The fluid regime of high-temperature metamorphism during granitoid magma genesis

The strong negative correlation between the temperatures and melt H₂O contents of granitoid magmas implies that the crustal melting reactions that produced the magmas were strongly buffered, with T and aH₂O co-varying within a narrow band. This observation can only be explained if the partial melting reactions that created the magmas were either fluid-absent from the outset or evolved toward this condition as melting progressed. Since these melting reactions occur during upper amphibolite- to granulite-facies metamorphism, it is reasonable to conclude that metamorphic events responsible for the generation of granitoid magmas generally occur in the absence of excess pervasive fluid.     

Abstract databases as information sources in economic geography

The limitations of existing information sources on mergers/acquisitions within the EU are a serious obstacle to the study of the restructuring of the European production system. The experience of using a computerized abstracting service as a source of information on mergers/acquisitions in the chemical industry is reviewed. This experience informs an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of similar databases as information sources in economic geography. The proliferation of such databases, together with advances in text management software, suggests that their potential has not been fully appreciated. This potential is considerable in providing easy access to detailed factual information on economic events and processes at continental and global scales. It is, however, strictly limited when it comes to interpreting the corporate strategies and motivations responsible for these developments.     

Comments on the interpretation of linear magnetic anomalies

Summary In response to the recent interpretation of marine magnetic anomalies in terms of the crustal spreading hypothesis, a summary is made of other factors including structural, initial cooling, post cooling, and possible spontaneous processes which may cause at least some of the characters of linear magnetic anomalies. Arguments are developed by presentation ofQ values for 571 specimens from fourteen Icelandic lavas and six dikes, and by theQ value, stability factor, and oxidation variation between the cooling faces of one of these lavas. None of the processes described can alone readily account for the observed symmetry of magnetic anomalies with respect to mid-oceanic ridges, but are presented to encourage examination and development of mechanisms other than geomagnetic polarity changes superimposed on a crustal generating system, as the causes of at least some oceanic magnetic anomalies.     

A geomagnetic field reversal time scale back to 13.0 million years before present

The ages of reversals of the Earth's magnetic field have been dated accurately back to 3.4 m.y. ago. Between this time and the age of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary, dates for reversals have been calculated assuming a constant rate of sea-floor spreading in the South Atlantic Ocean. The presence of thick piles of lava flows in Iceland allows us to produce independent evidence for the ages of reversals back to 13.0 m.y. B.P. Because of the extreme regularity of extrusion of these lava flows, the measurement of their magnetic polarity allows us to correlate the lava flows which were extruded during the polarity intervals associated with sea-floor spreading anomalies. The measurement of many K-Ar ages on these lava flows also allows us to compare the ages of reversals assumed by the linear interpolation between the ages of 3.4 m.y. and the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary at 66.5 m.y., with those suggested by the radiometric dates. We find that in general the assumption of constant spreading has been a good one, but suggest a small change in the ages of reversals, amounting to an increase of about 0.27 m.y. in ages of reversals between 8.5 and 13.0 m.y. ago.     

Amsterdam Island,an isolated volcano in the southern Indian ocean

Twelve lavas have been sampled on Amsterdam Island, which is an extinct shield volcano located on a transform fault crossing the south-eastern branch of the Indian Ocean rise. Chemical analyses show that the lavas have mainly tholeiitic affinities, ranging from olivine tholeiites to plagioclase basalts with accumulation of bytownite. The high alumina lavas are similar to bytownite cumulates dredged from the Indian Ocean rise, and the low alumina lavas resemble tholeiites of Hawaii. The volcano appears to be in an early stage of evolution from oceanic ridge basalt to an alkaline volcano.     

Geochemistry of an oceanite-ankaramite-basalt suite from East Island,Crozet Archipelago

The petrology and geochemistry of East Island have been investigated for the first time. The island is a deeply dissected remnant of a Pleistocene shield volcano, one of several emerging from an oceanic rise forming part of the southwest branch of the Indian Ocean ridge system. The lavas form a flat-lying sequence of oceanites, ankaramites, olivine basalts and feldsparphyric basalts, the ankaramites containing 1 cm phenocrysts of diopsidic clinopyroxene. X-Ray fluorescence analyses were made of 43 lavas for the major elements plus Cr, Ni, Rb, Sr, Ba, Pb, and Th and the minerals were analysed by electron microprobe. The elements Mg, Cr, and Ni are strongly concentrated in spinel, olivine and clinopyroxene phases and in the ankaramites and oceanite lavas with maximum concentrations of 18% MgO, 1,000 ppm Cr, 380 ppm Ni, while Al, Ti, K, Rb, Ba, Th, Na, P, Sr concentrate in the groundmass and in the feldspathic and aphyric basalts. The elements Si, Ca, Fe and Mn remain virtually constant throughout the series.Correlations of +0.95 or better exist between the concentrations of elements within the two groups given above, and negative correlations between elements in different groups. The fractionation trends are unique with respect to the constant Al/Ti ratio and K/Sr ratio, but all trends may be reproduced by calculating the effect of subtraction of suitable amounts of chromite, olivine and low Ti clinopyroxene from an alkaline olivine basalt parent. Either fractionation has taken place involving these three phases under low pressure conditions or it is the result of different degrees of partial melting of mantle material.A complex magnesian chrome spinel is found in the ankaramites and is often jacketed by a chromian titanomagnetite. A complete series of intermediate compositions appears to exist between the two end members.     

On the structure of geometric positioning information in GPS measurements

The geometric information from observables of the Global Positioning System is analyzed through the eigenvectors of the normal matrix in the positioning estimation problem. The relationship among observability, bias absorption and loss of information in differencing measurements is addressed. Some general conclusions for point positioning and relative positioning problems are drawn from analytic inference and supported by numerical simulations. Received 10 August 1995; Accepted 17 July 1996