Semial ophiolite veins of United Arab Emirates―A fluid inclusions study

Calcite and quartz veins in the gabbroic and dunite rocks of the Semial ophiolite (UAE) were selected for fluid inclusion analysis. The inclusions contain both aqueous low-salinity and hydrocarbon-dominated fluids. Mi-crothermometry data indicate that the aqueous fluids contain 0.22 to 1.45 equivalent wt% NaCl and occasionally contain traces of hydrocarbons. Homogenization to liquid occurred between 91 and 152℃. Modeling based on these fluid inclusion observations indicates that the trapping conditions of t...     

Petrological and mineralogical characteristics of younger granites and pegmatites in the Wadi Haleifiya area,southeastern Sinai,Egypt

This study is concerned with the radioactivity and mineralogy of the younger granites and pegmatites in the Wadi Haleifiya area, southeastern Sinai Peninsula, Egypt. The area is occupied by metasediments, migmatites, older and younger granites. Most of these rocks, especially granites, are dissected by mafic and felsic dykes as well as pegmatites. The younger granites are represented by three main varieties: monzogranites, syenogranites and alkali feldspar granites. The monzogranite consists essentially of quartz, plagioclase, potash feldspar and biotite with minor musco-vite. Iron oxide, titanite, zircon and allanite are the main accessory minerals. Syenogranite is massive, medium- to coarse-grained and commonly exhibits equigranular and hypidiomorphic textures. It is made up essentially of potash feldspar, quartz, plagioclase and biotite. Iron oxides, allanite, epidote, titanite, and zircon are accessory minerals. The alkali feldspar granite consists mainly of perthite, quartz, alkali amphibole (arfvedsonite and riebekite), biotite, sub-ordinate plagioclase and aegirine. Iron oxide, zircon and apatite are accessory minerals, whereas chlorite and sas-surite are secondary minerals. The altered monzogranite and pegmatite recorded high radioelement contents. The eU reaches up to 120 (av.=82×10-6) in the altered monzogranite and up to 55 (av.=27×10-6) in the pegmatites. The high radioactivity in the altered monzogranite is due to the presence of thorite, uranothorite and metamict zircon. In the pegmatites, it is re-lated to the presence of uranophane, uranothorite, thorite, zircon, samarskite, monazite, xenotime, magnetite, ilmen-ite, hematite and rutile.     

Mineralogy,M-type tetrad effect and radioactivity of altered granites at the G. Abu Garadi shear zone,central Eastern Desert,Egypt

The G. Abu Garadi area is covered mainly by metasediments, alkali feldspar granites and stream sediments. The alkali feldspar granite is traversed by a major strike-slip fault trending in an N-S direction as well as two subordinate sets of faults trending NW to WNW for the first one and NE for the second one. These faults represent the shear zones affected by magmatic (syngenetic) as well as hydrothermal (epigenetic) activities causing alteration of the granitic rocks. The most common alteration features are albitization, greisenization and koalinitization. The mass balance calculations of the studied altered samples show enrichments in Zr, Y, Ni, U, Th and Ga and depletions in Zn, Sr, Nb, Ba, Pb, Cu and V. Only the greisenized samples exhibit a significant enrichment in Nb, ∑REE budget and pronounced lanthanide tetrad effect (M-type), especially TE1,4, while weakly expressed tetrad effects are for the other albitized and koalinitized samples. Mineralogically, the common accessory minerals in the altered samples include samarskite-(Y), betafite, uranothorite, zircon, fluorite and cassiterite. The greisenized granites contain high eU and eTh than the other altered types, where they are characterized by an assemblage of the radioactive minerals; samarskite-(Y), betafite, uranothorite in addition to zircon. The inter-element relationships between U and Th and also their ratios illustrate that the radioelement distribution in these granites is mainly governed by magmatic processes, in addition to post-magmatic ones. The distribution of chemical elements and the fractionation of some isovalents within the shear zone are largely controlled by the newly formed mineral phases. With respect to uranium mobilization, uranium migrated from the host alkali feldspar granites of G. Abu Garadi, while the shear zones acted as traps for the migrated uranium. Moreover, U migrated in the shear zone during greisenization and albitization, and migrated out during koalinitization.     

Temporal evolution of weathered cataclastic material in gravitational faults of the La Clapiere deep-seated landslide by mechanical approach

After a few years of research, the observation and the analysis of the deep-seated landslides suggest that these are mainly controlled by tectonic structures, which play a dominant role in the deformation of massif slopes. The La Clapière deep-seated landslide (Argentera Mercantour massif) is embedded in a deep-seated gravitational slope deformation affecting the entire slope, and characterized by specific landforms (trenches, scarps??). Onsite, the tangential displacement direction of the trenches and the scarps are controlled by the tectonic structures. The reactivation of the inherited fault in gravitational faults create a gouge material exposed to an additional mechanical and chemical weathering as well as an increased of leaching. The displacement of these reactivated faults gets increasingly important around the area of the La Clapière landslide and this since 3.6?ka BP. In this study, mechanical analysis and grain size distributions were performed and these data were analysed according to their proximity the La Clapiere landslide and times of initiation of the landslide by ¹⁰Be dating. Triaxial test results show that the effective cohesion decreases and the effective angle of internal friction increases from the unweathered area to the weathered area. The whole distribution of the grain size indicates that the further the shear zone is open or developed, the further the residual material loses its finest particles. This paper suggests that the mechanical evolution along the reactivated fault is influenced by the leaching processes. For the first time, we can extract from these data temporal behaviour of the two main mechanical parameters (cohesion and angle of internal friction) from the beginning of the La Clapiere landslide initiation (3.6 ka BP) to now.     

Single Column Sequential Extraction of Ra,Nd, Th,Pa and U from a Natural Sample

A new procedure allowing the sequential extraction of Ra, Nd, Th, Pa and U from the same initial natural sample (sea or river waters, particles, sediments, rocks) is proposed. Extraction recoveries were better than 90%. Procedural blanks ranged from 80 pg (for Nd) to below 1 fg, the detection limit of the MC‐ICP‐MS used (for Pa); all were negligible compared with the amounts of elements currently determined. Based on classical anionic resins attached to a peristaltic pump allowing precise flow rate control, this procedure allowed a consequent reduction of the sample size, which improved the sampling resolution and reduced the sampling cost. It also ensured a better consistency of the samples for the five tracers.     

Contribution of gravity and magnetic data in delineating the subsurface structure of Hammam Faroun area, Gulf of Suez, Egypt

The Hammam Faroun has a particular importance due to its geothermal activity which constitutes the main geothermal resource of Egypt. The area is located on the Sinai Peninsula, a subplate bounded by two seismically active structural zones along the Gulf of Suez and Gulf of Aqaba. High-resolution ground-based gravity and magnetic data are available for the entire Hammam Faroun area, acquired as part of a national project to explore for mineral, geothermal, and hydrocarbon resources. Gravity and magnetic data were analyzed using Source Edge Detection and Source Parameter Imaging (SPI) techniques to image subsurface structures. These analyses show that the area is characterized by a set of northwest-striking faults lying parallel to the Gulf of Suez. Orthogonal patterns are also present, possibly related to rifting of the Gulf of Suez. Depth analysis using the SPI method indicates that surface faults extend to 5-km depth. Analysis of potential-field data elucidates the structurally complex subsurface structure of the Hammam Faroun area.     

Assessing food web dynamics and relative importance of organic matter sources for fish species in two Portuguese estuaries: a stable isotope approach

Stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes (δ13C, δ1?N) were used to analyse food web dynamics of two of the main estuaries of the Portuguese coast: Tejo and Mira. The ultimate sources of organic matter supporting production of some of the most abundant and commercially important fish species were determined; and seasonal, inter- and intra- estuarine differences in the trophic relations among producers and consumers were identified. Stable isotope analysis was performed in different producers, primary consumers (main prey items for fish) and fish species (Solea solea, Solea senegalensis, Pomatoschistus microps, Dicentrarchus labrax, Liza ramada, Diplodus vulgaris and Atherina presbyter) of two areas in each estuary, in July and October 2009. Model calculations showed that the main prey for the fish species in the Tejo estuary used mostly salt marsh-derived organic matter as nutritional sources, with no marked differences between the sampled months. Trophic levels of fish species from the same estuary differed at multiple scales: inter-species, seasonally and spatially (both between and within estuaries). Significant differences in isotopic composition of fish species were more pronounced spatially (between the two sampled areas in the estuary) than seasonally (between sampled months). Trophic relationships in both estuaries demonstrated that organic matter is transferred to higher trophic positions mainly through benthic pathways. This shows the flexibility of these species to share resources and to exploit temporary peaks in prey populations. The present results showed that extensive disturbance in intertidal habitats from both estuaries may potentially change the balance of organic matter in the base of these complex food webs.     

Seasonal distribution of organic matter and copper under stratified conditions in a karstic,marine, sulfide rich environment (Rogoznica Lake,Croatia)

Closed, isolated small systems, as the representatives of a “unique-environmental feature”, are valuable natural laboratories for studying different biogeochemical processes. The saline Rogoznica Lake (“Dragon Eye”), situated on the Eastern Adriatic coast is such a system (10 276 m², 15 m deep) typical of many stratified, sulfide rich water bodies. The depth of mixolimnion changes seasonally and it is greatly influenced by meteorological conditions, i.e. temperature and rainfall. Vertical mixing usually occurs during winter when cold, oxygen-rich water from the surface sinks downwards.     

Clustering current climate regions of Turkey by using a multivariate statistical method

In this study, the hierarchical clustering technique, called Ward method, was applied for grouping common features of air temperature series, precipitation total and relative humidity series of 244 stations in Turkey. Results of clustering exhibited the impact of physical geographical features of Turkey, such as topography, orography, land–sea distribution and the high Anatolian peninsula on the geographical variability. Based on the monthly series of nine climatological observations recorded for the period of 1970–2010, 12 and 14 clusters of climate zones are determined. However, from the comparative analyses, it is decided that 14 clusters represent the climate of Turkey more realistically. These clusters are named as (1) Dry Summer Subtropical Semihumid Coastal Aegean Region; (2) Dry-Subhumid Mid-Western Anatolia Region; (3 and 4) Dry Summer Subtropical Humid Coastal Mediterranean region [(3) West coast Mediterranean and (4) Eastern Mediterranean sub-regions]; (5) Semihumid Eastern Marmara Transition Sub-region; (6) Dry Summer Subtropical Semihumid/Semiarid Continental Mediterranean region; (7) Semihumid Cold Continental Eastern Anatolia region; (8) Dry-subhumid/Semiarid Continental Central Anatolia Region; (9 and 10) Mid-latitude Humid Temperate Coastal Black Sea Region [(9) West Coast Black Sea and (10) East Coast Black Sea sub-regions]; (11) Semihumid Western Marmara Transition Sub-region; (12) Semihumid Continental Central to Eastern Anatolia Sub-region; (13) Rainy Summer Semihumid Cold Continental Northeastern Anatolia Sub-region; and (14) Semihumid Continental Mediterranean to Eastern Anatolia Transition Sub-region. We believe that this study can be considered as a reference for the other climate-related researches of Turkey, and can be useful for the detection of Turkish climate regions, which are obtained by a long-term time course dataset having many meteorological variables.     

Étude de la circulation verticale dans l'estuaire du Saint‐Laurent au moyen de la modélisation mathématique

Résumé

Un modèle bidimensionnel dans le sens vertical est utilisé afin d'étudier et de simuler la circulation marine engendrée par la marée dans l'estuaire du Saint‐Laurent. A partir d'une schématisation de l'Estuaire et de conditions en niveaux d'eau et salinités aux extrémités aval et amont du domaine d'étude, ce modèle génère la répartition des hauteurs d'eau et les distributions longitudinales et verticales de vitesses et salinités. Les résultats permettent alors de déduire les circulations instantanées obtenues aux différentes heures de la marée. Celles‐ci mettent en évidence des phénomènes physiques caractéristiques de l'estuaire du Saint‐Laurent et qui ont été plusieurs fois observés. Parmi ceux‐ci, les processus les plus importants concernent les marées internes, la remontée d'eau profonde et les effets des gradients horizontaux de salinités sur les profils verticaux de vitesse.