Impact of Preboreal to Subatlantic shifts in climate on groundwater resources on the Arabian Peninsula

A large-scale numerical flow and transport model was developed for the central-eastern arid part of the Arabian Peninsula. The model was applied to a region with freshwater resources dating back to more humid periods of the past, which are faced with overexploitation today. Model inflow was based on infiltration around wadi beds and groundwater recharge. Inflow was balanced by natural outflows, such as evaporation from sabkhas, spring discharge, and discharge to the sea. Two models were developed: (1) a short-term present-day model to estimate effective model parameters, and (2) a long-term model to study the development of the groundwater resources during the Mid- and Late Holocene and the natural response of the groundwater system to changes in climate. Hydraulic model parameters (hydraulic conductivity and specific storage) were assigned with respect to geological structures. Hydraulic parameters were estimated with an inverse PEST model by calibrating against observed depression cones cause by groundwater abstraction. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated that estimated model parameters were associated with a high uncertainty at a certain distance from agricultural areas when calibration data were lacking. A long-term model starting 10,000 years BP was calibrated by spring discharge and palaeo-groundwater levels and validated using measured ¹⁴C groundwater ages. The long-model predicted that groundwater levels adapted in response to changes in precipitation. During the Mid-Holocene, which was characterized by an intensification of the monsoon season, groundwater levels increased by 10 m on the mainland within the shallow aquifers and adapted quickly to higher recharge rates. The deeper aquifers were less affected by changes in climate. Along the present-day coastline, the groundwater level rose by about 25 m due to the declined sea level in the Mid-Holocene. During this period, surface run-off was possible as groundwater levels temporarily reached the ground surface. The natural groundwater budget reacted sensitively to changes in climate. Between 10 and 3 ka, groundwater storage occurred. During the Late Holocene, at 3 ka, natural depletion of the groundwater system began, which still prevails today.     

Formation of pseudotachylitic breccias in the central uplifts of very large impact structures: Scaling the melt formation

Abstract– The processes leading to formation of sometimes massive occurrences of pseudotachylitic breccia (PTB) in impact structures have been strongly debated for decades. Variably an origin of these pseudotachylite (friction melt)‐like breccias by (1) shearing (friction melting); (2) so‐called shock compression melting (with or without a shear component) immediately after shock propagation through the target; (3) decompression melting related to rapid uplift of crustal material due to central uplift formation; (4) combinations of these processes; or (5) intrusion of allochthonous impact melt from a coherent melt body has been advocated. Our investigations of these enigmatic breccias involve detailed multidisciplinary analysis of millimeter‐ to meter‐sized occurrences from the type location, the Vredefort Dome. This complex Archean to early Proterozoic terrane constitutes the central uplift of the originally >250 km diameter Vredefort impact structure in South Africa. Previously, results of microstructural and microchemical investigations have indicated that formation of very small veinlets involved local melting, likely during the early shock compression phase. However, for larger veins and networks it was so far not possible to isolate a specific melt‐forming mechanism. Macroscopic to microscopic evidence for friction melting is very limited, and so far chemical results have not directly supported PTB generation by intrusion of impact melt. On the other hand, evidence for filling of dilational sites with melt is abundant. Herein, we present a new approach to the mysterium of PTB formation based on volumetric melt breccia calculations. The foundation for this is the detailed analysis of a 1.5 × 3 × 0.04 m polished granite slab from a dimension‐stone quarry in the core of the Vredefort Dome. This slab contains a 37.5 dm³ breccia zone. The pure melt volume in 0.1 m³ PTB‐bearing granitic target rock outside of the several‐decimeter‐wide breccia zone in the granite slab was estimated at 5.2 dm³. This amount can be divided into 4.6 dm³ melt (88%), for which we have evidenced a limited material transport (at maximum, ≈20 cm) and 0.6 dm³ melt (12%) with, at most, grain‐scale material transport, which we consider in situ formed shock melt. The breccia zone itself contains about 10 dm³ of matrix (melt). Assuming melt exchange over 20 cm at the slab surface, between breccia zone and surrounding melt‐bearing host rock volume, the outer melt volume is calculated to contain the same amount of melt as contained by the massive breccia zone. Meso‐ and microscopic observations indicate melt transport is more prominent from larger into smaller melt occurrences. Thus, melt of the breccia zone could have provided the melt fill for all the small‐scale PTB veins in the surrounding target rock. Extrapolating this melt capacity calculation for 1 m³ PTB‐bearing host rock shows that a host rock volume of this dimension is able to take up some 52 dm³ melt. Scaling up 1000‐fold to the outcrop scale reveals that exchange between a host rock volume of 2 m radius around a 37 m³ breccia zone could involve some 10 m³ melt. These results demonstrate that large melt volumes (i.e., large breccia zones) can be derived, in principle, from local reservoirs. However, strong decompression would have to apply in order to exchange these considerable melt volumes, which would only be realistic during the decompression phase of impact cratering upon central uplift formation, or locally where compressive regimes acted during the subsequent down‐ and outward collapse of the central uplift.     

Shock‐metamorphic microfeatures in chert from the Jebel Waqf as Suwwan impact structure,Jordan

Abstract– The petrographic investigation of a shocked, chalcedony‐, quartzine‐, and quartz‐bearing allochthonous chert nodule (probably Upper Cretaceous) recovered from surficial wadi gravels in the inner parts of the central uplift of the approximately 6 km in diameter Jebel Waqf as Suwwan impact structure, Jordan, reveals new potential shock indicators in microfibrous–spherulitic silica, in addition to well‐established shock‐metamorphic effects in coarser crystalline quartz. The microcrystalline chert groundmass exhibits a macroscopic dendritic and suborthogonal fracture pattern commonly associated with thin “recrystallization bands” that intersect the pre‐existing diagenetic chert fabric. Fibrous aggregates of quartzine spherulites in chalcedony‐quartzine‐quartz veinlets locally have a shattered appearance and show conspicuous “curved fractures” perpendicular to the quartzine fiber direction (and parallel to [0001]) that commonly trend subparallel to planar fractures (PFs) in neighboring shocked quartz. Quartz exhibits PFs, feather features (FFs), and mainly single sets of planar deformation features (PDFs) parallel to the basal plane (0001) (Brazil twins) and, rarely, additional PDFs parallel to {101¯3}. Shock petrography indicates shock pressures of ≥10 GPa and high shock‐induced differential stresses that affected the chert nodule. The internal crosscutting relationships of primary diagenetic and impact‐related deformational features together with shockpressure estimates suggest that the curved fractures across quartzine spherulites might represent specific (low‐ to medium‐pressure) shock‐metamorphic features, possibly in structural analogy to basal plane PFs in quartz. The dendritic–suborthogonal fractures in the microcrystalline chert groundmass and recrystallization bands are likely related to impact‐induced shear deformation and recrystallization, respectively, and cannot be considered as definite shock indicators.     

Extended Sediment Quality Rating for Trace Elements in Urban Waters – Case Study Klinke,Germany

The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) commits European Union member states to achieving good ecological status in all water bodies by 2015. For sediments the definition of good chemical status is based on numerical sediment quality guidelines. The aqua regia fraction is thus used for the evaluation of heavy metal concentrations in sediments. The chemical constituents in sediments responsible for mobility and toxicity are not considered generally. This article presents the combining of the sequential BCR procedure, for determining the chemical species of relevant elements, with the geoaccumulation index principle a numerical classification method for sediment quality guidelines. Using the BCR method it can be demonstrated that changes in element speciation can lead to more highly mobile species of trace elements which may affect the hazardous potential of sediments despite the “good chemical status” classification for aqua regia digestions. The Klinke stream is an urban surface water body located in Magdeburg, the state capital of Saxony‐Anhalt, Germany. Using this stream as an example it is shown that this additional information helps to describe the dynamics and discharge of the trace elements Al, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Rb, Sr, Mo, Pd, Cd, Sb, Ba, Pb, Bi, and U into the Elbe River from urban water bodies.     

Observing Gravity Change in the Fennoscandian Uplift Area with the Hanover Absolute Gravimeter

The Nordic countries Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark are a key study region for research of glacial isostasy. In addition, such research offers a unique opportunity for absolute gravimetry to show its capability as a geodetic tool for geophysical research. Within a multi-national cooperation, annual absolute gravity measurements have been performed in Fennoscandia by IfE since 2003. For the Hanover gravimeter FG5-220, overall accuracy of ±30?nm/s² is indicated for a single station determination. First results of linear gravity changes are derived for ten stations in the central and southern part of the uplift area. Comparing with the rates predicted by glacial rebound modelling, the gravity trends of the absolute measurements differ by 3.8?nm/s² per year (root-mean-square discrepancy) from the uplift model. The mean difference between observed and predicted rates is 0.8?nm/s² per year only. A proportionality factor of ?1.63?±?0.20?nm/s² per mm has been obtained, which describes the mean ratio between the observational gravity and height rates.     

Complexity vs. Simplicity: Groundwater Model Ranking Using Information Criteria

A groundwater model characterized by a lack of field data about hydraulic model parameters and boundary conditions combined with many observation data sets for calibration purpose was investigated concerning model uncertainty. Seven different conceptual models with a stepwise increase from 0 to 30 adjustable parameters were calibrated using PEST. Residuals, sensitivities, the Akaike information criterion (AIC and AICc), Bayesian information criterion (BIC), and Kashyap's information criterion (KIC) were calculated for a set of seven inverse calibrated models with increasing complexity. Finally, the likelihood of each model was computed. Comparing only residuals of the different conceptual models leads to an overparameterization and certainty loss in the conceptual model approach. The model employing only uncalibrated hydraulic parameters, estimated from sedimentological information, obtained the worst AIC, BIC, and KIC values. Using only sedimentological data to derive hydraulic parameters introduces a systematic error into the simulation results and cannot be recommended for generating a valuable model. For numerical investigations with high numbers of calibration data the BIC and KIC select as optimal a simpler model than the AIC. The model with 15 adjusted parameters was evaluated by AIC as the best option and obtained a likelihood of 98%. The AIC disregards the potential model structure error and the selection of the KIC is, therefore, more appropriate. Sensitivities to piezometric heads were highest for the model with only five adjustable parameters and sensitivity coefficients were directly influenced by the changes in extracted groundwater volumes.     

A regional-scale study of chromium and nickel in soils of northern California, USA

A soil geochemical survey was conducted in a 27,000-km² study area of northern California that includes the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Sacramento Valley, and the northern Coast Range. The results show that soil geochemistry in the Sacramento Valley is controlled primarily by the transport and weathering of parent material from the Coast Range to the west and the Sierra Nevada to the east. Chemically and mineralogically distinctive ultramafic (UM) rocks (e.g. serpentinite) outcrop extensively in the Coast Range and Sierra Nevada. These rocks and the soils derived from them have elevated concentrations of Cr and Ni. Surface soil samples derived from UM rocks of the Sierra Nevada and Coast Range contain 1700–10,000 mg/kg Cr and 1300–3900 mg/kg Ni. Valley soils west of the Sacramento River contain 80–1420 mg/kg Cr and 65–224 mg/kg Ni, reflecting significant contributions from UM sources in the Coast Range. Valley soils on the east side contain 30–370 mg/kg Cr and 16–110 mg/kg Ni. Lower Cr and Ni concentrations on the east side of the valley are the result of greater dilution by granitic sources of the Sierra Nevada.Chromium occurs naturally in the Cr(III) and Cr(VI) oxidation states. Trivalent Cr is a non-toxic micronutrient, but Cr(VI) is a highly soluble toxin and carcinogen. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy of soils with an UM parent show Cr primarily occurs within chromite and other mixed-composition spinels (Al, Mg, Fe, Cr). Chromite contains Cr(III) and is highly refractory with respect to weathering. Comparison of a 4-acid digestion (HNO₃, HCl, HF, HClO₄), which only partially dissolves chromite, and total digestion by lithium metaborate (LiBO₃) fusion, indicates a lower proportion of chromite-bound Cr in valley soils relative to UM source soils. Groundwater on the west side of the Sacramento Valley has particularly high concentrations of dissolved Cr ranging up to 50 μg L⁻¹ and averaging 16.4 μg L⁻¹. This suggests redistribution of Cr during weathering and oxidation of Cr(III)-bearing minerals. It is concluded that regional-scale transport and weathering of ultramafic-derived constituents have resulted in enrichment of Cr and Ni in the Sacramento Valley and a partial change in the residence of Cr.