The life and times of Big Bertha: lunar breccia 14321

The lithic units of polymict breccia 14321 (Big Bertha) have been grouped according to composition, texture, degree of metamorphism, and additional criteria based on a systematic study of the interrelationships of all clast-matrix pairs. From this information it has been possible to reconstruct the assembly and metamorphic history of this breccia. The earliest formed fragmental component of 14321 (microbreccia-1) is dominated by KREEP-rich norite, extruded and subsequently brecciated and lithified in an ejecta blanket at approximately 1000°C in the general region of Mare Imbrium after the Serenitatis impact but prior to the Imbrium impact. This early microbreccia component and lesser amounts of mare-type basalt, microgranite, rhyolite glass, anorthosite and olivine microbreccia were assembled at the Apollo 14 site as part of the Fra Mauro ejecta blanket from the Imbrium impact. The resulting microbreccia-3 incorporates all the lithic types above and accretionary lapilli structures (microbreccia-2) in a dark matrix annealed at approximately 700°C. A later impact on the Fra Mauro excavated and mutually abraded microbreccia-3 and a local, 14321-type, basalt which were assembled into polymict breccia 14321. Final placement of 14321 at its sampling location was accomplished during the minor Cone Crater impact event.     

Petrogenesis of cataclastic rocks within the San Andreas fault zone of Southern California U.S.A.

This paper petrologically characterizes cataclastic rocks derived from four sites within the San Andreas fault zone of southern California. In this area, the fault traverses an extensive plutonic and metamorphic terrane and the principal cataclastic rock formed at these upper crustal levels is unindurated gouge derived from a range of crystalline rocks including diorite, tonalite, granite, aplite, and pegmatite.The mineralogical nature of this gouge is decidedly different from the “clay gouge” reported by Wu (1975) for central California and is essentially a rock flour with a quartz, feldspar, biotite, chlorite, amphibole, epidote and oxide mineralogy representing the milled-down equivalent of the original rock. Clay development is minor (less than 4 wt. %) to nonexistent and is exclusively kaolinite. Alterations involve hematitic oxidation, chlorite alteration on biotite and amphibole, and local introduction of calcite. Electron microprobe analysis showed that in general the major minerals were not reequilibrated with the pressure—temperature regime imposed during cataclasis.Petrochemically, the form of cataclasis that we have investigated is largely an isochemical process. Some hydration occurs but the maximum amount is less than 2.2% added H₂O. Study of a 375 m deep core from a tonalite pluton adjacent to the fault showed that for Si, Al, Ti, Fe, Mg, Mn, K, Na, Li, Rb, and Ba, no leaching and/or enrichment occurred. Several samples experienced a depletion in Sr during cataclasis while lesser number had an enrichment of Ca (result of calcite veining).Texturally, the fault gouge is not dominated by clay-size material but consists largely of silt and fine sand-sized particles. An intriguing aspect of our work on the drill core is a general decrease in particulate size with depth (and confining pressure) with the predominate shifting sequentially from fine sand to silt-size material.The original fabric of these rocks is commonly not disrupted during the cataclasis. It is evident that the gouge development in these primarily igneous crystalline terranes is largely an in situ process with minimal mixing of rock types. Fabric analyses reveal that brecciation (shattering), not shearing, is the major deformational mechanism at these upper crustal levels.     

Toppling rock slope failures examples of analysis and stabilization

SummaryToppling Rock Slope Failures — Examples of Analysis and Stabilization Three case histories of toppling failures of rock slopes, and the methods used to ensure that failure did not disrupt operations below the slope, are described. The application of Goodman and Bray's limit equilibrium analysis of multi-block failures to these three slopes is demonstrated.The first failure occurred in a 20 m high granite slope that was stabilized by removing the top 6 m and installing a number of tensioned rock anchors in the toe. The second failure occurred in a sequence of folded sandstone, shale and coal. This slide was too large to stabilize, so the movement rate was monitored while mining continued in the pit below until shortly before failure took place. In the third failure, the top 8 m of a single 12 m high toppling block was removed by blasting to prevent further rotational movement.

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ZusammenfassungKippvorgänge beim Bruch von Felsböschungen — Beispiele für die Berechnung und Stabilisierung Es werden drei Fallstudien von Brüchen von Felsböschungen durch Kippen und die dabei angewendeten Sicherungsmethoden beschrieben. Die Anwendung der Grenzgleichgewichtsbetrachtung von Massenbewegungen, die durch Kippvorgänge ausgelöst wurden, nach Goodman and Bray, auf drei Felshänge wird gezeigt.Der erste Bruch ereignete sich in einer 20 m hohen Böschung in Granit. Die Stabilisierung bestand in der Entfernung der obersten 6 m und der Einbringung von einigen Vorspannankern. Der zweite Bruch ereignete sich in einer Serie von gefalteten Sandsteinen, Schiefern und Kohlen. Da die Größe dieser Rutschung eine Stabilisierung unmöglich machte, wurden die Bewegungen genau registriert und der Abbau bis kurz vor dem eigentlichen Bruch fortgesetzt. Das dritte Beispiel ist ein einzelner 12 m hoher, kippender Block, dessen oberste 8 m weggesprengt wurde, um ein weiteres Kippen zu verhindern.

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RésuméDéfauts par chute de rampes rocheuses — Exemples des analyses et de stabilisation Ce résumé décrit trois événements de rupture de pentes rocheuses et les méthodes de stabilisation utilisées. Dans ces trois cas l'auteur montre l'utilisation de l'analyse de la limite d'équilibre des masses rocheuses pour un mouvement de basculement selon Goodman et Bray.Le premier cas a eu lieu sur une rampe granitique de 20 m hauteur, laquelle a été stabilisée en 6 m de roche au sommet et en possant quelque d'ancrage au pied de la pente. La deuxième défaut s'a produit avec une séquence de roches de formation gréseuse, d'argile schisteuse et du charbon. Cette glissement a été trop grande pour être stabilisée, donc la raison de mouvement a été controlée au même temps qu'on travaillait dans le puit au dessous quelque temps avant que le défaut se produisse. Dans le troisième défaut les 8 m de sommet d'un seul bloc rocheux ont été dépilés par des méthodes explosifs pour prévenir ultérieur mouvements rotatives.

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With 6 Figures     

Postglacial midge community change and Holocene palaeotemperaturereconstructions near treeline, southern British Columbia (Canada)

Stratigraphic analysis of fossil chironomid head capsules wasperformed at North Crater Lake and Lake of the Woods, located at treeline (2250m) in the Ashnola region of southernmost British Columbia. Priorto 10,000 yr BP, cold conditions were indicated by the lack oftemperate taxa and the presence of cold-stenotherms. The abundance anddiversity of warm-adapted taxa (e.g., Dicrotendipes,Microtendipes, Polypedilum and Cladopelma)increased rapidly after 9500 yr BP, whereas taxa indicative ofcold conditions disappeared. Beginning prior to deposition of the Mazama ash(6730 ± 40 yr BP), several warm-adapted taxa decreasedin abundance. Mid- to late-Holocene assemblages (ca. 4500yr BP to present) indicated continued cooling as revealed by afurther reduction in diversity and abundance of warm-adapted taxa atboth lakes, and the reappearance of cold-stenotherms in Lake of theWoods. Diversity changes in the cores paralleled the inferred climatic changes.Diversity was low during the late-glacial, increased in theearly-Holocene, and declined after 5400 yr BP.To quantitatively infer past climatic changes, a newweighted yphen;averaging partial-least-squares (WA-PLS)model was developed and applied to the fossil midge data. The quantitativereconstructions revealed late-glacial mean July air temperatures rangingfrom about 8 to 10°C. Summer air temperatures were highest inthe early Holocene (13 to 17°C), gradually decreasing by about3°C through the mid- to late-Holocene.     

Median filter behaviour with seismic data1

Median filters may be used with seismic data to attenuate coherent wavefields. An example is the attenuation of the downgoing wavefield in VSP data processing. The filter is applied across the traces in the ‘direction’ of the wavefield. The final result is given by subtracting the filtered version of the record from the original record. This method of median filtering may be called ‘median filtering operated in subtraction’. The method may be extended by automatically estimating the slowness of coherent wavefields on a record. The filter is then applied in a time- and-space varying manner across the record on the basis of the slowness values at each point on the record. Median filters are non-linear and hence their behaviour is more difficult to determine than linear filters. However, there are a number of methods that may be used to analyse median filter behaviour: (1) pseudo-transfer functions to specific time series; (2) the response of median filters to simple seismic models; and (3) the response of median filters to steps that simulate terminating wavefields, such as faults on stacked data. These simple methods provide an intuitive insight into the behaviour of these filters, as well as providing a semiquantitative measurement of performance. The performance degradation of median filters in the presence of trace-to-trace variations in amplitude is shown to be similar to that of linear filters. The performance of median filters (in terms of signal distortion) applied obliquely across a record may be improved by low-pass filtering (in the t-dimension). The response of median filters to steps is shown to be affected by background noise levels. The distortion of steps introduced by median filters approaches the distortion of steps introduced by the corresponding linear filter for high levels of noise.     

Chemical compositions of tourmaline in the Yindongzi-Tongmugou Pb-Zn deposits,Qinling, China: Implications for hydrothermal ore-forming processes

A microprobe study has been carried out on the chemical composition of tourmaline from the Yindongzi and Tongmugou stratabound Pb-Zn ore deposits, eastern Qinling, China. Tourmaline was analysed from a variety of rock types representative of its various occurrences associated with the ore bodies. All the tourmalines studied here belong to the schorl-dravite series. Most are of hydrothermal origin with Mg > Fe and Na > Ca. Some detrital cores of tourmaline have been recognized from their geometry and chemistry, with Fe > Mg. The chemical trends from core to rim in zoned grains suggest a multi-stage model for the growth of tourmaline and genesis of the ore bodies. The first stage was represented by a more Mg-rich hydrothermal fluid in the submarine hydrothermal system, producing Mg-rich tourmalines by selective replacement of clay-rich sediments close to the sediment-water interface. The second stage was dominated by Fe-rich hydrothermal fluid and resulted in overgrowth of Fe-rich tourmaline rims. This stage also led to the nucleation and growth of new tourmaline crystals and was responsible for the formation of the main massive sulphide orebodies. Finally, a further period of hydrothermal activity or a metamorphic event led to the formation of an additional rim of Mg-rich tourmaline.     

The effect of strain rate on rock strength

Summary The effect of the strain rate on strength has been evaluated for two widely different rock types, a brittle limestone (Tyndallstone) and a ductile salt rock (Lanigan potash rock).Results of static and dynamic fatigue tests on Tyndallstone, a dolomitic limestone, show an increase in strength with increasing strain or stressing rate although the rate effect is very small. Although the static and dynamic fatigue tests are expected to yield the same stress corrosion parameter, no such agreement has been observed.Dynamic fatigue tests of the more ductile salt rock showed a substantial rate effect. The usual strength criteria, that consider the influence of confining pressure alone, are no longer adequate to describe the strength of Lanigan potash. A general strength criterion, that incorporates the effect of both the confining pressure and the strain rate, is proposed.     

LAGRANGIAN METHOD USED IN THE RESEARCH OF ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION

Based on the conservation of entropy and potential vorticity in adiabatic atmospheric motion without theconsideration of friction,calculation is made of the trajectory of a particle on an isentropic surface by use ofthe data of FGGE III-b.Results of several calculation schemes of the trajectory discussed show that thelocal data interpolation and Runge-Kutta time-integral scheme is the best.The calculated trajectory reflectsthe large-scale atmospheric motion only and the small-scale motion emerges as a deviation term of thecalculated trajectory.And then the outbreak and propagation of planetary wave are studied by means ofthe deformation of a material line,with the result showing that the material line can be tracked in the trop-osphere only in a few days,beyond which the interaction between the small-scale waves and large-scale motionleads to its dramatical twisting and deformation.Therefore,the Lagrangian method is assumed to be an effectivemeans of diagnostic research in the nonlinear interaction in atmospheric circulation,in addition to the generalstudy of the atmospheric circulation.     

Paleosols and their relevance to Precambrian atmospheric composition

Various paleosols have been reported from within the Witwatersrand and Ventersdorp Supergroups, South Africa. They were studied in an attempt to constrain the amount of oxygen available in the atmosphere during deposition of the gold- and uranium-bearing Witwatersrand conglomerates. The majority of these horizons do not have any physical characteristics of paleosols, and none of them have a chemistry consistent with weathering, suggesting they have been subjected to modification by later alteration processes. A similar chemistry, indicating overprinting of any original soil chemistry, has been reported from paleosols elsewhere (Elliot Lake region, Canada; Hekpoort basalt, South Africa), but it does not appear that significant cognizance has been taken of this fact when using these paleosols to determine the composition of the Precambrian atmosphere. It is concluded here that characteristics previously attributed to Precambrian weathering in an oxygen-deficient atmosphere are better explained by post-burial, hydrothermal alteration along lithological contacts.