acase@tulane.edu / Geomorphic features such as fluvial channels and shorelines can act as tape recorders of accumulated tectonic deformation. Because these features can survive in a landscape for up to105 years, the deformation represents tectonic activity over timescales longer than earthquake cycles but shorter than geological timescales. Deformed landscape features can be used to understand the impact of changing tectonic rates on landscape evolution (given information on the tectonic processes involved). Conversely, we can take advantage of how a landscape is expected to evolve and utilize those deviations to explore details of tectonic processes that do not manifest over short timescales (i.e. single earthquakes). Fault slip rate is expected to increase within the overlapping region of two en echelon normal faults, but how increasing slip rate affects the landscape is poorly understood (as discussed in Chapter 1). Additionally, details of this tectonic process that occur over geomorphic timescales are not clearly understood. Chapter 2 of this dissertation explores the impact of fault slip rate increase on fluvial channels during normal fault interaction and linkage. Results of this work show that the landscape responds by increasing channel slope and decreasing channel width before fault segments link. Channel width only shows sustained decreases when a threshold channel slope of about 0.05 is exceeded. In Chapter 3 vertically deformed lacustrine shorelines are mapped along linked faults through the former overlap zones. These results show that despite the presence of linking structures between faults, portions of the former overlapping tips remain active post-linkage for 104 years. Chapter 4 investigates the effect of fault length, spacing, and overlap on the area of relay ramps that drains parallel to fault strike. Twenty-seven sites are examined and results show that for fault lengths below 15 km most of the relay ramp area drains parallel to fault strike, whereas fault lengths >15 km no particular drainage geometry is favored. Data on the overlap/spacing ratio are biased to <2 for faults above ~15 km length. This bias is an inherent characteristic because faults that define low overlap/spacing ratio relays do not link rapidly and are, therefore, preserved within the landscape along large mature fault systems. The results of this dissertation show that, while faults are mechanically interacting, relay ramps are dynamic features that have significant impacts on landscape evolution. Following complete linkage between segments, the relays do not behave as passive structures and can actively deform over significant (>104 years) timescales. Finally, the structural geometry of relay ramps impacts long-term morphodynamics and channel network topology, which directly influences basin sedimentary architecture in extensional basins. / 1 / Michael C. Hopkins

No description available.

O estudo da geodiversidade vem sendo desenvolvido desde a década de 1990 e visa o conhecimento, descrição e conservação do patrimônio natural, através da avaliação de aspectos geológicos (minerais, rochas e fósseis), geomorfológicos (formas de relevo, processos) e pedológicos. A presente pesquisa buscou demonstrar e avaliar o potencial de utilização de variáveis da geomorfologia fluvial como indicadores de geodiversidade, considerando a subtilização deste tipo de indicador em estudos ambientais no Brasil. Essa subtilização coloca-se especialmente para a região amazônica, onde o ambiente fluvial tem grande relevância, seja nos aspectos ambientais, culturais estéticos ou científicos. O objetivo central da tese é a caracterização morfológica e análise, por amostragem, de padrões de canais fluviais e de outros parâmetros da morfologia fluvial na Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio Xingu, a fim de demonstrar a relevância desta variável para a avaliação da geodiversidade na Amazônia. Apesar de ainda ser, em grande parte, protegida por Unidades de Conservação e por Terras Indígenas, a Bacia Hidrográfica do Xingu sofre graves pressões antrópicas, ocasionadas principalmente pela monocultura de soja, nas áreas de cabeceiras, e pela construção da Usina Belo Monte na chamada Volta Grande do Xingu, próxima à sede do município de Altamira- PA. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida em duas escalas. Na de maior detalhe (1:150.000), foram realizados mapeamentos da morfologia fluvial para 23 áreas selecionadas como representativas da diversidade de padrões de canais fluviais na bacia hidrográfica considerada. Essa caracterização comprovou a grande diversidade de padrões de canais fluviais na área de estudo, demonstrando a pertinência desse parâmetro como indicativo de geodiversidade, e servindo também como base para a inserção da variável mudanças de padrão de canais fluviais na metodologia de mapeamento dos índices de geodiversidade da Bacia Hidrográfica do Xingu. Na escala de menor detalhe, foi aplicado um método de quantificação da geodiversidade, em toda a Bacia Hidrográfica, baseado na mensuração e integração dos elementos abióticos espacializados em mapas temáticos em escalas que variam de 1:250.000 a 1:1.000.000, com auxílio de um grid da articulação sistemática 1:25.000. Nesta escala foi realizada, também, uma correlação entre os índices de geodiversidade e os índices de biodiversidade, inferidos pelo XI mapeamento da vegetação em escala 1:250.000 (IBGE, 2000c). As principais contribuições da pesquisa foram o enriquecimento de bases para o estudo de grandes rios amazônicos e a aplicação de um método de mapeamento dos índices de geodiversidade, que poderá servir como instrumento para o planejamento ambiental, especialmente na definição de áreas prioritárias para conservação na região amazônica. / The study of geodiversity has been developed since the 1990s and aims the knowledge, description and conservation of natural heritage, through the evaluation of geological (minerals, rocks and fossils), geomorphological (landforms, processes) and pedological aspects. This research has intended to demonstrate and evaluate the potential use of fluvial geomorphological variables as geodiversity indicators, in view of the underutilization of this kind of indicator in environmental studies in Brazil. This underutilization is a critical issue for the Amazon region, where fluvial environments have great relevance on diverse aspects (environmental, cultural, aesthetic and scientific). The central aim of the thesis is the morphological characterization and analysis of river channel patterns and other parameters of fluvial morphology in sampling areas in the Xingu River Basin, in order to demonstrate the relevance of these parameters for the assessment of geodiversity in the Amazon. Although still largely preserved by conservation units and indigenous lands, the Xingu Basin suffers severe anthropogenic pressures, mainly caused by soy monocultures in headwater areas and by the construction of the Belo Monte Dam in the \"Volta Grande do Xingu\", near the town of Altamira, in the state of Pará. This research was conducted at two different spatial scales. On a more detailed scale (1:150,000), maps of fluvial morphology were made for 23 selected areas, which were considered representative of the diversity of river channel patterns in the drainage basin. This characterization proved the great diversity of river channel patterns in the study area, demonstrating the relevance of this parameter as an indicator of geodiversity. Such a characterization was also useful as a basis for the inclusion of the variable \"change in channel pattern\" in the mapping methodology of the geodiversity indexes in the Xingu Drainage Basin. On a less detailed scale, a method to quantify the geodiversity was applied to the entire drainage basin, based on the measurement and integration of abiotic elements, spatially distributed on thematic maps with scales ranging from 1:250,000 to 1:1,000,000, with the aid of a systematic articulation grid 1:25,000. On this scale it was also performed a correlation between the geodiversity and the biodiversity indexes, the latter inferred by vegetation mapping on scale 1:250,000 (IBGE, 2000c). XIII The main contributions of this research are the enrichment of the knowledge basis about large Amazonian rivers, as well as the application of a method for mapping the geodiversity indexes, which can be useful as a tool for environmental planning, particularly in defining priority areas for conservation in the Amazon region.

O estudo da geodiversidade vem sendo desenvolvido desde a década de 1990 e visa o conhecimento, descrição e conservação do patrimônio natural, através da avaliação de aspectos geológicos (minerais, rochas e fósseis), geomorfológicos (formas de relevo, processos) e pedológicos. A presente pesquisa buscou demonstrar e avaliar o potencial de utilização de variáveis da geomorfologia fluvial como indicadores de geodiversidade, considerando a subtilização deste tipo de indicador em estudos ambientais no Brasil. Essa subtilização coloca-se especialmente para a região amazônica, onde o ambiente fluvial tem grande relevância, seja nos aspectos ambientais, culturais estéticos ou científicos. O objetivo central da tese é a caracterização morfológica e análise, por amostragem, de padrões de canais fluviais e de outros parâmetros da morfologia fluvial na Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio Xingu, a fim de demonstrar a relevância desta variável para a avaliação da geodiversidade na Amazônia. Apesar de ainda ser, em grande parte, protegida por Unidades de Conservação e por Terras Indígenas, a Bacia Hidrográfica do Xingu sofre graves pressões antrópicas, ocasionadas principalmente pela monocultura de soja, nas áreas de cabeceiras, e pela construção da Usina Belo Monte na chamada Volta Grande do Xingu, próxima à sede do município de Altamira- PA. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida em duas escalas. Na de maior detalhe (1:150.000), foram realizados mapeamentos da morfologia fluvial para 23 áreas selecionadas como representativas da diversidade de padrões de canais fluviais na bacia hidrográfica considerada. Essa caracterização comprovou a grande diversidade de padrões de canais fluviais na área de estudo, demonstrando a pertinência desse parâmetro como indicativo de geodiversidade, e servindo também como base para a inserção da variável mudanças de padrão de canais fluviais na metodologia de mapeamento dos índices de geodiversidade da Bacia Hidrográfica do Xingu. Na escala de menor detalhe, foi aplicado um método de quantificação da geodiversidade, em toda a Bacia Hidrográfica, baseado na mensuração e integração dos elementos abióticos espacializados em mapas temáticos em escalas que variam de 1:250.000 a 1:1.000.000, com auxílio de um grid da articulação sistemática 1:25.000. Nesta escala foi realizada, também, uma correlação entre os índices de geodiversidade e os índices de biodiversidade, inferidos pelo XI mapeamento da vegetação em escala 1:250.000 (IBGE, 2000c). As principais contribuições da pesquisa foram o enriquecimento de bases para o estudo de grandes rios amazônicos e a aplicação de um método de mapeamento dos índices de geodiversidade, que poderá servir como instrumento para o planejamento ambiental, especialmente na definição de áreas prioritárias para conservação na região amazônica. / The study of geodiversity has been developed since the 1990s and aims the knowledge, description and conservation of natural heritage, through the evaluation of geological (minerals, rocks and fossils), geomorphological (landforms, processes) and pedological aspects. This research has intended to demonstrate and evaluate the potential use of fluvial geomorphological variables as geodiversity indicators, in view of the underutilization of this kind of indicator in environmental studies in Brazil. This underutilization is a critical issue for the Amazon region, where fluvial environments have great relevance on diverse aspects (environmental, cultural, aesthetic and scientific). The central aim of the thesis is the morphological characterization and analysis of river channel patterns and other parameters of fluvial morphology in sampling areas in the Xingu River Basin, in order to demonstrate the relevance of these parameters for the assessment of geodiversity in the Amazon. Although still largely preserved by conservation units and indigenous lands, the Xingu Basin suffers severe anthropogenic pressures, mainly caused by soy monocultures in headwater areas and by the construction of the Belo Monte Dam in the \"Volta Grande do Xingu\", near the town of Altamira, in the state of Pará. This research was conducted at two different spatial scales. On a more detailed scale (1:150,000), maps of fluvial morphology were made for 23 selected areas, which were considered representative of the diversity of river channel patterns in the drainage basin. This characterization proved the great diversity of river channel patterns in the study area, demonstrating the relevance of this parameter as an indicator of geodiversity. Such a characterization was also useful as a basis for the inclusion of the variable \"change in channel pattern\" in the mapping methodology of the geodiversity indexes in the Xingu Drainage Basin. On a less detailed scale, a method to quantify the geodiversity was applied to the entire drainage basin, based on the measurement and integration of abiotic elements, spatially distributed on thematic maps with scales ranging from 1:250,000 to 1:1,000,000, with the aid of a systematic articulation grid 1:25,000. On this scale it was also performed a correlation between the geodiversity and the biodiversity indexes, the latter inferred by vegetation mapping on scale 1:250,000 (IBGE, 2000c). XIII The main contributions of this research are the enrichment of the knowledge basis about large Amazonian rivers, as well as the application of a method for mapping the geodiversity indexes, which can be useful as a tool for environmental planning, particularly in defining priority areas for conservation in the Amazon region.

[Truncated abstract] Detailed sedimentological, petrographical, geochemical and palynological studies have provided insight into the source rocks and the processes that operated during formation of the Tertiary Yandi channel iron deposit (CID) of the eastern Pilbara, Western Australia. Yandi is the largest and most valuable CID in the world, accounting for more than 2.5% of global iron production in 2003, and is the type-example of CID. The Yandi CID occupies the palaeo-Marillana Creek in the central Hamersley Ranges. It is near-coincident-with the modern Marillana Creek which incised Proterozoic bedrock of the Weeli Wolli Formation (Hamersley Group) and associated dolerite intrusions. Three lithostratigraphic units fill the palaeo-Marillana Creek and comprise the Marillana Formation. The units in stratigraphic order are the: (1) Munjina Member; (2) Barimunya Member, which hosts the majority of the iron resource; and (3) Iowa Eastern Member. Fossil pollen and spores in organic-rich claystones in the Munjina Member indicate that deposition of the Marillana Formation most likely commenced in the Early Oligocene in response to erratic seasonal flows with high energy flood events and intervening quiescent suspension settling of clays. The Marillana Formation consists of twelve facies. These conglomerate and clay facies form three facies associations. The basal facies association is composed of polymictic conglomerate, clay and interbedded CID that represents a lag deposit along the base of the palaeochannel. This facies association characterises the Munjina Member. The second facies association consists of iron-rich conglomerate sheets, bars and subordinate scour-fills and characterises the Barimunya Member. Channel iron deposits of the overlying Iowa Eastern member consist of reworked Barimunya Member iron conglomerates. The upper facies association is polymictic conglomerate with clay that characterises the remainder of the Iowa Eastern Member. Polymictic iron conglomerate in the Munjina and Barimunya Members contains Weeli Wolli Formation and dolerite clasts indicating local derivation. Rare earth element profiles of the other iron conglomerate facies indicate derivation of the Barimunya and Iowa Eastern CID from a different source. These iron conglomerates are characterised by relatively flat LREE profiles. The LREE exhibit an enriched profile approaching the MREE [(average La/Nd)N = 0.7], and the HREE profile shows minor enrichment approaching ytterbium [(average Dy/Yb)N = 0.9]. Comparison of iron conglomerate REE profiles to those of the bedrock indicates that these conglomerates were most probably derived from the Joffre Formation BIF of the Hamersley Group