Assessment of social vulnerability to natural disasters: a comparative study

The purpose of this study is to examine and compare the methodologies being developed in assessing social vulnerability to natural disasters. Existing vulnerability literature shows that two methods have been used in developing social vulnerability indexes: (1) a deductive approach based on a theoretical understanding of relationships and (2) an inductive approach based on statistical relationships (Adger et al. in New indicators of vulnerability and adaptive capacity. Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, Norwich, 2004). Two techniques were also utilized in aggregating social vulnerability indicators: (1) a deductive approach using standardization techniques such as z scores or linear scaling (Wu et al. in Clim Res 22:255?C270, 2002; Chakraborty et al. in Nat Hazards Rev 6(1):23?C33, 2005) and (2) an inductive approach using data-reduction techniques such as factor analysis (Clark et al. in Mitig Adapt Strateg Glob Change 3(1):59?C82, 1998; Cutter et al. Soc Sci Quart 84(2):242?C261, 2003). This study empirically compares deductive and inductive index development and indicator aggregation methods in assessing social vulnerability to natural disasters in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coastal areas. The aggregated social vulnerability index is used to examine a relationship with disaster losses in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coastal areas. The results show that coastal counties with more vulnerability in terms of social achieved status are positively associated with disaster damages, while variations in the development of the index using deductive and inductive measurement approaches produce different outcomes.     

Detecting transmissive bedrock fracture zones under cover of glacial formations using residential water-well production data

Tracing fractures under glacial drift commonly involves costly and often unfeasible (in populated areas) geophysical methods or outcrop surveys, often far from the area of interest. A hypothesis is tested, that the specific capacity data for wells penetrating through glacial drift into a bedrock aquifer display two statistical populations: assuming uniform well construction, the wells with high specific capacity penetrate transmissive fracture zones, while those with low specific capacity encounter non-fractured rock characterized by primary porosity. The hypothesis was tested on 617 wells drilled into the Pennsylvanian Sharon Sandstone, Geauga County, Ohio (USA). Hydraulic conductivity, calculated using the Cooper and Jacob (1946) approximation to Theis’ non-equilibrium radial flow equation, followed quasi-log-normal distribution (geometric mean 9.88?×?10^?6 m/s). The lower values presumably correspond to primary porosity, and higher values correspond to bedrock fracture zones. The higher hydraulic conductivity followed two distinct orientations (N34°E, N44°W), corresponding with the regional fracture pattern of the Allegheny Plateau. A variogram showed that the wells within a kilometer of each other correlate and that wells penetrating the thicker glacial blanket have lower hydraulic conductivity and larger drawdown. Cooper and Jacob (1946) A generalized graphical method for evaluating formation constants and summarizing well-field history, Am. Geoph. Union Trans. 27/4:526–534.     

Convergence of iterative coupling for coupled flow and geomechanics

In this paper, we study solving iteratively the coupling of flow and mechanics. We demonstrate the stability and convergence of two widely used schemes: the undrained split method and the fixed stress split method. To our knowledge, this is the first time that such results have been rigorously obtained and published in the scientific literature. In addition, we propose a new stress split method, with faster convergence rate than known schemes. These results are specially important today due to the interest in hydraulic fracturing (Dean and Schmidt SPE J. 14:707–714, 2009; Ji et al. SPE J. 14:423–430, 2009; Samier and De Gennaro 2007; Settari and Maurits SPE J. 3:219–226, 1998), in oil and gas shale reservoirs.     

Reply to ‘Comment on “The beginnings of hydrous mantle wedge melting” by Till et al.’ by Green, Rosenthal and Kovacs

The comment of Green et al. debates the interpretation of the temperature of the H₂O-saturated peridotite solidus and presence of silicate melt in the experiments of Till et al. (Contrib Mineral Petrol 163:669–688, 2012) at <1,000?°C. The criticisms presented in their comment do not invalidate any of the most compelling observations of Till et al. (Contrib Mineral Petrol 163:669–688, 2012) as discussed in the following response, including the changing minor element and Mg# composition of the solid phases with increasing temperature in our experiments with 14.5?wt% H₂O at 3.2?GPa, as well as the results of our chlorite peridotite melting experiments with 0.7?wt% H₂O. The point remains that Till et al. (Contrib Mineral Petrol 163:669–688, 2012) present data that call into question the H₂O-saturated peridotite solidus temperature preferred by Green (Tectonophysics 13(1–4):47–71, 1972; Earth Planet Sci Lett 19(1):37–53, 1973; Can Miner 14:255–268, 1976); Millhollen et al. (J Geol 82(5):575–587, 1974); Mengel and Green (Stability of amphibole and phlogopite in metasomatized peridotite under water-saturated and water-undersaturated conditions, Geological Society of Australia Special Publication, Blackwell, pp 571-581, 1989); Wallace and Green (Mineral Petrol 44:1–19, 1991) and Green et al. (Nature 467(7314):448–451, 2010).     

Comment on “A Comparison of Modified Fuzzy Weights of Evidence,Fuzzy Weights of Evidence,and Logistic Regression for Mapping Mineral Prospectivity” by Daojun Zhang,Frits Agterberg,Qiuming Cheng,and Renguang Zuo Math Geosci DOI 10.1007/s11004-013-9496-8

Despite a missing definition of equivalence of mathematical models or methods by Zhang et al. (Math Geosci, 2013), an “equivalence” (Zhang et al., Math Geosci, 2013, p. 6,7,8,14) of modified weights-of-evidence (Agterberg, Nat Resour Res 20:95–101, 2011) and logistic regression does not generally exist. Its alleged proof is based on a previously conjectured linear relationship between weights of evidence and logistic regression parameters (Deng, Nat Resour Res 18:249–258, 2009), which does not generally exist either (Schaeben and van den Boogaart, Nat Resour Res 20:401–406, 2011). In fact, an extremely simple linear relationship exists only if the predictor variables are conditionally independent given the target variable, in which case the contrasts, i.e., the differences of the weights, are equal to the logistic regression parameters. Thus, weights-of-evidence is the special case of logistic regression if the predictor variables are binary and conditionally independent given the target variable.     

Oxygen fugacity control in piston-cylinder experiments: a re-evaluation

Jakobsson (Contrib Miner Petrol 164(3):397–407, 2012) investigated a double capsule assembly for use in piston-cylinder experiments that would allow hydrous, high-temperature, and high-pressure experiments to be conducted under controlled oxygen fugacity conditions. Using a platinum outer capsule containing a metal oxide oxygen buffer (Ni–NiO or Co–CoO) and H₂O, with an inner gold–palladium capsule containing hydrous melt, this study was able to compare the oxygen fugacity imposed by the outer capsule oxygen buffer with an oxygen fugacity estimated by the AuPdFe ternary system calibrated by Barr and Grove (Contrib Miner Petrol 160(5):631–643, 2010). H₂O loss or gain, as well as iron loss to the capsule walls and carbon contamination, is often observed in piston-cylinder experiments and often go unexplained. Only a few have attempted to actually quantify various aspects of these changes (Brooker et al. in Am Miner 83(9–10):985–994, 1998; Truckenbrodt and Johannes in Am Miner 84:1333–1335, 1999). It was one of the goals of Jakobsson (Contrib Miner Petrol 164(3):397–407, 2012) to address these issues by using and testing the AuPdFe solution model of Barr and Grove (Contrib Miner Petrol 160(5):631–643, 2010), as well as to constrain the oxygen fugacity of the inner capsule. The oxygen fugacities of the analyzed melts were assumed to be equal to those of the solid Ni–NiO and Co–CoO buffers, which is incorrect since the melts are all undersaturated in H₂O and the oxygen fugacities should therefore be lower than that of the buffer by 2 log $a_{{{\text{H}}_{ 2} {\text{O}}}}$ .     

Applicability of different ground-motion prediction models for northern Iran

A total of 163 free-field acceleration time histories recorded at epicentral distances of up to 200 km from 32 earthquakes with moment magnitudes ranging from M _w 4.9 to 7.4 have been used to investigate the predictive capabilities of the local, regional, and next generation attenuation (NGA) ground-motion prediction equations and determine their applicability for northern Iran. Two different statistical approaches, namely the likelihood method (LH) of Scherbaum et al. (Bull Seismol Soc Am 94:341–348, 2004) and the average log-likelihood method (LLH) of Scherbaum et al. (Bull Seismol Soc Am 99:3234–3247, 2009), have been applied for evaluation of these models. The best-fitting models (considering both the LH and LLH results) over the entire frequency range of interest are those of Ghasemi et al. (Seismol 13:499–515, 2009a) and Soghrat et al. (Geophys J Int 188:645–679, 2012) among the local models, Abrahamson and Silva (Earthq Spectra 24:67–97, 2008) and Chiou and Youngs (Earthq Spectra 24:173–215, 2008) among the NGA models, and finally Akkar and Bommer (Seism Res Lett 81:195–206, 2010) among the regional models.     

Paleogeographical restoration and ramp tectonic evidence in Tunisian Tellian domain: Ain El Bey-Bou Awen area

The imbrication’s area in northern Tunisia is the most external segment of Alpine range, where several associated folds types with thrust ramps are recognized within imbricate units beneath Numidian front slope. Their presence help to understand thrusting mechanisms installation through studied area. In fact, this zone was considered as a result of Paleogene gravitary slop (Kujawski (Ann Miner Géol Tunis (24):281, 1969); Caire (Ann Min Géol Tunis 26:87–110, 1973); Rouvier 1977), which is proved to be affected by major deep decollement, given rise to various structures, some are propagation folds, specific of foreland front, limited to this area, and those in more external position: Tunisian Atlas (Creusot et al. (C R Acad Sci Paris 314(Sér II):961–965, 1992); Ouali and Mercier (PII: S0191-8141(97):00048-5, 1997); Ouali 1984; Ahmadi et al. (J Struct Geol 28:721–728, 2006)). Various categories of fold ramps could be identified: frontal folds ramp NE–SW and others as lateral or oblique ramp with NW–SE trend (Aridhi et al. (C R Geosci 343:360–369, 2011)). The relation between various structures has been used as recognition tools of thrusting sequences and to propose a new deformation chronology. Delimited outcropping of these structures between two both parallel faults strikes with regional displacement, leads to interpret these faults as cogenetic tear faults of propagation thrusts; this fault separates two domains with different deformation styles from each other side.     

Little-known brachiopods from the Cretaceous of the Helvetic realm of NE Switzerland (Alpstein) and W Austria (Vorarlberg)

Three species from different stratigraphical levels of the Cretaceous of the Helvetic Alps are described. (1) Rhynchonellid specimens from the upper Öhrli-Kalk (Öhrli Formation, Late Berriasian) of NE Switzerland (Alpstein) identified as Lamellaerhynchia heimi (Sulser 2008) [Rhynchonellida, Hemithiridoidea]. Its range appears to be limited to a small area of the carbonate platform of the northern Alpstein chain. Based on internal and external morphological criteria L. heimi differs from other species of Lamellaerhynchia, as well as from Burrirhynchia cf. sayni (Jacob & Fallot 1913), occurring in the younger carbonate platform of the Schrattenkalk Formation (Early Aptian). (2) Recently collected material in various localities of the Altmann Member (Tierwis Formation, Late Hauterivian to Early Barremian) in the Alpstein area identified as Oblongarcula cf. alemannica Owen 1977 [Terebratellidina, Laqueoidea]. This species is closely related or identical to O. alemannica of the North European Boreal province and gives a reference to the occurrence of the genus Oblongarcula in the Tethyan domain of the Alps. Partially silicified specimens enable in rare cases a direct access to internal structures after that they were exposed by an acid treatment. (3) Tulipina koutaisensis (Loriol 1896) [Terebratellidina, Kingenoidea], known from Aptian deposits in the central Caucasus of Georgia, has been recorded as a rare species in the Plattenwald-Bed (Selun Member of the Garschella Formation, Albian) of W Austria (Vorarlberg). The localised occurrence and the temporal gap between the Caucasian and the Helvetic T. koutaisensis suggest an east–west directed migration along the northern margin of the Tethys Ocean during the Early Cretaceous.     

Infiltration effects on a two-dimensional molecular dynamics model of landslides

We propose a two-dimensional computational model for deep landslides triggered by rainfall, based on interacting particles or grains. The model describes a vertical section of a fictitious granular material along a slope, in order to study the behavior of a wide-thickness landslide. The triggering of the landslide is caused by the exceeding of two conditions: a threshold speed and a condition on the static friction of the particles, the latter based on the Mohr–Coulomb failure criterion (Coulomb in Mem Acad R Div Sav 7:343–387, 1776; Mohr in Abhandlungen aus dem Gebiete der Technischen Mechanik. Ernst, Berlin, 1914). The interparticle interactions are represented as a potential that, in the absence of suitable experimental data and due to the arbitrariness of the grain dimension, is modeled similarly to the Lennard-Jones’ one (Lennard-Jones in Proc R Soc Lond A 106(738):463–477, 1924), i.e., with an attractive and a repulsive part. For the updating of the particle positions, we use a molecular dynamics method, which is quite suitable for this type of systems (Herrmann and Luding in Continuum Mech Thermodyn 10:189–231, 1998). An infiltration scheme is introduced for modeling the increasing pore pressure due to the rainfall. Finally, we also introduce the viscosity in the dynamical equations of motion. The statistical characterization and dynamical behavior of the results of simulations are quite satisfactory relative to real landslides: We obtain a power law distribution of landslide triggering times, and the velocity patterns are typical of real cases, including the acceleration progression. Therefore, we can claim that this type of modeling can represent a new method to simulate landslides triggered by rainfall.     

Evaluating the Poroelastic Effect on Anisotropic, Organic-Rich, Mudstone Systems

Understanding the poroelastic effect on anisotropic organic-rich mudstones is of high interest and value for evaluating coupled effects of rock deformation and pore pressure, during drilling, completion and production operations in the oilfield. These applications include modeling and prevention of time-dependent wellbore failure, improved predictions of fracture initiation during hydraulic fracturing operations (Suarez-Rivera et al. Presented at the Canadian Unconventional Resources Conference held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 15–17 November 2011. CSUG/SPE 146998 2011), improved understanding of the evolution of pore pressure during basin development, including subsidence and uplift, and the equilibrated effective in situ stress (Charlez, Rock mechanics, vol 2 1997; Katahara and Corrigan, Pressure regimes in sedimentary basins and their prediction: AAPG Memoir, vol 76, pp 73–78 2002; Fjær et al. Petroleum related rock mechanics. 2nd edn 2008). In isotropic rocks, the coupled poro-elastic deformations of the solid framework and the pore fluids are controlled by the Biot and Skempton coefficients. These are the two fundamental properties that relate the rock framework and fluid compressibility and define the magnitude of the poroelastic effect. In transversely isotropic rocks, one desires to understand the variability of these coefficients along the directions parallel and longitudinal to the principal directions of material symmetry (usually the direction of bedding). These types of measurements are complex and uncommon in low-porosity rocks, and particularly problematic and scarce in tight shales. In this paper, we discuss a methodology for evaluating the Biot’s coefficient, its variability along the directions parallel and perpendicular to bedding as a function of stress, and the homogenized Skempton coefficient, also as a function of stress. We also predict the pore pressure change that results during undrained compression. Most importantly, we provide values of transverse and longitudinal Biot’s coefficients and the homogenized Skempton coefficient for two important North American, gas-producing, organic-rich mudstones. These results could be used for petroleum-related applications.     

A phase-by-phase upstream scheme that converges to the vanishing capillarity solution for countercurrent two-phase flow in two-rock media

We discuss the convergence of the upstream phase-by-phase scheme (or upstream mobility scheme) towards the vanishing capillarity solution for immiscible incompressible two-phase flows in porous media made of several rock types. Troubles in the convergence were recently pointed out by Mishra and Jaffré (Comput. Geosci. 14, 105–124, 2010) and Tveit and Aavatsmark (Comput. Geosci. 16, 809–825, 2012). In this paper, we clarify the notion of vanishing capillarity solution, stressing the fact that the physically relevant notion of solution differs from the one inferred from the results of Kaasschieter (Comput. Geosci. 3, 23–48, 1999). In particular, we point out that the vanishing capillarity solution depends on the formally neglected capillary pressure curves, as it was recently proven in by Andreianov and Cancès (Comput. Geosci. 17, 551–572, 2013). Then, we propose a numerical procedure based on the hybridization of the interfaces that converges towards the vanishing capillarity solution. Numerical illustrations are provided.     

Flow rule in a high-cycle accumulation model backed by cyclic test data of 22 sands

The flow rule used in the high-cycle accumulation (HCA) model proposed by Niemunis et al. (Comput Geotech 32: 245, 2005) is examined on the basis of the data from approximately 350 drained long-term cyclic triaxial tests (N = 10⁵ cycles) performed on 22 different grain-size distribution curves of a clean quartz sand. In accordance with (Wichtmann et al. in Acta Geotechnica 1: 59, 2006), for all tested materials, the “high-cyclic flow rule (HCFR)”, i.e., the ratio of the volumetric and deviatoric strain accumulation rates \(\dot{\varepsilon}_{\rm{v}}^{{\rm acc}}/\dot{\varepsilon}_{\rm{q}}^{{\rm acc}}\) , was found dependent primarily on the average stress ratio η ^av = q ^av/p ^av and independent of amplitude, soil density and average mean pressure. The experimental HCFR can be fairly well approximated by the flow rule of the modified Cam-clay (MCC) model. Instead of the critical friction angle \(\varphi_{\rm{c}}\) which enters the flow rule for monotonic loading, the HCA model uses the MCC flow rule expression with a slightly different parameter \(\varphi_{\rm{cc}}\) . It should be determined from cyclic tests. \(\varphi_{\rm{cc}}\) and \(\varphi_{\rm{c}}\) are of similar magnitude but not always identical, because they are calibrated from different types of tests. For a simplified calibration in the absence of cyclic test data, \(\varphi_{\rm{cc}}\) may be estimated from the angle of repose \(\varphi_{\rm{r}}\) determined from a pluviated cone of sand (Wichtmann et al. in Acta Geotechnica 1: 59, 2006). However, the paper demonstrates that the MCC flow rule with \(\varphi_{\rm{r}}\) does not fit well the experimentally observed HCFR in the case of coarse or well-graded sands. For an improved simplified calibration procedure, correlations between \(\varphi_{\rm{cc}}\) and parameters of the grain-size distribution curve (d ₅₀,   C _u) have been developed on the basis of the present data set. The approximation of the experimental HCFR by the generalized flow rule equations proposed in (Wichtmann et al. in J Geotech Geoenviron Eng ASCE 136: 728, 2010), considering anisotropy, is also discussed in the paper.     

Assessment of Liquefaction Potential of Guwahati City: A Case Study

The liquefaction potential of saturated cohesionless deposits in Guwahati city, Assam, was evaluated. The critical cyclic stress ratio required to cause liquefaction and the cyclic stress ratio induced by an earthquake were obtained using the simplified empirical method developed by Seed and Idriss (J soil Mech Found Eng ASCE 97(SM9):1249–1273, 1971, Ground motions and soil liquefaction during earthquakes. Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, Berkeley, CA, 1982) and Seed et al. (J Geotech Eng ASCE 109(3):458–483, 1983, J Geotech Eng ASCE 111(12):1425–1445, 1985) and the Idriss and Boulanger (2004) method. Critical cyclic stress ratio was based on the empirical relationship between standard penetration resistance and cyclic stress ratio. The liquefaction potential was evaluated by determining factor of safety against liquefaction with depth for areas in the city. A soil database from 200 boreholes covering an area of 262 km² was used for the purpose. A design peak ground acceleration of 0.36 g was used since Guwahati falls in zone V according to the seismic zoning map of India. The results show that 48 sites in Guwahati are vulnerable to liquefaction according to the Seed and Idriss method and 49 sites are vulnerable to liquefaction according to the Idriss and Boulanger method. Results are presented as maps showing zones of levels of risk of liquefaction.     

Indirect economic losses of drought under future projections of climate change: a case study for Spain

This study presents the results of numerical simulations of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami in the Bay of Lhok Nga (northwestern coast of Sumatra, Indonesia) integrating sediment erosion and deposition. We investigate the transport of sediment both by suspension and by bedload under different scenarii of long breaking dispersive waves through a series of numerical experiments. The earthquake source model used by Koshimura et al. (Coast Eng J 51:243–273, 2008) with a 25-m dislocation better reproduces the wave travel time, flow depth and inundation area than the other models tested. The model reproduces realistically the pronounced coastal retreat in the northern part of Lhok Nga Bay (retreat ranging between 50 and 150 m), where Paris et al. (Geomorphology 104:59–72, 2009) estimated a mean retreat of 80 m. There is also a good agreement between the simulated area of coastal retreat (195,400 m²) and the field observations (203,200 m²). The simulation may underestimate the volume of tsunami deposits (611,700 m³ vs. 500,000–1,000,000 m³ estimated by Paris et al. (2009). The model fully reproduces the observed thickness of tsunami deposits when considering both bedload and suspension, even if bedload transport dominates. Limitations are due to micro-scale topographic, anthropic features (which are not always represented by the DEM) and the amount of debris which may influence flow dynamics and sediment transport.     

Chromite alteration processes within Vourinos ophiolite

The renewed interest in chromite ore deposits is directly related to the increase in Cr price ruled by international market trends. Chromite, an accessory mineral in peridotites, is considered to be a petrogenetic indicator because its composition reflects the degree of partial melting that the mantle experienced while producing the chromium spinel-bearing rock (Burkhard in Geochim Cosmochim Acta 57:1297–1306, 1993). However, the understanding of chromite alteration and metamorphic modification is still controversial (e.g. Evans and Frost in Geochim Cosmochim Acta 39:959–972, 1975; Burkhard in Geochim Cosmochim Acta 57:1297–1306, 1993; Oze et al. in Am J Sci 304:67–101, 2004). Metamorphic alteration leads to major changes in chromite chemistry and to the growth of secondary phases such as ferritchromite and chlorite. In this study, we investigate the Vourinos complex chromitites (from the mines of Rizo, Aetoraches, Xerolivado and Potamia) with respect to textural and chemical analyses in order to highlight the most important trend of alteration related to chromite transformation. The present study has been partially funded by the Aliakmon project in collaboration between the Public Power Corporation of Greece and Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration of Kozani.     

Non-Darcian flow to a well in a leaky aquifer using the Forchheimer equation

Non-Darcian flow to a well in a leaky aquifer was investigated using a finite difference method. Flow in the leaky aquifer is assumed to be non-Darcian and horizontal, while flow in the aquitard is assumed to be Darcian and vertical. The Forchheimer equation was employed to describe the non-Darcian flow in the aquifer. The finite difference solution was compared with the solution of Birpinar and Sen (2004). The latter overestimates the drawdown at early times and underestimates the drawdown at late times; also, the impact of β _D on the drawdown depends on the value of B _D, where β _D is a dimensionless turbulent factor in the Forchheimer equation and B _D is the dimensionless leakage parameter. The impact of leakage on drawdown is similar to that of Darcian flow. A sensitivity analysis indicated that the drawdown is very sensitive to the change in the dimensionless well radius r _cD when B _D is relatively large, while it is sensitive to the change in B _D when B _D is relatively small. The numerical solution has been applied to analyze the pumping test data in Chaj-Doab area of Pakistan. Birpinar ME, Sen Z (2004) Forchheimer groundwater flow law type curves for leaky aquifers. J Hydrol Eng 9(1):51??9     

Discussion of “The Bushveld Complex,South Africa: formation of platinum–palladium,chrome- and vanadium-rich layers via hydrodynamic sorting of a mobilized cumulate slurry in a large,relatively slowly cooling,subsiding magma chamber” by Maier et al. (2013) Miner Deposita 48:1–56

We believe the hypothesis presented by Maier et al. (Miner Deposita 48:1–56, 2012) for the formation of the various ore bodies in the Bushveld Complex to be overly simplistic, and we raise concerns that some of our work, used in support of this hypothesis, has been misrepresented. The formation of both diverse metalliferous layers (platinum-group element (PGE) reefs and Ti-magnetite layers) and some discordant (pipe) ore deposits has been ascribed by Maier et al. to the single unifying process of hydrodynamic sorting. The problem faced by authors of universal hypotheses for the Bushveld Complex is the sheer size and complexity of the intrusion. We disagree with many aspects of the overall Maier et al. model and have also identified several minor errors on maps and photographs, although some of these do not have a material effect on the model. The nature and origin of the layering is, however, too complex a topic to deal with in the context of this commentary, and we restrict ourselves to noting that our preferred hypothesis, namely the incremental buildup of layering from numerous episodes of replenishment, by different magma lineages, is consistent with field relationships. Our hypothesis for the origin of the ultramafic-hosted PGE-rich reefs, i.e., lateral mixing, is applicable to economically mineralized reefs (Mitchell and Scoon, Econ Geol 102:971–1009, 2007) and poorly mineralized layers such as the Pseudoreef harzburgite (Scoon and De Klerk, Canad Mineral 25:51–77, 1987) and the chromitite layers below the UG2 (Scoon and Teigler, Econ Geol 89:1094–1121, 1994).     

Geology and geochemistry of Tertiary basalt in south Wadi Hodein area, South Eastern Desert, Egypt

Tertiary basalt is widespread in the area south of Wadi Hodein, south Eastern Desert, Egypt. It is the youngest unit in the basement rocks of the Central Eastern Desert classification of El Shazly (Proc 22nd Intl Geol Congr, New Delhi 10:88–101, 1964) and El Ramly (Ann Geol Surv Egypt II:1–17, 1972), traversed all the previous succession of the basement rocks as well as the Nubia Sandstone of Cretaceous age, forming sheets, small hills, ridges, and dikes. This Tertiary basalt is strongly associated with the opening of the Red Sea. Geologic, petrographic, and petrochemical studies as well as microprobe and X-ray analyses were performed on samples from Wadi Hodein Tertiary basalt. Field and petrographic studies classified the Tertiary basalt in south Wadi Hodein into porphyritic olivine basalt, plagiophyric basalt, and doleritic basalt. Opaque minerals (magnetite and ilmenite) constitute 6–7.5% of this basalt. Petrochemical studies and microprobe analyses reveal that they are low-TiO₂ basalt with low uranium and thorium contents, classified as being basaltic andesite to andesite, originated from calc-alkaline magma, and developed in within-plate tectonic environment. Scanning electron microscopy shows that magnetite and ilmenite are the prevalent opaque minerals in this Tertiary basalt. Field radiometric measurements of the Tertiary basalt in south Wadi Hodein reveals low uranium and thorium contents. Uranium contents range from 0.5 to 0.9 ppm, while thorium contents range from 1.2 to 3.2 ppm. Fractional crystallization and mass balance modeling indicate that the most-silica low-TiO₂ Tertiary basalt in south Wadi Hodein can be derived from the relatively less-silica low-TiO₂ Tertiary basalt of south Quseir and Gabal Qatrani through fractional crystallization of plagioclase, olivine, augite, and titanomagnetite oxides. Tertiary basalts in south Wadi Hodein and south Quseir have nearly the same age, 25 Ma (Sherif, The Fifth International Conference on the Geology of Africa, 2007), 24 Ma (Meneisy and Abdel Aal, Ain Shams Sci Bull 25(24B): 163–176, 1984), and 27 Ma (El Shazly et al., Egypt J Geol 1975), respectively. Finally, the fractionation modeling and geochemical characteristics of these basalts suggested their origination from one basaltic magma emplaced in late Oligocene.