A study on the interpretation of spontaneous potential and resistivity logs in layered aquifer sequence of Pondicherry Region,South India

Geophysical logs provide a strong mechanism for interpretation and determination of the depositional environments, facies and also help in interpretations of hydrogeologic units. Spontaneous potential (SP) and resistivity logs can be used as an indicator of textural parameters. Pondicherry region has a complicated geology and with formation of different ages. The boreholes (BH) of this region are examined for litholog, SP and resistivity from four different BH locations, viz, Ariyankuppam, Chinnaverampattinam, Thavalakuppam and Nallavadu. These locations were studied and interpreted by using the shapes of the curves to identify the depositional environments, and this was later compared with the vertical litholog profile. Comparing the variation of these logs, the lateral variation of sedimentary facies was also attempted. The average resistivity values of Ariyankuppam, Chinnaverampattinam, Thavalakuppam and Nallavadu are 42.4, 30.4, 50.4 and 28.3?Ωm, respectively. Majority of the resistivity values corresponds from fine- to medium-grained sand, clayey pebbles, fine to very coarse sand and clayey sand with lignite. Frequency of resistivity values in each BH were identified for determining the dominant representative grain size. The study has pointed out the lithological variation of the system laterally and vertically using geophysical well logs.     

Preliminary results of seismic hazard assessment in the Sannio-Matese area of Southern Italy

The seismic hazard in the Sannio-Matese area has been worked out by a modification of the McGuire (1976) computing programme, taking into account the influence of nine potential seismic source zones.The method uses truncated-quadratic intensity-frequency distribution and azimuth-dependent intensity attenuation derived from isoseismal maps for each of the seismogenetic sources. A new modification has been introduced to take into account different decay of the intensity in the near (to VIII degree) and far (from VIII degree) field.Different assumptions about maximum possible intensities and truncation of intensity-frequency laws are used to evaluate the effects of the uncertainties on the computed hazard at high intensities. Intensities associated with different level of annual probability are computed for five test sites in the considered area. Maps displaying the expected intensity for a mean return period of 500 years (pa 0.002) are presented and compared with observed intensities.Presented at the XXIst General Assembly of the European Seismological Commission, Symposium on Methods of Seismic Hazard Assessment in Europe, Sofia, 23–27 August 1988.     

Prograde amphiboles in hematite-bearing basic and quartz schists in the Sanbagawa belt, central Shikoku: relationship between metamorphic field gradient and P-T paths of individual rocks

The prograde amphibole that coexists with chlorite, epidote, muscovite, albite, quartz and hematite in Sanbagawa schists was examined to investigate the relationship between the prograde P-T paths of individual rocks and the metamorphic field gradient in the Sanbagawa metamorphic belt, central Shikoku. The amphibole changes from actinolite, through ferri-winchite and crossite, to barroisite and hornblende with increasing grade along the metamorphic field gradient. However, the sequence of prograde amphibole compositions in each sample varies in different mineral zones. The general scheme can be summarized as: magnesioriebeckite-riebeckite crossite in the upper chlorite zone of lower-grade rocks; crossite or glaucophane barroisite in the garnet zone of medium-grade rocks; and actinolite or winchite barroisite hornblende in the albite-biotite zone of higher-grade rocks. Changes of amphibole composition indicate that the prograde P-T path recorded in the higher-grade rocks was situated on the higher-temperature side of that of the lower-grade rocks and on the lower-pressure side of the metamorphic field gradient. The systematic change of P-T paths implies an increasing d P /d T during continuous subduction. These features can be interpreted as documenting prograde metamorphism within a young subduction zone that has a non-steady-state geotherm.     

Eolian evidence for spatial variability of late Quaternary climates in tropical Africa

Study of the eolian fraction of late Quaternary sediments from the tropical Atlantic reveals that two modes of long-term climate variability have existed in tropical Africa during the last 150,000 yr. Tropical northwest Africa (i.e., the southwestern Sahara and Sahel) was driest during glaciations and stades, but wetter than at present during interglaciations and interstades. This may be a response to ice sheets at higher latitudes, via equatorward displacement of the westerlies and the subtropical high. In contrast, central equatorial Africa (southeast of the Sahara) was most arid during interstades and times of ice growth, and most humid during deglaciation. Wet periods in this area correspond to insolation maxima in northern hemisphere summer. A 23,000-yr precessional rhythm is suggested, supporting a direct link between African Monsoon intensity and orbitally modulated insolation. The late Holocene is the only time observed when both areas are arid during an interglacial episode. This may reflect, in part, anthropogenic disturbance of late Holocene climates.     

Climate proxies from Sr/Ca of coccolith calcite: calibrations from continuous culture of Emiliania huxleyi

Continuous culture of the coccolithophorid Emiliania huxleyi reveals that coccolith Sr/Ca ratios depend on temperature and growth rate. At a constant temperature of 18°C, coccolith Sr/Ca ratios increased nearly 15% as growth rate increased from 0.1 to 1.5 divisions per day and calcification rate increased from 1.5 to 50 pg calcite per cell per day. When temperature increased from 7 to 26°C, Sr/Ca ratios increased by more than 25% (i.e., 1%/1°C), although the range in growth and calcification rates was the same as for experiments at constant temperature. The temperature dependence of Sr/Ca ratios in coccoliths is consistent with that observed in planktonic foraminifera and abiogenic calcites, suggesting that it is controlled by thermodynamic processes. However, the positive correlation of coccolith Sr/Ca with temperature contrasts with field studies in the equatorial Pacific, where Sr/Ca ratios are highest at the locus of maximum upwelling and productivity despite depressed temperatures. This paradox may reflect different calcification rate effects between E. huxleyi and the other species dominating assemblages in the equatorial Pacific sediments, which may be resolved by new techniques for separation of monospecific coccolith samples from sediments. Models of crystal growth indicate that kinetic effects on Sr partitioning in calcite due to surface enrichment could explain the Sr/Ca variations observed in constant temperature experiments but not the larger amplitude calcification rate effects observed in equatorial Pacific sediments. Despite the dual influence of temperature and growth rate on coccolith Sr/Ca, coccolith Sr/Ca correlates with “b,” the slope of the dependence of carbon isotope fractionation in biomarkers (ε_p) on CO₂(aq) at a range of growth rates and temperatures. Consequently, using coccolith Sr/Ca in combination with alkenone ε_p may improve paleo-CO₂ determinations.     

Meteorological waves (by Ocean Color Scanner Data)

Data of normalized water leaving radiance at a wavelength 859 nm Lwn(859) of 250-m spatial resolution obtained from Moderate Ocean Color Scanners (MODIS) installed on Aqua and Terra satellites were used to study meteorological waves. These waves are caused by atmospheric internal gravity waves at the expense of a change of atmospheric pressure impacting the sea surface and bringing a change in its level; they are observable everywhere in the ocean. Examples of meteorological waves were considered for the eastern part of the Black Sea, where they appeared as stripes of alternate brightness on Lwn(859) images. It is shown that meteorological waves at one and the same place can be totally generated by atmospheric waves spreading at different heights of the lower troposphere. The 3D characteristics of meteorological waves were evaluated including the direction of wave propagation, crest length reaching more than one hundred kilometers, wavelength of several tens centimeters, and wave amplitude of several tens of centimeters. For conditions of intermittent cloudiness, imposition in a difference mode of the level L1b radiance image with the signature of atmospheric waves in a cloud and of the level L2 water leaving the radiance image with the signature of meteorological waves enabled us to examine the phase structure of waves and to reveal the existence of resonance.     

Zircon trace element characteristics and ages in granulite xenoliths: a key to understanding the age and origin of the lower crust,Arkhangelsk kimberlite province,Russia

Garnet granulite and pyroxenite xenoliths from the Grib kimberlite pipe (Arkhangelsk, NW Russia) represent the lower crust beneath Russian platform in close vicinity to the cratonic region of the north-eastern Baltic (Fennoscandian) Shield. Many of the xenoliths have experienced strong interaction with the kimberlite host, but in others some primary granulite-facies minerals are preserved. Calculated bulk compositions for the granulites suggest that their protoliths were basic to intermediate igneous rocks; pyroxenites were ultrabasic to basic cumulates. A few samples are probably metasedimentary in origin. Zircons are abundant in the xenoliths; they exhibit complex zoning in cathodoluminescence with relic cores and various metamorphic rims. Cores include oscillatory zircon crystallized in magmatic protoliths, and metamorphic and magmatic sector-zoned zircons. Recrystallization of older zircons led to the formation of bright homogeneous rims. In some samples, homogeneous shells are surrounded by darker convoluted overgrowths that were formed by subsolidus growth when a change in mineral association occurred. The source of Zr was a phase consumed during a reaction, which produced garnet. Late-generation zircons in all xenoliths show concordant U–Pb ages of 1.81–1.84 Ga (1,826 ± 11 Ma), interpreted as the age of last granulite-facies metamorphism. This event completely resets most zircon cores. An earlier metamorphic event at 1.96–1.94 Ga is recorded by some rare cores, and a few magmatic oscillatory zircons have retained a Neoarchaean age of 2,719 ± 14 Ma. The assemblage of metaigneous and metasedimentary rocks was probably formed before the event at 1.96 Ga. Inherited magmatic zircons indicate the existence of continental crust by the time of intrusion of magmatic protoliths in the Late Archaean. The U–Pb zircon ages correspond to major events recorded in upper crustal rocks of the region: collisional metamorphism and magmatism 2.7 Ga ago and reworking of Archaean rocks at around 1.95–1.75 Ga. However, formation of the granulitic paragenesis in lower crustal rocks occurred significantly later than the last granulite-facies event seen in the upper crust and correlates instead with retrograde metamorphism and small-volume magmatism in the upper crust.