Paleomagnetism and rock magnetism of the Neoproterozoic Itajaí Basin of the Rio de la Plata craton (Brazil): Cambrian to Cretaceous widespread remagnetizations of South America

A detailed rock magnetic and paleomagnetic study was performed on samples from the Neoproterozoic Itajaí Basin in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil, in order to better constrain the paleogeographic evolution of the Rio de la Plata craton between 600 and 550 Ma. However, rock magnetic properties typical of remagnetized rocks and negative response in the fold test indicated that these rocks carried a secondary chemical remanent magnetization. After detailed AF and thermal cleaning, almost all samples showed a normal polarity characteristic remanent magnetization component close to the present geomagnetic field. The main magnetic carriers are magnetite and hematite, probably of authigenic origin. The mean paleomagnetic pole of the Itajaí Basin is located at Plat = − 84°, Plong = 97.5° (A95 = 2°) and overlaps the lower Cretaceous segment of the apparent polar wander path of South America, suggesting a cause and effect with the opening of the South Atlantic Ocean. A compilation of remagnetized paleomagnetic poles from South America is presented that highlights the superposition of several large-scale remagnetization events between the Cambrian and the Cretaceous. It is suggested that some paleomagnetic poles used to calibrate the APWP of Gondwana at Precambrian times need to be revised; the indication of remagnetized areas in southern South America may offer some help in the selection of sites for future paleomagnetic investigations in Precambrian rocks.     

Geomorphological markers of faulting and neotectonic activity along the western Andean margin,northern Chile

In the Atacama Desert, northern Chile, some ephemeral channels are developed in the Plio‐Quaternary alluvial sequence that caps the Neogene Atacama Gravels Formation. Geomorphological studies and high‐resolution digital elevation data (GPS) along a structural transect in the Central Depression are used to document modern growth history of subtle folding and faulting in the fore‐arc region. Outcrop data of the most recent deposits are combined with observations of warped and faulted late Quaternary pediments, alluvial fans and terrace surfaces to propose unsuspected neotectonic processes on the western flank of the Domeyko Cordillera. Neotectonic process recognition is here based largely upon the interpretation of alluvial landforms, drainage organisation and evolution as the intermittent river network shows systematic patterns of course deflections, successive incisions or deposition processes as it encounters the fault scarps or folds in the superficial deposits. This area presents both N–S‐trending active vertical faults in the topographically higher pampas, and N–S‐trending active folding in the lower pampas. These faults seem to accommodate E–W extension and compression that could be related to uplift of the western Andean margin within a compressive context. Uplift may have taken place unevenly over the past few million years after the deposition of the superficial alluvial surfaces that cap the Neogene Atacama Gravels. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The runaway instability of thick discs around black holes I. The constant angular momentum case

We present results from a numerical study of the runaway instability of thick discs around black holes. This instability is an important issue for most models of cosmic gamma-ray bursts, where the central engine responsible for the initial energy release is such a system consisting of a thick disc surrounding a black hole. We have carried out a comprehensive number of time-dependent simulations aimed at exploring the appearance of the instability. Our study has been performed using a fully relativistic hydrodynamics code. The general relativistic hydrodynamic equations are formulated as a hyperbolic flux-conservative system and solved using a suitable Godunov-type scheme. We build a series of constant angular momentum discs around a Schwarzschild black hole. Furthermore, the self-gravity of the disc is neglected and the evolution of the central black hole is assumed to be that of a sequence of exact Schwarzschild black holes of varying mass. The black hole mass increase is thus determined by the mass accretion rate across the event horizon. In agreement with previous studies based on stationary models, we find that by allowing the mass of the black hole to grow the disc becomes unstable. Our hydrodynamical simulations show that for all disc-to-hole mass ratios considered (between 1 and 0.05), the runaway instability appears very fast on a dynamical time-scale of a few orbital periods, typically a few 10 ms and never exceeding 1 s for our particular choice of the mass of the black hole (2.5 M) and a large range of mass fluxes  ( m 10^-3 M s^-1)  . The implications of our results in the context of gamma-ray bursts are briefly discussed.     

Trends and anomalies in sea-surface temperature,observed over the last 60 years,within the southeastern Bay of Biscay

The Oceanographic Society of Gipuzkoa has recorded daily sea-surface temperature (SST) measurements, since 2nd July 1946, on a (nearly) daily basis. Sixty years of SST measurements (1947–2007) have been considered, in order to analyse the hydrographic trends and anomalies at the southeastern Bay of Biscay. The study reviews initially the consistency and reliability of the time-series; and trends and anomaly patterns. Then, the periodicity of the series; a reference period, for analysing seasonality during the period 2001–2007; and oceano-meteorological coupling within the period 2001–2007, with reference to the baseline period, have been determined. Within this context, a slight cooling trend has been observed for the whole of the time-series, in contrast to the warming over the last three-decadal period. Regarding the periodicity of the series, several cycles have been identified, with periods of about 8, 11 and 18 years; these represent the influence of climate cycles over the (local) SST series. Additionally, seasonal anomaly patterns between 2001 and 2007 have been examined based upon the selected reference period (1980–2002). Several extreme seasonal events have been observed, such as warm summer SST values in 2003 and 2006 and cold winter values in 2005. Such events can be explained by the “deseasonality” phenomenon, observed throughout the study period. In addition to the direct influence of atmospherical parameters, such as air temperature and irradiance on SST, dynamical variables (turbulence and upwelling–downwelling) account also for this coupling. Overall, despite the marginal location and surface character of the time-series, it reveals anomalies that agree with those described for larger zones of the northeastern Atlantic Ocean; hence, it can be characterised as being a reliable and representative long-term SST series.     

Altimetry with GNSS-R interferometry: first proof of concept experiment

The Global Navigation Satellite System Reflectometry (GNSS-R) concept was conceived as a means to densify radar altimeter measurements of the sea surface. Until now, the GNSS-R concept relied on open access to GNSS transmitted codes. Recently, it has been proposed that the ranging capability of the technique for ocean altimetric applications can be improved by using all the signals transmitted in the bandwidth allocated to GNSS, which includes open access as well as encrypted signals. The main objective of this study is to provide experimental proof of this enhancement through a 2-day experiment on the Zeeland Bridge (The Netherlands). In the experiment, we used a custom built GNSS-R system, composed of high gain GPS antennas, calibration subsystem, and an FPGA-based signal processor which implemented the new concepts, an X-band radar altimeter and a local geodetic network. The results obtained indicate that the new approach produces a significant improvement in GNSS-R altimetric performance.     

Experimental soft‐sediment deformation caused by fluidization and intrusive ice melt in sand

Identifying the driving mechanisms of soft‐sediment deformation in the geological record is the subject of debate. Thawing of ice‐rich clayey silt above permafrost was proved experimentally to be among the processes capable of triggering deformation. However, previous work has failed so far to reproduce similar structures in sand. This study investigates fluidization and intrusive ice formation from soil models in the laboratory. Experimental conditions reproduce the growth of ice‐cored mounds caused by pore water pressure increase during freeze‐back of sand in a permafrost context. Excess pore water pressure causes hydraulic fracturing and the development of water lenses beneath the freezing front. Later freezing of the water lenses generates intrusive ice. The main structures consist of sand dykes and sills formed when the increase in pore water pressure exceeds a critical threshold, and soft‐sediment deformations induced by subsidence during ice melt. The combination of processes has resulted in diapir‐like structures. The experimental structures are similar to those described in Pleistocene sites from France. These processes constitute a credible alternative to the seismic hypothesis evoked to explain soft‐sediment deformation structures in other European regions subjected to Pleistocene cold climates.     

Physical modelling of rainfall‐ and snowmelt‐induced erosion of stony slope underlain by permafrost

Physical modelling experiments have been carried out in a cold room to test on a small scale, the effects of water supply during the thaw of an experimental slope with permafrost. Permafrost was maintained at depth and a thin active layer was frozen and thawed from the surface. Data from the experiments relate to two different conditions, first with moderate rainfall, and second with heavy rainfall during the thaw period. When moderate rainfall is applied during thaw phases, the experimental slope is slightly degraded. At the scale of the experiment, erosion processes involve frost jacking of the coarse blocks, frost creep and gelifluction that induce slow and gradual down slope displacements of the active layer, but also small landslides leading to large but slow mass movements with short displacements. Changes in experimental slope morphology are marked by the initiation of a small‐scale drainage network and the development of a little crest line which shows a progressive upslope migration. With such boundary conditions, there is not enough water supply to evacuate downslope the whole of the eroded material and a topographic smoothing is observed. When heavy rainfall is applied during thaw periods, rapid mass wasting (small mud‐flows and debris flows) become prominent. Slope failures are largely controlled by the water saturation of the active layer and by the occurrence of steeper slopes. At the scale of the experiment, rates of erosion and maximum incision increase by about 100% leading to significant slope degradation with marked and specific scars comparable to gullying. These morphological changes are dependant on both the size and the frequency of catastrophic events. These experiments provide detailed data that could improve the knowledge of the physical parameters that control the initiation, at a small‐scale, of erosion processes on periglacial slopes with a thin active layer and/or with thin cover of mobilizable slope deposits. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.