300 Million years of episodic hydrothermal activity: stable isotope evidence from hydrothermal rocks of the Eastern Iberian Central System

The Eastern Iberian Central System has abundant ore showings hosted by a wide variety of hydrothermal rocks; they include Sn-W, Fe and Zn-(W) calcic and magnesian skarns, shear zone- and episyenite-hosted Cu-Zn-Sn-W orebodies, Cu-W-Sn greisens and W-(Sn), base metal and fluorite-barite veins. Systematic dating and fluid inclusion studies show that they can be grouped into several hydrothermal episodes related with the waning Variscan orogeny. The first event was at about 295 Ma followed by younger pulses associated with Early Alpine rifting and extension and dated near 277, 150 and 100 to 20 Ma, respectively (events II–IV). The δ¹⁸O-δD and δ³⁴S studies of hydrothermal rocks have elucidated the hydrological evolution of these systems. The event I fluids are of mixed origin. They are metamorphic fluids (H₂O-CO₂-CH₄-NaCl; δ¹⁸O=4.7 to 9.3‰; δD ab.−34‰) related to W-(Sn) veins and modified meteoric waters in the deep magnesian Sn-W skarns (H₂O-NaCl, 4.5–6.4 wt% NaCl eq.; δ¹⁸O=7.3–7.8‰; δD=−77 to −74‰) and epizonal shallow calcic Zn-(W) and Fe skarns (H₂O-NaCl, <8 wt% NaCl eq.; δ¹⁸O=−0.4 to 3.4‰; δD=−75 to −58‰). They were probably formed by local hydrothermal cells that were spatially and temporally related to the youngest Variscan granites, the metals precipitating by fluid unmixing and fluid-rock reactions. The minor influence of magmatic fluids confirms that the intrusion of these granites was essentially water-undersaturated, as most of the hydrothermal fluids were external to the igneous rocks. The fluids involved in the younger hydrothermal systems (events II–III) are very similar. The waters involved in the formation of episyenites, chlorite-rich greisens, retrograde skarns and phyllic and chlorite-rich alterations in the shear zones show no major chemical or isotopic differences. Interaction of the hydrothermal fluids with the host rocks was the main mechanism of ore formation. The composition (H₂O-NaCl fluids with original salinities below 6.2 wt% NaCl eq.) and the δ¹⁸O (−4.6 to 6.3‰) and δD (−51 to −40‰) values are consistent with a meteoric origin, with a δ¹⁸O-shift caused by the interaction with the, mostly igneous, host rocks. These fluids circulated within regional-scale convective cells and were then channelled along major crustal discontinuities. In these shear zones the more easily altered minerals such as feldspars, actinolite and chlorite had their δ¹⁸O signatures overprinted by low temperature younger events while the quartz inherited the original signature. In the shallower portions of the hydrothermal systems, basement-cover fluorite-barite-base metal veins formed by mixing of these deep fluids with downwards percolating brines. These brines are also interpreted as of meteoric origin (δ¹⁸O< ≈ −4‰; δD=−65 to −36‰) that leached the solutes (salinity >14 wt% NaCl eq.) from evaporites hosted in the post-Variscan sequence. The δD values are very similar to most of those recorded by Kelly and Rye in Panasqueira and confirm that the Upper Paleozoic meteoric waters in central Iberia had very negative δD values (≤−52‰) whereas those of Early Mesozoic age ranged between −65 and −36‰. Received: 9 June 1999 / Accepted: 19 January 2000     

Enrichment of rare earth elements as environmental tracers of contamination by acid mine drainage in salt marshes: A new perspective

Rare earth elements (REE) were analyzed in surface sediments from the Guadiana Estuary (SW Iberian Pyrite Belt). NASC (North American Shale Composite) normalized REE patterns show clearly convex curvatures in middle-REE (MREE) with respect to light- and heavy-REE, indicating acid-mixing processes between fluvial waters affected by acid mine drainage (AMD) and seawater. However, REE distributions in the mouth (closer to the coastal area) show slightly LREE-enriched and flat patterns, indicating saline-mixing processes typical of the coastal zone. NASC-normalized ratios (La/Gd and La/Yb) do not discriminate between both mixing processes in the estuary. Instead, a new parameter (E(MREE)) has been applied to measure the curvature in the MREE segment. The values of E(MREE)>0 are indicative of acid signatures and their spatial distribution reveal the existence of two decantation zones from flocculation processes related to drought periods and flood events. Studying REE fractionation through the E(MREE) may serve as a good proxy for AMD-pollution in estuarine environments in relation to the traditional methods.     

Performance evaluation of a distributed hybrid test framework to reproduce the collapse behavior of a structure

A hybrid numerical and experimental simulation to collapse was conducted on a one‐half scale moment‐resisting frame building with two experimental substructures at different locations. An extensible hybrid test framework was used that adopts a generalized interface to encapsulate each numerical or tested substructure, through which only boundary displacements and forces are exchanged. Equilibrium and compatibility between substructures are enforced by an iterative quasi‐Newton procedure, while adopting a predictor‐and‐corrector method to avoid loading reversals on physically tested substructures. To overcome difficulties in controlling stiff axial and rotational deformations at the boundaries, the flexible test scheme employs either open‐loop or closed‐loop control at the boundaries: enforcing either compatibility or equilibrium, or both requirements at critical boundaries. The effectiveness of the extensible framework and its capability to simulate structural behavior through collapse is demonstrated by a geographically distributed test that reproduced the collapse behavior of a four‐story, two‐bay, steel moment frame previously tested on an earthquake simulator. A comparison of both experiments highlights the viability of the hybrid test as an effective tool for the performance evaluation of structural systems from the onset of damage through collapse. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Macrofaunal communities of threatened subtidal maërl seabeds on Tenerife (Canary Islands, north-east Atlantic Ocean) in summer

This study contributes with the first data on physical and taxonomical structure of macrofaunal assemblages of ma¨erl beds from the Canary Islands. Ma¨erl beds and Cymodocea nodosa meadows of the Canary Islands are considered biodiversity hot-spots in terms of taxonomic and functional biodiversity with a broad geographical and depth ranges. The authors have studied the structure of the macrofaunal assemblages on different habitat types (Cymodocea, Caulerpa, sabellid field, garden eel and ma¨erl beds). Samples were taken at a range of depths between 14 and 46 m. Correlations were performed among abiotic variables (granulometry, organic matter, nitrogen and phosphates) and the most abundant taxa. Similarity analysis was performed to explore the patchiness of seabeds at a local scale. Significant differences were found in macrofaunal assemblages among seabed types, with highest abundances and lowest biodiversity in sabellid fields, where the sabellid Bispira viola dominated. The polychaetes Aponuphis bilineata and Chone filicauda and the mollusc Turritella brochii were the most abundant taxa on ma¨erl beds. The mosaic of granulometric conditions would explain the associated macroinfaunal community structure and contribute to the creation of diversity on these relatively well preserved seabeds at a local scale.     

Drying of salt-contaminated masonry: MRI laboratory monitoring

Drying of masonry specimens was monitored by means of a two-dimensional (2D) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique. The external surfaces stayed wet for longer if NaCl was present instead of pure water only. This corroborates many practical observations that salts aggravate dampness in masonry. A slower evaporation process and not hygroscopicity was the cause. That suggests that salt-induced dampness may, in general, arise simply from changes in the drying process of masonry materials. That also implies that the height and depth at which crystallization occurs in walls may depend on the relative equilibrium humidity (RHeq) and other properties of salts that influence drying of porous materials. Evaporation rates of free surfaces of pure water and saturated NaCl solution were measured by a gravimetric technique. The results indicate that slow drying of salt-contaminated materials is not due only to the lower RHeq of salt solutions. The effective surface of evaporation is likely to be reduced perhaps due to blocking of pores by salt crystals. Final salt-distribution maps of the specimens show that: (a) salts may affect the inner materials of the masonry, even in evaporation-induced processes that lead crystallization to occur predominantly on the external surface; (b) distinct internal distribution patterns occur if masonry composition varies. Electronic supplementary material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at and is accessible for authorized users.     

Analysis of the mobilization of solid loads and heavy metals in runoff waters from granite quarries

The cutting operations of dimension stone at quarries produce a large amount of fines that, in turn, cause a negative environmental impact over local surface waters. This article presents a detailed analysis of the mobilized contamination associated with runoff waters in a large granite quarry (～200 ha) which is located in Porriño (Galicia, NW Spain), the most important production centre of dimension stone in Spain. There, an intensive monitoring survey was developed in order to characterize the hydrology of the system as well as the release and transport of pollutants. This was accomplished by means of different control sections for the flow and by the collection of 52 random water samples. Automatic samplers were also used to collect 192 water samples associated with runoff generated by significant rain events. For each of the samples collected, a wide battery of analytic determinations was performed, including solid loads, turbidity, organic pollution, nutrient and selected metals. Upon careful examination it has been possible to obtain different parameters related to the contamination control, like the “event mean concentration” (EMC), maximum concentrations and specific sediment loads. Moreover, a comprehensive statistical study including parameter correlation and cumulative probability analyses helped to understand the pollutant mobilization behaviour within the quarry system. It can be concluded that mobilized contamination shows the anomalous presence of some metals, whose concentrations are in excess when compared to the natural rock. This excess metal amount must be attributed to an anthropogenic source associated to mining and cutting operations.     

Carbon and oxygen isotopes: a tool for Jurassic and early Cretaceous pelagic correlation (southern Spain)

The isotopic evolution of δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O is reported for the Jurassic and early Cretaceous in two pelagic sections of the External Zones in the Betic Cordilleras (SE Spain). Stable isotope curves from pelagic trough and swell sections display similar patterns. Variations in δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C values from strata at equivalent age probably reflect both early diagenetic cementation and later temperature‐related burial diagenesis. Comparison of global isotope curves with those presented in this work allows the differentiation of global from local events. Thus, the anoxic event during the early Toarcian (falciferum Zone) is characterized by elevated δ¹³C and depressed δ¹⁸O values. The isotopic record also allows the detection of the middle Oxfordian transgression. There are other peaks for the late Toarcian, early Bajocian, Callovian and early Berriasian that can also be used as tools for correlation purposes. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.