Provenance and tectonic setting of the metapelites deposits in the Bulfat Complex,NE-Iraq

Major and trace elements including rare earth elements (REEs) chemistry of the metapelitic rocks of Bulfat Complex (Iraqi Zagros Suture Zone) indicate their enrichment in large-ion Lithophile, light rare earth (LREE) elements, and relative depletion of high field strength and heavy rare earth (HREE) elements. The linear correlation coefficients between TiO₂, K₂O, and Al₂O₃ and total REE reveal that phyllosilicates (e.g., mica) and accessory minerals mainly Ti-bearing phases (e.g., ilmenite) are likely the dominant hosts for REEs. Chondrite-normalized REE patterns typical of continental margin settings with significant enrichment of LREE, prominent negative Eu anomalies, and nearly flat HREE are positively correlated with post-Archean Australian shale (PAAS) and upper continental crust (UCC) patterns. Additionally, their consistent elemental La/Sc, Th/Sc, La/Co, Th/Co, Cr/Th, and Eu/Eu* values suggest that sediments may have been originally derived from an old post-Archean upper continental crust composed chiefly of granitic component. It seems most likely that the felsic source rocks were originated by a process of intra-crustal differentiation such as partial melting and/or fractional crystallization involving fractionation of Ca-plagioclase. The geochemical evidences particularly REEs evaluation show that deposition of clasts occurred in an active continental margin setting during lower–upper Cretaceous period contemporaneous with the igneous activities. It is evident therefore that the clasts source is from the north–northeast side, i.e., from the active margin of Iranian microcontinent (Sanandaj–Sirjan Zone).     

The structural inventory of a small complex impact crater: Jebel Waqf as Suwwan,Jordan

The investigation of terrestrial impact structures is crucial to gain an in‐depth understanding of impact cratering processes in the solar system. Here, we use the impact structure Jebel Waqf as Suwwan, Jordan, as a representative for crater formation into a layered sedimentary target with contrasting rheology. The complex crater is moderately eroded (300–420 m) with an apparent diameter of 6.1 km and an original rim fault diameter of 7 km. Based on extensive field work, IKONOS imagery, and geophysical surveying we present a novel geological map of the entire crater structure that provides the basis for structural analysis. Parametric scaling indicates that the structural uplift (250–350 m) and the depth of the ring syncline (<200 m) are anomalously low. The very shallow relief of the crater along with a NE vergence of the asymmetric central uplift and the enhanced deformations in the up‐range and down‐range sectors of the annular moat and crater rim suggest that the impact was most likely a very oblique one (~20°). One of the major consequences of the presence of the rheologically anisotropic target was that extensive strata buckling occurred during impact cratering both on the decameter as well as on the hundred‐meter scale. The crater rim is defined by a circumferential normal fault dipping mostly toward the crater. Footwall strata beneath the rim fault are bent‐up in the down‐range sector but appear unaffected in the up‐range sector. The hanging wall displays various synthetic and antithetic rotations in the down‐range sector but always shows antithetic block rotation in the up‐range sector. At greater depth reverse faulting or folding is indicated at the rim indicating that the rim fault was already formed during the excavation stage.     

HI observations ofHII-galaxies

High-resolution observations of the star forming dwarf galaxies Haro 21 and Markarian 314 are presented and are compared with a set of narrow band (H) CCD images. TheHi system related to Haro 21 measures about 12 kpc in diameter and is much more extended than the optical emission. The optical light follows that of an exponential disk and has a scale length of only 600 pc. TheHi distribution shows a lack of neutral gas near its centre where most of the H emission is found. The velocity field is regular and shows the characteristics of a disk in differential rotation. The rotation curve is rising out to the last measured point and the total mass is estimated to be about 1.5×10¹⁰ M . This implies that Haro 21 is a galaxy which is dominated by Dark Matter.Partly based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory, La Silla, Chile.     

The 2014 seismic hazard model of the Middle East: overview and results

The Earthquake Model of Middle East (EMME) Project aimed to develop regional scale seismic hazard and risk models uniformly throughout a region extending from the Eastern Mediterranean in the west to the Himalayas in the east and from the Gulf of Oman in the south to the Greater Caucasus in the North; a region which has been continuously devastated by large earthquakes throughout the history. The 2014 Seismic Hazard Model of Middle East (EMME-SHM14) was developed with the contribution of several institutions from ten countries. The present paper summarizes the efforts towards building a homogeneous seismic hazard model of the region and highlights some of the main results of this model. An important aim of the project was to transparently communicate the data and methods used and to obtain reproducible results. By doing so, the use of the model and results will be accessible by a wide community, further support the mitigation of seismic risks in the region and facilitate future improvements to the seismic hazard model. To this end all data, results and methods used are made available through the web-portal of the European Facilities for Earthquake Hazard and Risk (www.efehr.org).     

La branche orientale de l'arc de Chypre. Morphostructure d'une frontière de plaques d'après les résultats de la campagne BLAC (2003)

The eastern bend of the Cyprus Arc, at the transition between the submerged Mediterranean subduction and the onshore fault zones that underline the Eurasian, African and Arabic plates boundaries is a submarine feature undergoing a complex tectonic deformation. The BLAC marine geophysical survey helps to better assess the type of the deformation that affects the Messinian to Quaternary sediments along this plate boundary. The deformation, focussed between two tectonic corridors, displays compressive and transpressive features in the central part, becoming thrusting when moving westward in connection with the Cyprus accretionnary wedge. The northeastern end of this submarine range connects with the Latakia Ridge, which is, together with its continental extension, under a tensional tectonic regime. To cite this article: J. Benkhelil et al., C. R. Geoscience 337 (2005).     

Localized climate change scenarios of mean temperature and precipitation over Switzerland

There is a growing need of the climate change impact modeling and adaptation community to have more localized climate change scenario information available over complex topography such as in Switzerland. A gridded dataset of expected future climate change signals for seasonal averages of daily mean temperature and precipitation in Switzerland is presented. The basic scenarios are taken from the CH2011 initiative. In CH2011, a Bayesian framework was applied to obtain probabilistic scenarios for three regions within Switzerland. Here, the results for two additional Alpine sub-regions are presented. The regional estimates have then been downscaled onto a regular latitude-longitude grid with a resolution of 0.02° or roughly 2 km. The downscaling procedure is based on the spatial structure of the climate change signals as simulated by the underlying regional climate models and relies on a Kriging with external drift using height as auxiliary predictor. The considered emission scenarios are A1B, A2 and the mitigation scenario RCP3PD. The new dataset shows an expected warming of about 1 to 6 °C until the end of the 21st century, strongly depending on the scenario and the lead time. Owing to a large vertical gradient, the warming is about 1 °C stronger in the Alps than in the Swiss lowlands. In case of precipitation, the projection uncertainty is large and in most seasons precipitation can increase or decrease. In summer a distinct decrease of precipitation can be found, again strongly depending on the emission scenario.     

Trends in extreme rainfall in the state of New South Wales,Australia

The trends in annual maximum rainfall (AMR) intensity data in New South Wales, Australia, were examined. Data from 60 stations were used covering three study periods, 1955–2010, 1965–2010 and 1978–2010. Mann-Kendall (MK) and Spearman’s rho (SR) tests were applied to assess trends at local stations. Pre-whitening (PW), trend-free pre-whitening (TFPW) and the variance correction (VC) tests were used to assess the effects of serial correlation on trend results. For regional trend analysis, the regional MK test was employed. The impacts of climatic variability modes on the observed trends in AMR intensity and seasonal maximum rainfall data were investigated. It was found that positive trends were more frequent than the negative ones. The PW, TFPW and VC tests resulted in a slight reduction in the count of stations exhibiting significant positive trends. The number of stations exhibiting significant trends decreased when the impact of climate variability modes was considered.