Sediment distribution patterns on the Galicia-Minho continental shelf

A sedimentological and bathymetric study of the Minho-Galicia Shelf shows a strong contrast between a southern shelf region with a thin partially relict cover of sands and gravel, and a northern region where fine-grained sediments predominate. This contrast is explained through differences in the sediment supply, the oceanographic environment (storms and ocean currents) and the morphology of the shelf which results from its underlying tectonic framework.Most sediment is supplied to the Galicia-Minho Shelf by river discharges onto the Minho Shelf, particularly that from the Douro River. In the northern part of the shelf the Galician Rías act as sediment traps rather than sediment suppliers. The bulk of the sediment washes out of the rivers during episodic storm events. While most of the coarse sediments remain deposited close to the coast, the fine-grained material is exported to the outer areas of the shelf. Subsequently, coarse sediments close to the coast are transported southwards by the littoral drift. Whereas the fine-grained material is frequently resuspended through the action of the large swells who influence reaches deep into the water. This frequent resuspension has a long-term sorting effect on the sediments. Furthermore, resuspended sediments on the middle and outer regions of the shelf are transported northwards by a poleward flowing bottom current.As a consequence of the differential transport of coarse sediments to the south, and of the fine-grained sediments to the north, the outer reaches of the Minho Shelf are relatively poor in recent sediments. In many areas relict sediments as well as features associated with ancient coastlines and river mouths, still appear as seabed features. In contrast, the northern regions of the shelf are covered by a thin veneer of fine-grained material that smooth other most of these fossil features.The fine-grained sediment fractions (mostly very fine sands to coarse silts) are deposited in two large mud patches, the Douro and the Galicia Mud Patches, which are situated at water depths of around 100–120 m. These two mud patches are both controlled by the local hydrodynamics and morphology. The Beiral de Viana, to the west of the Douro Mud Patch is a plateau, up to 20 m high lying parallel to the shelf-break and is a morphological expression of an underlying horst system. This plateau acts as a barrier that prevents the drift of some of the fine-grained material to the west, out over the shelf-break and the continental slope. The Galicia Mud Patch is situated on the eastern part of the Galician Shelf to the north of the Douro Mud Patch. It is situated near the extension of the Porto–Tomar fault, which results in the shelf being usually steep in this region, down to a depth of about 100 m. West of this area the slope is much more gentle. Northward transport of the sediment is strongly reduced by the E–W trending outcrops of plutonic and metamorphic rocks.     

Paleoearthquake evidence in Tenerife (Canary Islands) and possible seismotectonic sources

A series of clastic dikes and tubular vents were identified in southern Tenerife (Canary Islands). These features are the result of seismic liquefaction of a Holocene sand deposit, as the consequence of a high intensity paleoearthquake. The peak ground acceleration (pga) and magnitude of the paleoearthquake generating these liquefaction features were estimated by back calculation analysis. A representative value of 0.30 ± 0.05 g was obtained for the pga. From this, an earthquake intensity of IX was estimated for the liquefaction site. Magnitude bound methods and energy based approaches were used to determine the magnitude of the paleoearthquake, providing a moment magnitude M = 6.8. The zone in which the liquefaction structures are found has undergone tectonic uplift and is affected by two faults. One of these faults was responsible for displacing Holocene materials. Dating of the uplifted sand formation indicates an age of 10,081 ± 933 years, the liquefaction features ranging from this age to 3490 ± 473 years BP. This paleoearthquake was of much greater magnitude than those known historically. Faults with neotectonic activity are significant features that should be borne in mind when assessing the seismic hazards of the Canary Islands, presently considered as low and mainly of volcanic origin.     

Bivalve population health: Multistress to identify hot spots

This study investigated some stress (metals, parasites) and response (immunity, metallothionein) factors in two cockle and two Manila clam populations. Data from eight seasons were averaged to obtain global baseline values. Stress/response characteristics of each population were compared to population health status that was determined through population dynamics parameters. Four different scenarios were discussed: (1) a lightly stressed cockle population with correct population health but with a risk of deterioration (hot spot); (2) a lightly stressed introduced cockle population threatened of extinction. In this case ecological factors were suspected; (3) a moderately stressed clam population with moderate adaptative response. The population was sustainable but the level of stress should not increase (hotspot); and (4) a stressed clam population and unfavourable ecological conditions preventing clam settlement. This monitoring highlighted that the discrepancy between population health and stress levels could be due to insufficient response by bivalves and/or by unfavourable ecological factors.     

Assessment of trace metals in droppings of Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) from different locations of the Antarctic Peninsula area

In recent decades, polar regions of the planet have witnessed an increase in human presence. Antarctica is considered one of the most pristine regions of the world, but it could be affected by pollutio...     

Early angiosperm diversification: evidence from southern South America

In this report, we analyze the angiosperm fossil record (micro- and megafossil) from the central and southern basins of Argentina, southern South America, deposited between the late Barremian (128.3 Ma) to the end of the Coniacian (85.8 Ma). Based on this analysis, three major stages in the evolution of the angiosperms in the southernmost region of South America are established as follows: the late Barremian–Aptian, the latest Aptian-earliest Albian, and the middle Albian- Coniacian. The comparison between our fossil data set and those from Australia, North America, Asia and Europe suggest that the evolution and diversification of the angiosperms at mid and high latitudes in both hemispheres occurred roughly synchronously.     

CO_2 degassing and melting of metasomatized mantle lithosphere during rifting-Numerical study

:Reactivation of metasomatized mantle lithosphere may occur during continental extension,which is an important component of plate tectonics.The lower most part of the metasomatized domains in the subcontinental mantle lithosphere can be locally enriched in CO2.Therefore,partial melting of these metasomatized domains may play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle.However,little is known about this process and up until now few numerical constraints are available.Here we address this knowledge gap and use a 2-D high resolution petrological-thermomechanical model to assess lithospheric rifting.CO2 degassing and melting.We test 4 lithospheric thicknesses:90,110,130 and 200 km with a 10 km thick metasomatized layer at the base using CO2 of 2 wt.%in the bulk composition.The carbonate enriched layer is stable below^3 GPa(>110 km)for a temperature of 1300℃;therefore,we only observe degassing patterns for lithospheric models that are 130 km and 200 km thick.The metasomatized layer for the 130 km thick lithosphere mostly comprises carbonatite melting,whereas in the 200 km thick scenario propagation of melt development from kimberlites to carbonatites occurs as the metasomatic mantle is exhumed during extension.The numerical models fit well into natural rifting zones of the European Cenozoic Rift System for young(shallow)and of the North Atlantic Rift for old(thick)lithosphere.     

Magnetic storms

This talk provides a brief summary of the first conference devoted entirely to magnetic storms. The conference was held in Pasadena, California, at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 12-16 February 1996. Topics covered the relevant time-varying phenomena at the sun/corona, propagation of these structures through interplanetary space, the response of the magnetosphere from its interaction with these interplanetary structures, the formation of the storm- time ring-current (in particular the oxygen content of the ring-current), and storm ionospheric effects and ground based effects. A complementary summary is provided by Gonzalez et al. in EOS, 1996. The full set of review articles will be published in an AGU monograph and many of the contributed articles will appear in a special section of the Journal of Geophysical Research, Space Physics.