Dissolved helium and TDS in groundwater from Bhavnagar in Gujarat: Unrelated to seismic events between August 2000 and January 2001

Temporal variations have been observed in both dissolved helium and TDS in the form of increase in basaltic and decrease in alluvial aquifers. The increase in basaltic aquifers has been explained by enhanced pumping of old groundwater with relatively higher concentration of dissolved helium and salt, whereas the decrease in alluvial aquifers has been explained by dilution from the post monsoon groundwater recharge. Therefore, the observed temporal variations cannot be ascribed to the contemporary enhanced seismic activity in this region since August–September 2000.     

A thermodynamic model for calculating methane solubility, density and gas phase composition of methane-bearing aqueous fluids from 273 to 523 K and from 1 to 2000 bar

A thermodynamic model is presented to calculate methane solubility, liquid phase density and gas phase composition of the H₂O-CH₄ and H₂O-CH₄-NaCl systems from 273 to 523 K (possibly up to 573 K), from 1 to 2000 bar and from 0 to 6 mol kg⁻¹ of NaCl with experimental accuracy. By a more strict theoretical approach and using updated experimental data, this model made substantial improvements over previous models: (1) the accuracy of methane solubility in pure water in the temperature range between 273 and 283 K is increased from about 10% to about 5%, but confirms the accuracy of the Duan model [Duan Z., Moller N., Weare J.H., 1992a. Prediction of methane solubilities in natural waters to high ionic strength from 0 to 250 °C and from 0 to 1600 bar. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta56, 1451-1460] above 283 K up to 2000 bar; (2) the accuracy of methane solubility in the NaCl aqueous solutions is increased from >12% to about 6% on average from 273 K and 1 bar to 523 K and 2000 bar; (3) this model is able to calculate water content in the gas phase and liquid phase density, which cannot be calculated by previous models; and (4) it covers a wider range of temperature and pressure space. With a simple approach, this model is extended to predict CH₄ solubility in other aqueous salt solutions containing Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Cl⁻ and , such as seawater and geothermal brines, with excellent accuracy. This model is also able to calculate homogenization pressure of fluid inclusions (CH₄-H₂O-NaCl) and CH₄ solubility in water at gas-liquid-hydrate phase equilibrium. A computer code is developed for this model and can be downloaded from the website: www.geochem-model.org/programs.htm.     

Temperatures of the past 2000 years inferred from lake sediments,southwest Yukon Territory,Canada

Lake sediments from four sites in the southwest Yukon Territory, Canada, provided paleotemperature records for the past 2000 yr. An alpine and a forest site from the southeastern portion of the study area, near Kluane Lake, and another alpine-forest pair of lakes from the Donjek River area located to the northwest yielded chironomid records that were used to provide quantitative estimates of mean July air temperature. Prior to AD 800, the southwest Yukon was relatively cool whereas after AD 800 temperatures were more variable, with warmer conditions between ~ AD 1100 and 1400, cooler conditions during the Little Ice Age (~ AD 1400 to 1850), and warming thereafter. These records compare well with other paleoclimate evidence from the region.     

Intrinsic and scattering attenuation in western India from aftershocks of the 26 January, 2001 Kachchh earthquake

176 vertical-component, short period observations from aftershocks of the M_w 7.7, 26 January, 2001 Kachchh earthquake are used to estimate seismic wave attenuation in western India using uniform and two layer models. The magnitudes (M_w) of the earthquakes are less than 4.5, with depths less than 46 km and hypocentral distances up to 110 km. The studied frequencies are between 1 and 30 Hz. Two seismic wave attenuation factors, intrinsic absorption (Q_i^− 1) and scattering attenuation (Q_s^− 1) are estimated using the Multiple Lapse Time Window method which compares time integrated seismic wave energies with synthetic coda wave envelopes for a multiple isotropic scattering model. We first assume spatial uniformity of Q_i^− 1, Q_s^− 1 and S wave velocity (β). A second approach extends the multiple scattering hypothesis to media consisting of several layers characterized by vertically varying scattering coefficient (g), intrinsic absorption strength (h), density of the media (ρ) and shear wave velocity structure. The predicted coda envelopes are computed using Monte Carlo simulation. Results show that, under the assumption of spatial uniformity, scattering attenuation is greater than intrinsic absorption only for the lowest frequency band (1 to 2 Hz), whereas intrinsic absorption is predominant in the attenuation process at higher frequencies (2 to 30 Hz). The values of Q obtained range from Q_t = 118, Q_i = 246 and Q_s = 227 at 1.5 Hz to Q_t ≈ 4000, Q_i ≈ 4600 and Q_s ≈ 33,300 at 28 Hz center frequencies, being Q_t^− 1 a measure of total attenuation. Results also show that Q_i^− 1, Q_s^− 1 and Q_t^− 1 decrease proportional to f^−ν. Two rates of decay are clearly observed for the low (1 to 6 Hz) and high (6 to 30 Hz) frequency ranges. Values of ν are estimated as 2.07 ± 0.05 and 0.44 ± 0.09 for total attenuation, 1.52 ± 0.21 and 0.48 ± 0.09 for intrinsic absorption and 3.63 ± 0.07 and 0.06 ± 0.08 for scattering attenuation for the low and high frequency ranges, respectively. Despite the lower resolution in deriving the attenuation parameters for a two layered crust, we find that scattering attenuation is comparable to or smaller than the intrinsic absorption in the crust whereas intrinsic absorption dominates in the mantle. Also, for a crustal layer of thickness 42 km, intrinsic absorption and scattering estimates in the crust are lower and greater than those of the mantle, respectively.     

Coal petrology of coal seams from the Leão-Butiá Coalfield, Lower Permian of the Paraná Basin, Brazil — Implications for coal facies interpretations

In the Leão-Butiá Coalfield, Rio Grande do Sul the coal seams occur in the Rio Bonito Formation, Guatá Group, Tubarão Supergroup of the Paraná Basin, Brazil and are of Permian (Artinskian–Kungurian) age.This study is the first detailed investigation on the coal petrographic characterization of the coal-bearing sequence in relation to the depositional settings of the precursor mires, both in terms of whole seam characterization and in-seam variations. The study is based on the analyses of nine coal seams (I2, CI, L4, L3, L2, L1, S3, S2, S1), which were selected from core of borehole D-193, Leão-Butiá and represent the entire coal-bearing sequence.The interpretation of coal facies and depositional environment is based on lithotype, maceral and microlithotype analyses using different facies-critical petrographic indices, which were displayed in coal facies diagrams. The seams are characterized by the predominance of dull lithotypes (dull, banded dull). The dullness of the coal is attributed to relatively high mineral matter, inertinite and liptinite contents. The petrographic composition is dominated by vitrinite (28–70 vol.% mmf) and inertinite (> 30 vol.% mmf) groups. Liptinite contents range from 7 to 30 vol.% (mmf) and mineral matter from 4–30 vol.%. Microlithotypes associations are dominated by vitrite, duroclarite, carbominerite and inertite. It is suggested that the observed vertical variations in petrographic characteristics (lithotypes, microlithotypes, macerals, vitrinite reflectance) were controlled by groundwater level fluctuations in the ancient mires due to different accommodation/peat accumulation rates.Correlation of the borehole strata with the general sequence-stratigraphical setting suggests that the alluvial fan system and the coal-bearing mudstone succession are linked to a late transgressive systems tract of sequence 2. Based on average compositional values obtained from coal facies diagrams, a deposition in a limno-telmatic to limnic coal facies is suggested.     

Preliminary data on a new Albian flora from the Valle del Río Martín, Teruel, Spain

A newly discovered plant fossil assemblage in the Albian Escucha Formation, located at Valle del Río Martín (Teruel, Spain), shows similarities with the classic early Cretaceous flora of the Potomac Group in the USA. This is the first time that a flora of this age and composition has been found in Spain. It comprises representatives of ferns, Ginkgoales, Bennettitales, Caytoniales, conifers and angiosperms and suggests a possible mixing of the European and Potomac provinces in the early Cretaceous within the Iberian Peninsula, in a subtropical, semi-arid climate.     

A new formation process for calcic pendants from Pahranagat Valley, Nevada, USA, and implication for dating Quaternary landforms

It has been assumed that soil pendants form in a similar manner as stalactites, in which innermost laminae are the oldest and outer laminae are the youngest. This study presents a new interpretation for soil pendant development. Pahranagat Valley, Nevada, pendants contain features indicating continued precipitation through time at the clast–pendant contact, implying that the oldest deposits are not always found at the pendant–clast contact, as other studies have assumed. These features include a void at the clast–pendant contact where minerals such as calcium carbonate, silica, and/or fibrous silicate clays precipitate. In addition, fragments of the parent clast and detrital grains are incorporated into the pendant and are displaced and/or dissolved and result in the formation of sepiolite. This study indicates that pendants are complex, open systems that during and after their formation undergo chemical changes that complicate their usefulness for dating and paleoenvironmental analyses.     

Insights on the small tsunami from January 28, 2020, Caribbean Sea MW7.7 earthquake by numerical simulation and spectral analysis

A major left-lateral strike-slip Mw7.7 earthquake occurred in the vicinity of the Caribbean Sea on January 28, 2020. As a result, a small-scale tsunami was generated. The properties of the seismogenic source were described using observational data gathered for the earthquake and tsunami, as well as information on the regional tectonic setting. The tsunami was simulated with the COMCOT model and Okada’s dislocation model from finite fault solutions for M_W7.7 Caribbean Sea earthquakes published by the United States Geological Survey. The simulation results were compared to tide gauge records to validate whether the seafloor’s vertical displacement generated by the strike-slip fault caused a small-scale tsunami. We conducted a spectral analysis of the tsunami to better understand the characteristics of tsunami records. The tsunami simulation results showed that the co-seismic vertical displacement caused by a strike-slip M_W7.7 earthquake could have contributed to the small-scale tsunami, but the anomalously large high-frequency tsunami waves recorded by the George Town tide gauge 11 min after the earthquake were unrelated to the earthquake-generated tsunami. According to the spectrum analysis, the predominant period of noticeable high-frequency tsunami waves recorded by the George Town tide gauge occurred only two minutes after the earthquake. This indicates that the source of the small-scale tsunami was close to the George Town station and the possible tsunami source was 150 km away from George Town station. These facts suggest that a submarine landslide was caused by the strike-slip earthquake. The comprehensive analysis showed that the small-scale tsunami was not caused solely by co-seismic seafloor deformation from the strike-slip event but that an earthquake-triggered submarine landslide was the primary cause. Therefore, the combined impact of two sources led to the small-scale tsunami.

     

A new record of Pleistocene hippopotamus from River Severn terrace deposits, Gloucester, UK—palaeoenvironmental setting and stratigraphical significance

A new Pleistocene vertebrate assemblage from fluvial deposits of the River Severn in Gloucester, England, has yielded the remains of hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), a new record for this terrace system, with additional material from probable bison (cf. Bison priscus) and elephant (Elephantidae sp.). The presence of these taxa indicates fully temperate climatic conditions and the occurrence of hippopotamus, a significant biostratigraphical indicator for the British Late Pleistocene, suggests an age for the assemblage within MIS 5e (the Last Interglacial). This would contradict the older MIS 7-6 age for the gravel body that is currently accepted on the basis of deposit mapping and imply a more complex mode of deposition than presently envisaged in the valley.