Last interglacial environment of the Baikal Region (Southern Siberia, Russia) based on analysis of fossil invertebrates and plants

New data on fossil insects, soil and freshwater invertebrates, plant macrofossils, pollen and spores were obtained from a problematic lower unit of the reference section Bely Yar-II (Tunka Rift, Baikal Region, Russia). The invertebrates show a natural succession from a small lake to a wetland; plant macrofossils confirm the early stages of succession. Pollen and spore data reflect a wide range of environments and vegetation from moderate climate supporting regional forests to relatively cold, dry parkland. New Uranium-Thorium data (99 ± 20 ka and 101 ± 13 ka), along with environmental reconstructions, indicate that the lower unit was probably formed during one of the cold sub-stages towards the end the last inter-glaciation (MIS5).

Techno-commercial study of a solar hybrid renewable energy generator with an initial sizing strategy

Solar energy based hybrid renewable energy generators are techno-economically designed for various standalone uses like, far distance area electrification, commercial building electrification, polygeneration, industrial application, etc. This paper attempts to address the problem of high cost of energy of such generators, which needs to be optimized. The research gap is that there is hardly any work on techno-economic optimization of such generators using an initial sizing technique, thereby resulting in a design with higher cost of energy. In this work, a hybrid renewable energy generator comprising of solar PV-biogas-battery storage is techno-economically optimized with the aim of minimizing its cost of energy for electrification of a radio-broadcasting station in India by using simulation software named hybrid optimization model for electric renewables. An initial sizing strategy has been proposed in the modelling of the hybrid system. Optimal designs are obtained under different scenarios, like in standalone mode with and without capacity shortage fraction, and in grid connected mode with scheduled and random outages. The results show that during initial sizing in standalone mode, consideration of larger size (25 kW) of the component with lower unit capacity cost (biogas unit), and higher load sharing by it (102625 kWh/year) in the energy management of the hybrid design with a small capacity shortage (5%) reduces the levelized cost of energy to 0.0956 /kWh compared to some of the literature designs. Out of all the optimal designs, the grid connected system has the lowest levelized cost of energy of 0.0873/kWh with a renewable fraction of 0.821. The present work contributes in the component size planning of hybrid renewable energy generator to generate lower levelized cost of energy. The novelty of the present work is that in the component size planning in standalone mode, following the initial sizing strategy, if the component with lower unit capacity cost shares majority of the load, then the levelized cost of energy with or without grid connected mode can be further reduced compared to some existing designs, which can be verified from the simulation results. Therefore, the present results will be useful for component planning and sizing of hybrid renewable generators so as to preset the size of its components as per their unit capacity cost to result in a lower cost of energy.

Impact-Rubbings Dynamics Behavior of Magnetic-Liquid Double Suspension Bearing in Electromagnetic Failure Model

Magnetic-liquid double suspension bearing (MLDSB) is a new type of suspension bearing with electromagnetic suspension as the main part and hydrostatic supporting as the auxiliary part. It can greatly improve the bearing capacity and stiffness of rotor bearing system and is suitable for medium speed, heavy load, and frequent starting occasions. The electromagnetic system adopts PD control, and hydrostatic system adopts constant pressure supply model to adjust and control the rotor’s displacement in real time. Once bearing electromagnetic system fails, the “dropping-collision” phenomenon of the rotor will be triggered in operation process, leading to cracking and shedding of magnetic sleeve plating and magnetic pole plating. Then the operational reliability and stability of MLDSB will be greatly reduced. So in this paper, Firstly, the drop impact-rubbing equation of the single DOF bearing system under four failure models (upper unit failure, lower unit failure, bilateral failure, and power amplifier failure) is established. Secondly, the paper simulates influence laws of different structure and operation parameters (plating/liquid film thickness and oil pocket pressure, bias current) on falling rotor impact-rubbings behavior. The results show that: (1) the degree of “dropping-collision” of the rotor under the four failure models is successively as follows: power amplifier failure > upper unit failure > bilateral failure > lower unit failure. (2) Due to the impact-rubbing damping effect of hydraulic oil, it plays a certain inhibitory and buffering role on the phenomenon of “drop-collision”. The degree and probability of “dropping-collision” of rotor can be effectively reduced by increasing the pressure of oil chamber appropriately. (3) The rotor drop impact-rubbing behavior obtained from the test is basically consistent with the theoretical simulation, and the correctness of the theoretical simulation can be effectively verified. The research provides a theoretical basis for fault prevention and diagnosis of MLDSB.

Documenting isobaric cooling in the lower crust using cordierite breakdown textures (Mont Mary nappe, Western Alps)

<p>Intracrystalline diffusion is an efficient mechanism in high-grade rocks. Therefore, growth zoning in garnet is erased and the evidence for prograde path is lost. However, information recorded by the textures may store significant clues for deciphering part of the P-T path. An example is provided here from the migmatitic paragneisses from the Mont Mary nappe (Western Alps).</p><p>The latter is made of a pre-Alpine basement consisting of an upper and a lower unit. The upper unit is made of paragneisses, marbles and amphibolites similar to those of the Valpelline Unit and of the Ivrea Zone. The lower unit displays granitic orthogneisses, paraschists (with muscovite, biotite, garnet with local occurrences of staurolite, kyanite and andalusite) (Dal Piaz et al. 2015). In this unit, we discovered a hectometre-sized volume with no Alpine overprint, preserving migmatitic paragneisses, the topic of this study.</p><p>The paragneisses display quartzo-feldspathic leucocratic layers interpreted as crystallized melts. The leucosomes are separated by biotite- and sillimanite-rich layers, with conspicuous garnet porphyroblasts. In addition, fresh cordierite crystals are found in these layers. Sillimanite included in garnet rims has the same orientation than the one in the matrix. There, the foliation is defined by the shape fabric of biotite and sillimanite, wrapping both garnet and cordierite crystals.</p><p>Such textures may be used to propose a P-T path. A sequence of prograde reactions, including dehydration-melting of muscovite, then biotite, result in the production of a large amount of sillimanite. Garnet growth was continuing during incongruent melting. However, intracrystalline diffusion has erased the prograde chemical zoning, as well as the distribution and shape of mineral inclusions. The late replacement of garnet and cordierite by biotite and sillimanite indicates near-isobaric cooling, also recorded by chemical zoning along garnet rims.</p><p>Chemical data on coexisting minerals will be used to provide quantitative constraints on the P-T path. In addition, preliminary geochronological data suggest that detrital zircons grains were significantly reset during the HT metamorphism, which could have taken place c. 270 Ma ago. To conclude, the studied paragneisses offer another example of Permian near-isobaric cooling in the middle crust of the Adriatic plate.</p><p>Dal Piaz G.V., Bistacchi A., Gianotti F., Monopoli B., Passeri L., Schiavo A. & collaboratori (2015) – Note illustrative della carta Geologica d’Italia alla scala 1:50.000. Foglio 070, Monte Cervino. ISPRA, Servizio Geologico d’Italia, 070, 1-431.</p>

Stratigraphy and lithogeochemistry of rocks from the Nugget Pond Deposit area, Baie Verte Peninsula, Newfoundland

Stratigraphic and lithogeochemical data were collected from selected drill core from the Nugget Pond gold deposit in the Betts Cove area, Newfoundland. The stratigraphy consists of a lower unit of basaltic rocks that are massive to pillowed (Mount Misery Formation). This is overlain by sedimentary rocks of the Scrape Point Formation that consist of lower unit of turbiditic siltstone and hematitic cherts/iron formations (the Nugget Pond member); the unit locally has a volcaniclastic rich-unit at its base and grades upwards into finer grained volcaniclastic/turbiditic rocks. This is capped by basaltic rocks of the Scrape Point Formation that contain pillowed and massive mafic flows that are distinctively plagioclase porphyritic to glomeroporphyritic. The mafic rocks of the Mount Misery Formation have island arc tholeiitic affinities, whereas Scrape Point Formation mafic rocks have normal mid-ocean ridge (N-MORB) to backarc basin basalt (BABB) affinities. One sample of the latter formation has a calc-alkalic affinity. All of these geochemical features are consistent with results and conclusions from previous workers in the area. Clastic sedimentary rocks and Fe-rich sedimentary rocks of the Scrape Point Formation have features consistent with derivation from local, juvenile sources (i.e., intra-basinal mafic rocks). The Scrape Point Formation sedimentary rocks with the highest Fe/Al ratios, inferred to have greatest amount of hydrothermally derived Fe, have positive Ce anomalies on Post-Archean Australian Shale (PAAS)-normalized trace element plots. These features are consistent with having formed via hydrothermal venting into an anoxic/ sub-oxic water column. Further work is needed to test whether these redox features are a localized feature (i.e., restricted basin) or a widespread feature of the late Cambrian-early Ordovician Iapetus Ocean, as well as to delineate the role that these Fe-rich sedimentary rocks have played in the localization of gold mineralization within the Nugget Pond deposit.

Lithodynamic studies near the Northwest Atlantic Mid-ocean channel

In AMK-4474 marine sediment core, recovered from the northern part of the eastern (left) levee of the Northwest Atlantic Mid-Ocean Channel, two stratigraphic units were identified. The lower unit is represented by the Late Quaternary fine-grained sediments of the upper turbidite sequences. The presence of a 1724 m mode in grain-size distributions within the thin silt interlayers in the lower unit may reflect a sorting process of sedimentary material by the spillover of turbidity currents which is similar to the contour currents activity. This allows applying an indicator of the contour current speed sortable silt (SS) content to estimate the intensity of the spill-over current. The upper unit, formed during the last 26 ka, is represented by pelagic sediments. The presence of the fine-grained interlayer in the upper unit of AMK-4474 core is apparently due to a decrease in IRD supply to the study area.

The Paleocene Chance Member of the Fort Union Formation, northern Bighorn Basin, Montana and Wyoming: aperiodic cyclothems in a tectonically dominated lake basin

A 400 m-thick sequence characterized by prominent tabular sandstone beds and a significant amount of marl and limestone occurs in Paleocene strata of the northern part of the Bighorn Basin (Clarks Fork Basin) of Wyoming and Montana. These strata, currently designated as the Belfry Member of the Fort Union Formation, actually consist of two separate but related lithogenetic units. The lower unit, which includes the Belfry Member stratotype, shows a gradual upward increase in tabular sandstone and marl or limestone and is inferred to have been deposited on a drowning flood plain under paralacustrine conditions. The upper unit, here proposed as the Chance Member, is characterized by the presence of six asymmetrical, basin-wide cyclothems. Each cycle begins abruptly with a transgressive surface overlain by laterally extensive tabular sandstone, followed by a micrite-dominated interval that together represent the lacustrine phase of the cycle. These are succeeded by lenticular interbeds of mudstone and sandstone inferred to have been deposited as a prograding fluvio-deltaic and flood plain sequence. The cyclothems are of variable thickness, ranging from ∼30m in the lowest cycle to ∼10 m in the uppermost cycles. Detailed stratigraphic mapping and correlation with the paleomagnetic and vertebrate biostratigraphic framework for the Bighorn Basin places the entire Chance Member within a portion of one vertebrate zone, Ti4, of the middle Tiffanian Provincial Age (59.2 to 58.5 Ma). The variable thickness of the cycles points toward deposition during unequal time intervals and suggests a tectonic origin most likely related to episodic movement of faults bounding the Bighorn Basin.

Unit pricing matters more when consumers are under time pressure

Purpose This paper aims to first investigate how unit pricing affects consumers’ grocery purchase decisions and perceptions of the shopping task’s information load. The second goal is to test how time pressure enhances the behavioural and perceptual effects of displaying unit prices. Design/methodology/approach Two on-line experiments were conducted using national samples of shoppers. In Study 1, participants indicated their choices and perceptions in an inter-brand shopping scenario where prepackaged products have conflicting positions on retail price and unit price. In Study 2, participants conducted the same shopping task but now under a condition of time pressure. Findings Study 1 shows that unit pricing shifts consumer choices towards the lower unit priced options and improves their perceptions of task information load. Study 2 shows that when consumers are under time pressure, unit pricing shows stronger effects on choices but not on perceptions. Research limitations/implications The study comprised a fairly homogenous set of low involvement categories and relatively small assortments in a hypothetical purchase setting. Exploration of the role of unit pricing in more complex and more realistic purchase environments pose suitable avenues for future research. Practical implications This study shows that consumers benefit from unit pricing because it makes it easier for them to find the lower unit priced items and to more quickly complete their shopping task. Retailers will benefit from increased customer satisfaction and possibly an improved store image. Social implications The study shows that consumers generally benefit from the presence of unit pricing and that unit price information does not create harmful effects in terms of increasing their information load. Originality/value This study uses a specifically designed and controlled but nevertheless realistic grocery choice task to study the effects of unit pricing in an inter-brand context where there are only small differences in size and price. The study contributes to the literature by showing that in such conditions, unit prices help consumers compare the economic losses associated with product options. Their heuristic role is more pronounced when consumers are under time pressure. The study shows that consumers generally benefit from the presence of unit prices.

Late Pleistocene sea-level changes recorded in tidal and fluvial deposits from Itaubal Formation, onshore portion of the Foz do Amazonas Basin, Brazil

ABSTRACTThe Pleistocene deposits exposed in the Amapá Coastal Plain (onshore portion of the Foz do Amazonas Basin, northeastern South America) were previously interpreted as Miocene in age. In this work, they were named as "Itaubal Formation" and were included in the quaternary coastal history of Amazonia. The study, through facies and stratigraphic analyses in combination with optically stimulated luminescence (single and multiple aliquot regeneration), allowed interpreting this unit as Late Pleistocene tidal and fluvial deposits. The Itaubal Formation, which unconformably overlies strongly weathered basement rocks of the Guianas Shield, was subdivided into two progradational units, separated by an unconformity related to sea-level fall, here named as Lower and Upper Units. The Lower Unit yielded ages between 120,600 (± 12,000) and 70,850 (± 6,700) years BP and consists of subtidal flat, tide-influenced meandering stream and floodplain deposits, during highstand conditions. The Upper Unit spans between 69,150 (± 7,200) and 58,150 (± 6,800) years BP and is characterized by braided fluvial deposits incised in the Lower Unit, related to base-level fall; lowstand conditions remained until 23,500 (± 3,000) years BP. The studied region was likely exposed during the Last Glacial Maximum and then during Holocene, covered by tidal deposits influenced by the Amazon River.