Some geophysical constraints on the chemical composition of the earth's lower mantle

The physical properties(?, K, K′) of the adiabatically decompressed lower mantle are interpreted in terms of an (Mg,Fe)SiO₃ perovskite + magnesiowüstite mineralogy. The approach employed in this paper involves the removal of the relatively better characterised magnesiowüstite component from the two-phase mixture in order to highlight the physical properties required of the perovskite phase for consistency between the seismological data and any proposed compositional model. It is concluded that a wide tradeoff (emphasized by Davies [1]) between composition, temperature and the physical properties (especially thermal expansion) of the perovskite phase accommodates most recently proposed compositional models including Ringwood's [2] pyrolite and the more silicic models of Burdick and Anderson [3], Anderson [4], Sawamoto [5], Butler and Anderson [6], Liu [7,8] and Watt and Ahrens [9].     

Oceanic magnetic anomaly amplitudes: variation with sea-floor spreading rate and possible implications

A qualitative examination of oceanic magnetic anomalies suggests that their amplitudes increase with the spreading rate of the ocean floor. This suggestion has been investigated quantitatively by inversion of the anomalies. A variance matching technique has been used to calculate the average magnetisation of the crust with crustal thickness held constant or to calculate the thickness with the magnetisation fixed. In spite of variations in the computed intensities of magnetisation and thickness when compared to spreading rates the results show an over-all increase in the intensities with the rate of spreading. The mechanisms responsible for this could include greater irregularity in distribution of magnetic polarities within the crust at slow spreading ridges, greater intensity of magnetisation in crust produced at fast spreading due to initial chemical properties or enhanced hydrothermal alteration, and a dependence of crustal thickness on spreading rate.     

Effect of a kelp forest on coastal currents

Ocean currents supply a kelp ecosystem with nutrients, planktonic food, and larvae. We have found that these currents in a kelp forest (Macrocystis pyrifera) are slower than currents outside. At the Pt. Loma, San Diego, California, site that we studied, current velocities were about a third of those outside. A comparison of frequency spectra shows that semi-diurnal frequencies are preferentially passed by the kelp. This effect of a kelp forest on the currents that nurture it is similar to that of a terrestrial forest on local winds.     

The seismicity of Kohistan, Pakistan: Source studies of the Hamran (1972.9.3), Darel (1981.9.12) and Patan (1974.12.28) earthquakes

Long period body waves are examined to show that the Hamran (1972.9.3), Darel (1981.9.12) and Patan (1974.12.28) earthquakes in Kohistan had focal depths of about 8–10 km. All involved high angle reverse faulting (thrusting) and had seismic moments of about 2.2 to 2.7·10²⁵ dyne cm. These shallow depths contrast with the deeper hypocentres found in the Hindu Kush and northeast Karakoram to the north and in Hazara to the south. The Hamran and Patan shocks were assigned depths of 45 km by the ISC, indicating that even well-recorded events in this region may have focal depths in error by 30 km     

Initiation and growth of salt-based thrust belts on passive margins: results from physical models

Scaled sandbox models simulated primary controls on the kinematics of the early structural evolution of salt‐detached, gravity‐driven thrust belts on passive margins. Models had a neutral‐density, brittle overburden overlying a viscous décollement layer. Deformation created linked extension–translation–shortening systems. The location of initial brittle failure of the overburden was sensitive to perturbations at the base of the salt. Salt pinch‐out determined the seaward limit of the thrust belt. The thrust belts were dominated by pop‐up structures or detachment folds cut by break thrusts. Pop‐ups were separated by flat‐bottomed synclines that were partially overthrust. Above a uniformly dipping basement, thrusts initiated at the salt pinch‐out then consistently broke landward. In contrast, thrust belts above a seaward‐flattening hinged basement nucleated above the hinge and then spread both seaward and landward. The seaward‐dipping taper of these thrust belts was much lower than typical, frictional, Coulomb‐wedge models. Towards the salt pinch‐out, frictional resistance increased, thrusts verged strongly seawards and the dip of the taper reversed as the leading thrust overrode this pinch‐out. We attribute the geometry of these thrust belts to several causes. (1) Low friction of the basal décollement favours near‐symmetric pop‐ups. (2) Mobile salt migrates away from local loads created by overthrusting, which reduces the seaward taper of the thrust belt. (3) In this gravity‐driven system, shortening quickly spreads to form wide thrust belts, in which most of the strain overlapped in time.     

Geomorphic constraints on the active tectonics of southern Taiwan

Taiwan is a region of rapid active tectonics, yet the study of the tectonic processes that shape the interior of the island is difficult due to the high rates of erosion and dense vegetation. We use digital topography to look for indications of active deformation preserved in the local geomorphology. In particular, anomalies in the regional pattern of drainage are used to infer zones of enhanced tectonic activity. The apparent anticlockwise rotation of major river systems in plan view indicates the presence of a diffuse zone of left-lateral shear running down the southeastern side of Taiwan. Asymmetries in the catchments of individual drainage basins show the influence of varying rates of uplift across southern Taiwan, with the most rapid uplift close to Taitung at the indentation point of the Luzon arc with the Chinese continental margin. Our interpretations, though based predominantly on remote-sensing observations, are consistent with the available field evidence. This study demonstrates the usefulness of drainage basins as tectonic markers in the quantification of regional strain and uplift, which may have wider applicability in other deforming parts of the world.