Generation of the Early Cenozoic adakitic volcanism by partial melting of mafic lower crust,Eastern Turkey: Implications for crustal thickening to delamination

Early Cenozoic (48–50 Ma) adakitic volcanic rocks from the Eastern Pontides, NE Turkey, consist of calc-alkaline and high-K calc-alkaline andesite and dacite, with SiO₂ contents ranging from 56.01 to 65.44 wt.%. This is the first time that Early Eocene volcanism and adakites have been reported from the region. The rocks are composed of plagioclase, amphibole, quartz, and Mg-rich biotite. They have high and low-Mg# values ranging from 55 to 62 and 13 to 42, respectively. High-Mg# rocks have higher Ni and Co contents than low-Mg# samples. The rocks exhibit enrichments in large ion lithophile elements including the light rare earth elements, depletions in Nb, Ta and Ti and have high La/Yb and Sr/Y ratios. Their relative high I_Sr (0.70474–0.70640) and low ε_Nd (50 Ma) values (? 2.3 to 0.8) are inconsistent with an origin as partial melts of a subducted oceanic slab. Combined major- and trace element and Sr–Nd isotope data suggest that the adakitic magmas are related to the unique tectonic setting of this region, where a transition from a collision to an extension stage has created thickening and delamination of the Pontide mafic lower crust at 50 Ma. The high-Mg adakitic magmas resulted from partial melting of the delaminated eclogitic mafic lower crust that sank into the relatively hot subcrustal mantle, and its subsequent interaction with the mantle peridotite during upward transport, leaving garnet as the residual phase, elevates the MgO content and Mg# of the magmas, whereas low-Mg# magmas formed by the melting of newly exposed lower crustal rocks caused by asthenospheric upwelling, which supplies heat flux to the lower crust. The data also suggest that the mafic lower continental crust beneath the region was thickened between the Late Cretaceous and the Late Paleocene and delaminated during Late Paleocene to Early Eocene time, which coincides with the initial stage of crustal thinning caused by crustal extensional events in the Eastern Pontides and rules out the possibility of an extensional regime before ~ 50 Ma in the region during the Late Mesozoic to Early Cenozoic.     

Magnesium Ammonium Phosphate Production from Wastewater through Box–Behnken Design and Its Effect on Nutrient Element Uptake in Plants

This study examined ${\rm NH}_{{\rm 4}}^{{\rm + }} $ , ${\rm PO}_{{\rm 4}}^{{\rm 3}- } $ recovery and the concentration of residual ions from anaerobic effluent of the potato processing industry through magnesium ammonium phosphate (MAP) precipitation using a Box–Behnken design. The regression model was statistically significant in terms of ${\rm NH}_{{\rm 4}}^{{\rm + }} $ and ${\rm PO}_{{\rm 4}}^{{\rm 3}- } $ removal efficiency and residual ion concentrations. Optimum ${\rm NH}_{{\rm 4}}^{{\rm + }} $ and ${\rm PO}_{{\rm 4}}^{{\rm 3}- } $ removal was obtained at pH 9.50 and at Mg²⁺/${\rm NH}_{{\rm 4}}^{{\rm + }} $ /${\rm PO}_{{\rm 4}}^{{\rm 3}- } $ molar ratio of 1.8:1:1.8. Under these conditions, Mg, Ca, K, Fe, and Cl concentrations required for plant growth significantly decreased with MAP precipitation, which was supported by EDX analysis of dry MAP precipitate. The fertilizer effect of MAP on the growth of corn and tomato plants was compared with chemical fertilizers through pot trials. Nutrient element uptake levels of plants were examined in different fertilizer sources. While Mg, Fe, Cu, Mn, and Zn nutrient element uptake levels were sufficient in MAP pots, Ca uptake exceeded sufficient level. Average levels of N, P, K, Mg, Cu, and Mn of corn plant were higher in MAP than other pots. The average N, P, and Mg levels of tomato plant in MAP pots were higher than other pots. N/K ratio, which is important in tomato plants, was better optimized in MAP pots. Only Ni, Cr, and Pb heavy metals were found in plants.     

Basin progress: active deformation analysis by tectonostratigraphic elements and geophysical methods on North Anatolian Fault System (Eastern Marmara Region,Turkey)

Natural Hazards - The Northern Branch of the North Anatolian Fault System controls and deforms the Izmit Basin and the Sapanca Lake Basin in the study area. Unlike the Sapanca Lake Basin, the...     

Light curve variations in ER vulpeculae

Photoelectric observations of the peculiar eclipsing variable ER Vul were obtained in blue and yellow light, in the 1981 and 1982 observing seasons. The light curves suffer to change in short time-intervals. The wave-like distortion superimposed on the light curves is clearly seen, but sometimes there is no indication about its existence. The migration period has been estimated roughtly about eight months. Moreover, small-amplitude light fluctuations in the light curves are noticeable. These variations seem to be occur randomly. When the IUE and optical observations are taken into consideration together it is strongly suggested that both of the components in the system ER Vul are too active.     

Mineralogy and composition of the chromitites and their platinum-group minerals from Ortaca (Muğla-SW Turkey): evidence for ophiolitic chromitite genesis

Summary A large number of podiform chromitite bodies of massive, disseminated and nodular type have been located in ultramafic units, composed of depleted mantle harzburgite and dunite of the Marmaris Peridotite from Ortaca (Mula, SW Turkey). The chromite ore bodies are surrounded by dunite envelopes of variable thickness, exhibiting transitional boundaries to harzburgite host rocks. Chromitites, containing a large number of inclusions, i.e. silicates, base metal sulphides and alloys, and platinum-group minerals (PGM) have a wide range of chemical composition. The Cr# [Cr/(Cr+Al)] values of most chromitites are high (0.61–0.81) and Mg# [Mg/(Mg+Fe²⁺)] values range between 0.65 and 0.71 with TiO₂ content lower than 0.24wt.%, which may reflect the crystallization of chromites from boninitic magmas in supra-subduction setting environment.Platinum-group minerals (PGM) such as laurite, erlichmanite and Os–Ir alloys, silicates such as olivine, clinopyroxene and amphibole, and base metal sulphides (BM-S), alloys (BM-A) and arsenides (BM-As) are found as inclusions in chromite or in the serpentine matrix. Platinum-group element (PGE) concentrations of the Ortaca chromitites (OC) are low in all samples. Total PGE (Ir+Ru+Rh+Pt+Pd) ranges from 63ng/g to 266ng/g and Pd/Ir ratios range between 0.23 and 4.75. PGE content is higher and the Pd/Ir ratio lower in Cr-rich chromitites compared to Al-rich ones. There is a strong negative correlation between the Cr# and Pd/Ir ratios (r=–0.930). The PGE patterns show a negative slope from Ru to Pt and a positive slope from Pt to Pd. The low PGE content in the majority of the OC may reflect a lack of sulphur saturation during an early stage of their crystallization. The laurite compositions show a wide range of Ru–Os substitution caused by relatively low temperature and increasing f(S₂) during the chromite crystallization. The high Cr# of and hydrous silicate mineral inclusions in chromite imply that chromite crystallized in a supra-subduction setting.     

From Tethys to Eastern Paratethys: Oligocene depositional environments, paleoecology and paleobiogeography of the Thrace Basin (NW Turkey)

The Oligocene depositional history of the Thrace Basin documents a unique paleogeographic position at a junction between the Western Tethys and the Eastern Paratethys. As part of the Tethys, shallow marine carbonate platforms prevailed during the Eocene. Subsequently, a three-staged process of isolation started with the Oligocene. During the Early Rupelian, the Thrace Basin was still part of the Western Tethys, indicated by typical Western Tethyan marine assemblages. The isolation from the Tethys during the Early Oligocene is reflected by oolite formation and endemic Eastern Paratethyan faunas of the Solenovian stage. The third phase reflects an increasing continentalisation of the Thrace Basin with widespread coastal swamps during the Late Solenovian. The mollusc assemblages are predominated by mangrove dwelling taxa and the mangrove plant Avicennia is recorded in the pollen spectra. The final continentalisation is indicated by the replacement of the coastal swamps by pure freshwater swamps and fluvial plains during the Late Oligocene (mammal zone MP 26). This paleogeographic affiliation of the Thrace Basin with the Eastern Paratethys after ~32 Ma contrasts all currently used reconstructions which treat the basin as embayment of the Eastern Mediterranean basin.     

Mapping Urban Growth and Its Relation to Seismic Hazards in Istanbul

In Istanbul, one of the most densely populated cities of Turkey, the population has grown rapidly over the last 30 years. In addition to being one of the rapidly flourishing cities in Europe, the city is positioned on the seismically active North Anatolian Fault (NAF). The form and rate of Istanbul’s fast urban growth has serious implications for seismic hazards. There have been some studies to map lateral urban growth for the city but they do not give satisfactory information about vertical urban growth and seismic hazards. We use DMSP night lights and Landsat data to map changes in land cover-land use in and around the city since 1984, and determine relations of these changes with the NAF. Changes in land use and intensity of development are identified by changes in night light brightness while changes in land cover are identified by changes in land surface reflectance. Aggregate changes in reflectance are represented as changes in subpixel mixtures of the most functionally and spectrally distinct spectral endmembers of land cover. Using standardized global endmembers, SVD composite images were produced for 1984, 2000 and 2011 and fraction change (δSVD) maps were produced for the decadal intervals. The results show that most of the urban expansion has occurred near the NAF. This has serious implications for seismic hazards in the future if the progression of large earthquakes continues to move westward toward the city.