Lithospheric transition from the Variscan Iberian Massif to the Jurassic oceanic crust of the Central Atlantic

A 1000-km-long lithospheric transect running from the Variscan Iberian Massif (VIM) to the oceanic domain of the Northwest African margin is investigated. The main goal of the study is to image the lateral changes in crustal and lithospheric structure from a complete section of an old and stable orogenic belt—the Variscan Iberian Massif—to the adjacent Jurassic passive margin of SW Iberia, and across the transpressive and seismically active Africa–Eurasia plate boundary. The modelling approach incorporates available seismic data and integrates elevation, gravity, geoid and heat flow data under the assumptions of thermal steady state and local isostasy. The results show that the Variscan Iberian crust has a roughly constant thickness of 30 km, in opposition to previous works that propose a prominent thickening beneath the South Portuguese Zone (SPZ). The three layers forming the Variscan crust show noticeable thickness variations along the profile. The upper crust thins from central Iberia (about 20 km thick) to the Ossa Morena Zone (OMZ) and the NE region of the South Portuguese Zone where locally the thickness of the upper crust is <8 km. Conversely, there is a clear thickening of the middle crust (up to 17 km thick) under the Ossa Morena Zone, whereas the thickness of the lower crust remains quite constant (6 km). Under the margin, the thinning of the continental crust is quite gentle and occurs over distances of 200 km, resembling the crustal attitude observed further north along the West Iberian margins. In the oceanic domain, there is a 160-km-wide Ocean Transition Zone located between the thinned continental crust of the continental shelf and slope and the true oceanic crust of the Seine Abyssal Plain. The total lithospheric thickness varies from about 120 km at the ends of the model profile to less than 100 km below the Ossa Morena and the South Portuguese zones. An outstanding result is the mass deficit at deep lithospheric mantle levels required to fit the observed geoid, gravity and elevation over the Ossa Morena and South Portuguese zones. Such mass deficit can be interpreted either as a lithospheric thinning of 20–25 km or as an anomalous density reduction of 25 kg m⁻³ affecting the lower lithospheric levels. Whereas the first hypothesis is consistent with a possible thermal anomaly related to recent geodynamics affecting the nearby Betic–Rif arc, the second is consistent with mantle depletion related to ancient magmatic episodes that occurred during the Hercynian orogeny.     

2004年5月西南季风潮及天气影响

2004年5月13—22日广东省的连阴雨天气过程是典型的华南前汛期天气过程。它是与孟加拉湾西南季风潮发生发展相联系的。分析发现，这次孟加拉湾西南季风潮发生发展过程大致上可分为“起潮”过程、“浪花”过程和“落潮”过程三个阶段。在这次过程中，印度洋南半球越赤道气流起了激发的作用。     

塔西南坳陷侏罗系的扇三角洲沉积

塔西南坳陷侏罗系广泛发育扇三角洲沉积。在论述沉积特征的基础上,确认本区的扇三角洲是一个典型的退积型层序。该层序三层结构明显,下部为扇三角洲平原,中部为扇三角洲前缘,上部为前扇三角洲。反映了该区在早中侏罗世时处于活动盆地边缘,湖水由浅变深,沉降速率大于沉积速率的特点。通常扇三角洲的形成受湖盆边界类型和源区距湖盆距离及古气候３个主要背景条件的约束,因此,本区的扇三角洲一般发育在源区距湖盆距离短,靠近山前植被不发育的地带。塔西南坳陷侏罗系生储盖组合发育齐全,湖相暗色泥岩为主要烃源岩,扇三角洲前缘砂体是较好的储集层,上白垩统和第三系膏泥岩则起着主要的封盖作用。本区侏罗系有着良好的油气勘探前景。     

A wide-angle seismic traverse through the Variscan of southwest Ireland

A wide-angle seismic profile across the western peninsulas of SW Ireland was performed. This region corresponds to the northernmost Variscan thrust and fold deformation. The dense set of 13 shots and 109 stations along the 120  km long profile provides a detailed velocity model of the crust.
  The seismic velocity model, obtained by forward and inverse modelling, defines a five-layer crust. A sedimentary layer, 5–8  km thick, is underlain by an upper-crustal layer of variable thickness, with a base generally at a depth of 10–12  km. Two mid-crustal layers are defined, and a lower-crustal layer below 22  km. The Moho lies at a depth of 30–32  km. A low-velocity zone, which coincides with a well-defined gravity low, is observed in the central part of the region and is modelled as a Caledonian granite which intruded upper-crustal basement. The granite may have acted as a buffer to northward-directed Variscan thrusting. The Dingle–Dungarvan Line (DDL) marks a major change in sedimentary and crustal velocity and structure. It lies immediately to the north of the velocity and gravity low, and shows thickness and velocity differences in many of the underlying crustal layers and even in the Moho. This suggests a deep, pre-Variscan control of the structural development of this area. The model is compatible with thin-skinned tectonics, which terminated at the DDL and which incorporated thrusts involving the sedimentary and upper-crustal layers.     

Reconstructing the Palaeoclimate of Jæren, Southwestern Norway, for the Period 1821–1850, from Historical Documentary Records

Documentary data provide long time series and sometimes high-resolution, detailed data from historical times to the present and can give valuable information about palaeoclimate, and for the prediction of future climates. In this paper, documentary data containing qualitative information on climate, in the form of a diary written by the farmer I.G. Grude, and two newspapers, were used for the reconstruction of the palaeoclimate at Jæren, in the county of Rogaland, in southwestern Norway, during the period 1821–50. An index method to quantify the qualitative climate data was developed and used for a low-resolution reconstruction of winter, summer and annual temperatures. A high-resolution climate reconstruction of temperature and precipitation for the winter of 1837/38 is also presented, making use of a method that keeps the climate data in a qualitative form. The climate reconstructions are compared to an instrumental temperature series from Bergen, for the same period. The two data sets are in good agreement except for summer temperature (annual temperature: r = 0.75, winter temperature: r = 0.77, summer temperature: r = 0.44). Compared to average temperatures during 1961–90, the instrumental data from Bergen during the 1821–50 period show slightly different temperatures: annual average was 0.3°C lower, winter 0.4°C lower, and summer 0.1°C lower than at present, implying conditions consistent with the "Little Ice Age" climate.     

Coastal conglomerates around the Hadjer el Khamis inselbergs (western Chad,central Africa): new evidence for Lake Mega‐Chad episodes

This paper reports on a study dealing with the rhyolitic inselbergs of Hadjer el Khamis that formed palaeoislands during Lake Mega‐Chad events. Field observations have shown that: (1) conglomeratic patches of immature to mature clasts are preserved at the feet of the Hadjer el Khamis inselbergs; (2) in cross‐section, their pro?le reveals a well de?ned cliff–platform junction at a constant elevation (325 m). The monolithological clasts show all degrees of roundness, from angular cobbles to well rounded pebbles. This wide range of maturity suggests a coastal origin for these cobbles. The system was permanently fed with angular clasts, which were progressively worn by waves. Cobbles that were wave‐worked for the longest time are the best rounded. The cliff–platform junction is the result of erosion by waves, which attacked and undercut the inselberg cliffs during Lake Mega‐Chad events. Asymmetrical erosion pro?les moreover suggest a wind regime dominated by SW to NE oriented winds. These interpretations have two implications. The elevation of the cliff–platform junction is an indication of the highest water level of Lake Mega‐Chad at 320–325 m, which is in agreement with other observations elsewhere in the basin. The SW to NE oriented winds show that monsoon‐related winds were prevalent during Lake Mega‐Chad events, suggesting the Inter‐Tropical Convergence Zone was located higher in latitude than today. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Tectonic Controls on the Formation of the Liwu Cu-rich Sulfide Deposit in the Jianglang Dome, S W China

Abstract. The Liwu Cu‐rich sulfide deposit occurs within the Jianglang dome in the eastern margin of the Tibetan plateau. The dome consists of a core, a middle slab and a cover sequence. The main deposit is hosted in the core with minor ore bodies in the middle slab. The protolith of the core consists of clastic sedimentary rocks with inter‐layered volcanic rocks. All of the ore bodies are substantially controlled by an extensional detachment fault system. The ore bodies within the core are distributed along the S₂ foliation in the hinge of recumbent fold (D₂), whereas ore bodies with en echelon arrangement are controlled by the mylonitic foliation of the lower detachment fault. Ore bodies within the middle slab are oriented with their axes parallel to the mylonitic foliation. Pyrite and pyrrhotite from the ores contain Co ranging from 37 to 1985 ppm, Ni from 2.5 to 28.1 ppm, and Co/Ni ratios from 5 to 71. These sulfides have δ³⁴S values ranging from 1.5 to 7.5 % whereas quartz separates have δ¹⁸O values of 11.9 and 14.3 % and inclusion fluid in quartz has δD value of‐88.1 %. These features suggest that the deposit was of hydrothermal origin. Two ore‐forming stages are recognized in the evolution of the Jianglang dome. (1) A low‐temperature ore‐forming process, during the tectonic transport of the upper plate above the lower detachment, and the initial phase of the footwall updom‐ing at 192–177 Ma. (2) A medium‐temperature ore‐forming stage, related to the final structural development of the initial detachment at 131–81Ma. Within the core, the ore bodies of the first stage were uplifted to, or near, the brittle/ductile horizon where the ore‐forming metals were re‐concentrated and enriched. A denudation stage in which a compressional tectonic event produced eastward thrusting overprinted the previous structures, and finally denuded the deposit. The Liwu Cu‐rich sulfide deposit was formed during a regional extensional tectonic event and is defined as a tectono‐strata‐bound hydrothermal ore deposit.     

A method for assessing regional debris flow risk: an application in Zhaotong of Yunnan province (SW China)

Based on the definitions of the United Nations, the assessment of risk involves the evaluation of both hazard and vulnerability. This forms the basis of a generalized assessment model of debris flow risk. Hazard is a measure of the threatening degree of an extreme event and is expressed theoretically as a function of event magnitude and frequency of occurrence. Mathematically, it is the definite integral area under the magnitude–frequency curve. Based on the need for a model applicable in regions that lack data, a new method that incorporates theoretical concepts with empirical analysis is presented to calculate the regional hazardousness of debris flows. Debris flow hazard can be estimated from gully density, mean annual rainfall and percentage of cultivated land on steep slope. Vulnerability is defined as the potential total maximum losses due to a potential damaging phenomenon for a specified area and during a reference period. On a regional scale, it is dependent on the fixed assets, gross domestic product, land resources and population density, as well as age, education and wealth of the inhabitants. A nonlinear, power-function model to compute the vulnerability degree is presented. An application of the proposed method to Zhaotong prefecture of Yunnan province, SW China, provides high accuracy and reasonable risk estimates. The highest risk of debris flow is in Zhaotong county with a value of 0.48; the lowest risk of debris flow is in Yanjin county with a value of 0.16. The other counties have debris flow risks ranging from 0.22 to 0.46. This provides an approach for assessing the regional debris flow risk and a basis for the formulation of a regional risk management policy in Zhaotong prefecture.     

滇西南发现石英面状变形构造

采自云南省西南部澜沧江中游临景大桥以东约2km、勐戛河下游北岸的岩石样品的薄片中发现了非常清晰的石英面状变形构造(PDFs)。根据伦敦大学矿物岩石与冰物理实验室费氏台(universalstage)测量分析结果、样品所在地地层时代特征和航卫遥感图像特征的综合分析,认为该PDFs属陨击成因,其陨击事件大约发生在白垩/第三纪边界(距今65Ma),所引起的冲击变质作用已接近最高级阶段的高压二氧化硅相,样品位置接近陨击坑的中心。