Age,geochemistry, and emplacement of the ~40-Ma Baneh granite–appinite complex in a transpressional tectonic regime,Zagros suture zone,northwest Iran

The Baneh plutonic complex is situated in the Zagros suture zone of northwest Iran between the Arabian and Eurasian plates. This complex is divided into granite and appinite groups. Zircon U–Pb dating shows that granites crystallized 41–38 million years ago but appinites experience more protracted magmatic evolution, from at 52 to 38 Ma. Whole-rock chemical compositions show significant major and trace element variations between the two lithologies. Granitic rocks are more evolved, with high contents of SiO₂ (62.4–77.0 wt%), low contents of TiO₂ (0.25 wt%), MgO (0.05–1.57 wt%), and Fe₂O₃ (0.40–4.06 wt%) and high contents of Na₂O + K₂O (≈10 wt%). In contrast, appinites have low contents of SiO₂ (51.0–57.0 wt%) and K₂O (<2.1 wt%) and high Fe₂O₃ (6.4–9.35 wt%), MgO (2.0–9.9 wt%), and Mg number (Mg# = 35–76). The concentration of rare earth elements in the appinites is higher than in granitic rocks, making it difficult to form granites solely by fractionation of appinite magma. (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i and ε_Nd(40 Ma) in both groups are similar, from 0.7045 to 0.7061 and ?1.2 to +2.6, except for a primitive gabbroic dike with ε_Nd(40 Ma) = +9.9. Appinites show mainly typical I-type characteristics, but granites have some S-type characteristics. The sigmoidal shape of the Baneh pluton and its emplacement into deformed Cretaceous shales and limestone showing kink bands, asymmetric and recumbent folds in a broad contact zone, with pervasive ductile to brittle structures in both host rocks and intrusion, indicate that magma emplacement was controlled by a transpressional tectonic regime, perhaps developed during early stages in the collision of Arabia and Eurasian plates.     

Structural Investigations of Afghanistan Deduced from Remote Sensing and Potential Field Data

This study integrates potential gravity and magnetic field data with remotely sensed images and geological data in an effort to understand the subsurface major geological structures in Afghanistan. Integrated analysis of Landsat SRTM data was applied for extraction of geological lineaments. The potential field data were analyzed using gradient interpretation techniques, such as analytic signal (AS), tilt derivative (TDR), horizontal gradient of the tilt derivative (HG-TDR), Euler Deconvolution (ED) and power spectrum methods, and results were correlated with known geological structures.The analysis of remote sensing data and potential field data reveals the regional geological structural characteristics of Afghanistan. The power spectrum analysis of magnetic and gravity data suggests shallow basement rocks at around 1 to 1.5 km depth. The results of TDR of potential field data are in agreement with the location of the major regional fault structures and also the location of the basins and swells, except in the Helmand region (SW Afghanistan) where many high potential field anomalies are observed and attributed to batholiths and near-surface volcanic rocks intrusions.A high-resolution airborne geophysical survey in the data sparse region of eastern Afghanistan is recommended in order to have a complete image of the potential field anomalies.     

An Agent-Based Approach for Regional Forest Fire Detection Using MODIS Data: A Preliminary Study in Iran

Detecting fires, which are at their early stages is the first component of effective fire fighting. To date, several algorithms have been proposed to detect fire spots using remote sensing data. Nevertheless, in order to be able to accurately detect small and cool fires, which are very important at the regional scale, most of these algorithms need to be adjusted and improved. In this paper, an agent-based algorithm is presented for regional forest fire detection using bi-temporal MODIS data. The algorithm is designed to be so self-adaptive and consistent that it could be applied to the different pairs of consecutive images taken by the same satellite platform and at the same daytime. The results clearly show that compared with the MODIS contextual algorithm (version 4), the proposed method is more sensitive to small and cool forest fires in Iran.     

Contaminant fluxes from point and diffuse sources from abandoned mines in the River Tamar catchment, UK

Acid mine waters have the potential to seriously impair the environmental quality of aquatic systems long after mining activities have ceased. This detailed study of dissolved and particulate metal fluxes from adits, drains and streams in the River Tamar catchment, southwest England, showed that seven specific sources, of the 25 adits and streams surveyed, accounted for more than 75% each of the 13 t a^− 1 Fe, 4.3 t a^− 1 Mn, 4.2 t a^− 1 Cu, 3.6 t a^− 1 Zn and 1.4 t a^− 1 As that we estimated to be discharged annually from the abandoned metalliferous mining area centred around Calstock and Gunnislake. Upstream of this study area, widespread multi-metallic mineralisation contributed to the flux of Fe, Mn, As, Co, Cu and Zn within the River Tamar. Simple mass balance calculations indicated that a large proportion (≥ 50% for most dissolved and particulate metals) of the metal flux in the River Tamar was unaccounted for by our survey, and therefore is likely to have an important diffuse component, which is subject to ongoing investigations. Potential impacts of mine contamination on the estuarine environment are discussed. The study provided information necessary to prioritise monitoring and remediation efforts in the context of sustainable catchment management.     

Zircon U–Pb ages and Sr–Nd isotope ratios for the Sirstan granitoid body,NE Iraq: Evidence of magmatic activity in the Middle Cretaceous Period

The Sirstan granitoid (SG), comprising diorite and granodiorite, is located in the Shalair Valley area, in the northeastern part of Iraq within the Sanandaj–Sirjan Zone (SSZ) of the Zagros Orogenic Belt. The U–Pb zircon dating of the SG rocks has revealed a concordia age of 110 Ma, which is interpreted as the age of crystallization of this granitoid body during the Middle Cretaceous. The whole-rock Rb–Sr isochron data shows an age of 52.4 ± 9.4 Ma (MSWD = 1.7), which implies the reactivation of the granitoid body in the Early Eocene due to the collision between the Arabian and Iranian plates. These rocks show metaluminous affinity with low values of Nb, Ta and Ti compared to chondrite, suggesting the generation of these rocks over the subduction zone in an active continental margin regime. The SG rocks are hornblende-bearing I-type granitoids with microgranular mafic enclaves. The positive values of ?_Nd (t = 110 Ma) (+0.1 to +2.7) and the low (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i ratios (0.7044 to 0.7057) indicate that the magma source of the SG granitoids is a depleted subcontinental mantle. The chemical and isotope compositions show that the SG body originated from the metasomatic mantle without a major role for continental contamination. Our findings show that the granitoid bodies distributed in the SSZ were derived from the continuous Neo-Tethys subduction beneath the SSZ in Mesozoic times and that the SSZ was an active margin in the Middle Cretaceous.     

Enhancing somatic embryogenesis of Malaysian rice cultivar MR219 using adjuvant materials in a high-efficiency protocol

Enhancing of the efficient tissue culture protocol for somatic embryos would facilitate the engineered breeding plants program. In this report, we describe the reproducible protocol of Malaysian rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivar MR219 through somatic embryogenesis. Effect of a wide spectrum of exogenesis materials was assessed in three phases, namely callogenesis, proliferation and regeneration. Initially, rice seeds were subjected under various auxin treatments. Secondly, the effect of different concentrations of 2,4-D on callus induction was evaluated. In the next step, the efficiency of different explants was identified. Subsequently, the effects of different auxins, cytokinins, l-proline, casein hydrolysate and potassium metasilicate concentrations on the callus proliferation and regeneration were considered. For the callogenesis phase, 2 mg L^?1of 2,4-D and roots were chosen as the best auxin and explant. In the callus proliferation stage, the highest efficiency was observed at week eight in the MS media supplemented with 2 mg L^?1 of 2,4-D, 2 mg L^?1 of kinetin, 50 mg L^?1 of l-proline, 100 mg L^?1 of casein hydrolysate and 30 mg L^?1 of potassium metasilicate. In the last phase of the research, the MS media added with 3 mg L^?1 of kinetin, 30 mg L^?1of potassium metasilicate and 2 mg L^?1 of NAA were selected. Meanwhile, to promote the roots of regenerated explants, 0.4 mg L^?1 of IBA has shown potential as an appropriate activator.     

Study on mechanochemical effect of silica for short grinding period

Silica was ground in an oscillating mill at various grinding period to study the mechanochemical effect in fine grinding process. The ground particles exhibited massive size reduction where the volume moment diameter of 5.56 μm was reached within 600 s. Aggregation of fine particles was very pronounced when it was ground for 600 s due to high surface energy. Aggregation of fine particles caused the ground particles to exhibit poly-modal particle size distribution. Line broadening and reduction of diffractogram peak intensity were observed. Amorphization rate up to 16.9% was exhibited by the particle ground for 600 s. Preferential breakage of plane was observed where (101) and (111) was easily distorted compared to (110) and (200). Rapid reduction of crystallite size was observed at early stage of grinding until it reached a plateau at 5 nm at 600 s whilst the change in lattice strain was 0.5%.     

Zircon U-Pb dating,mineralogy and geochemical characteristics of the gabbro and gabbro-diorite bodies,Boein–Miandasht,western Iran

ABSTRACT

The Boein–Miandasht Complex (BMC) is a part of the Sanandaj–Sirjan metamorphic basement and is cut by gabbroic to granitoid bodies. These intrusive bodies comprise gabbro, gabbro–diorite associated with fine-grained, in part porphyritic leucocratic granitoids. Zircon U–Pb dating of representative gabbro–diorite samples yielded ages of 166.4 ± 1.8 Ma and 163.5 ± 6.3 Ma (Callovian, the latest stage of the Middle Jurassic). Mineral chemistry of the gabbro–diorites shows a homogeneous composition of the main minerals, main augite to diopside clinopyroxene and plagioclase (~An_17–59). Moreover, low Al_Z/TiO₂ ratios of the clinopyroxene grains suggest that the rocks were generated in a within-plate tectonic regime. The SiO₂ contents of the gabbro-diorite rocks are between 46.36 and 55.61 wt. %, Al₂O₃ ranges from 7.57 to 17.98 wt. %. The TiO₂ contents vary from 1.18 to 3.65 wt. %, Fe₂O₃ from 7.41 to 12.95 wt. %, the MgO ranges between 3.49 and 15.75 wt. %, Na₂O from 0.65 to 5.08 wt. % and K₂O from 0.48 to 1.08 wt. %. These rocks mostly plot in the alkali-gabbro field. Compared to chondrite are characterized by enrichment of LREEs over HREE, enrichment of LIL elements (e.g. Rb, Sr and Ba) and obvious positive anomalies of Nb and Ti. Based on the chemical composition, and mineral composition, this complex was generated in an extensional tectonic regime by partial melting of the hot asthenospheric mantle which is not more consistent with previous models which have suggested for SaSZ evolution in before.     

Superposed folding in the Neogene series of the northeastern Tunisia: precision of the upper Miocene compression and geodynamic significance

International Journal of Earth Sciences - New field observations carried out in northeastern Tunisia (Kechabta Neogene basin) allowed us to clarify and pinpoint the chronology of the folding phases...     

Spatial Analysis on Gold Mineralization in Southwest Saqqez Using Point Pattern,Fry and Fractal Analyses

Geotectonics - The Baneh- Saqqez zone is part of the Sanandaj‒Sirjan Zone, northwest of Iran. Generally, this zone is recognized as a gold bearing zone, and the mineralization in it is...