A structural synthesis of the Proterozoic Arabian-Nubian Shield in Egypt

Detailed structural geological and related studies were carried out in a number of critical areas in the Proterozoic basement of eastern Egypt to resolve the structural pattern at a regional scale and to assess the general characteristics of tectonic evolution, orogeny and terrane boundaries. Following a brief account of the tectonostratigraphy and timing of the orogenic evolution, the major structural characteristics of the critical areas are presented. Collisional deformation of the terranes ended about 615-600 Ma ago. Subsequent extensional collapse probably occurred within a relatively narrow time span of about 20 Ma (575 – 595 Ma ago) over the Eastern Desert and was followed by a further period of about 50 Ma of late to post-tectonic activity. The regional structures originated mainly during post-collisional events, starting with those related to extensional collapse (molasse basin formation, normal faulting, generation of metamorphic core complexes). Subsequent NNW-SSE shortening is documented by large-scale thrusting (towards the NNW) and folding, distributed over the Eastern Desert, although with variable intensity. Thrusts are overprinted by transpression, which was localized to particular shear zones. Early transpression produced, for example, the Allaqi shear zone and final transpression is documented in the Najd and Wadi Kharit-Wadi Hodein zones. Two terrane boundaries can be defined, the Allaqi and South Hafafit Sutures, which are apparently linked by the high angle sinistral strike-slip Wadi Kharit-Wadi Hodein shear zone with a tectonic transport of about 300 km towards the W/NW. In general, the tectonic evolution shows that extensional collapse is not necessarily the final stage of orogeny, but may be followed by further compressional and transpressional tectonism. The late Pan-African high angle faults were reactivated during Red Sea tectonics both as Riedel shears and normal faults, where they were oriented favourably with respect to the actual stress regime.     

Magma mixing,the petrogenetic link between anorthositic suites and rapakivi granites, Åland,SW Finland

Summary The Åland, rapakivi batholith consists of several granites that differ texturally and mineralogically from quartz-porphyritic varieties to rapakivi varieties with K-feldspar ovoids (wiborgites and pyterlites) and aplitic granites. Closely associated with the batholith there is a mafc magmatic series of dolerite dykes, norites, anorthosites and monzodiorites.The earliest major intrusive phase of the Åland, rapakivi batholith consists of quartzporphyritic hornblende rapakivi. This rock contains small amoeboidal mafc enclaves, labradorite megacrysts, quartz ocelli, amphibole-mantled xenoliths and irregular clots of granophyric granite. These disequilibrium features are products of mixing between basaltic and granitic magmas. Geochemical modelling indicates that the quartzporphyritic hornblende rapakivi is a mixture of 15% hi-Fe monzodiorite (mafic endmember) and 85% quartz-feldspar porphyry (felsic end-member). The monzodiorite is derived from a norite-anorthosite-monzodiorite series. The quartz-feldspar porphyry is produced by partial melting of the country rock caused by intrusions of hot basic magma.Structural, textural and geochemical features suggest that magma mixing was an important petrogenetic process in the formation of the earliest rapakivi granite intrusions in the Åland, rapakivi batholith. Petrographic evidence of magma mixing can also be found in the major intrusion of the batholith, the wiborgite rapakivi granites. Chemically the mixing is difficult to specify in these rocks because of a high proportion of felsic component. Zircon and apatite fractionation trends, however, indicate that the wiborgite rapakivis also contain components from a mixed source.

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Magmamixing, die petrogenetische Verbindung zwischen Anorthositen und RapakiviGraniten, Åland, SW Finnland

Zusammenfassung Der Rapakivi Batholit von Åland besteht aus verschiedenen Graniten, die in ihrer Textur und Zusammensetzung das Feld von quarzporphyritischen über Rapakivigranite mit K-Feldspat-Ovoiden (Wiborgite und Pyterlite) und aplitischen Graniten abdecken. Eine mafische magmatische Serie von Dolerit-Gängen, Noriten, Anorthositen und Monzodioriten ist mit diesen Batholiten eng verbunden.Die erste größere Intrusivphase des Åland, Rapakivi Batholiten besteht aus quarzporphyritischem Hornblende Rapakivi. Dieses Gestein enhält kleine Amöboide, mafische Enklaven, Labradorit Megakristalle, Quarzocelli, Xenolithe mit Amphibolrändern und unregelmäßige Aggregate von granophyrischem Granit. Diese Produkte von Ungleichgewichts-Bedingungen gehen auf die Mischung zwischen basaltischen und granitischen Magmen zurück. Geochemische Modelle zeigen, daß der quarzporphyritische Hornblende-Rapakivi eine Mischung von 15%. eisenreichen Monzodiorit (mafisches Endglied) und 85% Quarz-Feldspatporphyr (felsisches Endglied) ist. Der Monzodiorit stammt von einer Norit-Anorthosit-Monzodiorit Serie. Der QuarzFeldspat-Porphyr entstand durch teilweise Aufschmelzung des Nebengesteines, die durch Intrusionen heißen basischen Magmas verursacht wurden.Strukturelle, texturelle und geochemische Daten zeigen, daß Magmamischung ein wichtiger petrogenetischer Prozeß der Bildung der frühesten Rapakivi-Granit-Intrusionen im Åland, Batholith waren. Petrographische Hinweise auf Magmamischung können auch in der größten Intrusion des Batholiths, dem Wiborg Rapakivi Granit, gefunden werden. Wegen des hohen Anteils felsischer Komponenten ist es schwierig, das Magmamixing in diesen Gesteinen chemisch zu quantifizieren. Zirkon- und Apatitfraktionierungs-Trends weisen jedoch darauf hin, daß auch die WiborgitRapakivis Komponenten aus einer gemischten Quelle enthalten.

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With 5 figures     

Cyclic sedimentation and climatically caused sea-level changes in the Late Palaeozoic of Central Europe

Significant short-term fluctuations are characteristic of geological history since Precambrian times. Only the younger Quaternary climatic fluctuations are known in more detail as a result of a high grade time resolution. Climatic change can also be postulated with respect to older, cold periods during which polar inland ice sheets developed. From a discussion of endogene and exogene interpretations it is shown that global climatic changes, and the sea-level changes induced by them, as well as changes in the position and extent of climatic zones throughout the world provide a control mechanism for sedimentation which is consistent with cyclic sedimentation in Late Palaeozoic times, and also if the basin subsides non-cyclically. The model allows an explanation of the development of the Permo-Carboniferous sedimentary cycles without numerous short-term vertical oscillations of the earth's crust. In reality, exogene and endogene controls on sedimentation act together in great variety of combinations.     

Geochemical characteristics of Cocos Plate seamount lavas

A wide compositional continuum of basalts has been erupted from near-ridge seamounts constructed on the Cocos Plate between the Clipperton and Orozco Francture Zones. They range from highly evolved to moderately primitive (3.0–7.8% MgO), LREE-enriched alkali basalts, to moderately evolved to near-primary (5.2–9.5% MgO) tholeiites indistinguishable from N-type MORB. The data set of 159 quench glass analyses exhibits a remarkably consistent variation in both major and trace element composition that is keyed to variations in (La/Sm). Modeling of potential liquid lines of descent at pressures ranging from 1 bar to 8 kbar shows that this covariation is partially due to systematic differences in liquid lines of descent, where the alkaline lavas have undergone substantially more high pressure clinopyroxene fractionation and substantially less low pressure plagioclase fractionation than the tholeiites. In addition, systematic variation in the composition of the more primitive glasses indicates that they were derived from mixing of discrete enriched and depleted melts in the heterogenous seamount mantle source at pressures of 8–10 kbar and greater, and that clinopyroxene may be a residual phase during partial melting. These results show that porous media flow in the seamount mantle source is minor and that melt transport is accomplished primarily through cracking and diking. This study supports suggestions that the general homogeneity of basalt along the EPR is due to mixing in sub-axial magma chambers and mush zones, with additional mixing during partial mantle melting and melt segregation.     

Turbulence measurements in a submarine canyon

Profiles of velocity turbulence in Monterey Canyon, made with a recently developed expendable probe, show the existence of a very turbulent bottom boundary layer. The turbulent flow is up to 170 m thick and has peak microscale shears of 1 m s⁻¹ per meter. The rate of dissipation of kinetic energy, based on the observed shear variance, averaged over the depth of the turbulent boundary layer ranged from 70 to 500 × 10⁻⁶W m⁻³. Temperature measurements indicate that the flow was up canyon at a time of low tide. The upper bound for the vertical eddy viscosity is estimated to be17 × 10⁻⁴m²s⁻¹ and for the vertical eddy diffusivity is estimated to be 15 × 10⁻⁴m²s⁻¹. The large vertical scale and the intensity of the observed boundary layer suggest that the flow in Monterey Canyon may be important for the renewal and circulation of water over the continental shelf in the bay area.     

A LABORATORY INVESTIGATION OF THE INDUCED POLARIZATION OF THE TRIASSIC SHERWOOD SANDSTONE OF LANCASHIRE AND ITS HYDROGEOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS*

The time-domain induced polarization (IP) of saturated Sherwood Sandstone correlates significantly with the intergranular permeability and the matrix conductivity but only at low electrolyte concentrations (< 500 p.p.m. NaCl). An increase in the magnitude of sandstone IP with increase in the valence of the electrolyte cation is pronounced but occurs only at intermediate concentrations, i.e., between 100 and 2500 p.p.m. Surface IP and resistivity depth sounding measurements, supplemented by data from laboratory measurements, can be used to estimate the groundwater conductivity and hence the salinity in a moderate to strongly saline sandstone aquifer.