50,000 YEARS OF RECORDED GLOBAL VOLCANISM

The 2191 m long ice core recovered at Byrd Station Antarctica in 1968 (BS68) was measured continuously by an electrical conductivity method (ECM). The ECM curve inferes the acidity of seasonal ice layers and major peaks, which identify clearly intermediate and prominent past volcanic activity over the last 50,000 years. We here also present recent data for a suite of the most striking volcanic events that occurred around 17.5 ka ± 0.5 BP. These events emitted enormous amounts of HCl and HF into the atmosphere.     

Stabilization of Cu-Fe-Bi-Pb-Sn-sulfides

Summary Three stabilization phenomena, 1: special e.g. hydrothermal conditions, 2: stabilization by replacements of ions, as e.g. Cu and Fe and 3: heterogeneous nucleation as, e.g., by epitaxy are tested for phases in the system Cu₂S-CuS₂-Bi₂S₃-FeS-FeS₂. Hydrothermal solution and precipitation conditions can metastabilize or stabilize phases, which are not existent under dry conditions as Cu₄Bi₅S₁₀ or CuS₂-FeS₂ mixed crystals, but are stable at high pressures. Stabilization by Cu-Fe substitution leads to the assumption that stabilization basically depends on the ionic radii similarity, but necessarily electronic interactions have to be involved. Stabilization by heterogeneous nucleation is tested for Pb-Bi sulfosalts, e.g. for the epitaxial growth of Bi₂S₃ on NaCl. In contrast to the normal orthorhombic Bi2S3, the epitaxial Bi₂S₃ shows a pseudotetragonal subcell correlated to NaCl. Satellite reflections indicate a modulation probably caused by a modulation of the metal vacancies.

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Stabilisterung von Cu-Fe-Bi-Pb-Sn-Sulfiden

Zusammenfassung Im System Cu₂S-CuS₂-Bi₂S₃-FeS-FeS₂ werden drei Stabilisierungsphänomene 1: spezielle Stabilisierungsbedingungen z. B. in hydrothermalen Lösungen, 2: Stabilisierungen durch Elemente- bzw. Ionenersatz am Beispiel von Cu und Fe und 3: heterogene Keimbildung anhand von Epitaxieversuchen verifiziert.Hydrothermale Ausscheidungsbedingungen können metastabile oder stabile Phasen bedingen, die z. B. unter trockenen Bedingungen nicht oder nur bei hohen Drucken stabil sind. Dies gilt z. B. für den Cu-Fe-Ersatz in Cu₄Bi₅S₁₀ bzw. für CUS₂-FeS₂ Mischkristalle. Die Stabilisierung durch Cu-Fe-Substitution führt zu der Annahme, daß hierfür als notwendige Voraussetzung die Ähnlichkeit der Ionenradien gilt, jedoch als hinreichende Bedingung die elektronische Wechselwirkung zwischen den sich ersetzenden Ionen anzusehen ist.Die Stabilisierung durch heterogene Keimbildung wird für Pb-Bi-Sulfosalze am Beispiel der Epitaxie von Bi₂S₃ auf NaCI getestet. Im Gegensatz zum normalen orthorhombischen Bi₂S₃ zeigt die epitaktische Phase eine mit NaCl korrelierte tetragonale Subzelle. Satellitenreflexe deuten auf eine Modulation der Leerstellen der Metallionen hin.

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With 10 Figures

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Contribution to the Ore Mineralogy Symposium (IMA/COM) at the 14th General Meeting of the International Mineralogical Association, at Stanford, California, in July, 1986.     

An integrated subsurface analysis of clastic remobilization and injection; a case study from the Oligocene succession of the eastern North Sea

The North Sea giant sand injectite province (NSGSIP) is the global type area for large‐scale sandstone intrusion complexes. Despite decades of research on the NSGSIP, this paper presents the first detailed case study in which all aspects of the intrusion process have been constrained, including fluid and sediment sources, injection timing and driving mechanisms. The study describes and analyses high‐amplitude discordant amplitude anomalies within the Oligocene succession in the eastern North Sea, which are interpreted as large‐scale brine‐saturated sand injectites. Potential feeder conduits extending from the top of the Paleocene Lista Formation to the base of the injectites indicate that the source sand was located within the Lista Formation; possibly deposited in a distinct valley cut into the top of the Chalk Group. The geometry of the observed injectites ranges from a basal sill with wings to V‐shaped and conical; their dimensions range from 300 to 3700 m in width and up to 150 m in height. In all cases, a significant deformation of the overburden is observed. The study area is located in the Ringkøbing‐Fyn High area above the basement high separating two smaller Paleozoic half‐grabens. During the Oligocene, rapid and significant differential loading occurred. We interpret that the injectites formed due to remobilization of the source sand facilitated by overpressure caused by differential loading combined with a possible influx of fluids from the deeper succession. The case study has with its assessment of the full injection system, implications for the understanding of subsurface remobilization processes and furthermore for oil and gas exploration in the eastern North Sea.     

Nitrate in the Greenland ice sheet in the years following the 1908 tunguska event

The Tunguska event on 30 June 1908 has been subjected to much speculation within different fields of research. Publication of the results of the 1961 expedition to the Tunguska area (Florensky, 1963) supports that a cometary impact caused the event. Based on this interpretation, calculations of the impactor energy release and explosion height have been reported by Ben-Menahem (1975), and velocity, mass, and density of the impactor by Petrov and Stulov (1975). Park (1978) and Turco et al., 1981, Turco et al., 1982, used these numbers to calculate a production of ca. 30 × 10⁶ tons of NO during atmospheric transit. This paper presents a high-resolution study of nitrate concentration in the Greenland ice sheet in ca. 10 years covering the Tunguska event. No signs of excess nitrate are found in three ice cores from two different sites in Greenland in the years following the Tunguska event. By comparing these results with results for other aerosols generally found in the ice, the lack of excess NO₃^? following the Tunguska event can be interpreted as indicating that the impactor nitrate production calculated by Park (1978) and Turco et al., 1981, Turco et al., 1982 are 1–2 orders of magnitude too high. To explain this it is suggested, from other lines of reasoning, that the impactor density determined by Petrov and Stulov (1975) probably is too low.     

3D seismic expression of fluid migration and mud remobilization on the Gjallar Ridge, offshore mid-Norway

This paper presents a three‐dimensional (3D) seismic analysis of sediment remobilization and fluid migration in a 2000‐km² area above the Gjallar Ridge located in the Vøring Basin, offshore Norway. Three distinct types of mounded structures have been identified as resulting from focused fluid/gas migration and associated mud remobilization and intrusion. Type A structures are gently mounded, and we infer that these structures formed because of in situ remobilization of Middle Eocene to Lower–Middle Oligocene fine‐grained sediments in response to fluid and minor sediment injection via deep‐seated normal faults. Type B structures comprise relatively steep‐sided mounds and are restricted to the pre‐Miocene interval. They are often located above narrow zones of discontinuous low‐amplitude reflections resembling gas chimneys. Some of the Type B structures are associated with stacked amplitude anomalies and possible mud volcanoes at the base Pleistocene indicating their long‐term significance as vertical fluid conduits. Type C structures comprise discrete mound features that seem to jack up the Top Palaeocene (Top Brygge) horizon. These are similar to hydrothermal mounds found elsewhere on the Norwegian Margin and associated with igneous sill intrusion during North Atlantic breakup. This study highlights the utility of 3D seismic data for mapping of fluid and sediment mobilization through time over large basinal areas.     

The Greenland Ice Core Chronology 2005, 15–42 ka. Part 2: comparison to other records

A new Greenland Ice Core Chronology (GICC05) based on multi-parameter counting of annual layers has been obtained for the last 42 ka. Here we compare the glacial part of the new time scale, which is based entirely on records from the NorthGRIP ice core, to existing time scales and reference horizons covering the same period. These include the GRIP and NorthGRIP modelled time scales, the Meese-Sowers GISP2 counted time scale, the Shackleton–Fairbanks GRIP time scale (SFCP04) based on ¹⁴C calibration of a marine core, the Hulu Cave record, three volcanic reference horizons, and the Laschamp geomagnetic excursion event occurring around Greenland Interstadial 10. GICC05 is generally in good long-term agreement with the existing Greenland ice core chronologies and with the Hulu Cave record, but on shorter time scales there are significant discrepancies. Around the Last Glacial Maximum there is a more than 1 ka age difference between GICC05 and SFCP04 and a more than 0.5 ka discrepancy in the same direction between GICC05 and the age of a recently identified tephra layer in the NorthGRIP ice core. Both SFCP04 and the tephra age are based on ¹⁴C-dated marine cores and fixed marine reservoir ages. For the Laschamp event, GICC05 agrees with a recent independent dating within the uncertainties.     

Origin of the acidic volcanics of the Tolfa district,Tuscan Province,central Italy: an elemental and Sr-isotopic study

Volcanic rocks from the southern part of the Tuscan Province, the Tolfa district, range in composition from dacites to rhyolites. They have relatively high contents of many incompatible elements and their ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios vary between 0.7129 and 0.7148 (28 analyses) with one analysis of 0.7112. The four major eruption centres of the district can be distinguished geochemically. It is shown that the variation of major and trace elements within each area can be explained by fractional crystallization without significant crustal assimilation. The geochemical patterns of the incompatible elements of the investigated volcanics have a close similarity to the alkaline undersaturated volcanics from the nearby Roman Province. The geochemical and isotopic similarity between the Tolfa volcanics and those of the Roman Province suggests a common origin for these components of the magmas. It is suggested that, while the origin of the LIL-element enrichment of the Roman Province magmas is a mantle which was metasomatised by fluids or melts derived from upper crustal material of sedimentary origin recycled into the mantle by subduction, the Tolfa volcanics were derived directly from the subducted material by melting.