Instituto Dom Luiz

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Publications

Characterization of an Intraplate Seismogenic Zone Using Geophysical and Borehole Data: The Vila Franca de Xira Fault, Portugal

Publication . Carvalho, João; Alves, Daniela; Cabral, João; Ghose, Ranajit; Borges, José Fernando; Dias, Ruben Pereira; Ramalho, Elsa; Caldeira, Bento; Casacão, J.; Leote, Jaime

ABSTRACT: The Vila Franca de Xira (VFX) fault is a regional fault zone located about 25 km northeast of Lisbon, affecting Neogene sediments. Recent shear-wave seismic studies show that this complex fault zone is buried beneath Holocene sediments and is deforming the alluvial cover, in agreement with a previous work that proposes the fault as the source of the 1531 Lower Tagus Valley earthquake. In this work, we corroborate these results using S-wave, P-wave, geoelectric, ground-penetrating radar and borehole data, confirming that the sediments deformed by several fault branches are of Upper Pleistocene to Holocene. Accumulated fault vertical offsets of about 3 m are estimated from the integrated interpretation of geophysical and borehole data, including 2D elastic seismic modeling, with an estimated resolution of about 0.5 m. The deformations affecting the Tagus alluvial sediments probably resulted from surface or near-surface rupture of the VFX fault during M similar to 7 earthquakes, reinforcing the fault as the seismogenic source of regional historical events, as in 1531, and highlighting the need for preparedness for the next event.

2020Journal article

Open access

New evidence of Late Cretaceous magmatism on the offshore central West Iberian Margin (Estremadura Spur) from potential field data

Publication . Escada, Cláudia; Represas, Patricia; Santos, Fernando Monteiro; Pereira, Ricardo; Mata, João; Rosas, Filipe M.

ABSTRACT: The West Iberian Margin (WIM) is a key example of a magma-poor passive margin, punctuated by several postrift magmatic manifestations that are part of the Late Cretaceous Atlantic Alkaline Province. In this work, potential field (gravity and magnetics) data, constrained by 3D multichannel seismic reflection data, are used to describe and characterise the geometry and nature of magmatic features located offshore the central segment of the margin, the Estremadura Spur. The estimated geometry and nature of the magmatic features was achieved through the integration of 3D gravity and magnetic inversion and 2D magnetic forward modelling. The results provide an insightful 3D subsurface model revealing that: 1) the Estremadura Spur Intrusion represents a 28 x 15 km wide laccolith with an overall granitic nature and an estimated density of 2490-2640 kg/m3 and 0.01-0.05 SI magnetic susceptibility, 2) the 26 x 17 km Fontanelas buried volcano is dominantly basaltic, with density values of 2500-2821 kg/m3 and magnetic susceptibility of 0.01 to 0.0875 SI, and 3) multiple sill complexes intruded the region, thus producing a higher magnetic background on otherwise inconspicuous anomalies The models allowed achieving a confident fit suggesting that both the ESI and the Fontanelas volcano are coeval with the outcropping magmatic features from this same magmatic event. Additionally, the results support that Late Cretaceous alkaline magmatism on the West Iberian Margin is more significant than anticipated and provide further evidence to clarify unclear geometrical aspects of similar intrusions observed onshore. Acknowledging the geometry and nature of these magmatic entities allows to better understand the role of postrift intra-plate magmatism on continental hyper-extended rifted margins by clarifying how shallow plumbing systems evolve in these settings.

2022-06Journal article

Open access

A biorefinery approach for the simultaneous production of biofuels and bioplastics [Poster]

Publication . Ortigueira, Joana; Leite, T.; Pereira, J.; Serafim, L.S.; Silva, Carla; Moura, Patrícia; Lemos, Paulo Costa

2021-09Conference object

Open access

Trace Element Geochemistry of Alluvial TiO2 Polymorphs as a Proxy for Sn and W Deposits

Publication . Gaspar, Miguel; Grácio, Nuno; Salgueiro, Rute; Costa, Mafalda

ABSTRACT: The Segura mining field, the easternmost segment of the Gois-Panasqueira-Segura tin-tungsten metallogenic belt (north-central Portugal), includes Sn-W quartz veins and Li-Sn aplite-pegmatites, which are believed to be genetically related to Variscan Granites. Sediment geochemistry indicates granite-related Ti-enrichments, locally disturbed by mineralization, suggesting magmatic and metamorphic/metasomatic titaniferous phases. Therefore, Segura alluvial samples and the geochemistry of their TiO2 polymorphs (rutile, anatase, and brookite) were investigated, and their potential as exploration tools for Sn and W deposits was evaluated. The heavy-mineral assemblages proved to be good proxies for bedrock geology, and TiO2 polymorph abundances were found to be suitable indicators of magmatic and/or metasomatic hydrothermal processes. The trace element geochemistry of Segura's alluvial rutile, anatase, and brookite is highly variable, implying multiple sources and a diversity of mineral-forming processes. The main compositional differences between TiO2 polymorphs are related to intrinsic (structural) factors, and to the P-T-X extrinsic parameters of their forming environments. Anomalous enrichments, up to 9% Nb, 6% Sn and W, 3% Fe, 2% Ta, and 1% V in rutile, and up to 1.8% Fe, 1.7% Ta, 1.2% Nb, 1.1% W 0.5% Sn and V in anatase, were registered. Brookite usually has low trace element content (<0.5%), except for Fe (similar to 1%). HFSE-rich and granitophile-rich rutile is most likely magmatic, forming in extremely differentiated melts, with Sn and W contents enabling the discrimination between Sn-dominant and W-dominant systems. Trace element geochemical distribution maps show pronounced negative Sn (rutile+anatase) and W (rutile) anomalies linked to hydrothermal cassiterite precipitation, as opposed to their hydrothermal alteration halos and to W-dominant cassiterite-free mineralized areas, where primary hydrothermal rutile shows enrichments similar to magmatic rutile. This contribution recognizes that trace element geochemistry of alluvial TiO2 polymorphs can be a robust, cost- and time-effective, exploration tool for Sn(W) and W(Sn) ore deposit systems.

2022-10Journal article

Open access

Cadomian/Pan-African consolidation of the Iberian Massif assessed by its detrital and inherited zircon populations: is the similar to 610Ma age peak a persistent Cadomian magmatic inheritance or the key to unravel its Pan-African basement?

Publication . Chichorro, Martim; Solá, A. Rita; Santos, Telmo M. Bento Dos; Amaral, Joao Lains

ABSTRACT: This work assessed the age distribution of Cadomian/Pan-African orogenic events (550-590 and 605-790Ma, respectively) in several zones of Iberian Massif by means of detrital and inherited zircon analysis compilation. Detrital zircon age spectra show that throughout the late Neoproterozoic-to-Early Ordovician era (similar to 120Ma sedimentary record), the main systematic peak occurs at similar to 610Ma, followed by peaks at typical Cadomian ages (similar to 590-550Ma). Inherited zircons incorporated in Cambrian-to-Lower Ordovician igneous rocks show typical Cadomian ages (similar to 590-550Ma) but, once again, a remarkably consistent Pan-African similar to 610Ma peak occurs. In accordance with compiled zircon data and taking into account the evidence of North African peri-cratonic inliers, Ediacaran (similar to 610Ma) zircons incorporated in Paleozoic magmas provide indirect evidence of Pan-African magmatism, suggesting that these magmas and synorogenic sediments are likely to constitute the cryptic stratigraphic infrastructure of most of the Iberian Massif. The main source of similar to 610Ma inherited zircons may be the lateral chrono-equivalents of the Saghro and Bou Salda-M'Gouna Groups (Anti-Atlas, Morocco) and/or coeval igneous rocks from West African Craton or Trans-Sahara Belt, emplaced at a stratigraphic level below the late-Ediacaran sediments of the Ossa Morena Zone and the Central Iberian Zone. Assuming that the Iberian crust is a fragment of the Pan-African orogen, a relative paleoposition situated between the West African Craton and the Trans-Saharan Belt during the Late Neoproterozoic is proposed. The closed-system behaviour of Stenian-Tonian detrital zircon ages in the Trans-Sahara Belt suggests that this mega-cordillera acted as a barrier, in paleogeographic terms, to separating the Sahara Metacraton from Iberia. In Iberia, the opening of the system to Stenian-Tonian detrital zircon during the Ordovician indicates that, at that time, the Trans-Saharan Belt had already become a vast peneplain, which favoured a large drainage system with a long-distance transport mechanism that fed the passive continental margins.

2022-11Journal article

Open access