Influence of loading and heating processes on elastic and geomechanical properties of eclogites and granulites

Increased knowledge of the elastic and geomechnical properties of rocks is important for numerous engineering and geoscience applications(e.g. petroleum geoscience, underground waste repositories,geothermal energy, earthquake studies, and hydrocarbon exploration). To assess the effect of pressure and temperature on seismic velocities and their anisotropy, laboratory experiments were conducted on metamorphic rocks. P-(Vp) and S-wave(Vs) velocities were determined on cubic samples of granulites and eclogites with an edge length of 43 mm in a triaxial multianvil apparatus using the ultrasonic pulse emission technique in dependence of changes in pressure and temperature. At successive isotropic pressure states up to 600 MPa and temperatures up to 600 ℃, measurements were performed related to the sample coordinates given by the three principal fabric directions(x, y, z) representing the foliation(xy-plane), the normal to the foliation(z-direction), and the lineation direction(x-direction). Progressive volumetric strain was logged by the discrete piston displacements. Cumulative errors in Vpand Vsare estimated to be <1%. Microcrack closure significantly contributes to the increase in seismic velocities and decrease in anisotropies for pressures up to 200-250 MPa. Characteristic P-wave anisotropies of about 10% are obtained for eclogite and 3-4% in a strongly retrogressed eclogite as well as granulites. The wave velocities were used to calculate the geomechanical properties(e.g. density, Poisson’s ratio, volumetric strain, and elastic moduli) at different pressure and temperature conditions. These results contribute to the reliable estimate of geomechanical properties of rocks.

Quantification of submarine groundwater discharge(SGD) using radon,radium tracers and nutrient inputs in Punnakayal, south coast of India

The present study focused on the estimation of submarine groundwater discharge(SGD)and the effects of nutrient fluxes due to the SGD process.The parameters of SGD such as magnitude,character,and nutrient flux in Punnakayal region of South East coast of India were evaluated using multiple tracers of groundwater inputs in 2019.It was found that the elevated values for the tracers in the study area,displayed a gradational change in the values as move from estuarine part to the offshore.Simultaneous occurrence of fresh and saline SGD is observed on the study sites.Also,indicated that the SGD fluxes ranged from 0.04 to 0.12 m^3 m^-2d^-1 at the estuary and0.03-0.15 m^3 m^-2d^-1at the groundwater site.A substantially increased value for 222 Rn activities is distinguished in the estuary to values over 312 dpm L^-1.Nutrient embellishments were generally greatest at locations with substantial meteoric elements in groundwater;however,the recirculation of saltwater through the geological formation could provide a way of transferring terrestrially-derived nutrients to the coastal zone at many places.

The Cretaceous Songliao Basin:Volcanogenic Succession,Sedimentary Sequence and Tectonic Evolution,NE China

The Songliao basin （SB） is a superposed basin with two different kinds of basin fills. The lower one is characterized by a fault-bounded volcanogenic succession comprising of intercalated volcanic, pyrodastic and epiclastic rocks. The volcanic rocks, dating from 110 Ma to 130 Ma, are of geochemically active continental margin type. Fast northward migration of the SB block occurred during the major episodes of the volcanism inferred from their paleomagnetic information. The upper one of the basin fill is dominated by non-marine sag-style sedimentary sequence of silicidastics and minor carbonates. The basin center shifted westwards from the early to late Cretaceous revealed by the GGT seismic velocity structure suggesting dynamic change in the basin evolution. Thus, a superposed basin model is proposed. Evolution of the SB involves three periods including （1） Alptian and pre- Aptian： a retroarc basin and range system of Andes type related to Mongolia-Okhotsk collisional belt （MOCB）; （2） Albian to Companian： a sag-like strike-slip basin under transtension related to oblique subduction of the Pacific plate along the eastern margin of the Eurasian plate; （3） since Maastrichtian： a tectonic inverse basin under compression related to normal subduction of the Pacific plate under the Eurasian plate, characterized by overthrust, westward migration of the depocenter and eastward uplifting of the basin margin.

Unravelling the protracted U-Pb zircon geochronological record of high to ultrahigh temperature metamorphic rocks:Implications for provenance investigations

The assessment of detrital zircon age records is a key method in basin analysis,but it is prone to several biases that may compromise accurate sedimentary provenance investigations.High to ultrahigh temperature(HT-UHT)metamorphism(especially if T>850℃)is herein presented as a natural cause of bias in provenance studies based on U-Pb detrital zircon ages,since zircon from rocks submitted to these extreme and often prolonged conditions frequently yield protracted,apparently concordant,geochronological records.Such age spreading can result from disturbance of the primary U-Pb zircon system,likewise from(re)crystallization processes during multiple and/or prolonged metamorphic events.In this contribution,available geochronological data on Archean,Neoproterozoic and Palaeozoic HT-UHT metamorphic rocks,acquired by different techniques(SIMS and LA-ICP-MS)and showing distinct compositions,are reassessed to demonstrate HT-UHT metamorphism may result in modes and age distributions of unclear geological meaning.As a consequence,it may induce misinterpretations on UPb detrital zircon provenance analyses,particularly in sedimentary rocks metamorphosed under such extreme temperature conditions.To evaluate the presence of HT-UHT metamorphism-related bias in the detrital zircon record,we suggest a workflow for data acquisition and interpretation,combining a multi-proxy approach with:(i)in situ U-Pb dating coupled with Hf analyses to retrieve the isotopic composition of the sources,and(ii)the integration of a petrochronological investigation to typify fingerprints of the HT-UHT metamorphic event.The proposed workflow is validated in the investigation of one theoretical and one natural example allowing a better characterization of the sedimentary sources,maximum depositional ages,and the tectonic setting of the basin.Our workflow allows to the appraisal of biases imposed by HT-UHT metamorphism and resulting disturbances in the U-Pb detrital zircon record,particularly for sedimentary rocks that underwent HT-UHT metamorphism and,finally,suggests ways to overcome these issues.