Facies characteristics and architecture related to palaeodepth of Holocene fjord–delta sediments

Lithofacies characteristics and depositional geometry of a sandy, prograding delta deposited as part of the Holocene valley‐fill stratigraphy in the Målselv valley, northern Norway, were examined using morpho‐sedimentary mapping, facies analysis of sediments in exposed sections, auger drilling and ground penetrating radar survey. Various lithofacies types record a broad range of depositional processes within an overall coarsening‐upward succession comprising a lowermost prodelta/bottomset unit, an intermediate delta slope/foreset unit containing steeply dipping clinoforms and an uppermost delta plain/topset unit. Bottomset lithofacies typically comprise sand‐silt couplets (tidal rhythmites), bioturbated sands and silts, and flaser and lenticular bedding. These sediments were deposited from suspension fall‐out, partly controlled by tidal currents and fluvial effluent processes. Delta foreset lithofacies comprise massive, inverse graded and normal graded beds deposited by gravity‐driven processes (mainly cohesionless debris flows and turbidity currents) and suspension fall‐out. In places, delta foreset beds show tidal rhythmicity and individual beds can be followed downslope into bottomset beds. Delta plain facies show an upward‐fining succession with trough cross‐beds at the base, followed by planar, laminated and massive beds indicative of a bedload dominated river/distributary system. This study presents a model of deltaic development that can be described with reference to three styles within a continuum related primarily to water depth within a basin of variable geometry: (i) bypass; (ii) shoal‐water; and (iii) deep‐water deltas. Bypass and deep‐water deltas can be considered as end members, whereas shoal‐water deltas are an intermediate type. The bypass delta is characterized by rapid progradation and an absence of delta slope sediments and low basin floor aggradation due to low accommodation space. The shoal‐water delta is characterized by rapid progradation, a short delta slope dominated by gravity‐flow processes and a prodelta area characterized by rapid sea‐floor aggradation due to intense suspension fallout of sandy material. Using tidal rhythmites as time‐markers, a progradation rate of up to 11 m year^?1 has been recorded. The deep‐water delta is characterized by a relatively long delta slope dominated by gravity flows, moderate suspension fall‐out and slow sea‐floor aggradation in the prodelta area.     

Populating the asteroid belt from two parent source regions due to the migration of giant planets—“The Grand Tack”

Abstract– The asteroid belt is found today in a dramatically different state than that immediately following its formation. It is estimated that it has been depleted in total mass by a factor of at least 1000 since its formation, and that the asteroids’ orbits evolved from having near‐zero eccentricity and inclination to the complex distributions we find today. The asteroid belt also hosts a wide range of compositions, with the inner regions dominated by S‐type and other water‐poor asteroids and the outer regions dominated by C‐type and other primitive asteroids. We discuss a model of early inner solar system evolution whereby the gas‐driven migration of Jupiter and Saturn brings them inwards to 1.5 AU, truncating the disk of planetesimals in the terrestrial planet region, before migrating outwards toward their current locations. This model, informally titled “The Grand Tack,” examines the planetary dynamics of the solar system bodies during the final million years of the gaseous solar nebula lifetime—a few million years (Myr) after the formation of the first solids, but 20–80 Myr before the final accretion of Earth, and approximately 400–600 Myr before the Late Heavy Bombardment of the inner solar system. The Grand Tack attempts to solve some outstanding problems for terrestrial planet formation, by reproducing the size of Mars, but also has important implications for the asteroid population. The migration of Jupiter causes a very early depletion of the asteroid belt region, and this region is then repopulated from two distinct source regions, one inside the formation region of Jupiter and one between and beyond the giant planets. The scattered material reforms the asteroid belt, producing a population the appropriate mass, orbits, and with overlapping distributions of material from each parent source region.     

Burial Metamorphism in the Hamersley Basin, Western Australia

The low-grade metamorphic minerals prehnite, pumpellyite, epidoteand actinolite in rocks of basic and intermediate compositionhave a broad, systematic distribution in the Hamersley Basin.Assemblages of these minerals are wisespread in the FortescueGroup, the lowermost group in the Hamersley Basin. Because ofsunsuitability of rock type no relevant mineral assemblageswere observed in samples from the Hamersley Group. However,metamorphism of this group can be implied from mineral assemblagesin the younger Turee Creek Group, and because the HamersleyGroup conformably overlies the metamorphosed Fortescue Group. Unfolded stratigraphic cross sections show that depth of burialwas the dominant control of increase in metamorphic grade. Fourmetamorphic zones are defined over a relative depth of burialof 9 km. From lowest grade to highest these are: Zone I (ZI)prehnite–pumpellyite zone; ZII, prehnite–pumpellyite–epidotezone; ZIII, prehnite–pumpellyite–epidote–actinolitezone; and ZIV, (prehnite–epidote–actinolite zone.Laumontite, definitive of the zeolite fades is absent but thatpart of the sequence may coincide with rocks of unsuitable composition,or may have been removed by erosion. A large area of prehnite–pumpellyitefades (ZI and ZII) dominates the north side of the basin, whilegreenschist fades (ZIV) dominates the south. Separating thetwo is a curved central strip of pumpellyite-actinolite facies(ZIII). Microprobe data of pumpellyites from the three pumpellyite–bearingzones, ZI, II and III, show two systematic trends: extensivevariation in Al/Fe ratios at any one grade, and a general decreaseof Mg with increasing metamorphism. Consideration of the compositionsof the most abundant pumpellyites in the metabasic rocks showsthat these two trends spread about a more fundamental lineartrend towards AJ-enrichment with increasing metamorphism astotal Fe and Mg decrease. Epidote shows a wide range in Fe content in ZII and ZIII (Ps15to Ps40) crossing the miscibility gap proposed by Raith (1976).In ZIV epidote compositions are more aluminous and restrictedin composition (Ps11 to Ps20). Magnesium has entered the epidotelattice in ZII and ZIII (up to 0–17 ions Mg where £cations = 8) but to only half this in ZIV. Synthesis of the burial model with published experimental workputs constraints on the ancient thermal gradient that existedduring burial metamorphism. For the peak of metamorphic adjustmentfluid pressure appears to have been equal to load pressure.A relatively high gradient of 80 to 100 deg;C/km seems likelyfor the shallow part of the sequence, with a gradient of 40deg;C/km for the deeper part of the sequence, the change beingat about 2–5 km. The prehnite-pumpellyite facies correspondsto a fluid pressure of 0–5 to 1 kilobar and a temperaturerange of about 100 to 300 deg;C. The prehnite-bearing pumpellyite-actinolitefacies is interpreted to have developed at about 1–5 kbover a temperature range of 300 to 360 deg;C. This facies isprobably a low pressure subfacies of the pumpellyite-actinolitefades of Hashimoto (1966).     

Primary versus secondary and subaerial versus submarine hydrovolcanic deposits in the subsurface of Jeju Island, Korea

Jeju Island is a Quaternary shield volcano built upon the Yellow Sea continental shelf off the Korean Peninsula. Decades of borehole drilling reveals that the shield‐forming lavas of the island are underlain by extensive hydrovolcanic deposits (the Seoguipo Formation), which are about 100 m thick and show diverse depositional features. This study provides criteria for distinguishing between hydrovolcanic deposits formed by primary (pyroclastic) and secondary (resedimentation) processes in subaerial and submarine settings based on the observations of several selected cores from the formation. Five facies associations are identified, including: (i) primary hydrovolcanic deposits formed by pyroclastic surges and co‐surge fallouts in tuff rings (facies association PH_TR); (ii) primary hydrovolcanic deposits formed by Surtseyan fallout and related pyroclastic transport processes in tuff cones (facies association PH_TC); (iii) secondary hydrovolcanic deposits formed by debris flows, hyperconcentrated flood flows, sheet floods and rill flows in subaerial settings (facies association RH_AE); (iv) secondary hydrovolcanic deposits formed in submarine settings under the influence of waves, tides and occasional mass flows (facies association RH_MAR); and (v) non‐volcaniclastic and fine‐grained deposits formed in nearshore to offshore settings (facies association NV_MAR). The primary hydrovolcanic facies associations (PH_TR and PH_TC) are distinguished from one another on the basis of distinct lithofacies characteristics and vertical sequence profiles. These facies differ from the secondary hydrovolcanic and non‐volcaniclastic facies associations (RH_AE, RH_MAR and NV_MAR) because of their distinctive sedimentary structures, textures and compositions. The depositional processes and settings of some massive and crudely stratified volcaniclastic deposits, which occur in many facies associations, could not be discriminated unambiguously even with microscopic observations. Nevertheless, these facies associations could generally be distinguished because they occur typically in packets or sequences, several metres to tens of metres thick and bounded by distinct stratigraphic discontinuities, and comprise generally distinct sets of lithofacies. The overall characteristics of the Seoguipo Formation suggest that it is composed of numerous superposed phreatomagmatic volcanoes intercalated with marine or non‐marine, volcaniclastic or non‐volcaniclastic deposits. Widespread and continual hydrovolcanic activity, together with volcaniclastic sedimentation, is inferred to have persisted for more than a million years in Jeju Island under the influence of fluctuating Quaternary sea‐levels, before effusion of the shield‐forming lavas. Extensive distribution of hydrovolcanic deposits in the subsurface of Jeju Island highlights that there can be significant differences in the eruption style, growth history and internal structure between shelfal shield volcanoes and oceanic island volcanoes.     

ON THE CENOZOIC GEOLOGY BETWEEN LOYANG AND SIAN

Bordered by the Chungtiaoshan (中條山) on the North and the Tsinling (秦嶺) on the South, the area between Loyang and Sian, where the Huangho River hits and follows the old Weiho valley has been known for a long time to be specially rich in Cenozoic formations     

ON THE DISCOVERY OF A NEW DICYNODON IN SINKIANG~1

One of the most important results obtained by the Sino-Swedish Expedition led to Sinkiang by Dr. Sven Hedin during the years 1925-1931, has been the discovery, by Professor Yuan, of a rich Permo-Triassic reptilian     

THE LATE CENOZOIC FORMATIONS OF S.E.SHANSI

Up to 1931 nothing was positively known concerning the Cenozoicformations eventually preserved in S.E.Shansi.The large area bounded by