Sedimentary sources and processes in the eastern Arabian Sea:Insights from environmental magnetism,geochemistry and clay mineralogy

The spatial distribution patterns of surficial sediment samples from different sedimentary domains （shallow to deep-sea regions） of the eastern Arabian Sea were studied using sediment proxies viz. environmental magnetism, geochemistry, particle size and clay mineralogy. Higher concentrations of magnetic minerals （high Xlf） were recorded in the deep-water sediments when compared with the shallow water sediments. The magnetic mineralogy of one of the shallow water samples is influenced by the presence of bacterial magnetite as evidenced from the XARM/Xlf VS. XARM/Xfd biplot. However, the other samples are catchment-derived. The high correlation documented for Xlf, anhysteretic remanent mag- netisation （XARM） and isothermal remanent magnetisation （IRM） with Al indicates that the deep-sea surflcial sediments are influenced by terrigenous fluxes which have been probably derived from the southern Indian rivers, the Sindhu （the Indus） and the Narmada-Tapti rivers. A lower Mn concentration is recorded in the upper slope sediments from the oxygen minimum zone （OMZ） but a higher Mn/AI ratio is documented in the lower slope and deep-sea sediments. Clay minerals such as illite （24-48.5%）, chlorite （14.1-34.9%）, smectite （10.6-28.7%） and kaolinite （11.9-27.5%） dominate the sediments of shallow and deep-sea regions and may have been derived from different sources and transported by fluvial and aeolian agents. Organic carbon （OC） data indicate a low concentration in the shallow/shelf region （well oxygenated water conditions） and deeper basins （increased bottom-water oxygen concentration and low sedimentation rate）. High OC concentrations were documented in the OMZ （very low bottom-water oxygen concentration with high sedimentation rate）. The calcium carbonate concentration of the surface sediments from the continental shelf and slope regions （〈 1800 m） up to the Chagos-Laccadive Ridge show higher concentrations （average - 58%） when compared to deep basin sediments （average - 44%）. Our study demonstrates that particle size as well as magnetic grain size, magnetic minerals and elemental variations are good indicators to distinguish terrigenous from biogenic sediments and to identify sediment provenance.

A brief introduction to recent applications of several sediment-analysis techniques in palaeolimnological studies-dry bulk density and water content, mineral magnetism, carbonate content, and content of total organic carbon,nitrogen content and carbon/nitrogen ratio

Determination of dry bulk density and water content measurement of magnetic susceptibility (x) and saturation isothermal remanent magnetization (SIRM), determination of carbonate content, and determination of total organic carbon (TOC) content nitrogen content (N%) and carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio are some of the techniques which have been widely applied to lacustrine-sediment analyses. The techniques,complemented by others, are usually useful for revealing characteristics of lacustrine-sediments and thus for postulating hydrological regimes in the lake and environmental conditions and human activity around it in palaeolimnological studies. A very brief review is presented on recent applications of these techniques in palaeolimnological work with English literatures published mainly since 1985 and focus given on interpretations of results of these analyses related to palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. Low dry bulk density and high water content often imply relatively warm and wet conditions. High X and SIRM are usually resulted from reduced dilutions in the lake and intensified erosions on its catchment. both of which can be in turn attributed to environmental changes. While variations in patterns of X and SIRM may give further insight on mineral magnetism and thus implications on environmental conditions. Increased carbonate content seems likely to associate to warm and dry conditions.Increased TOC content is virtually used as one of indicators of warm and wet conditions and variations in C/N ratio may hint variations in relative contributions of different sources, aquatic and terrestrial, to the total organic matter in lake sediments and hence to lake-level fluctuations and climate changes.

Rock Magnetic Characterization of Fine Particles from Car Engines, Brake Pads and Tobacco: An Environmental Pilot Study on Oahu, Hawaii, USA

Today, it is well known that small airborne particles are very harmful to human health. For the first time in Hawaii we have conducted an environmental pilot study of fine magnetic particles on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, of particulate matter (PM) PM = 60, PM = 10, and PM = 2.5. In order to do a rock magnetic characterization we have performed low field susceptibility vs. temperature [k-T] experiments to determine the Curie points of small particles collected from exhaust pipes, as well as from brake pads of four different types of car engines using gasoline octane ratings of 87, 89, and 92. The Curie point determinations are very well defined and range from 292°C through 393°C and up to 660°C. In addition, we have conducted magnetic granulometry experiments on raw tobacco, burnt tobacco ashes, as well as on automotive engine exhaust, and brake pads in question. The results of the experiments show ferro and ferrimagnetic hysteresis loops with magnetic grain sizes ranging from superparamagnetic-multidomain [SP-MD], multidomain [MD] and pseudo-single domain [PSD] shown on the modified Day et al., diagram of Dunlop (2002). Thus far, the results we have obtained from this pilot study are in agreement with other studies conducted from cigarette ashes from Bulgaria. Our results could be correlated to the traffic-related PM in Rome, Italy where the SP fraction mainly occurs as coating of MD particles originated by localized stress in the oxidized outer shell surrounding the un-oxidized core of magnetite-like grains. All these magnetic particles have been reported to be very harmful to our human bodies (i.e. brain, lungs, heart, liver etc.).

Petromagnetic Properties of Granulite-Facies Rocks from the Northern North China Craton: Implications for Magnetic and Evolution of the Continental Lower Crust

This paper studies magnetic properties and composition of granulite-facies rocks of both the Neogene and Archean continental lower crust in the Neogene xenolith-bearing Hannuoba （汉诺坝） alkaline basalt and the exposed lower crustal section in the Archean Huai＇an （淮安） terrain （Wayaokou （瓦窑口）-Manjinggou （蔓菁沟） profile）, the northern North China Craton. It provides a unique oppor-tunity for a comparative study of magnetic properties and composition of both the Archean and Neogene continental lower crust. We measure magnetic parameters （susceptibility x and magnetic hysteresis parameters, such as saturation magnetization Js, saturation isothermal remanent magnetization Jrs, and intrinsic coercivity He） of eleven Hannuoba lower crustal xenoliths and nine terrain granulites from the Archean Huai＇an terrain. Results indicate that the average values of K,Js and Jrs of Archean granu- lites are 4 122×10^-6 SI, 523.1 A/m and 74.9 A/m, respectively, which are generally higher than those of granulite-facies xenoliths （1 657×10^-6 SI, 163.9 A/m and 41.9 A/m, respectively）. These two types of granulites contain ilmenite, （titano） magnetite, minor hematite and some ＂magnetic silicates＂ （clinopyroxene, plagioclase and biotite）. The Mg-rich ilmenite in granulite-facies xenolith is relatively higher than that in terrain granulites. We observe a more evolved character as higher magnetic as well as lower Sr/Nd, Cr/Nd, Ni/Nd, Co/Nd and V/Nd ratios in terrain granulites. These differences in magnetic characteristics reflect their different origins and evolutions. The high magnetization of granulites in the Huai＇an terrain represents magnetic properties of the Archean continental lower crust, and low magnetization of granufite-facies xenoliths represents mag- netic properties of the Cenozoic lower crusts in the northern North China Craton.