Geochemistry and petrogenesis of anorogenic basic volcanic-plutonic rocks of the Kundal area,Malani Igneous Suite,western Rajasthan,India

The Kundal area of Malani Igneous Suite consists of volcano-plutonic rocks. Basalt flows and gabbro intrusives are associated with rhyolite. Both the basic rocks consist of similar mineralogy of plagioclase, clinopyroxene as essential and Fe-Ti oxides as accessories. Basalt displays sub-ophitic and glomeroporphyritic textures whereas gabbro exhibits sub-ophitic, porphyritic and intergrannular textures. They show comparable chemistry and are enriched in Fe, Ti and incompatible elements as compared to MORB/CFB. Samples are enriched in LREE and slightly depleted HREE patterns with least significant positive Eu anomalies. Petrographical study and petrogenetic modeling of [Mg]-[Fe], trace and REE suggest cogenetic origin of these basic rocks and they probably derived from Fe-enriched source with higher Fe/Mg ratio than primitive mantle source. Thus, it is concluded that the basic volcano-plutonic rocks of Kundal area are the result of a low to moderate degree (< 30%) partial melting of source similar to picrite/komatiitic composition. Within plate, anorogenic setting for the basic rocks of Kundal area is suggested, which is in conformity with the similar setting for Malani Igneous Suite.     

Particularités de la contamination crustale des phonolites : exemple du Velay oriental (Massif central)

Sr and Nd isotopic compositions of one trachyte, eight phonolites and five basalts have been measured. The isotopic characteristics of the trachyte can be explained by a combined assimilation–fractional crystallization process within an upper crustal magmatic chamber. Some phonolites display isotopic signatures identical to basalts, suggesting that they have been protected against any crustal assimilation during their formation. Some others have low Sr contents, whereas they are enriched in radiogenic Sr (0.70451<⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_i<0.71192), and display basaltic ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratios. Both observations could be explained by very strong alkali feldspar fractionation and by subsequent very low assimilation of surrounding rocks (between 0.3 and 4%) during intrusion. To cite this article: J.-M. Dautria et al., C. R. Geoscience 336 (2004).     

Sediment deposition in the flood plain of Stemple Creek Watershed, northern California

Over the past 150 years, major land use changes have occurred in the Stemple Creek Watershed in northern California that have caused erosion to move soils from the upland to the flood plain, stream channels, and the bay. The purpose of this study is to document the recent (1954 to present) sediment deposition patterns in the flood plain area adjacent to Stemple Creek using the ¹³⁷Cesium technique. Sediment deposition ranged from 0.26 to 1.84 cm year⁻¹ for the period from 1964 to 2002 with an average of 0.85±0.41 cm year⁻¹. Sediment deposition rates were higher for the 1954 to 1964 period with a range of 0.31–3.50 cm year⁻¹ and an average of 1.29±1.04 cm year⁻¹. These data indicate that sediment deposition in the flood plain has decreased since the middle 1950s, probably related to reduction in row crop agriculture and an increase in pasturelands. This study shows that the flood plains in the Stemple Creek Watershed are a significant sink for the soils being eroded from the upland area. Given the significance of the flood plain for trapping eroded materials before they reach the stream channels or the bay, efforts need to be made to manage these flood plain areas to insure that they do not change and become a source rather than a sink for eroded materials as improved management practices on the upland areas reduce sediment input to the flood plain.     

Partial melting controls on the northwest Kyushu basalts from Saga-Futagoyama

Abstract   The major element and compatible trace element compositions of the northwest Kyushu basalts (NWKBs) collected from Saga-Futagoyama were analyzed to examine the petrogenesis of these basalts. Although nepheline-normative alkaline basalts are not found in the basalts from Saga-Futagoyama, the Saga-Futagoyama basalts almost cover the major element variations of NWKBs. The basalts can be chemically divided into two groups: an Fe-poor group (IPG) and an Fe-rich group (IRG). The compositional variation of IPG basalts is essentially controlled by the partial melting of the source as suggested by the following: (i) bulk rock MgO, FeO and NiO compositions indicate that some IPG samples were equilibrated with mantle olivine; and (ii) correlations between Al₂O₃, CaO and MgO are consistent with those of experimental partial melts of peridotites. The inconsistent behaviors of the elements compatible with clinopyroxene (Cpx), such as V (Sc and Cu), preclude the significant role of the fractional crystallization of Cpx and spinel in IPG variation. IPG basalts have low Al and high Fe concentrations compared to the products of melting experiments involving peridotites and pyroxenites, suggesting that the IPG source would have a lithology and bulk rock composition different from those of typical peridotites and pyroxenites. IRG basalts have negative correlations between Fe₂O₃* and MgO, and between V and Fe₂O₃*/MgO, indicating that IRG basalts would have fractionated Cpx. However, the anomalously Fe-rich feature of IRG basalts compared with NWKBs collected from other areas suggests that the role of Cpx fractionation in NWKBs is minor. Relatively low melting temperatures would have principally caused the large chemical variation of NWKBs.     

Flood hazards in the upper and middle Odra River basin – A short review over the last century

During the 20th century many floods of different intensity and extent have occurred on the Odra River and its tributaries. On the basis of long-term water level observations five major floods, that affected the entire upper and middle Odra River basin, were chosen for further analysis: June 1902, July 1903, August 1977, August 1985 and July 1997. However, hazardous floods were not only those that covered the whole upper and middle Odra River basin, so several local floods were also studied. Detailed historical analysis was made of meteorological conditions, with special emphasis on precipitation patterns and amounts. Then, on the basis of flood peak time occurrence, the stages of flood wave formation were formulated. The natural flood wave of the Odra River is often modified by hydro-technical infrastructure, the development and improvement of which is briefly described in this paper. In conclusion, a comparison of flood wave characteristics such as rising time, falling time, duration, peak flow and volume is presented.     

Model identification for hydrological forecasting under uncertainty

Methods for the identification of models for hydrological forecasting have to consider the specific nature of these models and the uncertainties present in the modeling process. Current approaches fail to fully incorporate these two aspects. In this paper we review the nature of hydrological models and the consequences of this nature for the task of model identification. We then continue to discuss the history (“The need for more POWER‘’), the current state (“Learning from other fields”) and the future (“Towards a general framework”) of model identification. The discussion closes with a list of desirable features for an identification framework under uncertainty and open research questions in need of answers before such a framework can be implemented.     

Earthquakes and soil liquefaction in flood stories of the ancient Near East

Flood stories in the Hebrew Bible and the Koran appear to be derived from earlier flood stories like those in the Gilgamesh Epic and still earlier in the Atrahasis. All would have their source from floods of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

The Gilgamesh Epic magnifies the catastrophe by having the flood begin with winds, lightning, and a shattering of the earth, or earthquake. Elsewhere in Gilgamesh, an earthquake can be shown to have produced pits and chasms along with gushing of water. It is commonly observed that earthquake shaking causes water to gush from the ground and leaves pits and open fissures. The process is known as soil liquefaction. Earthquake is also a possible explanation for the verse “all the fountains of the great deep (were) broken up” that began the Flood in Genesis. Traditionally, the “great deep” was the ocean bottom. A more recent translation substitutes “burst” for “broken up” in describing the fountains, suggesting that they erupted at the ground surface and were caused by an earthquake with soil liquefaction. Another relation between soil liquefaction and the Flood is found in the Koran where the Flood starts when “water gushed forth from the oven”. Soil liquefaction observed erupting preferentially into houses during an earthquake provides a logical interpretation if the oven is seen as a tiny house. A case can be made that earthquakes with soil liquefaction are embedded in all of these flood stories.     

The anatomy of Continental Flood Basalt Provinces: geological constraints on the processes and products of flood volcanism

The internal architecture of the immense volumes of eruptive products in Continental Flood Basalt Provinces (CFBPs) provides vital clues, through the constraint of a chrono-stratigraphic framework, to the origins of major intraplate melting events. This work presents close examination of the internal facies architecture and structure, duration of volcanism, epeirogenetic uplift associated with CFBPs, and the potential environmental impacts of three intensely studied CFBPs (the Parana-Etendeka, Deccan Traps and North Atlantic Igneous Province). Such a combination of key volcanological, stratigraphic and chronologic observations can reveal how a CFBP is constructed spatially and temporally to provide crucial geological constraints regarding their development.

Using this approach, a typical model can be generated, on the basis of the three selected CFBPs, that describes three main phases of flood basalt volcanism. These phases are recognized in Phanerozoic CFBPs globally. At the inception of CFBP volcanism, relatively low-volume transitional-alkaline eruptions are forcibly erupted into exposed cratonic basement lithologies, sediments, and in some cases, water. Distribution of initial volcanism is strongly controlled by the arrangement of pre-existing topography, the presence of water bodies and local sedimentary systems, but is primarily controlled by existing lithospheric and crustal weaknesses and concurrent regional stress patterns. The main phase of volcanism is typically characterised by a culmination of repeated episodes of large volume tholeiitic flows that predominantly generate large tabular flows and flow fields from a number of spatially restricted eruption sites and fissures. These tabular flows build a thick lava flow stratigraphy in a relatively short period of time (c. 1–5 Ma). With the overall duration of flood volcanism lasting 5–10 Ma (the main phase accounting for less than half the overall eruptive time in each specific case). This main phase or ‘acme’ of volcanism accounts for much of the CFBP eruptive volume, indicating that eruption rates are extremely variable over the whole duration of the CFBP. During the waning phase of flood volcanism, the volume of eruptions rapidly decrease and more widely distributed localised centres of eruption begin to develop. These late-stage eruptions are commonly associated with increasing silica content and highly explosive eruptive products. Posteruptive modification is characterised by continued episodes of regional uplift, associated erosion, and often the persistence of a lower-volume mantle melting anomaly in the offshore parts of those CFBPs at volcanic rifted margins.     

Test of a distributed modelling approach to predict flood flows in the karst Suoimuoi catchment in Vietnam

The major obstacles for modelling flood processes in karst areas are a lack of understanding and model representations of the distinctive features and processes associated with runoff generation and often a paucity of field data. In this study, a distributed flood-modelling approach, WetSpa, is modified and applied to simulate the hydrological features and processes in the karst Suoimuoi catchment in northwest Vietnam. With input of topography, land use and soil types in a GIS format, the model is calibrated based on 15 months of hourly meteorological and hydrological data, and is used to simulate both fast surface and conduit flows, and groundwater discharges from karst and non-karst aquifers. Considerable variability in the simulation accuracy is found among storm events and within the catchment. The simulation results show that the model is able to represent reasonably well the stormflows generated by rainfall events in the study catchment.