Provenance analysis as a key to orogenic exhumation: a case study from the East Carpathians (Romania)

Provenance analysis of the sediments from foredeep basins is crucial in understanding the contemporaneous orogenic exhumation processes. We report in this paper complex sediment provenance analysis using sandstone petrography and mudstone geochemistry, combined with magnetic susceptibility of the Upper Miocene to Pliocene deposits from Focşani foredeep basin (Romania). Data show a change of source area between 5 and 6 Ma, from an active volcanic arc towards a recycled orogenic belt, concurrent with an important increase of accumulation rate. This change was triggered by exhumation and erosion of the outer nappes from East Carpathians.     

Formation of a cohesive floodplain in a dynamic experimental meandering river

Field studies suggest that a cohesive floodplain is a necessary condition for meandering in contrast to braided rivers. However, it is only partly understood how the balance between floodplain construction by overbank deposition and removal by bank erosion and chutes leads to meandering. This is needed because only then does a dynamic equilibrium exist and channels maintain meandering with low width–depth ratios. Our objective is to understand how different styles of floodplain formation such as overbank deposition and lateral accretion cause narrower channels and prevent chute cutoffs that lead to meandering. In this study we present two experiments with a self‐forming channel in identical conditions, but to one we added cohesive silt at the upstream boundary. The effect of cohesive silt on bank stability was tested in auxiliary bank erosion experiments and showed that an increase in silt reduced erosion rates by a factor of 2. The experiment without silt developed to a braided river by continuous and extensive shifting of multiple channels. In contrast, in the meandering river silt deposits increased bank stability of the cohesive floodplain and resulted in a reduction of chute cutoffs and increased sinuosity by continuous lateral migration of a single channel. Overbank flow led to deposition of the silt and two styles of cohesive floodplain were observed: first, overbank vertical‐accretion of silt, e.g. levee, overbank sedimentation or splays; and second, lateral point bar accretion with silt on the scrolls and in the swales. The first style led to a reduction in bank erosion, while the second style reduced excavation of chutes. We conclude that sedimentation of fine cohesive material on the floodplain by discharge exceeding bankfull is a necessary condition for meandering. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Paleomagnetism and Cyclostratigraphy of the Middle Ordovician Krivolutsky Suite,Krivaya Luka Section,Southern Siberian Platform: Record of Non-Synchronous NRM-Components or a Non-Axial Geomagnetic Field?

The Middle Ordovician Volginsky and Kirensky fossil zones were sampled in the Krivaya Luka section (Krivolutsky suite) that outcrops along the Lena river in Siberia. The Volginsky and Kirensky zones are coeval to the Llandeilo in the global geologic time scale. The Krivaya Luka section consists of siltstones, clays, sandstones, and limestones, and displays a remarkably distinct sedimentary cyclicity, especially in its reddish middle part.Stepwise thermal demagnetization yields three NRM components. Component A, isolated in the 100—250°C interval can be either normal or reversed. The normal A-component has a direction close to recent local magnetic field. The reversed A-component directions are scattered around a direction close to that of the lower Triassic Siberian traps. Component B has unblocking temperatures that range from 400 to 500°C and is represented mainly by normal polarity directions. The B-component, isolated from rocks of the middle part of the section is of a normal polarity with D = 176.5°, I = 30.0° and a North pole position at 16.2°S, 111.3°E. The other parts of the section are characterized by intermediate B-directions, which resulted possibly by partially overlapping A- and C-components. The highest temperature dual-polarity component C was isolated in the 550—670°C interval, resulting in the detection of two complete polarity zones and three magnetic reversals. The C-component is characterized by the following mean directions: for the reversed component D = 335.7°, I = 6.9°, and for the normal component D = 188.6°, I = 28.0°, which is very close to the normal polarity directions of the B-component. The corresponding paleomagnetic North pole for reversed polarity rocks is 32.6°S, 137°E, which is typical of Middle Ordovician rocks from Siberia – the mean pole for Llanvirn-Llandeilo is 30°S, 136°E (cf. Smethurst et al., 1998) – whereas for normal polarity rocks the pole position 17.2°S, 99.1°E is markedly different. Nevertheless, we assume that the C-component records the ancient geomagnetic field of Ordovician times, even though it does not pass the reversals test. This could be explained by overlapping NRM unblocking temperature spectra for the B and C components. In this case, the paleomagnetic pole positions should be interpreted with some caution.In addition, the section was logged and sampled in detail for cyclostratigraphic purposes. Spectral analysis in the depth domain using the high-field susceptibility as input parameter showed that the observed cyclicity is most likely orbitally forced. Detected spectral peaks (significant at the 95% confidence level) were close to the expected positions of the periodicities of precession, obliquity and eccentricity for the Ordovician. Consequently, the average sediment accumulation rate is estimated at 3.5 cm/kyr. Extrapolating this sedimentation rate yields a total duration of at least 1 Myr for the Volginsky fossil zone and 1.2 Myr for the entire Krivaya Luka section.     

Shallow bias in Mediterranean paleomagnetic directions caused by inclination error

A variety of paleomagnetic data from the Mediterranean region show a strong bias toward shallow inclinations. This pattern of shallow inclinations has been interpreted to be the result of (1) major northward terrane displacement, (2) large nondipole components in the Earth's magnetic field, and (3) systematic inclination flattening of the paleomagnetic directions. Here, we use the observation that, in addition to the well-known variation of magnetic inclination with latitude, the N-S elongation of directional dispersion also varies, being most elongate at the equator and nearly symmetric at the poles. Assuming that inclination shallowing follows the relationship long known from experiment, we invert the inclinations using a range of “flattening factors” to find the elongation/inclination pair consistent with a statistical model for the paleosecular variation. We apply the so-called “elongation/inclination” method to the extensive paleomagnetic data sets from the Miocene sediments of the Calatayud basin (Spain) and the island of Crete (Greece). After correction, the Spanish data are in good agreement with the expected middle Miocene latitude of the region. The data from Crete suggest that it occupied a position in the late Miocene about 275 km north of the predicted location. This is in agreement with the geological and geodynamical models for the east Mediterranean region, which indicate that slab rollback processes in combination with Anatolian push generated southward migration of Crete. The 7.5 million year average displacement rate of Crete estimated by the E/I method is 37 mm/yr to the south, which closely coincides with present-day rates based on global positioning system (GPS) and model measurements. We also show that inappropriate tilt corrections lead to a shallow inclination bias as well, explaining that observed in studies of lava flows of the region. We conclude that the east Mediterranean inclination anomaly is caused by sedimentary inclination error and not by a persistent octupolar contribution to the geomagnetic field, or northward transport.     

Avalonia,get bent!–Paleomagnetism from SW Iberia confirms the Greater Cantabrian Orocline

The amalgamation of Pangea formed the contorted Variscan-Alleghanian orogen,suturing Gondwana and Laurussia during the Carboniferous.From all swirls of this orogen,a double curve in Iberia stands out,the coupled Cantabrian Orocline and Central Iberian curve.The Cantabrian Orocline formed at ca.315–290 Ma subsequent to the Variscan orogeny.The formation mechanism of the Cantabrian Orocline is disputed,the most commonly proposed mechanisms include either(1)that south-westernmost Iberia would be an Avalonian(Laurussian)indenter or(2)that the stress field changed,buckling the orogen.In contrast,the geometry and kinematics of the Central Iberian curve are largely unknown.Whereas some authors defend both curvatures are genetically linked,others support they are distinct and formed at different times.Such uncertainty adds an extra layer of complexity to our understanding of the final stages of Pangea’s amalgamation.To solve these issues,we study the late Carboniferous–early Permian vertical-axis rotations of SW Iberia with paleomagnetism.Our results show up to 70
counterclockwise vertical-axis rotations during late Carboniferous times,concurring with the anticipated kinematics if SW Iberia was part of the southern limb of the Cantabrian Orocline.Our results do not allow the necessary penecontemporaneous clockwise rotations in Central Iberia to support a concomitant formation of both Cantabrian and Central Iberian curvature.The coherent rotation of both Gondwanan and Avalonian pieces of SW Iberia discards the Laurussian indenter hypothesis as a formation mechanism of the Cantabrian Orocline and confirms the Greater Cantabrian Orocline hypothesis.The Greater Cantabrian Orocline likely formed as a consequence of a change in the stress field during the late Carboniferous and extended beyond the Rheic Ocean suture affecting the margins of both Laurussia and Gondwana.     

Long-eccentricity regulated climate control on fluvial incision and aggradation in the Palaeocene of north-eastern Montana (USA)

Aggradation and fluvial incision controlled by downstream base-level changes at timescales of 10 to 500 kyr is incorporated in classic sequence stratigraphic models. However, upstream climate control on sediment supply and discharge variability causes fluvial incision and aggradation as well. Orbital forcing often regulates climate change at 10 to 500 kyr timescales while tectonic processes such as flexural (un)loading exert a dominant control at timescales longer than 500 kyr. It remains challenging to attribute fluvial incision and aggradation to upstream or downstream processes or disentangle allogenic from autogenic forcing, because time control is mostly limited in fluvial successions. The Palaeocene outcrops of the fluvial Lebo Shale Member in north-eastern Montana (Williston Basin, USA) constitute an exception. This study uses a distinctive tephra layer and two geomagnetic polarity reversals to create a 15 km long chronostratigraphic framework based on the correlation of twelve sections. Three aggradation–incision sequences are identified with durations of approximately 400 kyr, suggesting a relation with long-eccentricity. This age control further reveals that incision occurred during the approach of – or during – a 405 kyr long-eccentricity minimum. A long-term relaxation of the hydrological cycle related to such an orbital phasing potentially exerts an upstream climate control on river incision. Upstream, an expanding vegetation cover is expected because of an increasingly constant moisture supply to source areas. Entrapping by vegetation led to a significantly reduced sediment supply relative to discharge, especially at times of low evapotranspiration. Hence, high discharges resulted in incision. This study assesses the long-eccentricity regulated climate control on fluvial aggradation and incision in a new aggradation–incision sequence model.     

An efficient transient‐state algorithm for evaluation of leakage through defective cutoff walls

Artificial barriers are widely used to prevent leakages. However, due to construction errors during the wall installation, passages with small dimensions may occasionally penetrate through the barrier, undermining its tightness. A three‐dimensional discretized algorithm (TDA) is proposed for quantitatively estimating the transient‐state discharge rate through defective cutoff walls. By discretizing the wall into a three‐dimensional refined mesh grid, the algorithm enables an examination of penetrating passages, an evaluation of defect dimensions, and an estimation of discharge rate through the penetrating passages. A rigorous realization‐by‐realization comparison between the TDA and the finite element method (FEM) was made, and it was found that the TDA results show strong correlations with the FEM results, but at a remarkably lower (1/10³‐1/10⁴) computational cost. The TDA generally gives a discharge rate that is 0.1‐1.0 times greater than its FEM counterpart, as the lengthened seepage distance due to random corrugations in the penetrating untreated zone cannot be replicated by the TDA.     

Cyclostratigraphy and astrochronology of the Tripoli diatomite formation (pre-evaporite Messinian, Sicily, Italy)

The ongoing debate about the Messinian salinity crisis in the Mediternean is fuelled in part by the lack of an adequate time control. The most accurate and, at the same time, detailed constraints are nowadays provided by the astronomical dating technique. Here we present an astronomical age model for the cyclically bedded Tripoli diatomite Formation on Sicily (pre-evaporite Messinian, Italy) based on an integrated stratigraphic study of three key-sections, Falconara, Gibliscemi and Capodarso. Characteristic sedimentary cycle patterns allow (i) the sections to be cyclostratigraphically correlated, the 'bed-to-bed' correlations being confirmed by high-resolution planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy, and (ii) the Tripoli cycles to be calibrated to the astronomical record. Despite minor misfits the correctness of the tuning is evident from the match between precession-obliquity interference in the astronomical target and its reflection in the sedimentary cycle record. The tuning provides absolute astronomical ages for all sedimentary cycles and planktonic foraminiferal events. The base of the Tripoli is astronomically dated at 7.005 Ma, indicating that the onset of diatomite formation is diachronous in the Mediternean since it started 300 000 years earlier on Sicily than on Gavdos, south of Crete. The top of the Tripoli, and thus the onset of the salinity crisis proper on Sicily, arrives at 5.98 Ma.     

Enhanced Weathering: An Effective and Cheap Tool to Sequester Co2

Weathering and subsequent precipitation of Ca- and Mg-carbonates are the main processes that control the CO₂-concentration in the atmosphere. It seems logical, therefore, to use enhanced weathering as a tool to reduce rising CO₂-levels. This can be applied as a technology, by reacting captured CO₂ with olivine or calcium-silicates in autoclaves. It can also be applied extensively, by spreading fine-powdered olivine on farmland or forestland. Measures to control the CO₂-levels of the atmosphere will be adopted more readily if they also serve some broader economic goals. An effective strategy for CO₂ control will require many parallel approaches simultaneously.     

Messinian events in the Black Sea

Past hydrological interactions between the Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea are poorly resolved due to complications in establishing a high‐resolution time frame for the Black Sea. We present a new greigite‐based magnetostratigraphic age model for the Mio‐Pliocene deposits of DSDP Hole 380/380A, drilled in the southwestern Black Sea. This age model is complemented by ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of a volcanic ash layer, allowing a direct correlation of Black Sea deposits to the Messinian salinity crisis (MSC) interval of the Mediterranean Sea. Proxy records divide these DSDP deposits into four intervals: (i) Pre‐MSC marine conditions (6.1–6.0 Ma); (ii) highstand, fresh to brackish water conditions (~6.0–5.6 Ma); (iii) lowstand, fresh‐water environment (5.6–5.4 Ma) and (iv) highstand, fresh‐water conditions (5.4–post 5.0 Ma). Our results indicate the Black Sea was a major fresh‐water source during gypsum precipitation in the Mediterranean Sea. The introduction of Lago Mare fauna during the final stage of the MSC coincides with a sea‐level rise in the Black Sea. Across the Mio‐Pliocene boundary, sea‐level and salinity in the Black Sea did not change significantly.