The Numidian Sequence between Guelma and Constantine (Eastern Tell,Algeria)*

The Numidian Sequence represents one of the main tectono-stratigraphic units involved in the geological evolution of the Maghrebian orogen during the Upper Oligocene-Lower Miocene. Geo-structural aqalysis led to the reconstruction of tectonc-stratigraphic units and recognition of two main tectonic phases (Eocene and Lower Miocene). Sedimentological analysis of the studied sections has resulted in the distinction of arenaceous and conglomeratic facies generated by debris flows or high-density turbidity currents on a submarine slope, present within the pelitic-arenaceous and arenaceous-pelitic sequences which also contain slumped units in places. Previous and new micropalaeontological data indicate Late Oligocene-Early Burdigalian ages for the Numidian sequences of the Constantine Mountains. On the basis of petrographic study the Numidian rocks can be classified as poorly sorted quartzarenites containing siliciclastic matrix. The overall petrographic data indicate that the Continental intercalaire (Hoggar, Tassili and Fezzan) and Series Pharusienne (Hoggar and Eglab) are possible supply areas for the Numidian quartz.     

Crustal deformation in northern Central America

Evaluation of the seismic moment tensor for earthquakes on plate boundary is a standard procedure to determine the relative velocity of plates, which controls the seismic deformation rate predicted from the slip on a single fault. The moment tensor is also decomposed into an isotropic and a deviatoric part to discover the relationship between the average strain rate and the relative velocity between two plates. We utilize this procedure to estimate the rates of deformation in northern Central America where plate boundaries are seismically well defined. Four different tectonic environments are considered for modelling of the plate motions. The deformation rates obtained here compare well with those predicted from the plate motions models and are in good agreement with actual observations. Deformation rates on faults are increasingly being used to estimate earthquake recurrence from information on fault slip rate and more on how we can incorporate our current understanding into seismic hazard analyses.     

High temperature structural and thermoelastic behaviour of mantle orthopyroxene: an in situ neutron powder diffraction study

The temperature induced structural evolution and thermoelastic behaviour of a natural (Pbca) orthopyroxene (Opx), with chemical formula ^M2(Mg_0.856Ca_0.025Fe²⁺ _0.119) ^M1(Mg_0.957Fe²⁺ _0.011Fe³⁺ _0.016Cr_0.011Al_0.005)Al_0.032Si_1.968O₆, from a suite of high pressure ultramafic nodules of mantle origin, have been investigated by in-situ neutron powder diffraction at several temperatures starting from 1,200°C down to 150°C. Unit-cell parameter variations as a function of T show no phase transition within this temperature range. The volume thermal expansion coefficient, α = V ⁻¹(∂V/∂T) _P0, varies linearly with T. The axial thermal expansion coefficients, α_j = l _j⁻¹(∂l _j/∂T)_P0, increase non-linearly with T. The principal Lagrangian unit-strain coefficients (ɛ//a, ɛ//b, ɛ//c), increase continuously with T. However, the orientation of the unit-strain ellipsoid appears to change with T. With decreasing T, the values of the unit-strain coefficients along the b and c axes tend to converge. The orientation at ΔT = 1,080°C is maintained down to the lowest temperature (150°C). The two non-equivalent tetrahedral chains, TA _n OA_3n and TB _n OB_3n , are kinked differently. At room-T, the TB _n OB_3n chain is more strongly kinked by about 23° than the TA _n OA_3n chain. With increasing T, the difference decreases by 3° for the TB _n OB_3n chain. The intersite cation exchange reaction between M1 and M2 (Mg²⁺ and Fe²⁺) shows a slight residual order at 1,200°C followed by reordering with decreasing temperature although seemingly not with a definite progressive trend. At the lowest temperature reached (150°C), reordering has occurred with the same value of partitioning coefficient K _D as that before heating. The absence of the expected phase transition is most likely due to the presence of minor amounts of Fe³⁺, Al, Ca and Cr which must play a crucial role on the thermoelastic behaviour and phase stability fields in natural Opx, with consequent important petrologic and geological implications.     

On the elastic behaviour of zeolite mordenite: a synchrotron powder diffraction study

The high-pressure elastic behaviour of a synthetic zeolite mordenite, Na₆Al_6.02Si_42.02O₉₆·19H₂O [a=18.131(2), b=20.507(2), c=7.5221(5) Å, space group Cmc2₁], has been investigated by means of in situ synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction up to 5.68 GPa. No phase transition has been observed within the pressure range investigated. Axial and volume bulk moduli have been calculated using a truncated second-order Birch–Murnaghan equation-of-state (II-BM-EoS). The refined elastic parameters are: V ₀=2801(11) ų, K _T0= 41(2) GPa for the unit-cell volume; a ₀=18.138(32) Å, K _T0(a)=70(8) GPa for the a-axis; b ₀=20.517(35) Å, K _T0(b)=29(2) GPa for the b-axis and c ₀=7.531(5) Å, K _T0(c)=38(1) GPa for the c-axis [K _T0(a): K _T0(b): K _T0(c)=2.41:1.00:1.31]. Axial and volume Eulerian finite strain versus “normalized stress” plots (fe–Fe plot) show an almost linear trend and the weighted linear regression through the data points yields the following intercept values: Fe(0)=39(4) GPa for V; Fe _a (0)=65(18) GPa for a; Fe _b (0)=28(3) GPa for b; Fe _c (0)=38(2) GPa for c. The magnitudes of the principal Lagrangian unit-strain coefficients, between 0.47 GPa (the lowest HP-data point) and each measured P>0.47 GPa, were calculated. The unit-strain ellipsoid is oriented with ε₁ || b, ε₂ || c, ε₃ || a and |ε₁|> |ε₂|> |ε₃|. Between 0.47 and 5.68 GPa the relationship between the unit-strain coefficient is ε₁: ε₂: ε₃=2.16:1.81:1.00. The reasons of the elastic anisotropy are discussed.An erratum to this article can be found at     

The ‘small-world’ nature of fracture/conduit networks: Possible implications for disequilibrium transport of magmas beneath mid-ocean ridges

In this contribution we show that natural fracture/conduit networks can be studied by using a new method based on Graph Theory. A number of natural networks at different length scales (from the meter to the millimeter) are analysed and results show that they have typical attributes of ‘small-world’ networks, a special class of networks characterized by high global and local transport efficiency. To our knowledge, this topological feature of natural fracture networks is recognized here for the first time. By starting from results on natural fracture/conduit networks, the possible implications are discussed by focusing on disequilibrium transport of magmas in the upper mantle beneath mid-ocean ridges. Results indicate that the ‘small-world’ topology of natural fracture/conduit networks is an important characteristic to ensure disequilibrium delivery of melts through the upper mantle, thus offering a good explanation of geochemical features of magmas. The remarkable point here is that the modelling of melt migration has been constrained by using real fracture network systems. The results presented in this work may contribute to a better understanding of melt migration in fracture network systems and of the way geochemical features of magmas may be influenced by their transport history.     

UD-SV: Urban data services and visualization framework for sharing multidisciplinary research

With the widespread availability of a large volume of urban data, stakeholders from different domains require advanced tools to manage, visualize and understand cities and their evolution. During the last few years, researchers have proposed numerous research works and applications to illustrate the cities of the past and possible scenarios of the future under different conditions. However, many of these approaches are one-time solutions and not based on standards, making them obsolete and unusable for reproducible research. In this article, we present UD-SV: an Urban data-Services and Visualization open-source framework for multidisciplinary research to handle complex processing, analysis, and visualization of urban data. However, our goal is not to present a one-time monolithic software solution for urban data management and analysis, but we demonstrate the design and development of an open and interoperable software framework driven by use cases from diverse users to solve applied research challenges. The main contribution of UD-SV is that it uses open standards and open data with documented and reproducible processes with a particular emphasis on the reuse of existing open-source software components. We also show an enhanced use of standards to enable a shift toward components that are interchangeable or composable with other existing components in the GIS community.     

Numerical modelling of centrifuge dynamic tests of circular tunnels in dry sand

This paper describes the numerical simulation of two dynamic centrifuge tests on reduced scale models of shallow tunnels in dry sand, carried out using both an advanced bounding surface plasticity constitutive soil model and a simple Mohr–Coulomb elastic-perfectly plastic model with embedded nonlinear and hysteretic behaviour. The predictive capabilities of the two constitutive models are assessed by comparing numerical predictions and experimental data in terms of accelerations at several positions in the model, and bending moment and hoop forces in the lining. Computed and recorded accelerations match well, and a quite good agreement is achieved also in terms of dynamic bending moments in the lining, while numerical and experimental values of the hoop force differ significantly with one another. The influence of the contact assumption between the tunnel and the soil is investigated by comparing the experimental data and the numerical results obtained with different interface conditions with the analytical solutions. The overall performance of the two models is very similar indicating that at least for dry sand, where shear-volumetric coupling is less relevant, even a simple model can provide an adequate representation of soil behaviour under dynamic conditions.     

Magnetic properties of surface sediments as proxies of recent anthropogenic pollution in the Anllóns riverbed (NW Spain)

A study of surface sediments from the Anllóns riverbed (northwestern Spain) was conducted to assess the use of their magnetic properties as proxies of recent trace element contamination (i.e., As, Zn, Pb, Cr, Ni and Cu). Thermomagnetic curves, hysteresis parameters, specific magnetic susceptibility χ, frequency-dependent magnetic susceptibility κ _FD%, magnetic remanence and saturation isothermal remanent magnetization ratios (i.e., S and SIRM/χ) reveal the presence of mostly fine-grained magnetite and maghemite in these samples. The Tomlinson Pollution Load Index (PLI), as well as the magnetic parameters χ, κ _FD%, SIRM/χ and S-ratios, vary more or less in agreement to each other when they are sequentially arranged throughout a 30-km-long transect that goes from the town of Carballo to the river mouth in Ponteceso. From that profile, it is possible to identify an anomaly of χ that lies between two small peaks of the PLI and seems to define a contaminated area probably linked to a diffuse low-impact source of pollution. There is also a conspicuous peak of the PLI that is likely associated to a nearby gold mine. The variations of the κ _FD%’s along the transect are the ones that best reflect the changes in the PLI values, regardless of the level of contamination. This result suggests that adsorption is the main mechanism of trace elements removal by Fe oxides in these samples. Direct signal analyses, used to decompose the isothermal remanent magnetization curves, reveal the presence of four magnetic fractions, with varying relative concentrations all over the profile, namely single-domain magnetite, close to the superparamagnetic threshold (SD/SP) and/or maghemite (\(\log B_{1/2}\) ca 1.2), single-domain magnetite (\(\log B_{1/2}\) ca 2), hematite (\(\log B_{1/2}\) ca 2.5) and goethite (\(\log B_{1/2}\) ca 3.5). Integrating all the available information, it was sketched out a likely sequence of events that included magnetic minerals neoformation in parent soils, their subsequent chemical transformations and the contamination episodes that affected the region.     

Shallow groundwater temperature in the Turin area (NW Italy): vertical distribution and anthropogenic effects

This study investigated the thermal regime of shallow groundwater in the Turin area (NW Italy), where the large energy demand has motivated a new interest for renewable sources, such as the use of ground-source heat pumps for domestic heating and cooling. The vertical variability of the groundwater temperature between the ground surface and 10–20 m was detected: deeper temperatures were higher than shallow temperatures in spring, while a decrease with depth occurred in autumn. These variations are connected with the heating and cooling cycles of the ground surface due to the seasonal temperature oscillation. Variations below the seasonal oscillation are likely to be connected with the presence of advective heat transport due to the groundwater flow, according to the hydraulic features of a shallow aquifer. Temperature values mostly ranged between 12 and 14 °C in rural areas, while the values were between 14 and 16 °C below the Turin city. This groundwater warming is attributed to a widespread urban heat island phenomenon linked to warmer land surface temperatures in Turin city. Sparse warm outliers are connected with point heat sources and site-specific conditions of land and subsurface use, which may cause the aquifer temperature to rise. A relatively stable temperature below the seasonal fluctuation zone combined with high productivity and legislated limits for deeper groundwater use represent favourable conditions for a large-scale diffusion of groundwater heat pumps within the shallow aquifer. Moreover, this heat surplus should be regarded as a resource for future geothermal installations.     

Modeling of subduction components in the Genesis of the Meso-Cenozoic igneous rocks from the South Shetland Arc, Antarctica

Isotope data and trace elements concentrations are presented for volcanic and plutonic rocks from the Livingston, Greenwich, Robert, King George and Ardley islands (South Shetland arc, Antarctica). These islands were formed during subduction of the Phoenix Plate under the Antarctica Plate from Cretaceous to Tertiary. Isotopically (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_o ratios vary from 0.7033 to 0.7046 and (¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd)_o ratios from 0.5127 to 0.5129. εNd values vary from +2.71 to +7.30 that indicate asthenospheric mantle source for the analysed samples. ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratios vary from 38.12 to 38.70, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratios are between 15.49 and 15.68, and ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb from 18.28 to 18.81. The South Shetland rocks are thought to be derived from a depleted MORB mantle source (DMM) modified by mixtures of two enriched mantle components such as slab-derived melts and/or fluids and small fractions of oceanic sediment (EM I and EM II). The isotopic compositions of the subduction component can be explained by mixing between at least 4 wt.% of sediment and 96 wt.% of melts and/or fluids derived from altered MORB.