No description available.

Os diques da Região dos Lagos, localizados entre os municípios de Arraial do Cabo, Cabo Frio e Armação dos Búzios (RJ), integram o Enxame de Diques da Serra do Mar (ESM) e apresentam particularidades geoquímicas e geocronológicas que fazem com que seu papel na abertura do Atlântico Sul ainda seja pouco compreendido. Este estudo apresenta os resultados da investigação detalhada sobre a gênese e a idade dessas intrusões, através novas análises de elementos maiores, menores, traços, razões isotópicas (Sr, Nd e Pb) e datações 40Ar/39Ar. Os diques são quimicamente representados por basaltos toleíticos, andesibasaltos toleíticos e basaltos transicionais, com teores de TiO2, em sua maioria, inferiores a 2% (BTi). Os dados de geoquímica elemental permitem identificar dois grupos, um mais primitivo e empobrecido em elementos incompatíveis (grupo A), e outro mais evoluído e enriquecido nesses elementos (grupo B). Os dados sugerem pouca ou nenhuma influência de contaminação crustal durante a evolução e apontam semelhanças do grupo A com os basaltos BTi (Esmeralda) da Província Magmática do Paraná (PMP). O grupo B, por sua vez, apresenta características distintas dos derrames BTi da PMP. O grupo A possui composições isotópicas pouco radiogênicas em Sr e mais radiogênicas em Pb que o grupo B, assemelhando-se àquelas dos diques Horingbaai da Namíbia. As razões isotópicas de Pb sugerem que os dois grupos foram originados por fontes mantélicas distintas, as quais são também menos radiogênicas que os derrames BTi da PMP. Os dados não se adequam à diferenciação por cristalização fracionada com assimilação concomitante ou por mistura envolvendo os reservatórios mantélicos clássicos. Este comportamento pode estar relacionado a heterogeneidades do manto litosférico, causadas por longos processos de subducção durante a amalgamação do Gondwana ocidental. As análises 40Ar/39Ar mostram que a presença de sericitização e albitização nos plagioclásios pode imprimir as idades desses processos nos espectros. Plagioclásios sericitizados do grupo A forneceram idades de 106-108 Ma, e também um provável evento de albitização em 96 Ma. Tais idades discordam tanto das de plagioclásios frescos (idades máximas de 125-140 Ma), afetados por excesso de Ar em decorrência de inclusões de piroxênio e apatita, como daquelas de 132 Ma obtidas em anfibólio-biotita. Estas últimas devem marcar a intrusão dos diques do grupo A, confirmando sua associação com a PMP. A análise em rocha total de um dique do grupo B apresentou idade máxima de cerca de 108 Ma, sugerindo que a intrusão dos grupos A e B podem não ser contemporâneas. A similaridade entre a idade do grupo B e aquela de soerguimento da costa sudeste sugere que estes diques possam ter sido originados durante esse evento, que também teria causado a alteração (sericitização) dos plagioclásios do grupo A. / The Região dos Lagos tholeiitic dykes, located in Rio de Janeiro State, encompass the Arraial do Cabo, Cabo Frio and Armação de Búzios towns and integrate the Serra do Mar Dyke Swarm. Their role in the South Atlantic opening processes is still poorly defined because of their peculiar geochemical and geochronological features. In this work, the petrogenesis and the geochronology of these intrusions were investigated in detail based on new data of elemental (major, minor and trace elements) and isotope (Sr, Nd and Pb) geochemistry along with a careful 40Ar/39Ar dating. The dykes are chemically represented by tholeiitic basalts, andesi tholeiitic basalts and transitional basalts, usually presenting TiO2 contents lower than 2% (LTi). The elemental geochemistry allows the recognition of two magmatic groups; one of them is more primitive and depleted in incompatible elements (group A), whereas the other one is more evolved and enriched in these elements (group B). The data also indicate that crustal assimilation, if existed, had a small role in the magmatic evolution of both groups, and point out similarities between group A and the LTi flows (Esmeralda) from the Paraná Magmatic Province (PMP). Group B, in turn, displays geochemical features very different from those of the LTi basalts from PMP. The Sr isotope compositions of group A are less radiogenic than those of the B one, but the opposite occurs with Pb, which makes the first group similar to the Horingbaai dykes from Namibia. The Pb isotope ratios indicate that A and B were originated from distinct mantle sources, which also differ from those related to PMP LTi flows. The isotope data are not compatible with assimilation-fractional crystallization processes or simple mixtures involving the classic mantle reservoirs. This behavior suggests origin in heterogeneous lithospheric subcontinental mantle, probably affected by long subduction periods during Western Gondwana amalgamation. The 40Ar/39Ar geochronological data point out that the presence of plagioclase sericitization and albitization in their rims may imprint the age of these events in the age spectra. Sericitized plagioclase grains of group A displayed ages of 106-108 Ma, while the albitized fractions provided ages of 96 Ma. Such results disagree with both the fresh plagioclase grains (maximum ages of 125-140 Ma), very affected by excess Ar due to pyroxene and apatite inclusions, and the 132 Ma age of the amphibole-biotite aliquots. This last result very probably corresponds to the dyke emplacement event, confirming the genetic relationship between group A and the PMP. Whole rock dating in a sericite-free group B dyke provided maximum age of 108 Ma, which would imply that A and B groups are not coeval. The similarity between the last age and the uplifting event of Southwestern Brazilian coast suggests that the dykes of group B could have been generated during such process, which also altered (sericitized) the plagioclases of the group A dykes.

Os diques da Região dos Lagos, localizados entre os municípios de Arraial do Cabo, Cabo Frio e Armação dos Búzios (RJ), integram o Enxame de Diques da Serra do Mar (ESM) e apresentam particularidades geoquímicas e geocronológicas que fazem com que seu papel na abertura do Atlântico Sul ainda seja pouco compreendido. Este estudo apresenta os resultados da investigação detalhada sobre a gênese e a idade dessas intrusões, através novas análises de elementos maiores, menores, traços, razões isotópicas (Sr, Nd e Pb) e datações 40Ar/39Ar. Os diques são quimicamente representados por basaltos toleíticos, andesibasaltos toleíticos e basaltos transicionais, com teores de TiO2, em sua maioria, inferiores a 2% (BTi). Os dados de geoquímica elemental permitem identificar dois grupos, um mais primitivo e empobrecido em elementos incompatíveis (grupo A), e outro mais evoluído e enriquecido nesses elementos (grupo B). Os dados sugerem pouca ou nenhuma influência de contaminação crustal durante a evolução e apontam semelhanças do grupo A com os basaltos BTi (Esmeralda) da Província Magmática do Paraná (PMP). O grupo B, por sua vez, apresenta características distintas dos derrames BTi da PMP. O grupo A possui composições isotópicas pouco radiogênicas em Sr e mais radiogênicas em Pb que o grupo B, assemelhando-se àquelas dos diques Horingbaai da Namíbia. As razões isotópicas de Pb sugerem que os dois grupos foram originados por fontes mantélicas distintas, as quais são também menos radiogênicas que os derrames BTi da PMP. Os dados não se adequam à diferenciação por cristalização fracionada com assimilação concomitante ou por mistura envolvendo os reservatórios mantélicos clássicos. Este comportamento pode estar relacionado a heterogeneidades do manto litosférico, causadas por longos processos de subducção durante a amalgamação do Gondwana ocidental. As análises 40Ar/39Ar mostram que a presença de sericitização e albitização nos plagioclásios pode imprimir as idades desses processos nos espectros. Plagioclásios sericitizados do grupo A forneceram idades de 106-108 Ma, e também um provável evento de albitização em 96 Ma. Tais idades discordam tanto das de plagioclásios frescos (idades máximas de 125-140 Ma), afetados por excesso de Ar em decorrência de inclusões de piroxênio e apatita, como daquelas de 132 Ma obtidas em anfibólio-biotita. Estas últimas devem marcar a intrusão dos diques do grupo A, confirmando sua associação com a PMP. A análise em rocha total de um dique do grupo B apresentou idade máxima de cerca de 108 Ma, sugerindo que a intrusão dos grupos A e B podem não ser contemporâneas. A similaridade entre a idade do grupo B e aquela de soerguimento da costa sudeste sugere que estes diques possam ter sido originados durante esse evento, que também teria causado a alteração (sericitização) dos plagioclásios do grupo A. / The Região dos Lagos tholeiitic dykes, located in Rio de Janeiro State, encompass the Arraial do Cabo, Cabo Frio and Armação de Búzios towns and integrate the Serra do Mar Dyke Swarm. Their role in the South Atlantic opening processes is still poorly defined because of their peculiar geochemical and geochronological features. In this work, the petrogenesis and the geochronology of these intrusions were investigated in detail based on new data of elemental (major, minor and trace elements) and isotope (Sr, Nd and Pb) geochemistry along with a careful 40Ar/39Ar dating. The dykes are chemically represented by tholeiitic basalts, andesi tholeiitic basalts and transitional basalts, usually presenting TiO2 contents lower than 2% (LTi). The elemental geochemistry allows the recognition of two magmatic groups; one of them is more primitive and depleted in incompatible elements (group A), whereas the other one is more evolved and enriched in these elements (group B). The data also indicate that crustal assimilation, if existed, had a small role in the magmatic evolution of both groups, and point out similarities between group A and the LTi flows (Esmeralda) from the Paraná Magmatic Province (PMP). Group B, in turn, displays geochemical features very different from those of the LTi basalts from PMP. The Sr isotope compositions of group A are less radiogenic than those of the B one, but the opposite occurs with Pb, which makes the first group similar to the Horingbaai dykes from Namibia. The Pb isotope ratios indicate that A and B were originated from distinct mantle sources, which also differ from those related to PMP LTi flows. The isotope data are not compatible with assimilation-fractional crystallization processes or simple mixtures involving the classic mantle reservoirs. This behavior suggests origin in heterogeneous lithospheric subcontinental mantle, probably affected by long subduction periods during Western Gondwana amalgamation. The 40Ar/39Ar geochronological data point out that the presence of plagioclase sericitization and albitization in their rims may imprint the age of these events in the age spectra. Sericitized plagioclase grains of group A displayed ages of 106-108 Ma, while the albitized fractions provided ages of 96 Ma. Such results disagree with both the fresh plagioclase grains (maximum ages of 125-140 Ma), very affected by excess Ar due to pyroxene and apatite inclusions, and the 132 Ma age of the amphibole-biotite aliquots. This last result very probably corresponds to the dyke emplacement event, confirming the genetic relationship between group A and the PMP. Whole rock dating in a sericite-free group B dyke provided maximum age of 108 Ma, which would imply that A and B groups are not coeval. The similarity between the last age and the uplifting event of Southwestern Brazilian coast suggests that the dykes of group B could have been generated during such process, which also altered (sericitized) the plagioclases of the group A dykes.

The main aim of this research was to gain a better understanding of the surface and groundwater systems in order to sustainably manage the resource for both current and future generations. Three aquifers are present within the Hinds Rangitata Plain. Aquifer one extends from near surface to approximately 40 - 50 m, aquifer two occurs from approximately 40 - 90 m, and aquifer three occurs from approximately 90 - 150 m. Aquifer one is shown to occur as a series of permeable, iron stained, poorly connected and laterally discontinuous lenses, within and often separated by less permeable sandy or tight claybound gravels. Lenses range from a few centimeters to 20 m wide and from a few centimeters to 1 m thick. These permeable layers are known to be the dominant sources of groundwater from aquifer one. In all three aquifers depth to groundwater and water seasonal water level fluctuations increase with increasing distance inland from the coast. Aquifer one gains and loses groundwater along different sections of the Hinds and Rangitata Rivers. The Hinds Rangitata Plain can be broken into seven distinct zones based on differences in the dominant source (s) of groundwater recharge within each zone. The boundaries for each zone were determined by comparing the short-term seasonal water level fluctuations observed over the course of this study and the long-term water level records, with rainfall, river flows and Mayfield-Hinds Scheme recharge. The majority of the zones also have distinctly different groundwater chemistry and oxygen-18 (d18O) values. Flows in drains and the Hinds River were highly influenced by groundwater levels. Drains and springs within the Mayfield-Hinds Irrigation Scheme were highly influenced by irrigation recharge where as those closer to the coast were more influenced by rainfall. A regional water balance of the Hinds Rangitata Plain was carried out for a one period, between September 2005 and August 2006. During this period, total recharge was 375 m3 x 106, total discharge was 227 m3 x 106, and the outflow was 148 m3 x 106. Data collected during the course of this study showed that rainfall recharge was dominant, accounting for 67 % of the total recharge. The Mayfield-Hinds Irrigation Scheme accounted for 30 % of the total recharge, with a relatively small contribution each from the Rangitata Diversion Race and Hinds River. In terms of discharge, the combined discharge from the drains and Rangitata River terrace springs, accounted for 62 % of the total discharge, with the remaining discharge from coming from groundwater abstraction. There are no overall losses to groundwater from either the Rangitata River or from stockwater race.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / O tema abordado nesta dissertação de mestrado é a petrogênese dos diabásios do Eocretáceo que integram o Enxame de Diques da Serra do Mar na região de Angra dos Reis (RJ). Estes diques intrudem rochas do Terreno Ocidental e do Arco Magmático Rio Negro, inserindo-se no contexto geodinâmico de fragmentação do Gondwana no Cretáceo Inferior. Essas intrusões são subverticais e orientam-se preferencialmente a N039E. Intrusões retilíneas são as mais observadas em campo. Os diabásios são compostos, essencialmente, por plagioclásio e clinopiroxênios (augita e pigeonita). Quartzo, minerais opacos, apatita e olivina ocorrem como minerais acessórios. A composição mineral secundária é marcada pela presença de biotita, uralita e saussurita. Os diabásios estudados compreendem uma série transicional com afinidade toleítica. Os estudos petrológicos revelam a existência de cinco suítes de alto-TiO2, tendo sido as mesmas discriminadas com base nas razões La/Yb de amostras com o mesmo teor de MgO. Destas, apenas a suíte 2 têm quantidade mínima de amostras para avaliação de processos evolutivos. O resultado da modelagem petrogenética aponta que o processo evolutivo mais provável para a geração dos diabásios da suíte 2 é cristalização fracionada sem mudança na assembleia fracionante. As amostras representativas dos líquidos parentais das cinco suítes apresentam razões La/Nb e La/Yb maiores que a unidade, típicas de derivação de fonte enriquecida, que, em várias províncias basálticas continentais, tem sido associada à fusão exclusiva do manto litosférico subcontinental ou a sua participação em processos de mistura de fontes. A discriminação de fontes mantélicas foi feita exclusivamente com base nos teores de elementos traços de amostras representativas de líquidos parentais das cinco suítes discriminadas na área de estudo. Os modelos indicam que todas as cinco suítes estudadas estão relacionadas a fontes harzburgíticas com granada residual. A suíte 5 da área de estudo não pode ser associada à mesma fonte mantélica geradora das suítes 1, 2, 3 e 4 que, por sua vez, se originaram por diferentes quantidades de fusão parcial (respectivamente, 44%, 35%, 31% e 25%) de uma mesma fonte. Cabe ressaltar que a ocorrência de duas suítes, com razões La/Yb muito distintas, porém geograficamente muito próximas, sugere que processos de heterogeneidade mantélica, tipicamente laterais, devem também ocorrer verticalmente. / The petrogenesis of Early Cretaceous dolerites within the Serra do Mar Dyke Swarm in the region of Angra dos Reis (RJ) is presented in this dissertation. The dykes are associated with the Gondwana breakup and intrude rocks of the so-called Occidental Terrane and the Rio Negro Magmatic Arc within the Late Proterozoic-Ordovician Ribeira Orogen. Tipically, the intrusions are subvertical bearing a N039E preferential trend with sharp, linear contacts with their country rocks. The dolerites are essentially composed of plagioclase and clinopyroxene (augite and pigeonita). Quartz, opaque minerals, apatite and olivine occur as accessory minerals. The secondary phases are biotite, eterog and eterogene. The dolerites constitute a transitional series with tholeiitic affinity. Whole-rock geochemical data reveal the existence of five high-TiO2 suites which were discriminated on the basis of La/Yb ratios for samples with similar MgO contents. Petrogenesis analysis were done for suite 2 only due to scarcity of samples in the other four suites. As such, petrogenetic interpretation and modeling points to fractional crystallization as the likely evolutionary process associated with suite 2 dolerites. Samples representing parental liquids of five the high-TiO2 suites show values of La/Nb and La/Yb ratios greater than unity which points to at least a contribution of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) for their genesis. Nevertheless, source mixing processes may have operated since the marked composition of the SCLM (as the Nb depletion, for instance) tends to obliterate most of the geochemical characteristics of other mantle sources. Petrogenetic eteroge indicates that the all five studied suites are related to harzbugitic sources with residual garnet pointing to a thick SCLM by the time of the Gondwana breakup. Suite 5 cannot be associated with the same mantle source that generated suites 1, 2, 3, and 4 which in turn can be related to different amounts of partial melting from a common mantle source (respectively, 44%, 35%, 31% and 25%). As all five suites are close related in space, processes involving vertical chemical eterogeneities within the SCLM as opposed to lateral ones should be considered when putting constraints on geodynamic models for the Gondwana breakup.

Dissertation : Evangelische Theologie : Bochum, Ruhr-Universität : 1985. / En appendice, choix de documents. Sources et bibliogr. p. [135]-153. Index.

No abstract available. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2013.

The main aim of this research was to gain a better understanding of the surface and groundwater systems in order to sustainably manage the resource for both current and future generations. Three aquifers are present within the Hinds Rangitata Plain. Aquifer one extends from near surface to approximately 40 - 50 m, aquifer two occurs from approximately 40 - 90 m, and aquifer three occurs from approximately 90 - 150 m. Aquifer one is shown to occur as a series of permeable, iron stained, poorly connected and laterally discontinuous lenses, within and often separated by less permeable sandy or tight claybound gravels. Lenses range from a few centimeters to 20 m wide and from a few centimeters to 1 m thick. These permeable layers are known to be the dominant sources of groundwater from aquifer one. In all three aquifers depth to groundwater and water seasonal water level fluctuations increase with increasing distance inland from the coast. Aquifer one gains and loses groundwater along different sections of the Hinds and Rangitata Rivers. The Hinds Rangitata Plain can be broken into seven distinct zones based on differences in the dominant source (s) of groundwater recharge within each zone. The boundaries for each zone were determined by comparing the short-term seasonal water level fluctuations observed over the course of this study and the long-term water level records, with rainfall, river flows and Mayfield-Hinds Scheme recharge. The majority of the zones also have distinctly different groundwater chemistry and oxygen-18 (d18O) values. Flows in drains and the Hinds River were highly influenced by groundwater levels. Drains and springs within the Mayfield-Hinds Irrigation Scheme were highly influenced by irrigation recharge where as those closer to the coast were more influenced by rainfall. A regional water balance of the Hinds Rangitata Plain was carried out for a one period, between September 2005 and August 2006. During this period, total recharge was 375 m3 x 106, total discharge was 227 m3 x 106, and the outflow was 148 m3 x 106. Data collected during the course of this study showed that rainfall recharge was dominant, accounting for 67 % of the total recharge. The Mayfield-Hinds Irrigation Scheme accounted for 30 % of the total recharge, with a relatively small contribution each from the Rangitata Diversion Race and Hinds River. In terms of discharge, the combined discharge from the drains and Rangitata River terrace springs, accounted for 62 % of the total discharge, with the remaining discharge from coming from groundwater abstraction. There are no overall losses to groundwater from either the Rangitata River or from stockwater race.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / O tema abordado nesta dissertação de mestrado é a petrogênese dos diabásios do Eocretáceo que integram o Enxame de Diques da Serra do Mar na região de Angra dos Reis (RJ). Estes diques intrudem rochas do Terreno Ocidental e do Arco Magmático Rio Negro, inserindo-se no contexto geodinâmico de fragmentação do Gondwana no Cretáceo Inferior. Essas intrusões são subverticais e orientam-se preferencialmente a N039E. Intrusões retilíneas são as mais observadas em campo. Os diabásios são compostos, essencialmente, por plagioclásio e clinopiroxênios (augita e pigeonita). Quartzo, minerais opacos, apatita e olivina ocorrem como minerais acessórios. A composição mineral secundária é marcada pela presença de biotita, uralita e saussurita. Os diabásios estudados compreendem uma série transicional com afinidade toleítica. Os estudos petrológicos revelam a existência de cinco suítes de alto-TiO2, tendo sido as mesmas discriminadas com base nas razões La/Yb de amostras com o mesmo teor de MgO. Destas, apenas a suíte 2 têm quantidade mínima de amostras para avaliação de processos evolutivos. O resultado da modelagem petrogenética aponta que o processo evolutivo mais provável para a geração dos diabásios da suíte 2 é cristalização fracionada sem mudança na assembleia fracionante. As amostras representativas dos líquidos parentais das cinco suítes apresentam razões La/Nb e La/Yb maiores que a unidade, típicas de derivação de fonte enriquecida, que, em várias províncias basálticas continentais, tem sido associada à fusão exclusiva do manto litosférico subcontinental ou a sua participação em processos de mistura de fontes. A discriminação de fontes mantélicas foi feita exclusivamente com base nos teores de elementos traços de amostras representativas de líquidos parentais das cinco suítes discriminadas na área de estudo. Os modelos indicam que todas as cinco suítes estudadas estão relacionadas a fontes harzburgíticas com granada residual. A suíte 5 da área de estudo não pode ser associada à mesma fonte mantélica geradora das suítes 1, 2, 3 e 4 que, por sua vez, se originaram por diferentes quantidades de fusão parcial (respectivamente, 44%, 35%, 31% e 25%) de uma mesma fonte. Cabe ressaltar que a ocorrência de duas suítes, com razões La/Yb muito distintas, porém geograficamente muito próximas, sugere que processos de heterogeneidade mantélica, tipicamente laterais, devem também ocorrer verticalmente. / The petrogenesis of Early Cretaceous dolerites within the Serra do Mar Dyke Swarm in the region of Angra dos Reis (RJ) is presented in this dissertation. The dykes are associated with the Gondwana breakup and intrude rocks of the so-called Occidental Terrane and the Rio Negro Magmatic Arc within the Late Proterozoic-Ordovician Ribeira Orogen. Tipically, the intrusions are subvertical bearing a N039E preferential trend with sharp, linear contacts with their country rocks. The dolerites are essentially composed of plagioclase and clinopyroxene (augite and pigeonita). Quartz, opaque minerals, apatite and olivine occur as accessory minerals. The secondary phases are biotite, eterog and eterogene. The dolerites constitute a transitional series with tholeiitic affinity. Whole-rock geochemical data reveal the existence of five high-TiO2 suites which were discriminated on the basis of La/Yb ratios for samples with similar MgO contents. Petrogenesis analysis were done for suite 2 only due to scarcity of samples in the other four suites. As such, petrogenetic interpretation and modeling points to fractional crystallization as the likely evolutionary process associated with suite 2 dolerites. Samples representing parental liquids of five the high-TiO2 suites show values of La/Nb and La/Yb ratios greater than unity which points to at least a contribution of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) for their genesis. Nevertheless, source mixing processes may have operated since the marked composition of the SCLM (as the Nb depletion, for instance) tends to obliterate most of the geochemical characteristics of other mantle sources. Petrogenetic eteroge indicates that the all five studied suites are related to harzbugitic sources with residual garnet pointing to a thick SCLM by the time of the Gondwana breakup. Suite 5 cannot be associated with the same mantle source that generated suites 1, 2, 3, and 4 which in turn can be related to different amounts of partial melting from a common mantle source (respectively, 44%, 35%, 31% and 25%). As all five suites are close related in space, processes involving vertical chemical eterogeneities within the SCLM as opposed to lateral ones should be considered when putting constraints on geodynamic models for the Gondwana breakup.

The Chatham Islands are located in the SW Pacific Ocean, approximately 850 km to the east of the South Island of New Zealand. This small group of islands is situated near the eastern margin of the Chatham Rise, an elongated section of submerged continental crust that represents part of the Late Paleozoic-Mesozoic Gondwana accretionary margin. The location and much of the geology of the Chatham Islands are attributed to intra-plate basaltic volcanism, initiated during the Late Cretaceous, in association with development of a failed rifting system to the south of the Chatham Rise. Despite the volcanic nature of much of the geology, the majority of the Cenozoic sedimentary stratigraphic record on the islands comprises non-tropical skeletal carbonate deposits whose deposition was often coeval with submarine volcanics and volcaniclastic deposits. This has resulted in complex stratigraphic relationships, with the volcanic geology exerting a strong influence on the geometry and distribution of the carbonate deposits. These limestones, despite some general field descriptions, have been little studied and are especially poorly understood from a petrographic and diagenetic perspective. The carbonate geology in detail comprises eleven discrete limestone units of Late Cretaceous through to Pleistocene age which were studied during two consecutive field expeditions over the summers of 2005 and 2006. These limestone occurrences are best exposed in scattered coastal outcrops where they form prominent rugged bluffs. While many of the younger (Oligocene to Pliocene) outcrops comprise of poorly exposed, thin and eroded limestone remnants (it;5 m thick), older (Late Paleocene to Early Oligocene) exposures can be up to 100 m in thickness. The character of these limestones is highly variable. In outcrop they display a broad range of textures and skeletal compositions, often exhibit cross-bedding, display differing degrees of porosity occlusion by cementation, and may include rare silicified horizons and evidence of hardground formation. Petrographically the limestones are skeletal grainstones and packstones with a typical compositional makeup of about 70% skeletal material, 10% siliciclasts, and 20% cement/matrix. Localised increases in siliciclastics occur where the carbonates are diluted by locally-derived volcaniclastics. The spectrum of skeletal assemblages identified within the Chatham Island limestones is diverse and appears in many cases to be comparable to the bryozoan dominant types common in mainland New Zealand and mid-latitude Australian cool-water carbonates in general. However, some key departures from the expected cool-water carbonate skeletal makeup have been identified in this study. The occurrence of stromatolitic algal mats in Late Cretaceous and Early Eocene carbonate deposits indicates not cool-temperate, but certainly warm-temperate paleoclimatic conditions. A change to cool-temperate conditions is recorded in the limestone flora/fauna from the mid-Late Miocene times following the development and later northward movement of the Subtropical Front. An uncharacteristic mix of shallow-shelf (bryozoans) and deeper water fauna (planktic foraminifera), together with their highly fragmented and abraded nature, is indicative of the likely remobilisation and redistribution of carbonate, primarily during episodic storm events. The Chatham Islands limestones formed within the relative tectonic stability of an oceanic island setting, which was conducive to ongoing carbonate accumulation throughout much of the Cenozoic. This contrasts markedly with other mainland New Zealand shelf carbonates which formed over sporadic and short-lived geological periods, experiencing greater degrees of burial cementation controlled by a relatively more active tectonic setting. As a consequence of the tectonically stable setting, the Chatham Islands limestones have experienced little burial and exhibit a paucity of burial cementation effects. They remain commonly soft and friable. Detailed petrographic investigations have shown the limestones are variably cemented by rare uneven acicular spar fringes, poorly to well-developed syntaxial rim cements about echinoderm fragments, and equant/blocky microsparite. Staining of thin sections and cathodoluminescence petrography show these spar cement generations are non-ferroan and their very dull- to non-luminescent nature supports precipitation from Mn-poor oxygenated waters, likely of an either meteoric or combined marine/shallow burial origin. Micrite is the dominant intra- and inter-particle pore fill and occurs both as a microbioclastic matrix and as precipitated homogenous and/or micropeloidal cement. The rare fringing cements often seen in association with homogenous and/or micropeloidal micrite may be indicative of true early marine (seafloor) cement precipitation and localised hardground development. An interesting feature of the geology of the Chatham Islands is the occurrence of carbonate material within sedimentary dykes. The locations of the dykes are in association with volcanic and volcaniclastic deposits. Similarities between dyke characteristics at Red Bluff on Chatham Island with mainland occurrences from East Coast and Canterbury Basins (North and South Islands, respectively) on mainland New Zealand have been recognised. They show complex structures including sidewall striations, internal flow structures as revealed by grain sorting, and extra-clast inclusions of previous fill lithologies which are characteristic of carbonate injection. This is in contrast to other dykes which are known to be of a passive fill origin. Multiple phases of carbonate sediment injection can be recognised by crosscutting relationships enabling the determination of a parasequence of events. Possible injection mechanisms are most likely associated with sediment overloading or hydrothermal pressurisation associated with emplacement of submarine volcanics. The Chatham Islands provide an exciting example of a geologically unique and complex non-tropical carbonate depositional setting. The production of carbonates is controlled by volcanic and volcaniclastic sediment input with the types of carbonate deposits and water depth variations related to thermal uplift/subsidence in association with global eustatic sealevel and temperature changes associated with development of Southern Ocean water fronts from the Late Cretaceous-Cenozoic. Carbonate deposition on the Chatham Islands is considered to relate to a rather variable and small scale oceanic, high energy, cool-water carbonate ramp setting whose geometry was continually evolving/changing as a consequence of periodic volcanic episodes.