Aplicação e análise de metodologia de deterioração ambiental em micro-bacia do seridó potiguar

In the contemporary world to the deterioration of semi-arid areas of the planet has been the focus of media attention and the scientific community. Brazil has a semiarid, considered the most problematic of the world, either by pressure from physical factors, whether as a result of misguided public policies, has over time been suffering from the consequences of a deterioration that expands over the years. Methodologies, that amidst the problems of semi-arid, come against the deteriorating local, have a good chance to be reapplied in other contexts around the world. This research, based on methodological model for analyzing environmental deterioration, introduced and examined the applicability of the methodology in the semi-arid region of Rio Grande do Norte - Brazil. Although the results provide guidelines for the introduction of underground dams, the application of the methodology was ineffective, given the high rates of forest cover that gave low values for the physical diagnosis conservationist

Composição ictiofaunística e estratégias reprodutivas de quatro espécies de peixes nativos da Bacia Hidrográfica Piranhas - Assu, Rio Grande do Norte

This study focuses on the fish fauna composition and reproductive strategies of four native fish species in relation to environmental variables of the Piranhas-Assu hydrographic basin of the Caatinga biome, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Fish and environmental data were collected monthly during the period September 2008 to February 2010, in the Marechal Dutra reservoir and River Acauã a tributary of Piranhas- Assu. The fish were measured, weighed and dissected, and the gonads were removed, weighed and examined macroscopically for identification and determination of gonad maturation stages. The results of this work generated seven articles. The first article is about the fish fauna composition of the Piranhas-Assu hydrographic basin, Rio Grande do Norte. The 602 fish samples captured were distributed in four orders (Characiformes, Perciformes, Siluriformes and Synbranchiformes), 11 families and 22 species, of which 17 are endemic to the Caatinga ecoregion. The order Characiformes was more representative followed by Perciformes, Siluriformes and Synbranchiformes. The second article is about the length-weight relationship and growth of seven native fish species Crenicichla menezesi, Cichlasoma orientale, Triportheus angulatus, Psectrogaster rhomboides, Pimelodella gracilis, Prochilodus brevis and Leporinus piau from a semiarid Brazilian reservoir. The third article is about the reproductive aspects of Crenicichla menezesi. Males were larger, heavier and with a slight predominance as compared to females. Four stages of gonadal development were characterized, being immature, maturing, mature and spent. The females reached sexual maturity earlier than males, with an average fecundity of 398 oocytes per batch. The spawning was partial with a long reproductive period. The fourth article deals with the reproductive strategy of Leporinus piau a neotropical freshwater fish in semi-arid region of Brazil. The population of L. piau (n = 211) showed a slight predominance of males (55%), with larger and heavier females. The males matured earlier than the females. This species presented total spawning, with an average fecundity of 55,000 mature oocytes. Rainfall and concentration of dissolved oxygen acted as influential factors during the spawning season. L. piau shows a seasonal reproductive strategy. The fifth article is related to the morphometric-meristic characteristics and reproductive aspects of freshwater sardine, Triportheus angulatus from River Acauã of the Caatinga biome. There was a predominance of larger females, reaching first maturation before males. There was total spawning during the rainy period of the region. The sixth article reports on the reproductive strategy of Psectrogaster rhomboides. The sex ratio was 1M: 1F, with negative allometric growth. Males reached sexual maturity earlier than females Females and males showed four stages of gonadal development and spawned during the rainy season. The fecundity was low and this species presented total spawning. The seventh article reports on the dynamics of territorial behavior of Crenicichla menezesi. Ten agonistic behaviors displayed by the males were observed: frontal and lateral threat, chasing, circular chasing, perpendicular, lateral and mouth attacks, escape, parallel positioning and stationary. The formation of four social groups was observed among males: without interaction; interaction with submission and escape; with frontal and lateral agonistic interactions. In social interactions between males and females, it was observed that the larger males interacted more among themselves and with the larger females. The large male established its territory and the two small males along with the small female were excluded from the other groups. These studies clarified the fish fauna composition and reproductive strategies of four native species Crenicichla menezesi, Leporinus piau, Triportheus angulatus and Psectrogaster rhomboides of the Piranhas- Assu hydrographic basin of the Caatinga biome, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.

Monitoramento das águas da bacia hidrográfica pirangi pela determinação dos índices de qualidade da água-iqa e índice de toxidez-it

The problems of water supply in Northeast Brazil are severe and require more focused studies. This work was intended to assess water quality in the watershed Pirangi, located in the Northeastern state of the newborn using the Water Quality Index, AQI associated with the Index of Toxicity-IT. The data presented in this study were collected in November 2008, June 2009 and March 2010 at eight sampling stations distributed throughout the basin. The study covered nine parameters, based on guidelines established by CETESB, and seven members of Metal Toxicity index-IT. These waters are framed in the classification between GOOD and BAD showing AQI 41.34 minimum and a maximum of 76.23. Virtually all seven metals analyzed were below the detection limits of ICP-OES giving IT a water equal to one when they are absent and 0 when there are levels of trace metals

Sistemática integrativa de Cichlasoma orientale Kullander 1983 e Crenicichla menezesi Ploeg 1991 (Teleostei: Cichlidae) das bacias hidrográficas do Nordeste do Brasil

Understanding the historical and ecological relationships which are influent in current biological diversity is one of the most challenging tasks of evolutionary biology. Recent systematics emphasizes the need of integrative approaches to delimit different lineages and species. The northeastern Brazil, mostly placed in Caatinga biome, is characterized by a semi-arid weather, low precipitation and seasonal behavior of rivers. This region is regarded lacking as ichthyological knowledge and one of the most threatened by anthropic activities. Further, will be affected by a massive water diverpsion work that will transfer waters from São Francisco basin, to other major four basins: Jaguaribe, Apodi-Mossoró, Piranhas-Açu and Paraiba do Norte. Loss of diversity and richness, hibridizitation, community interactions changes, population homogenization, changes in water quality and flow regime, are examples of environmental impacts already related with similar works. The present study aims to investigate morphological and molecular variation of Cichlasoma orientale Kullander 1983 and Crenicichla menezesi Ploeg 1991, two cichlid species present in northeastern Brazil basins. Further, the study aims to evaluate the influence of geomorphological and climatic processes in this variation, and point some possible impacts of the artificial connectivity which can be brought by São Francisco interbasin water transfer to their population dynamics. Geometric morphometrics and phylogeographical analysis were used to investigate the populations from three different hydrological regions. Our results showed a significant morphological variation of populations from basins that are involved in the São Franscisco s diversion project, not related to an ancient separation between populations, emphasizing morphological variation which could represent a set of plastic responses to the variable hydrological regime in Northeastern Brazil. The role of plastical responses in naturally variable habitats as well as the potential disturbs that could be brought by the interbasin water transfer works are discussed here. Further, our molecular data allowed us to make inferences about species distribution and their taxonomy, and identification of a potential new species of Crenicichla for São Francisco river basin. Our data also allowed to identify some shared haplotypes for both species, which could be related to lineage sorting scenarios or recent gene flow between populations. However a strong structure in most of the pairwise comparisons between populations for both species was revealed. Climatic events such as Atlantic forest regression during the Pleistocene, sea level fluctuations and dispersion by paleorivers in the mouth of Apodi-Mossoró river, and neotectonic events regulating the connection between drainages are likely to have had a contribution for the actual lineages distribution in northeastern Brazil. Further, analysis of molecular variation (AMOVA and SAMOVA) showed that the actual basin s isolation is an important factor to molecular variation, in spite of the signal of recent contact between some basins. Different genetic diversity patterns between species could be related to multiple historic events of colonization, basins landscapes or biological differences. The present study represents the first effort of integrative systematics involving fish species of northeastern Brazil, and showed important morphological and molecular patterns which could be irrecoverably affected by the artificial connection that might be caused by the São Francisco interbasin water transfer

Protozoários de vida livre em dois trechos da bacia hidrográfica do rio pirangi (RN): relações com a educação em ciências e preservação

The vast hidric wealth of Brazil gets its watersheds more susceptible to impacts that compromise the water quality, affecting the ecosystem stability of aquatic environments. The decrease in the quality of water resources also results in a decrease of its multiple uses, especially in tourist areas of the coast, where the continuous flow of people to these sites increases even further the probability of inappropriate behavior of both tourists and local residents. Studies regarding the microbiological communities are still scarce, especially on the free-living protozoa that play unique roles in the food chain of aquatic ecosystems. Due to the large role played by this group of microorganisms in aquatic environments, the present study aimed at identifying the genus and species of free-living protozoa present in two sections of the Pium River, east coast of Rio Grande do Norte, making an association between the its occurrence and trophic conditions of the environment in which they are, also checking the bioindicator capacity of these organisms in water quality. It also aimed to conduct a survey with students to identify the main difficulties regarding the knowledge of free-living protozoa and hydric transmission diseases in two public schools near the river studied in the Pium district, county of Parnamirim. The survey was analyzed by means of questionnaires at both schools. Students identified several activities developed Pium river, highlighting its multifunctionality and importance to the region. A total of 76 taxa of free-living protozoa was recorded, of these, 33 were ciliates, 19 flagellates and 24 sarcodia. The spatial and temporal patterns of these organisms to both points studied revealed the bioindicator potentiality of some effective species identified. However, knowledge about the free-living protozoa proved quite lagged, presenting misconceptions that show them as pathogenic organisms exclusively, totally disregarding their ecological role. In order to remedy the flaws existing in students in relation to the functional role of protozoa, workshops were planned on these microorganisms while also addressing issues related to hydric transmission diseases through lectures, recreational activities and interactive presentations. These practical activities of Science Education had the goal of bringing students the context of local water resources, aiming to promote a greater clarification regarding of the functional role of free-living protozoa in aquatic environments

Arcabouço geofísico, isostasia e causas do magmatismo cenozóico da província Borborema e de sua margem continental (Nordeste do Brasil)

The Borborema Province (BP) is a geologic domain located in Northeastern Brazil. The BP is limited at the south by the São Francisco craton, at the west by the Parnaíba basin, and both at the north and east by coastal sedimentary basins. Nonetheless the BP surface geology is well known, several key aspects of its evolution are still open, notably: i)its tectonic compartmentalization established after the Brasiliano orogenesis, ii) the architecture of its cretaceous continental margin, iii) the elastic properties of its lithosphere, and iv) the causes of magmatism and uplifting which occurred in the Cenozoic. In this thesis, a regional coverage of geophysical data (elevation, gravity, magnetic, geoid height, and surface wave global tomography) were integrated with surface geologic information aiming to attain a better understanding of the above questions. In the Riacho do Pontal belt and in the western sector of the Sergipano belt, the neoproterozoic suture of the collision of the Sul domain of the BP with the Sanfranciscana plate (SFP) is correlated with an expressive dipolar gravity anomaly. The positive lobule of this anomaly is due to the BP lower continental crust uplifting whilst the negative lobule is due to the supracrustal nappes overthrusting the SFP. In the eastern sector of the Sergipano belt, this dipolar gravity anomaly does not exist. However the suture still can be identified at the southern sector of the Marancó complex arc, alongside of the Porto da Folha shear zone, where the SFP N-S geophysical alignments are truncated. The boundary associated to the collision of the Ceará domain of the BP with the West African craton is also correlated with a dipolar gravity anomaly. The positive lobule of this anomaly coincides with the Sobral-Pedro II shear zone whilst the negative lobule is associated with the Santa Quitéria magmatic arc. Judging by their geophysical signatures, the major BP internal boundaries are: i)the western sector of the Pernambuco shear zone and the eastern continuation of this shear zone as the Congo shear zone, ii) the Patos shear zone, and iii) the Jaguaribe shear zone and its southwestern continuation as the Tatajuba shear zone. These boundaries divide the BP in five tectonic domains in the geophysical criteria: Sul, Transversal, Rio Grande do Norte, Ceará, and Médio Coreaú. The Sul domain is characterized by geophysical signatures associated with the BP and SFP collision. The fact that Congo shear zone is now proposed as part of the Transversal domain boundary implies an important change in the original definition of this domain. The Rio Grande do Norte domain presents a highly magnetized crust resulted from the superposition of precambrian and phanerozoic events. The Ceará domain is divided by the Senador Pompeu shear zone in two subdomains: the eastern one corresponds to the Orós-Jaguaribe belt and the western one to the Ceará-Central subdomain. The latter subdomain exhibits a positive ENE-W SW gravity anomaly which was associated to a crustal discontinuity. This discontinuity would have acted as a rampart against to the N-S Brasiliano orogenic nappes. The Médio Coreaú domain also presents a dipolar gravity anomaly. Its positive lobule is due to granulitic rocks whereas the negative one is caused by supracrustal rocks. The boundary between Médio Coreaú and Ceará domains can be traced below the Parnaíba basin sediments by its geophysical signature. The joint analysis of free air anomalies, free air admittances, and effective elastic thickness estimates (Te) revealed that the Brazilian East and Equatorial continental margins have quite different elastic properties. In the first one 10 km < Te < 20 km whereas in the second one Te ≤ 10 km. The weakness of the Equatorial margin lithosphere was caused by the cenozoic magmatism. The BP continental margin presents segmentations; some of them have inheritance from precambrian structures and domains. The segmentations conform markedly with some sedimentary basin features which are below described from south to north. The limit between Sergipe and Alagoas subbasins coincides with the suture between BP and SFP. Te estimates indicates concordantly that in Sergipe subbasin Te is around 20 km while Alagoas subbasin has Te around 10 km, thus revealing that the lithosphere in the Sergipe subbasin has a greater rigidity than the lithosphere in the Alagoas subbasin. Additionally inside the crust beneath Sergipe subbasin occurs a very dense body (underplating or crustal heritage?) which is not present in the crust beneath Alagoas subbasin. The continental margin of the Pernambuco basin (15 < Te < 25 km) presents a very distinct free air edge effect displaying two anomalies. This fact indicates the existence in the Pernambuco plateau of a relatively thick crust. In the Paraíba basin the free air edge effect is quite uniform, Te ≈ 15 km, and the lower crust is abnormally dense probably due to its alteration by a magmatic underplating in the Cenozoic. The Potiguar basin segmentation in three parts was corroborated by the Te estimates: in the Potiguar rift Te ≅ 5 km, in the Aracati platform Te ≅ 25 km, and in the Touros platform Te ≅ 10 km. The observed weakness of the lithosphere in the Potiguar rift segment is due to the high heat flux while the relatively high strength of the lithosphere in the Touros platform may be due to the existence of an archaean crust. The Ceará basin, in the region of Mundaú and Icaraí subbasins, presents a quite uniform free air edge effect and Te ranges from 10 to 15 km. The analysis of the Bouguer admittance revealed that isostasy in BP can be explained with an isostatic model where combined surface and buried loadings are present. The estimated ratio of the buried loading relative to the surface loading is equal to 15. In addition, the lower crust in BP is abnormally dense. These affirmations are particularly adequate to the northern portion of BP where adherence of the observed data to the isostatic model is quite good. Using the same above described isostatic model to calculate the coherence function, it was obtained that a single Te estimate for the entire BP must be lower than 60 km; in addition, the BP north portion has Te around 20 km. Using the conventional elastic flexural model to isostasy, an inversion of crust thickness was performed. It was identified two regions in BP where the crust is thickened: one below the Borborema plateau (associated to an uplifting in the Cenozoic) and the other one in the Ceará domain beneath the Santa Quitéria magmatic arc (a residue associated to the Brasiliano orogenesis). On the other hand, along the Cariri-Potiguar trend, the crust is thinned due to an aborted rifting in the Cretaceous. Based on the interpretation of free air anomalies, it was inferred the existence of a large magmatism in the oceanic crust surrounding the BP, in contrast with the incipient magmatism in the continent as shown by surface geology. In BP a quite important positive geoid anomaly exists. This anomaly is spatially correlated with the Borborema plateau and the Macaú-Queimadas volcanic lineament. The integrated interpretation of geoid height anomaly data, global shear velocity model, and geologic data allow to propose that and Edge Driven Convection (EDC) may have caused the Cenozoic magmatism. The EDC is an instability that presumably occurs at the boundary between thick stable lithosphere and oceanic thin lithosphere. In the BP lithosphere, the EDC mechanism would have dragged the cold lithospheric mantle into the hot asthenospheric mantle thus causing a positive density contrast that would have generated the main component of the geoid height anomaly. In addition, the compatibility of the gravity data with the isostatic model, where combined surface and buried loadings are present, together with the temporal correlation between the Cenozoic magmatism and the Borborema plateau uplifting allow to propose that this uplifting would have been caused by the buoyancy effect of a crustal root generated by a magmatic underplating in the Cenozoic

Estruturas tectônicas cenozóicas na porção leste da Bacia Potiguar - RN

This thesis encompasses the integration of geological, geophysical, and seismological data in the east part of the Potiguar basin, northeastern Brazil. The northeastern region is located in South American passive margin, which exhibits important areas that present neotectonic activity. The definition of the chronology of events, geometry of structures generated by these events, and definition of which structures have been reactivated is a necessary task in the region. The aims of this thesis are the following: (1) to identify the geometry and kinematics of neotectonic faults in the east part of the Potiguar basin; (2) to date the tectonic events related to these structures and related them to paleoseismicity in the region; (3) to present evolutional models that could explain evolution of Neogene structures; (4) and to investigate the origin of the reactivation process, mainly the type of related structure associated with faulting. The main type of data used comprised structural field data, well and resistivity data, remote sensing imagery, chronology of sediments, morphotectonic analysis, x-ray analysis, seismological and aeromagnetic data. Paleostress analysis indicates that at least two tectonic stress fields occurred in the study area: NSoriented compression and EW-oriented extension from the late Campanian to the early Miocene and EW-oriented compression and NS-oriented extension from the early Miocene to the Holocene. These stress fields reactivated NE-SW- and NW-SE-trending faults. Both set of faults exhibit right-lateral strike-slip kinematics, associated with a minor normal component. It was possible to determine the en echelon geometry of the Samambaia fault, which is ~63 km long, 13 km deep, presents NE-SW trend and strong dip to NW. Sedimentfilled faults in granite rocks yielded Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) and Single-Aliquot Regeneration (SAR) ages at 8.000 - 9.000, 11.000 - 15.000, 16.000 - 24.000, 37.000 - 45.500, 53.609 - 67.959 e 83.000 - 84.000 yr BP. The analysis of the ductile fabric in the João Câmara area indicate that the regional foliation is NE-SW-oriented (032o - 042o), which coincides with the orientation of the epicenters and Si-rich veins. The collective evidence points to reactivation of preexisting structures. Paleoseismological data suggest paleoseismic activity much higher than the one indicated by the short historical and instrumental record

Análises estratigráfica e estrutural da Seção Rifte (Valanginiano ao Barremiano) na área do levantamento sísmico 3D de baixo vermelho, Bacia Potiguar emersa

Baixo Vermelho area, situated on the northern portion of Umbuzeiro Graben (onshore Potiguar Basin), represents a typical example of a rift basin, characterized, in subsurface, by the sedimentary rift sequence, correlated to Pendência Formation (Valanginian-Barremian), and by the Carnaubais fault system. In this context, two main goals, the stratigraphic and the structural analysis, had guided the research. For this purpose, it was used the 3D seismic volume and eight wells located in the study area and adjacencies. The stratigraphic analysis of the Valanginian-Barremian interval was carried through in two distinct phases, 1D and 2D, in which the basic concepts of the sequence stratigraphy had been adapted. In these phases, the individual analysis of each well and the correlation between them, allowed to recognize the main lithofacies, to interpret the effective depositional systems and to identify the genetic units and key-surfaces of chronostratigraphic character. The analyzed lithofacies are represented predominantly by conglomerates, sandstones, siltites and shales, with carbonate rocks and marls occurring subordinately. According to these lithofacies associations, it is possible to interpret the following depositional systems: alluvial fan, fluvio-deltaic and lacustrine depositional systems. The alluvial fan system is mainly composed by conglomerates deposits, which had developed, preferentially in the south portion of the area, being directly associated to Carnaubais fault system. The fluvial-deltaic system, in turn, was mainly developed in the northwest portion of the area, at the flexural edge, being characterized by coarse sandstones with shales and siltites intercalated. On the other hand, the lacustrine system, the most dominant one in the study area, is formed mainly by shales that could occur intercalated with thin layers of fine to very fine sandstones, interpreted as turbidite deposits. The recognized sequence stratigraphy units in the wells are represented by parasequence sets, systems tracts and depositional sequences. The parasequence sets, which are progradational or retrogradational, had been grouped and related to the systems tracts. The predominance of the progradation parasequence sets (general trend with coarsening-upward) characterizes the Regressive Systems Tract, while the occurrence, more frequently, of the retrogradation parasequence sets (general trend with finning-upward) represents the Transgressive System Tract. In the seismic stratigraphic analysis, the lithofacies described in the wells had been related to chaotic, progradational and parallel/subparallel seismic facies, which are associated, frequently, to the alluvial fans, fluvial-deltaic and lacustrine depositional systems, respectively. In this analysis, it was possible to recognize fifteen seismic horizons that correspond to sequence boundaries and to maximum flooding surfaces, which separates Transgressive to Regressive systems tracts. The recognition of transgressive-regressive cycles allowed to identify nine, possibly, 3a order deposicional sequences, related to the tectonic-sedimentary cycles. The structural analysis, in turn, was done at Baixo Vermelho seismic volume, which shows, clearly, the structural complexity printed in the area, mainly related to Carnaubais fault system, acting as an important fault system of the rift edge. This fault system is characterized by a main arrangement of normal faults with trend NE-SO, where Carnaubais Fault represents the maximum expression of these lineations. Carnaubais Fault corresponds to a fault with typically listric geometry, with general trend N70°E, dipping to northwest. It is observed, throughout all the seismic volume, with variations in its surface, which had conditioned, in its evolutive stages, the formation of innumerable structural features that normally are identified in Pendencia Formation. In this unit, part of these features is related to the formation of longitudinal foldings (rollover structures and distentional folding associated), originated by the displacement of the main fault plan, propitiating variations in geometry and thickness of the adjacent layers, which had been deposited at the same time. Other structural features are related to the secondary faultings, which could be synthetic or antithetic to Carnaubais Fault. In a general way, these faults have limited lateral continuity, with listric planar format and, apparently, they play the role of the accomodation of the distentional deformation printed in the area. Thus, the interaction between the stratigraphic and structural analysis, based on an excellent quality of the used data, allowed to get one better agreement on the tectonicsedimentary evolution of the Valanginian-Barremian interval (Pendência Formation) in the studied area

Anisotropia sísmica crustal na região de Cascavel - CE

This dissertation presents a study on crustal seismic anisotropy in Cascavel - CE. The earthquake data employed here are from the Seismological Laboratory at Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) and were colected from 29 September 1997 to 05 march 1998 using six three-component digital seismographic stations. In general, the cause of the observed seismic anisotropy in many regions of the world is interpreted in terms of fluid-filled stress aligned microcracks in the rockmass (EDA). In other words, the polarisation direction of the faster shear-wave splitting is parallel to SHmax. However, other researches on seismic anisotropy carried out in NE Brazil have shown a remarkable consistency of the faster shear-wave polarisation direction with the direction of the Precambrian fabric. The present work is another case study that is used to investigate this issue. In order to map the Precambrian fabric we used aeromagnetic data, since the study area is mostly covered with sediments (up to 50m thick) and in-situ field mapping would be very difficult to be carried out. According to the results from the present research, the observations of the faster shear-wave polarisation directions in two seismographic stations in Cascavel region are best explained in the framework of EDA. For the remaining two stations, the observed anisotropy may have two interpretions: (i) - 90_ flips of the direction of polarisation of the faster shear-wave, since that the event-to-station ray path would be through the fracture zone and hence would travel under a higher pore pressure and (ii) - the observed seismic anisotropy would agree with the direction on the ductile Precambrian fabric

Estudo geológico e geofísico da falha de carnaubais, Bacia Potiguar-RN, e implicações neotectônicas

The segment of Carnaubais Fault located in the southeasthern portion of Guamaré Graben (Potiguar Basin) was studied. Several structures were detected and some of them strongly suggest that the last movements in Carnaubais Fault are of Neotectonic age. The study comprises an integrated interpretation of geologic, geomorphologic and geophysical data (gravimetry, magnetometry, resistivity, and self potential methods). According to the size of the studied areas, two approaches were used in this research. The first approach is of a regional nature and was conducted in an area, hereafter named Regional Area, having approximately 6,000 km2 and localized in the northern portion of Rio Grande do Norte state, around Macau city. The second approach comprises detailled studies of two small areas inside the Regional Area: the Camurupim and São Bento areas. Gravimetric and topographic data were used in the Regional Area. A separation into regional and residual components were conducted both on gravimetric and topographic data. The interpretation of the residual component of the gravimetric data allows a precise mapping of the borders of the Guamaré Graben. The regional component features of the topographic data are controlled by the pair of conjugate faults composed by the Carnaubais Fault (NE direction) and the Afonso Bezerra Fault (NW direction). On the other hand, the residual component of the topographic data shows that river valleis of NW direction are sharply interrupted where they intersect Carnaubais Fault. This fact is interpreted as an evidency that the last significant moviments occured in the Carnaubais Fault. Geologic, geomorphologic and geophysical data (magnetometry, resistivity, and self potential methods) were used in the Camurupim Area. The geologic mapping allows to identify five lithophacies unities. The first two unities (from base to top) were interpreted as composing a marine (or transitional) depositional sequency while the other were interpreted is composing a continental depositional sequence. The two sequences are clearly separated of an erosional discordance. The unities grouped in the marine sequence are composed by calcarenites (Unity A) and mudstones (Unity B). Unity A was deposited in a shalow plataform while Unity B, in a tidal flat. The unities grouped in the continental sequence are composed of conglomerate (Unity C) and sandstones (Unities D and E). Unities C and D are fluvial deposits while unity E is an eolian deposit. Unities A and B can be stratigraphycally correlated with Guamaré Formation. Unities C and D present three possible correlations. They may be correlated with Tibau Formation; or with Barreiras Formation; or with a clastic sediment deposit, commonly found in some rivers of Rio Grande do Norte state, and statigraphycally positioned above Barreiras Formation. Based on the decrease of the grain sizes from base to top both on unities C and D, it is proposed that these unities are correlated with the clastic sediment above mentioned. In this case, these unities would have, at least, Pleistocenic age. Finally, it is proposed that Unity E represent an eolian deposit that sufferred recent changes (at least in the Quaternary). The integrated interpretation of hydrographic, morphologic and geophysical data from Camurupim Area shows that Carnaubais Fault is locally composed by a system of several paralel subvertical faults. The fault presenting the larger vertical slip controls the valley of Camurupim river and separates the area in two blocks; in the nothern block the top of the Jandaira limestone is deeper than in the southern block. In addition, at least one of the faults in the northern block is cutting the whole sedimentary section. Because unities C , D, and/or E may be of Quaternary age, tectonic moviments possibly occured in Carnaubais Fault during this period. Detailled geologic mapping were conducted in beachrocks found in São Bento Area. This area is located at the intersection of the coast line with the Carnaubais Fault. The detected structures in the beachrocks are very similar to those caused by fragile deformations. The structures mapped in the beachrocks are consistent with a stress field with maximun compressional stress in E-W direction and extensional stress in the N-S direction. Since the Carnaubais Fault has a NE direction, it is optimally positioned to suffer tectonic movements under the action of such stress field. In addition, the shape of the coastal line appear to be controlled by the Carnaubais Fault. Furthemore, the observed structures in Camurupim Área are consistent with this stress field. These facts are interpreted as evidences that Carnaubais Fault and beachrocks suffered coupled tectonic movements. These moviments are of Neotectonic age because the beachrocks present ages less than 16,000 years

Evolução estrutural e termocronológica meso-cenozóica da Zona de Cisalhamento Portalegre, Nordeste do Brasil

The Portalegre shear zone (ZCPa), which is located in the Rio Grande do Norte and Paraíba states (Northeastern Brazil), is na important right-lateral, northeast-trending lineament formed during the Brazilian Orogenic Cicle). The ZCPa experienced na important brittle reactivation from the Mesozoic until the present. This reactivation led to the formation of the Gangorra, Pau dos Ferros, Coronel João Pessoa, Icozinho and Rio do Peixe basins. The reactivation northern parto f the ZCPa that marks the boundary of the Potiguar Basin is denominated Carnaubais Fault. Several fracture patterns were mapped along the ZCPa. Samples were collected in Neoproterozoic granite outcrops, along the ZCPa. These samples yielded AFT ages from 86±13 to 376±57 Ma, and the mean track length from 10.9±0.8 to 12.9±1.5 mm. Samples from the East block yielded mean ages of 103 Ma, mean track lengtn 12,1mm, and mean altitude 250m, whereas samples from West block yielded mean ages of 150 Ma, which reach 345 Ma and 220 Ma in the Pau dos Ferros and Coronel João Pessoa basins, respectively. Thermal history models were sorted out for each crustal block. Samples from West block recorded a thermal history from Carboniferous Period until the Permiano, when the block experienced gradual uplift until the Cretaceous, when it underwent downfaulting and heating until the Tertiary, and it eventually experienced a rapid uplift movement until recent times. Samples from the East block presented the same cooling and heating events, but at they occurred different times. The East block thermal record started ~140 Ma, when this block experienced cooling until ~75 Ma. Both blocks show a denundacion/erosional history more similar in the Tertiary. The AFT data indicate an important tectonic event ~140 Ma, when the West block experienced downfaulting and the East block experienced uplift. This tectonic process led to the generation of several sedimentary basins in the region, including the Potiguar basin. This tectonic event is also interpreted as a rift process caused by an E-W-trending extension. It the Tertiary, some heating events can be tentatively attributed to the macau volcanic event

Expressão em superfície do sistema de falhas Poço Verde-caraúbas, Bacia Potiguar

The structural knowledge of the western portion of the Potiguar Basin is still in its infancy, especially these related to NW-trending fault systems. This paper analyzes the Poço Verde-Caraúbas Fault System, which was initially recognized in subsurface. The activities involved in this study correspond to remote-sensing analysis and, in particular, to the geometric and kinematic analysis of post-rift sequences of the basin. In addition, the study aimed to determine the stress fields operating in the area. The studies were carried out in an area of 1,000 km², located in the western portion of Potiguar Basin along the Poço Verde-Caraúbas Fault System, Rio Grande do Norte State. The remote sensing imagery indicates a predominance of NW-SE-trending lineaments, consistent with the fault system under study, followed by the NE-SW, N-S and E-W directions. The tectonic structures mapped were analyzed only in outcrops of the Jandaíra Formantion. They are joints (filled or not) in all directions, but with predominance of the NW-trending joints. Faults are usually N-S-trending normal faults and NW-SE and NE-SW-trending strike-slip faults. Geodynamic analysis identified two tectonic stress fields: the first field, "Field 1" is represented by an N-S-trending horizontal compression and E-W-trending horizontal extension. This field affected the Potiguar Basin at least until the Miocene. The second field, "Field 2", is represented by an E-W-trending horizontal compression and N-S-trending horizontal extension. This is the present-day stress field and has affected the Potiguar basin since the Pliocene

Estimativa da profundidade do embasamento na bacia potiguar usando inversão gravimétrica

The gravity inversion method is a mathematic process that can be used to estimate the basement relief of a sedimentary basin. However, the inverse problem in potential-field methods has neither a unique nor a stable solution, so additional information (other than gravity measurements) must be supplied by the interpreter to transform this problem into a well-posed one. This dissertation presents the application of a gravity inversion method to estimate the basement relief of the onshore Potiguar Basin. The density contrast between sediments and basament is assumed to be known and constant. The proposed methodology consists of discretizing the sedimentary layer into a grid of rectangular juxtaposed prisms whose thicknesses correspond to the depth to basement which is the parameter to be estimated. To stabilize the inversion I introduce constraints in accordance with the known geologic information. The method minimizes an objective function of the model that requires not only the model to be smooth and close to the seismic-derived model, which is used as a reference model, but also to honor well-log constraints. The latter are introduced through the use of logarithmic barrier terms in the objective function. The inversion process was applied in order to simulate different phases during the exploration development of a basin. The methodology consisted in applying the gravity inversion in distinct scenarios: the first one used only gravity data and a plain reference model; the second scenario was divided in two cases, we incorporated either borehole logs information or seismic model into the process. Finally I incorporated the basement depth generated by seismic interpretation into the inversion as a reference model and imposed depth constraint from boreholes using the primal logarithmic barrier method. As a result, the estimation of the basement relief in every scenario has satisfactorily reproduced the basin framework, and the incorporation of the constraints led to improve depth basement definition. The joint use of surface gravity data, seismic imaging and borehole logging information makes the process more robust and allows an improvement in the estimate, providing a result closer to the actual basement relief. In addition, I would like to remark that the result obtained in the first scenario already has provided a very coherent basement relief when compared to the known basin framework. This is significant information, when comparing the differences in the costs and environment impact related to gravimetric and seismic surveys and also the well drillings

Análise hidrodinâmica e morfodinâmica do complexo estuarino do Rio Piranhas-Açu/RN, Nordeste do Brasil

The aim of this study was the seasonal characterization of the morphology, sedimentology and hydrodynamic of the Açu, Cavalos and Conchas estuaries. These estuaries are inserted in a semi-arid climate area and form the mouth of the hydrographic basin of the Piranhas-Açu river, that represent the discharge of the largest watershed in the state. They are embedded in an environment consisting of a fluvial-marine floodplain, mangrove ecosystem, sandbanks, fields of dunes, spits and sandy beaches. Adjacent to the natural units are the main local socioeconomic activities (oil industry, salt industry, shrimp farming, fishing and tourism) are dependent on this river and its conservation. The environmental monitoring is necessary because it is an area under constant action of coastal processes and at high risk of oil spill. The acquisition and interpretation of hydrodynamic, sonographic and sediment data was conducted in two campaigns, dry season (2010) and rainy season (2011), using respectively the current profiler ADCP Doppler effect, the side-scan sonar and Van Veen sampler. In these estuaries: Açu, Cavalos and Conchas were identified the following types of bedforms: flatbed and Dunes 2-D and 3-D (small to medium size), generated at lower flow regime (Froude number <1). Structures such as ripples were observed in the Açu estuary mouth. The higher values of flow discharge and velocity were recorded in the Açu estuary (434,992 m³.s-¹ and 0,554 m.s-¹). In rainy season, despite the record of highest values of discharge and flow velocities at the mouth, the energy rates upstream did not differ much from the data of the dry season. However, in all estuaries were recorded an increase in speed and flow, with reservation to the flow in the Açu estuary and flow at the mouth of the Conchas estuary. Sediment grain sizes tend to increase towards the mouth of the estuary and these ranged from very fine sand to very coarse sand, medium sand fraction being the most recurrent. Based on the data acquired and analyzed, the estuaries Açu, Cavalos and Conchas are classified as mixed , dominated by waves and tides. According to their morphology, they are classified as estuaries constructed by bar and according to the classification by salinity, estuaries Conchas and Cavalos were ranked as hypersaline estuaries, and Açu as hypersaline and vertically well mixed type C

Sistemas orbitais e aéreos aplicados à análise multi-escala da tectônica rúptil atuante na borda sudeste da Bacia do Parnaíba

The tectonics activity on the southern border of Parnaíba Basin resulted in a wide range of brittle structures that affect siliciclastic sedimentary rocks. This tectonic activity and related faults, joints, and folds are poorly known. The main aims of this study were (1) to identify lineaments using several remotesensing systems, (2) to check how the interpretation based on these systems at several scales influence the identification of lineaments, and (3) to contribute to the knowledge of brittle tectonics in the southern border of the Parnaíba Basin. The integration of orbital and aerial systems allowed a multi-scale identification, classification, and quantification of lineaments. Maps of lineaments were elaborated in the following scales: 1:200,000 (SRTM Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission), 1:50,000 (Landsat 7 ETM+ satellite), 1:10,000 (aerial photographs) and 1:5,000 (Quickbird satellite). The classification of the features with structural significance allowed the determination of four structural sets: NW, NS, NE, and EW. They were usually identified in all remote-sensing systems. The NE-trending set was not easily identified in aerial photographs but was better visualized on images of medium-resolution systems (SRTM and Landsat 7 ETM+). The same behavior characterizes the NW-trending. The NS-and EW-trending sets were better identified on images from high-resolution systems (aerial photographs and Quickbird). The structural meaning of the lineaments was established after field work. The NEtrending set is associated with normal and strike-slip faults, including deformation bands. These are the oldest structures identified in the region and are related to the reactivation of Precambrian basement structures from the Transbrazilian Lineament. The NW-trending set represents strike-slip and subordinated normal faults. The high dispersion of this set suggests a more recent origin than the previous structures. The NW-trending set may be related to the Picos-Santa Inês Lineament. The NS-and EW-trending sets correspond to large joints (100 m 5 km long). The truncation relationships between these joint sets indicate that the EW-is older than the NS-trending set. The methodology developed by the present work is an excellent tool for the understanding of the regional and local tectonic structures in the Parnaíba basin. It helps the choice of the best remote-sensing system to identify brittle features in a poorly known sedimentary basin