Geochemical stratigraphy of the Huronian continental volcanics at Thessalon,Ontario: contributions of two-stage crustal fusion

The 1500 m thick sequence of Huronian continental volcanics at Thessalon, Ontario is subdivided into 4 volcanic cycles, each of which includes abundant early mafic end-members, central intermediate flows, and late rhyolite units. Major and trace element concentrations are dominated by extensive gabbroic fractionation trends that ultimately produced two types of felsic flows: (1) rhyolites with high light rare earth element (LREE) and relatively low large-ion lithophile element (LILE) concentrations (high-LREE, low-LILE rhyolites), and (2) following late separation of REE-rich accessory phases, rhyolites depleted in LREE (low-LREE, high-LILE rhyolites). Mafic end-members of individual volcanic cycle are progressively less siliceous and less enriched in LILE and LREE with height in the stratigraphic section. Ti/Zr ratios gradually rise from 35 in early mafic flows to stabilize at about 85 in late units, while average SiO₂ contents decrease from 56 to about 50% and Mg# rises from about 48 to 52. -Nd values are consistently negative, indicating variable degrees of pre-fractionation crustal contamination of the end-member magmas during their uprise through the crust. Mixing models are consistent with up to 50% contamination by crustal material of tonalitic hornblende-gneiss composition. A progressive increase in -Nd, from about-5.0 to-0.5 upward in the volcanic succession, reflects a decreasing degree of crustal contamination due to development of insulating layers along margins of the feeder system. Detailed stratigraphic variations suggest that successive magmas batches were intercepted by a progressively fractionating, periodically replenished magma source, giving rise to open-system magmatism. Despite the prevalence of crustal assimilation in the Huronian lavas, (La/Sr)N ratios are too low in least contaminated end-members to be explained by contamination of tholeiitic magmas. The late basalts resemble instead modern island are basalts, and it is suggested that the subcontinental mantle source was enriched by subduction-related processes during crustal formation. Within individual volcanic cycles gabbroic fractionation trends systematically deviate from calculated factors toward compositions characteristic of hornblende-gneiss. Such relations suggest that further crustal contamination of the magmas occurred simultaneous with crystal fractionation. probably within undulating sills at upper crustal levels. Quantitative analysis suggests assimilation/fractional crystallization (A/FC) ratios of about 0.45. As a result of extensive two-stage contamination, rhyolites from the initial volcanic cycle incorporate a total of over 60% of crust.     

中国大陆第四纪地壳运动时程

本文从中国大陆有代表性的青藏高原、黄土高原、三峡地区着手,进行了新构造运动剖析。并结合全国火山活动期次,总结出中国大陆第四纪地壳运动的时程变化。从而为进一步探讨新构造运动特点和规律,为国民经济建设及人类生存环境提供了一定的地质背景资料。     

冀西北长城纪宣龙式铁矿层中微体植物化石的发现及其意义

本文研究的是笔者等在冀西北长城系串岭沟组宣龙式铁矿层中发现的微体植物化石,这些化石都保存在铁质叠层石(肾状赤铁矿)和铁质核形石(鲕状赤铁矿)的基本层中。微化石以丝状体为主,部分为球状体。归属于原核生物蓝藻门颤藻科的两个属和色球藻科的一个属。化石层同位素年龄约在1800—1757Ma。这些化石与北美冈弗林特组微化石比较,既有些相似,又有些区别。该化石的发现为研究铁矿的成因,指示沉积环境及层位对比都很有意义。     

“地理学公理”质疑——与楚义芳同志商榷

本文运用地理学和物理学的规律进行论证,认为楚义芳同志在《地理学的逻辑方法与基本法则》一文中提出的“地理学公理”不能成立。并在此基础上进一步阐明一个公理体系不适合于地理学,而经验假设则是绝对必要的。     

Shear-induced instability and arch filament eruption: A magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) numerical simulation

We investigate, via a two-dimensional (nonplanar) MHD simulation, a situation wherein a bipolar magnetic field embedded in a stratified solar atmosphere (i.e., arch-filament-like structure) undergoes symmetrical shear motion at the footpoints. It was found that the vertical plasma flow velocities grow exponentially leading to a new type of global MHD-instability that could be characterized as a Dynamic Shearing Instability, with a growth rate of about 8{ovV} _A a, where {ovV} _A is the average Alfvén speed and a ^–1 is the characteristic length scale. The growth rate grows almost linearly until it reaches the same order of magnitude as the Alfvén speed. Then a nonlinear MHD instability occurs beyond this point. This simulation indicates the following physical consequences: the central loops are pinched by opposing Lorentz forces, and the outer closed loops stretch upward with the vertically-rising mass flow. This instability may apply to arch filament eruptions (AFE) and coronal mass ejections (CMEs).To illustrate the nonlinear dynamical shearing instability, a numerical example is given for three different values of the plasma beta that span several orders of magnitude. The numerical results were analyzed using a linearized asymptotic approach in which an analytical approximate solution for velocity growth is presented. Finally, this theoretical model is applied to describe the arch filament eruption as well as CMEs.     

U-Pb, Hf and O isotope evidence for two episodes of fluid-assisted zircon growth in marble-hosted eclogites from the Dabie orogen

A combined study of internal structure, U-Pb age, and Hf and O isotopes was carried out for metamorphic zircons from ultrahigh-pressure eclogite boudins enclosed in marbles from the Dabie orogen in China. CL imaging identifies two types of zircon that are metamorphically new growth and recrystallized domain, respectively. The metamorphic zircons have low Th and U contents with low Th/U ratios, yielding two groups of ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age at 245 ± 3 to 240 ± 2 Ma and 226 ± 4 to 223 ± 2 Ma, respectively. Anomalously high δ¹⁸O values were obtained for refractory minerals, with 9.9 to 21.4‰ for garnet and 16.9‰ for zircon. This indicates that eclogite protolith is sedimentary rocks capable of liberating aqueous fluid for zircon growth during continental subduction-zone metamorphism. Most of the zircons are characterized by very low ¹⁷⁶Lu/¹⁷⁷Hf ratios of 0.000001-0.000028, indicating their growth in association with garnet recrystallization. A few of them falling within the older age group have comparatively high ¹⁷⁶Lu/¹⁷⁷Hf ratios of 0.000192-0.000383, suggesting their growth prior to the formation of garnet in the late stage of subduction. The variations in the Lu/Hf ratios for zircons can thus be used to correlate with garnet growth during eclogite-facies metamorphism. In either case, the zircons have variable ε_Hf (t) values for individual samples, suggesting that their protolith is heterogeneous in Hf isotope composition with localized fluid availability in the bulk processes of orogenic cycle. Nevertheless, a positive correlation exists between ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U ages and Lu-Hf isotope ratios for the metamorphically recrystallized zircons, suggesting that eclogite-facies metamorphism in the presence of fluid has the identical effect on zircon Lu-Hf and U-Th-Pb isotopic systems. We conclude that the zircons of the older group grew in the presence of fluid during the subduction prior to the onset of peak ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism, whereas the younger zircons grew in the presence of fluid released during the initial exhumation toward high-pressure eclogite-facies regime.     

Effect of some additives on synthesis of zeolite from coal fly ash

Hydrothermal conversion of fly ash into zeolites was conducted and the effects of the addition of sodium halide and waste solutions produced after zeolitization of fly ash, as well as the adjustment of the Si/Al ratio prior to synthesis process on the formation and cation exchange capacity (CEC) of zeolite product were evaluated. Both the addition of NaCl and NaF ameliorated the crystallinity and CEC of synthesized zeolite, but NaF had a better improvement effect. Na⁺ was considered to enhance the crystallization of zeolite, while F⁻ favored the dissolution of fly ash. The type of zeolite formed depended on the Si/Al ratio of the starting material prior to the nucleation and crystallization of zeolite. The adjustment of the Si/Al ratio of fly ash by addition of Na₂SiO₄ and Al(OH)₃ changed the type and CEC of zeolite. Waste solutions contained large amount of Si and little Al due to the formation of a zeolite named NaP1 in zeolite terminology with the Joint Committee of Powder Diffraction Standard (JCPDS) code of 39-0219. The alkalinity decreased largely. As a result, the CEC value of zeolite products synthesized with waste solution as alkali source decreased. The supplementation of new alkali to adjust the alkalinity of waste solution could enhance the CEC of synthesized product. It was concluded that: (1) addition of sodium halide and adjustment of the Si/Al ratio prior to synthesis can improve the quality of zeolite; (2) waste solutions produced following the zeolitization of fly ash can be reused as an alkali source in the activation of fly ash; zero-emission of waste solution in the synthesis of zeolite from fly ash is possible.