Ca, Al-rich inclusions in Yamato 791717 (CO3) carbonaceous chondrite: Formation and alteration

In three polished thin sections of Yamato 791717 (CO3). fifty-five Ca, Al-rich inclusions were found, which include two hibonite-bearing, eight melilite-rich and forty-five spinel-pyroxene inclusions. Based on the petrography and mineral chemistry of the inclusions, it is proposed that the melilite-rich inclusions and spinel-pyroxene inclusions condensed in the solar nebula, and the hibonite-bearing inclusions crystallized from melts. The heavy alteration of the inclusions in Yamato 791717, which probably took place under a very oxidizing condition in the solar nebular, is also confirmed. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 49673200). and by the Japanese Society for Promotion of Sciences (JSPS).     

Genetic relationship of metamorphic reaction and dehydration-melting

The high-temperature and pressure experimental data of garnet, sillimantite and biotite-bearing potash feldspar gneiss (SGBG, natural block rock) has shown that metamorphic reactions between garnet and melt, and mineral assemblage evolutional features are not only controlled byP-T condition, but also genetically correlate with dehydration-melting of biotite and partial melting of felsic minerals. Combining experimental data with theoretical analyses, the genetic mechanism of metamorphic reaction and its dynamic significance have been demonstrated in the process of metamorphic evolution of khondalite series on the border of Jin (Shanxi Province)-Inner Mongolia. Project supported by the Youth Geologist Foundation of Ministry of Geology and Mineral Resources of China, the Post-docter Foundation and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 49572138).     

实验变形煤结构演化的电子顺磁共振研究

通过１４件高温高压实验样品及其原样的电子顺磁共振研究,论述了温度、压力、应力、应变速率和应变强度等是影响变形煤化学结构演化的重要因素,但在不同的煤级中和不同的实验条件下,各因素所起的作用是不同的。变形煤ＥＰＲ参数的演化与镜质组反射率的变化密切相关,并且具有较好的规律性。说明镜质组反射率是煤化学结构演化的外在反映,是煤田构造研究中极为重要的标志物之一。     

全球水分布和气压变化对固体地球质心位置的影响

根据IERS决议,国际地球参考系的原点是地球固体部分、海洋和大气的共同质量中心因此,地球上流体部分质量分布变化会改变固体地球质心相对于国际地球参考系原点的位置变化．空间技术如SLR和GPS的观测结果表明,固体地球质心可能有幅度达10毫米的位置变化,所以给出固体地球质心位置变化以及地球物理原因已成为重要问题.本文采用了全球4000多个地面气象台站从1949到1982年的月平均降水、温度和气压值,对水和大气的分布变化引起的固体地球质心位置变化进行了计算,得出水储量分布变化对固体地球质心运动比气压分布变化有更大的贡献,固体地球质心位置变化的最大值可达4毫米．     

大气重力信号的理论计算及其检测

基于标准大气定律和大气圆柱体分布模型,本文引进了大气重力格林函数,用离散格积方法求得了大气对重力场观测的影响,对台站高程、周围地形和地表温度变化等因素的影响问题进行了讨论．结果说明台站近区气压变化是大气重力信号的主要贡献者,考虑大气质量负荷引起的弹性地球形变效应后,对距台站0．5°的区域积分获得的大气重力导纳值为-0．3603μGal／hPa,占全球大气变化引起的总信号的90％以上,这一理论模型结果与超导重力仪实测结果相吻合,并能较有效地用于消除重力观测中的气压干扰成分．     

Momentum and energy balance equations for compacting sediments

Coupled energy and momentum balance equations are derived for a one-dimensional sequence of compacting sediments. These transient, nonlinear partial differential equations represent the one-dimensional equations of state for an accumulating sedimentary basin. A numerical solution is presented which provides a first-order approximation for porosity, temperature, and fluid pressures in the northern Gulf of Mexico. It seems that compaction disequilibrium is the primary mechanism for development of excess fluid pressures. Furthermore, the coupling of the equations demonstrates that temperature and pressure cannot be treated independently as may have been done in diagenetic studies. Some areas for further investigations are indicated.     

Kinetic shear resistance,fluid pressures and radiation efficiency during seismic faulting

Summary During earthquake faulting, radiation efficiency and the degree stress relief are critically dependent on the kinetic shear resistance. This is often assumed to stay constant during slip, but geological evidence suggests that for moderate or large shallow earthquakes it may decrease dramatically to near-zero values once slip is initiated, either by melt formation or by transient increases in fluid pressure on the fault plane. The latter, probably more common process may arise partly through an interaction between temperature and water pressure, and partly through dilatancy recovery as shear stress is relieved. If the fault remains undrained, stress relief should be absolute with seismic efficiency reaching high values, so that stress drops give a measure of the level of tectonic shear stress in fault zones. Supporting evidence comes from the observation that apparent stress is generally about half the stress drop.     

Process identification at a slow‐moving landslide in the Vorarlberg Alps

A fine‐grained slope that exhibits slow movement rates was investigated to understand how geohydrological processes contribute to a consecutive development of mass movements in the Vorarlberg Alps, Austria. For that purpose intensive hydrometeorological, hydrogeological and geotechnical observations as well as surveying of surface movement rates were conducted during 1998–2001. Subsurface water dynamics at the creeping slope turned out to be dominated by a three‐dimensional pressure system. The pressure reaction is triggered by fast infiltration of surface water and subsequent lateral water flow in the south‐western part of the hillslope. The related pressure signal was shown to propagate further downhill, causing fast reactions of the piezometric head at 5·5 m depth on a daily time scale. The observed pressure reactions might belong to a temporary hillslope water body that extends further downhill. The related buoyancy forces could be one of the driving forces for the mass movement. A physically based hydrological model was adopted to model simultaneously surface and subsurface water dynamics including evapotranspiration and runoff production. It was possible to reproduce surface runoff and observed pressure reactions in principle. However, as soil hydraulic functions were only estimated on pedotransfer functions, a quantitative comparison between observed and simulated subsurface dynamics is not feasible. Nevertheless, the results suggest that it is possible to reconstruct important spatial structures based on sparse observations in the field which allow reasonable simulations with a physically based hydrological model. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

P–T evolution of kyanite eclogite from the Pirin Mountains (SW Bulgaria): implications for the Rhodope UHP Metamorphic Complex

A new occurrence of kyanite eclogite in the Pirin Mountains of southwestern Bulgaria within the rocks belonging to the Obidim Unit of the Rhodope Metamorphic Complex is presented. This eclogite provides important information about the peak–pressure conditions despite strong thermal overprint at low pressure. Textural relationships, phase equilibrium modelling and conventional geothermobarometry were used to constrain the metamorphic evolution. Garnet porphyroblasts with inclusions of omphacite (up to 43 mol.% Jd), phengite (up to 3.5 Si p.f.u.), kyanite, polycrystalline quartz, pargasitic amphibole, zoisite and rutile in the Mg‐rich cores (X_Mg = 0.44–0.46) record a prograde increase in P–T conditions from ～2.5 GPa and 650 °C to ～3 GPa and 700–750 °C. Maximum pressure values fall within the stability field of coesite. During exhumation, the peak–pressure assemblage garnet + omphacite + phengite + kyanite was variably overprinted by a lower pressure one forming symplectitic textures, such as diopside + plagioclase after omphacite and biotite + plagioclase after phengite. The development of spinel (X_Mg = 0.4–0.45) + corundum + anorthite assemblage in the kyanite‐bearing domains at ～1.1 GPa and 800–850 °C suggests a thermal overprint in the high‐pressure granulite facies stability field. This thermal event was followed by cooling at ～0.8 GPa under amphibolite facies conditions; retrograde kelyphite texture involving plagioclase and amphibole was developed around garnet. Our results add to the already existing evidence for ultra high pressure (UHP) metamorphism in the Upper Allochthon of the Rhodope Metamorphic Complex as in the Kimi Unit and show that it is more widespread than previously known. Published age data and field structural relations suggest that the Obidim Unit represents Variscan continental crust involved into the Alpine nappe edifice of the Rhodopes and that eclogite facies metamorphism was Palaeozoic, in contrast to the Kimi Unit where age determinations suggest a Jurassic or Cretaceous age for UHP metamorphism. This implies that UHP metamorphism in the Upper Allochthon of the Rhodopes may have occurred twice, during Alpine and pre‐Alpine orogenic events, and that two independent HP/UHP provinces of different age overlap in this area.     

Streambank dewatering for increased stability

Streambank erosion is often the dominant source of sediment leaving modified watersheds. Mass failure of high, steep banks is one of the most serious forms of streambank erosion. The risk of a given bank experiencing mass failure is a function of bank height, angle, and soil strength, which is governed by soil moisture. Two methods for bank dewatering were tested in adjacent sections of streambank bordering a deeply incised channel in northern Mississippi: a low‐cost pump system and subsurface horizontal drains. Pore water pressures (both positive and negative pressures, or matric suction) were continuously monitored for 2 years at the pumped site, at an adjacent untreated control section, and for 1 year at the site stabilized with horizontal drains. Resulting data were used to calculate a time series of the factor of safety using a computer model. Over the course of two wet seasons, average bank retreats for the control and pumped plots were 0·43 and 0·21 m, respectively. More limited monitoring revealed that the site with passive drains retreated about 0·23 m. At the pumped site pore water pressure was 3–4 kPa lower than at the control site during the most critical periods. Accordingly, computed factors of safety were above the failure threshold at the pumped site, but fell below unity at the control site on 11 occasions over the period of observation. Similarly, the drained site displayed generally lower pore water pressure and higher safety factors except for two events when drains were evidently overwhelmed with the volume of local surface and subsurface flows. These results suggest, but do not prove, that bank dewatering promoted lower rates of bank retreat and higher levels of stability since the three sites had slight differences in soils, geometry and boundary conditions. Initial cost of the dewatering treatments were significantly less than orthodox bank stabilization measures, but operation and maintenance requirements may be greater. Published in 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.