The timescale and mechanism of granulite formation at Kurunegala,Sri Lanka

Incipient charnockite formation at Kurunegala in Sri Lanka is characterized by the growth of orthopyroxene at the expense of amphibole and biotite in an originally homogeneous gneiss. Mineral equilibria in the charnockite assemblage record pressure-temperature (P-T) conditions of 738±60° C and 6.9±1.2 kbar at-17.0±1.2 log fO₂ and aH₂O=0.18±0.16. Wholerock trace-element and isotopic measurements show that charnockite formation was accompanied by a systematic depletion of Sm>Rb>Pb>U>Sr>Nd, with a fractionation of Rb/Sr, Sm/Nd and Th/U ratios, and crystallization of the charnockite assemblage at 535±5 Ma. Major element (Fe–Mg–Ca) and Sm–Nd equilibration between minerals occurred at 524±9 Ma, whereas, Pb and Rb–Sr underwent continued exchange to 501±5 Ma and 486±1 Ma, respectively. Trace-element data for both amphibolite and charnockite minerals show that depletion on a whole-rock scale can be accounted for either by changes in mineral modes or trace-element abundances, within the immediate area of dehydration. The fractionation of Sm/Nd on a whole-rock scale is controlled by the breakdown of amphibole, without the growth of a major new host-phase for Sm in the charnockite. Rubidium and Sr are dependent on the relative behaviour of biotite, plagioclase and alkali-feldspar. Modelling of dehydration-melting involving the breakdown of amphibole, biotite, and alkali-feldspar reproduces the observed Sm/Nd and Rb/Sr fractionation, and indicates the loss of small melt fractions, on a cm scale, from the charnockite. These observations suggest that partial melting is the most plausible means of effecting both the dehydration and depletion that accompanies charnockite formation.     

Symposium on the Geomorphology of Southern Africa

Reports

International/National Conference on Advances in Ground-Water Hydrology, dedicated to the memory of Dr. C. V. Theis, will be held Nov. 16–18, 1988 Tampa, Florida, USA     

‘real’ geomorphology revisited

Some of the reasons are given for the editorial (Richards, 1990) now discussed by Rhoads (1994) and Bassett (1994). These include the lack of interest generally displayed by geomorphologists in matters of scientific philosophy and method, and the instrumentalist view of research often presented to postgraduate students given present funding imperatives. It is suggested that in a revision of views about the validity of a hypothesis-testing, critical rationalist methodology might have considerable implications for the practice of environmental sciences, and that accordingly the debate initiated by Rhoads and Bassett is worthy of continuation.     

Great Lakes response to catastrophic inflows from Lake Agassiz: some simulations of a hydraulic geometry for chained lake systems

Simulations (216) were undertaken to evaluate the impact of typical Lake Agassiz outbursts on the upper Great Lakes under plausible variations in lake surface areas and sill widths. Flows over sills out of lakes are modelled using the equation for a broad-crested weir, with the model time increment set to one day. The model was evaluated for Lake Agassiz outlet sill widths of 1, 4, and 10 km and with outbursts ranging from 100 000 m³ s^–1 to 600 000 m³ s^–1. The surface area of Lake Agassiz was evaluated for 182 000 km² ±20%. The surface area of the upper Great Lakes were modelled as either Lake Algonquin (Superior, Huron and Michigan basins =200 000 km²) or Lake Minong (Superior basin 87 000 km²) with sill widths of 0.5, 1.5, and 3 km.Downstream peak discharge modelled at the outlet sill of the upper Great Lakes, was normally between 20 and 60% of the initial outburst, with a lagtime to peak usually between 80 and 280 days. Upper Great Lakes water level rises of between 2 and 20 m are calculated with rises to 36 m for some configurations. Rise magnitude is inversely related to the width of the outlet sills at both lake systems and to the surface area of the receiving lake.The modeling implies that measuring outflow from the upper Great Lakes, or water level rises, does not in itself determine peak or total outflow from Lake Agassiz unless the dimensions of the Lake Agassiz and upper Great Lakes outflow sills are also known.Lake level rises probably coincided on the upper Great Lakes with meltout from the winter freeze-up. Lake levels re-attain equilibrium values with respect to through flow within three years of an outburst. Substantial episodic lake level rises in the upper Great Lakes may have had severe impacts on the lake biota, for example via the affect on spawning grounds.     

Nd and Sr isotope systematics of the Oka complex,Quebec, and their bearing on the evolution of the sub-continental upper mantle

A detailed isotopic study of minerals and whole rocks from the Cretaceous Oka complex, Quebec, Canada, shows a very small variation in initial Nd and Sr isotopic compositions. Assuming an age of 109 Ma for the complex, apatite, calcite, garnet, melilite, monticellite, olivine and pyroxene and whole rocks yield a range for initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr of 0.70323–0.70333; and for initial ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd of 0.51271–0.51284 ( _SR(T)= –14.8 to –16.2; _Nd(T)=+4.1 to +6.6). The negative _SR and positive _Nd indicate derivation of the Nd and Sr from a source with a time-integrated depletion in the large-ion lithophile (LIL) elements. This agrees with data from other Canadian carbonatites and confirms that a large part of the Canadian Shield is underlain by a source region depleted in the LIL elements. The new data from Oka suggest that the depleted source may have remained coupled to the continental crust until recent time.     

Shallow Seismic Refraction Survey of Near-Surface Ground Water Flow

A shallow seismic refraction survey was conducted as part of a geologic and hydrologic investigation of an area adjacent to a proposed coal strip mine in southeastern Illinois. Data obtained from the survey were used to estimate the thickness and geometry of litho-logic units within approximately 40 feet of the surface in unconsolidated material overlying bedrock. Data from a nearby ground water monitoring well and several shallow geologic cores obtained in the survey area indicated the presence of a silt-clay unit roughly 10 feet beneath the surface. This unit strongly inhibits the vertical movement of ground water, resulting in a perched water table.
The refraction survey revealed that the morphology of the top of this silt-clay layer is dominated by a narrow, sinuous channel criss-crossing the survey region with an overall downward trend in elevation from the mine site to a small creek roughly 0.25 miles away. Detailed knowledge of the location of this channel was used to identify optimal sites for shallow ground water monitoring stations. The method proved to be a relatively rapid and cost-efficient means of obtaining detailed information concerning the thickness and geometry of the near-surface unconsolidated materials.     

Sampling for Toxic Contaminants in Ground Water

In this paper, we relate recent developments in ground water sampling techniques to the practical application of sampling for toxic contaminants in ground water. We address the choices that must be made in choosing equipment for a particular project by going through a step-by-step procedure for collecting a ground water sample from a typical monitoring well. Ground water sampling topics that are discussed include: choice of equipment for purging and sampling a well, monitoring for purged ground water indicators and quality assurance/quality control.