Proterozoic tectonic evolution and late Svecokarelian plate deformation of the Central Baltic Shield

The continental crust of the Central Baltic Shield evolved by accretion towards the west during the Svecokarelian orogeny 1700–2200 Ma ago. The following features are consistent with a plate tectonic mechanism involving subduction of oceanic crust below an Archean craton in the east: flysch-sediments with serpentinite masses and pillow lavas, linear high-grade metamorphic zones, island-arc type volcanic belts and late tectonic batholiths with porphyry type Cu-Mo deposits.Semi-consolidated new crust was affected by late Svecokarelian deformation (D_n) after 1850 Ma; NNE-trending folds with crenulation cleavage were overprinted on older structures together with associated NW trending ductile transcurrent shear zones that curve the F_n folds into gentle S and Z shapes. The late tectonic batholiths intruded partly at the same time as and partly after the D_n deformation.

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Zusammenfassung Die kontinentale Kruste des zentralen Baltischen Schildes entwickelte sich durch nach Westen gerichtetes Anwachsen während der Svecokarelischen Orogenese vor 1700 bis 2200 Ma. Die folgenden Erscheinungsformen lassen sich mit einem plattentektonischen Mechanismus in Einklang bringen, der Subduktion von ozeanischer Kruste unter einen Archaischen Kraton im Osten einschließt: Flysch-Sedimente mit Serpentinit-Massen und Kissenlaven, lineare hochmetamorphe Zonen, vulkanische Gürtel vom Inselbogen-Typ und spättektonische Batholithe mit porphyrischen Cu-Mo-Lagerstätten.Die halbkonsolidierte neue Kruste wurde durch späte Svecokarelische Deformation (D_n) nach 1850 Ma erfaßt; NNE-orientierte Falten mit Krenulationsschieferung wurden älteren Strukturen aufgeprägt in Verbindung mit NW-streichenden, plastischen Transcurrent-Scherzonen, die die F_n-Falten in sanfte S- und Z-Formen verbiegen. Die spättektonischen Batholithe intrudierten teils während, teils nach der D_n-Deformation.

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Résumé La croûte continentale du Boucher baltique central a évolué par voie d'accrétion vers l'ouest durant l'orogénie svécocarélienne 1700–2200 Ma. Les événements suivants sont en accord avec un mécanisme de tectonique de plaques impliquant la subduction d'une croûte océanique sous un craton archéen à l'est: sédiments flyschoïdes avec masses de serpentinite et de laves en coussins, zones linéaires à haut degré de métamorphisme, ceintures volcaniques du type guirlande d'îles et batholithes tectoniques tardifs avec gisements porphyriques de type Cu-Mo.La nouvelle croûte à semi-consolidée fut affectée par une déformation svécocarélienne tardive (D_n) postérieure à 1850 Ma. Des plis de direction NNE avec clivage de crénulation ont été superposés sur des structures plus anciennes, associés à des zones de cisaillement transcurrentes de direction NW qui ont incurvé les plis F_n suivant des formes en S et Z. Le batholithe tectonique tardif s'est mis en place en partie au même moment que, et en partie après, la déformation D_n.

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Heterogeneity analysis of reservoir porosity and permeability in the Late Ordovician glacio-fluvial Sarah Formation paleovalleys,central Saudi Arabia

The Late Ordovician glacio-fluvial Sarah Formation is an important tight gas reservoir target in Saudi Arabia. This study uses statistical methods to characterize the petrophysical heterogeneity of the paleovalleys of the Sarah Formation that crop out in central Saudi Arabia. Four paleovalleys were studied: Bukayriyah, Hanadir, Sarah, and Khanasir Sarah. Several lithofacies were identified in each that vary in texture, porosity, permeability, and facies abundance that reflect periods of ice advance and retreat. The heterogeneity analysis is based on three statistical measures, namely, the coefficient of variation, the Dykstra-Parsons coefficient, and the Lorenz coefficient. The coefficient of variation values is in the 0.62–1.94 range, indicating an extremely heterogeneous distribution. The Dykstra-Parsons coefficient values are in the 0.56–0.88 range, suggesting very high to extremely high heterogeneity in the reservoirs. The Lorenz coefficient correlates well with the Dykstra-Parsons coefficient for paleovalleys of the Sarah Formation. The heterogeneity parameters studied here indicate that the outcrops of Sarah Formation paleovalleys represent heterogeneous to very heterogeneous reservoirs, which may be attributed to complex depositional and diagenetic variations that have affected the porosity and permeability distribution.     

Styles of salt tectonics in the Sab’atayn basin,onshore Yemen

A variety of distinct salt tectonic features are present in the Sab’atayn Basin of western Yemen. Based on the interpretation of regional 2D seismic reflection data and exploration wells in the central part of the basin, an Upper Jurassic evaporite formation produced numerous salt rollers, salt pillows, reactive, flip-flop, and falling diapirs. Due to regional extension, halokinetics began as soon as the early Cretaceous, within just a few million years after the deposition of the Tithonian Sab’atayn evaporite sequence, by formation of salt rollers. The salt locally formed salt pillows which evolved to reactive and active salt diapirs and diapiric salt walls as the result of renewed, but low-strain extension in the basin. Some of the diapiric walls further evolved into falling diapirs due to ongoing extension. As the result of a prominent extensional episode at the end of the Cretaceous, many of the diapiric walls in the basin are controlled by large normal faults on their updip flanks. As the post-Cretaceous sedimentary cover is largely missing in the study area, the assumed reactivation of salt structures during the Cenozoic remains poorly constrained. The interpreted changes in the style of salt tectonics in the Sab’atayn Basin offer a better understanding of the regional-scale tectonic development of the Arabian plate during the late Jurassic and Cretaceous.     

Fallback in bipolar planetary nebulae?

The subclass of bipolar Planetary Nebulae(PNe)exhibits well-defined low-power outflows and some shows shock-related equatorial spiderweb structures and hourglas...