Majoritic garnet grains within shock-induced melt veins in amphibolites from the Ries impact crater suggest ultrahigh crystallization pressures between 18 and 9 GPa

Shock-induced melt veins in amphibolites from the Nördlinger Ries often have chemical compositions that are similar to bulk rock (i.e., basaltic), but there are other veins that are confined to chlorite-rich cracks that formed before the impact and these are poor in Ca and Na. Majoritic garnets within the shock veins show a broad chemical variation between three endmembers: (1) \({}^{\text{VIII}}{{\text{M}^{2+}}_3} {}^{\text{VI}}{\text{Al}}_{2} ({}^{\text{IV}}{\text{SiO}}_{4} )_{3}\) (normal garnet, Grt), (2) \({}^{\text{VIII}}{{\text{M}^{2+}}_3} {}^{\text{VI}}[{\text{M}}^{2 + } ({\text{Si,Ti}})]({}^{\text{IV}}{\text{SiO}}_{4} )_{3}\)  (majorite, Maj), and (3) \({}^{\text{VIII}}({{\text {Na} {\text M}^{2+}}_2}) {}^{\text{VI}}[ ({\text{Si,Ti}}){\text {Al}}]({}^{\text{IV}}{\text{SiO}}_{4} )_{3}\) (Na-majorite₅₀Grt₅₀), whereby M²⁺ = Mg²⁺, Fe²⁺, Mn²⁺, Ca²⁺. In particular, we observed a broad variation in ^VI(Si,Ti) which ranges from 0.12 to 0.58 cations per formula unit (cpfu). All these majoritic garnets crystallized during shock pressure release at different ultrahigh pressures. Those with high ^VI(Si,Ti) (0.36–0.58 cpfu) formed at high pressures and temperatures from amphibole-rich melts, while majoritic garnets with lower ^VI(Si,Ti) of 0.12–0.27 cpfu formed at lower pressures and temperatures from chlorite-rich melts. Furthermore, majoritic garnets with intermediate values of ^VI(Si,Ti) (0.24–0.39) crystallized from melts with intermediate contents of Ca and Na. To the best of our knowledge the ‘MORB-type’ Ca–Na-rich majoritic garnets with maximum contents of 2.99 wt% Na₂O and calculated crystallisation pressures of 16–18 GPa are the most extreme representatives ever found in terrestrial shocked materials. At the Ries, the duration of the initial contact and compression stage at the central location of impact is estimated to only ~ 0.1 s. We used a ~ 200-µm-thick shock-induced vein in a moderately shocked amphibolite to model its pressure–temperature–time (P–T–t) path. The graphic model manifests a peak temperature of ~ 2600 °C for the vein, continuum pressure lasting for ~ 0.02 s, a quench duration of ~ 0.02 s and a shock pulse of ~ 0.038 s. The small difference between the continuum pressure and the pressure of majoritic garnet crystallization underlines the usefulness of applying crystallisation pressures of majoritic garnets from metabasites for calculation of dynamic shock pressures of host rocks. Majoritic garnets of chlorite provenance, however, are not suitable for the determination of continuum pressure since they crystallized relatively late during shock release. An extraordinary glass- and majorite-bearing amphibole fragment in a shock-vein of one amphibolite documents the whole unloading path.     

The great sulfur depletion of Earth’s mantle is not a signature of mantle–core equilibration

The extreme depletion of the Earth’s mantle in sulfur is commonly seen as a signature of metal segregation from Earth’s mantle to Earth’s core. However, in addition to S, the mantle contains other elements as volatile as S that are hardly depleted relative to the lithophile volatility trend although they are potentially as siderophile as sulfur. We report experiments in metal-sulfide–silicate systems to show that the CI normalized abundances of S, Pb, and Sn in Earth’s mantle cannot be reproduced by element partitioning in Fe ± S–silicate systems, neither at low nor at high pressure. Much of the volatile inventory of the Earth’s mantle must have been added late in the accretion history, when metal melt segregation to the core had become largely inactive. The great depletion in S is attributed to the selective segregation of a late sulfide matte from an oxidized and largely crystalline mantle. Apparently, the volatile abundances of Earth’s mantle are not in redox equilibrium with Earth’s core.     

Geochronology,geochemistry, and tectonic setting of the Oligocene magmatic rocks (Marmaros Magmatic Assemblage) in Gökçeada Island,northwest Turkey

Through the ?zmir–Ankara–Erzincan and the Vardar oceans suture zones, convergence between the Eurasian and African plates played a key role in controlling Palaeogene magmatism in northwestern Anatolia, northern Aegean, and eastern Balkans. LA-ICP-MS dating of U and Pb isotopes on zircon separates from the tuffs of the Harmankaya Volcanic Rocks, which are inter-fingered with the lower-middle Eocene deposits of the Gaziköy Formation to the north of the Ganos Fault and the Karaa?aç Formation in the Gelibolu Peninsula, yielded a late Ypresian (51 Ma) age. The chemical characteristics suggest that the lavas and tuffs of the Harmankaya Volcanic Rocks are products of syn- or post-collision magmas. These volcanic rocks show also close affinities to the subduction-related magmas. In addition to the already known andesitic volcanic rocks, our field observations in Gökçeada Island indicate also the existence of granitic and rhyolitic rocks (Marmaros Magmatic Assemblage). Our U–Pb zircon age data has shown that the newly discovered Marmaros granitic plutons intruded during late Oligocene (26 Ma) into the deposits of the Karaa?aç Formation in Gökçeada Island. LA-ICP-MS dating of U and Pb isotopes on zircon separates from the Marmaros rhyolitic rocks yielded a late Oligocene (26 Ma) crystallization age. Geochemical characteristics indicate that the more-evolved Oligocene granitic and rhyolitic rock of the Marmaros Magmatic Assemblage possibly assimilated a greater amount of crustal material than the lower Eocene Harmankaya Volcanic Rocks. Geochemical features and age relationships suggest increasing amounts of crustal contamination and a decreasing subduction signature during the evolution of magmas in NW Turkey from the early Eocene to the Oligocene. The magmatic activity developed following the northward subduction of the ?zmir–Ankara–Erzincan oceanic lithosphere and the earliest Palaeocene final continental collision between the Sakarya and Anatolide–Tauride zones.     

Multimodal reliability analysis of 3D slopes with a genetic algorithm

Acta Geotechnica - This paper presents a genetic algorithm (GA) to solve the multimodal optimisation problem resulting from 3D slopes prone to multiple regions of failure. A probabilistic approach...     

Thermal evolution of an ancient subduction interface revealed by Lu–Hf garnet geochronology,Halilbağı Complex (Anatolia)

The thermal structure of subduction zones exerts a major influence on deep-seated mechanical and chemical processes controlling arc magmatism, seismicity, and global element cycles. Accretionary complexes exposed inland may comprise tectonic blocks with contrasting pressure–temperature (P–T) histories, making it possible to investigate the dynamics and thermal evolution of former subduction interfaces. With this aim, we present new Lu–Hf geochronological results for mafic rocks of the Halilba?? Complex (Anatolia) that evolved along different thermal gradients. Samples include a lawsonite–epidote blueschist, a lawsonite–epidote eclogite, and an epidote eclogite (all with counter-clockwise P–T paths), a prograde lawsonite blueschist with a “hairpin”-type P–T path, and a garnet amphibolite from the overlying sub-ophiolitic metamorphic sole. Equilibrium phase diagrams suggest that the garnet amphibolite formed at ～0.6–0.7 GPa and 800–850 °C, whereas the prograde lawsonite blueschist records burial from 2.1 GPa and 420 °C to 2.6 GPa and 520 °C. Well-defined Lu–Hf isochrons were obtained for the epidote eclogite (92.38 ± 0.22 Ma) and the lawsonite–epidote blueschist (90.19 ± 0.54 Ma), suggesting rapid garnet growth. The lawsonite–epidote eclogite (87.30 ± 0.39 Ma) and the prograde lawsonite blueschist (ca. 86 Ma) are younger, whereas the garnet amphibolite (104.5 ± 3.5 Ma) is older. Our data reveal a consistent trend of progressively decreasing geothermal gradient from granulite-facies conditions at ～104 Ma to the epidote-eclogite facies around 92 Ma, and the lawsonite blueschist-facies between 90 Ma and 86 Ma. Three Lu–Hf garnet dates (between 92 Ma and 87 Ma) weighted toward the growth of post-peak rims (as indicated by Lu distribution in garnet) suggest that the HP/LT rocks were exhumed continuously and not episodically. We infer that HP/LT metamorphic rocks within the Halilba?? Complex were subjected to continuous return flow, with “warm” rocks being exhumed during the tectonic burial of “cold” ones. Our results, combined with regional geological constraints, allow us to speculate that subduction started at a transform fault near a mid-oceanic spreading centre. Following its formation, this ancient subduction interface evolved thermally over more than 15 Myr, most likely as a result of heat dissipation rather than crustal underplating.     

Geometrical considerations in imaging the solar corona

X-ray observations of the solar corona show that it is comprised of three-dimensional magnetic structures which appear to be primarily in the form of fluxtubes or loops. Imaging the X-ray corona has led to a greater understanding of the dynamical behaviour of and the energy distribution in these magnetic structures. However, imaging observations, by their very nature, integrate along the line of sight resulting in a two-dimensional representation of the actual three-dimensional distribution. The optically thin nature of the solar corona to X-ray radiation makes the integrated images particularly difficult to interpret. The analysis of the two-dimensional observations must, therefore, inlcude the effect of the orientation of the coronal structure to the line-of-sight direction; a fact which is almost always ignored. In this paper we discuss the effect of loop orientation on the two-dimensional representation and argue that these effects may lead to a misinterpretation of the physics occurring in the structures observed. In particular, we discuss observations taken by the Soft X-ray Telescope (SXT) on board the Yohkoh satellite, taking account of the instrumental thermal response, spatial resolution, and point-spread-function.We test the effect of geometry on the determination of the loop pressure by considering equatorial loops at various longitudes and discuss the implications of this for studies of coronal soft X-ray loops.     

Origin of fayalitic olivine rims and lath-shaped matrix olivine in the CV3 chondrite Allende and its dark inclusions

Abstract— We have studied an Allende dark inclusion by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, electron microprobe analysis and transmission electron microscopy. The inclusion consists of chondrules, isolated olivines and matrix, which, as in the Allende host, is mainly composed of 5–20 μm long lath-shaped fayalitic grains with a narrow compositional range (Fa_{42 ± 2}) and nepheline. Olivine phenocrysts in chondrules and isolated olivine grains show various degrees of replacement by 5–10 μm wide fayalitic rims (Fa_{39 ± 2}) and 100–1000 μm wide translucent zones, which consist of 5–20 μm long lath-shaped fayalitic grains (Fa_{41 ± 1}) intergrown with nepheline. These fayalitic olivines, like those in the matrix of the dark inclusion, contain 10–20 nm sized inclusions of chromite, hercynite, and Fe-Ni sulfides. The fayalitic rims around remnant olivines are texturally and compositionally identical to those in Allende host, suggesting that they have similar origins. Chondrules are surrounded by opaque rims consisting of tiny lath-shaped fayalitic olivines (<1–3 μm long) intergrown with nepheline. As in the Allende host, fayalitic olivine veins may crosscut altered chondrules, fine-grained chondrule rims and extend into the matrix, indicating that alteration occurred after accretion. We infer that fayalitic olivine rims and lath-shaped fayalites in Allende and its dark inclusions formed from phyllosilicate intermediate phases. This explanation accounts for (1) the similarity of the replacement textures observed in the dark inclusion and Allende host to aqueous alteration textures in CM chondrites; (2) the anomalously high abundances of Al and Cr and the presence of tiny inclusions of spinels and sulfides in fayalitic olivines in Allende and Allende dark inclusions; (3) abundant voids and defects in lath-shaped fayalites in the Allende dark inclusion, which may be analogous to those in partly dehydrated phyllosilicates in metamorphosed CM/CI chondrites. We conclude that the matrix and chondrule rims in Allende were largely converted to phyllosilicates and then completely dehydrated. The Allende dark inclusions experienced diverse degrees of aqueous/hydrothermal alteration prior to complete dehydration. The absence of low-Ca pyroxene in the dark inclusion and its significant replacement by fayalitic olivine in Allende is consistent with the lower resistance of low-Ca pyroxene to aqueous alteration relative to forsteritic olivine. Hydro-thermal processing of Allende probably also accounts for the low abundance of planetary noble gases and interstellar grains, and the formation of nepheline, sodalite, salite-hedenbergite pyroxenes, wollastonite, kirschsteinite and andradite in chondrules and Ca,Al-rich inclusions.     

Thirty-Element Active Antenna Array as a Prototype of a Huge Low-Frequency Radio Telescope

An effective wide-band (10 to 60 MHz) active antenna element has been developed. The cost of one short (3 m), thin dipole with built-in amplifier and metal construction is less than 45 euro. It was shown both theoretically and experimentally that the upper limiting frequency is at least 60 MHz, the dynamic range is 90 dB/V and the share of the amplifier noise to the background antenna temperature is about 10%. The developed active dipole was tested by building a 30-element antenna array and comparing its parameters with one of the subpart of the UTR-2 radio telescope having passive dipoles of 8.6 m in length and 1.8 m in diameter. The 3C461 ionospheric scintillation spectra observed in the experiments show that the sensitivities and noise-immunities of both antennas are close. This proves the availability using of a short cheap active dipole in new generation giant radio telescopes.     

Vertical Dynamics of the Energy Release Process in a Simple two-Ribbon Flare

Observations of the quiescent filament eruption and the spotless two-ribbon flare of 12 September 2000 are presented. A simple flare morphology, large spatial scales, and a suitable viewing angle provide insight into characteristics of the energy release process which is attributed to the reconnection process in the current sheet formed below the eruptive filament. The flare ribbons appeared and started to expand laterally while the filament was still recognizable, enabling simultaneous measurements of the ribbon separation w and the height of the lower edge of the filament, h. The ratio w/h estimated for the expanding portions of ribbons indicates that the width-to-length ratio of the current sheet at the onset of the fast reconnection ranges between and . The ribbon elements characterized by w/h> remained stationary. The Nançay radioheliograph data in the decimeter–meter wavelengths show one group of radio bursts ahead of the filament (moving type IV burst) and another group behind the filament. The centroids of the radio sources behind the filament were confined to the region outlined by the lower edge of the filament and the magnetic inversion line, suggestive of emission from the current sheet. Sources were preferably located close to the lower edge of the filament and some appeared close to the magnetic inversion line. Two possible explanations are discussed: one in terms of the fast-mode bow shocks in the reconnection outflow jets, and another in terms of a multiple tearing of the current sheet and subsequent coalescence of plasmoids.