Change in tectonic force inferred from basin subsidence: Implications for the dynamical aspects of back-arc rifting in the western Mediterranean

A method has been developed that allows temporal changes in tectonic force during rift basin formation to be inferred from observed tectonic subsidence curves and has been applied to the Gulf of Lions (the Provençal Basin) and the Valencia Trough in order to gain some understanding of the dynamical aspects of back-arc basin rifting in the western Mediterranean Sea. Two distinct tectonic force regimes active at different times during the evolution of each of these back-arc basins are identified. The first, which can be seen in both basins, is characterized by tensional forces that gradually abate with time to vanish some ～ 20 my after the onset of rifting. The magnitude of tectonic force required to initiate the rifting process is significantly greater in the Valencia Trough than in the Provençal Basin. Subsequently, the dynamic development of these back-arc basins differs. In the Provençal Basin, there is a renewal of force, with extensional deformation concentrated in the central part of the rift whereas, in the Valencia Trough, the second tectonic force regime is inferred to be one that causes compression that subsequently relaxes. Such temporal patterns of tectonic force are interpreted to be related to the causative driving processes, allowing constraints to be placed on the transient interaction between the overriding and subducting plates in a back-arc setting. The models also allow inferences to be made about the rheological structure of the lithosphere. A significant variation of initial crustal thickness is inferred for the Provençal Basin but not for the Valencia Trough. In both basins, a wet rheology is required in order to initiate rifting given currently accepted bounds on tectonic force magnitudes; adoption of a dry rheology leads to insufficiently high strain rates for significant lithosphere extension in both cases.     

Inverted metamorphism and the Main Central Thrust: field relations and thermobarometric constraints from the Kishtwar Window, NW Indian Himalaya

Following the early Eocene collision of the Indian and Asian plates, intracontinental subduction occurred along the Main Central Thrust (MCT) zone in the High Himalaya. In the Kishtwar–Zanskar Himalaya, the MCT is a 2 km thick shear zone of high strain, distributed ductile deformation which emplaces the amphibolite facies High Himalayan Crystalline (HHC) unit south‐westwards over the lower greenschist facies Lesser Himalaya. An inverted metamorphic field gradient, mapped from the first appearance of garnet, staurolite and kyanite index minerals, is coincident with the high strain zone. Petrography and garnet zoning profiles indicate that rocks in the lower MCT zone preserve a prograde assemblage, whereas rocks in the HHC unit show retrograde equilibration. Thermobarometric results derived using THERMOCALC indicate a P–T increase of c. 180 °C and c. 400 MPa across the base of the MCT zone, which is a consequence of the syn‐ to postmetamorphic juxtaposition of M1 kyanite grade rocks of the HHC unit on a cooling path over biotite grade footwall rocks, which subsequently attain their peak (M2) during thrusting. Inclusion thermobarometry from the lower MCT zone reveals that M2 was accompanied by loading, and peak conditions of 537±38 °C and 860±120 MPa were attained. M1 kyanite assemblages in the HHC unit, which have not been overprinted by M2 fibrolitic sillimanite, were not significantly affected by M2, and conditions of equilibration are estimated as 742±53 °C and 960±180 MPa. There is no evidence for dissipative or downward conductive heating in the MCT zone. Instead, the primary control on the distribution of peak assemblages, represented by the index minerals, is postmetamorphic ductile thrusting in a downward propagating shear zone. Polymetamorphism and diachroneity of equilibration are also important controls on the thermal profile through the MCT zone and HHC unit.     

The residual permanent magnetic dipole moment of the moon

The residual dipole moment of the outer spherical shell of the Moon, magnetized in the field of an internal dipole is calculated for the case when the permeability of the shell differs from unity. It is shown that, using an average value of surface magnetization from returned lunar crystalline rock samples and a global figure for the lunar permeability of 1.012, that a residual moment of the order of 10¹⁵ to 10¹⁶ Am² is expected. This value is some two or three orders of magnitude lower than the moment for a shell magnetized in an external uniform field and is of the same order as the upper limit of the residual moment detected by Russellet al. (1974). At present the magnetic data and the thermal state of the Moon are not known with sufficient accuracy to distinguish between a crust magnetized in an internal dipole field of constant polarity and a crust magnetized in the dipole field of a self-reversing core dynamo. Refined measurements of the relevant parameters together with the theory presented in this paper could enable these two possibilities to be distinguished.     

A theoretical and experimental comparison of the anisotropies of magnetic susceptibility and remanence in rocks and minerals

Summary. Susceptibility, thermo-remanent magnetization (TRM) and isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM) anisotropy ellipsoids have been determined for several rock samples. The results indicate that the ellipsoid of initial susceptibility is less anisotropic than the TRM and low field IRM ellipsoids which are found experimentally to be of identical shape. This suggests that palaeomagnetic data for anisotropic rocks may be corrected by using the anisotropy ellipsoid determined from magnetically non-destructive low field IRM measurements. Such IRM measurements can also be used to obtain anisotropy axes of samples which are inherently anisotropic but which have a susceptibility which is too weak to be accurately measured. The results for a series of artificial anisotropic samples containing magnetite particles of different sizes (in the range 0.2–90 μm) were very similar to those for the rocks. In contrast, a comparison of the susceptibility and IRM ellipsoids for anisotropic samples containing particles from a magnetic tape gave very different results in accordance with theory. Such results imply that susceptibility and IRM ellipsoids could be used to determine whether anisotropic rocks contain uniaxial single-domain particles (magnetization confined to the easy axis) or whether the particles are essentially multidomain.     

Rotational remanent magnetization and the torque exerted on a rotating rock in an alternating magnetic field

Summary. Using an air turbine at rotation frequencies of between 1.5 and 275 revolutions per second (rps), the dependence of rotational remanent magnetization (RRM) on rotation frequency has been investigated for two igneous samples in and alternating field of 51 mT peak at 50 Hz. The same experimental arrangement has also been used to measure the dependence on rotation frequency of the torque exerted by the alternating field on the rock samples. The dependence of torque and RRM on peak field has also been measured at a rotation frequency of 112 rps and a linear relationship between RRM and torque has been demonstrated.
In an attempt to elucidate the way in which RRM arises, analytical and numerical models of the rock have been developed in order to calculate the torque curves and these agree quite closely with those observed experimentally. While the precise factor responsible for RRM has not yet been identified from the numerical model it is suggested that RRM may arise as a result of particle moments suddenly flipping into the field direction, and thus by virtue of their intrinsic angular momentum acquiring a transient component of magnetic moment antiparallel to the rotation vector describing the flip. This component, due to the hysteresis of the assembly of particles, will not then entirely disappear when the alternating field is removed. An estimate of the transient axial field which can be considered to deflect each moment towards the rotation axis during the flip yields a value of the order of 1 mT.     

Two‐hourly surface change on supra‐tidal rock (Marengo,Victoria, Australia)

A traversing micro‐erosion meter was used to measure rock surface micro‐topography over 40 cm² on a supra‐tidal cliff face from early morning to late evening in late spring. From 06:00 hours to 22:00 hours the relative heights of 188 coordinates were obtained using the meter at 2‐hour intervals, resulting in a data set of 1607 readings. Monitoring shows that rock surfaces are dynamic entities, with significant rise and fall relative to the first measurement at shorter timescales than previously reported. The maximum positive rise between readings was 0·261 mm and lowering was 0·126 mm. The pattern of change did not relate as expected to environmental variables such as temperature or insolation. Rather, the surface showed greater surface change in the early morning and late afternoon. It is hypothesized that this pattern relates to the expansion and contraction of lichen thalli as moisture is absorbed during higher humidity in the morning and late afternoon. The implications of these results for weathering studies are considered. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.