Fractional crystallization trends in the system Mg2SiO4-CaAl2Si2O8-FeO-Fe2O3-SiO2 over the range of oxygen partial pressures of 10−11 to 10−0.7 atm

A brief report is made of current laboratory investigations on phase relations among olivine, pyroxene, anorthite, magnetite, tridymite, liquid and gas in the system Mg₂SiO₄-CaAl₂Si₂O₈-FeO-Fe₂O₂-SiO₂ over a wide range of oxygen partial pressures. Courses of fractional crystallization under various conditions of oxygen partial pressure are depicted using an anorthite saturation diagram. Starting with a basalt-like composition in the system, fractional crystallization at a moderate oxygen partial pressure (10 atm.) results in an andesite-like residual liquid of composition 55 SiO₂, 14 iron oxide, 6 MgO, 9 CaO, 16 Al₂O₃ at a temperature of 1155°C. With fractional crystallization in a closed system, the end liquid approaches the composition of 45 SiO₂, 38 iron oxide, 6 CaO and 11 Al₂O₃, at a temperature of 1050°C and oxygen partial pressure of about 10^?12 atm. The andesitic final liquid in this system would be expected to further differentiate toward dacitic and rhyolitic compositions if alkalies and water were present in the system. On the basis of these studies, the derivation of liquids of andesitic, dacitic or rhyolitic composition from primary basalts by fractional crystallization seems entirely possible if the oxygen partial pressure is maintained at a moderate or high level.     

Some remarks on contact anatexis

The chemical variability of the products of contact-anatexis, completely different from the normal trend of magmatic differentiation, may be explained by the quantitative variation of gaseous transfer, according to the state of the basaltic magma which may be pyromagma or hypomagma at the contact with the surrounding sialic rocks. Therefore, two types of contact-anatexis must be distinguished: 1st.Anatexis at the contact with pyromagma. If the tectonical conditions are favourable, then the basaltic magma rises so high in the sialic crust that the gas tension overcomes the hydrostatic pressure. A gas phase will separate and cause a considerable gas transfer by which pneumatophilic substances (Na, Fe, Ti etc.) are supplied to the overlying anatectic magma. 2nd.Anatexis at the contact with hypomagma. If the rising basaltic magma cannot reach very high levels in the sialic crust, then the gas tension remains lower than the hydrostatic pressure, and the gases are molecularly dispersed within the melt. The gas transfer will be insignificant, and the anatexis is merely due to the supply of heat without any appreciable change of the chemical composition of the anatectic magma.     

The deposition of silica in hot springs

Natural hot spring waters ascending rapidly to the surface become supersaturated with respect to quartz because of rapid cooling, separation of steam and sluggish deposition of quartz and other crystallineSiO ₂ phases. Large amounts of silica are likely to be deposited in hot spring systems only after the solubility of amorphous silica has been exceeded. Cristobalite and chaleedony probably form in hot spring systems only by the crystallization of previously deposited silica gel rather than by direct deposition from solution. Experimental data indicate that the solubilit of quartz in water rises with increasing temperature along the vapor pressure curve to a maximum value of 725 ppm at 330°C. However, the maximum amount of silica likely, to occur in hot spring systems where quartz precipitates at depth is appreciably greater. Steam formation during adiabatic cooling of a water quickly brought to the surface from 330°C at depth might leave the silica in the remaining liquid concentrated to about 1150 to 1400 ppm. Under such conditions, amorphous silica might precipitate (probably as a colloidal suspension) after the water cooled below about 200°C to 250°C. Waters initially in equilibrium with quartz at a temperature less than 210°C probably will precipitate amorphous silica in channelways underground only when and where large quantities of steam separate from the waters as a result of sudden decreases in pressure or hydrostatic head. Above 150° to 200°C amorphous silica and volcanic glass can contribute very large quantities of silica to the solution. However, at these temperatures in natural systems they are eventually converted to crystalline phases. Thus, control of dissolved silica at depth is likely to be relatively short lived in respect to the ages of most hot spring systems. The dissolved-silica content of 90 hot spring waters from Yellowstone National Park was measured colorimetrically in the field immediately after collection. Comparison with laboratory studies on the solubility of amorphous silica indicates that many waters in «alkaline» springs are markedly undersaturated with silica with respect to amorphous silica at the temperatures of the pools. Thus, the dissolved silica content of these waters cannot be accounted for by equilibria with amorphous silica. Rather, silica appears to be controlled by the dissolution, deposition, or alteration of other silica-bearing phases at depth. Furthermore, many springs now have compositions essentially identical (with respect to all components) to those determined in 1888, indicating that either equilibrium or steady state conditions have prevailed at depth for a long time. Veins of fine-grained quartz were found in drill core from the Upper Basin, and it is reasonable to assume that quartz controlled the quantity of silica in solution in those places of deposition. Possibly the silica content of the surface waters might allow an estimate of the temperatures at which these waters were last in equilibrium with quartz at depth. Assuming adiabatic cooling along the vapor pressure curve and correcting for steam formation, quartz solubility data compared with natural water analyses suggests that underground temperatures approach 205°C in the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone. In the Norris Geyser Basin, underground temperatures of 245°C are suggested.     

Melting of Mg2GeO4 under pressure

Melting point of germanate forsterite, Mg₂GeO₄, was raised by compression at the rate of 30°C/GPa. The triple point, at which three phases of olivine- and spinel-type solids and liquid coexisted, was fixed at 1950°C and 3.5GPa. Wen these results are combined with the thermodynamical data of forsterite, Mg₂SiO₄, it is estimated that the triple point of forsterite lies in a region ranging from 2700° to 3000°C in temperature and from 20 to 30GPa in pressure.     

Intensity attenuation based on earthquake fault-rupture model

Based on the statistical outcomes relevant to elliptical isoseisms given in ref. [1], the average focal depth and rupture length of fault for earthquakes with different magnitudes or epicentral intensities occurring in East and West China are discussed. A set of intensity attenuation functions appropriated to point source (regarding focal distance as the distance parameter in the attenuation law) and the line source (regarding the shortest distance from the site to rupture line or the average distance from the site to both ends of the rupture line as the distance parameter) are proposed.     

1974 activity of chokai volcano,Japan

Shallow intrusion of magma caused phreatic explosions and mud flows at the snow-covered summit of Chokai volcano, northeast Honshu, Japan, after 153 years of dormancy. Total heat emission by the eruption is estimated at more than 3.0 × 10²¹ erg. Equivalent amount of magma is about 2.2 × 10⁸ ton. Focal mechanisms of the associated volcanic earthquakes, which had been variable during the period of eruption. became stable after the cessation of the surface activity with pressure axis in a NW direction which is also the strike of the epicenter distribution. This temporal change of focal mechanisms may be interpreted as the result of propagation of increased pore pressure in the direction of the maximum pressure in the post eruptive period. The magmatic pressure which certainly predominated during the eruption period and caused carthquakes with variable mechanisms, decreased through surface activity.     

Origin and development of the Star Mountain rhyolite

The Star Mountain rhyolite covers 500 square miles in the Davis Mountains, 100 miles east of El Paso, Texas. It appears to be the largest known rhyolitic mass to have been emplaced as a liquid flow rather than as a « froth flow » or nuée ardente. That it was emplaced as a liquid is shown by the lineation of phenocrysts, the vesicular and autobrecciated zones, baking of underlying tuffs, and by the complete absence of shard structures and evidence for welding. Three flow units with an aggregate thickness of 800 feet can be distinguished on the basis of field, chemical, and petrographic criteria. With the exception of some vesicular zones the rock is either finely crystalline and massive, or glassy and brecciated. Minor structures indicate that the flow of each unit was highly irregular. Anorthoclase feldspar is the only significant phenocryst species in the unit. Phenocryst-groundmass compositional relationships cannot be explained on the basis of conventional granite system phase relationships, nor do recently proposed pantellerite relationships fit this case. An experimental investigation of this unusual case is under way. A high temperature of extrusion of the rhyolite is indicated by the lack of measurable triclinicity in the feldspar. A low water vapor pressure is demonstrated by the presence of apparently primary magnetite and the scarcity of vesicular zones. Despite the low water content, high temperature caused the low viscosity necessary for the melt to spread over the 500 square mile outcrop area, presumably with approximately the same fluidity as a typical basalt flow.     

Petrochemistry of quaternary pumiceous pyroclastic products in southern Guadeloupe (F.W.I.)

Pumiceous pyroclastic products are present as flows and falls at several stages of the evolution of the southern Guadeloupe volcanic island. An understanding of this volcanism had to rely on detailed petrochemical data of these products to complement similar data for effusive rocks so as to yield complete stratigraphical coverage. On the other hand most pumiceous rocks are more or less conspicuousily banded suggesting that mixing phenomena occurred to different degrees in their genesis. Three major classes of pumiceous products are found: (1) the Axial Chain deposits (2.0–0.5 My) are characterized by An90, 75-55 + En55 + Wo42En37 + Usp35-37 ± Fo68 ± Hble, SiO₂ 60%, SiO₂/Th 35.6, and La/Th 3.9. Banded samples have components that differ in evolution indices by about 50%; (2) the Bouillante Chaine pyroclastics (0.3–0.1 My) consist of scattered deposits with variable mineralogical and geochemical compositions that seem to have erupted from a number of small eruptive centers. Qz-dacitic pumice is common with An90, 70-45 + En66-56 + Usp32-38 + Ilm94 + Hble ± Wo40-42En40-42, SiO₂ 62%, SiO₂/Th 22.9, and La/Th >4. Mixed pumice samples have highly contrasted evolution indices differing by up to 120%; (3) the Pintade pumice flows and falls correspond to the major pyroclastic event (approx. 10 km³) in the southern Basse Terre area. They are characterized by An85-70 + En66-56 + Usp32-37 ± Wo42En42, SiO₂/Th 18.7-22?6, and La/Th 3.0-4.0. Banded pumice lumps are scarce and show slight compositional contrasts; differences in evolution indices do not exceed 38%. Axial and Bouillante chain pyroclastics and Grande Découverte volcano pumice respectively, form two different families in trace element plots. Minor elements in pyroxenes also are distinctive. These trends are similar to those obtained for effusive rocks and define comagmatic series. Major and trace element data for the separated components of inhomogeneous pumice in each formation always plot in the corresponding series. These chemical discriminants can be used to attribute samples of unknown provenance to a given volcanic ensemble. An inverse relationship between differences in evolution indices in inhomegeneous pumice and the volume of any single eruptive sequence is noted. This is an indication that pumiceous pyroclastic rocks were erupted from a zoned magma chamber. We favor an interpretation where zonation is produced by influx of less envolved magma in superficial differentiated chambers which is a direct cause for eruption.     

Genesis of roque nublo formation: A special kind of ignimbritic eruptions in Gran Canaria

A series of comagmatic volcanic materials originated by subaerial eruptions that happened during the Neogene in Gran Canaria (Canary Islands) are studied in this work. The sequence consists of flows (basalts, basanites, tephrites) underlying volcanic agglomerate sheets. The whole unit, which reaches a maximum thickness greater than 700 m, is cut by a number of phonolite plugs. Flows, agglomerate sheets and plugs are genetically related, forming a differentiation series whose evolution has been rather complex: crystal fractionation, amphibole resorption, changes in oxygen pressure and gaseous transfer have played a role in the genesis of these volcanics. From an evolutionary point of view, the Roque Nublo Formation can be described as an alkaline series with two different undersaturated zones (tephritic flows and phonolitic domes) separated by a maximum of saturation (the agglomerate matrix is chemically a trachyte). In this respect, the Roque Nublo Formation is similar to the alkaline Cantal series, although in Gran Canaria the relations between trachytes and phonolites seem to be better defined. As for the agglomerates, their uncommon characteristics (heterogeneous and very poorly sorted boulders predominating over a vitroclastic welded matrix) lead one to think that they were produced by an unusual kind of cruption; certainly not by the « nuée ardente » types which have been repeatedly postulated before. The author’s suggestion is that these agglomerates (« Roque Nublo type ») were formed in ignimbritic-style eruptions of higy-viscosity magmas contained in very high-pressure chambers.     

On the generation of capillary-gravity waves due to two-dimensional sources

Summary With the aid of the generalized function method, a study is made of the linearized theory of transient development of capillary-gravity waves in an inviscid, incompressible and homogeneous liquid of finite and infinite depth due to an arbitrary oscillating source situated at a finite depth below the undisturbed free surface of the liquid. The initial value problem is solved by using Laplace-Fourier transforms combined with asymptotic methods. The asymptotic solution is found to consist of the steady state and the transient components which are independently modified by surface tension. The latter decays more rapidly as timet due to the presence of surface tension than in the case where surface tension is neglected. It is predicted that the principal effect of surface tension is to increase both the phase and group velocity of the waves and make the energy more readily available among the rapidly travelling progressive surface waves. In addition to the effects of surface tension on the physical properties of the wave motions, our method of solution provides an interesting illustration of the applicability of generalized functions in water wave phenomena.     

The determination of deep temperatures by means of the CO-CO2-H2-H2O geothermometer: an example using fumaroles in the Campi Flegrei,Italy. A comment

Three points raised in the paper by Tedesco and Sabroux (1987) are dealt with. (1) The inconsistency between the water partial pressure calculated by Tedesco and Sabroux (1987) and saturation pressure is due to the improper use of the water-gas-shift reaction as a geothermometer. In fact Tedesco and Sabroux (1987) do not take into account the distribution of gas species between the coexisting vapour and liquid phases. (2) The depth of the “steam reservoir” is evaluated by Tedesco and Sabroux (1987) in too simplistic a way. This matter should be treated with greater care owing to the high social impact of any consideration on the Phlegraean Fields system. (3) The reliability of carbon monoxide determination at the concentration level encountered at Solfatara depends on the collection method rather than on the gas-chromatographic technique.     

Liparitic volcanism of some regional volcanic structures in Kazakhstan,Middle Asia and Caucasus

Liparitic volcanism is a typical feature of the orogenic phase giving rise to the Kazakhstan, Middle Asia and Caucasus folded systems. The main characteristics of the liparitic volcanism common to these three regions are the following:

1. Geo-structural zonation of the volcanic structures.
2. Dismembered Moho surface within the volcanic structures.
3. Synchronous, yet independent evolution of liparitic and andesitic volcanisms.
4. Ignimbritic character of the liparitic volcanism.
5. Lateral petrochemical zonation with some features common to the liparitic and andesitic rock series.

Geo-structural and petrochemical zonations are likely governed in the regions studied by a deep-seated plutonic body.     

Scenario prediction of changes in water balance components of the Olenek and Indigirka rivers in the context of possible climate change in the region of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)

Forecasts of the dynamics of meteorological characteristics in the basins of the Olenek and Indigirka rivers (the Republic of Sakha) in the XXI century have been obtained for four IPCC global climate scenarios of SRES family, corresponding to specified scenarios of economic, technological, political, and demographic development of human civilization. The forecasts have been used to calculate scenarios of possible changes in water balance components for the basins under consideration up to the year of 2063. The calculation procedure involves a physically-based model of heat and mass exchange between the land surface and the atmosphere SWAP and climate scenario generator MAGICC/SCENGEN.     

Evidence for an Independent 26-s Microseismic Source near the Vanuatu Islands

The 26 s peak in the ambient seismic noise spectrum is persistently excited and observed at stations globally. Using noise cross-correlation functions (NCFs), the location suggests that the source could be situated in the Gulf of Guinea and Fiji Basin. However, the Fiji Basin was proposed to be the mirror site (near antipode) of the Gulf of Guinea source instead of an independent source, assuming that the surface waves more efficiently propagate along the major-arc paths of oceanic movements. To investigate the propagation of the Rayleigh waves along continental and oceanic paths, we analyzed the surface wave data recorded from an earthquake near the Gulf of Guinea and found that Rayleigh waves travel along continental minor-arc paths more efficiently than along oceanic major-arc paths. We then located the source in the western Pacific Ocean from group velocities measured with earthquake data by using the travel time misfit in NCFs after calibration and concluded that the source is in the Vanuatu Islands. Moreover, the temporal variation of the 26 s microseismic peak observed in the western Pacific seismic stations is very different from that in stations near the Gulf of Guinea, which suggests that they are excited by independent sources. Therefore, the Vanuatu source should be an independent microseismic source. As it is close to volcanoes in the Vanuatu islands, the Pacific 26 s microseismic source might be excited by magmatic processes, which are also responsible for very-long-period volcanic tremors.     

Silicate systems bearing on the crystallization courses in alkali basalts

Phase-equilibrium studies of the nepheline normative portion of the basalt tetrahedron nepheline-forsterite-silica-diopside ofYoder andTilley have shown that during the course of crystallization the composition of the liquid phase leaves this tetrahedron. When the tetrahedron is expanded to nepheline-forsterite-silica-Ca₂SiO₄ the courses of crystallization and composition of the liquid can be and have been followed by studying a series of joins within this expanded tetrahedron. These studies show that the ultimate goal of crystallization is the quaternary invariant point diopsidic pyroxene + nepheline solid solution + sodic plagioclase + wollastonite solid solution + liquid at 950 ± 5°"C. Attention is called to this low melting point in a dry system. With perfect equilibrium between the solid phases and liquid all melilite disappears by reaction with liquid below 1065 ± 5°C, the temperature of the quaternary reaction point with diopsidic pyroxene + melilite + nepheline solid solution + wollastonite solid solution + liquid. A flow sheet showing the reactions between all quaternary invariant points in the geologically interesting portion of the expanded tetrahedron is presented. This shows the interrelations (daughter-parent relations) between a large number of rock types found in intrusive and extrusive nepheline normative compositions as well as in the quartz normative tholeiitic basalts.     

FEM × DEM modelling of cohesive granular materials: Numerical homogenisation and multi-scale simulations

The article presents a multi-scale modelling approach of cohesive granular materials, its numerical implementation and its results. At microscopic level, Discrete Element Method (DEM) is used to model dense grains packing. At the macroscopic level, the numerical solution is obtained by a Finite Element Method (FEM). In order to bridge the micro- and macro-scales, the concept of Representative Elementary Volume (REV) is applied, in which the average REV stress and the consistent tangent operators are obtained in each macroscopic integration point as the results of DEM’s simulation. In this way, the numerical constitutive law is determined through the detailed modelling of the microstructure, taking into account the nature of granular materials. We first elaborate the principle of the computation homogenisation (FEM × DEM), then demonstrate the features of our multiscale computation in terms of a biaxial compression test. Macroscopic strain location is observed and discussed.     

Design and testing of a global climate prediction system based on a coupled climate model

A global climate prediction system(PCCSM4) was developed based on the Community Climate System Model, version 4.0, developed by the National Center for Atmospheric Research(NCAR), and an initialization scheme was designed by our group. Thirty-year(1981–2010) one-month-lead retrospective summer climate ensemble predictions were carried out and analyzed. The results showed that PCCSM4 can efficiently capture the main characteristics of JJA mean sea surface temperature(SST), sea level pressure(SLP), and precipitation. The prediction skill for SST is high, especially over the central and eastern Pacific where the influence of El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation(ENSO) is dominant. Temporal correlation coefficients between the predicted Ni?o3.4 index and observed Ni?o3.4 index over the 30 years reach 0.7, exceeding the 99% statistical significance level. The prediction of 500-hPa geopotential height, 850-hPa zonal wind and SLP shows greater skill than for precipitation. Overall, the predictability in PCCSM4 is much higher in the tropics than in global terms, or over East Asia. Furthermore, PCCSM4 can simulate the summer climate in typical ENSO years and the interannual variability of the Asian summer monsoon well. These preliminary results suggest that PCCSM4 can be applied to real-time prediction after further testing and improvement.     

Impact of Land Surface Processes on the South Asian Monsoon Simulations Using WRF Modeling System

The Weather Research and Forecasting model has been used to examine the role of land surface processes on Indian summer monsoon simulations. Isolated experiments have been carried out with physical parameterization schemes (land surface and planetary boundary layer) and data assimilation to examine their relative roles in the representation of regional hydroclimate in model simulations. The impact of vegetation green fraction on the model simulations has been extensively studied by replacing the default United States Geological Survey (USGS) vegetation cover data with that of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) data. Results indicate that differences in the treatment of surface processes in the model lead to large differences in precipitation simulation over the Indian domain. Several hydroclimate parameters from the simulations using ISRO and USGS vegetation green fractions were examined. It is seen that the role of vegetation green fraction in these experiments has been to increase latent heat flux to the atmosphere. Two sets of data assimilation experiments were also carried out for an entire year using the same set of observed data but with different land surface parameterization schemes. It is found that evenwhen using the same observed data, the differences in land surface schemes reduce the impact and contribution of observed data being assimilated into the model. The hydroclimate over the region becomes a function of the land surface scheme. This study highlights the importance of vegetation green fraction and land surface schemes in the context of the regional hydroclimate over South Asia.     

Calc-alkaline volcanic rocks from NW Sardinia: Evaluation of a fractional crystallization model

The volcanic centre of Monte Seda Oro, N. W. Sardinia, representative of a Cenozoic calc-alkaline andesitic suite of rocks is composed of a variety of rocks ranging from high alumina basalts to dacites. The minerals of basaltic, andesitic and dacitic rocks show only limited variation in chemical composition. The geochemical data suggest that the various rock-types are related by a crystal-liquid fractionation. Least-squate numerical calculations, using major element data, support the derivation of andesites with SiO₃ content ranging from 53.8 to 59.0% from basalts having about 48.7% of SiO₂ by low pressure crystal fractionation of the phenocryst phases present in these rocks. However, the origin of dacites cannot be readily explained by this mechanism.     

Geothermal energy

The potential of a geothermal area is primarily dependent on volume and temperature of the reservoir and adequacy of fluid supply. Inadequate fluid supply may be a more common limiting factor than inadequate heat supply, for heat stored in the upper 10,000 ft of many hot spring systems is 1,000 to 10,000 times their annual natural heat flow. Except in very porous reservoirs, most of this heat is stored in rocks rather than in pore fluids. Geothermal fields can be classified as hot spring systems or as deep insulated reservoirs with little surface expression; gradations also exist. Hot spring systems have high near-surface permeability, at least locally on faults and fractures, permitting fluids to escape at high rates. Owing to vigorous circulation and escaping fluids and heat, near-surface temperatures are high, but temperatures deep in the system are lower than would prevail with inhibited escape. Deep reservoirs with little surface expression require permeable reservoir rocks capped by insulating rocks of low permeability. Larderello, Italy, and Salton Sea, California, have slight leakage, but others may have no leakage. Liquid water, which can be at temperatures far above 100° C because of existing pressures, is generally the dominant fluid. Steam can form by boiling as hot water rises to levels of lower pressure. However, in several explored systems the heat supply is so high and rate of discharge of water so low that steam exists even deep in the system. Dry steam areas are probably rare. About 30 areas in the United States have been explored for geothermal energy, but dry steam has been proved only at « The Geysers ». Extensive utilisation of geothermal energy must therefore depend largely upon steam « flashed » from hot water with decrease in pressure. Problems that confront broad utilisation of geothermal energy include: 1) discovery of reservoirs with adequate supply of energy and natural fluids; 2) deposition of CaCO; or SiO₂; 3) chemical corrosion; 4) objectionable chemicals in some effluents; and 5) inapplicability of existing public laws. The optimum environment for a geothermal reservoir includes:

1. 1.
   Potent source of heat, such as a magma chamber. A depth of at least two miles provides enough pressure to insure water of high temperature; 5 miles may be too deep for effective transfer of heat to circulating water. Such heat sources are most likely to occur in regions of late Cenozoic volcanism.