The role of water resources in the evolution of the Israeli–Lebanese border

The current location of the border between Lebanon and Palestine, today's Israel, is a product of various competing forces. The Zionist Organization aspired to include the entire Galilee region up to the lower reaches of the Litani River (also known as the Kassimiyah River) within Palestine. The river itself was the desired northern border of the country. The Zionists supported their position by employing instrumental arguments that were largely related to the availability of water resources. On the other hand, residents of the upper Galilee, today's southern Lebanon, demanded that they be included with Lebanon. They used their trade links with Beirut, and cultural and familial ties with other parts of Lebanon to support their position. These instrumental and expressive arguments appear to have assisted in the demarcation of the border between Lebanon and Palestine. Currently, access to the water resources, not necessarily control over them, is likely to influence negotiations between Israel and Lebanon over the future of the Israeli-occupied security zone in southern Lebanon.     

Geochemical evolution of groundwater in the Cambrian–Vendian aquifer system of the Baltic Basin

The shallowly buried marginal part of the Cambrian–Vendian confined aquifer system of the Baltic Basin is characterised by fresh and low δ¹⁸O composition water, whereas the deeply settled parts of the aquifer are characterized by typical Na–Ca–Cl basinal brines. Spatial variation in water geochemistry and stable isotope composition suggests mixing origin of the diluted water of three end-members—glacial melt water of the Weichselian Ice Age (115 000–10 000 BP), Na–Ca–Cl composition basin brine and modern meteoric water. The mixing has occurred in two stages. First, the intrusion and mixing of isotopically depleted glacial waters with basinal brines occurred during the Pleistocene glacial periods when the subglacial melt-water with high hydraulic gradient penetrated into the aquifer. The second stage of mixing takes place nowadays by intrusion of meteoric waters. The freshened water at the northern margin of the basin has acquired a partial equilibrium with the weakly cemented rock matrix of the aquifer.     

Analysis of the degree of contamination and evolution in the last 100 years of the composition of the bed sediments of the Anllóns Basin

In this study, five cores of the Anllóns River bed sediments were analyzed in order to evaluate the downcore and downstream variations in their chemical composition. The first step was the evaluation of the metal distribution in the bulk (<2 mm) and fine fractions (<63 μm). The analysis revealed that most of the metals followed the same trend in both fractions, although the fine fraction presented usually higher concentrations. However, the concentration of both fractions tended to equalize with increasing contamination. No general increase was observed in the metal concentrations toward the surface which could be attributed to recent anthropogenic contributions. Instead, the distributions were homogeneous or peaked at various depths downcore. The most important historical feature was observed at the mouth of the river, at 96-cm depth, corresponding to the end of the eighteenth century. Upcore increased metal concentrations in parallel with increased fine fraction occurred from this depth, which were attributed to a bridge construction and consequent changes in sediment dynamics. As the metal concentrations can be influenced by variations in texture or other sediment characteristics, the second step was to evaluate the efficiency of several normalized indexes in the assessment of the degree of contamination, by calculating the enrichment factor (EF), the geoaccumulation index (I _GEO) and the pollution load index (PLI). The EFs obtained were <10, thus revealing little anthropogenic inputs to the basin. The I _GEO produced higher values when compared with the EFs. Instead of absolute EF or I _GEO absolute values, the use of cumulative probability plots allowed identifying more accurately potential outliers indicating contamination. Only one population was identified for Zn and Pb, with a reduced number of outliers at the highest concentrations for Pb. As shown, a more complex plot with the outliers identified at C4 and C5. Finally, the PLI allowed determining the absence of a significant contamination in the bed sediments. The bioavailable and non-geogenic fractions contribute up to a 90% of the total concentrations in the case of As and Cu, and showed similar (dissimilar) profiles in comparison with total metals. Also, the quality guidelines were surpassed, so the high solubility of As, Zn, Pb and Ni in the sediments revealed the need to monitor the bed sediment quality of the Anllóns River.     

Modelling of the oxygen isotope evolution of seawater: implications for the climate interpretation of the δ18O of marine sediments

It is often argued that the δ¹⁸O value of oceanic water was maintained close to 0‰ for hundreds of millions of years, as a consequence of oxygen isotope exchange between oceanic crust and seawater. However, for several decades, the interpretation of the biosedimentary oxygen isotope record has conflicted with the igneous record because, with increasing age, a general trend of decreasing δ¹⁸O values (about 6‰) is observed in most carbonates, cherts and phosphates, especially for the Paleozoic and early Mesozoic. We developed a dynamical model of seawater-crust interaction that computes the δ¹⁸O value in these two reservoirs as function of time. This model takes into account the continuous production of crust at oceanic ridges, its expansion rate, the permeability profile with space and time, the mineralogical mode of the crust, and the kinetics of oxygen isotope exchange between rock-forming minerals and seawater. The model indicates that the δ¹⁸O value of seawater may vary by ±2‰ with a time response ranging from 5 to 50 Ma for expansion rates of 1 to 10 cm.a⁻¹. The variation of ±2‰ is fixed by both integrated water-rock ratio and closure time of the seawater-crust system by sediments. Variations in the oxygen isotope ratio of seawater through time have important implications for the interpretation of the systematically low δ¹⁸O values of pre-Jurassic marine sediments. According to our model, marine paleotemperatures could be up to 10°C lower than those expected when applying the classical hypothesis of an ice-free ocean with a δ¹⁸O value of −1‰.     

Changes in the manner of tectonic movements under the Earth’s evolution

Variations in the O, Sr, Nd, and Hf isotopic compositions in rocks of various ages, minerals, and mantle temperature in the geological history are considered. Two periods in the Earth’s history are studied: the beginning of the formation of the planet until the turn of (3.4) 2.7–2.5 Ga and the tectonic movement period in the last 2 Ga, and also the transitional period within 2.7–2.0 Ga.     

Formation of PGM-Cu-Ni deposits in the process of evolution of flood-basalt magmatism in the Noril’sk region

The timing of the emplacement of ore-bearing melts in the process of evolution of flood-basalt magmatism in the Noril’sk District is discussed. The current models of ore formation consider the emplacement of ore-bearing intrusions either under the conditions of a closed magmatic system as a product of a self-dependent magmatic event, or under the conditions of an open magmatic system, where intrusions are parts of the conduits feeding lava flows. In both cases, the composition of the initial magma, the content of volatile components therein, and the contribution of country rock assimilation are important for the development of a genetic model. The relationships between lavas and intrusions are exemplified in the South Maslov intrusion, which cuts through the rocks of the Nadezhdinsky Formation. No geological evidence for links of lavas to intrusions has been established. Substantial difference in geochemistry (Ti contents, Gd/Yb and La/Sm ratios, etc.) of the tuff and lava sequence on the northern shore of Lake Lama and the Maslov intrusions are demonstrated. It is concluded that the Noril’sk deposits were formed as products of emplacement of self-dependent portion of magma in the post-lower Nadezhdinsky time. The melt composition determined from melt inclusions in olivine corresponds to high-Mg tholeiitic basalt (up to 7–8 wt % MgO) containing up to 1 wt % H₂O and 0.3 wt % Cl and undersaturated with sulfur. The fluid regime of flood-basalt volcanism had no anomalous features—the fluid was aqueous-carbon dioxide. The melts of ore-bearing and barren intrusions had similar concentrations of volatile components. The distribution of major and trace elements in intrusive rocks of the contact zone with the lower part of the Nadezhdinsky Formation characterized by high (La/Sm)_N ratio in comparison with gabbroic rocks (2.8–2.3 and 1.3–1.6, respectively), indicates that contamination of the initial melt only took place in a narrow (1 m) contact zone or did not develop at all. New data on isotopic compositions of Sr (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)₂₅₁ = 0.7089 and Pb (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 20.877–24.528 in anhydrite confirm that local assimilation did not play a substantial role in the formation of rock and ores. On the basis of chemical composition of ore-forming intrusions, their isotopic characteristics, and the composition of melt inclusions in olivine, it is suggested that the lower crustal rocks were a major source of ore-bearing magmas.     

Oligocene–Miocene geodynamic evolution of the central part of Urumieh-Dokhtar Arc of Iran

Basic volcanic rocks from Tafresh, west Kashan, and west Nain volcanic successions in the central part of Urumieh-Dokhtar Magmatic Assemblage (UDMA) of Iran yield K–Ar ages ranging from 26.8 to 18.2 Ma. These ages indicate significant Late Oligocene–Early Miocene basic volcanism in the UDMA. These ages, combined with K–Ar ages of 26.0 and 14.1 Ma, respectively, for associated low-silica and high-silica adakites, help constrain reconstructions of the UDMA geodynamic evolution. Late Oligocene–Early Miocene slab roll-back associated with an asthenospheric mantle influx are suggested as the major processes responsible for concurrent volcanism showing Nb–Ta-depleted, Nb–Ta-enriched and low-silica adakite signatures. Slab roll-back, the likely consequence of a decrease in subduction velocity, led to partial melting of the subducted slab and produced Early–Middle Miocene high-silica (dacitic) adakites. Oligocene to Miocene volcanic rocks do not conform to the Oligocene continental collisional model for the UDMA, rather they suggest a decrease in the subduction rate that prompted the asthenospheric mantle influx.     

Petrology,geochemistry and metamorphic evolution of Lancang Group in the Changning-Menglian complex belt and its implications on the tectonic evolution of the Paleo-TethysEI北大核心CSCD

Lancang Group within the Changning-Menglian complex belt in the Sanjiang area, Yunnan Province involves many kinds of meta-sediments, including staurolite-kyanite-bearing garnet-mica schist, garnet-mica schist, chloritoid-white mica schist and chlorite-glaucophane-albite schist. Detailed petrographic observation, mineral chemistry analysis and phase equilibrium modelling have shown that these meta-sediments preserve distinctly metamorphic evolutions. The staurolite-kyanite-bearing garnet-mica schist records the decompression and cooling histories related to retrograded metamorphic processes from middle-temperature eclogite facies to amphibolite facies with a peak mineral assemblage of garnet + kyanite + phengite + jadeite formed at the P-T condition of about 19 similar to 30kbar and 600 similar to 750 degrees C. For the garnet-mica schist, the peak metamorphic mineral association constrained by X-Prp and X-Grs in garnet, and Si content in phengite includes garnet + phengite + omphacite + lawsonite + paragonite and the related P-T condition is around 17 similar to 19. 5kbar and 430 similar to 475 degrees C . The chloritoid-white mica schist is characterized by the mineral assemblage of chloritoid + phengite + paragonite + chlorite whereas the peak mineral assemblage includes phengite + paragonite + carpholite. The peak P-T condition defined by Si content in phengite is limited in the range of 17 similar to 19kbar and 300 similar to 330 degrees C. Both garnet-mica schist and chloritoid-white mica schist consistently record heating and decompression processes from lawsonite-blueschist facies to epidote-blueschist facies. Metamorphic reactions and mineralogy of chlorite-glaucophane-albite schist roughly give the P-T condition of 9 similar to 11kbar and 430 similar to 520 degrees C. Studies on the geochemistry of Lancang Group reveal that these meta-sediments show the geochemistry affinity to the continental arc, active continental margin and upper crust sediments. The protoliths are mainly mud rock and sandstone with low maturity and a little of mafic-intermediate volcanic rock. The sediment sources are predominantly intermediate-acid magmatic rocks with old sedimentary contamination to different degree. Tectonic discrimination diagrams show that meta-sediments in the Lancang Group are mainly derived from the continental island arc or active continental margin tectonic setting. Combined with the metamorphism and geochemistry characteristics of these rocks in the Changning-Menglian complex belt, it is therefore inferred that the meta-sediments of Lancang Group display various metamorphic evolutions. Lancang Group are considered to have experienced multi-phase/stage and complex tectonic evolution histories.     

History of the geological evolution of the Tsil’ma River basin (midle Timan) in the Devonian

The results of bio- and lithostratigraphic studies of the Givetian-Frasnian rocks in the Tsil’ma River basin are reported. They suggest regularities in sedimentation: distinct rhythmicity and similar succession in the structure of formations. We have identified five palynocomplexes that characterize the formations and make it possible to accomplish a confident biostratigraphic subdivision of sections. Their correlation with coeval complexes in the adjacent areas has been accomplished. The results made it possible to unravel specific features of miospore assemblages formed in the continental and coastal-marine facies.     

Constraints on the paleogeographic evolution of the North China Craton during the Late Triassic–Jurassic

This paper reports U–Pb–Hf isotopes of detrital zircons from Late Triassic–Jurassic sediments in the Ordos, Ningwu, and Jiyuan basins in the western-central North China Craton (NCC), with the aim of constraining the paleogeographic evolution of the NCC during the Late Triassic–Jurassic. The early Late Triassic samples have three groups of detrital zircons (238–363 Ma, 1.5–2.1 Ga, and 2.2–2.6 Ga), while the latest Late Triassic and Jurassic samples contain four groups of detrital zircons (154–397 Ma, 414–511 Ma, 1.6–2.0 Ga, and 2.2–2.6 Ga). The Precambrian zircons in the Late Triassic–Jurassic samples were sourced from the basement rocks and pre-Late Triassic sediments in the NCC. But the initial source for the 238–363 Ma zircons in the early Late Triassic samples is the Yinshan–Yanshan Orogenic Belt (YYOB), consistent with their negative zircon ε_Hf(t) values (−24 to −2). For the latest Late Triassic and Jurassic samples, the initial source for the 414–511 Ma zircons with ε_Hf(t) values of −18 to +9 is the Northern Qinling Orogen (NQO), and that for the 154–397 Ma zircons with ε_Hf(t) values of −25 to +12 is the YYOB and the southeastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). In combination with previous data of late Paleozoic–Early Triassic sediments in the western-central NCC and Permian–Jurassic sediments in the eastern NCC, this study reveals two shifts in detrital source from the late Paleozoic to Jurassic. In the Late Permian–Early Triassic, the western-central NCC received detritus from the YYOB, southeastern CAOB and NQO. However, in the early Late Triassic, detritus from the CAOB and NQO were sparse in basins located in the western-central NCC, especially in the Yan’an area of the Ordos Basin. We interpret such a shift of detrital source as result of the uplift of the eastern NCC in the Late Triassic. In the latest Late Triassic–Jurassic, the southeastern CAOB and the NQO restarted to be source regions for basins in the western-central NCC, as well as for basins in the eastern NCC. The second shift in detrital source suggests elevation of the orogens surrounding the NCC and subsidence of the eastern NCC in the Jurassic, arguing against the presence of a paleo-plateau in the eastern NCC at that time. It would be subsidence rather than elevation of the eastern NCC in the Jurassic, due to roll-back of the subducted paleo-Pacific plate and consequent upwelling of asthenospheric mantle.     

Cenozoic paleo-environmental evolution of the Pamir–Tien Shan convergence zone

The retreat of the Tethys Sea and the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau play the critical roles in driving Asian climatic changes during the Cenozoic. In the Pamir–Tien Shan convergence zone, over 3000 m of Cenozoic successions, consisting of marine deposits in the lower, continental clay and fine sand in the middle, and molasse in the upper part, record the evolution of the Tethys Sea, the Asian aridification, and the deformation of the Pamir. In this work, the existing biostratigraphic subdivisions and new electronic spinning resonance dating results were used to assign ages to formations within the Ulugqat section. Sedimentary facies analysis and multi-proxy indices were used to reconstruct the paleo-environmental evolution. The results show: (1) the Pamir–Tien Shan convergence zone has undergone progressive environmental changes from shallow marine before ∼34 Ma to arid land at ∼23 Ma and finally to inter-mountain basin by ∼5.3 Ma; (2) the overall increase in mean size of grains, decrease in redness, in magnetic susceptibility, and in proportion of the ultrafine component of the sediments studied revealed a long-term strengthening in potential energy to transporting medium, cooling, and enhanced continental aridity, respectively; (3) the easternmost edge of the Tethys Sea prevailed in the western Tarim Basin from late Cretaceous to early Cenozoic, and finally retreated from this region around the Eocene–Oligocene transition, which in turn strengthened the Asian aridification; (4) accumulation of molasse with an upper age of ∼1 Ma suggests that the deformation front of the Pamir migrated to this area at or before that time.     

SPH study of the evolution of water–water interfaces in dam break flows

Natural Hazards - The mixing process of upstream and downstream waters in the dam break flow could generate significant ecological impact on the downstream reaches and influence the environmental...     

Generations of spreading basins and stages of breakdown of Wegener’s Pangea in the geodynamic evolution of the Arctic Ocean

Chronological succession in the formation of spreading basins is considered in the context of reconstruction of breakdown of Wegener’s Pangea and the development of the geodynamic system of the Arctic Ocean. This study made it possible to indentify three temporally and spatially isolated generations of spreading basins: Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous, Late Cretaceous-Early Cenozoic, and Cenozoic. The first generation is determined by the formation, evolution, and extinction of the spreading center in the Canada Basin as a tectonic element of the Amerasia Basin. The second generation is connected to the development of the Labrador-Baffin-Makarov spreading branch that ceased to function in the Eocene. The third generation pertains to the formation of the spreading system of interrelated ultraslow Mohna, Knipovich, and Gakkel mid-ocean ridges that has functioned until now in the Norwegian-Greenland and Eurasia basins. The interpretation of the available geological and geophysical data shows that after the formation of the Canada Basin, the Arctic region escaped the geodynamic influence of the Paleopacific, characterized by spreading, subduction, formation of backarc basins, collision-related processes, etc. The origination of the Makarov Basin marks the onset of the oceanic regime characteristic of the North Atlantic (intercontinental rifting, slow and ultraslow spreading, separation of continental blocks (microcontinents), extinction of spreading centers of primary basins, spreading jumps, formation of young spreading ridges and centers, etc., are typical) along with retention of northward propagation of spreading systems both from the Pacific and Atlantic sides. The aforesaid indicates that the Arctic Ocean is in fact a hybrid basin or, in other words, a composite heterogeneous ocean in respect to its architectonics. The Arctic Ocean was formed as a result of spatial juxtaposition of two geodynamic systems different in age and geodynamic style: the Paleopacific system of the Canada Basin that finished its evolution in the Late Cretaceous and the North Atlantic system of the Makarov and Eurasia basins that came to take the place of the Paleopacific system. In contrast to traditional views, it has been suggested that asymmetry of the northern Norwegian-Greenland Basin is explained by two-stage development of this Atlantic segment with formation of primary and secondary spreading centers. The secondary spreading center of the Knipovich Ridge started to evolve approximately at the Oligocene-Miocene transition. This process resulted in the breaking off of the Hovgard continental block from the Barents Sea margin. Thus, the breakdown of Wegener’s Pangea and its Laurasian fragments with the formation of young spreading basins was a staged process that developed nearly from opposite sides. Before the Late Cretaceous (the first stage), the Pangea broke down from the side of Paleopacific to form the Canada Basin, an element of the Amerasia Basin (first phase of ocean formation). Since the Late Cretaceous, destructive pulses came from the side of the North Atlantic and resulted in the separation of Greenland from North America and the development of the Labrador-Baffin-Makarov spreading system (second phase of ocean formation). The Cenozoic was marked by the development of the second spreading branch and the formation of the Norwegian-Greenland and Eurasia oceanic basins (third phase of ocean formation). Spreading centers of this branch are functioning currently but at an extremely low rate.     

Geology of the Chewore Inliers,Zimbabwe: constraining the Mesoproterozoic to Palæozoic evolution of the Zambezi Belt

Structural, metamorphic and geochronological studies of the Chewore Inliers of the Zambezi Belt within the Karoo age Zambezi Rift, allow recognition of a protracted multi-stage evolution, from the Mesoproterozoic to culminating in the Early. Palaeozoic Pan-African Orogeny. Tectono metamorphic events recognised in the Chewore Inliers occur throughout the Zambezi Belt and alternative models for the history of the Zambezi Belt are presented.Four terranes are recognised in the Chewore Inliers, and contacts between them are observed or inferred to be ductile thrusts, along which juxtaposition of the terranes occurred late in the Pan-African metamorphic cycle (M₂, at 526 Ma). The oldest portion of the inliers is a metamorphosed sequence of mafic and ultramafic gneisses with an age of 1393 Ma. These constitute what is tentatively called the Ophiolite Terrane, together with closely associated high-P/moderate T schists possibly represents a suture. The other three terranes (Granulite, Zambezi and Quartzite Terranes) experienced a common history of tectonothermal events but show variable degrees of reworking during the latest tectono metamorphic event (M₂). Concordant granitic orthogneisses were emplaced at 1087 Ma into supracrustal sequences. No Pan-African supracrustals are recognised in the Chewore Inliers, which are wholly basement gneisses and quartzites that have been reworked during successive orogenies including the Pan-African Orogeny.A high-T/low-P metamorphic event (M₁ of possibly 1068–1071 Ma age, with a minimum age of 943 Ma, was responsible for totally recrystallizing the Granulite Terrane during south to north tectonic transport. M₁ mineral parageneses are only preserved as inclusion phases and overgrown fabrics in the other terranes. These other terranes were pervasively recrystallised at high-P/moderate T conditions accompanying a clockwise P-T path related to northeast over southwest tectonic transport and crustal over-thickening during the Pan-African metamorphic cycle (M₂) at approximately 526 Ma. Reworking of the Granulite Terrane during M₂ was minor, leaving M₁ fabrics and mineral assemblages preserved with little recrystallization. M₂ orogenesis culminated in the juxtaposition of the terranes, rapid uplift through the thermal peak and eventual slow cooling accompanying a multitude of post-tectonic intrusions; pegmatites at 480 Ma, the Chewore Ultramafic Complex and dolerite dykes. The 830 Ma tectonothermal event involving pervasive syn-tectonic granitic orthogneisses in the south Zambezi Belt is not recognised in the Chewore Inliers, suggesting a localised, possibly extensional, regime restricted to the southern part of the Zambezi Belt at 830 Ma.     

The large-wavelength deformations of the lithosphere： materials for a history of the evolution of thought from the earliest times to plate tectonics

The notable authority on tectonics and the history of geosciences, Professor Celal Sengor from Istanbul, has produced another remarkable book-which, as he tells the reader, grew rapidly from an initial paper into a massive tome. Just as Georges Cuvier liked the idea of ‘bursting the limits of time‘, so Professor Sengor has again ‘burst the limits of a paper‘!