Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility parameters: Guidelines for their rational selection

Twenty-eight parameters used to characterize measurements of the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility are compared theoretically in this work by introducing the concept of the field of susceptibility tensors, which allows the representation of parameters as families of lines in a plane. It is demonstrated that the foliation and lineation parameters are but a special case of the shape parameters, implying that the resolution of these two rock fabric elements using AMS measurements alone is more an artifact of the numerical range of definition of some parameters than a quantification of two physically independent features. Also, it is shown that parameters presumably of the same type do not necessarily yield equivalent interpretation of results in a qualitative sense, and therefore, caution should be strongly exercised when parameters are to be selected. Paramters quantifying the degree of anisotropy are, in general, equivalent to each other because of the very small departure observed in natural rocks from the isotropic case. However, a final consideration of the possible ability to differentiate rock types and a convenient range of values allowing expression of the degree of anisotropy in a well-defined percentage are pointed out as the main factors to be considered before selecting one parameter within this class.     

Structures caused by repeated freezing and thawing in various loamy sediments: A comparison of active,fossil and experimental data

In this paper, the authors present the results of both macroscopic and microscopic investigations on structure development created by repeated ice lensing in various loamy experiments. Experimental data are compared with observations performed on active forms in High Arctic and Alpine Mountain environments. Those observations are also compared with phenomena observed in fossil periglacial formations of Western Europe. Platy and short prismatic structure formation is bonded to the hydraulic and thermal conditions during ice segregation. When a long series of alternating freezing and thawing affects platy structures, the fabric evolves, also being influenced by slope and drainage conditions: cryoturbations, frostcreep, and gelifluction can appear. They are characterized by specific microfabrics which are better developed with an increasing number of cycles: this is clear in experiments where hydraulic and thermal parameters are better controlled. Vesicles are also a prominent characteristic of the surface horizon in experiments and arctic soils. The genesis of vesicles is discussed on the basis of new observations and is related to the mechanical collapse of frost-created aggregates under the mechanical work of soil air escape during soil saturation by water at thaw.     

'Sediment'–cement relationships in a Pleistocene speleothem from Italy: a possible analogue for 'replacement' cements and Archaeolithoporella in ancient reefs

Ancient carbonate buildups may contain extraordinarily large amounts of early diagenetic precipitates. In some, host rock lamination may be traced into inclusion bands within the 'cement' crystals, suggesting that the crystals are replacive. By analogy with a Pleistocene speleothem from the Sorrento Peninsula, however, these relationships can be explained differently. In the speleothem, large, repeatedly split and dendritic calcite crystals occur within a laminated carbonate. Lamination consists of sub-mm alternations of micrite and microspar. Micritic laminae pass laterally into inclusion-rich growth bands in the dendritic calcite crystals, and have replaced an aragonitic cement, whereas the microspar laminae were primary calcite cements. Three types of inclusion-rich bands occur in the dendrite crystals: (1) with aragonite relicts, (2) 'ribbon calcite' and (3) with oriented micropores. When aragonite precipitated, the calcite dendrite branches were unable to keep growing as single crystals and split into crystallites (separated by micropores, some forming ribbon calcite), whereas during episodes of calcite lamina precipitation, the larger crystals were regenerated by crystallite coalescence. Calcite crystals are primary: they did not replace a micritic precursor. By analogy with the Italian speleothem, some ancient reefal sparry carbonates may not be replacements of earlier laminated sediments, but may have grown concurrently with them. It is also probable that some ancient laminated sediments were instead sea-floor precipitates, and that stromatolites containing cross-cutting crystal fabrics, and the alternating micrite-microspar laminae typical of Archaeolithoporella , could be largely abiotic crystal growths.     

Overprinted strike-slip deformation in the southern Valley and Ridge in Pennsylvania

Two major faults, over 32 km long and 6.4 km apart, truncate or overprint most previous folds and faults as they trend more northerly than the previous N25°E to N40°E fold trends. The faults were imposed as the last event in a region undergoing sequential counter-clockwise generation of tectonic structures. The western Big Cove anticline has an early NW verging thrust fault that emplaces resistant rocks on its NW limb. A 16 km overprint by the Cove Fault is manifested as 30 small northeast striking right-lateral strike-slip faults. This suggests major left-lateral strike-slip separation on the Cove Fault, but steep, dip-slip separation also occurs. From south to north the Cove Fault passes from SE dipping beds within the Big Cove anticline, to the vertical beds of the NW limb. Then it crosses four extended, separated, Tuscarora blocks along the ridge, brings Cambro-Ordovician carbonates against Devonian beds, and initiates the zone of overprinted right-lateral faults. Finally, it deflects the Lat 40°N fault zone as it crosses to the next major anticline to the northwest. To the east, the major Path Valley Fault rotates and overprints the earlier Carrick Valley thrust. The Path Valley Fault and Cove Fault may be Mesozoic in age, based upon fault fabrics and overprinting on the east–west Lat 40°N faults.     

Comparison of Fry strain ellipse and AMS ellipsoid trends to tectonic fabric trends in very low-strain sandstone of the Appalachian fold–thrust belt

In moderately to highly strained sandstones, both the long axis of the bedding-parallel finite-strain ellipse, as calculated by the normalized Fry method, and the projection of the long axis of the AMS ellipsoid on the plane of bedding, align well with local “structural grain” (trends of cleavage, folds, and faults). This relationship implies that results of both 2D Fry and AMS analyses represent the local layer-parallel tectonic strain component. Do both methods provide comparable results for very low-strain sandstone (e.g., <5%)? To address this question, Fry and AMS analyses were conducted in very low-strain sandstone from two localities in the Appalachian foreland fold–thrust belt: near Rosendale in New York and the Lackawanna synclinorium of Pennsylvania. We compared the map projections of both bedding-parallel Fry ellipses and AMS ellipsoids to the local structural grain. In both study areas, projections of the long axis of Fry strain ellipses do not cluster in a direction parallel to structural grain, whereas the projection of the long axes of AMS ellipsoids do cluster closely to structural grain. This observation implies that in very low-strain sandstone, AMS analysis provides a more sensitive “quick” indicator of tectonic fabric than does normalized Fry analysis.     

北大别造山后伸展期中-下地壳流动形式数值模拟研究

造山后伸展过程中,深部地壳的变形形式反映深部岩石圈的构造活动方式,是造山后伸展深部动力学研究的主要内容。本次工作以大别造山带造山后伸展变形构造为研究对象,在详细的构造观察和组构分析基础上,以实际变形组构为约束开展数值模拟,系统地研究伸展变形构造在垂向剖面上岩石变形机制的空间分布,进而揭示大别造山带造山后伸展过程中深部地壳的变形形式。野外观察表明,北大别穹隆边缘区域拉伸线理优选方位显著,而到穹隆中部拉伸线理定向性减弱,再到穹隆核部线理定向性有所增强。运动学上,北大别穹隆内呈现了一致的上盘向NW的剪切指向。以此为约束的数值模拟研究表明,大别造山带造山后伸展期中-下地壳流动方式总体上是介于透入性简单剪切形式与纯剪切形式之间的组合形式;垂直剖面上呈现为由上、下边界向中心简单剪切分量显著降低,中-下地壳流变带中部以纯剪切变形为主。我们用造山带加厚地壳的韧性垮塌和深俯冲的太平洋板块"后撤"来解释其动力学来源。     

胶东黄铁矿显微构造变形与金富集关系：黄铁矿EBSD组构和地球化学约束

载金黄铁矿显微构造变形与金富集关系可以从显微-超显微尺度揭示金成矿作用和地质过程,探讨金的再活化或再聚集作用。在胶东焦家金矿带成矿期识别出4种类型的黄铁矿,文章应用光学显微镜、扫描电镜(SEM)、透射电镜(TEM)、电子背散射衍射(EBSD)和电子探针(EMPA)等技术方法,探讨黄铁矿显微构造特征、超微观结构与金的富集关系。结果显示:载金黄铁矿均不发育环带,其中w(Fe)为45.70%～46.85%,w(S)为52.57%～53.37%;显微构造变形既有脆性变形又有塑性变形;黄铁矿晶体优选方位(CPO)主要表现为平行于晶轴极密和复杂极密;黄铁矿晶格间距为0.58 nm,主要发育刃位错。焦家金矿带在金成矿作用过程中,可见金集合体经历了从复杂的纳米尺度到宏观尺度矿物载体富集的过程,包括成矿流体中金络合物、金-铋-硫族化合物富集等化学结构变化过程和纳米金、载金黄铁矿纳米颗粒、岩矿石显微-超显微构造微环境变化过程。因此,不同类型载金黄铁矿CPO受到化学结构变化和显微-超显微变形微环境变化的联合制约,间接反映出载金黄铁矿中金的富集与黄铁矿内部变形、表面形貌和结构缺陷有密切关系。     

凤凰山花岗岩体构造系统分析及侵位机制

本文从宏观上对凤凰山岩体的区域构造位置、岩体侵位前后的构造演化过程及岩浆侵位时的动力学条件进行了论述;对岩体内部及接触带的面理、线理进行了磁组构测量、显微构造观察、包体应变测量及X光组构分析等系统研究,最终获得如下结论:该岩体侵位除有膨胀作用外,在岩体侵位后期还有过旋转运动,而且岩体侵位受到NNE向左旋剪切作用控制。