The Messinian salinity crisis in Cyprus: a further step towards a new stratigraphic framework for Eastern Mediterranean

A revised stratigraphic framework for the Messinian succession of Cyprus is proposed demonstrating that the three‐stage model for the Messinian salinity crisis recently established for the Western Mediterranean also applies to the Eastern Mediterranean, at least for its marginal basins. This analysis is based on a multidisciplinary study of the Messinian evaporites and associated deposits exposed in the Polemi, Pissouri, Maroni/Psematismenos and Mesaoria basins. Here, we document for the first time that the base of the unit usually referred to the ‘Lower Evaporites’ in Cyprus does not actually correspond to the onset of the Messinian salinity crisis. The basal surface of this unit rather corresponds to a regional‐scale unconformity, locally associated with an angular discordance, and is related to the erosion and resedimentation of primary evaporites deposited during the first stage of the Messinian salinity crisis. This evidence suggests that the ‘Lower Evaporites’ of the southern basins of Cyprus actually belong to the second stage of the Messinian salinity crisis; they can be thus ascribed to the Resedimented Lower Gypsum unit that was deposited between 5.6 and 5.5 Ma and is possibly coeval to the halite deposited in the northern Mesaoria basin. Primary, in situ evaporites of the first stage of the Messinian salinity crisis were not preserved in Cyprus basins. Conversely, shallow‐water primary evaporites deposited during the third stage of the Messinian salinity crisis are well preserved; these deposits can be regarded as the equivalent of the Upper Gypsum of Sicily. Our study documents that the Messinian stratigraphy shows many similarities between the Western and Eastern Mediterranean marginal basins, implying a common and likely coeval development of the Messinian salinity crisis. This could be reflected also in intermediate and deep‐water basins; we infer that the Lower Evaporites seismic unit in the deep Eastern Mediterranean basins could well be mainly composed of clastic evaporites and that its base could correspond to the Messinian erosional surface.     

Early–Middle Pleistocene environmental changes and human evolution in the Italian peninsula

This paper is aimed to elucidate the ecological scenario in Italy in the Early to Middle Pleistocene, when species of the genus Homo are known to spread across Europe in two distinct waves: earlier than 1.2 Ma and at about 600 ka, respectively. This topic represents both (1) a fundamental aspect for a better understanding of the factors that allowed humans to colonize the middle latitudes of Eurasia, and (2) a reasonable frontier for current Quaternary palaeobiology, thanks to increasing knowledge of regional and local patterns. As for Italy, a combination of palaeobotanical and palaeontological data sets shows on the one hand a general complexity in both space and time, and on the other hand changes of considerable importance within and among the biological communities. These changes had a major importance during the worldwide change in the Earth climatic system known as “Middle Pleistocene Revolution”, which according to our data culminates with crucial effects of the extreme conditions of MIS 16. Subsequently, during great part of the Middle Pleistocene, the peculiar features of the Italian territory may have favoured isolation and a local persistence of plant populations and possibly mammal taxa, humans included, as for instance suggested by the corrected chronology of the Ceprano calvarium.     

Energy flux partitioning over the Amazon forest

The present study involved determination of the experimental energy receipt partitioning over the tropical Amazon forest. Diurnal variation of net radiation (Q ^*), sensible heat flux (Q _H) and latent heat flux (Q _E) is presented. The daytimeQ _E is in phase withQ ^* and it is always an important term in the energy balance. The daily averagedQ _E is 59 to 100% of the dailyQ ^* whereasQ _H is 5 to 28% at the Amazon forest site (2° 57 S; 59° 57 W) for the sample periods. The results present evidence thatQ _E over the Amazon forest is greater thanQ ^* in the afternoon hours. The role of sensible heat advection in maintaining largeQ _E over the forest surface is discussed. Hourly Bowen ratio () values for two campaigns of the Amazon forest micrometeorological experiment are presented. During daylight hours, the differences in are not significant, and exhibit a systematic pattern. The only time that the variation in Bowen ratio increased significantly was at sunrise and sunset when the thermal structure of the air was changing from a strong inversion to lapse and vice versa. The diurnal values changed from –3.50 to 0.85. The mean hourly calculated from values from 07.00 to 16.00 h, varied from 0.05 to 0.85.Diese Studie beschäftigt sich mit der Aufteilung der empfangenen Energie über dem tropischen Amazonasurwald. Es wird der Tagesgang der Strahlungsbilanz (Q ^*), des fühlbaren (Q _H) und des latenten Wärmestromes (Q _E) vorgestellt. Während der Tagesstunden istQ _E in Phase mitQ ^* und ist immer ein wichtiger Term der Energiebilanz. Das Tagesmittel vonQ _E beträgt 59 bis 100%,Q _H 5 bis 28% des täglichenQ ^* an den Meßtagen bei der Amazonasurwaldstation (2° 57 S; 59° 57 W). Die Ergebnisse legen nahe, daß in den NachmittagsstundenQ _E über dem Amazonasurwald größer ist alsQ ^*. Die Rolle der Advektion von fühlbarer Wärme zur Aufrechterhaltung des großenQ _E über der Waldoberfläche wird diskutiert. Für zwei Meßkampagnen wurden die stündlichen Bowenverhältnisse () vorgestellt. Während der Tagesstunden ergaben sich keine signifikanten Änderungen von, während bei Sonnenaufgang und -untergang, wenn der thermische Aufbau der Luft von einer starken Inversion zu neutral und umgekehrt wechselt, die Unterschiede deutlich anstiegen. Die Tageswerte von lagen zwischen –3.50 und 0.85. Die Stundenmittel von 7.00 bis 16.00 Uhr schwankten zwischen 0.05 und 0.85.

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With 3 Figures     

Tectonic and climatic control on the Late Messinian sedimentary evolution of the Nijar Basin (Betic Cordillera,Southern Spain)

The Late Messinian fill of the Nijar Basin (Betic Cordillera, southeastern Spain) mainly consists of clastic deposits of the Feos Formation that at basin margins rest unconformably above the primary evaporites of the Yesares Formation, the local equivalent of the Mediterranean Lower Gypsum. The Feos Fm. records the upward transition towards non‐marine environments before the abrupt return to fully marine conditions at the base of the Pliocene. The Feos Fm. is clearly two‐phase, with ‘lower’ and ‘upper’ members, which exhibit substantial differences in terms of facies, thickness, depositional trends and cyclical organization. These members record two distinct sedimentary and tectonic stages of Nijar Basin infilling. A high‐resolution, physical‐stratigraphic framework is proposed based on key beds and stratigraphic cyclicity and patterns that differ largely from those of most previously published studies. The predominant influence on stratigraphic cyclicity is interpreted to be precessionally driven climate changes, allowing their correlation to the Late Messinian astronomically calibrated chronostratigraphic framework. Detailed correlations suggest a phase of enhanced tectonic activity, possibly related to the Serrata‐Carboneras strike‐slip fault zone, during the first stage (‘lower’ member), resulting in a strongly articulated topography with structural lows and highs controlling sediment thickness and facies variation. Tectonic activity decreased during the second stage (‘upper’ member), which is characterized by (1) a progressively dampened and homogenized, (2) overall relative base‐level rise and (3) gradual establishment of hypohaline environments. Facies characteristics, overall stacking patterns and depositional trends of the Feos Fm. are analogous with uppermost Messinian successions of the Northern Apennines, Piedmont Basin and Calabria. Despite minor differences related to the local geodynamic setting, these basins experienced a common Late Messinian history that supports the development of a single, large Mediterranean water body characterized by high‐frequency, climatically‐driven changes in sediment flux and base‐level.     

粤港澳大湾区典型城镇化地区河流氮素的时空分布特征及源解析

选取粤港澳大湾区典型城镇化地区广州市的流溪河—西航道—前航道为研究对象,分别于2020年7月和2021年1月开展野外调研采样活动,收集40个地表水水样样品,通过室内分析,利用水化学和同位素（δ¹⁵N-\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{O}}_{\mathrm{3}}^{-}、δ¹⁸O-\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{O}}_{\mathrm{3}}^{-}和δ¹⁵N-\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{4}}^{+}）等指标,探讨研究区河流氮素的时空分布特征及其来源,研究城市化对河流氮素的影响。结果表明：从上游到下游,人类活动对Cl^-、\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{4}}^{+}-N、\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{O}}_{\mathrm{3}}^{-}-N、DIN（溶解态无机氮）的质量浓度影响逐渐突显;丰水期\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{4}}^{+}-N、DIN较枯水期高,主要归因于外源输入的影响强于降雨量与上游来水稀释的综合作用;在溶解态总氮的组成分布上,\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{4}}^{+}-N与\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{O}}_{\mathrm{3}}^{-}-N分别是丰水期、枯水期的主要存在形态,说明丰水期人类活动影响十分显著。丰水期\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{4}}^{+}-N与Cl^-的质量浓度具有较强的正相关关系,说明丰水期\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{4}}^{+}-N与Cl^-可能具有相近或相同的来源。离子比值及稳定同位素的溯源结果具有较高的一致性,均显示上游农田化肥、土壤有机氮、养殖污水为上游河道的主要氮来源,而土壤有机氮、城市污水则为下游河道氮的主要来源。     

Comparative measurements and seasonal variations in energy and carbon exchange over forest and pasture in South West Amazonia

Summary Comparative measurements of radiation flux components and turbulent fluxes of energy and CO₂ are made at two sites in South West Amazonia: one in a tropical forest reserve and one in a pasture. The data were collected from February 1999 to September 2002, as part of the Large Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia (LBA). During the dry seasons, although precipitation and specific humidity are greatly reduced, the soil moisture storage profiles down to 3.4m indicate that the forest vegetation continues to withdraw water from deep layers in the soil. For this reason, seasonal changes observed in the energy partition and CO₂ fluxes in the forest are small, compared to the large reductions in evaporation and photosynthesis observed in the pasture. For the radiation balance, the reflected short wave radiation increases by about 55% when changing from forest to pasture. Combined with an increase of 4.7% in long wave radiation loss, this causes an average reduction of 13.3% in net radiation in the pasture, compared to the forest. In the wet season, the evaporative fraction (E/R_n) at the pasture is 17% lower than at the forest. This difference increases to 24% during the dry season. Daytime CO₂ fluxes are 20–28% lower (in absolute values) in the pasture compared to the forest. The night-time respiration in the pasture is also reduced compared to the forest, with averages 44% and 57% lower in the wet and dry seasons, respectively. As the reduction in the nocturnal respiration is larger than the reduction in the daytime uptake, the combined effect is a 19–67% higher daily uptake of CO₂ in the pasture, compared to the forest. This high uptake of CO₂ in the pasture site is not surprising, since the growth of the vegetation is constantly renewed, as the cattle remove the biomass.     

New insights from legacy seismic data: reprocessing of legacy 2D seismic data for imaging of iron-oxide mineralization near Sishen Mine,South Africa

Two overlapping legacy seismic profiles, 130 km long end to end, were shot in the 1990s over the Kuruman Hills on the western margin of the Kaapvaal Craton in southern Africa. The 6-s profiles were aimed at investigating the crustal structure of the western Kaapvaal Craton as well as to locate potential continuation of the Witwatersrand gold-bearing horizons beneath the cover rocks, the latter of which was unsuccessful. In this study, the legacy seismic data are reprocessed and used to image the iron-oxide (mainly haematite) mineralization found in the Kuruman Formation of the Griqualand-West Supergroup, which outcrops along the two seismic profiles. The seismic profiles are located close to the Sishen open pit iron mine, where one of the world's largest iron ore concentrations (986 Mt) is mined. The reprocessed and merged seismic data are combined with magnetic, magnetotelluric, borehole and outcrop data to constrain the interpretation, and all indicate the mineralization host rocks to have ∼500 m thickness and 950 m depth. The seismic data further reveal seismic reflections associated with multiple iron ore horizons, which are affected by a first-order scale syncline and numerous near-vertically dipping (∼65–80°) normal and reverse faults of various orientations and throws, thus providing insight into the structurally controlled iron ore mineralization in the area. Seismic tomography and magnetotellurics characterize the sediments to have a velocity ranging between 5000 and 6000 m/s and a resistivity of <10 Ωm. The seismic imaging of the syncline and associated structural disruptions is important for future mining purposes and plans in the area as these structures might have preserved iron-oxide mineralization from erosion. The reprocessed data thus provide information that could be incorporated in potential future underground mine planning in the area, improving the resource evaluation of the iron-oxide deposit. Legacy seismic data are thus shown to hold intrinsic quality and possible untapped potential that can be realized via data reprocessing.     

Experimental measurements of seismic velocities on core samples and their dependence on mineralogy and stress; Witwatersrand Basin (South Africa)

Physical property measurements were integrated with mineralogical analyses to better understand the nature of the seismic reflectivity of the deepest (>3.5 km depth) gold ore body (Carbon Leader Reef). The CLR lies at depths between 3.5 km and 4.5 km below the surface. Over 50 drill-core samples were selected for geochemical analyses, density and seismic velocity measurements. Ultrasonic measurements were conducted at ambient and elevated stresses, using transducers operating at 0.5 MHz. The study reveals that P-wave velocities generally increase with increasing bulk density. The CLR conglomerate, the gold-bearing reef, has slightly higher P-wave velocity (～5070–5468 m/s) and density values (～2.78 g/cm³) amongst the quartzitic units, possibly due to its massive pyrite content. The quartzite hangingwall and footwall rocks to the CLR exhibit similar P-wave velocity (～5028–5480 and ～4777–5211 m/s, respectively) and density values (～2.68 and 2.66 g/cm³, respectively). The reflection coefficients calculated at the interface between the CLR conglomerate and its hangingwall and footwall units range between ～0.02 and 0.05 which is below the required minimum reflection coefficient value of 0.06 to produce a strong reflection between two lithological boundaries. This suggests that seismic reflection methods might not be able to directly image the CLR, as observed from its poor reflectivity in the 3D seismic data. Samples were also subjected to stresses of up to 65 MPa to simulate in situ-like conditions and to investigate the dependence of seismic velocities on applied stresses. P-wave velocities increase with progressive loading, but at different rates in shale and quartzite rocks as a result of the presence of micro-defects.