Shallow seismicity, stress distribution and crustal deformation pattern in the Andaman-West Sunda arc and Andaman Sea, northeastern Indian Ocean

Shallow seismicity and available source mechanisms in the Andaman–westSunda arc and Andaman sea region suggest distinct variation in stressdistribution pattern both along and across the arc in the overriding plate.Seismotectonic regionalisation indicates that the region could be dividedinto eight broad seismogenic sources of relatively homogeneousdeformation. Crustal deformation rates have been determined for each oneof these sources based on the summation of moment tensors. The analysisshowed that the entire fore arc region is dominated by compressive stresseswith compression in a mean direction of N23^°, and the rates ofseismic deformation velocities in this belt decrease northward from 5.2± 0.65 mm/yr near Nias island off Sumatra and 1.12 ±0.13 mm/yr near Great Nicobar islands to as much as 0.4 ±0.04 mm/yr north of 8^°N along Andaman–Nicobar islandsregion. The deformation velocities indicate, extension of 0.83 ±0.05 mm/yr along N343^° and compression of 0.19 ±0.01 mm/yr along N73^° in the Andaman back arc spreadingregion, extension of 0.18 ± 0.01 mm/yr along N125^° andcompression of 0.16 ± 0.01 mm/yr along N35^° in NicobarDeep and west Andaman fault zone, compression of 0.84 ±0.12 mm/yr N341^° and extension of 0.77 ± 0.11 mm/yralong N72^° within the transverse tectonic zone in the Andamantrench, N-S compression of 3.19 ± 0.29 mm/yr and an E-Wextension of 1.24 ± 0.11 mm/yr in the Semangko fault zone ofnorth Sumatra. The vertical deformation suggests crustal thinning in theAndaman sea and crustal thickening in the fore arc and Semangko faultzones. The apparent stresses calculated for all major events range between0.1–10 bars and the values increase with increasing seismic moment.However, the apparent stress estimates neither indicate any significantvariation with faulting type nor display any variation across the arc, incontrast to the general observation that the fore arc thrust events showhigher stress levels in the shallow subduction zones. It is inferred that theoblique plate convergence, partial subduction of 90^°E Ridge innorth below the Andaman trench and the active back arc spreading are themain contributing factors for the observed stress field within the overridingplate in this region.     

Enrichissement en uranium authigène dans les sédiments glaciaires de l'océan AustralEnrichments in authigenic uranium in glacial sediments of the Southern Ocean

Four sediment cores from the Polar frontal zone and the Antarctic zone in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean present an increase of authigenic uranium during glacial periods. We show that this increase in uranium is due to a combination of (i) an increase in the lateral transport of organic matter, (ii) a decrease in the oxygen in deep waters, and (iii) a process of diagenesis. It appears that uranium concentration cannot be used as a proxy of palaeoproductivity in the Southern Ocean, as previously suggested by Kumar et al. in 1995. To cite this article: L. Dezileau et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 1039–1046.     

从尼玛地区地质新资料看中特提斯洋的构造演化

班公湖—怒江结合带南缘存在一套中、晚侏罗世稳定浅海碎屑岩沉积，属残余海盆地沉积，表明尼玛地区的俯冲消减机制在中侏罗世以后已结束。结合带南侧三叠系确哈拉群为一套半深水—深水沉积，是陆架边缘沉积序列，代表结合带打开之初的较早期沉积。确哈拉群之上不整合覆盖了一套中侏罗世钙碱性岛弧火山岩系，是班公湖—怒江结合带在早侏罗世向南俯冲对应的滞后弧火山岩。在结合带南侧80～100km范围内分布着一条东西长超过100km的中晚侏罗世后碰撞强过铝花岗岩带，属班公湖—怒江结合带向南俯冲碰撞作用的后碰撞阶段产物。综合认为，尼玛地区中特提斯洋是在三叠纪打开、中侏罗世以前向南俯冲闭合的。结合区域上该结合带闭合时间有早有晚、俯冲方向有南有北的事实，提出中特提斯是一个具有众多互不相通的、时代早晚各不相同的小洋盆共同组成的多岛洋，其间存在许多大小不一、运动方向和性质各不相同的地体。不同时期、不同方向的弧—弧碰撞、弧—陆碰撞造山(造陆)机制是解释中特提斯洋发展演化诸多问题的理想模式。     

New structural and petrologic data on Mesozoic schists in the Rhodope (Bulgaria): geodynamic implications

Structural analysis of low-grade rocks highlights the allochthonous character of Mesozoic schists in southeastern Rhodope, Bulgaria. The deformation can be related to the Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous thrusting and Tertiary detachment faulting. Petrologic and geochemical data show a volcanic arc origin of the greenschists and basaltic rocks. These results are interpreted as representing an island arc-accretionary complex related to the southward subduction of the Meliata–Maliac Ocean under the supra-subduction back-arc Vardar ocean/island arc system. This arc-trench system collided with the Rhodope in Late Jurassic times. To cite this article: N.G. Bonev, G.M. Stampfli, C. R. Geoscience 335 (2003).     

印度洋春、夏季海温对西藏高原夏季降水的影响

利用NCEP提供的1950—1997年全球月平均海表面温度场资料，首先通过EOF分解得到不同季节印度洋海温场空间分布特征，并在此基础上使用合成分析、相关分析和SVD分解等多种方法讨论了印度洋前期和同期海温异常与西藏高原夏季降水变化的关系。寻找出影响高原夏季降水的关键海区，目的为高原夏季早涝预测提供参考依据。     

Atmospheric Methyl Iodide at Cape Grim, Tasmania, from AGAGE Observations

Atmospheric mixing ratios of methyl iodide (CH₃I) and other methyl halides have been measured at Cape Grim, Tasmania (41°S, 145°E), since early 1998 as part of the Advanced Global Atmospheric Gases Experiment (AGAGE). This paper analyses about 1700 ambient air CH₃I measurements from the 14-month period (March 1998–April 1999). Mixing ratios peaked during the summer, despite faster photolytic loss, suggesting local oceanic emissions were about 2.2–3.6 times stronger in summer than in winter. Back trajectories show that CH₃I levels are strongly dependent on air mass origin, with highest mixing ratios in air from the Tasman Sea/Bass Strait region and lowest levels in air originating from the Southern Ocean at higher latitudes. CH₃I mixing ratios were not well correlated with other methyl halides in unpolluted marine air. The large variations with season and air mass origin suggest that high frequency, continuous data from key locations will make a significant contribution to the understanding of sources and sinks of this important short-lived atmospheric species.     

Current controlled sediment deposition from the shelf to the deep ocean: the cenozoic evolution of circulation through the SW pacific gateway

 The circulation of cold, deep water is one of the controlling factors of the Earth's climate. Forty percent of this water enters the world ocean through the Southwest Pacific as a deep western boundary current (DWBC) flowing northwards at bathyal to abyssal depths, east of the New Zealand microcontinent. South of latitude 50°S, the DWBC is intimately linked with the Antarctic circumpolar current (ACC), which is the prominent force for the shallow-water circulation. The Pacific DWBC is presently the largest single contributor of deep ocean water, and deciphering its evolution is of fundamental importance to understanding ocean and climate history, and global ocean hydrography. The evolution of the DWBC system, and of related circum-Antarctic currents, has taken place since 30–25 Ma when plate movements created the first oceanic gaps south of Australia and South America. The stratigraphic record preserved in sediment drifts of the Southwest Pacific, in eastern New Zealand, is the best available for deciphering the Neogene history of Southern Ocean water masses, and of the circulation of the ACC, DWBC and their precursor systems. Major current activity commenced on the New Zealand margin in the late Eocene or early Oligocene (Hoiho Drift; early ACC) and was widespread by the mid-late Oligocene (Marshall Paraconformity and Weka Pass Limestone drift; ACC). During the Neogene the eastern South Island continental shelf built seawards by accretion at its outer edge of large Miocene current drifts up to tens of kilometres long and hundreds of metres thick (Canterbury drifts). Also commencing in the mid-Cenozoic, but in depths >2000 m, the DWBC emplaced large deep-water sediment drifts. Rates of drift deposition accelerated considerably in the late Neogene, when climatic change (and particularly glacial sea-level falls) caused the delivery of large volumes of turbiditic sediment into the path of the DWBC via the Bounty and Hikurangi channels. Received: 9 August 1995 / Accepted: 15 January 1996     

多金属结核的沉积物地球化学场

远洋沉积物是多金属结核赖以生长的场所，本文系统地研究了沉积物中主要成矿元素水成组分在不同地球化学场和不同沉积阶段的地球化学特征，以及水成组分的含量比与成矿作用的相互关系。研究表明，Ｍｎ、Ｆｅ、Ｃｏ、Ｎｉ、Ｃｕ都是一些比较活泼的元素，它们共处于多金属结核、沉积物和大洋水的统一体系中，当结核形成时，Ｍｎ、Ｆｅ、Ｎｉ、Ｃｕ在结核与沉积物中的含量呈负相关，而Ｃｏ含量呈正相关。研究区东部结核以富含Ｍｎ、Ｎｉ、Ｃｕ贫Ｆｅ、Ｃｏ为特征，其伴生沉积物相对贫Ｍｎ、Ｎｉ、Ｃｕ、Ｃｏ，而富Ｆｅ，可称之为贫化的地球化学场。研究区西部结核富含Ｆｅ、Ｃｏ而贫Ｍｎ、Ｎｉ、Ｃｕ，其伴生沉积物则相应贫Ｆｅ，而富Ｍｎ、Ｎｉ、Ｃｕ、和Ｃｏ，可称之为富化的地球化学场。可以看出，贫化的沉积物地球化学场，恰恰是寻找富矿结核的最佳场所。早中新世以来的沉积物，根据水成组分的含量或含量比，也可相应于结核的形成分为三大沉积阶段，其中的第Ⅱ阶段具有贫化的地球化学特征，是多金属结核形成的最有利时期     

Attenuation differences in layer 2A in intermediate- and slow-spreading oceanic crust

In situ seismic attenuationQ⁻¹logs are derived from borehole velocity profiles and reveal sharp boundaries between morphologies of the extrusive volcanic layers in intermediate- and slow-spreading oceanic crust.Q⁻¹logs are calculated from the scattering attenuation associated with vertical velocity heterogeneity in Ocean Drilling Program Holes 504B and 896A and in Hole 395A, located in 5.9–7.3 Ma crust on the Pacific and Atlantic plates, respectively. Our results strongly tie crustal properties to seismic measurables and observed geological structures: we find that the scattering attenuation can be used to identify the extrusive volcanic sequence because it is closely related to changes in the degree of vertical heterogeneity. We interpret a distinct decrease in the Q⁻¹log at the transition below the extrusive volcanic layer to correspond with the seismic layer 2A/2B boundary. The boundary is located at 465 m depth below the sea floor in both Hole 395A and 504B, although this is likely to be a coincidence of the sediment thickness at these sites. Layer 2A is estimated to be approximately 150 m thick in Hole 504B and > 300 m thick in Hole 395A. Cyclic sequences of high-porosity pillows and low-porosity massive units in the uppermost 100 m of volcanics in Hole 395A result in large velocity heterogeneities which cause > 5 times more attenuation in this layer than in Hole 504B. In Hole 896A, by contrast, fewer pillows, more massive flows, and a greater volume of carbonate veins decrease the velocity heterogeneity and attenuation significantly over only 1 km distance from Hole 504B. We conclude that the attenuation in the extrusive volcanics of the ocean crust is largely controlled by variation in local heterogeneity and morphology as well as by subsequent hydrothermal alteration. The observed differences inQ⁻¹profiles and layer 2A thickness at these sites may be attributed to variations in the volume and duration of volcanic activity at mid-ocean spreading centers for these Pacific and Atlantic ridge segments.