Regional differences in the effects of El Niño and La Niña on low flows and floods

Abstract

The response of monthly 7-day low flow, monthly instantaneous peak flow, and monthly frequency of flood events to El Niño and La Niña episodes is investigated for 18 rivers that represent a diverse range of climatic types throughout New Zealand. A significant positive or negative deviation from the long-term average was observed in over half the possible combinations of river, streamflow index, and type of ENSO episode; significant deviations were most frequent in the case of low flow, especially during La Niña episodes. Patterns of streamflow response differ widely between rivers, and the response of a given river to individual ENSO episodes is very variable. The patterns of streamflow response to ENSO are consistent to some extent with the climatic effects of ENSO already identified by meteorologists. Two core regions can be defined in which streamflow tends to respond in the same way. These are in the northeast of the North Island, and in the axial ranges of the South Island, where there are significant effects of ENSO on the frequency and duration of rain-bearing northeasterly and westerly winds respectively. The patterns of response strongly reflect topography, and the exposure of catchments to predominant air masses.     

High-Temperature Fluid-Rock Interaction and Scapolitization in an Extension-Related Hydrothermal System, Mary Kathleen, Australia

In the polymetamorphic Mary Kathleen Fold Belt, at the centreof the Proterozoic Mount Isa Inlier, Queensland, an early phaseof extension (1760–1730 Ma) resulted in intrusion of voluminousgranitic and doleritic magmas into the carbonate-evaporite-dominatedCorella Formation at 5–10 km depths. Widespread high-temperaturemetasomatism ensued, involving scapolitization in dolerite,formation of albite-scapolite shear zones in granite, exo- andendoskarn formation, and a zone of K–Na–Ca alterationin the lowermost Corella Formation. Granites and dolerites werealtered to an unusual Na–Ca-rich bulk composition, reflectinghigh-temperature infiltration of highly saline, chemically reactiveexternally derived fluid. The alteration products and theirdistribution suggest not only reaction of magmatic/aqueous fluidswith the country rocks but also extensive halite dissolutionand recirculation of saline fluids back into the intrusive bodies.The bulk of fluid flow occurred at high temperatures (500–700C), and major element and isotopic fronts were generally notsmoothed out by the effects of temperature gradients, with theexception of one part of the system which shows evidence forup-temperature fluid flow. Analysis of oxygen isotopic dataand the position of isotopic and geochemical fronts revealstime-integrated fluid fluxes of up to 2 10⁴ m³/m² for themetasomatism. Although very high salinities (up to 50 mol% NaCl)were attained by evaporite dissolution, ¹⁸O values of most alterationproducts are in the range 7–12%, reflecting a predominanceof oxygen derived from an igneous fluid. The position and interrelationshipsof metasomatic and isotopic fronts indicate an earlier stageof infiltration dominated by fluid released from crystallizinggranite (with ¹⁸O 10–12%), and a later stage (¹⁸O 7–9%)in which fluid had already interacted with halite and a mixedmafic-felsic igneous source or was repeatedly circulated betweenthese rock types during alteration. The data reflect only aminimal contribution from fluids produced by devolatilizationof the abundant carbonate-bearing rocks in the Corella Formation,and there are substantial areas of Corella Formation rocks thathave escaped metasomatism during this phase of intrusion-relatedhydrothermal activity and during the subsequent regional metamorphicoverprint. Along with the requirement that the fluids dissolvedlarge amounts of halite from the same sequence, and the structuralobservations, we favour a model where fluid was preferentiallychannelled along specific permeable conduits, including formerevaporite layers, before interaction with the now exposed alteredrocks. Fluid was probably driven by both convective circulationand dilatancy-related deformation accompanying emplacement ofmagmas into a major crustal extensional dcollement.     

Cenozoic Volcanism in Tibet: Evidence for a Transition from Oceanic to Continental Subduction

Geochronological (K–Ar or ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar), major and traceelement, Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic and mineral chemicaldata are presented for newly discovered Cenozoic volcanic rocksin the western Qiangtang and central Lhasa terranes of Tibet.Alkali basalts of 65–45 Ma occur in the western Qiangtangterrane and represent primitive mantle melts as indicated byhigh mg-numbers [100 x Mg/(Mg + Fe)] (54–65), Cr (204–839ppm) and Ni (94–218 ppm) contents, and relatively lowratios of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (0·7046–0·7061), ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb(18·21–18·89), ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb (15·49–15·61)and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb (38·42–38·89), and highratios of ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd (0·5124–0·5127). Incontrast, younger volcanic rocks in the western Qiangtang terrane(     

Expanding spread profile at the northern Jan Mayen Ridge

An expanding spread seismic profile at the central northern Jan Mayen Ridge, ESP-5, has yielded a crustal seismic velocity distribution which is similar to observations from the thinned continental crust at the Norwegian continental margin. The profile reveals a post-early Eocene sedimentary sequence, about 1. 5 km thick, overlying 1 km of volcanic extrusives and interbedded sediments. Below, there are about 3 km of pre-opening sediments above the seismic basement. The results indicate that the main ridge block is underlain by a thinned crust, possibly only 13.5 km thick. The results are compatible with a continental nature for the main ridge complex.     

IMPACTS OF TRANSPORTATION CHANGES ON THE WOODWORKING INDUSTRY OF MEXICO'S PURÉPECHA REGION

ABSTRACT. The PurÉpecha region of Michoacán State, in west‐central Mexico, has a strong tradition of craft production, especially wooden items. Transportation improvements in the region since the mid‐twentieth century have led to a higher level of integration of the regional economy, yet access to the broader Mexican market remains limited. Towns throughout the region have experienced substantial changes in the types of crafts produced, the extent of their local and external markets, and the location of craft production. Transportation improvements have, in part, led to agglomeration economies and a resultant contraction in the number of different types and an increase in the volume of the crafts produced. Market changes have led to the proliferation of craft storefronts in towns with higher levels of accessibility. Conversely, remote towns still rely heavily on distributors and have not been able to expand their markets. As a result, the region has seen the development of a two‐tiered system whereby towns with increased accessibility have viable craft industries and towns with limited accessibility struggle with stagnant craft industries.     

Intra-Grain Sr Isotope Evidence for Crystal Recycling and Multiple Magma Reservoirs in the Recent Activity of Stromboli Volcano, Southern Italy

Over the last several hundred years, Stromboli has been characterizedby steady-state Strombolian activity. The volcanic productsare dominated by degassed and highly porphyritic (HP-magma)black scoria bombs, lapilli and lava flows of basaltic shoshoniticcomposition. Periodically (about one to three events per year),more energetic explosive eruptions also eject light colouredvolatile-rich pumices with low phenocryst content (LP-magma)that have more mafic compositions than the HP-magma. An in situmajor and trace element and Sr isotope microanalysis study ispresented on four samples chosen to characterize the differentmodes of activity at Stromboli: a lava flow (1985–1986effusive event), a scoria bomb from the ‘normal’present-day activity of Stromboli (April 1984), and a scoriaand coeval pumice sample from a recent more explosive eruption(September 1996). Plagioclase (An_62–90) and clinopyroxene(Mg-number between 0·69 and 0·91) phenocrystsin all samples record marked major element variations. Largeand comparable Sr isotope variations have been detected in plagioclaseand clinopyroxene. HP-magma crystals have resorbed cores, witheither high ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (0·70635–0·70630)or low ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (0·70614–0·70608); thelatter values are similar to the values of the outer cores.Mineral rims and glassy groundmasses generally have intermediate⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (0·70628–0·70613). Similarly,mineral growth zones with three groups of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr values characterizeminerals from the LP-pumice, with the lowest values presentin mineral rims and groundmass glass. These results define amixing process between HP- and LP-magmas, plus crystallizationof clinopyroxene, plagioclase and olivine, occurring in a shallowmagma reservoir that feeds the present-day magmatic activityof Stromboli. An important observation is the presence of athird component (high ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr in mineral cores) consideredto represent a pre-AD 1900 cumulus crystal mush reservoir situatedjust below the shallow magma chamber. These cumulus phases areincorporated by the LP-magma arriving from depth and transportedinto the shallow reservoir. A rapid decrease of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr inthe replenishing LP-magma immediately prior to eruption of theAD 1985 lava flow is associated with an increased volume ofLP-magma in the shallow magma chamber. The HP-magma in the shallowreservoir is not fully degassed when it interacts with the LP-magma,making efficient mixing possible that ultimately produces awell overturned homogeneous magma. Further degassing and crystallizationoccur at shallower levels as the HP-magma moves through a conduitto the surface. KEY WORDS: isotopic microsampling; mineral recycling; mixing; Sr isotope disequilibria; Stromboli     

Geochemistry, Petrogenesis and Metallogenesis of the Panzhihua Gabbroic Layered Intrusion and Associated Fe-Ti-V Oxide Deposits, Sichuan Province, SW China

The Panzhihua gabbroic layered intrusion is associated withthe 260 Ma Emeishan Large Igneous Province in SW China. Thissill-like body hosts a giant Fe–Ti–V oxide depositwith 1333 million ton ore reserves, which makes China a majorproducer of these metals. The intrusion has a Marginal zoneof fine-grained hornblende-bearing gabbro and olivine gabbro,followed upward by Lower, Middle, and Upper zones. The Lowerand Middle zones consist of layered melanogabbro and gabbrocomposed of cumulate clinopyroxene, plagioclase, and olivine.These zones also contain magnetite layers. The Upper zone consistschiefly of leucogabbro composed of plagioclase and clinopyroxenewith minor olivine. Most rocks in the body show variable-scalerhythmic modal layering in which dark minerals, primarily clinopyroxene,dominate in the lower parts of each layer, and lighter minerals,primarily plagioclase, dominate in the upper parts. The oxideores occur as layers and lenses within the gabbros and are concentratedin the lower parts of the intrusion. Ore textures and associatedmineral assemblages indicate that the ore bodies formed by verylate-stage crystallization of V-rich titanomagnetite from animmiscible oxide liquid in a fluid-rich environment. The rocksof the Panzhihua intrusion become more evolved in chemistryupward and follow a tholeiitic differentiation trend with enrichmentin Fe, Ti, and V. They are enriched in light rare earth elementsrelative to heavy rare earth elements, and exhibit positiveNb, Ta, and Ti anomalies and negative Zr and Hf anomalies. Thesilicate rocks and oxide ores of the Panzhihua intrusion formedfrom highly evolved Fe–Ti–V-rich ferrobasaltic orferropicritic magmas. The textures of the ores and the abundanceof minor hydrous phases indicate that addition of fluids fromupper crustal wall-rocks induced the separation of the immiscibleoxide melts from which the Fe–Ti–V oxide ore bodiesin the lower part of the intrusion crystallized. KEY WORDS: magnetite; Fe–Ti-rich gabbro; layered intrusion; Panzhihua; SW China     

Mid-Cretaceous basin margin carbonates, east-central Mexico

Isolated, high relief carbonate platforms developed in the intracratonic basin of east-central Mexico during Albian-Cenomanian time. Relief on the platforms was of the order of 1000 m and slopes were as steep as 20–43°. Basin-margin debris aprons adjacent to the platforms comprise the Tamabra Formation. In the Sierra Madre Oriental, at the eastern margin of the Valles-San Luis Potosi Platform, an exceptionally thick (1380m) progradational basin to platform sequence of the Tamabra Formation can be divided into six lithological units. Basinal carbonate deposition that preceded deposition of the Tamabra Formation was emphatically punctuated by an allochthonous reef block 1 km long by 0·5 km wide with a stratigraphic thickness of 95 m. It is encased in Tamabra Formation unit A, approximately 360 m of peloidal-skeletal wackestone and lithoclastic-skeletal packstone that includes some graded beds. Unit B is 73 m of massive dolomite with sparse skeletal fragments and intraclasts. Unit C, 114m thick, consists of structureless skeletal wackestone passing upward into graded skeletal packstone. Interlaminated lime mudstone and fine grained bioclastic packstone with prominent horizontal burrows are interspersed near the top. Unit D is 126 m of breccia with finely interbedded skeletal grainstone and burrowed or laminated mudstone. The breccias contain a spectrum of platform-derived lithoclasts and basinal intraclasts, up to 10 m in size. The breccias are typically grain supported (rudstone) with a matrix of lightly to completely dolomitized mudstone or skeletal debris. Beds are up to several metres thick. Unit E is 206 m of massive, sucrosic dolomite that replaced breccias. Unit F is approximately 500 m of thick bedded to massive skeletal packstone with abundant rudists and a few mudstone intraclasts. Metre scale laminated lime mudstone beds are interspersed. The section is capped by El Abra Formation platform margin limestone, consisting of massive beds of caprinid packstone and grainstone with many whole valves. Depositional processes within this sequence shift from basinal pelagic or peri-platform sedimentation to distal, platform-derived, muddy turbidity currents with a large slump block (Unit A); through more proximal (coarser and cleaner) turbidity currents (Unit B?, C); to debris flows incorporating platform margin and slope debris (Units D, E). Finally, a talus of coarse, reef-derived bioclasts (Unit F) accumulated as the platform margin prograded over the slope sequence. Interspersed basinal deposits evolved gradually from largely pelagic to include influxes of dilute turbidity currents. Units containing turbidites with platform-derived bioclasts reflect flooding of the adjacent platform. Breccia blocks and lithoclasts were probably generated by erosion and collapse of the platform during lowstands. Laminated, black, pelagic carbonates, locally cherty, are interbedded with both breccias and turbidites. At least those interbedded with turbidites may have been deposited within an expanded mid-water oxygen minimum zone during relative highstands of sea level. They are in part coeval with mid-Cretaceous black shales of the Atlantic Ocean.