Occurrence of noble metals in aluminum- and chromium- rich objects in ordinary chondrites and of baddeleyite (ZrO2) in a chromite inclusion

Abstract— Platinum group elements (PGE) enrichments are found in Fe-Ni blebs (<1 μm) in Al- and Cr-rich objects in the ordinary chondrites Ste. Marguerite, Forest Vale, Montferré. In Ste. Marguerite, high ZrO₂ concentrations (baddeleyite) are also present in a chromite inclusion. Iridium enrichment in this material compared to its metal content is confirmed by INAA. The widespread occurrence of PGE in Al- and Cr-rich objects, mostly present in H-group chondrites of nearly equilibrated types, must be taken into account to understand their conditions of formation.     

Post-solidification cooling and the age of Io's lava flows

The modeling of thermal emission from active lava flows must account for the cooling of the lava after solidification. Models of lava cooling applied to data collected by the Galileo spacecraft have, until now, not taken this into consideration. This is a flaw as lava flows on Io are thought to be relatively thin with a range in thickness from ∼1 to 13 m. Once a flow is completely solidified (a rapid process on a geological time scale), the surface cools faster than the surface of a partially molten flow. Cooling via the base of the lava flow is also important and accelerates the solidification of the flow compared to the rate for the ‘semi-infinite’ approximation (which is only valid for very deep lava bodies). We introduce a new model which incorporates the solidification and basal cooling features. This model gives a superior reproduction of the cooling of the 1997 Pillan lava flows on Io observed by the Galileo spacecraft. We also use the new model to determine what observations are necessary to constrain lava emplacement style at Loki Patera. Flows exhibit different cooling profiles from that expected from a lava lake. We model cooling with a finite-element code and make quantitative predictions for the behavior of lava flows and other lava bodies that can be tested against observations both on Io and Earth. For example, a 10-m-thick ultramafic flow, like those emplaced at Pillan Patera in 1997, solidifies in ∼450 days (at which point the surface temperature has cooled to ∼280 K) and takes another 390 days to cool to 249 K. Observations over a sufficient period of time reveal divergent cooling trends for different lava bodies [examples: lava flows and lava lakes have different cooling trends after the flow has solidified (flows cool faster)]. Thin flows solidify and cool faster than flows of greater thickness. The model can therefore be used as a diagnostic tool for constraining possible emplacement mechanisms and compositions of bodies of lava in remote-sensing data.     

Formation of the mid-fifteenth century Kuwae caldera (Vanuatu) by an initial hydroclastic and subsequent ignimbritic eruption

In the mid-fifteenth century, one of the largest eruptions of the last 10 000 years occurred in the Central New Hebrides arc, forming the Kuwae caldera (12x6 km). This eruption followed a late maar phase in the pre-caldera edifice, responsible for a series of alternating hydromagmatic deposits and airfall lapilli layers. Tuffs related to caldera formation ( 120 m of deposits on a composite section from the caldera wall) were emitted during two main ignimbritic phases associated with two additional hydromagmatic episodes. The lower hydromagmatic tuffs from the precaldera maar phase are mainly basaltic andesite in composition, but clasts show compositions ranging from 48 to 60% SiO₂. The unwelded and welded ashflow deposits from the ignimbritic phases and the associated intermediate and upper hydromagmatic deposits also show a wide compositional range (60–73% SiO₂), but are dominantly dacitic. This broad compositional range is thought to be due to crystal fractionation. The striking evolution from one eruptive style (hydromagmatic) to the other (magmatic with emission of a large volume of ignimbrites) which occurred either over the tuff series as a whole, or at the beginning of each ignimbritic phase, is the most impressive characteristic of the caldera-forming event. This strongly suggests triggering of the main eruptive phases by magma-water interaction. A three-step model of caldera formation is presented: (1) moderate hydromagmatic (sequences HD 1–4) and magmatic (fallout deposits) activity from a central vent, probably over a period of months or years, affected an area slightly wider than the present caldera. At the end of this stage, intense seismic activity and extrusion of differentiated magma outside the caldera area occurred; (2) unhomogenized dacite was released during a hydromagmatic episode (HD 5). This was immediately followed by two major pyroclastic flows (PFD 1 and 2). The vents spread and intense magma-water interaction at the beginning of this stage decreased rapidly as magma discharge increased. Subsequent collapse of the caldera probably commenced in the southeastern sector of the caldera; (3) dacitic welded tuffs were emplaced during a second main phase (WFD 1–5). At the beginning of this phase, magma-water interaction continued, producing typical hydromagmatic deposits (HD 6). Caldera collapse extended to the northern part of the caldera. Previous C¹⁴ dates and records of explosive volcanism in ice from the south Pole show that the climactic phase of this event occurred in 1452 A.D.     

Uncertainties in field-line tracing in the magnetosphere. Part II: the complete internal geomagnetic field

The discussion in the preceding paper is restricted to the uncertainties in magnetic-field-iine tracing in the magnetosphere resulting from published standard errors in the spherical harmonic coefficients that define the axisymmetric part of the internal geomagnetic field (i.e. g_n⁰ ± g_n⁰). Numerical estimates of these uncertainties based on an analytic equation for axisymmetric field lines are in excellent agreement with independent computational estimates based on stepwise numerical integration along magnetic field lines. This comparison confirms the accuracy of the computer program used in the present paper to estimate the uncertainties in magnetic-field-line tracing that arise from published standard errors in the full set of spherical harmonic coefficients, which define the complete (non-axisymmetric) internal geomagnetic field (i.e. g_n^m ± g_n^m and h_n^m ± h_n^m). An algorithm is formulated that greatly reduces the computing time required to estimate these uncertainties in magnetic-field-line tracing. The validity of this algorithm is checked numerically for both the axisymmetric part of the internal geomagnetic field in the general case (1 n 10) and the complete internal geomagnetic field in a restrictive case (0 m n, 1 n 3). On this basis it is assumed that the algorithm can be used with confidence in those cases for which the computing time would otherwise be prohibitively long. For the complete internal geomagnetic field, the maximum characteristic uncertainty in the geocentric distance of a field line that crosses the geomagnetic equator at a nominal dipolar distance of 2 R_E is typically 100 km. The corresponding characteristic uncertainty for a field line that crosses the geomagnetic equator at a nominal dipolar distance of 6 R_E is typically 500 km. Histograms and scatter plots showing the characteristic uncertainties associated with magnetic-field-line tracing in the magnetosphere are presented for a range of illustrative examples. Finally, estimates are given for the maximum uncertainties in the locations of the conjugate points of selected geophysical observatories. Numerical estimates of the uncertainties in magnetic-field-line tracing in the magnetosphere, including the associated uncertainties in thelocations of the conjugate points of geophysical observatories, should be regarded as first approximations in the sense that these estimates are only as accurate as the published standard errors in the full set of spherical harmomic coefficients. As in the preceding paper, howerver, all computational techniques developed in this paper can be used to derive more realistic estimates of the uncertainties in magnetic-field-line tracing in the magnetosphere, following further progress in the determination of more accurate standard errors in the spherical harmonic coefficients.Also Visiting Reader in Physics, University of Sussex, Palmer, Brighton, BN1 9QH, UK     

The ups and downs of “Tectonic Quiescence”—recognizing differential subsidence in the epicontinental sea of the Oxfordian in the Swiss Jura Mountains

Recent studies in northern Switzerland have shown that epicontinental areas thought to have been tectonically stable during the Mesozoic were not necessarily as rigid as presumed. By comparing Oxfordian facies boundaries and depocenters in their palinspastic position with known faults in the basement, a direct relationship between the two can be demonstrated. Previously, the lack of obvious synsedimentary tectonic features has lulled scientists into believing that the realm of the Swiss Jura was tectonically stable during the Mesozoic. However, it can be shown that facies and sedimentary structures are largely influenced by tectonics. Subsurface data provide evidence for the presence of Paleozoic troughs in the basement which, apparently, were prone to reactivation during the Pan-European stress-field reorganization taking place in the Late Jurassic. This led to differential subsidence along pre-existing lineaments within the study area, which can be recognized in the distribution of Oxfordian epicontinental basins and their coeval shallow-water counterparts. Eustatic sea-level fluctuations played an important role in the development of shallow-water facies patterns, but a subordinate role in the control of accommodation space in basins.

While tectonic activity is often recorded in the sedimentary record in the form of platform break-ups and associated sedimentary debris, more subtle indicators may be overlooked or even misinterpreted. Sedimentary structures and isopach maps, as well as subsurface data in the study area suggest that subtle synsedimentary tectonic movements led to the formation of two shallow, diachronous epicontinental basins during the Late Jurassic. It becomes possible to recognize and differentiate the combined effects of local and regional tectonism, eustasy and sedimentation.     

Rates of deformation of an extensional growth fault/raft system (offshore Congo, West African margin) from combined accommodation measurements and 3-D restoration

The aim of this paper is to quantify the evolution in time and space of the accommodation (space available for sedimentation) in the case of a growth fault structure resulting from gravity‐induced extension comprising a listric fault/raft system located along the West African margin. To achieve this, use was made of an original approach combining two complementary techniques (accommodation variation measurements and 3‐D restoration) in order to quantify vertical and horizontal displacement related to deformation, using a data set made up of a 3‐D seismic survey and well logs. We applied sequence stratigraphic principles to (i) define a detailed stratigraphic framework for the Albo‐Cenomanian and (ii) measure subsidence rates from accommodation variations. 3‐D restoration was used to (iii) reconstruct the evolution of the 3‐D geometry of the fault system. The rates of horizontal displacement of structural units were measured and linked to successive stages in the growth of the fault system. Subsidence of the structural units exhibits three scales of variation: (1) long‐term variation (10 Ma) of c. 80 m Ma^?1 for a total subsidence of about 1400 m, compatible with the general subsidence of a passive margin, and (2) short‐term variations (1–5 Ma) corresponding to two periods of rapid subsidence (about 150–250 m Ma^?1) alternating with periods of moderate subsidence rate (around 30 m Ma^?1). These variations are linked to the development of the fault system during the Albian (with downbuilding of the raft and development of the initial basin located in between). During the Cenomanian, the development of the graben located between the lower raft and the initial basin did not seem to affect the vertical displacements. (3) High‐frequency variations (at the scale of genetic unit sets) range between ?50 and 250 m for periods of 0.2–2 Ma. Accommodation variations governed these cycles of progradation/retrogradation rather than sediment flux variations. In addition, the nine wells display a highly consistent pattern of variation in accommodation. This suggests that the genetic unit sets were controlled at a larger scale than the studied system (larger than 20 km in wavelength), for example, by eustatic variations. Translation rates are between 3 and 30 times higher than subsidence rates. Therefore, in terms of amplitude, the main parameter controlling the space available for sedimentation is the structural development of the fault system, that is to say, the seaward translation of the raft units, itself resulting from a regional gravity‐driven extension.