Forced folding of the neoautochthonous Late Cretaceous–Early Tertiary sequence at the western end of the Hatta Zone, Northern Oman Mountains

At the western end of the Hatta Zone (the Jebel Rawdha area), Northern Oman Mountains, the neoautochthonous Late Cretaceous–Early Tertiary sequence (“cover”) lies with an angular unconformity on the obducted Semail ophiolite, Haybi Complex and Sumeini Group (“basement”). Structural analysis of the faults in both the basement and cover sequences has shown that they are similar in type and configuration to those that develop in a transpressional left-lateral strike-slip deformational regime (a restraining bend) that is characterised by the dominance of the dip-slip component over the strike-slip component. The WNW–ESE (P_o) faults together with the linking NW–SE (P) faults have divided the basement into elongated blocks. These blocks, in turn, are subdivided by transverse normal faults into horst and graben sub-blocks. The cover sequence is gently folded into a generally WNW–ESE-trending ‘Main’ folds and NE–SW-trending ‘Cross’ folds superimposed on them. These folds appear to be dominantly forced folds that developed as a result of repeated uplift and depression of basement blocks. Their trends correspond to the trends of the subjacent basement blocks. Hence, the Jebel Rawdha folds trend differently from other post-obduction major folds in the foreland region of the Northern Oman Mountains, such as the Hafit and Jebel Faiyah folds. Differences in stratigraphic thicknesses and lateral facies changes of the cover sequence within the blocks and sub-blocks indicate that the earliest differential movement of the blocks must have occurred during the early Maastrichtian, and the latest movement in post-mid-Eocene. Thus, pushing back the initiation of the post-obduction deformation in the Northern Oman Mountains to the early Maastrichtian.     

Effects of biochar, cow bone, and eggshell on Pb availability to maize in contaminated soil irrigated with saline water

Toxicity of heavy metals adversely affects environment and human health. Organic materials derived from natural matters or wastes have been applied to soils to reduce the mobility of contaminants such as heavy metals. However, the application of cow bone powder (CB), biochar (BC), and eggshell powder (ES) is rarely investigated for the reduction of Pb bioavailability in soils irrigated with saline water. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of CB, BC, and ES additions as immobilizing substances on Pb bioavailability in shooting range soil irrigated with deionized and saline water. Each additive of CB, BC, and ES at 5 % (w/w) was mixed with soils and then the deionized and saline water were irrigated for 21 days. With deionized water irrigation, the soils treated with CB, BC, and ES exhibited higher pH when compared with saline water irrigation. With saline water irrigation, the electrical conductivity, water-soluble anions, and cations were significantly increased in soils treated with CB, BC, and ES. The water-soluble Pb in soils treated with CB, BC, and ES was significantly decreased with saline water irrigation. On the other hand, the water-soluble Pb in soil treated with CB was increased with deionized water irrigation. Only BC with saline water irrigation decreased the Pb concentration in maize shoots.     

Diagenesis in the Middle Jurassic Khatatba Formation sandstones in the Shoushan Basin,northern Western Desert,Egypt

The Middle Jurassic Khatatba Formation acts as a hydrocarbon reservoir in the subsurface in the Western Desert, Egypt. This study, which is based on core samples from two exploration boreholes, describes the lithological and diagenetic characteristics of the Khatatba Formation sandstones. The sandstones are fine‐ to coarse‐grained, moderately to well‐sorted quartz arenites, deposited in fluvial channels and in a shallow‐marine setting. Diagenetic components include mechanical and chemical compaction, cementation (calcite, clay minerals, quartz overgrowths, and a minor amount of pyrite), and dissolution of calcite cements and feldspar grains. The widespread occurrence of an early calcite cement suggests that the Khatatba sandstones lost a significant amount of primary porosity at an early stage of its diagenetic history. In addition to calcite, several different cements including kaolinite and syntaxial quartz overgrowth occur as pore‐filling and pore‐lining cements. Kaolinite (largely vermicular) fills pore spaces and causes reduction in the permeability of the reservoir. Based on framework grain–cement relationships, precipitation of the early calcite cement was either accompanied by or followed the development of part of the pore‐lining and pore‐filling cements. Secondary porosity development occurred due to partial to complete dissolution of early calcite cements and feldspar. Late kaolinite clay cement occurs due to dissolved feldspar and has an impact on the reservoir quality of the Khatatba sandstones. Open hydraulic fractures also generated significant secondary porosity in sandstone reservoirs, where both fractures and dissolution took place in multiple phases during late diagenetic stages. The diagenesis and sedimentary facies help control the reservoir quality of the Khatatba sandstones. Fluvial channel sandstones have the highest porosities and permeabilities, in part because of calcite cementation, which inhibited authigenic clays or was later dissolved, creating intergranular secondary porosity. Fluvial crevasse‐splay and marine sandstones have the lowest reservoir quality because of an abundance of depositional kaolinite matrix and pervasive, shallow‐burial calcite and quartz overgrowth cements, respectively. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thermal metamorphism of primitive meteorites—IX. On the mechanism of trace element loss from Allende heated up to 1400° C

We report data for Ag, Bi, Cd, Co, Cs, Ga, In, Se, Te, Tl and Zn determined by neutron activation in Allende samples heated for one week at 100° increments in the 1000–1400°C range in a low pressure (initially 10^?5atmH₂) environment using an apparatus of novel design. In the extremes, concentrations of these trace elements—initially present at ppm-ppb levels—in unheated material are lowered even farther by factors of 10^?4–10^?5 over a broad temperature span. Loss of some elements above 1000°C extends trends evident below 1000°C; loss of others is even more extreme. On Arrhenius diagrams some elements exhibit but one apparent activation energy over the entire temperature span of loss while others exhibit 2 or 3, each operative in a particular temperature region. These discontinuities seem related to mineralogic/petrologic alteration and probably reflect differences in diffusion mechanism rather than siting differences. The extension of previous experiments into the temperature regime postulated for chondritic differentiation should lead to a better understanding of the evolution of meteoritic parent bodies.     

Expansion of the first order planetary disturbing function by Smart's method

In this part we expand the indirect part of the planetary perturbing function by Smart's method, via Taylor's theorem. We neglect, in our expansion, terms of degree higher than the fourth with regard to the eccentricities and tangents of the inclinations.     

Identification of palaeochannels around Cauvery river near Talakad, Karnataka using remote sensing data

Visual interpretation of satellite images could help in the identification of present and past landforms. An attempt has been made to identify the palaeochannels of the Cauvery river in Karnataka state through visual interpretation of IRS-1C, LISS III False Colour Composites (FCC). In order to assess their inter-relationship with other hydrogeomorphic elements, various geomorphic units have been mapped. Major geomorphic units like alluvial plain, pediplain, valley fill. residual hill, ridges, meander scar, channel bars and water bodies have been demarcated. Considering the hydrogeomorphic setup of the palaeochannels. it is inferred that the disposition of palaeochannels of the area are controlled by the geology and structure and the prevailing geomorphic process.     

A practical and efficient numerical scheme for the analysis of steady state unconfined seepage flows

The scaled boundary finite‐element method (SBFEM), a novel semi‐analytical technique, is applied to the analysis of the confined and unconfined seepage flow. This method combines the advantages of the finite‐element method and the boundary element method. In this method, only the boundary of the domain is discretized; no fundamental solution is required, and singularity problems can be modeled rigorously. Anisotropic and nonhomogeneous materials satisfying similarity are modeled without additional efforts. In this paper, SBFE equations and solution procedures for the analysis of seepage flow are outlined. The accuracy of the proposed method in modeling singularity problems is demonstrated by analyzing seepage flow under a concrete dam with a cutoff at heel. As only the boundary is discretized, the variable mesh technique is advisable for modeling unconfined seepage analyses. The accuracy, effectiveness, and efficiency of the method are demonstrated by modeling several unconfined seepage flow problems. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The motion of artificial satellites in the set of Eulerian redundant parameters

In this paper, the connections between orbit dynamics and rigid body dynamics are established throughout the Eulerian redundant parameters, the perturbation equations for any conic motion of artificial satellites are derived in terms of these parameters. A general recursive and stable computational algorithm is also established for the initial-value problem of the Eulerian parameters for satellites prediction in the Earth's gravitational field with axial symmetry. Applications of the algorithm are considered for the two cases of short and long term predictions. For the short-term prediction, we consider the problem of the final state prediction of some typical ballistic missiles in the geopotential model with zonal harmonic terms up to J ₃₆, while for the long-term prediction, we consider the perturbed J ₂ motion of Explorer 28 over 100 revolutions.     

A geochemical survey of thermal springs in western part ofRepublic of Yemen and their geothermometric characteristics

The high-mineral contents of some thermal waters are believed to have medicinal properties. Numerous spas and bathhouses might be built at these hot springs to take advantage of theses supposed healing properties such as skin diseases, rheumatism and so on. This paper is to find thermal reservoir and to classify the kinds of water. The majority of thermal springs are found discharging from igneous centers of Tertiary and Quaternary volcanic fields of the western Yemen (research area). Structurally these volcanisms are connected to N-NW faults that are parallel to the main Red Sea trend. Temperature and pH values of the thermal spring range 37℃-96℃, and 6.3-8.7 respectively. The Yemen/thermal waters indicate high variability in composition since they are ofNa (K) -CI, Na=HCO3 and Ca (Mg) =SO4 types, whereas the surficial waters have the typical worldwide Ca (Mg) -HCO3 composition. Different liquid phase geothermometers,such as SiO2, K^2/Mg and Na/K. Estimated reservoir temperatures ranging 70℃-140℃ perform equilibrium temperature evaluation of the thermal reservoirs.