RbSr total rock isotope studies on Precambrian charnockitic gneisses from South Norway: evidence for isochron resetting during a low-grade metamorphic-deformational event

The quartzo-feldspathic charnockitic orthogneisses within the Bamble sector of the so-called Sveconorwegian (1.2–0.9 b.y.) zone are highly fractionated in K and Rb such that they comprise two chemically contrasting zones — one highly K, Rb-deficient and the other with values of the same order as upper crustal lithologies.Eight series of samples, each collected from single outcrops, have yielded Rb-Sr total rock apparent ages in two distinct groups, at ～1540 and ～1060 m.y. Outcrops in both the K-deficient and normal-K suites have produced examples of each age. The older age relates to the high-grade charnockite event, and the younger to a superimposed low-grade event which occurred at the same time as the intrusion of undeformed granite sheets and pegmatite dikes; one of the granites has yielded an isochron age of 1063 ± 20 m.y. The low-grade event involved only the partial alteration of orthopyroxenes to chlorite and/or serpentine, coupled with some corrosion of biotite; the alterations were initiated along narrow, irregularly spaced, cracks and it was their development which facilitated open system behaviour of the total rock isotopic systems at some localities. The degree of rehomogenisation is a function of the intensity of the secondary alterations.Confirmation of resetting at ～1060 m.y. is given by four mineral + host rock isochrons all yielding ages within error of the age for the intrusive granite; two of these are from outcrops where the rocks retain the older ～1540-m.y. age.The secondary total rock isotopic homogenisation cannot be explained adequately by Rb mobility or by simple mixing with a fluid having its own initial⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr composition. The primary mineralogy may have determined whether individual localities and/or samples suffered net increases or net decreases in⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr.An important implication of the results is that in this, or any similar geological situation, there would be a very real possibility of drawing erroneous conclusions from regionally-collected samples, particularly if the full significance of the later, relatively minor P-T event remained undetected and/or the scale of isotopic (re-)homogenisation, were unknown. It is only because of the methods adopted that it can be stated that there is no isotopic evidence for a high grade Sveconorwegian (Grenvillian) event in this part of southern Norway.     

Average crustal travel times in Sweden re-examined

A long-range Scandinavian seismic profile of August 1979 is subjected to a preliminary evaluation by means of the records of the permanent Swedish network of stations. The resulting travel times confirm those earlier adopted in the calculation of Swedish earthquakes for the period 1951–1976.     

Spectroscopic studies on natural chloritoids

Room temperature and low temperature Mössbauer and optical absorption spectroscopic data on six natural chloritoids characterized by means of electron microprobe and X-ray powder diffraction techniques are presented. Two narrow quadrupole doublets with widths of 0.25–0.29 mm/s assigned to Fe²⁺ in a relatively large octahedral site and Fe³⁺ in a smaller octahedral site, are observed in the Mössbauer spectra. Polarized optical absorption spectra reveal three main absorption bands. A broad absorption band at 16,300 cm^?1, which is strongly polarized in E‖X and E‖Y and shows a linear increase in integral absorption with increasing [Fe²⁺] [Fe³⁺] concentration product, is assigned to a Fe²⁺+Fe³⁺→Fe³⁺+Fe²⁺ charge transfer transition. This band displays also a temperature dependence different from that of single ion d?d transitions. Two absorption bands at 10,900 cm^?1 and 8,000 cm^?1 are, on the basis of compositional dependence and energy, assigned to Fe²⁺ in the large M(1B) octahedra of the brucite-type layer in chloritoid. Combined spectroscopic evidence and structural and chemical considerations support a distribution scheme for ferrous and ferric iron which orders the Fe²⁺ ions in the M(1B) octahedra and the Fe³⁺ ions in the small M(1A) octahedral sites. Both types of octahedra are found in the brucite type layer of chloritoid.     

The Uppsala seismograph array station

Summary The Seismological Institute at Uppsala, Sweden, has operated a triangular array station for one year, August 1969 to August 1970. The triangle is almost equilateral with around 100 km side, with one corner at Uppsala and the other two at Hedemora and Kungsör. Short-period vertical-component seismographs of type Grenet-Coulomb are used. The signals are transmitted over commercial telephone lines to the central recording unit at Uppsala. This paper describes all technical details of the system, with particular emphasis on the signal transmission. Experiences from the operation are given. In spite of only three points in the array, it serves its purposes very well, primarily because of its location on very homogeneous ground, the Baltic shield. Moreover, the installation and operation of such an array is generally possible within the limited budgets of a university Institute.     

Average crustal structure of Sweden

Summary Records obtained at the permanent stations of the Swedish seismograph network from explosions carried out in Scandinavian waters in June 1969 are evaluated. The study includes determination of velocities for all crustal phases observed, furthermore of layer thicknesses, Poisson ratios and amplitude ratios. The purpose of the study is partly to provide a first approximation to the crustal structure in Sweden, partly to provide regional data for location of earthquakes and explosions in the area in the future. Average velocities (km/sec) are forPn 7.88±0.05,Pg1 6.25±0.08,Pg2 5.70,Sn 4.58±0.04,S ^* 3.70±0.04,Sg1 (Lg1) 3.58±0.03,Sg2 (Sg) 3.40±0.03,Rg 3.02±0.07. The average thickness is 12 km for the granitic layer, and 23 km for the basaltic layer, thus making the average crustal thickness equal to 35 km. Relative amplitudes plotted versus distance complete the dynamical side of the study and they are useful for identification of waves. A regional travel-time table is presented for the distance range 0°–10° with entries for each 0.1° and including all crustal phases read.     

Variation in si4+-content of phengites through a three stage deformation sequence

Three important phases of deformation (D₁-D₃) affect the Precambrian metamorphic rocks of the Strathgordon region, S.W. Tasmania. Textural analysis has related phengite development to the deformation events in quartz + phengite phyllites. Phengite chemistry suggests a prograde metamorphic history at about 4 kb from 400°C at D₁ to 450°C at D₂. The significant feature of this work is that a sharp break in conditions, shown by a marked change in the composition of the phengites, occurs from D₂ to D₃, the latter taking place at about 250°C and at a pressure <4 kb. A pronounced hiatus in the deformation history is indicated for the D₂/D₃ interval. During D₃ water was introduced.     

The caustic and other properties of SKP

The caustic of SKP is found at an epicentral distance Δ_C = 129.5° for surface foci and at Δ_C = 128.9° for foci at 400 km depth, by means of amplitude-distance graphs based upon short-period time-domain measurements. These results are essentially confirmed by long-period time-domain measurements of SKP as well as by frequency-domain studies, even though the spectra are less accurate for such determinations. The average period of SKP is $\text{T}\text{= 1.45 ± 0.45}\text{sec}$ from short-period records, significantly different from the corresponding PKP-period of 1.00 ± 0.31 sec. Likewise, the long-period averages of SKP = 10.8 ± 4.5 sec and of PKP = 7.7 ± 3.0 sec are significantly different from each other. A travel-time table of SKP1 is deduced, covering the epicentral distance range of 130–143° and the focal depth range of 100–700 km. All results are based on measurements on seismograms of the Swedish network of stations, deriving almost exclusively from earthquakes in the southwest Pacific area.     

Power spectra and geographical distribution of short-period microseisms in Sweden

Summary Microseisms recorded by short-period vertical-component seismographs in a network of permanent and temporary stations in Sweden are investigated by means of their power spectra. The geographical distribution of the microseisms is explained in terms of models involving line sources. A good fit to the observations is obtained by locating the line sources along the surrounding oceanic coasts. The Norwegian west coast is of dominant importance for medium- and long-period microseisms, whereas for the short-period ones also coasts of smaller sea basins, as the Baltic Sea and the Skagerrak, are of significance. As a consequence, it is found that short-period microseisms are largest at stations on or near oceanic coasts, and that the smallest microseisms occur at inland stations.     

An earthquake with exceptionally strong higher-mode surface waves

Summary An earthquake in the Northern Sinkiang Province, China, on November 13th, 1965, produced exceptionally strong higher-mode surface waves recorded at the Swedish seismograph stations, especially by the Galitzin seismographs at Kiruna. Group-velocity dispersion curves are deduced for the second Rayleigh and the second and third Love wave modes. The energy content of the second Rayleigh and Love modes is computed, and it is found that the former amounts to about 70 times as much as in average. Various reasons for this exceptional behaviour are discussed, such as depth extent of focus, focal mechanism and properties of propagation path.     

Review of Ray Theory Applications in Modelling and Imaging of Seismic Data

Throughout the last twenty years, 3D seismic ray modelling has developed from a research tool to a more operational tool that has gained growing interest in the petroleum industry. Various areas of application have been established and new ones are under development. Many of these applications require a modelling system with flexible, robust and efficient modelling algorithms in the core. The present paper reviews the basic elements of such a system, based on the open model concept and the wavefront construction technique. In the latter, ervený's dynamic ray tracing is an intrinsic part. The modelling system can be used for generating ray attributes and synthetic seismograms for realistic 3D surveys with tens of thousands of shots and receivers. Moreover, some other types of application areas are illustrated: Production of Green's functions for prestack depth migration and hybrid modelling (combined ray and finite-difference modelling), attribute mapping and illumination analysis, both for survey planning and interpretation. Finally, the concepts of isochron rays and velocity rays related to seismic isochrons have been introduced recently, with very interesting future applications.