太湖及其周围河流中N2O的空间分布与释放通量

本次研究选择中国东部一个生态和环境空间分异极大的浅水湖泊（太湖）以及周围河流,分别于2003年7月和9月两次采集湖水和河水样品,分析其中的N₂O浓度,并利用扩散模型公式估算水-气界面N₂O交换通量。结果显示N₂O饱和度的空间变化从70％不饱和到2708％过饱和变化范围很大。N₂O饱和度的空间分布,N₂O与CH₄、无机氮、TDS（总溶解固体物质）之间的相关性都表明：   太湖重度富营养区N₂O的产生极大地受到人为N输入的影响。然而,初步的通量分析显示湖泊N₂O的释放因子不超过0.63％,小于河流中的默认值,N₂O产率也略低于水环境中的平均值,太湖以面积为权重的释放通量平均值并不高,在7月和9月分别为14.0μmol/m²·d和9.7μmol/m²·d。这些结果表明流域人为N输入对整个湖泊N₂O的促进作用是有限的,预计未来湖泊N₂O释放不会因为人为活动增加而出现大幅度增加的状况。流域内各生态景观N₂O释放量的比较,也表明富营养湖泊总体上仍然是一个十分有限的大气N₂O释放源。相反,太湖周围河流存在较大的N₂O释放速率,在7月和9月估算的N₂O释放通量分别为142.1μmol/m²·d和28.8μmol/m²·d。将这一释放速率推广到整个流域后,预计河网的N₂O释放量将占到耕作土壤的10％～50％,显示了河流对区域N₂O质量平衡具有较重要的影响。     

K-H3OFe3(SO4)2(OH)6铁矾的XRD研究

根据X射线衍射(XRD)分析发现: A Fe₃(SO₄)₂(OH)₆(A=K⁺、H₃O⁺)系列铁钒的XRD数据十分相近,难以用XRD区别,需通过能谱(EDS)辅助分析,才能区分此类铁矾。另外,此类铁矾的003和107面网间距d随K⁺含量增大而增大,且呈一元三次方程的关系;而033和220面网间距d随K⁺含量增大而减小,呈一元二次方程的关系。对该现象从铁矾晶体结构方面进行解释:K⁺、H₃O⁺离子位于较大空隙中,且沿着Z轴方向排列,当K⁺、H₃O⁺离子之间相互替换时,会导致该铁矾晶体结构在Z轴方向有较明显的变化。     

电感耦合等离子体质谱法测定硫时不同形态硫的影响

电感耦合等离子体质谱(ICP-MS)常常被应用于矿石、蛋白质和化石燃料等材料中硫含量的测定。文章综合研究比较了四极杆电感耦合等离子体质谱(Q-ICP-MS)和扇形磁场电感耦合等离子体质谱(SF-ICP-MS)测定硫的灵敏度、检出限及空白干扰。重点考察了两种不同的样品介质(水和2% HNO₃)中不同形态的硫对SF-ICP-MS测定硫信号的影响,并且深入研究了影响的原因。结果表明,硫含量相同但形态不同的含硫阴离子(S^2-、S₂O₃^2-、SO₃^2-、SO₄^2-)在2%的HNO₃介质中的信号比在水介质中的信号稳定,2%的HNO₃更适合于作为ICP-MS测定硫的介质。在2%的HNO₃介质中,S^2-、SO₃^2-中S的ICP-MS测量灵敏度(即标准曲线的斜率)分别为7828 cps/(μg·L^-1)、5528 cps/(μg·L^-1),SO₄^2-和S₂O₃^2-的测量灵敏度分别是为1321 cps/(μg·L^-1)、1299 cps/(μg·L^-1)。S^2-和SO₃^2-的灵敏度分别约为SO₄^2-的6倍和4倍;而S₂O₃^2-的灵敏度与SO₄^2-基本一致。主要原因在于S^2-、SO₃^2-形态的硫在HNO₃介质中形成了气态的H₂S和SO₂,相当于提高了雾化效率,从而使这两种形态硫的灵敏度大幅度提高。     

湘南香花石中流体包裹体温压地球化学特征

作者详细地研究了香花石中流体包裹体温压地球化学特征,其包裹体均一温度主要为280~290℃,盐庋主要为34%~36%NaCl ,压力为30~60 MPa,密度1.03~1.10 g/cm³,单个包裹体拉曼探针分析气相成分中CO ₂为55.4%~57.6%mol、有机质(C1—C4)为28.6%~36.2% mo1,H₂S为8.4%~13.8% mol;液相成分中有机质(C1—C4)为27.1%~37.9% mo1、H₂O为18.8%~25.1% mol,CO₂为18%~29.9% mol, SO₂为11.4%~15.3% mol, H₂S为7.6% ~8.9% mol, Cl^-为2.5mo1/L,HCO₃^-为0.32 mol/L,CO₃^2- 0.26 mol/L。     

河南栾川百炉沟铅锌矿床地质、流体包裹体和稳定同位素地球化学

百炉沟矿床是近年来在盛产斑岩_矽卡岩型钼矿床的河南栾川地区新发现的一处铅锌矿床,位于豫西南牛心剁穹状背斜之西侧,与栾川地区的南泥湖、三道庄、上房沟、马圈等斑岩型及斑岩_矽卡岩型钼矿床相毗邻。矿体呈脉状、板状产在中元古界变质碳酸盐岩-碎屑岩层中,受NWW向层间断裂构造控制。矿石由闪锌矿、方铅矿、黄铁矿、石英、方解石等矿物组成。矿石中石英和闪锌矿所捕获的原生流体包裹体有富液体气液两相包裹体、富气体气液两相包裹体、纯气体包裹体、含子矿物三相包裹体等4种类型,邻近分布,其均一温度相近,表明成矿过程中可能存在流体沸腾作用。气液两相包裹体的均一温度为180～327℃,以中温（250～260℃）为主;盐度 w (NaCl_eq)为4.0%～14.0%,以5.0%～9.0%为主;依据均一温度峰值所对应的压力（38.94～44.87 MPa）,求得成矿深度为1.44～1.66 km。表明该矿床明显具有浅成、中温、低盐度热液成矿的特征。单个流体包裹体的气相成分至少有纯H₂O蒸汽、N₂+CO₂+CH₄、N₂+CO₂和N₂+CH₄等4种组合。矿石中石英和方解石内包裹体水的δD_V-SMOW为-76‰～-90‰,方解石的δ¹³C_V-PDB为-0.44‰～1.80‰,选取所对应的流体包裹体均一温度,计算得到包裹体水的δ¹⁸O_水为2.51‰～10.96‰,反映出成矿流体的主体为岩浆热液。矿石中硫化物的δ³⁴S_V-CDT为-1.2‰～10.9‰,其峰值（1‰～2‰）与该地区斑岩型钼矿床中的硫化物相近,指示其具有岩浆来源硫的特征。矿石中硫化物²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb=17.552～18.426,²⁰⁷Pb/^{204Pb=15.451～15.5794,208Pb/204Pb=38.264～39.637,反映出成矿金属主要来自于岩浆,有少量地层岩石铅的加入。百炉沟铅锌矿床应属受层间构造控制的中温岩浆热液充填-交代矿床。}     

川南玄武岩气孔中硅铁灰石杏仁体的特征与研究

川南普格杏仁状玄武岩气孔中产出硅铁灰石、绿泥石、石英、方解石、沥青等5种不同成分类型的杏仁体。硅铁灰石杏仁体呈圆形或椭圆形,其直径多为5～8 mm,由杏仁体壁至中心,依次分别产出石英→铁镁绿泥石→硅铁灰石。硅铁灰石晶体呈铁黑色、薄板状,由5个平行双面单形组成。微区X射线衍射分析结果显示,硅铁灰石属三斜晶系,空间群为P1 。化学成分分析表明,硅铁灰石氧化物含量(ω_B/%)为SiO₂ 53.55%、CaO 18.84%、Fe₂O₃ 13.65%、FeO 9.68%、MgO 1.44%、H₂O⁺1.74%,FeO/Fe₂O₃=0.71;铁镁绿泥石氧化物含量(ω_B/%)为SiO₂ 33.17%、Al₂O₃ 13.03%、Fe₂O₃ 8.45%、FeO 13.06%、MgO 18.82%、H₂O⁺12.12%、CaO 0.87%,FeO/Fe₂O₃=1.55。硅铁灰石杏仁体的矿物组合变化表明,玄武岩晚期的成矿热液由富Mg、Fe向富Si、Ca演化,硅铁灰石是由偏酸性、弱还原环境向偏碱性、弱氧化环境转化时所形成的过渡性产物。     

皖东钱台子金矿床成因：流体包裹体及氢氧同位素约束

钱台子金矿床是一个产于皖东蚌埠隆起区东端的石英脉型小型矿床,矿体主要赋存于变质结晶基底五河岩群中,受张扭性断裂控制。本文通过对不同阶段石英进行系统的包裹体岩相学观察、显微测温、激光拉曼探针及氢氧同位素分析,探讨了该矿床的流体来源及矿床成因。结果表明,钱台子金矿床流体包裹体有纯CO₂型、CO₂—H₂O型和H₂O—NaCl型3种,包裹体均一温度集中在286~385℃,w(NaCl, eqv)=4.80%~12.56%,平均8.29%;不同阶段石英的δ¹⁸O_V-SMOW变化范围为9.0×10^-3~15.2×10^-3,对应的δ¹⁸O_水变化范围为2.12×10^-3~9.70×10^-3;各成矿期流体密度集中于0.63~0.84 g/cm³之间,均一压力为163~178 MPa,成矿深度＜6 km;成矿早期流体属于中高温、低盐度、低密度的CO₂—H₂O—NaCl变质流体,后期有岩浆水参与。钱台子金矿床形成于扬子克拉通沿NW方向俯冲于华北克拉通之下的造山期后持续伸展背景下的拆沉作用和壳幔相互作用所导致的大规模岩浆活动。     

云南哀牢山老王寨大型造山型金矿成矿流体地球化学

云南哀牢山金矿带是我国最重要的喜马拉雅期金矿带,而老王寨是其中最大的金矿。流体包裹体研究显示:老王寨金矿含金石英脉中流体包裹体类型主要为NaCl-H₂O型和CO₂-H₂O型,其均一温度为102~302℃, 峰值为160~180℃;流体盐度范围变化较大,介于2.5%~12.9% NaCleqv之间,峰值为6.0%~7.5% NaCleqv,显示老王寨成矿流体具有中低盐度和中低温度的特征。 氢氧同位素测定显示成矿流体δD_H2O=-115‰~-90‰,δ¹⁸O_H2O=5.2‰~6.8‰,显示其组成主要为岩浆水,可能与有机沉积物发生过同位素交换。流体包裹体碳同位素组成(δ¹³C为-6.5‰~-3.9‰)基本落在幔源碳变化范围之内,说明其中CO₂可能来自地壳深部,甚至上地幔。综合成矿地质特征和成矿流体的证据,提出老王寨金矿为喜马拉雅期造山型金矿。     

东秦岭秋树湾铜钼矿流体包裹体和稳定同位素特征及其地质意义

秋树湾铜钼矿是东秦岭钼矿带上典型的受斑岩体控制的矽卡岩-斑岩角砾岩筒复合型矿床,矿体赋存于成矿母岩花岗岩及矽卡岩和角砾岩筒中。根据矿物共生组合、矿石组构、围岩蚀变及脉体的穿插关系,可划分为早(Ⅰ)、中(Ⅱ)、晚(Ⅲ)3个矿化期,再将Ⅰ期细分为干矽卡岩-钾长石化-石英阶段(Ⅰ₁)、爆破角砾岩阶段(Ⅰ₂)、湿矽卡岩阶段(Ⅰ₃)、磁铁矿阶段(Ⅰ₄);Ⅱ期分为斑岩型铜(钼)矿阶段(Ⅱ_b)和石英硫化物阶段(Ⅱ_s);Ⅲ期为方解石、重晶石、石英阶段(Ⅲ)。流体包裹体可划分为S型含子矿物多相包裹体、L型纯液相包裹体、C型含CO₂三相包裹体、W型气液两相包裹体、G型纯气相包裹体5种类型。按时间先后顺序,成矿流体的温度、盐度、氧化还原环境具有规律性的演化特征。均一温度范围: Ⅰ期为222~406℃,Ⅱ期为152~315℃,Ⅲ期为119~189℃;盐度w(NaCl_eq): Ⅰ期介于4.2%~36.5%,Ⅱ期为3.3%~34.8%,Ⅲ期为4.2%~11.9%。激光拉曼光谱及群体包裹体成分分析结果表明,第Ⅰ期流体以H₂O、CO₂、CH₄、H₂S为主,表现为还原环境;第Ⅱ期流体以H₂O、CO₂、N₂、O₂、SO₄^2-、Cl^-、F^-为主,为氧化环境,暗示流体源于岩浆。流体包裹体岩相学及包裹体测温表明,流体由早期的高温、高盐度、含CO₂的H₂O-NaCl-CO₂体系的岩浆流体在成矿Ⅰ期发生沸腾作用和相分离,伴随着流体沸腾、CO₂逸失、温度下降、大气水的加入、盐度下降等过程,导致大量金属硫化物沉淀。在成矿Ⅱ、Ⅲ期成矿体系趋于开放,流体存在大气降水混入,逐渐演化为晚期的低盐度、中低温度、贫CO₂的流体体系。H、O、S同位素结果表明有地幔流体参与成矿作用。     

新疆阿尔泰两棵树铁矿流体包裹体及氢氧同位素特征

新疆两棵树铁矿位于阿尔泰南缘克朗盆地,矿床赋存于中-上泥盆统阿勒泰镇组片岩与二长花岗岩接触带的伟晶岩中。本文对矿石中石英流体包裹体进行显微测温分析,结果显示包裹体类型以液体包裹体为主,流体的均一温度变化于156~367℃,主要集中于210~250℃,成矿流体盐度w(NaCl_eq)为0.18%~18.72,密度为0.80~0.95 g/cm³,表明成矿流体属中温度、低盐度、中低密度的H₂O-NaCl体系。石英的δD_SMOW为-110‰~-76‰,δ¹⁸O_SMOW为5.3‰~7.9‰,δ¹⁸O_H2O为1.03‰~1.07‰,表明成矿流体来源于岩浆水,混合大气降水; 成矿时代为中泥盆世(约377 Ma),成矿作用与二长花岗岩的侵入有关; 温度和压力的降低、流体混合、水岩反应等在铁成矿过程中起着主导作用。     

Differential Evolution of High-Pressure and Ultrahigh-Pressure Metapelites from Habutengsu,Chinese Western Tianshan: Phase Equilibria Modelling and 40Ar/39Ar Geochronology

Metapelite is one of the predominant rock types in the high-pressure–ultrahigh-pressure(HP–UHP) metamorphic belt of western Tianshan, NW China; however, the spatial and temporal variations of this belt during metamorphism are poorly understood. In this study, we present comparative petrological studies and 40Ar/39 Ar geochronology of HP and UHP pelitic schist exposed along the Habutengsu valley. The schist mainly comprises quartz, white mica, garnet, albite and bluish amphibole. In the Mn O–Na2O–Ca O–K2O–Fe O–Mg O–Al2O3–Si O2–H2O(Mn NCKFMASH) system, P–T pseudosections were constructed using THERMOCALC 333 for two representative pelitic schists. The results demonstrate that there was a break in the peak metamorphic pressures in the Habutengsu area. The northern schist has experienced UHP metamorphism, consistent with the presence of coesite in the same section, while the southern one formed at lower pressures that stabilized the quartz. This result supports the previous finding of a metamorphic gradient through the HP–UHP metamorphic belt of the Chinese western Tianshan by the authors. Additionally, phengite in the northern schist was modelled as having a Si content of 3.55–3.70(a.p.f.u.) at the peak stage, a value much higher than that of oriented matrix phengite(Si content 3.32–3.38 a.p.f.u.). This indicates that the phengite flakes in the UHP schist were subjected to recrystallization during exhumation, which is consistent with the presence of phengite aggregates surrounding garnet porphyroblast. The 40Ar/39 Ar age spectra of white mica(dominantly phengite) from the two schists exhibit similar plateau ages of ca. 315 Ma, which is interpreted as the timing of a tectonometamorphic event that occurred during the exhumation of the HP–UHP metamorphic belt of the Chinese western Tianshan.     

Solubilities of nitrogen and noble gases in silicate melts under various oxygen fugacities: implications for the origin and degassing history of nitrogen and noble gases in the earth

Solubility experiments for nitrogen and noble gases (Ar and Ne) in silicate melts were conducted using two experimental configurations: one was conducted at 1 atmospheric pressure, T =1300°C and oxygen fugacity (fO₂) of IW + 0.9 (i.e., 0.9 log units higher than the iron-wüstite buffer) and the other at high pressures (P_total ∼ 2 × 10⁸ Pa), 1500°C and fO₂ ∼ IW + 6. For the former experiment, isotopically labeled-nitrogen (¹⁵N¹⁵N-enriched) was used to distinguish dissolved nitrogen from contaminating atmospheric or organic nitrogen and to examine dissolution mechanisms of nitrogen in silicate melts. The results obtained for the two series of experiments are consistent with each other, suggesting that Henry's law is satisfied for fN₂ of up to ∼250 atm (2.5 × 10⁷ Pa). The results are also consistent with our earlier results (Miyazaki et al., 1995) obtained at highly oxidizing conditions (fO₂ ∼ IW + 10). All these results support physical dissolution of nitrogen as N₂ molecules in silicate melts for fO₂ from ∼IW + 10 down to ∼IW. The observed solubility (Henry's constant) of nitrogen (3-5 × 10⁻⁹ mol/g/atm) is comparable to that of Ar (2-4 × 10⁻⁹ mol/g/atm), and much lower than that of Ne (11-14 × 10⁻⁹ mol/g/atm) at 1300°C. A preliminary experiment was also performed for partitioning of nitrogen and noble gases between clinopyroxene (cpx) and basaltic melt using a piston cylinder-type apparatus at 1.5 GPa and at 1270 to 1350°C. The obtained cpx/melt partition coefficient of nitrogen is 0.06, slightly lower than those of noble gases (∼0.1 for Ne to Xe), suggesting that nitrogen is as incompatible as or even slightly more incompatible than noble gases. The present results imply that a large nitrogen/Ar fractionation would not be produced by magmatic processes. Therefore, the two orders of magnitude difference between the N₂/³⁶Ar ratios in the Earth's atmosphere (∼10⁴) and that in the mantle (∼10⁶) must be explained by some other processes, such as incomplete segregation of metal blobs into the core and their later oxidation.     

Crystal-melt partitioning of noble gases (helium, neon, argon, krypton, and xenon) for olivine and clinopyroxene

Mineral-melt partition coefficients of all noble gases (^min/meltD_i) have been obtained for olivine (ol) and clinopyroxene (cpx) by UV laser ablation (213 nm) of individual crystals grown from melts at 0.1 GPa mixed noble gas pressure. Experimental techniques were developed to grow crystals virtually free of melt and fluid inclusions since both have been found to cause profound problems in previous work. This is a particularly important issue for the analysis of noble gases in crystals that have very low partition coefficients relative to coexisting melt and fluid phases. The preferred partitioning values obtained for the ol-melt system for He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe are 0.00017(13), 0.00007(7), 0.0011(6), 0.00026(16), and , respectively. The respective cpx-melt partition coefficients are 0.0002(2), 0.00041(35), 0.0011(7), 0.0002(2), and . The data confirm the incompatible behaviour of noble gases for both olivine and clinopyroxene but unlike other trace elements these values show little variation for a wide range of atomic radius. The lack of dependence of partitioning on atomic radius is, however, consistent with the partitioning behaviour of other trace elements which have been found to exhibit progressively lower dependence of ^min/meltD_i on radius as the charge decreases. As all noble gases appear to exhibit similar ^min/meltD_i values we deduce that noble gases are not significantly fractionated from each other by olivine and clinopyroxene during melting and fractional crystallisation. Although incompatible, the partitioning values for noble gases also suggest that significant amounts of primordial noble gases may well have been retained in the mantle despite intensive melting processes. The implication of our data is that high primordial/radiogenic noble gas ratios (³He/⁴He, ²²Ne/²¹Ne, and ³⁶Ar/⁴⁰Ar) characteristic of plume basalt sources can be achieved by recycling a previously melted (depleted) mantle source rather than reflecting an isolated, non-degassed primordial mantle region.     

Comment on ‘Paleozoic ages and excess Ar in garnets from the Bixiling eclogite in Dabieshan, China: New insights from Ar/Ar dating by stepwise crushing by Hua-Ning Qiu and J.R. Wijbrans’

In a recent study, Qiu and Wijbrans (2006) [Qiu, H.-N. and Wijbrans, J. R. (2006). Paleozoic ages and excess ⁴⁰Ar in garnets from the Bixiling eclogite in Dabieshan, China: new insights from ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating by stepwise crushing. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta70, 2354-2370.] analyzed Ar-isotopes extracted by crushing garnets from the Dabie Shan Bixiling eclogite and claimed to have constrained a pre-Triassic (∼450 Ma) episode of UHP metamorphism from primary fluid inclusions.However, in the absence of careful sample characterization and stepped heating analyses, the reported ages are more easily explained as experimental artifacts related to Ar extracted from either mineral inclusions or the interface sites between mineral inclusions and the garnet matrix: Dabie Shan garnets commonly contain mineral impurities such as K-rich omphacite and/or K-feldspar.If Dabie Shan UHP metamorphism is of the generally accepted Triassic age (210-240 Ma), the apparent age of a phengite sample in equilibrium with the garnet can be explained by the presence of an extraneous ⁴⁰Ar^∗ component with mean ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar value of ∼5000. This value is similar to the composition of extraneous ⁴⁰Ar^∗ in other eclogite facies terrane.     

Discrete ultrahigh-pressure domains in the Western Gneiss Region, Norway: implications for formation and exhumation

New eclogite localities and new ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages within the Western Gneiss Region of Norway define three discrete ultrahigh‐pressure (UHP) domains that are separated by distinctly lower pressure, eclogite facies rocks. The sizes of the UHP domains range from c. 2500 to 100 km²; if the UHP culminations are part of a continuous sheet at depth, the Western Gneiss Region UHP terrane has minimum dimensions of c. 165 × 50 × 5 km. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar mica and K‐feldspar ages show that this outcrop pattern is the result of gentle regional‐scale folding younger than 380 Ma, and possibly 335 Ma. The UHP and intervening high‐pressure (HP) domains are composed of eclogite‐bearing orthogneiss basement overlain by eclogite‐bearing allochthons. The allochthons are dominated by garnet amphibolite and pelitic schist with minor quartzite, carbonate, calc‐silicate, peridotite, and eclogite. Sm/Nd core and rim ages of 992 and 894 Ma from a 15‐cm garnet indicate local preservation of Precambrian metamorphism within the allochthons. Metapelites within the allochthons indicate near‐isothermal decompression following (U)HP metamorphism: they record upper amphibolite facies recrystallization at 12–17 kbar and c. 750 °C during exhumation from mantle depths, followed by a low‐pressure sillimanite + cordierite overprint at c. 5 kbar and c. 750 °C. New ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar hornblende ages of 402 Ma document that this decompression from eclogite‐facies conditions at 410–405 Ma to mid‐crustal depths occurred in a few million years. The short timescale and consistently high temperatures imply adiabatic exhumation of a UHP body with minimum dimensions of 20–30 km. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar muscovite ages of 397–380 Ma show that this extreme heat advection was followed by rapid cooling (c. 30 °C Myr^?1), perhaps because of continued tectonic unroofing.     

Molar gas ratios of air entrapped in ice: A new tool to determine the origin of relict massive ground ice bodies in permafrost

The molar ratios of atmospheric gases change during dissolution in water due to differences in their relative solubilities. We exploited this characteristic to develop a tool to clarify the origin of ice formations in permafrost regions. Extracted from ice, molar gas ratios can distinguish buried glacier ice from intrasedimental ground ice formed by freezing groundwaters. An extraction line was built to isolate gases from ice by melting and trapping with liquid He, followed by analysis of N₂, O_2,, Ar, ¹⁸O_O2 and ¹⁵N_N2, by continuous flow mass spectrometry. The method was tested using glacier ice, aufeis ice (river icing) and intrasedimental ground ice from sites in the Canadian Arctic. O₂/Ar and N₂/Ar ratios clearly distinguish between atmospheric gas in glacial ice and gases from intrasedimental ground ice, which are exsolved from freezing water. δ¹⁵N_N2 and δ¹⁸O_O2 in glacier ice, aufeis ice and intrasedimental ground ice do not show clear distinguishing trends as they are affected by various physical processes during formation such as gravitational settling, excess air addition, mixing with snow pack, and respiration.     

Comment on “Paleozoic ages and excess Ar in garnets from the Bixiling eclogite in Dabieshan, China: New insights from Ar/Ar dating by stepwise crushing” by Qiu and Wijbrans (2006)

Qiu and Wijbrans [Qiu H.-N. and Wijbrans J. R. (2006) Paleozoic ages and excess ⁴⁰Ar in garnets from the Bixiling eclogite in Dabieshan, China: new insights from ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating by stepwise crushing. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta70, 2354-2370] present three Ar-Ar age spectra for fluid inclusions in garnet from eclogite at Bixiling in the Dabie orogen, east-central China. These Paleozoic ages of 427 ± 20 to 444 ± 10 Ma are interpreted to represent the first formation of Dabie ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) eclogite and thus require subduction of Yangtze crust to have started much earlier than previously accepted. However, no petrographic evidence, such as mineral inclusions in the garnet relating to the particular metamorphic conditions, is presented to substantiate the proposed UHP metamorphic event. Because garnet growth is not uniquely responsible for UHP eclogite-facies metamorphism, a distinction between UHP and high-pressure (HP) metamorphic events must be made in the interpretation of geochronological results. Available data from mineral Sm-Nd and zircon U-Pb dating of eclogites from the same area have firmly established that the UHP eclogite-facies metamorphism took place at Triassic. Neither the age of UHP metamorphism nor the timing of continental collision is reliably constrained by their presented data; the fluid inclusions in garnet must contain inherited ⁴⁰Ar from UHP eclogite precursor, without considerable resetting of the Ar-Ar isotopic system during Triassic UHP metamorphism. Therefore, their data are either meaningless, or at best viewed as the age of garnet growth by low-T/HP blueschist/eclogite-facies metamorphism of the UHP eclogite precursor during arc-continent collision in the early Paleozoic. Furthermore, it is critical for metamorphic geochronology to substantiate the timing of UHP metamorphic event by means of zircon U-Pb in situ dating on coesite-bearing domains of metamorphically grown zircon.     

The noble gas systematics of late-orogenic H2O-CO2 fluids, Mt Isa, Australia

The noble gases (He, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe) are powerful geochemical tracers because they have distinctive isotopic compositions in the atmosphere, crust and mantle. This study illustrates how noble gases can be used to trace fluid origins in high-temperature metamorphic and mineralising environments; and at the same time provides new information on the composition of noble gases in deeper parts of the crust than have been sampled previously.We report data for H₂O and CO₂ fluid inclusions trapped at greenschist to amphibolite facies metamorphic conditions associated with three different styles of mineralisation and alteration in the Proterozoic Mt Isa Inlier of Australia. Sulphide fluid inclusions are dominated by crustal ⁴He. However, co-variations in fluid inclusion ²⁰Ne/²²Ne, ²¹Ne/²²Ne, ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar and ¹³⁶Xe/¹³⁰Xe indicate noble gases were derived from three or more reservoirs. In most cases, the fluid inclusions elemental noble gas ratios (e.g. Ne/Xe) are close to the ranges expected in sedimentary and crystalline rocks. However, the elemental ratios have been modified in some of the samples providing evidence for independent pulses of CO_2, and interaction of CO₂ with high-salinity aqueous fluids.Compositional variation is attributed to mixing of: (i) magmatic fluids (or deeply sourced metamorphic fluids) characterised by basement-derived noble gases with ²⁰Ne/²²Ne ∼ 8.4, ²¹Ne/²²Ne ∼ 0.4, ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar ∼ 40,000 and ¹³⁶Xe/¹³⁰Xe ∼ 8; (ii) basinal-metamorphic fluids with a narrow range of compositions including near-atmospheric values and (iii) noble gases derived from the meta-sedimentary host-rocks with ²⁰Ne/²²Ne ∼ 8-9.8, ²¹Ne/²²Ne < 0.1, ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar < 2500 and ¹³⁶Xe/¹³⁰Xe ∼ 2.2.These data provide the strongest geochemical evidence available for the involvement of fluids from two distinct geochemical reservoirs in Mt Isa’s largest ore deposits. In addition the data show how noble gases in fluid inclusions can provide information on fluid origins, the composition of the crust’s major lithologies, fluid-rock interactions and fluid-fluid mixing or immiscibility processes.     

Differential subduction and exhumation of crustal slices in the Sulu HP-UHP metamorphic terrane: insights from mineral inclusions, trace elements, U-Pb and Lu-Hf isotope analyses of zircon in orthogneiss

Based on new evidence the Sulu orogen is divided from south‐east to north‐west into high‐pressure (HP) crustal slice I and ultrahigh‐pressure (UHP) crustal slices II and III. A combined set of mineral inclusions, cathodoluminescence images, U‐Pb SHRIMP dating and in situ trace element and Lu‐Hf isotope analyses was obtained on zircon from orthogneisses of the different slices. Zircon grains typically have three distinct domains that formed during crystallization of the magmatic protolith, HP or UHP metamorphism and late‐amphibolite facies retrogression, respectively: (i) oscillatory zoned cores, with low‐pressure (LP) mineral inclusions and Th/U > 0.38; (ii) high‐luminescent mantles (Th/U < 0.10), with HP mineral inclusions of Qtz + Grt + Arg + Phe + Ap for slice I zircon and Coe + Grt + Phe + Kfs + Ap for both slices II and III zircon; (iii) low‐luminescent rims, with LP mineral inclusions and Th/U < 0.08. Zircon U‐Pb SHRIMP analyses of inherited cores point to protolith ages of 785–770 Ma in all seven orthogneisses. The ages recorded for UHP metamorphism and subsequent retrogression in slice II zircon (c. 228 and c. 215 Ma, respectively) are significantly older than those of slice III zircon (c. 218 and c. 202 Ma, respectively), while slice I zircon recorded even older ages for HP metamorphism and subsequent retrogression (c. 245 and c. 231 Ma, respectively). Moreover, Ar‐Ar biotite ages from six paragneisses, interpreted as dating amphibolite facies retrogression, gradually decrease from HP slice I (c. 232 Ma) to UHP slice II (c. 215 Ma) and UHP slice III (c. 203 Ma). The combined data set suggests decreasing ages for HP or UHP metamorphism and late retrogression in the Sulu orogen from south‐east to north‐west. Thus, the HP‐UHP units are interpreted to represent three crustal slices, which underwent different subduction and exhumation histories. Slice I was detached from the continental lithosphere at ～55–65 km depth and subsequently exhumed while subduction of the underlying slice II continued to ～100–120 km depth (UHP) before detachment and exhumation. Slice III experienced a similar geodynamic evolution as slice II, however, both UHP metamorphism and subsequent exhumation took place c. 10 Myr later. Magmatic zircon cores from two types of orthogneiss in UHP slices II and III show similar mid‐Neoproterozoic crystallization ages, but have contrasting Hf isotope compositions (εHf_(～785) = ?2.7 to +2.2 and ?17.3 to ?11.1, respectively), suggesting their formation from distinct crustal units (Mesoproterozoic and Paleoproterozoic to Archean, respectively) during the breakup of Rodinia. The UHP and the retrograde zircon domains are characterized by lower Th/U and ¹⁷⁶Lu/¹⁷⁷Hf but higher ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf(t) than the Neoproterozoic igneous cores. The similarity between UHP and retrograde domains indicates that late retrogression did not significantly modify chemical and isotopic composition of the UHP metamorphic system.     

P–T–time (phengite Ar closure) history of spatially close-outcropping HP and UHP oceanic eclogites (southwestern Tianshan): implication for a potential deep juxtaposing process during exhumation?

ABSTRACT

The Chinese southwestern Tianshan HP–UHP/LT metamorphic complex possesses well-preserved mafic layers, tectonic slices/blocks, boudins/lens of different sizes, and lithology embedded within dominant metavolcanoclastics. A recent study on the ultra-high pressure (UHP) eclogite revealed a short timescale of exhumation (≤10 Ma, ~315 ± 5 Ma). However, controversies still exist on some key questions: (1) the reasonable interpretation of spatially close-outcropped high pressure (HP) and UHP slices with respect to regional geodynamics, and (2) if the previous regional scatter Ar–Ar ages proved the existence of internally coherent sub-belts or troubled by dating on samples with notable ⁴⁰Ar retention. This study focusses on detailed P–T–time (phengite Ar closure) recovery of samples from a HP eclogite lens and its host rock, the UHP thick-layered eclogite. Based on data from bulk–rock, microprobe analysis, and muscovite Ar–Ar chronological dating, we link phengite growth to potential garnet growth stages via thermodynamic modelling. Facilitated by the P–T–Ar retention% graph, we collect all the regional muscovite Ar–Ar data together with results in this study for evaluating the significance of regional muscovite Ar–Ar ages and set back to geodynamics. According to modelling results, the HP lens eclogite reached peak metamorphism at ~550°C, 2.50 GPa with an Ar–Ar muscovite plateau age of 316.9 ± 1.0 Ma that could date the mass phengite growth event during prograde metamorphism. In contrast, the UHP layered eclogite experienced UHP peak burial at ~510°C, 2.95 GPa, and then to HP peak metamorphism at ~560°C, 2.60 GPa with ~311.6 ± 0.7 Ma plateau age that may constrain the cooling age during early exhumation. Noteworthy, both of them share a quite similar early exhumation path despite bearing contrasting prograde metamorphic experiences. With considering updated regional exhumation pattern, this might imply the existence of a potential deep juxtaposing (capture) process between HP slices and exhumating UHP complex, at about 45–60 km depth along subduction plate interface.