Meso–Cenozoic cooling and exhumation history of the Orlica‐Śnieżnik Dome (Sudetes,NE Bohemian Massif,Central Europe): Insights from apatite fission‐track thermochronometry

This study presents the first suite of apatite fission‐track (AFT) ages from the SE part of the Western Sudetes. AFT cooling ages from the Orlica‐?nie?nik Dome and the Upper Nysa K?odzka Graben range from Late Cretaceous (84 Ma) to Early Palaeocene–Middle Eocene (64–45 Ma). The first stage of basin evolution (~100–90 Ma) was marked by the formation of a local extensional depocentre and disruption of the Mesozoic planation surface. Subsequent far‐field convergence of European microplates resulted in Coniacian–Santonian (~89–83 Ma) thrust faulting. AFT data from both metamorphic basement and Mesozoic sedimentary cover indicate homogenous Late Cretaceous burial of the entire Western Sudetes. Thermal history modeling suggests that the onset of cooling could be constrained between 89 and 63 Ma with a climax during the Palaeocene–Middle Eocene basin inversion phase.     

Microstructure and compositional changes across biotite‐rich reaction selvedges around mafic schollen in a semipelitic diatexite migmatite

Biotite‐rich selvedges developed between mafic schollen and semipelitic diatexite in migmatites at Lac Kénogami in the Grenville Province of Quebec. Mineral equilibria modelling indicates that partial melting occurred in the mid‐crust (4.8–5.8 kbar) in the range 820–850°C. The field relations, petrography, mineral chemistry and whole‐rock composition of selvedges along with their adjacent mafic schollen and host migmatites are documented for the first time. The selvedges measured in the field are relatively uniform in width (~1 cm wide) irrespective of the shape or size of their mafic scholle. In thin section, the petrographic boundary between mafic scholle and selvedge is defined by the appearance of biotite and the boundary between selvedge and diatexite by the change in microstructure for biotite, garnet, plagioclase and quartz. Three subtypes of selvedges are identified according to mineral assemblage and microstructure. Subtype I have orthopyroxene but of different microstructure and Mg# to orthopyroxene in the mafic scholle; subtype II contain garnet with many mineral inclusions, especially of ilmenite, in contrast to garnet in the diatexite host which has few inclusions; subtype III lack orthopyroxene or garnet, but has abundant apatite. Profiles showing the change in plagioclase composition from the mafic schollen across the selvedge and into the diatexite show that each subtype of selvedge has a characteristic pattern. Four types of biotite are identified in the selvedges and host diatexite based on their microstructural characteristics. (a) Residual biotite forms small rounded red‐brown grains, mostly as inclusions in peritectic cordierite and garnet in diatexite; (b) selvedge biotite forms tabular subhedral grains with high respect ratio; (c) diatexite biotite forms tabular subhedral grains common in the matrix of the diatexite; and (d) retrograde biotite that partially replaces peritectic cordierite and garnet in the diatexite. The four groups of biotite are also discriminated by their major element (EMPA) and trace elements (LA‐Q‐ICP‐MS) compositions. Residual biotite is high in TiO₂ and low in Sc and S, whereas retrograde biotite has high Al₂O₃, but low Sc and Cr. Selvedge and diatexite biotite are generally very similar, but selvedge biotite has higher Sc and S contents. Whole‐rock compositional profiles across the selvedges constructed from micro‐XRF and LA‐Q‐ICP‐MS analyses show: (a) Al₂O₃, FeO, MgO and CaO all decrease from mafic scholle across the selvedge and into the diatexite; (b) Na₂O is lowest in the mafic scholle, rises through the selvedge and reaches its maximum about 20–30 mm into the diatexite host; (c) K₂O is lowest in the mafic scholle and reaches its highest value in the first half of the selvedge, then declines before reaching a higher, but intermediate value, about 20 mm into the diatexite. Of the trace elements, Cs and Rb show distributions very similar to K₂O.     

Pole orientation of 16 psyche by two independent methods

Nineteen new lightcurves of 16 Psyche are presented along with a pole orientation derived using two independent methods, namely, photometric astrometry (PA) and magnitude-amplitude-shape-aspect (MASA). The pole orientations found using these two methods agree to within 4°. The results from applying photometric astrometry were prograde rotation, a sidereal period of $\text{0}\text{d}\text{dot}\text{1748143 ± 0}\text{d}\text{dot}\text{0000003}$, and a pole at longitude 223° and latitude +37°, with an uncertainty of 10°; and, from applying magnitude-amplitude-shape-aspect a pole at 220 ± 1°, +40 ± 4°, and a modeled triaxial ellipsoid shape (a > b > c) with a/b = 1.33 ± 0.02 and b/c = 1.33 ± 0.07. The discrepancy between the high pole latitude found here and the low latitudes reported by others is discussed.     

Watson: A new link in the HE iron chain

Abstract— Watson, which was found in 1972 in South Australia, contains the largest single silicate rock mass seen in any known iron meteorite. A comprehensive study has been completed on this unusual meteorite: petrography, metallography, analyses of the silicate inclusion (whole rock chemical analysis, INAA, RNAA, noble gases, and oxygen isotope analysis) and mineral compositions (by electron microprobe and ion microprobe). The whole rock has a composition of an H-chondrite minus the normal H-group metal and troilite content. The oxygen isotope composition is that of the silicates in the HE iron meteorites and lies along an oxygen isotope fractionation line with the H-group chondrites. Trace elements in the metal confirm Watson is a new HE iron. Whole rock Watson silicate shows an enrichment in K and P (each ～2X H-chondrites). The silicate inclusion has a highly equilibrated igneous (peridotite-like) texture with olivine largely poikilitic within low-Ca pyroxene: olivine (Fa₂₀), opx (Fs₁₇Wo₃), capx (Fs₉Wo₄₁) (with very fine exsolution lamellae), antiperthite feldspar (An_1–Or₅) with <1 μm exsolution lamellae (An_1–3Or_>40), shocked feldspar with altered stoichiometry, minor whitlockite (also a poorly characterized interstitial phosphate-rich phase) and chromite, and only traces of metal and troilite. The individual silicate minerals have normal chondritic REE patterns, but whitlockite has a remarkable REE pattern. It is very enriched in light REE (La is 720X C1, and Lu is 90X C1, as opposed to usual chonditic values of ～300X and 100–150X, respectively) with a negative Eu anomaly. The enrichment of whole rock K is expressed both in an unusually high mean modal Or content of the feldspar, Or₁₃, and in the presence of antiperthite. Whole rock trace element data for the silicate mass support the petrography. Watson silicate was an H-chondrite engulfed by metal and melted at > 1550 °C. A flat refractory lithophile and flat REE pattern (at ～1x average H-chondrites) indicate that melting took place in a relatively closed system. Immiscible metal and sulfide were occluded into the surrounding metal host. Below 1100 °C, the average cooling rate is estimated to have been ～1000 °C/Ma; Widmanstätten structure formed, any igneous zoning in the silicates was equilibrated, and feldspar and pyroxene exsolution took place. Cooling to below 300 °C was completed by 3.5 Ga B. P. At 8 Ma, a shock event took place causing some severe metal deformation and forming local melt pockets of schreibersite/metal. This event likely caused the release of Watson into interplanetary space. The time of this event, 8Ma, corresponds to the peak frequency of exposure ages of the H-chondrites. This further confirms the link between HE irons and the H-chondrites, a relationship already indicated by their common oxygen isotope source. Watson metal structures are very similar to those in Kodaikanal. Watson, Kodaikanal and Netschaëvo form the young group of HE meteorites (ages 3.7 ± 0.2 Ga). They appear to represent steps in a chain of events that must have taken place repeatedly on the HE parent body or bodies from which they came: chondrite engulfed in metal (Netschaëvo); chondrite melted within metal (Watson); and finally melted silicate undergoing strong fractionation with the fractionated material emplaced as globules within metal (Kodaikanal). Watson fills an important gap in understanding the sequence of events that took place in the evolution of the IIE-H parent body(ies). This association of H-chondrite with HE metal suggests a surface, or near surface process-a suggestion made by several other researchers.     

The white dwarf descendants of Wolf-Rayet planetary nuclei

Evolutionary links between Wolf-Rayet planetary nuclei and the hottest H-deficient white dwarfs are summarized with recent developments and evidence of ongoing mass loss in the white dwarf descendants highlighted.     

Emerging problems in the coastal zone for the twenty-first century

The continued availability of some marine resources is threatened by the increased fluxes to the oceans of identifiable and measurable collections of pollutants, which include plant nutrients, plastics, environmental oestrogens, and organisms contained in ship-ballast waters. Characteristic of these societal discards that will guide research progress are long residence times; slow accumulation rates; increasing fluxes with time; and dissemination over large areas. The resolution of these problems will require data collections over decadal time-scales. Finally, some classical and some perceived marine pollution problems, such as those involving specific metals, can now be discontinued in the face of the absence of unacceptable impacts on living organisms.     

Mineralogical and chemical modification of components in CV3 chondrites: Nebular or asteroidal processing?

Abstract— Calcium- and aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs), chondrules, dark inclusions and matrices in certain CV3 carbonaceous chondrites appear to have been modified by different degrees of late-stage alteration processes that caused significant variations in mineralogy and chemistry. Some chondrules and CAIs are rimmed with fayalitic olivine. Metal in all components may be oxidized and sulphidized to magnetite, Ni-rich metal and sulfides. Silicates in all components are aqueously altered to different degrees to phyllosilicates. Primary minerals in some CAIs experienced Fe-alkali-halogen metasomatism forming nepheline, sodalite, wollastonite, hedenbergite and other secondary minerals. In CV3 chondrites with metasomatized CAIs, nepheline, sodalite, etc. are also present in chondrule mesostases and in matrices. McSween's (1977b) reduced subgroup of CV3 chondrites generally shows minimal alteration of all components and may represent the unaltered precursors for the oxidized CV3 chondrites, which generally show major alteration. Most studies have been focused on specific components in CV3 chondrites and have not considered possible relationships between alteration processes. We infer from the correlated occurrences of the alteration features that they were closely related in time and space and review nebular and asteroidal models for their origins. We prefer an asteroidal model.     

The influence of bulk composition on the speciation of water in silicate glasses

Infrared spectroscopy was used to determine the concentrations of molecular water and hydroxyl groups in hydrous rhyolitic, orthoclasic, jadeitic, and Ca–Al-silicate glasses synthesized by quenching of melts from elevated presure and temperature. The rhyolitic glasses and some of the Ca–Al-silicate glasses were quenched from water-vapor-saturated melts and used to determine the solubility of water in melts of these compositions. For all compositions studied, hydroxyl groups are the dominant hydrous species at low total water contents, whereas molecular water dominates at elevated water contents. Although the trends in species concentrations in all these compositions are similar, the proportions of the two hydrous species are influenced by silicate chemistry: increasing silica content and K relative to Na both favor molecular water over hydroxyl. Results on rhyolitic glass demonstrate that molecular water is also favored by decreasing temperature at T<850°C. For rhyolitic glasses quenched from vapor-saturated melts, the mole fraction of molecular water is proportional to water fugacity for P(H₂O)1500 bars, demonstrating that the behavior of molecular water is approximately Henrian at total water contents up to at least several weight percent. Data on water solubility for albitic, orthoclasic, and Ca–Al-silicate melts to higher pressures can also be fit by assuming Henrian behavior for molecular water and can be used to set constraints on the partial molar volume of water in these melts. The demonstration of Henry's law for molecular water in these liquids provides a link between spectroscopic measurements of microscopic species concentrations and macroscopic thermodynamic properties.