Geochronology of unconformity-related uranium deposits in the Athabasca Basin,Saskatchewan, Canada and their integration in the evolution of the basin

The importance of geochronology in the study of mineral deposits in general, and of unconformity-type uranium deposits in particular, resides in the possibility to situate the critical ore-related processes in the context of the evolution of the physical and chemical conditions in the studied area. The present paper gives the results of laser step heating ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of metamorphic host-rock minerals, pre-ore and syn-ore alteration clay minerals, and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (LA-ICP-MS) U/Pb dating of uraninite from a number of basement- and sediment-hosted unconformity-related deposits in the Athabasca Basin, Canada. Post-peak metamorphic cooling during the Trans-Hudson Orogen of rocks from the basement occurred at ca 1,750 Ma and gives a maximum age for the formation of the overlying Athabasca Basin. Pre-ore alteration occurred simultaneously in both basement- and sandstone-hosted mineralizations at ca 1,675 Ma, as indicated by the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of pre-ore alteration illite and chlorite. The uranium mineralization age is ca 1,590 Ma, given by LA-ICP-MS U/Pb dating of uraninite and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of syn-ore illite, and is the same throughout the basin and in both basement- and sandstone-hosted deposits. The mineralization event, older than previously proposed, as well as several fluid circulation events that subsequently affected all minerals studied probably correspond to far-field, continent-wide tectonic events such as the metamorphic events in Wyoming and the Mazatzal Orogeny (ca 1.6 to 1.5 Ga), the Berthoud Orogeny (ca 1.4 Ga), the emplacement of the McKenzie mafic dyke swarms (ca 1.27 Ga), the Grenville Orogeny (ca 1.15 to 1 Ga), and the assemblage and break-up of Rodinia (ca 1 to 0.85 Ga). The results of the present work underline the importance of basin evolution between ca 1.75 Ga (basin formation) and ca 1.59 Ga (ore deposition) for understanding the conditions necessary for the formation of unconformity-type uranium deposits. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

40Ar–39Ar dating of volcanogenic products from the AND-2A core (ANDRILL Southern McMurdo Sound Project, Antarctica): correlations with the Erebus Volcanic Province and implications for the age model of the core

The AND-2A drillcore (Antarctic Drilling Program—ANDRILL) was successfully completed in late 2007 on the Antarctic continental margin (Southern McMurdo Sound, Ross Sea) with the aim of tracking ice proximal to shallow marine environmental fluctuations and to document the 20-Ma evolution of the Erebus Volcanic Province. Lava clasts and tephra layers from the AND-2A drillcore were investigated from a petrographic and stratigraphic point of view and analyzed by the ⁴⁰Ar–³⁹Ar laser technique in order to constrain the age model of the core and to gain information on the style and nature of sediment deposition in the Victoria Land Basin since Early Miocene. Ten out of 17 samples yielded statistically robust ⁴⁰Ar–³⁹Ar ages, indicating that the AND-2A drillcore recovered ≤230 m of Middle Miocene (∼128–358 m below sea floor, ∼11.5–16.0 Ma) and >780 m of Early Miocene (∼358–1093 m below sea floor, ∼16.0–20.1 Ma). Results also highlight a nearly continuous stratigraphic record from at least 358 m below sea floor down hole, characterized by a mean sedimentation rate of ∼19 cm/ka, possible oscillations of no more than a few hundreds of ka and a break within ∼17.5–18.1 Ma. Comparison with available data from volcanic deposits on land, suggests that volcanic rocks within the AND-2A core were supplied from the south, possibly with source areas closer to the drill site for the upper core levels, and from 358 m below sea floor down hole, with the “proto-Mount Morning” as the main source.     

Basin evolution,diagenesis and uranium mineralization in the Paleoproterozic Thelon Basin,Nunavut, Canada

The Paleoproterozoic (Statherian) Thelon Basin is located in the Churchill Province of the Canadian Shield, formed following the Trans‐Hudson Orogeny. Basin formation followed an interval of felsic volcanism and weathering of underlying bedrock. The diagenetic evolution of the Thelon lasted about one billion years and was punctuated by fluid movement influenced by tectonic events. Early quartz cements formed in well‐sorted, quartz‐rich facies during diagenetic stage 1; fluids in which these overgrowths formed had δ¹⁸O values near 0‰ (Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water). Uranium‐rich apatite cement (P1) also formed during diagenetic stage 1 indicating that oxygenated, uranium‐bearing pore water was present in the basin early in its diagenetic history. Syntaxial quartz cement (Q1) formed in water with δ¹⁸O from ?4 to ?0.8‰ in diagenetic stage 2. Diagenetic stage 3 occurred when the Thelon Formation was at ca. 5 km depth, and was marked by extensive illitization, alteration of detrital grains, and uranium mineralization. Basin‐wide, illite crystallized at ～200 °C by fluids with δ¹⁸O values of 5–9‰ and δD values of ?60 to ?31‰, consistent with evolved basinal brines. Tectonism caused by the accretion of Nena at ca. 1600 Ma may have provided the mechanism for brine movement during deep burial. Diagenetic stage 4 is associated with fracturing and emplacement of mafic dikes at ca. 1300 Ma, quartz cement (Q3) in fractures and vugs, further illitization, and recrystallization of uraninite (U2). Q3 cements have fluid inclusions that suggest variable salinities, δ¹⁸O values of 1.5–9‰, and δD values of ?97 to ?83‰ for stage 4 brines. K‐feldspar and Mg‐chlorite formed during diagenetic stage 5 at ca. 1000 Ma in upper stratigraphic sequences, and in the west. These phases precipitated from low‐temperature, isotopically distinct fluids. Their distribution indicates that the basin hydrostratigraphy remained partitioned for >600 Ma.     

Particle acceleration in flares

Particle acceleration is intrinsic to the primary energy release in the impulsive phase of solar flares, and we cannot understand flares without understanding acceleration. New observations in soft and hard X-rays, -rays and coherent radio emissions are presented, suggesting flare fragmentation in time and space. X-ray and radio measurements exhibit at least five different time scales in flares. In addition, some new observations of delayed acceleration signatures are also presented. The theory of acceleration by parallel electric fields is used to model the spectral shape and evolution of hard X-rays. The possibility of the appearance of double layers is further investigated.Report of Team 3, Flares 22 Workshop, Ottawa, May 25–28, 1993.     

Seismotectonic database of Turkey

Turkey is located in one of the most seismically active regions in the world. Characterizing seismic source zones in this region requires evaluation and integration of geological, geophysical, seismological and geodetical data. This first seismotectonic database for Turkey presented herein was prepared, under the framework of the National Earthquake Strategy and Action Plan—2023. The geographic information system (GIS)-based database includes maps of active faults, catalogues of instrumental and historical earthquakes, moment tensor solutions and data on crustal thickness. On the basis of these data, 18 major seismotectonic zones were delineated for Turkey and the surrounding region. The compilation and storage of the seismotectonic data sets in a digital GIS will allow analyses and systematic updates as new data accrete over time.     

Tetrachloroethene Release and Degradation During Combined ERH and Sodium Persulfate Oxidation

Electrical resistance heating (ERH) is a thermal treatment technology that involves passing electrical current through soil to increase subsurface temperatures. In addition to volatizing and recovering contaminant mass in the gas phase, heating the subsurface has the potential to decompose contaminants by increasing the rate of degradation reactions. Prior laboratory studies using convective heating demonstrated that the rate of tetrachloroethene (PCE) degradation was not sufficient to cause substantial in situ PCE mass destruction. However, similar experiments have not been performed using ERH, which has the potential to degrade PCE in reaction with the heating electrodes and electrochemically. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the extent of PCE degradation during thermal treatment of PCE‐contaminated soil using a bench‐scale ERH system. The contaminated soil, a silty clay loam, was collected from a single borehole at a former dry cleaning facility prior to undergoing ERH treatment. After 30 days of ERH, 52% of the initial PCE mass was recovered, potentially indicating that 48% of the PCE was degraded during ERH. Although potential degradation products such as carbon dioxide were observed, their presence was attributed to the degradation of soil organic carbon and carbonates rather than PCE destruction. A second ERH experiment was conducted to assess the potential benefit of adding the heat‐activated oxidant, sodium‐persulfate, during treatment. After 19 days of ERH and three persulfate injections, 93% of the initial PCE was recovered, with 3% PCE destruction based on chloride evolution. However, the difference in mass recovery between the first and second experiments could have been due to differences in the initial mass of PCE, even though soil from the same core was used in both experiments. The results of this work suggest that the majority of mass recovered during ERH of the PCE‐contaminated soil at the former dry cleaning facility will be due to volatilization and gas phase extraction rather than abiotic degradation, even with the addition of sodium persulfate.     

Channel‐planform evolution in four rivers of Olympic National Park,Washington, USA: the roles of physical drivers and trophic cascades

Identifying the relative contributions of physical and ecological processes to channel evolution remains a substantial challenge in fluvial geomorphology. We use a 74‐year aerial photographic record of the Hoh, Queets, Quinault, and Elwha Rivers, Olympic National Park, Washington, USA, to investigate whether physical or trophic‐cascade‐driven ecological factors – excessive elk impacts after wolves were extirpated a century ago – are the dominant drivers of channel planform in these gravel‐bed rivers. We find that channel width and braiding show strong relationships with recent flood history. All four rivers widened significantly after having been relatively narrow in the 1970s, consistent with increased flood activity since then. Channel planform also reflects sediment‐supply changes, evident from landslide response on the Elwha River. We surmise that the Hoh River, which shows a multi‐decadal trend toward greater braiding, is adjusting to increased sediment supply associated with rapid glacial retreat. These rivers demonstrate transmission of climatic signals through relatively short sediment‐routing systems that lack substantial buffering by sediment storage. Legacy effects of anthropogenic modification likely also affect the Quinault River planform. We infer no correspondence between channel evolution and elk abundance, suggesting that trophic‐cascade effects in this setting are subsidiary to physical controls on channel morphology. Our findings differ from previous interpretations of Olympic National Park fluvial dynamics and contrast with the classic example of Yellowstone National Park, where legacy effects of elk overuse are apparent in channel morphology; we attribute these differences to hydrologic regime and large‐wood availability. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA     

中德合作三江源区和甜水海地区多年冻土退化过程科学考察和研究进展

为准确了解青藏高原多年冻土退化过程及其环境效应,中国科学院寒区旱区环境与工程研究所和德国海德堡大学环境物理研究所共同组成科研小组,先后对我国三江源区、西昆仑甜水海地区进行了多年冻土退化过程的前期勘察研究工作.首次在人烟稀少的玉树-不冻泉沿线等地建立了3个长期综合观测研究站.在技术手段上,除应用常规的坑探、水土取样、水分现场观测、地面调查外,主要应用了最新的双天线、多回路探地雷达勘测技术,对不同地貌条件下的活动层结构特征、上限附近冻土结构、冷生组构等诸多方面进行了快速勘察,同时还进行了水分场分布规律、盐份迁移过程的初步研究.研究结果表明:地表景观特征对热质迁移规律、地温场具有重要影响;青藏高原新疆甜水海地区的低温(<-4℃)冻土与高原东部和腹地的高温(>-1℃)冻土在地质背景和地下冰发育情况等方面有所区别;甜水海地区生态环境在过去30多年的时间里已发生重大改变:地表植被发生大面积退化,地表普遍发生不同程度盐渍化;在该地区发现大量小型冻胀丘、石环等冰缘现象的存在.探地雷达勘察结果显示,地表地貌单元、植被分布、地表水分条件的变化均对多年冻土上限变化和地下冰的赋存产生重要影响.     

Evaluating ice‐rafted debris as a proxy for glacier calving in Upernavik Isfjord,NW Greenland

Records of ice‐rafted debris (IRD) in sediments are commonly used as a proxy for iceberg production and to reconstruct past changes of glacier stability. However, the interpretation of IRD is complex as multiple processes modulate its variability. This study investigates the relationship between IRD variability and glaciological change by measuring IRD records from Upernavik Fjord and comparing these to frontal positions of Upernavik Isstrøm during the past century. Results show that the spatial variability of IRD deposition throughout the fjord is high, indicating that randomness inherent to IRD distorts the calving signal. However, we investigate whether IRD records can be combined to improve the reconstruction, as previously suggested, and show the importance of core site selection and number of cores on this approach. The outer‐fjord core compares relatively well to the observed front positions and this is reflected in the composite record: increased IRD deposition in 1937–1946, 1968–1980, and 1996–1999 occurred during periods of faster retreat. Comparison with climatic records shows that the calving episodes in the late ‘30 s/early ‘40 s and late ‘90 s are related to warm ocean and air temperatures, whereas intensified retreat and calving during the ‘70 s reflects partly an internal glacier response to the fjord geometry.