An analysis of 1983 observations of facular contrast with an extreme limb photometer

Analysis of facular contrast I/I _qs from Extreme Limb Photometer (ELP) data of the summer of 1983 yield a mean contrast of 0.91 ± 0.19% and 1.57 ± 0.16% for apertures 1 and 2 located at = 0.198 and at = 0.111, respectively. The ratio of the mean contrast in the outer aperture (closer to the limb) to that of the inner one is 1.71 ± 0.40, indicating an increase in the mean facular contrast toward the limb. This result is in agreement with observations made in 1975, 1979, and 1982. The errors are dominated by the random presence of solar active regions. The combined results from all seasons follow an approximately ^–1 curve. Facular excess solar oblateness signals for 1983 are 33.8 ± 6.6 arc ms and 16.5 ± 2.1 arc ms for ELP apertures 1 and 2, respectively, in reasonable agreement with the 1983 excess solar oblateness results of Dicke, Kuhn, and Libbrecht (1985).     

Dike rock generation and magma interactions in the Bir Safsaf igneous complex,south-west Egypt: Implications for the Pan-African evolution in north-east Africa

The geological setting, ages, petrography and geochemistry of late Pan-African ( 580 Ma) calc-alkaline and tholeiitic dike rocks in the Bir Safsaf igneous complex of south-west Egypt are discussed. These basaltic to rhyolitic dikes intruded contemporaneously and shortly after the intrusion of granitoids. The major and trace element data, Sr and Nd isotope relations, in combination with textural observations, confirm complex interactions between most of the intermediate calcalkaline dike melts and plutonic melts, with different degrees of mixing, assimilation, replenishment and tapping of magma chambers. Trachytic and rhyolitic dikes are strongly differentiated melts from the granitic pluton. The tholeiitic dikes evolved dominantly by fractional crystallization processes. It is inferred that open system and closed system processes operated in calc-alkaline magma chambers, and that the calc-alkaline melts came from a garnet-and amphibole-bearing mantle, modified by a subduction component. Tholeiitic rocks were formed later by fractional crystallization and assimilation processes. Magma ascent of both dike types took place in an extensional environment and the presumed subduction zone has to be seen in connection with the Atmur-Delgo suture zone.     

Uranus: Disk structure within the 7300-Å methane band

Orthogonal narrow-band (100 Å) photoelectric slit scan photometry of Uranus has been used to infer the basic two-dimensional structure of the disk within the 7300-Å methane band. Numerical image reconstruction and restoration techniques have been applied to quantitatively estimate the degrees of polar and limb brightening on the planet. Through partial removal of atmospheric smearing, an effective spatial resolution of approximately 0.9 arcsec has been achieved. Peak polar, limb, and central intensities on the disk are in the respective proportions 3:2:1. In addition, the bright polar feature is displaced from the geometric pole towards the equator of the planet.     

TRANSALP—deep crustal Vibroseis and explosive seismic profiling in the Eastern Alps

The TRANSALP consortium, comprising institutions from Italy, Austria and Germany, carried out deep seismic reflection measurements in the Eastern Alps between Munich and Venice in 1998, 1999 and 2001. In order to complement each other in resolution and depth range, the Vibroseis technique was combined with simultaneous explosive source measurements. Additionally, passive cross-line recording provided three-dimensional control and alternative north–south sections. Profits were obtained by the combination of the three methods in sectors or depths where one method alone was less successful.The TRANSALP sections clearly image a thin-skinned wedge of tectonic nappes at the northern Alpine front zone, unexpected graben or half-graben structures within the European basement, and, thick-skinned back-thrusting in the southern frontal zone beneath the Dolomite Mountains. A bi-vergent structure at crustal scale is directed from the Alpine axis to the external parts. The Tauern Window obviously forms the hanging wall ramp anticline above a southward dipping, deep reaching reflection pattern interpreted as a tectonic ramp along which the Penninic units of the Tauern Window have been up-thrusted.The upper crystalline crust appears generally transparent. The lower crust in the European domain is characterized by a 6–7 km thick laminated structure. On the Adriatic side the lower crust displays a much thicker or twofold reflective pattern. The crustal root at about 55 km depth is shifted around 50 km to the south with respect to the main Alpine crest.     

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.     

泥盆纪最早期牙形刺带化石在蒙古南戈壁幕使盖(Mushgai)地区"尕屋(Gavuu)"段的首次发现

在蒙古南戈壁的Bayan—Khoshuu Ruins剖面原归入到志留系Mandalovoo组尕屋(Gavuu)段的地层中发现了牙形刺Caudicriodus woschimidti woschmidti，这是泥盆纪最早期牙形刺带化石在蒙古的首次发现。尕屋(Gavuu)段的下部属志留系，但其上部，即采集牙形刺样品M-9～M-12的层位肯定属下泥盆统(下洛霍考夫阶)，而不是下志留统。Mandalovoo组应当改为Mandalovoo群，它的三个段应提升为三个组。     

Genesis and distribution of mineral waters as a consequence of recent lithospheric dynamics: the Rhenish Massif,Central Europe

Three major, interdependent processes control the genesis and distribution of mineral and thermal waters in the Rhenish Massif, Central Europe: (a) Magmatic processes in the upper mantle provide most of the CO₂ to produce bicarbonate waters in shallow aquifers. (b) Extension of the brittle upper crust enables the ascent of sodium chloride waters. (c) Uplift and erosion shape the massif's relief, which determines the extent of flow systems and the distribution of thermal springs. The chemistry of mineral waters further depends on the aquifers' mineral composition. A comprehensive set of hydrological, chemical, tectonic and geophysical data on the Rhenish Massif has been compiled. It was used to classify the mineral waters and to map the spatial distribution of water properties. The composition of cuttings from several representative wells producing different water types shows that the hydrothermal alteration of the aquifer rocks consists mainly of kaolinization of chlorite and dissolution of feldspar. Numerical transport simulations favour two modes of groundwater flow: topography-driven flow and the pressure-driven ascent of basement brines along active faults. Thermal convection is less important.     

The color of pumice: case study on a trachytic fall deposit, Meidob volcanic field, Sudan

 This paper examines the cause of color variations of trachytic pumices which are essentially uniform in chemical composition and proposes a geological model for their formation. A pyroclastic sequence of distinct subunits with brown, buff, and black pumices was deposited during the 5000-B.P. eruption of a tuff ring in the central Meidob volcanic field (Sudan). Subunits of buff pumices locally contain minor amounts of streaky pumice with pale-gray and dark-gray domains. The combined evidence of petrographic studies, chemical analyses of whole pumices and groundmass separates, electron microprobe analyses, optical spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and magnetic susceptibility measurements show that color variations of the pumice clasts are related to the size and distribution of Fe³⁺-rich oxide microcrysts. Buff pumice and light-gray domains of streaky pumice have a colorless, transparent groundmass with very few microcrysts. Dark-gray domains of streaky pumice contain abundant hematite and/or magnetite microcrysts visible in thin section within a transparent, colorless glass groundmass. The groundmass of the black pumice clasts is brown in thin section which is most likely caused by submicroscopic magnetite microcrysts. Brown pumice clasts have a mixed groundmass consisting of brown domains and domains with opaque microcrysts in transparent glass. Variations in the eruption dynamics have been inferred from lithological observations. Subunits of black pumices are related to eruption pulses with low magma discharge and high water/magma mass ratio, whereas subunits of buff pumice were deposited during eruption pulses with high magma discharge and low water/magma mass ratio. Brown pumices represent the top part of the magma body, and the initial stage of the eruption probably had a low magma discharge. Streaky pumices are interpreted as the product of syn-eruptive mixing of Fe³⁺-rich oxide microcryst-bearing magma and microcryst-free magma. Received: 3 February 1997 / Accepted: 28 July 1997     

Intraplate deformation and 3D rheological structure of the Rhine Rift System and adjacent areas of the northern Alpine foreland

The lithosphere of the Northern Alpine foreland has undergone a polyphase evolution during which interacting stress-induced intraplate deformation and upper mantle thermal perturbations controlled folding of the thermally weakened lithosphere. In this paper we address relationships among deeper lithospheric processes, neotectonics and surface processes in the Northern Alpine foreland with special emphasis on tectonically induced topography. We focus on lithosphere memory and neotectonics, paying special attention to the thermo-mechanical structure of the Rhine Graben System and adjacent areas of the northern Alpine foreland lithosphere. We discuss implications for mechanisms of large-scale intraplate deformation and links with surface processes and topography evolution.