Gravitational spreading causes en-echelon diking along a rift zone of Madeira Archipelago: an experimental approach and implications for magma transport

Many volcanic rift zones show dikes that are oriented oblique rather than parallel to the morphological ridge axis. We have evidence that gravitational spreading of volcanoes may adjust the orientation of ascending dikes within the crust and segment them into en-echelon arrays. This is exemplified by the Desertas Islands which are the surface expression of a 60 km long submarine ridge in southeastern Madeira Archipelago. The azimuth of the main dike swarm (average = 145°) deviates significantly from that of the morphological ridge (163°) defining an en-echelon type arrangement. We propose that this deviation results from the gravitational stress field of the overlapping volcanic edifices, reinforced by volcano spreading on weak substratum. We tested our thesis experimentally by mounting analogue sand piles onto a sand and viscous PDMS substratum. Gravitational spreading of this setup produced en-echelon fractures that clearly mimic the dike orientations observed, with a deviation of 10°–32° between the model’s ridge axis and that of the main fracture swarm. Using simple numerical models of segmented dike intrusion we found systematic changes of displacement vectors with depth and also with distance to the rift zone resulting in a complex displacement field. We propose that at depth beneath the Desertas Islands, magmas ascended along the ridge to produce the overall present-day morphology. Above the oceanic basement, gravitational stress and volcano spreading adjusted the principal stress axes’ orientations causing counterclockwise dike rotation of up to 40°. This effect limits the possible extent of lateral dike propagation at shallow levels and may have strong control on rift evolution and flank stability. The results highlight the importance of gravitational stress as a major, if not dominant factor in the evolution of volcanic rift zones.Editorial responsibility: M Carroll     

The Large Ring Laser G for Continuous Earth Rotation Monitoring

Ring Laser gyroscopes exploit the Sagnac effect and measure rotations absolute. They do not require an external reference frame and therefore provide an independent method to monitor Earth rotation. Large-scale versions of these gyroscopes promise to eventually provide a similar high resolution for the measurement of the variations in the Earth rotation rate as the established methods based on VLBI and GNSS. This would open the door to a continuous monitoring of LOD (Length of Day) and polar motion, which is not yet available today. Another advantage is the access to the sub-daily frequency regime of Earth rotation. The ring laser “G” (Grossring), located at the Geodetic Observatory Wettzell (Germany) is the most advanced realization of such a large gyroscope. This paper outlines the current sensor design and properties.     

Petrography,geochemistry and geochronology of granite hosted rhyodacites associated with a disseminated pyrite mineralization (Arnolz,Southern Bohemian Massif,Austria)

Mineralogy and Petrology - The study focuses on a subvolcanic rhyodacite dyke intruding a fine grained biotite granite and paragneisses of the South Bohemian Massif, part of the Variscan Orogenic...     

Optimal filtering for Bayesian detection and attribution of climate change

In the conventional approach to the detection of an anthropogenic or other externally forced climate change signal, optimal filters (fingerprints) are used to maximize the ratio of the observed climate change signal to the natural variability noise. If detection is successful, attribution of the observed climate change to the hypothesized forcing mechanism is carried out in a second step by comparing the observed and predicted climate change signals. In contrast, the Bayesian approach to detection and attribution makes no distinction between detection and attribution. The purpose of filtering in this case is to maximize the impact of the evidence, the observed climate change, on the prior probability that the hypothesis of an anthropogenic origin of the observed signal is true. Whereas in the conventional approach model uncertainties have no direct impact on the definition of the optimal detection fingerprint, in optimal Bayesian filtering they play a central role. The number of patterns retained is governed by the magnitude of the predicted signal relative to the model uncertainties, defined in a pattern space normalized by the natural climate variability. Although this results in some reduction of the original phase space, this is not the primary objective of Bayesian filtering, in contrast to the conventional approach, in which dimensional reduction is a necessary prerequisite for enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio. The Bayesian filtering method is illustrated for two anthropogenic forcing hypotheses: greenhouse gases alone, and a combination of greenhouse gases plus sulfate aerosols. The hypotheses are tested against 31-year trends for near-surface temperature, summer and winter diurnal temperature range, and precipitation. Between six and thirteen response patterns can be retained, as compared with the one or two response patterns normally used in the conventional approach. Strong evidence is found for the detection of an anthropogenic climate change in temperature, with some preference given to the combined forcing hypothesis. Detection of recent anthropogenic trends in diurnal temperature range and precipitation is not successful, but there remains strong net evidence for anthropogenic climate change if all data are considered jointly.

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Uncertainty Analysis and Expert Judgment in Seismic Hazard Analysis

The large uncertainty associated with the prediction of future earthquakes is usually regarded as the main reason for increased hazard estimates which have resulted from some recent large scale probabilistic seismic hazard analysis studies (e.g. the PEGASOS study in Switzerland and the Yucca Mountain study in the USA). It is frequently overlooked that such increased hazard estimates are characteristic for a single specific method of probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA): the traditional (Cornell?CMcGuire) PSHA method which has found its highest level of sophistication in the SSHAC probability method. Based on a review of the SSHAC probability model and its application in the PEGASOS project, it is shown that the surprising results of recent PSHA studies can be explained to a large extent by the uncertainty model used in traditional PSHA, which deviates from the state of the art in mathematics and risk analysis. This uncertainty model, the Ang?CTang uncertainty model, mixes concepts of decision theory with probabilistic hazard assessment methods leading to an overestimation of uncertainty in comparison to empirical evidence. Although expert knowledge can be a valuable source of scientific information, its incorporation into the SSHAC probability method does not resolve the issue of inflating uncertainties in PSHA results. Other, more data driven, PSHA approaches in use in some European countries are less vulnerable to this effect. The most valuable alternative to traditional PSHA is the direct probabilistic scenario-based approach, which is closely linked with emerging neo-deterministic methods based on waveform modelling.     

Multi-stage magma ascent beneath the Canary Islands: evidence from fluid inclusions

Gabbroic and ultramafic xenoliths and olivine and clinopyroxene phenocrysts in basaltic rocks from Gran Canaria, La Palma, El Hierro, Lanzarote and La Gomera (Canary Islands) contain abundant CO₂-dominated fluid inclusions. Inclusion densities are strikingly similar on a regional scale. Histogram maxima correspond to one or more of the following pressures: (1) minimum 0.55 to 1.0 GPa (within the upper mantle); (2) between 0.2 and 0.4 GPa (the Moho or the lower crust); (3) at about 0.1 GPa (upper crust). Fluid inclusions in several rocks show a bimodal density distribution, the lower-density maximum comprising both texturally early and late inclusions. This is taken as evidence for an incomplete resetting of inclusion densities, and simultaneous formation of young inclusions, at well-defined magma stagnation levels. For Gran Canaria, pressure estimates for early inclusions in harzburgite and dunite xenoliths and olivine phenocrysts in the host basanites overlap at 0.9 to 1.0 GPa, indicating that such magma reservoir depths coincide with levels of xenolith entrainment into the magmas. Magma chamber pressures within the mantle, inferred to represent levels of mantle xenolith entrainment, are 0.65–0.95 GPa for El Hierro, 0.60–0.68 GPa for La Palma, and 0.55–0.75 GPa for Lanzarote. The highest-density fluid inclusions in many Canary Island mantle xenoliths have probably survived in-situ near-isobaric heating at the depth of xenolith entrainment. Inclusion data from all islands indicate ponding of basaltic magmas at Moho or lower crustal depths, and possibly at an additional higher level, strongly suggestive of two main crustal accumulation levels beneath each island. We emphasize that repeated magmatic underplating of primitive magmas, and therefore intrusive accretion, are important growth mechanisms for the Canary Islands, and by analogy, for other ocean islands. Comparable fluid inclusion data from primitive rocks in other tectonic settings, including Iceland, Etna and continental rift systems (Hungary, South Norway), indicate that magma accumulation close to Moho depths shortly before eruption is not, however, restricted to oceanic intraplate volcanoes. Lower crustal ponding and crystallization prior to eruption may be the rule rather than the exception, independent of the tectonic setting. Received: 30 May 1997 / Accepted: 6 February 1998     

Magma hybridization in the Western Tatra Mts. granitoid intrusion (S-Poland, Western Carpathians)

In the Variscan Western Tatra granites hybridization phenomena such as mixing and mingling can be observed at the contact of mafic precursors of dioritic composition and more felsic granitic host rocks. The textural evidence of hybridization include: plagioclase?CK-feldspar?Csphene ocelli, hornblende- and biotite-rimmed quartz ocelli, plagioclase with Ca-rich spike zonation, inversely zoned K-feldspar crystals, mafic clots, poikilitic plagioclase and quartz crystals, mixed apatite morphologies, zoned K-feldspar phenocrysts. The apparent pressure range of the magma hybridization event was calculated at 6.1?kbar to 4.6?kbar, while the temperature, calculated by independent methods, is in the range of 810°C?770°C. U-Pb age data of the hybrid rocks were obtained by in-situ LA-MC-ICP-MS analysis of zircon. The oscillatory zoned zircon crystals yield a concordia age of 368?±?8?Ma (MSWD?=?1.1), interpreted as the age of magma hybridization and timing of formation of the magmatic precursors. It is the oldest Variscan magmatic event in that part of the Tatra Mountains.     

The elastic constants of crystalline limestone computed from the velocities of body waves

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Epicentre maps of the Mediterranean area (1901–1985)

The earthquake catalogue of the European area, 1901–1985, with unified magnitudes, has been used for the preparation of epicentre maps of the Mediterranean area. Epicentres have been plotted on three sheets for different magnitude ranges,M _B (orm _B ) 5, 0,M _S (orm _B ) = 4.4–4.9,M _S (orm _B ) 4.3, according to the estimated levels of homogeneity. The first map (M 5) enables an objective comparison of seismicity over the whole Mediterranean area. The other two maps are complementary without the guarantee of completeness. Epicentres define the position of principal earthquake zones and levels of earthquake activity. The maps also serve as the starting point for further data processing. Graphs illustrating the time variation of earthquake activity in the whole area and the mean magnitude-frequency relationships are included.