Search results for "MINERALOGY"

Polish is quantitatively different on quartzite flakes used on different worked materials.

2020

Metrology has been successfully used in the last decade to quantify use-wear on stone tools. Such techniques have been mostly applied to fine-grained rocks (chert), while studies on coarse-grained raw materials have been relatively infrequent. In this study, confocal microscopy was employed to investigate polished surfaces on a coarse-grained lithology, quartzite. Wear originating from contact with five different worked materials were classified in a data-driven approach using machine learning. Two different classifiers, a decision tree and a support-vector machine, were used to assign the different textures to a worked material based on a selected number of parameters (Mean density of furr…

Diffuse soil gas emissions of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) from hydrothermal-volcanic systems: An innovative approach by using the static closed-c…

2016

This study was aimed to test a new methodological approach to carry out measurements of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) diffusively emitted from soils in hydrothermal-volcanic environments. This method was based on the use of a static closed-chamber (SCC) in combination with a Lumex® RA-915M analyzer that provides GEM measurements in a wide range of concentrations (from 2 to 50,000 ng m-3). Gas samples were collected at fixed time intervals from the SCC positioned on the ground (time-series samples). The Lumex® inlet port was equipped with a three-way Teflon valve allowing the free entrance of air through a carbon trap, in order to: (i) prevent disturbance to the Lumex® operative flow rate …

Fluorescence of soil humic acids and their fractions obtained by tandem size exclusion chromatography-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

2002

Humic acids (HAs) extracted from soils of different origin (chernozem, ferralsol and ranker) and their fractions (A, B and C+D) obtained by tandem size exclusion chromatography–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were investigated by steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy in the emission mode. Independently of HA source, high molecular size fractions A and B are shown to be weakly fluorescent. The main fluorophores, especially those emitting at long wavelength (around 500–510 nm), are contained in the polar and low molecular size fractions C+D. As indicated by the observed pH effect, aromatic structures bearing carboxylate and OH substituents may be involved in these longer wavelength emissi…

A note on saturated formations

1992

Isotopic composition of dissolved sulphate and hydrogen sulphide from some thermal springs of Sicily

1982

Samples of some thermal springs from Sicily have been analysed for the isotopic composition of sulphur-bearing species. The values of δ34S(SO42− (range: +7.3, +31.7‰), δ34S(H2S) (range: −12.2, +27.8), δ34S(S°) (range: +1.9, +24.5) and δ18O(SO42−) (range: −2.5, +23.9) obtained show such a remarkable variability in data as to hypothesize different genetic processes concerning these species. Furthermore, from the available experimental data, the relationship between the isotopic composition of the sulphur in the dissolved sulphate and in the associated hydrogen sulphide (ΔSO42− - H2S = 25 – 30‰) seems to indicate the bacterial reduction of sulphate ion as one of the processes most significantl…

Characterization and differentiation of rock varnish types from different environments by microanalytical techniques

2017

© 2017 Elsevier B.V. We investigated rock varnishes collected from several locations and environments worldwide by a broad range of microanalytical techniques. These techniques were selected to address the challenges posed by the chemical and structural complexity within the micrometer- to nanometer-sized structures in these geological materials. Femtosecond laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (fs LA-ICP-MS), scanning transmission X-ray microscopy-near edge X-ray adsorption fine structure spectroscopy (STXM-NEXAFS) in combination with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of focused ion beam (FIB) ultra-thin (100–200 nm) sections, conventional and polarization microscop…

Is the Crucible Reproducible? Reconciling Melting Experiments with Thermodynamic Calculations

2011

Experimental studies and thermodynamic modelling have advanced our understanding of partial melting in the crust and have provided a frame-work for the interpretation of migmatites, residual granulites and granites. Each approach has advantages and pitfalls, and each is more appropriate than the other for investigating particular aspects of the melting process. A comparison of these two approaches may be useful because, together, they potentially give more information. A comparison of a small number of experiments with model calculations using equivalent bulk compositions shows important consistencies between the results, especially regarding the overall topologies of key melting equilibria…

An innovative multi-analytical approach based on spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques to study a complex Roman amphorae collection

2020

Abstract An innovative multi-analytical approach for the classification of ancient pottery sherds was tested. Twenty Roman amphorae fragments belonging to different known typologies and twenty-seven unclassified ones from a complex Sagunto Archaeological Museum (Spain) collection were studied by multielement analysis (X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry), Fourier-transform near infrared spectroscopy and voltammetry of immobilized microparticles employing a minimal amount of sample. Chemometric analysis based on principal component analysis allowed the identification of most of the unclassified samples, proving the importance and reliability of th…

Nanodiamond-Rich Layer across Three Continents Consistent with Major Cosmic Impact at 12,800 Cal BP

2014

© 2014 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved. A major cosmic-impact event has been proposed at the onset of the Younger Dryas (YD) cooling episode at ≈12,800 ± 150 years before present, forming the YD Boundary (YDB) layer, distributed over 150 million km2 on four continents. In 24 dated stratigraphic sections in 10 countries of the Northern Hemisphere, the YDB layer contains a clearly defined abundance peak in nanodiamonds (NDs), a major cosmic-impact proxy. Observed ND polytypes include cubic diamonds, lonsdaleite-like crystals, and diamond-like carbon nanoparticles, called n-diamond and i-carbon. The ND abundances in bulk YDB sediments ranged up to ≈500 ppb (mean: 200 ppb) and…

Occurrence and Genesis of Palygorskite and Associated Clay Minerals in a Pleistocene Calcrete Complex, Sde Boqer, Negev Desert, Israel

1996

AbstractPalygorskite and associated clay minerals have been studied in a Pleistocene calcrete complex from the Negev desert (Sde Boqer, Israel). This complex is divided into five main parts: the chalky and marly bedrock overlain by its weathered product, a brecciated calcrete hardpan; the laminar crust; loess pockets trapped in the calcrete; and the overlying soft surficial soil. The distribution of clay minerals is directly dependent on the position of the sample in the calcrete complex. Smectite is inherited from the bedrock in the calcrete with an aeolian enrichment in loess pockets and upper soft soil. The source of kaolinite is mainly detrital, related to desert dust. Illite is partly …