Geochemistry of oceanic carbonatites compared with continental carbonatites: mantle recycling of oceanic crustal carbonate

Major and trace element and Sr-Nd-Pb-O-C isotopic compositions are presented for carbonatites from the Cape Verde (Brava, Fogo, Sáo Tiago, Maio and Sáo Vicente) and Canary (Fuerteventura) Islands. Carbonatites show pronounced enrichment in Ba, Th, REE, Sr and Pb in comparison to most silicate volcanic rocks and relative depletion in Ti, Zr, Hf, K and Rb. Calcio (calcitic)-carbonatites have primary (mantle-like) stable isotopic compositions and radiogenic isotopic compositions similar to HIMU-type ocean island basalts. Cape Verde carbonatites, however, have more radiogenic Pb isotope ratios (e.g. ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb=19.3-20.4) than reported for silicate volcanic rocks from these islands (18.7-19.9; Gerlach et al. 1988; Kokfelt 1998). We interpret calcio-carbonatites to be derived from the melting of recycled carbonated oceanic crust (eclogite) with a recycling age of ~1.6 Ga. Because of the degree of recrystallization, replacement of calcite by secondary dolomite and elevated ‘¹³C and ‘¹⁸O, the major and trace element compositions of the magnesio (dolomitic)-carbonatites are likely to reflect secondary processes. Compared with Cape Verde calcio-carbonatites, the less radiogenic Nd and Pb isotopic ratios and the negative Ɨ/4 of the magnesio-carbonatites (also observed in silicate volcanic rocks from the Canary and Cape Verde Islands) cannot be explained through secondary processes or through the assimilation of Cape Verde crust. These isotopic characteristics require the involvement of a mantle component that has thus far only been found in the Smoky Butte lamproites from Montana, which are believed to be derived from subcontinental lithospheric sources. Continental carbonatites show much greater variation in radiogenic isotopic composition than oceanic carbonatites, requiring a HIMU-like component similar to that observed in the oceanic carbonatites and enriched components. We interpret the enriched components to be Phanerozoic through Proterozoic marine carbonate (e.g. limestone) recycled through shallow, subcontinental-lithospheric-mantle and deep, lower-mantle sources.     

Cluster gets to grips with the magnetosphere

On 9 November 2001 RAS hosted the first UK meeting to discuss results from Cluster, itself the first mission to explore the Earth's magnetosphere with four identically instrumented spacecraft – and thus fully resolve the complex spatial and temporal variations of the plasmas that fill space around the Earth. Mike Hapgood reports.     

Synclinal-horst basins: examples from the southern Rio Grande rift and southern transition zone of southwestern New Mexico, USA

In areas of broadly distributed extensional strain, the back‐tilted edges of a wider than normal horst block may create a synclinal‐horst basin. Three Neogene synclinal‐horst basins are described from the southern Rio Grande rift and southern Transition Zone of southwestern New Mexico, USA. The late Miocene–Quaternary Uvas Valley basin developed between two fault blocks that dip 6–8° toward one another. Containing a maximum of 200 m of sediment, the Uvas Valley basin has a nearly symmetrical distribution of sediment thickness and appears to have been hydrologically closed throughout its history. The Miocene Gila Wilderness synclinal‐horst basin is bordered on three sides by gently tilted (10°, 15°, 20°) fault blocks. Despite evidence of an axial drainage that may have exited the northern edge of the basin, 200–300 m of sediment accumulated in the basin, probably as a result of high sediment yields from the large, high‐relief catchments. The Jornada del Muerto synclinal‐horst basin is positioned between the east‐tilted Caballo and west‐tilted San Andres fault blocks. Despite uplift and probable tilting of the adjacent fault blocks in the latest Oligocene and Miocene time, sediment was transported off the horst and deposited in an adjacent basin to the south. Sediment only began to accumulate in the Jornada del Muerto basin in Pliocene and Quaternary time, when an east‐dipping normal fault along the axis of the syncline created a small half graben. Overall, synclinal‐horst basins are rare, because horsts wide enough to develop broad synclines are uncommon in extensional terrains. Synclinal‐horst basins may be most common along the margins of extensional terrains, where thicker, colder crust results in wider fault spacing.     

Weather as a Chronic Hazard for Road Transportation in Canadian Cities

Inclement weather creates a chronic hazard for Canadian travellers. Past studies indicate that road collision rates increase during precipitation, although the magnitude of theincrease varies from study to study, partly as a result of variations in weather and driving conditions,but also because of differences in methods. The goal of the current study is to improve ourunderstanding of the links between weather and travel risk in mid-sized Canadian cities by using astandardized method for analyzing data from six cities with different climates: Halifax-Dartmouth,Ottawa, Québec, Hamilton, Waterloo Region, and Regina. The study has four interrelated objectives: (1) Toconduct a sensitivity analysis to determine the extent to which risk estimates vary depending onthe criteria used to define precipitation events and `normal' conditions; (2) To compare therelative risk of collision and injury during precipitation relative to `normal' conditions; (3) Todetermine the extent to which weather-related risks vary fordifferent Canadian cities; and (4) To explore any differences in collision characteristics between events and controls, especially as theyvary from city to city. Results are based on a matched-pair analysis, using six-hour time blocks over afour-year period, 1995 to 1998. Results indicate only modest sensitivity to the criteria used to define precipitation events and `normal' conditions. On average, precipitation is associated with a 75 percentincrease in traffic collisions and a 45 percent increase in related injuries, as compared to `normal'seasonal conditions, but risk levels vary depending on the characteristics of the weather event.Both sensitivity to specific weather conditions and weather-related accident profiles vary from city tocity in ways that are not easily explained.     

Fluxes of Sr into the headwaters of the Ganges

Himalayan weathering is recognized as an important agent in modifying sea water chemistry, but there are significant uncertainties in our understanding of Himalayan riverine fluxes. This paper examines causes of the variability, including that of the seasons, by analysis of downstream variations in Sr, ⁸⁷Sr, and major ions in the mainstream, in relation to the composition of tributary streams from subcatchments with differing geologic substrates.Water samples were collected over four periods spanning the premonsoon, monsoon, and postmonsoon seasons. Uncertainties in the relative fluxes have been estimated, using Monte Carlo techniques, from the short-term variability of mainstream chemistry and the scatter of tributary compositions. The results show marked seasonal variations in the relative inputs related to high monsoon rainfall in the High and Lesser Himalaya, contrasting with the major contribution from glacial melt waters from the Tibetan Sedimentary Series (TSS) at times of low rainfall. Much of the spread in previously published estimates of the sources of Sr in Himalayan rivers may result from these seasonal variations in Sr fluxes.The annual fluxes of Sr into the headwaters of the Ganges are derived from the three main tectonic units in the proportions 35 ± 1% from the TSS, 27 ± 3% from the High Himalayan Crystalline Series (HHCS), and 38 ± 8% from the Lesser Himalaya. The particularly elevated ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios characteristic of the HHCS and the Lesser Himalaya enhance their influence on seawater Sr-isotope composition. The TSS contributes 13 ± 1%, the HHCS 30 ± 3%, and the Lesser Himalaya 57 ± 11% of the ⁸⁷Sr flux in excess of the seawater ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.709.     

Wide-angle seismic velocities in heterogeneous crust

Seismic velocities measured by wide-angle surveys are commonly used to constrain material composition in the deep crust. Therefore, it is important to understand how these velocities are affected by the presence of multiscale heterogeneities. The effects may be characterised by the scale of the heterogeneity relative to the dominant seismic wavelength (λ); what is clear is that heterogeneities of all scales and strengths bias wide-angle velocities to some degree. Waveform modelling was used to investigate the apparent wide-angle P -wave velocities of different heterogeneous lower crusts. A constant composition (50 per cent felsic and 50 per cent ultramafic) was formed into a variety of 1- and 2-D heterogeneous arrangements and the resulting wide-angle seismic velocity was estimated. Elastic, 1-D models produced the largest velocity shift relative to the true average velocity of the medium (which is the velocity of an isotropic mixture of the two components). Thick (width > λ) horizontal layers, as a result of Fermat's Principle, provided the largest increase in velocity; thin (width ≪λ) vertical layers produced the largest decrease in velocity. Acoustic 2-D algorithms were shown to be inadequate for modelling the kinematics of waves in bodies with multiscale heterogeneities. Elastic, 2-D modelling found velocity shifts (both positive and negative) that were of a smaller magnitude than those produced by 1-D models. The key to the magnitude of the velocity shift appears to be the connectivity of the fast (and/or slow) components. Thus, the models with the highest apparent levels of connectivity between the fast phases, the 1-D layers, produced the highest-magnitude velocity shifts. To understand the relationship between measured seismic velocities and petrology in the deep crust it is clear that high-resolution structural information (which describes such connectivity) must be included in any modelling.     

Genesis of the Shear Zone-related Gold Vein Mineralization of the Lega Dembi Gold Deposit, Adola Gold Field, Southern Ethiopia

The Lega Dembi Primary Gold Deposit in southern Ethiopia is related to the shear zone-hosted vein in the Neoproterozoic metamorphosed volcano-sedimentary succession of greenschist- to amphibolite-facies metamorphism. The rocks consists of a sequence of biotite-feldspar-quartz schists, carbonaceous mica-schists, amphibolites and basic to ultrabasic rocks. This unit is separated from a foot wall biotite gneiss by a major shear zone. The ore bodies are hosted in the volcano-sedimentary sequence and consist of swarms of quartz veins, lenses, and stockworks that propagated along mesoscale ductile to brittle-ductile shear zones.The mineralization is defined by a complex paragenesis of gold in association with Cu-Pb-Zn-Fe sulphides, tellurides and sulphosalts. The presence of Ni-bearing minerals in amphibolites of the host sequence, together with the ore mineral association, suggests an origin related to mafic volcanism.