Processing and preliminary interpretation of noisy high-resolution seismic reflection/refraction data across the active Ostler Fault zone,South Island,New Zealand

In an attempt to understand the structure of active faults as they emerge from bedrock into shallow semi-consolidated and unconsolidated sediments, we have recorded a comprehensive high-resolution seismic reflection/refraction data set across the Ostler Fault zone on the central South Island of New Zealand. This fault zone, which absorbs 1–2 mm/yr of compression associated with oblique convergence of the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates, consists of a series of surface-rupturing N–S trending, west-dipping reverse faults that offset a thick sequence of Quaternary glacial outwash and late Neogene fluvio-lacustrine sediments of the Mackenzie Basin. Our study focuses on a region of the basin where two non-overlapping fault segments are separated by a transfer zone. Deformation in this area is accommodated by offsets on multiple small faults and by folding in their hanging walls. The seismic data with source and receiver spacing of 6 and 3 m and nominal CMP fold of 60 was acquired along twelve 1.2 km long lines orthogonal to fault strike and an additional 1.6 km long tie-line parallel to fault strike. The combination of active deformation and shallow glacial outwash sediments results in particularly complicated seismic data, such that application of relatively standard processing schemes yields only poor quality images. We have designed a pre- and post-stack reflection/refraction processing scheme that focuses on minimising random and source-generated noise, determining appropriate static corrections and resolving contrasting reflection dips. Application of this processing scheme to the Ostler Fault data provides critical information on fault geometry and offset and on sedimentary structures from the surface to ～ 800 m depth. Our preliminary interpretation of one of the lines includes complex deformation structures with folding and multiple subsidiary fault splays on either side of a ～ 50° west-dipping primary fault plane.     

The variation of cosmogenic Kr and Xe in a core from Estherville mesosiderite: direct evidence that the lunar131Xe anomaly is a depth effect

Kr and Xe were measured by a stepwise heating technique in three samples of a drill core in the “Minnesota” fragment of the Estherville mesosiderite. The cosmogenic⁷⁸Kr/⁸³Kr decreased from the “top” sample to the “bottom” sample(“top” = 0.163 ± 0.005, “bottom” = 0.151 ± 0.005) while the cosmogenic¹³¹Xe/¹²⁶Xe ratio increased(“top” = 5.58 ± 0.35, “bottom” = 6.92 ± 0.17). Cosmic-ray track studies have shown that the “top” sample was indeed closer to the preatmospheric surface than the “bottom” sample by ～ 10 cm. This is the first direct evidence, in a sample of known geometry, that the cosmogenic¹³¹Xe/¹²⁶Xe ratio increases as a function of depth, and as such, confirms the hypothesis that the lunar¹³¹Xe anomaly is a bona fide depth effect due to resonance neutron capture in¹³⁰Ba.     

A study to explain the emission of nitric oxide from a marsh soil

In the period 18–21 September 1989, soil NO emission was studied at Halvergate Marshes, Norfolk (U.K.) within the framework of the BIATEX-LOVENOX joint field experiment. Using a dynamic chamber technique, 186 measurements at four plots were performed showing a net NO flux of 7.2–14.6×10^–12 kgN m^–2 s^–1. Soil samples from a soil profile (1.0 m) at a representative site and from the uppermost layer (0.1 m) of each of the four plots were sent to the laboratory for (a) detailed physical and chemical soil analysis, (b) determination of NO production rates, NO uptake rate constants, and NO compensation mixing ratios, and (c) characterization of the microbial processes involved. A diffusive model (Galbally and Johansson, 1989) was applied to the laboratory results to infer NO fluxes of the individual soil samples. When we compared these fluxes with those measured in the field, we found agreement within a factor 2–4. Furthermore, laboratory studies showed, that NO was produced and consumed only in the upper soil layer (0–0.1 m depth) and that the NO production and consumption activities observed in the Halvergate marsh soil were most probably due to the anaerobic metabolism of denitrifying bacteria operating in anaerobic microniches within the generally aerobic soil.     

Parametric study of vertical vibrations of circular flexible foundations on layered media

The paper presents results of a parametric study of vertical oscillations of a flexible circular plate on the surface of an elastic half-space and an elastic layered system. The solution of the problem is based on the ‘ring method’. Vertical oscillations have been analysed to determine the displacement and soil reaction distributions at the soil-plate interface and the impedance functions. Parameters of the study include material and geometrical properties of a soil system and a plate and the load distribution on the plate. The results indicate significantly different behaviour of a flexible plate from that of a rigid one. Based on the observed behaviour, a classification of plates has been suggested.     

Emission of nitrous oxide from temperate forest soils into the atmosphere

N₂O emission rates were measured during a 13-month period from July 1981 till August 1982 with a frequency of once every two weeks at six different forest sites in the vicinity of Mainz, Germany. The sites were selected on the basis of soil types typical for many of the Central European forest ecosystems. The individual N₂O emission rates showed a high degree of temporal and spatial variabilities which, however, were not significantly correlated to variabilities in soil moisture content or soil temperatures. However, the N₂O emission rates followed a general seasonal trend with relatively high values during spring and fall. These maxima coincided with relatively high soil moisture contents, but may also have been influenced by the leaf fall in autumn. In addition, there was a brief episode of relatively high N₂O emission rates immediately after thawing of the winter snow. The individual N₂O emission rates measured during the whole season ranged between 1 and 92 g N₂O-N m^–2 h^–1. The average values were in the range of 3–11 g N₂O-N m^–2 h^–1 and those with a 50% probability were in the range of 2–8 g N₂O-N m^–2 h^–1. The total source strength of temperate forest soils for atmospheric N₂O may be in the range of 0.7–1.5 Tg N yr^–1.     

Comparative organic petrology of interlayered sandstones,siltstones, mudstones and coals in the Upper Carboniferous Ruhr basin,Northwest Germany,and their thermal history and methane generation

In the coal-mining Ruhr-area, Upper Carboniferous rocks (ca. 4000 m) consist of interlayered sandstones, siltstones, mudstones and coals. They were deposited in a tropical, paralic environment where alternating fluvial sedimentation, occasional marine ingressions, and swamp growth resulted in an irregular cyclic succession. The total sedimentary package contains on an average 6 Vol.-% of organic matter. About 70 Vol.-% of the organic matter occurs in coal seams, the rest as dispersed organic matter in clastic rocks. The organic matter is autochthonous in the coals and allochthonous in associated sandstones and siltstones. It consists of about 70% vitrinite, 20% inertinite, and 10% liptinite. The overall maceral group composition is the same for coals and dispersed organic matter. This surprising similarity is caused by a nearly exclusive input of land-plant derived organic matter to swamps and fluvial systems and a similar degree of preservation. Highest average liptinite contents (% of total macerals) were found in unrooted mudstones, highest average inertinite contents in coarse-grained siltstones and highest average vitrinite percentages in sandstones.Maturities of the sediments studied are well within the hydrocarbon generation window, e. g. vitrinite reflectivities range from 0.6% to 1.6%. Reflectivities measured on dispersed particles in clastic rocks are similar to those measured in coal seams. Calculations of the amount of methane generated indicate that coal seams contributed more to the total hydrocarbon generation than dispersed organic matter.

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Zusammenfassung Das Oberkarbon des Ruhrgebietes besteht aus ca. 4000 Metern wechsellagernder Sandsteine, Siltsteine und Kohleflöze. Der Ablagerungsraum der Sedimente war eine Region mit tropischem Klima, genauer ein paralisches Environment mit unregelmäßig alternierenden Folgen von fluviatilen Sedimenten, marinen Transgressionen und verbreiteten Sumpfablagerungen. Der Anteil organischer Substanzen an der gesamten Sedimentmenge beträgt durchschnittlich 6%. 70% dieser organischen Masse ist in Kohleflözen angereichert, der Rest liegt verteilt in den klastischen Gesteinen vor. Die Herkunft der organischen Substanz in den Kohleflözen ist autochthon, die in den benachbarten Sand- und Siltsteinen allochton. Die Zusammensetzung des organischen Materials ist 70% Vitrinit, 20% Inertinit und 10% Liptinit. Die allgemeine Zusammensetzung nach Mazeral-Gruppen ist für die Kohleflöze und das verteilte Material in den Nachbargesteinen identisch. Diese Ähnlichkeit beruht auf der gemeinsamen Herkunft der organischen Substanz in Sümpfen und Flußsystemen, die fast ausschließlich von Landpflanzen bestimmt wird, und einer sich entsprechenden Konservierung.Der Reifegrad der analysierten Sedimente liegt innerhalb des Kohlenwasserstoff-Bildungsbereiches (die Vitrinit-Reflexionen reichen von 0,6–1,6%). Dabei entsprechen die in den klastischen Gesteinen beobachteten Reflexionswerte weitgehend denen der Kohleflöze. Anhand der Menge des erzeugten Methans läßt sich erkennen, daß der Anteil der Kohleflöze an der Kohlenwasserstoff-Produktion höher ist als der Anteil, den disperse organische Substanzen der Klastika beisteuern.

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Résumé Dans la région minière de la Ruhr, le Carbonifère supérieur constitue une succession, épaisse de 4.000 m environ, de grès, de siltites et de charbon. Leur dépôt, dans un milieu paralique tropical, a été marqué par des alternances de sédimentation fluiviale, de transgressions marines occasionnelles, et d'épisodes marécageux; il en résulte une disposition cyclique irrégulière. La série sédimentaire contient dans l'ensemble 6% de matière organique en moyenne. Environ 70% de cette matière organique se trouve dans les couches de charbon où elle est autochtone; le reste est allochtone et dispersé dans les grès et siltites. La matière organique se répartit approximativement en 70% de vitrinite, 20% d'inertinite et 10% de liptinite. La composition moyenne du groupe «macéral» est la même pour les charbons et la matière organique dispersée. Cette identité surprenante est l'expression d'une alimentation provenant exclusivement de plantes terrestres et d'un même degré de conservation.La maturité des sédiments étudiés se situe à l'intérieur du domaine de genèse des hydrocarbures: le pouvoir réflecteur de la vitrinite s'échelonne entre 0,6% et 1,6%. Les gradients du pouvoir réflecteur observés dans les roches détritiques et dans les couches de charbon sont analogues. Le calcul de la quantité de méthane engendré indique que la contribution des couches de charbon à la production totale d'hydrocarbure est supérieur à celle de la matière organique dispersée.

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Geological setting of the Tverrfjell copper/zinc deposit,Central Norway

The volcanogenic exhalative Tverrfjell deposit occurs in a sequence of predominantely mafic submarine meta-volcanics, interlayered with geosynclinal pelitic sediments, turbidites and volcanic breccias, belonging to the Early Cambrian to Early Arenigian Støren Group. Two major deformational phases and low to medium grade metamorphic conditions are recognized in the study area. Basalts are mainly tholeiitic but alkaline types occur as well. Extensive fractionation produced highly evolved basalts and even andesites. Basalt compositions are comparable to Type II-ocean floor basalt. The copper/zinc ores of the Tverrfjell deposit are strictly confined to an andesitic extrusive body. An extensive magma chamber is postulated to explain magma fractionation, and as a heat source that generated the exhalative Tverrfjell ore body. It is suggested that the deposit was formed at an intraplate volcanic center or back-arc spreading center.

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Zusammenfassung Die vulkanogen-exhalativ gebildete Tverrfjell-Lagerstätte befindet sich innerhalb einer Abfolge überwiegend mafischer, submariner Metavulkamte, die mit geosynklinalen pelitischen Sedimenten, Turbiditen und vulkanischen Brekkzien wechsellagern. Diese Gesteine gehören zur Støren-Gruppe, die vom Unterkambrium bis zum frühen Arenig reicht. Zwei Hauptdeformationsphasen in Verbindung mit niedrig bis mittelgradiger Metamorphose können im Arbeitsgebiet nachgewiesen werden. Die Basalte sind zumeist tholeiitisch, jedoch treten auch alkalibasaltische Typen auf. Durch starke Fraktionierung sind hoch entwikkelte Basaltmagmen und sogar Andesite entstanden. Die Basalte können mit Typ II-Ozeanbodenbasalten verglichen werden. Die Kupfer/Zinkerze der Tverrfjell-Lagerstätte sind strikt an einen andesitischen Extrusivkörper gebunden. Eine ausgedehnte Magmenkammer wird postuliert, in welcher die Magmenfraktionierung stattfand, und die als Wärmequelle für die Bildung des Tverrfjellerzkörpers angesehen wird. Aufgrund der Untersuchungsergebnisse wird angenommen, daß die Lagerstätte in einem Intraplatten-Vulkanzentrum oder in einem Back-arc spreading centre gebildet wurde.

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Résumé Le gisement volcanogénétique exhalatif du Tverrfjell se trouve au sein d'une série de métavolcanites sous-marines, surtout basiques, qui alternent avec des pélites géosynclinales, des turbidites et des brèches volcaniques. Ces roches appartiennent au groupe de Støren qui s'étend du Cambrien inférieur jusqu'à l'éo-Arénigien. Dans cette région, deux phases déformatives majeures ont été reconnues, liées à un métamorphisme de degré faible à moyen.La plupart des basaltes sont de type tholéiitique, mais il existe aussi des basaltes alcalins. Un fractionnement poussé a engendré magmas basaltiques très évolués et même des andésites. Les compositions des basaltes sont comparables à celles du «basalte océanique de type II». La minéralisation en Cu-Zn de Tverrfjell est liée strictement à une masse extrusive andésitique. Pour expliquer le fractionnement magmatique, on admet l'existence d'une de chaleur lors de la formation du gisement de Tverrfjell. Ce gisement a dû se former soit dans un centre volcanique intraplaque, soit dans une zone d'expansion d'arrière-arc.

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The trace element composition of silicate inclusions in diamonds: a review

On a global scale, peridotitic garnet inclusions in diamonds from the subcratonic lithosphere indicate an evolution from strongly sinusoidal REE_N, typical for harzburgitic garnets, to mildly sinusoidal or “normal” patterns (positive slope from LREE_N to MREE_N, fairly flat MREE_N–HREE_N), typical for lherzolitic garnets. Using the Cr-number of garnet as a proxy for the bulk rock major element composition it becomes apparent that strong LREE enrichment in garnet is restricted to highly depleted lithologies, whereas flat or positive LREE–MREE slopes are limited to less depleted rocks. For lherzolitic garnet inclusions, there is a positive relation between equilibration temperature, enrichment in MREE, HREE and other HFSE (Ti, Zr, Y), and decreasing depletion in major elements. For harzburgitic garnets, relations are not linear, but it appears that lherzolite style enrichment in MREE–HREE only occurs at temperatures above 1150–1200 °C, whereas strong enrichment in Sr is absent at these high temperatures. These observations suggest a transition from melt metasomatism (typical for the lherzolitic sources) characterized by fairly unfractionated trace and major element compositions to metasomatism by CHO fluids carrying primarily incompatible trace elements. Melt and fluid metasomatism are viewed as a compositional continuum, with residual CHO fluids resulting from primary silicate or carbonate melts in the course of fractional crystallization and equilibration with lithospheric host rocks.

Eclogitic garnet inclusions show “normal” REE_N patterns, with LREE at about 1× and HREE at about 30× chondritic abundance. Clinopyroxenes approximately mirror the garnet patterns, being enriched in LREE and having chondritic HREE abundances. Positive and negative Eu anomalies are observed for both garnet and clinopyroxene inclusions. Such anomalies are strong evidence for crustal precursors for the eclogitic diamond sources. The trace element composition of an “average eclogitic diamond source” based on garnet and clinopyroxene inclusions is consistent with derivation from former oceanic crust that lost about 10% of a partial melt in the garnet stability field and that subsequently experienced only minor reenrichment in the most incompatible trace elements. Based on individual diamonds, this simplistic picture becomes more complex, with evidence for both strong enrichment and depletion in LREE.

Trace element data for sublithospheric inclusions in diamonds are less abundant. REE in majoritic garnets indicate source compositions that range from being similar to lithospheric eclogitic sources to strongly LREE enriched. Lower mantle sources, assessed based on CaSi–perovskite as the principal host for REE, are not primitive in composition but show moderate to strong LREE enrichment. The bulk rock LREE_N–HREE_N slope cannot be determined from CaSi–perovskites alone, as garnet may be present in these shallow lower mantle sources and then would act as an important host for HREE. Positive and negative Eu anomalies are widespread in CaSi–perovskites and negative anomalies have also been observed for a majoritic garnet and a coexisting clinopyroxene inclusion. This suggests that sublithospheric diamond sources may be linked to old oceanic slabs, possibly because only former crustal rocks can provide the redox gradients necessary for diamond precipitation in an otherwise reduced sublithospheric mantle.