Fracture activity: A possible triggering mechanism for slope instabilities in the Eastern Atlantic?

The largest known submarine slope instabilities occur on gently inclined slopes or in the deep sea. The sedimentation rates are mostly too low to induce an excess pore-water pressure sufficient to create failure. A possible triggering mechanism for these instabilities is additional horizontal ground acceleration caused by earthquakes. Old zones of weakness, represented by fracture zones, can be reactivated by isostatic movements and induce seismic activity. The distribution of some major slope instabilities and the trend of fracture zones in the Eastern Atlantic are compared and Fracture activity is suggested as the main triggering mechanism for these slope instabilities.     

Hydraulic characteristics of the Maastrichtian sedimentary rocks of the southeastern Bida Basin, central Nigeria

A set of outcrop samples from the Lokoja and Patti Formations of the southern Bida Basin (Nigeria) was examined for grain size distribution, sedimentary and hydraulic characteristics. Most of the samples are well-sorted with an uniformity coefficient (U) ranging between 1.3 and 6.3. The mean effective grain diameter (d₁₀) is in the order of 0.11 mm, the mean value of d₉₀ was determined as 0.66 mm (both geometric mean) and the median grain size (d₅₀) as 0.23 mm. Based on these values, the sedimentary sequence can be described as ‘fine to medium sized sand’, having minor amounts of either silt, or coarse sand and some gravel. The total porosity of the samples was determined by laboratory methods to be in the range of 9–29%. The hydraulic conductivity (K) was determined according to Hazen.and Beyer, and by Shepherd's formula, the last resulting in a geometric mean of 3.3 m d⁻¹ or 3.3 darcy. The results are used to estimate local groundwater potential. The entire pore space (potential groundwater reservoir) for the area under study is estimated to be in the order of 290–430 km³. Because of higher hydraulic conductivities, it is recommended that the Lokoja Formation is concentrated on as a target for groundwater exploration.     

Adaptation policy and adaptation realities: local social organization and cross-scale networks for climate adaptation on Mount Kilimanjaro

Least developed countries have prepared national adaptation programs of action (NAPAs) to coordinate international adaptation funding to reduce social vulnerability to climate change. The adaptation programs have been written for consistency with existing sectoral policies and development agendas—policies which have thus far led to inequitable and incomplete decentralization of responsibility to organize and manage adaptation at the local level. The capacity of local social organization and of cross-scale networks and flows of knowledge and resources from higher levels of government is insufficient to facilitate socially equitable and sustainable adaptation to climate change. Tanzania’s NAPA, poverty reduction strategy paper, and sectoral policies for forest, water, and agriculture/livestock illustrate the coordination of adaptation plans with existing policies. National and regional statistics and a survey of households on Mount Kilimanjaro—a regional priority for climate adaptation in Tanzania—demonstrate significant gaps in local social organization and cross-scale networks for adaptation. Challenging existing structural causes of vulnerability will be difficult under adaptation plans written for complementarity with the very policies that have produced social inequality. Outside of a few development projects of limited geographic extent, there is limited evidence for socially equitable and sustainable adaptation outcomes. Sustainable adaptation will require substantial new commitments to developing local capacity and cross-scale networks.     

Hydrothermal alteration and mineralisation of basalts from the spreading zone of the East Pacific Rise (7°S–23°S)

At the southern part of the East Pacific Rise (EPR), between 6°S and 30°S a survey on volcanic and hydrothermal activity was performed and samples were obtained by means of TV-controlled grab.This paper deals with altered and mineralized basalt sampled between 7°S and 23°S from five sites in a hydrothermal field.These basalts of tholeitic composition are vitreous to holocrystaline. They have suffered pervasive alteration during which rock-forming minerals (pyroxene, plagioclase) have been replaced by kaolinite, chlorite and smectite. As a consequence, strong depletion of Ca, Cr, Ni, Mg, Sr and Al took place, accompanied by an enrichment of Fe, Cu, Co, Mo, Zn, and Pb. The ore mineral assemblage is rather uniform and consists of pyrite, marcasite, wurtzite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, covellite and goethite.The igneous and hydrothermal activities can be subdivided into different stages: lithification, high-temperature alteration (<400 C), medium to low temperature alteration and two substages of ore formation (250°C – 150°C and <150°C, respectively).This active present-day ore deposition is interpreted in terms of a peripheral zone of a volcanic-hosted ore mineralisation. It may be compared with fossil ophiolite-hosted massive sulfides that formed throughout the Alpine (e.g. Arabia, Cyprus) as well as Caledonian orogeny (e.g. Scandinavia).

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Zusammenfassung Im Südteil des East Pacific Rise (EPR) zwischen 6°S und 30°S wurde eine Übersichtsbeprobung in einem Gebiet starker vulkanischer und hydrothermaler Aktivität durchgeführt. Diese Studie befaßt sich mit alterierten und mineralisierten Basalten die in einem Hyrothermalfeld, an 5 Positionen zwischen 7°S und 23°S genommen wurden. Die tholeiitischen Basalte sind z.T. hyalin. z.T. holokristallin strukturiert. Im Verlauf der sehr starken Alteration wurden die Minerale Pyroxen und Plagioklas in Kaolinit, Chlorit und Smektit ungewandelt. Dieser Verdrängungsprozeß wurde von einer starken Abreicherung an Ca, Cr, Ni, Mg, Sr, Al und einer Anreicherung an Fe, Cu, Co, Mo, Zn und Pb begleitet. Die Vererzung zeigt eine einfache Mineralvergesellschaftung mit Pyrit, Markasit, Wurtzit, Sphalerit, Chalkopyrit, Covellin und Geothit.Die magmatische und hydrothermale Aktivität läßt sich in verschiedene Stadien untergliedern: Basaltentstehung, Hochtemperturalteration (< 400°), Mittelbis Tieftemperaturalteration und Vererzung mit 2 Substadien (250°C–150°C, < 150°C).Diese rezenten Vererzungen lassen sich interpretieren als die Randzone einer vulkanitgebundenen Erzmineralisation. Sie läßt sich mit fossilen Vertretern ophiolit-gebundener massiver Sulfiderze, wie sie im Verlauf den alpidischen (z.B. Arab.-Halbinsel, Zypern) und kaledonischen Orogenese (z.B. Norwegen) entstanden sind, vergleichen.

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Résumé Une étude des activités volcanique et hydrothermale a été effectuée dans la partie sud de l'East Pacific Rise, entre 6° et 30° de latitude sud. Des échantillons y ont été prélevés au moyen d'un engin dirigé par TV.La présente note se rapporte aux basaltes altérés et minéralisés récoltés en cinq points d'un champ hydrothermal, entre 7°S et 23°S.Ces basaltes, de composition tholéiitique sont tantôt vitreux, tantôt holocristallins. Ils ont été le siège d'une forte altération hydrothermale au cours de laquelle les minéraux de la roche (pyroxène, plagioclase) ont été remplacés par de la kaolinite, de la chlorite et de la smectite. Il en est résulté un appauvrissement marqué en Ca, Cr, Ni, Mg, Sr et Al, accompagné d'un enrichissement en Fe, Cu, Co, Mo, Zn et Pb. La minéralisation présente une association simple à pyrite, marcassite, wurtzite, sphalérite, covelline et goethite.On peut distinguer plusieurs stades d'activité magmatique et hydrothermale: formation du basalte, altération de haute température (<400°C), altération de moyenne à basse température avec deux stades de minéralisation (250-150°C; <150°C). Ces dépôts de la nature actuelle peuvent s'interpréter comme la zone périphérique d'une aire de minéralisation volcanogène. On peut les comparer à des gisements fossiles de sulfures massifs liés à des ophiolites, comme il s'en est formé au cours des orogenèses alpine (p. ex.: péninsule arabique, Chypre) et calédonienne (p. ex.: Norvège).

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Is Sustainable Adaptation Possible? Determinants of Adaptation on Mount Kilimanjaro

Adaptation is increasingly planned and funded to reduce negative impacts of climate change for vulnerable social groups; however, vulnerable groups have the least capacity to adapt. Adaptation is therefore unlikely to produce socially sustainable or equitable outcomes. Six adaptation processes on Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, are modeled with logistic regression to identify their determinant factors. Most adaptations simply reproduce unsustainable patterns of social vulnerability rooted in unequal access to land and other resource entitlements. A few exceptions are observed, where low costs, widely accessible knowledge, and community groups with cross-scale social networks enabled vulnerable social groups to implement adaptations.     

Implementation of an optimized Cassegrain system for radio telescopes

We present the antenna design for a radio interferometer, the Arcminute Microkelvin Imager, together with its beam pattern measurement. Our aim was to develop a low-cost system with high aperture efficiency and low ground spill across the frequency range 12–18 GHz. We use a modified Cassegrain system consisting of a commercially available paraboloidal primary mirror with a diameter of 3.7 m, and a shaped secondary mirror. The secondary mirror is oversized with respect to a ray optics design and has a surface that is bent towards the primary near its outer edge using a square term for the shaping. The antennas are simple to manufacture and therefore their cost is low. The design increased the antenna gain by approximately 10 per cent compared to a normal Cassegrain system while still maintaining low contamination from ground spill and using a simple design for the horn.     

Fracture activity: A possible triggering mechanism for slope instabilities in the Eastern Atlantic?

The largest known submarine slope instabilities occur on gently inclined slopes or in the deep sea. The sedimentation rates are mostly too low to induce an excess pore-water pressure sufficient to create failure. A possible triggering mechanism for these instabilities is additional horizontal ground acceleration caused by earthquakes. Old zones of weakness, represented by fracture zones, can be reactivated by isostatic movements and induce seismic activity. The distribution of some major slope instabilities and the trend of fracture zones in the Eastern Atlantic are compared and Fracture activity is suggested as the main triggering mechanism for these slope instabilities.