A layered basic intrusion,deformed and metamorphosed in granulite faciès of the Sri Lanka basement

A layered basic intrusion has been found in the Central Granulite Belt of the Sri Lanka continental basement. It intruded parallel to bedding, before all or early during deformation of neighbouring metasediments. Deformation, affecting metasediments and the intrusion alike, includes flattening to c. 1/20 of the original thickness and NNW-stretching to c. 20 times the original length. The intrusion is now 170–300 m thick. Most of the deformation was acquired under granulite facies metamorphism. The intrusion was then folded, still at high T, by a large F₄-synform with an axis parallel to str₁ and a steep axial plane. A steep axial plane cleavage and minor folds are related to this big fold. Stretching continued along its axis. Late during formation of this fold a granite intruded, mainly following S₄ cleavage planes. The intrusion shows a homogeneous gabbroic series at the bottom, followed upwards by a differentiated and layered series. A thin sequence of ultramafic rocks occurs near the middle. This indicates multiple melt-injection. More homogeneous partly biotite-bearing amphibolites form the top of the succession. Magmatic layering is well preserved, but no magmatic minerals or grain fabrics have escaped deformation or metamorphism. Static annealing under granulite facies conditions outlasted all deformation and was accompanied and followed by the beginning of cooling. Hornblende-Plagioclase coronas formed round garnets at this stage. Geochemical work, carried out by STOSCH (1991) on our samples, confirms the cumulate nature of the rocks.

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Zusammenfassung Eine geschichtete Basische Intrusion wurde im Central Granulite Belt der tiefen, kontinentalen Kruste Sri Lankas entdeckt. Sie intrudierte parallel zur Schichtung in benachbarte Sedimente, vor aller oder sehr früh in deren Deformation. Die Deformation, die Sedimente und die Intrusion in gleicher Weise betraf, führte zu Plättung auf das ca. 1/20 der Ausgangsdicke und zu NNW-Streckung auf das ca. 20fache der Ausgangslänge. Heute ist die Intrusion 170–300 m dick. Der Hauptteil der Deformation wurde unter Granulit-Fazies-Bedingungen erworben. Noch bei hoher T wurde die Intrusion durch eine große F₄-Falte gefaltet. Deren Achse liegt parallel der Streckungsrichtung, stri, ihre Achsenebene ist steil. Eine steile, Achsenebenen-parallele S₄-Schieferung und kleinere Falten entstanden mit ihr. Während der Bildung dieser Falte hielt die Streckung parallel ihrer Achse an. Spät während ihrer Bildung intrudierte ein Granit. Er folgt im wesentlichen S₄. Die Intrusion beginnt unten mit einer homogenen, gabbroiden Serie. Nach oben folgt eine differenzierte, geschichtete. Ein dünnes Paket ultramafischer Lagen erscheint nahe der Mitte. Es weist auf multiple Schmelz-Zufuhr hin. Homogenere Amphibolite, teils mit Biotit, bilden den obersten Teil. Magmatischer Lagenbau ist gut erhalten, lokal mit Gradierung. Magmatische Minerale oder Korngefüge haben Deformation und Metamorphose nicht überlebt. Statische Temperung unter Granulit-Fazies-Bedingungen überdauerte alle Deformation. Sie beginnt und dauert an bei bereits sinkender T. Hornblende-Plagioklas-Koronas bilden sich in diesem statischen Endstadium. STOSCH (1991) untersuchte unsere Proben von der Intrusion geochemisch. Er bestätigte die Kumulatnatur der Gesteine.

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Résumé Une intrusion basique litée a été découverte dans la ceinture centrale granulitique du socle continental du Sri Lanka. L'intrusion s'est effectuée parallèlement à la stratification, avant la déformation des métasédiments encaissants ou tout au début de celleci. La déformation, qui affecte à la fois les métasédiments et l'intrusion, comporte un aplatissement jusqu'à ± 1/20 de l'épaisseur d'origine, et un allongement de ± 20 fois en direction NNW. L'intrusion présente actuellement une épaisseur de 170 à 300 m. La plus grande part de la déformation a été acquise dans les conditions du faciès des granulites. L'intrusion a ensuite été plissée, toujours à haute T, en un large synforme F₄ dont l'axe est parallèle à l'allongement stri et dont le plan axial est vertical. Ce grand pli est accompagné d'une schistosité S₄ plan-axiale redressée et de plis secondaires. L'allongement s'est poursuivi parallèlement à son axe. A la fin de la formation de ce pli, un granite s'est intrudé, qui suit en gros S₄. L'intrusion comporte à sa base une série gabbroïque homogène, suivie vers le haut par une série litée et différenciée. Elle contient, vers son milieu, une intercalation mince de roches ultramafiques. Ceci implique des injections répétées de magma. Le sommet est formé d'amphibolites homogènes partiellement biotitiques. Le litage magmatique est bien conservé, mais aucun minéral ou fabrique magmatique n'a échappé à la déformation et au métamorphisme. Un recuit statique dans les conditions granulitiques a suivi la déformation; il a été accompagné et suivi par le début du refroidissement. A ce stade, des couronnes à hornblende-plagioclase se sont formées autour des grenats. Une étude géochimique, effectuée en 1991 par Stosch sur nos échantillons confirme le caractère de cumulat des roches.

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- . , . , , 1/20 20- NNW . 170–300 . . F₄, str₁, . , S₄, . . . S₄. , , . . , , . coxpa . , .. . , . . . . STOSCH (1991) .

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List of abbreviations ss sedimentary bedding - s₁ first cleavage, plane of first flattening - str₁ Direction of first stretching; although L is usually used for lineations of different kind, including stretching, we use this term to point out that extension is proved in each case - F₂ second folds = first folds folding s₁ - s₂ second cleavage or plane of flattening - F₃ third folds - s₃ third cleavage or plane of flattening - F₄ fourth folds, folding s_1,2,3 and F_1,2,3 - s₄ fourth cleavage or plane of flattening - str₄ direction of fourth stretching - F_5,6 fifth and sixth folds - gf(m) granulite facies (metamorphism) - af(m) amphibolite facies (metamorphism) - KNa-f KNa-feldspar - pg plagioclase - f feldspar - opx orthopyroxene - cpx clinopyroxene - px pyroxene - hb hornblende - bi biotite - cc calcite - do dolomite - qz quartz - mt magnetite     

The response of selected terrestrial organisms to the Martian environment: A modeling study

An energy balance model has been developed to investigate how the Martian atmospheric environment could influence a community of photosynthetic microorganisms with properties similar to those of a cyanophyte (blue-green algal mat) and a lichen. Surface moisture and soil nutrients are assumed to be available. The model was developed to approximate equatorial equinox conditions and includes parameters for solar and thermal radiation, convective and conductive energy transport, and evaporative cooling. Calculations include the diurnal variation of organism temperature and transpiration and photosynthetic rates. The influences of different wind speeds and organism size and resistivity are also studied. The temperature of organisms in mats less than a few millimeters thick will not differ from the ground temperature by more than 10°K. Water loss is actually retarded at higher wind speeds, since the organism temperature is lowered, thus reducing the saturation vapor pressure. Typical photosynthetic rates lead to the production of 10^?6 to 10^?7 mole O₂ cm^?2 day^?1.     

Quaternary evolution of Cedar Creek alluvial fan, montana

Cedar Creek alluvial fan is a textbook example of an alluvial fan because of its fan shape with smooth, concentric contours and excellent symmetry. Similar planimetric shapes have been used to infer uniform fan deposition; however, Cedar Creek alluvial fan is composed of four fan deposits of Quaternary age, Qf1 (oldest) to Qf4 (youngest), indicating that fan deposition was nonuniform in both time and space. Field studies indicate that deposition of Cedar Creek alluvial fan is related to glaciofluvial outwash activity during the Pleistocene and upper-fan entrenchment and lower-fan deposition during the Holocene.Qf1 and Qf2 deposits are sub-horizontally bedded, clast-supported sandy gravels uniformly imbricated upfan. Comparison of soil profiles developed in these deposits to radiogenically-dated chronosequences within the region indicates that Qf1 and Qf2 are correlative with Bull Lake and Pinedale-age deposits, respectively. These relationships are substantiated by physical correlation of Qf1 and Qf2 with Bull Lake and Pinedale moraines, respectively, in the Cedar Creek drainage basin. The sedimentology and timing of Qf1 and Qf2 indicate deposition in high-energy, proglacial, braided streams. Furthermore, the present morphology of Cedar Creek alluvial fan was established largely during aggradation of Qf1 and Qf2 when sediment supply to the fan was sufficient to activate 60% to greater than 90% of the total fan area. During Bull Lake glaciation, the apex of Qf1 deposition formed the apex of Cedar Creek alluvial fan as Qf1 covered more than 90% of the present fan area. During Pinedale glaciation, Qf2 deposition shifted downfan; Qf2 is inset into Qf1 above the intersection point, but below the intersection point it eroded and/or buried Qf1 as it activated as much as 60% of the fan area.Qf3 and Qf4, comprising 21% of the fan area, are inset into Qf2 in the lower fan area. Soil development in Qf3 and Qf4 deposits indicate episodic deposition and entrenchment beginning in early Holocene and continuing to present. A post-glacial decrease in sediment supply to Cedar Creek alluvial fan is indicated by sediment storage within the Cedar Creek drainage basin. Decreased sediment supply to the fan resulted in upper-fan entrenchment of Qf2 and deposition of Qf3 and Qf4 in the lower-fan area.     

Bedrock freeze-thaw weathering regime in an alpine environment,colorado front range

Reduced major axis analysis is used to describe monthly temperature averages for daily maxima, minima, means and ranges at a sequence of bedrock microenvironments in the alpine zone of the Colorado Front Range. Seven thermistors buried at 1 cm in bedrock provide comparative data on easterly, southerly and westerly aspects, and also upon the impact of snow accumulation (?0.5m to ≥4.0m deep) against an east-facing rock wall. Intersite temperatures commonly differ by less than 5°C and, rarely, by more than 10°C. The freezing intensity of freeze-thaw cycles occurring within the confines of a seasonal snow patch rarely dropped to ?5°C, while at snowfree, vertical faces freezing dropped to ?5°C quite commonly. Comparison with laboratory established criteria for effective freeze-thaw weathering (abundant moisture and freezing to at least ?5°C) suggests that moisture rich microsites lack adequate freezing intensity, while adequately frozen sites lack moisture. Available data suggest that the overlap between freeze-thaw and hydration weathering requires careful re-evaluation.     

Statistical analysis of a global photochemical model of the atmosphere

This is a study of the sensitivity of model results (atmospheric content of main gas constituents and radiative characteristics of the atmosphere) to errors in emissions of a number of atmospheric gaseous pollutants. Groups of the model variables most dependent on these errors are selected. Two variants of emissions are considered: one without their evolution and the other with their variation according to the IPCC scenario. The estimates are made on the basis of standard statistical methods for the results obtained with the detailed onedimensional radiative—photochemical model of the Main Geophysical Observatory (MGO). Some approaches to such estimations with models of higher complexity and to the solution of the inverse problem (i.e., the estimation of the necessary accuracy of external model parameters for obtaining the given accuracy of model results) are outlined.