Zinc-rich and copper-bearing amphiboles from sulfide-free ore occurrences of the Pelagonian Massif,Republic of North Macedonia

Mineralogy and Petrology - This paper describes specific features of isomorphism of unusual amphiboles containing up to 23 wt% ZnO and up to 1.3 wt% CuO from sulfide-free...     

Geothermal Model of the Fore-Yenisey Sedimentary Basin―Transitional Structure between the Ancient Siberian Platform and the Young West Siberian Plate

Results of the investigation into the geothermal regime of the Fore-Yenisey sedimentary basin, formed during the collision and subsidence of the Kas-Turukhan microcontinent and the western margin of the Siberian craton in the late Neoproterozoic and early Paleozoic are reported. It was established that the structural and geothermal conditions of the upper Precambrian–Paleozoic sections are similar to those in the western regions of the Siberian platform and are characterized by rather low geothermal gradients (12.5–25.5 °С/km). In the western parts of the basin, formation temperatures in the uppermost pre-Jurassic sediments are 50°С–85°С, decreasing eastward to 30°С–55°С. For the first time, the detailed geothermal model of the basin sedimentary fill was developed. This model allows predictions of the geothermal conditions of Earth’s interior.     

Early Palaeozoic deep subduction of continental crust in the Kyrgyz North Tianshan: evidence from Lu–Hf garnet geochronology and petrology of mafic dikes

High-pressure and ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) eclogite-bearing metamorphic assemblages in the North Tianshan of Kyrgyzstan are known from the Aktyuz and Makbal areas, where eclogites and garnet amphibolites are associated with continental rocks such as granitoid gneisses in Aktyuz and shallow-water clastic (passive margin?) metasediments in Makbal. We present the first Lu–Hf isotope data for an eclogite and two garnet amphibolite samples from the two metamorphic terranes which, combined with petrological analysis, tightly constrain the age of high-pressure metamorphism in the Kyrgyz North Tianshan. A five-point isochron for an Aktyuz eclogite sample provides a Lu–Hf age of 474.3 ± 2.2 Ma, and a four-point isochron on a Makbal sample corresponds to 470.1 ± 2.5 Ma. A prograde, subduction-related path is inferred for both samples with peak P–T conditions ranging from 1.4 to 1.6 GPa and 610–620 °C. A further Makbal sample provided a significantly older Lu–Hf age of 486 ± 5.4 Ma, most likely due to late alteration in the sample (late addition of unradiogenic Hf). We conclude that garnet growth in all three samples occurred around ca. 474 Ma and that these rocks likely experienced UHP metamorphism contemporaneously. Our results support previous geochronological evidence for an Early Ordovician collision belt in the North Tianshan and allow refinement of a tectonic model involving subduction of thinned continental crust to considerable depth along the margin of a small microcontinent.     

Structural evolution of the Ural–Tian Shan junction: A view from Karatau ridge,South Kazakhstan

The deformation history of the Late Palaeozoic Ural–Tian Shan junction is discussed for the example of the Karatau ridge in southern Kazakhstan. Three deformation events are recognized. The Late Carboniferous D1 event is characterized by Laramide-style thrust-and-fold structures on the southern margin of Kazakhstan with shortening in a NE–SW direction. The Latest Permian and Triassic D2 event is controlled by compression in an east–west direction, which reflects collisional deformation in the Urals. The main structures are submeridional folds and north–west-striking sinistral strike–slip faults. The Triassic D3 event with shortening in a north–south direction reflects collision of the Turan microcontinent against the southern margin of Kazakhstan. The main structures are north–west-striking dextral strike–slip faults. Our new data provides important clues for the reconstruction of pre-Cretaceous structures between the Urals and the Tian Shan.     

Early Neoproterozoic Granite-Gneisses of the Junggar Alataw (Southeastern Kazakhstan): Age, Petrogenesis and Tectonic Implications

The combined petrographic, petrological, geochemical and geochronological study of the Neoproterozoic gneisses of the Sarychabyn and Baskan complexes of the Junggar Alataw of South Kazakhstan elucidate the Precambrian tectonic evolution of the Aktau–Yili terrane. It is one of the largest Precambrian crustal blocks in the western Central Asian orogenic belt. The U-Pb single-grain zircon ages indicate that granite-gneisses formed from the same source and crystallised in the early Neoproterozoic ca. 930–920 Ma. The chemical composition of gneisses corresponds to A2-type granites. The whole-rock Nd isotopic characteristics (εNd(t) = ?4.9 to ?1.0 and TNd(DM-2st) = 1.9 to 1.7 Ga) indicate the involvement of Paleoproterozoic crustal rocks in magma generation. Early Neoproterozoic ca. 930–920 Ma A-type granitoids in the Aktau–Yili terrane of South and Central Kazakhstan might reflect within-plate magmatism adjacent to the collisional belt or a local extension setting in back-arc areas of the continental arc.     

Composition and origin of holotype Al‐Cu‐Zn minerals in relation to quasicrystals in the Khatyrka meteorite

We investigated the khatyrkite–cupalite holotype sample, 1.2 × 0.5 mm across. It consists of khatyrkite (Cu,Zn)Al₂, cupalite (Cu,Zn)Al, and interstitial material with approximate composition (Zn,Cu)Al₃. All mineral phases of the holotype sample contain Zn and lack Fe that distinguishes them from khatyrkite and cupalite in the Khatyrka meteorite particles (Bindi et al. 2009 , 2011 , 2012 , 2015 ; MacPherson et al. 2013 ; Hollister et al. 2014 ). Neither highly fractionated natural systems nor geo‐ or cosmochemical processes capable of forming the holotype sample are known so far. The bulk chemistry and thermal history of khatyrkite–cupalite assemblage in the holotype sample hint for its possible industrial origin. Likewise, the aluminides in the Khatyrka meteorite particles may also be derived from industrial materials and mixed with extraterrestrial matter during gold prospecting in the Listvenitovy Stream valley.     

Wide-band high linearity active dipole for low frequency radio astronomy

We have developed an active dipole that is intended for use in new generation low frequency array applications. The preamplifier of the active dipole has very high linearity (input IP2 = 70 dBm, input IP3 = 31 dBm) and low noise temperature (100?C360 K). The frequency dependence of the dipole impedance and the match between the dipole and preamplifier have been optimized to achieve Galactic noise limited operation. The ratio between the antenna temperature due to Galactic noise and the noise temperature of the preamplifier is 10 ± 1.5 dB over the whole 10 to 70 MHz range. The total cost of the active cross-dipole is 220 euro.     

The Dnepr Canyon: evidence for a continuous submarine channel link between the outer shelf and the deep-sea basin of the northwestern Black Sea

Multibeam bathymetric surveys and single-beam profiles were collected in 2003–2010 from aboard the Ukrainian RV Professor Vodyanitskiy (cruises PV-58 and PV-60, 2003 and 2004), and the German RV Meteor (cruise M-72, legs 1 and 4, 2007) and RV Maria S. Merian (cruise MSM-15, leg 2, 2010) along the continental margin of the NW Black Sea. Integrating published, reprocessed and novel data has revealed the existence of a major continuous channel extending from the Dnepr paleo-delta into greater water depths. It is more than 90 km long, 1.1 km wide and up to 125 m deep. On the upper slope (120–960 m water depth), a number of smaller channels merge into the large, Y-shaped Dnepr Canyon, which then continues obliquely downslope via this submarine channel to at least 1,815 m water depth off the Crimean continental margin, NW Black Sea. The channel could be an important, hitherto unknown link between the shallow oxic and deep anoxic environments of the Black Sea, along which sediment and organic matter could be funneled into the deep-sea basin. This would have far-reaching implications for investigations dealing with marine geology and biology, climate change, as well as oil and natural gas exploitation. The unusual alignment of the channel along the margin of the basin, as well as the location and mode of channel termination in deeper waters deserve future research.     

Evaluation of landfill disposal boundary by means of electrical resistivity imaging

This paper deals with an employment of electrical resistivity imaging (ERI) for survey of leachate content on the waste disposal site in Northern Israel. The research consisted of conducting ten ERI lines and drilling investigation wells. Data simulation used a 2D EarthImager inversion program. Analysis of 2D ERI interpretation results shows that determination of the boundary between the landfill body bottom intensively saturated with leachates and underlying layers of highly water saturated fat nonconsolidated clays presents a challenge. However, statistical analysis of ERI data indicates that standard deviation and confidence interval of a set of resistivity data measured in the landfill body are significantly larger than those in underlying clays. Moreover, maximum changes of these parameters are found on the boundary between landfill body and underlying soil, thus reflecting natural differences in scattering of resistivity data measured in these two objects.