Magnetotelluric study of the Teide (Tenerife) and Timanfaya (Tanzarote) volcanic areas

The application of a magnetotelluric surveying method, developed specifically for detection of strong conductivity contrasts, has permitted interpretations of the deep structure of two important volcanic formations in the Canary Archipelago: the Timanfaya (Lanzarote) and Teide (Tenerife) volcanoes. Beneath the Timanfaya volcano, a highly conductive body (p ≤ 1 Ω m) has been detected, which is interpreted as a shallow magma chamber associated with the eruption which took place between the years 1730 and 1736. The core of this intrusion, still largely molten, would be located at approximately 4 km depth and would still maintain temperatures in excess of 900 °C.In the Telde caldera the asymmetry of the apparent resistivity components indicates a double depression; furthermore, a highly conductive level encountered in the centre of the eastern part of the volcanic complex has been attributed to the persistance of relatively high temperatures in the root of the last salic dome, extruded inside the caldera. In both zones, the deep limiting horizon is a highly conductive layer corresponding to the mantle (15 km in Lanzarote and 13 km in Tenerife), whereas other, more superficial, discontinuities have been related to local structures.     

Ambient air measurements of six bifunctional carbonyls in a suburban area

Low-molecular-weight carbonyl compounds, generated by photochemical reactions in the atmosphere and found in the exhaust of motor vehicles, have recently come to the attention of researchers because some of them are suspected carcinogens or mutagens. Six bifunctional carbonyl compounds were detected and measured in a suburban site 30 km northwest of the Tokyo metropolitan area. Samples were taken on five sunny days between 2 August and 11 August 2003 with a low-volume denuder and three-filter tandem system using O-(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzyl)hydroxylamine (PFBHA) as a sorbent. Bifunctional carbonyls were measured by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry after two derivatization processes with PFBHA and N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)-trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA). The average total (gas plus particle) concentrations were 162.8 ng m^− 3 for pyruvic acid, 113.7 ng m^− 3 for methylglyoxal, 36.0 ng m^− 3 for glycolaldehyde and 58.6 ng m^− 3 for glyoxal.     

Quantifying Uncertainty in Mineral Resources by Use of Classification Schemes and Conditional Simulations

Mineral inventory determination consists of estimating the amount of mineral resources on a block-by-block basis and classifying individual blocks into categories with increasing level of geologic confidence. Such classification is a crucial issue for mining companies, investors, financial institutions, and authorities, but it remains subject to some confusion because of the wide variations in methodologies and the lack of standardized procedures. The first part of this paper considers some of the criteria used to classify resources in practice and their impact through a sensitivity study using data from a Chilean porphyry copper deposit. Five classification criteria are compared and evaluated, namely: Search neighborhoods, absolute and relative kriging variances, absolute and relative conditional simulation variances. It is shown that some classification criteria either favor or penalize the high-grade areas if the grade distribution presents a proportional effect. In the second part of the paper, conditional simulations are used to quantify the uncertainty on the overall mineral resources. This approach is promising for risk analysis and decision-making. Unlike linear kriging, simulations allow inclusion of a cutoff grade in the calculation of the resources and also provide measures of their joint uncertainty over production volumes.     

Gravimetric determination of an intrusive complex under the Island of Faial (Azores): some methodological improvements

We present some improvements of a gravity inversion method to determine the geometry of the anomalous bodies for priori density contrasts. The 3-D method is based on an exploratory process applied, not for the global model, but for the steps of a growth approach. The (positive and/or negative) anomalous structure is described by successive aggregation of cells, while its corresponding gravity field remains nearly proportional to the observed one. Moreover, a simple (e.g. linear) regional trend can be simultaneously adjusted. The corresponding program is applied to new gravity data on the volcanic island of Faial (Azores archipelago). The inversion approach shows a subsurface anomalous structure for the island, the main feature being an elongated high-density body. The body is interpreted as a compact sheeted dyke swarm, emplaced along Faial-Pico Fracture Zone, a leaky transform structure that forms the current boundary between Eurasian and African plates in the Azores area. The new results in this paper are (1) a Bouguer gravity anomaly map, (2) several improvements in the inversion process (robust process, optimal balance fitness/model magnitude), (3) a new gravimetric method for estimating the mean terrain density, (4) a 3-D model for subsurface mass anomalies in Faial and (5) some interpretative conclusions about a main intrusive complex detected under the island as a wall-like structure extending from a depth of 0.5 to 6 km b.s.l., with a N100°E trend and corresponding to an early fissural volcanic episode controlled by the regional tectonics.     

Textural and compositional controls on modern beach and dune sands,New Zealand

Textural, compositional, physical and geophysical determinations were carried out on 111 beach and dune sand samples from two areas in New Zealand: the Kapiti–Foxton coast sourced by terranes of andesite and greywackes and the Farewell Spit–Wharariki coast sourced by a wide variety of Paleozoic terranes. Our aim is to understand how long‐shore drift, beach width and source rock control the sedimentological and petrographic characteristics of beach and dune sands. Furthermore, this study shows the usefulness of specific minerals (quartz, plagioclase with magnetite inclusions, monomineralic opaque grains) to interpret the physical processes (fluvial discharges, long‐shore currents, winds) that distribute beach and dune sands in narrow and wide coastal plains. This was done by means of direct (grain size and modal analyses) and indirect (specific gravity, magnetic/non‐magnetic separations M/NM, magnetic susceptibility measurements, hysteresis loops) methods. Results are compared with beach sands from Hawaii, Oregon, the Spanish Mediterranean, Elba Island and Southern California. Compositionally, the Kapiti–Foxton sands are similar to first‐order immature sands, which retain their fluvial signature. This results from the high discharge of rivers and the narrow beaches that control the composition of the Kapiti–Foxton sands. The abundance of feldspar with magnetite inclusions controls the specific gravity of the Kapiti–Foxton sands due to their low content of opaque minerals and coarse grain size. Magnetic susceptibility of the sands is related mainly to the abundance of feldspars with Fe oxides, volcanic lithics and free‐opaque minerals. The Farewell Spit–Wharariki sands are slightly more mature than the Kapiti–Foxton sands. The composition of the Farewell Spit–Wharariki sands does not reflect accurately their provenance due to the prevalence of long‐shore drift, waves, little river input and a wide beach. Low abundance of feldspar with magnetite inclusions and free opaque grains produces poor correlations between specific gravity (Sg) and Fe oxide bearing minerals. The small correlation between opaque grains and M/NM may be related to grain size. The magnetic susceptibility of Farewell Spit–Wharariki sands is low due to the low content of grains with magnetite inclusions. Hysteresis and isothermal remnant magnetization (IRM) agree with the magnetic susceptibility values. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Improvement in PWV estimation from GPS due to the absolute calibration of antenna phase center variations

Climatology of column-integrated atmospheric water vapor over Spain has been carried out by means of three techniques: soundings, sun photometers and GPS receivers. Comparing data from stations equipped with more than one of these instruments, we found that a large discontinuity occurred on November 6, 2006, in the differences between the data series from GPS receivers and those from the other two techniques. Prior to that date, the GPS data indicate a wet bias of 2–3 mm for all stations when compared with sounding or photometer data, whereas after that date this bias practically reduces to zero. The root mean square error also decreases about half of its value. On November 6, 2006, the International GNSS Service adopted an absolute calibration model for the antennas of the GPS satellites and receivers instead of the relative one. This change is expected to be an improvement, increasing the accuracy of station position determination and consequently benefiting post-processing products such as zenith total delay from which the atmospheric water vapor content is calculated.     

Internal structure of the aeolian sand dunes of El Fangar spit, Ebro Delta (Tarragona, Spain)

This paper presents an analysis of the dune field dynamics of El Fangar Spit in the Ebro Delta (Spain), associating it with the internal structure of dunes carried out with ground-penetrating radar and supported by data from topographic DGPS. These analyses are of great importance to ascertain the state of the internal structure of dunes as an important element in their stability and, therefore in their evolution. The internal structure shows accretion and progradation sequences of dunes over beach deposits, which depend on dune morphology (height, crest orientation) and location, as well as the processes acting on them.     

Lithostratigraphical correlation of micromammal sites and biostratigraphy of the Upper Pliocene to Lower Pleistocene in the Northeast Guadix‐Baza Basin (southern Spain)

The Plio‐Pleistocene non‐marine sequence in the northeast Guadix–Baza Basin (southern Spain) comprises alluvial and lacustrine deposits (Baza Formation). The results of a revised lithostratigraphical correlation between sections from the middle and upper members of the Baza Formation in the northeast part of the basin, supported by detailed mapping, is presented. The position of micromammal sites in the lithostratigraphical scheme, together with the results of intensive palaeontological sampling for small mammal remains, has allowed us to develop a high‐resolution biostratigraphical framework for the area. This provides an opportunity to refine the biozonation for the Plio‐Pleistocene micromammal faunas, and to define faunal events from the late Villanyian (late Pliocene) to the early Pleistocene. On the basis of the lithostratigraphical and biostratigraphical approaches we obtain the following sequence of biozones for the late Pliocene to early Pleistocene: Kislangia gusii, Mimomys cf. reidi, M. oswaldoreigi, Allophaiomys pliocaenicus and A. burgondiae. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A texture‐based region growing algorithm for volume extraction in seismic data

We present a novel approach to automated volume extraction in seismic data and apply it to the detection of allochthonous salt bodies. Using a genetic algorithm, we determine the optimal size of volume elements that statistically, according to the U‐test, best characterize the contrast between the textures inside and outside of the salt bodies through a principal component analysis approach. This information was used to implement a seeded region growing algorithm to directly extract the bodies from the cube of seismic amplitudes. We present the resulting three‐dimensional bodies and compare our final results to those of an interpreter, showing encouraging results.     

The Role of Fault-Zone Architectural Elements on Pore Pressure Propagation and Induced Seismicity

We used hydrogeologic models to assess how fault-zone properties promote or inhibit the downward propagation of fluid overpressures from a basal reservoir injection well (150 m from fault zone, Q = 5000 m³/day) into the underlying crystalline basement rocks. We varied the permeability of the fault-zone architectural components and a crystalline basement weathered layer as part of a numerical sensitivity study. Realistic conduit-barrier style fault zones effectively transmit elevated pore pressures associated with 4 years of continuous injection to depths of approximately 2.5 km within the crystalline basement while compartmentalizing fluid flow within the injection reservoir. The presence of a laterally continuous, relatively low-permeability altered/weathered basement horizon (k_{altered layer} = 0.1 × k_basement) can limit the penetration depth of the pressure front to approximately 500 m. On the other hand, the presence of a discontinuous altered/weathered horizon that partially confines the injection reservoir without blocking the fault fluid conduit promotes downward propagation of pressures. Permeability enhancement via hydromechanical failure was found to increase the depth of early-time pressure front migration by a factor of 1.3 to 1.85. Dynamic permeability models may help explain seismicity at depths of greater than 10 km such as is observed within the Permian Basin, NM.