Determination of alkali elements is important to Earth scientists, yet suitable and reliable microanalytical reference materials are lacking. This paper proposes a new albite reference material and evaluates the potential for future K-feldspar reference materials. The proposed Piz Beverin albite reference material from Switzerland yields a homogeneous composition at the centimetre- to micrometre-scale for Si, Al and Na with < 2000 mu g g(-1) total trace elements (mostly heterogeneously distributed Ca, K and Sr). EPMA and LA-ICP-MS measurements confirm a composition of 99.5(2)% albite component, which is supported further by bulk XRF measurements. A round robin evaluation involving nine independent EPMA laboratories confirms its composition and homogeneity for Si, Al and Na. In addition, a set of five distinct clear K-feldspar samples was evaluated as possible reference materials. The first two crystals of adular and orthoclase yield unacceptable inhomogeneities with > 2% relative local variations of Na, K and Ba contents. The three other investigated sets of K-feldspar crystals are yellow sanidine crystals from Itrongay (Madagascar). Despite distinct compositions, EPMA confirms they are each homogeneous at the centimetre to micrometre scale for Si, Al and K and have no apparent inclusions; further investigation to find larger amounts of these materials is therefore justified.

The Mighei-like carbonaceous (CM) chondrites, the most abundant carbonaceous chondrite group by number, further our understanding of processes that occurred in their formation region in the protoplanetary disk and in their parent body/bodies and provide analogs for understanding samples returned from carbonaceous asteroids. Chondrules in the CMs are commonly encircled by fine-grained rims (FGRs) whose origins are debated. We present the abundances, sizes, and petrographic observations of FGRs in six CMs that experienced varying intensities of parent body processing, including aqueous and thermal alteration. The samples studied here, in approximate order of increasing thermal alteration experienced, are Allan Hills 83100, Murchison, Meteorite Hills 01072, Elephant Moraine 96029, Yamato-793321, and Pecora Escarpment 91008. Based on observations of these CM chondrites, we recommend a new average apparent (2-D) chondrule diameter of 170 lm, which is smaller than previous estimates and overlaps with that of the Ornans-like carbonaceous (CO) chondrites. Thus, we suggest that chondrule diameters are not diagnostic for distinguishing between CM and CO chondrites. We also argue that chondrule foliation noted in ALH 83100, MET 01072, and Murchison resulted from multiple lowintensity impacts; that FGRs in CMs formed in the protoplanetary disk and were subsequently altered by both aqueous and thermal secondary alteration processes in their parent asteroid; and that the heat experienced by some CM chondrites may have originated from solar radiation of their source body/bodies during close solar passage as evidenced by the presence of evolved desiccation cracks in FGRs that formed by recurrent wetting and desiccation cycles.

The detection and quantification of metal sulfides in host rocks by electrical measurements have been priorities for field and laboratory studies, motivated by mineral prospecting and fundamental interest in the mantle structure or core/mantle differentiation, among other reasons. Here, we reanalyze electrical data for a dunite host with added FeS or Fe-S-Ni (Saxena et al. 2021), and report additional experimental runs along with electron microprobe analyses. The applied pressure was 2 GPa; impedance spectra were acquired while annealing at 1023 K (below the metal-sulfide solidus), and while varying temperature from 570 to 1650 K. Addition of 6.5 or 18 vol% FeS strongly enhances conductivity of the bulk sample compared with that of the dunite host, though values are 100-100 000 times less than those of pure FeS. These results indicate that most metal sulfide content is not part of a viable conductive path, even for the 18 vol% quantity. Nevertheless, the relatively high conductivity and weak temperature dependence of the 18 vol% sample reveal that contiguous paths of solid or molten FeS span the electrodes. The sample with 6.5 vol% sulfide also exceeds the percolation threshold for temperatures as low as similar to 100 K below the eutectic melting point, likely because FeS softens. Conductivity is nearly unchanged upon crossing the eutectic temperature, however a decline over 1400-1500 K reveals that the 6.5 vol% molten FeS forms a fragile electrical network in dunite. Samples with Fe50S40Ni10 or Fe40S40Ni20 (at%) are less conductive than pure dunite at temperatures below similar to 1450 K. This surprising result, likely caused by a reducing influence of Fe or Ni metal, does not support the use of FeS as an analog for compositions with nickel or excess metal. Our findings suggest that probing the electrical network of metal sulfides as solids complements other studies focused on connectivity of molten metal sulfides.

Probability density Probability density .0 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0.0 0.6 0.4 0.2 0.0 142 Nd-10-9-8 182 W MORB Nd standard OIB-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 0 1 2 3 OIB MORB W standard-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 0 1 2 3 New high precision Nd and W isotopic compositions were obtained on the same basalt samples from the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge. These provide the best estimate so far for the mu 142 Nd and mu 182 W values of the depleted mantle source of mid-ocean ridge basalts known as DMM. The PAR basalts yield a mean mu 142 Nd = - 1.6 +/- 5.0 (2 s.d.) and mu 182 W = - 1.9 +/- 3.5 (2 s.d.), which together with the literature data allow the isotope composition of the DMM to be constrained. The present-day DMM mu 182 W is 10 - 20 ppm lower than that of the Archean mantle. This decrease could be related to the broad incorporation of mantle plume material into the upper mantle, starting between 2.4 and 3 billion years ago, due to the onset of deep cold slab subduction, and its attendant return mantle flow.

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a potent greenhouse gas and ozone depletion agent, with a significant natural source from marine oxygen-deficient zones (ODZs). Open questions remain, however, about the microbial processes responsible for this N2O production, especially hybrid N2O production when ammonia-oxidizing archaea are present. Using 15N-labeled tracer incubations, we measured the rates of N2O production from ammonium (NH4+), nitrite (NO2-), and nitrate (NO3-) in the eastern tropical North Pacific ODZ and the isotopic labeling of the central (alpha) and terminal (beta) nitrogen (N) atoms of the N2O molecule. We observed production of both doubly and singly labeled N2O from each tracer, with the highest rates of labeled N2O production at the same depths as the near-surface N2O concentration maximum. At most stations and depths, the production of 45N2O alpha and 45N2O beta were statistically indistinguishable, but at a few depths there were significant differences in the labeling of the two nitrogen atoms in the N2O molecule. Implementing the rates of labeled N2O production in a time-dependent numerical model, we found that N2O production from NO3- dominated at most stations and depths, with rates as high as 1600 +/- 200 pM N2O d-1. Hybrid N2O production, one of the mechanisms by which ammonia-oxidizing archaea produce N2O, had rates as high as 230 +/- 80 pM N2O d-1 that peaked in both the near-surface and deep N2O concentration maxima. Based on the equal production of 45N2O alpha and 45N2O beta in the majority of our experiments, we infer that hybrid N2O production likely has a consistent site preference, despite drawing from two distinct substrate pools. We also found that the rates and yields of hybrid N2O production were enhanced at low dissolved oxygen concentrations ([O2]), with hybrid N2O yields as high as 20 % at depths where [O2] was below detection (880 nM) but nitrification was still active. Finally, we identified a few incubations with [O2] up to 20 mu M where N2O production from NO3- was still active. A relatively high O2 tolerance for N2O production via denitrification has implications for the feedbacks between marine deoxygenation and greenhouse gas cycling.

Jotun springs in Svalbard, Norway, is a rare warm environment in the Arctic that actively forms travertine. In this study, we assessed the microbial ecology of Jotun's active (aquatic) spring and dry spring transects. We evaluated the microbial preservation potential and mode, as well as the astrobiological relevance of the travertines to marginal carbonates mapped at Jezero Crater on Mars (the Mars 2020 landing site). Our results revealed that microbial communities exhibited spatial dynamics controlled by temperature, fluid availability, and geochemistry. Amorphous carbonates and silica precipitated within biofilm and on the surface of filamentous microorganisms. The water discharged at the source is warm, with near neutral pH, and undersaturated in silica. Hence, silicification possibly occurred through cooling, dehydration, and partially by a microbial presence or activities that promote silica precipitation. CO2 degassing and possible microbial contributions induced calcite precipitation and travertine formation. Jotun revealed that warm systems that are not very productive in carbonate formation may still produce significant carbonate buildups and provide settings favorable for fossilization through silicification and calcification. Our findings suggest that the potential for amorphous silica precipitation may be essential for Jezero Crater's marginal carbonates because it significantly increases the preservation potential of putative martian organisms.