Muddy Material Research Articles

Reservoir and Rock Type Characterization: Case Study for Khasib Formation, Southern Iraq

Characterizing the reservoir accurately and understanding its rock’s composition is essential in predicting performance and determining reservoir designs. In this study, the carbonate Khasib formation from the late Cretaceous period for x oil field- southern Iraq has been examined characterizing. To achieve this, different characterization techniques were utilized. Firstly, using the flow zone indicator method revealed five hydraulic flow units (HFUs) of the Khasib formation. Every HFU represents a particular quality of reservoir rock. HFU1 is the one that refers to poor quality, while bad-quality reservoir rock is displayed as HFU2. HFU3 and HFU4 signify the intermediate and good reservoir rock quality respectively. The last hydraulic flow unit was of the highest quality reservoir rock which is denoted as HFU5. Additionally, we utilized cluster analysis to identify five distinct rock types within the Khasib formation. These rock types were labeled as RT-1 (the best reservoir rock type), RT-2 (good reservoir rock type), RT-3 (intermediate reservoir rock type), RT-4 (poor rock type), and RT-5 (very poor rock type). In addition, the recognition of five different HFUs that reflected the physical characteristics unique to each reservoir rock was achieved using Winland’s approach. Rock properties inside the reservoir are classified to HFU1 for best rocks, then HFU2 denotes good rock qualities through a medium one labeled as HFU3 while later HFU4 indicates poor quality, and the poorest quality is marked as HFU5. Finally, Lucia's classification for carbonate rock was employed as another analyzing rock quality method. Utilizing this technique reveals three distinct rock types within the Khasib formation. RC1 is the microfacies of grain stone, RC2 is the representative of pack-stone microfabrics and RC3 denotes muddy materials. The final rock types (facies) for Khasib formation can be identified according to the incorporation of the different characterization methods which can be utilized to create a realistic three-dimensional rock type model and distribute the properties based on the rock type.

A new ichnospecies Nummipera saraswatii from the early Eocene (Ypresian) Assilina bank deposits of the Naredi Formation, Kutch Basin, India

A new ichnospecies of the ichnogenus Nummipera Hölder, 1989 has been documented in the carbonate packstone and wackestone of the Ypresian (early Eocene) Naredi Formation from the western Kutch (Kachchh) Basin, India. This new ichnospecies is distinguished from Nummipera eocenica (the existing sole ichnospecies of ichnogenus Nummipera) on the basis of the burrow orientation, taxonomy and orientation of foraminifera lining the burrow walls, and burrow filling. Nummipera saraswatii isp. nov. represents the earliest occurrence of Nummipera. It is a horizontal to gently inclined, straight to feebly curved, intermittently vertically flattened tubular burrow closed at one end, displaying circular to elliptical cross-sections, and representing three-distinct morphotypes. The analyzed specimens are characterized by walls mostly lined with unbroken and well-sorted megalospheric tests of Assilina laxispira. Burrows are characterized by active massive fill akin to the host material consisting of organic-rich muddy material and bioclasts or active concentric fill displaying a distinct outer and inner lumen, filled with organic-rich materials of different grain-sizes varying from mud to sand. Crustaceans and vermiform animals can be envisaged as the probable producers based on the distinctive morphotypes and ethological affinity. The shallow-tier N. saraswatii shows association with the deep-tier Cylindrichnus concentricus. The association manifests key features of a stressed Cruziana Ichnofacies and characterizes an Assilina bank of a proximal carbonate open shelf setting.

Upper Campanian bentonite layers in the Scaglia-type limestone of the northern Dinarides (SE Slovenia)

The research area is located in south-eastern Slovenia and belongs to the eastern extensions of the Slovenian Basin adjacent to the Adriatic Carbonate Platform. The studied section is 25 m thick and consists of grey, brownish and reddish pelagic limestones and calciturbidites, and two bentonite layers 110 and 10 cm thick. Both volcanoclastic horizons consist of greenish, fine-grained muddy material. To date, no other bentonites of similar age are known in the wider Southern Alpine and Dinaridic region. The late Campanian to Campanian/Maastrichtian age of the succession was determined from planktonic foraminifera and calcareous nanoplankton assemblages. XRD analysis revealed the presence of calcite, quartz, muscovite/illite and smectite, which prevails in the clay fraction and is indicative of bentonite clays. We interpret these bentonite horizons as resulting from direct deposition of volcanic ash in a marine environment with a concomitant admixture of detrital material (quartz, muscovite) and later diagenetic carbonatization. The geochemical composition suggests a felsic volcanic origin. The most likely source is the Late Cretaceous–Paleogene bimodal rhyolitic/basaltic volcanism documented along the Sava Suture Zone in present-day Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and North Macedonia. In the Central Apennines three locations with bentonites have been documented. Further spatial and temporal analysis of similar volcanogenic horizons could yield important data on the paleogeographic and tectonic evolution of the Adria/Apulia continental margin.

Analysis of Factors Affecting the Rheological Properties of Muddy Flow and Their Measurement Method

Abnormal weather phenomena debris damage has recently been increasing worldwide. As primary rheological properties, the yield stress and plastic viscosity of muddy materials affect the flow distance and velocity. Therefore, in this study, direct and indirect measurement test methods for rheological properties and factors affecting the these properties were analyzed. Measurement methods utilize rheometers, shear creep, fall cones, inclined planes, direct shear, and ring shear, with each method having its respective advantages and disadvantages. Factors that affect rheological properties are water content, liquidity index, and the size of soil particles. This study enables determination of the best test and rheological properties suitable for the selected range and selected object.

Biostratigraphy of ejected material from mud volcanoes in the Caribbean region of Colombia: Contribution to the stratigraphy of Sinú Basin

Mud volcanoes and mud diapirs are highly distinguishable geomorphological features in the Sinú Basin in the northwestern Caribbean coastal zone of Colombia. Material ascending through mud volcanoes carries with it fragments from the subsurface, allowing us to examine the stratigraphic record of the Sinú Basin. For instance, calcareous microfossils from the ejected material provide chronological information in which diapirs were formed. Previous studies have inferred the age of the Colombian Caribbean mud diapirism and volcanism from indirect proxies such as 2D seismic lines combined with regional studies, but very little evidence-based on micropaleontology. Our biostratigraphic analyses using calcareous nannofossils and planktonic foraminifera extracted from mud volcanoes and their host rocks in the Sinú Basin indicate ages ranging from Middle Eocene to Late Miocene. The well-constrained biostratigraphic ranges of microfossils indicate four chronostratigraphic intervals: 1) Middle to Late Eocene, 2) Late Oligocene 3) Early to Middle Miocene, and 4) Late Miocene. This analysis shows that the ages of muddy materials are younger in the south and older in the north of the study area. We observe that there is a good correlation between the ages of calcareous microfossils and oceanic geological formations of the Sinú Basin. Therefore, our micropaleontological analyses are the first direct evidence to date the sediment involved in the mud diapirism and vulcanism in the Colombian Caribbean region.

Large-scale mass wasting on the Miocene continental margin of western India

Abstract A giant mass-transport complex was recently discovered in the eastern Arabian Sea, exceeding in volume all but one other known complex on passive margins worldwide. The complex, named the Nataraja Slide, was drilled by International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 355 in two locations where it is ∼300 m (Site U1456) and ∼200 m thick (Site U1457). The top of this mass-transport complex is defined by the presence of both reworked microfossil assemblages and deformation structures, such as folding and faulting. The deposit consists of two main phases of mass wasting, each consisting of smaller pulses, with generally fining-upward cycles, all emplaced just prior to 10.8 Ma based on biostratigraphy. The base of the deposit at each site is composed largely of matrix-supported carbonate breccia that is interpreted as the product of debris-flows. In the first phase, these breccias alternate with well-sorted calcarenites deposited from a high-energy current, coherent limestone blocks that are derived directly from the Indian continental margin, and a few clastic mudstone beds. In the second phase, at the top of the deposit, muddy turbidites dominate and become increasingly more siliciclastic. At Site U1456, where both phases are seen, a 20-m section of hemipelagic mudstone is present, overlain by a ∼40-m-thick section of calcarenite and slumped interbedded mud and siltstone. Bulk sediment geochemistry, heavy-mineral analysis, clay mineralogy, isotope geochemistry, and detrital zircon U-Pb ages constrain the provenance of the clastic, muddy material to being reworked, Indus-derived sediment, with input from western Indian rivers (e.g., Narmada and Tapti rivers), and some material from the Deccan Traps. The carbonate blocks found within the breccias are shallow-water limestones from the outer western Indian continental shelf, which was oversteepened from enhanced clastic sediment delivery during the mid-Miocene. The final emplacement of the material was likely related to seismicity as there are modern intraplate earthquakes close to the source of the slide. Although we hypothesize that this area is at low risk for future mass wasting events, it should be noted that other oversteepened continental margins around the world could be at risk for mass failure as large as the Nataraja Slide.

Incised valley paleoenvironments interpreted by seismic stratigraphic approach in Patos Lagoon, Southern Brazil

ABSTRACT: The Rio Grande do Sul (RS) coastal plain area (33,000 km2 ) had its physiography modified several times through the Quaternary, responding to allogenic and autogenic forcings. The Patos Lagoon covers a significant area of RS coastal plain (10,000 km2 ), where incised valleys were identified in previous works. About 1,000 km of high resolution (3.5 kHz) seismic profiles, radiocarbon datings, Standard Penetration Test (SPT) and gravity cores were analyzed to interpret the paleoenvironmental evolution as preserved in incised valley infills. Seismic facies were recognized by seismic parameters. The sediment cores were used to ground-truth the seismic interpretations and help in the paleoenvironmental identification. Key surfaces were established to detail the stratigraphical framework, and seismic facies were grouped into four seismic units, which one classified in respective system tracts within three depositional sequences. The oldest preserved deposits are predominantly fluvial and estuarine facies, representing the falling stage and lowstand system tracts. The Holocene transgressive records are dominated by muddy material, mainly represented by estuarine facies with local variations. The transgression culminated in Late Holocene deposits of Patos Lagoon, representing the highstand system tract. The depositional pattern of the vertical succession was controlled by eustatic variations, while the autogenic forcing (paleogeography and sediment supply) modulated the local facies variation.

Non-intrusive techniques to measure roll waves level evolving in a flume

An open-channel experimental set-up is presented in this paper as a tool for examining the presence of instabilities on free-surfaces flows of non-Newtonian fluid. When these flows occur in favorable conditions of inclination, discharge and rheological properties, the propagation of instabilities can evolve into a specific type of wave, known as roll waves. The experimental apparatus developed allows study of stabilized roll waves in many scenarios for non-Newtonian rheology fluids, thereby constituting a highly useful tool for the understanding and control of roll waves. The test fluid used in the experiments was carbopol gel which is rheometrically representative of the muddy material from natural disasters, such as mudflows. Two non-intrusive level measurement systems are proposed (ultrasonic transducer and laser-based absorption technique), and the efficiency of each technique is presented and discussed. Both methods presented relatively low-cost implementation, and calibration procedure assured the quality of the results. The results from the experimental set-up were in agreement in shape and amplitude.

Vegetation growth and sediment dynamics in a created freshwater wetland

Understanding how the hydrological regime in relation to sediment type interferes with ecosystem development is important when wetlands are created with soft muddy material. Especially when plants are used as ecological engineers to promote crest stability and soil formation. We carried out a two-year mesocosm experiment with sediments derived from the Dutch lake Markermeer to identify the effects of the hydrological regime and sediment type on ecosystem functioning in terms of nutrient availability. We measured plant productivity, plant nutrient stoichiometry, and concentrations of N, P, and K in shoots and roots of Phragmites australis and Rumex maritimus and monitored how the clay-rich sediment from lake Markermeer changed into a wetland soil. Plants grown on Markermeer sediments tend to be N limited when periodically inundated and P limited when not inundated at all. The P availability was determined by the hydrological regime, while the N availability was determined by both the hydrological regime and the sediment type. Ecosystem development on created wetlands can be manipulated by adequate management of the hydrological regime, as plant species respond differently to changes in nutrient availability. This should be considered in eco-engineering projects where plants are used as ecological engineers to fasten ecosystem development on wetlands that are to be created from clay-rich material.

Transformation, partitioning and flow–deposit interactions during the run‐out of megaflows

AbstractFour megabeds (I to IV) were recognized throughout the Cerro Bola inlier, a glacially influenced depositional area of the Carboniferous Paganzo Basin, south‐western La Rioja Province, Argentina. Such anomalous thick beds are associated with the collapse of an unstable basin margin after periods of large meltwater discharge and sediment accumulation. Failure of these previously deposited sediments triggered mass flows and associated turbidity currents into the basin. Megabed I is up to 188 m thick and was deposited during a transgressive stage by re‐sedimentation of ice‐rafted debris. Also part of the transgressive stage, Megabeds II, III and IV are up to 9 m thick and are associated with a dropstone‐free period of flooding. Megabeds were subdivided into three divisions (1 to 3) that represent a spectrum of flow properties and rheologies, indicative of a wide range of grain support mechanisms. These divisions are proposed as an idealized deposit that may or may not be completely present; the Cerro Bola megabeds thus display bipartite or tripartite organization, each division inferred to reflect a rheologically distinct phase of flow. Division 1 is a basal layer that consists of clast‐supported and matrix‐supported, pebble conglomerate, rarely followed by weak normally graded to ungraded, very coarse‐ to coarse‐grained sandstone. This lower interval is interpreted to be the deposit of a concentrated density flow and is absent in bipartite megabeds. Division 2 is represented by a mud‐rich sandstone matrix with dispersed granule to pebble‐size crystalline and mudstone clasts. It also includes fragments of sandstone up to boulder size, as well as rafts of cohesive muddy material and wood fragments. Division 2 is interpreted to be a result of debris‐flow deposition. A debrite‐related topography, resulting from the freezing of high yield strength material, captures and partially confines the succeeding upper division 3, which fills the topographic lows and pinches out against topographic highs. Division 3 is rich in mudstone chips and consists of very coarse‐grained, dirty sandstones grading upward to siltstones and mudstones. It is interpreted to be a deposit of a co‐genetic turbidity current. Spectral gamma ray and petrographic analyses indicate that both debrite and co‐genetic turbidite have high depositional mud content and are of similar composition. One of the megabeds is correlated with an initial slump‐derived debris flow, which suggests that the mass flow becomes partitioned both at the top, generating a co‐genetic turbidity current and, at the base, segregating into a concentrated density flow that seems to behave as a gravelly traction carpet.

Bioremediation of heavily hydrocarbon-contaminated drilling wastes by composting

Oil-based drilling cuttings comprise a large and hazardous waste stream generated by oil and gas wells drilling operations. Oil-based cuttings are muddy materials with high contents of salts and hydrocarbons. Composting strategies have shown to be effective in the biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons, and it offers numerous advantages in comparison with other bioremediation methods. In order to assess the effectiveness of drilling cuttings bioremediation by composting with food and garden wastes, an experiment was conducted in 60-L reactors for 151 days. Four treatments were carried out: only oil-based cuttings, two proportions (in a volume basis) of organic wastes to drilling cuttings (33 and 75 %) and only organic wastes (as a traditional composting reference), with pine-tree woodchips as bulking agent. High degradation percentages of total hydrocarbons (≈82 %), n-alkanes (≈96 %) and the 16 USEPA-listed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (≈93 %) were reached in the treatment with 75 % of organic wastes, and applying 33 % of organic wastes was not more effective than not applying organic wastes for the drilling cuttings hydrocarbons biodegradation. Furthermore, in the treatment with 75 % of organic wastes, alkanes half-life and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons half-life were about 10 times and four times lower, respectively, than those in the treatment with 33 % of organic wastes. Possibly, lower hydrocarbons and salts initial concentrations (i.e., lower toxicity), higher microbial counts, adequate nutrient proportions and water content supported a high biological activity with a consequent elevated biodegradation rate in the treatment with 75 % of organic wastes.

Geochemistry and Organic Petrography of Jordanian Sultani Oil Shale

The Sultani oil shale (OS) deposit is considered as a major fossil fuel source in Jordan. Applying various petrographic and geochemical techniques, this paper aims to study the Sultani OS geochemical and organic petrographic features. Results show that Sultani OS is a bituminous limestone consisting of very fine-grained matrix with rippled micro-laminated texture and muddy material of cryptocrystalline micrite. The rock is rich in Cretaceous microfossil shells filled in organic matter (OM). The fillingOMis bitumen of the migrabitumen type. TheOMcontent reaches up to 17 wt.% with high oil-yielding capacity (up to 12 wt.%). High TOC values suggest that the Sultani OS has a very good source rock potential. Organic petrography shows lowOMmaturity level and reveals two varieties of vitrinite, namely primary and oxidized vitrinite. The latter is derived from terrestrial plant tissues. Additionally, liptinite macerals including alginite and to a lesser extent cutinite, also participate. Various diagenetic features such as pyrite replacement and bitumen thermal alteration have been recorded. Results suggest that Sultani OS is a marinite formed under marine conditions with limited contribution of terrestrialOMinput.

Conversion of byproduct carbon obtained from spent pot liner treatment plant of aluminum industries to blast furnace tap hole mass[

The paper describes a method for converting carbon powder obtained as byproduct while decontaminating pot liner by acid treatment route, into blast furnace tap hole mass. Producing an useful industrial product from waste helps in paying back the cost incurred during decontamination process of pot liner and thus improves the overall economics of the process. Blast furnace tap hole mass is a prepared muddy material used to close the tap hole of iron making blast furnace. At iron melting temperature the material carbonizes and becomes hard in order to hold the metallostatic pressure inside blast furnace hearth. Since iron gets oxidized at high temperature this tap hole compound is prepared predominantly from carbonaceous material. Further these carbonaceous materials used needs to be semicrystalline in nature in order to withstand high temperature of the furnace. With rising cost of such carbonaceous material used in tap hole compound, it will be advantageous if a source of cheap carbon material matching the properties of carbon material already in use in the tap hole recipe , could be found in order to bring down cost of production of commercial taphole recipe. The aim of this research was to find such a carbonaceous material from an industrial waste which is difficult to dispose because of its toxic contaminants. Such a material chosen for this work is called SPENT POT LINER of aluminum smelter plant. At present majority of the aluminum smelter plants round the world use Hall-Heraoult's electrolysis process for extracting aluminum metal from molten cryolite. The electrolysis cell used for this purpose constitute large carbon blocks as cathode laid at the bottom and side wall of the cell. These carbon electrodes are known as pot and basically made of anthracite, graphite and binder/electrode pitch. Various manufactures uses 20-30% (1) graphite in their recipe in order to meet electrical properties needed for the pot liner. While graphite is a superior electrical conductor than anthracite (which has similar structure to graphite), 100% graphite is never used in the manufacture of pot as it is soft and can not withstand turbulent molten cryolite contained in the cell. Anthracite on the other hand provides required mechanical property to the finished pot liner. The prefabricated pot liner produces carbon matrix with short range order. Thus prepared pot ultimately contain both crystalline (graphite) and amorphous carbon. During service molten cryolite slowly gets reduced and the sodium fluoride crystal deposits within the fine crevices of pot liner creating defect spots . As time passes, these crystals grow and exert pressure within these crevices resulting in the propagation of crack. As a consequence, with time the pot liner looses its electrical property and ultimately being discarded. These rejected waste pot are called spent pot liners (in short SPL). Spent pot are not only contaminated by fluoride but also by other toxic elements such as cyanides (formed at high temperature reaction with atmospheric nitrogen), alkalis and aluminum. Table-1 below shows typical range of the contaminants in such discarded pot along with concentration of these toxic elements in SPL carbon powder after decontamination with oxidizing acids. In practice suitability of a specific component in a commercial recipe is tested by evaluating some gross property of the modified recipe against the production recipe of the compound. For example, in development of foundry chemicals (like mould coating, tundish cover , hot tops etc) which basically a combination of various components in a formulation , various substitutes are being tried with above procedure of gross evaluation of certain properties of the compound in order to determine its suitability. Similarly in present case of developing suitable substitute of carbonaceous material in commercial tap hole compound recipe, following properties are important in order to determine its suitability. Apparent porosity. This property determines the ease with which gas generated in the tap hole compound during carbonization can escape easily without breaking or decreasing strength of the carbonized tap hole mass. This value is generally maintained in the range 25-35%. a) Bulk density. This is maintained in the range 1.3-1.6 gm/cc in all commercial recipe in order to match with standard pushing length required by the equipment to fill the tap hole.

Absorption of different food sources by sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus (Selenka) (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea): Evidence from carbon stable isotope

The present experiment compared the effects of 6 different diet types, including benthic matter collected from natural sea water (diet A), brown algae Sargassum thunbergii (diet B), red algae Gracilaria lemaneiformis (diet C), mixture of benthic matter and G. lemaneiformis (diet D), mixture of benthic matter and S. thunbergii (diet E) and mixture of G. lemaneiformis and S. thunbergii (diet F) on the growth of sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus. The sea cucumber fed mixture diet containing benthic matter showed the higher specific growth rate (SGR) relative to the single feed ingredient and sea cucumbers fed diet D showed the maximum SGR. Carbon stable isotope evidence revealed the different feeding preference of sea cucumbers among the various feed ingredients. The results of the present study suggested that G. lemaneiformis might be more preferable to the nutritional requirements of sea cucumber relative to the traditional sea cucumber feed S. thunbergii. G. lemaneiformis which has been widely cultured with higher availability and lower feed cost is suitable for the manufacture of sea cucumber feed in aquaculture practice. Addition of benthic matter collected from the natural sea waters containing microalgae, bacterial and muddy materials is helpful to improve the feeding and absorption of macroalgae by sea cucumber and subsequently to enhance the growth and production of sea cucumber.

Peroxidase activity in <em>Spondias dulcis</em>

In this study, the best conditions to obtain crude extracts showing Peroxidase activity from Spondia dulcis (caja-mango) were evaluated. Fresh fruits (25 g) were blended in different sodium phosphate buffer (0.05 to 0.2 M) with a pH varying from 3.0 to 9.0. The muddy material was centrifuged for 20 minutes. In order to improve POD activity, the crude extract was submitted to precipitation with ammonium sulfate at 90% saturation. This precipitated was re-suspended in sodium phosphate buffer 0.2 M pH 6.5 and then, optimum pH for activity assay (pH varying from 5.0 to 9.0) and thermal stability (exposure to different temperatures varying from 30 to 75°C for periods between 0 to 15 minutes) were determined. The best conditions for activity assay were in phosphate buffer 0.2 M at pH7.0. The results obtained for thermal inactivation study suggest that the heating at 75°C for 15 minutes inactivated 95% of initial POD activity.

Establishment of a Dredged Material Disposal Site in the Exclusive Economic Zone: New Zealand

Disposal options for muddy dredged material, especially if lightly contaminated, is an issue facing many countries, particularly if environmental protection and adherence to the Protocols of the London Dumping Convention is a regulatory requirement. For the case of the oceanic islands of New Zealand, disposal of muddy dredged material has become an issue for the prime city of Auckland. Accordingly, it has been necessary to investigate a suitable marine disposal site outside of the territorial seas in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Ideal properties for such a disposal site include a near flat surface on the continental shelf, with sediments of similar textural characteristics to the material being disposed, a site of non-critical benthic ecology, water depths sufficient to enable the disposal site to be monitored (as required under the London Dumping Convention), a site experiencing low shelf currents, not affected by significant wave agitation, and a site not of cultural significance. The approach for site establishment and gaining consent for disposal activities is reviewed. Preliminary investigations supporting a proposed site on the continental shelf in the EEZ are presented.

Dynamic interactions between cohesive sediment tracers and natural mud

Cohesive sediment tracers have been developed to improve our understanding of fine sediment transport in the aquatic environment. However, there is little understanding of their physical and dynamic characteristics compared to the natural sediments they are intended to mimic. This work focuses on a labelled clay mineral tracer examining its dynamic characteristics and determining whether it flocculates and interacts with natural estuarine mud. Materials and methods Gross floc characteristics (size and settling velocity) were measured using video image analysis. Floc density,porosity and mass settling flux were then calculated. Fine-scale floc internal structure and composition were observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The interaction of the tracer and natural mud was examined by observing tracer and natural mud mixtures. Results and discussion The tracer formed macroflocs (>160 mu m) that could not be distinguished statistically from natural mud, whilst tracer microflocs (<160 mu m) were smaller and settled more slowly. Gross settling characteristics and TEM analysis indicate that the tracer and natural mud do not interact on a primary particle-to-particle basis, although microflocs of pure tracer and mud do interact. The physical and dynamic floc properties of tracer and natural mud mixtures were different from both pure tracer and pure natural mud due to the irregular packing of differently shaped natural mud and tracer flocs. Conclusions The cohesive tracer flocculates and has similar physical and dynamic properties to natural mud; however, when the tracer interacts with natural mud, it forms flocs with significantly different characteristics. These mixed flocs exhibit different transport characteristics (e. g. settling velocity) to natural muddy material. Therefore, cohesive sediment tracers may not accurately predict cohesive sediment transport pathways, and this has implications for the use of cohesive tracers to understand natural mud transport and to develop sediment transport models.

Pedogenic products sealing normal faults (Barcelona Plain, NE Spain)

Minor normal faults affecting Miocene conglomerates of the Barcelona Plain are constituted by a poorly developed fault core without a damage zone. Fault rocks are made of a red muddy material that has been obliterated by later diagenetic processes. The most important products are spherulites and palisades formed by orange bladed calcite crystals. These calcite crystals are interpreted as resulting from pedogenic processes, being similar to Microcodium. The precipitation of the calcite crystals was induced by evaporation together with biota activity. The presence of these pedogenic products has an important effect in fault evolution because: 1) they date fault evolution during the Miocene extension; 2) they indicate shallow burial depth and meteoric diagenetic environment during fault evolution; and, 3) they give the cohesiveness to the fault rock causing the sealing of the fault and its behaviour as a barrier to fluids.

Tree-Ring Reconstruction of Debris-Flow Events Leading to Overbank Sedimentation on the Illgraben Cone (Valais Alps, Switzerland)

Dendrogeomorphological analyses of trees affected by debris flows have regularly been used to date past events. However, while previous studies in the Swiss Alps have focused primarily on granitic and gneissic debris-flow material and on Larix decidua Mill. and Picea abies (L.) Karst. trees, they have - at the same time - widely disregarded torrents dominated by finely fractured calcareous and dolomitic lithologies and forests populated with Pinus sylvestris L. In this paper, we report on results obtained from a debris-flow cone in the Rhone valley (Valais, Switzerland) where very fine and muddy material (limestone, dolomite, quartzite and calcite) occasionally affects P. sylvestris trees. Based on the results of a geomorphic map, 1004 increment cores from 451 disturbed P. sylvestris, 37 L. decidua and five P. abies trees were sampled, allowing reconstruction of 15 events between AD 1793 and 2005 as well as the determination of breakout locations of events. From the data, it also appears that debris-flow material only rarely left the incised channel over the last 200 years and that overbank sedimentation events did not occur after 1961, when a rockslide delivered large amounts of erodible material and subsequent debris flows caused an important incision of the canyon on the cone.

Oceanography and submarine sediment distribution in the Marmaris – Ka region of southwest Turkey

We present new oceanographic and modern sediment distribution data for transects along Marmaris-Fethiye- Kalkan-Ka-Finike and Antalya Bays (southwestern Turkey). Water temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen content were measured and mapped for this region. Furthermore, we made short-term current speed measurements at the surface, 20m depth and the sea floor and use this data to interpret sediment movement. Orange peel and other types of grabs were used for surface sediment sampling. Samples were processed with Standard Methods of grain size analysis. Our regional maps of sediment distribution reflect grain size on a 1:100.000 scale. We used correlations between all our grain size data in our maps. Sediment distribution in this region is affected by current systems, bathymetry and both submarine, and terrestrial topographic features of the region. Finer materials do not accumulate in regions with high wave and current energy. Thus we find mostly thin accumulations of coarse material in our study region. Either sediment does not accumulate at all along continental slopes exceeding 10 degrees or very little sediment accumulates there. Sediments in our study area consist of five types of basic sedimentary material: rock, gravel, sand, silt, clay and mud. Gravelly materials are gravel, sandy gravel and muddy sandy gravel. Sandy materials are sand, gravelly sand, gravelly muddy sand, muddy sand, silty sand and clayey sand. Silty material is composed of silt and sandy silt. Muddy materials consist of mud, gravelly mud and gravelly sandy mud. Deep parts of the area contain as well as mud which is high ratio clay. Generally, grain size distribution in this region is transitional from coarse to fine and trends parallel to the coastline. Generally, gravel and sandy gravel material are found in shallow areas and reach thickness of up to 5 meters. Blocks of limestone occur on the seafloor along coasts with steep seaward slopes. Gravel size materials are uncommon. Sandy materials accumulate at approximately 20-50-100-200 meters water depth. Silty materials are deposited at 200-500-750, 500-1200 meters depth at the sea floor. Muddy materials, however, are not found until 1200-2500 meters water depth and clayey materials spread further out to below 2500 meters depth.