Revised age of proximal deposits in the Zagros foreland basin and implications for Cenozoic evolution of the High Zagros

The regionally extensive, coarse-grained Bakhtiyari Formation represents the youngest synorogenic fill in the Zagros foreland basin of Iran. The Bakhtiyari is present throughout the Zagros fold-thrust belt and consists of conglomerate with subordinate sandstone and marl. The formation is up to 3000 m thick and was deposited in foredeep and wedge-top depocenters flanked by fold-thrust structures. Although the Bakhtiyari concordantly overlies Miocene deposits in foreland regions, an angular unconformity above tilted Paleozoic to Miocene rocks is expressed in the hinterland (High Zagros).

The Bakhtiyari Formation has been widely considered to be a regional sheet of Pliocene–Pleistocene conglomerate deposited during and after major late Miocene–Pliocene shortening. It is further believed that rapid fold growth and Bakhtiyari deposition commenced simultaneously across the fold-thrust belt, with limited migration from hinterland (NE) to foreland (SW). Thus, the Bakhtiyari is generally interpreted as an unmistakable time indicator for shortening and surface uplift across the Zagros. However, new structural and stratigraphic data show that the most-proximal Bakhtiyari exposures, in the High Zagros south of Shahr-kord, were deposited during the early Miocene and probably Oligocene. In this locality, a coarse-grained Bakhtiyari succession several hundred meters thick contains gray marl, limestone, and sandstone with diagnostic marine pelecypod, gastropod, coral, and coralline algae fossils. Foraminiferal and palynological species indicate deposition during early Miocene time. However, the lower Miocene marine interval lies in angular unconformity above ~ 150 m of Bakhtiyari conglomerate that, in turn, unconformably caps an Oligocene marine sequence. These relationships attest to syndepositional deformation and suggest that the oldest Bakhtiyari conglomerate could be Oligocene in age.

The new age information constrains the timing of initial foreland-basin development and proximal Bakhtiyari deposition in the Zagros hinterland. These findings reveal that structural evolution of the High Zagros was underway by early Miocene and probably Oligocene time, earlier than commonly envisioned. The age of the Bakhtiyari Formation in the High Zagros contrasts significantly with the Pliocene–Quaternary Bakhtiyari deposits near the modern deformation front, suggesting a long-term (> 20 Myr) advance of deformation toward the foreland.     

Subduction-related mafic to felsic magmatism in the Malayer–Boroujerd plutonic complex,western Iran

The Malayer–Boroujerd plutonic complex (MBPC) in western Iran, consists of a portion of a magmatic arc built by the northeast verging subduction of the Neo-Tethys plate beneath the Central Iranian Microcontinent (CIMC). Middle Jurassic-aged felsic magmatic activity in MBPC is manifested by I-type and S-type granites. The mafic rocks include gabbroic intrusions and dykes and intermediate rocks are dioritic dykes and minor intrusions, as well as mafic microgranular enclaves (MMEs). MBPC Jurassic-aged rocks exhibit arc-like geochemical signatures, as they are LILE- and LREE-enriched and HFSE- and HREE-depleted and display negative Nb–Ta anomalies. The gabbro dykes and intrusions originated from metasomatically enriched garnet-spinel lherzolite [Degree of melting (f_mel) ~ 15%] and exhibit negative Nd and positive to slightly negative ε_Hf(T) (+ 3.0 to ? 1.6). The data reveal that evolution of Middle Jurassic magmatism occurred in two stages: (1) deep mantle-crust interplay zone and (2) the shallow level upper crustal magma chamber. The geochemical and isotopic data, as well as trace element modeling, indicate the parent magma for the MBPC S-type granites are products of upper crustal greywacke (f_mel: 0.2), while I-type granites formed by partial melting of amphibolitic lower crust (f_mel: 0.25) and mixing with upper crustal greywacke melt in a shallow level magma chamber [Degree of mixing (f_mix): 0.3]. Mixing between andesitic melt leaving behind a refractory dense cumulates during partial crystallization of mantle-derived magma and lower crustal partial melt most likely produced MMEs (f_mix: 0.2). However, enriched and moderately variable ε_Nd(T) (? 3.21 to ? 4.33) and high (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i (0.7085–0.7092) in dioritic intrusions indicate that these magmas are likely experienced assimilation of upper crustal materials. The interpretations of magmatic activity in the MBPC is consistent with the role considered for mantle-derived magma as heat and mass supplier for initiation and evolution of magmatism in continental arc setting, elsewhere.     

Radiative cooling flows of self-gravitating filamentary clouds

We study the dynamics of a self-gravitating cooling filamentary cloud using a simplified model. We concentrate on the radial distribution and restrict ourselves to quasi-hydrostatic, cylindrically symmetric cooling flows. For a power-law dependence of cooling function on the temperature, self-similar solutions which describe quasi-hydrostatic cooling flows are derived. We consider obtically thin filaments with a constant mass per unit length and the solutions are parameterized by their line masses. There is no polytropic relation between the density and the pressure. The filament experiences radiative condensation, irrespective of the γ,the gas specific heat ratio. So, the filament becomes denser due to the quasi-hydrostatic flows and the density at the center (ρ_c) increases in proportion to (t ₀-t)^-1, where t denotes the time. The term,t ₀, denotes an epoch at which the central density increases infinitely. We also found that the radius of the filament (r _c) decreases in proportion to (t ₀-t)^1/2. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Mixed precision parallel preconditioner and linear solver for compositional reservoir simulation

Reservoir simulation role in value creation and strategic management decisions cannot be over emphasized. Simulation of complex challenging reservoirs with millions of grid blocks especially in compositional mode is very time-consuming even with fast modern computers. On the other hand, high price of cluster supercomputers prevents them for being commonly used for fast simulation of such reservoirs. In recent years, the development of many-core processors like cell processors, DSPs, and graphical processing units (GPUs) has provided a very cost-effective hardware platform for fast computational operations. However, programming for such processors is much more difficult than conventional CPUs, and new parallel algorithm design and special parallel implementation methods are needed. Using the computational power of CPUs, GPUs, and/or any other processing unit, Open Computing Language (OpenCL) provides a framework for programming for heterogeneous platforms. In this paper, OpenCL is used to employ the computational power of a GPU to build a preconditioner and solve the linear system arising from compositional formulation of multiphase flow in porous media. The proposed parallel preconditioner is proved to be quite effective, even in heterogeneous porous media. Using data-parallel modules on GPU, the preconditioner/solver runtime reduced at least 1 order of magnitude compared to their serial implementation on CPU.     

Interaction between two parallel tunnels

A series of finite element analyses were performed to study the behaviour of a system of two parallel and adjacent tunnels. Various sequences of excavation of the two tunnels and installation of tunnel liners have been simulated in the analyses. Influence of various parameters on the behaviour of the two parallel tunnels has been investigated. The important parameters considered in this study are: the width of the pillar separating the two tunnels; the tunnel depth; support condition; sequence of excavation; and, to some extent, the influence of plastic yielding in the medium surrounding the two tunnels.     

On the time-dependent effects in advancing tunnels

A finite element study is presented of the short-term effects that develop when a tunnel is driven in a ground showing viscous behaviour associated with the deviatoric deformations. Axisymmetric conditions around the tunnel centreline are assumed and the process of excavation is simulated by means of a step-by-step time incremental technique. The Kelvin's model is used to approximate the medium creep behaviour and a simple procedure is presented that allows the determination of the creep model constants from the laboratory test data. Various rates of advancing, the presence of an unsupported zone close to the tunnel face and the temporary interruption of the excavation process are considered. For the viscous model and the analytical technique used, simple, approximate relationships are presented for the displacements around the tunnel and the overexcavation volume as functions of the rate of excavation advancing.     

Geochemical aspects of molybdenum and precious metals distribution in the Sar Cheshmeh porphyry copper deposit, Iran

Constraints on hypogene distribution of Mo and precious metals (Au and Ag) in the Sar Cheshmeh porphyry copper deposit indicated that much of the metals tend to be concentrated within the Cu-rich potassic core as well as with strongly phyllic alteration. The gradual increase in metal concentrations from weak potassic alteration to strong potassic and phyllic alteration zones is observed that could be related to cumulative effects of the early to the late stages of alteration and mineralization which is increased vein density and metal deposition. Comparison between inter-element relationships in hypogene ore types indicated that precious metals and Cu positively correlate over a wide range of values, indicating a spatial and temporal association of precious metals with Cu sulfides. In contrast, the sympathetic relationship of Mo with Cu and precious metals is only present in low-grade ores which are deposited in weak potassic alteration zone. This suggests contemporaneous deposition of minor Mo with Cu and precious metals during the early stage of mineralization. In the transitional stages of mineralization, significant portion of Mo deposition occurred independent of Cu and precious metals which is supported by negative correlation between Mo and Cu (also with precious metals) in silicified ores. In the late stage of mineralization, where the highest values of the metals had occurred with sericitization, differences in the distribution of the metals and inter-element relationships are significant that could be attributed to the heterogeneous distribution of Mo, Cu, and precious metals during the evolution of the porphyry system. The hypogene metal arrangement indicated that ores with the highest values of Cu and precious metals are not essentially enriched in Mo.     

Geochemistry and zircon U-Pb geochronology of Aligoodarz granitoid complex, Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone, Iran

The Aligoodarz granitoid complex (AGC) is located in the Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone (SSZ), western Iran and consists of quartz-diorites, granodiorites and subordinate granites. Whole rock major and trace element data mostly define linear trends on Harker diagrams suggesting a cogenetic origin of the different rock types. (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i and εNd_t ratios are in the ranges 0.7074-0.7110 and −3.56 to −5.50, respectively. The trace elements and Sr-Nd isotopic composition suggest that the granitoids from the AGC are similar to crustal derived I-type granitoids of continental arcs. The whole rock suite was produced by assimilation and fractional crystallization starting from a melt with intermediate composition likely possessing a mantle component. In situ zircon U-Pb data on the granites with LA-ICP-MS yield a crystallization age of ∼165 Ma. Inherited grains spanning in age from ∼180 Ma up to 2027 Ma were also found and confirm that assimilation of country rock has occurred.Chemical and chronological data on the AGC were compared with those available for other granitoid complexes of the central SSZ (e.g., Dehno, Boroujerd and Alvand). The comparison reveals that in spite of the different origins that have been proposed, all these granitoid complexes are likely genetically related. They share many chemical features and are derived from crustal melts with minor differences. Alvand granites have the most peculiar compositions most likely related to the presence of abundant pelitic component. All these intrusions are coeval and reveal the presence of an extensive magmatic activity in the central sector of the SSZ during middle Jurassic.     

Some secondary ore formation features of the Sar-Cheshmeh porphyry copper-molybdenum deposit,Kerman, Iran

New secondary mineral features and the control of secondary molybdenum enrichment have now been recognized at the Sar-Cheshmeh copper deposit. In part of the deposit, copper is locally concentrated within a subvolcanic unit — the so-called Late Fine Porphyry in amounts that seem too great to have come from the primary phase of the same unit. Clay minerals are believed to have influenced the deposition of copper by through-flowing oxidized zone solutions within this otherwise subeconomic unit. These solutions have caused argillic alteration and copper concentration within the plagioclase phenocrysts. Fractures are filled with chrysocolla, but little chrysocolla was observed within the altered plagioclase phenocrysts. The scattered layers of sedimentary unroofing breccia — horizontal layers of Quaternary age accumulated within the depressions at the top of the deposit — contain minor amounts of native copper. The breccia consists of angular to subangular clasts of local derivation cemented by a matrix of hematite, limonite, geothite, and small rock fragments. Native copper, the only copper mineral associated with the breccia, mainly adhers to the cavity walls in the cementing materials. The amount of molybdenum within the leached capping of the Sar-Cheshmeh deposit is generally controlled by the amount of pyrite. Abundant pyrite has caused the retention of molybdenum within the leached capping of the pyritic halo as a result of the more acidic solution during weathering, in contrast to the leached zone of the pyrite-poor stock, where molybdenum is partially mobile.