The Deep-Water Peyssonnelia Beds from the Balearic Islands (Western Mediterranean)

Abstract. Peyssonnelia bed distribution on continental shelf bottoms of the Balearic Islands (Western Mediterranean) ranges from 40 to 90 m depth. Different species of Peyssonnelia dominate these bottoms and, according to multivariate techniques, two main assemblages have been distinguished: the Peyssonnelia rosa-marina beds and the Peyssonnelia sp. beds, together with some transition samples between Peyssonnelia and maërl beds. Erect red algae are always abundant. Although average yearly irradiance reaching these beds is only 6.4-0.3% of subsurface irradiance, the species richness averages 45 species per sample (1600 cm²) and mean biomass is 2835 g dw. m^-2. The high carbonate content of the living algae of these bottoms suggests that they are important contributors to the production of sediments in the Balearic continental shelf.     

In situ and satellite observations of the eastward migration of the Western Alboran Sea Gyre

During October 2003 an intensive oceanographic survey (BIOMEGA) was carried out in the Alboran Sea, coinciding with a migration event of the Western Alboran Sea Gyre (WAG). The observations gathered during that cruise constitute the first field evidence of a migrated stage of the WAG. In this work we present the main differences between the 3D hydrodynamic fields observed during BIOMEGA and those corresponding to a WAG located at its usual position. The migration of the gyre was followed by satellite (altimetry and sea surface temperature) imagery. The causes of the gyre migration are explored in terms of the quasi-geostrophic tendency equation, in particular of the dynamics governing scales larger than the Rossby radius of deformation. It is shown that the steady state gyre must be almost equivalent barotropic and that the key process to break down the stationarity would be a density advection at gyre scale. The mechanisms to explain the migration of the WAG proposed by previous authors are discussed in light of the explanation proposed in this work.     

Granitoids in the Rozvadov Pluton,Western Bohemia and Oberpfalz

The Rozvadov Pluton is a complex of mainly Variscan granitoid rocks situated near the Bohemian-Bavarian border between Bärnau, Tachov, Rozvadov and Waidhaus, 25 km ESE of the KTB site. Five mappable units can be distinguished, which intruded as folows: (1) slightly deformed leucocratic meta-aplite/metapegmatite dykes with garnet and tourmaline; (2) a complex of cordierite-bearing granitoids, which have been divided into three facies (a) biotite granite with cordierite (at the margin of the complex), (b) biotite-cordierite granite and (c) cordierite tonalite (in the centre of the complex; (3) fine-grained biotite granite of the Rozvadov type with associated pegmatite bodies; (4) two-mica Bärnau granite; and (5) geochemically specialized albite-zinnwaldite-topaz granite (Kríový kámen/Kreuzstein granite) with indications of Sn-Nb-Ta mineralization and associated phosphorus-rich pegmatite cupolas. Rare earth element data suggest that meta-aplite/pegmatite dykes are the result of a batch partial melting process, whereas the compositional variation of the other rock types was mainly controlled by fractional crystallization. The genesis of the cordierite granitoid suite is best explained in terms of a batch melting of metapelitic source followed by crystallization of a cordierite-rich cumulate and K-feldspar enriched melt. The leucocratic pluton constituents — the meta-aplites and the Bärnau and Kíový kámen granites are rich in phosphorus (0.5–0.8%). The main carriers of phosphorus are alkali feldspars, especially K-feldspar (up to 0.8% P₂O₅). The presence of P-rich leucocratic granites is one of the features distinguishing the Variscan granitoids within the Moldanubian zone from the nearly contemporaneous granitoids in the Saxothuringian zone.     

Estimating the minimum in-stream flow requirements via wetted perimeter method based on curvature and slope techniques

Under the assumptions of triangular cross section channel and uniform stable flow, an analytical solution of the minimum ecological in-stream flow requirement (MEIFR) is deduced. Based on the analytical solution, the uncertainty of the wetted perimeter method is analyzed by comparing the two techniques for the determination of the critical point on the relationship curve between wetted perimeter, P and discharge, Q. It is clearly shown that the results of MEIFR based on curvature technique (corresponding to the maximum curvature) and slope technique (slope being 1) are significantly different. On the P-Q curve, the slope of the critical point with the maximum curvature is 0.39 and the MEIFR varied prominently with the change of the slope threshold. This indicates that if a certain value of the slope threshold is not available for slope technique, curvature technique may be a better choice. By applying the analytical solution of MEIFR in the losing rivers of the Western Route South-to-North Water Transfer Project in China, the MEIFR value via curvature technique is 2.5%-23.7% of the multi-year average annual discharge, while that for slope technique is 11%-105.7%. General conclusions would rely on the more detailed research for all kinds of cross-sections.     

Western Alpine back-thrusting as subsidence mechanism in the Tertiary Piedmont Basin (Western Po Plain, NW Italy)

Basin formation dynamics of the Tertiary Piedmont Basin (TPB) are here investigated by means of cross-section numerical modelling. Previous works hypothesised that basin subsidence occurred due first to extension (Oligocene) and then to subsequent loading due to back-thrusting (Miocene). However, structural evidence shows that the TPB was mainly under contraction from Oligocene until post Pliocene time while extension played a minor role. Furthermore, thermal indicators strongly call for a cold (flexure-induced) mechanism but are strictly inconsistent with a hot (thermally induced) mechanism. Our new modelling shows that the TPB stratigraphic features can be reproduced by flexure of a visco-elastic plate loaded by back-thrusts active in the Western Alps in Oligo-Miocene times. Far-field compression contributed to the TPB subsidence and controlled the basin infill geometry by enhancing basin tilting, forebulge uplift and erosion of the southern margin of the basin. These results suggest that the TPB subsidence is the result of a combination of mechanisms including thrust loading and far-field compressional stresses.     

青海西秦岭地区晚中生代基性火山岩地球化学特征及构造意义

对青海省同仁县多禾茂地区火山岩进行系统的元素同位素地球化学研究表明:该地区白垩纪地层中发育的中基性火山岩,属于碱性火山岩系,岩石类型主要为玄武岩,该套玄武岩具有低且变化较小的Si O2质量分数(44.98%~48.20%),低MgO的质量分数高,变化较大(8.15%~10.98%),具有较高的Cr(208×10-6~418×10-6)和Ni(166×10-6~231×10-6)质量分数。所有样品都表现出轻稀土富集的右倾平滑分布模式,轻重稀土分异中等,(La/Yb)CN=10.09~27.2,重稀土弱分异,(Gd/Yb)CN=2.92~4.67,Eu异常不明显,Eu*/Eu=0.99~1.04。Ba,Nb-Ta和Th-U不亏损,Rb,K相对亏损,Sr正异常。该区火山岩具有亏损的Sr-Nd同位素组成,Sr-Nd同位素组成变化范围不大[87Sr/86Sr(t)=0.7033~0.7039,εNd(t)=6.13~8.03,t=110 Ma],与Hawaii-OIB的Sr-Nd同位素组成相似。其所有地球化学特征表明该火山岩具有类似OIB的特征,可能是含石榴子石橄榄岩低度部分熔融的产物。结合对西秦岭地质构造背景和演化历史的分析,暗示该地区晚中生代岩浆源区来源于软流圈,其起源可能与岩石圈拆沉作用,软流圈地幔上涌和岩石圈伸展减薄有关,可为秦岭大别造山带中生代岩石圈演化提供了有利的直接证据。     

贺兰山孔兹岩系的变质时代及其对华北克拉通西部陆块演化的制约

贺兰山孔兹岩系作为华北克拉通西部孔兹岩带的重要组成部分,其变质时代问题一直悬而未决.利用SHRIMP锆石U-Pb定年技术,对贺兰山孔兹岩系中3个代表性富铝片麻岩(石榴堇青钾长片麻岩、石榴堇青二长片麻岩与石榴黑云斜长片麻岩)样品进行了精确定年.发现这3种岩石虽处不同层位,但其碎屑锆石年龄却非常集中,各测点207Pb/206Pb年龄总体变化在2.0～2.1Ga之间,加权平均年龄则在2017～2040Ma之间.这些碎屑锆石都具有岩浆结构特征,反映当时曾存在大规模花岗质岩浆活动,所成岩体为孔兹岩系沉积提供了充足物源.另有少量大于2.5Ga的碎屑锆石(2520～2949Ma),表明本区存在太古代岩浆活动记录.本区石榴堇青二长片麻岩中发育典型的变质增生锆石,其成因很可能与黑云母的脱水熔融反应有关.利用该锆石确定贺兰山孔兹岩系的变质时代为1950±8Ma.该时代与东部大青山、乌拉山孔兹岩系变质时代相同,表明华北克拉通西部的阴山地块与鄂尔多斯地块大体是以平行的方式正面拼贴到一起的,形成了目前的孔兹岩带.     

布尔津盆地西部凹陷铀成矿水文地球化学条件初探

根据水成铀矿床理论，本在论述布尔津盆地水动力及水化学特征的基础上，通过资料综合整理，着重分析西部凹陷第三系层间水的铀水迁移分带规律，对层间氧化带砂岩型铀矿成矿水地球化学条件进行初步探讨。     

一种尚未定名的Ni—As—S—Se矿物相

Ｎｉ－Ａｓ－Ｓ－Ｓｅ矿物相首次发现于西秦岭南亚带拉尔玛－邛莫金－铜－铀建造矿床中。与其共生的矿物有：硒汞矿、硒铅矿、硒梯矿、硒硫锑矿、硒硫锑铜矿、自然金、重晶石、石英等。该矿物颗粒细小，粒度小于１０μｍ。在反光显微镜下呈白色，无内反射现象，为一均质矿物。两个点的电子探针分析结果（ＷＢ％）：Ｎｉ２４．１２３￣２９．３７８，Ａｓ２７．５７４￣３３．８９５，Ｈｇ７．５９１￣５．３５９，Ｓ１３．９３９￣１