Osuga Valles

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-04-18

Osuga Valles is a complex set of channels located near Eos Chasma. Orbit Number: 71243 Latitude: -15.2123 Longitude: 321.617 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2018-01-05 06:57 https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22372

REPORT OF CHICO STATE COLLEGE GRIDLEY FARM LABOR CAMP, SUMMER PROJECT (1964).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

HOWSDEN, ARLEY L.; AND OTHERS

A SUMMER SCHOOL AND CHILD CARE CENTER WAS OPERATED BY CHICO STATE COLLEGE AT A FARM LABOR CAMP IN GRIDLEY, CALIFORNIA. THE SUMMER SCHOOL WAS TAUGHT BY COLLEGE STUDENTS AND OFFERED CLASSES AT ALL LEVELS. THESE CLASSES, WITH AN AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE OF 68.15, SOUGHT A POSITIVE SELF-IMAGE AMOUNG THE MIGRANT CHILDREN BY RELATING TO THEM ON AN…

Tiu Valles

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-11-26

The ancient, catastrophic floods on Mars, whose origins remain a mystery, produced a channeled and scoured landscape like this one, which is called Tiu Valles and was imaged by NASA Mars Odyssey spacecraft. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA04013

Auqakuh Valles

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-06-17

The ancient sinuous river channel shown in this image by NASA Mars Odyssey spacecraft was likely carved by water early in Mars history. Auqakuh Valles cuts through a remarkable series of rock layers that were deposited and then subsequently eroded.

Effects of Storm Events on Bacteria and Nutrients in the Bayou Chico Watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hobbs, S. E.; Truong, S.

2017-12-01

Levels of Escherichia coli and abiotic nutrients often increase in response to storm events due to urban runoff. The urban setting, aging septic systems, and ample pet waste (predominant sources of bacterial and nutrient contamination) that surround Bayou Chico, provide abundant possibilities for contamination. E. coli is a gram-negative, rod shaped bacteria commonly found in the intestines of animals; while some strains are harmless, others produce dangerous toxins that can cause side effects and sometimes death. Along with E. coli, inorganic nutrient concentrations (orthophosphate, nitrate/nitrite, and ammonium) are key indicators of water quality. Dissolved nutrients promote the growth of primary producers and excessive amounts lead to algal blooms, often reducing biodiversity. Four sites were sampled weekly in June and July 2017; during which, June had the highest rainfall in comparison to the past three years; these four sites represented three different sub-watersheds of the Bayou Chico Watershed, with differing land-use at each site. Historical nutrient and bacterial data from the Bream Fishermen Association was also compared and examined to determine long term trends and obtain a more in-depth understanding of the dynamics of water quality in th urban setting. E. coli levels were universally high (ranging from 98 to 12,997 MPN/100mL) for all sites and did not show observable correlations to rainfall; possibly influenced by the systemic and anomalous heavy precipitation during most of the summer study period. Nitrate was detected at levels between 2.5 and 154.0 µM, while ammonium levels ranged from 0 to 16.1 µM. Three of four stations showed extremely elevated dissolved inorganic nitrogen and ammonium while one station showed low levels of these nutrients. Correlations between these nutrient loads and rainfall, support the hypothesis that runoff into tributary creeks contributes significant inorganic nutrient loads to the Bayou Chico urban estuary.

Airborne gamma-ray spectrometer and magnetometer survey: Chico quadrangle, California. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1981-05-01

An airborne high sensitivity gamma-ray spectrometer and magnetometer survey was conducted over ten (10) areas over northern California and southwestern Oregon. These include the 2/sup 0/ x 1/sup 0/ NTMS quadrangles of Roseburg, Medford, Weed, Alturas, Redding, Susanville, Ukiah, and Chico along with the 1/sup 0/ x 2/sup 0/ areas of the Coos Bay quadrangle and the Crescent City/Eureka areas combined. This report discusses the results obtained over the Chico, California, map area. Traverse lines were flown in an east-west direction at a line spacing of three. Tie lines were flown north-south approximately twelve miles apart. A total of 16,880.5more » line miles of geophysical data were acquired, compiled, and interpreted during the survey, of which 3026.4 line miles are in the quadrangle. The purpose of this study is to acquire and compile geologic and other information with which to assess the magnitude and distribution of uranium resources with which to assess the magnitude and distribution of uranium resources and to determine areas favorable for the occurrence of uranium in the United States.« less

Spatial thermal radiometry contribution to the Massif armoricain and the Massif central (France) litho-structural study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scanvic, J. Y. (Principal Investigator)

1980-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Although the limited number of images received did not permit construction of a thermal inertia map, important geological details were obtained in the areas of lithology and tectonics. Interpretation of day, night, and seasonal imagery resulted in differentiating broad calcareous and dolomitic units in the Causse Plateau. In the Massif amoricain, some granite massifs were delineated which were not observed by LANDSAT. Neotectonic faults were also revealed.

Ordovician magmatism in the Lévézou massif (French Massif Central): tectonic and geodynamic implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lotout, Caroline; Pitra, Pavel; Poujol, Marc; Van Den Driessche, Jean

2017-03-01

New U-Pb dating on zircon yielded ca. 470 Ma ages for the granitoids from the Lévézou massif in the southern French Massif Central. These new ages do not support the previous interpretation of these granitoids as syn-tectonic intrusions emplaced during the Late Devonian-Early Carboniferous thrusting. The geochemical and isotopic nature of this magmatism is linked to a major magmatic Ordovician event recorded throughout the European Variscan belt and related to extreme thinning of continental margins during a rifting event or a back-arc extension. The comparable isotopic signatures of these granitoids on each side of the eclogite-bearing leptyno-amphibolitic complex in the Lévézou massif, together with the fact that they were emplaced at the same time, strongly suggest that these granitoids were originally part of a single unit, tectonically duplicated by either isoclinal folding or thrusting during the Variscan tectonics.

Kasei Valles Fractures

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-10-27

The fracture system shown in this image from NASA Mars Odyssey is on the northern margin of the Kasei Valles lowland. Fractures like this can become chaos with continued downdropping of blocks and widening fractures.

77 FR 67673 - Fernando Valle, M.D.; Decision and Order

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-13

... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Drug Enforcement Administration [Docket No. 12-56] Fernando Valle, M.D... Certificate of Registration Numbers FV1935595, FV2000711, and FV2000735, issued to Fernando Valle, M.D., be, and they hereby are, revoked. I further order that any pending applications of Fernando Valle, M.D...

Scarp development in the Valles Marineris

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patton, P. C.

1984-01-01

The scarps along the margins of the Vales Marineris display a complex assemblage of forms that have been related to a variety of mass wasting and sapping processes. These scarp segments display variations in the degree of development of spur and gully topography, the number and density of apparent sapping features and the frequency of large scale landslides which reflect the age, geology and processes of slope development throughout the Valles Marineris. This regional analysis should provide more information on the geologic evolution of the Valles Marineris as well as new insight into the relative importance of different processes in the development of the scarp forms. In order to evaluate the regional variation in scarp form and the influence of time and structure on scarp development geomorphic mapping and morphometric analysis of geologically distinct regions of Valles Marineris is being undertaken.

Massification to Marketization of Higher Education: Private University Education in Bangladesh

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahmed, Jashim Uddin

2016-01-01

Massification of higher education is a contemporary phenomenon, and Bangladesh is an excellent example of massification in the sector. With increased alertness worldwide among nations, policy-makers and development bodies, massification of higher education is a requirement of time. Increasing number of youth also contribute to the phenomenon…

AmeriFlux US-Vcp Valles Caldera Ponderosa Pine

DOE Data Explorer

Litvak, Marcy [University of New Mexico

2016-01-01

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site US-Vcp Valles Caldera Ponderosa Pine. Site Description - The Valles Caldera Ponderosa Pine site is located in the 1200km2 Jemez River basin of the Jemez Mountains in north-central New Mexico at the southern margin of the Rocky Mountain ecoregion. The Ponderosa Pine forest is the warmest and lowest (below 2700m) zone of the forests in the Valles Caldera National Preserve. Its vegetation is composed of a Ponderosa Pine (Pinus Ponderosa) overstory and a Gambel Oak (Quercus gambelii) understory.

Stratigraphy of the Kasei Valles region, Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, Mark S.; Tanaka, Kenneth L.

1987-01-01

The thicknesses and geomorphology of the two principal stratigraphic units exposed in Kasei Valles to aid in interpreting the nature of crustal materials and the history of the channeling events in the area are identified and described. Previous studies of Kasei Valles have related the channel landforms to glacial flow, catastrophic flooding, and large-scale eolian erosion. The two units (an upper and a lower unit) form thick sheets, each having distinct geomorphologic features. Thicknesses of the unit were determined through preliminary stereogrammetric profiles taken across many sections of western Kasei Valles and shadow measurements taken of scarp heights from calibrated Viking images having sun angles less than 25 degrees; DN values were examined to confirm that true shadows were observed.

Marte Valles Crater 'Island'

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

10 April 2004 Marte Valles is an outflow channel system that straddles 180oW longitude between the region south of Cerberus and far northwestern Amazonis. The floor of the Marte valleys have enigmatic platy flow features that some argue are formed by lava, others suggest they are remnants of mud flows. This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows an island created in the middle of the main Marte Valles channel as fluid---whether lava or mud---flowed past two older meteor impact craters. The craters are located near 21.5oN, 175.3oW. The image covers an area about 3 km (1.9 mi) across. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the lower left.

Kondyor Massif, Russia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

This is neither an impact crater nor a volcano. It is a perfect circular intrusion, about 10 km in diameter with a topographic ridge up to 600 m high. The Kondyor Massif is located in Eastern Siberia, Russia, north of the city of Khabarovsk. It is a rare form of igneous intrusion called alkaline-ultrabasic massif and it is full of rare minerals. The river flowing out of it forms placer mineral deposits. Last year 4 tons of platinum were mined there. A remarkable and very unusual mineralogical feature of the deposit is the presence of coarse crystals of Pt-Fe alloy, coated with gold. This 3-D perspective view was created by draping a simulated natural color ASTER composite over an ASTER-derived digital elevation model.

The image was acquired on June 10, 2006, and is located at 57.6 degrees north latitude, 134.6 degrees east longitude.

The U.S. science team is located at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. The Terra mission is part of NASA's Science Mission Directorate.

Water and ice on Mars: Evidence from Valles Marineris

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lucchitta, B. K.

1987-01-01

An important contribution to the volatile history of Mars comes from a study of Valles Marineris, where stereoimages and a 3-D view of the upper Martian crust permit unusual insights. The evidence that ground water and ice existed until relatively recently or still exist in the equatorial area comes from observations of landslides, wall rock, and dark volcanic vents. Valles Marineris landslides are different in efficiency from large catastrophic landslides on Earth. One explanation for the difference might be that the Martian slides are lubricated by water. A comparison of landslide speeds also suggests that the Martian slides contain water. That Valles Marineris wall rock contained water or ice is further suggested by its difference from the interior layered deposits. Faults and fault zones in Valles Marineris also shed light on the problem of water content in the walls. Because the main evidence for water and ice in the wall rock comes from slides, their time of emplacement is important. The slides in Valles Marineris date from the time of late eruptions of the Tharsis volcanoes and thus were emplaced after the major activity of Martian outflow channels.

Amazonian volcanism inside Valles Marineris on Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brož, Petr; Hauber, Ernst; Wray, James J.; Michael, Gregory

2017-09-01

The giant trough system of Valles Marineris is one of the most spectacular landforms on Mars, yet its origin is still unclear. Although often referred to as a rift, it also shows some characteristics that are indicative of collapse processes. For decades, one of the major open questions was whether volcanism was active inside the Valles Marineris. Here we present evidence for a volcanic field on the floor of the deepest trough of Valles Marineris, Coprates Chasma. More than 130 individual edifices resemble scoria and tuff cones, and are associated with units that are interpreted as lava flows. Crater counts indicate that the volcanic field was emplaced sometime between ∼0.4 Ga and ∼0.2 Ga. The spatial distribution of the cones displays a control by trough-parallel subsurface structures, suggesting magma ascent in feeder dikes along trough-bounding normal faults. Spectral data reveal an opaline-silica-rich unit associated with at least one of the cones, indicative of hydrothermal processes. Our results point to magma-water interaction, an environment of astrobiological interest, perhaps associated with late-stage activity in the evolution of Valles Marineris, and suggest that the floor of Coprates Chasma is promising target for the in situ exploration of Mars.

Local Seismicity of the Rainbow Massif on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horning, G.; Sohn, R. A.; Canales, J. P.; Dunn, R. A.

2018-02-01

The Rainbow massif, an oceanic core complex located in a nontransform discontinuity on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (36°N), is notable for hosting high-temperature hydrothermal discharge through ultramafic rocks. Here we report results from a 9 month microearthquake survey conducted with a network of 13 ocean bottom seismometers deployed on and around the Rainbow massif as part of the MARINER experiment in 2013-2014. High rates ( 300 per day) of low-magnitude (average ML 0.5) microearthquakes were detected beneath the massif. The hypocenters do not cluster along deeply penetrating fault surfaces and do not exhibit mainshock/aftershock sequences, supporting the hypothesis that the faulting associated with the exhumation of the massif is currently inactive. Instead, the hypocenters demarcate a diffuse zone of continuous, low-magnitude deformation at relatively shallow (< 3 km) depths beneath the massif, sandwiched in between the seafloor and seismic reflectors interpreted to be magmatic sills driving hydrothermal convection. Most of the seismicity is located in regions where seismic refraction data indicate serpentinized ultramafic host rock, and although the seismic network we deployed was not capable of constraining the focal mechanism of most events, our analysis suggests that serpentinization may play an important role in microearthquake generation at the Rainbow massif.

Granicus Valles - False Color

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-01-12

The THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. This false color image from NASA 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of Granicus Valles.

The tectonics of anorthosite massifs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seyfert, C. K.

1981-01-01

Anorthosite massifs developed approximately 1.4 to 1.5 billion years ago along an arch which developed parallel to a zone of continental separation as a block which included North America, Europe, and probably Asia separated from a block which included parts of South America, Africa, India, and Australia. Anorthosite massifs also developed at the same time along a belt which runs through the continents which comprise Gondwanaland (South America), Africa, India, Australia, and Antarctica. This was a zone of continental separation which subsequently became a zone of continental collision about 1.2 billion years ago. The northern anorthosite belt also parallels an orogenic belt which was active between 1.8 and 1.7 billion years ago. Heat generated during this mountain building period helped in the formation of the anorthosites.

Athabasca Valles, Mars: a lava-draped channel system.

PubMed

Jaeger, W L; Keszthelyi, L P; McEwen, A S; Dundas, C M; Russell, P S

2007-09-21

Athabasca Valles is a young outflow channel system on Mars that may have been carved by catastrophic water floods. However, images acquired by the High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft reveal that Athabasca Valles is now entirely draped by a thin layer of solidified lava-the remnant of a once-swollen river of molten rock. The lava erupted from a fissure, inundated the channels, and drained downstream in geologically recent times. Purported ice features in Athabasca Valles and its distal basin, Cerberus Palus, are actually composed of this lava. Similar volcanic processes may have operated in other ostensibly fluvial channels, which could explain in part why the landers sent to investigate sites of ancient flooding on Mars have predominantly found lava at the surface instead.

Chapter 1. Valles Caldera National Preserve land use history

Treesearch

Kurt F. Anschuetz

2007-01-01

The land use history of the Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP) extends back over thousands of years. Few known archaeological properties in the Valles Caldera date to the Paleoindian period (10000/9500–5500 B.C.). These finds include the recent discovery, during ongoing archaeological studies (Dr. Bob Parmeter, personal communication, VCNP, Los Alamos, 2005), of...

Tracer Tests History in the Alburni Massif (Southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parise, Mario; Santo, Antonio

2017-12-01

The Alburni Massif (Campania, southern Italy) is among the most important Italian karst areas, due to high number of caves (about 300), with several karst systems reaching depth of 500 m, and development of some kilometres. This remarkable karst is mainly related to three geological factors: presence of highly karstifiable and low-fractured Cretaceous and Tertiary limestones; peculiar morphological and structural conformation, with four main faults bounding the massif, forming a wide highplain with a variety of infiltration sites; presence of blind valleys and small catchments on flysch deposits, feeding the many swallets at the contact with the limestone rocks. The Alburni Massif represents an important hydrogeological structure, with a potential of about 10 mc/sec. Three basal spring systems are the main outcomes (Castelcivita, Tanagro and Pertosa) while other minor systems are located at higher elevation, as the Auso spring. The Castelcivita and Pertosa caves, located on the Alburni SW and NE foothills, respectively, are of particular importance also for the local economy, since Castelcivita became a show cave in 1930, followed two years later by Pertosa. Since 1950 many cavers have explored the Alburni Massif, due to the high potential of overall karstification, estimated in about 1 300m, and to the presence on its southern slope of the spectacular Auso spring. In this paper, the tracer tests carried out in the Massif are summarized, with the aim to update the available hydrogeological data, with particular regard to the most recent explorations and tests, carried out during the last 5 years, which brought significant new data to the overall knowledge of this remarkable karst area.

Zirconology of lherzolites in the Nurali Massif

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krasnobaev, A. A.; Rusin, A. I.; Anfilogov, V. N.; Valizer, P. M.; Busharina, S. V.; Medvedeva, E. V.

2017-06-01

The age trend (SHRIMP U/Pb) of the evolution of zircon is obtained for the first time in lherzolites of the Nurali Massif. Zircons are subdivided into groups by the crystallomorphological and geochemical features. These specific features in zircon development are confirmed by the age dates. Precambrian dates (no younger than 1190 Ma) correspond to mantle sources of the lherzolite block. The Early Silurian (445-448 and 439-440 Ma) wass the time of lherzolite magmatism of 10-15 Ma in duration. The Middle Devonian (382.9 ± 8.7 Ma) corresponded to postmagmatic processes related to the effect of gabbro-diorite intrusions crowning in the Nurali Massif.

Valles Marineris Basin Beds: a Complex Story

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lucchitta, B. K.

1985-01-01

High resolution stereoimages of the central Valles Marineris enabled detailed geologic mapping on Ophir and Candor Chasmata. Abundant light colored deposits, both layered and massive, fill the chasmata in this region. Units within these deposits were identified by their erosional characteristics and superposition and cross cutting relations. The Valles Marineris beds reflect a history of repeated faulting, volcanic eruptions, and deposition and erosion, resulting in stratigraphic sequences with several unconformities. Because of the preponderance of apparent volcanic deposits inside the troughs, the chasmata may not be simple grabens, but rather giant volcano tectonic depressions. Major events in chasmata development are examined.

AmeriFlux US-Vcm Valles Caldera Mixed Conifer

DOE Data Explorer

Litvak, Marcy [University of New Mexico

2016-01-01

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site US-Vcm Valles Caldera Mixed Conifer. Site Description - The Valles Caldera Mixed Conifer site is located in the 1200 km2 Jemez River basin in north-central New Mexico. Common to elevations ranging from 3040 to 2740 m in the region, the mixed conifer stand, within the entirety of the tower footprint in all directions, provides an excellent setting for studying the seasonal interaction between snow and vegetation.

Diversity of mire massif types in the boreal zone of European Russia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuznetsov, O. L.

2018-03-01

In Russia, mire massif type is the principal structural unit for descriptions of the diversity of regional mire ecosystems of various ranks, vegetation mapping, and decision-making on the use of mires. The classification of mire massifs is based on various criteria and indicators. The botanical-geographical classification of mire massifs of the boreal zone of European Russia is four-tiered, and includes 22 types gathered in groups, subgroups and three classes. For most of the types their characteristic associations and diagnostic species are stated.

Multi-scale, multi-method geophysical investigations of the Valles Caldera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barker, J. E.; Daneshvar, S.; Langhans, A.; Okorie, C.; Parapuzha, A.; Perez, N.; Turner, A.; Smith, E.; Carchedi, C. J. W.; Creighton, A.; Folsom, M.; Bedrosian, P.; Pellerin, L.; Feucht, D. W.; Kelly, S.; Ferguson, J. F.; McPhee, D.

2017-12-01

In 2016, the Summer of Applied Geophysical Experience (SAGE) program, in cooperation with the National Park Service, began a multi-year investigation into the structure and evolution of the Valles Caldera in northern New Mexico. The Valles Caldera is a 20-km wide topographic depression in the Jemez Mountains volcanic complex that formed during two massive ignimbrite eruptions at 1.65 and 1.26 Ma. Post-collapse volcanic activity in the caldera includes the rise of Redondo peak, a 1 km high resurgent dome, periodic eruptions of the Valles rhyolite along an inferred ring fracture zone, and the presence of a geothermal reservoir beneath the western caldera with temperatures in excess of 300°C at a mere 2 km depth. Broad sediment-filled valleys associated with lava-dammed Pleistocene lakes occupy much of the northern and southeastern caldera. SAGE activities to date have included collection of new gravity data (>120 stations) throughout the caldera, a transient electromagnetic (TEM) survey of Valle Grande, reprocessing of industrial magnetotelluric (MT) data collected in the 1980s, and new MT data collection both within and outside of the caldera. Gravity modeling provides constraints on the pre-Caldera structure, estimates of the thickness of Caldera fill, and reveals regional structural trends reflected in the geometry of post-Caldera collapse. At a more local scale, TEM-derived resistivity models image rhyolite flows radiating outward from nearby vents into the lacustrine sediments filling Valle Grande. Resistivity models along a 6-km long profile also provide hints of structural dismemberment along the inferred Valles and Toledo ring fracture zones. Preliminary MT modeling at the caldera scale reveals conductive caldera fill, the resistive crystalline basement, and an enigmatic mid-crustal conductor likely related to magmatic activity that post-dates caldera formation.

Is Kasei Valles (Mars) the largest volcanic channel in the solar system?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leverington, David W.

2018-02-01

With a length of more than 2000 km and widths of up to several hundred kilometers, Kasei Valles is the largest outflow system on Mars. Superficially, the scabland-like character of Kasei Valles is evocative of terrestrial systems carved by catastrophic aqueous floods, and the system is widely interpreted as a product of outbursts from aquifers. However, as at other Martian outflow channels, clear examples of fluvial sedimentary deposits have proven difficult to identify here. Though Kasei Valles lacks several key properties expected of aqueous systems, its basic morphological and contextual properties are aligned with those of ancient volcanic channels on Venus, the Moon, Mercury, and Earth. There is abundant evidence that voluminous effusions of low-viscosity magmas occurred at the head of Kasei Valles, the channel system acted as a conduit for associated flows, and mare-style volcanic plains developed within its terminal basin. Combined mechanical and thermal incision rates of at least several meters per day are estimated to have been readily achieved at Kasei Valles by 20-m-deep magmas flowing with viscosities of 1 Pa s across low topographic slopes underlain by bedrock. If Kasei Valles formed through incision by magma, it would be the largest known volcanic channel in the solar system. The total volume of magma erupted at Kasei Valles is estimated here to have possibly reached or exceeded ∼5 × 106 km3, a volume comparable in magnitude to those that characterize individual Large Igneous Provinces on Earth. Development of other large outflow systems on Mars is expected to have similarly involved eruption of up to millions of cubic kilometers of magma.

Geochemistry of carbonatites of the Tomtor massif

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kravchenko, S.M.; Czamanske, G.; Fedorenko, V.A.

2003-01-01

Carbonatites compose sheet bodies in a 300-m sequence of volcanic lamproites, as well as separate large bodies at depths of >250-300 m. An analysis of new high-precision data on concentrations of major, rare, and rare earth elements in carbonatites shows that these rocks were formed during crystallization differentiation of a carbonatite magma, which resulted in enrichment of the later melt fractions in rare elements and was followed by autometasomatic and allometasomatic hydrothermal processes. Some independent data indicate that the main factor of ore accumulation in the weathered rock zone (also known as the "lower ore horizon" comprising metasomatized volcanics with interbedded carbonatites) was hydrothermal addition of Nb and REEs. The giant size of the Tomtor carbonatite-nepheline syenite massif caused advanced magma differentiation, extensive postmagmatic metasomatism and recrystallization of host rocks, and strong enrichment of carbonatites in incompatible rare and rare earth elements (except for Ta, Zr, Ti, K, and Rb) compared to the rocks of many other carbonatite massifs. We suggest that a wide range of iron contents in carbonatites-2 can be related to extensive magnetite fractionation at the magmatic stage in different parts of the huge massif. Copyright ?? 2003 by MAIK "Nauka/Interperiodica" (Russia).

Interpretation of a Magnetic Map of the Valles Marineris Region, Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Purucker, M. E.; Langlais, B.; Mandea, M.

2001-01-01

A magnetic map of Valles Marineris is interpreted in terms of left-lateral faulting, the first evidence for substantial strike-slip faulting here. Surface exposures of highly magnetic material may exist in the walls of Valles Marineris. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Granicus Valles

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-12-16

The force of moving water from a flood carved these teardrop-shaped islands within Granicus Valles. The orientation of the islands can be used as an indicator of the direction the water flowed. In this case, the water flowed primarily towards the upper left of the image. The image also contains many narrow sinuous channels. Geologists can determine that the floods occurred before a later tectonic event in the region. This event caused the crust to fracture into numerous blocks and fissures (grabens). Many fissures can be seen cutting across the former flood pathways. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA04037

Social Class Barriers of the Massification of Higher Education in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ru-Jer, Wang

2012-01-01

In recent years, the rapid growth of higher education in Taiwan has led to an essential shift from education for the elite to the massification of higher education. Although this massification is making higher education more accessible, one of the main concerns is whether opportunities for higher education are the same among all social classes in…

Maja Valles, Mars: A Multi-Source Fluvio-Volcanic Outflow Channel System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keske, A.; Christensen, P. R.

2017-12-01

The resemblance of martian outflow channels to the channeled scablands of the Pacific Northwest has led to general consensus that they were eroded by large-scale flooding. However, the observation that many of these channels are coated in lava issuing from the same source as the water source has motivated the alternative hypothesis that the channels were carved by fluid, turbulent lava. Maja Valles is a circum-Chryse outflow channel whose origin was placed in the late Hesperian by Baker and Kochel (1979), with more recent studies of crater density variations suggesting that its formation history involved multiple resurfacing events (Chapman et al., 2003). In this study, we have found that while Maja Valles indeed host a suite of standard fluvial landforms, its northern portion is thinly coated with lava that has buried much of the older channel landforms and overprinted them with effusive flow features, such as polygons and bathtub rings. Adjacent to crater pedestals and streamlined islands are patches of dark, relatively pristine material pooled in local topographic lows that we have interpreted as ponds of lava remaining from one or more fluid lava flows that flooded the channel system and subsequently drained, leaving marks of the local lava high stand. Despite the presence of fluvial landforms throughout the valles, lava flow features exist in the northern reaches of the system alone, 500-1200 km from the channels' source. The flows can instead be traced to a collection of vents in Lunae Plaum, west of the valles. In previously studied fluvio-volcanic outflow systems, such as Athabasca Valles, the sources of the volcanic activity and fluvial activity have been indistinguishable. In contrast, Maja Valles features numerous fluvio-volcanic landforms bearing similarity to those identified in other channel systems, yet the source of its lava flows is distinct from the source of its channels. Furthermore, in the absence of any channels between the source of the lava

Biodiversity impact of the aeolian periglacial geomorphologic evolution of the Fontainebleau Massif (France)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thiry, M.; Liron, M. N.

2009-04-01

Landscape features The geomorphology of the Fontainebleau Massif is noteworthy for its spectacular narrow ridges, up to 10 km long and 0.5 km wide, armored by tightly cemented sandstone lenses and which overhang sandy depressions of about 50m. Denudation of the sandstone pans lead to a highly contrasted landscape, with sandstone ridges ("platières") towering sandy depressions ("vallées") and limestone plateaus ("monts"). This forms the geological frame of the spectacular sceneries of the Fontainebleau Massif (Thiry & Liron, 2007). Nevertheless, there is little know about the erosive processes that have built-up these landscapes. Periglacial processes, and among them aeolian ones, appear significant in the development of the Fontainebleau Massif physiography. The periglacial aeolian geomorphology Dunes and dune fields are known since long and cover about 15% to 25% of the Fontainebleau Massif. The aeolian dunes developed as well on the higher parts of the landscape, as well as in the lower parts of the landscape. The dunes are especially well developed in the whole eastern part of the massif, whereas the western part of the massif is almost devoid of dunes. Nevertheless, detailed mapping shows that dunes can locally be found in the western district, they are of limited extension, restricted to the east facing backslope of outliers. Loamy-sand covers the limestone plateaus of the "monts". The loam cover is of variable thickness: schematically thicker in the central part of the plateaus, where it my reach 3 m; elsewhere it may thin down to 0,20-0,30 m, especially at the plateau edges. Blowout hollows are "negative" morphologies from where the sand has been withdrawed. Often these blowouts are decametric sized and well-delimited structures. Others, more complex structures, are made up of several elongated hectometric hollows relaying each other from and which outline deflation corridor more than 1 km long. A characteristic feature of these blowout hollows is the

North Massif lithologies and chemical compositions viewed from 2-4 mm particles of soil sample 76503

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bishop, Kaylynn M.; Jolliff, Bradley L.; Korotev, Randy L.; Haskin, Larry A.

1992-01-01

We identify the lithologic and compositional components of soil 76503 based on INAA of 243 2-4-mm particles and 72 thin sections from these and associated 1-2-mm particles (76502). We present a statistical distribution of the major compositional types as the first step of a detailed comparative study of the North and South Massifs. The soil sample was collected well away from any boulder and is more representative of typical North Massif material than any single large rock or boulder sample. So far, our examination of the 76503 particles has provided a better definition of precursor igneous lithologies and their petrogenetic relationships. It has enabled us to refine the nature of mixing components for the North Massif less than 1-mm fines. It has confirmed the differences in lithologies and their proportions between materials of the North and South Massifs; e.g., the North Massif is distinguished by the absence of a 72275-type KREEP component, the abundance of a highly magnesian igneous component, and the absence of certain types of melt compositions found in the South Massif samples.

Candor Chasm in Valles Marineris

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

Part of Candor Chasm in Valles Marineris, Mars, from about latitude -9 degrees to -3 degrees and longitude 69 degrees to 75 degrees. Layered terrain is visible in the scene, perhaps due to a huge ancient lake. The geomorphology is complex, shaped by tectonics, mass wasting, and wind, and perhaps by water and volcanism.

Geologic Mapping of Athabasca Valles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keszthelyi, L. P.; Jaeger, W. L.; Tanaka, K.; Hare, T.

2009-01-01

We are approaching the end of the third year of mapping the Athabasca Valles region of Mars. The linework has been adjusted in response to new CTX images and we are on schedule to submit the 4 MTM quads (05202, 05207, 10202, 10207) and ac-companying paper by the end of this fiscal year.

Turbulent Lava Flow in Mars Athabasca Valles

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-01-11

This combination of images, taken by NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, helped researchers analyze the youngest flood lava on Mars, which is in Athabasca Valles, in the Elysium Planitia region of equatorial Mars.

Warrego Valles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

3 October 2004 When viewed at 100 to 300 meters per pixel in old Mariner 9 and Viking orbiter images, Warrego Valles appears to be a grouping of intricately-carved networks of branching valleys. This region has often been used as the type example of martian valley networks, and key evidence that Mars may have once been warmer, wetter, and perhaps had precipitation in the form of rain or snow. However, when viewed at very high resolution (1.5 to 4.5 meters per pixel) with the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC), the Warrego valleys break down into a series of vaguely continuous (in other words, not necessarily connected to each other) troughs that have been covered and partially filled by a material that has eroded to form a very rough-textured surface. None of the original valley floor or wall features are visible because of this rough-textured mantle, and thus very little can be said regarding whether the valleys represent the results of persistent flow and precipitation runoff. Despite the MOC observations and the relatively unique nature of these valleys relative to other valley networks on Mars, the Warrego Valles continue to be used by many as an example of typical martian valley networks. The picture shown here is a mosaic of three MOC narrow angle images obtained in 1999 and 2004: M07-02071, R15-00492, and R15-02626. The dark bar near the bottom center is the location of a data drop, lost during transmission. The 1 km scale bar is approximately equal to 0.62 miles. Sunlight illuminates the images from the upper left, north is up, and the scene is located near 42.4oS, 93.5oW.

Petrotectonics of lawsonite eclogite exhumation: Insights from the Sivrihisar massif, Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, Peter B.

2011-02-01

The Sivrihisar massif of the Tavşanlı Zone of Turkey is 1 of less than 10 known lawsonite eclogite localities worldwide. Rocks of the Sivrihisar massif consist of eclogite and blueschist in contact with metasedimentary host rocks and record decreasing maximum pressure conditions across three WNW-ESE striking belts from 16-24 kbar in the northern Halilbaǧı belt to 14-16 kbar in the Karacaören belt and 8-10 kbar in the Kertek belt. Where present, sodic-amphibole, phengite, chlorite, and quartz define a pervasive S0/S1 foliation; garnet, omphacite, and lawsonite define stretching lineations and kinematic indicators. D1 and D2 structures are similar in the Halilbaǧı and Karacaören belts but differ to those in the Kertek belt. D3 structures are uniform across the massif including fibrous calcite that occurs parallel to F3 fold axes. Shear sense indicators from field observations and asymmetric type-I cross girdle of quartz c axes obtained from electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) show top to the south thrusting throughout much of the massif. D1 and D2 structures are interpreted to have formed during exhumation by extrusion along a ˜5°C/km gradient. The Halilbaǧı and Karacaören belts were juxtaposed possibly as deep as 45 km within the subduction channel and exhumed by the arrival of the Anatolide microcontinent at approximately 70 Ma. Homogeneity of F3 axes and calcite fibers across the massif suggests that assembly occurred at blueschist conditions before exhumation through the aragonite-calcite transition (˜350°C) above 8 kbar.

Mohorovicic discontinuity depth analysis beneath North Patagonian Massif

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gómez Dacal, M. L.; Tocho, C.; Aragón, E.

2013-05-01

The North Patagonian Massif is a 100000 km2, sub-rectangular plateau that stands out 500 to 700 m higher in altitude than the surrounding topography. The creation of this plateau took place during the Oligocene through a sudden uplift without noticeable internal deformation. This quite different mechanical response between the massif and the surrounding back arc, the short time in which this process took place and a regional negative Bouguer anomaly in the massif area, raise the question about the isostatic compensation state of the previously mentioned massif. In the present work, a comparison between different results about the depth of the Mohorovicic discontinuity beneath the North Patagonian Massif and a later analysis is made. It has the objective to analyze the crustal thickness in the area to contribute in the determination of the isostatic balance and the better understanding of the Cenozoic evolution of the mentioned area. The comparison is made between four models; two of these were created with seismic information (Feng et al., 2006 and Bassin et al., 2000), another model with gravity information (Barzaghi et al., 2011) and the last one with a combination of both techniques (Tassara y Etchaurren, 2011). The latter was the result of the adaptation to the work area of a three-dimensional density model made with some additional information, mainly seismic, that constrain the surfaces. The work of restriction and adaptation of this model, the later analysis and comparison with the other three models and the combination of both seismic models to cover the lack of resolution in some areas, is presented here. According the different models, the crustal thickness of the study zone would be between 36 and 45 Km. and thicker than the surrounding areas. These results talk us about a crust thicker than normal and that could behave as a rigid and independent block. Moreover, it can be observed that there are noticeable differences between gravimetric and seismic

Ridges near Nirgal Valles

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-03-05

In this observation from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), we see a set of straight ridges in ancient bedrock near Nirgal Valles. The patterns indicate fractures from tectonic stresses, but how have they been hardened to now stand in positive relief after billions of years of erosion? It is possible that groundwater flowed through the fractures, depositing various durable minerals, some of which we see in diverse colors. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22333

Long lasting paleolandscapes stability of the French Massif Central during the Mesozoic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ricordel-Prognon, C.; Thiry, M.; Theveniaut, H.; Lagroix, F.

2009-04-01

Regional geodynamical evolution is mainly constrained by the sedimentary record in the basins. Usually, little is known about geodynamics of the peripheral areas and even less on the evolution of the basement areas. Continental unconformities are essential to estimate erosion rates of basement and to model the crustal dynamics that control subsidence of surrounding sedimentary basins but also uplift and erosion on their edges. Dating such unconformities has always been the stumbling block while it is a prerequisite to constrain geodynamical models. Paleomagnetism has been proven as a suitable tool to date ferrugineous paleoweathering features. The method has been applied to paleoweathering occurrences resting on the Massif Central crystalline basement as well as to paleoweathering features affecting the crystalline basement itself. The remanence measurements were obtained at the Paleomagnetic Laboratory of the Institut Physique du Globe de Paris and data analyses were carried out using PaleoMac 5 software (Cogné, 2003). Relative dating of the paleoweathering profiles have been acquired by comparing the recorded paleomagnetic poles from the analysed samples to the apparent polar wandering path of the Eurasian plate (Edel et Duringer, 1997 ; Besse and Courtillot, 2003). Thick red kaolinitic formations rest locally on the Massif Central basement. They are generally bounded by the Tertiary grabens and buried by the Oligocene formations. Thus these azoic red formations have classically been ascribed to the "Siderolithic" formations of Eocene-Oligocene age. They show many pedogenic features (termites burrows, illuviation and hydromorphic features and nodules) and strong relationships with paleolandscape organisation (leaned against fault scarps, infilling paleovalleys, etc.). Macro and micromorphological arrangements show that these formations are in situ paleosols. Paleomagnetic ages range from 160 Ma (Late Jurassic) in the centre of the Massif Central to 140 Ma (Early

Ectopsocidae (Psocodea: 'Psocoptera') from Valle del Cauca and NNP Gorgona, Colombia.

PubMed

Manchola, Oscar Fernando Saenz; Obando, Ranulfo González; Aldrete, Alfonso N García

2014-04-14

The results of a survey of the psocid family Ectopsocidae in Valle del Cauca and NNP Gorgona, are here presented. Fifteen species were identified, in the genera Ectopsocus (14 species), and Ectopsocopsis (one species); four of the Ectopsocus species are new to science and are here described and illustrated. The male of E. thorntoni García Aldrete is here described. Records of Ectopsocopsis cryptomeriae (Enderlein), Ectopsocus briggsi McLachlan, E. californicus Banks, E. columbianus Badonnel, E. maindroni Badonnel, E. meridionalis Ribaga, E. pilosus Badonnel, E. richardsi Pearman, E. titschacki Jentsch, and E. vilhenai Badonnel, are provided. Ten species were found only in Valle del Cauca, two species were found only in the NNP Gorgona, and three species were found at both sites. The specimens studied are deposited in the Entomological Museum, Universidad del Valle, Santiago de Cali, Colombia (MUSENUV).

An overview of the Valles Caldera National Preserve: the natural and cultural resources

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parmenter, Robert R.; Steffen, Anastasia; Allen, Craig D.; Kues, Barry S.; Kelley, Shari A.; Lueth, Virgil W.

2007-01-01

The Valles Caldera National Preserve is one of New Mexico’s natural wonders and a popular area for public recreation, sustainable natural resource production, and scientific research and education. Here, we provide a concise overview of the natural and cultural history of the Preserve, including descriptions of the ecosystems, flora and fauna. We note that, at the landscape scale, the Valles caldera appears to be spectacularly pristine; however, humans have extracted resources from the Preserve area for many centuries, resulting in localized impacts to forests, grasslands and watersheds. The Valles Caldera Trust is now charged with managing the Preserve and providing public access, while preserving and restoring these valuable public resources.

Research of dynamical Characteristics of slow deformation Waves as Massif Responses on Explosions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hachay, Olga; Khachay, Oleg; Shipeev, Oleg

2013-04-01

The research of massif state with use of approaches of open system theory [1-3] was developed for investigation the criterions of dissipation regimes for real rock massifs, which are under heavy man-caused influence. For realization of that research we used the data of seismic catalogue of Tashtagol mine. As a result of the analyze of that data we defined character morphology of phase trajectories of massif response, which was locally in time in a stable state: on the phase plane with coordinates released by the massif during the dynamic event energy E and lg(dE/dt) there is a local area as a ball of twisted trajectories and some not great bursts from that ball, which are not greater than 105 joules. In some time intervals that burst can be larger, than 105 joules, achieving 106 joules and yet 109 joules. [3]. Evidently there are two reciprocal depend processes: the energy accumulation in the attracted phase trajectories area and resonance fault of the accumulated energy. But after the fault the system returns again to the same attracted phase trajectories area. For analyzing of the thin structure of the chaotic area we decided to add the method of processing of the seismic monitoring data by new parameters. We shall consider each point of explosion as a source of seismic or deformation waves. Using the kinematic approach of seismic information processing we shall each point of the massif response use as a time point of the first arrival of the deformation wave for calculation of the wave velocity, because additionally we know the coordinates of the fixed response and the coordinates of explosion. The use of additional parameter-velocity of slow deformation wave propagation allowed us with use method of phase diagrams identify their hierarchic structure, which allow us to use that information for modeling and interpretation the propagation seismic and deformation waves in hierarchic structures. It is researched with use of that suggested processing method the thin

Automated detection of Martian water ice clouds: the Valles Marineris

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ogohara, Kazunori; Munetomo, Takafumi; Hatanaka, Yuji; Okumura, Susumu

2016-10-01

We need to extract water ice clouds from the large number of Mars images in order to reveal spatial and temporal variations of water ice cloud occurrence and to meteorologically understand climatology of water ice clouds. However, visible images observed by Mars orbiters for several years are too many to visually inspect each of them even though the inspection was limited to one region. Therefore, an automated detection algorithm of Martian water ice clouds is necessary for collecting ice cloud images efficiently. In addition, it may visualize new aspects of spatial and temporal variations of water ice clouds that we have never been aware. We present a method for automatically evaluating the presence of Martian water ice clouds using difference images and cross-correlation distributions calculated from blue band images of the Valles Marineris obtained by the Mars Orbiter Camera onboard the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS/MOC). We derived one subtracted image and one cross-correlation distribution from two reflectance images. The difference between the maximum and the average, variance, kurtosis, and skewness of the subtracted image were calculated. Those of the cross-correlation distribution were also calculated. These eight statistics were used as feature vectors for training Support Vector Machine, and its generalization ability was tested using 10-fold cross-validation. F-measure and accuracy tended to be approximately 0.8 if the maximum in the normalized reflectance and the difference of the maximum and the average in the cross-correlation were chosen as features. In the process of the development of the detection algorithm, we found many cases where the Valles Marineris became clearly brighter than adjacent areas in the blue band. It is at present unclear whether the bright Valles Marineris means the occurrence of water ice clouds inside the Valles Marineris or not. Therefore, subtracted images showing the bright Valles Marineris were excluded from the detection of

Structural and kinematic evolution of a Miocene to Recent sinistral restraining bend: the Montejunto massif, Portugal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Curtis, Michael L.

1999-01-01

The Montejunto massif lies in the apex of a large-scale restraining bend at the southern termination of a sinistral transpressive fault system, in the Lusitanian basin of Portugal. Cenozoic deformation within the Montejunto massif initiated with southerly directed thrusting along the southern boundary of the massif, in association with the development of the E-W oriented Montejunto anticline, probably during the Langhian. Deformation switched to the northern boundary of the massif, in association with a change to NW-directed thrusting and continued development of the Montejunto anticline. The youngest set of structures within the massif is related to the sinistral reactivation of the Arieiro fault system, and steeply inclined bedding. This late phase of deformation represents the accommodation of a component of sinistral displacement across the restraining bend along mechanical anisotropies formed during this progressive Cenozoic deformation event. Variation in the kinematic style of the Main Arieiro fault is related to the angle ( α) between the fault plane and the displacement vector. Where α≈20°, abrupt pene-contemporaneous switches in displacement direction are recorded along the fault, whereas strike-slip kinematics predominate where α<20°. The timing of deformation events in the Montejunto massif is uncertain. However, correlation with the established Cenozoic Africa/Europe plate convergence directions may provide potential temporal constraints.

The Martian, Part 2: Mawrth Valles

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-10-13

All this week, the THEMIS Image of the Day is following on the real Mars the path taken by fictional astronaut Mark Watney, stranded on the Red Planet in the book and movie, The Martian. Today's image shows part of Mawrth Valles, a channel carved by giant floods billions of years ago. The highlands lying to the south and west of the channel are under consideration as a potential landing site for NASA's Mars 2020 rover. Remote-sensing observations from orbit show widespread exposures of clay minerals, indicating alteration by water early in Martian history. These might preserve traces of ancient life, if there was any. For astronaut Mark Watney, driving in a pressurized and solar-powered rover vehicle, Mawrth Valles offers a gentle slope and an easy-to-follow route up from Acidalia's low-lying plains into the Arabia Terra highlands. At this point in his journey, he has driven about 750 kilometers (470 miles). Orbit Number: 38563 Latitude: 24.4297 Longitude: 341.726 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2010-08-24 14:56 http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19797

Ares Valles

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-12-13

This image from NASA Mars Odyssey covers a portion of Ares Valles, an outflow channel carved into the surface of Mars by ancient catastrophic floods. The floods were most likely caused by huge discharges of groundwater at the channel heads. These floods are similar to (but much larger than) floods that created the Channeled Scablands in central Washington State during the last ice age on Earth. The Martian channels are hundreds of kilometers long and occur in a number of regions within equatorial Mars. The material that was eroded away by these floods was deposited as sediment in the northern lowlands. The Mars Pathfinder landing site is several hundred kilometers downstream from the location of this image and the surfaces are probably similar in nature. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA04026

Shed Some Light on the Subject: Teaching Ramon del Valle-Inclan's "Luces de bohemia"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, Jason Thomas

2011-01-01

This essay seeks to provide parallel and interchangeable approaches to teaching Ramon del Valle-Inclan's challenging play "Luces de bohemia". A greater understanding of the cultural and mental frameworks of the early twentieth-century Spanish spectator will permit students to penetrate the dense intertextuality that characterizes Valle's…

Crustal structure of the northern Menderes Massif, western Turkey, imaged by joint gravity and magnetic inversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gessner, Klaus; Gallardo, Luis A.; Wedin, Francis; Sener, Kerim

2016-10-01

In western Anatolia, the Anatolide domain of the Tethyan orogen is exposed in one of the Earth's largest metamorphic core complexes, the Menderes Massif. The Menderes Massif experienced a two-stage exhumation: tectonic denudation in the footwall of a north-directed Miocene extensional detachment, followed by fragmentation by E-W and NW-SE-trending graben systems. Along the northern boundary of the core complex, the tectonic units of the Vardar-Izmir-Ankara suture zone overly the stage one footwall of the core complex, the northern Menderes Massif. In this study, we explore the structure of the upper crust in the northern Menderes Massif with cross-gradient joint inversion of gravity and aeromagnetic data along a series of 10-km-deep profiles. Our inversions, which are based on gravity and aeromagnetic measurements and require no geological and petrophysical constraints, reveal the salient features of the Earth's upper crust. We image the northern Menderes Massif as a relatively homogenous domain of low magnetization and medium to high density, with local anomalies related to the effect of interspersed igneous bodies and shallow basins. In contrast, both the northern and western boundaries of the northern Menderes Massif stand out as domains where dense mafic, metasedimentary and ultramafic domains with a weak magnetic signature alternate with low-density igneous complexes with high magnetization. With our technique, we are able to delineate Miocene basins and igneous complexes, and map the boundary between intermediate to mafic-dominated subduction-accretion units of the suture zone and the underlying felsic crust of the Menderes Massif. We demonstrate that joint gravity and magnetic inversion are not only capable of imaging local and regional changes in crustal composition, but can also be used to map discontinuities of geodynamic significance such as the Vardar-Izmir-Ankara suture and the West Anatolia Transfer Zone.

Evidence for polymetamorphic garnet growth in the Çine (southern Menderes) Massif, Western Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, C. B.; Catlos, E. J.; Sorensen, S. S.; Çemen, I.; Hancer, M.

2008-07-01

Garnet-based thermobarometry is often used to develop models for the evolution of the Menderes Massif, a key Aegean metamorphic core complex. Here we present X-ray element maps and high-contrast backscattered electron (BSE) and cathodoluminescence (CL) images from a garnet-bearing rock from the Çine (southern Menderes) Massif. The images document a polymetamorphic history as plagioclase and garnet grains show distinct cores and rims. The sample contains matrix monazite in reaction with allanite. The garnet in the sample is likely not in equilibrium with its matrix minerals. This is evidenced by BSE images that document compositional variability in both core and rim zoning and tracks of bright streaks extending from rim to core. We propose that some garnet that is now present in the Menderes Massif formed due to collision during Cambro-Ordovician and may have recrystallized during subsequent collisional and extensional events. These processes led to non-equilibrium compositions and can result in spurious pressure-temperature (P-T) calculations. To establish the feasibility of the P-T estimates of rocks from the Çine Massif for input into tectonic models for the region, more than one sample from single outcrops should be analyzed. Rocks within the Çine Massif have been suggested to display inverted metamorphism, an increase in T towards structurally higher levels. Based on the garnet documented here, we propose that the inverted metamorphism may be a consequence of apparent P-T rather than a real phenomenon.

Dry Climate as Major Factor Controlling Formation of Hydrated Sulfate Minerals in Valles Marineris on Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szynkiewicz, A.

2016-12-01

In this study, a model for the formation of hydrated sulfate salts (Mg-Ca-Na sulfates) in the Rio Puerco watershed of New Mexico, a terrestrial analog site from the semi-arid Southwest U.S., was used to assess the origin and climate condition that may have controlled deposition of hydrated sulfates in Valles Marineris on Mars. In this analog site, the surface accumulation of sulfate minerals along canyon walls, slopes and valley surfaces closely resemble occurrences of hydrated sulfates in Valles Marineris on Mars. Significant surface accumulations of Mg-Ca-Na sulfates are a result of prevailing semiarid conditions and a short-lived hydrological cycle that mobilizes sulfur present in the bedrock as sulfides, sulfate minerals, and atmospheric deposition. Repeating cycles of salt dissolution and re-precipitation appear to be the underpinning processes that serve to transport sulfate from bedrock to sulfate salts (e.g., efflorescences) and into surface water. This process occurs in the shallow surface environment and is not accompanied by deep groundwater flow because of prevailing dry conditions and low annual precipitation. Generally, close resemblance of surface occurrence and mineralogical composition of sulfate salts between the studied terrestrial analog and Valles Marineris suggest that a similar sulfate cycle, involving limited water activity during formation of hydrated sulfates, was once present in Valles Marineris. Measured as efflorescence, the distributed surface mass of hydrated sulfates in Valles Marineris is relatively small (4 to 42%) when compared to terrestrial settings with higher surface accumulation of sulfate minerals such as the White Sands gypsum dune field. Under semi-arid conditions similar to the studied analog in the Rio Pueurco watershed, it would take only 100 to 1,000 years to activate an equivalent flux of aqueous sulfate in Valles Marineris, when comparing terrestrial annual sulfate fluxes from the Rio Puerco watershed with the amount

Valles Marineris Hemisphere

NASA Image and Video Library

1996-06-03

Mosaic composed of 102 Viking Orbiter images of Mars, covering nearly a full hemisphere of the planet (approximate latitude -55 to 60 degrees, longitude 30 to 130 degrees). The mosaic is in a point-perspective projection with a scale of about 1 km/pixel. The color variations have been enhanced by a factor of about two, and the large-scale brightness variations (mostly due to sun-angle variations) have been normalized by large-scale filtering. The center of the scene shows the entire Valles Marineris canyon system, over 3,000 km long and up to 8 km deep, extending from Noctis Labyrinthus, the arcuate system of graben to the west, to the chaotic terrain to the east. Bright white layers of material in the eastern canyons may consist of carbonates deposited in ancient lakes. Huge ancient river channels begin from the chaotic terrain and from north-central canyons and run north. Many of the channels flowed into a basin called Acidalia Planitia, which is the dark area in the extreme north of this picture. The Viking 1 landing site (Mutch Memorial Station) is located in Chryse Planitia, south of Acidalia Planitia. The three Tharsis volcanoes (dark red spots), each about 25 km high, are visible to the west. The large crater with two prominent rings located at the bottom of this image is named Lowell, after the Flagstaff astronomer. The images were acquired by Viking Orbiter 1 in 1980 during early northern summer on Mars (Ls = 70 degrees); the atmosphere was relatively dust-free. A variety of clouds appear as bright blue streaks and hazes, and probably consist of water ice. Long, linear clouds north of central Valles Marineris appear to emanate from impact craters. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00003

Higher Education, Changing Labour Market and Social Mobility in the Era of Massification in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mok, Ka Ho; Wu, Alfred M.

2016-01-01

This article attempts to investigate the relationship between the massification of higher education, labour market and social mobility in contemporary China. Though only a short period of time has elapsed from elite to mass education, China's higher education has been characterised as a wide, pervasive massification process. Similar to other East…

Seasonal composition, abundance and biomass of the subestuarine fish assemblage in Solís Chico (Río de la Plata estuary, Uruguay).

PubMed

Plavan, A Acuña; Gurdek, R; Muñoz, N; Gutierrez, J M; Spósito, M; Correa, P; Caride, A

2017-01-01

The large estuaries can present long narrow branches called subestuaries or tidal creeks. These types of subsystems are distributed along the Uruguayan coast of the Río de la Plata estuary and are very important as nursery and refuge areas for fish. For the first time, the seasonal composition and abundance of the fish community of the Solís Chico subestuary was studied by using beach and gill nets. Fourteen species, mainly euryhaline (86%) presented a significant representation of juvenile stages. The fish community was dominated by Odontesthes argentinensis, Platanichthys platana, Mugil liza, Brevoortia aurea, Micropogonias furnieri and Paralichthys orbignyanus, similar to adjacent subestuaries. While Micropogonias furnieri and B. aurea were the most abundant species, some other species were rarely caught. A seasonal variation of the fish assemblage abundance was detected, with higher values in autumn showing a positive correlation with temperature. Species that complete their life cycle in the Río de la Plata estuary, some of which are relevant to fisheries (64% of the analyzed species) were captured in the Solís Chico subestuary. The importance of this environment as a transitional system for some estuarine fish species is advised.

Episodes of fluvial and volcanic activity in Mangala Valles, Mars

PubMed Central

Keske, Amber L.; Hamilton, Christopher W.; McEwen, Alfred S.; Daubar, Ingrid J.

2017-01-01

A new mapping-based study of the 900-km-long Mangala Valles outflow system was motivated by the availability of new high-resolution images and continued debates about the roles of water and lava in outflow channels on Mars. This study uses photogeologic analysis, geomorphic surface mapping, cratering statistics, and relative stratigraphy. Results show that Mangala Valles underwent at least two episodes of fluvial activity and at least three episodes of volcanic activity during the Late Amazonian. The occurrence of scoured bedrock at the base of the mapped stratigraphy, in addition to evidence provided by crater retention ages, suggests that fluvial activity preceded the deposition of two of the volcanic units. Crater counts performed at 30 locations throughout the area have allowed us to construct the following timeline: (1) formation of Noachian Highlands and possible initial flooding event(s) before ~1 Ga, (2) emplacement of Tharsis lava flows in the valley from ~700 to 1000 Ma, (3) a megaflooding event at ~700–800 Ma sourced from Mangala Fossa, (4) valley fill by a sequence of lava flows sourced from Mangala Fossa ~400–500 Ma, (5) another megaflooding event from ~400 Ma, (6) a final phase of volcanism sourced from Mangala Fossa ~300–350 Ma, and (7) emplacement of eolian sedimentary deposits in the northern portion of the valley ~300 Ma. These results are consistent with alternating episodes of aqueous flooding and volcanism in the valles. This pattern of geologic activity is similar to that of other outflow systems, such as Kasei Valles, suggesting that there is a recurring, and perhaps coupled, nature of these processes on Mars. PMID:29176911

Episodes of fluvial and volcanic activity in Mangala Valles, Mars.

PubMed

Keske, Amber L; Hamilton, Christopher W; McEwen, Alfred S; Daubar, Ingrid J

2015-01-01

A new mapping-based study of the 900-km-long Mangala Valles outflow system was motivated by the availability of new high-resolution images and continued debates about the roles of water and lava in outflow channels on Mars. This study uses photogeologic analysis, geomorphic surface mapping, cratering statistics, and relative stratigraphy. Results show that Mangala Valles underwent at least two episodes of fluvial activity and at least three episodes of volcanic activity during the Late Amazonian. The occurrence of scoured bedrock at the base of the mapped stratigraphy, in addition to evidence provided by crater retention ages, suggests that fluvial activity preceded the deposition of two of the volcanic units. Crater counts performed at 30 locations throughout the area have allowed us to construct the following timeline: (1) formation of Noachian Highlands and possible initial flooding event(s) before ~1 Ga, (2) emplacement of Tharsis lava flows in the valley from ~700 to 1000 Ma, (3) a megaflooding event at ~700-800 Ma sourced from Mangala Fossa, (4) valley fill by a sequence of lava flows sourced from Mangala Fossa ~400-500 Ma, (5) another megaflooding event from ~400 Ma, (6) a final phase of volcanism sourced from Mangala Fossa ~300-350 Ma, and (7) emplacement of eolian sedimentary deposits in the northern portion of the valley ~300 Ma. These results are consistent with alternating episodes of aqueous flooding and volcanism in the valles. This pattern of geologic activity is similar to that of other outflow systems, such as Kasei Valles, suggesting that there is a recurring, and perhaps coupled, nature of these processes on Mars.

Pits and Channels of Hebrus Valles

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-01-26

The drainages in this image are part of Hebrus Valles, an outflow channel system likely formed by catastrophic floods. Hebrus Valles is located in the plains of the Northern lowlands, just west of the Elysium volcanic region. Individual channels range from several hundred meters to several kilometers wide and form multi-threaded (anastamosing) patterns. Separating the channels are streamlined forms, whose tails point downstream and indicate that channel flow is to the north. The channels seemingly terminate in an elongated pit that is approximately 1875 meters long and 1125 meters wide. Using the shadow that the wall has cast on the floor of the pit, we can estimate that the pit is nearly 500 meters deep. The pit, which formed after the channels, exposes a bouldery layer below the dusty surface mantle and is underlain by sediments. Boulders several meters in diameter litter the slopes down into the pit. Pits such as these are of interest as possible candidate landing sites for human exploration because they might retain subsurface water ice (Schulze-Makuch et al. 2016, 6th Mars Polar Conf.) that could be utilized by future long-term human settlements. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA11704

Dating the Late Archaic occupation of the Norte Chico region in Peru.

PubMed

Haas, Jonathan; Creamer, Winifred; Ruiz, Alvaro

2004-12-23

The Norte Chico region on the coast of Peru north of Lima consists of four adjacent river valleys--Huaura, Supe, Pativilca and Fortaleza--in which archaeologists have been aware of a number of apparently early sites for more than 40 years (refs 1- 3). To clarify the early chronology in this region, we undertook fieldwork in 2002 and 2003 to determine the dates of occupation of sites in the Fortaleza and Pativilca valleys. Here we present 95 new radiocarbon dates from a sample of 13 of more than 20 large, early sites. These sites share certain basic characteristics, including large-scale monumental architecture, extensive residential architecture and a lack of ceramics. The 95 new dates confirm the emergence and development of a major cultural complex in this region during the Late Archaic period between 3000 and 1800 calibrated calendar years bc. The results help to redefine a broader understanding of the respective roles of agricultural and fishing economies in the beginnings of civilization in South America.

The Apollo 17 samples: The Massifs and landslide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ryder, Graham

1992-01-01

More than 50 kg of rock and regolith samples, a little less than half the total Apollo 17 sample mass, was collected from the highland stations at Taurus-Littrow. Twice as much material was collected from the North Massif as from the South Massif and its landslide (the apparent disproportionate collecting at the mare sites is mainly a reflection of the large size of a few individual basalt samples). Descriptions of the collection, documentation, and nature of the samples are given. A comprehensive catalog is currently being produced. Many of the samples have been intensely studied over the last 20 years and some of the rocks have become very familiar and depicted in popular works, particularly the dunite clast (72415), the troctolite sample (76535), and the station 6 boulder samples. Most of the boulder samples have been studied in Consortium mode, and many of the rake samples have received a basic petrological/geochemical characterization.

Geologic Mapping of Athabasca Valles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keszthelyi, L. P.; Jaeger, W. L.; Tanaka, K.; Hare, T.

2008-01-01

Two factors drive us to map the Athabasca Valles area in unusual detail: (1) the extremely well-preserved and exposed surface morphologies and (2) the extensive high resolution imaging. In particular, the near-complete CTX coverage of Athabasca Valles proper and the extensive coverage of its surroundings have been invaluable. The mapping has been done exclusively in ArcGIS, using individual CTX, THEMIS VIS, and MOC frames overlying the THEMIS IR daytime basemap. MOLA shot points and gridded DTMs are also included. It was found that CTX images processed through ISIS are almost always within 300 m of the MOLA derived locations, and usually within tens of meters, with no adjustments to camera pointing. THEMIS VIS images appear to be systematically shifted to the southwest of their correct positions and MOC images are often kilometers off. The good SNR and minimal artifacts make the CTX images vastly more useful than the THEMIS VIS or MOC images. The bulk of the mapping was done at 1:50,000 scale on CTX images. In more complex areas, mapping at 1:24,000 proved necessary. The CTX images were usually simultaneously viewed on a second monitor using the ISIS3 qview program to display the full dynamic range of the CTX data. Where CTX data was not available, mapping was often done at 1:100,000 and most contacts are mapped as approximate.

Structure, age, and ore potential of the Burpala rare-metal alkaline massif, northern Baikal region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vladykin, N. V.; Sotnikova, I. A.; Kotov, A. B.; Yarmolyuk, V. V.; Sal'nikova, E. B.; Yakovleva, S. Z.

2014-07-01

The Burpala alkaline massif is a unique geological object. More than 50 Zr, Nb, Ti, Th, Be, and REE minerals have been identified in rare-metal syenite of this massif. Their contents often reach tens of percent, and concentrations of rare elements in rocks are as high as 3.6% REE, 4% Zr, 0.5% Y, 0.5% Nb, 0.5% Th, and 0.1% U. Geological and geochemical data show that all rocks in the Burpala massif are derivatives of alkaline magma initially enriched in rare elements. These rocks vary in composition from shonkinite, melanocratic syenite, nepheline and alkali syenites to alaskite and alkali granite. The extreme products of magma fractionation are rare-metal pegmatites, apatite-fluorite rocks, and carbonatites. The primary melts were related to the enriched EM-2 mantle source. The U-Pb zircon ages of pulaskite (main intrusive phase) and rare-metal syenite (vein phase) are estimated at 294 ± 1 and 283 ± 8 Ma, respectively. The massif was formed as a result of impact of the mantle plume on the active continental margin of the Siberian paleocontinent.

Mineralogy and geochemistry of the Tartai massif, East Siberian metallogenic province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Podlipsky, M. Yu.; Mekhonoshin, A. S.; Tolstykh, N. D.; Vishnevskiy, A. V.; Polyakov, G. V.

2015-05-01

The Tartai ultramafic-mafic massif is located in the central part of the East Siberian metallogenic (PGE-Cu-Ni) province (728-712 Ma), which constitutes part of the southern margin of the Siberian craton. This dunite-peridotite-pyroxenite-gabbro massif is the host to low-sulfide PGE-Cu-Ni mineralization. The massif was formed by fractional crystallization of picritic magmas and is composed of wehrlite, dunite, plagiowehrlite, and olivine melanogabbro. The composition of olivine varies from Fo89.9 in dunite to Fo83 in melanocratic olivine gabbro; clinopyroxene is esentially augite. Chrome-spinels crystallized at a low degree of oxidation and have a high iron content. Disseminated sulfide mineralization (pentlandite and heazlewoodite) with high PGE concentrations was identified in wehrlites. Pentlandite is enriched in Fe and Co and depleted in S. These features and the association pentlandite with heazlewoodite suggest that the sulfide mineralization was formed over a wide temperature range (600-400°C) at low sulfur activity (log fS2 from -16 to -9). PGM are represented by Ir-bearing sperrylite, Pd-Cu-Sb panning compounds of variable compositions, Pt-Fe-Cu and Pt-Cu alloys. The evolutionary trend of the ore system was from essentially Ni compositions at the early magmatic stage during formation of disseminated mineralization toward Cu-rich composition at the post-magmatic stage. The PGM assemblage from heavy concentrate haloes differs from bedrock-hosted mineralization in its wider variety of mineral species and the presence of refractory platinoids. Sperrylite from heavy concentrate haloes of the Tartai massif serves as a reliable prospecting guide for bedrock-hosted sulfide Cu-Ni deposits.

Basaltic Ring Structures as an Analog for Ring Features in Athabasca Valles, Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaeger, W. L.; Keszthelyi, L. P.; Burr, D. M.; Emery, J. P.; Baker, V. R.; McEwen, A. S.; Miyamoto, H.

2005-01-01

Basaltic ring structures (BRSs) are enigmatic, quasi-circular landforms in eastern Washington State that were first recognized in 1965. They remained a subject of geologic scrutiny through the 1970 s and subsequently faded from the spotlight, but recent Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) images showing morphologically similar structures in Athabasca Valles, Mars, have sparked renewed interest in BRSs. The only known BRSs occur in the Channeled Scabland, a region where catastrophic Pleistocene floods from glacial Lake Missoula eroded into the Miocene flood basalts of the Columbia Plateau. The geologic setting of the martian ring structures (MRSs) is similar; Athabasca Valles is a young channel system that formed when catastrophic aqueous floods carved into a volcanic substrate. This study investigates the formation of terrestrial BRSs and examines the extent to which they are appropriate analogs for the MRSs in Athabasca Valles.

Francisco Vallés and the Renaissance reinterpretation of Aristotle's Meteorologica IV as a medical text.

PubMed

Martin, Craig

2002-01-01

In this paper I describe the context and goals of Francisco Vallés In IV librum Meteorologicorum commentaria (1558). Vallés' work stands as a landmark because it interprets a work of Aristotle's natural philosophy specifically for medical doctors and medical theory. Vallés' commentary is representative of new understandings of Galenic-Hippocratic medicine that emerged as a result of expanding textual knowledge. These approaches are evident in a number of sixteenth-century commentaries on Meteorologica IV; in particular the works of Pietro Pomponazzi, Lodovico Boccadiferro, Jacob Schegk, and Francesco Vimercati. Vallés' conviction that Meteorologica IV is relevant to medical knowledge depends on his understanding of Aristotle's theory of homeomerous substances and their relation to composite substances. The application of Meteorologica IV to medical topics became commonplace in the following years, and this Aristotelian book became widely known as a bridge between natural philosophy and medicine.

The peculiarities of structurizing enclosing rock massif while developing a coal seam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozyreva, E. N.; Shinkevich, M. V.

2017-09-01

Different concepts of the development of geo-mechanical processes during longwall mining of a seam which are fundamentally different from the conventional ones are introduced in the article. Fundamental principles of the model for structurizing enclosing rock mass while longwall mining along the strike are described. The model was developed on the bases of non-linear geomechanical laws. According to the model, rock mass in the area of mining operation is organized as rock geomechanical layers with shifting arches. And the formation period of shifting arches in disintegrated rock mass is divisible by the length of the stope. Undulate characteristic of a massif as a peculiarity of man-made structurization of a massif is defined. It is shown that structuring the broken massif causes the formation of block-structured system and it can be detected while monitoring the ground pressure in powered support props. The results of the research allow decreasing the negative influence of a ground pressure and can be applied to specify parameters for controlling the roof, defining geometrical dimensions of a mining section and positioning of holing chute (face entry).

A-type granites from the Guéra Massif, Central Chad: Petrology, geochemistry, geochronology, and petrogenesis.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pham, Ngoc Ha T.; Shellnutt, J. Gregory; Yeh, Meng-Wan; Lee, Tung-Yi

2017-04-01

The poorly studied Saharan Metacraton of North-Central Africa is located between the Arabian-Nubian Shield in the east, the Tuareg Shield in the west and the Central African Orogenic Belt in the south. The Saharan Metacraton is composed of Neoproterozoic juvenile crust and the relics of pre-Neoproterozoic components reactivated during the Pan-African Orogeny. The Republic of Chad, constrained within the Saharan Metacraton, comprises a Phanerozoic cover overlying Precambrian basement outcroppings in four distinct massifs: the Mayo Kebbi, Tibesti, Ouaddaï, and the Guéra. The Guéra massif is the least studied of the four massifs but it likely preserves structures that were formed during the collision between Congo Craton and Saharan Metacraton. The Guéra Massif is composed of mostly granitic rocks. The granitoids have petrologic features that are consistent with A-type granite, such as micrographic intergrowth of sodic and potassic feldspar, the presence of sodic- and iron-rich amphibole, and iron-rich biotite. Compositionally, the granitic rocks of the Guéra Massif have high silica (SiO2 ≥ 68.9 wt.%) content and are metaluminous to marginally peraluminous. The rocks are classified as ferroan calc-alkalic to alkali-calcic with moderately high to very high Fe* ratios. The first zircon U/Pb geochronology of the silicic rocks from the Guéra Massif yielded three main age groups: 590 Ma, 570 Ma, 560 Ma, while a single gabbro yielded an intermediate age ( 580 Ma). A weakly foliated biotite granite yielded two populations, in which the emplacement age is interpreted to be 590 ± 10 Ma, whereas the younger age (550 ± 11 Ma) is considered to be a deformation age. Furthermore, inherited Meso- to Paleoproterozoic zircons are found in this sample. The geochemical and geochronology data indicate that there is a temporal evolution in the composition of rocks with the old, high Mg# granitoids shifting to young, low Mg# granitoids. This reveals that the A-type granites in

Quaternary glaciation of the Lato Massif, Zanskar Range of the NW Himalaya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orr, Elizabeth N.; Owen, Lewis A.; Saha, Sourav; Caffee, Marc W.; Murari, Madhav K.

2018-03-01

The glacial chronostratigraphy and history of the Lato Massif of Zanskar northern India is defined for the first time using geomorphic mapping and 10Be surface exposure dating. Three local glacial stages, the Lato, Shiyul and Kyambu, are dated to 244-49, 25-15 and 3.4-0.2 ka, respectively. The Lato glacial stage was the most extensive period of glaciation, characterized by expanded ice caps with glaciers advancing to ∼16 km from their present position. Large till deposits are associated with this glacial stage, which represent a time of heightened glacial erosion and localized incision, and increased rates of sediment transfer and deposition. The glacial style transitioned to entrenched valley glaciation during the Shiyul glacial stage. Hummocky moraine complexes reflecting fluctuating glacier margins characterize this glaciation. Glaciers have been confined to the cirques and headwalls of the massif during and since the Kyambu glacial stage. Equilibrium-line altitude (ELA) reconstructions help define the shifts in glaciation over time, with ELA depressions changing from 470 ± 140, 270 ± 80 to 100 ± 30 m for the Lato, Shiyul and Kyambu glacial stages, respectively. The change of glacial style during the latter part of the Quaternary is similar to other regions of the Transhimalaya and Tibet suggesting that this pattern of glaciation may reflect regional climatic forcing. The evolution of the Lato Massif from an isolated alpine plateau to a steeply incised massif over the last several glacial-interglacial cycles may have also influenced the shifts from ice cap to valley glaciation.

Towards Responsible Massification: Some Pointers for Supporting Lecturers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albertyn, Ruth M; Machika, Pauline; Troskie-de Bruin, Christel

2016-01-01

Teaching large classes poses many challenges to lecturers where massification is a reality in higher education. There are implications for both teaching and effective learning in this context. The need for accountability to learners in education provision served as motivation for a study of large classes in the largest faculty of one university…

Crustal thinning recorded by the shape of the Namurian-Westphalian leucogranite in the Variscan belt of the northwest Massif Central, France

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faure, Michel; Pons, José

1991-07-01

In the western part of the Variscan belt of the French Massif Central, the Guéret massif is an extensional allochthon emplaced to the southeast during Namurian-Westphalian time. The internal structure of the coeval leucogranites surrounding the western edge of the Guéret massif consists of the Plateau d'Aigurande, Brame-St. Sylvestre, and St. Goussaud massifs. These plutons are asymmetric diapirs rooted in the Marche, Bussière-Madeleine, and Arrènes faults, respectively. The plutons indicate diverging extravasation from the Guéret massif. Whatever their shapes, the plutons have a northwest-trending stretching lineation that is also marked in the granite host rocks by retrograde metamorphic minerals. The same extension direction is also inferred from Namurian-Westphalian leucogranites and dikes intruding the Guéret massif. Extension-related granitoids present typical structural patterns such as asymmetric shapes, extravasation from the collapsing area, and persistence of a stretching lineation parallel to the regional extension direction. These features may be used to diagnose crustal thinning.

Monitoring of soil and air-rock temperatures in the Western Massif of the Picos de Europa (Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruiz-Fernández, Jesús; Vieira, Gonçalo; García, Cristina

2013-04-01

In this paper we study the ground thermal regime and air-rock interface in the Western Massif of the Picos de Europa (Cantabrian Range, Spain). This calcareous massif is highly affected by karstification processes. Quaternary glaciers, fluvio-torrential processes and present-day periglacial processes also contribute to explain the landforms present in this massif. Up to 9 dataloggers were installed during 6 years in different sites in terms of altitude, orientation, slope and geomorpolohical setting recording temperatures every two hours. The number of freeze-thaw cycles in the soil(between 0 and 16) was controlled by the depth of the snow cover. The temperatures in the interface rock-air showed between 30-60 cycles, reaching 119 and 130 during the year 2007-2008. Extreme minimum temperatures in the soil oscillate between 0.3 and -6.3, while in the rocky walls the loggers recorded temperatures between -7.3 and -14.3°C. Monitoring of soil temperatures around the ice patch - the only one in the massif today - resulted in slightly negative mean annual temperatures. These conditions may reveal the existence of sporadic permafrost on debris that cover the ice patch. Both the buried ice and the permafrost are in disequilibrium with the current environmental conditions of the massif.

Geomorphological and sedimentological evidences in the Western Massif of Picos de Europa since the Last Glaciation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruiz-Fernández, Jesus; Oliva, Marc; Cruces, Anabela; Lopes, Vera; Conceição Freitas, Maria; García-Hernández, Cristina; Nieuwendam, Alexandre; López-Sáez, José Antonio; Gallinar, David; Geraldes, Miguel

2015-04-01

The Western Massif of Picos de Europa includes some of the highest peaks of the Cantabrian Mountains. However, the environmental evolution in this massif since the Last Glaciation is still poorly understood. This research provides a new geochronological approach to the sequence of environmental events occurred here since the maximum expansion of glaciers during the last Pleistocene glaciation. The distribution of the glacial landforms suggests four main stages regarding the environmental evolution in the massif: maximum glacial advance, phase of second maximum glacial expansion, Late Glacial and Little Ice Age. A 5.4-m long sedimentological section retrieved from the kame terrace of Belbín, in a mid-height area of the massif, complements the geomorphological interpretation and provides a continuous paleoenvironmental sequence from this area since the Last Glaciation until nowadays. This section suggests that the maximum glacial expansion occurred at a minimum age of 37.2 ka cal BP, significantly prior to the global Last Glacial Maximum. Subsequently, a new glacial expansion occurred around 18.7-22.5 ka cal BP. The melting of the glaciers after this phase generated a shallow lake in the Belbín depression. Lake sediments do not reveal the occurrence of a cold stage during the Late Glacial, whilst, at higher locations, moraine complexes were formed suggesting a glacier readvance. The terrestrification of this lake started at 8 ka cal BP, when Belbín changed to a peaty environment. At 5 ka cal BP human occupation started at the high lands of the massif according to the existence of charcoal particles in the section. The presence of moraines in the highest northern cirques evidences the last phase with formation of small glaciers in the Western Massif of Picos de Europa, corresponding to the Little Ice Age cold event. Since then, the warming climate has led to the melting of these glaciers.

Massification without Equalisation: The Politics of Higher Education, Graduate Employment and Social Mobility in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Siu-yau

2016-01-01

This article explains why the massification of higher education in Hong Kong has, contrary to the predictions of received wisdom, failed to enhance the upward social mobility of the youth in the city. Building upon recent literature in political science, it argues that massification can take different forms, which in turn determine the effects of…

New Paleomagnetic Data From Upper Gabbros Supports Limited Rotation of Central Semail Massif in Oman Ophiolite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horst, A. J.; Sarah, T.; Hartley, E.; Martin, J.

2017-12-01

Paleomagnetic data from northern massifs of the Oman ophiolite demonstrate substantial clockwise rotations prior to or during obduction, yet data from southern massifs are recently suggested to be remagnetized during obduction and show subsequent smaller counterclockwise rotations. To better understand paleomagnetic data from the southern massifs, we conducted a detailed paleomagnetic and rock magnetic study of 21 sites in upper gabbros and 5 sites in lower crustal gabbros within the central Semail massif. Samples treated with progressive thermal demagnetization yield interpretable magnetizations with dominant unblocking between 500-580°C that implies characteristic remanent magnetization (ChRM) components carried by low-titanium magnetite and nearly pure magnetite. Rock magnetic and scanning electron microscopy data provide additional support of the carriers of magnetization. ChRMs from sites with samples containing partially-serpentinized olivine are similar to sites with samples lacking olivine, where the carriers appear to be fine magnetite intergrowths in pyroxene. The overall in situ and tilt-corrected mean directions from upper gabbros are distinct from the lower gabbros, from previous data within the massif, and also directions from similar crustal units in adjacent Rustaq and Wadi Tayin massifs. After tilt correction for 10-15° SE dip of the crust-mantle boundary, the mean direction from upper gabbros is nearly coincident with in situ lower gabbros. The tilt-corrected direction from upper gabbros is also consistent with an expected direction from the Late Cretaceous apparent polar wander path for Arabia at the age of crustal accretion ( 95Ma). These results suggest the upper crustal section in Semail has likely only experienced minor tilting since formation and acquisition of magnetization. Due to slow cooling of middle to lower gabbros in fast-spread crust, the lower gabbro sites likely cooled later or after obduction, and thus yield a distinct

Subcontinental rift initiation and ocean-continent transitional setting of the Dinarides and Vardar zone: Evidence from the Krivaja-Konjuh Massif, Bosnia and Herzegovina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faul, Ulrich H.; Garapić, Gordana; Lugović, Boško

2014-08-01

The Dinaride and Vardar zone ophiolite belts extend from the south-eastern margins of the Alps to the Albanian and Greek ophiolites. Detailed sampling of the Krivaja-Konjuh massif, one of the largest massifs in the Dinaride belt, reveals fertile compositions and an extensive record of deformation at spinel peridotite facies conditions. High Na2O clinopyroxene and spinel-orthopyroxene symplectites after garnet indicate a relatively high pressure, subcontinental origin of the southern and western part of Krivaja, similar to orogenic massifs such as Lherz, Ronda and the Eastern Central Alpine peridotites. Clinopyroxene and spinel compositions from Konjuh show similarities with fertile abyssal peridotite. In the central parts of the massif the spinel lherzolites contain locally abundant patches of plagioclase, indicating impregnation by melt. The migrating melt was orthopyroxene undersaturated, locally converting the peridotites to massive olivine-rich troctolites. Massive gabbros and more evolved gabbro veins cross-cutting peridotites indicate continued melt production at depth. Overall we infer that the massif represents the onset of rifting and early stages of formation of a new ocean basin. In the south of Krivaja very localized chromitite occurrences indicate that much more depleted melts with supra-subduction affinity traversed the massif that have no genetic relationship with the peridotites. This indicates that volcanics with supra-subduction affinity at the margins of the Krivaja-Konjuh massif record separate processes during closure of the ocean basin. Comparison with published compositional data from other Balkan massifs shows that the range of compositions within the Krivaja-Konjuh massif is similar to the compositional range of the western massifs of the Dinarides. The compositions of the Balkan massifs show a west to east gradient, ranging from subcontinental on the western side of the Dinarides to depleted mid-ocean ridge/arc compositions in the Vardar

Defining conditions of garnet growth across the central and southern Menderes Massif, western Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Etzel, T. M.; Catlos, E. J.; Kelly, E. D.; Cemen, I.; Ozerdem, C.; Atakturk, K. R.

2017-12-01

Here we apply thermodynamic modeling using Theriak-Domino to garnet-bearing rocks from the central and southern portions of the Menderes Massif to gain insight into the dynamics of western Turkey as the region experienced a transition from collisional to extensional tectonics. To this end, we report new pressure-temperature (P-T) paths from garnet-bearing rocks collected along the Alasehir detachment fault, a prominent exhumation structure in the central portion of the Menderes Massif in western Turkey, constituting the southern margin of the Alasehir Graben. These paths are compared to those from the Selimiye shear zone in the Southern (Cine) Massif. Two Alasehir garnets collected from the same outcrop record two P-T paths: 1) a prograde path beginning at 565oC and 6.4 kbar increasing to 592 oC and 7.5 kbar; and 2) near isobaric growth initiating at 531oC and 7.1 kbar and terminating at 571oC and 7.3 kbar. High-resolution P-T paths could not be modeled for the majority of Alasehir samples due to diffusional modification of garnet. However, conditions were estimated by garnet isopleth thermobarometry at the point of highest spessartine content for each crystal. Calculated P-T values for this subset of samples range between 566-651oC and 6.2-6.8 kbar. Despite this broad range, these P-T conditions are consistent with what is observed in the modeled paths. Th-Pb ages of matrix monazite range from 35.8±3.0 to 20.6±2.4 Ma, suggesting metamorphism in the central Menderes Massif occurred over a 15 m.y. period. Selimiye shear zone rocks show distinct N-shaped P-T paths, suggesting garnets in the central and southern portion of the Menderes Massif record distinctly different tectonic histories.

Critical Reflection on the Massification of Higher Education in Korea: Consequences for Graduate Employment and Policy Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeom, Min-ho

2016-01-01

The paper critically reviews the results of Korean massification in higher education (HE) and focuses on the consequences related to graduate employment. By analysing statistical data and reviewing related articles, this study explores the process of the massification of HE, investigates major factors influencing the expansion, and analyses and…

Sedimentation, volcanism, and ancestral lakes in the Valles Marineris: Clues from topography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lucchitta, B. K.; Isbell, N. K.; Howington-Kraus, A.

1993-01-01

Compilation of a simplified geologic/geomorphic map onto a digital terrain model of Valles Marineris has permitted quantitative evaluations of topographic parameters. The study showed that, if their interior layered deposits are lacustrine, the ancestral Valles Marineris must have consisted of isolated basins. If, on the other hand, the troughs were interconnected as they are today, the deposits are most likely to volcanic origin, and the mesas in the peripheral troughs may be table mountains. The material eroded from the trough walls was probably not sufficient to form all of the interior layered deposits, but it may have contributed significantly to their formation.

Geothermal data for 95 thermal and nonthermal waters of the Valles Caldera - southern Jemez Mountains region, New Mexico

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goff, F.; McCormick, Trujillo, P.E. Jr.; Counce, D.

1982-05-01

Field, chemical, and isotopic data for 95 thermal and nonthermal waters of the southern Jemez Mountains, New Mexico are presented. This region includes all thermal and mineral waters associated with Valles Caldera and many of those located near the Nacimiento Uplift, near San Ysidro. Waters of the region can be categorized into five general types: (1) surface and near surface meteoric waters; (2) acid-sulfate waters (Valles Caldera); (3) thermal meteoric waters (Valles Caldera); (4) deep geothermal and derivative waters (Valles Caldera); and (5) mineralized waters near San Ysidro. Some waters display chemical and isotopic characteristics intermediate between the types listed.more » The object of the data is to help interpret geothermal potential of the Jemez Mountains region and to provide background data for investigating problems in hydrology, structural geology, hydrothermal alterations, and hydrothermal solution chemistry.« less

Erosional landforms on the layered terrains in Valles Marineris

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Komatsu, G.; Strom, R. G.; Gulick, V. C.; Parker, T. J.

1992-01-01

Many investigators have proposed potential lakes in Valles Marineris based on the relationship with outflow channels, and a proposed lacustrine origin of layered deposits. We have investigated the erosional style of the layered terrains and evaluated their potential origins as sedimentation in and erosional modification by these lakes. The erosional features that will be discussed are distributed in the central canyon area and classified into terraces and layered depressions. Many terraces can be explained by coastal erosion in lakes as well as by eolian erosion. The lack of terraces on the canyon walls is probably due to more recent sapping and mass wasting of materials with different mechanical response to erosion than the layered terrains. Catastrophic water discharges in Valles Marineris as hypothesized by an ocean model may have been the source of the lakes and the eventual catastrophic release of water from the canyons.

Land- and resource-use issues at the Valles Caldera

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Intemann, P.R.

The Valles Caldera possesses a wealth of resources from which various private parties as well as the public at large can benefit. Among the most significant of these are the geothermal energy resource and the natural resource. Wildlife, scenic, and recreational resources can be considered components of the natural resource. In addition, Native Americans in the area value the Valles Caldera as part of their religion. The use of land in the caldera to achieve the full benefits of one resource may adversely affect the value of other resources. Measures can be taken to minimize adverse affects and to maximizemore » the benefits of all the varied resources within the caldera as equitably as possible. An understanding of present and potential land and resource uses in the Caldera, and who will benefit from these uses, can lead to the formulation of such measures.« less

A Library Response to the Massification of Higher Education: The Case of the University of Zambia Library

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kanyengo, Christine Wamunyima

2009-01-01

This paper looks at the challenges that libraries in Africa face in responding to massification of higher education by discussing the University of Zambia library's response in library and information resources provision. As a result of massification of higher education, libraries have been forced not only to employ new and different strategies to…

Bioethics and Climate Change: A Response to Macpherson and Valles.

PubMed

Resnik, David B

2016-10-01

Two articles published in Bioethics recently have explored the ways that bioethics can contribute to the climate change debate. Cheryl Cox Macpherson argues that bioethicists can play an important role in the climate change debate by helping the public to better understand the values at stake and the trade-offs that must be made in individual and social choices, and Sean Valles claims that bioethicists can contribute to the debate by framing the issues in terms of the public health impacts of climate change. While Macpherson and Valles make valid points concerning a potential role for bioethics in the climate change debate, it is important to recognize that much more than ethical analysis and reflection will be needed to significantly impact public attitudes and government policies. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Miocene mass-transport sediments, Troodos Massif, Cyprus

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lord, A.R.; Harrison, R.W.; BouDagher-Fadel, M.; Stone, B.D.; Varol, O.

2009-01-01

Sediment mass-transport layers of submarine origin on the northern and southern flanks of the Troodos ophiolitic massif are dated biostratigraphically as early Miocene and late Miocene, respectively and therefore represent different seismogenic events in the uplift and erosional history of the Troodos terrane. Analysis of such events has potential for documenting Miocene seismic and uplift events regionally in the context of changing stress field directions and plate vectors through time. ?? 2009 The Geologists' Association.

Wrinkle ridges in the floor material of Kasei Valles, Mars: Nature and origin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watters, Thomas R.; Craddock, Robert A.

1991-01-01

Wrinkle ridges on Mars occur almost exclusively in smooth plains material referred to as ridged plains. One of the largest contiguous units of ridged plains occurs on Lunae Planum on the eastern flank of the Tharsis rise. The eastern, western, and northern margins of the ridged plains of Lunae Planum suffered extensive erosion in early Amazonian channel-forming events. The most dramatic example of erosion in early Amazonian plains is in Kasei Valles. The nature an origin of the wrinkle ridges in the floor material of Kasei Valles are discussed.

A Comparative Analysis on Models of Higher Education Massification

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pan, Maoyuan; Luo, Dan

2008-01-01

Four financial models of massification of higher education are discussed in this essay. They are American model, Western European model, Southeast Asian and Latin American model and the transition countries model. The comparison of the four models comes to the conclusion that taking advantage of nongovernmental funding is fundamental to dealing…

Understanding the Tectonic Deformation of Turkish Blocks since Mesozoic; A Paleomagnetic study on the Nigde-Kirsehir Massif and the Taurides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mualla, Cinku; Mumtaz, Hisarli; Ulker, Beyza; Kaya, Nurcan; Oksum, Erdinc; Yilmaz, Yucel; Orbay, Naci

2015-04-01

It is reported that the Nigde-Kirsehir massif which constitutes the main fragment of Anatolia is rifted from the Taurides-Anatolides in Mesozoic and that the Intra-Tauride ocean exist between these blocks. Another group of researchers believed that the Intra Tauride ocean did not exist. They assumed that the Nigde-Kirsehir massif existed as a promotory of the Taurides. In this sense, both the Nigde-Kirsehir massif and the Taurides experienced several deformation phases due to the consumption of the oceanic strand (s) and the amalgamation of the Anatolian blocks after collision in the end of the paleotectonic time, whereas in the neotectonic time the traces of the westwards excursion of Anatolia was effective. Previous paleomagnetic studies showed that the Nigde-Kirsehir massif rotated 90° anticlockwise during Jurassic to Eocene time and other studies showed that the collision between the Nigde-Kirsehir massif and the Pontides resulted by deformation which was accomodated by regional faults. In the south of the Nigde-Kirsehir massif, it was proposed that all the rocks in Carboniferous to Eosen were remagnetized due to nap emplacement in Eocene. Because of several alternative interpretations about the tectonic deformation of the Nigde-Kirsehir massif in relation between the Taurides and the Pontides, we report new paleomagnetic results from Late Jurassic to Miocene rocks in the Nigde-Kirsehir massif and its surrounding. A total of 138 different sites were sampled from Jurassic to Miocene rocks in the south of the Nigde-Kirsehir massif around Ki ri kkale, Tuzgölü, Uluki şla and Kayseri, whereas in the Central Taurides Late Jurassic- Lower Cretaceous platform type carbonates and ophiolitic rocks from Mersin and Pozanti were collected. Paleomagnetic results evaluated together with previous paleomagnetic data indicate that all the studied rocks carry a magnetization before folding according to positive incremental fold tests. It has been shown that in the SE/E (SE

Stratigraphy of the layered terrain in Valles Marineris, Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Komatsu, G.; Strom, Roger G.

1991-01-01

The layered terrain in Valles Marineris provides information about its origin and the geologic history of this canyon system. Whether the terrain is sedimentary material deposited in a dry or lacustrine environment, or volcanic material related to the tectonics of the canyon is still controversial. However, recent studies of Gangis Layered Terrain suggests a cyclic sequence of deposition and erosion under episodic lacustrine conditions. The stratigraphic studies are extended to four other occurrences of layered terrains in Valles Marineris in an attempt to correlate and distinguish between depositional environments. The Juvantae Chasma, Hebes Chasma, Ophir and Candor Chasmata, Melas Chasma, and Gangis Layered Terrain were examined. Although there are broad similarities among the layered terrains, no two deposits are exactly alike. This suggests that there was no synchronized regional depositional processes to form all the layered deposits. However, the similar erosional style of the lower massive weakly bedded unit in Hebes, Gangis, and Ophir-Candor suggests it may have been deposited under similar circumstances.

Man-induced transformation of mountain meadow soils of Aragats mountain massif (Armenia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avetisyan, M. H.

2018-01-01

The article considers issues of degradation of mountain meadow soils of the Aragats mountain massif of the Republic of Armenia and provides the averaged research results obtained for 2013 and 2014. The present research was initiated in the frames of long-term complex investigations of agroecosystems of Armenia’s mountain massifs and covered sod soils of high mountain meadow pasturelands and meadow steppe grasslands lying on southern slope of Mt. Aragats. With a purpose of studying the peculiarities of migration and transformation of flows of major nutrients namely carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus in study mountain meadow and meadow steppe belts of the Aragats massif we investigated water migration of chemical elements and regularities of their leaching depending on different belts. Field measurement data have indicated that organic carbon and humus in a heavily grazed plot are almost twice as low as on a control site. Lysimetric data analysis has demonstrated that heavy grazing and illegal deforestation have brought to an increase in intrasoil water acidity. The results generated from this research support a conclusion that a man’s intervention has brought to disturbance of structure and nutrient and water regimes of soils and loss of significant amounts of soil nutrients throughout the studied region.

Geological mapping of the Rainbow Massif, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, 36°14'N

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ildefonse, B.; Fouquet, Y.; Hoisé, E.; Dyment, J.; Gente, P.; Thibaud, R.; Bissessur, D.; Yatheesh, V.; Momardream 2008 Scientific Party*, T.

2008-12-01

The Rainbow hydrothermal field at 36°14'N on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is one of the few known sites hosted in ultramafic basement. The Rainbow Massif is located along the non-transform offset between the AMAR and South AMAR second-order ridge segments, and presents the characteristic dome morphology of oceanic core complexes, although no corrugated surface has been observed so far. One of the objectives of Cruises MOMAR DREAM (July 2007, R/V Pourquoi Pas ?; Aug-Sept 2008, R/V Atalante) was to study the petrological and structural context of the hydrothermal system at the scale of the Rainbow Massif. Our geological sampling complements previous ones achieved during Cruises FLORES (1997) and IRIS (2001), and consisted in dredge hauls, and submersible dives by manned submersible Nautile and ROV Victor. The tectonics of the Rainbow Massif is dominated by a N-S trending fault pattern on the western flank of the massif, and a series of SW-NW ridges on its northeastern side. The active hydrothermal site is located in the area were these two systems crosscut. The most abundant recovered rock type is peridotite (harzburgite and dunite) that presents a variety of serpentinization styles and intensity, and a variety of deformation styles (commonly undeformed, sometimes displaying ductile or brittle foliations). Serpentinites are frequently oxidized. Some peridotite samples have melt impregnation textures. Massive chromitite was recovered in one dredge haul. Variously evolved gabbroic rocks were collected as discrete samples or as centimeter to decimeter-thick dikes in peridotites. Basalts and fresh basaltic glass were also sampled in talus and sediments on the southwestern and northeastern flanks of the massif. Our sampling is consistent with the lithological variability encountered in oceanic core complexes along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and Southwest Indian Ridge. The stockwork of the hydrothermal system has been sampled on the western side of the present-day hydrothermal

Gold in Accessory Zircon (the Kozhim Massif, Subpolar Urals)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denisova, Yuliya; Pystin, Aleksandr

2017-12-01

The crystals of zircon due to their resistance to external impact of various processes can reveal information about the environment of their formation and the inclusions observed of them. Zircon contains different mineral inclusions: biotite, plagioclase, quartz, apatite, etc. However, there is no information about gold inclusions in the zircons from granites of the Sudpolar Urals. The study results of the inclusions of gold in accessory zircon of the Kozhim granitic massif are presented in this paper. The studied mineral is a dark-brown translucent short-prismatic crystal containing the inclusion of gold and the allocations of quartz. According to studies, the inclusion of gold formed during the growth of zircon and it is the gold covered with a thin film of oxide gold. It was confirmed that the crystallization of the studied zircon occurred at a temperature of 800°C and above on the stage of formation of granites of Kozhim massif. The assumption is made about the additional temperature in the course of which was caused by decreasing of temperature up to 700° C and below during postmagmatic stage.

Geochronology and geochemistry of early Paleozoic intrusive rocks from the Khanka Massif in the Russian Far East: Petrogenesis and tectonic implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Ting; Xu, Wen-Liang; Wang, Feng; Ge, Wen-Chun; Sorokin, A. A.

2018-02-01

This paper presents new geochronological and geochemical data for early Paleozoic intrusive rocks from the Khanka Massif in the Russian Far East, with the aim of elucidating the Paleozoic evolution and tectonic attributes of the Khanka Massif. New U-Pb zircon data indicate that early Paleozoic magmatism within the Khanka Massif can be subdivided into at least four stages: 502, 492, 462-445, and 430 Ma. The 502 Ma pyroxene diorites contain 58.28-59.64 wt% SiO2, 2.84-3.69 wt% MgO, and relatively high Cr and Ni contents. Negative εHf(t) values (- 1.8 to - 0.4), along with other geochemical data, indicate that the primary magma was derived from partial melting of mafic lower crust with the addition of mantle material. The 492 Ma syenogranites have high SiO2 and K2O contents, and show positive Eu anomalies, indicating the primary magma was generated by partial melting of lower crust at relatively low pressure. The 445 Ma Na-rich trondhjemites display high Sr/Y ratios and positive εHf(t) values (+ 1.8 to + 3.9), indicating the primary magma was generated by partial melting of thickened hydrous mafic crust. The 430 Ma granitoids have high SiO2 and K2O contents, zircon εHf(t) values of - 5.4 to + 5.8, and two-stage model ages of 1757-1045 Ma, suggesting the primary magma was produced by partial melting of heterogeneous Proterozoic lower crustal material. The geochemistry of these early Paleozoic intrusive assemblages indicates their formation in an active continental margin setting associated with the subduction of a paleo-oceanic plate beneath the Khanka Massif. The εHf(t) values show an increasingly negative trend with increasing latitude, revealing a lateral heterogeneity of the lower crust beneath the Khanka Massif. Regional comparisons of the magmatic events indicate that the Khanka Massif in the Russian Far East has a tectonic affinity to the Songnen-Zhangguangcai Range Massif rather than the adjacent Jiamusi Massif.

Lithologic Distribution and Geologic History of the Apollo 17 Site: The Record in Soils and Small Rock Particles from the Highland Massifs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jolliff, Bradley L.; Rockow, Kaylynn M.; Korotev, Randy L.; Haskin, Larry A.

1996-01-01

Through analysis by instrumental neutron activation (INAA) of 789 individual lithic fragments from the 2 mm-4 mm grain-size fractions of five Apollo 17 soil samples (72443, 72503, 73243, 76283, and 76503) and petrographic examination of a subset, we have determined the diversity and proportions of rock types recorded within soils from the highland massifs. The distribution of rock types at the site, as recorded by lithic fragments in the soils, is an alternative to the distribution inferred from the limited number of large rock samples. The compositions and proportions of 2 mm-4 mm fragments provide a bridge between compositions of less than 1 mm fines and types and proportions of rocks observed in large collected breccias and their clasts. The 2 mm-4 mm fraction of soil from South Massif, represented by an unbiased set of lithic fragments from station-2 samples 72443 and 72503, consists of 71% noritic impact-melt breccia, 7% Incompatible-Trace-Element-(ITE)-poor highland rock types (mainly granulitic breccias), 19% agglutinates and regolith breccias, 1% high-Ti mare basalt, and 2% others (very-low-Ti (VLT) basalt, monzogabbro breccia, and metal). In contrast, the 2 mm - 4 mm fraction of a soil from the North Massif, represented by an unbiased set of lithic fragments from station-6 sample 76503, has a greater proportion of ITE-poor highland rock types and mare-basalt fragments: it consists of 29% ITE-poor highland rock types (mainly granulitic breccias and troctolitic anorthosite), 25% impact-melt breccia, 13% high-Ti mare basalt, 31 % agglutinates and regolith breccias, 1% orange glass and related breccia, and 1% others. Based on a comparison of mass- weighted mean compositions of the lithic fragments with compositions of soil fines from all Apollo 17 highland stations, differences between the station-2 and station-6 samples are representative of differences between available samples from the two massifs. From the distribution of different rock types and their

Recognition on space photographs of structural elements of Baja California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hamilton, W.

1971-01-01

Gemini and Apollo photographs provide illustrations of known structural features of the peninsula and some structures not recognized previously. An apparent transform relationship between strike-slip and normal faulting is illustrated by the overlapping vertical photographs of northern Baja California. The active Agua Blanca right-lateral strike-slip fault trends east-southeastward to end at the north end of the Valle San Felipe and Valle Chico. The uplands of the high Sierra San Pedro Martir are a low-relief surface deformed by young faults, monoclines, and warps, which mostly produce west-facing steps and slopes; the topography is basically structural. The Sierra Cucapas of northeasternmost Baja California and the Colorado River delta of northwesternmost Sonora are broken by northwest-trending strike-slip faults. A strike-slip fault is inferred to trend northward obliquely from near Cabo San Lucas to La Paz, thence offshore until it comes ashore again as the Bahia Concepcion strike-slip fault.

Zircon (U-Th)/He evidence for pre-Eocene orogenic exhumation of eastern North Pyrenean massifs, France

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ternois, Sébastien; Vacherat, Arnaud; Pik, Raphaël; Ford, Mary; Tibari, Bouchaïb

2017-04-01

Orogens and their associated foreland basins are considered as part of a single dynamic system evolving from an early, non equilibrated, growth stage to a late, mature, steady-state stage. Most of our understanding in foreland basins, in particular early convergence-stage deposition, comes from the subducting plate, so that the classic paradigm for foreland basins is the pro-wedge. Models that clearly depict the relationship between erosion of the orogenic wedge and sedimentation into its associated foreland basin only focus on the late post-orogenic phase. Relatively little is known and understood about the very long phase of initiation of orogenesis. In the doubly wedged Pyrenean orogen, where we know and understand relatively little about how the early retro-wedge developed, the record of the onset of orogenic denudation from massifs is quite limited, not only in time but also in space. As part of the OROGEN project funded by TOTAL and the BRGM, this study presents first single-grain zircon (U-Th)/He data from two Palaeozoic massifs of the external Northern Pyrenean Zone, the Agly and Salvezines massifs. It aims at constraining the exhumation history of eastern Pyrenean massifs and understanding what is their significance for early orogenic wedge growth. The Pyrenean orogeny was generated from end Santonian (84 Ma) to Oligocene-Miocene due to convergence of the Iberian and European plates. Aquitaine foreland basin history (Ariège region) indicates that convergence took place in two phases, Campanian to Maastrichian and Eocene, separated by a quiet Paleocene phase. Yet, only Eocene cooling events are recorded by low-temperature thermochronometers in the central Pyrenean massifs (Arize and Trois-Seigneurs). Nine bedrock samples were collected along a WNW-ESE traverse (Salvezines and Saint-Arnac granites, Belesta-Caramany gneisses) and analysed for ZHe dating. Zircon (U-Th)/He data for the Agly and Salvezines massifs, together with forward modelling of data for

Thin-skinned deformation of sedimentary rocks in Valles Marineris, Mars

USGS Publications Warehouse

Metz, Joannah; Grotzinger, John P.; Okubo, Chris; Milliken, Ralph

2010-01-01

Deformation of sedimentary rocks is widespread within Valles Marineris, characterized by both plastic and brittle deformation identified in Candor, Melas, and Ius Chasmata. We identified four deformation styles using HiRISE and CTX images: kilometer-scale convolute folds, detached slabs, folded strata, and pull-apart structures. Convolute folds are detached rounded slabs of material with alternating dark- and light-toned strata and a fold wavelength of about 1 km. The detached slabs are isolated rounded blocks of material, but they exhibit only highly localized evidence of stratification. Folded strata are composed of continuously folded layers that are not detached. Pull-apart structures are composed of stratified rock that has broken off into small irregularly shaped pieces showing evidence of brittle deformation. Some areas exhibit multiple styles of deformation and grade from one type of deformation into another. The deformed rocks are observed over thousands of kilometers, are limited to discrete stratigraphic intervals, and occur over a wide range in elevations. All deformation styles appear to be of likely thin-skinned origin. CRISM reflectance spectra show that some of the deformed sediments contain a component of monohydrated and polyhydrated sulfates. Several mechanisms could be responsible for the deformation of sedimentary rocks in Valles Marineris, such as subaerial or subaqueous gravitational slumping or sliding and soft sediment deformation, where the latter could include impact-induced or seismically induced liquefaction. These mechanisms are evaluated based on their expected pattern, scale, and areal extent of deformation. Deformation produced from slow subaerial or subaqueous landsliding and liquefaction is consistent with the deformation observed in Valles Marineris.

Estimating Catchment-Scale Snowpack Variability in Complex Forested Terrain, Valles Caldera National Preserve, NM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harpold, A. A.; Brooks, P. D.; Biederman, J. A.; Swetnam, T.

2011-12-01

Difficulty estimating snowpack variability across complex forested terrain currently hinders the prediction of water resources in the semi-arid Southwestern U.S. Catchment-scale estimates of snowpack variability are necessary for addressing ecological, hydrological, and water resources issues, but are often interpolated from a small number of point-scale observations. In this study, we used LiDAR-derived distributed datasets to investigate how elevation, aspect, topography, and vegetation interact to control catchment-scale snowpack variability. The study area is the Redondo massif in the Valles Caldera National Preserve, NM, a resurgent dome that varies from 2500 to 3430 m and drains from all aspects. Mean LiDAR-derived snow depths from four catchments (2.2 to 3.4 km^2) draining different aspects of the Redondo massif varied by 30%, despite similar mean elevations and mixed conifer forest cover. To better quantify this variability in snow depths we performed a multiple linear regression (MLR) at a 7.3 by 7.3 km study area (5 x 106 snow depth measurements) comprising the four catchments. The MLR showed that elevation explained 45% of the variability in snow depths across the study area, aspect explained 18% (dominated by N-S aspect), and vegetation 2% (canopy density and height). This linear relationship was not transferable to the catchment-scale however, where additional MLR analyses showed the influence of aspect and elevation differed between the catchments. The strong influence of North-South aspect in most catchments indicated that the solar radiation is an important control on snow depth variability. To explore the role of solar radiation, a model was used to generate winter solar forcing index (SFI) values based on the local and remote topography. The SFI was able to explain a large amount of snow depth variability in areas with similar elevation and aspect. Finally, the SFI was modified to include the effects of shading from vegetation (in and out of

Geodynamic movements and deformations of the Sudetic structural unit of the Bohemian Massif

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schenk, V.; Jechumtálová, Z.; Schenková, Z.; Kottnauer, P.

2003-04-01

The African plate pushes to European orogenic Alpine structures that transfer the compression further to Variscan structural units, including the Bohemian Massif. Central parts of the Bohemian Massif are relatively deep-seated and, therefore, some of marginal parts of the Massif and its border geological structures should be affected intensively and moved distinctly with respect to the central parts. The geodynamical GPS network EAST SUDETEN is located just over the area mentioned above, i.e. it covers both kinetically quasi-effected and quasi-non-effected structural blocks. GPS data observed already for six annual campaigns (1997-2002) were processed and movement vectors of individual network sites were assessed. Applied data processing did not allow errors in the horizontal direction 2 mm and in the vertical direction 5-6 mm to be exceeded. Since time series of coordinate changes for several network sites gave rather pronounce movement trends, preliminary deformations among individual structural blocks were evaluated and compared to other geological, geophysical and geodetic materials. The investigation has been supported by the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic, projects 205/97/0679 and 205/01/0480, and by the research programme of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport of the Czech Republic, project LN00A005 "Dynamics of the Earth".

Evidence for ponding and catastrophic floods in central Valles Marineris, Mars

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harrison, K.P.; Chapman, M.G.

2008-01-01

The Valles Marineris canyon system of Mars is closely related to large flood channels, some of which emerge full born from chaotic terrain in canyon floors. Coprates Chasma, one of the largest Valles Marineris canyons, is connected at its west end to Melas Chasma and on its east end to chaotic terrain-filled Capri and Eos Chasmata. The area from central Melas to Eos Chasmata contains a 1500 km long and about 1 km deep depression in its floor. Despite the large volumes of groundwater that likely discharged from chaotic terrain in this depression, no evidence of related fluvial activity has thus far been reported. We present an analysis of the regional topography which, together with photogeologic interpretation of available imagery, suggests that ponding due to late Hesperian discharge of water possibly produced a lake (mean depth 842 m) spanning parts of the Valles Marineris depression (VMD). Overflow of this lake at its eastern end resulted in delivery of water to downstream chaos regions and outflow channels. Our ponding hypothesis is motivated primarily by the identification of scarp and terrace features which, despite a lateral spread of about 1500 km, have similar elevations. Furthermore, these elevations correspond to the maximum ponding elevation of the region (-3560 m). Simulated ponding in the VMD yields an overflow point at its eastern extremity, in Eos Chasma. The neighborhood of this overflow point contains clear indicators of fluvial erosion in a consistent east-west orientation. ?? 2008 Elsevier Inc.

Subsurface Implications of Spatially Variable Seafloor Character on the Atlantis Massif

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greene, J. A.; Tominaga, M.; Blackman, D. K.

2014-12-01

We documented and mapped the characteristics of the seafloor on the Atlantis Massif, an ocean core complex located at 30°N on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Our goal is to investigate the implications of these surficial features, particularly whether their spatial variations might reflect subsurface lithology and geological processes. We utilized data collected during the MARVEL 2000 cruise AT3-60, specifically Alvin videos and rock samples, Argo II digital still photos, and TOBI/DSL-120 side-scan sonar mosaic. The Alvin dives studied occurred over the Central Dome and Eastern Block, which is interpreted as the hanging wall to the detachment that unroofed the dome. We also studied two Argo II dives located over the Central Dome, one over the Eastern Block, and one over the Western Shoulder of the southern dome. The TOBI/DSL-120 side-scan sonar followed a widespread, looped track providing near total coverage of the massif. We classified the character of the seafloor based on imagery, the acoustic reflectivity, and the basic composition of rock samples. To aid in our classification, we merged Argo II still images to produce photo-mosaics displaying tens of meters long transects. We then classified the seafloor as unconsolidated sediment, lithified sediment (a carbonate crust or cap), exposed bedrock, or rubble. To obtain a broader understanding of the Atlantis Massif, we analyzed the distribution of these classes of seafloor. Over the Central Dome and Western Shoulder, we found most seafloor classes present in notable amounts, with many individual areas dominated by a particular type.

Experimental and Modeling Studies of Massif Anorthosites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Longhi, John

1999-01-01

This termination report covers the latter part of a single research effort spanning several grant cycles. During this time there was a single title, "Experimental and Modeling Studies of Massif Anorthosites", but there were several contract numbers as the mode and location of NASA contract administration changed. Initially, the project was funded as an increment to the PI's other grant, "Early Differentiation of the Moon: Experimental and Modeling Studies", but subsequently it became an independent grant. Table 1 contains a brief summary of the dates and contract numbers.

Gas geochemistry of the Valles caldera region, New Mexico and comparisons with gases at Yellowstone, Long Valley and other geothermal systems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Goff, F.; Janik, C.J.

2002-01-01

Noncondensible gases from hot springs, fumaroles, and deep wells within the Valles caldera geothermal system (210-300??C) consist of roughly 98.5 mo1% CO2, 0.5 mol% H2S, and 1 mol% other components. 3He/4He ratios indicate a deep magmatic source (R/Ra up to 6) whereas ??13C-CO2 values (-3 to -5???) do not discriminate between a mantle/magmatic source and a source from subjacent, hydrothermally altered Paleozoic carbonate rocks. Regional gases from sites within a 50-km radius beyond Valles caldera are relatively enriched in CO2 and He, but depleted in H2S compared to Valles gases. Regional gases have R/Ra values ???1.2 due to more interaction with the crust and/or less contribution from the mantle. Carbon sources for regional CO2 are varied. During 1982-1998, repeat analyses of gases from intracaldera sites at Sulphur Springs showed relatively constant CH4, H2, and H2S contents. The only exception was gas from Footbath Spring (1987-1993), which experienced increases in these three components during drilling and testing of scientific wells VC-2a and VC-2b. Present-day Valles gases contain substantially less N2 than fluid inclusion gases trapped in deep, early-stage, post-caldera vein minerals. This suggests that the long-lived Valles hydrothermal system (ca. 1 Myr) has depleted subsurface Paleozoic sedimentary rocks of nitrogen. When compared with gases from many other geothermal systems, Valles caldera gases are relatively enriched in He but depleted in CH4, N2 and Ar. In this respect, Valles gases resemble end-member hydrothermal and magmatic gases discharged at hot spots (Galapagos, Kilauea, and Yellowstone). Published by Elsevier Science B.V.

New data for paleoprotherozoic PGE-bearing anorthosite of Kandalaksha massif (Baltic shield): U-Pb and Sm-Nd ages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steshenko, Ekaterina; Bayanova, Tamara; Serov, Pavel

2015-04-01

The aims of this researches were to study the isotope U-Pb age of zircon and rutile and Sm-Nd (rock forming and sulphide minerals) on Kandalaksha anorthosite massif due to study of polimetamorphic history. In marginal zone firstly have been obtained the presence of sulphide mineralization with PGE (Chashchin, Petrov , 2013). Kandalaksha massif is located in the N-E part of Baltic shield and consists of three parts. Marginal zone (mesocratic metanorite) lies at the base of the massif. Main zone is composed of leucocratic metagabbro. The upper zone is alteration of mataanorthosite and leucocratic metagabbro. All rocks were subjected to granulate polymetamorphism. Two fractions of single grains from anorthosite of the massif gave precise U-Pb age, which is equal to 2450± 3 Ma. Leucocratic gabbro-norite were dated by U-Pb method, with age up to 2230 ± 10 Ma. This age reflects the time of granulite metamorphism according to data of (Mitrofanov, Nirovich, 2003). Two fractions of rutile have been analyzed by U-Pb method and reflect age of 1700 ± 10 Ma. It is known that the closure temperature of U-Pb system rutile is 400-450 ° C (Mezger et.al., 1989), thus cooling processes of massif rocks to these temperatures was about 1.7 Ga. These data reflect one of the stages of metamorphic alteration of the massif. Three stages of metamorphism are distinguished by Sm-Nd method. Isotope Sm-Nd dating on Cpx-WR line gives the age of 2311 Ma which suggested of high pressure granulite metamorphism. Moreover Cpx-Pl line reflect the age 1908 Ma of low pressure granulite metamorphism. Also two-points (Grt-Rt) Sm-Nd isochrone yield the age 1687 Ma of the last metamorphic alterations in Kandalaksha anorthosite massif. Model Sm-Nd age of the leucocratic gabbro-norite is 2796 Ma with positive ɛNd (+0.32). It means that the source of gabbro-norite was mantle reservoir. All investigations are devoted to memory of academician PAS F. MItrofanov which was a leader of scientific school for

N-S crustal shear system in the Bundelkhand massif: A unique crustal evolution signature in the northern Indian peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, S. P.; Bhattacharya, A. R.

2017-12-01

The Bundelkhand massif, located in the northern part of the Indian shield, is a poly-deformed and poly-metamorphic terrain. This paper reports a new shear system developed throughout the massif in the form of N-S trending quartz veins that are sometimes quartzo-feldspathic and rarely granitic in composition. The veins are vertical and commonly occur in conjugate sets. This tectono-magmatic event appears to represent the youngest shear system of the massif as it cross-cuts all the earlier shear systems (E-W, NE-SE and NW-SE). Emplacement of this N-S vein system may have taken place due to extensional processes that developed some cracks along which siliceous magma was vertically emplaced. The complete absence of signature of the N-S event from the surrounding sedimentary cover of Vindhyan Supergroup, Bijawar and Gwalior Groups suggests that this shear system is pre-tectonic to the nearly E-W trending passive basins developed at the margins of the Bundelkhand craton. Further, several workers have considered the Bundelkhand massif as a part of the Aravalli craton. However, due to the absence of N-S, as well as the other (i.e., E-W, NW-SE and NW-SE), tectonic fabrics of the Bundelkhand massif in other cratons of the Peninsular India, and vice versa, makes the Bundelkhand block a separate and unique craton of its own and is not part of the Aravalli craton.

Contrasting cratonal provenances for upper Cretaceous Valle Group quartzite clasts, Baja California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kimbrough, D.L.; Abbott, G.; Smith, D.P.; Mahoney, J.B.; Moore, Thomas E.; Gehrels, G.E.; Girty, G.H.; Cooper, John D.

2006-01-01

Late Cretaceous Valle Group forearcbasin deposits on the Vizcaino Peninsula of Baja California Sur are dominated by firstcycle arc-derived volcanic-plutonic detritus derived from the adjacent Peninsular Ranges batholith. Craton-derived quartzite clasts are a minor but ubiquitous component in Valle Group conglomerates. The source of these clasts has implications for tectonic reconstructions and sediment-dispersal paths along the paleo-North American margin. Three strongly contrasting types of quartzite are recognized based on petrology and detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology. The first type is ultramature quartz arenite with well-rounded, highly spherical zircon grains. Detrital zircon ages from this type are nearly all >1.8 Ga with age distributions that closely match the distinctive Middle-Late Ordovician Peace River arch detrital signature of the Cordilleran margin. This type has been previously recognized from prebatholithic rocks in northeast Baja California (San Felipe quartzite). A second quartzite type is subarkosic sandstone with strong affinity to southwestern North America; important features of the age spectra are ~1.0-1.2 Ga, 1.42 and 1.66 Ga peaks representing cratonal basement, 500-300 Ma grains interpreted as recycled Appalachian-derived grains, and 284- 232 Ma zircon potentially derived from the Early Permian-Middle Triassic east Mexico arc. This quartzite type could have been carried to the continental margin during Jurassic time as outboard equivalents of Colorado Plateau eolianites. The third quartzite type is quartz pebble conglomerate with significant ~900- 1400 Ma and ~450-650 Ma zircon components, as well as mid- and late Paleozoic grains. The source of this type of quartzite is more problematic but could match either upper Paleozoic strata in the Oaxaca terrane of southern Mexico or a southwestern North America source. The similarity of detrital 98 zircon spectra in all three Valle Group quartzite types to rocks of the adjacent Cordilleran

The Triassic reworking of the Yunkai massif (South China): EMP monazite and U-Pb zircon geochronologic evidence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Cheng-Hong; Liu, Yung-Hsin; Lee, Chi-Yu; Sano, Yuji; Zhou, Han-Wen; Xiang, Hua; Takahata, Naoto

2017-01-01

Geohistory of the Yunkai massif in South China Block is important in understanding the geodynamics for the build-up of this block during the Phanerozoic orogenies. To investigate this massif, we conduct EMP monazite and U-Pb zircon geochronological determinations on mineral inclusions and separate for seventeen samples in four groups, representing metamorphic rocks from core domain, the Gaozhou Complex (amphibolite facies, NE-striking) and the Yunkai Group (greenschist facies, NW-striking) of this massif and adjacent undeformed granites. Some EMP monazite ages are consistent with the NanoSIMS results. Monazite inclusions, mostly with long axis parallel to the cleavage of platy and elongated hosts, give distinguishable age results for NW- and NE-trending deformations at 244-236 Ma and 236-233 Ma, respectively. They also yield ages of 233-230 Ma for core domain gneissic granites and 232-229 Ma for undefomed granites. Combining U-Pb zircon ages of the same group, 245 Ma and 230 Ma are suggested to constrain the time of two phases of deformation. Aside from ubiquity of Triassic ages in studied rocks, ages of detrital monazite in the meta-sandstone match the major U-Pb zircon age clusters of the metamorphic rock that are largely concentrated at Neoproterozoic (1.0-0.9 Ga) and Early Paleozoic (444-431 Ma). Based on these geochronological data, Triassic is interpreted as representing the time for recrystallization of these host minerals on the Early Paleozoic protolith, and the also popular Neoproterozoic age is probably inherited. With this context, Yunkai massif is regarded as a strongly reactivated Triassic metamorphic terrain on an Early Paleozoic basement which had incorporated sediments with Neoproterozoic provenances. Triassic tectonic evolution of the Yunkai massif is suggested to have been controlled by converging geodynamics of the South China and Indochina Blocks as well as mafic magma emplacement related to the Emeishan large igneous province (E-LIP).

The Hebrus Valles Exploration Zone: Access to the Martian Surface and Subsurface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davila, A.; Fairén, A. G.; Rodríguez, A. P.; Schulze-Makuch, D.; Rask, J.; Zavaleta, J.

2015-10-01

The Hebrus Valles EZ represents a diverse setting with multiple geological contacts and layers, possible remnant water ice and protected subsurface environments, which could be critical for the establishment of long-term human settlements.

Morphologic contrasts between Nirgal and Auqakuh Valles, Mars: Evidence of different crustal properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mackinnon, David J.; Tanaka, Kenneth L.; Winchell, Philip J.

1987-01-01

Photoclinometric measurements were made of sidewall slopes in Nirgal and Auqakuh Valles and these results were interpreted in terms of the geologic setting and a simple geomorphic model to provide insights into the physical properties of crustal materials in these areas. Nirgal was interpreted to be a runoff channel and Auqakuh to be a fretted channel. Geomorphologic arguments for the sapping origin of Nirgal and Auqakuh Valles were presented. The morphologies of the channels, however, differ greatly: the tributaries of Nirgal end abruptly in theater-headed canyons, whereas the heads of tributaries of Auqakuh shallow gradually. The plateau surface surrounding both channels appears to be covered by smooth materials, presumably lava flows; they are continuous and uneroded in the Nirgal area, but at Auqakuh they are largely eroded and several layers are exposed that total about 200 m in thickness. For Nirgal Valles, the measurements show that sidewalls in the ralatively shallow upper reaches of the channel have average slopes near 30 degrees and, in the lower reaches, sidewall slopes exceed 50 degrees. Auqakuh, on the other hand, has maximum sidewall slopes of 14 degrees and an approximate maximum depth of 1000 m. Faint, horizontal layering in portions of the lower reaches of Nirgal may indicate inhomogeneity in either composition or topography.

Massification and the Large Lecture Theatre: From Panic to Excitement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arvanitakis, James

2014-01-01

In this article I examine the role of the contemporary university in light of the mass increase in class sizes that has occurred on an international scale. While we may look nostalgically back to a time when lectures numbered a few hundred students and tutorials had as few as ten, massification at undergraduate level is an inescapable fact of…

The Regional Water Cycle and Water Ice Clouds in the Tharsis - Valles Marineris System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leung, C. W. S.; Rafkin, S. C.

2017-12-01

The regional atmospheric circulation on Mars is highly influenced by local topographic gradients. Terrain-following air parcels forced along the slopes of the major Tharsis volcanoes and the steep canyon walls of Valles Marineris significantly impact the local water vapor concentration and the associated conditions for cloud formation. Using a non-hydrostatic mesoscale atmospheric model with aerosol & cloud microphysics, we investigate the meteorological conditions for water ice cloud formation in the coupled Tharsis - Valles Marineris system near the aphelion season. The usage of a limited area regional model ensures that topographic slopes are well resolved compared to the typical resolutions of a global-coverage general circulation model. The effects of shadowing and slope angle geometries on the energy budget is also taken into account. Diurnal slope winds in complex terrains are typically characterized by the reversal of wind direction twice per sol: upslope during the day, and downslope at night. However, our simulation results of the regional circulation and diurnal water cycle indicate substantial asymmetries in the day-night circulation. The convergence of moist air masses enters Valles Marineris via easterly flows, whereas dry air sweep across the plateau of the canyon system from the south towards the north. We emphasize the non-uniform vertical distribution of water vapor in our model results. Water vapor mixing ratios in the lower planetary boundary layer may be factors greater than the mixing ratio aloft. Water ice clouds are important contributors to the climatic forcing on Mars, and their effects on the mesoscale circulations in the Tharsis - Valles Marineris region significantly contribute to the regional perturbations in the large-scale global atmospheric circulation.

Massification and Diversity of Higher Education Systems: Interplay of Complex Dimensions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guri-Rosenblit, Sarah; Sebkova, Helena; Teichler, Ulrich

2007-01-01

This paper provides a synthetic overview of the complex dimensions that shape the interrelations between the massification of higher education systems and their structure and composition. Many higher education systems worldwide expanded extensively in the last decades, and have undergone wide and deep structural changes. Most notably, the…

Jurassic hot spring deposits of the Deseado Massif (Patagonia, Argentina): Characteristics and controls on regional distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guido, Diego M.; Campbell, Kathleen A.

2011-06-01

The Deseado Massif, Santa Cruz Province, Argentinean Patagonia, hosts numerous Middle to Late Jurassic age geothermal and epithermal features represented by siliceous and calcareous chemical precipitates from hot springs (sinters and travertines, respectively), hydrothermal breccias, quartz veins, and widespread hydrothermal silicification. They indicate pauses in explosive volcanic activity, marking the final stages in the evolution of an extensive Jurassic (ca. 178-151 Ma) volcanic complex set in a diffuse extensional back-arc setting heralding the opening of the Atlantic Ocean. Published paleo-hot spring sites for the Deseado Massif, plus additional sites identified during our recent field studies, reveal a total of 23 locations, five of which were studied in detail to determine their geologic and facies associations. They show structural, lithologic, textural and biotic similarities with Miocene to Recent hot spring systems from the Taupo and Coromandel volcanic zones, New Zealand, as well as with modern examples from Yellowstone National Park, U.S.A. These comparisons aid in the definition of facies assemblages for Deseado Massif deposits - proximal, middle apron and distal siliceous sinter and travertine terraces and mounds, with preservation of many types of stromatolitic fabrics - that likely were controlled by formation temperature, pH, hydrodynamics and fluid compositions. Locally the mapped hot spring deposits largely occur in association with reworked volcaniclastic lacustrine and/or fluvial sediments, silicic to intermediate lava domes, and hydrothermal mineralization, all of which are related to local and regional structural lineaments. Moreover, the numerous geothermal and significant epithermal (those with published minable resources) deposits of the Deseado Massif geological province mostly occur in four regional NNW and WNW hydrothermal-structural belts (Northwestern, Northern, Central, and Southern), defined here by alignment of five or more hot

Possible petrogenetic associations among igneous components in North Massif soils: Evidence in 2-4 mm soil particles from 76503

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jolliff, Bradley L.; Bishop, Kaylynn M.; Haskin, Larry A.

1992-01-01

Studies of Apollo 17 highland igneous rocks and clasts in breccias from the North and South Massifs have described magnesian troctolite, norite, anorthositic gabbro, dunite, spinel cataclasites, and granulitic lithologies that may have noritic anothosite or anorthositic norite/gabbro as igneous precursors, and have speculated on possible petrogenetic relationships among these rock types. Mineral compositions and relative proportions of plagioclase and plagioclase-olivine particles in samples 76503 indicate that the precursor lithology of those particles were troctolitic anorthosite, not troctolite. Mineral and chemical compositions of more pyroxene-rich, magnesian breccias and granulites in 76503 indicate that their precursor lithology was anorthositic norite/gabbro. The combination of mineral compositions and whole-rock trace-element compositional trends supports a genetic relationship among these two groups as would result from differentiation of a single pluton. Although highland igneous lithologies in Apollo 17 materials have been described previously, the proportions of different igneous lithologies present in the massifs, their frequency of association, and how they are related are not well known. We consider the proportions of, and associations among, the igneous lithologies found in a North Massif soil, which may represent those of the North Massif or a major part of it.

Crystal structure of modular sodium-rich and low-iron eudialyte from Lovozero alkaline massif

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rozenberg, K. A.; Rastsvetaeva, R. K., E-mail: rast@ns.crys.ras.ru; Aksenov, S. M.

2016-09-15

The structure of the sodium-rich representative of the eudialyte group found by A.P. Khomyakov at the Lovozero massif (Kola Peninsula) is studied by X-ray diffraction. The trigonal cell parameters are: a = 14.2032(1) and c = 60.612(1) Å, V = 10589.13 Å3, space group R3m. The structure is refined to the final R = 5.0% in the anisotropic approximation of atomic displacement parameters using 3742|F| > 3σ(F). The idealized formula (Z = 3) is Na{sub 37}Ca{sub 10}Mn{sub 2}FeZr{sub 6}Si{sub 50}(Ti, Nb){sub 2}O{sub 144}(OH){sub 5}Cl{sub 3} · H{sub 2}O. Like other 24-layer minerals of the eudialyte group, this mineral has amore » modular structure. Its structure contains two modules, namely, “alluaivite” (with an admixture of “eudialyte”) and “kentbrooksite,” called according to the main structural fragments of alluaivite, eudialyte, and kentbrooksite. The mineral found at the Lovozero alkaline massif shows some chemical and symmetry-structural distinctions from the close-in-composition labyrinthite modular mineral from the Khibiny massif. The difference between the minerals stems from different geochemical conditions of mineral formation in the two regions.« less

HT-LP thermometamorphism modelling : Agly massif, French Pyrenees.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tournaire Guille, Baptiste; Pascal, Marie-Lola; Lejeune, Anne-Marie; Annen, Catherine

2017-04-01

Owing to the strongly anomalous thermal gradients implied, HT-LP metamorphism is a worldwide type of processes in which magma emplacement and solidification at relatively high levels in the crust must be considered as a potentially major heat source. Thermal modelling (e.g. Annen et al. 2005) is an appropriate tool for constraining the part played by such processes in practical cases of thermometamorphism. We study the Agly massif, an exhumed part of middle crust from the Variscan belt in the French Pyrenees. This massif is a classical example of HT-LP metamorphism (Vielzeuf 1996), composed of a metasedimentary cover, mainly micaschists aged from upper Cambrian to Devonian, unconformably overlying an older basement of para- and orthogneisses. The Variscan metamorphic facies extend from greenschists, in the upper part of the cover, to granulites in the basement (Fonteilles 1976). The apparent geotherm of about 110°/km in the metasedimentary cover (amphibolite and greenschist facies) has given way to contrasting interpretations. Magmatic activity partly synchronous with and probably related to the Variscan thermometamorphism is observed at the outcropping level as at least 4 magmatic bodies of mantle origin (Touil 1994), of Stephanian age, including granodiorites and subordinate diorites and gabbros. Recent U/Pb datations on zircons (Tournaire-Guille et al., in prep) also reveal the presence of lower Cambrian magmatism in the gneisses, therefore confirming their interpretation as a pre-Variscan basement. The location (depth), volume (thickness), temperature (composition) and timing of magma emplacement are the parameters controlling the thermal effect to be modelled with a Matlab® code (Annen et al. 2005). In order to constrain these parameters, we have updated the lithostratigraphy and the PT conditions of the Variscan metamorphism in the Agly area. Mineralogic and petrologic data exploited in thermobarometric analyses compared with thermodynamic PerpleX modelling

Mapping of the Ronda peridotite massif (Spain) from AVIRIS spectro-imaging survey: A first attempt

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinet, P. C.; Chabrillat, S.; Ceuleneer, G.

1993-01-01

In both AVIRIS and ISM data, through the use of mixing models, geological boundaries of the Ronda massif are identified with respect to the surrounding rocks. We can also yield first-order vegetation maps. ISM and AVIRIS instruments give consistent results. On the basis of endmember fraction images, it is then possible to discard areas highly vegetated or not belonging to the peridotite massif. Within the remaining part of the mosaic, spectro-mixing analysis reveals spectral variations in the peridotite massif between the well-exposed areas. Spatially organized units are depicted, related to differences in the relative depth of the absorption band at 1 micron, and it may be due to a different pyroxene content. At this stage, it is worth noting that, although mineralogical variations observed in the rocks are at a sub-pixel scale for the airborne analysis, we see an emerging spatial pattern in the distribution of spectral variations across the massif which might be prevailingly related to mineralogy. Although it is known from fieldwork that the Ronda peridotite massif exhibits mineralogical variations at local scale in the content of pyroxene, and at regional scale in different mineral facies, ranging from garnet-, to spinel- to plagioclase-lherzolites, no attempt has been done yet to produce a synoptic map relating the two scales of analysis. The present work is a first attempt to reach this objective, though a lot more work is still required. In particular, for the purpose of mineralogical interpretation, it is critical to relate the airborne observation to field work and laboratory spectra of Ronda rocks already obtained, with the use of image endmembers and associated reference endmembers. Also, the pretty rough linear mixing model used here is taken as a 'black-box' process which does not necessarily apply correctly to the physical situation at the sub-pixel level. One may think of using the ground-truth observations bearing on the sub-pixel statistical

Comment on "Athabasca Valles, Mars: a lava-draped channel system".

PubMed

Page, David P

2008-06-20

Jaeger et al. (Reports, 21 September 2007, p. 1709) presented images of the Athabasca Valles channel system on Mars and asserted that the observed deposits are composed of thin, fluid lavas. However, all the features they described are secondary and postdate the surface by many millions of years, as documented by structural relationships with small, young impact craters.

Conductive heat flux in VC-1 and the thermal regime of Valles caldera, Jemez Mountains, New Mexico ( USA).

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sass, J.H.; Morgan, P.

1988-01-01

Over 5% of heat in the western USA is lost through Quaternary silicic volcanic centers, including the Valles caldera in N central New Mexico. These centers are the sites of major hydrothermal activity and upper crustal metamorphism, metasomatism, and mineralization, producing associated geothermal resources. Presents new heat flow data from Valles caldera core hole 1 (VC-1), drilled in the SW margin of the Valles caldera. Thermal conductivities were measured on 55 segments of core from VC-1, waxed and wrapped to preserve fluids. These values were combined with temperature gradient data to calculate heat flow. Above 335 m, which is probably unsaturated, heat flow is 247 + or - 16 mW m-2. Inteprets the shallow thermal gradient data and the thermal regime at VC-1 to indicate a long-lived hydrothermal (and magmatic) system in the southwestern Valles caldera that has been maintained through the generation of shallow magma bodies during the long postcollapse history of the caldera. High heat flow at the VC-1 site is interpreted to result from hot water circulating below the base of the core hole, and we attribute the lower heat flow in the unsaturated zone is attributed to hydrologic recharge. -from Authors

Mesoscale Modeling of Water Vapor and Dust in Valles Marineris: Atmospheric Influences on Recurring Slope Lineae.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leung, C. W. S.; Rafkin, S. C.; McEwen, A. S.

2015-12-01

Extensive recurring slope lineae (RSL) activity has been detected in Valles Marineris on Mars and coincides with regions where water ice fogs appear [1]. The origin of the water driving RSL flow is not well understood, but observational evidence suggests atmospheric processes play a crucial role [2]. Provided the atmospheric vapor concentration is high enough, water ice fogs can form overnight if the surface temperature cools below the condensation temperature. Correlations between dust storms and flow rates suggest that atmospheric dust opacity, and its influence on air temperature, also has a significant effect on RSL activity. We investigate planetary boundary layer processes that govern the hydrological cycle and dust cycle on Mars using a mesoscale atmospheric model to simulate the distribution of water and dust with respect to regional atmospheric circulations. Our simulations in Valles Marineris show a curious temperature structure, where the inside of the canyon appears warmer relative to the plateaus immediately outside. For a well-mixed atmosphere, this temperature structure indicates that when the atmosphere inside the canyon is saturated and fog is present within Valles Marineris, fog and low-lying clouds should also be present on the cooler surrounding plateaus as well. However, images taken with the Mars Express High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) show instances where water ice fog appeared exclusively inside the canyon. These results have important implications for the origin and concentration of water vapor in Valles Marineris, with possible connections to RSL. The potential temperatures from our simulations show a high level of stability inside the canyon produced dynamically by sinking air. However, afternoon updrafts along the canyon walls indicate that over time, water vapor within the chasm would escape along the sides of the canyon. Again, this suggests a local source or mechanism to concentrate water vapor is needed to explain the fog

Fog as a Potential Indicator of a Local Water Source in Valles Marineris

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leung, Cecilia W. S.; Rafkin, Scot C. R.; McEwen, Alfred S.

2016-10-01

Images from Mars Express suggest that water ice fog may be present in Valles Marineris while absent from the surrounding plateau. Using a regional atmospheric model, we investigate planetary boundary layer processes and discuss the implications of these potential water ice fog. Results from our simulations show that the temperature inside Valles Marineris appears warmer relative to the plateaus outside at all times of day. From the modeled temperatures, we calculate saturation vapor pressures and saturation mixing to determine the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere for cloud formation. For a well-mixed atmosphere, saturated conditions in the canyon imply supersaturated conditions outside the canyon where it is colder. Consequently, low clouds should be everywhere. This is generally not the case. Based on potential fog observations inside the canyon, if we assume the plateau is just sub-saturated, and the canyon bottom is just saturated, the resulting difference in mixing ratios represents the minimum amount of vapor required for the atmosphere to be saturated, and for potential fog to form. Under these conditions, we determined that the air inside the canyon would require a 4-7 times enrichment in water vapor at saturation compared to outside the canyon. This suggests a local source of water vapor is required to explain water ice fog appearing within the confines of Valles Marineris on Mars.

Petrology of Ortsog-Uul peridotite-gabbro massif in Western Mongolia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shapovalova, M.; Tolstykh, N.; Shelepaev, R.; Cherdantseva, M.

2017-12-01

The Ortsog-Uul mafic-ultramafic massif of Western Mongolia is located in a tectonic block with overturned bedding. The massif hosts two intrusions: a rhythmically-layered peridotite-gabbro association (Intrusion 1) and massive Bt-bearing amphibole-olivine gabbro (Intrusion 2). Intrusions 1 and 2 have different petrology features. Early Intrusion 1 (278±2.5Ma) is characterized by lower concentrations of alkalis, titanium and phosphorus than late Intrusion 2 (272±2Ma). The chondrite-normalized REE and primitive mantle-normalized rare elements patterns of Ortsog-Uul intrusions have similar curves of elements distribution. However, Intrusion 2 is characterized higher contents of REE and rare elements. High concentrations of incompatible elements are indicative of strong fractionation process. It has been suggested that Intrusions 1 and 2 derived from compositionally different parental melts. Model calculations (COMAGMAT-3.57) show that parental melts of two intrusions were close to high-Mg picrobasaltic magmas. The concentration of MgO in melt is 16.21 (Intrusion 1) and 16.17 (Intrusion 2). Isotopic data of Ortsog-Uul magmatic rocks exhibit different values of εNd (positive and negative) for Intrusion 1 and 2, respectively.

Clustered streamlined forms in Athabasca Valles, Mars: Evidence for sediment deposition during floodwater ponding

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burr, D.

2005-01-01

A unique clustering of layered streamlined forms in Athabasca Valles is hypothesized to reflect a significant hydraulic event. The forms, interpreted as sedimentary, are attributed to extensive sediment deposition during ponding and then streamlining of this sediment behind flow obstacles during ponded water outflow. These streamlined forms are analogous to those found in depositional basins and other loci of ponding in terrestrial catastrophic flood landscapes. These terrestrial streamlined forms can provide the best opportunity for reconstructing the history of the terrestrial flooding. Likewise, the streamlined forms in Athabasca Valles may provide the best opportunity to reconstruct the recent geologic history of this young Martian outflow channel. ?? 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mangala Valles, Mars: A reassessment of formation processes based on a new geomorphological and stratigraphic analysis of the geological units

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leone, Giovanni

2017-05-01

Mangala Valles has always been viewed as the typical outflow channel formed by catastrophic floods of water. A new analysis has shown that the geomorphological traces of fluvial or lacustrine processes within Mangala Valles can be better explained by fluid lava flooding the channels and filling pre-existing impact craters. As for the circum-Chryse outflow channels, where no clear source of water or mechanism able to replenish water at its hydraulic head is observed, there is no geologic trace of a sudden removal of a volume of water (ice) necessary to carve Mangala Valles. Neither maars nor rootless cones, typical volcanic features indicative of interaction between lava and ground ice, were found. Past works suggested that the formation of Mangala Valles occurred in late Amazonian age when the climate of Mars was similar to that seen today, that is absolutely not liquid water friendly. The present work shows how the origin of Mangala Valles may go back to Noachian or even Pre-Noachian when other studies have concluded that the climate was not liquid water friendly. Even assuming limited periods of obliquity favourable to liquid water in the history of Mars, which is at odds with the widespread presence of unaltered olivine and jarosite, it is very difficult to find plausible mechanisms of aquifer recharge or signs of catastrophic water release at the Notch of Mangala Valles that could feed the multiple episodes, or even a single episode, of fluvial flooding suggested in the literature. This evidence and other analysis will show that the presence of water and, eventually, ground ice is not incontrovertible in the equatorial regions and should not be given for granted as commonly done so far in the literature. The geomorphological analysis of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) images provided in this paper, combined with THEMIS and MOLA data, show how Mangala Fossa, from which Mangala Valles originated as a breakout, is an erosional channel formed by the flow of

Thematic mapping of likely target areas for the occurence of cassiterite in the Serra do Mocambo (GO) granitic massifs using LANDSAT 2 digital imaging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Almeidofilho, R. (Principal Investigator)

1984-01-01

The applicability of LANDSAT/MSS images, enhanced by computer derived techniques, as essential tools in mineral research was investigated and the Serra do Mocambo granitic massif was used as illustration. Given the peculiar factors founded in this area, orbital imagery permitted the delineation of potential target areas of mineralization occurrences, associated to albitized/greisenized types. Follow up prospection for primary tin deposits in this granitic massif should be restricted to the delineated areas which are less than 5% of the total superficial area of the massif.

Massification of University Education in Nigeria: Private Participation and Cost Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahunanya, S.; Chineze, U.; Nnennaya, I.

2013-01-01

This study investigated the massification of university education in Nigeria as a result of the reforms in the education subsector that led to private participation in the provision of university education from 1999. The question of the study hinges on the percentage of access and if the increased number of universities has led to increased…

Experience the magic of light and color: outreach activity by Universidad del Valle student chapter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valdes, Claudia; Reyes, Camilo; Osorio, Alberto; Solarte, Efrain

2010-08-01

During 2007, the Universidad del Valle Student Chapter presented a proposal for developing an educational outreach activity for children from an underprivileged zone to the Optical Society of America Foundation (OSAF) and to SPIE. The activity was carried out jointly by OSA and SPIE Universidad del Valle Student Chapters in the hillsides of Santiago de Cali, in a zone known as "Pueblo Joven" during 2008. It was aimed to boys and girls with ages between 8 and 13 years and was called "Experience the magic of light and color". The main purpose was to bring the children some basic concepts on optics and to encourage them to explore science through optics. The Universidad del Valle Student Chapters designed a series of talks and practical workshops where children participated in hands-on experiments that easily explain the fundamental concepts of light phenomena. Afterwards the children presented their achievements in a small science fair offered to the community and tried to explain in their own words what they learned and built. In this work, we present the most successful experimental designs and the educational standards we tried to develop with this activity.

Landslide in Kasei Valles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

The Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) continues in 2003 to return excellent, high resolution images of the red planet's surface. This nearly 1.5 meters (5 ft.) per pixel view of a landslide on a 200 meter-high (219 yards-high) slope in Kasei Valles was specifically targeted for scientific investigation by rotating the MGS spacecraft about 7.8o off-nadir in January 2003. The scar left by the landslide reveals layers in the bedrock at the top the slope and shows a plethora of dark-toned, house-sized boulders that rolled down the slope and collected at the base of the landslide scar. A few meteor impact craters have formed on the landslide deposit and within the scar, indicating that this landslide occurred a very long time ago. Sunlight illuminates this scene from the left/lower left; the landslide is located near 28.3oN, 71.9oW.

Isotope-Geochemical Evidence for the Nature of Protolite Eclogite of the Kokchetav Massif (Kazakhstan)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shatsky, V. S.; Skuzovatov, S. Yu.; Ragozin, A. L.; Dril, S. I.

2018-03-01

In the present paper, the results of our isotope-geochemical studies on eclogites of the ultrahighpressure metamorphic complex of the Kokchetav massif are reported. The fact that the distribution of nonmobile elements in most of the samples was close to that of E-type MORB basalts is shown by using geochemical multielement diagrams normalized to N-MORB. Six samples were found to have a negative anomaly over niobium that may have resulted from contamination with crustal material. For eclogites of the Kokchetav massif, the 147Sm/144Nd ratio was found to range widely from 0.143 to 0.367. The ɛNd-values calculated for the age of the highly barometric stage of metamorphism (530 million years) varied from-10.3 to +8.1. Eclogites show a dispersion of model ages from 1.95 billion years to 670 million years. On the graphs in the ɛNd( T)-87Sr/86Sr and ɛNd( T)- T coordinates, eclogites were shown to form trends that can be interpreted as a result of contamination of the eclogite protolith by the host rocks. Based on the data obtained, it is proposed that the basalts of rift zones that may have geochemical characteristics of N-MORB basalts and at the same time may be contaminated by the continental crust may have served as proxies for eclogite protoliths of the Kokchetav massif.

The Galicia-Ossa-Morena Zone: Proposal for a new zone of the Iberian Massif. Variscan implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arenas, Ricardo; Díez Fernández, Rubén; Rubio Pascual, Francisco J.; Sánchez Martínez, Sonia; Martín Parra, Luis Miguel; Matas, Jerónimo; González del Tánago, José; Jiménez-Díaz, Alberto; Fuenlabrada, Jose M.; Andonaegui, Pilar; Garcia-Casco, Antonio

2016-06-01

Correlation of a group of allochthonous terranes (referred to as basal, ophiolitic and upper units) exposed in the NW and SW of the Iberian Massif, is used to propose a new geotectonic zone in the southern branch of the Variscan Orogen: the Galicia-Ossa-Morena Zone. Recent advances in SW Iberia identify most of the former Ossa-Morena Zone as another allochthonous complex of the Iberian Massif, the Ossa-Morena Complex, equivalent to the Cabo Ortegal, Órdenes, Malpica-Tui, Bragança and Morais complexes described in NW Iberia. The new geotectonic zone and its counterparts along the rest of the Variscan Orogen constitute an Internal Variscan Zone with ophiolites and units affected by high-P metamorphism. The Galicia-Ossa-Morena Zone includes a Variscan suture and pieces of continental crust bearing the imprint of Ediacaran-Cambrian events related to the activity of peri-Gondwanan magmatic arcs (Cadomian orogenesis). In the Iberian Massif, the general structure of this geotectonic zone represents a duplication of the Gondwanan platform, the outboard sections being juxtaposed on top of domains located closer to the mainland before amalgamation. This interpretation offers an explanation that overcomes some issues regarding the differences between the stratigraphic and paleontological record of the central and southern sections of the Iberian Massif. Also, equivalent structural relationships between other major geotectonic domains of the rest of the Variscan Orogen are consistent with our interpretation and allow suspecting similar configurations along strike of the orogen. A number of issues may be put forward in this respect that potentially open new lines of thinking about the architecture of the Variscan Orogen.

Isotope Sm-Nd age of the paleoproterozoic PGE-bearing Monchetundra massif trachytoid gabbronorites (Fennoscandian shield)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kunakkuzin, Evgeniy; Bayanova, Tamara; Serov, Pavel; Borisenko, Elena

2015-04-01

Monchetundra massif is located in the central part of the Kola Peninsula (Russia) and it is the south-eastern part of the Main Ridge Intrusion. Monchetundra massif together with well-known layered mafic-ultramafic PGE-bearing intrusions in the Fennoscandian shield such as the Fedorovo-Pansky complex, the mt. Generalskaya, the Monchepluton is of interest as a target for the PGE prospecting (Mitrofanov et al. 2006; Nerovich et al., 2009; Grokhovskaya et al., 2003). According to some previously researchers (Nazimova, Rayan, 2008, Nerovich et al., 2009, Layered intrusions…p.1, 2004) rocks of the Monchetundra massif is subdivided into two to five syngenetic zones. Hence the last isotope-geochronological and isotope-geochemical data revealed that the massif includes at least four groups of mafic rocks distinguished by formation ages (Bayanova et al., 2010). The aim of this work is to present Sm-Nd dating results of trachytoid gabbronorites, which are the second mafic rocks group in the Monchetundra massif. The Sm-Nd investigations for these rocks were carried out for the first time. The second group of mafic rocks comprises of medium-grained and coarse-grained mesocratic gabbronorites of trachytoid texture, with they characterized by well-preserved primary magmatic minerals and gabbro-ophitic texture. The U-Pb ages on single zircon-baddeleyite for these rocks recently obtained (2505 ± 6 Ma, 2501 ± 8 Ma, 2504.4±2.7 Ma and 2507.5±7.7 Ma (Layered intrusions…p.1., 2004, Borisenko et al., 2013)). Two samples of trachytoid gabbronorites were selected to study these rocks by Sm-Nd isotopic method. Mineral isochrons plotted from plagioclase, ortho- and clinopyroxene and whole-rock minerals gave ages of 2496±27 (MSWD = 0.9; ɛNd = -1.6±0.5) and 2492±55 Ma (MSWD = 0.5; ɛNd = -1.7±0.5). The new Sm-Nd ages obtained are close to the U-Pb data on zircons and baddeleyites for this rocks group and consider as oridin of second mafic rocks group. All investigations are

Two-stage fluid flow and element transfers in shear zones during collision burial-exhumation cycle: Insights from the Mont Blanc Crystalline Massif (Western Alps)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rolland, Y.; Rossi, M.

2016-11-01

The Mont-Blanc Massif was intensely deformed during the Alpine orogenesis: in a first stage of prograde underthrusting at c. 30 Ma and in a second stage of uplift and exhumation at 22-11 Ma. Mid-crustal shear zones of 1 mm-50 m size, neighbouring episyenites (quartz-dissolved altered granite) and alpine veins, have localised intense fluid flow, which produced substantial changes in mineralogy and whole-rock geochemistry. Four main metamorphic zones are oriented parallel to the strike of the massif: (i) epidote, (ii) chlorite, (iii) actinolite-muscovite ± biotite and (iv) muscovite ± biotite. In addition, phlogopite-bearing shear zones occur in the chlorite zone, and calcite-bearing shear zones are locally found in the muscovite zone. The initial chemical composition of the granitic protolith is relatively constant at massif scale, which allows investigating compositional changes related to shear zone activity, and subsequent volume change and elements mobility. The variations of whole-rock composition and mineral chemistry in shear zones reflect variations in fluid/rock ratios and fluid's chemistry, which have produced specific mineral reactions. Estimated time-integrated fluid fluxes are of the order of 106 m3/m2. The mineral assemblages that crystallised upon these fluid-P-T conditions are responsible for specific major and trace element enrichments. The XFe (Fe/Fe + Mg) pattern of shear zone phyllosilicates and the δ13C pattern of vein calcite both show a bell-type pattern across the massif with high values on the massif rims and low values in the centre of the massif. These low XFe and δ13C values are explained by down temperature up-flow of a Fe-Mg-CO2-rich and silica-depleted fluid during stage 1, while the massif was underthrusting. These produced phlogopite, chlorite and actinolite precipitation and quartz hydrolysis, resulting in strong volume losses. In contrast, during stage 2 (uplift), substantial volume gains occurred on the massif rims due to the

The Massification of Higher Education in the UK: Aspects of Service Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giannakis, Mihalis; Bullivant, Nicola

2016-01-01

This article explores several aspects of service quality for the provision of higher education. Alongside the trend of the massification of higher education over the past two decades, higher education institutions are required to review quality across a range of outputs, besides teaching and learning. The study was undertaken within the…

New evidence for a magmatic influence on the origin of Valles Marineris, Mars

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dohm, J.M.; Williams, J.-P.; Anderson, R.C.; Ruiz, J.; McGuire, P.C.; Komatsu, G.; Davila, A.F.; Ferris, J.C.; Schulze-Makuch, D.; Baker, V.R.; Boynton, W.V.; Fairen, A.G.; Hare, T.M.; Miyamoto, H.; Tanaka, K.L.; Wheelock, S.J.

2009-01-01

In this paper, we show that the complex geological evolution of Valles Marineris, Mars, has been highly influenced by the manifestation of magmatism (e.g., possible plume activity). This is based on a diversity of evidence, reported here, for the central part, Melas Chasma, and nearby regions, including uplift, loss of huge volumes of material, flexure, volcanism, and possible hydrothermal and endogenic-induced outflow channel activity. Observations include: (1) the identification of a new > 50??km-diameter caldera/vent-like feature on the southwest flank of Melas, which is spatially associated with a previously identified center of tectonic activity using Viking data; (2) a prominent topographic rise at the central part of Valles Marineris, which includes Melas Chasma, interpreted to mark an uplift, consistent with faults that are radial and concentric about it; (3) HiRISE-identified landforms along the floor of the southeast part of Melas Chasma that are interpreted to reveal a volcanic field; (4) CRISM identification of sulfate-rich outcrops, which could be indicative of hydrothermal deposits; (5) GRS K/Th signature interpreted as water-magma interactions and/or variations in rock composition; and (6) geophysical evidence that may indicate partial compensation of the canyon and/or higher density intrusives beneath it. Long-term magma, tectonic, and water interactions (Late Noachian into the Amazonian), albeit intermittent, point to an elevated life potential, and thus Valles Marineris is considered a prime target for future life detection missions. ?? 2008 Elsevier B.V.

For Anniversary of Orbiter Launch: Seasonal Flows in Mars Valles Marineris

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-08-10

Among the many discoveries by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter since the mission was launched on Aug. 12, 2005, are seasonal flows on some steep slopes. These flows have a set of characteristics consistent with shallow seeps of salty water. This July 21, 2015, image from the orbiter's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera shows examples of these flows on a slope within Coprates Chasma, which is part of the grandest canyon system on Mars, Valles Marineris. The image covers an area of ground one-third of a mile (536 meters) wide. These flows are called recurring slope lineae because they fade and disappear during cold seasons and reappear in warm seasons, repeating this pattern every Martian year. The flows seen in this image are on a north-facing slope, so they are active in northern-hemisphere spring. The flows emanate from the relatively bright bedrock and flow onto sandy fans, where they are remarkably straight, following linear channels. Valles Marineris contains more of these flows than everywhere else on Mars combined. At any season, some are active, though on different slope aspects at different seasons. Future human explorers (and settlers?) will need water to drink, grow food, produce oxygen to breath, and make rocket fuel. Bringing all of that water from Earth would be extremely expensive, so using water on Mars is essential. Although there is plenty of water ice at high latitudes, surviving the cold winters would be difficult. An equatorial source of water would be preferable, so Valles Marineris may be the best destination. However, the chemistry of this water must be understood before betting any lives on it. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19805

Applying hydrology to land management on the Valles Caldera National Preserve

Treesearch

Robert R. Parmenter

2009-01-01

Since 2004, the Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP) in the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico has hosted extensive field hydrology research by scientists from the Center for Sustainability of semi- Arid Hydrology and Riparian Areas (SAHRA) at the University of Arizona. With the development of a detailed hydrologic understanding of VCNP's climate, geology,...

New insights into the history and origin of the southern Maya block, SE Mexico: U-Pb-SHRIMP zircon geochronology from metamorphic rocks of the Chiapas massif

USGS Publications Warehouse

Weber, Bodo; Iriondo, Alexander; Premo, Wayne R.; Hecht, Lutz; Schaaf, Peter

2007-01-01

The histories of the pre-Mesozoic landmasses in southern México and their connections with Laurentia, Gondwana, and among themselves are crucial for the understanding of the Late Paleozoic assembly of Pangea. The Permian igneous and metamorphic rocks from the Chiapas massif as part of the southern Maya block, México, were dated by U–Pb zircon geochronology employing the SHRIMP (sensitive high resolution ion microprobe) facility at Stanford University. The Chiapas massif is composed of deformed granitoids and orthogneisses with inliers of metasedimentary rocks. SHRIMP data from an anatectic orthogneiss demonstrate that the Chiapas massif was part of a Permian (∼ 272 Ma) active continental margin established on the Pacific margin of Gondwana after the Ouachita orogeny. Latest Permian (252–254 Ma) medium- to high-grade metamorphism and deformation affected the entire Chiapas massif, resulting in anatexis and intrusion of syntectonic granitoids. This unique orogenic event is interpreted as the result of compression due to flat subduction and accretionary tectonics. SHRIMP data of zircon cores from a metapelite from the NE Chiapas massif yielded a single Grenvillian source for sediments. The majority of the zircon cores from a para-amphibolite from the SE part of the massif yielded either 1.0–1.2 or 1.4–1.5 Ga sources, indicating provenance from South American Sunsás and Rondonian-San Ignacio provinces.

Perspectives on managing multi-cultural landscapes: Use, access, and fire/fuels management attitudes and preferences of user groups concerning the Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP) and adjacent areas

Treesearch

Kurt F. Anschuetz

2014-01-01

The Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP), which consists of a large, 1.2- to 1.6-million-year-old volcanic caldera, forms the heart of the Jemez Mountains in north-central New Mexico (Figure 1). Known as the Valles Caldera, this bowl-shaped hollow is an especially treasured place within this beloved mountainous landscape for many residents of the region. Its valles...

New species from the Galoka and Kalabenono massifs: two unknown and severely threatened mountainous areas in NW Madagascar

PubMed Central

Callmander, Martin W.; Rakotovao, Charles; Razafitsalama, Jeremi; Phillipson, Peter B.; Buerki, Sven; Hong-Wa, Cynthia; Rakotoarivelo, Nivo; Andriambololonera, Sylvie; Koopman, Margaret M.; Johnson, David M.; Deroin, Thierry; Ravoahangy, Andriamandranto; Solo, Serge; Labat, Jean-Noël; Lowry, Porter P.

2011-01-01

The Galoka mountain chain, comprising principally the Galoka and Kalabenono massifs, situated at the northern edge of the Sambirano Region in NW Madagascar is an area that was virtually unknown botanically. It was visited three times between 2005 and 2007 as part of a floristic inventory. Both massifs contain the last remaining primary forests in the Galoka chain, which extends parallel to the coastline from South of Ambilobe to North of Ambanja. Several new species have been discovered amongst the collections, eight of which are described here. PMID:21857767

Impact craters and landslide volume distribution in Valles Marineris, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Blasio, Fabio

2014-05-01

The landslides in the wide gorge system of Valles Marineris (Mars) exhibit volumes of the or-der of several hundred 1,000 km3 and runouts often in the excess of 80 km. Most landslides have occurred at the borders of the valleys, where the unbalanced weight of the 5-8 km high headwalls has been evidently sufficient to cause instability. Previous analysis has shown that the mechanical conditions of instability would not have been reached without external triggering fac-tors, if the wallslope consisted of intact rock. Among the factors that have likely promoted instability, we are currently analyzing: i) the possibility of rock weakening due to weathering; ii) the alternation of weak layers within more massive rock; weak layers might for example due to evaporites, the possible presence of ice table at some depth, or water; iii) weakening due to impact damage prior to the formation of Valles Marineris; studies of impact craters on Earth show that the volumes of damaged rock extends much deeper than the crater itself; iv) direct triggering of a landslide due to the seismic waves generated by a large meteoroid impact in the vicinity, and v) direct triggering of a landslide con-sequent to impact at the headwall, with impulsive release of momentum and short but intense increase of the triggering force. We gathered a large database for about 3000 Martian landslides that allow us to infer some of their statistical properties supporting our analyses, and especially to discriminate among some of the above listed predisposing and triggering factors. In particular, we analyse in this contribution the frequency distribution of landslide volumes starting from the assumption that these events are controlled by the extent of the shock damage zones. Relative position of the impact point and damage zones with respect to the Valles Marineris slopes could in fact control the released volumes. We perform 3D slope stability analy-sis under different geometrical constraints (e.g. crater

Tader Valles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

[figure removed for brevity, see original site]

Released 18 July 2003

Tader Valles, an ancient name for the present Segura River in Spain, is a set of small channels at mid-southern latitudes that is filled by smooth material with rounded margins. It is possible that this material is snow covered by a mantle of dust or dirt.

Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -49.4, Longitude 208.6 East (151.4 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.

Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

Seven new species of Loneura Navás (Insecta: Psocodea: 'Psocoptera': Ptiloneuridae) from Valle del Cauca, Colombia.

PubMed

Nieto, Julián Alexander Mendivil; Aldrete, Alfonso Neri García; Obando, Ranulfo González

2017-02-06

Seven species of Loneura from natural areas of Valle del Cauca, Colombia, are described and illustrated. The female of L. andina is described for the first time. Two additional species, known only from the National Natural Park Gorgona (Cauca), are also recorded in Valle del Cauca. The new species are assigned to the infrageneric groups known in the genus. An identification key to males of Loneura is included.

Œdème vulvaire massif pendant la grossesse: à propos d'un cas

PubMed Central

El Hassani, Moulay Elmehdi; Kassidi, Farid; Benabdejlil, Youssef; Kouach, Jaouad; Moussaoui, Driss Rahali; Dehayni, Mohammed

2014-01-01

L’œdème vulvaire massif est rare pendant la grossesse, mais requiert une attention particulière car il peut se greffer de complications maternelles et fœtales. Il peut être associé à plusieurs pathologies spécifiques ou non spécifiques à la grossesse dont le diagnostic fait appel obligatoirement à un interrogatoire et un examen clinique minutieux, puis à un bilan biologique standard. Le traitement doit être étiologique chaque fois que possible à coté du traitement symptomatique. Cette situation peut nécessiter un accouchement par césarienne. En dehors du risque potentiel de nécrose tissulaire et du risque exceptionnel de décès maternel associé à l’œdème vulvaire massif du post-partum l’évolution est favorable sous traitement bien conduit. PMID:25922627

Constraining the deformation and exhumation history of the Ronda Massif, Southern Spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myall, Jack; Donaldson, Colin

2016-04-01

The Ronda peridotite, southern Spain is comprised of four peridotite units hosted within metasedimentary units of the Betic Cordillera, Western Alps. These four areas of differing mineral facies are termed: the Garnet Mylonite , the Foliated Spinel Peridotite, the Granular Spinel Peridotite and the Foliated Plagioclase Peridotite. Whilst two of these units show a strong NE-SW foliation, the granular unit has no foliation and the Plagioclase facies shows a NW-SE foliation. The massif is separated from the metasedimentary host through a mylonite shear zone to the NW and thrust faults to the SE. The Garnets contain rims of Kelyphite which when combined with the rims of Spinel on the Plagioclase crystals illustrate the complicated exhumation of this massif. The Kelyphite shows the breakdown of garnet back to spinel and pyroxene showing the deeper high pressure high temperature mineral is under shallowing conditions whereas in contrast to this the low pressure low temperature plagioclase crystals have spinel rims showing that they have been moved into deeper conditions. The P-T-t pathway of the massif suggests slow exhumation to allow for partial recrystallisation of not only the garnets and plagioclases but of a 100m band of peridotite between the Foliated Spinel Peridotite and the Granular Spinel Peridotite facies. The tectonic model for the Ronda Peridotite that best describes the field data and subsequent lab work of this study is Mantle Core complex and slab roll back models. These models support mantle uprising during an extensional event that whereby slab roll back of the subducting lithosphere provides uplift into a void and emplacement into the crust. Further extension and final exhumation causes rotation of a mantle wedge into its present day position.

Genomic characterisation of Arachis porphyrocalyx (Valls & C.E. Simpson, 2005) (Leguminosae): multiple origin of Arachis species with x = 9.

PubMed

Celeste, Silvestri María; Ortiz, Alejandra Marcela; Robledo, Germán Ariel; Valls, José Francisco Montenegro; Lavia, Graciela Inés

2017-01-01

The genus Arachis Linnaeus, 1753 comprises four species with x = 9, three belong to the section Arachis: Arachis praecox (Krapov. W.C. Greg. & Valls, 1994), Arachis palustris (Krapov. W.C. Greg. & Valls, 1994) and Arachis decora (Krapov. W.C. Greg. & Valls, 1994) and only one belongs to the section Erectoides: Arachis porphyrocalyx (Valls & C.E. Simpson, 2005). Recently, the x = 9 species of section Arachis have been assigned to G genome, the latest described so far. The genomic relationship of Arachis porphyrocalyx with these species is controversial. In the present work, we carried out a karyotypic characterisation of Arachis porphyrocalyx to evaluate its genomic structure and analyse the origin of all x = 9 Arachis species. Arachis porphyrocalyx showed a karyotype formula of 14m+4st, one pair of A chromosomes, satellited chromosomes type 8, one pair of 45S rDNA sites in the SAT chromosomes, one pair of 5S rDNA sites and pericentromeric C-DAPI+ bands in all chromosomes. Karyotype structure indicates that Arachis porphyrocalyx does not share the same genome type with the other three x = 9 species and neither with the remaining Erectoides species. Taking into account the geographic distribution, morphological and cytogenetic features, the origin of species with x = 9 of the genus Arachis cannot be unique; instead, they originated at least twice in the evolutionary history of the genus.

Genomic characterisation of Arachis porphyrocalyx (Valls & C.E. Simpson, 2005) (Leguminosae): multiple origin of Arachis species with x = 9

PubMed Central

Celeste, Silvestri María; Ortiz, Alejandra Marcela; Robledo, Germán Ariel; Valls, José Francisco Montenegro; Lavia, Graciela Inés

2017-01-01

Abstract The genus Arachis Linnaeus, 1753 comprises four species with x = 9, three belong to the section Arachis: Arachis praecox (Krapov. W.C. Greg. & Valls, 1994), Arachis palustris (Krapov. W.C. Greg. & Valls, 1994) and Arachis decora (Krapov. W.C. Greg. & Valls, 1994) and only one belongs to the section Erectoides: Arachis porphyrocalyx (Valls & C.E. Simpson, 2005). Recently, the x = 9 species of section Arachis have been assigned to G genome, the latest described so far. The genomic relationship of Arachis porphyrocalyx with these species is controversial. In the present work, we carried out a karyotypic characterisation of Arachis porphyrocalyx to evaluate its genomic structure and analyse the origin of all x = 9 Arachis species. Arachis porphyrocalyx showed a karyotype formula of 14m+4st, one pair of A chromosomes, satellited chromosomes type 8, one pair of 45S rDNA sites in the SAT chromosomes, one pair of 5S rDNA sites and pericentromeric C-DAPI+ bands in all chromosomes. Karyotype structure indicates that Arachis porphyrocalyx does not share the same genome type with the other three x = 9 species and neither with the remaining Erectoides species. Taking into account the geographic distribution, morphological and cytogenetic features, the origin of species with x = 9 of the genus Arachis cannot be unique; instead, they originated at least twice in the evolutionary history of the genus. PMID:28919947

Lithologic distribution and geologic history of the Apollo 17 site: The record in soils and small rock particles from the highland massifs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jolliff, Bradley L.; Rockow, Kaylynn M.; Korotev, Randy L.; Haskin, Larry A.

1996-01-01

Through analysis by instrumental neutron activation (INAA) of 789 individual lithic fragments from the 2 mm-4 mm grain-size fractions of five Apollo 17 soil samples (72443, 72503, 73243, 76283, and 76503) and petrographic examination of a subset, we have determined the diversity and proportions of rock types recorded within soils from the highland massifs. The distribution of rock types at the site, as recorded by lithic fragments in the soils, is an alternative to the distribution inferred from the limited number of large rock samples. The compositions and proportions of 2 mm-4 mm fragments provide a bridge between compositions of <1 mm fines, and types and proportions of rocks observed in large collected breccias and their clasts. The 2 mm-4 mm fraction of soil from South Massif, represented by an unbiased set of lithic fragments from station-2 samples 72443 and 72503, consists of 71% noritic impact-melt breccia, 7% incompatible-trace-element-(ITE)-poor highland rock types (mainly granulitic breccias), 19% agglutinates and regolith breccias, 1% high-Ti mare basalt, and 2% others (very-low-Ti (VLT) basalt, monzogabbro breccia, and metal). In contrast, the 2 mm-4 mm fraction of a soil from the North Massif, represented by an unbiased set of lithic fragments from station-6 sample 76503, has a greater proportion of ITE-poor highland rock types and mare-basalt fragments: it consists of 29% ITE-poor highland rock types (mainly granulitic breccias and troctolitic anorthosite), 25% impact-melt breccia, 13% high-Ti mare basalt, 31% agglutinates and regolith breccias, 1% orange glass and related breccia, and 1% others. Based on a comparison of mass-weighted mean compositions of the lithic fragments with compositions of soil fines from all Apollo 17 highland stations, differences between the station-2 and station-6 samples are representative of differences between available samples from the two massifs. From the distribution of different rock types and their compositions

The French Atlantic littoral and the Massif Armoricain, part 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Verger, F. (Principal Investigator); Scanvic, J. Y.; Monget, J. M.

1977-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results: (1) An original map of lineaments of the Armorican Massif and the Vendean platform was prepared. (2) Validity of spatial information through comparison with maps of various kinds, such as geological, geophysical, morphological, etc., was verified. (3) It was confirmed that LANDSAT images, in many cases, reflect data on deep phenomena which were only accessible geophysically and by means of borings. Tectonic domains were outlined, and known lineaments were extended.

The Chineysky layered massif (Siberia, Russia) and Upper Zone of the Bushveld Complex: resemblance and difference features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gongalskiy, B.; Krivolutskaya, N.

2009-04-01

Layered intrusions represent a small part of a large group of continental basic-ultrabasic complexes. They attract geologists' attention due to their unusual magmatic structures and associated PGE, Cr and V deposits. The outstanding example of this phenomenon is the Bushveld Complex in South Africa. The largest layered intrusion in Russia is the Chineysky massif (Transbaikalia, Siberia). It is characterized by excellent layering and accompanying titanomagnetite and sulfide mineralization. It hosts Russia's largest deposits of Fe-Ti-V ores which are also among the world's largest [1]. Origin of such huge metal concentrations in the crust is unsettled problem. Therefore the ore conditions' determination from different intrusions is very actually. We compared the structure, rock and parental magmas compositions for two plutons mentioned above. The Chineysky massif consists of gabbronorites and anorthozites and the petrography of the rocks resembles that of the Upper Zone of the Bushveld [3]. Vanadium ores from these two intrusions are very similar: they are represented by massive and disseminated varieties. However, the small size of Chineysky massiv gives an opportunity to observe the number of petrological processes in a frame of one area, as opposed to Bushveld, where this is impossible. The separateness of the bodies and the scarcity of geochemical data on their rocks precluded the development of a comprehensive model for the evolution of magmatism in this part of the Kodar- Udokan trough. So one of the tasks of our research was to study the spatial and genetic relations between the ultrabasite-basite intrusive bodies and their possible grouping within a single magmatic system, with the Chineysky massif being its part. The second tasks was to determine the phase characteristics of the parental magma of the massif . An important aspect of this study was the examination of the inner structure of the Chineysky massiv. The main features of the structure are following

Massification and Diversification as Complementary Strategies for Economic Growth in Developed and Developing Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyndorf, Darryl; Glass, Chris R.

2016-01-01

Numerous microeconomic studies demonstrate the significant individual returns to tertiary education; however, little empirical evidence exists regarding the effects of higher education massification and diversification agendas on long-term macroeconomic growth. The researchers used the Uzawa-Lucas endogenous growth model to tertiary education…

Spatial distribution of quartz recrystallization microstructures across the Aar massif (Swiss Central Alps)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peters, M.; Herwegh, M.

2012-04-01

In the Aar massif, main foliation and major deformation structures were developed during NW-SE compression associated with the Alpine orogeny (Steck 1968). To be precise, shearing at the brittle to ductile transition may have initiated at different stages between 22-20 Ma and 14-12 Ma, followed by purely brittle deformation at around 10 Ma (Rolland et al. 2009). In light of the onset of dynamic recrystallization in quartz, Bambauer et al. (2009) defined a quartz recrystallization isograd in the northern part of the Aar massif. To the south, the grain size of recrystallized grains increases due to an increase of metamorphic temperatures from N to S. The aim of the current project is to carry out quantitative analysis on changes of the dynamic and static recrystallization behavior of quartz. Across the Aar massif, two general types of microstructures have to be discriminated: (i) weakly to moderately deformed host rocks and (ii) intensely deformed mylonites to ultramylonites out of high strain shear zones. In (i), volume fraction and size of recrystallized quartz grains increase towards the S showing grain size changes from around 5 µm up to ca. 200 µm. Southern microstructures are characterized by complete recrystallization. In terms of recrystallization processes, a transition from bulging recrystallization in the N to subgrain rotation recrystallization in the S occurs. Such a change in dynamic recrystallization processes combined with a grain size increase points towards reduced differential stresses with increasing temperature. This temperature gradient is also corroborated by a switch in the active glide systems in quartz from basal to rhomb dominated glide. In contrast to the granitic host rocks, the mylonites and ultramylonites (ii) show smaller recrystallized grain sizes due to enhanced strain rates. However, they also reveal a general increase of recrystallized grain sizes from N to S. In the S, microstructures from (i) and (ii) show equidimensional

Lakes in Valles Marineris

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucchitta, Baerbel K.

2010-10-01

The paper reviews the evolution of hypotheses of lakes in Valles Marineris through observations made from the time of Mariner and continuing through the Viking, MGS, MO, MEx, and MRO missions. Several pertinent findings from these missions are addressed, including: The morphology and composition of the interior layered deposits (ILD); the question whether ILD are deposited inside the troughs or exhumed from the walls; the possible existence of ancestral basins; the derivation of water; arguments for an origin as aqueous, eolian, or pyroclastic sediments, or sub/ice volcanoes; origin of inclined layers, mounds and moats; and age relations of features within and peripheral to the troughs. A possible scenario begins with the collapse of ice-charged ground into ancestral basins along structural planes of weakness due to Tharsis stresses, about 3.5 Ga ago. The basins rapidly filled with water from ground ice, subterranean aquifers, or nearby valley networks. The water spilled out of the peripheral troughs and flowed across high plateaus into early outflow channels. The ancestral basins then filled with sediments derived from valley networks or from trapped eolian or pyroclastic deposits. Alternatively, volcanoes rose under the water or ice to form tuyas. The water was highly acidic, and sediments may have been deposited directly as evaporites or were later altered to evaporites by the brines or by hydrothermal activity. Percolating fluids produced iron oxide concretions. Similar alteration would have affected the putative volcanoes. Most of the ILD were emplaced early in the troughs' history. Shortly thereafter, more water erupted from the peripheral troughs and formed additional chaos and outflow channels. The ancestral basins were breached by erosion and tectonism, and the through-going Coprates/Ius graben system developed. Major lakes within the Valles Marineris dried up and vigorous wind erosion reduced the friable, evaporite-rich sediments to isolated mounds

Strike-slip faulting of ridged plains near Valles Marineris, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schultz, R. A.

1989-10-01

This paper identifies and documents several well-preserved examples of Martian strike-slip faults and examines their relationships to wrinkle-ridges. The strike-slip faulting predates or overlaps periods of wrinkle-ridge growth southeast of Valles Marineris, and some wrinkle ridges may have nucleated and grown as a result of strike-slip displacements along the echelon fault arrays. Lateral displacements of several km inferred along these arrays may be related to tectonism in Tharsis.

The Nahuel Niyeu basin: A Cambrian forearc basin in the eastern North Patagonian Massif

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greco, Gerson A.; González, Santiago N.; Sato, Ana M.; González, Pablo D.; Basei, Miguel A. S.; Llambías, Eduardo J.; Varela, Ricardo

2017-11-01

Early Paleozoic basement of the eastern North Patagonian Massif includes low- and high grade metamorphic units, which consist mainly of alternating paraderived metamorphic rocks (mostly derived from siliciclastic protoliths) with minor intercalations of orthoderived metamorphic rocks. In this contribution we provide a better understanding of the tectonic setting in which the protoliths of these units were formed, which adds to an earlier suggested idea. With this purpose, we studied the metasedimentary rocks of the low-grade Nahuel Niyeu Formation from the Aguada Cecilio area combining mapping and petrographic analysis with U-Pb geochronology and characterization of detrital zircon grains. The results and interpretations of this unit, together with published geological, geochronological and geochemical information, allow us to interpret the sedimentary and igneous protoliths of all metamorphic units from the massif as formed in a forearc basin at ∼520-510 Ma (Nahuel Niyeu basin). It probably was elongated in the ∼NW-SE direction, and would have received detritus from a proximal source area situated toward its northeastern side (present coordinates). The basin might be related to an extensional tectonic regime. Most likely source rocks were: (1) 520-510 Ma, acidic volcanic rocks (an active magmatic arc), (2) ∼555->520 Ma, acidic plutonic and volcanic rocks (earlier stages of the same arc), and (3) latest Ediacaran-Terreneuvian, paraderived metamorphic rocks (country rocks of the arc). We evaluate the Nahuel Niyeu basin considering the eastern North Patagonian Massif as an autochthonous part of South America, adding to the discussion of the origin of Patagonia.

Are there carbonate deposits in the Valles Marineris, Mars?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nedell, Susan S.; Mckay, Christopher P.

1989-01-01

The precipitation of 30 mbar of Martian atmosphere CO2 as carbonates in lakes is suggested to be the source of thick sequences of layered deposits found in the Valles Marineris. Support is adduced for this scenario from processes occurring in the perennially frozen dry valley lakes of Antarctica, where the lake water is supersaturated with atmospheric gases. Atmospheric CO2 would have accumulated in such Martian lakes as temperature fell, and the presence of an insulating ice cover would have allowed liquid water to exist.

Research the dynamical characteristics of slow deformation waves as a rock massif response to explosions during its outworking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hachay, Olga; Khachay, Oleg; Shipeev, Oleg

2015-04-01

As a result of long-term natural geomechanics and geophysical observation data on mines of complex ore rocks, generalization of the non-linear reaction of rock massif to heavy dynamic influences have been established. In addition, pendulum type waves have been observed and the sources of them have been located inside geoblocks of different hierarchic levels (Oparin et al., 2010). At the same time, these waves propagate with wide low (compared with seismic waves) velocity values (Kurlenja et al., 1993; Oparin et al., 2006). Research into the massif state with the use of the dynamic systems theory approach (Naimark et al., 2009; Chulichkov, 2003; Hachay et al., 2010) has been developed to ascertain the criteria of dissipative regimes changing for real rock massifs, which are under heavy man-caused influence. To realize such research we used the data from the seismic record of the Tashtagol mine for the two-year period from June 2006 up to June 2008. We used the space-time coordinates for all dynamic massif event responses, which occurred during that period inside the mine space and for the explosions - values fixed by seismic station energy (Hachay et al., 2010). The phase diagrams of the massif state for the northern and southern parts of the mine space were plotted in coordinates Ev(t) and d(Ev(t))/dt, t - time - in parts of 24 hours, Ev - the dissipated massive seismic energy - in joules. Hachay et al., (2010) analysed the morphology of seismic response phase trajectories on the explosion influences during different serial intervals in the southern part of the mine. In that period, according to data for different explosions in the mine, the majority of the total energy had been injected into the southern part of the mine. Moreover, at the end of 2007, just in the southern part, the strongest rock burst during the whole history of the working mine happened. We developed a new processing method of seismological information in real, which we can use directly in the

The Interior Layered Deposits of Valles Marineris: Layering, Erosional Processes, and Age Relationships

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weitz, C. M.; Parker, T.; Anderson, F. S.; Grant, J. A.

2001-01-01

We have used Viking and Mars Global Surveyor data to study the interior layered deposits in detail. We have identified features which may support fluvial activity within Valles Marineris. Stratigraphic relationships indicate the deposits are younger than the wallrock. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Lower Pliensbachian caldera volcanism in high-obliquity rift systems in the western North Patagonian Massif, Argentina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benedini, Leonardo; Gregori, Daniel; Strazzere, Leonardo; Falco, Juan I.; Dristas, Jorge A.

2014-12-01

In the Cerro Carro Quebrado and Cerro Catri Cura area, located at the border between the Neuquén Basin and the North Patagonian Massif, the Garamilla Formation is composed of four volcanic stages: 1) andesitic lava-flows related to the beginning of the volcanic system; 2) basal massive lithic breccias that represent the caldera collapse; 3) voluminous, coarse-crystal rich massive lava-like ignimbrites related to multiple, steady eruptions that represent the principal infill of the system; and, finally 4) domes, dykes, lava flows, and lava domes of rhyolitic composition indicative of a post-collapse stage. The analysis of the regional and local structures, as well as, the architectures of the volcanic facies, indicates the existence of a highly oblique rift, with its principal extensional strain in an NNE-SSW direction (˜N10°). The analyzed rocks are mainly high-potassium dacites and rhyolites with trace and RE elements contents of an intraplate signature. The age of these rocks (189 ± 0.76 Ma) agree well with other volcanic sequences of the western North Patagonian Massif, as well as, the Neuquén Basin, indicating that Pliensbachian magmatism was widespread in both regions. The age is also coincident with phase 1 of volcanism of the eastern North Patagonia Massif (188-178 Ma) represented by ignimbrites, domes, and pyroclastic rocks of the Marifil Complex, related to intraplate magmatism.

Carboniferous high-pressure metamorphism of Ordovician protoliths in the Argentera Massif (Italy), Southern European Variscan belt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rubatto, Daniela; Ferrando, Simona; Compagnoni, Roberto; Lombardo, Bruno

2010-04-01

The age of high-pressure metamorphism is crucial to identify a suitable tectonic model for the vast Variscan orogeny. Banded H P granulites from the Gesso-Stura Terrain in the Argentera Massif, Italy, have been recently described (Ferrando et al., 2008) relicts of high-pressure metamorphism in the western part of the Variscan orogen. Bulk rock chemistry of representative lithologies reveals intermediate silica contents and calc-alkaline affinity of the various cumulate layers. Enrichment in incompatible elements denotes a significant crustal component in line with intrusion during Ordovician rifting. Magmatic zircon cores from a Pl-rich layer yield scattered ages indicating a minimum protolith age of 486 ± 7 Ma. Carboniferous zircons (340.7 ± 4.2 and 336.3 ± 4.1 Ma) are found in a Pl-rich and a Pl-poor layer, respectively. Their zoning, chemical composition (low Th/U, flat HREE pattern and Ti-in-zircon temperature) and deformation indicate that they formed during the high-pressure event before decompression and mylonitisation. The proposed age for high-pressure metamorphism in the Argentera Massif proves that subduction preceded anatexis by less than 20 Ma. The new data allow a first-order comparison with the Bohemian Massif, which is located at the eastern termination of the Variscan orogen. Similarities in evolution at either end of the orogen support a Himalayan-type tectonic model for the entire European Variscides.

Géométrie et cinématique des chevauchements varisques du Nord-Est du Massif armoricain (France)Geometry and kinematics of Variscan thrusts in the northeastern Armorican Massif (France)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butaeye, Damien; Laville, Edgard; Le Gall, Jean

2001-02-01

Variscan structures of the northeastern Armorican massif consist of folds induced by south-verging thrust faults. This thin-skinned process is controlled by a major décollement that would be expected at the base of the Brioverian flysch. So, the northeastern Armorican domain can be integrated to the tectonic model admitted at the Variscan Orogenesis scale.

Limited role for thermal erosion by turbulent lava in proximal Athabasca Valles, Mars

PubMed Central

Cataldo, Vincenzo; Williams, David A.; Dundas, Colin M.; Keszthelyi, Laszlo P.

2017-01-01

The Athabasca Valles flood lava is among the most recent (<50 Ma) and best preserved effusive lava flows on Mars and was probably emplaced turbulently. The Williams et al. [2005] model of thermal erosion by lava has been applied to what we term “proximal Athabasca,” the 75 km long upstream portion of Athabasca Valles. For emplacement volumes of 5000 and 7500 km3 and average flow thicknesses of 20 and 30 m, the duration of the eruption varies between ~11 and ~37 days. The erosion of the lava flow substrate is investigated for three eruption temperatures (1270°C, 1260°C, and 1250°C), and volatile contents equivalent to 0–65 vol% bubbles. The largest erosion depths of ~3.8–7.5 m are at the lava source, for 20 m thick and bubble-free flows that erupted at their liquidus temperature (1270°C). A substrate containing 25 vol% ice leads to maximum erosion. A lava temperature 20°C below liquidus reduces erosion depths by a factor of ~2.2. If flow viscosity increases with increasing bubble content in the lava, the presence of 30–50 vol % bubbles leads to erosion depths lower than those relative to bubble-free lava by a factor of ~2.4. The presence of 25 vol % ice in the substrate increases erosion depths by a factor of 1.3. Nevertheless, modeled erosion depths, consistent with the emplacement volume and flow duration constraints, are far less than the depth of the channel (~35–100 m). We conclude that thermal erosion does not appear to have had a major role in excavating Athabasca Valles. PMID:29082120

Evidence for maize (Zea mays) in the Late Archaic (3000–1800 B.C.) in the Norte Chico region of Peru

PubMed Central

Haas, Jonathan; Creamer, Winifred; Huamán Mesía, Luis; Goldstein, David; Reinhard, Karl; Rodríguez, Cindy Vergel

2013-01-01

For more than 40 y, there has been an active discussion over the presence and economic importance of maize (Zea mays) during the Late Archaic period (3000–1800 B.C.) in ancient Peru. The evidence for Late Archaic maize has been limited, leading to the interpretation that it was present but used primarily for ceremonial purposes. Archaeological testing at a number of sites in the Norte Chico region of the north central coast provides a broad range of empirical data on the production, processing, and consumption of maize. New data drawn from coprolites, pollen records, and stone tool residues, combined with 126 radiocarbon dates, demonstrate that maize was widely grown, intensively processed, and constituted a primary component of the diet throughout the period from 3000 to 1800 B.C. PMID:23440194

Supergene oxidation of epithermal gold-silver mineralization in the Deseado massif, Patagonia, Argentina: response to subduction of the Chile Ridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sillitoe, Richard H.

2018-06-01

Radiometric ages for supergene alunite and jarosite effectively date the oxidation of former concentrations of pyrite and any associated sulfide minerals. These K-bearing sulfate minerals, formed under low-pH conditions, are uncommon supergene products in low-sulfidation epithermal deposits because of the general paucity of pyrite for acid generation. For this reason, the age of supergene oxidation—locally to depths of 200 m or more—in the epithermal Au-Ag deposits of the Deseado massif, located in the extra-Andean foreland of Patagonia, southern Argentina, has remained unknown. Although, theoretically, the oxidation could have taken place anytime between the Late Jurassic, when the Au-Ag mineralization formed, and Pleistocene, K-Ar ages for alunite and jarosite from two widely separated and unusually pyritic, Ag-bearing hydrothermal breccias (Lejano and Libanesa) show it to have been mid-Miocene, 13.8 ± 1.8 Ma. This is the time when the Deseado massif underwent appreciable regional-scale tectonic uplift and valley incision, following 140 myr during which the region was topographically subdued and the site of either fluvio-lacustrine or shallow-marine sedimentation. The uplift, combined with increasing aridity due to the orographic rain shadow caused by growth of the Patagonian Andes to the west and enhanced by global cooling, would have depressed regional groundwater tables, thereby promoting the supergene sulfide oxidation. The mid-Miocene uplift appears to have been triggered by development of a slab tear and slab window beneath the Deseado massif during early stages of subduction of the Chile oceanic-ridge spreading center at the Pacific margin. Supergene sulfide oxidation in both the Deseado massif and Atacama Desert of northern Chile was the result of Cenozoic uplift during progressive aridification, although the causes of these phenomena were radically different. However, when the supergene oxidation was taking place in the Deseado massif, up to 30 myr

Long-term simulations of thermal and hydraulic characteristics in a mountain massif: The Mont Blanc case study, French and Italian Alps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maréchal, J. C.; Perrochet, P.; Tacher, L.

1999-08-01

The use of hydrothermal simulation models to improve the prediction of water inflows in underground works during drilling is tested in the Mont Blanc tunnel, French and Italian Alps. The negative thermal anomaly that was observed during the drilling of this tunnel in 1960 is reproduced by long-term, transient hydrothermal simulations. Sensitivity analysis shows the great inertia of thermal phenomena at the massif scale. At the time of tunnel drilling, the massif had not reached thermal equilibrium. Therefore, a set of simulation scenarios, beginning at the end of the last glacial period, was designed to explain the anomaly encountered in the tunnel in 1960. The continuous cooling of alpine massifs due to infiltration of waters from the surface has occurred for 12,000 years and is expected to continue for about 100,000 years. Comparisons of water-discharge rates simulated in the tunnel with those observed indicate that this hydrothermal method is a useful tool for predicting water inflows in underground works.

A magnetotelluric study from over Dharwar cratonic nucleus into Billigiri Rangan charnockitic massif, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pratap, A.; Kusham; Pradeep Naick, B.; Naganjaneyulu, K.

2018-07-01

The electrical resistivity structure of the crust beneath the Dharwar craton in southern India was investigated by magnetotelluric method. In the present study, a northwest-southeast oriented 220 km long profile of 18 stations with a station spacing of ∼10-15 km is used. The profile extends from Dharwar cratonic nucleus in the north to Billigiri Rangan charnockitic massifs in the south. Time series data are processed to get the apparent resistivity and phase. The dominant geoelectric strike direction (75°) was calculated in a period range of 0.01-1000 s. The data are rotated to 75° strike direction. Two-dimensional inversion is carried out by using the non-linear conjugate gradient scheme for both apparent resistivity and phase. Our inversion results show a conductor in the northern side of the profile and two distinct prominent conductors in southern part of the profile. The mid-lower crust in southern part of the profile shows less resistive (<300 ohm-m) nature in the depth range of 20-50 km and is related with the Chitradurga shear zone and Billigiri Rangan charnockite massif. These zones were interpreted as CO2 flushed terranes. Regional-scale carbonation occurred in Late Archaean is associated with Chitradurga shear zone and in Late Proterozoic is associated with Salem-Attur shear zone. The CO2 rich fluids derived during that time might have exhausted in dehydration reactions. Later events such as the Indian plate passing over several hotspots and the metasomatized fluids associated with the Cretaceous-Tertiary magmatism in the region is the reason for observed low resistivity near Billigiri Rangan massif and surrounding regions in the south.

Instrument-Aided Assessment of the Effect of Natural and Technogenic Factors on the Geomechanical State of a Massif Enclosing an HPP Turbine Room

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Abramov, N. N., E-mail: Abramov@goi.kolasc.net.ru; Epimakhov, Yu. A.

2016-05-15

A package of geophysical criteria has been developed using seismic spatiotemporal tomography (SST) of a rock massif to perform an instrument-aided assessment of the effect of natural and technogenic factors on the geomechanical state of a rock massif enclosing an underground turbine room at an HPP. Results are presented for a detailed assessment for the underground turbine room at the Verkhnyaya Tuloma HPP on the Kola peninsula.

Timing and duration of Variscan high-pressure metamorphism in the French Massif Central: A multimethod geochronological study from the Najac Massif

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lotout, Caroline; Pitra, Pavel; Poujol, Marc; Anczkiewicz, Robert; Van Den Driessche, Jean

2018-05-01

Accurate dating of eclogite-facies metamorphism is of paramount importance in order to understand the tectonic evolution of an orogen. An eclogite sample from the Najac Massif (French Massif Central, Variscan belt) displays a zircon-bearing garnet-omphacite-amphibole-rutile-quartz peak assemblage. Pseudosection modeling suggests peak pressure conditions of 15-20 kbar, 560-630 °C. Eclogite-facies garnet displays Lu-enriched cores and Sm-rich rims and yields a Lu-Hf age of 382.8 ± 1.0 Ma and a Sm-Nd age of 376.7 ± 3.3 Ma. The ages are interpreted as marking the beginning of the prograde garnet growth during the initial stages of the eclogite-facies metamorphism, and the high-pressure (and temperature) peak reached by the rock, respectively. Zircon grains display chondrite-normalized REE spectra with variably negative, positive or no Eu anomalies and are characterized by either enriched or flat HREE patterns. However, they yield a well constrained in situ LA-ICP-MS U-Pb age of 385.5 ± 2.3 Ma, despite this REE pattern variability. Zr zonation in garnet, Y content in zircon and the diversity of zircon HREE spectra may suggest that zircon crystallized prior to and during incipient garnet growth on the prograde P-T path, recording the initial stages of the eclogite-facies conditions. Consequently, the zircon age of 385.5 ± 2.3 Ma, comparable within error with the Lu-Hf age obtained on garnet, is interpreted as dating the beginning of the eclogite-facies metamorphism. Accordingly, the duration of the prograde part of the eclogite-facies event is estimated at 6.1 ± 4.3 Myr. Subsequent exhumation is constrained by an apatite U-Pb age at 369 ± 13 Ma.

MEVTV study: Early tectonic evolution of Mars: Crustal dichotomy to Valles Marineris

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frey, Herbert V.; Schultz, Richard A.

1990-01-01

Several fundamental problems were addressed in the early impact, tectonic, and volcanic evolution of the martian lithosphere: (1) origin and evolution of the fundamental crustal dichotomy, including development of the highland/lowland transition zone; (2) growth and evolution of the Valles Marineris; and (3) nature and role of major resurfacing events in early martian history. The results in these areas are briefly summarized.

Metagenomic identification of active methanogens and methanotrophs in serpentinite springs of the Voltri Massif, Italy.

PubMed

Brazelton, William J; Thornton, Christopher N; Hyer, Alex; Twing, Katrina I; Longino, August A; Lang, Susan Q; Lilley, Marvin D; Früh-Green, Gretchen L; Schrenk, Matthew O

2017-01-01

The production of hydrogen and methane by geochemical reactions associated with the serpentinization of ultramafic rocks can potentially support subsurface microbial ecosystems independent of the photosynthetic biosphere. Methanogenic and methanotrophic microorganisms are abundant in marine hydrothermal systems heavily influenced by serpentinization, but evidence for methane-cycling archaea and bacteria in continental serpentinite springs has been limited. This report provides metagenomic and experimental evidence for active methanogenesis and methanotrophy by microbial communities in serpentinite springs of the Voltri Massif, Italy. Methanogens belonging to family Methanobacteriaceae and methanotrophic bacteria belonging to family Methylococcaceae were heavily enriched in three ultrabasic springs (pH 12). Metagenomic data also suggest the potential for hydrogen oxidation, hydrogen production, carbon fixation, fermentation, and organic acid metabolism in the ultrabasic springs. The predicted metabolic capabilities are consistent with an active subsurface ecosystem supported by energy and carbon liberated by geochemical reactions within the serpentinite rocks of the Voltri Massif.

[Detection of Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae) in the city of Cali, Valle del Cauca, Colombia].

PubMed

Cuéllar-Jiménez, María Elena; Velásquez-Escobar, Olga Lucía; González-Obando, Ranulfo; Morales-Reichmann, Carlos Andrés

2007-06-01

Aedes albopictus is the second most important dengue virus vector in the Asian southeast after Aedes aegypti. Its entrance into the Americas occurred in 1985, and laboratory studies performed show its potential as a vector in this continent as well. In Colombia, this species has been reported in Leticia (Amazonas) in 1998 and Buenaventura (Valle del Cauca) in 2001. The latest discoveries show that this mosquito continues to advance toward the country's interior. To inform that the presence of A. albopictus is documented in the city of Cali, Valle del Cauca, Colombia. Since 2002, weekly sampling has been performed using larval traps located at seventeen stations. The identification of the A. albopictus species, was carried out in the Unidad de Entomología, Laboratorio de Salud Pública Departamental. These identifications were confirmed in the Entomology Laboratory at Universidad del Valle and the National Institute of Health in Bogotá. From April to June of 2006, larvae of A. albopictus were found in six sampling stations located between northwest and northeast of Cali, one of them in the suburban area of the Yumbo city. The control of A. aegypti and A. albopictus must be integrated into a single program. The surveillance in the cities and nearest departments must be intensified with the objective of limiting the advancement of A. albopictus.

Deglaciation and post-glacial environmental evolution in the Western Massif of Picos de Europa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruiz-Fernández, Jesús; Oliva, Marc; García, Cristina; López-Sáez, José Antonio; Gallinar, David; Geraldes, Miguel

2014-05-01

This study examines the process of deglaciation of the Western Massif of Picos de Europa through field work, geomorphological mapping, sedimentary records and absolute datings of 14C. This massif has several peaks over 2,400 m a.s.l. (Peña Santa de Castilla, 2,596 m; Torre Santa María, 2,486 m; Torre del Mediu, 2,467 m). It is composed mainly by Carboniferous limestones. This area has been intensively affected by karstic dissolution, Quaternary glaciers and fluvio-torrential processes (Miotke, 1968; Moreno et al, 2010; Ruiz-Fernández et al, 2009; Ruiz-Fernández, 2013). At present day, periglacial processes are active at the highest elevations (Ruiz-Fernández, 2013). We have identified four main glacial stages regarding the deglaciation of the massif: (i) maximum advance corresponding to the Last Glaciation, (ii) retreat and stabilization after the maximum advance, (iii) Late Glacial, and (iv) Little Ice Age. Sedimentological studies also contribute data to the understanding of the chronological framework of these environmental changes. The datings of the bottom sediments in two long sequences (8 and 5.4 m) provided a minimum age of 18,075 ± 425 cal BP for the maximum advance stage and 11,150 ± 900 cal BP for retreat and stabilization in the phase following the maximum advance. The ongoing analyses of these sequences at very high resolution will provide new knowledge about the environmental conditions prevailing since the deglaciation of the massif. References Miotke, F.D. (1968). Karstmorphologische studien in der glazial-überformten Höhenstufe der Picos de Europa, Nordspanien. Hannover, Selbtverlag der Geografischen Gessellschaft, 161 pp. Moreno, A., Valero, B.L., Jiménez, M., Domínguez, M.J., Mata, M.P., Navas, A., González, P., Stoll, H., Farias, P., Morellón, M., Corella, J.P. & Rico, M. (2010). The last deglaciation in the Picos de Europa National Park (Cantabrian Mountains, Northern Spain). Journal of Quaternary Science, 25 (7), 1076-1091. Ruiz

New Program for New Faculty Mentoring at California State University, Chico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teasdale, R.; McCarthy, K.; Phillips, C.; Silliman, K.; Fosen, C.; Thomas, M.

2015-12-01

CSU, Chico is a comprehensive university with high expectations for both teaching (4 courses per semester) and scholarly work. In an attempt to introduce faculty to their new positions, a two-day New Faculty Orientation has been offered for the last two decades. In AY 2014-15, in an attempt to improve the first year experience for new faculty, the Office of Faculty Affairs established and assessed a New Faculty Mentoring program. Eight college-based mentors were selected based on recommendations by College Deans who suggested successful teachers and scholars who could provide the social and leadership skills to effectively guide others. Based on a needs-assessment survey new faculty completed during orientation, mentors met with their new faculty cohort at least monthly to discuss campus resources, host workshops and provide other support in areas of time management, work-life balance, teaching pedagogies, discipline-specific internal and external funding resources, student support resources, and the preparation of Review/Retention documents. Mentors were paid a small stipend for their work and met twice each semester to discuss readings on mentoring best practices, their mentoring activities with new faculty and to compare the needs of their mentees. Survey results from 28 of 37 new faculty respondents indicate they valued Review/Retention workshops, mentor reviews of teaching and the opportunity to visit mentor classrooms for examples of good teaching practices. Social events helped establish cohorts, although some mentees indicated that some cohorts were too large. An unforeseen outcome was recognition that mid-year hires need to also be included in new faculty cohort groups. Moving forward, mentors will continue to work with their original mentees for a 2nd year. A new group of mentors will be identified for faculty starting in fall 2015 who will work with smaller first-year faculty cohorts and will coordinate with the first generation mentors for peer support.

The Bolivian "Altiplano" and "Valle" sheep are two different peripatric breeds.

PubMed

Parés-Casanova, Pere M; Pérezgrovas Garza, Raúl

2014-06-01

Forty-nine sheep belonged to the Andean Altiplano region ("Altiplano") and 30 in the lowland regions of Bolivia ("Valle"), aged 1 to 4 years, were wool sampled to determine the extent of difference between these local breeds. Fibre length and the percentage of each type of fibre (long-thick, short-thin and kemp), yield and fibre diameter were measured. There was a highly significant difference between the two sheep populations that were not clearly separated in the first two principal component of a principal components analysis (PC); the first PC explained 67.1 % and the second PC explained 26.6 % of the total variation. The variables that contributed most to the separation of the sheep populations were the percentage of long-thick and short-thin fibres in the first PC and yield in the second PC. A discriminant analysis, which was used to classify individuals with respect to their breeding, achieved an accurate classification rate of 84.2 %. Thus, the Altiplano and Valle sheep must be viewed as two closely peripatric breeds rather than different "ecotypes", as more than 80 % could be correctly assigned to one of the breeds; however, the differences are based on composition of long-thick and short-thin fibres and yield after alcohol scouring.

Limited role for thermal erosion by turbulent lava in proximal Athabasca Valles, Mars

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cataldo, Vincenzo; Williams, David A.; Dundas, Colin M.; Kestay, Laszlo P.

2015-01-01

The Athabasca Valles flood lava is among the most recent (<50 Ma) and best preserved effusive lava flows on Mars and was probably emplaced turbulently. The Williams et al. (2005) model of thermal erosion by lava has been applied to what we term “proximal Athabasca,” the 75 km long upstream portion of Athabasca Valles. For emplacement volumes of 5000 and 7500 km3and average flow thicknesses of 20 and 30 m, the duration of the eruption varies between ~11 and ~37 days. The erosion of the lava flow substrate is investigated for three eruption temperatures (1270°C, 1260°C, and 1250°C), and volatile contents equivalent to 0–65 vol % bubbles. The largest erosion depths of ~3.8–7.5 m are at the lava source, for 20 m thick and bubble-free flows that erupted at their liquidus temperature (1270°C). A substrate containing 25 vol % ice leads to maximum erosion. A lava temperature 20°C below liquidus reduces erosion depths by a factor of ~2.2. If flow viscosity increases with increasing bubble content in the lava, the presence of 30–50 vol % bubbles leads to erosion depths lower than those relative to bubble-free lava by a factor of ~2.4. The presence of 25 vol % ice in the substrate increases erosion depths by a factor of 1.3. Nevertheless, modeled erosion depths, consistent with the emplacement volume and flow duration constraints, are far less than the depth of the channel (~35–100 m). We conclude that thermal erosion does not appear to have had a major role in excavating Athabasca Valles.

Hydrology in the Durius Valles Region: Evaluation of Possible Correlation with Volcanism and Magnetic Anomalies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cabrol, Natalie A.; Marinangeli, Lucia; Grin, Edmond A.

2000-01-01

We envision the contribution of subglacial flows, hydrothermalism and sapping in the Durius Valles system and the consequences in term of climate on Mars in recent geological times. We evaluate the possible correlation of the hydrology with volcanism and magnetic anomalies.

Uplift history of the Sila Massif, southern Italy, deciphered from cosmogenic 10Be erosion rates and river longitudinal profile analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Olivetti, Valerio; Cyr, Andrew J.; Molin, Paola; Faccenna, Claudio; Granger, Darryl E.

2012-01-01

The Sila Massif in the Calabrian Arc (southern Italy) is a key site to study the response of a landscape to rock uplift. Here an uplift rate of ∼1 mm/yr has imparted a deep imprint on the Sila landscape recorded by a high-standing low-relief surface on top of the massif, deeply incised fluvial valleys along its flanks, and flights of marine terraces in the coastal belt. In this framework, we combined river longitudinal profile analysis with hillslope erosion rates calculated by 10Be content in modern fluvial sediments to reconstruct the long-term uplift history of the massif. Cosmogenic data show a large variation in erosion rates, marking two main domains. The samples collected in the high-standing low-relief surface atop Sila provide low erosion rates (from 0.09 ± 0.01 to 0.13 ± 0.01 mm/yr). Conversely, high values of erosion rate (up to 0.92 ± 0.08 mm/yr) characterize the incised fluvial valleys on the massif flanks. The analyzed river profiles exhibit a wide range of shapes diverging from the commonly accepted equilibrium concave-up form. Generally, the studied river profiles show two or, more frequently, three concave-up segments bounded by knickpoints and characterized by different values of concavity and steepness indices. The wide variation in cosmogenic erosion rates and the non-equilibrated river profiles indicate that the Sila landscape is in a transient state of disequilibrium in response to a strong and unsteady uplift not yet counterbalanced by erosion.

Juventae Chasma and Maja Valles, Mars: Further Evidence for Multiple Flooding Events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gross, C.; Wendt, L.; Dumke, A.; Neukum, G.

2009-04-01

Introduction: In this study we investigate the age relationship of Juventae Chasma to the adjacent Maja Valles in order to gain a feasible explanation for the formation and evolution of rhythmic light-toned layered deposits (LLD). In this first step, we use impact crater size-frequency distributions for dating the planetary surface in the regions of interest. Juventae Chasma is located at the northern side of the Valles Marineris and stretches for approximately 150 km east-west and 250 km north-south. The basin floor shows a depth of 5 km and more below the surrounding surface. To the north lies the adjacent Maja Valles, a 50 km to 150 km wide channel extending for 1600 km northward and discharging into the Chryse Planitia plains. Various investigations of several authors have been carried out on this subject in the past, but the formation of the LLD in Juventae Chasma is still poorly understood. The formation theories range from a volcanic origin [1], lake deposits, delta deposits [2] to spring deposits [3]. A very different hypothesis for the formation of the sulfates is deposition from airfall. This could happen as dry deposition from the atmosphere or in co-precipitation with icy materials such as snow crystals or dust particles. This phenomenon is observed at the poles of Mars, where rhythmic layerings occur showing high similarities to the sulfate deposits in Juventae Chasma. The light-toned materials in the chasma show a spectral signature indicative of kieserite in the outcrops A, C and D and in the lower part of B, whereas the upper part of B was described as gypsum [4]. Wendt et al. [5] identified different mineral assemblages in the cap rock of mount B, using the CRISM instrument and the Multiple-Endmember Linear Spectral Unmixing Model (MELSUM). HRSC DTM: The Digital Terrain Model (DTM ) mosaic (see Fig. 1) was derived from 11 HRSC orbits at approximately -7° S to 8° N and 295° to 301° E with a ground resolution of 100 m per pixel and an ortho

Natural radionuclides in the rocks of the Valle del Cervo Pluton in Piedmont.

PubMed

Sesana, Lucia; Fumagalli, Marco; Carnevale, Mauro; Polla, Giancarla; Facchini, Ugo; Colombo, Annita; Tunesi, Annalisa; De Capitani, Luisa; Rusconi, Rosella

2006-01-01

Monitoring of the gamma radiation in Valle del Cervo Pluton was performed by determining U and Th contents in the main rock types cropping out over the entire area and pertaining to the granitic complex, syenitic complex and monzonitic complex. In particular, syenitic rocks were largely used as building and ornamental materials (e.g. Sienite della Balma). All the samples are fresh and do not present joints or fractures filled with U minerals. In the crushed samples the activity of uranium varies from 346 to 764 Bq/kg. Concentration of thorium varies from 202 to 478 Bq/kg. For all the analysed rocks uranium activity is higher than thorium one. The lowest value of radioactive concentration is referred to rocks of the granitic complex. The most active rocks are syenites. The data confirm the high activities of Valle del Cervo rock types, strongly connected with high K content of the source magma (geochemical signature); on the contrary, the activity seems to be not related to the location of the samples.

Specifics of geological composition, geochemistry and geochronology of rocks from the Kresty alkaline-ultrabasic massif (Maimecha-Kotui province, Polar Siberia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sazonov, A. M.; Zvyagina, E. A.; Gertner, I. F.; Krasnova, T. S.; Lipenkov, G. P.

2017-12-01

In this work, we demonstrate new data that allows us to accurate geochronological ranges of formation of the Kresty alkaline-ultrabasic massif, which is considered to be a satellite of the Gulinian giant pluton. We also interpreted geological, geochemical and isotope-geochemical data obtained earlier for major varieties of this volcanic-plutonic association taking into account new geochronological results, as well as considered new aspects/information on matter source of alkaline-ultrabasic massifs from this province. One of the main aspects is interaction of Siberian super plume matter with hosting substrate of Siberian craton continental crust.

Utilization of digital LANDSAT imagery for the study of granitoid bodies in Rondonia: Case example of the Pedra Branca massif

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parada, N. D. J. (Principal Investigator); Almeidafilho, R.; Payolla, B. L.; Depinho, O. G.; Bettencourt, J. S.

1984-01-01

Analysis of digital multispectral MSS-LANDSAT images enhanced through computer techniques and enlarged to a video scale of 1:100.000, show the main geological and structura features of the Pedra Branca granitic massif in Rondonia. These are not observed in aerial photographs or adar images. Field work shows that LANDSAT photogeological units correspond to different facies of granitic rocks in the Pedra Branca massif. Even under the particular characteristics of Amazonia (Tropical Forest, deep weathering, and Quaternary sedimentary covers), an adequate utilization of orbital remote sensing images can be important tools for the orientation of field works.

More than a scenic mountain landscape: Valles Caldera National Preserve land use history

Treesearch

Kurt F. Anschuetz; Thomas Merlan

2007-01-01

This study focuses on the cultural-historical environment of the 88,900-acre (35,560-ha) Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP) over the past four centuries of Spanish, Mexican, and U.S. governance. It includes a review and synthesis of available published and unpublished historical, ethnohistorical, and ethnographic literature about the human occupation of the area...

Metagenomic identification of active methanogens and methanotrophs in serpentinite springs of the Voltri Massif, Italy

PubMed Central

Thornton, Christopher N.; Hyer, Alex; Twing, Katrina I.; Longino, August A.; Lang, Susan Q.; Lilley, Marvin D.; Früh-Green, Gretchen L.; Schrenk, Matthew O.

2017-01-01

The production of hydrogen and methane by geochemical reactions associated with the serpentinization of ultramafic rocks can potentially support subsurface microbial ecosystems independent of the photosynthetic biosphere. Methanogenic and methanotrophic microorganisms are abundant in marine hydrothermal systems heavily influenced by serpentinization, but evidence for methane-cycling archaea and bacteria in continental serpentinite springs has been limited. This report provides metagenomic and experimental evidence for active methanogenesis and methanotrophy by microbial communities in serpentinite springs of the Voltri Massif, Italy. Methanogens belonging to family Methanobacteriaceae and methanotrophic bacteria belonging to family Methylococcaceae were heavily enriched in three ultrabasic springs (pH 12). Metagenomic data also suggest the potential for hydrogen oxidation, hydrogen production, carbon fixation, fermentation, and organic acid metabolism in the ultrabasic springs. The predicted metabolic capabilities are consistent with an active subsurface ecosystem supported by energy and carbon liberated by geochemical reactions within the serpentinite rocks of the Voltri Massif. PMID:28149702

Automated data collection based on RoboDiff at the ESRF beamline MASSIF-1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nurizzo, Didier, E-mail: Didier.nurizzo@esrf.fr; Guichard, Nicolas; McSweeney, Sean

2016-07-27

The European Synchrotron Radiation Facility has a long standing history in the automation of experiments in Macromolecular Crystallography. MASSIF-1 (Massively Automated Sample Screening and evaluation Integrated Facility), a beamline constructed as part of the ESRF Upgrade Phase I program, has been open to the external user community since July 2014 and offers a unique completely automated data collection service to both academic and industrial structural biologists.

Catalog of Apollo 17 rocks. Volume 1: Stations 2 and 3 (South Massif)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ryder, Graham

1993-01-01

The Catalog of Apollo 17 Rocks is a set of volumes that characterize each of 334 individually numbered rock samples (79 larger than 100 g) in the Apollo 17 collection, showing what each sample is and what is known about it. Unconsolidated regolith samples are not included. The catalog is intended to be used by both researchers requiring sample allocations and a broad audience interested in Apollo 17 rocks. The volumes are arranged geographically, with separate volumes for the South Massif and Light Mantle, the North Massif, and two volumes for the mare plains. Within each volume, the samples are arranged in numerical order, closely corresponding with the sample collection stations. The present volume, for the South Massif and Light Mantle, describes the 55 individual rock fragments collected at Stations two, two-A, three, and LRV-five. Some were chipped from boulders, others collected as individual rocks, some by raking, and a few by picking from the soil in the processing laboratory. Information on sample collection, petrography, chemistry, stable and radiogenic isotopes, rock surface characteristics, physical properties, and curatorial processing is summarized and referenced as far as it is known up to early 1992. The intention has been to be comprehensive: to include all published studies of any kind that provide information on the sample, as well as some unpublished information. References which are primarily bulk interpretations of existing data or mere lists of samples are not generally included. Foreign language journals were not scrutinized, but little data appears to have been published only in such journals. We have attempted to be consistent in format across all of the volumes, and have used a common reference list that appears in all volumes. Where possible, ages based on Sr and Ar isotopes have been recalculated using the 'new' decay constants recommended by Steiger and Jager; however, in many of the reproduced diagrams the ages correspond with the

Reull Valles in Approximately Natural Color

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

Reull Valles, conspicuous southeast-trending fretted channel, dissects wall deposits of the large Hellas impact basin. Center of picture is at latitude 42 degrees S. longitude 258 degrees. Fretted channels are wide, flat-floored channels with steep walls, which may be runoff channels that have been modified and enlarged by mass wasting. Many nearby hills and mountains are surrounded by lobate debris aprons, which may have formed by slow creep of rock deposits aided by the presence of near-surface ice. Layering is exposed in the channel and crater walls. The color variations of the surface are very bland in this region; most of the variations seen in the enhanced-color version (PIA00153) are due to atmospheric scattering. Viking Orbiter Picture Numbers 126A08 (violet), 126A16 (green), and 126A24 (red) at 157 m/pixel resolution. Picture width is 161 km. North is 112 degrees clockwise from top.

Hydration of the Atlantis Massif: Halogen, Noble Gas and In-Situ δ18O Constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, M. J.; Kendrick, M. A.; Rubatto, D.

2017-12-01

A combination of halogen (Cl, Br, I), noble gases (He, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe) and in situ oxygen isotope analysis have been utilized to investigate the fluid-mobile element record of hydration and alteration processes at the Atlantis Massif (30°N on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge). The sample suite investigated includes serpentinite, talc-amphibole ± chlorite schist and hydrated gabbro recovered by seafloor drilling undertaken at sites on a transect across the Atlantis Massif during IODP Expedition 357. Serpentine mesh and veins analysed in-situ by SHRIMP SI exhibit δ18O from 6‰ down to ≈0‰, suggesting serpentinization temperatures of 150 to >280°C and water/rock ratios >5. Differences of 1.5-2.5‰ are observed between adjacent generations of serpentine, but the δ18O range is similar at each investigated drilling site. Halogen and noble gas abundances in serpentinites, talc-amphibole schist and hydrated gabbro have been measured by noble gas mass spectrometry of both irradiated and non-irradiated samples. Serpentinites contain low abundances of halogens and noble gases (e.g. 70-430 ppm Cl, 4.7-12.2 x 10-14 mol/g 36Ar) relative to other seafloor serpentinites. The samples have systematically different Br/Cl and I/Cl ratios related to their mineralogy. Serpentinites retain mantle-like Br/Cl with a wide variation in I/Cl that stretches toward seawater values. Talc-amphibole schists exhibit depletion of Br and I relative to Cl with increasing Cl abundances, suggesting tremolite exerts strong control on halogen abundance ratios. Serpentinites show no evidence of interaction with halogen-rich sedimentary pore fluids. Iodine abundances are variable across serpentinites, and are decoupled from Br and Cl; iodine enrichment (up to 530 ppb) is observed within relatively oxidised and clay-bearing samples. Serpentinized harzburgites exhibit distinct depletion of Kr and Xe relative to atmospheric 36Ar in seawater. Oxygen isotope compositions and low abundances of both halogens

Chapter 9. The Valles Caldera National Preserve as a multi-layered ethnographic landscape

Treesearch

Kurt F. Anschuetz

2007-01-01

The land use history of the Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP), as represented in the documentary record maintained in various archives and libraries, focuses primarily on the Hispanic and Anglo-American occupation of the locale subsequent to 1860. In an act of June 21, 1860, the U.S. Congress authorized the Baca Land Grant heirs to choose as many as five square...

Mineralogy and Organic Geochemistry of Acid Sulfate Environments from Valles Caldera, New Mexico: Habitability, Weathering and Biosignatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogel, M. B.; Des Marais, D. J.; Jahnke, L. L.; Kubo, M.

2009-12-01

We report on the mineralogy, organic preservation potential and habitability of sulfate deposits in acid sulfate volcanic settings at Valles Caldera, New Mexico. Fumaroles and acidic springs are potential analogs for aqueous environments on Mars and may offer insights into habitability of sulfate deposits such as those at Meridiani Planum. Sulfates recently detected on Mars are posited to have formed from fluids derived from basaltic weathering and igneous volatile input, ultimately precipitating from acidic brines subjected to desiccation and freeze-thaw cycles (McClennan and Grotzinger, 2008). Key issues concerning martian sulfate deposits are their relationship to aqueous clay deposits, and whether or not specific sulfates deposits represent former habitable environments (see Soderblum and Bell, 2008; Tosca et al., 2008). Modern terrestrial volcanic fumaroles and hot springs precipitate various Ca-, Mg- and Fe- sulfates along with clays, and can help clarify whether certain acid sulfate mineral assemblages reflect habitable environments. Valles caldera is a resurgent caldera last active in the Pleistocene (1.4 - 1.0 Ma) that hosts several active fumaroles and over 40 geothermal exploration wells (see Goff, 2009). Fumaroles and associated mudpots and springs at Valles range from pH < 1 to 3, and affect argillic alteration upon rhylolitic tuffs and sedimentary deposits (Charles et al., 1986). We identified assemblages containing gypsum, quartz, Al-sulfates, elemental sulfur, clays and other minerals using XRD and SEM-EDS. Our previous research has shown that sulfates from different marine depositional environments display textural and morphological traits that are indicative of biological influence, or specific conditions in the depositional environments (Vogel et al., 2009). Gypsum crystals that develop in the presence of microbial biofilms in marine environments may have distorted crystal morphologies, biofilm - associated dissolution features, and accessory

Mangala Valles, Mars: Investigations of the Source of Flood Water and Early Stages of Flooding

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ghatan, Gil J.; Head, James W.; Wilson, L.; Leask, H. J.

2004-01-01

Mangala Valles, an approx. 900 km long north-south trending outflow channel located southwest of the Tharsis rise, extends northward from one of the Memnonia Fossae graben across the southern highlands, terminating at the dichotomy boundary. Previous Viking-based analyses suggest that the water that carved the channel was expelled from the graben, possibly during two distinct flood events, one in the Late Hesperian and one in the Latest Hesperian/Early Amazonian. The mechanism by which the water was transported to the graben, and ultimately to the surface remained ambiguous, although two general scenarios were proposed: melting of near surface ground ice via nearby Tharsis lava flows, and tapping of a near surface aquifer via faulting associated with the graben. Here we use MOLA altimetric data and MOC and THEMIS images to reexamine Mangala Valles and the surrounding region. Further, we develop a new model for the production and transport of the floodwater.

Kinematics of Post-Collisional Extensional Tectonics and Exhumation of the Menderes Massif in the Western Anatolia Extended Terrane, Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cemen, I.; Catlos, E. J.; Diniz, E.; Gogus, O.; Ozerdem, C.; Baker, C.; Kohn, M. J.; Goncuoglu, C.; Hancer, M.

2006-12-01

The Western Anatolia Extended Terrane in Turkey is one of the best-developed examples of post-collisional extended terranes and contains one of the largest metamorphic core complexes in the world, the Menderes massif. It has experienced a series of continental collisions from the Late Cretaceous to the Eocene as the Neotethys Ocean closed and the Izmir-Ankara-Erzincan suture zone was formed. Based our field work and monazite ages, we suggest that the north-directed postcollisional Cenozoic extension in the region is the product of three consecutive, uninterrupted stages, triggered by three different mechanisms. The first stage was initiated about 30 Ma ago, in the Oligocene by the Orogenic Collapse the thermally weakened continental crust along the north-dipping Southwest Anatolian shear zone. The shear zone was formed as an extensional simple-shear zone with listric geometry at depth and exhibits predominantly normal- slip along its southwestern end. But, it becomes a high-angle oblique-slip shear zone along its northeastern termination. Evidence for the presence of the shear zone includes (1) the dominant top to the north-northeast shear sense indicators throughout the Menderes massif, such as stretching lineations trending N10E to N30E; and (2) a series of Oligocene extensional basins located adjacent to the shear zone that contain only carbonate and ophiolitic rock fragments, but no high grade metamorphic rock fragments. During this stage, erosion and extensional unroofing brought high-grade metamorphic rocks of the central Menderes massif to the surface by the early Miocene. The second stage of the extension was triggered by subduction roll-back and associated back-arc extension in the early Miocene and produced the north-dipping Alasehir and the south-dipping Buyuk Menderes detachments of the central Menderes massif and the north-dipping Simav detachment of the northern Menderes massif. The detachments control the Miocene sedimentation in the Alasehir, Buyuk

Clockwise rotation of the Santa Marta massif and simultaneous Paleogene to Neogene deformation of the Plato-San Jorge and Cesar-Ranchería basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montes, Camilo; Guzman, Georgina; Bayona, German; Cardona, Agustin; Valencia, Victor; Jaramillo, Carlos

2010-10-01

A moderate amount of vertical-axis clockwise rotation of the Santa Marta massif (30°) explains as much as 115 km of extension (stretching of 1.75) along its trailing edge (Plato-San Jorge basin) and up to 56 km of simultaneous shortening with an angular shear of 0.57 along its leading edge (Perijá range). Extensional deformation is recorded in the 260 km-wide, fan-shaped Plato-San Jorge basin by a 2-8 km thick, shallowing-upward and almost entirely fine-grained, upper Eocene and younger sedimentary sequence. The simultaneous initiation of shortening in the Cesar-Ranchería basin is documented by Mesozoic strata placed on to lower Eocene syntectonic strata (Tabaco Formation and equivalents) along the northwest-verging, shallow dipping (9-12° to the southeast) and discrete Cerrejón thrust. First-order subsidence analysis in the Plato-San Jorge basin is consistent with crustal stretching values between 1.5 and 2, also predicted by the rigid-body rotation of the Santa Marta massif. The model predicts about 100 km of right-lateral displacement along the Oca fault and 45 km of left-lateral displacement along the Santa Marta-Bucaramanga fault. Clockwise rotation of a rigid Santa Marta massif, and simultaneous Paleogene opening of the Plato-San Jorge basin and emplacement of the Cerrejón thrust sheet would have resulted in the fragmentation of the Cordillera Central-Santa Marta massif province. New U/Pb ages (241 ± 3 Ma) on granitoid rocks from industry boreholes in the Plato-San Jorge basin confirm the presence of fragments of a now segmented, Late Permian to Early Triassic age, two-mica, granitic province that once spanned the Santa Marta massif to the northernmost Cordillera Central.

Geochronology and geochemistry of Mesozoic intrusive rocks in the Xing'an Massif of NE China: Implications for the evolution and spatial extent of the Mongol-Okhotsk tectonic regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yu; Xu, Wen-Liang; Tang, Jie; Pei, Fu-Ping; Wang, Feng; Sun, Chen-Yang

2018-04-01

This study presents new zircon U-Pb-Hf and whole-rock geochemical data for intrusive rocks in the Xing'an Massif of NE China, with the aim of furthering our understanding of the evolution and spatial influence of the Mongol-Okhotsk tectonic regime. Zircon U-Pb dating indicates that five stages of Mesozoic magmatism are recorded in the Xing'an Massif, namely during the Middle Triassic ( 237 Ma), the Late Triassic ( 225 Ma), the Early Jurassic ( 178 Ma), the Middle Jurassic ( 168 Ma), and the late Early Cretaceous ( 130 Ma). The Middle Triassic-Early Jurassic intrusive rocks in the Xing'an Massif are dominantly granodiorites, monzogranites, and syenogranites that formed from magma generated by partial melting of newly accreted continental crust. Geochemistry of the Middle Triassic-Early Jurassic granitoid suites of the Xing'an Massif indicates their formation at an active continental margin setting, related to the southwards subduction of the Mongol-Okhotsk oceanic plate. The Middle Jurassic monzogranites in the Xing'an Massif are geochemically similar to adakites and have εHf(t) values (+3.8 to +5.8) and Hf two-stage model ages (TDM2; 979-850 Ma) that are indicative of derivation from magma generated by partial melting of thickened juvenile lower crust. The Middle Jurassic monzogranites formed in a compressional setting related to the closure of the Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean. The late Early Cretaceous intrusive rocks in the Xing'an Massif are dominated by A-type granitoids that are associated with bimodal volcanic rocks, suggesting their formation in an extensional environment related to either (i) delamination of a previously thickened region of the crust, associated with the Mongol-Okhotsk tectonic regime; (ii) the subduction of the Paleo-Pacific Plate; or (iii) the combined influence of these two tectonic regimes.

At the Head of a Kasei Valles Cataract

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-03-25

On Earth, cataracts represent regions where a river's gradient increases enough to create so much turbulence, that air gets incorporated into the water body forming a bubbly current sometimes called "whitewater". This image covers a location that may have acted as a cataract in the Kasei valley region. This observation from NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows samples of bedrock lithologies which give us a measure of the post-flood erosion and modification history for the floor of Kasei Valles While there is a HiRISE stereo pair adjacent to this location that captures much of this cataract, it also misses some of the head scarp that might be the most useful, scientifically. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19351

Thermochronology and tectonics of the Mérida Andes and the Santander Massif, NW South America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Lelij, Roelant; Spikings, Richard; Mora, Andrés

2016-04-01

New apatite U-Pb and multiphase 40Ar/39Ar data constrain the high to medium temperature ( 500 °C- 300 °C) thermal histories of igneous and metamorphic rocks exposed in the Mérida Andes of Venezuela, and new apatite and zircon fission track data constrain the 500 °C- 60 °C thermal histories of pre-Jurassic igneous and metamorphic rocks of the adjacent Santander Massif of Colombia. Computed thermal history envelopes using apatite U-Pb dates and grain size information from an Early Palaeozoic granodiorite in the Mérida Andes suggest that it cooled from > 500 °C to < 350 °C between 266 Ma and 225 Ma. Late Permian to Triassic cooling is also recorded in Early Palaeozoic granitoids and metasedimentary rocks in the Mérida Andes by numerous new muscovite and biotite 40Ar/39Ar plateau dates spanning 257.1 ± 1.0 Ma to 205.1 ± 0.8 Ma. This episode of cooling is not recognised in the Santander Massif, where 40Ar/39Ar data suggest that some Early Palaeozoic rocks cooled below 320 °C in the Early Palaeozoic. However, most data from pre-Jurassic rocks reveal a regional heat pulse at 200 Ma during the intrusion of numerous shallow granitoids, resulting in temperatures in excess of 520 °C, obscuring late Palaeozoic histories. The generally accepted timing of amalgamation of Pangaea along the Ouachita-Marathon suture pre-dates Late Permian to Triassic cooling recorded in basement rocks of the Mérida Andes by > 30 Ma, and its effect on rocks preserved in north-western South America is unknown. We interpret late Permian to Triassic cooling in the Mérida Andes to be driven by exhumation. Previous studies have suggested that a short phase of shortening and anatexis is recorded at 253 Ma in the Maya Block, which may have been adjacent to the basement rocks of the Mérida Andes in the Late Permian. The coeval onset of exhumation in the Mérida Andes may be a result of increased coupling in the magmatic arc, which was located along the western margin of Pangaea. Triassic

New fission-track age constraints on the exhumation of the central Santander Massif: Implications for the tectonic evolution of the Northern Andes, Colombia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amaya, Sergio; Zuluaga, Carlos Augusto; Bernet, Matthias

2017-06-01

The Late Cretaceous to late Neogene exhumation history of the central Santander Massif in the Northern Andes of Colombia is controlled by the geodynamic interactions between the Caribbean, South American and Nazca plates, as well as the Neogene collision and accretion of the Panama arc. Slab-breakoff of the Caribbean plate, with the tip of the slab tear presently being located beneath Bucaramanga, and the east-west oriented Caldas tear are the main structures relating seismic activity and Late Miocene to Pleistocene magmatic/hydrothermal activity and associated gold mineralization in the central Santander Massif. Here we present new apatite (AFT) and zircon fission-track (ZFT) data from 18 samples collected along two profiles in the California-Vetas block (including the Rio Charta), to the south of the Rio Charta fault, and from Bucaramanga to Picacho on the western flank of the central Santander Massif. The fission-track data are used for time-temperature history modelling and for estimating long-term average exhumation rates. The California-Vetas block in the central Santander Massif to the north of the Rio Charta fault cooled rapidly at a rate of about 24 °C/Myr between 10 and 5 Ma. Fast cooling was not related to post-magmatic cooling or hydrothermal activity, but rather to exhumation, with rates based on apatite fission-track cooling ages on the order of 0.3-0.4 km/Myr. However, long-term average exhumation rates since the Late Cretaceous, based on zircon fission-track data, were only on the order of 0.1-0.2 km/Myr. Our data indicate that next to the Rio Charta fault also the Surata fault contributed to the exhumation of the California-Vetas block. The western flank of the central Santander Massif, shows a more complete thermal history along the Bucaramanga-Picacho profile, with the exposure of an exhumed zircon fission-track partial annealing zone. Thermal history modelling of zircon fission-track data of this profile shows that after burial and heating from

Reforming Higher Education in Hong Kong towards Post-Massification: The First Decade and Challenges Ahead

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wan, Calvin

2011-01-01

The process of reforming Hong Kong's higher education sector commenced in 2001, and the system moved into the post-massification era. Within five years, the post-secondary participation rate for the 17-20 age cohort had increased to 66 per cent. This target was achieved much earlier than the Government had planned. More educational opportunities…

Methodology to develop endemic channels and notification trends for dengue in Valle del Cauca, Colombia, 2009-2013.

PubMed

Hernández, Mauricio; Arboleda, Diana; Arce, Stephania; Benavides, Allan; Tejada, Paola Andrea; Ramírez, Sindy Vanessa; Cubides, Ángela

2015-12-07

Dengue is the fastest spreading disease in the world and a permanent threat to global public health. It is a viral illness for which approximately 2.5 million people are at high risk of infection. Given the severity of the disease at national and global levels, new predictive methodologies need to be generated to facilitate decision-making in public health.  To characterize cases of dengue reported from 2009 to 2013 in Valle del Cauca department, Colombia, and to establish a methodology to develop endemic channels that can be applied to this event.  This was a retrospective descriptive study. Notification forms were used as a secondary database to characterize dengue cases from 2009 to 2013. Two endemic channels were developed, one using running means and the other through exponential smoothing.  Dengue in the department of Valle del Cauca showed a positive tendency, indicating that the number of cases had increased in the last five years. An important variation was observed that could be explained by a three-year cycle beginning in the first epidemiological period of the year.  The development of the dengue endemic channel for Valle del Cauca illustrates the importance of applying these monitoring methodologies to events of public health interest. As can be seen from the results, there were some years in which the number of cases was very low and others in which the epidemic reached very high levels.

Possible Juventae Chasma subice volcanic eruptions and Maja Valles ice outburst floods on Mars: Implications of Mars Global surveyor crater densities, geomorphology, and topography

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chapman, M.G.; Gudmundsson, M.T.; Russell, A.J.; Hare, T.M.

2003-01-01

This article discusses image, topographic, and spectral data from the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) mission that provide new information concerning the surface age, geomorphology, and topography of the Juventae Chasma/Maja Valles system. Our study utilizes data from two instruments on board MGS: images from the Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) and topography from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA). Within Maja Valles we can now observe depositional bars with megaripples that unequivocally show catastrophic floods occurred in the channel. Viking impact crater densities indicated the chasma and channel floor areas were all one age (late Hesperian to Amazonian); however, MOC data indicate a marked difference in densities of small craters between Juventae Chasma, Maja Valles, and the channel debouchment area in Chryse Planitia basin. Although other processes may contribute to crater variability, young resurfacing events in the chasma and episodes of recent erosion at Maja Valles channel head may possibly account for the disparate crater densities along the chasma/channel system. Relatively young volcanic eruptions may have contributed to resurfacing; as in Juventae Chasma, a small possible volcanic cone of young dark material is observed. MOC data also indicate previously unknown interior layered deposit mounds in the chasma that indicate at least two periods of mound formation. Finally, MOLA topography shows that the entire floor of the chasma lies at the same elevation as the channel debouchment area in Chryse basin, resulting in a 3-km-high barrier to water flow out of the chasma. Blocked ponded water would rapidly freeze in the current (and likely past) climate of Mars. For catastrophic flow to occur in Maja Valles, some process is required to melt ice and induce floods out of the chasma. We suggest subice volcanic eruption and calculate estimates of water discharges and volumes that these eruptions might have produced.

Structural investigations in the Massif-Central, France

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scanvic, J. Y.

1974-01-01

This survey covered the French Massif-Central (where crystalline and volcanic rocks outcrop) and its surrounding sedimentaries, Bassin de Paris, Bassin d'Aquitaine and Rhodanian valley. One objective was the mapping of fracturing and the surveying of its relationship with known ore deposits. During this survey it was found that ERTS imagery outlines lithology in some sedimentary basins. On the other hand, in a basement area, under temperature climate conditions, lithology is rarely expressed. These observations can be related to the fact that band 5 gives excellent results above sedimentary basins in France and generally band 7 is the most useful in a basement area. Several examples show clearly the value of ERTS imagery for mapping linear features and circular structures. All the main fractures are identified with the exception of new ones found both in sedimentaries and basement areas. Other interesting findings concern sun elevation which, stereoscopic effect not being possible, simulates relief in a better way under certain conditions.

Hydrated mineral stratigraphy of Ius Chasma, Valles Marineris

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roach, L.H.; Mustard, J.F.; Swayze, G.; Milliken, R.E.; Bishop, J.L.; Murchie, S.L.; Lichtenberg, K.

2010-01-01

New high-resolution spectral and morphologic imaging of deposits on walls and floor of Ius Chasma extend previous geomorphic mapping, and permit a new interpretation of aqueous processes that occurred during the development of Valles Marineris. We identify hydrated mineralogy based on visible-near infrared (VNIR) absorptions. We map the extents of these units with CRISM spectral data as well as morphologies in CTX and HiRISE imagery. Three cross-sections across Ius Chasma illustrate the interpreted mineral stratigraphy. Multiple episodes formed and transported hydrated minerals within Ius Chasma. Polyhydrated sulfate and kieserite are found within a closed basin at the lowest elevations in the chasma. They may have been precipitates in a closed basin or diagenetically altered after deposition. Fluvial or aeolian processes then deposited layered Fe/Mg smectite and hydrated silicate on the chasma floor, postdating the sulfates. The smectite apparently was weathered out of Noachian-age wallrock and transported to the depositional sites. The overlying hydrated silicate is interpreted to be an acid-leached phyllosilicate transformed from the underlying smectite unit, or a smectite/jarosite mixture. The finely layered smectite and massive hydrated silicate units have an erosional unconformity between them, that marks a change in surface water chemistry. Landslides transported large blocks of wallrock, some altered to contain Fe/Mg smectite, to the chasma floor. After the last episode of normal faulting and subsequent landslides, opal was transported short distances into the chasma from a few m-thick light-toned layer near the top of the wallrock, by sapping channels in Louros Valles. Alternatively, the material was transported into the chasma and then altered to opal. The superposition of different types of hydrated minerals and the different fluvial morphologies of the units containing them indicate sequential, distinct aqueous environments, characterized by alkaline

Valles Marineris Landforms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

[figure removed for brevity, see original site]

Released 20 August 2003

The steep canyon walls and ridge forming layers of Valles Marineris are on display in this THEMIS picture. Landslides and gullies observed throughout the image are evidence to the continued mass wasting of the martian surface. Upon close examination of the canyon floor, small ripples that are likely migrating sand dunes are seen on the surface. Some slopes also display an interesting raked-like appearance that may be due to a combination of aeolian and gully forming processes.

Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -7.4, Longitude 274.2 East (85.8 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.

Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

The Atlantis Bank Gabbro Massif, SW Indian Ridge: the Largest Know Exposure of the Lower Crust in the Oceans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dick, H. J.; Kvassnes, A. J.; Kinoshita, H.; MacLeod, C. J.; Robinson, P. T.

2017-12-01

Until the discovery of oceanic core complexes little was known and much inferred about the lower ocean crust at slow-spreading ridges. Their study shows the ocean crust isn't simply a uniform layer-cake of pillow lavas, sheeted dikes and gabbros, but is highly variable in thickness, composition and architecture, and even absent over large regions. The 660 km2 Atlantis Bank Gabbro Massif in the rift-mountains of the SW Indian Ridge flanking the Atlantis II Transform is the magmatic end member for ocean core complexes, and best approximates `average' slow-spread crust. Thus it has been a focus for drilling since its discovery in 1986, leading to the current attempt to drill to Moho there (Project SloMo). There are 3 ODP and IODP drill holes on its crest: 1508-m deep Hole 735B, 158-m deep Hole 1105A, and 809.4-m deep Hole U1473. These provide a 200 Kyr view of lower crustal accretion at a slow-spread ocean ridge. Here we extend this view to 2.7 Myr. Mapping and sampling shows the gabbro massif extends nearly the length of a single 2nd order magmatic ridge segment. With numerous inliers of the dike-gabbro transition at numerous locations, and a crust-mantle boundary, traced for 30-km along the transform wall, it would appear to represent a full section of the lower crust. As Moho is at 5.5 ± 1 km mbsf near Hole 735B, and 4.5 km beneath the transform, it is likely a serpentinization front. The crust-mantle boundary was crossed by dives at 4 locations. In each case gabbros at the base of the crust crystallized from melt that had previously fractionated 50% or more from a likely parent. Thus the gabbro massif must be laterally zoned, and the parental mantle melts had to have been emplaced at the center of the paleo-ridge segment, before intruding laterally to the distal end of the complex. Gabbros on a lithospheric flow line down the center of the massif closely resemble those from the drill holes. This shows that while lateral variations in crustal composition and

Petrographic, geochemical and isotopic evidence of crustal assimilation processes in the Ponte Nova alkaline mafic-ultramafic massif, SE Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azzone, Rogério Guitarrari; Montecinos Munoz, Patricio; Enrich, Gaston Eduardo Rojas; Alves, Adriana; Ruberti, Excelso; Gomes, Celsode Barros

2016-09-01

Crustal assimilation plus crystal fractionation processes of different basanite magma batches control the evolution of the Ponte Nova cretaceous alkaline mafic-ultramafic massif in SE Brazil. This massif is composed of several intrusions, the main ones with a cumulate character. Disequilibrium features in the early-crystallized phases (e.g., corrosion and sieve textures in cores of clinopyroxene crystals, spongy-cellular-textured plagioclase crystals, gulf corrosion texture in olivine crystals) and classical hybridization textures (e.g., blade biotite and acicular apatite crystals) provide strong evidence of open-system behavior. All samples are olivine- and nepheline-normative rocks with basic-ultrabasic and potassic characters and variable incompatible element enrichments. The wide ranges of whole-rock 87Sr/86Sri and 143Nd/144Ndi ratios (0.70432-0.70641 and 0.512216-0.512555, respectively) are indicative of crustal contribution from the Precambrian basement host rocks. Plagioclase and apatite 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.70422-0.70927) obtained for the most primitive samples of each intrusion indicate disequilibrium conditions from early- to principal-crystallization stages. Isotope mixing-model curves between the least contaminated alkaline basic magma and heterogeneous local crustal components indicate that each intrusion of the massif is differentiated from the others by varied degrees of crustal contribution. The primary mechanisms of crustal contribution to the Ponte Nova massif involve the assimilation of host rock xenoliths during the development of the chamber environment and the assimilation of partial melts from the surrounding host rocks. Thermodynamic models using the melts algorithm indicate that parental alkaline basic magmas can be strongly affected by contamination processes subsequently to their initial stages of crystallization when there is sufficient energy to assimilate partial melts of crustal host rocks. The assimilation processes are considered to

Rockfall hazard assessment by means of the magnitude-frequency curves in the Montserrat Massif (central Catalonia, Spain): first insights

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janeras, Marc; Domènech, Guillem; Pons, Judit; Prat, Elisabet; Buxó, Pere

2016-04-01

Montserrat Massif is located about 50 km North-West of Barcelona (Catalonia, North-Eastern Spain). The rock massif is constituted by an intercalation of conglomerate and fine layers of siltstones due to the Montserrat fan-delta sedimentation within the Eocene age. The current relief is consequence of the several depositional episodes and the later tectonic uplift, leading to stepped slopes up to 250 m high, and a total height difference close to 1000 m. Montserrat Mountain has been a pilgrimage place since the settlement of the monastery, around the year 1025, and a spot of touristic interest, mostly within the last 150 years, when the first rack railway was inaugurated to reach the sanctuary. The amount of 2.4 M visitors in 2014 reveals the potential risk derived from rockfalls. To assess and mitigate this risk, a plan funded by the Catalan government is currently under development. Three rockfall mechanisms and magnitude ranges have been identified (Janeras et al. 2011): 1) physicochemical weathering causing the detachment of pebbles and aggregates (0.0001 - 0.1 m3); 2) thermic-induced tensions responsible for the generation of slabs and plates (0.1 - 10 m3); and 3) intersection of structural joints within the rock mass resulting in blocks of 10 - 10,000 m3. In order to quantify the rockfall hazard, a magnitude-frequency analysis has been performed starting from an event-based inventory gathered from field surveillance and historical research. A methodology has been applied to take the maximum profit of only 30 registers with information on volume and date. The massif has been split into several domains with sampling homogeneity. For each one, there have been defined several periods of time during which, all the rockfall events of a given volume have been recorded. Thus, the magnitude-frequency relationship, for each domain, has been calculated. Results show that the curves are well fitted by a power law with exponents ranging from -0.59 to -0.68 for magnitudes

Crystal structure of hydrogen-bearing vuonnemite from the Lovozero alkaline massif

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rastsvetaeva, R. K., E-mail: rast@ns.crys.ras.ru; Aksenov, S. M.; Verin, I. A.

2011-05-15

Hydrogen-bearing vuonnemite from the Shkatulka hyperagpaitic pegmatite (the Lovozero alkaline massif, Kola Peninsula) was studied by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The triclinic unit-cell parameters are as follows: a = 5.4712(1) Angstrom-Sign , b = 7.1626(1) Angstrom-Sign , c = 14.3702(3) Angstrom-Sign , {alpha} = 92.623(2) Degree-Sign , {beta} = 95.135(1) Degree-Sign , {gamma} = 90.440(1) Degree-Sign , sp. gr. P1, R = 3.4%. The Na{sup +} cations and H{sub 2}O molecules are ordered in sites between the packets. The water molecules are hydrogen bonded to the PO{sub 4} tetrahedra.

Part 2: Sedimentary geology of the Valles, Marineris, Mars and Antarctic dry valley lakes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nedell, Susan S.

1987-01-01

Detailed mapping of the layered deposits in the Valles Marineris, Mars from high-resolution Viking orbiter images revealed that they from plateaus of rhythmically layered material whose bases are in the lowest elevations of the canyon floors, and whose tops are within a few hundred meters in elevation of the surrounding plateaus. Four hypotheses for the origin of the layered deposits were considered: that they are eolian deposits; that they are remnants of the same material as the canyon walls; that they are explosive volcanic deposits; or that they were deposited in standing bodies of water. There are serious morphologic objections to each of the first three. The deposition of the layered deposits in standing bodies of water best explains their lateral continuity, horizontality, great thickness, rhythmic nature, and stratigraphic relationships with other units within the canyons. The Martian climatic history indicated that any ancient lakes were ice covered. Two methods for transporting sediment through a cover of ice on a martian lake appear to be feasible. Based on the presently available data, along with the theoretical calculations presented, it appears most likely that the layered deposits in the Valles Marineris were laid down in standing bodies of water.

Palaeomagnetic constraints on the evolution of the Atlantis Massif oceanic core complex (Mid-Atlantic Ridge, 30°N)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morris, A.; Pressling, N.; Gee, J. S.

2012-04-01

Oceanic core complexes expose lower crustal and upper mantle rocks on the seafloor by tectonic unroofing in the footwalls of large-slip detachment faults. They represent a fundamental component of the seafloor spreading system at slow and ultraslow axes. One of the most extensively studied oceanic core complexes is Atlantis Massif, located at 30°N at the intersection of the Atlantis Transform Fault and the Mid Atlantic Ridge (MAR). The central dome of the massif exposes the corrugated detachment fault surface and was drilled during IODP Expedition 304/305 (Hole U1309D). This sampled a 1.4 km faulted and complexly layered footwall section dominated by gabbroic lithologies with minor ultramafic rocks. Palaeomagnetic analyses demonstrate that the gabbroic sequences at Atlantis Massif carry highly stable remanent magnetizations that provide valuable information on the evolution of the section. Thermal demagnetization experiments recover high unblocking temperature components of reversed polarity (R1) throughout the gabbroic sequences. Correlation of structures observed on oriented borehole (FMS) images and those recorded on unoriented core pieces allows reorientation of R1 remanences. The mean remanence direction in true geographic coordinates constrains the tectonic rotation experienced by the Atlantis Massif footwall, indicating a 46°±6° counterclockwise around a MAR-parallel horizontal axis trending 011°±6°. The detachment fault therefore initiated at a steep dip of >50° and then rotated flexurally to its present day low angle geometry (consistent with a 'rolling-hinge' model for detachment evolution). In a number of intervals, the gabbros exhibit a complex remanence structure with the presence of additional intermediate temperature normal (N1) and lower temperature reversed (R2) polarity components, suggesting an extended period of remanence acquisition during different polarity intervals. Sharp break-points between different polarity components suggest

Palaeomagnetic constraints on the evolution of the Atlantis Massif oceanic core complex (Mid-Atlantic Ridge, 30°N)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morris, A.; Pressling, N.; Gee, J. S.

2011-12-01

Oceanic core complexes expose lower crustal and upper mantle rocks on the seafloor by tectonic unroofing in the footwalls of large-slip detachment faults. They represent a fundamental component of the seafloor spreading system at slow and ultraslow axes. One of the most extensively studied oceanic core complexes is Atlantis Massif, located at 30°N at the intersection of the Atlantis Transform Fault and the Mid Atlantic Ridge (MAR). The central dome of the massif exposes the corrugated detachment fault surface and was drilled during IODP Expedition 304/305 (Hole U1309D). This sampled a 1.4 km faulted and complexly layered footwall section dominated by gabbroic lithologies with minor ultramafic rocks. Palaeomagnetic analyses demonstrate that the gabbroic sequences at Atlantis Massif carry highly stable remanent magnetizations that provide valuable information on the evolution of the section. Thermal demagnetization experiments recover high unblocking temperature components of reversed polarity (R1) throughout the gabbroic sequences. Correlation of structures observed on oriented borehole (FMS) images and those recorded on unoriented core pieces allows reorientation of R1 remanences. The mean remanence direction in true geographic coordinates constrains the tectonic rotation experienced by the Atlantis Massif footwall, indicating a 46°±6° counterclockwise around a MAR-parallel horizontal axis trending 011°±6°. The detachment fault therefore initiated at a steep dip of >50° and then rotated flexurally to its present day low angle geometry (consistent with a 'rolling-hinge' model for detachment evolution). In a number of intervals, the gabbros exhibit a complex remanence structure with the presence of additional intermediate temperature normal (N1) and lower temperature reversed (R2) polarity components, suggesting an extended period of remanence acquisition during different polarity intervals. Sharp break-points between different polarity components suggest

Diagenetic Layers in the Upper Walls of Valles Marineris, Mars: Evidence for Drastic Climate Change Since the Mid-Hesperian

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Treiman, Allan H.; Fuks, Kelly H.; Murchie, Scott

1995-01-01

A packet of relatively resistant layers, totaling approx. 400 m thickness, is present at the tops of the chasma walls throughout Valles Marineris. The packet consists of an upper dark layer (approx. 50 m thick), a central bright layer (approx. 250 m thick), and a lower dark layer (approx. 100 m thick). The packet appears continuous and of nearly constant thickness and depth below ground surface over the whole Valles system (4000 km E-W, 800 km N-S), independent of elevation (3-10 km) and age of plateau surface (Noachian through upper Hesperian). The packet continues undisturbed beneath the boundary between surface units of Noachian and Hesperian ages, and continues undisturbed beneath impact craters transected by chasma walls. These attributes are not consistent with layer formation by volcanic or sedimentary deposition, and are consistent with layer formation in situ, i.e., by diagenesis, during or after upper Hesperian time. Diagenesis seems to require the action of aqueous solutions in the near subsurface, which are not now stable in the Valles Marineris area. To permit the stability of aqueous solutions, Mars must have had a fairly dense atmosphere, greater than or equal to 1 bar CO2, when the layers formed. Obliquity variations appear to be incapable of producing such a massive atmosphere so late in Mars' history.

Paleogene and Neogene magmatism in the Valle del Cura region: New perspective on the evolution of the Pampean flat slab, San Juan province, Argentina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Litvak, Vanesa D.; Poma, Stella; Kay, Suzanne Mahlburg

2007-09-01

The Valle del Cura region is characterized by a thick volcanic and volcaniclastic sequence that records the Tertiary arc and backarc magmatic evolution of the Argentine Main Cordillera over the modern Pampean flatslab at 29.5-30°S. During the Eocene, a retroarc basin developed, represented by the Valle del Cura Formation synorogenic volcanosedimentary sequence, which includes rhyolites and dacitic tuffs. These silicic volcanic rocks have weak arc chemical signatures and high lithophile element concentrations and are isotopically enriched relative to the late Oligocene-early Miocene volcanic rocks that followed them. Their chemical characteristics fit with eruption through a thin crust. The Valle de Cura Formation was followed by the Oligocene-early Miocene Doña Ana Group volcanic sequence, which erupted at and near the arc front west of the border with Chile. The Doña Ana Group volcanic rocks have calc-alkaline chemical characteristics consistent with parental magmas forming in a mantle wedge and erupting through a normal thickness crust (35 km). Subsequent shallowing of the downgoing Nazca plate caused the volcanic front to migrate eastward. The volcanic sequences of the middle Miocene Cerro de las Tórtolas Formation erupted at this new arc front, essentially at the Argentine border. Two stages are recognized: an older one (16-14 Ma) in which magmas appear to have erupted through a normal thickness crust (30-35 km) and a younger one (13-10 Ma) in which the steeper REE pattern suggests the magmas last equilibrated with higher pressure residual mineral assemblages in a thicker crust. Isotopic ratios in the younger group are consistent with an increase in original crustal components and crust introduced into the mantle source by forearc subduction erosion. A peak in forearc subduction erosion near 12-10 Ma is consistent with when the main part of the Juan Fernandez Ridge began to subduct beneath the region. In addition to late Miocene Tambo Formation dacitic

Geological and geochemical reconnaissance in the central Santander Massif, Departments of Santander and Norte de Santander, Colombia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Evans, James George

1976-01-01

The central Santander Massif is composed of Precambrian Bucaramanga Gneiss and pre-Devonian Silgara Formation intruded by Mesozoic quartz diorite, quartz monzonite, and alaskite and Cretaceous or younger porphyry. Triassic (Bocas Formation), Jurassic (Jordan and Giron Formations).and Cretaceous (Tambor, Rosa Blanca, Paja, Tablazo, Simiti, La Luna, and Umir Formations) sedimentary rocks overlie the metamorphic rocks and are younger than most of the intrusions. A geological and geochemical reconnaissance of part of the central Santander Massif included the Vetas and California gold districts. At Vetas the gold is generally in brecciated aphanitic quartz and phyllonite. Dark-gray material in the ore may be graphite. The ore veins follow steep west-northwest- and north-northeast-striking fracture zones. No new gold deposits were found. Additional geochemical studies should concentrate on western Loma Pozo del Rey and on improvement of the gold extraction process. At California the gold is in pyritiferous quartz veins and quartz breccia. Ore containing black sooty material (graphite?) is highly radioactive. Some of the mineralization is post-Lower Cretaceous. Soil samples indicate that gold deposits lie under the thick blanket of soil on the ridges above the zone of mining. Three principal gold targets are outlined by gold and associated minerals in pan concentrates. The close relation of gold and copper anomalies suggests that copper may be useful as a pathfinder for gold elsewhere in the region. Based on occurrences of gold or high concentrations of pyrite or chalcopyrite in pan concentrates and on analytical data, eight potential gold targets are outlined in the central massif. Reconnaissance of the surrounding region is warranted.

Identification and spatial distribution of light-toned deposits enriched in Al-phyllosilicates on the plateaus around Valles Marineris, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Deit, L.; Flahaut, J.; Quantin, C.; Allemand, P.

2009-12-01

The plateaus around Valles Marineris consist in series of mafic rocks suggested to be flood basalts (McEwen et al., 1998), lavas interbedded with sediments (Malin and Edgett, 2000), layered intrusive rocks (Williams et al., 2003), or lava flows dated from the Noachian to the late Hesperian epochs (Scott and Carr, 1978). Recent studies show the occurrence of light layered deposits of hundred meters thick cropping out on plateaus near Ius Chasma, Melas Chasma, Candor Chasma, Juventae Chasma and Ganges Chasma deposited during the Hesperian epoch by fluvio-lacustrine processes (Weitz et al., 2009), or by air-fall processes (Le Deit et al., 2009). These layered deposits are enriched in hydrated minerals including opaline silica (Milliken et al., 2008), hydroxylated ferric sulfates (Bishop et al., 2009), and possibly Al-rich phyllosilicates (Le Deit et al., 2009). We identified another type of formation corresponding to light-toned massive deposits cropping out around Valles Marineris. It appears that these light-toned deposits are associated to bright, rough, and highly cratered terrains, located beneath a dark and thin capping unit. Previous studies report the occurrence of phyllosilicates on few locations around Valles Marineris based on OMEGA data analyses (Gondet et al., 2007; Carter et al., 2009). The analysis of CRISM data show that the light-toned deposits are associated with spectra displaying absorption bands at 1.4 μm, 1.9 μm, and a narrow band at 2.2 μm. These spectral characteristics are consistent with the presence of Al-rich phyllosilicates such as montmorillonite, or illite in the light-toned deposits. They constitute dozens of outcrops located on the plateaus south and east of Coprates Chasma and Capri Chasma, and west of Ganges Chasma. All outcrops investigated so far are present over Noachian terrains mapped as the unit Npl2 by Scott and Tanaka (1986), and Witbeck et al. (1991). These light-toned deposits could result from in situ aqueous alteration

Palaeomagnetism in the Sines massif (SW Iberia) revisited: evidences for Late Cretaceous hydrothermal alteration and associated partial remagnetization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ribeiro, P.; Silva, P. F.; Moita, P.; Kratinová, Z.; Marques, F. O.; Henry, B.

2013-10-01

This study revisits the palaeomagnetism of the Sines massif (˜76 Ma) in the southwestern Iberian Margin (Portugal). The palaeomagnetic analysis was complemented by a comprehensive study of the magnetic mineralogy by means of rock magnetic measurements and petrographic observations. The overall dispersion of palaeomagnetic directions (declination ranging between ˜N0° and ˜N50°) and their migration observed during stepwise demagnetizations have revealed the superposition of remanence components. We interpret this complex palaeomagnetic behaviour as related to the regional hydrothermalism associated with the last stages of Late Cretaceous magmatic activity. This environment favoured mineralogical alteration and a partial chemical remagnetization, giving in most samples a composite magnetization, which has been erroneously interpreted as the primary one in a previous study, then leading to a questionable model for Cretaceous Iberia rotation. Nonetheless, for some samples a single component has been isolated. Interesting rock magnetic properties and microscopic observations point to a well-preserved magnetic mineralogy for these samples, with magnetite clearly of primary origin. The associated ChRM mean direction (D/I = 3.9°/46.5°, α95 = 1.7°, N = 31 samples) then represents the true primary magnetization of the Sines massif. This new palaeomagnetic direction and the corresponding palaeomagnetic pole (long = 332.0°, lat = -79.5°, A95 = 1.7°) agrees with those from the other palaeomagnetic works for the same period and region (e.g. the Sintra and Monchique massifs), yielding a lack of significant rotation of Iberia relative to stable Europe since the uppermost Late Cretaceous (Campanian-Maastrichtian).

Subduction metamorphism in the Himalayan ultrahigh-pressure Tso Morari massif: An integrated geodynamic and petrological modelling approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palin, Richard M.; Reuber, Georg S.; White, Richard W.; Kaus, Boris J. P.; Weller, Owen M.

2017-06-01

The Tso Morari massif is one of only two regions where ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphism of subducted crust has been documented in the Himalayan Range. The tectonic evolution of the massif is enigmatic, as reported pressure estimates for peak metamorphism vary from ∼2.4 GPa to ∼4.8 GPa. This uncertainty is problematic for constructing large-scale numerical models of the early stages of India-Asia collision. To address this, we provide new constraints on the tectonothermal evolution of the massif via a combined geodynamic and petrological forward-modelling approach. A prograde-to-peak pressure-temperature-time (P-T-t) path has been derived from thermomechanical simulations tailored for Eocene subduction in the northwestern Himalaya. Phase equilibrium modelling performed along this P-T path has described the petrological evolution of felsic and mafic components of the massif crust, and shows that differences in their fluid contents would have controlled the degree of metamorphic phase transformation in each during subduction. Our model predicts that peak P-T conditions of ∼2.6-2.8 GPa and ∼600-620 ∘C, representative of 90-100 km depth (assuming lithostatic pressure), could have been reached just ∼3 Myr after the onset of subduction of continental crust. This P-T path and subduction duration correlate well with constraints reported for similar UHP eclogite in the Kaghan Valley, Pakistan Himalaya, suggesting that the northwest Himalaya contains dismembered remnants of what may have been a ∼400-km-long UHP terrane comparable in size to the Western Gneiss Region, Norway, and the Dabie-Sulu belt, China. A maximum overpressure of ∼0.5 GPa was calculated in our simulations for a homogeneous crust, although small-scale mechanical heterogeneities may produce overpressures that are larger in magnitude. Nonetheless, the extremely high pressures for peak metamorphism reported by some workers (up to 4.8 GPa) are unreliable owing to conventional thermobarometry

Successive post-Variscan stress fields in the French Massif Central and its borders (Western European plate): comparison with geodynamic data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blés, J. L.; Bonijoly, D.; Castaing, C.; Gros, Y.

1989-11-01

Structural analysis and particularly microtectonic methods have made it possible to define the different stages of brittle deformation of the Massif Central basement and the surrounding sedimentary cover from the end of the Hercynian orogeny to the end of the Tertiary. During the Stephanian a compressional tectonic regime prevailed: regional faults appeared or were react vated reactivation as a result of initial N-S compression, becoming NW then E-W. These regional strike-slip faults caused local extension which led to the formation of small coal-bearing basins. This compressional regime, which marked the end of the formation of Pangea. was followed by a series of extension episodes: Permian-Triassic extension oscillating around N-S. E-W to NW-SE extension in the Early and Middle Jurassic and finally N-S to NE-SW extension in the Late Jurassic to Cretaceous. The normal faults formed during these episodes strongly influenced the distribution of emerging continents and sedimentary basins. From the Campanian (75 Ma) to the Present, the convergence of Africa and Eurasia involved the distribut on of stresses in the West European plate. Several tectonic episodes are distinguished in the Massif Central. During the Eocene approximately N-S compression predominated. General E-W extension in the Late Eocene-Oligocene resulted in grabens with general northerly strike, mainly in the centre of the Massif Central and on its east and southeast borders. Lastly, compression, varying from NW-SE to E-W, in the north and south of the Massif Central, prevailed during the Alpine orogenic phase at the end of the Miocene. These successive stages of brittle deformation are interpreted in the context of the evolution of the West European plate and its displacement in relation to the African plate. The correspondences between the major geodynamic periods and the distribution of stresses over the West European continent are noted as well as the problems which remair to be resolved.

Two-phase southward subduction of the Mongol-Okhotsk oceanic plate constrained by Permian-Jurassic granitoids in the Erguna and Xing'an massifs (NE China)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Huichuan; Li, Yinglei; He, Hongyun; Huangfu, Pengpeng; Liu, Yongzheng

2018-04-01

Geodynamics of the Mongol-Okhotsk oceanic plate southward subduction are still pending problems. This paper presents new zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb age and whole-rock geochemical data for the middle Permian to Middle Jurassic granitoids in the western Erguna and central Xing'an massifs. 267-264 Ma, 241 Ma and 173 Ma I-type granites, and 216 Ma A-type granites were identified in the Erguna and Xing'an massifs (NE China). The I-type granites were produced by partial melting of the lower mafic crust. The 216 Ma A-type granites were derived from partial melting of crustal materials with tonalitic to granodioritic compositions. The 267-264 Ma and 241 Ma I-type granites were generated in an Andean-type arc setting, wheras the 216 Ma A-type and 173 Ma granites were formed in supra subduction extensional setting. We summarized previous age data of the middle Permian to Middle Jurassic magmtaic rocks in the Erguna and Xing'an Massifs and identified two isolated phases of magmatic activity including the ca. 267-225 Ma and ca. 215-165 Ma periods, with a significant magmatic gap at ca. 225-215 Ma. These middle Permian to Middle Jurassic magmatic rocks are closely related to the southward subduction of the Mongol-Okhotsk ocean. A two-stage tectonic evolutionary model was proposed to account for these geological observations in the Erguna and Xing'an massifs, involving Permian to Middle Triassic continuous southward subduction of the Mongol-Okhotsk oceanic plate and Late Triassic to Jurassic slab-rollback and supra subduction extension.

Foraminiferal and radiolarian biostratigraphy of the youngest (Late Albian through Late Cenomanian) sediments of the Tatra massif, Central Western Carpathians

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bąk, Krzysztof; Bąk, Marta

2013-06-01

Bąk, K. and Bąk M. 2013. Foraminiferal and radiolarian biostratigraphy of the youngest (Late Albian through Late Cenomanian) sediments of the Tatra massif, Central Western Carpathians. Acta Geologica Polonica, 63 (2), 223-237. Warszawa. The foraminiferal and radiolarian biostratigraphy of selected sections of the Zabijak Formation, the youngest sediments of the Tatra massif (Central Western Carpathians), have been studied. Benthic foraminifers, mainly agglutinated species, occur abundantly and continuously throughout the studied succession, while planktic foraminifers are generally sparse. Five planktic and two benthic foraminiferal zones have been recognized. The marly part of the Zabijak Formation comprises the Pseudothalmanninella ticinensis (Upper Albian) through the Rotalipora cushmani (Upper Cenomanian) planktic foraminiferal zones, and the Haplophragmoides nonioninoides and Bulbobaculites problematicus benthic foraminiferal zones. The radiolarians were recognized exclusively in the Lower Cenomanian part of the formation.

Using Terrestrial Sulfate Efflorescences as an Analogue of Hydrated Sulfate Formation in Valles Marineris on Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, P. C.; Szynkiewicz, A.

2015-12-01

Hydrated sulfate minerals provide conclusive evidence that a hydrologic cycle was once active on the surface of Mars. Two classes of hydrated sulfate minerals have been detected by robotic instruments on Mars: monohydrated sulfate minerals comprised of kieserite and gypsum, and various polyhydrated sulfates with Fe-Ca-Na-Mg-rich compositions. These minerals are found in various locations on Mars, including large surface exposures in valley settings of Valles Marineris. However, the sulfate sources and formation mechanisms of these minerals are not yet well understood.Recently, it has been suggested that the sulfate minerals in Valles Marineris might have formed in a manner similar to sulfate efflorescences found in dry environments on Earth. In this study, we use sulfate effloresences from the Rio Puerco Watershed, New Mexico as a terrestrial analogue to assess major factors that might have led to deposition of sulfate minerals in Valles Marineris. In different seasons indicative of dry and wet conditions, we collected field photographs and sediment samples for chemical and stable isotopic analyses (sulfur content, δ34S) to determine major sources of sulfate ions for efflorescences and to assess how the seasonal changes in surface/groundwater activity affect their formation. Preliminary sulfur isotope results suggest that oxidation of bedrock sulfides (0.01-0.05 wt. S %) is a major source of sulfate ion for efflorescences formation because their δ34S varied in negative range (-28 to -20‰) similar to sulfides (average -32‰). Using field photographs collected in Oct 2006, Feb and Nov 2012, May 2013, Mar and Oct 2014, we infer that the highest surface accumulation of sulfate efflorescences in the studied analog site was observed after summer monsoon seasons when more water was available for surface and subsurface transport of solutes from chemical weathering. Conversely, spring snow melt led to enhanced dissolution of sulfate efflorescences.

A MASSIF Effort To Determine The Mass-Luminosity Relation for Stars of Various Ages, Metallicities, and Evolution States

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henry, Todd J.; Beedict, G. Fritz; Gies, Douglas R.; Golimowski, David A.; Ianna, Philip A.; Mason, Brian; McArthur, Barbara; Nelan, Edmund; Torres, Guillermo

2004-01-01

The MASSIF (Masses and Stellar Systems with Interferometry) Team will use SIM to investigate the mass content of the Galaxy - from huge stars to barely glimmering brown dwarfs, and from hot white dwarfs to exotic black holes. We will target various samples of the Galactic population to determine and relate the fundamental characteristics of mass, luminosity, age, composition, and multiplicity - attributes that together yield an extensive understanding of the stars. Our samples will include distant clusters that span a factor of 5000 in age, and commonplace stars and substellar objects that lurk near the Sun. The principal goals of the MASSIF Key Project are to (1) define the mass-luminosity relation for main sequence stars in five fundamental clusters so that effects of age and metallicity can be mapped (Trapezium, TW Hydrae, Pleiades, Hyades, and M67), and (2) determine accurate masses for representative examples of nearly every type of star, stellar descendant or brown dwarf in the Galaxy.

Magnetostratigraphy of the Vallesian (late Miocene) in the Vallès-Penedès Basin (northeast Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcés, M.; Agustí, J.; Cabrera, L.; Parés, J. M.

1996-08-01

The magnetostratigraphic analysis of the late Miocene continental deposits from the Vallès-Penedès Basin, combined with its well-documented fossil mammal record, has provided a well-resolved chronology for the upper basin infill. The study is based on the biostratigraphic and magnetostratigraphic cross-correlation of 12 sections throughout the alluvial sequences in the western Vallès area. The biostratigraphic framework consists of 21 mammal localities corresponding to the Mammal Neogene MN9 and MN10 units. The composite magnetic polarity sequence is based on 400 paleomagnetic sites. Correlation with the Geomagnetic Polarity Time Scale (GPTS) has led to an absolute dating of the faunal events and a precise chronostratigraphy of the Vallesian mammal stage in its type area. The Hipparion First Appearance Datum (FAD), at the MN8/MN9 boundary, is dated at 11.1 Ma in the Vallès-Penedès Basin. This age, compared to other radiometrically dated localities in Europe, North Africa and Turkey, is consistent with an isochronous dispersal of this equid through the Mediterranean region. A possible isochrony at a larger geographical scale (Old World, Mesogea) must await more reliable ages of the Hipparion FAD in Asia and Africa. The Cricetulodon FAD ( MN9a/MN9b boundary) is dated to 10.4 Ma, in chron C5n. The Progonomys FAD ( MN9/MN10 boundary), corresponding to the intra-Vallesian faunal crisis, is dated at 9.7 Ma (C4Ar.3r). The Vallesian spans 2.4 Myr, from 11.1 Ma (C5r.1n) to 8.7 Ma (C4An) and correlates to the early Tortonian.

Volcanic Structures Within Niger and Dao Valles, Mars, and Implications for Outflow Channel Evolution and Hellas Basin Rim Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korteniemi, J.; Kukkonen, S.

2018-04-01

Outflow channel formation on the eastern Hellas rim region is traditionally thought to have been triggered by activity phases of the nearby volcanoes Hadriacus and Tyrrhenus Montes: As a result of volcanic heating subsurface volatiles were mobilized. It is, however, under debate, whether eastern Hellas volcanism was in fact more extensive, and if there were volcanic centers separate from the identified central volcanoes. This work describes previously unrecognized structures in the Niger-Dao Valles outflow channel complex. We interpret them as volcanic edifices: cones, a shield, and a caldera. The structures provide evidence of an additional volcanic center within the valles and indicate volcanic activity both prior to and following the formation of the outflow events. They expand the extent, type, and duration of volcanic activity in the Circum-Hellas Volcanic Province and provide new information on interaction between volcanism and fluvial activity.

The Oldest Granites of Russia: Paleoarchean (3343 Ma) Subalkali Granites of the Okhotsk Massif

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuzmin, V. K.; Bogomolov, E. S.; Glebovitskii, V. A.; Rodionov, N. V.

2018-02-01

The Paleoarchean age (3.34 Ga) of subalkali granite magmatism first established for the Kukhtui uplift of the Okhotsk Massif suggests a formation time of the mature continental K-rich crust in this region as early as the Paleoarchean. According to the geological structural, mineralogical-geochemical, geochronological, and isotopic-geochemical data, the Kukhtui uplift can be considered as the most ancient Paleoarchean province in Russia: the ancient consolidation core of the sialic protocrust of the Okhotsk-Omolon Craton.

Has Massification of Higher Education Led to More Equity? Clues to a Reflection on Portuguese Education Arena

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dias, Diana

2015-01-01

Massification is an undeniable phenomenon in the higher education arena. However, there have been questions raised regarding the extent to which a mass system really corresponds to an effective democratisation not only of access, but also of success. With regards to access, this article intends, through a brief analysis of the expansion of higher…

Influence of simulated acidic rain on bacterial speck of tomato. [Lycopersicon esculentum Mill var. 'Chico III', Pseudomonas tomato

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bisessar, S.; Palmer, K.T.; Kuja, A.L.

Ambient rain in southern Ontario has a volume-weighted average pH of approximately 4.2. Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill var. 'Chico III') seedlings were exposed to simulated acidic rain in specially designed chambers. The inoculum of Pseudomonas tomato (Okabe) Alstatt, causal agent of bacterial speck, was sprayed on plants before or after exposure to acidic rain of pH 2.5, 3.5, and 4.5, as well as on plants not exposed to the simulated acidic rain. Speck symptoms (small, dark, brown spots with yellow halos) were found on all inoculated plants. Exposure of plants to simulted acidic rain inhibited speck development, but the inhibitionmore » was greater on plants exposed to acidic rain after inoculation. Spot necrosis, a typical response to acid rain, occurred on up to 15 to 20% of the leaf area on all tomato plants treated with acidic rain at pH 2.5. Plants alos showed a decrease in growth (height and fresh and dry weights) with an increase in rain acidity. Leaves injured by simulated acidic rain and examined histopathologically displayed cellular malformations including hyperplasia and hypertrophy. Pseudomonas tomato failed to grow on acidified King B medium or Difco nutrient broth adjusted to pH 3.5 or lower.« less

Evaluating Spatial Heterogeneity and Environmental Variability Inferred from Branched Glycerol Dialkyl Glycerol Tetraethers (GDGTs) Distribution in Soils from Valles Caldera, New Mexic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Contreras Quintana, S. H.; Werne, J. P.; Brown, E. T.; Halbur, J.; Sinninghe Damsté, , J.; Schouten, S.; Correa-Metrio, A.; Fawcett, P. J.

2014-12-01

Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) are recently discovered bacterial membrane lipids, ubiquitously present in peat bogs and soils, as well as in rivers, lakes and lake sediments. Their distribution appears to be controlled mainly by soil pH and annual mean air temperature (MAT) and they have been increasingly used as paleoclimate proxies in sedimentary records. In order to validate their application as paleoclimate proxies, it is essential evaluate the influence of small scale environmental variability on their distribution. Initial application of the original soil-based branched GDGT distribution proxy to lacustrine sediments from Valles Caldera, New Mexico (NM) was promising, producing a viable temperature record spanning two glacial/interglacial cycles. In this study, we assess the influence of analytical and spatial soil heterogeneity on the concentration and distribution of 9 branched GDGTs in soils from Valles Caldera, and show how this variability is propagated to MAT and pH estimates using multiple soil-based branched GDGT transfer functions. Our results show that significant differences in the abundance and distribution of branched GDGTs in soil can be observed even within a small area such as Valles Caldera. Although the original MBT-CBT calibration appears to give robust MAT estimates and the newest calibration provides pH estimates in better agreement with modern local soils in Valles Caldera, the environmental heterogeneity (e.g. vegetation type and soil moisture) appears to affect the precision of MAT and pH estimates. Furthermore, the heterogeneity of soils leads to significant variability among samples taken even from within a square meter. While such soil heterogeneity is not unknown (and is typically controlled for by combining multiple samples), this study quantifies heterogeneity relative to branched GDGT-based proxies for the first time, indicating that care must be taken with samples from heterogeneous soils in MAT and p

Descriptions and records of Cladiopsocidae and Dolabellopsocidae (Insecta: Psocodea: 'Psocoptera') from Valle del Cauca and National Natural Park Gorgona, Colombia.

PubMed

Calderón-Martínez, Nadia R; González-Obando, Ranulfo; Aldrete, Alfonso N García

2014-11-28

The results of a survey on the species diversity of the families Cladiopsocidae and Dolabellopsocidae (Psocodea: 'Psocoptera': Psocomorpha: Epipsocetae) in Valle del Cauca and in the National Natural Park (NNP) Gorgona, Colombia, are presented. The specimens studied were collected in the context of two scientific projects, in which 12 species in the two families were identified, five in Cladiopsocidae and seven in Dolabellopsocidae. In the first family, Cladiopsocus presented a new record in the country and four new species; in the latter, two genera were identified, Dolabellopsocus, with three new species and two new records, and Isthmopsocus, with two new species. This study presents the description of the nine new species from Valle del Cauca and NNP Gorgona, the new records for Colombia and identification keys to the neotropical species of both families.

Multi-decadal evolution of ice/snow covers in the Mont-Blanc massif (France)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guillet, Grégoire; Ravanel, Ludovic

2017-04-01

Dynamics and evolution of the major glaciers of the Mont-Blanc massif have been vastly studied since the XXth century. Ice/snow covers on steep rock faces as part of the cryosphere however remain poorly studied with only qualitative descriptions existing. The study of ice/snow covers is primordial to further understand permafrost degradation throughout the Mont-Blanc massif and to improve safety and prevention for mountain sports practitioners. This study focuses on quantifying the evolution of ice/snow covers surface during the past century using a specially developed monoplotting tool using Bayesian statistics and Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithms. Combining digital elevation models and photographs covering a time-span of 110 years, we calculated the ice/snow cover surface for 3 study sites — North faces of the Tour Ronde (3792 m a.s.l.) and the Grandes Jorasses (4208 m a.s.l.) and Triangle du Tacul (3970 m a.s.l.) — and deduced the evolution of their area throughout the XXth century. First results are showing several increase/decrease periods. The first decrease in ice/snow cover surface occurs between the 1940's and the 1950's. It is followed by an increase up to the 1980's. Since then, ice/snow covers show a general decrease in surface which is faster since the 2010's. Furthermore, the gain/loss during the increase/decrease periods varies with the considered ice/snow cover, making it an interesting cryospheric entity of its own.

A new species of Pristimantis (Anura, Craugastoridae) from the Cajas Massif, southern Ecuador.

PubMed

Sánchez-Nivicela, Juan C; Celi-Piedra, Elvis; Posse-Sarmiento, Valentina; Urgiles, Verónica L; Yánez-Muñoz, Mario; Cisneros-Heredia, Diego F

2018-01-01

A new species of Pristimantis is described from the highland paramos on the eastern slopes of the Cajas Massif, southern Andes of Ecuador, at 3400 m. This new species is characterized by having a distinctive reddish color, cutaneous macroglands in suprascapular region and surfaces of arm and legs, and by lacking dentigerous processes of vomers. The cutaneous macroglands are similar to those exhibited by several species of the Pristimantis orcesi group, and may suggest a close phylogenetic relationship. The new species could be a latitudinal substitution of Pristimantis orcesi in the southern Andes of Ecuador.

Numerical slope stability simulations of chasma walls in Valles Marineris/Mars using a distinct element method (dem).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Imre, B.

2003-04-01

NUMERICAL SLOPE STABILITY SIMULATIONS OF CHASMA WALLS IN VALLES MARINERIS/MARS USING A DISTINCT ELEMENT METHOD (DEM). B. Imre (1) (1) German Aerospace Center, Berlin Adlershof, bernd.imre@gmx.net The 8- to 10-km depths of Valles Marineris (VM) offer excellent views into the upper Martian crust. Layering, fracturing, lithology, stratigraphy and the content of volatiles have influenced the evolution of the Valles Marineris wallslopes. But these parameters also reflect the development of VM and its wall slopes. The scope of this work is to gain understanding in these parameters by back-simulating the development of wall slopes. For that purpose, the two dimensional Particle Flow Code PFC2D has been chosen (ITASCA, version 2.00-103). PFC2D is a distinct element code for numerical modelling of movements and interactions of assemblies of arbitrarily sized circular particles. Particles may be bonded together to represent a solid material. Movements of particles are unlimited. That is of importance because results of open systems with numerous unknown variables are non-unique and therefore highly path dependent. This DEM allows the simulation of whole development paths of VM walls what makes confirmation of the model more complete (e.g. Oreskes et al., Science 263, 1994). To reduce the number of unknown variables a proper (that means as simple as possible) field-site had to be selected. The northern wall of eastern Candor Chasma has been chosen. This wall is up to 8-km high and represents a significant outcrop of the upper Martian crust. It is quite uncomplex, well-aligned and of simple morphology. Currently the work on the model is at the stage of performing the parameter study. Results will be presented via poster by the EGS-Meeting.

Studying Disability and Disability Studies: Shifting Paradigms of LD -- A Synthesis of Responses to Reid and Valle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connor, David J.

2005-01-01

In this article, I discuss the 11 diverse responses to Reid and Valle's work on the discursive practice of learning disabilities (LD), implications for instruction, and parent-school relations. I highlight key ideas from each article and then focus on three common areas of interest shared by most respondents: the unacceptable status quo of…

Geotectonic setting of the Suwałki Anorthosite Massif (NE-Poland) - constraints for 3D geological modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiszniewska, Janina; Petecki, Zdzislaw; Rosowiecka, Olga; Krzemińska, Ewa

2017-04-01

Suwałki Anorthosite Massif (SAM) is located within 200 km long Mesoproterozoic magmatic terrane called Mazury Complex (NE Poland) (Wiszniewska et al. 2002). This is a belt of granitoids and associated mafic and intermediate igneous rocks followed an E-W trending lineament extending from the Baltic Sea through northern Poland and southern Lithuania to western Belarus. Crystalline basement of the Suwałki region is covered by a thick pile (550-1300m) of Phanerozoic sedimentary rocks, which are dipping towards the SW East European Craton`s border. SAM is a complex structure composed primarily of magmatic massif type anorthosites, surrounded by a rim of norite-gabbronorite and diorite rocks. SAM is characterized by magnetic and gravimetric negative anomalies. The gravimetric one is related to anorthosite massif. It is surrounded by a few positive anomalies, which reflect occurrences of denser rocks such as granite, monzodiorite and granodiorite. The large magnetic anomaly is supposed to reflect an effect of an negative inclination of remanent magnetization of anorthosite rocks. This hypothesis was confirmed by magnetic modelling along DSS POLONAISE'97 profile P4 (Petecki, 2006). Existing measurements however do not show prevailing negative inclinations, even though they prove very high remanent magnetization of anorthosites. A pronounced residual magnetic anomalies of Udryń and Krzemianka are related to Fe-Ti-(V) ore deposits recognized by deep boreholes. Based on potential field data it was suggested that anorthosite bottom reaches 2,5-4,5 km depth. Thus it is evident that the geological architecture of SAM and its surrounding area is not fully recognized. The problem is supposed to be resolved using modern methods of geophysical transformations and 3D modelling using GeoModeller software. The final result of the research will be to recognize spatial structure of the SAM and its surrounding. Petrological, mineralogical, geochronological (U-Pb SHRIMP method on

Episodic exhumation and relief growth in the Mont Blanc massif, Western Alps from numerical modelling of thermochronology data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glotzbach, C.; van der Beek, P. A.; Spiegel, C.

2011-04-01

The Pliocene-Quaternary exhumational and topographic evolution of the European Alps and its potential climatic and tectonic controls remain a subject of controversy. Here, we apply inverse numerical thermal-kinematic modelling to a spatially dense thermochronological dataset (apatite fission-track and (U-Th)/He) of both tunnel and surface samples across the Mont Blanc massif in the Western Alps, complemented by new zircon fission-track data, in order to better quantify its Neogene exhumation and relief history. Age-elevation relationships and modelling results show that an episodic exhumation scenario best fits the data. Initiation of exhumation in the Mont Blanc massif at 22 ± 2 Ma with a rate of 0.8 ± 0.15 km/Myr is probably related to NW-directed thrusting during nappe emplacement. Exhumation rates decrease at 6 ± 2 Ma to values of 0.15 ± 0.65 km/Myr, which we interpret to be the result of a general decrease in convergence rates and/or extensive exposure of less erodible crystalline basement rocks from below more easily erodible Mesozoic sediments. Finally, local exhumation rates increase up to 2.0 ± 0.6 km/Myr at 1.7 ± 0.8 Ma. Modelling shows that this recent increase in local exhumation can be explained by valley incision and the associated increase in relief at 0.9 ± 0.8 Ma, leading to erosional unloading, isostatic rebound and additional rock uplift and exhumation. Given the lack of tectonic activity as evidenced by constant thermochronological ages along the tunnel transect, we suggest that the final increase in exhumation and relief in the Mont Blanc massif is the result of climate change, with the initiation of mid-Pleistocene glaciations leading to rapid valley incision and related local exhumation.

Tectonic evolution of part of the Southern Metamorphic Belt of the Armorican Massif including the Ile de Groix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richards, Lawrence Edward

The Southern Metamorphic Belt (SMB) of the Armorican Massifextends 400km along the south coast of Brittany and into Vendee. It is separated from the Central Armorican Domain by a major, late-Hercynian shear belt, known as the South Armorican Shear Zone. In the area studied, belts of metasedimentary and metavolcanic schist of uncertain age are separated by belts of granitic gneiss; areas of migmatite and Hercynian granite plutons cross-cut these belts. Three distinctive lithologic assemblages have been identified in the schist belts, characteristic of different depositional environments: the Le Pouldu Group, Kerleven and Gouesnach formations probably originated as abyssal black shales deposited on oceanic crust; the St. Laurent Formation and Melgven Schists probably formed as distal greywacke deposits on a deep continental shelf; the Nerly and Beg-Meil formations probably formed in a proximal marine or fluviatile environment. These disparate assemblages were tectonically juxtaposed by overthrusting (obduction) before an amphibolite facies metamorphism and deformation during the Cadomian Orogeny. The Moelan Gneiss, a Lower Ordovician alkali-granite intrusion, postdates M1/D1 and probably formed in a rifting environment at the onset of ocean-floor spreading along an axis south of the present Armorican Massif. The famous blueschists of the Ile de Groix probably formed in a subduction zone on the south side of the ocean and were obducted onto the passive southern margin of the Armorican Massif following closure of the ocean and continental collision. A second phase of regional deformation, producing a cataclastic foliation in the Moelan Gneiss, probably resulted from the collision. Large-scale overthrusting of the southern continent onto the Armorican Massif took place, causing metamorphism with partial melting at depth generating migmatites. A third phase of pervasive deformation may correlate with oroclinal bending of the Ibero-Armorican Arc during the Hercynian

Perceptions of social and environmental changes in a Mediterranean forest during the last 100 years: the Gavarres Massif.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Carreras, Roser; Ubeda, Xavier; Outeiro, Luís; Asperó, Francesc

2014-06-01

During the last century the landscape of the mid-Mediterranean mountains has undergone major transformations. The precipitous decline in the economic viability of forest products has engendered ever-thickening forests and agricultural lands have reverted to forest land cover. The related exodus of existing inhabitants since 1960 has led to new styles of occupancy: residential and touristic land uses have emerged while the primary and secondary sectors have largely disappeared. The object of the present study is to review how these transformations have developed in a specific area of north-eastern of Catalonia, known as the Gavarres Massif. The study applies a qualitative approach, based on interviews with stakeholders including active members of the local community and others who utilize or visit the area, all of whom are representatives of different social groups with a wide range of interests and points of view with regard to the massif. The information collected from the perspectives and opinions of the participants is coupled with objective data about the area. The result of this investigation is a rich variety of perceptions on landscape and social transformation and its current functional dynamics. Analyzing the information obtained allows us to understand the fact that the disappearance of the rural world is directly related to the collapse of an entire economic system that relied on the environment. In this study, two divergent points of view arise, one which supports recovering past landscapes and another which favours managing changes, conserving the existing landscape. Proposals for the current and future territorial management of Les Gavarres are presented. The diversity of opinions which emerges with regard to managing necessary changes in the massif emphasizes the importance of increased social dialogue. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A re-analysis of 533 rockfalls occurred since 2003 in the Mont Blanc massif for the study of their relationship with permafrost

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ravanel, Ludovic; Magnin, Florence; Deline, Philip

2015-04-01

Rockfall is one of the main natural hazards in high mountain regions and its frequency is growing, especially since two decades. Collapses at high elevation are with an increasing certainty assumed to be a consequence of the climate change through the warming permafrost. In the Mont Blanc massif, data on present rockfalls (occurrence time when possible, accurate location, topographical and geological settings, volume, weather and snow conditions) were acquired for 2003 and for the period 2007-2014 thanks to a satellite image of the massif and a network of observers in the central part of the massif, respectively. The study of the 533 so-documented rockfalls shows a strong correlation at the year scale between air temperature and rockfall. Along with this data acquisition, a statistical model of the Mean Annual Rock Surface Temperature (MARST) for the 1961-1990 period has been implemented on a 4-m-resolution DEM of the Mont Blanc massif. The model runs with Potential Incoming Solar radiation (PISR) calculated with GIS tools and air temperature parameters computed from Chamonix Météo France records. We cross here the data on rockfalls with the permafrost distribution model to show that: (i) rockfall occurs mainly over modeled negative MARST (context of permafrost); (ii) simulated warm permafrost areas (> -2°C) are the most affected by instabilities; (iii) as the 1961-1990 period is supposed to be representative of the conditions at depth that are not affected by the climate warming during the two last decades, the latest results are mainly valuable for rockfalls related to pluri-decadal signal; and (iv) the higher (close to 0°C) the MARST, the deeper the detachment (possibly related to the deepening of the permafrost active layer). These results and field observations confirm that warming permafrost corresponds to the main required configuration for rockfall triggering at high elevation. In addition, we show that rockfalls for which ice observed in their scar

Genesis and significance of the silico-aluminous nodules in the Ordovician of the Montagne Noire and the Massif Armoricain (France)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becq-Giraudon, Jean-François; Bouillé, Suzanne; Chauvel, Jean-Jacques

1992-04-01

Siliceous nodules of the Arenigian of the Montagne Noire (southern France) and the Massif Armoricain (western France) are made up of quartz, illite and chlorite with secondary apatite and, less frequently, dolomite. Diffractometrical and geochemical data indicate that the chlorite is a chamosite (trioctahedral 2:1 chlorite), whose development may be accompanied by that of apatite and diminution of illite. Three types of nodules are defined: Type 1, siliceous nodules, with more than 85% of SiO 2, very frequent in the Montagne Noire; Type II, nodules made of a micaceous siltstone with chlorite matrix, abundant in the Massif Armoricain but present also in the Montagne Noire; Type III, chloritic nodules with a finely globular structure, especially developed in the Massif armoricain but observed in the Montagne Noire as well. The nodules are always poorer in illite than their host sediments and often show traces of the initial sediments. Their formation occurs after the deposition and prior to the development of foliation. The frequent presence of undistorted fossil remains suggests an early formation linked to the physico-chemical modifications occurring in an unconsolidated sediment around a decaying organism. The post-depositional mineralogical evolution should have started with an illite/dolomite assemblage and end up with a chamosite-dominant one, under cold climatic conditions. The simultaneous presence of the three types of nodules in the same formation, or even in the same beds, shows that this mineralogical differentiation is not strictly related to the diagenetic and metamorphic transformation of this material.

Mawrth Valles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

[figure removed for brevity, see original site]

The THEMIS VIS camera is capable of capturing color images of the Martian surface using five different color filters. In this mode of operation, the spatial resolution and coverage of the image must be reduced to accommodate the additional data volume produced from using multiple filters. To make a color image, three of the five filter images (each in grayscale) are selected. Each is contrast enhanced and then converted to a red, green, or blue intensity image. These three images are then combined to produce a full color, single image. Because the THEMIS color filters don't span the full range of colors seen by the human eye, a color THEMIS image does not represent true color. Also, because each single-filter image is contrast enhanced before inclusion in the three-color image, the apparent color variation of the scene is exaggerated. Nevertheless, the color variation that does appear is representative of some change in color, however subtle, in the actual scene. Note that the long edges of THEMIS color images typically contain color artifacts that do not represent surface variation.

This false color image of an old channel floor and surrounding highlands is located in the lower reach of Mawrth Valles. This image was collected during the Northern Spring season.

Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 25.7, Longitude 341.2 East (18.8 West). 35 meter/pixel resolution.

Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars

The Dilemma and Solutions for the Conflicts between Equality and Excellence in the Massification of Higher Education in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsiou-Huai, Wang

2012-01-01

Equality and excellence are two core values underlying many educational endeavors; however, they are often in conflict and controversy. This article intends to examine the dilemma created by such controversies in the context of massification of higher education in Taiwan and attempt to provide solutions from both the theoretical and policy…

Late Cenozoic cooling history of the central Menderes Massif and the contribution of erosion to rock exhumation during active continental extension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nilius, Nils-Peter; Wölfler, Andreas; Heineke, Caroline; Glotzbach, Christoph; Hetzel, Ralf; Hampel, Andrea; Akal, Cüneyt; Dunkl, István

2017-04-01

The Menderes Massif constitutes the western part of the Anatolide belt in western Turkey and experienced a prolonged history of post-orogenic extension. A large amount of the extension was accommodated by the two oppositely dipping Gediz and Büyük Menderes detachment faults, which led to the exhumation of the central Menderes Massif (Gessner et al., 2013). Previous studies proposed a synchronous, bivergent exhumation of the central Menderes Massif since the Miocene (Gessner et al., 2001), although only the evolution of the north-dipping Gediz detachment is well constrained (Buscher et al., 2013). Detailed structural and thermochronological investigations from the south-dipping Büyük Menderes detachment have still been missing. Here we present results from different thermochronometers, which constrain the cooling and exhumation history of footwall and hanging wall rocks of the Büyük Menderes detachment. Our new zircon and apatite (U-Th)/He and fission track ages of footwall rocks from the Büyük Menderes detachment document two phases of increased cooling and exhumation (Wölfler et al., in revision). The first episode of increased footwall exhumation ( 0.9 km/Myr) occurred during the middle Miocene, followed by a second phase during latest Miocene and Pliocene ( 1.0 km/Myr). Apatite fission track ages yield a slip rate for the Pliocene movement along the Büyük Menderes detachment of 3.0 (+1.1/-0.6) km/Myr. Thermochronological data of hanging wall units reflect a slow phase of exhumation ( 0.2 km/Myr) in the late Oligocene and an increased exhumation rate of 1.0 km/Myr during the early to middle Miocene, when hanging wall units cooled below 80 °C. In comparison with the Gediz detachment, our thermochronological data from the Büyük Menderes detachment confirms the concurrent activity of both detachments during the late Miocene and Pliocene. With respect to the relative importance of normal faulting and erosion to rock exhumation, a comparison with 10Be

A new species of Pristimantis (Anura, Craugastoridae) from the Cajas Massif, southern Ecuador

PubMed Central

Sánchez-Nivicela, Juan C.; Celi-Piedra, Elvis; Posse-Sarmiento, Valentina; Urgiles, Verónica L.; Yánez-Muñoz, Mario; Cisneros-Heredia, Diego F.

2018-01-01

Abstract A new species of Pristimantis is described from the highland paramos on the eastern slopes of the Cajas Massif, southern Andes of Ecuador, at 3400 m. This new species is characterized by having a distinctive reddish color, cutaneous macroglands in suprascapular region and surfaces of arm and legs, and by lacking dentigerous processes of vomers. The cutaneous macroglands are similar to those exhibited by several species of the Pristimantis orcesi group, and may suggest a close phylogenetic relationship. The new species could be a latitudinal substitution of Pristimantis orcesi in the southern Andes of Ecuador. PMID:29713233

Stratigraphy and erosional landforms of layered deposits in Valles Marineris, Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Komatsu, G.; Geissler, P. E.; Strom, R. G.; Singer, R. B.

1993-01-01

Satellite imagery is used to identify stratigraphy and erosional landforms of 13 layered deposits in the Valles Marineris region of Mars (occurring, specifically, in Gangis, Juventae, Hebes, Ophir-Candor, Melas, and Capri-Eos Chasmata), based on albedo and erosional styles. Results of stratigraphic correlations show that the stratigraphy of layered deposits in the Hebes, Juventae, and Gangis Chasmata are not well correlated, indicating that at least these chasmata had isolated depositional environments resulting in different stratigraphic sequences. On the other hand, the layered deposits in Ophir-Candor and Melas Chasmata appear to have been connected in each chasma. Some of the layered deposits display complexities which indicate changes in space and time in the dominant source materials.

Development of a Comprehensive Plan for Scientific Research, Exploration, and Design: Creation of an Undergroung Radioactive Waste Isloation Facility at the Nizhnekansky Rock Massif

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jardine, L J

2005-06-15

ISTC Partner Project No.2377, ''Development of a General Research and Survey Plan to Create an Underground RW Isolation Facility in Nizhnekansky Massif'', funded a group of key Russian experts in geologic disposal, primarily at Federal State Unitary Enterprise All-Russian Design and Research Institute of Engineering Production (VNIPIPT) and Mining Chemical Combine Krasnoyarsk-26 (MCC K-26) (Reference 1). The activities under the ISTC Partner Project were targeted to the creation of an underground research laboratory which was to justify the acceptability of the geologic conditions for ultimate isolation of high-level waste in Russia. In parallel to this project work was also undermore » way with Minatom's financial support to characterize alternative sections of the Nizhnekansky granitoid rock massif near the MCC K-26 site to justify the possibility of creating an underground facility for long-term or ultimate isolation of radioactive waste (RW) and spent nuclear fuel (SNF). (Reference 2) The result was a synergistic, integrated set of activities several years that advanced the geologic repository site characterization and development of a proposed underground research laboratory better than could have been expected with only the limited funds from ISTC Partner Project No.2377 funded by the U.S. DOE-RW. There were four objectives of this ISTC Partner Project 2377 geologic disposal work: (1) Generalize and analyze all research work done previously at the Nizhnekansky granitoid massif by various organizations; (2) Prepare and issue a declaration of intent (DOI) for proceeding with an underground research laboratory in a granite massif near the MCC K-26 site. (The DOI is similar to a Record of Decision in U.S. terminology). (3) Proceeding from the data obtained as a result of scientific research and exploration and design activities, prepare a justification of investment (JOI) for an underground research laboratory in as much detail as the available site

Emplacement and erosive effects of the south Kasei Valles lava on Mars

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dundas, Colin M.; Keszthelyi, Laszlo P.

2014-01-01

Although it has generally been accepted that the Martian outflow channels were carved by floods of water, observations of large channels on Venus and Mercury demonstrate that lava flows can cause substantial erosion. Recent observations of large lava flows within outflow channels on Mars have revived discussion of the hypothesis that the Martian channels are also produced by lava. An excellent example is found in south Kasei Valles (SKV), where the most recent major event was emplacement of a large lava flow. Calculations using high-resolution Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) demonstrate that this flow was locally turbulent, similar to a previously described flood lava flow in Athabasca Valles. The modeled peak local flux of approximately 106 m3 s−1 was approximately an order of magnitude lower than that in Athabasca, which may be due to distance from the vent. Fluxes close to 107 m3 s−1 are estimated in some reaches but these values are probably records of local surges caused by a dam-breach event within the flow. The SKV lava was locally erosive and likely caused significant (kilometer-scale) headwall retreat at several cataracts with tens to hundreds of meters of relief. However, in other places the net effect of the flow was unambiguously aggradational, and these are more representative of most of the flow. The larger outflow channels have lengths of thousands of kilometers and incision of a kilometer or more. Therefore, lava flows comparable to the SKV flow did not carve the major Martian outflow channels, although the SKV flow was among the largest and highest-flux lava flows known in the Solar System.

Cenozoic volcanism in the Bohemian Massif in the context of P- and S-velocity high-resolution teleseismic tomography of the upper mantle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plomerová, Jaroslava; Munzarová, Helena; Vecsey, Luděk.; Kissling, Eduard; Achauer, Ulrich; Babuška, Vladislav

2016-08-01

New high-resolution tomographic models of P- and S-wave isotropic-velocity perturbations for the Bohemian upper mantle are estimated from carefully preprocessed travel-time residuals of teleseismic P, PKP and S waves recorded during the BOHEMA passive seismic experiment. The new data resolve anomalies with scale lengths 30-50 km. The models address whether a small mantle plume in the western Bohemian Massif is responsible for this geodynamically active region in central Europe, as expressed in recurrent earthquake swarms. Velocity-perturbations of the P- and S-wave models show similar features, though their resolutions are different. No model resolves a narrow subvertical low-velocity anomaly, which would validate the "baby-plume" concept. The new tomographic inferences complement previous studies of the upper mantle beneath the Bohemian Massif, in a broader context of the European Cenozoic Rift System (ECRIS) and of other Variscan Massifs in Europe. The low-velocity perturbations beneath the Eger Rift, observed in about 200km-broad zone, agree with shear-velocity models from full-waveform inversion, which also did not identify a mantle plume beneath the ECRIS. Boundaries between mantle domains of three tectonic units that comprise the region, determined from studies of seismic anisotropy, represent weak zones in the otherwise rigid continental mantle lithosphere. In the past, such zones could have channeled upwelling of hot mantle material, which on its way could have modified the mantle domain boundaries and locally thinned the lithosphere.

Origin and evolution of the layered deposits in the Valles Marineris, Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nedell, Susan S.; Squyres, Steven W.; Andersen, David W.

1987-01-01

Four hypotheses are discussed concerning the origin of the layered deposits in the Martian Valles Marineris, whose individual thicknesses range from about 70 to 300 m. The hypothesized processes are: (1) aeolian deposition; (2) deposition of remnants of the material constituting the canyon walls; (3) deposition of volcanic eruptions; and (4) deposition in standing bodies of water. The last process is chosen as most consistent with the rhythm and lateral continuity of the layers, as well as their great thickness and stratigraphic relationship with other units in the canyons. Attention is given to ways in which the sediments could have entered an ice-covered lake; several geologically feasible mechanisms are identified.

Evidence for precipitation on Mars from dendritic valleys in the Valles Marineris area.

PubMed

Mangold, Nicolas; Quantin, Cathy; Ansan, Véronique; Delacourt, Christophe; Allemand, Pascal

2004-07-02

Dendritic valleys on the plateau and canyons of the Valles Marineris region were identified from Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) images taken by Mars Odyssey. The geomorphic characteristics of these valleys, especially their high degree of branching, favor formation by atmospheric precipitation. The presence of inner channels and the maturity of the branched networks indicate sustained fluid flows over geologically long periods of time. These fluvial landforms occur within the Late Hesperian units (about 2.9 to 3.4 billion years old), when Mars was thought to have been cold. Our results suggest a period of warmer conditions conducive to hydrological activity.

Shallow magnetic inclinations in the Cretaceous Valle Group, Baja California: remagnetization, compaction, or terrane translation?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Douglas P.; Busby, Cathy J.

1993-10-01

Paleomagnetic data from Albian to Turonian sedimentary rocks on Cedros Island, Mexico (28.2° N, 115.2° W) support the interpretation that Cretaceous rocks of western Baja California have moved farther northward than the 3° of latitude assignable to Neogene oblique rifting in the Gulf of California. Averaged Cretaceous paleomagnetic results from Cedros Island support 20 ± 10° of northward displacement and 14 ± 7° of clockwise rotation with respect to cratonic North America. Positive field stability tests from the Vizcaino terrane substantiate a mid-Cretaceous age for the high-temperature characteristic remanent magnetization in mid-Cretaceous strata. Therefore coincidence of characteristic magnetization directions and the expected Quaternary axial dipole direction is not due to post mid-Cretaceous remagnetization. A slump test performed on internally coherent, intrabasinal slump blocks within a paleontologically dated olistostrome demonstrates a mid-Cretaceous age of magnetization in the Valle Group. The in situ high-temperature natural remanent magnetization directions markedly diverge from the expected Quaternary axial dipole, indicating that the characteristic, high-temperature magnetization was acquired prior to intrabasinal slumping. Early acquisition of the characteristic magnetization is also supported by a regional attitude test involving three localities in coherent mid-Cretaceous Valle Group strata. Paleomagnetic inclinations in mudstone are not different from those in sandstone, indicating that burial compaction did not bias the results toward shallow inclinations in the Vizcaino terrane.

Slumps and Fog in Valles Marineris

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ojha, L.; Chojnacki, M.; Toigo, A. D.; McDonald, G. D.; Wolff, M. J.; Leung, C. W. S.

2016-12-01

The first spectral evidence for H2O ice clouds on Mars came from the interferometer spectrometer on board the Mariner 9 spacecraft. Water ice clouds on Mars form by freezing of atmospheric water vapor, of which the main surface source is the seasonal sublimation of the polar caps, and have been observed around the Tharsis volcanoes, Olympus Mons, Alba Patera, Valles Marineris (VM) and the southern highlands. Cloud activity in some of these regions display a seasonal trend, where the cloud area increases in warmer seasons, and decreases during colder seasons. The atmospheric hazes in VM are relatively small in areal extent, confined within canyon topography, and are difficult to replicate in models of global or regional vapor transport, indicating that they may be locally sourced. This distinguishes the VM hazes from the global-scale clouds. Spectral data from the Planetary Fourier Spectrometer onboard the Mars Express orbiter have been reported as consistent with water ice in the atmospheric fog, however results from Mars Express favored dust as responsible for low-elevation hazes. Here we report observations and spectroscopic analyses of low elevation haze in Juventae Chasma, which are spatially correlated with locations of seasonal flows thought to be caused by briny liquid water. Furthermore, we report the seasonality of the haze and explore its potential role in the creation of contemporary mass-wasting features on Mars.

The timberline as result of the interactions among forest, abiotic environment and human activity in the Babia Gora massif, Western Carpathians

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lajczak, Adam

2016-04-01

The timberline is one of the clearest and most easily discernible boundaries in nature (Troll 1973). Among the existing conceptual models clarifying the complex nature of the relationship between the timberline and the environment and human impact, the fullest seems to be the one presented by K. Holtmeier (2009). The quoted author comprehensively characterizes the timberline, taking into account its course, appearance and ecological characteristics. The aim of the work is to quantitatively assess the factors influencing the course of timberline and its changes over the last ca. 400 years in the Babia Góra massif (1725 m a.s.l.), the highest flysch ridge in the Western Carpathians, which is formed as an asymmetric ridge of kuesta type. Forests mainly in the upper montane zone have preserved their natural character in many areas. Old spruce tree growths are a particular advantage of the Babia Góra Mt., being there on the predominant section of the altitude zone of the timberline. In the rest of this zone, spruce forests have been under a direct or indirect influence of changes resulting from grazing with its 400-year history and forestry taking place about 100 years ago. The 60 m difference between the average altitude of the timberline on the northern (1335 m a.s.l.) and the southern slope (1395 m a.s.l.) on the Babia Góra Mt. can be explained with climatic conditions of these areas. The average gradient of the slope within the timberline ecotone on the southern slope of the massif is by 100 smaller, and the amount of solar energy delivered during the growing season is 40% higher (960 kWh/m2) than on the northern slope. The higher position of the timberline on the windward southern slope is favored by the dominant winds from S-W sector, thinner snow cover and earlier melting due to the lower precipitation on the slope and also due to the winnowing of snow onto the steep northern slope of the ridge. On the southern slope of the ridge there are no larger snow

Using Telepresence to Connect and Engage Classes and the Public in the Exploration of Tamu Massif, the World's Largest Single Volcano

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nanez-James, S. E.; Sager, W.

2016-02-01

Research published in 2013 showed that TAMU Massif, the largest mountain in the Shatsky Rise oceanic plateau, located approximately 1500 kilometers east of Japan, is the "World's Largest Single Volcano." This claim garnered widespread public interest and wonder concerning how something so big could remain so mysterious in the 21st century. This disconnect highlights the fact that oceans are still widely unexplored, especially the middle of the deep ocean. Because there is so much interest in TAMU Massif, a diverse outreach team lead by chief scientist Dr. William Sager from the University of Houston in partnership with the Texas State Aquarium and the Schmidt Ocean Institute (SOI) conducted a multifaceted ship-to-shore outreach project that included secondary school students, formal and informal educators, university students and professors, the aquarium and museum audience, and the general public. The objective was to work in conjunction with SOI and various other partners, including the Texas Regional Collaborative, the Aquarium of the Pacific, and the Houston Museum of Natural Science, to promote science and ocean literacy while inspiring future scientists - especially those from underserved and underrepresented groups - through ocean connections. Participants were connected through live ship-to-shore distance learning broadcasts of ongoing marine research and discovery of TAMU Massif aboard the R/V Falkor, allowing audiences to participate in real-time research and apply real world science to curriculum in the classrooms. These ship-to-shore presentations connected to existing curriculums and standards, lessons, and career interests of the students and educators with special teacher events and professional development workshops conducted from aboard the R/V Falkor.

Major and trace element investigation of the Pine Mountain massif--The southernmost exposure of Grenville age crust in North America

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Salpas, P.A.; Daniell, N.

1992-01-01

The Pine Mountain massif is a 1.1 Ga basement massif exposed in Alabama and Georgia. The Whatley Mill Gneiss (WMG) constitutes a major exposure of rock in the Pine Mountain massif of eastern Alabama. Based on appearance in outcrop, the WMG can be divided into three distinct lithologies. The first is a massive augen gneiss (AG) consisting of K-spar augen in a finer grained matrix of biotite, K-spar, plagioclase, and quartz. The second lithology is a fine-grained gneiss (FG) composed predominantly of quartz with minor muscovite. The FG occurs sporadically as band of mylonite within the AG. The third lithologymore » is generally accepted to be the protolith of the AG. It is a relatively unfoliated and undeformed rock (UN) of sparse occurrence whose mineralogy is similar to that of the AG but also contains hornblende and rounded mafic inclusions of biotite gneiss. AG and FG samples were collected along a traverse through over 220 meters of stratigraphic thickness of the WMG and were analyzed for major element compositions by XRF and for trace element compositions by INAA. Relative to the AG samples, the FG samples are enriched in SiO[sub 2] and depleted in FeO and ferromagnesian trace elements such as Sc. REE concentrations are generally higher in the AG than in the FG but the sizes of the ranges in concentrations among both groups of rocks are similar. REE systematics indicate that the silica-rich fluid introduced into the AG during shearing appears to have made negligible contributions to the absolute and relative whole-rock REE concentrations but, instead, simply diluted the REE in the parent AG. Based upon the limited sampling of UN so far, deformation to produce the foliated AG, including augen formation, appears to have occurred isochemically.« less

Episodes of floods in Mangala Valles, Mars, from the analysis of HRSC, MOC and THEMIS images

USGS Publications Warehouse

Basilevsky, A.T.; Neukum, G.; Werner, S.C.; Dumke, A.; Van Gasselt, S.; Kneissl, T.; Zuschneid, W.; Rommel, D.; Wendt, L.; Chapman, M.; Head, J.W.; Greeley, R.

2009-01-01

The Mangala Valles is a 900-km long outflow channel system in the highlands adjacent to the south-eastern flank of the Tharsis bulge. This work was intended to answer the following two questions unresolved in previous studies: (1) Was there only one source of water (Mangala Fossa at the valley head which is one of the Medusae Fossae troughs or graben) or were other sources also involved in the valley-carving water supply, and (2) Was there only one episode of flooding (maybe with phases) or were there several episodes significantly separated in time. The geologic analysis of HRSC image 0286 and mapping supported by analysis of MOC and THEMIS images show that Mangala Valles was carved by water released from several sources. The major source was Mangala Fossa, which probably formed in response to magmatic dike intrusion. The graben cracked the cryosphere and permitted the release of groundwater held under hydrostatic pressure. This major source was augmented by a few smaller-scale sources at localities in (1) two mapped heads of magmatic dikes, (2) heads of two clusters of sinuous channels, and (3) probably several large knob terrain locals. The analysis of results of crater counts at more than 60 localities showed that the first episode of formation of Mangala Valles occurred ???3.5 Ga ago and was followed by three more episodes, one occurred ???1 Ga ago, another one ???0.5 Ga ago, and the last one ???0.2 Ga ago. East of the mapped area there are extended and thick lava flows whose source may be the eastern continuation of the Mangala source graben. Crater counts in 10 localities on these lava flows correlate with those taken on the Mangala valley elements supporting the idea that the valley head graben was caused by dike intrusions. Our observations suggest that the waning stage of the latest flooding episode (???0.2 Ga ago) led to the formation at the valley head of meander-like features sharing some characteristics with meanders of terrestrial rivers. If this

Strain partitioning in the Belledonne and Pelvoux massifs. Some clues to understand the Variscan tectono-thermal evolution.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fréville, Kévin; Trap, Pierre; Faure, Michel; Melleton, Jeremie; Blein, Olivier

2016-04-01

This contribution presents new structural, petrological, geochemical and geochronological data obtained in the Variscan basement of the Alpine Belledonne and Pelvoux External Crystalline massifs. The Belledonne-Pelvoux area is a stack of four litho-tectonic units. The uppermost unit is the early Ordovician Chamrousse ophiolite. It overthrusts a volcanic-sedimentary unit (VSU) made of an alternation of volcanoclastic rocks, plagiogranites and metapelites. The VSU crops out in the eastern Belledonne and western Pelvoux massifs. It is unconformably overlain by a Visean sandstone-conglomerate series with felsic lava (keratophyres). The lowermost litho-tectonic unit is made of felsic and mafic migmatites and granitoids that form the major part of the Pelvoux massif. The western boundary of this tectonic pile is the "synclinal median" strike-slip fault, on the western side of which crops out the Belledonne micaschist unit made of Cambro-ordovician turbiditic series. The structural analysis revealed four main tectono-thermal events: Dx, D1, D2, and D3. Dx is only recorded in relictual metamorphic assemblage in Ky-Grt-Ab bearing micaschist from the VSU holding an obduction metamorphic gradient (3kbar, 370°C up to 7kbar, 430°C). The age of the Dx event remains unknown. The D1 event, characterized by westward low-angle dipping foliation (S1) and a NE-SW striking stretching lineation (L1), is responsible for the crustal thickening resulting of the Eastward emplacement of the Chamrousse ophiolite upon the VSU. D1 is coeval with a barrovian metamorphism with P-T conditions of 6kbar, 600°C recorded in metapelites, and partial melting developed at the base of the VSU. Monazite LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating revealed that D1 crustal thickening occurred at 337±7 Ma. D2 is a sinistral transpressional deformation responsible for the folding of S1 and L1, and the development of a NE-SW trending pervasive sub-vertical foliation S2. In the lower structural domain, i.e. the partially molten

[Renal biopsy practice in Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta].

PubMed

Manganaro, Marco; Nebiolo, Pier Eugenio; Rollino, Cristiana; Giacchino, Franca; Savoldi, Silvana; Besso, Luca; Colla, Loredana; Amore, Alessandro; Ferro, Michela; Marazzi, Federico; Chiarinotti, Doriana; Guarnieri, Andrea; Quaglia, Marco; Manes, Massimo; Vaccaro, Valentina; Marcuccio, Cristina; Licata, Carolina; Patti, Rosaria; Mariano, Filippo; Bongi, Anna Maria; Biamino, Ercole; Boschetti, Maria Antonietta; Della Volpe, Mario; Malcangi, Ugo; Baroni, Adriana; Vagelli, Giuseppe; Costantini, Luigia; Salomone, Mario; Formica, Marco; Caramello, Elisa; Campo, Andrea; Pignone, Eugenia; Messuerotti, Alessandra; Roccatello, Dario; Stratta, Piero; Segoloni, Giuseppe; Coppo, Rosanna

2012-01-01

In 2010 a questionnaire was administered to the renal units of Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta to analyze their procedures for renal biopsy (RB). Seventy-eight percent of units performed RBs, 57% for more than 20 years, but only 43% performed at least 20 BRs per year. 20/21 units performed RB in an inpatient setting and 1/21 in day hospital with the patient remaining under observation the night after. Thirty-two percent did not consider a single kidney as a contraindication to RB, 59% considered it a relative contraindication and 9% considered it an absolute contraindication. In 90.5% of units there was a specific protocol for patient preparation for RB and 86% used a specific informed consent form. Ninety-five percent of units performed ultrasound-guided RB, 60% of them using needle guides attached to the probe. In 81% of units the left side was preferred; 71% put a pillow under the patient's abdomen. All units used disposable, automated or semi-automated needles. Needle size was 16G in 29%, 18G in 58%, and both 16G and 18G in 14% of units; 1 to 3 samples were drawn. One third of units had a microscope available for immediate evaluation of specimen adequacy. After RB, 86% of units kept patients in the prone position for 2-6 hours and all prescribed a period of bed rest (at least 24 hours in 90.5%). 90.5% of units followed a specific postbiopsy observation protocol consisting of blood pressure, heart rate and red blood cell measurements at different times, and urine monitoring and ultrasound control within 12-24 hours (only half of them also employing color Doppler). One third of all units discharged patients after 1 day and two thirds after 2-3 days; all prescribed abstention from effort and from antiplatelet drugs for 7-15 days. In 9 units both RB and tissue processing and examination were done in the same hospital, while 12 units sent the samples elsewhere. 76% obtained results in 2-4 days, 19% in 6-7 days, and 5% in 10-15 days. Less than 20% of the interviewed

Mass-balance modelling of Ak-Shyirak massif Glaciers, Inner Tian Shan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rets, Ekaterina; Barandun, Martina; Belozerov, Egor; Petrakov, Dmitry; Shpuntova, Alena

2017-04-01

Tian Shan is a water tower of Central Asia. Rapid and accelerating glacier downwasting is typical for this region. Study sites - Sary-Tor glacier and Glacier No.354 are located in Ak-Shyirak massif, Naryn headwaters. Sary-Tor was chosen as representative for Ak-Shyirak (Ushnurtsev, 1991; Oledeneniye TianShanya, 1995) for direct mass-balance measurements in 1985-1991. Glacier No.354 was an object of direct mass-balance measurements for 2011-2016. An energy-balance distributed A-Melt model (Rets et al, 2010) was used to reconstruct mass-balance for the glaciers for 2003-2015. Verification of modelingresults showed a good reproduction of direct melting measurements data on ablation stakes and mass loss according to geodetic method. Modeling results for Glacier No. 354 were compared to different modeling approach: distributed accumulation and temperature-index melt (Kronenberg et al, 2016)

Rates and drivers of erosion in the Southern Pyrenees: a 10Be-supported model for the Valle de la Fueva catchments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stange, Kurt Martin; Midtkandal, Ivar; Petter Nystuen, Johan; Sohbati, Reza; Murray, Andrew Sean; Spiegel, Cornelia; Kuss, Jochen

2017-04-01

Intramontane basins are typical features of every mountain chain. These topographic depressions function as sediment traps during the syn- and postorogenic evolution of a range. Hence, studying their sedimentary archives and morphogenetic development may deliver important insights into the dynamics and magnitudes of erosion-sedimentation processes in mountain catchments and their susceptibility towards changing environmental conditions. Aiming at quantifying Quaternary catchment erosion rates in the Southern Pyrenees and determining the timing and driving parameters of basin excavation stages, this research project focusses on a number of adjacent watersheds in the Valle de la Fueva in Aragon, Spain. Besides providing a comprehensive OSL and 10Be-supported catchment erosion model, potential relationships of intense late stage erosion phases with watershed capture, base level changes and climatic controls are addressed. The Valle de la Fueva comprises a number of sub-catchments of the Ainsa depression - an Eocene sedimentary basin situated in the southern Pyrenean fold and thrust belt (SPFZ) which is recognized as a prime analogue for reservoir geometries and turbidite systems. The Valle de la Fueva is a highly erodible catchment, typical for the SPFZ with its shallow and deep marine strata, conglomerates and synorogenic debris. Preliminary observations revealed systems of "cut-in-fill" alluvial terraces and residual erosion surfaces - i.e. pediments and glacis that are strongly dissected by gullies and barrancos. Basin outlet canyons are deeply entrenched into the Los Molinos thrust front and represent dramatic landscape features that are relevant to the base level and opening history of the Valle de la Fueva catchments. Combining digital terrain analysis with field surveys and exposure/burial dating, first results revealed differences in stream profile gradation and incision magnitudes among several sub-catchments. Since they share a common base level, the main

Young (late Amazonian), near-surface, ground ice features near the equator, Athabasca Valles, Mars

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burr, D.M.; Soare, R.J.; Wan, Bun Tseung J.-M.; Emery, J.P.

2005-01-01

A suite of four feature types in a ???20 km2 area near 10?? N, 204?? W in Athabasca Valles is interpreted to have resulted from near-surface ground ice. These features include mounds, conical forms with rimmed summit depressions, flatter irregularly-shaped forms with raised rims, and polygonal terrain. Based on morphology, size, and analogy to terrestrial ground ice forms, these Athabascan features are interpreted as pingos, collapsing pingos, pingo scars, and thermal contraction polygons, respectively. Thermal Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (THEMIS) data and geological features in the area are consistent with a sedimentary substrate underlying these features. These observations lead us to favor a ground ice interpretation, although we do not rule out volcanic and especially glaciofluvial hypotheses. The hypothesized ground ice that formed the mounds and rimmed features may have been emplaced via the deposition of saturated sediment during flooding; an alternative scenario invokes magmatically cycled groundwater. The ground ice implicit in the hypothesized thermal contraction polygons may have derived either from this flooding/ground water, or from atmospheric water vapor. The lack of obvious flood modification of the mounds and rimmed features indicates that they formed after the most recent flood inundated the area. Analogy with terrestrial pingos suggests that ground ice may be still extant within the positive relief mounds. As the water that flooded down Athabasca Valles emerged via a volcanotectonic fissure from a deep aquifer, any extant pingo ice may contain evidence of a deep subsurface biosphere. ?? 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sand Sources Near Athabasca Valles

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-10-29

This image captured by NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows a small channel cutting into young volcanic lavas in a region where massive catastrophic flooding took place in the relatively recent past. The Athabasca Valles region includes a vast lava flow, thought to be the youngest on Mars, with even younger outflow channels that were carved by running water. The source of the water is believed to be the Cerberus Fossae valleys to the north, which may have penetrated to an over-pressurized aquifer in the subsurface. Nowadays, erosion by gravity, wind, and frost gradually wears down the rims of the outflow channels. In this scene, we see dark materials along the channel rim that were probably exposed by this erosion. The dark materials are less red than the surrounding surface and so they appear blue in this enhanced color picture. Viewed close up, the dark materials show ripples that suggest they are made up of mobile sand. It is possible that this sand originated elsewhere and simply collected where we see it today, but the fact that sand is not found elsewhere in the scene suggest to us that it is eroding out of the volcanic layers at the retreating rim of the channel. Sand sources are important because mobile sand grains have only a limited lifetime, wearing down and chipping apart each time they impact the surface. Erosion of the volcanic materials in this region may provide sands to replace those that are destroyed. Few such sand sources have so far been identified on Mars. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA18889

Use of Digital Elevation Models to understand map landforms and history of the magmatism Khibiny Massif (Kola Peninsula, Russia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chesalova, Elena; Asavin, Alex

2016-04-01

This work presents an improved geomorphological methodology that uses 3D model of relief, remotely-sensed data, geological, geophysical maps and tools of Geographical Information Systems. On the basis of maps of 1: 50,000 and 1: 200,000 the Digital Elevation model (DEM) of Khibiny massif was developed. We used software ARC / INFO v10.2 ESRI. A DEM was used for analyzing landform by extracting the slope gradient, curvature, valley pro?les, slope, aspect and so on. The results were gradually re?ned from the interpretation of satellite imagery and geological map Geomorphological analysis will allow us to determine spatial regularities in inner massive construction. We try to found areas where gas emissions (CH4/H2) enrich, according to morphometry, geology, tectonic and other environments. The main regional blocks were de?ned by different morphological evidences: impression zone, similar to subsidence caldera; uplift zone, domed area (located in the highest part of massif and zone of intersection of main faults) and others. It says that there are the few stages in the development of the Khibiny massif. There is no common concept of the consequence of intrudes magmatic phases now. And we hope that our geomorphical analysis take a new evidences about this problems. Locations of the blocks' borders (tectonic zones) were recognized by lineament analysis of valleys and tectonic faults presented in relief. Erosion system is represented by valleys of 4 ranks. It inherits the zone of tectonic disturbances 3 groups of faults were recognized: 1) Global lineament system cross whole peninsula - existing before Khibiny massif intrusion; 2) Faults associated with the formation of the intrusive phases sequence and magma differentiation and with later collision history during magma cooling; 3) Crack system related to neotectonic process. We believed that if different magmatic phases intrude in similar tectonic environment, the common spatial system of faults will be formed. Really we

Mobility of large rock avalanches: evidence from Valles Marineris, Mars

USGS Publications Warehouse

McEwen, A.S.

1989-01-01

Measurements of H/L (height of drop/length of runout) vs. volume for landslides in Valles Marineris on Mars show a trend of decreasing H/L with increasing volume. This trend, which is linear on a log-log plot, is parallel to but lies above the trend for terrestrial dry rock avalanches. This result and estimates of 104 to 105 Pa yield strength suggest that the landslides were not water saturated, as suggested by previous workers. The offset between the H/L vs. volume trends shows that a typical Martian avalanche must be nearly two orders of magnitude more voluminous than a typical terrestrial avalance in order to achieve the same mobility. This offset might be explained by the effects of gravity on flows with high yield strengths. These results should prove useful to future efforts to resolve the controversy over the mechanics of long-runout avalanches. -Author

Martian tension fractures and the formation of grabens and collapse features at Valles Marineris

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tanaka, K. L.; Golombek, M. P.

1989-01-01

Simple models of the Martian crust are summarized that predict extensional deformation style on the basis of depth, material friction and strength, and hydraulic conditions appropriate to the planet. These models indicate that tension fractures may be common features on Mars, given adequate differential stress conditions. Examples of tension fractures on Mars inferred from morphological criteria are examined based on the probable geologic conditions in which they formed and on model constraints. It is proposed that the grabens and collapse features of Valles Marineris are controlled by tension fractures in intact basement rocks that lie below impact ejecta.

Granulite-facies rocks in the Whatley Mill gneiss, Pine Mountain basement massif, Eastern Alabama

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Daniell, N.; Salpas, P.A.

1993-03-01

The Pine Mountain basement massif is a granulite terrane exposed in a tectonic window through the Inner Piedmont of western Georgia and eastern Alabama. Investigations of the westernmost extent of the massif, the Whatley Mill Gneiss, have revealed four distinct lithologies: (1) an augen gneiss, the type lithology; (2) mylonite that develops in the shear zones cutting the unit; (3) a phaneritic rock showing weak to no foliation; (4) enclaves of biotite gneiss within the weakly-foliated rock. Additionally, the weakly-foliated rock comprises two distinct phases which are in sharp contact along curved and undulating boundaries: phase 1 is a coarser-grainedmore » rock; phase 2 is a finer-grained rock of the same mineralogy as phase 1 except it contains rare hypersthene. This first recorded observation of hypersthene unequivocally confirms the granulite-facies origin of the unit. Major and trace element compositions of the phase 1 rock are identical to those of the augen gneiss. The phase 2 rock, has a distinct composition with higher SiO[sub 2] and lower incompatible trace elements than the phase 1 rock. The enclaves display a range in major elements but higher incompatible elements than the other lithologies. Geochemical and petrologic relationships leads one to interpret: (1) the weakly-foliated rock retains many of its primary igneous features including its two phases and enclaves; (2) the two phases of the weakly-foliated rock arose as a result of injection of one magma (phase 2) into a cooler, crystal mush solidifying from another magma (phase 1); (3) the enclaves represent either autoliths of xenoliths; (4) the augen gneiss arose by isochemical deformation of the phase 1 rock.« less

Late Ordovician (post-Sardic) rifting branches in the North Gondwanan Montagne Noire and Mouthoumet massifs of southern France

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Javier Álvaro, J.; Colmenar, Jorge; Monceret, Eric; Pouclet, André; Vizcaïno, Daniel

2016-06-01

Upper Ordovician-Lower Devonian rocks of the Cabrières klippes (southern Montagne Noire) and the Mouthoumet massif in southern France rest paraconformably or with angular discordance on Cambrian-Lower Ordovician strata. Neither Middle-Ordovician volcanism nor associated metamorphism is recorded, and the subsequent Middle-Ordovician stratigraphic gap is related to the Sardic phase. Upper Ordovician sedimentation started in the rifting branches of Cabrières and Mouthoumet with deposition of basaltic lava flows and lahar deposits (Roque de Bandies and Villerouge formations) of continental tholeiite signature (CT), indicative of continental fracturing. The infill of both rifting branches followed with the onset of (1) Katian (Ka1-Ka2) conglomerates and sandstones (Glauzy and Gascagne formations), which have yielded a new brachiopod assemblage representative of the Svobodaina havliceki Community; (2) Katian (Ka2-Ka4) limestones, marlstones, and shales with carbonate nodules, reflecting development of bryozoan-echinoderm meadows with elements of the Nicolella Community (Gabian and Montjoi formations); and (3) the Hirnantian Marmairane Formation in the Mouthoumet massif that has yielded a rich and diverse fossil association representative of the pandemic Hirnantia Fauna. The sealing of the subaerial palaeorelief generated during the Sardic phase is related to Silurian and Early Devonian transgressions leading to onlapping patterns and the record of high-angle discordances.

Public views and attitudes concerning fire and fuels reduction strategies in the Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP) New Mexico

Treesearch

Kurt Anschuetz; Carol Raish

2010-01-01

The Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP), located in the heart of the Jemez Mountains in northcentral New Mexico, is a special place for many residents of the region. The large volcanic caldera, formerly the privately owned Baca Ranch, is an 89,000-acre property known for its scenic meadows and abundant wildlife, including herds of elk. The U.S. purchased the...

Felsic granulite with layers of eclogite facies rocks in the Bohemian Massif; did they share a common metamorphic history?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jedlicka, Radim; Faryad, Shah Wali

2017-08-01

High pressure granulite and granulite gneiss from the Rychleby Mountains in the East Sudetes form an approximately 7 km long and 0.8 km wide body, which is enclosed by amphibolite facies orthogneiss with a steep foliation. Well preserved felsic granulite is located in the central part of the body, where several small bodies of mafic granulite are also present. In comparison to other high pressure granulites in the Bohemian Massif, which show strong mineral and textural re-equilibration under granulite facies conditions, the mafic granulite samples preserve eclogite facies minerals (garnet, omphacite, kyanite, rutile and phengite) and their field and textural relations indicate that both mafic and felsic granulites shared common metamorphic history during prograde eclogite facies and subsequent granulite facies events. Garnet from both granulite varieties shows prograde compositional zoning and contains inclusions of phengite. Yttrium and REEs in garnet show typical bell-shaped distributions with no annular peaks near the grain rims. Investigation of major and trace elements zoning, including REEs distribution in garnet, was combined with thermodynamic modelling to constrain the early eclogite facies metamorphism and to estimate pressure-temperature conditions of the subsequent granulite facies overprint. The first (U)HP metamorphism occurred along a low geothermal gradient in a subduction-related environment from its initial stage at 0.8 GPa/460 °C and reached pressures up to 2.5 GPa at 550 °C. The subsequent granulite facies overprint (1.6-1.8 GPa/800-880 °C) affected the rocks only partially; by replacement of omphacite into diopside + plagioclase symplectite and by compositional modification of garnet rims. The mineral textures and the preservation of the eclogite facies prograde compositional zoning in garnet cores confirm that the granulite facies overprint was either too short or too faint to cause recrystallisation and homogenisation of the eclogite

Analysis of Fault Lengths Across Valles Marineris, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fori, A. N.; Schultz, R. A.

1996-03-01

Summary. As part of a larger project to determine the history of stress and strain across Valles Marineris, Mars, graben lengths located within the Valley are measured using a two-dimensional window-sampling method to investigate depth of faulting and accuracy of measurement. The resulting degree of uncertainty in measuring lengths (+19 km - 80% accuracy) is independent of the resolution at which the faults are measured, so data sets and resultant statistical analysis from different scales or map areas can be compared. The cumulative length frequency plots show that the geometry of Valley faults display no evidence of a frictional stability transition at depth in the lithosphere if mechanical interaction between individual faults (an unphysical situation) is not considered. If strongly interacting faults are linked and the composite lengths used to re-create the cumulative lengths plots, a significant change in slope is apparent suggesting the existence of a transition at about 35-65 km below the surface (assuming faults are dipping from 50deg to 70deg This suggests the thermal gradient to the associated 300-400degC isotherm is 53C/km to 12degC/km.

Trace element composition of rutile and Zr-in-rutile thermometry in meta-ophiolitic rocks from the Kazdağ Massif, NW Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Şengün, Fırat; Zack, Thomas

2016-08-01

In northwest Turkey, ophiolitic meta-gabbros are exposed on the Kazdağ Massif located in the southern part of the Biga Peninsula. Trace element composition of rutile and Zr-in-rutile temperatures were determined for meta-gabbros from the Kazdağ Massif. The Zr content of all rutiles range from 176 to 428 ppm and rutile grains usually have a homogeneous Zr distribution. The rutile grains from studied samples in the Kazdağ Massif are dominated by subchondritic Nb/Ta (11-19) and Zr/Hf ratios (20-33). Nb/Ta and Zr/Hf show positive correlation, which is probably produced by silicate fractionation. The Nb/Ta and Zr/Hf ratios increase with a decrease in Ta and Hf contents. The core of rutile grains are generally characterized by low Nb/Ta ratios of 17-18 whereas the rims exhibit relatively high Nb/Ta ratios of 19-23. Trace element analyses in rutile suggest that these rutile grains were grown from metamorphic fluids. The P-T conditions of meta-gabbros were estimated by both Fe-Mg exchange and Zr-in-rutile thermometers, as well as by the Grt-Hb-Plg-Q geothermobarometer. The temperature range of 639 to 662 °C calculated at 9 kbar using the Zr-in-rutile thermometer is comparable with temperature estimates of the Fe-Mg exchange thermometer, which records amphibolite-facies metamorphism of intermediate P-T conditions. The P-T conditions of meta-ophiolitic rocks suggest that they occur as a different separate higher-pressure tectonic slice in the Kazdağ metamorphic sequence. Amphibolite-facies metamorphism resulted from northward subduction of the İzmir-Ankara branch of the Neo-Tethyan Ocean under the Sakarya Zone. Metamorphism was followed by internal imbrication of the Kazdağ metamorphic sequence resulting from southerly directed compression during the collision.

From ocean depths to mountain tops: uplift of the Troodos Massif (Cyprus) constrained by (U-Th)/He thermochronology and geomorphic analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morag, N.; Haviv, I.; Katzir, Y.

2013-12-01

The Troodos Massif of Cyprus, rising to nearly 2000 meters above sea level, encompasses one of the world's classic ophiolites. Following its formation at a seafloor spreading center in Late Cretaceous times, this slice of the NeoTethyan oceanic lithosphere was uplifted and eventually exposed on mountain tops during the Neogene. The final uplift and exhumation of the Troodos was previously assigned to Pleistocene age by observations in the circum-Troodos sedimentary strata. However, quantitative thermochronological and geomorphological data from the Massif itself were not available. Here we use apatite (U-Th)/He low-temperature thermochronology complemented by zircon (U-Th)/He and apatite fission track data, and combined with geomorphic analysis to constrain the exhumation and uplift history of the Troodos ophiolite. Apatite (U-Th)/He ages vary with depth from ~ 22 Ma at the top of the Gabbro sequence to ~ 6 Ma at the bottom of the sequence. The deepest sample from a Gabbro pegmatitic dyke intruding the ultramafic sequence yielded an age of ~ 3 Ma. Thermal modeling of apatite (U-Th)/He and fission track data delineates Plio - Pleistocene initiation of rapid uplift and exhumation of the Troodos ophiolite. The estimated cumulative exhumation since its initiation is 2-3 km. No evidence was found for significant uplift of the central Troodos area prior to that time. The geomorphic analysis delineates a bull's-eye zone at the center of the Troodos Massif, where local relief and channel steepness index are highest. The boundaries of this zone roughly correspond with the Mt. Olympus mantle outcrop and suggest recent, differential uplift of this zone relative to its surroundings. The most likely mechanism, which could drive such a focused bull's-eye uplift pattern is hydration of ultramafic rocks (serpentinization) leading to a decrease in rock density and subsequent diapiric uplift of the serpentinized lithospheric mantle.

Les dykes basiques du massif ancien de l'Ourika (Atlas de Marrakech, Maroc): géochimie et significationThe basic dykes of the Ourika old massif (High Atlas of Marrakech): Geochemistry and significance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barakat, Ahmed; Marignac, Christian; Bouabdelli, Mohamed

The Precambrian massif of Ourika is crosscut by two systems of basic dykes, striking N40°E and N90-120°E. Using incompatible trace elements, the two systems form two distinct chemical groups, displaying a continental tholeiitic affinity. The composition variations between the two defined groups can be due to heterogeneities of mantle sources and to contamination, during the magma ascent, by the continental crust. The emplacement of these basic dykes, before the late-PIII formations, can be related to the Neoproterozoic distension generalised to the Anti-Atlas chain. To cite this article: A. Barakat et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 827-833.

In situ U-Pb and Lu-Hf isotopic studies of zircons from the Sancheong-Hadong AMCG suite, Yeongnam Massif, Korea: Implications for the petrogenesis of ∼1.86 Ga massif-type anorthosite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Yuyoung; Cho, Moonsup; Yi, Keewook

2017-05-01

Isotopic and geochemical characteristics of Proterozoic anorthosite-mangerite-charnockite-granite (AMCG) suite have long been used for tracing the mantle-crustal source and magmatic evolution. We analyzed Lu-Hf isotopic compositions of zircon from the Sancheong-Hadong AMCG complex, Yeongnam Massif, Korea, in order to understand tectonomagmatic evolution of the Paleoproterozoic AMCG suite occurring at the southeastern margin of the North China Craton (NCC). The anorthositic rocks in this complex, associated with charnockitic and granitic gneisses, were recrystallized to eradicate magmatic features. In situ SHRIMP (sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe) U-Pb analyses of zircon from a leuconorite and an oxide-bearing gabbroic dyke yielded weighted mean 207Pb/206Pb ages of 1870 ± 2 Ma and 1861 ± 6 Ma, respectively. Charnockitic, granitic, and porphyroblastic gneisses yielded weighted mean 207Pb/206Pb zircon ages of 1861 ± 6 Ma, 1872 ± 6 Ma, and 1873 ± 4 Ma, respectively. These crystallization ages, together with our previous geochronological data for anorthosites (1862 ± 2 Ma), are indicative of episodic AMCG magmatism over an ∼10 Ma interval. Initial εHf(t) values of zircon analyzed from five anorthositic rocks and four felsic gneisses range from +2.1 to -6.1 and -0.3 to -5.4, respectively. Zircon Hf isotopic data in combination with available whole rock Sr-Nd isotopic data suggest that anorthositic parental magma was most likely derived from a mantle source and variably affected by crustal contamination. This crustal component is also reflected in charnockitic-granitic magmas produced primarily by the melting of lower crust. Taken together, the AMCG magmatism at 1.87-1.86 Ga in the Yeongnam Massif is most likely a late orogenic product of Paleoproterozoic NCC amalgamation tectonically linked to assembly of the Columbia supercontinent.

Correlations Between Textures and Infrared Spectra of the Martian Surface in Valles Marineris

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ralston, S. J.; Wray, J. J.

2013-12-01

RALSTON, S. J., School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, 311 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA 30332, sralston3@gatech.edu, WRAY, James, School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, 311 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA 30332, jwray@eas.gatech.edu In the past few decades, a wealth of information has become available on the appearance and composition of the Martian surface. While some previous research has examined possible correlations between certain surface features and mineralogy (such as the hypothesized connection between Recurring Slope Lineae and perchlorate salts), little has yet been done to determine possible correlations between mineralogy and texture in less extraordinary circumstances. In this project, one hundred images taken from across the Valles Marineris region were examined both in infrared (obtained from the CRISM instrument aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter) and in visible-light images from the HiRISE camera. Spectra were obtained from regions of interest, focusing mainly on the identification of monohydrated and polyhydrated sulfates. Other materials were included in the imaging, including phyllosilicate clays, gypsum, and jarosite, although those materials proved less abundant than the sulfates. The areas from which the spectra were taken were then examined in visible-light wavelengths using HiRISE images to determine textural qualities. The focus of this research was on two particular textures, a 'reticulated' texture and a 'stepped texture,' hypothesized to correlate to monohydrated and polyhydrated sulfates, respectively. Results showed that over 55% of areas containing monohydrated sulfates also contained reticulate texture, whereas areas that contained other materials, such as polyhydrated sulfates and clays, had only a 2-8% correlation with reticulate texture. The stepped texture was shown to have no significant correlation to any one material, although other texture/mineral pairs did

Effects of interaction between ultramafic tectonite and mafic magma on Nd-Pb-Sr isotopic systems in the Neoproterozoic Chaya Massif, Baikal-Muya ophiolite belt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amelin, Yuri V.; Ritsk, Eugeni Yu.; Neymark, Leonid A.

1997-04-01

Sm-Nd, Rb-Sr and U-Pb isotopic systems have been studied in minerals and whole rocks of harzburgites and mafic cumulates from the Chaya Massif, Baikal-Muya ophiolite belt, eastern Siberia, in order to determine the relationship between mantle ultramafic and crustal mafic sections. Geological relations in the Chaya Massif indicate that the mafic magmas were emplaced into, and interacted with older solid peridotite. Hand picked, acid-leached, primary rock-forming and accessory minerals (olivine, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene and plagioclase) from the two harzburgite samples show coherent behavior and yield 147Sm/ 144Nd- 143Nd/ 144Nd and 238U/ 204Pb- 206Pb/ 204Pb mineral isochrons, corresponding to ages of 640 ± 58 Ma (95% confidence level) and 620 ± 71 Ma, respectively. These values are indistinguishable from the crystallization age of the Chaya mafic units of 627 ± 25 Ma (a weighted average of internal isochron Sm-Nd ages of four mafic cumulates). The Rb-Sr and Sm-Nd isotopic systems in the harzburgite whole-rock samples were disturbed by hydrothermal alteration. These alteration-related isotopic shifts mimic the trend of variations in primary isotopic compositions in the mafic sequence, thus emphasizing that isotopic data for ultramafic rocks should be interpreted with great caution. On the basis of initial Sr and Nd values, ultramafic and mafic rocks of the Chaya Massif can be divided into two groups: (1) harzburgites and the lower mafic unit gabbronorites withɛ Nd = +6.6 to +7.1 andɛ Sr = -11 to -16; and (2) websterite of the lower unit and gabbronorites of the upper mafic unit:ɛ Nd = +4.6 to +6.1 andɛ Sr = -8 to -9. Initial Pb isotopic ratios are identical in all rocks studied, with mean values of 206Pb/ 204Pb= 16.994 ± 0.023 and 207Pb/ 204Pb= 15.363 ± 0.015. The similarity of ages and initial isotopic ratios within the first group indicates that the isotopic systems in the pre-existing depleted peridotite were reset by extensive interaction with

Effects of interaction between ultramafic tectonite and mafic magma on Nd-Pb-Sr isotopic systems in the Neoproterozoic Chaya Massif, Baikal-Muya ophiolite belt

USGS Publications Warehouse

Amelin, Y.V.; Ritsk, E. Yu; Neymark, L.A.

1997-01-01

Sm-Nd, Rb-Sr and U-Pb isotopic systems have been studied in minerals and whole rocks of harzburgites and mafic cumulates from the Chaya Massif, Baikal-Muya ophiolite belt, eastern Siberia, in order to determine the relationship between mantle ultramafic and crustal mafic sections. Geological relations in the Chaya Massif indicate that the mafic magmas were emplaced into, and interacted with older solid peridotite. Hand picked, acid-leached, primary rock-forming and accessory minerals (olivine, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene and plagioclase) from the two harzburgite samples show coherent behavior and yield 147Sm/144Nd- 143Nd/144Nd and 238U/204Pb-206Pb/204Pb mineral isochrons, corresponding to ages of 640 ?? 58 Ma (95% confidence level) and 620 ?? 71 Ma, respectively. These values are indistinguishable from the crystallization age of the Chaya mafic units of 627 ?? 25 Ma (a weighted average of internal isochron Sm-Nd ages of four mafic cumulates). The Rb-Sr and Sm-Nd isotopic systems in the harzburgite whole-rock samples were disturbed by hydrothermal alteration. These alteration-related isotopic shifts mimic the trend of variations in primary isotopic compositions in the mafic sequence, thus emphasizing that isotopic data for ultramafic rocks should be interpreted with great caution. On the basis of initial Sr and Nd values, ultramafic and mafic rocks of the Chaya Massif can be divided into two groups: (1) harzburgites and the lower mafic unit gabbronorites with ??Nd = +6.6 to +7.1 and ??Sr = -11 to -16; and (2) websterite of the lower unit and gabbronorites of the upper mafic unit: ??Nd = + 4.6 to + 6.1 and ??Sr = - 8 to -9. Initial Pb isotopic ratios are identical in all rocks studied, with mean values of 206Pb/204Pb = 16.994 ?? 0.023 and 207Pb/204Pb = 15.363 ?? 0.015. The similarity of ages and initial isotopic ratios within the first group indicates that the isotopic systems in the pre-existing depleted peridotite were reset by extensive interaction with basaltic

The andean ophiolitic megastructures on the Buga-Buenaventura transverse (Western Cordillera—Valle Colombia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bourgois, Jacques; Calle, Bernardo; Tournon, Jean; Toussaint, Jean-François

1982-02-01

A structural study of the Buga-Buenaventura transverse in the central part of the Western Cordillera of Colombia, has shown the presence of three structural units which, from bottom to top and from west to east, are: the Rio Dagua unit, the Rio Calima unit, and the Loboguerrero window unit. All three units comprise strata between 120 and 80 m.y. old overlying a basement of green rocks showing the characteristics of submarine flows. The Bolivar ultrabasic and basic massif is geographically linked to the Rio Calima unit, in which green rocks predominate, and is separated from it by a tectonic contact. The upper part of the massif, on the other hand, shows high-temperature metamorphic rocks formed during its emplacement. The Rio Dagua unit shows two tectonic phases with isoclinal folding and development of schistosity. The first phase is contemporaneous with low-grade metamorphism equivalent to lower greenschist facies conditions. The Loboguerrero window unit shows a large recumbent fold oriented towards the southeast. Deformation in the Rio Calima unit is weaker and appears to correspond to a higher structural level than in the two other units. As the attitudes of the S1, schistosity in the Rio Dagua unit and of the shear zones located at the green rocks-sediments contact in this same unit are similar to that of the overthrust at the base of the Rio Calima unit, we are led to postulate that the overthrust belongs to the first phase of deformation, as also does the recumbent fold in the Loboguerrero window unit. We are thus led to propose a southeastward direction of emplacement for the nappes in the Western Cordillera of Colombia. In conclusion, the authors extend their observations and propose a new structural interpretation of the "Occidente Colombiano".

Local magnitude scale for Valle Medio del Magdalena region, Colombia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Londoño, John Makario; Romero, Jaime A.

2017-12-01

A local Magnitude (ML) scale for Valle Medio del Magdalena (VMM) region was defined by using 514 high quality earthquakes located at VMM area and inversion of 2797 amplitude values of horizontal components of 17 stations seismic broad band stations, simulated in a Wood-Anderson seismograph. The derived local magnitude scale for VMM region was: ML =log(A) + 1.3744 ∗ log(r) + 0.0014776 ∗ r - 2.397 + S Where A is the zero-to-peak amplitude in nm in horizontal components, r is the hypocentral distance in km, and S is the station correction. Higher values of ML were obtained for VMM region compared with those obtained with the current formula used for ML determination, and with California formula. With this new scale ML values are adjusted to local conditions beneath VMM region leading to more realistic ML values. Moreover, with this new ML scale the seismicity caused by tectonic or fracking activity at VMM region can be monitored more accurately.

Chemical weathering of palaeosols from the Lower Palaeolithic site of Valle Giumentina, central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Degeai, Jean-Philippe; Villa, Valentina; Chaussé, Christine; Pereira, Alison; Nomade, Sébastien; Aureli, Daniele; Pagli, Marina; Nicoud, Elisa

2018-03-01

The major archaeological site of Valle Giumentina (Abruzzo) contains a well-dated Lower Palaeolithic pedosedimentary sequence that provides an excellent opportunity to study the relationships among soil weathering, volcanism and climate change at the glacial/interglacial and submillennial timescales in central Italy and the Mediterranean area during the Middle Pleistocene, as well as the human-environment interactions of some of the earliest settlements in central southern Europe. High-resolution analyses of geochemistry and magnetic susceptibility revealed the presence of eleven palaeosols, ten of which (S2-S11) were formed between 560 and 450 ka based on 40Ar/39Ar dating of sanidine in tephras, i.e. spanning marine isotope stages (MIS) 14-12. The evolution of the major and trace element composition suggests that the palaeosols were mainly formed by in situ weathering of the parent material. The major phases of soil weathering occurred during the MIS 13 interglacial period (S8 and S6) as well as during episodes of rapid environmental change associated with millennial climatic oscillations during the MIS 14 and 12 glaciations (S11 and S2, respectively). Although global forcing such as orbital variations, solar radiation, and greenhouse gas concentrations may have influenced the pedogenic processes, the volcanism in central Italy, climate change in the central Mediterranean, and tectono-sedimentary evolution of the Valle Giumentina basin also impacted and triggered the formation of most palaeosols, which provided subsistence resources for the Lower Palaeolithic human communities. This study highlights the importance of having high-resolution palaeoenvironmental records with accurate chronology as close as possible to archaeological sites to study human-environment interactions.

Hydrological and sedimentary analyses of well-preserved paleofluvial-paleolacustrine systems at Moa Valles, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salese, Francesco; Di Achille, Gaetano; Neesemann, Adrian; Ori, Gian Gabriele; Hauber, Ernst

2016-02-01

Moa Valles is a well-preserved, likely Amazonian (younger than 2 Ga old), paleodrainage system that is nearly 300 km long and carved into ancient highland terrains west of Idaeus Fossae. The fluvial system apparently originated from fluidized ejecta blankets, and it consists of a series of dam breach paleolakes with associated fan-shaped sedimentary deposits. The paleolakes are interconnected and drain eastward into Liberta crater, forming a complex and multilobate deltaic deposit exhibiting a well-developed channelized distributary pattern with evidence of switching on the delta plain. A breach area, consisting of three spillover channels, is present in the eastern part of the crater rim. These channels connect the Liberta crater to the eastward portion of the valley system, continuing toward Moa Valles with a complex pattern of anabranching channels that is more than 180 km long. Based on hydrological calculations of infilling and spillover discharges of the Liberta crater lake, the formation of the whole fluvial system is compatible with short to medium (<1000 year) timescales, although the length and morphology of the observed fluvial-lacustrine features suggest long-term periods of activity based on terrestrial analogs. Water for the 300 km long fluvial system may have been primarily sourced by the melting of shallow ice due to the thermal anomaly produced by impact craters. The occurrence of relatively recent (likely Amazonian) hydrological activity, which could have been primarily supported by groundwater replenishment, supports the hypothesis that hydrological activity could have been possible after the Noachian-Hesperian boundary, which is commonly considered as the onset epoch of the present cold-dry climate.

Cl-rich hydrous mafic mineral assemblages in the Highiș massif, Apuseni Mountains, Romania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonin, Bernard; Tatu, Mihai

2016-08-01

The Guadalupian (Mid-Permian) Highiș massif (Apuseni Mountains, Romania) displays a bimodal igneous suite of mafic (gabbro, diorite) and A-type felsic (alkali feldspar granite, albite granite, and hybrid granodiorite) rocks. Amphibole is widespread throughout the suite, and yields markedly high chlorine contents. Three groups are identified: Cl-rich potassic hastingsite (2.60-3.40 wt% Cl) within A-type felsic rocks and diorite, mildly Cl-rich pargasite to hornblende (0.80-1.90 wt% Cl) within gabbro, and low F-Cl hornblende within gabbro and hybrid granodiorite. Coexisting biotite is either Cl-rich within diorite, or F-Cl-poor to F-rich within A-type felsic rocks. Chlorine and fluorine are distributed in both mafic phases, according to the F-Fe and Cl-Mg avoidance rules. The low-Ti contents suggest subsolidus compositions. Cl-rich amphibole within diorite and A-type felsic rocks yields a restricted temperature range - from 575 °C down to 400 °C, whereas mildly Cl-rich amphibole within gabbro displays the highest range - from 675 to 360 °C. Temperatures recorded by Cl-rich biotite within diorite range from 590 to 410 °C. Biotite within A-type felsic rocks yields higher temperatures than amphibole: the highest values- from 640 to 540 °C - are recorded in low-F-Cl varieties, whereas the lowest values- from 535 to 500 °C - are displayed by F-rich varieties. All data point to halogen-rich hydrothermal fluids at upper greenschist facies conditions percolating through fractures and shear zones and pervasively permeating the whole Highiș massif, with F precipitating as interstitial fluorite and Cl incorporating into amphibole, during one, or possibly several, hydrothermal episodes that would have occurred during a ~ 150 My-long period of time extending from the Guadalupian (Mid-Permian) to the Albian (Mid-Cretaceous).

Geochemistry and evolution of MORB-type eclogites from the Münchberg Massif, southern Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stosch, H.-G.; Lugmair, G. W.

1990-08-01

In the Münchberg Massif in the Variscan foldbelt of southern Germany two varieties of eclogite are known which are intercalated with amphibolite-facies meta-igneous and meta-sedimentary rocks: a dark kyanite-free and a lighter colored kyanite-bearing type. Kyanite-free eclogites, which are discussed here, have a major and trace element composition which suggests derivation from ocean-floor basalts with melt to cumulate compositions. Internal Sm sbnd Nd isochrons (clinopyroxene-amphibole-garnet) and one Rb sbnd Sr isochron (clinopyroxene-amphibole-mica) yield eclogitization ages in the range of 380 to 395 Ma. Thus, the age of eclogitization is only marginally higher ( < 15 Ma) than the age of amphibolite-facies metamorphism in the Münchberg Massif as derived from K sbnd Ar ages of amphiboles and micas from metasediments and meta-igneous rocks. A seven point whole-rock Sm sbnd Nd isochron for one eclogite body results in an age of 480 ± 23Ma with an initial ɛ Nd of 8.7 ± 0.6 and is likely to record the age of igneous formation of the eclogite protoliths. Sr isotopic compositions back-calculated to that time are anomalously high and variable if compared to Nd isotopes. This can be explained by alteration with an aqueous or fluid phase with high 87Sr 86Sr , most likely seawater, either during igneous formation in an oceanic rift environment or subduction-related eclogitization. In addition, some eclogites show a marked enrichment of incompatible, immobile elements and plot far below the whole-rock Sm sbnd Nd isochron. These features are ascribed to the presence of an evolved crustal component, probably acquired during extrusion of the basaltic protoliths by mixing with country-rock gneisses.

Geological structure and ore mineralization of the South Sopchinsky and Gabbro-10 massifs and the Moroshkovoe Lake target, Monchegorsk area, Kola Peninsula, Russia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pripachkin, Pavel V.; Rundkvist, Tatyana V.; Miroshnikova, Yana A.; Chernyavsky, Alexey V.; Borisenko, Elena S.

2016-12-01

The South Sopchinsky massif (SSM), Gabbro-10 (G-10) massif, and Moroshkovoe Lake (ML) target Monchegorsk area, Kola Peninsula, are located at the junction of the Monchepluton and Monchetundra layered intrusions. The intrusions were studied in detail as they are targets for platinum-group element (PGE) mineralization. The rocks in these targets comprise medium- to coarse-grained mesocratic to leucocratic gabbronorites, medium-grained mesocratic to melanocratic norites and pyroxenites, and various veins mainly comprising norite, plagioclase-amphibole-magnetite rocks, and quartz-magnetite rocks. The veins contain Ni-Cu-PGE mineralization associated with magnetite and chromite. In all targets, the contacts between gabbronorite and norite-pyroxenite are undulating, and the presence of magmatic (intrusive) breccias suggests that these rocks formed through mingling of two distinct magmatic pulses. In places, the gabbronorites clearly crosscut the modal layering of the norites and pyroxenites. Trace element data indicate that the gabbronorites have similar compositions to rocks of the upper part of the Monchetundra intrusion, whereas the norites and pyroxenites resemble rocks from the lower to intermediate stratigraphic levels of the Monchepluton, such as in the Nude-Poaz and Sopcha massifs. Sulfide mineralization in the studied targets principally consists of secondary bornite, millerite, and chalcopyrite. In contrast, the primary sulfide assemblage within the layered sequence of the adjacent Monchepluton is characterized by pentlandite, chalcopyrite, and pyrrhotite. Therefore, the mineralization in the studied targets is interpreted to be of a contact style. We argue that the studied area represents the contact zone between gabbronorites of the Monchetundra intrusion and norites and pyroxenites of the Monchepluton. In addition, the rocks were overprinted by postmagmatic veining and remobilization of contact style sulfide and PGE mineralization.

Mineral compositions of plutonic rocks from the Lewis Hills massif, Bay of Islands ophiolite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Susan E.; Elthon, Don

1988-01-01

Mineral compositions of residual and cumulate rocks from the Lewis Hills massif of the Bay of Islands ophiolite complex are reported and interpreted in the context of magnetic processes involved in the geochemical evolution of spatially associated diabase dikes. The mineral compositions reflect greater degrees of partial melting than most abyssal peridotites do and appear to represent the most depleted end of abyssal peridotite compositions. Subsolidus equilibration between Cr-Al spinal and olivine generally has occurred at temperatures of 700 to 900 C. The spinel variations agree with the overall fractionation of basaltic magmas producing spinels with progressively lower Cr numbers. The compositions of clinopyroxenes suggest that the fractionation of two different magma series produced the various cumulate rocks.

Geologic map of the Valle 30' x 60' quadrangle, Coconino County, northern Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Billingsley, George H.; Felger, Tracey J.; Priest, Susan S.

2006-01-01

The geologic map of the Valle 30' x 60' quadrangle is the result of a cooperative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service to provide geologic information for regional resource management and visitor information services for Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. The map area encompasses approximately 1,960 sq.mi. within Coconino County, northern Arizona and is bounded by long 112 deg to 113 deg W. and lat 35 deg 30 min to 36 deg N. and lies within the southern Colorado Plateaus geologic province (herein Colorado Plateau). The map area is locally subdivided into four physiographic parts; (1) the Grand Canyon (Cataract Canyon and extreme northeast corner of the map area), (2) the Coconino Plateau, (3) the Mount Floyd Volcanic Field, and (4) the San Francisco Volcanic Field as defined by Billingsley and others, 1997. Elevations range from 7,460 ft (2,274 m) on the Coconino Plateau along State Highway 64 northeast corner of the map area, to about 4,200 ft (1,280 m) at the bottom of Cataract Canyon. Settlements within the map area include Tusayan and Valle, Arizona. State Highway 64 and U.S. Highway 180 provide access to the Tusayan and Valle areas. Indian Route 18 is a paved highway in the northwest corner of the map area that is maintained by the Hualapai and Havasupai Indian Tribes and leads from State Route 66 about 7 mi (11 km) east of Peach Springs, Arizona to Hualapai Hilltop, a parking lot just north of the map area at the rim of Cataract Canyon where visitors begin an 8 mi (13 km) hike into Havasupai, Arizona. Other remote parts of the map are accessed by two dirt roads, which are maintained by Coconino County, and by several unmaintained local ranch roads. Weather conditions restrict travel within the area and visitors must obtain permission to access a few local ranch lands in the south-central edge of the map area. Extra water and food are highly recommended when traveling in this remote region. Access into Cataract Canyon is

Detrital zircon age distribution from Devonian and Carboniferous sandstone in the Southern Variscan Fold-and-Thrust belt (Montagne Noire, French Massif Central), and their bearings on the Variscan belt evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Wei; Faure, Michel; Li, Xian-hua; Chu, Yang; Ji, Wenbin; Xue, Zhenhua

2016-05-01

In the Southern French Massif Central, the Late Paleozoic sedimentary sequences of the Montagne Noire area provide clues to decipher the successive tectonic events that occurred during the evolution of the Variscan belt. Previous sedimentological studies already demonstrated that the siliciclastic deposits were supplied from the northern part of the Massif Central. In this study, detrital zircon provenance analysis has been investigated in Early Devonian (Lochkovian) conglomerate and sandstone, and in Carboniferous (Visean to Early Serpukhovian) sandstone from the recumbent folds and the foreland basin of the Variscan Southern Massif Central in Montagne Noire. The zircon grains from all of the samples yielded U-Pb age spectra ranging from Neoarchean to Late Paleozoic with several age population peaks at 2700 Ma, 2000 Ma, 980 Ma, 750 Ma, 620 Ma, 590 Ma, 560 Ma, 480 Ma, 450 Ma, and 350 Ma. The dominant age populations concentrate on the Neoproterozoic and Paleozoic. The dominant concordant detrital zircon age populations in the Lochkovian samples, the 480-445 Ma with a statistical peak around 450 Ma, are interpreted as reflecting the rifting event that separated several continental stripes, such as Armorica, Mid-German Crystalline Rise, and Avalonia from the northern part of Gondwana. However, Ediacaran and Cambrian secondary peaks are also observed. The detrital zircons with ages at 352 - 340 Ma, with a statistical peak around 350 Ma, came from the Early Carboniferous volcanic and plutonic rocks similar to those exposed in the NE part of the French Massif Central. Moreover, some Precambrian grains recorded a more complex itinerary and may have experienced a multi-recycling history: the Archean and Proterozoic grains have been firstly deposited in Cambrian or Ordovician terrigenous rocks, and secondly re-sedimented in Devonian and/or Carboniferous formations. Another possibility is that ancient grains would be inherited grains, scavenged from an underlying but not

Mechanical conditions and modes of paraglacial deep-seated gravitational spreading in Valles Marineris, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makowska, Magdalena; Mège, Daniel; Gueydan, Frédéric; Chéry, Jean

2016-09-01

Deep-seated gravitational spreading (DSGS) affects the slopes of formerly glaciated mountain ridges. On Mars, DSGS has played a key role in shaping the landforms of the giant Valles Marineris troughs. Though less spectacular, DSGS is common in terrestrial orogens, where understanding its mechanics is critical in the light of the ongoing climate change because it is a potential source of catastrophic landslides in deglaciated valleys. We conducted parametric numerical studies in order to identify important factors responsible for DSGS initiation. DSGS models are computed using an elastoviscoplastic finite element code. Using ADELI's software, we reproduce topographic ridge spreading under the effect of valley unloading. Two types of spreading topographic ridges are investigated, homogeneous or with horizontal rheological layering. We find that gravitational instabilities are enhanced by high slopes, which increase gravitational stress, and low friction and cohesion, which decrease yield stress. In the unlayered ridge, instability is triggered by glacial unloading with plastic strain concentration inside the ridge and at the base of the high slopes. Vertical fractures develop in the upper part of the slope, potentially leading to fault scarps. Ridge homogeneity promotes a deformation mode controlled by uphill-facing normal faulting and basal bulging. In the second case, the ridge encompasses horizontal geological discontinuities that induce rock mass anisotropy. Discontinuity located at the base of the slope accumulates plastic strain, leading to the formation of a sliding plane evolving into a landslide. The presence of a weak layer at ridge base therefore promotes another slope deformation mode ending up with catastrophic failure. Mechanical conditions and slope height being equal, these conclusions can probably be extrapolated to Earth. Compared with Mars, DSGS on Earth is inhibited because terrestrial topographic gradients are lower than in Valles Marineris, an

Dating of the youngest volcanoes of Ardeche (Massif Central, France) using 40Ar/39Ar and unspiked K/Ar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nomade, Sebastien; Sasco, Romain; Guillou, Herve; Scao, Vincent; Kissel, Catherine; Genty, Dominique

2014-05-01

Since the first description in 1778 of the relationship between prismatic basaltic flow and volcano in the high valleys of the Ardèche (Faujas Saint-Font, 1778), "L'Ardèche", a small region at the south-west of Massif Central, became worldwide famous among volcanologists. This volcanism is found dispersed over an area of more than 20 km2 and is made of strombolian cones and prismatic flows filling NS to NW-SE valleys. This volcanism has then been considered as one of the most recent one in the entire Massif Central (40 ka to 170 ka, TL ages, Guérin et al., 2007). Unfortunately and despite several attempts over the last 25 years this volcanism has never been dated using radio-isotopic methods. The two main reasons usually advocated to explain this lack of success were the young age of the volcanism itself and the large amounts of mantle and lower crust xenoliths in the lavas (Guérin et al., 2007). In this contribution, we will present combined 40Ar/39Ar ages and unspiked K/Ar results obtained on five lava flows. The obtained ages range from 26 ± 5.5 ka to 55 ± 6.0 ka (1s, full propagated uncertainty relative to ACS-2 at 1.194Ma, Nomade et al., 2005). The ages from three of the investigated lava flows coming from distinct cones, are clustered between 26 ± 5.5 ka and 34 ± 4 ka. These cones are found stretched along a NW-SE tectonic accident. These first radio-isotopic constraints prove that the volcanic activity occurred during the last glacial period and is as young as "la chaîne de Puys" located in the northern part of the Massif Central. Incidentally, the volcanic activity is contemporaneous with the first Aurignacian occupation and related art found in the Chauvet cave (37-29 ka, Valladas et al., 2005) localized only 35 km SE. Based on both the spatial and chronological coincidences reported above we suggest that the Aurignacian population(s) that lived in this area have witnessed one or several of these eruptions.

Lower crust exhumation and ongoing continental convergence in the Variscan Maures-Tanneron Massif, France, geological synthesis and numerical models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerbault, Muriel; Schneider, Julie; Corsini, Michel; Reverso-Peila, Alexandre

2015-04-01

The Maures-Tanneron Massif together with Corsica and Sardinia compose the present day southeastern part of the Variscan belt. Pressure-temperature-time patterns were compiled to adress how rocks once forming a thick orogenic crust were exhumed, from burial conditions of ca. 10 kb and ca. 800°C. A continuous evolution from subduction to collision, from ca. 420 Ma to 290 Ma has recently been proposed by Schneider et al., 2014, ending with orthogonal Permean rifting. Here we complement this study by exploring the thermo-mechanical conditions prevailing during the massive exhumation of this orogenic crust. Based on field observations and petrological analysis indicative of the acceleration of partial melting during ongoing convergence, our numerical models test a scenario in which pre-thickened units located at 40-60 km depth, would have molten due to internal heating and burrial, and were progressively exhumed by gravitationally-driven instabilities to the surface, within ~15-25 Myrs. Assuming temperature dependent elasto-visco-plastic behavior, we have tested rheological layering including mafic or felsic units, far-field convergence and surface processes, as well as temperature-dependent melting conditions and density and viscosity evolution. In order to reproduce asymmetrical exhumation over the given time-scales and over an extent area of more than 50 km synchroneous with the development of compressional folds in the upper crust, a best fit was obtained for an applied far-field convergence of 0.5 cm/yr, equivalent to present day Alpine convergence rates, and a bulk crustal viscosity of at least 102° Pa.s. Crustal heat source had to contribute significantly, whereas a too shallow mantle heat source triggers exceedingly warm and fast exhumation. We propose that the evolution from transpressional to tensile conditions perpendicular to the orogenic axis (north-south Permean rifting versus East-West vergence of the orogenic structures), occurred progressively as

Valles Marineris as a Cryokarstic Structure Formed by a Giant Dyke System: Support From New Analogue Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozeren, M. S.; Sengor, A. M. C.; Acar, D.; Ülgen, S. C.; Onsel, I. E.

2014-12-01

Valles Marineris is the most significant near-linear depression on Mars. It is some 4000 km long, up to about 200 km wide and some 7 km deep. Although its margins look parallel at first sight, the entire structure has a long spindle shape with significant enlargement in its middle (Melas Chasma) caused by cuspate slope retreat mechanisms. Farther to its north is Hebes Chasma which is an entirely closed depression with a more pronounced spindle shape. Tithonium Chasma is a parallel, but much narrower depression to its northeast. All these chasmae have axes parallel with one another and such structures occur nowhere else on Mars. A scabland surface exists to the east of the Valles Marineris and the causative water mass seems to have issued from it. The great resemblance of these chasmae on mars to poljes in the karstic regions on earth have led us to assume that they owed their existence to dissolution of rock layers underlying them. We assumed that the dissolving layer consisted of water ice forming substantial layers, in fact entirely frozen seas of several km depth. We have simulated this geometry by using bentonite and flour layers (in different experiments) overlying layers of ice in which a resistant coil was used to simulate a dyke. We used different thicknesses of bentonite and flour overlying ice layers again of various thicknesses. The flour seems to simulate the Martian crust better because on Mars, g is only about 3/8ths of its value on Earth, so (for equal crustal density) the depth to which the cohesion term C remains important in the Mohr-Coulomb shear failure criterion is about 8/3 times greater. As examples we show two of those experiments in which both the rock analogue and ice layers were of 1.5 cm. thick. Perfect analogues of the Valles Marineris formed above the dyke analogue thermal source complete with the near-linear structure, overall flat spindle shape, cuspate margins, a central ridge, parallel side faults, parallel depressions resembling

Alteration in the Madera Limestone and Sandia Formation from core hole VC-1, Valles caldera, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Keith, T.E.C.

1988-01-01

Core hole VC-1 penetrated the southwestern ring fracture zone of the 1.1 Ma Valles caldera and at a depth of 333 m intersected the top of the Paleozoic section including the Abo Formation, Madera Limestone, and Sandia Formation, reaching a total depth of 856 m. The Paleozoic rocks, which consist of thin-bedded limestone, siltstone, mudstone, sandstone, and local conglomerate, are overlain by volcanic rocks of the caldera moat that are less than 0.6 Ma. Diagenetic and at least three hydrothermal alteration stages were identified in the Madera Limestone and Sandia Formation. Diagenetic clay alteration was pervasive throughout the sedimentary rocks. Volcanic activity at 16.5 Ma and continuing through the formation of the Valles caldera resulted in high thermal gradients, which caused recrystallization of diagenetic clay minerals. Interstratified smectite-illite is the most diagnostic clay mineral throughout the section; structurally, the illite component in the ordered interstratified illite-smectite changes gradationally from 70% at the top of the Madera Limestone to 95% at the base of the section in the Sandia Formation. Pyrite that occurs as small clots and lenses as well as finely disseminated is interpreted as being of diagenetic origin, especially in organic-rich beds. Low permeability of much of the paleozoic section precluded the deposition of hydrothermal minerals except in fractures and intergranular space in some of the more permeable sandstone and brecciated horizons. Three stages of hydrothermal mineral deposition are defined. -from Author

Mass transfer constraints on the chemical evolution of an active hydrothermal system, Valles caldera, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

White, A.F.; Chuma, N.J.; Goff, F.

1992-01-01

Partial equilibrium conditions occur between fluids and secondary minerals in the Valles hydrothermal system, contained principally in the Tertiary rhyolitic Bandelier Tuff. The mass transfer processes are governed by reactive phase compositions, surface areas, water-rock ratios, reaction rates, and fluid residence times. Experimental dissolution of the vitric phase of the tuff was congruent with respect to Cl in the solid and produced reaction rates which obeyed a general Arrhenius release rate between 250 and 300??C. The 18O differences between reacted and unreacted rock and fluids, and mass balances calculations involving Cl in the glass phase, produced comparable water-rock ratios of unity, confirming the importance of irreversible reaction of the vitric tuff. A fluid residence time of approximately 2 ?? 103 years, determined from fluid reservoir volume and discharge rates, is less than 0.2% of the total age of the hydrothermal system and denotes a geochemically and isotopically open system. Mass transfer calculations generally replicated observed reservoir pH, Pco2, and PO2 conditions, cation concentrations, and the secondary mineral assemblage between 250 and 300??C. The only extraneous component required to maintain observed calcite saturation and high Pco2 pressures was carbon presumably derived from underlying Paleozoic limestones. Phase rule constraints indicate that Cl was the only incompatible aqueous component not controlled by mineral equilibrium. Concentrations of Cl in the reservoir directly reflect mass transport rates as evidenced by correlations between anomalously high Cl concentrations in the fluids and tuff in the Valles caldera relative to other hydrothermal systems in rhyolitic rocks. ?? 1992.

Setting new constrains on the age of crustal-scale extensional shear zone (Vivero fault): implications for the evolution of Variscan orogeny in the Iberian massif

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lopez-Sanchez, Marco A.; Marcos, Alberto; Martínez, Francisco J.; Iriondo, Alexander; Llana-Fúnez, Sergio

2015-06-01

The Vivero fault is crustal-scale extensional shear zone parallel to the Variscan orogen in the Iberian massif belt with an associated dip-slip movement toward the hinterland. To constrain the timing of the extension accommodated by this structure, we performed zircon U-Pb LA-ICP-MS geochronology in several deformed plutons: some of them emplaced syntectonically. The different crystallization ages obtained indicate that the fault was active at least between 303 ± 2 and 287 ± 3 Ma, implying a minimum tectonic activity of 16 ± 5 Ma along the fault. The onset of the faulting is established to have occurred later than 314 ± 2 Ma. The geochronological data confirm that the Vivero fault postdates the main Variscan deformation events in the NW of the Iberian massif and that the extension direction of the Late Carboniferous-Early Permian crustal-scale extensional shear zones along the Ibero-Armorican Arc was consistently perpendicular to the general arcuate trend of the belt in SW Europe.

Deforestation Along the Maya Mountain Massif Belize-Guatemala Border

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chicas, S. D.; Omine, K.; Arevalo, B.; Ford, J. B.; Sugimura, K.

2016-06-01

In recent years trans-boundary incursions from Petén, Guatemala into Belize's Maya Mountain Massif (MMM) have increased. The incursions are rapidly degrading cultural and natural resources in Belize's protected areas. Given the local, regional and global importance of the MMM and the scarcity of deforestation data, our research team conducted a time series analysis 81 km by 12 km along the Belize-Guatemalan border adjacent to the protected areas of the MMM. Analysis drew on Landsat imagery from 1991 to 2014 to determine historic deforestation rates. The results indicate that the highest deforestation rates in the study area were -1.04% and -6.78% loss of forested area per year in 2012-2014 and 1995-1999 respectively. From 1991 to 2014, forested area decreased from 96.9 % to 85.72 % in Belize and 83.15 % to 31.52 % in Guatemala. During the study period, it was clear that deforestation rates fluctuated in Belize's MMM from one time-period to the next. This seems linked to either a decline in deforestation rates in Guatemala, the vertical expansion of deforestation in Guatemalan forested areas and monitoring. The results of this study urge action to reduce incursions and secure protected areas and remaining forest along the Belize-Guatemalan border.

Studying disability and disability studies: shifting paradigms of LDA synthesis of responses to Reid and Valle.

PubMed

Connor, David J

2005-01-01

In this article, I discuss the 11 diverse responses to Reid and Valle's work on the discursive practice of learning disabilities (LD), implications for instruction, and parent-school relations. I highlight key ideas from each article and then focus on three common areas of interest shared by most respondents: the unacceptable status quo of schooling practices; desired changes in schooling practices; and knowledge production in the field of special education and its relation to schooling practices. In light of the many issues raised, I urge the need for a reflective turn in the field of LD and for openness toward diversification of thought.

The promotion of geotourism in protected areas: a proposal of itinerary through the Matese Massif (Campania and Molise regions, Italy).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosskopf, Carmen Maria; Filocamo, Francesca; Amato, Vincenzo; Cesarano, Massimo

2016-04-01

The Matese Massif is a ca. 1000 km2 wide and NW-SE elongated carbonate relief, located in the inner sector of the Southern Apennine chain. It has a tabular setting with steep structural slopes bordering the central high mountain sector including its major peaks and is crossed from approximately west to east by the border between Campania and Molise regions. The Matese Mountains represent a key area for the comprehension of the geological and tectonic evolution of the Southern Apennines since Mesozoic times. Its long-term geomorphological evolution has been controlled by Quaternary tectonics and climate variations that have allowed the temporary or permanent establishment of various environments and morphodynamics. Deposits and landforms originated by glacial, periglacial, karst and fluvial processes, along with a rich assemblage of tectonic-structural features and landforms of complex origin have given origin to a geological heritage of exceptional value. The geosites actually censured within the Campanian sector of Matese are reported in the Geosites Map of Campania, available at the website of Campania Region and partly included in the Italian Geosites Inventory of ISPRA. The geosites of the Molise sector have been recently assessed within the geosite inventory carried out by Molise University. They are reported in the Geosites Map of Molise, available at the website of Molise Region, and partly included in the ISPRA's National Inventory of Geosites. The Matese area is largely included in protected areas: the Campania portion falls within the Matese Regional Park, established in 2002, while most of the Molise sector falls in the extensive ZPS/SIC IT72222287. To better protect and exploit the unique natural and geological heritage of the Matese Massif, numerous initiatives aimed at the establishment of the National Park of Matese have continued for several years and very recent attempts to promote the Matese Geopark have been made, but unfortunately without any

Spatiotemporal Effects of Climate Variability and Urban Growth on the "Valle de Toluca" Aquifer (Mexico)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mastachi-Loza, C. A.; Diaz-Delgado, C.; Esteller, M. V.; Gomez-Albores, M. A.; Becerril, R.; Ruiz-Gomez, M. D.

2013-05-01

Toluca city is located in the "Valle de Toluca" at the upper course of the Lerma river basin, is an important economic center which contributes with 1.2% of Gross National Product (GNP) since it is an industrial city, The city has grown due to the economic development sustained by the "Valle de Toluca" aquifer which provides water for human consumption, industrial facilities and crop irrigation. Recent studies have shown that in the last 50 years the annual precipitation rate in Toluca has increased 122 mm, whereas the daily minimum temperature has increased 1.1 °C and the daily maximum temperature has also increased 0.8 °C. These results show a general overview of the change in the climate conditions of the city; however they do not show the spatial distribution of the change. For this reason, the aim of this work was to evaluate the spatiotemporal change of precipitation rates and urban growth in order to determine their effects over the "Valle de Toluca" aquifer. In order to detect the urban growth, a supervised classification technique has been used taking into account Landsat TM satellite images between 1973, 1986, 2000 and 2005. A yearly spatiotemporal raster set of rainfall rates from 1980 to 2010 were obtained interpolating data from 812 climatologic stations. To evaluate the effect in annual precipitation rates and urban growth over the aquifer, we interpolate data from 38 piezometers from 1980 to 2010 to obtain a spatiotemporal raster set. The piezometric values correspond to the aquifer's upper level. The spatiotemporal raster sets were analyzed with the non-parametric Theil-Sen test to determine trends in piezometric levels and precipitation rates. Finally the urban growth, spatial-temporal trends of precipitation rates and piezometric levels were displayed in a GIS and then subjectively analyzed to figure out coincidences. An increase in annual precipitation rates (+87 mm) over Toluca's Valley during the last three decades was observed specially

Phase equilibria modelling and zircon dating for Precambrian metapelites from Xinghuadukou Group in Lvlin Forest of Erguna Massif, NE China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Jiulei; Zheng, Changqing; Tajcmanova, Lucie; Zhong, Xin; Xu, Xuechun; Han, Xiaomeng; Wang, Zhaoyuan

2017-04-01

Xinghuadukou Group, the basement metamorphic complex of Erguna Massif in NE China, is considered to be Mesoproterozoic with Sm-Nd age of 1157±32 Ma. However, the new zircon data from these metamorphic supracrustal rocks in Lvlin Forest show that they formed in Neoproterozoic with the age of 800 Ma. Old zircon age with 2.5 Ga, 2.0 Ga and 1.8 Ga, indicate that the Erguna Massif had an affinity to both Columbia and Rodinia continents. Furthermore, we also present 500 Ma metamorphic age in micashists and 500 Ma age of adjacent granitoids that might have thermally influenced its surrounding. No detailed studies have been undertaken on the metamorphic evolution of the Xinghuadukou Complex. The typical paragneissic mineral assemblage of garnet sillimanite mica schist is Grt+Sil+Bt+Mus+Qtz±Kfs. (Zhou et al., 2011) proposed that the Xinghuadukou Complex appears to have undergone similar granulite facies metamorphic conditions based on the similarity of mineral assemblages to the Mashan Complex in the Jiamusi Massif, NE China. However, the new phase equilibria modelling result shows that these rocks are high amphibolite facies product with 650℃. We can easily find K-feldspar formed by partial melting due to the consuming of muscovite. Also the remaining muscovite is directly connected with a fluid channel in thin sections which indicate that the remaining muscovite formed from retrograde with the existence of fluid. The zoned garnet has low MgO and high CaO content in rims and high MgO and low CaO content in core. It seems that this garnet has high pressure and low temperature (HP-LT) in rims and low pressure and high temperature (LP-HT) in core which would point to an anti-clockwise metamorphic evolution. Zhou, J.B., Wilde, S.A., Zhang, X.Z., Zhao, G.C., Liu, F.L., Qiao, D.W., Ren, S.M. and Liu, J.H., 2011b. A> 1300km late Pan-African metamorphic belt in NE China: new evidence from the Xing'an block and its tectonic implications. Tectonophysics, 509(3): 280-292.

Hebrus Valles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

(Released 3 June 2002) The Science Hebrus Valles is located in the Elysium Planitia region of the northern lowlands of the planet. This image shows three sinuous tributaries of the channel system which carved up the surrounding plains. These individual tributaries are up to 3 km wide and have up to three terraces visible along their margins. These terraces may indicate separate flood events or may be the result of one flood plucking away at channel wall materials with varying strengths of resistance. It is not clear if these are separate rock layers or just the erosion of one type of material from rising and falling water levels. A streamlined island is visible in the lower third of the image. This feature indicates that flow was from the lower right to upper left in this region (the tail of the island points downstream). In places ripples, interpreted to be dunes, can also be seen along the interface of the channel floor with the walls. Smaller, fainter channels can also be seen scouring the plains, especially in the lower portion of this image. Other features of note in this image are the various inselbergs (isolated hills) located primarily in the upper portion of the image. The inselbergs are surrounded with aprons of material that was probably shed off of the hills by various processes of erosion. The Story Mars was once the scene of some major floods that rushed out upon the land, carving all kinds of channels. These signs of ancient flooding have always been exciting to scientists who want to understand the history of water on the planet. Water is important to understanding the climate and geological history of Mars, as well as whether life could ever have developed there. While we can't tell much about the life question from pictures like this one, it does give some insights into the great flood itself. You can see three tributaries of a channel system that are up to two miles wide or so. The really interesting thing is that you can see terraces of land

Progress Report Phase I: Use, access, and fire/fuels management attitudes and preferences of user groups concerning the Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP) and adjacent areas

Treesearch

Kurt F. Anschuetz; Carol B. Raish

2010-01-01

This document represents a progress report of activities completed during Phase I of the study titled, Use, Access, and Fire/Fuels Management Attitudes and Preferences of User Groups Concerning the Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP) and Adjacent Areas, and the preliminary findings of this work.

Phase equilibria of HP mica schists from the Kamieniec Metamorphic Belt (Sudetes, NE Bohemian Massif)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szczepanski, Jacek; Golen, Marcin; Anczkiewicz, Robert

2017-04-01

The Kamieniec Metamorphic Belt (KMB), situated in the north-eastern part of the Bohemian Massif, represents the easternmost part of the Variscan Belt of Europe and is interpreted as a fragment of Central Sudetic accretionary wedge containg vestiges of the Saxothuringian crust (Mazur et al., 2015). The KMB comprises a volcano-sedimentary succession dominated by mica schists with intercalations of quartzo-feldspatic schists and subordinate marbles, amphibolites and eclogites. These rocks bear an imprint of Variscan tectonometamorphic reworking. PT conditions of these events were previously estimated at ca. 550 - 590 oC and 7.5 up to 12 kbars (Nowak, 1998; Józefiak, 2000) for mica schists and at 15 kbar and 575 oC for eclogites (Achramowicz et al., 1997). The metamorphic evolution of micaschists comprise the early HP/LT assemblage M1 with Cld+Phe and also earlier reported pseudomorphs after lawsonite (Nowak, 1998) followed by MP/MT mineral assemblage M2 comprising Grt+Pl+Bt+Ms+Qtz±St. Minerals of the M1 and M2 metamorphic events were overprinted by the LP/MT assemblage M3 containing Pl+Chl+Bt+Ms+Qtz±And. Thermodynamic modelling suggests that mineral assemblages record peak-pressure conditions of 20-25 kbar at 520 oC (M1) followed by nearly isothermal decompression to 6-7 kbar, and subsequent metamorphism with record of temperature progression from 500 to 600 oC at 10 kbar (M2) and final retrogression to 3 kbar and 550 oC (M3). The calculated PT conditions indicate a surprisingly low geothermal gradient during the M1 event of 5.5-7.1 oC/km. However, similar eclogitic mica schists with recognised geothermal gradient of ca. 8 oC/km were documented elsewhere from the Saxothuringian domain (Konopásek, 2001). Presented data provides the first report on mica schists from the KMB metamorphosed under eclogite-facies conditions at such low geothermal gradient. Acknowledgements: The study was supported from NCN research grant UMO-2015/17/B/ST10/02212. References Achramowicz

Link between surface temperature and documented rockfalls in the Mont Blanc massif rockwalls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Magnin, Florence; Deline, Philip; Ravanel, Ludovic

2014-05-01

Recent studies show that rockfall activity has increased along the three past decades in high mountain areas, and permafrost degradation is regarded as the main triggering factor. 433 rockfalls affecting the steep rockwalls of the Mont Blanc massif have been inventoried and documented (time and precise location, topographical and geological settings, volume, conditions, etc.) from 2007 to 2011. With the aim of better understanding geomorphic processes, we address questions about the thermal state of the unstable rockwalls within this study area. A statistical model of the Mean Annual Rock Surface Temperature (MARST) for the 1961-1990 period has been implemented on a 4-m-resolution DEM of the Mont Blanc massif. The model runs with Potential Incoming Solar radiation (PISR) calculated with GIS tools and air temperature parameters computed from Chamonix Météo France's records. 87 rockfalls are located at the geographical margins of the DEM, where the PISR calculation doesn't take account of the surrounding hillshading and biased MARST simulation. Thus, only 346 rockfalls were kept and linked to a MARST value after data sorting. Preliminary results show that rockfalls occurred over a modelled MARST range of -6°C to 5°C. MARSTs ranging from -2.5°C to 2.5°C encompass about 60% of the rockfalls. The mean MARST value for the 346 rockfalls is of -0.9°C. Simulated warm permafrost areas (> -2°C) are therefore appearing as the most affected by instabilities. These first observations reinforce the hypothesis that permafrost degradation is likely the dominant triggering factor of these rockfalls. The 1961-1990 period is supposed to be representative of the conditions at depth that are not affected by the recent climate warming. This means that the here presented results are mainly valuable for rockfalls related to pluri-decadal signal. But they also suggest that MARST model is an interesting tool to explore the link between rockwall instability and permafrost state

Geochemistry and tectonostratigraphy of the basal allochthonous units of SW Iberia (Évora Massif, Portugal): Keys to the reconstruction of pre-Pangean paleogeography in southern Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernández, Rubén Díez; Fuenlabrada, José Manuel; Chichorro, Martim; Pereira, M. Francisco; Sánchez-Martínez, Sonia; Silva, José B.; Arenas, Ricardo

2017-01-01

The basal allochthonous units of NW and SW Iberia are members of an intra-Gondwana suture zone that spreads across the Iberian Massif and was formed during the collision of Gondwana and Laurussia in the late Paleozoic. This suture zone is made of allochthonous terranes and is currently preserved as a tectonically dismembered ensemble. A multi-proxy analysis is applied to the basal allochthonous units of Iberia to test their affinity and potential usage for tracing a suture zone. A comparison of the lithostratigraphy, tectonometamorphic evolution, geochronology, and geochemical characteristics of the Ediacaran series of these units reveals striking affinities. They derive from rather similar immature sedimentary successions, deposited along the same continental margin, and in relation to a Cadomian magmatic arc. Sm-Nd systematics indicates that the isotopic sources are among the oldest of the Iberian Massif (ca. 2.15-1.5 Ga), suggesting a very strong contribution from the West African Craton. These Ediacaran series were affected by high-P and low- to medium-T metamorphism (blueschist to eclogite facies) during the Late Devonian (ca. 370 Ma). They occur below allochthonous ophiolitic sequences, and on top of autochthonous or parautochthonous domains lacking of high-P and low- to medium-T Devonian metamorphism, i.e., tectonically sandwiched between lithosphere-scale thrusts. The combination of all these characteristics makes these particular Ediacaran series different from the rest of the terranes of the Iberian Massif. Such singularity could be useful for tracing more occurrences of the same suture zone along the Variscan orogen, particularly in cases where its preservation and recognition may be cryptic. It also contributes to improve the paleogeographic reconstruction of the margin of Gondwana during the Ediacaran.

Late Mesoproterozoic to Early Paleozoic history of metamorphic basement from the southeastern Chiapas Massif Complex, Mexico, and implications for the evolution of NW Gondwana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weber, Bodo; González-Guzmán, Reneé; Manjarrez-Juárez, Román; Cisneros de León, Alejandro; Martens, Uwe; Solari, Luigi; Hecht, Lutz; Valencia, Victor

2018-02-01

In this paper, U-Pb zircon geochronology, Lu-Hf and Sm-Nd isotope systematics, geochemistry and geothermobarometry of metaigneous basement rocks exposed in the southeastern Chiapas Massif Complex are presented. Geologic mapping of the newly defined "El Triunfo Complex" located at the southeastern edge of the Chiapas Massif reveals (1) partial melting of a metamorphic basement mainly constituted by mafic metaigneous rocks (Candelaria unit), (2) an Ediacaran metasedimentary sequence (Jocote unit), and (3) occurrence of massif-type anorthosite. All these units are intruded by undeformed Ordovician plutonic rocks of the Motozintla suite. Pressure and temperature estimates using Ca-amphiboles, plagioclase and phengite revealed prograde metamorphism that reached peak conditions at 650 °C and 6 kbar, sufficient for partial melting under water saturated conditions. Relict rutile in titanite and clinopyroxene in amphibolite further indicate a previous metamorphic event at higher P-T conditions. U-Pb zircon ages from felsic orthogneiss boudins hosted in deformed amphibolite and migmatite yield crystallization ages of 1.0 Ga, indicating that dry granitic protoliths represent remnants of Rodinia-type basement. Additionally, a mid-Tonian ( 920 Ma) metamorphic overprint is suggested by recrystallized zircon from a banded gneiss. Zircon from folded amphibolite samples yield mainly Ordovician ages ranging from 457 to 444 Ma that are indistinguishable from the age of the undeformed Motozintla plutonic suite. Similar ages between igneous- and metamorphic- zircon suggest a coeval formation during a high-grade metamorphic event, in which textural discrepancies are explained in terms of differing zircon formation mechanisms such as sub-solidus recrystallization and precipitation from anatectic melts. In addition, some amphibolite samples contain inherited zircon yielding Stenian-Tonian ages around 1.0 Ga. Lu-Hf and Sm-Nd isotopes and geochemical data indicate that the protoliths of

The cooling history and the depth of detachment faulting at the Atlantis Massif oceanic core complex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schoolmeesters, Nicole; Cheadle, Michael J.; John, Barbara E.; Reiners, Peter W.; Gee, Jeffrey; Grimes, Craig B.

2012-10-01

Oceanic core complexes (OCCs) are domal exposures of oceanic crust and mantle interpreted to be denuded to the seafloor by large slip oceanic detachment faults. We combine previously reported U-Pb zircon crystallization ages with (U-Th)/He zircon thermochronometry and multicomponent magnetic remanence data to determine the cooling history of the footwall to the Atlantis Massif OCC (30°N, MAR) and help establish cooling rates, as well as depths of detachment faulting and gabbro emplacement. We present nine new (U-Th)/He zircon ages for samples from IODP Hole U1309D ranging from 40 to 1415 m below seafloor. These data paired with U-Pb zircon ages and magnetic remanence data constrain cooling rates of gabbroic rocks from the upper 800 m of the central dome at Atlantis Massif as 2895 (+1276/-1162) °C Myr-1 (from ˜780°C to ˜250°C); the lower 600 m of the borehole cooled more slowly at mean rates of ˜500 (+125/-102) °C Myr-1(from ˜780°C to present-day temperatures). Rocks from the uppermost part of the hole also reveal a brief period of slow cooling at rates of ˜300°C Myr-1, possibly due to hydrothermal circulation to ˜4 km depth through the detachment fault zone. Assuming a fault slip rate of 20 mm/yr (from U-Pb zircon ages of surface samples) and a rolling hinge model for the sub-surface fault geometry, we predict that the 780°C isotherm lies at ˜7 km below the axial valley floor, likely corresponding both to the depth at which the semi-brittle detachment fault roots and the probable upper limit of significant gabbro emplacement.

Late Carboniferous remagnetisation of Palaeozoic rocks in the NE Rhenish Massif, Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zwing, A.; Bachtadse, V.; Soffel, H. C.

During stepwise thermal and alternating field demagnetisation experiments on Devonian and Lower Carboniferous carbonate and clastic rocks from the north-eastern part of the Rhenish Massif, Germany, three components of magnetisation (A, B, C) are identified. Component A is a recent viscous overprint that parallels the local present day geomagnetic field. Component B is mainly observed from 260 up to 550 °C during thermal demagnetisation and is carried by magnetite. In two localities, where red siltstones and red carbonate rocks were sampled, component B is stable up to 670 °C, indicating the presence of hematite. Three clusters of in situ B directions can be identified, which are controlled by the tectonic position of the sampling areas. These are from NW to SE: the Remscheid anticline (RA), the Lüdenscheid syncline (LS) and the Attendorn and Wittgenstein synclines (AS/WS). Standard and inclination-only fold tests, using parametric resampling, yield optimal statistical parameters at increasing amounts of untilting ranging from 0% in the South up to 57% in the North of the NE Rhenish Massif. Despite the variations in optimal untilting, the resulting site mean directions of component B do not differ significantly in inclination. These results are interpreted to reflect the acquisition of magnetisation during progressive northward migration of the deformation front in Late Carboniferous times. The resulting palaeolatitudes (RA: 1°S +2°-3°; LS: 2°S +3°-2°; AS/WS: 1°S +3°-4°) are in good agreement with the predicted position of the sampling area in the Late Carboniferous, as derived from a published Apparent Polar Wander Path for Baltica and Laurentia. The unblocking temperature spectra and the synfolding nature of B yield strong evidence that chemical processes, possibly driven by fluid migration during orogenesis, caused this remagnetisation. A third component C was observed in zones of tight folding with steeply dipping to overturned bedding planes and is

The Thrust and Scope of Teacher Centers and the Prospects for Curriculum Improvement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Romero, J. Christian; Heerman, Charles E.

California State University, Chico (CSU, Chico) has had a teacher center program underway for two years. By coupling the concept of centers with the traditional California requirement of a fifth year of professional training for preservice teachers CSU, Chico has designed, within a 70-mile radius of the campus, 14 teacher training centers, each…

The influence of melt infiltration on the Li and Mg isotopic composition of the Horoman Peridotite Massif

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, Yi-Jen; Pogge von Strandmann, Philip A. E.; Dohmen, Ralf; Takazawa, Eiichi; Elliott, Tim

2015-09-01

We have analysed the Li and Mg isotope ratios of a suite of samples from the Horoman Peridotite Massif. Our results show that most Li and all Mg isotopic compositions of the Horoman peridotites are constant over 100 metres of continuous outcrop, yielding values for pristine mantle of δ7Li = 3.8 ± 1.4‰ (2SD, n = 9), δ25Mg = -0.12 ± 0.02‰ and δ26Mg = -0.23 ± 0.04‰ (2SD, n = 17), in keeping with values for undisturbed mantle xenoliths. However, there are also some anomalously low δ7Li values (-0.2‰ to 1.6‰), which coincide with locations that show enrichment of incompatible elements, indicative of the prior passage of small degree melts. We suggest Li diffused from infiltrating melts with high [Li] into the low [Li] minerals and kinetically fractionated 7Li/6Li as a result. Continued diffusion after the melt flow had ceased would have resulted in the disappearance of this isotopically light signature in less than 15 Ma. In order to preserve this feature, the melt infiltration must have been a late stage event and the massif must have subsequently cooled over a maximum of ∼0.3 Ma from peak temperature (950 °C, assuming the melts were hydrous) to Li closure temperature (700 °C), likely during emplacement. The constant δ26Mg values of Horoman peridotites suggest that chemical potential gradients caused by melt infiltration were insufficient to drive associated δ26Mg fractionation greater than our external precision of 0.03‰.

The Evolution of Juventae Chasma, Valles Marineris, Mars: Progressive Collapse and Sedimentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fueten, F.; Novakovic, N.; Stesky, R.; Flahaut, J.; Hauber, E.; Rossi, A. P.

2017-11-01

Juventae Chasma is an isolated chasm located north of the interconnected chasms within Valles Marineris. It contains four separate interior layered deposit (ILD) mounds. We have combined layer measurements, as well as mineralogical data of the mounds with topographic data of the remaining chasm and the surrounding plateau. Our observations indicate that the chasm underwent a complex geological history. We suggest that individual ILD mounds are not contemporaneous with each other and a series of progressive collapses enlarged an initially smaller chasm to its current shape. ILDs were deposited in a lacustrine setting, and the time of ILD deposition was limited. Basin collapse and chasm enlargement continued beyond the time of ILD deposition and thus were not driven by sediment load. Glacial processes appear to have played a role in the late, postlacustrine history of the chasm. We present a simplified model that highlights some of the complexity of the chasm evolution, but acknowledge that the true history is undoubtedly more complicated.

Petrology and geochemistry of primary magmas trapped in melt inclusions in scoria of Beaunit Maar (Chaîne des Puys, Massif Central, France)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jannot, S.; Schiano, P.; Boivin, P.; Clocchiatti, R.; Chazot, G.

2003-04-01

The Massif Central area, characterized by a typical intraplate alkaline serie, is the largest magmatic province of the West-European Rift system. Although it has been the subject of several studies, the nature of Massif Central sources is still a matter of debate and many hypotheses are proposed, including deep-rooted continental hotspot, metasomatised spinel lherzolites and an asthenospheric flow linked to the lithospheric root of the Alpine chain. The Chaîne des Puys is the last magmatic province of the French Massif Central and is composed of hundred young well-preserved volcanoes. The present work aims to supply information on the nature and the origin of the source chemistry of alkaline serie from the Chaîne des Puys, by characterizing the trace and major element composition of minute melts preserved as quenched glass inclusions inside olivines phenocrysts in scoria from the Beaunit Maar. Heating stage experiments performed at ambient pressure on partially crystallised primary melt inclusions suggest CO_2 oversaturation of the trapped melt, and an entrapment temperature around 1200^oC±10^oC. Daughter minerals analyses point to a Ti-and Ca-rich basaltic paragenesis, in good agreement with that of erupted basalts from the Chaîne des Puys. Major element compositions show that melts trapped in inclusions evolve by limited fractional crystallization. Inclusions trapped in the more primitive olivine phenocrysts (Fo85) have alkali-basalt compositions that fall on the primitive end of the compositional trend define by the lavas of the Chaîne des Puys. Their major element chemistry rules out the hypothesis of a mantle source in the spinel stability field and requires a garnet-bearing mantle source. Analyzed for trace-element composition by LA-ICP-MS, they display homogeneous, enriched patterns, similar to those characterizing oceanic island and continental basalts. They have high concentration of LILE and LREE/HREE ratios. Such trace-element feature are typical of

Resistance to Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Euxesta stigmatias (Diptera: Ulidiidae) in sweet corn derived from exogenous and endogenous genetic systems.

PubMed

Nuessly, G S; Scully, B T; Hentz, M G; Beiriger, R; Snook, M E; Widstrom, N W

2007-12-01

Field trials using Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Euxesta stigmatias Loew (Diptera: Ulidiidae) were conducted to evaluate resistance and potential damage interactions between these two primary corn, Zea mays L., pests against Lepidoptera-resistant corn varieties derived from both endogenous and exogenous sources. The endogenous source of resistance was maysin, a C-glycosyl flavone produced in high concentrations in varieties 'Zapalote Chico 2451' and 'Zapalote Chico sh2'. The exogenous resistance source was the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)11 gene that expresses Cry1A(b) insecticidal protein found in 'Attribute GSS-0966'. Damage by the two pests was compared among these resistant varieties and the susceptible 'Primetime'. Single-species tests determined that the Zapalote Chico varieties and GSS-0966 effectively reduced S. frugiperda larval damage compared with Primetime. E. stigmatias larval damage was less in the Zapalote Chico varieties than the other varieties in single-species tests. E. stigmatias damage was greater on S. frugiperda-infested versus S. frugiperda-excluded ears. Ears with S. frugiperda damage to husk, silk and kernels had greater E. stigmatias damage than ears with less S. frugiperda damage. Reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of nonpollinated corn silk collected from field plots determined that isoorientin, maysin, and apimaysin plus 3'-methoxymaysin concentrations followed the order Zapalote Chico sh2 > Zapalote Chico 2451 > Attribute GSS-0966 = Primetime. Chlorogenic acid concentrations were greatest in Zapalote Chico 2451. The two high maysin Zapalote Chico varieties did as well against fall armyworm as the Bt-enhanced GSS-0966, and they outperformed GSS-0966 against E. stigmatias.

A continuous structural characterisation of Atlantis Massif using an integrated analysis of oriented downhole imagery and logging data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pressling, Nicola; Morris, Antony; John, Barbara; MacLeod, Christopher

2010-05-01

Continuous wireline logging data are invaluable when less than 100% of drilled core material is recovered. The data provide information on missing units, record the true depth of features and uniquely constrain spatial orientation. Only by fully integrating continuous, oriented logging data and discrete, finer-scale core data can we develop a complete structural interpretation for drill holes that is not limited by sampling bias. Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Expedition 304/305 sampled the Atlantis Massif oceanic core complex at the intersection between the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the Atlantis Transform fault at 30°N. Hole U1309D penetrated 1415.5m into the central dome of the massif, which exposes the corrugated detachment fault surface denuding the lower crust and upper mantle. The recovered section is dominated by gabbro compositions that are complexly faulted and layered on a variety of scales, reflecting the complicated interplay between magmatic and tectonic processes controlling the formation, evolution and deformation of oceanic crust at slow-spreading ridges. The average core recovery at Atlantis Massif was 74%. Therefore, to augment and constrain structural interpretations based on limited core material, we used the Formation MicroScanner (FMS) wireline logging tool that measures microresistivity contrasts in the immediate vicinity of the borehole wall formation. The data are presented as an unwrapped image of the borehole cylinder, and inclined planar structural features that intersect the borehole, such as faults or veins, are shown as darker (more conductive) sinusoidal traces. The true dip and azimuth of these features can be calculated directly due to the inclusion of an accelerometer and magnetometer on the toolstring, which record the position and spatial orientation (with respect to magnetic north) of the tool within the borehole, respectively. 4324 distinct structural features have been identified in the FMS images between 97 and 1415

Application of GIS technologies to monitor secondary radioactive contamination in the Delegen mountain massif

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alipbeki, O.; Kabzhanova, G.; Kurmanova, G.; Alipbekova, Ch.

2016-06-01

The territory of the Degelen mountain massif is located within territory of the former Semipalatinsk nuclear test site and it is an area of ecological disaster. Currently there is a process of secondary radioactive contamination that is caused by geodynamic processes activated at the Degelen array, violation of underground hydrological cycles and as a consequence, water seepage into the tunnels. One of the methods of monitoring of geodynamic processes is the modern technology of geographic information systems (GIS), methods of satellite radar interferometry and high accuracy satellite navigation system in conjunction with radioecological methods. This paper discusses on the creation of a GIS-project for the Degelen array, facilitated by quality geospatial analysis of the situation and simulation of the phenomena, in order to maximize an objective assessment of the radiation situation in this protected area.

Fault Networks in the Northwestern Albuquerque Basin and Their Potential Role in Controlling Mantle CO2 Degassing and Fluid Migration from the Valles Caldera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, J. R.; Crossey, L. J.; Karlstrom, K. E.; Fischer, T. P.; Lee, H.; McGibbon, C. J.

2015-12-01

The Rio Grande rift (RGR) has Quaternary and active volcanism and faulting that provide a field laboratory for examining links between mantle degassing and faults as fluid conduits. Diffuse and spring CO2 flux measurements were taken at 6 sites in the northwestern Albuquerque Basin (NWAB) and Valles caldera geothermal system. All sites progress to the southwest from the 1.25 Ma Valles caldera, down the rift-related Jemez fault network, to intersect with the Nacimiento fault system. Mantle CO2 and He degassing are well documented at 5 of 6 sites, with decreasing 3He/4He ratios away from the caldera. The instrument used to measure CO2 flux was an EGM-4 CO2 gas analyzer (PP systems) with an accumulation chamber. Carbonic springs at Penasco Springs (PS) and San Ysidro (SY), and the carbonate-cemented Sand Hill Fault (SHF) were targeted, all near the western border of the RGR. The SHF has no spring activity, had the smallest maximum flux of all the sites (8 g/m2d), but carbonate along the fault zone (<2 m wide) attest to past CO2 flux. The other two sites are equal distance (30-40 km) between the SHF site and Valles caldera sites. These sites have active carbonic springs that precipitate travertine mounds. Our work suggests these sites reflect intersections of the Nacimiento fault with NE trending faults that connect to the Jemez fault network. The maximum diffuse flux recorded at SY (297 g/m2d) and PS (25 g/m2d) are high, especially along the fault and near springs. At SY and PS the instruments capacity was exceeded (2,400 g/m2d) at 6 of 9 springs. Interpretations indicate a direct CO2 flux through a fault-related artesian aquifer system that is connected to magmatic gases from the caldera. Maximum diffuse flux measurements of Alamo Canyon (20,906 g/m2d), Sulphur Springs (2,400 g/m2d) and Soda Dam (1,882 g/m2d) at Valles caldera geothermal sites are comparable to Yellowstone geothermal systems. We use geospatial analysis and local geologic mapping to examine

Paleomagnetic Evaluation of the Resurgent Dome at Valles Caldera, Jemez Mountains, New Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rhode, A.; Geissman, J. W.; Goff, F. E.

2016-12-01

The Redondo Peak structural dome, located within the ca. 1.25 Ma Valles Caldera, Jemez Mountains, New Mexico, is a well documented example of post-caldera resurgence and is a fundamental part of the famous model of Smith and Bailey (1968). The NE/SW elongated structural resurgent dome, with over 1000 m of uplift, and its medial graben now occupied by Redondo Creek, parallel the NE orientation of the Jemez fault zone, a key boundary structure of the Rio Grande rift. Our paleomagnetic research quantifies the magnitude of structural tilt (i.e. rotation about a horizontal axis) as a component of any deformation of the resurgent dome to determine if uplift was accommodated by block uplift or by simple doming. Independently oriented samples from 43 sites located on two main structural domains that comprise the resurgent dome (the Redondo Border block and the Redondo Peak block) and within the Redondo Creek graben were obtained from the intracaldera facies of the Tshirege Member of the Bandelier Tuff and overlying lower members of post-Bandelier Valles Rhyolite. Magnetic mineralogy consists of low titanium magnetite and maghemite, consistent with previous paleomagnetic studies on flat-lying outflow facies tuff. In situ estimated directions of sites from the Redondo Border structural domain are generally steeper in inclination than the reference direction (D = 175.6, I = -35.7) (Doell et al., 1968; Sussman et al., 2011), with an average inclination of Ig = -42.5, and show a westward deflection in average declination (Dg = 184.2). In situ estimated directions of sites from the Redondo Peak structural domain are generally shallower in inclination than the reference direction (average inclination of Ig = -27.6) and show an eastward deflection in mean declination values, Dg = 160. Overall, paleomagnetic results show that the pattern of deformation is more pronounced parallel to the long axis of the dome and that the Redondo Border block exhibits some 12 degrees of down to the

Reconstruction of the rock fall/avalanche frequency in the Mont Blanc massif since the Last Glacial Maximum. New results using 10Be cosmogenic dating and reflectance spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallach, Xavi; Ogier, Christophe; Ravanel, Ludovic; Deline, Philip; Carcaillet, Julien

2017-04-01

Rockfalls and rock avalanches are active processes in the Mont Blanc massif, with infrastructure and alpinists at risk. Thanks to a network of observers (hut keepers, mountain guides, alpinists) set up in 2007 present rockfalls are well surveyed and documented. Rockfall frequency over the past 150 years has been studied by comparison of historical photographs, showing that it strongly increased during the three last decades, especially during hot periods like the summer of 2003 and 2015, due to permafrost degradation driven by the climate change. In order to decipher the possible relationship between rockfall occurrence and the warmest periods of the Lateglacial and the Holocene, we start to study the morphodynamics of some selected high-elevated (>3000 m a.s.l.) rockwalls of the massif on a long timescale. Contrary to low altitude, deglaciated sites where study of large rockfall deposits allows to quantify frequency and magnitude of the process, rockfalls that detached from high-elevated rockwalls are no more noticeable as debris were absorbed and evacuated by the glaciers. Therefore, our study focuses on the rockfall scars. Their 10Be dating gives us the rock surface exposure age from present to far beyond the Last Glacial Maximum, interpreted as the rockfall ages. TCN dating of rockfalls has been carried out at the Aiguille du Midi in 2007 (Boehlert et al., 2008), and three other sites in the Mont Blanc massif in 2011 (Gallach et al., submitted). Here we present a new data set of rockfall dating carried out in 2015 that improves the 2007 and 2011 data. Furthermore, a relationship between the colour of the Mont Blanc granite and its exposure age has been shown: fresh rock surface is light grey (e.g. in recent rockfall scars) whereas weathered rock surface is in the range grey to orange/red: the redder a rock surface, the older its age. Here, reflectance spectroscopy is used to quantify the granite surface colour. Böhlert, R., Gruber, S., Egli, M., Maisch, M

Palaeostress perturbations near the El Castillo de las Guardas fault (SW Iberian Massif)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García-Navarro, Encarnación; Fernández, Carlos

2010-05-01

Use of stress inversion methods on faults measured at 33 sites located at the northwestern part of the South Portuguese Zone (Variscan Iberian Massif), and analysis of the basic dyke attitude at this same region, has revealed a prominent perturbation of the stress trajectories around some large, crustal-scale faults, like the El Castillo de las Guardas fault. The results are compared with the predictions of theoretical models of palaeostress deviations near master faults. According to this comparison, the El Castillo de las Guardas fault, an old structure that probably reversed several times its slip sense, can be considered as a sinistral strike-slip fault during the Moscovian. These results also point out the main shortcomings that still hinder a rigorous quantitative use of the theoretical models of stress perturbations around major faults: the spatial variation in the parameters governing the brittle behaviour of the continental crust, and the possibility of oblique slip along outcrop-scale faults in regions subjected to general, non-plane strain.

Geochemistry and mineralogy of Pd in the magnetitite layer within the upper gabbro of the Mesoarchean Nuasahi Massif (Orissa, India)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prichard, Hazel M.; Mondal, Sisir K.; Mukherjee, Ria; Fisher, Peter C.; Giles, Nicolas

2018-04-01

Palladium concentrations of 1-3 ppm with an average Pt/Pd ratio of 0.15 have been located for the first time in a magnetitite layer in the Nuasahi Massif in Orissa India. This layer occurs at a high stratigraphic level in the complex and is nearly 4-km long and 5-12-m thick. The sections of the Pd-rich zone identified to date extend over a distance of 1 km at the southern end of the layer. Several phases of mineralization are evident. The first, primary assemblage of platinum-group minerals (PGM) contains Pd-sulfides (vysotskite), Pd-Pb alloys (zvyagintsevite), and a Pd-In alloy, a mineral probably new to mineralogy. These PGM are confined to central magnetite grains in the magnetitites. The magnetite grains with exsolved fine laths of ilmenite at centers are referred to as central magnetite grains. These central magnetite grains are commonly surrounded by blebs of ilmenite and magnetite that contain the majority of the PGM. These are dominated by Pd-antimonides, variably altered to Pd-oxides, and other PGM including PtAs2 (sperrylite), RuS2 (laurite), and IrRhAsS (irarsite/hollingwothite). Many of these PGM also occur in the interstitial silicates, with rare occurrences in the central magnetite grains. We propose that the platinum-group elements (PGE) crystallized during a minor sulfide saturation event that occurred as the magnetitites crystallized. This event produced the minor Cu-sulfides in these magnetitites. Later introduction of antimony and arsenic, during the alteration event that produced the blebby ilmenite and magnetite, led to the more primary PGM being succeeded by the main PGM assemblage, dominated by Pd-antimonides. These are associated with secondary Cu minerals and sperrylite. Subsequent oxidation during weathering in the hot wet Indian climate produced the Pd-oxides. The Nuasahi Massif is a sill-like Archean layered ultramafic-mafic intrusion genetically linked to high-Mg siliceous basalt or boninites and is characterized by unusually thick

Selected data fron continental scientific drilling core holes VC-1 and VC-2a, Valles Caldera, New Mexico

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Musgrave, J.A.; Goff, F.; Shevenell, L.

1989-02-01

This report presents geochemical and isotopic data on rocks and water and wellbore geophysical data from the Continental Scientific Drilling Program core holes VC-1 and VC-2a, Valles Caldera, New Mexico. These core holes were drilled as a portion of a broader program that seeks to answer fundamental questions about magma, water/rock interactions, ore deposits, and volcanology. The data in this report will assist the interpretation of the hydrothermal system in the Jemez Mountains and will stimulate further research in magmatic processes, hydrothermal alteration, ore deposits, hydrology, structural geology, and hydrothermal solution chemistry. 37 refs., 36 figs., 28 tabs.

Temporal evolution of mineralization events in the Bohemian Massif inferred from the Re-Os geochronology of molybdenite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ackerman, Lukáš; Haluzová, Eva; Creaser, Robert A.; Pašava, Jan; Veselovský, František; Breiter, Karel; Erban, Vojtěch; Drábek, Milan

2017-06-01

Molybdenite is a common mineral accompanying Sn-W, Au, and base metal mineralizations located in different geotectonic units of the Bohemian Massif, but it is also widespread in granitoids and/or related quartz veins/pegmatites forming disseminated Mo mineralization. Thirty Re-Os ages were obtained for molybdenite samples from the Bohemian Massif to provide constraints on the timing and duration of mineralization event(s) within the framework of previously published geochronological data for the host and/or associated rocks. The obtained data for Sn-W-(Li) deposits in the Erzgebirge metallogenetic province indicate the predominance of one and/or multiple short-time mineralization events taking place between ˜319 and 323 Ma, with the exception of the Krupka deposit associated with the Altenberg-Teplice caldera where the data may suggest prolonged activity until ˜315 Ma. The ages of the Pb-Zn-(Au-Mo) Hůrky u Rakovníka and Fe-Cu-As Obří důl mineralizations from the exocontacts of the Čistá pluton and Krkonoše-Jizera Plutonic Complex, respectively, provide evidence for synchronous emplacement of the ore and the associated granitic rocks. In contrast, the Padrť Fe-As-Mo mineralization postdates the age of the associated Padrť granite. Disseminated Mo mineralization in Cadomian and Variscan granitoids and/or related to quartz veins/pegmatites provides Re-Os ages that overlap with the previously published geochronological data for the host rocks, suggesting coeval evolution. Molybdenite samples from the Sázava suite granites of the Central Bohemian Plutonic Complex (CBPC) have resolvable younger ages than their host granites, but similar to the age of spatially related Au mineralization which is associated with the latest evolution of the CBPC.

Tectono-metamorphic evolution of the Jomolhari massif: Variations in timing of syn-collisional metamorphism across western Bhutan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Regis, Daniele; Warren, Clare J.; Young, David; Roberts, Nick M. W.

2014-03-01

Our current understanding of the rates and timescales of mountain-building processes is largely based on information recorded in U-bearing accessory minerals such as monazite, which is found in low abundance but which hosts the majority of the trace element budget. Monazite petrochronology was used to investigate the timing of crustal melting in migmatitic metasedimentary rocks from the Jomolhari massif (NW Bhutan). The samples were metamorphosed at upper amphibolite to granulite facies conditions (~ 0.85 GPa, ~ 800 °C), after an earlier High-Pressure stage (P > 1.4 GPa), and underwent partial melting through dehydration melting reactions involving muscovite and biotite. In order to link the timing of monazite growth/dissolution to the pressure-temperature (P-T) evolution of the samples, we identified 'chemical fingerprints' in major and accessory phases that were used to back-trace specific metamorphic reactions. Variations in Eu anomaly and Ti in garnet were linked to the growth and dissolution of major phases (e.g. growth of K-feldspar and dehydration melting of muscovite/biotite). Differences in M/HREE and Y from garnet core to rim were instead related to apatite breakdown and monazite-forming reactions. Chemically zoned monazite crystals reacted multiple times during the metamorphic evolution suggesting that the Jomolhari massif experienced a prolonged high-temperature metamorphic evolution from 36 Ma to 18 Ma, significantly different from the P-T-time path recorded in other portions of the Greater Himalayan Sequence (GHS) in Bhutan. Our data demonstrate unequivocally that the GHS in Bhutan consists of units that experienced independent high-grade histories and that were juxtaposed across different tectonic structures during exhumation. The GHS may have been exhumed in response to (pulsed) mid-crustal flow but cannot be considered a coherent block.

Endolithic microbial communities in carbonate precipitates from serpentinite-hosted hyperalkaline springs of the Voltri Massif (Ligurian Alps, Northern Italy).

PubMed

Quéméneur, Marianne; Palvadeau, Alexandra; Postec, Anne; Monnin, Christophe; Chavagnac, Valérie; Ollivier, Bernard; Erauso, Gaël

2015-09-01

The Voltri Massif is an ophiolitic complex located in the Ligurian Alps close to the city of Genova (Northern Italy) where several springs discharge high pH (up to 11.7), low salinity waters produced by the active serpentinization of the ultramafic basement. Mixing of these hyperalkaline waters with the river waters along with the uptake of atmospheric carbon dioxide forms brownish carbonate precipitates covering the bedrock at the springs. Diverse archaeal and bacterial communities were detected in these carbonate precipitates using 454 pyrosequencing analyses of 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes. Archaeal communities were dominated by members of potential methane-producing and/or methane-oxidizing Methanobacteriales and Methanosarcinales (Euryarchaeota) together with ammonia-oxidizing Nitrososphaerales (Thaumarchaeota) similar to those found in other serpentinization-driven submarine and terrestrial ecosystems. Bacterial communities consisted of members of the Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Planctomycetes, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, and Verrucomicrobia phyla, altogether accounting for 92.2% of total retrieved bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences. Amongst Bacteria, potential chemolithotrophy was mainly associated with Alpha- and Betaproteobacteria classes, including nitrogen-fixing, methane-oxidizing or hydrogen-oxidizing representatives of the genera Azospirillum, Methylosinus, and Hydrogenophaga/'Serpentinomonas', respectively. Besides, potential chemoorganotrophy was attributed mainly to representatives of Actinobacteria and Planctomycetales phyla. The reported 16S rRNA gene data strongly suggested that hydrogen, methane, and nitrogen-based chemolithotrophy can sustain growth of the microbial communities inhabiting the carbonate precipitates in the hyperalkaline springs of the Voltri Massif, similarly to what was previously observed in other serpentinite-hosted ecosystems.

Geothermal hydrology of Valles Caldera and the southwestern Jemez Mountains, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Trainer, Frank W.; Rogers, Robert J.; Sorey, M.L.

2000-01-01

The Jemez Mountains in north-central New Mexico are volcanic in origin and have a large central caldera known as Valles Caldera. The mountains contain the Valles geothermal system, which was investigated during 1970-82 as a source of geothermal energy. This report describes the geothermal hydrology of the Jemez Mountains and presents results of an earlier 1972-75 U.S. Geological Survey study of the area in light of more recent information. Several distinct types of thermal and nonthermal ground water are recognized in the Jemez Mountains. Two types of near-surface thermal water are in the caldera: thermal meteoric water and acid sulfate water. The principal reservoir of geothermal fluids is at depth under the central and western parts of the caldera. Nonthermal ground water in Valles Caldera occurs in diverse perched aquifers and deeper valley-fill aquifers. The geothermal reservoir is recharged by meteorically derived water that moves downward from the aquifers in the caldera fill to depths of 6,500 feet or more and at temperatures reaching about 330 degrees Celsius. The heated geothermal water rises convectively to depths of 2,000 feet or less and mixes with other ground water as it flows away from the geothermal reservoir. A vapor zone containing steam, carbon dioxide, and other gases exists above parts of the liquid-dominated geothermal zone. Two subsystems are generally recognized within the larger geothermal system: the Redondo Creek subsystem and the Sulphur Creek subsystem. The permeability in the Redondo Creek subsystem is controlled by stratigraphy and fault-related structures. Most of the permeability is in the high-angle, normal faults and associated fractures that form the Redondo Creek Graben. Faults and related fractures control the flow of thermal fluids in the subsystem, which is bounded by high-angle faults. The Redondo Creek subsystem has been more extensively studied than other parts of the system. The Sulphur Springs subsystem is not as well

CRE dating on the scarps of large landslides affecting the Belledonne massif ( French Alps)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lebrouc, V.; Baillet, L.; Schwartz, S.; Jongmans, D.; Gamond, J. F.; Bourles, D.; Le Roux, O.; Carcaillet, J.; Braucher, R.

2012-04-01

The southwestern edge of the Belledonne Massif (French Alps) consists of micaschists unconformably covered with Mesozoic sediments and Quaternary deposits. The morphology corresponds to a glacial plateau (Mont Sec plateau) bordered by steep slopes (around 40°), where moraines and peat bog subsist. The massif is incised by the East-West trending Romanche valley that was shaped by several cycles of quaternary glaciations and deglaciations. Slopes are affected by several active or past large scale rock mass instabilities. Cosmic Ray Exposure (CRE) dating was applied on the head scarps of three large landslides, one of which being the active Séchilienne landslide whose headscarp was already dated by Leroux et al. [2009]. Dating results suggest a concomitant initiation of these instabilities at about 7 ± 2 10Be ka, thousands years after the total downwastage of the valley. A different kinematic behaviour was however observed on two contiguous landslides for which continuous exposure profiles were obtained. On the Séchilienne landslide, 23 samples were collected from internal and lateral scarps, as well as on polished bedrock surfaces, with the aim of dating the internal kinematics of the landslide. Preliminary dating results obtained on polished surfaces and near the top of the scarps show unexpected low 10Be concentrations, suggesting the existence of thin moraine or peat bog deposits masking the bedrock, which have been subsequently eroded. The minimum thickness of these deposits was estimated assuming a constant denudation rate over time. Exposure date profiles show that the studied lateral and internal scarps were initiated at the same period as the Sechilienne headscarp. An increase in the exposure rate was also observed between 2 and 1 ka, in agreement with that evidenced along the headscarp. Forty other samples have been collected in the landslide to corroborate these results. Reference Le Roux, O., S. Schwartz , J.-F. Gamond, D. Jongmans, D. Bourles, R

Trondhjemite-granodiorite intrusive magmatism of the Losevo lithotectonic zone of the Voronezh crystalline massif

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skryabin, V. Yu.; Terentiev, R. A.

2014-10-01

The mineralogical-petrographic, petrochemical, and geochemical characteristics of the trondhjemite-granodiorite intrusions widespread among the volcanoterrigenous rocks of the eastern part of the Voronezh crystalline massif are studied. The rocks are characterized by cotectic quartz-plagioclase differentiation and differentiated (La/Yb = 31) REE pattern and are enriched in LILE with a decrease in the K/Rb and Zr/Hf ratios and an increase in the Th/U ratio by 1.5-2 times relative to subduction trondhjemites and their volcanic analogs from the modern and young island arcs. These data allow us to conclude that generation of the trondhjemite magma is a result of melting of the rocks of the continental crust during collision. The concordant (SHRIMP) age of trondhjemites is 2047 ± 11 Ma, and the age of zircon cores probably entrapped from the host rocks by the trondhjemitic melt is 2172 ± 17 Ma.

Trace metal distributions in the sediments from river-reservoir systems: case of the Congo River and Lake Ma Vallée, Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo).

PubMed

Mwanamoki, Paola M; Devarajan, Naresh; Niane, Birane; Ngelinkoto, Patience; Thevenon, Florian; Nlandu, José W; Mpiana, Pius T; Prabakar, Kandasamy; Mubedi, Josué I; Kabele, Christophe G; Wildi, Walter; Poté, John

2015-01-01

The contamination of drinking water resources by toxic metals is a major problem in many parts of the world, particularly in dense populated areas of developing countries that lack wastewater treatment facilities. The present study characterizes the recent evolution with time of some contaminants deposited in the Congo River and Lake Ma Vallée, both located in the vicinity of the large city of Kinshasa, capital of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Physicochemical parameters including grain size distribution, organic matter and trace element concentrations were measured in sediment cores sampled from Congo River (n = 3) and Lake Ma Vallée (n = 2). The maximum concentration of trace elements in sediment profiles was found in the samples from the sites of Pool Malebo, with the values of 107.2, 111.7, 88.6, 39.3, 15.4, 6.1 and 4.7 mg kg(-1) for Cr, Ni, Zn, Cu, Pb, As and Hg, respectively. This site, which is characterized by intense human activities, is especially well known for the construction of numerous boats that are used for regular navigation on Congo River. Concerning Lake Ma Vallée, the concentration of all metals are generally low, with maximum values of 26.3, 53.6, 16.1, 15.3, 6.5 and 1.8 mg kg(-1) for Cr, Ni, Zn, Cu, Pb and As, respectively. However, the comparison of the metal profiles retrieved from the different sampled cores also reveals specific variations. The results of this study point out the sediment pollution by toxic metals in the Congo River Basin. This research presents useful tools for the evaluation of sediment contamination of river-reservoir systems.

Geochronology and geochemistry of late Paleozoic-early Mesozoic igneous rocks of the Erguna Massif, NE China: Implications for the early evolution of the Mongol-Okhotsk tectonic regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yu; Xu, Wen-Liang; Wang, Feng; Tang, Jie; Zhao, Shuo; Guo, Peng

2017-08-01

We undertook geochemical and geochronological studies on late Paleozoic-early Mesozoic igneous rocks from the Erguna Massif with the aim of constraining the early evolution of the Mongol-Okhotsk tectonic regime. Zircon crystals from nine representative samples are euhedral-subhedral, display oscillatory growth zoning, and have Th/U values of 0.14-6.48, indicating a magmatic origin. U-Pb dating of zircon using SIMS and LA-ICP-MS indicates that these igneous rocks formed during the Late Devonian (∼365 Ma), late Carboniferous (∼303 Ma), late Permian (∼256 Ma), and Early-Middle Triassic (246-238 Ma). The Late Devonian rhyolites, together with coeval A-type granites, formed in an extensional environment related to the northwestwards subduction of the Heihe-Nenjiang oceanic plate. Their positive εHf(t) values (+8.4 to +14.4) and Hf two-stage model ages (TDM2 = 444-827 Ma) indicate they were derived from a newly accreted continental crustal source. The late Carboniferous granodiorites are geochemically similar to adakites, and their εHf(t) values (+10.4 to +12.3) and Hf two-stage model ages (TDM2 = 500-607 Ma) suggest they were sourced from thickened juvenile lower crustal material, this thickening may be related to the amalgamation of the Erguna-Xing'an and Songnen-Zhangguangcai Range massifs. Rocks of the late Permian to Middle Triassic suite comprise high-K calc-alkaline monzonites, quartz monzonites, granodiorites, and monzogranites. These rocks are relatively enriched in light rare earth elements and large ion lithophile elements, and depleted in heavy rare earth elements and high field strength elements. They were emplaced, together with coeval porphyry-type ore deposits, along an active continental margin where the Mongol-Okhotsk oceanic plate was subducting beneath the Erguna Massif.

Palaeomagnetic constraints on the evolution of the Atlantis Massif oceanic core complex (Mid-Atlantic Ridge, 30°N)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morris, Antony; Pressling, Nicola; Gee, Jeffrey; John, Barbara; MacLeod, Christopher

2010-05-01

Oceanic core complexes expose lower crustal and upper mantle rocks on the seafloor by tectonic unroofing in the footwalls of large-slip detachment faults. They represent a fundamental component of the seafloor spreading system at slow and ultraslow axes. For example, recent analyses suggest that detachment faults may underlie more than 50% of the Mid Atlantic Ridge (MAR) and may take up most of the overall plate divergence at times when magma supply to the ridge system is reduced. The most extensively studied oceanic core complex is Atlantis Massif, located at 30°N on the MAR. This forms an inside-corner bathymetric high at the intersection of the Atlantis Transform Fault and the MAR. The central dome of the massif exposes the corrugated detachment fault surface and was drilled during IODP Expedition 304/305. This sampled a 1.4 km faulted and complexly layered footwall section dominated by gabbroic lithologies with minor ultramafic rocks. The core (Hole U1309D) reflects the interplay between magmatism and deformation prior to, during, and subsequent to a period of footwall displacement and denudation associated with slip on the detachment fault. Palaeomagnetic analyses demonstrate that the gabbroic sequences at Atlantis Massif carry highly stable remanent magnetizations that provide valuable information on the evolution of the section. Thermal demagnetization experiments recover high unblocking temperature components of reversed polarity (R1) throughout the gabbroic sequences. In a number of intervals, however, the gabbros exhibit a complex remanence structure with the presence of intermediate temperature normal (N1) and lower temperature reversed (R2) polarity components, suggesting an extended period of remanence acquisition during different polarity intervals. Sharp break-points between different polarity components suggest that they were acquired by a thermal mechanism. There appears to be no correlation between remanence structure and either the igneous

Fogs and Clouds are a Potential Indicator of a Local Water Source in Valles Marineris

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leung, Cecilia W. S.; Rafkin, Scot C. R.; Stillman, David E.; McEwen, Alfred S.

2016-04-01

Recurring slope lineae (RSL) are narrow, low-albedo seasonal flow features on present-day Mars that extend incrementally down warm, steep slopes, fade when inactive, and reappear annually over multiple Mars years [1,2]. Hypothesis for the sources of volatile by which RSL are recharged include seeping water, melting shallow ice, aquifers, and vapor from the atmosphere [1-5]. About 50% of the 250+ candidate and confirmed RSL sites appear in and around Valles Marineris [3], and coincide with regions where putative morning water ice fogs may appear as imaged by the High Resolution Stereo Camera on Mars Express [6]. The presence of fog may provide clues to the water cycle within the canyon, and could elucidate the processes related to the evolution of RSL. Using a regional atmospheric model, we investigate the atmospheric dynamics in and around Valles Marineris. Our simulation results show a curious temperature structure, where the inside of the canyon appears warmer relative to the plateaus immediately outside at all times of day. Formation of fogs requires the atmosphere to be saturated. This can happen with the appropriate combination of cooling or addition of water vapor. The modeled temperature structure suggests that if water is well mixed and fog is present within the warmer canyon bottom, fog should be present on the cooler surrounding plateaus as well. This is generally not the case. Therefore, the only way to produce fog inside the canyon is to have a local water source. RSL may contribute to this atmospheric water through evaporation, or RSL may simply be a surface marker of a larger near-surface reservoir of water that can act as a source. From the modeled temperatures, we calculated the corresponding saturation vapor pressures and saturation mixing ratios to determine the amount of water vapor in the air at saturation. The observed Martian atmospheric column abundance is ~10 precipitable microns on average [7] and presents a major challenge for an

Basaltic Martian analogues from the Baikal Rift Zone and Mongolian terranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gurgurewicz, J.; Kostylew, J.

2007-08-01

In order to compare the results of studies of the western part of the Valles Marineris canyon on Mars there have been done field works on terrestrial surface areas similar with regard to geological setting and environmental conditions. One of the possible terrestrial analogues of the Valles Marineris canyon is the Baikal Rift Zone [1]. Field investigations have been done on the south end of the Baikal Lake, in the Khamar-Daban massif, where the outcrops of volcanic rocks occur. The second part of the field works has been done in the Mongolian terranes: Mandalovoo, Gobi Altay and Bayanhongor, because of environmental conditions being similar to those on Mars. The Mandalovoo terrane comprises a nearly continuous Paleozoic islandarc sequence [2]. In the Gobi Altay terrane an older sequence is capped by younger Devonian-Triassic volcanic-sedimentary deposits [2]. The Bayanhongor terrane forms a northwest-trending, discontinuous, narrow belt that consists of a large ophiolite allochton [3]. The collected samples of basalts derive from various geologic environments. The CORONA satellite-images have been used for the imaging of the Khamar-Daban massif and the Mandalovoo terrane. These images have the same spatial resolution and range as the Mars Orbiter Camera images of the Mars Global Surveyor mission. In the Mandalovoo terrane these images allowed to find an area with large amounts of tectonic structures, mainly faults (part of the Ongi massif), similar to the studied area on Mars. Microscopic observations in thin sections show diversification of composition and structures of basalts. These rocks have mostly a porphyric structure, rarely aphyric. The main components are plagioclases, pyroxenes and olivines phenocrysts, in different proportions. The groundmass usually consist of plagioclases, pyroxenes and opaques. The most diversified are basalts from the Mandalovoo terrane. Infrared spectroscopy has been used to analyse the composition of the rock material and compare

Weathering profiles in granitoid rocks of the Sila Massif uplands, Calabria, southern Italy: New insights into their formation processes and rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scarciglia, Fabio; Critelli, Salvatore; Borrelli, Luigi; Coniglio, Sabrina; Muto, Francesco; Perri, Francesco

2016-05-01

In this paper we characterized several weathering profiles developed on granitoid rocks in the Sila Massif upland (Calabria, southern Italy), integrating detailed macro- and micromorphological observations with physico-mechanical field tests and petrographic, mineralogical and geochemical analyses. We focused our attention on the main weathering and pedogenetic processes, trying to understand apparent discrepancies between weathering grade classes based on field description and geomechanical properties, and two common weathering indices, such as the micropetrographic index (Ip) and the chemical index of alteration (CIA). Our results showed that sericite on plagioclase and biotite chloritization, that represent inherited features formed during late-stage hydrothermal alteration of granitoid rocks, may cause an overestimation of the real degree of weathering of primary mineral grains under meteoric conditions, especially in lower weathering grade classes. Moreover, the frequent identification of Fe-Mn oxides and clay coatings of illuvial origin (rather than or in addition to those formed in situ), both at the macro- and microscale, may also explain an overestimation of the weathering degree with respect to field-based classifications. Finally, some apparent inconsistencies between field geomechanical responses and chemical weathering were interpreted as related to physical weathering processes (cryoclastism and thermoclastism), that lead to rock breakdown even when chemical weathering is not well developed. Hence, our study showed that particular caution is needed for evaluating weathering grades, because traditional field and geochemical-petrographic tools may be biased by inherited hydrothermal alteration, physical weathering and illuvial processes. On the basis of chronological constraints to soil formation obtained from a 42 ka-old volcanic input (mixed to granite parent materials) detected in the soil cover of the Sila Massif upland, a first attempt to estimate

Seismotectonic significance of the 2008–2010 Walloon Brabant seismic swarm in the Brabant Massif, Belgium

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Noten, Koen; Lecocq, Thomas; Shah, Anjana K.; Camelbeeck, Thierry

2015-01-01

Between 12 July 2008 and 18 January 2010 a seismic swarm occurred close to the town of Court-Saint-Etienne, 20 km SE of Brussels (Belgium). The Belgian network and a temporary seismic network covering the epicentral area established a seismic catalogue in which magnitude varies between ML -0.7 and ML 3.2. Based on waveform cross-correlation of co-located earthquakes, the spatial distribution of the hypocentre locations was improved considerably and shows a dense cluster displaying a 200 m-wide, 1.5-km long, NW-SE oriented fault structure at a depth range between 5 and 7 km, located in the Cambrian basement rocks of the Lower Palaeozoic Anglo-Brabant Massif. Waveform comparison of the largest events of the 2008–2010 swarm with an ML 4.0 event that occurred during swarm activity between 1953 and 1957 in the same region shows similar P- and S-wave arrivals at the Belgian Uccle seismic station. The geometry depicted by the hypocentral distribution is consistent with a nearly vertical, left-lateral strike-slip fault taking place in a current local WNW–ESE oriented local maximum horizontal stress field. To determine a relevant tectonic structure, a systematic matched filtering approach of aeromagnetic data, which can approximately locate isolated anomalies associated with hypocentral depths, has been applied. Matched filtering shows that the 2008–2010 seismic swarm occurred along a limited-sized fault which is situated in slaty, low-magnetic rocks of the Mousty Formation. The fault is bordered at both ends with obliquely oriented magnetic gradients. Whereas the NW end of the fault is structurally controlled, its SE end is controlled by a magnetic gradient representing an early-orogenic detachment fault separating the low-magnetic slaty Mousty Formation from the high-magnetic Tubize Formation. The seismic swarm is therefore interpreted as a sinistral reactivation of an inherited NW–SE oriented isolated fault in a weakened crust within the Cambrian core of

Métamorphisme miocène de granites panafricains dans le massif de l'Edough (Nord-Est de l'Algérie)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammor, Dalila; Lancelot, Joël

1998-09-01

The Edough Massif is the easternmost crystalline core of the Maghrebides that represents the African segment of the west Mediterranean Alpine belt. U-Pb zircon dating provides upper intercept ages of 595 ± 51 My and 606 ± 55 My for an orthogneiss of the lower unit and a deformed leucogranite of the upper pelitic unit, respectively. These ages suggest emplacement of the two granitoids during the Pan-African orogeny. Monazites from a paragneiss sample gave a 18 ± 5 My U-Pb age that points to a Miocene age of the high-temperature metamorphism.

Raman imaging of fluid inclusions in garnet from UHPM rocks (Kokchetav massif, Northern Kazakhstan).

PubMed

Korsakov, Andrey V; Dieing, Thomas; Golovin, Aleksandr V; Toporski, Jan

2011-10-01

Confocal Raman imaging of fluid inclusions in garnet porphyroblasts from diamond-grade metamorphic calc-silicate rocks from the Kumdy-Kol microdiamond deposit (Kokchetav Massif, Northern Kazakhstan) reveals that these fluid inclusions consist of almost pure water with different step-daughter phases (e.g., calcite, mica and rare quartz). These fluid inclusions are characterized by negative crystal shape of the host-garnet and they exclusively occur within the core of garnet porphyroblasts. These observations are consistent with their primary origin, most likely at ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphic conditions. The euhedral newly formed garnet, different in color and composition, was found to be associated with these fluid inclusions. It is proposed that newly formed garnet and water fluid inclusions appear by reaction between the hydrous fluid and the garnet-host. These fluid inclusions provide an unequivocal record of almost pure H(2)O fluids, indicating water-saturated conditions within subducted continental crust during prograde stage and/or ultrahigh-P metamorphism. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Crystal Structure of Cl-Deficient Analogue of Taseqite from Odikhincha Massif

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rastsvetaeva, R. K.; Chukanov, N. V.; Zaitsev, V. A.; Aksenov, S. M.; Viktorova, K. A.

2018-05-01

An eudialyte group mineral, found in pegmatites of the Odikhincha massif (the northern part of the Siberian platform), has been investigated using X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The mineral is characterized by a high strontium content and a low chlorine content. It has a trigonal unit cell with the following parameters: a = 14.2700(6) Å and c = 30.057(1) Å; V = 5300.6(1) Å3; sp. gr. R3 m. The structure has been refined to R = 0.047 in the anisotropic approximation of atomic displacements using 1697 F > 4σ( F). The idealized formula ( Z = 3) was found to be Na12Sr2Ca6Fe 3 2+ Zr3NbSi25O72(OH,O)4Cl(H2O)0.2. The chemical composition and structure of this mineral are close to those of taseqite; however, it differs from the holotype sample by a low chlorine content and peculiarities of cation distribution over basic structure sites. A comparative analysis of strontium-rich eudialytes has revealed their important crystallochemical feature: selective concentration of strontium in the N4 site. Thus, taseqite, along with heterophyllosilicates, may play a role of strontium concentrator in agpaitic pegmatites.

The limnology and biology of the Dufek Massif, Transantarctic Mountains 82° South

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hodgson, Dominic A.; Convey, Peter; Verleyen, Elie; Vyverman, Wim; McInnes, Sandra J.; Sands, Chester J.; Fernández-Carazo, Rafael; Wilmotte, Annick; De Wever, Aaike; Peeters, Karolien; Tavernier, Ines; Willems, Anne

2010-08-01

Very little is known about the higher latitude inland biology of continental Antarctica. In this paper we describe the limnology and biology of the Dufek Massif, using a range of observational, microscopic and molecular methods. Here two dry valleys are home to some of the southernmost biota on Earth. Cyanobacteria were the dominant life forms, being found in lakes and ponds, in hypersaline brines, summer melt water, relict pond beds and in exposed terrestrial habitats. Their species diversity was the lowest yet observed in Antarctic lakes. Green algae, cercozoa and bacteria were present, but diatoms were absent except for a single valve; likely windblown. Mosses were absent and only one lichen specimen was found. The Metazoa included three microbivorous tardigrades ( Acutuncus antarcticus, Diphascon sanae and Echiniscus (cf) pseudowendti) and bdelloid rotifer species, but no arthropods or nematodes. These simple faunal and floral communities are missing most of the elements normally present at lower latitudes in the Antarctic which is probably a result of the very harsh environmental conditions in the area.

Terraranans of the Lost World: a new species of Pristimantis (Amphibia, Craugastoridae) from Abakapá-tepui in the Chimantá massif, Venezuelan Guayana, and additions to the knowledge of P. muchimuk.

PubMed

Rojas-Runjaic, Fernando J M; Salerno, Patricia E; Señaris, J Celsa; Pauly, Gregory B

2013-01-01

A new frog of the genus Pristimantis is named and described from the summit of Abakapá-tepui in the Chimantd massif, south-eastern Venezuela. The new species is known from two adult specimens and is the second craugastorid species described from this massif. It can be readily distinguished from all congeners inhabiting the highlands of the Guiana Shield by the unique combination of the following characters: dorsal skin shagreen and ventral skin coarsely areolate, tympanum small and ill-defined, vocal slits absent in males, finger I shorter than II, thumbs with two whitish and non-spinous nuptial pads in adult males, fingers and toes with broad lateral fringes, basal webbing between all toes, throat and chest nacreous white in life. Also, based on five specimens of Pristimantis muchimuk recently collected from Churi-tepui, we provide new information on this little known species, including an amended diagnosis, notes on morphology, color variation, advertisement calls, and natural history.

Linking microcracks and mineral zoning of detachment-exhumed granites to their tectonomagmatic history: Evidence from the Salihli and Turgutlu plutons in western Turkey (Menderes Massif)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Catlos, Elizabeth J.; Baker, Courteney B.; Sorensen, Sorena S.; Jacob, Lauren; Çemen, Ibrahim

2011-05-01

The Menderes Massif (western Turkey) is a metamorphic core complex that displays linked syntectonic plutonism and detachment faulting. Fabrics in S-type peraluminous granites (Salihli and Turgutlu) in the detachment (Alaşehir) footwall change from isotropic to protomylonitic to mylonitic towards the structure. Samples from the isotropic and protomylonitic zones were imaged in transmitted light, cathodoluminescence (CL), backscattered (BSE), and secondary electrons (SE), and show that these rocks contain abundant microcracks, and that plagioclase grains have zoning consistent with magma mixing. The granites contain fluid inclusion planes (FIPs), myrmekite replacing plagioclase, and the removal of blue luminescence in K-feldspar along microcracks and grain boundaries. Calcite and hydrous minerals commonly fill microcracks. The samples record features that formed due to (1) magma crystallization and ductile deformation (FIPs, mineral zoning), (2) changes in P and/or T (impingement and stress-induced microcracks in protomylonitic rocks), and (3) differences in intrinsic mineral properties (radial, cleavage, blunted, and deflected microcracks). Overprinted microcracks indicate exhumation during pulses. The Middle Miocene ages of these granites reported elsewhere are similar to those from large-scale extensional structures in Greece's Cycladic Massif. The Menderes and Cycladic core complexes may have developed simultaneously due to the widespread intrusion of subduction-related granitoids.

Streamlined Islands in Ares Valles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

(Released 10 June 2002) The Science Although liquid water is not stable on the surface of Mars today, there is substantial geologic evidence that large quantities of water once flowed across the surface in the distant past. Streamlined islands, shown here, are one piece of evidence for this ancient water. The tremendous force of moving water, possibly from a catastrophic flood, carved these teardrop-shaped islands within a much larger channel called Ares Valles. The orientation of the islands can be used as an indicator of the direction the water flowed. The islands have a blunt end that is usually associated with an obstacle, commonly an impact crater. The crater is resistant to erosion and creates a geologic barrier around which the water must flow. As the water flows past the obstacle, its erosive power is directed outward, leaving the area in the lee of the obstacle relatively uneroded. However, some scientists have also argued that the area in the lee of the obstacle might be a depositional zone, where material is dropped out of the water as it briefly slows. The ridges observed on the high-standing terrain in the leeward parts of the islands may be benches carved into the rock that mark the height of the water at various times during the flood, or they might be indicative of layering in the leeward rock. As the water makes its way downstream, the interference of the water flow by the obstacle is reduced, and the water that was diverted around the obstacle rejoins itself at the narrow end of the island. Therefore, the direction of the water flow is parallel to the orientation of the island, and the narrow end of the island points downstream. In addition to the streamlined islands, the channel floor exhibits fluting that is also suggestive of flowing water. The flutes (also known as longitudinal grooves) are also parallel to the direction of flow, indicating that the water flow was turbulent and probably quite fast, which is consistent with the hypothesized

Zircon-pyrochlore ores of Proterozoic Gremyakha-Vyrmes polyphase massif, Kola Peninsula: source and evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sorokhtina, Natalia; Belyatsky, Boris; Antonov, Anton; Kononkova, Natalia; Lepekhina, Elena; Kogarko, Lia

2017-04-01

The alkaline-ultrabasic Gremyakha-Vyrmes massif occurs within the Central Kola terrane in the northern part of the Fennoscandian Shield and consists of diverse rock complexes: basic-ultrabasic rocks, foidolites, alkaline metasomatic rocks and carbonatites, alkaline granites and granosyenites. Nb-Zr ore deposit is confined to alkaline metasomatic rocks developed over foidolites. The metasomatites are represented by albitites and aegirinites occur as submeridionally orientated zones extending up to 6-8 km and several hundred meters thickness. They are mainly composed of albite and aegirine, but amphibole, annite, microcline, fluorapatite, titanite, ilmenite, pyrochlore group minerals, zircon are present [Sorokhtina et al., 2016]. Carbonatites are developed sporadically and accessory zircon but not the pyrochlore is observed only in contact zones with albitites and aegerinites. In metasomatites, zircon and pyrochlore are main rare metal minerals, which are formed at the latest stages of crystallization. Ca-dominant fluorcalcio- and hydroxycalciopyrochlores are the most abundant, whereas U-dominant pyrochlore, oxyuranobetafite, zero-valent-dominant (Ba, Sr-dominant) pyrochlore, hydro- or kenopyrochlore are rare. The pyrochlore-group minerals form heterogeneous metacrystals containing inclusions of host rock minerals, calcite, ilmenite, zircon, sulfides, and graphite. While pyrochlore is replaced by Si-rich "pyrochlore" (SiO2 is up to 18 wt.%.), cation-deficient hydrated pyrochlore, Fe-Si-Nb, U-Si-Nb, and Al-Si-Nb phases along fracture zones and margins. The early generation zircon is represented by large heterogeneous metacrystals filled with inclusions of various host rock minerals, calcite, ilmenite, thorite, thorianite and sulfides, while the late zircons are empty of inclusions. Zircons are nearly stoichiometric in composition; but intermediate zones are enriched in Pb, Y and Th, and overgrowths are enriched Hf only. According to CL and ion-microprobe analysis

High frequency measurement of P- and S-wave velocities on crystalline rock massif surface - methodology of measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vilhelm, Jan; Slavík, Lubomír

2014-05-01

For the purpose of non-destructive monitoring of rock properties in the underground excavation it is possible to perform repeated high-accuracy P- and S-wave velocity measurements. This contribution deals with preliminary results gained during the preparation of micro-seismic long-term monitoring system. The field velocity measurements were made by pulse-transmission technique directly on the rock outcrop (granite) in Bedrichov gallery (northern Bohemia). The gallery at the experimental site was excavated using TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) and it is used for drinking water supply, which is conveyed in a pipe. The stable measuring system and its automatic operation lead to the use of piezoceramic transducers both as a seismic source and as a receiver. The length of measuring base at gallery wall was from 0.5 to 3 meters. Different transducer coupling possibilities were tested namely with regard of repeatability of velocity determination. The arrangement of measuring system on the surface of the rock massif causes better sensitivity of S-transducers for P-wave measurement compared with the P-transducers. Similarly P-transducers were found more suitable for S-wave velocity determination then P-transducers. The frequency dependent attenuation of fresh rock massif results in limited frequency content of registered seismic signals. It was found that at the distance between the seismic source and receiver from 0.5 m the frequency components above 40 kHz are significantly attenuated. Therefore for the excitation of seismic wave 100 kHz transducers are most suitable. The limited frequency range should be also taken into account for the shape of electric impulse used for exciting of piezoceramic transducer. The spike pulse generates broad-band seismic signal, short in the time domain. However its energy after low-pass filtration in the rock is significantly lower than the energy of seismic signal generated by square wave pulse. Acknowledgments: This work was partially

Incidence of mass movement processes after an historical episode of heavy snowfall in the Asturian Massif (Northern Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia-Hernandez, Cristina; Ruiz-Fernández, Jesús; Gallinar, David

2015-04-01

This research examines a mass movement event caused in the context of the Great Blizzard of 1888, one of the most severe recorded blizzards in the history of Europe, whose implications go far beyond. In the Asturian Massif the episode consisted in four linked and consecutive snowstorms that took place between the 14th of February 1888 and the 8th of April 1888, creating snow covers with a depth ranging between 5 and 7 m, snow avalanches and flooding, causing dozens of deaths and large material damage. The Asturian Massif belongs to the Atlantic-climate area and is composed mainly by sedimentary and metamorphic paleozoic rocks. Many sectors of the Massif are between 1.000 and 2.000 m a.s.l., and its topography is characterized by a great height difference and steep slopes. Because of the lack of deep soils suitable for farming, the main traditional activity has been livestock keeping, and goods traffic. We have devised a method that enables the reconstruction of this event on the basis of nivo-meteorogical conditions, geographical location and socio-economic impact. The mass movement episode has been studied through the issues of 6 newspapers published in Asturias between the 20th of January and 30th of May 1888, the ancient meteorological station data of the University of Oviedo, and field work. A logical database structure has been designed with the aim to store and cross the information for statistical analysis. Thirty six mass movement worthy of consideration were documented, 28 of them causing material damage (six homes destroyed and at least 22 interruptions with the traffic flow on roads, highways and railways). Ten high- and mid-elevation mountain municipalities were affected by mass movement. We must consider that only the most important events, or those that happened in crowded places, have been considered by the newspapers, so the total number of mass movements should be considered as a minimum figure. We have got to identify and classify 27 of them; 16

Unravelling the effects of melt depletion and secondary infiltration on mantle Re-Os isotopes beneath the French Massif Central

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harvey, J.; Gannoun, A.; Burton, K. W.; Schiano, P.; Rogers, N. W.; Alard, O.

2010-01-01

Spinel lherzolite xenoliths from Mont Briançon, French Massif Central, retain evidence for multiple episodes of melt depletion and melt/fluid infiltration (metasomatism). Evidence for primary melt depletion is still preserved in the co-variation of bulk-rock major elements (MgO 38.7-46.1 wt.%; CaO 0.9-3.6 wt.%), and many samples yield unradiogenic bulk-rock Os isotope ratios ( 187Os/ 188Os = 0.11541-0.12626). However, many individual xenoliths contain interstitial glasses and melt inclusions that are not in equilibrium with the major primary minerals. Incompatible trace element mass balance calculations demonstrate that metasomatic components comprise a significant proportion of the bulk-rock budget for these elements in some rocks, ranging to as much as 25% of Nd and 40% of Sr Critically, for Re-Os geochronology, melt/fluid infiltration is accompanied by the mobilisation of sulfide. Consequently, bulk-rock isotope measurements, whether using lithophile (e.g. Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd) or siderophile (Re-Os) based isotope systems, may only yield a perturbed and/or homogenised average of these multiple events. Osmium mass balance calculations demonstrate that bulk-rock Os in peridotite is dominated by contributions from two populations of sulfide grain: (i) interstitial, metasomatic sulfide with low [Os] and radiogenic 187Os/ 188Os, and (ii) primary sulfides with high [Os] and unradiogenic 187Os/ 188Os, which have been preserved within host silicate grains and shielded from interaction with transient melts and fluid. The latter can account for >97% of bulk-rock Os and preserve geochronological information of the melt from which they originally precipitated as an immiscible liquid. The Re-depletion model ages of individual primary sulfide grains preserve evidence for melt depletion beneath the Massif Central from at least 1.8 Gyr ago despite the more recent metasomatic event(s).

Ares Valles: Night and Day

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

[figure removed for brevity, see original site]

Released 15 June 2004 This pair of images shows part of the Ares Valles region.

Day/Night Infrared Pairs

The image pairs presented focus on a single surface feature as seen in both the daytime and nighttime by the infrared THEMIS camera. The nighttime image (right) has been rotated 180 degrees to place north at the top.

Infrared image interpretation

Daytime: Infrared images taken during the daytime exhibit both the morphological and thermophysical properties of the surface of Mars. Morphologic details are visible due to the effect of sun-facing slopes receiving more energy than antisun-facing slopes. This creates a warm (bright) slope and cool (dark) slope appearance that mimics the light and shadows of a visible wavelength image. Thermophysical properties are seen in that dust heats up more quickly than rocks. Thus dusty areas are bright and rocky areas are dark.

Nighttime: Infrared images taken during the nighttime exhibit only the thermophysical properties of the surface of Mars. The effect of sun-facing versus non-sun-facing energy dissipates quickly at night. Thermophysical effects dominate as different surfaces cool at different rates through the nighttime hours. Rocks cool slowly, and are therefore relatively bright at night (remember that rocks are dark during the day). Dust and other fine grained materials cool very quickly and are dark in nighttime infrared images.

Image information: IR instrument. Latitude 3.6, Longitude 339.9 East (20.1 West). 100 meter/pixel resolution.

Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released

Platinum potential of mafic-ultramafic massifs in the western part of the Dambuka ore district (Upper Amur Region, Russia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melnikov, A. V.; Stepanov, V. A.; Moiseenko, V. G.

2016-02-01

New data on the Pt potential of mafic-ultramafic massifs of the Khani-Maya, Uldegit, and Dzhalta complexes in the western part of the Dambuka ore district are discussed. The Khani-Maya Complex is represented by metamorphosed gabbro, gabbronorites, gabbro anorthosites, subordinate pyroxenites, hornblendites, and peridotites. The Uldegit Complex is composed of pyroxenites, hornblendites, gabbro, gabbronorites, norites, troctolites, peridotites, dunites, actinolite-tremolites, serpentinites, anthophyllites, and tremolite-plagioclase rocks. The Dzhalta Complex is formed of peridotites, gabbro, eclogitized gabbro, hornblendites, cortlandites, and pyroxenites. All these complexes differ from each other by the concentrations of Ni, Cu, Co, Au, and platinoids depending on the composition of the constituting rocks and the presence of sulfide minerals.

Auqakuh Valles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

(Released 7 June 2002) The Science This ancient sinuous river channel, located near 30o N, 299o W (61o E), was likely carved by water early in Mars history. Auqakuh Valles cuts through a remarkable series of rock layers that were deposited and then subsequently eroded. This change from conditions favoring deposition to those favoring erosion indicates that the environment of this region has changed significantly over time. In addition, the different rock layers seen in this image vary in hardness, with some being relatively soft and easily eroded, whereas others are harder and resistant. These differences imply that these layers vary in their composition, physical properties, and/or degree of cementation, and again suggest that major changes have occurred during the history of this region. Similar differences occur throughout the southwest U.S., where hard rock layers, such as the limestones and sandstones in the Grand Canyon, form resistant cliffs, whereas softer mudstones are easily eroded to form broad slopes. The Martian layers, such as the smooth, dark-toned mesas visible in numerous places to the right (east) of the channel, were once continuous across the region. As these layers have eroded, they have produced a wide array of textures, from smooth surfaces, to knobby terrains, to the unusual lobate patterns seen in the upper right of the image. The most recent activity in the region appears to be the formation of mega-ripples by the wind. These ripples, spaced approximately 75 m apart, form perpendicular to the wind direction, and can be seen following the pattern of the channel floor as it curves through this region. This pattern shows that even this relatively small channel, which varies in width from about 500 to 750 m throughout this image, acts to funnel the wind down the channel. The Story Auqakuh Vallis, an ancient river channel that winds its way down the center of this image, is the 'fossil' remains of an earlier, probably more watery time in

Crustal melting during subduction at mantle depth: anatomy of near-UHP nanogranites (Orlica-Śnieżnik Dome, Bohemian Massif)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferrero, Silvio; Ziemann, Martin; Walczak, Katarzyna; Wunder, Bernd; O'Brien, Patrick J.; Hecht, Lutz

2015-04-01

Small volumes (≤ 50µm) of hydrous melt were trapped as primary inclusions in peritectic garnets during partial melting of metagranitoids from the Orlica-Śnieżnik Dome (Bohemian Massif) at mantle depth [1]. Detailed microstructural/microchemical investigation confirmed the occurrence of a granitic assemblage (biotite+feldspars+quartz) in every investigated inclusion, i.e they are nanogranites [2]. MicroRaman mapping of unexposed inclusions showed the occurrence of residual, H2O-rich glass in interstitial position. Despite the oddity of this finding within a classic regional HP/HT terrain, an incomplete crystallization of the melt inclusions (MI) is consistent with the (relatively) rapid exhumation of the Orlica-Śnieżnik Dome proposed by some authors [e.g. 3]. Moreover glassy and partially crystallized MI have been already reported in lower-P (<1 GPa) migmatites [4]. MicroRaman investigation also showed the possible presence of kumdykolite, a high-temperature polymorph of albite reported in UHP rocks from the Kokchetav Massif as well as the Bohemian massif ([5] and references therein). Experimental re-homogenization of nanogranites was achieved using a piston cylinder apparatus at 2.7 GPa and 875°C under dry conditions, in order to investigate melt composition and H2O content with in situ techniques. The trapped melt is granitic, hydrous (6 wt% H2O) and metaluminous (ASI=1.03), and it is similar to those produced experimentally from crustal lithologies at mantle conditions. Re-homogenization conditions are consistent with the results of geothermobarometric calculations on the host rock, suggesting that no H2O loss occurred during exhumation - this would have caused a shift of the inclusion melting T toward higher values. Coupled with the absence of H2O-loss microstructural evidence, e.g. decrepitation cracks and/or vesciculation [4] in re-homogenized nanogranites, this evidence suggests that the nanogranites still preserves the original H2O content of the

The rockfall observatory in the Reintal, Wetterstein Massif, German Alps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schöpa, Anne; Turowski, Jens M.; Hovius, Niels

2017-04-01

The Reintal is an Alpine valley in the Wetterstein Massif close to the Zugspitze, Germany's highest mountain. Due to the variety of active geomorphic processes, including rockfalls off the steep limestone cliffs, debris flows, and snow avalanches, and the river Partnach, the Reintal has been the field area of many geomorphological and hydrological research campaigns over the last few decades. In 2014, the Geomorphology Section of the GFZ Potsdam started to install a monitoring network to detect and classify rockfalls in the Reintal. The network includes six seismic stations, optical and infrared cameras, and two weather stations measuring air and rock temperature, air pressure and relative humidity, precipitation, wind speed and direction, and solar radiation. The continuous observations of the network are supplemented by repeated field campaigns including terrestrial laser scans of a prominent rockfall niche at the Hochwanner mountain. The about 1,500 m high north face of the Hochwanner experienced the detachment of a 2.8 Mio m3 rockfall about 500 years ago that created the so-called Steingerümpel (German for rock debris deposit) and dammed the river Partnach. The cliff still shows high rockfall activity, and an 80,000 m3 block can be expected to fall in the near future. In this contribution, the layout of the observatory and details of the seismic network centered around the Hochwanner north face are described. Furthermore, the network data of a severe thunderstorm event in June 2016, that triggered many rockfalls and debris flows in the Reintal, is presented.

Lower Brioverian formations (Upper Proterozoic) of the Armorican Massif (France): geodynamic evolution of source areas revealed by sandstone petrography and geochemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dabard, Marie Pierre

1990-11-01

Formations with interbedded cherts constitute an important part of the Lower Brioverian succession (Upper Proterozoic age) in the Armorican Massif (northwest France). These formations are composed of shale-sandstone alternations with interbedded siliceous carbonaceous members. Petrographic and geochemical study of the detrital facies shows that these rocks are compositionally immature. The wackes are rich in lithic fragments (volcanic fragments: 3-20% modal; sedimentary and metamorphic fragments: 0-7% modal) and in feldspar (5-16%). From the geochemical point of view, they are relatively enriched in Fe 2+MgO (about 5.5%) and in alkalis with {Na 2O }/{K 2O } ratios greater than 1. The CaO contents are low (about 0.3%). Slightly negative Eu anomalies are observed ( {Eu}/{Eu ∗} = 0.8 ). Their chemical compositions are in agreement with a dominantly acidic source area with deposition in a continental active margin setting. Compared with other Upper Proterozoic deposits of the Armorican Massif, the interbedded-chert formations appear rather similar to other deposits in North Brittany which accumulated in an intra-arc or back-arc basin environment. The formations with interbedded cherts are interpreted as having been deposited during an early stage of magmatic arc activity (around 640-630 Ma ago) in an immature marginal basin. The clastic supply to these formations is derived in part from early volcanic products (acidic to intermediate) which are linked to subduction beneath the North Armorican Domain. Another component is inherited from the reworking of 2000 Ma old basement relics. The opening of the back-arc domain, with associated basaltic volcanism, would bring about a progressive displacement of the interbedded-chert depositional basin towards the continental margin.

First findings of monocrystalline aragonite inclusions in garnet from diamond-grade UHPM rocks (Kokchetav Massif, Northern Kazakhstan).

PubMed

Korsakov, Andrey V; Vandenabeele, Peter; Perraki, Maria; Moens, Luc

2011-10-01

The presence of aragonite inclusions in garnet from diamond-grade metamorphic rocks from the Kokchetav Massif, Northern Kazakhstan was identified for the first time by means of Raman analyses and mapping. Aragonite appears within the inclusions up to 50 μm in size as a single crystal. These inclusions have rounded shape. The grain boundary between the host-garnet is smooth. No cracks occur around the aragonite inclusions. No significant shift in the main aragonite Raman band was measured. These observations indicate that residual pressure within the inclusion is minor. These findings imply either non-UHPM origin of the host garnet or significant plastic deformation of host minerals during retrograde stage. These features should be taken into account for recovery peak metamorphic conditions and modeling of exhumation processes of UHPM complexes. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Alleret Maar lacustrine sequence (French Massif Central): a 150 ka long early-middle Pleistocene continental paleoenvironmental record.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nomade, S.; Pastre, J.; Guillou, H.; Gauthier, A.; Scaillet, S.

2008-12-01

Lacustrine maar sequences of the French Massif Central are of great interest for paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental reconstructions of mid-latitudes Quaternary continental environments. In particular, the western Velay region yields exceptional sequences spanning the last 450 ka (Reille et al., J. Quat. Sci. 2000). However, older sequences remain largely unknown despite the presence of interbedded alkaline tephras allowing precise absolute radiochronological control of many lacustrine squences. The Alleret maar is a 1500 m wide phreatomagmatic crater that provides a long lacustrine sequence (41 m). The upper part of this sequence (AL2 core, 14.6 m) was studied between 2005 and 2006 (Pastre et al., C. R. Acad Sci, 2007). A 39Ar/40Ar date (557 ± 5ka) obtained from an interbedded tephra layer located at 7m as well as the associated pollen data attribute the beginning of this sequence to the MIS 15. Thanks to the AL3 core recovered in 2005 (40.6 m, CNRS Meudon) several new tephra layers were discovered in the bottom part of this lacustrine sequence. Three new 39Ar/40Ar ages (single crystal analyses) from trachytic tephra layers were obtained at the LSCE Argon Laboratory (France). These layers are located at -30.2, -36.2 and -39.2m. Ages obtained relative to the ACR-2 flux standard (1,201Ma, Kuiper et al., Science, 2008) range from 692 ± 6 ka (MSWD: 2.3, n=18) for the youngest (-30.2m) to 726 ± 9Ka Ka (MSWD: 2.2, n=12) for the lowest tephra located at -39.2m. These new dates indicate a relatively homogeneous deposition rate of 3.5cm/ka and that the last 10 meters cover the MIS 17-MIS18 period. According to these current radiochronological data the complete lacustrine sequence last more than 150ka. Ongoing sedimentary and pollen studies will allow to extend the paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic records of the French Massif Central towards the beginning of the early middle Pleistocene.

Can Pallars i Llobateres: A new hominoid-bearing locality from the late Miocene of the Vallès-Penedès Basin (NE Iberian Peninsula).

PubMed

Alba, David M; Casanovas-Vilar, Isaac; Furió, Marc; García-Paredes, Israel; Angelone, Chiara; Jovells-Vaqué, Sílvia; Luján, Àngel H; Almécija, Sergio; Moyà-Solà, Salvador

2018-05-18

In the Iberian Peninsula, Miocene apes (Hominoidea) are generally rare and mostly restricted to the Vallès-Penedès Basin. Here we report a new hominoid maxillary fragment with M 2 from this basin. It was surface-collected in March 2017 from the site of Can Pallars i Llobateres (CPL, Sant Quirze del Vallès), where fossil apes had not been previously recorded. The locality of provenance (CPL-M), which has delivered no further fossil remains, is located very close (ca. 50 m) to previously known CPL outcrops, and not very far (ca. 500 m in NW direction) from the classical hominoid-bearing locality of Can Poncic 1. Here we describe the new fossil and, based on the size and proportions of the M 2 , justify its taxonomic attribution to Hispanopithecus cf. laietanus, a species previously recorded from several Vallesian sites of the Vallès-Penedès Basin. Based on the associated mammalian fauna from CPL, we also provide a biochronological dating and a paleoenvironmental reconstruction for the site. The associated fauna enables an unambiguous correlation to the Cricetulodon hartenbergeri - Progonomys hispanicus interval local subzone, with an estimated age of 9.98-9.73 Ma (late Vallesian, MN10). Therefore, CPL-M is roughly coeval with the Hispanopithecus laietanus-bearing localities of Can Llobateres 1 and Can Feu 1, and minimally older than those of La Tarumba 1 and Can Llobateres 2. In contrast, CPL-M is younger than the early Vallesian (MN9) localities of Can Poncic 1 (the type locality of Hispanopithecus crusafonti) as well as Polinyà 2 (Gabarró) and Estació Depuradora d'Aigües Residuals-Riu Ripoll 13, where Hispanopithecus sp. is recorded. The associated fauna from CPL indicates a densely forested and humid paleoenvironment with nearby freshwater. This supports the view that Hispanopithecus might have been restricted to dense wetland forests soon before its extinction during the late Vallesian, due to progressive climatic deterioration. Coupled with the

Traditional alcoholic beverages and their value in the local culture of the Alta Valle del Reno, a mountain borderland between Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna (Italy).

PubMed

Egea, Teresa; Signorini, Maria Adele; Ongaro, Luca; Rivera, Diego; Obón de Castro, Concepción; Bruschi, Piero

2016-06-22

Traditional alcoholic beverages (TABs) have only received marginal attention from researchers and ethnobotanists so far, especially in Italy. This work is focused on plant-based TABs in the Alta Valle del Reno, a mountainous area on the border between Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna regions. The aims of our study were to document local knowledge about TABs and to analyze and discuss the distribution of related knowledge within the investigated communities. Field data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The relative importance of each plant species used to prepare TABs was assessed by calculating a general Use Value Index (UV general), a current UV (UV current) and a past UV (UV past). We also assessed personal experience of use by calculating effective and potential UV (UV effective, UV potential). A multivariate analysis was performed to compare ingredients in recipes recorded in the Alta Valle del Reno with those reported for neighboring areas. Forty-six plant species, belonging to 20 families, were recorded. Rosaceae was the most significant family (98 citations, 19 species), followed by Rutaceae (15, 3) and Lamiaceae (12, 4). The most important species was Prunus cerasus L. (UV general = 0.44), followed by Juglans regia L. (0.38), Rubus idaeus L. (0.27) and Prunus spinosa L. (0.22). Species with the highest UV current were Juglans regia (0.254), Prunus cerasus (0.238) and Citrus limon L. (0.159). The highest UV effective values were obtained by Prunus cerasus (0.413), Juglans regia (0.254), Rubus idaeus (0.222) and Citrus limon (0.206). We also discuss the results of the multivariate analysis. TABs proved to occupy an important place in the traditional culture and social life of the studied communities. Moreover, data highlight the local specificity and richness of this kind of tradition in the Alta Valle del Reno, compared to other Italian areas. Some plant ingredients used for TABs have potential nutraceutical and even therapeutic properties

Electrical Resistivity Structure of the Valles Caldera, New Mexico, USA: Results From 3D Inversion of Modern and Legacy Magnetotelluric Data Collected by Industry and the Summer of Applied Geophysical Experience (SAGE).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feucht, D. W.; Bedrosian, P.; Jiracek, G. R.; Pellerin, L.; Nettleton, C. E.

2017-12-01

The Valles caldera, in north-central New Mexico, USA, is a 20-km wide topographic depression in the Jemez Mountains volcanic complex that formed during two massive ignimbrite eruptions 1.65 and 1.26 Ma. Post-collapse volcanic activity in the caldera includes the rise of a 1 km high resurgent dome, periodic eruptions of the Valles rhyolite along ring fractures, and the presence of a geothermal reservoir beneath the western caldera with temperatures in excess of 300°C at a mere 2 km depth. We present an electrical resistivity model of the upper crust from three-dimensional (3D) inversion of broadband (100 Hz to 600 s) magnetotelluric (MT) data collected in and around the Valles caldera. The Summer of Applied Geophysical Experience (SAGE) has been acquiring geophysical data in the northern Rio Grande rift for more than three decades (1983-2017). Included in that vast dataset are over 60 broadband magnetotelluric soundings that have recently been cataloged, geo-located, and digitized for use in modern geophysical processing and modeling. The resistivity models presented here were produced by inverting a subset of SAGE MT data along with 30 broadband MT soundings acquired by the Unocal Corporation in 1983 for geothermal exploration of the caldera. We use the 3D inversion algorithm ModEM (Egbert and Kelbert, 2012) to invert full impedance tensors and tipper functions from >30 MT stations for the electrical resistivity structure beneath the caldera. Our preferred model reveals the geometry and electrical properties of (1) the conductive caldera fill, (2) the resistive crystalline basement, and (3) an enigmatic mid-crustal conductor related to magmatic activity that post-dates caldera formation.

New bulk and in situ isotopic and elemental geochemistry of shallow drill core from Atlantis Massif: insights into the sources and paths of fluids and clasts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bilenker, L.; Weis, D.; Scoates, J. S.

2017-12-01

We present stable Fe and radiogenic isotope and complementary trace element data for samples from Atlantis Massif. This oceanic core complex is located at 30°N where the Atlantis Transform Fault intersects the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) and is associated with the Lost City Hydrothermal Field (LCHF). It is a unique place to investigate the abiotic and biotic geochemical processes that play a role in the alteration of both crustal and mantle seafloor rocks. The samples analyzed represent a shallow (<15 m) survey of five drill sites (IODP Expedition 357) within Atlantis Massif, varying in distance from the LCHF and MAR. Analyses were performed on a sample set spanning a wide range in degree of alteration and lithology. Bulk measurements involved dissolving whole rock powders, whereas in situ analyses were performed on digested microdrilled samples or by laser ablation. Bulk rock Fe isotope values (n = 34) are correlated with loss-on-ignition (LOI) by sample lithology and location relative to LCHF. Using LOI as a proxy for degree of alteration, this observation indicates that the Fe isotope systematics of seafloor crustal and mantle rocks preserve indicators of fluid flow and source. The Hf and Nd isotope compositions for various lithologies form all analyzed sites are homogeneous, indicating minimal alteration of these isotopic systems. Bulk Sr values provide insight into elemental exchange between seawater and the surface of Atlantis Massif and bulk Pb isotopes allow for fingerprinting of the source of basalt breccias through comparison with published Pb isotope values of MAR basalts. The new results cluster around the Pb, Hf, Nd isotopic composition of mid-ocean ridge basalt from 30.68°N and do not match samples north or south of that location. In situ Fe isotope data within three altered samples reflect varying degrees of hydrothermal and seawater interaction, where the Fe isotope ratios within each sample are likely correlated with extent of exchange or redox

Garnet from diamondiferous metamorphic rocks of Kokchetav massif, Kazakhstan as a peak pressure recorder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sobolev, N. V.; Palyanov, Y. N.; Shatsky, V. S.; Sokol, A. G.; Tomilenko, A. A.

2003-12-01

Garnet is a key mineral coexisting with diamond both in kimberlite (as xenocrysts, in diamondiferous garnet peridotites and eclogites, as inclusions in diamond) and in UHP metamorphic rocks of Kokchetav massif (diamondiferous gneisses, garnet-pyroxene rocks, dolomitic marbles and diamond facies eclogites). In UHPM rocks garnets are of particular importance as inclusions in zircons protected from retrograde metamorphism. Diamond formation conditions in eclogitic (E-type) upper mantle environment are estimated based upon Grt-Cpx thermometry and coesite barometry (e.g. Sobolev et al., PNAS, 2000, 97:11875) at P=5.5-6.0 GPa and T=1000-1300° C. These data are supported by diamond synthesis in carbonate-silicate fluid (e.g. Palyanov et al., Nature, 1999, 400: 417). E-type garnet may dissolve up to 0.3 wt.% Na2O (Sobolev, Lavrentyev, Contr. Min. Petr., 1971, 31:1) depending on pressure and Na2O contents in coexisting pyroxene and melts (fluids). Majorite component (pyroxene solid solution) was reported in rare garnets from diamonds (e.g. Moore, Gurney, Nature, 1985, 318:553) and UHP conditions were experimentally confirmed for such garnets (Irifune, Phys. Eart. Pl. Int., 1987, 45:324; Gasparik, Phys. Chem. Min., 2002, 29:170; Luth, Am. Miner., 1997, 82:1198). Garnets from Kokchetav diamondiferous metamorphic rocks demonstrate considerably lower Na2O solubility (up to 0.2 wt.% in rare samples) and absence of majorite component. However, coexisting pyroxenes may contain up to 50 mol.% jadeite. Several UHP experiments performed with Kokchetav eclogites and dolomitic marbles using a split-sphere apparatus resulted in detection of up to 0.3-0.4 wt.% Na2O in newly formed eclogitic garnets at P=5.7 and 7.0 GPa, T=1400 and 1700° C respectively. Majorite component was also determined in newly formed garnets reaching about 5% with Si (pfu)=3.05-3.06. Similar garnets without Na2O were also obtained in UHP experiments with diamondiferous dolomitic marbles (e.g. Palyanov et al

The Layer Cake Walls of Valles Marineris

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2007-01-01

This image of the northern wall of Coprates Chasma, in Valles Marineris, was taken by the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) at 1227 UTC (8:27 a.m. EDT) on June 16, 2007, near 13.99 degrees south latitude, 303.09 degrees east longitude. CRISM's image was taken in 544 colors covering 0.36-3.92 micrometers, and shows features as small as 20 meters (66 feet) across. The region covered is just over 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) wide at its narrowest point.

Valles Marineris is a large canyon system straddling Mars' equator, with a total size approximating the Mediterranean Sea emptied of water. It is subdivided into several interconnected 'chasmata' each hundreds of kilometers wide and, in some cases, thousands of kilometers long. The walls of several of the chasmata, including Coprates Chasma, expose a section of Mars' upper crust about 5 kilometers (3 miles) in depth. Exposures like these show the layers of rock that record the formation of Mars' crust over geologic time, much as the walls of the Grand Canyon on Earth show part of our planet's history.

The upper panel of this montage shows the location of the CRISM image on a mosaic from the Mars Odyssey spacecraft's Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS), taken in longer infrared wavelengths than measured by CRISM. The CRISM image samples the base of Coprates Chasma's wall, including a conspicuous horizontal band that continues along the wall for tens of kilometers to the east and west, and a topographic shelf just above that.

The middle two panels show the CRISM image in visible and infrared light. In the middle left panel, the red, green, and blue image planes show brightness at 0.59, 0.53, and 0.48 microns, similar to what the human eye would see. Color variations are subdued by the presence of dust on all exposed surfaces. In the middle right panel, the red, green, and blue image planes show brightness at 2.53, 1.51, and 1.08 microns. These three infrared wavelengths

A geostatistical methodology for the optimal design of space-time hydraulic head monitoring networks and its application to the Valle de Querétaro aquifer.

PubMed

Júnez-Ferreira, H E; Herrera, G S

2013-04-01

This paper presents a new methodology for the optimal design of space-time hydraulic head monitoring networks and its application to the Valle de Querétaro aquifer in Mexico. The selection of the space-time monitoring points is done using a static Kalman filter combined with a sequential optimization method. The Kalman filter requires as input a space-time covariance matrix, which is derived from a geostatistical analysis. A sequential optimization method that selects the space-time point that minimizes a function of the variance, in each step, is used. We demonstrate the methodology applying it to the redesign of the hydraulic head monitoring network of the Valle de Querétaro aquifer with the objective of selecting from a set of monitoring positions and times, those that minimize the spatiotemporal redundancy. The database for the geostatistical space-time analysis corresponds to information of 273 wells located within the aquifer for the period 1970-2007. A total of 1,435 hydraulic head data were used to construct the experimental space-time variogram. The results show that from the existing monitoring program that consists of 418 space-time monitoring points, only 178 are not redundant. The implied reduction of monitoring costs was possible because the proposed method is successful in propagating information in space and time.

Review of metamorphic and kinematic data from Internal Crystalline Massifs (Western Alps): PTt paths and exhumation history

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gasco, Ivano; Gattiglio, Marco; Borghi, Alessandro

2013-01-01

Detailed geological mapping combined with micro-structural and petrological investigation allowed to clarify the tectono-metamorphic relationships between continental and oceanic units transition in the Penninic domain of the Western Alps. The three study areas (Gressoney, Orco and Susa sections) take into consideration the same structural level across the axial metamorphic belt of the Western Italian Alps, i.e., a geological section across the Internal Crystalline Massifs vs Piedmont Zone boundary. The units outcropping in these areas can be grouped into two Tectonic Elements according to their tectono-metamorphic evolution. The Lower Tectonic Element (LTE) consists of the Internal Crystalline Massifs and the Lower Piedmont Zone (Zermatt-Saas like units), both showing well preserved eclogite facies relics. Instead, the Upper Tectonic Element (UTE) consists of the Upper Piedmont Zone (Combin like units) lacking evidence of eclogite facies relics. In the Lower Tectonic Element two main Alpine tectono-metamorphic stages were identified: M1/D1 developed under eclogite facies conditions and M2/D2 is related to the development of the regional foliation under greenschist to epidote-albite amphibolite facies conditions. In the Upper Tectonic Element the metamorphic stage M1/D1 developed under bluschist to greenschist facies conditions and M2/D2 stage under greenschist facies conditions. These two Tectonic Elements are separated by a tectonic contact of regional importance generally developed along the boundary between the Lower and the Upper Piedmont zone under greenschist facies conditions. PT data compared to geochronology indicate that the first exhumation of ICM can be explained by buoyancy forces acting along the subduction channel that occurred during the tectonic coupling between the continental and oceanic eclogite units. These buoyancy forces vanished at the base of the crust where the density difference between the subducted crustal units and the surroundings

Interactions between frugivorous bats (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) and Piper tuberculatum (Piperaceae) in a tropical dry forest in Valle del Cauca, Colombia.

PubMed

Montoya-Bustamante, Sebastián; Rojas-Díaz, Vladimir; Torres-González, Alba Marina

2016-06-01

In any ecosystem, fruits are resources that vary in time and space as well as in nutritional content. Coexistence of species from a trophic guild depends on the division and use of resources. Therefore, the organisms that depend on them as a food source, tend to show a certain degree of specialization. This way, understanding the factors that influence the dynamics of seed dispersal is important for the regeneration and conservation of tropical ecosystems. Our aim was to determine variation in consumption of Piper tuberculatum by fruit bat assemblages in the village of Robles (Jamundí, Valle del Cauca, Colombia). P. tuberculatum is a resource used not only by wildlife but also by people in the village of Robles. Bats were captured in mist nets between June and November 2014, their feces were collected, and the length of the forearm, wing area, leg length and mass were recorded. At the Universidad del Valle seed laboratory, fecal samples were washed, and their content determined. Of the 14 species captured, Sturnira lilium, Carollia brevicauda, Carollia perspicillata and Artibeus lituratus showed signs of having consumed P. tuberculatum. Sturnira lilium was the main consumer of P. tuberculatum fruits, with the greatest number of consumption events of fruit from this plant species, whereas the other bats showed more diversified consumption events. The greatest niche overlap was recorded between C. brevicauda and C. perspicillata, species that showed similar sizes (i.e., wing area and forearm length) followed by S. lilium and C. perspicillata. In contrast, A. lituratus showed the least niche overlap with the other three fruit bats captured. In conclusion, Sturnira lilium showed an interaction Sturnira-Piper, which is the result of low Solanum availability, and this bat species was the largest consumer of P. tuberculatum in the region.

Survey on gynecological cancer treatment by Piedmont, Liguria, and Valle d'Aosta group of AIRO (Italian Association of Radiation Oncology).

PubMed

Cattari, Gabriella; Delmastro, Elena; Bresciani, Sara; Gribaudo, Sergio; Melano, Antonella; Giannelli, Flavio; Tessa, Maria; Chiarlone, Renato; Scolaro, Tindaro; Krengli, Marco; Urgesi, Alessandro; Gabriele, Pietro

2016-04-01

We focused the attention on radiation therapy practices about the gynecological malignancies in Piedmont, Liguria, and Valle d'Aosta to know the current treatment practice and to improve the quality of care. We proposed a cognitive survey to evaluate the standard practice patterns for gynecological cancer management, adopted from 2012 to 2014 by radiotherapy (RT) centers with a large amount of gynecological cancer cases. There were three topics: 1. Taking care and multidisciplinary approach, 2. Radiotherapy treatment and brachytherapy, 3. Follow-up. Nineteen centers treated gynecological malignancies and 12 of these had a multidisciplinary dedicated team. Radiotherapy option has been used in all clinical setting: definitive, adjuvant, and palliative. In general, 1978 patients were treated. There were 834 brachytherapy (BRT) treatments. The fusion between diagnostic imaging (magnetic resonance imaging - MRI, positron emission tomography - PET) and computed tomography (CT) simulation was used for contouring in all centers. Conformal RT and intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) were the most frequent techniques. The image guided radiation therapy (IGRT) was used in 10/19 centers. There were 8 active BRT centers. Brachytherapy was performed both with radical intent and as boost, mostly by HDR (6/8 centers). The doses for exclusive BRT were between 20 to 30 Gy. The doses for BRT boost were between 10 and 20 Gy. Four centers used CT-MRI compatible applicators but only one used MRI for planning. The BRT plans on vaginal cuff were still performed on traditional radiographies in 2 centers. The plan sum was evaluated in only 1 center. Only 1 center performed in vivo dosimetry. In the last three years, multidisciplinary approach, contouring, treatment techniques, doses, and control systems were similar in Liguria-Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta. However, the technology implementation didn't translate in a real treatment innovation so far.

Survey on gynecological cancer treatment by Piedmont, Liguria, and Valle d'Aosta group of AIRO (Italian Association of Radiation Oncology)

PubMed Central

Cattari, Gabriella; Delmastro, Elena; Bresciani, Sara; Gribaudo, Sergio; Melano, Antonella; Giannelli, Flavio; Tessa, Maria; Chiarlone, Renato; Scolaro, Tindaro; Krengli, Marco; Urgesi, Alessandro

2016-01-01

Purpose We focused the attention on radiation therapy practices about the gynecological malignancies in Piedmont, Liguria, and Valle d'Aosta to know the current treatment practice and to improve the quality of care. Material and methods We proposed a cognitive survey to evaluate the standard practice patterns for gynecological cancer management, adopted from 2012 to 2014 by radiotherapy (RT) centers with a large amount of gynecological cancer cases. There were three topics: 1. Taking care and multidisciplinary approach, 2. Radiotherapy treatment and brachytherapy, 3. Follow-up. Results Nineteen centers treated gynecological malignancies and 12 of these had a multidisciplinary dedicated team. Radiotherapy option has been used in all clinical setting: definitive, adjuvant, and palliative. In general, 1978 patients were treated. There were 834 brachytherapy (BRT) treatments. The fusion between diagnostic imaging (magnetic resonance imaging – MRI, positron emission tomography – PET) and computed tomography (CT) simulation was used for contouring in all centers. Conformal RT and intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) were the most frequent techniques. The image guided radiation therapy (IGRT) was used in 10/19 centers. There were 8 active BRT centers. Brachytherapy was performed both with radical intent and as boost, mostly by HDR (6/8 centers). The doses for exclusive BRT were between 20 to 30 Gy. The doses for BRT boost were between 10 and 20 Gy. Four centers used CT-MRI compatible applicators but only one used MRI for planning. The BRT plans on vaginal cuff were still performed on traditional radiographies in 2 centers. The plan sum was evaluated in only 1 center. Only 1 center performed in vivo dosimetry. Conclusions In the last three years, multidisciplinary approach, contouring, treatment techniques, doses, and control systems were similar in Liguria-Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta. However, the technology implementation didn't translate in a real treatment

Characterization of Layered Deposits inside Valles Marineris

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weitz, Catherine; Anderson, Scott; Parker, Tim; Grant, John

2005-01-01

This report represents the final progress report on our study of the Melas Chasma region on Mars that was proposed as a landing site for the Mars Exploration Rover mission (MER). During this two-year proposal (which was extended over three years by a no-cost extension), we conducted a thorough study of the layered deposits in western Melas Chasma that had been the location of a high priority MER mission landing ellipse within Valles Marineris. All available data sets from orbiter missions, including MOC, MOLA, THEMIS visible and infrared images were all used to analyze this site. The major outcome of this work was a published paper in the Journal of Geophysics and Research Planets [Weitz et al., 2004]. Our geologic mapping and interpretation of the MOC images suggest the landing ellipse contains three main geomorphologic units: (1) a blocky deposit consisting of bright blocks in a darker matrix (BD); (2) sand sheets composed of dark dunes; and (3) landslide deposits emanating from the wallrock to the west [Weitz et al., 2003]. Furthermore, we propose that the morphology of the BD unit in western Melas is a mass wasting deposit composed of blocks of Interior Layered Deposits (ILDs) mixed in with wallrock material. However, more recent MOC images indicate that in the eastern portion of the ellipse and adjacent to a large hill, there are blocks of material resembling those seen in BD. Hence, we cannot rule out the source of BD was this hill. Unfortunately, sand dunes obscure much of the deposit around this hill, making it impossible to precisely determine the connection between the hill and BD, whereas BD can be traced directly to the southern Melas wallrock. If BD resulted from a mass wasting event in the southern wallrock, then we would expect the material to be concentrated further to the north, as now appears to be the case. In summary, the exact source location for BD continues to remain a mystery, but we favor an origin from either the southern wallrock [Weitz

Neutron-capture Cl-36, Ca-41, Ar-36, and Sm-150 in large chondrites: Evidence for high fluences of thermalized neutrons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bogard, D. D.; Nyquist, L. E.; Bansal, B. M.; Garrison, D. H.; Wiesmann, H.; Herzog, G. F.; Albrecht, A. A.; Vogt, S.; Klein, J.

1995-01-01

We have measured significant concentrations of Cl-36, Ca-41, Ar-36 from decay of Cl-36, and Sm-150 produced from the capture of thermalized neutrons in the large Chico L6 chondrite. Activities of Cl-36 and Ca-41, corrected for a high-energy spallogenic component and a terrestrial age of approximately 50 ka, give average neutron-capture production rates of 208 atoms/min/g-Cl and 1525 atoms/min/kg-Ca, which correspond to thermal neutron (n) fluxes of 6.2 n/sq cm/s and 4.3 n/sq cm/s, respectively. If sustained for the approximately 65 Ma single-stage, cosmic ray exposure age of Chico, these values correspond to thermal neutron fluences of approximately 1.3 x 10(exp 16) and 0.8 x 10(exp 16) n/sq cm for Cl-36 and Ca-41, respectively. Stepwise temperature extraction of Ar in Chico impact melt shows Ar-36/Ar-38 ratios as large as approximately 9. The correlation of high Ar-36/Ar-38 with high Cl/Ca phases in neutron-irradiated Chico indicates that the excess Ar-36 above that expected from spallation is due to decay of neutron-produced Cl-36. Excess Ar-36 in Chico requires a thermal neutron fluence of 0.9-1.7 x 10(exp 16) n/sq cm. Decreases in Sm-149/Sm-152 due to neutron-capture by Sm-149 correlate with increases in Sm-150/Sm-152 for three samples of Chico, and one of the Torino H-chondrite. The 0.08% decrease in Sm-149 shown by Chico corresponds to a neutron fluence of 1.23 x 10(exp 16) n/sq cm. This fluence derived from Sm considers capture of epithermal neutrons and effects of chemical composition on the neutron energy distribution. Excess Ar-36 identified in the Arapahoe, Bruderheim, and Torino chondrites and the Shallowater aubrite suggest exposure to neutron fluences of approximately 0.2-0.2 x 10(exp 16) n/sq cm. Depletion of Sm-149 in Torino and the LEW86010 angrite suggest neutron fluences of 0.8 x 10(exp 16) n/sq cm and 0.25 x 10(exp 16) n/sq cm, respectively. Neutron fluences of approximately 10(exp 16) n/sq cm in Chico are almost as large as those previously

Multistage evolution of UHT granulites from the southernmost part of the Gföhl Nappe, Bohemian Massif, Lower Austria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schantl, Philip; Hauzenberger, Christoph; Linner, Manfred

2016-04-01

A detailed petrological investigation has been undertaken in leucocratic kyanite-garnet bearing and mesocratic orthopyroxene bearing granulites from the Dunkelsteiner Wald, Pöchlarn-Wieselburg and Zöbing granulite bodies from the Moldanubian Zone in the Bohemian Massif (Austria). A combination of textural observations, conventional geothermobarometry, phase equilibrium modelling as well as major and trace element analyses in garnet enables us to confirm a multistage Variscan metamorphic history. Chemically homogenous garnet cores with near constant grossular-rich plateaus are considered to reflect garnet growth during an early HP/UHP metamorphic evolution. Crystallographically oriented rutile exsolutions restricted to those grossular-rich garnet cores point to a subsequent isothermal decompression of the HP/UHP rocks. Overgrowing garnet rims show a pronounced zonation and are interpreted as the result of dehydration melting reactions during an isobaric heating phase which could have taken place near the base of an overthickened continental crust, where the previously deeply subducted rocks were exhumed to. For this HP granulite facies event maximum PT conditions of ~1050 °C and 1.6 GPa have been estimated from leucocratic granulites comprising the peak mineral assemblage quartz, ternary feldspar, garnet, kyanite and rutile. The pronounced zoning of garnet rims indicates that the HP granulite facies event must have been short lived since diffusion in this temperature region is usually sufficient fast to homogenize a zoning pattern in garnet. A retrogressive metamorphic stage is documented in these rocks by the replacement of kyanite to sillimanite and the growth of biotite. This retrograde event took place within the granulite facies but at significantly lower pressures and temperatures with ~0.8 GPa and ~760 °C. This final stage of re-equilibration is thought to be linked with a second exhumation phase into middle crustal levels accompanied by intensive

Serpentinite Carbonation in the Pollino Massif (southern Italy) for CO2 Sequestration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carmela Dichicco, Maria; Mongelli, Giovanni; Paternoster, Michele; Rizzo, Giovanna

2015-04-01

Anthropogenic gas emissions are projected to change future climates with potentially nontrivial impacts (Keller et al., 2008 and references therein) and the impacts of the increased CO2 concentration are, among others, the greenhouse effect, the acidification of the surface of the ocean and the fertilization of ecosystems (e.g. Huijgen and Comans, 2003). Geologic Sequestration into subsurface rock formations for long-term storage is part of a process frequently referred to as "carbon capture and storage" or CCS. A major strategy for the in situ geological sequestration of CO2 involves the reaction of CO2 with Mg-silicates, especially in the form of serpentinites, which are rocks: i) relatively abundant and widely distributed in the Earth's crust, and ii) thermodynamically convenient for the formation of Mg-carbonates (e.g., Brown et al., 2011). In nature, carbonate minerals can form during serpentinization or during hydrothermal carbonation and weathering of serpentinites whereas industrial mineral carbonation processes are commonly represented by the reaction of olivine or serpentine with CO2 to form magnesite + quartz ± H2O (Power et al., 2013). Mineral carbonation occurs naturally in the subsurface as a result of fluid-rock interactions within serpentinite, which occur during serpentinization and carbonate alteration. In situ carbonation aims to promote these reactions by injecting CO2 into porous, subsurface geological formations, such as serpentinite-hosted aquifers. In the northern sector of the Pollino Massif (southern Italy) extensively occur serpentinites (Sansone et. al., 2012) and serpentinite-hosted aquifers (Margiotta et al., 2012); both serpentinites and serpentinite-hosted aquifers are the subject of a comprehensive project devoted to their possible use for in situ geological sequestration of CO2. The serpentinites derived from a lherzolitic and subordinately harzburgitic mantle, and are within tectonic slices in association with metadolerite dykes

Independent signaling by Drosophila insulin receptor for axon guidance and growth.

PubMed

Li, Caroline R; Guo, Dongyu; Pick, Leslie

2013-01-01

The Drosophila insulin receptor (DInR) regulates a diverse array of biological processes including growth, axon guidance, and sugar homeostasis. Growth regulation by DInR is mediated by Chico, the Drosophila homolog of vertebrate insulin receptor substrate proteins IRS1-4. In contrast, DInR regulation of photoreceptor axon guidance in the developing visual system is mediated by the SH2-SH3 domain adaptor protein Dreadlocks (Dock). In vitro studies by others identified five NPXY motifs, one in the juxtamembrane region and four in the signaling C-terminal tail (C-tail), important for interaction with Chico. Here we used yeast two-hybrid assays to identify regions in the DInR C-tail that interact with Dock. These Dock binding sites were in separate portions of the C-tail from the previously identified Chico binding sites. To test whether these sites are required for growth or axon guidance in whole animals, a panel of DInR proteins, in which the putative Chico and Dock interaction sites had been mutated individually or in combination, were tested for their ability to rescue viability, growth and axon guidance defects of dinr mutant flies. Sites required for viability were identified. Unexpectedly, mutation of both putative Dock binding sites, either individually or in combination, did not lead to defects in photoreceptor axon guidance. Thus, either sites also required for viability are necessary for DInR function in axon guidance and/or there is redundancy built into the DInR/Dock interaction such that Dock is able to interact with multiple regions of DInR. We also found that simultaneous mutation of all five NPXY motifs implicated in Chico interaction drastically decreased growth in both male and female adult flies. These animals resembled chico mutants, supporting the notion that DInR interacts directly with Chico in vivo to control body size. Mutation of these five NPXY motifs did not affect photoreceptor axon guidance, segregating the roles of DInR in the

Independent signaling by Drosophila insulin receptor for axon guidance and growth

PubMed Central

Li, Caroline R.; Guo, Dongyu; Pick, Leslie

2014-01-01

The Drosophila insulin receptor (DInR) regulates a diverse array of biological processes including growth, axon guidance, and sugar homeostasis. Growth regulation by DInR is mediated by Chico, the Drosophila homolog of vertebrate insulin receptor substrate proteins IRS1–4. In contrast, DInR regulation of photoreceptor axon guidance in the developing visual system is mediated by the SH2-SH3 domain adaptor protein Dreadlocks (Dock). In vitro studies by others identified five NPXY motifs, one in the juxtamembrane region and four in the signaling C-terminal tail (C-tail), important for interaction with Chico. Here we used yeast two-hybrid assays to identify regions in the DInR C-tail that interact with Dock. These Dock binding sites were in separate portions of the C-tail from the previously identified Chico binding sites. To test whether these sites are required for growth or axon guidance in whole animals, a panel of DInR proteins, in which the putative Chico and Dock interaction sites had been mutated individually or in combination, were tested for their ability to rescue viability, growth and axon guidance defects of dinr mutant flies. Sites required for viability were identified. Unexpectedly, mutation of both putative Dock binding sites, either individually or in combination, did not lead to defects in photoreceptor axon guidance. Thus, either sites also required for viability are necessary for DInR function in axon guidance and/or there is redundancy built into the DInR/Dock interaction such that Dock is able to interact with multiple regions of DInR. We also found that simultaneous mutation of all five NPXY motifs implicated in Chico interaction drastically decreased growth in both male and female adult flies. These animals resembled chico mutants, supporting the notion that DInR interacts directly with Chico in vivo to control body size. Mutation of these five NPXY motifs did not affect photoreceptor axon guidance, segregating the roles of DInR in the

Active Learning in Aging Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singelis, Theodore M.

2006-01-01

This article describes the involvement of undergraduate students in research at the California State University (CSU), Chico funded through an Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) from the National Institute on Aging (NIA). CSU, Chico is a "teaching" university and has students with a variety of motivations and abilities. The…

Thermal conditions of rock slopes below unstable infrastructure in Alpine permafrost area: the cases of the Cosmiques hut and the Grands Montets cable-car station (Mont Blanc massif)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duvillard, Pierre-Allain; Magnin, Florence; Mörtl, Christian; Ravanel, Ludovic; Deline, Philip

2017-04-01

Thermal state of steep permafrost-affected rock faces is crucial to assess the safety and reliability of mountain infrastructure as current permafrost degradation affects the rock slope stability. In the Mont-Blanc massif, 23 infrastructures are built on such a rock face with 13 of them that are characterized by a high risk of destabilization (Duvillard et al., 2015), including the upper station of the Grands Montets cable car (3325 m a.s.l.) as well as the Cosmiques hut (3613 m a.s.l.) on which we will focus. These two buildings have already been affected by different geomorphological processes. A rockfall event (600 m3) occurred for example on the SE face on the Arête inférieure des Cosmiques on the 21st of August 1998 (Ravanel et al., 2013) and the Grands Montets case shows a slow subsidence of the stairway over the last decade. In order to better assess the role of the permafrost in these processes and to gain insight on possible future geomorphic activity, we characterized the current permafrost conditions and simulated its changes up to the end of the 21st century using two complementary approaches: (i) the result of ERT (Electrical Resistivity Tomography) surveys carried out in October 2016 on the northern and southern faces right below the Cosmiques hut (at the level of the foundations) and at the Aiguilles des Grands Montets; (ii) the modeling of mean annual rock surface temperature for 2016 and at the end of the 21st century (Magnin et al., in rev.). Duvillard P.-A., Ravanel L., Deline P. (2015). Risk assessment of infrastructure destabilisation due to global warming in the high French Alps. Journal of Alpine Research, 103 (2). Magnin F., Josnin J.-Y., Ravanel L., Pergaud J., Pohl B., Deline P. (in rev.). Modelling rock wall permafrost degradation in the Mont Blanc massif from the LIA to the end of the 21st century. The Cryosphere Discuss., doi:10.5194/tc-2016-132. Ravanel L., Deline P., Lambiel C. and Vincent C. (2013). Instability of a high alpine

Experimental and Numerical Research of Stress-Strain State of Homogeneous Soil Massif at Interaction with Single Barrette

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ter-Martirosyan, Z. G.; Ter-Martirosyan, A. Z.; Sidorov, V. V.

2017-11-01

Deep foundations are used for the design of high-rise buildings due to a large pressure transfer on the soil base. The foundations of buildings sometimes use barrettes which are able to perceive significant vertical and horizontal loads due to improved lateral surface. Barrettes have increased load bearing capacity as compared with large diameter piles. In modern practice the interaction between barrettes and soil is investigated by analytical and numerical methods and has no sufficient experimental confirmation. The review of experimental methods for the research of the intense stress-strain state of the uniform soil massif at interaction with elements of a deep foundation is provided in this article. Experimental research are planned with the use of laboratory stand for the purpose of qualitative data obtaining on the interaction barrettes with an assessment of a settlement model adequacy and also at the research of the intense stress-strain state by numerical methods.

A preliminary spatial-temporal study of some soil characteristics in the calcareous massif of Sicó, Portugal.

PubMed

Torres, Maria Odete; Neves, Maria Manuela

2016-04-18

The mountainous massif of Sicó, in the centre of Portugal, is an extensive area composed of calcareous Jurassic formations. Hillside calcareous soils, with high pH, present chemical restrictions to support plant growth and are subjected to important erosion processes leading to their degradation if not protected by vegetation. In a first year of study some soil physicochemical characteristics have been measured in some geo-referenced locations of a larger design experiment and an exploratory spatial analysis has been performed. The objective of this study was to present some suggestions in order to give sustainable phosphorus fertiliser recommendations aiming to establish pastures in these soils and thus support traditional livestock activity. Ten years apart, those soil characteristics have been measured again in the same locations and comparisions have been made. The objective was to understand the variability of the soil properties under study in order to better adequate the fertiliser soil management regarding the area restoration.

Palaeomagnetism and geochemistry of Early Palaeozoic rocks of the Barrandian (Teplé-Barrandian Unit, Bohemian Massif): palaeotectonic implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patočka, F.; Pruner, P.; Štorch, P.

The Barrandian area (the Teplá-Barrandian unit, Bohemian Massif) provided palaeomagnetic results on Early Palaeozoic rocks and chemical data on siliciclastic sediments of both Middle Cambrian and Early Ordovician to Middle Devonian sedimentary sequences; an outcoming interpretation defined source areas of clastic material and palaeotectonic settings of the siliciclastic rock deposition. The siliciclastic rocks of the earliest Palaeozoic sedimentation cycle, deposited in the Cambrian Příbram-Jince Basin of the Barrandian, were derived from an early Cadomian volcanic island arc developed on Neoproterozoic oceanic lithosphere and accreted to a Cadomian active margin of northwestern Gondwana. Inversion of relief terminated the Cambrian sedimentation, and a successory Prague Basin subsided nearby since Tremadocian. Source area of the Ordovician and Early Silurian shallow-marine siliciclastic sediments corresponded to progressively dissected crust of continental arc/active continental margin type of Cadomian age. Since Late Ordovician onwards both synsedimentary within-plate basic volcanics and older sediments had been contributing in recognizable proportions to the siliciclastic rocks. The siliciclastic sedimentation was replaced by deposition of carbonate rocks throughout late Early Silurian to Early Devonian period of withdrawal of the Cadomian clastic material source. Above the carbonates an early Givetian flysch-like siliciclastic suite completed sedimentation in the Barrandian. In times between Middle Cambrian and Early/Middle Devonian boundary interval an extensional tectonic setting prevailed in the Teplá-Barrandian unit. The extensional regime was related to Early Palaeozoic large-scale fragmentation of the Cadomian belt of northwestern Gondwana and origin of Armorican microcontinent assemblage. The Teplá-Barrandian unit was also engaged in a peri-equatorially oriented drift of Armorican microcontinent assemblage throughout the Early Palaeozoic: respective

Magmatism and crustal extension: Constraining activation of the ductile shearing along the Gediz detachment, Menderes Massif (western Turkey)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rossetti, Federico; Asti, Riccardo; Faccenna, Claudio; Gerdes, Axel; Lucci, Federico; Theye, Thomas

2017-06-01

The Menderes Massif of western Turkey is a key area to study feedback relationships between magma generation/emplacement and activation of extensional detachment tectonics. Here, we present new textural analysis and in situ U-(Th)-Pb titanite dating from selected samples collected in the transition from the undeformed to the mylonitized zones of the Salihli granodiorite at the footwall of the Neogene, ductile-to-brittle, top-to-the-NNE Gediz-Alaşheir (GDF) detachment fault. Ductile shearing was accompanied by the fluid-mediated sub-solidus transformation of the granodiorite to orthogneiss, which occurred at shallower crustal levels and temperatures compatible with the upper greenschist-to-amphibolite facies metamorphic conditions (530-580 °C and P < 2 GPa). The syn-tectonic metamorphic overgrowth of REE-poor titanite on pristine REE-rich igneous titanite offers the possibility to constrain the timing of magma crystallisation and solid-state shearing at the footwall of the Gediz detachment. The common Pb corrected 206Pb/238U (206Pb*/238U) ages and the REE re-distribution in titanite that spatially correlates with the Th/U zoning suggests that titanite predominantly preserve open-system ages during fluid-assisted syn-tectonic re-crystallisation in the transition from magma crystallization and emplacement (at 16-17 Ma) to the syn-tectonic, solid-state shearing (at 14-15 Ma). A minimum time lapse of ca. 1-2 Ma is then inferred between the crustal emplacement of the Salihli granodiorite and nucleation of the ductile extensional shearing along the Gediz detachment. The reconstruction of the cooling history of the Salihli granodiorite documents a punctuated evolution dominated by two episodes of rapid cooling, between 14 Ma and 12 Ma ( 100 °C/Ma) and between 3 and 2 Ma ( 105 °C/Ma). We relate the first episode to nucleation and development of post-emplacement of ductile shearing along the GDF and the second to brittle high-angle faulting, respectively. Our dataset

Structural, metamorphic and geochronological insights on the Variscan evolution of the Alpine basement in the Belledonne Massif (France)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fréville, Kévin; Trap, Pierre; Faure, Michel; Melleton, Jérémie; Li, Xian-Hua; Lin, Wei; Blein, Olivier; Bruguier, Olivier; Poujol, Marc

2018-02-01

A structural and petrochronological study was carried out in the southern part of the Belledonne crystalline massif. A first tectonometamorphic event, Dx, corresponds to the eastward thrusting of the Chamrousse ophiolitic complex characterized by a low-temperature-moderate-pressure metamorphism reaching 0.535 ± 0.045 GPa and 427.5 ± 17.5 °C. A subsequent D1 deformation is defined by a penetrative S1 foliation that mostly dips toward the west and displays an E-W- to NE-SW-trending mineral and stretching lineation L1. D1 is associated with a top-to-the east shearing and is responsible for the crustal thickening accommodated by the eastward nappe stacking and the emplacement of the Chamrousse ophiolitic complex upon the Rioupéroux-Livet unit. This event is characterized by an amphibolite facies metamorphism (0.58 GPa ± 0.06; 608 ± 14 °C) that attains partial melting at the base of the nappe pile (0.78 ± 0.07 GPa; 680.5 ± 11.5 °C). LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating of monazite grains from the mica schists of the Rioupéroux-Livet unit constrain the age of D1 to 337 ± 7 Ma. The D2 tectono-metamorphic event is characterized by NE-SW trending, upright to NE-verging synfolial folding. Folding associated with D2 is pervasively developed in all lithotectonic units with the development of a steeply-dipping S2 foliation. In particular, D2 involves the uppermost weakly metamorphosed Taillefer unit. LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating performed on detrital zircon grains shows that the Taillefer conglomerates was deposited during the Visean. A zircon SIMS U-Pb age of 352 ± 1 Ma from a plagioglase-rich leucocratic sill of the Rioupéroux-Livet unit is interpreted as the age of magmatic emplacement. Our results suggest that the D2 event took place between 330 Ma and 310 Ma. We propose a new interpretation of the tectonometamorphic evolution of the southern part of the Belledonne massif, focusing on the Middle Carboniferous stages of the Variscan orogeny.

The Formation and Development of the Mindful Campus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DuFon, Margaret A.; Christian, Jennifer

2013-01-01

This chapter recounts the development of faculty and student groups whose purposes are to promote mindfulness and contemplative pedagogy on the California State University-Chico campus through work both on the campus and in the greater Chico community. The "Mindful Campus" a student organization formed in 2011, merged with the…

Geochemical and Re-Os isotope constraints on the origin and age of the Songshugou peridotite massif in the Qinling orogen, central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nie, Hu; Yang, Jianzhou; Zhou, Guangyan; Liu, Chuanzhou; Zheng, Jianping; Zhang, Wen-Xiang; Zhao, Yu-Jie; Wang, Hao; Wu, Yuanbao

2017-11-01

The Songshugou peridotite massif in the Qinling orogenic belt is one of the largest orogenic spinel peridotite bodies in central China, but its origin remains controversial and its age is poorly constrained. We have carried out an integrated study of major and trace element composition, mineral chemistry, platinum group elements (PGE), as well as Re-Os isotope systematics of 1 harzburgite and 12 dunites from the Songshugou peridotite massif. These samples contain high Mg# olivine (90.0-91.3) and Cr# spinel (83.4-96.0). The harzburgite and dunites are characterized by relatively low whole-rock Al2O3 (0.32-0.60 wt.%), CaO (0.26-1.57 wt.%), and Na2O (0.07-0.12 wt.%) concentrations. The studied samples have very low concentrations of middle and heavy rare earth elements and exhibit enrichments in iridium-group platinum-group elements (IPGE) relative to palladium-group PGE. The Songshugou peridotites exhibit variable enrichments of light rare earth elements, large ion lithophile elements, Re, Zr, and Hf, which resulted from reactions with melt after their isolation from the convecting mantle. Combined with previous results, our data suggest that the Songshugou peridotites are highly refractory mantle residues derived from a forearc mantle wedge. 187Os/188Os values of the studied samples vary from 0.12073 to 0.12390, and 187Re/188Os ratios are 0.005-0.081. The average Re-Os model ages (TMA) and maximum Re depletion model age (TRD) of the Songshugou peridotites are ca. 1.2-1.1 Ga, suggesting a tectonic affinity to the South China Block and that the peridotites formed during the assembly of the Rodinia supercontinent. The Songshugou peridotites were sourced from a mantle wedge above a subduction zone, and finally incorporated into the underlying continental lithosphere by exhumation.

Tectonic and regional metamorphic implications of the discovery of Middle Ordovician conodonts in cover rocks east of the Green Mountain massif, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ratcliffe, N.M.; Harris, A.G.; Walsh, G.J.

1999-01-01

Middle Ordovician (late Arenigian - early Caradocian) conodonts were recovered from a dolostone lens in carbonaceous schist 30 m below the base of the Pinney Hollow Formation in the Eastern Cover sequence near West Bridgewater, Vermont. These are the first reported fossils from the metamorphic cover sequence rocks east of the Green Mountain, Berkshire, and Housatonic massifs of western New England. The conodonts are recrystallized, coated with graphitic matter, thermally altered to a color alteration index (CAI) of at least 5, and tectonically deformed. The faunule is nearly monospecific, consisting of abundant Periodon aculeatus Hadding? and rare Protopanderodus. The preponderance of Periodon and the absence of warm, shallow-water species characteristic of the North American Midcontinent Conodont Province suggest a slope or basin depositional setting. The conodont-bearing carbonaceous schist is traceable 3 km southeast to the Plymouth area, where it had been designated the uppermost member of the Plymouth Formation, previously regarded as Early Cambrian in age. The age and structural position of the carbonaceous schist above dolostones of the Plymouth Formation but below the Pinney Hollow Formation (upper Proterozoic and Lower Cambrian?) suggest that this unit may be correlative or time transgressive with the Ira Formation, which underlies the Taconic allochthons in the Vermont Valley. Such a correlation supports the concept of placing the western limit of the root zone of the Taconic allochthons beneath the Pinney Hollow Formation. An approximate absolute age assignment for the conodont-bearing rock is between 470 and 454 Ma. This suggests that dynamothermal metamorphism during the Taconian orogeny on the east flank of the Green Mountains was younger than early Caradocian, which is in accord with the middle Caradocian age of the Ira Formation west of the Green Mountain massif.

Geometric comparison of deep-seated gravitational spereading features on Mars (Coprates Chasma, Valles Marineris) and Earth (Ornak, Tatra Mountains)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kromuszczyńska, O.; Mège, D.

2014-04-01

Uphill-facing normal faults scarps and crestal grabens, which are characteristic of deep-seated gravitational spreading (DSGS) of topographic ridges, are described in Coprates Chasma in Valles Marineris, Mars, and Ornak ridge and compared. The vertical offset of normal faults in the Martian instances varies from 40 to 1000 meters, with an average of 300 meters. The terrestrial faults offset is between few teens of centimeters up to 34 meters with an average of 10 meters. The values of horizontal displacement in Coprates Chasma vary from 10 to 680 meters, and at Ornak are in a range between 1 and 20 meters. Such difference corresponds with the difference of ridges scale and is due to the topographic gradient which is one order of magnitude higher on Mars than on Earth.

IODP Expedition 340T: Borehole Logging at Atlantis Massif Oceanic Core Complex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blackman, D.; Slagle, A.; Harding, A.; Guerin, G.; McCaig, A.

2013-03-01

Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Expedition 340T returned to the 1.4-km-deep Hole U1309D at Atlantis Massif to carry out borehole logging including vertical seismic profiling (VSP). Seismic, resistivity, and temperature logs were obtained throughout the geologic section in the footwall of this oceanic core complex. Reliable downhole temperature measurements throughout and the first seismic coverage of the 800-1400 meters below seafloor (mbsf) portion of the section were obtained. Distinct changes in velocity, resistivity, and magnetic susceptibility characterize the boundaries of altered, olivine-rich troctolite intervals within the otherwise dominantly gabbroic se-quence. Some narrow fault zones also are associated with downhole resistivity or velocity excursions. Small deviations in temperature were measured in borehole fluid adjacent to known faults at 750 mbsf and 1100 mbsf. This suggests that flow of seawater remains active along these zones of faulting and rock alteration. Vertical seismic profile station coverage at zero offset now extends the full length of the hole, including the uppermost 150 mbsf, where detachment processes are expected to have left their strongest imprint. Analysis of wallrock properties, together with alteration and structural characteristics of the cores from Site U1309, highlights the likely interplay between lithology, structure, lithospheric hydration, and core complex evolution. doi:10.2204/iodp.sd.15.04.2013

Stimulation Of The Methane Production With The Use Of Changing Of The Rock Massif Physical Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baev, Mikhail; Khyamyalyaynen, Veniamin; Shevtsov, Aleksandr

2017-11-01

The commercial coalbed methane production success is majorly defined by the effectiveness of the use of special gas inflow stimulation methods. The necessity of using of such methods issubject to the aspects of searching and displacement of methane within the coal compound. Theanalysis of the ways of methane production stimulation from virgin coal formations is given. The description of the process of hydraulic fracturing (fracturing) as the most common stimulation method during the commercial coalbed methane production as well as its major advantages are presented. The present work provides data about the initiated laboratory research of sands collected from Kemerovo region deposits for the purpose of finding of the most prospective samples by means of anchoring of fractures. The prospectivity and ability to implement the hydraulic fracturing with the use of locally available sands acting as proppants are shown. The influence of the strain-stress state of the rock massif on the alteration of permeability and the necessity of its extension study with respect to different technological features of hydraulic fracturing is shown

First insights on the molybdenum-copper Bled M'Dena complex (Eglab massif, Algeria)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lagraa, Karima; Salvi, Stefano; Béziat, Didier; Debat, Pierre; Kolli, Omar

2017-03-01

Molybdenum-Copper showings in the Eglab massif (eastern part of the Reguibat rise of Algeria), are found in quartz-monzodiorite and granodiorite of the Bled M'Dena complex, a Paleoproterozoic circular structure of ∼5 km in diameter, comprising volcanic and intrusive suites. The latter consist of quartz-diorite, quartz-monzodiorite and granodiorite with a metaluminous normative composition. They display an "adakitic character" with moderate light rare-earth element (LREE) enrichment, minor Eu anomalies, high Sr/Y ratio and low Yb concentration, suggestive of a hydrous, arc magma of volcanic-arc affinity. The mineralization occurs mostly in quartz + molybdenite + chalcopyrite stockwork veins marked by widespread propylitic alteration along the selvages. Molybdenite and chalcopyrite are commonly associated with calcite, which precipitated at relatively late stages of the hydrothermal alteration. Fluid inclusions related to the mineralization stage, range from aqueous to aqueous-carbonic to solid bearing. The latter inclusions have the highest homogenization temperature (up to ∼400 °C), are salt saturated, and commonly contain molybdenite and/or chalcopyrite crystals. The petrology and geochemistry of the host rocks, the style of the hydrothermal alteration, the ore mineral associations, and the characteristics of the fluid inclusions, are all coherent in indicating that the Bled M'Dena represents a Paleoproterozoic porphyry style Mo mineralization, which is far unreported in the African continent.

Today's sediment budget of the Rhine River channel, focusing on the Upper Rhine Graben and Rhenish Massif

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frings, Roy M.; Gehres, Nicole; Promny, Markus; Middelkoop, Hans; Schüttrumpf, Holger; Vollmer, Stefan

2014-01-01

The river bed of the Rhine River is subject to severe erosion and sedimentation. Such high geomorphological process rates are unwanted for economical, ecological, and safety reasons. The objectives of this study were (1) to quantify the geomorphological development of the Rhine River between 1985 and 2006; (2) to investigate the bed erosion process; and (3) to distinguish between tectonic, hydrological, and human controls. We used a unique data set with thousands of bedload and suspended-load measurements and quantified the fluxes of gravel, sand, silt, and clay through the northern Upper Rhine Graben and the Rhenish Massif. Furthermore, we calculated bed level changes and evaluated the sediment budget of the channel. Sediment transport rates were found to change in the downstream direction: silt and clay loads increase because of tributary supply; sand loads increase because of erosion of sand from the bed; and gravel loads decrease because of reduced sediment mobility caused by the base-level control exerted by the uplifting Rhenish Massif. This base-level control shows tectonic setting, in addition to hydrology and human interventions, to represent a major control on morphodynamics in the Rhine. The Rhine bed appears to be in a state of disequilibrium, with an average net bed degradation of 3 mm/a. Sand being eroded from the bed is primarily washed away in suspension, indicating a rapid supply of sand to the Rhine delta. The degradation is the result of an increased sediment transport capacity caused by nineteenth and twentieth century's river training works. In order to reduce degradation, huge amounts of sediment are fed into the river by river managers. Bed degradation and artificial sediment feeding represent the major sources of sand and gravel to the study area; only small amounts of sediment are supplied naturally from upstream or by tributaries. Sediment sinks include dredging, abrasion, and the sediment output to the downstream area. Large uncertainties

Adjusting stream-sediment geochemical maps in the Austrian Bohemian Massif by analysis of variance

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, J.C.; Hausberger, G.; Schermann, O.; Bohling, G.

1995-01-01

The Austrian portion of the Bohemian Massif is a Precambrian terrane composed mostly of highly metamorphosed rocks intruded by a series of granitoids that are petrographically similar. Rocks are exposed poorly and the subtle variations in rock type are difficult to map in the field. A detailed geochemical survey of stream sediments in this region has been conducted and included as part of the Geochemischer Atlas der Republik O??sterreich, and the variations in stream sediment composition may help refine the geological interpretation. In an earlier study, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was applied to the stream-sediment data in order to minimize unwanted sampling variation and emphasize relationships between stream sediments and rock types in sample catchment areas. The estimated coefficients were used successfully to correct for the sampling effects throughout most of the region, but also introduced an overcorrection in some areas that seems to result from consistent but subtle differences in composition of specific rock types. By expanding the model to include an additional factor reflecting the presence of a major tectonic unit, the Rohrbach block, the overcorrection is removed. This iterative process simultaneously refines both the geochemical map by removing extraneous variation and the geological map by suggesting a more detailed classification of rock types. ?? 1995 International Association for Mathematical Geology.

Alpine thermal events in the central Serbo-Macedonian Massif (southeastern Serbia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antić, Milorad D.; Kounov, Alexandre; Trivić, Branislav; Wetzel, Andreas; Peytcheva, Irena; von Quadt, Albrecht

2016-07-01

The Serbo-Macedonian Massif (SMM) represents a crystalline belt situated between the two diverging branches of the Eastern Mediterranean Alpine orogenic system, the northeast-vergent Carpatho-Balkanides and the southwest-vergent Dinarides and the Hellenides. We have applied fission-track analysis on apatites and zircons, coupled with structural field observations in order to reveal the low-temperature evolution of the SMM. Additionally, the age and geochemistry of the Palaeogene igneous rocks (i.e. Surdulica granodiorite and dacitic volcanic rocks) were determined by the LA-ICPMS U-Pb geochronology of zircons and geochemical analysis of main and trace elements in whole-rock samples. Three major cooling stages have been distinguished from the late Early Cretaceous to the Oligocene. The first stage represents rapid cooling through the partial annealing zones of zircon and apatite (300-60 °C) during the late Early to early Late Cretaceous (ca. 110-ca. 90 Ma). It is related to a post-orogenic extension following the regional nappe-stacking event in the Early Cretaceous. Middle to late Eocene (ca. 48-ca. 39 Ma) cooling is related to the formation of the Crnook-Osogovo-Lisets extensional dome and its exhumation along low-angle normal faults. The third event is related to regional cooling following the late Eocene magmatic pulse. During this pulse, the areas surrounding the Surdulica granodiorite (36 ± 1 Ma) and the slightly younger volcanic bodies (ca. 35 Ma) have reached temperatures higher than the apatite closure temperature (120 °C) but lower than ca. 250 °C. The geochemistry of the igneous samples reveals late- to post-orogenic tectonic setting during magma generation.

Latest Cambrian-Early Ordovician rift-related magmatic activity in the Kouřim Unit, Bohemian Massif

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soejono, Igor; Machek, Matej; Sláma, Jiří; Janoušek, Vojtěch

2017-04-01

Pre-collisional history of high-grade Variscan complexes is mostly difficult to reveal, due to intense reworking during the development of the orogenic belt. An ancient magmatism could provide a unique possibility to study it. The Kouřim Unit represents an extensive pre-Variscan plutonic body involved into the tectonic collage of the Kutná Hora Crystalline Complex, at the northern margin of the Moldanubian Domain in the Bohemian Massif. The LA-ICP-MS zircon ages and geochemical characteristics of (meta-)igneous rocks from the Kouřim Unit allow us to determine the timing and nature of magmatic activity within this part of the Bohemian Massif and thus to decipher its pre-Variscan evolution. The Kouřim Unit is composed of strongly metamorphosed and deformed sequence of magmatic rocks, dominated mainly by various types of migmatites, coarse-grained orthogneisses and minor metadiorites. The newly obtained LA-ICP-MS U-Pb zircon ages of four orthogneisses ranging between 486 ± 2 Ma and 484 ± 2 Ma are interpreted as timing the magma crystallization. The single metadiorite gave concordia age of 337 ± 2 Ma interpreted as the age of migmatitization. Few discordant older ages from metadiorite are considered as older xenocrysts more or less reset during the Variscan metamorphism. The orthogneisses are acid (SiO2 = 68.6-76.4 wt. %), exclusively subaluminous and seem to form a single calc-alkaline trend, whereas the metadiorite is intermediate (SiO2 = 54.3 wt. %; mg# = 61), distinctly metaluminous and displays tholeiitic character. The chondrite-normalized REE patterns for the orthogneisses show LREE enrichment (LaN/YbN = 1.5-8.9) and deep negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.42-0.32); the NMORB-normalized spiderplots feature LILE/HFSE enrichment with deep negative Nb- Ta-Ti anomalies. In contrast, both patterns of metadiorite resemble those of NMORB (LaN/YbN = 0.5, Eu/Eu* = 0.96). The apparent magmatic arc-like geochemical signature of the orthogneisses is interpreted as

Alteration and chemical U-Th-total Pb dating of heterogeneous high-uranium zircon from a pegmatite from the Aduiskii massif, middle Urals, Russia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zamyatin, Dmitry A.; Shchapova, Yuliya V.; Votyakov, Sergey L.; Nasdala, Lutz; Lenz, Christoph

2017-09-01

The U-Th-Pb isotope system in the accessory mineral zircon may be disturbed, as for instance by the secondary loss of radiogenic lead. The recognition of such alteration is crucial for the sound interpretation of geochronology results, in particular for chemical dating by means of an electron probe micro-analyser (EPMA). Here we present the example of high-U zircon samples from a granite pegmatite from the Aduiskii Massif, Middle Urals, Russia. The structural and chemical heterogeneity of samples was characterised by EPMA, including joint probability distribution (JPD) analysis of back-scattered electrons (BSE), cathodoluminescence (CL) and U M β images, and by Raman and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. We found a high-U interior region (U up to 11.4 wt%) without any obvious indication of alteration. This domain has stoichiometric composition, and its Raman spectrum is similar to that of amorphous ZrSiO4. In addition, altered lower-U regions are present that are non-stoichiometric and contain non-formula elements such as Ca, Al, Fe, and water up to several wt%. Their Raman spectra yielded a band near 760-810 cm-1 which is not related to any ZrSiO4 vibration; we assign it tentatively to the symmetric stretching of (UO2)2+ groups. This assignment is supported by the observation of a fairly intense PL phenomenon whose spectral position and vibrational-coupling structure strongly indicates a uranyl-related emission. Altered zones were formed by both fluid-driven diffusion reaction and coupled dissolution-reprecipitation processes. The variation of BSE and CL intensities in amorphous high-U zircon is controlled by its chemical composition and the presence of water and uranyl groups. We have determined a weighted mean EPMA age of 246 ± 2 Ma, which agrees reasonably well with previous dating results for the Aduiskii Massif.

Assessment of pathogenic bacteria in water and sediment from a water reservoir under tropical conditions (Lake Ma Vallée), Kinshasa Democratic Republic of Congo.

PubMed

Mwanamoki, Paola M; Devarajan, Naresh; Thevenon, Florian; Atibu, Emmanuel K; Tshibanda, Joseph B; Ngelinkoto, Patience; Mpiana, Pius T; Prabakar, Kandasamy; Mubedi, Josué I; Kabele, Christophe G; Wildi, Walter; Poté, John

2014-10-01

This study was conducted to assess potential human health risks presented by pathogenic bacteria in a protected multi-use lake-reservoir (Lake Ma Vallée) located in west of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Water and surface sediments from several points of the Lake were collected during summer. Microbial analysis was performed for Escherichia coli, Enterococcus (ENT), Pseudomonas species and heterotrophic plate counts. PCR amplification was performed for the confirmation of E. coli, ENT, Pseudomonas spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from samples. The results reveal low concentration of bacteria in water column of the lake, the bacterial quantification results observed in this study for the water column were below the recommended limits, according to WHO and the European Directive 2006/7/CE, for bathing water. However, high concentration of bacteria was observed in the sediment samples; the values of 2.65 × 10(3), 6.35 × 10(3), 3.27 × 10(3) and 3.60 × 10(8) CFU g(-1) of dry sediment for E. coli, ENT, Pseudomonas spp. and heterotrophic plate counts, respectively. The results of this study indicate that sediments of the Lake Ma Vallée can constitute a reservoir of pathogenic microorganisms which can persist in the lake. Possible resuspension of faecal indicator bacteria and pathogens would affect water quality and may increase health risks to the population during recreational activities. Our results indicate that the microbial sediment analysis provides complementary and important information for assessing sanitary quality of surface water under tropical conditions.

Late Cretaceous extensional denudation along a marble detachment fault zone in the Kırşehir massif near Kaman, central Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lefebvre, Côme; Barnhoorn, Auke; van Hinsbergen, Douwe J. J.; Kaymakci, Nuretdin; Vissers, Reinoud L. M.

2011-08-01

In the Central Anatolian Crystalline Complex (CACC), 100 km scale metamorphic domains were exhumed in a context of north-south plate convergence during late Cretaceous to Cenozoic times. The timing, kinematics and mechanisms of exhumation have been the focus of previous studies in the southern Niğde Massif. In this study, we investigate the unexplored northern area regarding the tectonic features preserved on the edges of the Kırşehir Massif, based on detailed field-mapping in the Kaman area where high-grade metasediments, non-metamorphic ophiolites and monzonitic plutons are locally exposed together. Close to the contact with the ophiolites, west-dipping foliated marble-rich rocks display mylonites and discrete protomylonites with normal shear senses indicating a general top-to-the W-NW direction. Both of these structures have been brittlely overprinted into cataclastic corridors parallel to the main foliation. The mylonite series and superimposed brittle structures together define the Kaman fault zone. The study of the evolution of calcite deformation fabrics along an EW section supported by Electron Back Scattered Diffraction measurements (EBSD) on representative fabrics indicates that the Kaman fault zone represents an extensional detachment. In Ömerhacılı, in the vicinity of the Baranadağ quartz-monzonite, the metamorphic sequence shows static annealing of the calcite mylonitic fabrics. This evidence suggests that intrusion took place at shallow depth (˜10 km) into an already exhuming metamorphic sequence. As a consequence for the Kaman area, buried metasediments have been rapidly exhumed between 84 and 74 Ma (˜1 km/Ma) where exhumation along a detachment zone, displaying a top-to-the W-NW shear motion, took place in the mid to upper crust prior to magmatic intrusion in the late Campanian. As the intrusion cut through the detachment fault, the main shearing deformation ceased. Brittle tectonics coupled with erosion likely took over during the final

Proterozoic Os model ages of sulfides in mantle peridotites from the Ronda massif (southern Spain): insights into the evolution of the W European subcontinental lithospheric mantle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marchesi, Claudio; Griffin, William L.; Garrido, Carlos J.; Bodinier, Jean-Louis; O'Reilly, Suzanne Y.; Pearson, Norman J.

2010-05-01

The western part of the Ronda peridotite massif (southern Spain) consists mainly of highly foliated spinel-peridotite tectonites and undeformed granular peridotites that are separated by a recrystallization front. The spinel tectonites are interpreted as volumes of ancient subcontinental lithospheric mantle and the granular peridotites as a portion of lithospheric mantle that underwent partial melting and pervasive percolation of basaltic melts induced by Cenozoic asthenospheric upwelling. The Re-Os isotopic signature of sulfides from the granular domain and the recrystallization front mostly coincides with that of grains in the spinel tectonites. This indicates that the Re-Os radiometric system in sulfides was highly resistant to partial melting and percolation of melts induced by Cenozoic lithospheric thermal erosion. The Re-Os isotopic systematics of sulfides in the Ronda peridotites thus mostly conserve the geochemical memory of ancient magmatic events in the lithospheric mantle. Os model ages record two Proterozoic melting episodes at ~ 1.6-1.8 Ga and 1.2-1.4 Ga, respectively. The emplacement of the massif into the subcontinental lithospheric mantle probably coincided with one of these depletion events. A later metasomatic episode caused the precipitation of a new generation of sulfides at ~ 0.7-0.9 Ga. These Proterozoic Os model ages are consistent with results obtained for several mantle suites in central/western Europe and northern Africa as well as with the Nd model ages of the continental crust of these regions. This suggests that the events recorded in mantle sulfides of the Ronda peridotites reflect different stages of generation of the continental crust in the ancient Gondwana supercontinent

New Seismic Monitoring Station at Mohawk Ridge, Valles Caldera

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roberts, Peter Morse

Two new broadband digital seismic stations were installed in the Valles Caldera in 2011 and 2012. The first is located on the summit of Cerros del Abrigo (station code CDAB) and the second is located on the flanks of San Antonio Mountain (station code SAMT). Seismic monitoring stations in the caldera serve multiple purposes. These stations augment and expand the current coverage of the Los Alamos Seismic Network (LASN), which is operated to support seismic and volcanic hazards studies for LANL and northern New Mexico (Figure 1). They also provide unique continuous seismic data within the caldera that can bemore » used for scientific studies of the caldera’s substructure and detection of very small seismic signals that may indicate changes in the current and evolving state of remnant magma that is known to exist beneath the caldera. Since the installation of CDAB and SAMT, several very small earthquakes have already been detected near San Antonio Mountain just west of SAMT (Figure 2). These are the first events to be seen in that area. Caldera stations also improve the detection and epicenter determination quality for larger local earthquakes on the Pajarito Fault System east of the Preserve and the Nacimiento Uplift to the west. These larger earthquakes are a concern to LANL Seismic Hazards assessments and seismic monitoring of the Los Alamos region, including the VCNP, is a DOE requirement. Currently the next closest seismic stations to the caldera are on Pipeline Road (PPR) just west of Los Alamos, and Peralta Ridge (PER) south of the caldera. There is no station coverage near the resurgent dome, Redondo Peak, in the center of the caldera. Filling this “hole” is the highest priority for the next new LASN station. We propose to install this station in 2018 on Mohawk Ridge just east of Redondito, in the same area already occupied by other scientific installations, such as the MCON flux tower operated by UNM.« less

Evaluation of mercury pollution in cultivated and wild plants from two small communities of the Tapajós gold mining reserve, Pará State, Brazil.

PubMed

Egler, Silvia G; Rodrigues-Filho, Saulo; Villas-Bôas, Roberto C; Beinhoff, Christian

2006-09-01

This study examines the total Hg contamination in soil and sediments, and the correlation between the total Hg concentration in soil and vegetables in two small scale gold mining areas, São Chico and Creporizinho, in the State of Para, Brazilian Amazon. Total Hg values for soil samples for both study areas are higher than region background values (ca. 0.15 mg/kg). At São Chico, mean values in soils samples are higher than at Creporizinho, but without significant differences at alpha<0.05 level. São Chico's aboveground produce samples possess significantly higher values for total Hg levels than samples from Creporizinho. Creporizinho's soil-root produce regression model were significant, and the slope negative. Creporizinho's soil-aboveground and root wild plants regression models were also significant, and the slopes positives. Although, aboveground:root ratios were >1 in all of São Chico's produce samples, soil-plant parts regression were not significant, and Hg uptake probably occurs through stomata by atmospheric mercury deposition. Wild plants aboveground:root ratios were <1 at both study areas, and soil-plant parts regressions were significant in samples of Creporizinho, suggesting that they function as an excluder. The average total contents of Hg in edible parts of produces were close to FAO/WHO/JECFA PTWI values in São Chico area, and much lower in Creporizinho. However, Hg inorganic small gastrointestinal absorption reduces its adverse health effects.

Human exposure and risk assessment associated with mercury contamination in artisanal gold mining areas in the Brazilian Amazon.

PubMed

Castilhos, Zuleica; Rodrigues-Filho, Saulo; Cesar, Ricardo; Rodrigues, Ana Paula; Villas-Bôas, Roberto; de Jesus, Iracina; Lima, Marcelo; Faial, Kleber; Miranda, Antônio; Brabo, Edilson; Beinhoff, Christian; Santos, Elisabeth

2015-08-01

Mercury (Hg) contamination is an issue of concern in the Amazon region due to potential health effects associated with Hg exposure in artisanal gold mining areas. The study presents a human health risk assessment associated with Hg vapor inhalation and MeHg-contaminated fish ingestion, as well as Hg determination in urine, blood, and hair, of human populations (about 325 miners and 321 non-miners) from two gold mining areas in the Brazilian Amazon (São Chico and Creporizinho, Pará State). In São Chico and Creporizinho, 73 fish specimens of 13 freshwater species, and 161 specimens of 11 species, were collected for total Hg determination, respectively. The hazard quotient (HQ) is a risk indicator which defines the ratio of the exposure level and the toxicological reference dose and was applied to determine the threat of MeHg exposure. The mean Hg concentrations in fish from São Chico and Creporizinho were 0.83 ± 0.43 and 0.36 ± 0.33 μg/g, respectively. More than 60 and 22 % of fish collected in São Chico and Creporizinho, respectively, were above the Hg limit (0.5 μg/g) recommended by WHO for human consumption. For all sampling sites, HQ resulted from 1.5 to 28.5, except for the reference area. In Creporizinho, the values of HQ are close to 2 for most sites, whereas in São Chico, there is a hot spot of MeHg contamination in fish (A2-São Chico Reservoir) with the highest risk level (HQ = 28) associated with its human consumption. Mean Hg concentrations in urine, blood, and hair samples indicated that the miners group (in São Chico: urine = 17.37 μg/L; blood = 27.74 μg/L; hair = 4.50 μg/g and in Creporizinho: urine = 13.75 μg/L; blood = 25.23 μg/L; hair: 4.58 μg/g) was more exposed to mercury compared to non-miners (in São Chico: urine = 5.73 μg/L; blood = 16.50 μg/L; hair = 3.16 μg/g and in Creporizinho: urine = 3.91 μg/L; blood = 21.04 μg/L, hair = 1.88 μg/g). These high Hg levels (found

Chromosomenindividualität or Entmischung? The debate between Paolo Della Valle and Edmund B. Wilson.

PubMed

Volpone, Alessandro

2015-01-01

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the Italian cytologist Paolo Della Valle developed a theory of instable chromosomes (teoria dei cromosomi labili). He radically criticized the so-called Sutton-Boveri hypothesis (Martins and Martins, Genetics and Molecular Biology, 22:261-271, 1999), focusing on numerical constancy in the species and individuality. On the basis of bibliographical review and personal observations, he maintained that the chromosomes were neither stable bodies, nor permanent structures, but transitory cellular materials, resulting from the periodical rearrangement of the chromatin during the cell division. German and English-speaking biologists reacted. The paper shows some content of the argumentations used by Thomas H. Montgomery and especially Edmund B. Wilson. The discussion was characterized by the same data which is interpretedby different scholars in different ways. And the point is that no one of them had the decisive test to demonstrate his own point of view. Wilson simply invoked on his behalf a certain 'common sense', defending at least a 'high degree of constancy'. The debate waned along with the reception of Morgan's chromosome theory of heredity, but only the advent of molecular biology definitively stated the nature of chromosomes as permanent structures of the cell.

Migmatization and low-pressure overprinting metamorphism as record of two pre-Cretaceous tectonic episodes in the Santander Massif of the Andean basement in northern Colombia (NW South America)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuluaga, C. A.; Amaya, S.; Urueña, C.; Bernet, M.

2017-03-01

The core of the Santander Massif in the northern Andes of Colombia is dominated by migmatitic gneisses with a < 1.71 Ga protolith and was affected by continuous interactions of oceanic plates to the west and the northwestern corner of the South American continental plate. The exposed metamorphic core of the massif offers a unique opportunity to understand the tectonic evolution of northwestern South America. We present new metamorphic petrology and geochemistry data from the Bucaramanga Gneiss in the Santander Massif to document part of this tectonic evolution from late Proterozoic to Jurassic times. Metapelitic migmatite gneiss, quartz-feldspathic gneiss, and amphibolite from the Bucaramanga Gneiss recorded metamorphic peak conditions in the range of 660-850 °C at pressures of > 7.5 kbar. Lithologies are overprinted by low-pressure metamorphism, related to extensive Jurassic intrusions and linked with growth of cordierite and equilibration of low-pressure mineral assemblages, recorded metamorphic conditions are < 750 °C and < 6.5 kbar. Observed leucosomes display significant compositional variations and can be grouped in three groups: i) Group One leucosomes with high total REE content, high LREE/HREE, and negative Eu anomaly, ii) Group Two leucosomes with low total REE, low LREE/HREE, and positive Eu anomalies, and iii) Group Three leucosomes with relatively low LREE/HREE and strong positive Eu anomaly. Geochemical data support the interpretation that Group Two leucosomes crystallized from melts originated in a partial melting event affecting mostly pelitic and quartz-feldspathic lithologies with fluid-present melting reactions. The evaluation of mesosomes (amphibolite, pelitic and quartz-feldspathic rocks) as potential protoliths or restites indicates that at least two pelitic samples of the analyzed lithologies have characteristics consistent with the occurrence of fluid-present melting reactions involving quartz and feldspar. The leucosomes produced by

Age and isotopic marks of K-rich Manning Massif trachybasalts: an evidence for Lambert-Amery rift-system initiation (East Antarctica)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leitchenkov, German; Belyatsky, Boris; Lepekhina, Elena; Antonov, Anton; Krymsky, Robert; Andronikov, Alex; Sergeev, Sergey

2017-04-01

Volcanic rocks from the Manning Massif, which is situated in the western flank of the Paleozoic-Late Mesozoic Lambert Rift (East Antarctica), belong to a rare type of alkaline magmatism within the Precambrian East Antarctic Craton. K-rich olivine trachybasalts compose some flows resting upon a surface of Precambrian granulite terrain, each flow of 2.5-7 m in thickness and total section not less than 30 m. Each flow sequence comprises of glassy chilled base with vitroporphyritic texture, fine-plated vesicular basalt with interstitial texture, massive fine-grained basalt with porphyritic microlitic texture, amigdaloidal aphanitic basalt with poikilophytic texture, and vesicular mandelstone of slag crust with vitroporphyritic texture [Andronikov et al., 1998]. Rb-Sr and K-Ar isotopic age of this eruption was estimated as 40-50 Ma and the main reason for this Cenozoic continental volcanism was supposed the post-rift tectonic activity [Andronikov et al., 1998]. But the isotopic characteristics of these trachybasalts are very similar to those obtained for the part of spinel lherzolite and spinel-garnet lherzolite xenoliths from the Mesozoic alkaline picrite of the adjacent Jetty Peninsula region. That could be evidence of the trachybasalt mantle source in long-lived enriched upper mantle beneath the region, either under the lowermost levels of spinel lherzolite facies or on the highest levels of garnet lherzolite facies conditions. To reveal tectonic position of these enigmatic volcanics, we have studied 16 samples from different parts of basaltic flows for U-Pb geochronology and Pb-Sr-Nd-Os isotopic characteristics. U-Pb SIMS SHRIMP-II analysis was performed for 68 apatite grains from 5 samples. All obtained data-points are approximated by discordia line (MSWD=1.6) on Tera-Wasserburg diagram, corresponding to the age of 346±46 Ma. Common Pb isotope composition of these apatites differs from the model by increased 206Pb/204Pb (19.8) and 207Pb/204Pb (18.3) that means the

Western Candor Chasma - Layers exposed near the middle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

One of the most striking discoveries of the Mars Global Surveyor mission has been the identification of thousands of meters/feet of layers within the wall rock of the enormous martian canyon system, Valles Marineris.

Valles Marineris was first observed in 1972 by the Mariner 9 spacecraft, from which the troughs get their name: Valles--valleys, Marineris--Mariner.

Some hints of layering in both the canyon walls and within some deposits on the canyon floors were seen in Mariner 9 and Viking orbiter images from the 1970s. The Mars Orbiter Camera on board Mars Global Surveyor has been examining these layers at much higher resolution than was available previously.

MOC images led to the realization that there are layers in the walls that go down to great depths. An example of the wall rock layers can be seen in MOC image 8403, shown above (C).

MOC images also reveal amazing layered outcrops on the floors of some of the Valles Marineris canyons. Particularly noteworthy is MOC image 23304 (D, above), which shows extensive, horizontally-bedded layers exposed in buttes and mesas on the floor of western Candor Chasma. These layered rocks might be the same material as is exposed in the chasm walls (as in 8403--C, above), or they might be rocks that formed by deposition (from water, wind, and/or volcanism) long after Candor Chasma opened up.

In addition to layered materials in the walls and on the floors of the Valles Marineris system, MOC images are helping to refine our classification of geologic features that occur within the canyons. For example, MOC image 25205 (E, above), shows the southern tip of a massive, tongue-shaped massif (a mountainous ridge) that was previously identified as a layered deposit. However, this MOC image does not show layering. The material has been sculpted by wind and mass-wasting--downslope movement of debris--but no obvious layers were exposed by these processes.

Valles Marineris a fascinating region on Mars that holds much

Candor Chasma - Massive (non-layered) material expos

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

One of the most striking discoveries of the Mars Global Surveyor mission has been the identification of thousands of meters/feet of layers within the wall rock of the enormous martian canyon system, Valles Marineris.

Valles Marineris was first observed in 1972 by the Mariner 9 spacecraft, from which the troughs get their name: Valles--valleys, Marineris--Mariner.

Some hints of layering in both the canyon walls and within some deposits on the canyon floors were seen in Mariner 9 and Viking orbiter images from the 1970s. The Mars Orbiter Camera on board Mars Global Surveyor has been examining these layers at much higher resolution than was available previously.

MOC images led to the realization that there are layers in the walls that go down to great depths. An example of the wall rock layers can be seen in MOC image 8403, shown above (C).

MOC images also reveal amazing layered outcrops on the floors of some of the Valles Marineris canyons. Particularly noteworthy is MOC image 23304 (D, above), which shows extensive, horizontally-bedded layers exposed in buttes and mesas on the floor of western Candor Chasma. These layered rocks might be the same material as is exposed in the chasm walls (as in 8403--C, above), or they might be rocks that formed by deposition (from water, wind, and/or volcanism) long after Candor Chasma opened up.

In addition to layered materials in the walls and on the floors of the Valles Marineris system, MOC images are helping to refine our classification of geologic features that occur within the canyons. For example, MOC image 25205 (E, above), shows the southern tip of a massive, tongue-shaped massif (a mountainous ridge) that was previously identified as a layered deposit. However, this MOC image does not show layering. The material has been sculpted by wind and mass-wasting--downslope movement of debris--but no obvious layers were exposed by these processes.

Valles Marineris a fascinating region on Mars that holds much

Tephras in lacustrine sediments of the Sarliève marsh (French Massif Central): age and preservation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fourmont, Agathe; Macaire, Jean-Jacques; Bréhéret, Jean-Gabriel; Argant, Jacqueline; Prat, Béatrice; Vernet, Gérard

2006-12-01

The Sarliève marsh sediments (Massif Central, France) contain two tephras. The first tephra [ 13.7±0.4ka(2δ), ca. 12 000 BP], regionally well known, enables to date the beginning of lacustrine infill to the Lateglacial. The second tephra, the 'tephra de Sarliève', the emitting volcano of which is unknown, would be dated to around the Early Subboreal from pollen data. This occurrence, after the discovery of the 'tephra de Beaunit', emphasizes that volcanic eruption(s) occurred in the 'Chaîne des Puys' or in the volcanic Cézallier more than 1000 years after the last known eruption (Pavin) in the 'Chaîne des Puys' at around 6.6/6.7 ka (5800/5900 BP). In the Sarliève piles, these tephras, well preserved in thick and more silicated deposits of deltas, were not observed in carbonated basin sediments where they were altered. The abundance of authigenic zeolites formed during the Lateglacial in restricted depocentre lacustrine waters allows us to detect initial CF1 tephra occurrence. To cite this article: A. Fourmont et al., C. R. Geoscience 338 (2006).

Debris flows of the mountain massif of Hjorthfjellet and Adventtoppen, Svalbard: Implications for gullies on mountains in the Argyre basin, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reiss, D.; Hiesinger, H.; Zanetti, M.; Hauber, E.; Johnsson, A.; Carlsson, E.; Raack, J.; Olvmo, M.; Johansson, H. A. B.; Johansson, L.; Fredriksson, S.; Schmidt, H. T.; McDaniel, S.; Heldmann, J. L.; McKay, C. P.

2008-09-01

will focus on the regional distribution of gullies on the Hjorthfjellet and Adventtoppen mountain massif (Fig. 1, inset and Fig. 2), and detailed local studies of individual gullies on the same mountain massif are carried out as described by [8] and [9]. The Hjorthfjellet and Adventtoppen mountain massif consists of four stratigraphic units of sandstone and shales from the Tertiary and Mesozoic [10]. Several studies concerning talus slopes and debris flows on Svalbard have been performed in the last decades [e.g., 11, 12, 13, 14]. Regional studies of [14] using airborne imagery revealed that there are differences in the frequency and activity of debris flows on Svalbard between east- and west-facing slopes. Åkerman [14] suggested that differences in the solar radiation, the depth of the active layer and the amount of precipitation cause variances in the morphology and morphometry of the debris slopes as well as variances in the frequency and age of debris flows between east- and west-facing slopes. Studies and direct observations imply that debris flows on Svalbard are triggered by high intensity rainfall [e.g., 14, 15]. Gullies on mountains in Argyre basin, Mars For a comparative study on Mars we chose the Argyre region. Several isolated mountain massifs occur in the Nereidum and Charitum Montes (Fig. 3) with similar morphologies as the studied massif in Svalbard. A first data analysis with High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) data revealed that gullies occur on the mountain slopes only at specific orientations. Fig. 4 shows an example of an isolated mountain, on which gullies only occur on west-facing slopes. Project Description The formation of gullies on Earth depends on several parameters, including rainfall and/or melting of snow, the presence of steep slopes, and sufficient amounts of fines/debris [e.g., 16]. As on Earth, the differences of slope angles and variabilities in bedrock and grain sizes influence the regional occurrence of gullies [17]. The main

Erosional development of bedrock spur and gully topography in the Valles Marineris, Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patton, Peter C.

1990-01-01

Gully networks separated by resistant bedrock spurs are a common erosional feature along the escarpments that border the Valles Marineris. The resistant spur topography is best developed where the base of the slope is truncated by linear scarps interpreted as fault scarps. Regional variations in slope morphology imply that spur and gully topography undergoes a systematic progressive degradation through time associated with the erosional destruction of the basal fault scarps. The comparative morphometry of the divide networks indicates that the density of the spur networks and the number of first-order unbranched spurs decreases as the basal slope break becomes more sinuous. Abstraction of the spurs occurs through regolith storage in adjacent gullies at the slope base and the most degraded slope forms are entirely buried in talus. The basal fault scarps apparently control regolith transport by allowing debris to drain from the slope. As these basal scarps decay the slope base becomes increasingly sinuous and the slopes become transport limited. Dry mass-wasting may be the most important process acting on these slopes where a continually lowered base level is required to maintain the spur topography. In contrast to the Martian slopes, range front fault escarpments in the western U.S. show no systematic trend in spur network geometry as they are eroded. These weathering limited slopes are controlled by the more efficient removal of regolith through fluvial processes which rapidly create quasi-equilibrium drainage networks.

Geotherms and heat flow estimates in the Odra Fault Zone (NE margin of Bohemian Massif, Central Europe) and its relationships to geological structure of NE termination of the European Variscan Orogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puziewicz, Jacek; Czechowski, Leszek; Majorowicz, Jacek; Pietranik, Anna; Grad, Marek

2017-04-01

The NE margin of Variscan Orogen in Europe comprises Sudety Mts., Fore-Sudetic Block, Odra Fault Zone and Fore-Sudetic Homocline. The Sudety Mts. together with the located to the NE Fore-Sudetic Block form NE part of the Bohemian Massif. The Variscan crystalline basement is exposed at the surface here. The Odra Fault Zone is situated further to the NE. It is a ca. 20 km wide horst of crystalline basement, hidden beneath relatively thin (< 1000 m) Permian-Mesozoic and Cenozoic sedimentary sequences and is called the Odra Horst in the following. This horst marks the margin of stretching to NE Fore-Sudetic Homocline, in which the crystalline basement is dipping to NE under thickening Permo-Mesozoic strata, covered by few hundred meter thick Cenozoic sedimentary layer (Żelaźniewicz et al. 2016 and references therein). The Odra Horst is possibly a continuation of the Mid German Crystalline High at the NE side of the Bohemian Massif (Dörr et al. 2006). The copper mines located at the central part of the Odra Horst at depth 600 - 1000 m enable the numerous high-quality temperature measurements. However, complicated geometry of geological units requires 3D simulations. We use 3D numerical thermal model for the considered region. The heat flow in the region is 80 mW/m2 (corrected for paleclimate). This value is higher than in the neighbouring parts of Sudetes and Fore-Sudetic Block ( 70 mW/m2) and compares rather to positive heat flow anomaly stretching NW-SE in Wielkopolska region north of the Dolsk Fault and continuing to NE Germany. This anomaly corresponds crudely to the extent of the Permian volcanic province of Polish and North-East German Basin. Unfortunately, preliminary results of the model are not conclusive, because they depend on many parameters, (compare e.g. Puziewicz et al 2012). It remains an open question if this anomaly could be related to the lithospheric mantle thermal anomalies (Tesauro et al. 2009) or is rather due to crustal rock contributions

Sedimentology and hydrology of a well-preserved paleoriver systems with a series of dam-breach paleolakes at Moa Valles, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salese, Francesco; Di Achille, Gaetano; Neesemann, Adrian; Ori, Gian Gabriele; Hauber, Ernst

2016-04-01

Moa Valles is a well-preserved paleodrainage system that is nearly 300-km-long and carved into ancient highland terrains west of Idaeus Fossae. The paleofluvial system apparently originated from fluidized ejecta blankets, and it consists of a series of dam-breach paleolakes with associated fan-shaped sedimentary deposits. This paleofluvial system shows a rich morphological record of hydrologic activity in the highlands of Mars. Based on crater counting the latter activity seems to be Amazonian in age (2.43 - 1.41 Ga). This work is based on a digital elevation model (DEM) derived from Context camera (CTX) and High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) stereo images. Our goals are to (a) study the complex channel flow paths draining into Idaeus Fossae after forming a series of dam-breach paleolakes and to (b) investigate the origin and evolution of this valley system with its implications for climate and tectonic control. The first part of the system is characterized by many paleolakes, which are interconnected and drain eastward into Liberta crater, forming a complex and multilobate deltaic deposit exhibiting a well-developed channelized distributary pattern with evidence of switching on the delta plain. A breach area, consisting of three spillover channels, is present in the eastern part of the crater rim. These channels connect the Liberta crater to the eastward portion of the valley system, continuing toward Moa Valles with a complex pattern of anabranching channels that is more than 180-km-long. Our crater counting results and hydrological calculations of infilling and spillover discharges of the Liberta crater-lake suggest that the system is the result of an Early Amazonian water-rich environment that was likely sustained by relatively short fluvial events (<102 years), thereby supporting the hypotheses that water-related erosion might have been active on Mars (at least locally) during the Amazonian. The most important water source for the system could

The "Escarot" gas seep, French Massif Central: CO2 discharge from a quiescent volcanic system - Characterization and quantification of gas emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gal, F.; Leconte, S.; Gadalia, A.

2018-03-01

Natural CO2 emissions from the volcanic rocks of the French Massif Central are poorly constrained. It is of interest better to assess the emission of such non-anthropogenic gases that may significantly contribute to the global carbon budget. We quantified the CO2 emissions to the atmosphere in a small area (0.052 km2) located in the Massif Central close to Lake Pavin, the most recent volcanic edifice in metropolitan France. The specific character of this area, known as the Escarot mofette, was earlier studied for soil-gas concentrations only. In June 2017, we used the accumulation chamber method for measuring CO2 flux and related O2 depletion in the gases emitted at the soil/atmosphere interface, resulting in 176 data acquisitions over four days. In addition, 44 soil-gas concentration measurements were made at selected locations. CO2 emission rates are estimated at 8100 ± 1800 tons/year of deep-seated CO2 and at 660 ± 440 tons/year of biologically produced CO2. The uncertainty on these evaluations comes from the high-frequency variability of CO2 efflux in the more emissive areas and from the occurrence of heavy precipitation events. Though unexpected, these events were used for quantifying the decreases in CO2 efflux, which were as high as 500% over a few hours or even days in some locations. However, repeat acquisitions performed under more favourable weather conditions showed errors of commonly accepted amplitude (±15%). The area showed several degassing centres aligned along a NNW-SSE direction that correlates well with known geological structures, proving the ability of soil-gas methods to map hidden faults. The whole area is characterized by strong CO2 enrichment and related O2 depletion, but it is nonetheless possible to detect areas influenced by the rise of deep-seated gases and a few peripheral areas where biological processes dominate (CO2 up to 10% vol.). This study of gas emissions in a non-urban area also provides complementary information that is

An Archaean Tonalite-Trondhjemite-Granodiorite Association of the Kursk Block (Voronezh Massif): Composition, Age, and Correlation with the Ukrainian Shield

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savko, K. A.; Samsonov, A. V.; Larionov, A. N.; Korish, E. Kh.; Bazikov, N. S.

2018-01-01

Framing of the Archaean greenstone belts of the Kursk Block (KB) of the East Sarmatia preserves rocks of the TTG association: those do not form massifs with distinct boundaries, but occur as fields gradually transiting into gneisses and migmatites. According to Sm-Nd isotope-geochemical data, the TTG are characterized by positive values of ɛNd(2960) = +0.3…+1.6 and protolith model ages of T Nd( DM) = 3100-3200 Ma. Magmatic protoliths of the Kursk Block TTG were formed about 2960 Ma by melting from a juvenile basite source. These age estimates are significantly younger than heterochronous (3.19, 3.13 and 3.07 Ga) TTGs of the Middle Dnieper granite-greenstone terrane. On the other hand, the similarity of ɛNd(T) implies a single source of their protoliths. Consequently, the KB TTGs, apparently, are a result of transformation of an older sial crust preserved within the Middle Dnieper Block.

Une complication rare des léiomyomes utérins: hémopéritoine massif par rupture de varices

PubMed Central

Ymele, Florent Fouelifack; Tsuala, Jovanny Fouogue; Fouedjio, Jeanne Hortence; Nangué, Charlette; De Kayo, Caroline Kayo; Dobgima, Pisoh Walter; Mbu, Robinson Enoh

2013-01-01

Les léiomyomes utérins sont des causes exceptionnelles d'hémopéritoine. Nous rapportons ici le cas d'une femme de 46 ans nullipare, en instance d'une hystérectomie totale indiquée pour utérus polymyomateux symptomatique. Elle a été opérée en urgence pour hémopéritoine aigu et massif compliqué de choc hémorragique. L'origine de l'hémopéritoine était la rupture spontanée d'une varice du léiomyome. Quoique rare l'éventualité d'un hémopéritoine causé par un fibrome utérin devrait être évoquée devant tout abdomen aigu spontané chez une femme en âge de procréer. La présence de varices sur les fibromes augmenterait le risque d'hémorragie spontanée. PMID:23717724

Conventional U-Pb dating versus SHRIMP of the Santa Barbara Granite Massif, Rondonia, Brazil

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sparrenberger, I.; Bettencourt, Jorge S.; Tosdal, R.M.; Wooden, J.L.

2002-01-01

The Santa Ba??rbara Granite Massif is part of the Younger Granites of Rondo??nia (998 - 974 Ma) and is included in the Rondo??nia Tin Province (SW Amazonian Craton). It comprises three highly fractionated metaluminous to peraluminous within-plate A-type granite units emplaced in older medium-grade metamorphic rocks. Sn-mineralization is closely associated with the late-stage unit. U-Pb monazite conventional dating of the early-stage Serra do Cicero facies and late-stage Serra Azul facies yielded ages of 993 ?? 5 Ma and 989 ?? 13 Ma, respectively. Conventional multigrain U-Pb isotope analyses of zircon demonstrate isotopic disturbance (discordance) and the preservation of inherited older zircons of several different ages and thus yield little about the ages of Sn-granite magmatism. SHRIMP U-Pb ages for the Santa Ba??rbara facies association yielded a 207Pb/206Pb weighted-mean age of 978 ?? 13 Ma. The textural complexity of the zircon crystals of the Santa Ba??rbara facies association, the variable concentrations of U, Th and Pb, as well as the mixed inheritance of zircon populations are major obstacles to using conventional multigrain U-Pb isotopic analyses. Sm-Nd model ages and ??Nd (T) values reveal anomalous isotopic data, attesting to the complex isotopic behaviour within these highly fractionated granites. Thus, SHRIMP U-Pb zircon and conventional U-Pb monazite dating methods are the most appropriate to constrain the crystallization age of the Sn-bearing granite systems in the Rondo??nia Tin Province.

Age and geochemistry of Neoproterozoic granitoids in the Songnen-Zhangguangcai Range Massif, NE China: Petrogenesis and tectonic implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luan, Jin-Peng; Xu, Wen-Liang; Wang, Feng; Wang, Zhi-Wei; Guo, Peng

2017-10-01

This study presents new zircon U-Pb ages and geochemical data for Neoproterozoic granitoids in the Songnen-Zhangguangcai Range Massif (SZRM) of NE China. This dataset provides insights into the Neoproterozoic tectonic setting of the SZRM and the links between this magmatism and the evolution of the Rodinia supercontinent. The zircon U-Pb dating indicates that the Neoproterozoic magmatism within the SZRM can be subdivided into two stages: (1) a ∼917-911 Ma suite of syenogranites and monzogranites, and (2) an ∼841 Ma suite of granodiorites. The 917-911 Ma granitoids contain high concentrations of SiO2 (67.89-71.18 wt.%), K2O (4.24-6.91 wt.%), and Al2O3 (14.89-16.14 wt.%), and low concentrations of TFe2O3 (1.63-3.70 wt.%) and MgO (0.53-0.88 wt.%). They are enriched in the light rare earth elements (LREE) and the large ion lithophile elements (LILE), are depleted in the heavy REE (HREE) and the high field strength elements (HFSE; e.g., Nb, Ta, and Ti), and have slightly positive Eu anomalies, indicating that they are geochemically similar to high-K adakitic rocks. They have zircon εHf (t) values and TDM2 ages from -4.4 to +1.5 and 1915 Ma to 1592 Ma, respectively, suggesting that they were derived from a primary magma generated by the partial melting of ancient thickened lower crustal material. In comparison, the 841 Ma granodiorites contain relatively low concentrations of Al2O3 (14.50-14.58 wt.%) and K2O (3.27-3.29 wt.%), relatively high concentrations of TFe2O3 (3.78-3.81 wt.%) and the HREE, have negative Eu anomalies, and have zircon εHf (t) values and TDM2 ages from -4.7 to +1.0 and 1875 to 1559 Ma, respectively. These granodiorites formed from a primary magma generated by the partial melting of ancient crustal material. The ∼917-911 Ma magmatism within the SZRM is inferred to have formed in an orogenic setting, whereas the ∼841 Ma magmatism formed in an anorogenic setting related to either a post-orogenic tectonic event or the onset of Neoproterozoic

Distribution and PGE mineralization in the formation of chromitite in ophiolite complexes (Ospina-Kitoi Kharanur and ultrabasic massifs of Eastern Sayan, Sousern Siberia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiseleva, Olga; Zhmodik, Sergei

2015-04-01

New study of PGE in restitic ultrabasic (Kharanur and Ospin-Kitoi) massifs from North and South branches (Dobretsov et al., 1985) of the ophiolite complexes in south-eastern part of the Eastern Sayan show their presence in chromitites of both branches belonging to the different geodynamic settings. Modern concepts model includes several mechanisms of podiform chromitite origin reflected in the chemistry of Cr-spinels (Arai, Yurimoto, 1994; Ballhaus, 1998; Uysal et al., 2009 et al.): 1) partial melting of upper mantle rocks, 2) mixing of primitive melts with melts enriched in SiO2, 3) melt-rock interaction. We estimated the types of interaction of mafic melts with mantle peridotites, with the formation of chromite bodies. For ore chrome spinelides from northern branch (Al2O3) melt = 8 - 14 wt%, (TiO2) melt = 0 - 0,4 wt%, (Fe/Mg) melt = 0,5 - 2,4; Southern branch (Al2O3) melt = 10 - 13 wt%, (TiO2) melt = 0,1 wt%, (Fe/Mg) melt = 0,3 - 1 (Kiseleva, 2014). There are two types of PGE distribution Os-Ir-Ru (I) and Pt-Pd (II). Type I chromitites (mid-Al#Cr-spinels) revealed only Os-Ir-Ru distributions; type II (low-Al#Cr spinelides) show both Os-Ir-Ru and (Pt-Pd) distributions (Kiseleva et al., 2012, 2014). PGE distribution in ultramafic peridotites and chromitites reflects PGE fractionation during partial melting (Barnes et al., 1985; Rehkämper et al., 1997). Processes bringing to extreme fractionation of PGE, may be associated with fluid-saturated supra subduction environment where melting degree near 20% and above is sufficient for the release of PGE from the mantle source (Dick, Bullen, 1984; Naldrett, 2010). Enrichment in PPGE together with a high content of IPGE in same chromite bodies is attributed to the second step of melting, and formation of S-enriched and saturated in PGE melts (Hamlyn, Keays, 1986; Prichard et al., 1996). For type I chromitites platinum group minerals (PGM) are presented by Os-Ir-Ru system. In type II chromitites PGM are represented by Os

Physical, Structural and Operational Vulnerability of Critical Facilities in Valle de Chalco Solidaridad, Estado de Mexico, Mexico. Case of study: Avándaro, San Isidro and El Triunfo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia Payne, D. G.; Novelo-Casanova, D. A.; Ponce-Pacheco, A. B.; Espinosa-Campos, O.; Huerta-Parra, M.; Reyes-Pimentel, T.; Rodriguez, F.; Benitez-Olivares, I.

2010-12-01

Valle de Chalco Solidaridad is located in Mexico City Metropolitan Area in Estado de Mexico, Mexico. In this town there is a sewage canal called “La Compañía”. A wall of this canal collapsed on February 5, 2010 due to heavy rains creating the flooding of four surrounding communities. It is important to point out that this area is frequently exposed to floods. In this work, we consider a critical facility as an essential structure for performance, health care and welfare within a community or/and as a place that can be used as shelter in case of emergency or disaster. Global vulnerability (the sum of the three measured vulnerabilities) of the 25 critical facilities identified in the locations of Avándaro, San Isidro and El Triunfo was assessed using the Community Vulnerability Assessment Tool developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). For each critical facility we determined its operational, structural and physical vulnerabilities. For our analysis, we considered the four main natural hazards to which Valle de Chalco is exposed: earthquakes, floods, landslides and sinking. We considered five levels of vulnerability using a scale from 1 to 5, where values range from very low to very high vulnerability, respectively. A critical facilities database was generated by collecting general information for three categories: schools, government and church. Each facility was evaluated considering its location in relation to identified high-risk areas. Our results indicate that in average, the global vulnerability of all facilities is low, however, there are particular cases in which this global vulnerability is high. The average operational vulnerability of the three communities is moderate. The global structural vulnerability (sum of the structural vulnerability for the four analyzed hazards) is moderate. In particular, the structural vulnerability to earthquakes is low, to landslides is very low, to flooding is moderate and to sinking is

Link of grabens and reactivated mantle boundaries in western Bohemian Massif

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babuska, Vladislav; Plomerova, Jaroslava; Vecsey, Ludek; Munzarova, Helena

2015-04-01

To study relations between mantle and crustal fabrics in the Bohemian Massif (BM), we model 3D anisotropy of the mantle lithosphere by inverting and interpreting jointly P-wave travel-time deviations and shear-wave splitting parameters of teleseismic waves recorded at portable and permanent stations operating in the BM for more than 20 years. Changes in orientation of the large-scale anisotropy in the mantle lithosphere, caused by systematic preferred orientation of olivine, identify boundaries of domains representing original micro-plates assembled during the Variscan orogeny. Consistent anisotropy of the mantle-lithosphere domains, with distinct changes at their boundaries, documents rigidity and a long memory of pervasive olivine fabrics. Some of the palaeo-plate boundaries represent weak elements of the assemblage that can be later rejuvenated. This is why graben structures in the western BM developed above the identified mantle boundaries. The Eger (Ohře) Rift (ER) originated above the ENE oriented mantle suture between the Saxothuringian (ST) in the north-west and the Moldanubian (MD) and Teplá-Barrandian (TB) in the south-east. The most significant graben structure, accompanied by a rich Cenozoic volcanic activity, developed above the central part of the ST/TB suture that witnessed a subduction down to ~150 km, as documented by findings of microdiamonds in ST granulites. The smaller-scale NNW oriented Cheb-Domažlice Graben (CDG) is located above the mantle boundary between the western rim of the TB and the MD. Unlike the suture beneath the ER, this boundary does not show any sign of a deep subduction and it is characterized by a less well developed graben structure and a weak volcanic activity. In both grabens we observe local shifts between the equivalent crustal and mantle boundaries of the units as large as ~20 km. The shift indicates a Variscan detachment of the crust from the mantle lithosphere. Cenozoic rifting and the graben structures developed

High morphogenic activity in the permafrost-affected rock walls of the Mont Blanc massif during the 2015 summer heat wave

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ravanel, Ludovic; Magnin, Florence; Deline, Philip

2016-04-01

In order to test the geomorphological hypothesis on the link between permafrost degradation and rock wall destabilisation, we survey all the rockfalls that occur in the central part of the Mont-Blanc massif using a network of observers since 2007. 511 rockfalls (100 < V < 45,000 m3) have been documented, year 2015 included. Between 2007 and 2014, the average number of destabilizations was 44 (from 17 in 2014 with a cold summer to 72 in 2009 with a relatively hot summer). In 2015, 160 events were recorded i.e. 4 times more than the annual average of the previous years. That makes the year 2015 similar to 2003 that was characterized by its summer heatwave triggering 152 rockfalls in the area currently covered by the network of observers, as shown by the analysis of a SPOT-5 image. Observations of 2015 are discussed and crossed with a statistical model of the Mean Annual Rock Surface Temperature (MARST) for the 1961-1990 period, implemented on a 4-m-resolution DEM of the Mont Blanc massif, and temperature measurements in three 10-m-deep boreholes at the Aiguille du Midi (3842 m a.s.l.), where the summer 2015 active layers have been the thickest since the start of measurements in 2009 (e.g. 3.6 m in the NE face against 2.9 m in average during the previous years). Before 2015, 90 % of the inventoried rockfalls occurred in areas where MARST is in the range -5 to 1°C, whereas only 50 % of the whole rock wall area above 2000 m a.s.l. covers this temperature range. With an air 0°C isotherm which sometimes exceeded the summit of Mont Blanc (4809 m a.s.l.) during the 2015 Summer, conditions were particularly unfavorable for mountaineering. Numerous rescues were carried out to climbers technically blocked by uncommon conditions or injured by rockfalls. On the normal route to the summit of Mont Blanc, two administrative closures of the Goûter hut (3835 m a.s.l.) were necessary to prevent climbers from the huge risk of rockfalls in the access couloir, known for its rockfall

Geochemistry and metamorphism of the Mouriscas Complex, Ossa-Morena/Central Iberian zone boundary, Iberian Massif, Central Portugal: Implications for the Cadomian and Variscan orogenies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henriques, S. B. A.; Neiva, A. M. R.; Tajčmanová, L.; Dunning, G. R.

2018-01-01

The Mouriscas Complex is a deformed and metamorphosed predominantly mafic igneous complex of Ediacaran and Ordovician age and crops out at the Ossa-Morena/Central Iberian zone boundary in the Iberian Massif, Central Portugal. It comprises amphibolite with Neoproterozoic protoliths (ca. 544 Ma), protomylonitic felsic dykes derived from younger trondhjemitic protoliths (ca. 483 Ma) and garnet amphibolite derived of even younger dioritic protoliths (ca. 477 Ma). The protoliths of the Neoproterozoic amphibolites are calc-alkaline magmas of basic to intermediate compositions with intraplate and active continental margin affinities and are considered to represent the final phase of the Cadomian arc magmatism. They are interpreted to have originated as coarse-grained intrusions, likely gabbro or diorite and generated from the partial melting of meta-igneous lower crust and mantle. Their emplacement occurred near the Cadomian metamorphic event dated at ca. 540 Ma (P = 7-8 kbar and T = 640-660 °C) which is interpreted to represent a continental collision. During the Late Cambrian-Early Ordovician an extensional episode occurred in the central-southern Iberian Massif and was also observed in other areas of the Variscan Orogen. It led to mantle upwelling and to the development of an aborted intracratonic rift located at the Ossa-Morena/Central Iberian zone boundary and to the opening of the Rheic Ocean to the south of the area studied in present coordinates (i.e., between the Ossa-Morena and South Portuguese Zones). This event has been dated at ca. 477 Ma and was responsible for the melting of deep ancient mafic crust and mantle with formation of bimodal magmatism in an intra-plate setting, as indicated by the protoliths of the protomylonitic felsic dykes with trondhjemitic composition and of the garnet amphibolite. Subsequent Variscan metamorphism took place under amphibolite facies conditions (P = 4-5.5 kbar; T = 600-625 °C) at lower P-T conditions than the Cadomian

Alternations in burial and exhumation along the Selimiye (Kayabükü) shear zone in the Menderes Massif from detailed garnet pressure-temperature paths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelly, E. D.; Atakturk, K. R.; Catlos, E. J.; Lizzadro-McPherson, D. J.; Cemen, I.; Lovera, O. M.

2015-12-01

Pressure-temperature (P-T) paths derived from garnet chemical zoning and supported by thermal modeling record alternating burial and exhumation during Main Menderes Metamorphism in western Turkey. We studied six rocks along the Selimiye (Kayabükü) shear zone, three from the footwall (Çine nappe) and three from the hanging wall (Selimiye nappe). The shear zone bounds the southern Menderes Massif metamorphic core complex and has been suggested to record compression followed by extension. The rocks are lower-amphibolite facies garnet-bearing metapelites with nearly identical mineral suites. Retrograde overprinting hinders classical thermobarometry; to overcome this, preserved chemical zoning in garnet combined with a G-minimization approach was used to construct detailed P-T paths (e.g., 50 points in some paths). During continuous temperature increase, the Çine nappe paths show increasing, decreasing, and then increasing pressure (an N-shaped path) ending at 7-8 kbar and ~565-590 °C. The Selimiye nappe paths show a single increase in P-T ending at ~7.3 kbar and ~580 °C. Similar bulk-rock compositions in all samples and the separation by the shear zone suggest that garnets grew during distinct events in each nappe. The timing of garnet growth, and thus the P-T paths, is currently undetermined, as monazite inclusions in garnet appear secondary and complicated by excess common Pb. The Çine nappe N-shaped path describes alternations in burial and exhumation, possibly due to thrust motion along the shear zone. To demonstrate the physical plausibility of the P-T paths, a 2-D finite difference solution to the diffusion-advection equation was applied. The results of the thermal modeling suggest that thrusting, denudation, and renewed thrusting would produce similar changes in P-T to the N-shaped path. Thus, the Çine nappe N-shaped P-T path appears to record a gap in thrust motion along the Selimiye (Kayabükü) shear zone prior to ultimate unroofing of the massif.

Compositional and isotopic heterogeneities in the Neo-Tethyan upper mantle recorded by coexisting Al-rich and Cr-rich chromitites in the Purang peridotite massif, SW Tibet (China)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiong, Fahui; Yang, Jingsui; Xu, Xiangzhen; Kapsiotis, Argyrios; Hao, Xiaolin; Liu, Zhao

2018-06-01

The Purang harzburgite massif in SW Tibet (China) hosts abundant chrome ore deposits. Ores consist of 20 to >95% modal chromian spinel (Cr-spinel) with mylonitic fabric in imbricate shaped pods. The composition of Cr-spinel in these ores ranges from Al-rich [Cr#Sp or Cr/(Cr + Al) × 100 = 47.60-57.56] to Cr-rich (Cr#Sp: 62.55-79.57). Bulk platinum-group element (PGE) contents of chromitites are also highly variable ranging from 17.5 ppb to ∼2.5 ppm. Both metallurgical and refractory chromitites show a general enrichment in the IPGE (Os, Ir and Ru) with respect to the PPGE (Rh, Pt and Pd), resulting mostly in right-sloping primitive mantle (PM)-normalized PGE profiles. The platinum-group mineral (PGM) assemblages of both chromitite types are dominated by heterogeneously distributed, euhedral Os-bearing laurite inclusions in Cr-spinel. The Purang chromitites have quite inhomogeneous 187Os/188Os ratios (0.12289-0.13194) that are within the range of those reported for mantle-hosted chromitites from other peridotite massifs. Geochemical calculations demonstrate that the parental melts of high-Cr chromitites were boninitic, whereas those of high-Al chromitites had an arc-type tholeiitic affinity. Chromite crystallization was most likely stimulated by changes in magma compositions due to melt-peridotite interaction, leading to the establishment of a heterogeneous physicochemical environment during the early crystallization of the PGM. The highly variable PGE contents, inhomogeneous Os-isotopic compositions and varying Cr#Sp ratios of these chromitites imply a polygenetic origin for them from spatially distinct melt inputs. The generally low γOs values (<1) of chromitites indicate that their parental melts originated within different sections of a heterogeneously depleted mantle source region. These melts were most likely produced in the mantle wedge above a downgoing lithospheric slab.

Hydrochemical characteristics and spatial analysis of groundwater quality in parts of Bundelkhand Massif, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, Syed Ahmad; Ali, Umair

2018-03-01

The tribulations of water quality have become more serious than the quantity, as the environmental evils are getting more severe day by day in different parts of the world. Large number of components like soil, geology, sewage disposal, effluents and other environmental conditions in which the water tends to reside or move and interact with ground and biological characteristics, greatly persuade the groundwater quality. Therefore, hydrochemical study has been carried out graphically and spatially in GIS environment in part of Bundelkhand Massif. The hydrochemical study exposes the water quality by measuring the concentration of parameters and comparing them with the drinking water and irrigation standards. Groundwater samples have been collected and analysed for physiochemical characteristics in order to understand the hydrochemistry of the water. The results revealed that ground water is alkaline in nature and total hardness observed in all samples falls under moderately hard to very hard category. At some places higher concentration of Cl- could be dangerous from health point of view. Major hydrochemical facies were identified using Piper Trilinear diagram and Durov diagrams, etc. Analysis of different determinations such as sodium adsorption ratio, residual sodium carbonate and per cent sodium revealed that most of the samples are unsuitable for irrigation. It was also observed that the quality of groundwater was not suitable for drinking purpose in industrial and irrigation area. In the area, few sampling sites showed unsuitability because of influences of urban and industrial waste discharge, aquifer material mineralogy, other anthropogenic activities and increased human interventions.

Elastic and electrical properties and permeability of serpentinites from Atlantis Massif, Mid-Atlantic Ridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falcon-Suarez, Ismael; Bayrakci, Gaye; Minshull, Tim A.; North, Laurence J.; Best, Angus I.; Rouméjon, Stéphane

2017-11-01

Serpentinized peridotites co-exist with mafic rocks in a variety of marine environments including subduction zones, continental rifts and mid-ocean ridges. Remote geophysical methods are crucial to distinguish between them and improve the understanding of the tectonic, magmatic and metamorphic history of the oceanic crust. But, serpentinite peridotites exhibit a wide range of physical properties that complicate such a distinction. We analysed the ultrasonic P- and S-wave velocities (Vp, Vs) and their respective attenuation (Qp-1, Qs-1), electrical resistivity and permeability of four serpentinized peridotite samples from the southern wall of the Atlantis Massif, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, collected during International Ocean Discovery Program Expedition 357. The measurements were taken over a range of loading-unloading stress paths (5-45 MPa), using ∼1.7 cm length, 5 cm diameter samples horizontally extracted from the original cores drilled on the seafloor. The measured parameters showed variable degrees of stress dependence, but followed similar trends. Vp, Vs, resistivity and permeability show good inter-correlations, while relationships that included Qp-1 and Qs-1 are less clear. Resistivity showed high contrast between highly serpentinized ultramafic matrix (>50 Ω m) and mechanically/geochemically altered (magmatic/hydrothermal-driven alteration) domains (<20 Ω m). This information together with the elastic constants (Vp/Vs ratio and bulk moduli) of the samples allowed us to infer useful information about the degree of serpentinization and the alteration state of the rock, contrasted by petrographic analysis. This study shows the potential of combining seismic techniques and controlled source electromagnetic surveys for understanding tectonomagmatic processes and fluid pathways in hydrothermal systems.

Formation of pyroxenite layers in the Totalp ultramafic massif (Swiss Alps) - Insights from highly siderophile elements and Os isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Acken, David; Becker, Harry; Walker, Richard J.; McDonough, William F.; Wombacher, Frank; Ash, Richard D.; Piccoli, Phil M.

2010-01-01

Pyroxenitic layers are a minor constituent of ultramafic mantle massifs, but are considered important for basalt generation and mantle refertilization. Mafic spinel websterite and garnet-spinel clinopyroxenite layers within Jurassic ocean floor peridotites from the Totalp ultramafic massif (eastern Swiss Alps) were analyzed for their highly siderophile element (HSE) and Os isotope composition. Aluminum-poor pyroxenites (websterites) display chondritic to suprachondritic initial γOs (160 Ma) of -2 to +27. Osmium, Ir and Ru abundances are depleted in websterites relative to the associated peridotites and to mantle lherzolites worldwide, but relative abundances (Os/Ir, Ru/Ir) are similar. Conversely, Pt/Ir, Pd/Ir and Re/Ir are elevated. Aluminum-rich pyroxenites (clinopyroxenites) are characterized by highly radiogenic 187Os/ 188Os with initial γOs (160 Ma) between +20 and +1700. Their HSE composition is similar to that of basalts, as they are more depleted in Os, Ir and Ru compared to Totalp websterites, along with even higher Pt/Ir, Pd/Ir and Re/Ir. The data are most consistent with multiple episodes of reaction of mafic pyroxenite precursor melts with surrounding peridotites, with the highest degree of interaction recorded in the websterites, which typically occur in direct contact to peridotites. Clinopyroxenites, in contrast, represent melt-dominated systems, which retained the precursor melt characteristics to a large extent. The melts may have been derived from a sublithospheric mantle source with high Pd/Ir, Pt/Ir and Re/Os, coupled with highly radiogenic 187Os/ 188Os compositions. Modeling indicates that partial melting of subducted, old oceanic crust in the asthenosphere could be a possible source for such melts. Pentlandite and godlevskite are identified in both types of pyroxenites as the predominant sulfide minerals and HSE carriers. Heterogeneous HSE abundances within these sulfide grains likely reflect subsolidus processes. In contrast, large grain

Seismic Monitoring of Volcanic Hazards in Valles Caldera, NM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

House, L.; Frostenson, D. K.

2002-12-01

Valles Caldera, in north central New Mexico, was formed by major eruptions at about 1.2 and 1.6 Ma. Less intense volcanism has continued since then, with the most recent activity dated at about 60Ka. Since the caldera lies only about 20 km west of Los Alamos, any new volcanic activity within it could endanger Los Alamos (as well as other communities nearby). To help monitor any new activity, a seismic station (PER) was installed near the southern edge of the caldera, about 6 km SE of the El Cajete vent, the source of the most recent activity. Proximity to El Cajete was the major siting criteria, though the exact placement of the station also depended on factors such as quality of rock outcrop, solar exposure, radio telemetry (limited by mountains), and accessibility. There have been no earthquakes within the caldera during nearly 30 years of operation of the Los Alamos Seismograph Network (LASN). Several earthquakes were located to the south of the caldera and within about 10 km of it; the largest was about magnitude 1.5, the smallest, about magnitude 0. Thus, it appears that the interior of the caldera is non-seismic, perhaps down to magnitude 0.5 or 0. The data from the new PER station improves the sensitivity of the monitoring, and can provide hypocenters of earthquakes too small to be located by the network. PER initially had short-period, high-gain, three-component instrumentation, and recently was upgraded with broad-band equipment. Data from PER are recorded as part of the full network, which requires several station triggers for an event trigger, and as a single-station network, which event triggers with just a single trace. The single-station recording resulted in many thousands of spurious triggers. We chose to study microearthquakes whose S-P times were 2 s or less at PER. These were very small, with magnitudes of about -1 or less. To locate them, we used P-wave particle motions, which can have large uncertainties, because of relatively low signal to

The Variscan evolution in the External massifs of the Alps and place in their Variscan framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

von Raumer, Jürgen F.; Bussy, François; Stampfli, Gérard M.

2009-02-01

In the general discussion on the Variscan evolution of central Europe the pre-Mesozoic basement of the Alps is, in many cases, only included with hesitation. Relatively well-preserved from Alpine metamorphism, the Alpine External massifs can serve as an excellent example of evolution of the Variscan basement, including the earliest Gondwana-derived microcontinents with Cadomian relics. Testifying to the evolution at the Gondwana margin, at least since the Cambrian, such pieces took part in the birth of the Rheic Ocean. After the separation of Avalonia, the remaining Gondwana border was continuously transformed through crustal extension with contemporaneous separation of continental blocks composing future Pangea, but the opening of Palaeotethys had only a reduced significance since the Devonian. The Variscan evolution in the External domain is characterised by an early HP-evolution with subsequent granulitic decompression melts. During Visean crustal shortening, the areas of future formation of migmatites and intrusion of monzodioritic magmas in a general strike-slip regime, were probably in a lower plate situation, whereas the so called monometamorphic areas may have been in an upper plate position of the nappe pile. During the Latest Carboniferous, the emplacement of the youngest granites was associated with the strike-slip faulting and crustal extension at lower crustal levels, whereas, at the surface, detrital sediments accumulated in intramontaneous transtensional basins on a strongly eroded surface.

Methane- and Hydrogen-Influenced Microbial Communities in Hydrothermal Plumes above the Atlantis Massif, Mid Atlantic Ridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stewart, C. L.; Schrenk, M.

2017-12-01

Ultramafic-hosted hydrothermal systems associated with slow-spreading mid ocean ridges emit copious amounts of hydrogen and methane into the deep-sea, generated through a process known as serpentinization. Hydrothermal plumes carrying the reduced products of water-rock interaction dissipate and mix with deep seawater, and potentially harbor microbial communities adapted to these conditions. Methane and hydrogen enriched hydrothermal plumes were sampled from 3 sites near the Atlantis Massif (30°N, Mid Atlantic Ridge) during IODP Expedition 357 and used to initiate cultivation experiments targeting methanotrophic and hydrogenotrophic microorganisms. One set of experiments incubated the cultures at in situ hydrostatic pressures and gas concentrations resulting in the enrichment of gammaproteobacterial assemblages, including Marinobacter spp. That may be involved in hydrocarbon degradation. A second set of experiments pursued the anaerobic enrichment of microbial communities on solid media, resulting in the enrichment of alphaproteobacteria related to Ruegeria. The most prodigious growth in both case occurred in methane-enriched media, which may play a role as both an energy and carbon source. Ongoing work is evaluating the physiological characteristics of these isolates, including their metabolic outputs under different physical-chemical conditions. In addition to providing novel isolates from hydrothermal habitats near the Lost City Hydrothermal Field, these experiments will provide insight into the ecology of microbial communities from serpentinization influenced hydrothermal systems that may aid in future exploration of these sites.

Protracted construction of gabbroic crust at a slow spreading ridge: Constraints from 206Pb/238U zircon ages from Atlantis Massif and IODP Hole U1309D (30°N, MAR)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grimes, Craig B.; John, Barbara E.; Cheadle, Michael J.; Wooden, Joseph L.

2008-01-01

Sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) U-Pb zircon ages of 24 samples from oceanic crust recovered in Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Hole U1309D and from the surface of Atlantis Massif, Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) (30°N) document a protracted history of accretion in the footwall to an oceanic detachment fault. Ages for 18 samples of evolved Fe-Ti oxide gabbro and felsic dikes collected 40–1415 m below seafloor in U1309D yield a weighted mean of 1.20 ± 0.03 Ma (mean square of weighted deviates = 7.1). However, the ages range from 1.08 ± 0.07 Ma and 1.28 ± 0.05 Ma indicating crustal construction occurred over a minimum of 100–200 ka. The zircon ages, along with petrologic observations, indicate at least 2 major periods of intrusive activity with age peaks separated by 70 ka. The oldest ages are observed below 600 mbsf, an observation inconsistent with models requiring constant depth melt intrusion beneath a detachment fault. The data are most consistent with a “multiple sill” model whereby sills intrude at random depths below the ridge axis over a length scale greater than 1.4 km. Zircon ages from broadly spaced samples collected along the southern ridge of Atlantis Massif yield a detachment fault slip rate of 28.7 ± 6.7 mm/a and imply significant asymmetric plate spreading (up to 100% on the North American plate) for at least 200 ka during core complex formation.

The Krásná Hora, Milešov, and Příčovy Sb-Au ore deposits, Bohemian Massif: mineralogy, fluid inclusions, and stable isotope constraints on the deposit formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Němec, Matěj; Zachariáš, Jiří

2018-02-01

The Krásná Hora-Milešov and Příčovy districts (Czech Republic) are the unique examples of Sb-Au subtype orogenic gold deposits in the Bohemian Massif. They are represented by quartz-stibnite veins and massive stibnite lenses grading into low-grade, disseminated ores in altered host rocks. Gold postdates the stibnite and is often replaced by aurostibite. The ore zones are hosted by hydrothermally altered dikes of lamprophyres (Krásná Hora-Milešov) or are associated with local strike-slip faults (Příčovy). Formation of Sb-Au deposits probably occurred shortly after the main gold-bearing event (348-338 Ma; Au-only deposits) in the central part of the Bohemian Massif. Fluid inclusion analyses suggest that stibnite precipitated at 250 to 130 °C and gold at 200 to 130 °C from low-salinity aqueous fluids. The main quartz gangue hosting the ore precipitated from the same type of fluid at about 300 °C. Early quartz-arsenopyrite veins are not associated with the Sb-Au deposition and formed from low-salinity, aqueous-carbonic fluid at higher pressure and temperature ( 250 MPa, 400 °C). The estimated oxygen isotope composition of the ore-bearing fluid (4 ± 1‰ SMOW; based on post-ore calcite) suggests its metamorphic or mixed magmatic-metamorphic origin and excludes the involvement of meteoric water. Rapid cooling of warm hydrothermal fluids reacting with "cold" host rock was probably the most important factor in the formation of both stibnite and gold.

Flood-formed dunes in Athabasca Valles, Mars: Morphology, modeling, and implications

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burr, D.M.; Carling, P.A.; Beyer, R.A.; Lancaster, N.

2004-01-01

Estimates of discharge for martian outflow channels have spanned orders of magnitude due in part to uncertainties in floodwater height. A methodology of estimating discharge based on bedforms would reduce some of this uncertainty. Such a methodology based on the morphology and granulometry of flood-formed ('diluvial') dunes has been developed by Carling (1996b, in: Branson, J., Brown, A.G., Gregory, K.J. (Eds.), Global Continental Changes: The Context of Palaeohydrology. Geological Society Special Publication No. 115, London, UK, 165-179) and applied to Pleistocene flood-formed dunes in Siberia. Transverse periodic dune-like bedforms in Athabasca Valles, Mars, have previously been classified both as flood-formed dunes and as antidunes. Either interpretation is important, as they both imply substantial quantities of water, but each has different hydraulic implications. We undertook photoclinometric measurements of these forms, and compared them with data from flood-formed dunes in Siberia. Our analysis of those data shows their morphology to be more consistent with dunes than antidunes, thus providing the first documentation of flood-formed dunes on Mars. Other reasoning based on context and likely hydraulics also supports the bedforms' classification as dunes. Evidence does not support the dunes being aeolian, although a conclusive determination cannot be made with present data. Given the preponderance of evidence that the features are flood-formed instead of aeolian, we applied Carling's (1996b, in: Branson, J., Brown, A.G., Gregory, K.J. (Eds.), Global Continental Changes: The Context of Palaeohydrology. Geological Society Special Publication No. 115, London, UK, 165-179) dune-flow model to derive the peak discharge of the flood flow that formed them. The resultant estimate is approximately 2??106 m3/s, similar to previous estimates. The size of the Athabascan dunes' in comparison with that of terrestrial dunes suggests that these martian dunes took at least 1

Evidence of Variscan and Alpine tectonics in the structural and thermochronological record of the central Serbo-Macedonian Massif (south-eastern Serbia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antić, Milorad D.; Kounov, Alexandre; Trivić, Branislav; Spikings, Richard; Wetzel, Andreas

2017-07-01

The Serbo-Macedonian Massif (SMM) represents a composite crystalline belt within the Eastern European Alpine orogen, outcropping from the Pannonian basin in the north to the Aegean Sea in the south. The central parts of this massif (south-eastern Serbia) consist of the medium- to high-grade Lower Complex and the low-grade Vlasina Unit. Outcrop- and micro-scale ductile structures in this area document three major stages of ductile deformation. The earliest stage D1 is related to isoclinal folding, commonly preserved as up to decimetre-scale quartz-feldspar rootless fold hinges. D2 is associated with general south-eastward tectonic transport and refolding of earlier structures into recumbent metre- to kilometre-scale tight to isoclinal folds. Stages D1 and D2 could not be temporally separated and probably took place in close sequence. The age of these two ductile deformation stages was constrained to the Variscan orogeny based on indirect geological evidence (i.e. ca. 408-ca. 328). During this period, the SMM was involved in a transpressional amalgamation of the western and eastern parts of the Galatian super-terrane and subsequent collision with Laurussia. Outcrop-scale evidence of the final stage D3 is limited to spaced and crenulation cleavage, which are probably related to formation of large-scale open upright folds as reported previously. 40Ar/39Ar thermochronology was applied on hornblende, muscovite, and biotite samples in order to constrain the age of tectonothermal events and activity along major shear zones. These 40Ar/39Ar data reveal three major cooling episodes affecting the central SMM. Cooling below greenschist facies conditions in the western part of the Vlasina Unit took place in a post-orogenic setting (extensional or transtensional) in the early Permian (284 ± 1 Ma). The age of activity along the top-to-the-west shear zone formed within the orthogneiss in the Božica area of the Vlasina Unit was constrained to Middle Triassic (246 ± 1 Ma). This

de la Vallée-Poussin means of Fourier series for the quadratic spectrum and for spectra with power-like density

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bochkarev, S. V.

2014-02-01

A new method is proposed and elaborated for investigating complex or real trigonometric series with various spectra. It is based on new multiplicative inequalities which give a lower bound for the integral norm of the de la Vallée-Poussin means and are themselves based on results establishing corresponding analogues of the Littlewood-Paley theorem in the BMO, Hardy, and Lorentz spaces. For spectra with power-like density a description of the class of absolute values of coefficients such that the corresponding complex or real trigonometric series are Fourier series is found which depends on the arithmetic characteristics of the spectrum and is sharp in limiting cases. Furthermore, for the quadratic spectrum some results of Hardy and Littlewood on elliptic theta functions are generalized and refined. For the quadratic spectrum and power-like spectra with non-integer exponents new lower bounds are found for the integral norms of exponential sums. Bibliography: 41 titles.

Copper isotope fractionation during partial melting and melt percolation in the upper mantle: Evidence from massif peridotites in Ivrea-Verbano Zone, Italian Alps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Jian; Huang, Fang; Wang, Zaicong; Zhang, Xingchao; Yu, Huimin

2017-08-01

To investigate the behavior of Cu isotopes during partial melting and melt percolation in the mantle, we have analyzed Cu isotopic compositions of a suite of well-characterized Paleozoic peridotites from the Balmuccia and Baldissero massifs in the Ivrea-Verbano Zone (IVZ, Northern Italy). Our results show that fresh lherzolites and harzburgites have a large variation of δ65Cu ranging from -0.133 to 0.379‰, which are negatively correlated with Al2O3 contents as well as incompatible platinum-group (e.g., Pd) and chalcophile element (e.g., Cu, S, Se, and Te) contents. The high δ65Cu can be explained by Cu isotope fractionation during partial melting of a sulfide-bearing peridotite source, with the light isotope (63Cu) preferentially entering the melts. The low δ65Cu can be attributed to precipitation of sulfides enriched in 63Cu during sulfur-saturated melt percolation. Replacive dunites from the Balmuccia massif display high δ65Cu from 0.544 to 0.610‰ with lower Re, Pd, S, Se, and Te contents and lower Pd/Ir ratios relative to lherzolites, which may result from dissolution of sulfides during interactions between S-undersaturated melts and lherzolites at high melt/rock ratios. Thus, our results suggest that partial melting and melt percolation largely account for the Cu isotopic heterogeneity of the upper mantle. The correlation between δ65Cu and Cu contents of the lherzolites and harzburgites was used to model Cu isotope fractionation during partial melting of a sulfide-bearing peridotite, because Cu is predominantly hosted in sulfide. The modelling results indicate an isotope fractionation factor of αmelt-peridotite = 0.99980-0.99965 (i.e., 103lnαmelt-peridotite = -0.20 to -0.35‰). In order to explain the Cu isotopic systematics of komatiites and mid-ocean ridge basalts reported previously, the estimated αmelt-peridotite was used to simulate Cu isotopic variations in melts generated by variable degrees of mantle melting. The results suggest that high

Identification of remagnetization processes in Paleozoic sedimentary rocks of the northeast Rhenish Massif in Germany by K-Ar dating and REE tracing of authigenic illite and Fe oxides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zwing, A.; Clauer, N.; Liewig, N.; Bachtadse, V.

2009-06-01

This study combines mineralogical, chemical (rare earth elemental (REE)) and isotopic (K-Ar) data of clay minerals as well as chemical compositions (major and REE) of Fe oxide leachates from remagnetized Palaeozoic sedimentary rocks from NE Rhenish Massif in Germany, for which the causes of remagnetization are not yet clear. The dominant carrier of the syntectonic, pervasive Carboniferous magnetization is magnetite. The Middle Devonian clastic rocks record an illitization event at 348 ± 7 Ma probably connected to a major magmatic event in the Mid-German Crystalline Rise, whereas a second illitization episode at 324 ± 3 Ma is coeval to the northward migrating deformation through the Rhenish Massif, being only detected in Upper Devonian and Lower Carboniferous rocks. The age of that younger illitization is not significantly different from that of the remagnetization, which, however, is not restricted to the upper part of the orogenic belt, but affects also the Middle Devonian strata. The REE patterns of the Fe-enriched leachates support two mineralization episodes with varied oxidation-reduction conditions outlined by varied Eu and Ce anomalies. This is not compatible with a unique, pervasive migration of orogenic fluids on a regional scale to explain the remagnetization in the studied region. While clay diagenesis and remagnetization are time-equivalent in Upper Devonian and Lower Carboniferous rocks, they are not so in Middle Devonian rocks. Transformation of smectite into illite cannot, therefore, account for the growth of associated authigenic magnetite, which must have been triggered by a different process. Since remagnetization and deformation ages are similar, the mechanism could relate to local physical conditions such as pressure solution and changing pore fluid pressure due to tectonic stress as well as to chemical conditions such as changing composition of the pore fluids.

Seismic Reflection Transect across the Central Iberian Zone (Iberian Massif): The ALCUDIA project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carbonell, R.; Simancas, F.; Martinez-Poyatos, D.; Ayarza, P.; Gonzalez, P.; Tejero, R.; Martín-Parra, L.; Matas, J.; Gonzalez-Lodeiro, F.; Pérez-Estaún, A.; García-Lobon, J.; Mansilla, L.; Palomeras, I.

2007-12-01

The lithosphere of the Central Iberian Zone (CIZ) differs from that of the southwestern Iberian Massif. They are limited by a suture zone. The seismic reflection profile IBERSEIS suggested that the activity of a Carboniferous mantle plume resulted in abundant intrusions of mafic magmas in the mid-to-lower crust which resulted in a singular crustal evolution. The current knowledge of the area based mostly in surface geological mapping suggests that basic magmatism continues further towards the north, indicating that the mantle plume may have affected a bigger area up to the Tajo depression. Furthermore, the existence of the Almadén mine, one of the largest mercury mine in the world within the CIZ, favour that the crust in this area is the result of anomalous lithospheric processes. Accordingly, the ALCUDIA project has been lauched aiming to study the structure and nature of the lithosphere of the CIZ. It includes the acquisition of a deep high resolution seismic reflection transect, detailed geological mapping, kinematic, petrologic and geochemical studies, and other geophysical studies (potential field methods). This new profile extends the previous IBERSEIS Transect towards the northeast, completing almost 600 km of deep seismic profiles, crossing the southern half of the Iberian Variscides. The transect crosses some important structures, such as the Toledo fault, Santa Elena Fault, Alcudia anticline, Almadén syncline, and some major magnetic anomalies. The preliminary results reveal that the crust is 30 km thick in average, with a horizontal Moho, a highly reflective mid-to-lower crust with a few mantle reflectors and well defined features in the upper crust with the indication of detachments zones that might link to the mid- crustal reflective zone.

LEAKAGE CHARACTERISTICS OF MULTI-CONDUCTOR CABLES AND CONDUIT SEALS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nelson, C.; Becker, S.

1962-12-12

Pipe threads in conduit seal-offs can be made air tight by use of a two- part thiokol-epoxy sealant such as Sika.'' This material bonds to metal but does not harden; thus, threaded parts can be separated. Gas seals in conduit sealoffs can be made by use of Chico, Type A'' sealant. This material is hard and can withstand high pressure differentials. However, there is a detectable leakage through Chico, Type A.'' Sika'' can be used to make a suitable gas- tight seal. However, this material is flexible and will not support long cable lengths. A dual pour method is suggestedmore » of first casting Chico'' around the connectors to obtain strength in the seal and then using either Sika'' or Micro-Preg'' to produce a tight seal. Leakage through the cable, between strands of conductor, can be reduced by either soldering the ends or dipping the ends in conductive epoxy paint. (auth)« less

Afebrile pneumonia (whooping cough) syndrome in infants at Hospital Universitario del Valle, Cali, 2001-2007

PubMed Central

Villegas, Dolly; Echandía-Villegas, Connie Alejandra

2012-01-01

Introduction: Afebrile pneumonia syndrome in infants, also called infant pneumonitis, pneumonia caused by atypical pathogens or whooping cough syndrome is a major cause of severe lower respiratory infection in young infants, both in developing countries and in developed countries. Objective: To describe children with afebrile pneumonia syndrome. Methods: Through a cross-sectional study, we reviewed the medical records of children diagnosed with afebrile pneumonia treated at Hospital Universitario del Valle, a reference center in southwestern Colombia, between June 2001 and December 2007. We obtained data on maternal age and origin, prenatal care, the childs birth, breastfeeding, vaccination status, symptoms, signs, diagnosis, treatment, and complications. Results: We evaluated 101 children with this entity, noting a stationary presentation: June-August and November- December. A total of 73% of the children were under 4 months of age; the most common symptoms were: cyanotic and spasmodic cough (100%), respiratory distress (70%), and unquantified fever (68%). The most common findings: rales (crackles) (50%), wheezing and expiratory stridor (37%); 66% were classified as mild and of the remaining 33%, half of them required attention in the intensive care unit. In all, there was clinical diagnosis of afebrile pneumonia syndrome in infants, but no etiologic diagnosis was made and despite this, 94% of the children received macrolides. Conclusions: These data support the hypothesis that most of these patients acquired the disease by airway, possibly caused by viral infection and did not require the indiscriminate use of macrolides. PMID:24893051

Afebrile pneumonia (whooping cough) syndrome in infants at Hospital Universitario del Valle, Cali, 2001-2007.

PubMed

Villegas, Dolly; Echandía-Villegas, Connie Alejandra; Echandía, Carlos Armando

2012-04-01

Afebrile pneumonia syndrome in infants, also called infant pneumonitis, pneumonia caused by atypical pathogens or whooping cough syndrome is a major cause of severe lower respiratory infection in young infants, both in developing countries and in developed countries. To describe children with afebrile pneumonia syndrome. Through a cross-sectional study, we reviewed the medical records of children diagnosed with afebrile pneumonia treated at Hospital Universitario del Valle, a reference center in southwestern Colombia, between June 2001 and December 2007. We obtained data on maternal age and origin, prenatal care, the childs birth, breastfeeding, vaccination status, symptoms, signs, diagnosis, treatment, and complications. We evaluated 101 children with this entity, noting a stationary presentation: June-August and November- December. A total of 73% of the children were under 4 months of age; the most common symptoms were: cyanotic and spasmodic cough (100%), respiratory distress (70%), and unquantified fever (68%). The most common findings: rales (crackles) (50%), wheezing and expiratory stridor (37%); 66% were classified as mild and of the remaining 33%, half of them required attention in the intensive care unit. In all, there was clinical diagnosis of afebrile pneumonia syndrome in infants, but no etiologic diagnosis was made and despite this, 94% of the children received macrolides. These data support the hypothesis that most of these patients acquired the disease by airway, possibly caused by viral infection and did not require the indiscriminate use of macrolides.

Textural Variations during Antigorite Dehydration as Markers for Fluid Release Mechanisms in Subduction Zones: Constrains from the Cerro del Almirez Ultramafic Massif (Betic Cordillera, SE Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dilissen, N. M.; Garrido, C. J.; Lopez Sanchez-Vizcaino, V.; Jabaloy-Sánchez, A.; Padrón-Navarta, J. A.

2015-12-01

Subduction zones are dynamic convergent plate boundaries associated with arc volcanism and earthquakes, which are believed to be controlled by fluids released during devolatilization reactions from the downgoing slab. The high-pressure breakdown of antigorite serpentinite to prograde chlorite-harzburgite is considered to be the most significant source of water in subduction zones. The Cerro del Almirez ultramafic massif (Betic Cordillera, SE Spain) is a unique exhumed subduction terrane that preserves this dehydration reaction as a sharp front. Chl-harzburgite in this massif displays two differentiated textures-granofels and spinifex-like- indicating that antigorite breakdown occurred at different overstepping of the dehydration reaction. Detailed mapping of textural variations in chl-harzburgite unveils a network of granofels and spinifex-like lenses. These lenses have triaxial ellipsoid shapes with average axial ratios of 16:7:1 and 19:8:1, respectively, with the shorter axis nearly perpendicular to the serpentine-out isograd, and the longest axis ranging from 23 to 190 meters. We calculated the volume of water release per lens using the modal amount of olivine according to the model reaction 1Atg = 4Clin + 6Fo + 6En + 15H2O. The growth time and water flux per lens was computed using experimental olivine growth rates for granular and dendritic, spinifex-like olivine. Preliminary results show that formation of spinifex and granofels lenses imply temporal variations of the volumetric water fluxes ranging from 0.12 to 0.02 m3m-2yr-1, respectively. If the time of formation of lenses is inversely proportional to its relative distance to the dehydration front, the 52m thick, chl-harzburgite lens network in Almirez records ca. 315 yrs of antigorite dehydration. Our results show that antigorite dehydration in subduction zones occurs in a highly non-steady regime with yearly to decadal variations of water fluxes that record variations in the dynamics of slab and fluid

Domes, Ash and Dust - Controls on soil genesis in a montane catchment of the Valles Caldera, New Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasmussen, C.; Meding, S. M.; Vazquez, A.; Chorover, J.

2011-12-01

Soil genesis in volcanic terrain may be controlled by complex assemblages of parent materials and local topography. The objective of this work was to quantify topographic and parent material controls on soil and catchment evolution in a mixed conifer, montane catchment in the Valles Caldera, New Mexico, as part of the Jemez River Basin Critical Zone Observatory. The field site is a 16 ha catchment at an elevation of 3,000 m, with a frigid soil temperature regime (0-8*C), ustic soil moisture regime with bimodal precipitation of winter snowfall and convective summer rainfall (880 mm/yr), and an overstory dominated by spruce and fir with dense grass cover in open areas. The catchment is located on the resurgent Redondo Dome that uplifted shortly after the last major eruption of the Valles Caldera 1.2 My ago. The dome includes a complex assemblage of pre-eruptive caldera materials and extant sedimentary rocks embedded within a welded, hydrothermally altered rhyolitic tuff. We sampled a transect of seven soil profiles spanning the dominant east-west aspect of the catchment across a catena with profiles located in summit, backslope, footslope, and toeslope positions. Soil morphology was described in the field and soil samples analyzed using a range of geochemical and mineralogical techniques including quantitative and qualitative x-ray diffraction of bulk samples and particle size fractions, elemental analysis by x-ray fluorescence, and laser particle size analysis. The data indicated strong landscape position control on soil drainage, grading from well-drained summits to poorly-drained toeslope positions based on the presence/absence of redoximorphic features. The drainage patterns were coupled with downslope thickening of dark, organic matter rich surface horizons, likely a function of both in situ organic matter production and downslope colluvial transport of carbon rich surface materials. Mineralogical and geochemical data indicated clear within profile lithologic

Domes, Ash and Dust - Controls on soil genesis in a montane catchment of the Valles Caldera, New Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasmussen, C.; Meding, S. M.; Vazquez, A.; Chorover, J.

2012-12-01

Soil genesis in volcanic terrain may be controlled by complex assemblages of parent materials and local topography. The objective of this work was to quantify topographic and parent material controls on soil and catchment evolution in a mixed conifer, montane catchment in the Valles Caldera, New Mexico, as part of the Jemez River Basin Critical Zone Observatory. The field site is a 16 ha catchment at an elevation of 3,000 m, with a frigid soil temperature regime (0-8 *C), ustic soil moisture regime with bimodal precipitation of winter snowfall and convective summer rainfall (880 mm yr-1), and an overstory dominated by spruce and fir with dense grass cover in open areas. The catchment is located on the resurgent Redondo Dome that uplifted shortly after the last major eruption of the Valles Caldera 1.2 My ago. The dome includes a complex assemblage of pre-eruptive caldera materials and extant sedimentary rocks embedded within a welded, hydrothermally altered rhyolitic tuff. We sampled a transect of seven soil profiles spanning the dominant east-west aspect of the catchment across a catena with profiles located in summit, backslope, footslope, and toeslope positions. Soil morphology was described in the field and soil samples analyzed using a range of geochemical and mineralogical techniques including quantitative and qualitative x-ray diffraction of bulk samples and particle size fractions, elemental analysis by x-ray fluorescence, and laser particle size analysis. The data indicated strong landscape position control on soil drainage, grading from well-drained summits to poorly-drained toeslope positions based on the presence/absence of redoximorphic features. The drainage patterns were coupled with downslope thickening of dark, organic matter rich surface horizons, likely a function of both in situ organic matter production and downslope colluvial transport of carbon rich surface materials. Mineralogical and geochemical data indicated clear within profile lithologic

Rock Magnetic Properties of Remagnetised Devonian and Carboniferous Carbonate and Clastic Rocks From The NE Rhenish Massif, Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zwing, A.; Matzka, J.; Bachtadse, V.; Soffel, H. C.

Previous studies on remagnetised carbonate rocks from the North American and Eu- ropean Variscides reported characteristic rock magnetic properties which are thought to be diagnostic for a chemical remagnetisation event. Their hysteresis properties with high ratios of Mrs/Ms and Hcr/Hc indicate the presence of a mixture of single-domain and superparamagnetic magnetite (Jackson, et al. 1990). In order to test if this fin- gerprint can be identified in remagnetised carbonate and clastic rocks from the NE Rhenish Massif, Germany, a series of rock magnetic experiments has been carried out. The hysteresis properties of the remagnetised clastic rocks indicate the domi- nance of large MD particles, as can be expected for detrital sediments. The carbon- ates yield significantly higher ratios of Mrs/Ms and Hcr/Hc than the clastic rocks, but only partly correspond to the characteristic properties of remagnetised carbon- ates described above. The latter might be attributed to detrital input into the carbonate platforms. Additional low-temperature remanence measurements show a wide vari- ety of phenomena, including Verwey transitions and indications for the presence of superparamagnetic grains. However, the low-temperature experiments do not allow a straightforward discrimination between the clastic and carbonate rocks and suggest more complex magnetomineralogies than expected from the hysteresis measurements alone.

Geochemical processes leading to the precipitation of subglacial carbonate crusts at Bossons glacier, Mont Blanc Massif (French Alps)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomazo, Christophe; Buoncristiani, Jean-Francois; Vennin, Emmanuelle; Pellenard, Pierre; Cocquerez, Theophile; Mugnier, Jean L.; Gérard, Emmanuelle

2017-09-01

Cold climate carbonates can be used as paleoclimatic proxies. The mineralogy and isotopic composition of subglacially precipitated carbonate crusts provide insights into the subglacial conditions and processes occurring at the meltwater-basement rock interface of glaciers. This study documents such crusts discovered on the lee side of a gneissic roche moutonnée at the terminus of the Bossons glacier in the Mont Blanc Massif area (France). The geological context and mineralogical investigations suggest that the Ca used for the precipitation of large crystals of radial fibrous sparite observed in these crusts originated from subglacial chemical weathering of Ca-bearing minerals of the local bedrock (plagioclase and amphibole). Measurements of the carbon and oxygen isotope compositions in the crusts indicate precipitation at, or near to, equilibrium with the basal meltwater under open system conditions during refreezing processes. The homogeneous and low carbonate δ13C values (ca. -11.3‰) imply a large contribution of soil organic carbon to the Bossons subglacial meltwater carbon reservoir at the time of deposition. In addition, organic remains trapped within the subglacially precipitated carbonate crusts give an age of deposition around 6500 years cal BP suggesting that the Mid-Holocene climatic and pedological optima are archived in the Bossons glacier carbonate crusts.

Analysis of the upper massif of the craniofacial with the radial method – practical use

PubMed Central

Lepich, Tomasz; Dąbek, Józefa; Stompel, Daniel; Gielecki, Jerzy S.

2011-01-01

Introduction The analysis of the upper massif of the craniofacial (UMC) is widely used in many fields of science. The aim of the study was to create a high resolution computer system based on a digital information record and on vector graphics, that could enable dimension measuring and evaluation of craniofacial shape using the radial method. Material and methods The study was carried out on 184 skulls, in a good state of preservation, from the early middle ages. The examined skulls were fixed into Molisson's craniostat in the author's own modification. They were directed in space towards the Frankfurt plane and photographed in frontal norm with a digital camera. The parameters describing the plane and dimensional structure of the UMC and orbits were obtained thanks to the computer analysis of the function recordings picturing the craniofacial structures and using software combining raster graphics with vector graphics. Results It was compared mean values of both orbits separately for male and female groups. In female skulls the comparison of the left and right side did not show statistically significant differences. In male group, higher values were observed for the right side. Only the circularity index presented higher values for the left side. Conclusions Computer graphics with the software used for analysing digital pictures of UMC and orbits increase the precision of measurements as well as the calculation possibilities. Recognition of the face in the post mortem examination is crucial for those working on identification in anthropology and criminology laboratories. PMID:22291834

Floodplain Assessment for the Upper Cañon de Valle Watershed Enhancement Project in Technical Area 16 at Los Alamos National Laboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hathcock, Charles Dean; Keller, David Charles; Sartor, Karla A.

This floodplain assessment was prepared in accordance with 10 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1022 Compliance with Floodplain and Wetland Environmental Review Requirements, which was promulgated to implement the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) requirements under Executive Order 11988 Floodplain Management and Executive Order 11990 Wetlands Protection. According to 10 CFR 1022, a 100-year floodplain is defined as “the lowlands adjoining inland and coastal waters and relatively flat areas and flood prone areas of offshore islands.” In this action, DOE is proposing to control the run-on of storm water by slowing water velocity and managing sediments from the upper portionsmore » of the Cañon de Valle watershed on Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) property with a number of new watershed controls near and within the 100-year floodplain (hereafter floodplain). The proposed work will comply with requirements under the Settlement Agreement and Stipulated Final Compliance Order (Settlement Agreement) Number HWB-14-20.« less

Evolution of hut access facing glacier shrinkage in the Mer de Glace basin (Mont Blanc massif, France)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mourey, Jacques; Ravanel, Ludovic

2016-04-01

Given the evolution of high mountain environment due to global warming, mountaineering routes and huts accesses are more and more strongly affected by glacial shrinkage and concomitant gravity processes, but almost no studies have been conducted on this relationship. The aim of this research is to describe and explain the evolution over the last century of the access to the five alpine huts around the Mer de Glace glacier (Mont Blanc massif), the larger French glacier (length = 11.5 km, area = 30 km²), a major place for Alpine tourism since 1741 and the birthplace of mountaineering, by using several methods (comparing photographs, surveying, collecting historical documents). While most of the 20th century shows no marked changes, loss of ice thickness and associated erosion of lateral moraines generate numerous and significant changes since the 1990s. Boulder falls, rockfalls and landslides are the main geomorphological processes that affect the access, while the glacier surface lowering makes access much longer and more unstable. The danger is then greatly increased and the access must be relocated and/or equipped more and more frequently (e.g. a total of 520 m of ladders has been added). This questions the future accessibility to the huts, jeopardizing an important part of mountaineering and its linked economy in the Mer de Glace area.

The carbon-isotopic composition of Proterozoic carbonates: Riphean successions from northwestern Siberia (Anabar Massif, Turukhansk Uplift)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knoll, A. H.; Kaufman, A. J.; Semikhatov, M. A.

1995-01-01

Thick carbonate-dominated successions in northwestern Siberia document secular variations in the C-isotopic composition of seawater through Mesoproterozoic and early Neoproterozoic (Early to early Late Riphean) time. Mesoproterozoic dolomites of the Billyakh Group, Anabar Massif, have delta 13C values that fall between 0 and -1.9 permil versus PDB, with values in the upper part of the succession (Yusmastakh Formation) consistently higher than those of the lower (Ust'-Il'ya and Kotuikan formations). Consistent with available biostratigraphic and radiometric data, delta 13C values for Billyakh carbonates compare closely with those characterizing early Mesoproterozoic carbonates (about 1600-1200 Ma) worldwide. In contrast, late Mesoproterozoic to early Neoproterozoic limestones and dolomites in the Turukhansk Uplift exhibit moderate levels of secular variation. Only the lowermost carbonates in the Turukhansk succession (Linok Formation) have delta 13C values that approximate Billyakh values. Higher in the Turukhansk succession, delta 13C values vary from -2.7 to +4.6 permil (with outliers as low as -5.0 permil interpreted as diagentically altered). Again, consistent with paleontological and radiometric data, these values compare well with isotopic values from 1200 to 850 Ma successions elsewhere. Five sections measured in different parts of the Turukhansk basin show nearly identical patterns of variation, confirming that carbonate delta 13C correlates primarily with time and not facies. The Siberian sections illustrate the potential of integrated biostratigraphic and chemostratigraphic data in the intra- and interbasinal correlation of Mesoproterozoic and early Neoproterozoic rocks.

Pyroclastic chronology of the Sancy stratovolcano (Mont-Dore, French Massif Central): New high-precision 40Ar/39Ar constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nomade, Sébastien; Scaillet, Stéphane; Pastre, Jean-François; Nehlig, Pierre

2012-05-01

The Sancy (16 km2) is the youngest of the two stratovolcanoes that constitute the Mont-Dore Massif (Massif Central, France). The restricted number of high precision radio-isotopic ages currently limits our knowledge of the pyroclastic chronology of this edifice which is the source of many tephra layers detected in middle Pleistocene sequences in southeast Europe. To improve our knowledge of the building phases of this stratovolcano, we collected thirteen pyroclastic units covering the entire proximal record. We present 40Ar/39Ar single grain laser dating performed in the facility hosted at the LSCE (Gif-sur-Yvette, France). The 40Ar/39Ar ages range from 1101 ± 11 ka to 392 ± 7 ka (1σ external). Four pyroclastic cycles lasting on average 100 ka were identified (C. I to C. IV). C. I corresponds to the earlier explosive phase between 1101 ka and 1000 ka and starts about 100 ka earlier than previously thought. The second pyroclastic cycle (C. II) is the main pyroclastic episode spanning from 818 to 685 ka. This cycle is constituted of a minimum of 8 major pyroclastic eruptions and includes a major event that corresponds to a large plinian eruption at 719 ± 10 ka (1σ external) and recorded as a 1.4 m thick layer 60 km south-east of the Sancy volcano. The link between this large eruption and formation of a caldera stays however, hypothetical. The third pyroclastic cycle (C. III) found in the northeastern part of the Sancy (Mont-Dore valley) spanned from 642 to 537 ka. Finally, the youngest pyroclastic cycle (C. IV) starts at 392 ka and probably ends around 280 ka. The age versus geographic location of each pyroclastic cycle indicates three preferential directions of channeling of the pyroclastic events and/or collapse of the volcanic edifice: northwest to west (C. I), southeast (C. II) and finally north to northeast (C. III and IV). The new high precision 40Ar/39Ar age for the Queureuilh bas pyroclastic unit (642 ± 9 ka) is identical within error with the U/Pb age

Déformation et cinématique de mise en place du dôme de la zone axiale de la Montagne Noire: signification des nodules à quartz-sillimanite (Massif central français)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brunel, Maurice; Lansigu, Christophe

1997-10-01

Sillimanite nodules of the Espinouse massif are imponant features for describing the strain that prevailed at the climax of metamorphism. At this stage, the Axial Zone was already an antiformal structure affected by extensional unroofing. Occurrence of the sillimanite nodules mostly in the aureole zone of a granite recently dated at 327 ± 5 Ma, implies that extensional deformation defined by sillimanite nodules and low-angle shear zones was active at the end of the Visean and consequently, contemporaneous with the latest stage of nappe overthrusting and stacking in the southern limb of the Montagne Noire.

Topography of Valles Marineris: Implications for erosional and structural history

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lucchitta, B. K.; Isbell, N. K.; Howington-Kraus, A.

1994-01-01

Compilation of a simplified geologic/geomorphic map onto digital terrain models of the Valles Marineris permitted an evaluation of elevations in the vicinity of the troughs and the calculation of depth of troughs below surrounding plateaus, thickness of deposits inside the troughs, volumes of void spaces above geologic/geomorphic units, and volumes of deposits. The central troughs north Ophir, north and central Candor, and north Melas Chasmata lie as much as 11 km below the adjacent plateaus. In Ophir and Candor chasmata, interior layered deposits reach 8 km in elevation. If the deposits are lacustrine and if all troughs were interconnected, lake waters standing 8 km high would have spilled out of Coprates Chasma onto the surrounding plateaus having surface elevations of only 4-5 km. On the other hand, the troughs may not have been interconnected at the time of interior-deposit emplacement; they may have formed isolated ancestral basins. The existence of such basins is supported by independent structural and stratigraphic evidence. The ancestral basins may have eventually merged, perhaps through renewed faulting, to form northern subsidiary troughs in Ophir and Candor Chasmata and the Coprates/north Melas/Ius graben system. The peripheral troughs are only 2-5 km deep, shallower than the central troughs. Chaotic terrain is seen in the peripheral troughs near a common contour level of about 4 km on the adjacent plateaus, which supports the idea of release of water under artesian pressure from confined aquifers. The layered deposits in the peripheral troughs may have formed in isolated depressions that harbored lakes and predated the formation of the deep outflow channels. (If these layered deposits are of volcanic origin, they may have been emplaced beneath ice in the manner of table mountains.) Areal and volumetric computations show that erosion widened the troughs by about one-third and that deposits occupy one-sixth of the interior space. Even though the volume

Age and evolution of the lithospheric mantle beneath the Khanka Massif: Geochemical and Re-Os isotopic evidence from Sviyagino mantle xenoliths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Peng; Xu, Wen-Liang; Wang, Chun-Guang; Wang, Feng; Ge, Wen-Chun; Sorokin, A. A.; Wang, Zhi-Wei

2017-06-01

New geochemical and Re-Os isotopic data of mantle xenoliths entrained in Cenozoic Sviyagino alkali basalts from the Russian Far East provide insights into the age and evolution of the sub-continental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) beneath the Khanka Massif, within the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). These mantle xenoliths are predominantly spinel lherzolites with minor spinel harzburgite. The lherzolites contain high whole-rock concentrations of Al2O3 and CaO, with low forsterite content in olivine (Fo = 89.5-90.3%) and low Cr# in spinel (0.09-0.11). By contrast, the harzburgite is more refractory, containing lower whole rock Al2O3 and CaO contents, with higher Fo (91.3%) and spinel Cr# (0.28). Their whole rock and mineral compositions suggest that the lherzolites experienced low-degree (1-4%) batch melting and negligible metasomatism, whereas the harzburgite underwent a higher degree (10%) of fractional melting, and experienced minor post-melting silicate metasomatism. Two-pyroxene rare earth element (REE)-based thermometry (TREE) yields predominant equilibrium temperatures of 884-1043 °C, similar to values obtained from two-pyroxene major element-based thermometry (TBKN = 942-1054 °C). Two lherzolite samples yield high TREE relative to TBKN (TREE - TBKN ≥ 71 °C), suggesting that they cooled rapidly as a result of the upwelling of hot asthenospheric mantle material that underplated a cold ancient lithosphere. The harzburgite with a low Re/Os value has an 187Os/188Os ratio of 0.11458, yielding an Os model age (TMA) relative to the primitive upper mantle (PUM) of 2.09 Ga, and a Re depletion ages (TRD) of 1.91 Ga; both of which record ancient melt depletion during the Paleoproterozoic ( 2.0 Ga). The 187Os/188Os values of lherzolites (0.12411-0.12924) correlate well with bulk Al2O3 concentrations and record the physical mixing of ancient mantle domains and PUM-like ambient mantle material within the asthenosphere. This indicates that the SCLM beneath the Khanka

The magmatic history of the Vetas-California mining district, Santander Massif, Eastern Cordillera, Colombia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mantilla Figueroa, Luis C.; Bissig, Thomas; Valencia, Víctor; Hart, Craig J. R.

2013-08-01

The Vetas-California Mining District (VCMD), located in the central part of the Santander Massif (Colombian Eastern Cordillera), based on U-Pb dating of zircons, records the following principal tectono-magmatic events: (1) the Grenville Orogenic event and high grade metamorphism and migmatitization between ˜1240 and 957 Ma; (2) early Ordovician calc-alkalic magmatism, which was synchronous with the Caparonensis-Famatinian Orogeny (˜477 Ma); (3) middle to late Ordovician post-collisional calc-alkalic magmatism (˜466-436 Ma); (4) late Triassic to early Jurassic magmatism between ˜204 and 196 Ma, characterized by both S- and I-type calc-alkalic intrusions and; (5) a late Miocene shallowly emplaced intermediate calc-alkaline intrusions (10.9 ± 0.2 and 8.4 ± 0.2 Ma). The presence of even younger igneous rocks is possible, given the widespread magmatic-hydrothermal alteration affecting all rock units in the area. The igneous rocks from the late Triassic-early Jurassic magmatic episodes are the volumetrically most important igneous rocks in the study area and in the Colombian Eastern Cordillera. They can be divided into three groups based on their field relationships, whole rock geochemistry and geochronology. These are early leucogranites herein termed Alaskites-I (204-199 Ma), Intermediate rocks (199-198 Ma), and late leucogranites, herein referred to as Alaskites-II (198-196 Ma). This Mesozoic magmatism is reflecting subtle changes in the crustal stress in a setting above an oblique subduction of the Panthalassa plate beneath Pangea. The lower Cretaceous siliciclastic Tambor Formation has detrital zircons of the same age populations as the metamorphic and igneous rocks present in the study area, suggesting that the provenance is related to the erosion of these local rocks during the late Jurassic or early Cretaceous, implying a local supply of sediments to the local depositional basins.

Blood-meal identification in phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) from Valle Hermoso, a high prevalence zone for cutaneous leishmaniasis in Ecuador.

PubMed

Anaguano, David F; Ponce, Patricio; Baldeón, Manuel E; Santander, Stephanie; Cevallos, Varsovia

2015-12-01

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease transmitted by phlebotomine sand flies of the genus Lutzomyia. In South America, cutaneous leishmaniasis is endemic in the majority of countries. There are no previous reports of phlebotomine sand fly host feeding sources in Ecuador. We identified blood meal sources for phlebotomine sand fly species in Valle Hermoso, a hyper endemic area for leishmaniasis in Ecuador. Phlebotomine sand fly collections were carried out during the dry and rainy seasons. PCR and multiplex PCR were performed from DNA extracted from the abdomens of blood-fed females to specifically identify the avian and mammalian blood meal sources. Avian-blood (77%), mammalian-blood (16%) and mixed avian-mammalian blood (7%) were found in the samples. At the species level, blood from chickens (35.5%), humans (2.8%), cows (2.8%) and dogs (1.9%) was specifically detected. Nyssomyia trapidoi was the most common species of Lutzomyia found that fed on birds. The present results may aid the development of effective strategies to control leishmaniasis in Ecuador. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Teachers' views of using e-learning for non-traditional students in higher education across three disciplines [nursing, chemistry and management] at a time of massification and increased diversity in higher education.

PubMed

Allan, Helen T; O'Driscoll, Mike; Simpson, Vikki; Shawe, Jill

2013-09-01

The expansion of the higher educational sector in the United Kingdom over the last two decades to meet political aspirations of the successive governments and popular demand for participation in the sector (the Widening Participation Agenda) has overlapped with the introduction of e-learning. This paper describes teachers' views of using e-learning for non-traditional students in higher education across three disciplines [nursing, chemistry and management] at a time of massification and increased diversity in higher education. A three phase, mixed methods study; this paper reports findings from phase two of the study. One university in England. Higher education teachers teaching on the nursing, chemistry and management programmes. Focus groups with these teachers. Findings from these data show that teachers across the programmes have limited knowledge of whether students are non-traditional or what category of non-traditional status they might be in. Such knowledge as they have does not seem to influence the tailoring of teaching and learning for non-traditional students. Teachers in chemistry and nursing want more support from the university to improve their use of e-learning, as did teachers in management but to a lesser extent. Our conclusions confirm other studies in the field outside nursing which suggest that non-traditional students' learning needs have not been considered meaningfully in the development of e-learning strategies in universities. We suggest that this may be because teachers have been required to develop e-learning at the same time as they cope with the massification of, and widening participation in, higher education. The findings are of particular importance to nurse educators given the high number of non-traditional students on nursing programmes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Apatite-hosted melt inclusions in Damiao massif anorthosite complex, North China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, M.; Veksler, I. V.; Zhang, Z.

2014-12-01

Models for the nelsonite formation are currently highly contentious, with liquid immiscibility and fractional crystallization as frequently proposed formation mechanisms. The nelsonites in the Damiao massif anorthosite complex in the North China Craton and experimental evidence are revisited for the existence of silica-free CaO-FeO-Fe2O3-TiO2-P2O5 immiscible nelsonitic liquids. Our results of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) demonstrate that nelsonite with the composition of one-third apatite and two-thirds Fe-Ti oxides by weight completely melts well above 1450 ºC, which is in good agreement with numerous experimental studies of the CaO-P2O5-FexO system in connection to metallurgy. Thus, the composition cannot be molten at temperatures relevant for crystallization of the Damiao magma. A review of experimental studies of liquid immiscibility and analyses of natural immiscible glasses show that all the liquids on the Fe- and P-rich side of the miscibility gap have at least 20 wt. % of aluminosilicate components. Main results of this study come from the analyses of apatite-hosted melt inclusions in Damiao nelsonite. The inclusions range from ~3 to 200 μm in diameter. They are ubiquitous and meet all the morphological criteria of primary melt inclusions crystallised into assemblages of daughter minerals. Almost all of them contain vermiculite and chlorite, and some contain biotite, amphibole, phlogopite and Fe-Ti oxides. Out of dozens analysed inclusions, only three have high contents of SiO2 (62.1-73.8 wt. %) and low contents of FeO (0.25-2.35 wt. %). Bulk compositions of other inclusions show large variations in SiO2 (20.79-50.16 wt. %) and FeOt (13.44-32.78 wt. %). With a few exceptions, the inclusions are very low in CaO (0.04-1.51 wt. %, and high in Al2O3 (10-21.17 wt. %). Despite the high Fe content, the compositions differ from those of the typical immiscible Fe-rich melts. It appears that the cumulus apatite crystallised from Fe-rich, hydrated

Volcanic avalanche fault zone with pseudotachylite and gouge in French Massif Central

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernard, Karine; van Wyk de Vries, Benjamin

2017-11-01

Structures and textures with sedimentological variations at different scales of the lithofacies assemblage help us to constrain the basal kinematic transition from non-depositional to depositional conditions during volcanic avalanche emplacement. In the well-exposed impact-sheared contact along volcanic avalanche fault zone in the French Massif Central, we observe how the granular textures of the pseudotachylite and fault gouge have recorded the propagation of shock wave with granular oscillatory stress. Sequential events of basal aggradation along avalanche fault zone have been established related to fractal D-values, temperature pressure regime and oscillatory stress during slow wave velocity. A typical lithofacies assemblage with a reverse grading shows the pseudotachylite and fault gouge. A cataclastic gradient is characterised by the fractal D-values from 2.7 in jigsaw breccias with pseudotachylite partial melt, to 2.6 in the polymodal gouge. Shock, brecciation and comminution produce cataclastic shear bands in the pseudotachylite and quartz microstructures along the basal contact of the volcanic debris-avalanche deposit. Gouge microstructures show granular segregation, cataclasis with antithetic rotational Riedel shear, and an arching effect between the Riedel shear bands. X-ray microtomography provided 3D microfabrics along the clastic vein in the sandy-gouge. From the available statistical dataset, a few equations have been developed implicating the same cataclastic origin with a co-genetic evolution of lithofacies. An impact wave during primary shear propagation may contribute to produce hydroclastic matrix, pseudotachylite partial melt and proximal gouge thixotropy with v 50m/s and a T < 654 °C. The interseismic period with oscillatory stress is related to crushed clasts and basaltic melt around 800 °C, Riedel shear bands with granular segregation along the fault gouge. The secondary shock by matrix-rich avalanche (ΔP = 10GPa, T ≥ 1000-1500 �

Geological setting and petrogenesis of symmetrically zoned, miarolitic granitic pegmatites at Stak Nala, Nanga Parbat - Haramosh Massif, northern Pakistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Laurs, B.M.; Dilles, J.H.; Wairrach, Y.; Kausar, A.B.; Snee, L.W.

1998-01-01

Miarolitic granitic pegmatites in the Stak valley in the northeast part of the Nanga Parbat - Haramosh Massif, in northern Pakistan, locally contain economic quantities of bi- and tricolored tourmaline. The pegmatites form flat-lying sills that range from less than 1 m to more than 3 m thick and show symmetrical internal zonation. A narrow outer or border zone of medium-to coarse-grained oligoclase - K-feldspar - quartz grades inward to a very coarse-grained wall zone characterized by K-feldspar - oligoclase - quartz - schorl tourmaline. Radiating sprays of schorl and flaring megacrysts of K-feldspar (intermediate microcline) point inward, indicating progressive crystallization toward the core. The core zone consists of variable mixtures of blocky K-feldspar (intermediate microcline), oligoclase, quartz, and sparse schorl or elbaite, with local bodies of sodic aplite and miarolitic cavities or "pockets". Minor spessartine-almandine garnet and lo??llingite are disseminated throughout the pegmatite, but were not observed in the pockets. The pockets contain well-formed crystals of albite, quartz, K-feldspar (maximum microcline ?? orthoclase overgrowths), schorl-elbaite tourmaline, muscovite or lepidolite, topaz, and small amounts of other minerals. Elbaite is color-zoned from core to rim: green (Fe2+- and Mn2+-bearing), colorless (Mn2+-bearing), and light pink (trace Mn3+). Within ???10 cm of the pegmatites, the granitic gneiss wallrock is bleached owing to conversion of biotite to muscovite, with local quartz and albite added. Schorl is disseminated through the altered gneiss, and veins of schorl with bleached selvages locally traverse the wallrock up to 1 m from the pegmatite contact. The schorl veins can be traced into the outer part of the wall zone, which suggests that they formed from aqueous fluids derived during early saturation of the pegmatite-forming leucogranitic magma rich in H2O, F, B, and Li. Progressive crystallization resulted in a late-stage sodic

CHICO BASIN CONSERVATION LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE

EPA Science Inventory

The workshops will occur between May 2002 and January 2003, (though timing is flexible depending on funding). Between workshops The Nature Conservancy will respond to information requests and generate the technical materials necessary to inform the sessions. The goals of the Ch...

Bringing Back Our Bayou Chico

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mesa, Jennifer

2018-01-01

As an instructional framework, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) can guide science teachers to purposefully apply evidence-based instructional practices to increase engagement and learning of students with disabilities (Israel, Ribuffo, and Smith 2014; Marino et al. 2014; Ok et al. 2016). This article describes how to use the Universal Design…

Kinematics and thermal conditions in the permafrost-affected rockwalls of the Aiguille du Midi (3842 m a.s.l., Mont Blanc massif, France)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ravanel, Ludovic; Grangier, Germain; Weber, Samuel; Beutel, Jan; Magnin, Florence; Gruber, Stefan; Deline, Philip

2016-04-01

Processes that control climate-dependent rockfall from permafrost-affected rock slopes are still poorly understood. In this study, we present the results of a Wireless Sensor Network, integrated within the Swiss project PermaSense and developed in 2012, to measure rock temperature and geotechnical parameters in the steep rockwalls of the Aiguille du Midi (AdM, 3842 m a.s.l., Mont Blanc massif, France). Accessible year round by cable car, the AdM comprises two main peaks: (i) the Piton Nord with the cable car arrival station, where 4 crack-meters are placed on four major fractures, and (ii) the Piton Central with many touristic infrastructure, equipped with three 10-m-deep boreholes with 15 temperatures sensors since 2009, and where 2 crack-meters are installed along a major fracture. Three major kinematic regimes are observed: (i) opening of clefts when the rock temperature becomes positive, followed by closing during the cold period, (ii) summer opening continued by a winter opening, and (iii) closing during the warm period followed by opening in winter.

Chemical composition and osmium-isotope systematics of primary and secondary PGM assemblages from high-Mg chromitite of the Nurali lherzolite massif, the South Urals, Russia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malitch, K. N.; Anikina, E. V.; Badanina, I. Yu.; Belousova, E. A.; Pushkarev, E. V.; Khiller, V. V.

2016-01-01

The isotopic and geochemical characteristics of PGE mineralization in high-Mg chromitite from the banded dunite-wehrlite-clinopyroxenite complex of the Nurali lherzolite massif, the South Urals, Russia is characterized for the first time. Electron microprobe analysis and LA MC-ICP-MS mass spectrometry are used for studying Cr-spinel and platinum-group minerals (PGM). Two processes synchronously develop in high-Mg chromitite subject to metamorphism: (1) the replacement of Mg-Al-rich Cr-spinel, orthopyroxene, and diopside by chromite, Cr-amphibole, chlorite, and garnet; (2) the formation of a secondary mineral assemblage consisting of finely dispersed ruthenium or Ru-hexaferrum aggregate and silicate-oxide or silicate matter on the location of primary Ru-Os-sulfides of the laurite-erlichmanite solid solution series. Similar variations of Os-isotopic composition in both primary and secondary PGM assemblages are evidence for the high stability of the Os isotope system in PGM and for the possibility of using model 187Os/188Os ages in geodynamic reconstructions.

The dynamics of serpentinite dehydration reactions in subduction zones: Constrains from the Cerro del Almirez ultramafic massif (Betic Cordillera, SE Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dilissen, Nicole; Garrido, Carlos J.; López Sánchez-Vizcaíno, Vicente; Padrón-Navarta, José Alberto

2015-04-01

Arc volcanism, earthquakes and subduction dynamics are controlled by fluids from downgoing slabs and their effect on the melting and rheology of the overlying mantle wedge. High pressure dehydration of serpentinite in the slab and the subduction channel is considered as one of the main sources of fluids in subduction zones. Even though this metamorphic reaction is essential in subduction activities, the behavior of the fluids, the kinetics and thermodynamics during the breakdown reaction are still poorly understood. The Cerro del Almirez (Nevado-Filábride Complex, Betic Cordillera, SE Spain) uniquely preserves the dehydration front from antigorite serpentinite to chlorite-harzburgite and constitutes a unique natural laboratory to investigate high-pressure dehydration of serpentinite. This reaction occurred in a subduction setting releasing up to 13 wt% of water, contributing significantly to the supply of fluids to the overlying mantle wedge. A key to the understanding of the metamorphic conditions prevailing during serpentinite dehydration is to study the two prominent textures -granofels and spinifex-like chlorite harzburgite- occurring in this reaction product. The detailed texture differences in the Chl-harzburgite can provide insights into diverse kinetic and thermodynamic conditions of this dehydration reaction due to variations in effective pressure and drainage conditions. It has been proposed that difference in overpressure (P') and deviation from growth equilibrium, i.e. overstepping, is responsible for these two types of textures [Padrón-Navarta et al., 2011]. The magnitude and duration of P' is highly dependent on dehydration kinetics [Connolly, 1997]. The fast pressure drop, with spinifex-texture as a product, can be linked to draining events expected after hydrofracturing, which are recorded in grain size reduction zones in this massif. According to this hypothesis, mapping of textural variation in Chl-harzburgite might be used as a proxy to

Characterization of the paleo-hydrothermal fluids flow in the geothermal province of Limagne. (French Massif Central).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fréville, K.; Sizaret, S.

2017-12-01

Exploitation of the geothermal energy is a prime target to future energy supply. Understanding the nature and the flow of geothermal fluids is a key objective for describe the functioning of current hydrothermal systems. Located in the French Massif Central, the Limagne basin is a tertiary hemi-graben characterized by a high thermal gradient with numerous occurrences of CO2-rich thermo-mineral waters. This basin has potential for high-temperature geothermal energy, expressed by numerous natural high temperature water sources, as well as at Royat and Vichy were the surface temperature of the water can reach 33°C and 27°C, respectively. In order to better localize this potential, the geological evolution has to be deciphered. In this aim we study the flow processes of the paleo-fluids and estimate the direction and the velocity of the hydrothermal flow from the studies of the growth bands of comb quartz grain localized in vein. In a second time, the studies fluids inclusions within the quartz grain are used to characterize the nature of the fluids involved. Preliminary results show that the flow is discontinuous over the time with changes in velocities and directions during the growth of a single quartz grain. Two main flows were identified, i) a relatively fast upward flow at 10-6,-5 m.s-1; ii) a downward flow at about 10-5,-4 m.s-1. The results allow: (i) to discuss the processes controlling the fluids flow in the Limagne basin; and (ii) to suggest to delimitate the areas with high geothermal potential which integrate the flow variation in time.

Bedrock and structural geologic maps of eastern Candor Sulci, western Ceti Mensa, and southeastern Ceti Mensa, Candor Chasma, Valles Marineris region of Mars

USGS Publications Warehouse

Okubo, Chris H.; Gaither, Tenielle A.

2017-05-12

This map product contains a set of three 1:18,000-scale maps showing the geology and structure of study areas in the western Candor Chasma region of Valles Marineris, Mars. These maps are part of an informal series of large-scale maps and map-based topical studies aimed at refining current understanding of the geologic history of western Candor Chasma. The map bases consist of digital elevation models and orthorectified images derived from High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) data. These maps are accompanied by geologic cross sections, colorized elevation maps, and cutouts of HiRISE images showing key superposition relations. Also included in this product is a Correlation of Map Units that integrates units across all three map areas, as well as an integrated Description of Map Units and an integrated Explanation of Map Symbols. The maps were assembled using ArcGIS software produced by Environmental Systems Research Institute (http://www.esri.com). The ArcGIS projects and databases associated with each map are included online as supplemental data.

Geology of the epithermal Ag-Au Huevos Verdes vein system and San José district, Deseado massif, Patagonia, Argentina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dietrich, Andreas; Gutierrez, Ronald; Nelson, Eric P.; Layer, Paul W.

2012-03-01

The San José district is located in the northwest part of the Deseado massif and hosts a number of epithermal Ag-Au quartz veins of intermediate sulfidation style, including the Huevos Verdes vein system. Veins are hosted by andesitic rocks of the Bajo Pobre Formation and locally by rhyodacitic pyroclastic rocks of the Chon Aike Formation. New 40Ar/39Ar constraints on the age of host rocks and mineralization define Late Jurassic ages of 151.3 ± 0.7 Ma to 144.7 ± 0.1 Ma for volcanic rocks of the Bajo Pobre Formation and of 147.6 ± 1.1 Ma for the Chon Aike Formation. Illite ages of the Huevos Verdes vein system of 140.8 ± 0.2 and 140.5 ± 0.3 Ma are 4 m.y. younger than the volcanic host rock unit. These age dates are among the youngest reported for Jurassic volcanism in the Deseado massif and correlate well with the regional context of magmatic and hydrothermal activity. The Huevos Verdes vein system has a strike length of 2,000 m, with several ore shoots along strike. The vein consists of a pre-ore stage and three main ore stages. Early barren quartz and chalcedony are followed by a mottled quartz stage of coarse saccharoidal quartz with irregular streaks and discontinuous bands of sulfide-rich material. The banded quartz-sulfide stage consists of sulfide-rich bands alternating with bands of quartz and bands of chlorite ± illite. Late-stage sulfide-rich veinlets are associated with kaolinite gangue. Ore minerals are argentite and electrum, together with pyrite, sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite, minor bornite, covellite, and ruby silver. Wall rock alteration is characterized by narrow (< 3 m) halos of illite and illite/smectite next to veins, grading outward into propylitic alteration. Gangue minerals are dominantly massive quartz intergrown with minor to accessory adularia. Epidote, illite, illite/smectite, and, preferentially at deeper levels, Fe-chlorite gangue indicate near-neutral pH hydrothermal fluids at temperatures of >220°C. Kaolinite occurring with

Occurrence of springs in massifs of crystalline rocks, northern Portugal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pacheco, Fernando António Leal; Alencoão, Ana Maria Pires

2002-02-01

An inventory of artesian springs emerging from fractures (fracture springs) was conducted in the Pinhão River Basin and Morais Massif, northern Portugal, comprising an area of approximately 650 km2. Over 1,500 springs were identified and associated with geological domains and fracture sets. Using cross-tabulation analysis, spring distributions by fracture sets were compared among geological environments, and the deviations related to differences in rock structure and, presumably, to differences in deformational histories. The relation between spring frequencies and rock structures was further investigated by spectral determination, the model introduced in this study. Input data are the spring frequencies and fracture lengths in each geological domain, in addition to the angles between fracture strikes and present-day stress-field orientation (θ). The model's output includes the so-called intrinsic densities, a parameter indexing spring occurrence to factors such as fracture type and associated deformational regime and age. The highest densities (12.2 springs/km of lineament) were associated with young shear fractures produced by brittle deformation, and the lowest (0.1) with old tensional and ductile fractures. Spectral determination also relates each orientation class to a dominant structural parameter: where spring occurrence is controlled by θ, the class is parallel to the present-day stress-field orientation; where the control is attributed to the length of fractures, the spring occurrence follows the strike of large-scale normal faults crossing the region. Résumé. Un inventaire des sources artésiennes émergeant de fractures (sources de fractures) a été réalisé dans le bassin de la rivière Pinhão et dans le massif de Morais, dans le nord du Portugal, dans une région couvrant environ 650 km2. Plus de 1,500 sources ont été identifiées et associées à des domaines géologiques et à des ensembles de fractures. Grâce à une analyse de tableaux

Microbiological water quality in a large irrigation system: El Valle del Yaqui, Sonora México.

PubMed

Gortáres-Moroyoqui, Pablo; Castro-Espinoza, L; Naranjo, Jaime E; Karpiscak, Martin M; Freitas, Robert J; Gerba, Charles P

2011-01-01

The primary objective of this study was to determine the microbial water quality of a large irrigation system and how this quality varies with respect to canal size, impact of near-by communities, and the travel distance from the source in the El Valle del Yaqui, Sonora, México. In this arid region, 220,000 hectares are irrigated with 80% of the irrigation water being supplied from an extensive irrigation system including three dams on the Yaqui River watershed. The stored water flows to the irrigated fields through two main canal systems (severing the upper and lower Yaqui Valley) and then through smaller lateral canals that deliver the water to the fields. A total of 146 irrigation water samples were collected from 52 sample sites during three sampling events. Not all sites could be accessed on each occasion. All of the samples contained coliform bacteria ranging from 1,140 to 68,670 MPN/100 mL with an arithmetic mean of 11,416. Ninety-eight percent of the samples contained less than 1,000 MPN/100 mL Escherichia coli, with an arithmetic mean of 291 MPN/100 mL. Coliphage were detected in less than 30% of the samples with an arithmetic average equal to 141 PFU/100 mL. Enteroviruses, Cryptosporidium oocysts, and Giardia cysts were also detected in the canal systems. No significant difference was found in the water quality due to canal system (upper or lower Yaqui Valley), canal-size (main vs. lateral), distance from source, and the vicinity of human habitation (presence of various villages and towns along the length of the canals). There was a significant decrease in coliforms (p < 0.011) and E. coli (< 0.022) concentrations as travel distance increased from the City of Obregón.

Layers within the Valles Marineris: Clues to the Ancient Crust of Mars - High Resolution Image

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

This high resolution picture of the Martian surface was obtained in the early evening of January 1, 1998 by the Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC), shortly after the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft began it's 80th orbit. Seen in this view are a plateau and surrounding steep slopes within the Valles Marineris, the large system of canyons that stretches 4000 km (2500 mi) along the equator of Mars. The image covers a tiny fraction of the canyons at very high resolution: it extends only 9.8 km by 17.3 km (6.1 mi by 10.7 mi) but captures features as small as 6 m (20 ft) across. The highest terrain in the image is the relatively smooth plateau near the center. Slopes descend to the north and south (upper and lower part of image, respectively) in broad, debris-filled gullies with intervening rocky spurs. Multiple rock layers, varying from a few to a few tens of meters thick, are visible in the steep slopes on the spurs and gullies. Layered rocks on Earth form from sedimentary processes (such as those that formed the layered rocks now seen in Arizona's Grand Canyon) and volcanic processes (such as layering seen in the Waimea Canyon on the island of Kauai). Both origins are possible for the Martian layered rocks seen in this image. In either case, the total thickness of the layered rocks seen in this image implies a complex and extremely active early history for geologic processes on Mars.

Malin Space Science Systems (MSSS) and the California Institute of Technology built the MOC using spare hardware from the Mars Observer mission. MSSS operates the camera from its facilities in San Diego, CA. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Mars Surveyor Operations Project operates the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft with its industrial partner, Lockheed Martin Astronautics, from facilities in Pasadena, CA and Denver, CO.

Channel geometry and discharge estimates for Dao and Niger Valles, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Musiol, S.; van Gasselt, S.; Neukum, G.

2008-09-01

Introduction The outflow channels Dao and Niger Valles are located at the eastern rim of the 2000-km diameter Hellas Planitia impact basin, in a transition zone with ancient cratered terrain and the volcanoes Hadriaca and Tyrrhena Patera (Hesperia Planum) on the one hand and fluvial, mass-wasting and aeolian deposits on the other hand [1]. Dao and Niger have alcove-shaped source regions similar to the chaotic terrains found in the Margaritifer Terra region, with flat floors, landslide morphologies and small, chaotically distributed isolated mounds. As [2] pointed out, the intrusion of volcanic material could be responsible for the release of pressurized water that can carry loose material away. This process could than have created a depression and an associated outflow channel. In contrast to [2] who made their calculations for Aromatum Chaos and Ravi Vallis, we have focused on Dao and Niger Valles for investigation, since they are spatially related to the nearby Hadriaca Patera. Heat-triggered outflow events seem likely. We follow the generally accepted assumption that water was the main erosional agent [3]. Furthermore we take into account that multiple floods with different volumes are more likely than a single event because of repressurization of an aquifer [4]. Background Hadriaca Patera Hadriaca Patera is among the oldest central-vent volcanoes on Mars, a low-relief volcano with a central caldera complex which consists predominantly of pyroclastic material. The erosional structure of degraded valleys on its flanks is indicative of dissection by a combination of groundwater sapping and surface runoff, attributed to a hydromagmatic eruption scenario [5]. Dao Vallis Dao Vallis is interpreted as collapse region of volcanic and sedimentary plains that have been eroded by surface and subsurface flow [5]. The approximately radial alignment to Hellas is interpreted as following deep-seated structural weakness zones generated by the impact. Small grabens and fractures

The Confluence of Gangis and Eos Chasmas (5-12 deg S, 31-41 deg W): Geologic, Hydrologic, and Exobiologic Considerations for Landing Site at the East End of Valles Marineris

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

George, J. A.; Clifford, S. M.

1999-01-01

Over its 3,500 km length, Valles Marineris exhibits an enormous range of geologic and environmental diversity. At its western end, the canyon is dominated by the tectonic complex of Noctis Labyrinthus; while in the east it grades into an extensive region of chaos where scoured channels and streamlined islands provide evidence of catastrophic floods that spilled into the northern plains. In the central portion of the system, debris derived from the massive interior layered deposits of Candor and Ophir Chasmas spills into the central trough. In other areas, 6 km-deep exposures of Hesperian and Noachian-age canyon wall stratigraphy have collapsed in massive landslides that extend many tens of kilometers across the canyon floor. Ejecta from interior craters, aeolian sediments, and possible volcanics emanating from structurally controlled vents along the base of the scarps, further contribute to the canyon's geologic complexity. Following the initial rifting that gave birth to Valles Marineris, water appears to have been a principal agent in the canyon's geomorphic development an agent whose significance is given added weight by its potential role in both sustaining and preserving evidence of past life. In this regard, the interior layered deposits of Candor, Ophir, and Hebes Chasmas, have been identified as possible lucustrine sediments that may have been laid down in long-standing ice-covered lakes. The potential survival and growth of native organisms in such an environment, or in the aquifers whose disruption gave birth to the chaotic terrain and outflow channels to the north and east of the canyon, raises the possibility that fossil indicators of life may be present in the local sediment and rock. Because of the enormous distances over which these diverse environments occur, identifying a single landing site that maximizes the opportunity for scientific return is not a simple task. However, given the fluvial history and narrow geometry of the canyon, the presence

The Confluence of Gangis and Eos Chasmas (5-12 deg S, 31-41 deg W): Geologic, Hydrologic, and Exobiologic Considerations for Landing Site at the East End of Valles Marineris

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

George, J. A.; Clifford, S. M.

1999-06-01

Over its 3,500 km length, Valles Marineris exhibits an enormous range of geologic and environmental diversity. At its western end, the canyon is dominated by the tectonic complex of Noctis Labyrinthus; while in the east it grades into an extensive region of chaos where scoured channels and streamlined islands provide evidence of catastrophic floods that spilled into the northern plains. In the central portion of the system, debris derived from the massive interior layered deposits of Candor and Ophir Chasmas spills into the central trough. In other areas, 6 km-deep exposures of Hesperian and Noachian-age canyon wall stratigraphy have collapsed in massive landslides that extend many tens of kilometers across the canyon floor. Ejecta from interior craters, aeolian sediments, and possible volcanics emanating from structurally controlled vents along the base of the scarps, further contribute to the canyon's geologic complexity. Following the initial rifting that gave birth to Valles Marineris, water appears to have been a principal agent in the canyon's geomorphic development an agent whose significance is given added weight by its potential role in both sustaining and preserving evidence of past life. In this regard, the interior layered deposits of Candor, Ophir, and Hebes Chasmas, have been identified as possible lucustrine sediments that may have been laid down in long-standing ice-covered lakes. The potential survival and growth of native organisms in such an environment, or in the aquifers whose disruption gave birth to the chaotic terrain and outflow channels to the north and east of the canyon, raises the possibility that fossil indicators of life may be present in the local sediment and rock. Because of the enormous distances over which these diverse environments occur, identifying a single landing site that maximizes the opportunity for scientific return is not a simple task. However, given the fluvial history and narrow geometry of the canyon, the presence

Modeling Floods in Athabasca Valles, Mars, Using CTX Stereo Topography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dundas, C. M.; Keszthelyi, L. P.; Denlinger, R. P.; Thomas, O. H.; Galuszka, D.; Hare, T. M.; Kirk, R. L.; Howington-Kraus, E.; Rosiek, M.

2012-12-01

Among the most remarkable landforms on Mars are the outflow channels, which suggest the occurrence of catastrophic water floods in the past. Athabasca Valles has long been thought to be the youngest of these channels [1-2], although it has recently become clear that the young crater age applies to a coating lava flow [3]. Simulations with a 2.5-dimensional flood model have provided insight into the details of flood dynamics but have also demonstrated that the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) Mission Experiment Gridded Data Records includes significant artifacts at this latitude at the scales relevant for flood modeling [4]. In order to obtain improved topography, we processed stereo images from the Context Camera (CTX) of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) using methods developed for producing topographic models of the Moon with images from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera, a derivative of the CTX camera. Some work on flood modeling with CTX stereo has been published by [5], but we will present several advances, including corrections to the published CTX optical distortion model and improved methods to combine the stereo and MOLA data. The limitations of current methods are the accuracy of control to MOLA and the level of error introduced when the MRO spacecraft is not in a high-stability mode during stereo imaging, leading to jitter impacting the derived topography. Construction of a mosaic of multiple stereo pairs, controlled to MOLA, allows us to consider flow through the cluster of streamlined islands in the upper part of the channel [6], including what is suggested to be the best example of flood-formed subaqueous dunes on Mars [7]. We will present results from running a flood model [4, 8] through the high-resolution (100 m/post) DEM covering the streamlined islands and subaqueous dunes, using results from a lower-resolution model as a guide to the inflow. By considering a range of flow levels below estimated

Long-term dynamics of soil chemical properties after a prescribed fire in a Mediterranean forest (Montgrí Massif, Catalonia, Spain).

PubMed

Alcañiz, M; Outeiro, L; Francos, M; Farguell, J; Úbeda, X

2016-12-01

This study examines the effects of a prescribed fire on soil chemical properties in the Montgrí Massif (Girona, Spain). The prescribed forest fire was conducted in 2006 to reduce understory vegetation and so prevent potential severe wildfires. Soil was sampled at a depth of 0-5cm at 42 sampling points on four separate occasions: prior to the event, immediately after, one year after and nine years after. The parameters studied were pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total carbon (C), total nitrogen (N), available phosphorus (P), potassium (K + ), calcium (Ca 2+ ) and magnesium (Mg 2+ ). All parameters (except pH) increased significantly immediately after the fire. One year after burning, some chemical parameters - namely, EC, available P and K + - had returned to their initial, or even lower, values; while others - pH and total C - continued to rise. Total N, Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ levels had fallen one year after the fire, but levels were still higher than those prior to the event. Nine years after the fire, pH, total C, total N and available P are significantly lower than pre-fire values and nutrients concentrations are now higher than at the outset but without statistical significance. The soil system, therefore, is still far from being recovered nine years later. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cyclostratigraphic analysis of the Middle to lower Upper Ordovician Postolonnec Formation in the Armorican Massif (France): integrating pXRF, gammay-ray and lithological data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinnesael, Matthias; Loi, Alfredo; Dabard, Marie-Pierre; Vandenbroucke, Thijs; Claeys, Philippe

2017-04-01

The Middle to lower Upper Ordovician sections of the Crozon Peninsula area (Postolonnec Formation, Armorican Massif, western France) show multi-order eustatic sea-level changes (Dabard et al., 2015). The sections are characterized by siliciclastic facies, which were deposited in tidal to storm-dominated shelf environments. Dabard et al. (2015) analysed the facies, their stacking patterns, and gamma-ray data and applied backstripping to identify subsidence and several orders of sea-level change. The main stratigraphic constraints are coming from (chitinozoan) biostratigraphy. The 3th to 5th orders changes are hypothesized to correspond to various frequencies related to astronomical forcing. This study investigates the potential added value of portable X-Ray Fluorescence (pXRF) and the application of spectral analyses. High-resolution (cm-scale) non-destructive pXRF and natural gamma-ray measurements were carried out on 14 m of section that was equally logged on a cm resolution. The pXRF measurements on the surface of the outcrops are compared with earlier results of wavelength dispersive XRF spectrometry and ICP-MS. The potassium records of the pXRF and gamma-ray logs are comparable and essentially reflect lithological variations (i.e., between mudstone and coarse sandstones). Other reliably measured elements also reflected lithological aspects such as clay-sandstone alternations (e.g. K, Rb, Ti), placer locations (Zr, Ce, Ti) and potentially clay mineralogy and condensation horizons (Ni, Zn, Co, Mn). Spectral analyses of the various proxies (lithology, natural gamma-ray and pXRF) are compared with each other. Both the new high-resolution data (14 m of section) as well as the published low-resolution data (which span almost 400 m of Darriwilian-Sandbian) were analyzed. The study reveals strong indications for the imprint of obliquity, precession and eccentricity. Obtaining age constraints, in addition to the existing biostratigraphical framework is a challenge in

Variable viral and grazer control of prokaryotic growth efficiency in temperate freshwater lakes (French Massif Central).

PubMed

Ram, A S Pradeep; Palesse, S; Colombet, J; Sabart, M; Perriere, F; Sime-Ngando, T

2013-11-01

The effects of viral lysis and heterotrophic nanoflagellate grazing (top down forces) on prokaryotic mortality and their subsequent impact on their metabolism were estimated in the upper euphotic and deeper aphotic depth of 11 freshwater lakes located in the French Massif Central. The standing stocks of viruses (VA) and heterotrophic nanoflagellate (HNF) varied significantly (p < 0.05) with sampled depth. VA was substantially (twofold on an average) and significantly higher (p < 0.03) at the aphotic compared to euphotic depth, whereas the reverse was true (p < 0.02) for HNF. Among the prokaryote subgroup, high nucleic acid content prokaryotes explained for significant variability in the total VA and served as principle host target for viral proliferation. Like standing stocks, flagellate grazing and viral infection rates also followed similar patterns. In the investigated lakes, the mechanism for regulating prokaryotic production varied with sampled depth from grazing control in the euphotic to control due to viral lysis in the aphotic. We also tested the hypothesis of top down control on prokaryotic growth efficiency (PGE, which we used as an index of prokaryotic physiological and energetic status at the community level) at both depths. Overall, among the studied lakes, PGE varied widely (4-51 %) with significantly (p < 0.05) lower values in the aphotic (mean = 18 ± 4 %) than euphotic depth (mean = 32 ± 9 %). Contrasting observations on the top down control of PGE between sampled depths were observed. The presence of grazers was found to stimulate PGE at the euphotic, whereas viruses through their lytic infection had a strong negative impact on PGE at the aphotic depth. Such observed differences in PGE and the mechanism controlling prokaryotic production with depth could eventually have strong implication on carbon and nutrient flux patterns in the studied lakes.

Petrochemical and Mineralogical Constraints on the Source and Processes of Uranium Mineralisation in the Granitoids of Zing-Monkin Area, Adamawa Massif, NE Nigeria

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haruna, I. V., E-mail: vela_hi@yahoo.co.uk; Orazulike, D. M.; Ofulume, A. B.

Zing-Monkin area, located in the northern part of Adamawa Massif, is underlain by extensive exposures of moderately radioactive granodiorites, anatectic migmatites, equigranular granites, porphyritic granites and highly radioactive fine-grained granites with minor pegmatites. Selected major and trace element petrochemical investigations of the rocks show that a progression from granodiorite through migmatite to granites is characterised by depletion of MgO, CaO, Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3,} Sr, Ba, and Zr, and enrichment of SiO{sub 2} and Rb. This trend is associated with uranium enrichment and shows a chemical gradation from the more primitive granodiorite to the more evolved granites. Electron microprobe analysis showsmore » that the uranium is content in uranothorite and in accessories, such as monazite, titanite, apatite, epidote and zircon. Based on petrochemical and mineralogical data, the more differentiated granitoids (e.g., fine-grained granite) bordering the Benue Trough are the immediate source of the uranium prospect in Bima Sandstone within the Trough. Uranium was derived from the granitoids by weathering and erosion. Transportation and subsequent interaction with organic matter within the Bima Sandstone led to precipitation of insoluble secondary uranium minerals in the Benue Trough.« less

Characteristics of the numerous and widespread recurring slope lineae (RSL) in Valles Marineris, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stillman, David E.; Michaels, Timothy I.; Grimm, Robert E.

2017-03-01

Recurring slope lineae (RSL) are narrow (0.5-5 m) dark features on Mars that incrementally lengthen down steep slopes, fade in colder seasons, and recur annually. These traits suggest that liquid water is flowing in the shallow subsurface of Mars today. Here we describe High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) observations of RSL within Valles Marineris (VM). We have identified 239 candidate and confirmed RSL sites within all the major canyons of VM, with the exception of Echus Chasma. About half of all the globally known RSL locations occur within VM and the areal density of RSL on Coprates Montes appears to be the greatest on the planet. VM RSL are heterogeneously distributed, as they are primarily clustered in certain areas while being conspicuously absent in other locations that appear otherwise favorable. RSL have been found on many of the interior layered deposits (ILDs) within VM. Such ILD RSL appear to traverse bedrock, instead of regolith like all other RSL. Forty-six of the VM RSL sites show incremental lengthening and exhibit similar behavior in most of the canyons of VM, but the RSL duration at one site in Juventae Chasma is significantly reduced. Furthermore, the lengthening seasonality depends solely on slope orientation, with typical VM RSL on a given slope lengthening for ∼42-74% of a Mars year. There are always RSL lengthening within VM, regardless of the season. If RSL are caused by water, such a long active season at hundreds of VM RSL sites suggests that an appreciable source of water must be recharging these RSL. Thermophysical modeling indicates that a melting temperature range of ∼246 - 264 K is needed to reproduce the seasonal phenomenology of the VM RSL, suggesting the involvement of a brine consisting of tens of wt% salt. The mechanism(s) by which RSL are recharged annually remain uncertain. Overall, gaining a better understanding of how RSL form and recur can benefit the search for extant life on Mars and could provide

Role of Clay Minerals in Long-Distance Transport of Landslides in Valles Marineris, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watkins, J.; Ehlmann, B. L.; Yin, A.

2014-12-01

Long-runout (> 50 km) subaerial landslides are rare on Earth, but are common features episodically shaping Mars' Valles Marineris (VM) trough system over the past 3.5 billion years. They display two end-member morphologies: a thick-skinned inner zone, characterized by fault-bounded, rotated blocks near their source region, and a thin-skinned, exceptionally long-runout outer zone, characterized by thin sheets spreading over 10s of km across the trough floor. Four decades of studies on the latter have resulted in two main competing hypotheses to explain their long-distance transport: (1) movement of landslides over layers of trapped air or soft materials containing ice or snow, enabling basal lubrication, and (2) fluidization of landslide materials with or without the presence of water and volatiles. To address this issue, we examine the mineralogic composition of landslides across VM using Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) near-infrared spectral data analysis coupled with detailed geologic mapping and morphometric analysis of satellite images. Our survey reveals a general correlation between transport distance, significant lateral spreading, and the presence of hydrated silicates among VM landslides. Given that smectite clay absorbs water into its layered crystal structure and can reduce the friction coefficient by a factor of three v. that of dry rocks, these results suggest that hydrated silicates played a decisive role in facilitating long-runout landslide transport in VM. We propose that, concurrent with downslope failure and sliding of broken trough-wall rock, frontal landslide masses overrode and entrained hydrated-silicate-bearing trough-floor deposits, lubricating the basal sliding zones and permitting the landslide outer zones to spread laterally while moving forward over the low-friction surface. The key participation of hydrated silicates in episodic, sustained landslide activity throughout the canyon implies that clay minerals

Lithologic Control on Secondary Clay Mineral Formation in the Valles Caldera, New Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caylor, E.; Rasmussen, C.; Dhakal, P.

2015-12-01

Understanding the transformation of rock to soil is central to landscape evolution and ecosystem function. The objective of this study was to examine controls on secondary mineral formation in a forested catchment in the Catalina-Jemez CZO. We hypothesized landscape position controls the type of secondary minerals formed in that well-drained hillslopes favor Si-poor secondary phases such as kaolinite, whereas poorly drained portions of the landscape that collect solutes from surrounding areas favor formation of Si-rich secondary phases such as smectite. The study focused on a catchment in Valles Caldera in northern New Mexico where soils are derived from a mix of rhyolitic volcanic material, vegetation includes a mixed conifer forest, and climate is characterized by a mean annual precipitation of ~800 mm yr-1 and mean annual temperature of 4.5°C. Soils were collected at the soil-saprolite boundary from three landscape positions, classified as well drained hillslope, poorly drained convergent area, and poorly drained hill slope. Clay fractions were isolated and analyzed using a combination of quantitative and qualitative x-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses and thermal analysis. Quantitative XRD of random powder mounts indicated the presence of both primary phases such as quartz, and alkali and plagioclase feldspars, and secondary phases that include illite, Fe-oxyhydroxides including both goethite and hematite, kaolinite, and smectite. The clay fractions were dominated by smectite ranging from 36-42%, illite ranging from 21-35%, and kaolinite ranging from 1-8%. Qualitative XRD of oriented mounts confirmed the presence of smectite in all samples, with varying degrees of interlayering and interstratification. In contrast to our hypothesis, results indicated that secondary mineral assemblage was not strongly controlled by landscape position, but rather varied with underlying variation in lithology. The catchment is underlain by a combination of porphorytic rhyolite and

Multi-parameter monitoring of the construction and evolution of a snow bridge over a crevasse on an Alpine glacier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ravanel, Ludovic; Malet, Emmanuel; Batoux, Philippe

2017-04-01

Snow bridges that form over the crevasses of the Alpine glaciers allow mountaineers and skiers to cross them easily but constitute an important danger in case of rupture. Between 2008 and 2014, 37 injured persons and 13 deaths related to falls into crevasse were recorded (i.e. an average of two deaths per year) on the glaciers of the French side of the Mont Blanc massif - out of the famous Vallée Blanche ski route, which however embodies an important part of the aid related to falls into crevasses. To understand the construction and evolution of these fragile structures, instrumentation was set up on the Glacier du Géant, at 3450 m a.s.l., near the Aiguille du Midi (3842 m a.s.l.), on the French side of the Mont Blanc massif, close to a crevasse whose bridge had recently collapsed over a length of 37 m. The maximum width of the crevasse in this area is 6 m. At the top of a 7-m-high pole - to prevent future snowfalls -, sensors have been installed in September 2016 to measure different snow and weather parameters: air temperature, wind speed and direction, snow height. An automatic camera surveys the crevasse and the snow bridge geometry. Several other sensors monitor the temperature of snow and air in the crevasse. In addition, an extensometer was installed into the crevasse to measure the evolution of its width. The results of the first 6 months of survey are presented, including the formation of the bridge in mid-November, during a period of snowfall associated with a strong wind. Although the instrumentation is well suited to the high mountain conditions, its maintenance is delicate due to the strong instability of the environment (glacier movements and extreme weather conditions, primarily) but the results of this work will bring new glaciological knowledges which should participate in a better safety on glaciers.

Geochemistry of a Triassic dyke swarm in the North Patagonian Massif, Argentina. Implications for a postorogenic event of the Permian Gondwanide orogeny

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González, Santiago N.; Greco, Gerson A.; González, Pablo D.; Sato, Ana M.; Llambías, Eduardo J.; Varela, Ricardo

2016-10-01

Permo-Triassic magmatism is widespread in the eastern North Patagonian Massif and has been related to the Gondwanide orogeny. Although a magmatic arc setting is widely accepted for the Permian plutonic rocks, the origin and geotectonic setting for the Triassic plutonic and volcanic rocks are still unknown. A NW-SE Triassic dyke swarm composed of andesites and latites with minor rhyolites was previously described in the Sierra Grande - Rincon de Paileman area. The dyke swarm was associated with extensional tectonics which was linked to a postorogenic process. In this paper we present new geochemical data of the rocks that form the swarm. Trachyandesites and rhyolites were separated based on their geochemical characteristics. Both groups may be considered originated from different sources. On the other hand, the content of incompatible elements (LILE and HFSE) indicates a strong relation between the swarm and an active continental margin. The samples also show a transitional signature between continental-arc and postcollisional or anorogenic settings. The new geochemical data on the dyke swarm support the idea of a magmatism that was linked to a postorogenic extensional tectonic regime related to a continental magmatic arc. Such an extension started in the Paleopacific margin of Pangea during the Anisian and might indicate the beginning of the Pangea break-up.

Watershed delineation and nitrogen source analysis for Bayou ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Nutrient pollution in stormwater runoff from urbanized areas contributes to water quality degradation in streams and receiving waterbodies. Agriculture, population growth, and industrial activities are significant sources of nitrogen inputs for surface waters. Increased nitrogen loading stimulates eutrophication through algal blooms, which leads to an overall decrease in drinking water and aquatic habitat quality. Bayou Chico, a highly urbanized watershed in the Pensacola Bay system in northwest Florida, is a nutrient-impaired waterbody under management to reduce bacteria and nutrient loadings, in accordance with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (FDEP) Basin Management Action Plan. Best management practices and green infrastructure (GI) throughout Bayou Chico help reduce nitrogen inputs by retaining and filtering water. GI can function as a nitrogen sink by sorption or infiltration into soils, sequestration into plant material, and denitrification through microbial processes. However, a better understanding of the efficiency of these systems is needed to better inform management practices on future nitrogen reduction. This project will address two issues relating to the presence of nitrogen in the Bayou Chico watershed: 1) the identification of specific nitrogen sources within urbanized areas, and 2) the potential rates of nitrogen removal and sequestration from GI and nitrogen transport throughout the bayou. To accomplish these goals, nitr

Remelting of nanogranitoids in UHP felsic granulites from Erzgebirge (Bohemian Massif, Germany)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acosta-vigil, A.; Stöckhert, B.; Hermann, J.; Yaxley, G.; Cesare, B.; Bartoli, O.

2017-12-01

Crustal melting commonly takes place at pressures ≤ 1.5 GPa. Anatexis at UHP conditions, however, can occur during subduction of continental crust down to mantle depths. Understanding the timing, mechanisms and nature of this process is important as it has major mechanical and geochemical implications. One way to address this problem is through the novel studies of nanogranitoids in migmatites and granulites (Cesare et al. 2015). We have remelted crystallized former melt inclusions (nanogranitoids) trapped in garnets of diamond-bearing UHP felsic granulites from Erzgebirge, Bohemian Massif. These rocks are made of Qtz+Phe+Pl+Grt+Ky+Bt+Dia, and their peak conditions have been estimated at P≥4.5 GPa and T≥1000 ºC. Nanogranitoids appear homogeneously distributed throughout the entire garnet crystals, are 5-50 µm across and often isometric, with partially developed negative crystal shape, and were trapped during garnet growth in the presence of melt. The mineral assemblage within nanogranites consists of Qtz+Pl+Phe+Pg+Phl±Ky±Dia±Gr±Ap±Rt (Stöckhert et al. 2009). Fragments of nanogranitoids-bearing garnets were loaded inside gold capsules, enclosed in SiO2 or C powders that acted as cushion, either dry or with H2O in excess, and subjected to conditions between 975-1100 ºC and 2.5-4.5 GPa for 2-24 hrs. Re-homogenization has not been completely achieved. Nanogranitoids partially melt, melt often coexists with Als, diamond or Gr, and Grt grows into the melt to form a higher #Mg and Ti, ≈5 µm fringe. Preliminary EMP analyses indicate that melts are granitic sensu stricto, with low FeOt+MgO (≈2 wt%), moderate to high in ASI, and high in TiO2 (≈0.4-0.8 wt%), P2O5 (up to 1 wt%) and volatiles (100-EMP totals ≈ 10-15 wt%). These preliminary results suggest that (i) anatexis started in the presence of a H2O-rich fluid phase, (ii) melt was present and equilibrated at quite high T (>850-950 ºC, Hayden & Watson 2007) at or close to peak conditions, (iii) Als

Deposition and deformation of stratified rocks in the northern Nia Mensa region of Valles Marineris, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okubo, C. H.

2016-12-01

Large-scale structural and geologic mapping based on HiRISE (High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment) digital elevation models reveals new details of the depositional environment for the stratified rocks in the northern Nia Mensa region of eastern Candor Chasma, Valles Marineris, Mars. The map area encompasses the contact between massive sedimentary rocks that comprise most of Nia Mensa and the stratified sedimentary and mass-wasting deposits exposed between Nia Mensa and the north wall of eastern Candor Chasma. The area contains a stratified fan-like deposit on the lower slopes of Nia Mensa. The strata within this deposit dip outward at < 10°, away from its morphologic apex, consistent with an origin as a depositional fan (rather than being carved into a fan shape by erosion). Whether this fan has a subaerial or submarine origin has not yet been determined. Additionally, the fan and surrounding stratified rocks exhibit evidence of soft-sediment deformation in the form of clastic dikes and contorted bedding, indicating that these deposits were water-saturated at the time of deformation. Finally, the northern section of the map area encompasses part of a fractured rise, and deposits interpreted as mud flows mantle the top of this rise. Inferred flow directions suggest that the mud erupted out of these fractures. These findings place constraints on the depositional environment of the local stratified bedrock. The presence of the fan deposit indicates that lateral transport was a component in the depositional history of these sediments. Therefore the sediments did not form entirely as a mantling deposit, such as air fall ash or sediments settled out of a water column. The soft-sediment deformation and subsurface mobilized sediments indicate that groundwater was present in the area after emplacement of the stratified deposits, but before its lithification. These findings point to a wet-playa to lacustrine depositional environment.

Geomorphological map of glaciated gorges in a granitic massif (Gredos range, Central Spain).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campos, Néstor; Tanarro, Luis Miguel; Palacios, David

2017-04-01

A detailed geomorphological map on a 1:10,000 scale is presented for a high mountain area in Gredos range (Iberian Central System), this area is located in a granitic massif 160 km West of Madrid and comprises three gorges : La Vega, Taheña-Honda and La Nava. Only few detailed geomorphological maps of the Gredos range are available despite the wide diversity of landforms, in order to improve the understanding of this zone, this geomorphological map of the area has been produced, showing in detail the geomorphologic diversity of these gorges. The map was created with the aid of 25 cm resolution aerial photographs, 25 cm resolution satellite images, Iberpix 3D images provided by the Spanish National Geographic Institute and verified with field work. The landforms were delimitated with a stereoscope and satellite image pairs and digitized using GIS and CAD software, in some areas 3D glasses has been used with 3D images and the software Esri ArcScene. The landforms resulting from interpretation of aerial photographs and satellite images were classified using the IGUL (Institute of Geography, University of Lausanne) legend system (developed at the end of the 1980s) combined with the legend proposed by Peña et al. (1997) and some personal adaptations. The map legend includes 45 landforms divided into seven sections: structural, hydrography, fluvial, gravitative, glacial, nival and anthropic landforms. The use of both legend systems allows us to represent the landform types distributed over an area of 40 km2 and to identify the geomorphic processes involved in their morphogenesis, this variety of processes and landforms identified demonstrated that geomorphological cartography obtained by combining traditional image interpretation and GIS technology facilitates the production of geomorphological maps and the obtaining of valuable data for identify and understand surface processes and landforms. References: Maillard, B., Lambiel, C., Martin, S., Pellitero, R., Reynard, E

Serpentinization and Synthesis: Can abiotic and biotic non-volatile organic molecules be identified in the subsurface of the Atlantis Massif?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hickok, K.; Nguyen, T.; Orcutt, B.; Fruh-Green, G. L.; Wanamaker, E.; Lang, S. Q.

2016-12-01

The high concentrations of hydrogen created during serpentinization can promote the formation of abiotic organic carbon molecules such as methane, formate, short chain hydrocarbons and, in laboratory experiments, larger molecules containing up to 32 carbon atoms. Subsurface archaeal and bacterial communities can use these reduced compounds for metabolic energy. International Ocean Discovery Project Expedition 357 drilled into the Atlantis Massif with the goals of investigating carbon cycling and the presence of life in a zone of active serpentinization. The expedition recovered multiple rock lithologies including gabbros, basalts, carbonate sands, and serpentinites. A subset of these samples are being analyzed to determine if non-volatile organic molecules are produced abiotically in serpentinizing environments and to identify `hot spots' of microbial life in the subsurface. Rock samples of contrasting representative lithologies are being analyzed for the presence of n-alkanes and fatty acids. Preliminary results have so far indicated the presence of alkanes in some samples. The isotopic (13C, 2H) characteristics of these compounds are being compared to a suite of oils, greases, and drilling fluids used during sample collection to distinguish in situ abiotic and biotic signatures from contaminant compounds. Other initial results have shown the efficacy of various sample-handling procedures designed to reduce surface contamination. This study will contribute to the overall understanding of the role serpentinization plays in the global carbon cycle and its implications for pre-biotic chemistry.