A Nappe Lima Duarte está situada no sudeste do Orógeno Brasília. É constituída por paragnaisses migmatíticos com granada, sillimanita, biotita e muscovita, e ortoquartzitos grossos, com intercalações esparsas de gnaisses calciossilicáticos e de anfibolitos. O Complexo Mantiqueira, infraestrutura alóctone da nappe, ocorre na forma de lascas tectonicamente imbricadas na mesma. É constituído por ortognaisses migmatíticos e polimetamórficos, tipo TTG, com intercalações de rochas metabásicas granulíticas, na forma de enclaves máficos alongados e boudins, geralmente concordantes com a foliação principal. Também ocorrem rochas charnockíticas aparentemente intrusivas nos ortognaisses Mantiqueira, com rochas metabásicas associadas. A associação mineral observada nos paragnaisses (Grt + Bt + Sil + Pl + Rt +Ilm + Qtz ± Ms ± Kfs ± Ky) é relacionada a um metamorfismo progressivo de fácies anfibolito superior, caracterizado por reações de quebra de muscovita e geração de feldspato potássico. As condições de pico bárico obtidas no THERMOCALC para a associação com cianita são de 10 ± 0.6 kbar, a 807 ± 25ºC. O pico térmico de 827 ± 44ºC a 8.2 ± 1.8 kbar, no limite da curva de quebra da dumortierita, foi obtido no THERMOCALC com a associação mineral envolvendo sillimanita. As rochas metabásicas inseridas nos ortognaisses do Complexo Mantiqueira e rochas charnockíticas associadas apresentam a associação Grt-Cpx-Pl-Qtz±Opx+Hbl, que é diagnóstica do fácies granulito de alta pressão. São caracterizadas pela presença de texturas coroníticas progressivas de Grt-Cpx-Pl-Qtz nos contatos entre Opx, Pl e/ou opacos, aparentemente de origem ígnea, que marca a passagem do campo dos granulitos de pressão intermediária para o campo dos granulitos de alta pressão. As condições de pico registradas nos veios constituídos por Grt-Cpx-Pl nos metagabronoritos é de 831.8ºC, a 10 kbar. O granada granulito registra o pico metamórfico a 890 ± 41ºC, a 9.26 ± 1.93 kbar. Cálculos realizados no TWEEQU forneceram condições de equilíbrio de 801ºC, a 9.6 kbar para a associação de fácies granulito. As condições de pico bárico nas rochas charnockíticas são de 14.36 ± 1.9 kbar, a 680ºC, enquanto que as temperaturas máximas registradas são de 885.17ºC, a 10 kbar. Cálculos realizados no THERMOCALC forneceram temperatura de 771 ± 166ºC, a 11.8 ± 2.4 kbar. As rochas metabásicas relacionadas ao Complexo Mantiqueira apresentam baixas concentrações de elementos LILE, possivelmente devido ao empobrecimento destes elementos durante o metamorfismo através de perdas por reações de desidratação. Os dados geoquímicos apontam fontes do tipo E-MORB para grande parte das rochas metabásicas, embora sempre com enriquecimento em ETR maior, o que é sugestivo de fontes enriquecidas. O Grt-cpx anfibolito simplectítico apresenta assinaturas geoquímicas distintas, com enriquecimento maior em elementos LILE e ETRL, o que sugere uma origem a partir de fontes OIB. Os padrões de ETR e diagramas de variação multi-elementares de elementos traço sugerem que as rochas charnockíticas têm fontes relacionadas à ambientes de arco vulcânico. Os paragnaisses, em fácies anfibolito superior a granulito, registram uma trajetória inicial horária, descompressiva ao campo da sillimanita. É distinta da trajetória inicial anti-horária exibida pelas rochas metabásicas e charnockíticas, que registram nas coronas de Grt-Cpx-Pl o metamorfismo progressivo de fácies granulito de alta pressão. Sugere-se que esse relativo aumento de pressão tenha sido condicionado pela colocação dos metassedimentos da Nappe Lima Duarte sobre as rochas do Complexo Mantiqueira, porém no mesmo campo de temperatura. Assim, o avanço da nappe metassedimentar pode ter sido responsável pelo soterramento das rochas metabásicas e charnockíticas relacionadas com o Complexo Mantiqueira, o que justifica a pressão mais elevada nestes litotipos. A etapa de exumação foi compartilhada por ambas, o que é evidenciado nas semelhanças de condições metamórficas durante a trajetória de resfriamento quase isobárico, porém com os litotipos do Complexo Mantiqueira em nível crustal mais profundo. / The Lima Duarte Nappe is located in southeastern Brasília Orogen and is composed by migmatitic paragneisses presenting garnet, sillimanite, biotite and muscovite, and coarse-grained orthoquartzites, with few amphibolite and calc-silicate interlayers. The Mantiqueira Complex occurs as tectonic imbricated lenses in the Lima Duarte Nappe, resembling an allochthon structure. It comprises TTG-type migmatitic and polymetamorphic orthogneisses, presenting granulitic metabasic interlayers, as mafic bands and lenses, as well as boudins, which are often concordant with the main foliation. Charnockitic rocks are apparently intrusive in the Mantiqueira orthogneisses, with associated metabasic rocks. The mineral assemblage observed in paragneisses (Grt + Bt + Sil + Pl + Rt + Ilm + Qtz ± Ms ± Kfs ± Ky) is related to an upper amphibolite facies progressive metamorphism characterized by muscovite breakdown reactions producing potassic feldspar. The peak baric conditions obtained in the THERMOCALC processing software for the assemblage involving kyanite are 10 ± 0.6 kbar and 807 ± 25ºC. The thermal peak of 827 ± 44ºC and 8.2 ± 1.8 kbar obtained in THERMOCALC for the assemblage envolving sillimanite, is placed in the boundary of breakdown curve for dumortierite. The metabasic rocks interlayered in Mantiqueira Complex orthogneisses show the Grt-Cpx-Pl-Qtz±Opx+Hbl assemblage, indicating high pressure granulite facies. They are characterized by the presence of Grt-Cpx-Pl progressive coronitic textures between Opx, Pl and/or opaques boundaries, apparently with an igneous origin, which marks the transitions from intermediate pressure granulites field to high pressure granulite field. The peak conditions recorded in Grt-Cpx-Pl veins in metagabbronorites is 831.8ºC, and 10 kbar. The garnet granulite records the metamorphic peak at 890 ± 41ºC, and 9.26 ± 1.93 kbar. Thermobarometric calculations performed at TWEEQU revealed equilibrium conditions at 801ºC, and 9.6 kbar based on granulite facies mineral assemblage. The peak baric conditions achieved by the charnockitic rocks are 14.36 ± 1.9 kbar, and 680ºC, while maximum temperatures recorded are 885.17ºC, and 10 kbar. Thermobarometric calculations performed at THERMOCALC revealed temperatures of 771 ± 166ºC, and 11.8 ± 2.4 kbar. The metabasic rocks related to Mantiqueira Complex show low concentrations of LILE elements, possibly due to the depletion of these elements during metamorphism in dehydrating reactions. Geochemical data point out to E-MORB type sources for the great majority of metabasic rocks, even though with an REE enrichment, suggesting more enriched sources. The symplectitic Grt-Cpx amphibolite show distinct geochemical signatures, characterized by a greater enrichment in LILE and light-REE elements, suggesting an OIB source for their origin. REE patterns and trace element spidergrams suggest that charnockitic rocks sources are related to a volcanic arc tectonic setting. Paragneisses, in upper amphibolite to granulite facies, recorded an initial clockwise path, decompressing to the sillimanite field. It differs from initial counterclockwise path exhibited by the metabasic and charnockitic rocks, which preserves the progressive high pressure granulite facies metamorphism in Grt-Cpx-Pl coronae. This pressure increase is probally related to the metassediments of the Lima Duarte Nappe, that thrusted over the Mantiqueira Complex rocks, although in the same temperature field. The buried character of metabasic and charnockitic rocks may be caused by the thrust of the metassedimentary nappe, justifying the higher pressure found in these lithotypes. The exhumation phase was shared by both of them, which is confirmed in the metamorphic similarities conditions, as they cooled out together in a near isobaric path, although the Mantiqueira Complex lithotypes were in a deeper crustal level.

A Formação Teresina, Neopermiano da Bacia do Paraná, é uma unidade estratigráfica principalmente terrígena, com algumas ocorrências de fácies carbonáticas, sendo depositada durante a última fase regressiva do mar epicontinental da bacia. O ambiente deposicional da Formação Teresina, especialmente no que se refere às suas fácies carbonáticas, ainda é alvo de debate. As fácies carbonáticas da Formação Teresina e fácies evaporíticas associadas ocorrem em toda a formação, mas são mais frequentes no norte do Estado do Paraná e no sul do Estado de São Paulo, na porção superior da unidade. Esta região constitui a área de estudo desta dissertação, que visou interpretar os processos sedimentares básicos, assim como fatores tectônicos e climáticos que influenciaram a formação destes depósitos carbonáticos e evaporíticos. Para isto, foram utilizadas informações de poços e realizados levantamentos detalhados de seções colunares, com coleta de amostras para análises petrográfìcas por microscopia óptica e microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV). Foram identificadas e descritas oito fácies carbonáticas e/ou evaporíticas: mudstone com conchas de ostracodes, mudstone peloidal, packstone bioclástico, wackstone bioclástico, boundstone tabular, packstone-grainstone oolítico, brecha de mudstone-chert e chert enterolítico-nodular. O sistema deposicional foi interpretado como uma rampa carbonática com zona interna alta protegida por barreiras arenosas influenciadas por ondas e correntes associadas. Nas partes mais rasas, os períodos áridos e de intensa evaporação e baixo aporte terrígeno provocariam aumento da salinidade e induziria a deposição das fácies evaporíticas de chert enterolítico-nodular e brecha de mudstone-chert. A porção intermediária corresponderia à zona protegida da ação das ondas, com águas rasas e baixa energia. Isto permitiria a deposição de sedimentos finos por decantação, que constituem as fácies mudstone com conchas de ostracodes e wackstone bioclástico. Nesta mesma porção, as condições geoquímicas da água teriam incentivado atividade microbiana, gerando as fácies mudstone peloidal e boundstone tabular. Bandas ricas em dolomita identificadas em fácies de boundstone tabular no norte do Estado do Paraná estariam relacionadas com precipitação mineral induzida por atividade microbiana. Filamentos e nanoestruturas orgânicas observadas podem corresponder a remanescentes fossilizados de extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), usados por bactérias redutoras de sulfato nos processos de precipitação da dolomita-calcita. A ação das ondas causava agitação constante da água, o que originaria a sedimentação das fácies packstone-grainstone oolítico em baixios e das fácies heterolíticas terrígenas em zona distal entre o nível de base das ondas de tempo bom e o nível de base das ondas de tempestade. Mapas de isópacas e de frequência de ocorrência de calcários elaborados a partir da integração dos dados de poços e seções colunares demonstraram aumento da concentração de calcários no flanco norte do Arco de Ponta Grossa (APG). A espessura da formação aumenta em direção ao APG. Em algumas regiões próximas ao APG, as isópacas tornam-se paralelas ao eixo desta estrutura tectônica. Os resultados obtidos sugerem que o Arco de Ponta Grossa atuou como barreira geográfica que restringiu a entrada de águas do oceano vindas do sul e influenciou a deposição das fácies carbonáticas e evaporíticas. A restrição da circulação das águas promoveu o aumento da salinidade na área imediatamente ao norte do arco. Além disso, uma provável zona de convergência de ventos paralela ao Arco de Ponta Grossa e situada ao sul da área de estudo teria dificultado a entrada de massas de ar úmido provenientes do Oceano Panthalassa vindas de sul. Isto favoreceu a instalação de condições áridas na área de estudo. O significado tectônico e climático das fácies carbonáticas e evaporíticas da Formação Teresina podem auxiliar as correlações entre a Bacia do Paraná e bacias na África, tais como as bacias do Huab e Karoo, além de contribuir para reconstruções paleogeográficas do Gondwana no final do Permiano. / The Teresina Formation, Late Permian of the Paraná Basin, is mainly composed of terrigenous sediments, with some occurrences of carbonate and evaporite facies. It corresponds to the upper portion of the last regressive phase of the Paraná Basin epicontinental sea. The depositional system responsible for the carbonate and evaporite facies of the Teresina Formation is still target of discussion. These facies occur in a huge area of the basin, but they have a greater thickness and are more frequent in the north of the Paraná State and in the southern of the São Paulo State, in the upper portion of the formation. This region constitutes the study area of this dissertation in order to interpret the depositional processes as well as the tectonic and climatic factors acting during the formation of these deposits. The study included the interpretation of data from wells, detailed description of columnar sections, with sampling for petrographical analysis under the optical and scanning electron microscopes (SEM). Eight carbonate and/or evaporite facies were identified: mudstone with ostracod shells, peloidal mudstone, bioclastic wackstone, bioclastic packestone, tabular boundstone, oolitic packstone-grainstone, nodular and enterolithic chert and mudstone-chert breccia. The depositional system was interpreted as a carbonate ramp with a protected zone by growth of oolitic sand bars and sediment transport dominated by wave action and associated currents. In the inner regions, arid periods of intense evaporation and low terrigenous input would increase the salinity, causing the deposition of enterolithic and nodular chert and mudstone-chert breccia facies. The intermediate portion corresponds to a lagoon with shallow and low energy waters, allowing the deposition of fine grained sediments recorded in the mudstone with ostracod shells and bioclastic wackstone facies. In the same portion, the hypersaline conditions of the water would have stimulated microbial activity, promoting the deposition of peloidal mudstone and tabular boundstone facies. Dolomite bands identified in the tabular boundstone facies in the north of the Paraná State are enriched in organic matter and they would be associated to mineral precipitation induced by microbial activity. Organic filaments and nanostructures may correspond to fossilized remains of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), which are used by sulfate-reducing bacteria in the precipitation of dolomite-calcite. The wave action remobilized bottom sediments, causing constant waters agitation. This induced sedimentation of oolitic packstone-grainstone facies in shoals and the terrigenous heterolithic facies between the fair-weather and storm wave bases. Maps of isopachs and frequency of occurrences of limestones show concentration of limestones in the north flank of the Ponta Grossa Arch (PGA). The thickness of the formation increases from south to north towards the PGA. In some regions near the PGA, isopachs are parallel to the axis of this tectonic structure. The obtained results suggest that the Ponta Grossa Arch influenced the deposition of the carbonate and evaporite facies of the Teresina Formation, acting as a geographical barrier that restricted the entry of ocean waters from south. This promoted reduced terrigenous input, low water circulation and the increase of salinity in the northern flank of the PGA. Furthermore, a possible winds convergence zone, parallel to the Ponta Grossa Arch, would affected the climatic conditions in the study region during the Late Permian, difficulting the northward migration of wet air masses coming from the Panthalassa Ocean. This favored arid conditions in the study area. The tectonic and climatic significance of the carbonate and evaporite facies of the Teresina Formation have important implications for correlations between the Paraná Basin and basins from Africa, such as the Karoo and Huab basins, as well as for paleogeographic reconstructions of the Gondwana in the Permian.

A Formação São Sebastião na Bacia de Jatobá, de idade cretácea inferior, é formada por estratos continentais acumulados em um ambiente de clima árido que predominam depósitos eólicos. As melhores exposições localizam-se no município de Ibimirim, mais especificamente nas proximidades do povoado de Campos, estado de Pernambuco. Através de levantamentos de perfis colunares, foi possível caracterizar cinco associações de fácies distintas para a formação, três eólicas e duas fluviais. As eólicas compreendem (a) dunas eólicas, (b) lençóis de areia eólicos secos e (c) blowouts, enquanto que as fluviais são formadas por (d) inundações em lençol e (e) fluviais efêmeros canalizados. Essas associações de fácies se organizam em três unidades genéticas com características distintas e separadas por supersuperfícies. A Unidade 1 é formada por intercalações das associações de fácies de inundações em lençóis, lençóis de areia eólicos e dunas eólicas, frequentemente com feições de deformação de sedimentos inconsolidados. Os estratos cruzados de dunas eólicas aumentam de tamanho e passam a dominar em direção ao topo da unidade, passando a ser raras as estruturas de deformação. A Unidade 2 compreende lençóis de areia eólicos cortados por canais fluviais, com bases côncavas erosivas, e por blowouts, esses preenchidos por dunas eólicas. A Unidade 3 é formada essencialmente por estratos cruzados de dunas eólicas de médio e grande porte, que tanto podem ser simples ou compostas (draas). As supersuperfície que separam as unidades marcam hiatos deposicionais, definindo diferentes episódios de acumulação de sedimentos. / The São Sebastião Formation in The Jatobá Basin, of lower Cretaceous age, consists of continental strata accumulated in a arid environment dominated by aeolian deposits. The best outcrops are located in the county of Ibimirim, specifically near the Campos, in the Pernambuco state. Through columnar profiles surveys/data collection, it was possible to characterize five distinct facies associations for this formation, three aeolian and two fluvial facies. The aeolian facies comprise (a) aeolian dunes, (b) aeolian dry sand sheets and (c) blowouts, while the fluvial facies are formed by (d) sheetflood and (e) channeled ephemeral river. These facies associations are organized into three genetic units with distinct characteristics and they are separated by supersurfaces. Unit 1 is formed by intercalation of sheetflood, aeolian dry sand sheet and aeolian dunes facies associations, often with soft sediment deformation. The crossbed strata of aeolian dunes grow larger and start to dominate towards the top of the unit, and the deformation structures become rare. The Unit 2 comprises aeolian sand sheets cut by fluvial channels, with erosive concave bases, and by blowouts, those are filled by aeolian dunes. Unit 3 is essentially formed by crossbed strata of medium and large aeolian dunes, which can be either simple or compound (draas). The supersurfaces that divide the units mark the depositional gaps, thus defining different episodes of sediment accumulation.

Systeme von Vorlandbecken repräsentieren bedeutende geologische Archive und dienen dem Verständnis von Rückkopplungen zwischen oberflächennahen und tektonischen Prozessen. Außerdem dokumentieren sie die Entwicklung unmittelbar angrenzender Bergketten. Die sedimentären Abfolgen in Vorlandbecken reflektieren das Gleichgewicht zwischen tektonischer Subsidenz, der Bildung langzeitlichen Akkommodationsraumes und des Sedimenteintrages, welcher wiederum die Wirksamkeit von Erosions- und Massenneuverteilungsprozessen wiederspiegelt. Um die Effekte von Klima und Tektonik in einem solchen System zu erforschen, untersuchte ich die Oligo-Miozänen Sedimente in den Vorlandbecken der südlichen Elburs Bergkette, einem intrakontinentalen Gebirge in Nord-Iran, das im Zuge der Arabisch-Eurasischen Kontinent-Kollision herausgehoben wurde. In dieser Studie der Vorlandbeckensedimente wurden Datierungstechniken angewandt (40Ar/39Ar, (U-Th)/He Thermochronologie und Magnetostratigraphie), die Sedimente und deren Herkunft analysiert und die Tonmineralogie, sowie Sauerstoff- und Kohlenstoffisotope untersucht. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass auf einer Zeitskala von 105 bis 106 Jahren eine systematische Korrelation zwischen „coarsening upward“ Zyklen und den sedimentären Akkumulationsraten besteht. Während sukzessiver Überschiebungsphasen werden die durch Hebung der Bergkette bereitgestellten groben Kornfraktionen in proximale Bereiche des Beckens geliefert und feinkörnige Fazies in distalen Beckenregionen abgelagert. Variationen in der Sedimentherkunft in Phasen größerer tektonischer Aktivität zeugen von erosionaler Abdeckung und/oder der Umorganisation natürlicher Entwässerungsstrukturen. Außerdem zeigen die Untersuchungen an stabilen Isotopen, dass die verstärkte tektonische Aktivität das Anwachsen der Topographie förderte und damit die Wirksamkeit einer topographischen Barriere erhöhte. Wenn aufgrund nachlassender Beckenabsenkung die grobe Kornfraktion nicht vollständig im Nahbereich des Beckens aufgenommen werden kann breitet sie sich in ferne Beckenregionen aus. Im Elburs wird die verringerte Subsidenz durch eine interne Hebung des Vorlandes hervorgerufen und ist mit einer lateralen Stapelung von Flussbetten assoziiert. Dokumentiert wird dies anhand konsequenten Schichtwachstums, tektonischer Schrägstellung und sedimentärer Umlagerung. Gleichzeitig nehmen die Sedimentationsraten zu. Die Sauerstoff-Isotope der Paläoböden zeigen, dass dieser Anstieg mit einer Phase feuchteren Klimas einhergeht, wodurch Oberflächenprozesse effizienter werden und Heraushebungssraten steigen, was eine positive Rückkopplung erzeugt. Des Weiteren zeigen die isotopischen und sedimentären Daten, dass seit 10-9 Millionen Jahren (Ma) das Klima durch saisonalen Anstieg der Niederschläge zunehmend feuchter wurde. Da bedeutende klimatische Veränderungen zu dieser Zeit auch im Mittelmeerraum und Asien beobachtet wurden, ist anzunehmen, dass die klimatische Veränderung, die im Elburs Gebirge beobachtet wird, höchstwahrscheinlich Änderungen der atmosphärischen Zirkulationen der nördlichen Hemisphäre reflektiert. Aus den Ergebnissen dieser Studie lassen sich zusätzliche Implikationen für die Entwicklung des Elburs Gebirges und die Arabisch-Eurasische kontinentale Kollisionszone ableiten. Die orogen-weite Hauptdeformation propagierte nicht gleichmäßig nach Süden, sondern seit dem Oligozän schrittweise vorwärts und rückwärts. Insbesondere von ~17,5 bis 6,2 Ma wurde das Gebirge durch eine Kombination aus frontaler Akkretion und interner Keildeformation in Schritten von 0,7 bis 2 Millionen Jahren herausgehoben. Darüber hinaus deuten die Sedimentherkunftsdaten darauf hin, dass sich noch vor 10-9 Ma die Haupteinengungsrichtung von NW-SE nach NNE-SSW veränderte. Regional erlaubt die Geschichte der untersuchten Becken und angrenzenden Gebirgszüge Rückschlüsse auf ein neues geodynamisches Model zur Entwicklung der Arabisch-Eurasischen kontinentalen Kollisionszone. Zahlreiche Sedimentbecken des Elburs Gebirges und anderer Lokalitäten der Arabisch-Eurasischen Deformationszone belegen einen Wechsel von einem tensionalen zu einem kompressionalen tektonischen Regime vor ~36 Ma . Dieser Wechsel könnte den Beginn der Subduktion von gedehnter arabischer kontinentaler Lithosphäre unter Zentral-Iran bedeuten, was zu einer moderaten Plattenkopplung und Deformation von Unter- sowie Oberplatte geführt hat. Der Anstieg der Deformationsraten im südlichen Elburs Gebirge seit ~17,5 Ma lässt vermuten, dass die Oberplatte, wahrscheinlich aufgrund steigender Plattenkopplung, seit dem frühen Miozän signifikant deformiert wurde. Diese Veränderung könnte der Subduktion mächtigerer arabischer kontinentaler Lithosphäre zugeschrieben werden und den Anfang echter kontinentaler Kollision bedeuten. Dieses Model erklärt daher die Zeitverzögerung zwischen der Initiation der Arabisch-Eurasischen kontinentalen Kollision (Eozän-Oligozän) and dem Beginn ausgedehnter Deformation in der Kollisionszone (Miozän). / Foreland-basin systems are excellent archives to decipher the feedbacks between surface and tectonic processes in orogens. The sedimentary architecture of a foreland-basin system reflects the balance between tectonic subsidence causing long-term accommodation space and sediment influx corresponding to efficiency of erosion and mass-redistribution processes. In order to explore the effects of climatic and tectonic forcing in such a system, I investigated the Oligo-Miocene foreland-basin sediments of the southern Alborz mountains, an intracontinental orogen in northern Iran, related to the Arabia-Eurasia continental collision. This work includes absolute dating methods such as 40Ar/39Ar and zircon (U-Th)/He thermochronology, magnetostratigraphy, sedimentological analysis, sandstone and conglomerate provenance study, carbon and oxygen isotope analysis, and clay mineralogy study. Results show a systematic correlation between coarsening-upward cycles and sediment accumulation rates in the basin on 105 to 106yr time scales. During thrust loading phases, the coarse-grained fraction supplied by the uplifting range is stored in the proximal part of the basin (sedimentary facies retrogradation), while fine-grained sediments are deposited in distal sectors. Variations in sediment provenance during these phases of enhanced tectonic activity give evidence for erosional unroofing phases and/or drainage-reorganization events. In addition, enhanced tectonic activity promoted the growth of topography and associated orographic barrier effects, as demonstrated by sedimentologic indicators and the analysis of stable C and O isotopes from calcareous paleosols and lacustrine/palustrine samples. Extensive progradation of coarse-grained deposits occurs during phases of decreased subsidence, when the coarse-grained fraction supplied by the uplifting range cannot be completely stored in the proximal part of the basin. In this environment, a reduction in basin subsidence is associated with laterally stacked fluvial channel deposits, and is related to intra-foreland uplift, as documented by growth strata, tectonic tilting, and sediment reworking. Increase in sediment accumulation rate associated with progradation of vertically-stacked coarse-grained fluvial channels also occurs. Paleosol O-isotope data shows that this increase is related to wetter climatic phases, suggesting that surface processes are more efficient and exhumation rates increase, giving rise to a positive feedback. Furthermore, isotopic and sedimentologic data show that starting from 10-9 Ma, climate became less arid with an increase in seasonality of precipitation. Because important changes were also recorded in the Mediterranean Sea and Asia at that time, the evidence for climatic variability observed in the Alborz mountains most likely reflects changes in Northern Hemisphere atmospheric circulation patterns. This study has additional implications for the evolution of the Alborz mountains and the Arabia-Eurasia continental collision zone. At the orogenic scale, the locus of deformation did not move steadily southward, but stepped forward and backward since Oligocene time. In particular, from ~ 17.5 to 6.2 Ma the orogen grew by a combination of frontal accretion and wedge-internal deformation on time scales of ca. 0.7 to 2 m.y. Moreover, the provenance data suggest that prior to 10-9 Ma the shortening direction changed from NW-SE to NNE-SSW, in agreement with structural data. On the scale of the entire collision zone, the evolution of the studied basins and adjacent mountain ranges suggests a new geodynamic model for the evolution of the Arabia-Eurasia continental collision zone. Numerous sedimentary basins in the Alborz mountains and in other locations of the Arabia-Eurasia collision zone record a change from a tensional (transtensional) to a compressional (transpressional) tectonic setting by ~ 36 Ma. I interpret this to reflect the onset of subduction of the stretched Arabian continental lithosphere beneath central Iran, leading to moderate plate coupling and lower- and upper-plate deformation (soft continental collision). The increase in deformation rates in the southern Alborz mountains from ~ 17.5 Ma suggests that significant upper-plate deformation must have started by the early Miocene most likely in response to an increase in degree of plate coupling. I suggest that this was related to the subduction of thicker Arabian continental lithosphere and the consequent onset of hard continental collision. This model reconciles the apparent lag time of 15-20 m.y between the late Eocene to early Oligocene age for the initial Arabia-Eurasia continental collision and the onset of widespread deformation across the collision zone to the north in early to late Miocene time.

Accessibility to consistent subsurface hydrostratigraphic information is crucial for the development of robust groundwater flow and contaminant transport models. However, full three-dimensional understanding of the subsurface geology is often the missing link. Construction of watershed-scale hydrostratigraphic models continues to be limited by the quality and density of borehole data which often lack detailed geologic information. This can become a serious problem where rapid sediment facies changes and intricate sediment architecture occur. This research is motivated by the idea that if we can understand more about the distribution of sediments and structures of complex deposits, we learn more about depositional processes and how they affect the internal geometry of a deposit and the distribution of hydraulic properties. One approach is to study surficial excavations (e.g. sand and gravel pits) that often punctuate shallow aquifers. The purpose of this study is to develop and test a method of integrating high-resolution georeferenced stratigraphic and sedimentologic information from sand and gravel pits as a means to better document sedimentologic data and improve understanding of the depositional environments. The study area is located within the Waterloo Moraine, in southwestern Ontario, and is an unconsolidated shallow aquifer system with a complex internal architecture and sediment heterogeneity. The method involves the integration of high-resolution field data with borehole and geophysical information in a computer-based 3D environment. A total of fourteen virtual sedimentary sections were constructed by georegistering digital photographs within a framework of georeferenced positions collected using a reflectorless total station and GPS. Fourteen sediment facies have been described in the field. These include crudely stratified gravel beds, planar and cross-laminated sandy strata (ripple and dune scales), along with laminated and massive silty and clayey beds. Calculated hydraulic conductivities span over seven orders of magnitude. The analysis of a single excavation has shown contrasting sediment assemblages from one end of the pit to the other, highlighting the complexity of the Waterloo Moraine. The heterogeneous and deformed layers of gravel, sand, and mud may be the product of an ice-contact to ice-proximal environment, whereas the extensive sandy assemblages may reflect an intermediate subaqueous fan region. The results also suggest that the borehole database overestimates the amount of fine-grained material in the study area. Finally, this research demonstrates that it is possible to build in a timely manner a 3D virtual sedimentologic database. New emerging technologies will lead to increased resolution and accuracy, and will help streamline the process even further. The possibility of expanding the 3D geodatabase to other excavations across the region in a timely manner is likely to lead to improved hydrostratigraphic models and, by extension, to more efficient strategies in water resources planning, management and protection.

Accessibility to consistent subsurface hydrostratigraphic information is crucial for the development of robust groundwater flow and contaminant transport models. However, full three-dimensional understanding of the subsurface geology is often the missing link. Construction of watershed-scale hydrostratigraphic models continues to be limited by the quality and density of borehole data which often lack detailed geologic information. This can become a serious problem where rapid sediment facies changes and intricate sediment architecture occur. This research is motivated by the idea that if we can understand more about the distribution of sediments and structures of complex deposits, we learn more about depositional processes and how they affect the internal geometry of a deposit and the distribution of hydraulic properties. One approach is to study surficial excavations (e.g. sand and gravel pits) that often punctuate shallow aquifers. The purpose of this study is to develop and test a method of integrating high-resolution georeferenced stratigraphic and sedimentologic information from sand and gravel pits as a means to better document sedimentologic data and improve understanding of the depositional environments. The study area is located within the Waterloo Moraine, in southwestern Ontario, and is an unconsolidated shallow aquifer system with a complex internal architecture and sediment heterogeneity. The method involves the integration of high-resolution field data with borehole and geophysical information in a computer-based 3D environment. A total of fourteen virtual sedimentary sections were constructed by georegistering digital photographs within a framework of georeferenced positions collected using a reflectorless total station and GPS. Fourteen sediment facies have been described in the field. These include crudely stratified gravel beds, planar and cross-laminated sandy strata (ripple and dune scales), along with laminated and massive silty and clayey beds. Calculated hydraulic conductivities span over seven orders of magnitude. The analysis of a single excavation has shown contrasting sediment assemblages from one end of the pit to the other, highlighting the complexity of the Waterloo Moraine. The heterogeneous and deformed layers of gravel, sand, and mud may be the product of an ice-contact to ice-proximal environment, whereas the extensive sandy assemblages may reflect an intermediate subaqueous fan region. The results also suggest that the borehole database overestimates the amount of fine-grained material in the study area. Finally, this research demonstrates that it is possible to build in a timely manner a 3D virtual sedimentologic database. New emerging technologies will lead to increased resolution and accuracy, and will help streamline the process even further. The possibility of expanding the 3D geodatabase to other excavations across the region in a timely manner is likely to lead to improved hydrostratigraphic models and, by extension, to more efficient strategies in water resources planning, management and protection.

The Pozzolane Rosse ignimbrite [PR] (457±4 ka) in the Alban Hills Volcanic District, Rome, Italy was exposed ~ 40 ka prior to a subsequent volcanic event which coverd it entirely. XRF, XRD, and clay separation results from PR samples from INGV and CA1 boreholes and Castel di Leva quarry show evidence of paleopedogenesis. All locations display loss of base cations, loss of K is consistent with XRD datat showing dissolution or alteration of leucite to analcime. Accumulation of Al and high L.O.I. support XRD evidence of 1:1 clay species at upper depth. Data suggest alteration extent can be determined by geochemistry. Hydrothermal alteration is assessed from geochemistry showing significant leaching of major and trace elements, primary mineralogy loss and iron sulfide and sulfate mineral development. Deep samples of PR may show groundwater influenced alteration with the presence of expandable 2:1 clays, zeolites, and possible mixing with the underlying Vallerano Lava.

No description available.

No description available.

Twenty four folded leaves of ill. in pocket inside the back cover of v. 2 / Bibliography: leaves 146-164 (v. 1) / 2 v. : ill. (some col.) ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Geology and Mineralogy, 1983