Metamorphism in the Adirondacks. I. Petrology, Pressure and Temperature

Grenville Supergroup sediments and suites of pre- and syn-tectonicigneous rocks have been metamorphosed to the upper amphiboliteand granulite facies in the Adirondacks of northern New Yorkduring the Grenville orogeny about one billion years ago. Magnetite-ilmenite, alkali feldspar-plagioclase, calcite-dolomiteand garnet-clinopyroxene thermometry indicate that metamorphictemperatures (T) increase from about 650 ?C in the area westand northwest of Gouverneur to 700–750 ?C near Coltonand along the Lowlands-Highlands boundary to 750–800 ?Cin areas within and around the Marcy anorthosite massif. Thepresence of grossular-rich garnet + quartz without wollastonite+ plagioclase in calc-silicate rocks and the apparent absenceof metamorphic ferropigeonite in charnockites restrict maximummetamorphic T to less than 800–850 ?C. Metamorphic pressures (P), determined from coexisting pyrite-pyrrhotite-sphalerite,garnet-rutile-sillimanite-ilmenite-quartz, fayalite-quartz-ferrosilite,fayalite-anorthite-garnet, ferrosilite-anorthite-garnet-quartz,kyanite-sillimanite, anorthite-garnet-sillimanite-quartz andthe stability of akermanite, are 6?5–7?0 kb near Gouverneurand increase to 7?5–8?0 kb in the central Adirondack Highlands. The above P-T data deduced from diverse mineralogical/chemicalsystems are interpreted as peak or near-peak conditions forAdirondack metamorphism. The compositions of thin retrograderims on garnets indicate a post-peak-metamorphic P-T path forthe Adirondacks with appreciable cooling (200–300?) beforedecompression. Peak and retrograde P-T conditions inferred forthe Adirondacks are similar to numerous other granulite terranessuggesting that similar tectonothermal events are necessaryfor the formation of many granulite belts.     

Lunar Pyroxene-Phyric Basalts: Crystallization Under Supercooled Conditions

Pyroxene-phyric basalts constitute a distinct petrologic groupin samples from lunar maria at both Apollo 12 and Apollo 15sites. Textures of pyroxene-phyric basalts from both sites aresimilar, but bulk compositions and mineralogy are somewhat different.Pyroxene-phyric basalts are characterized by large pyroxenephenocrysts with cores of magnesian pigeonite and mantles ofaugite grading to ferroaugite, usually set in a distinctly finergroundmass of iron-rich pyroxene, plagioclase, ilmenite, andother minor minerals. Olivine is scarce or absent modally andnormatively. Controversy has arisen over whether the porphyritictexture is a result of (1) a two-stage cooling history, e.g.phenocrysts formed at depth, and groundmass formed on extrusion;or (2) single stage, rapid cooling under supercooled conditions(cooling history here refers to cooling conditions imposed byexternal factors, and is not to be equated with ‘crystallizationhistory’). A study of six rocks belonging to this groupfrom Apollo 15 rake samples is reported here. A considerablerange of textures is present in these rocks, and they may beranked in order of decreasing late-stage cooling rate (15125,15666, 15682, 15118, 15684, 15116) on the basis of groundmasscrystal size. The same ranking is obtained from delta-beta (measuredin X-ray precession photos) of pigeonite and augite exsolvedfrom once homogeneous crystals, or of epitaxially overgrownaugite and pigeonite. The size of the phenocrysts in these rocks tends to be positivelycorrelated with the coarseness of the groundmass. Furthermorethe same correlation is evidently present in almost all otherApollo 12 and Apollo 15 pyroxene-phyric rocks. This constitutesa strong argument in favor of a single-stage cooling historyfor all pyroxene-phyric rocks, because the correlation wouldbe fortuitous for a two-stage cooling history. On the basisof this and many other arguments advanced previously and inthis paper, it is concluded that all the pyroxene-phyric rocksoriginated in a single-stage cooling process. A crystallization model for pyroxene-phyric rocks accounts forthe bimodal distribution of crystal size by two episodes ofsupercooling and nucleation during the continuous cooling process,the first of pyroxene, which nucleates homogeneously, the secondof plagioclase, which nucleates heterogeneously on the pyroxenephenocrysts. The more rapidly cooled rocks attained greaterdegrees of supercooling in both stages, hence greater nucleationrates and smaller crystals.     

Branding Strategies and Languages of Consumption

This article seeks to contribute to the limited literature on languages of consumption by focusing on the ways in which brands help to articulate the relationships between producers and consumers. A particular theme is the invention and exploitation of identities of place employed in branding strategies. This is illustrated by case studies of ‘clean, green’ New Zealand, and of corporate branding activites in the brewing and wine making industries.     

Metamorphism in the Adirondacks: II. The Role of Fluids

Quantitative estimates of metamorphic fluid speciation, stableisotopic analyses, and studies of fluid inclusions all documentthe local complexity of fluids in the deep crustal rocks exposedin the Adirondack Mountains, NY. Estimates of the activity ofH₂O in the granulite facies are substantially lower than inthe amphibolite facies gneisses. The onset of low water activitiesin semi-pelitic gneisses generally correlates with migmatitictextures in the uppermost amphibolite facies, suggesting thatpartial melts absorbed H₂O at the peak of metamorphism. In granulitefacies marbles and calc-silicates, conditions varied from extremelyundersaturated in H₂O-CO₂ fluid to fluid saturated, and _H2Oand _CO2 show sharp gradients within single outcrops. Low valuesof f_O2 and f_H2O, or of f_CO2, and f_H2O indicate fluid-absentconditions for some orthogneisses and marbles, which are inferredto have been ‘dry’ rocks before and during granulitefacies recrystallization. Wollastonite is preserved from earlycontact metamorphism and serves as an index mineral for fluid-absentconditions in granulites where _H2O is low. Values off_O2 rangefrom near the hematite + magnetite buffer in metamorphosed ironformation to substantially below the quartz + magnetite + fayalitebuffer in some orthogneisses. The anorthosite suite is moreoxidized than some associated granitic gneisses. Halogens (Fand Cl) substitute extensively for OH in micas and amphiboles,extending their stability, although F₂, Cl₂, HCl, and HF areminor components in any fluid. Oxybiotite-type exchanges involvingO for OH are also important, extending the stability of biotite.Stable isotopic ratios of O and C demonstrate that premetamorphicwhole-rock compositions are commonly preserved whereas mineralcompositions generally reflect equilibration at the peak ofmetamorphism. The Marcy Anorthosite Massif was intruded as ahigh ¹⁸O magma. The combination of mineral equilibria, stable isotope data,and fluid inclusions is used to identify and to distinguishamong pre-orogenic contact metamorphic/hydrothermal events,peak metamorphic events, and retrograde/postmetamorphic events.Polymetamorphism is documented at skarn zones adjacent to anorthosite,where large volumes of hydrothermal fluid were channeled duringearly, shallow contact metamorphism and where conditions werefluid poor during subsequent regional metamorphism. Peak metamorphicevents are inferred to have been caused primarily by magmaticprocesses of intrusion and anatexis. Partial melting has causedlow values of _H2O in many rocks, but in other cases low valuesof _H2O are recorded in orthogneisses derived from H₂O-poor magmas.Isotopic studies show that maximum fluid/rock ratios were <0?land possibly 0?0 for infiltrating fluids at the peak of metamorphismin many localities. No evidence of pervasive, regional infiltrationby a fluid at the peak of metamorphism has been substantiatedin the Adirondacks. Fluid inclusions containing high-densityCO₂ or CO₂ + H₂O represent conditions from after the peak ofmetamorphism and document isobaric cooling, in agreement withestimates from garnet zoning. Fine-scale retrograde veins arecommon and are associated with high-density CO₂-rich fluid inclusions.     

Landscape Change and Environmental Histories

Historical geography was once a popular element of university curricula in New Zealand. It was also a conspicuous focus of research. Today however there is only one identifiable course in historical geography in New Zealand's university calendars – at Massey – and few writers have maintained an active research interest rooted in the sub‐discipline. This Comment suggests some reasons why now is a good time for New Zealand's geographers to reassess this state of affairs, and outlines five themes that might be pursued in the construction of more explicit historical geographies at the start of the third millennium.     

The Occurrence of Forsterite and Highly Oxidizing Conditions in Basaltic Lavas from Stromboli Volcano, Italy

We report the occurrence of unusual, high-magnesium (Fo₉₆) olivinephenocrysts in a basaltic lava and an ejected lithic block fromthe Upper Vancori period (13 ka) and the recent activity (2002–2003)of Stromboli volcano, Italy. The samples that contain this distinctivemineral chemistry are a shoshonitic basalt and a basaltic andesitewith anomalous bulk-rock chemical characteristics in which theiron is highly oxidized (6–8 wt % Fe₂O₃ and <1 wt %FeO). In other respects these samples are similar to the majorityof Stromboli basalts, characterized by the coexistence of olivine,clinopyroxene, plagioclase and Fe–Ti oxides as phenocrysts,and clinopyroxene, plagioclase and Fe–Ti oxides in thegroundmass. In the high-magnesium olivine samples, Fe–Tioxides (pseudobrookite) typically occur as symplectitic intergrowthswith the olivine phenocrysts, indicating simultaneous growthof the two phases. We propose, as a paragenetic model, thatthe Fo₉₆ olivine phenocrysts crystallized from a highly oxidizedbasaltic magma in which most of the iron was in the ferric state;hence, only magnesium was available to form olivine. The highlyoxidized state of the magma reflects sudden degassing of volatilephases associated with instantaneous, irreversible, transientdegassing of the magma chamber; this is postulated to occurduring periods of sudden decompression induced by fracturingof the volcanic edifice associated with paroxysmic activityand edifice collapse. KEY WORDS: Stromboli; Mg-rich olivine; oxygen fugacity; redox state of magmas; irreversible processes     

ANALYSIS OF THE COMMON MIDPOINT GATHER BY DECOMPOSITION INTO ELEMENTARY WAVEFRONTS1

The imaginary wavefront of a common midpoint gather of seismic data is analysed in terms of elementary wavefronts. The wavefronts emitted by the sources are split into a sequence of elementary circular wavefronts. Each such wavefront is independently transmitted through the subsurface and received by a group of receivers associated with the sources. The theory is first demonstrated in the case of a one-layer medium and is then extended to the case of a multilayer medium. We show that pairs of imaginary stationary points F and F' occur in the first medium through which all the rays, corresponding to the group of sources and receivers associated with the elementary wavefront pass. The location of the points is determined by 2n equations with 2n unknowns; (2n - 1) of these equations correspond to n layers of the medium, and an additional equation is given by the geometry of the CMP gather. Applying Fermat's principle between the points F and F', we obtain an algorithm for CMP ray tracing. The wavefront sampling problem is considered but not theoretically solved. Results obtained in the general case (a multilayer medium with lateral velocity variation) are presented and compared with those obtained by other modelling techniques.