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Graduate School Conference 1999Department of Geology and Geophysics

Abstracts and Programme

The Isle of Glencoe Hotel, Ballachulish

Friday 5th February - Sunday 7th February

BP AMOCO

SchlumbergerRobertson

Contents

Welcome 1

General Information 2

Timetable 3

List of Delegates 4

Room Allocation 5

Session 1 - "Weird Science" 6

Session 2 - "Misery: The Horrors of Research" 10

Session 3 - "The G.R.I.F.T.A.s" 13

Session 4 - "The Time Bandits" 16

Session 5 - "Film 99" 20

Session 6 - "Moviemaking; Geoscience has got what it takes" 23

Hotel Plan 26

Road Plan 27

We would like to thank following industial sponsors:

BP AMOCO

Schlumberger

Robertson

And the following departmental sponsors:

Anton Ziolkowski

Roger Scrutton

Godfrey Fitton

Simon Harley

Kathy Whaler

Wyn Williams

Greg Cowie

Sandy Tudhope

Rachel Oxburgh

WELCOME 1

Welcome

Twentieth Century Rox.

The Graduate School Committee would like to welcome you all to the 8th GraduateSchool Conference, here at the Isles of Glencoe Hotel. We would especially like to wel-come all the new staff, post-docs and post-grads; this is a great opportunity to get to knowyour new colleagues.

The aim of this event is to make everyone more aware of the diverse research interestsin our department, and to encourage communication across perceived discipline barriers.Although seminars and workshops during the year go some way to achieving these aims,the conference is unique in its capacity to isolate the majority of the graduate studentcommunity and a large proportion of the staff for a whole weekend without interruption.

This is the first time that the Gradschool Conference has been fully sponsored and wewould like to extend a big ‘thank you’ to all of our industry and departmental sponsors,without who’s help this years conference would not have taken place. Our sponsors areacknowledged on the adjacent page.

Industry representatives maintain links between academic and industrial research. Wewelcome the chance to listen to delegates from industry as they talk about their currentinterests and what is currently relevant in the wider geoscience community. We also hopethat they will find the breadth of research in the Department of Geology and Geophysicsat Edinburgh University interesting and stimulating.

The conference format revolves around group presentations based on a wide variety ofresearch subjects. In order to keep a mix of disciplines, we have shaped the groups as de-fined by styles or aspects of the film industry. This idea springs from the recent centenaryof the advent of film making and the subtheme draws on how we place ourselves in theprogression of Earth Science. Groups were then challenged to find a cross disciplinaryfilm-based theme between their individual research interests. The result is a series of wellmixed and entertaining sessions.

We hope you’ll also enjoy this opportunity to mix socially with the whole department.

The Committee wish you all a successful conference.

The Graduate School Committee ’98-’99:

Noah Jaffey (Gradschool Chair)Emily Good

Peter HanßenLisa Morfi

Lesley RantellConor Snowden

Laura Park (MRes)Tom Mason (MRes)Jackie Pates (Post Doc)

GRADUATE SCHOOL CONFERENCE1999

2 GENERAL INFORMATION

General Information

Conference details

Should you have any queries/problems regarding the conference over the weekend, pleasedirect them to the appropriate person below:

Isles of Glencoe Hotel Graeme Robertson(Manager)Mary MacLellan(Conference co-ordinator)

Telephone 0185-581 1602Fax 0185-581 1770

Graduate School Committee Noah Jaffey(Chairman ’98-’99)

Telephone 0131-650 5917Email [email protected]

Points to note

Personal Expenditure:To make things run as smoothly as possibly could all delegates please pay cash for itemssuch as drinks, newspapers, etc.. Delegates are free to use the telephones in their rooms,but this facility will be withdrawn on Sunday morning so that bills may be generated fordistribution and payment after lunch.

Special diets:Vegetarian meals will be provided on the menu.

Food on arrival:Food will be available until 3:30pm on Friday for delegated who are driving up at 1pmfrom Edinburgh. Likewise, Friday dinner will be served at 7:30pm so that those drivingup at 5pm can eat when they arrive.

Swimming and leisure complex:This will be open for use by delegates from 07:30-22.00. The key for the Gym is availablefrom reception; towels can also be hired from reception.

Keys:There is only one key per room; please try not to get locked out. The reception will beopen from 08.00-00.00 for safeguarding of keys.

Online Information:This programme and further information about the Graduate School at the Departmentof Geology & Geophysics of the University of Edinburgh is available under followingWWW-address: http://www.glg.ed.ac.uk/home/Peter.Hanssen/GS/index.html


TIMETABLE 3

Timetable

Friday 5th February

9:30 Coach departs Edinburgh12:30 - 13:00 Room check in13:00 - 14:00 Buffet lunch in main building

Welcome from Hotel manager and Gradschool Chair15:30 Session 1- Science Fiction : Multiple Feature17:30 Close session18:00 Drinks available in Mystery World and lounge19:30 Dinner21:30 Quiz

Drinks in Mystery World and LoungeLast orders at 23:00 in Mystery World; hotel bar open late

Saturday 6th February

7:30 - 8:30 Breakfast (Bacon rolls served until 9:00 in lounge)9:45 Session 2- "Misery: The Horrors of Research"11:15 Coffee11:45 Session 3- "The G.R.I.F.T.A.s"13:15 Buffet lunch in Mystery World14:15 Session 4- "The Time Bandits"15:45 Coffee16:15 Session 5- "Film 99"17:45 Close sessions19:00 Drinks available in Mystery World20:00 - 21:30 Conference Dinner22:00 - 1:00 Ceilidh

Sunday 7th February

8:30 - 9:30 Breakfast (Bacon rolls served until 10:00)10:30 Session 6- "Moviemaking; Geoscience has got what it takes"12:30 Conference Closing session in Mystery World + prizes13:00 - 14:00 Buffet lunch in main building14:00 - 16:30 Free time16:30 Coach departs19:30 - 20:00 Coach arrives in Edinburgh


4 LIST OF DELEGATES

Staff and PostDocsGeoffrey Boulton Roger Hipkin Alistair Robertson Theodora VoltiColin Chilcott Martin Lee Kirill Scmulovic Shane VossYvonne Cooper Calum Macaulay Roger Scrutton Kathy WhalerPatience Cowie Justin MacNeil Zander Sneddon Mark WilkinsonJanet Cuthill Rachel Oxburgh Sebastian Tauber Sergei ZatsepinSarah Davies Ian Parsons Pauline Thompson Anton ZiolkowskiIrina Emelyanova Jackie Pates Jon TurnerColin Graham Anya Reading John Underhill

PostgraduatesRuth Acheson (2.y.PhD) Nikolaos Kourampas (4.y.PhD)Nadia Al-Abry (1.y.PhD) Yi-Jie Liu (1.y.PhD)Yousuf Al-Aufi (1.y.PhD) Shona MacKenzie (1.y.PhD)Fahad Al-Kindy (MRes) Aileen MacLeod (3.y.PhD)Khalil Al-Riyami (4.y.PhD) Ann Marchand (1.y.PhD)Theo Andrew (1.y.PhD) Thomas Mason (MRes)Erika Angerer (1.y.PhD) Lisa Morfi (2.y.PhD)Robert Bingham (MRes) Aderson Nascimento (2.y.PhD)Clare Bond (4.y.PhD) Nancy Ockendon (MRes)Hilde Borgos (PhD-visitor) Laura Park (MRes)Fabien Borocin (2.y.PhD) Hamish Pritchard (MRes)John Braisby (1.y.PhD) Lesley Rantell (2.y.PhD)Lucy Bunce (2.y.PhD) Rachel Robson (3.y.PhD)Andrew Cavanagh (4.y.PhD) Adele Rowden (MRes)Nicola Cayzer (1.y.PhD) Zoe Shipton (4.y.PhD)Mark Chapman (3.y.PhD) Martin Skinner (1.y.PhD)Matthew Clark (1.y.PhD) Conor Snowden (2.y.PhD)Susie Francis (5.y.PhD) Jessica Ustick (MRes)Ruth Gilpin (1.y.PhD) Anna Vickery (4.y.PhD)Emily Good (2.y.PhD) Patrik Vidstrand (PhD-visitor)Peter Hanßen (2.y.PhD) Francisco Vieira (5.y.PhD)Kathryn Hardacre (3.y.PhD) Amanda Voase (4.y.PhD)Richard Hesketh (1.y.PhD) Bridget Wade (2.y.PhD)Julie Hollis (2.y.PhD) Heije (Jack) Wang (2.y.PhD)Hugh Hopewell (4.y.PhD) Ellen Wolfenden (MRes)Andrew Hughes (3.y.PhD) Jun Yan (2.y.PhD)Noah Jaffey (2.y.PhD) Jianxin (Jerry) Yuan (3.y.PhD)Rodney Johnston (6.y.PhD,pt.) Fabio Zulbati Petrillo (1.y.PhD)Anne Johnstone (1.y.PhD)

GuestsGordon Brown (Schlumberger) Xiang-Yang Li(BGS-EAP)Steve Daines(Conoco) Colin MacBeth(BGS-EAP)Paul Degnan(Nirex) Fin Stuart(SURRC)Rob Ellam(SURRC) Mike Welland (Lasmo)Tony Fallick(SURRC) Leo Zijerveldt(Cairn)Kathryn Goodenough (SNH)

bold denotes a speaker


ROOM ALLOCATION 5

Room AllocationGordon Brown(Schlumberger)Steve Daines(Conoco)Paul Degnan(Nirex)Mike Welland(Lasmo)Alastair RobertsonGeoffrey BoultonAnton ZiolkowskiPatience Cowie, Leo Zijerveld(Cairn)Calum Macaulay, Anne MarchandJanet Cuthill, Yvonne CooperHilde Borgos, Theodora VoltiPauline Thompson, Julie HollisLisa Morfi, Lesley RantellRoger Scrutton, John UnderhillPatrik Vidstrand, Xiang-Yang LiSergei Zatsepin, Kirill SchmulovichAndrew Hughes, Andrew CavanaghAileen MacLeod, Kathryn HardacreZander Sneddon, Rodney Johnston, Peter HanßenSarah Davies, Jackie Pates, Irina EmelyanovaHugh Hopewell, Aderson Nascimento, Fabio Zulbati PetrillioKhalil Al-Riyami, Nikos Kourampas, Mark ChapmanBridget Wade, Lucy Bunce, Emily GoodFahad Al-Kindy, Thomas Mason, Martin SkinnerRuth Atchison, Shona MacKenzie, Nicola CayzerErika Angerer, Rachel Robson, Nadia Al-AbrySebastian Tauber, Mark Wilkinson, Francisco VieiraKathy Whaler, Rachel Oxburgh, Anya ReadingRoger Hipkin, Colin Graham, Martin LeeRuth Gilpin, Susie Francis, Anne JohnstoneJon Turner, Colin MacBeth, Ian ParsonsRob Ellam, Tony Fallick, Fin StuartShane Voss, Justin MacNeil, Colin ChilcottTheo Andrew, Matthew Clark, John Braisby, Richard HeskethNancy Ockendon, Laura Park, Adele Rowden, Jessica Ustick, Ellen WolfendeKathryn Goodenough, Zoe Shipton, Anna Vickery, Clare Bond, Amanda VoaseJerry Yuan, Yi-Jie Liu, Jun Yan, Jack Wang, Fabien BorocinHamish Pritchard, Robert Bingham, Noah Jaffey, Conor Snowden, Yousuf Al-Aufi


6 SESSION 1

Session 1

"WEIRD SCIENCE"Friday 5th February 15:30-17:30 Chairperson: Susie Francis

Lesley RantellTHE ABYSS:SPECIAL EDITION

‘The Abyss’ is a film about the discovery of alien creatures living in the deep ocean.

I am attempting to re-discover ‘oceanic aliens’ in the form of graptolites: Palaeozoic,colonial macro-plankton for which there is no modern comparison.

The nema, a spine projecting from the apex of the cone-shaped larval stage, is a definingfeature of the planktonic graptolites. The nema evolved from the holdfast, which rootedthe benthic ancestors to the seabed; and apparently re-evolved as the virgula spine, anextension to the nema as it was overgrown by the colony, in more recent species.

It is believed that understanding the function of the nema would provide a key to theunderstanding of graptolite ecology; but is the nema a functional structure or just anevolutionary relic?

Through experiments with isolated specimens and seawater I have shown that the presenceof the nemal spine has a profound effect on the orientation of the colony.

Thomas MasonWATERWORLD:HOW WATER CONTROLS GLOBAL CLIMATE IN MORE WAYS THAN YOUMIGHT INITIALLY THINK.

Chemical weathering, by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, plays an impor-tant role in controlling the earth’s climate. In this way variations in the rate of chemicalweathering on the earth’s surface can lead to global climate change.

It has been proposed that the strontium isotopic composition of seawater can be used as aproxy for chemical weathering rates. As rocks weather, they release strontium into riverswhich is then transported to the oceans. Changes in the isotopic composition of seawaterover time (in part) has been explained by changing this flux of strontium from chemicalweathering, and/or altering the average strontium isotopic composition of this flux.

What controls the release of strontium from rocks during chemical weathering, however,is poorly understood. In order to gain this information, a study of how strontium isotopesbehaved during the tropical weathering of basalts from the Deccan Traps of India is beingundertaken.

The objective of the study is to investigate what controls the flux of strontium from rockas they weathered, and what controls the isotopic composition the strontium released.


SESSION1 7

This will provide valuable information for modelling the strontium isotopic compositionof seawater in order to study changing global weathering rates.

Erika AngererPLANET OF APE:PROCESSING AND MODELLING TEMPORAL CHANGES IN SHEAR-WAVESPLITTING

Time lapse seismic exploration provides an important tool for improved oil recovery,IOR, where the monitoring of fluid flow is the main issue, which is triggered by sub-surface pressure changes. Zatsepin and Crampin (1997) have developed an anisotropicporo-elasticity theory (APE) for the deformation of stress-aligned, fluid-saturated micro-cracks in rock that establishes a relationship between sub-surface pressure changes andthe splitting of seismic shear-waves into a fast and a slow shear-wave in anisotropic rocks.The validity of APE will be confirmed by attempting to establish a model that matchesthe anisotropic changes determined from a given data set. APE models the evolution offluid-saturated microcracks in rock under changing pressure conditions.

The available data set was acquired by the Reservoir Characterization Project, ColoradoSchool of Mines, in Vacuum Field, New Mexico, one before and one after a CO2-floodin a dolomite reservoir. The data set is being processed in a way that allows the seismicevidence of shear-wave splitting, polarization directions and time delays, to be preserved.The data are input to an analysis of the anisotropic conditions from the top of the sectionto the target layer, where changes in shear-wave splitting occur.

Mike Welland (Lasmo)THE YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN:"PURE VERSUS APPLIED" - DISPELLING THE MYTH.

It can be argued (indeed it will be argued) that the common distinction between "pure"and "applied" science is a myth and a dangerous distraction, serving only the convenienceof those parties with axes to grind and vested interests to protect. So-called "pure sci-ence" is described as such simply in the context of its time rather than in thoughtful orimaginative reflection on its value or intellectual longevity. Similarly, "applied science"is deemed somehow less worthy rather than recognising its feedback value with its moreillustrious relation. Admittedly, at any given time there is a spectrum of immediacy ofscientific endeavour, but the history of science is essentially one of constant (and oftensurprising) movement within that spectrum and progress is only made by stimulating andanticipating that movement. The earth sciences are no exception - countless examplesin the relationships between research and the oil and gas industry illustrate this and theearth science community can only benefit from considering those examples from the past,examining the present and imagining the future.


8 SESSION 1

Martin SkinnerTRIASSIC PARK:THE LOST RESERVOIR QUALITY

Oil production in the northern North Sea has concentrated upon the Jurassic and Pa-laeocene formations sourced by the Kimmeridge clay. However, in recent years, oil com-panies have started to examine the underlying Triassic Formations to assess their reservoirquality and production potential.

A regional re-examination of the Statfjord and Cormorant Formations by Shell has raiseda series of interesting questions. The aim of this project is to attempt to answer them.These questions include:1) What depth trends are likely to be seen in the formations?2) To what extent does facies control the subsequent cementation?3) Is there a relationship between blocky cement and compaction and what is its relativeimportance?

As well as examing the answers to these questions, there are other more fundamentalaspects need addressing. These relate to the stratigraphy and provenancing of the sedi-ments and their subsequent control on the initial sediment components of the Formations.Hence a work program designed to address this and allow valid, productive work to followis vital.

Jun YanJOURNEY TO THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH:A NEW VELOCITY MODEL OF DUAL POROSITY BY WELL-LOGGING

In order to predict the P-wave and S-wave velocities from a clay-sand mixture, Xu andWhite (1995) consider that the porosity may be divided into components attached to eachclay and sand fraction separately.

They also consider that these fractions should possess different aspect ratios, but that theseshould remain fixed for the entire depth interval under consideration. Here, this restrictionis relaxed by the construction of an inversion procedure which allows the aspect ratios tobe calculated on a depth by depth basis using the log data.

The model requires as input, sonic, density and gamma ray logs, together with core-derived porosity. Additional input includes the elastic moduli of the sand grains, clayparticles and pore fluid. In the Xu-White model, the velocities are deduced by firstlyevaluating the clay fraction, after dividing the total porosity, then using Kuster-Toksoztheory incorporates the effect of the pores, and Gassman’s equation for fluid effects.

The new approach suggested here utilises a back propagation neural network to invert thisset of equations to recover pore aspect ratios directly.


SESSION1 9

Shane Voss and Justin MacNeilTHEM!COMPUTER BLUNDERS

"I’m having trouble with Word.""What sort of trouble?""Suddenly all the words went away.""Went away?""They disappeared.""Hmm. What does the screen say now?""Nothing.""Are you still in Word?""How can I tell?""Can you move the cursor around?""There isn’t any cursor.""Look on the back of the monitor and find where the power cord goes in. Can you seethat?""Yes, I think so.""Great! Follow the cord, is it plugged into the wall?""I can’t reach.""Well, can you see it?""No.""Even if you lean over?""Oh, it’s not because of the angle - it’s because it’s dark.""Dark?""Yes, the office light is off.""Well, turn the light on then.""I can’t.""Why not?""There’s a power-cut.""A power-cut...? Aha! Okay, we’ve got it!Do you still have the boxes and stuff your computer came in?""Well, yes....""Good! Get them, unplug your system and pack it up just like itwas when you got it. Then take it back to the shop.""Really? Is it that bad?""I’m afraid so.""Well, all right then, I suppose. What do I tell them?""Tell them you’re too stupid to own a computer."


10 SESSION 2

Session 2

"MISERY: THE HORRORS OF RESEARCH"Saturday 6th February 9:45-11:15 Chairperson: Emily Good

Ruth AchesonSCREAM ...?USING PLANKTONIC FORAMINIFERA FOR PALAEOCEANOGRAPHIC RE-CONSTRUCTION

Planktonic foraminiferal abundance and benthic isotope data from the Southern CapeBasin, offshore Cape Town, South Africa, have the potential not only to resolve furtherthe palaeoceanography of the south-east Atlantic, but also in the regional construction ofclimate change. The ocean’s ability to store and redistribute heat, through surface anddeep water circulation systems, plays a major role in climatic variability over varioustimescales. It has been suggested that the driving element of the ocean circulation sys-tem, the North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW), leaving the North Atlantic is balanced bya return surface water flow from the Indian Ocean around the tip of southern Africa. Theoceanography of the Southern Cape Basin is reflected in the movement of the Subtrop-ical Convergence (STC) (front seen in the atmosphere and the ocean) and warm watereddies from the Indian Ocean, via the Agulhas Current. Reconstruction of sea surfacetemperatures from the planktonic foraminifera data in this area is difficult. Surface wa-ter circulation is complex, and exhibits characteristics of several, different water masses.Nevertheless, this region is a major focus area for research aimed at understanding presentand past oceanographic processes, as well as the ocean and climate response to insolationdriven changes in the late Quaternary.

Theo AndrewI KNOW WHAT YOU DID (OR RATHER DIDN’T DO!) LAST SUMMER:A NIGHTMARE IN TURKEY, PART 7.

Due to the complexities of orogenic belts, i.e intensely deformed regions which constitutemountain ranges, the systematic and objective analysis of these regional-scale structureshas lead to a number of different approaches. The problem of linking outcrop geologyto global scale tectonic processes is generally overcome by the identification and inter-pretation of ‘packages’ of rocks, i.e tectonic units. The basis for this subdivision is togroup similar rocks together according to lithology and structure. This makes subsequentanalysis easier by dividing the problem into more manageable pieces.

This talk aims to provide a brief insight into the analysis of part of the Eastern Mediter-ranean Tethyan orogen, S.W Turkey, through the identification of ‘Tectonic Facies’. Atectonic facies is a process related description of a tectonic unit and can be considered asthe sum total of features which characterise provenance from past tectonic settings. Fea-tures used to identify such facies include lithology, structure and the results from studies


SESSION2 11

utilising geochemical, palaeomagnetical and micropalaeontological data. Observationalstudies from present day oceans and margins have allowed past tectonic settings to beidentified within orogenic belts.

Laura ParkTHE DIATOMMYKNOCKERS:USING DIATOM ANALYSIS IN PALAEOENVIRONMENTAL RECONSTRUC-TIONS IN NORTHERN MEXICO

In order to understand climatic change on all scales, researchers have sought to recon-struct previous climates using a variety of palaeoclimatic data. Diatom analysis is a wellestablished tool employed by researchers to reconstruct environmental conditions. Di-atoms are unicellular algae, which have a characteristic external wall composed of silica.This allows them to be preserved in both marine and freshwater sediments. A communityof diatom species is determined by the prevailing environmental conditions, and fossil as-semblages of these communities are often preserved in the sediment record. By extractinga core, the sediment record can be interrogated over a range of timescales.

The aim of this research project is to reconstruct as far as possible climatic and environ-mental conditions in Northern Mexico from the glacial transition to the Holocene and forits duration. This environmental reconstruction will be based on cores from palaeolakesin the Chihuahua Desert. This research is intended to link to palaeoenvironmental datafrom other locations within the Chihuahua Desert as the east of the desert has not beeninvestigated to the same degree as the north and southeast, and indeed there is a significantgap. These results can then be examined in the context of the wider region as a whole.

John BraisbyAMITYVILLE 1999 (IT’S MAGNETICS TIME):THE TWO WHATS AND A WHY OF ENVIRONMENTAL MAGNETISM

Paleomagnetism, the study of the Earth’s ancient magnetic field, has been integral too thedevelopment of plate tectonics, and it’s application is the only way to identify geomag-netic reversals and past magnetic field strengths and directions. In all of these areas ofstudy the use of rocks, as a kind of magnetic tape, to record the Earth’s past magnetic fieldhas been fundamental. Environmental magnetism uses the same laboratory instruments aspaleomagnetism, however instead of using them to gain an insight into past fields it usesthem to investigate their constituent magnetic minerals and hence study past and presentenvironments. Essentially environmental magnetism has moved the interest from what isrecorded on the magnetic tape to what is the magnetic tape made of and where did it comefrom. This talk sets out to answer three questions:

1) What is environmental magnetism?2) What do environmental magnetists do?3) Why do they do it?

It is hoped that the answering of these questions will give an insight into the abilities andlimitations of environmental magnetism.


12 SESSION 2

Nancy OckendonTHE SEQUENCING OF THE LAMBS:USING GENETIC MARKERS TO ASSESS INBREEDING IN A POPULATIONOF SOAY SHEEP

This project aims to use genetic markers in a novel fashion to investigate the extent ofinbreeding in an unmanaged population of Soay sheep. The study population lives onthe island of Hirta, part of the St. Kilda archipelago, which lies 80 miles west of theScottish mainland. It has been the subject of an intensive, individual-based study since1985 and the population undergoes large fluctuations in size with periods of high over-winter mortality (crashes).

This study will use microsatellites, a type of genetic marker, to assess the level of related-ness between individuals’ parents. The technique will be optimised as a tool to measureinbreeding; individuals’ level of inbreeding will then be related to fitness traits (such asbirth weight, over-winter survival and parasite load).

Inbreeding and its effects have rarely been quantified for natural populations; however,it has generally been assumed that inbreeding reduces the genetic diversity of a popula-tion and also has deleterious effects on fitness. Due to human interference and habitatdestruction there are currently an unprecedented number of small, endangered animalpopulations. Improved knowledge of how to measure inbreeding and its effects on fitnessshould be useful in formulating management breeding plans and conservation strategies.

Kathryn Goodenough (Scottish Natural Heritage)The SSShIning:Conservation of Scotland’s geological heritage

Conservation of the geological heritage in Scotland is based on a network of over 800 sitesof geological interest, which were selected in a process called the Geological Conserva-tion Review (GCR). The GCR sites span the whole country and cover every type of EarthScience interest, from Lewisian gneiss to Quaternary sea-level change. The majority ofthese sites have been notified as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs).

The popular view of a SSSI is as an area which should be left untouched, whatever thenature of the site: but Earth Science conservation is not always that simple. There areessentially two types of site: integrity sites and exposure sites. Integrity sites containfinite and limited deposits, such as fossil beds, or landforms that are irreplaceable if de-stroyed. Exposure sites, by contrast, provide exposures of a deposit which is extensiveunderground. Such sites may include quarries, cliffs and road cuttings, and it is oftenthe case that processes that could destroy an integrity site (such as quarrying) are actu-ally beneficial in terms of the conservation of an exposure site. In this talk, examplesof SSSIs throughout Scotland will be given, and some of the principles involved in theirconservation will be discussed.


SESSION3 13

Session 3

"The G.R.I.F.T.A.sThe Grant Institute Film and Television Awards"

Saturday 6th February 11:45-13:15 Chairperson: Amanda Voase and Andy Hughes

Lisa MorfiTHE SOUTH AFRICAN FULL MONTY:GEOCHEMICAL VARIATIONS IN POLYMICT PERIDOTITES

Polymict peridotites are a suite of mantle rocks which contain rock fragments and min-erals cemented by ilmenite, rutile, phlogopite and sulphides. The characteristics of thiscement or matrix suggest that these rocks have been generated at depth. There is a twostage theory behind their formation. This involves sampling of rock fragments from theupper mantle by a fluid which migrated from depth and eventually crystallises the ma-trix of the rock. The consolidated polymict rocks were later collected and transportedto a near-surface environment by a younger intrusion. The polymict rocks provide anexcellent opportunity to study mantle metasomatism. Metasomatism is a change in thechemical composition of the minerals in the rock. This change is brought about by theintroduction of material from an external source - in this case the fluid which eventuallycrystallised the matrix. Preliminary results of electron microprobe analysis are suggestiveof metasomatic processes operating on fragments derived from a variety of sources. Pre-liminary ion microprobe analysis also indicates a variety of sources for the rock fragmentsand has ‘revealed’ features of the matrix.

Ellen WolfendenPOINT BREAK:THE EVOLUTION OF PROCESS ZONES OF STRIKE SLIP FAULTS IN SEDI-MENTS

If you’re searching for "point break", you don’t need to look to Utah for 100adrenaline,as nowhere is better for some surf action than the coastal sections of the Midland Valley,Scotland.

Point break for the strike-slip faults hosted by the Carboniferous sediments of Ardross,Fife and Barns Ness, East Lothian is revealed in the multilayered action plot of pastfailures in calciferous sandstones and limestones. The ultimate quest is to evaluate thestyle of deformation recorded in the process zones of metre scale strike slip faults by thedensity, orientation and distribution of microfractures, and the degree of grain boundarydeformation.

At Barns Ness, the processes of deformation will be compared between a calciferoussandstone and a limestone to evaluate the control of lithology on the recorded fracturing.At Ardross, deformation is partitioned between normal and strike slip displacement. The


14 SESSION 3

microfracturing associated with deformation in this more complex situation may recordfault interaction on different scales and at different stages in the fracture population’sevolution.

Previous models for process zones in quartzite and changing stress fields at fault tips ingranite will be evaluated by fault data, mapped on cm scale, and from SEM analysis ofcored samples.

Mark ChapmanBREAKING THE WAVES:MICROSTRUCTURAL POROELASTICITY

The theory of poroelasticity, founded by Biot in 1956 and extended by a range of au-thors, has enjoyed considerable success in predicting velocity dispersion and attenuationfor seismic waves. By contrast, the interpretation of seismic anisotropy in terms of prefer-entially oriented micro-cracks is dependent upon Eshelby’s theory for the response of anelastic inclusion to applied stress, and this restriction has led to a range of models, such asthat of Hudson, which predict essentially non-dispersive behaviour. We present a modelwhich permits the fluid-rock interaction characteristic of poroelasticity, but which hasbeen derived directly from Eshelby’s theory. The classical Biot equations and the Hudsonmodel are both recovered as limiting cases, and the transition between these cases is inter-preted in terms of the standard idea of squirt flow. Finally, the velocities and attenuationspredicted by the model are presented.

Richard HeskethEVENT HORIZON:BIOSTRATIGRAPHIC CALIBRATION AND SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHIC IN-TERPRETATION OF THE UPPER JURASSIC SUCCESSION, SCOTLAND ANDTHE NORTH SEA

Biostratigraphy is essentially the subdivision of geological time, based on the recognitionof floral and faunal events within the geological record and the horizons at which theyoccur.

Significant anomalies have recently been identified in correlating micropalaeontology,palynology and ammonite zonation schemes in the Upper Jurassic of the North Sea. Theseanomalies are thought to exist as a result of thermal updoming in the Middle Jurassic,which formed an effective faunal and floral barrier between the boreal and sub-borealrealms in the area.

Seminal work on the Upper Jurassic of Britain was based on the classic southern Englandonshore sections, which are not applicable to many offshore sections in the more northernNorth Sea. As a result, the observed ranges of some species do not correlate with thestandard sub-boreal Jurassic ammonite zonation.

By studying Scottish Jurassic onshore sections and cored intervals from the offshore studyarea (the Outer Moray Firth), it should be possible to construct a new micropalaeontologi-


SESSION3 15

cal / palynological biozonation for the boreal Upper Jurassic which can be correlated withthe standard ammonite zonation for the boreal realm. This biostratigraphic template canthen be used to eradicate correlative anomalies in sequence stratigraphic studies of thissuccession in the Outer Moray Firth and beyond.

Fahad Al-KindyALICE IN FRACTAL LAND:THE FRACTAL NATURE OF ROCKS; EVIDENCE FROM MATHEMATICALANALYSIS OF GEOPHYSICAL BORE-HOLE LOG DATA

A simple definition of a fractal system is one that is scale invariant, this means that thesystem will look the same at any scale. One example is an aerial photograph of a coastline.Without a scale on the photo, it would be difficult for one to tell from what elevation thephoto was taken. There are many examples of fractal systems that occur in nature. Theseinclude river systems, meteorological phenomena, and turbulent flow of fluids.

It has been shown that small-scale fluctuations in rock properties show long range correla-tion. For example, there will be a scale independent tendency for small fractures to clusterinto larger fractures. In this study, mathematical analysis shows that the scale invariantbehaviour is also found in petrological bore-hole log data. The evidence further showsthat this behaviour, in some cases, is independent of lithology as well as the parametersbeing measured (resistivity, gamma ray, sonic velocity, etc.). This is shown in spectralpower-logs as well as in cumulative-sum plots of the data.


16 SESSION 4

Session 4

"THE TIME BANDITS"Saturday 6th February 14:15-15:45 Chairperson: Peter Hanßen

Anne JohnstoneTHE WASTED YEARS:THE PRO’S AND CON’S OF USING OSMIUM AS A PROXY FOR CHEMICALWEATHERING

The rate of chemical weathering of the continental crust is related to global climate changevia the greenhouse effect. Weathering of silicate minerals causes a net drawdown ofCO2, the feedback for which is mantle outgassing of CO2 via volcanic activity. Increasesin chemical weathering rates over geological time may cause global cooling. Using ra-dioisotopes as proxies for chemical weathering rates provides a mechanism for attemptingto quantify these rates. Osmium, one of the Platinum Group Elements, has seven stableisotopes, one of which187Os, is a decay product of187Re. The geochemical characteris-tics of rhenium and osmium cause the isotopic composition of crustal rocks to be an orderof magnitude higher than either the mantle or meteoritic rocks. Because the oceans inte-grate osmium derived from all of these sources then changes in the isotopic compositionof seawater should reflect changes in chemical weathering rates over geological time.

The application of the osmium curve is complicated by the fact that the isotopic ratioof crustal rocks spans a large range of values. This means that changes in the isotopiccomposition of seawater may not be reflecting a change in the rate of chemical weatheringbut a change in the isotopic composition of the flux of osmium from continents. In orderto use osmium as a proxy for chemical weathering rates its behaviour during chemicalweathering must be known in detail, as must the osmium budget in seawater. Because ofthe very small concentrations of osmium in rocks and seawater, these are quantities thatare very difficult to obtain. Sharma et al (1997) have had success in measuring osmiumin seawater. The research to be carried out over the course of this PhD should contributeto the knowledge of osmium’s behaviour during weathering.

Adele RowdenONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERIA:CONSERVATION GENETICS OF A THREATENED MEXICAN TREE SPECIES,FAGUS MEXICANA

Mexican beech (Fagus mexicana) is an endangered, endemic tree species found in Mexi-can montane cloud forests. It is economically and culturally important yet surprisingly, al-most nothing is known of its ecology and biology. Human exploitation and conversion ofthe forests in which it grows have left remaining areas severely degraded, fragmented andeffectively refuges for the species which they contain. Past population history influencescurrent genetic variation patterns. The consequence of reducing genetic variability within


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populations is non-viability of the population and ultimately, extinction of the species.Molecular techniques have been used to study the genetic structure of plant species how-ever, none of the molecular methods have been used to analyse F. mexicana. The randomamplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis has been widely employed in studies oftropical tree species and will be used by this project to provide genetic information oncurrent population differentiation in F. mexicana. Whilst this study will be interestingfrom a population biology point of view, an understanding of the intraspecific distributionof genetic variation within the natural range is essential for planning appropriate conser-vation and restoration programmes to improve this species’ chances of survival into thefuture.

Matthew ClarkTHE LAND BEFORE TIME III ( The Tertiary):CONVERGENT PLATE BOUNDARIES AND THE RELEVANCE OF FIELD-WORK IN THE ULUKISLA BASIN, SOUTH CENTRAL TURKEY

Convergent tectonic settings can be viewed in three main groups, oceanic (Subductionzones), "hard" collision (Continent-continent e.g. Himalayas) and "soft" collision (Con-tinental "fragments" - continent e.g. Turkey). "Soft" continental collision may be a pre-cursor to "hard" collision. In the Tethyan zone soft collision is represented by the closureof small ocean basins by northward movement of small continental blocks which collidedinto the Eurasian plate.

Preservation potential of soft collision is relatively low. The meeting of the continentalplates and the resultant mountain building, i.e. hard collision, often destroys the evidenceof such processes. It is important to relate Geology seen in the field to these global tectonicprocesses. The Ulukisla basin in Southern Turkey provides the opportunity to do thisbecause of varied geology, good exposure and a lack of major deformational processes.

The history and tectonic setting of the basin can be inferred by establishing the "tectonicfacies" (See T. Andrew this volume). This will be achieved by assessment of, amongstothers, volcanic setting; dating of fossils; environmental interpretation of limestones andevaporites; origin and style of sandstone deposition and assessment of basin structure.The information gained from study of the Ulukisla Basin may then be applied to otherorogenic systems where early history is obscured by later deformation events.

Aileen McLeodTHE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT:ON THE MAGNITUDE OF EROSION OF THE FOOTWALLS OF NORMALFAULTS

The evolution of normal fault systems, and hence the contemporaneous sedimentationwithin an extensional regime, is extremely dynamic. This study is concerned with thedevelopment of sediment-starved half-grabens and has 2 goals:(1) To understand the processes of erosion of the footwall scarps of normal faults, and


18 SESSION 4

(2) To use the proximal hangingwall deposits, mostly derived from the denuded footwall,to reconstruct the sedimentary and tectonic evolution of the basin.

Employing examples from the subsurface of the northern North Sea and field studiesin central east Greenland, it is possible to demonstrate the longevity of footwall highs,during both syn- and post-tectonic times, and quantify the magnitude of footwall erosionand hangingwall deposition.

Yi-Jie LiuSPLIT SECOND:FRACTURE DETECTION USING P-WAVE SEISMIC

Small faults below the resolution of conventional seismic exploration are called "fracture"here. Some types of reservoirs are closely related to these fractures. Knowing fracturestrike and density is critical to the successful development of reservoirs, because the frac-tures may act as either paths or barriers to reservoir fluid. Here I discuss only verticalfractures.

How to detect these fractures?

It is possible to detect fractures using drilling and multicomponent seismic methods butthese are very expensive. Compared with these, the conventional P-wave method is muchcheaper.

In this report I compared the three different P-wave techniques for fracture detection. Thetechniques are performed using the three attributes of the seismic P-wave: moveout (traveltime), amplitude and velocity separately. Our modelling shows that the same results canbe achieved by each of the three different methods. By comparing the three results it ispossible to enhance the precision of fracture detection.

Steve Daines (Conoco)THE (NEVER)ENDING STORY:THE HYDROCARBON INDUSTRY IN THE UK

Prediction of hydrocarbon reserves for a prospect usually contains a large range of un-certainty. Upon discovery, reserves are refined on the basis of the new information, andagain it is likely that a large range of uncertainty exists. As appraisal, development andproduction occurs, ranges of uncertainty are continuously updated. As time goes by andmore information is incorporated, the range of uncertainty narrows. The final reserve orultimate production is dominated by economic considerations. At field abandonment, therange of uncertainty in reserves is smallest, but what is certain is how much has been pro-duced. In other words, you don’t really know how much you’ve got until you’ve finished.

So, at any time an estimation of the Nation’s oil and gas reserves has a large range of un-certainty (32 - 49 billion barrels). The first significant discovery offshore UK was madein 1965 in the Southern North Sea. Since then 25 billion barrels have been produced.Production is forecast to peak this year at over 1.5 billion barrels. And even more diffi-cult to pin down is a range for undiscovered reserves, or an understanding of the future


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potential of the province. Estimates for remaining undiscovered reserves reflect the broaduncertainty: 5 - 30 billion barrels. Where could reserves in the upper range come from?

However, experts are notoriously bad at successfully predicting the future. Experts tend tosee the problems, not possibilities. Who can predict the economic environment 20 yearsfrom now when the area could be approaching the finale? What’s needed is a view ofthe future that keeps alive viable, enthusiastic possibilities whilst creating and objectivelyevaluating current commercial opportunities.


20 SESSION 5

Session 5

"FILM 99"Saturday 6th February 16:15-17:45 Chairperson: Norman Barry

Conor SnowdenA PASSAGE TO INDIA:THE ROLE OF FORENSIC SEISMOLOGY

On a spring evening in May in the Rajastan desert, India, a seismic event shook the villageof Pokhran It was measured around the world, and at the International Data Centre (whichlocates all moderate and large earthquakes) it was routinely analysed by a computer anda location, origin time and depth were assigned Sixty km depth; nothing to worry about!A few hours later India announced that it had just carried out four nuclear tests; it’s firstsince 1974! Just shows you cannot always trust a computer

Over the next few weeks an arms race gripped the region. India claimed to have carriedout another test two days later and Pakistan followed with six (allegeded) tests of theirown. This talk will take you on "a passage to India" to explore the role of seismology ininvestigating the Indian and Pakistan Nuclear Explosions. I will show how seismologycan be used as a detective tool to see behind the government propaganda and find out whatexactly did go on last May in the deserts of the Indian sub-continent.

Hejie WangVERTIGO:THE ANALYSIS OF VERTICAL CABLE SEISMIC (VCS) DATA FOR ANISO-TROPY

As a potential exploration technique, VCS uses vertical arrays of hydrophones and a con-ventional air gun array source to extend the range of azimuths from which data is obtainedwhile not compromising resolution. It aims to improve the accuracy of reservoir charac-terization and depth imaging in structurally complex areas. Since this acquistion is rela-tively new, processing techniques have not yet been fully formed, and significant develop-ment is required to define an appropriate method to accurately estimate fracture propertiesfrom anisotropy analysis. The project involves VCS data pre-processing, anisotropy esti-mation, modelling and case study.

Nicola CayzerSOME LIKE IT HOT:COOLING TEXTURES IN FELDSPARS

Feldspars in igneous and metamorphic rocks can exhibit a wide range of textures whichform as the mineral cools from high temperature. When the feldspars are initially crys-tallised in a magma chamber or are formed during a high-grade metamorphic reaction,


SESSION5 21

their composition is a mixture of up to three different components. These components(Na, K & Ca) are quite happy to be randomly distributed throughout the crystal latticeat high temperature. As it cools, the crystal lattice becomes strained by large (K) atomssitting next to smaller (Na) atoms. The crystal attempts to reduce this strain energy byseparating the components into discrete areas and thus producing the textures observed.

To date most work on feldspar microtextures has concentrated on samples from igneousintrusions such as the Klokken intrusion, South Greenland and the Shap Granite in Cum-bria. The textures of feldspars in high-grade metamorphic rocks have largely been over-looked although they may hold clues to the cooling history of such rocks.

Jessica UstickFAULTLINES:EXTENSION IN THE MORAY FIRTH

The Moray Firth of North-eastern Scotland is the western arm of the North Sea TripleJunction. Its activity as an extensional basin began during the Middle to Late Jurassic(about 156 million years ago) with the activation of a number of small faults in the basin.As the onset of rifting only occurred over a "short" period of time (1 million years), the"Event Horizon" is the surface that contains the effects of early rifting. The fault studiedhere is the Beatrice Fault, so chosen because of the large number of exploration andproduction wells drilled nearby.

The goal of this project is to determine what effects extension-related faulting had on sed-imentation patterns, rates and sources. This will be achieved by digitally analysing thegeophysical well logs from the Beatrice Field. As a supplement to the geophysical data,biostratigraphic data and available core sections will be consulted. This project will cul-minate with the detailed stratigraphy and (hopefully) correlation of sediments depositedduring the earliest pre-rift phase of the Middle Jurassic.

Yousuf Al-AufiBACK TO THE FUTUREUSING FORWARD MODELLING

Submarine fans and turbidite systems constitute major petroleum reservoirs in more than85 sedimentary basins around the world. They produce oil and/or gas from a variety ofstructural, stratigraphic, and combined traps and they have wide occurrences in diversetectonic settings, which result in the great variability in reservoir geometries and charac-teristics. Clearly, an understanding of how turbidite systems form and their reservoir char-acteristics is crucial for both exploration and production strategies. The development andintegration of 3-D seismic-reflection data in production and exploration geology duringthe past 20 years has greatly aided the understanding and mapping of turbidite sandstonebodies. Typically, body information is normally extracted by eye in a 2-dimensional way.However, the physical characterisation of bodies is still very generalised and currentlylimited to bulk physical properties such as impedance or equivalent porosity. This project


22 SESSION 5

has the objective of extracting more information from 3D seismic by improved body anal-ysis and thus allowing more efficient and detailed input to geological models from seismicinterpretation. The proposed methodology is to start with constructing several 3 dimen-sional depositional scenarios. By forward modelling, synthetic seismic for each scenariocan be generated. These data sets will then be investigated by body checking and a setof seismic attributes defining the body will be identified. By an iterative process inves-tigation will be carried-out as to which physical properties influence the geometry of thebodies in the seismic data. When satisfactory attributes are recognised, body checkingwill then be run on real data to check the applicability of these attributes in defining bodygeometries.

Ruth GilpinA RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT:DRAINAGE EVOLUTION IN NORMAL FAULT OVERLAP ZONES

This recent release from Tecton Inc. follows a couple of young faults growing up (andlengthways) at a time of great regional tension. Although both are initially isolated bythe environment in which they are born, the faults gradually grow towards each other,and as their world is slowly torn apart around them, they instinctively reach out for eachother. After many catastrophic events, the couple are finally joined in an everlastingunion. However, this complex relationship has enormous repercussions for both theirsurroundings and the lives of other faults around them.

Throughout all this flowed a river, which faithfully recorded the various stages of turmoiland upheaval in its different branches and terraces; though many have long been forgottenand left to moss over. Many years later, a young girl stumbles on this fascinating chron-icle. As she begins to carefully unravel the interwoven threads of the river’s story, sheembarks on a voyage of discovery that will take her to California, Iceland and France...


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Session 6

"MOVIEMAKING; GEOSCIENCE HAS GOT WHAT IT TAKES"Sunday 7th February 10:30-12:00 Chairperson: Kathryn Hardacre

Robert BinghamA DAY IN THE LIFE OF A MODEL:MODELLING THE ICE-SHEET DYNAMICS OF MYRDALSJÖKULL, SOUTHICELAND

Numerical modelling of ice-sheets is a fast-growing field in modern glaciology. Manyscientists believe that the extent of ice on the Earth provides a reflection of global climate,and that global ice-sheet fluctuations are good indicators of long-term climatic changes.Numerical modelling of ice-sheets provides us with a method of reconstructing climaticchanges over large time-scales. The technique is based on defining mathematical rela-tionships between variables including air temperature, precipitation and topography.

Numerical modelling of ice-sheets in Iceland is important for reconstructing global cli-matic changes, because the island is situated at the present atmospheric and polar fronts.Most ice-sheets in Iceland have advanced in cooler periods in the past, and retreated dur-ing warmer periods. However, geomorphological evidence from the Myrdalsjökull regionsuggests that this ice-sheet has not followed the general pattern. It has been hypothesisedthat an irregular underlying topography and a strong north-south precipitation gradienthave greatly influenced the response of Myrdalsjökull to climatic changes.

If ice-sheet models are to aid in the study of climatic changes, then they must be able toaccount for supposedly anomalous situations such as that presented by Myrdalsjökull. Itis for this reason that I am constructing a numerical model of Myrdalsjökull in order torelate precipitation and temperature changes to ice-sheet dynamics.

Nadia Al-AbryBUILDING THE SCENERY:THE MAGNUS TURBIDITE SYSTEM

The Magnus turbidite system is of great economic interest, the sandstone bodies maycontain one of the largest untapped hydrocarbon volumes in the Northern North Sea. Up-per Jurassic turbidite deposits are found in both the Magnus (BP) and Penguin (Shell)fields. These sediments were deposited during Jurassic rifting and show significant lateralvariability and considerable sedimentological and structural complexity. The oil-bearingreservoir interval in the Penguin field has been interpreted as the distal portion of a sub-marine fan system generated to the northeast (Magnus field). However, the relationshipbetween Magnus and Penguin is as yet poorly constrained. Using 3D seismic data, coreand well log data, this study will:1.) place the Magnus turbidite system from the Penguin and Magnus fields into a regionalcontext;


24 SESSION 6

2.) understand the evolution of a deep-water depositional system during active faulting;3.) find new hydrocarbon

Hamish PritchardAND... ACTION! - CATCHING IT ALL ON FILM:REMOTE MEASUREMENT OF GLACIAL FLOW AND TOPOGRAPHY USINGSYNTHETIC APERTURE RADAR INTERFEROMETRY: APPLICATIONS TOTHE PATAGONIAN ICEFIELDS

The South Patagonian Icefield is the largest ice mass outside the poles. Straddling theChilean - Argentine border in the high southern Andes, it is fed by very heavy snowfallsupplied by the prevailing, strong mid-latitude westerly winds from the Pacific. The heavysnows and temperate climate result in an extremely active glacial system, with some ofthe fastest flowing glaciers in the world, a system very responsive to changes in climate.The same weather conditions make studying this area very difficult, however. Very littleresearch on the glaciers has been done in the field, and conventional remote sensing hasbeen hampered by near-perpetual cloud-cover.

The new technique of radar interferometry makes it possible to measure, with extremeprecision, distance from the sensor on the Space Shuttle Endeavour, to the ground. Itis able to penetrate cloud, and does not require sunlight. By using pairs of images, adigital topographic map can be produced. By using a time series of images over a fewdays, glacial flow can also be measured, to within 4 mm per day. It is intended to usethis technique to map, for the first time, ice elevation and flow for an800km

2 area in thecentre of the South Patagonian Icefield. The results should act as a baseline for detectingclimate-related change, and as an aid to understanding and modelling the Icefield system.

Gordon Brown (Schlumberger Geco-Prakla)FROM 1-D TO 4-D::IMAGES, FILMS AND VIRTUAL REALITY

Imaging the reservoir has been Schlumberger’s objective for over 70 years. From pointsamples to sections to 3-D volumes and now to time-lapse simulations of a depletingreservoir; new oilfield technology continues to clarify our understanding of the sub- sur-face. Images, films and a virtual reality tour of Geco-Prakla’s new seismic vessel showthe technology which make these images possible.

Fabien BorocinSCALE STRUCTURE DUBBING:A PRACTICAL APPROACH FOR UPSCALING TO SEISMICS

Our aim is to relate, via upscaling, the properties of well logs and attributes of seismicsurveys. Features on scales smaller than the resolution of seismic cannot be explicitlyimaged, but do affect the propagation of seismic waves. We aim to obtain a better corre-


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lation between seismic attributes and geological features such as fractures, porosity andpermeability.

The first stage of this process entails using a map of the acoustic impedance of the ge-ological structure studied, which includes a finite set of predominant depths and scales.This set, extracted from the well-logs is assumed to contain all of the relevant elasticinformation on the geological structure (and can be obtained using a wavelet transformprocedure).

We aim to develop a practical algorithm for upscaling to help us better understand therole of finely layered structures on seismic waves. This method will finally aid us indiscriminating between the different sources of seismic anisotropy.

Paul Degnan (Nirex UK)NUCLEAR WASTE - DEEP IMPACT OR ARMAGEDDON?

Noah JaffeyTHE TURKISH BLOCKBUSTER:RECORDING CONTINENTAL COLLISION AND STRIKE-SLIP IN TERTIARYSEDIMENTS

The sedimentary record in basins on either side of a collision - related mountain rangecan often reveal a great deal about the timing and nature of uplift of such mountains. Thistalk aims to show that the sedimentary successions in three largely non-marine basins ofthe Taurus Mountains of Southern Turkey have recorded the pulsed uplift and erosion ofthese mountains during the Cenozoic. The sediments of the Ulukisla, Ecemis and KarsantiBasins show a simple overprinting of palaeo-river flow directions. These palaeocurrentscan be used to reconstruct Cenozoic topographies, and (including information on chang-ing grain compositions) can be used to define the uplift and erosion phases of the TaurusMountains. This in turn can be related to the regional picture of microcontinent accretionand continental collision along the southern margin of Turkey during the Cenozoic. Thisregion of Turkey has also suffered late-stage strike slip faulting and local E-W extension.The history of these large scale strike slip zones is discussed with reference to the localsedimentary record.


26 HOTEL PLAN

Hotel Plan

Ground Floor

First Floor


ROAD PLAN 27

Road Plan

Roadplan toThe Isle of Glencoe Hotel, Ballachulish (Tel.: 0185-581 16 02).

Isles of Glencoe

Hotel

Isles of Glencoe

Hotel

Ballachulish

Hotel

Ballachulish

Hotel

A82To

Edinburgh

Glencoe

Ballachulish

A82

A828

B863

To Fort WilliamTo Fort William

To ObanTo Oban


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