Geochronology and geochemistry of Grenvillian igneous suites in the northern Oaxacan Complex, southern Mexico: tectonic implications

Chemical and U–Pb isotopic analyses of metaigneous rocks in the northern Oaxacan Complex in southern Mexico indicate that they form part of two granitic–gabbroic suites intruded at 1157–1130 and 1012 Ma, which were metamorphosed under granulite facies conditions between 1004 and 980 Ma. Although the older suite has both within-plate and arc geochemical signatures, the arc characteristics (enrichment of La and Ce relative to Nb, Ta, and Th) are inferred to result from crustal contamination, a conclusion consistent with their negative _Nd signatures. The younger suite is spatially associated with anorthosites (from which we were unable to acquire a protolith age), suggesting that collectively it forms part of anorthosite–mangerite–charnockite–granite (AMCG) suites. The tholeiitic nature of the mafic rocks along with the within-plate character of the felsic rocks suggests that they were intruded during extension related to either farfield backarc rifting, rifting above a slab window, or anorogenic intercontinental rifting. Potentially correlative AMCG suites are widespread in Mexico, the Grenville Province of eastern Canada and northeastern USA, and the Andean massifs of Colombia, however, Pb isotopic data most closely resemble those in South America. These data are consistent with published hypotheses that suggest Oaxaquia represents an exotic terrane derived from Amazonia.     

Progress in Carrier Phase Time Transfer

The progress of the joint Pilot Project for time transfer, formed by the International GPS Service (IGS) and the Bureal International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM), was recently reviewed. Three notable milestones were set. (1) The IGS will implement, at least in a test mode, an internally realized time scale based on an integration of combined frequency standards within the IGS network. This will eventually become the reference time scale for all IGS clock products (instead of the current GPS broadcast time). (2) A new procedure for combined receiver and satellite clock products will be implemented officially in November 2000. Receiver clocks are an entirely new product of the IGS. (3) The BIPM will coordinate an effort to calibrate all Ashtech Z12-T (and possibly other) receivers suitable for time transfer applications, either differentially or absolutely. Progress reports will be presented publicly in the spring 2001. ? 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Verification of two hydrological models for real-time flood forecasting in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region

Natural Hazards - The Hindu Kush Himalayan region is extremely susceptible to periodic monsoon floods. Early warning systems with the ability to predict floods in advance can benefit tens of...     

Evaluation of cold-water carbonates as a possible paleoclimatic indicator

The common belief currently shared by many geoscientists concerning the climatic interpretation of limestones is that a warm-water environment is essential. This concept is not necessarily true because the rate and extent of terrigenous sediment dilution, rather than water temperature, is the primary factor determining whether or not a limestone forms at nearshore or continental shelf depths. Because carbonate productivity is lowest in cold climates, however, CaCO₃ abundance and the thickness of carbonate accumulations tend to be least at high latitudes. In this regard present-day continental shelves and beaches offer a poor model for comparing cold-water and warm-water carbonates because of the generally emergent continental tectonic framework, recent eustatic sea-level changes, and the presence of ice caps at the modern poles.Typically, the influence of climate on non-reef continental shelf and beach environments cannot be clearly distinguished by the presence or absence of major taxonomic groups. Faunal diversity and equitability are more sensitive in this regard. The absence of shelf-depth inorganic carbonate precipitates, micrite envelopes, and peloids may also point to the cold-water origin of a rock. Skeletal mineralogy and oxygen isotopes of certain unrecrystallized carbonates may be good paleoclimatic indicators; however, trace elements and physical-textural attributes of the carbonate fraction are probably temperature insensitive.Previous studies of high-latitude continental shelves have concentrated merely on the abundance of calcareous material and there is seemingly a disproportionate amount of information with respect to low-latitude carbonate studies. Further research on cold-water carbonates may open up new avenues for alternative paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic interpretations.     

A SuperWASP search for additional transiting planets in 24 known systems

We present results from a search for additional transiting planets in 24 systems already known to contain a transiting planet. We model the transits due to the known planet in each system and subtract these models from light curves obtained with the SuperWASP (Wide Angle Search for Planets) survey instruments. These residual light curves are then searched for evidence of additional periodic transit events. Although we do not find any evidence for additional planets in any of the planetary systems studied, we are able to characterize our ability to find such planets by means of Monte Carlo simulations. Artificially generated transit signals corresponding to planets with a range of sizes and orbital periods were injected into the SuperWASP photometry and the resulting light curves searched for planets. As a result, the detection efficiency as a function of both the radius and orbital period of any second planet is calculated. We determine that there is a good (>50 per cent) chance of detecting additional, Saturn-sized planets in   P ∼  10 d orbits around planet-hosting stars that have several seasons of SuperWASP photometry. Additionally, we confirm previous evidence of the rotational stellar variability of WASP-10, and refine the period of rotation. We find that the period of the rotation is  11.91 ± 0.05  d, and the false alarm probability for this period is extremely low  (∼10⁻¹³)  .     

Assessing natural and cultural influence on soil in remnant tropical woodlands

Rural Hong Kong contains culturally protected enclaves of remnant woodlands that provide sanctuary for vegetation, wildlife and soil. This study focuses on the influence of natural and cultural factors on soil properties in woodlands with different human activities. At each of the nine selected sites, two pits were dug to collect soil samples for analysis of 24 physical and chemical properties. Analyses of variance between soil attributes and site factors suggest the prominence of woodland size, and important contribution of topography, aspect and parent material. Soil indicators of human impacts and the tenacity of woodland soil towards anthropogenic disturbance were demonstrated.     

Petrophysics and mineral exploration: a workflow for data analysis and a new interpretation framework

As mineral exploration seeks deeper targets, there will be a greater reliance on geophysical data and a better understanding of the geological meaning of the responses will be required, and this must be achieved with less geological control from drilling. Also, exploring based on the mineral system concept requires particular understanding of geophysical responses associated with altered rocks. Where petrophysical datasets of adequate sample size and measurement quality are available, physical properties show complex variations, reflecting the combined effects of various geological processes. Large datasets, analysed as populations, are required to understand the variations. We recommend the display of petrophysical data as frequency histograms because the nature of the data distribution is easily seen with this form of display. A petrophysical dataset commonly contains a combination of overlapping sub-populations, influenced by different geological factors. To understand the geological controls on physical properties in hard rock environments, it is necessary to analyse the petrophysical data not only in terms of the properties of different rock types. It is also necessary to consider the effects of processes such as alteration, weathering, metamorphism and strain, and variables such as porosity and stratigraphy. To address this complexity requires that much more supporting geological information be acquired than in current practice. The widespread availability of field portable instruments means quantitative geochemical and mineralogical data can now be readily acquired, making it unnecessary to rely primarily on categorical rock classification schemes. The petrophysical data can be combined with geochemical, petrological and mineralogical data to derive explanations for observed physical property variations based not only on rigorous rock classification methods, but also in combination with quantitative estimates of alteration and weathering. To understand how geological processes will affect different physical properties, it is useful to define three end-member forms of behaviour. Bulk behaviour depends on the physical properties of the dominant mineral components. Density and, to a lesser extent, seismic velocity show such behaviour. Grain and texture behaviour occur when minor components of the rock are the dominate controls on its physical properties. Grain size and shape control grain properties, and for texture properties the relative positions of these grains are also important. Magnetic and electrical properties behave in this fashion. Thinking in terms of how geological processes change the key characteristics of the major and minor mineralogical components allows the resulting changes in physical properties to be understood and anticipated.