Mixed terrigenous—Carbonate sedimentation in the Hispaniola—Caicos turbidite basin

Sedimentation in the 9500 km², 4100 m deep Hispaniòla—Caicos Basin is dominated by turbidity currents. Carbonate turbidites originate from the Bahama Islands, Great Inagua and Caicos at the north end of the basin. Mixed carbonate—non-carbonate flows come from Hispaniola and perhaps Cuba. Most flows originate on insular slopes rather than in shallow water. The relatively low CaCO₃ content of hemipelagic sequences throughout the entire basin reveals that the influence of non-carbonate Hispaniola—Cuba sources is widespread.The basin was sampled with closely spaced piston cores. Sand-layer isopach and frequency maps reveal four or five major basin entry points for turbidity currents. Flow size is proportional to the size of source areas. Average volumes of flows originating from Hispaniola—Cuba, the largest source, are 10⁹ m³. This compares to an average flow volume of 10⁶ m³ for flows derived from the smallest source area, the Southeastern Caicos Bank. Measures of turbidity-current activity, such as thickness and frequency, change in a regular fashion away from each entry point. Average lutite thickness (combining hemipelagic and turbiditic lutite) are greatest near the basin entry points. On the abyssal plain occupying the south half of the basin, Bouma turbidite sedimentary structure sequences tend to be complete. However, on the Caicos Fan, the sedimentary structure sequences in turbidites are characterized by missing or repeated units. Six radiocarbon dates of two widespread presumed pelagic units in the basin yielded younger dates in stratigraphically older positions. The reversed dates are assumed to reflect storm erosion of older sediment on adjacent insular shelves.Consideration of a north—south reflection seismic profile over the basin indicates that the present sediment regimen has pertained through much of the Neogene. The coherence, convergence and termination of reflections in the seismic section are consistent with and tend to confirm conclusions based on the core study regarding the greater extent and volume of sediment deposits derived from the Hispaniola source area.     

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A post-Transvaal age for the Marydale Formation,Kheis Group,Southern Africa

The metabasic Marydale Formation of the Kheis Group occupies a zone of contact between the Sanama and Kaapvaal structural provinces of South Africa. Stratigraphic relationships between the two provinces are not well understood. Whilst the well-known Kaapvaal basement and supracrustal succession yield radiometric ages older than 1900 m.y., Sanama Province ages reflect a Kibaran(1200 ± 200m.y.) tectogenetic cycle. The age of the Marydale, stratigraphically the oldest Sanama formation, has been variously estimated at2500m.y., about 2000 m.y., or Kibaran, based on controversial field interpretations or on available radiometric data.Rb-Sr data are presented for Marydale samples from a nappe-like body which, having been thrust over the Kaapvaal basement, was shielded from metamorphism. Two types of alteration are described and possible causes of isotopic homogenisation are discussed. It is concluded that an isochron age of 1899± 57m.y. (I = 0.7040 ± 0.0003) represents the age of extrusion of the Marydale volcanics.The stratigraphic controversy is thus resolved, Kheis Group formations being approximately coeval with the Matsap, the youngest formation of the Kaapvaal Precambrian succession. The implications of this and other recent work to theories of crustal evolution are considered. It is suggested that the continental crust of Sanama Province originated partly during the Eburnian(2000 ± 100m.y.) period of African orogeny and partly during the Kibaran tectogenetic cycle during which the province became cratonised and was added to the Southern African cratonic block.     

Gigamasers: the key to the dust-obscured star formation history of the Universe?

A numerical model of the Leonid stream is developed, based on an earlier model which has been applied to the Perseid stream. The results for this model are applied to the 2001 Leonid return. By examining the full three-dimensional dispersion of individual 'streamlets' released from the Leonid parent comet, 55P/Tempel–Tuttle, we have derived an estimate for the temporal change in spatial density of each trail. Using this result along with an estimate for the location of the centres for individual streamlets and fits to previous Leonid storm profiles, we estimate that the activity from the shower will be broad and relatively strong (zenithal hourly rates perhaps in excess of 1000). In particular, streamlets from the 1766 and 1799 ejections contribute to activity peaking near 10 and 12 ut on 2001 November 18, respectively. Additional older material from 1633, 1666 and 1699, as well as more recent ejections from 1866 and 1833, contributes to a much broader secondary maximum near 17.5 ut on November 18. Comparison with other published models of predicted Leonid activity in 2001 shows general agreement in terms of timing, but the models differ significantly in terms of the relative magnitude of the activity (which other models suggest will be larger). Significant anisotropy in the impact hazard exists for satellites in the geostationary belt, with those over western longitudes most likely to be affected. Integrated fluences for the 2001 Leonid return suggest a hazard of order one magnitude greater than occurred for the 1999 Leonid storm.     

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