Lead-lead age of komatiitic lavas and limitations on the structure and evolution of the Precambrian mantle

Using lead isotopes, we have studied komatiites and associated sulfides from three complexes. At Barberton, the lead-lead isochron gives an age of 3.46 ± 0.07Gy in good agreement with the Sm—Nd age. At Munro Township, three distinct komatiitic flows yield significantly different ages: Pyke Hill is 2.72 ± 0.02Gy, Theo's Flow is 2.47 ± 0.13Gy and Fred's Flow is 2.58 ± 0.02Gy old. 2.72 Gy is the emplacement age while the alignment obtained on Theo's Flow and Fred's Flow clearly points out the effect of a metamorphism posterior to 2.7 Gy. At Cape Smith, the age obtained by the lead-lead method is 1.6 ± 0.13Gy. This age is younger than that obtained by other methods. In contrast the isochron obtained on sulfide gives an age of 1.88 ± 0.17Gy in agreement with Sm/Nd methods. These results together with others from the literature are used to describe the evolution of Pb in the mantle. The important result inferred is that the mantle 2.70 Gy ago was very different from the primitive mantle according to both Th/U and U/Pb values. Indeed, the latter are lower than the planetary values. This evolution is the result of the formation of the continental crust.     

Epidote phenocrysts in dacitic dikes,Boulder County,Colorado

Epidote (Ps21%) crystallized early as elongate phenocrysts in Late Cretaceous rhyodacitic dikes in the vicinity of Ward, Boulder County, Colorado. Other unusual phenocryst phases are garnet (Gr17–24%) and muscovite. In a xenolith containing kyanite, corundum, biotite, and plagioclase, magmatic garnet grew as a rim around xenocrystic pyrope-rich (Py37%) garnet. The xenolith was derived from a granulite-facies zone, not represented at the present-day erosion surface which is composed of upper amphibolite-facies cordierite and sillimanite-bearing gneisses. The dike magmas were fed not from an immediately underlying batholith but from a magma chamber at a depth corresponding to a pressure of 8–13 kilobars. Phenocrysts cystallized in the temperature range 800 to 700° C, under H₂O and O₂ activities greater than normal for silicic magmas. This occurrence shows convincingly not only that epidote can be magmatic but that it is a possible early-crystallization phase in silicic magmas.     

Interprétation quantitative de l'anisotropie de susceptibilité magnétique

We propose a model in which the magnetic susceptibility anisotropy is considered as resulting from the distinct properties of two rock components. This model suggests that differences in the susceptibility ellipsoid can be principally related to mineralogical variations. Thus, some difficulties in the quantitative interpretation of anisotropy data may be explained. This model is consistent with a detailed analysis carried on Dalradian rocks from Scotland.A new methodology of anisotropy analysis is derived. It is based on the fact that, in specimens from a same sample, the susceptibility ellipsoid often varies, but relations nevertheless exist between values of the principal and mean susceptibilities. For each sample, measurements are made on 6–12 specimens. The study of the relations between principal and mean susceptibilities permits separation of the anisotropies of the rock components, the anisotropy determination appearing the best for the high susceptibility component.

Résumé

L'examen d'un modèle de roche, où l'anisotropie est considérée comme résultant des propriétés de deux constituants, montre que l'ellipsoïde de susceptibilité dépend fortement de la composition minéralogique. Ainsi s'expliquent certaines difficultés de l'interprétation quantitative des résultats d'anisotropie. Ce modèle est testé avec succès sur une série du Dalradien d'Écosse.Une nouvelle méthodologie d'analyse de l'anisotropie en découle. Elle est basée sur la constatation que l'ellipsoïde de susceptibilité présente souvent des fluctuations dans les différents spécimens taillés dans un même échantillon, et que des relations simples existent cependant entre les différentes valeurs des susceptibilités principales et moyenne. Pour chaque échantillon, les mesures sont faites sur 6–12 spécimens. L'étude des relations entre susceptibilités principales et moyenne permet une séparation des anisotropies des constituants de la roche, la détermination de l'anisotropie semblant d'autant meilleure que la susceptibilité est plus forte.     

A Raman spectroscopic study of glasses along the joins silica-calcium aluminate,silica-sodium aluminate,and silica-potassium aluminate

Aluminosilicate glasses with compositions along the joins silica-calcium aluminate, silica sodium aluminate and silica-potassium aluminate have been prepared by conventional and solar melting techniques and studied by Raman spectroscopy. The Raman spectra of crystalline calcium aluminate, anorthite and silica polymorphs are discussed in relation to their crystal structures, and compared with the spectra of the corresponding glasses. The glass and crystal spectra are generally comparable, suggesting similar vibrational structures. These crystals have structures based on tetrahedral aluminosilicate frameworks, and a similar molecular structure is suggested for the glasses, although it is noted that the Raman spectra do not directly characterize the aluminate polyhedra. Within the three glass series, our interpretation of the unresolved high-frequency bands shows the appearance of discrete bands near 1120, 1000, 930 and 890 cm^?1 as the silica content is decreased. This is compared with the behaviour of high-frequency bands in simple silicate systems, and used to suggest that the four bands in the aluminosilicate systems are due to stretching vibrations of silicate tetrahedra bound to one, two, three and four aluminium atoms. The spectra of calcium, sodium, potassium and lithium aluminosilicate glasses with similar silica contents are compared, and interpreted by the above model. This is used to construct a simple model for the effect of metal cation on aluminosilicate molecular groups in the glass structure, consistent with the results of calorimetric studies on similar systems.     

Comparison of strain and magnetic fabrics in Dalradian rocks from the southwest Highlands of Scotland

The magnetic fabrics of 235 samples from 31 localities in Argyllshire, Scotland were determined to study the development of the Caledonian tectonic fabric in the southwest Highlands of Scotland. The regional fabric indicates a strong NE-SW compressional foliation due to the primary deformational phases, which in parts has been overprinted by secondary deformations. A detailed comparison of the anisotropy data and the available strain data shows that the two fabric ellipsoids are co-axial, and that their axial mean ratios seem to be related by an empirical power relationship of the type:

$\text{Xi}\text{Xj}\text{=}\text{li}\text{lj}{}^{\mathrm{a}}$

(for i = 1,2,3; j = 1,2,3 and i ≠ j) where χ_i and χ_j are orthogonal principal axes and l_i and l_j are the corresponding orthogonal principal strain axes. The exponent a for the sites from Scotland is 0.088 ± 0.017 compared with 0.142 ± 0.001 and 0.145 ± 0.005 found in the Caledonian slates of the English Lake District and the Welsh slate belt.     

Etude des mecanismes de condensation des gaz magmatiques — exemple de l’Etna (Italie)

Sublimates were collected on Mt Etna in the gas escaping from the surface of an active lava flow. Deposition occurred on the wall of a silica tube. Temperatures of deposition for the different sublimates collected were recorded continuously with 6 Thermocouples along the tube. At high temperature (300 to 860 °C) the sulfates of sodium, potassium and iron deposited. Halogen were collected at low temperature with copper, zinc and nickel chloride; copper was also associated with sulfates.     

Premières mesures françaises de gravimétrie absolue dans les régions polaires Antarctique (terre Adélie) et Arctique (Spitzberg)First French measurements of absolute gravity in the Antarctic (Terre Adélie) and Arctic (Spitsbergen) polar regions

This study is devoted to the first French determinations of absolute gravity in the Antarctic (Dumont-d'Urville, Terre Adélie) and Arctic (Ny-Alesund, Spitsbergen) polar regions. The measurements in Dumont-d'Urville were performed in 2000 with the help of the FG5#206 absolute gravimeter belonging to the French geodetic community since beginning 1997; they show a strong noise that causes an uncertainty close to 11 μGal in the determination of the mean gravity value, which will be compared, to a new determination planned for 2005. The Ny-Alesund measurements show on the contrary a noise that, although very variable in time, leads to a gravity determination of better than 5 μGal. The comparison of our value with a previous one two years before suggests a gravity decrease of about 4 μGal which is related to the vertical uplift measured by Very Large Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) at the same site. However, the uncertainty does not allow discriminating between height-to-gravity conversion factors originating from different models. To cite this article: J. Hinderer et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 819–826.     

Volcanic vents rooted on extension fractures and their geodynamic implications in the Ethiopian Rift

Most of the extension fractures located in the Ethiopian rift are related to rift dynamics, and they have consistently similar orientations for hundreds of kilometers. The orientation of extension fracture gives the local extension direction which is perpendicular to its horns (end segments of an extension fracture). We have established clear geometrical relationships between tectonics and volcanism in the Main Ethiopian Rift by interpreting high-resolution images obtained from Landsat-TM and SPOT satellites and by quantitatively analyzing the geometry of extension fractures, elongated vents and linear volcanic clusters. Applying the relationships obtained, we show that extension fractures in the rift served as channels for magma rising to the surface, and that extension fractures underlie most of the elongated volcanic vents and linear volcanic clusters. The geometry of extension fractures beneath volcanic edifices can be deduced from the shape of elongated vents and pattern of linear volcanic clusters rooted on them. Utilizing the orientations of extension fractures directly observed and those inferred from elongated volcanic vents and linear clusters, we found that the extension direction of the Main Ethiopian Rift is northwest–southeast and that the direction has been rotated clockwise for about 20° in the time interval 2.83 to 0.023 Ma. The Recent axis of rift opening is oriented N40° and located closer to the southeastern escarpment giving an asymmetric geometry to the Main Ethiopian Rift (MER).