Geologische Interpretation einiger bathymetrisch-geomagnetischer Profile aus dem Alboran-und Balearenmeer

Zusammenfassung Das Alboranmeer nimmt den Platz eines alten Festlandes, des sogenannten Alboranlandes ein, welches seit dem Miozän zu Bruche ging und in mehrfachen tektonischen Akten (sichtbar in stratigraphischen Diskordanzen aller sedimentären Zyklen des Tertiärs) einsank. Das Meer transgredierte zuerst von Osten nach Westen und ab dem Pliozän von Westen nach Osten durch den tektonischen Graben der Straße von Gibraltar über das versinkende Land.Die großen Bruchlinien und Geosuturen sind mit Vulkanen tertiären bis pleistozänen Alters besetzt. Doch sind nicht alle submarinen Kuppen rein magmatischen Ursprungs; es sind auch tektonische sedimentäre Hochschollen vorhanden, die nur vulkanische Gänge und Intrusionen führen.Diese Vulkanite hat das Vermessungs- und Forschungsschiff Komet im April 1972 während einer Fahrt über die bedeutendsten submarinen Strukturen in der Alboransee und im südlichsten Balearenmeer teilweise geomagnetisch vermessen. Insgesamt wurden fünf Profile von zusammen 660 km Länge gefahren, wovon drei Profile zweimal vermessen wurden.Das in der Nähe gelegene geomagnetische Observatorium von Almeria bietet die volle Gewähr für die aus Gründen der temporären Variationen des geomagnetischen Feldes angebrachten Korrekturen. Ferner wurden die beobachteten Werte entsprechend der geomagnetischen Breite korrigiert.Die entsprechenden Werte vonF des Normalfeldes erlauben die Größen der geomagnetischen Anomalien zu bestimmen, deren absolute Werte zwischen +207 und –236 liegen. Ganz allgemein fällt die völlige Unabhängigkeit zwischen bathymetrischen Profilen und den Anomalienkurven auf. Es handelt sich um Anomalien, wie sie für die Festländer typisch sind, hervorgerufen durch die variierende Suszeptibilität der Gesteine der Oberfläche. An einzelnen Stellen können die geomagnetischen Anomalien mit bedeutenden Verwerfungen in Beziehung gesetzt werden, an anderen Orten mit ziemlich rezenten submarinen vulkanischen Intrusionen.

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Geological interpretation of some bathymetric-geomagnetic profiles from the Alboran Sea and the Balearic Sea

Summary The Alboran Sea occupies the place of an old continent, of the so-called Land of Alboran, which has crumbled away since the Miocene Age and sunk in several tectonic stages (visible in stratigraphical unconformities of all sedimentary cycles of the Tertiary). The sea transgressed at first from East to West and from the Pliocene Age, from West to East through the tectonic graben of the Strait of Gibraltar over the submerging land.The large fault lines and geosutures are set with vulcanoes of Tertiary to Pleistocene Age. But not all submarine knolls are of pure magmatic origin; there are also tectonic sedimentary horsts present, which only have volcanic dikes and intrusions.These volcanic mountains were partly surveyed geomagnetically by the survey- and research vessel Komet in April 1972, during a cruise over the most significant submarine structures in the Alboran Sea and the southernmost Balearic Sea. Altogether, five profiles in a total length of 660 km were run, three of which were surveyed twice.The geomagnetic observatory of Almeria situated not far away, fully guarantees for the corrections made due to the temporary variations of the geomagnetic field. Furthermore, the values observed were corrected in accordance with the geomagnetic latitude.The corresponding values ofF of the normal field allow the magnitudes of the geomagnetic anomalies to be determined, whose absolute values lie between +207 and –236 . In general, the complete independence of bathymetric profiles from the anomaly curves is noticed. Here, anomalies-typical of the continents — are concerned that are caused by the varying susceptibility of the surface rock. In isolated places, the geomagnetic anomalies can be brought into relation with significant faults, and in other places, with rather recent submarine intrusions.

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Interprétation géologique de quelques profils bathymétriques-géomagnétiques de la Mer d'Alboran et de la Mer des Baléares

Résumé La Mer d'Alboran occupe la place d'un ancien continent, le «pays d'Alboran» qui a commencé à se fracturer dès le Miocène et qui s'est effondré au cours de plusieurs phases tectoniques (visibles dans les discordances stratigraphiques de tour les cycles sédimentaires du Tertiaire). La transgression marine s'est effectuée d'abord de l'Est vers l'Ouest et, depuis le Pliocène, de l'Ouest vers l'Est par le graben tectonique du détroit de Gibraltar.Les grandes lignes de fracture et les géosutures sont occupées par des volcans d'âges allant du Tertiaire au Pléistocène. Cependant, toutes les montagnes sous-marines ne sont pas d'origine purement magmatique. Il existe aussi des reliefs d'origine sédimentaire, mises en place par la tectonique et qui ne servent que de guide aux intrusions volcaniques.En Avril 1972, le navire océanographique Komet» a fait des levés géomagnétiques des formations volcaniques en Mer d'Alboran et au Sud des Baléares. La mission a couvert les structures sous-marines significatives de cette région. Cinq profils, dont trois parcourus deux fois, ont été effectués, soit 660 km au total.L'Observatoire voisin d'Alméria a permis d'apporter les corrections nécessitées par les variations temporaires du champ magnétique terrestre. De plus, les valeurs observées, ont été corrigées selon la latitude magnétique.Les valeurs correspondantes deF du champ normal permettent de déterminer les grandeurs des anomalies magnétiques, grandeurs dont les valeurs absolues sont comprises entre +207 et –236 . En général, les profils bathymétriques et les courbes d'anomalie sont complètement indépendants. Il s'agit d'anomalies typiquement continentales provoquées par les variations de susceptibilité magnétique des roches de surface. En quelques points particuliers, on peut corréler les anomalies magnétiques avec des failles significatives et en d'autres, avec des intrusions volcaniques sous-marines assez récentes.

     

Soil,landuse and land evaluation studies of Patna area Bihar

The soil and landuse surveys have been conducted in Patna area, Bihar, using aerial photos of 1:25,000 scale. Three major systems, Ganges Gandak and interfluvial plain, have been identified in the area. These were further sub-divided into levees plains and channels etc. The soils were classified according to Soil axonomy. The major land use of the area is cultivation (62.2%) (Upland, lowland and wet land crops) plantation (1.8%) habitation (16.0%), water bodies (8.8%), barren lands (9.4%) and miscellaneous (1.8%). The soils of the area have been evaluated for different land utilization types-upland crops, lowland crops, and habitation. For paddy 75.:%, upland crops 8.2% and for habitation 57%, area was found suitable.     

The Ribeira fluorite district,southern Brazil

The origin and evolution of different ore deposits grouped in the same district are often complex and may involve inheritance from crustal or mantle geochemical anomalies, remobilization of former ore deposits and a polyphase hydrothermal history. Localized in a Proterozoic basement in the Parana state, the Ribeira fluorite district is such an example composed of three deposit types with distinct geological and geochemical characters. Emplaced at different periods from the late Proterozoic to the Cretaceous, they are roughly aligned along a belt nearly 10 km in width and 50 km in length, the southern boundary of which is a transcurrent fault. Two main ore facies are present: (1) microcrystalline ore (< 0.1 mm grains) and (2) macrocrystalline ore (with a grain size of several millimetres). The former results from the replacement of metalimestones or internal karstic sediments and the latter from microcrystalline ore dissolution and pore precipitation or recrystallization. At least two different groups of source rocks can be proposed for the trapped REE in CaF₂: (1) fluorite samples associated with the Mato Preto carbonatitic rocks display a slightly negative ɛNd compatible with a mantle source and a REE pattern with the higher ΣREE and La/Yb ratio in the district; (2) other fluorites have a strongly negative ɛNd (− 14 to − 20) which indicates a crustal source. That fluorine and REE have the same source is possible in strata-bound and fracture-filling deposits, but is doubtful at Mato Preto, the only economic fluorite deposit associated with carbonatite rocks in Brazil. This occurrence within a Precambrian fluorite belt suggests that remobilization of a former strata-bound deposit was a more significant metallogenic process than magmatic differentiation. Editorial handling: DR     

Response of the paleomagnetic record to environmental changes in the late Pleistocene

During revisiting the Upper Pleistocene Pekla loess-soil section located on the Sea of Azov coast of the Taman Peninsula, its lower 6 m were continuously sampled, which led to an increase in the age range from ∼50 to 400 ka. The detailed rock magnetic study of the structure, grain-size, and concentrations of magnetic mineral (natural remanent magnetization (NRM) carrier) in the collected rock samples revealed regular changes in rock magnetic characteristics along the section and their correlation with climatic fluctuations. Magnetite and hematite both deposited during the transport of sedimentary material and formed during pedogenesis, which involved the entire section to a varying extent, represent the main magnetic minerals in the examined rocks. Automorphic paleosoils that were formed during warm and humid periods corresponding to odd stages of the MIS scale are characterized by elevated concentrations of magnetic mineral (NRM, magnetic susceptibility (K _lf), saturation isothermal remanent magnetization (SIRM), and anhysteresis (ideal) remanent magnetization (ARM)) parameters and share of superparamagnetic particles (up to 80%, according to elevated values of the frequency-dependent magnetic susceptibility K _td) as well as by lowered rigidity parameter (B _cr) and grain size (ARM/K parameter). Such changes in the paleosoils may be explained by the occurrence of newly formed fine-grained magnetite particles close in size to its superparamagnetic and single-domain varieties due to the activation of bio/geochemical processes during warm stages. The growth of the above-mentioned rock magnetic parameters in automorphic soils may be considered as serving a quantitative criterion for defining the boundary between warm and cold periods even in poorly developed soils.     

Reconstruction of past methane availability in an Arctic Alaska wetland indicates climate influenced methane release during the past ~12,000?years

Atmospheric contributions of methane from Arctic wetlands during the Holocene are dynamic and linked to climate oscillations. However, long-term records linking climate variability to methane availability in Arctic wetlands are lacking. We present a multi-proxy ~12,000?year paleoecological reconstruction of intermittent methane availability from a radiocarbon-dated sediment core (LQ-West) taken from a shallow tundra lake (Qalluuraq Lake) in Arctic Alaska. Specifically, stable carbon isotopic values of photosynthetic biomarkers and methane are utilized to estimate the proportional contribution of methane-derived carbon to lake-sediment-preserved benthic (chironomids) and pelagic (cladocerans) components over the last ~12,000?years. These results were compared to temperature, hydrologic, and habitat reconstructions from the same site using chironomid assemblage data, oxygen isotopes of chironomid head capsules, and radiocarbon ages of plant macrofossils. Cladoceran ephippia from ~4,000?cal?year BP sediments have ??¹³C values that range from ~?39 to ?31??, suggesting peak methane carbon assimilation at that time. These low ??¹³C values coincide with an apparent decrease in effective moisture and development of a wetland that included Sphagnum subsecundum. Incorporation of methane-derived carbon by chironomids and cladocerans decreased from ~2,500 to 1,500?cal?year BP, coinciding with a temperature decrease. Live-collected chironomids with a radiocarbon age of 1,640?cal?year BP, and fossil chironomids from 1,500?cal?year BP in the core illustrate that ??old?? carbon has also contributed to the development of the aquatic ecosystem since ~1,500?cal?year BP. The relatively low ??¹³C values of aquatic invertebrates (as low as ?40.5??) provide evidence of methane incorporation by lake invertebrates, and suggest intermittent climate-linked methane release from the lake throughout the Holocene.     

Performance of Foundations in Sabkha Soil: Numerical Investigation

Sabkha or salt flat soil is one of the most unpredictable and potentially dangerous soils in the Middle East. This soil covers a large and strategically important area of the Arabian Gulf coast, as it contains the world biggest oil reserve and a number of petrochemical plants are either have been built or are scheduled to be built in this area. The performance of shallow and deep foundations in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia’s sabkha soil is investigated numerically using the finite element method. The parameters used to simulate this soil in the numerical models were based on a large number of laboratory tests to determine the shear strength and stiffness parameters of the sabkha soil. In addition, the characteristics of the interface between the foundation and soil used in the numerical model were established from shear box tests that were conducted to evaluate the concrete-sabkha soil interface properties. The developed numerical model was calibrated/verified using the results of full-scale pile load testing program from an ongoing project to further enhance the accuracy of the results. A parametric study was then conducted using the verified model to establish the performance characteristics of foundations constructed in sabkha soil and provide guidelines for their design.     

Petrology and Rare Earth Elements Mineral Chemistry of Chadegan Metabasites (Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone,Iran): Evidence for Eclogite-Facies Metamorphism during Neotethyan Subduction

The metabasites of Chadegan, including eclogite, garnet amphibolite and amphibolite, are forming a part of Sanandaj–Sirjan Zone. These rocks have formed during the subduction of the Neo–Tethys ocean crust under Iranian plate. This subduction resulted in a subduction metamorphism under high pressuremedium temperature of eclogite and amphibolites facies condition. Then the metamorphic rocks were exhumed during the continental collision between the Afro–Arabian continent and the Iranian microcontinent. In the metabasite rocks, with typical MORB composition, garnet preserved a compositional zoning occurred during metamorphism. The magnesium (X_Mg) gradually increases from core to rim of garnets, while the manganese (X_Mn) decreases towards the rim. Chondrite–normalized Rare Earth Element patterns for these garnets exhibit core–to–rim increases in Light Rare Earth Elements. The chondrite–normalized REE patterns of garnets, amphiboles and pyroxenes display positive trend from LREEs to Heavy Rare Earth Elements (especially in garnet), which suggests the role of these minerals as the major controller of HREE distribution. The geochemical features show that the studied eclogite and associated rocks have a MORB origin, and probably formed in a deep–seated subduction channel environment. The geothermometry estimation yields average pressure of ~22 kbar and temperature of 470–520°C for eclogite fomation. The thermobarometry results gave T = 650–700°C and P ≈ 10–11 kbar for amphibolite facies.     

Influence of Mussel Culture on the Vertical Export of Phytoplankton Carbon in a Coastal Upwelling Embayment (Ría de Vigo,NW Iberia)

The goal of this paper is to find out whether suspended mussel culture affects the vertical fluxes of biogenic particles in the Ría de Vigo on a seasonal scale. With this aim, vertical fluxes of particulate organic carbon (POC) and the magnitude and composition of vertical export of phytoplankton carbon (Cphyto) collected in sediment traps were examined by comparing data obtained inside a mussel farming area (RaS) with those found at a reference station (ReS) not affected by mussels. Our results indicate that mussel farming has a strong impact on sedimentation fluxes under the rafts, not only increasing POC flux but also altering the magnitude and composition of Cphyto fluxes. Average POC flux at RaS (2564?±?1936 mg m^?2 day^?1) was four times higher than at ReS (731?±?276 mg m^?2 day^?1), and much of this increase was due to biodeposit fluxes (Cbiodep) which accounted for large proportion of POC flux (35–60 %). Indeed, because of this high Cbiodep flux, only a small proportion of the POC flux was due to Cphyto flux (3–12 %). At the same time, we observed an increased sedimentation of phytoplankton cells at RaS that could be explained by a combination of mechanisms: less energetic hydrodynamic conditions under mussel rafts, ballast effect by sinking mussel feces, and diatom aggregates. Moreover, mussel farming also altered the quality of the Cphyto flux by removing part of the predatory pressure of zooplankton and thus matching diatom composition in water column and sediment traps.     

A GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR PHYSICAL-GEOGRAPHIC REGIONALIZATION

The design and functioning of a geographic information system established for the purpose of objectively delineating the boundaries of major physical geographic regions in the USSR is described. The basic components include an information input block for data collection and preliminary image processing; a recognition block for feature classification and analysis; a data base management system providing for repeated revision, addition, and use of spectral information; and a block for displaying results of processing in various forms. Applications of the system are demonstrated in the mapping of physical regions in a steppe and semi-desert area of the southern USSR. Translated from: Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, seriya geograficheskaya, 1988, No. 2, pp. 89-94.