Geoscience Canada最新文献

{"title":"Classic Rock Tours 2. Exploring a Famous Ophiolite: A Guide to the Bay of Islands Igneous Complex in Gros Morne National Park, Western Newfoundland, Canada","authors":"A. Kerr","doi":"10.12789/geocanj.2019.46.149","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12789/geocanj.2019.46.149","url":null,"abstract":"Ophiolites are complex assemblages of ultramafic and mafic igneous rocks that are now widely considered to be pieces of ancient oceanic crust that were emplaced on to the continents courtesy of global plate tectonics. However, most examples were originally considered parts of enormous layered mafic intrusions and so were interpreted in that light. The new understanding of ophiolites in the late 1960s and early 1970s was a crucial part of the global Earth Science revolution, and they are now central to all plate tectonic models developed for ancient orogenic belts. Although their equivalence to oceanic crust is now well established, many ophiolites may not be ‘typical’ examples of such, and not all examples are identical. Most ophiolites likely formed in subduction-influenced environments rather than at mid-ocean ridges. Ophiolites remain important foci for research in the 21st century, and many questions remain about their environments of formation and especially their mechanisms of emplacement onto the continents. Although it was not the first to be seen as a relic of a vanished ocean, the Bay of Islands Igneous Complex in western Newfoundland is one of the best preserved and most easily accessible ophiolites in the world. In the late 20th century, research work in this area proved highly influential in understanding the oceanic crust, and in unravelling the diachronous events involved in the progressive destruction of an ancient stable continental margin as arcs and microcontinental blocks were accreted along it. Parts of the Tablelands Ophiolite lie within Gros Morne National Park, which is a UNESCO world heritage site because of its importance to our understanding of global tectonics. The wider region around the park also includes the Cabox Aspiring Geopark Project, now also in the process of seeking recognition through UNESCO.   This article provides background information on ophiolites and the development of our ideas about them, and links this material to four self-guided field excursions that allow examination of many classic features. These excursions range from a collection of roadside outcrops, to some relatively easy hiking excursions on official National Park trails, and eventually to a more challenging off-trail hike that ascends to the summit plateau of the Tablelands to visit rare exposures of the Moho (the Mohorovičić Discontinuity, i.e. the lower boundary of the Earth’s crust) and the underlying upper mantle rocks. Collectively, the field stops should allow geologically-minded visitors to experience some amazing geology in a spectacular and sometimes surreal landscape. \u0000RÉSUMÉLes ophiolites sont des assemblages complexes de roches ignées ultramafiques et mafiques qui sont maintenant généralement considérées comme des fragments de croûte océanique ancienne qui ont été charriés sur les continents grâce à la tectoniqueglobale des plaques. Cependant, la plupart des exemples étaient à l'origine considérés comme faisant partie de vast","PeriodicalId":55106,"journal":{"name":"Geoscience Canada","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47731921","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Igneous Rock Associations 24. Near-Earth Asteroid Resources: A Review","authors":"Liam Innis, G. Osinski","doi":"10.12789/GEOCANJ.2019.46.147","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12789/GEOCANJ.2019.46.147","url":null,"abstract":"The extraction of natural resources located beyond Earth to create products can be described as space resource utilization (SRU). SRU is under active investigation in both the public and private sectors. Near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) are particularly promising early SRU targets due to their relative proximity and enrichments in two key resources: water and platinum group elements (PGEs). Water can be used to create rocket propellant, making it the only resource with significant demand given the current nascent state of the space market. Platinum group elements are valuable enough that their import to the Earth market is potentially economical, making them the other prospective resource in the current embryonic state of SRU. While it is possible to retrieve material from a NEA, doing so on an economical scale will require significant developments in areas such as autonomous robotics and propulsion technology. A parameterization accounting for asteroid size, resource concentration, and accessibility yields just seven and three potentially viable NEA targets in the known population for water and PGEs, respectively. A greater emphasis on spectral observation of asteroids is required to better inform target selection for early prospecting spacecraft. A further complication is the lack of a legal precedent for the sale of extraterrestrial resources. The Outer Space Treaty prohibits the appropriation of celestial bodies but makes no explicit reference to their resources while the U.S.A. and Luxembourg have passed legislation entitling their citizens to own and sell space resources. Whether these laws are a matter of clarification or contradiction is the matter of some debate. \u0000RÉSUMÉL'extraction de ressources naturelles situées au-delà de la Terre pour créer des produits peut être décrite comme une utilisation des ressources spatiales (URS). L’URS est actuellement examinée à la fois dans les secteurs public et privé. Les astéroïdes proches de la Terre (NEA) sont des cibles URS particulièrement prometteuses en raison de leur proximité relative et de leur enrichissement en deux ressources clés : l’eau et les éléments du groupe du platine (EGP). L'eau peut être utilisée pour créer des agents de propulsion pour vaisseaux spatiaux, ce qui en fait la seule ressource pour laquelle la demande est importante compte tenu de l’émergence du marché spatial actuel. Les EGP sont suffisamment précieux pour que leur importation sur le marché terrestre soit potentiellement économique, ce qui en fait l’autre ressource potentielle étant donné l’état embryonnaire actuel de l’URS. Bien qu'il soit possible de récupérer des matériaux sur un NEA, le faire à une échelle économique nécessitera des développements importants dans des domaines tels que la robotique autonome et la technologie de propulsion. Un paramétrage tenant compte de la taille des astéroïdes, de la concentration des ressources et de l'accessibilité conduit à seulement sept et trois cibles NEA parmi la population c","PeriodicalId":55106,"journal":{"name":"Geoscience Canada","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42550491","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Great Mining Camps of Canada 6. Geology and History of the Wabana Iron Mines, Bell Island, Newfoundland","authors":"Jeffrey Pollock","doi":"10.12789/GEOCANJ.2019.46.148","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12789/GEOCANJ.2019.46.148","url":null,"abstract":"The Wabana iron mines were in operation from 1895 to 1966, during which time they produced over 80 million tonnes of iron ore. They are hosted by Early Ordovician rocks that contain Clinton-type stratiform ironstones. Mineralization is characterized by oölitic, dark red to purple-red to reddish brown beds of hematite-rich fossiliferous sandstone, siltstone, and shale. Three ironstone beds are of economic importance: the Lower (Dominion Formation), Middle (Scotia Formation) and Upper (Gull Island Formation) with the Lower bed extending over 3.8 km beneath Conception Bay. The iron content in all beds ranges from 45 to 61% with a silica concentration of 6 to 20%.   Reports of iron on Bell Island go back to at least 1578, when a Bristol merchant reported retrieving ore samples for shipment to England. The deposits, however, remained undeveloped for over three centuries until their rediscovery by local fishermen in the late 1880s. In 1895, the Nova Scotia Steel & Coal Company acquired the mining lease for the claims and first ore was produced at surface from No. 1 mine in the Lower bed along the island’s northwest coast. By the turn of the twentieth century the Dominion Iron and Steel Company Limited acquired a share of the Bell Island claims, and with surface reserves exhausted, the decision was made by both companies to proceed underground and develop submarine mines. Over the next five decades mining operations were operated by several owners at a steady and at times an expanding rate, with periodic setbacks through two world wars and the Great Depression. The worldwide increase in demand for iron after World War II meant the mines were in full production and exporting over 1.5 million tonnes of ore per annum. In 1950, the unprofitable No. 2 mine was closed, and a series of major expansion projects were launched with the goal to double annual production to 3 million tonnes.   By the 1960s, the Wabana mines faced increased competition from foreign producers, who flooded the world iron market with high-quality ore from low-cost open-pit deposits. The last mine at Wabana ceased operation in 1966 because the high-phosphorus content of the ore was incompatible with the newest steel-making technology and the market for Wabana ore all but disappeared. Over 35 million tonnes of ore was exported to Canada (Nova Scotia) while the remainder was shipped to the United Kingdom and Germany. At the time of closure, the Wabana mines were the oldest, continually producing mine in the country. Annual production peaked in 1960 when over 2.8 million tonnes of concentrated ore were shipped. Enormous potential reserves of several billion tonnes, grading 50% iron, remain in place beneath Conception Bay but the high cost of submarine mining and absence of a market for non-Bessemer ore present obstacles to any future re-development. \u0000RÉSUMÉLes mines de fer de Wabana ont été en activité de 1895 à 1966, période durant laquelle elles ont produit plus de 80 millions de tonnes d","PeriodicalId":55106,"journal":{"name":"Geoscience Canada","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43370038","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Geoscience Canada — Forty-Five Years Young","authors":"A. Kerr","doi":"10.12789/GEOCANJ.2019.46.142","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12789/GEOCANJ.2019.46.142","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":55106,"journal":{"name":"Geoscience Canada","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42737395","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Age, Geochemistry and Origin of the Ardara Appinite Plutons, Northwest Donegal, Ireland","authors":"J. Murphy, R. Nance, Logan B. Gabler, A. Martell, D. Archibald","doi":"10.12789/GEOCANJ.2019.46.144","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12789/GEOCANJ.2019.46.144","url":null,"abstract":"In northwest Donegal, Ireland, a large number of coeval appinitic (hornblende-plagioclase-rich) plutons and lamprophyre dykes occur around the Ardara pluton, a granitic satellite body and one of the oldest phases of the ca. 428–400 Ma composite Donegal Batholith. The appinite units form a bimodal (mafic–felsic) suite in which hornblende is the dominant mafic mineral and typically occurs as large prismatic phenocrysts within a finer grained matrix. Lamprophyre dykes are mafic in composition with a geochemistry that is very similar to that of the mafic appinite bodies. Both mafic rocks are subalkalic, with calc-alkalic and tholeiitic tendencies, and show trace element abundances indicating that the mantle source was contaminated by subduction zone fluids. 40Ar/39Ar analysis of hornblende separated from two samples of appinite yield mid-Silurian (434.2 ± 2.1 Ma and 433.7 ± 5.5 Ma) cooling ages that are interpreted to closely date the time of intrusion. Hence, according to the available age data, the appinite bodies slightly predate, or were coeval with, the earliest phases of the Donegal Batholith. Sm–Nd isotopic analyses yield a range of initial εNd values (+3.1 to –4.8 at t = 435 Ma) that, together with trace element data, indicate that the appinitic magmas were likely derived from melting of metasomatized sub-continental lithospheric mantle and/or underplated mafic crust, with only limited crustal contamination during magma ascent. The appinitic intrusions are interpreted to have been emplaced along deep-seated crustal fractures that allowed for mafic and felsic magma to mingle. The magmas are thought to be the products of collisional asthenospheric upwelling associated with the closure of Iapetus and the ensuing Caledonian orogeny, either as a result of an orogen-wide delamination event or as a consequence of more localized slab break-off.RÉSUMÉDans le nord-ouest du Donegal, en Irlande, un grand nombre de plutons appinitiques (riches en hornblendes ou en plagioclases) et de dykes de lamprophyres contemporains se retrouvent autour du pluton d’Ardara, un corps satellite granitique et l’une des phases les plus anciennes du batholite composite de Donegal, âgé d’environ 428–400 Ma. Les unités de l’appinite forment une suite bimodale (mafique–felsique) dans laquelle la hornblende est le minéral mafique dominant et se présente généralement sous forme de grands phénocristaux prismatiques au sein d’une matrice à grains plus fins. Les dykes de lamprophyres ont une composition mafique dont la géochimie est très similaire à celle des corps d’appinite mafique. Les deux roches mafiques sont subalcaliques, avec des tendances calcoalcalines et tholéiitiques, et elles montrent des teneurs en éléments traces indiquant que la source du manteau a été contaminée par des fluides de zone de subduction. L'analyse 40Ar/39Ar des hornblendes provenant de deux échantillons d'appinite donne des âges de refroidissement du Silurien moyen (434,2 ± 2,1 Ma et 433,7 ± 5,5 Ma) qui","PeriodicalId":55106,"journal":{"name":"Geoscience Canada","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44707974","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Thank You to 2017–2018 Guest Editors and Reviewers","authors":"","doi":"10.12789/geocanj.2019.46.146","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12789/geocanj.2019.46.146","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":55106,"journal":{"name":"Geoscience Canada","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42227462","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Structural Features of the Central Labrador Trough: A Model for Strain Partitioning, Differential Exhumation and Late Normal Faulting in a Thrust Wedge under Oblique Shortening","authors":"E. Konstantinovskaya, Gennady M. Ivanov, J. Feybesse, J. Lescuyer","doi":"10.12789/GEOCANJ.2019.46.143","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12789/GEOCANJ.2019.46.143","url":null,"abstract":"The west-verging fold and thrust belt of the Central Labrador Trough originated as a part of the New Quebec Orogen from rift inversion as a result of oblique collision and dextral transpression between the Archean Superior craton and the Archean block of the Core Zone during the Trans-Hudson orogeny (1.82−1.77 Ga). The structures associated with dextral transpression are well established in the northern segment of the orogen but not in the central part. We present new field structural observations along the ca. 70 km long W−E Minowean-Romanet transect that include not only elements of thrust tectonics but also previously undocumented examples of strike-slip shear zones and late brittle, semi-brittle and ductile extensional structures which occurred both in the frontal and rear parts of the thrust wedge. The newly described low-angle mineral lineation, axes of cylindrical folds and dextral mylonitic shear zones in the footwall of the Romanet Fault are oriented subparallel to the orogen and reflect the early phase of oblique convergence. Mineral lineations and striations on planes of normal faults in the hanging wall of the Romanet Fault are oriented orthogonal to the orogen and correspond to a later phase of exhumation driven by the combined effects of erosion and underplating. To explain the increase in the degree of exhumation along the orogen in the study area from NW to SE, we propose a model of strain partitioning and differential exhumation that resulted from longitudinal variations of shortening and erosion under an oblique convergence setting.RÉSUMÉLa partie centrale de la ceinture de plissement et de chevauchement de la Fosse du Labrador de vergence vers l’ouest fait partie intégrante de l’Orogène du Nouveau-Québec, et résulte de la collision oblique avec transpression dextre entre le craton Supérieur archéen et le bloc archéen de la Zone noyau pendant l’Orogenèse trans-hudsonienne (1.82−1.77 Ga). Les structures associées à la transpression dextre sont bien établies dans la partie nord de l’orogène mais pas dans la partie centrale. Nous présentons de nouvelles observations structurales de terrain le long de la traverse ouest−est Minowean-Romanet d’environ 70 km de long, qui comprennent non seulement des évidences de tectonique de chevauchement, mais également des exemples encore non documentés de zones de cisaillement ductile et de structures d’extension fragiles, demi-fragiles et ductiles à la fois dans les parties frontales et arrière du prisme d’accrétion tectonique. La linéation minérale à faible plongement récemment décrite, les axes de plis cylindriques et les zones de cisaillement mylonitique dextre dans le compartiment inférieur de la faille de Romanet sont subparallèles à l’orogène et reflètent une phase précoce de la convergence oblique. La linéation et les stries minérales sur les plans des failles normales dans le compartiment supérieur de la faille de Romanet sont orientées orthogonalement à l’orogène et correspondent à la ph","PeriodicalId":55106,"journal":{"name":"Geoscience Canada","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44598679","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An Overview of the Karst Areas in British Columbia, Canada","authors":"T. Stokes, P. Griffiths","doi":"10.12789/GEOCANJ.2019.46.145","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12789/GEOCANJ.2019.46.145","url":null,"abstract":"Karst is a three-dimensional landscape that occurs in soluble bedrock (typically limestone, marble, dolostone, gypsum or halite) and is defined by a solutionally weathered surface, a subsurface drainage system (where conduit-flow dominates), and underground openings and caves. Karst can host unique flora and subsurface fauna, as well as a wide range of other scientific, recreational and cultural values. Karst and potential karst areas underlie approximately 10% of British Columbia (BC), but the distribution and extent of this landscape has yet to be fully explored and delineated. Some of the most extensive and well-developed karst areas occur within the forestedlimestone areas of coastal BC, such as on Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii, where numerous surface karst features and caves are known. Karst in the interior plateau regions of British Columbia is less well known, being in part covered by thick deposits of glacial materials. Alpine karst regions are most apparent in the Rocky Mountains where there are limestone plateaus, karst drainages and cave systems that have close connections to past and present glacial systems. Mapping of karst is a critical component for any land-use or resource development activity in all regions of British Columbia, as the environmental impacts on karst and its associated values are potentially significant. The regional distribution of karst in BC is not well mapped, with only an office-based reconnaissance karst potential map (1:250,000-scale) and a related database completed in 1999. A renewed effort should now be made to better map karst across British Columbia using digital bedrock mapping data released in 2017, combined with more recent satellite imagery and improved field knowledge.RÉSUMÉLe karst est un paysage tridimensionnel qui se présente dans le substrat rocheux soluble (généralement calcaire, marbre, dolomite, gypse ou halite) et est défini par une surface altérée par dissolution, un système de drainage souterrain (où l’écoulement par conduit domine) et des ouvertures et cavernes souterraines. Le karst peut abriter une flore et une faune souterraine unique, ainsi qu’une grande variété d’autres ressources scientifiques, de loisir et culturelles. Les zones karstiques et potentiellement karstiques constituent environ 10% de la surface de la Colombie-Britannique, mais la répartition et l’étendue de ce paysage n’a pas été complètement explorées et circonscrites. Certaines des zones karstiques les plus étendues et les mieux développées se trouvent dans les calcaires des zones calcaires boisées de la côte de la Colombie-Britannique, telles que l’île de Vancouver et l’archipel de Haida Gwaii, où l’on connaît de nombreuses caractéristiques karstiques de surface et des cavernes. Le karst des régions des plateaux intérieurs de la Colombie-Britannique est moins bien connu, étant en partie recouvert d’épais dépôts de matériaux glaciaires. Les régions karstiques alpines sont plus apparentes dans les montagnes Rocheus","PeriodicalId":55106,"journal":{"name":"Geoscience Canada","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43424445","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sustainable Resources for Generations: The Challenges and Some of the Contradictions","authors":"S. Morison","doi":"10.12789/GEOCANJ.2018.45.137","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12789/GEOCANJ.2018.45.137","url":null,"abstract":"key message: Why is there still so much controversy when new mining projects are proposed, and how can geoscientists help to ensure that discus-sions and decisions reflect accurate science and not misinformation?","PeriodicalId":55106,"journal":{"name":"Geoscience Canada","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41436790","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Geology and Wine 15. Producing Wine at Altitude: The Terroir of São Joaquim, Brazil","authors":"E. A. D. Santos, L. Florisbal, A. Loss, M. L. Besser, Denílson Dortzbach","doi":"10.12789/GEOCANJ.2018.45.139","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.12789/GEOCANJ.2018.45.139","url":null,"abstract":"The municipality of São Joaquim, located in the Planalto Catarinense viticultural region, is the coldest wine-growing region of Brazil, and contains the highest-altitude vineyards in the country. These vineyards were established within the last 20 years, so this is a young and still-developing viticultural region. Information on the terroir of São Joaquim is needed in order to identify potential vineyard sites and to help improve the viticulture in the region. This work aims to characterize the terroir of São Joaquim, where wines are produced from grapes cultivated above 900 m of altitude, through a description and analysis of meteorological, physiographic, pedological, geological and viticultural factors. With respect to these factors, the São Joaquim region presents the following characteristics:1 It has an annual mean temperature of 13ºC, annual mean precipitation of 1680 mm/year and an annual mean solar radiation of 1832 hours/year.2 It has altitudes between 715–1638 m and generally steep slopes, 43% of the slopes have declivities between 20–45% and show no preferred orientation.3 It has both deep (> 150 cm) and shallow (< 100 cm) soils with clayey texture, an average pH (water) between 4.68–5.52 and an average soil organic matter (SOM) content of 6%.4 It is underlain by two units of volcanic rocks. These are a mafic unit (50.53–55.09 wt.% SiO2) and a felsic unit (66.58–70.12 wt.% SiO2). The mafic unit tends to consist of thicker flows than the felsic unit and is characterized by generally steeper slopes.5 There is a correlation between the geological unit and the soil types, in which thicker inceptsols are preferentially developed on the mafic volcanic rocks and thinner entisols are preferentially developed on the felsic volcanic rocks.6 Currently, the region produces more than 27 grape varieties planted mostly on the Paulsen 1103 rootstock. The existing vineyards are mostly underlain by the mafic volcanic unit in areas of steep north-facing slopes.  This preliminary study suggests that there are correlations between the bedrock, the soils that they give rise to and the declivities of the slopes. Knowledge of these relationships should assist in the evaluation and planning of future grape and wine production.RÉSUMÉLa commune de São Joaquim, située dans la région viticole de Planalto Catarinense, est la région viticole la plus froide du Brésil et abrite les vignobles les plus élevés du pays. Ces vignobles ont été établis au cours des 20 dernières années; c’est donc une région viticole jeune et en développement. Des informations sur le terroir de São Joaquim sont requises pour identifier les sites viticoles potentiels et contribuer à l’amélioration de la viticulture dans la région. Ce travail vise à caractériser le terroir de São Joaquim, où les vins sont produits à partir de raisins cultivés à plus de 900 m d’altitude, au moyen d’une description et d’une analyse des facteurs météorologiques, physiographiques, pédologiques, géologiques et viti","PeriodicalId":55106,"journal":{"name":"Geoscience Canada","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45924113","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}