Geologic Map Research Articles

Geological and mining mapping approach by coupling geological and geophysical field data: application to the Central Domain of the Mbere division (Adamawa-Cameroon)

This study is based on the coupling of geological field data with geophysical studies in the geological mapping of the Central Domain of the Mbere Division (Adamawa-Cameroon). The first step was to calculate the residual grid associated with the geophysical data that will be used for the mapping of the basement. The second step before mapping consisted in calculating the analytical signal associated with the residual grid, used to interpret the geological formations under cover or in intrusion. Subsequently, a geological mapping approach based on the categorisation of geophysical signatures into ranges using the Encom Discover program was adopted. This approach is based on the analysis of the relief of geophysical anomalies. The process of categorisation which is done iteratively, takes into consideration in the same georeferenced space, the resolution of the input data, the variation of the field considered and the structural model previously interpreted. The result of the categorisation is then compared to the spatial distribution of outcrop data to build the geological model. The application of this approach to the Central Domain of the Mbere Division led to the production of a synthetic geological map at a scale of 1/75,000. The superposition of this map to the topographic model allows to observe a concordance between the Cretaceous basins represented by their edge faults and the topographic depression zones. The various mineral indicators (primary and secondary) collected during the fieldwork, combined with the geological model (1:75,000 scale) as well as the Cretaceous deposits and vein intrusion models were used to create the mineral indicators and targets map for this sector. All these models can thus be used to underpin mineral exploration projects in the study area.

Development of a 3D Geologic Model Used in the Seismic Hazard and Liquefaction Hazard Analysis of Madison County, Tennessee

ABSTRACT Madison County of western Tennessee is approximately 100 km southeast of the New Madrid seismic zone and, thus, is subject to potentially dangerous seismic shaking and liquefaction events. Holocene floodplain alluvium and associated Pliocene/Pleistocene terraces of the Forked Deer and Hatchie Rivers cover a large part of Madison County. Underlying these unconsolidated sediments are approximately ∼650 m of poorly consolidated Paleogene and Cretaceous terrestrial and marine sediments, which are underlain by Paleozoic limestone bedrock. Uniform regional geology used in the 2014 United States Geological Survey seismic hazard maps assumes a homogenous seismic velocity structure above bedrock. Three-dimensional geologic mapping of the ∼700 m of Quaternary, Neogene, Paleogene, and Cretaceous sediments conducted in this study provides a more detailed velocity structure, resulting in a more accurate and detailed map of the expected ground motions in Madison County during future earthquakes. In addition, the surface geologic map reveals regions that are susceptible to liquefaction. This paper discusses the methods used to construct the surface geology map, subsurface structure contour maps, isopach maps, and 3D geologic model used in the seismic hazard and liquefaction hazard analyses of Madison County, Tennessee, and summaries of the results of these analyses are presented.

Geoheritage of the Sila National Park and surrounding areas (Northern Calabria, Italy)

ABSTRACT This paper introduces a geological map of the Sila mountain block (Northern Calabria, Italy), realized as a tool to promote knowledge of this geological landscape uniqueness and to develop effective geoheritage management and enhancement strategies, also from a geotouristic and geoeducational perspective. The Sila block is defined as a plateau whose morphology is deeply connected to its lithological characteristics and tectonic evolution that combined with exogenous processes over time has conditioned the landscape. The 1:60,000 scale map provides an overall scheme of the main geological units and tectonic elements constituting the study area, as a synthesis of thematic cartography existing in the literature coupled to targeted investigations and field surveys. It also displays the main geosites and geosite systems, identified with the purpose of communicating geoheritage processes/products, which favour an understanding of the surrounding environment, and for tourist purposes.

Geology of the Toundoute Region (South Morocco): a window on the Early Jurassic-Cretaceous tectono-sedimentary evolution of the Central High Atlas

ABSTRACT A new geological map representing the southern leading edge of Central High Atlas (Toundoute, South Morocco) updates the stratigraphic architecture of a Lower Jurassic-Cretaceous succession including marine carbonates and terrestrial clastics. Integrated facies and structural analyses outline a marked syn-tectonic control on depositional patterns since the Early Jurassic, as documented by geological maps of adjacent sectors of the Central High Atlas southern flank recently published on Journal of Maps. This incipient diffuse crustal uplift and denudation attests to a pre-collisional stage in the development of the Central High Atlas mountains.

Rmacrostrat : An R package for accessing and retrieving data from the Macrostrat geological database

The geological record is a vast archive of information that provides the only empirical data about the evolution of the Earth. In recent years, concentrated efforts have been made to compile macrostratigraphic data into the online centralized database Macrostrat. Macrostrat is a global stratigraphic database containing information regarding surface and subsurface rock units and their respective ages, lithologies, geographic extents, and various other associated metadata. However, these raw data are currently directly accessible only through the Macrostrat application programming interface, which is a barrier to potential users that are less familiar with such services. This data accessibility hurdle currently prevents full capitalization of the value offered by Macrostrat, particularly its potential to improve understanding of the geological and biological evolution of the Earth. Here, we introduce rmacrostrat, an R package that interfaces with the Macrostrat database to access and retrieve a variety of geological, paleontological, and economic data directly into the R programming environment. In this article, we provide details about how the package can be installed, its implementation, and potential use cases. For the latter, we showcase how rmacrostrat can be used to visualize regional stratigraphic columns, produce regional geologic outcrop maps, and investigate temporal trends in macrostratigraphic units. We hope that this package will make geological data more readily accessible and in turn will facilitate new research utilizing Earth system data.

A conceptual and numerical model of fluid flow and heat transport in the Topusko hydrothermal system

Comprehensive understanding of hydrothermal systems is often obtained through the integration of conceptual and numerical modelling. This integrated approach provides a structured framework for the reconstruction and quantification of fluid dynamics in the reservoir, thereby facilitating informed decision-making for sustainable utilisation and environmental protection of the hydrothermal system. In this study, an updated conceptual model of the Topusko hydrothermal system (THS; central Croatia) is proposed based on structural, geochemical, and hydrogeological analyses. The stratigraphic sequence and the structural framework of the THS were defined based on geological maps and field investigations. As depicted by hydrochemical and isotope analyses, thermal waters in Topusko (temperatures of up to 65 °C) are of meteoric origin and circulate in a carbonate aquifer. The THS receives diffuse recharge approximately 13 km S from Topusko, where Triassic carbonates crop out. Gravity-driven regional groundwater circulation is favoured by regional thrusts that tectonically uplifted Palaeozoic low permeable rocks. These structures confine the fluid flow in the permeable, fractured and karstified, Triassic carbonates favouring the northward circulation of the water. A regional anticline lifts the aquifer closer to the surface in Topusko. Open fractures in the anticline hinge zone increase the fracturing and permeability field of the aquifer promoting the quick upwelling of the thermal water resulting in the Topusko thermal springs. Numerical simulations of fluid flow and heat transport corroborate the proposed conceptual model. In particular, a thermal anomaly was modelled in the Topusko subsurface with temperature values of 31.3 °C and 59.5 °C at the surface and at the base of the thermal aquifer, respectively, approaching the field observations. These findings showed that the circulation of Topusko thermal water is influenced by regional and local geological structures suggesting that the enhanced permeability field in the discharge area enables the formation of the natural thermal springs.

The geometry of fault reactivation and uplift along the central part of the Maacama Fault Zone, Northern California Coast Ranges (USA)

Fault reactivation of bedrock structures in active fault zones influences stress state and earthquake rupture phenomena through the introduction of weak slip surfaces that impact fault zone geometry and width. Yet, geometric relationships between modern faults and older reactivated faults are difficult to quantify in rocks that have experienced multiple deformation episodes. We used new geologic mapping, geomorphic tools, and structural modeling to quantify rock uplift and subsurface fault geometry of the central part of the Maacama Fault Zone near Ukiah, California, USA, and the surrounding area. Results suggest that the northern Mayacamas Mountains are in a tectonically driven disequilibrium, with differential rock uplift focused on the western side of the range. Steeply east-dipping fault surfaces and splays characterize the geometry of the Maacama Fault Zone. We mapped two newly identified faults to the east of the main Maacama Fault, the Cow Mountain–Mill Creek Fault, and Willow Creek Fault, which align with a moderately east-dipping cluster of microseismicity between 4–10 km depth beneath the Mayacamas Mountains. Static stress modeling on the Maacama Fault Zone and newly identified faults to the east quantify slip tendency values of 0.5–0.4, which suggests that the faults are moderately to poorly suited for slip in the modern stress field and may be weak. We infer that modern uplift is driven by oblique reverse, up-to-the-east, dip-slip motion on the reactivated Cenozoic Cow Mountain–Mill Creek and Willow Creek Faults as material is advected through a restraining bend on the Maacama Fault. This study shows that reactivated bedrock faults increase the fault zone width and introduce fault surfaces that contribute a component of vertical deformation and uplift in major strike-slip fault zones. Deformation is accommodated on an interconnected network of new and reactivated faults that delineate a complex seismic hazard.

Timing and evolution of structures within the southeastern Greater Caucasus and Kura Fold-Thrust Belt from multiproxy sediment provenance records

The Greater Caucasus (GC) mountains are the locus of post-Pliocene shortening within the northcentral Arabia-Eurasia collision. Although recent low-temperature thermochronology constrains the timing of orogen formation, the evolution of major structures remains enigmatic—particularly regarding the internal kinematics within this young orogen and the associated Kura Fold-Thrust Belt (KFTB), which flanks its southeastern margin. Here we use a multiproxy provenance analysis to investigate the tectonic history of both the southeastern GC and KFTB by presenting new data from a suite of sandstone samples from the KFTB, including sandstone petrography, whole-rock geochemistry, and detrital zircon (DZ) U-Pb geochronology. To define source terranes for these sediments, we integrate additional new whole-rock geochemical analyses with published DZ results and geological mapping. Our analysis reveals an apparent discrepancy in up-section changes in provenance from the different methods. Sandstone petrography and geochemistry both indicate a systematic up-section evolution from a volcanic and/or volcaniclastic source, presently exposed as a thin strip along the southeastern GC, to what appears similar to an interior GC source. Contrastingly, DZ geochronology suggests less up-section change. We interpret this apparent discrepancy to reflect the onset of sediment recycling within the KFTB, with the exhumation, weathering, and erosion of early thrust sheets in the KFTB resulting in the selective weathering of unstable mineral species that define the volcaniclastic source but left DZ signatures unmodified. Using the timing of sediment recycling and changes in grain size together as proxies for structural initiation of the central KFTB implies that the thrust belt initiated nearly synchronously along strike at ~2.0–2.2 Ma.

A novel method for evaluating shale gas preservation conditions in an area on a regional scale

The Youjiang Basin is the main area of the Middle Devonian shale gas resources in southern China, with complex geological conditions, diverse stratigraphic structures, low level of exploration and limited hydrocarbon geological data. In this study, a method is proposed for evaluating the regional shale gas preservation conditions, by which it is easy to obtain information (using available data from regional geological maps) and to process data (processed by computer software). This method was applied to the evaluation of the preservation conditions of the Middle Devonian shale gas in the Youjiang Basin. Information extracted from geologic maps includes exposed stratum, magmatic rock distribution, stratigraphic occurrence and surface fracture distribution. Evaluation criteria for three indexes (stratigraphy index, dip angle index and fracture index) were established to classify the preservation conditions into five types from good to bad. Based on the calculated values of comprehensive index (CI), the comprehensive evaluation each area: 11621.23 km2 for CI of 0.7–1.0, 37162.67 km2 for CI of 0.5–0.7, 57784.43 km2 for CI of 0.3–0.5, 69303.77 km2 for CI of 0.1–0.3, and 69303.77 km2 for CI of 0.0–0.1, accounting for 3.19%, 10.19%, 15.84%, 18.99% and 51.80% of the whole area, respectively. These results are highly consistent with the actual exploration discoveries, showing that in the northern and central parts of the Guizhong Basin, the southern part of the Xidamingshan Uplift, and the northern part of the Qiannan Basin, there are large areas with good shale gas preservation conditions.

The Cibarco anticline of the northernmost San Jacinto fold belt: Possible influence of mud diapirism on the Neogene to the recent evolution of the structure where the first oil and gas wells were drilled in Colombia

The Cibarco anticline, located in the northwestern South American convergent margin, is a long (approximately 40 km) and narrow (2.5 km wide), south-southwest–north-northeast-trending structure that separates two much wider depocenters, the Tubará-Juan de Acosta depocenter (approximately 20 km wide) to the west, and the Sabanalarga syncline (approximately 11 km wide) to the east. Detailed geologic surface mapping and subsurface seismic interpretation suggest that the formation and evolution of the Cibarco anticline have been strongly influenced by mud diapirism, which has been focused along a west-southwest–east-northeast-trending, inverted pre-Oligocene extensional fault. Seismic interpretation and outcrop analyses also confirmed that the source of mobile shales is the Upper Oligocene marlstones of the Lower Ciénaga de Oro Formation. We suggest that the main mechanism that caused the overpressures that triggered and controlled shale mobilization was disequilibrium compaction related to the sedimentary loading of impermeable seals and the shortening and inversion of pre-Oligocene extensional faults. Growth strata indicate that the Upper Oligocene mud started moving in Early Miocene times during the deposition of the thick Porquero mudstones, and it stopped migrating in Latest Miocene times. After an uplift and erosion event, mud diapirism remained inactive in the Early Miocene, and it was then reactivated in Late Pliocene times. Slight mud migration focused on the inverted fault continued throughout the Pleistocene and to the present. Today, the slight mud migration to the surface is observed in volcanoes located in the northern strand of the Cibarco anticline, although the rest of the anticline has become welded. Our new interpretations, carried out more than a century after the first hydrocarbon exploration activities began in Colombia, will hopefully allow us to increase our understanding of shale tectonics, petroleum systems, and plays in this portion of the convergent margin.

The geology of the Aracruz pluton (Espírito Santo, Brazil), a Cambrian post-orogenic intrusion in the aftermath of Gondwana amalgamation

ABSTRACT We present the first geological map of the Aracruz pluton (Espírito Santo, Brazil), which belongs to the late Cambrian post-orogenic suite that intruded the Nova Venécia metapelites and Ediacaran syn-orogenic S-type granites of the Araçuaí belt. Our mapping coupled with airbone magnetic and radiometric observations reveals that the pluton is not regularly zoned. It is composed of porphyric alkali feldspar granites, into which charnockite and quartz-diorite bands intruded as several pulses while the granites were a deforming crystal mush, and an undeformed central norite emplaced when most movement of the host magma had ceased. Steep-dipping concentric magmatic foliation, magmatic foliation parallel to tectonic foliation in the country rock, the noritic core, and the irregular charnockite and quartz-diorite band alignment suggest buoyancy-driven diapirism as emplacement mechanism. The Aracruz pluton is a superb example of mantle-derived post-orogenic intrusion attesting for the production of continental crust during the final stages of a Wylson cycle.

Three‐dimensional static reservoir modelling of Kareem sandstone reservoir, Tawilla Oil Field, at the southern region of Gulf of Suez, Egypt

The Gulf of Suez, which contains Egypt's oldest oil fields, is one of North Africa's most well‐known oil regions. There are more than 80 conventional oil fields in Egypt's Gulf of Suez, some of which have reservoirs that stretch back to the Precambrian and Quaternary. In close proximity to the southern entrance of the Gulf of Suez is the Tawilla West oilfield. The oil field Tawilla West is believed to consist of rotating fault blocks that descend in a south‐west direction. The main producing reservoirs are the Miocene section reservoirs, the Belayim and Kareem sandstones. The current research is focusing on the structural elements affecting this giant field to update the field structural model using the newly processed 3D seismic survey, the acquired data from newly drilled wells and the associated different logging techniques. The seismic information quality varied from poor to fair. The quality of the interpreted stratigraphic horizons and geological faults was mainly controlled by the seismic information quality. The research used seismic attribute analyses to improve interpretation and incorporate additional features, enabling better hydrocarbon potential identification and characterization of the reservoirs. Several geological structure contour maps and cross‐sections were generated to help in delineating and understanding the reservoir's extension. Based on the detailed correlation study, we were able to detect the faults that affected the structure of the Tawilla West field in detail, define their throw amounts and directions, and identify the missed sections across the studied area. This study introduces an updated model scenario to show the differences and their effect on the field development plan and recommendations. By examining subsurface geologic structural characteristics and evaluating petrophysical data, a 3D static reservoir model was created to resolve structural settings and hydrocarbon trapping, providing detailed information on the field and identifying new opportunities for future development. The research discovered that the updated detailed 3D structural model may support the Kareem Reservoir development plans and encourage drilling, workover and dynamic operations to assign development possibilities in the correct area. According to the established model, there are at least three options in the study's attic areas that might boost oil output and oil reserves for the field while avoiding further failures.

Hermeneutic Cartography for the Restitution of a Lost Antique Seaport

This article deals with the reconstruction of an ancient seaport in the town of Bejaia, known as Muslubium Horrea. This settlement, ignored by the official historiography, would nevertheless have played an important role in wheat exports and trade with the Roman port of Ostia. Moreover, of all the ancient ports known to date, the Algerian coast has only two port warehouses, and Muslubium Horrea is the only granary belonging to the Roman province of Mauretania Sitifensis (400AD). The methodology adopted to locate and reconstruct the topography and the settlement’s structures is based on the concept of cartographic hermeneutics. The compilation of existing historical accounts and the interpretation derived from the superimposition of ancient geographical maps and 19th century archaeological and geological maps identified all the natural resources necessary for its construction, in particular the abundance of water sources and deposits of geomaterials for construction (clay, stone, gypse, marble, etc.). These data were confirmed by field and photogrammetric surveys, resulting in a map showing the archaeological context of the Muslubium Horrea port and the remains of structures still visible today. The approach adopted allowed to delineate the size of the port site and scale the structures that make it up, as well as identify the water supply source and its primitive topography prior to its establishment.

Nd isotope mapping in the Go Home region of Georgian Bay: a misunderstood key to the geology of the Central Gneiss Belt, Grenville Province of Ontario

The Georgian Bay transect forms an important geological section across the deeply exhumed Central Gneiss Belt of the Ontario Grenville Province. Its geological mapping was one of Nick Culshaw’s major research contributions, but the tectonic structure of the southern part of this transect in the Go Home region was never properly established. New Nd isotope data show that the classically recognized Go Home domain should be divided into three structural “decks” with distinct TDM (depleted mantle) Nd model ages. The upper deck consists of the Pine Island and Honey Harbour domains, with TDM ages averaging 1.56 and 1.57 Ga, respectively, which form two isolated units of the Grenvillian allochthonous belt. These are underlain by the newly-recognized Six Mile Lake domain, whose average TDM age of 1.71 Ga is representative of the tectonic duplex entrained elsewhere onto the base of the allochthon. Finally, the lowermost deck yields an average TDM age of 1.87 Ga, which identifies it as part of the Grenvillian parautochthon, exposed here in a tectonic window. The presence of a large retrogressed eclogite body within the allochthonous Honey Harbour domain confirms the exhumation of this unit from the deep crust on a major structural ramp. The coherent boundaries of these domains are consistent with the ramp–flat thrusting model of the Ottawan (Grenvillian) orogeny and limit the action of later extensional tectonics in the southwest Grenville Province.

Remote sensing and magnetic characterization of the Au mineralization and its structural implications: Meatiq dome, Eastern Desert, Egypt

This article examines hydrothermally altered ophiolitic ultramafic rocks (HAOU), specifically Listvenite, which are thrust over the Meatiq dome in the context of gold mineralization. These rocks represent gneissic complexes located in Egypt's eastern desert. The analyses presented herein are essential for understanding the distribution of sheared serpentinite on and beneath the surface and the underlying domal structure. This study offers critical insights into the distribution of serpentinite at Meatiq. It combines remote sensing, aerial and ground magnetic data with petrological, geochemical, and geological analyses to create precise geological maps of potential subsurface igneous structures commonly linked to gold mineralization. Remote sensing is used to test for rock differentiation; intensive field geological investigations were conducted along several traverses. Petrographic and geochemical analysis of selected samples confirmed Au content in some localities. Additionally, tomographic inversion of the collected magnetic land profiles has unveiled previously unidentified subsurface distributions of magnetic susceptibilities, which are essential for explaining the observed surface magnetic anomalies and for understanding the subsurface arrangement of various rock units. Results show that the HAOU rocks have a lower magnetic susceptibility signature relative to the adjacent serpentinites, the serpentinite from South Meatiq shows relatively high gold content, and the gold content decreases with carbonation and alteration of the serpentinite into talc-carbonate, as detected geochemically. The procedure followed in the present study can be regionally applied to studying HAOU rocks of similar geologic conditions. The novelty of this study, beyond the introduction of a novel workflow, lies in the revelation that the rocks forming the Meatiq dome are in thrust contact with steeply dipping suprastructure units.

ANALYSIS OF GRANITE ROCK WEATHERING IN THE PARMONANGAN AREA USING LANDSAT 8 SATELLITE IMAGERY

A research has been conducted to analyze the weathering of granite rocks in the Parmonangan area using Lansat 8 satellite imagery which aims to determine the distribution of rocks, weathering processes, and types of rock forming elements in Parmonangan District, North Tapanuli Regency. The method used is using shp geologic map data and Lansat-8 image data processed using Arcgis Map 10.6.1 to determine the distribution of rocks and land cover. XRF is used to identify compounds and rock-forming elements. The results obtained by the rock distribution of the parmonangan area are in the form of the Kluet Formation, Sibolga Complex and Toba Tuff. Land cover in the parmonagan area has differences from 2016 to 2024. Open land in 2024 has increased and the cloud cover obtained has also increased. The rock elements found are Al2O3 (25.31), SiO2 (24.97), K2O (1.56), TiO2 (0.81), Mn2O (30.66), Fe2O3 (4.66), ZrO2, (0.21), Sb2O3 (0.16), and BaO (0.17).

Development of an Automatic Rock Mass Classification System Using Digital Tunnel Face Mapping

To mitigate unforeseen incidents, such as key block failure or tunnel collapse during excavation, an appropriate support pattern that correlates with the geological conditions of the rock mass at the tunnel face should be designed. Rock mass evaluations should be conducted through geological face mapping during the construction phase, alongside predictions based on field investigations during the design phase. When marked discrepancies are identified, it is customary to convene an on-site evaluation involving a committee of experts. This study develops a digital tunnel face mapping system that utilises mobile devices to facilitate online evaluations during the construction phase. This system effectively replaces the traditional on-site field evaluation method. Tunnel face mapping can be promptly accomplished using images captured at the excavation face, enabling rapid analysis. In conjunction with the mapping capabilities, the developed system was designed to digitally store geological information, which includes parameters such as rock strength distribution, the spacing and length of discontinuities observed during the mapping process, as well as data pertaining to weathering and the groundwater conditions of those discontinuities. This information was then correlated with the rock mass rating sheet to automate the determination of ratings for each parameter, ultimately leading to a conclusive classification of the rock mass quality. By employing this system for tunnel face mapping and rock quality evaluation, we significantly reduced the discrepancies in the evaluation results that often arise due to the subjective judgement of geologists, as well as human errors that can occur throughout the rating process.

Nilsen Plateau, Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica: an update on the Gondwana stratigraphy and structure

ABSTRACT A revised and updated geological map of the Nilsen Plateau and a new geological map of the nearby Mt. Hassel-Mt. Bjaaland region are presented. The Gondwana succession, overlying pre-Devonian basement rocks, consists of Permian glacial beds, post-glacial shales and siltstones, deltaic sandstones, and coal measures succeeded by Triassic flood plain deposits. Jurassic dolerite sills intrude basement rocks and the Permo-Triassic beds. High-angle reverse faults displace Permian strata at the southern end of the range, and post-Jurassic normal faulting affected the whole range.

Pernambuco-Alagoas, Riacho do Pontal, and Sergipano domains of the Borborema Province, Northeastern Brazil: a geological and geochronological synthesis

Abstract In recent years, the number of works seeking to advance the geological and geotectonic knowledge of the Borborema Province has been increasing. However, in the context of the Southern Borborema Province there are few studies aimed at understanding its tectonic evolution in an integrated way. This work presents a review of the lithostratigraphic and geochronological data available for the Pernambuco-Alagoas, Riacho do Pontal and Faixa Sergipana Domains, located in the southern portion of the Borborema Province (Northeast Brazil), in addition to a discussion on the tectonic evolution model. The Southern Borborema Province fully encompasses the state of Alagoas and partially the states of Pernambuco, Sergipe, Bahia and Piauí, and is delimited to the north by the Pernambuco Lineament and to the south by the São Francisco Craton. The methodology involved bibliographical survey, geological cartography, geochronological compilation, creation of detrital zircon histograms for metasedimentary rocks (with unconformity below 10%) and magmatic “barcodes” for ortho-derived rocks and preparation of regional geological profiles. The tectonic evolution of the Southern Borborema Province began with the breakup of the Rodínia Supercontinent (1000 Ma) during the Cariris Velhos Cycle. The processes involved in the interaction of fragments descending from Rodinia are diachronic, in a broad scenario of accretions and collisions that resulted in the merger of Gondwana. The Pernambuco-Alagoas Block is considered a complex tectonic domain, which was affected by the Cariris Velhos (1000 – 950 Ma) and Brasiliana (740 - 570 Ma) orogenies (Caxito & Alkmim 2023), preserving remnants of Archean rocks (Riacho Seco Fragment) and proterozoic. The Riacho do Pontal Domain and the Faixa Sergipana Domain are part of a large folding system formed from the collision of the Pernambuco-Alagoas Domain with the São Francisco Craton, in a tangential deformation, vergent towards the craton, during the Brasiliana Orogeny. From the ages of the syncollisional granites we can infer that the orogenic event that gave rise to the aforementioned folded bands occurred at very close time intervals, presenting a slight diachronism. The article presents an integrated approach to tectonic evolution, however, the need for new studies is quite evident, with an emphasis on isotopic geology, geochronology, geochemistry and geological mapping that can contribute to the understanding of the processes involved in the formation of tectonic domains, their space-time relationships and their implications for the evolution of the Gondwana Continent.

Large impact features on Ganymede and Callisto as revealed by geological mapping and morphometry

Large impact features on Ganymede and Callisto as revealed by geological mapping and morphometry