Nd-, Sr-, O-isotopic and chemical evidence for a two-stage contamination history of mantle magma in the Central-Alpine Bergell intrusion

Two different contamination processes have been identified as having been operative in the genesis of a plutonic suite: initial contamination of a mantle source, and subsequent crustal contamination of uprising partial melts from the mantle. These processes are indicated by a detailed analyses of Nd, Sr, and oxygen isotopes together with major-and trace-elements of the 32–30 Ma calc-alkaline Bergell intrusion. This intrusion is located at the suture of the Alpine continental collision zone and contains rock types capable of discriminating between mantle and intracrustal processes. A range from basaltic-andesitic dykes in the surrounding country rocks, cumulitic hornblendites, gabbros, tonalite, granodiorite and lamprophyres, to pegmatites and aplites, is exposed in this single intrusion. The results of REE modelling and isotopic compositions of the basic members suggest that the cumulates were fractionated from a picrobasaltic liquid originating by partial melting of enriched subcontinental mantle (_Nd=+4). Increases in ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (0.7055) and ¹⁸O(+6.7) in these samples relative to the mantle array and compositions of other Periadriatic intrusions are most likely the result of an initial contamination of the mantle source by dehydration or partial melting of altered subducted oceanic crust. Slight differentiation of such a picrobasaltic liquid produced the basaltic-andesitic dykes. Simultaneous fractional crystallization and contamination of the uprising magma by continental crust produced crustal isotopic signatures which increase with acidity to values of (_Nd=-7.6), ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr=0.716 and ¹⁸O=+10. The crustal imprint and LREE enrichment in the dominating tonalite increase with decreasing crystallization depth which indicates that the tonalites were emplaced in several distinct batches with different degrees of contamination. Shoshonitic lamprophyres, which intruded into the partly solidified granodiorite, were generated in a deep, strongly contaminated mantle source. The posttectonic 26 Ma Novate leucogranite is not cogenetic with the main Bergell body, but rather formed from a predominantly crustal source. If the described features are indeed due to mantle source contamination processes, which are well known for volcanic arcs, it must be concluded that these may also play a significant role in the genesis of calcalkaline plutonic suites.     

Transform faults in Island

In Iceland the mid-Atlantic ridge rises above sea-level for a north-south-extension of 350 km. One or two east-west-directed transform faults may be expected on land in Iceland, since the mid-Atlantic ridge is offset by transform faults every 100–200 km.Two of these faults, the Reykjanes Fracture Zone in southern Iceland, and the Tjörnes Fracture Zone in northern Iceland, have been located by recent seismological activity (Ward, 1971).There are no strike-slip faults within the Tjömes Fracture Zone that support transform faulting on land. En echolon faults may indicate a status nascendi of lateral offset for the Reykjanes Fracture Zone. A third transform fault, the Snaefellsnes-Vatnajökull Fracture Zone, however, was already active about 3 m.y. ago, when the rift system in southern Iceland began to spread faster than in northern Iceland. The features resulting from this process can be observed in (1) a change in strike from a northerly trend in northern Iceland to a north-easterly direction in southern Iceland; (2) the separation of the rift axis in southern Iceland into two branches; (3) right lateral strike-slip movements along the Snaefellsnes-Vatnajökull Fracture Zone with an offset of about 100 km.Field mapping and observations from air photographs have enabled the construction of a detailed tectonic pattern for the latter zone. The Pleistocene to Postglacial volcanic activity, the offset of magnetic anomalies, and recent active seismicity support the mechanism of transform faulting.At least 3 m.y. ago the west-wandering Icelandic Rift System started with higher spreading rates, revealing a trend to connect directly the Reykjanes- and the Iceland-Jan Mayen Rift Systems. Since that time three crustal plates proceeded from the Vatnajökull Triple Junction with different drift velocities, inducing the activity of the Snaefellsnes-Vatnajökull Transform Fault, which separates the north-western from the south-western Icelandic plate.

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Zusammenfassung In Island erhebt sich der zentrale Teil des Mittelatlantischen Rückens auf einer N-S-Erstreckung von 350 km über den Meeresspiegel. Das regelmäßige Auftreten E-W-gerichteter transform faults, die im Abstand von 100–200 km die Mittelatlantische Schwelle queren, läßt auf die Ausbildung einer oder mehrerer transform faults im Bereich der Insel schließen.Zwei in E-W-Richtung und damit rechtwinklig zur isländischen Riftzone verlaufende, seismologisch aktive Zonen wurden im S der Insel (Reykjanes Fracture Zone) und im N (Tjörnes Fracture Zone) als transform faults beschrieben (Ward, 1971). Jedoch keines der beiden Systeme gibt einen lateralen Versatz von geologischen Einheiten und magnetischen Anomalien zu erkennen. In gleicher E-W-Streichrichtung wie die beiden vermuteten transform faults erstreckt sich zwischen der Snaefellsnes-Halbinsel und dem Vatnajökull eine rechtsdrehende Blattverschiebung mit einem Horizontalversatz von etwa 100 km. Die Störung entstand vor etwa 3 Millionen Jahren, als das südisländische zentrale Riftsystem gegenüber dem nördlichen eine höhere Driftgeschwindigkeit entwickelte, und war aktiv bis in die jüngste Zeit.Der Richtungswechsel von durchweg N-S-streichenden geologischen und tektonischen Strukturen im N der Insel und NE-SW-gerichteten Einheiten, sowie die Aufspaltung der Riftzone in zwei getrennte Äste im S, können als Ergebnis dieses Vorganges angesehen werden.Die tektonisch interessantesten Abschnitte der Snaefellsnes-Vatnajökull-Transform Fault wurden kartiert. Kartierung und vorliegende Luftaufnahmen ermöglichten eine detaillierte Darstellung des tektonischen Musters.Gleichzeitig mit der Snaefellsnes-Vatnajökull-Transform Fault entstand der Vatnajökull-Tripel-Punkt, von dem sich drei Krustenplatten mit unterschiedlichen Driftgeschwindigkeiten entfernen. Seit dieser Zeit zeigt das W-wandemde isländische Rift-system den Trend, eine unmittelbare Verbindung zwischen Reykjanes- und Island-Jan-Mayen-Rücken herzustellen.

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Résumé En Islande, la partie centrale de la dorsale Atlantique médiane est exondée sur une longueur de 350 km en direction N-S. La présence régulière de failles transformelles de direction E-W traversant le seuil médian de l'Atlantique à des distances de 100 à200 km, permet de conclure à la formation d'une ou de plusieurs failles transformelles sur l'étendue de l'île.Deux zones de direction E-W, et par conséquent d'allure perpendiculaire au rift islandais (la zone de fractures de Reykjanes au S de l'île et la zone de fractures de Tjörnes au N), ont été décrites comme failles transformelles à cause de leur activité séismique (Ward, 1971). Mais aucun de ces deux systèmes ne montre de décrochement des unités géologiques pas plus que des anomalies magnétiques. Avec la même direction E-W que celle des deux failles transformelles présumées, s'étend un autre décrochement dextrogyre entre la presqu'île du Snaefellsnes et le glacier Vatnajökull. Cette faille est apparue il y a trois millions d'années, lorsque le rift central de la partie S de l'Islande se développait avec une vitesse supérieure à celle du Nord de l'Islande; elle fut active jusque récemment.Le changement de direction des structures géologiques et tectoniques d'allure N-S dans le N de l'île et des unités dirigées NE-SW, comme aussi l'ouverture de la zone de rift en 2 branches séparées dans le S, peuvent être considérés comme le résultat de ce processus. La cartographie de ces sections tectoniquement très intéressantes liées à la faille transformelle de Snaefellsnes-Vatnajökull a été levée.La cartographie et les vues aériennes présentées ont permis une figuration détaillée de cette manifestation te tonique.En même temps que la faille transformelle Snaefellsnes-Vatnajökull, il se développait le triple point du Vatnajökull, à partir duquel trois plaques crustales divergent avec des vitesses différentes. Depuis cette époque le compartiment islandais possède l'allure d'une liaison immédiate entre la dorsale de Reykjanes et celle de l'Islande-Jan Mayen.

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, N-S , 350 . , E-W 100–200 - , , . , E-W . . : ( Reykjanes Fracture), ( Tjörnes Fracture). , (Ward, 1971). , . , Snaefellsnes Vatnajökull . 3 , - . N-S NE-SW , — , . Snaefellsnes Vatnajokull. . Snaefellsnes-Vatnajökull Vatnajökull-Tripel, , . , aW, Reykjanes-Island-Jan-Mayen.

     

Band theoretical studies of the electronic structure of oxides

The O^2? ion is a useful concept in ionic solids. Its electron density and large polarizability is well described by the Watson sphere model. The large variation in the electronic structure of oxides is illustrated by discussing the ionic MgO, the partly ‘covalent’ Cu₂O, and TiO and NbO which have defects with respect to the ideal NaCl structure. The variation in physical properties is shown for the oxides in the rutile structure ranging from the insulating TiO₂, the metallic RuO₂ to the ferromagnetic CrO₂. Electron densities, total energies and densities of states are used to study these materials.     

The Eccentric Eclipsing Binary V889 Aquilae

Several new times of minimum light recorded with photoelectric or CCD means have been gathered for the eccentric eclipsing binary V889 Aql (P = 11.1 days, e = 0.37). Its O–C diagram is presented, and improved elements of the apsidal motion and the light-time effect (LITE) are given. We found a long apsidal motion period of about 24 400 ± 2400 years and a period of the third body of about 52 ± 2 years.