Bioerosion and encrustation rates in recent mollusk death assemblages on a supratidal siliciclastic setting,Playa Norte,Veracruz State,Mexico

This study presents both qualitative and quantitative data regarding marine mollusk (gastropods and bivalves) shell bioerosion and encrustation based on death assemblages obtained from a recent supratidal environment in Playa Norte, Veracruz State. The objectives of this study were to assess the nature of bioerosion and encrustation processes and to investigate the role of these taphonomic features contributing to the deterioration of natural shell accumulations within a tropical siliciclastic tidal environment. The assemblage comprises 31 species: 13 gastropods and 18 bivalves. The bioerosion and encrustation degrees were low to moderate for both types. The most abundant traces were predatory gastropod structures (Oichnus paraboloides and O. simplex), whereas sponge borings (Entobia isp.), polychaete dwellings (Caulostrepsis taeniola), and echinoid raspings (Gnatichnus isp.) were less frequent. The encrusting organisms include polychaete serpulids, bryozoans, and rare foraminifers (Homotrema rubrum). Because of the low bioerosion and encrustation degrees occurring in this area, accumulation is expected to predominate over biotic destruction. As deposition conditions (richly fossiliferous carbonate sandstone beds) were similar to those prevailing in the Tuxpan Formation during the Miocene (Langhian), it is suggested that this study provides an equivalent reference to interpret mollusk fossil assemblages located in this site.     

Early growth fault activity: new evidence for extension in the upper Cambrian Owen Group,Proprietary Peak,western Tasmania,Australia

The coarse-grained, upper Cambrian Owen Group of western and northern Tasmania is a prominent feature of the Tasmanian landscape and regional map series. The group has previously been divided into four informal formations (Lower Owen Conglomerate, Middle Owen Sandstone, Middle Owen Conglomerate and Upper Owen Sandstone) that have been correlated across the state over tens to hundreds of kilometres. The deposition of these sediments is largely believed to have occurred during extensional tectonics, but some authors continue to argue a compressional tectonic regime. Detailed mapping and sedimentological work around Proprietary Peak on the Mount Jukes massif, 10 km south of Queenstown, Tasmania, has identified significant depositional variations controlled by early growth faulting and paleotopography. Discontinuity of stratigraphic units (L6–L13) across two growth faults on the north face of Proprietary Peak shows the strong effect on sediment deposition in the area. Paleotopography is also evident with most stratigraphic units (L8–L13 and U1) gradually onlapping basement during their deposition. Significant paleotopography has also been identified on East Jukes Peak, where lower Owen Group sedimentary units onlap basement volcanics, with no evidence for tectonically controlled deposition. Field evidence strongly supports the deposition of the Owen Group during extensional tectonics, after a period of prolonged erosion of the underlying Mount Read Volcanics. The distinct variation in vertical and lateral extent of stratigraphic units within the Owen Group in the Proprietary Peak area suggests that widespread lithostratigraphic correlation of older Owen Group sedimentary units across Tasmania may not be feasible.     

Tellurium,selenium and cobalt enrichment in Neoproterozoic black shales,Gwna Group,UK: Deep marine trace element enrichment during the Second Great Oxygenation Event

Black shales of the late Neoproterozoic Gwna Group (570–580 Ma), UK, contain enrichments of tellurium (Te), selenium (Se) and cobalt (Co) relative to average shale compositions. The Te and Co enrichments bear comparison with those of ferromanganese crusts in the modern deep ocean. Gwna Group deposition coincides with the Second Great Oxidation Event, which had a significant effect on trace element fixation globally. Selenium and Te concentrations within these black shales indicate increased continental weathering rates, high biological productivity and corresponding increases in atmospheric O₂ concentrations. Cobalt, nickel (Ni) and arsenic (As) enrichments in this succession are secondary mineralisation phases. Demand for many of the trace elements found enriched in the Gwna Group black shales make their mechanisms of accumulation, and variations through the geological record, important to understand, and suggests that new resources may be sought based on black shale protoliths from this period.     

Evidence for centennial-scale Lateglacial and early Holocene climatic complexity from Quoyloo Meadow,Orkney, Scotland

The influence of the North Atlantic on the margins of Europe means the region is particularly sensitive to changes in the ocean–atmospheric system. During the Last Glacial–Interglacial Transition (16–8 cal ka bp ) this system was repeatedly disrupted, leading to a series of abrupt and short-lived shifts in climate. Despite much research, the number and magnitude of these ‘centennial-scale’ events is not well understood. To address this, we expand upon investigations at Quoyloo Meadow, Orkney, Scotland, one of the best chronologically constrained palaeoclimate records in northern Britain. By coupling stable isotope and chironomid fossil analyses with existing data, this study identifies multiple phases of centennial-scale disturbance at: c. 14.0, 11.1, 10.8, 10.5, 10.45 and 10.3 cal ka bp , with the events at 14.0 and 10.3 exhibiting a particularly pronounced cold-climate signature. During the Holocene, the strongest response to climate forcing was at c. 10.3–10.0 cal ka bp , expressed as a two-stage drop in mean July temperatures, a shift in pollen spectra indicative of ‘less-stable’ climatic regimes, and a depletion in δ¹⁸O values. We interpret this as the first reliably dated incidence of the ‘10.3-ka event’ in the British Isles and consider the wider impact of this climatic reversal in other Holocene records.     

New observations on high‐pressure phases in a shock melt vein in the Villalbeto de la Peña meteorite: Insights into the shock behavior of diopside

The petrology and mineralogy of shock melt veins in the L6 ordinary chondrite host of Villalbeto de la Peña, a highly shocked, L chondrite polymict breccia, have been investigated in detail using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and electron probe microanalysis. Entrained olivine, enstatite, diopside, and plagioclase are transformed into ringwoodite, low‐Ca majorite, high‐Ca majorite, and an assemblage of jadeite‐lingunite, respectively, in several shock melt veins and pockets. We have focused on the shock behavior of diopside in a particularly large shock melt vein (10 mm long and up to 4 mm wide) in order to provide additional insights into its high‐pressure polymorphic phase transformation mechanisms. We report the first evidence of diopside undergoing shock‐induced melting, and the occurrence of natural Ca‐majorite formed by solid‐state transformation from diopside. Magnesiowüstite has also been found as veins injected into diopside in the form of nanocrystalline grains that crystallized from a melt and also occurs interstitially between majorite‐pyrope grains in the melt‐vein matrix. In addition, we have observed compositional zoning in majorite‐pyrope grains in the matrix of the shock‐melt vein, which has not been described previously in any shocked meteorite. Collectively, all these different lines of evidence are suggestive of a major shock event with high cooling rates. The minimum peak shock conditions are difficult to constrain, because of the uncertainties in applying experimentally determined high‐pressure phase equilibria to complex natural systems. However, our results suggest that conditions between 16 and 28 GPa and 2000–2200 °C were reached.     

Sedimentological analysis of two drill cores through the crater moat‐filling breccia,Flynn Creek impact structure,Tennessee

Sedimentological (line‐logging) analysis of two drill cores, FC77‐3 and FC67‐3, situated, respectively, in the northwestern and southeastern quadrants of the Flynn Creek impact structure's crater‐moat area reveals that the ~27 m thick crater moat‐filling breccia consists of three subequal parts. These parts, which were deposited during early modification stage of this marine‐target impact structure, are distinguished on the basis of vertical trends in sorting, grain size, and counts of clasts per meter in comparison with other well‐known marine‐target impact structures, namely Lockne, Tvären, and Chesapeake Bay. The lower part is interpreted to represent mainly slump deposits, and the middle part is interpreted to represent a stage intermediate between slump and marine resurge, that is, a traction flow driven by overriding suspension flow. The upper part (size graded, and relatively well sorted and fine grained) is interpreted to represent marine resurge flow only. The upper part is capped by a relatively thin and relatively fine‐grained calcarenite to calcisiltite deposit.     

Nanophase iron carbides in fine‐grained rims in CM2 carbonaceous chondrites: Formation of organic material by Fischer–Tropsch catalysis in the solar nebula

Transmission electron microscope studies of fine‐grained rims in three CM2 carbonaceous chondrites, Y‐791198, Murchison, and ALH 81002, have revealed the presence of widespread nanoparticles with a distinctive core–shell structure, invariably associated with carbonaceous material. These nanoparticles vary in size from ~20 nm up to 50 nm in diameter and consist of a core of Fe,Ni carbide surrounded by a continuous layer of polycrystalline magnetite. These magnetite shells are 5–7 nm in thickness irrespective of the diameter of the core Fe,Ni carbide grains. A narrow layer of amorphous carbon a few nanometers in thickness is present separating the carbide core from the magnetite shell in all the nanoparticles observed. The Fe,Ni carbide phases that constitute the core are consistent with both haxonite and cohenite, based on electron diffraction data, energy dispersive X‐ray analysis, and electron energy loss spectroscopy. Z‐contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy shows that these core–shell magnetite‐carbide nanoparticles can occur as individual isolated grains, but more commonly occur in clusters of multiple particles. In addition, energy‐filtered transmission electron microscopy (EFTEM) images show that in all cases, the nanoparticles are embedded within regions of carbonaceous material or are coated with carbonaceous material. The observed nanostructures of the carbides and their association with carbonaceous material can be interpreted as being indicative of Fischer–Tropsch‐type (FTT) reactions catalyzed by nanophase Fe,Ni metal grains that were carburized during the catalysis reaction. The most likely environment for these FTT reactions appears to be the solar nebula consistent with the high thermal stability of haxonite and cohenite, compared with other carbides and the evidence of localized catalytic graphitization of the carbonaceous material. However, the possibility that such reactions occurred within the CM parent body cannot be excluded, although this scenario seems unlikely, because the kinetics of the reaction would be extremely slow at the temperatures inferred for CM asteroidal parent bodies. In addition, carbides are unlikely to be stable under the oxidizing conditions of alteration experienced by CM chondrites. Instead, it is most probable that the magnetite rims on all the carbide particles are the product of parent body oxidation of Fe,Ni carbides, but this oxidation was incomplete, because of the buildup of an impermeable layer of amorphous carbon at the interface between the magnetite and the carbide phase that arrested the reaction before it went to completion. These observations suggest that although FTT catalysis reactions may not have been the major mechanism of organic material formation within the solar nebula, they nevertheless contributed to the inventory of complex insoluble organic matter that is present in carbonaceous chondrites.     

Revision of the Carboniferous cystoporate bryozoan Fistulipora incrustans (Phillips, 1836), with remarks on the type species of Fistulipora M'Coy, 1849

The type species of the Palaeozoic cystoporate bryozoan genus Fistulipora M'Coy, 1849 is redescribed. Fistulipora minor M'Coy, 1849 is the type species, and was the first species described under the genus Fistulipora. Quantitative assessment of type and figured specimens of Calamopora incrustans Phillips, 1836 and F. minor has shown them to fall within the range of morphological variation exhibited by abundant comparative material collected at several horizons and they are referable to one morphologically variable taxon. F. minor is the junior subjective synonym of C. incrustans and the form can be quoted as F. minor M'Coy, 1849 = C. incrustans Phillips, 1836 with a valid name of F. incrustans (Phillips, 1836). However, this does not alter the name of the type species, which is F. minor M'Coy, 1849. The type specimen of Berenicea megastoma M'Coy, 1844 has also been examined, and this form is also conspecific with F. minor M'Coy, 1849 = C. incrustans Phillips, 1836. Examination of the type specimen of F. major M'Coy (1849) has shown it to be referable to the tabulate coral genus Chaetetes. A lectotype and paralectotypes are designated for F. minor and the status of the type specimens of F. incrustans is clarified.     

Active tectonic morphology and submarine deformation of the northern Gulf of Eilat/Aqaba from analyses of multibeam data

A high-resolution marine geophysical study was conducted during October-November 2006 in the northern Gulf of Aqaba/Eilat, providing the first multibeam imaging of the seafloor across the entire gulf head spanning both Israeli and Jordanian territorial waters. Analyses of the seafloor morphology show that the gulf head can be subdivided into the Eilat and Aqaba subbasins separated by the north-south-trending Ayla high. The Aqaba submarine basin appears starved of sediment supply, apparently causing erosion and a landward retreat of the shelf edge. Along the eastern border of this subbasin, the shelf is largely absent and its margin is influenced by the Aqaba Fault zone that forms a steep slope partially covered by sedimentary fan deltas from the adjacent ephemeral drainages. The Eilat subbasin, west of the Ayla high, receives a large amount of sediment derived from the extensive drainage basins of the Arava Valley (Wadi ’Arabah) and Yutim River to the north–northeast. These sediments and those entering from canyons on the south-western border of this subbasin are transported to the deep basin by turbidity currents and gravity slides, forming the Arava submarine fan. Large detached blocks and collapsed walls of submarine canyons and the western gulf margin indicate that mass wasting may be triggered by seismic activity. Seafloor lineaments defined by slope gradient analyses suggest that the Eilat Canyon and the boundaries of the Ayla high align along north- to northwest-striking fault systems—the Evrona Fault zone to the west and the Ayla Fault zone to the east. The shelf–slope break that lies along the 100 m isobath in the Eilat subbasin, and shallower (70–80 m isobaths) in the Aqaba subbasin, is offset by approx. 150 m along the eastern edge of the Ayla high. This offset might be the result of horizontal and vertical movements along what we call the Ayla Fault on the east side of the structure. Remnants of two marine terraces at 100 m and approx. 150 m water depths line the southwest margin of the gulf. These terraces are truncated by faulting along their northern end. Fossil coral reefs, which have a similar morphological appearance to the present-day, basin margin reefs, crop out along these deeper submarine terraces and along the shelf–slope break. One fossil reef is exposed on the shelf across the Ayla high at about 60–63 m water depth but is either covered or eroded in the adjacent subbasins. The offshore extension of the Evrona Fault offsets a fossil reef along the shelf and extends south of the canyon to linear fractures on the deep basin floor.