Western Limb Research Articles

A 3D musculoskeletal model of the western lowland gorilla hind limb: moment arms and torque of the hip, knee and ankle.

Three‐dimensional musculoskeletal models have become increasingly common for investigating muscle moment arms in studies of vertebrate locomotion. In this study we present the first musculoskeletal model of a western lowland gorilla hind limb. Moment arms of individual muscles around the hip, knee and ankle were compared with previously published data derived from the experimental tendon travel method. Considerable differences were found which we attribute to the different methodologies in this specific case. In this instance, we argue that our 3D model provides more accurate and reliable moment arm data than previously published data on the gorilla because our model incorporates more detailed consideration of the 3D geometry of muscles and the geometric constraints that exist on their lines‐of‐action about limb joints. Our new data have led us to revaluate the previous conclusion that muscle moment arms in the gorilla hind limb are optimised for locomotion with crouched or flexed limb postures. Furthermore, we found that bipedalism and terrestrial quadrupedalism coincided more regularly with higher moment arms and torque around the hip, knee and ankle than did vertical climbing. This indicates that the ability of a gorilla to walk bipedally is not restricted by musculoskeletal adaptations for quadrupedalism and vertical climbing, at least in terms of moment arms and torque about hind limb joints.

Microtextural characterisation of the Lower Zone in the western limb of the Bushveld Complex, South Africa: evidence for extensive melt migration within a sill complex

The Lower Zone of the Bushveld Complex comprises an up to 2-km-thick package of different ultramafic rock types with an approx. 90-cm-thick, sulphide-bearing noritic interval that occurs in the western and eastern limbs. The distribution and geometry of the zone are highly variable across the Complex, showing pronounced, yet laterally discontinuous layering on different scales. Together with the ubiquitous lack of large-scale fractionation in the Mg# of orthopyroxene, variable Sr isotope compositions and erratic Pt/Pd ratios, these observations strongly suggest an emplacement of the Lower Zone as a sill complex, as these contrasting geochemical characteristics are difficult to account for in a large Bushveld magma chamber, as previously suggested. It is more likely that these sills were episodically fed from a sub-Bushveld staging chamber, and variably contaminated, while passing through the crust before their final emplacement in the Lower Zone. Detailed mineralogical and microtextural work based on high-resolution elemental mapping of a set of samples, covering the entire Lower Zone stratigraphy of the western Bushveld shows that the variations in the late crystallising interstitial mineral mode are different from what would be expect, if all phases crystallised from a fixed initial mass of interstitial liquid. The interstitial mineral mode, represented by plagioclase, clinopyroxene and other late stage phases, shows variable ratios of these minerals ranging from ca. 21:15:64 to 75:17:8. In comparison to modelled expected ratios, most of the analysed rocks have higher amounts of early crystallising interstitial phases (e.g. plagioclase, clinopyroxene), relative to late crystallising phases (e.g. quartz, alkali feldspar). Therefore, interstitial melt must have migrated at different stages of fractionation during cumulate solidification, as a consequence of either compaction or displacement by convecting interstitial liquids. Two samples, however, show the opposite: late phases are relatively more abundant than early ones, which is consistent with a convection-driven replacement of primitive interstitial liquid by more evolved liquid. These results have important implications for the interpretation of the Lower Zone and, by extension, for layered intrusions in general: (1) interstitial sulphide mineralisation may be introduced into a cumulate through infiltrating melts, i.e. the liquid components of a sulphur-saturated crystal mush are not withheld from further migration, upon interaction with a cumulate pile; (2) most importantly, late stage minerals, such as zircon, rarely crystallise from trapped liquid that was initially in equilibrium with the cumulate. Therefore, dating of interstitial zircon from cumulates is unlikely to record the actual timing of emplacement, but merely the crystallisation of a later episode of residual melt that migrated through the cumulate.

The occurrence and origin of celestite in the Abolfares region, Iran: Implications for Sr-mineralization in Zagros fold belt (ZFB)

The major celestite deposits in Zagros Fold belt are associated with coastal marine carbonate and evaporate sediments of Oligo-Miocene Asmari and Lower Miocene Ghachsaran Formations. In the Abolfares region, celestite mineralization is extended in the western limb of Bangestan anticline in the carbonates of Early Miocene (middle part of Asmari Formation), underlying by dolomitic carbonates of Burdigalian. From bottom to top three main types of mineralization can be distinguished in the study area: (1) layer texture resulting from replacement of algal limestone by celestite minerals with some parts showing idiomorphic crystals (geodes) along the walls of the cavities, (2) celestite occurrence as irregular massive shape interconnected small crystals and nodules, and (3) celestite mineralization associated with steeply dipping veins and open space fracture fillings, resulting from late-stage epigenetic processes. Highlightly, the ore-hosting carbonate rocks were deposited in an intertidal – supratidal protected setting with hypersaline conditions, in accordance with other celestite deposits of the Zagros Fold belt. The abundance of diagenetic crystallization rhythmites, carbonate and anhydrite inclusions as confirmed by Laser Raman spectroscopy analysis, high Sr/Ba values (average; 8726.1) and strong negative correlations between SO3 vs CaO (R2 = 0.98), SrO vs CaO (R2 = 0.96) with positive correlations between Ba vs SrO (R2 = 0.54) and SO3 vs SrO (R2 = 0.98) highlight the role of high Sr late-diagenetic brines in replacement of carbonates with celestite minerals. It seems that the inception of compressional folding during or soon after the deposition of the Asmari Formation in the carbonate platform at the margin of NW-trending basin in the foreland of the Zagros orogenic belt lead to the upward refluxing of penetrated high-Sr diagenetic brines and celestite mineralization.

A 3D structural analysis of the Goliat field, Barents Sea, Norway

The Goliat field consists of Middle to Late Triassic reservoirs which exploit an elongate anticline (the Goliat anticline) in the hanging wall of the Troms-Finnmark Fault Complex (TFFC), offshore Norway. The area is affected by a dense network of multiple trending fault populations which historically have inhibited seismic resolution owing to persistent fault shadow. Seismic investigations utilising a multi-azimuth three-dimensional survey (EN0901) allow much crisper delineation of seismic features previously unattainable by vintage single-azimuth surveys. Three dominant fault populations are identified in the area, two of which parallel TFFC segments, the Alke–Goliat (WSW–ENE) and the Goliat–Tornerose (NNE–SSW) segments. The Goliat field is located within a zone of intersection between both segments. A third E–W trending fault population, the Hammerfest Regional population, is likely influenced by the offshore extension of the Trollfjord-Komagelv Fault Complex (TKFZ). A local NW–SE trending fault population, the Goliat Central, affects the Goliat anticline and partitions Alke–Goliat and Goliat–Tornerose subsidiary faults resulting in curvilinear traces. Several cross-cutting relationships between fault populations are observed and may provide fluid compartmentalisation in the reservoirs. Compilation of regional transects and the EN0901 survey provides new insight into the evolution of the Goliat anticline which is underlain by a fault-bound basement terrace that became established in the Late Palaeozoic. The structure is interpreted to have formed due to vertical segmentation of the TFFC and cores the overlying broad anticline. The western limb of the Goliat anticline likely formed by differential compaction, whereas the eastern limb is primarily a result of hanging wall roll-over linked to variable listric to ramp-flat-ramp fault geometry. Rifting took place in the Palaeozoic (Carboniferous to Permian?), and in the Mesozoic, possibly as early as the Late Triassic, with a major event in the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous. Minor reactivations continued into the Late Cretaceous, and possibly the Early Cenozoic. Mesozoic syn-kinematic geometries in the hanging wall of the Goliat–Tornerose TFFC segment are consistent with deposition during up section propagation of a blind fault, over which, a monocline was established and later breached. Jogs (abrupt orientation changes) in fault traces, transverse folds (associated with displacement maxima/minima) and vertical fault jogs suggest the TFFC existed as a greater number of segments prior to amalgamation during the Late Triassic to Jurassic. A phase of Barremian inversion created local compression structures above blind extensional faults, and deeper seated buttressing against large faults. Polygonal faults affect the Late Cretaceous to Early Cenozoic successions.

Mineral Systems Analysis and Artificial Neural Network Modeling of Chromite Prospectivity in the Western Limb of the Bushveld Complex, South Africa

Radial basis function link neural network (RBFLN) and fuzzy-weights of evidence (fuzzy-WofE) methods were used to assess regional-scale prospectivity for chromite deposits in the Western Limb and the Nietverdiend layered mafic intrusion of the Bushveld Complex in South Africa. Five predictor maps derived from geological, geochemical and geophysical data were processed in a GIS environment and used as spatial proxy for critical processes that were most probably responsible for the formation of the chromite deposits in the study area. The RBFLN was trained using input feature vectors that correspond to known deposits, prospects and non-deposits. The training was initiated by varying the number of radial basis functions (RBFs) and iterations. The results of training the RBFLN provided optimum number of RBFs and iterations that were used for classification of the input feature vectors. The results show that the network classified 73% of the validation deposits into highly prospective areas for chromite deposit, covering 6.5% of the study area. The RBFLN entirely classified all the non-deposit validation points into low prospectivity areas, occupying 86.6% of the study area. In general, the efficiency of the RBFLN in classifying the validation deposits and non-deposits indicates the degree of spatial relationship between the input feature vectors and the training points, which represent chrome mines and prospects. The RBFLN and fuzzy-WofE analyses used in this study are important in guiding identification of regional-scale prospect areas where further chromite exploration can be carried out.

A seismic investigation into the geometry and controls upon alluvial architecture in the Walloon Subgroup, Surat Basin, Queensland

ABSTRACTThe sedimentology of the Walloon Subgroup (WSG) has been extensively studied; however, gaps exist in our understanding of the succession's alluvial architecture and the mechanisms controlling its complex internal organisation. Successful coal-seam gas development in the Surat Basin requires the construction of predictive facies models, which in turn necessitates a fulsome understanding of the geometry and controls on the spatial and temporal distribution of alluvial sub-environments. To improve our models of WSG facies, this study employs an open-source high-resolution 3D seismic dataset available on the western limb of the Surat Basin. Integration of core, wireline and seismic data has resolved the geometries of four discrete alluvial architectural elements, representing simple channel, channel belt, crevasse splay complexes and peat-mire sub-environments. Channel belts were found to be 1600–2000 m wide, simple channels 400–800 m in width and crevasse splays averaging 3.5 × 5.5 km. Coal bodies mapped from seismic attribute extractions were found to be 4.2 km2 on average. The high-resolution dataset has also yielded insight into the geological controls governing the spatial and temporal distribution of these sub-environments, explaining, in part the mechanisms responsible for the complex internal distribution of facies within the WSG. In places within the study area, the WSG's sedimentary organisation appears to be initiated by the rejuvenation of deep-seated tectonic features, the expression of which is propagated upward via the mechanics of compensational stacking.

Indications of HP events in the volcanosedimentary succession of the Orlica–Śnieżnik Dome, NE Bohemian Massif: data from a marble-amphibolite interface

A volcanosedimentary succession of the Młynowiec-Stronie Group (MSG) in the Orlica–Śnieżnik Dome (OSD), the Sudetes, NE Bohemian Massif underwent multiple folding and shearing during the Variscan Orogeny. In the sheared domains, there are less deformed pods in which rocks preserve better records of metamorphic events prior to the regional temperature peak. In one such pod, near Gniewoszów on the western limb of the dome, marbles enclosed by massive amphibolites occur. In these rocks, zoned plagioclase with actinolite and epidote inclusions and zoned amphibole grains allowed recognition of three mineral assemblages and three P-T stages at: (1) 310°C/3–4 kbar, (2) 480–500°C/10.5 kbar, (3) 500–530°C/6–6.5 kbar, based on isopleth intersections and checked against conventional thermobarometry. These define a steep clockwise P-T path and a geothermal gradient of 17°C/km before peak conditions were attained, which suggests subduction of the metavolcano-sedimentary rocks (Stronie Formation of the MSG) on the western limb of the OSD, with a transient yet discrete higher pressure episode. Mineral relicts capable of demonstrating a higher pressure event are scarce in the supracrustal rocks of the dome, mainly because they became more thoroughly equilibrated and obliterated during the temperature peak at mid-amphibolite facies conditions and the subsequent ubiquitous greenschist facies overprint.

Fermi-LAT Observations of High-energy Behind-the-limb Solar Flares

Abstract We report on the Fermi-LAT detection of high-energy emission from the behind-the-limb (BTL) solar flares that occurred on 2013 October 11, and 2014 January 6 and September 1. The Fermi-LAT observations are associated with flares from active regions originating behind both the eastern and western limbs, as determined by STEREO. All three flares are associated with very fast coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and strong solar energetic particle events. We present updated localizations of the >100 MeV photon emission, hard X-ray (HXR) and EUV images, and broadband spectra from 10 keV to 10 GeV, as well as microwave spectra. We also provide a comparison of the BTL flares detected by Fermi-LAT with three on-disk flares and present a study of some of the significant quantities of these flares as an attempt to better understand the acceleration mechanisms at work during these occulted flares. We interpret the HXR emission to be due to electron bremsstrahlung from a coronal thin-target loop top with the accelerated electron spectra steepening at semirelativistic energies. The >100 MeV gamma-rays are best described by a pion-decay model resulting from the interaction of protons (and other ions) in a thick-target photospheric source. The protons are believed to have been accelerated (to energies >10 GeV) in the CME environment and precipitate down to the photosphere from the downstream side of the CME shock and landed on the front side of the Sun, away from the original flare site and the HXR emission.

The Geology And Structure of Neogene Rocks in Dadyaland Adjacent Areas, in The Sub-Himalayas, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan

The project area lies along the western limb of the Hazara Kashmir Syntaxis. The Hazara Kashmir Syntaxis is an antiformal structure. The project area includes Dadyal, Bihari, Ratta, Sammorthala, Samlotha, Dhingar, Panwar and Karara Saiyidan. The Late Miocene to Recent Himalayan Neogene rocks are exposed in the core of the syntaxis. These Neogene rocks include the Kamlial Formation, Chinji Formation, Nagri Formation, Dhok Pathan Formation, Soan Formation and Recent alluvium. The major folds in the project area include the Mirpur syncline, Pheran Dinpur anticline and Sadaqabad Syncline. The folds are northwest-southeast trending and southwest or northeast vergent, asymmetric and open. The only fault in the project area is Ratta Fault. The Ratta Fault is a reverse fault. The northwest southeast trending folds and faults are the result of northeast southwest Himalayan compression in the area.

Transverse tectonic structural elements across Himalayan mountain front, eastern Arunachal Himalaya, India: Implication of superposed landform development on analysis of neotectonics

Structural and morphotectonic signatures in conjunction with the geomorphic indices are synthesised to trace the role of transverse tectonic features in shaping the landforms developed along the frontal part of the eastern Arunachal sub-Himalaya. Mountain front sinuosity (Smf) index values close to one are indicative of the active nature of the mountain front all along the eastern Arunachal Himalaya, which can be directly attributed to the regional uplift along the Himalayan Frontal Thrust (HFT). However, the mountain front is significantly sinusoidal around junctions between HFT/MBT (Main Boundary Thrust) and active transverse faults. The high values of stream length gradient (SL) and stream steepness (Ks) indices together with field evidence of fault scarps, offset of terraces, and deflection of streams are markers of neotectonic uplift along the thrusts and transverse faults. This reactivation of transverse faults has given rise to extensional basins leading to widening of the river courses, providing favourable sites for deposition of recent sediments. Tectonic interactions of these transverse faults with the Himalayan longitudinal thrusts (MBT/HFT) have segmented the mountain front marked with varying sinuosity. The net result is that a variety of tectonic landforms recognized along the mountain front can be tracked to the complex interactions among the transverse and longitudinal tectonic elements. Some distinctive examples are: in the eastern extremity of NE Himalaya across the Dibang River valley, the NW-SE trending mountain front is attenuated by the active Mishmi Thrust that has thrust the Mishmi crystalline complex directly over the alluvium of the Brahmaputra plains. The junction of the folded HFT and Mishmi Thrust shows a zone of brecciated and pulverized rocks along which transverse axial planar fracture cleavages exhibit neotectonic activities in a transverse fault zone coinciding with the Dibang River course. Similarly, the transverse faults cut the mountain front along the Sesseri, Siluk, Siku, Siang, Mingo, Sileng, Dikari, and Simen rivers. At some such junctions, landforms associated with the active right-lateral strike-slip faults are superposed over the earlier landforms formed by transverse normal faults. In addition to linear transverse features, we see evidence that the fold-thrust belt of the frontal part of the Arunachal Himalaya has also been affected by the neotectonically active NW-SE trending major fold known as the Siang antiform that again is aligned transverse to the mountain front. The folding of the HFT and MBT along this antiform has reshaped the landscape developed between its two western and eastern limbs running N-S and NW-SE, respectively. The transverse faults are parallel to the already reported deep-seated transverse seismogenic strike-slip fault. Therefore, a single take home message is that any true manifestation of the neotectonics and seismic hazard assessment in the Himalayan region must take into account the role of transverse tectonics.

Spatial distribution and tectonic framework of fossil tubular concretions as onshore analogues of cold seep plumbing systems, North Island of New Zealand

Analysis of offshore seismic lines suggests that a strong relationship exists between tectonic structures and fluid migration in accretionary prisms. However, only few field analogues of plumbing systems and their tectonic frameworks have been investigated in detail until now. The uplifted accretionary prism of the Hikurangi Margin (North Island, New Zealand) exposes early to late Miocene mudrocks in coastal cliffs of Cape Turnagain and in the Akitio syncline, south-east of the Pongaroa city. These outcrops display tubular carbonate concretions corresponding to complex subsurface plumbing networks of paleo-seeps within Miocene trench slope basins. We present here, new results on the spatial distribution of these tubular carbonate concretions, with particular attention to their relation to tectonic structures. In the Pongaroa area, tubular carbonate concretions in lower Miocene mudrocks occur along a N-S trend, while in middle Miocene strata they occur along a NNE-SSW direction. The N-S trend parallels a major fault zone (i.e.the Breakdown fault zone), which separates two wide synclines, the Waihoki and the Akitio synclines. During the Early-Middle Miocene, the Breakdown fault zone controlled the evolution of the Akitio trench slope basin constituting its western edge. The NNE-SSW strike parallels the axis of the Akitio syncline and is also parallel to the present-day subduction front. Our results therefore show that tubular concretions are parallel to post-Middle Miocene second order folding and thrusting in the northeastern limb of the Akitio syncline. In the Cape Turnagain area, tubular concretions occur in the western limb of the Cape Turnagain syncline, in the footwall of the major seaward-verging Cape Turnagain fault. This suggests that fluid migrations may occur not only in the crests of anticlines, as observed offshore for present-day plumbing system of cold seeps, but also in the footwalls of thrust faults. All these observations show that the spatial distribution of tubular concretions is controlled by regional tectonic structures with paleo-fluid migrations related to major deformation episodes of the accretionary prism. Thus, we distinguish three episodes events that likely triggered fluid migration leading to the formation of the tubular concretions: (1) In the Early Miocene, shortly after the onset of development of the Akitio trench slope basin, on its inner (western) edge; (2) During the late Middle Miocene, during an extensional deformation episode on the western limb of the Akitio trench slope basin; (3) At the end of the Late Miocene, during a second major shortening period at the footwall of major thrust fault, such as in the Cape Turnagain area.

Vertical-axis rotations accommodated along the Mid-Cycladic lineament on Paros Island in the extensional heart of the Aegean orocline (Greece)

The Aegean–west Anatolian orocline formed due to Neogene opposite rotations of its western and eastern limbs during opening of the Aegean back-arc basin. Stretching lineations in exhumed metamorphic complexes in this basin mimic the regional vertical-axis rotation patterns and suggest that the oppositely rotating domains are sharply bounded along a Mid-Cycladic lineament, the tectonic nature of which is enigmatic. Some have proposed this lineament to be an extensional fault accommodating orogen-parallel extension, while others have considered it to be a transform fault. The island of Paros hosts the only exposure of the E- to NE-trending lineations characterizing the NW Cyclades and the N-trending lineations of the SE Cyclades. Here, we show new paleomagnetic results from isotropic, ca. 16 Ma granitoids that intruded both domains and demonstrate that the trend difference resulted from post–16 Ma ∼90° clockwise and 10° counterclockwise rotation of the NW and SE blocks, respectively. We interpret the semiductile to brittle, low-angle, SE-dipping Elitas shear zone that accommodated this rotation difference to reflect the Mid-Cycladic lineament. We conclude a two-stage exhumation history for Paros that is consistent with regional Aegean reconstructions. Between ca. 23 and 16 Ma, the metamorphic rocks of Paros were exhumed from amphibolite-facies to greenschist-facies conditions along a top-to-the-N detachment. The Elitas shear zone then started to exhume the northwestern, clockwise-rotating domain from below the southeastern, counterclockwise rotating domain since 16 Ma. From this, we infer that the Mid-Cycladic lineament is an extensional shear zone, consistent with geometric predictions that Aegean oroclinal bending was accommodated by orogen-normal and orogen-parallel extension.

Evolution of the Bochner Laplacian for magnetograms of solar active regions

A search for powerful flare predictors remains a problem of current interest in solar—terrestrial physics. The magnetograms (LOS SDO/HMI instrument) for active regions (ARs) 1158, 1166, 1283, and 1520, which produced an X-ray flare located near the central meridian, are analyzed. АR 1654, which was rather complex but generated only M flares near western limb, remaining quiet during the passage over the disk, has been analyzed in a similar manner for comparison. The combinatorial Bochner Laplacian was used as a complexity descriptor. We calculate it for each magnetogram, which was converted into the magnetic energy density of the longitudinal field component, and analyze its maximal spatial variation. It has been shown that the maximal spatial Laplacian values trace the neutral line during AR evolution, demonstrating sharp peaks before and after the flare in this case. Although this signature has no established statistical reliability, it can be interesting as an effective parameter when flares are predicted.

Making Mincemeat out of Mutton-Eaters: Social Origins of the NUM Decline on Platinum

An earlier version of this article was delivered as the 2014 JSAS Annual Lecture. It represents part of a larger work in progress, an account of the rise and decline of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) at platinum mines on the western (Rustenburg) limb of the Bushveld igneous complex. While the police massacre of striking workers at Marikana in August 2013 drew public attention to the union’s distress, this account traces problems that arose in a series of events occurring since the end of apartheid in 1994. There were, no doubt, internal institutional reasons for the union’s collapse, but this article focuses on external social structural and historical factors that have haunted the union’s efforts to retain members’ support on the platinum belt. While a final decisive break came at Impala platinum mine in early 2012, the seeds of worker disaffection had been planted almost two decades earlier on the Anglo-American mines in Rustenburg and Northam in the middle and late 1990s. That is the story that this article attempts to tell.

Impact of the Antarctic bottom water formation on the Weddell Gyre and its northward propagation characteristics in GFDL CM2.1 model

AbstractThe impact of Antarctic bottom water (AABW) formation on the Weddell Gyre and its northward propagation characteristics are studied using a 4000 year long control run of the GFDL CM2.1 model as well as sensitivity experiments. In the control run, the AABW cell and Weddell Gyre are highly correlated when the AABW cell leads the Weddell Gyre by several years, with an enhanced AABW cell corresponding to a strengthened Weddell Gyre and vice versa. An additional sensitivity experiment shows that the response of the Weddell Gyre to AABW cell changes is primarily attributed to interactions between the AABW outflow and ocean topography, instead of the surface wind stress curl and freshwater anomalies. As the AABW flows northward, it encounters topography with steep slopes that induce strong downwelling and negative bottom vortex stretching. The anomalous negative bottom vortex stretching induces a cyclonic barotropic stream function over the Weddell Sea, thus leading to an enhanced Weddell Gyre. The AABW cell variations in the control run have significant meridional coherence in density space. Using passive dye tracers, it is found that the slow propagation of AABW cell anomalies south of 35°S corresponds to the slow tracer advection time scale. The dye tracers escape the Weddell Sea through the western limb of the Weddell Gyre and then go northwestward to the Argentine Basin through South Sandwich Trench and Georgia Basin. This slow advection by deep ocean currents determines the AABW cell propagation speed south of 35°S. North of 35°S the propagation speed is determined both by advection in the deep western boundary current and through Kelvin waves.

The Bushveld Complex -Host to the World’s Largest Platinum, Chromium and Vanadium Resources

The geological setting of the Bushveld Complex, the world's largest layered igneous body containing most of the planet's chromium, Platinum Group Elements (PGEs) and vanadium resources, is outlined. The complex is situated in a central position on the ancient Kaapvaal Craton of South Africa, with the mineralisation contained in three large arcuate mafic to ultramafic Limbs, comprised of rocks of the Rustenburg Layered Suite (RLS). The Limbs are overlain by co-magmatic felsic rocks while the floor consists mainly of sediments of the Transvaal Supergroup. The RLS is divided into the Marginal, Lower, Critical, Main and Upper Zones with the chromium and PGE enriched layers occurring in the Critical Zone and the vanadium mineralisation occurring within titaniferous magnetitite layers of the Upper Zone. The chromitite layers are classed into Lower, Middle and Upper Groups and show a general decrease in chromium content upwards from >46% Cr 2 O 3 at the base to 1.5:1 at the base to 5 ppm in the uppermost and economically important PGE bearing chromitite layer (the UG2). The economically important Merensky Reef occurs above the UG2 near the top of the Critical Zone. It typically comprises top and bottom chromitite stringers, separated by up to 14 metres of pyroxenite and/ or pegmatoidal pyroxenite, with the best mineralisation generally being associated with the top chromitite stringer and where the two chromitite stringers are in close proximity to each other. These stringers can eventually merge towards pothole structures in places, with the top stringer transgressing downward to form a range of pothole Reef features. The nature and origin of the Merensky Reef in the Eastern and Western Limbs of the Bushveld Complex is discussed. A synthesis and interpretation of a large amount of platinum mine data from the Western Limb, highlights the great variability in the nature of the Merensky Reef in this segment. Evidence suggests that the top chromitite layer represents a magmatic unconformity resulting from thermo-chemical erosion, reconstitution and mineralisation of the immediate footwall layers that it transgressed. The Platreef, a thick, generally feldspathic pyroxenitic and harzburgitic assemblage, occurs on the eastern flank of the Northern Limb and is broadly equated with the Merensky Reef. About 21 magnetitite layers ranging from massive titaniferous magnetitite, to disseminated and weakly disseminated magnetitite occur within, or are associated with, magnetite gabbro, gabbro and diorite of the Upper Zone. The vanadium content in magnetite is highest in the lowermost magnetitite layers (over 2.2% V 2 O 5 in places) dropping to 1.6% V 2 O 5 in the overlying Main Magnetitite Layer. An important layer (Layer 21 or the Q Layer), towards the top of the Upper Zone, is enriched in titanium (±13% TiO 2 ), at the same time having vanadium values of generally less than 0.2% V 2 O 5 . This layer, which is often over 40 metres thick, contains a huge resource of iron and titanium, as well as vanadium. The mineral apatite appears abruptly at two levels towards the top of the complex, the uppermost occurrence being in a diorite immediately above layer 21 where P 2 O 5 values average 4% over several tens of meters. The use of geophysical and geochemical techniques in exploration and mining in the Bushveld Complex is briefly reviewed and their applicability and effectiveness is illustrated. Given the continuity of layers, including some which extend for well over a hundred kilometres, the resource still present in this unique Complex is vast.

Structural analysis of the Tabaco anticline, Cerrejón open-cast coal mine, Colombia, South America

The Tabaco anticline is a 15 km long, south plunging, east-vergent anticline in northern Colombia, close to the transpressional collisional margin between the Caribbean and South American plates. In the Cerrejón open-cast coal mine, systematic mapping of coal seams in the middle to upper Paleocene Cerrejón Formation has yielded an exceptional dataset consisting of 10 horizontal slices (sea level to 90 m elevation, regularly spaced at 10 m intervals) through the anticline. Coal seams and fault traces in these slices are used to construct a 3D model of the anticline. This 3D model shows tighter folds within lower coal seams, NW-vergent thrusts and related folds on the gentler western limb, and strike-slip faults on the steeper eastern limb. Fault slip-tendency analysis is used to infer that these two faulting styles resulted from two different stress fields: an earlier one consistent with thrusting and uplift of the Perijá range, and a later one consistent with strike-slip faulting (Oca, Ranchería and Samán faults). Our preferred interpretation is that the anticline developed its eastern vergence during the early stages (late Paleocene-early Eocene) of tilting of the Santa Marta massif. Later NW-vergent thrusting on the western limb (early to middle Eocene) was related to western propagation of the Perijá thrust system. These results contribute to the understanding of the structural evolution of the area. They are also a good example of the complex interplay between detachment folding, thrusting, and strike-slip faulting during the growth of a km-size fold in a transpressive setting.

Evidence for a Magnetic Flux Rope in Observations of a Solar Prominence-Cavity System

Coronal cavities are regions of low coronal emission that usually sit above solar prominences. These systems can exist for days or months before erupting. The magnetic structure of the prominence-cavity system during the quiescent period is important to understanding the pre-eruption phase. We describe observations of a coronal cavity situated above a solar prominence observed on the western limb as part of an Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) and Hinode coordinated Observation Program (IHOP 264). During the observation run, an inflow of hot plasma observed by the Hinode X-Ray Telescope (XRT) envelopes the coronal cavity and triggers an eruption of chromospheric plasma near the base of the prominence. During and after the eruption, bright X-ray emission forms within the cavity and above the prominence. IRIS and the Hinode EUV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) show strong blue shifts in both chromospheric and coronal lines during the eruption. The Hinode Solar Optical Telescope (SOT) Ca II H-line data show bright emission during the ejection with complex, turbulent, flows near the prominence and along the cavity wall. These observations suggest a cylindrical flux rope best represents the cavity structure with the ejected material flowing along magnetic field lines supporting the cavity. We also find evidence for heating of the plasma inside the cavity after the flows. A model of the magnetic structure of the cavity comprised of a weakly twisted flux rope can explain the observed loops in the X-ray and EUV data. Observations from the Coronal Multichannel Polarimeter (CoMP) are compared to predicted models and are inconclusive. We find that more sensitive measurements of the magnetic field strength along the line-of-sight are needed to verify this configuration.

Tectonic forcing of drainages and geomorphic features developed across Himalayan mountain frontal part of western limb of Siang Antiform, Arunachal Himalaya

Drainages display tectonic forcing of their channels on the frontal region of the Arunachal Himalaya due to structural control. Dikari, a transverse river flowing along the N–S trending western limb of the major Siang Antiform, exhibits structurally controlled nature of its drainage on its downstream flow towards south, through a network of NE–SW and NW–SE trending conjugate faults. The river shows compressed meandering as the regional structural trend of ENE–WSW seems to be reactivated by the transverse NW–SE trend of neotectonic fault activity. The Himalayan frontal thrust (HFT) tracing along the Himalaya mountain front has been displaced sinisterly for a distance of ~7 km by a WNW–ESE trending fault running along the Sileng stream. Development of parallel drainages in the southern part of the Sub-Himalaya is interpreted to have formed as a result of uplifting related to the above-mentioned strike-slip movement. Along the HFT zone, the frontal streams and rivers exhibit deflection of their channels from NE–SW to ENE–WSW directions. Channel of the transverse Siang river has been deflected for a length of 3 km along the NNE–SSW direction across the Himalayan frontal part. In this part of the Himalaya, previous workers did not give much emphasis on the role of Siang Antiform as far as neotectonic with respect to the tectonics related to the HFT is concerned. There is a syntectonic relationship between the active NE–SW-oriented compression direction and the tectonic forcing of the drainages including development of the tectonic geomorphology.

Fluid inclusion study of the Boccassuolo VMS-related stockwork deposit (Northern-Apennine ophiolites, Italy)

Several Cyprus-type volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposits are found in the Jurassic ophiolitic series of the Northern Apennines. Stratabound, stratiform and stockwork deposits were formed in the western limb of the Neotethys (Ligurian Ocean) and are found today in basalt, gabbro and serpentinised peridotite host rocks. The studied stockwork deposit at Boccassuolo is found in basalt and basalt breccia. Detailed petrography, fluid inclusion study, Raman spectroscopy analyses and chlorite thermometry calculations were used to determine the P, T, X conditions of the fluid circulation system. The veins contain three quartz generations, calcite, chlorite, epidote and sericite as gangue minerals and pyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, pyrrhotite and galena as ore minerals. Based on the fluid inclusion study, the earlier defined three vein types (1., 2. and 3.) precipitated from the same type of evolving fluid, though at slightly different stratigraphical positions. The determined ranges of temperature (370 60°C), salinity (6.2 11.4 NaCl equiv. wt%), pressure (30-44 MPa) ranges and methane content (average 0.28 mol/kg) suggest an evolved seawater origin for the hydrothermal fluid, modified by fluid-rock interaction and possibly by mixing of magmatic volatile. The fluid characteristics and the mineralogical observations have proven a slightly distal position in relation to the centre of the fluid flow for all studied locations, but less and more distal blocks were also recognised. The temporal evolution of the system developed into a low temperature event, occurring after the main mineral stage, but still participating to the same process as a whole.