Diagenetic alterations related to marine transgression and regression in fluvial and shallow marine sandstones of the Triassic Buntsandstein and Keuper sequence,the Paris Basin,France

The distribution of diagenetic alterations in Triassic fluvio-deltaic, quartzarenitic to sublitharenitic, lowstand systems tract (LST) sandstones of the Grès á Voltzia Formation, anastomosing fluvial, quartzarenitic transgressive systems tract (TST) sandstones of the Grès á Roseaux Formation, and shallow marine, quartzarenitic to sublitharenitic, TST sandstones of the Grès Coquiller Formation, the Paris Basin (France), can be linked to transgression and regression events, and thus to the sequence stratigraphic context. Near-surface eogenetic alterations, which display a fairly systematic link to the depositional facies and sequence stratigraphic framework, include: (i) cementation by meteoric water calcite (δ¹⁸O=−8.9‰ and δ¹³C=−9.1‰) in the fluvio-deltaic, LST sandstones, (ii) cementation by mixed marine–meteoric calcite (δ¹⁸O=−5.3‰ to −2.6‰ and δ¹³C=−3.9‰ to −1.3‰) and dolomite (δ¹⁸O=−4.6‰ to −2.6‰ and δ¹³C=−2.9‰ to −2.3‰) in the foreshore, TST sandstones and below parasequence boundaries (PB), and transgressive surface (TS), and in the shoreface, TST sandstones below maximum flooding surfaces (MFS), being facilitated by the presence of carbonate bioclasts, (iii) dissolution of detrital silicates and precipitation of K-feldspar overgrowths and kaolinite, particularly in the fluvio-deltaic, LST sandstones owing to effective meteoric water circulation, and (vi) formation of autochthonous glauconite, which is increases in abundance towards the top of the fluvio-deltaic, LST sandstones, and along TS, and in the shoreface, TST sandstones, by alteration of micas owing to the flux of seawaters into the sandstones during transgression, whereas parautochthonous glauconite is restricted to the TS sandstones owing to marine reworking. Mesogenetic alterations, which include cementation by quartz overgrowths and illite, display fairly systematic link to fluvio-deltaic, LST sandstones. This study has revealed that linking of diagenesis to transgression and regression events enables a better understanding of the parameters that control the spatial and temporal distribution of diagenetic alterations in sandstones and of their impact on reservoir quality evolution.     

Mesoarchean (3.0 and 2.86 Ga) host rocks of the iron oxide–Cu–Au Bacaba deposit,Carajás Mineral Province: U–Pb geochronology and metallogenetic implications

The Bacaba iron oxide–copper–gold deposit, situated within a WNW–ESE-striking shear zone in the Carajás Domain, Carajás Mineral Province, is hosted by the Serra Dourada Granite, the Bacaba Tonalite, and crosscutting gabbro intrusions, which were intensely affected by sodic (albite–scapolite), potassic, chloritic, and hydrolytic hydrothermal alteration. This deposit is located 7 km northeast of the world-class Sossego iron oxide–copper–gold deposit and might represent a distal and deeper portion of the same or related hydrothermal system. The U–Pb laser ablation inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry data for zircon from a sodically altered sample of the Serra Dourada Granite yielded a 2,860±22 Ma (MSWD=11.5) age. Three samples from the Bacaba Tonalite, including one with potassic alteration and two with Cu–Au mineralization, rendered the 3,001.2±3.6 Ma (MSWD=1.8), 2,990.9±5.8 Ma (MSWD=1.9), and 3,004.6±9 Ma (MSWD=2.2) ages, respectively. The ca. 2.86 and ca. 3.0 Ga ages are interpreted as the timing of the igneous crystallization of the Serra Dourada Granite and the Bacaba Tonalite, respectively, and represent the oldest magmatic events recognized in the Carajás Domain. The Serra Dourada Granite and the Bacaba Tonalite are interpreted to greatly predate the genesis of the Bacaba deposit. A genetic link is improbable in the light of the similarities with the Sossego deposit, which is also hosted by younger ca. 2.76 Ga metavolcano-sedimentary units of the Itacaiúnas Supergroup. In this context, the iron oxide–copper–gold deposits in the southern sector of the Carajás Domain could be mainly controlled by important crustal discontinuities, such as a regional shear zone, rather than be associated with a particular rock type. These results expand the potential for occurrences of iron oxide–copper–gold deposits within the Mesoarchean basement rocks underlying the Carajás Basin, particularly those crosscut by Neoarchean shear zones.     

Influence of surface heterogeneities of building granite on its thermal response and its potential for the generation of thermoclasty

Surface properties, especially albedo, and aspect are widely accepted as strong influences on the surface thermal response of building stone to insolation. However, the influence that adjacent areas of stone with very different surface properties may have on the thermal response of a patch of stonework, and the ways in which spatial variation in thermal characteristics might enhance stone decay has received relatively little attention. This paper examines the differential thermal response of granite used in construction that results from the presence of dark coloured micro-granular enclaves within a leucocratic host. Surface temperatures and temperature differences between enclaves exhibiting mico-spalling, enclaves with no spalling and the surrounding stone were measured for different aspects and seasons on a 20th century building in Madrid. These data were used to calculate a number of “indices” related to short-term temperature cycling and temperature gradients that have the theoretical capability of generating irreversible deformation of the stone. These indices suggest that micro-spalling of enclaves, compared to a lack of similar decay on the host-rock, is related to their differential thermal response to insolation, most importantly the lower albedo and thermal conductivity values of the enclaves. However, these factors are not sufficient on their own to trigger spalling, and breakdown was only observed where enclaves also experienced repeated, short-term surface temperature cycling caused by, for example, temporary shading by adjacent vegetation. These rapid temperature reversals are identified as a key contributory factor to the thermally driven decay observed on some of the enclaves.     

Sobre un volcán de Verita recientemente descubierto en el Mioceno de Barqueros. — (Murcia)

While working to construct a geological map. A.Almela, an Engineer of Mines, discovered in Alhama de Murcia a previously unknown volcanic crater. This volcano erupted through the miocene layers and extended above them, thus establishing the date of this eruption as being post-miocene. Since there are no sedimentary rocks in this region of a more recent date it is impossible to fix the date of the eruption any more exactly. The crater is about 1Km. In the surface of the crater one finds slag, scoriaceous lava and compact rocks. The rock is composed of phlogopite, olivine and diopside in phenocrysts in a hyaloid cement with tiny grains of sanidine, olivine and diopside; and a thin layer of phlogopite in a glassy brownish black. A study was made of the chemical constituency of the rocks on the basis of three complete analyses and a comparison was made with the findings already made by Vera-Garrucha and those of Fortuna. All of the data as compiled in the five tables and four diagrams graphically represents the obtained results. The volcanic rocks have a close analogy to those ofOsann’s « Verita » type, which are shown not only by the analytical value of the magmatic parameters but also by the positions of the points shown in diagramsK-mg andLs-Fs-Ks of the three types already analized. In all the samples which have been studied from Barqueros the value of the K₂O is superior to that of Na₂O; it is also greater than that of Vera-Garrucha and less than in that of Fortuna.     

Time series of multivariate data in aquatic ecology

Coupling of multivariate methods and time series analysis can be ueful for studying dynamics of aquatic communities. This is demonstratred with a data set from the pelagic area of an oligo-mesotrophic lake in Central Spain during 61 consecutive days of Autumn overturn. Abiotic variables, phytoplankton species and their total biomass were traced. Species abundance and specific biomass were considered as indices of community structure and resource partitioning, respectively. Abiotic and algal data sets were subjected to factor analyses of cases separately. Atmospheric forcing and nitrogen could be considered as the main (2) driving variables of the abiotic matrix. The coupling of motile abilities and cell size was associated to the main factors of the community structure matrix whereas phosphorus limitation and species responses to buoyancy represented the main factors of the biomass matrix. Coordinates of the two first factors could be used to mimic the trajectories in the data space. Significant short term lags (1–4 days) were found in most time series. Lagged responses of atmospheric forcing and nitrogen on phytoplankton community structure and resource partitioning at scales of 1–7 days were also shown. Overall phytoplankton biomass did not show significant delayed responses, thereby suggesting that it might be resulting from the interplay of other non-studied factors.     

The correlation of microtremors: empirical limits and relations between results in frequency and time domains

The use of the correlation of microtremor records is on its way to develop into a common tool to estimate local shear wave velocity structure. For this reason, the establishment of the conditions for the correct use of this method and its limitations when applied to real data is becoming increasingly important. In addition to the use of frequency domain spatial correlation technique [the Spatial Autocorrelation (SPAC) method], the use of time domain correlation to obtain the Green's function of the medium is rapidly gaining presence. We explore the use of microtremor correlation techniques in the time domain to determine local velocity structure and compare with previous results obtained with the same data using SPAC. Our data come from three experiments carried out in Parkway and Wainuiomata valleys in New Zealand, using broad-band portable stations. Interstation distances range from 5 m to 2.1 km, and our results are useful in the frequency band from 0.1 to 7 Hz. Frequency domain correlation requires an isotropic microtremor field, a condition that need not be satisfied in the time domain. Two station correlations provide useful results due to the temporal stationarity and isotropy, in average, of the microtremor wavefield. This manifests itself in the symmetry of the temporal correlation functions with respect to zero time. Our results show that the local velocity structure and the interstation distance are the key factors conditioning the frequency range where surface wave dispersion can be correctly measured either in frequency or time domains. We confirm that, when the interstation distance becomes much larger than the dominant wavelengths, only the correlation in time domain is useful. All our results indicate that the signal obtained in the correlation of vertical component microtremors is due to the fundamental mode of Rayleigh waves, which appears as the most stable propagation mode, without any indication of body waves.     

Strontium,SO42−/Cl− and Mg2+/Ca2+ ratios as tracers for the evolution of seawater into coastal aquifers: the example of Castell de Ferro aquifer (SE Spain)

The strontium content and the SO₄^2?/Cl^? and Mg²⁺/Ca²⁺ ratios were used as natural tracers of the residence time of seawater intrusion into the Castell de Ferro aquifer. Analysis of these parameters indicated the existence of two principal flowpaths in the aquifer. The first flows through the eastern part of the aquifer, through the karstified Castell de Ferro massif; it accommodates a larger and more rapid flow, so that the residence time is shorter, leading to lower SO₄²⁺/Cl^? ratios, lower Sr²⁺ content and higher Mg²⁺/Ca²⁺ ratios. The second flowpath is in the western sector, and flows exclusively through alluvial deposits; the flow here is slower, particularly that flowing towards the sea. Thus the residence time of the water here will be longer and there is scant flushing of the intruded seawater; this is manifested in the high Sr²⁺ content, high SO₄²⁺/Cl^? and low Mg²⁺/Ca²⁺ ratios. To cite this article: P. Pulido-Leboeuf et al., C. R. Geoscience 335 (2003).     

Fuzzy logic based melting layer recognition from 3 GHz dual polarization radar: appraisal with NWP model and radio sounding observations

The advent of polarimetry makes it possible to categorize hydrometeor inferences more accurately by providing detailed information of the scattering properties. In light of this, the authors have developed a fuzzy logic based system for the recognition of melting layer in the atmosphere. The fuzzy system is based on characterizing melting layer scatterers from non-melting scatterers using five crisp inputs, namely, horizontal reflectivity (Z _H), differential reflectivity (Z _DR), co-polar correlation coefficient (ρ _HV), linear depolarization ratio (LDR) and height of radar measurements (H). For the implementation of melting layer recognition, the study employs the dual polarized signatures from the 3 GHz Chilbolton Advanced Meteorological Radar (CAMRA). Furthermore, a simple but effective averaging procedure for melting level estimation from a volume RHI scan is proposed. The proposed scheme has been evaluated with Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model simulated and radio soundings retrieved melting level height over a total of 84 RHI scan-based bright band cases. The results confirm that the estimated melting level heights from the proposed method are in good agreement with the WRF model and radio sounding observations. The 3 GHz radar melting level height estimates correspond with the R ² and RMSE values of 0.92 and 0.24 km, respectively, when compared to the radio soundings, and 0.93 and 0.21 km, respectively, when compared to the WRF model results. Moreover, the related R ² and RMSE values are reported as 0.93 and 0.22 km respectively between the WRF and radio soundings retrievals. This implies that the downscaled WRF modelled melting level height may also be used for operational or research needs.     

Probabilistic radar rainfall nowcasts using empirical and theoretical uncertainty models

Weather radar has a potential to provide accurate short‐term (0–3 h) forecasts of rainfall (i.e. radar nowcasts), which are of great importance in warnings and risk management for hydro‐meteorological events. However, radar nowcasts are affected by large uncertainties, which are not only linked to limitations in the forecast method but also because of errors in the radar rainfall measurement. The probabilistic quantitative precipitation nowcasting approach attempts to quantify these uncertainties by delivering the forecasts in a probabilistic form. This study implements two forms of probabilistic quantitative precipitation nowcasting for a hilly area in the south of Manchester, namely, the theoretically based scheme [ensemble rainfall forecasts (ERF)‐TN] and the empirically based scheme (ERF‐EM), and explores which one exhibits higher predictive skill. The ERF‐TN scheme generates ensemble forecasts of rainfall in which each ensemble member is determined by the stochastic realisation of a theoretical noise component. The so‐called ERF‐EM scheme proposed and applied for the first time in this study, aims to use an empirically based error model to measure and quantify the combined effect of all the error sources in the radar rainfall forecasts. The essence of the error model is formulated into an empirical relation between the radar rainfall forecasts and the corresponding ‘ground truth’ represented by the rainfall field from rain gauges measurements. The ensemble members generated by the two schemes have been compared with the rain gauge rainfall. The hit rate and the false alarm rate statistics have been computed and combined into relative operating characteristic curves. The comparison of the performance scores for the two schemes shows that the ERF‐EM achieves better performance than the ERF‐TN at 1‐h lead time. The predictive skills of both schemes are almost identical when the lead time increases to 2 h. In addition, the relation between uncertainty in the radar rainfall forecasts and lead time is also investigated by computing the dispersion of the generated ensemble members. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.