Emplacement and arrest of sheets and dykes in central volcanoes

Sheet intrusions are of two main types: local inclined (cone) sheets and regional dykes. In Iceland, the inclined sheets form dense swarms of (mostly) basaltic, 0.5–1 m thick sheets, dipping either at 20–50° or at 75–90° towards the central volcano to which they belong. The regional dykes are (mostly) basaltic, 4–6 m thick, subvertical, subparallel and form swarms, less dense than those of the sheets but tens of kilometres long, in the parts of the volcanic systems that are outside the central volcanoes. In both types of swarms, the intrusion intensity decreases with altitude in the lava pile. Theoretical models generally indicate very high crack-tip stresses for propagating dykes and sheets. Nevertheless, most of these intrusions become arrested at various crustal depths and never reach the surface to supply magma to volcanic eruptions. Two principal mechanisms are proposed to explain arrest of dykes and sheets. One is the generation of stress barriers, that is, layers with local stresses unfavourable for the intrusion propagation. The other is mechanical anisotropy whereby sheet intrusions become arrested at discontinuities. Stress barriers may develop in several ways. First, analytical solutions for a homogeneous and isotropic crust show that the intensity of the tensile stress associated with a pressured magma chamber falls off rapidly with distance from the chamber. Thus, while dyke and sheet injection in the vicinity of a chamber may be favoured, dyke and sheet arrest is encouraged in layers (stress barriers) at a certain distance from the chamber. Second, boundary-element models for magma chambers in a mechanically layered crust indicate abrupt changes in tensile stresses between layers of contrasting Young’s moduli (stiffnesses). Thus, where soft pyroclastic layers alternate with stiff lava flows, as in many volcanoes, sheet and dyke arrest is encouraged. Abrupt changes in stiffness between layers are commonly associated with weak and partly open contacts and other discontinuities. It follows that stress barriers and discontinuities commonly operate together as mechanisms of dyke and sheet arrest in central volcanoes.     

Structure and emplacement of the Nandurbar–Dhule mafic dyke swarm,Deccan Traps,and the tectonomagmatic evolution of flood basalts

Flood basalts, such as the Deccan Traps of India, represent huge, typically fissure-fed volcanic provinces. We discuss the structural attributes and emplacement mechanics of a large, linear, tholeiitic dyke swarm exposed in the Nandurbar–Dhule area of the Deccan province. The swarm contains 210 dykes of dolerite and basalt >1 km in length, exposed over an area of 14,500 km². The dykes intrude an exclusively basaltic lava pile, largely composed of highly weathered and zeolitized compound pahoehoe flows. The dykes range in length from <1 km to 79 km, and in thickness from 3 to 62 m. Almost all dykes are vertical, with the others nearly so. They show a strong preferred orientation, with a mean strike of N88°. Because they are not emplaced along faults or fractures, they indicate the regional minimum horizontal compressive stress (σ ₃) to have been aligned ~N–S during swarm emplacement. The dykes have a negative power law length distribution but an irregular thickness distribution; the latter is uncommon among the other dyke swarms described worldwide. Dyke length is not correlated with dyke width. Using the aspect ratios (length/thickness) of several dykes, we calculate magmatic overpressures required for dyke emplacement, and depths to source magma chambers that are consistent with results of previous petrological and gravity modelling. The anomalously high source depths calculated for a few dykes may be an artifact of underestimated aspect ratios due to incomplete along-strike exposure. However, thermal erosion is a mechanism that can also explain this. Whereas several of the Nandurbar–Dhule dykes may be vertically injected dykes from shallow magma chambers, others, particularly the long ones, must have been formed by lateral injection from such chambers. The larger dykes could well have fed substantial (≥1,000 km³) and quickly emplaced (a few years) flood basalt lava flows. This work highlights some interesting and significant similarities, and contrasts, between the Nandurbar–Dhule dyke swarm and regional tholeiitic dyke swarms in Iceland, Sudan, and elsewhere. Editorial responsibility: J. White     

Hydrothermal alteration and tectonic evolution of an intermediate- to fast-spreading back-arc oceanic crust: Late Ordovician Solund-Stavfjord ophiolite, western Norway

Abstract The Solund‐Stavfjord ophiolite complex (SSOC) in western Norway represents a remnant of the Late Ordovician oceanic lithosphere, which developed in an intermediate‐ to fast‐spreading Caledonian back‐arc basin. The internal architecture and magmatic features of its crustal component suggest that the SSOC has a complex, multistage sea floor spreading history in a supra‐subduction zone environment. The youngest crustal section associated with the propagating rift tectonics consists of a relatively complete ophiolite pseudostratigraphy, including basaltic volcanic rocks, a transition zone between the sheeted dyke complex and the extrusive sequence, sheeted dykes, and high‐level isotropic gabbros. Large‐scale variations in major and trace element distributions indicate significant remobilization far beyond that which would result from magmatic processes, as a result of the hydrothermal alteration of crustal rocks. Whereas K₂O is strongly enriched in volcanic rocks of the extrusive sequence, Cu and Zn show the largest enrichment in the dyke complex near the dyke–volcanic transition zone or within this transition zone. The δ¹⁸O values of the whole‐rock samples show a general depletion structurally downwards in the ophiolite, with the largest and smallest variations observed in volcanic rocks and the transition zone, respectively. δ¹⁸O values of epidote–quartz mineral pairs indicate 260–290°C for volcanic rocks, 420°C for the transition zone, 280–345°C for the sheeted dyke complex and 290–475°C for the gabbros. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr isotope ratios show the widest range and highest values in the extrusive rocks (0.70316–0.70495), and generally the lowest values and the narrowest range in the sheeted dyke complex (0.70338–0.70377). The minimum water/rock ratios calculated show the largest variations in volcanic rocks and gabbros (approximately 0–14), and generally the lowest values and range in the sheeted dyke complex (approximately 1–3). The δD values of epidote (?1 to ?12‰), together with the δ¹⁸O calculated for Ordovician seawater, are similar to those of present‐day seawater. Volcanic rocks experienced both cold and warm water circulation, resulting in the observed K₂O‐enrichment and the largest scatter in the δ¹⁸O values. As a result of metal leaching in the hot reaction zone above a magma chamber, Zn is strongly depleted in the gabbros but enriched in the sheeted dyke complex because of precipitation from upwelling of discharged hydrothermal fluids. The present study demonstrates that the near intact effect of ocean floor hydrothermal activity is preserved in the upper part of the SSOC crust, despite the influence of regional lower greenschist facies metamorphism.     

Miocene hydrovolcanism in NW Colorado,USA, fuelled by explosive mixing of basic magma and wet unconsolidated sediment

The Yampa and Elkhead Mountains volcanic fields were erupted into sediment-filled fault basins during Miocene crustal extension in NW Colorado. Post-Miocene uplift and erosion has exposed alkali basalt lavas, pyroclastic deposits, volcanic necks and dykes which record hydrovolcanic and strombolian phenomena at different erosion depths. The occurrence of these different phenomena was related to the degree of lithification of the rocks through which the magmas rose. Hydrovolcanic interactions only occurred where rising basaltic magma encountered wet, porous, non-lithified sediments of the 600 m thick Miocene Brown's Park Formation. The interactions were fuelled by groundwater in these sediments: there was probably no standing surface water. Dykes intruded into the sediments have pillowed sides, and local swirled inclusions of sediment that were injected while fluidized in steam from heated pore water. Volcanic necks in the sediments consist of basaltic tuff, sediment blocks and separated grains derived from the sediments, lithic blocks (mostly derived from a conglomerate forming the local base of the Brown's Park Formation), and dykes composed of disaggregated sediment. The necks are cut by contemporaneous basalt dykes. Hydrovolcanic pyroclastic deposits formed tuff cones up to 100 m thick consisting of bedded air-fall, pyroclastic surge, and massive, poorly sorted deposits (MPSDs). All these contain sub-equal volumes of basaltic tuff and disaggregated sediment grains from the Brown's Park Formation. Possible explosive and effusive modes of formation for the MPSDs are discussed. Contemporaneous strombolian scoria deposits overlie lithified Cretaceous sedimentary rocks or thick basalt lavas. Volcanic necks intruded into the Cretaceous rocks consist of basalt clasts (some with spindle-shape), lithic clasts, and megacrysts derived from the magma, and are cut by basalt dykes. Rarely, strombolian deposits are interbedded with hydrovolcanic pyroclastic deposits, recording changes in eruption behaviour during one eruption. The hydrovolcanic eruptions occurred by interaction of magma with groundwater in the Brown's Park sediments. The explosive interactions disaggregated the sediment. Such direct digestion of sediment by the magma in the vents would probably not have released enough water to maintain a water/magma mass ratio sufficient for hydrovolcanic explosions to produce the tuff cones. Probably, additional water (perhaps 76% of the total) was derived by flow through the permeable sediments (especially the basal conglomerate to the formation), and into the vents.     

Setouchi high-Mg andesites revisited: geochemical evidence for melting of subducting sediments

In order to evaluate the mechanism of production of unusual high-Mg andesite (HMA) magmas, Pb–Nd–Sr isotopic compositions were determined for HMAs and basalts from the Miocene Setouchi volcanic belt in the SW Japan arc. The isotopic compositions of Setouchi rocks form mixing lines between local oceanic sediments and Japan Sea backarc basin basalts, suggesting a significant contribution of the subducting sediment component to the HMA magma generation. Mixing calculations using compositions of an inferred original mantle and local oceanic sediments suggest that a sediment-derived melt, neither an H₂O-rich fluid nor an amphibolite/eclogite-derived melt, could have been produced first and served as a plausible metasomatic agent for the HMA magma source. The unusual tectonic setting, including subduction of a newly-borne hence hot plate, may be responsible for melting of subducting sediments.     

The influence of crustal structure on compositions of subduction-related magmas

A survey of Sr isotopic ratios and other compositional features of subduction-related magma suites reveals significant correlations between these averaged parameters and characteristics of the underlying crust (i.e., thickness, composition, and age). These observations lead to the conclusion that crust and(or) mantle rocks in the hanging walls of subduction zones are involved in modification of primary mafic magmas (typically basalt or basaltic andesite). It is proposed that mafic magmas will stagnate within the crust or uppermost mantle where they may differentiate and react with wall rocks. The extent to which such processes manifest themselves will depend upon details of the local crustal structure. In particular, the composition and age of the crust will strongly influence such parameters as Sr, Nd and Pb isotopic compositions. Such data strongly indicate the involvement of crustal rocks in locales underlain by old sialic crust (e.g., central Andes). Depending upon the level of magma stagnation and evolution within the crust, different trends in isotopic composition may result. These isotopic trends may be enhanced by partial melting of the wall rocks to produce relatively silicic anatectic magmas, and locally they may reflect subduction of continental sediments. Interpretation of the isotopic data may be more ambiguous in locales underlain by younger and more mafic continental crust (Cascades, E Eleutians) and those underlain by oceanic crust owing to the similarity in isotopic composition of primary magmas and the latter crustal materials. Yet some degree of crustal involvement in magmatic evolution seems highly probable even in these more primitive terranes. Consequently, most island arc magmas, and especially those more evolved than basalt, are probably not primary in the sense that they do not represent direct melts of the upper mantle. Studies of arc volcanic rocks may yield misleading conclusions concerning processes of magma generation related to subduction unless evolutionary processes are defined and their effects considered. It appears that modern volcanic arcs provide a poor analog for models of early crustal development because the modern mantle-derived magmatic components are more mafic in composition than average continental crust.     

嵊泗岛辉绿岩墙群的侵位方式:来自磁组构的证据

岩墙磁组构能反映岩浆的侵位方式.中国东部嵊泗岛广泛发育了晚白垩世辉绿岩岩墙群.我们对其中8条不同走向岩墙进行了采样,沿岩墙两边部及横跨岩墙剖面获得共273个独立定向岩芯样品.岩石磁学分析表明辉绿岩的主要携磁矿物为多畴贫钛磁铁矿,可能含少量磁赤铁矿.各条岩墙的磁组构均具有低的各向异性度Pj＜1.2,且主轴的空间方位各不相...     

Geochemistry of the Early Miocene volcanic succession of Northland,New Zealand,and implications for the evolution of subduction in the Southwest Pacific

Latest Oligocene and Early Miocene volcanic rocks occur on the Northland Peninsula, New Zealand, and record the inception of Cenozoic subduction-related volcanism in the North Island that eventually evolved to its present manifestation in the Taupo Volcanic Zone. This NW-striking Northland Arc is continuous with the Reinga Ridge and comprises two parallel belts of volcanic centres ca. 60 km apart. A plethora of tectonic models have been proposed for its origins. We acquired new trace element and Sr–Nd isotope data to better constrain such models. All Northland Arc rocks carry an arc-type trace element signature, however distinct differences exist between rocks of the eastern and western belt. Eastern belt rocks are typically andesites and dacites and have relatively evolved isotope ratios indicating assimilated crustal material, and commonly contain hornblende. Additionally some eastern belt rocks with highly evolved isotope compositions show fractionated REE compositions consistent with residual garnet, and some contain garnetiferous inclusions in addition to schistose crustal fragments. In contrast, western belt rocks are mostly basalts or basaltic andesites with relatively primitive Sr–Nd isotope compositions, do not contain hornblende and show no rare earth element evidence for cryptic amphibole fractionation. Eastern and western belt rocks contain comparable slab-derived fractions of fluid-mobile trace elements and invariably possess an arc signature. Therefore the difference between the belts may be best explained as due to variation in crustal thickness across the Northland Peninsula, where western belt centres erupted onto a thinner crustal section than eastern belt rocks.The consistent arc signature throughout the Northland arc favours an origin in response to an actual, if short-lived subduction event, rather than slab detachment as proposed in some models. No Northland Arc rocks possess a convincing adakite-like composition that might reflect the subduction of very young oceanic lithosphere such as that of the Oligocene South Fiji Basin. Therefore we favour a model in which subduction of old (Cretaceous) lithosphere drove subduction.     

Injection and arrest of dykes: implications for volcanic hazards

Dykes are the principal channels through which magma reaches the surface in volcanic eruptions. For this reason dykes observed in the field are commonly assumed to be feeders to lava flows. The actual proportion of dykes reaching the surface is, however, poorly known. In order to develop models for the purpose of estimating volcanic hazard, this proportion must be known. This follows because such models should not only consider the probability of dykes being injected from magma chambers during periods of unrest in the associated volcanoes, but also the probability of the injected dykes being arrested. This paper presents field data on several thousand dykes from Iceland and Tenerife (Canary Islands) indicating that many, and probably most, dykes become arrested at various crustal levels and never reach the surface to feed eruptions. Using the results of analytical and numerical models, it is shown that, for common loading conditions, the stress field in the vicinity of a magma chamber may favour the injection and propagation of dykes while the stress field at a certain distance from the chamber favours dyke arrest. This means that many dykes that are injected from the chamber propagate only for a very limited distance from the chamber to the point where they become arrested. The implication is that during periods of unrest in volcanoes, the probability of volcanic eruption is only a small fraction of the probability of dyke injection from the source magma chamber.     

Bundelkhand mafic dykes, Central Indian Shield: Implications for the role of sediment subduction in Proterozoic crustal evolution

Abstract The Archean to Paleo–Proterozoic Bundelkhand massif basement of the central Indian shield has been dissected by numerous mafic dykes of Proterozoic age. These dykes are low‐Ti tholeiites, ranging in composition from subalkaline basalt through basaltic‐andesite to dacite. They are enriched in light rare earth elements (LREE), large ion lithophile elements (LILE) and depleted in high field strength elements (HFSE: Nb, P and Ti). Negative Sr anomaly is conspicuous. Nb/La ratios of the dykes are much lower compared with the primitive mantle, not much different from the average crustal values, but quite similar to those of continental and subduction related basaltic rocks. Bulk contamination of the mantle derived magma by crustal material is inadequate to explain the observed geochemical characteristics; instead contamination of the mantle/lithospheric source(s) via subduction of sediment is a better proposition. Thus, in addition to generating juvenile crust along the former island arcs, subduction processes appear to have influence on the development of enriched mantle/lithospheric source(s). The Bundelkhand massif basement is inferred to represent subduction related juvenile crust, that experienced lithospheric extension and rifting possibly in response to mantle plume activities. The latter probably supplied the required heat, material (fluids) and extensional environment to trigger melting in the refractory lithospheric source(s) and emplacement of the mafic dykes. Proterozoic mafic magmatic rocks from Bundelkhand, Aravalli, Singhbhum and Bastar regions of the Indian shield and those from the Garhwal region of the Lesser Himalaya display remarkably similar enriched incompatible trace elements characteristics, although limited chemical variations are observed in all these rocks. This may indicate the existence of a large magmatic province, different parts of which might have experienced similar petrogenetic processes and were probably derived from mantle/lithospheric source(s) with similar trace element characteristics. The minor, less enriched to depleted components of the Jharol Group of the Aravalli terrane and those from the Singhbhum terrane may represent protracted phases of rifting, that probably caused thinning and mobilization of the lithosphere, facilitating the eruption/emplacement of the asthenospheric melts (with N‐ to T‐types mid‐oceanic ridge basalts signatures) and deposition of deep water facies sediments in the younger developing oceanic basins. In contrast, Bundelkhand region did not experience such protracted rifting, although dyke swarms were emplaced and shallow water Bijawar Group and Vindhyan Supergroup sediments were deposited in continental rift basins. All these discrete Proterozoic terranes appear to have experienced similar petrogenetic processes, tectonomagmatic and possibly temporal evolution involving subduction processes, influencing the lithospheric source characteristics, followed by probably mantle plume induced ensialic rifting through to the development of oceanic basins in the Indian shield regions and their extension in the Lesser Himalaya.     

Long-term changes in distribution and chemistry of middle Miocene to Quaternary volcanism in the Chokai-Kurikoma area across the Northeast Japan Arc

Abstract To understand the characteristics of long‐term spatial and temporal variation in volcanism within a volcanic arc undergoing constant subduction since the cessation of back‐arc opening, a detailed investigation of middle Miocene to Quaternary volcanism was carried out within the Chokai‐Kurikoma area of the Northeast Japan Arc. This study involved a survey of available literature, with new K–Ar and fission track dating, and chemical analyses. Since 14 Ma, volcanism has occurred within the Chokai‐Kurikoma area in specific areas with a ‘branch‐like’ pattern, showing an east–west trend. This is in marked contrast to the widespread distribution of volcanism with a north–south trend in the 20–14 Ma period. The east–west‐ trending ‘branches’ are characterized by regular intervals (50–100 km) of magmatism along the arc. These branches since 14 Ma are remarkably discrepant to the general northwest–southeast or north‐northeast–south‐southwest direction of the crustal structures that have controlled Neogene to Quaternary tectonic movements in northeast Japan. In addition, evidence indicating clustering and focusing of volcanism into smaller regions since 14 Ma was verified. Comparison of the distribution and chemistry of volcanic rocks for three principal volcanic stages (11–8, 6–3 and 2–0 Ma) revealed that widely but sparsely distributed volcanic rocks had almost the same level of alkali and incompatible element concentrations throughout the area (with the exception of Zr) in the 11–8 Ma stage. However, through the 6–3 Ma stage to the 2–0 Ma stage, the concentration level in the back‐arc cluster increased, while that in the volcanic front cluster remained almost constant. Therefore, the degree of partial melting has decreased, most likely with a simultaneous increase in the depth of magma segregation within the back‐arc zone, whereas within the volcanic front zone, the conditions of magma generation have changed little over the three stages. In conclusion, the evolution of the thermal structure within the mantle wedge across the arc since 14 Ma has reduced the extent of ascending mantle diapirs into smaller fields. This has resulted in the tendency for the distribution of volcanism to become localized and concentrated into more specific areas in the form of clusters from the late Miocene to Quaternary.     

The effect of stress on faulting and minor intrusions in the vicinity of a magma body

The stress field in the vicinity of a body of fluid of simple geometry contained within a non-homogeneously stressed solid has been calculated and the result applied to the case of a magma body within a region of the crust subject to triaxial stresses. The types of faulting and minor intrusion which result are described. The theory indicates that the regional stresses in the crust together with the magma pressure control the type of faulting, the form of the minor intrusions and the occurrence of eruptions from the magma body. The stress conditions favouring caldera formation, the intrusion of radial dykes, dyke swarms and cone sheets are described.     

Carboniferous tectono-magmatic evolution of the northern Luliang arc: evidence from geochemistry and petrography of Carboniferous volcanic rocks in the northern Luliang Uplift,NW China

The Northern Junggar Basin experienced extensive subduction and a complex tectono-magmatic evolution during the Late Paleozoic,resulting in a heterogeneous distribution of volcanic rocks in the Junggar Basin.In this study,the Carboniferous tectono-magmatic evolution of the northern Luliang arc was described by exploring the petrography and geochemistry of Carboniferous volcanic rocks collected from well Y-2 and outcrop WW' in the northern Luliang Uplift.The distribution,types,and formation ages of these volcanic rocks were characterized and the volcanic sequence in well Y-1 was divided into upper and lower parts according to vertical variations in selected geochemical data.Then the petrogenesis and tectonic settings of different volcanic rocks were evaluated and this was used to infer the tectonomagmatic evolution of the northern Luliang arc during the Carboniferous.The results indicate that:(1) Carboniferous high-K calc-alkali andesite-dacite associations are distributed in the west of the northern Luliang Uplift,and Lower Carboniferous calc-alkali basalt-dacite-rhyolite assemblages are preserved in its east.(2) The intermediateacid volcanic rocks in wells Y-1 and Y-2 were derived from calc-alkali basaltic magma through melting of the juvenile lower crust,and geochemical variations indicate increasing addition of slab melting in a subduction-related arc environment.The bimodal volcanic rocks from outcrop WW' were derived from lithospheric underplating of basaltic magma in an intra-arc extensional setting.(3) The closure of the eastern Keramaili Oceanic basin occurred before the Early Carboniferous,and the tectono-magmatic difference between the east and the west of the northern Luliang Uplift appeared before the Carboniferous period.     

Volcano-stratigraphy and geochemistry of collision-related volcanism on the Erzurum–Kars Plateau, northeastern Turkey

The Eastern Anatolia Region exhibits one of the world's best exposed and most complete transects across a volcanic province related to a continental collision zone. Within this region, the Erzurum–Kars Plateau is of special importance since it contains the full record of collision-related volcanism from Middle Miocene to Pliocene. This paper presents a detailed study of the volcanic stratigraphy of the plateau, together with new K–Ar ages and several hundred new major- and trace-element analyses in order to evaluate the magmatic evolution of the plateau and its links to collision-related tectonic processes. The data show that the volcanic units of the Erzurum–Kars Plateau cover a broad compositional range from basalts to rhyolites. Correlations between six logged, volcano-stratigraphic sections suggest that the volcanic activity may be divided into three consecutive Stages, and that activity begins slightly earlier in the west of the plateau than in the east. The Early Stage (mostly from 11 to 6 Ma) is characterised by bimodal volcanism, made up of mafic-intermediate lavas and acid pyroclastic rocks. Their petrography and high-Y fractionation trend suggest that they result from crystallization of anhydrous assemblages at relatively shallow crustal levels. Their stratigraphy and geochemistry suggest that the basic rocks erupted from small transient chambers while the acid rocks erupted from large, zoned magma chambers. The Middle Stage (mostly from 6–5 Ma) is characterised by unimodal volcanism made up predominantly of andesitic–dacitic lavas. Their petrography and low-Y fractionation trend indicate that they resulted from crystallization of hydrous (amphibole-bearing) assemblages in deeper magma chambers. The Late Stage (mostly 5–2.7 Ma) is again characterised by bimodal volcanism, made up mainly of plateau basalts and basaltic andesite lavas and felsic domes. Their petrography and high-Y fractionation trend indicate that they resulted from crystallization of anhydrous assemblages at relatively shallow crustal levels. AFC modelling shows that crustal assimilation was most important in the deeper magma chambers of the Middle Stage. The geochemical data indicate that the parental magma changed little throughout the evolution of the plateau. This parental magma exhibits a distinctive subduction signature represented by selective enrichment in LILE and LREE thought to have been inherited from a lithosphere modified by pre-collision subduction events. The relationships between magmatism and tectonics support models in which delamination of thickened subcontinental lithosphere cause uplift accompanied by melting of this enriched lithosphere. Magma ascent, and possibly magma generation, is then strongly controlled by strike-slip faulting and associated pull-apart extensional tectonics.     

An Archean oceanic felsic dyke swarm in a nascent arc: the Hunter Mine Group, Abitibi Greenstone Belt, Canada

The 2730-Ma-old Hunter Mine Group (HMG), a dominantly felsic subaqueous volcanic sequence, was formed during early arc construction in the Abitibi greenstone belt (Quebec, Canada). The western part of the HMG contains a felsic dyke swarm up to 1.5 km wide and traceable up-section for 2.5 km. Five distinct generations were identified: (1) aphanitic to feldspar-phyric dykes; (2) quartz-feldspar-phyric dykes with < 5% quartz phenocrysts; (3) quartz-feldspar-phyric dykes with 10–25% quartz phenocrysts; (4) dacitic feldspar-phyric dykes; and (5) mafic dykes. The felsic dykes collectively constitute more than 90% of the dyke swarm. Geochemically, they resemble modern calc-alkaline dacites and rhyolites. Their mantle-normalized incompatible trace-element patterns display a moderate enrichment of Th and light REE relative to HFSE and heavy REE as well as negative Nb, Ta, Eu and Ti anomalies. Most of the major- and trace-element abundance variations in these rocks can be explained by crystallization of feldspars. Geochemical data including depleted mantle-like _Nd values suggest that an older sialic substrate was not involved in their genesis. We infer that the felsic rocks were generated by melting of mafic oceanic crust. The swarm was emplaced during nascent oceanic island-arc development and was related to rifting of the arc. The conformably overlying MORB-like basalts and basaltic komatiites of the Stoughton-Roquemaure Group used the same conduits and further indicate splitting of the arc. HMG and associated parts of the Abitibi greenstone belts bear a strong resemblance to modern rifted intraoceanic arcs of the western Pacific.     

Petrology of arc volcanic rocks and their origin by mantle diapirs

Calc-alkalic chemical trends characteristic of arc volcanic rocks mainly result from three mechanisms which act additively: (1) fractional crystallization involving separation of titanomagnetite; (2) selective concentration of plagioclase phenocrysts and selective depletion of titanomagnetite phenocryst compared with the actually fractionated proportion; and (3) mixing of magmas on continuous fractionation trends. The association of calc-alkalic and tholeiitic trends in a single composite volcano may not represent different fractional crystallization processes or different chemistries of primary magmas, but the calc-alkalic chemical trend can be considered as a mixing trend resulting from mixing of various magmas on associated tholeiitic chemical trends. Chemical variations of most arc volcanic rocks, including calc-alkalic ones, can accordingly be essentially accounted for by the low-pressure fractional crystallization of phenocrystic phases from primary basaltic magmas.Crystallization sequences of arc magmas which are strongly dependent on water content in magmas are deduced from the phenocryst assemblages. The crystallization sequence changes laterally across-arc, suggesting increasing water contents in magmas toward the back-arc side, as is also seen for other incompatible elements such as K and Rb. Systematic differences in the characteristic crystallization sequence are also observed among arcs, roughly correlating with the crustal thickness. Water content in magma, like other incompatible elements, tends to increase with increasing crustal thickness. The variation of incompatible elements including water roughly represents that of the degree of partial melting of the upper mantle, which is broadly controlled by the crustal thickness.The variation of water content indicates that arc magmas are not saturated with water during differentiation to late differentiates such as dacite or rhyolite. This strongly constrains the maximum water contents in primary basaltic magma, at most 2.5 wt.%. This value suggests that magma generation beneath arcs is dependent on dry solidus of peridotite. Diapiric uprise of the hot deeper mantle and associated adiabatic decompression would be necessary for mantle peridotite to attain the temperature as high as dry solidus. Diapirs that begin to rise from the subduction zone may stop at or near the crust-mantle boundary because of the surrounding density change, and their degree of partial melting is roughly controlled by their stopped depth assuming their similar temperature. Across-arc variation is also explained by the stopped depth of diapirs, but is not controlled by crustal thickness.     

Rates of magma emplacement and volcanic output

This study includes a compilation of about one hundred estimates of volumetric rates of magma emplacement and volcanic output that are average rates for durations of igneous activity greater than 300 yrs. These data indicate that the rate of volcanic output is about 10⁻¹ km³ yr⁻¹ in regions that are the most active magmatically. Factors that correlate with rates of magma emplacement and volcanic output are: magma composition, crustal thickness, tectonic setting, and regional stress. Of the ninety rates of magma emplacement and volcanic output that were studied, the highest for basaltic magmas are greater than the highest for silicic magmas, regardless of the volumes erupted or areal extent of magmatism. Rates of volcanic output for oceanic areas tend to be greater than rates in continental areas, perhaps because of thinner crust, a predominance of basaltic magma, and higher rates of magma generation. Ratios of intrusive to extrusive volumes are typically about 5 to 1 for oceanic localities and 10 to 1 for continental localities. This difference apparently reflects dissimilar rates of magma ascent related to different crustal thicknesses and magma compositions. The total rate of magma emplacement and volcanic output for the Earth, averaged over the last 180 m.y., is between about 26 and 34 km³ yr⁻¹. About 75% of this total is contributed by ocean-ridge magmatism. Oceanic intraplate magmatism contributes about 5%. Igneous activity in subduction zones, about half of which is continental, adds about 20%. Intracontinental magmatism, more than 95% of which is flood and plains basalts, provides less than 5% of the total global rate of magma emplacement and volcanic output.     

Oblique subduction, collision of microcontinents and subduction of oceanic ridge: Their implications on the Cretaceous tectonics of Japan

Abstract The Izanagi plate subducted rapidly and obliquely under the accretionary terrane of Japan in the Cretaceous before 85 Ma. A chain of microcontinents collided with it at about 140 Ma. In southwest Japan the major part of it subducted thereafter, but in northeast Japan it accreted and the trench jumped oceanward, resulting in a curved volcanic front. The oblique subduction and the underplated microcon-tinent caused uplifting of high-pressure (high-P) metamorphic rocks and large scale crustal shortening in southwest Japan. The oblique subduction caused left-lateral faulting and ductile shearing in northeast Japan. The arc sliver crossed over the high-temperature (high-T) zone of arc magmatism, resulting in a wide high-T metamorphosed belt. At about 85 Ma, the subduction mode changed from oblique to normal and the tectonic mode changed drastically. Just after this the Kula/Pacific ridge subducted and the subduction rate of the Pacific plate decreased gradually, causing the intrusion of huge amounts of granite magma and the eruption of acidic volcanics from large cauldrons. The oblique subduction of the Pacific plate resumed at 53 Ma and the left-lateral faults were reactivated.     

Silicic arc volcanism in Central Luzon, the Philippines: Characterization of its space, time and geochemical relationship

Abstract   The silicic volcanic rocks in Central Luzon show a temporal and spatial relationship with its geochemistry. Volcanic centers dated to approximately 5 Ma are silicic in geochemical composition whereas those between <5–1 Ma expose basaltic to andesitic rocks. Volcanic centers dated <1 Ma are characterized by a wide range of geochemistry encompassing basaltic through andesitic to dacitic signatures. Aside from changes in geochemistry through time, the areas (i.e. fore-arc to back-arc region) where the volcanic centers are formed also vary. The shift in the location of the volcanic centers in Central Luzon is attributed to changes in the dip of subduction of the South China Sea crust along the Manila Trench. Flat subduction resulted from the subduction of the Scarborough Seamount Chain, an oceanic bathymetric high along the Manila Trench west of northern Luzon. However, collision of Luzon with Taiwan in the north and Palawan in the south resulted in steepening of the subduction angle. The silicic volcanic centers in the forearc (Ce/Yb = 20–140) and back-arc (Ce/Yb = 20–60) regions are generally characterized by higher Ce/Yb compared to the basaltic-andesitic volcanic rocks in the main volcanic arc (Ce/Yb = 20) and back-arc (Ce/Yb = 20–30) regions. This across-arc geochemical variation highlights the contributions from the slab, mantle and crust coupled with the effects of geochemical processes that include partial melting, fractionation, magma mixing and mantle–melt interaction.     

腾冲地区近震S波分裂研究

本文利用布设在云南腾冲地区的15个固定和流动地震台站记录的近震波形数据,采用剪切波分裂分析方法得到了593对高质量的各向异性分裂参数.结果显示,腾冲火山区地震台站下方的近震各向异性的慢波延迟时间为0.02?0.37 s,平均延迟时间0.2 s.结合已有接收函数地壳各向异性研究结果,推测研究区地壳各向异性的主要贡献源自中...