A multidisciplinary approach for rock spreading and block sliding investigation in the north-western coast of Malta

Landslides are widespread along the north-western coast of the Island of Malta and are strictly linked to the structural setting. Exemplary cases of rock spreading and block sliding phenomena characterise this stretch of coast. They are favoured by the overposition of two different geological units widely outcropping there, the Blue Clay Formation and the Upper Coralline Limestone Formation. The latter forms a wide plateau, bordered by vertical cliffs. At the foot of the cliffs, clayey terrains crop out and develop gentle slopes covered by large blocks detached and moved by rock spreading and block sliding phenomena. These mass movements are favoured by the fragile behaviour of limestones, which cap clays, otherwise characterised by visco-plastic properties. In order to investigate the kinematics and the evolution of these types of coastal landslides, a multidisciplinary and multitechnical approach was applied on a study site, named Il-Prajjet, which provides a spectacular case of rock spreading evolving into block sliding. This paper illustrates the results achieved by means of different engineering geological and geophysical techniques allied with traditional detailed geomorphological survey and mapping. In particular, the surface displacements of the landslides were determined using long-term GPS observations, acquired approximately every 6 months, over a 4.5-year period. A network of GPS benchmarks were distributed on the edge of a limestone plateau affected by rock spreading and on a series of displaced blocks making up a large block slide, finally enabling the definition of the state of activity and the rates of movement to be performed. In addition, the results deriving from two continuous fissurimeters more recently installed at the edge of two persistent joints over the block sliding area are outlined, with reference to the correlation between variations of crack apertures and precipitation input. In order to identify main structural discontinuities and to reconstruct variability of underground surface contact between clays and overlying limestones, Resistivity Tomography profiles and GPR investigations were carried out. Finally, the results obtained by combining the outputs of geophysical surveys and different field monitoring activities can be considered a first step on which numerical models can be developed and validated, in order to assess landslide hazard and risk of this stretch of Maltese coastline.     

Modelling of fractured carbonate reservoirs: outline of a novel technique via a case study from the Molasse Basin, southern Bavaria, Germany

Fluid flow in low-permeable carbonate rocks depends on the density of fractures, their interconnectivity and on the formation of fault damage zones. The present-day stress field influences the aperture hence the transmissivity of fractures whereas paleostress fields are responsible for the formation of faults and fractures. In low-permeable reservoir rocks, fault zones belong to the major targets. Before drilling, an estimate for reservoir productivity of wells drilled into the damage zone of faults is therefore required. Due to limitations in available data, a characterization of such reservoirs usually relies on the use of numerical techniques. The requirements of these mathematical models encompass a full integration of the actual fault geometry, comprising the dimension of the fault damage zone and of the fault core, and the individual population with properties of fault zones in the hanging and foot wall and the host rock. The paper presents both the technical approach to develop such a model and the property definition of heterogeneous fault zones and host rock with respect to the current stress field. The case study describes a deep geothermal reservoir in the western central Molasse Basin in southern Bavaria, Germany. Results from numerical simulations indicate that the well productivity can be enhanced along compressional fault zones if the interconnectivity of fractures is lateral caused by crossing synthetic and antithetic fractures. The model allows a deeper understanding of production tests and reservoir properties of faulted rocks.     

A Late Pleistocene transgression in Thailand: A marine molluscan fauna from Ban Praksa (Samut Prakan Province)

A Late Pleistocene molluscan fauna sampled at Ban Praksa, near the Chao Phraya River mouth (Lower Central Plain of Bangkok, Thailand) is herein analyzed and paleoecologically characterized, revealing a shallow infralittoral, coarse/hard-bottomed environment. The comparison of the Ban Praksa association with several coeval ones recovered from Phra Pradaeng Formation seems to be evidence of a 10,000 year hiatus between two separate groups of marine faunas, possibly belonging to different interstadial transgressive peaks that occurred during the long-term sea-level regression following the Last Interglacial.     

UVB solar radiation climatology for Mexico

The measurement of solar B band Ultraviolet radiation (UVB) should be considered a priority in Mexico due to implications on public health throughout the country (total population, 108 million), but this is not carried out at present. Installed sensors cover only 0.12% of the country. However, there are alternative methods for estimating UVB radiation to overcome the lack of surface data. The most successful of these are based on the use of satellites for environmental monitoring. In the present work, UVB maps are constructed for the entire country using a single, daily satellite measurement of UVB at solar noon from 1978-2003. Satellite-derived values are compared with the ground measurements by a surface station located in Mexico City in order to validate the former. Wavelet spectrum analysis is employed to this end. A close correlation is observed between the two sets of data. Moreover, there is qualitative correspondence between the spatial distribution of the satellite-derived data and the surface topography. The difference resulting throughout the period mentioned is <2% of the average annual cumulative energy.     

Sponge spicules indicate Holocene environmental changes on the Nabileque River floodplain, southern Pantanal, Brazil

Sponge spicules are siliceous microfossils that are especially useful for analysis of sandy fluvio-lacustrine sediments. Sponge spicules in a long sediment core (~550 cm below surface), consisting of fine sand, sandy silt, and organic-rich mud, recovered from the floodplain of the Nabileque River, southern Pantanal, Brazil (S20°16′38.3″/W57°33′00.0″), form the basis of a novel paleoenvironmental interpretation for this region. Optically stimulated luminescence dates constrain the timing of deposition to the middle-late Holocene and all spicules identified are typical of the Brazilian cerrado biome. The base of the section is dominated by Oncosclera navicella Carter 1881, Metania spinata Carter 1881, and Corvospongilla seckti Bonetto and Ezcurra de Drago 1966, which indicate a lotic to semi-lotic environment strongly influenced by an actively meandering river channel at ~6.7–5.7 ka BP. The appearance of Heterorotula fistula Volkmer-Ribeiro and Motta 1995, Dosilia pydanieli Volkmer-Ribeiro 1992 and Radiospongilla amazonensis Volkmer-Ribeiro and Maciel 1983 at ~340 cm downcore suggests a reduction in flowing water and a more stable lentic environment, consistent with deposition in an oxbow lake. This oxbow lake environment existed during an interval of regional aridity between ~4.5 and 3.9 ka BP. Spicules, as well as phytoliths and diatoms, are highly variable moving up-section, with species from both lotic and lentic ecosystems present. Above ~193 cm, the total abundance of spicules declines, consistent with wetter climate conditions and development of an underfit river similar to the modern floodplain. Results support hypotheses related to migration of the Paraguay River inferred from geomorphological studies and add a key southern-region dataset to the emerging Holocene database of paleoenvironmental records from the Pantanal wetlands.