Extreme temperatures linked to the atmospheric blocking events in Turkey between 1977 and 2016

Natural Hazards - Extreme maximum (Tx) and extreme minimum temperature (Tn) frequency distributions during summer and winter for blocked conditions were analyzed within Turkey during the period...     

Geochronology,geochemistry, and tectonic setting of the Oligocene magmatic rocks (Marmaros Magmatic Assemblage) in Gökçeada Island,northwest Turkey

Through the ?zmir–Ankara–Erzincan and the Vardar oceans suture zones, convergence between the Eurasian and African plates played a key role in controlling Palaeogene magmatism in northwestern Anatolia, northern Aegean, and eastern Balkans. LA-ICP-MS dating of U and Pb isotopes on zircon separates from the tuffs of the Harmankaya Volcanic Rocks, which are inter-fingered with the lower-middle Eocene deposits of the Gaziköy Formation to the north of the Ganos Fault and the Karaa?aç Formation in the Gelibolu Peninsula, yielded a late Ypresian (51 Ma) age. The chemical characteristics suggest that the lavas and tuffs of the Harmankaya Volcanic Rocks are products of syn- or post-collision magmas. These volcanic rocks show also close affinities to the subduction-related magmas. In addition to the already known andesitic volcanic rocks, our field observations in Gökçeada Island indicate also the existence of granitic and rhyolitic rocks (Marmaros Magmatic Assemblage). Our U–Pb zircon age data has shown that the newly discovered Marmaros granitic plutons intruded during late Oligocene (26 Ma) into the deposits of the Karaa?aç Formation in Gökçeada Island. LA-ICP-MS dating of U and Pb isotopes on zircon separates from the Marmaros rhyolitic rocks yielded a late Oligocene (26 Ma) crystallization age. Geochemical characteristics indicate that the more-evolved Oligocene granitic and rhyolitic rock of the Marmaros Magmatic Assemblage possibly assimilated a greater amount of crustal material than the lower Eocene Harmankaya Volcanic Rocks. Geochemical features and age relationships suggest increasing amounts of crustal contamination and a decreasing subduction signature during the evolution of magmas in NW Turkey from the early Eocene to the Oligocene. The magmatic activity developed following the northward subduction of the ?zmir–Ankara–Erzincan oceanic lithosphere and the earliest Palaeocene final continental collision between the Sakarya and Anatolide–Tauride zones.     

A microseismic experiment in Abu Dhabi,United Arab Emirates: implications for carbonate reservoir monitoring

A microseismic experiment utilizing a single downhole array of eight 3-component receivers was conducted in an offshore oilfield in the emirate of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. The Lower Cretaceous Thamama Group is the major carbonate reservoir in the field producing from six zones. Microseismic data was acquired in conjunction with gas injections that took place in the Thamama IV A and IV B reservoirs during 9 days of acquisition. The aim of the experiment was to monitor the microseismic activity arising in the carbonate reservoirs as a result of gas injection. A total of 103 microseismic events were detected from two of the receivers. For the majority of these events, there were no well-defined P wave arrivals, probably due to the presence of strong background noise and the very weak microseismic signals. The results from this experiment indicate that the detected events are probably related to the microseismic activities caused by the gas injection within the Thamama IV B reservoir. Therefore, downhole microseismic monitoring methods can potentially provide valuable information about the fracture systems within the carbonate reservoirs of Abu Dhabi's oilfields.     

Carbonate diagenesis of the upper Jurassic successions in the west of Binalud — Eastern Alborz (NE Iran)

The upper Jurassic carbonate settings in Iran are widely exposed in north and northeastern parts. Five stratigraphic columns were selected in the north eastern Iran. Their thickness ranges from 330 to 500 m. The various diagenetic processes identified include, micritization, cementation, compaction (physical and chemical), dissolution, neomorphism, pyritization, hematitization, silicification and dolomitization, which affected these carbonates. Elemental and stable isotopes analysis indicated that these deposits have undergone both meteoric and burial diagenesis in a relatively open system with moderate water-rock interaction. The positive trend between trace elements and oxygen isotope depletion also support these burial conditions. Lighter δ^l8O values of the dolomite samples may be related to an increase in temperature during the burial, which correspond to coarser euhedral crystals. Relatively higher δ¹⁸O values in finer dolomite crystals indicate their formation at lower burial depths relative to coarser crystals. Petrographic evidences such as coarse euhedral crystals with bright and dull zonation prove this interpretation. Chert nodules also have lighter ¹⁸O values relative to carbonate host rock, thus indicating the influence of burial diagenetic processes in their formation. The average environmental palaeotemperature was estimated to be 26°C on the basis of oxygen isotope values of less altered lime-mudstones.     

An investigation of the effects of important grouting and rock parameters on the grouting process

Today, grouting is used as an aid in ground improvement in most civil and mining engineering projects. Groutability and grout penetration depth are among the most important issues that are considered in grouting operation. Various parameters such as in-situ stress, pore water pressure, joint geometric and geomechanical characteristics, grout properties (viscosity and yield stress) and technical factors such as grouting pressure and flow rate affect the groutability and grout penetration depth in a jointed rock mass. Knowledge of the effect of these parameters has advantages in the prediction of grouting results. Typically, cement-based grout is used in jointed rock masses. Unlike water, stable cement-based grout usually acts as a Bingham fluid. In this study the effect of important parameters on grouting process in a jointed rock mass was investigated numerically using the DEM method. In the conducted study, the problem geometry represents a horizontal section in a regularly jointed rock mass with two joint sets. The analyses results show that the grout penetration depth and intake increase as joint aperture, normal stiffness and grouting pressure increase and in-situ stress and pore water pressure decrease. Increase in joint spacing does not have any effect on the grout penetration depth but decreases the grout intake. The effect of joint orientation on grouting process is strongly dependent on in-situ stress state. On the other hand, increase in grout yield stress decreases the grout penetration depth and intake, while grout viscosity does not have any effect on maximum grout penetration depth and intake. To further investigate the above mechanisms, the grouting process conducted in Gotvand dam-Iran was simulated numerically.     

Taxonomical and Biogeochemical Investigation of Elements in Holocene Mollusk Shells in the South and Southwestern Marmara Basin, Turkey

Concentrations of some heavy metals and trace elements such as Cr,Ga,Ni,Zn,Mo,Cu, Pb,Yb,Y,Nb,Ti,Sr,Ba,Mn,Sc,Co,V,Zr,Fe,Al,W,Se,Bi,Sb,As,Cd in recent mollusk shells and factors affecting their distribution and deposits collected from various depths in the southern and southwestern parts of the Marmara Sea are investigated.The distribution of the elements in the shells is categorized into four groups.Of these,concentrations of 12 elements(As,Bi,Cd,Co,Ga,Mo,Nb, Sb,Se,Sc,W and Yb)are below zero [(0.053-0.79)×10~(-6)];concentrations of seven elements(Cr,Ni, Pb,V,Y,Zr and Cu)are(1.0-6.0)×10~(-6);concentrations of four elements(Ti,Mn,Ba and Zn)are 10- 20×10~(-6);and concentrations of five elements(Si,Al,Fe,Mg and Sr)are(47.44-268.11)×10~(-6).The taxonomic characteristics of the 29 elements were studied separately in mollusk shells such as Chamalea gallina(Linné),Pitar-rudis(Poll),Nassarius reticulatus(Linné),Venerupis senescens (Coocconi),Mytilus galloprovincialis(Lamarck),Mytilaster lineatus(Gemelin in Linné)and Chlamys glabra.It was found that,in mollusk taxonomy,the elements have unique values.In other words, element concentrations in various mollusk shells depend mainly on the taxonomic characteristics of mollusks.In various bionomic environments different element distributions of the same species are attributed to the different geochemical characters of the each environment.Data obtained in this study indicate that the organisms are the most active and deterministic factors of the environment.     

Pb isotopic variability in the modern-Pleistocene Indus River system measured by ion microprobe in detrital K-feldspar grains

The western Himalaya, Karakoram and Tibet are known to be heterogeneous with regard to Pb isotope compositions in K-feldspars, which allows this system to be used as a sediment provenance tool. We used secondary ion mass spectrometry to measure the isotopic character of silt and sand-sized grains from the modern Sutlej and Chenab Rivers, together with Thar Desert sands, in order to constrain their origin. The rivers show a clear Himalayan provenance, contrasting with grains from the Indus Suture Zone, but with overlap to known Karakoram compositions. The desert dunes commonly show ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb and ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb values that are much higher than those seen in the rivers, most consistent with erosion from Nanga Parbat. This implies at least some origin from the trunk Indus, probably reworked by summer monsoon winds from the SW, a hypothesis supported by bulk Nd and U-Pb zircon dating. Further data collected from Holocene and Pleistocene sands shows that filled and abandoned channels on the western edge of the Thar Desert were sourced from Himalayan rivers before and at 6-8 ka, but that after that time the proportion of high isotopic ratio grains rose, indicating increased contribution from the Thar Desert dunes prior to ∼4.5 ka when flow ceased entirely. This may be linked to climatic drying, northward expansion of the Thar Desert, or changes in drainage style including regional capture, channel abandonment, or active local Thar tributaries. Our data further show a Himalayan river channel east of the present Indus, close to the delta, in the Nara River valley during the middle Holocene. While this cannot be distinguished from the Indus it is not heavily contaminated by reworking from the desert. The Pb system shows some use as a provenance tool, but is not effective at demonstrating whether these Nara sediments represent a Ghaggar-Hakra stream independent from the Indus. Our study highlights an important role for eolian reworking of floodplain sediments in arid rivers such as the Indus.     

Topical Collection: Coastal aquifers in the Middle East and North Africa region

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region suffers from low precipitation and high evaporation. Coastal areas of the MENA region are usually densely populated; hence, the coastal aquifers are easily over-exploited beyond their safe yield, and seawater intrusion and aquifer salinization have been caused by the groundwater-level declines. Four studies in MENA coastal aquifers, on seawater intrusion modeling and aquifer recharge and salinization using isotopes, have been brought together in a topical collection and are discussed in this essay. A brief overview is given of managed aquifer recharge as an effective method to combat groundwater-level decline, seawater intrusion and aquifer salinization in MENA counties.     

Morphometric,statistical, and hazard analyses using ASTER data and GIS technique of WADI El-Mathula watershed,Qena, Egypt

An attempt to carry out morphometric, statistical, and hazard analyses using ASTER data and GIS technique of Wadi El-Mathula watershed, Central Eastern Desert, Egypt. Morphometric analysis with application of GIS technique is essential to delineate drainage networks; basin geometry, drainage texture, and relief characteristics, through detect forty morphometric parameters of the study watershed and its sub-basins. Extract new drainage network map with DEM, sub-basin boundaries, stream orders, drainage networks, slope, drainage density, flow direction maps with more details is very necessary to analyze different morphometric and hydrologic applications for the study basin. Statistical analysis of morphometric parameters was done through cluster analysis, regression equations, and correlation coefficient matrix. Clusters analyses detect three independents variables which are stream number, basin area, and stream length have a very low linkage distance of 0.001 (at very high similarity of 99.95%) in a cluster with the basin width. Main channel length and basin perimeter (at very high similarity of 99.83%) are in a cluster with basin length. Using the regression equations and graphical correlation matrix indicates the mathematical relationships and helps to predict the behavior between any two variables. Hazard analysis and hazard degree assessment for each sub-basin were performed. The hazardous factors were detected and concluded that most of sub-basins are classified as moderately to highly hazardous. Finally, we recommended that the flood possibilities should be taken in consideration during future development of these areas.     

Prediction of safety factors for slope stability: comparison of machine learning techniques

Natural Hazards - Because of the disasters associated with slope failure, the analysis and forecasting of slope stability for geotechnical engineers are crucial. In this work, in order to forecast...