Basic magmas in the early evolution of the Southernmost Patagonian Batholith,Chile

Basic magmas played an important role in the early evolution of a segment of the Patagonian Batholith (141 to 34 m.y.) exposed south of Tierra del Fuego, Chile. The basic magmatism lasted 40 m.y. to possibly 60 m.y. (141 to 84 m.y.). It is represented by early gabbros and hornblendites (141 to 103 m.y.) and by synplutonic dikes and some of the numerous basic inclusions in the granitoids of a Cretaceous (113 to 84 m.y.) plutonic group. Some of the inclusions are interpreted as the disrupted portions of synplutonic dikes.Available data indicate that basaltic to rhyolitic volcanism which took place in the area during the Early Cretaceous was contemporaneous with the basic magmatism reported here and during its latest stage, with granitoid magmas. Therefore, gabbros apparently formed part of the roots of the island arc during the early stages of its evolution, whilst granitoids may have had a greater participation at a later stage in the root system.

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Zusammenfassung Basische Magmen spielten eine bedeutende Rolle bei der frühen Entwicklung eines Abschnittes des Patagonischen Batholithen (141-34 Mio. J.), der südlich Tierra del Fuego, Chile, aufgeschlossen ist. Der basische Magmatismus dauerte 40 bis etwa 60 Millionen Jahre (141-84 Mio. J.). Er besteht aus frühen Gabbros und Hornblenditen (141-103 Mio. J.) und aus synplutonischen Gängen und einigen der zahlreichen basischen Einschlüsse in dem Granitkomplex der kretazischen Plutonit-Gruppe (113-84 Mio. J.). Einige der Einschlüsse werden als isolierte Anteile von synplutonischen Gängen gedeutet.Die zur Verfügung stehenden Daten belegen, daß der basaltische bis rhyolitische Vulkanismus, der sich in diesem Gebiet während der frühen Kreide ereignete, gleichzeitig mit dem hier vorgestellten basischen Magmatismus und in dessen letztem Stadium zusammen mit granitischen Magmen ereignete. Daher waren offensichtlich Gabbros an den Wurzeln des Inselbogens während der frühen Entwicklungsstadien beteiligt, während Granotioide mit größerem Anteil an dem späterem Stadium des Wurzelsystems beteiligt waren.

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Resumen Magmas básicos tuvieron un importante rol en la historia temprana del segmento del Batolito Patagónico (141 a 34 M a) que se expone al sur de Tierra del Fuego, Chile. El magmatismo básico tuvo una duración de unos 40 Ma y hasta unos 60 Ma (141 a 84 Ma). Este magmatismo está representado por gabros y hornblenditas (141 a 103 Ma), por diques sinplutónicos y por algunas de las numerosas inclusiones básicas en los granitoides pertenecientes a un grupo plutónico del Cretácico (113 a 84 Ma). Algunas de las inclusiones se interpretan como partes de diques sinplutónicos.La información existente permite indicar que el volcanismo basáltico y riolítico que tuvo lugar en la región, durante el Cretácico Inferior, fue contemporáneo con el magmatismo básico del que se informa en este artículo. Aparentemente, la etapa final de este volcanismo habría sido coetáneo con un importante magmatismo granítico. En consecuencia, aparentemente, en las etapas iniciales de la evolución de la cadena volcánica, los gabros habrían constituído parte de su raíz, mientras que posteriormente habría habido mayor participación de granitoides.

     

Calc-alkaline and alkaline miocene and calc-alkaline recent volcanism in the Southernmost Patagonian Cordillera, Chile

In the southernmost Patagonian Cordillera (south of Lat. 54°45′) previously unrecorded calc-alkaline dacites and andesites, and adjacent alkali-basalts, were dated at 21 and 18 Ma (K-Ar), respectively. In the same area post-glacial low-K calc-alkaline andesites, identified at Isla Cook, represent the southernmost Recent volcanism recorded so far in South America, about 400 km south of Monte Burney, previously known as the southernmost Recent volcano. The association of contemporaneous calc-alkaline and alkali volcanics suggests a subduction-related environment for the Miocene volcanism, and the Recent calc-alkaline volcanics indicate that currently there is a small component of subduction of the Antarctic Plate beneath the South American part of the Scotia Plate.     

Recent fold growth and drainage development: The Janauri and Chandigarh anticlines in the Siwalik foothills, northwest India

The active growth of a fault-and-thrust belt in frontal zones of Himalaya is a prominent topographical feature, extending 2500 km from Assam to Pakistan. In this paper, kinematical analysis of frontal anticlines and spatial mapping of active faults based on geomorphological features such as drainage pattern development, fault scarps and uplifted Quaternary alluvial fans are presented. We analyse the geomorphic and hydrographic expressions of the Chandigarh and the Janauri active anticlines in the NW India Siwaliks. To investigate the morphological scenario during the folding process, we used spatial imagery, geomorphometric parameters extracted from digital elevation models and fieldwork. Folding between the Beas and Sutlej Rivers gives clear geomorphological evidence of recent fold growth, presumably driven by movements of blind thrust faults. Structural style within the Janauri and Chandigarh anticlines is highly variable (fault-propagation folds, pop-up structures and transfer faults). The approach presented here involves analysis of topography and drainage incision of selected landforms to detect growth of active anticlines and transfer faults. Landforms that indicate active folding above a southwest-dipping frontal thrust and a northeast-dipping back-thrust are described. Along-strike differences in ridge morphology are measured to describe the interaction of river channel patterns with folds and thrust faults and to define history of anticline growth. The evolution of the apparently continuous Janauri ridge has occurred by the coalescence of independent segments growing towards each other. By contrast, systematic drainage basin asymmetry shows that the Chandigarh anticline ridge has propagated laterally from NW to SE.     

Questioning emissions-based approaches for the definition of REDD+ deforestation baselines in high forest cover/low deforestation countries

Background

REDD+?is being questioned by the particular status of High Forest/Low Deforestation countries. Indeed, the formulation of reference levels is made difficult by the confrontation of low historical deforestation records with the forest transition theory on the one hand. On the other hand, those countries might formulate incredibly high deforestation scenarios to ensure large payments even in case of inaction.

Results

Using a wide range of scenarios within the Guiana Shield, from methods involving basic assumptions made from past deforestation, to explicit modelling of deforestation using relevant socio-economic variables at the regional scale, we show that the most common methodologies predict huge increases in deforestation, unlikely to happen given the existing socio-economic situation. More importantly, it is unlikely that funds provided under most of these scenarios could compensate for the total cost of avoided deforestation in the region, including social and economic costs.

Conclusion

This study suggests that a useful and efficient international mechanism should really focus on removing the underlying political and socio-economic forces of deforestation rather than on hypothetical result-based payments estimated from very questionable reference levels.

     

Rockfalls: analysis of the block fragmentation through field experiments

Landslides - Fragmentation is a common feature of rockfall that exerts a strong control on the trajectories of the generated blocks, the impact energies, and the runout. In this paper, we present a...     

Effect of fines content on soil freezing characteristic curve of sandy soils

Acta Geotechnica - Soil freezing characteristic curve (SFCC) represents the relationship between soil temperature and unfrozen water content of soil during freezing and thawing processes. In this...     

Sediment delivery,resuspension, and transport in two contrasting canyon environments in the southwest Gulf of Lions

Multiple canyons incise the continental slope at the seaward edge of the continental shelf in the Gulf of Lions and are actively involved in the transfer of sediment from shelf to deep sea. Two canyons in the southwest region of the Gulf of Lions, Lacaze-Duthiers Canyon and Cap de Creus Canyon, were instrumented with bottom-boundary-layer tripods in their heads to evaluate the processes involved in sediment delivery, resuspension and transport. In both canyons, intense cold, dense-water flows carry sediment across the slope. In the Lacaze-Duthiers canyon head (located ∼35 km from the shoreline), dense-water cascading into the canyon was episodic. Currents were highly variable in the canyon head, and responded to interactions between the along-slope Northern Current and the sharp walls of the canyon. Inertial and other high-frequency fluctuations were associated with suspended-sediment concentrations of ∼5 mg/l. In Cap de Creus canyon head (located ∼14 km from the shoreline), downslope currents were higher in magnitude and more persistent than in Lacaze-Duthiers canyon head. Greater suspended-sediment concentrations (peaks up to 20 mg/l) were observed in Cap de Creus Canyon due to resuspension of the canyon seabed during dense-water cascading events. The similarities and contrasts between processes in these two canyon heads emphasize the importance of the interaction of currents with sharp canyon bathymetry. The data also suggest that cold, dense-water flows have more potential to carry sediment to the slope on narrow shelves, and may more efficiently transfer that sediment to the deep sea where a smooth transition between shelf and slope exists.     

A SEM-based method to determine the mineralogical composition and the particle size distribution of suspended sediment

A robust method for characterizing the mineralogy of suspended sediment in continental rivers is introduced. It encompasses 3 steps: the filtration of a few milliliters of water, measurements of X-ray energy dispersive spectra using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and robust machine learning tools of classification. The method is applied to suspended particles collected from various Amazonian rivers. A total of more than 204,000 particles were analyzed by SEM-EDXS (Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy), i.e. about 15,700 particles per sampling station, which lead to the identification of 15 distinct groups of mineralogical phases. The size distribution of particles collected on the filters was derived from the SEM micrographs taken in the backscattered electron imaging mode and analyzed with ImageJ freeware. The determination of the main mineralogical groups composing the bulk sediment associated with physical parameters such as particle size distribution or aspect ratio allows a precise characterization of the load of the terrigenous particles in rivers or lakes. In the case of the Amazonian rivers investigated, the results show that the identified mineralogies are consistent with previous studies as well as between the different samples collected. The method enabled the evolution of grain size distribution from fine to coarse material to be described in the water column. Implications about hydrodynamic sorting of mineral particles in the water column are also briefly discussed. The proposed method appears well suited for intensive routine monitoring of suspended sediment in river systems.     

Integrated Hydrological Modeling of Climate Change Impacts in a Snow-Influenced Catchment

The potential impact of climate change on water resources has been intensively studied for different regions and climates across the world. In regions where winter processes such as snowfall and melting play a significant role, anticipated changes in temperature might significantly affect hydrological systems. To address this impact, modifications have been made to the fully integrated surface-subsurface flow model HydroGeoSphere (HGS) to allow the simulation of snow accumulation and melting. The modified HGS model was used to assess the potential impact of climate change on surface and subsurface flow in the Saint-Charles River catchment, Quebec (Canada) for the period 2070 to 2100. The model was first developed and calibrated to reproduce observed streamflow and hydraulic heads for current climate conditions. The calibrated model was then used with three different climate scenarios to simulate surface flow and groundwater dynamics for the 2070 to 2100 period. Winter stream discharges are predicted to increase by about 80, 120, and 150% for the three scenarios due to warmer winters, leading to more liquid precipitation and more snowmelt. Conversely, the summer stream discharges are predicted to fall by about 10, 15, and 20% due to an increase in evapotranspiration. However, the annual mean stream discharge should remain stable (±0.1 m³/s). The predicted increase in hydraulic heads in winter may reach 15 m and the maximum decrease in summer may reach 3 m. Simulations show that winter processes play a key role in the seasonal modifications anticipated for surface and subsurface flow dynamics.