K-Ar dating of ring complexes and fault systems in Northern Kordofan,Sudan: evidence for independent magmatic and tectonic activity

From an area of brittle shearing and ring complexes in Northern Kordofan, Sudan 28 K-Ar ages were calculated to determine the geochronology of tectonic and magmatic events. The age results for deformational episodes are 560, 340 and 255 Ma, whereas alkaline magma was intruded at 280, 220 and 165 Ma. The incompatibility of age marks leads to the conclusion that magmatic and tectonic activity in this area have to be regarded as independent events. This holds true even when all dated intrusions from the entire region are compared with post-Pan-African continental tectonic features.     

The Antarctic circumpolar current and its influence on the Earth's rotation

Summary At least in case of semidiurnal tides, theirmotions contain most of their relative angular momentum. There are other periodic currents in the ocean with cycles of months to years which may influence the Earth's rotation within such time scales. These currents are mainly due to seasonal or climatic variations of the wind stress and the water mass distribution in the oceans. The main question is: how much of the oceanic angular momentum is temporarily stored within the oceans and what is the time scale of the transfer to the solid Earth. As an example, we have estimated the phase and the amplitude of the angular momentum which is stored in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. Its phase resembles the one of the whole observed semiannual discrepancy in the angular momentum budget of the solid Earth plus the atmosphere; the amplitudes are comparable.

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Der Antarktische Ringstrom und sein Einfluß auf die Erdrotation

Zusammenfassung Zumindest im Fall der halbtägigen Gezeiten der Ozeane enthalten derenBewegungen den größten Teil ihres variablen Drehimpulses. Andere periodische Meeresströmungen mit Perioden von Monaten bis Jahren könnten die Erdrotation ebenfalls beeinflussen. Solche Strömungen werden vor allem durch jahreszeitliche oder klimatische Veränderungen der Schubspannung des Windes und der Wasserstände verursacht. Die Hauptfrage ist jedenfalls diese: Wieviel Drehimpuls ist in jeder Phase in den Ozeanen gespeichert, und in welcher Zeit wird er mit der festen Erde ausgetauscht. Als Beispiel haben wir Phase und Amplitude des Drehimpulses abgeschätzt, der im Antarktischen Ringstrom enthalten ist. Diese Werte wurden mit den entsprechenden der Diskrepanz verglichen, die in der Bilanz feste Erde plus Atmosphäre offen bleibt. Die Phasen stimmen gut überein, und die Amplituden sind vergleichbar.

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Le courant circumpolaire antarctique et son influence sur la rotation de la terre

Résumé Au moins dans le cas des marées semi-diurnes lesmouvements des océans «contiennent» la plus grande partie de la variabilité de la quantité de moment angulaire de la terre. D'autres courants océaniques périodiques dont la période varie du mois à l'année peuvent aussi avoir une influence sur la rotation de la terre. De tels courants sont avant tout provoqués par des variations saisonnières ou climatiques de la tension superficielle due aux vents et des niveaux d'eau dans les océans. La question principale est en tout cas la suivante: quelle est à chaque phase la quantité de moment angulaire stockée dans les océans et en combien de temps est-elle échangée avec la masse solide de la terre. A titre d'exemple, nous avons évalué la phase et l'amplitude de la quantité de moment angulaire stockée dans le courant circumpolaire antarctique. Ces valeurs furent comparées aux valeurs correspondantes de l'anomalie qui subsiste dans le bilan terre solide plus atmosphère. Les phases sont concordantes et les amplitudes sont comparables.

     

Manganiferous pyroxenes and pyroxenoids from three Pb-Zn-Cu skarn deposits

Samples from the Pb-Zn-Cu skarns of M. Ci-villina (Italy), Valle del Temperino (Italy), and Empire Mine (New Mexico, USA) have been analysed for their pyroxenes and pyroxenoids. The samples were collected immediately adjacent to the marble-skarn replacement front. All contain manganiferous pyroxenoids and manganeserich Ca-pyroxenes. The pyroxenes from each deposit form distinct groups of compositions within the diopside-hedenbergite-johannsenite triangle, with no apparent miscibility gap. Diopside contents usually are below 15 mole percent. Fibrous bustamite occurs as monomineralic zones in the Empire and in the Temperino deposit. Although rhodonite may be a primary phase in some samples from the Empire Mine, it is commonly of secondary origin in the Empire Mine and in the Civillina deposit. Its formation from manganiferous clinopyroxenes is either due to increasing Mn activity in the hydrothermal skarn solution or to higher X(CO₂) in the vapour phase. When rhodonite is formed within clinopyroxenes as submicroscopic lamellae that eventually replace the whole host crystal, resulting compositions lie in the miscibility gap between rhodonite and bustamite. Textural relations indicate the replacement reaction: johannsenite + CO₂ = rhodonite + calcite + quartz. Equilibrium temperatures for this reaction have been calculated by using estimated thermochemical data for johannsenite, giving a T(eq)=385° C for X(CO₂)=0.1 at P(tot)= 1 kbar. Taking into consideration the reduced activity of Mn in rhodonite and of Ca in calcite, both buffered by the johannsenite, the temperature is increased for about 15° C at X(CO₂)=0.01. At lower temperatures, where johannsenite is stable, the X(CO₂) is confined to values below 0.01. Despite the mineralogical similarities of the three deposits differences in the development of the manganiferous skarns can be depicted.     

Effect of cofactors of adjusted and unadjusted quantities on their functions

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Die stratiforme Sulfidlagerstätte Walchen,Steiermark, Österreich: Geochemie und Genese

Zusammenfassung Die Neubearbeitung derstratiformen Sulfidlagerstätte Walchen bei Öblarn, Steiermark, offen-bart eine eisenbetonte submarin-exhalative Metallkonzentration in einem vulkano-sedimentären Rahmen. Dieser liegt heute in Form metamorpher Gesteine der untersten Grünschieferfazies vor. Mineralchemische Untersuchungen zeigen, daß die ehemalige intensivste metamorphe Überprägung der Lagerstätte im Bereich von 450°–500°C oberhalb 4 kb stattgefunden hat. Metavulkanite, vertreten durch Grünschiefer, lassen alkalibasaltische Affinität erkennen. Die vulkano-tektonische Position der Lagerstätte ist in einem intrakontinentalen Riftsystem zu sehen.

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The stratiform sulphide deposit at walchen, styria, austria: Geochemistry and genesis

Summary The Walchen deposit consists of a 1–2 m thick layer of massive to disseminated pyrite-pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite ore with an average grade of 1% Cu. It has been mined intermittently in the past. The ore horizon occurs within sericitic and quartzitic phyllites which carry intercalations with significant carbonate, garnet and graphite contents. The succession is of lower Paleozoic age and forms part of the Grauwackenzone, a volcano-sedimentary unit which separates the Central Alps from the Northern Calcareous Alps.The precursor rocks of the ore environment have been pelites and sandstones; greenschists occur in the hanging wall of the mineralization. Major and trace element analyses of greenschists reveal them as low-grade metamorphic equivalents of continental alkali basalts. Hydrothermal systems generated by volcanic activity were responsible for deposition of stratiform sulphides. The predominance of clastic sediments and the absence of stringer zones point towards a shallow depositional basin.Microprobe analyses of garnets from the ore environment reveal an increase in spessartine contents from 7 mol% in phyllites to 20 mol% in the vicinity of the ore horizon. Similar data have been reported from other stratabound base metal deposits (Broken Hill, N.S.W.; Kreuzeck Mountains, Austria; Gamsberg, South Africa); the manganese concentrations represent fossil manganese haloes.Pyrite carries minor Ni and Co (up to 0.03, respectively 0.3%), pyrrhotite averages 0.8% Ni and 0.1% Co, Fe-contents of sphalerite vary from 6.41–9.33%; Cd, In and Mn have not been recorded.Garnet-biotite pairs suggest maximum metamorphic temperatures of 450°–500°C: pressures of 4 to 5 kb have been estimated. The Walchen deposit is interpreted as the product of submarine exhalative processes in an incipient rift. It was affected by prograde metamorphism during the Variscan orogeny, and by retrograde affects during a later event. Isochemical metamorphism resulted in the preservation of a primary manganese halo.

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Mit 6 Abbildungen     

Neue Ergebnisse zur Tektonik der Allgäuer und Vilser Alpen

Zusammenfassung Eine Neuuntersuchung der Tektonik in den Vilser Alpen und im Hochvogelgebiet, wo die Frage seit langer Zeit diskutiert wird, ob dort die Allgäu- und Lechtal-Decke getrennte Einheiten bilden, oder stratigraphisch untrennbar zusammenhängen, erbrachte eine eindeutige Entscheidung für den Deckenbau. Der Verlauf der Deckengrenze konnte zwischen Hochvogel und Hohenschwangauer Alpen präzisiert werden. Der interne Falten- und Schuppenbau der Lechtal-Decke hat nirgends zur Bildung von tektonisch tieferen Teildekken geführt, die internen Verschuppungen besitzen nur ein geringes Ausmaß.

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A new investigation of the tectonics in the Vilser Alps and in the Mt. Hochvogel area where since a long time a discussion was going on if the thrust sheets of Allgäu and Lechtal-Decke are separate units or connected by stratigraphic sequences, a definite decision could be made in favour of the nappe structure in this part of the Northern Calcareous Alps. The internal structure of the Lechtal-Decke thrust sheet is characterized by local imbricate structure which originate from sheared folds.

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Résumé On a dicuté depuis longtemps dans les Vilser Alpen et dans la région du Mont Hochvogel le problème, si les nappes de Allgäu et Lechtal-Decke sont des unités separées ou qu'ils forment une partie inséparable par des séquences stratigraphiques. Une nouvelle examen de la tectonique a affirmé la structure de nappes dans cette région des Alpes Calcaires du Nord. La structure intérieure de la nappe de Lechtal-Decke est caracterisée par une structure écaillée locale, qui se developpe de plis cisaillés.

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Prediction of the abiotic degradability of organic compounds in the troposphere

A statistically relevant correlation between the reaction rate coefficient, k _OH, for the OH radical reaction with 161 organic compounds in the gas phase at 300 K, and the corresponding vertical ionisation energies E _i,v, reveals two classes of compounds: aromatics where –log(k _OH/cm³s^-1)3/2E _i,v(eV)–2 and aliphatics where –log(k _OH/cm³s^-1)4/5E _i,v(eV)+3. The prediction of the rate coefficient, k _OH, for the reaction of OH with organic molecules from the above equations has a probability of about 90%. Assuming a global diurnal mean of the OH radical concentration of 5×10⁵ cm³, the upper limit of the tropospheric half-life of organic compounds and their persistence can be estimated.     

Petrographische und Kalium-Argon-Untersuchungen an basischen tertiären Vulkaniten zwischen Westerwald und Vogelsberg

Between the upper tertiary volcanic areas of Westerwald and Vogelsberg (central Western Germany) occur more than 40 isolated tertiary volcanic dikes, eroded necks, plugs and domes. Twelve of these volcanic rocks have been investigated petrographically and chemically and classified by means of their modal and chemical composition. Additional modal analyses have been performed on seven other volcanics. On seventeen volcanic occurences K-Ar-whole rock age determinations have been made. The K-Ar age determinations yield- with the exception of an olivine-nephelinite — values between 27 and 15 Ma. Regarding the known intervals of volcanic activities of the Westerwald- and Voge1sberg-areas, most of the examined volcanics can be related genetically with one of the adjacent volcanic areas. There seems to be no geographical overlapping of volcanics showing Westerwaldages and Vogelsberg-ages. A possible influence of excess-Ar-bearing phases (e. g. mantle xenoliths) and an Ar-loss of constituent matter of the groundmass have been estimated by additional age determinations of enriched samples. These influences — partially compensating each other — may shift the K-Ar whole rock age to a maximum of 5 % and thus do not exceed the dimension of the standard deviations. A distinct NNE-SSW-striking fault in the region between Marburg and Gießen is situated parallel with the eastern border of the “Rheinisches Schiefergebirge”. Volcanics showing Westerwald-age and Vogelsberg-age respectively reach this fault, but obviously do not overlap it. Relations between rock-type an rock age, as it has been observed for the volcanics of the northern Hessian Depression (Kreuzer et al. 1973;Wedepohl 1982) cannot be proved certainly. On the other hand, similar to the basaltic rocks of the northern Hessian Depression, the youngest volcanic product is an olivine-nephelinite (9 Ma).