Present limitations of accurate satellite Doppler positioning for tectonics. An example: Djibouti

One of the possibilities of the Doppler positioning from satellite is to provide geodetic measurements continuous in time without the need for reference stations. If measurements of sufficient accuracy can be achieved they may be used to study local surface displacements in relation to tectonic activity. A Doppler receiver of the MEDOC network is located near Djibouti in the Ghoubhat-Asal rift region which corresponds to the accreting plate boundary between the Arabian and African plates. In November 1978, a seismic and volcanic crisis occured in this area. Surface geodetic measurements and levellings performed in 1973 and 1978–79, just after the crisis, reveal a 60–80 cm sinking of the graben floor and a lateral extension of about 2 meters. Here we analyse Doppler measurements for the period January 1977 to November 1980. Point positions are computed for 7 to 10 day intervals using a precise ephemeris, and a moving window analysis is applied to the data. An apparent 2 meter uplift preceding the November 1978 seismic crisis is detected at Djibouti, whereas no similar phenomenon is observed at the two closest stations, Pretoria and Uccle-Brussels. However, field observations rule out a tectonic origin for this uplift. In Djibouti, the correlation between the apparent vertical station position and the electron density in the ionospheric F-layer reveals that a bias may be induced by the third order term of the ionospheric refractive index not previously taken into account, or more probably by the ray curvature through the ionosphere. This bias is particularly strong for our data set, from a station located close to the magnetic equator, and related to a period of rapid increase in the solar activity. Although our analysis fails to detect any tectonic displacement related to the rift seismic activity, it shows that similar tectonic studies by the Doppler method will be possible once the residual ionospheric errors are removed, for example by use of higher radio frequencies.     

Carbohydrates in recent marine sediments—II. Occurrence and fate of carbohydrates in a recent stromatolitic deposit: Solar Lake,Sinai

In a study on the diagenesis of carbohydrates in a recent stromatolitic deposit (Solar Lake, Sinai) monosaccharides are quantitated after mild acid hydrolysis and gas chromatographic analysis as alditol acetates. From the depth profiles of the individual monosaccharides relative to the total organic carbon three categories of carbohydrates can be distinguished. The behaviour of the various categories upon burial is discussed in terms of their potential to become a part of the organic matter that survives geological periods. The distribution patterns of especially the mono-O-methyl monosaccharides at various depths are characteristics for the bacterial communities present in the corresponding parts of the sediment column.     

Lower Cretaceous turbiditic sediments from the Rif chain (Northern Marocco) — palynology,stratigraphy and palaeogeographic setting

The paper describes the palynology, stratigraphy, sedimentology and palaeogeographic setting of Lower Cretaceous turbiditic and terrigenous deep-sea sediments at the Tethyan margins of Africa and Alboran (External Domain of the Rif, and Flysch Nappes). During the Early Cretaceous terrigenous turbiditic deep-water sedimentation characterizes two different palaeogeographic domains in the southern part of the western Tethys:

In the northern area of the External Domain (Ketama Unit of the Rif) alternating turbiditic arenites and pelites are interpreted as sediments of a distal part of a fan system on the Tethyan margin of Africa. The main sources for the terrigenous material were situated in Central and Western Algeria; only little sand transited through the Prerif and the Mesorif zones of Morocco. The terrigenous sedimentation began in the Hauterivian, but the main turbiditic cycles are of Aptian to Lower and Middle Albian age.

The Flysch Domain probably was situated far to the Northeast with respect to the Rif basin, at the western and southern margins of the Alboran microplate. Relatively proximal turbidites form most of the Tisirène Nappe, whereas more distal turbidites constitute the series of the Melloussa and the Chouamat Nappes. The existence of two different source areas is demonstrated, one to the NE and the other to the NW of the depositional area. The turbidites probably were deposited on a E-W oriented fan system which progradated into a longitudinal trench-like trough. In the Central Rif area, the Tisirène Flysch is of Valanginian to Albian (pre-Vraconian) age. In the Western Rif and in the Melloussa and Chouamat Nappes of the whole area no sediments older than Aptian have been found.

The stratigraphy of the investigated series is based on a new tentative palynostratigraphic zonation, using pollen, spores and dinoflagellate cysts. Rich and well preserved assemblages have been found in the Western Rif only, whereas the samples of the Tisirène Nappe and the Chouamat Nappe in the Central and Eastern Rif have been affected by some thermal alteration. Black and mostly opaque palynomorphs from the Ketama Unit reflect the strong thermal influence in the External Domain of the Central and Eastern Rif.     

Belowground productivity of roots and rhizomes in a giant cordgrass marsh

Belowground production of roots and rhizomes in the top 20 cm of soil was 2.2 kg m^?2 yr^?1 based on a maximum minus minimum estimation procedure in a giant cordgrass (Spartina cynosuroides (L.) Roth) marsh in Mississippi. Approximately 1.9 kg m^?2 (86%) of this production occurred in late spring-summer and 0.3 kg m^?2 in late fall. This estimate ignores any production below 20 cm depth and is thus an underestimate. Production values increased to 4.0 kg m^?2 yr^?1 using Smalley’s technique and accounting for decomposition. Aboveground tissues (leaves and stems) were depleted in nitrogen in July which corresponded to peaks in both above- and belowground biomass. The low root/shoot ratio (2.6) on this marsh does not suggest that growth is nutrient limited. Indeed, total productivity (above- and belowground) for this marsh was high (between 4.4 and 6.2 kg m^?2 yr^?1).     

Zirconolite,allanite and hoegbomite in a marble skarn from the Bergell contact aureole: implications for mobility of Ti,Zr and REE

Zirconolite, allanite and hoegbomite are present as accessory phases in a metasomatically altered spinel-calcite-marble from the contact with the Bergell intrusives (Switzerland/Italy). Textural relationships indicate a step-wise alteration of spinel to 1) hoegbomite or corundum + magnetite, 2) margarite and 3) chlorite. Replacement of spinel by hoegbomite can be described by the substitution 1.94(Mg²⁺, Fe²⁺, Zn²⁺, Mn²⁺, Ca²⁺)Ti⁴⁺ +0.12(OH^–) where Al³⁺ and Fe³⁺ are held constant. The average composition of the Bergell hoegbomites is given by the formula Fe _0.97 ²⁺ Mg_0.69Zn_0.04Ti_0.17Al_3.94Fe _0.06 ³⁺ O_7.98(OH)_0.02 and seems to be imposed by the composition of pre-existing spinel. During the first two steps of spinel alteration, calcite was replaced by anorthite+phlogopite, and the rare earth element(REE)-bearing minerals zirconolite, allanite and sphene were formed. Allanites have characteristic chondrite-normalized REE patterns with enrichment in the light REE. The zirconolite patterns show a marked increase in concentration from La to Ce, followed by an almost constant section. Sphene lacks detectable La, and its REE patterns vary from grain to grain. Contemporaneous formation of phlogopite, REE-bearing minerals and hoegbomite during replacement of the spinel-calcite-marble indicates that the metamorphic fluid introduced potassium along with REE and other high valence cations (Ti⁴⁺, Zr⁴⁺, U⁴⁺, Th^4A3804265, Nb^5A3804265, Y^3A3804265) possibly as polynuclear complexes. The abundance of fluorine-bearing phlogopite and fluor-apatite as well as their close association with REE-bearing minerals and hoegbomite suggests F^– and PO ₄ ^3– as likely ligands for complexing of the above mentioned elements.     

Variations of solar EUV,UV and ionospheric foF2 related to the solar rotation period

Spectral analysis of daily values of various solar indices viz. sunspot number, 10.7-cm flux, H Lyman-<alpha> and -<beta>, specific He, Fe and Mg lines and solar X-rays was carried out for two selected intervals. During interval A (May-August 1978, 123 days) the solar indices showed a prominent periodicity near 27 days, while during interval B (January-May 1979, 151 days) the solar indices showed a prominent periodicity near 13 days. For the same intervals, foF2 (max) and foF2 (average) during 1000–1500 LT were similarly analysed for the locations Cachoeira Paulista, SP, Brazil (23○S, 45○W), and Okinawa (26○N, 128○E) and Kokubunji (36○N, 139○E) in Japan. The 27-day and 13-day periodicities in solar indices were reflected in the foF2 series, but in different relative proportions at the three locations, probably due to the interference of local aerodynamical effects. Some other periodicities were common to solar indices and foF2, while some others were present in the solar indices but not in foF2, or vice versa.     

Seasonal expansion and contraction of stream networks in shallow groundwater systems

Surface water and groundwater are normally closely connected in areas with shallow aquifer systems. Stream systems can thus be considered as the outcrops of associated groundwater flows in areas with a shallow groundwater table and a previous subsurface. This situation prevails in sandy lowland areas where almost all rainfall percolates into the subsurface so that the surplus over evapotranspiration becomes part of a groundwater drainage system before it reappears at the surface in a stream. The stream network, being the interface with the groundwater system, must have the capacity to release the seasonally dependent precipitation surplus through the continuum of ground and surface waters. A river network therefore consists of a hierarchical system of different order and incision depth, of which the discharge-contributing component contracts and expands with the seasonal fluctuation in recharge and water table depth.

Coupling the mathematical expressions for groundwater drainage and stream flow enables development of a conjunctive model which relates the properties of a seasonally contracting and expanding stream network and related groundwater level fluctuation to the seasonal rainfall character for given geological and geomorphological conditions. This model further allows for assessment of drainage network response to a changing environment.     

A study of objective methods for water mass analysis,applied to the Iceland Basin

Ocean Dynamics - Cluster analysis and principal component analysis have been applied to multi-parameter hydrographic data from the Iceland Basin. The results indicate that both objective methods...     

Shallow seismicity at Montagne Pelée volcano,Martinique, Lesser Antilles

Continuous seismic monitoring at Martinique since the 1902 eruption of the Montagne Pelée volcano did not detect local earthquakes for the first 70 years. For the only eruption which occurred in this time span in 1929 the seismograph was 20 km away and of a standard type, not particularly suited for the detection of small-scale local seismicity. Improvement of the monitoring array over the last 15 years with the installation of sensors on the volcano itself allowed the detection of signals of local origin which were interpreted as being due to surface sources, such as rockfalls and landslides. Since December 1985 seismic sources in the volcano itself, i.e. small earthquakes at shallow depth, were identified and located with the aid of a temporary upgrading of the array close to these weak sources. Such an onset of local seismicity could not have been detected with previous seismic equipment; such episodes of seismicity in the volcano might have occurred in the past, apparently quiescent history of the volcano as the reinterpretation of seismograms of some events in 1976 would indicate, without evolving to more important volcanic phenomena. For seismographs on volcanoes the constant upgrading of observation capabilities is certainly perferred to a strict continuity of standard observations.     

Sulphur-containing compounds in sulphur-rich crude oils from hypersaline lake sediments and their geochemical implications

Three sulphur-rich commercial crude oils have been studied, which contain sulphur as high as up to 4–12%. These samples were collected from Tertiary hypersaline lake sediments of the Jianghan Basin, Hubei Province at different depths, but above the oil generation threshold (2200m). FPD-GC and GC-MS data show that aromatic fractions of the crude oils are composed of different homologues of sulphur-containing compounds, including long-chain normal alkyl-thiophenes and-thiolanes, long-chain isoprenoid-thiophenes and -thiolanes, and benzothiophenes. It is worth noting that the distribution patterns of long-chain alkyl-thiophenes and -thiolanes from two shallow-seated crude oils are quite similar to those of normal alkanes showing marked even-odd predominance. It seems that the even-odd predominance of sulphur-containing compounds decreases with increasing burial depth of the crude oils. The major component of aliphatic fraction is phytane, and similarly the major peaks of aromatic fractions also represent C₂₀ isoprenoid thiophenes. Some preliminary conclusions have been drawn from the above discussion: (1) Abundant sulphur-containing compounds may be used as an indicator of low mature or immature crude oils produced from hypersaline lake sediments; (2) Sulphur-containing compounds are considered to be early diagenetic products of reactions between elemental sulphur or sulfides and alkanes or their precursors (phytols, fatty acids, alcohols, etc.), or of bacterial activities, but not direct inputs of organisms.