Impact of the water salinity on the hydraulic conductivity of fen peat

Coastal peatlands represent an interface between marine and terrestrial ecosystems; their hydrology is affected by salt and fresh water inflow alike. Previous studies on bog peat have shown that pore water salinity can have an impact on the saturated hydraulic conductivity (K_s) of peat because of chemical pore dilation effects. In this study, we aimed at quantifying the impact of higher salinities (up to 3.5% NaCl) on K_s of fen peat. Two experiments employing a constant‐head upward‐flow permeameter and differing in measurement and salinity change duration were conducted. Additionally, a third experiment to determine the impact of water salinity on the release of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) of the studied peat type was carried out. The results show a decrease of K_s with time, which does not depend on the water salinity but is differently shaped for different peat types. We assume pore clogging due to a conglomerate of physical, chemical, and biological processes, which rather depend on water movement rate and time than on water salinity. However, an increased water salinity did increase the DOC release. We conclude that salinity‐dependent behaviour of K_s is a function of peat chemistry and that for some peat types, salinity may only affect the DOC release without having a pronounced impact on water flow.     

Analytical solution for transient groundwater flow during slug test in vertical cutoff walls

An analysis method for transient groundwater flow during slug tests performed in vertical cutoff walls is presented. The analytical solution for evaluating hydraulic conductivity of vertical cutoff walls is derived by applying the method of images to the previously developed analytical solution that is exclusively applicable to an infinite aquifer. Two distinct boundary conditions are considered to account for the configuration of the vertical cutoff wall: the wall‐soil formation interfaces with or without the existence of filter cakes, that is, constant‐head boundary and no‐flux boundary conditions. A series of type curves is constructed from the analytical solution and compared with those of a partially penetrated well within an aquifer. The constant‐head boundary condition provides faster hydraulic head recovery than the aquifer case. On the other hand, the no‐flux boundary condition leads to a delayed hydraulic head recovery. The greater the shape factor and well offset from the center of the cutoff wall, and the smaller the width of the cutoff wall, the greater the effect of the boundary condition observed in the type curves. This result shows the significance of considering proper boundary conditions at the vertical cutoff wall in analyzing slug tests. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Raman spectroscopy of olivine in dunite experimentally shocked to pressures between 5 and 59 GPa

Abstract— Previous Raman investigations on experimentally shocked ingle‐crystal olivine indicated that the olivine Raman bands seemingly shift to a higher wave number with increasing shock pressure. If this effect could be confirmed, Raman analysis of natural shock‐metamorphosed minerals could potentially provide an important shock barometric tool. We carried out a Raman spectroscopic study on olivine in a series of natural dunite samples experimentally shocked to pressures between 5 and 59 GPa. In addition, we analyzed olivine grains in a sample of the Cold Bokkeveld C1 meteorite. We studied samples of several dunites with olivine of 90.64–92.00 mole% Fo to determine Raman effects in the region from 200 to 900 cm^?1. Several olivine grains per sample/shock pressure stage were analyzed. Raman analysis, however, showed little or no shift with increasing shock pressure. The shifts to higher or lower frequencies observed were not specific for a given pressure stage, with some grains within a sample showing more shift than others. This finding is unrelated to the crystallographic orientation of analyzed grains and cannot be related systematically to the different degrees of optically determined shock metamorphism of the analyzed grains. We identified an increase in full width at half maximum (FWHM) for the 824 cm^?1 band with increased shock pressure in the shocked Åheim samples above 45 GPa and, to a lesser extent, for the 856 cm^?1 band. Evaluation of band broadening of olivine in the Cold Bokkeveld meteorite showed FWHM values that were much greater (9–20 cm^?1) than those of olivine in the shocked dunite samples (7–12 cm^?1). We concluded that these differences in FWHM are due to differences in chemical composition between the meteoritic and the experimentally shocked olivine. Therefore, using Raman spectroscopy to detect small shifts in wave numbers to higher frequencies with increased shock pressure does not yield consistent effects for polycrystalline dunite. An extra band at 650 cm^?1 was identified in the Raman spectra of the unshocked Mooihoek dunite and the Åheim dunite samples shocked to 5, 29.3, and 59 GPa, as well as another at 696 cm^?1 in all the spectra of the 59 GPa Åheim sample. The cause of these extra bands is not known. Comparison of these results with Raman spectra of olivine from the Cold Bokkeveld C1 meteorite did not allow us to determine shock pressures for the meteoritic olivine.     

Sulfide mineralogy and redox conditions in some shergottites

Abstract— Magmatic sulfide mineralogy has been studied in 2 olivine‐phyric shergottites (DaG 476 and SaU 005) and 4 basaltic shergottites (Zagami, Shergotty, Los Angeles, and NWA 480). Modal abundances of magmatic sulfides, as estimated by image analysis on thin section, are high (0.16 to 0.53 area percent) and correlate positively with abundances of Fe‐Ti oxides. Sulfides are mesostasis minerals, being mostly interstitial grains or locally enclosed in post‐cumulus melt inclusions (e.g., SaU 005) in olivine. Sulfides in shergottites are composed of major pyrrhotite containing pentlandite exsolutions associated with minor amounts of Cu sulfides (chalcopyrite and/or cubanite). Hot desert finds (e.g., DaG 476) show abundant fracture‐filling iron (oxy)hydroxides of probable terrestrial origin. Unaltered sulfides show metal‐rich hexagonal pyrrhotite compositions with metal/sulfur (M/S) ratio ranging between 0.936 ± 0.005 and 0.962 ± 0.01. This compositional range corresponds to the two‐phase structural domain 2C + nC of the Fe‐S system; however, the high‐temperature disordered hexagonal 1C pyrrhotite structure would be in better agreement with magnetic properties of shergottites. Ni contents in pyrrhotite increase from Los Angeles (<0.05 at%) to Shergotty, Zagami, and NWA 480 (0.2–0.5 at%), and DaG 476 and SaU 005 (up to 3 at%). The higher Ni values of pyrrhotite in olivine‐phyric shergottites correlate with the abundance of pentlandite exsolutions, both reflecting more primitive Ni‐rich sulfide liquids where abundant olivine crystallized. This result and the strong correlation between sulfide abundances and Fe‐Ti oxides argue for a primary magmatic origin of these sulfides. Although they reproduce the trend of magmatic oxygen fugacity conditions determined from Fe‐Ti oxide pairs, observed pyrrhotite compositions are systematically more metal‐deficient compared to those calculated from the Fe‐S‐O system. This suggests post‐magmatic oxidation during cooling on Mars, followed by terrestrial weathering for hot desert finds.     

Weathering of meteorites from Oman: Correlation of chemical and mineralogical weathering proxies with 14C terrestrial ages and the influence of soil chemistry

Abstract— Fifty‐four fragments of ordinary chondrites from 50 finds representing all searched areas in central Oman and all weathering stages were selected to compare the physical, chemical, and mineralogical effect of terrestrial weathering with ¹⁴C terrestrial ages. ¹⁴C ages range from 2.0 to >49 kyr with a median value of 17.9 kyr. The peak of the age range, which is between 10–20 kyr, falls in an arid climate period. A comparison of the chemical composition of Omani chondrites with literature data for unweathered H and L chondrites demonstrates a strong enrichment in Sr and Ba, and depletion in S during weathering. Water contents in H chondrites increase with terrestrial age, whereas L chondrites show a rapid initial increase followed by nearly constant water content. Correlating Sr, Ba, and H₂O with age indicates two absorption trends: i) an initial alteration within the first 20 kyr dominated by H₂O uptake, mainly reflecting Fe‐Ni metal alteration, and ii) a second Ba‐and Sr‐dominated stage correlated with slower and less systematic weathering of troilite that starts after H₂O reaches ?2 wt%. Sulfur released from troilite partly combines with Ba and Sr to form sulfate minerals. Other parameters correlated with ¹⁴C age are degree of weathering, color of powdered meteorites, and the Ni/Fe ratio. Chemical analyses of 145 soils show a high degree of homogeneity over the entire interior Oman Desert, indicating large‐scale mixing by wind. Soil samples collected from beneath meteorite finds typically are enriched in Ni and Co, confirming mobilization from the meteorites. High Cr and Ni concentrations in reference soil samples, which decrease from NE to SW, are due to detrital material from ultramafic rocks of the Oman Mountains.     

The Gash Breccias of the Pembroke Peninsula,SW Wales

The thickest development of Carboniferous Limestone in Great Britain (about 1200 m) is in the Pembroke Peninsula of SW Wales. In various places, the regularity of the normally well‐stratified limestone is broken by zones of disturbance, which are spectacularly displayed in magnificent near‐vertical cliff sections. The zones generally occupy the whole of the 50 m‐high cliffs and are up to 300 m wide. The chief component of these zones is a chaotic, clast‐supported breccia, composed of angular limestone fragments welded together with varying degrees of firmness by sparry calcite veining or a normally sparse, red‐pink sandy or silty matrix. The breccias are very easy to distinguish and form a striking contrast to the grey cliff scenery hereabouts ( Figs 1, 2 ), yet they have not been discussed much—until now.

Figure 1 Open in figure viewer PowerPoint Location map, showing localities mentioned in the text, the outcrop of the Carboniferous Limestone, the chief synclinal axes and the distribution envelope of the Gash Breccias (after Thomas 1971 ). 1. Flimston Bay; 2. Bullslaughter Bay (west); 3. Bullslaughter bay (east); 4. Trevallen; 5. Box Bay; 6. Draught; 7. Whitesheet Rock; 8. Lydstep Point; 9. St Margaret's Point; 10. Den Point; 11. Valleyfield Top; 12. Pembroke Castle.     

Submarine reworking of exhumed subcontinental mantle rocks: field evidence from the Lherz peridotites,French Pyrenees

In the Pyrenees, the lherzolites nowhere occur as continuous units. Rather, they always outcrop as restricted bodies, never more than 3 km wide, scattered across Mesozoic sedimentary units along the North Pyrenean Fault. We report the results of a detailed analysis of the geological setting of the Lherz massif (central Pyrenees), the type‐locality of lherzolites and one of the most studied occurrences of mantle rocks worldwide. The Lherz body is only 1.5 km long and belongs to a series of ultramafic bodies of restricted size (a few metres to some hundreds of metres), occurring within sedimentary formations composed mostly of carbonate breccias originating from the reworking of Mesozoic platform limestones and dolomites. The clastic formations also include numerous layers of polymictic breccias reworking lherzolitic clasts. These layers are found far from any lherzolitic body, implying that lherzolitic clasts cannot derive from the in situ fragmentation of an ultramafic body alone, but might also have been transported far away from their sources by sedimentary processes. A detailed analysis of the contacts between the Lherz ultramafic body and the surrounding limestones confirms that there is no fault contact and that sediments composed of ultramafic material have been emplaced into fissures within the brecciated carapace of the peridotites. These observations bear important constraints for the mode of emplacement of the lherzolite bodies. We infer that mantle exhumation may have occurred during Albian strike‐slip deformation linked to the rotation of Iberia along the proto‐North Pyrenean Fault.     

Linking sedimentation rates and large‐scale architecture for facies prediction in nonmarine basins (Paleogene,Almazán Basin,Spain)

This article focuses on the relationships between the large‐scale stratigraphic architecture of the Almazán basin infill and the sedimentation rates (SR) calculated for precise time intervals. Our aim was to improve the understanding of the timing and causes of the architectural changes, their significance in terms of accommodation space and sediment supply and their relationship with climate and tectonics. The study area includes the Gómara fluvial fan, the main sediment transfer system of the Almazán basin during Paleogene times. Its large‐scale architecture shifted through time between a stacking pattern of low density ribbon‐like and high density sheet‐like channel fills. Laterally to the fluvial system, mudstone and evaporitic mudstone units represented evaporitic mudflats which passed laterally into palustrine/lacustrine limestone units interpreted as lakes and ponds. Stacked calcretes occurred in distal alluvial and distal floodplain settings. A magnetostratigraphy encompassing 2600 m guided by available fossil mammal biochronology has provided a temporal framework that spans the complete Paleogene infill of the basin, from Late Lutetian to Late Oligocene, filling a gap in the Cenozoic chronostratigraphy of Spanish basins. This permits to constrain the kinematics of the structures both in the basin and in its margins, and to provide the timing for the depositional sequences. These data, combined with a magnetostratigraphic map, where magnetic reversals were traced through the Gómara monocline, allow a detailed analysis of the SR variability across the fluvial system and its adjacent depositional environments. The results show that high sedimentation rates (around 30–40 cm kyr^?1) are related to fluvial environments with low density ribbon‐shaped channels, while low SR (around or below 10 cm kyr^?1) are related to high density sheet‐like channels. Laterally, mud dominated environments with high SR (15–20 cm kyr^?1) grade into palustrine/lacustrine carbonated environments with low SR (around 9 cm ky^?1). The lowest SR (about 3 cm kyr^?1) are related to the development of stacked calcrete profiles in distal floodplain and in the connection of distal alluvial and palustrine/lacustrine units.     

Regional magma plumbing and emplacement mechanisms of the Faroe‐Shetland Sill Complex: implications for magma transport and petroleum systems within sedimentary basins

The movement of magma through the shallow crust and the impact of subsurface sill complexes on the hydrocarbon systems of prospective sedimentary basins has long been an area of interest and debate. Based on 3D seismic reflection and well data, we present a regional analysis of the emplacement and magmatic plumbing system of the Palaeogene Faroe‐Shetland Sill Complex (FSSC), which is intruded into the Mesozoic and Cenozoic sequences of the Faroe‐Shetland Basin (FSB). Identification of magma flow directions through detailed seismic interpretation of approximately 100 sills indicates that the main magma input zones into the FSB were controlled primarily by the NE–SW basin structure that compartmentalise the FSB into its constituent sub‐basins. An analysis of well data shows that potentially up to 88% of sills in the FSSC are <40 m in thickness, and thus below the vertical resolution limit of seismic data at depths at which most sills occur. This resolution limitation suggests that caution needs to be exercised when interpreting magmatic systems from seismic data alone, as a large amount of intrusive material could potentially be missed. The interaction of the FSSC with the petroleum systems of the FSB is not well understood. Given the close association between the FSSC and potential petroleum migration routes into some of the oil/gas fields (e.g. Tormore), the role the intrusions may have played in compartmentalisation of basin fill needs to be taken fully into account to further unlock the future petroleum potential of the FSB.     

The Asturian Basin within the North Iberian margin (Bay of Biscay): seismic characterisation of its geometry and its Mesozoic and Cenozoic cover

The distribution and structure of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic cover within the central part of the North Iberian Margin (Bay of Biscay) is analysed based on a dense set of 2D seismic reflection lines and logs. The integration of well data allows the recognition of seven seismostratigraphic units and the construction of a surface that illustrates the 3D morphology of this area at the time of the Jurassic rifting. The study zone comprises what is known as Le Danois Bank, a basement high, and the Asturian Basin, one of the sedimentary basins originated during the Iberian rifting at the end of the Paleozoic. Its development continued with the oceanisation of the Bay of Biscay as a failed arm of the Atlantic rift; later, during the Cenozoic, a drastic change in tectonic regime induced the partial closure of Biscay and building up the Cantabrian?Pyrenean chain along the northern border of Iberia. This compressional period left its imprint in the Asturian Basin sediments in the form of a mild inversion and general uplift. The geometry of the basin bottom appears as an asymmetric bowl thinning out towards the edges, with a main E‐W depocenter, separated by E‐W striking faults from a secondary one. Those bounding faults show twisted trends in the north, interpreted as a consequence of the compressional period, when a transfer zone in a N‐S direction formed between the two E‐W striking deformation fronts in Biscay. This study shows that the transfer zone extends further to the west, reaching the longitude of Le Danois Bank. The maximum thickness of the filling within the Asturian Basin is estimated in more than 10 km, deeper than assessed in previous studies. The recognition of frequent halokynetic structures at this longitude is another observation worth to remark. Based on this study, it is suggested that the basin formed on top of a distal basement block of stretched crust limiting with the hyperextended rifted domain of Biscay. This location largely conditioned its deformation during the late compression.