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Geosciences
Volume 11
Issue 10
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Geosciences, Volume 11, Issue 10 (October 2021) – 35 articles

Cover Story (view full-size image): This is a multidisciplinary work integrating structural, geodetic, and seismological data collected in the Catanzaro Trough (central Calabria, Italy) to define the seismotectonic setting. Strong historical earthquakes, whose seismogenic sources are still not well defined, have occurred in this area. We mapped the major WSW–ENE to WNW–ESE trending normal-oblique Lamezia–Catanzaro Fault System, bounding to the north the Catanzaro Trough. Morphotectonic and seismological analyses suggested that some fault segments have recently been reactivated and some clusters of earthquakes have nucleated on the Lamezia–Catanzaro Fault System and associated faults. GPS data confirm that slow motion occurs along this fault system. View this paper
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20 pages, 3025 KiB  
Article
Dynamic Metasomatism Experiments Investigating the Interaction between Migrating Potassic Melt and Garnet Peridotite
by Stephen F. Foley and Maik Pertermann
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 432; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100432 - 18 Oct 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2402
Abstract
Dynamic metasomatism experiments were performed by reacting a lamproite melt with garnet peridotite by drawing melt through the peridotite into a vitreous carbon melt trap, ensuring the flow of melt through the peridotite and facilitating analysis of the melt. Pressure (2–3 GPa) and [...] Read more.
Dynamic metasomatism experiments were performed by reacting a lamproite melt with garnet peridotite by drawing melt through the peridotite into a vitreous carbon melt trap, ensuring the flow of melt through the peridotite and facilitating analysis of the melt. Pressure (2–3 GPa) and temperature (1050–1125 °C) conditions were chosen where the lamproite was molten but the peridotite was not. Phlogopite was formed and garnet and orthopyroxene reacted out, resulting in phlogopite wehrlite (2 GPa) and phlogopite harzburgite (3 GPa). Phlogopites in the peridotite have higher Mg/(Mg + Fe) and Cr2O3 and lower TiO2 than in the lamproite due to buffering by peridotite minerals, with Cr2O3 from the elimination of garnet. Compositional trends in phlogopites in the peridotite are similar to those in natural garnet peridotite xenoliths in kimberlites. Changes in melt composition resulting from the reaction show decreased TiO2 and increased Cr2O3 and Mg/(Mg + Fe). The loss of phlogopite components during migration through the peridotite results in low K2O/Na2O and K/Al in melts, indicating that chemical characteristics of lamproites are lost through reaction with peridotite so that emerging melts would be less extreme in composition. This indicates that lamproites are unlikely to be derived from a source rich in peridotite, and more likely originate in a source dominated by phlogopite-rich hydrous pyroxenites. Phlogopites from an experiment in which lamproite and peridotite were intimately mixed before the experiment did not produce the same phlogopite compositions, showing that care must be taken in the design of reaction experiments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Geochemistry)
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19 pages, 3699 KiB  
Article
Two-Scale Investigation of the Retention Behavior of a Well-Graded Mixed Soil
by Osvaldo Bottiglieri, Francesco Cafaro and Federica Cotecchia
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 431; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100431 - 18 Oct 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1896
Abstract
The hydraulic characterization of mixed compacted soils is helpful for the design of earthworks subjected to drying–wetting cycles. When the mixed soil is well-graded and made of both coarse and fine fractions, its matric suction may also be due to the short-range adsorption [...] Read more.
The hydraulic characterization of mixed compacted soils is helpful for the design of earthworks subjected to drying–wetting cycles. When the mixed soil is well-graded and made of both coarse and fine fractions, its matric suction may also be due to the short-range adsorption phenomena, as for the soil investigated in this research work. A silty–clayey sand was created by a mixing procedure and experimentally investigated at two different scales. Physical modeling of an infiltration process was performed, allowing an inverse numerical analysis to infer the water retention and the hydraulic conductivity functions of the soil, whereas element testing on soil specimens allowed direct determination of the same equations. In the article, problems related to the employed suction measurement techniques have been pointed out and discussed. By this two-scale combined strategy, features of the soil hydraulic behavior, such as the wetting collapse, the shrinkage during drying, and the loop of hysteresis, were also determined. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Early Career Scientists’ (ECS) Contributions to Geosciences)
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17 pages, 5272 KiB  
Article
Analytical and Numerical Investigations Applied to Study the Reflections and Transmissions of a Rectangular Breakwater Placed at the Bottom of a Wave Tank
by Mohammed Loukili, Denys Dutykh, Chioukh Nadjib, Dezhi Ning and Kamila Kotrasova
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 430; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100430 - 18 Oct 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2141
Abstract
The purpose of the work presented in this paper is to study the reflection and transmission coefficients resulting from the interactions of regular waves with a rectangular breakwater sited at the bottom of a tank. The present investigation is devoted to the analysis [...] Read more.
The purpose of the work presented in this paper is to study the reflection and transmission coefficients resulting from the interactions of regular waves with a rectangular breakwater sited at the bottom of a tank. The present investigation is devoted to the analysis of the reflection and transmission coefficients within the framework of linearized potential flow theory using two methods, a numerical method based on the improved version of the meshless singular boundary method, and the analytical approach within the plane wave model. The numerical method is first validated by studying the accuracy of the numerical computations with respect to the number of boundary nodes and the location of the vertical boundaries of the computational domain, for different immersion ratios (h/d) and different relative lengths (w/d) of the obstacle. To assess the limitations of the analytical approach, a comparison analysis is carried out between the analytical and numerical results. To improve the calculations and the effectiveness of the analytical model, slight adjustments are made to the analytical procedure, which is termed here the corrected analytical plane wave model. Finally, the effects of the immersion ratio (h/d) and the relative length (w/d) of the obstacle on the reflection and transmission coefficients are computed using the three methods, and discussed for several wave and structural conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ten Years after the 2011 Tohoku Tsunami: Social and Environmental Impacts, Lessons Learned, and New Perspectives)
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26 pages, 16120 KiB  
Article
The Geo-Hydro-Mechanical Properties of a Turbiditic Formation as Internal Factors of Slope Failure Processes
by Nunzio Losacco, Osvaldo Bottiglieri, Francesca Santaloia, Claudia Vitone and Federica Cotecchia
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 429; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100429 - 17 Oct 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2170
Abstract
Similar to many inner areas of Southern Europe, the Daunia Apennines are affected by widespread landsliding, often consisting of slow, deep-seated movements. Recurrent acceleration of these landslides causes damage to buildings and infrastructures, severely biasing the socio-economic development of the region. Most landslides [...] Read more.
Similar to many inner areas of Southern Europe, the Daunia Apennines are affected by widespread landsliding, often consisting of slow, deep-seated movements. Recurrent acceleration of these landslides causes damage to buildings and infrastructures, severely biasing the socio-economic development of the region. Most landslides in the area of study occur within clayey units of turbiditic flysch formations, often severely disturbed by tectonic thrust and previous landsliding. The Faeto Flysch (FAE) is one of the most widespread turbiditic formations in the Daunia Apennines and is representative of the tectonised geological formations involved in slope failure. This work, by examining the landslide processes occurring at four pilot sites, aims at connecting the observed mechanisms to the geo-hydro-mechanical setup of FAE in the slopes. It is found that the soil portion of FAE consists of highly plastic clays, resulting in low intrinsic shear strength, and hence controls the initiation and progression of failure in the slopes, as such representing an internal predisposing factor to landsliding. In addition, the presence of fractured rock strata confers a high permeability at the slope scale, with respect to that of the soil matrix. This results in severe piezometric levels in the slope, which represent another internal predisposing factor to failure, and in the ability to induce significant seasonal pore water pressure oscillations down to great depths, connected to rainfall infiltration, thus triggering the recurrent acceleration of the landslides. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Slope Stability Analyses and Remedial Measure of Failed Slopes)
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23 pages, 36982 KiB  
Article
Short-Term Meteorological and Environmental Signals Recorded in a Firn Core from a High-Accumulation Site on Plateau Laclavere, Antarctic Peninsula
by Kirstin Hoffmann-Abdi, Francisco Fernandoy, Hanno Meyer, Johannes Freitag, Thomas Opel, Joseph R. McConnell and Christoph Schneider
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 428; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100428 - 15 Oct 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3026 | Correction
Abstract
High-accumulation sites are crucial for understanding the patterns and mechanisms of climate and environmental change in Antarctica since they allow gaining high-resolution proxy records from firn and ice. Here, we present new glacio- and isotope-geochemical data at sub-annual resolution from a firn core [...] Read more.
High-accumulation sites are crucial for understanding the patterns and mechanisms of climate and environmental change in Antarctica since they allow gaining high-resolution proxy records from firn and ice. Here, we present new glacio- and isotope-geochemical data at sub-annual resolution from a firn core retrieved from an ice cap on Plateau Laclavere (LCL), northern Antarctic Peninsula, covering the period 2012–2015. The signals of two volcanic eruptions and two forest fire events in South America could be identified in the non-sea-salt sulphur and black carbon records, respectively. Mean annual snow accumulation on LCL amounts to 2500 kg m−2 a−1 and exhibits low inter-annual variability. Time series of δ18O, δD and d excess show no seasonal cyclicity, which may result from (1) a reduced annual temperature amplitude due to the maritime climate and (2) post-depositional processes. The firn core stratigraphy indicates strong surface melt on LCL during austral summers 2013 and 2015, likely related to large-scale warm-air advection from lower latitudes and temporal variations in sea ice extent in the Bellingshausen-Amundsen Sea. The LCL ice cap is a highly valuable natural archive since it captures regional meteorological and environmental signals as well as their connection to the South American continent. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Stable Isotope Signatures in the Ice of Antarctica)
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17 pages, 2046 KiB  
Article
Effect of Composition on Engineering Behavior of Clay Tills
by Rajeevkaran Paranthaman and Shahid Azam
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 427; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100427 - 15 Oct 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2520
Abstract
Glacial geology, marine environment, and arid climate govern the composition of clay tills. The main purpose of this work is to develop a clear understanding of the engineering behavior of compacted clay till under soil suction and applied stress. The results indicate moderate [...] Read more.
Glacial geology, marine environment, and arid climate govern the composition of clay tills. The main purpose of this work is to develop a clear understanding of the engineering behavior of compacted clay till under soil suction and applied stress. The results indicate moderate water adsorption due to the presence of clay minerals (26% corrensite, 10% illite, and 8% kaolinite) with Ca2+ as the dominant cation and a flocculated fabric in a slightly basic (pH = 7.5) pore water. The water retention curve comprised four transition points that are associated with capillary water drainage from large pores (air entry value of 2 kPa and residual suction value of 20 kPa) and small pores (air entry value of 700 kPa and residual suction value of 5 × 104 kPa). Beyond the last value, vapor flow is dominant and removes the adsorbed water by evaporation. The ratio of soil volume change to water volume change best described the s-shaped shrinkage path that also comprised four stages, namely: from most large pores with low volume change; from remaining large and most small pores along with almost equal volume change; from some small pores with low volume change; and from the rest of the small pores with no volume change. Likewise, the s-shaped swelling potential curve comprised three stages and correlated well with bimodal hydraulic conductivity curve, that is, slow initial swelling (unsaturated hydraulic conductivity around 10−14 m/s) due to expansion of peripheral clay in lumps; high primary swelling (unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of up to 10−11 m/s) due to thickened double layer of most colloids; and slow secondary swelling (albeit unsaturated hydraulic conductivity around 10−10 m/s) due to expansion of remaining particles. Soil compression (compression index of 0.164) was due to a gradual reduction in number of large pores, whereas rebound (swelling index of 0.047) was due to water adsorption on clay with part of the deformations recovered. Finally, the consolidation rate was related to saturated hydraulic conductivity, which varied by three orders of magnitude. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Geomechanics)
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14 pages, 2913 KiB  
Article
Sabellaria alveolata versus Sabellaria spinulosa Reefs along the Italian Coasts: A New Methodological Proposal to Compare Different Growth Models
by Stefania Nunzia Lisco, Cataldo Pierri, Tamara Lazic, Andrea Bonifazi, Maria Flavia Gravina, Adriana Giangrande, Pasquale Acquafredda and Massimo Moretti
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 426; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100426 - 15 Oct 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2260
Abstract
Sabellaria species are among the most important frame-builders in temperate, shallow marine areas. These polychaetes are suspension feeders able to build bioconstructions using sand and shell fragments cemented with a sticky mucous. Such feature makes these invertebrates “unusual bioconstructors”, as they do not [...] Read more.
Sabellaria species are among the most important frame-builders in temperate, shallow marine areas. These polychaetes are suspension feeders able to build bioconstructions using sand and shell fragments cemented with a sticky mucous. Such feature makes these invertebrates “unusual bioconstructors”, as they do not produce calcium carbonate. Sabellaridae reefs are widespread in the Mediterranean and along the Atlantic coast of Europe, but their sedimentological aspects are still poorly known. Over short time intervals, these bioconstructions can rapidly alternate between phases of growth, stasis and destruction during different seasons. In this paper, we compare reefs of two Sabellaria species (S. alveolata—Ostia, Roma and Tyrrhenian Sea; S. spinulosa—Torre Mileto, Foggia and Adriatic Sea) found at two different sites along the Italian coast. We describe the morphology of worm tubes at the macro- and microscale. Similarities and differences are discussed based on eco-biological features and physical environmental conditions. This work shows a measurement and observation scheme for this type of bioconstructions that has been verified at both the macro- and microscale and which was shown to be useful for defining evolutionary trends of sabellarian bioconstructions. The monitoring parameters were identified and verified over a long period. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interaction between Physical and Biological Processes in Shallow-Sea Environments: Present vs Past Case Studies)
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15 pages, 18025 KiB  
Review
Landslide Susceptibility Mapping in Brazil: A Review
by Helen Cristina Dias, Daniel Hölbling and Carlos Henrique Grohmann
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 425; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100425 - 15 Oct 2021
Cited by 33 | Viewed by 6288
Abstract
Landslide susceptibility studies are a common type of landslide assessment. Landslides are one of the most frequent hazards in Brazil, resulting in significant economic and social losses (e.g., deaths, injuries, and property destruction). This paper presents a literature review of susceptibility mapping studies [...] Read more.
Landslide susceptibility studies are a common type of landslide assessment. Landslides are one of the most frequent hazards in Brazil, resulting in significant economic and social losses (e.g., deaths, injuries, and property destruction). This paper presents a literature review of susceptibility mapping studies in Brazil and analyzes the methods and input data commonly used. The publications used in this analysis were extracted from the Web of Science platform. We considered the following aspects: location of study areas, year and where the study was published, methods, thematic variables, source of the landslide inventory, and validation methods. The susceptibility studies are concentrated in Brazil’s south and southeast region, with the number of publications increasing since 2015. The methods commonly used are slope stability and statistical models. Validation was performed based on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and area under the curve (AUC). Even though landslide inventories constitute the most critical input data for susceptibility mapping, the criteria used for the creation of landslide inventories are not evident in most cases. The included studies apply various validation techniques, but evaluations with potential users and information on the practical applicability of the results are largely missing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Landslide Monitoring and Mapping)
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28 pages, 2812 KiB  
Article
Citizens’ Perception of Geohazards in Veneto Region (NE Italy) in the Context of Climate Change
by Eleonora Gioia, Cristina Casareale, Alessandra Colocci, Fabio Zecchini and Fausto Marincioni
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 424; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100424 - 15 Oct 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3423
Abstract
Climate-related geohazards, such as landslides, floods, and coastal erosion due to climate change, are increasingly impacting human settlements and activities. This study, part of the European Project RESPONSe (Interreg Italy–Croatia), investigates the perception of climate change as a catalyst of future geohazards among [...] Read more.
Climate-related geohazards, such as landslides, floods, and coastal erosion due to climate change, are increasingly impacting human settlements and activities. This study, part of the European Project RESPONSe (Interreg Italy–Croatia), investigates the perception of climate change as a catalyst of future geohazards among the citizens of the Veneto region (northeastern Italy). A total of 1233 questionnaires were completed by adult citizens and analyzed by means of inferential statistics. The results highlight a widespread perception of climate change as a general threat for the environment, but not directly transposed to the frequency and intensity of future geohazards. Certainly, changes in temperatures and rainfall are widely expected and acknowledged, yet the comprehension related to the hydrogeological effects seems to vary proportionally to the physical proximity to these hazards. Such outcomes underline that there is still a common lack of understanding of the eventual local impact of the climate crisis. For these reasons, it is suggested that decision makers consider directing their efforts to enhance the citizens’ knowledge base in order to build a climate-resilient society. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Natural Hazards)
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26 pages, 61719 KiB  
Article
Influence of Historical Land-Use Change on Contemporary Channel Processes, Form, and Restoration
by Jerry R. Miller, David Grow and L. Scott Philyaw
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 423; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100423 - 15 Oct 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2279
Abstract
Big Harris Creek, North Carolina, possesses a geomorphic history similar to many drainages in the southern Appalachian piedmont, and was used herein as a representative example of the influence of European settlement on contemporary channel form and processes. The integrated use of historical, [...] Read more.
Big Harris Creek, North Carolina, possesses a geomorphic history similar to many drainages in the southern Appalachian piedmont, and was used herein as a representative example of the influence of European settlement on contemporary channel form and processes. The integrated use of historical, dendrogeomorphic, stratigraphic, and cartographic data shows that the conversion of land-cover from a mix of natural conditions and small farms to commercial cotton production in the late 1800s and early 1900s led to significant upland soil erosion, gully formation, and the deposition of legacy sediments on the valley floor. Aggradation was followed by catchment-wide channel incision in the mid-1900s in response to reforestation and the implementation of soil conservation measures. Collectively, the responses form an aggradational-degradational episode (ADE) that produced the geomorphic framework for the contemporary processes operating along the drainage network. Defined, characterized, and mapped process zones (stream reaches of similar form and process) show that the type, intensity, and evolutionary sequence of geomorphic responses varied within the catchment as a function of the position along the drainage network, the erosional resistance of the underlying bedrock, and the valley characteristics (particularly width). Understanding the spatially variable influences of the ADE on contemporary, reach-scale geomorphic processes provides valuable insights for restoration as it helps inform practitioners of the sensitivity and ways in which the reach is likely to respond to future disturbances, the potential impacts of processes on proposed manipulations intended to achieve the project’s restoration goals, and the potential risk(s) involved with channel reconstruction. The latter is strongly controlled by geotechnical differences between erosionally resistant precolonial deposits and easily eroded legacy sediments that locally form the channel banks following the ADE. Full article
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24 pages, 9516 KiB  
Article
Wildfires Effect on Debris Flow Occurrence in Italian Western Alps: Preliminary Considerations to Refine Debris Flow Early Warnings System Criteria
by Davide Tiranti, Roberto Cremonini and Daniele Sanmartino
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 422; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100422 - 10 Oct 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3274
Abstract
Rarely, a close correlation between wildfires and the occurrence of channelized debris flows has been observed in the Western Italian Alps. Only two cases in history have been reported, after brief and localized rainfall events of moderate intensity in Italy’s Piemonte region (NW [...] Read more.
Rarely, a close correlation between wildfires and the occurrence of channelized debris flows has been observed in the Western Italian Alps. Only two cases in history have been reported, after brief and localized rainfall events of moderate intensity in Italy’s Piemonte region (NW Italy) caused debris flows, on 18 July 2005, in Verbania province (Pallanzeno municipality), and on June 2018 in Turin province (Bussoleno municipality). These phenomena occurred after a large portion of the catchments were affected by wide wildfires in the preceding months. Debris flow deposits showed an unusually large number of fine-grained particles, forming dark-brown mud-rich deposits associated with burnt wood deposits. Rainfall analysis related to the period between the wildfires’ occurrence and the debris flow events, using both raingauge and weather radar data, pointed out that the debris flows triggered in July 2005 and June 2018 were characterized by greater magnitude but associated with less precipitation intensity rates as compared with previous mud flows occurring just after wildfires. These behaviors can be explained by the presence of burned organic material and fine-grained sediment, generated from the soil’s thermal reworking, which formed a thick layer, centimeters deep, covering a large percentage of catchments and slopes. Most of this layer, generated by wildfires’ action were winnowed by rainfall events that had occurred in the months before the debris flow events, of significant magnitude, exhuming a discontinuous hydrophobic soil surface that changed the slopes’ permeability characteristics. In such conditions, runoff increased, corrivation time shortened, and, consequently, discharge along the two catchments’ channels-network increased as well. Consequently, the rainfall effects associated with rainfall events in July 2005 and June 2019 were more effective in mobilizing coarse sediments in channel beds than was typical for those catchments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Local and Territorial Landslide Early Warning Systems)
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14 pages, 6576 KiB  
Article
Sinkhole Stability in Elliptical Cavity under Collapse and Blowout Conditions
by Jim Shiau, Suraparb Keawsawasvong, Bishal Chudal, Kiritharan Mahalingasivam and Sorawit Seehavong
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 421; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100421 - 9 Oct 2021
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2965
Abstract
Road subsidence and sinkhole failures due to shallow cavities formed by defective water main have increased in recent decades and become one of the important research topics in geotechnical engineering. The present paper numerically studies the stability and its associated failure mechanism of [...] Read more.
Road subsidence and sinkhole failures due to shallow cavities formed by defective water main have increased in recent decades and become one of the important research topics in geotechnical engineering. The present paper numerically studies the stability and its associated failure mechanism of ellipse-shaped cavity above defective water mains using the finite element limit analysis technique. For a wide range of geometrical parameters, the pressure ratio method is used to formulate the stability solutions in both blowout and collapse scenarios. Even though there is no published solution for elliptical cavities under blowout failure conditions, the obtained numerical results are compared with available circular solutions. Several conclusions are drawn based on the failure mechanism study of the various ellipse shape transformations in this study, whilst design charts and equations proposed for practical uses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection New Advances in Geotechnical Engineering)
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21 pages, 6066 KiB  
Article
Tidal Flood Risk on Salt Farming: Evaluation of Post Events in the Northern Part of Java Using a Parametric Approach
by Anang Widhi Nirwansyah and Boris Braun
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 420; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100420 - 9 Oct 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2760
Abstract
Tidal flood risk threatens coastal urban areas and their agriculture and aquaculture, including salt farming. There is, therefore, an urgency to map and portray risk to reduce casualties and loss. In the floodplain of Cirebon, West Java, where salt farming dominates the landscape, [...] Read more.
Tidal flood risk threatens coastal urban areas and their agriculture and aquaculture, including salt farming. There is, therefore, an urgency to map and portray risk to reduce casualties and loss. In the floodplain of Cirebon, West Java, where salt farming dominates the landscape, this type of flooding has frequently occurred and disrupted the local economy. Based on two recorded events in 2016 and 2018 as benchmarks, this paper formulates an innovative approach to analyze tidal flood risk in salt farming areas. Our study considers the fundamental concepts of hazard and vulnerability, then uses selective parameters for evaluation in an Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP)-based Geographic Information System. The analytical process includes weighting criteria judged by experts and uses the resulting values to define the spatial characteristics of each salt parcel. Our high-resolution simulations show that the two flood events in 2016 and 2018 affected almost all salt production areas, particularly in the eastern, middle, and western parts of the Cirebon floodplain, although to very different degrees. The study also uses a physical-based approach to validate these results. The damage estimates show a strong positive correlation for economic loss (r = 0.81, r = 0.84). Finally, the study suggests that our multi-methods approach to assessing tidal flood risk should be considered in disaster mitigation planning and integrated coastal zone management in salt farming areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Early Career Scientists’ (ECS) Contributions to Geosciences)
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44 pages, 6161 KiB  
Review
Advances and Challenges in Palaeoenvironmental Studies Based on Oxygen Isotope Composition of Skeletal Carbonates and Phosphates
by Hubert Wierzbowski
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 419; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100419 - 9 Oct 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 5513
Abstract
Oxygen isotopes are widely used in palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic studies as they record variations in the precipitation temperature of biogenic carbonates and phosphates. Problems associated with the preservation state of fossils, selection of the proper temperature equation, vital effects occurring during biomineralization, habitat [...] Read more.
Oxygen isotopes are widely used in palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic studies as they record variations in the precipitation temperature of biogenic carbonates and phosphates. Problems associated with the preservation state of fossils, selection of the proper temperature equation, vital effects occurring during biomineralization, habitat effects of organisms as well as salinity, bathymetry and water circulation changes limit, however, the applicability of oxygen isotopes to reconstruction of ancient environmental settings. The progress of oxygen isotope studies, temperature calculations and ambiguities of the isotope record are discussed in this paper. The same applies to the methods of retrieving reliable temperature signals and the record of water chemistry changes based on well-preserved calcareous and phosphatic fossils. Sometimes neglected importance of sedimentological and faunistic data associated with sea-level changes and salinity variations is emphasised as an important tool for refinement of the temperature trends of epeiric sedimentary basins. In addition, published case datasets and new laboratory techniques, including micro-area and clumped isotope analyses, are presented to demonstrate examples and prospective ways of extension of the scope of palaeoenvironmental research. The provided information may be used in discussion and a critical review of published oxygen isotope data and their palaeoenvironmental interpretations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isotope Applied in Palaeogeography and Palaeoclimatology)
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31 pages, 4603 KiB  
Article
A Phytolith Supported Biosphere-Hydrosphere Predictive Model for Southern Ethiopia: Insights into Paleoenvironmental Changes and Human Landscape Preferences since the Last Glacial Maximum
by Markus L. Fischer, Felix Bachofer, Chad L. Yost, Ines J. E. Bludau, Christian Schepers, Verena Foerster, Henry Lamb, Frank Schäbitz, Asfawossen Asrat, Martin H. Trauth and Annett Junginger
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 418; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100418 - 8 Oct 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3567
Abstract
During the past 25 ka, southern Ethiopia has undergone tremendous climatic changes, from dry and relatively cold during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM, 25–18 ka) to the African Humid Period (AHP, 15–5 ka), and back to present-day dry conditions. As a contribution to [...] Read more.
During the past 25 ka, southern Ethiopia has undergone tremendous climatic changes, from dry and relatively cold during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM, 25–18 ka) to the African Humid Period (AHP, 15–5 ka), and back to present-day dry conditions. As a contribution to better understand the effects of climate change on vegetation and lakes, we here present a new Predictive Vegetation Model that is linked with a Lake Balance Model and available vegetation-proxy records from southern Ethiopia including a new phytolith record from the Chew Bahir basin. We constructed a detailed paleo-landcover map of southern Ethiopia during the LGM, AHP (with and without influence of the Congo Air Boundary) and the modern-day potential natural landcover. Compared to today, we observe a 15–20% reduction in moisture availability during the LGM with widespread open landscapes and only few remaining forest refugia. We identify 25–40% increased moisture availability during the AHP with prevailing forests in the mid-altitudes and indications that modern anthropogenic landcover change has affected the water balance. In comparison with existing archaeological records, we find that human occupations tend to correspond with open landscapes during the late Pleistocene and Holocene in southern Ethiopia. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate and Environmental Change of Africa)
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15 pages, 15849 KiB  
Article
Rock Glacier Dynamics by a Thermo-Elastic-Viscoplastic Constitutive Relationship
by Stefano Alberti and Luca Flessati
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 417; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100417 - 7 Oct 2021
Viewed by 2560
Abstract
As a result of mountain permafrost creep, rock glaciers are common features in high-altitude periglacial areas. From a practical point of view, beyond their localization and inventorying, both the monitoring and prediction of their evolution due to climate changes are crucial. One of [...] Read more.
As a result of mountain permafrost creep, rock glaciers are common features in high-altitude periglacial areas. From a practical point of view, beyond their localization and inventorying, both the monitoring and prediction of their evolution due to climate changes are crucial. One of the effects of climate change is the thickening of the basal shear zone (the portion of the rock glacier where most deformations are localized), eventually leading to the development of unexpected and unprecedented (in terms of location, magnitude, frequency, and timing) instability phenomena. These phenomena bear consequences for the understanding of landscape evolution, natural hazards, and the safe and sustainable operation of high-mountain infrastructures. Most of the studies about active rock glaciers are focused on the analysis of monitoring data, while just a few studies are focused on modeling their behavior to understand their possible further evolution. The active rock glacier response is characterized by a viscous (rate-dependent) behavior, influenced by seasonal temperature oscillations, and characterized by a seasonal transition from slow to fast. In this work, a new thermo-mechanical model based on the delayed plasticity theory and calibrated on experimental results is proposed. The model is employed to evaluate the influence of geometry and forcing (air temperature) on a real rock glacier (Murtèl-Corvatsch rock glacier) creep behavior. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Early Career Scientists’ (ECS) Contributions to Geosciences)
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21 pages, 6912 KiB  
Article
Regional Seismic Characterization of Shallow Subsoil of Northern Apulia (Southern Italy)
by Enrico Paolucci, Giuseppe Cavuoto, Giuseppe Cosentino, Monia Coltella, Maurizio Simionato, Gian Paolo Cavinato, Isabella Trulli and Dario Albarello
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 416; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100416 - 6 Oct 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2042
Abstract
A first-order seismic characterization of Northern Apulia (Southern Italy) has been provided by considering geological information and outcomes of a low-cost geophysical survey. In particular, 403 single-station ambient vibration measurements (HVSR techniques) distributed within the main settlements of the area have been considered [...] Read more.
A first-order seismic characterization of Northern Apulia (Southern Italy) has been provided by considering geological information and outcomes of a low-cost geophysical survey. In particular, 403 single-station ambient vibration measurements (HVSR techniques) distributed within the main settlements of the area have been considered to extract representative patterns deduced by Principal Component Analysis. The joint interpretation of these pieces of information allows the identification of three main domains (Gargano Promontory, Bradanic Through and Southern Apennines Fold and Thrust Belt), each characterized by specific seismic resonance phenomena. In particular, the Bradanic Through is homogeneously characterized by low frequency (<1 Hz) resonance effects associated with relatively deep (>100 m) seismic impedance, which is contrasting corresponding to the buried Apulian carbonate platform and/or sandy horizons located within the Plio-Pleistocene deposits. In the remaining ones, relatively high frequency (>1 Hz) resonance phenomena are ubiquitous due to the presence of shallower impedance contrasts (<100 m), which do not always correspond to the top of the geological bedrock. These general indications may be useful for a preliminary regional characterization of seismic response in the study area, which can be helpful for an effective planning of more detailed studies targeted to engineering purposes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Seismic Microzonation Analysis of the Anthropized Environment: Approaches and New Perspectives)
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25 pages, 16268 KiB  
Article
Transient Electromagnetic (TEM) Surveys as a First Approach for Characterizing a Regional Aquifer: The Case of the Saint-Narcisse Moraine, Quebec, Canada
by Yan Lévesque, Julien Walter and Romain Chesnaux
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 415; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100415 - 6 Oct 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2937
Abstract
Geological contexts that lack minimal stratigraphic and piezometric information can be challenging to produce an initial hydrogeological map in remote territories. This study proposes an approach to characterize a regional aquifer using transient electromagnetic (TEM) surveys. Given the presence of randomly dispersed boreholes, [...] Read more.
Geological contexts that lack minimal stratigraphic and piezometric information can be challenging to produce an initial hydrogeological map in remote territories. This study proposes an approach to characterize a regional aquifer using transient electromagnetic (TEM) surveys. Given the presence of randomly dispersed boreholes, the Saint-Narcisse moraine in the Mauricie region of Quebec (Canada) is an appropriate site for collecting the required geophysical data, correlating the stratigraphic and piezometric information, and characterizing regional granular aquifers in terms of stratigraphy, geometry, thickness, and extent. In order to use all TEM results (i.e., 47 stations) acquired in the moraine area, we also correlated 13 TEM stations, 7 boreholes, and 6 stratigraphic cross-sections to derive an empirical and local petrophysical relationship and to establish a calibration chart of the sediments. Our TEM data, combined with piezometric mapping and the sedimentary records from boreholes and stratigraphic cross-sections, revealed the compartmentalization of a multi-kilometer morainic system and indicated the presence of two large unconfined granular aquifers overlying the bedrock. These aquifers extend more than 12 km east to west across the study area and are between 25 and >94 m thick. The TEM method provides critical information on groundwater at a regional scale by acquiring information from multiple stations within a short time span to a degree not possible with other existing methodologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of EM Methods for Subsurface Exploration)
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31 pages, 5693 KiB  
Article
Fabric Analysis in Upper Crustal Post-Collisional Granitoids from the Serre Batholith (Southern Italy): Results from Microstructural and AMS Investigations
by Patrizia Fiannacca, Damiano Russo, Eugenio Fazio, Rosolino Cirrincione and Manish A. Mamtani
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 414; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100414 - 4 Oct 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2393
Abstract
The Serre Batholith in Central Calabria (southern Italy) represents the intermediate portion of a continuous cross-section of late Variscan continental crust. The various granitoid units of the batholith were emplaced at depths between 23 and 6 km through an overaccretion mechanism that, at [...] Read more.
The Serre Batholith in Central Calabria (southern Italy) represents the intermediate portion of a continuous cross-section of late Variscan continental crust. The various granitoid units of the batholith were emplaced at depths between 23 and 6 km through an overaccretion mechanism that, at its upper levels, was marked by the emplacement of two-mica granodiorites and granites (MBG) at c. 295 Ma, followed by weakly peraluminous granodiorites (BAG) at c. 292 Ma. These upper crustal granitoid rocks have recorded tectonic stresses, which affected the batholith during cooling of the magmatic bodies, exhibiting a range of deformation microstructures from submagmatic to low-temperature subsolidus conditions, but without developing an evident meso/micro-structural fabric. Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) was employed to identify a possible “internal” fabric of the Serre upper crustal granitoids, revealing a magnetic foliation represented by a mainly oblate AMS ellipsoid. Magnetic foliations and lineations are consistent with a stress field characterized by a shortening axis roughly oriented NW–SE. Further studies are in progress to investigate more in depth the relationships between regional tectonic structures and the emplacement of the late-Variscan Serre Batholith granitoids. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Magmatic Feedbacks on Tectonics)
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17 pages, 7874 KiB  
Article
Micromorphological Study of Site Formation Processes at El Sidrón Cave (Asturias, Northern Spain): Encrustations over Neanderthal Bones
by Juan Carlos Cañaveras, Sergio Sánchez-Moral, Elsa Duarte, Gabriel Santos-Delgado, Pablo G. Silva, Soledad Cuezva, Ángel Fernández-Cortés, Javier Lario, María Concepción Muñoz-Cervera and Marco de la Rasilla
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 413; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100413 - 3 Oct 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2979
Abstract
El Sidrón Cave is an archaeological and anthropological reference site of the Neanderthal world. It shows singular activity related to cannibalisation, and all existing processes are relevant to explain the specific behaviour of the concerned individuals. This paper presents geoarchaeological data, primarily based [...] Read more.
El Sidrón Cave is an archaeological and anthropological reference site of the Neanderthal world. It shows singular activity related to cannibalisation, and all existing processes are relevant to explain the specific behaviour of the concerned individuals. This paper presents geoarchaeological data, primarily based on mineralogical and petrographic techniques, from an investigation of the nature of the encrustations or hard coatings that affect a large part of the Neanderthal bone remains and their relationship with the depositional and post-depositional processes at the archaeological site. Crusts and patina were found to be numerous and diverse, mainly composed of calcite and siliciclastic grains, with different proportions and textures. The analysis indicated different origins and scenarios from their initial post-mortem accumulation to the final deposit recovered during the archaeological work. The presence of micromorphological features, such as clotted-peloidal micrite, needle-fibre calcite (NFC) aggregates, clay coatings, iron–manganese impregnation, and/or adhered aeolian dust may indicate that a significant proportion of the remains were affected by subaerial conditions in a relatively short period of time in a shelter, cave entrance, or shallower level of the karstic system, prior to their accumulation in the Ossuary Gallery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pleistocene Hunter-Gatherers Geoarchaeology)
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23 pages, 12812 KiB  
Article
Morphotectonic Evolution of an Alluvial Fan: Results of a Joint Analog and Numerical Modeling Approach
by Clément Garcia-Estève, Yannick Caniven, Rodolphe Cattin, Stéphane Dominguez and Romain Sylvain
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 412; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100412 - 1 Oct 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2999
Abstract
Surface topography results from complex couplings and feedbacks between tectonics and surface processes. We combine analog and numerical modeling, sharing similar geometry and boundary conditions, to assess the topographic evolution of an alluvial fan crossed by an active thrust fault. This joint approach [...] Read more.
Surface topography results from complex couplings and feedbacks between tectonics and surface processes. We combine analog and numerical modeling, sharing similar geometry and boundary conditions, to assess the topographic evolution of an alluvial fan crossed by an active thrust fault. This joint approach allows the calibration of critical parameters constraining the river deposition–incision laws, such as the settling velocity of suspended sediments, the bed-rock erodibility, or the slope exponent. Comparing analog and numerical models reveals a slope-dependent threshold process, where a critical slope of ca. 0.081 controls the temporal evolution of the drainage network. We only evidence minor topographic differences between stable and stick-slip fault behavior localized along the fault scarp. Although this topographic signature may increase with the slip rate and the return period of slip events, it remains slight compared to the cumulated displacement along the fault scarp. Our results demonstrate that the study of morphology cannot be used alone to study the slip mode of active faults but can be a valuable tool complementing stratigraphic and geodetic observations. In contrast, we underline the significant signature of the distance between the fault and the sediment source, which controls the degree of channels incision and the density of the drainage network. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transient Landscapes and Relief Dynamics)
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62 pages, 12132 KiB  
Article
Tectonic Transport Directions, Shear Senses and Deformation Temperatures Indicated by Quartz c-Axis Fabrics and Microstructures in a NW-SE Transect across the Moine and Sgurr Beag Thrust Sheets, Caledonian Orogen of Northern Scotland
by Richard D. Law, J. Ryan Thigpen, Sarah E. Mazza, Calvin A. Mako, Maarten Krabbendam, Brandon M. Spencer, Kyle T. Ashley, Robin A. Strachan and Ella F. Davis
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 411; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100411 - 30 Sep 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3617
Abstract
Moine metasedimentary rocks of northern Scotland are characterized by arcuate map patterns of mineral lineations that swing progressively clockwise from orogen-perpendicular E-trending lineations in greenschist facies mylonites above the Moine thrust on the foreland edge of the Caledonian Orogen, to S-trending lineations at [...] Read more.
Moine metasedimentary rocks of northern Scotland are characterized by arcuate map patterns of mineral lineations that swing progressively clockwise from orogen-perpendicular E-trending lineations in greenschist facies mylonites above the Moine thrust on the foreland edge of the Caledonian Orogen, to S-trending lineations at higher structural levels and metamorphic grades in the hinterland. Quartz c-axis fabrics measured on a west to east coast transect demonstrate that the lineations developed parallel to the maximum principal extension direction and therefore track the local tectonic transport direction. Microstructures and c-axis fabrics document a progressive change from top to the N shearing in the hinterland to top to the W shearing on the foreland edge. Field relationships indicate that the domain of top to the N shearing was at least 55 km wide before later horizontal shortening on km-scale W-vergent folds that detach on the underlying Moine thrust. Previously published data from the Moine thrust mylonites demonstrate that top to the W shearing had largely ceased by 430 Ma, while preliminary isotopic age data suggest top to the N shearing occurred at ~470–450 Ma. In addition, data from the east coast end of our transect indicate normal-sense top down-SE shearing at close to peak temperatures at ~420 Ma that may be related to the closing stages of Scandian deformation, metamorphism and cooling/exhumation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Evolution of Modern and Ancient Orogenic Belts)
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19 pages, 4406 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Steady-State Solution of the Infinite Moving Line Source Model for the Thermal Design of Grouted Borehole Heat Exchangers with Groundwater Advection
by Adinda Van de Ven, Roland Koenigsdorff and Peter Bayer
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 410; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100410 - 29 Sep 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2667
Abstract
The objective of this study is to assess the suitability of the analytical infinite moving line source (MLS) model in determining the temperature of vertical grouted borehole heat exchangers (BHEs) for steady-state conditions when horizontal groundwater advection is present. Therefore, a numerical model [...] Read more.
The objective of this study is to assess the suitability of the analytical infinite moving line source (MLS) model in determining the temperature of vertical grouted borehole heat exchangers (BHEs) for steady-state conditions when horizontal groundwater advection is present. Therefore, a numerical model of a grouted borehole is used as a virtual reality for further analysis. As a result of the first analysis, it has been discovered that established analytical methods to determine the borehole thermal resistance as a mean value over the borehole radius can also be applied to BHEs with groundwater advection. Furthermore, the deviation between a finite MLS and the infinite MLS is found to be only less than 5% for BHEs of a depth of 30 m or more, and Péclet numbers greater than 0.05. Finally, the accuracy of the temperature change calculated with the infinite MLS model at the radius of the borehole wall compared to the temperature change at a numerically simulated grouted borehole is addressed. A discrepancy of the g-functions resulting in a poor dimensioning of BHEs by the infinite MLS model is revealed, which is ascribed to the impermeable grouting material of the numerical model. A correction function has been developed and applied to the infinite MLS model for steady-state conditions to overcome this discrepancy and to avoid poor dimensioning of BHEs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Early Career Scientists’ (ECS) Contributions to Geosciences)
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20 pages, 7093 KiB  
Article
Are Past Sea-Ice Reconstructions Based on Planktonic Foraminifera Realistic? Study of the Last 50 ka as a Test to Validate Reconstructed Paleohydrography Derived from Transfer Functions Applied to Their Fossil Assemblages
by Frédérique Eynaud, Sébastien Zaragosi, Mélanie Wary, Emilie Woussen, Linda Rossignol and Adrien Voisin
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 409; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100409 - 28 Sep 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2360
Abstract
Since its existence, paleoceanography has relied on fossilized populations of planktonic foraminifera. Except for some extreme environments, this calcareous protist group composes most of the silty-to-sandy fraction of the marine sediments, i.e., the foraminiferal oozes, and its extraction is probably the simplest among [...] Read more.
Since its existence, paleoceanography has relied on fossilized populations of planktonic foraminifera. Except for some extreme environments, this calcareous protist group composes most of the silty-to-sandy fraction of the marine sediments, i.e., the foraminiferal oozes, and its extraction is probably the simplest among the currently existing set of marine fossil proxies. This tool has provided significant insights in the building of knowledge on past climates based on marine archives, especially with the quantification of past hydrographical variables, which have been a turning point for major comprehensive studies and a step towards the essential junction of modelling and paleodata. In this article, using the modern analog technique and a database compiling modern analogs (n = 1007), we test the reliability of this proxy in reconstructing paleohydrographical data other than the classical sea-surface temperatures, taking advantage of an update regarding a set of extractions from the World Ocean Atlas for transfer functions. Our study focuses on the last glacial period and its high climatic variability, using a set of cores distributed along the European margin, from temperate to subpolar sites. We discuss the significance of the reconstructed parameters regarding abrupt and extreme climate events, such as the well-known Heinrich events. We tested the robustness of the newly obtained paleodata by comparing them with older published reconstructions, especially those based on the complementary dinoflagellate cyst proxy. This study shows that the potential of planktonic foraminifera permits going further in reconstructions, with a good degree of confidence; however, this implies considering ecological forcings in a more holistic perspective, with the corollary to integrate the message of this fossil protist group, i.e., the obtained parameters, in light of a cohort of other data. This article constitutes a first step in this direction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Foraminifera in Biochronology)
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17 pages, 7141 KiB  
Article
U-Th-He Geochronology of Pyrite from Alteration of the Au-Fe-Skarn Novogodnee-Monto Deposit (Polar Urals, Russia)—The Next Step in the Development of a New Approach for Direct Dating of Ore-Forming Processes
by Olga Yakubovich, Ilya Vikentyev, Ekaterina Ivanova, Mary Podolskaya, Ivan Sobolev, Eugenia Tyukova and Alexander Kotov
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 408; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100408 - 27 Sep 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3274
Abstract
We report on the application of the U-Th-He method for the direct dating of pyrite from the alteration halo of the Novogodnee-Monto Au-Fe-skarn deposit, Polar Urals. The deposit is genetically related to the formation of volcanogenic complexes of the Ural Paleozoic belt. A [...] Read more.
We report on the application of the U-Th-He method for the direct dating of pyrite from the alteration halo of the Novogodnee-Monto Au-Fe-skarn deposit, Polar Urals. The deposit is genetically related to the formation of volcanogenic complexes of the Ural Paleozoic belt. A modification of the original methodology for measuring U, Th and He isotopes in a single grain allowed us to determine a U-Th-He age of 382 ± 8 Ma (2σ) based on six pyrite samples from the altered rocks of the deposit (U mass fraction ~0.2 mg/kg; Th/U ~3.5; 4He specific volume ~10−5 cm3·STP·g−1). This age is consistent with estimates of the age of ore formation and coeval with the end of the period of island arc magmatic activity. Our results indicate that U-Th-He dating for pyrite samples of ~1 mg in weight from the hydrothermal-metasomatic halo of ore bodies is possible, providing a crucial next step in the development of U-Th-He pyrite geochronology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection Geological Features on Magmatic–Hydrothermal Mineralization)
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21 pages, 12062 KiB  
Article
The Suitability of the Pacific Islands for Harnessing Ocean Thermal Energy and the Feasibility of OTEC Plants for Onshore or Offshore Processing
by Hyeon-Ju Kim, Ho-Saeng Lee, Seung-Taek Lim and Michael Petterson
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 407; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100407 - 27 Sep 2021
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 5015
Abstract
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) relies on the thermal differences between ocean surface waters and cooler waters at c. 1000 m depth. The highest and most reliable thermal differentials are in the low latitudes, 20° either side of the equator, including the Pacific [...] Read more.
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) relies on the thermal differences between ocean surface waters and cooler waters at c. 1000 m depth. The highest and most reliable thermal differentials are in the low latitudes, 20° either side of the equator, including the Pacific Islands region. Whilst in theory OTEC can utilize an inexhaustible amount of stored energy within the oceans, in practice the industry remains in its technical infancy, but with an increasing relevance to a post-fossil-fuel, environmentally conscious world. OTEC does not only produce electricity. OTEC-seawater utilization technologies produce high demand ocean minerals, desalination, a range of waters for aquaculture and hydroponics, and have the potential to produce large quantities of green hydrogen. OTEC is a green energy and could revolutionize the energy and economic landscape of Pacific island countries, providing reliable low-C electricity and a basis for a range of industry. This paper analyses the economics of using OTEC in combination with existing and potential future industries of importance to the Pacific (and other oceanic) regions, including tuna fisheries, seabed minerals and green hydrogen. The conclusions of these analyses suggest that OTEC has the potential to minimize carbon emissions, increase efficiencies, and create new high-quality green-technology industries and livelihoods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Geoscience of the Pacific Islands Region: Theory and Practice)
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4 pages, 3042 KiB  
Correction
Correction: Trua, T.; Marani, M.P. Clinopyroxene Crystals in Basic Lavas of the Marsili Volcano Chronicle Early Magmatic Stages in a Back-Arc Transcrustal Mush System. Geosciences 2021, 11, 159
by Teresa Trua and Michael P. Marani
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 406; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100406 - 27 Sep 2021
Viewed by 1646
Abstract
The authors would like to make the following corrections to this paper [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tectonics and Morphology of Back-Arc Basins)
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19 pages, 10041 KiB  
Article
Recent Activity and Kinematics of the Bounding Faults of the Catanzaro Trough (Central Calabria, Italy): New Morphotectonic, Geodetic and Seismological Data
by Claudia Pirrotta, Graziella Barberi, Giovanni Barreca, Fabio Brighenti, Francesco Carnemolla, Giorgio De Guidi, Carmelo Monaco, Fabrizio Pepe and Luciano Scarfì
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 405; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100405 - 26 Sep 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3078
Abstract
A multidisciplinary work integrating structural, geodetic and seismological data was performed in the Catanzaro Trough (central Calabria, Italy) to define the seismotectonic setting of this area. The Catanzaro Trough is a structural depression transversal to the Calabrian Arc, lying in-between two longitudinal grabens: [...] Read more.
A multidisciplinary work integrating structural, geodetic and seismological data was performed in the Catanzaro Trough (central Calabria, Italy) to define the seismotectonic setting of this area. The Catanzaro Trough is a structural depression transversal to the Calabrian Arc, lying in-between two longitudinal grabens: the Crati Basin to the north and the Mesima Basin to the south. The investigated area experienced some of the strongest historical earthquakes of Italy, whose seismogenic sources are still not well defined. We investigated and mapped the major WSW–ENE to WNW–ESE trending normal-oblique Lamezia-Catanzaro Fault System, bounding to the north the Catanzaro Trough. Morphotectonic data reveal that some fault segments have recently been reactivated since they have displaced upper Pleistocene deposits showing typical geomorphic features associated with active normal fault scarps such as triangular and trapezoidal facets, and displaced alluvial fans. The analysis of instrumental seismicity indicates that some clusters of earthquakes have nucleated on the Lamezia-Catanzaro Fault System. In addition, focal mechanisms indicate the prevalence of left-lateral kinematics on E–W roughly oriented fault plains. GPS data confirm that slow left-lateral motion occurs along this fault system. Minor north-dipping normal faults were also mapped in the southern side of the Catanzaro Trough. They show eroded fault scarps along which weak seismic activity and negligible geodetic motion occur. Our study highlights that the Catanzaro Trough is a poliphased Plio-Quaternary extensional basin developed early as a half-graben in the frame of the tear-faulting occurring at the northern edge of the subducting Ionian slab. In this context, the strike-slip motion contributes to the longitudinal segmentation of the Calabrian Arc. In addition, the high number of seismic events evidenced by the instrumental seismicity, the macroseismic intensity distribution of the historical earthquakes and the scaling laws relating to earthquakes and seismogenic faults support the hypothesis that the Lamezia-Catanzaro Fault System may have been responsible for the historical earthquakes since it is capable of triggering earthquakes with magnitude up to 6.9. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Morphogenic Faulting: Current Practices and Future Challenges)
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26 pages, 6193 KiB  
Article
Reconstructing the Gorte and Spiaz de Navesele Landslides, NE of Lake Garda, Trentino Dolomites (Italy)
by Giacomo Ruggia, Susan Ivy-Ochs, Jordan Aaron, Olivia Steinemann, Silvana Martin, Manuel Rigo, Sandro Rossato, Christof Vockenhuber, Giovanni Monegato and Alfio Viganò
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 404; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100404 - 25 Sep 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3403
Abstract
We applied a multi-method approach to reconstruct the Gorte rock avalanche (85–95 Mm3) located at the northeastern end of Lake Garda. The combination of field mapping, characterization of bedrock discontinuities, Dan3D-Flex runout modeling and dating of boulders with cosmogenic 36Cl [...] Read more.
We applied a multi-method approach to reconstruct the Gorte rock avalanche (85–95 Mm3) located at the northeastern end of Lake Garda. The combination of field mapping, characterization of bedrock discontinuities, Dan3D-Flex runout modeling and dating of boulders with cosmogenic 36Cl supports the conclusion that the deposits stem from a single rock avalanche at 6.1 ± 0.8 ka. The Gorte event may have triggered the Spiaz de Navesele–Salto della Capra landslide (3.2 Mm3), whose deposits cover the southern end of the Gorte deposits. First-order controls on detachment were the NNE–SSW- and WNW–ESE-oriented fractures in the limestone bedrock, related to the Giudicarie and Schio-Vicenza fault systems, respectively. Dan3D-Flex runout modeling sufficiently reproduced the Gorte rock avalanche, which involved detachment and sliding of a quasi-intact block, likely along marly interbeds, followed by rapid disintegration. The frictional rheology in the source area and the turbulent frictional rheology (Voellmy) in the remaining part best replicate the observed deposit extent and thickness. Heavy precipitation that occurred at that time may have contributed to failure at Gorte. Nonetheless, its timing overlaps with the nearby (<15 km) Dosso Gardene (6630–6290 cal BP) and Marocca Principale (5.3 ± 0.9 ka) landslides, making a seismic trigger plausible. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cutting Edge Earth Sciences: Three Decades of Cosmogenic Nuclides)
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21 pages, 5982 KiB  
Article
Instability of Compacted Residual Soil
by Sainulabdeen Mohamed Junaideen, Leslie George Tham and Chack Fan Lee
Geosciences 2021, 11(10), 403; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11100403 - 24 Sep 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2133
Abstract
Static liquefaction of loose sands has been observed to initiate at stress ratios far less than the steady-state stress ratio. Different collapse surface concepts largely based on undrained triaxial test results have been proposed in the literature to explain the above instability phenomenon [...] Read more.
Static liquefaction of loose sands has been observed to initiate at stress ratios far less than the steady-state stress ratio. Different collapse surface concepts largely based on undrained triaxial test results have been proposed in the literature to explain the above instability phenomenon of loose sands. Studies of the instability behavior of fill material derived from residual soils remain limited. The present study investigated the instability behavior of a compacted residual soil using the conventional undrained triaxial tests and specially equipped constant shear triaxial tests. The test results were characterized in the p’: q: v space using the current state parameter with respect to the steady-state line for the residual soil. A modified collapse surface that has gradients varying with p’ and v was proposed for the loose residual soil to represent the instability states of undrained loading. Under constant shear stress conditions, the soil can mobilize stress ratios higher than those defined by the modified collapse surface. An instability surface was therefore presented for the instability states reached in static loading. Further, an alternative method of deducing the instability surface from the undrained stress paths was introduced. Full article
(This article belongs to the Collection New Advances in Geotechnical Engineering)
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