Implications of trace element composition of syntaxial quartz cements for the geochemical conditions during quartz precipitation in sandstones

A petrographic investigation revealed polyphase quartz cementation in the Finefrau Sandstone (Upper Carboniferous, Western Germany) and the Solling Sandstone (Lower Triassic, Central Germany). Three different cements could be distinguished in each sandstone based on their cathodoluminescence and trace element composition. The first quartz generation is suggested to have been formed during eogenesis due to dissolution and replacement of feldspar. The mesogenetic paragenesis comprises two generations of quartz and illite, which are accompanied by albite in the Solling Sandstone. Sharp luminescence zoning in quartz overgrowths points to distinct episodes of cementation in both sandstones. Significant amounts of Al, Li and H and traces of Ge and B have been detected in the quartz overgrowths. The Al‐content of the quartz cements in the Finefrau Sandstones exceeds that in the quartz cements in the Solling Sandstone by a factor of five. It is suggested that this compositional variation reflects the conditions in the pore‐water, such as temperature and pH. The Al‐concentration is generally correlated to the Li‐content with the exception of the latest quartz generation in the Finefrau Sandstones which is also most enriched in trace elements. The ratio of Li/Al varies between 0·11 and 0·25 in the two sandstones. The Li/H‐ratio, which ranges from 0·12 to 0·3, is controlled by the activity ratio of Li and H in the pore fluid. Clay minerals are the most important source for Li and high salinities favour the mobilization of Li during diagenesis. Thus, a relatively low salinity and low pH are responsible for the low Li/H‐ratio in the Finefrau Sandstone, while high salinity and neutral to alkaline pH results in a high Li/H‐ratio for the Solling Sandstone. The Ge‐contents are generally near the average of detrital quartz and indicate that pressure dissolution is a major source for quartz cementation. Different chemical compositions of distinct quartz generations indicate changes in the physico‐chemical conditions and point to mobilization of silica from different sources (for example, pressure solution and clay mineral transformations).     

Microfacies and diagenesis of older Pleistocene (pre‐last glacial maximum) reef deposits,Great Barrier Reef,Australia (IODP Expedition 325): A quantitative approach

During Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 325, 34 holes were drilled along five transects in front of the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, penetrating some 700 m of late Pleistocene reef deposits (post‐glacial; largely 20 to 10 kyr bp ) in water depths of 42 to 127 m. In seven holes, drilled in water depths of 42 to 92 m on three transects, older Pleistocene (older than last glacial maximum, >20 kyr bp ) reef deposits were recovered from lower core sections. In this study, facies, diagenetic features, mineralogy and stable isotope geochemistry of 100 samples from six of the latter holes were investigated and quantified. Lithologies are dominated by grain‐supported textures, and were to a large part deposited in high‐energy, reef or reef slope environments. Quantitative analyses allow 11 microfacies to be defined, including mixed skeletal packstone and grainstone, mudstone‐wackestone, coral packstone, coral grainstone, coralline algal grainstone, coral‐algal packstone, coralline algal packstone, Halimeda grainstone, microbialite and caliche. Microbialites, that are common in cavities of younger, post‐glacial deposits, are rare in pre‐last glacial maximum core sections, possibly due to a lack of open framework suitable for colonization by microbes. In pre‐last glacial maximum deposits of holes M0032A and M0033A (>20 kyr bp ), marine diagenetic features are dominant; samples consist largely of aragonite and high‐magnesium calcite. Holes M0042A and M0057A, which contain the oldest rocks (>169 kyr bp ), are characterized by meteoric diagenesis and samples mostly consist of low‐magnesium calcite. Holes M0042A, M0055A and M0056A (>30 kyr bp ), and a horizon in the upper part of hole M0057A, contain both marine and meteoric diagenetic features. However, only one change from marine to meteoric pore water is recorded in contrast with the changes in diagenetic environment that might be inferred from the sea‐level history. Values of stable isotopes of oxygen and carbon are consistent with these findings. Samples from holes M0032A and M0033A reflect largely positive values (δ¹⁸O: ?1 to +1‰ and δ¹³C: +1 to +4‰), whereas those from holes M0042A and M0057A are negative (δ¹⁸O: ?4 to +2‰ and δ¹³C: ?8 to +2‰). Holes M0055A and M0056A provide intermediate values, with slightly positive δ¹³C, and negative δ¹⁸O values. The type and intensity of meteroric diagenesis appears to have been controlled both by age and depth, i.e. the time available for diagenetic alteration, and reflects the relation between reef deposition and sea‐level change.     

Dawn; the Vesta–HED connection; and the geologic context for eucrites,diogenites, and howardites

The Dawn mission has provided new evidence strengthening the identification of asteroid Vesta as the parent body of the howardite, eucrite, and diogenite (HED) meteorites. The evidence includes Vesta's petrologic complexity, detailed spectroscopic characteristics, unique space weathering, diagnostic geochemical abundances and neutron absorption characteristics, chronology of surface units and impact history, occurrence of exogenous carbonaceous chondritic materials in the regolith, and dimensions of the core, all of which are consistent with HED observations and constraints. Global mapping of the distributions of HED lithologies by Dawn cameras and spectrometers provides the missing geologic context for these meteorites, thereby allowing tests of petrogenetic models and increasing their scientific value.     

Geochemical studies of the SUBO 18 (Enkingen) drill core and other impact breccias from the Ries crater,Germany

Suevite and melt breccia compositions in the boreholes Enkingen and Polsingen are compared with compositions of suevites from other Ries boreholes and surface locations and discussed in terms of implications for impact breccia genesis. No significant differences in average chemical compositions for the various drill cores or surface samples are noted. Compositions of suevite and melt breccia from southern and northeastern sectors of the Ries crater do not significantly differ. This is in stark contrast to the published variations between within‐crater and out‐of‐crater suevites from northern and southern sectors of the Bosumtwi impact structure, Ghana. Locally occurring alteration overprint on drill cores—especially strong on the carbonate‐impregnated suevite specimens of the Enkingen borehole—does affect the average compositions. Overall, the composition of the analyzed impact breccias from Ries are characterized by very little macroscopically or microscopically recognized sediment‐clast component; the clast populations of suevite and impact melt breccia are dominated consistently by granitic and intermediate granitoid components. The Polsingen breccia is significantly enriched in a dioritic clast component. Overall, chemical compositions are of intermediate composition as well, with dioritic‐granodioritic silica contents, and relatively small contributions from mafic target components. Selected suevite samples from the Enkingen core have elevated Ni, Co, Cr, and Ir contents compared with previously analyzed suevites from the Ries crater, which suggest a small meteoritic component. Platinum‐group element (PGE) concentrations for some of the enriched samples indicate somewhat elevated concentrations and near‐chondritic ratios of the most immobile PGE, consistent with an extraterrestrial contribution of 0.1–0.2% chondrite‐equivalent.     

High-grade iron ore at Windarling, Yilgarn Craton: a product of syn-orogenic deformation, hypogene hydrothermal alteration and supergene modification in an Archean BIF-basalt lithostratigraphy

Banded iron formation (BIF)-hosted iron ore deposits in the Windarling Range are located in the lower greenstone succession of the Marda–Diemals greenstone belt, Southern Cross domain, Yilgarn Craton and constitute a total hematite–martite–goethite ore resource of minimum 52 Mt at 60 wt.% Fe (0.07 P). Banded iron formation is interlayered with high-Mg basalts at Windarling and precipitated during episodes of volcanic quiescence. Trace element content and the rare earth element (REE) ratios Y/Ho (42 to 45), Sm/Yb (1.5), together with positive La and Gd anomalies in ‘least-altered’ hematite–magnetite–metachert–BIF indicate the precipitation from Archean seawater that was fertilised by hydrothermal vent fluids with a basaltic HREE-Y signature. Hypogene iron ore in sub-greenschist facies metamorphosed BIF formed during three distinct stages: ore stage 1 was a syn- to post-metamorphic, syn-D₁, Fe–Ca–Mg–Ni–Co–P–REE metasomatism that produced local Ni–REE-rich Fe–dolomite–magnetite alteration in BIF. Hydrothermal alteration was induced by hot fluid flow controlled by brittle–ductile reactivation of BIF-basalt margins and crosscutting D₁ faults. The Ni–Co-rich content of dolomite and a shift in REE ratios in carbonate-altered BIF towards Archean mafic rock signature (Y/Ho to 31 to 40, Sm/Yb to 1 to 2 and Gd/Gd* to 1.2 to 1.4) suggest that high-Mg basalts in the Windarling Range were the primary source of introduced metals. During ore stage 2, a syn-deformational and likely acidic and oxidised fluid flow along BIF-basalt margins and within D₁ faults leached carbonate and precipitated lepidoblastic and anhedral/granoblastic hematite. High-grade magnetite–hematite ore is formed during this stage. Ore stage 3 hydrothermal specular hematite (spcH)–Fe–dolomite–quartz alteration was controlled by a late-orogenic, brittle, compressional/transpressional stage (D₄; the regional-scale shear-zone-related D₃ is not preserved in Windarling). This minor event remobilised iron oxides, carbonate and quartz to form veins and breccia but did not generate significant volumes of iron ore. Ore stage 4 involved Mesozoic(?) to recent supergene oxidation and hydration in a weathering environment reaching down to depths of ～100 to maximum 200 m below surface. Supergene ore formation involved goethite replacement of dolomite and quartz as well as martitisation. Important ‘ground preparation’ for supergene modification and upgrade were mainly the formation of steep D₁ to D₄ structures, steep BIF/basalt margins and particularly the syn-D₁ to syn-D₂ carbonate alteration of BIF that is most susceptible to supergene dissolution. The Windarling deposits are structurally controlled, supergene-modified hydrothermal iron ore systems that share comparable physical, chemical and ore-forming characteristics to other iron ore deposits in the Yilgarn Craton (e.g. Koolyanobbing, Beebyn in the Weld Range, Mt. Gibson). However, the remarkable variety in pre-, syn- and post-deformational ore textures (relative to D₁ and D₂) has not been described elsewhere in the Yilgarn and are similar to the ore deposits in high-strain zones, such as of Brazil (Quadrilátero Ferrífero or Iron Quadrangle) and Nigeria. The overall similarity of alteration stages, i.e. the sequence of hydrothermal carbonate introduction and hypogene leaching, with other greenstone belt-hosted iron ore deposits supports the interpretation that syn-orogenic BIF alteration and upgrade was crucial in the formation of hypogene–supergene iron ore deposits in the Yilgarn Craton and possibly in other Archean/Paleoproterozoic greenstone belt settings worldwide.     

Risk-targeted seismic design maps for mainland France

In this article, the recently proposed approach known as ‘risk targeting’ for the development of national seismic design maps is investigated for mainland France. Risk targeting leads to ground-motion maps that, if used for design purposes, would lead to a uniform level of risk nationally. The Eurocode 8 design loads currently in force for France are used as the basis of this study. Because risk targeting requires various choices on, for example, the level of acceptable risk to be made a priori and these choices are not solely engineering decisions but involve input from decision makers we undertake sensitivity tests to study their influence. It is found that, in contrast to applications of this methodology for US cities, risk targeting does not lead to large modifications with respect to the national seismic hazard map nor to changes in the relative ranking of cities with respect to their design ground motions. This is because the hazard curves for French cities are almost parallel. In addition, we find that using a target annual collapse probability of about 10^?5 for seismically designed buildings and a probability of collapse when subjected to the design PGA of 10^?5 leads to reasonable results. This is again in contrast to US studies that have adopted much higher values for both these probabilities.     

Using Long-Term Census Data to Inform Restoration Methods for Coastal Dune Vegetation

Barrier islands are exposed to the wind and wave action from storms, which often disturbs both the geomorphology and vegetation. Conservation and restoration efforts for these important habitats could be improved with knowledge of how native plants respond to storms. We analyzed 10 years of annual data of vegetation of St. George Island, Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico, to quantify how the plant community responds to major storms and to predict which dune species might be appropriate for restoration after storm damage across dune zones. This prediction was tested with six plant species that differed in their storm response—from highly negative (local extinction in response to storms) to highly positive (increased abundance in response to storms). We measured transplant survival and growth (plant height and number of shoots) over 2 years in a restoration experiment across three major dune zones. We found that different species can be useful for restoration purposes in different dune zones, depending on both short- and longer-term management strategies. Uniola paniculata is a particularly strong restoration candidate across all dune zones, whereas Muhlenbergia capillaris and Schizachyrium maritimum would be beneficial for restoration in the interdune area. Fimbristylis spp. and Sporobolus virginicus demonstrate the strongest potential for restoration in the interdune and backdune areas. Restoration of disturbed areas often involves the seeding or transplanting of species to stabilize the landscape and initiate the return of the original vegetation. We show that the performance of native species, in response to storms, especially in conjunction with information on plant life history, can be useful for identifying the best species to use for restoration.     

Late Oligocene micromammal teeth (MP28/29) from the Lower Freshwater Molasse (USM) of Chrummorge (Lägern, N-Switzerland)

The small sandpit “Chrummorge” on the Lägern hill (N-Switzerland) was searched for small mammal fossils. Bone fragments and about 100 teeth were retrieved while screen-washing of about 300 kg of Late Oligocene river channel-sands. Sedimentology indicates a probably meandering stream type, which likely followed a more erosional environment with tropical karsts and the formation of bolus-clay and iron ore. Even though, most of the micromammal teeth were rolled due to river transport before sedimentation, it was still possible to identify teeth of biostratigraphical importance, dating this new mammal assemblage to MP28/29 (about 24.6 ± 0.2 Ma). These Late Oligocene river channel sands are the oldest molasse sediments in the Lägern area, and they are in direct contact with Late Jurassic limestone. Thus they add important information for the reconstruction of the regional geological history.     

A data exploration framework for validation and setup of hydrological models

Over the course of hydrological research projects often a large number of heterogeneous data sets are acquired from sources as diverse as boreholes, gauging stations or satellite imagery. This data then need to be integrated into models for the simulation of hydrological processes. We propose a framework for exploration of geoscientific data and visually guided preparation of such models. Data sets from a large number of sources can be imported, combined and validated to avoid potential problems due to artefacts or inconsistencies between data sets in a subsequent simulation. Boundary conditions and domain discretisations for surface and subsurface models can be created and tested regarding criteria indicating possible numerical instabilities. All data sets including simulation results can be integrated into a user-controlled 3D scene and aspects of the data can be enhanced using a number of established visualisation techniques including thresholding and user-defined transfer functions. We present the application of this framework for the preparation of a model for simulation of groundwater flow in a river catchment in southwest Germany investigated in the scope of the WESS project.