Representation of Uncertainty and Integration of PGIS-based Grazing Intensity Maps Using Evidential Belief Functions

In a project to classify livestock grazing intensity using participatory geographic information systems (PGIS), we encountered the problem of how to synthesize PGIS-based maps of livestock grazing intensity that were prepared separately by local experts. We investigated the utility of evidential belief functions (EBFs) and Dempster's rule of combination to represent classification uncertainty and integrate the PGIS-based grazing intensity maps. These maps were used as individual sets of evidence in the application of EBFs to evaluate the proposition that " This area or pixel belongs to the high, medium, or low grazing intensity class because the local expert(s) says (say) so ". The class-area-weighted averages of EBFs based on each of the PGIS-based maps show that the lowest degree of classification uncertainty is associated with maps in which "vegetation species" was used as the mapping criterion. This criterion, together with local landscape attributes of livestock use may be considered as an appropriate standard measure for grazing intensity. The maps of integrated EBFs of grazing intensity show that classification uncertainty is high when the local experts apply at least two mapping criteria together. This study demonstrates the usefulness of EBFs to represent classification uncertainty and the possibility to use the EBF values in identifying and using criteria for PGIS-based mapping of livestock grazing intensity.     

The geology and geophysics of the ambrym caldera,New Hebrides

Ambrym Island has an unusually large, well-preserved basaltic caldera 13 km across. The caldera occurs in the central region of an early broad composite cone, which formed a north-south line with three smailer volcanoes. Alter the caldera was formed volcanism occurred within it and along fissure lines running nearly east-west. Two volcanic cones are active almost continuously and historic fissure cruptions have been recorded. The caldera formed by quiet subsidence, or by subsidence accompanied by eruption of scoria lappili similar to that erupted prior and subsequent to caldera formation. The collapse was at least 600 metres and radiocarbon dating suggests it took place less than 2000 years ago. The caldera is detined by gravity anomalies 10 to 14 milligals lower than those at its rim suggesting predominantly ash infilling. Aeromagnetic anomalies show a prominent. nearly east-west lineation, with normally magnetised bipole anomalies over the centre of the caldera and over fissure lines east of it. The source of the present volcanic activity is believed to be located along dyke fissures, with a perched magma chamber beneath the caldera. The geophysical evidence on Ambrym, together with that of regional east trending magnetic anomalies and recent bathymetric results, suggests that the volcanic activity is localised by the intersection of an east-west fracture zone with the axis of the New Hebrides island are.     

Climate change during the Triassic and Jurassic

The transition from the Triassic to Jurassic is associated with dramatic changes in Earth's climate. Pangaea was breaking up as North America rifted away from Africa, the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province erupted, and the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide increased dramatically. This article summarises the changes in Earth's climate associated with this transition, including a discussion of the various impacts of the increased carbon dioxide on the Earth system, the question of whether the wet episode in the Carnian was a global or regional event, the formation of bauxite deposits, and how dinosaur distributions changed over time. Palaeoclimate model simulations reveal the spatial changes in climate between the Triassic and Jurassic, illustrating the subtropics becoming slightly cooler and wetter despite the warming trend for the Earth's average temperature.     

Froth flows in Kenya

A field of volcanic rocks in Kenya includes numerous effusions of fragmental character and sodic alkaline composition — phonolites and trachytes. They show similarities to, and differences from, rhyolite / dacite suites referred to variously as ignimbrites, ash flows, welded tuffs and tuffolavas elsewhere. They are transitional into normal, well-crystallised lavas and cannot reasonably be explained by invoking eitherMarshall's classic ignimbrite hypothesis or its later modification, the ash flow hypothesis ofRoss andSmith. These are considered to be froth flows or foam lavas.The primary process leading to heterogeneity is believed to have been one of very irregular volatiles segregation, due to the stirring effect of flow through conduits and over the surface. A varied range of fragmental, banded, eutaxitic and autobrecciated lava types has stemmed from effects of such segregation, and all these types of structure may be seen within indivual flows, termed structurally composite lava flows.

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Zusammenfassung Natronreiche Effusiva — wie Phonolite und Trachyte — finden sich in Kenya in zahlreichen kleinen Vorkommen. Die Vulkanite zeigen trotz kennzeichnender Unterschiede gewisse Ähnlichkeiten mit einer Dazit-Rhyolith-Serie, die Strukturen aufweist, die man verschieden als ignimbritisch bezeichnet, oder als Aschestrom, Schmelztuffe und Tufflaven beschreiben kann. Die Vulkanite zeigen einen Übergang in wohl auskristallisierte Laven und können nicht mit derMarshallschen Ignimbrit-Hypothese erklärt werden; ebensowenig befriedigt die Hypothese vonRoss &Smith als Aschen-Glutfluß. Sie sollen hier als Schaum-Laven betrachtet werden.Der primäre Prozeß, der zur heterogenen Ausbildung dieser Laven führt, beruht auf einer ungleichmäßigen Entgasung, die sowohl im Schlot als auch an der Oberfläche stattfindet. Die dabei entstehenden Strukturen — wie Brekziierung, Bänderung und Schmelzstrukturen — können alle innerhalb eines Lavastromes beobachtet werden und sollen hier unter dem Begriff structurally composite lava flows zusammengefaßt werden.

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Résumé Une association des coulées de lave renferment des fragments est décrit ici. Les rochers sont semblable aux des rochers rhyolite/dacite qu'on les appelle ignimbrite, ash-flow, welded-tuff ou tuffolava. Ils sont transitionnel aux des laves d'une espèce normal et beaucoup crystallins; ainsi, une explication comme cette deMarshall (hypothèse ignimbrite) ou cette plus tard avancé parRoss etSmith (hypothèse ash-flow) est incroyable. L'auteur dit que les laves fragmentales de Kenya sont froth-flows — des laves écumeux.Le processus primaire qui faisait cette hétérogénéité fût le ségrégation des volatils par l'effet d'agitant la coulée en passant le conduit et en effusion a plein air. Une série des laves, fragmentales, rayées, eutaxitiques, et autobrecciées fut nées de cette ségregation, et toutes ces espèces se trouvent dedans cóulees individuelles, qu'on appelle de structure composite.

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Geology of the Binneringie Dyke,Western Australia

The geology of the Binneringie Dyke, one of the largest true dyke occurrences in the world — it extends for something like 200 miles (320 km.) from east to west, and has a maximum width at Cowan Hill of two miles (3.2 km.) — is described. The dyke is characterised by strongly chilled margins, but only meagre contact effects on the country rocks. The marginal zone is enriched in magnesium and calcium, due to an overprecipitation of early formed ferromagnesians. The marginal rocks are glomeroporphyritic and non-porphyritic bronzite, olivine-bronzite and olivine-bronzite-quartz gabbros, the bronzite having complex exsolution features reflecting inversion from magnesian pigeonite: the rocks towards the centre of the dyke have a progressively more ferroan character, augite-pigeonite gabbros taking the place of bronzite gabbros (the ferroan pigeonite being univerted). There are minor intermediate and acid phases throughout the length of the dyke: these take the form of irregular granogabbro segregation patches, in which there is an excessive development of residual red rock, of granophyric and devitrified acid glass composition. They also take the form of pegmatoid clots, associated with much epidote, amphibole, chlorite, sphene and prehnite. Much of the intermediate and acid material is, however, in the form of sharply bounded dykes and dykelets, within the gabbro: these bodies are chilled against the gabbro, never project through the chilled margin of the main dyke into the country rock and appear to represent infillings by late magmatic phases of shrinkage cracks in the gabbro. Another suite of internal dykes and dykelets has a basaltic character: dykes of basaltic dolerite of volcanic aspect are represented and these reveal idiomorphic olivine phenocrysts, trachytic textures, quartz palimpsests of chalcedony filled vesicles, and devitrified tachylite glass base material.The dyke shows abundant magmatic layering near to its margins — that is in a zone extending in several hundred feet from its margin. Banded material alternates with thicknesses of massive gabbro in a manner reminiscent of Skaergaard. The magmatic layering shows only minor flexural departures from a consistently vertical attitude, assumed to reflect the attitude of the main dyke walls. There is much rhythmic layering involved and also cryptic layering. The rhythmic layers commonly show simulation of graded bedding, and there are also simulations of cross-bedding. The grading in the rhythmic units is consistent — plagioclase towards the dyke wall — in the Binneringie Homestead sections, but elsewhere along the dyke departures from this grading sense have been observed. There is no trace of cumulate texture, and the zoned and poikilitic nature of the bronzites, together with the predominantly zoned nature of the calcic plagioclase suggests that cumulate deposition of early formed mineral phases was nowhere involved, though convective stirring of the large magma chamber in all probability was.In Part 2, unusual layering structures at Sunday Soak, acid breccias at Cowan Hill, and large internal granophyre and felsite bodies south of the Salt Well are described in some detail. The remainder of the text includes a discussion of the manner of emplacement and broader petrogenetic implications of this complex dyke. The results of thirty full chemical analyses are given, and the differentiation trends discussed. The wide variety of rock types represented are considered to reflect fractionation, and contamination is considered unlikely to have been of significance in their development. The vertical layering of this unique intrusion is compared with the marginal layered zone of the Skaergaard Intrusion, Greenland, and it is suggested that it provides a better understanding of the phenomenon of congelation cumulates, which may be a far more significant feature of layered intrusions than has hitherto been realised. The marginal magnesia and lime enrichment is attributed to a diffusion process, akin to adcumulus growth, operating on a congelation cumulus.

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Zusammenfassung Es wird die Geologie des Binneringie Dykes beschrieben, der eine der grö\ten Dyke-Strukturen der Welt darstellt. Er erstreckt sich über 320 km LÄnge von E nach W und hat eine maximale Breite bei Cowan Hill von 3,2 km. Der Dyke zeichnet sich durch stark gefrittete RÄnder aus, dagegen sind nur sehr geringe Kontakterscheinungen zu den Nachbarzonen hin zu beobachten. Die Randzonen sind mit Magnesium und Kalzium angereichert infolge einer bevorzugten früheren Bildung von Eisenmagnesiummineralien. Die randlichen Gesteine bestehen aus glomeroporphyritischen und nicht-porphyritischen Bronziten, Olivinbronziten und Olivin-Bronzit-Quarz-Gabbros. Die Bronzite haben Auflösungsstrukturen, die eine Umwandlung von Magnesium-Pigeoniten widerspiegeln: Die Gesteine gegen das Zentrum des Dykes haben zunehmend einen stÄrkeren Ferro-Charakter, Augit-Pigeonit-Gabbros nehmen den Platz von Bronzitgabbros ein (die Ferro-Pigeonite sind davon unberührt).Es gibt kleinere intermediÄre und saure Intrusionen entlang dem Dyke: Sie nehmen die Form von unregelmÄ\igen Grano-Gabbro-Flecken ein, in denen sich besonders rote Residualgesteine entwickelt haben und die einem granophyrischen und devitrifizierten sauren Glas entsprechen. Sie können auch die Form pegmatoider Aggregate haben, die mit viel Epidot, Amphibol, Chlorit, Sphen und Prehnit verbunden sind.Der Gro\teil des intermediÄren und sauren Materials ist dagegen in Form von scharf begrenzten Dykes und Adern innerhalb der Gabbros zu finden, wobei diese Körper gegen den Gabbro hin gefrittet sind, allerdings nie über die gefritteten RÄnder des Hauptdykes in die Nachbargesteine eindringen. Sie scheinen eine spÄt magmatische Einfüllung von Schrumpfungsrissen im Gabbro darzustellen.Eine andere Vergesellschaftung von Dykes und Adern haben eine basaltische Zusammensetzung. Es sind dabei basaltische Dolerite mit vulkanitischer Struktur vertreten, gekennzeichnet durch idiomorphe Olivineinschlüsse, trachytische Textur, Quarzpalimpseste von chalzedongefüllten Poren und devitrifiziertem Tachylitglas.Der Dyke hat hÄufig eine magmatische Zonierung nahe den RÄndern, d. h. in einer Zone, die sich ca. hundert Meter von den RÄndern aus erstreckt. GebÄndertes Material wechselt mit massiven Gabbrolagen in einer Weise, die an Skaergaard (Grönland) erinnert. Diese magmatische Schichtung zeigt nur wenige Abweichungen von einer bestÄndigen vertikalen Anordnung, die die Richtung des Hauptdykes widerspiegelt. Darin sind viele rhythmische und cryptische Lagerungen mit eingeschlossen. Die rhythmische Lagerung zeigt gewöhnlich eine Art von graded bedding und von Kreuzschichtung. Die Gradierung in den rhythmisch zonierten Einheiten — Plagioklase angereichert gegen den Kontakt des Dykes — ist vorwiegend in der Binneringie Homestead-Gegend zu finden, aber auch in anderen Teilen des Dykes lÄ\t sich diese Gradierung beobachten. Es sind keine Spuren für die Bildung von Mineralaggregaten zu finden, und der zonierte und poikilitische Charakter der Bronzite sowie die vorwiegende Zonierung der Kalziumplagioklase lÄ\t die Vermutung zu, da\ Aggregatbildungen von früh ausgeschiedenen Mineralphasen nirgends erhalten sind, da Konvektionsströmungen in der gro\en Magmakammer dies verhindert haben.Im Teil II werden ungewöhnliche Lagerungsstrukturen am Sunday Soak, saure magmatische Brekzien am Cowan Hill und gro\e granophyrische und felsitische Intrusionskörper südlich von Salt Well beschrieben. Au\erdem wird die Art des Eindringens des Dykes diskutiert und eine petrogenetische Deutung dieses komplexen Dykes gegeben. Die Ergebnisse von 30 Vollanalysen liegen vor sowie eine Diskussion über die Differentiationsprozesse. Die gro\e Verschiedenheit der Gesteine soll eine fraktionierte Differentiation widerspiegeln, und es ist unwahrscheinlich, da\ irgendwelche Durchmischungen stattgefunden haben. Die vertikale Zonierung dieser einmaligen Intrusion wird mit den Randzonen der Skaergaard-Intrusion in Grönland verglichen und lÄ\t uns das PhÄnomen der congelation cumulates besser verstehen, ein PhÄnomen, das wesentlich wichtiger für die Natur zonierter Intrusionen ist, als man bisher annahm. Die randliche Magnesium- und Kalziumanreicherung wird auf Diffusionsprozesse zurückgeführt.

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Résumé Le dyke de Binneringie, un des plus grands du monde, possède une longueur de 320 km et une largeur de 3.2 km (maximum). Ce compte-rendu est divisé en deux parties. La première partie embrasse l'introduction générale, et la pétrographie des roches dans une localité typique proche de Binneringie Station. Les marges du dyke sont vitrifiées et enrichies de magnésium et de calcium, parce que les minéraux ferromagnésiens se sont précipités en excés. Le processus d'enrichissement est décrit dans la deuxième partie de ce compte-rendu. Des gabbros à norite sont exposés aux marges, gloméroporphyritiques ou non-porphyritiques, mais les roches intérieures sont des gabbros à augite-pigeonite, non-porphyritiques. Les marginaux gabbros à norite montrent des complexités d'exsolution dans les cristaux pyroxéniques: le minéral pigeonite, de composition magnésienne, est inverse à la bronzite: mais les pigeonites ferreuses de l'intérieur ne sont pas inversées.Les grand et les petits massifs de roches intermédiaires et acides, exposés partout le long du dyke, faisant de petits dykes intérieurs ou des massifs irréguliers, sont du type « grano-gabbro », granophyre ou felsite. Plusieurs montrent un mésostasis vitreux acide qu'on appelle « Red Rock ». Plusieurs sont pegmatitiques. On trouve aussi de petits dykes intérieurs de basalte à olivine, en partie vitreux et vésiculaire, comme les basaltes volcaniques. Les petits dykes intérieurs sont entièrement dans le grand dyke de Binneringie, et n'ont pas d'extension au dehors du grand dyke. Le grand dyke montre un stratification rhythmique, ainsi qu'une structure comme « graded bedding» et une autre comme « crossbedding». Toutes ces structures sont au plan vertical du dyke, et non proches de l'horizontale comme la stratification dans les intrusions stratiformes bien connues. Le dyke ne montre pas la texture « cumul ».La deuxième partie du compte-rendu du «Binneringie Dyke» embrasse d'autres localités d'intérÊt sur sa grande longueur. La stratification à Sunday Soak, les roches acides brèchiques à Cowan Hill, et les grands massifs intérieurs de felsite et granophyre au sud du Salt Well sont décrits en détail. Le reste de cette deuxième partie embrasse le mode d'intrusion et la pétrologie de ce grand dyke complexe. Trentes analyses illustrent le mode de différentiation. La diversité de roches est attribuée au fractionnement, et non à la contamination. La stratification verticale de cette intrusion unique est comparée avec le « Marginal Layered Zone» de l'intrusion de Skaergaard, au Groenland, et démontre le phénomène des congélations cumulées, décrites à Skaergaard. Ces congélations cumulées ont, peut Être, plus d'importance qu'on suppose. L'addition de magnésium et calcium marginal dans le dyke est attribuée à la diffusion, un processus comme « l'adcumulus cristallisation ».

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Binneringie . 300 , 3,2 . . - , — . . , , . . , 100 , . , Skaergaard, . . . . , . , , . , , , . . , . .

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Formerly Reader in Geology University of Western Australia

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Formerly of the University of Western Australia     

Direct-Push Electrical Conductivity Logging for High-Resolution Hydrostratigraphic Characterization

Fine-scale hydrostratigraphic features often play a critical role in controlling ground water flow and contaminant transport. Unfortunately, many conventional drilling- and geophysics-based approaches are rarely capable of describing these features at the level of detail needed for contaminant predictions and remediation designs. Previous work has shown that direct-push electrical conductivity (EC) logging can provide information about site hydrostratigraphy at a scale of relevance for contaminant transport investigations in many unconsolidated settings. In this study, we evaluate the resolution and quality of that information at a well-studied research site that is underlain by highly stratified alluvial sediments. Geologic and hydrologic data, conventional geophysical logs, and particle-size analyses are used to demonstrate the capability of direct-push EC logging for the delineation of fine-scale hydrostratigraphic features in saturated unconsolidated formations. When variations in pore-fluid chemistry are small, the electrical conductivity of saturated media is primarily a function of clay content, and hydrostratigraphic features can be described at a level of detail (<2.5 cm in thickness) that has not previously been possible in the absence of continuous cores. Series of direct-push EC logs can be used to map the lateral continuity of layers with non-negligible clay content and to develop important new insights into flow and transport at a site. However, in sand and gravel intervals with negligible clay, EC logging provides little information about hydrostratigraphic features. As with all electrical logging methods, some site-specific information about the relative importance of fluid and sediment contributions to electrical conductivity is needed. Ongoing research is directed at developing direct-push methods that allow EC logging, water sampling, and hydraulic testing to be done concurrently.     

Application of Direct Push Methods to Investigate Uranium Distribution in an Alluvial Aquifer

The U.S. EPA 2000 Radionuclide Rule established a maximum contaminant level (MCL) for uranium of 30 µg/L. Many small community water supplies are struggling to comply with this new regulation. At one such community, direct push (DP) methods were applied to obtain hydraulic profiling tool (HPT) logs and install small diameter wells in a section of alluvial deposits located along the Platte River. This work was conducted to evaluate potential sources of elevated uranium in the Clarks, Nebraska drinking water supply. HPT logs were used to understand the hydrostratigraphy of a portion of the aquifer and guide placement of small diameter wells at selected depth intervals. Low-flow sampling of the wells provided water quality parameters and samples for analysis to study the distribution of uranium and variations in aquifer chemistry. Contrary to expectations, the aquifer chemistry revealed that uranium was being mobilized under anoxic and reducing conditions. Review of the test well and new public water supply well construction details revealed that filter packs extended significantly above the screened intervals of the wells. These filter packs were providing a conduit for the movement of groundwater with elevated concentrations of uranium into the supply wells and the community drinking water supply. The methods applied and lessons learned here may be useful for the assessment of unconsolidated aquifers for uranium, arsenic, and many other drinking water supply contaminants.