PbSrNd isotopic data of Indian Ocean ridges: new evidence of large-scale mapping of mantle heterogeneities

A PbSrNd isotope study of South West and East Indian Ridges confirms that the Indian Ocean belongs to a specific regional isotopic domain, as previously suggested by the results from islands of this ocean. The isotopic domain defined by the Indian MORB is indeed different from that of the North Atlantic and East Pacific Oceans. This demonstrates that the convective circulation of the upper mantle does not allow a rapid homogenization from one region to the other.The isotopic data of the Indian ridges can be interpreted by a contamination model, in which the depleted upper mantle (identical to that under the North Atlantic) is contaminated by two different types of contaminant, one corresponding to the source of the “central Indian Ocean” islands (Amsterdam, St. Paul, Marion, Prince Edward, Réunion, Rodriguez, Mauritius), and the other to a source similar to that of Walvis or Ninety East aseismic ridges. These two contaminants would have contributed to the ridge volcanism in different proportions over time.     

Natural gas seepage in the Gulf of Mexico

Hydrocarbon compositions and δ¹³C values for methane of fourteen natural seep gases and four underwater vents in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico are reported. The C₁/(C₂ + C₃) ratios of the seep gas samples ranged from 68 to greater than 1000, whereas δ_PDB¹³C values varied from ?39.9 to ?65.5‰. Compositions suggest that eleven of the natural gas seeps are produced by microbial degradation whereas the remaining three have a significant thermocatalytically produced component. Contradictions in the inferences drawn from molecular and isotopic compositions make strict interpretation of the origins of a few of the samples impossible.     

Characteristic distributions of angel echoes in the lower atmosphere and their meteorological implications

Analysis of a vast series of angel echo observations made by a millimetric vertically-pointing radar reveals four major types of echo organization on height-time recordings. The relationship between the formation and development of these structures and the thermodynamic state of the atmosphere is clarified. The meteorological indicator role played by angel echoes is then discussed. In particular it is shown that in certain conditions, angel echoes can delineate the boundaries of small cumulus.This work was sponsored by the Direction des Recherches et Moyens d'Essais, under contract 72.426 by the Délégation Générale à la Recherche Scientifique et Technique under contract 71.72.680.     

The Amsterdam-St. Paul volcanic province,and the formation of low Al tholeiitic andesites

The island of St. Paul in the Indian Ocean is located on the axis of the southeastern branch of the Indian Ocean Rise, as is the similar volcano of Amsterdam, 80 km to the north. Both volcanoes and possibly part of the local ridge are formed of a high-alumina plagioclase tholeiite making this a distinctive volcanic province. Lavas with Al₂O₂ contents of 12 to 22% are directly related by plagioclase fractionation. Residual rocks are a distinctive low silica, low alumina, potassic andesite with andesine and even olligoclase feldspar. Parallel lines of evolution exist in the sea floor plagioclase tholeiites, which differ only in slightly lower tenor of Sr and potassium group elements, and in the Steens Mountain tholeiites of Oregon, which differ in their significantly higher Sr and K group elements     

A morphometric analysis of terrace gravels in Santa Ynez basin,Santa Barbara County,California

An analysis of 6,300 pebbles from eighteen river terraces within the five subareas of the Santa Ynez River basin has revealed significant differences in particle sphericity and roundness of the various terrace gravels.Using the Cailleux technique of pebble measurement, Krumbein's sphericity ratio formula (Y) and the author's own roundness ratio or the I/L¹ ratio (R) the computed values derived for $\text{Y}$ range from 0.92 to 1.11, and for $\text{R}$ from 0.66 to 0.79 on these benches.An analysis of variance, based on the F-test applied to samples has established that: (a) gravel sphericity and roundness increase significantly from upstream to the river mouth; (b) in the subareas themselves pebble sphericity and roundness vary significantly from bench to bench indicating varied energy conditions of deposition; (c) all terrace gravels measured show higher sphericity and roundness than the underlying Orcutt gravels. This suggests a reworking of the latter by the Santa Ynez River.     

An experimental investigation of the partitioning of REE between garnet and liquid with reference to the role of defect equilibria

The partitioning of samarium and thulium between garnets and melts in the systems Mg₃Al₂-Si₃O₁₂-H₂O and Ca₃Al₂Si₃O₁₂-H₂O has been studied as a function of REE concentration in the garnets at 30 kbar pressure. Synthesis experiments of variable time under constant P, T conditions indicate that garnet initially crystallizes rapidly to produce apparent values of D _Sm (D _Sm=concentration of Sm in garnet/concentration of Sm in liquid) which are too large in the case of pyrope and too small in the case of grossular. As the experiment proceeds, Sm diffuses out of or into the garnet and the equilibrium value of D _Sm is approached. Approximate values of diffusion coefficients for Sm in pyrope garnet obtained by this method are 6 × 10^–13 cm² s^–1 at 1,300 ° C and 2 × 10^–12 cm² s^–1 at 1,500 ° C, and for grossular, 8.3 × 10^–12 cm² s^–1 at 1,200 ° C and 4.6 × 10^–11 cm² s^–1 at 1,300 ° C. The equilibrium values of D _Sm have been reversed by experiments with Sm-free pyrope and Sm-bearing glass, and with Sm-bearing grossular and Sm-free glass.Between 12 ppm and 1,000 ppm Sm in pyrope at 1,300 ° C and between 80 ppm and >2 wt.% Tm in pyrope at 1,500 ° C, partition coefficients are constant and independent of REE concentration. Above 100 ppm of Sm in garnet at 1,500 ° C, partition coefficients are independent of Sm concentration. At lower concentrations, however, D _Sm is dependent upon the Sm content of the garnet. The two regions may be interpreted in terms of charge-balanced substitution of Sm₃Al₅O₁₂ in the garnet at high Sm concentrations and defect equilibria involving cation vacancies at low concentrations. At very low REE concentrations (< 1 ppm Tm in grossular at 1,300 ° C) D_REE garnet/liquid again becomes constant with an apparent Henry's Law value greater than that at high concentrations. This may be interpreted in terms of a large abundance of cation vacancies relative to the number of REE ions.The importance of defects in the low concentration region has been confirmed by adding other REE (at 80 ppm level) to the system Mg₃Al₂Si₃O₁₂-H₂O at low Sm concentrations. These change D _Sm in the defect region, demonstrating their role in the production of vacancies.Experiments on a natural pyropic garnet indicate that defect equilibria are of importance to REE partitioning within the concentration ranges found in nature.     

The solubility of alumina in orthopyroxene coexisting with garnet

The solubility of alumina in complex orthopyroxenes crystallised in equilibrium with garnet has been determined over the pressure-temperature range 8–30 Kb and 800–1250° C. The results are in good agreement with predictions made using the simple thermodynamic model of Wood and Banno (1973). The model has been refined using a combination of the new data on orthopyroxenes of about En₆₀Fs₄₀ (with variable calcium content) and previously published data on more magnesian systems. Given analyses of coexisting Orthopyroxene and garnet in natural assemblages it is possible to calculate a P-T curve for the rock which should, in most cases, be accurate to within 2 or 3 kbar.