Distinct brief major events in the Karoo large igneous province clarified by new Ar/Ar ages on the Lesotho basalts

Recent mineral separate ages obtained on the Karoo large igneous province (southern Africa) suggest that the province was built by several distinct magmatic pulses over a rather long period on the order of 5–6 Ma concerning the main erupted volume [Jourdan, F., Féraud, G., Bertrand, H., Kampunzu, A.B., Tshoso, G., Watkeys, M.K., Le Gall., B., 2005. The Karoo large igneous province: Brevity, origin, and relation with mass extinction questioned by new ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age data, Geology 33, 745–748]. Although this apparently atypical province is dated in more detail compared to many other large igneous provinces, volumetrically important areas still lack sufficient high-quality data. The timing of the Karoo province is crucial as this event is correlated with the breakup activity of the Gondwana supercontinent. The Lesotho basalts represent a major lava sequence of the province, but have not yet been precisely dated by systematic analysis of mineral separates. We analyzed plagioclase separates from five lava flows encompassing the complete 1.4-km-thick Lesotho sequence from top to bottom using the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar method. We obtained five plateau and mini-plateau ages statistically indistinguishable and ranging from 182.3 ± 1.6 to 181.0 ± 2.0 Ma (2σ). We derived an apparent maximum duration for this event of  0.8 Ma by neglecting correlated errors embedded in the age uncertainties.

A critical review of previous ages obtained on the Lesotho sequence [Duncan R.A., Hooper, P.R., Rehacek, J., Marsh, J.S., Duncan, A.R., 1997. The timing and duration of the Karoo igneous event, southern Gondwana. Journal of Geophysical Research 102, 18127–18138] shows that groundmass analyses are unreliable for high-resolution geochronology, due to alteration and ³⁹Ar recoil effects. Discrepancy between our ages and a previous plagioclase age at  184 Ma obtained by the later workers is tentatively attributed to the heterogeneity of the monitor used and/or cryptic excess ⁴⁰Ar. The current age database suggests that at least three temporally and spatially distinct brief major events (the Lesotho and southern Botswana lava piles and the Okavango dyke swarm) are so far recognized in the Karoo province. Identification of brief and volumetrically important Karoo magmatic events allows detecting the migration of the Karoo magmatism and potentially the stress regime that affected the southern African lithosphere at this time. A filtered compilation of 60 ages obtained with homogeneous intercalibrated standards suggests a shorter duration for the main pulses of the magmatism between 3 and 4.5 Ma, compared to a whole province duration of  10 Ma, between  182 and  172 Ma.     

Airborne gravimetry used in precise geoid computations by ring integration

Two detailed geoids have been computed in the region of North Jutland. The first computation used marine data in the offshore areas. For the second computation the marine data set was replaced by the sparser airborne gravity data resulting from the AGMASCO campaign of September 1996. The results of comparisons of the geoid heights at on-shore geometric control showed that the geoid heights computed from the airborne gravity data matched in precision those computed using the marine data, supporting the view that airborne techniques have enormous potential for mapping those unsurveyed areas between the land-based data and the off-shore marine or altimetrically derived data. Received: 7 July 1997 / Accepted: 22 April 1998     

Magnetospheric accretion and pre-main-sequence stellar masses

We present a method of determining lower limits on the masses of pre-main-sequence (PMS) stars and so constraining the PMS evolutionary tracks. This method uses the redshifted absorption feature observed in some emission-line profiles of T Tauri stars, indicative of infall. The maximum velocity of the accreting material measures the potential energy at the stellar surface, which, combined with an observational determination of the stellar radius, yields the stellar mass. This estimate is a lower limit owing to uncertainties in the geometry and projection effects. Using available data, we show that the computed lower limits can be larger than the masses derived from PMS evolutionary tracks for M   0.5 M. Our analysis also supports the notion that accretion streams do not impact near the stellar poles but probably hit the stellar surface at moderate latitudes.     

Development of longitudinal profiles of alluvial channels in response to base-level lowering

Degradation of alluvial channels in cohesive sediments was studied in 15 m and 20 m long flumes with a slope of 0°01 cm/cm. Degradation was initiated by lowering base level to a fixed position, and the development of the longitudinal profile of the channel is analysed through a model formulated as a heat (diffusion) equation. It is based on the equation of sediment continuity, combined with an assumption regarding sediment transport, namely that sediment discharge is linearly proportional to the channel slope. In accordance with the boundary and initial conditions imposed by the experimental setup and procedure, the basic equation is amenable to an analytical solution, which defines bed elevation at any distance and time, as a function of the amount of base-level lowering and a ‘diffusion’ coefficient. Additional problems arising from bank erosion and channel armouring are also treated successfully within the framework of the same model. The results show that in homogeneous alluvial sediments, not subject to armouring, the ultimate result of base-level lowering by a certain amount is degradation all along the channel by the same amount. The main impact of erosion is felt in the early stages after initiation of the process, and mainly near the mouth. The rate of degradation at any station along the channel reaches a peak and then slowly decreases with time, and the peak rate is attenuated with distance from the outlet. The model permits the prediction of intermediate stages of profile development at any distance from the outlet and at different times.     

Lunar glass compositions: Apollo 16 core sections 60002 and 60004

Approximately 500 glasses between 1 mm and 125 μm in size have been analyzed from fourteen samples from the Apollo 16 core sections 60002 and 60004. The majority of glasses have compositions comparable to those found in previous studies of lunar surface soils; however, two new and distinct glass compositions that are probably derived in part from mare material occur in the core samples. The major glass composition in all samples is that of Highland Basalt glass, but it also appears that high-K Fra Mauro Basalt (KREEP) glass is more common at the Apollo 16 site than was previously thought. The relative abundance of glasses within the core samples is random in distribution: each sample is characterized by a particular assemblage and distribution of the constituent glass compositions.     

Geochemical and cosmochemical cycles involving sulfur,sulfide, sulfite and sulfate

Raman spectra of aqueous systems containing sulfur dioxide, elemental sulfur and sulfate indicate that the equilibrium between these species is catalyzed by elemental sulfur. Therefore, dynamic equilibrium can be expected under conditions prevalent on Venus, on Io and in epigenic sulfur deposits.     

Outline of the Pan-African geology of adrar des Iforas (Republic of Mali)

The Iforas (60 000 km²) falls within the Pan-African mobile belt bordering the West-African craton in north-eastern Mali Republic. It is characterized by major N-S shear belts parallel to the edge of the craton which delimit longitudinal blocks some of which have undergone considerable horizontal displacements. The central core of the Iforas which consists largely of reactivated pre-Pan-African basement injected by Pan-African syn- and post-tectonic intermediate and acid plutonic rocks, has behaved as a relatively rigid blocks during the Pan-African dividing the orogenic belt into a western Iforas and an eastern Iforas.Western Iforas displays W to E zonation: an ophiolitic suture (Timetrine); trench volcano-sedimentary deposits cut by gabbros diorites and acid granitoids (Tilemsi); and a late orogenic composite »coastal range batholith intruding the pre-Pan-African basement of Central Iforas and its overlying volcano-sedimentary deposits which here display a littoral facies and a tillite.Central Iforas consists of two major units: a polycyclic pre-Pan-African basement metamorphosed under high amphibolite facies conditions of presumed Eburnean age and the Iforas granulite block bound to the W, N and E by shear zones.Eastern Iforas was totally separated during metamorphism and deformation from the Iforas granulite block. From West to East, three lithological assemblages have been recognised separed by shear belts: a Quartzite Group, a Gneissic Group and a Pelitic Group the latter representing the southern prolongation of the central Hoggar Pharusian province.Shear zones are an essential feature of Pan-African tectonism East of the West-African craton. The superimposed stress fields have been recognised producing: early N20° trending sinistral shear zones, a north-south dextral shear zone (Andjour-Tamaradant shear zone) and late conjugating sinistral NNW and dextral ENE wrench faults.Late Pan-African events reflect the uplift and unroofing of the Pan-African composite batholith, the intrusion of circular granite plutons often located close to shear zones and alternating episodes of distension and compression.Lastly the simple model proposed for the closing stages of the Pan-African in the Iforas is that of an active continental plate margin separated from the West African craton by an oceanic domain. Subsequent continental collision to the South with a promotory of the West African craton led to the formation of the Dahomeyan thrust front and modified the stress field. Closure of the oceanic domain of western Iforas is thought to have taken place by continued eastward subduction of the oceanic plate and sinistral movement along an inferred north westerly trending transform fault coinciding with the future Cretaceous Gao trough and an alignement of strong positive gravity anomalies. It was accompanied by the northerly migration of central and western Iforas along the conjugating dextral N-S Andjour-Tamaradant shear zone. Further shortening led to folding of the arcuate Timetrine-Ydouban-Gourma fold belt overlying the deformed margin of the West African craton.

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Zusammenfassung Das Iforas-Gebiet (60 000 km²) gehört zur pan-afrikanischen Bewegungszone, die in Mali an das westafrikanische Kraton grenzt. Diese Zone wird von N-S Scherbewegungen parallel zum Kraton durchzogen, wobei größere horizontale Versetzungsbeträge langgestreckte Blöcke herausgetrennt haben. Der zentrale Teil von Iforas besteht im wesentlichen aus reaktiviertem prae-panafrikanischem Basement, das in pan-afrikanischer Zeit von syn- und posttektonischen, intermediären und sauren Plutoniten intrudiert wurde. Dieses Gebiet wirkt als relativ starrer Block, der während der pan-afrikanischen Orogenese den Orogengürtel in einen westlichen und einen östlichen Ast teilt. Das westliche Iforas-Gebiet zeigt eine E-W Zonierung: eine Ophiolith-Sutur, einen vulkano-sedimentären Gürtel und einen Rand-Batholithen.Zentral-Iforas wird aus zwei Einheiten aufgebaut: ein mehrfach metamorphisiertes Basement und einen Granitblock.In den überregionalen Scherzonen lassen sich drei Stress-Felder erkennen: eine ältere 20° streichende sinistrale Scherzone, eine N-S dextrale Scherzone und jüngere NNW und dextrale ENE Bruchzonen.Spät-pan-afrikanische Ereignisse sind durch Heraushebung und Abtrag, Granitintrusionen und wechselnden Dehnungs- und Kompressionsbewegungen gekennzeichnet.

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Résumé L'Adrar des Iforas (60 000 km²) fait partie de la zone mobile pan-africaine en marge du craton ouest-africain au Nord-Est de la République du Mali. La région est caractérisée par d'importants accidents mylonitiques parallèles à la bordure du craton qui délimitent des compartiments longitudinaux dont certains ont subi des déplacements horizontaux considérables. La zone dorsale des Iforas qui consiste essentiellement en un socle pré-pan-africain réactivé et injecté au Pan-Africain par des roches plutoniques intermédiaires et acides, syn- et post-tectoniques, s'est comportée en compartiments relativement rigides au cours du Pan-Africain, divisant la chaîne en un rameau occidental et un rameau oriental.Le rameau occidental présente une zonation d'Ouest en Est: une suture ophiolitique (Timetrine); des dépôts volcano-sédimentaires de fosse recoupés par des gabbros et des diorites; et un vaste batholite composite tardi-orogénique qui recoupe le socle pré-pan-africain de la zone dorsale des Iforas et sa couverture de dépôts volcanosédimentaires ici à faciès littoral.La zone dorsale des Iforas comprend deux unités majeures: un socle prépan-africain polycyclique métamorphisé dans le faciès amphibolite, d'âge éburnéen présumé et le môle granulitique des Iforas, délimité à l'W, au N et à l'E par des accidents mylonitiques.Le rameau oriental était séparé du môle granulitique des Iforas lors du métamorphisme et de la déformation. D'W en E, on trouve trois unités séparées par des zones mylonitiques: un Groupe de Quartzites, un Groupe de Gneiss et un Groupe de Pélites. Ce dernier représente le prolongement vers le Sud de la province pharusienne du centre Hoggar.Les grands accidents de cisaillement sont un fait marquant du tectonisme pan-africain à l'Est du craton ouest-africain. Trois champs de contraintes superposées ont produit des accidents précoces sénestres de direction N20, un accident N-S dextre (Andjour-Tamaradant), et des failles cisaillantes tardives conjuguées d'orientation NNW sénestres et ENE dextres.Les événements pan-africains tardifs sont marqués par la surrection et l'érosion des batholites pan-africains, la mise en place de plutons granitiques souvent à proximité des grands accidents et par des alternances de distensions et de compressions.Enfin un modèle simple est proposé pour les stades ultimes du Pan-Africain dans l'Adrar des Iforas: une marge continentale active séparée du craton ouest-africain par un domaine océanique; suite à une collision au Sud avec un promontoire du craton ouestafricain qui aurait produit le front de chevauchement dahomeyen et modifié le champ de contraintes, la fermeture du domaine océanique de l'Ouest Iforas se serait produite par subduction à l'E de la plaque océanique et une translation sénestre le long d'une faille transformante orientée NW et coincidant avec le fossé crétacé de Gao et un alignement d'anomalies gravimétriques positives. Elle aurait été accompagnée par le déplacement vers le N de l'Iforas occidental et central le long de l'accident cisaillant dextre d'Andjour-Tamaradant. Cette fermeture aurait provoqué les plissements de la chaîne du Timetrine-Ydouban-Gourma qui repose sur la bordure déformée du craton ouestafricain.

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Gefüge und Entstehung der Ringdünen in den grauen Tuffen des Laacher Vulkans

The last products of the pleistocene Laach volcano (Eifel, about 40 kms SW of Bonn, Germany) are grey tuffs. Outcrops in the rim show characteristic cross-bedding in these tuffs. It is in discussion whether these structures are produced by wind or by phreato-magmatic outbursts. At all larger outcrops in the rim we measured numerous depositional elements of the tuffs, and analyzed their geometrical structure. So we are able to reconstruct shape, structure and orientation of dunes in the tuffs. They show transport vectors in centrifugal orientation, radially to the vent. The dunes are orientated concentrically to the vent, we intruduce the term “concentrical dune” for this dune type. This points out that the dunes in the Laach tuffs are of volcanic origin. But our geometrical results give no authorization to assume phreato-magmatic processes during the activity of the Laach volcano. We think that the grey Laach tuffs are no base surge deposits, but products of gas-rich eruptions in the phase of decreasing volcanic energy.     

Evaporation of perennial semi‐arid woodland in southeastern Australia is adapted for irregular but common dry periods

Measurements of water vapour flux from semi‐arid perennial woodland (mallee) were made for 3 years using eddy covariance instrumentation. There have been no previous long‐term, detailed measures of water use in this ecosystem. Latent energy flux (LE) on a half hourly basis was the measure of the combined soil and plant evaporation, ‘evapotranspiration’ (E_LE) of the site. Aggregation over 3 years of the site measured rain (1136 mm) and the estimated evaporation (794 mm) suggests that 342 mm or 30% of rain had moved into or past the root zone of the vegetation. Above average rainfall during 2011 and the first quarter of 2012 (633 mm, 15 months) would likely have been the period during which significant groundwater recharge occurred. At times immediately after rainfall, E_LE rates were the same or exceeded estimates of potential E calculated from a suitably parameterized Penman–Monteith (E_PMo) equation. Apparent free water E from plant interception and soil evaporation was about 2.3 mm and lasted for 1.3 days following rainfall in summer, while in autumn, E was 5.1 mm that lasted over 5.4 days. The leaf area index (LAI) needed to adjust a wind function calibrated Penman equation (E_PMe) to match the E_LE values could be back calculated to generate seasonal change in LAI from 0.12 to 0.46 and compared well with normalized difference vegetation index; r = 0.38 and p = 0.0213* and LAI calculated from digital cover photography. The apparently conservative response of perennial vegetation evaporation to available water in these semi‐arid environments reinforces the conclusion that these ecosystems use this mechanism to survive the reasonably common dry periods. Plant response to soil water availability is primarily through gradual changes in leaf area. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.