proterozoic SPGs. Third, bulk-rock CaO/Na2O, Rb/Sr, and Rb/Ba ratios indicate that Archean and Proterozoic SPGs were derived from partial melting of both clay-rich (i.e. pelites) and clay-poor (i.e. greywackes) source regions that are locality specific, but not defined by age. This observation, although based on a relatively limited dataset, indicates that the source regions of Archean and Proterozoic SPGs were similar in terms of sediment maturity (i.e. clay component). Last, existing oxygen isotope data for quartz, zircon, and whole-rocks from Proterozoic SPGs show higher values than those of Archean SPGs, suggesting that bulk sedimentary 18O/16O ratios increased across the Archean–Proterozoic boundary. The existing geochemical datasets for Archean and Proterozoic SPGs, however, are limited in size and further work on these rocks is required. Future work must include detailed field studies, petrology, geochronology, and constraints on sedimentary source ages to fully interpret the chemistry of this uniquely useful suite of granites.


2018 ◽  
Vol 373 ◽  
pp. 111-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Björn Nyberg ◽  
William Helland-Hansen ◽  
Rob L. Gawthorpe ◽  
Pål Sandbakken ◽  
Christian Haug Eide ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  

1994 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 320
Author(s):  
D. J. Whitford ◽  
P.J. Hamilton ◽  
J. Scott

An understanding of the tinting of basin evolution is fundamental to the development of successful play concepts. The Sm-Nd geochronometer can be used to determine quantitatively the `average' age at which segments of continental crust have been extracted from the earth's mantle. Variations in Nd model ages within sedimentary rock sequences indicate changes in sedimentary provenance over time and provide a potential correlation tool.In the Eromanga Basin, there is a distinct lithological contrast between the main reservoir unit, the Jurassic Hutton Sandstone, and the overlying Birkhead Formation. The quartz-rich Hutton Sandstone is characterised by relatively old Nd model ages, generally within the range 1.3–1.5 Ga. In contrast the lithic-rich Birkhead Formation has much younger model ages, generally Neodymium model ages measured in mudstones within the Flag Sandstone from the Harriet Field in the Barrow Sub-basin of the North West Shelf, range from 2.1–2.5 Ga. The old ages are consistent with the sediments being derived from the Archaean shield areas and the younger Proterozoic complexes of Western Australia. Tentative correlations based on model ages between mudstone units from two wells are consistent with correlations based on heavy mineral suites.Neodymium model ages have application to correlation at both regional and local scales within basins. Reliable information can be obtained on both sandstones and mudstones on samples as small 50 g. Potentially they can provide important quantitative information complementary to that derived from more conventional approaches.


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