Melting and diffusion processes in closed-system migmatization

Estimated variations in mineral concentrations across leucosomes suggest that leucosomes are generated during anatexis by a diffusive exchange between the leucosome and the mesosome, and not by the migration of melt from the mesosome. However, the presence of melt is a precondition for the diffusive exchange to take place. Initially a crack is formed due to shear stress. The formation of a crack allows a diffusive exchange to take place through the melt, which causes melting of minerals situated near the crack. The diffusive exchange of material is less efficient in the mesosome where the melt is isolated at grain corners and edges. The microcline enrichment of some granitic leucosomes is thought to be due to the diffusive depletion of the mesosome caused by growth of alkali feldspar during the consolidation of the migmatite. In general, it seems unnecessary to invoke concentrations of water in the leucosome or the intrusion of external fluids or magmas for migmatite formation.     

Geophysical constraints on geodynamic processes at convergent margins: A global perspective

Convergent margins, being the boundaries between colliding lithospheric plates, form the most disastrous areas in the world due to intensive, strong seismicity and volcanism. We review global geophysical data in order to illustrate the effects of the plate tectonic processes at convergent margins on the crustal and upper mantle structure, seismicity, and geometry of subducting slab. We present global maps of free-air and Bouguer gravity anomalies, heat flow, seismicity, seismic Vs anomalies in the upper mantle, and plate convergence rate, as well as 20 profiles across different convergent margins. A global analysis of these data for three types of convergent margins, formed by ocean–ocean, ocean–continent, and continent–continent collisions, allows us to recognize the following patterns. (1) Plate convergence rate depends on the type of convergent margins and it is significantly larger when, at least, one of the plates is oceanic. However, the oldest oceanic plate in the Pacific ocean has the smallest convergence rate. (2) The presence of an oceanic plate is, in general, required for generation of high-magnitude (M > 8.0) earthquakes and for generating intermediate and deep seismicity along the convergent margins. When oceanic slabs subduct beneath a continent, a gap in the seismogenic zone exists at depths between ca. 250 km and 500 km. Given that the seismogenic zone terminates at ca. 200 km depth in case of continent–continent collision, we propose oceanic origin of subducting slabs beneath the Zagros, the Pamir, and the Vrancea zone. (3) Dip angle of the subducting slab in continent–ocean collision does not correlate neither with the age of subducting oceanic slab, nor with the convergence rate. For ocean–ocean subduction, clear trends are recognized: steeply dipping slabs are characteristic of young subducting plates and of oceanic plates with high convergence rate, with slab rotation towards a near-vertical dip angle at depths below ca. 500 km at very high convergence rate. (4) Local isostasy is not satisfied at the convergent margins as evidenced by strong free air gravity anomalies of positive and negative signs. However, near-isostatic equilibrium may exist in broad zones of distributed deformation such as Tibet. (5) No systematic patterns are recognized in heat flow data due to strong heterogeneity of measured values which are strongly affected by hydrothermal circulation, magmatic activity, crustal faulting, horizontal heat transfer, and also due to low number of heat flow measurements across many margins. (6) Low upper mantle Vs seismic velocities beneath the convergent margins are restricted to the upper 150 km and may be related to mantle wedge melting which is confined to shallow mantle levels.     

On the mechanisms of cation diffusion processes in ternary feldspars

Cation diffusion processes have been studied in single crystals of intermediate plagioclase and albite composition by tracer-diffusion experiments and optical absorption spectroscopy. Tracer-diffusivities were determined by the residual activity method, using the radioactive isotopes ²²Na, ⁴⁵Ca and ⁵⁹Fe. In most cases, diffusion experiments were performed at 1 bar, at controlled oxygen activity and at temperatures between 750 and 1300°C. The obtained Na-diffusivities for plagioclases were much smaller then previously determined for albite. This indicates a strong composition dependence of Na-diffusion. In contrast, Ca-diffusivity in albite does not differ very much from that in intermediate plagioclases. The relative diffusivities determined for plagioclase of composition An62 at 1200° C (CO/CO₂ =50∶50) were D _infNa ^sup* ∶D _infFe ^sup* ∶D _infCa ^sup* =5000∶10∶1. Despite the an isotropic structure of feldspars, no difference was found for Na-and Ca-diffusion normal to (001) and normal to (010). Water pressure of 2 kbar has no influence on the Na-diffusivity. In contrast to the Ca-diffusion, a dependence on oxyggen activity was found for Na-and Fe-diffusion. Fe-diffusivity increases with decreasing oxygen activity. This can be correlated to changes in oxidation state of iron dissolved in the plagioclases. Optical absorption spectroscopy shows that iron is oxidized in the plagioclases by annealing in air. This effect can be reversed by annealing at reducing conditions. A model is proposed to explain the oxidation of iron by a chemical diffusion process in which A-vacancies are formed by out-diffusion of Na⁺. Preannealing of samples in air gives a temperature independent decrease of Na-diffusivity by a factor of about 2.5. This effect is explained with help of a simple disorder model for A-cations in ternary feldspars. It is concluded that Na⁺ diffuses via interstitials and that the A-vacancy concentration in the plagioclases is controlled extrinsically, probably by dissolved SiO₂.     

Statistical analysis of seismic processes on the basis of the diffusion approach

On the basis of the diffusion approach, statistical analysis of seismicity is carried out in order to reveal the peculiarities characteristic of random walk processes. In accordance with the hypothesis on connectivity of earthquakes and energetic criterion, the expansion of the seismic process into a set of sequences is made; each sequence is a Brownian process with specific spatial, temporal, and energetic scales. The statistical distributions of sequences by the number of links, total energies, distances, time, and flight velocities between events are built.     

煤层甲烷解吸—扩散—渗流过程的影响因素分析

从煤层甲烷产出机理入手,分析了影响煤层甲烷解吸、扩散和渗流过程的因素。结果表明:影响解吸的因素主要是压力、含气量、煤的水分含量、基块尺寸、温度等;影响甲烷扩散的因素主要是甲烷浓度、扩散距离、平均自由程和煤岩孔隙分布;而影响渗流的因素有渗透率、裂隙发育状况、压差、储层损害等。进而指出,解吸、扩散和渗流3个环节紧密相连,相互影响,相互制约,三者的最佳匹配将是煤层气经济开发的必要条件。     

Stochastic micromechanical model of the deterioration of asphalt mixtures subject to moisture diffusion processes

The deleterious effect of moisture in the microstructure of asphalt mixtures, usually referred to as moisture damage, has been recognized as a main cause of early deterioration of asphalt pavements. The initiation and evolution of moisture‐related deterioration is strongly influenced by the internal air void structure of asphalt mixtures. Despite its importance, the majority of works conducted on the micromechanical modeling of asphalt mixtures overlook the role of the air void structure, mainly because of its high complexity and variability. This paper explores the influence of air void variability on the performance of asphalt mixtures subjected to moisture diffusion processes. A stochastic modeling technique based on random field theory was used to generate internal distributions of physical and mechanical properties of the asphalt matrix of the mixture that depend on probable air voids distributions. The analysis was conducted by means of a coupled numerical micromechanical model of moisture damage. The results showed that the variability and distribution of air voids are decisive in determining the moisture‐dependent performance of asphalt mixtures. Furthermore, it was also shown that a stochastic characterization of the diverse air void configurations is a feasible and useful approach to better represent and understand mechanically related deterioration processes in asphalt mixtures. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

油气微渗漏扩散物理实验的再现及数值模拟

来自油气藏的烃类物质的微渗漏扩散是普遍存在的。这里主要进行油气微渗漏扩散,在计算机上的物理实验再现过程和三维数值模拟。首先把实验提供的稀疏的数据,通过Kriging插值算法计算,得到三维重建中所需具有规则、分布均匀特点的数据,所得效果较好,并且算法编写简单、容易理解。其次,建立一种关于油气微渗漏扩散的三维数学模型,进行数值模拟,较好地仿真了演示油气微渗漏随时间扩散的过程。最后,简单地探讨了虚拟现实建模语言（VRML）在三维可视化中的运用。     

Surface reaction versus diffusion control of mineral dissolution and growth rates in geochemical processes

The kinetics of chemical reactions at mineral surfaces and the rates of diffusion of species in an aqueous phase are coupled in many geochemical systems. Analytical solutions to equations describing coupled mineral dissolution/growth and solute transport in both transient and steady-state systems are used to delimit regimes of pure reaction control, pure transport control and mixed kinetic control of mass-transfer rates. The relative significance of the two processes depends on the magnitudes of the diffusion coefficients and rate constants as functions of temperature, and the degree of disequilibrium in the system. In addition, the system geometry, the ratio of mineral surface area to diffusion cross-section, and the porosity and tortuosity of the medium through which aqueous species diffuse affect reaction vs. diffusion control. In general, diffusion control increases with increasing temperature and increasing distance over which diffusion occurs. Calculations for the mixed kinetic regime in transient systems demonstrate that the relative significance of diffusion and surface reaction varies with reaction progress, and approaches a limiting value as equilibrium is approached. This limiting value may be appropriate to natural water-rock interactions that occur at conditions that are close to equilibrium. This result permits extension of simple models for irreversible mass transfer in homogeneous systems to systems in which mass-transfer kinetics are controlled by coupled surface reactions and mass transport. Criteria are established for time and length scales and fluid velocity limits on the validity of the continuum hypothesis and the local equilibrium assumption in mass-transport modeling.     

全面落实科学发展观建立矿产资源开发利用的生态创新体系

以科学发展观为指导,分析了传统技术创新体系的可持续发展问题。通过整合生态创新体系的各个要素,构建了可持续发展的生态观念创新体系、生态制度创新体系和生态技术创新体系,进而建立起矿业可持续发展的生态创新体系的模型。     

Experiences and perspective in compiling long-term remote sensing data sets on landscapes and biospheric processes

Remote sensing has been employed to study the Earth's landscapes for more than a century. Over the last thirty years major changes in all aspects of the technology, as well as scientific understanding of the measurements, have revolutionized use of these data for terrestrial research. The emergence of biophysical interpretations of land remotely sensed data has created great interest in the potential of these data to study the dynamics of landscapes and biospheric processes as contributors to global change. However, the evolutionary history of land remote sensing, particularly in the Landsat era, has in many ways worked against this use of the data. Until recently, there was little appreciation of the need to compile long-term historical records of these observations. There are currently no formal scientific institutional systems dedicated to preserving and distributing the long-term record of Earth observations acquired by Landsat, AVHRR or other land observing systems. As the International Geosphere-Biosphere Program begins, this issue should be one of the first priorities of the participants.     

A geotechnical perspective of raw earth building

Much research has been devoted over the past 30 years to the development of construction materials that can lower the environmental and economic costs of buildings over their entire life by reducing embodied energy, minimizing air conditioning needs and cutting down demolition waste. In this respect, raw earth is an attractive material because it is natural and largely available. In its simplest form, this material consists of a compacted mixture of soil and water which is put in place with the least possible transformation. Raw earth construction has been practised in ancient times but has only recently been rediscovered thanks to modern technology, which has improved fabrication efficiency. If properly manufactured, raw earth exhibits comparable mechanical characteristics and better hygro-thermal properties than concrete or fired bricks. After a brief historical overview, we discuss the advantages of raw earth construction in terms of environmental impact, energy consumption and indoor air quality together with the main obstacles to its wider dissemination. We also review the hydro-thermo-mechanical behaviour of raw earth in the context of the recent geotechnical literature, by examining the dependency of key parameters such as strength, stiffness and moisture retention on: (a) material variables (e.g. particle size and mineralogy), (b) manufacturing variables (e.g. density and stabilization) and (c) environmental variables (e.g. pore suction, ambient humidity and temperature).     

矿物中稀土元素扩散作用的理论研究及其扩散参数的预测

矿物中的微量元素在地质环境下能否保持有效封闭,主要取决于其扩散性质,而稀土元素(REE)是探讨地质作用过程及其物理化学条件等重要的示踪剂,查明其在不同矿物中的扩散行为对于地学研究具有重要意义。本文通过分析矿物晶格结构和离子类型对元素扩散行为的制约规律,探讨了REE在不同矿物中的扩散迁移。在此基础上,利用多元统计分析方法得出扩散参数与扩散体系不同晶体化学参数之间的关系方程,建立了计算1atm、无水环境下REE在不同矿物中扩散参数的多变量模型,由此模型预测的REE在不同矿物中的扩散参数E和lnD0的值,与实验测定结果在实验误差范围内具有很好的一致性。与以往的预测模型相比,多变量模型能更全面地反映扩散体系晶体化学因素对扩散速率的制约。此外本研究结果显示,REE在矿物晶格中扩散作用的主要影响因素是阳离子,而非当前认为的阴离子。     

A computational study of oxygen diffusion in olivine

Atomistic modelling techniques are used to study the rate-determining steps that limit diffusion of oxygen in forsterite. The activation energies for diffusion parallel to all three crystallographic axes by the vacancy and interstitial mechanisms are calculated. The activation energy for extrinsic vacancy diffusion is predicted to be isotropic with a barrier height of 119 kJ mol^–1. Conversely, in the interstitial case it is found to be anisotropic, with extrinsic activation energies that range between 94 and 178 kJ mol^–1. The effect of intrinsic defects and two typical impurities, iron and hydrogen, upon diffusion is also considered. We find that the migration energy is slightly higher in iron-rich fayalite compared with forsterite and that the presence of hydrogen defects will not affect the diffusion mechanism. These observations lead us to reinterpret existing experimental results on oxygen diffusion in natural olivine. We suggest that at low oxygen partial pressure the mechanism observed is a vacancy mechanism, while at high oxygen partial pressure the mechanism is interstitial. We believe that this change in mechanism is mediated by iron redox reactions. Taking this process into account, we derive activation energies in excellent agreement with those found experimentally in natural samples of olivine. The anisotropy of activation barriers and hence the change in diffusion rates with temperature could be used to distinguish between the two mechanisms in future experimental work.     

The Moon: A Taylor perspective

We address several current lunar problems. The data suggest that the Moon likely possesses an Fe-rich metallic core a few percent of lunar volume, although definitive proof is lacking. Refractory elements appear to be enriched relative both to the composition of the primordial solar nebula (CI) and the Earth. Very volatile elements appear to be depleted uniformly at high levels. We adopt the single-impact hypothesis for lunar origin, which formed a high-temperature silicate vapor disk, mostly of metal-poor silicate material from an impactor (Theia) that was already depleted in volatiles. We speculate that the curious lunar bulk-composition resulted from condensation from high-temperature vapor at around a few Earth radii. This could produce an enriched refractory-element composition that cut off below 1000 K, producing a uniform depletion in very volatile elements.