The origin of magnetization and geochemical alteration in a fault zone,Kilve, England

The origin of an apparently syndeformational chemical remanent magnetization (CRM) and geochemical alteration in a fault zone in the Bristol Channel Basin, southwest England, was investigated. Deformation in the fault zone occurs in Jurassic aged, organic-rich limestones and consists of numerous normal and oblique-slip faults and associated folds. Migration of basinal, radiogenic fluids is indicated by elevated ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr values for calcite veins that occur throughout the fault zone. Some of the calcite veins contain hydrocarbons sourced from deeper strata. Elevated ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr values in the host Jurassic limestones indicate that they were also extensively altered by radiogenic fluids that migrated through microfractures in addition to major fault and fracture planes. Folded and tilted host limestones contain a pervasive secondary CRM residing in magnetite that was acquired during deformation in the Tertiary. The association between this pervasive CRM and the pervasive geochemical alteration is consistent with a genetic connection between the orogenic fluids and the CRM although the timing of CRM acquisition (Tertiary) is not consistent with structural interpretations for the timing of most veining. An alternative remagnetization mechanism which is not triggered by externally derived fluids, such as diagenesis of hydrocarbons, might account for the CRM. Hydrocarbon-bearing veins also contain a CRM that resides in magnetite, although the time for remanence acquisition is not well constrained by field tests. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Petrology and geochronology of basalt breccia from the 1996 earthquake swarm of Loihi seamount, Hawaii: magmatic history of its 1996 eruption

 Samples of basalt were collected during the Rapid Response cruise to Loihi seamount from a breccia that was probably created by the July to August 1996 Loihi earthquake swarm, the largest swarm ever recorded from a Hawaiian volcano. ²¹⁰Po–²¹⁰Pb dating of two fresh lava blocks from this breccia indicates that they were erupted during the first half of 1996, making this the first documented historical eruption of Loihi. Sonobuoys deployed during the August 1996 cruise recorded popping noises north of the breccia site, indicating that the eruption may have been continuing during the swarm. All of the breccia lava fragments are tholeiitic, like the vast majority of Loihi's most recent lavas. Reverse zoning at the rim of clinopyroxene phenocrysts, and the presence of two chemically distinct olivine phenocryst populations, indicate that the magma for the lavas was mixed just prior to eruption. The trace element geochemistry of these lavas indicates there has been a reversal in Loihi's temporal geochemical trend. Although the new Loihi lavas are similar isotopically and geochemically to recent Kilauea lavas and the mantle conduits for these two volcanoes appear to converge at depth, distinct trace element ratios for their recent lavas preclude common parental magmas for these two active volcanoes. The mineralogy of Loihi's recent tholeiitic lavas signify that they crystallized at moderate depths (∼8–9 km) within the volcano, which is approximately 1 km below the hypocenters for earthquakes from the 1996 swarm. Taken together, the petrological and seismic evidence indicates that Loihi's current magma chamber is considerably deeper than the shallow magma chamber (∼3–4 km) in the adjoining active shield volcanoes. Received: 21 August 1997 / Accepted: 15 February 1998     

Use of a reservoir water quality model to simulate global climate change effects on fish habitat

A case study was conducted on the potential impacts of climate change on fish habitat in a southeastern reservoir. A reservoir water quality model and one year of baseline meteorologic, hydrologic, and inflow water quality input were used to simulate current reservoir water quality. Total adult striped bass habitat, defined by specific quantitative temperature and dissolved oxygen criteria, was simulated. Daily reservoir volumes with optimal, suboptimal, and unsuitable temperature and DO were predicted for the year. Output from recent runs of atmospheric general circulation models (GCMs), in which atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations have been doubled, was then used to adjust the baseline inputs to the water quality model. New sets of input data were created for two grid cells for each of three GCMs. All six climate scenarios are predicted to cause overall declines in the available summer striped bass habitat, mostly due to lake water temperatures exceeding striped bass tolerance levels. These predictions are believed to result from the consensus among GCM scenarios that air temperatures and humidity will rise, and the sensitivity of the reservoir model to these parameters. The reservoir model was found to be a promising tool for examining potential climate-change impacts. Some of the assumptions required to apply GCM output to the reservoir model, however, illustrate the problems in using large-scale gridcell output to assess small-scale impacts.     

Metal accumulation rates in the Southeast Pacific and the origin of metalliferous sediments

Metal accumulation rates over the East Pacific Rise and Bauer Deep rule out normal authigenic precipitation of iron and manganese as the major mechanism of enrichment to the metalliferous sediments. A hydrothermal source located along the East Pacific Rise is compatible with the transition metal and aluminum accumulation rates. For the Bauer Deep the accumulation rate data suggest either that metal-bearing phases are being transported from the rise to the protected basins of the deep or that a second hydrothermal source exists within the Bauer Deep. A major portion of the minor elements being deposited in the Bauer Deep could result from authigenic precipitation, thus accounting for their distinctive chemical composition.     

Type II bursts of different subclasses associated to transients and mass ejection in the higher corona

The list of mass ejections published in Solar Geophysical Data during the period of Jan. 1981 to Oct. 1987 contains about 1300 Surges, Sprays and Type II bursts. The relationship between the mass ejection events and the shock front events is investigated by means of correlation of time and position. The result shows that type II bursts start as frequently after the mass ejections as prior to them.     

Desertification: Reconciling intellectual conceptualization and intervention effort

Gaps in the conceptualization are partly responsible for the failure of intervention effort to control the impacts of the desertification process. The interwoven network of linkages which characterizes the desertification process does not lend itself easily to linear argumentation. A more potent conceptual framework, which is scientifically sound and also satisfying to intervention effort, is needed.     

The growth, collapse and quiescence of Teno volcano, Tenerife: new constraints from paleomagnetic data

Tenerife basically consists of three Miocene shield volcanoes, the Anaga, the Teno and Central shield, as well as the Pliocene Cañadas volcano. The temporal evolution and structural significance of each volcano with respect to the history of Tenerife is still a matter of debate. We present paleomagnetic results in order to enhance the view of the volcanic history of the Teno volcano by means of magnetostratigraphy. It is found that the initial subaerial phase shows reverse magnetizations throughout. After two major sector collapses, dominantly normally magnetized lavas extruded. Comparisons of observed magnetic polarities with the geomagnetic polarity timescale show that these volcanic activities occurred within 0.4 Myr between 6.3 and 5.9 Ma. Significantly younger flows, ～ 5.3 Myr old according to their radiometric age, revealed again normal polarity throughout. The absence of inversely magnetized lavas in-between the two normal periods indicates a volcanic hiatus or erosional phase. The evolutionary sequence and the estimated high production rates for the initial building phase are similar as would be expected for a hotspot volcano. The average geomagnetic field for 6.0 ± 0.2 Ma is close to an axial dipole field showing a slight far-sided/right-handed effect. The field strength, determined by Thellier-type intensity determinations, corresponds to a virtual axial dipole moment of 4.9 × 10²² A m². This value is approximately half of the present day field strength, but similar to values obtained for the mid-Miocene. It also corresponds to the proposed tertiary low-field level of the geomagnetic dipole moment.     

Analysis of High Density Regional Geochemical Soil Samples at the Council for Geoscience (South Africa): The Importance of Quality Control Measures

The Council for Geoscience (CGS, South Africa) has a statutory mandate to carry out regional geochemical mapping in South Africa that needs to be rapidly and accurately analysed. Both simultaneous X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (S-XRF) and a newly developed method using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) were employed. Various trace elements that could not previously be analysed by S-XRF can now be analysed by ICP-MS for the regional geochemical mapping programme, e.g., Cd, Mo, Te and Li. Using both techniques, the CGS aims to report element distributions for some fifty elements. To ensure that element concentration levels correlate over map boundaries, quality control measures in the sampling, sample preparation and analyses were of critical importance. This paper aims to discuss the sample preparation and quality control measures as applied to the ∼5500 samples of the Giyani and Tzaneen 1:100000 scale map sheets sampled at a density of one soil sample per km². ICP-MS batch- and instrumental drift-correction procedures will be discussed. As a final step, geochemical data were overlain over simplified geological maps using geographical information system software. These maps complement existing geological information of South Africa, help in the identification of exploration targets, test exploration models and initiate further geological research.     

Structure of the crust in the conterminous United States

On the basis of the newest interpretations of all sufficiently long seismic profiles, a contour map of the Mohorovi?i? discontinuity for the conterminous United States is compiled. Differences from earlier interpretations are discussed.