Comment on: Discovery of the fossiliferous Cu Brei Formation (Lower Devonian) in the Kon Tum Block (South Viet Nam): Tong-Dzuy Thanh, Than Duc Duyen, Nguyen Huu Hung, Bui Phu My

The publication of Tong-Dzuy Thanh et al. calls for two remarks: The metamorphism in the “Kon Tum block” cannot be younger than Permian because the outcrop they describe is not metamorphic. Their very interesting discovery is a new piece of evidence for the exotic origin of the Dien Binh Series.     

Evolution of the fogwater composition in Strasbourg (France) from 1990 to 1999

The chemical composition of fogwater has been studied in the city of Strasbourg (France) from 1990 to 1999. During these years, fogwater samples have been collected and analysed for major ions and trace metals. This paper reports on the analysis of the collected dataset. The analysis revealed a significant decrease in acidity of approximately one pH unit over the course of the study. This decrease in acidity appears to be linked to a decrease in SO_2(g) and the resulting SO₄²⁻. Trace metal concentrations have also strongly decreased over the 10-year period. Pb concentrations, following the elimination of leaded gasoline, decreased by more than one order of magnitude.     

Oxygen and organic carbon fluxes in sediments of the Bay of Biscay

The relationship between particulate organic carbon (POC) concentrations measured in modern sediment and fluxes of exported POC to the sediment surface needs to be understood in order to use POC content as a proxy of paleo-environmental conditions. The objective of our study was to compare POC concentrations, POC mineralization rates calculated from O₂ consumption and POC burial rates. Benthic O₂ distributions were determined in 58 fine-grained sediment cores collected at different periods at 14 stations in the southeastern part of the Bay of Biscay with depths ranging from 140 to 2800 m. Depth-dependent volume-specific oxygen consumption rates were used to assess rates of aerobic oxidation of organic matter (OM), assuming that O₂ consumption solely was related to heterotrophic activity at the sediment–water interface. Heterogeneity of benthic O₂ fluxes denoted changes in time and space of fresh organic material sedimentation. The most labile fraction of exported POC engendered a steep decrease in concentration in the upper 5 mm of vertical O₂ profiles. The rupture in the gradient of O₂ microprofile may be related to the bioturbation-induced mixing depth of fast-decaying carbon. Average diffusive O₂ fluxes showed that this fast-decaying OM flux was much higher than buried POC, although diffusive O₂ fluxes underestimated the total sediment oxygen demand, and thus the fast-decaying OM flux to the sediment surface. Sedimentary POC burial was calculated from sediment mass accumulation rate and the organic carbon content measured at the top of the sediment. The proportion of buried POC relative to total exported POC ranged at the most between 50% and 10%, depending on station location. Therefore, for a narrow geographic area like the Bay of Biscay, burial efficiency of POC was variable. A fraction of buried POC consisted of slow-decaying OM that was mineralized within the upper decimetres of sediment through oxic and anoxic processes. This fraction was deduced from the decrease with depth in POC concentration. At sites located below 500 m water depth, where the fast-decaying carbon did not reach the anoxic sediment, the slow-decaying pool may control the O₂ penetration depth. Only refractory organic material was fossilized in sedimentary records at locations where labile OM did not reach the anoxic portion of the sediment.     

Late variscan tectonic evolution by thinning of earlier thickened crust. An Ar---Ar study of the Montagne Noire, southern Massif Central, France

⁴⁰Ar---³⁹Ar age determinations on samples selected on deformational criteria form the basis of a proposal of a new detailed tectonometamorphic history of the Montagne Noire (the southern part of the Massif Central, France).

This range is classically divided into a cover and an axial gneissic and migmatitic core which was metamorphosed under high T/medium P conditions. The basement is structurally overlain by epimetamorphic Paleozoic sediments in the north. In the south, equivalent rocks form a well-known pile of recumbent nappes. The Variscan history of this area comprises early shortening and thickening of the continental crust. The climax of this event took place around 320 Ma ago, as is shown by previous Rb---Sr data and by ⁴⁰Ar---³⁹Ar measurements. New developments in structural analyses have led to a better understanding of the late evolution of the area in terms of diapiric uplift of the core. South-southwestwards verging recumbent nappes have been emplaced and were weakly metamorphosed in their lower parts. This movement was accompanied and followed by dextral extensional wrenching of the Paleozoic cover along the northern and southern margins of the axial zone. Attendantly, ductile shear zones were formed.

In order to decipher the complex history, three structural levels have been dated with the ⁴⁰Ar---³⁹Ar method. These levels are: (1) The migmatitic and gneissic series in the axial core, where micas yield ages of c. 315 Ma; (2) Mylonites from the northern and southern shear zones where biotites and muscovites yield ages of c. 310 Ma; (3) Muscovites and biotites from the epimetamorphic nappe structures yielding ages of c. 297 Ma. The later ages may represent a younger thermal pulse. These data are compared and discussed in the light of previous radiometric studies of the area and precise biostratigraphic constraints. A detailed geodynamic evolution of the studied segment is proposed.     

Sites occupancy of Fe3+ in Garfield Nontronite: A spectroscopic study

New data on the structure of Garfield nontronite have been produced by the use of different spectroscopic techniques: Mössbauer spectroscopy, optical spectroscopy, X-ray absorption edges and EXAFS and NMR. The tetrahedral iron content is found to be no higher than 1 percent. All iron atoms belong to the octahedral sheet excluding the possibility of the presence of non crystallized phases. Some ambiguities remain about the coherence of the octahedral sheet because of the presence of two doublets in the Mössbauer spectrum and at least two lineshapes in NMR spectra of OH which correspond to different environments.     

Morphotectonic evolution of two depressions at the southern border of the Baikal rift system

Detailed study of two dry depressions in the Baikal rift system: the E–W Khoito Ghol-Tunka-Bistraya depression and the SW–NE Gusinoje–Ivolga depression, aims to provide a better understanding of tectonic control on the intershoulder relief evolution after the rift opened. Both depressions are grabens and both feature a suite of 10–20 km-wide basins alternating with more or less massive highs. Field and laboratory analysis shows that this pattern is of recent tectonic origin and that local breaking-up and subsidence followed the general sinking which originally formed the grabens. The subsidence belts seem to have gradually shifted north and northeastwards. Geomorphological analysis reveals that in both depressions the highs are remnants of a former pediment which was broken up. The young basins display numerous relevant hydrographic anomalies of the secondary channels and a general water-logging. They also suggest that the subsidence belts have gradually shifted north-and northeastwards. In the Gusinoje–Ivolga depression evidence was found of a Plio-Pleistocene river course, parallel to the Selenga river, which was later dismantled by the breaking-up. This depression, parallel to the Baikal rift and belonging to the Mesozoic system of grabens in the Caledonian fold belt, seems to have been included into the general system of rifts during the Pliocene tectonic phase. As for the main hydrographic axes, the Selenga river was set on a Palaeogene-age planation surface before the first tectonic phase and kept its original course. The Irkut river flowed in the Khoito Gol–Tunka–Bistraya depression after the first tectonic phase and was not affected by the later breaking-up. In contrast, the secondary drainage network is largely discordant. Despite their different geotectonic contexts, the two depressions show a similar development of relief pattern,which poses the question of the style of rift dynamics after the main Pliocene tectonic phase.     

Le Bassin Cambrien de Tisrouima (Haut-Atlas Occidental,Maroc)

Résumé Dans le Haut-Atlas marocain, entre l'oued Sous au Sud, Asif AÏt Moussa à l'Ouest, le bled Seksaoua au Nord et Tizi n'Test à l'Est, plus exactement dans la partie sud-ouest du Massif du Tichka et au Nord-Ouest de ce massif affleurent en de nombreux endroits des roches charbonneuses: grès, arkoses, pélites, schistes, cipolins et coméennes dont la principale est la tisrouimite (7). Cette dernière s'est déposée un peu avant les calcaires àArchaeocyatha du Cambrien inférieur, puis en mÊme temps que leurs couches de base. Les autres roches charbonneuses sont sensiblement contemporaines de la tisrouimite. On peut en conclure qu'il a existé un bassin sédimentaire riche en matière organique à une époque correspondant, en première approximation, a l'Assadasien.

---

The area of study in the moroccan High-Atlas area is included between wady Sous to the South, Asif AÏt Moussa to the West, bled Seksaoua to the North and Tizi n'Test to the East; more exactly it is located in the south-western and nordwestern Tichka. In this area we have noticed numerous outcrops of carbonaceous rocks, such as sandstones, arkoses, mudstones, shales, cipolins and hornfels, the principal variety of which is tisrouimite (7). Tisroumite first was deposited shortly before the Lower Cambrian Archaeocyathid limestones, and again later contemporaneously with the basal layers of these limestones. The other carbonaceous rocks are more or less contemporaneous with the tisrouimite. Therefore we conclude approximately at the time of the Assedasian (early Cambrian II) a sedimentary basin existed the sediments of which were rich in organic matter

---

Zusammenfassung Im marokkanischen Hoch-Atlas, zwischen Wadi Sous im Süden, Asif AÏt Moussa im Westen, der Gegend um Seksoua im Norden und Tizi n'Test im Osten, sind im SW-Teil und NE-Teil des Tichka-Gebirgsstockes dunkle, kohlenstoffreiche Gesteine aufgeschlossen: Sandstein, Arkose, Pelit, Schiefer, grüner Marmor und Homfels, dessen Hauptvariante tisrouimite genannt wird. Die Hornfelse sind etwas älter als die Archaeocyathiden-Kalke des Unterkambriums und bilden ihre Basis Die übrigen Gesteine sind etwa gleich alt wie die Hornfelse. Wir schließen daraus, daß hier zur Zeit des Assadassien (tieferes Kambrium II) ein Sedimentationsbecken lag, dessen Sedimente reich an organischen Substanzen waren.

---

Bushveld Rooiberg , - , : ) - , ; ) , ; ) , . — , . — , ghoststratigraphy , . — . — , , , Rooiberg, , .

     

From subduction to transform motion: a seabeam survey of the Hellenic trench system

Preliminary results of a multi-narrow beam survey of the Hellenic trench system, in the Eastern Mediterranean, are presented. The southwestern Ionian branch is divided in small basins, partly filled with Pleistocene sediments. The morphology suggests that the basins are deformed by a compressional stress acting roughly perpendicularly to the trench along N50°E. This direction is the direction of the regional slip vector of the shallow thrust-type earthquakes. The structure of the southeastern Pliny-Strabo branch is quite different. Narrow en-e´chelon slots, oriented N40°E, have been mapped within the main troughs oriented N60°E. The regional earthquake slip vector is also oriented along N40°E. We conclude that the Hellenic trench system is an active subduction system, dominated by thrust along the Ionian branch and by transform motion along the Pliny-Strabo branch.