Coastal morphology and beach stability along Thiruvananthapuram,south-west coast of India

Shoreline changes are largely dependent on coastal morphology. South-west coast of India is a high energy coast characterised by monsoon high waves, steep beach face and medium-sized beach sand. Waves are generally from west and west south-west during rough monsoon season and from south-west during fair weather season. Shoreline change along this coast is studied with reference to coastal morphological features. Various morphological features, modifications and chronological positions of shoreline are analysed with the information derived from multidated satellite imageries, toposheets and GPS shoreline mapping along with extended field survey. Image processing and GIS techniques have been used for the analysis of data and presentation of results. Sediment accumulation on the leeward side of artificial structures such as harbour breakwaters and groynes is used as a sediment transport indicator. Artificial structures such as seawalls, groynes and harbour breakwaters modify morphology. Shoreline south of headlands/promontories and breakwaters are stable or accreting due to net northerly longshore sediment transport while erosion tendency is observed on the north side. Lateritic cliffs fronting the sea or with seasonal beach undergo slumping and cliff edge retreat as episodic events. Spits adjoining tidal inlets are prone to shoreline variations due to oscillations of inlet mouth. Interventions in the form of inlet stabilization and construction of coastal protection structures trigger erosion along adjoining coasts. Seawalls constructed along highly eroding coasts get damaged, whereas those constructed along monsoon berm crest with frontal beaches for protection against monsoon wave attack are retained. Fishing gaps within seawalls are areas of severe temporary erosion during rough monsoon season. Accretion or erosion accompanies construction of harbour breakwaters in a stable coastal plain. Close dependence of shoreline changes on morphology necessitates detailed understanding of impacts on morphology prior to introducing any intervention in the coastal zone.     

Modeling the Effects of Oyster Reefs and Breakwaters on Seagrass Growth

Seagrass beds have declined in Chesapeake Bay, USA as well as worldwide over the past century. Increased seston concentrations, which decrease light penetration, are likely one of the main causes of the decline in Chesapeake Bay. It has been hypothesized that dense populations of suspension-feeding bivalves, such as eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica), may filter sufficient seston from the water to reduce light attenuation and enhance seagrass growth. Furthermore, eastern oyster populations can form large three-dimensional reef-like structures that may act like breakwaters by attenuating waves, thus decreasing sediment resuspension. We developed a quasi-three-dimensional Seagrass-Waves-Oysters-Light-Seston (SWOLS) model to investigate whether oyster reefs and breakwaters could improve seagrass growth by reducing seston concentrations. Seagrass growth potential (SGP), a parameter controlled by resuspension-induced turbidity, was calculated in simulations in which wave height, oyster abundance, and reef/breakwater configuration were varied. Wave height was the dominant factor influencing SGP, with higher waves increasing sediment resuspension and decreasing SGP. Submerged breakwaters parallel with the shoreline improved SGP in the presence of 0.2 and 0.4 m waves when sediment resuspension was dominated by wave action, while submerged groins perpendicular to the shoreline improved SGP under lower wave heights (0.05 and 0.1 m) when resuspension was dominated by along-shore tidal currents. Oyster-feeding activity did not affect SGP, due to the oysters’ distance from the seagrass bed and reduced oyster filtration rates under either low or high sediment concentrations. Although the current implementation of the SWOLS model has simplified geometry, the model does demonstrate that the interaction between oyster filtration and along-shore circulation, and between man-made structures and wave heights, should be considered when managing seagrass habitats, planning seagrass restoration projects, and choosing the most suitable methods to protect shorelines from erosion.     

Microtextural Characteristics and Origin of Dolomites in the Tepearasi Formation, SW of Beysehir-Konya, Turkey

The Tepearasi Formation of the autochthonous Geyikdagi Group in the Central Tauride Belt, SE of Beysehir, is Dogger in age and consists dominantly of massive limestones and greyish dolomites occurring within the middle to upper sections. The total thickness of the dolomitic levels ranges from 100-300 m and laterally extends 500-700 m. Three types of dolomite were distinguished through petrographic analyses: homogeneous, mottled (saddle-crystalline) and joint-filling dolomite, which were interpreted to have formed in two different stages, early diagenetic and late diagenetic. The homogeneous dolomite of the early diagenetic stage is light-coloured and monotonous-textured and shows the form of a dolosparite mosaic. The mottled dolomite formed in the late diagenetic stage is light- to dark-coloured and coarsely granular idiomorphic. The other type of late diagenetic dolomite, described as the joint-filling type, presents a crystal growth pattern from the joint walls towards the centre of the joint space. I     

Age assignment of a diatomaceous ooze deposited in the western Amundsen Sea Embayment after the Last Glacial Maximum

Reliable dating of glaciomarine sediments deposited on the Antarctic shelf since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) is challenging because of the rarity of calcareous (micro‐) fossils and the recycling of fossil organic matter. Consequently, radiocarbon (¹⁴C) ages of the acid‐insoluble organic fraction (AIO) of the sediments bear uncertainties that are difficult to quantify. Here we present the results of three different methods to date a sedimentary unit consisting of diatomaceous ooze and diatomaceous mud that was deposited following the last deglaciation at five core sites on the inner shelf in the western Amundsen Sea (West Antarctica). In three cores conventional ¹⁴C dating of the AIO in bulk samples yielded age reversals down‐core, but at all sites the AIO ¹⁴C ages obtained from diatomaceous ooze within the diatom‐rich unit yielded similar uncorrected ¹⁴C ages between 13 517 ± 56 and 11 543 ± 47 years before present (a BP). Correction of these ages by subtracting the core‐top ages, which probably reflect present‐day deposition (as indicated by ²¹⁰Pb dating of the sediment surface at one core site), yielded ages between ca. 10 500 and 8400 cal. a BP. Correction of the AIO ages of the diatomaceous ooze by only subtracting the marine reservoir effect (MRE) of 1300 a indicated deposition of the diatom‐rich sediments between 14 100 and 11 900 cal. a BP. Most of these ages are consistent with age constraints between 13.0 and 8.0 ka for the diatom‐rich unit, which we obtained by correlating the relative palaeomagnetic intensity (RPI) records of three of the sediment cores with global and regional reference curves. As a third dating technique we applied conventional radiocarbon dating of the AIO included in acid‐cleaned diatom hard parts extracted from the diatomaceous ooze. This method yielded uncorrected ¹⁴C ages of only 5111 ± 38 and 5106 ± 38 a BP, respectively. We reject these young ages, because they are likely to be overprinted by the adsorption of modern atmospheric carbon dioxide onto the surfaces of the diatom hard parts prior to sample graphitisation and combustion for ¹⁴C dating. The deposition of the diatom‐rich unit in the western Amundsen Sea suggests deglaciation of the inner shelf before ca. 13 ka BP. The deposition of diatomaceous oozes elsewhere on the Antarctic shelf around the same time, however, seems to be coincidental rather than directly related. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Impact of shore-parallel breakwaters on the microtidal coast of Hammam-Lif (North-East of Tunisia)

The Hammam Lif coast (North-East of Tunisia) suffered from erosion mainly after the storm that damaged the zone in 1981. To protect it, eight shore-parallel breakwaters were built. The present study is interested in presenting the effect of the protection works on the coastline behavior by using aerial photographs geo-referenced by the digital photogrammetric method and empirical relationships. The successive breakwaters made a general accretion with formation of seven tombolos and salient. The response of the coast to these structures was related to the characteristics of these latter (length, distance to coast, and spacing). The effectiveness of such protection works is shown by the evaluation of the accretion areas formed behind them. The breakwaters which are the longest, less distant from the shoreline, and less spaced formed well-developed tombolos. Whereas, the structures which are short, very far from the coastline, and far from each other caused very small tombolos and even a salient.     

Experimental and numerical investigations on zigzag porous screen breakwater

Pile supported porous breakwaters are commonly adopted for shielding small-scale harbors, such as marinas, fishing harbors, and recreational harbors from external waves. To improve efficiency of such breakwaters, attempts have been made to provide a filter screen containing porous material. Possible alternative to the existing pile supported screen breakwaters is the zigzag breakwater. This article details on the numerical and experimental investigations carried out on the performance of zigzag porous screen breakwater. Results related to the wave amplification in front of the structure, wave reflection, and transmission, forces exerted by the waves on the structure are discussed. The studies clearly indicate that the transmission coefficient of the order of 0.5 can be achieved for H _i/gT ² > 0.008 for 50% submergence, whereas the reflection coefficient can be effectively reduced to 0.2. Reduction in wave force is of the order of 50% which is primarily due to reduction in reflection coefficient. Substantial reduction in wave force contributes directly to reduction in the cost of construction of the breakwater, a definite advantage over other similar breakwaters.     

Laser microprobe 40Ar–39Ar analysis of pseudotachylyte and host-rocks from the Tatra Mountains, Slovakia: evidence for late Palaeogene seismic/tectonic activity

Laserprobe ⁴⁰Ar–³⁹Ar data from fault‐related pseudotachylytes and granitic host‐rocks from the Tatra Mountains (Central Western Carpathians) resolve the controversy over the age of propagation of the sub‐Tatra detachment fault. This major structure has resulted in exhumation of crystalline basement to the north‐west, and subsidence and sediment deposition in the Palaeogene Central Carpathians Basin to the south‐east. Host‐rock biotite ages range from 331 Ma to 322 Ma, and pseudotachylyte spot ages range from 164 Ma to 28 Ma. Of these, the youngest group identify the maximum timing of the early stages of Tatra Mountains uplift, which continued in the Miocene (20–10 Ma) and culminated during the Quaternary. The wide‐ranging older ages are an artefact of an unsupported ⁴⁰Ar component that is most likely a combination of both inherited and excess argon.     

The South American ancestry of the North Patagonian Massif: geochronological evidence for an autochthonous origin?

New U‐Pb and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age data from deformed and undeformed granitoids of the North Patagonian Massif establish the presence of Early Cambrian and widespread Ordovician magmatism in northern Patagonia. These data suggest that the Pampean (Cambrian) and Famatinian (Ordovician) magmatic belts of the Sierras Pampeanas are continuous into Patagonia. SHRIMP U‐Pb age spectra from detrital zircons of Cambro‐Ordovician metasedimentary rocks show patterns very similar to those from equivalent units of the Pampia block, over 500 km farther north. These results suggest that the North Patagonian Massif was likely part of the South American margin of Gondwana in the early Palaeozoic and strongly argue in favour of an authochtonous or para‐autochthonous origin for this block.     

Xiba Granitic Pluton in the Qinling Orogenic Belt,Central China: Its Petrogenesis and Tectonic Implications

Xiba granitic pluton is located in South Qinling tectonic domain of the Qinling orogenic belt and consists mainly of granodiorite and monzogranite with significant number of microgranular quartz dioritic enclaves. SHRIMP zircon U–Pb isotopic dating reveals that the quartz dioritic enclaves formed at 214±3 Ma, which is similar to the age of their host monzogranite (218±1 Ma). The granitoids belong to high-K calc-alkaline series, and are characterized by enriched LILEs relative to HFSEs with negative Nb, Ta and Ti anomalies, and right-declined REE patterns with (La/Yb)N ratios ranging from 15.83 to 26.47 and δEu values from 0.78 to 1.22 (mean= 0.97). Most of these samples from Xiba granitic pluton exhibit εNd(t) values of ?8.79 to ?5.38, depleted mantle Nd model ages (TDM) between 1.1 Ga and 1.7 Ga, and initial Sr isotopic ratios (87Sr/86Sr)i from 0.7061 to 0.7082, indicating a possible Meso- to Paleoproterozoic lower crust source region, with exception of samples XB01-2-1 and XB10-1 displaying higher (87Sr/86Sr)i values of 0.779 and 0.735, respectively, which suggests a contamination of the upper crustal materials. Quartz dioritic enclaves are interpreted as the result of rapid crystallization fractionation during the parent magmatic emplacement, as evidenced by similar age, texture, geochemical, and Sr-Nd isotopic features with their host rocks. Characteristics of the petrological and geochemical data reveal that the parent magma of Xiba granitoids was produced by a magma mingling process. The upwelling asthenosphere caused a high heat flow and the mafic magma was underplated into the bottom of the lower continent crust, which caused the partial melting of the lower continent crustal materials. This geodynamic process generated the mixing parent magma between mafic magma from depleted mantle and felsic magma derived from the lower continent crust. Integrated petrogenesis and tectonic discrimination with regional tectonic evolution of the Qinling orogen, it is suggested that the granitoids are most likely products in a post-collision tectonic setting.     

REE and C-O Isotopic Geochemistry of Calcites from the World-class Huize Pb-Zn Deposits, Yunnan, China: Implications for the Ore Genesis

<正>The world-class Huize Pb-Zn deposits of Yunnan province,in southwestern China,located in the center of the Sichuan-Yunnan-Guizhou Pb-Zn polymetallic metallogenic province,has Pb+Zn reserves of more than 5 million tons at Pb+Zn grade of higher than 25%and contains abundant associated metals,such as Ag,Ge,Cd,and Ga.The deposits are hosted in the Lower Carboniferous carbonate strata and the Permian Emeishan basalts which distributed in the northern and southwestern parts of the orefield.Calcite is the only gangue mineral in the primary ores of the deposits and can be classified into three types,namely lumpy,patch and vein calcites in accordance with their occurrence.There is not intercalated contact between calcite and ore minerals and among the three types of calcite,indicating that they are the same ore-forming age with different stages and its forming sequence is from lumpy to patch to vein calcites. This paper presents the rare earth element(REE) and C-O isotopic compositions of calcites in the Huize Pb-Zn deposits.From lumpy to patch to vein calcites,REE contents decrease as LREE/ HREE ratios increase.The chondrite-normalized REE patterns of the three types of calcites are characterized by LREE-rich shaped,in which the lumpy calcite shows(La)_N(Ce)_N(Pr)_N≈(Nd)_N with Eu/Eu~*1,the patch calcite has(La)_N(Ce)_N(Pr)_N≈(Nd)_N with Eu/Eu~*1,and the vein calcite displays(La)_N(Ce)_N(Pr)_N(Nd)_N with Eu/Eu~*1.The REE geochemistry of the three types of calcite is different from those of the strata of various age and Permian Emeishan basalt exposed in the orefield.Theδ~(13) C_(PDb) andδ~(18)O_(Smow) values of the three types of calcites vary from-3.5‰to-2.1‰and 16.7‰to 18.6‰,respectively,falling within a small field between primary mantle and marine carbonate in theδ~(13)C_(PDb) vsδ~(18)O_(Smow) diagram. Various lines of evidence demonstrate that the three types of calcites in the deposits are produced from the same source with different stages.The ore-forming fluids of the deposits resulted from crustal -mantle mixing processes,in which the mantle-derived fluid components might be formed from degassing of mantle or/and magmatism of the Permian Emeishan basalts,and the crustal fluid was mainly provided by carbonate strata in the orefield.The ore-forming fluids in the deposits were homogenized before mineralization,and the ore-forming environment varied from relatively reducing to oxidizing.     

^Ar／^39Ar Dating of Deformation Events and Reconstruction of Exhumation of Ultrahigh—Pressure Metamorphic Rocks in Donghai,East China

Abstract Recent investigations reveal that the ultrahigh‐pressure metamorphic (UHPM) rocks in the Donghai region of East China underwent ductile and transitional ductile‐brittle structural events during their exhumation. The earlier ductile deformation took place under the condition of amphibolite facies and the later transitional ductile‐brittle deformation under the condition of greenschist facies. The hanging walls moved southeastward during both of these two events. The ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of muscovites from muscovite‐plagioclase schists in the Haizhou phosphorous mine, which are structurally overlain by UHPM rocks, yields a plateau age of 218.0±2.9 Ma and isochron age of 219.8Ma, indicating that the earlier event of the ampibolite‐facies deformation probably took place about 220 Ma ago. The ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of oriented amphiboles parallel to the movement direction of the hanging wall on a decollement plane yields a plateau age of 213.1 ± 0.3 Ma and isochron age of 213.4±4.1 Ma, probably representing the age of the later event. The dating of pegmatitic biotites and K‐feldspars near the decollement plane from the eastern Fangshan area yield plateau ages of 203.4±0.3 Ma, 203.6±0.4 Ma and 204.8±2.2 Ma, and isochron ages of 204.0±2.0 Ma, 200.6±3.1 Ma and 204.0±5.0 Ma, respectively, implying that the rocks in the studied area had not been cooled down to closing temperature of the dated biotites and K‐feldspars until the beginning of the Jurassic (about 204 Ma). The integration of these data with previous chronological ages on the ultrahigh‐pressure metamorphism lead to a new inference on the exhumation of the UHPM rocks. The UHPM rocks in the area were exhumed at the rate of 3–4 km/Ma from the mantle (about 80–100 km below the earth's surface at about 240 Ma) to the lower crust (at the depth of about 20‐30km at 220 Ma), and at the rate of 1–2 km/Ma to the middle crust (at the depth of about 15 km at 213 Ma), and then at the rate of less than 1 km/Ma to the upper crust about 10 km deep at about 204 Ma.     

Submarine Groundwater Discharge Estimates Using Radium Isotopes and Related Nutrient Inputs into Tauranga Harbour (New Zealand)

Land-based pollutants such as fertilizers and wastewater can infiltrate into aquifers and discharge into surrounding coastal water bodies as submarine groundwater discharge (SGD). Oceanic islands, with a large coast length to land area ratio, may be hot spots of SGD into the global ocean. Although SGD may be a major pathway of dissolved nutrients, carbon and metals to coastal waters, studies have been limited due to the difficulties in measuring this often diffuse process. This study used radium isotopes (²²³Ra, ²²⁴Ra, ²²⁶Ra) to investigate SGD and the associated fluxes of nutrients into Tauranga Harbour, New Zealand. We calculated the apparent water mass ages of the harbour to be between ~4.1 and 7.8 days, which was similar to a previous numerical model of ~2–8 days. A ²²⁶Ra mass balance was constructed to quantify SGD fluxes at the harbour scale. A minimum SGD flux rate of 0.53 cm day^?1 was calculated by using the maximum groundwater end-member value from 22 sample sites. However, using the geometric mean from these samples as a representative end-member, a final value of 2.83 cm day^?1 or a flux of 3.09 × 10⁶ m³ day^?1 was calculated. These values were between ~1 and 2.8 times greater than all the major river and creeks discharging into the harbour during the sampling period. Due to the higher observed nutrient concentrations in groundwater, the SGD-derived dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) fluxes were calculated to be 1.07, 0.87 and 0.05 mmol m² day^?1, respectively. These SGD inputs were ~5 times (for nitrogen) and ~8 times (for phosphorus) greater than the input from surrounding rivers and streams. The average N:P ratio in groundwater samples was 36:1 (which was greatly in excess of the Redfield ratio of 16). The harbour water had a N:P ratio of ~17:1. A positive relationship between radium isotopes and N:P ratios in the harbour further supported the hypothesis that SGD can have major implications for primary production, including recurrent algal bloom events which occur in the harbour. We suggest SGD as a major driver of nutrient dynamics in Tauranga Harbour and potentially other similar coastal lagoon systems and estuaries on oceanic islands.     

Luminescence dating of lacustrine sediments from Tangra Yumco (southern Tibetan Plateau) using post‐IR IRSL signals from polymineral grains

Radiocarbon dating of bulk organic matter is the most commonly used method for establishing chronologies of lake sediments for palaeoclimate reconstructions on the Tibetan Plateau. However, this method is likely to be problematic because the dated material often suffers from old carbon contamination. Recently, advances in luminescence‐based chronological techniques have provided new options for dating lacustrine sediments. In the current study, we tested for the first time the applicability of a new post‐IR IRSL (pIRIR) measurement protocol for dating fine‐grained polymineral material from a deep‐lake sediment core from the central part of Tangra Yumco, on the southern Tibetan Plateau. Our results show that: (i) radioactive disequilibria in the uranium decay chain were observed in the studied lake sediments, and thus taken into account for dose rate calculation by using a dynamic modelling approach; (ii) the suitability and robustness of the pIRIR protocol measured at 150°C (pIRIR₁₅₀) for our samples are confirmed by a set of luminescence characteristic tests as well as the agreement with an independent age control; (iii) turbidite deposition partly caused an insufficient resetting of luminescence signals and thus apparent overestimation in luminescence dating; (iv) compared with the luminescence‐based age‐depth model, the ¹⁴C ages of bulk organic matter from the studied core generally yielded an age difference of ～2 ka, which is attributed to hardwater reservoir effects in Tangra Yumco. This study highlights the need for multi‐dating approaches of lake sedimentary archives on the Tibetan Plateau.     

Direct 40Ar/39Ar dating of Late Ordovician and Silurian brittle faulting in the southwestern Norwegian Caledonides

Structural data as well as U–Pb zircon and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar biotite and muscovite ages were collected from the Rolvsnes granodiorite in western Norway. The granodiorite intruded at c. 466 Ma, cooled quickly and escaped later viscous deformation. Brittle top‐to‐the‐NNW thrust faults (Set I) and WNW–ESE striking dextral strike‐slip faults (Set II) formed in a NNW–SSE transpressional regime. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of synkinematic mica from both sets reveals a c. 450 Ma (Late Ordovician) age of faulting, which constrains early‐Caledonian brittle deformation. Set I and II faults are overprinted by a set of lower‐grade, variably oriented chlorite‐ and epidote‐coated faults (Set III) constraining WNW–ESE shortening. A lamprophyric dyke oriented compatibly with this stress field intruded at c. 435 Ma (Silurian), indicating that Set III formed at the onset of the Scandian Baltica–Laurentia collision. The preservation of Caledonian brittle structures indicates that the Rolvsnes granodiorite occupied a high tectonic level throughout the Caledonian orogeny.     

Erosion and accretion rates and their associated sediment characters along Ras El Bar coast,northeast Nile Delta,Egypt

Beach profile data, covering the coast of Ras El Bar, northeast Nile Delta, collected during the years from 1990 to 2002 combined with landsat images for the area and sedimentological investigation have been used to identify beach and nearshore seafloor sediment changes. Along the coast of Ras El Bar, two accretion sectors and one of erosion have been recognized. The first accretion sector is located west of Damietta harbour, where the harbour jetties have halted the littoral transport, while the second one is behind a system of detached breakwaters protecting Ras El Bar resort. Both the two sectors are characterized by growing shoreline with maximum rates ∼15 and 10 m/year, respectively. Also, they have maximum nearshore seafloor accretion rates of ∼18 and 22 cm/year, respectively. The erosion sector is located east of Damietta port and has a maximum rate of shoreline retreat ∼−10 m/year. Erosion of its nearshore seafloor is indicated recording a maximum rate of ∼−20 cm/year. The rate of net sediment volume change in the area indicates shifting of the accretion sector (II) westward, responding to installation of the new breakwaters unit. The two accretion sectors are characterized by dominance of moderately sorted fine sands in their shore area which change seaward into less sorting very fine sands. Beach sands of the eroded sector are poorly sorted medium grain size. The dominant constituents of heavy mineral species in beach and sea-bottom sands are the characteristic assemblages of the Nile deposits. The sands of the eroded zone are relatively enriched in monazite, zircon, tourmaline, garnet, and rutile.     

Isotopic constraints on the genesis and age of autochthonous glaucony in the Oligo-Miocene Torquay Group, south-eastern Australia

The Oligo‐Miocene Torquay Group at Bird Rock in south‐eastern Australia comprises a sequence of fine‐grained skeletal carbonates and argillaceous and glauconitic sandstones, deposited in a cool‐water, mid‐shelf environment. The Bird Rock glaucony is autochthonous and consists predominantly of randomly interstratified glauconitic smectite, which constitutes bioclast infills and faecal pellet replacements. The results of Rb–Sr and oxygen isotopic analysis of samples taken from a single glauconitic horizon (the BW horizon) indicate that the glaucony developed through a series of simultaneous dissolution–crystallization reactions, which occurred during very early diagenesis in a closed or isochemical system, isolated from the ambient marine environment. The constituent ions of the glaucony were derived primarily from terrigenous clay minerals, but considerable potassium may have been sourced indirectly from sea water, through potassium enrichment of clay precursors. The pore fluids associated with glauconitization were marine derived, but progressively modified by the dissolution–crystallization of detrital clay minerals and autochthonous glaucony. Rb–Sr data for the BW horizon indicate that dating glauconies may be somewhat problematic, as co‐genetic glauconitic minerals can show a range of initial strontium compositions, which reflect the incorporation of strontium derived from mineralogical precursors and/or contemporaneous sea water. Rb–Sr isochrons indicate that the glaucony of the BW horizon formed at 23 ± 3 Ma. This age is in good agreement with both the established biostratigraphy and a ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr age for the horizon (23 ± 1 Ma), but could only be determined using the independent age constraint and the estimate of the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of contemporaneous sea water provided by analysis of associated biogenic carbonate.     

A short note on the geo-archeological significance of the ancient Theodosius harbour (İstanbul, Turkey)

The sedimentary sequence discovered at archaeological excavations in ancient Theodosius Harbour at İstanbul contains the records of sea level, environmental changes and the cultural history of the region. The cobbles at the base of the sequence include archaeological remnants of Neolithic culture that settled in the area between 8.4 and 7.3 ¹⁴C ka BP, and are located at 6 m below the present sea level. The sediments representing a coastal environment indicate that the area was used as a harbour from AD 4th to at least the 11th century and were filled by the sediments derived from Lykos Stream after 11th century.     

新疆祁漫塔格柯可卡尔德钨锡矿床控矿构造及 40Ar-39Ar年代学研究

位处新疆东昆仑祁漫塔格地区的白干湖是中国西部最新探明的一个具超大型远景规模的钨锡矿田,柯可卡尔德是其中勘查程度最高、规模最大的钨锡矿床.文章在对柯可卡尔德钨锡矿地质特征详细野外调研和剖析的基础上,重点开展了控矿构造和白云母40Ar-39Ar定年研究.结果表明,该矿区内构造活动强烈且具多期次性,可划分为成矿前向西右旋剪切构造、成矿期以NE向为主的左旋张扭性断裂和成矿后近SN向正断层性质断裂等3期.应用白云母40 Ar-39 Ar同位素测年技术,分别测得了强云英岩化钨锡矿化花岗岩脉内白云母的积分年龄为(411.7±2.6) Ma,等时线年龄为(411.8±4.7) Ma(n=8,MSWD=0.21);黑钨矿-石英脉垂直脉壁生长的片状白云母的积分年龄为(412.8±2.4) Ma,等时线年龄为(414.6±3.9) Ma(n=10,MSWD=0.22),厘定了该矿床的成矿时代为晚志留世,认为其形成于东昆仑地区加里东造山旋回的后碰撞构造阶段.     

A Model of Hydrothermal Dolomite Reservoir Facies in Precambrian Dolomite,Central Sichuan Basin,SW China and its Geochemical Characteristics

Hydrothermal mineral assemblages and related hydrothermally enhanced fracturing are common in the Precambrian Dengying Formation of Central Sichuan Basin. Petrographic and geochemical analyses of core samples show that the hydrothermal dolomite reservoirs of Dengying Formation consist of four main types of pores in the reservoir facies. These include: 1) hydrothermal dissolution vug(or pore), 2) intercrystalline pore, 3) residual inter-breccia vug(or pore), and 4) enlarged dissolved-fracture. There are three different fabrics dolomite in hydrothermal dolomite reservoirs, namely, saddle dolomite, fine-medium dolomite and micritic dolomite. Micritic dolomite is the original lithology of host rock. Saddle dolomite with curved or irregular crystal faces was directly crystallized from hydrothermal fluids(average temperature 192°C). Fine-medium dolomites are the products of recrystallization of micritic dolomite, resulting in abnormal geochemical characteristics, such as slight depletion of δ¹⁸O, significant enrichment of Mn-Fe and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, and positive Eu anomaly. A model for the distribution of various hydrothermal dolomite reservoir facies is proposed here, which incorporates three fundamental geological controls: 1) extensional tectonics and tectono-hydrothermal events(i.e., the Xingkai Taphrogenesis of Late Sinian-Early Cambrian, and Emei Taphrogenesis of Late Permian), 2) hydrothermal fluid storage in clastic rocks with large thickness(e.g., Nanhua System of Chengjiang Formation and part of Doushantuo Formation), and 3) confining bed for hydrothermal fluids(such as, the shale in Qiongzhusi Formation). The supply of hydrothermal fluid is critical. Large basement-rooted faults and associated grid-like fracture system may function as the channels for upward migration of hydrothermal fluid flow. The intersection of the above-mentioned faults(including the conversion fault), especially transtensional sags above negative flower structures on wrench faults can serve as a key target for future hydrocarbon exploration.