Whin Sill contact metamorphism in the Cow Green reservoir boreholes, Northern England: evidence for an Upper Teesdale source for the Whin Sill magma

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. pygs2019-018
Author(s):  
Douglas Robinson

Contact metamorphism of Carboniferous rocks by the Whin Sill in Upper Teesdale is documented utilizing boreholes drilled in the 1960s ground investigation for the Cow Green reservoir. Hedenbergite, prehnite and datolite are recorded for the first time, and the first analyses for seven contact minerals are presented. Pure limestones are recrystallized into saccharoidal marbles with average calcite grain sizes increasing from <0.1 mm at >20 m from the contact, up to 0.5 mm within 5 m from the contact. Grossular is the most abundant mineral, and along with epidote is recorded over 20 m from the sill contact; all other minerals are restricted to < c. 10 m from the contact. This substantial contact metamorphism around Cow Green is unique in comparison with other boreholes across the Alston Block that have penetrated even thicker leaves of the sill, and for which no contact metamorphic mineral development has been reported. The currently favoured model has the magma sourced from dykes on the southern and northern borders of the Alston Block, but the evidence in support is circumstantial. The contrast in the metamorphic development is definitive evidence that the heat flow linked to the Whin Sill intrusion in the Upper Teesdale area lasted much longer than other areas across the Block, giving strong support to the magma being sourced in this area, rather than from the dykes.Supplementary material: X-ray fluorescence whole rock Sr (ppm) analyses of limestone beds in boreholes 17, 18, 21, 22, 35, 39, 40 and 41 in Table S1, and Electron MicroProbe Analysis of garnet, feldspar, epidote, idocrase, prehnite, pyroxene and chlorite in Table S2 are available at: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5077640

2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley M. Abrook ◽  
Ian P. Matthews ◽  
Alice M. Milner ◽  
Ian Candy ◽  
Adrian P. Palmer ◽  
...  

The Last Glacial–Interglacial Transition (LGIT) is a period of climatic complexity where millennial-scale climatic reorganization led to changes in ecosystems. Alongside millennial-scale changes, centennial-scale climatic events have been observed within records from Greenland and continental Europe. The effects of these abrupt events on landscapes and environments are difficult to discern at present. This, in part, relates to low temporal resolutions attained by many studies and the sensitivity of palaeoenvironmental proxies to abrupt change. We present a high-resolution palynological and charcoal study of Quoyloo Meadow, Orkney and use the Principal Curve statistical method to assist in revealing biostratigraphic change. The LGIT vegetation succession on Orkney is presented as open grassland and Empetrum heath during the Windermere Interstadial and early Holocene, and open grassland with Artemisia during the Loch Lomond Stadial. However, a further three phases of ecological change, characterized by expansions of open ground flora, are dated to 14.05–13.63, 10.94–10.8 and 10.2 cal ka BP. The timing of these changes is constrained by cryptotephra of known age. The paper concludes by comparing Quoyloo Meadow with Crudale Meadow, Orkney, and suggests that both Windermere Interstadial records are incomplete and that fire is an important landscape control during the early Holocene.Supplementary material: All raw data associated with this publication: raw pollen counts, charcoal data, Principal Curve and Rate of Change outputs and the age-model output are available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4725269Thematic collection: This article is part of the ‘Early Career Research’ available at: https://www.lyellcollection.org/cc/SJG-early-career-research


2021 ◽  
pp. jgs2021-037
Author(s):  
Michael J. Benton ◽  
Andrey G. Sennikov

The naming of the Permian by Roderick Murchison in 1841 is well known. This is partly because he ‘completed’ the stratigraphic column at system level, but also because of the exotic aspects of his extended fieldwork in remote parts of Russia and Murchison's reputed character. Here, we explore several debated and controversial aspects of this act, benefiting from access to documents and reports notably from Russian sources. Murchison or Sedgwick could have provided a name for the unnamed lower New Red Sandstone in 1835 based on British successions or those in Germany, so perhaps the Imperial aim of naming time from British geology was not the urgent task some have assumed. Murchison has been painted as arrogant and Imperialistic, which was doubtless true, but at the time many saw him as a great leader, even an attractive individual. Others suggest he succeeded because he stood on the shoulders of local geologists; however, his abilities at brilliant and rapid geological synthesis are undoubted. Two unexpected consequences of his work are that this arch conservative is revered in Russia as a hero of geological endeavours, and, for all his bombast, his ‘Permian’ was not widely accepted until 100 years after its naming.Supplementary material:https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5412079


2018 ◽  
Vol 481 (1) ◽  
pp. 127-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Montemagni ◽  
Chiara Montomoli ◽  
Salvatore Iaccarino ◽  
Rodolfo Carosi ◽  
Arvind K. Jain ◽  
...  

AbstractThe timing of shearing along the Vaikrita Thrust, the upper structural boundary of the Main Central Thrust Zone in the Garhwal Himalaya, was constrained by combined microstructural, microchemical and geochronological investigations. Three different biotite–muscovite growth and recrystallization episodes were observed: a relict mica-1; mica-2 along the main mylonitic foliation; and mica-3 in coronitic structures around garnet during its breakdown. Electron microprobe analyses of biotite showed chloritization and a bimodal composition of biotite-2 in one sample. Muscovite-2 and muscovite-3 differed in composition from each other. Biotite and muscovite 39Ar–40Ar age spectra from all samples showed both inter- and intra-sample discrepancies. Biotite step-ages ranged between 8.6 and 16 Ma and muscovite step-ages between 3.6 and 7.8 Ma. These ages cannot be interpreted as ‘cooling ages’ because samples from the same outcrop cooled simultaneously. Instead, the Ar systematics reflect sample-specific recrystallization markers. Intergrown impurities were diagnosed by the Ca/K ratios. The age data of biotite were interpreted as a mixture of true biotite-2 (9.00 ± 0.10 Ma) and two alteration products. The negative Cl/K–age correlation identified a Cl-poor muscovite-2 (>7 Ma) and a Cl-rich, post-deformational, coronitic muscovite-3 grown at ≤5.88 ± 0.03 Ma. The Vaikrita Thrust was active at least from 9 to 6 Ma at c. 600°C; its movement had ended by 6 Ma.Supplementary material: Thermometric and 39Ar–40Ar data are available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4069076


2021 ◽  
pp. jgs2021-030
Author(s):  
Catherine E. Boddy ◽  
Emily G. Mitchell ◽  
Andrew Merdith ◽  
Alexander G. Liu

Macrofossils of the late Ediacaran Period (c. 579–539 Ma) document diverse, complex multicellular eukaryotes, including early animals, prior to the Cambrian radiation of metazoan phyla. To investigate the relationships between environmental perturbations, biotic responses and early metazoan evolutionary trajectories, it is vital to distinguish between evolutionary and ecological controls on the global distribution of Ediacaran macrofossils. The contributions of temporal, palaeoenvironmental and lithological factors in shaping the observed variations in assemblage taxonomic composition between Ediacaran macrofossil sites are widely discussed, but the role of palaeogeography remains ambiguous. Here we investigate the influence of palaeolatitude on the spatial distribution of Ediacaran macrobiota through the late Ediacaran Period using two leading palaeogeographical reconstructions. We find that overall generic diversity was distributed across all palaeolatitudes. Among specific groups, the distributions of candidate ‘Bilateral’ and Frondomorph taxa exhibit weakly statistically significant and statistically significant differences between low and high palaeolatitudes within our favoured palaeogeographical reconstruction, respectively, whereas Algal, Tubular, Soft-bodied and Biomineralizing taxa show no significant difference. The recognition of statistically significant palaeolatitudinal differences in the distribution of certain morphogroups highlights the importance of considering palaeolatitudinal influences when interrogating trends in Ediacaran taxon distributions.Supplementary material: Supplementary information, data and code are available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5488945Thematic collection: This article is part of the Advances in the Cambrian Explosion collection available at: https://www.lyellcollection.org/cc/advances-cambrian-explosion


2021 ◽  
pp. SP513-2020-274
Author(s):  
S. I. Kostrovitsky ◽  
D. A. Yakovlev ◽  
I. S. Sharygin ◽  
D. P. Gladkochub ◽  
T. V. Donskaya ◽  
...  

AbstractIngashi lamproite dykes are the only known primary sources of diamond in the Irkutsk district (Russia) and the only non-kimberlitic one in the Siberian craton. Ingashi lamproite field placed in Urik-Iya graben within Prisayan uplift of Siberian craton. Phlogopite-olivine lamproites contain olivine, talc, phlogopite, serpentine, chlorite, olivine, garnet, chromite, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene as well as Sr-F-apatite, monazite, zircon, armolcolite, priderite, potassium Mg-arfvedsonite, Mn-ilmenite, Nb-rutile, and diamond. The only one ultramafic lamprophyre dyke is composed mainly of serpentinized olivine and phlogopite in the talc-carbonate groundmass and similar (to Ingashi lamproites) accessory assemblage with the same major elements compositions. Trace element and Sr-Nd isotopic relationships of the Ingashi lamproites are similar to classic lamproites. Different dating methods have provided the ages of lamproites: 1481 Ma (Ar-Ar phlogopite), 1268 Ma (Rb-Sr whole rock) and 300 Ma (U-Pb zircon). Ingashi lamproite ages are controversial and require additional study. Calculated pressure of 3.5 GPamax for clinopyroxenes indicating that lamproite magma originated deeper than 100 km. Cr-in-garnet barometer (Grutter et al., 2006) shows a 3.7-4.3 GPamin and derivation of Ingashi lamproites deeper than 120 km depth. Based on the range of typical cratonic geotherms and presence of diamonds, the Ingashi lamproite magma originated at a depth greater than 155 km.Supplementary material at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5493128


2021 ◽  
pp. geochem2021-009
Author(s):  
Lamiae EL ALAOUI ◽  
Abdelilah Dekayir ◽  
Mohammed Rouai ◽  
EL Mehdi Benyassine

In the Zeida abandoned mine, pit lake waters exhibit alkaline pH and high conductivity. The concentrations of the total dissolved lead and zinc are very low due to their adsorption on clay minerals and iron oxyhydroxides. Conversely, arsenic concentrations in two lakes (ZL1 and ZA) exceeded WHO water quality guidelines. The As content is relatively high in ZL1 lake and exists mainly as As(V). In ZA lake, As(III) occurs in low concentration compared to the total dissolved arsenic, while dimethylarsenic acid [H2AsO2(CH3)2, DMA) prevails. This means that arsenic was methylated by organic matter produced by microorganisms such as chlorella. The sequential extraction of floor sediments in two lakes shows that the bioavailable arsenic contents change between the two lakes. In ZA lake, the sediments show high concentrations of lead and arsenic compared to ZL1 sediment since it is surrounded by mining waste tailings, which are rich in such chemical elements. An arsenic leaching test of ZA sediment shows that bioavailable arsenic is distributed in equal proportion between clay/carbonates, sulfide-organic matter, and iron oxides (HFO) phases, while in ZL1, most of the arsenic is linked to hydrous iron oxides (HFO).Thematic collection: This article is part of the Hydrochemistry related to exploration and environmental issues collection available at: https://www.lyellcollection.org/cc/hydrochemistry-related-to-exploration-and-environmental-issuesSupplementary material:https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5545316


2020 ◽  
Vol 177 (5) ◽  
pp. 1074-1091
Author(s):  
Estibalitz Ukar ◽  
Vinyet Baqués ◽  
Stephen E. Laubach ◽  
Randall Marrett

At >7 km depths in the Tarim Basin, hydrocarbon reservoirs in Ordovician rocks of the Yijianfang Formation contain large cavities (c. 10 m or more), vugs, fractures and porous fault rocks. Although some Yijianfang Formation outcrops contain shallow (formed near surface) palaeokarst features, cores from the Halahatang oilfield lack penetrative palaeokarst evidence. Outcrop palaeokarst cavities and opening-mode fractures are mostly mineral filled but some show evidence of secondary dissolution and fault rocks are locally highly (c. 30%) porous. Cores contain textural evidence of repeated formation of dissolution cavities and subsequent filling by cement. Calcite isotopic analyses indicate depths between c. 220 and 2000 m. Correlation of core and image logs shows abundant cement-filled vugs associated with decametre-scale fractured zones with open cavities that host hydrocarbons. A Sm–Nd isochron age of 400 ± 37 Ma for fracture-filling fluorite indicates that cavities in core formed and were partially cemented prior to the Carboniferous, predating Permian oil emplacement. Repeated creation and filling of vugs, timing constraints and the association of vugs with large cavities suggest dissolution related to fractures and faults. In the current high-strain-rate regime, corroborated by velocity gradient tensor analysis of global positioning system (GPS) data, rapid horizontal extension could promote connection of porous and/or solution-enlarged fault rock, fractures and cavities.Supplementary material: Stable isotopic analyses and the velocity gradient tensor and principal direction and magnitude calculation are available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4946046Thematic collection: This article is part of the The Geology of Fractured Reservoirs collection available at: https://www.lyellcollection.org/cc/the-geology-of-fractured-reservoirs


2021 ◽  
pp. jgs2021-111
Author(s):  
Martin R. Smith ◽  
Alavya Dhungana

Exceptionally preserved fossils are key to reconstructing the origin of the modern animal body plans in the Cambrian radiation. The Panarthropod phyla Euarthropoda, Onychophora and Tardigrada have roots in a ‘lobopodian’ grade typified by broadly cylindrical organisms with sclerotized dorsal plates and paired ventral projections. A similar anatomical configuration has been taken to link certain palaeoscolecid worms with the earliest ecdysozoans. Shi et al. (2021) contend that these similarities evolved convergently, and that palaeoscolecids are priapulan relatives with little bearing on the panarthropod evolution.Here we show that this conclusion holds only under a particular treatment of inapplicable character states with known shortcomings. When inapplicable tokens are handled more rigorously, palaeoscolecids are most parsimoniously reconstructed as stem-group panarthropods with homologous dorsal plates and ventral projections – highlighting the degree to which the treatment of inapplicable data can influence fundamental evolutionary conclusions. As the position of palaeoscolecids depends so strongly on the underlying methodology, and is highly uncertain under a Bayesian approach, we consider it premature to exclude the possibility that panarthropods evolved from a grade of palaeoscolecids with dorsal plates and ventral projections.Supplementary material:https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.16419522


2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-116
Author(s):  
Dina M. Fieman ◽  
Mikaël Attal ◽  
Stephen Addy

This study uses the 2015 ‘Storm Frank’ flood on the River Dee, Aberdeenshire, to assess the impact of extreme events on river dynamics. The Storm Frank flood (>200 year recurrence interval) caused significant local morphological change that was concentrated in the middle portion of the 140 km long river and overall net degradation that primarily occurred through lateral adjustment processes. Although the flood did not cause widespread change in channel planform, morphological change at the reach scale (<1 km) was significant. Bank scour resulted in channel expansion and lateral migration as well as widespread aggradation on existing gravel beds. The HEC-RAS and CAESAR–Lisflood models were used to determine the impact of morphological changes from the Storm Frank flood on a series of future hypothetical floods. The results show that inundation is highly influenced by the degree of morphological change for moderate floods, but not for high magnitude ones. In-channel scour and bank erosion can lead to an increase in channel capacity, thereby decreasing inundation. Conversely, where conveyance capacity is decreased by aggradation, flood risk inherently increases. The impact of these changes was great for a five-year return period flood, but minimal for a magnitude flood comparable to that of Storm Frank. Our modelling results also reveal that the inundation model is sensitive to the grain size and channel bed roughness input parameters, as these parameters impact flow discharge and flood hydraulics. Accurate determination of sediment parameters and degree of morphological change is therefore critical in flooding modelling and flood hazard management.Supplementary material: Peak discharge and rainfall during the 2015 Storm Frank storm, parameters used in the hydrological model CAESAR–Lisflood and sediment budget statistics of each DEM of difference threshold are available at: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4847946Thematic collection: This article is part of the Early Career Research collection available at: https://www.lyellcollection.org/cc/SJG-early-career-research


2021 ◽  
pp. jgs2020-167
Author(s):  
Ben Yang ◽  
Michael Steiner

Classical sections, such as the Maidiping and Daqiao Mine sections of South Sichuan (China), expose early Cambrian deposits that are crucial for understanding the biological and environmental evolution of Yangtze Craton. These sequences are rich in Terreneuvian small shelly fossils, which can be assigned to assemblages I and III from South China. The Anabarites trisulcatus– Protohertzina anabarica Assemblage Zone (Assemblage I) is recognized at the lower Maidiping Formation. The second assemblage (Paragloborilus subglobosus – Purella squamulosa Assemblage Zone) cannot be verified in South Sichuan, although previous reports claimed its existence based on the occurrence of Paragloborilus subglobosus. The third assemblage (Watsonella crosbyi Assemblage Zone) is confirmed in the upper Maidiping Formation. The abundant bioclasts in this interval indicate abrasions and bioerosions by winnowing or starved sedimentation. Carbon isotope values from the Maidiping section present no negative excursion at the presumed Ediacaran–Cambrian transition. A positive carbon isotope excursion is observed in the upper Maidiping Formation (Assemblage III) which is correlated to the ZHUCE excursion in the Dahai Member of eastern Yunnan. The shallow water deposits of South Sichuan can be correlated with the South China, western Mongolia and Siberia successions based on biozonations and carbon isotope trends.Thematic collection: This article is part of the Advances in the Cambrian Explosion collection available at: https://www.lyellcollection.org/cc/advances-cambrian-explosionSupplementary material:https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5326834


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