Multiphase structural evolution of the western margin of the Girardot subbasin, Upper Magdalena Valley, Colombia

More than 1400 km of two-dimensional seismic data were used to understand the geometries and structural evolution along the western margin of the Girardot Basin in the Upper Magdalena Valley. Horizons are calibrated against 50 wells and surface geological data (450 km of traverses). At the surface, low-angle dipping Miocene strata cover the central and eastern margins. The western margin is dominated by a series of en echelon synclines that expose Cretaceous–Oligocene strata. Most synclines are NNE–NE trending, whereas bounding thrusts are mainly NS oriented. Syncline margins are associated mostly with west-verging fold belts. These thrusts started deformation as early as the Eocene but were moderately to strongly reactivated during the Andean phase. The Girardot Basin fill records at least four stratigraphic sequences limited by unconformities. Several periods of structural deformation and uplifting and subsidence have affected the area. An early Tertiary deformation event is truncated by an Eocene unconformity along the western margin of the Girardot Basin. An Early Oligocene–Early Miocene folding and faulting event underlies the Miocene unconformity along the northern and eastern margin of the Girardot Basin. Finally, the Late Miocene–Pliocene Andean deformation folds and erodes the strata along the margins of the basin against the Central and Eastern Cordilleras.     

Thermal evolution of the orogenic lower crust during exhumation within a thickened Moldanubian root of the Variscan belt of Central Europe

At the eastern margin of the Bohemian Massif (Variscan belt of Central Europe), large bodies of felsic granulite preserve mineral assemblages and structures developed during the early stages of exhumation of the orogenic lower continental crust within the Moldanubian orogenic root. The development of an early steep fabric is associated with east–west-oriented compression and vertical extrusion of the high-grade rocks into higher crustal levels. The high-pressure mineral assemblage Grt-Ky-Kfs-Pl-Qtz-Liq corresponds to metamorphic pressures of ∼18 kbar at ∼850 °C, which are minimum estimates, whereas crystallization of biotite occurred at 13 kbar and ∼790 °C during decompression with slight cooling. The late stages of the granulite exhumation were associated with lateral spreading of associated high-grade rocks over a middle crustal unit at ∼4 kbar and ∼700 °C, as estimated from accompanying cordierite-bearing gneisses. The internal structure of a contemporaneously intruded syenite is coherent with late structures developed in felsic granulites and surrounding gneisses, and the magma only locally explored the early subvertical fabric of the felsic granulite during emplacement. Consequently, the emplacement age of the syenite provides an independent constraint on the timing of the final stages of exhumation and allows calculation of exhumation and cooling rates, which for this part of the Variscan orogenic root are 2.9–3.5 mm yr⁻¹ and 7–9.4 °C Myr⁻¹, respectively. The final part of the temperature evolution shows very rapid cooling, which is interpreted as the result of juxtaposition of hot high-grade rocks with a cold upper-crustal lid.     

Hydrology and hydrogeology of Sakaryabaşı Karstic springs, Çifteler, Turkey

The Sakarya River is one of the largest rivers in Turkey and is fed mainly from Sakaryabaşı springs. The Sakaryabaşı springs are located in the Central Anatolia and issue from confined/semi-confined karst having a thermal component and therefore, having quite different hydrogeological characteristics as compared to the Taurus Karst region, a typical example of the Mediterranean type of karst. The karstic carbonate rocks that form the groundwater reservoir are overlain by a thick semi-pervious overburden of mainly clastics of Neogene age. Tectonics is the major factor controlling the occurrence of the karst springs in the area where topography is rather flat. This study aimed at explaining the occurrence and movement of the karst groundwater within the system by use of hydrogeological, chemical, and isotopic tools. Isotopic composition of the waters revealed that all waters in the region are of meteoric origin and the thermal component is due to deep circulation. The catchment area of the hydrogeological system extends to the south and groundwater movement is towards the outlets, which are in a depression along a major fault. The movement of the groundwater, based on analysis of remotely sensed images, is controlled mainly by structural elements.     

Seismic activity associated with the subducting motion of the Philippine Sea plate beneath the Kanto district, Japan

The Pacific plate and the Philippine Sea plate overlap and subduct underneath the Kanto region, central Japan, causing complex seismic activities in the upper mantle. In this research, we used a map selection tool with a graphic display to create a data set for earthquakes caused by the subducting motion of the Philippine Sea plate that are easily determined. As a result, we determined that there are at least four earthquake groups present in the upper mantle above the Pacific plate. Major seismic activity (Group 1) has been observed throughout the Kanto region and is considered to originate in the uppermost part of mantle in the subducted Philippine Sea plate, judging from the formation of the focal region and comparison with the 3D structure of seismic velocity. The focal mechanism of these earthquakes is characterized by the down-dip compression. A second earthquake layer characterized by down-dip extension (Group 2), below the earthquakes in this group, is also noted. The focal region for those earthquakes is considered to be located at the lower part of the slab mantle, and the Pacific plate located directly below is considered to influence the activity. Earthquakes located at the shallowest part (Group 3) form a few clusters distributed directly above the Group 1 focal region. Judging from the characteristics of later phases in these earthquakes and comparing against the 3D structure of seismic velocity, the focal regions for the earthquakes are considered to be located near the upper surface of the slab. Another earthquake group (Group 4) originates further below Group 2; it is difficult to consider these earthquakes within a single slab. The seismic activities representing the upper area of the Philippine Sea plate are Group 3. This paper proposes a slab geometry model that is substantially different from conventional models by strictly differentiating the groups.     

An approximate projection of availability of the fresh groundwater resources in the South West district of NCT Delhi, India: a case study

The future availability and sustainability of fresh groundwater resources in the South West district of the national capital territory (NCT) Delhi, India, have been projected. Due to a rapid decline in groundwater level and quality, the district has been required by the Government of India to regulate development of groundwater resources. Shallow groundwater is mostly saline and water resources in the area are limited. The methodology applied here involves microzonation of the district in terms of thickness of fresh groundwater and then quantification of present and future availability of freshwater in different freshwater zones, including tentative timescales. The calculation method has been aided by data on historic trends in water level at representative groundwater monitoring stations, located either in fresh groundwater zones or near to them. It is estimated that the presently available 481 million m³ of resources will be reduced to 374 million m³ by year 2007 and to 303 million m³ by the year 2012, and by the year 2022 the district will have only 176 million m³ of available fresh groundwater resources.     

Hydrogeology of thermal waters in Viterbo area, central Italy

A conceptual hydrogeological model of the Viterbo thermal area (central Italy) has been developed. Though numerous studies have been conducted on its geological, geochemical and geothermal features, there is no generalized picture defining the origin and yield of the hydrothermal system. These latter aspects have therefore become the objectives of this research, which is based on new hydrogeological and geochemical investigations. The geological setting results in the coexistence of overlapped interacting aquifers. The shallow volcanic aquifer, characterized by fresh waters, is fed from the area around the Cimini Mountains and is limited at its base by the semiconfining marly-calcareous-arenaceous complex and low-permeability clays. To the west of Viterbo, vertical upflows of thermal waters of the sulphate-chloride-alkaline-earth type with higher gas contents, are due to the locally uplifted carbonate reservoir, the reduced thickness of the semiconfining layer and the high local geothermal gradient. The hot waters (30–60°C) are the result of deep circulation within the carbonate rocks (0.5–1.8 km) and have the same recharge area as the volcanic aquifer. The upward flow in the Viterbo thermal area is at least 0.1 m³/s. This flow feeds springs and deep wells, also recharging the volcanic aquifer from below.     

Alteration, evaluation and use of extremaduran granite residues

The necessity of eliminating debris from a granite quarry has awakened an interest in applications of by-products, called “marginal arids”, in different fields, like construction and foundations for roadways, restoration, material for the manufacture of artificial rocks, and artesian products etc. Conclusions obtained from the results of tests carried out by X-ray diffraction of granite quarry by-products in Extremadura, Spain, submitted to different treatments, are established. Test pieces from two quarries are analyzed and compared generally and specifically, for commercial use. Finally, conclusions relating to essays in test pieces and mineral dynamics of marginal arid granite are exposed.     

河南焦作云台山早前寒武纪变质基底锆石SHRIMP U-Pb年龄

应用离子探针技术,对华北太行山南缘钾长石化长英质副片麻岩和钾长石化片麻状奥长花岗岩进行了锆石年龄测定。钾长石化长英质副片麻岩的变质原岩为泥砂质碎屑沉积岩,其形成时代很可能为新太古代。碎屑锆石普遍存在强烈铅丢失,靠近上交点的5个数据点207Pb/206Pb加权平均年龄为3399Ma±8Ma,代表了物源区组成的时代。钾长石化片麻状奥长花岗岩2组锆石207Pb/206Pb加权平均年龄分别为2511Ma±13Ma(岩体形成时代)和2735Ma±16Ma(残余锆石年龄),分别代表该岩体形成时代和残余锆石年龄。新的资料支持了华北克拉通中部造山带太古宙地质体与其东部陆块存在亲缘关系的认识。     

On the relationship between kilometer-scale sheath folds, ductile thrusts and minor structures in the basal high-pressure units of the Cabo Ortegal complex (NW Spain)

Large sheath folds in the basal high-pressure nappes of the Cabo Ortegal complex are described and a kinematic interpretation provided. The principal penetrative and map structures relate to regional D2 deformation, which produced foliations (S2) bearing mineral and stretching lineations (L2) and several types of folds (a-type, sheath-like and ‘folded folds’). The latter structures are subparallel to the trend of the orogen. Their attitude suggests that the units involved shared a common tectonic evolution during progressive ductile deformation of an anisotropic medium. Reconstruction of major geological structures was accomplished through projection of map-scale features onto the ductile flow plane and the plane perpendicular to the ductile flow direction. The structures reconstructed illustrate their development in the deeper structural levels of an orogenic channel subjected to high-pressure metamorphism during the early phases of the Hercynian orogeny in NW Iberia. We argue that orogen-normal tectonic displacements (of up to a few hundreds of kilometers) represent the minor components of the transpression with possibly thousands of kilometers along-strike dextral displacement between the intervening plates (during subduction/collision).     

Tectonic setting and petrogenesis of the Çelebi granitoid, (Kırıkkale-Turkey) and comparison with world skarn granitoids

Many studies have shown systematic correlations between the composition of plutons worldwide and the metal content of associated skarns. This is the first report of similar correlations between the composition of Çelebi granitoid and skarns of the Çelebi district in Central Anatolia, Turkey. The Çelebi district is well known for its polymetallic Fe–W and Cu vein ores. These are hosted by calcic skarn zones. Both exoskarns (pyroxene–garnet) and endoskarns (epidote–pyroxene) occur in the district formed mainly along the granitoid contacts and along the fractures within the marble. Based on mineralogy, petrology and geochemistry, two different igneous rocks were recognized in the Çelebi granitoid, referred to as leucocratic (felsic) and mesocratic (intermediate) Çelebi granitoid. The leucocratic Çelebi occurs as dominant rock type, and is classified as granite. The mesocratic Çelebi is not widespread and is classified as adamellite, tonalite, quartz monzonite and quartz monzodiorite. The mesocratic Çelebi has I-type characteristics, and have subalkaline, calc-alkaline and metaluminous characteristics like most worldwide skarn granitoids.A post-collisional tectonic setting is proposed on the basis of field evidence, the relative timing of intrusions with respect to metamorphic and obducted ophiolitic rocks and trace element geochemistry. The high abundance of La and Ce and the enrichment of V in mafic components suggest that Çelebi granitoids are formed by partial melting of mantle rocks, but have been contaminated by interaction with continental crust involving possible magma mixing processes (i.e. mixing of coexisting felsic and mafic magmas). In the district, the mesocratic type and mafic microgranular enclaves (MME) mainly within leucocratic type represent a mafic underplating magma that was mixed with and/or injected into felsic magma of the leucocratic type.The present study shows that Fe mineralization is associated with mesocratic Çelebi type, whereas W mineralization is associated with leucocratic type. Mesocratic Çelebi granitoid is significantly different from the worldwide average of plutons associated with Fe skarns. In particular, MgO vs. SiO₂, FeOt+CaO+Na₂O/K₂O vs. SiO₂, Fe₂O₃/Fe₂O₃+FeO vs. SiO₂ and V vs. Ni vary from typical values (are lower than values typical for plutons associated with Fe skarns) for plutons associated with Fe skarns. Instead, it resembles the geochemical characteristics of plutons associated with worldwide Cu and possibly Au skarns. This suggests new exploration possibilities for copper and gold in the Çelebi district.