Seismically induced shale diapirism: the Mine d’Or section,Vilaine estuary,Southern Brittany

The Pénestin section (southern Brittany) presents large regular undulations, commonly interpreted as evidence of periglacial pingos. It is an upper Neogene palaeoestuary of the Vilaine River reactivated during the middle Quaternary (middle terrace). It is incised into a thick kaolinitic saprolite and deformed by saprolite diapirs. This paper presents the arguments leading to a mechanistic interpretation of the deformations at Pénestin. Neither recent transpressive tectonics nor diagnostic evidence of periglacial pingo have been found despite evidence for a late paleo-permafrost. The major deformational process is shale diapirism, initially triggered by co-seismic water supply, with further loading and lateral spreading on an already deformed and deeply weathered basement, which allowed the shale diapirism to develop. Deformations are favoured by the liquefaction of the saprolite and a seaward mass movement and recorded, rather distant, effects of an earthquake (c. 280 ka B.P.) resulting from the progressive subsidence of the southern Armorican margin. These deformations triggered by an earthquake are similar to those induced by classical shale diapirism. They are probably common in tectonically active continental environments with shallow water table.     

Late Pleistocene snowline fluctuations at Nevado Coropuna (15°S), southern Peruvian Andes

Deposits preserved on peaks in the southern Peruvian Andes are evidence for past glacial fluctuations and, therefore, serve as a record of both the timing and magnitude of past climate change. Moraines corresponding to the last major expansion of ice on Nevado Coropuna date to 20‐25 ka, during the last glacial maximum. We reconstructed the snowline at Coropuna for this period using a combined geomorphic‐numeric approach to provide a first‐order estimate of the magnitude of late‐Pleistocene climate change. Our reconstructions show that snowline was approximately 550‐770 m lower during the last glacial maximum than during the late Holocene maximum, which ended in the 19^th century, and ～750 m lower than today. While these values are similar to data from nearby Nevado Solimana, reconstructions from the neighbouring peak of Nevado Firura reveal a smaller snowline depression, suggesting the glacial response to climate forcing in the tropics is strongly influenced by non‐climatic factors. These data constitute some of the first directly dated palaeo‐snowline data from the arid tropics and suggest that the magnitude of the last glaciation in at least parts of the tropical Andes was similar to late‐Pleistocene events at higher latitudes. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Paleofluid analysis from fracture-fill cements in the Asmari limestones of the Kuh-I-Mond field, SW Zagros, Iran

Kuh-I-Mond field in the Zagros foreland basin is a conventional heavy oil resource and is composed of fractured carbonates whose fractures were filled by calcite, dolomite, and anhydrite cements. Oil inclusions occurred within the fracture-fill cements indicate that fractures were open and played an active role during oil migration and charge. The highest measured values for secondary porosities belong to fractures in Asmari Formation, which is characterized by significant amounts of vug- and fracture-filling cements. Fractures facilitated fluid circulation and subsequently dissolution of allochems and high Mg carbonates. In contrast, fine-grained carbonate facies were less cemented, and thus, porosity enhancement by cement dissolution was insignificant. Temperature profiles of oil inclusions in the dolomite, calcite, and anhydrite minerals characterized by distinct variations in the homogenization temperatures (Th) that are divided into two ranges below 50°C in anhydrites and from 45°C to 125°C in dolomites and calcites. The lower Th ranges for anhydrite suggests that it may have formed at shallower burial depths during early to middle diagenesis. The oil inclusions display trend for increasing temperature downward which conform to Formation geothermal gradient. In other word, the decreasing trend of Th temperatures upward within Asmari Formation that can be observed in Th versus depth plot is consistent with the uplift events at Late Miocene time and later that caused removal of about 1,300 m of the crest of the Kuh-I-Mond anticline. Vitrinite reflectance data from source rock intervals in the field area do not support vertical migration of locally generated hydrocarbons into the Kuh-I-Mond accumulation, and long-distance lateral oil migration and charge from a source kitchen to the southwest is proposed. Vitrinite reflectance data from this dolomite and limestone reservoir suggest low maturation levels corresponding to paleotemperatures less than 50°C. The observed maturation level (<0.5% Ro) does not exceed values for simple burial maturation based on the estimated burial history. Also, homogenization temperatures from fluid inclusion populations in calcite and dolomites show expected good correlation with reflectance-derived temperatures. The Th data represent pore fluids became warmer and more saline during burial. As aqueous fluid inclusions in calcite veins were homogenized between 22°C and 90°C with a decrease in salinity from 22 to 18 eq.?wt.% NaCl. The Th values suggest a change in water composition and that dolomite and calcite cements might have precipitated from petroleum-derived fluids. The hydrocarbon fluid inclusions microthermometry data suggest that the reservoir was being filled by heavy black oils in reservoir during Cenozoic. Aqueous fluid inclusions hosted by calcite equant sparry/fossil cavity fills suggest low cementation temperatures (<45°C) and high salinities (19 eq.?wt.% NaCl), while those in dolostones are characterized by highly variable homogenization temperature (52°C to 125°C) and salinities (6.5 to 20 eq.?wt.% NaCl).     

The authigenic zeolites of the Aritayn Volcaniclastic Formation, north-east Jordan

In the Aritayn Volcaniclastic Formation, the formation of zeolites is associated with the transformation of sideromelane into palagonite by reaction with percolating water in an open hydrological system. Three vertical zones are described, characterised by fresh sideromelane at the top (zone 1), palagonite-smectite in the middle (zone 2), and zeolites at the bottom (zone 3). Within zone 3, a phillipsite-chabazite sub-zone overlies a faujasite — phillipsite sub-zone. The paragenetic sequence (fresh sideromelane palagonite smectites (saponite montmorillonite) faujasite phillipsite chabazite natrolite calcite) resembles those described in the literature, except for the early formation of smectites in the Jordanian occurrences. Faujasite is more abundant in these zeolitic tuffs than at any other locality in the world that has yet been described, and the tuffs are considered to have excellent potential for beneficiation.     

Geothermal activity at the archaeological site of Aghia Kyriaki and its significance to Roman industrial mineral exploitation on Melos,Greece

The geothermal setting of the archaeological site at Aghia Kyriaki, Southeast Melos (or Milos) was investigated in order to help clarify the possible role of the site in mineral exploitation on Melos in Roman times. There are active sulfurous fumaroles in the area and these were also potential sources of sulfur and alum‐group minerals in Roman times. However, geothermal activity has been ongoing in Southeast Melos for hundreds of thousands of years, and extensive hydrothermal alteration of basement rocks to the northeast of the site has produced “white rocks” containing additional potential industrial minerals such as kaolin and alunite. The archaeological remains occur within, but mainly near the surface, of a deeply gullied sequence of late Quaternary alluvial sediments, which consist mainly of metamorphic detritus but are rich in sulfates; the remains contain pottery sherds through the entire sequence of about 40 m. They were deposited on an earlier gullied topography of felsic tuffs overlying the metamorphic basement. Pervasive and veinlike intense reddish alteration of these sediments is probably mainly due to superheated fluid escaping from depth. Field observations demonstrate that this took place after the main phase of building but was likely to be ongoing during occupation of the site. While industrial minerals and geothermal energy would therefore have been available in the Roman period, any relationship of the site to mineral exploitation will have to be determined by archaeological excavation. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The implications of Maori perspectives for the management and promotion of heritage tourism in New Zealand

Maori images have long been a part of the international tourist image of New Zealand. However, Maori people have increasingly been asserting their rights to control and manage their own resources. The purpose of the present paper is to analyse the implications of Maori perspectives on the promotion, interpretation and management of tourism resources and to discuss the potential short and long-term implications of such perspectives on tourism development.The paper discusses the implications of the Waitangi Tribunal hearings and the overall assertion of Maori rights over tourism resources. While the articulation of Maori rights is by no means universal, several case studies illustrate potential implications of Maori control and ownership for the New Zealand tourism industry. The paper concludes that the implementation of the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi provides a basis for reconciling the interpretive and management demands of Maoritanga with the tourism industry in a manner which can have positive outcomes for both.     

On the persistent spread in snow-albedo feedback

Snow-albedo feedback (SAF) is examined in 25 climate change simulations participating in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project version 5 (CMIP5). SAF behavior is compared to the feedback’s behavior in the previous (CMIP3) generation of global models. SAF strength exhibits a fivefold spread across CMIP5 models, ranging from 0.03 to 0.16 W m^?2 K^?1 (ensemble-mean = 0.08 W m^?2 K^?1). This accounts for much of the spread in 21st century warming of Northern Hemisphere land masses, and is very similar to the spread found in CMIP3 models. As with the CMIP3 models, there is a high degree of correspondence between the magnitudes of seasonal cycle and climate change versions of the feedback. Here we also show that their geographical footprint is similar. The ensemble-mean SAF strength is close to an observed estimate of the real climate’s seasonal cycle feedback strength. SAF strength is strongly correlated with the climatological surface albedo when the ground is covered by snow. The inter-model variation in this quantity is surprisingly large, ranging from 0.39 to 0.75. Models with large surface albedo when these regions are snow-covered will also have a large surface albedo contrast between snow-covered and snow-free regions, and therefore a correspondingly large SAF. Widely-varying treatments of vegetation masking of snow-covered surfaces are probably responsible for the spread in surface albedo where snow occurs, and the persistent spread in SAF in global climate models.     

Asian dustfall in the St. Elias Mountains, Yukon, Canada

In April 2001, a major atmospheric dustfall event occurred in the St. Elias Mountains, Yukon Territory, Canada. Field samples were collected and analyzed for particle size, mineralogy, chemical composition and Sr, Nd and Pb isotopes. Dusts found above ∼3000 m had their source in the Gobi desert region of northern China and Inner Mongolia, and were transported to the Yukon following a series of major dust storms that took place in early April. Dusts found below 3000 m had local (Yukon) or mixed source(s). The Asian dusts had a modal volume diameter of ∼4 μm typical of far-traveled mineral aerosols. However larger (>10 μm) particles were also found at ∼5000 m, suggesting a very rapid trans-Pacific transport in the mid-troposphere. We estimate that the April 2001 event deposited from 5500 to 6335 tons of dust over an area of 21,000 km² in the southwestern Yukon, most of which probably fell within a week. Our findings are consistent with instrumental observations and model simulations of the April 2001 event. While the dust cloud was reportedly mixed with volatile pollutants from Asia, we found no evidence of metal pollution associated with the dustfall in the Yukon. Our findings contribute to clarify the dynamics and the geochemical impact of Asian dust long-range transport events, and to better estimate eolian fluxes of dustborne elements (e.g., Fe) to the Ocean associated with such events. They may also assist in identifying past Asian dust events in ice cores drilled from the St. Elias Mountains icefields, to develop a long-term record of their frequency, magnitude and source(s).     

Traction problems on an elastic jointed rock half-space

SummaryTraction Problems on an Elastic Jointed Rock Half-Space A rock mass with a major set of parallel, planar joints is considered for the case when the joint spacing is small compared with the length scales of interest, and large compared with the relative displacements across the joints. A continuum theory is adopted and under the additional assumption that the joints have finite elastic stiffnesses associated with their tangential and normal response prior to slip, the rock may be shown to be transversely isotropic about the direction of the joint normal. The class of problems for which analytic solutions are available for a transversely isotropic medium is very limited. However, for the case of low joint stiffnesses an approximate potential theory, analogous to that of inextensible fibre reinforced elastic materials, is available and may be applied to a much more general set of domains. Both the approximate theory and the exact transversely isotropic theory for low joint stiffnesses are applied to plane strain traction problems on a half-space in which the joints are inclined at varying angles to the boundary. Comparisons of the two theories are made for various values of the rock parameters and the joint angle.

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ZusammenfassungZugspannungsprobleme in Felshalbräumen mit Klüften, die sich elastisch verhalten Eine Felsmasse mit einer größeren Anzahl von parallelen, ebenen Klüften wird unter der Annahme untersucht, daß die Kluftweite gegenüber den betrachteten Längenabmessungen klein ist und gegenüber den relativen Bewegungen quer zu den Klüften groß ist. Mit Hilfe einer Kontinuumstheorie kann unter der Annahme, daß die Klüfte, bevor sie gleiten, eine endliche elastische Steifheit in Kluftrichtung und normal dazu besitzen, gezeigt werden, daß der Fels transversal-isotrop bezüglich der Kluftnormalen ist. Die Klasse der Probleme, für die analytische Lösungen für ein transversal-isotropes Medium existieren, ist sehr begrenzt. Jedoch für den Fall geringer Bindungssteifigkeit gibt es eine Näherungspotentialtheroie, ähnlich jener für undehnbare, glasfaserverstärkte elastische Materialien, die viel allgemeiner angewendet werden kann. Sowohl die Näherungstheorie als auch die exakte transversal-isotrope Theorie für kleine Fugensteifheit wird auf ebene Zugspannungsprobleme in einem Halbraum angewandt, in welchem die Klüfte in verschiedenen Winkeln zur Grenzebene geneigt sind. Für verschiedene Werte der Felsparameter und der Winkel der Klüfte werden Vergleiche angestellt.

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RésuméLes problèmes de traction sur un roc demi-espace joint élastiquement Une masse de roc avec un ensemble majeur de parallèle, les joints planar, est considérée dans le cas où l'espace de joint est petit en comparaison avec la longueur des échelles considérées, et large en comparaison avec le décalage relatif à travers les joints.Une théorie continue est adoptée et sous la supposition additionnelle qui stipule que les joints ont des raideurs élastiques finies, associés avec leurs tangentielle et normale reponse antérieur à glisser. Il pourrait être démontré que le rock peut-être transversalement isotropique en ce qui concerne la direction des joints normaux. La classe des problèmes pour lesquels des solutions analytiques sont valables pour un milieu transversalement isotropique est très limitée.Cependant, pour le cas des petites raideurs de joint, une théorie de potentiel approximative analogue aux matériaux élastiques renforcées d'une fibre inextensible est disponible, et peut-être appliquée pour un ensemble de domaines plus généralisés. La théorie approximative et la théorie de l'isotropie transversale pour les petites raideurs de joint, sont à la fois appliqués aux problèmes d'effort de traction plane dans un demi-espace dans lequelle les joints sont inclinés à des angles variés par rapport à la limite. La comparaison des deux théories est réalisée pour diverses valeurs des paramètres du roc et de l'angle de joint.

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With 12 Figures     

A benthic chamber for intensely metabolic lotic systems

We have designed a flow-through benthic chamber that has the desirable characteristics of: simulation of tidal currents, continuous operation, ability to measure photosynthesis, respiration and nutrient exchanges, and maintenance of near-ambient oxygen conditions in a highly metabolic environment. The apparatus is based on a 1.3 m long Plexiglas tunnel, closed at bith ends, with both constant circulation and periodic flushing. The results of a 9-month study at one location in Flax Pond, a Long Island, New York, tidal pond, show large seasonal variations, influences of both sunlight intensity and seasonality, and a P/R ratio of less than one.