In search of a hidden long-term isolated sub-chondritic Nd/Nd reservoir in the deep mantle: Implications for the Nd isotope systematics of the Earth

Here we search for evidence of the existence of a sub-chondritic ¹⁴²Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd reservoir that balances the Nd isotope chemistry of the Earth relative to chondrites. If present, it may reside in the source region of deeply sourced mantle plume material. We suggest that lavas from Hawai’i with coupled elevations in ¹⁸⁶Os/¹⁸⁸Os and ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os, from Iceland that represent mixing of upper mantle and lower mantle components, and from Gough with sub-chondritic ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd and high ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb, are favorable samples that could reflect mantle sources that have interacted with an Early-Enriched Reservoir (EER) with sub-chondritic ¹⁴²Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd.High-precision Nd isotope analyses of basalts from Hawai’i, Iceland and Gough demonstrate no discernable ¹⁴²Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd deviation from terrestrial standards. These data are consistent with previous high-precision Nd isotope analysis of recent mantle-derived samples and demonstrate that no mantle-derived material to date provides evidence for the existence of an EER in the mantle.We then evaluate mass balance in the Earth with respect to both ¹⁴²Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd and ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd. The Nd isotope systematics of EERs are modeled for different sizes and timing of formation relative to ε¹⁴³Nd estimates of the reservoirs in the μ¹⁴²Nd = 0 Earth, where μ¹⁴²Nd is ((measured ¹⁴²Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd/terrestrial standard ¹⁴²Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd)−1 * 10⁻⁶) and the μ¹⁴²Nd = 0 Earth is the proportion of the silicate Earth with ¹⁴²Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd indistinguishable from the terrestrial standard. The models indicate that it is not possible to balance the Earth with respect to both ¹⁴²Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd and ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd unless the μ¹⁴²Nd = 0 Earth has a ε¹⁴³Nd within error of the present-day Depleted Mid-ocean ridge basalt Mantle source (DMM). The 4567 Myr age ¹⁴²Nd-¹⁴³Nd isochron for the Earth intersects μ¹⁴²Nd = 0 at ε¹⁴³Nd of +8 ± 2 providing a minimum ε¹⁴³Nd for the μ¹⁴²Nd = 0 Earth. The high ε¹⁴³Nd of the μ¹⁴²Nd = 0 Earth is confirmed by the Nd isotope systematics of Archean mantle-derived rocks that consistently have positive ε¹⁴³Nd.If the EER formed early after solar system formation (0-70 Ma) continental crust and DMM can be complementary reservoirs with respect to Nd isotopes, with no requirement for significant additional reservoirs. If the EER formed after 70 Ma then the μ¹⁴²Nd = 0 Earth must have a bulk ε¹⁴³Nd more radiogenic than DMM and additional high ε¹⁴³Nd material is required to balance the Nd isotope systematics of the Earth.     

Elevated concentrations of formate, acetate and dissolved organic carbon found at the Lost City hydrothermal field

Fluids from the ultramafic-hosted Lost City hydrothermal field were analyzed for total dissolved organic carbon and dissolved organic acids. Formate (36-158 μmol/kg) and acetate (1-35 μmol/kg) concentrations are higher than in other fluids from unsedimented hydrothermal vents, and are a higher ratio of the total dissolved organic carbon than has been found in most marine geothermal systems. Isotopic evidence is consistent with an abiotic formation mechanism for formate, perhaps during serpentinization processes in the sub-surface. Further support comes from previous studies where the abiological formation of low molecular weight organic acids has been shown to be thermodynamically favorable during hydrothermal alteration of olivine, and laboratory studies in which the reduction of carbon dioxide to formate has been confirmed. As the second most prevalent carbon species after methane, formate may be an important substrate to microbial communities in an environment where dissolved inorganic carbon is limited. Acetate is found in locations where sulfate reduction is believed to be important and is likely to be a microbial by-product, formed either directly by autotrophic metabolic activity or indirectly during the fermentative degradation of larger organic molecules. Given the common occurrence of exposed ultramafic rocks and active serpentinization within the worlds ocean basins, the abiotic formation of formate may be an important process supporting life in these high pH environments and may have critical implications to understanding the organic precursors from which life evolved.     

Mechanisms of iron oxide transformations in hydrothermal systems

Coexistence of magnetite and hematite in hydrothermal systems has often been used to constrain the redox potential of fluids, assuming that the redox equilibrium is attained among all minerals and aqueous species. However, as temperature decreases, disequilibrium mineral assemblages may occur due to the slow kinetics of reaction involving the minerals and fluids. In this study, we conducted a series of experiments in which hematite or magnetite was reacted with an acidic solution under H₂-rich hydrothermal conditions (T = 100-250 °C, ) to investigate the kinetics of redox and non-redox transformations between hematite and magnetite, and the mechanisms of iron oxide transformation under hydrothermal conditions. The formation of euhedral crystals of hematite in 150 and 200 °C experiments, in which magnetite was used as the starting material, indicates that non-redox transformation of magnetite to hematite occurred within 24 h. The chemical composition of the experimental solutions was controlled by the non-redox transformation between magnetite and hematite throughout the experiments. While solution compositions were controlled by the non-redox transformation in the first 3 days in a 250 °C experiment, reductive dissolution of magnetite became important after 5 days and affected the solution chemistry. At 100 °C, the presence of maghemite was indicated in the first 7 days. Based on these results, equilibrium constants of non-redox transformation between magnetite and hematite and those of non-redox transformation between magnetite and maghemite were calculated. Our results suggest that the redox transformation of hematite to magnetite occurs in the following steps: (1) reductive dissolution of hematite to and (2) non-redox transformation of hematite and to magnetite.     

Evidence for distinct proportions of subducted oceanic crust and lithosphere in HIMU-type mantle beneath El Hierro and La Palma, Canary Islands

Shield-stage high-MgO alkalic lavas from La Palma and El Hierro (Canary Islands) have been characterized for their O-Sr-Nd-Os-Pb isotope compositions and major-, trace-, and highly siderophile-element (HSE: Os, Ir, Ru, Pt, Pd, Re) abundances. New data are also reported for associated evolved rocks, and entrained xenoliths. Clear differences in Pd/Ir and isotopic ratios for high Os (>50 ppt) lavas from El Hierro (δ¹⁸O_olivine = 5.17 ± 0.08‰; ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr = 0.7029 to 0.7031; ε_Nd = +5.7 to +7.1; ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os = 0.1481 to 0.1750; ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 19.1 to 19.7; Pd/Ir = 6 ± 3) versus those from La Palma (δ¹⁸O_olivine = 4.87 ± 0.18‰; ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr = 0.7031 to 0.7032; ε_Nd = +5.0 to +6.4; ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os = 0.1421 to 0.1460; ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 19.5 to 20.2; Pd/Ir = 11 ± 4) are revealed from the dataset.Crustal or lithospheric assimilation during magma transport cannot explain variations in isotopic ratios or element abundances of the lavas. Shallow-level crystal-liquid fractionation of olivine, clinopyroxene and associated early-crystallizing minerals (e.g., spinel and HSE-rich phases) controlled compatible element and HSE abundances; there is also evidence for sub-aerial degassing of rhenium. High-MgO lavas are enriched in light rare earth elements, Nb, Ta, U, Th, and depleted in K and Pb, relative to primitive mantle abundance estimates, typical of HIMU-type oceanic island basalts. Trace element abundances and ratios are consistent with low degrees (2-6%) of partial melting of an enriched mantle source, commencing in the garnet stability field (?110 km). Western Canary Island lavas were sulphur undersaturated with estimated parental melt HSE abundances (in ppb) of 0.07 ± 0.05 Os, 0.17 ± 0.16 Ir, 0.34 ± 0.32 Ru, 2.6 ± 2.5 Pt, 1.4 ± 1.2 Pd, 0.39 ± 0.30 Re. These estimates indicate that Canary Island alkali basalts have lower Os, Ir and Ru, but similar Pt, Pd and Re contents to Hawai’ian tholeiites.The HIMU affinities of the lavas, in conjunction with the low δ¹⁸O_olivine and high ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb for La Palma, and elevated ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os for El Hierro implies melting of different proportions of recycled oceanic crust and lithosphere. Our preferred model to explain isotopic differences between the islands is generation from peridotitic mantle metasomatised by <10% pyroxenite/eclogite made from variable portions of similar aged recycled oceanic crust and lithosphere. The correspondence of radiogenic ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os, elevated Re/Os and Pt/Os, and low-δ¹⁸O in western Canary Island lavas provides powerful support for recycled oceanic crust and lithosphere to generate the spectrum of HIMU-type ocean island basalt signatures. Persistence of geochemical heterogeneities throughout the stratigraphies of El Hierro and La Palma demonstrate long-term preservation of these recycled components in their mantle sources over relatively short-length scales (∼50 km).     

Minimum Bedrock Exposure Ages and Their Implications: Larsemann Hills and Neighboring Bolingen Islands, East Antarctica

<正>Considerable controversy exists over whether or not extensive glaciation occurred during the global Last Glacial Maximum(LGM) in the Larsemann Hills.In this study we use the in situ produced cosmogenic nuclide ~(10)Be(half life 1.51 Ma) to provide minimum exposure ages for six bedrock samples and one erratic boulder in order to determine the last period of deglaciation in the Larsemann Hills and on the neighboring Bolingen Islands.Three bedrock samples taken from Friendship Mountain(the highest peak on the Mirror Peninsula,Larsemann Hills;～2 km from the ice sheet) have minimum exposure ages ranging from 40.0 to 44.7 ka.The erratic boulder from Peak 106(just at the edge of the ice sheet) has a younger minimum exposure age of only 8.8 ka.The minimum exposure ages for two bedrock samples from Blundell Peak(the highest peak on Stornes Peninsula,Larsemann Hills;～2 km from the ice sheet) are about 17 and 18 ka.On the Bolingen Islands(southwest to the Larsemann Hills;～10 km from the ice sheet),the minimum exposure age for one bedrock sample is similar to that at Friendship Mountain(i.e.,44 ka).Our results indicate that the bedrock exposure in the Larsemann Hills and on the neighboring Bolingen Islands commenced obviously before the global LGM(i.e.,20-22 ka),and the bedrock erosion rates at the Antarctic coast areas may be obviously higher than in the interior land.     

安徽铜陵新桥Cu-Au-S矿床黄铁矿微量元素LA-ICP-MS原位测定及其对矿床成因的制约

激光剥蚀电感耦合等离子体质谱(LA-ICP-MS)是一种固体微区分析新技术。用该技术来分析矿床中硫化物的微量元素组成可以为研究成矿流体特征、矿床成因及找矿勘探提供有关的科学信息。文中以安徽铜陵矿集区内新桥Cu-Au-S矿床中的黄铁矿为研究对象,在详细的野外观察和室内鉴定的基础上,将矿床中的黄铁矿分为具有沉积特征的胶状黄铁矿(PyⅠ)、具有变形重结晶和热液叠加作用特征的细粒他形黄铁矿(PyⅡ)和具热液成因特征的中—粗粒自形黄铁矿(PyⅢ)3种类型。LA-ICP-MS原位微量元素测定结果显示,PyⅠ中相对富含Ti、Co、Ni、As、Se、Te;PyⅡ继承了PyⅠ中富含Ti、Co、Ni、As、Se、Te、Bi的特征,同时还含有不均匀分布的少量成矿元素(Cu、Pb、Zn、Au、Ag);PyⅢ中成矿元素Cu、Pb、Zn、Ag、Au以及Bi元素的含量较高,Co、Ni、As的含量较低。在元素赋存状态方面,Co、Ni、As、Se和Te均以类质同象的形式进入到了黄铁矿的晶格中;Bi在PyⅡ中主要以含Bi矿物的微细包裹体形式存在,而在PyⅢ中的Bi还部分取代了Fe而占据了晶格;Cu、Pb、Zn、Au、Ag这些成矿元素中,Cu和Zn分别以黄铜矿和闪锌矿的矿物包裹体存在于黄铁矿中;PyⅡ中所含的少量Au、Ag,可能分别以自然金和自然银的形式存在,而在PyⅢ中Au可能主要以银金矿的形式存在,Ag除了以银金矿的形式存在以外还可能赋存于黄铁矿中含铋的矿物包裹体内;Pb主要赋存于黄铁矿中的方铅矿或含铋矿物的包裹体中。在综合分析黄铁矿的结构形态和微量元素组成特征的基础上认为,PyⅠ型黄铁矿可能形成于前人提出的晚古生代海底沉积或喷流沉积环境,PyⅡ和PyⅢ型黄铁矿分别形成于中生代区域构造变形-热液叠加改造的过渡环境和热液环境,PyⅡ和PyⅢ的形成时间相近。新桥矿床的形成可能经历了晚古生代海底沉积或喷流沉积期和燕山期热液期,胶黄铁矿主要形成于沉积成矿期,而矿床中成矿物质Cu、Pb、Zn、Au、Ag等主要来自燕山期岩浆侵入作用形成的热液成矿系统。     

造迹生物鉴定的翼龙足部分类

Currently there is no ready reference source of pterosaur pedes available to match ichnotaxa to potential trackmakers. While presently recognized pterosaur ichnites all indicate a plantigrade pes and a quadrupedal mode of locomotion, those configurations were not basal or universal.     

Biological influences on modern sulfates: Textures and composition of gypsum deposits from Guerrero Negro,Baja California Sur,Mexico

Gypsum (CaSO₄·2H₂O) deposits from a range of sedimentary environments at Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, Mexico were investigated for microscale texture and composition in order to differentiate features formed under substantial microbial influence from those for which microbial effects were relatively minor or absent. Gypsum deposits were classified according to their sedimentary environment, textures, crystal habit, brine composition and other geochemical factors. The environments studied included subaqueous sediments in anchialine pools and in solar salterns, as well as subsurface sediments of mudflats and saltpans. Gypsum that developed in the apparent absence of biofilms included crystals precipitated in the water column and subsedimentary discs that precipitated from phreatic brines. Subsedimentary gypsum developed in sabkha environments exhibited a sinuous microtexture and poikilitically enclosed detrital particles. Water column precipitates had euhedral prismatic habits and extensive penetrative twinning. Gypsum deposits influenced by biofilms included bottom nucleated crusts and gypsolites developing in anchialine pools and saltern ponds. Gypsum precipitating within benthic biofilms, and in biofilms within subaerial sediment surfaces provided compelling evidence of biological influences on crystal textures and habits. This evidence included irregular, high relief surface textures, accessory minerals (S°, Ca-carbonate, Sr/Ca-sulfate and Mg-hydroxide) and distinctive crystal habits such as equant forms and crystals having distorted prism faces.     

Late Quaternary megafloods from Glacial Lake Atna, Southcentral Alaska, U.S.A.

Geomorphic, stratigraphic, geotechnical, and biogeographic evidence indicate that failure of a Pleistocene ice dam between 15.5 and 26 ka generated a megaflood from Glacial Lake Atna down the Matanuska Valley. While it has long been recognized that Lake Atna occupied ≥ 9000 km² of south-central Alaska's Copper River Basin, little attention has focused on the lake's discharge locations and behaviors. Digital elevation model and geomorphic analyses suggest that progressive lowering of the lake level by decanting over spillways exposed during glacial retreat led to sequential discharges down the Matanuska, Susitna, Tok, and Copper river valleys. Lake Atna's size, ∼ 50 ka duration, and sequential connection to four major drainages likely made it a regionally important late Pleistocene freshwater refugium. We estimate a catastrophic Matanuska megaflood would have released 500–1400 km³ at a maximum rate of ≥ 3 × 10⁶ m³ s^{− 1}. Volumes for the other outlets ranged from 200 to 2600 km³ and estimated maximum discharges ranged from 0.8 to 11.3 × 10⁶ m³ s^{− 1}, making Lake Atna a serial generator of some of the largest known freshwater megafloods.     

Complete preservation of ophiolite suite from south Andaman,India: A mineral-chemical perspective

Field studies supplemented by petrographic analyses clearly reveal complete preservation of ophiolite suite from Port Blair (11°39′N: 92°45′E) to Chiriyatapu (11°30′24″N: 92°42′30″E) stretch of South Andaman. The ophiolite suite reveals serpentinite at the base which is overlain unconformably by cumulate ultramafic-mafic members with discernible cumulus texture and igneous layering. Basaltic dykes are found to cut across the cumulate ultramafic-mafic members. The succession is capped by well exposed pillow basalts interlayered with arkosic sediments. Olivine from the basal serpentinite unit are highly magnesian (Fo_80.1–86.2). All clinopyroxene analyses from cumulate pyroxenite, cumulate gabbro and basaltic dyke are discriminated to be ‘Quad’ and are uniformly restricted to the diopside field. Composition of plagioclase in different lithomembers is systematically varying from calcic to sodic endmembers progressively from cumulate pyroxenite to pillow basalt through cumulate gabbro and basaltic dyke. Plagioclase phenocrysts from basaltic dyke are found to be distinctly zoned (An_60.7-An_35.3) whereas groundmass plagioclase are relatively sodic (An₃₃-An_23.5). Deduced thermobarometric data from different lithomembers clearly correspond to the observed preservation of complete ophiolite suite.