Geochemical characteristics and spectrometric prospecting in the muscovite-bearing pegmatites and granites,southeastern Aswan,Egypt

Rare metal mineralization of Sn, Nb-Ta and W is encountered in the Gebel Dihmit area （GDA）, southeastern Aswan, Egypt. The mineralization is related to muscovite granites and their pegmatite derivatives. The pegmatites are divided into three types according to their main mineral assemblages： K-feldspar-muscovite-tourmaline, K-feldspar-albite-muscovite and albite-K-feldspar-lepidolite veins. Petrogenetic studies indicate that Sn and Nb-Ta mineralization extends from the late-magmatic stage to the pegmatite and hydrothermal stages of the （GDA） suite. The albite-K-feldspar-lepidolite granite is composed dominantly of albite, lepidolote, and quartz, with topaz, K-feldspar and amblygonite. The accessory minerals are zircon, monazite, pollucite, columbite-tantalite, microlite and Ta-rich cassiterite. Phenocrysts of quartz, topaz and K-feldspar contain abundant inclusions of albite laths and occasional lepidolite crystals along growth zones （snowball texture）, indicating simultaneous crystallization from a subsolvus, residual magma. The origin of the pegmatites is attributed to extreme differentiation by fractional crystallization of a granitic magma. The economic potential for rare metals was evaluated in the geochemical discrimination diagrams. Accordingly, some of the pegmatites are not only highly differentiated in terms of alkalis, but also the promising targets for small-scale Ta and, to a less extent, Sn. The pegmatites also provide the first example of Fe-Mn and Nb-Ta fractionation in successive generations of granites to cassiterite-bearing pegmatites, which perfectly ex- hibit similar fractionation trends established for primary columbite-tantalite in the corresponding categories of pegmatites. Uranium and Th of magmatic origin are indicated by the presence of thorite and allanite, whereas evidence of hydrothermal mineralization is the alteration of rock- foring minerals such as feldspar and the formation of secondary minerals such as uranophane..     

Geochemistry and spectrometric prospection of younger granites and granitic pegmatites bearing uranium mineralization at G. Kab El Rakeb area,Central Eastern Desert,Egypt

Acta Geochimica - The present study deals with the detailed field geology, mineralogy, geochemistry, and spectrometric prospection of rare metals and radioactive minerals associated with granitic...     

Stochastic analyses of maximum daily rainfall series recorded at two stations across the Mediterranean Sea

Independence, stationarity, homogeneity, trend, and periodicity tests are applied on 48-year-long complete and 79-year-long incomplete maximum daily rainfall series recorded at Alexandria, Egypt, and on 61-year-long maximum daily rainfall series recorded at Antalya, Turkey, which are located at the southeastern and northeastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. The results indicate no significant trend and no periodicity in mean, and both series are independent and homogeneous. Linear regression trend test applied to the 10 % highest part of the Alexandria series indicated a significant increasing trend. Next, frequency analysis is applied on each of these series by the probability distributions of Gumbel, general extreme-values, three-parameter log-normal, Pearson-3, log-Pearson-3, log-logistic, generalized Pareto, and Wakeby. The distributions, except for the generalized Pareto and Wakeby, pass the χ ² and Kolmogorov–Smirnov goodness-of-fit tests at 90 % probability. By visual inspection of the plots of histograms together with the probability density functions, and by the results of the χ ², Kolmogorov–Smirnov, and probability plot correlation coefficient tests, the general extreme-value distribution whose parameters are computed by the method of probability-weighted moments is deemed to be suitable for these two maximum daily rainfall series.     

Geochemistry of lamprophyres associated with uranium mineralization, Southeastern Desert, Egypt

Two brecciated shear zones (NNW-SSE) are found crosscutting cataclastic rocks. The cataclastic rocks (3.0 km2) occupy the core of the granitic pluton and enclose a roof pendant of mafic-ultramafic rocks. The NNW-SSE-extending lamprophyre dykes vary in thickness from 0.5 m to 1 m and up to 800 m long, cutting the cataclastic rocks and are composed mainly of plagioclases, amphiboles, relics of pyroxenes and K-feldspar phenocrysts embedded in fine-grained groundmass. They are characterized as being peraluminous, calc-alkaline in composition (chemical trap) and enriched in calcite, sulfide and P2O5. The lamprophyres were affected by hydrothermal alteration (chlorite-carbonate alteration) while the cataclastic rocks were affected by diagenetic alteration (K-feldspar-albite alteration). Uranium mineralization is the product of hydrothermal events and has been investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), involving primary uranium minerals (U3O8) and secondary uranium minerals (uranophane and beta-uranophane, kasolite, torbernite, autonite and meta-autonite) in addition to U- bearing minerals (astrocyanite, betafite and fergusonite). The presence of different mineral parageneses associated with clay minerals indicates that the lamprophyres were subjected to acidic and alkaline mineralizing solutions. Moreover, the U-Zr/U, U-Ce/U values show negative correlations, confirming U-enrichment in both cataclastic rocks and shear zones while the Th-eU/eTh, Th-Zr/Th and Th-Ce/Th values show negative correlations, indicating that the U-bearing solutions are rich in Th in the cataclastic rocks only.     

Simulating L-band emission of coniferous forests using a discrete model and a detailed geometrical representation

A discrete model, based on the radiative transfer theory, is used to simulate coniferous forest emissivity at L-band. Inputs to the model are given by using a detailed geometrical representation of Les Landes forest. Simulated emissivities are compared against EuroSTARRS campaign measurements, which were made over the same forest at nominally vertical polarization and several angles. The model has also been used to investigate the sensitivity of L-band radiometers to soil moisture under forests. Results of this investigation indicate that the soil contribution to emission is potentially appreciable, even under developed forests. This may be a useful result, in view of future satellite missions, such as SMOS and HYDROS.     

The importance of air escape processes in the formation of dish-and-pillar and teepee structures within modern and Precambrian fluvial deposits

Attributed to escape of water from unconsolidated deposits, teepee and dish-and-pillar structures are common features in the Late Proterozoic Torridonian red bed succession of NW Scotland. Study of the first annual flood on a modern depositional analogue, in Wadi Baysh, Saudi Arabia, revealed that a layer of mud, initially deposited across the alluvium, restricted the escape of air being displaced through the normally unconfined aquifer by waters entering the aquifer from the river channels. As air bubbled through high level pool-floor muds, it generated dish-and-pillar structures. The formation of teepee structures by similarly combined air and water escapes nearer to the channel later in the annual cycle of flooding is foreseen. It is suggested that the two sediment structures are generated in response to different parts of the aquifer recharge spectrum. The role of air displacement by influent waters is important in the initial phases of structure formation, and combined air and water escape creates greater disturbance to the sediments. The sedimentary structures formed are not, therefore, solely due to water escape, as has been previously suggested. Ephemeral seasonal flooding appears to have characterized the deposition of at least the Stoer Group and Diabaig Formation sediments in the Torridonian.     

The first electric field pulse of cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning discharges

In this study, the first electric field pulse of cloud and cloud-to-ground discharges were analyzed and compared with other pulses of cloud discharges. Thirty eight cloud discharges and 101 cloud-to-ground discharges have been studied in this analysis. Pulses in cloud discharges were classified as ‘small’, ‘medium’ and ‘large’, depending upon the value of their relative amplitude with respect to that of the average amplitude of the five largest pulses in the flash. We found that parameters, such as pulse duration, rise time, zero crossing time and full-width at half-maximum (FWHMs) of the first pulse of cloud and cloud-to-ground discharges are similar to small pulses that appear in the later stage of cloud discharges. Hence, we suggest that the mechanism of the first pulse of cloud and cloud-to-ground discharges and the mechanism of pulses at the later stage of cloud discharges could be the same.     

An investigation into the seismic behaviour of dams using dynamic centrifuge modelling

Dynamic response of dams is significantly influenced by foundation stiffness and dam-foundation interaction. This in turn, significantly effects the generation of hydrodynamic pressures on upstream face of a concrete dam due to inertia of reservoir water. This paper aims at investigating the dynamic response of dams on soil foundation using dynamic centrifuge modelling technique. From a series of centrifuge tests performed on model dams with varying stiffness and foundation conditions, significant co-relation was observed between the dynamic response of dams and the hydrodynamic pressures developed on their upstream faces. The vertical bearing pressures exerted by the concrete dam during shaking were measured using miniature earth pressure cells. These reveal the dynamic changes of earth pressures and changes in rocking behaviour of the concrete dam as the earthquake loading progresses. Pore water pressures were measured below the dam and in the free-field below the reservoir. Analysis of this data provides insights into the cyclic shear stresses and strains generated below concrete dams during earthquakes. In addition, the sliding and rocking movement of the dam and its settlement into the soil below are discussed.