The high-pressure assemblages at Milos,Greece

Metamorphic rocks at Milos are known in small outcrops beneath the volcanic formations, as xenoliths in the Traphores volcanic breccia and as pebbles in the Paleochora Quaternary deposits. These rocks seem to belong to three different metamorphic units which probably have intricate relationships in the basement: — the eclogites unit shows garnetjadeite or garnet-omphacite primary associations, with apparently late crystallization of lawsonite phenoblasts an recrystallization features at relatively low temperatures; — the glaucophane schist unit exhibits Jadeite+quartz or glaucophane+lawsonite primary mineralogy; — the greenschist facies unit shows low-pressure main assemblages, most generally developed after high-pressure events. The two former units involve tholeiitic meta-igneous rocks, having been spilitized before metamorphism; they generally suffered more or less advanced recrystallization features in the low-pressure field of the greenschist facies. The third unit shows only meta-sedimentary rocks, with the sole exception of one single meta-doleritic pebble having calk-alkaline affinities.Petrological and mineralogical studies, based upon 15 bulk-rock compositions and 178 probe-analysed data points, lead to suspect at least 2, perhaps 3, different metamorphic events rather than one single metamorphic evolution, to account for the 3 U distinguished. From the observation of the mineralogical assemblages and their evolution, the former events (stages 1 and 2) could be related to rapid subduction of ocean-floor or back-arc basalts, whereas, during the latter event (stage 3), the rocks experienced crystallization conditions involving both decreasing pressures and increasing temperatures.     

From subduction to transform motion: a seabeam survey of the Hellenic trench system

Preliminary results of a multi-narrow beam survey of the Hellenic trench system, in the Eastern Mediterranean, are presented. The southwestern Ionian branch is divided in small basins, partly filled with Pleistocene sediments. The morphology suggests that the basins are deformed by a compressional stress acting roughly perpendicularly to the trench along N50°E. This direction is the direction of the regional slip vector of the shallow thrust-type earthquakes. The structure of the southeastern Pliny-Strabo branch is quite different. Narrow en-e´chelon slots, oriented N40°E, have been mapped within the main troughs oriented N60°E. The regional earthquake slip vector is also oriented along N40°E. We conclude that the Hellenic trench system is an active subduction system, dominated by thrust along the Ionian branch and by transform motion along the Pliny-Strabo branch.     

Determination of the mean principal directions of stresses for a given fault population

New methods of determination of stress axes, from field measurements of the orientations of faults and slickenslides, are discussed. Results show that the approximation which assumes that relative motion along any fault is controlled by a single common mean stress tensor is valid.     

Rare anthropogenic and natural particles suspended in deep ocean waters

Four hundred membrane filters from the Atlantic and Pacific deep waters have been scanned for coloured and opaque particles by a method integrating the light and the scanning electron microscopes, the electron microprobe and the micro-X-ray diffraction camera. About 40 different types of particles have been found. A tentative classification of the particles and of their morphological and chemical varieties is presented, according to their anthropogenic or natural origins. From this point of view, the particles fall into five groups: (1) particle species exclusively produced by man's activities (like brass, cobalt aluminate); (2) particles exclusively produced by natural processes (like amphibole, ilmenite); (3) particles rarely produced by natural processes, but massively so by man (like metallic copper, chromium oxide); (4) a large group of particles massively produced by nature and by man (like magnetite spherules, malachite); (5) a very small group of particles whose origin could not be attributed at present. Very few entirely new compounds from the point of view of continental mineralogy have been encountered.     

Evolution de la structure de la couche limite planetaire sur des sites oceaniques et continentaux

We have studied the evolution of the planetary boundary layer using both oceanic and continental stations. This has been possible through the analysis of twice-daily temperature radiosondes at three different oceanic stations (Point A; Point K; and Azores) and also at three continental stations (Berlin, Trappes and Madrid) all situated in the Northern Hemisphere. We have studied the annual evolution of mixing layers and of temperature inversion levels; an annual evolution presenting a minimum in winter and a maximum in summer has been observed in the continental stations; the oceanic stations present a lesser variation and in the opposite sense. As for the elevated inversion layers, their maximum frequency can be observed in summer at the oceanic stations and in winter at the continental stations. We have shown that considering the studied stations, both the level and the frequency of the elevated inversion layers are similar at 00 h and at 12 h; such a result is important because these layers regulate the intensity of the exchanges between the ground and the free atmosphere. Using the equivalent coefficient, we have determined the annual variation of the vertical exchanges between the surface and different altitudes. At the continental stations, the vertical exchanges are more important in summer than they are in winter; the opposite behaviour occurs at the oceanic stations.     

Garnet zoning and orthopyroxene + plagioclase coronitisation

A very uncommon garnet-zoning—Ca poor centre and Ca rich margin—has been observed, in a granulite facies rock. Calculation of equilibrium at each stage of the garnet growth led to apply in this particular case, as well as for the most garnet-zoning instances, the Rayleigh fractionation model, the fractionation factor Ca being less than 1 at the beginning of the crystallization. Subsequent coronitisation, at lower P and/or higher T, involved the development of orthopyroxene and plagioclase in equilibrium with a thin (15 thick) Ca-Mg poor and Fe rich outer cuticle of the garnet: thus the garnet lattice appears to be not so refractory as previously admitted, and in most coronitisation processes involving garnet such an outer cuticle must be considered as a component of the new mineral assemblage.     

Etude des solutions solides des néphélines (Na,K)AlSiO4 et (Na,Rb)AlSiO4

Ion exchange equilibrium of nepheline solid solutions (Na, K)AlSiO₄ and (Na, Rb)AlSiO₄ with hydrothermal solutions has been studied at 600°C and 2000 bars. The behaviour of dilute solid solutions was specially investigated.Na-Rb ion exchange data can be represented satisfactorily by a model taking into account the existence of two different sites in the structure of nepheline. At 600°C Rb atoms substitute almost exclusively for Na atoms situated in the larger sites. On the other hand, this model only partially applies to Na-K ion exchange equilibrium.Finally, the importance of the ion exchange data concerning extremely dilute solutions to calculate activity-composition diagrams is emphasized with special reference to the nepheline solid solutions.     

Pliocene extensional tectonics in the Eastern Central Patagonian Cordillera: geochronological constraints and new field evidence

Recent field work and review of radiometric data obtained from Neogene lavas and plutonic rocks exposed in the Eastern Central Patagonian Cordillera (46–48ºS), which overlie subducted segments of the South Chile Ridge, suggest important Late Miocene to Pleistocene morphological changes in relation to base level variations and/or tectonic events. We present new field observations from a region south of Lago General Carrera‐Buenos Aires, between the main Cordillera and the Meseta del Lago Buenos Aires, demonstrating that normal faulting controlled valley incisions and occurred during lava emplacement at 5–4 Ma and after 3 Ma. We also show that the 12 Ma basaltic flows of the Meseta del Lago Buenos Aires (∼2000 m a.s.l.) have been subjected to deep incision, with younger lavas dated at 1.2 Ma partially filling the valleys. These incisions are thought to reflect progressive eastward tilting of the entire meseta. Our new observations, together with additional features from Central Patagonia, strongly suggest that tectonic events led to a regional widespread morphological change after 5 Ma. The coincidence in time and space between the subduction of segments of the South Chile Ridge at 6 and 3 Ma causing opening of a slab window, and strong base level variations in the studied area, suggests a cause‐and‐effect relationship. In Central Patagonia, compressional tectonics ended well before extensional events reported here. Causes of uplift and further extension are probably completely disconnected. The uplift is purely tectonic in origin and occurred prior to the subduction of the South Chile Ridge. Extension should be a consequence of this subduction.     

Cultural and economic residential sorting of Auckland’s population, 1991–2013: an entropy approach

Journal of Geographical Systems - Auckland, the largest city of New Zealand, is one of the most diverse cities in the world, with more than 40% of its population born abroad, more than 200...