Two-stage evolution of mantle peridotites from the Stalemate Fracture Zone, northwestern Pacific

This paper reports the results of a mineralogical study of 14 mantle peridotite samples dredged in 2009 from the eastern slope of the northwestern segment of the Stalemate Ridge in the northwestern Pacific during cruise SO201-KALMAR Leg 1b of the R/V Sonne. The sample collection included four serpentinized and silicified dunites and ten variably serpentinized lherzolites. The compositions of primary minerals (clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene, and spinel) change systematically from the lherzolites to dunites. Spinel from the lherzolites shows higher Mg# and lower Cr# values (0.65–0.68 and 0.26–0.33, respectively) compared with spinel from the dunites (Mg# = 0.56–0.64 and Cr# = 0.38–0.43). Clinopyroxene from the lherzolites is less magnesian (Mg# = 91.7–92.4) than clinopyroxene from dunite sample DR37-3 (Mg# = 93.7). Based on the obtained data, it was concluded that the lherzolites of the Stalemate Fracture Zone were derived by 10–12% near-fractional melting of a DMM-type depleted mantle reservoir beneath the Kula-Pacific spreading center. The dunites were produced by interaction of residual lherzolites with sodium- and titaniumrich melt and are probably fragments of a network of dunite channels in the shallow mantle. The moderately depleted composition of minerals clearly distinguishes the lherzolites from the strongly depleted peridotites of the East Pacific Rise and indicates the existence of slow-spreading mid-ocean ridges in the Pacific Ocean during the Cretaceous-Paleogene.     

The age of Earth’s largest volcano: Tamu Massif on Shatsky Rise (northwest Pacific Ocean)

This study presents laser step-heating ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age determinations of basaltic lava samples from Tamu Massif, the oldest and largest edifice of the submarine Shatsky Rise in the northwest Pacific and Earth’s proposed largest volcano. The rocks were recovered during Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 324, which cored 160 m into the igneous basement near the summit of Tamu Massif. The analyzed lavas cover all three major stratigraphic groups penetrated at this site and confirm a Late Jurassic/Early Cretaceous age for the onset of Shatsky Rise volcanism. Lavas analyzed from the lower and middle section of the hole yield plateau ages between 144.4 ± 1.0 and 143.1 ± 3.3 Ma with overlapping analytical errors (2σ), whereas a sample from the uppermost lava group produced a significantly younger age of 133.9 ± 2.3 Ma suggesting a late or rejuvenated phase of volcanism. The new geochronological data infer minimum (average) melt production rates of 0.63–0.84 km³/a over a time interval of 3–4 million years consistent with the presence of a mantle plume.     

Optical Changes in a Eutrophic Estuary During Reduced Nutrient Loadings

Loss of water clarity is one of the consequences of coastal eutrophication. Efforts have therefore been made to reduce external nutrient loadings of coastal waters. This paper documents improvements to water clarity between 1985 and 2008–2009 at four stations in the microtidal estuary Roskilde Fjord and find significant relationships to freshwater nutrient loadings. The paper then investigates to which extent changes in phytoplankton biomass (chlorophyll a (Chl a)), non-algal particulate organic matter (POM*), and residual attenuation in the water (K _b), respectively, can account for this optical improvement. Vertical light attenuation (K _d) declined, on average, by 34 %, accompanying a 71 % reduction of Chl a and an 80 % reduction of POM*. Residual attenuation declined by 26 % over the period in accordance with a measured 34 % decline of dissolved organic nitrogen. Analysis of simultaneous changes in light attenuation and Secchi depth also suggested a reduction of the scatter-to-absorption ratio over time. Considering the stronger reductions of particle concentrations than dissolved organic matter, the contribution of residual attenuation to vertical attenuation increased from 54 to 74 % in 1985 to 78 to 85 % in 2008–2009. Overall, efforts to reduce nutrient loading and improve water clarity appeared to have had a larger impact on POM* than on Chl a and colored dissolved organic matter concentrations in the estuary, which can account for the decrease in the scatter-to-absorption ratio. These optical changes lead to larger improvements of Secchi depth than of vertical light attenuation. The consequence of this is an overestimation (0.45–1.48 m) of the predicted increase of potential seagrass depth limits when based on Secchi depth rather than K _d.     

六元体系Li–Na–K–Mg–Cl–SO4–H2O多温相平衡预测

采用基于扩展UNIQUAC模型的AQSOL027软件针对水盐体系Li–Na–K–Mg–Cl–SO₄–H₂O的六个五元子体系进行相平衡理论计算,首次报道了多个五元子体系在多个温度条件下的相图,将计算相图与已有实验相图以及基于其它热力学模型的计算相图进行了比较。结果表明：AQSOL027在相图计算中具有较好的准确性和可靠性。AQSOL027是一款基于Excel、用于计算复杂多温水-盐体系Li–Na–K–Mg–Ca–H–Cl–(HSO₄/SO₄)–(CO₂/HCO₃/CO₃)–(H₃BO₃/B₄O₇/BO₂)–OH–H₂O的计算机软件,集成了扩展UNIQUAC模型和相平衡算法,该软件可结合SysCAD和Aspen过程模拟器,实现盐田工艺过程的计算机辅助设计。     

Time-scales for magmatic differentiation at the Snaefellsjökull central volcano, western Iceland: Constraints from U-Th-Pa-Ra disequilibria in post-glacial lavas

We present major and trace element and Sr-Nd-Pb and U-Th-Pa-Ra isotope data for a small sample suite of primarily post-glacial, mildly alkalic volcanic rocks from the Snaefellsjökull central volcano situated off the main rift systems in western Iceland. The volcanic rocks are crystal-poor and range from olivine alkali basalt to trachyte and show tight correlations of major and trace elements that are explained by fractional crystallization involving removal of olivine, plagioclase, clinopyroxene, Fe-Ti oxide and apatite. Sr-Nd-Pb isotopes are practically invariant, consistent with derivation from the same source region. During fractionation from primitive basalt to evolved trachyte, (²³⁰Th/²³²Th), (²³⁰Th/²³⁸U) and (²³¹Pa/²³⁵U) decrease progressively at broadly constant (²³⁸U/²³²Th). A continuous closed-system fractionation model that assumes constant initial (²³⁰Th/²³²Th) in the basaltic precursor melt indicates that hawaiite was derived from olivine basalt by ∼50% fractional crystallization within and trachyte by ∼80% fractionation within . An overrepresentation of evolved basalts and hawaiites with young inferred magma ages in the dataset is consistent with the parental precursor to these magmas intruded into the sub-volcanic magma plumbing system as a consequence of lithospheric rebound caused by deglaciation. Lavas affected by apatite removal have higher (²³¹Pa/²³⁵U) than predicted for simple radioactive decay, suggesting apatite significantly fractionates U from Pa. The proposed fractionation model consistently explains our U-series data assuming and and . If applicable, these D values would indicate that the effect of apatite fractionation must be adequately considered when assessing differentiation time scales using (²³¹Pa/²³⁵U) disequilibria data.     

The role and conditions of second-stage mantle melting in the generation of low-Ti tholeiites and boninites: the case of the Manihiki Plateau and the Troodos ophiolite

High-Mg, low-Ti volcanic rocks from the Manihiki Plateau in the Western Pacific share many geochemical characteristics with subduction-related boninites such as high-Ca boninites from the Troodos ophiolite on Cyprus, which are believed to originate by hydrous re-melting of previously depleted mantle. In this paper we compare the Manihiki rocks and Troodos boninites using a new dataset on the major and trace element composition of whole rocks and glasses from these locations, and new high-precision, electron microprobe analyses of olivine and Cr-spinel in these rocks. Our results show that both low-Ti Manihiki rocks and Troodos boninites could originate by re-melting of a previously depleted lherzolite mantle source (20–25% of total melting with 8–10% melting during the first stage), as indicated by strong depletion of magmas in more to less incompatible elements (Sm/Yb < 0.8, Zr/Y < 2, Ti/V < 12) and high-Cr-spinel compositions (Cr# > 0.5). In comparison with Troodos boninites, the low-Ti Manihiki magmas had distinctively lower H₂O contents (< 0.2 vs. > 2 wt% in boninites), ~ 100 °C higher liquidus temperatures at a given olivine Fo-number, lower fO₂ (ΔQFM < + 0.2 vs. ΔQFM > + 0.2) and originated from deeper and hotter mantle (1.4–1.7 GPa, ~ 1440 °C vs. 0.8–1.0 GPa, ~ 1300 °C for Troodos boninites). The data provide new evidence that re-melting of residual upper mantle is not only restricted to subduction zones, where it occurs under hydrous conditions, but can also take place due to interaction of previously depleted upper mantle with mantle plumes from the deep and hotter Earth interior.     

Geochemistry of a new enriched mantle type locality in the northern hemisphere: Implications for the origin of the EM-I source

Late Cretaceous (66.2 ± 0.5 Ma amphibole and 66.7 ± 0.2 Ma phlogopite ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages) nephelinitic volcanic rocks from Godzilla Seamount in the eastern North Atlantic (34°N latitude) have trace element and Sr–Nd–Pb–Hf-isotope compositions similar to the Enriched Mantle I (EM-I) endmember, except for their low ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb relative to ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratios (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb_in = 17.7, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb_in = 15.34) plotting below the Northern Hemisphere Reference Line on the uranogenic Pb isotope diagram. O isotope data on amphibole separates are mantle-like (δ¹⁸O = 5.6–5.8‰). Age and location of the isolated Godzilla Seamount, however, preclude it from being derived from the Madeira or Canary hotspots, making a lower-mantle origin unlikely. Therefore we propose derivation from a shallow (lithospheric/asthenospheric) melting anomaly. As observed in mid-ocean-ridge and ocean-island basalts, there is a systematic decrease of ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratios (and Δ7/4) in the individual EM-I endmember type localities towards northern latitudes with Godzilla lying on the extension of this trend. This trend is mirrored in ultra-potassic volcanic rocks such as lamproites and kimberlites, which reflect the composition of enriched subcontinental lithospheric mantle. Therefore, a global pattern in ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratios and Δ7/4 is suggested. The geochemical composition of EM-I endmember type localities, including Godzilla lavas, and the enriched (DUPAL) anomaly in the southern hemisphere could reflect derivation from ancient, metasomatized subcontinental lithospheric mantle. We propose a two-stage model to explain the trace element and isotopic composition of the EM-I mantle endmember localities worldwide: 1) during the early history of the Earth, subcontinental lithosphere was metasomatized by melts from subducted slabs along convergent margins generating high μ (²³⁸U/²⁰⁴Pb) sources, and 2) as the Earth cooled, hydrous fluids replaced hydrous melts as the main slab component metasomatizing the subcontinental lithospheric mantle (generating EM-I sources with lower μ). In accordance with this model, the global variations in ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratios and Δ7/4 could reflect geographic differences in μ and/or the age at which the transition from stages 1 to 2 took place in the Archaean lithosphere. The model would require a re-definition of the EM-I endmember to low ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, high ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb (positive Δ8/4) but variable ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb (positive and negative Δ7/4).     

细粒酒精模型冰单轴压缩强度特征试验研究

介绍细粒酒精模型冰的单轴压缩强度试验研究的方法和结果．试验采用两种试样,即长方形和哑铃形．对长方形试样发生不同破坏模式发生的条件,即试样尺寸、加载速度和压头与试样接触面摩擦等效应进行了详细讨论．描述了细粒酒精模型冰单轴压缩强度的基本特征,并比较了两种试样的试验结果．     

Age and geochemistry of volcanic rocks from the Hikurangi and Manihiki oceanic Plateaus

Here we present the first radiometric age data and a comprehensive geochemical data set (including major and trace element and Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotope ratios) for samples from the Hikurangi Plateau basement and seamounts on and adjacent to the plateau obtained during the R/V Sonne 168 cruise, in addition to age and geochemical data from DSDP Site 317 on the Manihiki Plateau. The ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age and geochemical data show that the Hikurangi basement lavas (118-96 Ma) have surprisingly similar major and trace element and isotopic characteristics to the Ontong Java Plateau lavas (ca. 120 and 90 Ma), primarily the Kwaimbaita-type composition, whereas the Manihiki DSDP Site 317 lavas (117 Ma) have similar compositions to the Singgalo lavas on the Ontong Java Plateau. Alkalic, incompatible-element-enriched seamount lavas (99-87 Ma and 67 Ma) on the Hikurangi Plateau and adjacent to it (Kiore Seamount), however, were derived from a distinct high time-integrated U/Pb (HIMU)-type mantle source. The seamount lavas are similar in composition to similar-aged alkalic volcanism on New Zealand, indicating a second wide-spread event from a distinct source beginning ca. 20 Ma after the plateau-forming event. Tholeiitic lavas from two Osbourn seamounts on the abyssal plain adjacent to the northeast Hikurangi Plateau margin have extremely depleted incompatible element compositions, but incompatible element characteristics similar to the Hikurangi and Ontong Java Plateau lavas and enriched isotopic compositions intermediate between normal mid-ocean-ridge basalt (N-MORB) and the plateau basement. These younger (∼52 Ma) seamounts may have formed through remelting of mafic cumulate rocks associated with the plateau formation. The similarity in age and geochemistry of the Hikurangi, Ontong Java and Manihiki Plateaus suggest derivation from a common mantle source. We propose that the Greater Ontong Java Event, during which ∼1% of the Earth’s surface was covered with volcanism, resulted from a thermo-chemical superplume/dome that stalled at the transition zone, similar to but larger than the structure imaged presently beneath the South Pacific superswell. The later alkalic volcanism on the Hikurangi Plateau and the Zealandia micro-continent may have been part of a second large-scale volcanic event that may have also triggered the final breakup stage of Gondwana, which resulted in the separation of Zealandia fragments from West Antarctica.