Mesozoic/cenozoic calcite compensation depth and the global distribution of calcareous sediments

From late Jurassic to early Cenozoic time the calcite compensation depth (CCD) in the world oceans was shallow (above 4000 m). About 40 m.y. ago it dropped to about 4500 m, sharply in the Indian and Pacific oceans and gradually in the Atlantic. In the early Miocene it began to rise again, reaching a very shallow peak 10–15 m.y. ago, then descended to its present deep position. In the Pacific, fluctuations during the last 40 m.y. appear to result mainly from changes in bottom-water structure related to the progressive glaciation of the Antarctic and Arctic regions. Analogous explanations hold for CCD fluctuations during this period in the Indian and Atlantic oceans. The very shallow CCD prior to about 50 m.y., on the other hand, cannot be explained in this manner but must be attributed either to a low input of calcium in the oceans from deeply weathered continents or, more probably, to large changes in the distribution of carbonate deposition between shallow and deep seas.     

Tensor structure and the least squares

It is shown that for linear parametric adjustment models all the least-squares equations can be obtained from a commutative diagram, where the observation and parameter spaces are regarded as covariant. Their contravariant counterparts are defined through the metric property of the covariance matrix of the observations.     

Recent crustal movements in the Sierra Nevada—Walker lane region of California—Nevada: Part i, rate and style of deformation

This review of geological, seismological, geochronological and paleobotanical data is made to compare historic and geologic rates and styles of deformation of the Sierra Nevada and western Basin and Range Provinces. The main uplift of this region began about 17 m.y. ago, with slow uplift of the central Sierra Nevada summit region at rates estimated at about 0.012 mm/yr and of western Basin and Range Province at about 0.01 mm/yr. Many Mesozoic faults of the Foothills fault system were reactivated with normal slip in mid-Tertiary time and have continued to be active with slow slip rates. Sparse data indicate acceleration of rates of uplift and faulting during the Late Cenozoic. The Basin and Range faulting appears to have extended westward during this period with a reduction in width of the Sierra Nevada.The eastern boundary zone of the Sierra Nevada has an irregular en-echelon pattern of normal and right-oblique faults. The area between the Sierra Nevada and the Walker Lane is a complex zone of irregular patterns of hörst and graben blocks and conjugate normal-to right- and left-slip faults of NW and NE trend, respectively. The Walker Lane has at least five main strands near Walker Lake, with total right-slip separation estimated at 48 km. The NE-trending left-slip faults are much shorter than the Walker Lane fault zone and have maximum separations of no more than a few kilometers. Examples include the 1948 and 1966 fault zone northeast of Truckee, California, the Olinghouse fault (Part III) and possibly the almost 200-km-long Carson Lineament.Historic geologic evidence of faulting, seismologic evidence for focal mechanisms, geodetic measurements and strain measurements confirm continued regional uplift and tilting of the Sierra Nevada, with minor internal local faulting and deformation, smaller uplift of the western Basin and Range Province, conjugate focal mechanisms for faults of diverse orientations and types, and a NS to NE—SW compression axis (σ₁) and an EW to NW—SE extension axis (σ₃).     

Morphology of the Wadati-Benioff zone,andesitic volcanism,and active fracture zones in Central America

Summary The morphology of the Wadati-Benioff zone in the region of Central America, based on the distribution of 1377 earthquake foci, verified the existence of an intermediate aseismic gap and its relation to active andesitic volcanism, and the non-uniformity of subduction due to the hampering effect of the main structural features of the subducting Cocos plate. Four deep seismically active fracture zones, genetically connected with the process of subduction, and three fracture zones manifesting the possible boundary between the Americas and Caribbean plates were identified in the continental wedge.     

THE PALEOSEISMIC SURFACE RUPTURE AT SOUTH OF CENTRAL ALTYN TAGH FAULT AND ITS TECTONIC IMPLICATION

In this study, we described a 14km-long paleoearthquakes surface rupture across the salt flats of western Qaidam Basin, 10km south of the Xorkol segment of the central Altyn Tagh Fault, with satellite images interpretation and field investigation methods. The surface rupture strikes on average about N80°E sub-parallel to the main Altyn Tagh Fault, but is composed of several stepping segments with markedly different strike ranging from 68°N~87°E. The surface rupture is marked by pressure ridges, sub-fault strands, tension-gashes, pull-apart and faulted basins, likely caused by left-lateral strike-slip faulting. More than 30 pressure ridges can be distinguished with various rectangular, elliptical or elongated shapes. Most long axis of the ridges are oblique(90°N~140°E)to, but a few are nearly parallel to the surface rupture strike. The ridge sizes vary also, with heights from 1 to 15m, widths from several to 60m, and lengths from 10 to 100m. The overall size of these pressure ridges is similar to those found along the Altyn Tagh Fault, for instance, south of Pingding Shan or across Xorkol. Right-stepping 0.5~1m-deep gashes or sub-faults, with lengths from a few meters to several hundred meters, are distributed obliquely between ridges at an angle reaching 30°. The sub-faults are characterized with SE or NW facing 0.5~1m-high scarps. Several pull-apart and faulted basins are bounded by faults along the eastern part of the surface rupture. One large pull-apart basins are 6~7m deep and 400m wide. A faulted basin, 80m wide, 500m long and 3m deep, is bounded by 2 left-stepping left-lateral faults and 4 right-stepping normal faults. Two to three m-wide gashes are often seen on pressure ridges, and some ridges are left-laterally faulted and cut into several parts, probably owing to the occurrence of repetitive earthquakes. The OSL dating indicates that the most recent rupture might occur during Holocene.
Southwestwards the rupture trace disappears a few hundred meters north of a south dipping thrust scarp bounding uplifted and folded Plio-Quaternary sediments to the south. Thrust scarps can be followed southwestward for another 12km and suggest a connection with the south Pingding Shan Fault, a left-lateral splay of the main Altyn Tagh Fault. To the northeast the rupture trace progressively veers to the east and is seen cross-cutting the bajada south of Datonggou Nanshan and merging with active thrusts clearly outlined by south facing cumulative scarps across the fans. The geometry of this strike-slip fault trace and the clear young seismic geomorphology typifies the present and tectonically active link between left-lateral strike-slip faulting and thrusting along the eastern termination of the Altyn Tagh Fault, a process responsible for the growth of the Tibetan plateau at its northeastern margin. The discrete relation between thrusting and strike-slip faulting suggests discontinuous transfer of strain from strike-slip faulting to thrusting and thus stepwise northeastward slip-rate decrease along the Altyn Tagh Fault after each strike-slip/thrust junction.     

Relation between the monthly sums of sunshine and global radiation

Summary The statistical treatment of the dependence of monthly sums of global radiation on the monthly sums of sunshine at the stations of Hradec Králové, Bratislava — Koliba and Hurbanovo is presented. The parameters of linear and quadratic regression are derived for the said stations and for the individual months of the year. Drawing on the statistical analysis of the initial data sets, the accuracy and reliability of the mentioned regression relations are critically evaluated.     

Paleomagnetism of a Paleozoic anorthosite from the Appalachian Piedmont,northern Delaware: possible tectonic implications

Two components of magnetization have been observed in fourty-four samples (five sites) of the anorthosites in the Arden Pluton. One component, withD = 325°,I = ?75°,k = 32, α₉₅ = 13.6°, was isolated in many samples by progressive alternating field demagnetization and in the remainder of the collection by the use of intersecting great circles of remagnetization. The corresponding pole is located at 16°N, 303°E,dp = 22.7°,dm = 24.9°. Assuming the age of the last metamorphism (Taconic, ca. 440 Ma) of the Cambrian Arden Pluton to be the age of the magnetization, this pole deviates significantly from coeval poles thus far obtained from the North American craton. The preferred explanation for this deviation is that the Arden Pluton and the surrounding Piedmont rocks belonged to a different Early Paleozoic plate on the south or east side of the Iapetus Ocean, most likely the African (Gondwana) plate, and that it was transferred to the North American plate during a subsequent continental collision.     

The Effects of Climate on Welfare and Well-Being in Russia

This paper measures the concepts of welfare and well-being in Russia on the basis of two large Russian household surveys, carried out in 1993 and 1994. Welfare refers to satisfaction with income and well-being refers to satisfaction with life as a whole. This paper investigates how climate conditions in various parts of Russia affect the cost of living and well-being. Climate equivalence scales have been constructed for both welfare and well-being.