The Brown Leucitic Tuff of Roccamonfina Volcano (Roman Region,Italy)

The Brown Leucitic Tuff (BLT) is a poorly to strongly lithified compositionally zoned pyroclastic-flow deposit with a minimum volume of 3 to 5 km³. It erupted from Roccamonfina Volcano about 385000 years ago, after formation of the summit caldera. Individual flow units are grouped into three facies (white, brown, and orange) which primarily differ in pumice color, lithic content, and matrix cementation. Pumices from the BLT range from phonolitic leucite-tephrites to leucite-trachytes (7.0 to 2.2 wt% CaO), covering over half of the total spectrum of High-K Series magmas known from Roman Region volcanoes. White-facies units dominate in lower stratigraphic levels and their pumices have the lowest CaO contents, indicating a general trend toward more basic compositions as the eruption evolved. At higher stratigraphic levels, however, orange- and brown-facies units are interbedded with other whitefacies units, indicating reversals in the dominant compositional progression.BLT pumices have crystal contents of 9.9 to 0.6 vol%, with green salite>plagioclase>sanidine>biotite>titanomagnetite>analcime (after leucite)>apatite>pyrrhotite. In most samples, plagioclase (An_85–95) and sanidine (Or_75–90) have much lower Na₂O contents than usually found in coexisting feldspars, yet these are interpreted as equilibrium pairs. Primary leucite has been almost completely replaced by analcime. All samples also contain xenocrysts of colorless diopside and forsteritic olivine (Fo_83–92). Recurrent alternations from colorless diopside to green salite are present in single clinopyroxene crystals and appear to reflect a complex history of magma mixing.Whole-rock BLT pumice compositions conform closely to High-K Series lavas from Roccamonfina for all elements except Na₂O and K₂O. The former is relatively enriched and the latter relatively depleted in mafic BLT pumices with >5.6% CaO; these differences reflect strong analcimization of abundant groundmass leucite crystals in these pumices. Otherwise, major and trace element data support fractionation of observed minerals in generating the compositional diversity among BLT pumices. Mineral assemblages and compositions of cumulate monzonite and syenite nodules carried to the surface during the BLT eruption correspond closely to the fractionated phases predicted by least-squares modeling.     

Formation of shoshonites from calcalkaline basalt magmas: geochemical and experimental constraints from the type locality

Independence volcano, Montana is a major center of the Absaroka volcanic field, from which absarokite, shoshonite, and banakite were originally defined. One magmatic trend at Independence volcano, from high-alumina tholeiitic basalt through shoshonite to high-K dacite, may be modeled by fractional crystallization of observed phenocryst phases (plagioclase, hypersthene, augite, and magnetite). Trace-element and Sr and Nd isotopic compositions of rocks are consistent with this model.Compositions of partial melts from experiments on four rocks at 1 atm and at 10 kbar demonstrate that rock compositions represent a nearly-anhydrous liquid line of descent at a pressure much closer to 10 kbar than to 1 atm. The line of descent involves crystallization of orthopyroxene, not olivine, resulting in strong enrichment in K₂O with little increase in SiO₂. Crystallization at either lower pressures or with water present, involving olivine, results in enrichment in both SiO₂ and K₂O.High-pressure (10 kbar) fractional crystallization of basaltic magma, resulting in formation of shoshonites, may occur at the base of thick crust (e.g., in continental interiors or in very mature arcs). At least a portion of the relationship between K₂O content of arc-related magmas and depth to the Benioff Zone may be attributed to thickening of crust towards the back-arc, resulting in higher pressures of fractionation in Moho-level chambers.     

Small scale turbulent diffusion determined with underwater flow visualization

Dye plumes were generated at three depths in the seasonal thermocline between 7 and 11 m, 22 km south of Key West on 21 August 1980 and photographed at about 10 second intervals with an underwater camera system. Eleven pairs of consecutive pictures are analyzed to determine the mean current vertical shear and the width of the plumes by positioning reference points relative to the rod attached to the camera system. The relative distances of reference points are calibrated with the stereophotogrammetric method for one pair. The eddy diffusivity is calculated by use of a model of turbulent diffusion developed byTaylor (1921). Its values range from 5 to 25 cm²s^–1 for the plume widths ranging from 33 to 132 cm. The Richardson number is calculated for each pair of pictures with the vertical density gradient estimated from temperature profiles. Its values are higher than the critical value of 0.25 except for one case. The diffusivity was higher by orders of magnitude than the molecular one and indicates the presence of turbulence together with billow like features of the plumes in spite of high Richardson numbers. This suggests that the billow turbulence might be caused by effects of surface gravity waves and not by the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability.     

Pedogenic zones in postglacial sediment of lake manitoba,Canada

The postglacial sediment record of Lake Manitoba is composed dominantly of silty clay to clayey silt with little variation in most physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties. Distinct in the sedimentary sequence of this large lake, however, are four zones that have a low moisture content, blocky to pelletal structure, and gleyed colour. All of these zones formed during the warmest and driest postglacial period in the region, 9500 to 4500 years ago. Although several possible hypotheses can be formulated regarding the origin of these zones including changes in sedimentation rate, clay mineralogy, lake chemistry, and depth of winter freezing, the most likely explanation is that they represent pedogenic horizons. Formation by pedogenesis during dry or extremely low water conditions is not mutually exclusive of the other hypotheses, and several are favoured by low water conditions.     

A century of precipitation variability along the pacific coast of North America and its impact

Precipitation data at seven stations along the west coast of North America, dating back to 1851 at some stations, are synthesized by means of empirical orthogonal function analysis. Characteristics of runs of generally wet and generally dry conditions are quantified. A significant change in precipitation regime, lasting 41 yrs, occurred in the middle of this century and could return in the future. Drought occurrences, similar to midwestern United States episodes, appear in the data, but are not statistically verifiable. A single example of the interaction of precipitation variability and society is given. Man's actions amplify the impact of variability on hydroelectric power generation in two ways: Society adapts itself rapidly to transient beneficial conditions, creating a false sense of well-being; technology expands to consume maximum available resources, decreasing system resilience.     

Tectonic evolution of Northeastern Siberia and adjacent regions

Previous models for the tectonic evolution of northeastern Siberia have proposed the existence of a Kolyma plate composed of the Kolyma and Omolon massifs of presumed Precambrian age. Lithologic similarities between the Siberian platform and the Cherskiy Mountains and the presence of oceanic and island arc type deposits in the Kolyma-Indigirka interfluve suggest that no such plate exists. The eastern margin of the Siberian plate is suggested to lie along a line between the Ulakhan Sis Range, the Alazeya uplift and the Arga Tas Range; the Cherskiy Mountains and the Verkhoyansk fold belt are parts of the Siberian plate. The Paleozoic deposits of the Omolon massif are unlike those found in the Cherskiys or Siberia. Paleomagnetic data from the Omolon massif are discordant from data from Siberia. It is suggested that the Omolon massif represents a microplate which accreted onto Siberia in the Jurassic. Ophiolites in central Chukotka are of the same emplacement age as in the western Brooks Range and may have been emplaced at the initiation of the rotation of Arctic Alaska. Geometric and limited stratigraphic data suggest that the East Siberian Sea may be floored by oceanic crust left by an incomplete closure between Arctic Alaska, Siberia and Omolon. The tectonic position of the Prikolymsk massif remains ambiguous.     

Uranium in spring water and bryophytes at basin creek in central idaho

Arkosic sandstones and conglomerates of Tertiary age beneath the Challis Volcanics of Eocene age at Basin Creek, 10 km northeast of Stanley, Idaho, contain uranium-bearing vitrainized carbon fragments. The economic potential of these sandstones and conglomerates is currently being assessed. Springs abound at the contacts of rock units, and water from these springs supports abundant growths of bryophytes (mosses and liverworts). Water from 22 springs and associated bryophytes were sampled; two springs were found to contain apparently anomalous concentrations (normalized) of uranium — as much as 6.5 μg/L (ppb) in water and 1800 μg/g (ppm) in ash of mosses. Moss samples from both springs also contained anomalous concentrations of arsenic, and one contained highly anomalous amounts of beryllium. Water from a third spring contained slightly anomalous amounts of uranium, and two species of mosses at the spring contained anomalous uranium (400 and 700 μg/g) and high levels of both cadmium and lead. Water from a fourth spring was normal for uranium (0.18 μg/L), but the moss from the water contained a moderate uranium level and highly anomalous concentrations of lead, germanium, and thallium.These results suggest that, in the Basin Creek area, moss sampling at springs may give a more reliable indication of uranium occurrence than would water sampling. The reason for this may be the ability of mosses to concentrate uranium and its associated pathfinder elements and to integrate uranium fluctuations that occur in the spring water over any period of time.     

The solubility of quartz in aqueous sodium chloride solution at 350°C and 180 to 500 bars

The solubility of quartz in 2, 3, and 4 molal NaCl was measured at 350°C and pressures ranging from 180 to 500 bars. The molal solubility in each of the salt solutions is greater than that in pure water throughout the measured pressure range, with the ratio of solubility in NaCl solution to solubility in pure water decreasing as pressure is increased. The measured solubilities are significantly higher than solubilities calculated using a simple model in which the water activity in NaCl solutions decreases either in proportion to decreasing vapor pressure of the solution as salinity is increased or in proportion to decreasing mole fraction of water in the solvent.     

Effects of finite rifting times on the development of sedimentary basins

Most thermo-mechanical models for the development of sedimentary basins have assumed that the rifting responsible for the formation of the basin occurred instantaneously and have examined the post-rift development of the basin. This assumption greatly simplifies the mathematical treatment, but is not in accord with what is found in nature, where 10-to 50-m.y. rifting events commonly accompany the formation of sedimentary basins and continental margins. The effects of a finite rifting time on the development of sedimentary basins are examined using an analytic technique which allows an arbitrary rifting history in both time and space and which considers the effects of both vertical and horizontal heat transfer. This technique allows the thermal structure of the lithosphere to be calculated throughout the rifting event and thus permits the subsidence history and surface heat flow of the developing basin to be traced.The effect of a finite-duration extension event is that heat is lost during rifting increasing the syn-rift subsidence at the expense of the post-rift. Lateral heat flow, which was not included in previous studies of the effect of finite rifting times, has a significant effect on the subsidence history, distribution of sediments and thermal history. In particular, the post-rift subsidence is decreased by more than 25% for a 20-m.y. rifting event and by more than 10–15% for a rifting event as short as 10 m.y. This will significantly decrease the subsidence rates in the post-rift stage and implies that inferences concerning the structure, development and thermal history of the basin derived from using “β-curves” to interpret backstripped subsidence can be greatly in error.Variations in syn-rift sediment accumulation and lithospheric thermal structure at the end of rifting resulting from different rifting histories can interact with other factors, such as the flexural response of the lithosphere to sediment loading, to affect the final width of the basin, the total amount of sediments that accumulate and the basin stratigraphy.     

Petrology of basalts from Loihi Seamount,Hawaii

Loihi Seamount is the southeasternmost active volcano of the Emperor-Hawaii linear volcanic chain. It comprises a spectrum of basalt compositional varieties including basanite, alkali basalt, transitional basalt and tholeiite. Samples from four dredge collections made on Scripps Institution of Oceanography Benthic Expedition in October 1982 are tholeiite. The samples include highly vesicular, olivine-rich basalt and dense glass-rich pillow fragments containing olivine and augite phenocrysts. Both quartz-normative and olivine-normative tholeiites are present. Minor and trace element data indicate relatively high abundances of low partition coefficient elements (e.g., Ti, K, P. Rb, Ba, Zr) and suggest that the samples were derived by relatively small to moderate extent of partial melting, of an undepleted mantle source. Olivine composition, MgO, Cr and Ni abundances, and Mg/(Mg+Fe), are typical of moderately fractionated to relatively unfractionated “primary” magmas. The variations in chemistry between samples cannot be adequately explained by low-pressure fractional crystallization but can be satisfied by minor variations in extent of melting if a homogeneous source is postulated. Alternatively, a heterogeneous source with variable abundances of certain trace elements, or mixing of liquids, may have been involved. Data for ³He/⁴He, presented in a separate paper, implies a mantle plume origin for the helium composition of the Loihi samples. There is little variation in the helium isotope ratio for samples having different compositions and textures. The helium data are not distinctive enough to unequivocally separate the magma sources for the tholeiitic rocks from the other rock types such as Loihi alkalic basalts and the whole source region for Loihi may have a nearly uniform helium compositions even though other element abundances may be variable. Complex petrologic processes including variable melting, fractional crystallization and magma mixing may have blurred original helium isotopic signatures.