A New Report of Serpentinites from Northern Central Indian Ridge (at 6°S)—An Implication for Hydrothermal Activity

Serpentinites from the inside corner high (6°38.5'S/ 68°19.34'E) from the Northern Central Indian Ridge (NCIR) are comprised mainly of high Mg-rich lizardite and chrysotile pseudomorphs with varying morphologies.'Mesh rim','window', 'hourglass'and'bastite'are the most common textures displayed by both chrysotile and lizardite.Numerous chrysotile veins in association with cross cutting magnetite veins indicate an advanced stage of serpentinisation.The relatively high abundance of chrysotile and lizardite suggest their close association and formation at a temperature below 250°C. Abundant 'mesh rim' and 'bastite'texture and variegated matrix reveal that the present Serpentinites might have formed due to the interaction of harzburgite and seawater.Positive Eu anomaly (Eu/Eu*up to 3.38), higher La/Sin (up to 4.40) and Nb/La (up to 6.34) ratios suggest substantial hydrothermal influence during the formation of the Serpentinites.     

A New Report of Serpentinites from Northern Central Indian Ridge (at 6oS) — An Implication for Hydrothermal Activity

Serpentinites from the inside corner high （6°38.5′S/68°19.34′E） from the Northern Central Indian Ridge （NCIR） are comprised mainly of high Mg-rich lizardite and chrysotile pseudomorphs with varying morphologies. ＇Mesh rim＇, ＇window＇, ＇hourglass＇ and ＇bastite＇ are the most common textures displayed by both chrysotile and lizardite. Numerous chrysotile veins in association with cross cutting magnetite veins indicate an advanced stage of serpentinisation. The relatively high abundance of chrysotile and lizardite suggest their close association and formation at a temperature below 250℃. Abundant ＇mesh rim＇ and ＇bastite＇ texture and variegated matrix reveal that the present serpentinites might have formed due to the interaction of harzburgite and seawater. Positive Eu anomaly （Eu/Eu^＊ up to ＋3.38）, higher La/Sm （up to 4.40） and Nb/La （up to 6.34） ratios suggest substantial hydrothermal influence during the formation of the serpentinites.     

A Petrogenetic Model of Basalts from the Northern Central Indian Ridge: 3-11°S

Mid-Ocean Ridge Basalts (MORB) from the Northern Central Indian Ridge (NCIR) were recovered between latitudes 3° and 11°S and are olivine tholeiite with higher abundances of K and Rb.They are of typical transitional MORB (T-MORB) variety and appear to have been generated from an enriched-mantle peridotite source. The primitive NCIR MORBs having Mg# ＞ 0.68 are the product of partial melting at an estimated pressure of ～ 1 GPa. It is inferred that the magma was subsequently modified at a pressure ＞ 1 GPa by crystal fractionation and spinel was the first mineral to crystallize followed by separation of relatively Fe-rich olivine with subsequent decrease in pressure. During progressive fractionation at lower pressure (between 1-0.5 GPa), the bulk composition of the magma became systematically depleted in MgO, and enriched in ∑FeO, TiO2, P2O5 and Na2O. There was,however, limited gradual depletion in Al2O3 and CaO and concomitant enrichment in K2O. With the progressive fractionation these basalts became gradually enriched in V, Co, Y, Zr and to some extent in Sr, and depleted in Ni and Cr. In addition, the ∑REE of the magma also increased with fractionation,without any change in (La/Yb)n value.     

A Petrogenetic Model of Basalts from the Northern Central Indian Ridge:3-11°S

1 Introduction The Northern Central Indian Ridge (NCIR) between 3° and 11°S latitudes is joined to the north with the slow spreading Carlsberg Ridge (CR; ~24–26 mm/a, full spreading rate) and to the south with the intermediate spreading Southern Central Indian Ridge (SCIR; ~50 mm/ a) (Fig. 1). Earlier petrological investigations of the Central Indian Ridge were concentrated either on or along the CR to the north and at the southern end of the CIR up to the Rodriguez Triple Junc…     

The Mineralogical Characteristics of Pyrite at 26°S Hydrothermal Field, South Mid-Atlantic Ridge

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Chronology of Hydrothermal Activity Within the Yubileynoye Ore Field (Mid-Atlantic Ridge, 20°08′ N)

This paper reports on the integrated geochronological and geochemical methods used in studying the ore deposits and metalliferous sediments of the Yubileinoye field. This study gives the opportunity to carry out cross dating of hydrothermal deposits, including the ²³⁰Th/U dating of sulfides, the ²³⁰Th, ¹⁴C dating, and foraminiferal analysis of the sediments, and, on this basis, to reconstruct hydrothermal activity over time. It was established that the ores started forming about 100 000–123 000 years ago and were renewed 4–5 times with a frequency of 10–20 ka. As a result, the complex of pyrite-marcasite, chalcopyrite and sphalerite ores and the associated metal-bearing and ore-bearing sediments with consistent geochemical specialization were formed. The integrated geochronological and geochemical studies of the ores and sediments allow us to obtain detailed data on evolution of the hydrothermal ore-formation not only in the certain areas but also for the entire Mid-Atlantic Ridge.     

Geochemistry and petrogenesis of mafic-ultramafic rocks from the Central Indian Ridge,latitude 8°–17° S: denudation of mantle harzburgites and gabbroic rocks and compositional variation of basalts

This study investigates the formation of lower oceanic crust and geochemical variations of basalts along the Central Indian Ridge (CIR, lat. 7°45′–17°10′ S). Harzburgites, various gabbroic cumulates, medium- to fine-grained oxide gabbros, diabases, and pillow basalts were recovered by dredging from segment ends such as ridge-transform intersections (RTIs), non-transform discontinuities (NTDs), and transform offset areas. The occurrence of both harzburgites and gabbroic rocks with minor basalts at all segments ends, and leucogabbro intrusive into harzburgite at the 12°45′ S NTD indicates that oceanic crust at segment ends exposes mantle-derived harzburgites and gabbroic intrusions with a thin basaltic cover due to sparse magmatic activity. Basalts collected along the entire ridge show wide compositional variations between N (normal)- and E (enriched)-mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB). T (transitional)-MORBs with enriched affinities are more prominent than N-MORBs. There is no tendency of enrichment towards specific directions. (La/Sm)_N variations in MORB along the CIR (8°–21°S) fluctuates at a regional scale with local high positive anomalies reflecting compositional heterogeneity of the sub-CIR mantle domain.     

Hydrothermal alteration and mineralisation of basalts from the spreading zone of the East Pacific Rise (7°S–23°S)

At the southern part of the East Pacific Rise (EPR), between 6°S and 30°S a survey on volcanic and hydrothermal activity was performed and samples were obtained by means of TV-controlled grab.This paper deals with altered and mineralized basalt sampled between 7°S and 23°S from five sites in a hydrothermal field.These basalts of tholeitic composition are vitreous to holocrystaline. They have suffered pervasive alteration during which rock-forming minerals (pyroxene, plagioclase) have been replaced by kaolinite, chlorite and smectite. As a consequence, strong depletion of Ca, Cr, Ni, Mg, Sr and Al took place, accompanied by an enrichment of Fe, Cu, Co, Mo, Zn, and Pb. The ore mineral assemblage is rather uniform and consists of pyrite, marcasite, wurtzite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, covellite and goethite.The igneous and hydrothermal activities can be subdivided into different stages: lithification, high-temperature alteration (<400 C), medium to low temperature alteration and two substages of ore formation (250°C – 150°C and <150°C, respectively).This active present-day ore deposition is interpreted in terms of a peripheral zone of a volcanic-hosted ore mineralisation. It may be compared with fossil ophiolite-hosted massive sulfides that formed throughout the Alpine (e.g. Arabia, Cyprus) as well as Caledonian orogeny (e.g. Scandinavia).

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Zusammenfassung Im Südteil des East Pacific Rise (EPR) zwischen 6°S und 30°S wurde eine Übersichtsbeprobung in einem Gebiet starker vulkanischer und hydrothermaler Aktivität durchgeführt. Diese Studie befaßt sich mit alterierten und mineralisierten Basalten die in einem Hyrothermalfeld, an 5 Positionen zwischen 7°S und 23°S genommen wurden. Die tholeiitischen Basalte sind z.T. hyalin. z.T. holokristallin strukturiert. Im Verlauf der sehr starken Alteration wurden die Minerale Pyroxen und Plagioklas in Kaolinit, Chlorit und Smektit ungewandelt. Dieser Verdrängungsprozeß wurde von einer starken Abreicherung an Ca, Cr, Ni, Mg, Sr, Al und einer Anreicherung an Fe, Cu, Co, Mo, Zn und Pb begleitet. Die Vererzung zeigt eine einfache Mineralvergesellschaftung mit Pyrit, Markasit, Wurtzit, Sphalerit, Chalkopyrit, Covellin und Geothit.Die magmatische und hydrothermale Aktivität läßt sich in verschiedene Stadien untergliedern: Basaltentstehung, Hochtemperturalteration (< 400°), Mittelbis Tieftemperaturalteration und Vererzung mit 2 Substadien (250°C–150°C, < 150°C).Diese rezenten Vererzungen lassen sich interpretieren als die Randzone einer vulkanitgebundenen Erzmineralisation. Sie läßt sich mit fossilen Vertretern ophiolit-gebundener massiver Sulfiderze, wie sie im Verlauf den alpidischen (z.B. Arab.-Halbinsel, Zypern) und kaledonischen Orogenese (z.B. Norwegen) entstanden sind, vergleichen.

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Résumé Une étude des activités volcanique et hydrothermale a été effectuée dans la partie sud de l'East Pacific Rise, entre 6° et 30° de latitude sud. Des échantillons y ont été prélevés au moyen d'un engin dirigé par TV.La présente note se rapporte aux basaltes altérés et minéralisés récoltés en cinq points d'un champ hydrothermal, entre 7°S et 23°S.Ces basaltes, de composition tholéiitique sont tantôt vitreux, tantôt holocristallins. Ils ont été le siège d'une forte altération hydrothermale au cours de laquelle les minéraux de la roche (pyroxène, plagioclase) ont été remplacés par de la kaolinite, de la chlorite et de la smectite. Il en est résulté un appauvrissement marqué en Ca, Cr, Ni, Mg, Sr et Al, accompagné d'un enrichissement en Fe, Cu, Co, Mo, Zn et Pb. La minéralisation présente une association simple à pyrite, marcassite, wurtzite, sphalérite, covelline et goethite.On peut distinguer plusieurs stades d'activité magmatique et hydrothermale: formation du basalte, altération de haute température (<400°C), altération de moyenne à basse température avec deux stades de minéralisation (250-150°C; <150°C). Ces dépôts de la nature actuelle peuvent s'interpréter comme la zone périphérique d'une aire de minéralisation volcanogène. On peut les comparer à des gisements fossiles de sulfures massifs liés à des ophiolites, comme il s'en est formé au cours des orogenèses alpine (p. ex.: péninsule arabique, Chypre) et calédonienne (p. ex.: Norvège).

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The Geological Setting of the 14.0°S Hydrothermal Field (Mid-Atlantic Ridge) and Its Comparation with Other Inside-corner Related Fields

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A New Fauna——Qinghezhen Fauna——from the Northern Margin of the North China Platform

In the Inner Mongolia axis and Jiaoliao anteclise along the northern margin of the North China Platform.it has been found that the strata formerly considered as Archaean and Proterozoic are in fact an ophiolite suitesimilar to the Early Palaeozoic Ondor Sum Group in the Northern Geosyncline region of China. The stratahave been named in northern Liaoning as the Qinghezhen Group. The emphasis of this paper is on the discus-sion of the simall shelly fossils found in the siliceous rocks in the upper part of the Qinghezhen Group. Thisophiolite suite stretches in an E-W direction for about 1000 km along the northern margin of the North ChinaPlatform. in which 15 fossil localities with stable stratigraphic horizons have been discovered. In this paper. 4types. 7 genera (including 5 new ones) and 10 species (including 8 new ones and 1 new subspecies) aredescribed, which are collectively referred to as the Qinghezhen Fauna. The characteristics of these fossils are:shell form simple. the maximum length not exceeding 4 mm. with obvious shell wall and wall ornaments. TheQinghezhen Fauna is comparable in shell structure of some genera and species with the Meishucun Fauna inSouth China, but differs from the latter in having only monotonous fossil groups developed in a distinctly va-ried ecological environment. The two faunas may belong to the same evolutionary stage of the Early Cambrianbut have developed parallelly in different regions. The existence of the Qinghezhen Fauna represents an impor-tant biological event in the Early Cambrian in the Northern Geosyncline region of China. The discovery of theQinghezhen Fauna will bring new knowledge and profound influence to a series of problems on basic geologyand mineral deposit prospecting such as the Cambrian faunas. biogeographical povincialism in China and thegeotectonic features of the northern margin of the North China Platform.     

Architecture of the Central Andes—a compilation of geoscientific data along a transect at 21°S

Based on numerous geoscientific data a section through the Central Andean active continental margin at 21°S has been compiled which shows the structure of the South American upper plate and the downgoing Nazca Plate.     

Hydrothermal metasomatic alteration of carbonate bottom sediments in the Ashadze-1 field (13° N Mid-Atlantic Ridge)

We have performed the first detailed study of hydrothermal alteration of the Holocene-upper Pleistocene sediments in the recent Ashadze-1 hydrothermal field sampled during the 26th cruise of R/V Professor Logachev in 2005. It has been established that alterations in mineralogy and geochemistry are caused by the dissolution of calcite shells in bottom sediments and their metasomatic replacement with sulfides and other hydrothermal minerals. A zone of sediments enriched in magnesian hydrothermal minerals has been revealed in the sediments of the MAR for the first time. It is suggested that metasomatism is related to diffuse percolation of hydrothermal fluids through sediments.     

Morphology and geology of the continental shelf and upper slope of southern Central Chile (33°S–43°S)

The continental shelf and slope of southern Central Chile have been subject to a number of international as well as Chilean research campaigns over the last 30 years. This work summarizes the geologic setting of the southern Central Chilean Continental shelf (33°S–43°S) using recently published geophysical, seismological, sedimentological and bio-geochemical data. Additionally, unpublished data such as reflection seismic profiles, swath bathymetry and observations on biota that allow further insights into the evolution of this continental platform are integrated. The outcome is an overview of the current knowledge about the geology of the southern Central Chilean shelf and upper slope. We observe both patches of reduced as well as high recent sedimentation on the shelf and upper slope, due to local redistribution of fluvial input, mainly governed by bottom currents and submarine canyons and highly productive upwelling zones. Shelf basins show highly variable thickness of Oligocene-Quaternary sedimentary units that are dissected by the marine continuations of upper plate faults known from land. Seismic velocity studies indicate that a paleo-accretionary complex that is sandwiched between the present, relatively small active accretionary prism and the continental crust forms the bulk of the continental margin of southern Central Chile.     

Sedimentation in the Northern Apennines–Corsica tectonic knot (Northern Tyrrhenian Sea,Central Mediterranean): offshore drilling data from the Elba–Pianosa Ridge

The Northern Tyrrhenian Sea is located on the collisional zone between the Alpine Corsica and the Northern Apennines and is a key area for gaining a better understanding of the complex relationships between these two systems. The knowledge of the wide offshore part of this zone, located between Corsica (France) and mainland Italy, is based primarily on the analysis of several seismic profiles tied to the outcropping geology and unpublished preliminary reports of few offshore wells. The here presented study of two offshore wells provides a revision of the sedimentology, biostratigraphy and petrography of the thick, mainly siliciclastic, Tertiary successions (about 3,600 m) composing the Elba–Pianosa Ridge (EPR), a structural/morphological high separating the Tuscan Shelf to the east from the Corsica Basin to the west. A comparison with similar deposits cropping out in the surrounding onshore areas (Northern Apennines, Corsica, Tuscan Archipelago, Piedmont Tertiary Basin) provides additional constraints for refinement of the complex geodynamic and regional setting in which the EPR evolved.     

Major and trace elements of abyssal peridotites: evidence for melt refertilization beneath the ultraslow-spreading Southwest Indian Ridge (53° E segment)

This study examines the geochemistry of major and trace elements of abyssal peridotites from the Southwest Indian Ridge (SWIR) (53° E amagmatic segment), to determine the influence of mafic melts on mantle peridotites during melt extraction. The results show a great geochemical variability in the ~90 km-long ridge segment, with a degree of mantle melting ranging from 4% to 24%. An ancient melting event may explain the presence of highly depleted peridotites at the ultraslow-spreading ridge. The 53° E segment peridotites show enrichment of light rare earth elements (LREEs) (average La_N/Sm_N = 1.87) and significant positive anomaly of U and Pb normalized to primitive mantle (PM). The positive correlations between LREEs (La, Ce, Pr, Nd) and high field strength elements (HFSEs; e.g. Nb and Zr) suggest that the enrichment of LREEs is caused by melt refertilization, which is also supported by prevalent magmatic microstructures in the peridotites. The melt refertilization model shows that the addition of 0.02–2.7% basaltic melts to peridotites can be responsible for the LREE enrichment. We suggest that the positive anomaly of U is probably attributed to fluid alteration whereas the enrichment of Pb is probably attributed to both melt refertilization and fluid alteration. Melt refertilization in the 53° E segment peridotites may be a result of melt–rock reaction and crystallization of melts trapped in peridotites. These processes may be enhanced by increased melt permeability in the mantle owing to the refractory peridotites produced by ancient melting and the decreasing efficiency of melt extraction in the cold and thick lithosphere at the 53° E ridge segment. The presence of melt refertilization implies that melt extraction is incomplete in the ridge mantle, which may be one of the reasons for the extremely thin and irregular variation of the crustal thickness at ultraslow-spreading ridges.     

New records of late Holocene tephras from Lake Futalaufquen (42.8°S), northern Patagonia

In regions with limited knowledge of the historical volcanic record, like remote areas in the Andean Southern Volcanic Zone, the definition of reliable age-depth models for lake sequences represents a valuable tool for tephra layers dating. In Lake Futalaufquen (42.8°S), Northern Patagonia, a short sedimentary sequence was extracted after the AD 2008 Chaitén eruption with the purpose to analyze the records of volcanic eruptions at these poorly studied latitudes. The sequence was dated by ²¹⁰Pb, ¹³⁷Cs, and ¹⁴C techniques. Five tephras were identified for the last 1600 years, restricted to the last 5 centuries. Sedimentology, morphology, and geochemical properties allowed the characterization of the tephras and their correlation with tephras recently identified proximal to the sources, mainly from Chaitén and Huequi volcanoes, and Michinmahuida accessory cones, representing the first distal records reported of these tephras. Furthermore, tephras modeled ages obtained by the sequence age-depth model shrink the ages for the volcanic events, like a potential cycle of activity from Michinmauida accessory cones during AD 1530 ± 55, one eruption from Huequi volcano at AD 1695 ± 50, and a possible recent eruption from Chaitén at AD 1775 ± 40. Additionally, the work contributes to improve the regional volcanic records knowledge, basic for volcanic hazard assessment.     

Behavior of Trace Elements during Oxidation of Sphalerite of the Irinovskoe Hydrothermal Sulfide Field (13°20′ N,Mid-Atlantic Ridge)

Geology of Ore Deposits - The formation of present-day seafloor sulfide deposits is accompanied by their continuous oxidation and crystallization of insoluble Fe oxyhydroxides, which absorb metals...     

New hydrothermal sulfide fields of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge: Yubileinoe (20°09′ N) and Surprise (20°45.4′ N)

Two new sulfide fields (Yubileinoe, 20°09′ N, and Surprise, 20°45.4′ N) were discovered between 20°01′ and 20°54′ N within the Russian Application Area of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR). The Yubileinoe field is located at a depth of 2300–2550 m in the near-top area of the first rift ridge, which is a boundary of the western wall of the rift valley. This new field and the Zenith-Victory field, which was previously discovered in the eastern wall, occur symmetrically relative to the rift valley of this MAR segment. The Surprise field at a depth of 2800–2850 m is situated in the eastern wall of the rift valley, on the slope of the volcanic uplift. After the discovery of these inactive sulfide fields, the number of hydrothermal fields within the Russian Application Area reached ten.     

A New Enantiornithes (Aves) from the Early Cretaceous of China

A new bird from the early Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Liaoning, China is described. This new species, Grabauornis lingyuanensis, shares several synapomorphies with the Enantiornithes. The specimen is relatively well preserved. The skeletal morphology of Grabauornis bears close resemblance to that of other Chinese members of this clade. The brachial index （the ratio between the lengths of humerus and ulna） is 0.95, which is close to the average for enantiornithine birds. It indicates that Grabauornis was a rather good flyer, and the presence of an alula in the wing further testifies to this.