Exhumed fault-bounded Alpine blocks along the Periadriatic lineament: the Eder unit (Carnic Alps, Austria)

The Eder unit in the Carnic Alps, which is situated immediately south of the Periadriatic lineament (PL), represents a fault-bounded block consisting of a low-grade (up to 400?°C, indicated by epizonal illite “crystallinity” values, recrystallized quartz, and non-recrystallized white mica) metamorphic Paleozoic metasedimentary sequence. Until now, it has been assumed to represent a separate Variscan nappe. The rocks of the Eder unit show a strong E- to W-oriented stretching lineation on steep foliation planes (D₁) subparallel to the PL. D₁ structures originated near the temperature peak of metamorphism, and shear sense indicators show dextral ductile shear parallel to the PL. Tight mesoscale D₂ folds formed on the cooling path. K–Ar and Ar–Ar ages from newly formed white mica cluster around 32–28 and 18–13 Ma and suggest a two-stage Tertiary history of the Eder unit. We interpret the Eder unit as a fault-bounded block formed during Oligocene large-scale dextral shearing along the PL (near T_max) and exhumed in mid-Miocene times during another phase of activity along the PL. Its nature as a separate Variscan nappe is questioned.     

Trace metal dynamics in a seasonally anoxic lake

Selected results are presented from a detailed 12-month study of trace metals in a seasonally anoxic lake. Dissolved concentrations of Fe, Mn, organic carbon, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, and pH were determined in the water column and the interstitial waters on 39 occasions. Trace metal concentrations remained low throughout the year in both water column and pore waters. There was evidence for some remobilization at the sediment-water interface but sediments deeper than 3 cm acted as a sink throughout the year. Variations in the water concentrations were largely associated with increased loading during periods of heavy rainfall. During the summer, concentrations of Cu and Zn in the waters overlying the sediments were enhanced by release from decomposing algal material. Similarly, enhanced concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn were observed during periods of much reduced mixing during ice-cover. Although there were large seasonal variations in the concentrations of dissolved and particulate Fe and Mn, there were no comparable changes in the concentrations of trace metals.     

The petrology and petrogenesis of the Tertiary anorogenic mafic lavas of Southern and Central Queensland,Australia — Possible implications for crustal thickening

The Miocene-Oligocene volcanism of this region is part of the larger Tertiary volcanic province found throughout E. Australia. Within the S.E. Queensland region, the volcanism is strongly bimodal, and has emanated from six major centres, and many additional smaller centres. The mafic lavas (volumetrically dominant) range continuously from ne-normative through to Q-normative and are predominantly andesine-normative; Mg/Mg+Fe (atomic ratios range from 30–60; K₂O ranges from 0.42–2.93%, and TiO₂ from 0.81–3.6%.Phenocryst contents are low (averaging 6.7 vol.%), and comprise olivine (Fa_18–75; Cr-spinel inclusions occur locally in Mg-rich phenocrysts), plagioclase (An_25–68), and less commonly augite, which is relatively aluminous in lavas of the Springsure volcanic centre. Very rare aluminous bronzite occurs in certain Q-normative lavas. Groundmass minerals comprise augite, olivine (Fa_33–77), feldspar (ranging from labradorite through to anorthoclase and sanidine), Fe-Ti oxides, and apatite. Within many of the Q-normative lavas, extensive development of subcalcic and pigeonitic pyroxenes occurs, and also relatively rarely orthopyroxene. Mineralogically, the ne- and ol-normative lavas, and some of the Q-normative lavas are indistinguishable, and in view of the gradations in chemistry, the term hawaiite has been extended to cover these lavas. The term tholeiitic andesite is used to describe the Q-normative lavas containing Ca-poor pyroxenes as groundmass phases.Megacrysts of aluminous augite, aluminous bronzite, olivine, ilmenite, and spinel sporadically occur within the lavas, and their compositions clearly indicate that they are not derived from the Upper Mantle. Rare lherzolite xenoliths are also found.The petrogenesis of these mafic lavas is approached by application of the thermodynamic equilibration technique of Carmichael et al. (1977), utilizing three parental mineral assemblages that could have been in equilibrium with the magmas at P and T. The models are: (a) standard upper mantle mineralogy; (b) an Fe-enriched upper mantle model (Wilkinson and Binns 1977); (c) lower crust mineralogy, based on analysed megacryst compositions. The calculations suggest that these mafic magmas were not in equilibrium with either mantle model prior to eruption, but show much closer approaches to equilibrium with the lower crust model. Calculated equilibration temperatures and pressures (for the lower crust model) range from 995°–l,391° C (average 1,192), and 7.2–16.3 kb (average 12.4). These results are interpreted in terms of a model of intrusion and magma fractionation within the crust-mantle interface region, with consequent crustal underplating and thickening beneath the Tertiary volcanic regions. Some support for the latter is provided by regional isostatic gravity anomalies and physiographic considerations.     

Sequence hierarchy in a Mesoproterozoic interior sag basin: from basin fill to reservoir scale,the Tombador Formation,Chapada Diamantina Basin,Brazil

The Tombador Formation exhibits depositional sequence boundaries placed at the base of extensive amalgamated fluvial sand sheets or at the base of alluvial fan conglomeratic successions that indicate basinward shifts of facies. The hierarchy system that applies to the Tombador Formation includes sequences of different orders, which are defined as follows: sequences associated with a particular tectonic setting are designated as ‘first order’ and are separated by first‐order sequence boundaries where changes in the tectonic setting are recorded; second‐order sequences represent the major subdivisions of a first‐order sequence and reflect cycles of change in stratal stacking pattern observed at 10² m scales (i.e., 200–300 m); changes in stratal stacking pattern at 10¹ m scales indicate third‐order sequences (i.e., 40–70 m); and changes in stratal stacking pattern at 10⁰ m scales are assigned to the fourth order (i.e., 8–12 m). Changes in palaeogeography due to relative sea level changes are recorded at all hierarchical levels, with a magnitude that increases with the hierarchical rank. Thus, the Tombador Formation corresponds to one‐first‐order sequence, representing a distinct intracratonic sag basin fill in the polycyclic history of the Espinhaço Supergroup in Chapada Diamantina Basin. An angular unconformity separates fluvial‐estuarine to alluvial fan deposits and marks the second‐order boundary. Below the angular unconformity the third‐order sequences record fluvial to estuarine deposition. In contrast, above the angular unconformity these sequences exhibit continental alluvial successions composed conglomerates overlain by fluvial and eolian strata. Fourth‐order sequences are recognized within third‐order transgressive systems tract, and they exhibit distinct facies associations depending on their occurrence at estuarine or fluvial domains. At the estuarine domain, they are composed of tidal channel, tidal bar and overlying shoreface heterolithic strata. At the fluvial domain the sequences are formed of fluvial deposits bounded by fine‐grained or tidal influenced intervals. Fine grained intervals are the most reliable to map in fourth‐order sequences because of their broad laterally extensive sheet‐like external geometry. Therefore, they constitute fourth‐order sequence boundaries that, at the reservoir approach, constitute the most important horizontal heterogeneity and, hence, the preferable boundaries of production zones. The criteria applied to assign sequence hierarchies in the Tombador Formation are based on rock attributes, are easy to apply, and can be used as a baseline for the study of sequence stratigraphy in Precambrian and Phanerozoic basins placed in similar tectonic settings.     

New insights into Late Pleistocene explosive volcanic activity and caldera formation on Ischia (southern Italy)

A new pyroclastic stratigraphy is presented for the island of Ischia, Italy, for the period ∼75–50 ka BP. The data indicate that this period bore witness to the largest eruptions recorded on the island and that it was considerably more volcanically active than previously thought. Numerous vents were probably active during this period. The deposits of at least 10 explosive phonolite to basaltic-trachyandesite eruptions are described and interpreted. They record a diverse range of explosive volcanic activity including voluminous fountain-fed ignimbrite eruptions, fallout from sustained eruption columns, block-and-ash flows, and phreatomagmatic eruptions. Previously unknown eruptions have been recognised for the first time on the island. Several of the eruptions produced pyroclastic density currents that covered the whole island as well as the neighbouring island of Procida and parts of the mainland. The morphology of Ischia was significantly different to that seen today, with edifices to the south and west and a submerged depression in the centre. The largest volcanic event, the Monte Epomeo Green Tuff (MEGT) resulted in caldera collapse across all or part of the island. It is shown to comprise at least two thick intracaldera ignimbrite flow-units, separated by volcaniclastic sediments that were deposited during a pause in the eruption. Extracaldera deposits of the MEGT include a pumice fall deposit emplaced during the opening phases of the eruption, a widespread lithic lag breccia outcropping across much of Ischia and Procida, and a distal ignimbrite in south-west Campi Flegrei. During this period the style and magnitude of volcanism was dictated by the dynamics of a large differentiated magma chamber, which was partially destroyed during the MEGT eruption. This contrasts with the small-volume Holocene and historical effusive and explosive activity on Ischia, the timing and distribution of which has been controlled by the resurgence of the Monte Epomeo block. The new data contribute to a clearer understanding of the long-term volcanic and magmatic evolution of Ischia.     

Volcanoes in the pre-Columbian life,legend, and archaeology of Costa Rica (Central America)

Costa Rica is located geographically in the southern part of the Central American Volcanic Front, a zone where interaction between the Mesoamerican and South American cultures occurred in pre-Columbian times. Several volcanoes violently erupted during the Holocene, when the first nomadic human hunters and later settlers were present. Volcanic rocks were the most important geo-resource in making artifacts and as construction materials for pre-Columbian inhabitants. Some pottery products are believed to resemble smoking volcanoes, and the settlements around volcanoes would seem to indicate their influence on daily life. Undoubtedly, volcanic eruptions disrupted the life of early settlers, particularly in the vicinity of Arenal and Irazú volcanoes, where archaeological remains show transient effects and displacement caused by periodical eruptions, but later resilient occupations around the volcanoes. Most native languages are extinct, with the exception of those presently spoken in areas far away from active volcanoes, where no words are related to volcanic phenomena or structures. The preserved legends are ambiguous, suggesting that they were either produced during the early Spanish conquest or were altered following the pre-Columbian period.     

INVERSION OF AN UNMIGRATED STACKED SECTION TO DETERMINE AN INTERVAL VELOCITY MODEL*

A seismic inversion procedure is developed that inverts data available from an unmigrated stacked section to produce an interval velocity model. It attempts to overcome some of the limitations of existing methods by using a generalized linear inversion technique. The inversion process incorporates several features: (i) Lateral interval velocity variations are permitted, (ii) A fast accurate forward model was developed, (iii) Input data is weighted according to the accuracy with which it has been acquired. The procedure is applied to seismic data from the Gippsland Basin, an area offshore South-East Australia.     

Organic carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in the intertidal sediments from the Yangtze Estuary, China

The natural isotopic compositions and C/N elemental ratios of sedimentary organic matter were determined in the intertidal flat of the Yangtze Estuary. The results showed that the ratios of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes were respectively −29.8‰ to − 26.0‰ and 1.6‰–5.5‰ in the flood season (July), while they were −27.3‰ to − 25.6‰ and 1.7‰–7.8‰ in the dry season (February), respectively. The δ¹³C signatures were remarkably higher in July than in February, and gradually increased from the freshwater areas to the brackish areas. In contrast, there were relatively complex seasonal and spatial changes in stable nitrogen isotopes. It was also reflected that δ¹⁵N and C/N compositions had been obviously modified by organic matter diagenesis and biological processing, and could not be used to trace the sources of organic matter at the study area. In addition, it was considered that the mixing inputs of terrigenous and marine materials generally dominated sedimentary organic matter in the intertidal flat. The contribution of terrigenous inputs to sedimentary organic matter was roughly estimated according to the mixing balance model of stable carbon isotopes.