On the nature of some active regions in the microwave range

The radio emission of a selected number of solar active regions has been investigated with high angular resolution at two frequencies: 10 and 17 GHz. By comparing the results of the two observations the following conclusions can be drawn:

1. The brightness temperature distribution of an active region is often composed of very bright cores of small dimension (angular extent θ?20″) imbedded in extended halos of lower brightness.
2. The radio emission of such structures as well as the degree of polarization can be explained with a thermal process. The halos can originate by pure thermal bremsstrahlung while in the case of the very bright cores found at 10 GHz (brightness temperature T _b?1–9 × 10⁶K) the emission at the harmonics of the gyrofrequency is needed.

     

Tectonically driven fluid flow and associated low-grade metamorphism during the Alpine compression in the eastern Iberian Chain (Spain)

Fluid inclusions and clay mineralogy of the Permo-Triassic rocks from the Espina and Espadà Ranges (SE Iberian Chain, Spain) have been investigated to establish their relationship with hydrothermal fluid circulation during the Alpine Orogeny. Primary fluid inclusions in quartz-filled tension gashes in Permo-Triassic sandstones reveal maximum temperatures around 230 °C and very constant salinities of 8.5% wt. eq. NaCl. Secondary fluid inclusions found in quartz from the Santonian Ba–Cu–Hg deposits show similar compositional and thermodynamic characteristics, denoting an Alpine recrystallization. Clay mineral composition of Permo-Triassic mudrocks is characterized by pyrophyillite, indicating low-grade metamorphic conditions. Field observations and experimental data suggest that the crystallization of quartz in tension gashes, the formation of secondary fluid inclusions and the development of the metamorphism are contemporaneous and related to fluid circulation during the Alpine compression. Fluid flow took place along the Hercynian fault system that was reactivated during the Mesozoic rift stage and inverted during the Alpine deformation.     

HP–LT Variscan metamorphism in the Cubito-Moura schists (Ossa-Morena Zone, southern Iberia)

Multi-equilibrium thermobarometry shows that low-grade metapelites (Cubito-Moura schists) from the Ossa–Morena Zone underwent HP–LT metamorphism from 340–370 °C at 1.0–0.9 GPa to 400–450 °C at 0.8–0.7 GPa. These HP–LT equilibriums were reached by parageneses including white K mica, chlorite and chloritoid, which define the earliest schistosity (S₁) in these rocks. The main foliation in the schists is a crenulation cleavage (S₂), which developed during decompression from 0.8–0.7 to 0.4–0.3 GPa at increasing temperatures from 400–450 °C to 440–465 °C. Fe³⁺ in chlorite decreased greatly during prograde metamorphism from molar fractions of 0.4 determined in syn-S₁ chlorites down to 0.1 in syn-S₂ chlorites. These new data add to previous findings of eclogites in the Moura schists indicating that a pile of allochtonous rocks situated next to the Beja-Acebuches oceanic amphibolites underwent HP–LT metamorphism during the Variscan orogeny. To cite this article: G. Booth-Rea et al., C. R. Geoscience 338 (2006).     

Hydrology and hydrogeology of Sakaryabaşı Karstic springs, Çifteler, Turkey

The Sakarya River is one of the largest rivers in Turkey and is fed mainly from Sakaryabaşı springs. The Sakaryabaşı springs are located in the Central Anatolia and issue from confined/semi-confined karst having a thermal component and therefore, having quite different hydrogeological characteristics as compared to the Taurus Karst region, a typical example of the Mediterranean type of karst. The karstic carbonate rocks that form the groundwater reservoir are overlain by a thick semi-pervious overburden of mainly clastics of Neogene age. Tectonics is the major factor controlling the occurrence of the karst springs in the area where topography is rather flat. This study aimed at explaining the occurrence and movement of the karst groundwater within the system by use of hydrogeological, chemical, and isotopic tools. Isotopic composition of the waters revealed that all waters in the region are of meteoric origin and the thermal component is due to deep circulation. The catchment area of the hydrogeological system extends to the south and groundwater movement is towards the outlets, which are in a depression along a major fault. The movement of the groundwater, based on analysis of remotely sensed images, is controlled mainly by structural elements.     

Évolution de l'onde semi-diurne M2 de la marée à Brest de 1846 à 2005

The work of searching, recovering and quality control of ancient sea-level measurements at Brest is presented. This work enables us to complete a study carried out by Cartwright in 1972, which showed a decrease in the tidal M2 semi-diurnal amplitude of 1% per century. After including these ancient data, as well as the last four decades of observations in the analysis, our results show an increase of the amplitude of M2 after 1960 and a decrease before 1880, suggesting a long-period oscillation rather than a steady secular trend. To cite this article: N. Pouvreau et al., C. R. Geoscience 338 (2006).     

A Practical Procedure for the Measurement of Fragmentation by Blasting by Image Analysis

Summary. The operation of a digital image analysis system in a limestone quarry is described. The calibration of the system, required in order to obtain moderately reliable fragmentation values, is done from muckpile sieving data by tuning the image analysis software settings so that the fragmentation curve obtained matches as close as possible the sieving. The sieving data have also been used to extend the fragment size distribution curves measured to sizes below the system’s optical resolution and to process the results in terms of fragmented rock, discounting the material coming from a loose overburden (natural fines) that is cast together with the fragmented rock. Automatic and manual operation modes of the image analysis are compared. The total fragmentation of a blast is obtained from the analysis of twenty photographs; a criterion for the elimination of outlier photographs has been adopted using a robust statistic. The limitations of the measurement system due to sampling, image processing and fines corrections are discussed and the errors estimated whenever possible. An analysis of consistency of the results based on the known amount of natural fines is made. Blasts with large differences in the amount of fines require a differentiated treatment, as the fine sizes tend to be the more underestimated in the image analysis as they become more abundant; this has been accomplished by means of a variable fines adjustment factor. Despite of the unavoidable errors and the large dispersion always associated with large-scale rock blasting data, the system is sensitive to relative changes in fragmentation.     

Conceptual hydrodynamic model of the Pamukkale hydrothermal field, southwestern Turkey, based on hydrochemical and isotopic data

The results of study on the hydrochemical and isotope characteristics of shallow and deep waters at Pamukkale hydrothermal field Turkey are described in order to obtain a better understanding of the hydrological circulation. The field can be grouped into two groundwater sub-systems; cold water springs of Ca–HCO₃ type (10–12 °C), and CO₂-rich thermal waters of Ca–HCO₃–SO₄ type (25–58 °C). The occurrence of these water types is closely related to the morphology of the region, where intense tectonism formed horst and graben structures. Hence, two hydrogeological systems were defined: a deep geothermal system which is related to extensive and deep circulation of meteoric water in the regional flow system, and a shallow system which is related to local groundwater flow through sedimentary strata. The meteoric water falling at higher elevations percolates to the local groundwater system at a shallow level and flows to the deep geothermal system. During a deep convection cycle from a recharge to discharge area, the cold water attains heat from the asthenospheric intrusions, causing it to ascend. Variations of chemical and isotopic composition of thermal waters result from their mixing with cool groundwater in a shallow aquifer during their ascent to the surface.

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Résumé Les résultats d'une étude portant sur les caractéristiques hydrochimiques et isotopiques de puits phréatiques et profonds situés dans le champ hydrothermal de Pamukkale, sont décrits de telle manière à éclairer le fonctionnement des circulations hydrologiques. Le champ peut étre divisé en deux sous-systèmes d'eaux souterraines, l'un avec des eaux de sources froides (10–12 °C) de type Ca–HCO3, et les eaux thermales (25–58 °C) riches en CO₂ et de type Ca–HCO₃–SO4. L'occurrence de ces types d'eaux est fermement liée à la morphologie de la région, oùne tectonique intense a engendré des structures en horsts et en grabens. Dés lors deux systèmes hydrogéologiques ont été définis : un système profond, qui est lié à la circulation extensive et profonde des eaux météoritiques dans le système régional d'écoulement, et un système phréatique lié aux écoulements locaux des eaux souterraines à travers les strates sédimentaires. Les eaux météoritiques aux altitudes élevées, percolent jusqu'aux systèmes locaux phréatiques, puis coulent jusqu'aux systèmes géothermaux plus profonds. Durant le cycle de convection profond des zones de recharge jusqu'aux zones de décharge, l'eau froide atteint les zones chaudes liées aux intrusions athenosphériques, provoquant la remontée. Les variations de la composition chimique et isotopique des eaux thermales résultent dans leurs mélanges avec des eaux souterraines froides dans les aquifères phréatiques durant leur remontée jusqu'à la surface.

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Resumen Se describen los resultados del estudio de las características isotópicas e hidroquímicas de las aguas someras y profundas para obtener un mejor entendimiento de la circulación hidrológica del campo hidrotermal Pamukkale. El campo puede agruparse en dos sub-sistemas de agua subterránea: manantiales de agua fría del tipo Ca–HCO₃ (10–12°C) y aguas termales ricas en CO₂ del tipo Ca–HCO₃–SO₄(25–58°C). El ambiente de estos tipos de aguas se relaciona estrechamente con la morfología de la región donde el tectonismo intenso ha formado estructuras extensionales tipo graben y horst. Se definieron dos sistemas hidrogeológicos: un sistema geotermal profundo que se relaciona con la circulación profunda y extensa de agua meteórica en el sistema regional de flujo y un sistema somero el cual se relaciona con flujo local de agua subterránea a través de estratos sedimentarios. El agua meteórica que cae en altas elevaciones percola al sistema local de agua subterránea en un nivel somero y fluye hacia el sistema geotermal profundo. Durante un ciclo de convección del área de recarga hacia la zona de descarga, el agua fría se calienta a partir de los intrusivos astenosféricos lo que ocasiona que asciendan. Como resultado de la mezcla de las aguas recalentadas, con agua subterránea fría en un acuífero somero durante el ascenso hacia la superficie, se derivan variaciones en la composición química e isotópica de las aguas termales.

     

New Generation of Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment for the Area Cologne/Aachen Considering the Uncertainties of the Input Data

A new earthquake catalogue for central, northern and northwestern Europe with unified M_w magnitudes, in part derived from chi-square maximum likelihood regressions, forms the basis for seismic hazard calculations for the Lower Rhine Embayment. Uncertainties in the various input parameters are introduced, a detailed seismic zonation is performed and a recently developed technique for maximum expected magnitude estimation is adopted and quantified. Applying the logic tree algorithm, resulting hazard values with error estimates are obtained as fractile curves (median, 16% and 84% fractiles and mean) plotted for pga (peak ground acceleration; median values for Cologne 0.7 and 1.2 m/s² for probabilities of exceedence of 10% and 2%, respectively, in 50 years), 0.4 s (0.8 and 1.5 m/s²) and 1.0 s (0.3 and 0.5 m/s²) pseudoacclerations, and intensity (I₀ = 6.5 and 7.2). For the ground motion parameters, rock foundation is assumed. For the area near Cologne and Aachen, maps show the median and 84% fractile hazard for 2% probability of exceedence in 50 years based on pga (maximum median value about 1.5 m/s²), and 0.4 s (>2 m/s²) and 1.0 s (about 0.8 m/s²) pseudoaccelerations, all for rock. The pga 84% fractile map also has a maximum value above 2 m/s² and shows similarities with the median map for 0.4 s. In all maps, the maximum values fall within the area 6.2–6.3° E and 50.8–50.9° N, i.e., east of Aachen.     

Results from a Multi-disciplinary Sedimentary Pilot Study of Tectonic Lake Iznik (NW Turkey) – Geochemistry and Paleolimnology of the Recent Past

A limnogeological reconnaissance study was carried out on Lake Iznik, located in the southeast of the Marmara region of Turkey, involving a seismic survey and collection of short sediment cores. This lake is located on the middle branch of the North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ), a transform plate boundary between the Eurasian and Anatolian Plates. It is, therefore, tectonically active and offers an opportunity to investigate the interplay of sedimentary and seismo-tectonic processes, as well as climate change and human impact in the region. Short cores of the three sub-basins, maximum length of 35.5 cm, recovered non-laminated, blackish clays and silts with varying amounts of biogenic and minerogenic (allochthonous, autochthonous) material, which documented almost the last 80 years of deposition and environmental history. High sedimentation rates in the deeper core sections are accompanied by changes in land use (conversion of woodland to farmland) in the northern areas of Lake Iznik, which caused the deposition of more weathered material (high K/Na ratios) and higher contents of Mn in the lake. A tendency towards eutrophic conditions within the last 20 years is indicated by high nutrient content (N, TOC, P), decreasing C/N-ratios, and characteristic diatom and cladoceran associations. Also increased pollution is revealed by higher Pb, Cu, and Zn contents and increased supply of human and animal faeces (high coprostanol content) during the last two decades. But simultaneous lower sedimentation rates towards the core tops complicate the reconstruction of recent and past eutrophication and pollution states of Lake Iznik. This requires an extension of the pilot study and deeper sediment cores, to recover non-anthropogenic influenced sediment levels.