ALBERT

Description: Rocks enriched in Ge have been discovered in Gale Crater, Mars, by the Alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer (APXS) on the Mars Science Lab (MSL) rover, Curiosity. The Ge concentrations in Gale Crater (commonly 〉50 ppm) are remarkably high in comparison to Earth, where Ge ranges from 0.5-4.0 ppm in igneous rocks and 0.2-3.3 ppm in siliciclastic sediment. Primary meteoritic input is not likely the source of high Ge because Ge/Ni in chondrites (approx.0.003) and irons (〈0.04) is lower than in Gale rocks (0.08-0.2). Earth studies show Ge is a useful geochemical tracer because it is coherent with Si during magmatic processes and Ge/Si varies less than 20% in basalts. Ge and Si fractionate during soil/regolith weathering, with Ge preferentially sequestered in clays. Ge is also concentrated in Cu- and Zn-rich hydrothermal sulfide deposits and Fe- and Mnrich oxide deposits. Other fluid-mobile elements (K, Zn, Cl, Br, S) are also enriched at Gale and further constrain aqueous alteration processes. Here, we interpret the sediment alteration history and present a possible model for Ge enrichments at Gale involving fluid alteration of the protolith.

Description: MSL Curiosity investigated the Windjana sandstone outcrop, in the Kimberley area of Gale Crater, and obtained mineralogical analyses with the CheMin XRD instrument. Windjana is remarkable in containing an abundance of potassium feldspar (and thus K in its bulk chemistry) combined with a low abundance of plagioclase (and low Na/K in its chemistry). The source of this enrichment in K is not clear, but has significant implications for the geology of Gale Crater and of Mars. The high K could be intrinsic to the sediment and imply that the sediment source area (Gale Crater rim) includes K-rich basalts and possibly more evolved rocks derived from alkaline magmas. Alternatively, the high K could be diagenetic and imply that the Gale Crater sediments were altered by K-rich aqueous fluids after deposition.

Description: The Curiosity Rover landed in a lithologically and geochemically diverse region of Mars. We present a recommended rock classification framework based on terrestrial schemes, and adapted for the imaging and analytical capabilities of MSL as well as for rock types distinctive to Mars (e.g., high Fe sediments). After interpreting rock origin from textures, i.e., sedimentary (clastic, bedded), igneous (porphyritic, glassy), or unknown, the overall classification procedure (Fig 1) involves: (1) the characterization of rock type according to grain size and texture; (2) the assignment of geochemical modifiers according to Figs 3 and 4; and if applicable, in depth study of (3) mineralogy and (4) geologic/stratigraphic context. Sedimentary rock types are assigned by measuring grains in the best available resolution image (Table 1) and classifying according to the coarsest resolvable grains as conglomerate/breccia, (coarse, medium, or fine) sandstone, silt-stone, or mudstone. If grains are not resolvable in MAHLI images, grains in the rock are assumed to be silt sized or smaller than surface dust particles. Rocks with low color contrast contrast between grains (e.g., Dismal Lakes, sol 304) are classified according to minimum size of apparent grains from surface roughness or shadows outlining apparent grains. Igneous rocks are described as intrusive or extrusive depending on crystal size and fabric. Igneous textures may be described as granular, porphyritic, phaneritic, aphyric, or glassy depending on crystal size. Further descriptors may include terms such as vesicular or cumulate textures.

Description: The boron isotope (δ11B) composition of marine calcifiers is considered to be one of the most reliable pH proxies, enabling us to reconstruct past ocean pH and infer on the associated changes in carbon budget involved (e.g. Gut- jahr et al. 2017). The application of the commonly used δ 11 B archives such as foraminifera or corals is however mostly limited to the Cenozoic due to insufficient preservation or incomplete geological records. Brachiopods have a promising potential for extending our knowledge on seawater pH evolution throughout the entire Phanerozoic considering their high abundance in the fossil record and its origin dating back to the early Cambrian. Moreover, their shell is composed of low-magnesium calcite, rendering brachiopods more resistant to post-depositional di-magenetic alteration of its primary chemical signal (e.g. Brand et al. 2012). Additionally, even today they present an extant and widespread taxa, allowing for an assessment of the controls on boron isotope incorporation into brachiopod calcite and possible distortions of the signal due to vital effects or other processes. We present a detailed exploration of boron isotope systematics in three different brachiopod species (Magellania venosa, Terebratella dorsata, Pajaudina atlantica) cultured under controlled laboratory settings for over a year. Our experimental setup includes a control (pH = 8.15) and two pH treatments (pH = 7.6 and 7.35), and we provide both bulk MC-ICP-MS as well as high spatial resolution SIMS data of the shell material. Our results indicate that boron incorporation is primarily driven by vital effects related to their ability to regulate calcifying fluid pH in response to ambient changes, which we further validate by in vivo microelectrode measurements (e.g. Stumpp et al. 2012). Despite internal buffering, the local pH at calcification sites systematically decreases with seawater pH, and hence is impacted by ocean acidification. This not only suggests that brachiopod shells serve as useful and conservative recorders of past ocean pH trends, but also provides new insights into mechanisms that may have enabled brachiopod survival throughout several major environmental crises in the past. Our findings have implications for past climate studies, as well as research on calcification processes and physio- logical adaptations to environmental change (e.g. the actual global ocean acidification). Brand, U., Posenato, R., Came, R., Affek, H., Angiolini, L., Azmy, K. and Farabegoli, E., 2012. The end-Permian mass extinction: A rapid volcanic CO2 and CH4-climatic catastrophe, Chem. Geol. 323, 121-144. Gutjahr M., Ridgewell A., Sexton P.F., Anagnostou E., Pearson P.N., Pälike H., Norris R.D., Thomas E., and Foster G.L., 2017. Very large release of mostly volcanic carbon during the Palaeocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, Nature 548, 573-577. Stumpp M., Hu M.Y., Melzner F., Gutowska M., Dorey N., Himmerkus N., Holtmann W.C., Dupont S.T., Thorndyke M.C., and Bleich M. Acidified seawater impacts sea urchin larvae pH regulatory systems relevant for calcification, PNAS 44: 18192-18197.

Description: Der Bericht stellt Zwischenergebnisse des Forschungsprojektes Energiewende-Navigationssystem (ENavi) für politische Szenarien eines deutschen Kohleausstieges vor. Der Bewertungsprozess der Szenarien basiert dabei auf wissenschaftlichen Ergebnissen eines vielfältigen Methodensets, um robustes Wissen zu generieren. Für die Erstellung von Maßnahmenbündeln, wünschenswerten Szenarien und Prüfung der Ergebnisse wurden Stakeholdern aktiv in Form eines ko-kreativen Prozesses einbezogen.

Description: The report presents interim results of the research project Energy Transition Navigation System (ENavi) for political scenarios of a German coal phase-out. The scenario assessment process is based on the scientific results of a diverse set of methods to generate robust knowledge. Stakeholders were actively involved in the form of a co-creative process for the development of policy packages, desirable scenarios and evaluation of the results.