ALBERT

Notes: In the W Hoggar (Algeria), the major transcurrent N–S East Ouzzal shear zone (EOSZ) hosts several world-class gold deposits over a 100-km length. The late Pan-African EOSZ separates two contrasting Precambrian domains: the Archaean In Ouzzal block to the west (orthogneisses with subordinate metasediments, reworked and granulitized in the c. 2 Ga Eburnean event) and a Middle Proterozoic block to the east (again orthogneisses and metasediments, involved in the c. 600 Ma Pan-African event).The EOSZ is a mylonite belt, 1–3 km wide, with a 50-m-wide ultramylonite belt hosting numerous quartz veins and lenses (giant hydrothermal quartz system) associated with a quartz-sericite-pyrite-carbonate (beresite) alteration. These hydrothermal events occurred under ductile (evolving towards brittle) conditions, between 500 and 300 MPa, at 500–300°C, with aqueous-carbonic fluids derived both from underlying devolatilized metamorphic rocks and a mantle source, as recorded by stable (C, O) isotope data. No gold mineralization was associated with these typical mesothermal events.Following a pressure drop (to 130 MPa), related to the inception of extensional tectonics, the EOSZ was later percolated by a new set of hydrothermal fluids, evolved from basinal waters that deeply penetrated into the In Ouzzal basement. These fluids were Ca-bearing brines (up to 25% wt. eq. NaCl), characterized by high δD (-9 to + 18‰ range), mobilized by the thermal energy released by the late Pan-African granite magmatism (Taourirt granites).As demonstrated by Pb isotope data, the brines leached Au from the In Ouzzal granulites (which contain 3 ppb Au). Fluid inclusion studies indicate that gold was deposited from these brines in the EOSZ at a depth of c. 5 km, due to mixing and cooling with descending diluted fluids.

Notes: Migmatitic, granulite-grade mafic gneisses make up a significant part of the Kapuskasing Structural Zone (KSZ), Ontario. Although they contain a common mineral assemblage [hornblende (Hbl)+plagioclase (Pl)+diopside (Di)±garnet (Grt)+quartz (Qtz)±titanite (Ttn)], the mafic gneisses show wide variations in modal mineralogy from hornblende-rich to diopside+garnet-rich varieties and all gradations between. Up to 25 vol.% segregated plagioclase+quartz-rich (trondhjemitic) leucosome (Tdh) is intimately associated with the mafic gneiss, occurring in a continuum of patches, veins and transecting dykes at scales ranging from decimetres to micrometres. The texture and composition of the leucosome, combined with P-T  estimates for the host rocks above the solidus, suggest it represents crystallized trondhjemitic melt. Quartz is mainly restricted to the segregated leucosomes but more rarely occurs in a variety of interstitial textures in the mafic gneiss, suggesting that it crystallized from a melt phase rather than having been present as a solid phase at peak metamorphic conditions. Modal and textural data indicate a reaction relationship of the form: Hbl+Pl(+Qtz?)=Grt+Di+Ttn+leucosome (Tdh), implying that the granulite-forming process involved dehydration melting of an amphibolite protolith. Pressure-temperature estimates from Grt+Di+Pl+Qtz geothermobarometry are 9 kbar and 685-735 °C; however, based on experimental studies of dehydration melting of amphibolite, we estimate that peak conditions were closer to 11 kbar, 850 °C. Mass balance analysis, using the technique of singular value decomposition, and reaction space analysis were used to quantify the reaction and to determine the controls on reaction progress. The following mass balance provides a model for the natural reaction:1.00 Hbl+0.92 Pl+3.76 Qtz=1.14 Grt+1.54 Di+0.21 Ttn+1.49 Tdh+0.14 ‘pg’+0.39 Fe−1Mg+0.33 NaSiCa−1Al−1where ‘pg’ is a pargasite-like exchange. In all model mass balances tested, quartz is a reactant with a large coefficient. We argue that the abundance of quartz in the amphibolite protolith was the primary control on the differing extents of reaction observed. Mineral compositional variation exerted a secondary control on reaction progress, with Fe-richer layers containing An-richer plagioclase and more actinolitic amphibole reacting earliest (i.e. at lowest temperatures). Comparison of the calculated amount of melt produced in the gneisses with that now observed implies expulsion of 5–30% of the melt. These volumes are similar to those predicted from REE modelling of Archaean tonalities and trondhjemites from a garnet amphibolite source, suggesting that the KSZ mafic gneisses may be representative of partially depleted source rocks for trondhjemite-tonalite generation.

Notes: Empirical data on quartz subgrain patterns from various metamorphic rocks show that, at least up to 10 kbar in the stability field of low-quartz, prismatic subgrain boundaries are dominant whereas basal subgrain boundaries are not developed. In the high-quartz stability field, both prismatic and basal subgrain boundaries occur and form typical rectangular (‘chessboard’) patterns. The likely reason behind the different occurrence of these subgrain patterns is that in high-quartz prismatic glide becomes as easy as, or probably even easier than, basal glide. The two types of subgrain patterns can be clearly distinguished by optical microscopy. Consequently, the occurrence of chessboard subgrain patterns in quartz represents a practicable geothermobarometer. The possibilities of its application are far reaching and include the specification of deformation conditions at high-grade metamorphism, the recognition of syntectonic intrusions and the distinction between pluton emplacement at lower and at higher crustal levels.

Notes: Granitic magmas migrated through Early Proterozoic middle–lower crust at Mt Hay, central Australia, via a diverse network of narrow structurally controlled channelways, during a period of progressive W–SW-directed thrusting (D1a–D1d). They utilized existing folds, boudins and shear zones, or created new channels by magmatic fracture either parallel to layering or, rarely, in irregular arrays. The magmas rose obliquely, parallel to the plunging (50–60°) regional elongation direction, which was defined by coaxial folds, boudin necks and a strong mineral-elongation lineation. Megacrystic charnockitic magmas migrated through metre-scale conduits during D1a–D1b, but leucosomes were generally restricted to smaller (centimetre-scale) structures that existed throughout the entire deformation history. Thus, D1a/D1b leucosomes were potential feeders of in situ partial melts to the adjacent larger conduits of charnockite magma, thereby providing a pervasive interconnected network that allowed efficient migration of all magma types during the early stages of thrusting.The upper–middle crust of the Anmatjira–Reynolds Range area contains abundant megacrystic granitoid sheets that are of similar age and geochemistry to those at Mt Hay. They are considered to have formed as syntectonic intrusions emplaced during W–SW-directed thrusting, as at Mt Hay, suggesting that granitic magmas formed near the base of the continental crust passed through the mid-lower crustal level (25–30 km) exposed at Mt Hay and accumulated, in batholithic proportions, at shallower crustal levels (12–20 km) such as the Anmatjira–Reynolds Range area.The observations imply that granitoid magmas in the deep crust are capable of pervasive migration through the crust during major compressive, noncoaxial shear deformation. Localization of magmas by sequentially developed, narrow, compressive structures suggests that dilatancy followed successive foliation-forming events, a situation that can occur during steady-state deformation if the effective confining pressures are low, which would be a result of high and possibly variable rates of magma influx. The inferred rapid melt segregation and migration during deformation suggest that large chambers do not form until magma reaches neutral buoyancy in the middle to upper continental crust.

Notes: Calcsilicate xenoliths occur in large numbers in some lavas and pyroclastic flows of Lascar Volcano. Their whole-rock major element and REE compositions indicate that the protolith was the Upper Cretaceous Yacoraite Formation, which crops out extensively in NW Argentina. The whole-rock major element compositions of the xenoliths fall into specific groups suggesting a strong geochemical zonation in the skarn zone. Three geochemical zones have been identified; (1) an outer metamorphic zone rich in wollastonite; (2) a middle zone rich in pyroxene and garnet; (3) an inner zone rich in pyroxene and magnetite. The two innermost zones have developed from the wollastonite zone by infiltration of metasomatic fluids rich in Fe, Mn, Mg, Ti and Al. Whole-rock REE patterns have not changed significantly during prograde metamorphism and metasomatism, indicating REE immobility in the altering fluids. Retrograde alteration by acid-sulphate fluids produced anhydrite skarns and secondary calcite and wilkeite veins in the wollastonite zone. The carbon and oxygen isotopic compositions of this calcite indicate that it formed by Rayleigh crystallization from a low-temperature (〈200 °C) fluid containing dissolved H2CO3. The calculated δ18O of the water in this fluid suggests a magmatic origin whereas the calculated δ13C of the dissolved carbonate is consistent with derivation from rocks of the Yacoraite Formation at 350 °C. It is suggested that the magmatic acid-sulphate fluid was responsible for leaching carbonate from the surrounding carbonate rocks and redepositing it in the skarn zone. REEs were mobilized during the retrograde acid-sulphate and acid-carbonate alteration. A negative Ce anomaly associated with this carbonate and sulphate indicates high oxygen fugacities in the mineralizing fluids.

Notes: In progressing from a granitoid mylonite to an ultramylonite in the Brevard shear zone in North Carolina, Ca and LOI (H2O) increase, Si, Mg, K, Na, Ba, Sr, Ta, Cs and Th decrease, while changes in Al, Ti, Fe, P, Sc, Rb, REE, Hf, Cr and U are relatively small. A volume loss of 44% is calculated for the Brevard ultramylonite relative to an Al–Ti–Fe isocon. The increase in Ca and LOI is related to a large increase in retrograde epidote and muscovite in the ultramylonite, the decreases in K, Na, Si, Ba and Sr reflect the destruction of feldspars, and the decrease in Mg is related to the destruction of biotite during mylonitization. In an amphibolite facies fault zone separating grey and pink granitic gneisses in the Hope Valley shear zone in New England, compositional similarity suggests the ultramylonite is composed chiefly of the pink gneisses. Utilizing an Al–Ti–Fe isocon for the pink gneisses, Sc, Cr, Hf, Ta, U, Th and M-HREE are relatively unchanged, Si, LOI, K, Mg, Rb, Cs and Ba are enriched, and Ca, Na, P, Sr and LREE are lost during deformation. In contrast to the Brevard mylonite, the Hope Valley mylonite appears to have increased in volume by about 70%, chiefly in response to an introduction of quartz.Chondrite-normalized REE patterns of granitoids from both shear zones are LREE-enriched and have prominent negative Eu anomalies. Although REE increase in abundance in the Brevard ultramylonites (reflecting the volume loss), the shape of the REE pattern remains unchanged. In contrast, REE and especially LREE decrease in abundance with increasing deformation of the Hope Valley gneisses. Mass balance calculations indicate that ≥95% of the REE in the Brevard rocks reside in titanite. In contrast, in the Hope Valley rocks only 15–40% of the REE can be accounted for collectively by titanite, apatite and zircon. Possible sites for the remaining REE are allanite, fluorite or grain boundaries. Loss of LREE from the pink gneisses during deformation may have resulted from decreases in allanite and perhaps apatite or by leaching ofy REE from grain boundaries by fluids moving through the shear zone.Among the element ratios most resistant to change during mylonitization in the Brevard shear zone are La/Yb, Eu/Eu*, Sm/Nd, La/Sc, Th/Sc, Th/Yb, Cr/Th, Th/U and Hf/Ta, whereas the most stable ratios in the Hope Valley shear zone are K/Rb, Rb/Cs, Th/U, Eu/Eu*, Th/Sc, Th/Yb, Sm/Nd, Th/Ta, Hf/Ta and Hf/Yb. However, until more trace element data are available from other shear zones, these ratios should not be used alone to identify protoliths of deformed rocks.

Notes: Oppositely concave microfolds (OCMs) in and adjacent to porphyroblasts can be classified into five nongenetic types. Type 1 OCMs are found in sections through porphyroblasts with spiral-shaped inclusion trails cut parallel to the spiral axes, and commonly show closed foliation loops. Type 2 OCMs, commonly referred to as ‘millipede’ microstructure, are highly symmetrical, the foliation folded into OCMs being approximately perpendicular to the overprinting foliation. Type 3 OCMs are similar to Type 2, but are asymmetrical, the foliation folded into OCMs being variably oblique to the overprinting foliation. Type 4 OCMs are highly asymmetrical, only one foliation is present, and this foliation is parallel to the local shear plane. Type 5 OCMs result from porphyroblast growth over a microfold interference pattern.Types 1 and 2 are commonly interpreted as indicating highly noncoaxial and highly coaxial bulk deformation paths, respectively, during porphyroblast growth. However, theoretically they can form by any deformation path intermediate between bulk coaxial shortening and bulk simple shearing. Given particular initial foliation orientation and timing of porphyroblast growth, Type 3 OCMs can also form during these intermediate deformation paths, and are commonly found in the same rocks as Type 2 OCMs. Type 4 OCMs may indicate highly noncoaxial deformation during porphyroblast growth, but may be difficult to distinguish from Type 3 OCMs. Thus, Types 1–3 (and possibly 4) reflect the finite strain state, giving no information about the rotational component of the deformation(s) responsible for their formation. Furthermore, there is a lack of unequivocal independent evidence for the degree of noncoaxiality of deformation (s) during the growth of porphyroblasts containing OCMs. Type 2 OCMs that occur independently of porphyroblasts or other rigid objects might indicate highly coaxial bulk shortening, but there is a lack of supporting physical or computer modelling.It is possible that microstructures in the matrix around OCMs formed during highly noncoaxial and highly coaxial deformation histories might have specific characteristics that allow them to be distinguished from one another. However, determining degrees of noncoaxiality from rock fabrics is a major, longstanding problem in structural geology.

Notes: Ion probe traverses across garnets from peridotites of the Caledonides of Norway and the Variscides of Poland show zoning patterns for Y, V, Zr, Cr, Ti and the REE. The complexly zoned patterns of garnets from the Bystrzyca Górna peridotite, Poland, are interpreted in terms of a changing P–T history (isobaric cooling followed by decompression and cooling). Weak rimward gradients in REE concentrations in garnets from the Almklovdalen and Sandvika peridotites, Norway, may be relicts of the original growth history of the garnets, but the nearly flat Y, V, Zr, Cr and Ti profiles from the same garnets imply a later period of near-homogenization at uniform P–T. Crushed garnet separates from each body were separated into three or more fractions on the assumption that density and magnetic susceptibility vary with Fe/Mg ratio, and Fe/Mg ratios change from garnet core to rim. Sm-Nd garnet–clinopyroxene ‘ages’ were determined for each fraction to determine whether they are also zoned. Four garnet fractions from the Góry Sowie peridotite give nearly the same ages (397–412 Ma) that are believed to span the interval of garnet growth. Garnet fractions from the Norwegian peridotites define scattered ages (816–1350 Ma) that are suspect, but hint at a Sveconorwegian equilibration event. The data indicate the Variscan and Norwegian peridotites had different histories, despite superficial mineralogical and tectonic similarities. Norwegian garnet peridotites had a long pre-Caledonian history and were extracted from a relatively cold mantle whereas the Variscan garnet peridotites had a comparatively short pre- or Eo-Variscan history and were extracted from a hot mantle.

Notes: Paragonite-bearing amphibolites occur interbedded with a garbenschist-micaschist sequence in the Austroalpine Schneeberg Complex, southern Tyrol. The mineral assemblage mainly comprises paragonite + Mg-hornblende/tschermakite + quartz + plagioclase + biotite + ankerite + Ti-phase + garnet ± muscovite. Equilibrium P–T conditions for this assemblage are 550–600°C and 8–10 kbar estimated from garnet–amphibole–plagioclase–ilmenite–rutile and Si contents of phengitic muscovites. In the vicinity of amphibole, paragonite is replaced by symplectitic chlorite + plagioclase + margarite +± biotite assemblages. Muscovite in the vicinity of amphibole reacts to form plagioclase + biotite + margarite symplectites. The reaction of white mica + hornblende is the result of decompression during uplift of the Schneeberg Complex. The breakdown of paragonite + hornblende is a water-consuming reaction and therefore it is controlled by the availability of fluid on the retrogressive P–T path. Paragonite + hornblende is a high-temperature equivalent of the common blueschist-assemblage paragonite + glaucophane in Ca-bearing systems and represents restricted P–T conditions just below omphacite stability in a mafic bulk system. While paragonite + glaucophane breakdown to chlorite + albite marks the blueschist/greenschist transition, the paragonite + hornblende breakdown observed in Schneeberg Complex rocks is indicative of a transition from epidote-amphibolite facies to greenschist facies conditions at a flatter P–T gradient of the metamorphic path compared to subduction-zone environments. Ar/Ar dating of paragonite yields an age of 84.5 ± 1 Ma, corroborating an Eoalpine high-pressure metamorphic event within the Austroalpine unit west of the Tauern Window. Eclogites that occur in the Ötztal Crystalline Basement south of the Schneeberg Complex are thought to be associated with this Eoalpine metamorphic event.

Notes: The northern Dabie terrane consists of a variety of metamorphic rocks with minor mafic-ultramafic blocks, and abundant Jurassic-Cretaceous granitic plutons. The metamorphic rocks include orthogneisses, amphibolite, migmatitic gneiss with minor granulite and metasediments; no eclogite or other high-pressure metamorphic rocks have been found. Granulites of various compositions occur either as lenses, blocks or layers within clinopyroxene-bearing amphibolite or gneiss. The palaeosomes of most migmatitic gneisses contain clinopyroxene; melanosomes and leucosomes are intimately intermingled, tightly folded and may have formed in situ. The granulites formed at about 800–830 °C and 10–14 kbar and display near-isothermal decompression P–T paths that may have resulted from crust thickened by collision. Plagioclase-amphibole coronae around garnets and matrix PI + Hbl assemblages from mafic and ultramafic granulites formed at about 750–800 °C. Partial replacement of clinopyroxene by amphibole in gneiss marks amphibolite facies retrograde metamorphism. Amphibolite facies orthogneisses and interlayered amphibolites formed at 680–750 °C and c. 6 kbar. Formation of oligoclase + orthoclase antiperthite after plagioclase took place in migmatitic gneisses at T ≤ 490°C in response to a final stage of retrograde recrystallization. These P–T estimates indicate that the northern Dabie metamorphic granulite-amphibolite facies terrane formed in a metamorphic field gradient of 20–35 °C km-1 at intermediate to low pressures, and may represent the Sino-Korean hangingwall during Triassic subduction for formation of the ultrahigh- and high-P units to the south. Post-collisional intrusion of a mafic-ultramafic cumulate complex occurred due to breakoff of the subducting slab.

Notes: With increasing temperature during prograde metamorphism reactions will occur first at the lithological contacts of mixed pelite and calcsilicate terranes. At these interfaces, a fluid of lower chemical potential of H2O and CO2 than that required to produce a fluid in either layer can be produced whether reaction is caused by fluid infiltration or is initially fluid absent. If the interface region does not allow fluid transport then as temperature increases, a fluid pressure greater than lithostatic can develop. At some degree of over-pressure relative to rock pressure, the fluid hydraulically fractures the rock and a gradient in fluid composition away from the contact can be produced. These phenomena occur at the compositional interfaces whenever univariant reactions in the differing layers cross on a temperature vs. mole fraction of CO2 diagram with slopes of opposite sign. The first occurrence of these reaction products at lithological contacts delineates an isograd that defines temperature as well as the mole fraction of CO2 at constant pressure in systems open to fluid transport. These isograds can be contrasted with fluid-producing isograds in closed systems. As an illustration of possible effects, the reactions quartz + clinozoisite + muscovite = anorthite + K-feldspar + H2O and phlogopite + quartz + calcite = tremolite + K-feldspar + H2O + CO2 at 4 kbar are analysed and equations for fluid production and transport are developed.

Notes: The In Ouzzal terrane (IOT) or In Ouzzal granulite unit (IOGU) is an elongated Palaeoproterozoic block within the Neoproterozoic Pan-African belt of north-west Africa. The granulites derive from Archaean protoliths that include a large volume of metasediments which were deposited on a 3.2-Ga gneissic basement. Near-peak granulite facies conditions between 2.17 and 2 Ga were estimated at P=10 kbar and T rising from 800 to 1000°C. Premetamorphic orthogneisses were intruded at 2.5 Ga, and followed by the emplacement of syn- to late-kinematic charnockites, syenites and carbonatites at around 2 Ga. Cooling of the granulites occurred till 1800 Ma. Shortly after its exhumation coeval with crustal extension and related alkaline magmatism in adjacent areas, the IOT was buried beneath late Palaeoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic cover sequences, and then behaved as a rigid block. Both margins are lithospheric faults, as evidenced by the occurrence of shear-zone-related mafic and felsic plutons. Pan-African tectonothermal events were negligible in the north, but granulites in the south were significantly reworked under lower greenschist facies conditions during the northern motion of the block with respect to both the western and the eastern Pan-African terranes. The Cambrian molasse, associated with widespread alkaline volcanism and subvolcanic granites, is horizontal in the north. The IOT, which was part of a larger continental mass including its counterpart in northern Mali, is interpreted as an exotic terrane which may have docked during Pan-African plate convergence and lateral collision. The unchanged pediplain since c. 1.7 Ga in the north suggests that the IOT is underlain by thick Palaeoproterozoic lithospheric mantle, whereas its southern part is probably allochthonous and overlies Pan-African structural units.

Notes: Al-Mg granulites, with cordierite, garnet, sapphirine, orthopyroxene, sillimanite, spinel, phlogopite, K-feldspar, plagioclase and variable quartz from Ihouhaouene (In Ouzzal, Algeria), display a range of decompression textures involving the breakdown of orthopyroxene and sillimanite, and of garnet. The succession of parageneses suggests that the P–T–t evolution corresponds to decompression with cooling from peak conditions of about 950°C and 10 kbar. This decompression path is obtained from the paragenetic analysis in the FMAS system. However, according to current KFMASH grids, this P–T–t evolution should take place outside the stability field of phlogopite+quartz; yet this assemblage is probably stable during most of the P-T evolution, notably during peak metamorphism. This discrepancy is interpreted as the effect of the high content of F in phlogopite which should shift its stability limit towards higher temperature. The consequences of this shift on the phase relationships in the KFeMASH system are investigated and it is concluded that a topological inversion could exist in the F-bearing system.

Notes: Quartz Al–Mg granulites exposed at In Hihaou, In Ouzzal (NW Hoggar), preserve an unusual high-grade mineral association stable at temperatures up to 1050°C, involving the parageneses orthopyroxene–sillimanite–garnet–quartz, sapphirine–quartz and spinel–quartz. The phase relationships within the FMAS system show that a continuum exists between the earlier prograde reaction textures and those of the later decompressive event. The following mineral reactions involving sillimanite are deduced: (1) Grt+Qtz→Opx+Sil, (2) Opx+Sil→Grt+Spr+Qtz, (3) Grt+Sil+Qtz→Crd, (4) Grt+Sil→Crd+Spr, (5) Grt+Sil+Spr→Crd+Spl, (6) Grt+Sil→Crd+Spl, (7) Grt+Crd+Sil→Spl+Qtz and (8) Grt+Sil→Spl+Qtz. Minerals in quartz Al–Mg granulites display compositional variations consistent with the observed reactions. The Mg/(Mg+Fe2+) range of the main minerals is as follows: cordierite (0.81–0.97), sapphirine (0.77–0.88), orthopyroxene (0.65–0.81), garnet (0.33–0.64) and spinel (0.23–0.56). The reaction textures and the evolution of the mineral assemblages in the quartz Al–Mg granulites indicate a clockwise P–T trajectory characterized by peak conditions of at least 10 kbar and 1050°C, followed by decompression from 10 to 6 kbar at a temperature of at least 900°C.

Notes: Many thermodynamic calculations relating to metamorphic rocks hinge on the thermodynamic parameters of garnet. Though some models are widely used, it is not clear whether their underlying premise is correct: that a single set of equations can be written for the activities of the end-members of garnet covering the whole compositional range. A voluminous body of data can be used to constrain the thermodynamics of garnet, namely Fe–Mg exchange experimental data involving garnet and another mineral, particularly clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene and olivine. However, examination of these data reveals inconsistencies, apparently stemming from differences between the thermodynamics of low-Ca and high-Ca garnets, with a boundary of about XgCa= 0.15. In the two regions, for the high P–T of the experimental data, the thermodynamics follow the regular model, with values for the interaction parameters in the low Ca region of about wgFeMg= 50R and waFe–wgMgCa=– 1300R, in which R is the gas constant, and in the high Ca region of about wgFeMg= 1100R and wgCaFe–wgMgCa=– 2200R. Using the subregular, rather than the regular, model does not remove the discrepancy. The cause of the discrepancy needs to be identified if reliable calculations on rocks are to be made.

Notes: In the Hlinsko region (Variscan Bohemian Massif, Czech Republic) a major extensional shear zone separates low-grade metasedimentary series (Hlinsko schists) and high-grade rocks of the Moldanubian terrane (Svratka Crystalline Unit). During late-Variscan extension, a tonalite intruded syntectonically into the normal ductile shear zone, and caused contact metamorphism of the overlying schists. Concurrent syntectonic sedimentation of a flysch series took place at the top of the hangingwall schists. In order to decipher the detailed petrological evolution of the Hlinsko unit situated in the hangingwall of this tectonic contact, a phase diagram approach and petrogenetic grids, calculated with the thermocalc computer program, were used.The crystallization/deformation relationships and the paragenetic analysis of the Hlinsko schists define a P–T path with an initial minor increase in pressure followed by cooling. Calculated pseudosections constrain this anticlockwise P-T evolution to the upper part of the andalusite field between 0.36 and 0.40 GPa for temperatures ranging from 570 to 530°C. A low aH2O is required to explain the presence of andalusite-biotite-bearing assemblages, and could be related to the presence of abundant graphite.In contrast, the footwall rocks of the Svratka Crystalline Unit record decompression from around 0.8 GPa at a relatively constant temperature, followed by cooling. Thus, the footwall and the hangingwall units display opposite, but convergent P–T histories. Decompression in the footwall rocks is related to a rapid exhumation. We propose that the inverse, anticlockwise P–T path recorded in the hangingwall pelites is related to the rapid, extension-controlled sedimentation of the overlying flysch series.

Notes: Two high-grade gneissic complexes of the Western Sudetes, the Góry Sowie Block and the Śnieżnik area complex, contain small, predominantly felsic granulitic inliers with minor Cpx-bearing intercalations. The P–T  conditions of the granulite facies events and of the subsequent re-equilibration are estimated using the ternary feldspar thermometer and the Geo-Calc computer program (version TWQ, Jan 92).In the Góry Sowie granulites, the peak granulitic event occurred at c. 18–20 kbar and 900 °C, and the late decompressive re-equilibration within a range of 4–10 kbar and temperatures decreasing to 600–700 °C. The latter event is thought to have coincided with the main metamorphic phase in the surrounding gneisses.The P–T  estimates are more scattered in the Śnieżnik granulites, but the peak conditions for the granulitic event are estimated at pressure over 22 kbar (possibly around 30 kbar) and temperature exceeding 900 °C. The analysed samples from the Śnieżnik area bear no significant evidence of lower-pressure re-equilibration.Integrating the thermobarometric data and some age constraints indicates that the Góry Sowie granulites belong to the early stage ‘type I’ granulites of the Variscan Belt (c. 400 Ma old), which are interpreted as fragments of continental crustal materials subducted to mantle depths in the earliest stages of the Variscan orogeny. The Śnieżnik granulites are more problematic; they may belong to a ‘younger high-P suite’ (c. 350 Ma old), widespread in the southern and eastern parts of the Bohemian Massif, and possibly related to the climax of the Variscan continent–continent collision.

Notes: Cretaceous granulite facies metamorphism in the Fiordland area of New Zealand has distinctive mineralogical, textural and structural features that set it apart from most other regional metamorphic belts. The metamorphism, developed over a 30×150-km area and the consequence of a 20-km-thick increment to crustal thickness, is closely associated in space and time with a large plutonic complex, the Western Fiordland Orthogneiss (WFO). Although temperatures and pressures as high as 700 °C and 12 kbar were attained, the metamorphic overprint on earlier low-pressure assemblages is weak and incomplete. Little strain accompanied the metamorphism. The temperature threshold at which metamorphic recrystallization is recorded is over 500 °C. Zoned garnets are preserved at unusually high temperatures, indicating duration of metamorphism on the order of 10 times shorter than in most other regional terranes. This pattern of features bears close similarity to metamorphism in the Coast Plutonic Complex in North America, where a mechanism of ‘magma loading’ has been invoked. In Fiordland, the high-pressure metamorphism can be explained by depression of country rock under a crustal zone that is inflated by intrusion of the WFO. Regional structure of the WFO as a horizontally sheeted complex suggests that the pluton was emplaced by vertical displacement of country rock, and supports the magma loading model.

Notes: Raman spectral analyses of carbonaceous material (CM) extracted from pelitic samples along two sections traversing the metamorphic belt of Taiwan were carried out in the present study. The results show similar spectral variations of CM with metamorphic grade as those documented in the literature. However, continuous sampling from zeolite facies through prehnite–pumpellyite facies to greenschist facies metamorphic rocks in the present study does reveal some interesting features on the Raman spectra of CM that were not noted before. Both the Raman D (disordered-)/O (ordered-) peak area (i.e. integrated intensity) ratio and the D/O peak width (i.e. full width at half maximum, FWHM) ratio of the CM decrease with progressive metamorphism, but the most prominent change in the D/O peak area ratio occurs in samples of lower greenschist facies metamorphic grade, while the most significant decrease in the D/O peak width ratio occurs in samples near the boundary of prehnite–pumpellyite facies and greenschist facies. This phenomenon is interpreted as a result of the decoupling of the changing rates of in-plane crystallite size and degree of defects of CM with progressive metamorphism. It is postulated that the Raman spectrum of CM can serve as a metamorphic grade indicator to distinguish samples of prehnite–pumpellyite facies metamorphic grade from those of greenschist facies metamorphic grade.

Notes: Moderately manganiferous siliceous pelagites near Meyers Pass, Torlesse Terrane, South Canterbury, New Zealand, have been metamorphosed in the prehnite–pumpellyite facies. A conodont colour index measurement suggests T max in the range 190–300 °C. Porphyroblastic manganaxinite, manganoan pumpellyite, manganoan chlorite and trace spessartine-rich garnet and sphalerite have formed in an extremely fine-grained quartz–albite–berthierine–phengite–titanite groundmass. Porphyroblastic manganaxinite semischists and schists are distinctive rocks in prehnite–pumpellyite to lower-grade greenschist and blueschist facies of New Zealand and Japan. Mn in the manganoan pumpellyites substitutes for Ca in W sites. Total Fe/(Fe+Mg) ratios in chlorite are dependent on oxidation state, being ≤0.22 in red hematitic hemipelagites, and ≥0.61 in low-f O2 grey metapelagites. In the low-f O2 metapelagites, manganoan berthierine with little or no chlorite is inferred in the groundmass and iron-rich chlorite occurs as porphyroblasts and veinlets, whereas in the red rocks, Mg-rich chlorite occurs both in groundmasses and veinlets. Variably high Si in the manganoan chlorites correlates with evidence for contaminant phases. The Mn content of chlorite contributing to garnet growth is dependent on metamorphic grade; incipient spessartine indicates a saturation value of 6–8% MnO in chlorite in low-f O2 rocks at Meyers Pass. Lower MnO contents are recorded for otherwise analogous rocks with increasing metamorphic grade, but at a given grade coexisting chlorite and garnet are richer in Mn where f O2 is high. Manganaxinite and manganoan pumpellyite also contributed to reactions forming grossular–spessartine solid solutions. Formation of garnet in siliceous pelagites is dependent on both Mn and Ca content. The spessartine component increases with grade into the greenschist facies. Partial recrystallization of berthierine to chlorite and the growth of porphyroblastic patches of other minerals was facilitated by brittle fracture and access of fluids to an otherwise impermeable matrix; to this extent the very low-grade metamorphism was episodic.

Notes: Carbon isotope fractionations between calcite and graphite in the Panamint Mountains, California, USA, demonstrate the importance of mass balance on carbon isotope values in metamorphosed carbon-bearing minerals while recording the thermal conditions during peak regional metamorphism. Interbedded graphitic marbles and graphitic calcareous schists in the Kingston Peak Formation define distinct populations on a δ13C(gr)–δ13C(cc) diagram. The δ13C values of both graphite and calcite in the marbles are higher than the values of the respective minerals in the schists. δ13C values in both rock types were controlled by the relative proportions of the carbon-bearing minerals: calcite, the dominant carbon reservoir in the marble, largely controlled the δ13C values in this lithology, whereas the δ13C values in the schists were largely controlled by the dominant graphite. This is in contrast to graphite-poor calcsilicate systems where carbon isotope shifts in carbonate minerals are controlled by decarbonation reactions.The marbles record a peak temperature of 531±30 °C of a Jurassic low-pressure regional metamorphic event above the tremolite isograd. In the schists there is a much wider range of recorded temperatures. However, there is a mode of temperatures at c. 435 °C, which approximately corresponds to the temperatures of the principal decarbonation metamorphic reactions in the schists, suggesting that the carbon exchange was set by loss of calcite and armouring of graphite by newly formed silicate minerals. The armouring may explain the relatively large spread of apparent temperatures. Although the modal temperature also corresponds to the approximate temperature of the Cretaceous retrograde event, retrograde exchange is thought less likely due to very slow exchange rates involving well-crystallized graphite, armouring of graphite by silicates during the earlier event, and because of other barriers to retrograde carbon exchange. Thus, only the calcite–graphite carbon isotope fractionations recorded by the marbles demonstrate the high-temperature conditions of the low-pressure Jurassic metamorphic event that was associated with the emplacement of granitic plutons to the west of the Panamint Mountains.

Notes: Seventy-five spatially orientated, serial thin sections cut from a single rock containing ‘millipede’ porphyroblast microstructure from the Robertson River Metamorphics, Australia, reveal the three-dimensional (3-D) geometry of oppositely concave microfolds (OCMs) that define the microstructure. Electronic animations showing progressive serial sections of the 3-D microstructure are made available via the World Wide Web. The OCM amplitudes decrease regularly from a maximum in near-central sections to a minimum in near-marginal sections, whereas the OCM interlimb angles increase regularly from a minimum in near-central sections to a maximum in near-marginal sections. These observations illustrate that the OCMs are noncylindrical surfaces with culminations located in near-central sections. Because the porphyroblast cores appear to have been present before significant development of the syn-OCM foliation, all of the OCMs were formed by heterogeneous extension around these cores. The overall geometry of the OCMs described here reflects the strain state, and cannot be used to constrain deformation paths.

Notes: The high-grade migmatitic core to the southern Brittany metamorphic belt has mineralogical and textural features that suggest high-temperature decompression. The chronology of this decompression and subsequent cooling history have been constrained with 40Ar/39 Ar ages determined for multigrain concentrates of hornblende and muscovite prepared from amphibolite and late-orogenic granite sheets within the migmatitic core, and from amphibolite of the structurally overlying unit. Three hornblende concentrates yield plateau isotope correlation ages of c. 303–298 Ma. Two muscovite concentrates record well-defined plateau ages of c. 306–305 Ma. These ages are geologically significant and date the last cooling through temperatures required for intracrystalline retention of radiogenic argon. The concordancy of the hornblende and muscovite ages suggest rapid post-metamorphic cooling. Extant geochronology and the new 40Ar/39Ar data suggest a minimum time-integrated average cooling rate between c. 725 °C and c. 125 °C of c. 14 ± 4°C Ma-1, although below 600 °C the data permit an infinitely fast rate of cooling. Mineral assemblages and reaction textures in diatexite migmatites suggest c. 4 kbar decompression at 800–750 °C. This must have pre-dated the rapid cooling.Emplacement of two-mica granites into the metamorphic belt occurred between 345 and 300 Ma. The youngest plutons were emplaced synkinematically along shallow-dipping normal faults interpreted to be reactivated Eo-Variscan thrusts. A penetrative, west-plunging stretching lineation developed in these granites suggests that extension was orogen-parallel. Extension was probably related to regional uplift and gravitational collapse of thermally weakened crust during constrictional (escape) tectonics in this narrow part of the Variscan orogen. This followed slab breakoff during the terminal stages of convergence between Gondwana and Laurasia; detachment may have been consequent upon a change in kinematics leading to dextral displacement within the orogen. Dextral ductile strike-slip displacement was concentrated in granites emplaced synkinematically along the South Armorican Shear Zone. Rapid cooling is interpreted to have resulted from tectonic unroofing with emplacement of granite along decollement surfaces. The high-grade migmatitic core of the southern Brittany metamorphic belt represents a type of metamorphic core complex formed during orogen-parallel extensional unroofing and regional-scale ductile flow.

Notes: Microstructural evidence commonly is used to infer metamorphic reactions, which are used to infer pressure–temperature–time (P–T–t) paths. However, this approach in low-P/high-T  (LPHT) granulite facies metamorphic terranes has two main problems. (1) Microstructural evidence may be inconclusive, so that reactions cannot be inferred with confidence. In particular, relative timing of mineral growth inferred from inclusions, moulding relationships and foliation–porphyroblast relationships is commonly ambiguous or invalid. The most reliable indicators of metamorphic reactions are partial pseudomorphs and corona structures, especially if symplectic intergrowths (indicating simultaneous growth of two or more minerals) are involved. (2) Even reactions that can be inferred with confidence do not indicate unique P–T  trends, owing to P–T  slopes of reaction curves. Where successive reactions can be shown to have occurred in the same rock, a line or curve joining reaction-curve intersections gives an apparent single-event path. However, isotopic evidence is needed to prove that polymetamorphism (involving more complex paths making fortuitous intersections with the apparent single-event path) did not occur. Although these problems are well known, their importance is not always emphasized in metamorphic investigations.The difficulties are illustrated by published work on P–T–t paths for Proterozoic LPHT granulite facies rocks of central Australia and Antarctica. Recent work in Antarctica has shown that P–T–t paths may be episodic and more complex than the simple, single-event paths commonly inferred from microstructural evidence alone.

Notes: A complete Barrovian sequence ranging from unmetamorphosed shales to sillimanite–K-feldspar zone metapelitic gneisses crops out in a region extending from the Hudson River in south-eastern New York state, USA, to the high-grade core of the Taconic range in western Connecticut. NNE-trending subparallel biotite, garnet, staurolite, kyanite, sillimanite and sillimanite–K-feldspar isograds have been identified, although the assignment of Barrovian zones in the high-grade rocks is complicated by the appearance of fibrolitic sillimanite at the kyanite isograd.Thermobarometric results and reaction textures are used to characterize the metamorphic history of the sequence. Pressure–temperature estimates indicate maximum metamorphic conditions of 475 °C, c. 3–4 kbar in the garnet zone to 〉720 °C, c. 5–6 kbar in the highest grade rocks exposed. Some samples in the kyanite zone record anomalous (low) peak conditions because garnet composition has been modified by fluid-assisted reactions.There is abundant petrographic and mineral chemical information indicating that the sequence (with the possible exception of the granulite facies zone) was infiltrated by a water-rich fluid after garnet growth was nearly completed. The truncation of fluid inclusion trails in garnet by rim growth or recrystallization, however, indicates that metamorphic reactions involving garnet continued subsequent to initial infiltration.The presence of these textures in some zones of a well-constrained Barrovian sequence allows determination of the timing of fluid infiltration relative to the P–T  paths. Thermobarometric results obtained using garnet compositions at the boundary between fluid–inclusion-rich and inclusion-free regions of the garnet are interpreted to represent peak metamorphic conditions, whereas rim compositions record slightly lower pressures and temperatures. Assuming that garnet grew during a single metamorphic event, infiltration must have occurred at or slightly after the peak of metamorphism, i.e. 4–5 kbar and a temperature of c. 525–550 °C for staurolite and kyanite zone rocks.

Notes: Garnet crystals from low-pressure/high-temperature (LPHT) Ryoke metamorphic rocks in the Yanai district, south-western Japan, show several kinds of chemical zoning patterns that systematically vary with grain radius between c. 0.1 and 0.5 mm. Large grains (〉c. 0.4 mm) show normal zoning and small grains (〈c. 0.4 mm) show unzoned or reversely zoned cores. Observations of the chemical zoning and of the spatial and size distributions of the garnet grains between c. 0.1 and 0.5 mm in radius suggest that they were formed by continuous nucleation and diffusion-controlled growth.A previously estimated temperature–time path (T –t path) for the Ryoke metamorphism, using 1-D numerical simulation, is characterized by a rapid increase in temperature, 0.0017 °C yr−1 on average, and a period of high temperature (〉600 °C) shorter than 0.5 Myr, which was presumably caused by the intrusion of a granodiorite sheet. Chemical zoning of garnet grains with different radii simulated for the T –t path using a numerical model of continuous nucleation and diffusion-controlled growth, in combination with intracrystalline diffusion, compares well with the observed zoning patterns in garnet grains with different radii. This is in spite of the fact that the simulated zoning patterns vary greatly, depending on subtle differences in the T–t history. Therefore, they suggest that the T–tpath gives a good explanation for the LPHT Ryoke metamorphism. Although this study only refers to the Ryoke metamorphism, the technique may be applicable to thermal modelling of other metamorphic terranes.

Notes: The metasedimentary sequence of the Deep Freeze Range (northern Victoria Land, Antarctica) experienced high-T/low-F metamorphism during the Cambro-Ordovician Ross orogeny. The reaction Bt + Sil + Qtz = Grt + Crd + Kfs + melt was responsible for the formation of migmatites. Peak conditions were c. 700–750° C, c. 3.5–5 kbar and xH2Oc. 0.5).Distribution of fluid inclusions is controlled by host rock type: (1) CO2-H2O fluid inclusions occur only in graphite-free leucosomes; (2) CO2–CH4± H2O fluid inclusions are the most common type in leucosomes, and in graphite-bearing mesosomes and gneiss; and (3) CO2–N2–CH4 fluid inclusions are observed only in the gneiss, and subordinately in mesosomes.CO2–H2O mixtures (41% CO2, 58% H2O, 1% Nad mol.%) are interpreted as remnants of a synmig-matization fluid; their composition and density are compatible P–T–aH2O conditions of migmatization (c. 750° C, c. 4 kbar, xH2Oc. 0.5). CO2-H2O fluid in graphite-free leucosomes cannot originate via partial melting of graphite-bearing mesosomes in a closed system; this would have produced a mixed CO2–CH4 fluid in the leucosomes by a reaction such as Bt + Sil + Qtz + C ± H2O = Grt + Crd + Kfs + L + CO2+ CH4. We conclude that an externally derived oxidizing CO2-H2O fluid was present in the middle crust and initiated anatexis.High-density CO2-rich fluid with traces of CH4 characterizes the retrograde evolution of these rocks at high temperatures and support isobaric cooling (P–T anticlockwise path). In unmigmatized gneiss, mixed CO2–N2–CH4 fluid yields isochores compatible with peak metamorphic conditions (c. 700–750° C, c. 4–4.5 kbar); they may represent a peak metamorphic fluid that pre-dated the migmatization.

Notes: Some granulites from the Amessmessa area (south In Ouzzal unit, Hoggar) contain the peak assemblage gedrite+garnet+sillimanite+quartz that was used to estimate the P–T conditions of metamorphism. The rocks developed symplectites and corona textures by the breakdown of the primary paragenesis to orthopyroxene, cordierite and spinel. The successive parageneses formed in separate microdomains according to a clockwise P–T path. Geothermometry, geobarometry and phase diagram calculations indicate that the textures formed by decompression and cooling from 7–9 kbar and 850–900°C to 3.5–4.5 kbar and 700–800°C. This P–T evolution is consistent with low to medium aH2O, between 0.4 and 0.7, and is similar to the metamorphic conditions deduced in Al–Mg granulites from the north of In Ouzzal.

Notes: The In Ouzzal Al–Mg granulites are found within sedimentary units deposited after 2.7 Ga, the whole association being metamorphosed under extreme temperature conditions (c. 1000 °C) at 2 Ga. The Al–Mg granulites are interlayered with other metasediments, including metapelites, quartzites and magnetite-bearing quartzites, forsterite-spinel marbles, and a few meta-igneous rocks (mainly pyroxenites). They do not occur at a specific position in the sedimentary suite, and they do not reflect any particular structural control.The major and trace element compositions of Al–Mg granulites (especially the high Cr, Ni, Co contents) show that their peculiar ‘refractory’ chemistry is more compatible with premetamorphic sedimentary characteristics rather than with metasomatic, metamorphic or partial melting processes. Sedimentary admixtures of a common mature detrital component coming from the weathering of the local acidic igneous crustal protoliths (normal pelitic component) with an extremely immature component derived from reworking of basic/ultrabasic lithologies (Al–Mg–Cr–Co–Ni–rich chloritic component) is consistent with the geochemistry of such rocks.As in other instances, the quartz-garnet oxygen isotopic thermometer here records an apparent temperature close to the peak metamorphism (c. 1000 °C). Although the persistence of pre-existing δ18O variations on a small scale during the metamorphism does not support a major pervasive fluid flow during metamorphism, it does not rule out the presence of syn- to post-metamorphic CO2. The low δ18O (c.+ 5 to + 6‰) of the most typical Al–Mg granulites indicate that the ‘chloritic component’ in these rocks was derived from hydrothermally altered mafic/ultramafic protoliths rather than dominantly from palaeosols. It is suggested that the presence of such Al–Mg–Cr–Co–Ni–rich sediments is indirect evidence for the presence of greenstone belts in the local crust of the In Ouzzal at 2.6–2.7 Ga.

Notes: The metamorphic core of the Himalaya in the Kali Gandaki valley of central Nepal corresponds to a 5-km-thick sequence of upper amphibolite facies metasedimentary rocks. This Greater Himalayan Sequence (GHS) thrusts over the greenschist to lower amphibolite facies Lesser Himalayan Sequence (LHS) along the Lower Miocene Main Central Thrust (MCT), and it is separated from the overlying low-grade Tethyan Zone (TZ) by the Annapurna Detachment. Structural, petrographic, geothermobarometric and thermochronological data demonstrate that two major tectonometamorphic events characterize the evolution of the GHS. The first (Eohimalayan) episode included prograde, kyanite-grade metamorphism, during which the GHS was buried at depths greater than c. 35 km. A nappe structure in the lowermost TZ suggests that the Eohimalayan phase was associated with underthrusting of the GHS below the TZ. A c. 37 Ma 40Ar/39Ar hornblende date indicates a Late Eocene age for this phase. The second (Neohimalayan) event corresponded to a retrograde phase of kyanite-grade recrystallization, related to thrust emplacement of the GHS on the LHS. Prograde mineral assemblages in the MCT zone equilibrated at average T =880 K (610 °C) and P =940 MPa (=35 km), probably close to peak of metamorphic conditions. Slightly higher in the GHS, final equilibration of retrograde assemblages occurred at average T =810 K (540 °C) and P=650 MPa (=24 km), indicating re-equilibration during exhumation controlled by thrusting along the MCT and extension along the Annapurna Detachment. These results suggest an earlier equilibration in the MCT zone compared with higher levels, as a consequence of a higher cooling rate in the basal part of the GHS during its thrusting on the colder LHS. The Annapurna Detachment is considered to be a Neohimalayan, synmetamorphic structure, representing extensional reactivation of the Eohimalayan thrust along which the GHS initially underthrust the TZ. Within the upper GHS, a metamorphic discontinuity across a mylonitic shear zone testifies to significant, late- to post-metamorphic, out-of-sequence thrusting. The entire GHS cooled homogeneously below 600–700 K (330–430 °C) between 15 and 13 Ma (Middle Miocene), suggesting a rapid tectonic exhumation by movement on late extensional structures at higher structural levels.

Notes: Mechanisms for kilometre-scale, open-system fluid flow during regional metamorphism remain problematic. Debate also continues over the degree of fluid flow channellization during regional metamorphism, and the mechanisms for pervasive fluid flow at depth. The requirements for pervasive long-distance fluid flow are an interconnected porosity and a large regional gradient in fluid pressure and hydraulic head (thermally or structurally controlled) that dominates over local perturbations in hydraulic head due to deformation. In contrast, dynamic or transient porosity interconnection and fluid flow accompanying deformation of heterogeneous rock suites should result in moderately to strongly channellized flow at a range of scales, of which there are many examples in the literature.Classification of fluid flow types based on scale and degree of equilibration between fluid and rock, wallrock permeability, and mode of fluid transport contributes to an understanding of key factors that control fluid flow. Closed-system fluid behaviour, with restricted fluid flow in microcracks or cracks and limited fluid–rock interaction, occurs over a range of strains and crustal depths, but requires low permeabilities and/or small fluid fluxes. Long-distance, open-system fluid flow in channels is favoured in heterogeneous rocks at high strains, moderate (but variable) permeabilities, and moderate to high fluid fluxes. Long-distance, broad, pervasive fluid flow during regional metamorphism requires that the rocks are not accumulating high strains and have high permeabilities, low permeability contrasts, and high fluid fluxes. The ideal situation for such fluid flow is in situations where the rocks are undergoing stress relaxation immediately after a major deformation phase. In the mid-crust, fairly specific conditions are thus required for pervasive fluid flow. During active orogenesis, structurally controlled fluid flow (with focused open systems surrounding regions of closed-system behaviour) predominates in most, but not all, regional metamorphic situations, at a range of scales.

Notes: Garnets from recrystallized, staurolite- and kyanite-bearing mica schists from the central Saualpe basement, representing the host rocks of the type-locality eclogites, give concordant Sm–Nd garnet–whole-rock isochron ages between 88.5±1.7 and 90.9±0.7 Ma. The millimetre-sized, mostly inclusion-free grains show fairly homogeneous element profiles with pyrope contents of 25–27%. Narrow rims with an increase in Fe and Mn and a decrease in Mg document minor local re-equilibration during cooling. According to phengite geothermobarometry, peak metamorphic conditions at 90 Ma were close to 20 kbar and 680 °C and similar to those recorded by the eclogites. The garnet rims record about 575 °C/7 kbar for the final stages of metamorphism. A phengitic garnet–mica schist, sampled at the immediate contact with the Gertrusk eclogite, gave a garnet–whole-rock Sm–Nd age of 94.0±2.7 Ma.Garnet porphyroclasts separated from a pegmatite–mylonite of the Koralpe plattengneiss near Stainz are unzoned and show spessartine contents of 15%. Composition and Sm–Nd ages of close to 260 Ma point to a magmatic origin for these garnets.The garnet data from the Saualpe document an intense Alpine metamorphism for this part of the Austroalpine basement. The mica schists recrystallized during decompression and rapid exhumation, at the final stages of and immediately following a high-P event. The Koralpe data show that high Alpine temperatures did not reopen the Sm–Nd isotope system, implying a closure temperature in excess of c. 600 °C for this isotopic system in garnet.

Notes: Metasedimentary gneisses show a rapid change in grade within a 10-km-wide low-P/high-T  regional aureole at Mt Stafford, Arunta Block, central Australia. Migmatites occur in all but the lowermost of five metamorphic zones, which are characterized by: (1) muscovite–quartz schist; (2) andalusite–cordierite–K-feldspar granofels with small melt segregations; (3) spinel–sillimanite–cordierite–K-feldspar migmatite; (4) garnet–orthopyroxene–cordierite migmatite and minor diatexite; and (5) biotite–cordierite–plagioclase diatexite that shows a transition to granite. A subsolidus unit comprising interbedded sandstone and siltstone is equivalent to bedded migmatite,the main rock type in Zones 2–4. Mesoscopic textures and migmatite classification of this unit vary with grade. In Zone 2, metatexite is developed in siltstone layers that are separated by quartz-rich, unmelted metapsammite layers. Melt segregation was less efficient in Zones 3 and 4, where the dominant migmatite layering is a modified bedding. High proportions of melt were present in Zone 4, in which schlieren migmatite is transitional between bedded migmatite and metapelite-sourced diatexite. The preservation of sedimentary structures and coexistence of melt reactants and products in Zone 4 metapelite imply that melting proceeded insitu without substantial migration of melt. Zone 5 biotite–cordierite–plagioclase diatexite carries rafts of bedded migmatite with strongly resorbed edges, as well as large K-feldspar and quartz augen. This unit of comparatively Ca-rich migmatites is inferred to have been formed by the mixing of locally derived and injected granitic melt.

Notes: One-dimensional fluid advection-dispersion models predict differences in the patterns of mineralogical and oxygen isotope resetting during up- and down-temperature metamorphic fluid flow that may, in theory, be used to determine the fluid flow direction with respect to the palaeotemperature gradient. Under equilibrium conditions, down-temperature fluid flow is predicted to produce sharp reaction fronts that separate rocks with isobarically divariant mineral assemblages. In contrast, up-temperature fluid flow may produce extensive zones of isobarically univariant mineral assemblages without sharp reaction fronts. However, during contact metamorphism, mineral reaction rates are probably relatively slow compared with fluid velocities and distended reaction fronts may also form during down-temperature fluid flow. In addition, uncertainties in the timing of fluid flow with respect to the thermal peak of metamorphism and the increase in the variance of mineral assemblages due to solid solutions introduce uncertainties in determining fluid flow directions. Equilibrium down-temperature flow of magmatic fluids in contact aureoles is also predicted to produce sharp δ18O fronts, whereas up-temperature flow of fluids derived by metamorphic devolatilization may produce gradational δ18O vs. distance profiles. However, if fluids are channelled, significant kinematic dispersion occurs, or isotopic equilibrium is not maintained, the patterns of isotopic resetting may be difficult to interpret. The one-dimensional models provide a framework in which to study fluid-rock interaction; however, when some of the complexities inherent in fluid flow systems are taken into account, they may not uniquely distinguish between up- and down-temperature fluid flow. It is probably not possible to determine the fluid flow direction using any single criterion and a range of data is required.

Notes: Two samples from the Eclogite Micaschist Complex (EMC) and the Seconda Zona Diorito–Kinzigitica (IIDK) of the Sesia Zone have been studied using a high-spatial resolution laser probe 40Ar/39Ar technique with the aim of investigating the complexities of argon behaviour in metamorphic rocks and comparing their thermal histories. Data from a single large phengite grain from the EMC show a range of ages from mid-Jurassic to Upper Cretaceous. These ‘apparent age’ variations are spatially related to both locationwithin the grain and to intragrain microstructure. Modelling of the data shows that the profile formedby the diffusion of an excess argon component into the grain, parallel to the mica cleavage. Profileasymmetry is explained by temporal variations in microstructural development enabling excess argon toenter the grain at different times in different places. The temperatures of the initiation of deformationand the possible time-scales for the deformation can be calculated as a function of cooling rate. Allestimates suggest deformation at greenschist facies, in accord with the observed retrograde mineral assemblage. Absolute temperature estimates for deformation vary by less than 22 °C for different cooling ratesof 10 and 30 °C Ma−1 but vary by 80 °C with different estimates of diffusion parameters. The durationof deformation was for at least 2 Ma at 10 °C Ma−1 or 0.7 Ma at 30 °C Ma−1. Biotites from the IIDKsample record a Permian to Upper Cretaceous age range that correlates with grain size, the smallestgrain sizes yielding the youngest ages. This relationship is best explained by a partial resetting of biotitesduring an Alpine thermal event initiated not more than 70 Ma ago. Modelling of these data suggest thatthe sample never exceeded 300 °C during the Alpine. The profoundly different thermal histories of thetwo units—the EMC recrystallized at 550 °C whilst the IIDK remained below 300 °C—suggests thatthey may not have been juxtaposed until much later than the eclogite facies metamorphism.

Notes: In the southern Grenville Province of the Canadian Shield (Otter Lake area), high-grade marble, gneiss and amphibolite have been folded about north- to north-east-trending axes; mylonite zones, parallel to layering and 0.1–10 cm wide, are locally present in marble.In nonmylonitic marble, graphite occurs as c. 1–mm hexagonal prisms, which are commonly accompanied by a relatively few crystals that have been deformed, resulting in cleavage separation and the formation of folds and kink bands. Fracture-filled calcite contains less Mg and Fe than surrounding calcite (e.g. 〈0.30 compared with 1.8–2.7 wt% MgO, and 0.02–0.12 compared with 0.13–0.18 wt% FeO); the composition of fracture-filled dolomite is similar to that of the surrounding dolomite. In semimylonite, graphite forms elongate streaks of fragmented crystals and, in mylonite, further fragmentation has occurred to produce extremely small particles. The fragmentation has not destroyed the atomic structure (hexagonal modification) of graphite.The behaviour of biotite was similar to that of graphite, but extreme fragmentation did not occur. Dolomite was more rigid than calcite, and in mylonite it occurs more commonly as relics. Amphibole and pyroxene crystals remained undeformed but are locally replaced by calcite.The numerous microprocesses that have evidently occurred in marble and mylonitic marble of the study area are: coarsening (calcite, graphite), twinning (calcite, dolomite), slip (calcite, dolomite, graphite, biotite), strain-induced recrystallization (calcite), microfolding and kink-band formation (graphite, biotite), fragmentation (graphite) and the pressure-induced transport of calcite and dolomite to voids in graphite and biotite.

Notes: In the Laouni region (Central Hoggar, Algeria), retrogression of high-grade orthopyroxene–cordierite-bearing rocks led to the crystallization of orthoamphibole and garnet, and at a later stage of chlorite, from the original paragenesis. Calculated phase diagrams show that this retrogression occurred at about 3 kbar with the simplest model involving hydration at 650–700° C and at around 500° C, with the rocks experiencing aH2O less than 1, except possibly in the last stages of chlorite crystallization. As the other rock types occurring in the same area as the orthopyroxene–cordierite rocks display similar features, it is concluded that regional hydration occurred, presumably related to the release of fluids during the crystallization of the Pan-African granitic and mafic magmas that are widespread in the Laouni area.

Notes: The high-grade rocks (metapelite, quartzite, metagabbro) of the Hisøy-Torungen area represent the south-westernmost exposures of granulites in the Proterozoic Bamble sector, south Norway. The area is isoclinally folded and a metamorphic P–T–t path through four successive stages (M1-M4) is recognized.Petrological evidence for a prograde metamorphic event (M1) is obtained from relict staurolite + chlorite + albite, staurolite + hercynite + ilmenite, cordierite + sillimanite, fine-grained felsic material + quartz and hercynite + biotite ± sillimanite within metapelitic garnet. The phase relations are consistent with a pressure of 3.6 ± 0.5 kbar and temperatures up to 750–850°C. M1 is connected to the thermal effect of the gabbroic intrusions prior to the main (M2) Sveconorwegian granulite facies metamorphism. The main M2 granulite facies mineral assemblages (quartz+ plagioclase + K-feldspar + garnet + biotite ± sillimanite) are best preserved in the several-metre-wide Al-rich metapelites, which represent conditions of 5.9–9.1 kbar and 790–884°C. These P–T conditions are consistent with a temperature increase of 80–100°C relative to the adjacent amphibolite facies terranes. No accompanying pressure variations are recorded. Up to 1-mm-wide fine-grained felsic veinlets appear in several units and represent remnants of a former melt formed by the reaction: Bt + Sil + Qtz→Grt + lq. This dehydration reaction, together with the absence of large-scale migmatites in the area, suggests a very reduced water activity in the rocks and XH2O = 0.25 in the C–O–H fluid system was calculated for a metapelitic unit. A low but variable water activity can best explain the presence or absence of fine-grained felsic material representing a former melt in the different granulitic metapelites. The strongly peraluminous composition of the felsic veinlets is due to the reaction: Grt +former melt ± Sil→Crd + Bt ± Qtz + H2O, which has given poorly crystalline cordierite aggregates intergrown with well-crystalline biotite. The cordierite- and biotite-producing reaction constrains a steep first-stage retrograde (relative to M2) uplift path. Decimetre- to metre-wide, strongly banded metapelites (quartz + plagioclase + biotite + garnet ± sillimanite) inter-layered with quartzites are retrograded to (M3) amphibolite facies assemblages. A P–T estimate of 1.7–5.6 kbar, 516–581°C is obtained from geothermobarometry based on rim-rim analyses of garnet–biotite–plagioclase–sillimanite–quartz assemblages, and can be related to the isoclinal folding of the rocks. M4 greenschist facies conditions are most extensively developed in millimetre-wide chlorite-rich, calcite-bearing veins cutting the foliation.

Notes: Key insights into the timing of tectonometamorphic events in a complex high-grade metamorphic terrane can be obtained by combining results from SHRIMP II ion microprobe studies of individual monazite grains with SHRIMP II studies and scanning electron microscope (SEM)-based cathodoluminescence (CL) imaging of zircons. Results from the Reynolds Range region, Arunta Block, Northern Territory, Australia, show that the final episode of regional metamorphism to high-T and low-P granulite facies conditions is most likely to have occurred at c. 1580 Ma, not at 1785–1775 Ma, as previously accepted. The previous interpretation was based on zircon studies of structurally controlled granitoids, without SEM-based CL imaging. Monazites in a 1806± 6 Ma megacrystic granitoid preserve rare cores that are interpreted to be inherited magmatic monazite, but record no evidence of another high-T event prior to 1580 Ma. Most monazites from the region record only a single high-T metamorphic event at c. 1580 Ma. Zircon inheritance is very common. Zircons or narrow overgrowths of zircon dated at c. 1580 Ma have only been found in two types of rocks: rocks produced by metasomatic fluid flow at high temperatures (≤750°C), and rocks that have undergone local partial melting. Previous explanations that attributed these 1580 Ma zircon ages to widespread hydrothermal fluid fluxing associated with post-tectonic pegmatite emplacement at amphibolite facies conditions are not supported by the available evidence including oxygen isotope data.The observed high regional metamorphic temperatures require the involvement of advective heating. However, contrary to a previous tectonic model for the formation of this and other low-P, high-T metamorphic belts, the granites that are exposed at the present structural level do not appear to be the source of that heat, unless some of the granites were emplaced at c. 1580 Ma.

Notes: Samples of the calcite-rich Shelburne Marble collected at the Pfizer Quarry in Adams, Massachusetts, show an order of magnitude variation in grain size. Calcite grain size ranges from 94 to 1101 μm. Because these calcite marbles share the same pressure, temperature and strain histories, some other factor must be responsible for the grain size variation.Grain size appears to be controlled by the concentration of impurity or second-phase particles. Large calcite grain size occurs where the volume fraction of second-phase particles is low and grain size decreases as second-phase volume fraction increases. The relationship between calcite grain size (D), second-phase grain size (d ) and second-phase volume fraction ( f ) can be described by the power law D/d=1.4/f  0.36, a result that is consistent with models based upon short-term (hours or days) laboratory experiments with metals and ceramics and computer simulations of grain growth. Grain growth appears to be greatly restricted by as little as a few per cent of second-phase particles, with a transition from highly restricted to almost unrestricted grain growth occurring at ≈5% volume of second-phase particles. These results indicate that second-phase particles exercise an important control on grain size and can effectively inhibit grain growth in metamorphic rocks. The behaviour of second-phases in short-term laboratory experiments may closely approximate the behaviour of second-phases in grain growth lasting several orders of magnitude longer in the metamorphic environment.

Notes: Phase analysis in the model K2O-poor aluminous rock system (FMASH) illustrates the following sequence of reactions during retrograde metamorphism in the Botswanan Limpopo Central Zone:Opx+Sil+Qtz=Crd ,Opx+Sil=Spr+Crd ,Grt+Qtz=Opx+Crd ;Opx+Crd+W=Ged+Qtz ,Grt+Opx+Crd+W=Ged ;andGrt+Qtz+W=Ged+Crd .A quantitative petrogenetic grid with phase relations shows that sapphirine results from nearly isothermal decompression in the quartz-undersaturated portions of the grid, and that gedrite formation by reactions (4)–(6) records isobaric cooling from high temperature (c. 800° C) after the decompression. Conditions for hydration in the western part of the area were 700–800° C and c. 6 kbar, based on microthermometric data and the available garnet–cordierite geothermometer. On the basis of these conditions and predicted thermodynamic properties of gedrite, phase relations in T–XMg space were constructed to investigate the isobaric cooling event. The results are in good agreement with the hydration P–T  path. Further, the T–XMg topologies show that hydration of orthopyroxene in the central part of the area (reaction 4) occurred at about 800° C and c. 5 kbar. Therefore, we conclude that the Botswanan Limpopo Central Zone has suffered isothermal decompression, similar to the Central Zone in South Africa and Zimbabwe, followed by isobaric cooling. The isobaric cooling event in the western (at c. 6 kbar) and central (at c. 5 kbar) parts of the area commenced at nearly the same temperature (c. 800° C), and appear to be consistent with a tectonic model that involved westward movement (thrusting) of the Central Zone.

Notes: We investigated the metamorphic cooling history of underplated magmatic rocks at midcrustal depth. Granulites and amphibolites occur within the Jurassic magmatic belt of the Coast Range south of Antofagasta in northern Chile between 23°25′ and 24°20′ S. The protoliths of the metamorphic rocks are basic intrusions of Early Mesozoic age. They are part of the magmatically formed crust, and the essentially dry magmas were emplaced in an extensional regime. The granulites (clinopyroxene–orthopyroxene–plagioclase) show all stages of fabric development from magmatic to granoblastic fabrics. Pyroxene compositions were reset at temperatures around 800° C independent of the stage of textural equilibration. The granulites were partially amphibolitized at upper amphibolite facies temperatures of 600–700° C. Following cooling, a possible reheating to greenschist facies temperatures around 500° C is indicated by prograde zoning in magnetite–ilmenite pairs. Mineral assemblages are not suitable for barometry, but a conservative estimation of the garnet-in reaction at given whole-rock compositions suggests maximum pressures in the granulite facies of around 5 kbar, and similar pressures are indicated by phengite barometry for the greenschist facies. The P–T  path of granulite–amphibolite metamorphism is one of slow cooling from magmatic temperatures with heterogeneous deformation. The thinning of the pre-Andean (Precambrian–Triassic) crust was apparently compensated by the magmatic underplating and this special tectonomagmatic setting caused the prolonged residence of the accreted rocks at midcrustal levels.

Notes: Granulite facies quartzites from the Ihouhaouene region, in the northern part of In Ouzzal, contain the assemblage corundum+quartz+magnetite together with hercynitic spinel+quartz+magnetite, sillimanite+quartz+magnetite and almandine-rich garnet+quartz+magnetite. Two types of corundum have been recognized: the first is primary and is found with quartz and magnetite only; the second type is found together with magnetite and chlorite rimming spinel as a fine-grained corona. The textures show that spinel-rich magnetite probably exsolved primary corundum, sillimanite, spinel and garnet during the cooling history. The secondary corundum formed later from the spinel already exsolved from magnetite. The secondary corundum is certainly metastable with respect to quartz. This may also apply for the primary corundum. However, given the high-temperature setting of this rock, it cannot be excluded that the stable contacts observed between primary corundum and quartz indicate equilibrium between the two phases. Taking into account the uncertainties in the thermodynamic data, the stability of this assemblage would imply that this part of In Ouzzal has recorded very high P–T conditions, above 1100°C at 12 kbar.

Notes: The In Ouzzal granulitic unit (IOGU) consists predominantly of felsic orthogneisses most of which correspond to granitoids emplaced during the Archaean, plus metasediments, including olivine-spinel marbles, of late Archaean age. All units were metamorphosed at granulite facies during the Eburnean (2 Ga). The stable isotope signature of the marbles (δ13C=–0.8 to –4.2‰/PDB; δ18O = 7.9 to 18.9‰/SMOW) does not record a massive streaming of C-bearing fluids during metamorphism. Most of the isotopic variation in the marbles is explained in terms of pregranulitic features. Metasomatic transformation of granulites into layered potassic syenitic rocks and emplacement of carbonate veins and breccias occurred during retrogressive granulite facies conditions. The chemistry of these rocks is comparable with that of fenites and carbonatites with high contents of (L)REEs, Th, U, F, C, Ba and Sr but, with respect to these elements, a relative depletion in Nb, Ta, Hf, Zr and Ti. The isotopic compositions of Nd (ɛNd(T)=–6.3 to –9.9), of Sr (87Sr/86Sr(T)= 0.7093–0.7104), and the O isotopic composition of metasomatic clinopyroxene (δ18O = 6.9 to 8‰), all indicate that the fluid had a strong crustal imprint. On the basis of the C isotope ratios (δ13C =–3.5 to –9.7‰), the fluid responsible for the crystallization of carbonates and metasomatic alteration is thought to be derived from the mantle, presumably through degassing of mantle-derived magmas at depth. Intense interaction with the crust during the upward flow of the fluid may explain its chemical and isotopic signatures. The zones of metasomatic alteration in the In Ouzzal granulites may be the deep-seated equivalents of the zones of channelled circulation of carbonated fluids described at shallower levels in the crust.

Notes: The In Ouzzal granulitic massif is composed mainly of various meta-igneous rocks which, in spite of Rb, U, Th, Cs and some K and Sr mobility, can be dated and generally classified according to their chemical composition as follows.Basic and ultrabasic granulites interlayered with the metasediments correspond to (1) ultrabasic cumulates from dislocated tholeiitic bodies, (2) ancient komatiitic to high-Mg tholeiitic basalts similar to the suites found in Archaean greenstone belts and (3) calcalkaline protoliths of high-K andesitic composition. No geochronological constraints are available apart from the depositional age of some associated sediments which is younger than 2.70 Ga detrital zircons, and the Nd model age of the andesitic granulites of c. 3.4 Ga.In spite of the high-grade metamorphism, the acidic magmatic precursors of the charnockites can be divided in three groups. (1) The most juvenile acid orthogneisses are trondhjemitic or tonalitic in composition, being similar to the TTG suites which are classically considered to be formed by partial melting of mantle-derived protoliths. The 3.3–3.2 Ga TDM indicates a possible age of separation from the mantle reservoir while the plutons may have been emplaced between 3.3 and 2.7 Ga (U–Pb zircon & Nd ages). (2) A group of alkaline granitic gneisses, similar in composition to rift-related-granites, were emplaced at 2650±10 Ma (U–Pb & Rb–Sr ages) in a thick continental crust. (3) Calcalkaline granodioritic and monzogranitic suites derived from the partial melting of continental precursors (3.5–3.3 Ga), in lower to middle levels of the continental crust. They were emplaced close to 2.5 Ga during crustal thickening.The very high-temperature metamorphism occurred at 2002±7 Ma from the age of synfoliation intrusions and was probably related to major overthrusting. Retrogressive metamorphism is dated at 1.95 Ga from garnet-Nd ages. In spite of the very high-temperature conditions, partial melting during granulite facies metamorphism may be restricted to scarce cordierite-bearing monzogranitic gneisses. The 2.0 Ga VHT metamorphism could be related to overthrusting, extensional or underplating processes.

Notes: High-pressure metamorphic rocks exposed in the Bantimala area, c. 40 km north-east of Ujung Pandang, were formed as a Cretaceous subduction complex with fault-bounded slices of melange, chert, basalt, turbidite, shallow-marine sedimentary rocks and ultrabasic rocks. Eclogites, garnet–glaucophane rocks and schists of the Bantimala complex have estimated peak temperatures of T =580–630 °C at 18 kbar and T =590–640 °C at 24 kbar, using the garnet–clinopyroxene geothermometer. The garnet–omphacite–phengite equilibrium is used to estimate pressures. The distribution coefficient KD1=[(Xpyr)3(Xgrs)6/(Xdi)6]/[(Al/Mg)M2,wm (Al/Si)T2,wm]3 among omphacite, garnet and phengite is a good index for metamorphic pressures. The KD1values of the Bantimala eclogites were compared with those of eclogites with reliable P–T  estimates. This comparison suggests that peak pressures of the Bantimala eclogites were P=18–24 kbar at T =580–640 °C. These results are consistent with the P–T  range calculated using garnet–rutile–epidote–quartz and lawsonite–omphacite–glaucophane–epidote equilibria.

Notes: The S.W. Nabitah Mobile Belt, Saudi Arabia, contains a Proterozoic island-arc complex. In the Qadda area, the metavolcanic-dominated supracrustal sequence records amphibolite facies regional metamorphism of high-T , low-P type. Calcsilicate rocks and aluminous dolomitic marbles within the supracrustal sequence have been studied in detail to refine estimates of peak metamorphic P–T  conditions and assess the role of fluids during prograde and retrograde metamorphism.Fluid-independent thermobarometers (including the calcite–dolomite thermometer and P-sensitive equilibria involving grossular, wollastonite, anorthite, meionite, quartz and calcite) yield peak P–T  conditions of c. 650–660 °C, 4 kbar, both higher than previous estimates, giving a revised average thermal gradient of c. 45 °C km–1.The close match between the peak temperatures implied by calcite–dolomite thermometry and those recorded by univariant devolatilization equilibria suggests that the calcareous rocks were fluid-bearing during late-prograde and peak metamorphic stages. These fluids were essentially binary H2O–CO2 mixtures with low NaCl and HF concentrations. Most were H2O-rich, with XCO2 between 0.02 and 0.2, but values of c. 0.6 are recorded by two samples. High modal abundances of the solid products of decarbonation reactions (e.g. c. 10–50% wollastonite) in many of the rocks that record low-XCO2 equilibrium fluids implies infiltration of significant quantities of externally derived aqueous fluid during late-prograde metamorphism, but not enough to exhaust the buffering capacity of the rocks. Calculated minimum time-integrated fluid-to-rock ratios of five wollastonite-bearing calcsilicate rocks range from 0.7±0.22 to 1.39±0.46 (1σ); those of six marbles range from c. 0 to 4±1.4. The latter variation occurs on a metre-scale, implying focusing of fluid flow. Diopside-rich rocks record fluid-to-rock ratios of up to 88±48. Penetrative wollastonite lineations indicate a temporal link between infiltration and distributed ductile deformation. Infiltrating fluids were probably derived both from the prograde dehydration of adjacent metabasalts and metatuffs and from crystallization of voluminous pretectonic granitoid intrusions. In general, fluid-to-rock ratios deduced for the metavolcanic-dominated Qadda area are similar to those recorded by rocks in the metasediment-dominated terrane of N. New England.The occurrence of post-tectonic retrograde hydration textures in both carbonate-bearing and carbonate-free rocks otherwise lacking hydrous minerals testifies to infiltration of aqueous fluids during retrograde metamorphism in the absence of penetrative deformation. Minimum fluid-to-rock ratios calculated for secondary grossular reaction rims in some calcsilicates are c. 0.04. Later patchy hydration of scapolite probably utilized static, pore-filling fluids remaining after the early retrograde infiltration.

Notes: The products of metamorphic fluid flow are preserved in zones within the marbles and metamorphosed semipelites of the Upper Calcsilicate Unit in the granulite portion of the Late Palaeoproterozoic Reynolds Range Group, northern Arunta Block, central Australia. The zones of retrogression, characterized by minerals such as wollastonite, grossular and clinohumite, local resetting of oxygen isotopic compositions and local major element metasomatism, were channelways for water-rich fluids derived from granulite facies metapelites. U–Th–Pb isotopic ages measured by the SHRIMP ion microprobe on zircon and monazite from a granulite facies semipelite, an early semiconcordant aluminous quartz-rich fluid-flow segregation and a late discordant quartz-rich segregation record some of the extended thermal history of the area. Zircon cores from the semipelite show its likely protolith to be an igneous rock 1812 ± 11 Ma old, itself derived from a source containing zircon as old as 2.2 Ga. Low-Th/U overgrowths on the zircon grew during granulite facies metamorphism at 1594 ± 6 Ma. Monazite cooled to its blocking temperature at 1576 ± 8 Ma. Zircon cores from the semiconcordant segregation are dominantly 〉2.3 Ga old, indicating that the source of the fluids was not the particular metamorphosed semipelite studied. Two generations of low-Th/U overgrowths on the zircon give indistinguishable ages for the older and younger of 1589 ± 8 and 1582 ± 8 Ma, respectively. The monazite age is the same, 1576 ± 12 Ma. Zircon from the late discordant segregation gave 1568 ± 4 Ma. Fluid flow occurred for at least 18 ± 3 (σ) Ma and ended 26 ± 3 (σ) Ma after the peak of metamorphism, suggesting a very slow cooling rate of ∼3°C Ma–1. The last regional high-grade metamorphism in the Reynolds Range occurred at ∼1.6 Ga, not ∼1.78 Ga as previously thought. The high-grade event at ∼1.78 Ga is a separate event that affected only the basement to the Reynolds Range Group.

Notes: Abstract. Four field experiments were carried out on cultivated shallow fen peat overlying acid gyttja (lake mud) soil. The accessibility of the generally ample supply of physically available water was restricted by a limited root depth caused by low pH and high levels of aluminium in the subsoil. In order to improve the nutrient status and the crop water supply of the soils liming, deep cultivation, P-fertilization and irrigation were tested in field experiments comprising these four main treatments and their combinations. Liming and P-fertilization of the topsoil, irrigation and deep cultivation in combination with deep liming improved crop yields. Deep cultivation without liming had a negative effect on yield in most years.

Notes: Abstract. The effect of liming and deep cultivation on soil properties and root development was investigated in two cultivated shallow fen peats resting on acid gyttja (lake mud) soils. Root growth was in general dependent on soil pH and aluminium content of the soil. A soil pH (H2O) below 5 adversely affected roots and a pH below 4 severely restricted root growth. Liming of the topsoil or the subsoil and to some extent deep cultivation improved root growth. Increased rooting depth made it possible for plants to utilize soil water to a greater depth in the profile and to support a larger crop yield.

Notes: Abstract. Flow and nitrate concentrations were measured weekly for four years at twelve stream-water monitoring sites in a catchment in the English Midlands designated as a Nitrate Advisory Area. Farm surveys and satellite images have provided soil and land use information. Measurements show the nitrate load to be dominated by discharge, with large variability due to differing weather conditions from year to year. Within-year variability in nitrate concentrations is also related to weather conditions, with high concentrations when field capacity is reached if this occurs late in the year. There is also clear evidence of dilution of nitrate during intense storms. The effect of changing weather conditions makes it impossible to identify catchment-scale changes in leaching due to changes in agricultural practice over a period as short as four years. Measurements from a major spring in the catchment show an increasing trend in nitrate concentrations through the period. There is some evidence that the greatest N leaching to streams in the catchment is associated with intensive grassland on soils which are naturally poorly drained.

Notes: Abstract. At De Marke experimental farm, data on water and nitrogen flows in the unsaturated zone were gathered on two grazed pastures on sandy soils during the years 1991 to 1994. These provided a basis for calibration and validation of simulation models. The different levels of nitrate-N concentrations of the two plots could largely be explained by differences in crop uptake and simulated denitrification as influenced by different groundwater levels. The irregular distribution of excreta was taken into account by a simulation study quantifying the variability of nitrate-N concentrations under a grazed field. The resulting distribution of simulated nitrate-N concentrations explained the average and peak values of the measured concentrations. Temporal variability of weather was used to assess the nitrate leaching risk under urine patches deposited in either July or September. At site A the probability of exceeding the EC-directive by drinking water (11.3 mg/1 nitrate-N) under a urination deposited in either July or September was respectively 10 and 25%. The average field concentration at this site will hardly ever be a high risk for the environment under the current farm management. At site B the EC-directive will be exceeded under any urine patch in almost 100% of the years, affecting the field average concentration. In field B careful grazing management would result in less nitrate leaching, but the environmental goals would not be reached.

Notes: Abstract. A field experiment on a coarse sand (1987–92) was conducted with spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), in order to evaluate the effects of increasing N fertilization on nitrate leaching under temperate coastal climate conditions. The N fertilizer levels were 60 and 120 kg N/ha. The experiment was conducted on a 19-year old permanent field trial with continuous spring barley, initiated in 1968, and included treatments with ploughing in autumn or spring, with or without perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) as a catch crop undersown in spring. Prior to 1987, the low and high levels of N fertilizer were 70 and 150 kg N/ha, respectively. To calculate nitrate leaching, soil water samples were taken from a depth of 0.8 m using ceramic cups. The average annual nitrate leaching from plots with 60 and 120 kg N/ha was 38 and 52 kg N/ha/y, respectively. The increased leaching associated with increasing fertilizer application was not caused by inorganic N in the soil at harvest, but rather by greater mineralization, mainly in autumn. Growing of a catch crop was relatively more efficient for reducing nitrate leaching than a long-term low fertilizer application. A 50% reduction in N application decreased average yield by 26%, while nitrate leaching decreased by 27%.

Notes: Abstract. Whey, the liquid byproduct of cheese production, can improve the physical condition of sodic soils or those susceptible to erosion by increasing their aggregate stability. The effects of whey on soil hydraulic properties, however, are not known. In this experiment, we used tension infiltrometers to determine whey effects on infiltration rates of water (at suctions ≥ 30 mm of water) and unsaturated hydraulic conductivities of Ap horizons of a Portneuf silt loam (coarse-silty, mixed, mesic Durixerollic Calciorthid) after a winter wheat crop. In the summer of 1993 near Kimberly, ID, USA, liquid whey was flood-applied at either 0, 200,400, or 800 t/ha to plots planted to wheat the previous September. At suctions of 60 and 150 mm, infiltration rates decreased linearly by about 0.7 μm/s with each additional 100 t/ha of whey applied. As whey applications increased, hydraulic conductivities at 60 mm suction increased slightly but as applications exceeded 400 t/ha decreased significantly. We concluded that summer whey applications up to 400 t/ha would not adversely affect surface hydraulic properties.

Notes: Abstract. The potential for using coal-derived humic substances to improve the available water holding capacity (AWC) and aggregate stability of typical Mediterranean soils was evaluated in the laboratory using an agricultural surface (0–20 cm) soil from each of three regions of Italy, (Sicily, Tuscany and Venetia) and five rates of humic acids (HA), 0,0.05,0.10,0.50 and 1.00 g/kg. There were significant (P 〈 0.05) differences between the field capacity (FC), permanent wilting point (PWP), and available water capacity (AWC) values of the controls and those treated with 0.05 g/kg of the HA. Beyond this rate, differences in these properties were not significant. At the 1.00 g/kg HA rate, the relative improvements in AWC over the three controls were 30%, 10% and 26%. Low rates (0.05 to 0.10 g/kg) of HA were also needed to obtain a 40 to 120% improvement in aggregate stability of these soils relative to the controls. These results indicate that the addition of highly humified organic matter such as coal-derived humic substances can improve the structural and water retention properties of degraded arable soils. However, since there is not yet any direct evidence that these humic materials can ameliorate soils under field conditions, field studies will be needed to validate these results.

Notes: Abstract. A study of soil water erosion was undertaken between 1982 and 1986 in 17 areas of lowland England and Wales. Air photographs were taken annually, these were checked to identify erosion events and a sample of 392 eroded fields visited between 1983 and 1986. Erosion was most common in fields drilled with winter cereals (39% of cases), which was the crop considered by farmers to be at greatest risk of erosion. Estimated crop losses were greater than 10% for only 5% of fields. ‘Clean up’ costs were incurred on 15% of the fields studied. Attempts at contour ploughing and planting/drilling appeared to result in more severe erosion, than working up and down the slope. Farmers considered that the main reason for erosion on their farms was arable cropping, and the presence of compacted wheelings/tramlines. Fields where hedges had been removed in the last 20 years suffered from erosion marginally more frequently than other fields. Field slope alone was not found to be a major factor in the occurrence of erosion, with almost 60% of erosion events on slopes of less than 7°. Erosion occurred at least every other year in half the fields studied.

Notes: Book reviews in this article: Soil Resilience and Sustainable Land Use Edited by D. J. Greenland and I. Szabolcs.

Notes: Abstract. Using the simulation model MACRO, this paper investigates the likely consequences of reduced irrigation inputs on the water and salt balance and crop growth in a drained, saline clay in a Mediterranean climate (Marismas, SW Spain). The model was first successfully validated against field measurements of the soil water and chloride balance, water table depths and drain outflows in the 1989 growing season. Three-year simulations were then performed assuming two different irrigation applications (60 and 75% reductions from the 1989 amount) and two different frequencies (12 or 6 irrigations per growing season). The model predictions suggested that reduced irrigation may lead to up to a 15%) increase in the chloride content of the soil profile after 3 years. Also, despite overall reductions in water discharge, slight increases in chloride leaching via field drains (c. 4 to 8%) were predicted. The model demonstrated that encroachment of salt into the soil profile may he exacerbated by the non-equilibrium nature of water flow and solute transport (‘by-passing flow’) in structured clays. With reduced water supply for irrigation, more frequent applications may give marginally better crop yields for the same quantity of irrigation but at the expense of slightly increasing salt concentration in the root zone.

Notes: Abstract. A model was developed to estimate daily evapotranspiration and root zone soil moisture changes appropriate for scheduling irrigation, incorporating a modified version of the Penman-Monteith equation.The model was field tested during 1992–94, for potatoes and sugarbeet, by comparing modelled root zone soil moisture changes with field measurements taken using neutron probes. The study confirmed the accuracy of the model when predicting crop water use and soil moisture change. Linear regression of measured versus modelled data exhibited a slope of 0.99 and an intercept close to and not significantly different from zero. The relationship accounted for 80% of the variation.

Notes: Abstract. Regular application of slurry manure in large quantities is thought to degrade soil structure and increase erodibility. One hypothesis links this to the large input of potassium which increases the exchangeable potassium percentage (EPP) and, thereby, dispersion. The effect of EPP on erodibility was quantified in three experiments. In the laboratory, eleven rainfall experiments were conducted using a silty topsoil from a typic Hapludalf which was fertilized to EPPs of 4 to 18%. Field rainfall experiments on 22 Inceptisols and Alfisols were used to examine whether the long-term application of monovalent cations (Na+, K+ and NH4+) with slurry manure had changed soil properties, especially erodibility. In addition, erodibilities of 32 soils determined with natural and simulated rains were taken from literature. The experiments on these 65 soils together covered a wide range of soils, slopes and rainfalls. Dispersion by a large percentage of highly hydrated ions (K+, Na+) reduced the infiltration rate faster, caused runoff up to 5 min earlier, and increased sediment concentrations by 15g/l compared to low EPP soils. These changes increased soil erodibility of the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) by 0.021 t × h/N × ha (where N = Newtons) for each 1% increase in EPP + ESP (exchangeable sodium percentage). The ESP contributed little to this increase as ESP was less than 1/10 of EPP in the experiments.Fields with long-term manure application had similar chemical, physical and microbiological soil properties as fields without slurry manure except for slightly greater pH (+ 0.6) and P (+ 17 mg/kg) values. We conclude that, as long as the potassium input and output are balanced, the long-term use of slurry manure does not increase erodibility.

Notes: Abstract. A model was developed to predict evapotranspiration and soil moisture changes, which could be used either for scheduling irrigation or crop water-use studies. The general form of the model is reported here, and its validation for sugarbeet and potatoes is described in a subsequent paper. The soil characteristics required are depth of topsoil, texture or available water capacity of topsoil and subsoil, and whether a significant slope exists. The plant characteristics required are species and planting date. Meteorological data used to calculate potential evapotranspiration are obtained from the Meteorological Office synoptic network, but local rainfall data are preferred.The model estimates potential evapotranspiration of a reference crop, and uses this to model canopy and root development for all crops at each location. Available options allow for observed data on canopy or root development to be incorporated into the simulations. Estimates of potential evapotranspiration for each crop are then adjusted to allow for the effects of water stress, taking soil characteristics, root depth and evapotranspiration demand into account.The model enables growers to reduce the risks of under- or over-watering their crops and has proved successful in irrigation management.

Notes: Abstract. A land evaluation using unsophisticated data successfully predicted yield ranges of various crops in Burundi. Yields of wheat, pea, bean, maize and potato predicted from data for climate, soil and land use technology were compared with observed yields from farm trials and from seed station and research station trials. The predicted range of yield for each crop suitability class enclosed the mean farm yields 13 times out of 16 and yields on seed stations and research stations 10 times out of 15 and 14 times out of 21 respectively. The variability of the observed yields exceeded the predicted range of yields. The method is considered as validated. The method appears to be applicable for multi-year studies at a broad scale, but yield variation according to the weather from year to year is not accounted for. The variances of the yields on farms are greater than the variances in seed station and research station trials.Since the method predicts correctly the mean regional farm yields, it could be useful for land use planning, research into optimal regional cropping specialisation, studies on food policy, and for evaluation of economic return and sustainability of different crops.

Notes: Abstract. Usual residue-management options are to remove the residue, use it as mulch with or without undercutting or to incorporate it into the soil. While the role of surface mulch in evaporation has been widely studied, the information on the effect on evaporation of mulch with undercutting or residue incorporated into soil, particularly in relation to soil type and evaporativity (Eo) is lacking. We studied the effect of wheat straw used in various ways on the course of evaporation loss from soil columns with three soils at Ludhiana, India and one soil at Bushland, Texas, USA, under two Eo's Energy-limited evaporation rates under mulch (Eom) followed the soil-specific relation Eom/Eo= a e(bRes+cEo), where Res is residue rate t/ha and a, b and c are constants; Eo, is expressed in mm/d. In an effort to model the total evaporation (CE) during the energy-limited stage ‘U’ was obtained from appropriate CE versus time curves and (CE-U) was regressed over (t - ti)0.5 to obtain the slope ‘α’ (Ritchie 1972) for the soil-limited evaporation stage. The observed ‘U’ was independent of mulch rate and Eo but was strongly affected by soil type, Values of ‘α’ decreased with increase in mulch rate and decrease in Eo and coarseness of soil.The otherwise short lived benefit of evaporation reduction with mulch per se, which peaked after a few days was maintained when residue was mixed with soil at the stage when evaporation reduction reached a maximum; this benefit continued for several weeks. Cumulative evaporation values computed from ‘U’ and ‘α’ agreed closely with the observed values under straw mulch for loamy sand and clay loam soils and for ‘undercut’ and ‘residue mixed’ treatments on all soils regardless of Eo, and for all situations under small Eo. However, for sandy loam and silt loam soils under Eo of 10 mm/d, the modified square root of the time function of Jalota et al. (1988) gave a better fit.

Notes: Abstract. Soil microstructures and biological activity were studied in thin sections of Culluna heathland soils subject to periodic burning. Freely drained Brown Podzolic soils from a species-rich heath at Dinnet Muir, Aberdeenshire, Scotland were compared with shallow Humo-ferric Podzols with a thick humus layer (5–10 cm) supporting a species-poor heath at Balmenach, Aberdeenshire.Structures with greater porosity occurred in all Dinnet soils and the most recently burned Balmenach soil. Burning led to an increase in soil porosity which gradually disappeared after a period of 2–3 years. Soils of the recently burned site had more enchytraeid worms than those burned ten years previously. Most of the Dinnet soil samples were dominated by extremely fine granular structure which could have been produced by flocculation of well decomposed organic matter or by enchytraeid worms. In recently burned sites the increase in soil macro- and microbial activities may lead to the formation of composite structures.Regular burning every 10–15 years has been the land management practice in Scottish heathlands to ensure the production of fresh browse of nutritious heather shoots for herbivores. The near-ground microclimate and regeneration mechanisms of heathland plants are well adjusted to the periodic disturbance by fire. We found that the gradual decrease in surface soil porosity over time can be restored by prescribed burning. Soil structure and the distribution and continuity of pores in the soil profile directly affect soil water movement and retention. These factors have important ecological implications for post-fire vegetation recovery.

Notes: Abstract. Simulated estimates of crop yield were made for rainfed rice in a 50 ha dryland rice area. The aim was to investigate how soil units and management units of different sizes with different yields could be used to obtain values for areas of land. Two procedures were applied. First, yields were simulated at six sites, that were representative of six soil mapping units. Second, yields were simulated using soil information from 133 auger sites, and were interpolated over management units using block kriging. Differences between the two procedures for the total area and for a test set of 22 additionally sampled locations were small. A 60% increase in precision was achieved when relatively large management units were defined.A Geographical Information System was used to identify areas with greatest yield potential for rainfed dryland rice. Statistical analysis showed that the six soil units could be grouped into three yield classes. The largest yields were obtained for a sub-area comprising 11% of the survey area which was associated with a slowly permeable Bg horizon in the soil profile.It was concluded that the best procedure for the spatial interpolation of simulated rice yield should be based on preliminary simulation of crop yields. A sensitivity analysis of the impact of weather variability and soil heterogeneity on the variation of yield was useful to detect the importance of their contributions. The procedures developed in this study are of value in obtaining a reliable estimate of average yield, and can consequently be used for associated cost-benefit calculations.

Notes: Book reviews in this article: Soil Conservation and Silviculture By J. Dvořák & L. Novák (editors). Translated by V. Sochor. Environmental Soil Biology – 2nd Edition By M. Wood.

Notes: Abstract. Soil profiles, first sampled between 1963 and 1973, were resampled in 1991 in an upland area with modertely high deposition of pollutants. One hundred horizons from 32 profiles, representing 10 different soil subgroups were analysed for pH and seven variables related to pH, using the same laboratory methods on both sampling occasions. To allow comparisons to be made with results obtained with these old methods, analysis of the 1991 samples was repeated for some determinands using the methods currently used in the analytical laboratory. Organic and A horizons show a consistent increase in acidity between samplings. Although brown soils and lithomorphic soils have increased in acidity throughout their depth, gleys and podzols have decreased in acidity at depth, probably because of poor water transmission downwards into these horizons. Correlations with other determinands suggest that the dominant process in the soils is leaching of basic cations and their replacement on exchange sites by protons and probably aluminium ions. A cause of the increase in soil acidity is likely to be the deposition of atmospherically transported pollutants.

Notes: Abstract. Currently there is growing interest in the restoration of drained peatlands in Britain. In order to investigate some of the effects of changes in land management practices on the biogeochemistry of peatlands, a field experiment was designed to manipulate the hydrological conditions in a naturally drained acid gully mire in Mid-Wales. We report preliminary results of the effects of experimentally rewetting the mire on the hydrochemistry of bromide in the peat-water. Results show that rewetting had a dramatic effect on the concentrations of bromide, which increased substantially. Peak values approached 1 mg/dm3 in some samples following rewetting, compared with typical values 〈 0.05 mg/dm3 under the drained conditions. Bromide was positively and significantly correlated with Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) in the peat-water, which suggests that Br- is derived from breakdown of organic matter in the reducing conditions following rewetting. The bromide mobilized by rewetting may be leached out of the system and/or re-assimilated by the wetland vegetation. Further monitoring is needed to determine whether the observed hydrochemical response of bromide to rewetting of the mire has any longer-term effects.

Notes: Abstract. Monoculture winter barley was grown for 5 years with 80 or 160 kg/ha of fertilizer nitrogen (N) and established by either shallow cultivation (straw removed) or ploughing (straw incorporated) in a replicated 2 ± 2 split plot experiment. The lower N rate reduced average grain yield from 6.85 t/ha to 5.61 t/ha. The cultivation/straw disposal system had no effect on yield. Halving the N rate reduced the amount of N removed in the crop by an average of 40 kg/ha and reduced the amount of nitrogen leached by 11 kg/ha per year. Using a shallow cultivation system for crop establishment, following the removal of straw, initially reduced N leaching compared to ploughing in the straw, but in the later years of the experiment losses were similar. Over the five years the full N rate with ploughing system resulted in a small positive nitrogen balance of 66 kg/ha, but all other treatment combinations resulted in a negative balance.

Notes: Nine different techniques were used to record the initial change in the physical and hydrological properties of a freshly tilled soil surface following successive cycles of wetting and drying. The study was made in the field on a sandy clay loam soil ploughed and harrowed and then exposed to three simulated rainfall events of 76 mm/h for 15 minutes. Although the degradation of the soil surface increased with each successive rainfall, the most significant changes were observed after the first rainfall. Qualitative observations of clod size distribution and crust development provide a good indication of the early stages of soil surface degradation. Complementary physical data were quickly obtained using a hand held shear vane. These techniques are simple and robust enough that they can be used in on-farm research programmes, where resources, both human and technical are at a premium. Tension infiltrometry provided hydrological information that complemented the physical information provided by the above techniques, but is not as simple.

Notes: Abstract. To study the change in soil organic carbon (SOC) since it was recorded during the Belgian National Soil Survey some 40 years ago, we recently revisited 939 locations still under use as arable land. The study area comprised almost the entire province of West Flanders (about 3000 km2) characterized by profound changes in its arable land management.Taking the increased ploughing depth (by 9.8 cm on average) into account, a significant (P= 0.001) increase of the SOC content by 0.2% on average was found. Expressed as an amount, the SOC in the topsoil rose by 9.3 t/ha on average, representing an increase of 25%. This is comparable with the conversion of arable land into grassland for 2 to 3 decades.Geostatistical tools were used to map the SOC at the two times of observation. These showed that most of the spatial variation occurred within about 4 km. Since the community level is the smallest spatial resolution on which agricultural statistics are gathered officially, a detailed modelling of the change in SOC was impossible. However, by selecting communities with extreme changes in SOC, we found indications that the major source of increase in SOC was due to the large increase in pig breeding.

Notes: Abstract. The understanding of nitrogen mineralization is central to providing good advice to ensure that nitrogen (N), from whatever source, is utilized by crops as efficiently as possible to minimize pollution. We have reviewed how mineralization is accounted for in current advice. It is clear that there is at least a qualitative understanding of the effects of soil and crop management on N mineralization and N supply, which has enabled the development of Codes of Good Agricultural Practice and fertilizer recommendations systems, based on sound scientific principles. However, to refine advice there is a need for a better quantitative understanding.Although soil organic matter (SOM) is a major source of N for crops, we are unable adequately to predict fertilizer requirement as affected by mineralization of SOM. Nitrogen returns from crop residues can vary considerably between fields; the provision of better field specific advice is restricted by our inability accurately to quantify this variability. The qualitative controls on the amount and timing of N release from ploughed grass are known, but better quantification of mineralization/immobilization over both the short- and long-term and better understanding of the relationship with sward age, inputs and management are essential. Much N can also be released from pasture and lost to the environment, especially where long-term leys have been grazed and there is a need to quantify the changing balance of mineralization and immobilization with the age of sward and N input. Whilst the overall principle of cultivation affecting mineralization is well known and appreciated, little is known about the mechanisms and quantification is only possible for a comparison of such extremes as ploughing and direct drilling.

Notes: Book Review in this ArticlesSoil Conservation (Third Edition) By N. Hudson.Conserving soil resources: European perspectives. Selected papers from the First International Congress of the European Society for Soil Conservation Edited by R.J. Rickson.Soil and water management systems, 4th edition By G.O. Schwab, D.D. Fangmeier & W.J. Elliot.

Notes: Abstract. In response to the European Community Nitrate Directive (91/676) a catchment scale Geographical Information System (GIS) model of nitrate leaching has been developed to map nitrate vulnerability and predict average weekly fluxes of nitrate from agricultural land units to surface water. This paper presents a pilot study which investigated the spatial variability of soil nitrates in order to: (1) define an appropriate pixel size for modelling N leaching; (2) quantify the within-unit variability of soil nitrate concentrations for pasture and arable fields; and (3) assist in the design of an efficient sampling strategy for estimating mean nitrate concentrations. Soil samples, taken from two 800 m transects in early September 1994, were analysed for water soluble nitrate. The arable soils had a mean nitrate-nitrogen concentration of 0.693 μg/g (S.E. 0.054 μg/g) and the pasture soils had a higher mean nitrate-nitrogen concentration of 0.86 μg/g (S.E. 0.085 μg/g). Spatial variability was investigated using variograms. The pasture data had a weak spatial relationship, whereas the arable data exhibited a strong spatial relationship which fitted a spherical variogram model (r2 0.87), with a range of 40 m. A pixel size of 40 m is suggested for nitrate modelling within the GIS based on the arable variogram and an improved sampling strategy for model validation is suggested, involving bulking sub-samples over a 40 m grid for estimating mean nitrate concentrations in combined land use and soil units.

Notes: Abstract. An area of about 24 km2 in arable East Lothian, Scotland, was examined for soil erosion by water following a severe rainstorm in October 1990. Significant erosion was found in only 10 fields out of 26.5 in an area where topography, soils and cropping suggest a high erosion risk. Doubt is cast on some assessments of the widespread risk of significant soil erosion by water in arable areas of the UK.

Notes: Abstract. Proposed restrictions on the disposal of sewage to the marine environment means that alternative land based outlets are required in the UK. Commercial forestry represents a significant land use that could receive and benefit from the application of sewage sludge, to overcome the generally poor soil nutrient status. The oligotrophic and sensitive nature of surface waters in many afforested areas requires that the environmental consequences of the widespread use of organic fertilizers in forestry are carefully considered. This paper compares the effects of an N and P fertilizer with that of sewage sludge on the nutrient content of foliage in a pole stage Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) forest and of nutrient fluxes in soil. Both conventional fertilizer and sewage treatments had significant but differing effects on the availability and leaching of the major nutrients, especially N and P. Evidence for increased nitrification and nitrate production with time was apparent for both treatments. Fluxes of N and P in mineral horizon leachate were consistently smaller than those from the overlying organic horizon. Foliar nutrient concentrations after one year were significantly higher (P 〈 0.01) in all of the treatments, and conventional fertilization with urea produced a significantly higher foliar N concentration than that measured in the sludge-treated plots. There was no evidence for appreciable N or P leaching from the site within a year of sludge application.

Notes: Abstract. An easy-to-use simulation model was developed with the aim of improving fertilizer practice when crop residues are incorporated instead of removed. It was tested against data from a well-monitored N fertilizer experiment in which three successive brassica crops were grown followed by barley.Experimental findings included: (a) that fertilizer-N greatly increased yield of 3 crops without increasing residual soil mineral-N at harvest unless supply exceeded crop demand; (b) that, by contrast, fertilizer-N increased both yield of and residual soil mineral-N left by the remaining crop throughout the range of applications; and (c) that at each harvest the apparent disappearance of fertilizer-N by immobilization and other processes was almost proportional to fertilizer-N. These phenomena were simulated by the model.Overall the model gave estimates of soil mineral-N, plant weight and % N in the crop for each crop that were either in close agreement with or linearly related to the measured values. Deviations from this pattern are shown to result almost entirely from experimental error. In addition the model gave simulations of the time course of soil mineral-N and soil water that were in good agreement with measurement.Simulations with the model indicate that appreciable benefits from residue incorporation of crops will only be obtained when fertilizer-N is also applied, unless plant masses at harvest are small.

Notes: Abstract. The MACROS crop model was evaluated for its utility to generate information on land suitability for dry season peanut cropping based on water availability at the regional scale in Khon Kaen Province, Northeast Thailand. The model was specific for the condition where crop growth is limited by water stress, and evaluated using both calibration and validation phases in sequence. In the model calibration, data sets from one peanut field experiment were used to calibrate some parameters to obtain the best agreement between experimental and simulated results. The model validation, in this study, consisted of a ‘validation A’, with emphasis on the accuracy and a ‘validation B’, with emphasis on the usefulness and relevance of the model. In the model validation A, data sets from peanut field experiments were used to validate the model under different conditions. Satisfactory agreements were found between the dynamics of observed and corresponding simulated values of shoot dry weight in every condition involved in this validation study. Also the simulated pod yields agree well with the field data. For the validation R, the model was further validated using data from 36 farm trials conducted at 5 different test sites. A high positive correlation (r= 0.91) existed between observed and simulated pod yields. Because of these satisfactory agreements between observed and corresponding simulated values, it was concluded that the model is valid and can be applied to Khon Kaen Province.

Notes: Book reviews in this article: Soils and Environment By S. Ellis & A. Mellor. Soil Erosion Research Methods Edited by R. Lal. Agriculture and Environment: Bridging Food Production and Environmental Protection in Developing Countries Edited by Anthony S.R. Juo and Russell D. Freed. Soil Management in Sustainable Agriculture Edited by H.F. Cook and H.C. Lee. Soil Nutrient Bioavailability—2nd Edition By Stanley A. Barber. Soil fertility decline under sisal cultivation in Tanzania By Alfred E. Hartemink.

Notes: Abstract. Information about the soil fertility status in irrigated ricelands at regional scales (1:50 000–1:250 000) is commonly not contained in classical soil maps. To assess the agronomic suitability of two different reconnaissance soil maps, we conducted a detailed soil survey in the Nueva Ecija province, Philippines. Soil samples were collected from 384 farmers' fields, and soil properties were measured for topsoil and subsoil samples. For most soil properties, a soil map made in 1940 (1:125 000) had within-map unit variances that were smaller than the total variance, whereas a new soil map of 1992 (1:50 000) did not significantly reduce the within-class variance. In both soil maps, classification into mapping units accounted for 0–40% of the variance of 14 agronomically important soil properties and large within-map unit variabilities were found. Underlying strategies of classical soil survey supported the partition of variance for relatively stable soil properties, such as soil texture, CEC, and organic matter. If reconnaissance soil maps are used in quantitative land evaluation studies, existing maps require upgrading by adding quantitative information about relevant soil properties and their within-map unit variability The sampling demand for upgrading a reconnaissance soil map was large, but pedotransfer functions can be used as cost-saving tools. Measures of soil nutrient status were highly variable within all mapping units and differences among farmers were much greater than the differences between soil types. Therefore, nutrient management in the study region should be based on individual field or farm recommendations rather than on soil-map based recommendations.

Notes: Abstract. The spatial distribution of agricultural grassland in England and Wales has been assessed using a land evaluation model applied to information describing soils, climate and topography on a 5 × 5 km grid. The model calculates land suitability for grassland from assessments of trafficability/poaching risk and yield class. The spatial distribution of agricultural grassland was modelled for a 30 year climatic baseline (1941–1970) and for incremental changes in temperature and proportional changes in precipitation relative to that baseline.Model estimates for the current distribution of grassland suitability agree well with observed data of actual grassland distribution. The best suited land occurs in south west England, Wales, the Welsh borders and Cheshire with fragmented areas of well suited land in north west England and on the Pens and Humberhead levels.The climatic sensitivity analysis suggests that grassland production in England and Wales is resilient to small perturbations in mean temperature (up to +2°C) and precipitation (±10%). The effect of increasing temperature by 1°C is almost completely offset by precipitation increases of 10% resulting in little change to the distribution of grassland suitability. However, greater temperature changes (+ 4°C) have a major influence on the ability of land to support intensively managed grassland because of increased drought stress. Results indicate that a change in the climate comparable with current best estimates for the future would benefit grassland on good quality land at higher altitudes.

Notes: A combination of radiocarbon (14C) dating and biomarker analyses of the aliphatic hydrocarbons in soil lipids is proposed as a novel and improved method for studying the environmental history of peaty soils. The radiocarbon concentration of unfractionated bulk organic matter, hydrolysed soil residues and two lipid fractions (the aliphatic hydrocarbons and carboxylic acids) recovered from a stagnohumic gley soil, were compared using AMS (accelerator mass spectrometry) and radiometric 14C dating techniques. The radiocarbon ages recorded by the aliphatic hydrocarbon fractions were consistently older than those measured from the unfractionated soil, and were in most cases older than the residues remaining after acid hydrolysis. This pattern was observed at three different depths in the soil profile. The apparent age difference between the hydrocarbon fraction and its unfractionated substrate increased with depth. An abundance of long–chain n–alkanes, similar to those found in higher plant waxes, characterized the aliphatic hydrocarbon fraction from the deepest soil (at 21.5–24.5–cm depth). The radiocarbon age of this basal organic component (13470± 170 years bp) indicated that it derived from the initial re–establishment of vegetation on the local deglaciated landscape with the onset of the Windermere Interstadial (c. 14000–13000 14C years bp). Bulk organic detritus within the basal horizon dated at some 3000 years younger, and presumably as a result of the downward penetration and retention of some mobile organic residues produced later in the development of the soil profile. The survival and apparent stratigraphical stability of these recoverable aliphatic hydrocarbons provides the opportunity, via the development of AMS dating, to measure an unambiguous radiocarbon age for the origin of organic residues retained in soils and sediments.

Notes: The basic principles of the electrophoretic behaviour of humic substances (HS) still need to be systematically investigated. HS extracted from a Cryorthod (HS–1) and from an Haplumbrept (HS–2) were first fractionated by ultrafiltration to obtain two series of fractions of reduced polydispersity with a nominal mean relative molecular mass (M) of 7500, 20000, 40000, 75000 and 200 000 Da. Fractions extracted from the same soil behaved like an homologous series when tested by size exclusion chromatography, showing a linear relation of M with molecular size. When plotted against their mean M, the elution volumes of HS fractions extracted from the two different soils originated lines of different slope. Absolute electrophoretic mobilities of the fractions were determined in polyacrylamide gel slabs of increasing polyacrylamide concentration using a single buffer system; in all gels there was a close linear relation between the electrophoretic mobility and the logarithm of the mean M of HS fractions. Extrapolation of mobilities of HS–1 at zero gel concentration gave intercepts that did not differ significantly, showing that there was a constant mobility for all fractions in free solution. These results mean that charge differences have little effect on the electrophoretic mobilities of HS extracted from the same soil and imply the theoretical possibility of determining M distributions of HS by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in a single buffer system. Mobilities of HS–2 fractions were compared with those of HS–1: the latter fitted the regression equations of mobility against logarithm of the molecular weight obtained from HS–1 humic substances only in gels of small acrylamide concentration. Deviations were larger at small M, probably because of the increasing fulvic character of the fractions, and increased in gels of greater acrylamide concentration, indicating that charge differences may not be negligible when comparing humic substances extracted from different soils.

Notes: Second derivative diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) in the visible range has been used to characterize changes in colour and identify the nature of Fe oxides which withstand reduction during experimental yellowing of reddish materials. It is accepted that haematite dissolves preferentially and faster than goethite, and Al-substitution controls the dissolution kinetics of Fe oxides. However, DRS has shown that haematite is more resistant than predicted and that some Fe-oxides, probably trapped within kaolinite particles, are inaccessible to solvents. DRS allows the nature of dissolved phases at each deferration step to be determined and changes in Al-content of residual phases throughout deferration to be followed. It also demonstrated that Helmholtz coordinates correlate very well with changes in Fe-oxide mineralogy and are preferable to redness ratings when monitoring differential dissolution of Fe oxides through colour measurements. DRS is a powerful and sensitive technique for monitoring the dissolution of Fe oxides in soils.

Notes: Single rainfall events play an important agricultural and ecological role, especially in dry regions where precipitation is erratic. Infiltration, redistribution and evaporation of single quantities of water are important in this context and have been investigated in the laboratory.Three soils of differing texture were packed at two uniform initial water potentials (– 100 MPa and –1.5 MPa) into columns, after which 12.7, 25.4 and 50.8 mm of water were applied as a single irrigation. The columns were maintained in a controlled hot and dry atmosphere (evaporativity = 16.7 mm d-1) for up to 30 days, during which water-content profiles were measured at intervals.Infiltration was rapid to depths ranging between 35 and 250 mm. Thereafter redistribution was small. Evaporation caused the water profile to develop three zones: dry between the soil surface and the drying front, dry below the wetting front, and an intermediate wetter zone between the drying and wetting fronts. As evaporation continued, the drying front moved deeper into the soil and the water content in the intermediate zone decreased.During the first few hours evaporation was rapid and constant, at the evaporativity of the atmosphere. Subsequently, evaporation was slower. Total evaporation (E) increased with time (t) as Eα tn for t 〉 1 d, where n = 0.24 for a loamy sand, 0.33 for a clay loam and 0.31 for a silty clay loam.Weighted-mean soil-water diffusivities, averaged over the profile above the wetting front, ranged between 1000–2000 mm2 d−1 at the start of the falling-rate stage and 200–400 mm2 d−1 near air-dryness, in reasonable agreement with the few results in the literature.

Notes: The electromagnetic array profiling (EMAP) exploration method can be combined with a direct one-dimensional inversion process for conversion to depth to produce a subsurface resistivity cross-section. This cross-section may then be interpreted in parallel with a seismic cross-section to enhance the prediction of rock type and structure. In complex thrust environments and areas of shallow carbonate rocks, the EMAP method is often used to provide additional data either to help the seismic processor and/or to aid the seismic interpretation. In particular, the electromagnetic (EM) data can be used to build an independent seismic velocity file for depth migration.Three EMAP test areas in the western United States are used to demonstrate such a use of EMAP as an expioration tool. The first shows how a velocity file is estimated from resistivity data for seismic depth migration processing in a complex thrust environment. In the second example, the method is applied in layer-cake geology with high seismic velocity rocks at the earth's surface. The third example is another complex thrust environment, but in this case the velocity file derived from the resistivity data is used for stacking the seismic data.

Notes: A fast inversion technique for the interpretation of data from resistivity tomography surveys has been developed for operation on a microcomputer. This technique is based on the smoothness-constrained least-squares method and it produces a two-dimensional subsurface model from the apparent resistivity pseudosection. In the first iteration, a homogeneous earth model is used as the starting model for which the apparent resistivity partial derivative values can be calculated analytically. For subsequent iterations, a quasi-Newton method is used to estimate the partial derivatives which reduces the computer time and memory space required by about eight and twelve times, respectively, compared to the conventional least-squares method. Tests with a variety of computer models and data from field surveys show that this technique is insensitive to random noise and converges rapidly. This technique takes about one minute to invert a single data set on an 80486DX microcomputer.

Notes: High-speed photography has been used visually to study the shape, surface, turbulence and behaviour of an underwater oscillating bubble generated by an airgun. The source was a BOLT airgun with a chamber volume of 1.6cu.in., placed in a 0.85m3 tank at 0.5m depth. Near-field signatures were also recorded in order to compare the instant photographs of the oscillating bubble with the pressure field recorded about 25 cm from the gun. Estimations of the bubble-wall velocity and bubble radius estimated from high-speed film sequences are also presented, and are compared with modelled results. The deviation between the modelled and measured bubble radii was at most 9%. In order to check the capacity for transmission of light through the bubble, a concentrated laser beam was used as illumination. We found that the air bubble is a strong scattering medium of laser light, hence the bubble is opaque.

Notes: We consider the problem of computing the most probable location of a target based on radar measurements of the subsurface. Our algorithm makes use of the maximum likelihood estimator (MLE), which represents a correlation between the measured data and synthetic data generated for the object of interest at different locations. Previous studies assume a plane-wave acquisition geometry and target object(s) embedded in a uniform background. In this paper, a generalization of the MLE method is presented which is valid for discrete point sources (and receivers) and a 2D model (i.e. a 2.5D acquisition geometry). Within this formulation the treatment of a non-uniform background model is also possible. We concentrate on geotechnical ground investigations and assume that the characteristic dimensions of the target object are in the range 1–2λ, (λ being the wavelength). The potential of the method is demonstrated employing cross-hole radar data acquired in a controlled field experiment. The MLE result is also compared with the image obtained employing a full reconstruction method such as diffraction tomography.

Notes: We present a simple method for estimating an effective source wavelet from the first arrival in marine vertical seismic profiling (VSP) data. The method, which utilizes the free-space Green's function of the Helmholz equation, is simple and very computer efficient. We show examples from synthetic and real offset and walkaway VSP data.In the synthetic examples, we show that data modelled with the estimated wavelet give small residuals when subtracted from the reference data. In the real data examples, we show that when modelling with the wavelet estimated from the real data, in a smooth macromodel, we obtain a good fit between the first arrivals in the real and modelled data.

Notes: An expression which is optimum with respect to the simplicity of the numerical computations is obtained for the magnetic field of a polyhedron with constant magnetization. The high accuracy of the results is illustrated using a realistic numerical model.The existence of the magnetic field at points inside the source and on its boundary is discussed and related to real magnetic data modelling.

Notes: The posterior probability density function (PPD), σ(m|dobs), of earth model m, where dobs are the measured data, describes the solution of a geophysical inverse problem, when a Bayesian inference model is used to describe the problem. In many applications, the PPD is neither analytically tractable nor easily approximated and simple analytic expressions for the mean and variance of the PPD are not available. Since the complete description of the PPD is impossible in the highly multi-dimensional model space of many geophysical applications, several measures such as the highest posterior density regions, marginal PPD and several orders of moments are often used to describe the solutions. Calculation of such quantities requires evaluation of multidimensional integrals. A faster alternative to enumeration and blind Monte-Carlo integration is importance sampling which may be useful in several applications. Thus how to draw samples of m from the PPD becomes an important aspect of geophysical inversion such that importance sampling can be used in the evaluation of these multi-dimensional integrals. Importance sampling can be carried out most efficiently by a Gibbs' sampler (GS). We also introduce a method which we called parallel Gibbs' sampler (PGS) based on genetic algorithms (GA) and show numerically that the results from the two samplers are nearly identical.We first investigate the performance of enumeration and several sampling based techniques such as a GS, PGS and several multiple maximum a posteriori (MAP) algorithms for a simple geophysical problem of inversion of resistivity sounding data. Several non-linear optimization methods based on simulated annealing (SA), GA and some of their variants can be devised which can be made to reach very close to the maximum of the PPD. Such MAP estimation algorithms also sample different points in the model space. By repeating these MAP inversions several times, it is possible to sample adequately the most significant portion(s) of the PPD and all these models can be used to construct the marginal PPD, mean) covariance, etc. We observe that the GS and PGS results are identical and indistinguishable from the enumeration scheme. Multiple MAP algorithms slightly underestimate the posterior variances although the correlation values obtained by all the methods agree very well. Multiple MAP estimation required 0.3% of the computational effort of enumeration and 40% of the effort of a GS or PGS for this problem. Next, we apply GS to the inversion of a marine seismic data set to quantify uncertainties in the derived model, given the prior distribution determined from several common midpoint gathers.