Depositional setting,provenance, and tectonic-volcanic setting of Eocene–Recent deep-sea sediments of the oceanic Izu–Bonin forearc,northwest Pacific (IODP Expedition 352)

New biostratigraphical, geochemical, and magnetic evidence is synthesized with IODP Expedition 352 shipboard results to understand the sedimentary and tectono-magmatic development of the Izu–Bonin outer forearc region. The oceanic basement of the Izu–Bonin forearc was created by supra-subduction zone seafloor spreading during early Eocene (c. 50–51 Ma). Seafloor spreading created an irregular seafloor topography on which talus locally accumulated. Oxide-rich sediments accumulated above the igneous basement by mixing of hydrothermal and pelagic sediment. Basaltic volcanism was followed by a hiatus of up to 15 million years as a result of topographic isolation or sediment bypassing. Variably tuffaceous deep-sea sediments were deposited during Oligocene to early Miocene and from mid-Miocene to Pleistocene. The sediments ponded into extensional fault-controlled basins, whereas condensed sediments accumulated on a local basement high. Oligocene nannofossil ooze accumulated together with felsic tuff that was mainly derived from the nearby Izu–Bonin arc. Accumulation of radiolarian-bearing mud, silty clay, and hydrogenous metal oxides beneath the carbonate compensation depth (CCD) characterized the early Miocene, followed by middle Miocene–Pleistocene increased carbonate preservation, deepened CCD and tephra input from both the oceanic Izu–Bonin arc and the continental margin Honshu arc. The Izu–Bonin forearc basement formed in a near-equatorial setting, with late Mesozoic arc remnants to the west. Subduction-initiation magmatism is likely to have taken place near a pre-existing continent–oceanic crust boundary. The Izu–Bonin arc migrated northward and clockwise to collide with Honshu by early Miocene, strongly influencing regional sedimentation.     

Physical,chemical, and biological conditions associated with the early stages of the Lake Michigan vernal thermal front

An investigation of the thermal front in southeastern Lake Michigan during April 1988 revealed a dynamic physical, chemical, and biological environment. The front was observed approximately 4 km from the coast as a distinct gradient separating cold open-lake waters from warmer nearshore waters. Surface isotherms near the front were generally parallel to one another but skewed with respect to shore. Comparison between April 22 and 29 showed that the surface isothern pattern was modulated by wind stress. The pattern from April 29 showed signs of flow instabilities with horizontal scales of 1 km to 5 km. Surface drifter trajectories provided estimates of horizontal convergence at the fron which varied from 7×10^?6 s^?1 to 20×10^?6 s^?1. Inferred rates of downwelling, which ranged from 9.5 m d^?1 to 20.7 m d^?1, were sufficient to move a water parcel from the surface to the bottom in 2 to 6 d at the front. Convergent circulation was observed on both sampling dates despite contrasts in wind stress. Concentrations of chloride, soluble silica, and chlorophyll, which were always higher inshore, were 5% to 82% larger than offshore mean values. The aquatic environment just inshore of the thermal front was characterized by chlorphyll concentrations which exceeded 5.0 μg 1^?1 while concentrations offshore were between 1.0 μg 1^?1 and 2.0 μg 1^?1. A relatively uniform vertical structure in chlorophyll concentrations in the frontal zone was consistent with the observed convergence and inferred downwelling near the front.     

A review of wave-dominated clastic shoreline deposits

Barrier islands, beaches, wave-dominated deltas and chenier plains probably form more than one-fifth of present coasts, and constitute an even larger proportion of the subsiding lowland coasts likely to be preserved in the stratigraphic record. The geometry, vertical sequences and composition of their deposits are the result of: (1) shoreline behaviour, whether transgressive, regressive or stable; (2) physical processes, particularly the relative intensities of waves and tides; (3) climate; (4) global tectonic setting; and (5) topography of underlying deposits.Published interpretations indicate that equivalent deposits are abundant in the geological record. Sandstones are mostly quartzose, cemented by carbonates and quartz, and have sheet or linear geometries. Ancient deposits can provide evidence of palaeogeography and some are economically significant, particularly as hydrocarbon reservoir rocks.Four end-member sedimentation models are proposed for the interpretation of ancient deposits: (1) transgressive sheet sands associated with deltas; (2) non-deltaic transgressive sheet sands; (3) regressive sheet sands; and (4) linear sand bodies. Probable depositional settings, geometries, characteristics of deposits and palaeocurrent patterns are discussed.     

Genetic significance of fluid inclusions in the CSA Cu–Pb–Zn deposit, Cobar, Australia

CSA mine exploits a ‘Cobar-type’ Cu–Pb–Zn±Au±Ag deposit within a cleaved and metamorphosed portion of the Cobar Supergroup, central New South Wales. The deposit comprises systems of ‘lenses’ that encompass veins, disseminations and semi-massive to massive Cu–Pb–Zn ores. The systems and contained lenses truncate bedding, are approximately coplanar with regional cleavage and similarly oriented shear zones and plunge parallel to the elongation lineation. Systems have extreme vertical continuity (>1000 m), short strike length (400 m) and narrow width (100 m), exhibit vertical and lateral ore-type variation and have alteration haloes. Models of ore formation include classical hydrothermalism, structurally controlled remobilisation and polymodal concepts; syntectonic emplacement now holds sway.Fluid inclusions were examined from quartz±sulphide veins adjacent to now-extracted ore, from coexisting quartz–sulphide within ore, and from vughs in barren quartz veins. Lack of early primary inclusions precluded direct determination of fluids associated with D₂–D₃ ore and vein emplacement. Similarly, decrepitation (by near-isobaric heating) of the two oldest secondary populations precluded direct determination of fluid phases immediately following D₂–D₃ ore and vein emplacement. Post-decrepitation outflow (late D₃ to early post-D₃) is recorded by monophase CH₄ inclusions. Entrained outflow of deeply circulated meteoric fluid modified the CH₄ system; modification is recorded by H₂O+CH₄ and H₂O+(trace CH₄) secondary populations and by an H₂O+(trace CH₄) primary population. The contractional tectonics (D₂–D₃) of ore emplacement was superseded by relaxational tectonics (D_4P) that facilitated meteoric water penetration and return flow.Under D₂ prograde metamorphism, entrapment temperatures (Tt) and pressures (Pt) for pre-decrepitation secondary inclusions are estimated as Tt300–330 °C and Pt1.5–2 kbar≈Plith (the lithostatic pressure). Decrepitation accompanied peak metamorphism (T350–380 °C) in mid- to late-D₃, while in late-D₃ to early post-D₃, essentially monophase CH₄ secondary inclusions were entrapped at Tt350 °C and Pt=1.5–2 kbar≈Plith. Subsequently, abundant CH₄ and entrained meteoric water were entrapped as H₂O+CH₄ secondaries under slowly decreasing temperature (Tt330–350 °C) and constant pressure (Pt1.5–2 kbar). Finally, with increasingly dominant meteoric outflow, H₂O+(trace CH₄) populations record decreasing temperatures (Tt>300 to <350 down to 275–300 °C) at pressures of Phydrostatic<Pt (1 kbar) <Plith (1.5 kbar).The populations of inclusions provide insight into fluid types, flow regimes and P–T conditions during parts of the deposit's evolution. They indirectly support the role of basin-derived CH₄ fluids in ore formation, but provide no insight into a basement-sourced ore-forming fluid. They fully support post-ore involvement of meteoric water. The poorly constrained entrapment history is believed to span 10 Ma from 395 to 385 Ma.     

Provincialism and correlations between some properties of vitrinites

Optical and chemical properties for hand-picked samples of vitrinite from a number of British coalfields are correlated and the correlations compared with previously published data. The form of the relationship found for the properties of British vitrinites is generally similar to that exhibited by a number of other sets of analyses, but some significant differences also exist in several of the correlations. For maximum reflectance as a function of carbon content, the present data indicate that at medium and low ranks, maximum reflectance is lower than the level suggested by most previous studies. The relationships of volatile-matter yield to reflectance and carbon content suggest that at low ranks, volatile-matter yield is strongly dependent upon the nature of the coalification history of the vitrinite. Furthermore, these correlations are likely to show provincialism, in that correlations which hold for one coalfield may not be representative of the relationship in other coalfields. Similarly, major differences in relationships involving bireflectance are associated with the tectonic setting at the time of effective coalification. The data presented here indicate that for low-rank coals at least, correlations between properties of vitrinites must take account of provincialism if they are to be sufficiently reliable to be useful. The measurement of a number of rank-sensitive variables can yield additional information about rank, as compared with the use of a single rank-sensitive variable.