Sense of overthrust shear in the Alpine nappes of Calabria (Southern Italy)

Southern Italy consists tectonically of ophiolite and basement nappes thrust over the Apenninic sedimentary nappes. Whilst all more recent authors agree that the sediments of the Apenninic nappes were deposited on Apulian basement (i.e. on African continental crust), and that the ophiolites were associated with the oceanic basement of the Mesozoic Tethys, the provenance of the basement nappes is still debated.New data based on microstructural criteria have shown that the main shear sense of the ophiolite nappes and of the overlying basement nappes in Northern Calabria is from west to east, in today's co-ordinate system. The basement nappes might not therefore be of Austroalpine (African) provenance, but could be of European origin.     

Late magmatic to subsolidus coronas in gabbroic rocks from the sila massif (Calabria,Italy)

Summary Corona textures between olivine and plagioclase or orthopyroxene and plagioclase are present in Hercynian gabbroic rocks from the Calabrian Sila Massif. They have been studied through optical and SEM investigations together with EDS and WDS analyses. Textural features indicate the existence of two extreme corona types formed during late magmatic stages or during subsolidus cooling. Magmatic coronas are characterized by an inner orthopyroxene layer and an outer orange-brown amphibole layer that might be in optical continuity with orthopyroxene and amphibole poikilites respectively. Subsolidus coronas consist of an inner layer of colourless amphibole and an outer layer of amphibole ± spinel. They sometimes form a collar also around plagioclase enclosed in olivine. A large spectrum in the composition of corona amphiboles from Ti-bearing pargasite to Mg-hornblende was observed. The variation in Ti content of amphibole was interpreted as a consequence of the different conditions of crystallization from late magmatic to subsolidus with temperatures ranging from 880°C to 580°C. The significant gahnite component in spinel possibly indicates that subsolidus reactions occurred in an open system. The pressure of formation constrained by the mineral assemblage of metamorphic basement rocks and by the neighbouring diorites has been estimated at 4 kbar.

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Spätmagmatische und Subsolidus-Koronatexturen in gabbroiden Gesteinen des Sila Massives (Kalabrien, Italien)

Zusammenfassung In herzynischen gabbroiden Gesteinen des Sila Massives in Kalabrien treten Korona-texturen zwischen Olivin und Plagioklas oder Orthopyroxen und Plagioklas auf. Diese wurden mittels optischer Methoden und SEM in Verbindung mit EDS und WDS Analytik untersucht. Textureile Kriterien belegen die Existenz zweier verschiedenartiger Koronatypen die während deospätmagmatischen Stadiums oderwährend der Abkühlung lung im Subsolidus Bereich gebildet wurden. Die magmatischen Koronatexturen sind durch eine innere Othopyrozenschicht und eine äußere orange-braune Ampkibolschicht gekennzeichnet, die in optischer Kontinuatät Orthopyroxen bzw. Amphibihol-poikilitn steht. Subsolidus-Koronas bestehen aus einer inneren Lage eines farblosen Amphiboles und einer äußeren Schicht von Amphibol ± Spinell. Bisweilen umgeben sie ringförmig in Olivin eingeschlossenen Plagioklos. Die Amphibolzusammensetzung in diesen Koronas variiert stark von Ti-führendem Pargasit bis Mg-Hornblende. Die Streubreite dumTi-Gehaltes der Amphibole wird durch unterschiedliche Kristallisations-bedingungen während des spätmagmatischen bis Subsolidusstadiums (880°C bis 550°C) interpretiert. Die signifikante (Gahnitkomponente des Spinells weist auf Subsolidusreaktionen in einem offenen System hin. Der Bildungsdruck, ablegeit aus der Mineral-vergesellschaftung der metamorphen Basementgetsteine und der benachbarten Diorite, wird mit 4kb abgeschätzt.

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With 3 Figures     

Chlorine isotope evidence for the anthropogenic origin of tris-(4-chlorophenyl)methane

Compound-specific Cl-isotope analysis was performed on the persistent and bioaccumulating compound tris-(4-chlorophenyl)methane (4,4′,4″-TCPMe, referred to as TCPMe in this study) to elucidate whether its main source is natural or anthropogenic. Blubber from the Baltic grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) was extracted by continuous acetonitrile partitioning, and the TCPMe was isolated from the extract by preparative-capillary gas chromatography. Chlorine isotope analysis was subsequently performed by sealed-tube combustion in conjunction with thermal-ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS). The δ³⁷Cl of TCPMe was −3.5 ± 0.5‰, similar to the previously reported δ³⁷Cl of technical grade p,p′-DDT (referred to as DDT in this study). The data is not consistent with a putative marine natural source of TCPMe, as enzymatic (biotic) production is reported to give values of δ³⁷Cl < −10‰. The δ³⁷Cl–TCPMe data thus supports the hypothesis that TCPMe is produced as a byproduct during DDT synthesis and is released to the environment through the same pathways as DDT. It is also consistent with tris-(4-chlorophenyl)methanol as the primary biotransformation product of TCPMe.     

Paleomagnetic and tectonophysical evidence of geodynamics of Sarmatia in the Devonian (based on the example of the Ukrainian shield)

As a result of paleomagnetic investigations the positions of Devonian magmatic complexes of the Ukrainian shield (Sarmatia) in the tropical latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere in the Late Devonian were reconstructed. The moderate-temperature magnetization components in complexes of different ages of the Ukrainian Shield and recorded manifestations of the Devonian tectonomagmatic events were determined.     

Paleomagnetic evidence for large en-bloc rotations in the Eastern Alps during Neogene orogeny

We present new paleomagnetic data from the Northern Calcareous Alps and the Central Alps of Austria. All new data are overprint magnetizations and can be subdivided into two groups: In rocks older than earliest Rupelian, two remagnetizations reflecting both clockwise and counter-clockwise rotation were detected. In rocks of late Rupelian and younger ages, only a counter-clockwise rotated remagnetization was found. Our results together with results from previous paleomagnetic studies from the Eastern and Southern Alps suggest two main phases of vertical axis rotation. The first, clockwise rotation affecting the Northern Calcareous Alps was active between earliest to Late Rupelian. We propose a model where the Northern Calcareous Alps are segmented into individual blocks. Within a dextral shear corridor these blocks rotated clockwise due to the counter-clockwise rotation of the Southern Alps and Central Alps. The second, counter-clockwise rotation occurred in the Late Oligocene to Middle Miocene, affecting Eastern and Southern Alps. In this stage of orogeny, the internal massifs of the Western Alps were already accreted to the upper plate and therefore included in counter-clockwise rotation. This rotation is contemporaneous with counter-clockwise rotation in the Apennines and opening of the Balearic basin, and a genetic relationship is suggested. A second step of counter-clockwise rotation, reconstructed from published data, is observed in the sedimentary basins at the southeastern margin of the Eastern Alps, where counter-clockwise rotated Miocene and Pliocene sedimentary rocks are present. This rotation is seen in connection to a young counter-clockwise rotation of the Adriatic plate.     

Geochemical evidence for the origin of moldavites

Forty-eight moldavites and samples of rocks from the impact crater of Ries were analyzed using non-destructive neutron activation analysis. The following elements have been determined: La, Ce, Sm, Eu, Lu, Sc, Co, Cs, Hf and Th; and Rb and Cr in two moldavites. The darker moldavites, more common in Moravia, show higher contents of trace elements than those lighter in colour, from Southern Bohemia.Terrestrial igneous rocks cannot be regarded as a suitable source material, but terrestrial sandy to silty claystones show strong similarities in major and trace element abundances, and exhibit analogous inter-element variations to moldavites. The Tertiary claystones and sandstones which probably covered the Ries area before the impact, are a possible source rocks for moldavites.     

Analysis of the Maierato landslide (Calabria,Southern Italy)

On 15 February 2010, a landslide of great dimensions occurred at Maierato (Calabria, Southern Italy) after a long rainy period. Although the zone was continuously affected by ground movements especially during the wet seasons, no monitoring system was installed before the occurrence of the landslide. However, many photos and two videos were taken during the failure process of the slope. In the present study, the available images are used to reconstruct the kinematics of the landslide. In addition, a finite element analysis is performed to define the main factors of triggering and to interpret the failure mechanism of the slope. This analysis is also based on the data from a site investigation carried out after the landslide to characterise the involved soils from a geotechnical viewpoint. The analysis also accounts for the strain-softening behaviour of some soils. The results have shown that the Maierato landslide was the reactivation of a pre-existing landslide body, which was caused by a significant increase in groundwater level.     

Isotopic evidence for the origin of sulfur in the Herrin (no. 6) coal member of Illinois

The sulfur isotopic composition of the Herrin (No. 6) Coal from several localities in the Illinois Basin was measured. The sediments immediately overlying these coal beds range from marine shales and limestones to non-marine shales. Organic sulfur, disseminated pyrite, and massive pyrite were extracted from hand samples taken in vertical sections.The $\text{δ}{}^{34}\text{S}$ values from low-sulfur coals (< 0.8% organic sulfur) underlying nonmarine shale were +3.4 to +7.3%₀ for organic sulfur, +1.8 to +16.8%₀ for massive pyrite, and +3.9 to +23.8%₀ for disseminated pyrite. In contrast, the $\text{δ}{}^{34}\text{S}\text{values from high-sulfur coals}$ (> 0.8% organic sulfur) underlying marine sediments were more variable: organic sulfur, ?7.7 to +0.5%₀, pyrites, ?17.8 to +28.5%₀. In both types of coal, organic sulfur is typically enriched in ³⁴S relative to pyritic sulfur.In general, δ ³⁴S values increased from the top to the base of the bed. Vertical and lateral variations in δ ³⁴S are small for organic sulfur but are large for pyritic sulfur. The sulfur content is relatively constant throughout the bed, with organic sulfur content greater than disseminated pyrite content. The results indicate that most of the organic sulfur in high-sulfur coals is derived from post-depositional reactions with a ³⁴S-depleted source. This source is probably related to bacterial reduction of dissolved sulfate in Carboniferous seawater during a marine transgression after peat deposition. The data suggest that sulfate reduction occurred in an open system initially, and then continued in a closed system as sea water penetrated the bed.Organic sulfur in the low-sulfur coals appears to reflect the original plant sulfur, although diagenetic changes in content and isotopic composition of this fraction cannot be ruled out. The wide variability of the δ ³⁴S in pyrite fractions suggests a complex origin involving varying extents of microbial H₂S production from sulfate reservoirs of different isotopic compositions. The precipitation of pyrite may have begun soon after deposition and continued throughout the coalification process.     

Lead-isotope evidence for a Hercynian origin of the Salsigne gold deposit (Southern Massif Central,France)

The Salsigne gold deposit contains a complex association of sulphide layers, gold-rich disseminations, quartz-bearing veins and flat reefs, which are hosted by folded and slightly metamorphosed Paleozoic sediments on both sides of a major thrust zone. It is demonstrated that these various Au-As ore types have similar lead-isotope compositions (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 18.22–18.56), which are characteristic of Hercynian ore deposits in the southern Massif Central. The Lower Cambrian to Devonian host rocks and associated Pb-Zn-Ba occurrences display distinctly less radiogenic corrected isotopic signatures (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 17.83–17.98), which are characteristic of Cambrian lead in the Montagne-Noire. Concerning the controversial origin of the Salsigne gold mineralization, these results disagree with the former syngenetic hypothesis and support a new model of Hercynian syntectonic gold concentration.This work was supported by BRGM'S scientific program: Le gisement de Salsigne: caractérisation du modèle et évaluation du potentiel aurifère du district     

Eye-type folds at the Palmi shear zone (Calabria,Italy)

International Journal of Earth Sciences -     

Paleomagnetic evidence for a stationary Marion hotspot: Additional paleomagnetic data from Madagascar

The island of Madagascar experienced widespread magmatism at ca. 90 Ma due to its interaction with the Marion hotspot. Previous paleomagnetic data from igneous rocks in the southwestern and northwestern regions of the island indicated that the Marion hotspot has remained fixed for the past 90 Ma. We report paleomagnetic data from northeastern Madagascar (d'Analava Complex). Samples were collected from basalts, rhyolites, gabbros and a dolerite dyke. Sixty samples from 5 sites yield a paleomagnetic pole at 66.7°S, 43.5°E (A95 = 10.7°) and a grand mean pole (GMP) calculated from 10 different studies covering the entire island of Madagascar falls at 68.9°S, 49.0°E (A95 = 4.4°). This pole translates to a paleolatitude for the Volcan de l'Androy (focal point of the hotspot) at 45.2° + 6°/− 5°S compared to the current location of the Marion hotspot at  46°S. Our results confirm, and expand upon, previous studies that argue for the fixity of the Marion hotspot for the past 90 Ma.     

Paleomagnetic evidence for a large counterclockwise rotation of northern Greece prior to the Tertiary clockwise rotation

Abstract

This study aims at unravel the geotectonic evolution of northern Greece prior to the already established Tertiary clockwise rotation. Therefore, Mesozoie sediments, Early Mesozoie ophiolites and Carboniferous granites were sampled. While the metamorphosed and/or too weakly magnetized limestones had to be rejected, the gabbros and serpentinites of the 80 km long Chalkidiki belt (40.4°N, 23.3”E), and the granites of the northern Pelagonian zone (40.8°N, 21.2°E) have yielded similar results interpretable in terms of geoleetonies. In both areas the demagnetizing process has revealed a poh phased magnetic evolution.

The oldest magnetizations, labelled M (D=311°, I=20°, a₉₅, = 15°; VGP: 37°N, 272.5°, for the ophiolites; D=320.5°, I = 26°, a₉₅ =11°; VGP : 46°N, 264.5”E, for the granites) are interpreted as overprints acquired in Late Jurassic-Cretaceous times. The younger magnetizations, called C2 (D = 66°, I = 28°, a₉₅ = 9°; VGP : 28°N, 117°E, in the ophiolites ; D=64°, I = 2° a₉₅, = 11°; VCP : 20°N, I28°E, in the granites) are Tertiary overprints. Northeasterly C’ directions with negative inclinations (and conversely) are considered as overprints empiaceli prior to the Ca magnetizations ; they are interpreted as due to a barkthrusting of the ophiolilic belt of Chalkidiki and of the N. Pelagonian granitic belt, during the Early - Middle Tertiary convergence phase. The large deviation from the M to the C₂ directions, also observed by other authors in Mesozoic volcanics and sediments, results from a counterclockwise rotation of the Hellenides, probably in the Late Cretaceous as it is the case for the counterclockwise rotations of the western Mediterranean microplates. The deviation from the C₂ to the present field direction is due to a clockwise rotation of all Hellenic zones, probably in several phases.     

Fluid migration through thrust faults in the Helvetic nappes (Western Swiss Alps)

The δ¹⁸O, δ¹³C and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr values of calcite and organic matter were measured for carbonate mylonites from numerous thrusts in the Helvetic Alps. Carbonate mylonites in most of the thrusts retain essentially unaltered protolith δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C values, consistent with there having been little to no advection of isotopically distinct fluid through these faults. Only carbonate mylonites from the basal thrusts of the largest nappes have δ¹⁸O and/or δ¹³C values that differ from those of their protoliths. The zone of isotopic alteration/exchange is confined to c. 10 to 20 meters of these fault contacts. We propose the fluids that migrated through these faults contained variable amounts of organically derived carbon and radiogenic strontium, and were probably derived from dewatering of the sedimentary rocks and prograde metamorphic reactions in the nappes' root zones. Apart from the basal thrusts of the largest nappes that behaved as narrow, laterally extensive conduits for fluids, there is little isotopic evidence that large quantities of fluids passed through most of the carbonate-hosted thrusts in the Helvetic Alps. Received: 25 August 1998 / Accepted: 26 February 1999     

Saline groundwaters in the hercynian granites (Chardon Mine,France): geochemical evidence for the salinity origin

In this study, the chemical evolution of high Cl⁻ Chardon mine groundwaters is modelled as a mixing between an oxidising recharge and an old marine component on which the water–rock interaction is superimposed. Chemical and isotopic similarities with saline Carnmenellis mine groundwaters are emphasised and a general comparison with other brines is discussed.The cation content of deep granitic groundwaters is indicative of the water–rock interaction. In the case of Chardon and Carnmenellis groundwaters, the high Na/Cl ratio can still be related to the contribution of a brine of sedimentary origin to the water salinity. The differences in the hydrochemistry related to their geological context only appears at the trace metals level. On the contrary, brines in plutonic rocks which exhibit a low Na/Cl ratio represent groundwaters having a residence time in the host rock, long enough to equilibrate with secondary aluminosilicates. In that case, the brine origin is difficult to assess if only based on the water cation content.     

Sr isotopic evidence for a multi-source origin of the potassic magmas in the neapolitan area (S. Italy)

New Sr isotopic data on lavas and xenoliths from Somma-Vesuvius and other nearby volcanic areas (Phlegrean Fields and Ischia) are presented. Chemical and isotopic evidences show that not all the Phlegrean Fields rocks belong to the low K series, but some of them may be interpreted as low pressure differentiates of Somma magmas, i.e. as a part of the high K series. Two rock groups are defined in the Ischia low K series, which are well identified both in time and in chemical and isotopic features, and cannot be derived from the same magma source. The low K series in the studied area generally has lower Sr isotopic values than the high K series.Historical Vesuvian lavas show two distinct linear trends with negative slopes when⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios are plotted against their ages of eruption. Such trends are interpreted to result from mixing of magmas in two separate reservoirs. Evidence from the Vesuvian ejecta shows that Somma-Vesuvius magmas underwent high or low pressure fractionation, in connection with different events of the Vesuvian activity. Distinct magma reservoirs developed episodically at different depths. Isotopic and geochemical evidences do not favour large scale assimilation of crustal materials by Somma-Vesuvius magmas, but instead appear to reflect mantle characteristics.A minimum of three different (inhomogeneous) source regions is necessary to account for the isotopic features of the studied rocks.     

The northern Qiangtang Block rapid drift during the Triassic Period: Paleomagnetic evidence

As one of the pivotal Gondwana–derived blocks, the kinematic history of the northern Qiangtang Block (in the Tibetan Plateau) remains unclear, mainly because quantitative paleomagnetic data to determine the paleoposition are sparse. Thus, for this study, we collected 226 samples (17 sites) from Triassic sedimentary rocks in the Raggyorcaka and Tuotuohe areas of the northern Qiangtang Block (NQB). Stepwise demagnetization isolated high temperature/field components from the samples. Both Early and Late Triassic datasets passed field tests at a 99% confidence level and were proved to be primary origins. Paleopoles were calculated to be at 24.9°N and 216.5°E with A₉₅ = 8.2°(N = 8) for the Early Triassic dataset, and at 68.1°N, 179.9°E with A₉₅ = 5.6° (N = 37) for the Late Triassic, the latter being combined with a coeval volcanic dataset published previously. These paleopoles correspond to paleolatitudes of 14.3°S±8.2° and 29.9°N±5.6°, respectively. Combining previously published results, we reconstructed a three-stage northward drift process for the NQB. (1) The northern Qiangtang Block was located in the subtropical part of the southern hemisphere until the Early Triassic; (2) thereafter, the block rapidly drifted northward from southern to northern hemispheres during the Triassic; and (3) the block converged with the Eurasian continent in the Late Triassic. The ∼4800 km northward movement from the Early to Late Triassic corresponded to an average motion rate of ∼11.85 cm/yr. The rapid drift of the NQB after the Early Triassic led to a rapid transformation of the Tethys Ocean.