Estimation of variation of mercury concentration in the oceans during the last several decades

Variation of mercury concentration in the oceans during the last several decades has been investigated by determining the mercury concentration in rock fishes caught recently andca. 20 years ago. From this result, it is concluded that there has been no variation of mercury concentration in the oceans during the last several decades.     

Internal deformation of Sikhote Alin volcanic belt, far eastern Russia: Paleocene paleomagnetic results

We present paleomagnetic results of Paleocene welded tuffs of the 53–50 Ma Bogopol Group from the northern region (46°N, 137°E) of the Sikhote Alin volcanic belt. Characteristic paleomagnetic directions with high unblocking temperature components above 560 °C were isolated from all the sites. A tilt-corrected mean paleomagnetic direction from the northern region is D=345.8°, I=49.9°, α₉₅=14.6° (N=9). The reliability of the magnetization is ascertained through the presence of normal and reversed polarities. The mean paleomagnetic direction from the northern region of the Sikhote Alin volcanic belt reflects a counterclockwise rotation of 29° from the Paleocene mean paleomagnetic direction expected from its southern region. The counterclockwise rotation of 25° is suggested from the paleomagnetic data of the Kisin Group that underlies the Bogopol Group. These results establish that internal tectonic deformation occurred within the Sikhote Alin volcanic belt over the past 50 Ma. The northern region from 44.6° to 46.0°N in the Sikhote Alin volcanic belt was subjected to counterclockwise rotational motion through 29±17° with respect to the southern region. The tectonic rotation of the northern region is ascribable to relative motion between the Zhuravlevka terrane and the Olginsk–Taukhinsk terranes that compose the basements of the Sikhote Alin volcanic belt.     

Os, Pb, and Nd isotope geochemistry of the Permian Emeishan continental flood basalts: Insights into the source of a large igneous province

The nature of the source of continental flood basalts (CFB) is a highly debated topic. Proposed mantle sources for CFBs, including both high- and low-Ti basalts, include subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM), asthenospheric mantle, and deep, plume-related mantle. Re-Os isotope systematics can offer important constraints on the sources of both ocean island basalts (OIB) and CFB, and may be applied to distinguish different possible melt sources. This paper reports the first Re-Os isotope data for the Late Permian Emeishan large igneous province (LIP) in Southwest China. Twenty one CFB samples including both low- and high-Ti basalts from five representative sites within the Emeishan LIP have been analyzed for Os, Nd, and Pb isotopic compositions. The obtained Os data demonstrate that crustal assimilation affected Os isotopic compositions of some Emeishan basalt samples with low Os concentrations but not all of the samples, and the Emeishan basalts with high Os contents likely experienced the least crustal contamination. The low and high-Ti basalts yield distinct Os signatures in terms of ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os and Os content. The low-Ti basalt with the highest Os concentration (400 ppt) has a radiogenic Os isotopic composition (γOs(t), +6.5), similar to that of plume-derived OIB. Because the Os isotopic composition of basalts with relatively high Os concentrations (typically >50 ppt) likely represents that of their mantle source, this result implies a plume-derived origin for the low-Ti basalts. On the other hand, the high-Ti basalts with high Os concentration (over 50 ppt) have unradiogenic Os isotopic signatures (γOs(t) values range from −0.8 to −1.4), suggesting that a subcontinental lithosphere mantle (SCLM) component most likely contributed to the generation of these magmas. Combining Pb and Nd isotopic tracers with the Os data, we demonstrate that the low-Ti basaltic magmas in the Emeishan CFB were mainly sourced from a mantle plume reservoir, whereas the high-Ti basaltic magmas were most likely derived from a SCLM reservoir or were contaminated by a significant amount of lithospheric mantle material during plume-related magma ascent through the SCLM.     

Revision of the first order triangulation in the region disturbed by the Nankaido Earthquake of 1946

Zusammenfassung Nach dem Erdbeden von Nanka?do im Jahre 1946 hat man das Dreiecksnetz I. Ordnung in einem Gebiet von etwa 300 km Umkreis wiederbeobachtet, und zwar auf 47 Punkten insgeasamt 68 Winkel. Die letzte Triangulation fand in den Jahren 1885–96 statt.—Nach der Ausgleichung des Netzes wurden Punkverschiebungen bis zu 1,69 m festgestellt.

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Resumen Después del temblor de tierra de 1946, en Nanka?do, se ha vuelto a observar la red de triangulación de 1_H orden en un radio de 300 kilómetros aproximadamente. Los puntos de nuevo observados son 47 y los triángulos 68. La triangulaciín precedente se remontaba a los a?os 1885–96. Después de compensar la red, se han deducido los desplazamientos experimentados por los puntos sobre el terreno, que llegaron a ser de 1,69 metros.

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Résumé Après le tremblement de tèrre de 1946 à Nankaido, on a réobservé le réseau de triangulation de premier ordre dans un rayon de 300 km environ. Les points réobservés sont au nombre de 47, et les triangles en nombre de 68. La triangtlation précédente remontait aux années 1885–96. La compensation du réseau effectuée, on en a déduit les déplacements subis par les points sur le terrain, qui importent jusqu’à 1,69 m.

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Sommario Dopo il terremoto di Nankaido del 1946, è stata riosservata la rete di prim’ordine entro un raggio di circa 300 km. La precedente triangolazione risaliva agli anni 1885–96. Effettuata la compensazione, il confronto fra l’anticae la nuova triangolazione ha rivelato spostamenti nei vertici ammontanti fino a m 1,69.

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Communication présentée à l’Assemblée Générale de Bruxelles en 1951     

K–Ar ages of the basaltic rocks from Far East Russia: Constraints on the tectono-magmatism associated with the Japan Sea opening

K–Ar ages of the Cenozoic basaltic rocks from the Far East region of Russia (comprising Sikhote-Alin and Sakhalin) are determined to obtain constraints on the tectono-magmatic evolution of the Eurasian margin by comparison with the Japanese Islands, Northeast China, and the formation of the back-arc basin. In the early Tertiary stage (54–26 Ma), the northwestward subduction of the Pacific Plate produced the active continental margin volcanism of Sikhote-Alin and Sakhalin, whereas the rift-type volcanism of Northeast China, inland part of the continent began to develop under a northeast–southwest-trending deep fault system. In the early Neogene (24–17 Ma), a large number of subduction-related volcanic rocks were erupted in connection with the Japan Sea opening. After an inactive interval of the volcanism ∼ 20–13 Ma ago, the late Neogene (12–5 Ma) volcanism of Sikhote-Alin and Sakhalin became distinct from those of the preceding stages and indicated within-plate geochemical features similar to those of Northeast China, in contrast to the Japan Arc which produces island arc volcanism. During the Japan Sea opening, the northeastern Eurasian margin detached and became a continental island arc system, and an integral part of continental eastern Asia comprising Sikhote-Alin, Sakhalin and Northeast China, and the Japan Arc with a back-arc basin. The convergence between the Eurasian Plate, the Pacific Plate and the Indian Plate may have contributed to the Cenozoic tectono-magmatism of the northeastern Eurasian continent.     

Re-Os geochronology of the Iimori Besshi-type massive sulfide deposit in the Sanbagawa metamorphic belt, Japan

Besshi-type Cu deposits are strata-bound volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits usually associated with mafic volcanic rocks or their metamorphic equivalents. Although there are numerous Besshi-type deposits in the Sanbagawa metamorphic belt, Japan, their tectonic settings and depositional environments remain controversial because of a lack of depositional age constraints. We report Re-Os data for the Iimori deposit, one of the largest Besshi-type deposits in western Kii Peninsula, in order to examine the robustness of the Re-Os isotope system for dating sulfide minerals in the high-P/T metamorphic belt and to elucidate the primary depositional environment of the Iimori sulfide ores. An 11-point Re-Os isochron plot yields an age of 156.8 ± 3.6 Ma. As this Re-Os isochron age is significantly older than the timing of the Sanbagawa peak metamorphism (110-120 or ∼90 Ma) and a well-defined isochron was obtained, the Re-Os age determined here is most likely the primary depositional age. Despite high-grade metamorphism at up to 520 ± 25 °C and 8-9.5 kbar, the Re-Os isotope system of the Iimori sulfides was not disturbed. Hence, we consider that the whole-rock Re-Os closure temperature for the Iimori sulfide ores was probably higher than 500 °C. As the accretion age of the Sanbagawa metamorphic belt is considered to be 120-130 or 65-90 Ma on the basis of radiolarian and radiometric ages, we estimated the time from the Iimori sulfide deposition on the paleo-seafloor to its accretion at the convergent plate boundary to be greater than 25 Myr. Consequently, the depositional environment of the Iimori sulfide ores was not in the marginal sea, but was truly pelagic.     

Postglacial stratigraphic evolution of a current-influenced sandy shelf: offshore Kujukuri strandplain,central Japan

Sandy shelf sediments are important elements of clastic sedimentary systems because of their wide distribution in the geological record and their significance as hydrocarbon reservoirs. Although many studies have investigated shelf sediments influenced by waves or tidal currents, little is known about shelf sediments influenced by oceanic currents, particularly their lithofacies characteristics and stratigraphic evolution. This study investigated the stratigraphic evolution of shelf sediments off the Kujukuri strandplain facing the Pacific Ocean, which is influenced by the strong Kuroshio Current. Sediment cores were obtained from six locations on the Kujukuri shelf (34 to 124 m water depth) using a vibrocorer. The dominant lithofacies is mud-free sand with low-angle cross-lamination associated with alternating beds of finer and coarser sand with cross-lamination. These display depositional processes influenced by storm waves and the Kuroshio Current, respectively. This finding is consistent with the previously presented modern and historical observations of the Kuroshio Current and estimates of the storm-wave base. Radiocarbon dates show that the sediment succession formed during the last transgressive and highstand stages after 13·1 ka. The depositional processes during the stages represent a transition from storm waves with abundant sediment supply to both storm waves and the Kuroshio Current with sediment starvation mainly due to its trapping in the strandplain. Comparison to other Holocene–Modern shelf systems suggests that the sandy shelf successions are strongly influenced by oceanic currents under conditions of limited riverine input and open coastal geometry. The resultant sand-dominated succession is characterized by reversal of the proximal to distal grain-size trend compared to the fining for most other recognized wave/storm-dominated shelf successions. This is because of seaward increase in the influence of the Kuroshio Current. Thus, shelf deposits are naturally complex, and these may be further complicated by the additional influence of oceanic currents above the usual wave-dominated and tide-dominated end members.