Dunes on the skeleton coast,Namibia (South West Africa): Geomorphology and grain size relationships

Simple, and locally compound, transverse and barchanoid dunes dominate the 2000 km² Skeleton Coast dunefield in northwestern Namibia/South West Africa. Dune height and spacing are closely correlated (r = 0-89) and decrease across the dunefield from southwest to northeast, with an accompanying change from transverse to barchanoid ridges and ultimately barchans. The dunes are aligned transverse to the dominant strong south and south southwest onshore winds. Alignment patterns indicate that surface roughness changes between coastal plain and dunes cause dune-forming winds to swing to the right over the dunes, but resume their original direction beyond. Grain size and sorting vary at three scales: the dune, the dune landscape and through the dunefield. Overall the sands, derived from three localities by deflation from beaches supplied by vigorous longshore drift, become progressively finer and better sorted across the dunefield paralleling changes in dune height and spacing. A statistically significant relationship (r = ?0?65) was established between dune spacing and the phi grain size of the coarser fraction of the dune sands, demonstrating the importance of the protective effects of coarse grains, and suggesting that the morphometry of simple transverse dunes may be controlled by the scale of turbulence associated with the threshold wind speed required to move the coarsest fraction of the dune sand.     

Kobo 1 and L'Abri aux Vaches (Mali,West Africa): Two case studies for the optical dating of bioturbated sediments

The purpose of the study was to provide further chronological data for the microlithic assemblages in the region of the Dogon Country (Mali). In two sites, Kobo 1 and L'Abri aux Vaches, the absence of any characteristic material could not help in concluding whether the microliths were of Pleistocene or Holocene age. Radiocarbon dating failed because the analysed charcoals appeared to have been introduced following recent bioturbation. These were visible in the archaeological sections and therefore, an attempt at dating with single-grain optically stimulated luminescence was made. After discussing the appropriate way of applying the Finite Mixture Model, we are able to conclude that the sediments containing the microliths from L'Abri aux Vaches were deposited during the beginning and the middle of the Holocene period (13.5 ± 1.0 and 5.9 ± 0.4 ka). For Kobo 1, the analysis reveals extensive bioturbation, precluding the obtaining of any reliable result.     

The effects of mining in Northern Romania on the heavy metal distribution in sediments of the rivers Szamos and Tisza (Hungary)

The breach in the dam of a tailing pond in the processing plant of a gold mine in Baia Mare (NW Romania) in January 2000 lead to an ecological disaster in the rivers Szamos and Tisza. It was mainly caused by the released slurries containing cyanides and heavy metals. The investigation of surface sediment samples and depth profiles of the years 2000 and 2001 documented the pollution of the rivers Szamos and Tisza on Hungarian territory. In the Szamos and large areas of the Tisza floodplains a significant enrichment with the heavy metals Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn is existent. The identification of the binding forms with sequential extraction showed that Cd and Zn exist in an easily available form. Therefore the remobilization is possible and an environmental hazard in the downstream areas must be considered. The anthropogenically caused portions of heavy metal concentrations decrease considerably with increasing distance to the mining region. The comparison of the concentrations of heavy metals in both years shows that the pollution is not only caused by the accident in January 2000. The increase of concentrations is based on the permanent input of pollutants into the rivers. The pollution is mainly caused by the erosion of exposed tailing dumps and the poor maintenance of the treatment plants.     

Geology of a complex kimberlite pipe (K2 pipe,Venetia Mine,South Africa): insights into conduit processes during explosive ultrabasic eruptions

K2 is a steep-sided kimberlite pipe with a complex internal geology. Geological mapping, logging of drillcore and petrographic studies indicate that it comprises layered breccias and pyroclastic rocks of various grain sizes, lithic contents and internal structures. The pipe comprises two geologically distinct parts: K2 West is a layered sequence of juvenile- and lithic-rich breccias, which dip 20–45° inwards, and K2 East consists of a steep-sided pipe-like body filled with massive volcaniclastic kimberlite nested within the K2 pipe. The layered sequence in K2 West is present to > 900 m below present surface and is interpreted as a sequence of pyroclastic rocks generated by explosive eruptions and mass-wasting breccias generated by rock fall and sector collapse of the pipe walls: both processes occurred in tandem during the infill of the pipe. Several breccia lobes extend across the pipe and are truncated by the steep contact with K2 East. Dense pyroclastic rocks within the layered sequence are interpreted as welded deposits. K2 East represents a conduit that was blasted through the layered breccia sequence at a late stage in the eruption. This phase may have involved fluidisation of trapped pyroclasts, with loss of fine particles and comminution of coarse clasts. We conclude that the K2 kimberlite pipe was emplaced in several distinct stages that consisted of an initial explosive enlargement, followed by alternating phases of accumulation and ejection.     

Defining a chronological framework for the Middle Stone Age in West Africa: Comparison of methods and models for OSL ages at Ounjougou (Mali)

Ounjougou is the name of a large complex of archaeological sites, that were extensively studied between 1997 and 2008 by the international team of the “Human settlement and palaeoenvironment in West Africa” project. This complex is important because well stratified Palaeolithic sites in West Africa are rare, and because it covers a long period of time (most of the Upper Pleistocene and Holocene) and exhibits a wide set of technical cultures. Therefore, for the first time it is possible to propose a chronological framework for the human settlement in this region that can be related to other technical cultures in Africa and to palaeoenvironmental data.The purpose of this paper is to present the OSL dating results obtained from 57 sediment samples that led to this framework. Measurements were first performed between 2004 and 2006 in Oxford (School of Geography), using micro-aliquots (2–10 grains) OSL and ICP-MS for determination of equivalent doses and beta-dose rates, respectively (gamma dose rates being deduced from field gamma spectrometry). More recently, new measurements were done on 28 samples of this former set at the IRAMAT-CRP2A laboratory in Bordeaux, where “true” single quartz grain OSL and high resolution gamma spectrometry measurements were performed. Both sets of results are, for all but two samples, statistically consistent with each other. A consistent chrono-stratigraphic framework can thus be deduced, covering the Upper Pleistocene. It suggests that the region was regularly visited during this time interval and more particularly during Marine Isotope Stage 3, when groups with different technical cultures followed each other relatively rapidly.     

Origin and evolution of two contrasting thermal groundwaters (CO2-rich and alkaline) in the Jungwon area,South Korea: Hydrochemical and isotopic evidence

In the Jungwon area, South Korea, two contrasting types of deep thermal groundwater (around 20–33 °C) occur together in granite. Compared to shallow groundwater and surface water, thermal groundwaters have significantly lower δ¹⁸O and δD values (> 1‰ lower in δ¹⁸O) and negligible tritium content (mostly < 2 TU), suggesting a relatively high age of these waters (at least pre-thermonuclear period) and relatively long subsurface circulation. However, the hydrochemical evolution yielded two distinct water types. CO₂-rich water (P_CO2 = 0.1 to 2 atm) is characterized by lower pH (5.7–6.4) and higher TDS content (up to 3300 mg/L), whereas alkaline water (P_CO2 = 10^− 4.1–10^− 4.6 atm) has higher pH (9.1–9.5) and lower TDS (< 254 mg/L). Carbon isotope data indicate that the CO₂-rich water is influenced by a local supply of deep CO₂ (potentially, magmatic), which enhanced dissolution of silicate minerals in surrounding rocks and resulted in elevated concentrations of Ca²⁺, Na⁺, Mg²⁺, K⁺, HCO₃⁻ and silica under lower pH conditions. In contrast, the evolution of the alkaline water was characterized by a lesser degree of water–rock (granite) interaction under the negligible inflow of CO₂. The application of chemical thermometers indicates that the alkaline water represents partially equilibrated waters coming from a geothermal reservoir with a temperature of about 40 °C, while the immature characteristics of the CO₂-rich water resulted from the input of CO₂ in Na–HCO₃ waters and subsequent rock leaching.     

Magnetolithologic and magnetomineralogical characteristics of sediments at the Mesozoic/Cenozoic boundary: The Koshak section (Mangyshlak peninsula)

Results of a detailed petromagnetic study of sediments of the Koshak section, including the Mesozoic/Cenozoic (K/T) boundary, are presented. The rocks are shown to have a very low magnetization. A relatively high magnetization is characteristic of two thin clayey beds, one at the K/T boundary and the other 0.6 m above it: x up to 2.5 × 10^?9 m³/kg, M _s up to 0.6 × 10^?3 A m²/kg, and M _rs up to 0.4 × 10^?3 A m²/kg. This is related to relatively high concentrations of hemoilmenite (up to 0.2%), magnetite (up to 0.01%), and goethite (up to 0.24%) in these beds. It is evident that the distribution of these magnetic minerals is lithologically controlled (the predominant occurrence in clayey beds), which is expressed, in particular, in the relation between the paramagnetic (clayey) and diamagnetic (carbonate) contributions to the magnetization of the sediments. Thus, clayey interbeds are sharply distinguished by the value of the paramagnetic magnetization (M _p = (83–86) × 10^?5 A m²/kg) as compared with purely diamagnetic chalk (M _d = ?(26–35) × 10^?5 A m²/kg). Minor concentrations of metallic iron (up to ～0.002%) discovered in the sediments have a lithologically uncontrolled distribution (metallic iron is more often observed near the K/T boundary rather than in clayey beds). Most probably, magnetite, hemoilmenite, and goethite were accumulated mostly with clay and other terrigenous material, while fine particles of iron are likely to have been dispersed by air. The whole set of the data of this work suggests that the K/T boundary is not distinguished by characteristic magnetomineralogical and magnetolithologic features.     

Chemical and isotopic variations in fumarolic discharge and thermal waters at Vulcano Island (Aeolian Islands, Italy) during 1996: evidence of resumed volcanic activity

Gas samples from some fumaroles at ‘La Fossa' crater and Baia di Levante on Vulcano Island and from a diffuse soil gas emission were analysed during 1995–1996, along with water samples from thermal wells in the area of Vulcano Porto. During 1996, we observed a significant increase both in the gas/steam ratio and in the CO₂ concentration, as well as strong variations in δ¹³C_CO2, δD_H2O and δ¹⁸O_H2O of fumarolic gases. These variations are probably related to an increased inflow of deep fluids of magmatic origin. The temperatures of fumaroles did not show remarkable variations except for fumarole F11. In this case, temperature increased by about 80°C from February to August 1996. During the same period, remarkable variations in temperature, phreatic level and chemical and isotopic composition of water were also recorded in one of the geothermal wells in the Vulcano Porto area (Camping Sicilia; T60°C). The observed variations in this well are probably related to a pressure build-up, occurring at least in the surficial part of the system, because of increased gas flux and/or decreased permeability of the fumarolic degassing system. Chemical and isotopic composition of the water showed that during this evolutionary phase, the content of fumarolic condensate in this well was about 80 to 90%. Based on the observation of physical and chemical variables of the Camping Sicilia fluids, during this phase of activity, it is concluded that this area is affected by a phreatic eruption hazard if a volcanic episode with high energy discharge in a limited time span occurs. It follows that this well may be considered as a preferential point for volcanic activity monitoring, both in the case of normal routine surveillance and in the case of inaccessibility to the crater area.     

The Oka Belt (Southern Siberia and Northern Mongolia): A Neoproterozoic analog of the Japanese Shimanto Belt?

Abstract   The Oka Belt, composed of clastic rocks and greenschists, extends for approximately 600 km in the South-Siberian Sayan region and adjacent northern Mongolia. For a long time the Oka Belt's age and tectonic setting were the most controversial problem in the region. We argue that the belt was formed in Late Neoproterozoic as an accretionary prism. The Oka Belt shows imbricated thrust structure, which had originally seaward vergence and reflected the Neoproterozoic accretion process. The Early Paleozoic orogeny had minor effect on its structural style. The belt contains tectonic slivers of mid-ocean ridge basalts, some oceanic-island basalts and possible pelagic sediments. In several localities they are associated with gabbro and serpentinite. All these rocks represent the oceanic lithosphere subducting beneath the Oka prism and trapped within it. In the inner zone of the Oka Belt are the blueschists exhumed from the deeper prism level. The northern Oka Belt includes mafic intrusions geochemically similar to normal mid-oceanic ridge basalt and felsic volcaniclastic rocks. This segment of the belt is very similar to the Tertiary portion of northern Shimanto Belt, in Japan, and has also experienced the subduction of orthogonal oceanic ridge beneath the prism. This event dates back to 753 ± 16 Ma (the U-Pb zircon discordia). The Oka prism started accreting in Mid-Neoproterozoic after the subduction had initiated under the Japan-like South-Siberian continental terrain. The prism existed through the second half of Neoproterozoic and accumulated a huge volume of sialic material to enlarge the nearby continent. Currently, the Oka Belt remains poorly studied and is very promising for further investigation and discoveries.     

The 1997 Umbria-Marche (Italy) earthquake sequence: analysis of the data recorded by the local and temporary networks

We present some preliminary results obtained from thejoined analysis of the data collected by the permanentand the temporary networks operating in the area ofthe earthquake sequence that followed (andanticipated) the 26 September, Central Italy, mainshocks. In particular, these earthquake data haveallowed us to determine a well constrainedwave-velocity model (both P and S) with stationcorrections which demonstrated to produce robusthypocentral locations. These velocity modelswith station corrections have been used forre-locating the whole September 1997–July 1998subset of data of the permanent network, and theprevious background seismicity, starting from May1996. The focal mechanisms of the largest events werealso obtained from an analysis of the first-motionpolarities.Our results indicate that 1) the seismic activityaligns on a SE-NW trend for a total length of about50 km of extension; 2) the focal depth of theseevents is restricted to the range 0–9 km; 3) mostevents can be related to sub-parallel SW dipping faultplanes; 4) focal mechanisms of the largest shocks(M_L > 4) show a coherent behaviour, withnormal fault solution on SSE-NNW striking, SW dippingplanes; 5) the space-time evolution of the activitydisplays a discontinuous mode of energy release, withdifferent episodes of activation and an apparentclustering of aftershocks at the edges of the areaswhich presumably ruptured in the main shocks.     

The 14 August 2003 Lefkada Island (Greece) earthquake: Focal mechanisms of the mainshock and of the aftershock sequence

The central area of the Ionian Sea is dominated by the Cephalonia Transform Fault Zone (CTFZ) with a pronounced dextral strike-slip component of motion. The CTFZ has two main segments: the Lefkada Segment (LS) in the north and the Cephalonia Segment (CS) in the south. On 14 August 2003 an M_w 6.2 earthquake ruptured the Lefkada Segment and produced extensive damage, especially to the western coast of the island. Teleseismic waveform modelling revealed the multiple source character of the mainshock, which occurred as three sub-events along a ∼N12^∘E line. The first sub-event occurred at a depth of about 15 km, followed 2.5 s later by the second and largest sub-event at a depth of 11 km and the third sub-event 14 s after the second at a depth of 15 km. The total moment from the body waves of this sequence is about 22.3×10¹⁷ Nt m (M_w 6.2) with a source duration of ∼15 s. The rupture started at the northern part of the Lefkada fault Segment and propagated southwards. The second and third sub-events are located at 7 and 40 km to the south-east in respect to the first sub-event. The focal mechanisms of the two strongest sources indicate strike-slip faulting along the NE–SW trending Lefkada segment (sub-event 2: Strike = 12^∘, Dip = 81^∘, Rake = 174^∘; sub-event 3: Strike = 20^∘, Dip = 63^∘, Rake = −179^∘). Moment tensor inversion applied to regional broad band waveforms obtained from the Greek National Seismographic Network provided focal mechanisms for 23 aftershocks with magnitudes ranging from M_w 3.6 to 5.4. The aftershock sequence presented spatial and temporal variation. The aftershocks were concentrated in two clusters one at the northern part of the activated area and another at the southern part. Most of them were of strike-slip character, following the major tectonic lines of the area, although low-angle thrust and reverse faulting mechanisms were also observed. Thrust and reverse type mechanisms are mainly concentrated in the northern and mainland part of the Lefkada Island which probably indicates the segmented character of the fault and probable activation of adjacent structures.     

U-Pb isotopic compositions of the ultrahigh pressure metamorphic (UHPM) rocks from Shuanghe and gneisses from Northern Dabie zone in the Dabie Mountains,central China: Constraint on the exhumation mechanism of UHPM rocks

The occurrence of ultrahigh pressure (UHP) minerals, such as coesite and diamond in crustal rocks in orogenic belts suggests that a huge amount of continental crust can be subducted to man-tle depth during the continental-continental collision[1—6]. This…     

Sulfur and chlorine degassing from primitive arc magmas: temporal changes during the 1982–1983 eruptions of Galunggung (West Java, Indonesia)

The 1982–1983 eruptions of Galunggung represent a nine-month period of intermittent volcanic activity with significant changes in explosivity and emission of volatiles. Eruptions started with Vulcanian explosions but changed gradually to Strombolian activity. Compositions of juvenile material changed from basaltic andesite to high-Mg basalt, which are among the most primitive rock types known in the Indonesian arc system. Although bulk compositions suggest a single evolution trend, we infer from the compositions of melt inclusions in olivine phenocrysts that the magmas represent derivatives of a complex spectrum of primary melts. Primitive inclusions in olivine phenocrysts from magma erupted during the Strombolian phase contain up to 2000 ppm sulfur, but concentrations decrease rapidly with increasing SiO₂ down to matrix glass values (50–100 ppm). ‘Vulcanian’ inclusions appear to be degassed before eruption (200 ppm S). Chlorine concentrations increase from 750 to 2200 ppm in Strombolian, and from 800 to 1500 in Vulcanian magmas, whereas matrix glass contains about 1000 ppm in both cases. Ash leachates show two cycles of decreasing S/Cl ratios: from 9.7 to 5.6 at the start of the activity, and from 12.2 to 2.0 after four months. As the second cycle follows upon increased seismic activity at shallow depth, it probably reflects degassing of fresh sulfur-rich magma arriving in the shallow Galunggung reservoir. In contrast to the degassed state of Vulcanian magma, the significant amounts of adsorbed sulfur on the ashes point to an excess source of sulfur, which was most likely derived from intruding Strombolian magma. Hence, the observed sulfur flux of 2 Mt is not in accordance with a petrologic estimate of 0.09 Mt. Using a published value of 550 Mt of erupted material about 0.34 km³ fresh undegassed magma is needed to account for the observed sulfur flux. This is close to the erupted volume of Vulcanian magma (0.26 km³), which presumably was replaced completely by Strombolian magma during the eruption. Using the petrologic method, we calculate a total release of 0.3 Mt chlorine, which agrees well with an output of 0.47 Mt estimated independently from S/Cl ratios of the ash leachates and TOMS sulfur yields. Ash leachates show that about 35% of the sulfur and 30% of the chlorine was scavenged from the eruption plumes. Our results suggest that sulfur and chlorine were largely decoupled during degassing, which resulted in considerable variations in S/Cl ratios during the Galunggung eruptions. We infer that sulfur degassing reflects the arrival of fresh magma at shallow depth, whereas chlorine is largely derived from simultaneously erupted material. As a consequence, the petrologic estimates are more consistent with observed emissions for chlorine than for sulfur.     

The earthquake of 6 September 2002 and the seismic history of Palermo (Northern Sicily,Italy): Implications for the seismic hazard assessment of the city

On September 6, 2002, a M_L = 5.6 earthquake, occurring some tens of kilometres offshore from the Northern Sicilian coast (Southern Tyrrhenian Sea), slightly damaged the city of Palermo and surroundings (degree 6 in the European Macroseismic Scale 1998). The macroseismic investigation of the shock and a detailed study of effects of the main earthquakes which affected Palermo in the past have been performed in order to evaluate the seismic response of the city. Moreover, the comparison of the recent event, which is instrumentally constrained, with historical earthquakes allows us to infer new insights on the seismogenic sources of the area, that seem located offshore in the Tyrrhenian sea.In the last 500 years, Palermo has never been completely destroyed but has suffered effects estimated between intensities 6 and 8 EMS-98 many times (1693, 1726, 1751, 1823, 1940, 1968, 2002). The damage scenarios of the analysed events have shown that damage distribution is strongly conditioned by soil response in the different parts of the city and by a high building vulnerability, mainly in the historical centre and in the south-eastern zone of the modern city. As a matter of fact, Palermo has always suffered greater effects than those reported for other nearby localities. The hazard assessment obtained using observed site intensities has shown that the probability of occurrence for intensity 8 (the strongest intensity observed in Palermo) exceeds 99% for 550 years, while the estimated mean return period is 152 ± 40 years. These results, in connection with building vulnerability due to the urban expansion before the introduction of seismic code, suggest that the city is exposed to a relatively high seismic risk.This paper has not been submitted elsewhere in identical or similar form, nor will it be during the first 3 months after its submission to Journal of Seismology.     

The Constantine (Algeria) seismic sequence of 27 October 1985: a new rupture model from aftershock relocation, focal mechanisms, and stress tensors

The October 27, 1985 Constantine earthquake of magnitude MS 5.9 (NEIC) although moderate is the strongest earthquake recorded in the eastern Tellian Atlas (northeast Algeria) since the beginning of instrumental seismology. The main shock locations given by different institutions are scattered and up to 10 km away northwest from the NE–SW 30 km long elongated aftershocks cloud localized by a dedicated temporary portable network. The focal mechanism indicates left-lateral strike-slip on an almost vertical fault with a small reverse component on the northwest dipping plane. This paper presents relocations of the main shock and aftershocks using TomoDD. One hundred thirty-eight individual focal mechanisms have been built allowing the determination of the stress tensor at different scales. A rupture model has been suggested, which explains the different observations of aftershock distribution and stress tensor rotation.     

Probing the high latitude ionosphere from ground-based observations: The state of current knowledge and capabilities during IPY (2007–2009)

During the International Polar Year (IPY), one area of great interest is co-coordinated, multi-instrument probing of the ionosphere at high latitudes. This region is important not only for the applications that rely upon our understanding of it, but also because it contains the footprints of processes that have their origin in the interplanetary space. Many different techniques are now available for probing the ionosphere, from radar measurements to the analysis of very low frequency (VLF) wave paths. Combining these methods provides the ability to study the ionosphere from high in the F-region to the bottom of the D-layer. Thus, coupling processes from the magnetosphere and to the neutral atmosphere can be considered. An additional dimension is through comparisons of the response of the two polar ionospheres to similar (or the same) geomagnetic activity. With more instruments available at the South Pole inter-hemispheric, studies have become easier to accomplish such that a fuller picture of the global response to Sun–Earth coupling can be painted.This paper presents a review of the current state of knowledge in ionospheric probing. It cannot provide a comprehensive guide of the work to date due to the scale of the topic. Rather it is intended to give an overview of the techniques and recent results from some of the instruments and facilities that are a part of the IPY cluster 63—Heliosphere Impact on Geospace. In this way it is hoped that the reader will gain a flavor of the recent research performed in this area and the potential for continuing collaboration and capabilities during the IPY (2007–2009).