Article
Geology
Rong-Hao Wei, Liang Duan, Xingliang Zhang, Qing-Ren Meng, Rong-Ruo Zhan, Chu-Xuan Ma, Jing Xu, Yi Shi, Xiao-Yin Zhang
Summary: The basal Cambrian sandstone unit in the North China craton provides insights into the ancient drainage system and its potential linkage with the Gondwana landmass. The detrital zircon age signatures in different sections of the craton show spatial changes and can be categorized into three distinct types, suggesting that the basal Cambrian unit is not part of the sand sheet across the northern margin of Gondwana.
INTERNATIONAL GEOLOGY REVIEW
(2023)
Review
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Yousef Zoleikhaei, Jacob A. Mulder, Peter A. Cawood
Summary: By analyzing the detrital zircon and rutile from the early Paleozoic Lalun Formation in Iran, it was found that most of the detrital sediments originated from the Neoproterozoic age, and the Arabian-Nubian Shield may be a more suitable source for the formation. This study reveals a complex pattern of sediment dispersal along the northern margin of Gondwana and challenges the idea of a well-mixed, far-travelled sand sheet.
EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Yajun Xu, Xiao Liang, Peter A. Cawood, Jian-Wei Zi, Hangchuan Zhang, Jia Liu, Yuansheng Du
Summary: By analyzing the U-Pb ages of detrital monazite from Cambrian sedimentary rocks, we suggest that South China was located outboard of northeastern India. The detrital monazite ages indicate input from earliest Cambrian metapelites and provide tighter constraints on the paleogeography of South China compared to detrital zircon data alone.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Chengshi Gan, Xin Qian, Yuzhi Zhang, Tianxing Bai, Yuejun Wang
Summary: This study investigates the provenance, paleogeographic reconstruction and tectonic setting of the Cambrian sandstones in the South China Block (SCB) through detailed detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology and Hf isotope analyses. The results show that the Cambrian sandstones in the SCB can be divided into three groups, and they have similar detrital zircon age spectra, cumulative proportion curves and & epsilon;Hf(t) values. The study suggests that there was little provenance variation throughout the SCB during the Early Paleozoic, and the SCB was located between Australia and India during the Cambrian-Ordovician, receiving sediment detritus from both regions.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Kasia Sobczak, Andrew D. La Croix, Joan Esterle, Phil Hayes, Heinz -Gerd Holl, Rachael Ciesiolka, James L. Crowley, Charlotte M. Allen
Summary: A new understanding of the palaeogeography and tectonic evolution of eastern Gondwana during the late Mesozoic is emerging, driven by the detrital zircon record of sedimentary basins. This study provides insights into the sediment provenance and magmatic activity during the Early Jurassic, highlighting the presence of multiple source terranes and ongoing arc magmatism along the eastern Gondwana margin.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Andrew D. La Croix, Kasia Sobczak, Joan S. Esterle, Valeria Bianchi, Jiahao Wang, Jianhua He, Phil Hayes, Jim R. Underschultz, Andrew Garnett
Summary: This study focuses on the Precipice Sandstone and Evergreen Formation in the Great Artesian Basin (GAB) in eastern Australia. By integrating palynostratigraphic and zircon geochronologic data, the researchers were able to better constrain the depositional ages of these formations and revise the stratigraphic framework. This new age-context is important for future correlation studies between different basins and paleocontinents.
MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Semih Gursu, Serhat Koksal, Andreas Moeller, George D. Kamenov, M. Cemal Goncuoglu, Kevin Hefferan, Paul A. Mueller, Huseyin Kozlu
Summary: The detrital U-Pb age peaks and Lu-Hf systematics of peri-Gondwanan units in southern Turkey suggest their derivation from Neoproterozoic igneous suites in the Sinai Peninsula, Israel, and the Eastern Desert. These sediments were likely derived from sedimentary recycling processes in a continental back-arc tectonic setting. The provenance of the sediments correlates with nearby regions such as the Nubian Shield and Saharan Metacraton.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Allen J. Schaen, Brian R. Jicha, Kip Hodges, Pieter Vermeesch, Mark E. Stelten, Cameron M. Mercer, David Phillips, Tiffany A. Rivera, Fred Jourdan, Erin L. Matchan, Sidney R. Hemming, Leah E. Morgan, Simon P. Kelley, William S. Cassata, Matt T. Heizler, Paulo M. Vasconcelos, Jeff A. Benowitz, Anthony A. P. Koppers, Darren F. Mark, Elizabeth M. Niespolo, Courtney J. Sprain, Willis E. Hames, Klaudia F. Kuiper, Brent D. Turrin, Paul R. Renne, Jake Ross, Sebastien Nomade, Herve Guillou, Laura E. Webb, Barbara A. Cohen, Andrew T. Calvert, Nancy Joyce, Morgan Ganerod, Jan Wijbrans, Osamu Ishizuka, Huaiyu He, Adan Ramirez, Jorg A. Pfander, Margarita Lopez-Martinez, Huaning Qiu, Brad S. Singer
Summary: The 40Ar/39Ar dating method is versatile and can provide precise age constraints for a wide range of materials, but age dispersion must be considered. The interpretation of dates depends on the geological problem being addressed and the assumptions associated with each data set, highlighting the need for collateral information to better constrain interpretation.
GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Pieter Vermeesch
Summary: In a recent review, nine methods of estimating the maximum depositional age (MDA) of siliclastic rocks using detrital geochronology were compared, revealing biases in most methods. The Maximum Likelihood Age (MLA) algorithm, based on a binary mixture of distributions, was found to successfully estimate MDA with less bias than ad hoc methods. This approach has potential applications beyond detrital geochronology.
GEOSCIENCE FRONTIERS
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
S. J. Boazman, J. M. Davis, P. M. Grindrod, M. R. Balme, P. Vermeesch, T. Baird
Summary: Active aeolian systems are present across the Martian surface, with dune fields commonly found in depressions such as craters and valleys. The study investigated dune migration in Coprates Chasma, revealing that topography plays a significant role in influencing local wind regimes and promoting dune migration. These findings expand our understanding of local winds in the Martian environment.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-PLANETS
(2021)
Correction
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Pieter Vermeesch
GEOSCIENCE FRONTIERS
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Thomas R. Baird, Charles S. Bristow, Wanyin Luo, Erji Du, Robert G. Bryant, Thomas M. Mitchell, Pieter Vermeesch
Summary: The Gonghe Basin on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has been greatly affected by climate change and anthropogenic activities, resulting in the formation of large blowouts. Various measurement techniques were used to investigate blowout scour hollows and depositional lobes, revealing differences in sediment volumes between the two. The evolution of the blowout dune field is hypothesized to be a result of either downwind aeolian instability propagation or upwind instability propagation from higher points in the landscape. Recent dating supports the latter hypothesis.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Eduardo Garzanti, Guido Pastore, Abi Stone, Shlomy Vainer, Pieter Vermeesch, Alberto Resentini
Summary: The Kalahari Basin's aeolian dune sand is mainly composed of quartz, with durable heavy minerals, distinguishing it from coastal dunefields in Namibia and Angola. The western Kalahari sand sea has a unique quartz-rich feldspatho-quartzose composition, indicating first-cycle provenance from the Damara Belt and Mesoproterozoic terranes. Composition varies at the edges of the sand sea, with Proterozoic supply locally and basaltic detritus dominant near Victoria Falls. Multiple episodes of fluvial and aeolian recycling have led to the current landscape, reflecting past weathering processes.
EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Geology
Eduardo Garzanti, Germain Bayon, Pedro Dinis, Pieter Vermeesch, Guido Pastore, Alberto Resentini, Marta Barbarano, Lindani Ncube, Helena Johanna Van Niekerk
Summary: Elemental geochemistry, Nd isotopes, clay minerals, and U-Pb zircon ages provide a comprehensive understanding of mud and sand composition in the Zambezi sediment-routing system. The study reveals the four major episodes of crustal growth in southern Africa and the dominant factors influencing the composition of the sediments.
JOURNAL OF GEOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geology
Pedro A. Dinis, Pieter Vermeesch, Luis Duarte, Pedro Proenca Cunha, Marta Barbarano, Eduardo Garzanti
Summary: This research combines detrital zircon U-Pb signatures of Jurassic strata from the Lusitanian Basin with other geological data to reveal that the basin covers two distinct terranes of the Iberian Massif. The west-derived deposits show an abundance of <310 Ma ages, with evidence of a middle to late Permian thermal event in some areas.
JOURNAL OF IBERIAN GEOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
J. W. Marschalek, L. Zurli, F. Talarico, T. van de Flierdt, P. Vermeesch, A. Carter, F. Beny, V Bout-Roumazeilles, F. Sangiorgi, S. R. Hemming, L. F. Perez, F. Colleoni, J. G. Prebble, T. E. van Peer, M. Perotti, A. E. Shevenell, I Browne, D. K. Kulhanek, R. Levy, D. Harwood, N. B. Sullivan, S. R. Meyers, E. M. Griffith, C-D Hillenbrand, E. Gasson, M. J. Siegert, B. Keisling, K. J. Licht, G. Kuhn, J. P. Dodd, C. Boshuis, L. De Santis, R. M. McKay
Summary: Evidence suggests that during the Early to Middle Miocene, sea-level oscillations of approximately 40-60 m were caused by the loss of virtually all East Antarctic ice during peak warmth. The presence of a large West Antarctic Ice Sheet during the Early Miocene has been confirmed, highlighting a key step in the genesis of a marine-based West Antarctic Ice Sheet.
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Li-Guang Wu, Yang Li, Michael C. Jollands, Pieter Vermeesch, Xian-Hua Li
Summary: Chemical diffusion in minerals is a powerful tool for quantifying geological timescales. However, there is a lack of widely adopted programs for diffusion studies and the uncertainties associated with diffusion chronometry are often not robustly evaluated. This paper presents a user-friendly program, Diffuser, which standardizes diffusion chronometry and propagates uncertainties to derived timescales. Three examples demonstrate the program's ability to recover timescales with internal consistency, efficient computing, and easy-to-use features.
COMPUTERS & GEOSCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Dov Avigad, Avishai Abbo, Axel Gerdes, Axel K. Schmitt
Summary: The study focuses on detrital zircon from the black sand of the Rhone River delta in southern France, which provides important insights into the major episodes of European magmatism. The results show that the black sand samples represent magmatic events at 0.55 Ga (Cadomian), 0.45 Ga (Cenerian), and 0.31 Ga (Variscan). The Hf isotopes in the zircon suggest the involvement of continuous crustal reworking during European magmatic episodes. However, the oxygen isotope analysis indicates the presence of a significant sedimentary component in the genesis of European granitoids. The study concludes that the prevalent Hf-T-DM ages obtained are mixed and do not confirm the reworking of Mesoproterozoic crust in the region.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Lucia Andreuttiova, James Hollingsworth, Pieter Vermeesch, Thomas M. Mitchell, Eric Bergman
Summary: Near-field surface displacement measurements allow us to quantify the on- and off-fault proportion of earthquake-related deformation. This study takes advantage of high-resolution historical aerial stereo-imagery to measure three-dimensional displacement using correlation of the orthorectified pre- and post-earthquake image mosaics. The results reveal new strike-slip ruptures possibly associated with the aftershocks.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Yuntao Tian, Yimin Liu, Rui Li, Xilin Sun, Zengjie Zhang, Andrew Carter, Pieter Vermeesch
Summary: Understanding the spatio-temporal distribution of strain during the Cenozoic growth of the Tibetan Plateau is crucial for understanding the geodynamic processes behind plateau formation. This study focuses on the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau and reveals significant along-strike changes in deformation style, as well as two tectonic transitions in the late Eocene and late Miocene. These findings have important implications for understanding the uplift history and strain distribution in the region.
GLOBAL AND PLANETARY CHANGE
(2022)
Article
Geology
Eduardo Garzanti, Germain Bayon, Pieter Vermeesch, Marta Barbarano, Guido Pastore, Alberto Resentini, Bernard Dennielou, Gwenael Jouet
Summary: This study presents a comprehensive provenance study of the Zambezi deep-sea fan, revealing that sediment in this area comes not only from Africa but also from Madagascar Island. The composition of sediment from Madagascar shows significant differences in heavy minerals and geochemical signatures compared to African-derived sediment. The study also evaluates the anthropogenic impact on natural sediment fluxes by comparing Quaternary submarine deposits with modern Zambezi River sands.
JOURNAL OF SEDIMENTARY RESEARCH
(2022)
Correction
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Pieter Vermeesch