The Firstly Discovered Cosmic Spherules in Carbonaceous Siltstone from the Taizi Formation of the Mesoproterozoic Shennongjia Group,Central China

Objective Spherical micro-particles are often preserved in Precambrian sedimentary rocks. Finnish and Chinese scholars have previously discovered carbonaceous, siliceous or ferruginous spherules of out-space origin in the 1.6 Ga and 1.4 Ga sequence, respectively. The presence of spherules can record possible cosmic impact events. Also, cosmic spherules provide important information on the evolution of planets from outer space.

Discovery of Cosmic Spherules from the Mesoproterozoic Strata and its Significance——in Case of the Ming Tombs Area, Beijing

This study covers cosmic spherules derived from the Mesoproterozoic Dahongyu Formation in the Ming Tombs area, Beijing. The cosmic spherules include iron oxide cosmic spherules, carbonaceous chondrites, and atomic iron "steely bead"-shaped cosmic spherules. The mineral assemblage of silicon carbide, forsterite, zircon, and glass spherules and fragments were picked from melt-silicified carbonate of the Mesoproterozoic Dahongyu Formation(ca. 1625 Ma). Cosmic spherule assemblages are solely discovered from sedimentary rocks in China. Platinum group elements(PGE) were determined for the first time in cosmic spherules and associated minerals. PGE comparative observation between meteorite and cosmic spherules is presented in this study. It is recognized that an extraterrestrial meteorite impact event might have occurred in the Dahongyu Stage. The main evidence is a large number of iron cosmic spherules in silicified oncolitic limestone, and associated cosmic silicon carbide, glass spherules, and fragments, as well as the presence of forsterite. The impact-volcanic crater is characteristic of a big black shale block dropped into the bended silicified limestone.

Fluid-driven Hydrovolcanic Activity along Fracture Zones and near Seamounts:Evidence from Deep-sea Fe-rich Spherules,Central Indian Ocean Basin

An insight on occurrence of Fe-rich spherules from the Central Indian Ocean Basin(CIOB)provides an understanding of their distribution at a water depth of>5,000 m.In the present study,Fe-rich spherules are identified to occur in two different sediment types(i.e.,siliceous and pelagic)and tectonic settings(i.e.near seamounts and fracture zones).These are single spheres or aggregates,of different sizes(63 to 390μm)and show textural variability(smooth/quenched,brickwork,corkscrew,interlocking and dendritic).A comparative study based on physical morphology and chemical composition suggests a common mechanism of formation.The association of spherules with fracture zones(FZ)and seamounts signifies that morpho-tectonic features play an important role in fluid-driven hydrovolcanism.Based on the evidence and geologic conditions existing in the basin,we conclude that molten fuel-coolant interaction(MFCI)coupled with submarine hydrothermal exhalations could be an ideal mechanism for the formation of spherules and Fe-particles.The accretion of the spherules on the surface sediments could be a result of recent volcanic phenomena,while those occurring at different depths(280-355,and 460-475 cm-bsf)within the sediment core indicate two different episodes.The study provides a global implication in understanding fluid-driven magmatism in a deep-sea intraplate environment.

A Study of Mesoproterozoic Iron Cosmic Micro-spherules from 1.8 Ga and 1.6 Ga Old Strata in the Ming Tombs District,Beijing

Numerous iron cosmic micro-spherules have been discovered from Mesoproterozoic strata including the Changzhougou Formation （1.8 Ga） and the Dahongyu Formation （1.6 Ga） of the Ming Tombs district, Beijing. There are 1 to 30 grains of cosmic spherules per 2 kg of a sandstone sample taken from the bottom of a coarse sandstone bed of the Changzhougou Formation and 56 grains per 3.69 kg of a rock sample from silicified carbonate rocks of the Dahongyu Formation. The surface textures of cosmic spherules analyzed by means of the secondary electron imagery are identical with those reported from references either domestic or abroad. So far the geo-ages of 1.8 Ga and 1.6 Ga of cosmic spherules from the Changzhougou and Dahongyu formations might be older than those reported in the world. Table 1 gives the electron probe analysis data of cosmic spherules for 30 spherule grains and 44 testing points as follows （%）： FeO, 80-95; Cr2O3; 0-9.56; NiO, 0-0.78; CoO, 0-0.46; indicating that the Cr2O3 content is higher and FeO content lower in the Changzhougou Formation than in the Dahongyu Formation. The helium isotopic data of cosmic spherules as well as their host rocks vary greatly between the Changzhougou and the Dahongyu formations as shown in Table 2. The data of cosmic spherules of the Changzhougou Formation vs the Dahongyu Formation are 57.5/1.23 in ^3He/^4He （10^-8）; and 55.54/809.60 in ^4He （10^-6cm^3STP/g）; those of coarse sandstone of the Changzhougou Formation vs silicified carbonate of the Dahongyu Formation are 3.39/2.59 in ^3He/^4He （10^-8） and 4.56/2.34 in ^3He （10^-6cm^3STP/g）. The ratio of analytic data of helium isotopes are different for cosmic spherules and their host rocks; for example, the ^3He/^4He （10^-8） values are 16.96 and 0.48, and the ^4He （10^-6 cm^3STP/g） are 12.18 and 345.98 for the Changzhougou and Dahongyu formations respectively. It was reported that the world＇s oldest micrometeorites had been found in the Meso-Proterozoic Satakunta Formation, Finland. However, the cosmic spherules from the Meso-Proterozoic Changzhougou and Dahongyu formations are 200 to 400 Ma older than those from the Satakunta Formation. Besides, one carbonaceous chondrite grain was discovered for the first time as the earliest remain formed in the solar nebula from the Dahongyu Formation.

A STUDY ON THE BLACK MICROSPHERULES WITH MAGNETISM IN SOIL FROM DONGLING MOUNTAIN, BEIJING

Dongling Mountain is the highest one of the Beijing West Mountains. There is a layer of subalpine meadow soil about 0.50 m thick at the top of the mountain, of which the basement rock is the Jurassic andesite. A section was artificially dug out and some samples

Silica-Metal Spherules in Ignimbrites of Southern Primorye,Russia

A comprehensive mineralogical-geochemical and petrological study of ignimbrites from the Yakut-Gora volcanic depression （Primorye, Far Eastern Russia） revealed a wide distribution of silica-metal spherules （＂globules＂） that are typical liquid immiscibility resultant. The metallic portion of a spherule （composition varies from low-carbon iron to cohenite） borders gas pores and is rimmed by symplectite that consists of quartz, magnetite, and silica-potassic glass. This allows us to consider that the whole formation formed through reduction of the enclosing silicate melt. Abundant evidence of high reduction states of ignimbrite melts and the presence of iron carbides suggest an H2-CH4 composition of the fluidal phase in ignimbrite magmas.

Concerning Diamond and Gold-Bearing Astropipes of Mongolia

In this paper we present summation of thirteen year’s investigation of the all diamond-bearing structures of Mongolia. Four gold and diamond-bearing astropipe structures of exemplified by the Agit Khangay, Khuree Mandal, Bayan Khuree and Tsenkher astropipes of Mongolia. Detailed geological and gas-geochemical investigation of the diamond and gold-astropipe structures show that diamond genesis is an expression of collision of the lithospheric mantle with the explosion process initiated in an impact collapse meteor crater.

CHEMICAL SPECIES OF IRIDIUM AND OTHER TRACE ELEMENTS IN THE CRETACEOUS-TERTIARY BOUNDARY CLAYS AND ITS IMPLICATION

The geological samples: Cretaceous- Tertiary (K- T) boundary clays, meteorites, volcanic lava, and ultrabasic rock were separated into carbonate, metal, sulfide, oxide, silicate and acid- resistant residue by a selective chemical dissolution procedure developed in our laboratory. Some conclusions were drawn by analyzing the chemical speciation of anomalous iridium in the above samples and especially by studying the characteristics of mineral components in those residue phases. (1) It is impossible that the anomalous Ir was caused by geochemical enrichment; (2) The iridium enrichment in the K- T boundaries did not necessarily associate with kerogen; (3) The volcano activity has participated in the extinction event at the end of Cretaceous; (4) Extraterrestrial impact was the trigger of K- T event. Then, we proposed a mixed model by which the extant anomalous Ir in K- T boundary clays was interpreted as a combined effect of extraterrestrial impact, volcano eruption and post- depositional redistribution.

Three-dimensional reconstruction and comparison of vacuolar membranes in response to viral infection

The vacuole is a unique plant organelle that plays an important role in maintaining cellular homeostasis under various environmental stress conditions. However, the effects of biotic stress on vacuole structure has not been examined using three-dimensional(3D) visualization. Here, we performed 3D electron tomography to compare the ultrastructural changes in the vacuole during infection with different viruses. The 3D models revealed that vacuoles are remodeled in cells infected with cucumber mosaic virus(CMV) or tobacco necrosis virus A Chinese isolate(TNV-AC), resulting in the formation of spherules at the periphery of the vacuole. These spherules contain neck-like channels that connect their interior with the cytosol. Confocal microscopy of CMV replication proteins 1 a and 2 a and TNV-AC auxiliary replication protein p23 showed that all of these proteins localize to the tonoplast.Electron microscopy revealed that the expression of these replication proteins alone is sufficient to induce spherule formation on the tonoplast, suggesting that these proteins play prominent roles in inducing vacuolar membrane remodeling. This is the first report of the 3D structures of viral replication factories built on the tonoplasts. These findings contribute to our understanding of vacuole biogenesis under normal conditions and during assembly of plant(+) RNA virus replication complexes.

Large-eddy simulation of formation of three-dimensional aeolian sand ripples in a turbulent field

With the method of large-eddy simulation,the equation of spherule motion and the method of immersed boundary condition,numerical simulations of three-dimen-sional turbulent aeolian motion and the formation of sand ripples under three-di-mensional turbulent wind and the mutual actions of saltation and creeping motion were carried out. The resulting sand ripples have the form that is flat on the upwind side and steep on the leeward,which is identical to the sand ripples in nature. We also realized the self-restoration process of three-dimensional sand ripples,which shows the correctness of the method of numerical simulation and the models of saltation and creeping. Finally,We analyzed the influence of sand ripples on the three-dimensional turbulent wind field,and found that due to the appearance and development of sand ripples,in the normal direction of ground there exists stronger energy exchange,and moreover,there is close correspondence between the forms of sand ripples and the vorticity close to the ground surface.