North Atlantic Oscillation – Concepts And Studies

This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of previous studies and concepts concerning the North Atlantic Oscillation. The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and its recent homologue, the Arctic Oscillation/Northern Hemisphere annular mode (AO/NAM), are the most prominent modes of variability in the Northern Hemisphere winter climate. The NAO teleconnection is characterised by a meridional displacement of atmospheric mass over the North Atlantic area. Its state is usually expressed by the standardised air pressure difference between the Azores High and the Iceland Low. ThisNAO index is a measure of the strength of the westerly flow (positive with strong westerlies, and vice versa). Together with the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon, the NAO is a major source of seasonal to interdecadal variability in the global atmosphere. On interannual and shorter time scales, the NAO dynamics can be explained as a purely internal mode of variability of the atmospheric circulation. Interdecadal variability maybe influenced, however, by ocean and sea-ice processes.     

Comparison of P- and S-wave velocity profiles obtained from surface seismic refraction/reflection and downhole data

High-resolution seismic-reflection/refraction data were acquired on the ground surface at six locations to compare with near-surface seismic-velocity downhole measurements. Measurement sites were in Seattle, WA, the San Francisco Bay Area, CA, and the San Fernando Valley, CA. We quantitatively compared the data in terms of the average shear-wave velocity to 30-m depth (V_s30), and by the ratio of the relative site amplification produced by the velocity profiles of each data type over a specified set of quarter-wavelength frequencies. In terms of V_s30, similar values were determined from the two methods. There is <15% difference at four of the six sites. The V_s30 values at the other two sites differ by 21% and 48%. The relative site amplification factors differ generally by less than 10% for both P- and S-wave velocities. We also found that S-wave reflections and first-arrival phase delays are essential for identifying velocity inversions. The results suggest that seismic reflection/refraction data are a fast, non-invasive, and less expensive alternative to downhole data for determining V_s30. In addition, we emphasize that some P- and S-wave reflection travel times can directly indicate the frequencies of potentially damaging earthquake site resonances. A strong correlation between the simple S-wave first-arrival travel time/apparent velocity on the ground surface at 100 m offset from the seismic source and the V_s30 value for that site is an additional unique feature of the reflection/refraction data that could greatly simplify V_s30 determinations.     

Rotational remanent magnetization (RRM) and its high temporal and thermal stability

The time and temperature stability of various types of magnetic remanence has been measured in pottery samples containing magnetite and in a clay sample containing manganese ferrite. The time decay of rotational remanent magnetization (RRM), anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM) and a low-field isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM) has been measured. While the decay of the last two remanences is easily measurable at about 2 and 19 per cent per decade of time, respectively, the decay of RRM is too small to be measured, being less than about 0.1 per cent per decade of time. Thermal demagnetization of thermoremanent magnetization (TRM), ARM and RRM indicates that RRM is also the most thermally stable. The implications of these experiments are that rocks which exhibit gyromagnetic effects such as RRM contain highly stable particles and therefore are likely to be most suitable for palaeomagnetism.     

Amphiboles from Dalradian metasedimentary rocks of NE Scotland: Environmental inferences and distinction from amphiboles of meta-igneous amphibolites

Summary Several formations within the lower part of the Dalradian Appin Group are characterised by calcareous and calc-silicate lithologies. Amphibole occurs in these metasedimentary units in a variety of habits, from fine-grained disseminated crystals, through radiating aggregates permeating the whole rock, to dark green layers consisting of over 90% amphibole. Electron microprobe analyses of these amphiboles exhibit simple compositional trends from tremolite, through tremolitic hornblende to magnesio-hornblende. The only significant substitutions are from tremolite towards alumino-tschermakite [MgSi Al^viAl^iv] and from tremolite towards ferri-tschermakite [MgSi Fe^viAl^iv].This is in marked contrast to amphiboles from nearby suites of metavolcanic rocks and intrusive metadolerites which exhibit four coupled substitutions, leading from tremolite towards the ferro-actinolite, edenite, alumino-tschermakite and ferritschermakite end-members. These distinctive compositional trends may aid the distinction between para- and ortho-amphibolites elsewhere.Tremolitic amphibole commonly constitutes a high proportion of the calc-silicate rocks, the only other phases present being quartz ± phlogopite. Carbonate minerals are notably absent. This suggests that the sedimentary protolith was high in Mg, such as a dolomitic marl, possibly containing some magnesite. Sedimentological considerations suggest deposition in tropical latitudes in restricted coastal lagoons forming part of an extensive stable shelf bordering a mature landscape.

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Amphibole in Metasedimenten der Dalradians, NE Schottland: Rückschlüsse auf prämetamorphe Ablagerungsbedingungen und Unterscheidung von Amphibolen aus orthomagmatischen Amphiboliten

Zusammenfassung Mehrere Formationen im unteren Teil der Appin Gruppe der Dalradians sind durch karbonatische und kalk-silikatische Lithologien gekennzeichnet. Amphibole treten in diesen metasedimentären Einheiten in verschiedener Ausbildung auf, als feinkörnige, disseminierte Kristalle, als radialstrahlige, die Gesteine durchwachsende Aggregate und in dunkelgrünen, zu mehr als 90% aus Amphibolen bestehenden Lagen. Elektronenstrahl-Mikrosondenuntersuchungen belegen einfache mineralchemische Zusammensetzungen, die Tremolite, tremolitische Hornblende und Magnesio-Hornblende umfaßt. Die einzige bedeutende Substitution ist die zwischen Tremolit und Alumino-Tschermakit [MgSi Al^viAl^iv] und zwischen Tremolit und Ferri-Tschermakit [MgSi Fe^viAl^iv].Im Gegensatz dazu zeigen Amphibole aus den nahegelegenen Metavulkaniten und intrusiven Metadoleriten vier Substitutionstrends von Tremolit zu Ferro-Akttinolith, Edenit, Alumino-Tschermakit und Ferri-Tschermakit. Diese unterschiedlichen Trends könnten auch anderswo bei der Unterscheidung zwischen Para- und Orthoamphiboliten behilflich sein. Tremolitische Amphibole machen normalerweise einen Großteil der kalk-silikatischen Gesteine aus, in denen ansonsten nur Quarz ± Phologpit auftritt. Karbonate fehlen bemerkenswerterweise. Dies weist auf Mg-reiche sedimentäre Protolithe, wie dolomitische Mergel mit möglicherweise etwas Magnesit, hin. Sedimentologische Überlegungen lassen die Ablagerung in abgeschnürten Küstenlagunen tropischer Breiten, die Teil eines weiträumigen stabilen Schelfes waren, vermuten.

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With 4 Figures     

Style and timing of salt tectonics in the Dniepr-Donets Basin (Ukraine): implications for triggering and driving mechanisms of salt movement in sedimentary basins

The Ukrainian Dniepr-Donets Basin (DDB) is a Late Palaeozoic intracratonic rift basin, with sedimentary thicknesses up to 19 km, displaying the effects of salt tectonics during its entire history of formation, from Late Devonian rifting to the Tertiary. Hundreds of concordant and discordant salt structures formed during this time. It is demonstrated in this paper that the variety of styles of salt structure formation in the DDB provide important constraints on understanding the triggering and driving mechanisms of salt kinematics in sedimentary basins in general. Salt movement in the DDB began during the Devonian syn-rift phase of basin development and exerted controls on the later distribution of salt structures though the geometry of basement faults is not directly responsible for the regular spacing of salt structures. Post-rift salt movements in the DDB occurred episodically. Episodes of salt movement were triggered by tectonic events, specifically two extensional events during the Carboniferous, an extensional reactivation at the end of Carboniferous–earliest Permian, and a compressional event at the end of the Cretaceous. Extensional events that induced salt movement were ‘thick-skinned’ (i.e. basement involved in deformation) rather than ‘thin-skinned’. Most overburden deformation related to salt movements is ductile regardless of sedimentary bulk lithology and degree of diagenesis, while the deformation of sedimentary cover in areas where salt is absent is mainly brittle. This implies that the presence of salt changes the predominant mode of deformation of overlying sedimentary rocks. Episodes of salt movement lasted longer than the periods of active tectonics that initiated them. Buoyancy, erosion, and differential loading all played a role in driving halokinesis once tectonic forces had pushed the salt-overburden system into disequilibrium; among these factors, erosion of overburden above growing salt structures acted as a key self-renewing force for development of salt diapirs. Very high sedimentation rates (related to high post-rift tectonic subsidence rates), particularly during the Carboniferous, were able to bury diapirs and to load salt bodies such that buoyancy, erosion, and differential loading forces eventually became insufficient to continue driving diapirism—until the system was perturbed by an ensuing tectonic event. In contrast, some salt anticlines and diapirs developed continuously during the entire Mesozoic because of much-reduced tectonic subsidence rates (and sedimentation supply) during this time. However, a Lower Permian salt series and overhangs of buried diapirs played an important role in preventing overburden piercing (and fracturing) during the Mesozoic and, specifically, during the Late Cretaceous salt diapirism phase.     

A theory of concentric, kink, and sinusoidal folding and of monoclinal flexuring of compressible, elastic multilayers: I. Introduction

Most folds in stratified rock are similar in form to ideal kink, concentric or chevron folds, in which there are discontinuities in slope or curvature of bedding planes. In this respect most folds appear to be closely related to faults, traces of which can be considered to be lines across which there are discontinuities of displacement of layers. Further, the close association of reverse faults and folds or monoclinal flexures seems to indicate that theories of faulting and folding should be closely related.The theory of characteristics is a mathematical tool with which we can obtain insights into processes involving discontinuities. Theoretical characteristic lines are directions across which certain variables might be discontinuous and they are directions along which discontinuities propagate. The theory has been widely applied in plasticity theory and in fluid mechanics and theoretical studies of faulting have suggested that faults are analogous to the lines of discontinuity predicted by plasticity theory. Elasticity and viscosity theories, on which theories of folding have been founded, exclude the existence of characteristic lines in the materials unless the equilibrium equations, rheological properties or strains are nonlinear. However, all folding theories are nonlinear to some extent and the theories can be modified so that they predict lines of discontinuity for some conditions of loading and deformation.Theories of folding will be developed in subsequent papers of this series in order to predict conditions under which characteristic lines can exist in multilayered materials and in order to determine the conditions that must be satisfied across and along the characteristic lines. The theory should help us to recognize lines of apparent discontinuity in natural and experimental folds and study of these lines should provide further understanding of mechanisms of folding.Experimental studies of folding of a wide variety of materials, including alternating layers of rubber and gelatin, modeling clay and grease or graphite, and potter's clay and rubber or cardboard, suggest that the patterns of folding in these materials begin with sinusoidal forms, transform into concentric or kink forms and then into chevron forms as the multilayers are shortened axially. A suitable theory of folding of multilayers should account for these observations.     

Paleointensity determinations of lunar samples

Evidence for the existence of an ancient lunar field comes from the NRM of lunar rocks and from measurements of local lunar surface magnetic fields. Even when the Fe particles present in the rocks possess enough magnetic stability to preserve a record of the original magnetizing field, there are considerable difficulties in estimating the strength of the field, primarily because of the chemical changes which take place on heating in the laboratory. These difficulties are discussed together with a paleointensity method involving heating in a more indirect way. A tentative interpretation of the results of paleointensity-age measurements is given.