Neotectonic deformation in the transition zone between the Dead Sea Transform and the East Anatolian Fault Zone, Southern Turkey: a palaeomagnetic study of the Karasu Rift Volcanism

In southern Turkey ongoing differential impingement of Arabia into the weak Anatolian collisional collage resulting from subduction of the Neotethyan Ocean has produced one of the most complex crustal interactions along the Alpine–Himalayan Orogen. Several major transforms with disputed motions, including the northward extension of the Dead Sea Fault Zone (DSFZ), meet in this region. To evaluate neotectonic motion on the Amanos and East Hatay fault zones considered to be northward extensions of the DSFZ, the palaeomagnetism of volcanic fields in the Karasu Rift between these faults has been studied. Remanence carriers are low-Ti magnetites and all except 5 of 51 basalt lavas have normal polarity. Morphological, polarity and K–Ar evidence show that rift formation occurred largely during the Brunhes chron with volcanism concentrated at 0.66–0.35 Ma and a subsidiary episode at 0.25–0.05. Forty-four units of normal polarity yield a mean of D/I=8.8°/54.7° with inclination identical to the present-day field and declination rotated clockwise by 8.8±4.0°. Within the 15-km-wide Hassa sector of the Karasu Rift, the volcanic activity is concentrated between the Amanos and East Hatay faults, both with left lateral motions, which have rotated blocks bounded by NW–SE cross faults in a clockwise sense as the Arabian Block has moved northwestwards. An average lava age of 0.5 Ma yields a minimum cumulative slip rate on the system bounding faults of 0.46 cm/year according with the rate deduced from the Africa–Arabia Euler vector and reduced rates of slip on the southern extension of the DSFZ during Plio-Quaternary times. Estimates deduced from offsets of dated lavas flows and morphological features on the Amanos Fault Zone [Tectonophysics 344 (2002) 207] are lower (0.09–0.18 cm/year) probably because they are limited to surface fault breaks and do not embrace the seismogenic crust.Results of this study suggest that most strike slip on the DSFZ is taken up by the Amanos–East Hatay–Afrin fault array in southern Turkey. Comparable estimates of Quaternary slip rate are identified on other faults meeting at an unstable FFF junction (DSFZ, East Anatolian Fault Zone, Karatas Fault Zone). A deceleration in slip rate across the DSFZ and its northward continuation during Plio-Quaternary times correlates with reorganization of the tectonic regime during the last 1–3 Ma including tectonic escape within Anatolia, establishment of the North and East Anatolian Fault Zones bounding the Anatolian collage in mid–late Pliocene times, a contemporaneous transition from transpression to transtension and concentration of all basaltic magmatism in this region within the last 1 Ma.     

Sedimentology and palynology of the Calafate Formation (Maastrichtian), Austral Basin, Southern Patagonia, Argentina

The Calafate Formation crops out in south-western Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, and displays a stacking of asymmetrical coarsening–fining-upward cycles. These cycles are interpreted as the product of short-lived transgressive-regressive events in which the coarsening upward part represents sedimentary aggradation with a stable or decreasing sea level. Sedimentological and palynological analyses indicate nearshore marine conditions. Even though the existence of an estuary or incised valley cannot be determined, this is the most probable palaeogeographic model. Based on dinoflagellate cysts, the base of the section is considered to be not older than Maastrichtian. The presence of the oyster Ambigostrea clarae (Ihering) occurring together with the dinoflagellate cyst species Manumiella druggii (Stover) Bujak and Davies and Eisenackia circumtabulata Drugg in the middle part of the section indicates an age no older than late Maastrichtian. According to sedimentological data, deposits representing the Cretaceous–Palaeogene transition would have been eroded, which is confirmed by the presence of Grapnelispora loncochensis Papú. This megaspore is a consistent component of the Maastrichtian assemblages from Patagonia.     

A new interpretation of terraces in the Taranto Gulf: the role of extensional faulting

The Taranto Gulf of southern Italy provides an excellent case where it is possible to document the importance of normal faults in displacing terraced deposits. The study area is located at the front of the southern Apennines, that is a fold-and-thrust belt developed following the closure of the Mesozoic Tethys Ocean, and the deformation of the Adriatic passive margin during Tertiary and Quaternary times. The outer, eastern parts of the belt were structured in Quaternary, i.e. up to Middle Pleistocene times.The front of the chain is partially sealed by Pliocene–Pleistocene foredeep deposits, which represent the infill of the Bradanic Trough. The upper portion of the middle Pleistocene succession consists of marine sands and conglomerates that in the previous literature have been arranged in several orders of terraces. Analysis of aerial photographs and geomorphological mapping has shown the occurrence of prominent geomorphic lineaments, which appear to control the local drainage pattern. Some of these structures coincide with the map trace of normal faults that produce vertical offsets of the marine terrace surfaces in the order of ca. 10 m each. Many of the fault escarpments reduce their elevation and terminate laterally. In other cases fault escarpments are laterally continuous and can be traced for up to 3–4 km. Scarp height is between 2 and 10 m. Their mean trend ranges from NNE–SSW to ENE–WSW and defines an arcuate pattern that mimics the present coastline.An accurate geomorphological, sedimentological and stratigraphic analysis has been carried out in a selected area of the Bradanic Trough (Pisticci transect) to investigate in detail the relationships between normal faults and the development of the terraces. This analysis allowed us to recognise five facies associations related to the upper and lower beachface and to the neritic clays which represent the substratum of the terraces. More importantly, we observed that all the terraced deposits in the Pisticci transect could be referred to a single sedimentary body displaced by faults. The terraced deposits are related to an event of beach progradation, of Middle Pleistocene age, which has been documented in other areas of the Italian peninsula. These results outline an intimate relationship between the arcuate trend of the recognised fault set and the present coastline pattern. The development of the normal faults can be related to large-scale gravitational processes developed after the general tilting towards the SE of the Bradanic Trough.     

Hydro-geomorphic hazards and impact of man-made structures during the catastrophic flood of June 2000 in the Upper Guil catchment (Queyras, Southern French Alps)

The Guil River Valley (Queyras, Southern French Alps) is prone to catastrophic floods, as the long historical archives and Holocene sedimentary records demonstrate. In June 2000, the upper part of this valley was affected by a “30-year” recurrence interval (R.I.) flood. Although of lower magnitude and somewhat different nature from that of 1957 (>100-year R.I. flood), the 2000 event induced serious damage to infrastructure and buildings on the valley floor. Use of methods including high-resolution aerial photography, multi-date mapping, hydraulic calculations and field observations made possible the characterisation of the geomorphic impacts on the Guil River and its tributaries. The total rainfall (260 mm in four days) and maximum hourly intensity (17.3 mm h⁻¹), aggravated by pre-existing saturated soils, explain the immediate response of the fluvial system and the subsequent destabilisation of slopes. Abundant water and sediment supply (landsliding, bank erosion), particularly from small catchment basins cut into slaty, schist bedrock, resulted in destructive pulses of debris flow and hyperconcentrated flows. The specific stream power of the Guil and its tributaries was greater than the critical stream power, thus explaining the abundant sediment transport. The Guil discharge was estimated as 180 m³ s⁻¹ at Aiguilles, compared to the annual mean discharge of 6 m³ s⁻¹ and a June mean discharge of 18 m³ s⁻¹. The impacts on the Guil valley floor (flooding, aggradation, generalised bank erosion and changes in the river pattern) were widespread and locally influenced by variations in the floodplain slope and/or channel geometry. The stream partially reoccupied former channels abandoned or modified in their geometry by various structures built during the last four decades, as exemplified by the Aiguilles case study, where the worst damage took place. A comparative study of the geomorphic consequences of both the 1957 and 2000 floods shows that, despite their poor maintenance, the flood control structures built after the 1957 event were relatively efficient, in contrast to unprotected places. The comparison also demonstrates the role of land-use changes (conversion from traditional agro-pastoral life to a ski/hiking-based economy, construction of various structures) in reducing the Guil channel capacity and, more generally, in increasing the vulnerability of the human installations. The efficiency of the measures taken after the 2000 flood (narrowing and digging out of the channel) is also assessed. Final evaluation suggests that, in such high mountainous environments, there is a need to keep most of the 1957 flooded zone clear of buildings and other structures (aside from the existing villages and structures of particular economic interest), in order to enable the river to migrate freely and to adjust to exceptional hydro-geomorphic conditions without causing major damage.     

Geochemical and isotopic investigation of the aquifer system in the Djerid-Nefzaoua basin, southern Tunisia

In the Djerid-Nefzaoua region, southern Tunisia, about 80% of agricultural and domestic water supply is provided by the complex terminal (CT) aquifer. However, 20% of this demand is provided by other hydraulically connected aquifers, namely the continental intercalaire (CI) and the Plio-Quaternary (PQ). Overexploitation of the CT aquifer for agricultural practices has contributed to the loss of the artesian condition and the decline of groundwater level which largely increased the downward leakage from the shallow PQ aquifer. Excess irrigation water concentrates at different rates in the irrigation channels and in the PQ aquifer itself. Then, it returns to the CT aquifer and mixes with water from the regional flow system, which contributes to the salinization of the CT groundwater. A geochemical and isotopic study had been undertaken over a 2-years period in order to investigate the origin of waters pumped from the CT aquifer with an emphasis on its hydraulic relationships with the underlying and the overlying CI and PQ aquifers. Geochemistry indicates that groundwater samples collected from different wells show an evolution of the water types from Na-Cl to Ca-SO₄-Cl. Dissolution of halite, gypsum and anhydrite-bearing rocks is the main mechanism that leads to the salinization of the groundwater. Isotopic data indicate the old origin of all groundwater in the aquifer system. Mixing and evaporation effects characterizing the CT and the PQ aquifers were identified using δ²H and δ¹⁸O relationship and confirmed by the conjunction of δ²H with chloride concentration.     

中国南方含油气区构造-沉积类型及其勘探潜力

南方含油气的复杂构造区根据构造—沉积类型的不同,可将其分为四种类型。通过对不同类型典型含油气区的生烃量及非构造运动天然气散失量的化学动力学计算,认为这四种类型含油气区的油气聚集潜力从好到坏依次为:喜马拉雅运动抬升暴露型、燕山运动抬升暴露型、反复抬升—沉降型和海西—印支运动抬升暴露—后期浅埋型。主要构造运动发生越晚,对油气保存越有利。     

The investigation on particulate organic carbon fluxes with disequilibria between thorium-234 and uranium-238 in the Prydz Bay, the Southern Ocean

Dissolved and particulate thorium-234, particulate organic carbon in the upper 150 m of water columns from five stations in the Prydz Bay, the Southern Ocean were determined during the 22nd Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition （from November 2005 to March 2006 ）. The disequilibria between thorium-234 and its parent uranium-238 in upper layer was used to derive the averaged residence time of thorium-234, which decreased along with the latitude to the south and a minimum value, 1 - 8 d for particulate thorium-234 and 29 - 48 d for dissolved thorium-234, appeared at the medium latitude station, and the export fluxes of thorium-234 were calculated too and ＇a maximum value, 0. 35 -0. 63 Bq/（m^3 · d） for the particulate thorium-234 and 0. 44 -0. 65 Bq/ （m^3 ·d） for the dissolved thorium-234, appeared at the same station. The export fluxes of particulate organic carbon at different water columns were derived by two methods with irreversible scavenging model, and the averaged values were 104. 7 mmol/ （ m2 · d ） （ E method） and 120. 6 mmol/（ m2·d ） （ B method ）, respectively, indicating that a relatively high new production would exist in summer in the Prydz Bay where it will play a potential significant role in sequestering the absorption CO2 to deeper ocean.     

巢湖地区二叠系栖霞组和三叠系南陵湖组石灰岩生物标志物特征与生烃潜力——以平顶山和马家山剖面为例

对安徽巢湖地区平顶山和马家山剖面下二叠统栖霞组和下三叠统南陵湖组进行了地层沉积特征及暗色石灰岩生烃潜力的综合分析,并对这两个层位的样品进行了饱和烃生物标志物特征研究。结果表明,两个层位的石灰岩都属于有效烃源岩,均具有一定的生烃潜力。南陵湖组石灰岩饱和烃以高丰度的长链三环萜烷、重排藿烷、重排甾烷为特征,表明其形成于偏弱氧化的沉积环境。栖霞组沉积期水体能量相对较低,受陆源物质影响明显,栖霞组石灰岩萜烷系列为常规的分布模式,但其甾烷成熟度参数明显低于平衡值,认为高的热演化程度是造成栖霞组石灰岩20S/(20S+20R)-ααα-C29甾烷值和ββ/(ββ+αα)-C29甾烷值"倒转"的主要原因。     

南秦岭钡成矿带重晶石与毒重石成矿特征

在我国扬子地块北缘南秦岭一带的早古生代硅质岩建造中,存在一大批重晶石矿床和毒重石矿床,构成世界上极为罕见的大型钡成矿带。根据流体包裹体显微测温分析,重晶石流体包裹体均一温度峰值低于毒重石流体包裹体峰值。这些矿床中重晶石的3δ4S值比同期海水3δ4S值高(除去文峪矿区重晶石一个3δ4S值与同期海水3δ4S值接近),表明当时细菌对硫酸盐的还原作用引起了重S的富集。各钡矿床中的毒重石有各自的1δ3C和1δ8O值范围,毒重石中的C来自有机质事件反应。根据热力学计算表明,小于162.42℃的温度有利于形成重晶石矿石;在温度高于162.42℃时,海水中积累充足的CO32-(来自有机事件)有利于形成毒重石矿石。在重晶石矿床形成的晚期,如出现贫Ba2+热液,且海水中积累足够的CO32-和温度高于162.42℃,CO32-可以交代重晶石中的SO42-,形成交代成因的毒重石。     

赣南东部银坑-青塘地区上施组硅质白云岩特征及其找矿意义

在赣南东部银坑－－青塘地区广泛分布晚元古代地层,近年普查找矿发现青白口纪上施组地层有两层典型硅质白云岩层,该白云岩层层位稳定,特征明显,并与本地区的铅锌矿床关系密切。本文主要从硅质白云岩层和层控铅锌矿床的一些基本特征入手,阐述了它们之间的相互关系,明确指出上施组硅质白云岩层对寻找富铅锌矿床具重要的意义。