Water in coesite: Incorporation mechanism and operation condition,solubility and P-T dependence, and contribution to water transport and coesite preservation

A series of coesite,coexisting with or without a liquid phase,was synthesized in the nominal system SiO2-H2O at800-1450℃and 5 GPa.Micro-Raman spectroscopy was used to identity the crystalline phase,electron microprobe and LA-ICP-MS were employed to quantity some major and trace elements,and unpolarized FTIR spectroscopy was applied to probe the different types of hydrogen defects,explore water-incorporation mechanisms and quantify water contents.Trace amounts of A1 and B were detected in the coesite.Combining our results with the results in the literatures,we have found no positive correlation between the Al contents and the"Al"-based hydrogen concentrations,suggesting that previously proposed hydrogen-incorporation mechanism H^++Al^3+■Si^4+does not function in coesite.In contrast,we have confirmed the positive correlation between the B contents and the B-based hydrogen concentrations.The hydrogen-incorporation mechanism H^++B3^+■Si^4+readily takes place in coesite at different P-T conditions,and significantly increases the water content at both liquid-saturated and liquid-undersaturated conditions.For the SiO2-H2O system,we have found that type-Ⅰhydrogarnet substitution plays a dictating role in incorporating water into coesite at liquid-saturated condition,type-II hydrogarnet substitution contributes significantly at nearly dry condition,and both operate at conditions in between.The water solubility of coesite,as dictated by the type-Ⅰhydrogarnet substitution,positively correlates with both P and T,cH2O=-105(30)+5.2(32)×P+0.112(26)×T,with cH2O in wt ppm,P in GPa and T in℃.Due to its low water solubility and small fraction in subducted slabs,coesite may contribute insignificantly to the vertical water transport in subduction zones.Furthermore,the water solubility of any coesite in exhuming ultra-high pressure metamorphic rocks should be virtually zero as coesite becomes metastable.With an adequately fast waterdiffusion rate,this metastable coesite should be completely dry,which may have been the key factor to the partial preservation of most natural Coe.As a byproduct,a new IR experimental protocol for accurate water determination in optically anisotropic nominally anhydrous minerals has been found.Aided with the empirical method of Paterson(1982)it employs multiple unpolarized IR spectra,collected from randomly-orientated mineral grains,to approximate both total integrated absorbance and total integrated molar absorption coefficient.Its success relies on a high-level orientation randomness in the IR analyses.

How rock samples can be representative of in situ condition:A case study of Callovo-Oxfordian claystones

Within the framework of feasibility studies for a reversible, deep geological repository of high-and intermediate-level long-lived radioactive waste(HLW, IL-LLW), the French National Radioactive Waste Management Agency(Andra) is investigating the Callovo-Oxfordian(COx) formation near Bure(northeast part of France) as a potential host rock for the repository. The hydro-mechanical(HM) behaviour is an important issue to design and optimise different components of the disposal such as shaft, ramp, drift,and waste package disposal facilities. Over the past 20 years, a large number of laboratory experiments have been carried out to characterise and understand the HM behaviours of COx claystones. At the beginning, samples came from deep boreholes drilled at the ground surface with oil base mud. From2000 onwards, with the launch of the construction of the Meuse/Haute-Marne Underground Research Laboratory(MHM URL), most samples have been extracted from a large number of air drilled boreholes in the URL. In parallel, various constitutive models have been developed for modelling. The thermohydro-mechanical(THM) behaviours of the COx claystones were investigated under different repository conditions. Core samples are subjected to a complex HM loading path before testing, due to drilling, conditioning and preparation. Various kinds of effects on the characteristics of the claystones are highlighted and discussed, and the procedures for core extraction and packaging as well as a systematic sample preparation protocol are proposed in order to minimise the uncertainties on test results. The representativeness of the test results is also addressed with regard to the in situ rock mass.

Long-term Fiber Photometry for Neuroscience Studies

Fiber photometry is a sensitive and easy way to detect changes in fluorescent signals. The combination of fiber photometry with various fluorescent biomarkers has substantially advanced neuroscience research over the last decade. Despite the wide use of fiber photometry in biomedical fields, the lack of a detailed and comprehensive protocol has limited progress and sometimes complicated the interpretation of data. Here, we describe detailed procedures of fiber photometry for the long-term monitoring of neuronal activity in freely-behaving animals, including surgery, apparatus setup, data collection, and analysis.

Improving ecosystem services in farmlands:beginning of a long-term ecological study with restored flower-rich grasslands

Biodiversity declines in an unprecedented way,mostly due to land use change.Restoration interventions proved to be one of the most effective tools to halt the decline,especially in ecosystems such as agricultural fields.Evidence-based,locally adapted recommendations on grassland restoration,however,are often missing,so we present a novel approach for such interventions that can be implemented anywhere and that are based on scientific rigor.In a recently started long-term field ecological study,we established 0.5 ha wildflower parcels,using a diverse local seed mixture of 32 insect-visited plant species in Central European agricultural landscapes in 2020.Our focus is on the landscape-scale effects of this ecological intensification on ecosystem services such as crop yield,pollination and pest control,and the long-term monitoring of the successional processes.The aim is to showcase an effective restoration protocol that could serve as a model for future farm management,and provide much-needed evidence for policy on landscape ecological restoration of international relevance.