Magnetic anomalies of offshore Krishna-Godavari basin,eastern continental margin of India

The marine magnetic data acquired from offshore Krishna-Godavari (K-G) basin, eastern continental margin of India (ECMI), brought out a prominent NE-SW trending feature, which could be explained by a buried structural high formed by volcanic activity. The magnetic anomaly feature is also associated with a distinct negative gravity anomaly similar to the one associated with 85°E Ridge. The gravity low could be attributed to a flexure at the Moho boundary, which could in turn be filled with the volcanic material. Inversion of the magnetic and gravity anomalies was also carried out to establish the similarity of anomalies of the two geological features (structural high on the margin and the 85°E Ridge) and their interpretations. In both cases, the magnetic anomalies were caused dominantly by the magnetization contrast between the volcanic material and the surrounding oceanic crust, whereas the low gravity anomalies are by the flexures of the order of 3–4 km at Moho boundary beneath them. The analysis suggests that both structural high present in offshore Krishna-Godavari basin and the 85°E Ridge have been emplaced on relatively older oceanic crust by a common volcanic process, but at discrete times, and that several of the gravity lows in the Bay of Bengal can be attributed to flexures on the Moho, each created due to the load of volcanic material.     

Chromian spinel in the Ivrea-Verbano layered igneous complex,western Alps,Italy

Summary Spinel occurs in the pyroxenitic, peridotitic and gabbroic layers of the Ivrea-Verbano layered igneous complex. Its composition varies between picotite and Mg-hercynite. Maximum Cr₂O₃ contents are found in the spinels of the dunitic cumulitic layers occurring at some height above the base of the complex. Chromium deposits are absent. The lack of chromite and of chromium deposits is attributed to the early fractionation of clinopyroxene (which depleted the residual liquid in chromium) instead of olivine, as a consequence of the relatively high pressure prevailing during crystallization (8 kb). The relationships betweenfO₂-composition of spinel-composition of the silicate phases indicate thatfO₂ exerted a major control on the internal stratigraphy of the single layers and on the pattern of fractionation. The variation offO₂ are on their turn related to accidental variations of the pressure acting on the magma.It is finally suggested that chromium deposits are limited to low pressure layered intrusions, where the magma has been emplaced rapidly into a shallow magma chamber. No chromium concentration is to be expected in those complexes that crystallized into deep-seated magma chambers and that fractionated at relatively high pressure, not markedly different from that at which the magma was produced. One of the major controls on the presence of chromium deposits results, therefore, to be the geotectonic environment of intrusion.

---

Chrom-Spinell im geschichteten vulkanischen Komplex von Ivrea-Verbano, Westalpen, Italien

Zusammenfassung Für die Spinelle der Pyroxenit-, Peridotit- und Gabbro-Lagen des Ivrea-Verbano-Intrusivkomplexes wurde eine Zusammensetzung im Bereich Picotit und Mg-Herzynit bestimmt. Die Dunit-Lagen im basalen Anteil des Komplexes führen Spinelie mit Cr₂O₃-Gehalten bis zu 30 Gew-%. Chromerz-Konzentrationen fehlen jedoch, was auf die fraktionierte Kristallisation von Klinopyroxen (und Entstehung Cr-Restschmelzen) an Stelle von Olivin, als Folge der bei relativ hohem Druck (8 kbar) erfolgten Intrusion, zurückzuführen ist. Die Beziehungen zwischen Sauerstoffpartialdruck und Spinell- und Silikat-Zusammensetzung zeigen den bedeutendenfO₂-Einfluß auf den stratigraphischen Aufbau der einzelnen Gesteinslagen und auf die fraktionierenden Kristallisationsvorgänge. Die schwankendenfO₂-Werter stehen in Zusammenhang mit den ebenfalls variierenden auf das Magma wirkenden Drücken.Es ist anzunehmen, daß Chromerzkonzentrationen nur in geschichteten Intrusivkomplexen vorkommen, die sich unter niederem Druck bzw. in einer oberflächennahen Magma-Kammer bildeten, und nicht in jenen, die tiefer intrudierten und bei hohem Druck kristallisierten. Von großer Bedeutung für die Bildung von Chromerzlagerstätten ist also das geotektonische Milieu der Intrusion.

---

---

With 7 Figures     

Deformation microstructures of olivine in peridotite from Spitsbergen, Svalbard and implications for seismic anisotropy

To understand the deformation mechanism and seismic anisotropy in the uppermost mantle beneath Spitsbergen, Svalbard, in the Arctic, the deformation microstructures of olivine in the peridotite of Spitsbergen were studied. Seismic anisotropy in the upper mantle can be explained mainly by the lattice-preferred orientation (LPO) of olivine. The LPOs of the olivine in the peridotites were determined using electron backscattered diffraction patterns. Eight specimens out of 10 showed that the [100] axis of the olivine was aligned subparallel to the lineation and that the (010) plane was subparallel to the foliation, showing a type A LPO. In the other two specimens the [100] axis of olivine was aligned subparallel to the lineation and both the [010] and [001] axes were distributed in a girdle nearly perpendicular to the lineation, showing a type D LPO. The dislocation density of the olivine in the samples showing a type D LPO was higher than that in the samples showing a type A LPO. The result of an Fourier transformation infrared study showed that both the types A and D samples were dry. These observations were in good agreement with a previous experimental study ( Tectonophysics , 421 , 2006, 1 ): samples showing a type D LPO for olivine were observed at a high stress condition and samples showing both types A and D LPO were deformed under dry condition. Observations of both strong LPOs and dislocations of olivine indicate that the peridotites studied were deformed by dislocation creep. The seismic anisotropy calculated from the LPOs of the olivine could be used to explain the seismic anisotropy of P - and S -waves in the lithospheric mantle beneath Spitsbergen, Svalbard.     

Generalised observations of wave characteristics on near‐horizontal shore platforms: Synthesis of six case studies from the North Island,New Zealand

Most field studies of wave processes on shore platforms in front of eroding cliffs focus on a single site, revealing aspects of wave dynamics at that location. Here, we analyse data from six platforms around northeastern New Zealand and describe the fundamental control of shore platform width, gradient and elevation on wave processes, including greater attenuation of short‐period waves at lower tidal stages and increases in longer period wave energy towards the cliff toe. These data suggest that empirical formulae developed from coral‐reef environments provide better predictions of wave height on platforms than formulae currently used in shore platform models.     

On the Facular Area Surrounding Decaying Sunspots

The change in facular area around decaying sunspots is investigated. The data are from full-disk photometric images from CFDT1 (5 arc sec pixels) obtained at the Ca ii K-line = 393.4 nm. The 31 active regions are from a list previously used to study the decay rate of sunspots. We find a weak, marginally significant relation between spot decay rate and growth of the surrounding facular region (r² = 0.1255). We conclude that, for this group of decaying sunspots, the growth or decay of the surrounding facular region was not clearly related to the decay rate of an active regions sunspots.     

Geoeffectiveness and flare properties of radio-loud CMEs

A detailed investigation on geoeffective CMEs associated with meter to Deca-Hectometer (herein after m- and DH-type-II) wavelengths range type-II radio bursts observed during the period 1997–2005 is presented. The study consists of three steps: i) the characteristics of m-and DH-type-II bursts associated with flares and geoeffective CMEs; ii) characteristics of geo and non-geoeffective radio-loud and quiet CMEs, iii) the relationships between the geoeffective CMEs and flares properties. Interestingly, we found that 92 % of DH-type-II bursts are extension of m-type-II burst which are associated with faster and wider geoeffective DH-CMEs and also associated with longer/stronger flares. The geoeffective CME-associated m-type-II bursts have higher starting frequency, lower ending frequency and larger bandwidth compared to the general population of m-type-II bursts. The geoeffective CME-associated DH-type-II bursts have longer duration (P?1 %), lower ending frequency (P=2 %) and lower drift rates (P=2 %) than that of DH-type-IIs associated with non-geoeffective CMEs. The differences in mean speed of geoeffective DH-CMEs and non-geoeffective DH-CMEs (1327 km?s^?1 and 1191 km?s^?1, respectively) is statistically insignificant (P=20 %).However, the mean difference in width (339^° and 251^°, respectively) is high statistical significant (P=0.8 %). The geo-effective general populations of LASCO CMEs speeds (545 km?s^?1 and 450 km?s^?1, respectively) and widths (252^° and 60^°, respectively) is higher than the non geo-effective general populations of LASCO CMEs (P=3 % and P=0.02 %, respectively). The geoeffective CMEs associated flares have longer duration, and strong flares than non-geoeffective DH-CMEs associated flares (P=0.8 % and P=1 %, respectively). We have found a good correlation between the geo-effective flare and DH-CMEs properties: i) CMEs speed—acceleration (R=?0.78, where R is a linear correlation coefficient), ii) acceleration—flare peak flux (R=?0.73) and, iii) acceleration—Dst index intensity (R=0.75). The radio-rich CMEs (DH-CMEs) produced more energetic storm than the radio-quiet CMEs (general populations of LASCO CMEs). The above results indicate that the DH-type-II bursts tend to be related with flares and geoeffective CMEs, although there is no physical explanation for the result. If the DH-type-II burst is a continuation of m-type-II burst, it could be a good indicator of geoeffective storms, which has important implications for space weather studies.     

Provenance of Precambrian Fe- and Al-rich Metapelites in the Yenisey Ridge and Kuznetsk Alatau, Siberia： Geochemical Signatures

Major, trace and rare earth element contents of Fe- and Al-rich metapelites from the Korda （Yenisey Ridge） and Amar （Kuznetsk Alatau） formations were determined to examine the nature, origin and evolution of their protoliths. Results indicate that these rocks are the redeposited and metamorphosed products of Precambrian kaolinitic weathering crusts, while the geochemical distinctions between the studied metapelites are determined by different weathering conditions in the source area and tectonic settings. The protolith of the Korda Formation metapelites was produced by erosion products of the post-Archean granitoid rocks, which accumulated under humid climate conditions in shallow-water basins along the continental margin. The geochemical characteristics of the deeper primary deposits of the Amar Formation suggest that volcanogenic material of mafic composition derived from an island-arc environment had a major role in supplying the erosion zone. These results agree with lithofacies data and with the geodynamic reconstruction of the evolution of the Yenisey Ridge and Kuznetsk Alatau during the Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic, respectively. It was shown that REEs had limited mobility during contact metamorphism. The coherent mobility of REEs during collisional metamorphism may be attributed both to mineral reactions responsible for modal changes and to local chemical heterogeneity inherited from the initial protolith.