Crystal clots,amphibole fractionation and the evolution of calc-alkaline magmas

Petrographic and microprobe investigations of calc-alkaline (CA) rocks from the High Cascade Range (i.e., Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Jefferson, Crater Lake and Mt. Shasta) of western North America show that crystal clots represent primary igneous phase assemblages and are not products of amphibole reactions with melt. For each eruptive complex, crystal clots display diverse modal proportions even within a single eruptive unit. Nevertheless, in all cases the crystal-clot minerals are also represented in the rock as phenocrysts or microphenocrysts. Basalts contain clots of ol+plag+mgt, ol+mgt, cpx+ plag+mgt, cpx+mgt and plag+mgt; andesites, clots of cpx+mgt, opx+mgt, cpx+opx+plag+mgt, cpx+plag+mgt, opx+plag+mgt and plag±mgt; and dacites, clots of opx+mgt, cpx+opx+plag+ mgt, opx+plag+mgt, amph+plag+mgt±ilm, amph+mgt±ilm and plag±mgt. The bulk compositions of most of these clot assemblages could not have been derived from amphibole percursors. Although some amphiboles in dacitic rocks display a breakdown reaction of amph=plag+cpx+opx +mag, these mineral clusters, unlike those of clots, typically have a relict amphibole crystal outline and a fine-grained metamorphic texture. Plagioclase grains in the mineral clusters lack oscillatory zoning which is typical of crystal clot plagioclase grains. The euhedral to subhedral shapes of most clot minerals and the oscillatory zoning present in most clot plagioclase grains are not likely to have formed from the breakdown of amphibole. Crystal clots are also observed in Hawaiian and ocean floor basalts, although amphibole fractionation has not been proposed for those lavas. Magnetite fractionation may be the controlling process limiting iron enrichment in CA magmas rather than amphibole fractionation. Textural evidence indicates that magnetite is an early-forming phase in CA magmas. V, which is concentrated in magnetite, shows a strong decrease with increasing silica in many CA rocks, supporting a magnetite fractionation model.Hawaii Institute of Geophysics Contrib. No. 969     

Mapping of groundwater prospective zones integrating remote sensing,geographic information systems and geophysical techniques in El-Qaà Plain area,Egypt

The geospatial mapping of groundwater prospective zones is essential to support the needs of local inhabitants and agricultural activities in arid regions such as El-Qaà area, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt. The study aims to locate new wells that can serve to cope with water scarcity. The integration of remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS) and geophysical techniques is a breakthrough for groundwater prospecting. Based on these techniques, several factors contributing to groundwater potential in El-Qaà Plain were determined. Geophysical data were supported by information derived from a digital elevation model, and from geologic, geomorphologic and hydrologic data, to reveal the promising sites. All the spatial data that represent the contributing factors were integrated and analyzed in a GIS framework to develop a groundwater prospective model. An appropriate weightage was specified to each factor based on its relative contribution towards groundwater potential, and the resulting map delineates the study area into five classes, from very poor to very good potential. The very good potential zones are located in the Quaternary deposits, with flat to gentle topography, dense lineaments and structurally controlled drainage channels. The groundwater potential map was tested against the distribution of groundwater wells and cultivated land. The integrated methodology provides a powerful tool to design a suitable groundwater management plan in arid regions.     

Strike-slip fault bridge fluid pumping mechanism: insights from field-based palaeostress analysis and numerical modelling

We present a finite-element study of stress perturbation in evolving compressive and extensional strike-slip fault bridges. The results are compared with a fracture study of a compressive bridge at St Donats, UK. Horizontally interbedded calcareous mudstone and bioclastic calcilutite at St Donats have a distinct vertical permeability anisotropy. This sedimentary sequence behaves as a set of horizontal aquifers. The fluid flow in these aquifers is sensitive to mean stress gradients. Paleostress analysis of field fracture data, verified by finite-element modelling, indicates a rotation of σ₁ towards parallelism with boundary faults inside the growing compressive bridge. Boundary faults and bridge faults recorded numerous fluid flow events. The modelled mean stress pattern shows a regional maximum within the bridge and local maxima/minima pairs at boundary fault tips.Finite-element modelling of an extensional bridge indicates that σ₃ rotates towards parallelism with boundary faults. The mean stress pattern is similar to the pattern in compressive bridge but with maxima and minima locations interchanged. The stress patterns are reestablished by each stress build-up preceding the rupturation of the boundary faults throughout the development stages of strike-slip fault bridges. Mean stress gradients developed pre-failure control the fluid flow in fractures of the strike-slip fault system at and after the end of each stress build-up and the fluid flow in boundary faults post-failure. Fracture reactivation and new fracture generation within an evolving bridge is a process consisting of multiple successive events that retain the storage capacity of the bridge. Rupture and sealing of the main bounding-faults is a step-wise process that opens and closes fluid conduits between areas with different pressures.     

Comparison of dissolved and particulate arsenic distributions in shallow aquifers of Chakdaha, India, and Araihazar, Bangladesh

Background  

The origin of the spatial variability of dissolved As concentrations in shallow aquifers of the Bengal Basin remains poorly understood. To address this, we compare here transects of simultaneously-collected groundwater and aquifer solids perpendicular to the banks of the Hooghly River in Chakdaha, India, and the Old Brahmaputra River in Araihazar, Bangladesh.     

The effects of visual realism,spatial abilities,and competition on performance in map-based route learning in men

We report on how visual realism might influence map-based route learning performance in a controlled laboratory experiment with 104 male participants in a competitive context. Using animations of a dot moving through routes of interest, we find that participants recall the routes more accurately with abstract road maps than with more realistic satellite maps. We also find that, irrespective of visual realism, participants with higher spatial abilities (high-spatial participants) are more accurate in memorizing map-based routes than participants with lower spatial abilities (low-spatial participants). On the other hand, added visual realism limits high-spatial participants in their route recall speed, while it seems not to influence the recall speed of low-spatial participants. Competition affects participants’ overall confidence positively, but does not affect their route recall performance neither in terms of accuracy nor speed. With this study, we provide further empirical evidence demonstrating that it is important to choose the appropriate map type considering task characteristics and spatial abilities. While satellite maps might be perceived as more fun to use, or visually more attractive than road maps, they also require more cognitive resources for many map-based tasks, which is true even for high-spatial users.     

Hispanic Immigrants' Vulnerabilities to Flood and Hurricane Hazards in Two United States Metropolitan Areas

Research reveals that disasters are disproportionately debilitating for marginalized social groups. Numerous studies have examined racial/ethnic dimensions of disaster vulnerability, but few have focused on Hispanic immigrants. More research on Hispanic immigrants is needed, since they constitute a major component of the Hispanic population—the largest and fastest‐growing minority group in the U.S.—and because they experience distinctive cultural and immigration status disadvantages. We examine the flood/hurricane vulnerabilities of Hispanic immigrants in comparison to U.S.–born Hispanics and non‐Hispanic whites. Using mixed methods to analyze data from 429 surveys and 31 interviews with residents living in flood zones, we examine differences in self‐protective action, risk perception, and hazard knowledge between the three groups in Houston and Miami. Hispanic immigrants exhibited lower levels of self‐protection and hazard knowledge, and higher perceptions of risk, which reflects their heightened vulnerability. Risk‐reduction programs should target the particular vulnerabilities of Hispanic immigrants, and future studies should examine their vulnerabilities in other contexts.     

Fabric analysis of Allende matrix using EBSD

Abstract— Fabric analysis of the interstitial matrix material in primitive meteorites offers a novel window on asteroid formation and evolution. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) has allowed fabrics in these fine‐grained materials to be visualized in detail for the first time. Our data reveal that Allende, a CV3 chondrite, possesses a uniform, planar, short‐axis alignment fabric that is pervasive on a broad scale and is probably the result of deformational shortening related to impact or gravitational compaction. Interference between this matrix fabric and the larger, more rigid components, such as dark inclusions (DIs) and calcium‐aluminium‐rich inclusions (CAIs), has lead to the development of locally oriented and intensified matrix fabrics. In addition, DIs possess fabrics that are conformable with the broader matrix fabric. These results suggest that DIs were in situ prior to the deformational shortening event responsible for these fabrics, thus providing an argument against dark inclusions being fragments from another lithified part of the asteroid (Kojima and Tomeoka 1996; Fruland et al. 1978). Moreover, both DIs and Allende matrix are highly porous (?25%) (Corrigan et al. 1997). Mobilizing a highly porous DI during impact‐induced brecciation without imposing a fabric and incorporating it into a highly porous matrix without significantly compacting these materials is improbable. We favor a model that involves Allende DIs, CAIs, and matrix accreting together and experiencing the same deformation events.     

Permian volcanic rocks from the Apuseni Mountains (Romania): Geochemistry and tectonic constraints

An Early Permian volcanic assemblage is well exposed in the central-western part of the Apuseni Mountains (Romania). The rocks are represented by rhyolites, basalts and subordinate andesites suggesting a bimodal volcanic activity that is intimately associated with a post-orogenic (Variscan) syn-sedimentary intra-basinal continental molasse sequences. The mafic and mafic-intermediate rocks belong to sub-alkaline tholeiitic series were separated in three groups (I–III) showing a high Th and Pb abundances, depletion in Nb, Ta and Sr, and slightly enriched in LREE patterns (La_N/Yb_N = 1.4–4.4). Isotopically, the rocks of Group I have the initial ratios ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_(i) = 0.709351–0.707112, ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd_(i) = 0.512490–0.512588 and high positive ?_Nd270 values from 3.9 to 5.80; the rocks of Group II present for the initial ratios values ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_(i) = 0.709434–0.710092, ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd_(i) = 0.512231–0.512210 and for ?_Nd270 the negative values from −1.17 to −1.56; the rocks of Group III display for the initial ratios the values ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_(i) = 0.710751–0.709448, ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd_(i) = 0.512347–0.512411 and for ?_Nd270 the positive values from 1.64 to 2.35. The rocks resembling continental tholeiites, suggest a mantle origin and were further affected by fractionation and crustal contamination. In addition, the REE geochemistry (1 > Sm_N/Yb_N < 2.5; 0.9 > La_N/Sm_N < 2.5) suggests that these rocks were generated by high percentage partial melting of a metasomatized mantle in the garnet peridotite facies. The felsic rocks are enriched in Cs, Rb Th and U and depleted in Nb, Ta, Sr, Eu, and Ti. The REE fractionation patterns show a strong negative Eu anomaly (Eu/Eu* = 0.23–0.40). The felsic rocks show the initial ratios the values: ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_(i) = 0.704096–0.707805, ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd_(i) = 0.512012–0.512021 and for ?_Nd270 the negative values from −5.27 to −5.44. They suggest to be generated within the lower crust during the emplacement of mantle-derived magmas that provided necessary heat to crustal partial melting.     

Analysis of patterns of vertical and temporal distribution of phytoplankton using multifactorial analysis: Acidic Lake Caviahue, Patagonia, Argentina

Most existing studies on the algal communities of acid lakes are based on environments that have been caused by anthropogenic disturbances. Such lakes have a different origin compared to the natural acidic lakes and could be expected to differ also in the mechanisms controlling phytoplankton and trophic status. Planktonic community in Lake Caviahue is somewhat diverse in spite of the low pH of the water. Algae have a distinctive vertical distribution: the values of phytoplankton biomass remain constant throughout the water column and at times were highest in the upper end of the hypolimnion, forming a maximum or a layer of chlorophyll a at depth. The goal of this work was to investigate the factors influencing the seasonal and vertical distribution of phytoplankton. The lake was sampled between the years 2004 and 2006. Physical, chemical and biological parameters at different depths throughout the water column were determined. The interrelationships between environmental variables at different sampling dates were analyzed using an integration of multivariate matrices, multiple factor analysis, to analyze any joint partnerships in the samples. We found that phytoplankton biomass is dominated by Keratococcus rhaphidioides. With regard to zooplankton, we found a single species of rotifers (Philodina sp.). The two arms of the lake and the depths have different behaviours showing differences in the arms' conductivity, dissolved oxygen and pH. The more superficial layers were characterized by high values of phytoplankton and zooplankton biomass, organic and inorganic carbon, dissolved oxygen and pH. The deeper layers showed high values of chlorophyll a, ammonium and phosphorus (dissolved and particulate). From the multivariate analysis the relationships of the each algal species with pH, as a possible indicator of the degree of “acidophilia”, could be extracted.