Geochemical stream sediment survey in Winder Valley, Balochistan, Pakistan

A pilot scale geochemical survey of sediments from the Winder Stream (SW Pakistan) and its tributaries was carried out. The Winder Stream mainly receives sediment from the southern extensions of the Mor and Pab Ranges in the District of Lasbela (Balochistan). In these two mountain ranges, rocks from Jurassic to Cretaceous age are exposed. Rocks of the Ferozabad Group comprise of carbonates and siliciclastics of Lower–Middle Jurassic age and occupy the dominant part of the Mor Range. These strata host syngenetic and epigenetic Zn–Pb–Ba mineralizations of Stratiform Sediment-Hosted (SSH) and Mississippi Valley Type (MVT) deposits.Quantitative estimates of mobile and immobile elements were made from active stream sediments of the Winder stream and its tributaries. The samples were analyzed for Ag, Zn, Pb, Cu, Ni, Co, V, Mn, Fe and Ba using atomic absorption spectroscopy. The abundance of these elements is discussed in relation to local geological conditions such as bedrock, climate, weathering, mobility and pH of the dispersing waters. A number of Zn anomalies have been distinguished in the study area. Kharrari (Zn, 360 ppm), Sand (Zn, 340 ppm) and Draber (Zn, 210 ppm) are demarcated as new areas for Zn mineralization. The present study also indicates prospects of Ag, Cu and V in the rocks of the Mor Range.Relationships between various elements have been identified from scattergrams and reflect genetic associations. Whereby the positive correlation between Cu–Zn (0.55, n=18) and Cu–Pb (0.63) is related to possible sulphide mineralization.     

Cenozoic tectonic events at the border of the Paraná Basin, São Paulo, Brazil

In the last decade, even in areas that had been considered tectonically stable, a great amount of Cenozoic, including the Quaternary period, structural data have been collected throughout Brazil. The main goal of this study is to describe the Cenozoic structures and tectonic evolution of an area that is located at the border of the Paraná Basin in the state of São Paulo.The research methods consisted of the analysis of: (1) brittle structure data, mainly conjugate fractures and fault slip data; (2) lineaments traced on air photos and TM Landsat and radar images; and (3) a second-order base surface map.The study area, during the Cenozoic, has been affected by five strike–slip tectonic events, which generated mainly strike–slip faults, and secondarily normal and reverse ones. The events were named, from the oldest to the youngest, E1-NE, E2-EW, E3-NW, E4-NS, and E5-NNE; and the maximum principal stresses σ1 strike approximately NE–SW, E–W, NW–SE, N–S, and NNE–SSW, respectively. Event E2-EW seems to have been contemporaneous with the deposition of the Rio Claro Formation, the most important Cenozoic deposit of probable Neogenic age, and also to have controlled the distribution of its deposits. Event E3-NW was the strongest one in the area, as is pointed out by structural data, and the maximum principal stress σ1 of event E5-NNE is partially concordant with the orientation of σH-max of well break-out data in the Paraná Basin, suggesting a Neotectonic activity for this event. Finally, discontinuities parallel and correlated to the directions of strike–slip faults of the Cenozoic events seem to have actively controlled the sculpturing of the relief in the study area.     

Mineralogy and chemistry of bentonite (?) deposits at Minjingu, Lake Manyara, North Tanzania

Olive green clays likely to be bentonitic in composition have been mineralogically and chemically studied. They occur in association with other lacustrine sediments at Lake Manyara. Radiocarbon dates from four diatom horizons indicate ages ranging from 12 Ka to 135 Ka suggesting a Mid-Holocene age. Middle Pleistocene age have been assigned to the ridged oncolites of Lake Manyara. The olive green coloured clays in the Manyara basin are known to occur in association with other lake beds including phosphorite deposits, stromatolites, bioturbated silty clays, partly silicified marls, conglomerates and olive green coloured opal beds. The results presented herein are from the olive green coloured clays. The olive green clays (bentonite?) are a result of devitrification or alteration of volcanic ashes and/or pyroclasts. The green clays occur in different forms as they are separated from each other by other lacustrine sediments. The alteration might have taken place in slightly different environments in terms of salinity and alkalinity. One of the top layer is friable and shows conchoidal fractures when dry. The other beds below in the lacustrine sequence are cemented with calcite and some dolomite as well as zeolites. The lowermost layer in the sequence is friable and shows cracks filled with coarse crystalline calcite. Mineralogically the bentonite is composed of the clay minerals illite, illite-smectite mixed layer clays, and chlorite. Other authigenic minerals include various zeolites (analcime, clinoptilolite, erionite and some traces of mordenite), opal, and fluorapatite. The clays have magnesium contents varying from 3.01% to 7.43%. The calcium contents vary widely due to presence or absence of one of the two minerals calcite or apatite. Trace elements like Ba, Ce, Sr, Zr are equally attributed to the presence of calcite and apatite. The formation of the illite-smectite mixed layer clays in an alternating manner with other lake sediments depicts different episodes of volcanic eruptions in the area. The mineralogical composition of smectites, zeolites, and opal in the green clays suggests a deposition of pyroclasts and volcanic ashes in a closed lake system with fluctuating levels. Due to evaporation alkalinity and salinity levels were fluctuating. The clays might have been bentonite which have undergone illitisation, a phenomena noted in other neighbouring rift basins.     

Late-Glacial and Early Holocene Environmental and Climatic Change at Lake Tambichozero, Southeastern Russian Karelia

High-resolution lithostratigraphy, mineral magnetic, carbon, pollen, and macrofossil analyses, and accelerator mass spectrometry ¹⁴C measurements were performed in the study of a sediment sequence from Lake Tambichozero, southeastern Russian Karelia, to reconstruct late-glacial and early Holocene aquatic and terrestrial environmental changes. The lake formed ca. 14,000 cal yr B.P. and the area around the lake was subsequently colonized by arctic plants, forming patches of pioneer communities surrounded by areas of exposed soil. A minor rise in lake productivity and the immigration of Betula pubescens occurred ca. 11,500 cal yr B.P. The rise in summer temperatures probably led to increased melting of remnant ice and enhanced erosion. The distinct increase in lake productivity and the development of open Betula-Populus forests, which are reconstructed based on plant macrofossil remains, indicate stable soils from 10,600 cal yr B.P. onward. Pinus and Picea probably became established ca. 9900 cal yr B.P.     

Late Quaternary Spring-Fed Deposits of the Grand Canyon and Their Implication for Deep Lava-Dammed Lakes

One of the most intriguing episodes in the Quaternary evolution of the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River, Arizona, was the development of vast lakes that are thought to have backed up behind lava erupted into the gorge. Stratigraphic evidence for these deep lava-dammed lakes is expectedly sparse. Possible lacustrine deposits at six areas in the eastern canyon yielded no compelling evidence for sediment deposited in a deep lake. At two of the sites the sediment was associated with late Quaternary spring-fed pools and marshes. Water-lain silt and sand at lower Havasu Creek was deposited 3000 cal yr ago. The deposit contains an ostracode assemblage similar to that living in the modern travertine-dammed pools adjacent to the outcrop. The second deposit, at Lees Ferry, formed in a spring-fed marsh 43,000 cal yr ago, as determined by ¹⁴C and amino acid geochronology. It contains abundant ostracode and mollusk fossils, the richest assemblages reported from the Grand Canyon to date. Our interpretation of these sediments as spring-fed deposits, and their relative youth, provides an alternative to the conventional view that deposits like these were formed in deep lava-dammed lakes that filled the Grand Canyon.     

Historic Dead Sea Level Fluctuations Calibrated with Geological and Archaeological Evidence

The Dead Sea, the Holocene terminal lake of the Jordan River catchment, has fluctuated during its history in response to climatic change. Biblical records, calibrated by radiocarbon-dated geological and archaeological evidence, reinforce and add detail to the chronology of the lake-level fluctuations. There are three historically documented phases of the Dead Sea in the Biblical record: low lake levels ca. 2000–1500 B.C.E. (before common era); high lake levels ca. 1500–1200 B.C.E.; and low lake levels between ca. 1000 and 700 B.C.E. The Biblical evidence indicates that during the dry periods the southern basin of the Dead Sea was completely dry, a fact that was not clear from the geological and archaeological data alone.     

The nature of calcareous deposits along pan margins in eastern central Namibia

In a region along the western margin of the Kalahari in eastern Namibia and western Botswana, many pan basins have mainly calcareous deposits along part of their margins. These are typically lined by low vertical scarps. In Namibia, these pans are mainly located in dry river beds. The petrographical study of these deposits demonstrates that they consist of lacustrine sediments that have to a varying extent been affected by early‐diagenetic processes and by the formation of late‐diagenetic features. The original composition of the deposits ranges from highly calcareous sediments, typically with ostracod, diatom and charophyte remains, to entirely non‐calcareous diatomites. The deposits generally show an upward increase in total carbonate content, which is mainly a synsedimentary feature. The early‐diagenetic processes that affected the deposits include the formation of orthic siliceous nodules. At a later stage, secondary calcite enrichment occurred, leaving only the silica‐impregnated sections unaffected. This enrichment partly accounts for the upward increase in total carbonate content in some profiles and often resulted in the development of a highly calcareous surface horizon. Sepiolite and amorphous silica that are part of the groundmass of the deposits may also partly have formed at this stage. Late‐diagenetic features include various forms of secondary calcite and silica. This study of pan basins in eastern central Namibia indicates that a lacustrine rather than purely pedogenic origin should also be considered for calcareous deposits that commonly occur along pan margins in other parts of southern Africa. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

坝上高原安固里淖粒度年纹层与环境变化

在安固里淖湖心区获取一未扰动沉积物样柱，分析发现了由冬季风搬运物与湖心沉积共同形成的粒度年纹层，建立了纹层年表，恢复了安固里淖湖区8507aB.P，以来的环境变化过程。8507-5429aB.P。冬季风活动较弱，后期的所波动；5429-3244aB.P.冬季风活动较强，3244-2494aB.P。冬季风活动减弱；2494-1165aB.P。冬季风活动略有增强；1165aB.P以来，冬季风活动减弱。安固里小淖粒度年纹层反映的冬季风变化情况与我国北方地区同期的环境变化和海平面变化有很好的对应关系。     

两个相连湖泊的微生态系统——云南高原湖泊中浅水的星云湖和深水的抚仙湖研究

抚仙湖是中国云南省的一个深水湖，连接着富营养化的浅水湖－－星云湖，星云湖排放含绿藻的水进入抚仙湖。两湖位于省会昆明附近，由于地方文化、集约化农业、以及旅游业的发展，两湖已经富营养化。因为湖泊体积容量的级别差异，深水湖的富营养化几乎没被注意，抚仙湖秋季下层滞水带缺氧已经关注了20年，似乎下层滞水带是深水湖富营养化的指标或趋势。抚仙湖看起来目前情况尚好，可以说寡营养，然而，外界负荷是潜在的，且是以稳定的加速度进行的。在此对浅水湖富营养化的原因进行了讨论，包括在其它云南湖泊观察到富营养化的过程，再者，对两个连相湖的藻和蓝藻碎片的大小构成进行比照。为了与深水的抚仙湖状况进行比较，简略介绍了一个日本的深湖及其径流系统。其中，涡流和它的微生态系统，在两者中相关性很好。对于以涡流生态系统的见解判断微生态系统的深水湖富营养化问题将给予概括。     

南极菲尔德斯半岛古海蚀龛沉积的古环境记录

在西南极菲尔德斯半岛长城站地区发现有大量古海蚀龛 ,龛内保存有完整沉积剖面 ,通过对其中一个沉积剖面的粒度特征及元素组成的分析 ,确认该剖面是后期的湖相沉积 ,并据此恢复了距今 460 0年以来该地区古环境演化历史。结果表明 ,距今 40 0 0— 30 0 0年长城站区地表岩石化学风化作用较强烈 ,处于一个相对温暖的时期 ,这与湖泊沉积物、海洋沉积物等古环境记录载体的研究结果是一致的 ,证明古海蚀龛沉积可以作为研究南极无冰区和冰缘地区古环境演化历史的一种新的地质载体。