Multi-stage mixing in subduction zones: Application to Merapi volcano (Java island, Sunda arc)

Many studies have argued for the contribution of at least three components, namely the mantle wedge, the subducted oceanic crust, and its sediment cover, to describe the geochemistry of island arc volcanics. However, isotope correlations reflecting a simple binary mixing can be observed at the scale of a single arc island or volcano. Here we investigate the possibility that these trends reflect pseudo-binary mixing relationships in a three-component system. We present a simplified, two-stage model for the systematic isotope modelling of a cogenetic suite of arc lavas. This includes metasomatism of portions of the mantle wedge by hydrous phases released from the down-going oceanic crust, and sediments, followed by progressive mixing and melting. A consequence of this model is that it leads to a two end-member mixing process from the mantle wedge, oceanic crust, and sediment components. To solve the model we reduce it to a step-by-step procedure combined with a Monte-Carlo simulation. The procedure consists of: (i) producing a large number of random values on each variable of the model; (ii) using the computed values to calculate the isotopic compositions of lavas; and (iii) comparing the obtained isotopic compositions with measured data. Applied to a new set of Sr, Nd, and Pb isotope data for volcanics (basalts, basaltic andesites, trachybasalts, and basaltic trachyandesites) from Merapi volcano (Java island, Sunda arc), the model successfully reproduces the binary mixing relationships previously documented for the medium-K and high-K lava series from this volcano, thus giving further support to the hypothesis that this distinction is inherited from the primary magmas and primarily reflects a property of the mantle source. The results allow identification of a set of numerical values for bulk partition coefficients (solid/hydrous fluid, and solid/H₂O-rich melt) and variables (e.g., the mass ratio between the metasomatizing phase and the mantle wedge), which can be used for quantitative arc-lava petrogenetic calculations. They also require a direct relationship between dehydration of the slab and melting of the metasomatized mantle wedge. Finally, our evaluation shows that for isotope modelling of the Merapi lavas, the two-stage procedure is controlled more by the considered source components (mantle wedge, oceanic crust, sediments, and their derivatives) than by the various processes involved (dehydration, melting, and mixing).     

Characterization and migration of atmospheric REE in soils and surface waters

Rainwater and snow collected from three different sites in France (Vosges Mountains, French Alps and Strasbourg) show more or less similar shapes of their REE distribution patterns. Rainwater from Strasbourg is the most REE enriched sample, whereas precipitations from the two mountainous, less polluted catchments are less REE enriched and have concentrations close to seawater. They are all strongly LREE depleted.Different water samples from an Alpine watershed comprising snow, interstitial, puddle and streamwater show similar REE distributions with LREE enrichment (rainwater normalized) but MREE and HREE depletion. In this environment, where water transfer from the soil to the river is very quick due to the low thickness of the soils, it appears that REE in streamwater mainly originate from atmospheric inputs. Different is the behaviour of the REE in the spring- and streamwaters from the Vosges Mountains. These waters of long residence time in the deep soil horizons react with soil and bedrock REE carrying minerals and show especially significant negative Eu anomalies compared to atmospheric inputs. Their Sr and Nd isotopic data suggest that most of the Sr and Nd originate from apatite leaching or dissolution. Soil solutions and soil leachates from the upper soil horizons due to alteration processes strongly depleted in REE carrying minerals, have REE distribution patterns close to those of lichens and throughfall. Throughfall is slightly more enriched especially in light REE than filtered rainwater probably due to leaching of atmospheric particles deposited on the foliage and also to leaf excretion.Data suggest that Sr and Nd isotopes of the soil solutions in the upper soil horizons originate from two different sources: 1) An atmospheric source with fertilizer, dust and seawater components and 2) A source mainly determined by mineral dissolution in the soil. These two different sources are also recognizable in the Sr and Nd isotopic composition of the tree’s throughfall solution. The atmospheric contributions of Sr and Nd to throughfall and soil solution are of 20 to 70 and 20%, respectively. In springwater, however, the atmospheric Sr and REE contribution is not detectable.     

Seismic endoscopy: multi-offset multi-azimuth imaging around boreholes – data processing and experimental results

An acoustic method, called seismic endoscopy, able to perform 3D imaging around shallow-depth boreholes is presented. A probe, composed of an isotropic source and a directional receiver working in the 20–100 kHz frequency range, provides images of cylindrical volumes having radii of a few metres, with an accuracy of centimetres and 25° azimuthal directivity. In order to obtain clear images of the medium discontinuities, multi-offset and multi-azimuth data acquisition allows specific algorithms to be used to determine vertical directivity correction, azimuthal focusing and reflected wave enhancement by cancellation of the tube waves. The method is tested with data acquired in an acoustic tank and with synthetic data. Initial experimental results at a test site demonstrate the performance of the seismic endoscopy probe.     

Determination of Gold in Twenty Geochemical Reference Samples by Flameless Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

After acid digestion, gold is extracted with MIBK and determinated by flameless atomic absorption spectrometry. The results for six USGS reference samples and fourteen French geochemical standards are presented and discussed. The agreement with working values for these standards is in the range of pm 5%.     

LA CHINE EST-ELLE PLACEE ENTRE DEUX GRANDES FRACTURES DE LA CROUTE TERRESTRE ?

Hest bien clair que toute reponse a cette question, sera du plus haut interet pour les geologues de la Chine, vu que les resultats de la geodesie semblent bien indiquer que la croute terrestre est divisee en plusieurs blocs independants, juxtaposes et equilibres isostatiquement.     

Diagenetic K-feldspar pseudomorphs in the Triassic Buntsandstein sandstones of the Iberian Range, Spain

Early diagenetic K-feldspar in the Triassic Buntsandstein of the Iberian Range (Spain) occurs as pseudomorphs after detrital K-feldspar (Or<93) and plagioclase (Ab<96). These pseudomorphs are chemically pure (Or>99), untwinned, commonly heavily clouded by vacuoles and tiny inclusions, dark-luminescing and are composed of numerous fine euhedral crystals of K-feldspar. The latter property suggests that the pseudomorphs form via dissolution of detrital K-feldspar and plagioclase and precipitation of authigenic K-feldspar. X-ray diffraction analysis shows that the authigenic K-feldspar is intermediate microcline.     

Mass Spectrometric Isotope Dilution Analyses Of Barium in Geochemical Reference Samples

Twenty-four geochemical reference samples have been analysed far barium using the stable isotope dilution technique. These include five CRPG, ten ANRT, six Nimroc and two CCRMP samples together with the Tonalite from Tanzania, Duplicate analyses have been made in each case and our values for barium are believed to be accurate to approximately 3 %. In general, our results are in good agreement with the published data except for Nimroc samples where our data are consistently lower than the presently accepted values. No evidence of sample inhomogeneities was observed in the present work.     

Spatiotemporal changes in cadmium contamination in the Seine estuary (France)

Cadmium (Cd) is among the major contaminants in the Seine estuary. In the biota, the RNO (Réseau National d’Observation, the French Mussel-Watch) has shown that Cd concentrations in mussels living at the mouth of the estuary are related to changes in inputs to this area of phosphogypsum, a calcium sulphate that is a by-product of the phosphoric acid naturally enriched with Cd. In the water column, Cd concentrations at several key estuary sites show a very marked trend toward decreased contamination in the particles as well as in the dissolved phase. The behavior of Cd in the estuary has been studied between 1991 and 1998 in the framework of the scientific program Seine-Aval. This program has highlighted punctual Cd inputs in the estuarine water column. The partition of Cd between the dissolved and the particulate phase, previously described in various estuaries, is characterized by an intense phenomenon of solubilization in the mixing zone freshwater-seawater, but the colloidal Cd fraction remains low along the whole salinity gradient, about 5% to 10% of the apparent dissolved fraction. Although the decrease of inputs induced a fall of Cd concentrations in the water column, laboratory experiments show that the estuarine particles are far from being exhausted in Cd. Despite continuous efforts to reduce the urban and industrial inputs into the estuarine and coastal waters, the Seine estuary still remains very contaminated by Cd.