The postglacial environmental development of Raffles Sø, East Greenland: inferences from a 10,000 year diatom record

A 341 cm long sediment sequence was recovered from the unofficially named Raffles Sø on Raffles Ø, outer Scoresby Sund region, East Greenland. The sediment sequence consists in the upper part (0–230 cm) of a stratified gyttja enriched in organic carbon and biogenic silica whereas the lower core part (235–341 cm) is composed of terrigenous, consolidated glacio-limnic sediments. ¹⁴C-AMS measurements indicate that the sediment sequence represents the entire Holocene lake history from 10,030 calibrated radiocarbon years.The geochemical parameters (opal, total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN)) and the total diatom concentration show similar developments during the Holocene, and reflect changes in biological production and nutrient input into the lake. These records clearly reveal a broad Holocene TOC-opal-maximum interval between 5200 and 1800 cal. yrs BP.The diatom flora consisted of 66 taxa representing 20 genera but only seven taxa were abundant and, sometimes, these were monospecifically dominant during the Holocene. In the sediment core from Raffles Sø four successive stratigraphical zones can be distinguished. Accumulation of diatom valves began at 9900 cal. yrs BP with a Stephanodiscus minutulus (Kütz.) Cleve and Möller dominated assemblage (stratigraphic zone 1) followed by a diatom flora dominated by Cyclotella pseudostelligera Hustedt and, less frequently, by Diatoma tenuis Agardh (9400 until 5900 cal. yrs BP, zone 2). Cyclotella sp. A, a taxon which belongs to the Cyclotella rossii-comensis-tripartita-complex, was the dominant floral element between 5200 and 1800 cal. yrs BP (zone 3). From 1800 cal. yrs BP, the periphytic taxa Fragilaria capucina var. gracilis (Østr.) Hustedt and F. capucina var. rumpens (Kütz.) Lange-Bertalot attained highest relative abundances, also almost monospecifically (zone 4).The distribution and composition of the diatom assemblages in the sediment record from Raffles Sø probably reflect past variations in the extent of the lake-ice cover during the growing season. More or less ice-free conditions during summer may have prevailed during the early Holocene until ca. 1800 cal. yrs BP, which allowed growth of planktonic diatoms (Cyclotella taxa) in the pelagic lake region. From 1800 cal. yrs BP, colder conditions lead to a perennial lake-ice cover with a small ice-free moat in summer which favored the growth of periphytic, littoral species (Fragilaria capucina varieties).     

Age and origin of groundwater resources in the Ararat Valley,Armenia: a baseline study applying hydrogeochemistry and environmental tracers

Within the Ararat Valley (Armenia), a continuously growing water demand (for irrigation and fish farming) and a simultaneous decline in groundwater recharge (due to climate change) result in increasing stress on the local groundwater resources. This detrimental development is reflected by groundwater-level drops and an associated reduction of the area with artesian conditions in the valley centre. This situation calls for increasing efforts aimed at more sustainable water resources management. The aim of this baseline study was the collection of data that allows for study on the origin and age distribution of the Ararat Valley groundwater based on environmental tracers, namely stable (δ²H, δ¹⁸O) and radioactive (³⁵S, ³H) isotopes, as well as physical-chemical indicators. The results show that the Ararat Valley receives modern recharge, despite its (semi-)arid climate. While subannual groundwater residence times could be disproved (³⁵S), the detected ³H pattern suggests groundwater ages of several decades, with the oldest waters being recharged around 60 years ago. The differing groundwater ages are reflected by varying scatter of stable isotope and hydrochemical signatures. The presence of young groundwater (i.e., younger that the 1970s), some containing nitrate, indicates groundwater vulnerability and underscores the importance of increased efforts to achieve sustainable management of this natural resource. Since stable isotope signatures indicate the recharge areas to be located in the mountains surrounding the valley, these efforts must not be limited to the central part of the valley where most of the abstraction wells are located.

     

The response of saltation to wind speed fluctuations

The response time of saltation to spatial or temporal wind speed fluctuations constitutes an important control parameter for aeolian sediment transport and deposition. In this paper, we present direct measurements of the response time obtained from several field experiments. The sand transport was studied using six small microphones arranged in a vertical profile and collocated with a sonic anemometer, a webcam and a cup anemometer tower. The webcam was coupled with the sonic anemometer via a personal computer and provides information on creeping and saltating grains with a sampling rate of 10 Hz. Sediment transport measurements were obtained over four periods. The Wiener filter, a signal processing technique, is used to obtain a discrete transfer function that relates the horizontal wind speed and the non‐intermittent sand transport. The transfer function can be established using an exponential function with a time constant or characteristic response time τ without time shift. The response time fluctuated between zero and 1·5 seconds depending on the turbulence intensity, the saltation activity, the measuring height and sampling rates. The Wiener filter coefficients suggest that the response of saltation to wind speed alterations is determined by more than one process. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Simulation of DNAPL infiltration and spreading behaviour in the saturated zone at varying flow velocities and alternating subsurface geometries

The influence of varying groundwater flow velocities on DNAPL infiltration and spreading behaviour was investigated by multiphase modelling using TMVOC and PetraSim. The multiphase models were calibrated by results of previously conducted laboratory experiments for the complete spatio-temporal range of the experiments. The small scale 2D scenario modelling was applied to qualify and quantify changes in position, architecture, geometry and dissolution of a TCE body in a fully saturated homogeneous sandy medium. The applied flow velocities ranging from 0.05 up to 40.00 m/day exhibited that the DNAPL TCE is affected even at the lowest flow velocity in its position, its size and its architecture. Additionally, several impermeable lenses with simple geometry were assumed in the model, to investigate the influence of stratified subsoil. In the experimental set-ups, the DNAPL body reacts more sensitive to the applied groundwater flow velocities than to the geometrical set-up of the scenarios. A possible consequence can be the transportation and displacement of a DNAPL pool due to natural or anthropogenic induced high groundwater flow velocities, as by Pump and Treat facilities, complicating site investigation process and planning of remediation activities.     

Transform faults in Island

In Iceland the mid-Atlantic ridge rises above sea-level for a north-south-extension of 350 km. One or two east-west-directed transform faults may be expected on land in Iceland, since the mid-Atlantic ridge is offset by transform faults every 100–200 km.Two of these faults, the Reykjanes Fracture Zone in southern Iceland, and the Tjörnes Fracture Zone in northern Iceland, have been located by recent seismological activity (Ward, 1971).There are no strike-slip faults within the Tjömes Fracture Zone that support transform faulting on land. En echolon faults may indicate a status nascendi of lateral offset for the Reykjanes Fracture Zone. A third transform fault, the Snaefellsnes-Vatnajökull Fracture Zone, however, was already active about 3 m.y. ago, when the rift system in southern Iceland began to spread faster than in northern Iceland. The features resulting from this process can be observed in (1) a change in strike from a northerly trend in northern Iceland to a north-easterly direction in southern Iceland; (2) the separation of the rift axis in southern Iceland into two branches; (3) right lateral strike-slip movements along the Snaefellsnes-Vatnajökull Fracture Zone with an offset of about 100 km.Field mapping and observations from air photographs have enabled the construction of a detailed tectonic pattern for the latter zone. The Pleistocene to Postglacial volcanic activity, the offset of magnetic anomalies, and recent active seismicity support the mechanism of transform faulting.At least 3 m.y. ago the west-wandering Icelandic Rift System started with higher spreading rates, revealing a trend to connect directly the Reykjanes- and the Iceland-Jan Mayen Rift Systems. Since that time three crustal plates proceeded from the Vatnajökull Triple Junction with different drift velocities, inducing the activity of the Snaefellsnes-Vatnajökull Transform Fault, which separates the north-western from the south-western Icelandic plate.

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Zusammenfassung In Island erhebt sich der zentrale Teil des Mittelatlantischen Rückens auf einer N-S-Erstreckung von 350 km über den Meeresspiegel. Das regelmäßige Auftreten E-W-gerichteter transform faults, die im Abstand von 100–200 km die Mittelatlantische Schwelle queren, läßt auf die Ausbildung einer oder mehrerer transform faults im Bereich der Insel schließen.Zwei in E-W-Richtung und damit rechtwinklig zur isländischen Riftzone verlaufende, seismologisch aktive Zonen wurden im S der Insel (Reykjanes Fracture Zone) und im N (Tjörnes Fracture Zone) als transform faults beschrieben (Ward, 1971). Jedoch keines der beiden Systeme gibt einen lateralen Versatz von geologischen Einheiten und magnetischen Anomalien zu erkennen. In gleicher E-W-Streichrichtung wie die beiden vermuteten transform faults erstreckt sich zwischen der Snaefellsnes-Halbinsel und dem Vatnajökull eine rechtsdrehende Blattverschiebung mit einem Horizontalversatz von etwa 100 km. Die Störung entstand vor etwa 3 Millionen Jahren, als das südisländische zentrale Riftsystem gegenüber dem nördlichen eine höhere Driftgeschwindigkeit entwickelte, und war aktiv bis in die jüngste Zeit.Der Richtungswechsel von durchweg N-S-streichenden geologischen und tektonischen Strukturen im N der Insel und NE-SW-gerichteten Einheiten, sowie die Aufspaltung der Riftzone in zwei getrennte Äste im S, können als Ergebnis dieses Vorganges angesehen werden.Die tektonisch interessantesten Abschnitte der Snaefellsnes-Vatnajökull-Transform Fault wurden kartiert. Kartierung und vorliegende Luftaufnahmen ermöglichten eine detaillierte Darstellung des tektonischen Musters.Gleichzeitig mit der Snaefellsnes-Vatnajökull-Transform Fault entstand der Vatnajökull-Tripel-Punkt, von dem sich drei Krustenplatten mit unterschiedlichen Driftgeschwindigkeiten entfernen. Seit dieser Zeit zeigt das W-wandemde isländische Rift-system den Trend, eine unmittelbare Verbindung zwischen Reykjanes- und Island-Jan-Mayen-Rücken herzustellen.

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Résumé En Islande, la partie centrale de la dorsale Atlantique médiane est exondée sur une longueur de 350 km en direction N-S. La présence régulière de failles transformelles de direction E-W traversant le seuil médian de l'Atlantique à des distances de 100 à200 km, permet de conclure à la formation d'une ou de plusieurs failles transformelles sur l'étendue de l'île.Deux zones de direction E-W, et par conséquent d'allure perpendiculaire au rift islandais (la zone de fractures de Reykjanes au S de l'île et la zone de fractures de Tjörnes au N), ont été décrites comme failles transformelles à cause de leur activité séismique (Ward, 1971). Mais aucun de ces deux systèmes ne montre de décrochement des unités géologiques pas plus que des anomalies magnétiques. Avec la même direction E-W que celle des deux failles transformelles présumées, s'étend un autre décrochement dextrogyre entre la presqu'île du Snaefellsnes et le glacier Vatnajökull. Cette faille est apparue il y a trois millions d'années, lorsque le rift central de la partie S de l'Islande se développait avec une vitesse supérieure à celle du Nord de l'Islande; elle fut active jusque récemment.Le changement de direction des structures géologiques et tectoniques d'allure N-S dans le N de l'île et des unités dirigées NE-SW, comme aussi l'ouverture de la zone de rift en 2 branches séparées dans le S, peuvent être considérés comme le résultat de ce processus. La cartographie de ces sections tectoniquement très intéressantes liées à la faille transformelle de Snaefellsnes-Vatnajökull a été levée.La cartographie et les vues aériennes présentées ont permis une figuration détaillée de cette manifestation te tonique.En même temps que la faille transformelle Snaefellsnes-Vatnajökull, il se développait le triple point du Vatnajökull, à partir duquel trois plaques crustales divergent avec des vitesses différentes. Depuis cette époque le compartiment islandais possède l'allure d'une liaison immédiate entre la dorsale de Reykjanes et celle de l'Islande-Jan Mayen.

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, N-S , 350 . , E-W 100–200 - , , . , E-W . . : ( Reykjanes Fracture), ( Tjörnes Fracture). , (Ward, 1971). , . , Snaefellsnes Vatnajökull . 3 , - . N-S NE-SW , — , . Snaefellsnes Vatnajokull. . Snaefellsnes-Vatnajökull Vatnajökull-Tripel, , . , aW, Reykjanes-Island-Jan-Mayen.

     

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Age and evolution of scheelite-hosting rocks in the Felbertal deposit (Eastern Alps): U-Pb geochronology of zircon and titanite

U-Pb isotope analyses of zircon and titanite extracted from different rocks of the Felbertal scheelite deposit yield the following information: (1) An age of 593±22 Ma (2) is obtained for zircon crystallization in the scheelite-bearing matrix of an eruption breccia in the western ore field. (2) Discordant zircons from an elongated, up to 8 m thick scheelite-rich quartzite body in the eastern ore field give an upper intercept age of 544±5 Ma. This quartzite contains a laminated, fine-grained scheelite mineralization. (3) Zircons from a small granitoid intrusion of the western ore field reveal an age of 336±16 Ma, and concordant titanites document an age of 282±2 Ma for Variscan amphibolite facies metamorphism. Both events, granitoid intrusion and later metamorphism caused ore re-mobilization, including the formation of yellowish fluorescent (molybdo-) scheelite porphyroblasts. (4) For a narrow lamprop-1hyric dike in the western ore field, a concordant titanite age of 283±7 Ma is obtained. This age is identical with the titanites from the amphibolite facies metamorphic intrusion. Tiny scheelite grains were tapped by the dike from pre-existing scheelite mineralizations in the truncated host rocks. (5) Alpine metamorphism at 31±4 Ma did not exceed lowermost amphibolite facies conditions, and it caused scheelite re-mobilization on a minor scale only, producing bluish fluorescent porphyroblasts in quartz veinlets and veins, as well as bluish fluorescent scheelite rims around older scheelite grains. Moreover, crosscutting Alpine fissure fillings show bluish fluorescent, inclusion-free scheelite. (6) The preservation of Variscan titanites, the absence of Alpine titanite growth, and the large degree of Variscan scheelite re-mobilization demonstrate that amphibolite facies metamorphism in the Felbertal area has a Variscan age. This result clearly documents Variscan tectono-metamorphism to be the dominant event, instead of the hitherto surmised Alpine metamorphism. This multi-stage evolution of the Felbertal ore bodies corroborates the view that tungsten deposits are conditioned by several succeeding thermal events, leading to a series of stages that ultimately produce high-grade scheelite concentrations. These high-grade ores predominately occur along shear zones of different age, accompanied by the formation of large volumes of low-grade scheelite mineralizations along host rock foliations and quartz veinlets and veins.