Lithostratigraphie et histoire paléozoïque à paléocène des complexes métamorphiques de la région de Muteh, zone de Sanandaj–Sirjan (Iran méridional)Lithostratigraphy and Palaeozoic to Palaeocene history of some metamorphic complexes from Muteh area, Sanandaj–Sirjan zone (southern Iran)

A detailed analysis of metamorphic complexes outcropping in the Muteh area in central Iran leads to establish the regional stratigraphical column, and to propose a Palaeozoic age for the metamorphic protolith that mainly consists of volcano-sedimentary units. ⁴⁰K---⁴⁰Ar ages for minerals suggest the Mesozoic age of the metamorphic amphiboles and the Palaeocene ones for a late or even post metamorphic bimodal magmatism. To cite this article: N. Rachidnejad-Omran et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 1185–1191.     

Development and Characterization of Lignin‐Based Hydrogel for Use in Agricultural Soils: Preliminary Evidence

In arid and semi‐arid regions of the world, agricultural production is greatly limited by water scarcity and inefficient water use. Water‐absorbent hydrogels are a technological solution that can retain soil water for plants. A lignin‐based hydrogel as a natural plant‐based water absorbent is prepared from lignin alkali polymers and poly(ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether (PEGDGE) in adjusted alkali (NaOH) solution. The maximum swelling capacity of the hydrogel is achieved in 1.5 m NaOH with 0.5 mmol PEGDGE g ${}_{\mathrm{lignin}}^{?1}$. Water swelling capacity is 34 g g ${}_{\mathrm{Hydrogel}}^{?1}$ dry weight of hydrogel in distilled water, which is reduced to 53% and 64% in 0.1 m NaCl and 0.1 m CaCl₂ solution, respectively. Biodegradability and phytotoxicity tests show that 6.5% of the sample mass decomposed after 40 days of incubation in soil solution media and the hydrogel is not phytotoxic to wheat seeds. These findings support the use of the lignin‐based hydrogel as an environmentally friendly additive to promote water retention in dry, saline soils. Due to the limitations of this study, further assessments are needed in order to understand the efficiency of lignin‐based hydrogel application in different soils with different biota.     

Modeling and Interpretation of Pressuremeter Test Results with Artificial Neural Networks

In this paper, three types of artificial neural network (ANN) are employed to prediction and interpretation of pressuremeter test results. First, multi layer perceptron neural network is used. Then, neuro-fuzzy network is employed and finally radial basis function is applied. All applied networks have shown favorable performance. Finally, different models have been compared and network with the most outstanding performance in two stages is determined. Contrary to conventional behavioral models, models based neural network do not demonstrate the effect of input parameters on output parameters. This research is response to this need through conducting sensitivity analysis on the optimal structure of proposed models.     

Age and tectonic setting of the Bavanat Cu–Zn–Ag Besshi-type volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit, southern Iran

The Bavanat Cu–Zn–Ag Besshi-type volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposit occurs within the Surian volcano-sedimentary complex in the Sanandaj–Sirjan zone (SSZ) of southern Iran. The Surian complex is comprised of pelite, sandstone, calcareous shale, basalt, gabbro sills, and thin-bedded limestone. Mineralization occurs as stratiform sheet-like and tabular orebodies hosted mainly by greenschist metamorphosed feldspathic and quartz feldspathic sandstone, basalt, and pelites. The basalts of the Surian complex show predominantly tholeiitic to transitional affinities, with a few samples that are alkalic in composition. Primitive mantle-normalized trace and rare earth element (REE) patterns of the Surian basalts display depletions in light REE, negative anomalies of Nb, Ta, and Ti, and positive anomalies of P. Positive P anomalies are indicative of minor crustal contamination. Furthermore, Th enrichments in the mid-ocean ridge basalt-normalized patterns of the Surian basalts are characteristic of rifted arc basalts emplaced in continental margin subduction zones. The high MgO content (>6?wt.%) of most Surian basalts and low TiO₂ content of two samples (0.53 and 0.62?wt.%) are characteristic of boninites. The aforementioned features of the basalts indicate arc tholeiites emplaced in intra-arc rift environments and continental margin subduction zones. U–Pb dating by laser ablation- inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry of detrital zircons extracted from the host feldspathic and quartz feldspathic sandstone yields various ages that are predominantly Permian and Triassic; however, the youngest zircons give a mean Early Jurassic concordant U–Pb age of 191?±?12?Ma. This age, together with geological and petrochemical data, indicate that VMS mineralization formed in the Early Jurassic in pull-apart basins within the SSZ. These basins and the VMS mineralization may be temporally related to an intra-arc volcano–plutonic event associated with Neo-Tethyan oblique subduction.     

Compositional characteristics and geodynamic significance of late Miocene volcanic rocks associated with the Chah Zard epithermal gold–silver deposit,southwest Yazd,Iran

Whole‐rock geochemical and Sr–Nd isotopic data are presented for late Miocene volcanic rocks associated with the Chah Zard epithermal Au–Ag deposit in the Urumieh‐Dokhtar Magmatic Arc (UDMA), Iran, to investigate the magma source, petrogenesis and the geodynamic evolution of the study area. The Chah Zard andesitic to rhyolitic volcanic rocks are characterized by significant Large Ion Lithophile Element (LILE) and Light Rare Earth Element (LREE) enrichment coupled with High Field Strength Element (HFSE) depletion. Our geochemical data indicate an adakitic‐like signature for the volcanic rocks (e.g. SiO₂ > 62 wt%, Al₂O₃ > 15 wt%, MgO < 1.5 wt%, Sr/Y > 70, La/Yb > 35, Yb < 1 ppm, and Y < 18 ppm, and no significant Eu anomalies), distinguishing them from the other volcanic rocks of the UDMA. The Chah Zard volcanic rocks have similar Sr and Nd isotopic compositions; the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr(i) ratios range from 0.704 902 to 0.705 093 and the ε_Nd(i) values are from +2.33 to +2.70. However, the rhyolite porphyry represents the final stage of magmatism in the area and has a relatively high ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio (0.705 811). Our data suggest that the andesitic magmas are from a heterogeneous source and likely to result from partial melting of a metasomatized mantle wedge associated with a mixture of subducted oceanic crust and sediment. These melts subsequently underwent fractional crystallization along with minor amounts of crustal assimilation. Our study is consistent with the model that the volcanic host rocks to epithermal gold mineralization in the UDMA are genetically related to late Miocene Neo‐Tethyan slab break‐off beneath Central Iran.     

Alkaline character of Eocene volcanism in the middle part of central Iran and its geodynamic situation

Alkaline volcanic rocks, sometimes feldspathoid bearing, appear in variable stratigraphic positions within the Eocene of the middle part of Central Iran. No magmatic zonation and no K₂O enrichment in both time and space can be found in this volcanic sequence. These facts together with other geochemical and geological features of the Iranian Eocene provinces do not agree with a volcanism related to a subduction zone model.Reversely, a rift model may be applied for the interpretation of the origin of Eocene volcanic rocks and their geodynamic situation. The emissions of alkaline magma are linked with rhythmic opening of a rift zone during Eocene.A mutual contamination between a basaltic magma and a bulky palingenetic acid magma is responsible for the few volcanic rocks with calc-alkaline trend.

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Zusammenfassung Alkali-Gesteine, die manchmal Feldspatoide enthalten, treten in verschiedenen stratigraphischen Stellungen innerhalb des Eozäns des Zentral-Irans auf.In diesen Vulkaniten ist keinerlei magmatische Zonierung und insbesondere keine systematische Variation der Kaligehalte festzustellen. Diese und andere geologische und geochemische Argumente sprechen gegen eine Deutung als Paläosubduktionszone.Als Alternative bietet sich das Modell der Öffnung eines Grabens an: der Alkali-Vulkanismus steht in Zusammenhang mit den verschiedenen Phasen der Entstehung und Entwicklung eines Rifts während des Eozäns.Die seltenen Vulkanite kalk-alkalischer Zusammensetzung erklären sich durch Mischung der Magmen von Alkali-Basalten mit den bedeutenden anatektischen Magmen.

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Résumé Des roches alcalines, éventuellement à feldspathoïde, existent à des niveaux et dans des secteurs variés de la séquence volcanique éocène de la partie médiane de la zone de l'Iran Central; par ailleurs, dans cette série, on n'a pu mettre en évidence ni zonation magmatique, ni enrichissement en K₂O. Ces faits, joints à d'autres caractères géochimiques et géologiques des provinces éocènes de l'Iran, sont en désaccord avec un volcanisme lié à une zone de subduction.En revanche, un modèle de rift peut être appliqué pour interpréter l'origine des volcanites éocènes et leur situation géodynamique. Les émissions de magma alcalin sont en effet en relation avec l'ouverture rhythmique d'une zone de rift pendant l'Eocène.Quant aux rares roches à tendance calco-alcaline, elles résultent d'une contamination mutuelle entre un magma basaltique et un important magma acide palingénétique.

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Discovery of two ophiolite complexes of different ages in the Khoy area (NW Iran)

New field and laboratory studies on the ophiolite of Khoy (northwestern corner of Iran) lead to the discovery that there are not one, but two ophiolitic complexes in the Khoy area: (1) an old, poly-metamorphic ophiolite, whose oldest metamorphic amphiboles yielded a Lower Jurassic apparent ⁴⁰K–⁴⁰Ar age, and whose primary magmatic age should logically be pre-Jurassic (Upper-Triassic?); (2) a younger non metamorphic ophiolite of well dated Upper Cretaceous age. To cite this article: M. Khalatbari-Jafari et al., C. R. Geoscience 335 (2003).     

Nouvelles données structurales et datations 40K–40Ar sur les roches métamorphiques de la région de Neyriz (zone de Sanandaj–Sirjan,Iran méridional). Leur intérêt dans le cadre du domaine néo-téthysien du Moyen-Orient

The metamorphic rocks of the Neyriz area (Sanandaj–Sirjan zone) represent a Palaeozoic sequence, the upper part of which being palaeontologically dated from the Carboniferous and the Permian. Field structural analysis of the whole sequence, detailed in laboratory by microstructural one and ⁴⁰K–⁴⁰Ar dating carried on separated minerals, lead to establish that the whole sequence, from gneisses to Permian rocks, has suffered a unique synmetamorphic deformation, of variable intensity, marked by a foliation. Isotopic ages measured on extracted amphiboles and micas, clustered in four groups between 300 and 60 Ma, show the successive stages of their slow exhumation, which ended by the end of the Cretaceous. To cite this article: R. Sheikholeslami et al., C. R. Geoscience 335 (2003).     

Pasture degradation effects on soil quality indicators at different hillslope positions in a semiarid region of western Iran

A study was made to determine the influence of pasture degradation on soil quality indicators that included physical, chemical, biological and micromorphological attributes, along the hillslope positions in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, western Iran. Soil samples from different slope positions were collected from 0 to 30 cm depth for physical and chemical properties and from 0 to 15 cm depth for biological properties at two adjacent sites in the two ecosystems: natural pasture and cultivated land. Soil quality indicators including bulk density, mean weight diameter, soil organic carbon (SOC), particulate organic material (POM) in aggregate fractions, total nitrogen, available potassium, available phosphorus, cation exchange capacity, soil microbial respiration (SMR) and microbial biomass C and N were determined. The results showed that SOC decreased cultivation from 1.09 to 0.77 % following pasture degradation. The POM decreased by about 19.35 % in cultivated soils when compared to natural pasture; also, SMR and microbial biomass C and N decreased significantly following pasture degradation. Furthermore, aggregate stability and pore spaces decreased, and bulk density increased in the cultivated soils. Overall, our results showed that long-term cultivation following pasture degradation led to a decline in soil quality in all selected slope positions at the site studied in the semiarid region.