Salt tectonics in a double salt‐source layer setting (Eastern Persian Gulf,Iran): Insights from interpretation of seismic profiles and sequential cross‐section restoration

Salt tectonics in the Eastern Persian Gulf (Iran) is linked to a unique salt‐bearing system involving two overlapping ‘autochthonous’ mobile source layers, the Ediacaran–Early Cambrian Hormuz Salt and the Late Oligocene–Early Miocene Fars Salt. Interpretations of reflection seismic profiles and sequential cross‐section restorations are presented to decipher the evolution of salt structures from the two source layers and their kinematic interaction on the style of salt flow. Seismic interpretations illustrate that the Hormuz and Fars salts started flowing in the Early Palaeozoic (likely Cambrian) and Early Miocene, respectively, shortly after their deposition. Differential sedimentary loading (downbuilding) and subsalt basement faults initiated and localized the flow of the Hormuz Salt and the related salt structures. The resultant diapirs grew by passive diapirism until Late Cretaceous, whereas the pillows became inactive during the Mesozoic after a progressive decline of growth in the Late Palaeozoic. The diapirs and pillows were then subjected to a Palaeocene–Eocene contractional deformation event, which squeezed the diapirs. The consequence was significant salt extrusion, leading to the development of allochthonous salt sheets and wings. Subsequent rise of the Hormuz Salt occurred in wider salt stocks and secondary salt walls by coeval passive diapirism and tectonic shortening since Late Oligocene. Evacuation and diapirism of the Fars Salt was driven mainly by differential sedimentary loading in annular and elongate minibasins overlying the salt and locally by downslope gliding around pre‐existing stocks of the Hormuz Salt. At earlier stages, the Fars Salt flowed not only towards the pre‐existing Hormuz stocks but also away from them to initiate ring‐like salt walls and anticlines around some of the stocks. Subsequently, once primary welds developed around these stocks, the Fars Salt flowed outwards to source the peripheral salt walls. Our results reveal that evolving pre‐existing salt structures from an older source layer have triggered the flow of a younger salt layer and controlled the resulting salt structures. This interaction complicates the flow direction of the younger salt layer, the geometry and spatial distribution of its structures, as well as minibasin depocentre migration through time. Even though dealing with a unique case of two ‘autochthonous’ mobile salt layers, this work may also provide constraints on our understanding of the kinematics of salt flow and diapirism in other salt basins having significant ‘allochthonous’ salt that is coevally affected by deformation of the deeper autochthonous salt layer and related structures.     

Curie Point Depth Estimations for Northwest Iran Through Spectral Analysis of Aeromagnetic Data for Geothermal Resources Exploration

Natural Resources Research - The northwest of Iran is considered as a promising geothermal zone owing to its geographical properties, tectonic features, and thermal activities, particularly in...     

3D Structural,Facies and Petrophysical Modeling of C Member of Six Hills Formation,Komombo Basin,Upper Egypt

Natural Resources Research - Two main reservoirs are producing in Komombo Basin: the first one belongs to the C Member of the Six Hills Formation, and the second belongs to the Albian/Cenomanian...     

Economic analysis for the production of four grape cultivars using microcatchment water harvesting systems in Iran

An economic analysis was conducted for temporal yield variations of four local grape cultivars grown in rain-fed microcatchments in the Bajgah area of Fars province, in Islamic Republic of Iran. For this study, four local cultivars of grapes were considered. The cultivars examined were Black Rishbaba, Rotabi, Asgari and Black grapes. The soil type was a gravely loam with an average slope of 5–6%, in microcatchment systems, and in plots without microcatchments. Analysis of yield data with a multiple regression model indicated that a 9 m² (3×3 m) microcatchment area for each individual plant (vine) was the most appropriate area for vineyards in this region. The results also demonstrated that by using this area for each grapevine, yields (kg/ha) were 40% greater than yields obtained for vines in the standard vineyard (without microcatchments) in this area. Economic analysis was performed and the cost and income were compared for a depreciation period (life-span period) of 50 years and interest rate of 14%. The analysis showed that a microcatchment area of 9 m² is economically feasible. The Black Rishbaba rain-fed vines were the most suitable cultivar for this region. The benefit probabilities of rain-fed Black Rishbaba, Rotabi, Asgari and Black grapes with a microcatchment area of 9 m² and without such an area were 63.3% (i.e. two of 3 years), 52.4% (i.e. one of 2 years), 32.9% (i.e. one of 3 years), 13.3% (i.e. one of 8 years), and 59.5% (i.e. two of 3 years), 39.4% (i.e. two of 5 years), 31.8% (i.e. one of 3 years), and 10.7% (i.e. one of 9 years), respectively. Therefore, the Black Rishbaba and Rotabi cultivars are economically more stable in microcatchment system, while only the Black Rishbaba cultivar would be such in the standard vineyard system.     

Synchronising geometric representations for map mashups using relative positioning and Linked Data

Map mashups, as a common way of presenting geospatial information on the Web, are generally created by spatially overlaying thematic information on top of various base maps. This simple overlay approach often raises geometric deficiencies due to geometric uncertainties in the data. This issue is particularly apparent in a multi-scale context because the thematic data seldom have synchronised level of detail with the base map. In this study, we propose, develop, implement and evaluate a relative positioning approach based on shared geometries and relative coordinates to synchronise geometric representations for map mashups through several scales. To realise the relative positioning between datasets, we adopt a Linked Data–based technical framework in which the data are organised according to ontologies that are designed based on the GeoSPARQL vocabulary. A prototype system is developed to demonstrate the feasibility and usability of the relative positioning approach. The results show that the approach synchronises and integrates the geometries of thematic data and the base map effectively, and the thematic data are automatically tailored for multi-scale visualisation. The proposed framework can be used as a new way of modelling geospatial data on the Web, with merits in terms of both data visualisation and querying.     

Laboratory and field performance of recycled aggregate base in a seasonally cold region

The objective of this project was to characterize the freeze-thaw properties of recycled concrete (RCA) and asphalt (RAP) as unbound base and to assess how they behaved in the field for nearly 8 years. This paper includes an examination of existing information, laboratory studies of freeze-thaw behavior, and evaluation of data from MnROAD field-test sections in a seasonally cold region, i.e., in Minnesota, USA. Test sections were constructed using recycled materials in the granular base layers at the MnROAD test facility. One test section included 100% RAP, another 100% RCA, a third one a 50/50 blend of RCA/natural aggregate, and a fourth one only natural aggregate (Class 5) as a control. The stiffness (i.e., elastic modulus) was monitored during construction and throughout the pavement life by the Minnesota Department of Transportation, along with the variation of temperatures and moisture regimes in the pavement to determine their effects on pavement performance. The resilient modulus of each material was determined by bench-scale testing in accordance with NCHRP 1-28a, as well as by field-scale tests incorporating a falling-weight deflectometer. Specimens were subjected to as many as 20 cycles of freeze-thaw in the laboratory, and the change in their resilient modulus was measured. In the field-test sections constructed with the same materials as the base course, temperature, moisture, and field modulus (from falling-weight deflectometer tests) were monitored seasonally for nearly 8 years. From the temperatures in the base course layer, the number of freeze-thaw cycles experienced in the field was determined for each test section. Inferences were made relative to modulus change versus freeze-thaw cycles. Conclusions were drawn for long-term field performances of the recycled base (RAB) in comparison to natural aggregate.     

Possible Impacts of Climate Change on Soil Moisture Availability in the Southeast Anatolia Development Project Region (GAP): An Analysis from an Agricultural Drought Perspective

This paper presents probable effects of climate change on soil moisture availability in the Southeast Anatolia Development Project (GAP) region of Turkey. A series of hypothetical climate change scenarios and GCM-generated IPCC Business-as-Usual scenario estimates of temperature and precipitation changes were used to examine implications of climate change for seasonal changes in actual evapotranspiration, soil moisture deficit, and soil moisture surplus in 13 subregions of the GAP. Of particular importance are predicted patterns of enhancement in summer soil moisture deficit that are consistent across the region in all scenarios. Least effect of the projected warming on the soil moisture deficit enhancement is observed with the IPCC estimates. The projected temperature changes would be responsible for a great portion of the enhancement in summer deficits in the GAP region. The increase in precipitation had less effect on depletion rate of soil moisture when the temperatures increase. Particularly southern and southeastern parts of the region will suffer severe moisture shortages during summer. Winter surplus decreased in scenarios with increased temperature and decreased precipitation in most cases. Even when precipitation was not changed, total annual surplus decreased by 4 percent to 43 percent for a 2°C warming and by 8 percent to 91 percent for a 4°C warming. These hydrologic results may have significant implications for water availability in the GAP as the present project evaluations lack climate change analysis. Adaptation strategies – such as changes in crop varieties, applying more advanced dry farming methods, improved water management, developing more efficient irrigation systems, and changes in planting – will be important in limiting adverse effects and taking advantage of beneficial changes in climate.     

Impact of climate change on the hydrogeology of two basins in northern France

This study presents an analysis of climate-change impacts on the water resources of two basins located in northern France, by integrating four sources of uncertainty: climate modelling, hydrological modelling, downscaling methods, and emission scenarios. The analysis focused on the evolution of the water budget, the river discharges and piezometric heads. Seven hydrological models were used, from lumped rainfall-discharge to distributed hydrogeological models, and led to quite different estimates of the water-balance components. One of the hydrological models, CLSM, was found to be unable to simulate the increased water stress and was, thus, considered as an outlier even though it gave fair results for the present day compared to observations. Although there were large differences in the results between the models, there was a marked tendency towards a decrease of the water resource in the rivers and aquifers (on average in 2050 about ?14 % and ?2.5 m, respectively), associated with global warming and a reduction in annual precipitation (on average in 2050 +2.1 K and ?3 %, respectively). The uncertainty associated to climate models was shown to clearly dominate, while the three others were about the same order of magnitude and 3–4 times lower. In terms of impact, the results found in this work are rather different from those obtained in a previous study, even though two of the hydrological models and one of the climate models were used in both studies. This emphasizes the need for a survey of the climatic-change impact on the water resource.