Petrogenesis of mafic microgranular enclaves (MMEs) in the oligocene-miocene granitoid plutons from northwest Anatolia,Turkey

Mafic microgranular enclaves (MMEs) in host granitoids can provide important constraints on the deep magmatic processes. The Oligocene-Miocene granitoid plutons of the NW Anatolia contain abundant MMEs. This paper presents new hornblende Ar-Ar ages and whole-rock chemical and Sr-Nd isotope data of the MMEs from these granitic rocks. Petrographically, the MMEs are finer-grained than their host granites and contain the same minerals as their host rocks (amphibole + plagioclase + biotite + quartz + K-feldspar), but in different proportions. The Ar-Ar ages of the MMEs range from 27.9 ± 0.09 Ma to 19.3 ± 0.01 Ma and are within error of their respective host granitoids. The MMEs are metaluminous and calc-alkaline, similar to I-type granites. The Sr-Nd isotopes of MMEs are 0.7057 to 0.7101 for ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and 0.5123 to 0.5125 for ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd, and are similar to their respective host granitoids. These lithological, petrochemical and isotopic characteristics suggest that the MMEs in this present study represent chilled early formed cogenetic hydrous magmas produced during a period of post-collisional lithospheric extension in NW Anatolia. The parental magma for MMEs and host granitoids might be derived from partial melting of underplated mafic materials in a normally thickened lower crust in a post-collisional extensional environment beneath the NW Anatolia. Delamination or convective removal of lithospheric mantle generated asthenospheric upwelling, providing heat and magma to induce hydrous re-melting of underplated mafic materials in the lower crust.     

The oldest record of Eothinoceratidae (Ellesmerocerida,Nautiloidea): Middle Tremadocian of the Cordillera Oriental,NW Argentina

Middle Tremadocian cephalopods from the Sierra de Mojotoro, Cordillera Oriental, NW Argentina, are assigned to Saloceras cf. sericeum (Salter) based on the siphuncle morphology and general shape of the conch. Saloceras sericeum (Salter) is known from the Upper Tremadocian and Floian of England and Wales, a region that formed part of eastern Avalonia during the Early Ordovician, located at a high southern latitude to the north of the Gondwanan margin. This is the oldest record of this genus and of the family Eothinoceratidae, and extends the geographical range of Saloceras, being the first positive record of its presence in Argentina and the Central Andean Basin. These remains are amongst the oldest cephalopods described from NW Argentina. They represent the third mid Tremadocian record of nautiloids at relatively high palaeolatitudes and away from the low latitude carbonate platform palaeoenvironments where the bulk of the earliest cephalopods resided. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

川西中三叠统雷口坡组三段-四段白云岩特征与成因——来自于岩相学及地球化学的约束

白云岩化是影响储层发育是否的重要沉积-成岩过程。作者通过在对川西地区的中三叠统雷口坡组的雷三至雷四段的岩相学,碳、氧、锶、镁同位素以及元素地球化学等综合研究,划分出含膏的泥晶云岩AD0、泥晶云岩D0、泥粉晶云岩D1、粉细晶云岩D2、微生物云岩MD、含灰质藻云岩CD(交代结构)以及去云化的泥粉晶云岩(CD0CD1)等七类白云岩。白云石有序度及铁、锰含量较低。阴极发光以暗紫、暗紫红、蓝紫为主;次为玫瑰红、橙红及橙黄红色。δ~(13)CPDB=1. 95‰～2. 46‰,δ~(18)OPDB=-4. 05‰～2. 70‰;~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr=0. 70778～0. 70807,δ~(26)Mg=-1. 872‰～-2. 124‰,其中δ~(13)C_(PDB)、~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr的平均值与中三叠世全球海水相似;δ~(18)O_(PDB)为弱负漂及正偏移。从D2、D1至D0、AD0,Sr、Na和大部分微量元素含量及比值和δ~(18)O_(PDB)逐渐增加; AD0、少量D0或MD相对富含硅、铝,并与高(低镁)方解石、黏土、有机质等共生。离子组成反映出白云石的前驱物以方解石型为主,少量为文石、原白云石结构。存在广盐、稍咸和超盐度的碱性等沉积环境。白云岩形成主要受向上变浅米级旋回序列,干燥、炎热为主、偶夹潮湿古气候以及古地貌-古水文条件等因素影响。存在浅潟湖的萨勃哈(AD0或D0)、环潮缘至局限台地(D0-D1、微生物诱导MD)、潮间-潮下的微生物礁(席)构成的障壁的台缘带(MD-CD1-CD)、潮坪-开阔台地(D0-D2-CD1、MD)等环境,以萨勃哈和受蒸发泵-密度差驱动的"渗透-回流白云石化"模式为主。     

Preliminary assessment of the geothermal potential of Rosario de la Frontera area (Salta,NW Argentina): Insight from hydro-geological,hydro-geochemical and structural investigations

This work is part of a project aimed to the development and application of hydrogeological, hydrogeochemical and geological methodologies for the study of the geothermal system of Rosario de La Frontera (NW Argentina).The surface thermal manifestations of this area, whose temperatures range from 22.6 to 92.6 °C, are mainly located in the northern sector of Sierra de la Candelaria anticline. This regional structure crops out between the provinces of Salta and Tucuman (NW Argentina), at the foothills of the central Andean retro-wedge.The present investigation focuses on hydrogeological and structural data, and isotopic compositions (¹⁸O, D and ³H) of thermal springs.Preliminary results allowed to define: i) the meteoric origin of spring water and their long (more than 50 years) residence time at depth, ii) a positive water balance, ranging between 2 and 4 millions of m³/yr, and iii) a conservative geothermal reservoir volume of about 39 km³, iv) a geothermal potential with Er = 5.6*10¹⁸ J and Ef = 0.8*10¹⁸ J.     

Petrology, geochemistry and isotopic ages of eclogites from the Dulan UHPM Terrane, the North Qaidam, NW China

The Dulan eclogite–gneiss region is located in the eastern part of the North Qaidam eclogite belt, NW China. Widespread evidence demonstrates that this region is a typical ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphic terrane. Eclogites occur as lenses or layers in both granitic and pelitic gneisses. Two distinguished sub-belts can be recognized and differ in mineralogy, petrology and geochemistry. The North Dulan Belt (NDB) has tholeiitic protoliths with high TiO₂ and lower Al₂O₃ and MgO contents. REE patterns and trace element contents resemble those of N-type and E-type MORB. In contrast, eclogites in the South Dulan Belt (SDB) are of island arc protoliths with low TiO₂, high Al₂O₃ and show LREE-enriched and HFSE-depleted patterns. Sm–Nd isotope analyses give isochron ages of 458–497 Ma for eclogite-facies metamorphism for the two sub-belts. The ages are similar to those of Yuka and Altun eclogites in the western extension of the North Qaidam-Altun eclogite belt. The Dulan UHP metamorphic terrane, together with several other recently recognized eclogite-bearing terrenes within the North Qaidam-Altun HP-UHP belt, constitute the key to the understanding of the tectonic evolution of the northern Tibetan Plateau. The entire UHP belt extends for more than 1000 km from the Dulan UHP terrane in the southeast to the Altun eclogite–gneiss terrane in the west. This super-belt marks an early Paleozoic continental collision zone between the Qaidam Massif and the Qilian Massif.     

川西北早志留世陆源碎屑──碳酸盐混积缓坡

研究区位于扬子地块西北缘，由一套巨厚的页岩、泥岩层夹生物礁及透镜状和不规则层状风暴生屑灰岩、瘤状灰岩组成。根据区内特征的岩石类型及其组合、分布和相应的化石生态，作者认为本区兰多维列期至早温洛克期时为一典型的陆源碎屑－－碳酸盐混积均斜缓坡，并且从浅到深划分为滨岸、浅缓坡、深缓坡及盆地等亚环境。滨岸区位于潮间带，以潮坪碳酸盐岩为代表；浅缓坡位于浪基面至风暴浪基面之间，岩性组合为Ａ、Ｂ类风暴岩，Ａ、Ｂ类瘤状灰岩、生物礁灰岩及粘结岩；深缓坡位于风暴浪基面至最大风暴浪基面之间，岩性以Ｄ、Ｅ类风暴岩、Ｃ类瘤状灰岩及泥页岩组合为特征；盆地处于最大风暴浪基面之下，为黑色泥页岩沉积。结合早志留世时全球冰川作用，文中讨论了海平面变化的原因及对环境的影响。     

Characterisation of the Dabla Granitoids, North Khetri Copper Belt, Rajasthan, India: Evidence of Bimodal Anorogenic Felsic Magmatism

The Palaeoproterozoic Dabla granitoid pluton of the North Khetri Copper Belt is located to the east of a NNE-SSW trending lineament with numerous albite-rich intrusives, the intraplate ‘albitite line’. The Dabla pluton is essentially made up of calcic amphibole-bearing granitoids, displaying a concentric bimodal distribution of alkali-feldspar granites, comprising a microcline-albite granite and an albite-granite. The dominant rock type is pink-coloured granite, which is characterised by quartz, microcline, albite and hastingsitic hornblende, and occurs in the marginal parts of the pluton. The volumetrically subordinate albite-granite in the central part of the pluton is invariably white in colour, non-foliated and is mainly composed of quartz, albite and amphibole of actinolite to ferro-actinolite composition. The albite-granite is characterised by low K₂O (0.06-0.09%), Rb (<5 ppm) and Ba (<20 ppm), high Na₂O (7.19-7.36%) and high Na/K ratios (122.4-185.2) as compared to the granite. These rocks are not subjected to any metamorphic overprint, especially the albite-granite, which shows pristine abundances of major and trace elements. The rocks are highly evolved as reflected in their high SiO₂ (72 to 78%) contents and high DI (89.5-97) values. The Dabla granitoids are characterised by similar REE and spider patterns, displaying LREE enriched slopes, flat HREE profiles and strong negative Sr, P, Ti and Eu anomalies suggesting their comagmatic nature. Nevertheless, the granite is relatively more fractionated [(La/Yb)_N = 3.89-8.19] and show higher REE abundances (466-673 ppm) as compared to the albite-granite [(La/Yb)_N = 1.97-2.96; REE = 220-277 ppm]. Distinctive features of these rocks are their low Ca (0.21-1.53%), Mg (<0.02-0.19%), Al (11.84-12.96%) and Sr (12-46 ppm) abundances, high Zr (155-631 ppm), Y (67-156 ppm), Nb (14-91 ppm), and Ga (20-31 ppm) concentrations and high Fe*-number, high Ga/Al ratio and high agpaitic index (AI) values. These features, coupled with their ferroan, alkaline and metaluminous nature, are typical of within-plate aluminous A-type granites. The geochemical data further indicate that the Dabla magma was generated at fairly high temperature, apparently in an upper mantle region, under relatively low H₂O activities and reduced conditions and emplaced at a shallow depth in an extensional tectonic environment.     

Alpine olivine- and titanian clinohumite-bearing assemblages in the Erro-Tobbio peridotite (Voltri Massif, NW Italy)

The microstructures in the Erro-Tobbio peridotite indicate several stages of recrystallization of olivine + titanian clinohumite-bearing assemblages. The development of these assemblages is closely associated with serpentinite mylonites, in which they occur in shear bands and foliations and are inferred to have grown synkinematically, in veins, and as post-kinematic radial aggregates. In the peridotite wall-rock adjacent to these mylonites, the same assemblages have recrystallized statically at the expense of original olivine and pyroxenes, mesh-textured chrysolite and antigorite veins. In addition, the olivine-bearing assemblage occurs in widespread vein systems. The brittle deformation of the peridotite resulting in the development of these vein systems is closely related to ductile deformation of metagabbroic dykes in the peridotite. Although early metasomatism resulted in extensive rodingitization of the gabbros, some dykes show an eclogitic assemblage of Na-clinopyroxene + garnet + chloritoid + chlorite ± talc. These observations, the microstructures and the mineral chemistry all suggest that the assemblages in the ultramafic rocks and metagabbros developed during a prograde evolution towards high pressures (>13–16 kbar, 450–550° C), and during subsequent decompression. This metamorphic evolution is considered to be related to Late Cretaceous intraoceanic subduction in the Alps-Apennine system and closure of the Piedmont-Ligurian basin.     

Late Ordovician evolution of the intracratonic basins in north-west Gondwana

The Palaeozoic intracratonic basins in northwest Gondwana, i.e. the Amazonas, Parnaiba and Acera basins, probably opened during late Caradoc and Ashgill times. The fluviatile sedimentation later changed to littoral at the basinal margins. A transgression from the north-west region of Gondwana slowly overlapped the margins of the intracratonic basins. The transgression reached its maximum in the Rawtheyan (late Ashgill), as evidenced by fossiliferous shallow marine sediments in the Amazonas Basin. The Hirnantian glaciation in north Gondwana lowered the sea level, and in the Amazonas Basin a littoral sedimentation followed on shallow marine strata. From the opening of the basins onwards, a shallow sea probably existed close to the epicontinental basins in north-west Gondwana. The basins were connected via a narrow passage between the Guayana and Ivorian cratons.     

Late Holocene glacial and periglacial evolution in the upper Orco Valley, northwestern Italian Alps

The sediments present in some areas of the Orco Valley provide indications on climatic variations that occurred during the last 6000 years on the southern slopes of the Alps. In particular, distribution and ages of peat layers help define periods and extent of glacial fluctuation in the last 2200 years. Sampling of soils involved in periglacial processes provided a basis for development of a chronological framework of late Holocene environmental change. The data indicate a trend toward cooler climate in the second half of the Holocene. A strong relationship exists between phases of River Po flooding and expansion/retreat phases of the Swiss glaciers: major glacial advances were coeval with periods of intense flooding of the River Po, whereas the phases of glacial retreat coincided with periods of little flooding of the Po. Only in three cases do relationships between glacier activity and floods show weak correlations; two of the cases relate to the warmest periods in approximately the last 2200 years, while the third is the present period. Paleoclimatic evidence from the study region indicates the relatively warm Roman Period between about 2200 and 1900 cal yr BP appears to better represent modern conditions than does the Medieval Warm Period.