Preliminary deep reflection studies in the Arunta Block, Central Australia

Summary. In 1985, near-vertical incidence reflection profiling was carried out across the Arunta Block in Central Australia. This region consists of exposed Proterozoic metasediments, granites and granulites. There is usually a limited sedimentary coverage generated by deep weathering. The seismic sections for the deep crust are markedly different from those previously recorded in Eastern Australia where there is extensive sedimentary cover. One of the striking features is the presence of energy with frequencies as high as 100 Hz at two-way times of 5-6 s. Reflections are found throughout the crust, and there is no zone that can be characterised as non-reflective. The strongest reflectors commonly lie in the intervals around 4-6 s and 8–11 s and display significant dip. Individual shot records show fairly rapid variations in amplitude and waveform within a reflection band and the correlation between records from adjacent shots can also be somewhat limited. Such features are not well suited to the application of standard processing techniques designed for subhorizontal structures, and call into question the utility of conventional stacking. The character of the reflections changes markedly with varying frequency which suggests that they arise by interference phenomena, probably associated with laterally varying lamellar structures.     

Mantle structure and composition to 800-km depth beneath southern Africa and surrounding oceans from broadband body waves

Average one-dimensional P and S wavespeed models from the surface to depths of 800 km were derived for the southern African region using travel times and waveforms from earthquakes recorded at stations of the Kaapvaal and South African seismic networks. The Herglotz–Wiechert method combined with ray tracing was used to derive a preliminary P wavespeed model, followed by refinements using phase-weighted stacking and synthetic seismograms to yield the final model. Travel times combined with ray tracing were used to derive the S wavespeed model, which was also refined using phase-weighted stacking and synthetic seismograms. The presence of a high wavespeed upper mantle lid in the S model overlying a low wavespeed zone (LWZ) around 210- to 345-km depth that is not observed in the P wavespeed model was inferred.

The 410-km discontinuity shows similar characteristics to that in other continental regions, but occurs slightly deeper at 420 km. Depletion of iron and/or enrichment in aluminium relative to other regions are the preferred explanation, since the P wavespeeds throughout the transition zone are slightly higher than average. The average S wavespeed structure beneath southern Africa within and below the transition zone is similar to that of the IASP91 model. There is no evidence for discontinuity at 520-km depth. The 660-km discontinuity also appears to be slightly deeper than average (668 km), although the estimated thickness of the transition zone is 248 km, similar to the global average of 241 km. The small size of the 660-km discontinuity for P waves, compared with many other regions, suggests that interpretation of the discontinuity as the transformation of spinel to perovskite and magnesiowüstite may require modification. Alternative explanations include the presence of garnetite-rich material or ilmenite-forming phase transformations above the 660-km discontinuity, and the garnet–perovskite transformation as the discontinuity.     

An integrated water balance model for assessing water scarcity in a data-sparse interfluve in eastern India

Abstract

The objective of this study is to measure the balance of water demand versus water resource availability in an interfluve of West Bengal, India to support water resource planning, particularly of inter-basin transfers. Surface water availability was modelled using the US Soil Conservation Service curve number (SCS-CN) approach, whilst groundwater availability was modelled based on water-level fluctuations and the rainfall infiltration method. Water use was modelled separately for the agricultural, industrial, and domestic sectors using a predominantly normative approach and water use to availability ratios calculated for different administrative areas within the interfluve. Overall, the approach suggested that the interfluve receives 327 × 10⁶ m³ year^-1 of excess water after satisfying these sectoral demands, but that the eastern part of the study area is in deficit. However, a sensitivity analysis carried on the approach to several assumptions in the model suggested changed circumstances would produce surplus/deficit ranging from ?215 × 10⁶ to 435 × 10⁶ m³ year^-1 . The approach could have potential for localised water balance modelling in other Indian catchments.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor D. Hughes     

Scientific information model for deepsea mapping and sampling

The Vents Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory is an interdisciplinary research initiative that brings together scientists from a wide range of disciplines, including geophysics, geology, physical oceanography, chemistry, and biology. Each discipline collects a variety of data types of varying structures and requiring intercomparison. The challenge of scientific information management is thus approached with a view of supporting data from multiple survey, mapping, and sampling tools and subject to multiple levels of interpretation. The ultimate objective is a system that integrates the functions of data storage, selective retrieval, display, and archiving. The results of our ongoing efforts in scientific information modeling and management have produced a relational database in which marine geological, geophysical, chemical, and biological observations can be accessed by any investigator.     

Synthesis, characterization and thermochemistry of a Pb-jarosite

The enthalpy of formation from the elements of a well-characterized synthetic Pb-jarosite sample corresponding to the chemical formula (H₃O)_0.74Pb_0.13Fe_2.92(SO₄)₂(OH)_5.76(H₂O)_0.24 was measured by high temperature oxide melt solution calorimetry. This value ( = −3695.9 ± 9.7 kJ/mol) is the first direct measurement of the heat of formation for a lead-containing jarosite. Comparison to the thermochemical properties of hydronium jarosite and plumbojarosite end-members strongly suggests the existence of a negative enthalpy of mixing possibly related to the nonrandom distribution of Pb²⁺ ions within the jarosite structure. Based on these considerations, the following thermodynamic data are proposed as the recommended values for the enthalpy of formation from the elements of the ideal stoichiometric plumbojarosite Pb_0.5Fe₃(SO₄)₂(OH)₆:  = −3118.1 ± 4.6 kJ/mol,  = −3603.6 ± 4.6 kJ/mol and S° = 376.6 ± 4.5 J/(mol K). These data should prove helpful for the calculation of phase diagrams of the Pb-Fe-SO₄-H₂O system and for estimating the solubility product of pure plumbojarosite. For illustration, the evolution of the estimated solubility product of ideal plumbojarosite as a function of temperature in the range 5-45 °C was computed (Log(K_sp) ranging from −24.3 to −26.2). An Eh-pH diagram is also presented.     

Coupled (H, M) substitutions in forsterite

Coupled substitutions involving hydrogen plus trivalent elements (Al, Eu, Fe, Ga, Gd, Lu, Mn, Nd, Pu, Sc, Y and Yb) in forsterite (Mg₂SiO₄) are studied using atomistic simulation methods. Incorporation of hydrogen is energetically favourable when included in the forsterite lattice as hydroxyl groups (OH⁻) at O3 sites while the trivalent cations replace either magnesium or silicon. Our calculations show a strong dependence on the ionic radius of the impurity species and some variation with pressure. There are also significant structural distortions around the impurity defects. At low pressure (0 GPa), the smaller trivalent cations, (e.g. Al, Fe, Mn and Ga) substitute into forsterite by replacing Si as: . The larger trivalent cations (e.g. Eu, Gd, Lu, Nd, Pu, Y and Yb) however, replace Mg at the M2 site coupled with an Mg1 vacancy as described by . At 12 GPa, the large cations are more stable at Mg1 relative to Mg2, but both are predicted to be less stable than configurations associated with Si vacancies. The trivalent ionic radius has a significant effect on the H incorporation mechanism, however, the high formation energy of Si vacancies suggests that the presence of H in forsterite could inhibit incorporation of these elements, particularly at high pressure.     

Fabrics,facies control and diagenesis of lacustrine ooids and associated grains from the Upper Triassic,southwest England

Petrographic analysis of ooids from the Upper Triassic (Mercia Mudstone Group) of southwest England provides an opportunity to assess in detail the origins, transport pathways and diagenesis of an ancient oolite. The Clevedon Oolite is dolomitized and contains a variety of dissolved ooids (oomoulds) and associated grains. The oomoulds occur in well‐sorted, planar and cross‐stratified grainstones, packstones, sandstones and conglomerates associated with shoreface, intershoal, foreshore, beachrock and littoral strandplain deposits. The ooids grew in suspension in the shoreface zone and developed a radial aragonite microstructure. The ooids grew to 0.80 mm in diameter, after which they fractured or ceased growing. Broken grains deposited on or near mobile shoals were rapidly recoated, while other grains, deposited in less agitated, intershoal and lower foreshore areas, were micritized or microbially bound into grapestone aggregates. Locally peloids, intraclasts, quartz grains and micritized grains from intershoal areas supplied nuclei for ooids on nearby shoals. Grains deposited in foreshore areas were rapidly cemented into beachrock and reworked into conglomerates. Soon after deposition, the ooids were subjected to widespread aragonite dissolution followed by dolomitization. The lack of pre‐dolomitization calcite, together with the abundance of early (pre‐compaction) dolospar cements and fabric‐selective dolomitization of micritic fabrics, suggest aragonite dissolution by dolomitizing fluids. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.