Numerical classification by association analysis of multivariate mineralogic, petrographic, presence-absence data from some Sub-Himalayan carbonates; Northwest India

Fourteen mineralogical and petrographic variables for 82 samples of Sirban Limestone of Riasi, Jammu, and Kashmir State, and 18 mineralogical and petrographic variables for 36 samples of Bilaspur Limestone, Himachal Pradesh, India, were numerically classified based on presence-absence data using association analysis. The samples were collected along vertical profiles. The variables for the Sirban Limestone of Riasi were classified into three groups: (a) dolomite (b) micrites, and (c) terrigenous material represented by clay minerals. These three groups correspond to (a) near-shore sabkha dolomites, (b) deep water micrites, and (c) terrigenous contribution of clay minerals (except corrensite) to the carbonate depositional basin. Bilaspur Limestone samples were classified also into the same three groups. The results of the present study corroborate the earlier conclusions of the writer that the Sub-Himalayan carbonates of Northwest India generally represent rocks of shallow carbonate depositional basins, showing transition from near shore sabkha dolomites to basinal limestones and shales.     

Jurassic and Cretaceous rhyncholites (Cephalopod jaws) from the North Atlantic Ocean (Deep Sea Drilling Project Leg 1–79) and their European Counterparts

Well-established species of non-nautilid jaws (Rhynchoteuthis, Palaeoteuthis, andLeptocheilus) from the European Continent and North Africa have been found in Pliensbachian and Oxfordian to Barremian beds of the North Atlantic Ocean (Deep Sea Drilling Project boreholes 1-547B). The rhyncholites from DSDP cores demonstrate stratigraphic condensation, redeposition, and changing palaeoceanographical conditions during the late Jurassic. Being characteristic Tethyan organisms such rhyncholites can also be used as index fossils and indicators for palaeobiogeography, palaeobathymetry, and palaeoclimate. Most likely the rhyncholites described here could be calcified upper jaws of Phylloceratid or Lytoceratid ammonites.

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Zusammenfassung In den DSDP-Bohrungen 1-547B im Nordatlantik sind nicht-nautilide Cephalopoden-Oberkiefer bekannter Arten des europäischen Festlands (Rhynchoteuthis, Palaeoteuthis, Palaeotheutis, undLeptocheilus) im Pliensbachium und vom Oxfordium bis Barremium verbreitet. Die DSDP-Rhyncholithenfunde zeigen stratigraphische Kondensation, Umlagerung und einen Wechsel in den Faziesbedingungen während des Oberen Jura an. Ebenso können solche Rhyncholithen als charakteristische Tethys-Elemente für Aussagen über die Biostratigraphie, Paläobiogeographie und als Paläoklima-Indikatoren verwendet werden. Höchstwahrscheinlich stellen die hier beschriebenen Rhyncholithen karbonatische Oberkiefer von Phylloceraten und Lytoceraten dar.

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Résumé Les couches du Pliensbachien et de l'Oxfordien-Barrémien de l'Atlantique nord (site DSDP 1-547B) renferment des machoires de céphalopodes non nautiloïdes appartenant à des espèces connues sur les continents européen et nord-africain (Rhynchoteuthis, Palaeoteuthis, Palaeotheutis etLeptocheilus). Ces fossiles témoignent d'une condensation stratigraphique, d'un remaniement et d'un changement des conditions de facies au cours du Jurassique supérieur. Comme ces rhyncholites sont des organismes caractéristiques de la Téthys, ils peuvent être utilisés comme des indicateurs de paléobiogéographie, de paléobathymétrie et des paléoclimats. Selon toute vraisemblance, les rhyncholites en question ici sont des machoires supérieures calcifiées de phylloceratides ou de lytoceratides.

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1–547 DSDP , (Rhynchoteuthis, Palaeoteuthis, Palaeotheutis Leptocheilui) . , . . . , , , . , .

     

Eoalpine and mesoalpine tectonics in the Southern Alps

According to structural and stratigraphic data, eoalpine and mesoalpine tectonics can be clearly recognized in the Southern Alps and distinguished from the better known neoalpine deformation.The eoalpine phase (Late Cretaceous) was generated by N-S compression. It deformed basically the central-western Southern Alps producing overthrusts to the west and flower structures by sinistral transpression in the Giudicarie Belt. Deposition of the coeval flysch successions was controlled by the trend of this belt. This tectonic pattern persisted until Middle Eocene.The mesoalpine phase (Eocene) was generated mainly by a ENE-WSW compression and produced thrust geometries with N-S or NW-SE direction in the eastern part of the Southern Alps. The coeval Eocene Flysch also followed this trend, filling the foredeep basin. This deformation is considered to be the front of the Dinarids, which began to be deformed since Late Cretaceous until at least Early Oligocene.The neoalpine tectonics inherited the eoalpine and mesoalpine structures and produced the major part of the deformation accounting for the present structural framework of the Southern Alps.

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Zusammenfassung Die eo- und mesoalpidische Tektonik in den Südalpen ist strukturell und stratigraphisch erkennbar und von den bekannteren neoalpidischen Bewegungsbildern deutlich zu unterscheiden.Die eoalpidische Phase (Obere Kreide) entspricht einer N-S Kompression, die sich in den zentralen bis westlichen Südalpen bemerkbar macht. Im westlichen Bereich treten Überschiebungen auf, das Judikarische Gebiet wird hingegen durch die von linkslateralen Transpressionen bewirkten Verwerfungsbündel gekennzeichnet, die auch die altersgleichen Flysch-Ablagerungen kontrollieren. Diese tektonische Phase ist bis zum Eozän aktiv.Die mesoalpidische Phase (Eozän) ist auf eine ENE-WSW Kompression zurückzuführen. Sie verursachte in den östlichen Südalpen N-S bis NW-SE gerichtete Überschiebungsbilder. In gleichorientierten vorozeanischen Becken kommt der eozäne Flysch vor. Dieses Deformationsbild kennzeichnet schon in der Oberen Kreide die Dinariden-Front.Die neoalpidische Tektonik vererbte die eo-mesoalpidischen Gefüge-Elemente und verursachte im wesentlichen den gegenwärtig erkennbaren Gefügeplan der Südalpen.

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Résumé Dans les Alpes Méridionales, des données stratigraphiques et structurales permettent de reconnaître les tectoniques éoalpine et mésoalpine et de les distinguer des déformations néoalpines, mieux connues.La phase éoalpine (Crétacé supérieur) a été engendrée par une compression N-S. Celle-ci a affecté surtout la partie centre-occidentale des Alpes Méridionales en produisant des charriages à l'ouest et des structures de décrochement sénestres dans la chaîne des Giudicarie, dont l'orientation a déterminé la sédimentation du flysch concommittant. Cette tectonique s'est poursuivie jusqu' à l'Eocène.La phase mésoalpine a été engendrée surtout par une compression ENE-WSW; elle a produit, dans la partie est des Alpes Méridionales, des charriages de direction N-S à NW-SE. Le flysch éocène a suivi cet alignement structural, en remplissant le bassin de l'avant-fosse. Cette déformation est considérée comme le front des Dinarides, dont la formation a commencé dés le Crétacé supérieur.La tectonique néoalpine a hérité des structures éoalpines et mésoalpines et est responsable de la plus grande part de la structure actuelle des Alpes Méridionales.

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- , , . ( ) . , , — , . . () ENE WSW; , N — S NW — SE . - . . , , - .

     

Equation of state,structural behaviour and phase diagram of synthetic MgFe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>, as a function of pressure and temperature

The behaviour of synthetic Mg-ferrite (MgFe₂O₄) has been investigated at high pressure (in situ high-pressure synchrotron radiation powder diffraction at ESRF) and at high temperature (in situ high-temperature X-ray powder diffraction) conditions. The elastic properties determined by the third-order Birch–Murnaghan equation of state result in K₀=181.5(± 1.3) GPa, K=6.32(± 0.14) and K= –0.0638 GPa^–1. The symmetry-independent coordinate of oxygen does not show significant sensitivity to pressure, and the structure shrinking is mainly attributable to the shortening of the cell edge (homogeneous strain). The lattice parameter thermal expansion is described by _a0+_a1*(T–298)+_a2/(T–298)², where _a0=9.1(1) 10^–6 K^–1, _a1=4.9(2) 10^–9 K^–2 and _a2= 5.1(5) 10^–2 K. The high-temperature cation-ordering reaction which MgFe-spinel undergoes has been interpreted by the ONeill model, whose parameters are = 22.2(± 1.8) kJ mol^–1 and =–17.6(± 1.2) kJ mol^–1. The elastic and thermal properties measured have then been used to model the phase diagram of MgFe₂O₄, which shows that the high-pressure transition from spinel to orthorombic CaMn₂O₄-like structure at T < 1700 K is preceded by a decomposition into MgO and Fe₂O₃.     

The use of correspondence analysis in geochemistry

When factor analysis is used in geochemistry, it may be useful for factors to be transformed by rotations in order to be identified either to the end members of a mixing model (Miesch, 1976a),or to known chemical equilibriums. It requires that the formula for recomputing data from the factors may be written in a factored manner, which is generally not the case in correspondence analysis. The present paper shows that this becomes possible with data having constant row sums. As an example, the method is tested on the lavas of Paricutin Volcano, already examined by using an extended Q-mode factor analysis (Miesch, 1979).Recomputation of the data after projection gives simular results for both methods. Otherwise, the fact that correspondence analysis provides centered factors makes it well suited to the study of chemical reactions leading to constant mass transformations.     

Chi-square tests for markov chain analysis

Markov chain analysis has become a popular and useful technique for the evaluation of stratigraphic information. Field data on frequencies of facies transitions are first assembled in a transition count matrix. Observed frequencies can be compared statistically with frequencies expected if no order, or memory, exists in the stratigraphic sequence. Two chi-square (²) tests have been proposed for this purpose. One of the previously proposed ² tests was observed to give anomalously large values of the test statistic during another study. This unsatisfactory behavior is verified here. Limiting values of the two ² tests (from tables) are compared with the distribution of values for both test statistics obtained by analyzing many random matrices generated by a simple computer program. In all cases, the logarithmic ² test, suggested by several previous authors, fails to provide any meaningful assessment of the presence or absence of order in stratigraphic sequences evaluated. Further use of this test should therefore be avoided.     

An example of cluster analysis applied to a large geologic data set: Aerial radiometric data from Copper Mountain, Wyoming

One objective of the aerial radiometric surveys flown as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) program was to ascertain the spatial distribution of near-surface radioelement abundances on a regional scale. Some method for identifying groups of observations with similar -ray spectral signatures and radioelement concentration values was therefore required. It is shown in this paper that cluster analysis can identify such groups with or without a priori knowledge of the geology of an area. An approach that combines principal components analysis with convergentk-means cluster analysis is used to classify 6991 observations (each observation comprising three radiometric variables) from the Precambrian rocks of the Copper Mountain, Wyoming area. This method is compared with a convergentk-means analysis that utilizes available geologic knowledge. Both methods identify four clusters. Three of the clusters represent background values for the Precambrian rocks of the area, and the fourth represents outliers (anomalously high²¹⁴Bi). A segmentation of the data corresponding to geologic reality as interpreted by other methods has been achieved by perceptive quantitative analysis of aerial radiometric data. The techniques employed are composites of classical clustering methods designed to handle the special problems presented by large data sets.     

Metamorphic zircons from North Cameroon; implications for the Pan-African evolution of Central Africa

Morphoscopic studies of zircons, including optical microscopic and SEM (backscattered electron mode), from the Rôniers valley (West-Poli, Northern Cameroon) indicate an important crystallization of zircon during a medium-grade garnet-kyanite metamorphic event. This was associated with a deformation (D1) and with the emplacement of a basic and intermediate plutonic suite (BIP). U-Pb dating of these zircon gave almost concordant Pan-African ages (630 Ma) which contribute to a solution of a major regional uncertainty about the age of the regional D1 event, which, in the mobile belt of Central Africa, has been considered previously either as Pan-African or as Lower to Middle Proterozoic. A chronological framework is proposed for the evolution of northern Cameroon.

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Zusammenfassung Eine kristallmorphologische Bearbeitung von Zirkonen aus Glimmerschiefern des Rôniers-Tals (Westlich von Poli, Nord-Kamerun) wurde mit Durchlicht- und mit RasterElektronen-Mikroskopie (Rückstrahl Elektronen) ausgeführt. Verbunden mit einer Bearbeitung des strukturgeologischen und metamorphen Rahmens führt sie zu der Vorstellung einer massiven Auskristallisation der Zirkone anläßlich eines tektono-metamorphen Ereignisses mittlerer Stärke in der Granat-Disthen Fazies. Dieses Ereigniss ist von einer Deformationsphase (D1) und der Platznahme eines basischen bis intermediären Gesteinsverbandes (BIP) begleitet worden. Eine U/Pb Datierung dieser Zirkone ergibt praktisch konkordante pan-afrikanische Alter (630 M.J.) Diese Resultate klären eine Ungewissheit in Bezug auf das Alter des stärksten metamorphen Schieferung, die hier als Resultat des Ereignisses D1 gedeutet wird. Je nach der geographischen Stellung innerhalb der zentral-afrikanischen mobilen Zone wurde bis jetzt das Alter dieser Schieferung als pan-afrikanisch oder als unter- bis mittelproterozoisch gegeben. Ein chronologischer Ablauf kann somit für die Entwicklung des nordkamerunischen Gebietes vorgeschlagen werden.

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Résumé Une étude morphologique de zircons provenant des micaschistes de la vallée des Rôniers (ouest de Poli, Nord Cameroun) a été menée aussi bien en microscopie optique qu'en microscopie à balayage (électrons rétrodiffusés). Combinée à l'étude de l'environnement structural et métamorphique, elle conduit à l'idée d'une cristallisation massive du zircon pendant un événement tectono-métamorphique de degré moyen dans le faciès à grenat-disthène. Cet épisode s'accompagne d'une phase de déformation (D1) et de la mise en place d'une association basique à intermédiaire (BIP). Une datation U/Pb de ces zircons donne des âges panafricains (630 Ma) pratiquement concordants. Ces résultats permettent de lever une ambiguïté sur l'âge de la foliation métamorphique principale interprétée comme résultant de l'événement D1: elle est considérée selon les endroits de la zone mobile d'Afrique centrale soit d'âge panafricain soit d'âge protérozoïque inférieur à moyen. Une chronologie de l'évolution du domaine nord camerounais est proposée.

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Rniers ( , ). , - , - . (D 1) (). , -, - (630 . ). , , D 1. - , - . .

     

Sedimentary geology and stromatolites of the Middle Proterozoic Belt Supergroup, Glacier National Park, Montana

The Belt Supergroup is a thick, dominantly fine-grained sequence of Middle Proterozoic strata occurring in western Montana, northern Idaho, and parts of Washington state, Alberta, and British Columbia. The sequence in Glacier National Park is located along the northeastern part of present exposures of the Belt Supergroup; it is 2.9 km thick, extremely well exposed, and for the most part structurally simple. Although it was subjected to lowermost greenschist-facies metamorphism, primary sedimentary structures are exceptionally well preserved.Subtidal, intertidal, alluvial and possibly deltaic depositional environments appear to be represented in the Belt sequence in Glacier National Park. The lowermost unit, the Altyn Limestone, is not entirely exposed in the park. A partial section, 150 m thick, consists of impure dolostones deposited largely in shallow subtidal and intertidal settings. This carbonate unit is overlain by terrigenous strata of the Appekunny and Grinnell Argillites. The Appekunny Argillite is 700 m thick, consists largely of green-colored, fine-grained terrigenous material and appears to have been deposited predominantly in offshore and/or deltaic settings. The overlying Grinnell Argillite is 605 m thick and consists of red-colored terrigenous material deposited largely on an alluvial plain. The overlying Siyeh Limestone is 780 m thick and consists largely of impure dolostones and dolomitic limestones deposited in shallow subtidal and intertidal settings. Overlying the Siyeh Limestone is the 385 m thick Snowslip Formation, which consists of slightly dolomitic, predominantly fine-grained terrigenous strata deposited largely in intertidal settings. The overlying Shepard Formation is not exposed in its entirety in the central part of Glacier National Park. A 270 m thick section, which excludes the uppermost part of the formation, consists of impure dolostones and argillites, and appears to have been deposited in subtidal and intertidal settings.Stromatolites are abundant, diverse and well preserved in Glacier National Park, with mound-shaped forms and columnar forms of the group Baicalia occurring in the Altyn Limestone and Siyeh Limestone, and mound-shaped stromatolite-like structures occurring in the Snowslip and Shepard Formations. Particularly prominent is a 24–32 m thick stromatolite unit in the upper Siyeh Limestone, which contains Baicalia and Conophyton and appears to represent a prograding stromatolite reef, with Baicalia originating in a moderate-energy reef-front setting, and Conophyton originating in a lower energy back-reef setting. Individual units in these cycles can be correlated for 90 km. Many of the Conophyton in these cycles are inclined, probably as a result of gentle wave action, and the direction of inclination is relatively constant for 90 km, with the axes trending SW-SSW and plunging 30–60° SW.     

Carbonate tidal rhythmites from the Middle Jurassic of Britain

Newly discovered carbonate laminites are described from the Lincolnshire Limestone Formation (Middle Jurassic, Britain). These occur in the upper peloidal unit of fining-upward rhythms which comprise much of the lagoonal lower Lincolnshire Limestone in south Lincolnshire. The flat, millimetre-scale laminations are of three types: (1) alternating peloid-rich, peloid-poor laminae; (2) alternating bioclastic and peloidal laminae; (3) alternating bioclastic and micritic laminae. In all three types, small-scale cross-laminated sets (usually < 40 mm thick) also occur. The laminite horizons are usually < 150 mm thick and have, in some cases, been traced laterally for ～100 m. The close analogy of these carbonate laminites with siliciclastic counterparts favours their interpretation as tidal rhythmites, mechanically deposited in a low intertidal/shallow subtidal setting. The associated sedimentary features and overall stratigraphic-sedimentologic position of the deposits support this conclusion. According to the literature, mechanically deposited as opposed to algally induced carbonate laminites are rare outside the supratidal realm. Possible reasons for the real or imagined scarcity of intertidal/ subtidal carbonate laminites in ancient sedimentary regimes are discussed.     

Invasion of anthropogenic CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> recorded in planktonic foraminifera from the northern Gulf of Aqaba

The stable carbon isotopic composition of the planktonic foraminifera Globigerinoides sacculifer and G. ruber (white) and sedimentary organic matter from the northern Gulf of Aqaba have been investigated to estimate changes in ¹³C_DIC in surface waters during the last 1,000 years. The high sedimentation rates at the core sites (about 54 cm/Kyear) provide high temporal resolution (~10 years). Recent sediments at the top of the cores reflect conditions younger than 1950. The ¹³C records of the planktonic foraminifera from three multicores display similar trends, showing a uniform and consistent pattern before the 1750s, and a gradual decrease of approximately 0.63 over the last two centuries. This decrease seems to track the decrease of ¹³C_DIC in surface waters, which is mainly caused by the increase of anthropogenic input of ¹³C-depleted CO₂ into the atmosphere. Similarly, a trend towards lighter values of the carbon isotopic composition of sedimentary organic matter (¹³C_org) during the last 200 years supports the interpretation obtained from the planktonic foraminiferal ¹³C. Furthermore, direct measurements of seawater show that ¹³C of the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in the northern Gulf of Aqaba has decreased by about 0.44 during the period 1979–2000. The average annual decrease is 0.021, which is similar to that observed globally. The ¹³C values of planktonic foraminifera combined with organic matter ¹³C from marine sediments are good indicators for reconstructing past changes in atmospheric CO₂ concentrations from the northern Gulf of Aqaba.     

Counting statistics of f −β fluctuations: a new method for analysis of earthquake data

In a variety of biological and physical phenomena, temporal fluctuations are found, which are not explainable as consequences of statistically independent random events. If these fluctuations are characterized by a power spectrum density S(f) decaying as f ^– at low frequencies, this behaviour is called 1/f noise.Counting statistics applied to earthquake activity data leads to three time scales with different characteristics, represented by the exponent : at interval lengths less than 1 h, the shocks are randomly distributed as in a Poisson process. For medium time intervals (1 day to 3 months), the exponent 1 + is larger (1.4 for M ₀=3), but approaches unity for higher threshold magnitudes M ₀. In longer time ranges the exponent assumes values near 1.55, however, with increasing statistical variation at higher M ₀, due to lower counts.The temporal sequence is different from white noise; thus, it might be fruitful to apply neural network algorithms, because this method allows predictions in some other cases with similar characteristics.     

Direct and Indirect pCO2 Measurements in a Wide Range of pCO2 and Salinity Values (The Scheldt Estuary)

Recent improvements in both Infra-red spectroscopy and equilibrator techniqueshave allowed to determine, for the first time, pCO₂using simultaneously and continuously both the direct and indirect methods in an estuary where pCO₂ values range from 500 to 8500 atm and salinity from 0 to 30. Our results show that both methods are in excellent agreement in the wholeestuary (r² = 0.999, n = 1075, p < 0.0001). Thus, the NBS (US National Bureau of Standards) scale, although inadequate for seawater samples, is appropriate for estuarine waters and can be applied with confidence to calculate pCO₂.     

Evaluation of some statistical methods of interpreting multi-element geochemical drainage data from New Brunswick

Univariate and multivariate statistical methods were evaluated using published multi-element stream sediment data from southwestern and northern New Brunswick. The statistical distributions of elements do not obey Ahrens' law of lognormality; eleven of thirteen elements investigated for the Bathurst-Jacquet River area are not lognormally distributed at the 0.05 level of significance. The distributions are positively skewed and leptokurtic and consist of aggregate populations which represent mineral deposits, bedrock, and many other physiographic factors; some of these populations are normally distributed. The efficiency of the Pearson correlation coefficient varied and was compared to nonparametric correlation. Various methods of factor analysis were evaluated and the structure of the factors was similar to the subjective groupings derived from the correlation matrices. Comparison of correlation coefficients and factor models derived from the log-transformed and untransformed Bathurst-Jacquet River data showed that background associations were enhanced by the log transformation at the expense of associations representing mineralization. Q-mode factor matrices could not be satisfactorily interpreted without recourse to the mapping of the factor loadings. The maps produced were inferior to simple concentration maps. An iterative technique was developed for discriminant analysis to refine the sample training groups representing mineralized and background terrain; repeated discriminant analysis after misclassified samples were eliminated altered the inherent character of the training groups. Trend surface analysis was found to give goodness of fits of the trend equations comparable to the fits expected from random numbers. The method was mathematically inappropriate for the type of data used. The goal of exploration geochemical statistical analysis should be to discriminate and sort populations representing mineralized and background populations by classification or filtering techniques.     

Paleopedology ofRamapithecus-bearing sediments,North India

The utility of using fossil soils in addition to other sedimentologic evidence in reconstructing past environments is considered with a preliminary analysis of the character of pedogenic alteration of selected floodplain deposits which have yielded the hominoid primatesRamapithecus andDryopithecus in the vicinity of Haritalyangar, District Bilaspur, H. P., India. The alluvial paleosols studied reflect variance of properties which are related to original depositional fabric modified by secondary pedogenic processes. The Nagri aged paleosols of Haritalyangar are ferruginous tropical soils or low-grade oxisols developed on typical floodplain toposequences, all reflecting somewhat varied histories as a function of proximity to ancient active stream courses.

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Zusammenfassung Es wird untersucht, inwieweit es für die Rekonstruktion des früheren Bildungsmilieus sinnvoll ist, in Verbindung mit anderen sedimentologischen Erscheinungen fossile Böden mit heranzuziehen, und zwar nach einer Analyse der Merkmale pedogenetischer Veränderungen in bestimmten Ablagerungen der Alluvialebenen in der Umgebung von Haritalyangar, Bilaspur, H. P., Indien, in denen die hominoiden PrimatenRamapithecus undDryopithecus gefunden worden sind. Die untersuchten alluvialen Paleoböden zeigen, verglichen mit der ursprünglichen Ablagerungsstruktur, Abweichungen in ihren Eigenschaften, die durch sekundäre pedogenetische Prozesse bestimmt sind.Die Paleoböden der Nagri-Stufe von Haritalyangar sind eisenreiche tropische Böden oder schwächere Oxiböden, die in den typischen Toposequenzen der Alluvialebenen entstanden sind und die aufgrund ihrer verschiedenen Entfernung zu alten Flußläufen alle eine etwas unterschiedliche Vergangenheit widerspiegeln.

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Résumé On considère ici la possibilité d'utiliser des sols fossiles en plus d'autres évidences sedimentologiques pour reconstruire les environnements du passé. On présente aussi une analyse préliminaire des caractéristiques de modifications pédogéniques de certains sédiments de plaines alluviales, qui ont livré les primates hominoïdesRamapithecus etDryopithecus, au voisinage de Haritalyangar, district de Bilaspur, H. P., Inde. Les paléosols alluviaux étudiés révèlent diverses propriétés caractéristiques de dé pôts originaux, modifiés par des processus pédogéniques secondaires. Les vieux paléosols de Nagri, aux environs de Haritalyangar, sont des oxisols peu évolués, formés sur des séquence topographique typique de plaines alluviales. Tous reflètent quelque peu des stages divers selon leur proximité d'anciens cours fluviatiles actifs.

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, , , , Haritalyangar'a, Bilaspur'a H.P., , . , , . Haritalyangar , , , , .

     

The Speciation of (CH3)2Sn2+ in Electrolyte Solution Containing the Major Components of Natural Waters

Hydrolysis constants of dimethyltin(IV) cation, in different salt solutions (CaCl₂: 0.15 I 0.90; MgCl₂: 0.30 I 0.60; NaCl-–NaClO₄, NaCl-–NaNO₃ mixtures: I = 3; NaCl-–Na₂SO₄ mixtures: I = 1 mol dm^-3) were determined by potentiometric ([H⁺]-glass electrode) measurements. These data, together with previous data (De Stefano et al., 1996b) were interpreted in terms of DHT (Debye–Hückel type) and Pitzer equations. The mixed electrolyte solution results also allowed us to obtain and parameters for the Pitzer equation. Calorimetric measurements were made at different ionic strengths in order to find the temperature dependence of hydrolysis constants and of the relative interaction parameters. The body of results allows us to determine the speciation of natural waters in a wide range of ionic strengths and temperatures.     

Microfacies analysis and diagenetic fabric of the Lockhart Limestone exposed near Taxila,Margalla Hill Range,Punjab, Pakistan

The microfacies analysis and diagenetic fabric of the Lockhart Limestone are studied in an outcrop section exposed in the Margalla Hill ranges. The Lockhart Limestone is predominantly composed of medium to thick bedded, nodular and occasionally brecciated, highly fossiliferous limestone with thin interbeds of marl and shale. On the basis of detailed petrographic investigations, four microfacies have been identified including bioclastic packstone, wackestone (siliciclastic bioclastic rich sub-microfacies), wackestone-packstone, and mud-wackestone. Based on the microfacies analysis, the Lockhart Limestone is interpreted to have been deposited in the fore-shoal mid-ramp, mid-ramp, and outer ramp depositional environments. The Paleocene age has been assigned to the Lockhart Limestone based on age diagnostic foraminifera, i.e., Miscellanea, Lockhartia, and Ranikothalia. The diagenetic fabric of the Lockhart Limestone is characterized by several diagenetic features such as micritization, neomorphism (aragonite to calcite transformation and development of microspar), compaction, pressure dissolution (microstylolites), and cementation (calcite-filled microfractures). Such diagenetic features are developed in marine, meteoric, and burial diagenetic settings. The Paleocene Lockhart Limestone of Pakistan shows analogous features to that of the Paleocene Zongpu Formation (Member-3) of the Gamba-Tingri Basin of southern Tibet based on the outcrop features, microscopic fabric, and depositional environment.     

Chertification histories of some Late Mesozoic and Middle Palaeozoic platform carbonates

A consistent pattern for the silica sources, depositional environments and timing of chertification was observed in a diverse suite of five Late Mesozoic and Middle Palaeozoic carbonate sequences; the (1) Upper Greensand (Cretaceous) and (2) Portland Limestone (Jurassic) of southern England, (3) the Ramp Creek Formation (Mississippian) of southern Indiana, and the (4) lower Helderberg Group (Devonian) and (5) Onondaga Limestone (Devonian) of New York State. Nodular chert formation in all five limestone sequences occurred in sediments that were largely uncemented. Ghosts of pre-chertification carbonate cements are present in some chert nodules but are volumetrically minor. In every limestone sequence except the Upper Greensand, chertification occurred after burial to a depth sufficient for intergranular pressure solution and mechanical grain deformation of carbonate sand. Nodular chert is most abundant in subtidal, normal marine wackestones and mudstones that were deposited at or below fair-weather wave base, and is absent or rare in supratidal, intertidal and high-energy subtidal limestones and dolomites. An intraformational sponge spicule silica source for chert nodules is suggested by direct evidence, such as calcitized sponge spicules in the host limestone, and circumstantial evidence, such as ghosts of sponge spicules in chert nodules and a correlation of chert abundance with depositional environment. Most molds of siliceous sponge spicules were apparently obliterated by post-chertification intergranular compaction. We propose that these general trends for the depositional environments, silica sources and timing of chertification are representative of most Mesozoic to Middle Palaeozoic platform limestones.