An evaluation of CM patterns for grain-size studies of fine grained sediments

Grain-size data of Boom clay (Belgium) are represented on CM, AM, LM diagrams as suggested by Passega. They show a typical ‘uniform suspension’ pattern. It is argued that a ‘uniform suspension’ pattern can be due simply to the clay-rich nature of the sediments. As these sediments are not deposited by a single transport mechanism, the ‘uniform suspension’pattern does not necessarily indicate a specific transport mechanism.     

Palaeoclimatic inferences from the behaviour of radiocarbon dates of carbonates from Sand Dunes of Rajasthan

Radiocarbon dates on pedogenic CaCO₃, accumulated at various depths in a stabilised dune at Budha Pushkar, Rajasthan, show inversion with respect to ‘stratigraphy’. Occurrence of younger carbonates overlain by older ones at various levels, is interpreted in terms of a shift in climatic conditions causing pedogenic carbonates to be leached to greater depths. Based on this model, several wetter regions during the last 6000 years have been identified. The most significant shift from a dry to a wet phase seems to have taken place between 5000 and 4500 years ago. Conclusions drawn from this study is in agreement with that based on pollen data and extends this method as a potential palaeoclimatic indicator.     

Isocon analysis of migmatization in the Front Range, Colorado, USA

Isocon analysis has been applied to five sets of leucosome, mafic selvages and immediately adjacent mesosome in the migmatites from a 15-m outcrop in the Colorado Front Range. The results show: (i) mafic selvages formed from the adjacent mesosome by loss of felsic components and therefore the mesosomes are indeed palaeosomes or protoliths; (ii) the leucosomes did not form in a closed system from the palaeosome (in which case the material lost from the palaeosome during selvage formation would become the leucosome). The observed volumes and compositions of leucosomes require that the present leucosome must contain some material in addition to the felsic components lost from the selvages. The materials that must be added are leucotonalitic to granitic in composition, varying greatly in K/(Na + Ca) ratio. The trend in leucosome composition can be reproduced by assuming that a metasomatic exchange, KNa + Ca, modified originally leucotonalitic leucosomes to more K-rich compositions. These leucosomes most likely formed by injection of silicate melts accompanied, or followed, by metasomatism. The trend of leucosome compositions in this study reflects the general trend in the leucosome compositions which have been published from other areas, indicating that the proposed mechanism can be applicable to other regional migmatites.     

Proper motions of stars in the region of the Great Nebula in Orion

Six Tautenburg astrograph plates have been used to derive proper motions for 12 740 stars in the region of the Great Nebula in Orion. The Oricat catalog of proper motions and B and R photometry has been compiled, incorporating as well data from other published catalogs. The proper motions presented in different catalogs are compared. The Oricat catalog is useful for studies of features of the structure and kinematics of star clusters and groups.     

An experimental test of the photometric calibration of the guide star catalog for the Spectrum-UV (WSO/UV) project

A test of the photometric calibration accuracy for the guide-star catalog (Master Catalog) of the Spectrum-UV project (World Space Observatory—Ultraviolet) has been performed using CCD observations in a spectral band close to that of the guide sensor system of the T-170M space telescope. The mean photometric uncertainty of the Master Catalog at 14 ^m –17 ^m is 0.23 ^m ; variations in this uncertainty over the sky are within a factor of two. About 2% of the stars in the Master Catalog were found to have photometric errors in excess of 2 ^m . We analyze the correspondence of large photometric errors to flags of the Master Catalog.     

Relationship between metamorphism and ore formation at the Sukhoi Log gold deposit hosted in black slates from the data of U-Th-Pb isotopic SHRIMP-dating of accessory minerals

The formation conditions and age of the Sukhoi Log gold deposit are considered on the basis of new isotopic-geochemical data. The U-Pb isotopic study of zircon and monazite from high-grade ore and host black slates at the Sukhoi Log deposit was carried out with SIMS technique using a SHRIMP II instrument. Two generations of monazite are distinguished on the basis of optical and scanning electron microscopy, cathodoluminescence, and micro X-ray spectroscopy. Monazite I is characterized by black opaque porphyroblasts with microinclusions of minerals pertaining to metamorphic slates and structural attributes of pre- and synkinematic formation. Monazite II occurs only within the ore zone as transparent crystals practically free of inclusions and as rims around monazite I. The REE contents are widely variable in both generations. Porphyroblastic monazite I differs in low U and Th (0.01–0.7 wt % ThO₂) contents, whereas transparent monazite II contains up to 4 wt % ThO2. The average weighted U-Pb isotopic age of monazite I is 650 ± 8.1 Ma (MSWD = 1.6; n = 9) and marks the time of metamorphism or catagenesis. The U-Pb age estimates of synore monazite II cover the interval of 486 ± 18 to 439 ± 17 Ma. Zircons of several populations from 0.5 to 2.6 Ga in age are contained in the ore. Most detrital zircon grains have porous outer rims composed of zircon and less frequent xenotime with numerous inclusions of minerals derived from slates. The peaks of ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U ages in the most abundant zircon populations fall on 570 and 630 Ma and correspond to the age of newly formed metamorphic mineral phases. The discordant isotopic ages indicate that the U-ThPb isotopic system of ancient detrital zircons was disturbed 470–440 Ma ago in agreement with isotopic age of monazite II and the Rb-Sr whole -rock isochron age of black slates (447 ± 6 Ma). The new data confirm the superimposed character of the gold-quartz-sulfide mineralization at the deposit. Black shales of the Khomolkho Formation of the Bodaibo Synclinorium were affected by metamorphism over a long period; the peaks of metamorphism and catagenesis are dated at 570 and 650–630 Ma. The high-temperature ore formation was probably related to a hidden granitic pluton emplaced 450–440 Ma ago, that is, 200 Ma later than the events of greenschist metamorphism. Hercynian granitoid magmatism (320–270 Ma) did not exert a substantial effect on the U-Th-Pb isotopic system in accessory minerals from the ore and could not have been a major source of ore-forming fluids.     

Domal structures and hydrothermal uranium deposits of the Erzgebirge,Saxony, Germany

The domal structures of the Erzgebirge in Saxony, Germany, which control localization of the Variscan hydrothermal U, Sn, W, and base-metal deposits, started to form in the Late Riphean in the course of folding, regional metamorphism, and granitization and were eventually created at the end of the Paleozoic, when an enormous mass of granitic melts was emplaced and cooled. As is illustrated by the world’s largest Schlema-Alberoda vein uranium deposit, the fractures that determined the localization of ore-bearing veins were formed in the outer contact zones of the Variscan granites related to domal uplifts. Beyond the zones of contact metamorphism, the orientation of ore-bearing fractures changes, their morphology simplifies, the amplitude of displacements decreases, and most fractures pinch out. Such a zoning is explained by development of faults around growing granitic domes.     

A Brine Evolution Model and Mineralogy of Chemical Sediments in a Volcanic Crater,Lake Kitagata,Uganda

Lake Kitagata, Uganda, is a hypersaline crater lake with Na–SO₄–Cl–HCO₃–CO₃ chemistry, high pH and relatively small amounts of SiO₂. EQL/EVP, a brine evaporation equilibrium model (Risacher and Clement 2001), was used to model the major ion chemistry of the evolving brine and the order and masses of chemically precipitated sediments. Chemical sediments in a 1.6-m-long sediment core from Lake Kitagata occur as primary chemical mud (calcite, magadiite [NaSi₇O₁₃(OH)₃·3H₂O], burkeite [Na₆(CO₃)(SO₄)₂]) and as diagenetic intrasediment growths (mirabilite (Na₂SO₄·10H₂O)). Predicted mineral assemblages formed by evaporative concentration were compared with those observed in salt crusts along the shoreline and in the core from the lake center. Most simulations match closely with observed natural assemblages. The dominant inflow water, groundwater, plays a significant role in driving the chemical evolution of Lake Kitagata water and mineral precipitation sequences. Simulated evaporation of Lake Kitagata waters cannot, however, explain the large masses of magadiite found in cores and the formation of burkeite earlier in the evaporation sequence than predicted. The masses and timing of formation of magadiite and burkeite may be explained by past groundwater inflow with higher alkalinity and SiO₂ concentrations than exist today.     

Deep roots of seismotectonics of the Far East: The Amur River and Primorye zones

The role of the lateral structure of the lithospheric mantle in the seismotectonics and seismicity of the southern part of the Russian Far East has been investigated. The positions of the epicenters of all the major earthquakes in Sakhalin (M ≥ 6.0), as well as in the Amur region and the Primorye zones (M ≥ 5.0), are defined by the boundaries of the Anyui block of highly ferruginous mantle, which lies at the base of the Sikhote-Alin area. Three cycles of large earthquakes are recognized in the region: the end of the 19th-beginning of the 20th century, the mid-20th century, and end of the 20th-beginning of the 21st century. In the seismic zone of the Amur region (hereafter, the Amur seismic zone), the epicenters of the large earthquakes in each cycle migrate from the SW to NE along the Tan-Lu fault megasystem at a rate of 30–60 km/yr. The specific features of the seismicity of the region are explained by the repeated arrival of strain waves from the west. The waves propagate in the upper part of the mantle and provoke the activation of the deep structure of the region. The detailed analysis of the earthquakes in the Sikhote-Alin area (M ≥ 4.0) in 1973–2009 confirmed the clockwise tectonic rotation of the mantle block. The characteristics of the Primorye zone of deep-focus seismicity at the Russia-China boundary are stated. Since 1973, 13 earthquakes with M ≥ 6.0 have been recorded in the zone at a depth of 300–500 km. This number of earthquakes is at least twice as many as the number of large deep-focus earthquakes elsewhere in the Sea of Japan-Sea of Okhotsk transition zone. The unique genesis of the Primorye seismic zone is related to the additional compression in the seismofocal area due to the creeping of the Anyui mantle block onto the subduction zone during its rotation. The geodynamic implications of the seismotectonic analysis are examined, and the necessity of division of the Amur plate into three geodynamically independent lithospheric blocks is substantiated.