The Cambrian-Ordovician rocks of Sonora, Mexico, and southern Arizona, southwestern margin of North America (Laurentia): chapter 35

Science.gov (United States)

Page, William R.; Harris, Alta C.; Repetski, John E.; Derby, James R.; Fritz, R.D.; Longacre, S.A.; Morgan, W.A.; Sternbach, C.A.

2013-01-01

Cambrian and Ordovician shelf, platform, and basin rocks are present in Sonora, Mexico, and southern Arizona and were deposited on the southwestern continental margin of North America (Laurentia). Cambrian and Ordovician rocks in Sonora, Mexico, are mostly exposed in scattered outcrops in the northern half of the state. Their discontinuous nature results from extensive Quaternary and Tertiary surficial cover, from Tertiary and Mesozoic granitic batholiths in western Sonora, and from widespread Tertiary volcanic deposits in the Sierra Madre Occidental in eastern Sonora. Cambrian and Ordovician shelf rocks were deposited as part of the the southern miogeocline on the southwestern continental margin of North America.

Stratigraphical distribution of the Ordovician conodont Erraticodon Dzik in Argentina

Science.gov (United States)

Heredia, S.; Carlorosi, J.; Mestre, A.; Soria, T.

2013-08-01

Three different species of the Ordovician genus Erraticodon Dzik are described and illustrated. Erraticodon patu Cooper is reported from the Lower-Midde Ordovician strata of the Acoite and Alto del Cóndor formations. E. cf. Erraticodon balticus and Erraticodon hexianensis from Middle Ordovician carbonate deposits of the San Juan Formation are analyzed and compared to specimens of these species from Australia, China, Newfoundland, and Baltica. E. patu and E. hexianensis are recorded for first time in the San Juan Formation of Precordillera. The elements of E. cf. E. balticus resemble closely E. balticus Dzik but lack the important denticle on the posterior process of the S elements. An evaluation of the stratigraphic occurrences of these species relative to those of key Lower and Middle Ordovician conodont species such as Trapezognathus diprion Lindström, Oepikodus intermedius Serpagli, Baltoniodus triangularis (Lindström), Baltoniodus navis Lindström, Yangtzeplacognathus crassus (Chen and Zhang) and Eoplacognathus pseudoplanus (Viira) indicates they value for biostratigraphic correlation.

Tektite-bearing, deep-water clastic unit at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in northeastern Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Smit, J.; Montanari, A.; Swinburne, N. H.; Alvarez, W.; Hildebrand, A. R.; Margolis, S. V.; Claeys, P.; Lowrie, W.; Asaro, F.

1992-01-01

The hypothesis of Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) boundary impact on Yucatan, Mexico, predicts that nearby sites should show evidence of proximal impact ejecta and disturbance by giant waves. An outcrop along the Arroyo el Mimbral in northeastern Mexico contains a layered clastic unit up to 3 m thick that interrupts a biostratigraphically complete pelagic-marl sequence deposited at more than 400 m water depth. The marls were found to be unsuitable for determining magnetostratigraphy, but foraminiferal biostratigraphy places the clastic unit precisely at the K-T boundary. We interpret this clastic unit as the deposit of a megawave or tsunami produced by an extraterrestrial impact. The clastic unit comprises three main subunits. (1) The basal "spherule bed" contains glass in the form of tektites and microtektites, glass spherules replaced by chlorite-smectite and calcite, and quartz grains showing probable shock features. This bed is interpreted as a channelized deposit of proximal ejecta. (2) A set of lenticular, massive, graded "laminated beds" contains intraclasts and abundant plant debris, and may be the result of megawave backwash that carried coarse debris from shallow parts of the continental margin into deeper water. (3) At the top, several thin "ripple beds" composed of fine sand are separated by clay drapes; they are interpreted as deposits of oscillating currents, perhaps a seiche. An iridium anomaly (921 +/- 23 pg/g) is observed at the top of the ripple beds. Our observations at the Mimbral locality support the hypothesis of a K-T impact on nearby Yucatan.

A paired apatite and calcite clumped isotope thermometry approach to estimating Cambro-Ordovician seawater temperatures and isotopic composition

Science.gov (United States)

Bergmann, Kristin D.; Finnegan, Seth; Creel, Roger; Eiler, John M.; Hughes, Nigel C.; Popov, Leonid E.; Fischer, Woodward W.

2018-03-01

The secular increase in δ18O values of both calcitic and phosphatic marine fossils through early Phanerozoic time suggests either that (1) early Paleozoic surface temperatures were high, in excess of 40 °C (tropical MAT), (2) the δ18O value of seawater has increased by 7-8‰ VSMOW through Paleozoic time, or (3) diagenesis has altered secular trends in early Paleozoic samples. Carbonate clumped isotope analysis, in combination with petrographic and elemental analysis, can deconvolve fluid composition from temperature effects and therefore determine which of these hypotheses best explain the secular δ18O increase. Clumped isotope measurements of a suite of calcitic and phosphatic marine fossils from late Cambrian- to Middle-late Ordovician-aged strata-the first paired fossil study of its kind-document tropical sea surface temperatures near modern temperatures (26-38 °C) and seawater oxygen isotope ratios similar to today's ratios.

Late ordovician stratigraphy, zircon provenance and tectonics, Lachlan Fold Belt, southeastern Australia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fergusson, C.L.; Fanning, C.M.

2002-01-01

Ordovician quartz turbidites of the Lachlan Fold Belt in southeastern Australia accumulated in a marginal sea and overlapped an adjoining island arc (Molong volcanic province) developed adjacent to eastern Gondwana. The turbidite succession in the Shoalhaven River Gorge, in the southern highlands of New South Wales, has abundant outcrop and graptolite sites. The succession consists of, from the base up, a unit of mainly thick-bedded turbidites (undifferentiated Adaminaby Group), a unit with conspicuous bedded chert (Numeralla Chert), a unit with common thin-bedded turbidites [Bumballa Formation (new name)] and a unit of black shale (Warbisco Shale). Coarse to very coarse sandstone in the Bumballa Formation is rich in quartz and similar to sandstone in the undifferentiated Adaminaby Group. Detrital zircons from sandstone in the Bumballa Formation, and from sandstone at a similar stratigraphic level from the upper Adaminaby Group of the Genoa River area in eastern Victoria, include grains as young as 453-473 Ma, slightly older than the stratigraphic ages. The dominant detrital ages are in the interval 500-700 Ma (Pacific Gondwana component) with a lessor concentration of Grenville ages (1000-1300 Ma). This pattern resembles other Ordovician sandstones from the Lachlan Fold Belt and also occurs in Triassic sandstones and Quaternary sands from eastern Australia. The Upper Ordovician succession is predominantly fine grained, which reflects reduced clastic inputs from the source in the Middle Cambrian to earliest Ordovician Ross-Delamerian Fold Belts that developed along the eastern active margin of Gondwana. Development of subduction zones in the Late Ordovician marginal sea are considered to be mainly responsible for the diversion of sediment and the resulting reduction in the supply of terrigenous sand to the island arc and eastern part of the marginal sea. Sixty zircons from each sample were analysed and results are presented. Methods following standard procedures

Geological Carbon Sequestration Storage Resource Estimates for the Ordovician St. Peter Sandstone, Illinois and Michigan Basins, USA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barnes, David; Ellett, Kevin; Leetaru, Hannes

2014-09-30

The Cambro-Ordovician strata of the Midwest of the United States is a primary target for potential geological storage of CO2 in deep saline formations. The objective of this project is to develop a comprehensive evaluation of the Cambro-Ordovician strata in the Illinois and Michigan Basins above the basal Mount Simon Sandstone since the Mount Simon is the subject of other investigations including a demonstration-scale injection at the Illinois Basin Decatur Project. The primary reservoir targets investigated in this study are the middle Ordovician St Peter Sandstone and the late Cambrian to early Ordovician Knox Group carbonates. The topic of this report is a regional-scale evaluation of the geologic storage resource potential of the St Peter Sandstone in both the Illinois and Michigan Basins. Multiple deterministic-based approaches were used in conjunction with the probabilistic-based storage efficiency factors published in the DOE methodology to estimate the carbon storage resource of the formation. Extensive data sets of core analyses and wireline logs were compiled to develop the necessary inputs for volumetric calculations. Results demonstrate how the range in uncertainty of storage resource estimates varies as a function of data availability and quality, and the underlying assumptions used in the different approaches. In the simplest approach, storage resource estimates were calculated from mapping the gross thickness of the formation and applying a single estimate of the effective mean porosity of the formation. Results from this approach led to storage resource estimates ranging from 3.3 to 35.1 Gt in the Michigan Basin, and 1.0 to 11.0 Gt in the Illinois Basin at the P10 and P90 probability level, respectively. The second approach involved consideration of the diagenetic history of the formation throughout the two basins and used depth-dependent functions of porosity to derive a more realistic spatially variable model of porosity rather than applying a

Late Cambrian - Early Ordovician turbidites of Gorny Altai (Russia): Compositions, sources, deposition settings, and tectonic implications

Science.gov (United States)

Kruk, Nikolai N.; Kuibida, Yana V.; Shokalsky, Sergey P.; Kiselev, Vladimir I.; Gusev, Nikolay I.

2018-06-01

The Cambrian-Ordovician transition was the time of several key events in the history of Central Asia. They were the accretion of Mariana-type island arc systems to the Siberian continent, the related large-scale orogeny and intrusions of basaltic and granitic magma and the formation of a huge turbidite basin commensurate with the Bengal Gulf basin in the western part of the Central Asian orogenic belt (CAOB). The structure of the basin, as well as the sources and environments of deposition remain open to discussion. This paper presents new major- and trace-element data on Late-Cambrian-Early Ordovician turbidites from different parts of the Russian Altai and a synthesis of Nd isotope composition and ages of detrital zircons. The turbidites share chemical similarity with material shed from weathered continental arcs. Broad variations of CIA (39-73) and ICV (0.63-1.66) signatures in sandstones suggest origin from diverse sources and absence of significant sorting. Trace elements vary considerably and have generally similar patterns in rocks from different terranes. On the other hand, there are at least two provinces according to Nd isotope composition and age of detrital zircons. Samples from eastern Russian Altai contain only Phanerozoic zircons and have Nd isotope ratios similar to those in Early Cambrian island arcs (εNdt + 4.4… + 5.4; TNd(DM)-2-st = 0.8-0.9 Ga). Samples from central, western, and southern parts of Russian Altai contain Precambrian zircons (some as old as Late Archean) and have a less radiogenic Nd composition (εNdt up to -3.6; TNd(DM)-2-st up to 1.5 Ga). The chemical signatures of Late Cambrian to Early Ordovician turbidites indicate a provenance chemically more mature than the island arc rocks, and the presence of zircons with 510-490 Ma ages disproves their genetic relation with island arcs. The turbidite basin formed simultaneously with peaks of granitic and alkali-basaltic magmatism in the western Central Asian orogen and resulted from

The post-Laramide clastic deposits of the Sierra de Guanajuato: Compositional implications on the tectono-sedimentary and paleographic evolution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miranda-Aviles, R.; Puy-Alquiza, M.J.; OmaNa, L.; Loza-Aguirre, I.

2016-07-01

This article presents the results of the study on sedimentation, sedimentary environments, tectono-sedimentary and paleogeographic evolution of post-Laramide clastic deposits and pre-volcanism of the Sierra Madre Occidental in the Sierra de Guanajuato, central Mexico. The Eocene Duarte Conglomerate and Guanajuato Conglomerate were deposited in the middle and distal parts of alluvial fans. The studied rocks are composed of limestone clasts, granite, andesite, metasediments, diorite, and pyroxenite, indicating the erosion of uplifted blocks of the basal complex of the Sierra de Guanajuato (Arperos basin). The petrographic and compositional analysis of limestone shows a textural variation from basin limestones and shallow platform limestones. The shallow platform limestone contain bivalves, brachiopods, gastropods, echinoderms and benthic foraminifera from the Berriasian-Valanginian. The shallow-water limestone corresponds to the boundary of the Arperos basin whose original outcrops currently not outcrop in the Sierra de Guanajuato. (Author)

A new Late Ordovician erratic anthaspidellid sponge (Porifera) originating from Baltica

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rhebergen, F.

2014-01-01

The new anthaspidellid taxon Brevaspidella dispersa is erected for specimens recovered from the Late Ordovician sponge assemblages of the island of Gotland, Sweden and the Dutch-German border region. In the latter area, they are collected from Early Pleistocene fluvial deposits of the Baltic River

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

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Javier Álvaro, J.; Colmenar Lallena, Jorge; Monceret, Eric

2016-01-01

, 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...

Field trip guidebook for the post-meeting field trip: The Central Appalachians

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, John F.; Loch, James D.; Ganis, G. Robert; Repetski, John E.; Mitchell, Charles E.; Blackmer, Gale C.; Brezinski, David K.; Goldman, Daniel; Orndorff, Randall C.; Sell, Bryan K.

2015-01-01

The lower Paleozoic rocks to be examined on this trip through the central Appalachians represent an extreme range of depositional environments. The lithofacies we will examine range from pelagic radiolarian chert and interbedded mudstone that originated on the deep floor of the Iapetus Ocean, through mud cracked supratidal dolomitic laminites that formed during episodes of emergence of the long-lived Laurentian carbonate platform, to meandering fluvial conglomerate and interstratified overbank mudstone packages deposited in the latest stages of infilling of the Taconic foredeep. In many ways this field trip is about contrasts. The Upper Cambrian (Furongian) and Lower Ordovician deposits of the Sauk megasequence record deposition controlled primarily by eustatic sea level sea level fluctuations that influenced deposition along the passive, southern (Appalachian) margin of the paleocontinent of Laurentia. The only tectonic influence apparent in these passive margin deposits is the expected thickening of the carbonate stack toward the platform margin as compared to the thinner (and typically shallower) facies that formed farther in toward the paleoshoreline. Carbonates overwhelmingly dominate the passive margin succession. Clastic influx was minimal and consisted largely of eastward transport of clean cratonic sands across the platform from the adjacent inner detrital belt to the west during higher order (2nd and 3rd order) regressions.In contrast, Middle and Upper Ordovician deposits of the Tippecanoe megasequence record the strong influence of tectonics, specifically Iapetus closure. The first signal of this tectonic transformation was the arrival of arc-related ash beds that abound in the active margin carbonates. Subsequent intensification of Taconic orogenesis resulted in the foundering of the carbonate platform under the onslaught of fine siliciclastics arriving from offshore tectonic sources to the east, creating a deep marine flysch basin where graptolitic

Stratigraphic significance of Cruziana: New data concerning the Cambrian-Ordovician ichnostratigraphic paradigm

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Magwood, J.P.A.; Pemberton, S.G. (Univ. of Alberta, Edmonton (Canada))

1990-08-01

The classic Cambrian-Ordovician ichnostratigraphic paradigm originally developed in Europe is based on the assumption that Cruziana - ichnofossils presumably produced by trilobites - can be used in much the same way as trilobite body fossils have been used in chronostratigraphy. That these ichnofossils can be found in many otherwise unfossiliferous, shallow-marine siliciclastic deposits has made them extremely valuable as correlation tools. The paradigm has been used to date lower Paleozoic units in eastern Canada and Europe. It has also been used as supporting evidence to show close affinities between (1) eastern North America, Wales, and Spain and (2) Spain, northern Africa, and southern Asia. Ichnospecies indicative of the Lower Ordovician (Tremadocian and Arenigian), according to the paradigm, have been recovered from the Lower Cambrian (Atdabanian) Gog Group, near Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada. This discovery indicates that these ichnospecies cannot be used as global Lower Ordovician index fossils.

Brachiopod associations from the Middle Ordovician of the Oslo Region, Norway

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Candela, Yves; Hansen, Thomas

2010-01-01

The marine upper Darriwilian (Middle Ordovician) Elnes Formation of southern Norway contains very rich and diverse invertebrate faunas. Stratigraphically detailed recent collections of these well-preserved faunas have permitted a more thorough description of the various faunal groups and their pr......The marine upper Darriwilian (Middle Ordovician) Elnes Formation of southern Norway contains very rich and diverse invertebrate faunas. Stratigraphically detailed recent collections of these well-preserved faunas have permitted a more thorough description of the various faunal groups...... by linguliformeans although some sections of the formation are dominated by the plectambonitoids Alwynella ildjernensis Spjeldnaes or Cathrynia aequistriata (Hadding) or by orthid brachiopods. Statistical analysis of the brachiopod fauna reveals that the general depositional trend of the Elnes Formation...... in muddy to marly deposits formed around maximal storm wave base and an orthid-dominated association representing an environment characterised by a fairly coarse or hard bottom substrate formed well above storm wave base but below fair weather wave base....

Continental basinal origin of ore fluids from southwestern Massif central fluorite veins (Albigeois, France): evidence from fluid inclusion and stable isotope analyses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munoz, M.; Boyce, A.J.; Courjault-Rade, P.; Fallick, A.E.; Tollon, F.

1999-01-01

The most important fluorspar mining district in France is located in the Palaeozoic basement of the Albigeois in southwestern French Massif Central. The massive fluorite is hosted within large E-W striking fractures, crosscutting Cambro-Ordovician clastics, associated with large zones of hypersilicified tectonic breccia which form the wall of the mined deposits. Fluid inclusion data for pre-fluorite and fluorite stage fluids have salinities between 20-26 wt% NaCl equiv., with homogenisation temperatures between 85-170C. Furthermore, low first ice melting temperatures (around -50C) indicates the presence of significant CaCl 2 and possibly MgCl 2 together with NaCl. Calculated fluid δ 18 O for pre-fluorite quartz ranges from -9.1per thousand to -5.2per thousand, with δD between -55per thousand to -64per thousand, placing the data directly on the present day meteoric water line. Fluorite stage fluids have δ 18 O between +0.1per thousand to +3.2per thousand, and δD ranging from -53per thousand to -75per thousand, indicating an interacted meteoric fluid origin. Combining the fluid inclusion and stable isotope data illustrates that the main fluorite depositing fluid has characteristics typical of a basinal brine. The authors have no evidence that a magmatic system was involved in the deposit genesis. The proposed model highlights that mineralisation was related to major Mesozoic extensional events coinciding with the gradual opening of the Atlantic and Tethys oceans. In order to account for the chemistry of the fluids, and the siting of the deposits, the authors postulate a genetic relationship with local, continental, evaporite-bearing basins coincident with, and controlled by the E-W fractures. (Copyright (c) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.)

Metamorphic history of the Central Pyrenees Part II, Valle de Arán, Sheet 4

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zwart, H.J.

1963-01-01

The structural geology and metamorphic petrology of the Bosost area in the Valle de Arán (Central Pyrenees) is discussed. The rocks exposed in this area consist of Cambro-Ordovician mica-schists with numerous granite and pegmatite bodies, phyllites and limestones; Silurian slates and schists and

A new age model for the Late Ordovician bentonites in Oslo, Norway

Science.gov (United States)

Gottschalk Ballo, Eirik; Eivind Augland, Lars; Hammer, Øyvind; Svensen, Henrik

2017-04-01

During the Late Ordovician, explosive volcanic eruptions led to the deposition of worldwide bentonites. Some of the largest of these eruptions took place in the Sandbian and produced the Milbrig and Deicke K-bentonites of North America and the Kinnekulle K-bentonite of Scandinavia. We have studied the classic locality of Hagemann and Spjeldnæs (1955) - one of the most complete sections of Ordovician bentonites in Europe. The bentonites are present in the Arnestad Formation comprising dark shale with carbonate nodule beds grading into an increasingly more carbonate rich environment. Through a 50-meter interval we have identified 33 bentonites of which 10 have not previously been reported from this locality. The bentonites have an average thickness of 4.9 cm with a few exceptions such as the Kinnekulle K-bentonite (35 cm) and the Grimstorp B (13 cm). We have measured magnetic susceptibility of two 2-3 meter intervals with a sampling distance of 5 cm, using a handheld magnetic susceptibility meter in the field. These data show significant periodicity peaks that correlate well with Milankovitch cycles and are suggested to represent astronomically forced changes in sediment supply. This study further presents high-precision U-Pb zircon ages of five bentonites from the section, including the Kinnekulle K-bentonite and Grimstorp B. These two beds were previously dated by Svensen et al. (2015) from a locality south of Oslo. Our new data improves the precision of the ages of these two key beds, and constrain the duration of the entire interval and thus the onset and termination of the late Ordovician volcanic system that deposited these tephras. We conclude that the Oslo section provides a high-resolution age model to understand one of the most intense volcanic periods of the Paleozoic by combining radiometric and cyclostratigraphic data. BIBLIOGRAPHY Hagemann, F. and Spjeldnæs, N. (1955). "The Middle Ordovician of the Oslo region, Norway. 6. Notes on bentonites (K

High-resolution conodont oxygen isotope record of Ordovician climate change

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, J.; Chen, Z.; Algeo, T. J.

2013-12-01

The Ordovician Period was characterized by several major events, including a prolonged 'super greenhouse' during the Early Ordovician, the 'Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event (GOBE)' of the Middle and early Late Ordovician, and the Hirnantian ice age and mass extinction of the latest Ordovician (Webby et al., 2004, The Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event, Columbia University Press). The cause of the rapid diversification of marine invertebrates during the GOBE is not clear, however, and several scenarios have been proposed including widespread development of shallow cratonic seas, strong magmatic and tectonic activity, and climate moderation. In order to investigate relationships between climate change and marine ecosystem evolution during the Ordovician, we measured the oxygen isotopic composition of single coniform conodonts using a Cameca secondary ion mass spectrometer. Our δ18O profile shows a shift at the Early/Middle Ordovician transition that is indicative of a rapid 6 to 8 °C cooling. This cooling event marks the termination of the Early Ordovician 'super greenhouse' and may have established cooler tropical seawater temperatures that were more favorable for invertebrate animals, setting the stage for the GOBE. Additional cooling episodes occurred during the early Sandbian, early Katian, and Hirnantian, the last culminating in a short-lived (extinction. Our results differ from those of Trotter et al. (2008, 'Did cooling oceans trigger Ordovician biodiversification? Evidence from conodont thermometry,' Science 321:550-554). Instead of a slow, protracted cooling through the Early and Middle Ordovician, our high-resolution record shows that cooling occurred in several discrete steps, with the largest step being at the Early/Middle Ordovician transition.

Ordovician timescale in Estonia: recent developments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hints, Olle

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Over 150 years of progress in the Ordovician geology and stratigraphy of Estonia has resulted in one of the most precise Ordovician timescales in the world. In this paper, an up-to-date version of the Ordovician timescale of Estonia is provided. Recent developments in graptolite, chitinozoan, and conodont biostratigraphy, and the correlation with the global standard are briefly commented upon. Application of the regional subseries rank is discussed and two new names are proposed: “Vinni” for the upper subseries of the Viru Series, and “Atla” for the upper subseries of the Harju Series.

Palaeomagnetism of neoproterozoic formations in the volta basin ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The Volta basin lies on the southern part of the West African craton, more precisely on the Leo (or Man) craton. The Dahomeyides chain is thrust onto its eastern fringe. The Volta basin is filled with Neoproterozoic to Cambro- Ordovician sediments. From bottom to top they are: the Boumbouaka Supergroup made of ...

Ordovician ash geochemistry and the establishment of land plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Parnell John

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract The colonization of the terrestrial environment by land plants transformed the planetary surface and its biota, and shifted the balance of Earth’s biomass from the subsurface towards the surface. However there was a long delay between the formation of palaeosols (soils on the land surface and the key stage of plant colonization. The record of palaeosols, and their colonization by fungi and lichens extends well back into the Precambrian. While these early soils provided a potential substrate, they were generally leached of nutrients as part of the weathering process. In contrast, volcanic ash falls provide a geochemically favourable substrate that is both nutrient-rich and has high water retention, making them good hosts to land plants. An anomalously extensive system of volcanic arcs generated unprecedented volumes of lava and volcanic ash (tuff during the Ordovician. The earliest, mid-Ordovician, records of plant spores coincide with these widespread volcanic deposits, suggesting the possibility of a genetic relationship. The ash constituted a global environment of nutrient-laden, water-saturated soil that could be exploited to maximum advantage by the evolving anchoring systems of land plants. The rapid and pervasive inoculation of modern volcanic ash by plant spores, and symbiotic nitrogen-fixing fungi, suggests that the Ordovician ash must have received a substantial load of the earliest spores and their chemistry favoured plant development. In particular, high phosphorus levels in ash were favourable to plant growth. This may have allowed photosynthesizers to diversify and enlarge, and transform the surface of the planet.

Calibrating water depths of Ordovician communities: lithological and ecological controls on depositional gradients in Upper Ordovician strata of southern Ohio and north-central Kentucky, USA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlton E. Brett

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Limestone and shale facies of the Upper Ordovician Grant Lake Formation (Katian: Cincinnatian, Maysvillian are well exposed in the Cincinnati Arch region of southern Ohio and north-central Kentucky, USA. These rocks record a gradual change in lithofacies and biofacies along a gently northward-sloping ramp. This gradient spans very shallow, olive-gray, platy, laminated dolostones with sparse ostracodes in the south to offshore, nodular, phosphatic, brachiopod-rich limestones and marls in the north. This study uses facies analysis in outcrop to determine paleoenvironmental parameters, particularly those related to water depth (e.g., position of the photic zone and shoreline, relative degree of environmental energy. Within a tightly correlated stratigraphic interval (the Mount Auburn and Straight Creek members of the Grant Lake Formation and the Terrill Member of the Ashlock Formation, we document the occurrence of paleoenvironmental indicators, including desiccation cracks and light-depth indicators, such as red and green algal fossils and oncolites. This permitted recognition of a ramp with an average gradient of 10–20 cm water depth per horizontal kilometer. Thus, shallow subtidal (“lagoonal” deposits in the upramp portion fall within the 1.5–6 m depth range, cross-bedded grainstones representing shoal-type environments fall within the 6–18 m depth range and subtidal, shell-rich deposits in the downramp portion fall within the 20–30 m depth range. These estimates match interpretations of depth independently derived from faunal and sedimentologic evidence that previously suggested a gentle ramp gradient and contribute to ongoing and future high-resolution paleontologic and stratigraphic studies of the Cincinnati Arch region.

U-Pb SHRIMP-RG zircon ages and Nd signature of lower Paleozoic rifting-related magmatism in the Variscan basement of the Eastern Pyrenees

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez, F.J.; Iriondo, A.; Dietsch, C.; Aleinikoff, J.N.; Peucat, J.J.; Cires, J.; Reche, J.; Capdevila, R.

2011-01-01

The ages of orthogneisses exposed in massifs of the Variscan chain can determine whether they are part of a pre-Neoproterozoic basement, a Neoproterozoic, Panafrican arc, or are, in fact, lower Paleozoic, and their isotopic compositions can be used to probe the nature of their source rocks, adding to the understanding of the types, distribution, and tectonic evolution of peri-Gondwanan crystalline basement. Using SHRIMP U-Pb zircon geochronology and Nd isotopic analysis, pre-Variscan metaigneous rocks from the N??ria massif in the Eastern Pyrenean axial zone and the Guilleries massif, 70km to the south, have been dated and their Nd signatures characterized. All dated orthogneisses from the N??ria massif have the same age within error, ~457Ma, including the Ribes granophyre, interpreted as a subvolcanic unit within Caradocian sediments contemporaneous with granitic magmas intruded into Cambro-Ordovician sediments at deeper levels. Orthogneisses in the Guilleries massif record essentially continuous magmatic activity during the Ordovician, beginning at the Cambro-Ordovician boundary (488??3Ma) and reaching a peak in the volume of magma in the early Late Ordovician (~460Ma). Metavolcanic rocks in the Guilleries massif were extruded at 452??4Ma and appear to have their intrusive equivalent in thin, deformed veins of granitic gneiss (451??7Ma) within metasedimentary rocks. In orthogneisses from both massifs, the cores of some zircons yield Neoproterozoic ages between ~520 and 900Ma. The age of deposition of a pre-Late Ordovician metapelite in the Guilleries massif is bracketed by the weighted average age of the youngest detrital zircon population, 582??11Ma, and the age of cross-cutting granitic veins, 451??7Ma. Older detrital zircons populations in this metapelite include Neoproterozoic (749-610Ma; n=10), Neo- to Mesoproterozoic (1.04-0.86Ga; n=7), Paleoproterozoic (2.02-1.59Ga; n=5), and Neoarchean (2.74-2.58Ga; n=3). Nd isotopic analyses of the N??ria and Guilleries

Middle to Late Ordovician faunal studies from central Australia and Tasmania during the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jakobsen, Kristian Grube

A profound transformation of the marine biosphere took place during the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event (GOBE), recognized as the longest interval of sustained biodiversification in the history of life. Successions through the Middle Ordovician Stairway Sandstone of the Amadeus Basin......, but the diversity is generally relatively low. The bivalves are the most dominant and diverse group in the central Australian fauna, whereas the brachiopods are the most dominant and diverse group in the Tasmanian fauna. Thirteen trilobite, five brachiopod, four conodont and 22 mollusc taxa have been documented......, but the preservation and low number of specimens prevent formal definition of additional new taxa. Although highly endemic at species level, the investigated brachiopod, trilobite and mollusc faunas display a high degree of overall similarity at generic level with Middle Ordovician faunas from North China. Other...

Hydrocarbon potential of Ordovician and Silurian rocks. Siljan Region (Sweden)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berner, U. [Bundesanstalt fuer Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (BGR), Hannover (Germany); Lehnert, O. [Erlangen-Nuernberg Univ., Erlangen (Germany); Meinhold, G. [Goettingen Univ. (Germany)

2013-08-01

Hydrocarbon exploration in the vicinity of Europe's largest impact structure (Siljan, Central Sweden) focused for years on abiogenic concepts and largely neglected state of the art knowledge on hydrocarbon generation via thermal decomposition of organic matter. In our study we use sedimentary rocks obtained from three drill sites (Mora001, Stumsnaes 1 and Solberga 1) within the ring structure around the central uplift to investigate the hydrocarbon potential of Ordovician and Silurian strata of the region and also for comparison with the shale oil and gas potential of age equivalent rocks of the Baltic Sea. Elemental analyses provided information on concentrations of carbonate and organic carbon, total sulfur as well as on the composition of major and minor elements of the sediments. The data has been used to evaluate the depositional environment and possible diagenetic alterations of the organic matter. RockEval pyrolysis and solvent hydrocarbon extraction gave insight into the hydrocarbon generation potential and the type and thermal maturity of the sediments. From the geochemistry data of the studied wells it is obvious that changes of depositional environments (lacustrine - marine) have occurred during Ordovician and Silurian times. Although, the quality of the organic matter has been influenced in marine and brackish environments through sulfate reduction, we observe for a number of marine and lacustrine sediments a good to excellent preservation of the biological precursors which qualify the sediments as hydrocarbon source rocks (Type II kerogens). Lacustrine source rocks show a higher remaining hydrocarbon potential (up to {proportional_to}550 mg HC per g C{sub org}) than those of marine or brackish environments. Our investigations indicate that the thermal maturity of organic matter of the drill sites has reached the initial stage of oil generation. However, at Mora001 some of the sediments were stained with oil indicating that hydrocarbons have

Cornulitids (tubeworms) from the Late Ordovician Hirnantia fauna of Morocco

Science.gov (United States)

Gutiérrez-Marco, Juan Carlos; Vinn, Olev

2018-01-01

Two species of cornulitids, Cornulites gondwanensis sp. nov. and C. aff. shallochensis Reed are described from the Hirnantian of Morocco, within an assemblage representative of the Hirnantia brachiopod fauna occurring near the Ordovician South Pole. The dominance of aggregated and solitary free forms could be explained by particular sedimentary environments preceding the Hirnantian glaciation and the latest Ordovician Extinction Event. The diversity of cornulitids in the Late Ordovician of Gondwana and related terranes was relatively low, and less diverse than the cornulitids of Laurentia and Baltica. Hirnantian cornulitids from Morocco do not resemble Late Ordovician cornulitids of Baltica and Laurentia. Moroccan cornulitids seem to be closely allied to some older Gondwanan cornulitids, especially Sardinian ones. They resemble species described from the Late Ordovician and Llandovery of Scotland suggesting a palaeobiogeographic link.

End Ordovician extinctions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Harper, David A. T.; Hammarlund, Emma; Rasmussen, Christian M. Ø.

2014-01-01

-global anoxia associated with a marked transgression during the Late Hirnantian. Most recently, however, new drivers for the extinctions have been proposed, including widespread euxinia together with habitat destruction caused by plate tectonic movements, suggesting that the end Ordovician mass extinctions were...

δ13C chemostratigraphy in the upper Tremadocian through lower Katian (Ordovician carbonate succession of the Siljan district, central Sweden

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Oliver Lehnert

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Based on δ13C data from two drillcores recovered from the Siljan district, we present a first continuous carbon isotope record of the upper Tremadocian–lower Katian limestone succession of central Sweden. New names for some isotopic carbon excursions from the Cambrian–Ordovician boundary through the basal Darriwilian are introduced. The Mora 001 core from the western part of the Siljan impact structure ranges through the Lower–Middle Ordovician, whereas the Solberga 1 core from its eastern part ranges through the Middle–lower Upper Ordovician. Upper Tremadocian and Floian units are extremely condensed and include extensive stratigraphic gaps. Multiple hardgrounds, sometimes with minor karstic overprint, imply recurrent periods of erosion and/or non-deposition. Like in other parts of Sweden, the Dapingian and Darriwilian succession is characterized by a relatively complete sedimentary record and low sedimentation rates.

Isotopic character of Cambro-Ordovician plutonism, southern Victoria Land

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cox, S.C.; Parkinson, D.L.; Allibone, A.H.; Cooper, A.F.

2000-01-01

Previous mapping of granitoid rocks in the Dry Valleys area of southern Victoria Land, Antarctica, identified the calc-alkaline (DV1a), adakitic (DV1b), and monzonitic (DV2) suites. A fourth older suite comprising alkaline gabbro, syenite, and A-type granite occurs in the Mt Dromedary area c. 80 km to the south. U-Pb zircon dating of Bonney Pluton, the largest calc-alkaline DV1a intrusion, indicates emplacement of this regional-scale body at 505 +/- 2 Ma. Pb-loss and inherited zircon were common to Bonney Pluton analyses of this study. U-Pb dating of monazite from Valhalla Pluton, a principal DV1b suite adakitic intrusion, indicates emplacement at 488 +/- 2 Ma. The Bonney Pluton age constrains the peak of calc-alkaline plutonism at 505 Ma and the Valhalla Pluton age records the major pulse of adakitic plutonism that is inferred to mark the final stages of subduction c. 490 Ma along this section of the East Antarctic margin. Nd and Sr isotope data for the calc-alkaline DV1a suite and adakitic DV1b suite define distinct ranges for each suite, supporting their subdivision on the basis of field relationships, petrography, and whole-rock geochemistry. Calc-alkaline DV1a suite granite magmas have eNd(T) = -4.2 to -6.1 and Sri = 0.7071-0.7079, whereas the adakitic DV1b suite rocks have a wider range of eNd(T) = -1.9 to -7.2 and Sri = 0.7065-0.7097. The isotopic data suggest a significant mantle component and subordinate crustal component in the source region of both suites. Time-dependent variations in the isotopic ratios of DV1a and DV1b suites imply a progressive increase in the proportion of more radiogenic material in the source region of the granitoid rocks, either mantle- or crust-derived material. Larger adakitic DV1b plutons are more 'evolved' than equivalent, smaller plutons of the same DV1b suite. Vanda Dikes and monzonitic DV2 suite intrusions are characterised by particularly low Sri = 0.7044-0.7067 and near-constant eNd(T) = -4.8 to -5.3, which indicate a petrogenesis for these younger intrusions distinct from the older DV1a and DV1b suites. Gabbroic rocks from Mt Dromedary have eNd(T) values as low as -8.0 and Sri ratios as high as 0.7108, despite their mafic composition, confirming they are unrelated to granitoids in the Dry Valleys area. A granulite xenolith in the McMurdo Volcanics with calc-alkaline DV1a-type chemistry yielded a concordant U-Pb zircon age of 490 +/- 5 Ma. The age suggests that some of the lower crust in southern Victoria Land was emplaced during the Ross Orogeny rather than forming entirely during earlier Precambrian event(s). Isotopic ratios of metasediments and granitoids in the Dry Valleys correlate most closely with rocks that comprise the Beardmore 'Microcontinent' in the Central Transantarctic Mountains, rather than the Nimrod Group and crosscutting intrusions of the Miller Range. The DV1a suite granitoids in the Dry Valleys are petrographically and geochemically similar to calc-alkaline granitoids in northern Victoria Land, but have less-evolved isotopic compositions that imply a lower proportion of crustal material in the source of the southern Victoria Land granitoid rocks. The isotopic data imply complex variations in the chemistry and genesis of granitoid rocks parallel to, as well as perpendicular to, the trend of the Ross Orogen. (author)

Optical dating of fluvio-deltaic clastic lake-fill sediments - A feasibility study in the Holocene Rhine delta (western Netherlands)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wallinga, J.; Bos, I.J.

2010-01-01

We test the applicability of quartz optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating on clastic lake sediments to investigate whether this dating method can be applied to study the timing and rate of deposition in Holocene fluvio-deltaic lakes. Our study concerns the filling of a lake by the

THE BRECCE DELLA RENGA FORMATION: AGE AND SEDIMENTOLOGY OF A SYN-TECTONIC CLASTIC UNIT IN THE UPPER MIOCENE OF CENTRAL APENNINES. INSIGHTS FROM FIELD GEOLOGY

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SIMONE FABBI

2014-07-01

Full Text Available In the NE Simbruini Mountains, the “Brecce della Renga Fm.” is a clastic unit documenting sedimentation controlled by late Miocene extensional tectonics.The unit has been subdivided into three lithofacies and six sublithofacies, based on the arenite/rudite/pelite ratio. Massive and coarser (up to megablock size intervals are interpreted as rockfall deposits (likely induced by earthquakes at the toe of steep submarine escarpments. By contrast, finer levels are interpreted as having been sedimented through avalanching and turbidity flows in more distal settings, and are partly lateral to basinal hemipelagites and siliciclastic turbidites. Pelite lenses, found at various stratigraphic levels, are the result of ponded sedimentation along the clastic margin. Calcareous nannofossils analyses have been performed for age determinations on 60 fossiliferous samples, which were collected in each sublithofacies of the “Brecce della Renga Fm.”. The unit ranges from early Tortonian (MNN8b to early Messinian (MNN11c. The age and field geometries of the older breccias document the existence of a Tortonian extensional phase, which predated the late Messinian thrusting. A progradation of the clastic wedge can be observed in the Tortonian, while Messinian deposits show a fining upwards trend. The distribution curve of clastics over time can, given the number of synsedimentary faults mapped in the area, be put in relation with the seismicity induced by the activity along such faults, which after reaching an acme in the Tortonian gradually reached a quiescent state in the early Messinian, causing the backstepping of clastic facies.

Influence of Clastic Dikes on Vertical Migration of Contaminants in the Vadose Zonde at Hanford

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murray, Christopher J.; Ward, Anderson L.; Wilson, John L.

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the hypothesis that clastic dikes could form a preferential flow path through the vadose zone to the water table at the Hanford Site. Clastic dikes are subvertical structures that form within sedimentary sequences after deposition and cut across the original sedimentary layers. They are common throughout the Hanford Site, often occurring in organized polygonal networks. In the initial phase of the project, we analyzed the large-scale geometry of the clastic dikes and developed an algorithm for simulating their spatial distribution. This result will be useful in providing maps of the potential distribution of clastic dikes in areas where they are not exposed at the surface (e.g., where covered by windblown sand or construction of facilities like tank farms at the surface). In addition to the study of the large-scale distribution of the dikes, a major focus of the project was on field, laboratory, and modeling studies of the hydrogeological properties of the clastic dikes and the effect that they have on transport of water through the vadose zone. These studies were performed at two field locations at the Hanford Site. We performed an extensive series of field and laboratory measurements of a large number of samples from the clastic dikes, linked with infrared (IR) and visual imagery of the clastic dikes and surrounding matrix. We developed a series of correlations from the sample data that allowed us to estimate the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of the dike and matrix at an extremely high resolution (approximately 1 mm). The resulting grids, each of which measured several meters on a side and included nearly four million grid nodes, were used to study the distribution of moisture between the clastic dike and surrounding matrix, as well as the relative velocities that moisture would have through the clastic dike and matrix for a number of different recharge scenarios. Results show the development of complex flow networks

Environmental conditions and microbial community structure during the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event; a multi-disciplinary study from the Canning Basin, Western Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Spaak, Gemma; Edwards, Dianne S.; Foster, Clinton B.; Pagès, Anais; Summons, Roger E.; Sherwood, Neil; Grice, Kliti

2017-12-01

The Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event (GOBE) is regarded as one of the most significant evolutionary events in the history of Phanerozoic life. The present study integrates palynological, petrographic, molecular and stable isotopic (δ13C of biomarkers) analyses of cores from four boreholes that intersected the Goldwyer Formation, Canning Basin, Western Australia, to determine depositional environments and microbial diversity within a Middle Ordovician epicontinental, tropical sea. Data from this study indicate lateral and temporal variations in lipid biomarker assemblages extracted from Goldwyer Formation rock samples. These variations likely reflect changing redox conditions between the upper (Unit 4) and lower (Units 1 + 2) Goldwyer, which is largely consistent with existing depositional models for the Goldwyer Formation. Cryptospores were identified in Unit 4 in the Theia-1 well and are most likely derived from bryophyte-like plants, making this is the oldest record of land plants in Australian Middle Ordovician strata. Biomarkers in several samples from Unit 4 that also support derivation from terrestrial organic matter include benzonaphthofurans and δ13C-depleted mid-chain n-alkanes. Typical Ordovician marine organisms including acritarchs, chitinozoans, conodonts and graptolites were present in the lower and upper Goldwyer Formation, whereas the enigmatic organism Gloeocapsomorpha prisca (G. prisca) was only detected in Unit 4. The correlation of a strong G. prisca biosignature with high 3-methylhopane indices and 13C depleted G. prisca-derived chemical fossils (biomarkers) is interpreted to suggest an ecological relationship between methanotrophs and G. prisca. This research contributes to a greater understanding of Ordovician marine environments from a molecular perspective since few biomarker studies have been undertaken on age-equivalent sections. Furthermore, the identification of the oldest cryptospores in Australia and their corresponding

Petrological-geochemical characteristics of coarse-grained clastic sedimentary rocks of Quantou Formation, Cretaceous in Songliao basin and their geological significance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Gan; Zhang Bangtong

2005-01-01

Clastic sedimentary rocks of Quantou Formation, Cretaceous in Qing-an area, Songliao basin are mainly composed of sandstone, mudstone and siltstone. The petrological-chemical analysis of clastic sedimentary rocks from Quantou Formation, Cretaceous indicates that their lithology mainly consists of arkose, shale and minor rock debris sandstone and greywacke by chemical classification of bulk elements. REE distribution pattern displays the apparent enrichment of LREE and negative anomaly of Eu and is similar to that of NASC and PAAS. The ratio of trace-element in sedimentary rocks to that of upper crust shows gentle character. All the above features indicate that these sedimentary rocks were slowly deposited under weakly active tectonic setting. They are sediments typical for passive continental margin and active continental margin. It is suggested that material source of clastic sediments of Quantou Formation, Cretaceous in Qing-an area, Songliao basin was originated from Hercynian granite of Zhangguangchai Mountain, and the granite was originated from upper crust. (authors)

Depositional History and Sequence Stratigraphy of the Middle Ordovician Yeongheung Formation (Yeongweol Group), Taebaeksan Basin, mid-east Korea

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Yoo Jin; Kwon, Yi Kyun

2017-04-01

The Middle Ordovician Yeongheung Formation consists of numerous meter-scale, shallowing-upward cycles which were deposited on a shallow-marine carbonate platform. Many diagnostic sedimentary textures and structures such as supratidal laminite, tepee structure, and solution-collapsed breccia are observed, which enable to infer the dry climate and high salinity conditions during deposition of the formation. In order to understand its depositional history, this study focuses on vertical and spatial stacking patterns of the second- to third-order sequences through the detailed outcrop description and geologic mapping. A total 19 lithofacies have been recognized, which can be grouped into 5 facies associations (FAs): FA1 (Supratidal flat), FA2 (Supratidal or dolomitization of peritidal facies), FA3 (Intertidal flat), FA4 (Shallow subtidal to peritidal platform), FA5 (Shallow subtidal shoal). Global mega-sequence boundary (Sauk-Tippecanoe) occurs in solution-collapsed breccia zone in the lower part of the formation. Correlation of the shallowing-upward cycle stacking pattern across the study area defines 6 transgressive-regressive depositional sequences. Each depositional sequences comprises a package of vertical and spatial staking of shallow subtidal cycles in the lower part and peritidal cycles in the upper part of the formation. According to sequence stratigraphic interpretation, the reconstructed relative sea-level curve of the Yeongweol platform is very similar to that of the Taebaek platform. Based on the absence of siliciclastic sequence such as the Jigunsan Formation and the lithologic & stratigraphic differences, however, the Yeongweol and Taebaek groups might not belong to a single depositional system within the North China platform. The Yeongweol Group can be divided by the four subunits into their unique lithologic successions and geographic distributions. The Eastern subunit of the Yeongweol Group is composed dominantly of carbonate rocks with a high

Oxygenation as a driver of the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Cole T.; Saltzman, Matthew R.; Royer, Dana L.; Fike, David A.

2017-12-01

The largest radiation of Phanerozoic marine animal life quadrupled genus-level diversity towards the end of the Ordovician Period about 450 million years ago. A leading hypothesis for this Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event is that cooling of the Ordovician climate lowered sea surface temperatures into the thermal tolerance window of many animal groups, such as corals. A complementary role for oxygenation of subsurface environments has been inferred based on the increasing abundance of skeletal carbonate, but direct constraints on atmospheric O2 levels remain elusive. Here, we use high-resolution paired bulk carbonate and organic carbon isotope records to determine the changes in isotopic fractionation between these phases throughout the Ordovician radiation. These results can be used to reconstruct atmospheric O2 levels based on the O2-dependent fractionation of carbon isotopes by photosynthesis. We find a strong temporal link between the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event and rising O2 concentrations, a pattern that is corroborated by O2 models that use traditional carbon-sulfur mass balance. We conclude that that oxygen levels probably played an important role in regulating early Palaeozoic biodiversity levels, even after the Cambrian Explosion.

Disentangling the record of diagenesis, local redox conditions, and global seawater chemistry during the latest Ordovician glaciation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahm, Anne-Sofie Crüger; Bjerrum, Christian J.; Hammarlund, Emma U.

2017-01-01

as pyrite in core samples, while outcrop samples have been significantly altered as pyrite has been oxidized and remobilized by modern weathering processes. Fe speciation in the more pristine core samples indicates persistent deep water anoxia, at least locally through the Late Ordovician, in contrast...... to the prevailing interpretation of increased Hirnantian water column oxygenation in shallower environments. Deep water redox conditions were likely decoupled from shallower environments by a basinal shift in organic matter export driven by decreasing rates of organic matter degradation and decreasing shelf areas......The Late Ordovician stratigraphic record integrates glacio-eustatic processes, water-column redox conditions and carbon cycle dynamics. This complex stratigraphic record, however, is dominated by deposits from epeiric seas that are susceptible to local physical and chemical processes decoupled from...

Clastic sediment flux to tropical Andean lakes: records of glaciation and soil erosion

Science.gov (United States)

Rodbell, Donald T.; Seltzer, Geoffrey O.; Mark, Bryan G.; Smith, Jacqueline A.; Abbott, Mark B.

2008-08-01

We developed records of clastic sediment flux to 13 alpine lakes in Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia, and compared these with independently dated records of regional glaciation. Our objectives are to determine whether a strong relationship exists between the extent of ice cover in the region and the rate of clastic sediment delivery to alpine lakes, and thus whether clastic sediment records serve as reliable proxies for glaciation during the late Pleistocene. We isolated the clastic component in lake sediment cores by removing the majority of the biogenic and authigenic components from the bulk sediment record, and we dated cores by a combination of radiocarbon and tephrochronology. In order to partially account for intra-basin differences in sediment focusing, bedrock erosivity, and sediment availability, we normalized each record to the weighted mean value of clastic sediment flux for each respective core. This enabled the stacking of all 13 lake records to produce a composite record that is generally representative of the tropical Andes. There is a striking similarity between the composite record of clastic sediment flux and the distribution of ˜100 cosmogenic radionuclide (CRN) exposure ages for erratics on moraine crests in the central Peruvian and northern Bolivian Andes. The extent of ice cover thus appears to be the primary variable controlling the delivery of clastic sediment to alpine lakes in the region, which bolsters the increasing use of clastic sediment flux as a proxy for the extent of ice cover in the region. The CRN moraine record and the stacked lake core composite record together indicate that the expansion of ice cover and concomitant increase in clastic sediment flux began at least 40 ka, and the local last glacial maximum (LLGM) culminated between 30 and 20 ka. A decline in clastic sediment flux that began ˜20 ka appears to mark the onset of deglaciation from the LLGM, at least one millennium prior to significant warming in high latitude regions

The earliest cornulitid on the internal surface of the illaenid pygidium from the Middle Ordovician of Estonia

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Olev Vinn

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The earliest cornulitid Cornulites sp. appears in the Darriwilian (Lasnamägi Regional Stage of Estonia. Internal annulation is present in all Middle Ordovician cornulitids and could be a plesiomorphic character for the group. The encrusted trilobites are rare in the Ordovician of Estonia. Illaenid pygidia and cranidia were encrusted by cornulitids and trepostome bryozoans. The encrustation of both Middle Ordovician and Late Ordovician trilobites took place post mortem. The studied hard substrate communities of Middle Ordovician and Late Ordovician trilobite pygidia and cranidia are typical of the Ordovician.

Ordovician gas exploration breakthrough in the Gucheng lower uplift of the Tarim Basin and its enlightenment

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Wang Zhaoming

2014-10-01

Full Text Available A steady high yield natural gas flow was tapped in the Ordovician strata of Well Gucheng 6 drilled in the Gucheng lower uplift in the Tarim Basin in 2012, marking the discovery of another carbonate gas exploration field after the other two fields in the middle and northern Tarim Basin (the so called Tazhong and Tabei in the industry. The exploration in the Gucheng lower uplift has experienced three stages: the first stage, marine facies clastic exploration from 1995 to 2003, focusing on the Devonian Donghe sandstone lithologic traps, the Silurian overlapping lithologic traps, and the Upper Ordovician shelf slope turbidites; the second stage focusing on the reef shoal carbonate reservoirs from 2003 to 2006, during which oil and gas were first discovered in Well Gucheng 4; the third stage can be divided into two periods, in the first period, deeper insight into interbed karstification reservoir exploration, intense research on tricky seismic issues, selection of favorable zones, and 3D seismic deployment in advance laid a robust foundation for breakthroughs in oil and gas exploration; and during 2009–2012, through an in-depth investigation, Well Gucheng 6 was drilled, bringing about the major breakthrough in oil and gas exploration in this study area. This success proves that the Lower Paleozoic carbonate rocks in the Gucheng area have good geological conditions and broad prospect for oil and gas exploration, which give us enlightenment in three aspects: a. new insight into geologic understanding is the prerequisite of exploration breakthrough; b. addressing bottleneck technologies, and acquiring 3D seismic data are the guarantees of exploration breakthrough; and c. emancipation of mind and persistent exploration are key to the findings in new domains.

Redox conditions and marine microbial community changes during the end-Ordovician mass extinction event

Science.gov (United States)

Smolarek, Justyna; Marynowski, Leszek; Trela, Wiesław; Kujawski, Piotr; Simoneit, Bernd R. T.

2017-02-01

The end-Ordovician (Hirnantian) crisis is the first globally distinct extinction during the Phanerozoic, but its causes are still not fully known. Here, we present an integrated geochemical and petrographic analysis to understand the sedimentary conditions taking place before, during and after the Late Ordovician ice age. New data from the Zbrza (Holy Cross Mountains) and Gołdap (Baltic Depression) boreholes shows that, like in other worldwide sections, the total organic carbon (TOC) content is elevated in the upper Katian and uppermost Hirnantian to Rhudannian black shales, but depleted (below 1%) during most of the Hirnantian. Euxinic conditions occurred in the photic zone in both TOC-rich intervals. This is based on the maleimide distribution, occurrence of aryl isoprenoids and isorenieratane, as well as a dominance of tiny pyrite framboids. Euxinic conditions were interrupted by the Hirnantian regression caused by glaciation. Sedimentation on the deep shelf changed to aerobic probably due to intense thermohaline circulation. Euxinia in the water column occurred directly during the time associated with the second pulse of the mass extinction with a termination of the end-Ordovician glaciation and sea level rise just at the Ordovician/Silurian (O/S) boundary. In contrast, we suggest based on inorganic proxies that bottom water conditions were generally oxic to dysoxic due to upwelling in the Rheic Ocean. The only episode of seafloor anoxia in the Zbrza basin was found at the O/S boundary, where all inorganic indicators showed elevated values typical for anoxia (U/Th > 1.25; V/Cr > 4.25; V/(V + Ni): 0.54-0.82 and Mo > 10-25 ppm). Significant differences in hopanes to steranes ratio and in C27-C29 sterane distribution between the Katian, Rhudannian and Hirnantian deposits indicate changes in marine microbial communities triggered by sharp climate change and Gondwana glaciation. The increase from biomarkers of cyanobacteria (2α-methylhopanes) after the O

The Late Ordovician deglaciation sequence of the SW Murzuq Basin (Libya)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Moreau, Julien

2011-01-01

Rocks of Late Ordovician to Silurian age are well exposed on the western rim of theMurzuq Basin (Ghat-Tikiumit area,Libya)where seismic-scale exposures allow spectacular insights into the growth and decay of the LateOrdovician (Hirnantian) ice sheet.The ¢nal deglaciation left a complex topography...

Experimental investigation of creep behavior of clastic rock in Xiangjiaba Hydropower Project

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Yu Zhang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available There are many fracture zones crossing the dam foundation of the Xiangjiaba Hydropower Project in southwestern China. Clastic rock is the main media of the fracture zone and has poor physical and mechanical properties. In order to investigate the creep behavior of clastic rock, triaxial creep tests were conducted using a rock servo-controlling rheological testing machine. The results show that the creep behavior of clastic rock is significant at a high level of deviatoric stress, and less time-dependent deformation occurs at high confining pressure. Based on the creep test results, the relationship between axial strain and time under different confining pressures was investigated, and the relationship between axial strain rate and deviatoric stress was also discussed. The strain rate increases rapidly, and the rock sample fails eventually under high deviatoric stress. Moreover, the creep failure mechanism under different confining pressures was analyzed. The main failure mechanism of clastic rock is plastic shear, accompanied by a significant compression and ductile dilatancy. On the other hand, with the determined parameters, the Burgers creep model was used to fit the creep curves. The results indicate that the Burgers model can exactly describe the creep behavior of clastic rock in the Xiangjiaba Hydropower Project.

Hydrogeological evidence of low rock mass permeabilities in ordovician strata: Bruce nuclear site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beauheim, R.L.; Roberts, R.M.; Avis, J.D.; Heagle, D.

2011-01-01

One of the key attributes contributing to the suitability of the Bruce nuclear site to host a Deep Geologic Repository (DGR) for Low and Intermediate Level Waste (L&ILW) is the low permeability of the Ordovician host rock and of the overlying and underlying strata. The permeability of these rocks is so low that diffusion is a much more significant transport mechanism than advection. Hydrogeological evidence for the low permeability of the Ordovician strata comes from two principal sources, direct and indirect. Direct evidence of low permeability is provided by the hydraulic testing performed in deep boreholes, DGR-2 through DGR-6. Straddle-packer hydraulic testing was performed in 57 Ordovician intervals in these five holes. The testing provided continuous coverage using ~30-m straddle intervals of the Ordovician strata exposed in boreholes DGR-2, DGR-3, DGR-4, and DGR-5, while testing was targeted on discontinuous 10.2-m intervals in DGR-6. The average horizontal hydraulic conductivities of these intervals determined from the tests ranged from 2E-16 to 2E-10 m/s. The Lower Member of the Cobourg Formation, which is the proposed host formation for the DGR, was found to have a horizontal hydraulic conductivity of 4E-15 to 3E-14 m/s. The only horizontal hydraulic conductivity values measured that were greater than 2E-12 m/s are from the Black River Group, located at the base of the Ordovician sedimentary sequence. Indirect evidence of low permeability is provided by the observed distribution of hydraulic heads through the Ordovician sequence. Hydraulic head profiles, defined by hydraulic testing and confirmed by Westbay multilevel monitoring systems, show significant underpressures relative to a density-compensated hydrostatic condition throughout most of the Ordovician strata above the Black River Group, whereas the Black River Group is overpressured. Pressure differences of 1 MPa or more are observed between adjacent intervals in the boreholes. The observed

Lower and Middle Ordovician conodonts of Laurentian affinity from blocks of limestone in the Rosroe Formation, South Mayo Trough, western Ireland and their palaeogeographic implication

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stouge, Svend; Harper, David A. T.; Sevastopulo, George D.

2016-01-01

The Middle Ordovician Rosroe Formation consists of some 1350m of coarse, mainly siliciclastic to volcaniclastic sedimentary rocks, deposited in a submarine fan environment, and is restricted to the southern limb of the South Mayo Trough, western Ireland. Discrete allochthonous blocks, reaching 5m...

A sulfidic driver for the end-Ordovician mass extinction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hammarlund, Emma U.; Dahl, Tais Wittchen; Harper, David A.T.

2012-01-01

shelves. In our model, the expansion of euxinic conditions during the N. extraordinarius Zone was generated by a reorganization of nutrient cycling during sea level fall, and we argue, overall, that these dynamics in ocean chemistry played an important role for the end-Ordovician mass extinction. During......, and that a concomitant global sea level lowering pushed the chemocline deeper than the depositional setting of our sites. In the N. persculptus Zone, an interval associated with a major sea level rise, our redox indicators suggests that euxinic conditions, and ferruginous in some places, encroached onto the continental...... the first pulse of the extinction, euxinia and a steepened oxygen gradient in the water column caused habitat loss for deep-water benthic and nektonic organisms. During the second pulse, the transgression of anoxic water onto the continental shelves caused extinction in shallower habitats. (C) 2012 Elsevier...

A sulfidic driver for the end-Ordovician mass extinction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hammarlund, Emma; Dahl, Tais Wittchen; Harper, David Alexander Taylor

2012-01-01

shelves. In our model, the expansion of euxinic conditions during the N. extraordinarius Zone was generated by a reorganization of nutrient cycling during sea level fall, and we argue, overall, that these dynamics in ocean chemistry played an important role for the end-Ordovician mass extinction. During......, and that a concomitant global sea level lowering pushed the chemocline deeper than the depositional setting of our sites. In the N. persculptus Zone, an interval associated with a major sea level rise, our redox indicators suggests that euxinic conditions, and ferruginous in some places, encroached onto the continental...... the first pulse of the extinction, euxinia and a steepened oxygen gradient in the water column caused habitat loss for deep-water benthic and nektonic organisms. During the second pulse, the transgression of anoxic water onto the continental shelves caused extinction in shallower habitats....

Conodont biostratigraphy of lower Ordovician rocks, Arbuckle Group, southern Oklahoma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dresbach, R.I.; Ethington, R.L. (Univ. of Missouri, Columbia (USA))

1989-08-01

The Arbuckle Group of southern Oklahoma displays the only complete exposure of the shallow-water carbonates that characterize the Lower Ordovician of interior North America. Trilobites have been described from some parts of this sequence and sporadic occurrences of other invertebrates are known, but much of the sequence is sparingly fossiliferous. As a consequence, these magnificent exposures have not contributed notably to continuing efforts toward development of a comprehensive biostratigraphic scheme for the Lower Ordovician of the North American platform. Samples collected at 25-ft intervals through the Arbuckle Group along and adjacent to Interstate Highway 35 on the south flank of the Arbuckle anticline near Ardmore, Oklahoma, produced conodonts in abundances ranging from a few tens to over a thousand elements per kilogram and displaying good to excellent preservation with low CAI. These conodonts document a biostratigraphic continuum that provides a standard for correlation of Lower Ordovician rocks in the subsurface of central US and of the many localized and incomplete outcrops of generally equivalent strata in the Ozark and Upper Mississippi Valley regions. The stratigraphic continuity of the collections makes the I-35 section an ideal standard reference section for graphic correlation of Lower Ordovician rocks containing conodonts of the Mid-Continent Province.

Genesis of the Assif El Mal Zn-Pb (Cu, Ag) vein deposit. An extension-related Mesozoic vein system in the High Atlas of Morocco. Structural, mineralogical, and geochemical evidence

Science.gov (United States)

Bouabdellah, M.; Beaudoin, G.; Leach, D.L.; Grandia, F.; Cardellach, E.

2009-01-01

The Assif El Mal Zn-Pb (Cu-Ag) vein system, located in the northern flank of the High Atlas of Marrakech (Morocco), is hosted in a Cambro-Ordovician volcaniclastic and metasedimentary sequence composed of graywacke, siltstone, pelite, and shale interlayered with minor tuff and mudstone. Intrusion of synorogenic to postorogenic Late Hercynian peraluminous granitoids has contact metamorphosed the host rocks giving rise to a metamorphic assemblage of quartz, plagioclase, biotite, muscovite, chlorite, amphibole, chloritoid, and garnet. The Assif El Mal Zn-Pb (Cu-Ag) mineralization forms subvertical veins with ribbon, fault breccia, cockade, comb, and crack and seal textures. Two-phase liquid-vapor fluid inclusions that were trapped during several stages occur in quartz and sphalerite. Primary inclusion fluids exhibit Th mean values ranging from 104??C to 198??C. Final ice-melting temperatures range from -8.1??C to -12.8??C, corresponding to salinities of ???15 wt.% NaCl equiv. Halogen data suggest that the salinity of the ore fluids was largely due to evaporation of seawater. Late secondary fluid inclusions have either Ca-rich, saline (26 wt.% NaCl equiv.), or very dilute (3.5 wt.% NaCl equiv.) compositions and homogenization temperatures ranging from 75??C to 150??C. The ??18O and ??D fluid values suggest an isotopically heterogeneous fluid source involving mixing between connate seawater and black-shale-derived organic waters. Low ??13CVPDB values ranging from -7.5??? to -7.7??? indicate a homogeneous carbon source, possibly organic matter disseminated in black shale hosting the Zn-Pb (Cu-Ag) veins. The calculated ??34SH2S values for reduced sulfur (22.5??? to 24.3???) are most likely from reduction of SO42- in trapped seawater sulfate or evaporite in the host rocks. Reduction of sulfate probably occurred through thermochemical sulfate reduction in which organic matter was oxidized to produce CO2 which ultimately led to precipitation of saddle dolomite with

Main consistent patterns of Stromatoporoid Development in the Late Ordovician and Silurian in the North Urals Palaeobasin

Science.gov (United States)

Antropova, E.

2009-04-01

In the history of the Earth there have been no basins with similar characteristics. The North Urals palaeobasin had its own unique features. The dominant benthic organisms of basin ecosystem during the Ordovician and Silurian were stromatoporoids, corals, and brachiopods. This fauna is vitally important for the aims of stratigraphy so long as conodonts are extremely rare in sections of the Northern Urals area. The most complete ordering of stromatoporoid complexes has been established and made it possible to estimate rates and measures of extinction at a level of the province. It was also found out that stromatoporoids were organisms responsive to subtle changes of environment and that they accommodated differently to those changing conditions. The evolution of stromatoporoids was accompanied by phylogenetic reorganization and formation of endemic communities in the Late Ordovician and Early Silurian. In the Late Silurian taxonomical diversity of stromatoporoids was mainly controlled by migration processes and cosmopolites with wide palaeogeographic links prevailed in the palaeobasin. Therefore palaeobasin at that time was open to stromatoporoid fauna migration which is confirmed by the occurrence of genera and species that disperse in coeval deposits of many areas, for example, Baltic States, Sweden, Ukraine (Podolia), Western Siberia, Arctic islands of Russia, Mongolia, Canada (islands). The evolution of stromatoporoid communities in the Ordovician-Silurian was intermitted by biotic crises. The analysis of stromatoporoid development helps to define crucial points of ecosystem's reorganizations coinciding with critical geological and biotic events in the history of the North Urals palaeobasin existence, as well as global events during the Ordovician and Silurian (Hirnantian Event, Ireviken Event, Lau Event). The analysis of crises indicates local dependence of stromatoporoid biodiversity on depositional environments. Large local biocenos reorganizations and biotic

Diagenetic modification of Knox evaporative-dolomite geochemistry by middle Ordovician paleoaquifer/burial fluids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Montanez, I.P.; Read, J.F.

1986-05-01

Early Ordovician upper Knox cyclic carbonates (100,000-year periods) were deposited on a ramp in a semiarid setting. Inner ramp facies are completely dolomitized, whereas only cycle caps on the outer ramp are dolomite. Laminite caps on leading edges of prograding flats were dolomitized by evaporative, storm-recharged marine waters that precipitated CoCO/sub 3/ and minor amounts of CaSO/sub 4/. Subtidal facies beneath interiors of supratidal flats (up to 200 km wide)were dolomitized by shallow subsurface brines as the flats prograded. Inner ramp areas existed as supretidal flats for as long as 100,000 years, hence only there are sequences completely dolomitized. Tidal-flat dolomites consist of euhedral to subhedral fabric preservation mosaics (crystals 5-50 ..mu..m, and up to 300 ..mu..m in replaced pelletal layers). Dolomitized subtidal sediments are composed of 20-200 ..mu..m dolomite crystals. Most of the early dolomites are fabric retentive initially, becoming more fabric destructive with increasing exposure to dolomitizing fluids. Fe values are up to 2000 ppm, and Mn values are up to 500 ppm. delta/sup 18/O values show strong geographic control, with samples depleted (up to - 7 per thousand) relative to pristine evaporative dolomites derived from concentrated Ordovician seawater. Burial dolomites are enriched in Fe (up to 14,000 ppm) and depleted in delta/sup 18/O, suggesting precipitation from basinal brines at elevated temperatures. Geochemical data suggest that evaporative dolomites have undergone modification by isotopically lighter fluids. Alteration most likely occurred within a Middle Ordovician meteoric aquifer system or less likely by later Paleozoic basinal brines. Regional geologic data for Knox Group carbonates throughout the eastern US are vital in constraining dolomitization models.

Occurence of a uraniferous-vanadiniferous graphitic phyllite in the Koeli Nappes of the Stekenjokk area, central Swedish Caledonides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sundblad, K.; Gee, D.G.

1985-01-01

The Cambro-Ordovician alum shales in Scandinavia have anomalously high contents of certain trace elements, among them U, V and Mo, when compared to other black shales in the world. Variations in the contents of these elements within the formation show a clear correlation with the stratigraphy. Investigation of the content of U, V, and Mo in graphitic phyllites of the Stikke Nappe in the Seve-Koeli Nappe Complex of the Stekenjokk area has identified the presence of anomalously high contents of these elements compared to average black shales. The content of these elements in the graphitic phyllites correlates clearly with that found in the Early Ordovician Dictyonema-bearing shales in eastern Troendelag and on the Baltoscandian Platform; it is, therefore, suggested that these metasediments in Stekenjokk are of the same age. (Author)

Late Ordovician brachiopods from eastern North Greenland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mac Ørum Rasmussen, Christian

2013-01-01

Late Ordovician rhynchonelliformean brachiopods, typical of the North American Red River fauna, are found sporadically in the BOrglum River Formation of the Centrum SO area, Kronprins Christian Land, eastern North Greenland. The geographical distribution of this characteristic brachiopod fauna......) to younger strata exclusively yielding specimens of H.gigas. As H.gigas occurs in the upper part of the Cape Calhoun Formation in Washington Land, it indicates that the upper boundary of the Cape Calhoun Formation is considerably younger than previous estimates, reaching into the uppermost Katian (middle...... (Richmondian), it possesses a strong provincial signal during the later Ordovician. The new occurrences indicate that this fauna extended to the north-eastern margin of the Laurentian Craton. It lived in close association with cosmopolitan faunal elements that may have been the earliest sign of the succeeding...

Characteristics of the Paleozoic slope break system and its control on stratigraphic-lithologic traps: An example from the Tarim Basin, western China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hao Liu

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Based on comprehensive analyses of seismic and log data, this study indicates that mainly four widespread angular to minor angular unconformities (Tg8, Tg51, Tg5 and Tg3 were formed during the Paleozoic. Through the interpretation of structural unconformities, calculation of eroded thickness, correction of palaeo-water depth and compaction and compilation of the Early Paleozoic structural maps, the Early Paleozoic slope break belt (geomorphologic unit of the Tarim Basin is subdivided into uplift area, subaqueous uplift area, rift slope break belt, flexure slope break belt (slope belt, depression area and deep basin area. Palaeogeomorphology of the Cambrian-Early Ordovician was approximately in EW trend within which three tectonic units including the Tabei Palaeo-uplift, the northern Depressional Belt and the southern Palaeo-uplift developed respectively and are grouped into two slope break systems namely as the Tabei Palaeo-uplift and the southern Palaeo-uplift. These tectonic units obviously control the deposition of isolated platform, open platform, restricted platform and deep basin. Influenced by extrusion in the Mid-Late Ordovician, the southern and northern subaqueous uplifts gradually elevated and then were eroded. Resultantly two slope break systems developed, namely as the northern and central Palaeo-uplifts which obviously controlled the deposition of provenance area, isolated platform, mixed continental shelf, slope and basin facies. The intensive extrusion of the Mid-Late Ordovician leads to significant tectonic deformation of the Tarim Basin: large area of uplifting and erosion and development of EW trending anticline and syncline. Deposition of shore, tidal flat, delta, shallow marine clastics and deep marine facies is obviously controlled by the Tabei, the southern and the Tadong Palaeo-uplifts. Slope break systems control development of stratigraphic unconformity and thus truncation and onlap unconformity zones become favorable

Tropical shoreline ice in the late Cambrian: Implications for earth's climate between the Cambrian Explosion and the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event

Science.gov (United States)

Runkel, Anthony C.; MacKey, T.J.; Cowan, Clinton A.; Fox, David L.

2010-01-01

Middle to late Cambrian time (ca. 513 to 488 Ma) is characterized by an unstable plateau in biodiversity, when depauperate shelf faunas suffered repeated extinctions. This poorly understood interval separates the Cambrian Explosion from the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event and is generally regarded as a time of sustained greenhouse conditions. We present evidence that suggests a drastically different climate during this enigmatic interval: Features indicative of meteoric ice are well preserved in late Cambrian equatorial beach deposits that correspond to one of the shelf extinction events. Thus, the middle to late Cambrian Earth was at least episodically cold and might best be considered a muted analogue to the environmental extremes that characterized the Proterozoic, even though cooling in the two periods may have occurred in response to different triggers. Such later Cambrian conditions may have significantly impacted evolution preceding the Ordovician radiation.

Biodiversity, biogeography and phylogeography of Ordovician rhynchonelliform brachiopods

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Harper, David A. T.; Mac Ørum Rasmussen, Christian; Liljeroth, Maria

2013-01-01

-levels were high. Pivotal to the entire diversification is the role of gamma (inter-provincial) diversity and by implication the spread of the continents and frequency of island arcs and microcontinents. The phylogeographical analysis demonstrates that this new palaeogeographical configuration...... with local biodiversity epicentres, notably on the South China Palaeoplate; low-latitude porambonitoid-dominated faunas with early plectambonitoid and clitambonitoid representatives, as well as high-latitude assemblages mostly dominated by orthoids, can be recognized, but many taxa are rooted in Late......The phylogeographical evolution and the consequent changing distribution and diversity of rhynchonelliform brachiopods through the Ordovician are linked to the dynamic palaeogeography of the period. The Early Ordovician (Tremadocian and Floian) is characterized by globally low-diversity faunas...

Basement and climate controls on proximal depositional systems in continental settings

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ventra, D.

2011-01-01

This doctoral dissertation discusses the sedimentology and dynamics of selected, modern and ancient clastic depositional systems (alluvial fans and colluvial aprons) at continental basin margins. The focus on single depositional systems gave the opportunity to devote particular attention to

Unusual Deep Water sponge assemblage in South China—Witness of the end-Ordovician mass extinction

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Lixia; Feng, Hongzhen; Janussen, Dorte; Reitner, Joachim

2015-11-01

There are few sponges known from the end-Ordovician to early-Silurian strata all over the world, and no records of sponge fossils have been found yet in China during this interval. Here we report a unique sponge assemblage spanning the interval of the end-Ordovician mass extinction from the Kaochiapien Formation (Upper Ordovician-Lower Silurian) in South China. This assemblage contains a variety of well-preserved siliceous sponges, including both Burgess Shale-type and modern type taxa. It is clear that this assemblage developed in deep water, low energy ecosystem with less competitors and more vacant niches. Its explosion may be related to the euxinic and anoxic condition as well as the noticeable transgression during the end-Ordovician mass extinction. The excellent preservation of this assemblage is probably due to the rapid burial by mud turbidites. This unusual sponge assemblage provides a link between the Burgess Shale-type deep water sponges and the modern forms. It gives an excellent insight into the deep sea palaeoecology and the macroevolution of Phanerozoic sponges, and opens a new window to investigate the marine ecosystem before and after the end-Ordovician mass extinction. It also offers potential to search for exceptional fossil biota across the Ordovician-Silurian boundary interval in China.

Unusual Deep Water sponge assemblage in South China-Witness of the end-Ordovician mass extinction.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Lixia; Feng, Hongzhen; Janussen, Dorte; Reitner, Joachim

2015-11-05

There are few sponges known from the end-Ordovician to early-Silurian strata all over the world, and no records of sponge fossils have been found yet in China during this interval. Here we report a unique sponge assemblage spanning the interval of the end-Ordovician mass extinction from the Kaochiapien Formation (Upper Ordovician-Lower Silurian) in South China. This assemblage contains a variety of well-preserved siliceous sponges, including both Burgess Shale-type and modern type taxa. It is clear that this assemblage developed in deep water, low energy ecosystem with less competitors and more vacant niches. Its explosion may be related to the euxinic and anoxic condition as well as the noticeable transgression during the end-Ordovician mass extinction. The excellent preservation of this assemblage is probably due to the rapid burial by mud turbidites. This unusual sponge assemblage provides a link between the Burgess Shale-type deep water sponges and the modern forms. It gives an excellent insight into the deep sea palaeoecology and the macroevolution of Phanerozoic sponges, and opens a new window to investigate the marine ecosystem before and after the end-Ordovician mass extinction. It also offers potential to search for exceptional fossil biota across the Ordovician-Silurian boundary interval in China.

The Late Ordovician Extinction: How it became the best understood of the five major extinctions.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheehan, P.

2003-04-01

The end Ordovician extinction has become arguably the best-understood major extinction event in Earth History. A plethora of workers have established the pattern of faunal change and causes of the extinction with remarkably little disagreement. The first indication of increased extinction at the end of the Ordovician was a graph of global diversity patterns by Norman Newell in 1967, although he did not recognize it as a major event. The presence of a major extinction event became clear as William Berry and Art Boucot assembled data for Silurian correlation charts in the late 1960s. The first reports of North African glaciation in the late 1960s provided a cause for the extinction and study of the event snowballed. It was no accident that recognition of the extinction began in North America, because it was there that the extinction completely overturned faunas in the epicontinental seas. Glacio-eustatic regression of shallow seaway coincided with the disappearance of endemic Laurentian faunas and replacement by a highly cosmopolitan fauna in the Silurian. Once the event was established in North America, paleontologists soon found evidence of the event around the globe. The well-documented Hirnantia Fauna was found to correspond to the glacial interval, and Pat Brenchley soon recognized that there were two pulses of extinction, at the beginning and end of the glaciation. At the same time that the faunal changes were being documented geologic studies of the glaciation provided information on the environmental changes associated with the extinction. The timing of the glacial maximum was established in Africa and by the presence of dropstones in high latitude marine rocks. The 1990s saw geochemical techniques employed that allowed examination of atmospheric CO2 and temperature changes. In many places carbonate deposition declined. Glacio-eustatic regression was obvious in many areas, and a sea-level decline in the range of 50-100 m was established. Shallow

Late Ordovician palaeogeography and the positions of the Kazakh terranes through analysis of their brachiopod faunas

Science.gov (United States)

Popov, Leonid E.; Cocks, Robin M.

2017-09-01

Detailed biogeographical and biofacies analyses of the Late Ordovician brachiopod faunas with 160 genera, grouped into 94 faunas from individual lithotectonic units within the Kazakh Orogen strongly support an archipelago model for that time in that area. The Kazakh island arcs and microcontinents within several separate clusters were located in the tropics on both sides of the Equator. Key units, from which the Late Ordovician faunas are now well known, include the Boshchekul, Chingiz-Tarbagatai, and Chu-Ili terranes. The development of brachiopod biogeography within the nearly ten million year time span of the Late Ordovician from about 458 to 443 Ma (Sandbian, Katian, and Hirnantian), is supported by much new data, including our revised identifications from the Kazakh Orogen and elsewhere. The Kazakh archipelago was west of the Australasian segment of the Gondwana Supercontinent, and relatively near the Tarim, South China and North China continents, apart from the Atashu-Zhamshi Microcontinent, which probably occupied a relatively isolated position on the south-western margin of the archipelago. Distinct faunal signatures indicate that the Kazakh terranes were far away from Baltica and Siberia throughout the Ordovician. Although some earlier terranes had joined each other before the Middle Ordovician, the amalgamation of Kazakh terranes into the single continent of Kazakhstania by the end of the Ordovician is very unlikely. The Late Ordovician brachiopods from the other continents are also compared with the Kazakh faunas and global provincialisation statistically determined.

Slope-apron deposition in an ordovician arc-related setting: The Vuelta de Las Tolas Member (Suri Formation), Famatina Basin, northwest Argentina

Science.gov (United States)

Mangano, M.G.; Buatois, L.A.

1997-01-01

The Ordovician Suri Formation is part of the infill of the Famatina Basin of northwest Argentina, which formed in an active setting along the western margin of early Paleozoic Gondwana. The lower part of this formation, the Vuelta de Las Tolas Member, records sedimentation on a slope apron formed in an intra-arc basin situated on a flooded continental arc platform. The coincidence of a thick Arenig-Llanvirn sedimentary succession and volcanic-plutonic arc rocks suggests an extensional or transtensional arc setting, and is consistent with evidence of an extensional regime within the volcanic arc in the northern Puna region. The studied stratigraphic sections consist of volcanic rocks and six sedimentary facies. The facies can be clustered into four facies associations. Association 1, composed of facies A (laminated siltstones and mudstones) and B (massive mudstones and siltstones), is interpreted to have accumulated from silty-muddy high-and low-density turbidity currents and highly fluid, silty debris flows, with subsequent reworking by bottom currents, and to a lesser extent, hemipelagic suspension in an open-slope setting. Facies association 2 is dominated by facies C (current-rippled siltstones) strata. These deposits are interpreted to record overbank sedimentation from fine-grained turbidity currents. Facies E (matrix-supported volcanic breccias) interbedded with andesitic lava units comprises facies association 3. Deposition was contemporaneous with subaqueous volcanic activity, and accumulated from cohesive debris flows in a coarse-grained wedge at the base of slope. Facies association 4 is typified by facies D (vitric fine-grained sandstones and siltstones) and F (channelized and graded volcanic conglomerates and breccias) deposits. These strata commonly display thinning-and fining-upward trends, indicating sedimentation from highly-concentrated volcaniclastic turbidity currents in a channelized system. The general characteristics of these deposits of fresh

Clastic dykes in over-consolidated tills: evidence for subglacial hydrofracturing at Killiney Bay, eastern Ireland

Science.gov (United States)

Rijsdijk, Kenneth F.; Owen, Geraint; Warren, William P.; McCarroll, Danny; van der Meer, Jaap J. M.

1999-11-01

A swarm of vertical gravel-filled dykes up to 6 m high and several decimetres wide, cut through an over-consolidated till at Killiney Bay. The dykes are rooted in a gravel layer and many display plumes of clastic debris ejected into the overlying sediments — `burst-out structures'. Such features have not previously been described. These clastic dykes are interpreted as the infillings of hydrofractures which formed when water pressures in the basal gravel layer exceeded the overburden pressure and tensile shear strength of the capping till. The burst-out structures extend up to 7 m from the tops of the dykes and provide strong evidence for forceful upward flow. Evidence suggests that the hydrofractures formed subglacially, probably during a minor re-advance. Their presence in Late Devensian (26-13 ka BP) tills with an Irish Sea provenance (`Irish Sea till') may have important implications for the subglacial hydrology of the last Irish Sea ice sheet. These hydrofractures cannot form in unconsolidated glacimarine sediment and their presence precludes a glacimarine origin for these deposits. They greatly affect the geotechnical properties of Irish Sea tills, in particular providing very permeable routes through otherwise impermeable layers, with important consequences in situations elsewhere in the Irish Sea basin, where they have been used as aquicludes in landfill and low-level nuclear waste disposal sites.

Stratigraphic framework of Cambrian and Ordovician rocks in the central Appalachian Basin from Medina County, Ohio, through southwestern and south-central Pennsylvania to Hampshire County, West Virginia

Science.gov (United States)

Ryder, Robert T.; Harris, Anita G.; Repetski, John E.; revised and digitized by Crangle, Robert D.

2003-01-01

A 275-mi-long restored stratigraphic cross section from Medina County, Ohio, through southwestern and south-central Pennsylvania to Hampshire County, W. Va., provides new details on Cambrian and Ordovician stratigraphy in the central Appalachian basin and the structure of underlying Precambrian basement rocks. From west to east, the major structural elements of the block-faulted basement in this section are (1) the relatively stable, slightly extended craton, which includes the Wooster arch, (2) the fault-controlled Ohio-West Virginia hinge zone, which separates the craton from the adjoining Rome trough, (3) the Rome trough, which consists of an east-facing asymmetric graben and an overlying sag basin, and (4) a positive fault block, named here the South-central Pennsylvania arch, which borders the eastern margin of the graben part of the Rome trough. Pre-Middle Ordovician structural relief on Precambrian basement rocks across the down-to-the-west normal fault that separates the Rome trough and the adjoining South-central Pennsylvania arch amounted to between 6,000 and 7,000 ft. The restored cross section shows eastward thickening of the Cambrian and Ordovician sequence from about 3,000 ft near the crest of the Wooster arch at the western end of the section to about 5,150 ft at the Ohio-West Virginia hinge zone adjoining the western margin of the Rome trough to about 19,800 ft near the depositional axis of the Rome trough. East of the Rome trough, at the adjoining western edge of the South-central Pennsylvania arch, the Cambrian and Ordovician sequence thins abruptly to about 13,500 ft and then thins gradually eastward across the arch to about 12,700 ft near the Allegheny structural front and to about 10,150 ft at the eastern end of the restored section. In general, the Cambrian and Ordovician sequence along this section consists of four major lithofacies that are predominantly shallow marine to peritidal in origin. In ascending stratigraphic order, the lithofacies

Geologic map of the west-central Buffalo National River region, northern Arkansas

Science.gov (United States)

Hudson, Mark R.; Turner, Kenzie J.

2014-01-01

This map summarizes the geology of the west-central Buffalo National River region in the Ozark Plateaus region of northern Arkansas. Geologically, the region lies on the southern flank of the Ozark dome, an uplift that exposes oldest rocks at its center in Missouri. Physiographically, the map area spans the Springfield Plateau, a topographic surface generally held up by Mississippian cherty limestone and the higher Boston Mountains to the south, held up by Pennsylvanian rocks. The Buffalo River flows eastward through the map area, enhancing bedrock erosion of an approximately 1,600-ft- (490-m-) thick sequence of Ordovician, Mississippian, and Pennsylvanian carbonate and clastic sedimentary rocks that have been mildly deformed by a series of faults and folds. Quaternary surficial units are present as alluvial deposits along major streams, including a series of terrace deposits from the Buffalo River, as well as colluvium and landslide deposits mantling bedrock on hillslopes.

A proposed GSSP for the base of the Middle Ordovician Series： the Huanghuachang section,Yichang, China

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

XiaofengWang; SvendStouge; Bernd-D.Erdtmann; XiaohongChen; ZhihongLi; ChuanshangWang; QingluanZeng; ZhiqiangZhou; HuimingChen

2005-01-01

The Huanghuachang section near Yichang, southern China meets the requirements of Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) for the base of the Middle Ordovician Series and the yet-to-be-named third stage of the Ordovician System (or lower stage of Middle Ordovician Series). The conodont succession at the section is complete across the Lower to Middle Ordovician series boundary and several excellent phylogenetic lineages of Baltoniodus, Trapezognathus, Periodon, and Microzarkodina are represented. The definition of the base of the Middle Ordovician is proposed to be the first appearance datum (FAD) of Baltoniodus? triangularis in the section. It is followed closely by the FAD of Microzarkodina flabellum, which is taken as a reasonable proxy for the boundary. This level approximates the boundary between the lower and upper intervals of the Azygograptus suecicus graptolite Biozone, and nearly coincides with the base of the Belonechitina henryi chitinozoan Biozone.The proposed GSSP for the base of the international Middle Ordovician Series is located in a roadside exposure at the base of Bed (SHod) 16, 10.57 m above the base of the Dawan Formation in the measured Huanghuachang section near Yichang City, southern China. The same faunal succession is also recorded from the Chenjiahe (formerly Daping) section, 5 km to the north of the Huanghuachang section. The proposed boundary horizon can be recognized and correlated globally with high precision in both relatively shallow-water carbonate facies as well as in deep-water graptolite facies.

Temporal constraints on the tectonic evolution of Sierra De Famatina, northwestern Argentina, using the fission-track method to date tuffs interbedded in synorogenic clastic sedimentary strata

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tabbutt, K.D. (Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH (USA))

1990-07-01

Fission-track dates from seven volcaniclastic units allow time constraints to be placed on synorogenic clastic strata exposed along the flanks of Sierra de Famatina, northwest Argentina. Four formations are exposed along the western margin of Sierra de Famatina. The El Abra conglomerate is composed of clasts eroded from the basement exposed just to the west of Cadena de Paiman. The El Buey Formation contains sediments probably derived from the Precordillera fold and thrust belt to the west. Fission-track dates give a maximum age of 6 Ma for the deposition of both of these formations. The El Durazno Formation, deposited between 6 and 4 Ma, contains proximal volcaniclastic and other clastic rocks derived from the core of Sierra de Famatina. The Santa Florentina conglomerate was derived from the rising Sierra de Famatina and deposited in the past 4 m.y. Sierra de Famatima probably became a positive topographic feature approximately 6 Ma. Prior to that time this region was receiving fine-grained sediments from a distal fold and thrust belt and conglomerates from local basement uplifts. Minor extrusive events (Mogote Formation) coincide both spatially and temporally with deformation along the major reverse faults that control the uplift of Sierra de Famatina. Minimum mean uplift rates calculated for Sierra de Famatina are 0.8 {plus minus} 0.1 mm/yr over a 6.8 m.y. interval.

Pre-Alleghenian (Pennsylvanian-Permian) hydrocarbon emplacement along Ordovician Knox unconformity, eastern Tennessee

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haynes, F.M.; Kesler, S.E.

1989-03-01

Cores taken during exploration for Mississippi Valley-type lead and zinc ores in the Mascot-Jefferson City zinc district of eastern Tennessee commonly contain hydrocarbon residues in carbonate rocks of the Knox Group immediately below the Lower Ordovician Knox unconformity. The location and number of these residue-bearing strata reveal information about the Paleozoic history of hydrocarbon emplacement in the region. Contour maps, generated from nearly 800 holes covering more than 20 km/sup 2/, indicate that zones with elevated organic content in the uppermost 30 m of the Lower Ordovician Mascot Dolomite show a strong spatial correlation with Middle Ordovician paleotopographic highs. These same zones show no spatial association with present-day structural highs, which were formed during Pennsylvanian-Permian Alleghenian tectonism. This suggests that the physical entrapment of hydrocarbons migrating through the upper permeable units of the Mascot must have occurred prior to the principal tectonism of the Alleghenian orogeny. 7 figures, 1 table.

Stratigraphy, U-Th chronology, and paleoenvironments at Gladysvale Cave: insights into the climatic control of South African hominin-bearing cave deposits.

Science.gov (United States)

Pickering, Robyn; Hancox, Phillip J; Lee-Thorp, Julia A; Grün, Rainer; Mortimer, Graham E; McCulloch, Malcolm; Berger, Lee R

2007-11-01

Gladysvale Cave is one of the few Plio-Pleistocene hominin-bearing cave sites in South Africa that contains a well-stratified cave fill with clastic sediments interspersed with flowstones. The clastic sediments can be divided into units based on the presence of intercalated flowstones, forming flowstone bounded units (FBU). Ten MC-ICP-MS uranium-series dates on several flowstone horizons in the Gladysvale Internal Deposit fan indicate deposition from the late mid-Pleistocene ( approximately 570 ka) to Holocene ( approximately 7 ka) during limited periods of higher effective moisture. Clastic sedimentation occurred during the interceding, presumably more arid, periods. This sequence is not consistent with earlier models for South African caves that simply assumed interglacial sedimentation and glacial erosion. (13)C/(12)C data suggest that flowstone tended to form during periods with higher proportions of C(3) plants in the local vegetation, while clastic sediments reflect higher proportions of C(4) grasses, although this is not always the case. We argue that flowstones are precipitated during periods of higher effective precipitation and restricted cave entrances, while clastic sediments accumulated during periods with more open vegetation. The sedimentary fill of the fossiliferous deposits are, therefore, highly episodic in nature, with large periods of time unlikely to be represented. This has serious implications for the other hominin-bearing caves close by, as these deposits are likely to be similarly episodic. This is especially pertinent when addressing extinction events and reconstructions of paleoenvironments, as large periods of time may be unrecorded. The Gladysvale Cave fill sediments may serve as a climatically forced chronostratigraphic model for these less well-stratified and well-dated Plio-Pleistocene sites.

Extended geothermal potential of clastic aquifers by hydraulic stimulation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veldkamp, J.G.; Pluymaekers, M.P.D.; Wees, J.D.A.M.

2014-01-01

We evaluated the implications of hydraulic stimulation in a Dutch context for low permeability clastic aquifers at a depth of 2000 to 4000 m, whose transmissivity has been mapped in the framework of the Dutch subsurface information system on geothermal energy in the Netherlands. For the simulation

Petrography, Geochemistry and Proposed Genesis of Ordovician Oolitic Iron Formation Members of the Lashkarak Formation, Eastern Alborz

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mansoore Maghsoudloo Mahalli

2016-07-01

, Iran. Logistical and financial support was provided by the Research Grant to senior author. We are grateful to SarCheshmeh Copper Complex for XRF analyses and IMPERC for XRD measurements. We gratefully acknowledge Dr. Ghobadipour for SEM analysis in National Museum of Wales, Great Britain. References Ghobadi Pour, M., Popov, L.E., Kebriaee-Zadeh, M.R. and Baars C.H., 2011. Middle Ordovician (Darriwilian Brachiopods associated with the Neseuretus bio-facies, Eastern Alborz Mountains, Iran. Memoirs of the Association of Australasian Palaeontologists, 42(3: 263-283. Maynard, J.B., 1983. Geochemistry of sedimentary ore deposits. Springer-Verlag, NewYork, 382 pp. Maynard, J.B., 1986. Geochemistry of oolitic iron ores, an electron microprobe study. Economic Geology, 81(8: 1473-1483. Mucke, A.T. and Farshad, F., 2005. Whole-rock and mineralogical composition of Phanerozoic ooidal ironstones: Comparison and differentiation of types and subtypes. Ore Geology Reviews, 26(2: 227-262. Petranek, J. and Van Houton, F.B., 1997. Phanerozoic ooidal ironstone. Czech Geological Survey, Special Papers 7: 70 pp. Young, T.P., 1989. Eustatically controlled ooidal ironstone deposition: facies relationships of the Ordovician open-shelf ironstones of Western Europe. In: T.P. Young and W.E.G. Taylor (Editors, Phanerozoic Ironstones. Geological Society of London, Special Publication, 46(1: 51–64.

Origin and depositional environment of clastic deposits in the Hilo drill hole, Hawaii

Science.gov (United States)

Beeson, M.H.; Clague, D.A.; Lockwood, J.P.

1996-01-01

Volcaniclastic units cored at depths of about 87, 164, 178, 226, and 246 m below sea level and carbonate units located between depths of 27 and 53 m below sea level in the Hilo drill core were found to be deposited at or near sea level. Four of these units are hydroclastic deposits, formed when subaerially erupted Mauna Loa lava flows entered the ocean and fragmented to produce quenched, glassy fragments during hydrovolcanic explosions. Ash units 24 and 26, at 178 m depth, accumulated at sea level in a freshwater bog. They contain pyroxenes crystallized from tholeiitic magma that we infer erupted explosively at the summit of Kilauea volcano. Two carbon-rich layers from these ashes have a weighted average radiocarbon age of 38.6 ?? 0.9 ka; the ashes probably correlate with the oldest and thickest part of the Pahala ash. Ash unit 44, at the transition from Mauna Kea to Mauna Loa lava flows, was probably nearly 3.2 m thick and is inferred to be equivalent to the lower thick part of the composite Homelani ash mapped in Hilo and on the flanks of Mauna Kea. The age of this part of Homelani ash is between 128 ?? 33 and 200 ?? 10 ka; it may have erupted subglacially during the Pohakuloa glacial maxima on Mauna Kea. Beach sand units 12 and 22 were derived from nearby Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea lava flows. The middle of beach sand unit 38 was derived mainly from lava erupted near the distal end of the subaerial east rift zone of Kilauea volcano; these sands were transported about 33 km northwest to Hilo Bay by prevailing longshore currents. Combined age, depth, and sea level markers in the core allow us to determine that lava flow recurrence intervals averaged one flow every 4 kyr during the past 86 kyr and one flow every 16 kyr between 86 and 200 ka at the drill site and that major explosive eruptions that deposit thick ash in Hilo have occurred only twice in the last 400 kyr. These recurrence intervals support the moderate lava flow hazard zonation (zone 3) for coastal Hilo

Incipiently drowned platform deposit in cyclic Ordovician shelf sequence: Lower Ordovician Chepultepec Formation, Virginia

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Bova, J.A.; Read, J.F.

1983-03-01

The Chepultepec interval, 145 to 260 m (476 to 853 ft) thick, in Virginia contains the Lower Member up to 150 m (492 ft) thick, and the Upper Member, up to 85 m (279 ft) thick, of peritidal cyclic limestone and dolomite, and a Middle Member, up to 110 m (360 ft) thick, of subtidal limestone and bioherms, passing northwestward into cyclic facies. Calculated long term subsidence rates were 4 to 5 cm/1000 yr (mature passive margin rates), shelf gradients were 6 cm/km, and average duration of cycles was 140,00 years. Peritidal cyclic sequences are upward shallowing sequences of pellet-skeletal limestone, thrombolites, rippled calcisiltites and intraclast grainstone, and laminite caps. They formed by rapid transgression with apparent submergence increments averaging approximately 2 m (6.5 ft) in Lower Member and 3.5 m (11.4 ft), Upper Member. Deposition during Middle Member time was dominated by skeletal limestone-mudstone, calcisiltite with storm generated fining-upward sequences, and burrow-mixed units that were formed near fair-weather wave base, along with thrombolite bioherms. Locally, there are upward shallowing sequences, of basal wackestone/mudstone to calcisiltite to bioherm complexes (locally with erosional scalloped tops). Following each submergence, carbonate sedimentation was able to build to sea level prior to renewed submergence. Large submergence events caused tidal flats to be shifted far to the west, and they were unable to prograde out onto the open shelf because of insufficient time before subsidence was renewed, and because the open shelf setting inhibited tidal flat deposition. The Middle Member represents an incipiently drowned sequence that developed by repeated submergence events.

The Gardnos Impact Structure, Norway

Science.gov (United States)

Dons, J. A.; Naterstad, J.

1992-07-01

The Gardnos area is situated 9 km north of the village Nesbyen in the county of Buskerud, south-central Norway. The peculiar "Gardnos breccia" was first described in 1945 and ascribed to explosive volcanic activity in Permian time. This conclusion has lately been questioned, and preliminary field and microscopic investigations by the authors in 1990-91 substantiated a theory of impact origin for the breccia and the structure. The Gardnos Impact Structure is the first of its kind to be described from Norway. Its geographical position is lat. 60 degrees 39'N, long. 9 degrees 00'E. The topography surrounding the structure ranges from 200 m.a.s.l. in the main Hallingdalen valley to more than 1000 m.a.s.l. in the high mountains nearby. At heights of 900-1000 m erosion has cut through the important, more or less horizontal boundary between a complex Precambrian crystalline basement and a deformed Caledonian cover sequence of Cambro-Ordovician sediments and overthrust nappes. Rocks of the latter sequence are however, still preserved in outliers no more than 3 km from the Gardnos structure. Erosional remnants of the Gardnos structure rocks are found within a semicircular area of 4-5 km diameter. Topographically the eroded structure now appears as a bowl-shaped, hanging side valley to Hallingdal. Wooded, late-Quaternary moraines and fluvioglacial deposits cover to a great extent the solid rocks, but the beds of many branching creeks provide good exposures. Thus a great variety of rocks formed within the Gardnos structure can be studied from approximately 350 m.a.s.l. up to more than 800 m.a.s.l. A variety of rocks from the Precambrian basement complex have been affected by the impact. This gives a unique opportunity to study shock-metamorphic effects on varying lithologies. Among the impact-produced structures and rock types that can easily be identified is an outer zone of breccia veining in the varied Precambrian lithologies, a lowermost lens of autochthonous breccia, the

High potential for weathering and climate effects of non-vascular vegetation in the Late Ordovician

Science.gov (United States)

Porada, Philipp; Lenton, Tim; Pohl, Alexandre; Weber, Bettina; Mander, Luke; Donnadieu, Yannick; Beer, Christian; Pöschl, Ulrich; Kleidon, Axel

2017-04-01

Early non-vascular vegetation in the Late Ordovician may have strongly increased chemical weathering rates of surface rocks at the global scale. This could have led to a drawdown of atmospheric CO2 and, consequently, a decrease in global temperature and an interval of glaciations. Under current climatic conditions, usually field or laboratory experiments are used to quantify enhancement of chemical weathering rates by non-vascular vegetation. However, these experiments are constrained to a small spatial scale and a limited number of species. This complicates the extrapolation to the global scale, even more so for the geological past, where physiological properties of non-vascular vegetation may have differed from current species. Here we present a spatially explicit modelling approach to simulate large-scale chemical weathering by non-vascular vegetation in the Late Ordovician. For this purpose, we use a process-based model of lichens and bryophytes, since these organisms are probably the closest living analogue to Late Ordovician vegetation. The model explicitly represents multiple physiological strategies, which enables the simulated vegetation to adapt to Ordovician climatic conditions. We estimate productivity of Ordovician vegetation with the model, and relate it to chemical weathering by assuming that the organisms dissolve rocks to extract phosphorus for the production of new biomass. Thereby we account for limits on weathering due to reduced supply of unweathered rock material in shallow regions, as well as decreased transport capacity of runoff for dissolved weathered material in dry areas. We simulate a potential global weathering flux of 2.8 km3 (rock) per year, which we define as volume of primary minerals affected by chemical transformation. Our estimate is around 3 times larger than today's global chemical weathering flux. Furthermore, chemical weathering rates simulated by our model are highly sensitive to atmospheric CO2 concentration, which implies

Petrography and geochemistry of the volcanic rocks of the Rodeio Velho Member, Ordovician of the Camaqua basin (RS-Brazil): preliminary results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Almeida, Delia del Pilar M. de; Lopes, Ricardo da C.; Gomes, Cristiane H.; Lima, Larissa de.

2000-01-01

A geochemical study based in REE, minor elements and petrographic analyses from the volcanic rocks pertaining to the Rodeio Velho Member, comprising lava flows and epizonal intrusive bodies, both corresponding to andesites, subalkaline and alkaline basalts and trachyandesites; and stratified pyroclastic deposits, showed that fractional crystallization of deep source magma is the fundamental mechanism controlling the relationships among these rocks. This igneous event occurred in an alkaline intraplate environment, associated to a widespread extension tectonics, probably corresponding to a final stage of the Pan African - Brasiliano Orogeny during the Middle Ordovician. (author)

Carbonate rocks of Cambrian and Ordovician age in the Lancaster quadrangle, Pennsylvania

Science.gov (United States)

Meisler, Harold; Becher, Albert E.

1968-01-01

Detailed mapping has shown that the carbonate rocks of Cambrian and Ordovician age in the Lancaster quadrangle, Pennsylvania, can be divided into 14 rock-stratigraphic units. These units are defined primarily by their relative proportions of limestone and dolomite. The oldest units, the Vintage, Kinzers, and Ledger Formations of Cambrian age, and the Conestoga Limestone of Ordovician age are retained in this report. The Zooks Corner Formation, of Cambrian age, a dolomite unit overlying the Ledger Dolomite, is named here for exposures along Conestoga Creek near the village of Zooks Corner. The Conococheague (Cambrian) and Beekmantown (Ordovician) Limestones, as mapped by earlier workers, have been elevated to group rank and subdivided into formations that are correlated with and named for geologic units in Lebanon and Berks Counties, Pa. These formations, from oldest to youngest, are the Buffalo Springs, Snitz Creek, Millbach, and Richland Formations of the Conococheague Group, and the Stonehenge, Bpler, and Ontelaunee Formations of the Beekmantown Group. The Annville and Myerstown Limestones, which are named for lithologically similar units in Dauphin and Lebanon Counties, Pa., overlie the Beekmantown Group in one small area in the quadrangle.

Clastic polygonal networks around Lyot crater, Mars: Possible formation mechanisms from morphometric analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Brooker, L. M.; Balme, M. R.; Conway, S. J.; Hagermann, A.; Barrett, A. M.; Collins, G. S.; Soare, R. J.

2018-03-01

Polygonal networks of patterned ground are a common feature in cold-climate environments. They can form through the thermal contraction of ice-cemented sediment (i.e. formed from fractures), or the freezing and thawing of ground ice (i.e. formed by patterns of clasts, or ground deformation). The characteristics of these landforms provide information about environmental conditions. Analogous polygonal forms have been observed on Mars leading to inferences about environmental conditions. We have identified clastic polygonal features located around Lyot crater, Mars (50°N, 30°E). These polygons are unusually large (>100 m diameter) compared to terrestrial clastic polygons, and contain very large clasts, some of which are up to 15 metres in diameter. The polygons are distributed in a wide arc around the eastern side of Lyot crater, at a consistent distance from the crater rim. Using high-resolution imaging data, we digitised these features to extract morphological information. These data are compared to existing terrestrial and Martian polygon data to look for similarities and differences and to inform hypotheses concerning possible formation mechanisms. Our results show the clastic polygons do not have any morphometric features that indicate they are similar to terrestrial sorted, clastic polygons formed by freeze-thaw processes. They are too large, do not show the expected variation in form with slope, and have clasts that do not scale in size with polygon diameter. However, the clastic networks are similar in network morphology to thermal contraction cracks, and there is a potential direct Martian analogue in a sub-type of thermal contraction polygons located in Utopia Planitia. Based upon our observations, we reject the hypothesis that polygons located around Lyot formed as freeze-thaw polygons and instead an alternative mechanism is put forward: they result from the infilling of earlier thermal contraction cracks by wind-blown material, which then became

Geologic characterization of Cuvette Centrale petroleum systems Congo-DRC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vicentelli, Maria Gabriela C.; Barbosa, Mauro; Rezende, Nelio G.A.M. [HRT Petroleum, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2008-07-01

The Cuvette Centrale is an almost unexplored basin, which contains some petroleum system elements that indicate the presence of hydrocarbons. In this sense; this paper presents an exploratory alternative for this intracratonic basin. The interpretation of the limited gravimetric, magnetometric, geochemical and seismic available data allowed the identification of many huge structural features and also some areas with hydrocarbon potential for stratigraphic traps. The presence of several oil and gas seeps widespread around the Busira and Lokoro sub-basins indicate that at least one active petroleum system exist in the basin. Despite only four wells have been drilled in the basin, one of them presented oil shows during drilling. Geological correlations between Brazilian Paleozoic basins and Cuvette Centrale sedimentary sequences permitted to conclude that Cambro-Ordovician and Siluro-Devonian source rocks must be present and active in the Cuvette Centrale basin. The tectono-stratigraphic evolution history of the Cuvette Centrale from Neo proterozoic to Recent times shows extensional and compressional/transpressional alternating phases along the geological time. The most confident petroleum system expected in the Cuvette Centrale is characterized by the Cambrian Mamungi shale - source rock - and the Cambro-Ordovician. Upper Arenaceous Sequence - reservoirs, as observed in the MBandaka and Gilson wells and confirmed by surface geology in outcrops. Besides, other potential petroleum systems are expected to occur in the basin. One is characterized by the Neo proterozoic Itury Group source rock and reservoirs in the mature/over mature stage, the others are the Siluro-Devonian and Cretaceous source rocks and reservoirs, expected to occur with better maturity conditions only in the deeper parts of the basin. (author)

Sequence of structures in fine-grained turbidites: Comparison of recent deep-sea and ancient flysch sediments

Science.gov (United States)

Stow, Dorrik A. V.; Shanmugam, Ganapathy

1980-01-01

A comparative study of the sequence of sedimentary structures in ancient and modern fine-grained turbidites is made in three contrasting areas. They are (1) Holocene and Pleistocene deep-sea muds of the Nova Scotian Slope and Rise, (2) Middle Ordovician Sevier Shale of the Valley and Ridge Province of the Southern Appalachians, and (3) Cambro-Ordovician Halifax Slate of the Meguma Group in Nova Scotia. A standard sequence of structures is proposed for fine-grained turbidites. The complete sequence has nine sub-divisions that are here termed T 0 to T 8. "The lower subdivision (T 0) comprises a silt lamina which has a sharp, scoured and load-cast base, internal parallel-lamination and cross-lamination, and a sharp current-lineated or wavy surface with 'fading-ripples' (= Type C etc. …)." (= Type C ripple-drift cross-lamination, Jopling and Walker, 1968). The overlying sequence shows textural and compositional grading through alternating silt and mud laminae. A convolute-laminated sub-division (T 1) is overlain by low-amplitude climbing ripples (T 2), thin regular laminae (T 3), thin indistinct laminae (T 4), and thin wipsy or convolute laminae (T 5). The topmost three divisions, graded mud (T 6), ungraded mud (T 7) and bioturbated mud (T 8), do not have silt laminae but rare patchy silt lenses and silt pseudonodules and a thin zone of micro-burrowing near the upper surface. The proposed sequence is analogous to the Bouma (1962) structural scheme for sandy turbidites and is approximately equivalent to Bouma's (C)DE divisions. The repetition of partial sequences characterizes different parts of the slope/base-of-slope/basin plain environment, and represents deposition from different stages of evolution of a large, muddy, turbidity flow. Microstructural detail and sequence are well preserved in ancient and even slightly metamorphosed sediments. Their recognition is important for determining depositional processes and for palaeoenvironmental interpretation.

Brachiopod faunas after the end Ordovician mass extinction from South China: Testing ecological change through a major taxonomic crisis

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Bing; Harper, David A. T.; Rong, Jiayu; Zhan, Renbin

2017-05-01

Classification of extinction events and their severity is generally based on taxonomic counts. The ecological impacts of such events have been categorized and prioritized but rarely tested with empirical data. The ecology of the end Ordovician extinction and subsequent biotic recovery is tracked through abundant and diverse brachiopod faunas in South China. The spatial and temporal ranges of some 6500 identified specimens, from 10 collections derived from six localities were investigated by network and cluster analyses, nonmetric multidimensional scaling and a species abundance model. Depth zonations and structure of brachiopod assemblages along an onshore-offshore gradient in the late Katian were similar to those in the latest Ordovician-earliest Silurian (post-extinction fauna). Within this ecological framework, deeper-water faunas are partly replaced by new taxa; siliciclastic substrates continued to be dominated by the more 'Ordovician' orthides and strophomenides, shallow-water carbonate environments hosted atrypides, athyridides and pentamerides, with the more typical Ordovician brachiopod fauna continuing to dominate until the late Rhuddanian. The end Ordovician extinctions tested the resilience of the brachiopod fauna without damage to its overall ecological structure; that commenced later at the end of the Rhuddanian.

Effect of the Ordovician paleogeography on the (instability of the climate

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A. Pohl

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The Ordovician Period (485–443 Ma is characterized by abundant evidence for continental-sized ice sheets. Modeling studies published so far require a sharp CO2 drawdown to initiate this glaciation. They mostly used non-dynamic slab mixed-layer ocean models. Here, we use a general circulation model with coupled components for ocean, atmosphere, and sea ice to examine the response of Ordovician climate to changes in CO2 and paleogeography. We conduct experiments for a wide range of CO2 (from 16 to 2 times the preindustrial atmospheric CO2 level (PAL and for two continental configurations (at 470 and at 450 Ma mimicking the Middle and the Late Ordovician conditions. We find that the temperature-CO2 relationship is highly non-linear when ocean dynamics are taken into account. Two climatic modes are simulated as radiative forcing decreases. For high CO2 concentrations (≥ 12 PAL at 470 Ma and ≥ 8 PAL at 450 Ma, a relative hot climate with no sea ice characterizes the warm mode. When CO2 is decreased to 8 PAL and 6 PAL at 470 and 450 Ma, a tipping point is crossed and climate abruptly enters a runaway icehouse leading to a cold mode marked by the extension of the sea ice cover down to the mid-latitudes. At 450 Ma, the transition from the warm to the cold mode is reached for a decrease in atmospheric CO2 from 8 to 6 PAL and induces a ~9 °C global cooling. We show that the tipping point is due to the existence of a 95% oceanic Northern Hemisphere, which in turn induces a minimum in oceanic heat transport located around 40° N. The latter allows sea ice to stabilize at these latitudes, explaining the potential existence of the warm and of the cold climatic modes. This major climatic instability potentially brings a new explanation to the sudden Late Ordovician Hirnantian glacial pulse that does not require any large CO2 drawdown.

Upper Ordovician-Lower Silurian shelf sequences of the Eastern Great Basin: Barn Hills and Lakeside Mountains, Utah

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harris, M.T. (Univ. of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI (United States). Dept. of Geosciences); Sheehan, P.M. (Milwaukee Public Museum, WI (United States). Dept of Geology)

1993-04-01

Detailed stratigraphic sections through Upper Ordovician-Lower Silurian shelf strata of the Eastern Great Basin were measured in two Utah localities, Barn Hills (Confusion Range) and Lakeside Mountains. Six major subfacies occur in these strata: mud-cracked and crinkly laminated subfacies, Laminated mudstone subfacies, cross-bedded grainstone subfacies, cross-laminated packstone subfacies, grainy bioturbated subfacies, muddy bioturbated subfacies, and thalassinoides burrowed subfacies. These occur in 1--10 m thick cycles in three facies: muddy cyclic laminite facies (tidal flats), cross-bedded facies (subtidal shoals), and bioturbated facies (moderate to low-energy shelf). The vertical facies succession, stacking patterns of meter-scale cycles, and exposure surfaces define correlatable sequences. The authors recognize four Upper Ordovician sequences (Mayvillian to Richmondian). An uppermost Ordovician (Hirnantian) sequence is missing in these sections but occurs basinward. Lower Silurian sequences are of early Llandoverian (A), middle Llandoverian (B), early late Llandoverian (C1--C3), late late Llandoverian (C4--C5), latest Llandoverian (C6) to early Wenlock age. In general, Upper Ordovician and latest Llandoverian-Wenlockian facies are muddier than intervening Llandoverian facies. The shift to muddier shelf facies in latest Llandoverian probably corresponds to the development of a rimmed shelf. The sequence framework improves correlation of these strata by combining sedimentologic patterns with the biostratigraphic data. For example, in the Lakesides, the Ordovician-Silurian boundary is shifted 37 m downward from recent suggestions. In addition, the sequence approach highlights intervals for which additional biostratigraphic information is needed.

Distribution of the order Proetida (Trilobita in Baltoscandian Ordovician strata

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Pärnaste, Helje

2009-03-01

Full Text Available The trilobite order Proetida forms a minor but important faunal element within the Ordovician strata of Baltoscandia. This review follows the current systematic, taxonomic, and stratigraphical usage and discusses the distribution of these trilobites within the context of the Confacies Belt model. A database of species-level information was derived from numerous publications relating to the Scandinavian and Baltic states and relevant neighbouring regions. Important additional information on stratigraphical occurrences of genera has been derived from glacial erratic boulders (geschiebe from northern Germany and adjacent areas. The representatives from Baltoscandia of three superfamilies, Bathyuroidea, Aulacopleuroidea, and Proetoidea, are listed. The genus level was chosen as the most practicable to plot on the maps, one showing the time interval for the Kukruse Regional Stage (or Global Stage Slice Sa1, the other that for the Pirgu and Porkuni stages (or stage slices Ka4 and Hi1–Hi2. These intervals each show a diversity peak within the ranges of about 30 genera of Proetida and over 70 species from the Ordovician successions of Baltoscandia. Out of these a total of nine genera cross the Ordovician–Silurian boundary.The regional comparisons from within Baltoscandia show differences in facies dependency of certain genera, with possibly also a latitudinal component. During the late Ordovician the faunal resemblance appears to be closest to the neighbouring palaeocontinent Avalonia, suggesting a faunal exchange between or pathways to both continents from elsewhere. Besides climatic and geographical proximity of palaeocontinents, sea-level changes also have to be considered in explaining the distribution of Proetida in Baltoscandia.

Geology of the Stroudsburg quadrangle and Adjacent areas, Pennsylvania--New Jersey

Science.gov (United States)

Epstein, Jack Burton

1971-01-01

The Stroudsburg area is within the Valley and Ridge and Great Valley physiographic provinces, Northampton and Monroe Counties, Pennsylvania, and Warren County, New Jersey. The northeast-trending subparallel valleys and ridges resulted from erosion of folded heterogeneous sedimentary rocks. These are Middle Ordovician to Middle Devonian in age and are more than 17,000 feet thick. Deposition of a thick flysch sequence (Martinsburg Formation of Ordovician age) accompanied onset of Taconic orogenesis. It was followed by deposition of a thick molasse sequence of Silurian and Early Devonian age (continental and marginal-marine clastics--Shawangunk Formation and Bloomsburg Red Beds--overlain by predominantly marginal-marine and subtidal limestone, dolomite, shale, and sandstone--Poxono Island Formation through Oriskany Group). Basin deepening and gradual shallowing occurred during Esopus through Mahantango deposition, heralding the Acadian clastic wedge exposed north of the Stroudsburg area. Interpretation of sedimentary structures and regional stratigraphic relations suggest that the Silurian and Devonian rocks were deposited in the following environments: A1luviated coastal plain (meandering and braided streams), tidal flats (supratidal and intertidal), barrier zone, and neritic zone (upper and lower). The rock stratigraphic units have been grouped into four lithotectonic units, each having a different style of deformation. Folds produced in these rocks are disharmonic, and it is believed that each rock sequence is set off from units above and below by decollements, or zones of detachment. Movement was northwest into the Appalachian basin, primarily by gravitational sliding. The contact between the Shawangunk Formation of Silurian age and Martinsburg Formation of Ordovician age, is one zone of detachment as well as an angular unconformity. Deformational effects of the Middle to Late Ordovician Taconic orogeny are elusive, but it appears that the folds and most minor

Petroleum data for the pre-mid-Devonian basal clastics play, southern Mackenzie Valley

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lemieux, Y. [Natural Resources Canada, Yellowknife, NT (Canada). Geological Survey of Canada; Gal, L.P. [Northwest Territories Geoscience Office, Yellowknife, NT (Canada)

2008-07-01

This document presented petroleum data from the Mackenzie Corridor exploration area in the Northwest Territories. Both quantitative and qualitative geoscience data was compiled as part of a project under the Secure Canadian Energy Supply program of the Geological Survey of Canada. Three separate reservoir facies have been identified within the study area for their attributes relevant to petroleum exploration. This document defined and described the pre-mid-Devonian basal clastics play in the southern Great Slave Plains region where potential Lower Paleozoic source rocks include organic-rich beds of the Mirage Point and Chinchaga Formations, and regionally widespread, Middle to lower Upper Devonian shale. The play is analogous to the oil producing Middle Devonian clastic plays onlapping the Peace River Arch in northwestern Alberta. The seals, migration and trap styles for the reservoirs were discussed. Exploration risks include a thin and discontinuous reservoir with poor porosity; isolation from potential source beds; inadequate reservoir seals; and timing of hydrocarbon migration with respect to trap development. The petroleum play information was based on very few well penetrations. As such, the pre-mid-Devonian basal clastics play is considered to be a conceptual play that has not yet been adequately explored. 40 refs., 3 tabs., 12 figs.

A transect through a clastic-swamp to peat swamp ecotone in the Springifled Coal, Middle Pennsylvanian age of Indiana, USA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Phillips, T.L.; DiMichele, W.A. [University of Illinois, Urbana, IL (United States). Dept. of Plant Biology

1998-04-01

Permineralized fossil plants in coal balls were collected along a kilometer transect through an organic-rich shale in the Springifled Coal in southwestern Indiana. The organic shale is an upper bench of the Springfield Coal in an area where the coal is split into an upper and lower bench by a complex system of clastics that originated as a splay. The clastic wedge, described as the Folsomville Member/Leslie Cemetery paleochannel, is up to 6 km wide and 15 m thick. The transect being approximately 100 m from the edge of the clastic wedge that splits the coal seam and follows the upper bench of coal over and toward the center of the clastic wedge. The dominant elements of the vegetation were the lycopsid tree Paralycopodites brevifolius and several species of medullosan pteridosperms. This report confirms the ecotonal habitats of this vegetation.

Significado estratigráfico y tectónico de los complejos de bloques resedimentados cambro-ordovicios de la Precordillera Occidental, Argentina

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vaccari, N. E.

1992-12-01

Full Text Available Rocks belonging to the Early Paleozoic Los Sombreros Formation crop out on the eastern flank of the Sierra de Yerba Loca, along the Río Jáchal section. This Formation consists of black shales and turbidites with interbedded limestone boulders near the base of the section, one of them up to 200 m long and 30 m thick. Boulders yield both early Cambrian trilobites and early Ordovician conodonts. Near the top, a thick sequence of dark grey marls and limestone contains an early Middle Cambrian trilobite fauna which is overlain by limestone and calcareous turbidites containing early Llanvirn graptolites and conodonts. On the basis of paleontological and sedimentological evidences this sequence can be interpreted as a series of submarine gravity slides interbedded within a dominantly turbiditic sequence. The Cambrian-early Ordovician precordilleran carbonate platform served as the source for much of the sediment which was redeposited on the slope. Then, deposition of the early Ordovician Los Sombreros Formation could be related to uplift and erosion of the platform margin and steeping of the slope during the late Arenig-early Llanvirn.En el flanco oriental de la Sierra de Yerba Loca, sobre el corte del río Jáchal, aflora una secuencia de edad paleozoica temprana correspondiente a los afloramientos más septentrionales de la Formación Los Sombreros. Esta unidad se compone de lutitas negras y turbiditas que contienen cerca de su base y hacia el techo horizontes de bloques calcáreos, algunos de enormes dimensiones -cerca de 30 m de espesor por más de 200 m de longitud- cuya fauna de trilobites y conodontos indica una edad Cámbrica y Ordovícica temprana. Hacia el techo de la sección está expuesta una potente secuencia de calcipelitas y calizas oscuras que contienen una fauna de trilobites del Cámbrico Medio basal, que es cubierta por brechas calcáreas y calciturbiditas portadoras de conodontos y graptolitos de edad llanvirniana temprana. Esta

Anastomosing river deposits: palaeoenvironmental control on coal quality and distribution, Northern Karoo Basin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cairncross, B

1980-01-01

Borehole data from an area close to the northern margin of the Karoo Basin 110 m thick coal reveal a bearing succession of the Vryheid Formation overlying Dwyka tillite. The lowermost sediments reflect processes of deglaciation with a complex array of glaciolacustrine, glaciofluvial and alluvial-outwash fan deposits. Above this paraglacial milieu, tundra-type peat bogs developed in inactive areas and account for the two thick basal coal seams (No. 1 and 2 seams). During accumulation of peat which was later to form the extensive No. 2 coal seam, active clastic sedimentation was confined to laterally restricted river channels which incised into the underlying peat. Lateral migration was inhibited by vegetation stabilized river banks and channel deposits are characterized by vertically accreted upward-fining cycles. Channel fill consists of coarse-grinder bedload sediment deposited in anastomosing streams. Flood episodes are marked by widespread, but thin (< 1 m), shale zones that intercalate with the channel sandstones. Both sandstone and shale units are completely enveloped by No. 2 coal seams. This clastic parting influences No. 2 coal seam distribution and ash content. 23 references

The onset of the 'Ordovician Plankton Revolution' in the late Cambrian

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Servais, Thomas; Perrier, Vincent; Danelian, Taniel

2016-01-01

Positive Carbon Isotope Excursion δ13Ccarb (SPICE) event in the late Cambrian (Paibian Stage, Furongian Series) has been related to a major increase in atmospheric O2 (from 10-18% to some 20 - 29%) and to increased oceanic nutrient availability. Here we analyze the diversification of the planktonic groups...... during the late Cambrian and Early Ordovician, in particular in relation to the SPICE event. Our analyses include the changing diversities of the phytoplankton (acritarchs), diverse groups of zooplankton (e.g., radiolarians, graptolites, chitinozoans) and the switch to a planktonic mode of life of fossil...... of the different planktonic organisms can be related directly to the SPICE event. However, a long term (10-20millionyears) oxygenation pulse related to the SPICE event might have fuelled the explosion of phytoplankton diversity observed in the latest Cambrian-Early Ordovician that led to completely modified...

Possible extrinsic controls on the Ordovician radiation: Stratigraphic evidence from the Great Basin, western USA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Droser, M.L. (Univ. of California, Riverside, CA (United States). Dept. of Earth Sciences); Fortey, R.A. (Natural History Museum, London (United Kingdom). Dept. of Palaeontology)

1993-04-01

The Ordovician radiation has been previously examined by looking at 1/analyses of patterns of diversification within small clades, 2/analyses of large databases to elucidate large-scale paleoecological patterns such as increased tiering and onshore-offshore shifts associated with this radiation. In order to resolve the relationships between these two scales of analysis there is critical need to examine in detail the paleoecology and possible biofacies shifts associated with the Ordovician radiation. The authors have examined the base of the Whiterock Series (Lower-Middle Ordovician) in the Great Basin as it represents one of the most complete records of the Ordovician radiation on the North American continent. Detailed field evidence suggests that the base of the Whiterock does not represent a simple faunal turnover but corresponds with the first occurrences in the region of groups that come to dominate the rest of the Paleozoic. Among the trilobites, this includes the lichides, calymenids, proetides, and phacopides. Similar patterns are found among the dominate Paleozoic bivalve, cephalopod, brachiopod and graptolite clades. Global correlation of this time interval suggests that this pattern of first broad geographic occurrences is not unique to North America. This boundary corresponds with a globally recognized sea level lowstand. In the Great Basin, significant facies shifts are present in shallow and deep water settings. While extrinsic controls are commonly reserved for extinctions, these data suggest that extrinsic factors may have been significant in the timing of the Paleozoic fauna rose to dominance.

Fouling of coarse-clastic sediments with macrophytes depending on the rate of abrasion, Murmansk coast

Science.gov (United States)

Malavenda, S. V.; Mitayev, M. V.; Malavenda, S. S.; Gerasimova, M. V.

2017-05-01

It is shown for the first time that the hydrodynamics and average daily gradient of air temperature affect the rate of abrasion of the coarse-clastic material on the boulder littoral of the Murmansk coast, as well as the density of its fouling by macroalgae. The proportion and biomass of species-explerents vary depending on the hydrological and meteorological conditions. The annual species-explerents ( Acrosiphonia arcta, Blidingia minima, Spongomorpha aeruginosa, Pylaiella littoralis) are the basis for new phytocenoses. In the fucus phytocenoses of the boulder littoral, these groupings represent the intermediate stage of fouling of the coarse-clastic material.

Slumping and a sandbar deposit at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in the El Tecolote section (northeastern Mexico): An impact-induced sediment gravity flow

Science.gov (United States)

Soria, Ana R.; Liesa, Carlos L.; Mata, Maria Pilar; Arz, José A.; Alegret, Laia; Arenillas, Ignacio; Meléndez, Alfonso

2001-03-01

Slumps affecting uppermost Méndez Formation marls, as well as the spherulitic layer and basal part of the sandy deposits of the Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) boundary clastic unit, are described at the new K-T El Tecolote section (northeastern Mexico). These K-T clastic deposits represent sedimentation at middle-bathyal water depths in channel and nonchannel or levee areas of reworked materials coming from environments ranging from outer shelf to shallower slope via a unidirectional, high- to low-density turbidite flow. We emphasize the development and accretion of a lateral bar in a channel area from a surging low-density turbidity current and under a high-flow regime. The slumps discovered on land and the sedimentary processes of the K-T clastic unit reflect destabilization and collapse of the continental margin, support the mechanism of gravity flows in the deep sea, and represent important and extensive evidence for the impact effects in the Gulf of México triggered by the Chicxulub event.

A record of astronomically forced climate change in a late Ordovician (Sandbian) deep marine sequence, Ordos Basin, North China

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Qiang; Wu, Huaichun; Hinnov, Linda A.; Wang, Xunlian; Yang, Tianshui; Li, Haiyan; Zhang, Shihong

2016-07-01

The late Ordovician Pingliang Formation on the southwestern margin of the Ordos Basin, North China, consists of rhythmic alternations of shale, limestone, and siliceous beds. To explore the possible astronomical forcing preserved in this lithological record, continuous lithological rank and magnetic susceptibility (MS) stratigraphic series were obtained from a 34 m thick section of the Pingliang Formation at Guanzhuang. Power spectral analysis of the MS and rank series reveal 85.5 cm to 124 cm, 23 cm to 38 cm, and 15 cm to 27 cm thick sedimentary cycles that in ratio match that of late Ordovician short eccentricity, obliquity and precession astronomical cycles. The power spectrum of the MS time series, calibrated to interpreted short orbital eccentricity cycles, aligns with spectral peaks to astronomical parameters, including 95 kyr short orbital eccentricity, 35.3 kyr and 30.6 kyr obliquity, and 19.6 kyr and 16.3 kyr precession cycles. The 15 cm to 27 cm thick limestone-shale couplets mainly represent precession cycles, and siliceous bed deposition may be related to both precession and obliquity forcing. We propose that precession-forced sea-level fluctuations mainly controlled production of lime mud in a shallow marine environment, and transport to the basin. Precession and obliquity controlled biogenic silica productivity, and temperature-dependent preservation of silica may have been influenced by obliquity forcing.

Silurian Micrometeorite Flux: The Demise of the Mid-Ordovician L-Chondrite Reign.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, E.; Schmitz, B.

2017-12-01

Earth's sedimentary record holds information about the micrometeorite flux through time, reflecting the collisional evolution of the asteroid belt. Around 466 Ma ago in the mid-Ordovician period the L-chondrite parent body breakup (LCPB) took place in the main asteroid belt causing a massive increase, up to two orders of magnitude, in the flux of meteorites to Earth (Schmitz, 2013). What did the meteorite flux look like after the breakup event? And when in time can we see a decrease in the fraction of L-chondritic micrometeorites? We dissolved in acids condensed, marine limestone representing the mid-Ordovician and the late Silurian about 0.5 and 40 Ma, respectively after the LCPB, and searched the residues for spinel grains from equilibrated ordinary chondrites (EC). We used 102 kg from the mid-Ordovician Komstad Limestone Formation, Killeröd quarry in Sweden, and 321 kg from the Silurian Kok Formation, Cellon section in Austria. Elemental analyses of the spinel grains were used to link the grains to different types of meteorites. In the large grain size fraction (63-355 µm) there are 4.5 EC grains/kg of rock in the mid-Ordovician sample and only 0.03 EC grains/kg in the Silurian sample. Because the two formations formed at about the same rate (a few mm per kyr) the results represent strong evidence for a major tailing off in the L-chondritic meteorite contribution by the late Silurian. The EC grains have been divided into the H, L, and LL groups based on the TiO2 content. The results show that the fraction of L chondrites compared to H and LL chondrites had declined significantly by the late Silurian. In the study of Heck et al. (2016) it was shown that ≥99% of the ordinary chondritic micrometeorites were L chondrites right after the LCPB. Our data indicate that the L-chondrite fraction had decreased to 60% by the Silurian, with the H and LL chondrites making up 30% and 10% respectively of the flux.

Ordovician and Silurian Phi Kappa and Trail Creek formations, Pioneer Mountains, central Idaho; stratigraphic and structural revisions, and new data on graptolite faunas

Science.gov (United States)

Dover, James H.; Berry, William B.N.; Ross, Reuben James

1980-01-01

clastic rocks reported in previously measured sections of the Phi Kappa, as well as the sequence along Phi Kappa Creek from which the name originates, are excluded from the Phi Kappa as revised and are reassigned to two structural plates of Mississippian Copper Basin Formation; other strata now excluded from the formation are reassigned to the Trail Creek Formation and to an unnamed Silurian and Devonian unit. As redefined, the Phi Kappa Formation is only about 240 m thick, compared with the 3,860 m originally estimated, and it occupies only about 25 percent of the outcrop area previously mapped in 1930 by H. G. Westgate and C. P. Ross. Despite this drastic reduction in thickness and the exclusion of the rocks along Phi Kappa Creek, the name Phi Kappa is retained because of widely accepted prior usage to denote the Ordovician graptolitic shale facies of central Idaho, and because the Phi Kappa Formation as revised is present in thrust slices on Phi Kappa Mountain, at the head of Phi Kappa Creek. The lithic and faunal consistency of this unit throughout the area precludes the necessity for major facies telescoping along individual faults within the outcrop belt. However, tens of kilometers of tectonic shortening seems required to juxtapose the imbricated Phi Kappa shale facies with the Middle Ordovician part of the carbonate and quartzite shale sequence of east central Idaho. The shelf rocks are exposed in the Wildhorse structural window of the northeastern Pioneer Mountains, and attain a thickness of at least 1,500 m throughout the region north and east of the Pioneer Mountains. The Phi Kappa is in direct thrust contact on intensely deformed medium- to high-grade metamorphic equivalents of the same shelf sequence in the Pioneer window at the south end of the Phi Kappa-Trail Creek outcrop belt. Along East Pass, Big Lake, and Pine Creeks, north of the Pioneer Mountains, some rocks previously mapped as Ramshorn Slate are lithologically and faunally equivalent to the P

Advances in the Ordovician graptolite biostratigraphy of the St Petersburg area, Russia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suyarkova, Anna A.

2009-03-01

Full Text Available The Ordovician shallow-water shelf deposits rich in benthic fauna are exposed along the Russian part of the Baltic–Ladoga Klint. Graptolites occur only at some stratigraphic levels, being comparatively numerous in marls and clays and very rare in carbonate layers. Since the 19th century graptolites have been collected from exposures of the Pakerort, Hunneberg, Billingen, and Volkhov regional stages (Tremadocian–Dapingian, while in the Uhaku–Idavere stratigraphic interval (Darriwilian–lower Sandbian rare graptolites have been found in boreholes. Up to now, only some collections have been systematically studied. On the basis of new graptolite finds, recently the Pterograptus elegans Biozone was established in the upper Aseri Stage and the Nemagraptus gracilis Biozone in the lower Kukruse Stage. Detailed sampling of the Shundorovo Formation (upper Idavere Stage resulted in the discovery of numerous diplograptids at five stratigraphic levels, in association with various dendroids. These diplograptids were provisionally assigned to ?Archiclimacograptus antiquus lineatus Elles & Wood. A systematic description of the late Darriwilian and early Sandbian diplograptids is under preparation.

Bedrock stability in southeastern Sweden. Evidence from fracturing in the ordovician limestones of northern Oeland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milnes, A.G.; Gee, D.G.

1992-09-01

The stability of the bedrock in SE Sweden with regard to radioactive waste disposal has recently been the subject of some controversy. In order to better assess the age and significance of fracturing in the Precambrian basement at the site of the Aespoe Hard Rock Laboratory (HRL), near Oskarshamn, a detailed analysis of fracturing in the lower Ordovician limestones exposed along the west coast of the neighbouring island of Oeland has been carried out. The limestones form continuously exposed shore platforms, in segments up to 30 m broad and several kilometres long. These, and numerous quarries, provide ideal objects for quantitative analysis (ground and air photo mapping, scanline logging), and unique opportunities for investigating the amount of movement on the fractures, because of well-developed bedding and abundant rod-shaped fossils on the bedding surfaces. The fracture patterns are dominated by two sets of subvertical fractures, a NW trending closely spaced and strongly orientated set and a NNE-ENE trending widely spaced and variably orientated set. Only about 10% of the fractures in both sets show lateral fossil displacement, with maximum movement of 5 cm, and only 3% of the fractures show vertical displacement of bedding (maximum 8 cm). All in all, the lower Ordovician limestones along the exposed shoreline have suffered remarkably little deformation since deposition, i.e. over the last 500 million years. Appreciable bedrock instability, if it occurred, must have been concentrated offshore, or in the unexposed segments of the coastline, where some weak indications of slight movement (changes of a few metres in stratigraphic level) have been observed. Among other recommendations for further work, geophysical investigations to test these indications are suggested. (54 refs.)

Precisely locating the Ordovician equator in Laurentia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jin, Jisuo; Harper, David A. T.; Cocks, L. Robin M.

2013-01-01

The Late Ordovician equatorial zone, like the zone today, had few hurricane-grade storms within 100 of the equator, as emphasized by the preservation of massive-bedded Thalassinoides ichnofacies in a trans-Laurentian belt more than 6000 km long, from the southwestern United States to North...... Greenland. That belt also includes nonamalgamated shell beds dominated by the brachiopod Proconchidium, which would not have been preserved after hurricane-grade storms. The belt lacks such storm-related sedimentary features as rip-up clasts, hummocky cross-stratification, or large channels. In contrast...

Rock Magnetic Properties of Remagnetised Devonian and Carboniferous Carbonate and Clastic Rocks From The NE Rhenish Massif, Germany

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Hydraulic Testing of Silurian and Ordovician Strata at the Bruce Site

Science.gov (United States)

Beauheim, R. L.; Avis, J. D.; Chace, D. A.; Roberts, R. M.; Toll, N. J.

2009-05-01

Ontario Power Generation is proposing a Deep Geologic Repository (DGR) for the long-term management of its Low and Intermediate Level Radioactive Waste (L&ILW) within a Paleozoic-age sedimentary sequence beneath the Bruce Site near Tiverton, Ontario, Canada. The concept envisions that the DGR would be excavated at a depth of approximately 680 m within the Ordovician Cobourg Formation, a massive, dense, argillaceous limestone. A key attribute of the Bruce site is the extremely low permeabilities associated with the thick Ordovician carbonate and argillaceous bedrock formations that will host and enclose the DGR. Such rock mass permeabilities are thought sufficiently low to contribute toward or govern a diffusion-dominated transport regime. To support this concept, hydraulic testing was performed in 2008 and 2009 in two deep boreholes at the proposed repository site, DGR-3 and DGR-4. The hydraulic testing was performed using a straddle-packer tool with a 30.74-m test interval. Sequential tests were performed over the entire open lengths of the boreholes from the F Unit of the Silurian Salina Formation into the Ordovician Gull River Formation, a distance of approximately 635 m. The tests consisted primarily of pressure-pulse tests, with a few slug tests performed in several of the higher permeability Silurian units. The tests are analyzed using the nSIGHTS code, which allows the entire pressure history a test interval has experienced since it was penetrated by the drill bit to be included in the test simulation. nSIGHTS also allows the model fit to the test data to be optimized over an n-dimensional parameter space to ensure that the final solution represents a true global minimum rather than simply a local minimum. The test results show that the Ordovician-age strata above the Coboconk Formation (70+ m below the Cobourg) have average horizontal hydraulic conductivities of 1E-13 m/s or less. Coboconk and Gull River hydraulic conductivities are as high as 1E-11 m

A depositional model for the Taylor coal bed, Martin and Johnson counties, eastern Kentucky

Science.gov (United States)

Andrews, W.M.; Hower, J.C.; Ferm, J.C.; Evans, S.D.; Sirek, N.S.; Warrell, M.; Eble, C.F.

1996-01-01

This study investigated the Taylor coal bed in Johnson and Martin counties, eastern Kentucky, using field and petrographic techniques to develop a depositional model of the coal bed. Petrography and chemistry of the coal bed were examined. Multiple benches of the Taylor coal bed were correlated over a 10 km distance. Three sites were studied in detail. The coal at the western and eastern sites were relatively thin and split by thick clastic partings. The coal at the central site was the thickest and unsplit. Two major clastic partings are included in the coal bed. Each represents a separate and distinct fluvial splay. The Taylor is interpreted to have developed on a coastal plain with periodic flooding from nearby, structurally-controlled fluvial systems. Doming is unlikely due to the petrographic and chemical trends, which are inconsistent with modern Indonesian models. The depositional history and structural and stratigraphic setting suggest contemporaneous structural influence on thickness and quality of the Taylor coal bed in this area.

Age and geochemistry of the Charlestown Group, Ireland: Implications for the Grampian orogeny, its mineral potential and the Ordovician timescale

Science.gov (United States)

Herrington, Richard J.; Hollis, Steven P.; Cooper, Mark R.; Stobbs, Iain; Tapster, Simon; Rushton, Adrian; McConnell, Brian; Jeffries, Teresa

2018-03-01

Accurately reconstructing the growth of continental margins during episodes of ocean closure has important implications for understanding the formation, preservation and location of mineral deposits in ancient orogens. The Charlestown Group of county Mayo, Ireland, forms an important yet understudied link in the Caledonian-Appalachian orogenic belt located between the well documented sectors of western Ireland and Northern Ireland. We have reassessed its role in the Ordovician Grampian orogeny, based on new fieldwork, high-resolution airborne geophysics, graptolite biostratigraphy, U-Pb zircon dating, whole rock geochemistry, and an examination of historic drillcore from across the volcanic inlier. The Charlestown Group can be divided into three formations: Horan, Carracastle, and Tawnyinah. The Horan Formation comprises a mixed sequence of tholeiitic to calc-alkaline basalt, crystal tuff and sedimentary rocks (e.g. black shale, chert), forming within an evolving peri-Laurentian affinity island arc. The presence of graptolites Pseudisograptus of the manubriatus group and the discovery of Exigraptus uniformis and Skiagraptus gnomonicus favour a latest Dapingian (i.e. Yapeenian Ya 2/late Arenig) age for the Horan Formation (equivalent to c. 471.2-470.5 Ma according to the timescale of Sadler et al., 2009). Together with three new U-Pb zircon ages of 471.95-470.82 Ma from enclosing felsic tuffs and volcanic breccias, this fauna provides an important new constraint for calibrating the Middle Ordovician timescale. Overlying deposits of the Carracastle and Tawnyinah formations are dominated by LILE- and LREE-enriched calc-alkaline andesitic tuffs and flows, coarse volcanic breccias and quartz-feldspar porphyritic intrusive rocks, overlain by more silicic tuffs and volcanic breccias with rare occurrences of sedimentary rocks. The relatively young age for the Charlestown Group in the Grampian orogeny, coupled with high Th/Yb and zircon inheritance (c. 2.7 Ga) in intrusive

Sedimentology of middle ordovician carbonates in the Argentine precordillera: evidence of regional relative sea-level changes

Science.gov (United States)

Keller, M.; Eberlein, S.; Lehnert, O.

1993-07-01

The Las Aguaditas Formation in the Argentine Precordillera of San Juan is the only Ordovician carbonate sequence deposited on a slope. Spiculites, mudstones and calcisiltites represent the autochthonous sediments, characterized by a fine lamination, rare fossils and their dark colour. The pelagic fauna consists of rare radiolarians/calcispheres, trinucleid trilobites, graptolites and conodonts. The latter are typical of an open marine environment and proved a Llanvirn—Llandeilo age for the Las Aguaditas Formation. In the upper part of the succession there are several intercalations of megabreccias. Their thickness decreases from about 20 to 4 m towards the top of the formation, accompanied by an increasing amount of carbonate turbidites. The clasts of the breccias are derived from the slope as well as the platform. Each of the megabreccia horizons represents a system of channels, lobes and interchannel deposits, which together form a slope apron. On top of the lower breccia a small biostrome developed, where bryozoans and crinoids are preserved in an autochthonous position. Sedimentation of the Las Aguaditas Formation started with the drowning of the underlying carbonate platform (San Juan limestones). Near the Arenig-Llanvirn boundary, a rapid ecstatic sea-level rise led to the deposition of graptolitic black shales and mudstones. Upwards, allochthonous carbonates become increasingly abundant. The onset of megabreccia deposition coincides with a major relative sea-level fall, caused by block movements in connection with rifting. The subsequent transition from breccia formation towards turbiditic sedimentation corresponds to an environmental shift from the slope towards the toe of slope and basin and marks a renewed moderate sea-level rise.

Forming mechanism of the Ordovician karst carbonate reservoirs on the northern slope of central Tarim Basin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heng Fu

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The Ordovician karst carbonate reservoirs on the northern slope of central Tarim Basin are important oil and gas exploration targets in the basin, but their dissolution mechanisms are in controversy. In this paper, based on the integrated study of sedimentation, sequence and reservoir, together with microscopic analysis and macroscopic seismic data analysis, the carbonate karst reservoirs in the study area were divided into three types: dissolved pore-cavity limestone reservoir, pore-cavity dolomite reservoir and fracture-cavity siliceous reservoir, and their forming mechanisms were discussed respectively. Some findings were obtained. First, dissolved pore-cavity limestone reservoirs are distributed in the upper Yingshan Fm and Yijianfang Fm of the Ordovician vertically, while pore-cavity dolomite reservoirs are mainly developed in the Penglai Fm and lower Yingshan Fm of the Ordovician with great thickness. Second, dissolved pore-cavity limestone reservoirs were formed by karstification on the third-order sequence boundary (lowstand tract, while pore-cavity dolomite reservoirs were formed by deep burial dolomitization controlled by karstification on the third-order sequence boundary, both of which are distributed in the highstand tract below the third-order sequence boundary. Third, siliceous reservoirs are developed under the control of faulting, as a result of reworking of deep hydrothermal fluids along faults to the limestone, and the siliceous reservoirs and their hydrothermal solution fracture-cavity systems are distributed near faults. It is further predicted that, in addition to the three types of reservoir above, platform-margin reef-flat reservoirs are developed in the Ordovician on the northern slope of central Tarim Basin.

GPR Imaging of Clastic Dikes at the Hanford Site, Hanford, Washington

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clement, William P.; Murray, Christopher J.

2007-01-01

We use ground penetrating radar (GPR) data to help determine the spatial distribution and the subsurface geometry of clastic injection dikes at the Hanford site. This information will help to improve the understanding of the hydrological role of these ubiquitous clastic dikes at the Hanford Site. We collected 100 MHz ground penetrating radar (GPR) 3D surface reflection data at two sites, the S-16 Pond and the Army Loop Road sites, and 2D reflection data along a 6.9 km linear transect near the Army Loop Road site. The dikes are distinguished in the GPR data by a strongly attenuated zone, disruptions in the continuity of reflections, and diffractions where reflections are disrupted. In general, the data quality is better at the Army Loop Road and Traverse sites than at the S-16 Pond site, probably due to the presence of cobbles at the S-16 Pond site. A high-moisture, fine-grained unit probably causes the strong reflections at the Army Loop Road site and the Traverse survey site. The signal penetration varies between 5 to 12 m below the land surface

Discussion on geochemical characteristics, mechanism and prospecting model of gluey type sandstone uranium mineralization--taking Redwell uranium deposit as an example

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Jinping

1998-01-01

Redwell uranium deposit hosted in the red clastic rock formation, is a typical example of gluey type uranium mineralization, which has not been reported so far in China. Based on the study of geochemical characteristics of Redwell deposit, the author discusses the genetic mechanism of this type deposits, and proposes the prospecting model of 4 in 1 of red bed-fault-oil gas-uranium source

Low-grade metamorphism of Cambro-Ordovician successions in the Famatina belt, Southern-Central Andes: Burial-inversion history linked to the evolution of the proto-Andean Gondwana margin Metamorfismo de bajo grado de sucesiones cambro-ordovícicas en el cinturón del Famatina, Andes Centrales de Argentina: Historia de enterramiento-exhumación ligada a la evolución del margen proto-andino de Gondwana

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Gilda Collo

2011-07-01

Full Text Available The metamorphic P-T conditions of low-grade units from the Famatina belt, Central Andes of Argentina, were estimated through petrography, X-ray diffraction, and electron microscopy. For the Middle-Upper Cambrian Negro Peinado Formation a tectono-metamorphic event associated with intense intrafoliar folding, with estimated temperatures between 290 and 400°C (KIcis: 0.16-0.27A°29, biotite blastesis and compositional homogeneity in dioctahedral micas and intermediate pressure conditions (white mica b parameter: 9.010Á-9.035Á, was recognized. The Achavil Formation (Middle-Upper Cambrian presents a main metamorphic event associated with temperatures between 200 and 290°C (KIcis: 0.26-0.41A°29 and intermediate- to low-pressure conditions (white mica b parameter values: 8.972Á-9.017Á. Some illitic substitution in dioctahedral micas also indicates lower metamorphic grade than the Negro Peinado Formation. For Upper Cambrian to Middle Ordovician sequences a burial metamorphic pattern, with a progressive decrease in metamorphic grade from Volcancito Formation to Cerro Morado Group (ca. 490-465 Ma; KIcis: 0.31-0.69A°29 and absence of tendency changes linked to strati-graphic discontinuities was proposed. Mica and chlorite are the main phyllosilicates in the oldest units, while Ilt/ Sme (R3 mixed-layer is almost the only one in the youngest. White mica b parameter indicates intermediate- to low-pressure conditions for all these sequences. This burial metamorphic pattern presents a marked break as the youngest Ordovician unit (La Aguadita Formation, after ca. 452 Ma records higher metamorphic conditions (IKcis: 0.28-0.19A°29 than units from the Ordovician arc, with estimated temperatures between 270 and 330°C and intermediate-pressure conditions. Our results indicate that basin contraction and inversion processes related to the Ordovician Ocloyic Orogeny involved at least two well-discriminated and not superposed metamorphic episodes in this region

Platystrophia (Orthida and new related Ordovician and Early Silurian brachiopod genera

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Harper, David A. T.

2007-03-01

Full Text Available More than 150 Ordovician and Early Silurian brachiopod species have been assigned to the genus Platystrophia King, 1850 mainly on the basis of their Spirifer-like shell exteriors. King’s concept of the genus was based on Platystrophia biforata King, which is not conspecific with Terebratulites biforatus Schlotheim, traditionally regarded as the type species of Platystrophia. Porambonites costatus Pander, 1830 is formally proposed as the type species of the genus to replace P. biforata; the latter is considered to be a nomen dubium. In our revised diagnosis, Platystrophia is restricted to a group of Arenig to upper Caradoc species from Baltica and Avalonia, whereas the Ashgill and lower Silurian taxa of these regions, hitherto assigned to Platystrophia, are placed in the new genus Neoplatystrophia. Platystrophia ponderosa Foerste, 1909 from the Upper Ordovician of North America is proposed as the type species of a new genus Vinlandostrophia. Two new species, Platystrophia baltica and Platystrophia pogrebovi from the Llanvirn–Caradoc of the East Baltic are also described.

Cracking and thermal maturity of Ordovician oils from Tahe Oilfield, Tarim Basin, NW China

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Anlai Ma

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The thermal maturity of the Ordovician oils from the Tahe oilfield of Tarim Basin, NW China was assessed through various maturity parameters, such as biomarkers, aromatic parameters, and diamondoid parameters. Both Ts/(Ts+Tm and C29Ts/(C29H+C29Ts values indicate that the maturity of oils has not reached the condensates stage, which is consistent with the maturity obtained by MPI1. However, the diamondoid maturity suggests that the oil maturity ranges 1.1%–1.6% Ro, which is apparently higher than that of the maturity obtained by the biomarker and MPI1. This discrepancy in maturity may indicate that the Ordovician reservoir has multiple filling history. The 4-MD+3-MD concentration of oils disperses and increases slowly when the Ts/(Ts+Tm value is lower than 0.55. Meanwhile, the value increases rapidly when the Ts/(Ts+Tm value is higher than 0.55. It is proposed that the diamondoid baseline is about 15 μg/goil for marine oils in the Tahe oilfield based on the diamondoid concentration of marine oils from reservoirs of various age. The concentration of 4-MD+3-MD of most Ordovician oils generally ranges from 4.5 to 35 μg/goil, suggesting that the degree of oil-cracking is lower than 50% and the deep Ordovician have potential of oil exploration. The distribution of the concentration of 4-MD+3-MD is characterized by being high in the east and south, low in the west and north, proposing that the two migration pathways exit in the oilfield, which are from east to west and from south to north, respectively. The migration directions are consistent with the results obtained from the oil density and the maturity parameters such as Ts/(Ts+Tm. Thus, suggesting the concentration of 4-MD+3-MD can be used as migration index in oilfield scale.

An interpretation of the tectonostratigraphic framework of the Murray Basin region of southeastern Australia, based on an examination of airborne magnetic patterns

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, C. M.; Tucker, D. H.; Anfiloff, V.

1988-11-01

New pixel map representations of regional total magnetic intensity data reveal previously unknown characteristics of the basement concealed beneath thin Cainozoic sediments of the Murray Basin in southeastern Australia. Interpretations of magnetic patterns in terms of structural features allow a revised interpretation of the nature of the tectonostratigraphic framework underlying and flanking the basin. The magnetic data indicate that arcuate or curvilinear structural trends under the Murray Basin do not conform with those of the exposed Lachlan Fold Belt to the east and suggest that the basement concealed beneath the basin, together with that exposed in the Victorian Highlands to the south, forms a distinct composite tectonostratigraphic terrane. Beneath the southwestern Murray Basin ?Proterozoic-Lower Cambrian metasediments of the Padthaway Ridge of the Kanmantoo Fold Belt display a northwesterly trending structural grain and a previously unsuspected continuity of structural trend with Adelaidean-Cambrian rocks of the Mount Lofty Ranges to the west. In the south, Cambrian volcanics of the Black Range and Stavely greenstone belts have similar magnetic response and appear to be components of a single elongate and strongly magnetic domain which extends to the northwest for at least 400 km (Stavely Belt). To the north a similar but entirely concealed northeasterly trending magnetic domain can also be interpreted as volcanics (Lake Wintlow Belt). Together these two magnetic domains appear to form an arcuate zone of volcanics, with a concave-to-the-east configuration, located at a possible suture between the Lachlan and Kanmantoo Fold Belts beneath the western Murray Basin. In the south the magnetic imagery indicates that metasediments of the ?Cambro-Ordovician Stawell Belt produce magnetic patterns distinct from those produced by the metasediments of the adjacent Ordovician Bendigo Belt, which can itself be subdivided into a number of areas of distinct magnetic

Geochemical element mobility during the history of a Paleo-proterozoic clastic sedimentary basin, the Athabasca Basin (Saskatchewan, Canada)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kister, Philippe

2003-01-01

In order to understand the mechanisms of migration and deposition of ore elements, it is essential to determine the timing, source, and destination of the geochemical element mass transfers and/or transportation on a scale encompassing the great sedimentary basins. The purpose of this study is to trace and to date the element migrations that occurred during the history of a Paleo-proterozoic clastic sedimentary basin, the Athabasca Basin, which hosts the world's largest and richest uranium deposits. As this geological environment was proved to be efficient to preserve high grade ore deposits for over more than one billion years, it provides an opportunity to study some natural analogues of deep geological nuclear waste storage. Five research topics were studied: 3D modelling of the distribution of normative minerals and trace elements on a basin-wide scale; U-Pb and Rb-Sr systematics; average chemical age estimation; thermodynamic modelling of the major mineralogical assemblages; U-Pb geochronology of uranium oxides. Some elements have remained immobile (Zr) since their initial sedimentary deposition, or were transferred from one phase to another (Al, Th). Other elements have been transported during fluid flow events that occurred: (1) on a basin wide scale during diagenesis (REE, Y, Sr, Fe), (2) at the unconformity and in the vicinity of the fault zones that represent preferential fluid flow pathways between the basement and the sandstone cover (U, Ni, As, B, Mg, K, Fe, Sr, REE), (3) during the late fault reactivation events associated with the basin uplift (U, Pb, Ni, S, Sr, REE). The successive tectonic events related to the geodynamical context that lead to the formation of these high-grade U concentrations (1460 Ma, 1335 Ma and 1275 Ma in the McArthur River deposit), did not however systematically occur in the whole basin (1275 Ma only at Shea Creek). The exceptionally high grade and tonnages of some deposits seem to be related to a larger number of U

Clastic compaction unit classification based on clay content and integrated compaction recovery using well and seismic data

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Zhong Hong

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Compaction correction is a key part of paleo-geomorphic recovery methods. Yet, the influence of lithology on the porosity evolution is not usually taken into account. Present methods merely classify the lithologies as sandstone and mudstone to undertake separate porosity-depth compaction modeling. However, using just two lithologies is an oversimplification that cannot represent the compaction history. In such schemes, the precision of the compaction recovery is inadequate. To improve the precision of compaction recovery, a depth compaction model has been proposed that involves both porosity and clay content. A clastic lithological compaction unit classification method, based on clay content, has been designed to identify lithological boundaries and establish sets of compaction units. Also, on the basis of the clastic compaction unit classification, two methods of compaction recovery that integrate well and seismic data are employed to extrapolate well-based compaction information outward along seismic lines and recover the paleo-topography of the clastic strata in the region. The examples presented here show that a better understanding of paleo-geomorphology can be gained by applying the proposed compaction recovery technology.

Structural and genetic characteristics of uranium phosphates metasomatic deposits in limestones

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Korolev, K G; Pigul' skij, V I; Prozorov, V G

1985-01-01

Voluminous literature on structural and genetic peculiarities of phosphorus-uranium deposits in Ordovician volcanogenic-sedimentary masses, is analyzed to clarify the reasons for their formation. On the basis of geologo-structural and mineralogo-geochemical research, it has been established that phosphorus-uranium mineralization is of metasomatic, postgeosyncline, intraorogenetic character. Mineralization is related to filtration of uprising fluids along rupture untrafolding violations. Formation of metasomatic ore bodies took place under hypabyssal conditions in closed structures by means of endogenous replacement of both carbonate and alumosilicate rocks, including intrusive volcanic and sedimentary complexes. The scale of phosphorus-uranium deposits depends on tectonic peculiarities of ore-containing medium much more than on lithological ones.

Lower Silurian `hot shales' in North Africa and Arabia: regional distribution and depositional model

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Lüning, S.; Craig, J.; Loydell, D. K.; Štorch, P.; Fitches, B.

2000-03-01

Lowermost Silurian organic-rich (`hot') shales are the origin of 80-90% of Palaeozoic sourced hydrocarbons in North Africa and also played a major role in petroleum generation on the Arabian Peninsula. In most cases, the shales were deposited directly above upper Ordovician (peri-) glacial sandstones during the initial early Silurian transgression that was a result of the melting of the late Ordovician icecap. Deposition of the main organic-rich shale unit in the North African/Arabian region was restricted to the earliest Silurian Rhuddanian stage ( acuminatus, atavus and probably early cyphus graptolite biozones). During this short period (1-2 m.y.), a favourable combination of factors existed which led to the development of exceptionally strong oxygen-deficiency in the area. In most countries of the study area, the post-Rhuddanian Silurian shales are organically lean and have not contributed to petroleum generation. The distribution and thickness of the basal Silurian `hot' shales have been mapped in detail for the whole North African region, using logs from some 300 exploration wells in Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. In addition, all relevant, accessible published and unpublished surface and subsurface data of the lower Silurian shales in North Africa and Arabia have been reviewed, including sedimentological, biostratigraphic and organic geochemical data. The lowermost Silurian hot shales of northern Gondwana are laterally discontinuous and their distribution and thickness were controlled by the early Silurian palaeorelief which was shaped mainly by glacial processes of the late Ordovician ice age and by Pan-African and Infracambrian compressional and extensional tectonism. The thickest and areally most extensive basal Silurian organic-rich shales in North Africa occur in Algeria, Tunisia and western Libya, while on the Arabian Peninsula they are most prolific in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Jordan and Iraq. The hot shales were not deposited in Egypt, which was a

Alleged cnidarian Sphenothallus in the Late Ordovician of Baltica, its mineral composition and microstructure

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Olev Vinn

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Sphenothallus is a problematic fossil with possible cnidarian affinities. Two species of Sphenothallus, S. aff. longissimus and S. kukersianus, occur in the normal marine sediments of the Late Ordovician of Estonia. S. longissimus is more common than S. kukersianus and has a range from early Sandbian to middle Katian. Sphenothallus had a wide paleo-biogeographic distribution in the Late Ordovician. The tubes of Sphenothallus are composed of lamellae with a homo-geneous microstructure. The homogeneous microstructure could represent a diagenetic fabric, based on the similarity to diagenetic structures in Torellella (Cnidaria?, Hyolithelminthes. Tubes of Sphenothallus have an apatitic composition, but one tube contains lamellae of diagenetic calcite within the apatitic structure. Sphenothallus presumably had origi-nally biomineralized apatitic tubes. Different lattice parameters of the apatite indicate that biomineralization systems of phosphatic cnidarians Sphenothallus and Conularia sp. may have been different.

Depositional sequence stratigraphy and architecture of the cretaceous ferron sandstone: Implications for coal and coalbed methane resources - A field excursion

Science.gov (United States)

Garrison, J.R.; Van Den, Bergh; Barker, C.E.; Tabet, D.E.

1997-01-01

This Field Excursion will visit outcrops of the fluvial-deltaic Upper Cretaceous (Turonian) Ferron Sandstone Member of the Mancos Shale, known as the Last Chance delta or Upper Ferron Sandstone. This field guide and the field stops will outline the architecture and depositional sequence stratigraphy of the Upper Ferron Sandstone clastic wedge and explore the stratigraphic positions and compositions of major coal zones. The implications of the architecture and stratigraphy of the Ferron fluvial-deltaic complex for coal and coalbed methane resources will be discussed. Early works suggested that the southwesterly derived deltaic deposits of the the upper Ferron Sandstone clastic wedge were a Type-2 third-order depositional sequence, informally called the Ferron Sequence. These works suggested that the Ferron Sequence is separated by a type-2 sequence boundary from the underlying 3rd-order Hyatti Sequence, which has its sediment source from the northwest. Within the 3rd-order depositional sequence, the deltaic events of the Ferron clastic wedge, recognized as parasequence sets, appear to be stacked into progradational, aggradational, and retrogradational patterns reflecting a generally decreasing sediment supply during an overall slow sea-level rise. The architecture of both near-marine facies and non-marine fluvial facies exhibit well defined trends in response to this decrease in available sediment. Recent studies have concluded that, unless coincident with a depositional sequence boundary, regionally extensive coal zones occur at the tops of the parasequence sets within the Ferron clastic wedge. These coal zones consist of coal seams and their laterally equivalent fissile carbonaceous shales, mudstones, and siltstones, paleosols, and flood plain mudstones. Although the compositions of coal zones vary along depositional dip, the presence of these laterally extensive stratigraphic horizons, above parasequence sets, provides a means of correlating and defining the tops

Preliminary report on the Oldenburg “butter shale” in the Upper Ordovician (Katian; Richmondian Waynesville Formation, USA

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Christopher D. Aucoin

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The Cincinnatian Series (Upper Ordovician; upper Katian of the Cincinnati Arch region, Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky contains several bed packages informally referred to as “butter shales” or “trilobite shales”. These packages are typically 1–2 m of relatively pure, homogeneous claystone with isolated, lenticular limestone beds. These claystones are most widely known for their excellent preservation of abundant trilobites, especially Isotelus and Flexicalymene, as well as diverse and commonly articulated bivalves, and nautiloids. A newly recognized butter shale interval in the Clarksville Member of the Waynesville Formation contains a typical butter-shale fossil assemblage, dominated by bivalves, orthoconic cephalopods and trilobites. To better study the fabric of this claystone, a large, epoxy-coated block of the claystone was dry-cut. Polished surfaces show a variety of otherwise cryptic features, including pervasive bioturbation and the presence of probable lingulid escape burrows (Lingulichnus, as well as abundant fodinichnia (Chondrites, Planolites, Teichichnus. Preservation of articulated trilobites and closed bivalves in approximate living position, as well as escape burrows, indicates deposition as a series of mud burial events or obrution deposits. We suggest that the butter shales resulted from net accumulation of multiple episodes of re-suspended mud deposition, which rapidly smothered organisms and resulted in exceptional preservation. Between events the seafloor was colonized by abundant deposit-feeding infaunal organisms, which destabilized the substrate and generated turbidity near the sediment–water interface, thus inhibiting sessile suspension feeders. Rapid net deposition was also interrupted by more prolonged periods (tens to hundreds of years of low sedimentation that permitted colonization by epifaunal brachiopod-dominated communities. While most butter shale units are regionally extensive, the Oldenburg is

Sequence stratigraphy in the middle Ordovician shale successions, mid-east Korea: Stratigraphic variations and preservation potential of organic matter within a sequence stratigraphic framework

Science.gov (United States)

Byun, Uk Hwan; Lee, Hyun Suk; Kwon, Yi Kyun

2018-02-01

The Jigunsan Formation is the middle Ordovician shale-dominated transgressive succession in the Taebaeksan Basin, located in the eastern margin of the North China platform. The total organic carbon (TOC) content and some geochemical properties of the succession exhibit a stratigraphically distinct distribution pattern. The pattern was closely associated with the redox conditions related to decomposition, bulk sedimentation rate (dilution), and productivity. To explain the distinct distribution pattern, this study attempted to construct a high-resolution sequence stratigraphic framework for the Jigunsan Formation. The shale-dominated Jigunsan Formation comprises a lower layer of dark gray shale, deposited during transgression, and an upper layer of greenish gray siltstone, deposited during highstand and falling stage systems tracts. The concept of a back-stepped carbonate platform is adopted to distinguish early and late transgressive systems tracts (early and late TST) in this study, whereas the highstand systems tracts and falling stage systems tracts can be divided by changes in stacking patterns from aggradation to progradation. The late TST would be initiated on a rapidly back-stepping surface of sediments and, just above the surface, exhibits a high peak in TOC content, followed by a gradually upward decrease. This trend of TOC distribution in the late TST continues to the maximum flooding surface (MFS). The perplexing TOC distribution pattern within the late TST most likely resulted from both a gradual reduction in productivity during the late TST and a gradual increase in dilution effect near the MFS interval. The reduced production of organic matter primarily incurred decreasing TOC content toward the MFS when the productivity was mainly governed by benthic biota because planktonic organisms were not widespread in the Ordovician. Results of this study will help improve the understanding of the source rock distribution in mixed carbonate

The Neogene molasse deposits of the Zagros Mountains in central Dezful Embayment: facies, sedimentary environments and controls

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Ali Hossein Jalilian

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The upper part of Neogene sequence of the Zagros Mountains consists of a clastic succession which is identified as Aghajari and Bakhtyari formations. The sequence is an excellent example of synorogenic sedimentation or molasse deposited in northern portion of the Zagros foreland basin. Sedimentological analysis of an outcrop section representing Miocene-Pliocene sediments in central Dezful Embayment resulted in recognizing 9 lithofacies and 4 architectural elements. These lithofacies include conglometate (Gt, Gh, Gmm, sandstone (Sp, Sh, Sr, St and mudstone (Fm, Fl that were deposited in meandering stream, braided river and alluvial fan environments. Paleocurrent analysis of cross-beds, channels and asymmetric ripple marks indicate that these Neogene clastics were mainly drived from Cretaceous to Paleogene highlands in the Zagros Mountains on the north. This stratigraphic record is coarsening-upward and formed by a regressive depositional megacycle under arid climate. Facies and depositional history analysis show that sedimentation of the Zagros molasse was primarily controlled by base-level changes rather than catchment lithology or climate. The sedimentary record of this regressive megacycle reveales the base-level was constantly falling down on one hand and the provenance was uplifting on the other hand. Tectonic activities and Zagros Mountains rising in the Late Miocene resulted in deposition of fining-upward point-bar and floodplain sequences of the Aghajari Formation in low-gradient meandering streams. The Lahbari Member of the Aghajari Formation represents deposition in braided rivers that composed predominantly of flood-plain deposits in the Early Pliocene. Finally, the sedimentary cycle of the Zagros molasse deposits terminated with massive conglomerates of the Bakhtyari Formation deposited in large alluvial fans near the source area.

Depositional history and climate change in the Quaternary sequence of Meyghan playa

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مصطفی یوسفی‎راد

2015-04-01

Full Text Available To study, 30 sediment samples were collected from the 7 boreholes with maximum depth 520 cm in the Meyghan playa bed which is located in 15 km northeastern part of Arak. Sediment samples were studied for sedimentological characteristic include mineralogy, granolometry, calcimetery, organic matter content, pH, EC and physical characteristics of sediments. Meyghan playa sediments are mostly of chemicals and detrital. Percentage of evaporative minerals in surface sediments is greater than the clastic minerals. Sediments of this playa are mainly chemical (evaporites and clastic components. Amount of evaporative minerals in surface sediments is greater than the clastic minerals. This study shows, Chemical sediments are formed Mainlyو during periods of low water levels and sometimes, the lake is fed from the land. While castic sediments of the basin were deposited during periods of high water levels and transported by rivers and floods as bed load and suspended load to playa and deposited. Considering sedimentology and mineralogy profiles with depth despite visible fluctuations due to climate change (dry and wet seasons, indicative almost regular process of parameters along the borehole. So that with depth abundance of detrital minerals, calcium carbonate, and mean of grain size is increased while organic matter and mean of grain’s sorting is decreased. These factors along with the reduction of evaporative minerals with depth, especially minerals with high solubility such as gypsum and Halite indicate there was a high water level and cold - humid climate for the past (late Pleistocene in the Meighan playa and/or maybe there is a lake with fresh water or Low salinity in the past that its salinity has increased over time.

Depositional history and climate change in the Quaternary sequence of Meyghan playa

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Leila Abdi

2015-05-01

Full Text Available To study, 30 sediment samples were collected from the 7 boreholes with maximum depth 520 cm in the Meyghan playa bed which is located in 15 km northeastern part of Arak. Sediment samples were studied for sedimentological characteristic include mineralogy, granolometry, calcimetery, organic matter content, pH, EC and physical characteristics of sediments. Meyghan playa sediments are mostly of chemicals and detrital. Percentage of evaporative minerals in surface sediments is greater than the clastic minerals. Sediments of this playa are mainly chemical (evaporites and clastic components. Amount of evaporative minerals in surface sediments is greater than the clastic minerals. This study shows, Chemical sediments are formed Mainlyو during periods of low water levels and sometimes, the lake is fed from the land. While castic sediments of the basin were deposited during periods of high water levels and transported by rivers and floods as bed load and suspended load to playa and deposited. Considering sedimentology and mineralogy profiles with depth despite visible fluctuations due to climate change (dry and wet seasons, indicative almost regular process of parameters along the borehole. So that with depth abundance of detrital minerals, calcium carbonate, and mean of grain size is increased while organic matter and mean of grain’s sorting is decreased. These factors along with the reduction of evaporative minerals with depth, especially minerals with high solubility such as gypsum and Halite indicate there was a high water level and cold - humid climate for the past (late Pleistocene in the Meighan playa and/or maybe there is a lake with fresh water or Low salinity in the past that its salinity has increased over time.

Fracture toughness testing of core from the Cambro-Ordovician Section on the Oak Ridge Reservation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lemiszki, P.J.; Landes, J.D.

1996-01-01

The modified ring test was used to determine the mode I fracture toughness of bedrock cores from the DOE Oak Ridge Reservation in east Tennessee. Low porosity sandstones, limestones, and dolostones from the lower part of the Paleozoic section in Copper Creek and Whiteoak Mountain thrust sheets were sampled. In general, the average mode I fracture toughness decreases from sandstone, dolostone, and limestone. The fracture toughness of the limestones varies between rock units, which is related to different sedimentologic characteristics. Quality of results was evaluated by testing cores of Berea Sandstone and Indiana Limestone, which produced results similar to published results

Cambrian and Ordovician Fossil-Lagerstätten in the Barrandian area

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Fatka, O.; Budil, P.; Kraft, P.; Mergl, M.; Mikuláš, Radek; Valent, M.; Lajblová, K.; Rak, Š.; Steinová, M.; Szabad, M.; Micka, V.; Aubrechtová, M.; Lajbl, L.; Nohejlová, M.; Vodička, J.

2012-01-01

Roč. 18, č. 1 (2012), s. 22-25 ISSN 1212-6209. [Congress of CGS and SGS. Moninec, 2011.09.22-2011.09.25] R&D Projects: GA ČR GA205/06/0395; GA ČR GA205/09/1521 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30130516 Keywords : Cambrian * Ordovician * Fossil-Lagerstätten Subject RIV: DB - Geology ; Mineralogy http://www.sci.muni.cz/gap/casop/

Cambrian–early Ordovician volcanism across the South Armorican and Occitan domains of the Variscan Belt in France: Continental break-up and rifting of the northern Gondwana margin

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André Pouclet

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The Cambrian–lower Ordovician volcanic units of the South Armorican and Occitan domains are analysed in a tectonostratigraphic survey of the French Variscan Belt. The South Armorican lavas consist of continental tholeiites in middle Cambrian–Furongian sequences related to continental break-up. A significant volcanic activity occurred in the Tremadocian, dominated by crustal melted rhyolitic lavas and initial rifting tholeiites. The Occitan lavas are distributed into five volcanic phases: (1 basal Cambrian rhyolites, (2 upper lower Cambrian Mg-rich tholeiites close to N-MORBs but crustal contaminated, (3 upper lower–middle Cambrian continental tholeiites, (4 Tremadocian rhyolites, and (5 upper lower Ordovician initial rift tholeiites. A rifting event linked to asthenosphere upwelling took place in the late early Cambrian but did not evolve. It renewed in the Tremadocian with abundant crustal melting due to underplating of mixed asthenospheric and lithospheric magmas. This main tectono-magmatic continental rift is termed the “Tremadocian Tectonic Belt” underlined by a chain of rhyolitic volcanoes from Occitan and South Armorican domains to Central Iberia. It evolved with the setting of syn-rift coarse siliciclastic deposits overlain by post-rift deep water shales in a suite of sedimentary basins that forecasted the South Armorican–Medio-European Ocean as a part of the Palaeotethys Ocean.

Compositional characteristics of some Apollo 14 clastic materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindstrom, M. M.; Duncan, A. R.; Fruchter, J. S.; Mckay, S. M.; Stoeser, J. W.; Goles, G. G.; Lindstrom, D. J.

1972-01-01

Eighty-two subsamples of Apollo 14 materials have been analyzed by instrumental neutron activation analysis techniques for as many as 25 elements. In many cases, it was necessary to develop new procedures to allow analyses of small specimens. Compositional relationships among Apollo 14 materials indicate that there are small but systematic differences between regolith from the valley terrain and that from Cone Crater ejecta. Fragments from 1-2 mm size fractions of regolith samples may be divided into compositional classes, and the 'soil breccias' among them are very similar to valley soils. Multicomponent linear mixing models have been used as interpretive tools in dealing with data on regolith fractions and subsamples from breccia 14321. These mixing models show systematic compositional variations with inferred age for Apollo 14 clastic materials.

The high-resolution stratigraphic architecture and evolution of the Burdigalian carbonate-silici-clastic sedimentary systems on the Mut Basin, Turkey

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bassant, Ph

1999-06-01

The subject of this doctorate study are the Lower Miocene (Burdigalian) carbonate systems in the Mut basin, in south central Turkey. This area is chosen because it presents extraordinary large (seismic) scale 3D outcrops showing depositional geometries. In addition, these carbonates are considered as good outcrop analogues for time equivalent carbonate buildups in the Far East, that are oil and gas bearing. The carbonates were deposited in a complex relict topography, following a tectonically active phase in the Oligocene. During the Burdigalian transgression shallow platform carbonates were deposited in a variety of settings, locally accompanied by some silici-clastic input. Observations on the strata geometries and the facies were combined into a high resolution sequence stratigraphic framework controlled by bio-stratigraphy. With the help of relative sea level curves constructed for the three studied sites, a basin-wide correlation scheme is proposed. This chronostratigraphic framework permits the recognition of condensation and omission surfaces in the basinal and platform settings, to identify basin-wide variations in sedimentation pattern, and to evaluate the relative influence of tectonism, eustatism and the environment. The exceptional quality of the outcrops with its variety of environments, and its location at the Tethys margin, make this a good candidate for a reference model for Burdigalian reef and platform architectures. Examples of a quantitative approach of the geometries of potential carbonate reservoir bodies are given in the annex. The data-files are incorporated in the carbonate reservoir body database CARABAS. (author)

Monitoring the formation of clastic-biogenic varves to improve the quality of paleoclimate reconstructions

Science.gov (United States)

Ojala, A.; Kosonen, E.; Weckstrom, J.; Korkonen, S.

2013-12-01

Annually laminated (varved) sediments are excellent archives for studies of past climate and environmental changes, as they allow analysis of the undisturbed 'in-situ' sediment composition and structure with a seasonal-scale resolution. Among those, clastic-biogenic varved lake sediments have been found and investigated in Finland and Sweden during the last decades. An important prerequisite for applying varved sediments in palaeoenvironmental studies is understanding the mechanism of rhythmic sedimentation and the composition of different laminae representing annual sedimentation events. This knowledge is essential for verifying the annual nature of varves, for investigating the main factors controlling seasonal sedimentation, and for the interpretations of past environmental changes. Here, we report detailed information on the seasonal sedimentation of different varve components and palaeolimnological indicators (diatoms, chrysophycaean cysts) in Lake Nautajärvi, Finland, using near-bottom sediment trap monitoring. The monitoring results strongly support previous interpretations of the formation of clastic-biogenic varves in Fennoscandian lakes. The results also indicate that seasonal sediment fluxes correspond with regional climate and environmental changes. They clearly reveal differences in the amount of seasonal sediment flux between two climatologically and hydrologically different years. For example, higher snow storage in winter and the discharge intensity during the following spring snow melt clearly increases the suspended sediment load, transportation, and net accumulation of detrital mineral matter during spring and early summer. A prolonged autumn and subsequent freezing and thawing cycles in winter, conversely, results in an incremental but slow accumulation of assorted mineral matter and organic particles during winter, whereas the subsequent spring flooding and detrital sediment yield are diminished and thinner clastic laminae are formed. The

Palynological tracers of eustatic and climatic changes in the Late Ordovician on the North Gondwanan Margin

Science.gov (United States)

Le Hérissé, A.; Vecoli, M.

2003-04-01

The short-lived Hirnantian glacio-eustatic interval (1 My or less) caused about 60 per cent loss of total marine animal genera. This icehouse climate is also responsible for significant changes on the evolution of the plankton and the distribution of related microfossil assemblages, from pre-glacial to post-glacial episodes. This is clearly confirmed on different upper Ordovician sections from various paleogeographic location on the North Gondwanan margin. The effects of the glaciation did not correspond exactly to a cataclysmic event, because the palynomorphs do not show accelerated rates of extinction, in the inhospitable environment. It could also be noted that the origins of the Silurian communities are rooted in the upper Ordovician prior to the glaciation, with appearance of precursors (or -ahead of time-) forms, that diversified later in the Silurian. Nevertheless, the harsh climatic conditions associated to sea-level drop, caused a reduction in the number of taxa, with a scenario composed of three separate critical events: 1. a selective survival of ubiquitous taxa which are tolerant to the sea-level drawdown and of few taxa that appear specifically adapted to cold environments (Rawtheyan-early Hirnantian); 2. an adaptation of the sympagic microflora, to the variations of the sea-ice cover during deglaciation, including polymorphism and speciations (Hirnantian); 3. a slow recovery acompanying the climatic restoration and transgression in the latest Ordovician and early Silurian. Modifications in abundance and diversity of the microfossil assemblages, in the percentages of reworked elements and of amorphic organic matter are interpreted as evidence of a series of advances and retreats of the continental ice, of important changes of sea-surface conditions, of differences in the rate of melting of the icebergs during the deglaciation, as well as post-glacial isostatic rebounds. Our investigation demonstrates that the analysis of the evolution of palynomorph

Microfossils in the Ordovician erratic boulders from South-western Finland

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Nõlvak, J.

1995-12-01

Full Text Available Chitinozoans, ostracods and acritarchs found in four glacially transported limestone boulders from the south-western coast of Finland have been studied in order to test the usefulness of these microfossil groups in age determinations. Also rare specimens of conodonts, inarticulated brachiopods and foraminifers were found. Baltic limestone (or Östersjö limestone was the most problematic, because only fossils with calcitic or phosphatic shells are preserved. It is concluded that the boulders identified correlate with the Uhaku and Rakvere stages of the Middle Ordovician.

Phylogenetic paleobiogeography of Late Ordovician Laurentian brachiopods

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Jennifer E. Bauer

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Phylogenetic biogeographic analysis of four brachiopod genera was used to uncover large-scale geologic drivers of Late Ordovician biogeographic differentiation in Laurentia. Previously generated phylogenetic hypotheses were converted into area cladograms, ancestral geographic ranges were optimized and speciation events characterized as via dispersal or vicariance, when possible. Area relationships were reconstructed using Lieberman-modified Brooks Parsimony Analysis. The resulting area cladograms indicate tectonic and oceanographic changes were the primary geologic drivers of biogeographic patterns within the focal taxa. The Taconic tectophase contributed to the separation of the Appalachian and Central basins as well as the two midcontinent basins, whereas sea level rise following the Boda Event promoted interbasinal dispersal. Three migration pathways into the Cincinnati Basin were recognized, which supports the multiple pathway hypothesis for the Richmondian Invasion.

Turbidites as proxy for past flood events: Testing this approach in a large clastic system (Lake Geneva, France/Switzerland)

Science.gov (United States)

Kremer, Katrina; Girardclos, Stéphanie

2017-04-01

Turbidites recorded in lake sediments are often used to reconstruct the frequency of past flood and also seismological events. However, for such a reconstruction, the origin and causes of the recorded turbidites need to be clearly identified. In this study, we test if turbidites can be used as paleohydrological archive based on the the sedimentary record of Lake Geneva resulting from inputs by the Rhone and Dranse clastic river systems. Our approach is based on several methods combining high-resolution seismic reflection data with geophysical (magnetic susceptibility, grain size) and high-resolution XRF/XRD data measured on ca. 10-m-long sediment cores (dated by radiocarbon ages and 137Cs activity). This dataset allows distinguishing between the different sources (rivers or hemipelagic sediment) of the turbidites deposited in the deep basin of Lake Geneva. However, no clear distinction between the various trigger processes (mass failures or floods) could be made, thus flood deposits could not be clearly identified. From our results, we also conclude that the lack of turbidite deposits in the deep basin between the 15th and 18th century seems to be linked to a change in turbidite depocentre due to the Rhone River mouth shifting possibly triggered by human activity and not by any direct climate effect. This study demonstrates that a least two conditions are needed to perform an adequate paleohydrological interpretation based on turbidite records: (1) the holistic understanding of the basin sedimentary system and (2) the distinction of flood-induced turbidites from other types of turbidites (mass failures etc.).

Paleoredoc and pyritization of soft-bodied fossils in the Ordovician Frankfort Shale of New York

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Farrell, Una C.; Briggs, Derek E. G.; Hammarlund, Emma U.

2013-01-01

Multiple beds in the Frankfort Shale (Upper Ordovician, New York State), including the original "Beecher's Trilobite Bed," yield fossils with pyritized soft-tissues. A bed-by-bed geochemical and sedimentological analysis was carried out to test previous models of soft-tissue pyritization...

The Dalradian rocks of Scotland: an introduction

OpenAIRE

Stephenson, David; Mendum, John R.; Fettes, Douglas J.; Leslie, A. Graham

2013-01-01

The Dalradian Supergroup and its basement rocks, together with younger plutons, underpin most of the Grampian Highlands and the islands of the Inner Hebrides between the Highland Boundary and Great Glen faults. The Dalradian is a mid-Neoproterozoic to early-Ordovician sequence of largely clastic metasedimentary rocks, with some volcanic units, which were deformed and metamorphosed to varying degrees during the Early Palaeozoic Caledonian Orogeny. Sedimentation of the lower parts of the Da...

Heavy minerals and provenance of the paleozoic suffi formation, Western desert, iraq.

OpenAIRE

Al Juboury, Ali I. [علي الجبوري; Hassan, Zeki M.

1996-01-01

Heavy minerals analyses were carried out on 10 samples from the clastic Suffi Formation (the Ordovician-Carboniferous unit in the western Iraqi desert). The suite of minerals consists mainly of opaque minerals including pyrite, ilmenite, magnetite and hematite and the non-opaques is represented by zircon, tourmaline, cutile, garnet, epidote, kyanite, staurolite, leucoxene, chlorite and biotite. The nature and occurrence of the above heavy minerals association reflect a source area of the crys...

Digestive structures in Ordovician trilobites Colpocoryphe and Flexicalymene from the Barrandian area of Czech Republic

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Oldřich Fatka

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Two recently discovered specimens of the abundant calymenoid trilobite Colpocoryphe Novák in Perner, 1918 from the Middle Ordovician Šárka Formation and one specimen of Flexicalymene (Flexicalymene pragensis Vaněk & Vokáč, 1997 from the Upper Ordovician Bohdalec Formation, all from the Prague Basin, display remains of the digestive system. In Colpocoryphe, an internal mould of an articulated exoskeleton contains a post-stomach part of the alimentary canal preserved through the narrow axial region of the occipital ring, all thoracic segments as well as in the axial part of the pygidial shield. The anterior part of the digestive system is poorly known as the specimen shows the hypostome preserved in situ and the space between the glabella and the hypostome is represented by an empty cavity associated with probable remains of gut diverticulae on both sides of the cephalon. The second, incomplete specimen consists of five posterior thoracic segments articulated with the pygidium. The axial region of this specimen is preserved with a clearly discernible segmented intestine which terminates at the axial tip and then bends ventrally. In an enrolled specimen of Flexicalymene pragensis, supposed remains of the alimentary tract are comparatively poorly preserved but discernible in the middle and posterior parts of the thoracic axis and in the anterior part of the pygidial axis. Digestive structures within the family Calymenidae have not been described previously. Earlier discoveries of the digestive system in Ordovician trilobites of the Barrandian area are briefly reviewed.

Geological structure and mineral resources of Algeria

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Eduard Dobra

2007-12-01

Full Text Available The hydrocarbon System Ourd Mya is located in the Sahara Basin. It is one of the producing basins in Algeria. The stratigraphic section consists of Paleozoic and Mesosoic, it is about 5000 m thick. In the eastern part, the basin is limited by the Hassi-Messaoud high zone which is a giant oil field produced from the Cambrian sands. The western part is limited by Hassi R`mel which is one of the biggest gas field in the world, it is produced from the triassic sands. The Mesozoic section lays on the lower Devonian and in the eastern part, on the Cambrian. The main source rock is Silurian shale with an average thickness of 50 m and a total organic matter of 6 % (14 % in some cases. Results of maturation modeling indicate that the lower Silurian source is in the oil window. The Ordovician shales are also a source rock but in a second order. Clastic reservoirs are in the Triassic sequence which is mainly fluvial deposit with complex alluvial channels, it is the main target in the basin. Clastic reservoirs within the lower Devonian section have a good hydrocarbon potential in the east of the basin through a southwest-northeast orientation. The late Triassic-Early Jurassic evaporites overlie the Triassic clastic interval and extend over the entire Oued Mya Basin. This is considered as a super-seal evaporate package, which consists predominantly of anhydrite and halite. For Paleozoic targets, a large number of potential seals exist within the stratigraphic column.This paper describe the main geological structure and mineral resources of Algeria.

Multiple palaeokarst horizons in the Lower Palaeozoic of Baltoscandia challenging the dogma of a deep epicontinental sea

Science.gov (United States)

Lehnert, O.; Calner, M.; Ahlberg, P.; Harper, D. A.

2012-04-01

Several prominent palaeokarst surfaces have recently been detected in the Cambro-Ordovician sedimentary succession of Sweden. The oldest palaeokarst was found in autumn 2011 in Västergötland. An irregular palaeokarst cave with a breccia fill yielding large, angular Orsten clasts in a dark mud- to wackestone matrix is exposed beneath a karstic surface in the Cambrian Alum Shale Formation at Kakeled Quarry, Kinnekulle. The karstic surface occurs near the top of the Kakeled Limestone Bed that ranges from the upper Agnostus pisiformis into the Ctenopyge tumida Zone. The base of the cave is more than 1.4 m below this unconformity. A mass occurrence of Orusia lenticularis, a shallow-water brachiopod originally settling on hard substrates, in the karst pockets reflects deposition of the conglomeratic cover in extremely shallow marine environments. We interpret the widespread Orusia occurrences together with a brecciated or conglomeratic interval above an irregular surface in various Swedish locations as evidence for transgression after a major regression, regionally exposing the sea-floors of the Alum Shale Basin. A slightly younger karst surface is exposed in Tomten Quarry at Torbjörntorp, Västergötland. This resembles "Schrattenkalk" in the quarry wall but rock slabs cut vertical and parallel to bedding display a karren system, which reconstructed in 3D resembles "Napfkarren" or cockling features. Trilobites of the Ctenopyge bisulcata and C. linnarssoni zones have been recovered from the orsten bed just below the base of a 1-2 cm thick and irregular glauconitic packstone layer of the Bjørkåsholmen Formation (upper P. deltifer conodont Zone). The huge stratigraphic gap comprises the six uppermost trilobite zones of the Furongian plus most of the Tremadocian. Darriwilian conodonts with reworked older material within a limestone bed slightly above the glauconitic packstone point to yet another substantial gap in the succession. In the new Tingskullen core from

Paleozoic stratigraphy of two areas in southwestern Indiana

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Droste, J.B.

1976-09-01

Two areas recommended for evaluation as solid waste disposal sites lie along the strike of Paleozoic rocks in southwestern Indiana. Thin Pennsylvanian rocks and rocks of the upper Mississippian are at the bedrock surface in maturely dissected uplands in both areas. The gross subsurface stratigraphy beneath both areas is the same, but facies and thickness variation in some of the subsurface Paleozoic units provide for some minor differences between the areas. Thick middle Mississippi carbonates grade downward into clastics of lower Mississippian (Borden Group) and upper Devonian (New Albany Shale) rocks. Middle Devonian and Silurian rocks are dominated by carbonate lithologies. Upper Ordovician (Maquoketa Group) overly carbonates of middle Ordovician age. Thick siltstone and shale of the Borden Group-New Albany Shale zone and Maquoketa Group rocks should be suitable for repository development

Observed degradation stages of ring-mold craters (RMC): Geomorphic evidence for modification of ice-rich deposits in the transitions zone between Elysium and Utopia Basin, Mars

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Gro Birkefeldt Møller

Deposits with pits, depressions and RMCs observed north of Elysium rise are interpreted as degraded mixtures of ice and clastic material (CCF, LVF and LDA). Degradation stages of RMCs are an important tool for mapping dusty, deflated ice-rich units....

Dolomitization and sedimentary cyclicity of the Ordovician, Silurian, and Devonian rocks in South Estonia

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Kallaste, Toivo

2006-03-01

Full Text Available The distribution and composition of dolomitized rocks and stoichiometry of dolomite in southern Estonia in the Ordovician, Silurian, and Devonian were studied on the background of the facies, sedimentary cyclicity (nine shallowing-up cycles, and evolution of the palaeobasins. The composition of rocks and lattice parameters of dolomite were investigated using the X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, titration and gravimetric analyses, and porosity measurements. The formation of dolostones is directly determined by the cyclic evolution of palaeobasins. Dolomitized rocks belong to the shallow-water inner shelf or tidal/lagoonal facies belt of regressive phases of sedimentary cycles. Sediments of the deep shelf/transitional environment and transgressive phases are not dolomitized. The most stoichiometric is secondary replacive dolomite of Silurian and upper Ordovician dolostones, formed during the early diagenesis of normal-marine (saline shallow-shelf calcitic sediments. The content of insoluble residue does not affect the stoichiometry. The changes in lattice parameters are induced by the Ca/Mg ratio in the dolomite lattice. The dolomite of the dolostones contacting limestone or containing calcite has an expanded lattice. The primary (syngenetic dolostone of the lagoonal or tidal flat belt has also an expanded lattice. No dolomitizing effect of the waters of the Devonian palaeobasin on the underlying rocks was revealed. The whole data set of the studied dolostones is consistent with the marine water environment in the palaeobasin at the corresponding time and shows no sign of the inflow of external fluids. It suggests that the microbial model of dolomite formation may characterize the Ordovician, Silurian, and Devonian in southern Estonia. The occurrence of dolostones between undolomitized rocks limits the time of dolomitization to the early diagenetic stage.

An elastic solution for a new notched residual stess specimen subjected to an anti-clastic loading

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jakobsen, Johnny; Lyckegaard, Anders

A new test specimen has been proposed to explore the mechanical properties of thermoset resin exposed to residual stresses induced by curing and thermal expansion. The test principle is based on anti-clastic bending of a plate with a hole. An elastic solution to the bending problem is derived...

Graptolite graveyard: Re-Os dating of macroplankton at the Lower-Middle Ordovician boundary (Floian-Dapingian stage boundary), Tøyen Shale, southern Sweden

Science.gov (United States)

Goswami, V.; Stein, H. J.; Hannah, J. L.; Ahlberg, P.; Maletz, J.

2017-12-01

There exist only 16 radiometric ages for the entire 42 m.y. Ordovician Period. Stage boundaries are biostratigraphically defined by the first appearance of agreed on graptolite and conodont species. Cosmopolitan graptolites are common in the Ordovician and their relatively brief stratigraphic durations make them ideal for global correlations. The Floian-Dapingian stage boundary (Lower-Middle Ordovician boundary) is very poorly constrained, with an absence of radiometric dates for several million years below the boundary and poor statistics on ages in the lower Dapingian [1]. Here we use the Ordovician Tøyen Shale, widespread across southern Sweden and Norway with a highly-refined graptolite biostratigraphy, to add a new age constraint [2]. With drill core from Lerhamn, Sweden (samples from 35.75-36.70 m depth), we employ a novel approach to directly date the fauna. We physically extracted a well-preserved 5-cm fossil of macroplankton (graptolite) from organic-rich shales (up to 4% TOC) for Re-Os dating. The graptolite and its hosting shale together define a well-constrained Model 1 isochron of 469.4 ± 1.7 Ma (2s, MSWD = 1.7, n = 9) and an initial 187Os/188Os (Osi) of 0.802 ± 0.002 for seawater. The Osi documents sustained radiogenic Os input to seawater from the Neoproterozoic-Cambrian through the Early Ordovician, in concert with the Sr isotope seawater curve. The analyzed graptolite belongs to the species Pseudophyllograptus augustifolius, a member of the upper Floian fauna [2]. Our nominal age for the dated graptolite and the shale is lower Dapingian according to the 2017 GTS [1]. Therefore, the Re-Os age suggests the Floian-Dapingian stage boundary may be younger than currently accepted. As defined in the GTS, the Dapingian stage is only 2.7 m.y. (470.0 ± 1.4 to 467.3 ± 1.1 Ma); combined uncertainties could give the Dapingian a mere 0.2 m.y. duration (or a maximum of 5 m.y). Although uncertainties overlap, our first dating of the Lower-Middle Ordovician

A Darriwilian (Middle Ordovician bivalve-dominated molluscan fauna from the Stairway Sandstone, Amadeus Basin, central Australia

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Kristian G. Jakobsen

2016-12-01

Full Text Available A bivalve-dominated molluscan fauna is described from the Darriwilian (Middle Ordovician Stairway Sandstone, Amadeus Basin, central Australia. The fauna comprises 16 species of bivalves and rostroconchs plus six gastropod species which are treated under open nomenclature. Two new bivalves, Sthenodonta paenesymmetrica sp. nov. and Modiolopsis pojetai sp. nov., are described. The relatively low-diverse molluscan fauna constitutes around 62% of the total benthic macrofauna. Approximately 75% of the molluscs comprise bivalves, especially nuculoids, which were biogeographically restricted to low latitudes during the Ordovician. The molluscan assemblage displays a very high degree of endemism at species level, though the bivalve Sthenodonta eastii also occurs in the Georgina Basin farther to the northeast. This indicates a possible marine connective seaway between the Georgina and Amadeus basins during the Darriwilian. Nuculites, Cyrtodonta, and Modiolopsis are cosmopolitan and previously reported from North China, Avalonia, and Southern Gondwana.

Did the amalgamation of continents drive the end Ordovician mass extinctions?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mac Ørum Rasmussen, Christian; Harper, David Alexander Taylor

2011-01-01

not uniformly distributed, nor was the succeeding recovery. Here we argue that changing plate tectonic configurations during the Ordovician–Silurian interval may have exerted a primary control on biotic extinction and recovery. In particular the proximity and ultimate loss of microcontinents and associated...... smaller terranes around Laurentia may have restricted shelf and slope habitats during the latest Ordovician but, nevertheless, in a contracted Iapetus Ocean, provided migration routes to help drive a diachronous early Silurian recovery. The conclusion that plate tectonics was a primary factor controlling...

Evolution of depositional system and uraniferous characteristics of Damoguaihe formation in Kelulun sag

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Zhijie; Yu Xinghe; Zhang Chuanheng; Chen Zhankun

2005-01-01

Damoguaihe Formation, which is mainly of alluvial fan, fan delta and lacustrine depositional systems, is the target horizon for the prospecting of sandstone-type uranium deposit in Kelulun sag, Hailaer basin. According to the depositional environment and sediment characteristics, alluvial fan facies is subdivided into upper fan, middle fan and lower fan subfacies; the fan delta facies is subadivided into upper fan delta plain, lower fan delta plain, fan delta front and fan prodelta subfacies. At the northern edge of the sag occurred one fan delta and one alluvial fan, which can mutually transform one into another. The terrigenous coarse-grained clastic deposits in the study area provide favorable condition for the concentration of uranium and especially the main channels and distributary channels on the fan delta and alluvial fan are the most favorable sites for uranium concentration. (authors)

A Cambrian mixed carbonate-siliciclastic platform in SW Gondwana: evidence from the Western Sierras Pampeanas (Argentina) and implications for the early Paleozoic paleogeography of the proto-Andean margin

Science.gov (United States)

Ramacciotti, Carlos D.; Casquet, César; Baldo, Edgardo G.; Galindo, Carmen; Pankhurst, Robert J.; Verdecchia, Sebastián O.; Rapela, Carlos W.; Fanning, Mark

2018-05-01

The Western Sierras Pampeanas (WSP) of Argentina record a protracted geological history from the Mesoproterozoic assembly of the Rodinia supercontinent to the early Paleozoic tectonic evolution of SW Gondwana. Two well-known orogenies took place at the proto-Andean margin of Gondwana in the Cambrian and the Ordovician, i.e., the Pampean (545-520 Ma) and Famatinian (490-440 Ma) orogenies, respectively. Between them, an extensive continental platform was developed, where mixed carbonate-siliciclastic sedimentation occurred. This platform was later involved in the Famatinian orogeny when it underwent penetrative deformation and metamorphism. The platform apparently extended from Patagonia to northwestern Argentina and the Eastern Sierras Pampeanas, and has probable equivalents in SW Africa, Peru, and Bolivia. The WSP record the outer (deepest) part of the platform, where carbonates were deposited in addition to siliciclastic sediments. Detrital zircon U-Pb SHRIMP ages from clastic metasedimentary successions and Sr-isotope compositions of marbles from the WSP suggest depositional ages between ca. 525 and 490 Ma. The detrital zircon age patterns further suggest that clastic sedimentation took place in two stages. The first was sourced mainly from re-working of the underlying Neoproterozoic metasedimentary rocks and the uplifted core of the early Cambrian Pampean orogen, without input from the Paleoproterozoic Río de la Plata craton. Sediments of the second stage resulted from the erosion of the still emerged Pampean belt and the Neoproterozoic Brasiliano orogen in the NE with some contribution from the Río de la Plata craton. An important conclusion is that the WSP basement was already part of SW Gondwana in the early Cambrian, and not part of the exotic Precordillera/Cuyania terrane, as was previously thought.

Provenance and geological significance of red mud and other clastic sediments of the Mugnano cave (Montagnola Senese, Italy

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Iacoviello Francesco

2012-07-01

Full Text Available The Mugnano cave is characterized by a thick clastic sedimentary fill showing a great variability of sedimentary facies, ranging from clay to coarse-grained sand deposits. This paper deals with combined sedimentological and mineralogical (XRD and SEM studies of these sediments and bedrock insoluble residues in order to understand the origin and geological significance of cave deposits, with particular attention to red mud sediments, often considered as the residue of host rock dissolution. Three different sedimentary facies were recognized: i YS, yellow sand with occasionally shell fragments, testifying the arrival of sediments from the surrounding landscape; ii RS, red laminated mud; iii GS, grey and red-grey mud and sand, dolomite-rich sediments. Furthermore, the results obtained in the present study allowed the identification of two fingerprint minerals: i quartz, present only as traces in the limestone host-rock, and ii dolomite, certainly related to the incomplete bedrock dissolution. Results obtained by this multidisciplinary approach testify that no one of the investigated sediments is representative of a completely autochthonous sedimentation (i.e. accumulation of insoluble residue of limestone in a cave environment. In fact, all the three sedimentary facies show a bulk composition rich in quartz, a mineral indicating an external origin for these sediments. Also the grey sediments, despite of their high content of bedrock- related dolomite, are quite rich in quartz and they testify the mixing of autochthonous and allocthonous sediments. The clay fraction of cave sediments shows strong compositional similarities with bedrock insoluble residue and consequently its analysis cannot be considered as a clear proxy for distinguishing between different parent materials. Therefore, the origin of these cave deposits is dominantly related to external sediments inputs, with terra rossa surface soils as the most probable parent material for red mud

Phanerozoic Rifting Phases And Mineral Deposits

Science.gov (United States)

Hassaan, Mahmoud

2016-04-01

connected with NW,WNW and N-S faults genetically related to volcano-hydrothermal activity associated the Red Sea rifting. At Sherm EL-Sheikh hydrothermal manganese deposit occurs in Oligocene clastics within fault zone. Four iron-manganese-barite mineralization in Esh-Elmellaha plateau are controlled by faults trending NW,NE and nearly E-W intersecting Miocene carbonate rocks. Barite exists disseminated in the ores and as a vein in NW fault. In Shalatee - Halaib district 24 manganese deposits and barite veins with sulphide patches occur within Miocene carbonates distributed along two NW fault planes,trending 240°and 310° and occur in granite and basalt . Uranium -lead-zinc sulfide mineralization occur in Late Proterozoic granite, Late Cretaceous sandstones, and chiefly in Miocene clastic-carbonate-evaporate rocks. The occurrences of uranium- lead-zinc and iron-manganese-barite mineralization have the characteristic features of hypogene cavity filling and replacement deposits correlated with Miocene- Recent Aden volcanic rocks rifting. In western Saudi Arabia barite-lead-zinc mineralization occurs at Lat. 25° 45' and 25° 50'N hosted by Tertiary sediments in limestone nearby basaltic flows and NE-SW fault system. The mineralized hot brines in the Red Sea deeps considered by the author a part of this province. The author considers the constant rifting phases of Pangea and then progressive fragmentation of Western Gondwana during the Late Carboniferous-Lias, Late Jurassic-Early Aptian, Late Aptian - Albian and Late Eocene-Early Miocene and Oligocene-Miocene, responsible for formation of the mineral deposits constituting the M provinces. During these events, rifting, magmatism and hydrothermal activities took place in different peri-continental margins.

Application of advanced reservoir characterization, simulation, and production optimization strategies to maximize recovery in slope and basin clastic reservoirs, west Texas (Delaware Basin). Annual progress report, March 31, 1995--March 31, 1996

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dutton, S.P.; Hovorka, S.D.; Cole, A.G.

1996-08-01

The objective of this Class III project is to demonstrate that detailed reservoir characterization of clastic reservoirs in basinal sandstones of the Delaware Mountain Group in the Delaware Basin of West Texas and New Mexico is a cost-effective way to recover more of the original oil in place by strategic infill-well placement and geologically based field development. Reservoirs in the Delaware Mountain Group have low producibility (average recovery <14 percent of the original oil in place) because of a high degree of vertical and lateral heterogeneity caused by depositional processes and post-depositional diagenetic modification. Detailed correlations of the Ramsey sandstone reservoirs in Geraldine Ford field suggest that lateral sandstone continuity is less than interpreted by previous studies. The degree of lateral heterogeneity in the reservoir sandstones suggests that they were deposited by eolian-derived turbidites. According to the eolian-derived turbidite model, sand dunes migrated across the exposed shelf to the shelf break during sea-level lowstands and provided well sorted sand for turbidity currents or grain flows into the deep basin.

A Stranger in the Midst: Searching for Relict Grains from Rare Meteorite Types in Mid-Ordovician Limestone Strata

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, E.; Schmitz, B.

2016-08-01

A layer of Mid-Ordovician limestone harbors exceptional amounts of L-chondritic chromite grains. The layer also contains grains from potentially rarer types of meteorites, following the discovery of the fossil meteorite Österplana 065.

The oldest iocrinid crinoids from the Early/Middle Ordovician of China: Possible paleogeographic implications

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Jih-Pai; Ausich, William I.; Balinski, Andrzej; Bergström, Stig M.; Sun, Yuanlin

2018-01-01

This study reports new crinoid material, which is identified as Muicrinus dawanensis new genus and new species from South China, representing the oldest known iocrinid in the world. These new fossils, which are characterized by bearing simple primibrachials and a helically coiled column, are from the lower-middle part of the Dawan Formation, which ranges from the upper Floian (Lower Ordovician) to the lower Dapingian (Middle Ordovician) (∼470 Ma). A total of 11 related taxa with 80 characters were selected to conduct phylogenetic analyses. Our results indicated that South China specimens are closely related to ones that are endemic to Laurentia. Synapomorphies shared between species in those two cratons include elongate supraradial plates and isotomous arm branching. Furthermore, the phylogenetic closeness of endemic taxa that only occurred in two cratons leads us to suggest a geographic connection between those regions during deep time. Combining biogeographic evidence reported from Cambrian studies, this study supports the "missing-link" configuration of Rodinia during the breakup phase. Based on the crinoid global biodiversity pattern updated here, the potential for discovery of new Paleozoic crinoid faunas in China is very high.

Sedimentology of Hirnantian glaciomarine deposits in the Balkan Terrane, western Bulgaria: Fixing a piece of the north peri-Gondwana jigsaw puzzle

Science.gov (United States)

Chatalov, Athanas

2017-04-01

Glaciomarine deposits of late Hirnantian age in the western part of the Palaeozoic Balkan Terrane have persistent thickness ( 7 m) and lateral uniformity in rock colour, bedding pattern, lithology, and sedimentary structures. Four lithofacies are distinguished from base to top: lonestone-bearing diamictites, interbedded structureless mudstones, crudely laminated diamictites, and finely laminated mudstones. The diamictites are clast-poor to clast-rich comprising muddy to sandy varieties. Their compositional maturity is evidenced by the very high amount of detrital quartz compared to the paucity of feldspar and unstable lithic grains. Other textural components include extraclasts derived from the local Ordovician basement, mudstone intraclasts, and sediment aggregates. Turbate structures, grain lineations, and soft sediment deformation of the matrix below larger grains are locally observed. Sedimentological analysis reveals that deposition occurred in an ice-intermediate to ice-distal, poorly agitated shelf environment by material supplied from meltwater buoyant plumes and rain-out from ice-rafted debris. Remobilization by mass-flow processes (cohesive debris flows and slumps) was an important mechanism particularly for the formation of massive diamictites. The glaciomarine deposits represent a typical deglaciation sequence reflecting retreat of the ice front (grounded or floating ice sheet), relative sea-level rise and gradually reduced sedimentation rate with increasing contribution from suspension fallout. This sequence was deposited on the non-glaciated shelf of the intracratonic North Gondwana platform along the southern margin of the Rheic Ocean. The Hirnantian strata of the Balkan Terrane can be correlated with similar glaciomarine deposits known from peri-Gondwana terranes elsewhere in Europe showing clear 'Armorican affinity'. Several lines of evidence suggest that the provenance of siliciclastic material was associated mainly with sedimentary recycling of

Speleology and magnetobiostratigraphic chronology of the GD 2 locality of the Gondolin hominin-bearing paleocave deposits, North West Province, South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Herries, Andy I R; Adams, Justin W; Kuykendall, Kevin L; Shaw, John

2006-12-01

Speleological, paleomagnetic, mineral magnetic, and biochronological analyses have been undertaken at the Gondolin hominin-bearing paleocave, North West Province, South Africa. Two fossiliferous but stratigraphically separate sequences, GD2 and GD1/3, which were once part of a large cavern system, have been identified. Although some comparative paleomagnetic samples were taken from the GD 1, 3, and 4 localities that are currently under investigation, the research presented here focuses on the fossil-rich, in situ deposits at locality GD 2, excavated by E.S. Vrba in 1979. The GD 2 deposits are dominated by normal-polarity calcified clastic deposits that are sandwiched between clastic-free flowstone speleothems. The lower flowstone has a sharp contact with the red siltstone deposits and is of reversed polarity. The capping flowstone shows a change from normal to reversed polarity, thereby preserving a polarity reversal. While the paleomagnetic work indicates that the GD 2 fossil material was deposited during a normal-polarity period, the shortness of the sequence made matching of the magnetostratigraphy to the geomagnetic polarity time scale (GPTS) impossible without the aid of biochronology. While lacking multiple time-sensitive taxa, the recovery of specimens attributable to Stage III Metridiochoerus andrewsi is consistent with a deposition date between 1.9 and 1.5 Ma. A comparison of the magnetostratigraphy with the GPTS therefore suggests that the fauna-bearing siltstone of GD 2 date to the Olduvai normal-polarity event, which occurred between 1.95 and 1.78 Ma, and that the reversal from normal to reversed polarity identified in the capping flowstone dates to 1.78 Ma. The main faunal layers therefore date to slightly older than 1.78 Ma. Deposits from the GD 1 locality are dominated by reversed directions of magnetization, which show that this deposit is not of the same age as the faunal layers from the GD 2 locality.

Application of Advanced Reservoir Characterization, Simulation, and Production Optimization Strategies to Maximize Recovery in Slope and Basin Clastic Reservoirs, West Texas (Delaware Basin)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andrew G. Cole; George B. Asquith; Jose I. Guzman; Mark D. Barton; Mohammad A. Malik; Shirley P. Dutton; Sigrid J. Clift

1998-04-01

The objective of this Class III project is to demonstrate that detailed reservoir characterization of clastic reservoirs in basinal sandstones of the Delaware Mountain Group in the Delaware Basin of West Texas and New Mexico is a cost-effective way to recover more of the original oil in place by strategic infill-well placement and geologically based enhanced oil recovery. The study focused on the Ford Geraldine unit, which produces from the upper Bell Canyon Formation (Ramsey sandstone). Reservoirs in this and other Delaware Mountain Group fields have low producibility (average recovery <14 percent of the original oil in place) because of a high degree of vertical and lateral heterogeneity caused by depositional processes and post-depositional diagenetic modification. Outcrop analogs were studied to better interpret the depositional processes that formed the reservoirs at the Ford Geraldine unit and to determine the dimensions of reservoir sandstone bodies. Facies relationships and bedding architecture within a single genetic unit exposed in outcrop in Culberson County, Texas, suggest that the sandstones were deposited in a system of channels and levees with attached lobes that initially prograded basinward, aggraded, and then turned around and stepped back toward the shelf. Channel sandstones are 10 to 60 ft thick and 300 to 3,000 ft wide. The flanking levees have a wedge-shaped geometry and are composed of interbedded sandstone and siltstone; thickness varies from 3 to 20 ft and length from several hundred to several thousands of feet. The lobe sandstones are broad lens-shaped bodies; thicknesses range up to 30 ft with aspect ratios (width/thickness) of 100 to 10,000. Lobe sandstones may be interstratified with laminated siltstones.

Reproductive cyst and operculum formation in the Cambrian-Ordovician galeate-plexus microfossils

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Agic, Heda; Moczydlowska, Malgorzata; Canfield, Donald Eugene

2016-01-01

Unicellular organic-walled microfossils from the Cambrian-Ordovician transition in Estonia (ca. 490-480million years ago) exhibit rare characters reflecting their function as reproductive algal cysts. The studied assemblages record the evolutionary history of phytoplankton in the early Palaeozoic...... alga Acetabularia (Chlorophyta), which possesses an intrinsic lid-forming apparatus used during the organism's reproductive stage. Based on the observations on the fossil material and studies on the Acetabularia lid formation, we propose a model of operculum formation in the galeate plexus micro-organisms...

The Potosi Reservoir Model 2014

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smith, Valerie; Adushita, Yasmin; Leetaru, Hannes

2014-09-30

As a part of a larger project co-funded by the United States Department of Energy (US DOE) to evaluate the potential of formations within the Cambro-Ordovician strata above the Mt. Simon Sandstone as potential targets for carbon sequestration in the Illinois and Michigan Basins, the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) requested Schlumberger to evaluate the potential injectivity and carbon dioxide (CO2) plume size of the Cambrian Potosi Formation. The evaluation of this formation was accomplished using wireline data, core data, pressure data, and seismic data from this project as well as two other separately funded projects: the United States Department of Energy-funded Illinois Basin – Decatur Project (IBDP) being conducted by the Midwest Geological Sequestration Consortium (MGSC) in Macon County, Illinois, and the Illinois Industrial Carbon Capture and Sequestration (IL-ICCS) project funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Tectonic and climatic controls on continental depositional facies in the Karoo Basin of northern Natal, South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, Brian R.

1986-02-01

The eastern Karoo Basin, South Africa, contains a thick sequence of terrigenous clastic sediments comprising a meanderbelt facies, braided channel facies divided into coarse and fine subfacies, fluviolacustrine facies and aeolian facies. Depositional trends and changes in fluvial style reflect a progressive increase in aridity of the climate under stable tectonic conditions, interrupted by two phases of source area tectonism and the development of fine and coarse clastic wedges of the braided channel subfacies; the latter signifying a short interlude of cool, wet conditions. The fine braided channel subfacies occurs in the upper part of the meanderbelt facies, which was deposited by ephemeral, meandering mixed-load streams of variable discharge and sinuosity, under dry, semi-arid climatic conditions. These deposited complex, internally discordant channel sands and well-developed levee deposits. Following deposition of the coarse braided channel subfacies semi-arid conditions returned and fluvial deposition was dominated by ephemeral, straight to slightly sinuous mixed load streams characterised by simple channel sand bodies. As the aridity of the climate increased, the streams became more localised and carried an increasing proportion of fines. Interbedded with and overlying the fluvial deposits is a mudstone-dominated lacustrine sequence grading up into aeolian sands suggesting a playa lake-type situation. The general absence of evaporites from these sediments is attributed to the fresh nature of the lake waters, as evidenced by the freshwater aquatic organisms and clay-mineral suite, the lack of adequate inflow for solute accumulation and the removal of dust impregnated by salts from the surface of the dry lake bed during the dry season by superheated, upward-spiralling columns of air. Broadly similar environments to the fluvio-lacustrine and aeolian facies sequence are to be found in the Lake Eyre Basin of central Australia and the Okavango "delta" of northern

Cosmogenic He and Ne in chondrules from clastic matrix and a lithic clast of Murchison: No pre-irradiation by the early sun

Science.gov (United States)

Riebe, My E. I.; Huber, Liliane; Metzler, Knut; Busemann, Henner; Luginbuehl, Stefanie M.; Meier, Matthias M. M.; Maden, Colin; Wieler, Rainer

2017-09-01

Whether or not some meteorites retain a record of irradiation by a large flux of energetic particles from the early sun in the form of excesses of cosmic-ray produced noble gases in individual crystals or single chondrules is a topic of ongoing debate. Here, we present He and Ne isotopic data for individual chondrules in Murchison, a chondritic regolith breccia of the CM group. We separated 27 chondrules from a clastic matrix portion and 26 chondrules from an adjacent single so-called "primary accretionary rock" (Metzler et al., 1992). All chondrules from the primary rock fragment are expected to share a common irradiation history, whereas chondrules from the clastic matrix were stirred in the regolith independently of each other. All "primary rock chondrules" and 23 of the "matrix chondrules" have very similar concentrations of cosmogenic 3He and 21Ne, corresponding to a cosmic-ray exposure age to galactic cosmic rays (GCR) of ∼1.3-1.9 Ma, in the range of Murchison's meteoroid exposure age determined with cosmogenic radionuclides. Four clastic matrix chondrules contain excesses of cosmogenic 3He and 21Ne, corresponding to nominal 4π exposure ages of ∼4-∼29 Ma, with a Ne isotopic composition as expected for production by GCR. If the fraction of excess cosmogenic gas bearing chondrules in the primary rock and clastic matrix were the same, we would expect this result with a statistical probability of only 0.5 - 2.7%. Therefore, the exposure age distributions for Murchison chondrules in primary rock and clastic matrix are very likely different. Such a difference is expected if the excess cosmogenic gas was acquired by some of the matrix chondrules in the regolith, but not if chondrules were irradiated in the solar nebula by the early sun before they accreted on the Murchison parent body. Therefore, Murchison does not provide evidence for irradiation by a high fluence of energetic particles from the early sun. By inference, this statement likely holds for the

Characteristics of isotope geology of sandstone-type uranium deposit in Turpan-Hami Basin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Hanbin; Xia Yuliang; Lin Jinrong; Fan Guang

2003-01-01

This paper expounds the isotope characteristics of in-situ leachable sandstone-type uranium deposit of Shihongtan in the southwestern part of Turpan-Hami basin. The results suggest that uranium mineralization age of 48 ± 2 Ma and 28 ± 4 Ma are obtained. The ages of the porphyritic granite and gneissic granite from the southwestern area are 422 ± 5 Ma and 268 ± 23 Ma. The U-Pb age of clastic zircons from ore-bearing sandstone is 283 ± 67 Ma, which is corresponding to the age of gneissic granite of the provenance area indicating the material source of uraniferous sandstone.Based. The sources are uraniferous sandstone accumulated during the deposition and the uranium leached from provenance area rocks by weathering. (authors)

The chromium isotopic composition of an Early to Middle Ordovician marine carbonate platform, eastern Precordillera, San Juan, Argentina

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

D'Arcy, Joan Mary; Frei, Robert; Gilleaudeau, Geoffrey Jon

A broad suite of redox proxy data suggest that despite ocean and atmosphere oxygenation in the late Neoproterozoic, euxinic conditions persisted in the global deep oceans until the at least Ordovician [1,2,3]. Major changes in the sulphur isotopic composition of carbonate associated sulphate and ...

Peat-accumulating depositional systems of Sarawak, East Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Staub, James R.; Esterle, Joan S.

1994-02-01

Many coal deposits originate in deltaic, estuarine, and coastal plain settings and a knowledge of interrelationships between the tectonic and depositional elements active at the time of sediment deposition is necessary to formulate basin scale models. The prograding coastal depositional systems of Sarawak all contain domed peat-accumulating environments in which low-ash, low-sulfur peats are being deposited in areas of active clastic siliciclastic sedimentation. These depositional systems are as large as 11,400 km 2 and individual peat deposits within systems are in excess of 20 m thick and 1000 km 2 in area. The geographic positions and drainage basin areas of each depositional system are controlled by fault and fold systems. Although prograding into the same receiving basin, individual system geomorphology is variable and ranges from a wave-dominated microtidal delta, to a wave-dominated meso- to macro-tidal delta/coastal plain system, to a tide-dominated macrotidal estuarine embayment along a 450 km stretch of coastline. System variation is a function of sediment supply, shelf and embayment geometry, wave climate, and tidal range. These factors, which control depositional system geomorphology, also control the resulting long axis orientation of the thick, domed peat deposits. The surface vegetation and internal characteristics of most domed peat deposits, however, are similar. Internal characteristics consist of basal high-ash, high-sulfur, degraded peats overlain by low-ash, low-sulfur, well preserved peats in vertical profile. These systems demonstrate variable responses to late Pleistocene/Holocene sea-level rise and, in these instances, the variation is most attributable to local differences in siliciclastic sediment supply, which is a function of the drainage basin area.

Composition and genesis of the Konevinsky gold deposit, Eastern Sayan, Russia

Science.gov (United States)

Damdinov, B. B.; Zhmodik, S. M.; Roshchektaev, P. A.; Damdinova, L. B.

2016-03-01

The Konevinsky gold deposit in southeast Eastern Sayan is distinguished from most known deposits in this region (Zun-Kholba, etc.) by the geological setting and composition of mineralization. To elucidate the cause of the peculiar mineralization, we have studied the composition, formation conditions, and origin of this deposit, which is related to the Ordovician granitoid pluton 445-441 Ma in age cut by intermediate and basic dikes spatially associated with metavolcanic rocks of the Devonian-Carboniferous Ilei Sequence. Four mineral assemblages are recognized: (1) quartz-pyrite-molybdenite, (2) quartz-gold-pyrite, (3) gold-polysulfide, and (4) telluride. Certain indications show that the ore was formed as a result of the superposition of two distinct mineral assemblages differing in age. The first stage dated at ~440 Ma is related to intrusions generating Cu-Mo-Au porphyry mineralization and gold-polysulfide veins. The second stage is controlled by dikes pertaining to the Devonian-Carboniferous volcanic-plutonic association. The second stage is characterized by gain of Hg and Te and formation of gold-mercury-telluride paragenesis.

Criteria for the recognition and correlation of sandstone units in the Precambrian and Paleozoic-Mesozoic clastic sequence in the near east

Science.gov (United States)

Weissbrod, T.; Perath, I.

A systematic study of the Precambrian and Paleozoic-Mesozoic clastic sequences (Nubian Sandstone) in Israel and Sinai, and a comparative analysis of its stratigraphy in neighbouring countries, has shown that besides the conventional criteria of subdivision (lithology, field appearance, photogeological features, fossil content), additional criteria can be applied, which singly or in mutual conjuction enable the recognition of widespread units and boundaries. These criteria show lateral constancy, and recurrence of a similar vertical sequence over great distances, and are therefore acceptable for the identification of synchronous, region-wide sedimentary units (and consequently, major unconformities). They also enable, once the units are established, to identify detached (not in situ) samples, samples from isolated or discontinous outcrops, borehole material or archive material. The following rock properties were tested and found to be usefuls in stratigraphic interpretation, throughout large distribution areas of the clastic sequence: Landscape, which is basically the response of a particular textural-chemic al aggregate to atmospheric weathering. Characteristic outcrop feature — styles of roundness or massivity, fissuring or fliatin, slope profile, bedding — express a basic uniformity of these platform-type clastics. Colors are often stratigraphically constant over hundreds of kilometers, through various climates and topographies, and express some intrinsic unity of the rock bodies. Grain size and sorting, when cross-plotted, enable to differentiate existing unit. The method requires the analysis of representative numbers of samples. Vertical trends of median grain size and sorting show reversals, typically across unconformities. Feldstar content diminishes from 15-50% in Precambrian-Paleozoic rocks to a mere 5% or less in Mesozoic sandstones — a distinctive regionwide time trend. Dominance of certain feldstar types characterizes Precambrian and Paleozoic

Types and characteristics of carbonate reservoirs and their implication on hydrocarbon exploration: A case study from the eastern Tarim Basin, NW China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shiwei Huang

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Carbonate rocks are deposited in the Ordovician, Cambrian, and Sinian of eastern Tarim Basin with a cumulative maximum thickness exceeding 2000 m. They are the main carriers of oil and gas, and a great deal of natural gas has been found there in the past five years. Based on lithofacies and reservoir differences, natural gas exploration domains of eastern Tarim Basin can be classified into five types: Ordovician platform limestone; Ordovician platform dolomite; Cambrian platform margin mound shoal; Cambrian slope gravity flow deposits, and; Sinian dolomite. Carbonate reservoir characteristics of all the types were synthetically analyzed through observation on drilling core and thin sections, porosity and permeability measurement, and logging data of over 10 drilling wells. We find distribution of part of good fracture and cave reservoir in carbonate platform limestone of Ordovician. In the Ordovician, platform facies dolomite is better than limestone, and in the Cambrian, platform margin mound shoal dolomite has large stacking thickness. Good quality and significantly thick carbonate gravity deposit flow can be found in the Cambrian slope, and effective reservoir has also been found in Sinian dolomite. Commercial gas has been found in the limestone and dolomite of Ordovician in Shunnan and Gucheng areas. Exploration experiences from these two areas are instructive, enabling a deeper understanding of this scene.

Variability in Abundances of Meteorites in the Ordovician

Science.gov (United States)

Heck, P. R.; Schmitz, B.; Kita, N.

2017-12-01

The knowledge of the flux of extraterrestrial material throughout Earth's history is of great interest to reconstruct the collisional evolution of the asteroid belt. Here, we present a review of our investigations of the nature of the meteorite flux to Earth in the Ordovician, one of the best-studied time periods for extraterrestrial matter in the geological record [1]. We base our studies on compositions of extraterrestrial chromite and chrome-spinel extracted by acid dissolution from condensed marine limestone from Sweden and Russia [1-3]. By analyzing major and minor elements with EDS and WDS, and three oxygen isotopes with SIMS we classify the recovered meteoritic materials. Today, the L and H chondrites dominate the meteorite and coarse micrometeorite flux. Together with the rarer LL chondrites they have a type abundance of 80%. In the Ordovician it was very different: starting from 466 Ma ago 99% of the flux was comprised of L chondrites [2]. This was a result of the collisional breakup of the parent asteroid. This event occurred close to an orbital resonance in the asteroid belt and showered Earth with >100x more L chondritic material than today during more than 1 Ma. Although the flux is much lower at present, L chondrites are still the dominant type of meteorites that fall today. Before the asteroid breakup event 467 Ma ago the three groups of ordinary chondrites had about similar abundances. Surprisingly, they were possibly surpassed in abundance by achondrites, materials from partially and fully differentiated asteroids [3]. These achondrites include HED meteorites, which are presumably fragments released during the formation of the Rheasilvia impact structure 1 Ga ago on asteroid 4 Vesta. The enhanced abundance of LL chondrites is possibly a result of the Flora asteroid family forming event at 1 Ga ago. The higher abundance of primitive achondrites was likely due to smaller asteroid family forming events that have not been identified yet but that did

Hirnantian (latest Ordovician bio- and chemostratigraphy of the Stirnas-18 core, western Latvia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hints, Linda

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Integrated study of the uppermost Ordovician Porkuni Stage in the Stirnas-18 core, western Latvia, has revealed one of the most complete Hirnantian successions in the eastern Baltic region. The interval is characterized by two shallowing upwards depositional sequences that correspond to the Kuldiga and Saldus formations. The whole-rock carbon stable isotope curve indicates a long rising segment of the Hirnantian carbon isotope excursion, with the highest peak in the upper part of the Kuldiga Formation. The bioclast carbon and oxygen curves fit well with the whole-rock carbon data. Micro- and macrofossil data enabled seven combined associations to be distinguished within the Hirnantian strata. The early Porkuni fauna of the Spinachitina taugourdeaui Biozone, with pre-Hirnantian affinities, is succeeded by an interval with a Hindella–Cliftonia brachiopod association, a specific polychaete fauna, the chitinozoan Conochitina scabra, and the conodont Noixodontus girardeauensis. The middle part of the Kuldiga Formation is characterized by a low-diversity Dalmanella testudinaria brachiopod association, high diversity of scolecodonts, and the occurrence of the chitinozoan Lagenochitina prussica. From the middle part of the Kuldiga Formation the youngest occurrence yet known of the conodont Amorphognathus ordovicicus is reported. Also typical of the Kuldiga Formation is the occurrence of the trilobite Mucronaspis mucronata. The uppermost Hirnantian Saldus Formation contains no shelly fauna, but yields redeposited conodonts and at least partly indigenous chitinozoans and scolecodonts. Palaeontological criteria and stable isotope data enable correlation of the Stirnas section with other Hirnantian successions in the Baltic region and elsewhere.

Lithostratigraphy of Upper Ordovician strata exposed in Kentucky

Science.gov (United States)

Weir, Gordon Whitney; Peterson, Warren Lee; Swadley, W.C.

1984-01-01

Ordovician formations above the Lexington Limestone crop out in the Blue Grass region of Kentucky and along the Cumberland River and its tributaries. The formations are all conformable and in places intertongue and intergrade. The major Ordovician units above the Lexington Limestone in the Blue Grass region are: The Clays Ferry Formation, the Kope Formation, the Garrard Siltstone, the Fairview Formation, the Calloway Creek Limestone, the Grant Lake Limestone, the Ashlock Formation, the Bull Fork Formation, and the Drakes Formation. The Clays Ferry Formation is made up of subequal amounts of fossiliferous limestone and shale and minor siltstone; the Clays Ferry is as much as 300 ft thick and intertongues with the Lexington Limestone and the Kope Formation. The Kope Formation resembles the partly equivalent Clays Ferry but has a higher shale content (60-80 percent) and thicker layers of shale; the Kope, as much as 275 ft thick, is mostly restricted to the northern part of the State. The Garrard Siltstone, which consists of very calcitic siltstone and minor shale, overlies the Clays Ferry Formation in the southeastern part of the Blue Grass region; the Garrard, as much as 100 ft thick, feathers out into the upper part of the Clays Ferry in southern central and northern east-central Kentucky. The Fairview Formation is characterized by even-bedded limestone interlayered with nearly equal amounts of shale and minor siltstone. The Fairview crops out in the northern part of the Blue Grass region, where it generally overlies the Kope Formation or the Garrard Siltstone; it grades southward into the Calloway Creek Limestone. The Calloway Creek contains more limestone (generally at least 70 percent) and is more irregularly and thinner bedded than the Fairview. The Grant Lake Limestone is composed of nodular-bedded limestone (70-90 percent), interlayered and intermixed with shale; it overlies the Fairview Formation in the northern part of the Blue Grass region and the Calloway

Sedimentary facies and depositional environments of early Mesozoic Newark Supergroup basins, eastern North America

Science.gov (United States)

Smoot, J.P.

1991-01-01

The early Mesozoic Newark Supergroup consists of continental sedimentary rocks and basalt flows that occupy a NE-trending belt of elongate basins exposed in eastern North America. The basins were filled over a period of 30-40 m.y. spanning the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic, prior to the opening of the north Atlantic Ocean. The sedimentary rocks are here divided into four principal lithofacies. The alluvial-fan facies includes deposits dominated by: (1) debris flows; (2) shallow braided streams; (3) deeper braided streams (with trough crossbeds); or (4) intense bioturbation or hyperconcentrated flows (tabular, unstratified muddy sandstone). The fluvial facies include deposits of: (1) shallow, ephemeral braided streams; (2) deeper, flashflooding, braided streams (with poor sorting and crossbeds); (3) perennial braided rivers; (4) meandering rivers; (5) meandering streams (with high suspended loads); (6) overbank areas or local flood-plain lakes; or (7) local streams and/or colluvium. The lacustrine facies includes deposits of: (1) deep perennial lakes; (2) shallow perennial lakes; (3) shallow ephemeral lakes; (4) playa dry mudflats; (5) salt-encrusted saline mudflats; or (6) vegetated mudflats. The lake margin clastic facies includes deposits of: (1) birdfoot deltas; (2) stacked Gilbert-type deltas; (3) sheet deltas; (4) wave-reworked alluvial fans; or (5) wave-sorted sand sheets. Coal deposits are present in the lake margin clastic and the lacustrine facies of Carnian age (Late Triassic) only in basins of south-central Virginia and North and South Carolina. Eolian deposits are known only from the basins in Nova Scotia and Connecticut. Evaporites (and their pseudomorphs) occur mainly in the northern basins as deposits of saline soils and less commonly of saline lakes, and some evaporite and alkaline minerals present in the Mesozoic rocks may be a result of later diagenesis. These relationships suggest climatic variations across paleolatitudes, more humid to the

Stratigraphic, Structural and Petrophysical Evaluation of borehole images obtained in oil based mud environment from Clastics of Niger Delta

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogunyemi, T.

2003-01-01

With the advent of oil-base and synthetic muds, drilling risks are substantially reduced and efficiency dramatically increased, but the benefits of borehole imaging devices were lost as it presents a 'brick-wall' and difficult environment that precludes the use of conventional water- base mud microresistivity imaging devices. The introduction of Oil Base Imager tools offers a solution to the situation and even brings additional values. Borehole images integrated with high resolution Magnetic Resonnance data and other open hole logs has been evaluated for stratigraphic, structural and petrophysical applications as well as computing high-resolution sand count. Examples will be discussed in this paper. The sequence studied is clastics with intercalated sand/shale sequences typical of Niger Delta. The use of oil based mud images and open-hole log data helped to further classify the sequence into depositional environments. Generally speaking high-resolution image data presents opportunity for accurate results especially in intercalated sand/shale sequence compare to standard open hole logs. Individual pad resistivity response offer a very high resolution measurement that was used to drive the net pay sand count analysis. This approach has been proven to be helpful in completion decision, providing accurate reservoir parameters for well/field economics and development

Amorphous silica maturation in chemically weathered clastic sediments

Science.gov (United States)

Liesegang, Moritz; Milke, Ralf; Berthold, Christoph

2018-03-01

A detailed understanding of silica postdepositional transformation mechanisms is fundamental for its use as a palaeobiologic and palaeoenvironmental archive. Amorphous silica (opal-A) is an important biomineral, an alteration product of silicate rocks on the surface of Earth and Mars, and a precursor material for stable silica phases. During diagenesis, amorphous silica gradually and gradationally transforms to opal-CT, opal-C, and eventually quartz. Here we demonstrate the early-stage maturation of several million year old opal-A from deeply weathered Early Cretaceous and Ordovician sedimentary rocks of the Great Artesian Basin (central Australia). X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and electron probe microanalyses show that the mineralogical maturation of the nanosphere material is decoupled from its chemical properties and begins significantly earlier than micromorphology suggests. Non-destructive and locally highly resolved X-ray microdiffraction (μ-XRD2) reveals an almost linear positive correlation between the main peak position (3.97 to 4.06 Å) and a new asymmetry parameter, AP. Heating experiments and calculated diffractograms indicate that nucleation and growth of tridymite-rich nanodomains induce systematic peak shifts and symmetry variations in diffraction patterns of morphologically juvenile opal-A. Our results show that the asymmetry parameter traces the early-stage maturation of amorphous silica, and that the mineralogical opal-A/CT stage extends to smaller d-spacings and larger FWHM values than previously suggested.

Development and application of a radiometric method of measurement (Heger probe) for characterizing clastic rock strata in exposures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koch, G.

1984-01-01

The radiometric image of a stratigraphic exposure profile was to be logged. The method of measurement was tested on clastic sediments of the Tertiary (Saudi Arabia) and Bunter (Northern Germany). The well-tried scintillometer technique was supplemented by modern technological means supplied by a prospecting company (Gewerkschaft Brunhilde). The probe applied was specifically developped for stratigraphic purposes. (orig./HP) [de

Caldera formation and varied eruption styles on North Pacific seamounts: the clastic lithofacies record

Science.gov (United States)

Portner, Ryan A.; Clague, Dave A.; Paduan, Jennifer B.

2014-08-01

Detailed examination of volcaniclastic and sedimentary rocks collected from the Taney (30 Ma), President Jackson (4 Ma), Vance (3 Ma) and Alarcon (2 Ma) near-ridge seamount chains of the North Pacific reveals seven clastic lithofacies that record various modes of eruption, magma fragmentation, and particle dispersal. Lithofacies are distinguished by differences in lithology, bedding habit, compositional heterogeneity, and relationship to volcanic landforms. Breccia lithofacies were produced through mechanical fragmentation during caldera collapse (polymict) or effusive eruptions onto steep slopes (monomict). Rare globular lapilli mudstone lithofacies contain clasts with morphologies formed by magma-sediment mingling processes (peperite). Seamount summit pyroclastic deposits include proximal lapilli tuff with vesicular pyroclasts, and more distal limu o Pele tuff lithofacies. Much finer-grained hydrothermal mudstone/tuff lithofacies occurs around caldera rims and contains greenschist minerals, hydrothermal clays and basaltic ash that record subsurface phreatomagmatic fragmentation processes. Very fine-grained ash is transported to distal regions by oceanic currents and hydrothermal plumes, and is a component of the regional pelagic sediment budget. Pyroclastic lithofacies only occur on seamount summits suggesting formation during the latter stages of seamount evolution. As a seamount drifts away from an adjacent ridge axis and associated heat source, its magma supply is reduced allowing for magmatic gas buildup and mild explosive eruptions. During this stage, the diminished melt supply under the seamount is unable to fully compensate for extension along the ridge axis and vertical seamount growth. Lateral intrusion into spreading-related structures in this stage causes magma withdrawal and caldera formation. Formation of caldera ring faults also promotes seawater ingress into subseafloor hydrothermal cells, which interact with magma conduits causing phreatomagmatic

Evidence for local and global redox conditions at an Early Ordovician (Tremadocian) mass extinction

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Cole T.; Fike, David A.; Saltzman, Matthew R.; Lu, Wanyi; Lu, Zunli

2018-01-01

Profound changes in environmental conditions, particularly atmospheric oxygen levels, are thought to be important drivers of several major biotic events (e.g. mass extinctions and diversifications). The early Paleozoic represents a key interval in the oxygenation of the ocean-atmosphere system and evolution of the biosphere. Global proxies (e.g. carbon (δ13C) and sulfur (δ34S) isotopes) are used to diagnose potential changes in oxygenation and infer causes of environmental change and biotic turnover. The Cambrian-Ordovician contains several trilobite extinctions (some are apparently local, but others are globally correlative) that are attributed to anoxia based on coeval positive δ13C and δ34S excursions. These extinction and excursion events have yet to be coupled with more recently developed proxies thought to be more reflective of local redox conditions in the water column (e.g. I/Ca) to confirm whether these extinctions were associated with oxygen crises over a regional or global scale. Here we examine an Early Ordovician (Tremadocian Stage) extinction event previously interpreted to reflect a continuation of recurrent early Paleozoic anoxic events that expanded into nearshore environments. δ13C, δ34S, and I/Ca trends were measured from three sections in the Great Basin region to test whether I/Ca trends support the notion that anoxia was locally present in the water column along the Laurentian margin. Evidence for anoxia is based on coincident, but not always synchronous, positive δ13C and δ34S excursions (mainly from carbonate-associated sulfate and less so from pyrite data), a 30% extinction of standing generic diversity, and near-zero I/Ca values. Although evidence for local water column anoxia from the I/Ca proxy broadly agrees with intervals of global anoxia inferred from δ13C and δ34S trends, a more complex picture is evident where spatially and temporally variable local trends are superimposed on time-averaged global trends. Stratigraphic

Cyclostratigraphic analysis of the Middle to lower Upper Ordovician Postolonnec Formation in the Armorican Massif (France): integrating pXRF, gammay-ray and lithological data

Science.gov (United States)

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

Depositional environment and organic matter accumulation of Upper Ordovician–Lower Silurian marine shale in the Upper Yangtze Platform, South China

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yangfang; Zhang, Tongwei; Ellis, Geoffrey S.; Shao, Deyong

2017-01-01

The main controlling factors of organic matter accumulation in the Upper Ordovician Wufeng–Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formations are complex and remain highly controversial. This study investigates the vertical variation of total organic carbon (TOC) content as well as major and trace element concentrations of four Ordovician–Silurian transition sections from the Upper Yangtze Platform of South China to reconstruct the paleoenvironment of these deposits and to improve our understanding of those factors that have influenced organic matter accumulation in these deposits.The residual TOC content of the Wufeng Formation averages 3.2% and ranges from 0.12 to 6.0%. The overlying lower Longmaxi Formation displays higher TOC content (avg. 4.4%), followed upsection by consistent and lower values that average 1.6% in the upper Longmaxi Formation. The concentration and covariation of redox-sensitive trace elements (Mo, U and V) suggest that organic-rich intervals of the Wufeng Formation accumulated under predominantly anoxic conditions. Organic-rich horizons of the lower Longmaxi Formation were deposited under strongly anoxic to euxinic conditions, whereas organic-poor intervals of the upper Longmaxi Formation accumulated under suboxic conditions. Positive correlations between redox proxies and TOC contents suggest that organic matter accumulation was predominantly controlled by preservation. Barium excess (Baxs) values indicate high paleoproductivity throughout the entire depositional sequence, with an increase in the lower Longmaxi Formation. Increased productivity may have been induced by enhanced P recycling, as evidenced by elevated Corg/Ptot ratios. Mo–U covariation and Mo/TOC values reveal that the Wufeng Formation was deposited under extremely restricted conditions, whereas the Longmaxi Formation accumulated under moderately restricted conditions. During the Late Ordovician, the extremely restricted nature of ocean circulation on the Upper Yangtze Platform in

Detailed gravity survey to help seismic microzonation: Mapping the thickness of unconsolidated deposits in Ottawa, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Lamontagne, M.; Thomas, M.; Silliker, J.; Jobin, D.

2011-11-01

In this study, measurements of gravity were made to map and model the thickness of Quaternary deposits (sand and clay) overlying Ordovician limestones in a suburb of Ottawa (Orléans, Ontario). Because ground motion amplification is partly related to the thickness of unconsolidated deposits, this work helps refine the assessment of the earthquake damage potential of the area. It also helps the mapping of clay basins, which can locally exceed 100 m in thickness, where ground motion amplification can occur. Previous work, including well log data and seismic methods, have yielded a wealth of information on near-surface geology in Orléans, thereby providing the necessary constraints to test the applicability of gravity modeling in other locations where other methods cannot always be used. Some 104 gravity stations were occupied in an 8 × 12 km test area in the Orléans. Stations were accurately located with differential GPS that provided centimetric accuracy in elevation. Densities of the unconsolidated Quaternary deposits (Champlain Sea clay) determined on core samples and densities determined on limestone samples from outcrops were used to constrain models of the clay layer overlying the higher density bedrock formations (limestone). The gravity anomaly map delineates areas where clay basins attain > 100 m depth. Assuming a realistic density for the Champlain Sea clays (1.9-2.1 g/cm 3), the thickness over the higher density bedrock formations (Ordovician carbonate rocks) was modeled and compared with well logs and two seismic reflection profiles. The models match quite well with the information determined from well logs and seismic methods. It was found that gravity and the thickness of unconsolidated deposits are correlated but the uncertainties in both data sets preclude the definition of a direct correlation between the two. We propose that gravity measurements at a local scale be used as an inexpensive means of mapping the thickness of unconsolidated deposits

Ordovician A-type granitoid magmatism on the Ceará Central Domain, Borborema Province, NE-Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Castro, Neivaldo A.; Ganade de Araujo, Carlos E.; Basei, Miguel A. S.; Osako, Liliane S.; Nutman, Alan A.; Liu, Dunyi

2012-07-01

We present field relationships, major and trace element geochemistry and U-Pb SHRIMP and ID-TIMS geochronology of the A-type Ordovician Quintas pluton located in the Ceará Central Domain of the Borborema Province, in northeastern Brazil. This pluton presents a concentric geometry and is composed mainly of syenogranite, monzogranite, quartz syenite to quartz monzodiorite, monzogabbro and diorite. Its geochemical characteristics [SiO2 (52-70%), Na2O/K2O (1.55-0.65), Fe2O3/MgO (2.2-7.3), metaluminous to sligthly alkaline affinity, post-collisional type in (Y + Nb) × Rb diagram, and A-type affinity (Ga > 22 ppm, Nb > 20 ppm, Zn > 60 ppm), REE fractioned pattern with negative Eu anomaly] are coherent with post-collisional A2-type granitoids. However, the emplacement of this pluton is to some extent temporally associated with the deposition of the first strata of the Parnaíba intracratonic basin, attesting also to a purely anorogenic character (A1-type granitoid). The emplacement of this pluton is preceded by one of the largest known orogenesis of the planet (Neoproterozoic Pan-African/Brasiliano) and, if it is classified as an A2-type granitoid, it provides interesting constraints about how long can last A2-type magmatic activity after a major collisional episode, arguably triggered by disturbance of the underlying mantle, a topic extensively debated in the geoscience community.

A reworked Lake Zone margin: Chronological and geochemical constraints from the Ordovician arc-related basement of the Hovd Zone (western Mongolia)

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Soejono, I.; Buriánek, D.; Janoušek, V.; Svojtka, Martin; Čáp, P.; Erban, V.; Ganpurev, D.

294/295, December (2017), s. 112-132 ISSN 0024-4937 Institutional support: RVO:67985831 Keywords : Ordovician magmatic arc * Mid-Silurian intra-plate magmatism * Hovd Zone * Reworked Lake Zone Subject RIV: DB - Geology ; Mineralogy OBOR OECD: Geology Impact factor: 3.677, year: 2016

Metallogeny of the Paramillos de Uspallata Pb-Zn-Ag vein deposit in the Cuyo Rift Basin, Argentina

Science.gov (United States)

Rubinstein, Nora A.; Carrasquero, Silvia I.; Gómez, Anabel L. R.; Ricchetti, Ana P. Orellano; D'Annunzio, María C.

2018-05-01

The Paramillos de Uspallata deposit, previously considered as genetically linked to a Miocene porphyry deposit, is located in the Mesozoic Cuyo Basin, which was formed during the beginning of the break-up of Gondwana. In the present study, both previous information and new geological, mineralogical, and isotopic data allowed outlining a new descriptive model for this deposit. Stratigraphic and structural controls allowed considering this deposit as contemporaneous with the Mesozoic rifting, with the mineralization resulting from a Pb-Zn stage followed by an Ag-Cu-Pb stage. The hydrothermal fluids were found to have low temperature and low to moderate salinity, and to result from the mixing between metamorphic and meteoric fluids, with the lead sourced by the igneous Paleozoic basement and the sulfur partly derived from a magmatic source. These characteristics allow describing Paramillos de Uspallata as Pb-Zn-Ag veins hosted in clastic sedimentary sequences genetically linked to a rift basin and redefining it as detachment-related mineralization.

Lithostratigraphy, depositional environments and sedimentology of the Permian Vryheid Formation (Karoo Supergroup), Arnot North, Witbank Coalfield, South Africa

OpenAIRE

2009-01-01

M.Sc. This work documents the lithostratigraphy and interpreted depositional environments of the Permian Vryheid Formation in the most northern proximal setting yet studied in the Witbank Coalfield. Data from 924 boreholes from two mining companies (Anglo Operations Ltd. and Xstrata Coal Ltd.) drilled over 50 years, covering an area of 910km2 revealed a 35m sequence of terrigenous clastic sedimentary rocks containing two coal seams. These seams are numbered No. 1 at the base and No. 2 at t...

Paleokarst and reservoir porosity in the Ordovician Beekmantown Dolomite of the central Appalachian basin

Science.gov (United States)

Smosna, R.; Bruner, K.R.; Riley, R.A.

2005-01-01

A karst-unconformity play at the top of the Ordovician Beekmantown Dolomite is judged to have great petroleum potential in Ohio and adjacent states; wells have high ultimate reserves and large areas remain untested. To better understand the origin, development, and distribution of Beekmantown porosity, we conducted a petrologic-stratigraphic study of cores and thin sections from 15 oil and gas wells. The massive dolomite, characterized by a hypidiotopic-idiotopic texture, formed by the replacement of stacked peritidal carbonate cycles. Secondary porosity occurs at two scales: (1) mesoscopic - breccia porosity, solution-enlarged fractures, large vugs, and caverns, and (2) microscopic - intercrystalline, intracrystalline, molds, small vugs, and microfractures. Mesoscopic pores (providing the major storage capacity in this reservoir) were produced by intrastratal solution and collapse of carbonate layers, whereas microscopic pores (connecting the larger pores) generally formed by the leaching of individual carbonate grains and crystals. Most pore types developed during periods of subaerial exposure across the carbonate bank, tied to either the numerous, though brief falls of relative sea level during Beekmantown deposition or more importantly the prolonged Knox unconformity at the close of sedimentation. The distribution of reservoir-quality porosity is quite heterogeneous, being confined vertically to a zone immediately below the unconformity and best developed laterally beneath buried hills and noses of this erosion surface. The inferred, shallow flow of ground water in the Beekmantown karst, primarily below topographic highs and above a diagenetic base level close to the water table, led to this irregular distribution of porosity.

Geomorphology of New England

Science.gov (United States)

Denny, C.S.

1982-01-01

Widely scattered terrestrial deposits of Cretaceous or Tertiary age and extensive nearshore and fluvial Coastal Plain deposits now largely beneath the sea indicate that the New England region has been above sea level during and since the Late Cretaceous. Estimates of rates of erosion based on sediment load in rivers and on volume of sediments in the Coastal Plain suggest that if the New England highlands had not been uplifted in the Miocene, the area would now be largely a lowland. If the estimated rates of erosion and uplift are of the right order of magnitude, then it is extremely unlikely that any part of the present landscape dates back before Miocene time. The only exception would be lowlands eroded in the early Mesozoic, later buried beneath Mesozoic and Cenozoic deposits, and exhumed by stream and glacial erosion during the later Cenozoic. Many of the rocks in the New England highlands are similar to those that underlie the Piedmont province in the central and southern Appalachians, where the relief over large areas is much less than in the highlands of New England. These comparisons suggest that the New England highlands have been upwarped in late Cenozoic time. The uplift took place in the Miocene and may have continued into the Quaternary. The New England landscape is primarily controlled by the underlying bedrock. Erosion and deposition during the Quaternary, related in large part to glaciation, have produced only minor changes in drainage and in topography. Shale and graywacke of Ordovician, Cambrian, and Proterozoic age forming the Taconic highlands, and akalic plutonic rocks of Mesozoic age are all highland makers. Sandstone and shale of Jurassic and Triassic age, similar rocks of Carboniferous age, and dolomite, limestone, and shale of Ordovician and Cambrian age commonly underlie lowlands. High-grade metapelites are more resistant than similar schists of low metamorphic grade and form the highest mountains in New England. Feldspathic rocks tend to

Evenness and species abundance in graptolite communities: a new proxy for climate change during the end ordovician mass extinction

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hawkins, A. D.; Mitchell, C. E.; Sheets, H. D.; Loxton, J.; Belscher, K.; Melchin, M. J.; Finney, S.; Štorch, Petr

2011-01-01

Roč. 43, č. 5 (2011), s. 83-83 ISSN 0016-7592. [2011 GSA Annual Meeting and Exposition. 09.10.2011-12.10.2011, Minneapolis] Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30130516 Keywords : graptolites * Ordovician * climate change Subject RIV: DB - Geology ; Mineralogy http://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2011AM/finalprogram/abstract_196574.htm

An evaluation of the carbon sequestration potential of the Cambro-Ordovician Strata of the Illinois and Michigan basins

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leetaru, Hannes [Univ. of Illinois, Champaign, IL (United States)

2014-12-01

The studies summarized herein were conducted during 2009–2014 to investigate the utility of the Knox Group and St. Peter Sandstone deeply buried geologic strata for underground storage of carbon dioxide (CO₂), a practice called CO₂ sequestration (CCS). In the subsurface of the midwestern United States, the Knox and associated strata extend continuously over an area approaching 500,000 sq. km, about three times as large as the State of Illinois. Although parts of this region are underlain by the deeper Mt. Simon Sandstone, which has been proven by other Department of Energy-funded research as a resource for CCS, the Knox strata may be an additional CCS resource for some parts of the Midwest and may be the sole geologic storage (GS) resource for other parts. One group of studies assembles, analyzes, and presents regional-scale and point-scale geologic information that bears on the suitability of the geologic formations of the Knox for a CCS project. New geologic and geo-engineering information was developed through a small-scale test of CO₂ injection into a part of the Knox, conducted in western Kentucky. These studies and tests establish the expectation that, at least in some locations, geologic formations within the Knox will (a) accept a commercial-scale flow rate of CO₂ injected through a drilled well; (b) hold a commercial-scale mass of CO₂ (at least 30 million tons) that is injected over decades; and (c) seal the injected CO₂ within the injection formations for hundreds to thousands of years. In CCS literature, these three key CCS-related attributes are called injectivity, capacity, and containment. The regional-scale studies show that reservoir and seal properties adequate for commercial-scale CCS in a Knox reservoir are likely to extend generally throughout the Illinois and Michigan Basins. Information distinguishing less prospective subregions from more prospective fairways is included in this report. Another group of studies report the results of reservoir flow simulations that estimate the progress and outcomes of hypothetical CCS projects carried out within the Knox (particularly within the Potosi Dolomite subunit, which, in places, is highly permeable) and within the overlying St. Peter Sandstone. In these studies, the regional-scale information and a limited amount of detailed data from specific boreholes is used as the basis for modeling the CO₂ injection process (dynamic modeling). The simulation studies were conducted progressively, with each successive study designed to refine the conclusions of the preceding one or to answer additional questions. The simulation studies conclude that at Decatur, Illinois or a geologically similar site, the Potosi Dolomite reservoir may provide adequate injectivity and capacity for commercial-scale injection through a single injection well. This conclusion depends on inferences from seismic-data attributes that certain highly permeable horizons observed in the wells represent laterally persistent, porous vuggy zones that are vertically more common than initially evident from wellbore data. Lateral persistence of vuggy zones is supported by isotopic evidence that the conditions that caused vug development (near-surface processes) were of regional rather than local scale. Other studies address aspects of executing and managing a CCS project that targets a Knox reservoir. These studies cover well drilling, public interactions, representation of datasets and conclusions using geographic information system (GIS) platforms, and risk management.

Geochronological framework of the early Paleozoic Bainaimiao Cu-Mo-Au deposit, NE China, and its tectonic implications

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Zhen-Hua; Mao, Jing-Wen; Ma, Xing-Hua; Che, He-Wei; Ou'yang, He-Gen; Gao, Xu

2017-08-01

The Bainaimiao Cu-Mo-Au deposit of NE China is an important ore deposit in the middle section of the northern margin of the North China Craton. The early Paleozoic Bainaimiao Group is the main ore-hosting rock. The mineralization at the deposit shows features of porphyry alteration and late-stage orogenesis and transformation. Zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb age data indicate that the ages of the Third and Fifth formations of the Bainaimiao Group are 492.7 ± 2.9 Ma (MSWD = 0.53) and 488.9 ± 3.1 Ma (MSWD = 0.92), respectively. The age of quartz diorite that intrudes the Bainaimiao Group is 459.3 ± 6.4 Ma (MSWD = 2.20). Molybdenite samples from massive Cu-Mo-bearing ores and quartz veins in the southern ore belt yield a Re-Os isochron age of 438.2 ± 2.7 Ma (MSWD = 0.16), which is consistent with the Re-Os isochron age of molybdenite in the northern ore belt, implying that the two ore belts belong to the same mineralization system. Muscovite from a post-magmatic Cu-Mo-bearing quartz-calcite vein yields an Ar-Ar isochron age of 422.5 ± 3.9 Ma (MSWD = 0.64) with an initial 40Ar/36Ar ratio of 286 ± 21. The well-defined plateau age of the muscovite is 422.4 ± 2.6 Ma (MSWD = 0.05), which represents the time of the post-magmatic orogenic transformation event. Based on our new age data and previous findings, we propose that the Bainaimiao Cu-Mo-Au deposit formed in an active continental margin setting and experienced four stages of ore mineralization: (1) a Late Cambrian-Middle Ordovician volcanic-sedimentary stage; (2) a Late Ordovician porphyry mineralization stage; (3) a Late Silurian regional metamorphism stage; and (4) an orogenic transformation stage. Subhedral and euhedral Paleoproterozoic (2402-1810 Ma) inherited zircons indicate that the Bainaimiao Group has a tectonic affinity with the North China Craton. The Central Asian Orogenic Belt, which is closely related to the complex closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean, is favorable for prospecting for Paleozoic porphyry Cu

Regional metallogenic essential factor of granite-type uranium deposits in Guangdong province

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pan Yongzheng

1987-12-01

The uranium origin, activation region, red basin, and fault depressed zone constitute the regional metallogenic essential factor of the four united like one granite-type uranium deposits in the post-Caledonian rise area in China. In the development of sub-geosyncline in the Caledonian, the clastic formation with widely deposited carbon, silicon, mud rich bearing organic matter, which drow a great amount of uranium formed the uranium-bearing system in the Sinian-Cambrian period. The magmagranite activation in a large scale in the Indosinian-Yenshanian period caused the continental crust to be suffered strong reformation and the uranium-bearing basement system to be eroded and remelted, and formed the rich uranium granite body. The multiple structure-magmatic movement further made the uranium in the rock body suffered the endogenic, structure, supergene active reformation, and produced mobile uranium concentrated area. Under the dry and hot paleoclimate condition in the Cretaceous-Tertiary period, strong weathering and hot water leaching forced uranium to be concentrated into the 'rock origin activation' type uranium deposits in the fault depressed zone

Multiple crust reworking in the French Armorican Variscan belt: implication for the genesis of uranium-fertile leucogranites

Science.gov (United States)

Ballouard, C.; Poujol, M.; Zeh, A.

2018-03-01

Muscovite peraluminous granites (MPGs) form by partial melting of the continental crust and can be related to metalliferous deposits such as tin, tungsten, and uranium (U). Metal enrichment in MPGs commonly results from fractional crystallization, but the metal contents of the source play a major role for their fertility. Between ca. 320 and 300 Ma (Late Carboniferous), the French Armorican Variscan belt was intruded by numerous U-fertile MPGs that contain inherited zircon grains with a wide range of ages from Archean-to-Carboniferous. U-Pb and Hf isotopic data of zircon grains from Brioverian-to-Carboniferous sediments, Cambrian-to-Early Carboniferous granitoids, and Late Carboniferous MPGs indicate that the crust of the Armorican Massif is made up by detritus mainly derived from the West African craton (3500-1600 Ma; T DM = 3.8-2.3 Ga), Grenvillian belt (1200-900 Ma; T DM = 2.7-1.2 Ga), and Avalonian-Cadomian belt (800-550 Ma; T DM = 2.5-0.8 Ga) and that the crust was affected by magmatic events at 510-470 Ma (T DM = 1.6-0.6 Ga), 410-330 Ma (T DM = 1.6-1 Ga), and 320-300 Ma. Furthermore, they reveal that the Late Carboniferous MPGs were mainly formed by partial melting of Brioverian sediments with Cambro-Ordovician and Devonian-Carboniferous granitoids, which are all genetically linked with each other and characterized by Th/U < 4. The new data suggest that the U-fertile MPGs result from multiple reworking of U-rich Brioverian sediments, deposited ca. 550 Ma ago on the northern margin of Gondwana, and partially molten during several Paleozoic events, causing a successive increase in U content in the middle-upper crust.

Evolution and estimated age of the C5 Lukala carbonate-evaporite ramp complex in the Lower Congo region (Democratic Republic of Congo): New perspectives in Central Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Delpomdor, F.; Van Vliet, N.; Devleeschouwer, X.; Tack, L.; Préat, A.

2018-01-01

New detailed lithological, sedimentological, chemostratigraphic data were obtained from exploration drilling samples on the C5 carbonate-dominated formation of the Neoproterozoic Lukala Subgroup (former Schisto-Calcaire Subgroup) from the West Congo Belt (WCB) in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This formation records the last post-Marinoan sea-level events that occurred in the whole basin, followed by the development of the Araçuaï-West Congo Orogen between 630 and 560 Ma. The C5 Formation consists of back-reef lagoonal and peritidal/sabkha cycles of ∼2.0 m in thickness, that record a short-time marine regression, rapidly flooded by a marine transgression with deposition of organic-rich argillaceous carbonates or shales under dysoxia and anoxia conditions. These dysoxic/anoxic waters were rapidly followed by a regional-scale marine transgression, favouring mixing with well-oxygenated waters, and the development of benthic Tonian to Cambro-Ordovician Obruchevella parva-type 'seagrasses' in the nearshore zones of the lagoons. New δ13C and 87Sr/86Sr isotopic data in the C5 Formation of the Lukala Subgroup are used in the frame of a correlation with the Sete Lagoas Formation in Brazil. Relatively comparable negative to positive δ13C excursions point to marine flooding of the whole basin and allow extension of the debatable Late Ediacaran age of the uppermost Sete Lagoas and C5 formations. Sr isotope ;blind dating; failed due to low Sr concentration related to a dolomitization event close 540 Ma. Several tentative datings of the C5 Formation converge to a Late Ediacaran age ranging between 575 and 540 Ma. As the overlying Mpioka folded Subgroup, the C5 series suffered the Pan African deformation, dated at 566 ± 42 Ma. Unlike the previously generally accepted interpretation, our data suggests that the Mpioka Subgroup was deposited in the Early Cambrian.

Late Ordovician brachiopod distribution and ecospace partitioning in the Tvären crater system, Sweden

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frisk, Åsa M.; Harper, David Alexander Taylor

2013-01-01

of the guild structure of the fauna permits explanation of a local biodiversity hotspot in otherwise low-diversity strata elsewhere in the Scandinavian region. The Tvaren impact event had an important palaeobiologic effect upon the fossil record as it served as a local pump and reservoir for biodiversity....... Moreover the development of new community types and narrowly-defined niches helped further drive both a and p biodiversity during a critical phase of the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved....

GYPSUM DEPOSITS IN THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anto Gabrić

2002-12-01

Full Text Available The occurences and deposits of gypsum can be found in big karst poljes (Sinjsko, Vrličko, Petrovo, Kosovo and Kninsko as well as in tectonnically predestined river valleys of Zrmanja, Butišnica and Una. There also appear spatially localized occurences on the island of Vis and in the vicinity of Samobor. Evaporites (gypsum and anhydrite with adjoining overlying clastic rocks (red sandstones, siltites and pelites, carbonate rocks (dolomites and limestones and porous carbonate breccias (Rauhwackes were deposited during the period of Upper Permian. The recent position of the Upper Permian beds is a result of complex tectonic, particularly neotectonic, movements and diapiric displacements. Evaporites were deposited in marginal areas of the epicontinental marine basin, in a period of favourable conditions for the sabkha and playa sedimentation due to the continuous shoreline progradation. The Upper Permian age of these sediments in Dalmatio is proved by the characteristic mineral paragenesis and palinological determinations in elastics rocks, as well as by isotope analyses of sulphure in gypsum. Gypsum is a significant ore mineral resource in building, cement production, as well as in a number of tehnological processes used in chemical industry and elsewhere. According to the recent investigations gypsum is predestined to serve as an ore mineral resource of significant perspectives (the paper is published in Croatian.

Interplay of salt dynamics, sea-level change and climate on the depositional evolution of a Paleogene economic coal bearing salt rim syncline, Schoeningen, Germany

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Osman, A.; Pollok, L.; Brandes, C.; Winsemann, J. [Leibniz Univ. Hannover (Germany). Inst. fuer Geologie

2013-08-01

The Paleogene basin fill (maximum 300 m thick) of the Schoeningen rim syncline in northern Germany is well known for its economic lignitic coal deposits. The fill provides an example of the interaction of basin subsidence, sea-level, and climate changes on depositional environment and gives insight into the development of the coal seams within a sequence stratigraphic context. The rim syncline records thirteen Lower to Middle Eocene coal seams with intervening clastic layers that were deposited during a long-lived transgression of the Central German Estuary, which lasted until the Late Oligocene (Standke, 2008). The previous analysis of the rim syncline fill has primarily focused on coal deposits, their lateral extent and paleo-botanical habitat. In this work, 357 lithologic logs were calibrated to outcrop profiles and integrated with previous studies to provide a facies analysis and sequence stratigraphy interpretation of the syncline fill. This improves understanding of the depositional environments of the lesser-studied clastics that intervene the coals (Osman et al., in review). Four 3{sup rd} order sequences are recorded in the Lower to Middle Eocene basin fill. Sequences 1 and 2 document the interplay of sands and coals within a transgressive estuarine phase. The sands show a regime change from tide- to more wave-dominated estuarine conditions before a turnaround to a regressive deltaic phase. This succession typifies an incised valley fill. However, the accommodation space generated for the initial estuary development is thought to have originated via continual salt withdrawal (Brandes et al. 2012) instead of by incision during relative sea-level fall. The observed tide to wave estuary regime change is linked to increased subsidence rates at 57 Ma that generated a higher tidal prism. As the subsidence rates slowed and the syncline broadened, the tidal prism decreased, leading to the development of more wave-dominated facies. The intervening coal seams

The graphite deposit at Borrowdale (UK): A catastrophic mineralizing event associated with Ordovician magmatism

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Ortega, L.; Millward, D.; Luque, F. J.; Barrenechea, J. F.; Beyssac, O.; Huizenga, J.-M.; Rodas, M.; Clarke, S. M.

2010-04-01

The volcanic-hosted graphite deposit at Borrowdale in Cumbria, UK, was formed through precipitation from C-O-H fluids. The δ 13C data indicate that carbon was incorporated into the mineralizing fluids by assimilation of carbonaceous metapelites of the Skiddaw Group by andesite magmas of the Borrowdale Volcanic Group. The graphite mineralization occurred as the fluids migrated upwards through normal conjugate fractures forming the main subvertical pipe-like bodies. The mineralizing fluids evolved from CO 2-CH 4-H 2O mixtures (XCO 2 = 0.6-0.8) to CH 4-H 2O mixtures. Coevally with graphite deposition, the andesite and dioritic wall rocks adjacent to the veins were intensely hydrothermally altered to a propylitic assemblage. The initial graphite precipitation was probably triggered by the earliest hydration reactions in the volcanic host rocks. During the main mineralization stage, graphite precipitated along the pipe-like bodies due to CO 2 → C + O 2. This agrees with the isotopic data which indicate that the first graphite morphologies crystallizing from the fluid (cryptocrystalline aggregates) are isotopically lighter than those crystallizing later (flakes). Late chlorite-graphite veins were formed from CH 4-enriched fluids following the reaction CH 4 + O 2 → C + 2H 2O, producing the successive precipitation of isotopically lighter graphite morphologies. Thus, as mineralization proceeded, water-generating reactions were involved in graphite precipitation, further favouring the propylitic alteration. The structural features of the pipe-like mineralized bodies as well as the isotopic homogeneity of graphite suggest that the mineralization occurred in a very short period of time.

Rockmagnetic correlation between Holocene cave sediments at the mountain and loess soil deposits in Piedmont Crimea (on example of the trap cave Emine-Bair-Khosar and archaeological site Biyuk-Karasu-XIX

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Kseniia BONDAR

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Modern soils and paleosols, loess and uncemented aeolian caves sediments are carriers of a paleoclimatic signal (Evans, Heller, 2003. The saturation degree of a layer with humus material, depending on the temperature, correlates well with magnetic susceptibility and different types of magnetization of deposits (Tang et al., 2003, Bosak&Pruner, 2011.On the base of rockmagnetic measurements of soil-containing samples, collected from sections at Biyuk-Karasu-XIX (Piedmont Crimea and Emine-Bair-Khosar Cave (lower plateau of Chatyrdag mountain massive in Crimea (Ridush et al., 2013, correlation of sediments done in the context of common climate changes in the region during Holocene.The process of sediments accumulation in the sections covers roughly the same period. The loess soil section Biyuk-Karasu-XIX contains findings of hand shaped pottery and flintstones. The section structure has characteristic features of Holocene soil formation for which received a definite chronological anchor. The section of cave deposits in the Emine-Bair-Khosar Cave was dated by radiocarbon and paleomagnetic methods (Ridush et al., 2013. For saiga bone from the depth of 2.0 m radiocarbon (14C date 10,490 +/- 170 (Ki-13063 obtained. At -1.1 m deep the paleomagnetic excursion, dated 2.8 kyr BP, was recorded (Bondar, Ridush, 2010.Sediments of both sections are horizontally-layered. They contain darker units, which color is controlled by organic material, and lighter units of loess-like loam.Section Biyuk-Karasu-XIX consists of the following lithofacial units: 1, 2 - hlb2 – meadow alkaline chernozem, where unit 1 - horizon Hegl, unit 2 - horizon Hp, Pikgl, Pkgl; 3, 4 - hlb1 - the soil has features of grey or sod-calcareous soil forming, unit 3 combines horizons He and Eh, unit 4 – illuvial horizons Ihp and Pigl; 5 - pc-bg? - silty-sandy light loam. Lithofacial units are named according to “Stratigraphic scheme of Quaternary deposits of Ukraine” (Veklich et al

Geologic map of the Maumee quadrangle, Searcy and Marion Counties, Arkansas

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Turner, Kenzie J.; Hudson, Mark R.

2010-01-01

This map summarizes the geology of the Maumee 7.5-minute quadrangle in northern Arkansas. The map area is in the Ozark plateaus region on the southern flank of the Ozark dome. The Springfield Plateau, composed of Mississippian cherty limestone, overlies the Salem Plateau, composed of Ordovician carbonate and clastic rocks, with areas of Silurian rocks in between. Erosion related to the Buffalo River and its tributaries, Tomahawk, Water, and Dry Creeks, has exposed a 1,200-ft-thick section of Mississippian, Silurian, and Ordovician rocks mildly deformed by faults and folds. An approximately 130-mile-long corridor along the Buffalo River forms the Buffalo National River that is administered by the National Park Service. McKnight (1935) mapped the geology of the Maumee quadrangle as part of a larger 1:125,000-scale map focused on understanding the lead and zinc deposits common in the area. Detailed new mapping for this study was compiled using a Geographic Information System (GIS) at 1:24,000 scale. Site location and elevation were obtained by using a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) receiver in conjunction with a U.S. Geological Survey 7.5-minute topographic map and barometric altimeter. U.S. Geological Survey 10-m digital elevation model data were used to derive a hill-shade-relief map used along with digital orthophotographs to map ledge-forming units between field sites. Bedding attitudes were measured in drainage bottoms and on well-exposed ledges. Bedding measured at less than 2 degree dip is indicated as horizontal. Structure contours constructed for the base of the Boone Formation are constrained by field-determined elevations on both upper and lower formation contacts.

Geochemical elements mobility during the history of a paleo-Proterozoic clastic sedimentary basin, the Athabasca Basin (Saskatchewan, Canada)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kister, P.

2003-10-01

In order to understand the mechanisms of migration and deposition of ore elements, it is essential to determine the timing, source, and destination of the geochemical element mass transfers and/or transportation on a scale encompassing the great sedimentary. The purpose of this study was to trace and to date the element migrations that occurred during the history of a Paleo-proterozoic clastic sedimentary basin, the Athabasca Basin, which hosts the world's largest and richest uranium deposits. As this geological environment was proved to be efficient to preserve high grade ore deposits for over more than one billion years, it provides an opportunity to study the mobility of some elements in a context that shows analogies with deep geological nuclear waste disposals. The natural analogies of interest include (i) uranium oxide and spent nuclear fuel; (ii) clay alteration halo and near field barrier, (iii) Athabasca sandstone cover and far-field barrier. Five research axis: (1) 3D modelling of the distribution of the main minerals and of some trace elements (U, Pb, Zr, Th, REE, Y, Rb, Sr) on a basin-wide scale and in the U mineralized zones, using the Gocad software. The models have been compared with detailed mineralogical studies performed on selected samples. (2) Pb-Pb and Rb-Sr systematics by TIMS (3) Mass balance calculation of the average Pb/U ratio at the scale of the deposit to evaluate whether the present day amount of radiogenic lead is sufficient to explain a U deposition in one or several episodes (geostatistical tools on Gocad) (4) Thermodynamic modelling of the mineralogical evolution of the Athabasca basin, considering the main mineral present in the sandstone (Phreeqc and Supcrt softwares) (5) U-Pb geochronology of uranium oxides using a 3 step approach: (i) optical and scanning electron microscopy; (ii) electron microprobe; (iii) ion microprobe (SIMS). The purpose was to study the long term stability of the uranium oxides and to characterise the

MORPHOLOGICAL AND GEOLOGICAL INDICATORS OF THE POSSIBLE BAUXITE DEPOSITS IN THE KARST REGION OF WESTERN HERZEGOVINA

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Ivan Blašković

1995-12-01

Full Text Available Investigation results of morphological and geological potential bauxite deposit indicators in the Mesihovina-Rakitno bauxitebearing sedimentary basin in Western Herzegovina are presented. Region with carbonate and clastic hangingwalls as well as those without overlying sediments have been studied. It was established that the expression and number of the indicators depend size as well as on character and thickness of hangingwall sediments. The morphological indicators are expressed as a particular relief forms situated right above the deposits or nearby and are a consequence of geological relations and exodynamic processes. Ihe numerous geological indicators resulted from complex geological events. The most important are: preore structural relations, the formation of paleorelief, peculiar way of hangingwall rocks sedimentation, lithification processes and the formation of the recent structural pattern. It has been observed that particular indicators should be recognized within a relatively thick succession of the overlying sediments which is of the great importance in the exploration of bauxite deposits.

Petrogenesis of Malaysian tin granites: geochemistry, fractional crystallization, U-Pb zircon geochronology and tectonic setting

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Wai-Pan Ng, Samuel; Searle, Mike; Whitehouse, Martin; Chung, Sun-Lin; Ghani, Azman; Robb, Laurence; Sone, Masatoshi; Oliver, Grahame; Gardiner, Nick; Roselee, Mohammad

2014-05-01

The Malaysian tin granites forming the backbone of the Thai-Malay Peninsula has been long recognized with two distinct granitic provinces:- 1. Early Permian to Late Triassic Eastern Province with mainly "I-type" (Hbl)-Bt granites with associated Cu-Au deposits, with subordinate Bt granites hosting limited Sn-W deposits, and 2. Late Triassic Main Range Province with mainly "S-type" Bt granites with associated Sn-W deposits, and subordinate (Hbl)-Bt granites. New geochemical data show that Chappell and White's (1974) I-S granite classification adopted in the existing model does not adequately distinguish the granites from one another as previously implied. Trace element geochemistry and Sr-Nd isotopic compositions show that the Malaysian tin granites in both provinces have transitional I-S characteristics. In addition, they inherited within-plate signature from Cambro-Ordovician Gondwana-related source rocks. Previous ages were obtained by whole rock Rb-Sr and biotite K-Ar geochronology in the 70s and 80s, dating methods that may not accurately represent the crystallization age of granites. We re-sampled the entire Malaysian Peninsula and 40 samples were collected for high-precision U-Pb SIMS dating on extracted zircon grains in order to better constrain the magmatic and tectonic evolution of Southeast Asia. The crystallization ages of the Eastern Province granitoids have been constrained ranging from 220 to 290 Ma, while the Main Range (Western) Province granitoids have ages ranging from 200 to 230 Ma. A progressive westward younging trend is apparent across the Eastern Province, but becomes less obvious in the Main Range Province. Our model suggests two east dipping subduction zones. We suggest that subduction roll-back along the Bentong-Raub suture might account for the westward younging trend, in the Eastern province. A second Late Triassic east-dipping subduction zone beneath western Malaysia is proposed in order to explain the "I-type" components to the Main

Geoelectric Exploration of the Purísima-Rumicruz District, Jujuy Province, Argentina

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Luciano López

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Purísima-Rumicruz district consists of several polymetallic veins, rich in copper and lead. The veins have a breccia texture and are located in shear bands, with locally high concentrations of sulfides in a carbonatic gangue. The host rock of the veins consists of a black shale sequence with thin levels of fine sands, with a low degree of metamorphism, and corresponds to the Acoite formation (Lower Ordovician. The depositional environment was an open clastic platform where storm processes prevailed. An exploratory program using induced polarization and resistivity with the dipole-dipole method was carried out with the objective of establishing geoelectric anomalies in depth, which would permit the identification of exploratory targets. The group of veins was divided into three sectors: Purísima, El Brechón, and La Nueva. Low-resistivity values correspond to faulty zones, some of which are related to surface veins. The presence of diagenetic pyrite in the shales of Acoite formation considerably increases background chargeability (induced polarization values. However, small chargeability anomalies associated to low-resistivity values represent exploratory targets for the Purísima-Rumicruz district.

The Controls of Pore-Throat Structure on Fluid Performance in Tight Clastic Rock Reservoir: A Case from the Upper Triassic of Chang 7 Member, Ordos Basin, China

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Yunlong Zhang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The characteristics of porosity and permeability in tight clastic rock reservoir have significant difference from those in conventional reservoir. The increased exploitation of tight gas and oil requests further understanding of fluid performance in the nanoscale pore-throat network of the tight reservoir. Typical tight sandstone and siltstone samples from Ordos Basin were investigated, and rate-controlled mercury injection capillary pressure (RMICP and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR were employed in this paper, combined with helium porosity and air permeability data, to analyze the impact of pore-throat structure on the storage and seepage capacity of these tight oil reservoirs, revealing the control factors of economic petroleum production. The researches indicate that, in the tight clastic rock reservoir, largest throat is the key control on the permeability and potentially dominates the movable water saturation in the reservoir. The storage capacity of the reservoir consists of effective throat and pore space. Although it has a relatively steady and significant proportion that resulted from the throats, its variation is still dominated by the effective pores. A combination parameter (ε that was established to be as an integrated characteristic of pore-throat structure shows effectively prediction of physical capability for hydrocarbon resource of the tight clastic rock reservoir.

2D Seismic Reflection Data across Central Illinois

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Smith, Valerie; Leetaru, Hannes

2014-09-30

In a continuing collaboration with the Midwest Geologic Sequestration Consortium (MGSC) on the Evaluation of the Carbon Sequestration Potential of the Cambro-Ordovician Strata of the Illinois and Michigan Basins project, Schlumberger Carbon Services and WesternGeco acquired two-dimensional (2D) seismic data in the Illinois Basin. This work included the design, acquisition and processing of approximately 125 miles of (2D) seismic reflection surveys running west to east in the central Illinois Basin. Schlumberger Carbon Services and WesternGeco oversaw the management of the field operations (including a pre-shoot planning, mobilization, acquisition and de-mobilization of the field personnel and equipment), procurement of the necessary permits to conduct the survey, post-shoot closure, processing of the raw data, and provided expert consultation as needed in the interpretation of the delivered product. Three 2D seismic lines were acquired across central Illinois during November and December 2010 and January 2011. Traversing the Illinois Basin, this 2D seismic survey was designed to image the stratigraphy of the Cambro-Ordovician sections and also to discern the basement topography. Prior to this survey, there were no regionally extensive 2D seismic data spanning this section of the Illinois Basin. Between the NW side of Morgan County and northwestern border of Douglas County, these seismic lines ran through very rural portions of the state. Starting in Morgan County, Line 101 was the longest at 93 miles in length and ended NE of Decatur, Illinois. Line 501 ran W-E from the Illinois Basin – Decatur Project (IBDP) site to northwestern Douglas County and was 25 miles in length. Line 601 was the shortest and ran N-S past the IBDP site and connected lines 101 and 501. All three lines are correlated to well logs at the IBDP site. Originally processed in 2011, the 2D seismic profiles exhibited a degradation of signal quality below ~400 millisecond (ms) which made

Shoreline deposits and diagenesis resulting from two Late Pleistocene highstands near +5 and +6 metres, Durban, South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, J.A.G.; Flores, R.M.

1991-01-01

In exposures of Pleistocene rocks on the east coast of South Africa, eight sedimentary facies were distinguished on the basis of petrology, grain size, internal structures and field relationships. These are interpreted as deposits of surf zone, breaker zone, swash zone, backbeach, boulder beach and dune environments. Three phases of deposition and diagenesis are recognized. As a result of the stabilising effect of pre-existing coastal facies, the deposits from successive sea level stands are stacked vertically in a narrow coast-normal strip. Early cementation prevented erosion of the deposits during subsequent transgressions. Deposition of subsequent facies took place on an existing coastal dune (Facies 1). A terrace was cut into this dune at a sea level 4.5 to 5 m above present. At this sea level, clastic shoreline sediments were deposited which make up the main sedimentary sequence exposed (Facies 2-7). The steep swash zone, coarse grain size, and comparison with modern conditions in the study area indicate clastic deposition on a high-energy, wave-dominated, microtidal coastline. Vertical stacking of progressively shallower water facies indicates progradation associated with slightly regressive conditions, prior to stranding of the succession above sea level. During a subsequent transgression to 5.5 or 6 m above present sea level, a second terrace was cut across the existing facies, which by then were partly lithified. A boulder beach (Facies 8) deposited on this terrace is indicative of high wave energy and a rocky coastline, formed by existing cemented coastal facies. Comparison with dated deposits from other parts of the South African coast suggest a Late Pleistocene age for Facies 2-8. Deposition was terminated by subsequent regression and continuing low sea levels during the remainder of the Pleistocene. Cementation of the facies took place almost entirely by carbonate precipitation. The presence of isopachous fibrous cements suggests early cementation of

Glacial loess or shoreface sands: a re-interpretation of the Upper Ordovician (Ashgillian) glacial Ammar Formation, Southern Jordan

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, B. R.; Makhlouf, I. M.; Armstrong, H. A.

2003-04-01

Upper Ordovician (Ashgillian) glacial deposits of the Ammar Formation, Southern Jordan, comprise locally deformed, structureless fine sandstone, incised by glacial channels filled by braided outwash plain sandstones and transgressive marine mudstones. The structureless sandstones, previously interpreted as a glacial rock flour or loessite derived from the underlying undisturbed sandstones, differ significantly from typical loessite and contain hitherto unrecognised sedimentary structures, including hummocky cross-stratification. The sandstones, which grade laterally and vertically into stratigraphically equivalent undeformed marginal marine sandstones, are interpreted as a deformed facies of the underlying sandstones, deposited in a similar high energy shoreface environment. Although deformation of the shoreface sandstones was post-depositional, the origin of the deformation, and its confinement to the Jebel Ammar area is unknown. Deformation due to the weight of the overlying ice is unlikely as the glaciofluvial channels are now thought to have been cut by tunnel valley activity not ice. A more likely mechanism is post-glacial crustal tectonics. Melting of ice caps is commonly associated with intraplate seismicity and the development of an extensional crustal stress regime around the perimeter of ice caps; the interior is largely aseismic because the weight of the ice supresses seismic activity and faulting. Since southern Jordan lay close to the ice cap in Saudi Arabia it may have been subjected to postglacial seismicity and crustal stress, which induced ground shaking, reduced overburden pressure, increased hydrostatic pressure and possibly reactivation of existing tectonic faults. This resulted in liquefaction and extensive deformation of the sediments, which show many characteristics of seismites, generated by earthquake shocks. Since the glaciation was a very short-lived event (0.2-1 Ma), deglaciation and associated tectonism triggering deformation, lasted

A new Ordovician arthropod from the Winneshiek Lagerstätte of Iowa (USA) reveals the ground plan of eurypterids and chasmataspidids

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Lamsdell, James C.; Briggs, Derek E. G.; Liu, Huaibao P.; Witzke, Brian J.; McKay, Robert M.

2015-10-01

Euchelicerates were a major component of Palaeozoic faunas, but their basal relationships are uncertain: it has been suggested that Xiphosura—xiphosurids (horseshoe crabs) and similar Palaeozoic forms, the synziphosurines—may not represent a natural group. Basal euchelicerates are rare in the fossil record, however, particularly during the initial Ordovician radiation of the group. Here, we describe Winneshiekia youngae gen. et sp. nov., a euchelicerate from the Middle Ordovician (Darriwilian) Winneshiek Lagerstätte of Iowa, USA. Winneshiekia shares features with both xiphosurans (a large, semicircular carapace and ophthalmic ridges) and dekatriatan euchelicerates such as chasmataspidids and eurypterids (an opisthosoma of 13 tergites). Phylogenetic analysis resolves Winneshiekia at the base of Dekatriata, as sister taxon to a clade comprising chasmataspidids, eurypterids, arachnids, and Houia. Winneshiekia provides further support for the polyphyly of synziphosurines, traditionally considered the stem lineage to xiphosurid horseshoe crabs, and by extension the paraphyly of Xiphosura. The new taxon reveals the ground pattern of Dekatriata and provides evidence of character polarity in chasmataspidids and eurypterids. The Winneshiek Lagerstätte thus represents an important palaeontological window into early chelicerate evolution.

Characterization of deep-marine clastic sediments from foreland basins: Outcrop-derived concepts for exploration, production and reservoir modelling. Doctoral thesis; Karakterizering van diep-mariene klastische sedimenten uit voorland bekkens: Aan ontsluitingen ontleende concepten voor exploratie, produktie en reservoir modellering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schuppers, J D

1995-02-20

Deep-marine clastic sediments are the host for many prolific hydrocarbon reservoirs. The sandbodies that form these reservoirs show a wide variety in shape, spatial arrangement, and internal structure. The outcrops studied for this thesis pertain to the fill of circum-mediterranean foreland basins in Spain and Greece. The outcrops have allowed the description of the multiscale anatomy of sandbodies that cover a wide range of depositional settings. The descriptions are focused on those features that are most likely to influence the flow of fluids through analogous reservoirs of similar construction. Extensive use was made of photomosaics to outline the large-scale geometries and stacking modes of the sandbodies. The sediments studied form the basis for seven `reservoir models` that are both descriptive and conceptual.

Using SHRIMP zircon dating to unravel tectonothermal events in arc environments. The early Palaeozoic arc of NW Iberia revisited

Science.gov (United States)

Abati, J.; Castineiras, P.G.; Arenas, R.; Fernandez-Suarez, J.; Barreiro, J.G.; Wooden, J.L.

2007-01-01

Dating of zircon cores and rims from granulites developed in a shear zone provides insights into the complex relationship between magmatism and metamorphism in the deep roots of arc environments. The granulites belong to the uppermost allochthonous terrane of the NW Iberian Massif, which forms part of a Cambro-Ordovician magmatic arc developed in the peri-Gondwanan realm. The obtained zircon ages confirm that voluminous calc-alkaline magmatism peaked around 500Ma and was shortly followed by granulite facies metamorphism accompanied by deformation at c. 480Ma, giving a time framework for crustal heating, regional metamorphism, deformation and partial melting, the main processes that control the tectonothermal evolution of arc systems. Traces of this arc can be discontinuously followed in different massifs throughout the European Variscan Belt, and we propose that the uppermost allochthonous units of the NW Iberian Massif, together with the related terranes in Europe, constitute an independent and coherent terrane that drifted away from northern Gondwana prior to the Variscan collisional orogenesis. ?? 2007 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Multiple-stage diagenetic alteration and fluid history of Ordovician carbonate-hosted barite mineralization, Southern Quebec Appalachians

Science.gov (United States)

Paradis, Suzanne; Lavoie, Denis

1996-12-01

Lower Ordovician bioclastic limestone of the Upton Group, southern Quebec Appalachians, hosts stratabound Ba-Zn-Pb mineralization. The Upton Group, a mixed platform carbonate-siliciclastic-volcanic succession, is exposed as windows within the tectonically overlying Cambrian siliciclastics of the Granby Nappe. Mineralization consists mostly of barite and minor amounts of sulfides (sphalerite, pyrite, galena, and chalcopyrite), in addition to calcite, quartz and bitumen cements. It is hosted by a bioclastic limestone which is interbedded with and capped by a black calcareous shale, and underlain by a mudstone-siltstone-volcanic succession and a lower poorly fossiliferous limestone. The lower limestone recorded early extensive dolomitization followed by meteoric alteration (dedolomitization, sulphate dissolution, vadose cements, soil pisoids, etc.), and burial diagenesis (recrystallization, fracturation, and cementation). The vadose gravitational calcite cements yield δ 18O PDB values of -8.4 to -11.0‰ andδ 13C PDB values of +2.4 to +2.8‰. The thin soil profiles with pisoids have a δ 18O PDB value of -8.2‰ and a δ 13C PDB value of +2.0‰. These data suggest an evaporative 18O-enrichment of near-surface trapped soil moisture (vadose water) in a rock-dominated diagenetic system. The recrystallized limestone hasδ 18O PDB values of -11.4 to -15.5‰ and near Early Ordovician marine δ 13C PDB values of -0.2 to +2.5‰. These data suggest a final stabilization of the limestone from high temperature fluids in a rock-dominated diagenetic system. The mineralized bioclastic limestone shows rare evidence of early submarine cementation which is overprinted by significant post-depositional recrystallization and hydrothermal alteration. The latter resulted in the generation of secondary porosity and precipitation of a subhedral barite cement, a bladed barite cement, and fracture-filling barite. Fracture- and void-filling calcite, sulfides, quartz and bitumen

Hyperextension in the Caledonian margin of Baltica and its bearing on the structural and metamorphic evolution of Scandinavian Caledonides (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Andersen, T. B.

2013-12-01

The Scandinavian segment (~2000 km) of the Caledonian-Appalachian orogen formed by a head-on collision of Baltica and Laurentia. The collision followed rapid (>10 cm/yr) convergence, subduction and closure of the Iapetus Ocean in the Ordovician to the Middle Silurian. The collision culminated in a Himalayan type continental collision at 430 Ma, after which the continental subduction/convergence continued for 20 Myr. The terminal stage was characterized by syn- and post-orogenic extension and exhumation, which produced a template used in opening of the present-day Norwegian Sea. The Scandian collision produced a 'layer-cake' tectono-stratigraphy, but correlation of individual nappe units along strike is not trivial. The vestiges of the Iapetus can, however, be traced along the entire Scandinavian Peninsula and constitute the Iapetus suture. Rocks of assumed Laurentian origin structurally overlie the suture. The outboard units underwent several orogenic events that pre-date the Scandian collision and which took place outboard of Baltica. These will not be discussed further here. The Caledonian passive margin of Baltica was very wide, consisting of non-volcanic hyperextended segments as well as passive volcanic margin domains. Basement-cover pairs, in places with mafic dyke-swarms constitute most of these units. The Baltican and assumed Baltican units below the suture have evidence of diachronous and relatively locally developed pre-Scandian deformation and metamorphic events. In S. Norway large basement-cover units are separated by a melange with numerous solitary mantle peridotites and a number of detrital serpentinites. The melange can be traced along strike across S. Norway. Locally, an island-type ';Celtic' fauna is preserved in detrital serpentinite. Some mantle rocks were structurally emplaced, exhumed, eroded and juxtaposed with continental clastics and crust before the Early Ordovician. The melange was recently interpreted to represent an oceanic to

Nature and regional significance of unconformities associated with the Middle Ordovician Hagan K-bentonite complex in the North American midcontinent

Science.gov (United States)

Kolata, Dennis R.; Huff, W.D.; Bergstrom, Stig M.

1998-01-01

Stratal patterns of the Middle Ordovician Hagan K-bentonite complex and associated rocks show that the Black River-Trenton unconformity in the North American midcontinent formed through the complex interplay of eustasy, sediment accumulation rates, siliciclastic influx, bathymetry, seawater chemistry, and perhaps local tectonic uplift. The unconformity is diachronous and is an amalgamated surface that resulted from local late Turinian lowstand exposure followed by regional early Chatfieldian transgressive drowning and sediment starvation. The duration of the unconformity is greatest in southern Wisconsin, northern Illinois, and northern Indiana, where the Deicke and Millbrig K-bentonite Beds converge at the unconformity. On the basis of published isotopic ages for the Deicke and Millbrig beds, it is possible that in these regions erosion and non-deposition spanned a period of as much as 3.2 m.y. Two broad coeval depositional settings are recognized within the North American midcontinent during early Chatfieldian time. 1) An inner shelf, subtidal facies of fossiliferous shale (Spechts Ferry Shale Member and Ion Shale Member of the Decorah Formation) and argillaceous lime mudstone and skeletal wackestone (Guttenberg and Kings Lake Limestone Members) extended from the Canadian shield and Transcontinental arch southeastward through Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Missouri. 2) A seaward, relatively deep subtidal, sediment-starved, middle shelf extended eastward from the Mississippi Valley region to the Taconian foreland basins in the central and southern Appalachians and southward through the pericratonic Arkoma and Black Warrior basins. In the inner shelf region, the Black River-Trenton unconformity is a composite of at least two prominent hardground omission surfaces, one at the top of the Castlewood and Carimona Limestone Members and the other at the top of the Guttenberg and Kings Lake Limestone Members, both merging to a single surface in the middle shelf region

Comparative palynology of clastics and lignites from the Manning Formation, Jackson Group, Upper Eocene, Grimes County, TX

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gennett, J.A. [Texas A& M Univ., College Station, TX (United States)

1996-09-01

The 3500 lignite seam at the Gibbons Creek Mine in Grimes County, TX was sampled for pollen and spores at 10 cm intervals. The majority of samples are dominated (to 60%) by Momipites from the Juglandaceae (walnut family), as is typical of Jackson Group sediments. Other palynomorph taxa vary systematically, with a peak of pollen of the freshwater tree Nyssa (blackgum) and associated Rboipites angustus (to 17%) occurring at the base. Higher in the seam, increase (to 55%) of Cupuliferoipollenites (a chestnut-like grain) and Cyrillaceae-pollenites? ventosus (to 7%) percentages may indicate a higher salinity environment. A Chrysophyllum (satin leaf) peak (to 25%) near the top of the seam suggests relatively shallow fresh-water conditions. Core samples from an interval above the lignites represent a transgressive-regressive cycle in inner shelf clastics. These samples were taken at 40 cm or greater intervals and reveal the regional pollen flora. Although minor changes occur, palynomorph spectra are for the most part homogenous. The dominant grain is again Momipites coryloides, but in general percentages are lower (to 35%). Cupuliferoipollenites (to 17%), Chrysophyllum (to 5%), and Rhoipites angustus (to 3%) are not less important, but do not peak as they do in the lignite spectra. Palm leaf megafossils; in one sample suggest a clastic wetland; in this sample palm pollen (mostly Arecipites, representing the modern saw palmetto) reaches 73%. Another sample contains high (26%) percentages of the fern spore Lygodiumsporites adriennis. High percentages of these two taxa do not occur in the lignite samples.

Dazai super-large uranium-bearing germanium deposit in western Yunnan region metallogenic geological conditions and prospect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han Yanrong; Yuan Qingbang; Li Yonghua; Zhang Ling; Dai Jiemin

1995-05-01

The Dazai super-large uranium-bearing germanium deposit is located in Bangmai Fault Basin, Western Yunnan, China. The basin basement is migmatitic granite and the cover is miocene coal-bearing clastics, Bangmai Formation. The basin development had undergone faulted rhombus basin forming, synsedimentary structure-developing and up-lifted-denuded stages. Synsedimentary faults had controlled distribution of sedimentary formation and lithofacies, and uranium and germanium mineralization. Germanium ore-bodies occur mainly in master lignite-bed of lower rhythmite. Hosted germanium-lignite is taken as main ore-type. Germanium occurs in vitrinite of lignite in the form of metal-organic complex. The metallogenetic geological conditions of the deposit are that ground preparation is uplift zone-migmatitic granite-fault basin-geothermal anomaly area, rich and thick ore-body is controlled by synsedimentary fault, peat-bog phase is favorable to accumulation for ore-forming elements, and unconformity between overlying cover and underlying basement is a channel-way of mineralizing fluid. A multiperiodic composite, being regarded sedimentation and diagenesis as a major process, uranium and germanium ore deposit has been formed through two mineralization. Four prospecting areas have been forecasted and two deposits have been accordingly discovered again. Technical-economic provableness shows that the deposit is characterized by shallow-buried, rich grade, large scale, easy mining and smelting. (9 figs.)

Greisen deposits associated to carboniferous post-orogenic granites with mineralization potential, Sierra de Fiambala, Catamarca, Argentina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fogliata, A. S.; Rubinstein, N. R.; Avila, J. C.; Baez, M.

2008-01-01

The Fiambala range is located in the central south part of the province of Catamarca, Western Sierras Pampeanas, Argentina. It is largely conformed by Precambrian metamorphic rocks, a Cambrian granitic intrusive, Ordovician basic and ultra basic rocks and epi zonal Carboniferous granites (Los Ratones, El Salto and Ayacucho Granites). The Carboniferous granites are sub alkaline, weakly peraluminous, high silica (except for the porphyritic facies of Los Ratones granite) and moderately enriched in K. Contents of trace elements and REE indicate that El S alto and Ayacucho granites and the granular facies of Los Ratones granite have characteristics of evolved and differentiated granite associated with hydrothermal systems. The variations of trace elements, particularly Sn, W, U, Rb, Ba, Zr and Sr suggest that they correspond to granites with mineralization potential. Genetically linked to these granites there are Sn, W, U and minor base metals greisen deposits. The hydrothermal process that yield to these deposits involved two main alteration stages, beginning with alkali metasomatism follow by greissenization. According to the isotopic ages the hydrothermal processes postdate about 1 Ma the magmatic activity. The analyses of the granites and the associated greisen deposits confirm that the post orogenic carboniferous magmatism is the major metallogenetic control of the ore deposits from the studied area. This metallogenetic control could be a useful tool in prospecting similar deposits in the rest of the Western Sierras Pampeanas. (Author)

Interpretation of sedimentological processes of coarse-grained deposits applying a novel combined cluster and discriminant analysis

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Farics Éva

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The main aim of this paper is to determine the depositional environments of an Upper-Eocene coarse-grained clastic succession in the Buda Hills, Hungary. First of all, we measured some commonly used parameters of samples (size, amount, roundness and sphericity in a much more objective overall and faster way than with traditional measurement approaches, using the newly developed Rock Analyst application. For the multivariate data obtained, we applied Combined Cluster and Discriminant Analysis (CCDA in order to determine homogeneous groups of the sampling locations based on the quantitative composition of the conglomerate as well as the shape parameters (roundness and sphericity. The result is the spatial pattern of these groups, which assists with the interpretation of the depositional processes. According to our concept, those sampling sites which belong to the same homogeneous groups were likely formed under similar geological circumstances and by similar geological processes.

Composition and significance of the Katian (Upper Ordovician conodont fauna of the Vaux Limestone (‘Calcaire des Vaux’ in Normandy, France

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Annalisa Ferretti

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Study of new conodont collections from the Vaux Limestone exposed at its classical locality at Saint-Hilaire-la-Gérard in the Sées syncline, the conodont fauna of which was previously described in a preliminary way by Weyant et al. (1977, Un épisode calcaire ashgillien dans l’est du Massif armoricain; incidence sur l’âge des dépôts glacio-marins fini-ordoviciens. Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences, Paris, 284, Série D, 1147–1149, has provided significant new information about Late Ordovician conodonts from Normandy. A more precise age of this formation has been established based on an unexpectedly abundant conodont fauna of low diversity. Representatives of Amorphognathus, Hamarodus, Sagittodontina, Scabbardella and Eocarniodus are present and the fauna is referable to the middle Katian–lower Hirnantian A. ordovicicus Zone. Our study, the first illustrating Ordovician conodonts from Normandy, shows that the fauna is closely similar to middle Katian faunas from other parts of continental Europe and represents the Sagittodontina robusta–Scabbardella altipes biofacies of the Mediterranean Province.

Unique distributions of hydrocarbons and sulphur compounds released by flash pyrolysis from the fossilised alga Gloeocapsomorpha prisca, a major constituent in one of four Ordovician kerogens

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sinninghe Damsté, J.S.; Douglas, A.G.; Fowler, M.G.; Eglinton, T.I.

1991-01-01

Kerogens isolated from four rocks of Ordovician age from North America have been analysed by combined pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to compare and contrast the type and distribution of sulphur-containing compounds and aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons present in the

Mineral magnetic environmental record in clastic cave deposits

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Šlechta, Stanislav; Kadlec, Jaroslav

2008-01-01

Roč. 38, special issue (2008), s. 134-134 ISSN 1335-2806. [Paleo, Rock and Environmental Magnetism. Castle Meeting /11./. 22.06.2008-28.06.2008, Bojnice] Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30130516 Keywords : mineral magnetic environmental reconstruction * cave sediments * Moravian Karst Subject RIV: DE - Earth Magnetism, Geodesy, Geography

Simulation of the mulltizones clastic reservoir: A case study of Upper Qishn Clastic Member, Masila Basin-Yemen

Science.gov (United States)

Khamis, Mohamed; Marta, Ebrahim Bin; Al Natifi, Ali; Fattah, Khaled Abdel; Lashin, Aref

2017-06-01

The Upper Qishn Clastic Member is one of the main oil-bearing reservoirs that are located at Masila Basin-Yemen. It produces oil from many zones with different reservoir properties. The aim of this study is to simulate and model the Qishn sandstone reservoir to provide more understanding of its properties. The available, core plugs, petrophysical, PVT, pressure and production datasets, as well as the seismic structural and geologic information, are all integrated and used in the simulation process. Eclipse simulator was used as a powerful tool for reservoir modeling. A simplified approach based on a pseudo steady-state productivity index and a material balance relationship between the aquifer pressure and the cumulative influx, is applied. The petrophysical properties of the Qishn sandstone reservoir are mainly investigated based on the well logging and core plug analyses. Three reservoir zones of good hydrocarbon potentiality are indicated and named from above to below as S1A, S1C and S2. Among of these zones, the S1A zone attains the best petrophysical and reservoir quality properties. It has an average hydrocarbon saturation of more than 65%, high effective porosity up to 20% and good permeability record (66 mD). The reservoir structure is represented by faulted anticline at the middle of the study with a down going decrease in geometry from S1A zone to S2 zone. It is limited by NE-SW and E-W bounding faults, with a weak aquifer connection from the east. The analysis of pressure and PVT data has revealed that the reservoir fluid type is dead oil with very low gas liquid ratio (GLR). The simulation results indicate heterogeneous reservoir associated with weak aquifer, supported by high initial water saturation and high water cut. Initial oil in place is estimated to be around 628 MM BBL, however, the oil recovery during the period of production is very low (<10%) because of the high water cut due to the fractures associated with many faults. Hence, secondary and

Salt deposits of Los Medanos Area, Eddy and Lea counties, New Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, C.L.; Cooley, M.E.; Bachman, G.O.

1973-01-01

The salt deposits of Los Medanos area, in Eddy and Lea Counties, southeastern New Mexico, are being considered for possible use as a receptacle for radioactive wastes in a pilot-plant repository. The salt deposits of the area are in three evaporite formations: the Castile, Salado, and Rustler formations, in ascending order. The three formations are dominantly anhydrite and rock salt; but some gypsum, potassium ores, carbonate rock, and fine-grained clastic rocks are present. They have combined thicknesses of slightly more than 4000 feet, of which roughly one-half belongs to the Salado. Both the Castile and the Rustler are richer in anhydrite and poorer in rock salt than the Salado, and they provide this salt-rich formation with considerable protection from any fluids which might be present in underlying or overlying rocks. The Salado Formation contains many thick seams of rock salt at moderate depths below the surface. The rock salt has a substantial cover of well-consolidated rocks, and it is very little deformed structurally. 37 refs., 48 figs., 4 tabs

Correlation of Early Tertiary Terrestrial Deposits of the Amaga Basin, Cauca Depression, Colombian Andes

Science.gov (United States)

Sierra, G. M.; Sierra, G. M.; MacDonald, W. D.

2001-05-01

The Amaga Formation of the Amaga Basin preserves early Tertiary terrestrial deposits of many facies: channel, crevasse splay, paludal, flood plain, point bar, etc. These deposits lie between two major strike-slip fault zones, the Cauca and the Romeral in the Cauca Valley of the northern Andes of Colombia. Coal deposits characterize the lower part of the stratigraphic section; fine to medium clastic sediments otherwise dominate the sections. Within the basin, correlation between sections is difficult because various discontinuities interrupt the continuity of the strata. These include Tertiary intrusives, folding and faulting. Rapid lateral facies changes further complicate the correlations. Detailed studies on five stratigraphic sections are underway. Multiple methods of correlating sections are being used, including fluvial sequence stratigraphy in outcrops, architectural facies analysis, heavy mineral separates, grain-size and grain-ratio variations, paleocurrent directions, and magnetic property variations. Distinctive regional variations in magnetic anisotropic susceptibility indicate areas in which tectonic effects overprint sedimentary fabrics. The presence of secondary hematite and siderite is related to that overprinting. A major compositional break (identified by grain-ratio variations) has been found in the middle of the section. The integrated correlation results are summarized.

Evolution of the Early Triassic marine depositional environment in the Croatian Dinarides

Science.gov (United States)

Aljinović, Dunja; Smirčić, Duje; Horacek, Micha; Richoz, Sylvain; Krystyn, Leopold; Kolar-Jurkovšek, Tea; Jurkovšek, Bogdan

2014-05-01

In the central part of the Dinarides in Croatia, the Early Triassic depositional sequence was investigated by means of litho-, bio- and chemostratigraphy at locality Plavno (ca. 1.000m thick). Conodont and δ13C-isotope analysis were a powerfull tool to determine stage and substage boundaries. The succession begins with the second conodont zone of the Griesbachian Isarcicella staeschei and I. isarcica with low δ13C-values and a steadily increase towards the Griesbachian-Dienerian boundary. Around that boundary a minor, short, negative excursion occurs. In the Dienerian the δ13C-values increase with a steepening of the slope towards the Dienerian-Smithian boundary. Around that boundary a maximum of +5o in shallow water carbonate occurs followed by a steep and continuous drop to low, often negative values in the Smithian. Just before the Smithian-Spathian boundary a steep rise to a second maximum is documented. It is followed by decline in the Spathian and a gentle increase to a rounded peak at the Spathian-Anisian boundary. In lithological sense Plavno succession has threefold division: 1) carbonates representing the oldest Early Triassic strata (early Griesbachian); 2) dominantly red clastics (shales, siltstones and sandstones) with intercalation of oncoid/ooid or bioclast rich grainstones (uppermost Griesbachian, Dienerian and Smithian) and 3) dominantly grey carbonaceous lime mudstones, marls and calcisiltites with ammonoids representing Spathian strata. In the oldest strata (Griesbachian) in macrocrystalline subhedral dolomites rare microspheres and foraminifers Earlandia and Cornuspira point to the stressful conditions related to the end Permian mass extinction. In the uppermost Griesbachian and Dienerian strata, within dominantly clastic deposition, rare coarse oncoliths with typical microbial cortices occur. Their presence fits to the interpretation of biotical-induced precipitation related to PTB extinction and can suggest still stressful condition. The

Microbial involvement in the formation of Cambrian sea-floor silica-iron oxide deposits, Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Duhig, Nathan C.; Davidson, Garry J.; Stolz, Joe

1992-06-01

The Cambrian-Ordovician Mount Windsor volcanic belt in northern Australia is host to stratiform lenses of massive ferruginous chert that are spatially associated with volcanogenic massive sulfide occurrences, in particular the Thalanga zinc-lead-copper-silver deposit. The rocks are composed principally of Fe2O3 and SiO2, with very low concentrations of alkalic elements, and lithogenous elements such as Al, Zr, and Ti; they are interpreted as nearly pure chemical sediments. Textural evidence is documented of the integral role of filamentous bacteria (and/or fungi) in depositing iron from hydrothermal fluids, and of the inorganic precipitation of silica-iron-oxyhydroxide gels that subsequently matured to subcrystalline and crystalline silica forms. At least three distinct iron-accumulating microbial forms are distinguished: networks of septate filaments, nonseptate filament networks, and extremely coarse branching filaments that do not reconnect. Values for δ34S in disseminated pyrite are up to 50‰ lighter than those of contemporaneous Cambrian seawater, suggesting postdepositional colonization of some ironstones by sulfur-reducing bacteria. The site not only preserves the textural interplay of biological and inorganic depositional processes in exhalites, but also extends the oldest known instance of microbial mediation in vent-proximal hydrothermal iron precipitation to at least 500 Ma.

Evolution of mineralizing brines in the east Tennessee Mississippi Valley-type ore field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kesler, S.E.; Gesink, J.A.; Haynes, F.M. (Univ. of Michingan, Ann Arbor (USA))

1989-05-01

The east Tennessee Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) ore field contains barite-fluorite and sphalterite deposits in a continuous paleoaquifer consisting of breccia zones in the Upper Cambrian-Lower Ordovician Knox Group. Paragenetic observations and fluid inclusion compositions in these deposits indicate that the Knox paleoaquifer was invaded first by Ca-rich brines (Ca:Na about 1) that deposited fluorite and barite, and later by Na-Ca brines (Ca:Na = 0.1 to 0.5) that deposited sphalerite. Geologic relation sindicate that these brines were derived from the southeast, in the area of the Middle Ordovician Servier foreland shale basin, and that imposed by fluorite solubility indicate further that all original connate water in the Sevier basin was required to deposit the estimated flourite reserves of the ore field.Thus, the later, sphalerite-depositing brines represent recycled meteoric water from the Sevier basin or connate brines from underlying (Cambrian) shales.

Very low-temperature metamorphism in Ordovician metasedimentary rocks above and below the Sardic unconformity, SW Sardinia, Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Franceschelli, M.; Battaglia, S.; Cruciani, G.; Pasci, S.; Puxeddu, M.

2017-03-01

In the Iglesiente region, the Cabitza and Monte Argentu Formations are separated by an angular unconformity known as the Sardic unconformity. This is related to an early Ordovician mild compressional phase, known as the "Sardic phase". The pelitic samples from the structurally lower Cabitza Formation consist of alternating reddish phyllosilicate-rich and whitish phyllosilicate-poor, sialic layers, whose S0 bedding plane is parallel to a pre-Variscan S1P schistosity overprinted by the Variscan S1V schistosity. Pelitic samples from the Monte Argentu Formation are characterized by a Variscan S1V axial plane schistosity. Samples from the two formations consist of quartz and phyllosilicates. The latter are potassic white mica, chlorite, paragonite, locally kaolinite, and pyrophyllite. The illite crystallinity values determined for the Cabitza samples are 0.25-0.31, with an average of 0.29; meanwhile, the Monte Argentu samples produce values of 0.33-0.38, with an average of 0.35. The chlorite crystallinity and b0 of potassic white mica values show greater heterogeneity in the Cabitza than the Monte Argentu samples. The b0 values and P-T pseudosections allow us to confirm that there is no significant difference in the P-T metamorphism conditions between the Cabitza and Monte Argentu samples. The Iglesiente region, which is considered to be the rift zone behind the Middle Ordovician Sarcidano-Barbagia volcanic arc, underwent the "Sardic phase", giving rise to E-W folds. These were first overprinted by weak E-W, and then by stronger N-S-oriented Variscan deformation events.

Geologic map of the Western Grove quadrangle, northwestern Arkansas

Science.gov (United States)

Hudson, Mark R.; Turner, Kenzie J.; Repetski, John E.

2006-01-01

This map summarizes the geology of the Western Grove 7.5-minute quadrangle in northern Arkansas that is located on the southern flank of the Ozark dome, a late Paleozoic regional uplift. The exposed bedrock of this map area comprises approximately 1,000 ft of Ordovician and Mississippian carbonate and clastic sedimentary rocks that have been mildly folded and broken by faults. A segment of the Buffalo River loops through the southern part of the quadrangle, and the river and adjacent lands form part of Buffalo National River, a park administered by the U.S. National Park Service. This geologic map provides information to better understand the natural resources of the Buffalo River watershed, particularly its karst hydrogeologic framework.

Nitrate deposition following an astrophysical ionizing radiation event

Science.gov (United States)

Neuenswander, Ben; Melott, Adrian

2015-06-01

It is known that a gamma ray burst (GRB) originating near the Earth could be devastating to life. The mechanism of ozone depletion and subsequent increased UVB exposure is the primary risk, but models also show increased nitrification culminating in nitric acid rainout. These effects are also expected after nearby supernovae and extreme solar proton events. In this work we considered specifically whether the increased nitric acid rainout from such events is a threat to modern terrestrial ecosystems. We also considered its potential benefit to early terrestrial Paleozoic ecosystems. We used established critical loads for nitrogen deposition in ecoregions of Europe and the US and compared them with previously predicted values of nitric acid rainout from a typical GRB within our galaxy. The predicted rainout was found to be too low to harm modern ecosystems, however, it is large compared with probable nitrate flux onto land prior to the invasion of plants. We suggest that this flux may have contributed nutrients to this invasion if, as hypothesized, the end-Ordovician extinction event were initiated by a GRB or other ionizing radiation event.

Architecture and mineral deposit settings of the Altaid orogenic collage: a revised model

Science.gov (United States)

Yakubchuk, Alexander

2004-09-01

The Altaids are an orogenic collage of Neoproterozoic-Paleozoic rocks located in the center of Eurasia. This collage consists of only three oroclinally bent Neoproterozoic-Early Paleozoic magmatic arcs (Kipchak, Tuva-Mongol, and Mugodzhar-Rudny Altai), separated by sutures of their former backarc basins, which were stitched by new generations of overlapping magmatic arcs. In addition, the Altaids host accreted fragments of the Neoproterozoic to Early Paleozoic oceanic island chains and Neoproterozoic to Cenozoic plume-related magmatic rocks superimposed on the accreted fragments. All these assemblages host important, many world-class, Late Proterozoic to Early Mesozoic gold, copper-molybdenum, lead-zinc, nickel and other deposits of various types. In the Late Proterozoic, during breakup of the supercontinent Rodinia, the Kipchak and Tuva-Mongol magmatic arcs were rifted off Eastern Europe-Siberia and Laurentia to produce oceanic backarc basins. In the Late Ordovician, the Siberian craton began its clockwise rotation with respect to Eastern Europe and this coincides with the beginning of formation of the Mugodzhar-Rudny Altai arc behind the Kipchak arc. These earlier arcs produced mostly Cu-Pb-Zn VMS deposits, although some important intrusion-related orogenic Au deposits formed during arc-arc collision events in the Middle Cambrian and Late Ordovician. The clockwise rotation of Siberia continued through the Paleozoic until the Early Permian producing several episodes of oroclinal bending, strike-slip duplication and reorganization of the magmatic arcs to produce the overlapping Kazakh-Mongol and Zharma-Saur-Valerianov-Beltau-Kurama arcs that welded the extinct Kipchak and Tuva-Mongol arcs. This resulted in amalgamation of the western portion of the Altaid orogenic collage in the Late Paleozoic. Its eastern portion amalgamated only in the early Mesozoic and was overlapped by the Transbaikal magmatic arc, which developed in response to subduction of the oceanic crust

Architecture and quantitative assessment of channeled clastic deposits, Shihezi sandstone (Lower Permian, Ordos Basin, China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chengye Jia

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Lower Permian Shihezi sandstone in Ordos Basin is the largest gas reservoir in China. Architecture elements of channel, overbank and floodplain facies of braided channel deposits were identified through an outcrops survey, and their proportion of channel facies have been quantitatively estimated from well logging. Characteristics of architecture elements, such as sand thickness, bounding surfaces and lithofacies were investigated through outcrops and core. Petrology of Shihezi sandstone has also been studied in detail. Analysis on sandstone components shows that monocrystalline quartz with approximately 76% bulk volume, and lithic up to 5%–45% bulk volume, are the two main components. Litharenite and lithic quartz sandstone are the main rock types. Compaction is concluded by former researchers as the control factor of low permeability. Examination through thin section reveals that secondary pores developed well in coarse sand. Inter-granular dissolution is included as the positive effect to increasing porosity, and is concluded as the control factor to the generation of net pay. Scale of coarse grained channel fills and channel bar sandstone bodies are quantitatively estimated. Strike-oriented, dip-oriented, and vertical distribution of channel fills and channel bar sandstone bodies have been investigated. The geometry of sand bodies can be depicted as an elongated lens. Subsurface mapping reveals that channel sandstone bodies distribute widely from both lateral and longitudinal cross section profiles, and are poorly connected.

Littoral sedimentation of rift lakes: an illustrated overview from the modern to Pliocene Lake Turkana (East African Rift System, Kenya)

Science.gov (United States)

Schuster, Mathieu; Nutz, Alexis

2015-04-01

Existing depositional models for rift lakes can be summarized as clastics transported by axial and lateral rivers, then distributed by fan-deltas and/or deltas into a standing water body which is dominated by settling of fine particles, and experiencing occasional coarser underflows. Even if known from paleolakes and modern lakes, reworking of clastics by alongshore drift, waves and storms are rarely considered in depositional models. However, if we consider the lake Turkana Basin (East African Rift System, Kenya) it is obvious that this vision is incomplete. Three representative time slices are considered here: the modern Lake Turkana, the Megalake Turkana which developed thanks to the African Humid Period (Holocene), and the Plio-Pleistocene highstand episodes of paleolake Turkana (Nachukui, Shungura and Koobi Fora Formations, Omo Group). First, remarkable clastic morphosedimentary structures such as beach ridges, spits, washover fans, lagoons, or wave-dominated deltas are very well developed along the shoreline of modern lake Turkana, suggesting strong hydrodynamics responsible for a major reworking of the fluvial-derived clastics all along the littoral zone (longshore and cross-shore transport) of the lake. Similarly, past hydrodynamics are recorded from prominent raised beach ridges and spits, well-preserved all around the lake, above its present water-level (~360 m asl) and up to ~455 m. These large-scale clastic morphosedimentary structures also record the maximum extent of Megalake Turkana during the African Humid Period, as well as its subsequent regression forced by the end of the Holocene climatic optimum. Several hundreds of meters of fluvial-deltaic-lacustrine deposits spanning the Pliocene-Pleistocene are exposed in the Turkana basin thanks to tectonic faulting. These deposits are world famous for their paleontological and archeological content that documents the very early story of Mankind. They also preserve several paleolake highstand episodes with

The eoorthid brachiopod Apheoorthina in the Lower Ordovician of NW Argentina and the dispersal pathways along western Gondwana

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diego F. Muñoz

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The eoorthid brachiopod Apheoorthina is reported for the first time from the Lower Ordovician of NW Argentina. It is represented by a species similar to A. ferrigena from the Tremadocian of the Prague Basin, increasing the faunal affinities between the Central Andean Basin and the South European microcontinents, in particular the Bohemian region (Perunica. Nine out of the fourteen brachiopod genera reported from the Tremadocian of the Central Andean Basin (~64% are shared with the Mediterranean region, four of which (~28% have been recorded in the Prague Basin, and two (Kvania and Apheoorthina are restricted to the Central Andes and Perunica. Dispersal pathways around Gondwana are analyzed in the light of major factors affecting large-scale distribution of brachiopods (environment, larval capacity for dispersal, oceanic currents. The presence in Apheoorthina aff. ferrigena of a well-preserved larval protegulum measuring 420 μm in width and 210 μm in length strongly suggests that this species had planktotrophic larvae capable of long-distance dispersal. According to recent ocean-atmosphere general circulation models for the Ordovician Period, the Central Andean margin was dominated by the cold-water Antarctica Current. Despite the complex non-zonal pattern produced by current deflections around the peri-Gondwanan microcontinents, the general westward circulation sense favoured larval dispersal from the Andean region to North Africa, Avalonia, the Armorican Terrane Assemblage, and Perunica. On the other hand, the eastwards flowing Gondwana Current connected the North Gondwana waters with the South American epicontinental seas, which could explain the reversed migration of some brachiopods.

Hydrogeology of the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system in the northern Midwest: B in Regional aquifer-system analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Young, H.L.; Siegel, D.I.

1992-01-01

The Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system contains the most extensive and continuous aquifers in the northern Midwest of the United States. It is the source of water for many municipalities, industries, and rural water users. Since the beginning of ground-water development from the aquifer system in the late 1800's, hydraulic heads have declined hundreds of feet in the heavily pumped Chicago-Milwaukee area and somewhat less in other metropolitan areas. The U.S. Geological Survey has completed a regional assessment of this aquifer system within a 161,000-square-mile area encompassing northern Illinois, northwestern Indiana, Iowa, southeastern Minnesota, northern Missouri, and Wisconsin.

International Uranium Resources Evaluation Project (IUREP) national favourability studies: United Kingdom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-10-01

Although uranium prospecting was commenced in the United Kingdom (area 244,813 km) at the end of the last century and was resumed just after the Second World War, it does not seem, for various reasons, despite the level of competence of its specialists and the level of instrumentation available, that the country has been adequately prospected for uranium. The small reserves discovered to date, some 7400t U for all the official NEA/lAEA categories, probably do not reflect the true uranium potential of the United Kingdom. However, they do indicate without doubt that the resources remaining to be discovered are so located that detection will be difficult. The most promising areas of investigation in our opinion are the Old Red Sandstones of the Devonian period on the one hand and the districts where the uraniferous black shales of the Cambro-Ordovician and Namurian have suffered perturbations which may have led to immobilization of their uranium content (in particular, granitizations). All the considerations put forward in this analysis lead us to place the United Kingdom in category 4 of the classification adopted for IUREP. (author)

Petrographic characteristics and depositional environment of Miocene Can coals, Canakkale-Turkey

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guerdal, Guelbin; Bozcu, Mustafa [Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Engineering and Architecture Faculty (Turkey)

2011-01-01

In this study, petrographic examinations along with proximate, calorific value, ultimate, sulphur form and XRD analyses were performed in order to determine the coal characteristics and the depositional environment of the Miocene Can coals. Seventy coal samples were taken from cores and open pit mines. The investigated Can coals are humic coals and classified as lignite to sub-bituminous coal based on the random huminite reflectance (0.38-0.54% R{sub r}), volatile matter (45.50-62.25 wt.%, daf) and calorific value (3419-6479 kcal/kg, maf). The sulphur content of the Can coals changes from 0.30 up to 12.23 wt.%, and a broad range of ash contents was observed varying between 2.46 wt.% and 41.19 wt.%. Huminite is the most abundant maceral group (74-95 vol.% mmf) consisting of mostly humocollinite (gelinite) which is followed by relatively low liptinite (2-18 vol.% mmf) and inertinite content (2-13 vol.% mmf). In general, major mineral contents of coal samples are clay minerals, quartz, mica, pyrite and feldspar. The Can-Etili lignite basin consists of mainly volcano-clastics, fluviatile and lacustrine clastic sediments and contains only one lignite seam with 17 m average thickness. In order to assess the development of paleo-mires, coal facies diagrams were obtained from maceral composition. According to the Vegetation Index (VI) and Ground Water Index (GWI), the Can coal accumulated in inundated marsh, limnic and swamp environments under a rheotrophic hydrological regime. In general, the facies interpretations are in accordance with the observed sedimentalogical data. (author)

Water-quality assessment of the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system in the northern Midwest, United States

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Wilson, John T.

2012-01-01

This report provides a regional assessment of groundwater quality of the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system, based primarily on raw water samples collected by the NAWQA Program during 1995 through 2007. The NAWQA Program has published findings in local study-unit reports encompassing parts of the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer system. Data collected from the aquifer system were used in national synthesis reports on selected topics such as specific water-quality constituent classes, well type, or aquifer material; however, a synthesis of groundwater quality at the principal aquifer scale has not been completed and is therefore the major purpose of this report. Water samples collected by the NAWQA Program were analyzed for various classes of characteristics including physical properties, major ions, trace elements, nutrients and dissolved organic carbon, radionuclides (tritium, radon, and radium), pesticides, and volatile organic compounds. Subsequent sections of this report provide discussions on these classes of characteristics. The assessment objectives of this report are to (1) summarize constituent concentrations and compare them to human-health benchmarks and non-health guidelines; (2) determine the geographic distribution of constituent concentrations and relate them to various factors such as confining conditions, well type, land use, and groundwater age; and (3) evaluate near-decadal-scale changes in nitrate concentrations and pesticide detections. The most recent sample collected from each well by the NAWQA Program was used for most analyses. Near-decadal-scale changes in nitrate concentrations and pesticide detections were evaluated for selected well networks by using the most recent sample from each well and comparing it to the results from a sample collected 7 or 11 years earlier. Because some of the NAWQA well networks provide a limited areal coverage of the aquifer system, data for raw water samples from other USGS sources and state agencies were included

The geology and petroleum potential of the North Afghan platform and adjacent areas (northern Afghanistan, with parts of southern Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan)

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Brookfield, Michael E.; Hashmat, Ajruddin

2001-10-01

The North Afghan platform has a pre-Jurassic basement unconformably overlain by a Jurassic to Paleogene oil- and gas-bearing sedimentary rock platform cover, unconformably overlain by Neogene syn- and post-orogenic continental clastics. The pre-Jurassic basement has four units: (1) An ?Ordovician to Lower Devonian passive margin succession developed on oceanic crust. (2) An Upper Devonian to Lower Carboniferous (Tournaisian) magmatic arc succession developed on the passive margin. (3) A Lower Carboniferous (?Visean) to Permian rift-passive margin succession. (4) A Triassic continental magmatic arc succession. The Mesozoic-Palaeogene cover has three units: (1) A ?Late Triassic to Middle Jurassic rift succession is dominated by variable continental clastics. Thick, coarse, lenticular coal-bearing clastics were deposited by braided and meandering streams in linear grabens, while bauxites formed on the adjacent horsts. (2) A Middle to Upper Jurassic transgressive-regressive succession consists of mixed continental and marine Bathonian to Lower Kimmeridgian clastics and carbonates overlain by regressive Upper Kimmeridgian-Tithonian evaporite-bearing clastics. (3) A Cretaceous succession consists of Lower Cretaceous red beds with evaporites, resting unconformably on Jurassic and older deposits, overlain (usually unconformably) by Cenomanian to Maastrichtian shallow marine limestones, which form a fairly uniform transgressive succession across most of Afghanistan. (4) A Palaeogene succession rests on the Upper Cretaceous limestones, with a minor break marked by bauxite in places. Thin Palaeocene to Upper Eocene limestones with gypsum are overlain by thin conglomerates, which pass up into shales with a restricted brackish-water ?Upper Oligocene-?Lower Miocene marine fauna. The Neogene succession consists of a variable thickness of coarse continental sediments derived from the rising Pamir mountains and adjacent ranges. Almost all the deformation of the North Afghan

Geology of the Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago and the North Kara Terrane in the Russian high Arctic

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Lorenz, Henning; Männik, Peep; Gee, David; Proskurnin, Vasilij

2008-05-01

The Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago is located at 80°N near the continental shelf break, between the Kara and Laptev seas. Sedimentary successions of Neoproterozoic and Palaeozoic age dominate the bedrock geology. Together with Northern Tajmyr, Severnaya Zemlya constitutes the main land areas of the North Kara Terrane (NKT), which is inferred here to have been a part of the Timanide margin of Baltica, i.e. an integral part of Baltica at least since the Vendian. Vendian turbidites derived from the Timanide Orogen are inferred to have been deposited on Neoproterozoic greenschist facies, granite-intruded basement. Shallow-water siliclastic deposition in the Early to Mid-Cambrian was followed by highly organic-rich shales in the Late Cambrian and influx of more turbidites. An episode of folding, the Kan’on River deformation, separates these formations from the overlying Tremadocian conglomerates and sandstones. In the Early Ordovician, rift-related magmatic rocks accompanied the deposition of variegated marls, sandstones, carbonates and evaporites. Dark shales and gypsiferous limestones characterise the Mid-Ordovician. Late Ordovician quartz-sandstones mark a hiatus, followed by carbonate rocks that extend up into and through most of the Silurian. The latter give way upwards into Old Red Sandstones, which are inferred to have been deposited in a Caledonian foreland basin. Deformation, reaching the area in the latest Devonian or earliest Carboniferous and referred to as the Severnaya Zemlya episode, is thought to be Caledonian-related. The dominating E-vergent structure was controlled by décollement zones in Ordovician evaporite-bearing strata; detachment folds and thrusts developed in the west and were apparently impeded by a barrier of Ordovician igneous rocks in the east. Below the décollement zones, the Neoproterozoic to Early Ordovician succession was deformed into open to close folds. The exposed strata in the lower structural level have been juxtaposed with

Carbonate Channel-Levee Systems Influenced by Mass-Transport Deposition, Browse Basin, Australia

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Dunlap, D.; Janson, X.; Sanchez-Phelps, C.; Covault, J. A.

2017-12-01

Submarine channels are primary conduits for clastic sediment transport to deep-water basins, thereby controlling the location of marine depocenters and sediment bypass. The evolution and depositional character of submarine channels have broad implications to sediment dispersal, sediment quality, and hydrocarbon exploration potential. Siliciclastic channel systems have been extensively studied in modern environments, seismic and outcrop; however, carbonate channel-levee deposits have only recently been explored. Here we utilize newly released high-resolution (90 Hz) seismic-reflection data from the Australian Browse Basin to document the influence of mass-transport complex (MTC) deposition on the stratigraphic architecture of carbonate channel-levee systems. The 2014 vintage seismic survey is 2500 km2 and hosts numerous large Miocene-age carbonate channel-levee complexes basinward of the shelf edge. Regional horizons and individual channel forms were mapped. Channels range from 200-300 m wide and are bounded by high-relief levee-overbank wedges (>100 ms TWTT). These channels extend across the survey area >70 km. The leveed-channels were sourced from middle and late Miocene slope gullies linked to platform carbonates. Slope-attached and locally derived MTC's are evident throughout the Miocene section likely related to periods of basin inversion and shelf-edge gully incision. We interpret that regionally extensive (>1000 km2) slope-attached MTC's can shut down a channel-levee system and trigger the initiation of a new system, whereas more locally derived (wasting and turbidity currents, which informs depositional models of carbonate slope systems and calls for re-evaluation of the controls on stratigraphic patterns in mixed siliciclastic-carbonate deep-water basins.

Two coarse pyroclastic flow deposits, northern Mono-Inyo Craters, CA

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Dennen, R. L.; Bursik, M. I.; Stokes, P. J.; Lagamba, M.; Fontanella, N.; Hintz, A. R.; Jayko, A. S.

2010-12-01

The ~1350 A.D., rhyolitic North Mono eruption, Mono-Inyo Craters, CA, included the extrusion and destruction of Panum Dome and associated clastic deposits. Overlying the tephras of the North Mono sequence, the Panum deposits include a block-and-ash flow (BAF) deposit, covering ~3.5 km2. Blocks within the deposit are typically lithic rhyolite and banded gray micro-vesicular glass, showing white, almost powdery marks ranging from circular to linear in shape. These marks are interpreted as friction marks resulting from collisions between clasts. The deposit also contains bread-crusted obsidians with pressed-in clasts as well as reticulite with a bread-crusted surface texture. Near the centerline of the deposit is a ridge-topping train of jigsaw fractured blocks, often with reddish-orange alteration. One house sized jigsaw block sits upstream of a long, thinning pile of reddish orange debris; this “flow shadow” indicates that the block remained relatively stationary while the block and ash flow continued to propagate around it. The bread-crusted reticulite is most common at proximal localities. It is proposed that the dome destruction included a debris avalanche emplacing the train of jigsaw fractured blocks and creating a topographic high, the block-and-ash flow (the farthest reaching deposit from this event) which flowed around the debris avalanche deposits, and a final “lateral expansion” of a magma foam, creating the reticulite seen concentrated at proximal locations. Another coarse pyroclastic flow (here termed the “lower blast deposit”) underlies the North Mono tephra. It is more obsidian rich and finer grained than the Panum BAF. The lower blast deposit may have originated from Pumice Pit vent, which is now capped with an older dome ~0.5 km southeast of Panum. The lower blast deposit extends farther from the Panum vent than does the Panum BAF deposit, and apparently was mistaken for the Panum BAF deposit by previous workers. Hence the run

sedimentology, depositional environments and basin evolution

African Journals Online (AJOL)

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ABSTRACT: The Inter-Trappean coal and oil shale-bearing sedimentation in the Delbi-Moye Basin ... accompanied by passive subsidence. ... margins, whereas the concentration of fine-grained clastic sediments and ..... concentrated at the marginal areas of the basin. .... faults favoured the accumulation of alluvial fan.

Interpretation of sedimentological processes of coarse-grained deposits applying a novel combined cluster and discriminant analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Farics, Éva; Farics, Dávid; Kovács, József; Haas, János

2017-10-01

The main aim of this paper is to determine the depositional environments of an Upper-Eocene coarse-grained clastic succession in the Buda Hills, Hungary. First of all, we measured some commonly used parameters of samples (size, amount, roundness and sphericity) in a much more objective overall and faster way than with traditional measurement approaches, using the newly developed Rock Analyst application. For the multivariate data obtained, we applied Combined Cluster and Discriminant Analysis (CCDA) in order to determine homogeneous groups of the sampling locations based on the quantitative composition of the conglomerate as well as the shape parameters (roundness and sphericity). The result is the spatial pattern of these groups, which assists with the interpretation of the depositional processes. According to our concept, those sampling sites which belong to the same homogeneous groups were likely formed under similar geological circumstances and by similar geological processes. In the Buda Hills, we were able to distinguish various sedimentological environments within the area based on the results: fan, intermittent stream or marine.

Shallow marine event sedimentation in a volcanic arc-related setting: The Ordovician Suri Formation, Famatina range, northwest Argentina

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Mangano, M.G.; Buatois, L.A.

1996-01-01

The Loma del Kilome??tro Member of the Lower Ordovician Suri Formation records arc-related shelf sedimentation in the Famatina Basin of northwest Argentina. Nine facies, grouped into three facies assemblages, are recognized. Facies assemblage 1 [massive and parallel-laminated mudstones (facies A) locally punctuated by normally graded or parallel-laminated silty sandstones (facies B] records deposition from suspension fall-out and episodic storm-induced turbidity currents in an outer shelf setting. Facies assemblage 2 [massive and parallel-laminated mudstones (facies A) interbedded with rippled-top very fine-grained sandstones (facies D)] is interpreted as the product of background sedimentation alternating with distal storm events in a middle shelf environment. Facies assemblage 3 [normally graded coarse to fine-grained sandstones (facies C); parallel-laminated to low angle cross-stratified sandstones (facies E); hummocky cross-stratified sandstones and siltstones (facies F); interstratified fine-grained sandstones and mudstones (facies G); massive muddy siltstones and sandstones (facies H); tuffaceous sandstones (facies I); and interbedded thin units of massive and parallel-laminated mudstones (facies A)] is thought to represent volcaniclastic mass flow and storm deposition coupled with subordinated suspension fall-out in an inner-shelf to lower-shoreface setting. The Loma del Kilo??metro Member records regressive-transgressive sedimentation in a storm- and mass flow-dominated high-gradient shelf. Volcano-tectonic activity was the important control on shelf morphology, while relative sea-level change influenced sedimentation. The lower part of the succession is attributed to mud blanketing during high stand and volcanic quiescence. Progradation of the inner shelf to lower shoreface facies assemblage in the middle part represents an abrupt basinward shoreline migration. An erosive-based, non-volcaniclastic, turbidite unit at the base of this package suggests a sea

Geothermometry methods for determining the thermal history of shales

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weaver, C.E.

1977-01-01

When clays and muds are deposited, the clay mineral suite is usually not an equilibrium assemblage. With time and increased depth of burial and temperature, the clay mineral suite undergoes continuous chemical and mineral changes as it adjusts to increasingly higher temperatures. Significant changes are observed at temperatures as low as 50 0 C and continue to 400 0 C (beginning of metamorphism) and above. Once these clay-rich rocks are exposed to elevated temperatures and then later uplifted to areas of lower temperature, no significant changes occur unless the rock is exposed to weathering or to temperatures higher than that to which they have been exposed previously. An initial objective is to develop the ability to determine the mineral, chemical, and textural changes which are produced in shales by increased temperature. This will allow prediction of the diagenetic changes that occur in shales when they are exposed to the heat generated by radioactive waste. A second objective is to develop the ability to determine the maximum temperature to which a shale has been exposed. Once a shale has been exposed to temperatures of 200 to 400 0 C for thousands of years, an equilibrium assemblage is obtained which persists after the shale is elevated to near surface conditions and is only altered if the shale is exposed to temperatures higher than those of the maximum to which the shale was originally exposed. A proposal is made to select for initial study a thick Paleozoic shale, probably of Cambro-Ordovician or Devonian age, in the Appalachian region. A shale sequence will be selected which has rocks ranging from deeply buried geosynclinal environments (approx.300 to 400 0 C) to shallow shelf environments

Unraveling the phylogenetic relationships of the Eccoptochilinae, an enigmatic array of ordovician cheirurid trilobites.

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I Wesley Gapp

Full Text Available The Cheiruridae are a diverse group of trilobites and several subfamilies within the clade have been the focus of recent phylogenetic studies. This paper focuses on the relationships of one of those subfamilies, the Ordovician Eccoptochilinae. We analyze sixteen species from six genera within the traditionally defined group, using the pilekiid Anacheirurus frederici as an outgroup. To assess the monophyly of the Eccoptochilinae seven sphaerexochine species, Kawina arnoldi, Sphaerexochus arenosus, S. atacius, S. latifrons, S. mirus, S. parvus, and S. scabridus were included in the analysis as well. The results of this analysis show that the genus Eccoptochile represents a paraphyletic grade and species traditionally assigned to Parasphaerexochus and Skelipyx plot within Pseudosphaerexochus. Also, representative species of Sphaerexochinae plot within the traditionally defined Eccoptochilinae, suggesting Eccoptochilinae itself is paraphyletic. To resolve this, we propose all species of Pseudosphaerexochus be placed within Sphaerexochinae and Eccoptochilinae be restricted to a monotypic Eccoptochile clavigera.

Application of advanced reservoir characterization, simulation and production optimization strategies to maximize recovery in slope and basin clastic reservoirs, West Texas (Delaware Basin). Annual report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dutton, S.P.; Asquith, G.B.; Barton, M.D.; Cole, A.G.; Gogas, J.; Malik, M.A.; Clift, S.J.; Guzman, J.I.

1997-11-01

The objective of this project is to demonstrate that detailed reservoir characterization of slope and basin clastic reservoirs in sandstones of the Delaware Mountain Group in the Delaware Basin of West Texas and New Mexico is a cost-effective way to recover a higher percentage of the original oil in place through strategic placement of infill wells and geologically based field development. This project involves reservoir characterization of two Late Permian slope and basin clastic reservoirs in the Delaware Basin, West Texas, followed by a field demonstration in one of the fields. The fields being investigated are Geraldine Ford and Ford West fields in Reeves and Culberson Counties, Texas. Project objectives are divided into two major phases, reservoir characterization and implementation. The objectives of the reservoir characterization phase of the project were to provide a detailed understanding of the architecture and heterogeneity of the two fields, the Ford Geraldine unit and Ford West field. Reservoir characterization utilized 3-D seismic data, high-resolution sequence stratigraphy, subsurface field studies, outcrop characterization, and other techniques. Once reservoir characterized was completed, a pilot area of approximately 1 mi{sup 2} at the northern end of the Ford Geraldine unit was chosen for reservoir simulation. This report summarizes the results of the second year of reservoir characterization.

New agnostina (Trilobita from the Llanvirn (Ordovician of Spain

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Rábano, I.

1985-12-01

Full Text Available The agnostids from the Lower Llanvirn shales of the Southern Central-Iberian Zone (Mounts of Toledo, Villuercas and Almadén district are described. Seven localities are new for Ordovician agnostids and two are revised. Three new species, belonging to the genera Geragnostella and Geragnostus, are described: Geragnostella gilcidae n. sp., Geragnostus hispanicus n. sp. and Geragnostus ninhursagae n. sp. The new names Geragnostus pilleti nom. nov. and Geragnostus abdullaevi nom. nov. are proposed to rename, respectively, the species G. howelli PILLET, 1978 and G. elongatus ABDULLAEV, 1972, regarded herein as junior objective homonyms of other previously defined species.

Se estudian los trilobites agnóstidos procedentes de nueve localidades, siete de ellas nuevas para estas faunas, situadas en las pizarras del Llanvirn inferior de la parte meridional de la Zona Centroibérica (Montes de Toledo, Villuercas y región de Almadén. Se determina la presencia de los géneros Geragnostella y Geragnostus, y se describen tres nuevas especies: Geragnostella gilcidae n. sp., Geragnostus hispanicus n. sp. y Geragnostus ninhursagae n. sp. Se proponen también los nuevos nombres Geragnostus pilleti nom. nov. y Geragnostus abdullaevi nom. nov. para designar, respectivamente, las especies G. howelli PILLET, 1978, y G. elongatus ABDULLAEV, 1972, consideradas ambas homónimos objetivos primarios de otras especies definidas con anterioridad.

Clastic patterned ground in Lomonosov crater, Mars: examining fracture controlled formation mechanisms

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Barrett, Alexander M.; Balme, Matthew R.; Patel, Manish R.; Hagermann, Axel

2017-10-01

The area surrounding Lomonosov crater on Mars has a high density of seemingly organised boulder patterns. These form seemingly sorted polygons and stripes within kilometre scale blockfields, patches of boulder strewn ground which are common across the Martian high latitudes. Several hypotheses have been suggested to explain the formation of clastic patterned ground on Mars. It has been proposed that these structures could have formed through freeze-thaw sorting, or conversely by the interaction of boulders with underlying fracture polygons. In this investigation a series of sites were examined to evaluate whether boulder patterns appear to be controlled by the distribution of underlying fractures and test the fracture control hypotheses for their formation. It was decided to focus on this suite of mechanisms as they are characterised by a clear morphological relationship, namely the presence of an underlying fracture network which can easily be evaluated over a large area. It was found that in the majority of examples at these sites did not exhibit fracture control. Although fractures were present at many sites there were very few sites where the fracture network appeared to be controlling the boulder distribution. In general these were not the sites with the best examples of organization, suggesting that the fracture control mechanisms are not the dominant geomorphic process organising the boulders in this area.

Origin and chemical composition of evaporite deposits

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Moore, George William

1960-01-01

A comparative study of marine evaporite deposits forming at the present time along the pacific coast of central Mexico and evaporite formations of Permian age in West Texas Basin was made in order to determine if the modern sediments provide a basis for understanding environmental conditions that existed during deposition of the older deposits. The field work was supplemented by investigations of artificial evaporite minerals precipitated in the laboratory and by study of the chemical composition of halite rock of different geologic ages. The environment of deposition of contemporaneous marine salt deposits in Mexico is acidic, is strongly reducing a few centimeters below the surface, and teems with microscopic life. Deposition of salt, unlike that of many other sediments, is not wholly a constructional phenomenon. Permanent deposits result only if a favorable balance exists between deposition in the dry season and dissolution in the wet season. Evaporite formations chosen for special study in the West Texas Basin are, in ascending order, the Castile, Salado, and Rustler formations, which have a combined thickness of 1200 meters. The Castile formation is largely composed of gypsum rock, the Salado, halite rock, and the Rustler, quartz and carbonate sandstone. The lower part of the Castile formation is bituminous and contains limestone laminae. The Castile and Rustler formations thicken to the south at the expense of salt of the intervening Salado formation. The clastic rocks of the Rustler formation are interpreted as the deposits of a series of barrier islands north of which halite rock of the Salado was deposited. The salt is believed to have formed in shallow water of uniform density that was mixed by the wind. Where water depth exceeded the depth of the wind mixing, density stratification developed, and gypsum was deposited. Dense water of high salinity below the density discontinuity was overlain by less dense, more normally saline water which was derived from

The volcanic-sedimentary sequence of the Lousal deposit, Iberian Pyrite Belt (Portugal)

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Rosa, Carlos; Rosa, Diogo; Matos, Joao; Relvas, Jorge

2010-05-01

The Iberian Pyrite Belt (IPB) is a massive sulfide province that is located in the south of Portugal and Spain, and hosts more than 90 massive sulfide deposits that amount to more than 1850 million metric tonnes of sulfide ore (Tornos, 2006). The ore deposits size, vary from ~1Mt to >100Mt (e.g. Neves Corvo and Aljustrel in Portugal, and Rio Tinto and Tharsis in Spain). The ore deposits are hosted by a submarine sedimentary and volcanic, felsic dominated, succession that constitutes the Upper Devonian to Lower Carboniferous Volcanic and Sedimentary Complex (VSC). The VSC ranges in thickness from approximately 600 to 1300 m (Tornos 2006). The VSC overlies the Phyllite-Quartzite Group (PQ) (Upper Devonian, base unknown) and is overlain by the Baixo Alentejo Flysch Group (Lower to Upper Carboniferous). The Lousal massive sulfide deposit is located in the western part of the IPB and occurs mostly interbedded with black mudstone. The VSC sequence at Lousal mine consists of a mudstone and quartzite sequence (PQ Group) in the lower part of the succession, over which a thick sequence of rhyolitic lavas (>300 m) occurs. Above the rhyolitic lavas there is a thick sequence of black and grey mudstone that hosts the massive sulfide ore bodies, and a rhyolitic sill. The upper part of the VSC sequence consists of a thick mudstone interval that hosts two thick basaltic units, locally with pillows. The rhyolites have small coherent cores, locally with flow bands, that grade to surrounding massive clastic intervals, with large lateral extent. The clasts show jigsaw-fit arrangement in many places and have planar or curviplanar margins and locally are perlitic at the margin. The top contact of these units is in most locations not exposed, which makes difficult to interpret the mode of emplacement. However, the thick clastic intervals, above described, are in accordance with quenching of volcanic glass with abundant water and therefore indicate that quenching of the rhyolites was the

The anatomy, taphonomy, taxonomy and systematic affinity of Markuelia: Early Cambrian to Early Ordovician scalidophorans

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Dong, X.-P.; Bengtson, S.; Gostling, N.J.; Cunningham, J.A.; Harvey, T.H.P.; Kouchinsky, A.; Val'Kov, A.K.; Repetski, J.E.; Stampanoni, M.; Marone, F.; Donoghue, P.C.J.

2010-01-01

Markuelia is a vermiform, annulated introvertan animal known as embryonic fossils from the Lower Cambrian to Lower Ordovician. Analysis of an expanded and revised dataset for Introverta shows that the precise position of Markuelia within this clade is dependent on the taxa included. As a result, Markuelia is assigned to the scalidophoran total group to reflect uncertainty as to whether it is a stem-scalidophoran or a stem-priapulid. The taxonomy of the genus is revised to provide an improved taxonomic framework for material assigned to Markuelia. Five species are recognized: M. secunda Val'kov, M. hunanensis Dong and Donoghue, M. lauriei Haug et al., M. spinulifera sp. nov. and M. waloszeki sp. nov. Finally, the preservation of Markuelia is evaluated in the light of both the taphonomy of the fossil embryos themselves and the experimental taphonomy of the priapulid Priapulus caudatus, which has been proposed as both a close relative and an anatomical analogue of Markuelia. ?? The Palaeontological Association.

Stable isotope study of serpentinization and metamorphism in the Highland Border Suite, Scotland, UK

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Ikin, N.P. (University Coll., Cardiff (UK)); Harmon, R.S. (Southern Methodist Univ., Dallas, TX (USA))

1983-02-01

D/H and /sup 18/O//sup 16/O ratios have been measured for whole-rock samples and mineral separates from the mafic and ultramafic rocks of the Cambro-Ordovician Highland Border Suite. The H- and O-isotopic compositions of these rocks record individual stages in a relatively complex 500 Myr old hydrothermal/ metamorphic history. Lizardite serpentinites record a premetamorphic history and indicate that parent harzburgites, dunites, and pyroxenites were serpentinized through low-temperature interaction with meteoric waters during cooling. The other rocks of the Highland Border Suite record subsequent interaction with metamorphic fluids. Amphibolite facies hornblende schists were produced through thrust-related metamorphism of spilitic pillow lavas. During dehydration, D-enriched fluids were driven off from the spilites thus leaving the hornblende schists to equilibrate with a relatively D-depleted internal fluid reservoir. The expelled D-enriched fluids may have mixed with more typical Dalradian metamorphic waters which then exchanged with the remaining mafic rocks and lizardite serpentinites during greenschist facies regional metamorphism to produce antigorite serpentinites and greenschist metaspilites with similar H- and O-isotopic compositions. Serpentinites which have been only partially metamorphosed show intermediate H-isotopic compositions between that of metamorphic antigorite and non-metamorphic lizardite end members.

A stable isotope study of serpentinization and metamorphism in the Highland Border Suite, Scotland, UK

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikin, N.P.; Harmon, R.S.

1983-01-01

D/H and 18 O/ 16 O ratios have been measured for whole-rock samples and mineral separates from the mafic and ultramafic rocks of the Cambro-Ordovician Highland Border Suite. The H- and O-isotopic compositions of these rocks record individual stages in a relatively complex 500 Myr old hydrothermal/ metamorphic history. Lizardite serpentinites record a premetamorphic history and indicate that parent harzburgites, dunites, and pyroxenites were serpentinized through low-temperature interaction with meteoric waters during cooling. The other rocks of the Highland Border Suite record subsequent interaction with metamorphic fluids. Amphibolite facies hornblende schists were produced through thrust-related metamorphism of spilitic pillow lavas. During dehydration, D-enriched fluids were driven off from the spilites thus leaving the hornblende schists to equilibrate with a relatively D-depleted internal fluid reservoir. The expelled D-enriched fluids may have mixed with more typical Dalradian metamorphic waters which then exchanged with the remaining mafic rocks and lizardite serpentinites during greenschist facies regional metamorphism to produce antigorite serpentinites and greenschist metaspilites with similar H- and O-isotopic compositions. Serpentinites which have been only partially metamorphosed show intermediate H-isotopic compositions between that of metamorphic antigorite and non-metamorphic lizardite end members. (author)

Remote sensing analysis of depositional landforms in alluvial settings: Method development and application to the Taquari megafan, Pantanal (Brazil)

Science.gov (United States)

Zani, Hiran; Assine, Mario Luis; McGlue, Michael Matthew

2012-08-01

Traditional Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) topographic datasets hold limited value in the geomorphic analysis of low-relief terrains. To address this shortcoming, this paper presents a series of techniques designed to enhance digital elevation models (DEMs) of environments dominated by low-amplitude landforms, such as a fluvial megafan system. These techniques were validated through the study of a wide depositional tract composed of several megafans located within the Brazilian Pantanal. The Taquari megafan is the most remarkable of these features, covering an area of approximately 49,000 km2. To enhance the SRTM-DEM, the megafan global topography was calculated and found to be accurately represented by a second order polynomial. Simple subtraction of the global topography from altitude produced a new DEM product, which greatly enhanced low amplitude landforms within the Taquari megafan. A field campaign and optical satellite images were used to ground-truth features on the enhanced DEM, which consisted of both depositional (constructional) and erosional features. The results demonstrate that depositional lobes are the dominant landforms on the megafan. A model linking baselevel change, avulsion, clastic sedimentation, and erosion is proposed to explain the microtopographic features on the Taquari megafan surface. The study confirms the potential promise of enhanced DEMs for geomorphological research in alluvial settings.

Parametrization of environment by geochemistry of the varved clastic and bio- chemogenic lake sediments

Science.gov (United States)

Kalugin, Ivan; Darin, Andrey; Babich, Valery; Markovich, Tatiana; Meydan, Feray

2017-04-01

. Mineral matter responses to runoff. Mineral clastic part is correlated with x-ray density. It includes "clastic" rock-forming - Si, Al , Ti, Fe, Mg, Ca, K and trace elements such as Sr, Rb, Y, Zr, REE etc. Organic component of sediment more reflects temperature by means of productivity in the catchment and waterbody. Organophillic elements are Br, I, U and others soluble elements correlated with organic Carbon or LOIcarbonates precipitated in dependence of temperature, aridity and water salinity. Separate geochemical indicators are directly used for paleo- environmental evaluation. For example, elements with changing valency may be a proxy of outer conditions. Fe is strictly connected with sulfur in sulphide under anoxic conditions. And also Fe forms siderite in carbonate ion saturated, but calcium poor, water in the sedimentation system. Mn-enriched layers, crusts and nodules mark usually a long - term pauses of sedimentation in oxic systems. Mo/Mn ratio is good correlated with anoxic atmosphere. And so on. The work is supported by grants RFBR 16-05-00641, 16-05-00657, 15-55-46001.

Arc-continent collision and the formation of continental crust: A new geochemical and isotopic record from the Ordovician Tyrone Igneous Complex, Ireland

Science.gov (United States)

Draut, Amy E.; Clift, Peter D.; Amato, Jeffrey M.; Blusztajn, Jerzy; Schouten, Hans

2009-01-01

Collisions between oceanic island-arc terranes and passive continental margins are thought to have been important in the formation of continental crust throughout much of Earth's history. Magmatic evolution during this stage of the plate-tectonic cycle is evident in several areas of the Ordovician Grampian-Taconic orogen, as we demonstrate in the first detailed geochemical study of the Tyrone Igneous Complex, Ireland. New U-Pb zircon dating yields ages of 493 2 Ma from a primitive mafic intrusion, indicating intra-oceanic subduction in Tremadoc time, and 475 10 Ma from a light rare earth element (LREE)-enriched tonalite intrusion that incorporated Laurentian continental material by early Arenig time (Early Ordovician, Stage 2) during arc-continent collision. Notably, LREE enrichment in volcanism and silicic intrusions of the Tyrone Igneous Complex exceeds that of average Dalradian (Laurentian) continental material that would have been thrust under the colliding forearc and potentially recycled into arc magmatism. This implies that crystal fractionation, in addition to magmatic mixing and assimilation, was important to the formation of new crust in the Grampian-Taconic orogeny. Because similar super-enrichment of orogenic melts occurred elsewhere in the Caledonides in the British Isles and Newfoundland, the addition of new, highly enriched melt to this accreted arc terrane was apparently widespread spatially and temporally. Such super-enrichment of magmatism, especially if accompanied by loss of corresponding lower crustal residues, supports the theory that arc-continent collision plays an important role in altering bulk crustal composition toward typical values for ancient continental crust. ?? 2009 Geological Society of London.

The diploporite blastozoan Lepidocalix pulcher from the Middle Ordovician of northern Algeria: Taxonomic revision and palaeoecological implications

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Yamouna Makhlouf

2017-06-01

Full Text Available We present revision of the taxonomy and palaeoecology of the Ordovician aristocystitid Lepidocalix pulcher from the Zaouïa of Stita (Great Kabylia, Algeria. An emended diagnosis is proposed, highlighting the four-fold ambulacral system and the typical thecal plating organised in circlets. Lepidocalix is here assigned to the subfamily Calicinae of the family Aristocystitidae. The latex casts show fitted sutures between plates, slightly abraded spines, and well-preserved oral surface. The thecal plates possess up to three dipores, each, included into the spines. The presence of such covered diplopores would have reduced the respiration rate, by restricting their exchange surface area. The spines covering the dipores are not articulated and they could have a protective role. Lepidocalix is interpreted as stationary epifauna, probably using iceberg strategy to be stabilized into the soft substrate.

Clastic cave deposits in Botovskaya cave (Eastern Siberia, Russian Federation)

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kadlec, Jaroslav; Chadima, Martin; Lisá, Lenka; Hercman, H.; Osintsev, A.; Oberhänsli, H.

2008-01-01

Roč. 70, č. 3 (2008), s. 142-155 ISSN 1090-6924 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30130516 Keywords : cave sediments * mineral magnetism * Botovskaya Cave Subject RIV: DE - Earth Magnetism, Geodesy, Geography Impact factor: 0.532, year: 2008 http://www.caves.org/pub/journal/Journal_of_Cave_and_Karst_Studies_volume_70.htm

A review of silver-rich mineral deposits and their metallogeny

Science.gov (United States)

Graybeal, Frederick T.; Vikre, Peter

2010-01-01

Mineral deposits with large inventories or high grades of silver are found in four genetic groups: (1) volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS), (2) sedimentary exhalative (SEDEX), (3) lithogene, and, (4) magmatichydrothermal. Principal differences between the four groups relate to source rocks and regions, metal associations, process and timing of mineralization, and tectonic setting. These four groups may be subdivided into specific metal associations on ternary diagrams based on relative metal contents. The VMS deposits rarely contain more than 15,600 t Ag (500 Moz). Grades average 33 g/t Ag. Variable Ag- Pb-Zn-Cu-Au ± Sn concentrations are interpreted as having been derived both from shallow plutons and by leaching of the volcanic rock pile in regions of thin or no continental crust and the mineralization is syngenetic. Higher silver grades are associated with areas of abundant felsic volcanic rocks. The SEDEX deposits rarely contain more than 15,600 t Ag (500 Moz). Grades average 46 g/t Ag. Silver, lead, and zinc in relatively consistent proportions are leached from sedimentary rocks filling rift-related basins, where the continental crust is thin, and deposited as syngenetic to diagenetic massive sulfides. Pre-mineral volcanic rocks and their detritus may occur deep within the basin and gold is typically absent. Lithogene silver-rich deposits are epigenetic products of varying combinations of compaction, dewatering, meteoric water recharge, and metamorphism of rift basin-related clastic sedimentary and interbedded volcanic rocks. Individual deposits may contain more than 15,600 t Ag (500 Moz) at high grades. Ores are characterized by four well-defined metal associations, including Ag, Ag-Pb-Zn, Ag-Cu, and Ag-Co-Ni-U. Leaching, transport, and deposition of metals may occur both in specific sedimentary strata and other rock types adjacent to the rift. Multiple mineralizing events lasting 10 to 15 m.y., separated by as much as 1 b.y., may occur in a single basin

Na-Cl-Br systematics of fluid inclusions from Mississippi Valley-type deposits, Appalachian Basin: Constraints on solute origin and migration paths

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Kesler, S.E.; Martini, A.M.; Appold, M.S.; Walter, L.M.; Huston, T.J. [Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); Furman, F.C. [Univ. of Missouri, Rolla, MO (United States)

1996-01-01

This study evaluated Na-Cl-Br systematics of fluid inclusion-hosted brines in Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) deposits from the Appalachian Basin. Unlike other geochemical tracers such as lead and strontium isotopes which constrain metal sources, Na-Cl-Br systematics identify sources of brine salinity. Saline formation waters can vary systematically within and between basins with regard to their Na-Cl-Br compositions depending on the importance of halite dissolution relative to retention of subaerially evaporated seawater for the halogen budget. Oil field brine compositions from the Illinois and Appalachian basins are quite distinct in their Na-Cl-Br systematics. Compositions of saline fluid inclusions in MVT deposits generally are consistent with these regional differences. These results shed new light on the extent of regional flow systems and on the geochemical evolution of saline fluids responsible for mineralization. Nearly all fluid inclusions analyzed from the Appalachian MVT deposits have Na/Br and Cl/Br ratios less than modern seawater, consistent with ratios observed in marine brines involved in halite precipitation. The Na-Cl-Br systematics of the brines responsible for Appalachian MVT deposits may be inherited from original marine brines refluxed into the porous carbonate shelf sediments that host these deposits. The Cl/Br and Na/Br ratios of most fluid inclusion-hosted brines from Appalachian MVT sphalerites and fluorites fall into two compositional groups, one from the Lower Cambrian paleoaquifer and another from the Lower Ordovician paleoaquifer. Leachates from most MVT barite deposits form a third compositional group having lower Na/Br and Cl/Br ratios than the other two. Appalachian MVT leachate compositions differ significantly from those in MVT deposits in the Cincinnati arch-midcontinent region suggesting that these two MVT provinces formed from brines of different origin or flow path. 59 refs., 8 figs., 2 tabs.

Geometry of the neoproterozoic and paleozoic rift margin of western Laurentia: Implications for mineral deposit settings

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Lund, K.

2008-01-01

The U.S. and Canadian Cordilleran miogeocline evolved during several phases of Cryogenian-Devonian intracontinental rifting that formed the western mangin of Laurentia. Recent field and dating studies across central Idaho and northern Nevada result in identification of two segments of the rift margin. Resulting interpretations of rift geometry in the northern U.S. Cordillera are compatible with interpretations of northwest- striking asymmetric extensional segments subdivided by northeast-striking transform and transfer segments. The new interpretation permits integration of miogeoclinal segments along the length of the western North American Cordillera. For the U.S. Cordillera, miogeoclinal segments include the St. Mary-Moyie transform, eastern Washington- eastern Idaho upper-plate margin, Snake River transfer, Nevada-Utah lower-plate margin, and Mina transfer. The rift is orthogonal to most older basement domains, but the location of the transform-transfer zones suggests control of them by basement domain boundaries. The zigzag geometry of reentrants and promontories along the rift is paralleled by salients and recesses in younger thrust belts and by segmentation of younger extensional domains. Likewise, transform transfer zones localized subsequent transcurrent structures and igneous activity. Sediment-hosted mineral deposits trace the same zigzag geometry along the margin. Sedimentary exhalative (sedex) Zn-Pb-Ag ??Au and barite mineral deposits formed in continental-slope rocks during the Late Devonian-Mississippian and to a lesser degree, during the Cambrian-Early Ordovician. Such deposits formed during episodes of renewed extension along miogeoclinal segments. Carbonate-hosted Mississippi Valley- type (MVT) Zn-Pb deposits formed in structurally reactivated continental shelf rocks during the Late Devonian-Mississippian and Mesozoic due to reactivation of preexisting structures. The distribution and abundance of sedex and MVT deposits are controlled by the

Textural analysis of particles from El Zaguán debris avalanche deposit, Nevado de Toluca volcano, Mexico: Evidence of flow behavior during emplacement

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Caballero, Lizeth; Capra, Lucia

2011-02-01

El Zaguán deposit originated at 28,000 yrs. B.P. from the flank collapse of Nevado de Toluca, a dacitic stratovolcano of the Transmexican Volcanic Belt. Scanning Electron Microprobe analyses (SEM) were performed on some particles from this deposit to observe microtextures produced during transport and emplacement of the debris avalanche flow. Particles from 2ϕ (250 μm), 0ϕ (1 mm) and - 2ϕ (4 mm) granulometric classes were randomly selected at different outcrops, and their surface textures were described. The observed textures are divided in two groups, Basal and Upper textures, each one indicating different clast interactions. Basal textures are observed predominantly in the lower part of the deposit and consist of parallel ridges, parallel grooves, scratches and lips. Upper textures are mainly present in the upper part of the deposit and consisted of fractures, percussion marks, and broken or grinded crystals. These characteristics, coupled with field observations such as the presence of clastic dikes and deformed lacustrine mega-blocks, indicate that the basal part of the debris avalanche was moving in a partially liquefied state. By contrast, the particles in the upper part were able to move freely, interacting by collision. These microscopic textures are in agreement with previously described emplacement behaviors in debris avalanches of volcanic origin, suggesting a stratified flow dominated by different transport and depositional mechanisms depending upon flow depth and possible fluid content at their base.

Timing of Mississippi Valley-type mineralization: Relation to Appalachian orogenic events

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kesler, S.E.; van der Pluijm, B.A. (Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor (USA))

1990-11-01

Although Mississippi Valley-type deposits in Lower Ordovician carbonate rocks of the Appalachian orogen are commonly interpreted to have been precipitated by basinal brines, the timing of brine migration remains poorly known. Late Paleozoic K-Ar isotopic ages on authigenic K-feldspar, which is widespread in Appalachian carbonate rocks, as well as evidence of paleomagnetic overprints of similar age, have focused attention on the possibility that these Mississippi Valley-type deposits formed as a result of late Paleozoic deformation. Geologic and geochemical similarities among most of these deposits, from Georgia to Newfoundland, including unusually high sphalerite/galena ratios, isotopically heavy sulfur, and relatively nonradiogenic lead, suggest that they are coeval. Sphalerite sand that parallels host-rock layering in many of the deposits indicates that mineralization occurred before regional deformation. Although the late Paleozoic age of deformation in the southern Appalachians provides little constraint on the age of Mississippi Valley-type mineralization, deformation of these deposits in the Newfoundland Appalachians is early to middle Paleozoic in age. Thus, if Ordovician-hosted, Appalachian Mississippi Valley-type deposits are coeval, they must have formed by middle Paleozoic time and cannot be the product of a late Paleozoic fluid-expulsion event. This hypothesis has important implications for basin evolution, fluid events, and remagnetization in the Appalachians.

The Apuseni Mountains, Romania, a Variscan Collage of Ordovician Gondwanan Terranes

Science.gov (United States)

Balintoni, I. C.; Balica, C.; Zaharia, L.; Chen, F.; Cliveti, M.; Hann, H. P.; Ghergari, L.

2007-12-01

The basement of the Apuseni Mountains, Romania, consists of three pre-Variscan terranes, sutured during an Early Variscan amalgamation around 351 Ma (Balintoni et al., this volume). The northern Someş Terrane (ST) is predominantly gneissic, while the southern Baia de Arieş Terrane (BAT) is dominated by the presence of large carbonate lenses, although metagranites and other types of orthogneisses can be found. These two terranes are sutured through the Biharia terrane, probably an accreted island arc. LA-ICP-MS datings on zircons extracted from orthogneisses and metagranites were performed in order to constrain the age of ST and BAT. A number of previously CL-imaged crystals were ablated at the China's University of Geosciences, Wuhan. From ST we dated an orthogneiss occurring in structurally lowermost position, a metatuff situated in the upper strongly retrogressed part and a twenty detrital crystal population sampled from a metasandstone. The 206Pb/238U apparent ages were projected using the weighted average plots.A magmatic crystallization age of 472.8±5.0 Ma (Upper Early Ordovician) resulted for one of the orthogneiss samples, besides several older ages at 505.7, 566.3 and 708.2 Ma corresponding to inherited cores. Another sample from the same rock appeared strongly affected by lead loss during a later thermotectonic event, most of the apparent ages grouping around 352±14 Ma. This age is similar with the age of the suture between ST and BT (Balintoni et al., this volume). The main zircon population of one metatuff sample furnished an averaged age of 423±7.2 Ma, also found in two additional samples, but their significance is obscure for the moment. Two primary magmatic ages arise at 464.2 and 473.8 Ma, an older value of 758.7 Ma corresponding to an inherited core. Detrital zircon ages range between 534.8 and 2596.8 Ma. The younger value represents an upper age constraint for the protolith age of ST-rocks. From BAT we dated the Lupşa metaporphyroid and the

Statistically significant faunal differences among Middle Ordovician age, Chickamauga Group bryozoan bioherms, central Alabama

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Crow, C.J.

1985-01-01

Middle Ordovician age Chickamauga Group carbonates crop out along the Birmingham and Murphrees Valley anticlines in central Alabama. The macrofossil contents on exposed surfaces of seven bioherms have been counted to determine their various paleontologic characteristics. Twelve groups of organisms are present in these bioherms. Dominant organisms include bryozoans, algae, brachiopods, sponges, pelmatozoans, stromatoporoids and corals. Minor accessory fauna include predators, scavengers and grazers such as gastropods, ostracods, trilobites, cephalopods and pelecypods. Vertical and horizontal niche zonation has been detected for some of the bioherm dwelling fauna. No one bioherm of those studied exhibits all 12 groups of organisms; rather, individual bioherms display various subsets of the total diversity. Statistical treatment (G-test) of the diversity data indicates a lack of statistical homogeneity of the bioherms, both within and between localities. Between-locality population heterogeneity can be ascribed to differences in biologic responses to such gross environmental factors as water depth and clarity, and energy levels. At any one locality, gross aspects of the paleoenvironments are assumed to have been more uniform. Significant differences among bioherms at any one locality may have resulted from patchy distribution of species populations, differential preservation and other factors.

EARLY ORDOVICIAN AND DEVONIAN CONODONTS FROM THE WESTERN KARAKORAM AND HINDU KUSH, NORTHERNMOST PAKISTAN

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JOHN A. TALENT

1999-07-01

Full Text Available Extensive tracts of Devonian and older sedimentary and igneous units occur within the axial region of the western Karakoram Block of northernmost Pakistan over a distance in excess of 200 km between the the headwaters of the Karambar valley in northwestern Gilgit Agency to southwestern Chitral. Conodont data indicate that the oldest sedimentary unit so far discriminated within this belt, the Yarkhun Formation, includes horizons of Ordovician (Arenig age, consistent with an earlier-presented acritarch-based Arenig age for part of the same unit. Conodont data from the "Lun Shales", a stratigraphic potpourri with little-known Silurian and Devonian tracts, demonstrate the presence of Early Devonian (early Emsian horizons. The Shogrâm Formation, widely distributed through the region, spans an appreciable interval of the Middle and Late Devonian mid-Givetian through until at least early Famennian. A major lacuna in sedimentation may be present, represented by all or most of the earlier half of Frasnian time. A biostratigraphically and possibly biogeographically important new species, Icriodus homeomorphus, is described; it is encountered in horizons of early Famennian age (Late triangularis Zone to ?Early crepida Zone. 

Age and kinematics of ductile deformation in the Cerro Durazno area, NW Argentina: Significance for orogenic processes operating at the western margin of Gondwana during Ordovician-Silurian times

OpenAIRE

M. I. Wegmann; U. Riller; F. D. Hongn; Johannes Glodny; Onno Oncken

2008-01-01

The Cerro Durazno Pluton belongs to a suite of Paleozoic granitoid intrusions in NWArgentina, that are central for understanding the tectonic setting of the western margin of Gondwana in Ordovician and Silurian times. The pluton and its host rocks were tectonically overprinted by metamorphic mineral shape fabrics formed under middle greenschist-facies metamorphic conditions and associated with the nearby Agua Rosada Shear Zone. Kinematic analysis of the shear zone based on the geometric relat...

An innovative technique for estimating water saturation from capillary pressure in clastic reservoirs

Science.gov (United States)

Adeoti, Lukumon; Ayolabi, Elijah Adebowale; James, Logan

2017-11-01

A major drawback of old resistivity tools is the poor vertical resolution and estimation of hydrocarbon when applying water saturation (Sw) from historical resistivity method. In this study, we have provided an alternative method called saturation height function to estimate hydrocarbon in some clastic reservoirs in the Niger Delta. The saturation height function was derived from pseudo capillary pressure curves generated using modern wells with complete log data. Our method was based on the determination of rock type from log derived porosity-permeability relationship, supported by volume of shale for its classification into different zones. Leverette-J functions were derived for each rock type. Our results show good correlation between Sw from resistivity based method and Sw from pseudo capillary pressure curves in wells with modern log data. The resistivity based model overestimates Sw in some wells while Sw from the pseudo capillary pressure curves validates and predicts more accurate Sw. In addition, the result of Sw from pseudo capillary pressure curves replaces that of resistivity based model in a well where the resistivity equipment failed. The plot of hydrocarbon pore volume (HCPV) from J-function against HCPV from Archie shows that wells with high HCPV have high sand qualities and vice versa. This was further used to predict the geometry of stratigraphic units. The model presented here freshly addresses the gap in the estimation of Sw and is applicable to reservoirs of similar rock type in other frontier basins worldwide.

Bedrock Geology and Asbestos Deposits of the Upper Missisquoi Valley and Vicinity, Vermont

Science.gov (United States)

Cady, Wallace Martin; Albee, Arden Leroy; Chidester, A.H.

1963-01-01

The upper Missisquoi Valley and vicinity as described in this report covers an area of about 250 square miles at the headwaters of the Missisquoi River in north-central Vermont. About 90 percent of the area is forested and the remainder is chiefly farm land. The topography reflects the geologic structure and varied resistance of the bedrock to erosion. Most of the area is on the east limb of the Green Mountain anticlinorium, which is the principal structural feature of Vermont. The bedrock is predominantly sedimentary and volcanic rock that has been regionally metamorphosed. It was intruded before metamorphism by mafic and ultramafic igneous rocks, and after metamorphism by felsic and mafic igneous rocks. The metamorphosed sedimentary and volcanic rocks range in age from Cambrian(?) to Middle Silurian, the intrusive igneous rocks from probably Late Ordovician to probably late Permian. Metamorphism and principal folding in the region occurred in Middle Devonian time. The metamorphosed sedimentary and volcanic rocks make up a section at least 25,000 feet thick and can be divided into nine formations. The Hazens Notch formation of Cambrian(?) and Early Cambrian age is characterized by carbonaceous schist. It is succeeded in western parts of the area by the Jay Peak formation of Early Cambrian age, which is chiefly a schist that is distinguished by the general absence of carbonaceous zones; in central parts of the area the Hazens Notch formation is followed by the Belvidere Mountain amphibolite, probably the youngest of the formations of Early Cambrian age. The Ottauquechee formation, composed of carbonaceous phyllite and quartzite, and phyllitic graywacke, is of Middle Cambrian age. The Stowe formation of Late Cambrian(?) and Early(?) Ordovician age overlies the Ottauquechee and is predominantly noncarbonaceous schist, though it also contains greenstone and carbonaceous schist and phyllite. The Umbrella Hill formation of Middle Ordovician age is characteristically a

Geochemistry and jasper beds from the Ordovician Løkken ophiolite, Norway: origin of proximal and distal siliceous exhalites

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Grenne, Tor; Slack, John F.

2005-01-01

Stratiform beds of jasper (hematitic chert), composed essentially of SiO2 (69-95 wt %) and Fe2O3 (3-25 wt %), can be traced several kilometers along strike in the Ordovician L??kken ophiolite, Norway. These siliceous beds are closely associated with volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits and are interpreted as sea-floor gels that were deposited by fallout from hydrothermal plumes in silica-rich seawater, in which plume-derived Fe oxyhydroxide particles promoted flocculation and rapid settling of large (???200 ??m) colloidal particles of silica-iron oxyhydroxide. Concentrations of chalcophile elements in the jasper beds are at the parts per million level implying that sulfide particle fallout was insignificant and that the Si-Fe gel-forming plumes were mainly derived from intermediate- (100??-250??C) to high-temperature (>250??) white smoker-type vents with high Fe/S ratios. The interpreted setting is similar to that of the Lau basin, where high-temperature (280??-334??C) white smoker venting alternates or overlaps with sulfide mound-forming black smoker venting. Ratios of Al, Sc, Th, Hf, and REE to iron are very low and show that the detrital input was <0.1 percent of the bulk jasper. Most jasper beds are enriched in U, V, P, and Mo relative to the North American Shale Composite, reflecting a predominantly seawater source, whereas REE distribution patterns (positive Eu and negative Ce anomalies) reflect variable mixing of hydrothermal solutions with oxic seawater at dilution ratios of ???102 to 104. Trace element variations in the gel precursor to the jasper are thought to have been controlled by coprecipitation and/or adsorption by Fe oxyhydroxide particles that formed by the oxidation of hydrothermal Fe2+ within the variably seawater-diluted hydrothermal plume(s). Thick jasper layers near the H??ydal VMS orebody show distinct positive As/Fe and Sb/Fe anomalies that are attributed to near-vent rapid settling of Si-Fe particles derived from As- and Sb

Mass Dependent Fractionation of Hg Isotopes in Source Rocks, Mineral Deposits and Spring Waters of the California Coast Ranges, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, C. N.; Kesler, S. E.; Blum, J. D.; Rytuba, J. J.

2007-12-01

We present here the first study of the isotopic composition of Hg in rocks, ore deposits, and active hydrothermal systems from the California Coast Ranges, one of Earth's largest Hg-depositing systems. The Franciscan Complex and Great Valley Sequence, which form the bedrock in the California Coast Ranges, are intruded and overlain by Tertiary volcanic rocks including the Clear Lake Volcanic Sequence. These rocks contain two types of Hg deposits, hot-spring deposits that form at shallow depths (<300 m) and silica-carbonate deposits that extend to greater depths (200 to 1000 m), as well as active springs and geothermal systems that release Hg to the present surface. The Franciscan Complex and Great Valley Sequence contain clastic sedimentary rocks with higher concentrations of Hg than volcanic rocks of the Clear Lake Volcanic Field. Mean Hg isotope compositions for all three rock units are similar, although the range of values in Franciscan Complex rocks is greater than in either Great Valley or Clear Lake rocks. Hot spring and silica-carbonate Hg deposits have similar average isotopic compositions that are indistinguishable from averages for the three rock units, although δ202Hg values for the Hg deposits have a greater variance than the country rocks. Precipitates from dilute spring and saline thermal waters in the area have similarly large variance and a mean δ202Hg value that is significantly lower than the ore deposits and rocks. These observations indicate there is little or no isotopic fractionation during release of Hg from its source rocks into hydrothermal solutions. Isotopic fractionation does appear to take place during transport and concentration of Hg in deposits, especially in their uppermost parts. Boiling of hydrothermal fluids is likely the most important process causing of the observed Hg isotope fractionation. This should result in the release of Hg with low δ202Hg values into the atmosphere from the top of these hydrothermal systems and a

Contemporary flowstone development links early hominin bearing cave deposits in South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Pickering, Robyn; Kramers, Jan D.; Hancox, Philip John; de Ruiter, Darryl J.; Woodhead, Jon D.

2011-06-01

The Cradle of Humankind cave sites in South Africa preserve fossil evidence of four early hominin taxa: Australopithecus africanus, Australopithecus sediba, Paranthropus robustus and early Homo. In order to integrate this record into a pan-African scenario of human evolutionary history it is critical to have reliable dates and temporal ranges for the southern African hominins. In the past a lack of precise and accurate chronological data has prevented the evaluation of the temporal relationships between the various sites. Here we report new uranium-lead (U-Pb) radiometric ages obtained from sheets of calcium carbonate flowstone inter-bedded between clastic cave sediments at the site of Swartkrans, providing bracketing ages for the fossiliferous deposits. The fossil bearing units of Swartkrans, specifically the Hanging Remnant and Lower Bank of Member 1, are underlain by flowstone layers dated to 2.25 ± 0.05 Ma and 2.25 ± 0.08 Ma and capped by layers of 1.8 ± 0.01 Ma and 1.7 ± 0.07 Ma. The age bracket of the Member 1 deposits is therefore between 2.31 and 1.64 Ma. However, by combining the U-Pb with biostratigraphic data we suggest that this can be narrowed down to between 1.9 and 1.8 Ma. These data can be compared with other recently dated sites and a radiometrically dated U-Pb age sequence formed: Sterkfontein Member 4, Swartkrans Member 1, Malapa, and Cooper's D. From this new U-Pb dataset, a pattern of contemporary flowstone development emerges, with different caves recording the same flowstone-forming event. Specifically overlapping flowstone formation takes place at Swartkrans and Sterkfontein at ~ 2.29 Ma and ~ 1.77 Ma, and at Sterkfontein and Malapa at ˜ 2.02 Ma. This suggests a regional control over the nature and timing of speleothem development in cave deposits and these flowstone layers could assist in future correlation, both internal to specific deposits and regionally between sites.

An autochthonous Avalonian basement source for the latest Ordovician Brenton Pluton in the Meguma terrane of Nova Scotia: U-Pb-Hf isotopic constraints and paleogeographic implications

Science.gov (United States)

Duncan Keppie, J.; Gregory Shellnutt, J.; Dostal, Jaroslav; Fraser Keppie, D.

2018-04-01

The Ediacaran-Ordovician Meguma Supergroup was thrust over Avalonia basement prior to the intrusion of post-Acadian, ca. 370 Ma, S-type granitic batholiths. This has led to two main hypotheses regarding the original location of the Meguma terrane, a continental rise prism bordering either NW Africa or Avalonia. On the other hand, the pre-Acadian, ca. 440 Ma Brenton pluton has yielded the following U/Pb LA-ICP-MS zircon data: (1) 448 ± 3 Ma population peak inferred to be the intrusive age and (2) ca. 550 and 700 Ma inherited ages common to both Avalonia and NW Africa. In contrast, Hf isotopic analyses of zircon yielded model ages ranging from 814 to 1127 Ma with most between 940 and 1040 Ma: such ages are typical of Avalonia and not NW Africa. The ages of the inherited zircons found within the Brenton pluton suggest that it was probably derived by partial melting of sub-Meguma, mid-crustal Avalonian rocks, upon which the Meguma Supergroup was deposited. Although Avalonia is commonly included in the peri-Gondwanan terranes off NW Africa or Amazonia, paleomagnetic data, faunal provinciality, and Hf data suggest that, during the Ediacaran-Early Cambrian, it was an island chain lying near the tropics (ca. 20-30 °S) and was possibly a continuation of the Bolshezemel volcanic arc accreted to northern Baltica during the Ediacaran Timanide orogenesis. This is consistent with the similar derital zircon population in the Ediacaran-Cambrian Meguma Supergroup and the Dividal Group in northeastern Baltica.

Provenance of Austroalpine basement metasediments: tightening up Early Palaeozoic connections between peri-Gondwanan domains of central Europe and Northern Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Siegesmund, S.; Oriolo, S.; Heinrichs, T.; Basei, M. A. S.; Nolte, N.; Hüttenrauch, F.; Schulz, B.

2018-03-01

New U-Pb and Lu-Hf detrital zircon data together with whole-rock geochemical and Sm-Nd data were obtained for paragneisses of the Austroalpine basement south of the Tauern Window. Geochemically immature metasediments of the Northern-Defereggen-Petzeck (Ötztal-Bundschuh nappe system) and Defereggen (Drauzug-Gurktal nappe system) groups contain zircon age populations which indicate derivation mainly from Pan-African orogens. Younger, generally mature metasediments of the Gailtal Metamorphic Basement (Drauzug-Gurktal nappe system), Thurntaler Phyllite Group (Drauzug-Gurktal nappe system) and Val Visdende Formation (South Alpine Basement) were possibly derived from more distant sources. Their significantly larger abundances of pre-Pan-African zircons record a more advanced stage of downwearing of the Pan-African belts and erosion of older basement when the Austroalpine terrane was part of the Early Palaeozoic Northern Gondwana passive margin. Most zircon age spectra are dominated by Ediacaran sources, with lesser Cryogenian, Tonian and Stenian contributions and subordinate Paleoproterozoic and Neoarchean ages. These age patterns are similar to those recorded by Cambro-Ordovician sedimentary sequences in northeastern Africa between Libya and Jordan, and in some pre-Variscan basement inliers of Europe (e.g. Dinarides-Hellenides, Alboran microplate). Therefore, the most likely sources seem to be in the northeastern Saharan Metacraton and the Northern Arabian-Nubian Shield (Sinai), further supported by whole-rock Sm-Nd and zircon Lu-Hf data.

An integrated subsurface analysis of clastic remobilization and injection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andresen, Katrine Juul; Clausen, O.R.

2014-01-01

extending from the top of the Paleocene Lista Formation to the base of the injectites indicate that the source sand was located within the Lista Formation; possibly deposited in a distinct valley cut into the top of the Chalk Group. The geometry of the observed injectites ranges from a basal sill with wings...

Pleniglacial sedimentation process reconstruction on laminated lacustrine sediments from lava-dammed Paleolake Alf, West Eifel Volcanic Field (Germany)

Science.gov (United States)

Eichhorn, Luise; Pirrung, Michael; Zolitschka, Bernd; Büchel, Georg

2017-09-01

Differentiating between regularly seasonal, irregular and event-based clastic sedimentation is difficult if sedimentation structures resemble and dating methods are imprecise. In this study - clastic light and dark laminae from lava-dammed Paleolake Alf in the Late Pleistocene in the Quaternary West Eifel Volcanic Field are analyzed to clarify how they formed and if they are of annual origin and comparable to assumed periglacial varves from neighboring Lake Holzmaar. Therefore, a multiproxy approach is applied combining sediment thin section analysis which focuses on composition and structure with 14C dates. The results are compared to recently-formed annually-laminated clastic sediments of, e.g., the High Canadian Arctic. Observed sedimentation structures reveal sediment delivery by over- and interflows and deposition from suspension forming two characteristic microfacies: Type I graded laminae and Type II laminae with graded sublayers. Additionally, erosional bases and event deposits indicate episodic underflows. Thus, lamination is potentially seasonal but is significantly veiled by extreme runoff causing erosion and resuspension processes or a mixed water body preventing sediment delivery into the lake basin. However, sedimentation processes between watershed and lake could be reconstructed by comparing recent and paleosediment structures.

Geochemical mapping of Anheung, Wonju and Eomjeong sheets (1:50,000)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Jin Soo; Seo, Hyo Joon; Shin, Seong Cheon; Chi, Se Jung; Kim, Seong Jae [Korea Inst. of Geology Mining and Materials, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

1995-12-01

A geochemical mapping was undertaken on the three quadrangles of the Anheung, Wonju and Eomjeong sheets (1:50,000, new edition) in the southwestern Taebaeg Mineralized Belt. The survey area, ca. 1,900 km{sup 2}, is covered mostly by Jurassic granites and Precambrian metamorphic rocks, and partly by Cambro-Ordovician limestones and the Cretaceous igneous and sedimentary rocks. Light mineral stream sediments and water samples, totally 751 for each media, were collected from active channels of primary or secondary order with a mean sampling density of 1/2.4 km{sup 2}. Geochemical maps were made on 17 elements (i.e., Ag, Al, As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sr, V, W, Zn) for stream sediments. Geochemical distribution maps for water samples were independently made on major and minor components (i.e., Na, K, Li, Si, Ca, Mg, Al, As, B, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sr, V, Zn, F{sup -}, Cl{sup -}, NO{sub 3}{sup -}, NO{sub 2}{sup -}, PO{sub 4}{sup 3-}, SO{sub 4}{sup 2-}, HCO{sub 3}{sup -}) and other physico-chemical properties (i.e., Electric Conductivity, Total Dissolved Solids, pH, Dissolved Oxygen). Analysis was carried out by Ion Coupled Plasma Spectrometry and Ion Chromatography. Geochemical anomalies were evaluated based upon geological and other field information. The Ag-As, Cu-Pb-Zn and W-Mo anomalies of stream sediments in the northern Anheung and southern Eomjeong sheets indicate a contamination derived from mining districts. Pb-Zn anomalies from southeastern area in the Eomjeong sheet may suggest a potential of polymetallic deposits near Mesozoic granites intruding the Ogcheon strata. High concentrations of Ca, Na, K, Cl{sup -} and NO{sub 3}{sup -} in stream waters around Chungju and Wonju imply a strong pollution over urban districts and stock farms. (author). 57 refs., 70 figs.

The Early Ordovician trilobite distribution and zonation of the East Baltic

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Pärnaste, Helje

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Biozones of the East Baltic Early Ordovician trilobites were studied based on the trilobite distribution in northwestern Russia, Estonia, and Sweden. New data on trilobite distribution reveal the diachroneity of the lowest calcareous sediments of the Mäeküla Member, which forms the upper part of the Leetse Formation in the East Baltic. Trilobites of the Tremadoc Apatokephalus serratus and Megistaspis (Ekeraspis armata biozones are missing in the East Baltic, in contradiction to the suggestion of Balashova (Vopr. Paleontol., 1966, 5, 3–22. Some poorly preserved specimens probably belonging to Megistaspis (Paramegistaspis planilimbata (Angelin and also records of Pliomerops? linnarssoni (Wiman indicate that the Arenig Megistaspis (P. planilimbata Biozone of the Hunneberg Stage may be represented in some localities. The final delimitation of biozones in the Mäeküla and Päite members should improve when the ontogenetic and phylogenetic variation of the M. (Paramegistaspis lineage has been fully documented. Until then the Evropeites lamanskii Biozone is used in the East Baltic following Balashova, as indicated by the appearance of that taxon in most studied localities, marking the beginning of the Billingen Age. The succeeding Megalaspides (Megalaspides dalecarlicus Biozone is represented by the occurrence of at least its upper part in the Vassilkovo Beds in the St. Petersburg region, where Megalaspides paliformis Tjernvik occurs together with the index taxon (these taxa co-occur in the upper part of this zone in Sweden. The Päite Member in the East Baltic is correlated with the Megistaspis (P. estonica Biozone of the upper part of the Billingen Stage in Sweden.

Sediment Sources, Depositional Environment, and Diagenetic Alteration of the Marcellus Shale, Appalachian Basin, USA: Nd, Sr, Li and U Isotopic Constraints

Science.gov (United States)

Phan, T. T.; Capo, R. C.; Gardiner, J. B.; Stewart, B. W.

2017-12-01

The organic-rich Middle Devonian Marcellus Shale in the Appalachian Basin, eastern USA, is a major target of natural gas exploration. Constraints on local and regional sediment sources, depositional environments, and post-depositional processes are essential for understanding the evolution of the basin. In this study, multiple proxies, including trace metals, rare earth elements (REE), the Sm-Nd and Rb-Sr isotope systems, and U and Li isotopes were applied to bulk rocks and authigenic fractions of the Marcellus Shale and adjacent limestone/sandstone units from two locations separated by 400 km. The range of ɛNd values (-7.8 to -6.4 at 390 Ma) is consistent with a clastic sedimentary component derived from a well-mixed source of fluvial and eolian material of the Grenville orogenic belt. The Sm-Nd isotope system and bulk REE distributions appear to have been minimally affected by post-depositional processes, while the Rb-Sr isotope system shows evidence of limited post-depositional redistribution. While REE are primarily associated with silicate minerals (80-95%), REE patterns of sequentially extracted fractions reflect post-depositional alteration at the intergranular scale. Although the chemical index of alteration (CIA = 54 to 60) suggests the sediment source was not heavily weathered, Li isotope data are consistent with progressively increasing weathering of the source region during Marcellus Shale deposition. δ238U values in bulk shale and reduced phases (oxidizable fraction) are higher than those of modern seawater and upper crust. The isotopically heavy U accumulated in these authigenic phases can be explained by the precipitation of insoluble U in anoxic/euxinic bottom water. Unlike carbonate cement within the shale, the similarity between δ238U values and REE patterns of the limestone units and those of modern seawater indicates that the limestone formed under open ocean (oxic) conditions.

Multi-proxy Characterization of Two Recent Storm Deposits Attributed to Hurricanes Rita and Ike in the Chenier Plain of Southwestern Louisiana

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Q.; Liu, K. B.; Ryu, J.

2017-12-01

The Chenier Plain in southwestern Louisiana owes its origin to dynamic depositional processes that are dominated by delta-switching of the Mississippi River to the east, while frequent hurricane activities also play an important role in its geomorphology and sedimentary history. However, despite several studies in the literature, the sediment-stratigraphic characteristics of recent or historic hurricane deposits are still not well documented from the Chenier Plain. In 2005 and 2008, Hurricane Rita (category 3) and Ike (category 2) made landfall on the coasts of Louisiana and Texas. Remote sensing images confirm that the Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, located at the east end of the Louisiana Chenier Plain, was heavily impacted by both hurricanes. We analyzed the lithology and chemical stratigraphy of three 30 cm sediment monoliths (ROC-1, ROC-2, and ROC-3) recovered from a coastal saltmarsh in the Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge to identify the event deposits attributed to these two storms. Each monolith contains 2 distinct light-colored clastic sediment layers imbedded in brown organic clay. The loss-on-ignition and X-ray fluorescence results show that the hurricane layers have increased contents of Ca, Sr, Zr, and carbonates and decreased contents of water and organics. Surprisingly, despite its greater intensity and more severe impacts, Hurricane Rita left a much thinner storm deposit than did Hurricane Ike in all monoliths. Satellite data reveal that Hurricane Rita caused significant coastal erosion and shoreline recession, rendering the sampling sites much closer to the beach and ocean and therefore more prone to storm surges and overwash deposition than when Hurricane Ike struck three years later. Our results suggest that site-to-sea distance, which affects a study site's paleotempestological sensitivity, can play a bigger role in affecting the thicknesses of storm deposits than the intensity of the hurricane.

Application of Advanced Reservoir Characterization, Simulation, and Production Optimization Strategies to Maximize Recovery in Slope and Basin Clastic Reservoirs, West Texas (Delaware Basin), Class III

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dutton, Shirley P.; Flanders, William A.

2001-11-04

The objective of this Class III project was demonstrate that reservoir characterization and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) by CO2 flood can increase production from slope and basin clastic reservoirs in sandstones of the Delaware Mountain Group in the Delaware Basin of West Texas and New Mexico. Phase 1 of the project, reservoir characterization, focused on Geraldine Ford and East Ford fields, which are Delaware Mountain Group fields that produce from the upper Bell Canyon Formation (Ramsey sandstone). The demonstration phase of the project was a CO2 flood conducted in East Ford field, which is operated by Orla Petco, Inc., as the East Ford unit.

Geology and mineral deposits of an area in the Departments of Antioquia and Caldas (Subzone IIB), Colombia

Science.gov (United States)

Feininger, Tomas; Barrero L., Dario; Castro, Nestor; Hall, R.B.

1973-01-01

The Inventario Minero National (IMN), a four-year cooperative geologic mapping and mineral resources appraisal project, was accomplished under an agreement between the Republic of Colombia and the U. S. Agency for International Development from 1964 through 1969. Subzone IIB, consisting essentially of the east half of Zone comprises nearly 20,000 km2 principally in the Department of Antioquia but including also small parts of the Departments of Caldas and Tolima. The rocks in IIB range from Precambrian to Holocene. Precambrian feldspar-quartz gneiss occupies a mosaic of fault-bounded blocks intruded by igneous rocks between the Oto fault and the Rio Magdalena. Paleozoic rocks are extensive, and include lightly metamorphosed graptolite-bearing Ordovician shale at Cristalina, and a major suite of graphitic quartz-mica schist, feldspathic and aluminous gneiss, quartzite, marble, amphibolite, and other rocks. Syntectonic intrusive gneiss included many of the older rocks during a late Paleozoic(?) orogeny, which was accompanied by Abukuma-type metamorphosing from lowermost greenschist to upper amphibolite facies. A Jurassic diorite pluton bounded by faults cuts volcanic rocks of unknown age east of the Otu fault. Cretaceous rocks are major units. Middle Cretaceous carbonaceous shale, sandstone, graywacke, conglomerate, and volcanic rocks are locally prominent. The Antioquian batholith (quartz diorite) of Late Cretaceous age cuts the middle Cretaceous and older rocks. A belt of Tertiary nonmarine clastic sedimentary rocks crops out along the Magdalena Valley. Patches of Tertiary alluvium are locally preserved in the mountains. Quaternary alluvium, much of it auriferous, is widespread in modern stream valleys. Structurally IIB constitutes part of a vast complex synclinorium intruded concordantly by syntectonic catazonal or mesozonal felsic plutons, and by the later epizonal post-tectonic Antioquian batholith. Previously unrecognized major wrench faults are outstanding

Relationship between fluvial clastic sediment and source rock abundance in Rapti river basin of central Nepal Himalayas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tamrakar Naresh Kazi; Shresth Madhusudan Bhakta

2008-01-01

Many tributaries from carbonate sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks of the Lesser Himalayan and clastic sedimentary rocks of the Sub-Himalayan Ranges carry gravelly sediments to the Rapti River. River bar sediments were analyzed for composition and texture to evaluate downstream changes in properties, and to establish relationship between proportion of clasts and the abundance of rock types in the source areas. Percent quartzite clast or granite clast increases whereas that of carbonate, schist or slate decreases along downstream. The largest grain size decreases downstream, whereas fatness index and sphericity tend to increase. Despite of little diminish in relative abundance of rock types in source areas along the river, the relative proportion of corresponding clast type shows rapid reduction (e.g. slate or phyllite or carbonate clasts) or rapid enhancement (e.g. granite clast). The relationships of quartzite clast and schist clasts with their corresponding source rocks are statistically significant suggesting that these clasts can provide clue to source rock abundance. About 85 to 94% of the gravel clasts represent rock types of the Lesser Himalayan Range suggesting that this range has been contributing enormous amount of sediments.

Sulfur isotopes of host strata for Howards Pass (Yukon–Northwest Territories) Zn-Pb deposits implicate anaerobic oxidation of methane, not basin stagnation

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Craig A.; Slack, John F.; Dumoulin, Julie A.; Kelley, Karen Duttweiler; Falck, Hendrik

2018-01-01

A new sulfur isotope stratigraphic profile has been developed for Ordovician-Silurian mudstones that host the Howards Pass Zn-Pb deposits (Canada) in an attempt to reconcile the traditional model of a stagnant euxinic basin setting with new contradictory findings. Our analyses of pyrite confirm the up-section 34S enrichment reported previously, but additional observations show parallel depletion of carbonate 13C, an increase in organic carbon weight percent, and a change in pyrite morphology. Taken together, the data suggest that the 34S enrichment reflects a transition in the mechanism of pyrite formation during diagenesis, not isotopic evolution of a stagnant water mass. Low in the stratigraphic section, pyrite formed mainly in the sulfate reduction zone in association with organic matter–driven bacterial sulfate reduction. In contrast, starting just below the Zn-Pb mineralized horizon, pyrite formed increasingly within the sulfate-methane transition zone in association with anaerobic oxidation of methane. Our new insights on diagenesis have implications for (1) the setting of Zn-Pb ore formation, (2) the reliability of redox proxies involving metals, and (3) the source of ore sulfur for Howards Pass, and potentially for other stratiform Zn-Pb deposits contained in carbonaceous strata.

A proposed global stratotype for the second series of the Ordovician system: Cow Head Peninsula, western Newfoundland

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Williams, S H [Memorial Univ. of Newfoundland, St. John' s, NF (Canada); Barnes, C R [Victoria Univ., BC (Canada); Boyce, W D [Newfoundland Dept. of Mines and Energy, St. John' s, NF (Canada); O' Brien, F H C

1994-06-01

The first occurrence of Tetragraptus approximatus approximatus is now taken to mark the base of the second (Arenig) series of the Ordovician System. It is proposed that the Cow Head Peninsula, western Newfoundland, be adopted for Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP), with the boundary placed at the base of the T. approximatus Zone, 2.9 m above the base of the Factory Cove Member, Shallow Bay Formation of the Cow Head Group. The well-preserved graptolite fauna occurs in association with abundant conodonts, demonstrating this level to correspond closely with the base of the Prionodus elegans conodont Zone. Immediately underlying strata yield bithecate graptoloid assemblages, generally taken as indicating the latest part of the previous (Tremadoc) series. Neighbouring sections also yield typically Tremadoc deep-water trilobites from this level, permitting correlation between the three fossil groups. Other fossils including acritarchs, are also present in the Cow Head sections, which are structurally simple, of low thermal maturity (CAI 1.5 or less) and suitable for chemo- and magnetostratigraphic studies. 80 refs., 8 figs.

Sedimentology and stratigraphy of Neoproterozoic-lower Paleozoic carbonate-siliciclastic succession of the southwesternmost Amazon Craton, state of Rondônia, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jhon Willy Lopes Afonso

2018-02-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Facies and stratigraphic analysis were carried out in Neoproterozoic-Lower Paleozoic carbonate-siliciclastic deposits of Cacoal and Pimenta Bueno formations exposed on basement rocks and into the Pimenta Bueno Graben, northwestern portion of Parecis Basin, southwesternmost Amazon Craton. The redescription and redefinion of this succession confirmed the previous interpretation for the Cacoal Formation as a Marinoan (~ 635 Ma cap carbonate. The Cacoal Formation is subdivided here in two units separate by sharp contact found exclusively overlying Mesoproterozoic crystalline basement rocks: 1 a homonymous formation characterized by diamictites, sandstones and siltstones with dropstones interpreted as glacio-marine deposits; and 2 the Espigão d’Oeste Formation that consists of dolostone, dolomitic stromatolites, dolostone-siltstone rhythmite and siltstone interpreted as shallow to moderately deep platform deposits. The Ordovician to Silurian Pimenta Bueno Formation is a filling of Pimenta Bueno graben and overlies locally the Meso and Neoproterozoic rocks. This unit consists in diamictites, sandstones, siltstones and pelites interpreted as glacial-marine and tide- to storm-influenced platform deposits, recording a glacio-eustatic regressive-transgressive event. This new stratigraphic proposal modify the current stratigraphy for the Parecis Basin and suggest, at least, two levels of glaciation exposed in the sothwesternmost Amazon Craton related to the Marinoan and Late Ordovician-Early Silurian events.

Application of Advanced Reservoir Characterization, Simulation, and Production Optimization Strategies to Maximize Recovery in Slope and Basin Clastic Reservoirs, West Texas (Delaware Basin), Class III

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dutton, Shirley P.; Flanders, William A.; Mendez, Daniel L.

2001-05-08

The objective of this Class 3 project was demonstrate that detailed reservoir characterization of slope and basin clastic reservoirs in sandstone's of the Delaware Mountain Group in the Delaware Basin of West Texas and New Mexico is a cost effective way to recover oil more economically through geologically based field development. This project was focused on East Ford field, a Delaware Mountain Group field that produced from the upper Bell Canyon Formation (Ramsey sandstone). The field, discovered in 9160, is operated by Oral Petco, Inc., as the East Ford unit. A CO2 flood was being conducted in the unit, and this flood is the Phase 2 demonstration for the project.

Current state of uranium exploration in central Colombia: Regional perspective and selected case studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moreno, G.; Perez, A.

2014-01-01

The Colombian Geological Survey has been working in a regional exploration program focus on the ancients massifs of the Eastern Cordillera. The general geology distribution in these massifs (Santander and Quetame) includes a core of meta sedimentary to medium grade metamorphic rocks of pellitic origin presumed to be of Cambro – Ordovician age, intruded by Ordovician age plutons that grade from granodiorite to quartz diorite. This igneous – metamorphic core is unconformable overlain by a Devonian age sedimentary cover that includes conglomerates of continental origin, black mudstone of marine origin and red sandstones of deltaic environments with some calcareous intervals. In the Santander Massif a sequence of continental red beds of Jurasic age is present and in the Zapatoca (Santander) area contains uranium. In the Santander Massif, mineral exploration in an area on 1300 km"2 with 1235 sample locations, gives average uranium values of 5.44 ppm, an a maximum of 20 ppm, located in Ordovician plutonic rocks. In the Quetame Massif, mineral exploration in an area on 1000 km"2 with 1274 samples locations, gives average uranium values of 6.13 ppm, and a maximum of 2763 ppm, located in Devonian to Carboniferous sedimentary rocks. In the Paipa area, 140 kilometers from Bogota, the Colombian Geological Survey has undertaken exploratory drilling. As a result there is an anomalous area of 500 m"2 with values of 2000 ppm uranium and rare earth associations has been identified. The volcanic system has been studied by several authors and is important for its location and extention. In recent years, exploration by private companies was reactivated. In early 2000 several junior companies such as KPS/Energentia Resources Inc., Mega Uranium, U3O8 Corp, Energentia Resources Inc., Blue Sky Uranium Corp, Sprott Resource Corp. and UrAmericaLtd and began exploratory work in Colombia. The Berlin project, located in the central mountain range, is perhaps the most developed in the

Berau coal in East Kalimantan; Its petrographics characteristics and depositional environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nana Suwarna

2014-06-01

Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.17014/ijog.vol2no4.20071To asses the characteristics of the Early to Middle Miocene Berau coal in the Berau Basin, leading to interpretation of coal depositional environments, some fresh outcrop and subcrop samples and also drill cores of the coals have been analyzed microscopically. Coal petrographic analysis was performed on twenty four coal samples from the Middle Miocene Lati Formation. Vitrinite, present in a high value, and ranging between 66.2 - 96.2%, is dominated by vitrinite B. On the other hand, inertinite and exinite, showing a similar value, exist in a low to moderate amount. Vitrinite reflectance, present in a low value, varies from 0.40 - 0.58%. Low mineral matter content is dominated by clay minerals (0.4 - 6.6% with minor pyrite. Transitions from wet and very wet forested swamps to drier conditions with lower tree density are indicated by the higher content of vitrinite B, whilst a reverse trend is indicated by the lower content of vitrinite A. Petrographic indices obtained from facies diagnostic macerals show that an accumulation of the ancient peats under prevailing relatively wet limited influx clastic marsh to very wet forest swamps or moors is considered. The composition of the coal samples supports the interpretation of a system of fluvial to meandering streams in an upper delta plain environment. The original peat-forming vegetation was composed mainly of cellulose rich, shrub-like plants, tree ferns, herbaceous plant communities, with minor amount of trees. Thereby, the organic facies concept is thus applicable in basin studies context and has potential to become an additional tool for depositional environment interpretation.  

Uranium mineralization and unconformities: how do they correlate? - A look beyond the classic unconformity-type deposit model?

Science.gov (United States)

Markwitz, Vanessa; Porwal, Alok; Campbell McCuaig, T.; Kreuzer, Oliver P.

2010-05-01

varies from strata- to structure-bound and occurs above regional unconformities. The Proterozoic basins in the Mount Isa Inlier rest unconformably on Palaeoproterozoic basement accompanied by volcanic and igneous rocks, which were deformed and metamorphosed in the Mesoproterozoic. Uranium occurrences in the Western Succession of Mount Isa are either hosted in clastic metasediments or mafic volcanics that belong to the Palaeoproterozoic Eastern Creek Volcanics. Uranium and vanadium mineralization occur in metasomatised and hematite-magnetite-carbonate alteration zones, bounded by major faults and regional unconformities. The results of this study highlight the importance of unconformities in uranium minerals systems as possible fluid pathways and/or surfaces of physico-chemical contrast that could have facilitated the precipitation of uranium, not only in classical unconformity style uranium deposits but in several other styles of uranium mineralization as well. References Cuney, M., 2009. The extreme diversity of uranium deposits. Mineralium Deposita, 44, 3-9. Dahlkamp, F. J., 1993. Uranium ore deposits. Springer, Berlin, p 460. OECD / NEA Red Book & IAEA, 2000. Uranium 1999: Resources, Production and Demand. OECD Nuclear Energy Agency and International Atomic Energy Agency, Paris.

Blind River uranium deposits: the ores and their setting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robertson, J.A.

1981-01-01

In the Blind River area, Proterozoic clastic sedimentary and minor volcanic rocks (Huronian Supergroup) unconformably overlie and transgress northward over dominantly granitic Archean terrane (2500 million years) and are intruded by Nipissing Diabase (2150 million years). Later deformations and metamorphic events are recognized. The Matinenda Formation (basal Huronian) comprises northward-derived arkose, quartzite, and pyritic, uraniferous oligomictic conglomerates, which contain 75 percent of Canada's uranium reserves. Historic grades approximate 2 pounds U 3 O 8 /ton (1 kilogram/metric ton), but lower grade material can be mined with increasing price. Some thorium and rare earths have been marketed. The conglomerate beds lie in southeasterly striking zones controlled by basement topography down-sedimentation from radioactive Archean granite. Distribution of monazite relative to uraninite and brannerite and the presence of uranium values in overlying polymictic conglomerates, which truncate the ore beds, indicate that the mineralization is syngenetic, probably placer. The role of penecontemporaneous mafic volcanics is problematical, but these could have been a source for sulphur in the pyrite. Drab-coloured rocks, uranium and sulphide mineralization, and a post-Archean regolith formed under reducing conditions all suggest a reducing environment. Sedimentary features indicate deposition in fast-flowing shallow water and possibly a cold climate. In the upper Huronian (Lorrain Formation), a monazite and iron oxide assemblage associated with red beds suggests a change to oxidizing conditions

REINTERPRETATION OF THE LATE PLEISTOCENE INGARANO CAVE DEPOSIT BASED ON THE FOSSIL BIRD ASSOCIATION (APULIA, SOUTH-EASTERN ITALY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

CLAUDIA BEDETTI

2007-11-01

Full Text Available We present a study of Late Pleistocene fossil bird remains from Ingarano (Apulia, SE Italy, based on the revision of previously published material and the study of unpublished fossils bones. New field observations make it possible to simplify the stratigraphy of the deposit compared to previous work. The systematic study of the fossil bird bones revealed the presence of 15 taxa, including two hypothetical ones: Circus aeruginosus, Buteo rufinus, Aquila chrysaëtos, Falco columbarius, Falco cherrug, Alectoris graeca, Perdix perdix, Columba livia, Otus scops, Nyctea scandiaca, Nyctea scandiaca vel Bubo bubo, Athene noctua, Pyrrhocorax graculus, Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax, Corvus corone, Corvus corone vel Corvus frugilegus, Corvus corax. Our detailed study also helps improve the taphonomical interpretation of the deposit: the remains from the lower layers were accumulated after mammalian predator activity and were transported over short distances, while the ones from the upper layers show sings of intense transport, such as fractures and surface abrasion. Two different bird assemblages were recognized, respectively from the lowermost and the upper layers of the clastic succession exposed in the Ingarano deposit; this difference is also confirmed by the fossil mammal remains. The systematic study makes it possible to make palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic reconstructions: both assemblages indicate open environments, and the taxa of the lower layers indicate the presence of woods and wetlands with colder characteristics, while birds of the upper layers indicate drier and warmer conditions. This analysis, and the dating established through geochemical analyses and study of lithic artefacts, lead us to date the formation of the Ingarano deposit to the Late Pleistocene, in particular to the MIS 3. The presence of a layer dated to the MIS 2 at the base of the succession indicated in previous works cannot be confirmed. 

Hydrogeologic assessment of shallow clastic and carbonate rock aquifers in Hendry and Collier counties, southwestern Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, C. Erwin; Krulikas, R.K.; Brendle, D.L.

1996-01-01

Direct-current electrical resistivity data were collected from 109 vertical electrical sounding sites in Hendry and Collier Counties, southwestern Florida. Selected direct-current electrical resistivity surveys, together with available borehole geologic and geophysical data, were used to determine the approximate areal extent of the shallow clastic aquifers composed of thick sands and carbonate lithologies. Results indicated that a complex pattern of shallow sands, clays, and carbonate lithologies occur throughout the area. Buried channel sands were found as deep as 50 meters below land surface in some places. The channels contain unconsolidated fine- to medium-grained quartz sand interbedded with sandy limestone, shell fragments, and gray-green sandy clay. Both surface and borehole geophysical techniques with lithologic data were necessary to approximately locate and define layers that might behave as confining layers and to locate and define the extent of any buried sand aquifers. The borehole geophysical data were used to analyze the zones of higher resistivity. Direct-current electrical resistivity data indicated the approximate location of certain layer boundaries. The conjunctive use of natural gamma and short- and long-normal resistivity logs was helpful in determining lithologic effects. Geohydrologic sections were prepared to identify potential locations of buried channels and carbonates containing freshwater. Buried channel sands and carbonate rock sections were identified in the subsurface that potentially may contain freshwater supplies.

DEPOSITIONAL ENVIRONMENT AND ORGANIC GEOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF LOWER EOCENE BITUMINOUS ROCKS, IN THE KÜRNÜÇ/GÖYNÜK-BOLU AREA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali SARI

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In this study, dark gray and dark brown colored, organic-carbon rich bituminous rocks (bituminous marl and bituminous shale exposing around the Kürnüç area (Göynük, Bolu are investigated by means of or- ganic geochemical characteristics. In this respect, rock lithologies, depositional environments, rock source potential, kerogen and organic maturity types and hydrocarbon generation potentials of bituminous rocks were determined. For this reason, pyrolysis (Rock Eval–VI analysis, gas chromatography (GC and gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS analyses were carried out. In addition, spore color index (SCI was determined with organic petrographic method and stable carbon analysis (δ13C of the samples were also conducted. Lithology of the studied samples is of clastic source and the depositional environ- ment is a lagoon with a partial connection to the sea. In bituminous rocks with excellent source rock potential TOC values are in the range of 2.52-8.38 wt % (average 6.08 wt %. With the exception of two samples (Type II kerogen type of all samples is Type I. According to pyrolysis, GC and GC-MS organic maturity results, all the samples are in immature stage. Organic geochemical data indicate that bituminous rocks have an excellent oil generation potential and there is no organic contamination.

Evidence for a transgressive barrier within a regressive strandplain system : Implications for a complex coastal response to environmental change

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hein, Christopher J.; FitzGerald, Duncan M.; Cleary, William J.; Boechat Albernaz, M.; Menezes, João Thadeu de; Klein, Antonio H. da F.

2013-01-01

Clastic, depositional strandplain systems have the potential to record changes in the primary drivers of coastal evolution: climate, sea-level, and the frequency of major meteorological and oceanographic events. This study seeks to use one such record from a southern Brazilian strandplain to

Application of Advanced Reservoir Characterization, Simulation, and Production Optimization Strategies to Maximize Recovery in Slope and Basin Clastic Reservoirs, West Texas (Delaware Basin)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dutton, Shirley

1999-01-01

The objective of this Class 3 project was demonstrate that detailed reservoir characterization of slope and basin clastic reservoirs in sandstones of the Delaware Mountain Group in the Delaware Basin of West Texas and New Mexico is a cost effective way to recover a higher percentage of the original oil in place through strategic placement of infill wells and geologically based field development. Project objectives are divided into two main phases. The original objectives of the reservoir-characterization phase of the project were (1) to provide a detailed understanding of the architecture and heterogeneity of two representative fields of the Delaware Mountain Group, Geraldine Ford and Ford West, which produce from the Bell Canyon and Cherry Canyon Formations, respectively, (2) to chose a demonstration area in one of the fields, and (3) to simulate a CO 2 flood in the demonstration area

Ordovician of the Sauk megasequence in the Ozark region of northern Arkansas and parts of Missouri and adjacent states: Chapter 11

Science.gov (United States)

Ethington, Raymond L.; Repetski, John E.; Derby, James R.

2012-01-01

Exposures of Ordovician rocks of the Sauk megasequence in Missouri and northern Arkansas comprise Ibexian and lower Whiterockian carbonates with interspersed sandstones. Subjacent Cambrian strata are exposed in Missouri but confined to the subsurface in Arkansas. The Sauk-Tippecanoe boundary in this region is at the base of the St. Peter Sandstone. Ulrich and associates divided the Arkansas section into formations early in the 20th century, principally based on sparse collections of fossil invertebrates. In contrast, the distribution of invertebrate faunas and modern studies of conodonts will be emphasized throughout this chapter. Early workers considered many of the stratigraphic units to be separated by unconformities, but modern analysis calls into question the unconformable nature of some of their boundaries. The physical similarity of the several dolomites and sandstones, complex facies relations, and lack of continuous exposures make identification of individual formations difficult in isolated outcrops.

The Westphalian D fossil lepidodendrid forest at Table Head, Sydney Basin, Nova Scotia: Sedimentology, paleoecology and floral response to changing edaphic conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Calder, J.H.; Gibling, M.R.; Eble, C.F.; Scott, A.C.; MacNeil, D.J.

1996-01-01

Strata of Westphalian D age on the western coast of the Sydney Basin expose a fossil forest of approximately 30 lepidodendrid trees within one of several clastic splits of the Harbour Seam. A mutidisciplinary approach was employed to interpret the origins of the coal bed, the depositional history of the site and the response of the fossil forest to changing edaphic conditions. The megaspore and miospore records indicate that the mire vegetation was dominated by arboreous lycopsids, especially Paralycopodites, with subdominant tree ferns. Petrographic, palynological and geochemical evidence suggest that the Harbour coal bed at Table Head originated as a rheotrophic (cf. planar) mire (eutric histosol). The mire forest is interpreted to have been engulfed by prograding distributary-channel sediments; sparse protist assemblages are suggestive of a freshwater delta-plain lake environment occasionally in contact with brackish waters. Lepidodendrids persisted as site colonizers of clastic substrates even after burial of the rheotrophic peatland and influenced the morphology of deposited sediment, but apparently were unable to colonize distributary channels. Equivocal taxonomic data (compression fossils) show the fossil forest to have been composed of both monocarpic (Lepidodendron) and polycarpic (Diaphorodendron, Paralycopodites, ?Sigillaria) lycopsids, genera recorded in the palynology of the uppermost ply of the underlying coal bed. Comparatively rare within the clastic beds of the fossil forest, however, is the stem compression of Paralycopodites, whose dispersed megapores and miospores dominate the underlying coal bed. Tree diameter data recorded equivalent to breast height indicate a forest of mixed age. These data would appear to suggest that some lepidodendrids employing a polycarpic reproductive strategy were better able to cross the ecological barrier imposed between peat and clastic substrates. Foliar compressions indicate that an understory or stand of

Carbonate rocks of the Seward Peninsula, Alaska: Their correlation and paleogeographic significance

Science.gov (United States)

Dumoulin, Julie A.; Harris, Alta; Repetski, John E.

2014-01-01

Paleozoic carbonate strata deposited in shallow platform to off-platform settings occur across the Seward Peninsula and range from unmetamorphosed Ordovician–Devonian(?) rocks of the York succession in the west to highly deformed and metamorphosed Cambrian–Devonian units of the Nome Complex in the east. Faunal and lithologic correlations indicate that early Paleozoic strata in the two areas formed as part of a single carbonate platform. The York succession makes up part of the York terrane and consists of Ordovician, lesser Silurian, and limited, possibly Devonian rocks. Shallow-water facies predominate, but subordinate graptolitic shale and calcareous turbidites accumulated in deeper water, intraplatform basin environments, chiefly during the Middle Ordovician. Lower Ordovician strata are mainly lime mudstone and peloid-intraclast grainstone deposited in a deepening upward regime; noncarbonate detritus is abundant in lower parts of the section. Upper Ordovician and Silurian rocks include carbonate mudstone, skeletal wackestone, and coral-stromatoporoid biostromes that are commonly dolomitic and accumulated in warm, shallow to very shallow settings with locally restricted circulation. The rest of the York terrane is mainly Ordovician and older, variously deformed and metamorphosed carbonate and siliciclastic rocks intruded by early Cambrian (and younger?) metagabbros. Older (Neoproterozoic–Cambrian) parts of these units are chiefly turbidites and may have been basement for the carbonate platform facies of the York succession; younger, shallow- and deep-water strata likely represent previously unrecognized parts of the York succession and its offshore equivalents. Intensely deformed and altered Mississippian carbonate strata crop out in a small area at the western edge of the terrane. Metacarbonate rocks form all or part of several units within the blueschist- and greenschist-facies Nome Complex. The Layered sequence includes mafic meta¬igneous rocks and

Non-uniform and diachronous Holocene floodplain evolution: a case study from the Dijle catchment, Belgium

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Broothaerts, N.; Notebaert, B.; Verstraeten, G.; Kasse, C.; Bohncke, S.J.P.; Vandenberghe, J.

2014-01-01

Fluvial architecture changed under the influence of increasing human impact throughout the Holocene in many north-west European catchments. Typically, peat formation - in a marshy environment during the Early and Middle Holocene - is replaced by clastic overbank deposition. In this study we show the

Sedimentary environments and stratigraphy of the carbonate-silicilastic deposits of the Shirgesht Formation: implications for eustasy and local tectonism in the Kalmard Block, Central Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

reza Mousavi-Harami

2015-09-01

Rahdar (Devonian Formations along the basement Kalmard Fault. In the present study, three stratigraphic sections (NW-SE transects were measured, described and sampled in the Kalmard area. In these sections, detailed considerations have been given on the lithofacies variations bed geometry and contacts, faunal content, the potential of trace fossils as tools for reconstructing depositional conditions, sedimentary textures and structures, bounding surfaces, vertical trends and stacking patterns and lateral/vertical variations in facies and thicknesses. The observed siliciclastic facies can readily be interpreted using existing shelf sedimentation and shoreline succession models (e.g. Walker and Plint 1992 . Interpretation carbonate facies have been done on the basis the microfacies analysis (200 thin-sections, sedimentary textures and structures and faunal content (Wilson et al. 1975 Flügel 2010 . In final, internal architecture, characteristics of sedimentary facies, the overall stacking pattern and nature of sequence-bounding unconformities have been investigated to evaluate the influence of regional uplift, local tectonics and eustasy on both along-strike variations in sequence architecture and genetic complexity of sequence boundaries.     Discussion, Results and Conclusion   The Lower Ordovician Shirgesht Formation in central Iran is composed of siliciclastic and carbonate rocks deposited in diverse coastal and marine shelf environments (tidal flat, lagoon, shoreface, and offshore-shelf and carbonate ramp. Relying on the facies characteristics and stratal geometries, the siliciclastic succession are divided into five facies associations, FA1 (tidal flat, FA2 (lagoon/washoverfan, FA3 (upper shoreface-foreshore, FA4 (lower to middle shoreface, and FA5 (offshore-shelf.Carbonate succession of this formation based on lithology, sedimentary characteristics and textures divided into four facies belts, FA (tidal flat, FB (lagoon,FC (shoal/barrier island, and FD

Sedimentary environments and stratigraphy of the carbonate-silicilastic deposits of the Shirgesht Formation: implications for eustasy and local tectonism in the Kalmard Block, Central Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

aram bayetgoll

2015-10-01

Formations along the basement Kalmard Fault. In the present study, three stratigraphic sections (NW-SE transects were measured, described and sampled in the Kalmard area. In these sections, detailed considerations have been given on the lithofacies variations; bed geometry and contacts, faunal content, the potential of trace fossils as tools for reconstructing depositional conditions, sedimentary textures and structures, bounding surfaces, vertical trends and stacking patterns and lateral/vertical variations in facies and thicknesses. The observed siliciclastic facies can readily be interpreted using existing shelf sedimentation and shoreline succession models (e.g. Walker and Plint 1992 . Interpretation carbonate facies have been done on the basis the microfacies analysis (200 thin-sections, sedimentary textures and structures and faunal content (Wilson et al. 1975; Flügel 2010 . In final, internal architecture, characteristics of sedimentary facies, the overall stacking pattern and nature of sequence-bounding unconformities have been investigated to evaluate the influence of regional uplift, local tectonics and eustasy on both along-strike variations in sequence architecture and genetic complexity of sequence boundaries.     Discussion, Results and Conclusion   The Lower Ordovician Shirgesht Formation in central Iran is composed of siliciclastic and carbonate rocks deposited in diverse coastal and marine shelf environments (tidal flat, lagoon, shoreface, and offshore-shelf and carbonate ramp. Relying on the facies characteristics and stratal geometries, the siliciclastic succession are divided into five facies associations, FA1 (tidal flat, FA2 (lagoon/washoverfan, FA3 (upper shoreface-foreshore, FA4 (lower to middle shoreface, and FA5 (offshore-shelf.Carbonate succession of this formation based on lithology, sedimentary characteristics and textures divided into four facies belts, FA (tidal flat, FB (lagoon,FC (shoal/barrier island, and FD (open marine. These facies

Sedimentary environments and hydrocarbon potential of cretaceous rocks of indus basin, Pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sheikh, S.A.; Naseem, S.

1999-01-01

Cretaceous rocks of Indus Basin of Pakistan are dominated by clastics with subordinate limestone towards the top. These rocks represent shelf facies and were deposited in deltaic to reducing marine conditions at variable depths. Indications of a silled basin with restricted circulation are also present. Cretaceous fine clastics/carbonates have good source and reservoir qualities. Variable geothermal gradients in different parts of basin have placed these rocks at different maturity levels; i.e. from oil to condensate and to gas. The potential of these rocks has been proved by several oil and gas discoveries particularly in the Central and Southern provinces of Indus Basin. (author)

The geochemistry of banded iron formations in the sukumaland ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The geochemistry of banded iron formations in the sukumaland greenstone belt of Geita, northern Tanzania: evidence for mixing of hydrothermal and clastic ... the hydrothermal deposits have been contaminated, by up to 20% by weight, with detrital material having a composition similar to modern deep-sea pelagic clays.

PALEOEVIRONMENT OF NIGERIA'S AJALI SANDSTONES: A ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The Ajali Sandstone is a major clastic formation of Campanian-Maastrichtian age occuring within the Anambra Basin, Southeastern Nigeria. ... The result is in line with earlier conclusions of fluvial or fluviodeltaic depositional environment based on analysis of faceis, sedimentary rock which are suitable for morphometrical ...

Distal delta-plain successions : architecture and lithofacies of organics and lake fills in the Holocene Rhine-Meuse delta, The Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bos, I.J.

2010-01-01

The objective of this thesis is to analyze and explain the architecture, facies distribution, age and origin of coarse-grained overbank deposits, with special attention for organic-clastic lake fills, and organics in the distal Holocene Rhine-Meuse delta plain. In order to depict the influence of

Assessing Reservoir Depositional Environments to Develop and Quantify Improvements in CO₂ Storage Efficiency. A Reservoir Simulation Approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Okwen, Roland [University of Illinois, Champaign, IL (United States); Frailey, Scott [University of Illinois, Champaign, IL (United States); Leetaru, Hannes [University of Illinois, Champaign, IL (United States); Moulton, Sandy [Illinois State Geological Survey, Champaign, IL (United States)

2014-09-30

The storage potential and fluid movement within formations are dependent on the unique hydraulic characteristics of their respective depositional environments. Storage efficiency (E) quantifies the potential for storage in a geologic depositional environment and is used to assess basinal or regional CO₂ storage resources. Current estimates of storage resources are calculated using common E ranges by lithology and not by depositional environment. The objectives of this project are to quantify E ranges and identify E enhancement strategies for different depositional environments via reservoir simulation studies. The depositional environments considered include deltaic, shelf clastic, shelf carbonate, fluvial deltaic, strandplain, reef, fluvial and alluvial, and turbidite. Strategies considered for enhancing E include CO₂ injection via vertical, horizontal, and deviated wells, selective completions, water production, and multi-well injection. Conceptual geologic and geocellular models of the depositional environments were developed based on data from Illinois Basin oil fields and gas storage sites. The geologic and geocellular models were generalized for use in other US sedimentary basins. An important aspect of this work is the development of conceptual geologic and geocellular models that reflect the uniqueness of each depositional environment. Different injection well completions methods were simulated to investigate methods of enhancing E in the presence of geologic heterogeneity specific to a depositional environment. Modeling scenarios included horizontal wells (length, orientation, and inclination), selective and dynamic completions, water production, and multiwell injection. A Geologic Storage Efficiency Calculator (GSECalc) was developed to calculate E from reservoir simulation output. Estimated E values were normalized to diminish their dependency on fluid relative permeability. Classifying depositional environments according to

226Ra and 228Ra in ground water of the Cambrian-Ordovician Aquifer System in northern Illinois

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilkeson, R.H.; Holtzman, R.B.

1982-01-01

Over a large region of Illinois, ground water of the Cambrian-Ordovician Aquifer System exceeds the US EPA drinking water standard of 5 pCi/L for the combined concentration of 226 Ra and 228 Ra. 226 Ra concentrations range from 226 Ra is the geochemistry of uranium in the ground-water flow system, while the 228 Ra activity in ground water which ranges from 232 Th-bearing minerals in the aquifer strata. The comparison of recent analyses to historical data gathered over the last 20 years indicates that, with few exceptions, 226 Ra and 228 Ra activities in ground water have remained constant. The combined concentrations of the two nuclides in ground water of the aquifer system ranged from 226 Ra concentrations were high (greater than or equal to 10 pCi/L), those of 228 Ra were low (less than or equal to 2 pCi/L), but, with few exceptions, in regions where 228 Ra concentrations were high, those of 226 Ra were also high. The range of values raises questions concerning the validity of the US EPA regulation which requires analysis for 228 Ra only when the concentration of 226 Ra exceeds 3.0 pCi/L

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

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Three dimensional modeling of depositional geometries. A case study from Tofane Group (Dolomites, Italy).

Science.gov (United States)

Gattolin, G.; Franceschi, M.; Breda, A.; Teza, G.; Preto, N.

2012-04-01

At the end of the Early Carnian, the Carnian Pluvial Event (CPE) resulted in a major crisis of carbonate factories. The sharp change in carbonate production lead to a dramatic modifications in depositional geometries. Steep clinoforms of the high-relief pre-crisis carbonate platforms were replaced by low-angle ramps. Spatial characters of depositional geometries can be decisive in identifying the genesis of geological bodies. We here show how 3D modeling techniques can be applied to help in quantifying and highlighting their variations. As case study we considered two outcrops in the Tofane Group (Dolomites, Italy). The first outcrop (bottom of southern walls of Tofana di Rozes) exposes a platform-to-basin transect of pre- and post-crisis platforms, the second (Dibona hut) a clinostratified carbonate body deposited during the Carnian crisis. Outcrop conditions at both sites, with vertical and hardly accessible walls, make the field tracing of depositional geometries particularly challenging. Line drawing on high resolution pictures can help (e.g. for clinoforms), but its use for quantification is hampered by perspective deformation. Three dimensional acquisition and modeling allow to retrieve the true spatial characters of sedimentary bodies in these outcrops. The geometry of the carbonate body at Dibona (~ 15000 sqm) was acquired with terrestrial LiDAR, while for Tofana photogrammetric techniques were applied because of the extension of the outcrop itself (~ 240000 sqm) and the lack of suitable points of view for terrestrial laser scanning. At Tofana, field observations reveal the presence of tens-hundreds m large carbonate mounds grown on a pre-existing inclined surface, intercalated with skeletal carbonates and siltites-arenites. This system rapidly evolves into a carbonate-clastic ramp. Photogrammetric topography acquisition permitted to place and visualize geological features in a three dimensional frame, thus obtaining a conceptual sedimentological model. A 3

Lithofacies characteristics of diatreme deposits: Examples from a basaltic volcanic field of SW Sardinia (Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Mundula, F.; Cioni, R.; Funedda, A.; Leone, F.

2013-04-01

A deeply eroded diatreme field, consisting in several, decametric-sized, vertical, mainly clastic volcanic bodies of basaltic composition is described for the first time in the Variscan basement of SW Sardinia. The recognition and description of four different lithofacies in these diatremes allowed discussion of the role of the different processes which control magma eruption and conduit infilling, and making general inferences about diatremes. The studied diatremes have a cross-sectional shape from elliptical to sub-triangular, and are slightly elongated nearly parallel to the main foliation of the intruded meta-sedimentary rocks. Foliation of host rocks is locally reoriented or folded close to the contact with the diatremes, suggesting that magma possibly rose to the surface through fissures oriented nearly parallel to host rock foliation. Textural features of the volcanic bodies show many analogies with kimberlitic diatremes, despite the difference in petrography and composition. Juvenile lapilli are mainly made by ghosts of mafic phenocrysts (olivine and clinopyroxene) set in a groundmass formed by plagioclase microlites immersed in a cryptocrystalline, chlorite-rich matrix. The four lithofacies were described mainly based on the shape and physical features of the clasts and textural anisotropy: a globular, juvenile-rich, lapilli tuff facies (GJLt); an angular, juvenile-rich, lapilli tuff facies (AJLt); a lithic-rich, lapilli tuff facies LiRLt), and a coherent, lava-like facies (COH). All the clastic lithofacies are generally well sorted and typically lack a fine-grained matrix. Juvenile fragments are lapilli sized and from equant to oblate in axial ratio, and from rounded-globular to very angular in shape. Conversely, lithic clasts are largely variable in shape and size, and are mainly represented by basement-derived clasts. The absence of bedding, the scarcity of the coherent facies and the dominance of clast supported, structureless, volcaniclastic facies

Application of advanced reservoir characterization, simulation, and production optimization strategies to maximize recovery in slope and basin clastic reservoirs, West Texas (Delaware Basin), Class III

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dutton, Shirley P.; Flanders, William A.; Zirczy, Helena H.

2000-05-24

The objective of this Class 3 project was to demonstrate that detailed reservoir characterization of slope and basin clastic reservoirs in sandstones of the Delaware Mountain Group in the Delaware Basin of West Texas and New Mexico is a cost effective way to recover a higher percentage of the original oil in place through strategic placement of infill wells and geologically based field development. Phase 1 of the project, reservoir characterization, was completed this year, and Phase 2 began. The project is focused on East Ford field, a representative Delaware Mountain Group field that produces from the upper Bell Canyon Formation (Ramsey sandstone). The field, discovered in 1960, is operated by Oral Petco, Inc., as the East Ford unit. A CO{sub 2} flood is being conducted in the unit, and this flood is the Phase 2 demonstration for the project.

Geochemical and geological constraints on the composition of marine sediment pore fluid: Possible link to gas hydrate deposits

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Mazumdar, A.; Joao, H.M.; Peketi, A.; Dewangan, P.; Kocherla, M.; Joshi, R.K.; Ramprasad, T.

Pore water sulfate consumption in marine sediments is controlled by microbially driven sulfate reduction via organo-clastic and methane oxidation processes. In this work, we present sediment pore fluid compositions of 10 long sediment cores and high...

Carbonate microfacies of the San Juan Formation (Ordovician: Oepikodus evae and Oepikodus intermedius conodont zones), Niquivil, Central Precordillera, Province of San Juan (Argentina)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soria, T.; Beresi, M.; Mestre, A.; Heredia, S.; Rodríguez, M.C.

2017-01-01

This contribution presents the description and interpretation of carbonate microfacies of the San Juan Formation (Ordovician) at the Niquivil section, considering the stratigraphical interval between the Oepikodus evae and Oepikodus intermedius conodont zones. The distribution of the microfacies and the conodonts assemblages allow us to identify different sub-environments within the late Floian carbonate ramp of the Central Precordillera. Five microfacies were recognized from the base to the top: M1 Bioclastic mudstone-wackestone; M2 Bioclastic-peloidal wackestone; M3 Intra-bioclastic wackestone; M4 Intra-bioclastic packstone; M5 Peloidal grainstone. The vertical distribution of these microfacies indicates a shallowing trend of the carbonate ramp in the Niquivil section for this temporal interval, which suggests a middle ramp environment with low energy, without wave action, and that evolved towards the middle-inner ramp environment with more energy by wave action and development of tempestites. [es

Provenance of sandstone on the western flank of Anambra Basin ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Petrographic and heavy mineral studies were carried out on clastic deposits that crop out in Ikpeshi, Auchi and Fugar localities in order to determine the provenance of the ... The heavy mineral suites and the petrographic signatures of the sandstones suggest derivation mainly from acid igneous rocks, gneisses and older ...

Chronostratigraphic recognition in Ceara northwest region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Novais, F.R.G.; Kawashita, K.; Brito Neves, B.B. de

1979-01-01

This paper reports a geochronological reconaissance through the K-Ar and Rb-Sr methods in a area northeast of the state of Ceara, aiming to suplement and assess the geological mapping 1/250.000. Migmatitic rocks of the basement showed values within the span of the transamazonian cycle. The volcanic-sedimentary complex (Grupo Martinopole) showed pre-brazilian Rb-Sr conventional ages and isochronic ages compatible to the brazilian cycle. Likewise, regional metamorphism of brazilian age (c.a. 610 m.y.) was recorded for the clastic-carbonatic metassedimentary rocks of the Ubajara Group. Fissural intrusives cuts rocks of the Ubajara Group and yielded ages around 580 m.y. For the molasse-type sequence of the brazilian system (Massape and Pacuja formations), the age of the Cambrian regional metamorphism was adopted, 535+-27 m.y., with late events in Ordovician times (Aprazivel Formation). The post tectonic granitic stocks of Meruoca, Mocambo and Serra da Barriga show problems of geochronological grounds, not solved at this stage. The interval between 540-580 m.y. for their emplacement is adopted in the light of the obtained data [pt

Ore levels in Paleozoic of Semipalatinsk test site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ergaliev, G.Kh.; Myasnikov, A.K.; Fomichev, V.I.

1999-01-01

The regularity of the deposition of main mineralization of industrial types within Semipalatinsk test site proves and here and there defines more exactly location of the ore levels in Eastern Kazakhstan. Two mega levels, namely: Cambrian-Ordovician (siliceous-basalt, island-arc) and Carboniferous (especially carbonaceous-tarragons) ones are the most perspective for localizing the leading gold mineralization in the region

Depositional history and tectonic regimes within and in the margins of the Fennoscandian shield during the last 1300 million years

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paulamaeki, S.; Kuivamaeki, A.

2006-05-01

This report is a literature review, which describes the occurrences of Meso- and Neoproterozoic and Phanerozoic sedimentary rocks in Finland and their depositional history The report also summarizes the tectonic and magmatic events within and in the margins of the Fennoscandian Shield during the last 1200 - 1300 million years. Mesoproterozoic (Middle Riphean) and Neoproterozoic (Late Vendian) sandstones and siltstones are presently found only in some tectonically protected basins, e.g., Satakunta and Muhos grabens, Bothnian Sea basin and Bothnian Bay basin, or in the impact structures, but they may have originally distributed over a much larger area. During the Lower and Middle Cambrian, arenaceous and argillaceous sediments were probably deposited in most of the western, southern and central Finland. During the Ordovician, carbonates were deposited in an epicontinental sea with repeated transgressions and regressions. In several occasions, the Bothnian Sea and Aaland Sea basins, as well as southern and south-western Finland were covered by the sea, and in the Middle Ordovician, the sea reached as far as central Finland. No Late Palaeozoic (Silurian to Permian) sedimentary rocks have been recognized. The apatite fission track studies indicate, however, that extensive Silurian to Devonian deposits most likely covered large parts of the Fennoscandian Shield, with an estimated thickness of 3 - 4 km in Sweden and ca. 1 km in Finland. In eastern Lapland, the clay bed of Akanvaara was deposited in early Tertiary (Eocene) under marine conditions. The Mesoproterozoic tectonics was dominated by the Sveconorwegian orogeny (ca. 1250 - 900 Ma), which mainly affected the present south-western Sweden and southern Norway. In Finland, the 'Postjotnian' olivine diabases, dated at 1270 - 1250 Ma, are considered to be connected to the initial rifting at the onset of the orogeny. After the Sveconorwegian orogeny, the Fennoscandian Shield was part of the worldwide supercontinent

Geology of the Integrated Disposal Facility Trench

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reidel, Steve P.; Fecht, Karl R.

2005-01-01

This report describes the geology of the integrated Disposal Facility (IDF) Trench. The stratigraphy consists of some of the youngest sediments of the Missoula floods (younger than 770 ka). The lithology is dominated sands with minor silts and gravels that are largely unconsolidated. The stratigraphy can be subdivided into five geologic units that can be mapped throughout the trench. Four of the units were deposited by the Missoula floods and the youngest consists of windblown sand and silt. The sediment has little moisture and is consistent with that observed in the characterization boreholes. The sedimentary layers are flat lying and there are no faults or folds present. Two clastic dikes were encountered, one along the west wall and one that can be traced from the north to the southwall. The north-south clastic dike nearly bifurcates the trench but the west wall clastic dike can not be traced very far east into the trench. The classic dikes consist mainly of sand with clay-lined walls. The sediment in the dikes is compacted to partly cemented and are more resistant than the layered sediments

Tertiary stratigraphy and basin evolution, southern Sabah (Malaysian Borneo)

Science.gov (United States)

Balaguru, Allagu; Nichols, Gary

2004-08-01

New mapping and dating of strata in the southern part of the Central Sabah Basin in northern Borneo has made it possible to revise the lithostratigraphy and chronostratigraphy of the area. The recognition in the field of an Early Miocene regional unconformity, which may be equivalent to the Deep Regional Unconformity recognised offshore, has allowed the development of a stratigraphic framework of groups and formations, which correspond to stages in the sedimentary basin development of the area. Below the Early Miocene unconformity lies ophiolitic basement, which is overlain by an accretionary complex of Eocene age and a late Paleogene deep water succession which formed in a fore-arc basin. The late Paleogene deposits underwent syn-depositional deformation, including the development of extensive melanges, all of which can be demonstrated to lie below the unconformity in this area. Some localised limestone deposition occurred during a period of uplift and erosion in the Early Miocene, following which there was an influx of clastic sediments deposited in delta and pro-deltaic environments in the Middle Miocene. These deltaic to shallow marine deposits are now recognised as forming two coarsening-upward successions, mapped as the Tanjong and Kapilit Formations. The total thickness of these two formations in the Central Sabah Basin amounts to 6000 m, only half of the previous estimates, although the total stratigraphic thickness of Cenozoic clastic strata in Sabah may be more than 20,000 m.

Functioning of the Primary Aquifer Relating to the Maider Basin, Morocco: Case of the Ordovician aquifer.

Science.gov (United States)

Ben-said, E.; Boukdir, A.; Mahboub, A.; Younsi, A.; Zitouni, A.; Alili, L.; Ikhmerdi, H.

2018-05-01

The basin of Maider is limited northly by the vast ensemble Oriental Saghro-Ougnate, from the east by the Tafilalet plain, from the west by the oriental Jbel Bani, finally from the south and south-east by the Cretaceous Hamada of Kern-Kem. During last decades, groundwater in the basin of Maider, is confronting degradation in both cases: Quantitative and qualitative, as a result of the drought, the overexploitation and the salinization. The aim of this action research is to understand the current state of water resources in the area of stady. At the end of this work, we can get the following conclusions: the general flow of the ordovician aquifer is always directed from the north to the south-east of the basin by following the principal axes of the wadis:Taghbalt, Hssiya and Fezzou. The recharge of the aquifer is primarily done, either by the underground flow, or by the surface runoff of torrential waters from the upstream of Jbel Saghro. The piezometric anomaly noticed at the level of Ait Saàdane, explained by overexploitation linked to the needs of irrigation water. The physicochemical approach for the Maider basin identifies two essential factors of the salinisation of groundwater: the dissolution of the aquifer which is rich in minerals with high temperature on the one hand, and the decrease of the piezometric surface due to the overexploitation and drought on the other hand.

Petrological and geochemical features of the early Paleozoic granitic gneisses and iron ores in the Tianhu iron deposit, Eastern Tianshan, NW China: Implications for ore genesis

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Jiahao; Mao, Jingwen; Yang, Fuquan; Chai, Fengmei; Shen, Ping

2017-08-01

This paper reports whole-rock geochemical, zircon U-Pb and Hf isotopic data for ore-hosted granitic gneisses, mineral compositions of oxides, and sulfur isotopic data for sulfides in iron ores from the Tianhu deposit, central part of the Eastern Tianshan. Our results can provide crucial constraints on the genesis of granitic gneisses and early Paleozoic tectonic setting of the Eastern Tianshan. LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating on magmatic zircons yielded weighted mean 206Pb/238U ages of 463 to 438 Ma, interpreted as the crystallization ages of the granitic protoliths and the formation ages of the Tianhu Group. Zircon U-Pb age of ore-hosted granitic gneiss (ca. 459 Ma) can provide reliable constrains on upper limit for iron mineralization age in the Tianhu deposit. Geochemical characteristics suggest that the protoliths of the Tianhu granitic gneisses are metaluminous to weakly peraluminous high-K calc-alkaline granitic rocks, exhibiting typical subduction-related features such as strong enrichment in LREE and LILE and depletion in HFSE. Zircon Hf isotopic compositions show a positive trend from 463 to 438 Ma, indicating that 460 Ma magmas came from both ancient and juvenile sources, whereas 438 Ma magmas involved more juvenile material. Some early Paleozoic granitoids were recently identified in the Eastern Tianshan with the ages between ca. 475 and ca. 425 Ma. The formation of these early Paleozoic granitoids was in response to subduction processes, suggesting that subduction of Junggar Ocean probably began in the Early Ordovician and lasted until Late Silurian. Pyrite and pyrrhotite in iron ores have δ34SCDT values from + 4.6 to + 15.7‰, which are consistent with the marine source, but inconsistent with the magmatic source or those involved evaporites in skarn iron deposit. Geological, geochemical, and isotopic data suggest that the Tianhu iron ores were formed by volcano-sedimentary processes in a subduction environment during the early Paleozoic time, and Tianhu is a

Soil archives of mardel deposits: the impact of Late Holocene vegetation development, climatic oscillations and historical land use on soil erosion in Luxembourg

Science.gov (United States)

van Mourik, Jan; Slotboom, Ruud

2014-05-01

Mardel genesis. Mardels are small scale circular to elongated closed depressions (Ø > 50 m). They occur in Luxembourg on the Lias plateau in the Gutland, but also in other regions with landscapes, developed on Keuper and Lias deposits (as Lorraine). We can distinguish geogenetic and anthropogenic mardels. There are two types of genetic mardels, sink holes (controlled by diaclases in the Luxembourger sandstone and 'true mardels' or subsidence basins (controlled by dissolved gypsic lenses in marls of the Keuper deposits). These mardels developed during the Holocene. The age of the mardel sediments is Subatlantic; the sediments have been deposited on a palaeosol. Anthropogenic mardels are the result of historic clay excavation (Roman Time or younger). The age of these mardels is Subatlantic. The age of the sediments is also Subatlantic; the sediments have been deposited on a truncated soil in excavations. In all the genetic types of mardels, the sediments can consist of peat, peaty loam, or colluvic clayloam and the mardel sediments contain always valuable soil archives for the reconstruction of the impact of vegetation development, climatic oscillations and land use on soil erosion and deposition. Comparison of mardel deposits and valley deposits. - Pre-Holocene mardels have been eroded during the Weichselian. Geogenic mardels have been developed during the Holocene, anthropogenic mardels have been excavated since Roman Time. The age of the clastic (colluvic) deposits in mardels is Subatlantic - In the Late Glacial, valley bottoms were rather broad and covered with a gravelly bed load. Till the Subboreal river incision was active in primary valleys and peat accumulation took place on broad valley bottoms of secondary valleys. Since Celtic/Roman Time deforestation and extension of agriculture. During the Subatlantic colluvic/alluvic sedimentation took place on all the valley bottoms. The Subatlantic is a period of accelerated sedimentation of clastic sediments in

Migration and Enrichment of Arsenic in the Rock-Soil-Crop Plant System in Areas Covered with Black Shale, Korea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ji-Min Yi

2003-01-01

Full Text Available The Okchon black shale, which is part of the Guryongsan Formation or the Changri Formation of Cambro-Ordovician age in Korea provides a typical example of natural geological materials enriched with potentially toxic elements such as U, V, Mo, As, Se, Cd, and Zn. In this study, the Dukpyung and the Chubu areas were selected to investigate the migration and enrichment of As and other toxic elements in soils and crop plants in areas covered with black shale. Rock and soil samples digested in 4-acid solution (HCl+HNO3+HF+HClO4 were analyzed for As and other heavy metals by ICP-AES and ICP-MS, and plant samples by INAA. Mean concentration of As in Okchon black shale is higher than those of both world average values of shale and black shale. Especially high concentration of 23.2 mg As kg-1 is found in black shale from the Dukpyung area. Mean concentration of As is highly elevated in agricultural soils from the Dukpyung (28.2 mg kg-1 and the Chubu areas (32.6 mg kg-1. As is highly elevated in rice leaves from the Dukpyung (1.14 mg kg-1 and the Chubu areas (1.35 mg kg-1. The biological absorption coefficient (BAC of As in plant species decreases in the order of rice leaves > corn leaves > red pepper = soybean leaves = sesame leaves > corn stalks > corn grains. This indicates that leafy plants tend to accumulate As from soil to a greater degree than cereal products such as grains.

Occurrences of uranium at Clinton, Hunterdon County, New Jersey

Science.gov (United States)

McKeown, F.A.; Klemic, H.; Choquette, P.W.

1954-01-01

An occurrence of uranium at Clinton, Hunterdon County, N. J. was first brought to the attention of the U.S. Geological Survey when Mr. Thomas L. Eak of Avenel, N. J. submitted to the Survey a sample containing 0.068 percent uranium. Subsequent examinations of the area around Clinton indicated that detailed mapping and study were warranted. The uranium occurrences at Clinton are in or associated with fault zones in the Kittatinny limestone of Cambro-Ordovician age. The limestone generally light gray, thick bedded, and dolomitic; chert is common but not abundant. Regionally and locally, faults are the most significant structural features. The local faults at Clinton are the loci for most of the uranium. The largest fault can be traced for about 700 feet and is radioactive everywhere it crops out. Samples from this fault contain as much as 0.038 percent uranium; the average content is about 0.010 percent uranium. Uranium also occurs disseminated in two 4-inch layers of black feldspathic dolomite and in several zones of residual soil derived from the Kittatinny limestone. The black layers contain as much as 0.046 percent uranium and can be traced only about 20 feet along strike. They are cut by a small fault that is also radioactive. The radioactive soil zones are roughly elongated parallel to bedding. Soil from them contains up to 0.008 percent uranium. The uranium occurrences are best explained by a supergene origin. The sampling, mapping, and radioactivity testing of uranium occurrences at Clinton indicate they are too low grade to be of current economic interest.

Middle Pleistocene infill of Hinkley Valley by Mojave River sediment and associated lake sediment: Depositional architecture and deformation by strike-slip faults

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, David; Haddon, Elizabeth; Langenheim, Victoria; Cyr, Andrew J.; Wan, Elmira; Walkup, Laura; Starratt, Scott W.

2018-01-01

Hinkley Valley in the Mojave Desert, near Barstow about 140 km northeast of Los Angeles and midway between Victorville Valley and the Lake Manix basin, contains a thick sedimentary sequence delivered by the Mojave River. Our study of sediment cores drilled in the valley indicates that Hinkley Valley was probably a closed playa basin with stream inflow from four directions prior to Mojave River inflow. The Mojave River deposited thick and laterally extensive clastic wedges originating from the southern valley that rapidly filled much of Hinkley Valley. Sedimentary facies representing braided stream, wetland, delta, and lacustrine depositional environments all are found in the basin fill; in some places, the sequence is greater than 74 m (245 ft) thick. The sediment is dated in part by the presence of the ~631 ka Lava Creek B ash bed low in the section, and thus represents sediment deposition after Victorville basin was overtopped by sediment and before the Manix basin began to be filled. Evidently, upstream Victorville basin filled with sediment by about 650 ka, causing the ancestral Mojave River to spill to the Harper and Hinkley basins, and later to Manix basin.Initial river sediment overran wetland deposits in many places in southern Hinkley Valley, indicating a rapidly encroaching river system. These sediments were succeeded by a widespread lake (“blue” clay) that includes the Lava Creek B ash bed. Above the lake sediment lies a thick section of interlayered stream sediment, delta and nearshore lake sediment, mudflat and/or playa sediment, and minor lake sediment. This stratigraphic architecture is found throughout the valley, and positions of lake sediment layers indicate a successive northward progression in the closed basin. A thin overlapping sequence at the north end of the valley contains evidence for a younger late Pleistocene lake episode. This late lake episode, and bracketing braided stream deposits of the Mojave River, indicate that the river

Besshi-type mineral systems in the Palaeoproterozoic Bryah Rift-Basin, Capricorn Orogen, Western Australia: Implications for tectonic setting and geodynamic evolution

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Franco Pirajno

2016-05-01

Full Text Available In this contribution we use VMS mineral systems in the Bryah rift-basin to constrain the tectonic setting of the widespread mafic and ultramafic magmatism that characterises the rift-basin in question. Two distinct, but temporally closely associated, lithostratigraphic sequences, Narracoota and Karalundi Formations, are discussed. The Karalundi Formation is the main host of VMS mineral systems in the region. The Karalundi Formation consists of turbiditic and immature clastic sediments, which are locally intercalated with basaltic hyaloclastites, dolerites and banded jaspilites. We propose that the basaltic hyaloclastites, dolerites and clastics and jaspilites rocks, form a distinct unit of the Karalundi Formation, named Noonyereena Member. The VMS mineral systems occur near the north-east trending Jenkin Fault and comprise the giant and world-class DeGrussa and the Red Bore deposits. The nature of these deposits and their intimate association with terrigenous clastic rocks and dominantly marine mafic volcanic and subvolcanic rocks, as well as the common development of peperitic margins, are considered indicative of a Besshi-type environment, similar to that of present-day Gulf of California. Our Re-Os age data from a primary pyrite yielded a mean model age of 2012 ± 48 Ma, which coincides (within error with recent published Re-Os data (Hawke et al., 2015 and confirms the timing of the proposed geodynamic evolution. We propose a geodynamic model that attempts to explain the presence of the Narracoota and Karalundi Formations as the result of mantle plume activity, which began with early uplift of continental crust with intraplate volcanism, followed by early stages of rifting with the deposition of the Karalundi Formation (and Noonyereena Member, which led to the formation of Besshi-type VMS deposits. With on-going mantle plume activity and early stages of continental separation, an oceanic plateau was formed and is now represented by mafic

Facies-succession and architecture of the third-order sequences and their stratigraphic framework of the Devonian in Yunnan-Guizhou-Guangxi area, South China

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Mei Mingxiang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The Caledonian orogeny at the end of the Silurian resulted in great changes in the palaeogeography in the Yunnan-Guizhou-Guangxi area of South China; the continental area of the Early Paleozoic evolved into the extensive Dian-Qian-Gui Sea in the Late Paleozoic. Early in the Devonian, as a result of a major transgression, seawater encroached gradually from the south to the north and clastic facies were deposited. Carbonate deposition was then established in the Yunnan-Guizhou-Guangxi area, with a palaeogeography marked by attached platforms, isolated platforms and narrow basins. As a result of the Ziyun movement towards the end of the Devonian, the Upper Devonian strata are regressive and thin out from the open-sea to the land areas. A study of the nature and distribution of sedimentary facies in space and time recognises 13 third-order sequences in the Devonian strata in Yunnan-Guizhou-Guangxi area, and these form two second-order sequences. The strata of the Lower Devonian comprise 5 third-order sequences (SQ1 to SQ5, which are dominated by transgressive clastics. 4 third-order sequences (SQ6 to SQ9 in the Middle Devonian are characterized by alternations of transgressive clastics and highstand carbonates. In the Upper Devonian, carbonates constitute 4 third-order sequences (SQ10 to SQ13, which are generally marked by the transgressive limestones and highstand dolomites. On the basis of earlier biostratigraphic studies, sea-level changes represented by the third-order sequences with their different facies successions are explored, and the sequence stratigraphic framework is established. Therefore, the Devonian strata in the study area provide an example for further understanding of depositional trends within the sequence-stratigraphic framework.

Some physio-graphical keys to interpret reservoirs-traps, hosts of uranium-bearing mineralizations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parize, O.; Feybesse, J.L.; Wattinne-Morice, A.; Benedicto, A.; Richard, Y.; Sol, R.; Milesi, J.P.; Duchemin, Ch.; James, O.; Girard, Ch.

2009-01-01

As an approach in the search for silici-clastic formations which are reservoirs-traps hosting uranium-bearing mineralizations, the authors describe the use of facies sedimentology to describe successive deposits the arrangement of which determines the sequences according to which mineralisation will preferentially concentrate. They describe the use of sequential stratigraphy and how uranium had moved and deposited in successive eras and formations. They illustrate this approach by discussing different uranium-bearing deposits located in Niger and in France. They show how diagenesis, tectonics and sedimentology are combined to analyse these sites, and even to reassess them while exploiting them

Tectonic evolution of Tarim basin in Cambrian–Ordovician and its ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

For different geodynamic settings of surrounding regions, there are different charac- teristics of depositional lithologies and lithofacies, sea-level change, distribution and migration of sed- imentary facies, etc., in the Tarim basin. Under the condition of regional extensional dynamic setting around Tarim Plate, there formed the ...

Lake Sediment Records as an Indicator of Holocene Fluctuations of Quelccaya Ice Cap, Peru and Regional Climate

Science.gov (United States)

Stroup, J. S.; Kelly, M. A.; Lowell, T. V.; Beal, S. A.; Smith, C. A.; Baranes, H. E.

2012-12-01

The past fluctuations of Quelccaya Ice Cap, (QIC; 13°S, 70°W, 5200 m asl) located in the southeastern Peruvian Andes, provide a record of tropical climate since the last glacial-interglacial transition. A detailed surficial geomorphic record of past glacial extents developed over the last several decades (e.g. Mercer and Palacios 1977; Buffen et al. 2009; Kelly et al. 2012 accepted) demonstrates that QIC is a dynamic glacial system. These records show that the ice cap was larger than present and retreating by ~11,500 yr BP, and smaller than present between ~7,000 and ~4,600 yr BP. The most recent advance occurred during the late Holocene (Little Ice Age;LIA), dated with 10Be surface exposure ages (510±90 yrs (n = 8)) (Stroup et al. in prep.). This overrode earlier deposits obscuring a complete Holocene record; we aim to address the gaps in glacial chronology using the sedimentary record archived in lakes. We retrieved two sets cores (8 and 5 m-long) from Laguna Challpacocha (13.91°S, 70.86°W, 5040 m asl), a lake that currently receives meltwater from QIC. Four radiocarbon ages from the cores suggest a continuous record dating to at least ~10,500 cal. yr BP. Variations in magnetic susceptibility, percent organic and inorganic carbon, bulk density, grayscale and X-ray fluorescence chemistry indicate changes in the amount of clastic sediment deposition. We interpret clastic sediments to have been deposited from ice cap meltwater, thus indicating more extensive ice. Clastic sediments compose the top of the core from 4 to 30 cm depth, below there is a sharp transition to organic sediments radiocarbon dated to (500±30 and 550±20 cal. yr BP). The radiocarbon ages are similar to the 10Be dated (LIA) glacial position. At least three other clastic units exist in the core; dating to ~2600-4300, ~4800-7300 and older then ~10,500 cal. yr BP based on a linear age model with four radiocarbon dates. We obtained two, ~4 m long, cores from Laguna Yanacocha (13.95°S,70.87�

Depositional history of the Fire Clay coal bed (Late Duckmantian), Eastern Kentucky, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Greb, S.F.; Eble, C.F.; Hower, J.C.

1999-01-01

More than 3800 coal thickness measurements, proximate analyses from 97 localities, and stratigraphic and sedimentological analyses from more than 300 outcrops and cores were used in conjunction with previously reported palynological and petrographic studies to map individual benches of the coal and document bench-scale variability in the Fire Clay (Hazard No. 4) coal bed across a 1860 km2 area of the Eastern Kentucky Coal Field. The bench architecture of the Fire Clay coal bed consists of uncommon leader benches, a persistent but variable lower bench, a widespread, and generally thick upper bench, and local, variable rider benches. Rheotrophic conditions are inferred for the leader benches and lower bench based on sedimentological associations, mixed palynomorph assemblages, locally common cannel coal layers, and generally high ash yields. The lower bench consistently exhibits vertical variability in petrography and palynology that reflects changing trophic conditions as topographic depressions infilled. Infilling also led to unconfined flooding and ultimately the drowning of the lower bench mire. The drowned mire was covered by an air-fall volcanic-ash deposit, which produced the characteristic flint clay parting. The extent and uniform thickness of the parting suggests that the ash layer was deposited in water on a relatively flat surface without a thick canopy or extensive standing vegetation across most of the study area. Ash deposits led to regional ponding and establishment of a second planar mire. Because the topography had become a broadly uniform, nutrient-rich surface, upper-bench peats became widespread with large areas of the mire distant to clastic sources. Vertical sections of thick (> 70 cm), low-ash yield, upper coal bench show a common palynomorph change from arborescent lycopod dominance upward to fern and densospore-producing, small lycopod dominance, inferred as a shift from planar to ombrotrophic mire phases. Domed mires appear to have been

Depositional controls on coal distribution and quality in the Eocene Brunner Coal Measures, Buller Coalfield, South Island, New Zealand

Science.gov (United States)

Flores, R.M.; Sykes, R.

1996-01-01

The Buller Coalfield on the West Coast of the South Island, New Zealand, contains the Eocene Brunner Coal Measures. The coal measures unconformably overlie Paleozoic-Cretaceous basement rocks and are conformably overlain by, and laterally interfinger with, the Eocene marine Kaiata Formation. This study examines the lithofacies frameworks of the coal measures in order to interpret their depositional environments. The lower part of the coal measures is dominated by conglomeratic lithofacies that rest on a basal erosional surface and thicken in paleovalleys incised into an undulating peneplain surface. These lithofacies are overlain by sandstone, mudstone and organic-rich lithofacies of the upper part of the coal measures. The main coal seam of the organic-rich lithofacies is thick (10-20 m), extensive, locally split, and locally absent. This seam and associated coal seams in the Buller Coalfield are of low- to high-volatile bituminous rank (vitrinite reflectance between 0.65% and 1.75%). The main seam contains a variable percentage of ash and sulphur. These values are related to the thickening and areal distribution of the seam, which in turn, were controlled by the nature of clastic deposition and peat-forming mire systems, marine transgression and local tidal incursion. The conglomeratic lithofacies represent deposits of trunk and tributary braided streams that rapidly aggraded incised paleovalleys during sea-level stillstands. The main seam represents a deposit of raised mires that initially developed as topogenous mires on abandoned margins of inactive braidbelts. Peat accumulated in mires as a response to a rise in the water table, probably initially due to gradual sea-level rise and climate, and the resulting raised topography served as protection from floods. The upper part of the coal measures consists of sandstone lithofacies of flu vial origin and bioturbated sandstone, mudstone and organic-rich lithofacies, which represent deposits of paralic (deltaic

δ13C chemostratigraphy of the Middle and Upper Ordovician succession in the Tartu-453 drillcore, southern Estonia, and the significance of the HICE

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Heikki Bauert

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The δ13C isotope data from the Tartu-453 core section in southern Estonia enabled creation of a continuous Ordovician carbon isotope record, ranging from the Floian to the end of the Hirnantian. Five positive δ13C excursions and one negative δ13C excursion were recognized. Most of the positive excursions correspond to those defined on the Baltoscandian carbon isotope chemostratigraphic scheme, except for the Paroveja and Rakvere ICEs which are not well expressed in the Tartu-453 curve. Besides the positive δ13C excursions, a distinctive negative δ13C excursion, the Lower Sandbian NICE, was recorded in the Tartu-453 succession. The well-expressed HICE extends about 10 m higher than the traditional Ordovician–Silurian boundary (between the Porkuni and Juuru regional stages into the Juuru Regional Stage, suggesting that the Ordovician–Silurian boundary is positioned significally higher than traditionally suggested for the East Baltic area.

Two-dimensional simulation of clastic and carbonate sedimentation, consolidation, subsidence, fluid flow, heat flow and solute transport during the formation of sedimentary basins

Science.gov (United States)

Bitzer, Klaus

1999-05-01

Geological processes that create sedimentary basins or act during their formation can be simulated using the public domain computer code `BASIN'. For a given set of geological initial and boundary conditions the sedimentary basin evolution is calculated in a forward modeling approach. The basin is represented in a two-dimensional vertical cross section with individual layers. The stratigraphic, tectonic, hydrodynamic and thermal evolution is calculated beginning at an initial state, and subsequent changes of basin geometry are calculated from sedimentation rates, compaction and pore fluid mobilization, isostatic compensation, fault movement and subsidence. The sedimentologic, hydraulic and thermal parameters are stored at discrete time steps allowing the temporal evolution of the basin to be analyzed. A maximum flexibility in terms of geological conditions is achieved by using individual program modules representing geological processes which can be switched on and off depending on the data available for a specific simulation experiment. The code incorporates a module for clastic and carbonate sedimentation, taking into account the impact of clastic sediment supply on carbonate production. A maximum of four different sediment types, which may be mixed during sedimentation, can be defined. Compaction and fluid flow are coupled through the consolidation equation and the nonlinear form of the equation of state for porosity, allowing nonequilibrium compaction and overpressuring to be calculated. Instead of empirical porosity-effective stress equations, a physically consistent consolidation model is applied which incorporates a porosity dependent sediment compressibility. Transient solute transport and heat flow are calculated as well, applying calculated fluid flow rates from the hydraulic model. As a measure for hydrocarbon generation, the Time-Temperature Index (TTI) is calculated. Three postprocessing programs are available to provide graphic output in Post

The Role of Siliceous Hydrothermal Breccias in the Genesis of Volcanic Massive Sulphide Deposits - Ancient and Recent Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, I. A.; Barriga, F. J.; Fouquet, Y.

2014-12-01

Siliceous hydrothermal breccias were sampled in two Mid-Atlantic Ridge active sites: Lucky Strike and Menez Gwen. These hydrothermal fields are located in the border of the Azorean plateau, southwest of the Azores islands where the alteration processes affecting basaltic rocks are prominent (Costa et al., 2003). The hydrothermal breccias are genetically related with the circulation of low temperature hydrothermal fluids in diffuse vents. The groundmass of these breccias precipitates from the fluid and consolidates the clastic fragments mostly composed of basalt. The main sources are the surrounding volcanic hills. Breccias are found near hydrothermal vents and may play an important role in the protection of subseafloor hydrothermal deposits forming an impermeable cap due to the high content in siliceous material. The amorphous silica tends to precipitate when the fluid is conductively cooled as proposed by Fouquet et al. (1998) after Fournier (1983). The process evolves gradually from an initial stage where we have just the fragments and circulating seawater. The ascending hydrothermal fluid mixes with seawater, which favours the precipitation of the sulphide components. Sealing of the initially loose fragments begins, the temperature rises below this crust, and the processes of mixing fluid circulation and conductive cooling are simultaneous. At this stage the fluid becomes oversaturated with respect to amorphous silica. This form of silica can precipitate in the open spaces of the porous sulphides and seal the system. Normally this can happen at low temperatures. At this stage the hydrothermal breccia is formed creating a progressively less permeable, eventually impermeable cap rock at the surface. Once the fluid is trapped under this impermeable layer, conductive cooling is enhanced and mixing with seawater is restricted, making the precipitation of amorphous silica more efficient. Since the first discovery and description of recent mineralized submarine

Advanced Oil Recovery Technologies for Improved Recovery from Slope Basin Clastic Reservoirs, Nash Draw Brushy Canyon Pool, Eddy County, NM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Murphy, Mark B.

1999-02-24

The Nash Draw Brushy Canyon Pool in Eddy County New Mexico is a cost-shared field demonstration project in the US Department of Energy Class II Program. A major goal of the Class III Program is to stimulate the use of advanced technologies to increase ultimate recovery from slope-basin clastic reservoirs. Advanced characterization techniques are being used at the Nash Draw project to develop reservoir management strategies for optimizing oil recovery from this Delaware reservoir. Analysis, interpretation, and integration of recently acquired geologic, geophysical, and engineering data revealed that the initial reservoir characterization was too simplistic to capture the critical features of this complex formation. Contrary to the initial characterization, a new reservoir description evolved that provided sufficient detail regarding the complexity of the Brushy Canyon interval at Nash Draw. This new reservoir description is being used as a risk reduction tool to identify ''sweet spots'' for a development drilling program as well as to evaluate pressure maintenance strategies. The reservoir characterization, geological modeling, 3-D seismic interpretation, and simulation studies have provided a detailed model of the Brushy Canyon zones. This model was used to predict the success of different reservoir management scenarios and to aid in determining the most favorable combination of targeted drilling, pressure maintenance, well simulation, and well spacing to improve recovery from this reservoir.

Main factors controlling the sedimentation of high-quality shale in the Wufeng–Longmaxi Fm, Upper Yangtze region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuman Wang

2017-09-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the shale of Upper Ordovician Wufeng Fm–Lower Silurian Longmaxi Fm was taken as an example to reveal the distribution patterns and the main sedimentation controlling factors of high-quality shale in the Upper Yangtze region. This study was made from the aspects of plate movement, fluctuation of sea level, palaeo-productivity, deposition rate and paleogeographic environment, based on the field outcrop sections and drilling data of the southern Sichuan Basin, together with geochemical element testing and biostratigraphical analysis results. The following findings were obtained. First, the collision and joint of Yangtze Plate and its periphery plates and the intra-plate deformation were gentle in the early stage, strong in the late stage, gentle in northwest and strong in southeast, so the sedimentation center in the Upper Yangtze region migrated to the northwest and the closure of sea area in the southern Sichuan Basin changed from weak in early stages to strong in late stages. Second, at the turning period from Ordovician to Silurian, sea levels presented the cycle change of deep–shallow–deep–shallow. Due to the combination of high sea levels and a stable ocean basin in early stages, an extensive anoxic tectonic sedimentary space favorable for organic matters preservation was formed in the sea floor. Third, due to the effect of tectonic movements and sea closure, palaeo-productivity of sea areas in the southern Sichuan Basin presented a trend of being high in the early stage and low in the late stage, and the deposition rate was also low in the early stage and high in the late stage. And fourth, extensive deposition and distribution of shale rich in organic matters and silica was mainly controlled by a stable sea basin with a low subsidence rate, a relatively high sea level, semi-closed waters and low deposition rates. To sum up, the high-quality shale in the Upper Yangtze region is characterized by multiphase

Repeated fault rupture recorded by paleoenvironmental changes in a wetland sedimentary sequence ponded against the Alpine Fault, New Zealand

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, K.; Berryman, K. R.; Cochran, U. A.; Bartholomew, T.; Turner, G. M.

2010-12-01

At Hokuri Creek, in south Westland, New Zealand, an 18 m thickness of Holocene sediments has accumulated against the upthrown side of the Alpine Fault. Recent fluvial incision has created numerous exposures of this sedimentary sequence. At a decimetre to metre scale there are two dominant types of sedimentary units: clastic-dominated, grey silt packages, and organic-dominated, light brown peaty-silt units. These units represent repeated alternations of the paleoenvironment due to fault rupture over the past 7000 years. We have located the event horizons within the sedimentary sequence, and identified evidence to support earthquake-driven paleoenvironmental change (rather than climatic variability), and developed a model of paleoenvironmental changes over a typical seismic cycle. To quantitatively characterise the sediments we use high resolution photography, x-ray imaging, magnetic-susceptibility and total carbon analysis. To understand the depositional environment we used diatom and pollen studies. The organic-rich units have very low magnetic susceptibility and density values, with high greyscale and high total carbon values. Diatoms indicate these units represent stable wetland environments with standing water and predominantly in-situ organic material deposition. The clastic-rich units are characterised by higher magnetic susceptibility and density values, with low greyscale and total carbon. The clastic-rich units represent environments of flowing water and deep pond settings that received predominantly catchment-derived silt and sand. The event horizon is located at the upper contact of the organic-rich horizons. The event horizon contact marks a drastic change in hydrologic regime as fault rupture changed the stream base level and there was a synchronous influx of clastic sediment as the catchment responded to earthquake shaking. During the interseismic period the flowing-water environment gradually stabilised and returned to an organic-rich wetland. Such

Paleozoic stratigraphy and tectonics in northernmost Nevada: Implications for the nature of the Antler orogeny

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Ketner, K.B. (Geological Survey, Denver, CO (United States)); Ehman, K.D. (Exxon Production Research Co., Houston, TX (United States)); Repetski, J.E.; Stamm, R.G.; Wardlaw, B.R. (Geological Survey, Reston, VA (United States))

1993-04-01

Recent mapping and revised ages have clarified geologic relations in northern Nevada. In the Bull Run Mountains-Copper Mountains area, Proterozoic quartzite, phyllite, marble, and greenstone are overlain successively, depositionally, and nearly concordantly by the Cambrian Prospect Mountain Quartzite, Pioche Shale, and Eldorado Dolomite; the Cambrian to Ordovician Tennessee Mountain Formation composed of limestone, siltstone, and greenstone; the Ordovician Valmy Formation composed of a lower member of greenstone, limestone, mudstone, and chert, and an upper member of quartzite and argillite; and, disconformably by a Mississippian sequence of interbedded conglomerate, limestone, siltstone, and greenstone. The Prospect Mountain, Pioche, and Eldorado form a relatively shallow-water, shelf sequence containing trilobites and displaying cross-bedding, ooliths, oncolites, and fenestral fabric. The overlying Tennessee Mountain and Valmy are devoid of such features and contain many black, finely laminated, and graded strata, suggesting a deeper-water environment. This upper Proterozoic to Permian sequence is interpreted as indicating: (1) increased tectonic subsidence or sea-level rise in the latter part of the Cambrian; (2) elevation above sea level and erosion of Devonian, Silurian, and Upper Ordovician rocks in earliest Mississippian; (3) subsidence below sea level in later Early Mississippian; (4) elevation above sea level with sporadic, moderate deformation, and local, deep erosion in medial Pennsylvanian; (5) subsidence below sea level in medial Pennsylvanian or later; (6) intermittent eruption of basic volcanics peaking in Early Ordovician and again in Mississippian. The disconformable relation between the Valmy Formation and overlying Mississippian strata indicates that the Antler orogeny of earliest Mississippian age, here consisted primarily of uplift and deep erosion. Evidence of strong Early Mississippian folding and contractional faulting is not apparent.

A ~20,000 year history of glacial variability in the tropical Andes recorded in lake sediments from the Cordillera Blanca, Peru

Science.gov (United States)

Stansell, N.; Rodbell, D. T.; Moy, C. M.

2010-12-01

Pro-glacial lake sediments from the Cordillera Blanca, Peru contain continuous records of climate variability spanning the Last Glacial Maximum to present day. Here we present results from two alpine lake basins in the Queshgue Valley (9.8°S, 77.3°W) that contain high-resolution records of clastic sediment deposition for the last ~20,000 years. Radiocarbon-dated sediment cores were scanned at 0.5 to 1.0 cm resolution using a profiling x-ray fluorescence scanner for major and minor element distributions. In addition, we measured down-core variations in magnetic susceptibility, organic carbon, biogenic silica and calcium carbonate. Samples of bedrock and sediments from glacial moraines in the Queshgue watershed were analyzed using an ICP-MS in order to fingerprint and trace the source of glacial sediments deposited in the lakes. The bedrock is dominated by a combination of granodiorite with high Sr concentrations and meta-sedimentary rocks with high Zr values. Because the glacial sediments proximal to the modern glacier terminus are composed mostly of the granodiorite end-member, we interpret changes in Sr and clastic sediment concentrations in the lake sediment profiles as proxies for past glacial variability. Preliminary results indicate that glaciers retreated soon after ~14,500 cal yr BP and remained less extensive during the remaining late Glacial Stage and early Holocene. Gradually increasing clastic sediments through the middle and late Holocene indicate that glaciers became progressively larger, or more erosive towards present day. However, this overall Holocene trend of increasing glacier extent was interrupted by multiple periods of centennial- to millennial-scale ice margin retreat. For example, relative peaks in clastic sediments occurred from ~14,500 to 6000, 5600 to 5000, 4600 to 4200, 3600 to 3200, 2800 to 2700, 2400 to 2200, 1750 to 1550, 1100 to 900 cal yr BP, and during the Little Ice Age (~700 to 50 cal yr BP), while periods of low clastic

Deep-water turbidity systems: a review of their elements, sedimentary processes and depositional models. Their characteristics on the Iberian margins; Sistemas turbiditicos de aguas profundas: revision de sus elementos, procesos sedimentarios y modelos deposicionales. Sus caracteristicas en los margenes Ibericos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garcia, M.; Ercilla, G.; Alonso, B.; Estrada, F.; Jane, G.; Mena, A.; Alves, T.; Juan, C.

2015-07-01

Turbidity systems or submarine fans are considered the most important clastic accumulations in the deep sea and represent the sediment-transfer system between the hinterland source area and the deep-sea depositional sink. Their deposits contain information about global factors and local factors. Different scales and varying observational methods have contributed to the lack of a unifying terminology. In order to solve this problem several authors have proposed an elemental approach. The main architectural elements defining a turbidity sys- tem are: large-scale erosive features (mass-movements and canyons), channels and channel-fill deposits, over- bank deposits and lobes. The sediment making up these elements is principally from gravity flow deposits, the most widely recognised being the turbidity, and other submarine mass movements. The genesis and character of these elements, as well as the overall geometry of the systems, indicate they are formed by a complex inter- action between global and local factors. Various turbidity-system classifications are found in the literature, the most widely-used being based on grain size and feeder systems. Besides the scientific importance of turbiditic systems, they are predominantly studied because of the economic interest in them, as turbidite sandstones con- stitute important gas and oil reservoirs. Turbidite systems shape the sea floor of the Iberian continental margins and contribute in a large part to their outbuilding and basin in filling. They are hugely variable in size, location within the physiographic domains, style and overall geometry of the architectural elements, as well as sediment composition. The most studied Iberian turbidity fans are in the Mediterranean Sea whereas those of the Atlantic Ocean remain poorly known. (Author)

Hydrothermal zebra dolomite in the Great Basin, Nevada--attributes and relation to Paleozoic stratigraphy, tectonics, and ore deposits

Science.gov (United States)

Diehl, S.F.; Hofstra, A.H.; Koenig, A.E.; Emsbo, P.; Christiansen, W.; Johnson, Chad

2010-01-01

In other parts of the world, previous workers have shown that sparry dolomite in carbonate rocks may be produced by the generation and movement of hot basinal brines in response to arid paleoclimates and tectonism, and that some of these brines served as the transport medium for metals fixed in Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) and sedimentary exhalative (Sedex) deposits of Zn, Pb, Ag, Au, or barite. Numerous occurrences of hydrothermal zebra dolomite (HZD), comprised of alternating layers of dark replacement and light void-filling sparry or saddle dolomite, are present in Paleozoic platform and slope carbonate rocks on the eastern side of the Great Basin physiographic province. Locally, it is associated with mineral deposits of barite, Ag-Pb-Zn, and Au. In this paper the spatial distribution of HZD occurrences, their stratigraphic position, morphological characteristics, textures and zoning, and chemical and stable isotopic compositions were determined to improve understanding of their age, origin, and relation to dolostone, ore deposits, and the tectonic evolution of the Great Basin. In northern and central Nevada, HZD is coeval and cogenetic with Late Devonian and Early Mississippian Sedex Au, Zn, and barite deposits and may be related to Late Ordovician Sedex barite deposits. In southern Nevada and southwest California, it is cogenetic with small MVT Ag-Pb-Zn deposits in rocks as young as Early Mississippian. Over Paleozoic time, the Great Basin was at equatorial paleolatitudes with episodes of arid paleoclimates. Several occurrences of HZD are crosscut by Mesozoic or Cenozoic intrusions, and some host younger pluton-related polymetallic replacement and Carlin-type gold deposits. The distribution of HZD in space (carbonate platform, margin, and slope) and stratigraphy (Late Neoproterozoic Ediacaran-Mississippian) roughly parallels that of dolostone and both are prevalent in Devonian strata. Stratabound HZD is best developed in Ediacaran and Cambrian units, whereas

Multi-scale constraints of sediment source to sink systems in frontier basins: a forward stratigraphic modeling case study of the Levant region

Science.gov (United States)

Hawie, Nicolas; Deschamps, Remy; Granjeon, Didier; Nader, Fadi-Henri; Gorini, Christian; Müller, Carla; Montadert, Lucien; Baudin, François

2015-04-01

Recent scientific work underlined the presence of a thick Cenozoic infill in the Levant Basin reaching up to 12 km. Interestingly; restricted sedimentation was observed along the Levant margin in the Cenozoic. Since the Late Eocene successive regional geodynamic events affecting Afro-Arabia and Eurasia (collision and strike slip deformation)induced fast marginal uplifts. The initiation of local and long-lived regional drainage systems in the Oligo-Miocene period (e.g. Lebanon versus Nile) provoked a change in the depositional pattern along the Levant margin and basin. A shift from carbonate dominated environments into clastic rich systems has been observed. Through this communication we explore the importance of multi-scale constraints (i.e.,seismic, well and field data) in the quantification of the subsidence history, sediment transport and deposition of a Middle-Upper Miocene "multi-source" to sink system along the northernLevant frontier region. We prove through a comprehensive forward stratigraphic modeling workflow that the contribution to the infill of the northern Levant Basin (offshore Lebanon) is split in between proximal and more distal clastic sources as well as in situ carbonate/hemipelagic deposition. In a wider perspective this work falls under the umbrella of multi-disciplinary source to sink studies that investigate the impact of geodynamic events on basin/margin architectural evolutions, consequent sedimentary infill and thus on petroleum systems assessment.

Holocene fluctuations of Quelccaya Ice Cap, Peru based on lacustrine and surficial geologic archives

Science.gov (United States)

Stroup, J. S.; Kelly, M. A.; Lowell, T. V.; Beal, S. A.; Smith, C. A.

2013-12-01

Peru's Quelccaya Ice Cap (QIC; 13.9°S, 70.8°W, ~5200-5670 m asl) is an important site for understanding tropical paleoclimate, mainly because of annually layered ice cores that provide an ~1800 year long record of tropical paleoclimatic conditions (e.g., Thompson et al., 2013). Here, we present a detailed record of QIC fluctuations using surficial deposits and lake sediments that extend back to late glacial time. We compare the late Holocene records of QIC 10Be-dated moraines and ice core data with lake sediments from a nearby glacially fed lake to establish the framework we use to interpret a Holocene long sediment record from a glacially fed lake. We also examine sediments from a nearby non-glacial lake to constrain non-glacial clastic input. We collected two ~5 m-long sediment cores, one from Laguna Challpacocha, which is currently fed by QIC meltwater, and one from the Laguna Yanacocha, which has not received QIC meltwater since ~12.3 ka. Changes in magnetic susceptibility, loss on ignition, bulk density and X-ray fluorescence chemistry combined with 14C and 210Pb chronologies provide information about sediment transported to the lakes. Retreat from the late Holocene extent defined by the 10Be-dated moraine record (~0.52 ka) is contemporaneous with a sharp transition from organic to clastic sedimentation in the Challpacocha core at ~ 0.52 ka. This implies that glacially-sourced clastic sedimentation, as tracked by loss on ignition, Ti counts and bulk density, increased during ice cap recession. Based on these same proxy data, we suggest the following Holocene history of QIC: QIC receded from the Challpacocha basin by ~10.6 ka. Increased clastic sedimentation at 8.2 - 4.1, 3.6 - 2.7 ka and from 0.55 ka - present are interpreted as times of ice cap recession. The increased clastic sedimentation at ~8.2 - 4.1 ka is consistent with surficial deposits near the present-day ice margin that indicate that at ~7.0 - 4.6 ka QIC was smaller than at present (Buffen et al

Preliminary study of the uranium favorability of the Jornada Del Muerto Basin and adjacent areas, South Central New Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Templain, C.J.; Dotterrer, F.E.

1978-06-01

Data indicate that possible uranium host rocks include the Precambrian rocks, the Ordovician Bat Cave Formation and Cable Canyon Sandstone, the Permian Abo Formation, Lower Cretaceous Dakota Sandstone, and the Upper Cretaceous-lower Tertiary McRae Formation. The Cenozoic sequence contains possible host beds; little is known, however, about its stratigraphy. Secondary uranium mineralization is found associated with faults in the Jornada area. All fault zones there are possible sites for uranium deposition. Possible sources for uranium in the Jornada del Muerto area include uraniferous Precambrian rocks, tuffaceous beds in the McRae Formation, and the Tertiary Datil and Thurman Formations. Hydrothermal solutions may have deposited the veinlike fluorite deposits, of which the purple varieties were found to be radioactive during this study

Early Palaeozoic orogenesis along the Indian margin of Gondwana: Tectonic response to Gondwana assembly

Science.gov (United States)

Cawood, Peter A.; Johnson, Michael R. W.; Nemchin, Alexander A.

2007-03-01

SHRIMP U-Pb dating of zircons from a peralkaline S-type Lesser Himalayan granite from the Kathmandu region, Nepal indicate an age of emplacement of 475 Ma. The granites along with metasedimentary xenoliths show a similar signature of inherited detrital zircon ages ranging from Archaean to early Palaeozoic with prominent late Mesoproterozoic (Grenvillian) and Neoproterozoic (Pan-African) age peaks and have a maximum age of 500 Ma based on the youngest detrital grains. Deformation structures in xenoliths are truncated by the granite and along with the granites are assigned to a Cambro-Ordovician orogenic event, herein termed the Bhimphedian Orogeny that can be traced across the Himalaya from Pakistan to the eastern Himalaya and possibly extends west into Afghanistan. We interpret the orogeny as being related to Andean-type orogenic activity on the northern margin of the Indian continent, following Gondwana assembly. The magmatic arc was associated with andesitic and basaltic volcanism and was active from c. 530 to 490 Ma. The arc activity overlaps with, and is succeeded by, regional deformation, crustal melting and S-type granite emplacement that extended to 470 Ma. Orogenic activity was driven by coupling across the plate margin either during on-going subduction or through accretion of microcontinental ribbons, possibly represented by the Lhasa and Qiangtang blocks. It represents the termination of an orogenic cycle, termed the North Indian Orogen that commenced with Neoproterozoic rifting and passive margin development and terminated with the Bhimphedian Orogeny. This was succeeded by a return to passive margin setting along the northern Indian margin of Gondwana which continued until the Cenozoic Himalayan Orogeny.

REE, Sm-Nd and U-Pb zircon study of eclogites from the Alpine External Massifs (Western Alps): Evidence for crustal contamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paquette, J.L.; Eidgenoessische Technische Hochschule, Zurich; Menot, R.P.; Peucat, J.J.

1989-01-01

A geochemical and geochronological study of the Alpine External Crystalline Massifs (AECM) of Aiguilles Rouges, Belledonne and Argentera was undertaken in order to constrain the geodynamic evolution of this segment of the Variscan foldbelt. Another aim of the study is to characterize the behaviour of isotopic markers, in particular the U-Pb zircon system, under high-grade metamorphic conditions. The whole-rock geochemistry of eclogites and amphibolites was investigated using major and trace element (including the REE) analytical techniques; isotopic studies were performed by application of the Sm-Nd whole-rock and U-Pb zircon methods. In terms of regional geological history, the early development of metamorphic and magmatic activity in the AECM is typical of the extensional tectonic regime observed throughout the Variscan foldbelt during the Cambro-Ordovician (i.e. basic magmatism dated at 475-450 Ma). The composition of the metabasic rocks is closely similar to tholeiites emplaced into thinned continental crust which are generally associated with the initial stages of oceanic rifting. The source regions for these metabasics are characterized by initial ε Nd values between +6 and +8, suggesting depleted mantle sources influenced by a weak crustal component and/or the existence of a metasomatised lithosphere. The multi-stage eclogite-facies metamorphism is dated at 425-395 Ma (i.e. Silurian). An application of the U-Pb method, associated with the artificial abrasion of zircon grains, has led to the recognition of a weak crustal contamination in the metabasic protoliths. This is implied by the Archaean and Lower Proterozoic upper intercepts on Concordia - devoid of geological significance - which reflect the presence of a pre-existing basement to the AECM. (orig./WL)

The nature of Ordovician limestone-marl alternations in the Oslo-Asker District (Norway): witnesses of primary glacio-eustasy or diagenetic rhythms?

Science.gov (United States)

Amberg, Chloé E. A.; Collart, Tim; Salenbien, Wout; Egger, Lisa M.; Munnecke, Axel; Nielsen, Arne T.; Monnet, Claude; Hammer, Øyvind; Vandenbroucke, Thijs R. A.

2016-01-01

Ordovician limestone-marl alternations in the Oslo-Asker District have been interpreted as signaling glacio-eustatic lowstands, which would support a prolonged “Early Palaeozoic Icehouse”. However, these rhythmites could alternatively reflect differential diagenesis, without sedimentary trigger. Here, we test both hypotheses through one Darriwilian and three Katian sections. Our methodology consists of a bed-by-bed analysis of palynological (chitinozoan) and geochemical (XRF) data, to evaluate whether the limestone/marl couplets reflect an original cyclic signal. The results reveal similar palynomorph assemblages in limestones and marls. Exceptions, which could be interpreted as reflecting palaeoclimatological fluctuations, exist at the species level: Ancyrochitina bornholmensis seems to be more abundant in the marl samples from the lower Frognerkilen Formation on Nakkholmen Island. However, these rare cases where chitinozoans differ between limestone/marl facies are deemed insufficient for the identification of original cyclicity. The geochemical data show a near-perfect correlation between insoluble elements in the limestone and the marls, which indicates a similar composition of the potential precursor sediment, also in the Frognerkilen Formation. This is consistent with the palynological data. Although an original cyclic pattern could still be recorded by other, uninvestigated parameters, our palaeontological and geochemical data combined do not support the presence of such a signal.

Environmental controls on photosynthetic microbial mat distribution and morphogenesis on a 3.42 Ga clastic-starved platform.

Science.gov (United States)

Tice, Michael M

2009-12-01

Three morphotypes of microbial mats are preserved in rocks deposited in shallow-water facies of the 3.42 Ga Buck Reef chert (BRC). Morphotype alpha consists of fine anastomosing and bifurcating carbonaceous laminations, which loosely drape underlying detrital grains or form silica-filled lenses. Morphotype beta consists of meshes of fine carbonaceous strands intergrown with detrital grains and dark laminations, which loosely drape coarse detrital grains. Morphotype gamma consists of fine, even carbonaceous laminations that tightly drape underlying detrital grains. Preservation of nearly uncompacted mat morphologies and detrital grains deposited during mat growth within a well-characterized sedimentary unit makes quantitative correlation between morphology and paleoenvironment possible. All mats are preserved in the shallowest-water interval of those rocks deposited below normal wave base and above storm wave base. This interval is bounded below by a transgressive lag formed during regional flooding and above by a small condensed section that marks a local relative sea-level maximum. Restriction of all mat morphotypes to the shallowest interval of the storm-active layer in the BRC ocean reinforces previous interpretations that these mats were constructed primarily by photosynthetic organisms. Morphotypes alpha and beta dominate the lower half of this interval and grew during deposition of relatively coarse detrital carbonaceous grains, while morphotype gamma dominates the upper half and grew during deposition of fine detrital carbonaceous grains. The observed mat distribution suggests that either light intensity or, more likely, small variations in ambient current energy acted as a first-order control on mat morphotype distribution. These results demonstrate significant environmental control on biological morphogenetic processes independent of influences from siliciclastic sedimentation.

A ground electromagnetic survey used to map sulfides and acid sulfate ground waters at the abandoned Cabin Branch Mine, Prince William Forest Park, northern Virginia gold-pyrite belt

Science.gov (United States)

Wynn, Jeffrey C.

2000-01-01

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND: Prince William Forest Park is situated at the northeastern end of the Virginia Gold-Pyrite belt northwest of the town of Dumfries, VA. The U. S. Marine Corps Reservation at Quantico borders the park on the west and south, and occupies part of the same watershed. Two abandoned mines are found within the park: the Cabin Branch pyrite mine, a historic source of acid mine drainage, and the Greenwood gold mine, a source of mercury contamination. Both are within the watershed of Quantico Creek (Fig.1). The Cabin Branch mine (also known as the Dumfries mine) lies about 2.4 km northwest of the town of Dumfries. It exploited a 300 meter-long, lens-shaped body of massive sulfide ore hosted by metamorphosed volcanic rocks; during its history over 200,000 tons of ore were extracted and processed locally. The site became part of the National Capitol Region of the National Park Service in 1940 and is currently managed by the National Park Service. In 1995 the National Park Service, in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy reclaimed the Cabin Branch site. The Virginia Gold-Pyrite belt, also known as the central Virginia volcanic-plutonic belt, is host to numerous abandoned metal mines (Pavlides and others, 1982), including the Cabin Branch deposit. The belt itself extends from its northern terminus near Cabin Branch, about 50 km south of Washington, D.C., approximately 175 km to the southwest into central Virginia. It is underlain by metamorphosed volcanic and clastic (non-carbonate) sedimentary rocks, originally deposited approximately 460 million years ago during the Ordovician Period (Horton and others, 1998). Three kinds of deposits are found in the belt: volcanic-associated massive sulfide deposits, low-sulfide quartz-gold vein deposits, and gold placer deposits. The massive sulfide deposits such as Cabin Branch were historically mined for their sulfur, copper, zinc, and lead contents, but also yielded byproduct

Geologic map of the Bateman Spring Quadrangle, Lander County, Nevada

Science.gov (United States)

Ramelli, Alan R.; Wrucke, Chester T.; House, P. Kyle

2017-01-01

This 1:24,000-scale geologic map of the Bateman Spring 7.5-minute quadrangle in Lander County, Nevada contains descriptions of 24 geologic units and one cross section. Accompanying text includes full unit descriptions and references. This quadrangle includes lower Paleozoic siliciclastic sedimentary rocks of the Roberts Mountain allochthon, Miocene intrusive dikes, alluvial deposits of the northern Shoshone Range piedmont, and riverine deposits of the Reese and Humboldt rivers.Significant findings include: refined age estimates for the Ordovician-Cambrian Valmy Formation and Devonian Slaven Chert, based on new fossil information; and detailed mapping of late Quaternary fault traces along the Shoshone Range fault system.

20 CFR 703.306 - Kinds of negotiable securities that may be deposited; conditions of deposit; acceptance of deposits.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... the Act in the amount fixed by the Office under the regulations in this part shall deposit any... deposited; conditions of deposit; acceptance of deposits. 703.306 Section 703.306 Employees' Benefits... negotiable securities that may be deposited; conditions of deposit; acceptance of deposits. A self-insurer or...

A multi-proxy record of MIS 11-12 deglaciation and glacial MIS 12 instability from the Sulmona basin (central Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Regattieri, Eleonora; Giaccio, Biagio; Galli, Paolo; Nomade, Sebastien; Peronace, Edoardo; Messina, Paolo; Sposato, Andrea; Boschi, Chiara; Gemelli, Maurizio

2016-01-01

A multi-proxy record (lithology, XRF, CaCO3 content, carbonate δ18O and δ13C) was acquired from a sediment core drilled in the intermountain Sulmona basin (central Italy). Tephrostratigraphic analyses of three volcanic ash layers ascribe the investigated succession to the MIS 12-MIS 11 period, spanning the interval ca. 500-410 ka. Litho-pedo facies assemblage indicates predominant lacustrine deposition, interrupted by a minor sub-aerial and lake low stand episode. Variations in major and minor elements concentrations are related to changes in the clastic input to the lake. The oxygen isotopic composition of carbonate (δ18Oc) intervals is interpreted mainly as a proxy for the amount of precipitation in the high-altitude catchment of the karst recharge system. The record shows pronounced hydrological variability at orbital and millennial time-scales, which appears closely related to the Northern Hemisphere summer insolation pattern and replicates North Atlantic and west Mediterranean Sea Surface Temperature (SST) fluctuations. The MIS 12 glacial inception is marked by an abrupt reduction of precipitation, lowering of the lake level and enhanced catchment erosion. A well-defined and isotopically prominent interstadial with increased precipitation maybe related to insolation maxima-precession minima at ca. 465 ka. This interstadial ends abruptly at ca. 457 ka and it is followed by a phase of strong short-term instability. Drastic lake-level lowering and enhanced clastic flux characterized the MIS 12 glacial maximum. Lacustrine deposition restarted about 440 ka ago. The MIS 12-MIS 11 transition is characterized by a rapid increase in the precipitation, lake-level rise and reduction in the clastic input, interrupted by a short and abrupt return to drier conditions. Comparison with marine records from the Iberian margin and western Mediterranean suggests that major events of ice rafted debris deposition, related to southward migrations of the polar front, match the

Tsunami deposits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2013-08-15

The NSC (the Nuclear Safety Commission of Japan) demand to survey on tsunami deposits by use of various technical methods (Dec. 2011), because tsunami deposits have useful information on tsunami activity, tsunami source etc. However, there are no guidelines on tsunami deposit survey in JAPAN. In order to prepare the guideline of tsunami deposits survey and evaluation and to develop the method of tsunami source estimation on the basis of tsunami deposits, JNES carried out the following issues; (1) organizing information of paleoseismological record and tsunami deposit by literature research, (2) field survey on tsunami deposit, and (3) designing the analysis code of sediment transport due to tsunami. As to (1), we organize the information gained about tsunami deposits in the database. As to (2), we consolidate methods for surveying and identifying tsunami deposits in the lake based on results of the field survey in Fukui Pref., carried out by JNES. In addition, as to (3), we design the experimental instrument for hydraulic experiment on sediment transport and sedimentation due to tsunamis. These results are reflected in the guideline on the tsunami deposits survey and evaluation. (author)

Tsunami deposits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-01-01

The NSC (the Nuclear Safety Commission of Japan) demand to survey on tsunami deposits by use of various technical methods (Dec. 2011), because tsunami deposits have useful information on tsunami activity, tsunami source etc. However, there are no guidelines on tsunami deposit survey in JAPAN. In order to prepare the guideline of tsunami deposits survey and evaluation and to develop the method of tsunami source estimation on the basis of tsunami deposits, JNES carried out the following issues; (1) organizing information of paleoseismological record and tsunami deposit by literature research, (2) field survey on tsunami deposit, and (3) designing the analysis code of sediment transport due to tsunami. As to (1), we organize the information gained about tsunami deposits in the database. As to (2), we consolidate methods for surveying and identifying tsunami deposits in the lake based on results of the field survey in Fukui Pref., carried out by JNES. In addition, as to (3), we design the experimental instrument for hydraulic experiment on sediment transport and sedimentation due to tsunamis. These results are reflected in the guideline on the tsunami deposits survey and evaluation. (author)

Hirnantia sagittifera (Brachiopoda and Mucronaspis mucronata s.l. (Trilobita in the Upper Ordovician of the East Baltic: taxonomy and distribution

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Linda Hints

2012-05-01

Full Text Available The brachiopod Hirnantia sagittifera (M’Coy and trilobite morphs of the genus Mucronaspis from the topmost Ordovician Porkuni Stage of the central East Baltic are described and compared with those from the Hirnantian Stage of other regions. These important Hirnantian taxa occur in the Livonian Tongue of the Central Baltoscandian Facies Belt of the Baltic Basin, where the Porkuni Stage is represented by the non-graptolitic Kuldiga and Saldus formations. Hirnantia sagittifera appears in the lowermost part of the Porkuni Stage and is rather widely distributed in the basin in spite of its rare finds in each locality. Our study of trilobites of the genus Mucronaspis has enabled us to observe morphological changes in its exoskeleton in time and to identify a succession of five morphotypes (morphs. In some characteristics these morphs are similar to those of different alleged species of the genus Mucronaspis (M. olini, M. danai, M. ganabina, M. mucronata but they cannot be definitely assigned to any of these species due to some variances. However, here for the first time a stratigraphically ordered collection is presented, which deserves attention in revising the taxonomy of highly variable Mucronaspis. The described brachiopods and trilobites occur mainly in the strata correlated with the Normalograptus extraordinarius graptolite Biozone. However, the uppermost finds of both taxa come from strata correlated with the N. persculptus Biozone.

Electrophoretic Deposition of Gallium with High Deposition Rate

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Hanfei Zhang

2014-12-01

Full Text Available In this work, electrophoretic deposition (EPD is reported to form gallium thin film with high deposition rate and low cost while avoiding the highly toxic chemicals typically used in electroplating. A maximum deposition rate of ~0.6 μm/min, almost one order of magnitude higher than the typical value reported for electroplating, is obtained when employing a set of proper deposition parameters. The thickness of the film is shown to increase with deposition time when sequential deposition is employed. The concentration of Mg(NO32, the charging salt, is also found to be a critical factor to control the deposition rate. Various gallium micropatterns are obtained by masking the substrate during the process, demonstrating process compatibility with microfabrication. The reported novel approach can potentially be employed in a broad range of applications with Ga as a raw material, including microelectronics, photovoltaic cells, and flexible liquid metal microelectrodes.

Advances in understanding the tectonic evolution of the Santa Rosalia Basin and its stratiform ore deposits: Results of the Baja Basins Research Experience for Undergraduates

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Niemi, T. M.; Busby, C.; Murowchick, J. B.; Martinez Gutierrez, G.; Antinao Rojas, J. L.; Graettinger, A.; Dorsey, R. J.

2017-12-01

Studies conducted during the three years of the Baja Basins REU program made progress toward solving a number of geologic questions in the Santa Rosalía Basin (SRB) of central Baja California. Geochemistry and 40Ar/39Ar geochronology on volcanic rocks within the SRB record the transition from subduction (13.32-9.95 Ma) to rifting (younger than 9.42 Ma) prior to deposition of the upper Miocene Boleo Formation. In contrast, magnesian andesite lavas and intrusions on the south margin of the SRB are dated at 6.1 +/- 0.3 Ma, and may have provided the heat engine for Boleo basin mineralization, which occurs in stratabound layers called "mantos". Mineralizing fluids in the Boleo Fm had near-neutral pH, evolved from a low Eh to more oxidizing conditions, were relatively low-temperature (near ambient T during manto ore deposition), and likely derived the Cu, Zn, Co, and Mn by leaching of mafic minerals in the volcanic rocks underlying the basin. Deposition of the ores was driven by oxidation as warm spring fluids vented to subaerial or near-shore marine environments, producing blankets of precipitated oxides interlayered with detrital fine to very coarse clastic beds. Integration of geologic map and fault data with detailed sedimentology and stratigraphic analysis provides evidence for syn-basinal tilting in two orthogonal directions during deposition of the Boleo Formation and Plio-Quaternary Tirabuzón, Infierno, and Santa Rosalia formations. Pronounced tilting toward the SE is revealed by southeastward thickening and coarsening of deposits in the Boleo Formation, and was synchronous with northeastward tilting and thickening due to slip on a network of NW-striking oblique normal faults. We hypothesize that the basin formed, subsided, and deformed as a pull-apart basin in a releasing step-over between two propagating transform faults that opened the late Miocene Gulf of California. The neotectonic evolution and uplift history of the SRB is documented through mapping of

Stratigraphy and environments of deposition of the Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation (reconnaissance) and the Paleocene Ludlow Formation (detailed), southwestern North Dakota. Report of investigations No. 56

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moore, W.L.

1976-01-01

The Cretaceous Hell Creek and Paleocene Ludlow Formations of southwestern North Dakota, with the exception of the included lignite beds and minor amounts of concretions and nodules, are almost exclusively clastic sediments and sedimentary rocks. Massive clays, clays alternating with silts and sands, sandstones filling channels and other depressions, sheet sandstones, and lignites are the dominant sediment and rock types present. These sediments and sedimentary rocks were mostly deposited in a continental environment and were largely alluvial, lacustrine or paludal in origin; though marginal marine deposition, in part, is indicated by the occurrence of brackish water faunas in portions of the upper Ludlow Formation. With the possible exception of a persistent lignite near the base, persistent lignites are not present in the Hell Creek Formation. The Ludlow can be subdivided into several informal units, typically coal-bounded, which can be traced laterally over large areas. This informal subdivision permits isolation of stratigraphic units for the study of local environments of deposition. Channel and depression fill sandstones of the Ludlow Formation have a relatively low permeability and a high organic content at the surface and, for this reason, are considered poor prospective uranium host rocks. The lighter colored yellow winnowed sheet sandstones of the Ludlow are more permeable and relatively free of organic matter. They are considered as possible host rocks for uranium occurring in association with an oxidation/reduction interface at shallow depths. The uranium potential is enhanced where the latter sandstones occur along paleodivides which have been overlain by the Oligocene White River Formation, or in local areas where the latter formation is still preserved. Light yellow winnowed sheet sandstones are rare in the Hell Creek Formation, and the chances for uranium prospects in this interval seem correspondingly reduced

Geologic drivers of late ordovician faunal change in laurentia: investigating links between tectonics, speciation, and biotic invasions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David F Wright

Full Text Available Geologic process, including tectonics and global climate change, profoundly impact the evolution of life because they have the propensity to facilitate episodes of biogeographic differentiation and influence patterns of speciation. We investigate causal links between a dramatic faunal turnover and two dominant geologic processes operating within Laurentia during the Late Ordovician: the Taconian Orogeny and GICE related global cooling. We utilize a novel approach for elucidating the relationship between biotic and geologic changes using a time-stratigraphic, species-level evolutionary framework for articulated brachiopods from North America. Phylogenetic biogeographic analyses indicate a fundamental shift in speciation mode-from a vicariance to dispersal dominated macroevolutionary regime-across the boundary between the Sandbian to Katian Stages. This boundary also corresponds to the onset of renewed intensification of tectonic activity and mountain building, the development of an upwelling zone that introduced cool, nutrient-rich waters into the epieric seas of eastern Laurentia, and the GICE isotopic excursion. The synchronicity of these dramatic geologic, oceanographic, and macroevolutionary changes supports the influence of geologic events on biological evolution. Together, the renewed tectonic activity and oceanographic changes facilitated fundamental changes in habitat structure in eastern North America that reduced opportunities for isolation and vicariance. They also facilitated regional biotic dispersal of taxa that led to the subsequent establishment of extrabasinal (=invasive species and may have led to a suppression of speciation within Laurentian faunas. Phylogenetic biogeographic analysis further indicates that the Richmondian Invasion was a multidirectional regional invasion event that involved taxa immigrating into the Cincinnati region from basins located near the continental margins and within the continental interior.

Quality Aspects of a Marine Aggregate Deposit off the SE Euboea Island, Greece, for its Exploitation - Preliminary Results

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Anastasatou, Marianthi; Kapsimalis, Vasilios; Stamatakis, Michael; Tsoutsia, Antonia; Poulos, Serafeim; Rousakis, Grigoris; Karditsa, Aikaterini; Petrakis, Stelios; Aspiotis, Konstantinos; Papavlasopoulou, Nafsika; Stamatakis, Giorgos

2015-04-01

Aggregates are inert materials, such as terrestrial or marine sand and gravel, composed mainly of limestone, igneous rocks and sandstone. There is an international trend of increasing demand for aggregates during the last 30 years. Thus, marine aggregate (MA) demand has been displayed a remarkably increased due to limited terrestrial deposits and strict environmental issues related to their exploitation, induced by mining legislation. Regarding offshore MA extraction, important physical and biological seabed impacts that may persist long after the completion of the MA dredging, should be addressed, according to European directives, that deal with aspects such as restoration of the influenced subaqueous mining area. The present contribution focuses on the qualitative determination of the marine sediments on inner continental shelf of SE Euboea (central Aegean Sea), concerning primarily its silica content and secondarily the various environmental issues, in order to evaluate whether or not this subaqueous deposit fulfils the requirements for its exploitation. This MA deposit was found during the implementation of the research project THALES-MARE (MIS 375655) and after taking into consideration the presence of highly siliceous coastal lithology of the South Euboea Island. The area belongs to the Attico-Cycladic geotectonic zone, and especially in the Blueschist Unit, Styra and Ochi nappes. It consists mainly of metamorphosed clastic siliceous sedimentary and calcareous, mafic and felsic volcanic rocks and serpentinites. Sixteen representative samples were analysed out of 48 were collected in June 2014, during the scientific cruise of the M/V Aegaio (Hellenic Centre for Marine Research). The grain size analysis shows that seabed sediments are granulometrically classified mostly as sand, with contaminants of finer fractions and with the sand content often to be >90%. X-Ray Diffraction analysis revealed that the predominant crystalline phase is quartz (often >70

Sedimentary uranium occurrences in Eastern Europe with special reference to sandstone formations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barthel, F.; Hahn, L.

1985-01-01

Sedimentary uranium deposits, especially in sandstones, play an important role in uranium mining in Eastern Europe. The paper reviews recent publications on uranium occurrences in sandstone formations in the German Democratic Republic, Poland, CSSR, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Albania. The uranium deposits in sandstones in Yugoslavia are described in a separate paper in this volume. Sandstone deposits of the USSR are not reviewed. Uranium mineralizations occur in sandstones from Ordovician to Tertiary age. Major deposits are developed in Upper Carboniferous sandstones in association with coal (GDR, Poland), in Permian strata (CSSR, Hungary, Romania), in Cretaceous sandstones (GDR, CSSR), and in Tertiary sediments (CSSR). The Permian deposits can be compared with deposits of similar age in Northern Italy and Northern Yugoslavia. Roll-type orebodies are developed in some of the Cenomanian sandstones. Tertiary deposits are mainly associated with lignites. Uranium deposits in sandstones of Albania and Bulgaria are not described in the literature. Geologic similarities with sandstone basins in adjacent countries suggest the presence of uranium mineralizations in Permian, Lower Triassic, and Tertiary sandstones. (author)

Modern sedimentary facies, depositional environments, and major controlling processes on an arid siliciclastic coast, Al qahmah, SE Red Sea, Saudi Arabia

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Nabhan, Abdullah I.; Yang, Wan

2018-04-01

The facies and environments along the arid siliciclastic coast of Red Sea in Al Qahmah, Saudi Arabia are studied to establish a depositional model for interpretation of ancient rocks deposited in rift settings. Field and petrographic studies of 151 sediment samples in an area of 20 km2 define seven main facies types: beach, washover fan, tidal channel, dune, sabkha, delta, and wadi (seasonal stream). The wadi and delta facies are composed of poorly to moderately well-sorted, gravelly, medium-to-fine sands. Delta-front sands are redistributed by southward longshore currents to form a beach. Beach facies is composed of well-to-moderately sorted fine sands with minor gravels, which contain high concentrations of magnetite, ilmenite, garnet, pyroxene, amphibole, epidote, titanite, and apatite grains, indicating strong winnowing. Crabs and other burrowers destroy primary sedimentary structures and mix sediments in foreshore and backshore of the beaches. Wind and storm surge rework foreshore and backshore sediments to form washover fans. Sabkha facies occurs extensively in supratidal depressions behind beach, are flooded by rainstorms and spring tide, and capped by a 5-cm-thick crust composed of interlaminated halite, quartz, albite, minor gypsum and biotite, and rarely calcium carbonate. Halite occurs as thin sheets and gypsum as nodules with a chicken-wire structure. Clastic fraction in sabkha sediments ranges from coarse silt to coarse sand with moderate sorting, and is transported by currents and wind. Tidal inlets and tidal creeks assume abandoned wadis and are filled by muddy sand. Sand dunes and sand sheets are 1-7 m high and widely distributed due to variable wind directions. Fine-grained dune sands are moderately well sorted, whereas sheet sands are coarser and poorly sorted due to vegetation baffling. Most eolian sands are sourced from beach deposits. This suite of complex riverine, wave, tidal, wind, chemical, and biological processes form the facies mosaic

Ge distribution in the Wulantuga high-germanium coal deposit in the Shengli coalfield, Inner Mongolia, northeastern China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Du, Gang [Key Laboratory of Marginal Sea Geology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (China)]|[Coal Geology Bureau of Inner Mongolia, Hohhot, 010051 (China); Zhuang, Xinguo [Institute of Sedimentary Basin and Mineral, Faculty of Earth Resources, China University of Geosciences, Hubei, 430074 (China)]|[State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, China University of Geosciences, Hubei, 430074 (China); Querol, Xavier; Izquierdo, Maria; Alastuey, Andres; Moreno, Teresa; Font, Oriol [Institute of Earth Science ' Jaume Almera' , CSIC, C/ LLuis Sole Sabaris s/n, 08028 Barcelona (Spain)

2009-03-01

The geological and geochemical controls of the Ge distribution in the Cretaceous Wulantuga high-Germanium coal deposit in the Shengli coal field, Inner Mongolia are investigated. This paper focuses mainly on the spatial distribution of the Ge contents in coal. The high-Ge coals mainly occur in three splits of the 6 coal in the southwestern part of the Shengli coal field. Mean germanium contents in the coal range from 32 to 820 {mu}g/g, with a mean value of 137 {mu}g/g, on a bulk coal basis (mean of 939 coal samples from 75 boreholes in the 6 coal seam) in an area of 2.2 km{sup 2}. The highest Ge content occurs SW of 6 coal seam, close to the margins of the coal basin, decreasing with a fan-shaped trend towards NW, the direction of the coal basin. There is an negative correlation between the mean Ge content and the thickness of the coal seam. Different distribution patterns of Ge content were found in vertical profiles. High Ge concentrations may occur in the middle parts of coal seams, at the bottom and/or the top of thick coal seams and inconspicuous variation. A major organic affinity was determined for Ge, with a special enriched in the banded bright and semibright coal. The high-Ge coals and the coalified wood in the sandstone overlaying the 6-1 coal highly enriched in Ge, As, Sb, W, Cs, Tl, Be, and Hg. The Late Jurassic silicified volcanic rocks in the NW of the Ge coal deposit relatively high enriched in Ge, Ga, Sb, As, Cs, Be, Ge and Hg. The correlation coefficients among the elements enriched showed marked variations at close sites in this deposit, suggesting a possible diagenetic origin of the geochemical anomaly. The main Ge anomaly was attributed to early Cretaceous hydrothermal fluids circulating through the fault systems and porous volcanic rocs, probably from the subjacent granitoid rocks. The fault systems, the porous coarse clastic rocks overlying coal seam and the lithotype of coal played an important role in the transport and trapping of Ge. A

Exploring the techno-economic feasibility of mine rock waste utilisation in road works: The case of a mining deposit in Ghana.

Science.gov (United States)

Agyeman, Stephen; Ampadu, Samuel I K

2016-02-01

Mine rock waste, which is the rock material removed in order to access and mine ore, is free from gold processing chemical contaminants but presents a significant environmental challenge owing to the large volumes involved. One way of mitigating the environmental and safety challenges posed by the large volume of mine rock waste stockpiled in mining communities is to find uses of this material as a substitute for rock aggregates in construction. This article reports on a study conducted to evaluate the engineering properties of such a mine deposit to determine its suitability for use as road pavement material. Samples of mine rock waste, derived from the granitic and granodioritic intrusive units overlying the gold-bearing metavolcanic rock and volcano-clastic sediments of a gold mining area in Ghana, were obtained from three mine rock waste disposal facilities and subjected to a battery of laboratory tests to determine their physical, mechanical, geotechnical, geometrical and durability properties. The overall conclusion was that the mine rock waste met all the requirements of the Ghana Ministry of Transportation specification for use as aggregates for crushed rock subbase, base and surface dressing chippings for road pavements. The recommendation is to process it into the required sizes for the various applications. © The Author(s) 2015.

20 CFR 703.207 - Kinds of negotiable securities that may be deposited; conditions of deposit; acceptance of deposits.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... amount fixed by the Office under the regulations in this part shall deposit any negotiable securities... deposited; conditions of deposit; acceptance of deposits. 703.207 Section 703.207 Employees' Benefits... AND RELATED STATUTES INSURANCE REGULATIONS Insurance Carrier Security Deposit Requirements § 703.207...

Volcaniclastic and sedimentary deposits in Late Oligocene/Early Miocene Smrekovec Volcanic Complex, northern Slovenia

Science.gov (United States)

Kralj, Polona

2010-05-01

Late Oligocene/Early Miocene volcanic activity in northern Slovenia is related to post-collisional accommodation of continental Apulian and oceanic European plates (von Blanckenburg and Davis, 1996). It occurred in one of small south-western marginal depressions of the Pannonian basin system, locally termed the Smrekovec Basin (Hanfland et al., 2004). Contemporaneous clastic sedimentation is evidenced by several hundred metres thick succession composed mainly of mudstone, siltstone and sand. Smrekovec Volcanic Complex (SVC) is an eroded and tectonically uplifted remain of a larger submarine stratovolcano edifice, built of lavas, shallow or subsurface intrusive bodies, and pyroclastic, hyaloclastic, syn-eruptively resedimented volcaniclastic and reworked volcaniclastic-sedimentary deposits (Kralj, 1996). The development of lithofacies of syn-eruptively resedimented deposits is controlled by the proximity to the ancient volcano summit and the volcano sloping. Moreover, close to the rising volcano edifice, distinct shallow-water environments with siliciclastic sedimentation developed. Syn-eruptively resedimented deposits are the most widespread and are related to volcaniclastic debris flows and volcaniclastic tubidity flows. Volcaniclastic debris flow deposits are subdivided into lithofacies Bx - polymict volcaniclastic breccia, and Bt - volcaniclastic tuff-breccia. Bx occurs as tabular, up to some ten metres thick bodies with abundant up to 5 dm large angular lava clasts and angular or rounded clasts of fine-grained tuff, and tuffaceous matrix. Bt forms basal, massive layers in fining-upward sequences. The main constituent is tuffaceous matrix; up to 1.5 dm large clasts of lavas and tuffs are subordinate. In a distance up to 2 km from the former volcano summit (proximal area), Bt predominates in the sequence lithofacies composition (~75 %), and attains a thickness of up to 4 m. At a distance of 2-4 km (distal area), a maximum Bt thickness rarely exceeds 5 dm, an

Controls on the deposition and preservation of the Cretaceous Mowry Shale and Frontier Formation and equivalents, Rocky Mountain region, Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Kirschbaum, Mark A.; Mercier, Tracey J.

2013-01-01

Regional variations in thickness and facies of clastic sediments are controlled by geographic location within a foreland basin. Preservation of facies is dependent on the original accommodation space available during deposition and ultimately by tectonic modification of the foreland in its postthrusting stages. The preservation of facies within the foreland basin and during the modification stage affects the kinds of hydrocarbon reservoirs that are present. This is the case for the Cretaceous Mowry Shale and Frontier Formation and equivalent strata in the Rocky Mountain region of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. Biostratigraphically constrained isopach maps of three intervals within these formations provide a control on eustatic variations in sea level, which allow depositional patterns across dip and along strike to be interpreted in terms of relationship to thrust progression and depositional topography. The most highly subsiding parts of the Rocky Mountain foreland basin, near the fold and thrust belt to the west, typically contain a low number of coarse-grained sandstone channels but limited sandstone reservoirs. However, where subsidence is greater than sediment supply, the foredeep contains stacked deltaic sandstones, coal, and preserved transgressive marine shales in mainly conformable successions. The main exploration play in this area is currently coalbed gas, but the enhanced coal thickness combined with a Mowry marine shale source rock indicates that a low-permeability, basin-centered play may exist somewhere along strike in a deep part of the basin. In the slower subsiding parts of the foreland basin, marginal marine and fluvial sandstones are amalgamated and compartmentalized by unconformities, providing conditions for the development of stratigraphic and combination traps, especially in areas of repeated reactivation. Areas of medium accommodation in the most distal parts of the foreland contain isolated marginal marine shoreface and deltaic sandstones

Tectonic setting of synorogenic gold deposits of the Pacific Rim

Science.gov (United States)

Goldfarb, R.J.; Phillips, G.N.; Nokleberg, W.J.

1998-01-01

More than 420 million oz of gold were concentrated in circum-Pacific synorogenic quartz loades mainly during two periods of continental growth, one along the Gondwanan margin in the Palaeozoic and the other in the northern Pacific basin between 170 and 50 Ma. These ores have many features in common and can be grouped into a single type of lode gold deposit widespread throughout clastic sedimentary-rock dominant terranes. The auriferous veins contain only a few percent sulphide minerals, have gold:silver ratios typically greater than 1:1, show a distinct association with medium grade metamorphic rocks, and may be associated with large-scale fault zone. Ore fluids are consistently of low salinity and are CO2-rich. In the early and middle Palaeozoic in the southern Pacific basin, a single immense turbidite sequence was added to the eastern margin of Gondwanaland. Deformation of these rocks in southeastern Australia was accompanied by deposition of at least 80 million oz of gold in the Victorian sector of the Lachlan fold belt mainly during the Middle and Late Devonian. Lesser Devonian gold accumulations characterized the more northerly parts of the Gondwanan margin within the Hodgkinson-Broken River and Thomson fold belts. Additional lodes were emplaced in this flyschoid sequence in Devonian or earlier Palaeozoic times in what is now the Buller Terrane, Westland, New Zealand. Minor post-Devonian growth of Gondwanaland included terrane collision and formation of gold-bearing veins in the Permian in Australia's New England fold belt and in the Jurassic-Early Cretaceous in New Zealand's Otago schists. Collision and accretion of dozens of terranes for a 100-m.y.-long period against the western margin of North America and eastern margin of Eurasia led to widespread, lattest Jurassic to Eocene gold veining in the northern Pacific basin. In the former location, Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous veins and related placer deposits along the western margin of the Sierra Nevada

Cobalt—Styles of deposits and the search for primary deposits

Science.gov (United States)

Hitzman, Murray W.; Bookstrom, Arthur A.; Slack, John F.; Zientek, Michael L.

2017-11-30

Cobalt (Co) is a potentially critical mineral. The vast majority of cobalt is a byproduct of copper and (or) nickel production. Cobalt is increasingly used in magnets and rechargeable batteries. More than 50 percent of primary cobalt production is from the Central African Copperbelt. The Central African Copperbelt is the only sedimentary rock-hosted stratiform copper district that contains significant cobalt. Its presence may indicate significant mafic-ultramafic rocks in the local basement. The balance of primary cobalt production is from magmatic nickel-copper and nickel laterite deposits. Cobalt is present in several carbonate-hosted lead-zinc and copper districts. It is also variably present in Besshi-type volcanogenic massive sulfide and siliciclastic sedimentary rock-hosted deposits in back arc and rift environments associated with mafic-ultramafic rocks. Metasedimentary cobalt-copper-gold deposits (such as Blackbird, Idaho), iron oxide-copper-gold deposits, and the five-element vein deposits (such as Cobalt, Ontario) contain different amounts of cobalt. None of these deposit types show direct links to mafic-ultramafic rocks; the deposits may result from crustal-scale hydrothermal systems capable of leaching and transporting cobalt from great depths. Hydrothermal deposits associated with ultramafic rocks, typified by the Bou Azzer district of Morocco, represent another type of primary cobalt deposit.In the United States, exploration for cobalt deposits may focus on magmatic nickel-copper deposits in the Archean and Proterozoic rocks of the Midwest and the east coast (Pennsylvania) and younger mafic rocks in southeastern and southern Alaska; also, possibly basement rocks in southeastern Missouri. Other potential exploration targets include—The Belt-Purcell basin of British Columbia (Canada), Idaho, Montana, and Washington for different styles of sedimentary rock-hosted cobalt deposits;Besshi-type VMS deposits, such as the Greens Creek (Alaska) deposit and

Biofacies evidence for Late Cambrian low-paleolatitude oceans, western United State and central Asia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taylor, M.E. (Geological Survey, Denver, CO (United States)); Cook, H.E. (Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA (United States)); Melnikova, L. (Palaeontological Inst., Moscow (Russian Federation))

1991-02-01

Biofacies that formed on carbonate platform-margin slopes adjacent to an early Paleozoic, low-paleolatitude paleoocean are contained in the Upper Cambrian Swarbrick Formation, Tyby Shale, and Upper Cambrian-lowest Ordovician Hales Limestone of the Hot Creek Range, Nevada, and the Upper Cambrian-lowest Ordovician part of the Shabakty Suite of the Malyi Karatau, southern Kazakhstan. These in-situ limestones formed in platform-margin slope and basin-plain environments. Shoal-water faunal assemblages occur in carbonate-turbidite and debris-flow deposits interbedded with in-situ deeper water assemblages of the submarine-fan facies. Abundant sponge spicules, geographically widespread benthic trilobites, and rare ostracodes occur in some of the in-situ beds. In contrast, the shoal-water platform environments were well oxygenated and contain mainly endemic trilobite assemblages. These biofacies characteristics support an interpretation that Late Cambrian oceans were poorly oxygenated, but not anoxic, below the surface mixing layer and that benthic trilobite faunas were widely distributed in response to the more-or-less continuous deep water, low-oxygen habitats. Elements of the Late Cambrian low-oxygen biofacies are widespread in the Tien Shan structural belt of China and the Soviet Union, in central and eastern China, and along the western margin of early Paleozoic North America. This facies distribution pattern defines the transition from low-paleolatitude, shoal-water carbonate platforms to open oceans which have since been destroyed by pre-Late Ordovician and pre-middle Paleozoic Paleotectonic activity.

Oxidation-reduction phenomena in tabular uranium-vanadium bearing sandstone from the Salt Wash deposits (Upper Jurassic) of the Cottonwood Wash district (Utah, USA)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meunier, J.D.

1984-02-01

A braided to meandering fluvial environment has been postulated for this area after a sedimentological study. The mineralization is spatially related with conifer derived organic matter and wood is preserved in these sediments because of the reducing environment of deposition. The degree of maturation of the organic matter has been estimated from chemical analyses. Results show the presence of variable diagenetic oxidation depending on the environment. The organic matter which was least affected by this oxidation have attained a thermal maturation characteristic of the end stage of diagenesis. The high grade ore is situated at the edges of or within the trunks of trees (which remained permeable during diagenesis) and at the boundaries of the carbonaceous beds. Geochemical study shows there to be good correlation between uranium and vanadium. Uranium occurs as pitchblende, coffinite or as impregnations in the vanadiferous clay cement. A detailed study of clays shows an association of chlorite and roscoelite which most probably contain V 3+ . Fluid inclusion study suggests burying temperatures of >= 100 0 C and shows the existance of brines before the mineralization. The following genetical model is proposed. Low Eh uraniferous solutions move through a reduced pyritised environment. The low degree of oxidation of the pyrites propagates the destabilization of the clastic iron-titanium oxides which release vanadium and the dissociation of uranylcarbonates. Then, the deposit of pitchblende, coffinite, montroseite and vanadiferous clays took place in association with a secondary pyrite. When the rocks were uplifted to the subsurface, uranium (IV) and vanadium (III) were remobilised in an oxidising environment to form a secondary mineralization essentially represented by tyuyamunite [fr

Petrography, Geochemistry and Proposed Genesis of Ordovician Oolitic Iron Formation Members of the Lashkarak Formation, Eastern Alborz

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maghsoudloo Mahalli, M.; Shafiei Bafti, B.

2016-01-01

Mineralogical characteristics combined with geochemical data show that anomalous values of Fe in studied carbonate argillite formations with respect to common sedimentary rocks are related to the abundance of iron-bearing oolites as oxides such as hematite and goethite, and the clay mineral chamosite. Based on Fe, Mg and Ca concentrations, oolitic iron formations can be divided into low-grade and high-grade iron formations. The former is characterized by chamosite and calcite, whereas the latter consists ofhematite and calcite. This research, along with available paleo-geographic and sedimentological information suggests that the iron for the formation of iron oolites was available from normal sea water and Fe could be carried as clastic particles along with clays or coating of clay particles derived from weathering and erosion of shales from adjacent land. High contents of K and Si in oolitic iron horizons, the presence of detrital zircon, quartz and clay minerals within oolites and also in the matrix of these rocks confirm the proposed model and show the important role of Fe-bearing clay minerals in the genesis of the primary chamositic oolites in an environment with p H=5-9 and medium-weak redox conditions (Maynard, 1983; Maynard, 1986). The abundance of hematite relative to goethite in the Fe-oolites, dense and elliptical oolites as well as the frequent occurrence of calcite veinlets cutting oolite beds has been attributed to diagenetic processes and the modification of chamosite and goethite to hematite. Our findings indicate that the studied members can be classified as low-grade oolitic iron formation (average 21 wt.% Fe) which do not have economic importance at present.

THE BAUXITES AND JELAR - BEDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krešimir Sakač

1993-12-01

Full Text Available Minor bauxite deposits and occurrences were formed in technically disturbed environments in the middle part of the Adriatic geotectonic unit in Dinarides, contemporary with the clastic Jelar-beds in the Late Lutetian time. Uneven chemical composition of these Eocene bauxites, their sporadic occurrences in developed paleorelief as well as characteristic petrographic composition of the immediate overlying rocks point out at different genetical conditions (the paper is published in Croatian.

The Katmandu and Gosainkund nappes, central Nepal Himalaya (cartography, structure, metamorphism, geochemistry and radio-chronology)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rai, S.M.

1998-10-01

In central Nepal, a multidisciplinary study has been carried out to characterize and distinguish the crystalline nappes of Katmandu and Gosainkund from the Midland formations. Two principal deformations are recorded: one ductile, syn-metamorphic, marked by microstructures (stretching lineation, S-C structures, etc. ), another, post-metamorphic, recorded by an anticline, roughly EW -directed, and by NNE-SSW -directed folds. The syn-metamorphic P-T conditions show differences between Katmandu Crystalline Nappe (900-720 MPa; 700-480 deg C) and Gosainkund Crystalline Nappe (890-580 MPa; 750-590 deg C). They exhibit well preserved inverted metamorphism between the Upper Midland Formations (750 Mpa; 560 deg C) and the Gosainkund Nappe. In central Nepal, the augen gneisses and the 'Lesser Himalayan' Cambro-Ordovician granites bear similar petrographic and geochemical characteristics which suggest a common origin. However, the geological setting and age of the Proterozoic Ulleri augen gneiss rule out correlation with these formations. 40 Ar/ 39 Ar analyses of muscovite, indicate cooling ages younger from south to north: 22 to 13 Ma in the Katmandu Nappe, 16 to 5 Ma in the Gosainkund Nappe, and 12 to 6 Ma in the Midland Formation. The principal points summarized by this study are the following: clear distinction between two nappes marked by their litho-stratigraphy and metamorphism; the ductile movement of MCT in the north of Katmandu is blocked since approximately 25 Ma; the late emplacement and late or common post metamorphic history of the two nappes; but earlier cooling history of the Katmandu nappe; the present uplift of the Katmandu region, underlined by the intense micro-seismicity, concerns indifferently the two nappes that form a single tectonic block at present; the combined uplift of the two nappes is due to the displacement on a ramp of major decollement surface. (author)

Characterizing the potential for fault reactivation related to CO2 injection through subsurface structural mapping and stress field analysis, Wellington Field, Sumner County, KS

Science.gov (United States)

Schwab, D.; Bidgoli, T.; Taylor, M. H.

2015-12-01

South-central Kansas has experienced an unprecedented increase in seismic activity since 2013. The spatial and temporal relationship of the seismicity with brine disposal operations has renewed interest in the role of fluids in fault reactivation. This study focuses on determining the suitability of CO2 injection into a Cambro-Ordovician reservoir for long-term storage and a Mississippian reservoir for enhanced oil recovery in Wellington Field, Sumner County, Kansas. Our approach for determining the potential for induced seismicity has been to (1) map subsurface faults and estimate in-situ stresses, (2) perform slip and dilation tendency analysis to identify optimally-oriented faults relative to the estimated stress field, and (3) monitor surface deformation through cGPS data and InSAR imaging. Through the use of 3D seismic reflection data, 60 near vertical, NNE-striking faults have been identified. The faults range in length from 140-410 m and have vertical separations of 3-32m. A number of faults appear to be restricted to shallow intervals, while others clearly cut the top basement reflector. Drilling-induced tensile fractures (N=78) identified from image logs and inversion of earthquake focal mechanism solutions (N=54) are consistent with the maximum horizontal stress (SHmax) oriented ~E-W. Both strike-slip and normal-slip fault plane solutions for earthquakes near the study area suggest that SHmax and Sv may be similar in magnitude. Estimates of stress magnitudes using step rate tests (Shmin = 2666 psi), density logs (Sv = 5308 psi), and calculations from wells with drilling induced tensile fractures (SHmax = 4547-6655 psi) are determined at the gauge depth of 4869ft. Preliminary slip and dilation tendency analysis indicates that faults striking 0°-20° are stable, whereas faults striking 26°-44° may have a moderate risk for reactivation with increasing pore-fluid pressure.

Principal aquifers can contribute radium to sources of drinking water under certain geochemical conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Szabo, Zoltan; Fischer, Jeffrey M.; Hancock, Tracy Connell

2012-01-01

What are the most important factors affecting dissolved radium concentrations in principal aquifers used for drinking water in the United States? Study results reveal where radium was detected and how rock type and chemical processes control radium occurrence. Knowledge of the geochemical conditions may help water-resource managers anticipate where radium may be elevated in groundwater and minimize exposure to radium, which contributes to cancer risk. Summary of Major Findings: * Concentrations of radium in principal aquifers used for drinking water throughout the United States generally were below 5 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) maximum contaminant level (MCL) for combined radium - radium-226 (Ra-226) plus radium-228 (Ra-228) - in public water supplies. About 3 percent of sampled wells had combined radium concentrations greater than the MCL. * Elevated concentrations of combined radium were more common in groundwater in the eastern and central United States than in other regions of the Nation. About 98 percent of the wells that contained combined radium at concentrations greater than the MCL were east of the High Plains. * The highest concentrations of combined radium were in the Mid-Continent and Ozark Plateau Cambro-Ordovician aquifer system and the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain aquifer system. More than 20 percent of sampled wells in these aquifers had combined radium concentrations that were greater than or equal to the MCL. * Concentrations of Ra-226 correlated with those of Ra-228. Radium-226 and Ra-228 occur most frequently together in unconsolidated sand aquifers, and their presence is strongly linked to groundwater chemistry. * Three common geochemical factors are associated with the highest radium concentrations in groundwater: (1) oxygen-poor water, (2) acidic conditions (low pH), and (3) high concentrations of dissolved solids.

Late Paleozoic fusulinids from Sonora, Mexcio: importance for interpretation of depositional settings, biogeography, and paleotectonics

Science.gov (United States)

Stevens, Calvin H.; Poole, Forrest G.; Amaya-Martínez, Ricardo

2014-01-01

Three sets of fusulinid faunas in Sonora, Mexico, discussed herein, record different depositional and paleotectonic settings along the southwestern margin of Laurentia (North America) during Pennsylvanian and Permian time. The settings include: offshelf continental rise and ocean basin (Rancho Nuevo Formation in the Sonora allochthon), shallow continental shelf (La Cueva Limestone), and foredeep basin on the continental shelf (Mina México Formation). Our data represent 41 fusulinid collections from 23 localities with each locality providing one to eight collections.Reworked fusulinids in the Middle and Upper Pennsylvanian part of the Rancho Nuevo Formation range in age from Desmoinesian into Virgilian (Moscovian-Gzhelian). Indigenous Permian fusulinids in the La Cueva Limestone range in age from middle or late Wolfcampian to middle Leonardian (late Sakmarian-late Artinskian), and reworked Permian fusulinids in the Mina México Formation range in age from early to middle Leonardian (middle-late Artinskian). Conodonts of Guadalupian age occur in some turbidites in the Mina México Formation, indicating the youngest foredeep deposit is at least Middle Permian in age. Our fusulinid collections indicate a hiatus of at least 10 m.y. between the youngest Pennsylvanian (Virgilian) rocks in the Sonora allochthon and the oldest Permian (middle Wolfcampian) rocks in the region.Most fusulinid faunas in Sonora show affinities to those of West Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona; however, some genera and species are similar to those in southeastern California. As most species are similar to those east of the southwest-trending Transcontinental arch in New Mexico and Arizona, this arch may have formed a barrier preventing large-scale migration and mixing of faunas between the southern shelf of Laurentia in northwestern Mexico and the western shelf in the southwestern United States.The Sonora allochthon, consisting of pre-Permian (Lower Ordovician to Upper Pennsylvanian) deep

Acid Deposition Phenomena

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramadan, A.E.K.

2004-01-01

Acid deposition, commonly known as acid rain, occurs when emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels and other industrial processes undergo complex chemical reactions in the atmosphere and fall to the earth as wet deposition (rain, snow, cloud, fog) or dry deposition (dry particles, gas). Rain and snow are already naturally acidic, but are only considered problematic when less than a ph of 5.0 The main chemical precursors leading to acidic conditions are atmospheric concentrations of sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) and nitrogen oxides (NO x ). When these two compounds react with water, oxygen, and sunlight in the atmosphere, the result is sulfuric (H 2 SO 4 ) and nitric acids (HNO 3 ), the primary agents of acid deposition which mainly produced from the combustion of fossil fuel and from petroleum refinery. Airborne chemicals can travel long distances from their sources and can therefore affect ecosystems over broad regional scales and in locations far from the sources of emissions. According to the concern of petroleum ministry with the environment and occupational health, in this paper we will discussed the acid deposition phenomena through the following: Types of acidic deposition and its components in the atmosphere Natural and man-made sources of compounds causing the acidic deposition. Chemical reactions causing the acidic deposition phenomenon in the atmosphere. Factors affecting level of acidic deposition in the atmosphere. Impact of acid deposition. Procedures for acidic deposition control in petroleum industry

Geochemical and multi-isotopic (87Sr/86Sr, 143Nd/144Nd, 238U/235U) perspectives of sediment sources, depositional conditions, and diagenesis of the Marcellus Shale, Appalachian Basin, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Phan, Thai T.; Gardiner, James B.; Capo, Rosemary C.; Stewart, Brian W.

2018-02-01

We investigate sediment sources, depositional conditions and diagenetic processes affecting the Middle Devonian Marcellus Shale in the Appalachian Basin, eastern USA, a major target of natural gas exploration. Multiple proxies, including trace metal contents, rare earth elements (REE), the Sm-Nd and Rb-Sr isotope systems, and U isotopes were applied to whole rock digestions and sequentially extracted fractions of the Marcellus shale and adjacent units from two locations in the Appalachian Basin. The narrow range of εNd values (from -7.8 to -6.4 at 390 Ma) is consistent with derivation of the clastic sedimentary component of the Marcellus Shale from a well-mixed source of fluvial and eolian material of the Grenville orogenic belt, and indicate minimal post-depositional alteration of the Sm-Nd system. While silicate minerals host >80% of the REE in the shale, data from sequentially extracted fractions reflect post-depositional modifications at the mineralogical scale, which is not observed in whole rock REE patterns. Limestone units thought to have formed under open ocean (oxic) conditions have δ238U values and REE patterns consistent with modern seawater. The δ238U values in whole rock shale and authigenic phases are greater than those of modern seawater and the upper crust. The δ238U values of reduced phases (the oxidizable fraction consisting of organics and sulfide minerals) are ∼0.6‰ greater than that of modern seawater. Bulk shale and carbonate cement extracted from the shale have similar δ238U values, and are greater than δ238U values of adjacent limestone units. We suggest these trends are due to the accumulation of chemically and, more likely, biologically reduced U from anoxic to euxinic bottom water as well as the influence of diagenetic reactions between pore fluids and surrounding sediment and organic matter during diagenesis and catagenesis.

Petroleum systems of the Malay Basin Province, Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Bishop, Michele G.

2002-01-01

The offshore Malay Basin province is a Tertiary oil and gas province composed of a complex of half grabens that were filled by lacustrine shales and continental clastics.These deposits were overlain by clastics of a large delta system that covered the basin.Delta progradation was interupted by transgressions of the South China Sea to the southeast, which finally flooded the basin to form the Gulf of Thailand.Oil and gas from the Oligocene to Miocene lacustrine shales and Miocene deltaic coals is trapped primarily in anticlines formed by inversion of the half grabens during the late Miocene.Hydrocarbon reserves that have been discovered amount to 12 billion barrels of oil equivalent.The U.S. Geological Survey assessment of the estimated quantities of conventional oil, gas and condensate that have the potential to be added to reserves by the year 2025 for this province is 6.3 billion barrels of oil equivalent (BBOE) (U. S. Geological Survey World Energy Assessment Team, 2000).

Local deposition of high-purity Pt nanostructures by combining electron beam induced deposition and atomic layer deposition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mackus, A.J.M.; Mulders, J.J.L.; Sanden, van de M.C.M.; Kessels, W.M.M.

2010-01-01

An approach for direct-write fabrication of high-purity platinum nanostructures has been developed by combining nanoscale lateral patterning by electron beam induced deposition (EBID) with area-selective deposition of high quality material by atomic layer deposition (ALD). Because virtually pure,

Heavy mineral sorting as a tool to distinguish depositional characteristics of “in situ” sands from their related injected sands in a Palaeogene submarine Canyon, Danish North Sea

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Moatari Kazerouni, Afsoon; Friis, Henrik; Svendsen, Johan. B

Postdepositional remoblization and injection of sand are important processes in deep-water clastic systems. Subsurface mobilisation and injection of sand has been recently recognised as a significant control of deep-water sandstone geometry. Kilometre-scale injection complexes have been interpreted...

The East Africa Oligocene intertrappean beds: Regional distribution, depositional environments and Afro/Arabian mammal dispersals

Science.gov (United States)

Abbate, Ernesto; Bruni, Piero; Ferretti, Marco Peter; Delmer, Cyrille; Laurenzi, Marinella Ada; Hagos, Miruts; Bedri, Omar; Rook, Lorenzo; Sagri, Mario; Libsekal, Yosief

2014-11-01

inspection of the Agere Selam (Mekele) intertrappean beds revealed the occurrence of lacustrine limestones and diatomites, which were contrastingly quite subordinate with respect to the fine clastic sediments found in the nearby Amba Alaji area. Further south, the intertrappean section in the Jema valley (100 km north of Addis Ababa and close to the Blue Nile gorge) is 120 m thick with predominant clastic sediments and a few diatomites at the top. Literature information from 35 additional sites, including northern Kenya, Yemen, Sudan and Saudi Arabia sections, confirms the fluvial and lacustrine depositional environment of the intertrappean beds, underlines the interest in their mammal fauna (Chilga, Losodok), and reports exploitable coal seams for some of them. As for the vegetal landscape in which the intertrappean beds were deposited, pollen and plant analysis results indicative of a tropical wet forest, similar to that of present-day western Africa. Another common feature of the intertrappean beds is their relatively limited thickness, averaging a few tens of meters, but reaching a few hundred meters in graben-related basins, such as Delbi Moye in southern Ethiopia. In most cases only thin, lens-shaped successions were deposited above the hummocky topography of their volcanic substratum, commonly unaffected by significant faulting. An average duration of the intertrappean beds is from one to three million years. This time interval is commonly matched by a few tens (or more rarely, hundreds) of meters of sediments left over after erosive episodes or depositional starvation. As to the lateral continuity of the intertrappean beds, the present-day outcrops show large differences: from some tens of kilometers in the Mendefera area, to a few tens of kilometres in the Jema valley, and to a few hundreds meters in the Agere Selam (Mekele) area. Even if it is difficult to quantify the original size of the sedimentation areas, it nevertheless proves that the intertrappean basins

Application of Advanced Reservoir Characterization, Simulation, and Production Optimization Strategies to Maximize Recovery in Slope and Basin Clastic Reservoirs, West Texas (Delaware Basin)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dutton, S.P.; Flanders, W.A.; Guzman, J.I.; Zirczy, H.

1999-06-08

The objective of this Class III project is to demonstrate that detailed reservoir characterization of slope and basin clastic reservoirs in sandstones of the Delaware Mountain Group in the Delaware Basin of West Texas and New Mexico is a cost-effective way to recover a higher percentage of the original oil in place through geologically based field development. This year the project focused on reservoir characterization of the East Ford unit, a representative Delaware Mountain Group field that produces from the upper Bell Canyon Formation (Ramsey Sandstone). The field, discovered in 1960, is operated by Orla Petco, Inc., as the East Ford unit; it contained an estimated 19.8 million barrels (MMbbl) of original oil in place. Petrophysical characterization of the East Ford unit was accomplished by integrating core and log data and quantifying petrophysical properties from wireline logs. Most methods of petrophysical analysis that had been developed during an earlier study of the Ford Geraldine unit were successfully transferred to the East Ford unit. The approach that was used to interpret water saturation from resistivity logs, however, had to be modified because in some East Ford wells the log-calculated water saturation was too high and inconsistent with observations made during the actual production. Log-porosity to core-porosity transforms and core-porosity to core-permeability transforms were derived from the East Ford reservoir. The petrophysical data were used to map porosity, permeability, net pay, water saturation, mobil-oil saturation, and other reservoir properties.

Cenozoic tectono-thermal history of the Tordrillo Mountains, Alaska: Paleocene-Eocene ridge subduction, decreasing relief, and late Neogene faulting

Science.gov (United States)

Benowitz, Jeff A.; Haeussler, Peter J.; Layer, Paul W.; O'Sullivan, Paul B.; Wallace, Wes K.; Gillis, Robert J.

2012-01-01

Topographic development inboard of the continental margin is a predicted response to ridge subduction. New thermochronology results from the western Alaska Range document ridge subduction related orogenesis. K-feldspar thermochronology (KFAT) of bedrock samples from the Tordrillo Mountains in the western Alaska Range complement existing U-Pb, 40Ar/39Ar and AFT (apatite fission track) data to provide constraints on Paleocene pluton emplacement, and cooling as well as Late Eocene to Miocene vertical movements and exhumation along fault-bounded blocks. Based on the KFAT analysis we infer rapid exhumation-related cooling during the Eocene in the Tordrillo Mountains. Our KFAT cooling ages are coeval with deposition of clastic sediments in the Cook Inlet, Matanuska Valley and Tanana basins, which reflect high-energy depositional environments. The Tordrillo Mountains KFAT cooling ages are also the same as cooling ages in the Iliamna Lake region, the Kichatna Mountains of the western Alaska Range, and Mt. Logan in the Wrangell-St. Elias Mountains, thus rapid cooling at this time encompasses a broad region inboard of, and parallel to, the continental margin extending for several hundred kilometers. We infer these cooling events and deposition of clastic rocks are related to thermal effects that track the eastward passage of a slab window in Paleocene-Eocene time related to the subduction of the proposed Resurrection-Kula spreading ridge. In addition, we conclude that the reconstructed KFATmax negative age-elevation relationship is likely related to a long period of decreasing relief in the Tordrillo Mountains.

Trace-element and Sr-Nd isotopic evidence for the origin of the Sardinian fluorite mineralization (Italy)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castorina, F.; Masi, U.; Padalino, G.; Palomba, M.

2008-01-01

The fluorite-bearing hydrothermal mineralization in Sardinia mainly occurs within Paleozoic volcanic and metasedimentary rocks. Only 3 occurrences are located in volcanic and siliciclastic Cenozoic rocks. Most Sardinian fluorites exhibit relatively high rare earth and Y (REY) contents, strong positive Y anomalies, slightly negative Ce and generally positive Eu anomalies. These features indicate that the REY were mobilized mainly from non-carbonate rocks. Neither Sr nor Nd isotopes can be used to date radiometrically the Sardinian fluorites. However, the measured Sr-isotope ratios of the fluorites hosted by Paleozoic rocks fit mixing lines in the 1000/Sr versus 87 Sr/ 86 Sr plot once recalculated at 280 Ma, suggesting that the age inferred for the correction probably represents that of the formation of the fluorite mineralization. Mixing likely occurred between diluted surficial waters and brines circulating mainly through the Lower Paleozoic metasedimentary basement. The Cenozoic fluorites exhibit chemical and isotopic features similar to those of the Paleozoic fluorites, except the Nuraghe Onigu fluorite displaying a possible contribution of Sr from Cenozoic magmatic rocks. The initial ε Nd values of the Paleozoic fluorites fit the age proposed for the formation of the deposits. Moreover, the values suggest that radiogenic Nd was provided to the fluids from the Ordovician siliciclastic basement, except for 3 deposits where the potential source rocks of Nd were mainly Ordovician acidic magmatic rocks. The initial ε Nd values of the Cenozoic fluorites suggest a provenance of Nd essentially from the leaching of Variscan granitoids

Elucidating tectonic events and processes from variably tectonized conglomerate clast detrital geochronology: examples from the Hongliuhe Formation in the southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt, NW China

Science.gov (United States)

Cleven, Nathan; Lin, Shoufa; Davis, Donald; Xiao, Wenjiao; Guilmette, Carl

2017-04-01

This work expands upon detrital zircon geochronology with a sampling and analysis strategy dating granitoid conglomerate clasts that exhibit differing degrees of internal ductile deformation. As deformation textures within clastic material reflect the variation and history of tectonization in the source region of a deposit, we outline a dating methodology that can provide details of the provenance's tectonomagmatic history from deformation-relative age distributions. The method involves bulk samples of solely granitoid clasts, as they are representative of the magmatic framework within the provenance. The clasts are classified and sorted into three subsets: undeformed, slightly deformed, and deformed. LA-ICPMS U-Pb geochronology is performed on zircon separates of each subset. Our case study, involving the Permian Hongliuhe Formation in the southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt, analyzes each of the three clast subsets, as well as sandstone detrital samples, at three stratigraphic levels to yield a profile of the unroofed provenance. The age spectra of the clast samples exhibit different, wider distributions than sandstone samples, considered an effect of proximity to the respective provenance. Comparisons of clast data to sandstone data, as well as comparisons between stratigraphic levels, yield indications of key tectonic processes, in addition to the typical characteristics provided by detrital geochronology. The clast data indicates a minimal lag time, implying rapid exhumation rates, whereas sandstone data alone would indicate a 90 m.y. lag time. Early Paleozoic arc building episodes appear as Ordovician peaks in sandstone data, and Silurian-Devonian peaks in clast data, indicating a younging of magmatism towards the proximal provenance. A magmatic hiatus starts in the Devonian, correlating with the latest age of deformed clasts, interpreted as timing of collisional tectonics. Provenance interpretation using the correlations seen between the clast and sandstone

DepositScan, a Scanning Program to Measure Spray Deposition Distributions

Science.gov (United States)

DepositScan, a scanning program was developed to quickly measure spray deposit distributions on water sensitive papers or Kromekote cards which are widely used for determinations of pesticide spray deposition quality on target areas. The program is installed in a portable computer and works with a ...

Lower Paleozoic carbonate rocks of Baird Mountains Quadrangle, Alaska

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dumoulin, J.A.; Harris, A.G.

1985-04-01

Lower Paleozoic carbonate rocks in the Baird Mountains quadrangle form a relatively thin (about 550 m), chiefly shallow-water succession that has been imbricately thrust and metamorphosed to lower greenschist facies. Middle and Upper Cambrian rocks - the first reported from the western Brooks Range - occur in the northeastern quarter of the quadrangle, south of Angayukaqsraq (formerly Hub) Mountain. They consist of marble grading upward into thin-bedded marble/dolostone couplets and contain pelagiellid mollusks, acetretid brachiopods, and agnostid trilobites. Sedimentologic features and the Pelagiellas indicate a shallow-water depositional environment. Overlying these rocks are Lower and Middle Ordovician marble and phyllite containing graptolites and conodonts of midshelf to basinal aspect. Upper Ordovician rocks in this area are bioturbated to laminated dolostone containing warm, shallow-water conodonts. In the Omar and Squirrel Rivers areas to the west, the Lower Ordovician carbonate rocks show striking differences in lithofacies, biofacies, and thickness. Here they are mainly dolostone with locally well-developed fenestral fabric and evaporite molds, and bioturbated to laminated orange- and gray-weathering dolomitic marble. Upper Silurian dolostone, found near Angayukaqsraq Mountain and on the central Squirrel River, contains locally abundant corals and stronmatoporoids. Devonian carbonate rocks are widely distributed in the Baird Mountains quadrangle; at least two distinct sequences have been identified. In the Omar area, Lower and Middle Devonian dolostone and marble are locally cherty and rich in megafossils. In the north-central (Nakolik River) area, Middle and Upper Devonian marble is interlayered with planar to cross-laminated quartz-carbonate metasandstone and phyllite.

Sedimentary facies analysis of the Mesozoic clastic rocks in Southern Peru (Tacna, 18°S): Towards a paleoenvironmental Redefinition and stratigraphic Reorganization

Science.gov (United States)

Alván, Aldo; Jacay, Javier; Caracciolo, Luca; Sánchez, Elvis; Trinidad, Inés

2018-07-01

The Mesozoic rocks of southern Peru comprise a Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous sedimentary sequence deposited during a time interval of approximately 34 Myr. In Tacna, these rocks are detrital and constitute the Yura Group (Callovian to Tithonian) and the Hualhuani Formation (Berriasian). Basing on robust interpretation of facies and petrographic analysis, we reconstruct the depositional settings of such units and provide a refined stratigraphic framework. Accordingly, nine types of sedimentary facies and six architectural elements are defined. They preserve the record of a progradational fluvial system, in which two styless regulated the dispersion of sediments: (i) a high-to moderate-sinuosity meandering setting (Yura Group), and a later (ii) incipient braided setting (Hualhuani Formation). The Yura Group (Callovian-Tithonian) represents the onset of floodplain deposits and lateral accretion of point-bar deposits sited on a semi-flat topography. Nonetheless, the progradational sequence was affected by at least two rapid marine ingressions occurred during Middle Callovian and Tithonian times. Such marine ingressions reveal the proximity of a shallow marine setting and incipient carbonate deposition. In response to increase in topographic gradient, the Hualhuani Formation (Berriasian) deposited as extensive multistory sandy channels. The mineralogy of the Mesozoic sediments suggests sediment supplies and intense recycling from a craton interior (i.e. Amazon Craton and/or plutonic sources) located eastward of the study area.

78 FR 56583 - Deposit Insurance Regulations; Definition of Insured Deposit

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-13

... as a potential global deposit insurer, preserve confidence in the FDIC deposit insurance system, and... the United States.\\2\\ The FDIC generally pays out deposit insurance on the next business day after a... since 2001 and total approximately $1 trillion today. In many cases, these branches do not engage in...

Deposition characteristics of titanium coating deposited on SiC fiber by cold-wall chemical vapor deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luo, Xian, E-mail: luo_shenfan@hotmail.com; Wu, Shuai; Yang, Yan-qing; Jin, Na; Liu, Shuai; Huang, Bin

2016-12-01

The deposition characteristics of titanium coating on SiC fiber using TiCl{sub 4}-H{sub 2}-Ar gas mixture in a cold-wall chemical vapor deposition were studied by the combination of thermodynamic analysis and experimental studies. The thermodynamic analysis of the reactions in the TiCl{sub 4}-H{sub 2}-Ar system indicates that TiCl{sub 4} transforms to titanium as the following paths: TiCl{sub 4} → TiCl{sub 3} → Ti, or TiCl{sub 4} → TiCl{sub 3} → TiCl{sub 2} → Ti. The experimental results show that typical deposited coating contains two distinct layers: a TiC reaction layer close to SiC fiber and titanium coating which has an atomic percentage of titanium more than 70% and that of carbon lower than 30%. The results illustrate that a carbon diffusion barrier coating needs to be deposited if pure titanium is to be prepared. The deposition rate increases with the increase of temperature, but higher temperature has a negative effect on the surface uniformity of titanium coating. In addition, appropriate argon gas flow rate has a positive effect on smoothing the surface morphology of the coating. - Highlights: • Both thermodynamic analysis and experimental studies were adopted in this work. • The transformation paths of TiCl{sub 4} to Ti is: TiCl{sub 4} → TiCl{sub 3} → Ti, or TiCl{sub 4} → TiCl{sub 3} → TiCl{sub 2} → Ti. • Typical deposited Ti coating on SiC fiber contained two distinct layers. • Deposition temperature is important on deposition rate and morphologies. • Appropriate argon gas flow rate has a positive effect on smoothing of the coating.

Hunton Group core workshop and field trip

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnson, K.S. [ed.

1993-12-31

The Late Ordovician-Silurian-Devonian Hunton Group is a moderately thick sequence of shallow-marine carbonates deposited on the south edge of the North American craton. This rock unit is a major target for petroleum exploration and reservoir development in the southern Midcontinent. The workshop described here was held to display cores, outcrop samples, and other reservoir-characterization studies of the Hunton Group and equivalent strata throughout the region. A field trip was organized to complement the workshop by allowing examination of excellent outcrops of the Hunton Group of the Arbuckle Mountains.

Deposition of Boron in Possible Evaporite Deposits in Gale Crate

Science.gov (United States)

Gasda, P. J.; Peets, E.; Lamm, S. N.; Rapin, W.; Lanza, N.; Frydenvang, J.; Clark, B. C.; Herkenhoff, K. E.; Bridges, J.; Schwenzer, S. P.; Haldeman, E. B.; Wiens, R. C.; Maurice, S.; Clegg, S. M.; Delapp, D.; Sanford, V.; Bodine, M. R.; McInroy, R.

2017-12-01

Boron has been previously detected in Gale crater using the ChemCam instrument on board the NASA Curiosity rover within calcium sulfate fracture fill hosted by lacustrine mudstone and eolian sandstone units. Recent results show that up to 300 ppm B is present in the upper sections of the lacustrine unit. Boron has been detected in both the groundwater-emplaced calcium sulfate fracture fill materials and bedding-parallel calcium sulfate layers. The widespread bedding-parallel calcium sulfate layers within the upper strata of the lacustrine bedrock that Curiosity has encountered recently could be interpreted as primary evaporite deposits. We have two hypotheses for the history of boron in Gale crater. In both hypotheses, borates were first deposited as lake water evaporated, depositing primary evaporates that were later re-dissolved by groundwater, which redistributed the boron into secondary evaporitic calcium sulfate fracture fill deposits. In the first scenario, Gale crater may have undergone a period of perennial lake formation during a drier period of martian history, depositing layers of evaporitic minerals (including borates) among lacustrine mudstone layers. In the second scenario, lake margins could have become periodically exposed during cyclic drops in lake level and subsequently desiccated. Evaporites were deposited and desiccation features were formed in lowstand deposits. Either hypothetical scenario of evaporite deposition would promote prebiotic chemical reactions via wet-dry cycles. Boron may be an important prebiotic element, and as such, its presence in ancient martian surface and groundwater provides evidence that important prebiotic chemical reactions could occur on Mars if organics were present. The presence of boron in ancient Gale crater groundwater also provides additional evidence that a habitable environment existed in the martian subsurface well after the expected disappearance of liquid water on the surface of Mars. We will report on the

Periglacial complexes in Utopia Planitia: rimless, tiered depressions, (clastically) sorted and unsorted polygonised terrain and an ice-rich mantle

Science.gov (United States)

Soare, Richard; Conway, Susan; Gallagher, Colman; Dohm, James; Clifford, Stephen M.; Williams, Jean-pierre

2016-10-01

We report the spatial and possible genetic-relationship at the mid-latitudes of Utopia Planitia (45-500N 115-1200E), Mars, of: (a) metre to decametre deep, rimless, tiered depressions; terrain that exhibits (b) (clastically) sorted and (c) unsorted (small-sized) polygons; and, (d) a very youthful, ice-rich mantle. We show that these individual landscape features are separated stratigraphically, this being presented to the Mars community for the first time, and suggest that the stratigraphical separation of these features could be the result of boundary conditions and formation processes that have varied much more widely than has been thought hitherto. In cold-climate and non-glacial regions such as the Yamal Peninsula of eastern Russia and the Tuktoyaktuk Coastlands of northern Canada, landscape assemblages comprised of similar features are referenced as "ice complexes" and are indicative of periglacialism on two fronts: first, the presence of "ice-rich" permafrost or permafrost comprised of "excess ice", i.e. "permafrost" whose pore space is exceeded by the "water ice" within that body of sediment; and, second, antecedently or currently active freeze-thaw cycling, minimally, to the full depth of the "ice-complex" depressions. In the Dry Valleys of the Antarctic, where the atmospheric aridity and cold-temperatures approach those of Mars, ice-vapour diffusion and adsorption cycles are cited as the means by which the near-surface, permafrost, i.e. ≤1m deep, has become ice-cemented. However, the metre to decametre depths of the "ice-complex" depressions on Earth and the morphologically-similar ones on Mars lie beyond the vertical reach of the Antarctic diffusion and adsorption cycles, both empirically and theoretically. By deduction, this points to the freeze-thaw cycling of water to depth, fostered either by exogenic or endogenic means, perhaps playing a more important role in the formation of the possible Martian "ice complexes" than might be expected were

Aerial radiometric and magnetic reconnaissance survey of portions of Arizona--New Mexico, Nogales Quadrangle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-11-01

The results of a high-sensitivity aerial gamma-ray spectrometer and magnetometer survey of the Nogales Quadrangle, Arizona, are presented. Statistical and geological analysis of the radiometric data revealed 47 uranium anomalies worthy of field checking as possible prospects. Twenty-one anomalies suggest the presence of vein-type uranium in acid intrusives, and 16 anomalies may denote the same type of mineralization in acid volcanics. These anomalies also mark source areas for possible sedimentary deposits. Nine anomalies may represent sedimentary uranium, but many of these may be anomalous clastics deposited in low-background material. The ranges that appear most favorable for uranium mineralization are the Quinlan, Sierrita, Pajarito, Atascosa, Santa Rita, Patagonia, and Huachuca Mountains

Economical Atomic Layer Deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Wyman, Richard; Davis, Robert; Linford, Matthew

2010-10-01

Atomic Layer Deposition is a self limiting deposition process that can produce films at a user specified height. At BYU we have designed a low cost and automated atomic layer deposition system. We have used the system to deposit silicon dioxide at room temperature using silicon tetrachloride and tetramethyl orthosilicate. Basics of atomic layer deposition, the system set up, automation techniques and our system's characterization are discussed.

Achieving uniform layer deposition by atmospheric-pressure plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Jae-Ok [Department of Plasma Engineering, Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials (KIMM), Daejeon 305-343 (Korea, Republic of); Kang, Woo Seok, E-mail: kang@kimm.re.kr [Department of Plasma Engineering, Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials (KIMM), Daejeon 305-343 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Environment & Energy Mechanical Engineering, University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon 305-350 (Korea, Republic of); Hur, Min; Lee, Jin Young [Department of Plasma Engineering, Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials (KIMM), Daejeon 305-343 (Korea, Republic of); Song, Young-Hoon [Department of Plasma Engineering, Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials (KIMM), Daejeon 305-343 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Environment & Energy Mechanical Engineering, University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon 305-350 (Korea, Republic of)

2015-12-31

This work investigates the use of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition under atmospheric pressure for achieving uniform layer formation. Electrical and optical measurements demonstrated that the counterbalance between oxygen and precursors maintained the homogeneous discharge mode, while creating intermediate species for layer deposition. Several steps of the deposition process of the layers, which were processed on a stationary stage, were affected by flow stream and precursor depletion. This study showed that by changing the flow streamlines using substrate stage motion uniform layer deposition under atmospheric pressure can be achieved. - Highlights: • Zirconium oxide was deposited by atmospheric-pressure plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. • Homogeneous plasma was maintained by counterbalancing between discharge gas and precursors. • Several deposition steps were observed affected by the gas flow stream and precursor depletion. • Thin film layer was uniformly grown when the substrate underwent a sweeping motion.

Pulsed laser deposition in Twente: from research tool towards industrial deposition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Blank, David H.A.; Dekkers, Jan M.; Rijnders, Augustinus J.H.M.

2014-01-01

After the discovery of the perovskite high Tc superconductors in 1986, a rare and almost unknown deposition technique attracted attention. Pulsed laser deposition (PLD), or laser ablation as it was called in the beginning, became popular because of the possibility to deposit complex materials, like

Effects of deposition time in chemically deposited ZnS films in acidic solution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haddad, H.; Chelouche, A., E-mail: azeddinechelouche@gmail.com; Talantikite, D.; Merzouk, H.; Boudjouan, F.; Djouadi, D.

2015-08-31

We report an experimental study on the synthesis and characterization of zinc sulfide (ZnS) single layer thin films deposited on glass substrates by chemical bath deposition technique in acidic solution. The effect of deposition time on the microstructure, surface morphology, optical absorption, transmittance, and photoluminescence (PL) was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), UV-Vis–NIR spectrophotometry and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The results showed that the samples exhibit wurtzite structure and their crystal quality is improved by increasing deposition time. The latter, was found to affect the morphology of the thin films as showed by SEM micrographs. The optical measurements revealed a high transparency in the visible range and a dependence of absorption edge and band gap on deposition time. The room temperature PL spectra indicated that all ZnS grown thin films emit a UV and blue light, while the band intensities are found to be dependent on deposition times. - Highlights: • Single layer ZnS thin films were deposited by CBD in acidic solution at 95 °C. • The effect of deposition time was investigated. • Coexistence of ZnS and ZnO hexagonal structures for time deposition below 2 h • Thicker ZnS films were achieved after monolayer deposition for 5 h. • The highest UV-blue emission observed in thin film deposited at 5 h.

Link between Neogene and modern sedimentary environments in the Zagros foreland basin

Science.gov (United States)

Pirouz, Mortaza; Simpson, Guy; Bahroudi, Abbas

2010-05-01

The Zagros mountain belt, with a length of 1800 km, is located in the south of Iran and was produced by collision between the Arabian plate and the Iran micro plate some time in the early Tertiary. After collision, the Zagros carbonate-dominated sedimentary basin has been replaced by a largely clastic system. The Neogene Zagros foreland basin comprises four main depositional environments which reflect the progressive southward migration of the deformation front with time. The oldest unit - the Gachsaran formation - is clastic in the northern part of the basin, but is dominated by evaporates in southern part, being deposited in a supratidal Sabkha-type environment. Overlying the Gachsaran is the Mishan formation, which is characterized by the Guri limestone member at the base, overlain by marine green marls. The thickness of the Guri member increases dramatically towards the southeast. The next youngest unit is the Aghajari Formation which consists of well sorted lenticular sandstone bodies in a red silty-mudstone. This formation is interpreted as representing the floodplain of dominantly meandering rivers. Finally, the Bakhtiari formation consists of mainly coarse-grained gravel sheets which are interpreted to represent braided river deposits. Each of these Neogene depositional environments has a modern day equivalent. For example, the braided rivers presently active in the Zagros mountains are modern analogues of the Bakhtiari. In the downstream direction, these braided rivers become meandering systems, which are equivalents of the Aghajari. Eventually, the meandering rivers meet the Persian gulf which is the site of the ‘modern day' Mishan shallow marine marls. Finally, the modern carbonate system on the southern margin of Persian Gulf represents the Guri member paleo-environment, behind which Sabkha-type deposits similar to the Gachsaran are presently being deposited. One important implication of this link between the Neogene foreland basin deposits and the

Uraniferous surficial deposits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toens, P.D.; Hambleton-Jones, B.B.

1980-10-01

As a result of the discovery of uranium in surficial deposits of Tertiary to Recent age, in Australia and Southern Africa, increasing attention is being paid to the location and understanding of the genesis of these deposits. The paper discusses the definitions and terminology currently in use and a classification of these deposits is presented. It is concluded that in order to obtain a measure of clarity, the terms calcrete, gypcrete and dolocrete should not be used to describe the uraniferous valley-fill deposits of Southern Africa and Australia [af

Sandstone-type uranium deposits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Austin, S.R.; D'Andrea, R.F. Jr.

1978-01-01

Three overall factors are necessary for formation of uranium deposits in sandstone: a source of uranium, host rocks capable of transmitting uranium-bearing solutions, and a precipitant. Possible sources of uranium in sandstone-type deposits include groundwaters emanating from granitic highlands, arkosic sediments, tuffaceous material within or overlying the host rocks, connate fluids, and overlying black shales. The first three sources are considered the most likely. Host rocks are generally immature sandstones deposited in alluvial-fan, intermontane-basin or marginal-marine environments, but uranium deposits do occur in well-winnowed barrier-bar or eolian sands. Host rocks for uranium deposits generally show coefficients of permeability on the order of 1 to 100 gal/day/ft 2 . Precipitants are normally agents capable of reducing uranium from the uranyl to the uranous state. The association of uranium with organic matter is unequivocal; H 2 S, a powerful reductant, may have been present at the time of formation of some deposits but may go unnoticed today. Vanadium can serve to preserve the tabular characteristics of some deposits in the near-surface environment, but is considered an unlikely primary precipitant for uranium. Uranium deposits in sandstone are divided into two overall types: peneconcordant deposits, which occur in locally reducing environments in otherwise oxidized sandstones; and roll-type deposits, which occur at the margin of an area where an oxidized groundwater has permeated an otherwise reduced sandstone. Uranium deposits are further broken down into four subclasses; these are described

Polymer deposition morphology by electrospray deposition - Modifications through distance variation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Altmann, K.; Schulze, R.-D.; Friedrich, J.

2014-01-01

Electrospray deposition (ESD) of highly diluted polymers was examined with regard to the deposited surface structure. Only the flight distance (flight time) onto the resulting deposited surface was varied from 20 to 200 mm. An apparatus without any additional heating or gas flows was used. Polyacrylic acid (PAA) and polyallylamine (PAAm) in methanol were deposited on Si wafers. The polymer layers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, derivatization reactions and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy using a grazing incidence unit. SEM images illustrated the changing structures of PAA and PAAm. For PAA the deposited structure changed from a smooth film (20 mm) to a film with individual droplets on the coated surface (100 mm and 200 mm), while for PAAm individual droplets can be seen at all distances. The ESD process with cascades of splitting droplets slows down for PAA after distances greater than 40 mm. In contrast, the ESD process for PAAm is nearly stopped within the first flight distance of 20 mm. Residual solvent analysis showed that most of the solvent evaporated within the first 20 mm capillary-sample distance. - Highlights: • We deposited polyacrylic acid and polyallylamine by electrospray ionization (ESI). • The morphology in dependence of flight distance (20 mm to 200 mm) was analyzed. • The amount of residual solvent after deposition was determined. • ESI-process slows down for polyacrylic acid after 40 mm flight distance. • ESI-Process is complete for polyallylamine within the first 20 mm

Provenance and geochronological insights into Late Cretaceous-Paleogene foreland basin development in the Subandean Zone and Oriente Basin of Ecuador

Science.gov (United States)

Gutierrez, E. G.; Horton, B. K.; Vallejo, C.

2017-12-01

The tectonic history of the Oriente foreland basin and adjacent Subandean Zone of Ecuador during contractional mountain building in the northern Andes can be revealed through integrated stratigraphic, geochronological, structural, and provenance analyses of clastic sediments deposited during orogenesis. We present new maximum depositional ages and a comprehensive provenance analysis for key stratigraphic units deposited in the western (proximal) Oriente Basin. Detrital zircon U-Pb ages were obtained from Upper Cretaceous and Cenozoic clastic formations from exposures in the Subandean Zone. The sampled stratigraphic intervals span critical timeframes during orogenesis in the Ecuadorian Andes. Cenozoic formations have poorly defined chronostratigraphic relationships and are therefore a primary target of this study. In addition, the newly acquired U-Pb age spectra allow clear identification of the various sediment source regions that fed the system during distinct depositional phases. Maximum depositional ages (MDA) were obtained for five samples from three formations: the Tena (MDA=69.6 Ma), Chalcana (MDA=29.3 Ma), and Arajuno (MDA= 17.1, 14.2, 12.8 Ma) Formations, placing them in the Maastrichtian, early Oligocene, and early-middle Miocene, respectively. Detrital zircon U-Pb ages identify clear signatures of at least four different sources: craton (1600-1300 Ma, 1250-900 Ma), Eastern Cordillera fold-thrust belt (600-450 Ma, 250-145 Ma), Western Cordillera magmatic arc (age spectra of the Upper Cretaceous-Paleogene type sections allow us to recognize variations in the contribution of each recognized source over time. We identify recycled material with two dominant peak ages (1250-900 Ma and 600-450 Ma), material derived from the adjacent uplifted orogen or recycled from foredeep sediments incorporated into the deforming wedge. Finally, an apparent unroofing event is inferred from a 250-145 Ma age peak in the Plio-Pleistocene Mesa-Mera Formation revealing the

Heavy mineral sorting in downwards injected Palaeocene sandstone, Siri Canyon, Danish North Sea

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kazerouni, Afsoon Moatari; Friis, Henrik; Svendsen, Johan Byskov

2011-01-01

Post-depositional remobilization and injection of sand are often seen in deep-water clastic systems and has been recently recognised as a significant modifier of deep-water sandstone geometry. Large-scale injectite complexes have been interpreted from borehole data in the Palaeocene Siri Canyon...... of depositional structures in deep-water sandstones, the distinction between "in situ" and injected or remobilised sandstones is often ambiguous. Large scale heavy mineral sorting (in 10 m thick units) is observed in several reservoir units in the Siri Canyon and has been interpreted to represent the depositional...... sorting. In this study we describe an example of effective shear-zone sorting of heavy minerals in a thin downward injected sandstone dyke which was encountered in one of the cores in the Cecilie Field, Siri Canyon. Differences in sorting pattern of heavy minerals are suggested as a tool for petrographic...

Influence of geological factors on the mechanical properties of rock in the Palo Duro Basin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cregger, D.M.; Corkum, D.H.; Gokce, A.O.; Peck, J.H.

1985-01-01

Sedimentary formations in the Palo Duro Basin of the Texas Panhandle exhibit a variety of petrofabrics which contribute to different mechanical behavior. Similarly classified rock core specimens, upon closer inspection, are comprised of different textures and slight compositional variations. The resultant rock mass characteristics interpreted from laboratory tests and deep borehole geophysical logs are seen to be a direct result of the depositional environment and geologic history. Depositional environments include chemical precipitation in shallow brine pools, basin filling with terrigenous or eolian supply of clastics, restricted circulation, and transgression of normal marine waters. Geochemical transformations of the deposits, (diagenesis), can or may result in profound changes to the mechanical properties of the rock. Structural deformation of the bedded salts is slight and may be far less important in its effect on mechanical properties than diagenetic changes

How deposition parameters control growth dynamics of nc-Si deposited by hot-wire chemical vapor deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moutinho, H.R.; To, B.; Jiang, C.-S.; Xu, Y.; Nelson, B.P.; Teplin, C.W.; Jones, K.M.; Perkins, J.; Al-Jassim, M.M.

2006-01-01

We studied the growth of silicon films deposited by hot-wire chemical vapor deposition under different values of filament current, substrate temperature, and hydrogen dilution ratio. The physical and electrical properties of the films were studied by Raman spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, conductive-atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. There is an interdependence of the growth parameters, and films grown with different parameters can have similar structures. We discuss why this interdependence occurs and how it influences the properties of the deposited films, as well as the deposition rate. In general, the films have a complex structure, with a mixture of amorphous (220)-oriented crystalline and nanocrystalline phases present in most cases. The amount of each phase can be controlled by the variation of one or more of the growth parameters at a time

Patterned deposition by atmospheric pressure plasma-enhanced spatial atomic layer deposition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Poodt, P.; Kniknie, B.J.; Branca, A.; Winands, G.J.J.; Roozeboom, F.

2011-01-01

An atmospheric pressure plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition reactor has been developed, to deposit Al2O3 films from trimethyl aluminum and an He/O2 plasma. This technique can be used for 2D patterned deposition in a single in-line process by making use of switched localized plasma sources. It

Pore formation and occurrence in the organic-rich shales of the Triassic Chang-7 Member, Yanchang Formation, Ordos Basin, China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chuang Er

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Shale-reservoir appraisal depends greatly on its pore characteristics (e.g., diameter, geometry, connectivity. Using a new pore-classification scheme based on the matrix type and occurrence state, four types of pores are identified in the organic-rich shales of the Triassic Chang-7 Member: intergranular, intragranular, organic pore, and microfracture. The intergranular pores are subdivided into primary pores between clastic grains, clay-mineral aggregates, and secondary dissolution pores between clastic grains or clay-mineral aggregates based on their origins, respectively. The intragranular pores are subdivided into secondary dissolved pores in feldspars, intra-clay-mineral aggregates and inter-pyrite. Organic pores include primarily microfractures in the organic matter and isolated organic pores. Microfracture is mainly developed along sandy and muddy laminations. Analysis by integration of data from pore imaging, low-temperature liquid nitrogen absorption, relationships between pore geometry and mineral components and between TOC and maturity of organic matter indicates that depositional environment, diagenesis, and thermal evolution of organic matter controlled the formation and preservation of pores. Organic-rich shales deposited in a deep and semi-deep lake environment contains thinly bedded turbidite sandstones, which are characterized by high content of clastic particles and thus favor the development of primary intergranular and intragranular pores, as well as microfractures along sandy laminations. During the early diagenesis process, precipitation of pyrite favors the development of inter-pyrite pores. However, compaction reduced the diameter and bulk pore volume. Organic pore has been greatly reduced under compaction. Dissolution led to formation of both inter and intra-feldspar pores, which has improved reservoir quality to some extent. Organic pore started to develop after shale maturity reaches a threshold (RO = 0

MAPLE deposition of nanomaterials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caricato, A.P.; Arima, V.; Catalano, M.; Cesaria, M.; Cozzoli, P.D.; Martino, M.; Taurino, A.; Rella, R.; Scarfiello, R.; Tunno, T.; Zacheo, A.

2014-01-01

The matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) has been recently exploited for depositing films of nanomaterials by combining the advantages of colloidal inorganic nanoparticles and laser-based techniques. MAPLE-deposition of nanomaterials meeting applicative purposes demands their peculiar properties to be taken into account while planning depositions to guarantee a congruent transfer (in terms of crystal structure and geometric features) and explain the deposition outcome. In particular, since nanofluids can enhance thermal conductivity with respect to conventional fluids, laser-induced heating can induce different ablation thermal regimes as compared to the MAPLE-treatment of soft materials. Moreover, nanoparticles exhibit lower melting temperatures and can experience pre-melting phenomena as compared to their bulk counterparts, which could easily induce shape and or crystal phase modification of the material to be deposited even at very low fluences. In this complex scenario, this review paper focuses on examples of MAPLE-depositions of size and shape controlled nanoparticles for different applications highlights advantages and challenges of the MAPLE-technique. The influence of the deposition parameters on the physical mechanisms which govern the deposition process is discussed.

MAPLE deposition of nanomaterials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Caricato, A.P., E-mail: annapaola.caricato@le.infn.it [Department of Mathematics and Physics “E. De Giorgi”, University of Salento, Via Arnesano, I-73100 Lecce (Italy); Arima, V.; Catalano, M. [National Nanotechnology Laboratory (NNL), CNR Istituto Nanoscienze, c/o Distretto Tecnologico, Via Arnesano n. 16, I-73100 Lecce (Italy); Cesaria, M. [Department of Mathematics and Physics “E. De Giorgi”, University of Salento, Via Arnesano, I-73100 Lecce (Italy); Cozzoli, P.D. [Department of Mathematics and Physics “E. De Giorgi”, University of Salento, Via Arnesano, I-73100 Lecce (Italy); National Nanotechnology Laboratory (NNL), CNR Istituto Nanoscienze, c/o Distretto Tecnologico, Via Arnesano n. 16, I-73100 Lecce (Italy); Martino, M. [Department of Mathematics and Physics “E. De Giorgi”, University of Salento, Via Arnesano, I-73100 Lecce (Italy); Taurino, A.; Rella, R. [Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems, IMM-CNR, Via Monteroni, I-73100 Lecce (Italy); Scarfiello, R. [National Nanotechnology Laboratory (NNL), CNR Istituto Nanoscienze, c/o Distretto Tecnologico, Via Arnesano n. 16, I-73100 Lecce (Italy); Tunno, T. [Department of Mathematics and Physics “E. De Giorgi”, University of Salento, Via Arnesano, I-73100 Lecce (Italy); Zacheo, A. [Department of Mathematics and Physics “E. De Giorgi”, University of Salento, Via Arnesano, I-73100 Lecce (Italy); National Nanotechnology Laboratory (NNL), CNR Istituto Nanoscienze, c/o Distretto Tecnologico, Via Arnesano n. 16, I-73100 Lecce (Italy)

2014-05-01

The matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) has been recently exploited for depositing films of nanomaterials by combining the advantages of colloidal inorganic nanoparticles and laser-based techniques. MAPLE-deposition of nanomaterials meeting applicative purposes demands their peculiar properties to be taken into account while planning depositions to guarantee a congruent transfer (in terms of crystal structure and geometric features) and explain the deposition outcome. In particular, since nanofluids can enhance thermal conductivity with respect to conventional fluids, laser-induced heating can induce different ablation thermal regimes as compared to the MAPLE-treatment of soft materials. Moreover, nanoparticles exhibit lower melting temperatures and can experience pre-melting phenomena as compared to their bulk counterparts, which could easily induce shape and or crystal phase modification of the material to be deposited even at very low fluences. In this complex scenario, this review paper focuses on examples of MAPLE-depositions of size and shape controlled nanoparticles for different applications highlights advantages and challenges of the MAPLE-technique. The influence of the deposition parameters on the physical mechanisms which govern the deposition process is discussed.

ITO thin films deposited by advanced pulsed laser deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Viespe, Cristian; Nicolae, Ionut; Sima, Cornelia; Grigoriu, Constantin; Medianu, Rares

2007-01-01

Indium tin oxide thin films were deposited by computer assisted advanced PLD method in order to obtain transparent, conductive and homogeneous films on a large area. The films were deposited on glass substrates. We studied the influence of the temperature (room temperature (RT)-180 deg. C), pressure (1-6 x 10 -2 Torr), laser fluence (1-4 J/cm 2 ) and wavelength (266-355 nm) on the film properties. The deposition rate, roughness, film structure, optical transmission, electrical conductivity measurements were done. We deposited uniform ITO thin films (thickness 100-600 nm, roughness 5-10 nm) between RT and 180 deg. C on a large area (5 x 5 cm 2 ). The films have electrical resistivity of 8 x 10 -4 Ω cm at RT, 5 x 10 -4 Ω cm at 180 deg. C and an optical transmission in the visible range, around 89%

Phylogenetic and biogeographic analysis of sphaerexochine trilobites.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Curtis R Congreve

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Sphaerexochinae is a speciose and widely distributed group of cheirurid trilobites. Their temporal range extends from the earliest Ordovician through the Silurian, and they survived the end Ordovician mass extinction event (the second largest mass extinction in Earth history. Prior to this study, the individual evolutionary relationships within the group had yet to be determined utilizing rigorous phylogenetic methods. Understanding these evolutionary relationships is important for producing a stable classification of the group, and will be useful in elucidating the effects the end Ordovician mass extinction had on the evolutionary and biogeographic history of the group. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Cladistic parsimony analysis of cheirurid trilobites assigned to the subfamily Sphaerexochinae was conducted to evaluate phylogenetic patterns and produce a hypothesis of relationship for the group. This study utilized the program TNT, and the analysis included thirty-one taxa and thirty-nine characters. The results of this analysis were then used in a Lieberman-modified Brooks Parsimony Analysis to analyze biogeographic patterns during the Ordovician-Silurian. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The genus Sphaerexochus was found to be monophyletic, consisting of two smaller clades (one composed entirely of Ordovician species and another composed of Silurian and Ordovician species. By contrast, the genus Kawina was found to be paraphyletic. It is a basal grade that also contains taxa formerly assigned to Cydonocephalus. Phylogenetic patterns suggest Sphaerexochinae is a relatively distinctive trilobite clade because it appears to have been largely unaffected by the end Ordovician mass extinction. Finally, the biogeographic analysis yields two major conclusions about Sphaerexochus biogeography: Bohemia and Avalonia were close enough during the Silurian to exchange taxa; and during the Ordovician there was dispersal between Eastern Laurentia and

Impurities in chromium deposits produced by electroplating and physical vapor deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dini, J.W.

1994-05-01

Impurity contents in electrodeposited (hexavalent and trivalent) chromium deposits and physically vapor deposited (thermal evaporation, electron beam evaporation and rf-sputtering) were compared. Oxygen is the key impurity obtained in electrodeposited films but it can be minimized in hexavalent plating solutions by operating at high temperature, e. g., 85 C. Electrodeposits produced in trivalent chromium plating solutions and physically vapor deposited films have much higher oxygen contents than electrodeposits produced in hexavalent chromium solutions operated at temperatures around 85 C. Depending on the target material used for physically vapor deposited films, these films can also have high amounts of other impurities.

Oxygen Barrier Coating Deposited by Novel Plasma-enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jiang, Juan; Benter, M.; Taboryski, Rafael Jozef

2010-01-01

We report the use of a novel plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition chamber with coaxial electrode geometry for the SiOx deposition. This novel plasma setup exploits the diffusion of electrons through the inner most electrode to the interior samples space as the major energy source. This confi......We report the use of a novel plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition chamber with coaxial electrode geometry for the SiOx deposition. This novel plasma setup exploits the diffusion of electrons through the inner most electrode to the interior samples space as the major energy source...... effect of single-layer coatings deposited under different reaction conditions was studied. The coating thickness and the carbon content in the coatings were found to be the critical parameters for the barrier property. The novel barrier coating was applied on different polymeric materials...

Deposition Measurements in NSTX

Science.gov (United States)

Skinner, C. H.; Kugel, H. W.; Hogan, J. T.; Wampler, W. R.

2004-11-01

Two quartz microbalances have been used to record deposition on the National Spherical Torus Experiment. The experimental configuration mimics a typical diagnostic window or mirror. An RS232 link was used to acquire the quartz crystal frequency and the deposited thickness was recorded continuously with 0.01 nm resolution. Nuclear Reaction Analysis of the deposit was consistent with the measurement of the total deposited mass from the change in crystal frequency. We will present measurements of the variation of deposition with plasma conditions. The transport of carbon impurities in NSTX has been modelled with the BBQ code. Preliminary calculations indicated a negligible fraction of carbon generated at the divertor plates in quiescent discharges directly reaches the outer wall, and that transient events are responsible for the deposition.

Shedding of ash deposits

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zbogar, Ana; Frandsen, Flemming; Jensen, Peter Arendt

2009-01-01

Ash deposits formed during fuel thermal conversion and located on furnace walls and on convective pass tubes, may seriously inhibit the transfer of heat to the working fluid and hence reduce the overall process efficiency. Combustion of biomass causes formation of large quantities of troublesome...... ash deposits which contain significant concentrations of alkali, and earth-alkali metals. The specific composition of biomass deposits give different characteristics as compared to coal ash deposits, i.e. different physical significance of the deposition mechanisms, lower melting temperatures, etc....... Low melting temperatures make straw ashes especially troublesome, since their stickiness is higher at lower temperatures, compared to coal ashes. Increased stickiness will eventually lead to a higher collection efficiency of incoming ash particles, meaning that the deposit may grow even faster...

Urban wet deposition nitrate: a comparison to non-urban deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schultz, J.A.M.

1994-01-01

The concentration of nitrate in both wet and dry deposition has both increased historically and currently, and recently parallels emissions in NO x . Since NO x is produced in amounts comparable to SO 2 , it is an important contributor to acid deposition, and is produced in higher amounts in urban areas due to concentrated sources. Prior to to this study, national acid deposition monitoring networks in the United States have been and remain established in non-urban areas. This research study consisted of a comparison of precipitation sampling and analysis of wet deposition nitrate and pH for each deposition event in each of two urban sites over a 15 mo period. Also, a comparison of urban data and data generated at a nearby non-urban NADP site was made by examination of both monthly and seasonal data. This research suggests that national monitoring programs should consider inclusion of urban and non-urban monitoring sites in order to achieve a more representative regional assessment. 24 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs

76 FR 41392 - Interest on Deposits; Deposit Insurance Coverage

Science.gov (United States)

2011-07-14

... banks' funding costs and also allow them to plan business growth more dependably and rigorously... of business deposits by offering continually higher rates of interest. Three of the four contended... deposits. They reasoned that large banks will offer high rates of interest and lure away business...

Boron isotopic composition of tertiary borate deposits in the Puna Plateau of the Central Andes, NW Argentina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kasemann, Simone; Franz, Gerhard; Viramonte, Jose G.; Alonso, Ricardo N.

1998-01-01

Full text: The most important borate deposits in South America are concentrated in the Central Andes. The Neogene deposits are located in the Puna Plateau of N W Argentina. These continental deposits are stratiform in the tectonically deformed Tertiary rocks. The largest borate accumulations Tincalayu, Sijes and Loma Blanca are part of the Late Miocene Sijes Formation, composed by different evaporitic and clastic units. In the main borate units of each location different phases of borates dominate. In Tincalayu the mayor mineral is borax with minor amounts of kernite and other rare borate minerals (ameginite, rivadavite, etc.). The principal minerals in Loma Blanca are borax with minor ulexite and inyoite. In the two main units of Sijes hydroboracite and colemanite are the major minerals; inyoite and ulexite appear subordinately. The deposition of the borates is due to a strong evaporation in playa lakes, which were fed by boron bearing thermal fluids (Alonso and Viramonte 1990). From Loma Blanca we determined δ 11 B values of ulexite (- 6.3 %0), inyoite (-12.7 %0) and terrugite (-16.2 %0); and from Tincalayu the δ 11 B values of borax (-10.5 %0), tincal (-12.2 %0) kernite (-11.7 %0) and inderite (-15.4 %0). The borates of Sijes are hydroboracite (-16.8 %0 to -17.2 %0), ulexite (-22.4 %0) and inyoite (-28.5 %0 to -29.6 %0). In order to get information about the δ 11 B values and pH of a boron solution we analysed the thermal spring of Antuco. It has a δ 11 B of -12.5%0 at a pH of 7.9. The presently forming ulexite deposit has a δ 11 B of -22.4%0. Borates within one depositional unit show a decreasing δ 11 B value sequence from the Na-Borates to the Ca-Borates related to the boron coordination of the minerals (Oi et al. 1989). The difference in the δ 11 B values excludes the precipitation in equilibrium from solutions with constant pH. According to results from previous work on Neogene borates (Turkey, USA) we interpret the borate succession due to

Atmospheric deposition 2000. NOVA 2003; Atmosfaerisk deposition 2000. NOVA 2003

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ellermann, T.; Hertel, O.; Hovmand, M.F.; Kemp, K.; Skjoeth, C.A.

2001-11-01

This report presents measurements and calculations from the atmospheric part of NOVA 2003 and covers results for 2000. It summarises the main results concerning concentrations and depositions of nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur compounds related to eutrophication and acidification. Depositions of atmospheric compounds to Danish marine waters as well as land surface are presented. Measurements: In 2000 the monitoring program consisted of eight stations where wet deposition of ammonium, nitrate, phosphate (semi quantitatively) and sulphate were measured using bulk precipitation samplers. Six of the stations had in addition measurements of atmospheric content of A, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulphur compounds in gas and particulate phase carried out by use of filter pack samplers. Filters were analysed at the National Environmental Research Institute. Furthermore nitrogen dioxide were measured using nitrogen dioxide filter samplers and monitors. Model calculations: The measurements in the monitoring program were supplemented with model calculations of concentrations and depositions of nitrogen and sulphur compounds to Danish land surface, marine waters, fjords and bays using the ACDEP model (Atmospheric Chemistry and Deposition). The model is a so-called trajectory model and simulates the physical and chemical processes in the atmosphere using meteorological and emission data as input. The advantage of combining measurements with model calculations is that the strengths of both methods is obtained. Conclusions concerning: 1) actual concentration levels at the monitoring stations, 2) deposition at the monitoring stations, 3) seasonal variations and 4) long term trends in concentrations and depositions are mainly based on the direct measurements. These are furthermore used to validate the results of the model calculations. Calculations and conclusions concerning: 1) depositions to land surface and to the individual marine water, 2) contributions from different emission

Mechanical characteristics of a tool steel layer deposited by using direct energy deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Baek, Gyeong Yun; Shin, Gwang Yong; Lee, Eun Mi; Shim, Do Sik; Lee, Ki Yong; Yoon, Hi-Seak; Kim, Myoung Ho

2017-07-01

This study focuses on the mechanical characteristics of layered tool steel deposited using direct energy deposition (DED) technology. In the DED technique, a laser beam bonds injected metal powder and a thin layer of substrate via melting. In this study, AISI D2 substrate was hardfaced with AISI H13 and M2 metal powders for mechanical testing. The mechanical and metallurgical characteristics of each specimen were investigated via microstructure observation and hardness, wear, and impact tests. The obtained characteristics were compared with those of heat-treated tool steel. The microstructures of the H13- and M2-deposited specimens show fine cellular-dendrite solidification structures due to melting and subsequent rapid cooling. Moreover, the cellular grains of the deposited M2 layer were smaller than those of the H13 structure. The hardness and wear resistance were most improved in the M2-deposited specimen, yet the H13-deposited specimen had higher fracture toughness than the M2-deposited specimen and heat-treated D2.

Exogenous deposits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khasanov, A.Kh.

1988-01-01

Exogenous deposits forming as a result of complex exogenous processes, passed under the influence of outside forces on the Earth surface. To them relate physical and chemical weathering, decomposition and decay of mineral masses, redistribution and transportation of material, forming and deposit of new minerals and ores steady on the earth surface conditions

Electro-Deposition Laboratory

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The electro-deposition laboratory can electro-deposit various coatings onto small test samples and bench level prototypes. This facility provides the foundation for...

Thermoluminescence dating of soils in a semi-arid environment, Yucca Mountain area, Southern Nevada, USA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahan, S.A.; Paces, J.B.; Peterman, Z.E.

1995-01-01

Yucca Mountain, Nevada, is currently being investigated as a potential nuclear waste repository. Because radionuclides must be isolated over a ten to several hundred thousand year time span, an assessment of the performance depends in part on accurate reconstruction of the Quaternary geologic and hydrologic history of the mountain. Reliable geochronology in an oxidizing environment dominated by coarse-grained, clastic surficial deposits has become a central issue for several studies including paleoseismic reconstruction, determination of rates of erosion and deposition, and the history of regional water-table fluctuations documented by ground-water discharge deposits. Thermoluminescence (TL) dating of polymineralic silt fractions in a variety of surface deposits has become an important component of the Quaternary dating strategy, along with uranium-series disequilibrium dating of secondary carbonate and opaline silica, and to a lesser extent, radiocarbon dating of carbonate components. Although the complex mineralogy of these materials contributes to greater amounts of scatter in their TL response relative to typical quartzofeldspathic loess and dune deposits, the derived ages are reproducible, consistent with internal stratigraphy, and generally concordant with other available geochronology

Unfolding the arc: The use of pre-orogenic constraints to assess the evolution of the Variscan belt in Western Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Casas, Josep M.; Brendan Murphy, J.

2018-06-01

We present a pre-orogenic, early Paleozoic, palinspastic reconstruction of the northern Gondwana margin that was subsequently involved in the Late Paleozoic Variscan orogeny in central and Western Europe. Our reconstruction is based on two pre-orogenic data sets, the age and distribution of Cambrian-Ordovician magmatism and the detrital zircon age signature of late Neoproterozoic-early Paleozoic clastic rocks. We obtain this reconstruction by unfolding the Ibero-Armorican arc and by restoring the movement of the large-scale dextral strike-slip faults that transect the different tectono-stratigraphic units. Our results favour an irregular shape for this part of the northern Gondwana margin with a N-S central segment linking two E-W oriented segments. The proposed reconstruction and the structural restoration of the main features of Variscan deformation is in accordance with some aspects of previously proposed structural models, such as the curved geometry of the Gondwanan margin required by the indentor model for continental collision, the role played by the large strike-slip faults in dispersing formerly juxtaposed units, and the regional-scale oroclinal folding of part of this margin during late Carboniferous-Early Permian times. The combined use of the pre-orogenic geological constraints and palinspastic restoration is a useful approach that may provide a foundation for continual refinement of reconstructions as more data become available.

Lithium- and boron-bearing brines in the Central Andes: exploring hydrofacies on the eastern Puna plateau between 23° and 23°30'S

Science.gov (United States)

Steinmetz, R. L. López

2017-01-01

Internally drained basins of the Andean Plateau are lithium- and boron-bearing systems. The exploration of ionic facies and parental links in a playa lake located in the eastern Puna (23°-23°30'S) was assessed by hydrochemical determinations of residual brines, feed waters and solutions from weathered rocks. Residual brines have been characterized by the Cl- (SO4 =)/Na+ (K+) ratio. Residual brines from the playa lake contain up to 450 mg/l of boron and up to 125 mg/l of lithium, and the Las Burras River supplies the most concentrated boron (20 mg/l) and lithium (3.75 mg/l) inflows of the basin. The hydro-geochemical assessment allowed for the identification of three simultaneous sources of boron: (1) inflow originating from granitic areas of the Aguilar and Tusaquillas ranges; (2) weathering of the Ordovician basement; and (3) boron-rich water from the Las Burras River. Most of the lithium input of the basin is likely generated by present geothermal sources rather than by weathering and leaching of ignimbrites and plutonic rocks. However, XRD analyses of playa lake sediments revealed the presence of lithian micas of clastic origin, including taeniolite and eucriptite. This study is the first to document these rare Li-micas from the Puna basin. Thus, both residual brines and lithian micas contribute to the total Li content in the studied hydrologic system.

Meta-evaporite in the Carajás mineral province, northern Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Riehl, Walter; Cabral, Alexandre Raphael

2018-05-01

Evidence for connecting evaporite-sourced high-salinity fluids with iron-oxide-copper-gold (IOCG) deposits in the Carajás mineral province has solely been based on boron-isotope compositions of tourmaline. Presence of meta-evaporitic rocks remains unrecognised. Here, we report laminated albitite, tourmalinite and banded albite-phlogopite rock, intercepted by exploratory drilling in a clastic metasedimentary sequence. These rocks represent evaporite precursors. Their location in the copper-gold prospects Açaí and Angélica, in the westernmost part of the Carajás mineral province, indicates that (i) evaporite-sourced fluids were regional and (ii) evaporite-bearing metasedimentary sequences may have been an important source of high-salinity fluids and/or sulfur for the IOCG deposits of the Carajás mineral province.

Athabasca basin unconformity-type uranium deposits. A special class of sandstone-type deposits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoeve, J.

1980-01-01

Two major episodes of uranium metallogenesis are recognized in Northern Saskatchewan. The first is of late-Hudsonian age and gave rise to metamorphic-hydrothermal pitchblende deposits of simple mineralogy at Beaverlodge (primary mineralization: 1780+-20 m.y.). The second and more important episode of approximately Grenvillian age rendered unconformity-type deposits in the Athabasca Basin (primary mineralization: 1000-1300 m.y.). The late-Hudsonian deposits at Beaverlodge were overprinted by this second event and new deposits of complex mineralogy were formed in that area. The metallogenetic importance of a third and much later episode which gave rise to mineralization within the Athabasca Formation is uncertain at the moment. With regards to metallogenesis of the unconformity-type deposits, presently available evidence favours a diagenetic-hydrothermal rather than a near-surface supergene or a magmatic/metamorphic hydrothermal model. The diagenetic-hydrothermal model relates uranium mineralization to 'red bed-type' diagenetic processes in the Athabasca Formation involving post-depositional oxidation and leaching, which continued for several hundred million years after deposition. Ore deposits were formed by interaction, under conditions of deep burial at elevated temperatures and pressures, of a uraniferous oxidizing Athabasca aquifer with reducing, graphite-bearing, metamorphic rocks of the basin floor. The large-scale convection required for such interaction may have been induced by mafic magmatic activity coeval with the episode of mineralization. The diagenetic-hydrothermal model displays close similarities with metallogenetic models developed for certain sandstone-type deposits. (author)

World Distribution of Uranium Deposits (UDEPO) with uranium deposit classification. 2009 ed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-10-01

The World Distribution of Uranium Deposits (UDEPO) database provides general, technical and geological information, including references, about the worldwide uranium deposits. UDEPO has been published on the internet which allows the users to register freely and to work with datasets (http://www-nfcis.iaea.org). The UDEPO web site is designed to allow users to retrieve data sets on a variety of deposit related topics ranging from specific information on individual uranium deposits to statistical information on uranium deposits worldwide. The basic building blocks for the UDEPO database are the more than 900 individual deposits for which information is available in the database. The database is arranged in a relational database format which has one main table and a number of associated tables. Structured nature of the database allows filtering and querying the database in more systematic way. The web site provides filtering and navigation to the data from the database. It has also a statistical tool which provides summary information on number of deposits and uranium resources by type and status, and by country and status. In this respect and with regard to the data presented, the UDEPO database is a unique database which provides freely accessible information on worldwide uranium deposits. Although a great effort is spent to have complete and accurate database, the users should take into consideration that there still might be missing or outdated data for individual deposits due to the rapid changes in the uranium industry due to the new exploration works which are ongoing everyday. This document and its supplementary CD-ROM represent a snapshot of the status of the database as of the end of 2008. However, the database is being continuously updated and the latest updates and additions can be accessed from the database web site (http://wwwnfcis.iaea.org)

Geological factors of deposit formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grushevoj, G.V.

1980-01-01

Geologic factors of hydrogenic uranium deposit formation are considered. Structural, formation and lithological-facies factors of deposit formation, connected with zones of stratal oxidation, are characterized. Peculiarities of deposit localization, connected with orogenic structures of Mesozoic and lenozoic age, are described. It is noted that deposits of anagenous group are widely spread in Paleozoic formations, infiltration uranium deposits are localized mainly in Cenozoic sediments, while uranium mineralization both anagenous and infiltration groups are widely developed in Mesozoic sediments. Anagenous deposits were formed in non-oxygen situation, their age varies from 200 to 55 mln years. Infiltration deposit formation is determined by asymmetric oxidation zonation, their age varies from 10 - 40 mln years to dozens of thousand years [ru

Deposit3D: a tool for automating structure depositions to the Protein Data Bank

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Badger, J., E-mail: jbadger@active-sight.com; Hendle, J.; Burley, S. K.; Kissinger, C. R. [SGX Inc., 10505 Roselle Street, San Diego, CA 92121 (United States)

2005-09-01

This paper describes a Python script that may be used to gather all required structure-annotation information into an mmCIF file for upload through the RCSB PDB ADIT structure-deposition interface. Almost all successful protein structure-determination projects in the public sector culminate in a structure deposition to the Protein Data Bank (PDB). In order to expedite the deposition proces, Deposit3D has been developed. This command-line script calculates or gathers all the required structure-deposition information and outputs this data into a mmCIF file for subsequent upload through the RCSB PDB ADIT interface. Deposit3D might be particularly useful for structural genomics pipeline projects because it allows workers involved with various stages of a structure-determination project to pool their different categories of annotation information before starting a deposition session.

Deposit3D: a tool for automating structure depositions to the Protein Data Bank

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Badger, J.; Hendle, J.; Burley, S. K.; Kissinger, C. R.

2005-01-01

This paper describes a Python script that may be used to gather all required structure-annotation information into an mmCIF file for upload through the RCSB PDB ADIT structure-deposition interface. Almost all successful protein structure-determination projects in the public sector culminate in a structure deposition to the Protein Data Bank (PDB). In order to expedite the deposition proces, Deposit3D has been developed. This command-line script calculates or gathers all the required structure-deposition information and outputs this data into a mmCIF file for subsequent upload through the RCSB PDB ADIT interface. Deposit3D might be particularly useful for structural genomics pipeline projects because it allows workers involved with various stages of a structure-determination project to pool their different categories of annotation information before starting a deposition session

Magnetic susceptibility evolution and sedimentary environments on carbonate platform sediments and atolls, comparison of the Frasnian from Belgium and Alberta, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

da Silva, Anne-Christine; Potma, Ken; Weissenberger, John A. W.; Whalen, Michael T.; Humblet, Marc; Mabille, Cédric; Boulvain, Frédéric

2009-02-01

Magnetic susceptibility (MS) measurements on carbonate rocks are considered as a proxy for impurities delivered to the carbonate environments. In the absence of strong climatic or tectonic variations, bulk MS values have been linked to sea level variations, because sea-level fall increases clastic supply and therefore increases in magnetic mineral deposition. In this paper we explore the relationship between the average magnitude of bulk MS, with shallowing-up sequences and facies evolution in different Devonian carbonate complexes. Similarities and differences between these parameters have been scrutinized in carbonate attached platform and detached platforms (mounds and/or atolls) from Belgium and Canada. In the carbonate attached platforms from Belgium and Canada, the MS patterns are directly related to depositional environment. Mean MS values increase from the most distal towards the most proximal facies and towards the top of the majority of fourth-order shallowing-up sequences. These trends are in agreement with theoretical background (MS increases with regression). In the Belgian detached platform, the average MS pattern generally shows an opposite behaviour to that observed in the attached carbonate platforms. Average MS decreases towards the most proximal facies and towards the top of a majority of the fourth-order shallowing-up sequences. This behaviour can be explained by the influence of sedimentary rate and water agitation during deposition. A high sedimentary rate will dilute the magnetic minerals in the atoll facies and the high water agitation during deposition may be expected to have prevented the deposition of the magnetic grains. So, the combination of these two effects will result in the observed low values in the atoll crown and lagoonal facies. In the Canadian detached platform, MS is mainly negative. This means that the limestones are very pure. The technique does not appear to be appropriate in these rocks. The variations of average MS

Stratigraphic implications of uranium deposits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Langford, F.F.

1980-01-01

One of the most consistent characteristics of economic uranium deposits is their restricted stratigraphic distribution. Uraninite deposited with direct igneous affiliation contains thorium, whereas chemical precipitates in sedimentary rocks are characterized by thorium-free primary uranium minerals with vanadium and selenium. In marine sediments, these minerals form low-grade disseminations; but in terrestrial sediments, chiefly fluvial sandstones, the concentration of uranium varies widely, with the high-grade portions constituting ore. Pitchblende vein deposits not only exhibit the same chemical characteristics as the Colorado-type sandstone deposits, but they have a stratigraphically consistent position at unconformities covered by fluvial sandstones. If deposits in such diverse situations have critical features in common, they are likely to have had many features of their origin in common. Thus, vein deposits in Saskatchewan and Australia may have analogues in areas that contain Colorado-type sandstone deposits. In New Mexico, the presence of continental sandstones with peneconformable uranium deposits should also indicate good prospecting ground for unconformity-type vein deposits. All unconformities within the periods of continental deposition ranging from Permian to Cretaceous should have uranium potential. Some situations, such as the onlap of the Abo Formation onto Precambrian basement in the Zuni Mountains, may be directly comparable to Saskatchewan deposition. However, uranium occurrences in the upper part of the Entrada Sandstone suggest that unconformities underlain by sedimentary rocks may also be exploration targets

Analyses on the Bayintala basin tectonic movement control of the uranium mineralization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo Funeng; Yao Rongyan; Cai Jianfang; Zhou Wenbo

2014-01-01

Ban Tara tectonic evolution, analysis of the relationship between depression of ore-bearing layer deposition system and epigenetic alteration and uranium mineralization, forms of uranium precipitation and enrichment in each movement stage, thus mineralization regularity in the area and oreprospecting direction. Depression experienced extensional Early Cretaceous warped fault, pull-apart sedimentary, four main stages of evolution inversion uplifting since the late Cretaceous sedimentary and. Deposition of the Tenggeer group and the Saihan group two prospecting target layer, the fan delta Tenggeer formation is sand body and Saihan group of braided river facies sand body, as the main prospecting target layer. According to the analysis of faulted depression-depression sedimentary stage of the formation of the grey clastic rocks are the important ore-bearing horizon, and inversion uplifting the strata with relatively open environment, to provide the necessary conditions for the later formation of uranium deposits. (authors)

Mineral deposits of Central America, with a section on manganese deposits of Panama

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Ralph Jackson; Irving, Earl Montgomery; Simons, F.S.

1957-01-01

The mineral deposits of Central America were studied between 1942 and 1945, in cooperation with the United States Department of State and the Foreign Economic Administration. Emphasis was originally placed on the study of strategic-mineral deposits, especially of antimony, chromite, manganese, quartz, and mica, but deposits of other minerals that offered promise of significant future production were also studied. A brief appraisal of the base-metal deposits was made, and deposits of iron ore in Honduras and of lead and zinc ores in Guatemala were mapped. In addition, studies were made of the regional geology of some areas, data were collected from many sources, and a new map of the geology of Central America was compiled.

A deep water turbidity origin for the Altuda Formation (Capitanian, Permian), Northwest Glass Mountains, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Haneef, Mohammad; Rohr, D.M.; Wardlaw, B.R.

2000-01-01

The Altuda Formation (Capitanian) in the northwestern Glass Mountains is comprised of thin, even bedded limestones, dolostones, mixed clastic-carbonates, and silt/sandstones interbedded with basin-ward dipping wedge-shaped clinoforms of the Captian Limestone. The formation is characterized by graded bedding, planar laminations, flame structures, contorted/convolute bedding, horizontal branching burrows, and shelf-derived normal marine fauna. A detailed study of the Altuda Formation north of Old Blue Mountain, Glass Mountains, reveals that the formation in this area was deposited by turbidity currents in slope to basinal settings.

Tandem solar cells deposited using hot-wire chemical vapor deposition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veen, M.K. van

2003-01-01

In this thesis, the application of the hot-wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) technique for the deposition of silicon thin films is described. The HWCVD technique is based on the dissociation of silicon-containing gasses at the catalytic surface of a hot filament. Advantages of this technique

In-situ CdS/CdTe Heterojuntions Deposited by Pulsed Laser Deposition

KAUST Repository

Avila-Avendano, Jesus

2016-04-09

In this paper pulsed laser deposition (PLD) methods are used to study p-n CdTe/CdS heterojunctions fabricated in-situ. In-situ film deposition allows higher quality p-n interfaces by minimizing spurious contamination from the atmosphere. Morphologic and structural analyses were carried for CdTe films deposited on various substrates and different deposition conditions. The electrical characteristics and performance of the resulting p-n heterojunctions were studied as function of substrate and post-deposition anneal temperature. In-situ growth results on diodes with a rectification factor of ~ 105, an ideality factor < 2, and a reverse saturation current ~ 10-8 A. The carrier concentration in the CdTe film was in the range of ~ 1015 cm-3, as measured by C-V methods. The possible impact of sulfur diffusion from the CdS into the CdTe film is also investigated using High Resolution Rutherford Back-Scattering.

In-situ CdS/CdTe Heterojuntions Deposited by Pulsed Laser Deposition

KAUST Repository

Avila-Avendano, Jesus; Mejia, Israel; Alshareef, Husam N.; Guo, Zaibing; Young, Chadwin; Quevedo-Lopez, Manuel

2016-01-01

In this paper pulsed laser deposition (PLD) methods are used to study p-n CdTe/CdS heterojunctions fabricated in-situ. In-situ film deposition allows higher quality p-n interfaces by minimizing spurious contamination from the atmosphere. Morphologic and structural analyses were carried for CdTe films deposited on various substrates and different deposition conditions. The electrical characteristics and performance of the resulting p-n heterojunctions were studied as function of substrate and post-deposition anneal temperature. In-situ growth results on diodes with a rectification factor of ~ 105, an ideality factor < 2, and a reverse saturation current ~ 10-8 A. The carrier concentration in the CdTe film was in the range of ~ 1015 cm-3, as measured by C-V methods. The possible impact of sulfur diffusion from the CdS into the CdTe film is also investigated using High Resolution Rutherford Back-Scattering.

Reactive polymer fused deposition manufacturing

Science.gov (United States)

Kunc, Vlastimil; Rios, Orlando; Love, Lonnie J.; Duty, Chad E.; Johs, Alexander

2017-05-16

Methods and compositions for additive manufacturing that include reactive or thermosetting polymers, such as urethanes and epoxies. The polymers are melted, partially cross-linked prior to the depositing, deposited to form a component object, solidified, and fully cross-linked. These polymers form networks of chemical bonds that span the deposited layers. Application of a directional electromagnetic field can be applied to aromatic polymers after deposition to align the polymers for improved bonding between the deposited layers.

Arc-related porphyry molybdenum deposit model: Chapter D in Mineral deposit models for resource assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Ryan D.; Hammarstrom, Jane M.; Piatak, Nadine M.; Seal, Robert R.

2012-01-01

This report provides a descriptive model for arc-related porphyry molybdenum deposits. Presented within are geological, geochemical, and mineralogical characteristics that differentiate this deposit type from porphyry copper and alkali-feldspar rhyolite-granite porphyry molybdenum deposits. The U.S. Geological Survey's effort to update existing mineral deposit models spurred this research, which is intended to supplement previously published models for this deposit type that help guide mineral-resource and mineral-environmental assessments.

Low-pressure chemical vapor deposition as a tool for deposition of thin film battery materials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Oudenhoven, J.F.M.; Dongen, van T.; Niessen, R.A.H.; Croon, de M.H.J.M.; Notten, P.H.L.

2009-01-01

Low Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition was utilized for the deposition of LiCoO2 cathode materials for all-solid-state thin-film micro-batteries. To obtain insight in the deposition process, the most important process parameters were optimized for the deposition of crystalline electrode films on

Quartz-pebble-conglomerate gold deposits: Chapter P in Mineral deposit models for resource assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Ryan D.; Anderson, Eric D.

2018-05-17

Quartz-pebble-conglomerate gold deposits represent the largest repository of gold on Earth, largely due to the deposits of the Witwatersrand Basin, which account for nearly 40 percent of the total gold produced throughout Earth’s history. This deposit type has had a controversial history in regards to genetic models. However, most researchers conclude that they are paleoplacer deposits that have been modified by metamorphism and hydrothermal fluid flow subsequent to initial sedimentation.The deposits are found exclusively within fault-bounded depositional basins. The periphery of these basins commonly consists of granite-greenstone terranes, classic hosts for lode gold that source the detrital material infilling the basin. The gold reefs are typically located along unconformities or, less commonly, at the top of sedimentary beds. Large quartz pebbles and heavy-mineral concentrates are found associated with the gold. Deposits that formed prior to the Great Oxidation Event (circa 2.4 giga-annum [Ga]) contain pyrite, whereas younger deposits contain iron oxides. Uranium minerals and hydrocarbons are also notable features of some deposits.Much of the gold in these types of deposits forms crystalline features that are the product of local remobilization. However, some gold grains preserve textures that are undoubtedly of detrital origin. Other heavy minerals, such as pyrite, contain growth banding that is truncated along broken margins, which indicates that they were transported into place as opposed to forming by in situ growth in a hydrothermal setting.The ore tailings associated with these deposits commonly contain uranium-rich minerals and sulfides. Oxidation of the sulfides releases sulfuric acid and mobilizes various metals into the environment. The neutralizing potential of the tailings is minimal, since carbonate minerals are rare. The continuity of the tabular ore bodies, such as those of the Witwatersrand Basin, has allowed these mines to be the deepest in

Urban acid deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Conlan, D.E.; Longhurst, J.W.S.; Gee, D.R.; Hare, S.E.

1991-07-01

In this document results from the Greater Manchester Acid Deposition Survey (GMADS), an urban precipitation chemistry network, for 1990 are presented. Full analytical methods are described along with the precision and accuracy of the methods used. The spatial variability of precipitation chemistry and deposition over this urban region was investigated using a network of twenty collectors. Concentrations of non marine sulphate, ammonium, calcium and hydrogen, and nitrogen dioxide gas concentrations all show significant spatial variability. The spatial variability of the deposition rates of non marine sulphate, nitrate, ammonium, hydrogen and calcium were significant. (Author).

Post-depositional fracturing and subsidence of pumice flow deposits: Lascar Volcano, Chile.

Science.gov (United States)

Whelley, Patrick L; Jay, J; Calder, E S; Pritchard, M E; Cassidy, N J; Alcaraz, S; Pavez, A

Unconsolidated pyroclastic flow deposits of the 1993 eruption of Lascar Volcano, Chile, have, with time, become increasingly dissected by a network of deeply penetrating fractures. The fracture network comprises orthogonal sets of decimeter-wide linear voids that form a pseudo-polygonal grid visible on the deposit surface. In this work, we combine shallow surface geophysical imaging tools with remote sensing observations and direct field measurements of the deposit to investigate these fractures and their underlying causal mechanisms. Based on ground penetrating radar images, the fractures are observed to have propagated to depths of up to 10 m. In addition, orbiting radar interferometry shows that deposit subsidence of up to 1 cm/year -1 occurred between 1993 and 1996 with continued subsidence occurring at a slower rate thereafter. In situ measurements show that 1 m below the surface, the 1993 deposits remain 5°C to 15°C hotter, 18 years after emplacement, than adjacent deposits. Based on the observed subsidence as well as estimated cooling rates, the fractures are inferred to be the combined result of deaeration, thermal contraction, and sedimentary compaction in the months to years following deposition. Significant environmental factors, including regional earthquakes in 1995 and 2007, accelerated settling at punctuated moments in time. The spatially variable fracture pattern relates to surface slope and lithofacies variations as well as substrate lithology. Similar fractures have been reported in other ignimbrites but are generally exposed only in cross section and are often attributed to formation by external forces. Here we suggest that such interpretations should be invoked with caution, and deformation including post-emplacement subsidence and fracturing of loosely packed ash-rich deposits in the months to years post-emplacement is a process inherent in the settling of pyroclastic material.

Low-fluorine Stockwork Molybdenite Deposits

Science.gov (United States)

Ludington, Steve; Hammarstrom, Jane; Piatak, Nadine M.

2009-01-01

Low-fluorine stockwork molybdenite deposits are closely related to porphyry copper deposits, being similar in their tectonic setting (continental volcanic arc) and the petrology (calc-alkaline) of associated igneous rock types. They are mainly restricted to the Cordillera of western Canada and the northwest United States, and their distribution elsewhere in the world may be limited. The deposits consist of stockwork bodies of molybdenite-bearing quartz veinlets that are present in and around the upper parts of intermediate to felsic intrusions. The deposits are relatively low grade (0.05 to 0.2 percent Mo), but relatively large, commonly >50 million tons. The source plutons for these deposits range from granodiorite to granite in composition; the deposits primarily form in continental margin subduction-related magmatic arcs, often concurrent with formation of nearby porphyry copper deposits. Oxidation of pyrite in unmined deposits or in tailings and waste rock during weathering can lead to development of acid-rock drainage and limonite-rich gossans. Waters associated with low-fluorine stockwork molybdenite deposits tend to be nearly neutral in pH; variable in concentrations of molybdenum (10,000 ug/L); below regulatory guidelines for copper, iron, lead, zinc, and mercury; and locally may exceed guidelines for arsenic, cadmium, and selenium.

Development and evaluation of a long-term deposit probe for on-line monitoring of deposit growth

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brink, Anders; Lauren, Tor; Yrjas, Patrik; Hupa, Mikko [Process Chemistry Centre, Aabo Akademi University, Biskopsgatan 8, FI-20540 Turku (Finland); Friesenbichler, Joachim [Institute for Resource Efficient and Sustainable Systems, Technical University Graz Inffeldg. 21b, A-8010 Graz (Austria)

2007-12-15

A newly designed air-cooled probe for on-line monitoring of deposition growth has been tested in a boiler firing three woody fuels. Thermocouples are mounted on both sides of the tube wall enabling measurements of the heat flux through the probe wall. Knowing the heat flux through the probe wall, it is possible to measure the additional heat transfer resistance caused by the deposit and to estimate the properties of the deposit. Calculating the deposit thickness using the collected temperature data indicated the thinnest deposit when wood was fired, followed by bark and waste wood. The calculated deposit thickness was larger than those found when analysing the deposit thickness after the probe had been removed. Nevertheless, the ranking of fuels by deposit build-up rate was the same. (author)

Evolution of the Lian River coastal basin in response to Quaternary marine transgressions in Southeast China

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Yongjie; Zheng, Zhuo; Chen, Cong; Wang, Mengyuan; Chen, Bishan

2018-04-01

The coastal basin deposit in the Lian River plain is among the thickest Quaternary sequences along the southeastern coast of China. The clastic sediment accumulated in a variety of environmental settings including fluvial, channel, estuary/coastal and marine conditions. Detailed investigation of lithofacies, grain-size distributions, magnetic susceptibility, microfossils and chronology of marine core CN01, compared with regional cores, and combined with offshore seismic reflection profiles, has allowed us to correlate the spatial stratigraphy in the inner and outer plain and the seismic units. Grain size distribution analysis of core CN-01 through compositional data analysis and multivariate statistics were applied to clastic sedimentary facies and sedimentary cycles. Results show that these methods are able to derive a robust proxy information for the depositional environment of the Lian River plain. We have also been able to reconstruct deltaic evolution in response to marine transgressions. On the basis of dating results and chronostratigraphy, the estimated age of the onset of deposition in the Lian River coastal plain was more than 260 kyr BP. Three transgressive sedimentary cycles revealed in many regional cores support this age model. Detailed lithological and microfossil studies confirm that three marine (M3, M2 and M1) and three terrestrial (T3, T2 and T1) units can be distinguished. Spatial correlation between the inner plain, outer plain (typical cores characterized by marine transgression cycles) and offshore seismic reflectors reveals coherent sedimentary sequences. Two major boundaries (unconformity and erosion surfaces) can be recognized in the seismic profiles, and these correspond to weathered reddish and/or variegated clay in the study core, suggesting that Quaternary sediment changes on the Lian River plain were largely controlled by sea-level variations and coastline shift during glacial/interglacial cycles.

Early Cretaceous marine sediments of the Lower Saxony Basin. The Gildehaus Sandstone

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dellepiane, S.; Weiel, D. [Wintershall Holding GmbH, Barnstorf (Germany); Gerwert, D.; Mutterlose, J. [Bochum Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Geologie, Mineralogie und Geophysik

2013-08-01

During the Early Cretaceous (Berriasian - Aptian) the Lower Saxony Basin (LSB) formed the southernmost extension of the North Sea Basin. Sedimentation patterns of the LSB were controlled by divergent dextral shear movement causing differential subsidence related to early rifting in the North Sea. Up to 2000m of fine grained mudstones accumulated in the basin centre, while marginal marine, coarser grained siliciclastics were deposited along the western and southern margins of the LSB. The western marginal facies, outcropping along the Dutch-German border, is characterised by shallow marine sandstones of Valanginian - Hauterivian age. These units, which are separated by clay rich intervals, include the Bentheim Sdst., the Dichotomites Sdst., the Grenz Sdst., the Noricum Sdst. and the Gildehaus Sdst. These sandstones form a series of overall backstepping units, controlled by a main transgressive trend. Economically important are the Bentheim Sdst. and the Gildehaus Sdst., with a long oil producing history. The Bentheim Sdst. (early Valanginian) has been interpreted as an overall retrograding unit related to an incised valley infill with material mainly coming from the South. Tidal processes dominated the deposition of the Bentheim Sdst. The origin and genesis of the Gildehaus Sdst. (mid Hauterivian) is, however, less well understood. Here we present data from two wells drilled to the Gildehaus Sdst. (Emlichheim oil field) which provide evidence for a two fold subdivision of the unit. A well sorted massive quartz sandstone is followed by an interval composed of reworked coarse clastics of massflow origin. Micropalaeontological evidence suggests a fully marine, hemi-pelagic origin of the mud dominated matrix throughout the Gildehaus Sdst. These findings indicate a depositional environment quite different from that of the Bentheim Sdst. Short termed pulses of substantial input of clastic material from two different sources in the West to Southwest punctuated the overall

Dry deposition on urban surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roed, J.

1985-01-01

In order to facilitate developing a model for deposition in urban areas, beryllium-7, created by cosmic radiation and fall-out cesium-137, have been used as tracers in measurements designed to find the dry deposition velocity on building surfaces. A literature review has revealed that very little work has been done on deposition in urban areas; therefore, a major effort on meausring the deposition parameter is needed to construct reliable models in this field. Deposition velocities in the range from 0.001-0.04 cm/s have been found. (author)

A special issue devoted to gold deposits in northern Nevada: Part 2. Carlin-type Deposits

Science.gov (United States)

Hofstra, Albert H.; John, David A.; Theodore, Ted G.

2003-01-01

This is the second of two special issues of Economic Geology devoted to gold deposits in northern Nevada. Readers interested in a general overview of these deposits, their economic significance, their context within the tectonic evolution of the region, and synoptic references on each gold deposit type are directed to the preface of the first special issue (John et al., 2003). Volume 98, issue 2, contains five papers that address regional aspects important to the genesis of gold deposits in northern Nevada and five papers that present detailed studies of epithermal deposits and districts. All of the regional papers are pertinent to Carlin-type gold deposits, because they address the age of mineralization (Arehart et al., 2003), origin and evolutionary history of the northwest-striking mineral belts that localize many deposits (Grauch et al., 2003), nature of the middle and lower crust below these mineral belts (Howard, 2003), district- to deposit-scale stream sediment and lithogeochemical anomalies (Theodore et al., 2003), and stratigraphy and structure of a district located along a northeast-striking lineament (Peters et al., 2003).

Deposits of the Peruvian Pisco Formation compared to layered deposits on Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Sowe, M.; Bishop, J. L.; Gross, C.; Walter, S.

2013-09-01

Deposits of the Peruvian Pisco Formation are morphologically similar to the mounds of Juventae Chasma at the equatorial region on Mars (Fig. 1). By analyzing these deposits, we hope to gain information about the environmental conditions that prevailed during sediment deposition and erosion, hence conditions that might be applicable to the Martian layered and hydrated deposits. Mariner 9 data of the Martian mid-latitudes have already shown evidence of the wind-sculptured landforms that display the powerful prevailing eolian regime [1]. In addition, [2] reported on similarities between Martian erosional landforms and those of the rainless coastal desert of central Peru from the Paracas peninsula to the Rio Ica. As indicated by similar erosional patterns, hyper-arid conditions and unidirectional winds must have dominated at least after deposition of the sediments, which are intermixed volcaniclastic materials and evaporate minerals at both locations. Likewise, variations in composition are displayed by alternating layers of different competence. The Pisco formation bears yardangs on siltstones, sandstones and clays with volcaniclastic admixtures [3] whereas the presence of sulphate minerals and the omnipresent mafic mineralogy has been reported for the layered mounds of Juventae Chasma equally [4]. Likewise, a volcanic airfall deposition and lacustrine formation have been proposed for the sulphate-rich deposits of Juventae Chasma [5,6]. In order to find out about potential spectral similarities, we performed a detailed spectral analysis of the surface by using LANDSAT and Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) VNIR/ SWIR data (visible to near-infrared and shortwave infrared region).

Lacustrine sedimentation and facies model for the last 45,000 yr in Chalco basin. Central Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Ortega, B.; Lozano, S.; Caballero, M.; Herrera, D.

2013-05-01

Chalco basin in central Mexico (19° 15' N, 98° 58' W, 2200 m asl) is one of the most detailed lake sediment sequence analyzed in Mexico for paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental studies. In this former lake, five drill cores up to 27 m depth were recovered in 1987-1989 by the UNAM team, and three cores covering most of the former sequence were obtained in 2008 and 2011. The upper 27 m of the Chalco lacustrine sequence contains the record of the last 45 kyr climate history in the northern American tropics. The active tectonic and volcanic setting of Chalco Lake in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, provides an opportunity to evaluate environmental (volcanic + tectonic vs. climatic) controls on lacustrine sedimentation. The establishment of a detailed time scale by 14C in pollen extracts provides an accurate chronological control. The stratigraphical and sedimentological analyses presented here provided the recognition of depositional environments and the architecture of the upper lacustrine succession. Sedimentary facies were defined on the basis of sedimentological descriptions, microscopic observation and compositional analyses. According to compositional criteria, facies were identified and groped into two main categories according to compositional criteria: 1) detrital and volcaniclastic, and 2) biogenic facies. The clastic facies includes massive to laminated, silty and clayey sediments composed of clay minerals, feldspars, amphiboles with minor amounts of quartz, opaque minerals and calcite. Diatoms are the most common biological remains in all the clastic facies. Most of the volcaniclastic deposits correspond to fall-out deposits, some of them of well documented eruptions of the nearby large stratovolcanoes Popocatepetl and Nevado de Toluca, which in turn serve as stratigraphical markers. The biogenic facies are massive to finely laminated diatom ooze and ostracod ooze layers. The sedimentary architecture of the lacustrine succession has been controlled by

NURE uranium deposit model studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crew, M.E.

1981-01-01

The National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) Program has sponsored uranium deposit model studies by Bendix Field Engineering Corporation (Bendix), the US Geological Survey (USGS), and numerous subcontractors. This paper deals only with models from the following six reports prepared by Samuel S. Adams and Associates: GJBX-1(81) - Geology and Recognition Criteria for Roll-Type Uranium Deposits in Continental Sandstones; GJBX-2(81) - Geology and Recognition Criteria for Uraniferous Humate Deposits, Grants Uranium Region, New Mexico; GJBX-3(81) - Geology and Recognition Criteria for Uranium Deposits of the Quartz-Pebble Conglomerate Type; GJBX-4(81) - Geology and Recognition Criteria for Sandstone Uranium Deposits in Mixed Fluvial-Shallow Marine Sedimentary Sequences, South Texas; GJBX-5(81) - Geology and Recognition Criteria for Veinlike Uranium Deposits of the Lower to Middle Proterozoic Unconformity and Strata-Related Types; GJBX-6(81) - Geology and Recognition Criteria for Sandstone Uranium Deposits of the Salt Wash Type, Colorado Plateau Province. A unique feature of these models is the development of recognition criteria in a systematic fashion, with a method for quantifying the various items. The recognition-criteria networks are used in this paper to illustrate the various types of deposits

Vapor deposition of large area NpO2 and UO2 deposits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adair, H.L.; Gibson, J.R.; Kobisk, E.H.; Dailey, J.M.

1976-01-01

Deposition of NpO 2 and UO 2 thin films over an area of 7.5 to 10 cm diam has become a routine operation in preparation of fission chamber plates. Vacuum evaporation or electroplating has been used for this purpose. The ''paint brush'' technique has been used as well; however, uniformity requirements normally eliminate this procedure. Vapor deposition in vacuum appears to be the most suitable technique for preparing NpO 2 and UO 2 deposits of >200 cm 2 . This paper describes the procedures used in preparing uniform large area deposits of NpO 2 (approximately 300 cm 2 ) and UO 2 (approximately 2000 cm 2 ) by vacuum evaporation using electron bombardment heating and several substrate motion and heating methods to achieve uniformity and adhesion

Precambrian uranium deposits as a possible source of uranium for the European Variscan deposits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mineeva, I.G.; Klochkov, A.S.

2002-01-01

The Precambrian uranium deposits have been studied on the territory of Baltic and Ukrainian shields. The primary Early Proterozoic complex Au-U deposits originated in granite-greenstone belts as a result of their evolution during continental earth crust formation by prolonged rift genesis. The greenstone belts are clues for revealing ancient protoriftogenic structures. The general regularities of uranium deposition on Precambrian shields are also traceable in Variscan uranium deposits from the Bohemian massif. The Variscan period of uranium ore formation is connected with a polychronous rejuvenation of ancient riftogenous systems and relatively younger processes of oil and gas formation leading to the repeated mobilization of U from destroyed Proterozoic and Riphean uranium deposits. (author)

Uranium deposits in granitic rocks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishimori, R.K.; Ragland, P.C.; Rogers, J.J.W.; Greenberg, J.K.

1977-01-01

This report is a review of published data bearing on the geology and origin of uranium deposits in granitic, pegmatitic and migmatitic rocks with the aim of assisting in the development of predictive criteria for the search for similar deposits in the U.S. Efforts were concentrated on the so-called ''porphyry'' uranium deposits. Two types of uranium deposits are primarily considered: deposits in pegmatites and alaskites in gneiss terrains, and disseminations of uranium in high-level granites. In Chapter 1 of this report, the general data on the distribution of uranium in igneous and metamorphic rocks are reviewed. Chapter 2 contains some comments on the classification of uranium deposits associated with igneous rocks and a summary of the main features of the geology of uranium deposits in granites. General concepts of the behavior of uranium in granites during crustal evolution are reviewed in Chapter 3. Also included is a discussion of the relationship of uranium mineralization in granites to the general evolution of mobile belts, plus the influence of magmatic and post-magmatic processes on the distribution of uranium in igneous rocks and related ore deposits. Chapter 4 relates the results of experimental studies on the crystallization of granites to some of the geologic features of uranium deposits in pegmatites and alaskites in high-grade metamorphic terrains. Potential or favorable areas for igneous uranium deposits in the U.S.A. are delineated in Chapter 5. Data on the geology of specific uranium deposits in granitic rocks are contained in Appendix 1. A compilation of igneous rock formations containing greater than 10 ppM uranium is included in Appendix 2. Appendix 3 is a report on the results of a visit to the Roessing area. Appendix 4 is a report on a field excursion to eastern Canada

Enhanced nitrogen deposition over China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Xuejun; Zhang, Ying; Han, Wenxuan; Tang, Aohan; Shen, Jianlin; Cui, Zhenling; Christie, Peter; Zhang, Fusuo [College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193 (China); Vitousek, Peter [Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305 (United States); Erisman, Jan Willem [VU University Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam (Netherlands); Goulding, Keith [The Sustainable Soils and Grassland Systems Department, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden AL5 2JQ (United Kingdom); Fangmeier, Andreas [Institute of Landscape and Plant Ecology, University of Hohenheim, 70593 Stuttgart (Germany)

2013-02-28

China is experiencing intense air pollution caused in large part by anthropogenic emissions of reactive nitrogen. These emissions result in the deposition of atmospheric nitrogen (N) in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, with implications for human and ecosystem health, greenhouse gas balances and biological diversity. However, information on the magnitude and environmental impact of N deposition in China is limited. Here we use nationwide data sets on bulk N deposition, plant foliar N and crop N uptake (from long-term unfertilized soils) to evaluate N deposition dynamics and their effect on ecosystems across China between 1980 and 2010. We find that the average annual bulk deposition of N increased by approximately 8 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare (P < 0.001) between the 1980s (13.2 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare) and the 2000s (21.1 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare). Nitrogen deposition rates in the industrialized and agriculturally intensified regions of China are as high as the peak levels of deposition in northwestern Europe in the 1980s, before the introduction of mitigation measures. Nitrogen from ammonium (NH4+) is the dominant form of N in bulk deposition, but the rate of increase is largest for deposition of N from nitrate (NO3-), in agreement with decreased ratios of NH3 to NOx emissions since 1980. We also find that the impact of N deposition on Chinese ecosystems includes significantly increased plant foliar N concentrations in natural and semi-natural (that is, non-agricultural) ecosystems and increased crop N uptake from long-term-unfertilized croplands. China and other economies are facing a continuing challenge to reduce emissions of reactive nitrogen, N deposition and their negative effects on human health and the environment.

Breakthrough to Non-Vacuum Deposition of Single-Crystal, Ultra-Thin, Homogeneous Nanoparticle Layers: A Better Alternative to Chemical Bath Deposition and Atomic Layer Deposition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu-Kuang Liao

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Most thin-film techniques require a multiple vacuum process, and cannot produce high-coverage continuous thin films with the thickness of a few nanometers on rough surfaces. We present a new ”paradigm shift” non-vacuum process to deposit high-quality, ultra-thin, single-crystal layers of coalesced sulfide nanoparticles (NPs with controllable thickness down to a few nanometers, based on thermal decomposition. This provides high-coverage, homogeneous thickness, and large-area deposition over a rough surface, with little material loss or liquid chemical waste, and deposition rates of 10 nm/min. This technique can potentially replace conventional thin-film deposition methods, such as atomic layer deposition (ALD and chemical bath deposition (CBD as used by the Cu(In,GaSe2 (CIGS thin-film solar cell industry for decades. We demonstrate 32% improvement of CIGS thin-film solar cell efficiency in comparison to reference devices prepared by conventional CBD deposition method by depositing the ZnS NPs buffer layer using the new process. The new ZnS NPs layer allows reduction of an intrinsic ZnO layer, which can lead to severe shunt leakage in case of a CBD buffer layer. This leads to a 65% relative efficiency increase.

Phanerozoic trends in shell accumulations: A comparison of Ordovician-Silurian and Tertiary records

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kidwell, S.M. (Univ. of Chicago, IL (United States). Dept. of Geophysical Sciences); Brenchley, P.J. (Univ. of Liverpool (United Kingdom). Dept. of Earth Sciences)

1993-04-01

Evolutionary changes in the diversity and bathymetric deployment of major benthic invertebrate groups, both those that produce and those that modify bioclasts, suggest that the nature of shell accumulations is likely to have also changed through the Phanerozoic. Specifically, it has been suggested that, excepting crinoidal deposits, the Paleozoic-Triassic record is dominated by thin shell concentrations (< few 10s cm) whereas the Cretaceous-Cenozoic record includes much thicker accumulations (> 1 m). To test this, the authors focused on siliciclastic records in two end-point periods. Using the literature on North America and Europe combined with extensive field-checking, they found that brachiopod-, trilobite-, and bryozoan-dominated accumulations in the Ord-Sil are typically thin but that there are important exceptions. In the Tertiary, thick concentrations are composed of a much larger variety of groups, occur in a wider range of environments, and exhibit a greater diversity of biostratinomic features and inferred accumulation histories. Information on the paleobathymetry, paleolatitude and tectonic setting was evaluated for all data points, and so the contrasting patterns of shell accumulation can clearly be related to differences in geologic age rather than to environmental biases in data collection. Even the analysis of only a few shell-bed features, therefore, provides strong evidence for long-term changes in the nature of the bioclastic fossil record. Work still in progress suggests that there are also long-term changes in the distribution and nature of bioclastic deposits through stratigraphic (3rd-order) sequences, particularly in the character of skeletal material associated with key surfaces.

Shyok Suture Zone, N Pakistan: late Mesozoic Tertiary evolution of a critical suture separating the oceanic Ladakh Arc from the Asian continental margin

Science.gov (United States)

Robertson, Alastair H. F.; Collins, Alan S.

2002-02-01

-grade, mixed carbonate/siliciclastic sedimentary rocks that accumulated on the south-Asian continental margin. A structurally associated turbiditic slope/basinal succession records rifting of the Karakoram continent (part of Mega-Lhasa) from Gondwana. Red clastics of inferred fluvial origin ('molasse') unconformably overlie the Late Palaeozoic-Triassic succession and are also intersliced with other units in the suture zone. Reconnaissance further east (north of the Shyok River) indicates the presence of redeposited volcaniclastic sediments and thick acid tuffs, derived from nearby volcanic centres, presumed to lie within the Ladakh Arc. In addition, comparison with Lower Cretaceous clastic sediments (Maium Unit) within the Northern Suture Zone, west of the Nanga Parbat syntaxis (Hunza River) reveals notable differences, including the presence of terrigenous quartz-rich conglomerates, serpentinite debris-flow deposits and a contrasting structural history. The Shyok Suture Zone in the Skardu area is interpreted to preserve the remnants of a rifted oceanic back-arc basin and components of the Asian continental margin. In the west (Hunza River), a mixed volcanogenic and terrigenous succession (Maium Unit) is interpreted to record syn-deformational infilling of a remnant back-arc basin/foreland basin prior to suturing of the Kohistan Arc with Asia (75-90 Ma).

Dual Nitrate Isotopes in Dry Deposition: Utility for Partitioning Nox Source Contributions to Landscape Nitrogen Deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Dry deposition is a major component of total nitrogen deposition and thus an important source of bioavailable nitrogen to ecosystems. However, relative to wet deposition, less is known regarding the sources and spatial variability of dry deposition. This is in part due to diffi...

CTS and CZTS for solar cells made by pulsed laser deposition and pulsed electron deposition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ettlinger, Rebecca Bolt

This thesis concerns the deposition of thin films for solar cells using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and pulsed electron deposition (PED). The aim was to deposit copper tin sulfide (CTS) and zinc sulfide (ZnS) by pulsed laser deposition to learn about these materials in relation to copper zinc tin...... time. We compared the results of CZTS deposition by PLD at DTU in Denmark to CZTS made by PED at IMEM-CNR, where CIGS solar cells have successfully been fabricated at very low processing temperatures. The main results of this work were as follows: Monoclinic-phase CTS films were made by pulsed laser...... deposition followed by high temperature annealing. The films were used to understand the double band gap that we and other groups observed in the material. The Cu-content of the CTS films varied depending on the laser fluence (the laser energy per pulse and per area). The material transfer from...

Laboratory Deposition Apparatus to Study the Effects of Wax Deposition on Pipe Magnetic Field Leakage Signals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karim Mohd Fauzi Abd

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Accurate technique for wax deposition detection and severity measurement on cold pipe wall is important for pipeline cleaning program. Usually these techniques are validated by conventional techniques on laboratory scale wax deposition flow loop. However conventional techniques inherent limitations and it is difficult to reproduce a predetermine wax deposit profile and hardness at designated location in flow loop. An alternative wax deposition system which integrates modified pour casting method and cold finger method is presented. This system is suitable to reproduce high volume of medium hard wax deposit in pipe with better control of wax deposit profile and hardness.

The influences of target properties and deposition times on pulsed laser deposited hydroxyapatite films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bao Quanhe; Chen Chuanzhong; Wang Diangang; Liu Junming

2008-01-01

Hydroxyapatite films were produced by pulsed laser deposition from three kinds of hydroxyapatite targets and with different deposition times. A JXA-8800R electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA) with a Link ISIS300 energy spectrum analyzer was used to give the secondary electron image (SE) and determine the element composition of the films. The phases of thin film were analyzed by a D/max-γc X-ray diffractometer (XRD). The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was used to characterize the hydroxyl, phosphate and other functional groups. The results show that deposited films were amorphous which mainly composed of droplet-like particles and vibration of PO 4 3- groups. With the target sintering temperature deposition times increasing, the density of droplets is decreased. While with deposition times increasing, the density of droplets is increased. With the target sintering temperature and deposition time increasing, the ratio of Ca/P is increasing and higher than that of theoretical value of HA

Advanced deposition model for thermal activated chemical vapor deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Dang

Thermal Activated Chemical Vapor Deposition (TACVD) is defined as the formation of a stable solid product on a heated substrate surface from chemical reactions and/or dissociation of gaseous reactants in an activated environment. It has become an essential process for producing solid film, bulk material, coating, fibers, powders and monolithic components. Global market of CVD products has reached multi billions dollars for each year. In the recent years CVD process has been extensively used to manufacture semiconductors and other electronic components such as polysilicon, AlN and GaN. Extensive research effort has been directed to improve deposition quality and throughput. To obtain fast and high quality deposition, operational conditions such as temperature, pressure, fluid velocity and species concentration and geometry conditions such as source-substrate distance need to be well controlled in a CVD system. This thesis will focus on design of CVD processes through understanding the transport and reaction phenomena in the growth reactor. Since the in situ monitor is almost impossible for CVD reactor, many industrial resources have been expended to determine the optimum design by semi-empirical methods and trial-and-error procedures. This approach has allowed the achievement of improvements in the deposition sequence, but begins to show its limitations, as this method cannot always fulfill the more and more stringent specifications of the industry. To resolve this problem, numerical simulation is widely used in studying the growth techniques. The difficulty of numerical simulation of TACVD crystal growth process lies in the simulation of gas phase and surface reactions, especially the latter one, due to the fact that very limited kinetic information is available in the open literature. In this thesis, an advanced deposition model was developed to study the multi-component fluid flow, homogeneous gas phase reactions inside the reactor chamber, heterogeneous surface

Effect of post-deposition implantation and annealing on the properties of PECVD deposited silicon nitride films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shams, Q.A.

1988-01-01

Recently it has been shown that memory-quality silicon nitride can be deposited using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). Nitrogen implantation and post-deposition annealing resulted in improved memory properties of MNOS devices. The primary objective of the work described here is the continuation of the above work. Silicon nitride films were deposited using argon as the carrier gas and evaluated in terms of memory performance as the charge-trapping layer in the metal-nitride-oxide-silicon (MNOS) capacitor structure. The bonding structure of PECVD silicon nitride was modified by annealing in different ambients at temperatures higher than the deposition temperature. Post-deposition ion implantation was used to introduce argon into the films in an attempt to influence the transfer, trapping, and emission of charge during write/erase exercising of the MNOS devices. Results show that the memory performance of PECVD silicon nitride is sensitive to the deposition parameters and post-deposition processing

Reaction kinetics of metal deposition via surface limited red-ox replacement of underpotentially deposited metal monolayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gokcen, Dincer; Bae, Sang-Eun; Brankovic, Stanko R.

2011-01-01

The study of the kinetics of metal deposition via surface limited red-ox replacement of underpotentially deposited metal monolayers is presented. The model system was Pt submonolayer deposition on Au(1 1 1) via red-ox replacement of Pb and Cu UPD monolayers on Au(1 1 1). The kinetics of a single replacement reaction was studied using the formalism of the comprehensive analytical model developed to fit the open circuit potential transients from deposition experiments. The practical reaction kinetics parameters like reaction half life, reaction order and reaction rate constant are determined and discussed with their relevance to design and control of deposition experiments. The effects of transport limitation and the role of the anions/electrolyte on deposition kinetics are investigated and their significance to design of effective deposition process is discussed.

A new CT scan methodology to characterize a small aggregation gravel clast contained in a soft sediment matrix

Science.gov (United States)

Fouinat, Laurent; Sabatier, Pierre; Poulenard, Jérôme; Reyss, Jean-Louis; Montet, Xavier; Arnaud, Fabien

2017-03-01

Over the past decades, X-ray computed tomography (CT) has been increasingly applied in the geosciences community. CT scanning is a rapid, non-destructive method allowing the assessment of relative density of clasts in natural archives samples. This study focuses on the use of this method to explore instantaneous deposits as major contributors to sedimentation of high-elevation lakes in the Alps, such as the Lake Lauvitel system (western French Alps). This lake is located within a very steep valley prone to episodic flooding and features gullies ending in the lake. This variety of erosion processes leads to deposition of sedimentary layers with distinct clastic properties. We identified 18 turbidites and 15 layers of poorly sorted fine sediment associated with the presence of gravels since AD 1880. These deposits are respectively interpreted as being induced by flood and wet avalanche. This constitutes a valuable record from a region where few historical records exist. This CT scan approach is suitable for instantaneous deposit identification to reconstruct past evolution and may be applicable to a wider variety of sedimentary archives alongside existing approaches.

Sedimentary and tectonic history of the Holowilena Ironstone, a Neoproterozoic iron formation in South Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Lechte, Maxwell Alexander; Wallace, Malcolm William

2015-11-01

The Holowilena Ironstone is a Neoproterozoic iron formation in South Australia associated with glacial deposits of the Sturtian glaciation. Through a comprehensive field study coupled with optical and scanning electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence, and X-ray diffraction, a detailed description of the stratigraphy, sedimentology, mineralogy, and structure of the Holowilena Ironstone was obtained. The Holowilena Ironstone comprises ferruginous shales, siltstones, diamictites, and is largely made up of hematite and jasper, early diagenetic replacement minerals of precursor iron oxyhydroxides, and silica. These chemical precipitates are variably influenced by turbidites and debris flows contributing clastic detritus to the depositional system. Structural and stratigraphic evidence suggests deposition within a synsedimentary half-graben. A model for the Holowilena Ironstone is proposed, in which dense oxic fluids expelled during sea ice formation in the Cryogenian pool in the depression of the half-graben, allowing for long-lived mixing with the ferruginous seawater and the deposition of iron oxides. This combination of glacial dynamics, tectonism, and ocean chemistry may explain the return of iron formations in the Neoproterozoic.

The development condition of longitudinal channels of a Lower Cretaceous formation and its perspective for sandstone type uranium deposits in the Erlian basin, northern China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qin, M.; Xu, Q.; Liu, W.; Song, J.; Chen, D.; Wei, S.

2014-01-01

normal faults along the macroaxis inside of the depression. 3. Minerogenetic perspective: Sandstone type uranium deposits detected, which are middle scale or larger, mainly locate in longitudinal palaeochannels in the Erlian basin. Longitudinal palaeochannels are rich sandstone bodies which character well continuation, rich organic clastic debris, well aquifer region and favorableness of adequate hydro-litho reciprocal action, and therefore are the most favourable sedimentary facie for mineralizing of sandstone type uranium deposits in the Erlian basin which possesses a high mineralization and exploration perspective. (author)

Thermal plasma chemical vapor deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heberlein, J.; Pfender, E.

1993-01-01

Thermal plasmas, with temperatures up to and even exceeding 10 4 K, are capable of producing high density vapor phase precursors for the deposition of relatively thick films. Although this technology is still in its infancy, it will fill the void between the relatively slow deposition processes such as physical vapor deposition and the high rate thermal spray deposition processes. In this chapter, the present state-of-the-art of this field is reviewed with emphasis on the various types of reactors proposed for this emerging technology. Only applications which attracted particular attention, namely diamond and high T c superconducting film deposition, are discussed in greater detail. (orig.)

Gemstone deposits of Serbia

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Miladinović Zoran

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Gemstone minerals in Serbia have never been regarded as an interesting and significant resource. Nevertheless, more than 150 deposits and occurrences have been recorded and some of them preliminarily explored in the last 50 years. The majority of deposits and occurrences are located within the Serbo-Macedonian metallogenic province and the most significant metallogenic units at the existing level of knowledge are the Fruska Gora ore district, Cer ore district, Sumadija metallogenic zone, Kopaonik metallogenic zone and Lece-Halkidiki metallogenic zone. The most important genetic type of deposits is hydrothermal, particularly in case of serpentinite/peridotite as host/parent rock. Placer deposits are also economically important. The dominant gemstones are silica minerals: chalcedony (Chrysoprase, carnelian, bluish chalcedony etc., jasper (picture, landscape, red etc., common opal (dendritic, green, milky white etc., silica masses (undivided, and quartz (rock crystal, amethyst etc.. Beside silica minerals significant gemstones in Serbia include also beryl (aquamarine, garnet (almandine and pyrope, tourmaline, fluorite, rhodochrosite, carbonate-silica breccia, carbonate-silica onyx, silicified wood, howlite, serpentinite, marble onyx, and kyanite. This paper aims to present an overview of Serbian gemstone deposits and occurrences and their position based on a simplified gemstone metallogenic map of Serbia, as well as genetic-industrial classification of gemstone deposits and gemstone varieties.

Uranium deposits in Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilpolt, R.H.; Simov, S.D.

1979-01-01

Africa is not only known for its spectacular diamond, gold, copper, chromium, platinum and phosphorus deposits but also for its uranium deposits. At least two uranium provinces can be distinguished - the southern, with the equatorial sub-province; and the south Saharan province. Uranium deposits are distributed either in cratons or in mobile belts, the first of sandstone and quartz-pebble conglomerate type, while those located in mobile belts are predominantly of vein and similar (disseminated) type. Uranium deposits occur within Precambrian rocks or in younger platform sediments, but close to the exposed Precambrian basement. The Proterozoic host rocks consist of sediments, metamorphics or granitoids. In contrast to Phanerozoic continental uranium-bearing sediments, those in the Precambrian are in marginal marine facies but they do contain organic material. The geology of Africa is briefly reviewed with the emphasis on those features which might control the distribution of uranium. The evolution of the African Platform is considered as a progressive reduction of its craton area which has been affected by three major Precambrian tectonic events. A short survey on the geology of known uranium deposits is made. However, some deposits and occurrences for which little published material is available are treated in more detail. (author)

Gemstone deposits of Serbia

Science.gov (United States)

Miladinović, Zoran; Simić, Vladimir; Jelenković, Rade; Ilić, Miloje

2016-06-01

Gemstone minerals in Serbia have never been regarded as an interesting and significant resource. Nevertheless, more than 150 deposits and occurrences have been recorded and some of them preliminarily explored in the last 50 years. The majority of deposits and occurrences are located within the Serbo-Macedonian metallogenic province and the most significant metallogenic units at the existing level of knowledge are the Fruska Gora ore district, Cer ore district, Sumadija metallogenic zone, Kopaonik metallogenic zone and Lece-Halkidiki metallogenic zone. The most important genetic type of deposits is hydrothermal, particularly in case of serpentinite/peridotite as host/parent rock. Placer deposits are also economically important. The dominant gemstones are silica minerals: chalcedony (Chrysoprase, carnelian, bluish chalcedony etc.), jasper (picture, landscape, red etc.), common opal (dendritic, green, milky white etc.), silica masses (undivided), and quartz (rock crystal, amethyst etc.). Beside silica minerals significant gemstones in Serbia include also beryl (aquamarine), garnet (almandine and pyrope), tourmaline, fluorite, rhodochrosite, carbonate-silica breccia, carbonate-silica onyx, silicified wood, howlite, serpentinite, marble onyx, and kyanite. This paper aims to present an overview of Serbian gemstone deposits and occurrences and their position based on a simplified gemstone metallogenic map of Serbia, as well as genetic-industrial classification of gemstone deposits and gemstone varieties.