Timing and development of sedimentation of the Cleaverville Formation and a post‐accretion pull‐apart system in the Cleaverville area,coastal Pilbara Terrane,Pilbara, Western Australia

In the Cleaverville area of Western Australia, the Regal, Dixon Island, and Cleaverville Formations preserve a Mesoarchean lower‐greenschist‐facies volcano‐sedimentary succession in the coastal Pilbara Terrane. These formations are distributed in a rhomboidal‐shaped area and are unconformably overlain by two narrowly distributed shallow‐marine sedimentary sequences: the Sixty‐Six Hill and Forty‐Four Hill Members of the Lizard Hills Formation. The former member is preserved within the core of the Cleaverville Syncline and the latter formed along the northeast‐trending Eighty‐Seven Fault. Based on the metamorphic grade and structures, two deformation events are recognized: D₁ resulted in folding caused by a collisional event, and D₂ resulted in regional sinistral strike‐slip deformation. A previous study reported that the Cleaverville Formation was deposited at 3020 Ma, after the Prinsep Orogeny (3070–3050 Ma). Our SHRIMP U–Pb zircon ages show that: (i) graded volcaniclastic–felsic tuff within the black shale sequence below the banded iron formation in the Cleaverville Formation yields an age of (3 114 ±14) Ma; (ii) the youngest zircons in sandstones of the Sixty‐Six Hill Member, which unconformably overlies pillow basalt of the Regal Formation, yield ages of 3090–3060 Ma; and (iii) zircons in sandstones of the Forty‐Four Hill Member show two age peaks at 3270 Ma and 3020 Ma. In this way, the Cleaverville Formation was deposited at 3114–3060 Ma and was deformed at 3070–3050 Ma (D₁). Depositional age of the Cleaverville Formation is at least 40–90 Myr older than that proposed in previous studies and pre‐dates the Prinsep Orogeny (3070–3050 Ma). After 3020 Ma, D₂ resulted in the formation of a regional strike‐slip pull‐apart basin in the Cleaverville area. The lower‐greenschist‐facies volcano‐sedimentary rocks are distributed only within this basin structure. This strike‐slip deformation was synchronous with crustal‐scale sinistral shear deformation (3000–2930 Ma) in the Pilbara region.     

Plant root and rhizome strength: Are there differences between and within species and rivers?

The strength and architecture of roots and other below-ground organs of riparian and aquatic plants affect plant resistance to uprooting and contribute to reinforcing river bank, bar and bed materials. Therefore, root properties are an important element in models for estimating river bank stability and such models may focus on the role of plants by using root strength–diameter relationships for the particular plant species that are present. Here we explore the degree to which there appear to be significant differences in strength–diameter relationships between and within species-specific data sets obtained for two riparian tree/shrub (Populus nigra, Salix alba) and two emergent aquatic macrophyte (Sparganium erectum, Phalaris arundinacea) species in different European river environments. While the analysed data sets were not specifically collected to answer these research questions, the results are sufficiently compelling to make the case for the collection of a more comprehensive data set and its rigorous analysis. This would allow recommendations to be made on the degree to which (i) species-specific or more general relationships between root/rhizome strength and diameter are appropriate, (ii) such relationships are applicable within and between rivers in different geographical regions and subject to different local environmental conditions, and (iii) further (minimalist) field observations are needed to calibrate such relationships for investigations of new locales or species. © 2018 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.     

青藏高原岩石圈三维电性结构

本文报道通过综合大地电磁调查数据研究青藏高原岩石圈三维电阻率模型的初步成果.大地电磁法调查区域已经覆盖了高原大部分面积,为全区三维电阻率成像研究打下了可靠的基础.对多个测区大地电磁数据进行精细的同化处理和反演成像,取得了青藏高原可靠的岩石圈三维电阻率结构图像.成像的区域为28°N—35°N,80°E—104°E.三维反演计算时采用的网格尺寸为20km×20km,垂直方向不等间距剖分为26层.结果表明,青藏高原现今岩石圈电阻率扰动主要反映印度克拉通对亚欧大陆板块俯冲引起的热流体运动和大陆碰撞和拆离产生的构造.在岩石圈地幔,察隅地块、喜马拉雅地块和拉萨地块东部联成统一的高电阻率地块,它们反映了向北东俯冲的印度克拉通.雅鲁藏布江、班公—怒江和金沙江缝合带都有明显的低电阻率异常,表明岩石圈深处有热流体活动.雅鲁藏布江、班公—怒江和金沙江缝合带都有明显的低电阻率异常,也表明它们的岩石圈还有流体活动.青藏高原东部的低阻区沿100°E向地幔下方扩大,反映了金沙江断裂带有切穿岩石圈的趋势.地幔电阻率平面扰动的模式显示,青藏高原东西部的地体碰撞拼合形式和方向是不同的.在青藏高原西部,羌塘、拉萨和喜马拉雅等地体从北到南碰撞拼合.在青藏高原东部,羌塘—拉萨、察隅、印支、雅安和扬子等地体多方向拆离拼合,在地壳造成不正交的拆离带和压扭构造系.从高阻-低阻区的分布看,东部的地体拼合有地幔的根源,今后还会进一步发展.察隅地块岩石圈对青藏高原东部的楔入,使其北部和东部地块的岩石圈发生拆离撕裂,也造成热流体上涌的低电阻率异常.     

Hydrocarbon source rock potential in the southwestern Gulf of Suez graben: Insights from organic geochemistry and palynofacies studies on well samples from the Ras El Bahar Oilfield

Palynological and biomarker characteristics of organic facies recovered from Cretaceous–Miocene well samples in the Ras El Bahar Oilfield, southwest Gulf of Suez, and their correlation with lithologies, environments of deposition and thermal maturity have provided a sound basis for determining their source potential for hydrocarbons. In addition to palynofacies analysis, TOC/Rock-Eval pyrolysis, kerogen concentrates, bitumen extraction, carbon isotopes and saturated and aromatic biomarkers enable qualitative and quantitative assessments of sedimentary organic matter to be made. The results obtained from Rock-Eval pyrolysis and molecular biomarker data indicate that most of the samples come from horizons that have fair to good hydrocarbon generation potential in the study area. The Upper Cretaceous–Paleocene-Lower Eocene samples contain mostly Type-II to Type-III organic matter with the capability of generating oil and gas. The sediments concerned accumulated in dysoxic–anoxic marine environments. By contrast, the Miocene rocks yielded mainly Type-III and Type-II/III organic matter with mainly gas-generating potential. These rocks reflect deposition in a marine environment into which there was significant terrigenous input. Three palynofacies types have been recognized. The first (A) consists of Type-III gas-prone kerogen and is typical of the Early–Middle Miocene Belayim, Kareem and upper Rudeis formations. The second (B) has mixed oil and gas features and characterizes the remainder of the Rudeis Formation. The third association (C) is dominated by amorphous organic matter, classified as borderline Type-II oil-prone kerogen, and is typical of the Matulla (Turonian–Santonian) and Wata (Turonian) formations. Rock-Eval T_max, PI, hopane and sterane biomarkers consistently indicate an immature to early mature stage of thermal maturity for the whole of the studied succession.     

Using input–output methods to assess the effects of fishing and aquaculture on a regional economy: The case of Galicia,Spain

This paper uses an input–output model to quantify the socioeconomic impact of fishing and aquaculture on Galicia, one of Spain's most important maritime regions. Results indicate that the carryover effects of these production activities are important for Galicia's economy because they contribute not only to job creation but also to possibilities for obtaining income in other economic sectors. These sectors’ combined production in 2013 was almost a million euros, and that production was estimated to account for nearly 2% of the regional economy's value added and for more than 17,000 full-time jobs. Together these contributions amounted to some €1.7 billion in production and €975 million in value added to other Galician economic activities. At the same time, fishing and aquaculture were responsible for creating the equivalent of more than 14,000 full-time jobs in other economic activities.     

King Canute muses in the South Seas: Why aren’t Pacific Islands transitioning to low carbon sea transport futures?

Transition to low carbon sea transport is a logical response to the extreme dependency of the Pacific Islands region on imported fossil fuel, its significant vulnerability to the effects of climate change and the critical shipping needs of Pacific Island countries (PICs). Building on previous work in low carbon sea transport in the Pacific, this paper further considers the barriers to achieving such transition by assessing, through a ‘post-Paris Agreement’ lens, the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) submitted by PICs and contrasting these to the near total lack of investment and planning for low carbon transition in the transport sector with the parallel occurrence in the electricity sector where ~USD 2 billion of donor investment is deployed or queued despite electricity using only ~20% of fossil fuel across the region. Consistent with recent international studies, inadequate and inappropriate financing and policy have been identified as dominant transition barriers for low carbon sea transport development in PICs. This paper further examines the regional level barriers to policy development, and finds them inhibited by the silo nature of the major regional actors. The implications that the Paris Agreement has for climate financing to support the essential research and capacity development needed to underpin a successful low carbon sea transport transition strategy at any useful scale and speed are also considered in this paper.     

Calculation and analysis of negative skin of monopile applied for offshore wind turbine

Monopiles are considered to be as a kind of viable foundation types for offshore wind turbines. The effect of negative skin friction on pile foundation is always an important problem. There are very important theoretical and practical significance to study the distribution law of negative skin friction and the calculation method. Based on the special stratum, the stress and strain of the monopile and soil are simplified, and the improved Kezdi’s double-broken-line model is adopted. The analytical solution of negative skin friction of monopile is deduced according to the degree of skin friction. An engineering case was analyzed by the method, and the calculated results agree well with the measured data. The calculation method proposed can accurately describe the range of the monopile skin frictional distribution and the position of the neutral point, and it is simple and convenient to calculate, that is also a feasible method for calculating the negative skin friction of monopile of offshore wind turbines in practical engineering.     

Microbial activity promotes the enrichment of cobalt over nickel on hydrogenetic ferromanganese crusts

The different mineral phases of the ferromanganese (Fe–Mn) crusts stem from the interaction of biotic and abiotic components. It is therefore vital to study the activity of these components to decipher their contribution to the enrichment/depletion of metals in the crust. Thus, the present study examined sorption and release of Co and Ni by Fe-Mn crusts with associated microbial communities in the presence and absence of the metabolic poison sodium azide (15?mM). The study was conducted in the presence (G⁺) and absence (G^?) of added glucose (0.1%) at temperatures of 4?±?1°C and 28?±?2°C. Results showed that the microbial community had maximal sorption of Co of 66.12?µg?g^?1 at 4?±?1°C in the absence of added glucose and 479.75?µg?g^?1 at 28?±?2°C in the presence of added glucose. Maximum sorption of Ni in the absence of added glucose was 1.89?µg?g^?1 at 4?±?1°C and release of Ni was 51.28?µg?g^?1 in the presence of added glucose. Under abiotic conditions with 15?mM sodium azide as a metabolic inhibitor, significant amounts of Co and Ni were released in the G⁺ medium. Total cell counts on the Fe-Mn crust in the presence of added glucose increased by an order of magnitude from 10⁶ to 10⁷ cells g^?1 and in the absence of added glucose remained within the order of 10⁶ cells?g^?1 irrespective of temperature of incubation. Microscopic observation of the samples from biotic incubations showed numerous bacterial cells, exopolysaccharides, and structures resembling secondary minerals formed by bacteria. The results indicate that bacteria promote the enrichment of Co and Ni on the hydrogenetic Fe-Mn crusts by sorption processes and release of Ni by reductive dissolution of the oxides. The higher enrichment of Co than Ni is attributed to the way in which microbes interact with the metals.     

Numerical investigation of the uplift performance of prestressed fiber-reinforced polymer floating piles

Finite element analyses of prestressed fiber-reinforced polymer floating piles subjected to uplift force have been conducted in this paper. First, parameters of the modified BPE model (bond–slip model at the fiber-reinforced polymer–concrete interface) were calibrated using existing pullout testing data on fiber-reinforced polymer rebars embedded in concrete. Nonlinear spring elements were used in numerical modeling to characterize the bond–slip behavior at the fiber-reinforced polymer–concrete interface. A parametric study was performed to assess the influence of rebar diameter, fiber-reinforced polymer material, embedment length, and concrete strength on the mobilized bond stress. Upon the successful modeling of the pullout performance of fiber-reinforced polymer rebars in concrete, numerical models were developed to investigate the dependence of the uplift performance of floating piles on the prestress level, uplift force, fiber-reinforced polymer type, and compressive strength of concrete.     

Predatory pelagic fishes of the Bijagós Archipelago (Guinea-Bissau) show high overlap in diets dominated by sardinella

Knowledge of trophic interactions between the key components of marine communities is required to understand food-web dynamics and develop ecosystem-based management approaches. In West Africa, where fisheries sustain the livelihoods of a significant part of the human population, this understanding is even more urgent, especially in the face of rapidly expanding fisheries and some stock collapses in the region. We studied the feeding ecology of the Crevalle jack Caranx hippos, West African Spanish mackerel Scomberomorus tritor and Guinean barracuda Sphyraena afra in the Bijagós Archipelago, Guinea-Bissau. These are the most abundant pelagic predatory teleost fishes in the area, but little is known about their ecology despite being species with commercial and recreational value, and they likely also play an important role in various African coastal ecosystems. Our findings show a high degree of dietary overlap among these three predator species, despite some degree of segregation by prey size and type. All three predators depend on Sardinella maderensis as the most important prey, which together with other members of the Clupeidae represented 47–96% of the ingested prey items. There was little difference in the diets of the predators between the dry and rainy seasons. These novel findings suggest a ‘wasp-waist’-structured ecosystem in the Bijagós Archipelago in which S. maderensis is the central small-sized pelagic fish species, and stress the need for an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management in the region, with precautionary measures taken to avoid the overexploitation of clupeids.