Quaternary palaeoceanographic changes in the northern South China Sea (ODP Site 1146): radiolarian evidence

The abundance and accumulation rates of siliceous microfossils in the northern South China Sea, including radiolarians, diatoms and sponge spicules, increased during most glacial intervals within the past 1100 kyr. Similar trends are observed in the index of thermocline surface radiolarians (TSR), diatom accumulation rates (DAR), charcoal accumulation rates (CAR) and the abundance of radiolarian species Cycladophora davisiana davisiana. Decreasing sea‐surface temperature accompanied by increased seasonality since 900 ka is indicated by a decline in the tropical radiolarian assemblage, including Tetrapyle octacantha and Octopyle stenozona, and by an increase in the subtropical assemblage, including Pterocorys zancleus, Peromelissa phalacra and Ommatartuts tetrathalamus tetrathalamus. Rapid increases at about 800 to 700 ka of siliceous microfossils, charcoal, subsurface and intermediate radiolarians, as well as the TSR index and the DAR, imply a fundamental shift in climate and a shoaling thermocline. Although these fundamental changes in the silicious fauna and flora of the South China Sea take place within the context of a developing 100‐kyr cycle, they do not change in step with changing sea‐level as indicated by marine δ¹⁸O. This is most clearly illustrated by the step‐like increase in silica accumulation (radiolaria, diatoms and sponge spicules) at 680 ka. Rather, these fundamental changes probably reflect intensified surface productivity associated with enhanced East Asian winter‐monsoon circulation. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mesozoic (Late Jurassic) palynomorphs and charcoal from a sandstone pebble from Quaternary glacial deposits of the North Sea

The palynological contents as well as macroscopic charcoal fragments from a calcareous sandstone pebble from Quaternary glacial deposits of the North Sea (80 km SW of the Dogger Bank) are described. The taxonomic composition of the palynoflora points to a Late Jurassic (or Late Jurassic/Early Cretaceous) age of the sandstone. The charcoal is interpreted as direct evidence of palaeo‐wildfire occurring during this period in the source area of the sediments of this particular sandstone. This finding, together with already published data on Mesozoic deposits, allows to conclude that wildfires were obviously widespread during this period in the area of the modern day North Sea and adjacent areas. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Petrological and geochemical characteristics of Plio-Pleistocene Volcanics from Ponza Island (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy)

Summary Volcanic rocks on Ponza Island (Tyrrhenian Sea, central Italy) consist of Pliocene submarine rhyolites and Pleistocene subaerial trachyte and comendite lavas. Chemical variations and the homogeneous Sr and Nd isotopic signatures within the analyzed Pliocene rocks are ascribed to crystal fractionation. The absolute isotopic values, however, indicate the important role of a crustal component in the origin of these magmas. The very high-silica rocks were probably derived from a superimposed mechanism which may have been connected to the ascent of hydrothermal magmatic fluids. Compositional and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr variations at constant ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd values in the Pleistocene rocks are likely due to fractionation of the observed phenocryst assemblage, possibly coupled with minor crustal interaction. These processes, however, cannot account for the extreme enrichment of many incompatible trace elements in the comendites. Some evidence suggests the influence of a halogen- and/or CO₂-rich volatile phase. Received February 17, 2000; revised version accepted November 29, 2000     

Provenance and depositional environments of Quaternary sediments from the western North Sea Basin

As the majority of the data on Quaternary sediments from the North Sea Basin are seismostratigraphical, we analysed the Elsterian Swarte Bank Formation, the Late Saalian Fisher Formation and the Late Weichselian (Dimlington Stadial) Bolders Bank Formation in order to determine genesis and provenance. The Swarte Bank Formation is a subglacial till containing palynomorphs from the Moray Forth and the northeastern North Sea, and metamorphic heavy minerals from the Scottish Highlands. The Fisher Formation was sampled from the northern and central North Sea. In the north, it is interpreted as a subglacial till, with glaciomarine sediments cropping out further south. These sediments exhibit a provenance signature consistent with the Midland Valley of Scotland, the Eocene of the North Sea Basin, the Grampian Highlands and northeast Scotland. The Bolders Bank Formation is a subglacial till containing palynomorphs from the Midland Valley of Scotland, northern Britain, and a metamorphic heavy‐mineral suite indicative of the Grampian Highlands, Southern Uplands and northeast Scotland. These data demonstrate that there was repeated glaciation of the North Sea Basin during the Middle and Late Pleistocene, with ice sheets originating in northern Scotland. There was no evidence for a Scandinavian ice sheet in the western North Sea basin. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fossil oribatid mites (Acari, Oribatida) from the Florisbad Quaternary deposits, South Africa

In a pioneer application of acarology to Quaternary fossil-bearing sediments in southern Africa, the oribatid composition in the Florisbad Quaternary sediments was determined and compared to the currently known distribution of those species. Nine species of oribatid mites were recorded in the Holocene aeolian deposits of the third test pit, three species from the Middle Stone Age (MSA) horizon sediments of the third test pit, and thirteen species from the Holocene spring sediments. The Florisbad results indicate a better agreement between the oribatid fauna of the last interglacial MSA horizon of the third test pit and the organic-rich mid-Holocene deposits near the spring than between either of these and early- and late-Holocene aeolian sediments of the third test pit, suggesting some similarity in microsedimentary environments. The majority of the species recorded in the sediments are parthenogenetic and can be regarded as pioneer species.     

Provenance and accumulation rates of Pliocene and Quaternary sediments from the western Coral Sea

Seven sediment cores were investigated from areas in the western Coral Sea where a thin sediment cover above acoustic basement, or above marked unconformities, was visible in reflection seismic records, implying low accumulation rates. Consequently in five of the cores Pliocene strata were reached in less than 4 meters depth subbottom. The remaining cores reached Pleistocene strata at similar shallow depths.Cores from the Queensland Plateau and the Coral Sea Abyssal Plain are composed of mainly calcareous nannofossil and foraminiferal oozes, indicating a calcareous biological primary production in the western Coral Sea at least since the Pliocene. The younger Quaternary sections of two cores from the northeastern slope of the Queensland Plateau show a high abundance of siliceous microfossils resulting from the influence of silica-rich seawater of the eastern Coral Sea.Sediments cored in the Moresby Canyon are terrigenous muds. The carbonate content of the Quaternary sediments depends strongly on the waterdepth and on the input of terrigenous material. The Quaternary calcium carbonate compensation depth of the western Coral Sea was estimated to be at 4600 m, which is close to that of the equatorial Pacific Ocean.The sediments from the Moresby Canyon, the Coral Sea Abyssal Plain, and the northeastern slope of the Queensland Plateau have received their terrigenous components, mainly quartz, feldspar, chlorite and muscovite-illite from mainland New Guinea.The western slope of the Queensland Plateau and the western Coral Sea Abyssal Plain very likely have received terrigenous components also from mainland Australia as indicated by admixed kaolinite.The frequent fine-grained volcanic glass in the sediments probably was provided by drift-pumice rafts, which derived from volcanic eruptions in the southwestern Pacific region.

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Zusammenfassung Sieben Sedimentkerne wurden von Gebieten in der westlichen Korallensee untersucht, in denen in reflexionsseismischen Aufzeichnungen eine geringmächtige Sedimentauflage über dem akustischen Grundgebirge (Basement) oder über deutlichen Diskordanzen sichtbar waren, was auf niedrige Akkumulationsraten hinweist. Konsequenterweise wurden in fünf Kernen pliozäne Schichten in weniger als 4 m Tiefe unter dem Meeresboden erreicht. Die übrigen Kerne erreichten pleistozäne Schichten in ähnlich geringer Tiefe.Kerne vom Queensland-Plateau und von der Korallensee-Tiefsee-Ebene bestehen überwiegend aus kalkigen Nannofossil- und Foraminiferenschlämmen und zeigen eine kalkige biologische Primärproduktion in der westlichen Korallensee mindestens seit dem Pliozän an. Die jüngeren quartären Sektionen von zwei Kernen vom nordöstlichen Hang des Queensland-Plateaus zeigen eine hohe Häufigkeit von kieseligen Mikrofossilien, die von einem Einfluß kieselsäurehaltigen Meerwassers in der östlichen Korallensee zeugen.Sedimente, die im Moresby-Cañon gekernt wurden, bestehen aus terrigenem Schlamm. Der Kalzium-Karbonatgehalt der quartären Sedimente hängt stark von den Wassertiefen und dem Anteil an terrigenem Material ab. Die quartäre Kalziumkarbonatkompensationstiefe der westlichen Korallensee wird auf 4600 m geschätzt und entspricht damit der für den äquatorialen Pazifischen Ozean.Die Sedimente vom Moresby-Cañon, der Korallensee-Tiefsee-Ebene und vom nordöstlichen Hang des Queensland-Plateaus haben ihre terrigenen Komponenten, in der Hauptsache Quarz, Feldspat, Chlorit und Muskovit-Illit, von Neu-Guinea erhalten.Der westliche Hang des Queensland-Plateaus und die westliche Korallensee-Tiefsee-Ebene haben sehr wahrscheinlich auch von Australien terrigene Komponenten erhalten, wie aus beigemischtem Kaolinit erkennbar ist.Das häufig auftretende feinkörnige vulkanische Glas in den Sedimentenkernen ist wahrscheinlich aus »Bimsstein-Flößen« hervorgegangen, welche von vulkanischen Eruptionen in der Südwestpazifik-Region stammen.

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Résumé Sept carottes de sédiments ont été étudiées, qui proviennent de divers endroits de la Mer de Corail occidentale; dans cette mer la sismique-réflexion montre qu'une mince couche de sédiments recouvre un socle «acoustique» ou une discordance, ce qui implique un taux d'accumulation réduit. En conséquence, dans cinq forages les couches pliocènes furent atteintes à moins de 4m sous le fond de la mer; les deux autres forages ont atteint les couches pléistocènes à une profondeur aussi faible.Les carottes du Plateau du Queensland et de la plaine abyssale de la Mer de Corail sont constituées principalement de boues à nannofossiles calcaires et à foraminifères, ce qui indique une production primaire de calcaire biologique dans la Mer de Corail occidentale, au moins depuis le Pliocène. Les sections quaternaires, plus jeunes, de deux carottes prélevées sur le versant nord-est du Plateau du Queensland montrent une grande quantité de microfossiles siliceux, qui témoignent de l'influence d'eaux de mer riches en silice dans la Mer de Corail orientale.Les sédiments carottés dans le Cañon de Moresby sont des boues terrigènes. Le contenu en carbonate des sédiments quaternaires dépend étroitement de la profondeur de la mer et de l'apport terrigène. La profondeur de compensation des carbonates au Quaternaire dans la Mer de Corail occidentale a été estimée à 4.600m, valeur proche de celle de l'Océan Pacifique.Les sédiments du Cañon de Moresby, de la plaine abyssale de la Mer de Corail et du versant nord-est du Plateau du Queensland ont reçu leurs composants terrigènes (principalement: quartz, feldspath, chlorite et muscovite-illite) de Nouvelle Guinée).Le versant ouest du Plateau du Queensland et la partie occidentale de la plaine abyssale de la Mer de Corail ont très probablement reçu aussi des composants terrigènes venant d'Australie, comme l'indique la présence de de kaolinite.Les petits fragments de verre volcanique, fréquents dans les sédiments, ont probablement été amenés par la dérive de «radeaux de ponces» provenant d'éruptions volcaniques dans le Pacifique sud-occidental.

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Upper cretaceous (Senonian) bathyal pelagic sediments with Globotruncana from the Solomon Islands

Extremely fine‐grained pelagic oozes overlie basal basaltic lavas on Malaita Island, on the Pacific flank of the Solomon Islands group. These sediments contain up to 20% planktonic (but not benthonic) Foraminifera, but have less than 5% acid‐insoluble clay and little or no terrigenous material. They are associated with radiolarian chert and with finely disseminated marine manganese. The Foraminifera include several species of Globotruncana, referred to G. arca, G. havanensis, G. lapparenti and G. tricarinata. The sediments accumulated in a low‐energy, deep‐water environment (exceeding 1,000 m.) during Late Cretaceous (Senonian) time, probably in the late Senonian. These sediments are the oldest in the Solomon group and older than any so far found in the outer part of the Melanesian re‐entrant. Their age supports the idea that the Solomon Islands began their geological history in the Cretaceous.     

Ferromanganese oxide deposits from the Central Pacific Ocean,II. Nodules and associated sediments

Bulk chemical, mineralogical and selective leach analyses have been made on a suite of abyssal ferromanganese nodules and associated sediments from the S.W. equatorial Pacific Ocean. Compositional relations between nodules, sediment oxyhydroxides and nearby ferromanganese encrustations are drawn assuming that the crusts represent purely hydrogenetic ferromanganese material. Crusts, δMnO₂-rich nodules and sediment oxyhydroxides are compositionally similar and distinct from diagenetic todorokitebearing nodules. Compared to Fe-Mn crusts, sediment oxyhydroxides are however slightly enriched, relative to Mn and Ni, in Fe, Cu, Zn, Ti and Al, and depleted in Co and Pb, reflecting processes of non-hydrogenous element supply and diagenesis. δMnO₂ nodules exhibit compositions intermediate between Fe-Mn crusts and sediment oxyhydroxides and thus are considered to accrete oxides from both the water column and associated sediments.Deep ocean vertical element fluxes associated with large organic aggregates, biogenic calcite, silica and soft parts have been calculated for the study area. Fluxes associated with organic aggregates are one to three orders of magnitude greater than those associated with the other phases considered, are in good agreement with element accumulation rates in sediments, and are up to four orders of magnitude greater than element accumulation rates in nodules. Metal release from labile biogenic material in surface sediments can qualitatively explain the differences between the composition of Fe-Mn crusts and sediment oxyhydroxides.Todorokite-rich diagenetic nodules are confined to an eastwards widening equatorial wedge. It is proposed that todorokite precipitates directly from interstitial waters. Since the transition metal chemistry of interstitial waters is controlled dominantly by reactions involving the breakdown of organic carbon, the supply and degradation rate of organic material is a critical factor in the formation of diagenetic nodules. The wide range of (trace metal/Mn) ratios observed in marine todorokite reflects a balance between the release of trace metals from labile biogenic phases and the reductive remobilisation of Mn oxide, both of which are related to the breakdown of organic carbon.     

Composition and origin of clay minerals in Holocene sediments from the south-eastern North Sea

The distribution of clay minerals varies systematically in sediments from Holocene core material taken along a profile from the East Frisian coast to the Doggerbank. The proportion of illite increases with distance from the coast at the expense of kaolinite, whereas slight variations are seen in smectite and chlorite abundances. The chemical composition changes, and the K/Rb ratio and K-Ar isotopic age of illite increase seawards. This trend results from progressive mixing processes of riverine detritus with Pleistocene fluvioglacial material reworked during the Holocene transgression. However, the clay fluvial flux only became dominant during the decreasing rate of sea-level rise in the Late Holocene, especially near the shore. For example, modern sediments in tidal flats contain 75% of river-borne Holocene-supplied clay detritus, whereas this amount is only 10% in modern marine sediments at the Doggerbank.     

The chemistry and mineralogy of the clay fraction of sediments from the southern Barents Sea

The separated clay fraction (material <μ) of surface and sub-surface sediment samples from the southwestern Barents Sea is described. The partitioning of the major and minor elements within the different grain-size fractions of the sediment and between detrital and non-detrital phases demonstrates that the clay chemistry of these oxic shelf sediments is terrigenous in origin.The clays are a variable mixture of micaceous debris and illite with chloritic material, minor expandable clay and occasional kaolinite. Carbonate debris and amphibole occur locally. The semi-quantitative analysis suggests the existence of a considerable variation in the relative content of the principal mineralogical components and this is confirmed by the investigation of the major and minor elements. The terrigenous chemistry provides a more sensitive index of clay variability and allows the recognition of three distinct petrographic provinces.     

Tectono-stratigraphic modelling of the North Sicily continental margin (southern Tyrrhenian Sea)

A two-dimensional numerical modelling that simulate the kinematic and thermal response of the lithosphere to thinning was used for the quantitative reconstruction of the late Neogene to Recent times tectonic and stratigraphic evolution of the North Sicily continental margin (southern Tyrrhenian Sea). The numerical study of the evolution of the North Sicily margin builds on the crustal image and kinematic interpretation of the margin obtained by Pepe et al. [Tectonics 19 (2000) 241] on the basis of seismic data and gravity modelling. Tectonic modeling indicate that different segments of the margin were undergoing different vertical movements, which are mainly expression of the rifting and thinning of the lithosphere occurred during tectonic evolution of the southern Tyrrhenian Sea. A prediction of the pre-rift basement topography and the Moho along the margin converges to a value of 6.5 km for the depth of necking and a temperature-dependent EET (500° isotherm). The model fails to reproduce the morphology of the Solunto High confirming its non-extensional origin. A polyphase evolution is required to reproduce the observed syn- and post-rift stratigraphy. During the first rifting stage (between 9 and 5 Ma), crustal thinning factors reach maximum values of 1.27 in the Cefalù basin. A similar value is predicted for the subcrustal thinning around 60 km NNE of the profile margin. Crustal thinning factors increase during the second rifting stage (from 4 to 2 Ma) and reach values of 2 and up to 3.5 in the Cefalù basin and in the continent–oceanic transition zone, respectively. Similarly, subcrustal lithospheric thinning factors reach values up to 2.5 in the distal sector of the margin. An uplift of more than 100 m is predicted for the North Sicily shelf and surrounding onshore areas during the post-rift stage. The evolution of thermal structure with time is very sensitive to the partial thinning factors describing the evolution of the thinning itself during time. The lithosphere preserved part of its strength during extension. The effective elastic thickness (EET) along the margin through time is 24 km at the onset of rifting and reaches values less to 8 km during the second rifting stage in the northeastern end of the margin.     

Foraminiferal stratigraphy of Quaternary deposits in the Roar, Skjold and Dan fields, central North Sea

Foraminifera from four boreholes through Quaternary deposits at Roar, Skjold and Dan in the central North Sea have been examined. Shallow marine Eemian deposits were represented over the whole area, and at Roar marine deposits from an older glacial period were found below the Eemian. A glaciolacustrinc sequence occurred above the Eemian in all the boreholes, and at Roar this unit was succeeded by marine sediments containing arctic to boreo-arctic foraminiferal faunas. Both the non-marine and overlying marine units are referred to the Weichselian. Marine Flandrian deposits occur in the upper part of the borings and the faunal succession through this sequence is described.     

Sedimentology and paleohydrology of Late Quaternary lake deposits in the northern Namib Sand Sea, Namibia

The Namib Sand Sea is the largest active desert dunefield in southern Africa, and is comprised mainly of large north-south linear dunes. In the interdune areas of the northern Sand Sea eleven small areas of calcareous lacustrine sediment have been studied. These beds are typically less than a metre thick and are dominantly comprised of calcareous sandstones to mudstones and sandy limestones. The carbonates are mainly magnesian calcites (1–14% MgCO₃) with some protodolomite and aragonite. Calcified reed casts and fresh to brackish water gastropods, diatoms, and ostracods are present in some beds. δ¹⁸O values indicate a hot and dry climate. A number of enriched δ¹³C values may reflect high salinity, low organic populations, or carbonate recrystallization.These carbonate-rich lacustrine deposits are indicative of increased periods of moisture availability in this normally hyperarid region during the Late Quaternary. The origin of the water responsible for depositing these sediments may be: (1) ponding at the end point of the Tsondab River, which at one time extended farther west into the Sand Sea; (2) flooding into interdune corridors when water levels rose in rivers such as the Kuiseb; (3) groundwater seepage into depressions either through dunes that border rivers or from the underlying Tsondab Sandstone; and (4) increased rainfall. We do not believe that there is evidence to support a major increase in precipitation over the region. However, even a small increase in precipitation in the headwaters of valleys that drain toward the Sand Sea might: (1) generate enough additional runoff to extend the terminal point of rivers such as the Tsondab farther into the dunes; (2) cause lateral flooding from major valleys into interdune corridors; and (3) recharge aquifers. The sedimentary records at Narabeb, Ancient Tracks, and West Pan, which lie along the old course of the Tsondab River, favor a ponded river origin for them, whereas groundwater seepage is favored at other sites. The chronology of deposition, based on radiocarbon dates, suggests that ponding and recharge occurred earlier in the lower, western part of the area, and later in the east. This is in harmony with the view that the end point of the Tsondab River progressively retreated eastward between about 30 and 14 ka BP, as dunes blocked its route.     

Late Tertiary–Quaternary tectonics of the Southern Apennines (Italy): New evidences from the Tyrrhenian slope

This paper summarises the results of combined structural and geomorphological investigations we carried out in two key areas, in order to obtain new data on the structure and evolution of the Tyrrhenian slope of the southern Apennines. Analysis by a stress inversion method [Angelier, J., 1994. Fault slip analysis and paleostress reconstruction. In: Continental Deformation. P.L. Hancock Ed., Pergamon Press, Oxford, 53–100] of fault slip data from Mesozoic to Quaternary formations allowed the reconstruction of states of stress at different time intervals. By integrating these data with those deriving from the stratigraphic and morphotectonic records, chronology and timing of the sequence of the deformation events was obtained.The tectonic history of the region can be related to four deformation events. Structures related to the first event, that was dominated by a strike-slip regime with a NW–SE oriented σ1 and was active since Mid–Late Miocene, do not significantly affect the present day landscape, as they were strongly displaced and overprinted by subsequent deformation events and/or deleted by erosion. The second and third events, that may be considered as the main responsible for the morphostructural signature of the region, are comparable with the stretching phases recognised offshore and considered to be responsible for the opening and widening of the Tyrrhenian basin. In particular, the second event (with an E–W oriented σ3), took place in the Late Miocene/earliest Pliocene and was first dominated by a strike-slip regime, that was also responsible for thrusting and folding. Since Late Pliocene, it was dominated by an extensional regime that created large vertical offsets along N–S to NW–SE trending faults. The third event, that was dominated by extension with a NW–SE oriented σ3, started in the Early Pleistocene and was responsible for formation of the horst-and-graben structure with NE–SW trend that characterises the Tyrrhenian margin of the southern Apennines. The fourth deformation event, which is characterised by an extensional regime with a NE–SW trending σ3, started in the late Middle Pleistocene and is currently active.     

Biodegradation of clay minerals: laboratory experiments and results from Wadden Sea tidal flat sediments

Laboratory experiments indicate that clay particles of the <2-üm fraction can be considerably degraded by the bivalve Mytilus edulis: dickite, kaolinite, smectite, chlorite and illite particles are partially dissolved and rounded by the digestive processes. Structural changes and a decrease in crystallinity of kaolinites, dickites and illites are striking. Investigations of clay minerals from tidal flat sediments highly populated by marine invertebrates, from marine suspensions and samples from profiles across Mytilis edulis beds on the North Sea coast of Germany show, however, that these materials have a uniform mineral composition. This uniformity of clay mineralogy can be explained by the hydrodynamic conditions in the nearshore area, where tidal currents and waves cause a periodic resuspension and transport of sediments introduced into the Wadden Sea from different sources (glacial, fluviatile). Processes of bioturbation also redistribute the sedimentary material. These mixing processes effectively erase any evidence of local enrichment of the biogenically degraded clays. However, the disordered clays should react more sensitively (i.e. have higher adsorption capacities for organic substances, hydroxides and metals) in sediments than untreated materials, so that biodegradation is of basic importance for clay diagenesis. During these processes, Pb, V, Ni and Fe are dissolved from the digested particles.     

The magnetic properties of Quaternary and Tertiary sediments in the southern North Sea

Cores from boreholes penetrating late Quaternary, glacial, interglacial and postglacial sediments and the underlying late Cenozoic delta complex of the southern North Sea have been examined for their magnetic properties. A magnetic polarity stratigraphy has been established as an aid to biostratigraphic dating of the sediments; the Kaena-Gauss and Gauss—Matuyama transitions and the base and top of the Olduvai subchron have been identified. The strength and stability of laboratory-induced isothermal remanent magnetisation display clear magneto-petrological variations, which match lithostratigraphic changes in the cores. Principal component analysis has picked out a basin-wide and palaeoenvironmental consistency in the magnetic data. Large, multi-domain magnetite grains predominate in the post-deltaic and fluvio-deltaic sediments, whereas smaller greigite or titanomagnetite grains are concentrated in the intertidal and marine deltaic facies. Since heavy mineral analysis indicates that most of the deltaic detritus derived from common source areas, the differences in magnetic mineralogy have probably been caused by the sediment transport processes operating within the delta complex.     

Quaternary glaciomarine deposits and foraminifera from Edgeøya, Svalbard

Late Quaternary marine deposits from Edgeoya (eastern part of the Svalbard archipelago) were analysed lithologically and micropalaeontologically. The studied sections show coarsening upward developments which reflect shallowing of the depositional area connected to Holocene land uplift. Four foraminiferal assemblages are recognized and are referred to successively decreasing water depths. The oldest assemblage is dominated by Elphidum excavatum and was formed under high glacial influence at a depth of c. 75 m in late Younger Dryas time. The youngest assemblage is dominated by Elphidium frigidum and reflects Holocene shallow water to beach conditions. Transverse ridges (mostly of cross bedded gravel) occurring in the outer parts of the valleys are interpreted as submarine ice front deltas accumulated during a period with permanent position of the glacier fronts. This stop in glacial retreat, called the Visdalen event, is referred to early Preboreal time.     

Chalcedonic quartz and occurrence of quartzine (length-slow chalcedony) in pelagic sediments

ABSTRACT Chalcedony is the most abundant form of quartz in silicified pelagic sediments from the North Pacific. Varieties of chalcedonic quartz present in chert of deep-sea origin include chalcedony (length-fast and zebraic), quartzine (length-slow), and lutecite.
These occurrences of quartzine in known pelagic sediments emphasize the dangers of using quartzine as an indicator of former evaporitic environments. Quartzine is a diagenetic mineral and does indicate pore fluids rich in sulphate and magnesium. In pelagic sediments, it is always associated with authigenic barite and in many cases with authigenic dolomite. Quartzine should not be used, by itself, as an indicator of any particular environment of deposition.     

Evolution and genesis of calc-alkaline magmas at Filicudi Volcano,Aeolian Arc (Southern Tyrrhenian Sea,Italy)

Petrological, trace element and Sr, Nd, Pb isotopic data are reported for volcanic rocks from the island of Filicudi, Aeolian Arc, Southern Tyrrhenian Sea. The volcano consists of several monogenic and polygenic centres built up through four major phases of explosive and effusive activity started before 1 Ma. Rock composition ranges from calc-alkaline basalts to high-K andesites. There is a negative correlation between silica and MgO, CaO, TiO₂, FeO_total, and a positive trend for K₂O, Na₂O and P₂O₅. LILE and HFSE increase with silica, whereas ferromagnesian trace elements have an opposite tendency. Incompatible elements, such as Zr, Ba, Rb, La, display well-defined positive correlations on elemental variation diagrams; weak correlations are shown by the other incompatible elements; Sr and compatible elements define negative, roughly curvilinear trends with incompatible elements. ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr is poorly but significantly variable (0.704016–0.704740) and shows overall higher values in the mafic than in the sialic rocks. Nd isotope ratios range from 0.512670 to 0.512760 and are negatively correlated with ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr. Pb isotope ratios cluster around ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb=19.31–19.67, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb=15.64–15.69, ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb=39.11–39.47.Major, trace element and isotopic variations reveal complex, multistage polybaric evolutionary processes for the Filicudi magmas. It is clear that crystal-liquid fractionation processes determined many of the petrologic and geochemical characteristics of these magmas. However, elemental variations when coupled with isotopic variations (in particular Sr isotopes) demonstrate that mixing processes and interaction of the magmas with older crustal material also played an important role.When compared with other Aeolian arc volcanoes, Filicudi shows petrological and geochemical characteristics similar to those of the nearby islands of Salina and Alicudi. The three islands consist of calc-alkaline rocks, but the degree of magma evolution increases going from the Alicudi to Salina. These variations are likely related to the plumbing system of the three volcanoes. However, trace element and isotopic evidence also suggests significant variations of primary magmas, which reveal a zoned source which suffered different types of metasomatism.