A new method of discriminating different types of post-Archean ophiolitic basalts and their tectonic significance using Th-Nb and Ce-Dy-Yb systematics

In this paper, a new discrimination diagram using absolute measures of Th and Nb is applied to postArchean ophiolites to best discriminate a large number of different ophiolitic basalts. This diagram was obtained using 〉2000 known ophiolitic basalts and was tested using -560 modern rocks from known tectonic settings. Ten different basaltic varieties from worldwide ophiolitic complexes have been examined. They include two basaltic types that have never been considered before, which are： （1） medium-Ti basalts （MTB） generated at nascent forearc settings; （2） a type of mid-ocean ridge basalts showing garnet signature （G-MORB） that characterizes Alpine-type （i,e., non volcanic） rifted margins and ocean-continent transition zones （OCTZ）. In the Th-Nb diagram, basalts generated in oceanic subductionunrelated settings, rifted margins, and OCTZ can be distinguished from subduction-related basalts with a misclassification rate 〈 1%. This diagram highlights the chemical variation of oceanic, rifted margin, and OCTZ basalts from depleted compositions to progressively more enriched compositions reflecting, in turn, the variance of source composition and degree of melting within the MORB-OIB array. It also highlights the chemical contributions of enriched （OIB-type） components to mantle sources. Enrichment of Th relative to Nb is particularly effective for highlighting crustal input via subduction or crustal contamination. Basalts formed at continental margin arcs and island arc with a complex polygenetic crust can be distinguished from those generated in intra-oceanic arcs in supra-subducrion zones （SSZ） with a misclassification rate 〈1%. Within the SSZ group, two sub-settings can be recognized with a misclassification rate 〈0.5%. They are： （1） SSZ influenced by chemical contribution from subduction- derived components （forearc and intra-arc sub-settings） characterized by island arc tholeiitic （IAT） and boninitic basalts; （2） SSZ with no contribution from subduction-derived components （nascent forearc sub-settings） characterized by MTBs and depleted-MORBs. Two additional discrimination diagrams are proposed： （1） a Dy-Yb diagram is used for discriminating boninite and IAT basalts; （2） a Ce/Yb-Dy/Yb diagram is used for discriminating G-MORBs and normal MORBs. The proposed method may effectively assist in recovering the tectonic affinity of ancient ophiolites, which is fundamental for establishing the geodvnamic evolution of ancient oceanic and continental domains, as well as orogenic belts.

The western Durkan Complex(Makran Accretionary Prism,SE Iran):A Late Cretaceous tectonically disrupted seamounts chain and its role in controlling deformation style

The Durkan Complex is a key tectonic element of the Makran accretionary prism(SE Iran)and it has been interpreted as representing a continental margin succession.We present here a multidisciplinary study of the western Durkan Complex,which is based on new geological,stratigraphic,biostratigraphic data,as well as geochemical data of the volcanic and meta-volcanic rocks forming this complex.Our data show that this complex consists of distinct tectonic slices showing both non-metamorphic and very low-grade metamorphic deformed successions.Stratigraphic and biostratigraphic data allow us to recognize three types of successions.Type-Ⅰis composed by a Coniacian-early Campanian pelagic succession with intercalation of pillow lavas and minor volcaniclastic rocks.Type-Ⅱsuccession includes a volcanic sequence passing to a volcano-sedimentary sequence with Cenomanian pelagic limestones,followed by a hemipelagic sequence.This succession is characterized by abundant mass-transport deposits.Type-Ⅲsuccession includes volcanic and volcano-sedimentary sequences,which are stratigraphically covered by a Cenomanian platform succession.The latter is locally followed by a hemipelagic sequence.The volcanic rocks in the different successions show alkaline geochemical affinity,suggesting an origin from an oceanic within-plate setting.Our new results indicate that the western Durkan Complex represents fragments of seamounts tectonically incorporated in the Makran accretionary wedge during the latest Late Cretaceous-Paleocene.We propose that incorporation of seamounts in the frontal prism caused a shortening of the whole convergent margin and possibly contributed to controlling the deformation style in the Makran Accretionary Wedge during Late Cretaceous-Paleocene times.

A Set of GRASS GIS-Based Shell Scripts for the Calculation and Graphical Display of the Main Morphometric Parameters of a River Channel

For the analysis of river evolution, the use of quantitative parameters can be quite useful in order to assess changes in the channel planform. Among the several parameters proposed by different authors in a number of papers, channel length and width, braiding and sinuosity indexes, and channel lateral shifting are proved to be the most effective ones for a quantitative analysis of river changes. However, the calculation of these parameters is time-consuming, tedious and error-prone, even where made in a GIS environment. This work describes four shell scripts that perform fast and automatic calculation of the morphometric parameters and draw curves showing the variation of the calculated parameters along the entire channel development. The scripts are based on commands of the GRASS GIS free and open source software and, as input, they require a simple vector map containing the essential features of a river channel, i.e. bankfull channel limits and longitudinal and lateral bars.

Reaction mechanisms in massive nuclei collisions and perspectives for synthesis of heavier superheavy elements

We discuss a hardship in synthesis of heaviest super heavy elements in massive nuclei reactions due to the hindrance to complete fusion of reacting nuclei caused on the onset of quasifission process which strongly competes with complete fusion and due to the strong increase of fission yields along the de-excitation cascade of the compound nucleus in comparison with the evaporation residue formation.The hindrance to formation of compound nucleus and evaporation residue is determined by the characteristic of the entrance channel.

Perturbation of Hydrogen Degenerate Levels and <i>SO</i>(4)

We present a short note about the perturbative correction to Rydberg energies under a perturbation cosθ/rμ and discuss the role of SO(4) symmetry.

Water and lysozyme： Some results from the bending and stretching vibrational modes

The dynamic or glass transition in biomolecules is important to their functioning. Also essential is the transition between the protein native state and the unfolding process. To better understand these transitions, we use Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to study the vibrational bending and stretching modes of hydrated lysozymes across a wide temperature range. We find that these transitions are triggered by the strong hydrogen bond coupling between the protein and hydration water. More precisely, we demonstrate that in both cases the water properties dominate the evolution of the system. We find that two characteristic temperatures are relevant： in the supercooled regime of confined water, the fragile-to-strong dynamic transition occurs at TL, and in the stable liquid phase, T＊ 315 ± 5 K characterizes the behavior of both isothermal compressibility KT（T, P） and the coefficient of thermal expansion ap（T, P）.

Deformation history and processes during accretion of seamounts in subduction zones:The example of the Durkan Complex(Makran,SE Iran)

The Durkan Complex is a tectonic element of the Makran Accretionary Prism(SE Iran)that includes fragments of Late Cretaceous seamounts.In this paper,the results of map-to micro-scale structural studies of the western Durkan Complex are presented with the aim to describe its structural and tectonometamorphic evolution.The Durkan Complex consists of several tectonic units bordered by mainly NNW-striking thrusts.Three main deformation phases(D_(1),D_(2),and D_(3))are distinguished and likely occurred from the Late Cretaceous to the Miocene–Pliocene.D_(1) is characterized by sub-isoclinal to close and W-verging folds associated with an axial plane foliation and shear zone along the fold limbs.This phase records the accretion of fragments of the seamount within the Makran at blueschist facies metamorphic conditions(160–300℃ and 0.6–1.2 GPa).D_(2) is characterized by open to close folds with subhorizontal axial plane that likely developed during the exhumation of previously accreted seamount fragments.An upper Paleocene–Eocene siliciclastic succession unconformably sealed the D_(1) and D_(2) structures and is,in turn,deformed by W-verging thrust faults typical of D_(3).The latter likely testifies for a Miocene–Pliocene tectonic reworking of the accreted seamount fragments with the activation of out of sequence thrusts.Our results shed light on the mechanism of accretion of seamount materials in the accretionary prisms,suggesting that seamount slope successions favour the localization and propagation of the basal décollement.This study further confirms that the physiography of the subducting plates plays a significant role in the tectonic evolution of the subduction complexes.

Dynamical changes in hydration water accompanying lysozyme thermal denaturation

We study the dynanfics of the first hydration shell of lysozyme to determine the role of hydra- tion water that accompanies lysozyme thermal denaturation. We use nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to investigate both the translational and rotational contributions. Data on proton self-diffusion and reorentational correlation time indicate that the kinetics of the lysozyme fold- ing/unfolding process is controlled by the dynamics of the water molecules in the first hydration shell. When the hydration water dynamics change, because of the weakening of the hydrogen bond network, the three-dimensional structure of the lysozyme is lost and denaturation is triggered. Our data indicates that at temperatures above approximately 315 K, water behaves as a simple liquid and is no longer a good solvent.

The Boson peak in confined water： An experimental investigation of the liquid-liquid phase transition hypothesis

The Boson peak （BP） of deeply cooled confined water is studied by using inelastic neutron scattering （INS） in a large interval of the （P, T） phase plane. By taking into account the different behavior of such a collective vibrational mode in both strong and fragile glasses as well as in glass-forming materials, we were able to determine the Widom line that characterizes supercooled bulk water within the frame of the liquid-liquid phase transition （LLPT） hypothesis. The peak frequency and width of the BP correlated with the water polymorphism of the LLPT scenario, allowing us to distinguish the ＂low-density liquid＂ （LDL） and ＂high-density liquid＂ （HDL） phases in deeply cooled bulk water. Moreover, the BP properties afford a further confirmation of the Widom line temperature Tw as the （P, T） locus in which the local structure of water transforms from a predominately LDL form to a predominately HDL form.