Integrated detrital rutile and detrital zircon ages: a new perspective on the tectonic evolution of South China.

Paleogeographic reconstructions are of key importance for understanding the history of continental breakups and amalgamations during Earth's history. A special case is the history of the Asian continent, which, compared to other continents, consists of several large cratons and numerous smaller continental blocks. The history of the assembly of South China remains controversial in terms of the timing, Late Neoproterozoic or Early Paleozoic, and the participating continental blocks, e.

Polarization-resolved resonant Raman excitation of surface and bulk electronic bands and phonons in MBE-grown topological insulator thin films.

Interaction of phonons with Dirac-like electronic states sets the fundamental limit of electron transport in topological insulators (TIs). Polarization-resolved and resonant Raman scattering of bulk and surface electronic excitation and vibrational modes in BiTe and BiSbTeSe (BSTS) thin films was investigated. At photon energies () of 1.

Structure searching and phase relationships in MnN up to 50 GPa: a DFT study.

Based on density functional theory and evolutionary algorithms the thermodynamically stable structures of MnN and their stability - fields were revealed in the pressure range of 0-50 GPa. The MnN-4̄3 polymorph (zinc blende-type) was shown to be the ambient pressure phase, while experimentally known MnN-4/ (distorted NaCl-type) is a high-temperature phase quenchable to the ambient condition. At 5.

Nonstoichiometry as a hidden aspect of TbAl(BO) optical properties.

TbAl(BO) should not be considered as a strictly stoichiometric compound. A variety of TbAl(BO) ( = -0.1-0.

Impact of global environmental changes on the range contraction of Eurasian moose since the Late Pleistocene.

Climatic oscillations are considered primary factors influencing the distribution of various life forms on Earth. Large species adapted to cold climates are particularly vulnerable to extinction due to climate changes. In our study, we investigated whether temperature increase since the Late Pleistocene and the contraction of environmental niche during the Holocene were the main factors contributing to the decreasing range of moose (Alces alces) in Europe.

Crystal structure of the incommensurate modulated high-pressure phase of the potassium guaninate monohydrate.

The crystal structure of the incommensurate modulated phase of potassium guaninate monohydrate has been solved on the basis of high-pressure single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. The modulated structure was described as a `mosaic' sequence of three different local configurations of two neighbouring guaninate rings. In contrast to known examples of incommensurate modulated organic compounds, the modulation functions of all atoms are discontinuous.

Phylogeography of the woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) in the Minusinsk Depression of southern Siberia in the Late Pleistocene.

To date, a number of studies have been published on the phylogenetics of woolly mammoths (Mammuthus primigenius), ranging from analyses of parts of the mitochondrial genome to studies of complete nuclear genomes. However, until recently nothing was known about the genetic diversity of woolly mammoths in southern Siberia, in the Minusinsk Depression in particular. Within the framework of this effort, libraries for high-throughput sequencing of seven bone samples of woolly mammoths were obtained, two-round enrichment using biotinylated probes of modern mtDNA of Elephas maximus immobilised on magnetic microspheres and sequencing with subsequent bioinformatic analysis were carried out.

Raman study of decomposition of Na-bearing carbonates in water fluid at high P-T parameters.

The study of Na-carbonates stability and their transformations in aqueous carbonate fluid under high P-T conditions is relevant from the point of view of the understanding geochemical processes of the Na-assisted carbon circulation in the Earth's crust and subduction zones. In situ Raman study of Na-bearing carbonate-water-Fe-metal system in diamond anvil cell (DAC) at high P-T conditions revealed that carbonates decompose with abiogenic formation of formates and other organic compounds that differs from behavior of carbonates in dry system. XRD and FTIR methods have been used additionally to determine the phase composition.

A comparative study of the effect of high-pressure and low temperature on the crystal structure of lithium xanthinate hydrate.

The crystal structure of lithium xanthinate hydrate was studied by single crystal X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy on cooling to 100 K and under compression to 5.3 GPa. A phase transition at ∼4 GPa is observed.

NaBa(BO)F (NBBF) dichroic crystals: optical properties and dielectric permittivity.

Three NaBa(BO)F crystals were grown in the BaO-BaF-BO-NaO system from three different compositions of high-temperature solution. With the use of optical spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and the Schering bridge method it was found that the crystals revealed sharp differences in their optical and dielectric properties. The relative permittivity of the crystals in direction perpendicular to the optical axis reached 319(5).

Paleolithic eyed needles and the evolution of dress.

Eyed needles are among the most iconic of Paleolithic artifacts, traditionally seen as rare indicators of prehistoric clothing, particularly tailoring. However, recent finds across Africa and Eurasia show that other technologies like bone awls also facilitated the creation of fitted garments. Nonetheless, the advent of delicate eyed needles suggests a demand for more refined, efficient sewing.

Morphology and composition of calcium oxalate monohydrate phytoliths in the bark of Betula ermanii (stone birch): Case study from Sakhalin Island.

The morphology of calcium oxalate monohydrate precipitates (COM, Ca(CO)·HO, P2/c, whewellite) occurring as crystals or intergrowths, as well as distribution of crystal-bearing idioblasts, have been studied for the first time in the bark of stone birch Betula ermanii from Sakhalin Island sampled in an area affected by mud volcanism and an unaffected typical forest environment taken for reference. The study addresses several issues (i) number and size of phytoliths and their distribution in different cell types; (ii) density of calcification in specific cells; (iii) habits of single crystals, twins, and complex intergrowths, as well as frequency of different morphologies and their relations. The trends of time-dependent morphological changes in separately analyzed crystals and intergrowths record the evolution of COM morphology from nuclei to mature grains.

Luminescence, XPS and Raman of crystalline quartz affected to high pressure by detonation.

The Raman spectra, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and x-ray excited luminescence spectra of crystalline quartz samples subjected to different pressure levels through detonation were compared with the spectra of the original samples. In the samples under study, the luminescence of a self-trapped exciton (STE) was analyzed, which, when excited by x-rays, has a high energy yield (∼20%) in crystalline-quartz not treated by detonation. The deviations of the luminescence spectrum are small in the pressure range from 9 to 27 GPa relative to untreated samples, which means the presence of crystalline quartz grains.

Fauna and Landscapes of the Southern Minusinsk Basin (Southern Siberia) at the End of the Late Pleistocene.

Paleolandscapes of the first half of MIS 2 or the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) were reconstructed based on the study of the first mammoth fauna locality found in the Abakan River valley and a comparison with other localities of the South Minusinsk Basin. Sediments of the Uytag geological section under study included silt interlayers underlain and overlain by sandstone rock slack fragments and were interpreted as weakly eroded diluvium. Studies of the Uytag locality made it possible to clarify the time and range of distribution in southern Siberia for several mammals (Ovis ammon, Equus ferus, Marmota baibacina, Sicista subtilis, Lagurus lagurus, and Microtus gregalis) and the Pleistocene bird Aquila chrysaetos.

Phase Transitions and Nonlinear Optical Property Modifications in BaGaSe.

Phase transitions can change the crystal structure and modify the physical properties of crystals. In this work, we investigate the phase transition behavior in BaGaSe, an important middle infrared (mid-IR) nonlinear optical (NLO) crystal, in the temperature range from room temperature to 1173 K. Interestingly, the BaGaSe crystal undergoes a reversible ferroelastic phase transition at = 528 K, resulting in the presence of a newly discovered phase (γ-phase) at the higher temperature.

Pb[CO]-3̄1: new insights into the high-pressure behavior of carbonates.

In the present study, based on density functional theory and crystal structure prediction approaches, we found a new high-pressure structure of lead carbonate, named Pb[CO]-3̄1. This structure differs significantly from previously known modifications of lead carbonate. The Pb[CO]-3̄1 structure is characterized by the presence of ethane-like [CO] groups, which can also be classified as orthooxalate groups.

A setup for hard x-ray time-resolved resonant inelastic x-ray scattering at SwissFEL.

We present a new setup for resonant inelastic hard x-ray scattering at the Bernina beamline of SwissFEL with energy, momentum, and temporal resolution. The compact  = 0.5 m Johann-type spectrometer can be equipped with up to three crystal analyzers and allows efficient collection of RIXS spectra.

Automated cleaning of tie point clouds following USGS guidelines in Agisoft Metashape professional (ver. 2.1.0).

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has published a guideline to improve the quality of digital photogrammetric reconstructions created with the widely used Agisoft Metashape Professional software.

Growth, crystal structure and IR luminescence of KSrYEr(BO).

A series of novel KSrYEr(BO) (x = 0-1) phosphors that emit near-infrared radiation was synthesized using solid-state methods. Pure Y and Er crystals were grown using a KF flux via the top-seeded solution growth technique. In situ high-temperature single crystal X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and DFT calculations were used for characterization.

Rotational phase transitions in antifluorite-type osmate and iridate compounds.

We present temperature-dependent single-crystal diffraction results on seven antifluorite-typeA2MeX6compounds with= Os or Ir: KOsCl,OsBrwith= K, Rb, Cs and NH, and KIrwith= Cl and Br. The structural transitions in this family arise fromoctahedron rotations that generate a rich variety of symmetries depending on the rotation axis and stacking schemes. In order to search for local distortions in the high-symmetry phase we perform refinements of anharmonic atomic displacement parameters with comprehensive data sets.

Microbial assemblages in Arctic coastal thermokarst lakes and lagoons.

Several studies have investigated changes in microbial community composition in thawing permafrost landscapes, but microbial assemblages in the transient ecosystems of the Arctic coastline remain poorly understood. Thermokarst lakes, abrupt permafrost thaw features, are widespread along the pan-Arctic coast and transform into thermokarst lagoons upon coastal erosion and sea-level rise. This study looks at the effect of marine water inundation (imposing a sulfate-rich, saline environment on top of former thermokarst lake sediments) on microbial community composition and the processes potentially driving microbial community assembly.