Direct evidence of the feedback between climate and weathering

Long-term climate moderation is commonly attributed to chemical weathering; the higher the temperature and precipitation the faster the weathering rate. Weathering releases divalent cations to the ocean via riverine transport where they promote the drawdown of CO₂ from the atmosphere by the precipitation and subsequent burial of carbonate minerals. To test this widely-held hypothesis, we performed a field study determining the weathering rates of 8 nearly pristine north-eastern Iceland river catchments with varying glacial cover over 44 years. The mean annual temperature and annual precipitation of these catchments varied by 3.2 to 4.5 °C and 80 to 530%, respectively during the study period. Statistically significant linear positive correlations were found between mean annual temperature and chemical weathering in all 8 catchments and between mean annual temperature and both mechanical weathering and runoff in 7 of the 8 catchments. For each degree of temperature increase, the runoff, mechanical weathering flux, and chemical weathering fluxes in these catchments are found to increase from 6 to 16%, 8 to 30%, and 4 to 14% respectively, depending on the catchment. In contrast, annual precipitation is less related to the measured fluxes; statistically significant correlations between annual precipitation and runoff, mechanical weathering, and chemical weathering were found for 3 of the least glaciated catchments. Mechanical and chemical weathering increased with time in all catchments over the 44 year period. These correlations were statistically significant for only 2 of the 8 catchments due to scatter in corresponding annual runoff and average annual temperature versus time plots. Taken together, these results 1) demonstrate a significant feedback between climate and Earth surface weathering, and 2) suggest that weathering rates are currently increasing with time due to global warming.     

Temporal Gravity Variations near Shrinking Vatnajökull Ice Cap, Iceland

Repeated gravity measurements were carried out from 1991 until 1999 at sites SE of Vatnajökull, Iceland, to estimate the mass flow and deformation accompanying the shrinking of the ice cap. Published GPS data show an uplift of about 13 ± 5 mm/a near the ice margin. A gravity decrease of –2 ± 1 μGal/a relative to the Höfn base station, was observed for the same sites. Control measurements at the Höfn station showed a gravity decrease of –2 ± 0.5 µGal/a relative to the station RVIK 5473 at Reykjavík (about 250 km from Höfn). This is compatible, as a Bouguer effect, with a 10 ± 3 mm/a uplift rate of the IGS point at Höfn and an uplift rate of ~20 mm/a near the ice margin. Although the derived gravity change rates at individual sites have large uncertainties, the ensemble of the rates varies systematically and significantly with distance from the ice. The relationship between gravity and elevation changes and the shrinking ice mass is modelled as response to the loading history. The GPS data can be explained by 1-D modelling (i.e., an earth model with a 15-km thick elastic lithosphere and a 7·10¹⁷ Pa·s asthenosphere viscosity), but not the gravity data. Based on 2-D modelling, the gravity data favour a low-viscosity plume in the form of a cylinder of 80 km radius and 10¹⁷ to 10¹⁸ Pa·s viscosity below a 6 km-thick elastic lid, embedded in a layered PREM-type earth, although the elevation data are less well explained by this model. Strain-porosity-hydrology effects are likely to enhance the magnitude of the gravity changes, but need verification by drilling. More accurate data may resolve the discrepancies or suggest improved models.     

Magma chamber processes in central volcanic systems of Iceland: constraints from layered gabbro of the Austurhorn intrusive complex

New field work and petrological investigations of the largest gabbro outcrop in Iceland, the Hvalnesfjall gabbro of the 6–7 Ma Austurhorn intrusive complex, have established a stratigraphic sequence exceeding 800 m composed of at least 8 macrorhythmic units. The bases of the macrorhythmic units are composed of 2–10 m thick melanocratic layers rich in clinopyroxene and sometimes olivine, relative to the thicker overlying leucocratic oxide gabbros. While the overall compositional variation is limited (Mg# clinopyroxene 72–84; An% plagioclase 56–85), the melanocratic bases display spikes in Mg# and Cr₂O₃ of clinopyroxene and magnetite indicative of magma replenishment. Some macrorhythmic units show mineral trends indicative of up-section fractional crystallisation over up to 100 m, whereas others show little variation. Two populations of plagioclase crystals (large, An-rich and small, less An-rich) indicate that the recharge magma carried plagioclase xenocrysts (high An-type). The lack of evolved gabbros suggests formation in a dynamic magma chamber with frequent recharge, tapping and fractionation. Modelling of these compositional trends shows that the parent magma was similar to known transitional olivine basalts from Iceland that had undergone about 20% crystallisation of olivine, plagioclase and clinopyroxene and that the macrorhythmic units formed from thin magma layers not exceeding 200–300 m. Such a “mushy” magma chamber is akin to volcanic plumbing systems in settings of high magma supply rate including the mid-ocean ridges and present-day magma chambers over the Iceland mantle plume. The Austurhorn central volcano likely formed in an off-rift flank zone proximal to the Iceland mantle plume during a major rift relocation. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

The effect of fluoride on the dissolution rates of natural glasses at pH 4 and 25°C

Far-from-equilibrium, steady-state dissolution rates at pH 4 of a suite of natural glasses, ranging from basaltic to rhyolitic in composition, have been determined as a function of aqueous fluoride concentrations up to 1.8 × 10⁻⁴ mol/kg in mixed-flow reactors. Dissolution rates of each of these glasses increase monotonically with increasing aqueous fluoride concentration. Measured dissolution rates are found to be consistent with both the Furrer and Stumm (1986) surface coordination model and the Oelkers (2001) multi-oxide dissolution model. Application of the latter model yields the following equation that can describe all measured rates as a function of both glass and aqueous solution composition:

     

The effect of crystallinity on dissolution rates and CO2 consumption capacity of silicates

Comparison of measured far-from-equilibrium dissolution rates of natural glasses and silicate minerals at 25 °C and pH 4 reveals the systematic effects of crystallinity and elemental composition on these rates. Rates for both minerals and glasses decrease with increasing Si:O ratio, but glass dissolution rates are faster than corresponding mineral rates. The difference between glass and mineral dissolution rates increases with increasing Si:O ratio; ultra-mafic glasses (Si:O ? 0.28) dissolve at similar rates as correspondingly compositioned minerals, but Si-rich glasses such as rhyolite (Si:O ∼ 0.40) dissolve ?1.6 orders of magnitude faster than corresponding minerals. This behaviour is interpreted to stem from the effect of Si-O polymerisation on silicate dissolution rates. The rate controlling step of dissolution for silicate minerals and glasses for which Si:O > 0.28 is the breaking of Si-O bonds. Owing to rapid quenching, natural glasses will exhibit less polymerisation and less ordering of Si-O bonds than minerals, making them less resistant to dissolution. Dissolution rates summarized in this study are used to determine the Ca release rates of natural rocks at far-from-equilibrium conditions, which in turn are used to estimate their CO₂ consumption capacity. Results indicate that Ca release rates for glasses are faster than those of corresponding rocks. This difference is, however, significantly less than the corresponding difference between glass and mineral bulk dissolution rates. This is due to the presence of Ca in relatively reactive minerals. In both cases, Ca release rates increase by ∼two orders of magnitude from high to low Si:O ratios (e.g., from granite to gabbro or from rhyolitic to basaltic glass), illustrating the important role of Si-poor silicates in the long-term global CO₂ cycle.     

Natural concentrations of mercury in Iceland

The results are presented of a survey of mercury concentrations in various parts of the Icelandic environment. Values for air and gas samples include: <0.03 μg/m³ for Reykjavík, 15–20 km away from a hydrothermal area; 1–3 μg/m³ for air in a hydrothermal area near Lake Mývatn; 12–30 μg/m³ for air in Heimaey during the 1973 eruption; and 16 μg/m³ for a sample of fumarole gas. Values for fresh igneous rocks, of various compositions, extrusive (subaerial), subaqueous (up to 3000 m depth), and intrusive, range between 2 and 9 ppb. Highest values obtained for uncontaminated samples are 37 ppb for a pyrite-bearing zone in a hydrothermal drill hole, and 125 ppb for a volcanic sublimate. The sources of the mercury levels observed are briefly discussed.     

Solubility of water and carbon dioxide in an icelandite at 1400 °C and 10 kilobars

The concentrations of water and carbon dissolved in an icelandite glass quenched from 1400 °C and 10 kbar were measured using Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy and elemental analyses of carbon and hydrogen. Only carbon dioxide and water were observed in the fluid phase as analysed after quenching with a qudrupole mass analyser. The mole fraction of carbon dioxide in the fluid phase ranged from 0.36 to 0.95. Carbon is dissolved as carbonate except at the highest CO₂ fluid fugacity, where a small amount of molecular CO₂ is observed. Dissolved carbon in the glasses, calculated as CO₂, remained constant at approximately 1 wt %, in spite of the different CO₂ fluid fugacities. Water was dissolved as molecular water and as hydroxyl groups, the hydroxyl concentration in the quenched glasses remaining almost constant over the whole interval, whereas the molecular water dissolves in accordance with Henry's law. Molecular water peaks at 5200␣cm⁻¹ and 1630 cm⁻¹, the hydroxyl peak at 4500␣cm⁻¹, and the carbonate peaks at 1400 cm⁻¹–1550 cm⁻¹ have been calibrated using elemental analyses of C and H in the quenched glasses. As molecular water decreases in the melt the higher wavenumber carbonate peak is observed to move towards the molecular water peak at 1630 cm⁻¹ causing a split of the carbonate peaks, ranging from 45 cm⁻¹ to 100 cm⁻¹. Received: 15 November 1995 / Accepted: 21 September 1996     

On the rate of lava- and tephra production and the upward migration of magma in four icelandic eruptions

The rate of the lava production of three Icelandic fissure eruptions (Lakagigar 1783, Hekla 1947, Askja 1961) is calculated and an attempt is made at a reasonable approximation of the rate of lava production per length and width of the feeding fissures and the rate of upward migration of the magma through the fissures. The results are summed up in Table 2. The figures for the maximum upward migration there presented should be regarded as minimum figures. As a comparison with the mainly lava producing fissure eruptions the tephra production of the acid and highly explosive Askja eruption of 1875 is discussed. It has hitherto been assumed that the enormous amount of tephra, about 2 km₃, which was produced by this eruption in 8 1/2 hours, came entirely from the Viti crater, but with regard to its small diameter it seems likely that the very fine grained tephra produced during the first hours of the eruption was partly expelled from nearby fissures now covered by Lake Öskjuvatn.

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Zusammenfassung Die Rate der Lavaförderung bei drei isländischen Spalteneruptionen (Lakagigar 1783, Hekla 1947, Askja 1961) wird errechnet, und es wird versucht, einen Annäherungswert zu gewinnen über die Rate der Lavaförderung, bezogen auf Länge und Weite der Zuführungsspalten und die Rate der Aufwärtsbewegung des Magma durch die Spalten. Die Ergebnisse sind in Tafel 2 zusammengefaßt. Die darin angegebenen Zahlen für die maximale Aufwärtsbewegung sollten als Minimum aufgefaßt werden. Als Vergleich mit den hauptsächlich Lava führenden Spalteneruptionen wird die Tephraproduktion der sauren und hochexplosiven Askja Eruption von 1875 behandelt. Bisher wurde angenommen, daß die enorme Menge Tephra — ungefähr 2 km₃, die diese Eruption in 8 1/2 Stunden hervorbrachte — ausschließlich aus dem Viti Krater kam; aber in Anbetracht seines geringen Durchmessers scheint es wahrscheinlich, daß die sehr feinkörnige Tephra, die während der ersten Stunden der Eruption entstand, teilweise von nahegelegenen Spalten ausgeworfen wurde, die jetzt vom Öskjuvatn-See bedeckt sind.

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Résumé La mesure de production de lave de trois éruptions fissurales de l'Islande (Lakagigar 1783, Hekla 1947, Askja 1961) est calculée et il est essayé de rapprocher la mesure de cette production à l'égard de longueur et largeur des fissures d'alimentation, et la mesure de la migration vers le haut du magma par les fissures. Les résultats sont présentés au tableau 2. Les chiffres de la migration maximum vers le haut doivent être entendus comme minimum. En comparaison avec l'éruption fissurale produisant principalement de la lave, la téphra production de l'acide et fort explosive éruption de l'Askja de 1875 est discutée. On a supposé jusqu'à présent que l'énorme masse de téphra, environ 2 km₃, qui fut produite lors de cette éruption en 8 1/2 heures, provenait seulement du cratére Viti; mais considérant son petit diamètre il est probable que la téphra de grain fin fut en partie lancée par des fissures voisines et qui à présent sont couvertes par le Lac Öskjuvatn.

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(Lakagígar 1783; Hekla 1947; Askja 1961). . Askja 1875 , . .

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Dedicated to Professor Dr. A.Rittmann on the occasion of his 75. birthday