Geochronology and sedimentology of the lower Passaic River,New Jersey

In an attempt to characterize localized rates of sediment accretion, 10 sediment cores were collected from the lower reach of the Passaic River, a major tributary of Newark Bay, New Jersey. Sediments were assayed for ²¹⁰Pb activity at predetermined depths and the rate of sediment accretion (cm yr^?1) was estimated from the least squares regression of the log of unsupported activity versus depth. Sediment accretion rates, derived from ²¹⁰Pb measurements (R_Pb) were used to predict the depth interval within the core containing sediments deposited around 1954; subsequent ¹³⁷Cs analyses were focused on this depth interval. Sediment accretion rates derived from ¹³⁷Cs measurements (R_Cs) were extrapolated from the depth of the 1954 horizon. Lead-210 derived sediment accretion rates in cores collected from a sediment bench extending along the inside bend on the southern shore of a meander in the river, ranged from 4.1 cm yr^?1 to 10.2 cm yr^?1 and averaged 6.8 cm yr^?1. The R_Cs estimates for cores from this area ranged from 3.8 cm yr^?1 to 8.9 cm yr^?1 and averaged 6.6 cm yr^?1. The R_Cs for cores collected in a more hydrologically dynamic reach of the river upstream of the sediment bench, were only 0.41 cm yr^?1 and 0.66 cm yr^?1. The results of this investigation indicate that this reach of the lower Passaic River is an area of high sediment accumulation, retaining much of the sediment load deposited from upstream and downstream sources. The rates of sediment accretion in the lower Passaic River are among the highest reported anywhere in the Newark Bay estuary.     

Periodicity in namurian sediments of derbyshire,england (a quantitative sedimentary analysis)

Five facies associations are present in the basin-filling Namurian sediments (Grindslow Shales and Kinderscout Grit) of the southern Central Pennine Basin of England. Visual study of sequences fails to disclose any pattern in the occurrence of facies. A simple mathematical statistical analysis shows that patterns do occur and approximate models can be proposed. The homogeneous siltstones (facies A) occur roughly in accord with a Poisson process model; the striped siltstones (facies B) of the sequence deviate from a renewal process model in many ways and may be most nearly approximated by some process showing trend in the rate of occurrence of events; the sharp-based sandstones (facies C) seem to occur in agreement with some type of renewal process, but not a Poissonian variety. The intervals between the sediment-building periods of these facies categories may be renewal processes of some kind, although all deviate from a simple Poisson model. Owing to the limitations of the data available only tentative conclusions can be drawn.     

Calorimetry of silicate melts at 1773 K: measurement of enthalpies of fusion and of mixing in the systems diopside-anorthite-albite and anorthite-forsterite

Transposed-temperature-drop calorimetry, using a Setaram HT 1500 calorimeter, was used to study directly the melting at 1773 K of mixtures of crystalline albite, anorthite, and diopside and of anorthite and forsterite. The enthalpy of albite at 1000–1773 K, starting with both crystalline and glassy samples, was also measured. The results confirm previously measured enthalpies of fusion of albite, diopside and anorthite (Stebbins et al. 1982, 1983; Richet and Bottinga 1984,1986). The new results use thermochemical cycles which completely avoid the glassy state by transforming crystals directly to melts. The enthalpy of fusion of forsterite is estimated to be 89±12 kJ/mol at 1773 K and 114±20 kJ/mol at its melting point of 2163 K. The data allow semiquantitative evaluation of heats of mixing in the molten silicates. Along the Ab-An join, enthalpies of mixing in the liquid at 773 K are the same or somewhat more negative than those in the glass at 986 K, whereas along Ab-Di and An-Di, enthalpies of mixing in the liquid are distinctly more positive than in the glass. These differences correlate with excess heat capacities in the liquids suggested by Stebbins et al. (1984).     

Puu Hou littoral cones,Hawaii

The Puu Hou littoral cones, on the south shoreline of Hawaii, were built in 5 days by steam explosions from two narrow lava streams of the 1868 Mauna Loa lava flows as they entered the sea. Explosions occurred in localized areas of both streams, from foci that migrated seaward as the flow built jetties into the sea. Debris, radially ejected from the migrating explosion centers, fell partly on land and partly at sea, and thus formed crescent shaped rims (half-cones) on land which overlap one another. The half-cones are breached through their centers by debris-free basalt corridors, because fragments that fell onto the flowing lava were carried seaward beyond the accumulating rims.Gray and red clastic layers are draped smoothly over the rim areas; thus the rims resemble anticlinal arches in cross section. Some beds can be traced from clastic layers on the ridges into irregular agglomeratic masses interbedded with basalt units of the source lava near the foci. The lower layers in the clastic sequence contain less olivine than those high in the sequence, which corresponds in time to an increasing olivine content during the 5 day flow, as recognized in the source lava.Fragments are angular to subangular blocks, lapilli and ash of crystalline basalt mixed with more abundant quickly chilled cognate material of similar sizes. The ash is mostly sideromelane in angular particles and rounded droplets (5–95%), tachylite (2–70%), crystalline basalt (1–40%), and broken olivine phenocrysts (1–9%). In some samples, the sideromelane droplets are partly oxidized on their surfaces, and internally are dark brown (R. I.=1.610–1.616), possibly due to dehydration and/or oxidation during the explosions. Samples with externally oxidized glass also contain etched olivine crystals and some iddingsite. Unaltered sideromelane droplets are pale yellowish-brown with R. I.=1.592–1.600, and are associated with unaltered, angular to subangular olivine crystals. The refractive index of the unaltered sideromelane droplets is the same as sideromelane crusts of pahoehoe on the lava flow farther inland, suggesting that the droplets are not hydrated or highly oxidized. None of the sideromelane fragments are palagonitized, presumably because little or no hydration has taken place since 1868.

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Zusammenfassung Die littoralen Spratzkegel von Puu Hou an der Südküste von Hawaii sind innerhalb von 5 Tagen durch Dampfexplosionen in zwei naheliegenden Lavaströmen des Mauna Loa-Ausbruches im Jahre 1868 entstanden, als diese das Meer erreichten. Die Explosionen traten in eng begrenzten Bereichen beider Ströme auf; die Explosionsherde wanderten mit den Lavaströmen seewärts, wobei sich Landzungen in den Ozean bauten. Aus den seewärts wandernden Explosionsherden wurden Fragmente ausgeworfen, die teilweise auf das Land und in den Ozean fielen; es formten sich dabei halbkreisartige Ränder (Halbkegel), die sich am Land überlappen. Die Halbkegel sind in der Mitte von Basaltkorridoren durchbrochen, die frei von Explosionsfragmenten sind, da diese in die strömende Lava fielen und seewärts abtransportiert wurden.Graue und rote pyro-klastische Sedimentlagen legen sich über die Randzonen der Halbkegel, so daß sie im Querschnitt wie Antiklinalstrukturen aussehen. Einige dieser Schichten können mit klastischen Lagen vom randlichen Saum bis zu irregulären Agglomeratmassen verfolgt werden, die zwischen die Basalte nahe der Explosionsherde eingeschaltet sind. Die tieferen Lagen der klastischen Sedimente enthalten weniger Olivin als die höher liegenden. Dieses entspricht einem sich zeitlich vermehrenden Olivingehalt während der fünftägigen Ausbruchszeit, wie er auch in der Originallava erkannt werden kann.Die Bruchstücke bestehen aus angularen bis subangularen Blöcken, Lapilli und Kristallaschen, die mit rasch erkalteten Lavafetzen ähnlicher Korngröße vermischt sind. Die Asche enthält hauptsächlich Sideromelan in eckigen Bruchstücken und gefundeten Tröpfchen (5–95%), Tachylyt (2–70%), Kristallbasalt (1–40%) und zerbrochene Olivineinsprenglinge (1-9%).In einigen Proben sind die Sideromelantröpfchen teilweise auf ihren Oberflächen oxydiert und im Inneren möglicherweise durch Dehydrierung und/oder Oxydation während der Explosionen dunkelbraun gefärbt (R. I.=1.610-1.616).Proben mit äußerlich oxydiertem Glas enthalten auch angeätzte Olivinkristalle und einigen Iddingsit. Unveränderte Sideromelantröpfchen sind blaß gelblichbraun gefärbt (R. I.=1.592–1.600) und mit unveränderten, eckigen bis subangolaren Olivinkristallen vergesellschaftet. Der Brechungsindex der unveränderten Sideromelantröpfchen ist derselbe wie von Sideromelankrusten auf den Lavaströmen Pahoehoes. Daraus kann gefolgert werden, daß die Tröpfchen nicht hydratisiert oder stark oxydiert sind. Die Sideromelanbruchstücke enthalten keinen Palagonit, weil seit 1868 wahrscheinlich wenig oder gar keine Hydratisierung mehr stattgefunden hat.

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Résumé Les cônes littoraux Puu Hou, sur la côte sud d'Hawai' ont été créés en cinq jours par les explosions de vapeur de deux branches étroites de la coulée de lave de Mauna Loa en 1868 lorsqu'elle entrait en contact avec la mer. Les explosions se sont produites dans des points localisés des deux branches de la coulée à partir du centre avançant en direction de la mer à mesure que la lave y construisait des jetées. Les débris projetés à la ronde depuis les centres d'explosion mobiles tombèrement en partie sur terre et en partie en mer formant ainsi sur le sol des bourrelets en forme de croissants (demi-cônes) qui s'entrecoupent. Les demi-cônes sont traversés dans leur centre par des couloirs de basalte dépourvus de débris, les fragments tombés dans la coulée de lave ayant été entraînés vers la mer au delà des bourrelets d'accumulation.Les couches élastiques grises et rouges sont drapées d'une manière égale au-dessus de la zone des bourrelets. Elle ressemble ainsi à des arches anticlinales en coupe. Certains lits peuvent être retracés à partir des couches élastiques sur les crêtes jusqu'à des masses agglomérées irrégulières mélangées à des éléments de basalte de la lave mère. Les couches inférieures de la séquence élastique contiennent moins d'olivine que les couches supérieures ce qui correspond à un accroissement de la proportion d'olivine pendant les 5 jours ue coulée, comme le lit de lave indique.Les fragments sont des blocs angulaires à sous-angulaires, des lapilli et de la cendre de basalte cristallin, mêlés à des matériaux apparentés de taille semblable, plus abondants et rapidement refroidis. La cendre est composée principalement de sidéromélane en particules anguleuses ou en gouttelettes rondes (5–95%), de tachylite (2–70%), de basalte cristallin (1–40%) et d'olivine phénocristale brisée (1–9%). Dans quelques échantillons, les gouttelettes de sidéromélane sont en partie oxydées à la surface et brun-foncé à l'intérieur (R. I.=1.610–1.616), peut-être par suite de déshydratation e/ou oxydation pendant l'explosion. Les échantillons comportant extérieurement du verre oxydé contiennent des cristaux d'olivine attaqués et une certaine proportion d'iddingsite. Les gouttelettes de sidéromélane intactes, sont d'un jaune-brun pâle, R. I.=1.592-1.600, et sont associées à des cristaux d'olivine non-attaquées, angulaires à sous-angulaires. L'indice de réfraction des gouttelettes intactes de sidéromélane est le même que celui de la croûte de sidéromélane du pahoehoe dans la coulée de lave plus à l'intérieur de l'île, suggérant que les gouttelettes ne sont pas hydratées ou très oxydées. Aucun des fragments de sidéromélane n'est palagonisé, sans doute parce que depuis 1868 il n'y a eu que peu ou pas d'hydratation.

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, 1868 Puu Hou . Ha , .

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Dedicated to Professor Dr. A.Rittmann on the occasion of his 75. birthday     

Covariance structure and morphometric analysis—A contribution to paleogenetics

A method of analysis of covariance structure proposed by A. P. Dempster complements, in some respects, a recently suggested procedure by the author. The method is based on the comparison of ratios of generalized statistical distances and distancelike quantities. An analysis of septivariate data on the foraminiferTextilina mexicana (Cushman) shows general differences in covariance structure in which the sample rest linear discriminators also differ. This difference in covariance structure is thought to be genetic in origin. Two species of Middle Devonian brachiopods,Martinia inflata (Schnur) andUncites gryphus von Schlotheim), also show differences in covariance structure—the former slightly, the latter strongly. This is further analyzed forUncites by the author's methods and good agreement between the two approaches obtained.     

Stable carbon isotope evidence for two sources of organic matter in coastal sediments: seagrasses and plankton

Organic carbon from sediments collected in Texas seagrass meadows was enriched in ¹³C by an average of 6.6% relative to organic carbon from offshore sediments. Within the South Texas hay system examined. δ¹³C values became increasingly more typical of offshore sediments with increasing distance from seagrass meadows. This permits the use of carbon isotope data as a measure of the relative contributions of seagrasses and plankton to sedimentary organic matter.     

New experimental data for the system CaO-MgO-SiO2-H2O and a synthesis of inferred phase relations

Subsolidus and vapor-saturated liquidus phase relations for a portion of the system CaO-MgO-SiO₂-H₂O, as inferred from experimental data for the composition regions CaMgSi₂O₆-Mg₂SiO₄-SiO₂-H₂O and CaMgSi₂O₆-Mg₂SiO₄-Ca₃MgSi₂O₈ (merwinite)-H₂O, are presented in pressure-temperature projection. Sixteen invariant points and 39 univariant reactions are defined on the basis of the 1 atm and 10 kbar (vapor-saturated) liquidus diagrams. Lack of experimental control over many of the reactions makes the depicted relations schematic in part.An invariant point involving orthoenstatite, protoenstatite, pigeonite, and diopside (all solid solutions) occurs at low pressure (probably between 1 and 2 kbar). At pressures below this invariant point, orthoenstatite breaks down at high temperature to the assemblage diopside + protoenstatite; with increasing temperature, the latter assemblage reacts to form pigeonite. At pressures above the invariant point, pigeonite forms according to the reaction diopside + orthoenstatite = pigeonite, and the assemblage diopside + protoenstatite is not stable. At 1 atm, both pigeonite and protoenstatite occur as primary liquidus phases, but at pressures above 6–7 kbar orthoenstatite is the only Ca-poor pyroxene polymorph which appears on the vapor-saturated liquidus surface.At pressures above approximately 10.8 kbar, only diopside, forsterite, and merwinite occur as primary liquidus phases in the system CaMgSi₂O₆-Mg₂SiO₄-Ca₃MgSi₂O₈-H₂O, in the presence of an aqueous vapor phase. At pressures between 1 atm and 10.2 kbar, both akermanite and monticellite also occur as primary liquidus phases. Comparison of the 1 atm and 10 kbar vapor-saturated liquidus diagrams suggests that melilite basalt bears a low pressure, or shallow depth, relationship to monticellite-bearing ultrabasites.     

Paragenesis of “box-work geodes”, Tampa Bay, Florida

An unusual suite of silicified rocks was excavated during a recent harbour-deepening project in Tampa Bay, Florida. These rocks, which we have termed “box-work geodes”, are composed of convoluted, intersecting silica walls enclosing cavities which are either voids or filled with relatively pure monoclinic palygorskite. The “box-work geodes” are interpreted as having formed in shallow lagoonal environments, similar to the Coorong Lagoon of South Australia. Synaeresis of syngenetic palygorskite was followed by opal deposition and case hardening of the material. Subsequent chemical deposition of chalcedony, megacrystalline quartz, barite, and calcite on the void facing walls indicates an open chemical system.

The existence of opal saturated lagoons, as inferred from the “box-work geodes”, suggests that much of the replacement chert, porcelanite, and silicified fossils in the Tertiary deposits of peninsular Florida formed in the shallow subsurface. Subsequent weathering of carbonates and clays not encapsulated in the box works has resulted in formation of a green montmorillonite residual clay bed.     

Deltaic sedimentation in the Devonian of Western Libya

Middle and Upper Devonian deposits from the Aouinet Ouenine Formation in the southern Ghadames Basin of western Libya provide a well exposed example of a deltaic complex containing both progradational and transgressive facies. Progradational facies comprise both laterally accreting and incised distributary channels overlying prodelta deposits. Also present is a progradational beach environment showing build-up from an offshore shelf through nearshore shelf to shoreface and foreshore sub-environments. Over-lying these progradational facies are transgressive tidal-flat, washover-fan, foreshore and nearshore deposits.The characteristics and interrelationships of the different facies are explained by two sedimentation models: progradational facies existed contemporaneously during phases of active sediment supply whereas the transgressive facies existed contemporaneously during periods of diminished or absent detrital influx.