The gold-bearing arsenian pyrite in Carlin-type gold deposits typically grows around the gold/arsenic-poor pyrite core, forming core–rim textured pyrite. However, the causes of rim pyrite precipitation around the early-formed core pyrite and the growth mechanisms of the rim pyrite remain unclear. Here, we combined scanning electron microscopy, electron probe micro-analysis, and nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry to investigate the textural and chemical characteristics of core–rim textured pyrite from the giant Shuiyindong and Lannigou gold deposits. Furthermore, we used electron backscattered diffraction and transmission electron microscopy to characterize their crystallographic structure. The results indicated that core–rim textured pyrite is the dominant pyrite type in the ore. This type of pyrite is characterized by the sharp core–rim interfaces, euhedral-subhedral morphology, and oscillating zoning. The gold/arsenic-rich rim and gold/arsenic-poor core formed during the main-ore and pre-ore stages, respectively. Crystallographically, the rim showed that a crystallographic orientation is similar to that of the core along the (0 1 0) crystal facet, indicating that the core pyrite serves as a template for the epitaxial growth of rim pyrite. Textural and chemical features indicate that the epitaxy occurs in the process of direct precipitation of main-ore pyrite over the pre-ore pyrite. As Carlin ore fluids dissolve the iron-bearing carbonates, iron concentrations in the fluids increase, thereby creating a supersaturation environment suitable for the nucleation of main-ore pyrite. Because the minimal lattice misfit would minimize the surface free energy and the (0 1 0) facet of pyrite has a lower surface energy than other facets, the nucleated pyrite would readily grow along the (0 1 0) facet of preexisting pyrite via epitaxy. Our findings highlight that the widespread preexisting pyrite facilitates late-stage pyrite precipitation. For Carlin-type gold deposits, the pre-ore pyrite is essential owing to its promoting the precipitation of gold-bearing pyrite.

Helium diffusion in carbonates under mantle pressure is crucial for understanding thermal and chemical evolution of mantle. Based on the density functional theory (DFT) and the the climbing image nudged elastic band (CI-NEB) method, we performed first-principles calculations of diffusion characteristics of helium in perfect aragonite crystal under high pressure to 40 GPa. Our results show that He diffusion behaviors are controlled by pressure, temperature and crystal size. The activation energy increases, and the diffusion coefficients decrease significantly under high pressure. E_a[1 0 0] increases from 176.02 kJ/mol to 278.75 kJ/mol, and E_a[0 0 1] increases from 195.89 kJ/mol to 290.43 kJ/mol, with pressure increasing from 20 GPa to 40 GPa. At 700 K, the diffusion coefficients at 40 GPa is 7 orders of magnitude lower than that at 20 GPa; and at 1000 K it decrease 5 orders of magnitude. To ensure that at least 90% helium is not lost, we synthesized the temperature obtained from cooling and heating processes and derive the 'stable temperature range' for helium in aragonite. The obtained results show that the stable temperature range is 22–76 ℃ at 0 GPa and 641–872 °C at 40 GPa, for the crystal of 100–2000 μm size. Besides, the travel time of helium in aragonite under high pressure increases rapidly with pressure increasing. Our calculations indicate that helium can be quantitatively retained in aragonite in the deep mantle as long as the temperature is in the 'stable temperature range'. These results have certain implications for exploring the evolution of mantle and the storage of helium within it.

In a paper in 1970, Brian Windley first recognised that early terrestrial and lunar anorthosites both have calcic plagioclase, and low TiO₂ and high CaO and Al₂O₃ contents. Despite these similarities, the geochemistry of early terrestrial and lunar anorthosites has not been rigorously compared and contrasted. To this end, we compiled 425 analyses from 212 early terrestrial anorthosite occurrences and 306 analyses from 16 lunar anorthosite occurrences. This was supplemented by a compilation of plagioclase anorthite (An) contents and pyroxene Mg# from early terrestrial and lunar anorthosites. Early terrestrial anorthosites have lower whole-rock An contents but similar Mg# to lunar anorthosites. The CaO contents of lunar anorthosites are higher than those of early terrestrial anorthosites for a given MgO and Al₂O₃ content, early terrestrial anorthosites have higher SiO₂ contents than lunar anorthosites at a given MgO content, and lunar anorthosites have higher Eu/Eu* anomaly ratios yet broadly similar La/Yb and Nd/Sm ratios than early terrestrial anorthosites. Some early terrestrial anorthosites have less fractionated chondrite-normalised rare earth element (REE) patterns and less prominent positive Eu anomalies than lunar anorthosites. Lunar anorthosites have higher plagioclase An contents, yet a similar range of pyroxene Mg# compared to their early terrestrial counterparts. Some early terrestrial anorthosites are more fractionated than some lunar anorthosites. Our interpretations imply that most early terrestrial anorthosites crystallised from basaltic parental magmas that were generated by high-degree partial melting of sub-arc asthenosphere mantle wedge sources that were hydrated by slab-derived fluids, with the remainder being associated with mid-ocean ridge and mantle plume settings. Some of the arc-related early terrestrial anorthosites were influenced by crustal contamination. In addition, early terrestrial anorthosites originated from partial melting of the mantle at various depths with variable garnet residua, whereas lunar anorthosites formed without any significant garnet residua. Lower plagioclase CaO contents and pyroxene Mg# in early terrestrial anorthosites can be explained by higher proportions of clinopyroxene and olivine fractionation in terrestrial magma chambers than in the lunar magma ocean where orthopyroxene and olivine fractionation occurred. Low TiO₂ contents in both terrestrial and lunar anorthosites reflect rutile and/or ilmenite fractionation.

This study aims to investigate the combined use of multi-sensor datasets (Landsat 4–5 & 8 OLI satellite imagery, spatial resolution = 30 m) coupled with field studies to evaluate spatio-temporal dynamics of soil salinization along the coastal belt in West Bengal, India. This study assesses soil salinization by mapping the salinity and electrical conductivity of saturation extract (EC_e) and utilizing spectral signatures for estimating soil salinity. The SI change (%) was analyzed (2021–1995), categorizing increases in salinity levels into 5%, 10%, and 50% changes possibly due to salt encrustation on the soil layers. The land use land cover (LULC) change map (2021–1995) demonstrates that the study area is continuously evolving in terms of urbanization. Moreover, in the study area, soil salinity ranges from 0.03 ppt to 3.87 ppt, and EC_e varies from 0.35 dSm⁻¹ to 52.85 dSm⁻¹. Additionally, vulnerable saline soil locations were further identified. Classification of soil salinity based on EC_e reveals that 26% of samples fall into the non-saline category, while the rest belong to the saline category. The Spectral signatures of the soil samples (n = 19) acquired from FieldSpec hand spectrometer show significant absorption features around 1400, 1900, and 2250 nm and indicate salt minerals. The results of reflectance spectroscopy were cross-validated using X-ray fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy. This study also employed partial least square regression (PLSR) approach to predict EC_e (r² = 0.79, RMSE = 3.29) and salinity parameters (r² = 0.75, RMSE = 0.51), suggesting PLSR applicability in monitoring salt-affected soils globally. This study’s conclusion emphasizes that remote sensing data and multivariate analysis can be crucial tools for mapping spatial variations and predicting soil salinity. It has also been concluded that saline groundwater used for irrigation and aqua-cultural activities exacerbates soil salinization. The study will help policymakers/farmers identify the salt degradation problem more effectively and adopt immediate mitigation measures.

Mikir Hills region, which represents the eastern segment of the Assam-Meghalaya Gneissic Complex (AMGC) in northeast India, constitutes part of the Eastern Gondwana. The Mikir Hills preserves multiple metamorphic and magmatic events ranging from Early Mesoproterozoic to Early Cambrian. Out of these events, documenting the late Neoproterozoic to early Cambrian tectonothermal events is helpful in correlating the continental blocks of Eastern Gondwana. We present an integrated study involving field relations, petrology, P–T history and zircon-monazite geochronology of hitherto poorly studied pelitic and quartzo-feldspathic gneisses from the Mikir Hills region. These gneisses have experienced at least three deformation events (D₁, D₂ and D₃) with dominant foliation indicated by ENE–WSW striking and shallow-moderately dipping (<40°) S₂ gneissic foliation. The peak metamorphism in pelitic and quartzo-feldspathic gneisses is characterized by garnet(core)–K-feldspar–sillimanite–plagioclase–biotite–rutile–quartz–ilmenite–melt and garnet–plagioclase–K-feldspar–biotite–quartz–ilmenite–melt assemblages, respectively. The application of thermobarometric methods constrains the peak P–T conditions of 7.5–8.4 kbar at 674–778 °C and 6.7–7.4 kbar at 601–618 °C for pelitic and quartzo-feldspathic gneisses, respectively. These results are consistent with the values estimated using phase equilibria modelling and melt reintegration approach. The results of pseudosection modelling suggests a clockwise  P–T  path for pelitic gneisses involving migmatisation during peak metamorphism followed by near isothermal decompression from 8.0 to 8.6 kbar at 768–780 °C to 4.0–5.0 kbar at 720–765 °C. In contrast, quartzo-feldspathic gneisses preserved slightly lower peak P–T conditions at 3.8–4.6 kbar and 590–650 °C. The U–Pb zircon dating of migmatised pelitic and quartzo-feldspathic gneisses yielded concordant ages of 1647 ± 11 Ma and 1590 ± 7 Ma, respectively. These dates represent the inherited igneous protolith components, possibly equivalent to the Mesoproterozoic granulite facies metamorphism in the western AMGC. The rarely preserved cores of monazite in pelitic gneisses yielded an older population of 1058 ± 35 Ma, most likely representing a weak tectonic imprint associated with the amalgamation of India with Western Australia and East Antarctica in the Rodinia assembly. However, the majority of monazite grains in pelitic and quartzo-feldspathic gneisses show high Th/U ratios with ages between 496 ± 7 Ma and 467 ± 16 Ma, indicating the timing of migmatisation that is contemporary with voluminous ∼ 500 Ma granite magmatism in and around the Mikir Hills. The similarities in  P–T–t  histories estimated in this study (eastern AMGC) and those obtained from the Sonapahar-Umpretha region (central AMGC) confirm that these domains experienced common tectonometamorphic history during Pan-African orogeny. The dominance of Late Neoproterozoic migmatisation and magmatism in the Mikir Hills region indicate that the eastern AMGC represent an active convergent margin with Western Australia and East Antarctica and evolved as a hot orogen during the assembly of Western and Eastern Gondwana continental fragments.

When confronted with ecological challenges, trading ecologically friendly products involving renewable technologies, green management practices, and effluent treatment methods could alleviate ecological degradation on a global scale while considering the macroeconomic policy framework. Therefore, this study determines the effectiveness of fiscal and monetary policy instruments in moderating the relationship between green trade openness (i.e., trade in environmentally related products) and ecological sustainability. Applying panel quantile regression on data from 20 OECD members from 2003 to 2016, we found that green trade openness supports ecological sustainability through a gains-from-trade approach. Concerning moderation effects, expenditure-driven fiscal expansion reinforces the favorable influence of green trade openness on ecological sustainability across ecologically less/moderately efficient economies, while it does the reverse for ecologically more efficient members. Taxation-driven fiscal contraction promotes ecological sustainability amelioration impact of green trade openness for economies with below-average ecological quality and remains neutral for those with average/above-average ecological quality. Besides, interest rate-driven monetary contraction proliferates the ecological sustainability enhancement effect of green openness. We suggest that the fiscal and monetary policies demand unambiguous coordination with the OECD’s trade policy structure for optimal environmental outcomes of trading in environmental products. These insights would help OECD’s green trade policies gain momentum to facilitate the attainment of the Climate Action agenda of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

This study focuses on the assessment of ecosystem health (EH), ecosystem services (ES), and ecosystem risk (ER) in East Kolkata Wetland (EKW). A comprehensive framework on the EH, ES and ER has been developed using remote sesning and geo-spatial techniques for the year 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020. The study also assessed ecosystem structure and fragmentation using landscape metrics calculated using fragstats, which showed a significant influence of land use and land cover (LULC) changes on the wetland’s ecological integrity. The study revealed that 6.86% of EKW fallen under a very low EH zone, while 20% was categorized as having very high EH. Spatio-temporal analysis of ES indicated that 30% of the area had very low ES value, with only 8% exhibiting very high ES. ER assessment revealed that 7% of the study area was highly ER, while 12% identified within a high ER zone, reflecting frequent LULC changes. The correlation analysis highlighted strong negative relationships between landscape deviation degree (LDD) and EH (−0.971), and between normalized difference water index (NDWI) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) (−0.991). Additionally, landscape metrics such as the number of patches (NP) and the largest patch index (LPI) exhibited significant correlations, emphasizing the impact of fragmentation on EH and resilience. This comprehensive assessment underscores the importance of integrated approaches to monitor and manage wetland ecosystems, particularly in urban areas facing significant environmental stressors. The findings are crucial for informed decision-making and sustainable management of the wetland ecosystems, particularly in the cities of the global south.

This study highlights a new by-product source for cobalt by recycling Paleoproterozoic Mn deposits. We present a geochemical modeling approach utilizing Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for available geochemical data of Paleoproterozoic manganese deposits found in Africa and Brazil, which exhibit anomalous cobalt contents (up to 1200 ppm) along with other metals such as copper, nickel, and vanadium. The PCA results for the correlation coefficient matrix of the Enrichment Factor (EF) values of major and trace elements from samples of eight Mn deposits found in Africa and Brazil (Kisenge-Kamata, Moanda, Nsuta in Africa, and Azul, Buritirama, Lagoa do Riacho, Morro da Mina, and Serra do Navio in Brazil) yielded a cumulative variance of 53.3% for PC1 (34%) and PC2 (19.3%). In PC1, the highest positive loadings correspond to the variables Mn_EF, Ni_EF, and Co_EF, while the highest negative loadings correspond to the variables Si_EF, Fe_EF, K_EF, Ti_EF, Cr_EF, and Zr_EF. PC2 exhibits the highest positive loadings for the variables Ca_EF, Mg_EF, and P_EF, while the highest negative loadings are for Cu_EF and V_EF. The biplot diagram representation showed that clusters of vectors Mn_EF, Ni_EF, Co_EF, V_EF, and Cu_EF influence samples of Mn-carbonate rock, Mn-carbonate–silicate rock, Mn-silicate rock, and Mn-carbonate-siliciclastic rock, all with high Co_EF values (up to 414). The cluster of vectors Ca_EF, Mg_EF, and P_EF significantly influence carbonate rock and dolomite marble, which have low Co_EF values (close to 0). The cluster of vectors Si_EF, Fe_EF, K_EF, Ti_EF, Cr_EF, and Zr_EF strongly influences siliciclastic rock, which exhibits low Co_EF values. On the other hand, the cluster of vectors Cu_EF and V_EF influences oxidized Mn ore, which exhibits Co_EF values of up to 108. The results reveal a dichotomy regarding the origin of cobalt and other metal enrichments in these deposits linked to the Mn redox cycle. This process involves the formation of Mn-oxyhydroxides with the adsorption of Co and other metals under oxic conditions, followed by the burial of these Mn oxides in an anoxic diagenetic environment, where microbial sulfate reduction leads to the nucleation of Mn-carbonates and the formation of metal-rich sulfides (Fe, Co, Ni, V). Additionally, detrital input and sulfide phases (e.g., framboidal pyrite) for the formation of Mn-rich siliciclastic rocks associated with Mn-carbonate rocks are evidenced by proxies Si_EF, Fe_EF, K_EF, Ti_EF, Cr_EF, and Zr_EF. This new exploration approach, supported by geochemical modeling through PCA, enhances our understanding of the genesis of these Paleoproterozoic manganese deposits and highlights a new route for cobalt exploration. In the increasing global demand for cobalt, particularly in applications involving electric vehicle batteries and energy storage, exploring these deposits emerges as an alternative source to produce these critical metals.

The Tongshan porphyry Cu deposit is well known as one of the most economically significant porphyry deposits in northeast China. Recently, Tongshan has become the largest porphyry Cu deposit in northeast China with the successful exploration of the concealed ore zone V. Ore zone V has the largest Cu tonnage (562 Mt @ 0.50% Cu) and extends into the eastern segment at Tongshan. Compared with ore zones I–III, which are hosted within granitic rocks in the western segment, the ore zone V mainly occurs in Duobaoshan volcanic rocks and the roof pendants of newly discovered intrusions. Here, we conducted a study of the understudied eastern ore zone and found that copper mineralization is associated with the newly discovered suites in the eastern segment at Tongshan. Two periods of ore-bearing quartz veins with different widths have been recognized, including quartz-chalcopyrite-pyrite veinlets (0.1–0.2 cm) and quartz-chalcopyrite-polymetallic sulfide wide veins (>0.5 cm). The latter veins can be divided into four stages (I–IV) of mineralization and alteration, which are closely related to the newly discovered granodiorite and dacite porphyry. Our new zircon U–Pb ages show that the granodiorite and dacite porphyry were developed between 228–223 Ma, suggesting that the overprinting porphyry copper mineralization occurred in the Triassic. The Triassic suites have adakite-like character with high Sr/Y, and show no or minimal negative Eu anomalies, indicating early dominant amphibole with limited plagioclase fractionation. For the Triassic intrusions, the high zircon Eu/Eu* (0.67–0.89), Δ_FMQ (1.04 ± 0.53; where Δ_FMQ is the log fO₂ difference between the sample value and the fayalite-magnetite-quartz mineral buffer), hygrometer values (∼7.19 wt.% H₂O) and high whole-rock Fe₂O₃/FeO, Sr/Y, V/Sc and 10,000×(Eu/Eu*)/Y ratios together indicate the Triassic magmas were oxidized and hydrous. These contents and ratios of the Triassic suites are significantly higher than those of the Ordovician suites (Δ_FMQ = 0.74 ± 0.26, ∼5.90 wt.% H₂O), suggesting that the newly discovered Triassic magmas are more oxidized and hydrous, with high potential for porphyry copper mineralization. Based on the investigation of mineralization and the above results, we proposed that multiple superimposed mineralizations can help form a large-scale deposit and the southeastern segment is a favorable exploration area at Tongshan.

Understanding spatial heterogeneity in groundwater responses to multiple factors is critical for water resource management in coastal cities. Daily groundwater depth (GWD) data from 43 wells (2018–2022) were collected in three coastal cities in Jiangsu Province, China. Seasonal and Trend decomposition using Loess (STL) together with wavelet analysis and empirical mode decomposition were applied to identify tide-influenced wells while remaining wells were grouped by hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA). Machine learning models were developed to predict GWD, then their response to natural conditions and human activities was assessed by the Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method. Results showed that eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGB) was superior to other models in terms of prediction performance and computational efficiency (R² > 0.95). GWD in Yancheng and southern Lianyungang were greater than those in Nantong, exhibiting larger fluctuations. Groundwater within 5 km of the coastline was affected by tides, with more pronounced effects in agricultural areas compared to urban areas. Shallow groundwater (3–7 m depth) responded immediately (0–1 day) to rainfall, primarily influenced by farmland and topography (slope and distance from rivers). Rainfall recharge to groundwater peaked at 50% farmland coverage, but this effect was suppressed by high temperatures (>30 °C) which intensified as distance from rivers increased, especially in forest and grassland. Deep groundwater (>10 m) showed delayed responses to rainfall (1–4 days) and temperature (10–15 days), with GDP as the primary influence, followed by agricultural irrigation and population density. Farmland helped to maintain stable GWD in low population density regions, while excessive farmland coverage (>90%) led to overexploitation. In the early stages of GDP development, increased industrial and agricultural water demand led to GWD decline, but as GDP levels significantly improved, groundwater consumption pressure gradually eased. This methodological framework is applicable not only to coastal cities in China but also could be extended to coastal regions worldwide.

At the end of the Cretaceous period, 66 million years ago, the 7 − 19 km diameter Chicxulub asteroid hit the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, triggering global catastrophic environmental changes and mass extinction. The contributions of this event towards changes in plate and plume geodynamics are not fully understood. Here we present a range of geological observations indicating that the impact marked a tectonic turning point in the behavior of mantle plume and plate motion in the Caribbean region and worldwide. At a regional scale, the impact coincides with the termination of seafloor spreading in the Caribbean Ridge. Shortly after the Cretaceous–Paleogene transition, magmatism associated with the Caribbean Large Igneous Province waned, and intensive Paleogene volcanism was initiated. These events happened synchronously with anomalously high mid-ocean ridge magmatism worldwide and an abrupt change in the relative motion of the South American and North American tectonic plates. The evidence for such abrupt changes in plate kinematics and plume behavior raises the possibility that the Chicxulub impact triggered a chain of effects that modified melt reservoirs, subducting plates, mantle flows, and lithospheric deformation. To explain how an asteroid impact could modify tectonic behavior, we discuss two end-member mechanisms: quasi-static and dynamic triggering mechanisms. We designed a numerical model to investigate the strain field and the relative plate motion before and after the impact. The model predicts an enhanced deformation associated with the impact, which surficially tapers off ∼ 500 km from the crater. The impact modifies the subjacent mantle flow field, contributing to long-term mantle-driven dynamic changes. Additionally, deformation associated with seismic effects may have contributed to far-field effects and global changes. We conclude that large asteroid impacts, such as the Chicxulub collision, could trigger cascading effects sufficient to disrupt and significantly modify plate geodynamics.

It has been shown that the age of minerals in which U ± Th are a major (e.g., uraninite, pitchblende and thorite) or minor (e.g., monazite, xenotime) component can be calculated from the concentrations of U ± Th and Pb rather than their isotopes, and such ages are referred to as chemical ages. Although equations for calculating the chemical ages have been well established and various computation programs have been reported, there is a lack of software that can not only calculate the chemical ages of individual analytical points but also provide an evaluation of the errors of individual ages as well as the whole dataset. In this paper, we develop a software for calculating and assessing the chemical ages of uranium minerals (CAUM), an open-source Python-based program with a friendly Graphical User Interface (GUI). Electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) data of uranium minerals are first imported from Excel files and used to calculate the chemical ages and associated errors of individual analytical points. The age data are then visualized to aid evaluating if the dataset comprises one or multiple populations and whether or not there are meaningful correlations between the chemical ages and impurities. Actions can then be taken to evaluate the errors within individual populations and the significance of the correlations. The use of the software is demonstrated with examples from published data.

Subduction zones are critical interfaces for lithospheric volatile fluxes, where complex tectonic and geochemical interactions facilitate the release of gases and fluids from deep-seated reservoirs within the Earth’s crust. Mud volcanism, as a dynamic manifestation of these processes, contributes CH₄ emissions that influence the global methane budget and impact marine ecosystems. Although ∼2000 CH₄-rich mud extrusions have been documented in subduction zones globally, the geological origins and subduction-related geochemical and tectonic mechanisms driving these emissions remain poorly understood. This research examines the Makran subduction zone which hosts one of the world’s largest accretionary wedge and extensive CH₄-rich mud extrusions, as a model system. Integrated geochemical, geophysical, and geological observations reveal that thermogenic CH₄ and clay-rich fluidized muds originate from deeply buried Himalayan turbidites (underthrusted sediments), driven by organic-rich sediment maturation and high fluid overpressure. Key tectonic features, including thrust faults, overburden pressure of wedge-top sediments, normal faults, brittle fractures, and seismicity, facilitate CH₄-rich mud extrusions into the hydrosphere and atmosphere. The extruded gases are predominantly CH₄, with minor C₂H₆, C₃H₈, i-C₄H₁₀, and n-C₄H₁₀ while the mud breccia exhibits a chemical composition dominated by SiO₂, Al₂O₃, and Fe₂O₃, enriched with trace elements (Rb, Zr, and V) and clay minerals, quartz, and carbonates. Geochemical indicators suggest intense chemical weathering and mature sediments classifying the mud breccia as litharenite and sub-litharenite, indicative of deep burial and compaction. These findings model the evolution of CH₄-rich mud extrusions through three geological stages: (i) Eocene to Early Miocene pre-thermogenic formation of the CH₄-rich source, (ii) Middle Miocene to Pliocene syn-thermogenic CH₄ and fluidized mud generation, and (iii) Pleistocene to Recent post-thermogenic CH₄-rich fluidized mud migration. These findings underscore the critical yet often overlooked role of subduction-related geochemical and tectonic processes in CH₄ generation and emission, with significant implications for the global CH₄ budget and marine ecosystems.

We document, for the first time, Mesoproterozoic-aged, continental arc magmatism in the Tasmanides. Granitoid samples intruding the Proterozoic Cape River Metamorphics in northeast Queensland contain abundant ∼ 1200 Ma igneous zircons, with early-Paleozoic metamorphic rim overgrowths. Analytical mixing between the igneous and metamorphic zircons produces cryptic discordant analyses, but the origin of said discordance is resolved with zircon Th/U ratios. Samples of the Fat Hen Creek Complex are peraluminous, calc-alkaline, S-type granitoids, that record high-grade metamorphism and trace element mobilization. The P3 and P42 intrusions are metaluminous, calc-alkaline, I-type granodiorite, which intruded the Cape River Metamorphics, and contain trace element signatures consistent with a continental-arc setting. We propose that a Mesoproterozoic continental terrane, herein referred to as the Oakvale Province, exists as basement to the Thomson Orogen. We propose several models for the formation of the Oakvale Province, with potential links to the Tarim Block, and the Yangtze Craton, during the late-Mesoproterozoic. We propose that the Oakvale Province supplied the Tasmanides with late-Mesoproterozoic detritus, and that such detritus was not solely sourced from the Musgrave Province as previously interpreted. Finally, we interpret the oroclinal bending of Paleozoic deformation and plutonic fabrics to reflect the buried extent of the Oakvale Province, and to potentially map out the Neoproterozoic rift margin associated with Rodinia break-up.

In this study, the advanced machine learning algorithm NESTORE (Next STrOng Related Earthquake) was applied to the Japan Meteorological Agency catalog (1973–2024). It calculates the probability that the aftershocks will reach or exceed a magnitude equal to the magnitude of the mainshock minus one and classifies the clusters as type A or type B, depending on whether this condition is met or not. It has been shown useful in the tests in Italy, western Slovenia, Greece, and California. Due to Japan’s high and complex seismic activity, new algorithms were developed to complement NESTORE: a hybrid cluster identification method, which uses both ETAS-based stochastic declustering and deterministic graph-based selection, and REPENESE (RElevant features, class imbalance PErcentage, NEighbour detection, SElection), an algorithm for detecting outliers in skewed class distributions, which takes in account if one class has a larger number of samples with respect to the other (class imbalance).