On Bagnold's sediment transport equation in tidal marine environments and the practical definition of bedload

Bagnold's sediment transport equation has proved to be important in studying tidal marine environments. This paper discusses three problems concerning Bagnold's transport equation and its practical application:

• 1 Bagnold's suspended-load transport equation and the total-load transport equation with are incorrect from the viewpoint of energy conservation. In these equations the energy loss due to bedload transport has been counted twice. The correct form should be for suspended-load transport and for total-load transport with
• 2 The commonly used Bagnold's transport coefficient K varies as a non-linear function of the dimensionless excess shear stress, which can be represented best by the power law , where the coefficient A and exponent B depend on sediment grain size D. The empirical values of A and B for fine to medium grained sands are determined using Guy et al.'s (1966) flume-experiment data.
• 3 The sediment transport rates predicted from this equation are compared with bedform migration measurements in the flume and the field. This comparison shows that the sediment transport rates measured from bedform migrations are higher than the predicted bedload transport rates, but comparable to the calculated total-load (bedload plus intermittent suspended-load) transport rates. This indicates that bedform migration involves both bedload and intermittent suspended-load transport. As a logical conclusion, bedform migration data should be compared with Bagnold's total-load transport equation rather than with his bedload transport equation. In this respect the term ‘bed material’ might be more appropriate than the term ‘bedload’ for estimating sediment transport rate from bedform migration data.

The sediment transport rates predicted from this modified Bagnold transport equation are in good agreement with field measurements of bedform migration rates in four individual tidal marine environments, which cover a wide range of sediment grain size, flow velocity and bedform conditions (ranging from small ripples, megaripples to sandwaves).     

Note on boundary effects on stream meandering

This paper provides some additional evidence supporting the necessary (but insufficient) condition for the formation of stream meandering proposed by Nakagawa: where M_e is a non-dimensional parameter, τ_s, and τ_b are the average bank and bed shear stress respectively, p_s and p_b are the average bank and bed wetted perimeter of a half-channel respectively, and K?0.2 is the critical value of the parameter estimated from experimental data. Provided the criterion is satisfied, the main thread of the stream meanders in the non-erodible channel, and the maximum amplitude a_max, the angle a between the channel central axis and oblique crest line of the surface wave, and the mean wavelength L of the main thread decrease as the non-dimensional parameter Me increases.     

DIE LITHOGENESE DER STEINMÜHL-KALKE DES ARRACHER STEINBRUCHES (JURA, ÖSTERREICH)

Lithogenesis of the Steinmiihl Limestone of the Arrach Quarry (Jurassic, Austria) The Upper Jurassic Steinmuhl Limestone Group on its type section (Arrach Quarry, Lower Austria) is subdivided into the following four members: These various sedimentary units represent a gradual change in the environments during sedimentation. The sequence sets in with the Filament Limestone. It possibly represents a sublittoral Lamellibranchiata debris and is of Callovian (?)age. Though the marine deposition continued without interruption to the Upper Jurassic, the environment changed markedly. The sea became deeper and the Filament Limestones were followed by pelagic-bathyal Radiolaria Siliceous Limestones. A distinct difference in the degree of subsidence within the Upper Jurassic geosyncline led to the formation of bathyal furrows and swells. Over the latter the calcilutite Saccocoma and Calpionella Limestones with mainly pelagic fossils were deposited in Kimmeridgian and Port- landian. Their thickness is small, for currents swept much sediment into the deeper furrows, in which the Oberalm stratas arose in great thickness at this time.     

Giant calcite-cemented concretions, Dakota Formation, central Kansas, USA

Giant spheroidal concretions (cannonball concretions; some nearly 6 m in diameter) in fluvial channel‐fill sandstones at two localities of the Dakota Sandstone formed by import of cement constituents at a burial depth of <1 km. During cannonball concretion growth a self‐organizational process restricted concretions to a relatively few but widely spaced, and locally, evenly spaced, sites. Other forms of calcite cements at these localities are cement patches in the form of intergrown grape‐size concretions (grapestone), and, locally, pervasive cement. An early episode of invasion by thermogenically generated H₂S, which reacted with iron oxides on detrital grains, generated scattered pyrite crystals and decimetre‐scale spheroidal pyrite concretions. Intergranular volumes (IGV) in the concretions range from 36% to 27%. The absence of a trend in IGV and of carbon and oxygen‐isotope ratios from cannonball centres to margins indicates that these concretions did not cement progressively outwards from the centre. Rather, the modern spheres represent the spatial extent of nucleation sites that were not otherwise organized within that volume. Carbon and oxygen‐isotope values for concretion calcites plot along a swath between depleted values of δ18C of ?36‰ and δ18O of ?13‰ and enriched values of ?4‰ and ?6‰, respectively. Four groups of calcites are evident on the basis of trace‐element content and suggest that the calcite precipitated across a range of oxidation conditions that do not correlate strongly with the isotopic compositions. Although fluvial overbank sandstones have some pedogenic calcite, the channel sandstones have at most a trace of pedogenic calcite and carbonate rock fragments, so that the bulk of cement components were imported to the sandstones. Carbon and calcium sources for calcite cement include marine limestone, carbonate shells, and anhydrite in addition to HCO derived from oxidized methane, most likely derived from beds underlying or laterally in communication with Dakota sandstones. HCO in ascending formation waters, released during compaction, mixed with meteoric water whose temperature and composition varied with time, to generate the 7‰ range in δ18O_calcite values measured.     

ZEOLITES IN SEDIMENTARY ROCKS, WITH REFERENCE TO THE DEPOSITIONAL ENVIRONMENTS AND ZONAL DISTRIBUTION

The authors have studied alterations of Cenozoic and Mesozoic pyroclastic rocks of Japan, which contain several kinds of zeolites in abundance. This paper summarizes zeolites in sedimentary rocks, with reference to the depositional environments and zonal distribution, by a survey of the literature in addition to the authors’ data. The zonal distribution of zeolites is recognized in buried sedimentary rocks as follows: The zeolites in syngenetic or early diagenetic origin depend strongly upon a specific sedimentary environment. Phillipsite occurs largely in pelagic sediments of the younger geologic age. Analcime is found in saline-lake and terrestrial sediments in a warm, rather arid region, frequently associated with phillipsite, chabazite and natrolite. The zeolites are not influenced by the sedimentary environments but depend upon the depth of burial, i.e., increasing temperature and pressure. Most of clinop- tilolite, mordenite and erionite, forming at a relatively shallow depth, occur only as an alteration product of acidic to intermediate volcanic glass and cement of the post- Jurassic pyroclastic rocks. Laumontite, forming at a greater depth, on the other hand, is widely distributed in the pre-Pliocene various sedimentary rocks.     

Threshold of sediment motion under unidirectional currents

Carefully selected data for the threshold of sediment movement under unidirectional flow conditions have been utilized to re-examine the various empirical curves that are commonly employed to predict this threshold. After a review of the existing data, we employed only that data obtained from open channel flumes with parallel sidewalls where flows were uniform and steady over flattened beds of unigranular, rounded sediments. Without these restrictions, an unmanageable amount of scatter is introduced. This selected data is used to develop a modified Shields-type threshold diagram that extends the limits of the original diagram by three orders of magnitude in the grain-Reynolds number. The equally general but more easily employed Yalin diagram for sediment threshold is also examined. Although the Shields and Yalin diagrams are general in that they apply to a wide range of different liquids, in both cases somewhat different curves are obtained for threshold under air than for the liquids. The often used empirical curves of the friction velocity u_*, the velocity 100 cm above the bed u₁₀₀, the bottom stress θ_t, and Shields’ relative stress θ_t, all versus the grain diameter D, are limited in their ranges of application to certain combinations of grain density, fluid density, fluid viscosity and gravity. These conditions must be selected before the curves are generated from either the more general Shields or Yalin curves. For example, on the basis of the data selected for use in this paper, empirical threshold relationships for quartz density material in water are where the velocity u₁₀₀ measured 100 cm above the sediment bed is given in cm/sec and the grain diameter D is in cm. The limitations on any of the threshold relationships are severe. These limitations should be properly understood so that the empirical curves and relationships are not improperly employed.     

An unusual modern silica–carbonate sinter from Pavlova spring, Ngatamariki, New Zealand

ABSTRACT A silica–carbonate deposit is forming from the dilute alkali chloride waters of Pavlova spring, a small thermal pool and outflow channel (85 to <40 °C), situated at the northern extent of the South Orakonui area of the Ngatamariki geothermal field, Taupo Volcanic Zone (TVZ), New Zealand. It is one of a small but growing number of thermal spring features known to yield deposits of mixed mineralogy. At Pavlova, a distinctive, crustose, chalk‐white, meringue‐like sinter, comprising non‐crystalline opal‐A silica with subordinate calcite, is actively precipitating both around the margins of and as small islets within the spring, with an average accumulation rate of ≈ 2 mm year^?1. Both emergent and partly submerged substrates host the sinter, including fallen pine branches, twigs, needles and cones, gum leaves, grass blades, bracken fronds, pumice, sediment and microbial mats. The sinter is thin (25–35 mm thickness), finely laminated and contains three distinct types of stacked horizons. Submerged basal layers constitute stratiform to undulatory microstromatolites with pseudocolumns, which grew outwards and upwards on narrow twig nuclei. Emergent middle layers comprise discontinuous, spicular microstromatolites (to 10 mm height), with prostrate and erect microbial filaments, silica spheres and silicified mucus, overlain by silicified structures of probable fungal origin. In places, lower and middle sinter layers are capped by white, smooth, convex surfaces that coalesce into subdued, curved ridges, resembling laterally continuous peaks of egg‐white meringue. The meringue is internally laminated, with fossilized microbes preserved in thin horizons. Small lensoid masses of calcite crystals nestle between silica laminae throughout the sinter. The near‐neutral (pH ≈ 7·2) spring water is a dilute chloride‐carbonate type (HCO≈ 470 µg g^?1, Cl^–≈ 600 µg g^?1) with low (≈ 50 µg g^?1), typical of TVZ thermal fields where deep chloride fluid mixes with CO₂‐rich, steam‐heated shallow waters before discharge. The hot water changed little in composition from 1993 to 1999 and, despite dilution by meteoric waters, contains sufficient SiO₂ (≈ 220 µg g^?1) for opal‐A to deposit at the surface upon cooling. However, the concentration of Ca²⁺ (≈ 6 µg g^?1) is such that the precipitation of calcite is not expected without modification of spring waters. Precipitation occurs by evaporation of thin water films at exposed substrate surfaces, via meniscoid as well as capillary creep (wicking), through porous sinter horizons and across emergent vegetative surfaces in contact with spring water or steam. The height of the deposit above the water surface is restricted by the upper limit of moisture bathing these substrates. Splash and spray are not involved in the formation of Pavlova spicular microstromatolites, as is the case for other texturally similar deposits from hotsprings elsewhere. This young (< 15 years), mineralogically and morphologically complex hot‐spring deposit exhibits > 10 times lower accumulation rates than typical siliceous sinters in the TVZ, and deposition of both silica and calcite is controlled by microchemical conditions and local temperature gradients, rather than by bulk spring water chemistry.     

Observations on the extended Matsuoka–Nakai failure criterion

The equivalent Mohr–Coulomb (M‐C) friction angle ? (J. Geotech. Eng. 1990; 116 (6):986–999) of the extended Matsuoka–Nakai (E‐M‐N) criterion has been examined under all possible stress paths. It is shown that ? depends only on the ratio of cohesion to confining stress c^′/σ and the frictional angle ?, where ? is the friction angle measured in triaxial compression (or extension) to which the E‐M‐N surface is fitted. It is also shown that ? is independent of c^′, when σ=0 and of σ when c^′=0, with the former representing an upper bound and the latter a lower bound of ? for any particular stress path. The closest point projection method has also been implemented successfully with the E‐M‐N criterion, and plane strain and axisymmetric element tests performed to verify some theoretical predictions relating to failure and post‐yielding behavior. Finally, a bearing capacity problem was analyzed using both E‐M‐N and M‐C, highlighting the conservative nature of M‐C for different friction angles. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Microscopic calcite dendrites in cold-water tufa: implications for nucleation of micrite and cement

Dendritic calcite forms in an active cold-water tufa system in association with extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) that discontinuously coat bryophytes and cyanobacteria. Dendrites consist of 100–200 nm thick calcite fibres that form 3D lattice-like domains. In each dendrite domain, fibres have three structurally equal orientations, which correspond in disposition to radii from the centre of a calcite unit cell to the convex triple face junctions on its surface. Fibres do not form in the orientation of the c-axis. The external form of each dendrite has the shape of half of a shortened octahedron, with an upper triangular surface parallel to the substrate. Dendrite nucleation takes place on or in microbial EPS, whether microbial cells are present or not, and is probably effected by attraction of Ca²⁺ cations to negatively charged EPS, together with CO₂-degassing and concomitant pH increase of supersaturated spring water in stream splash zones. Ensuing dendrite growth is abiogenic and controlled by diffusion. Dendrite c-axes are perpendicular to the substrate, probably because the negative charge of EPS forces the orientation of Ca²⁺ and CO planes within the developing dendrite crystal to be parallel to the EPS film surface. Dendrites are eventually filled and overgrown by solid, syntaxial calcite, which gradually and completely obliterates the dendrites as more familiar calcite crystal forms develop. No trace of the dendritic nucleus remains in the rock record. Calcite crystal nucleation may take place by this mechanism in many marine and meteoric settings, given that microbial EPS is now assumed to be virtually ubiquitous in these environments. This phenomenon could contribute to the development of familiar fabrics such as marine micrite cement and fibrous calcite cement, radial ooids, peloids, ‘abiogenic’ stromatolites, sea floor precipitates, microbialites, tufa, travertine, speleothems, and some meteoric cements. It may also contribute to the substrate-normal orientation of c-axes of common cement fabrics.     

On the relationship between flow and suspended sediment transport over the crest of a sand dune, Río Paraná, Argentina

The links between large‐scale turbulence and the suspension of sediment over alluvial bedforms have generated considerable interest in the last few decades, with past studies illustrating the origin of such turbulence and its influence on flow resistance, sediment transport and bedform morphology. In this study of turbulence and sediment suspension over large sand dunes in the Río Paraná, Argentina, time series of three‐dimensional velocity, and at‐a‐point suspended sediment concentration and particle‐size, were measured with an acoustic Doppler current profiler and laser in situ scattering transmissometer, respectively. These time series were decomposed using wavelet analysis to investigate the scales of covariation of flow velocity and suspended sediment. The analysis reveals an inverse relationship between streamwise and vertical velocities over the dune crest, where streamwise flow deceleration is linked to the vertical flux of fluid towards the water surface in the form of large turbulent fluid ejections. Regions of high suspended sediment concentration are found to correlate well with such events. The frequencies of these turbulent events have been assessed from wavelet analysis and found to concentrate in two zones that closely match predictions from empirical equations. Such a finding suggests that a combination and interaction of vortex shedding and wake flapping/changing length of the lee‐side separation zone are the principal contributors to the turbulent flow field associated with such large alluvial sand dunes. Wavelet analysis provides insight upon the temporal and spatial evolution of these coherent flow structures, including information on the topology of dune‐related turbulent flow structures. At the flow stage investigated, the turbulent flow events, and their associated high suspended sediment concentrations, are seen to grow with height above the bed until a threshold height (ca 0·45 flow depth) is reached, above which they begin to decay and dissipate.     

Reverse flow in turbidity currents: the role of internal solitons

Pickering & Hiscott, (1985) have demonstrated amply the presence of reverse-flow units within the thick-bedded calcareous wacke (TCW) beds of the turbiditic Cloridorme Formation (Middle Ordovician, Gaspé Peninsula, Quebec, Canada). These reverse-flow units are underlain and overlain by units which reveal flow in the primary (obverse) direction. In this paper, a model is proposed for this reverse flow, based on the probable nature of the primary turbidity flow. It appears that the initial flow was highly elongated (thickness h? length L), with h～ 500 m, velocity U～ 2 m s^-1 and sediment concentration C～ 1·25%_o. The rate of momentum loss of the flow is estimated by means of a useful parameter which we call the ‘drag distance’, symbol d_D, defined by where h and L are the thickness and length of the flow, respectively; _cC_d is a combined drag coefficient representing friction on the bottom and at the upper interface; and _fC_d is a form-drag coefficient related to the shape and size of the head. d_D is the distance travelled by a current of constant h and L, flowing over a horizontal bottom and obeying a quadratic friction law, for an e-fold reduction in velocity. Simple considerations, confirmed by our own experiments (described in this paper), show that such an elongated turbidity current cannot be reflected as a whole from an adverse slope: when the nose of the current reaches the slope, it forms a hump, which surges backwards and sooner or later breaks up into a series of internal solitons. The latter, probably numbering 4–7, will cause reverse flow at a given point as they pass by, provided that the residual velocity in the tail is not too great. Flow in the original (obverse) direction will be re-established after the passage of the solitons. Quiescent periods in front of, between and behind the solitons, when soliton-associated currents cancelled out the residual obverse flow, would allow the deposition of thin mud-drapes. Additional flow reversals observed in a few of the TCW beds cannot be explained readily by the re-passage of solitons, since wave breaking at the ends of the basin would cause massive energy loss; internal seiches are the preferred explanation for these later reversals.     

Carbon,part 2: diamond

In Part 1 (Minerals explained 43, Geology Today 2006, v.22, no.2, pp.71–77) graphite was examined, the polymorph of carbon that is stable over a wide temperature range, but only at relatively low pressures. The other principal polymorph of carbon, diamond, is dealt with here in Part 2. Diamond has a very large stability range over both temperatures and pressures, although it is created at similar depths in the Earth's crust, probably in the mantle ( Fig. 1 ). It would probably have remained there unsuspected, had it not been brought to the Earth's surface by volcanic mechanisms. This will be looked at in detail in the section on the genesis of diamond below, as will the apparently anomalous stability of diamond at NTP.

Figure 1 Open in figure viewer PowerPoint Pressure/temperature phase diagram for diamond.     

Surface settlement of a finite elastic layer whose modulus increases linearly with depth

An examination has been made of the behaviour of a finite layer of elastic material of constant Poisson's ratio, whose Young's modulus increases linearly with depth, and which rests on a rough rigid base. Values of surface settlement at the corner of a rectangular area of uniform loading are presented for values of Poisson's ratio of \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \frac{1}{2} $\end{document}, \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \frac{1}{3} $\end{document} and 0, and for wide ranges of degree of inhomogeneity and loading breadth to depth ratio.     

Strain rates from snowball garnet

Spiral inclusion trails in garnet porphyroblasts are likely to have formed due to simultaneous growth and rotation of the crystals, during syn‐metamorphic deformation. Thus, they contain information on the strain rate of the rock. Strain rates may be interpreted from such inclusion trails if two functions are known: (1) The relationship between rotation rate and shear strain rate; (2) the growth rate of the crystal. We have investigated details of both functions using a garnetiferous mica schist from the eastern European Alps as an example. The rotation rate of garnet porphyroblasts was determined using finite element modelling of the geometrical arrangement of the crystals in the rock. The growth rate of the porphyroblasts was determined by using the major and trace element distributions in garnet crystals, thermodynamic pseudosections and information on the grain size distribution. For the largest porphyroblast size fraction (size L=12 mm) we constrain a growth interval between 540 and 590 °C during the prograde evolution of the rock. Assuming a reasonable heating rate and using the angular geometry of the spiral inclusion trails we are able to suggest that the mean strain rate during crystal growth was of the order of =6.6 × 10^?14 s^?1. These estimates are consistent with independent estimates for the strain rates during the evolution of this part of the Alpine orogen.     

Palaeoproterozoic evaporites in Fennoscandia: implications for seawater sulphate, the rise of atmospheric oxygen and local amplification of the δ13C excursion

This paper addresses global oxygenation and establishment of a marine sulphate reservoir in the Palaeoproterozoic. We report syn-depositional, marine, anhydrite-containing pseudomorphs after Ca-sulphates as widespread throughout the Tulomozero Formation in the SE Fennoscandian Shield, implying that surface waters were oxidized and a large SO marine reservoir was developed as early as 2100 Ma. The Ca-sulphates and associated magnesite and halite precipitated syn-depositionally from oxidized, evolved and modified seawater in coastal playa, sabkha and intertidal flat settings. ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and δ¹³C of associated ¹³C-rich stromatolitic dolostones were environmentally controlled with the highest ratios occurring in playa and sabkha carbonates. The results imply that the Palaeoproterozoic δ¹³C_carb excursion was amplified by 8‰ by local environmental factors and calls into question many observations of putative δ¹³C global signals reported previously from similar Palaeoproterozoic, evaporitic, dolostones. The local environmental amplification can explain a large regional and intercontinental δ¹³C discrepancy observed in synchronous carbonates.     

Stability properties of the Newmark,Houbolt and Wilson θ methods

This paper analysis the stability of several methods for obtaining numerical solutions of second-order ordinary differential equations. The methods are popular in structural and geotechnical engineering applications and are direct, that is they do not require the transformation of the second-order equation into a first-order system. They include Newmark's method in both implicit and explicit forms, Wilson's θ-method, Houbolt's method and some variants on this latter method. We shall examine the stability of the methods when applied to the second-order scalar test equation where a and c are real.     

Thin section grain size analysis revisited

Existing proposals for converting thin section data to their sieve equivalents are all flawed in various ways, while questions concerning the significance of the grain size of spherical grains measured on a volume frequency basis in thin section using φ units, and of non-spherical (ellipsoidal) grains using both millimetres and φ units, have not been -satisfactorily resolved in the literature. It can be shown mathematically that the mean thin section diameters of spherical grains, or axis lengths of a series of parallel sections through ellipsoidal grains, will underestimate the dimensions of the corresponding central section (i.e. one passing through the grain centre) by 0.2023 φ when measured on a volume frequency basis. In order to approximate the effect of measuring particle size on random cuts through ellipsoidal grains, the dimensions of a series of sections cut in 49 unique directions, symmetrically arranged and evenly spread with respect to the ellipsoidal axes, were calculated. This calculation was carried out for five different ellipsoids which between them covered the mean sphericity and thin section axial ratio values normally encountered among naturally occurring quartz grain populations. The data indicated that the mean true nominal diameters (D̄) of ellipsoidal quartz grains can be obtained in thin sections from the mean nominal sectional diameters (d̄′) and major axes (ā′) of the central sections (derived from the observed values by multiplying the millimetre means by 1·1318 and subtracting 0·2023 from the φ means) using the following equations: A rough estimate (to within c. 5%) of both the mean nominal diameters and the mean long axes of ellipsoidal quartz grains can be arrived at by applying a simple correction factor to the mean long axis lengths as measured in thin section using either millimetres or φ units.     

P–T–fluid evolution in the Mahalapye Complex, Limpopo high-grade terrane, eastern Botswana

Metapelites, migmatites and granites from the c. 2 Ga Mahalapye Complex have been studied for determining the P–T–fluid influence on mineral assemblages and local equilibrium compositions in the rocks from the extreme southwestern part of the Central Zone of the Limpopo high‐grade terrane in Botswana. It was found that fluid infiltration played a leading role in the formation of the rocks. This conclusion is based on both well‐developed textures inferred to record metasomatic reactions, such as Bt ? And + Qtz + (K₂O) and Bt ± Qtz ? Sil + Kfs + Ms ± Pl, and zonation of Ms | Bt + Qtz | And + Qtz and Grt | Crd | Pl | Kfs + Qtz reflecting a perfect mobility (Korzhinskii terminology) of some chemical components. The conclusion is also supported by the results of a fluid inclusion study. CO₂ and H₂O ( = 0.6) are the major components of the fluid. The fluid has been trapped synchronously along the retrograde P–T path. The P–T path was derived using mineral thermobarometry and a combination of mineral thermometry and fluid inclusion density data. The Mahalapye Complex experienced low‐pressure granulite facies metamorphism with a retrograde evolution from 770 °C and 5.5 kbar to 560 °C and 2 kbar, presumably at c. 2 Ga.     

A mathematical model on depth-averaged <Emphasis Type="Italic">β</Emphasis>-factor in open-channel turbulent flow

The well-known Rouse equation is the most widely used equation to determine the vertical distribution of suspended sediment concentration in an open-channel flow. The exponent of Rouse equation, known as Rouse number, contains the parameter β defined by the ratio of sediment diffusion coefficient to turbulent diffusion coefficient. As such to measure sediment concentration accurately, an appropriate expression for β is essentially needed. The present study, therefore, focuses on the derivation of depth-averaged β through modified expressions of sediment and turbulent diffusion coefficients. A regression analysis is done to establish the relation between β and normalized settling velocity, and the relation is used to determine suspension concentration.     

Dissolution and precipitation processes in deformed amphibolites: an example from the ductile shear zone of the Ryoke metamorphic belt, SW Japan

The granitic mylonite zone in the Cretaceous Ryoke metamorphic belt contains deformed amphibolites as thin layers. The amphibolite layers do not exhibit pinch‐and‐swell or boudinage structures, even when contained in a high‐strain granitic mylonite. This mode of occurrence suggests that they were deformed as much as the surrounding granite mylonite. In the highly deformed zone, strongly foliated amphibolites contain Ti‐rich brown amphibole porphyroclasts rimmed by Ti‐poor green amphibole, titanite and chlorite. These porphyroclasts are elongated, forming shear surfaces defined by preferential distribution of the chlorite and titanite. Porphyroclastic plagioclase in the strongly foliated amphibolites consists of two components: an anorthite‐rich core and an anorthite‐poor rim. Based on these observations, the mass‐balanced reaction occurring during deformation is defined as As the reaction products form a weak interconnected matrix, the strain rate of the amphibolites may be controlled by the rate of dissolution–precipitation through fluids. Weakly foliated amphibolites in the low‐strain zone exhibit cataclastic microstructures, whereas the strongly foliated amphibolites do not exhibit such features. These microstructural and chemical changes suggest that high‐strain amphibolites were initially deformed by cataclasis, followed by deformation through metamorphic reactions. During the metamorphism/deformation, old plagioclase grains with high X_an were not stable and dissolved, and new plagioclase grains with low X_an crystallized at the old plagioclase rim. Dissolution of old plagioclase and precipitation of new plagioclase occurred normal to and parallel to the foliation, respectively, reflecting incongruent pressure solution due to differential stress and changes in P–T–H₂O conditions. The development of incongruent pressure solution is attributed to increased fluid flux in the strongly foliated amphibolites, as evidenced by the greater abundance of hydration‐reaction products in the strongly foliated amphibolites than in the weakly foliated ones.