Geochemistry of Çoruh River Bed Sediments in NE Turkey: Implications in Weathering-Sedimentary Cycle,Provenance, and Metal Pollution

This study defines the source area, sub-aerial weathering, and sedimentary cycle level, as well as heavy metal content and origin, of the Çoruh River bed sediments. The studied sediments are geochemically classified as litharenite based on the ratio of the major element contents. Relative to the Upper Continental Crust (UCC), trace elements Rb, Sr, Ba, Th, U, Zr, Hf, Y, Nb, and Pb are generally depleted; Co, Ni, Cu, Sc, and V are generally enriched; and Au is depleted in some places and enriched in other places. The rare earth element (REE) distributions of the samples exhibit a trend similar to that of the upper continental crust (UCC); however, low to moderate depletion occurs in the bed sediments in UCC. The analyzed samples exhibit low Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) values, Plagioclase Index of Alteration (PIA) values (<50), CIA/WIP (Weathering Index ratios <1), and substantially high Index of Compositional Variability values (ICV) (>1). Thus, the samples are not chemically mature and are mainly derived from non-altered sources and were exposed the simple cycling history. REEs are depleted in the river bed sediments, unlike the world river average silt, world river average clay, and suspended sediment in world rivers. Minor enrichment of Zn, Sn, and Sc contents, low-to-moderate enrichment of Cu content, very severe enrichment of as content, and extremely severe enrichment of Ni content of the analyzed samples are observed. Consequently, stream bed sediments are derived from intermediate sources close to mid-continental crust rather than felsic sources Low-to-moderate degrees of chemical weathering of these sediments indicate increased tectonic activity, increased erosion, and rapid sedimentation in semiarid to arid conditions in the source regions over time. Thus, the sediments are chemically immature. These sediments are exposed to lithogenic and anthropogenic contamination.     

Chromospherically active binaries,kinematics and age connections

Space velocities of 146 chromospherically active binary stars have been calculated. Containing F to M spectral types on the Main Sequence together with G and K giants, this very heterogeneous sample has been divided into subsamples in order to segregate stars so that they have similar kinematics and ages. Dispersions of space velocity components and other kinematical quantities (velocity averages and |Z| distributions) of these groups imply their ages as: Both old and young Main-Sequence systems (<10×10⁹ yr and 1×10⁹ yr, respectively) exist in the sample. Systems containing subgiants (single- and double-lined) or double-lined giants as their companions have ages about 2–3×10⁹ yr. Single-lined giants appear to be older than intermediate disk population stars (>5×10⁹ yr). The possible existence of white dwarfs as invisible companions of some of the single lined giants is suggested in order to explain why these systems are older than double-lined giants.Paper presented at the 11th European Regional Astronomical Meetings of the IAU on New Windows to the Universe, held 3–8 July, 1989, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.     

Trace and rare earth elements as indicators of provenance and depositional environments of Lias cherts in Gumushane,NE Turkey

Trace elements and rare earth elements (REEs) of Lias-aged cherts in the Gumushane area were studied in order to understand their origin and depositional environment. Twenty three chert samples from five stratigraphic sections were analysed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, and mineralogical investigation. Lias cherts in the study area are microcrystalline, cryptocrystalline quartz, and megaquartz depending on mineralogical content. Trace elements of the cherts were compared with PAAS, Co, Y, and Th had stronger depletions in the five sections, whereas V, Ni, Zr, Nb, and Hf had smaller depletions. The distribution of Zr, Hf, and Ta yields Zr/Hf, Zr/Ta and Hf/Ta ratios (25/645, 37/665, and 0.18/3, respectively) that differ from those of chondrites and average upper continental crust, suggesting that these elements are likely non-detrital but are sourced from seawater. Th/U ratios range from 0.04 to 0.45 and are lower than those of the upper continental crust (average: 3.9). Lias-aged cherts have low total REE abundances and stronger depletions in five sections of the PAAS and chondrite-normalised plots. The cherts are characterised by a positive Eu anomaly (average: 4.9) and LREE-enrichment (La_N/Yb_N = average: 3.5). In addition, about one-half of the cherts exhibit positive Ce anomaly (range: 0.25–2.58), chondritic Y/Ho values (range: 3.3–60), and low (La/Ce)_N values (average: 1.8). REE and trace element abundance in Lias cherts indicate that these elements were likely derived from hydrothermal solutions, terrigenous sources, and seawater. The REE patterns of the cherts show that they were probably deposited close to a continental margin.     

Photoelectric photometry of the eclipsing binary V1425 Cygni

Photoelectric differentialB andV magnitudes of the eclipsing binary V1425 Cygni are presented yielding the complete photoelectric light curve of this relatively bright system. The improved light elements are calculated using the least-squares method.     

Evaluation and comparison of landslide susceptibility mapping methods: a case study for the Ulus district,Bartın,northern Turkey

The purpose of this study was to investigate the capabilities of different landslide susceptibility methods by comparing their results statistically and spatially to select the best method that portrays the susceptibility zones for the Ulus district of the Bart?n province (northern Turkey). Susceptibility maps based on spatial regression (SR), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA), logistic regression (LR) method, and artificial neural network method (ANN) were generated, and the effect of each geomorphological parameter was determined. The landslide inventory map digitized from previous studies was used as a base map for landslide occurrence. All of the analyses were implemented with respect to landslides classified as rotational, active, and deeper than 5 m. Three different sets of data were used to produce nine explanatory variables (layers). The study area was divided into grids of 90 m × 90 m, and the ‘seed cell’ technique was applied to obtain statistically balanced population distribution over landslide inventory area. The constructed dataset was divided into two datasets as training and test. The initial assessment consisted of multicollinearity of explanatory variables. Empirical information entropy analysis was implemented to quantify the spatial distribution of the outcomes of these methods. Results of the analyses were validated by using success rate curve (SRC) and prediction rate curve (PRC) methods. Additionally, statistical and spatial comparisons of the results were performed to determine the most suitable susceptibility zonation method in this large-scale study area. In accordance with all these comparisons, it is concluded that ANN was the best method to represent landslide susceptibility throughout the study area with an acceptable processing time.