Exploration of the extension of two lava tubes,faults and dikes using very low frequency-electromagnetic technique in NE Jordan

The very low frequency-electromagnetic (VLF-EM) technique was used to delineate two sub-parallel lava tubes, faults and dikes in Umm El-Quttein area, NE Jordan. The investigation of the lava tubes was conducted through 22 VLF-EM profiles across lava strike; the length of profiles ranged from 700 to 1700 m. The lava tubes outcrop at two sites: Azzam cave and Al-Howa tunnel, characterized by slightly weathered basalt, columnar joints and fissure zones; qualitative interpretation of Fraser and Karous-Hjelt maps differentiate those zones as linear, elongated and circular anomalous zones. The 2-D tipper inversion of VLF-EM data and resistivity imaging had the potential to screen out three anomalous zones of likely resistivity contrast: the lava tube body with resistivity over 2500 Θ·m, the fractured zones with resistivity less than 500 Θ·m, and the host vesicular basalt with resistivity of 1500 Θ·m. The strike of lava tubes varied from SW to NE direction with depth less than 20 m and width from 10 to 30 m.     

Sr–Nd isotopes and geochemistry of the infrastructural rocks in the Meatiq and Hafafit core complexes, Eastern Desert, Egypt: Evidence for involvement of pre-Neoproterozoic crust in the growth of Arabian–Nubian Shield

Abstract Meatiq and Hafafit core complexes are large swells in the Eastern Desert of Egypt, comprising two major tectono‐stratigraphic units or tiers. The lower (infrastructure) unit is composed of variably cataclased gneissose granites and high‐grade gneisses and schists. It is structurally overlain by Pan–African ophiolitic mélange nappes (the higher unit). The two units are separated by a low‐angle sole thrust, along which mylonites are developed. Major and trace element data indicate formation of the gneissose granites in both volcanic arc and within‐plate settings. Nevertheless, all analyzed gneissose granites and other infrastructural rocks, exhibit low initial ratios (Sr_i) (<0.7027), positive ε_Nd(t) (+4.9 to +10.3) and Neoproterozoic Nd model age (T_DM) (592–831 Ma for the gneissose granite samples). Although these values are compatible with other parts of the Arabian– Nubian Shield considered to be juvenile, the ε_Nd(t) values and several incompatible element ratios of the gneissose granites are too low to be derived from a mantle source without contribution from an older continental crust. Our geological, Sr–Nd isotopic and chemical data combined with the published zircon ages indicate the existence of a pre‐Neoproterozoic continent in the Eastern Desert that started to break up at ca 800 Ma. Rifting and subsequent events caused the formation of oceanic crust and emplacement within‐plate alkali basalts in the hinterland domains of the old continent. The emplacement of basaltic magma might have triggered melting of lower crust in the old continent and resulted in emplacement of the within‐plate granite masses between 700 Ma and 626 Ma. The granite masses and other rocks in the old continent have been subjected to deformation during the over‐thrusting of Pan–African nappes, probably because of the oblique convergence between East and West Gondwanaland. Rb–Sr isotopes of the gneissose granites in both Meatiq and Hafafit core complexes defines an isochron age of 619 ± 25 Ma with Sr_i of 0.7009 ± 0.0017 and mean squares of weighted deviates = 2.0. We interpret this age as the date of thrusting of the Pan–African nappes in the Eastern Desert. Continued oblique convergence between East and West Gondwanaland could have resulted in the formation northwest–southeast‐trending Meatiq and Hafafit anticlinoriums.     

Environmental texture and geochemistry of the sediments of a subtropical mangrove ecosystem and surrounding areas,Red Sea Coast,Egypt

The textural and geochemical aspects of the sediments of subtropical mangrove ecosystem and surrounding areas have been studied and discussed. Forty sediment samples were collected from different areas of mangrove environment and surrounding areas along the Egyptian Red Sea coast. The sediments of each study areas are characterized by the abundance of sand with minor amounts of mud and gravel. The mean size of the sediments ranged from medium grained to fine grained at the study areas. Cluster analysis showed that the distribution of gravel, sand, and mud fractions is related to bottom facies and type of sediment source. Generally, sand fraction is the main category among the three constituents. Carbonate content recorded minor values in the study areas. The CaCo₃ content of the sediments ranged from 4.7 % at Hamata area to 64.9 % at Erier area. Terrigenous and biogenic components are the factor controlling of the carbonate content of studies sediments. The organic carbon content ranged from 1.10 at Hamata area to 3.1 % at Sharm el-Qibli and Erier areas, which is controlled by particle size of the sediments. Phosphorus content in the different studied localities is related to the sources of phosphorus to the area. Our observations provide evidence that there are no significant differences in environmental texture and geochemistry of the sediments of subtropical mangrove ecosystem and surrounding areas of the Egyptian Red Sea coast.     

Validation of TRMM 3B42 V6 for estimation of mean annual rainfall over ungauged area in semiarid climate

This research compares data from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission 3B42 V6 with data obtained from 19 synoptic rain gauges during the period 1998–2010 over the semiarid climate of Khorasan Razavi, Iran. Validation was performed using three spatial extents, including 1 TRMM grid face from the synoptic station (1PTRM), 3 TRMM points surrounding the synoptic station (3PTRM) and 5 TRMM points surrounding the synoptic station (5PTRM), using ArcGIS 10.2 software. The perfect and poor r were obtained at stations S08 and S19, with values of 0.92 and 0.26, respectively. According to the Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient, the TRMM satellite can predict the spatial variation of the mean annual rainfall by 0.23, 0.43 and 0.38 for 1PTRM, 3PTRM and 5PTRM, respectively, at 19 stations. The agreement significantly increases by 0.88, 0.83 and 0.80 for 1PTRM, 3PTRM and 5PTRM, respectively, when gauges S05, S07, S11 and S13 are excluded from the dataset, which may be associated with orographic or instrumental error at the stations.     

Geochemistry and fluid inclusions study of highly fractionated garnet-bearing granite of Gabal Abu Diab, central Eastern Desert of Egypt

The Neoproterozoic granite of Gabal Abu Diab, central Eastern Desert of Egypt, comprises mainly garnet-bearing granite and alkali feldspar granite intruded into calc-alkaline granodiorite–tonalite and metagabbro–diorite complexes. The garnet-bearing granite is composed mainly of plagioclase, K-feldspar, quartz, garnet and primary muscovite ± biotite. The presence of garnet and primary muscovite of Abu-Diab granite suggests its highly fractionated character. Geochemically, the garnet-bearing granite is highly fractionated as indicated from the high contents of SiO₂ (74.85–77.5%), alkalis (8.27 to 9.2%, Na₂O+K₂O) and the trace elements association: Ga, Zn, Zr, Nb and Y. This granite is depleted in CaO, MgO, P₂O₅, Sr and Ba. The alumina saturation (Shand Index, molar ratio A/CNK) of 1.0 to 1.1 indicates the weak peraluminous nature of this garnet-bearing granite. The geochemical characteristics of the Abu Diab garnet-bearing granite are consistent with either the average I-type or A-type granite and also suggest post-orogenic or anorogenic setting. A fluid inclusions study reveals the presence of three fluid generations trapped into the studied granite. The earlier is a complex CO₂–H₂O fluid trapped in primary fluid inclusions with CO₂ contents >?60 vol.%. These inclusions were probably trapped at minimum temperature >?400°C and minimum pressure >?2 kb. The second is immiscible water–CO₂ fluid trapped in secondary and/or pseudo-secondary inclusions. The trapping conditions were estimated at temperature between 400°C and 170°C and pressure between 900 and 2000 bar. The latest fluid is low-salinity aqueous fluid trapped in secondary two-phase and mono-phase inclusions. The trapping conditions were estimated at temperature between 90°C and 160°C and pressure <?900 bar. The origin of the early fluid generation is magmatic fluid while the second and third fluids are of hydrothermal and meteoric origin, respectively.     

DIVERSITY OF EPHEMEROPTERA, PLECOPTERA AND TRICHOPTERA IN VARIOUS TRIBUTARIES OF TEMENGGOR CATCHMENT, PERAK, MALAYSIA

Ephemeroptera(mayfly),Plecoptera(stonefly)and Trichoptera(caddisfly)(EPT,3 kinds of insectorders)reach their maximum development in streamsand contain families that are entirely or almost con-fined to running water.Ross(1963)suggested thatthe early evolut…     

Neoproterozoic podiform chromitites in serpentinites of the Abu Meriewa–Hagar Dungash district, Eastern Desert, Egypt: Geotectonic implications and metamorphism

Podiform chromitites hosted in serpentinites (after harzburgite and dunite) and talc‐carbonate rocks from the Abu Meriewa–Hagar Dungash district (MHD), Eastern Desert of Egypt, together with metagabbros, pillow metavolcanics, and metasediments, form an ophiolitic mélange formed during the Neoproterozoic Pan‐African Orogeny. The chromitites show massive, disseminated, and nodular textures. Chromite cores in chromitites have high and restricted ranges of Cr# (0.65–0.75) and Mg# (0.64–0.83), implying primary compositions not affected by metamorphism. Therefore, they are used as reliable indicators of parent magma composition and tectonic affinities of these highly metamorphosed rocks. On the contrary, the altered rims are high‐Cr, low‐Fe³⁺ spinel (rather than ferritchromit) enriched in Cr, Fe, and Mn, and depleted in Al and Mg (Cr# = 0.75–0.97, Mg# = 0.29–0.79), due to equilibration with interstitial silicates during regional metamorphism up to transitional greenschist–amphibolite facies at about 500–550°C. The primary chromite compositions suggest derivation from a high‐Mg tholeiitic, to possibly boninitic, parental magma in a supra‐subduction zone (arc–marginal basin) environment, similar to the spatially associated metavolcanic rocks. The MHD chromitites are most probably formed by melt–rock interaction mechanisms. The high Cr# of the investigated chromites suggests high degrees of partial melting of a depleted harzburgite source by interaction with primitive basaltic melt of deeper origin followed by mixing. Such Cr‐rich chromites are common in chromitites from the Eastern Desert of Egypt, implying broad thermal anomalies, possibly linked to an important geodynamic feature of the Arabian–Nubian Shield (ANS) evolution. This could revive interest in models that involve asthenospheric uprise, related to plume interaction or most probably due to oblique convergence of arc terranes during early evolution of the ANS.     

Dust ion-acoustic shock waves in nonextensive dusty plasma

A parametric survey on the propagation characteristics of the dust ion-acoustic (DIA) shock waves showing the effect of nonextesivity with nonextensive electrons in a dissipative dusty plasma system has been carried out using the reductive perturbation technique. We have considered continuity and momentum equations for inertial ions, q-distributed nonextensive electrons, and stationary charged dust grains, to derive the Burgers equation. It has been found that the basic features of DIA shock waves are significantly modified by the effects of electron nonextensivity and ion kinematic viscosity. Depending on the degree of nonextensivity of electrons, the dust ion-acoustic shock structures exhibit compression and rarefaction. The implications of our results would be useful to understand some astrophysical and cosmological scenarios like stellar polytropes, hadronic matter and quark-gluon plasma, protoneutron stars, dark-matter halos, etc., where effects of nonextensivity can play the significant roles.     

Study on potential tsunami by earthquake in subduction zone of Sulawesi Sea

Indonesia is one country in the world featuring a complex tectonic structure. This condition makes earthquakes often occur in many areas of this country and as an earthquake rages beneath the sea, it will potentially trigger tsunami. One of the areas in Indonesia with a high seismic activity is Sulawesi region particularly in the Sulawesi Sea subduction zone, making it important to carry out a study on the potential tsunami at this location. The purpose of this study was to analyze the existing huge potential energy in Sulawesi Sea subduction zone and to identify tsunami modeling likely to occur based on the potential energy of the region. The approach used in assessing the tsunami disaster was the calculation of the potential energy of an earthquake and tsunami modeling based on the potential energy. The method used in this research was the least squares method for the calculation of potential energy, and near-field tsunami modeling with the assistance of TUNAMI-N2 COD. The research finding has shown that the Sulawesi Sea subduction zone has potential energy of 1.35469?×?10²³ erg, equivalent to an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.6 Mw. The tsunami modeling made shown the average wave propagation reaching ashore within 12.3 min with a height varying between 0.1 and >?3 m. The tsunami modeling also indicated that there are seven sub-districts in Buol District, Central Sulawesi, which is affected by a significant tsunami.