Shallow Depth Research Articles

Monte Carlo simulation of spatial frequency domain imaging for breast tumors during compression.

Near-infrared optical imaging methods have shown promise for monitoring response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for breast cancer, with endogenous contrast coming from oxy- and deoxyhemoglobin. Spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI) could be used to detect this contrast in a low-cost and portable format, but it has limited imaging depth. It is possible that local tissue compression could be used to reduce the effective tumor depth. To evaluate the potential of SFDI for therapy response prediction, we aim to predict how changes to tumor size, stiffness, and hemoglobin concentration would be reflected in contrast measured by SFDI under tissue compression. Finite element analysis of compression on an inclusion-containing soft material is combined with Monte Carlo simulation to predict the measured optical contrast. When the effect of compression on blood volume is not considered, contrast gain from compression increases with the size and stiffness of the inclusion and decreases with the inclusion depth. With a model of reduction of blood volume from compression, compression reduces imaging contrast, an effect that is greater for larger inclusions and stiffer inclusions at shallower depths. This computational modeling study represents a first step toward tracking tumor changes induced by NAC using SFDI and local compression.

Seismic Imaging of the Arctic Subsea Permafrost Using a Least-Squares Reverse Time Migration Method

High-resolution seismic imaging allows for the better interpretation of subsurface geological structures. In this study, we employ least-squares reverse time migration (LSRTM) as a seismic imaging method to delineate the subsurface geological structures from the field dataset for understanding the status of Arctic subsea permafrost structures, which is pertinent to global warming issues. The subsea permafrost structures in the Arctic continental shelf, located just below the seafloor at a shallow water depth, have an abnormally high P-wave velocity. These structural conditions create internal multiples and noise in seismic data, making it challenging to perform seismic imaging and construct a seismic P-wave velocity model using conventional methods. LSRTM offers a promising approach by addressing these challenges through linearized inverse problems, aiming to achieve high-resolution, subsurface imaging by optimizing the misfit between the predicted and the observed seismic data. Synthetic experiments, encompassing various subsea permafrost structures and seismic survey configurations, were conducted to investigate the feasibility of LSRTM for imaging the Arctic subsea permafrost from the acquired seismic field dataset, and the possibility of the seismic imaging of the subsea permafrost was confirmed through these synthetic numerical experiments. Furthermore, we applied the LSRTM method to the seismic data acquired in the Canadian Beaufort Sea (CBS) and generated a seismic image depicting the subsea permafrost structures in the Arctic region.

Temperature distribution in the crevasse-drainage systems of the Antarctic glaciers: A case study of the Perunika Glacier

Discovered only about 200 years ago, Antarctica is the poorest and most isolated ecosystem on Earth. Its thinner atmosphere, due to the centrifugal forces of Earth’s rotation, the ozone hole, and stronger solar radiation, creates a natural laboratory that provides information about the state and trajectory of Earth’s climate condition. This study aimed to determine the depth of heat penetration from the surface of the glacier into the crevasses in the ablation zone and establish the zone of constant temperatures in the glacier. It explored the relationship between the air temperature at the glacier surface and the temperature distribution in the crevasses, including the temperature gradient at different levels and the direction of the airflow. We used autonomous data loggers for measuring and recording temperature and relative humidity. The measured depth reached 18 m in the central part of the glacier and 9 m in the periphery. An ultrasonic anemometer was installed in the deepest crevasse in to the center of the glacier to determine the size and direction of air flows. Meteorological parameters such as air temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, and solar radiation were measured on-site using autonomous sensors and recording devices mounted on installations on the glacier surface and at depth using alpine techniques. The results show a temperature gradient through 3-meter layers, a relatively clear boundary of the constant temperature zone, and a significant infiltration of cold air through the crevices driven by turbulent wind processes. Additionally, a weak negative correlation was found between solar activity and temperatures in the crevasses. It appears that as solar activity increases, the temperature decreases. There are also weak but consistently positive correlations with air movement both upward and downward. The temperature becomes constant with the increase of the depth until a zone of constant temperatures is determined and the temperature variance becomes insignificant. This zone varies in different crevаsses, meaning it is influenced by the specific characteristics of each crevasse location. At shallow depths, temperature is influenced by external temperature, but with the depth increasing this influence decreases. On windy days, the zone of constant temperature expands. During higher solar activity, air circulation accelerates—both upward and downward. The relationship between solar activity and climatic processes in glacier drainage systems adds new insights to solar-terrestrial physics.

Occurrence of methane in organic pores with surrounding free water: A molecular simulation study

Free water contained in shale reservoirs can influence the enrichment and transportation of shale gas. To accurately assess shale gas adsorption in shale reservoirs and improve recovery, it is crucial to understand the occurrence of gas and water. In this study, the occurrence of methane occupying the organic pores surrounded by free water is investigated using Grand Canonical Monte Carlo/Molecular Dynamics simulations, considering the effects of pressure, temperature and pore size. The center of the model represents methane adsorbed/free within the organic pores, while the regions on either side depict free water. Although water does not significantly penetrate organic pores, pressure, temperature, and pore size have a notable impact on the wettability of water on organic surfaces, resulting in variations in the concave liquid surface morphology. This results in varying degrees of competitive adsorption of water and methane near the carbonyl group. At lower pressures, although the capillary pressure decreases sharply with increasing pore size, the improved water wettability increases the extent of its intrusion along the pore surface, thereby enhancing the competitive adsorption of methane and water. At higher pressures, capillary pressure acts as a resistance, preventing water from invading the organic pores in significant quantities. Due to the weak affinity of organic pores for water, the same phenomenon was observed even after increasing the pore size and temperature to improve water wettability. In addition, high temperatures can lead to more pronounced water intrusion. Finally, it is hypothesized that competitive adsorption of methane and water is more pronounced at shallower burial depths and slightly larger pore sizes. This result is expected to provide insights for the accurate evaluation of gas adsorption in water-bearing shales.

Effects of phosphorus fertilizer type and dripline depth on root and soil nutrient distribution, nutrient uptake, and maize yield under subsurface drip fertigation

ContextSubsurface drip irrigation can potentially increase nutrient uptake by altering the spatial distribution of nutrients and roots, but the efficiency enhancement potential of different phosphorus (P) sources combined with varying dripline depths still requires further evaluation. MethodsWe established a 2-year field experiment with spring maize in 2021 and 2022 to determine the regulatory effects of three P sources [P1, monoammonium phosphate (MAP); P2, ammonium polyphosphate (APP); and P0, no P] and three dripline depths (D0, surface drip irrigation, 0 cm; D15, subsurface at 15 cm depth; and D30, subsurface at 30 cm depth) on the soil NO3-N, NH4-N and Olsen-P distribution, root distribution, nitrogen (N) fertilizer partial factor productivity (PFPN) and P use efficiency (PUE), and grain yield. ResultsWe found a significant coupling effect between the P source and dripline depth, both of which significantly impacted soil nutrients and root distribution, grain yield, PFPN, and PUE. In P1D15 and P2D15, the highest soil NO3-N and Olsen-P contents were observed at soil depths of 0–30 and 10–20 cm and at 0–30 and 10–30 cm, respectively. Similarly, in P1D30 and P2D30, which were 20–40 and 20–40 cm, and 20–40 and 30–60 cm, respectively. Compared to the other treatments, P2D15 and P1D30 exhibited considerable increases in root length density at the 30–60 cm soil depth of 37∼52 % and 28∼58 %, respectively. Regardless of the dripline depth, P0 resulted in the lowest yield during both growing seasons. P1D30 and P2D15 were found to be the optimal combinations for achieving higher grain yield, PFPN, and PUE, as they were able to achieve a high degree of coordination between soil available N and Olsen-P, as well as root distribution. ConclusionsThe recommended approach for optimizing nutrient and root spatial distributions under subsurface drip irrigation systems involves the use of poly-P fertilizer (APP) in conjunction with shallow dripline depth and ortho-P fertilizer (MAP) paired with deep dripline depth, which provides valuable guidance for co-fertigation practices involving N and P fertilizers.

Dynamics of soil water, temperature, and salt and their coupled effects in Haloxylon ammodendron forests of different ages in an arid desert oasis ecotone

Study regionThe study region is a typical desert oasis ecotone of the Hexi Corridor, Northwest China. Study focusBased on four years of in situ observational data of soil water, temperature, and electrical conductivity obtained from three Haloxylon ammodendron (H. ammodendron) forests (20, 30 and 50 years) in a typical desert oasis ecotone (DOE) of the Hexi Corridor, in this study, the mechanisms of change and coupled effects of water, heat, and salt in frozen desert soils along a long-term shrub plantation in a typical desert oasis ecotone are presented. New hydrological insights for the regionThis study revealed that changes in soil water, heat, and salt and their coupling effects were completely different between shallow (0–80 cm) and deep (160–200 cm) depths. At 0–80 cm, soil water gradually decreased in the 50-year-old H. ammodendron plot, but soil salt first increased in the 30-year plot and then decreased in the 50-year plot. When the freezing process occurred in the 0–80 cm depth interval, the soil water and salt contents decreased nonlinearly with the absolute value of the soil temperature (|T|), following a power function and logarithmic function, respectively. For the thawing process in the 0–80 cm depth interval, soil water and salt increased with increasing temperature, and there was a significant linear relationship between soil water and salt (P<0.01). In the 160–200 cm layer, soil water and salt significantly increased after 30–50 years during the growing season.

Determining the debris flow yield strength of weathered soils: a case study of the Miryang debris flow in the Republic of Korea

Debris flow hazards are often interpreted through back-calculated simulation analysis or empirical methods. The mobility of a debris flow is greatly influenced by mechanical and hydrological parameters. The strength parameters play important roles in the debris flow initiation and flow stages. In particular, the rheological parameters of yield strength and plastic viscosity directly affect the debris flow runout distance and velocity. One of the most important parameters to consider when evaluating debris flow hazards is the shear strength. This strength is called the residual shear strength in the failure stage and the yield strength in the post-failure stage. The residual shear strength obtained from ring shear tests can be related to the initiation of mass movements; the yield strength obtained from rheological tests can be related to the mobilization of debris flows. The residual shear stresses obtained from ring shear tests of weathered soils typically range between 10 and 100 kPa and strongly depend on the normal stress and shear velocity. When progressive slope failure (i.e., strain-softening behavior) occurs at a relatively shallow slope depth (e.g., < 1 m), the soil strength ranges from approximately 5–10 kPa. If the liquid limit state (i.e., solid‒liquid transition) is reached, the shear strength of the soil is approximately 2 kPa. Once the soil fails and mixes with ambient water along the slip surface, the yield strength decreases dramatically, resulting in high mobilization. A suggestion on how strength parameters can be applied to estimate debris flow mobility is presented by considering the 2011 Miryang debris flow, which occurred in weathered soil deposits in Miryang city, Republic of Korea. The best approach for debris flow yield strength estimation would be to consider the residual shear strength in the initiation stage, the yield strength in the flow stage, and the reduction in yield strength with the entrainment effect of the flow in the rapid fluidization stage.

Methodology for Performing Bathymetric and Photogrammetric Measurements Using UAV and USV Vehicles in the Coastal Zone

The coastal zone is constantly exposed to marine erosion, rising water levels, waves, tides, sea currents, and debris transport. As a result, there are dynamic changes in the coastal zone topography, which may have negative effects on the aquatic environment and humans. Therefore, in order to monitor the changes in landform taking place in the coastal zone, periodic bathymetric and photogrammetric measurements should be carried out in an appropriate manner. The aim of this review is to develop a methodology for performing bathymetric and photogrammetric measurements using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and an Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) in a coastal zone. This publication shows how topographic and bathymetric monitoring should be carried out in this type of zone in order to obtain high-quality data that will be used to develop a Digital Terrain Model (DTM). The methodology for performing photogrammetric surveys with the use of a drone in the coastal zone should consist of four stages: the selection of a UAV, the development of a photogrammetric flight plan, the determination of the georeferencing method for aerial photos, and the specification as to whether there are meteorological conditions in the studied area that enable the implementation of an aerial mission through the use of a UAV. Alternatively, the methodology for performing bathymetric measurements using a USV in the coastal zone should consist of three stages: the selection of a USV, the development of a hydrographic survey plan, and the determination of the measurement conditions in the studied area and whether they enable measurements to be carried out with the use of a USV. As can be seen, the methodology for performing bathymetric and photogrammetric measurements using UAV and USV vehicles in the coastal zone is a complex process and depends on many interacting factors. The correct conduct of the research will affect the accuracy of the obtained measurement results, the basis of which a DTM of the coastal zone is developed. Due to dynamic changes in the coastal zone topography, it is recommended that bathymetric measurements and photogrammetric measurements with the use of UAV and USV vehicles should be carried out simultaneously on the same day, before or after the vegetation period, to enable the accurate measurement of the shallow waterbody depth.

Geological investigation of the lunar Apollo basin: From surface composition to interior structure

The Apollo basin, located in the northeastern part of the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin, represents one of the Moon's most significant geological features, offering profound insights into the lunar interior structure, the effects of the SPA impact, and the history of lunar crust evolution. This study presents an in-depth geological analysis of the Apollo basin region, revealing the distribution of rock types and compiling a comprehensive geologic map that correlates with the lithologic and geochemical properties of the area. Utilizing the characteristics and compositional provenance of the geologic units, we have constructed schematic cross-sections that elucidate the interior structure and stratigraphic evolution of the Apollo basin region. Despite excavations of the SPA and Apollo impacts, the anorthositic crust of this area was not entirely removed and has been uplifted to shallow depths, making it more susceptible to exposure by subsequent impacts. Additionally, upper mantle material, characterized by ultramafic, low-Ca pyroxene, was excavated by the SPA impact and is present in the impact melt/breccias of the Apollo basin. After the formation of the Apollo basin, multiple mare units were emplaced over a period potentially spanning ∼1.5 billion years, with the oldest of these maria being superposed by substantial postdating basin ejecta. The results of this study strengthen our understanding of the geology and evolution of the Apollo and SPA basins and offer valuable insights for interpreting the exploration and sample analysis results of the Chang'e-6 mission.

Seasonal habitat use and diel vertical migration in female spurdog in Nordic waters

BackgroundStudying habitat use and vertical movement patterns of individual fish over continuous time and space is innately challenging and has therefore largely remained elusive for a wide range of species. Amongst sharks, this applies particularly to smaller-bodied and less wide-ranging species such as the spurdog (Squalus acanthias Linnaeus, 1758), which, despite its importance for fisheries, has received limited attention in biologging and biotelemetry studies, particularly in the North-East Atlantic.MethodsTo investigate seasonal variations in fine-scale niche use and vertical movement patterns in female spurdog, we used archival data from 19 pregnant individuals that were satellite-tagged for up to 365 days in Norwegian fjords. We estimated the realised niche space with kernel densities and performed continuous wavelet analyses to identify dominant periods in vertical movement. Triaxial acceleration data were used to identify burst events and infer activity patterns.ResultsPregnant females frequently utilised shallow depths down to 300 m at temperatures between 8 and 14 °C. Oscillatory vertical moments revealed persistent diel vertical migration (DVM) patterns, with descents at dawn and ascents at dusk. This strict normal DVM behaviour dominated in winter and spring and was associated with higher levels of activity bursts, while in summer and autumn sharks predominantly selected warm waters above the thermocline with only sporadic dive and bursts events.ConclusionsThe prevalence of normal DVM behaviour in winter months linked with elevated likely foraging-related activity bursts suggests this movement behaviour to be foraging-driven. With lower number of fast starts exhibited in warm waters during the summer and autumn months, habitat use in this season might be rather driven by behavioural thermoregulation, yet other factors may also play a role. Individual and cohort-related variations indicate a complex interplay of movement behaviour and habitat use with the abiotic and biotic environment. Together with ongoing work investigating fine-scale horizontal movement as well as sex- and age-specific differences, this study provides vital information to direct the spatio-temporal distribution of a newly reopened fishery and contributes to an elevated understanding of the movement ecology of spurdog in the North-East Atlantic and beyond.Graphical

Environmental Impact of River Bank Erosion on Stream Morphology: A Study of the Mini Piti Stream, Obio-Akpor, Nigeria

This study was designed to assess the impact of river bank erosion on the environment and the channel morphology for the Mini-Piti stream in Obio-Akpor local government area of Rivers State, Nigeria. This study determined the depth variations from width measurements due to bank erosion activities and the impact of indiscriminate waste dumps on the river channel. Physical water quality parameters of temperature, turbidity, transparency and TSS were determined using standard methods. The stream was divided into three stations; upstream 2.5km, midstream 2.5km, and downstream with intervals of 1km measured to differentiate each station as 5 samples were obtained per station at intervals of 0.5km apart. The flow velocity and discharge were estimated as the average depth recorded upstream being DS 0.9m, WS 1.4m, Midstream DS 1.3m, WS 1.7m, and Downstream = DS 1.5m WS 1.7m. The maximum width of 11m and minimum of 0.1m were recorded though natives confirmed that the stream is closing up unless maintenance dredging to expand the depth and width, the loss of this channel cannot exceed 20 years. The field observation and the impacts of precipitation and storm water from the built area of midstream were very intensive whose action increased the water level above its channel capacity and eroded the bank. From t-test analysis, there were significant seasonal variations in the depth for the measured widths for the upstream T (8) =2.1, p= 0.036 and the midstream, T (8) =2.36, p=0.023. Similarly using the one-ANOVA, a significant variation in the depths of five locations during the dry season downstream F (4, 60) = 2.79, p= .03 was recorded. The Tukey’s HSD post hoc test showed the locations have no significantly high depths for the studied widths sizes (p&lt;0.01 and p&lt;0.05). A one-way ANOVA revealed a significant variation in the depths of five locations during the wet season upstream F (4, 60) = 5.966, p= .000. The Tukey’s HSD post hoc test showed the locations have significantly high depths for the studied widths sizes (p&lt;0.01 and p&lt;0.05) at locations L2:L4 at Q=5.53 (p=0.00216, L2:L5 at Q= 4.72 (p=0.1214), L3:L4 at Q=4.90 (p=0.00841) and L3:L5 at Q=4.10 (p=0.0403). The studied physical parameters were all above WHO permissible standards and there were no significant variations between dry and wet seasons (38% turbidity midstream, TSS-33%, 31% and 30.6% variation upstream, midstream and downstream respectively) as well as spatial changes. The collapsed sediments and waste dumped at the bank of the stream were transported downstream due to reduced velocity and coarser sediments trapped at the stream bed causing shallow depth while the suspended fine sediment on the water column reduced the clarity of the stream resulting in adverse flooding over 20 years now. The research revealed that bank erosion has significant impact on water quality due to poor transparency and geometry of stream by the alterations of the channel depth and width, flow rate, scouring and deposition of sediments in the stream. The need for regulatory agencies to control anthropogenic inputs and enhance bank erosion prevention programmes cannot be over-emphasized. The monitoring of indiscriminate urbanization programmes to limit excess scouring activities by National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) is very essential to reduce excessive sand mining.

Fluid flow in the Katanga Supergroup: From Lufilian brittle tectonic stages to the post-Lufilian period (Democratic Republic of Congo)

The metasedimentary rock succession of the Neoproterozoic-Cambrian Katanga Supergroup in the Central Africa Copperbelt shows evidence of several complex tectonic events. The deformation of this supergroup started from the tectonic inversion at about 570 Ma and lasted up to today, but reached paroxysm at ∼550 Ma. This long period was characterized by folding and faulting throughout multiple compressive and extensional events, which controlled the regional fluid flow on the one hand, and played an important role during formation of the stratiform to stratabound Cu-Co (Ni, U) deposits and the polymetallic Cu-Zn-Pb (Ag, Ge, Mo, Cd) vein type deposits on the other hand. Based on the structural analysis and paleostress reconstruction, coupled with fluid inclusion characterization from mineralized structures in rocks from the Nguba, Kundelungu and Biano Groups, this study demonstrates that the composition of hydrothermal fluids changed during brittle tectonic deformation during the Lufilian orogeny and subsequent uplift and post-Lufilian faulting.During early brittle tectonic deformation along strike slip faults with sinistral and dextral movement related to a NE-SW transpression, the Cu-mineralizing fluid was hypersaline (27.9–31.1 eq. wt% NaCl) with moderate temperatures (Th = 128–216 °C). The subsequent Cu or Cu (Zn, Pb) mineralization formed within an E-W extensional stress regime, related to the late Lufilian orogenic collapse. The fluid inclusions present in the gangue minerals associated with this latter mineralization show a large range in Th (50–264 °C) and salinity (26.7–36.0 eq. wt% NaCl). The decrease in temperature is interpreted to be due to migration of the fluids at shallower depth in the subsurface after uplift and erosion of the orogen. The increased salinity of the fluid is related to the dissolution of evaporites, mainly NaCl. A second H2O-NaCl-CaCl2 fluid with a homogenization temperature below 55 °C has also been found associated with this brittle stage and mineralization phase, but only in rocks belonging to the Kundelungu Group. A third mineralization phase, also characterized by Cu or Cu (Zn, Pb), formed during the post-Lufilian period within a NW-SE transpressional inversion regime. The fluid inclusion in the gangue minerals of this mineralization phase have a smaller range in homogenization temperature (Th = 37–172 °C) and the largest range in salinity (0.71–30 eq. wt% NaCl), compared to the earlier fluid inclusions generations. This large range in salinity may be explained by the mixing of a high salinity fluid, already present during the earlier tectonic stages in the sedimentary basin, with meteoric water. During the more recent rift-related extension, a fluid with again a large and higher range in homogenization temperatures (Th = 47–257 °C) and with a typical low salinity (<10 eq. wt% NaCl) has been recognized in minerals filling NNE-SSW to NE-SW oriented faults and fractures. The upward migration of a relatively low-salinity fluid from deeper parts in the subsurface explains the variation in the temperatures observed with this tectonic event.

Numerical simulation of rainfall-induced deformations of embankments considering the coupled hydro-mechanical behavior of unsaturated soils

This paper presents numerical simulations of the deformation response of unsaturated embankments subjected to rainfall infiltration using a coupled hydro-mechanical constitutive model for unsaturated soils. The constitutive model accounts for the influence of degree of saturation on the stress–strain behavior and the influence of void ratio on the water retention behavior. The constitutive model was implemented in the finite difference program FLAC, calibrated using triaxial test data, and validated using measurements of wetting-induced deformations of embankment models from centrifuge tests. The validation demonstrates that the constitutive model can capture the coupled hydro-mechanical behavior of unsaturated soils under wetting conditions. Simulations of the hydro-mechanical response of unsaturated embankments subjected to rainfall infiltration indicate that the differential settlement across the top surface of the embankment between the centerline and shoulder increases significantly during rainfall infiltration, which could result in severe damage to overlying transportation infrastructure. As the rainfall infiltration increases, shear strains accumulate and form a potential failure surface at a shallow depth of approximately 2 m from the slope surface. Insights into the hydro-mechanical response of unsaturated embankments subjected to rainfall infiltration gained will be useful for considering climate change effects in design and construction of compacted embankments.

High δ 15N and δ 13C Values in Aurochs, Cattle and Sheep Bones from Salt Marshes in the North of The Netherlands

ABSTRACT 185 pairs of δ 13C and δ 15N values for aurochs, cattle and sheep bones from the northern Netherlands were studied to establish the influence of salt marsh grazing on bone δ 13C and δ 15N values. The observed values proved significantly increased compared to livestock that grazed inland. The δ 13C and δ 15N values of animals grazing former salt marshes were significantly less increased than those grazing the unembanked salt marsh. Absent regular salt marsh flooding may explain the reduced δ 13C increase in bones of animals grazing there. The δ 15N values of ruminants grazing the embanked salt marshes continued to be increased, presumably due to persisting saline water at shallow depths. The δ 13C values of the salt marsh grazing ruminants correspond with a δ 13C increase of 5‰ compared to eleven modern salt marsh plants from Schiermonnikoog studied in this paper. The δ 15N values of the eleven Schiermonnikoog salt marsh plants proved variable, on average too low to explain the observed 3.5‰ increase in δ 15N values. This suggests that vegetation δ 15N values cannot be the only cause of the high δ 15N values observed in salt marsh ruminants. Other processes may be responsible for the high δ 15N values of salt marsh grazing ruminants as well.

Hydraulically linked reservoirs simultaneously fed the 1975–1984 Krafla Fires eruptions: Insights from petrochemistry

The 1975–1984 Krafla Fires in northeast Iceland was the first plate-boundary rifting episode to be tracked using seismic and geodetic monitoring. Geophysical observations from this episode have inspired conceptual models of magma transport during plate spreading, but a lack of complementary petrologic insights has hindered a holistic understanding of the events. To address this knowledge gap, we studied the petrochemistry of all nine Krafla Fires basaltic eruptions. Our large dataset of new whole-rock, matrix glass and mineral analyses from samples collected during or shortly after each eruption reveal a clear compositional bimodality in the erupted magmas that persisted across the episode, with evolved quartz tholeiite (MgO = 5.7–6.4 wt.%) erupted inside Krafla caldera, and more primitive (usually olivine-normative) tholeiite (MgO = 6.4–8.7 wt%) erupted north of the caldera margin. Barometric calculations indicate tapping of these magmas from distinct reservoirs: a primitive lower-crustal reservoir at a most probable depth of ∼14–19 km, and a more evolved, shallower reservoir at a most probable depth of ∼7–9 km beneath the caldera. These reservoirs were tapped simultaneously in several of the nine eruptions, and in three events the two magma types mixed near the northern caldera margin. Varying levels of trace element depletion in the deep-sourced primitive melts reflect incomplete mixing of diverse mantle-derived melts at depth; the most enriched of these melts could be parental to evolved inside-caldera magma via fractional crystallization. Clinopyroxene rims on gabbroic nodules from primitive September 1984 lavas record lower crustal pressures, while diffusion models suggest that these rims grew up to within a few months before eruption. Ascent of the primitive magma from the lower crust thus occurred over timescales much shorter than eruptive repose periods, without prolonged stalling at shallow depths. These observations are inconsistent with the view that the eruptions were entirely fed by lateral magma outflow from the shallow reservoir. They instead require some decoupling of the flow paths of the two magma types: the primitive magma either bypassed the sub-caldera reservoir laterally or ascended vertically beneath the northern vents. The two reservoirs nonetheless shared a hydraulic connection and jointly responded to rifting. Comparison of the Krafla Fires with other rifting events and eruptions highlights the complexity and diversity of magma transport during plate boundary rifting events, which is not yet captured by a generalizable model. Integration of petrologic, geochemical and geophysical data is essential to provide a holistic view of future rifting events in Iceland and at other spreading centres.

Mechanical Energy Dissipation During Seismic Dynamic Weakening in Calcite‐Bearing Faults

AbstractEarthquakes are frictional instabilities caused by the shear stress decrease, that is, dynamic weakening, of faults with slip and slip rate. During dynamic weakening, shear stress depends on slip, slip rate, and temperature, according to constitutive laws governing the earthquake rupture process. In the laboratory, technical limitations in measuring temperature during frictional instabilities inhibit the investigation and interpretation of shear stress evolution. Here we conduct high velocity friction experiments on calcite‐bearing simulated faults, both on bare‐rock and on gouge samples, at 20–30 MPa normal stress, 1–6 m/s slip rate and 1–20 m total slip. Seismic slip pulses are reproduced by imposing boxcar and regularized Yoffe slip rate functions. We measured, together with shear stress, slip, and slip rate, the temperature evolution on the fault by employing an innovative two‐color fiber optic pyrometer. The comparison between modeled and measured temperature reveals that for calcite‐bearing faults the heat sink caused by decarbonation reaction controls the temperature evolution. In bare‐rocks, energy is dissipated as frictional heat, and temperature increase is buffered by the heat sink of the calcite decarbonation reaction. In gouges, energy is dissipated as frictional heat and for plastic deformation processes, balanced by the heat sink caused by the decarbonation reaction enhanced by the mechanochemical effect. Our results suggest that in calcite‐bearing rocks, a common fault zone material for earthquake sources in the continental crust at shallow depth, the type of fault materials (bare‐rocks vs. gouges) controls the energy dissipation during seismic slip.

Elasticity of epidote at high pressure and its implications for the velocity anomaly in subduction zone

Hydrous minerals play a critical role in modifying the physical and chemical properties of the Earth’s interior. Among those, epidote is an important hydrous mineral in greenschist and blueschist phases of the metamorphosed subducting crust at shallow depth (30-60 km). Here, we measured the compressional (P) and shear (S) wave velocities of a polycrystalline epidote sample at pressures up to 7 GPa and room temperature by means of ultrasonic interferometry. The obtained sound velocities and elastic moduli of epidote increase monotonically with pressure. Finite strain analysis on those data set yielded the elastic moduli and their pressure derivatives of epidote at ambient condition as follows: KS0=115.2GPa, G0=66.7GPa, Ks′=4.6, G′=1.1. Using the elastic properties of epidote, we set up a model to better understand the velocity jumps in the subducted oceanic crusts concerning the blueschist-eclogite transition at 60-90 km depths. Our results indicate that the calculated P and S wave velocity jumps are in good agreement with those seismic observations in the typical subduction zones such as northeastern Japan and southwestern Japan. The eclogitization from epidote bearing blueschist may provide an explanation for the wave velocity anomalies occurred in those regions.

Achieving Ultrasound-Excited Emission with Organic Mechanoluminescent Materials.

Unlike traditional photoluminescence (PL), mechanoluminescence (ML) achieved under mechanical excitation demonstrates unique characteristics such as high penetrability, spatial resolution, and signal-to-background ratio (SBR) for bioimaging applications. However, bioimaging with organic mechanoluminescent materials remains challenging because of the shallow penetration depth of ML with short emission wavelengths and the absence of a suitable mechanical force to generate ML in vivo. To resolve these issues, the present paper reports the achievement of ultrasound (US)-excited fluorescence and phosphorescence from purely organic luminogens for the first time with emission wavelengths extending to the red/NIR region, with the penetrability of the US-excited emission being considerably higher than that of PL. Consequently, US-excited subcutaneous phosphorescence imaging can be achieved using a mechanoluminescent-luminogen-based capsule device with a quantified intensity of 9.15 ± 1.32 × 104 p s-1 cm-2 sr-1 and an SBR of 24. Moreover, the US-excited emission can be adequately tuned using the packing modes of the conjugated skeletons, dipole orientation of mechanoluminescent luminogens, and strength and direction of intermolecular interactions. Overall, this study innovatively expands the kind of excitation sources and the emission wavelengths of organic mechanoluminescent materials, paving the way for practical biological applications based on US-excited emission.

Quantum subspace expansion in the presence of hardware noise

Finding ground state energies on current quantum processing units (QPUs) using algorithms such as the variational quantum eigensolver (VQE) continues to pose challenges. Hardware noise severely affects both the expressivity and trainability of parameterized quantum circuits, limiting them to shallow depths in practice. Here, we demonstrate that both issues can be addressed by synergistically integrating VQE with a quantum subspace expansion, allowing for an optimal balance between quantum and classical computing capabilities and costs. We perform a systematic benchmark analysis of the iterative quantum-assisted eigensolver in the presence of hardware noise. We determine ground state energies of 1D and 2D mixed-field Ising spin models on noisy simulators and the IBM QPUs ibmq_quito (5 qubits) and ibmq_guadalupe (16 qubits). To maximize accuracy, we propose a suitable criterion to select the subspace basis vectors according to the trace of the noisy overlap matrix. Finally, we show how to systematically approach the exact solution by performing controlled quantum error mitigation based on probabilistic error reduction on the noisy backend fake_guadalupe.

Mechanical behavior and biological activity performance of Li+/Ca2+@Li+/K+ ion-exchanged lithium disilicate glass-ceramics

Lithium disilicate (LD) glass-ceramics used for bone repair need to have good mechanical properties and biological activity. Ion-exchange can lead a significant surficial strengthening and bioactivity of LD glass-ceramics. In this work, LD glass-ceramics were Li+/Ca2+@Li+/K+ exchanged in a mixed salt bath of 30 % Ca(NO3)2 + 70 % KNO3 (in mol %) at 400 °C for 16 h, 32 h and 64 h respectively. LD glass-ceramics were significantly strengthened after Li+/Ca2+@Li+/K+ exchange. However, due to the shallow depth of the ion-exchange layer and stress relaxation, the strengthening effect deteriorated with the prolongation of the ion-exchange time. The Li+/Ca2+@Li+/K+ exchanged LD glass-ceramics could be conducive to the formation of the hydroxyapatite (HA) after soaking in the simulated body fluid (SBF). Moreover, the protein adsorption, cytotoxicity, cell adhesion, osteoblast proliferation and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity expression of Li+/Ca2+@Li+/K+ exchanged LD glass-ceramics were investigated. Ca2+ release might promote the bioactivity of ion-exchanged LD glass-ceramics. Therefore, Li+/Ca2+@Li+/K+ exchange can improve the mechanical properties and bioactivity of LD glass-ceramics, which has important significance for its application in orthopedic reconstruction.