The advanced spaceborne thermal emission and reflection radiometer (ASTER): Data products for the high spatial resolution imager on NASA’s Terra platform

Landsat 8 Oli, ASTER, and Sentinel 2A satellite images processing was used to map geological formations, lineaments and hydrothermal alteration minerals in the Aouli inlier, as a case study to illustrate the application of digital images processing and Geographic Information System (GIS) in geological mapping and mining prospecting. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) applied to the Landsat images allowed good lithological discrimination and contributed to the updating of available geological maps. The Automatic lineament extraction from Sentinel images revealed the main tectonic structures affecting Aouli inlier. The ratio bands (b5+b7)/b6 and the false color composite (b4/b6, b2/b1, b3/b2) allowed the hydrothermal alteration minerals mapping from Aster images. Combined with available geological data and field observations, the satellite derived data were integrated and analyzed in a GIS software to establish mining prospecting guides. The results showed that the anomaly zones are intimately linked to NNE–SSW and NW–SE oriented faults and to highly fractured areas developing argillic and Fe rich alterations. Verified via field survey, this approach was successfully applied to the Aouli inlier to rapidly target potential areas to be explored in the tactical phase. This provides a model for future prospecting efforts for similar mineral deposits in other areas.     

On the ecology of Azolla filiculoides Lam. in Damietta district, Egypt

Azolla filiculoides Lam. is a tiny aquatic fern growing as free floating mats covering the stagnant water of the irrigation and drainage canals of Damietta district, Egypt. Ecological characteristics and distribution of the fern were investigated and results were discussed.Vegetation analysis of Azolla indicate that the most common associated species with Azolla are: Phragmites australis [presence (P) = 93.3%], Echinochloa stagnina (P = 70%), Eichhornia crassipes (P = 57%), Pluchea dioscoridis (P = 56.7%), Persicaria salicifolia (P = 26.7%), Phylla nodiflora (P = 13.3%) and Ludwigia stolonifera (P = 10%). Submerged species, e.g. Ceratophyllum spp. and Potamogeton spp. are completely absent in the stands dominated with solid mats of Azolla. This could be explained by that these mats prevent light penetration and oxygen which are required to submerged plants which in turn are decayed.The pH of the water where Azolla was recorded ranged from 7.1 to 9.0 (mean = 7.8), total dissolved salts ranged from 280 to 2600 mg/l (mean = 880 mg/l). The total phosphorus showed the range from 0.01 to 0.82 mg/l (mean = 0.22 mg/l). The ammonia-N is relatively high, varying from 2 to 18 mg/l (mean = 7.0 mg/l), however, the nitrate-N varied from 2.1 to 54.1 mg/l with a mean value of 20.5 mg/l.The fresh biomass of Azolla ranged from 114 to 4280 g/m² in irrigation canals and from 506 to 2760 g/m² in drainage canals. The dry biomass varied from 16 to 23 g/m² in irrigation canals. The range from 26 to 320 g/m² was obtained for drainage canals.     

Contamination of diuron in coastal waters around Malaysian Peninsular

The use of antifouling paints to the boats and ships is one among the threats facing coastal resources including coral reefs in recent decades. This study reports the current contamination status of diuron and its behaviour in the coastal waters of Malaysia. The maximum concentration of diuron was 285 ng/L detected at Johor port. All samples from Redang and Bidong coral reef islands were contaminated with diuron. Temporal variation showed relatively high concentrations but no significant difference (P > 0.05) during November and January (North-East monsoon) in Klang ports (North, South and West), while higher levels of diuron were detected during April, 2012 (Inter monsoon) in Kemaman, and Johor port. Although no site has shown concentration above maximum permissible concentration (430 ng/L) as restricted by the Dutch Authorities, however, long term exposure studies for environmental relevance levels of diuron around coastal areas should be given a priority in the future.     

Atmospheric Lead in PM2.5 after Leaded Gasoline Phase‐out in Jeddah City,Saudi Arabia

The objective of the present study is the assessment of Jeddah ambient air quality in terms of PM_2.5, and the associated lead 7 years after phasing out leaded gasoline in Saudi Arabia. Twenty‐four air samples were collected at four locations throughout Jeddah during the period from December 23, 2008 to April 6, 2009. The collected PM_2.5‐samples were analyzed by ICP‐MS for determination of lead. The average atmospheric PM_2.5 concentration was 50.8 µg/m³. Atmospheric PM_2.5‐concentrations were higher than the 24‐h U.S. National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) in 14 sample events. The average lead concentration for all samples was 0.07326 µg/m³. Atmospheric lead concentration was dependent on the sampling location. Concentrations at the two southern locations were higher than at the two northern locations. Southern locations had higher lead concentrations due to very high traffic density, in addition to their proximity to industrial zone. In general, the results of this study show a considerable decrease in atmospheric lead concentration 7 years after phasing out leaded gasoline. The study recommends further studies to accurately determine the current sources of atmospheric lead.     

Geochemical and Mineralogical Studies of the Mylonite Xenoliths and Monzogranite Rocks at Wadi Abu Rusheid,South Eastern Desert,Egypt: Insights on the Genesis of Mineralization

Abu Rusheid area lie in the south of the Eastern Desert of Egypt and comprises (1) ophiolitic mélange, consisting of ultramafic rocks and layered metagabbros in metasedimentary matrix (2) cataclastic group, consisting of protomylonites, mylonites, ultramylonites and silicified ultramylonites (3) monzogranites (4) pegmatite pockets, quartz veins and post-granite dykes. Focus on the monzogranites and the xenoliths of mylonite rocks from the geochemical and mineralogical points of view introduces a new view about the genesis of the related mineralization. Geochemically, the monzogranites have a metaluminous character and were crystallized under moderate water-vapor pressure around 3 kb and temperatures of 750–800°C. The monzogranites are altered along strike-slip faults exhibiting propylitic, with slightly sodic metasomatism and record high radioactive measurements. The average uranium and thorium (U and Th) contents in fresh monzogranites, mylonite xenolith and altered monzogranites are (7.3, 21.20), (40.36, 94.82), (60.34 and 347.88 ppm), respectively. These high radioactivities are attributed to the presence of kasolite, uranothorite, cerite, fluorite, zircon, apatite and columbite. The mylonite xenolith is higher in radioactivity than the surrounding fresh monzogranites, reflecting U and Th enrichment before emplacement of the monzogranites, then the latter were subjected to right lateral strike-slip faulting with producing hydrothermal solution rich in Th and U.     

Structural and geomorphic features accommodating groundwater of Al-Madinah City, Saudi Arabia

Al-Madinah City is located in the western part of Saudi Arabia on the Arabian Shield. The area underwent several tectonic events that developed its structural and geomorphic features, such as the Infracambrian Najd strike-slip faults, development of the Cenozoic basaltic flows of Northern Harrat Rahat, and Cenozoic N–S and E–W transtensional faults, related to the Red Sea rifting. These successive events formed a deltaic-shaped basin of Al-Madinah. The Al-Madinah basin is part of a 400?×?150-km² Wadi Qanah–Al-Hamd watershed, which exhibits mainly parallel drainage pattern. Sub-basins, within the main basin, exhibit trellised and radial drainage patterns. The trellised drainage pattern reflects control of the Cenozoic faults, whereas the radial drainage pattern reflects volcanic-related system. Rotation of the Arabian Plate after several extensional events that lead to the opening of the Red Sea influenced the drainage flow to be going from east to west. This geological history that include eruption, normal faulting, and erosion prior to and during the Red Sea rifting formed relief inversion geomorphology of Tertiary basalts that cap Precambrian rocks of the Ayr and Jammah Mountains in western Al-Madinah. The groundwater in the central area is part of the northern Harrat Rahat basaltic aquifer in which the groundwater level rises up in the central area due to the blocking of groundwater flow by constructions below the central area and due to reduced groundwater abstraction. Building a dam 60 km northwest of Al-Madinah would preserve more surface water than the Al-Bayda dam, in which all main valleys join in at the suggested location.     

Three-Dimensional Back-Analysis of an Instrumented Shallow Tunnel Excavated by a Conventional Method

The excavation of a shallow tunnel induces deformations of the soil volume in the vicinity and above the tunnel and consequently on the nearby buildings. The range of these deformations depends among other on the geological conditions, the geometry of the tunnel, and the excavation method. In this context, this research focuses on the 3D numerical modeling of a shallow tunnel instrumented during its construction, located on the Toulouse (France) subway line B for which the excavation has been carried out in a conventional manner in an over consolidated molassic geological context. The objective of this analysis is to estimate the tunnel behavior in terms of vertical and horizontal movements of the surrounding soil and the deformations of the existing buildings. The explicit finite differences numerical code FLAC^3D is used to model the various implementation phases of the work where the fluid–soil interaction is taken into account through an undrained coupled analysis. The results of this 3D model are compared to those of the in situ measurements in order to validate the geotechnical characteristics of the molasses. The latter are a useful basis for the back-analysis of the different monitoring sections implemented in areas where the tunnel excavation is made by TBM with pressurized front.     

Albian oceanic anoxic events in northern Tunisia: Biostratigraphic and geochemical insights

Albian pelagic successions of the Nebeur area in northwestern Tunisia consist of radiolarian-bearing and organic-rich black shale beds, which represent the lower part of the Fahdene Formation. The carbonate content of the organic-rich beds ranges between 40 and 48%. Total organic carbon (TOC) analyses via Rock Eval pyrolysis yielded values ranging between 0.7 and 2.8% and a mixed marine/terrestrial origin. T_max values vary between 424 and 450 °C, indicative of submature to mature organic matter. High resolution planktic foraminiferal and radiolarian biostratigraphy suggest that the black shales beds span the mid- to late Albian, confined to the middle part of the Ticinella primula zone, upper Biticinella breggiensis zone and lower appeninica + buxtorfi zone. Episodes of organic-rich deposition in the “Tunisian Trough” are interpreted as being the sedimentary record of the global oceanic anoxic events OAE1b, c, and d respectively. Age-diagnostic radiolarian assemblages recovered from late Albian organic-rich black shales lie within the UA13–UA14 boundary biochronozones. The abundance of radiolarian and calcispheres (i.e. pithonella) within the black shales suggests high productivity periods and eutrophic conditions probably triggered by upwelling currents.     

Early Berriasian ammonites from Shal, Talesh region (NW Alborz Mountains, Iran)

An early Berriasian (Berriasella jacobi Zone) ammonite fauna is described for the first time from the Alborz Mountains in northwest Iran. It has been collected from a section located near the village of Shal (Talesh region); in addition to rare phylloceratids, lytoceratids and Neolissoceras, the majority of ammonites belong to the neocomitid subfamily Berriasellinae. With the exception of a new genus and species, Taleshites fuersichi, these taxa are common in European and North African Tethyan successions. Associated calpionellids confirm the early Berriasian age of the ammonite-bearing levels.