READING THE APPALACHIAN LANDSCAPE

THE UPLAND SOUTH: The Making of an American Folk Region and Landscape. By Terry G. Jordan ‐Bychkov APPALACHIAN FOLKWAYS. By John B. Rehder EXTRACTING APPALACHIA: Images of the Consolidation Coal Company, 1910–1945. By Geoffrey L. Buckley THE NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SOUTHERN CULTURE. Vol. 2: GEOGRAPHY. Edited by Richard Pillsbury     

THE STANFORD SEDIMENT MODEL I: TRANSLATION

SYNOPSIS

The simulation of sediment transport processes in a watershed by means of a mathematical model on a digital computer, as developed by Negev (¹) at Stanford University is considered, and the translation of this sediment model is presented in a commonly used, European computer programme language.     

Genesis of Ultramafic Lamprophyres and Carbonatites at Aillik Bay, Labrador: a Consequence of Incipient Lithospheric Thinning beneath the North Atlantic Craton

Numerous dykes of ultramafic lamprophyre (aillikite, mela-aillikite,damtjernite) and subordinate dolomite-bearing carbonatite withU–Pb perovskite emplacement ages of 590–555 Ma occurin the vicinity of Aillik Bay, coastal Labrador. The ultramaficlamprophyres principally consist of olivine and phlogopite phenocrystsin a carbonate- or clinopyroxene-dominated groundmass. Ti-richprimary garnet (kimzeyite and Ti-andradite) typically occursat the aillikite type locality and is considered diagnosticfor ultramafic lamprophyre–carbonatite suites. Titanianaluminous phlogopite and clinopyroxene, as well as comparativelyAl-enriched but Cr–Mg-poor spinel (Cr-number < 0.85),are compositionally distinct from analogous minerals in kimberlites,orangeites and olivine lamproites, indicating different magmageneses. The Aillik Bay ultramafic lamprophyres and carbonatiteshave variable but overlapping ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_i ratios (0·70369–0·70662)and show a narrow range in initial _Nd (+0·1 to +1·9)implying that they are related to a common type of parentalmagma with variable isotopic characteristics. Aillikite is closestto this primary magma composition in terms of MgO (15–20wt %) and Ni (200–574 ppm) content; the abundant groundmasscarbonate has ¹³C_PDB between –5·7 and –5,similar to primary mantle-derived carbonates, and ¹⁸O_SMOW from9·4 to 11·6. Extensive melting of a garnet peridotitesource region containing carbonate- and phlogopite-rich veinsat 4–7 GPa triggered by enhanced lithospheric extensioncan account for the volatile-bearing, potassic, incompatibleelement enriched and MgO-rich nature of the proto-aillikitemagma. It is argued that low-degree potassic silicate to carbonatiticmelts from upwelling asthenosphere infiltrated the cold baseof the stretched lithosphere and solidified as veins, therebycrystallizing calcite and phlogopite that were not in equilibriumwith peridotite. Continued Late Neoproterozoic lithosphericthinning, with progressive upwelling of the asthenosphere beneatha developing rift branch in this part of the North Atlanticcraton, caused further veining and successive remelting of veinsplus volatile-fluxed melting of the host fertile garnet peridotite,giving rise to long-lasting hybrid ultramafic lamprophyre magmaproduction in conjunction with the break-up of the Rodinia supercontinent.Proto-aillikite magma reached the surface only after coatingthe uppermost mantle conduits with glimmeritic material, whichcaused minor alkali loss. At intrusion level, carbonate separationfrom this aillikite magma resulted in fractionated dolomite-bearingcarbonatites (¹³C_PDB –3·7 to –2·7)and carbonate-poor mela-aillikite residues. Damtjernites maybe explained by liquid exsolution from alkali-rich proto-aillikitemagma batches that moved through previously reaction-lined conduitsat uppermost mantle depths. KEY WORDS: liquid immiscibility; mantle-derived magmas; metasomatism, Sr–Nd isotopes; U–Pb geochronology     

Autocyclic behaviour of fan deltas: an analogue experimental study

Fan deltas are excellent recorders of fan‐building processes because of their high sedimentation rate, particularly in tectonically active settings. Although previous research focuses mainly on allogenic controls, there is clear evidence for autogenically produced storage and release of sediment by flume and numerical modelling that demands further definition of characteristics and significance of autogenically forced facies and stratigraphy. Analogue experiments were performed on fan deltas with constant extrinsic variables (discharge, sediment supply, sea‐level and basin relief) to demonstrate that fan‐delta evolution consists of prominent cyclic alternations of channellized flow and sheet flow. The channellized flow is initiated by slope‐induced scouring and subsequent headward erosion to form a channel that connected with the valley, while the removed sediment is deposited in a rapidly prograding delta lobe. The resulting decrease in channel gradient causes a reduction in flow strength, mouth‐bar formation, flow bifurcation and progressive backfilling of the channel. In the final stage of channel filling, sheet flow coexists for a while with channellized flow (semi‐confined flow), although in cycle 1 this phase of semi‐confined flow was absent. Subsequent autocyclic incisions are very similar in morphology and gradient. However, they erode deeper into the delta plain and, as a result, take more time to backfill. The duration of the semi‐confined flow increases with each subsequent cycle. During the period of sheet flow, the delta plain aggrades up to the ‘critical’ gradient required for the initiation of autocyclic incision. This critical gradient is dependent on the sediment transport capacity, defined by the input conditions. These autogenic cycles of erosion and aggradation confirm earlier findings that storage and release of sediment and associated slope variation play an important role in fan‐delta evolution. The erosional surfaces produced by the autocyclic incisions are well‐preserved by the backfilling process in the deposits of the fan deltas. These erosional surfaces can easily be misinterpreted as climate, sea‐level or tectonically produced bounding surfaces.     

Geochemical and Isotopic (O, Nd, Pb and Sr) Constraints on A-type Granite Petrogenesis Based on the Topsails Igneous Suite, Newfoundland Appalachians

The voluminous, bimodal, Silurian Topsails igneous suite consistsmainly of ‘A-type’ peralkaline to slightly peraluminous,hypersohnis to subsolvus granites with subordinate syenite,onzonite and diabase, plus consanguineous basalts and highsilicarhyolites. _Nd(T) values from the suite range from –1.5to +5.4; most granitoid components exhibit positive _Nd(T) values(+1.1 to +3.9). Granitoid initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and most ¹⁸ O valuesare in the range expected for rocks derived from mantle-likeprotoliths (0.701–0.706 and +6 to +80/). Restricted ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pbvariation is accompanied by significant dispersion of ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pband ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb. Superficially, petrogenesis by either direct(via fractionation from basalt) or indirect (via melting ofjuvenile crust) derivation from mantle sources appears plausible.Remelting of the granulitic protolith of Ordovician are-typegranitoids can be ruled out, because these rocks exhibit negative_Nd(T) and a large range in ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb. Geochemical and isotopicrelationships are most compatible with remelting of hybridizedlithospheric mantle generated during arc-continent collision.A genetic link is suggested among collision-related delaminationor slab break-off events and emplacement of ‘post-erogenic’granite suites. A-type granites may recycle previously subductedcontinental material, and help explain the mass balance notedfor modern arcs. However, they need not represent net, new,crustal growth. KEY WORDS: A-type granites; juvenile crust; isotopes; Newfoundland ^*Telephone: (613) 995-4972. Fax: (613) 995-7997. e-mail: jwhalen{at}gsc.emr.ca     

Effect of compacton on chemistry of solutions expelled from montmorillonite clay saturated in sea water

The total mineralization of solutions squeezed out of montmorillonite clay saturated in sea water was determined at different overburden pressures. The subsequent fractions of expelled solutions were also analysed for various anions (Cl^?, SO^2-₄, HCO^?₃, F^?) and cations (Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, B³⁺). The results indicate that the concentrations of squeezed-out solutions during the initial stages of compaction (at pressures up to 35 kg/cm²) are slightly higher than that of interstitial solution present initially. The concentration of squeezed-out solution goes through a maximum, or at least remains constant, before starting to decrease with increasing overburden pressure.     

PHYSIOGRAPHIC STAGES OF CENTRAL CHINA~1

Among the far-reaching plans envisaged by the late Dr. Davidson Black as part of the work of the Cenozoic Laboratory was a correlation of the Pliocene and Pleistocene deposits of the whole of China on the basis of geomorphology. This called for a study of the physiography of the major