Water content in natural eclogite and implication for water transport into the deep upper mantle

Infrared spectroscopy and ion micro-probe measurements showed that the major constituent minerals of eclogites from the Kokchetav massif, which have been subducted to 180 km depths, contain significant amounts of water up to 870 ppm H₂O (by weight) in omphacite, 130 ppm H₂O in garnet and 740 ppm H₂O in rutile. Omphacite shows three hydroxyl absorption bands at 3440–3460, 3500–3530 and 3600–3625 cm^− 1, garnet has a single band at 3580–3630 cm^− 1 and rutile has a single sharp band at 3280 cm^− 1. The hydroxyl absorbance at these wavenumbers changes with the crystal orientation in polarized infrared radiation, indicating that the water is structurally incorporated in these minerals. The water contents in omphacite and garnet increase systematically with the metamorphic pressure of the host eclogites. The partitioning coefficient of the water content between coexisting garnet and omphacite is similar in different eclogites, D^Grt/Omp0.1–0.2, but decreases slightly at high pressure. Based on the mineral proportions of the eclogites, we estimate bulk-rock water content in the eclogites ranging from 3070 to 300 ppm H₂O (by weight). Although hydrous minerals are absent in the diamond-grade eclogite (60 kbar and 1000 °C), trace amounts of water are incorporated in the nominally anhydrous minerals such as omphacite and garnet. The presence of significant water in these minerals implies that the subducting oceanic crust can transport considerable amounts of water into the deep upper mantle beyond the stability of hydrous minerals. Such water may be stored in the deep upper mantle and have an important influence on dynamics in the Earth's interior.     

Unique Origin of Skarn at the Ohori Base Metal Deposit,Yamagata Prefecture,NE Japan: C,O and S Isotopic Study

The Ohori ore deposit is one of the Cu–Pb–Zn deposits in the Green Tuff region, NE Japan, and consists of skarn‐type (Kaninomata) and vein‐type (Nakanomata) orebodies. The former has a unique origin because its original calcareous rocks were made by hydrothermal precipitation during Miocene submarine volcanism. Carbon and oxygen isotope ratios of skarn calcite and sulfur isotope ratios of sulfides were measured in and around the deposit. Carbon and oxygen isotope ratios of the skarn calcite are δ¹³C = ?15.51 to ?5.1‰, δ¹⁸O = +3.6 to +22.5‰. δ¹³C values are slightly lower than those of the Cretaceous skarn deposits in Japan. These isotope ratios of the Kaninomata skarn show that the original calcareous rocks resemble the present submarine hydrothermal carbonates at the CLAM Site, Okinawa Trough, than Cenozoic limestones, even though some isotopic shifts had occurred during later skarnization. δ³⁴S ratios of the sulfide minerals from the Kaninomata and Nakanomata orebodies are mostly in a narrow range of +4.0 to +7.0‰ and they resemble each other, suggesting the same sulfur origin for the both deposits. The magnetite‐series Tertiary Kaninomatasawa granite is distributed just beneath the skarn layer and has δ³⁴S ratios of +7.5 to 8.1‰. The heavy sulfur isotope ratio of the skarn sulfides may have been affected by the Kaninomatasawa granite.     

Permeability measurements of natural and experimental volcanic materials with a simple permeameter: Toward an understanding of magmatic degassing processes

Permeability measurement of quenched volcanic porous materials is an important approach to understand permeability development and degassing of vesicular silicic magmas. In this study, we developed a gas permeameter to measure permeability of natural samples and experimental products. The permeameter has broad measurement ranges of pressure difference (10¹–10⁵ Pa) and gas-flow rate (10^− 9–10^− 5 m³/s). These ranges enable us to measure viscous permeability in the range of 10^− 17–10^− 9 m² for 1 centimeter-scale samples, using the Forchheimer equation, which includes the inertial effect of gas flow permeating through the samples. In addition, we improved the procedure for performing permeability measurements of mm-sized products of decompression experiments. Although a previous study reported the first permeability data for vesicular silicic glass products of decompression experiments, we found an overestimation in their permeability data due to problems in sample preparation, especially for very low permeability samples. Our improved measurements give lower permeability values than those of Takeuchi et al. (2005)(Takeuchi, S., Nakashima, S., Tomiya, A., Shinohara, H., 2005. Experimental constraints on the low gas permeability of vesicular magma during decompression. Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L10312 doi:10.1029/2005GL022491).     

Hysteretic behavior and strength capacity of shallowly embedded steel column bases with SFRCC slab

A series of shallowly embedded steel column bases consisting of an exposed column base and a floor slab is tested under horizontal cyclic loading to very large deformation. The effects of floor slabs on strength and ductility are examined using concrete and Steel fiber‐reinforced cementitous composites (SFRCC) for the floor slab. The elastic stiffness, maximum strength, and dissipated energy of the column bases when they include SFRCC increase by 40, 70, and 70% over those of corresponding column bases with concrete floor slab. Better bonding behavior is notable for SFRCC, and the maximum strength and dissipated energy further increase by 15–30% and 70–90%, respectively, owing to the careful arrangement of reinforcing bars. Numerical models are developed to enhance the understanding the behavior of shallowly embedded column bases. Procedures for estimating the elastic stiffness and maximum strength of shallowly embedded column bases with conventional concrete are calibrated for their applicability to those with SFRCC slab. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Experimental study of mechanisms of fixation and reduction of uranium by sedimentary organic matter under diagenetic or hydrothermal conditions

Interactions between lignite and soluble uranyl species have been investigated experimentally at different temperatures from 20° to 400°C. Fixation of uranyl species by lignite (45° to 250°C) and their reduction to uraninite (120° to 400°C) were observed. The fixation of uranyl species by lignite results in the formation of stable organo-uranyl compounds. The reduction of uranyl species by lignite results in a stoichiometric liberation of H⁺ in the solution medium and in a dehydrogenation of lignite. This dehydrogenation can be attributed to two different processes. The first is an oxidation of alcohol functional groups into aldehyde or ketone functions accompanied by a simultaneous reduction of uranyl species. The second is a dehydrogenation of hydrocarbonaceous aliphatic moieties induced by the uranium species. The molecular hydrogen produced during this process is subsequently used for an additional reduction of uranyl species.     

Time series of carbonate system variables off Otaru coast in Hokkaido, Japan

We report several biogeochemical parameters (dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), total alkalinity (TA), dissolved oxygen (DO), phosphate (PO₄), nitrate + nitrite (NO₃ + NO₂), silicate (Si(OH)₄)) in a region off Otaru coast in Hokkaido, Japan on a “weekly” basis during the period of April 2002–May 2003. To better understand the long-term temporal variations of the main factors affecting CO₂ flux in this coastal region and its role as a sink/source of atmospheric CO₂, we constructed an algorithm of DIC and TA using other hydrographic properties. We estimated the CO₂ flux across the air–sea interface by using the classical bulk method. During 1998–2003 in our study region, the estimated fCO_2sea ranged about 185–335 μatm. The maximum of fCO_2sea in the summer was primarily due to the change of water temperature. The minimum of fCO_2sea in the early spring can be explained not only by the change of water temperature but also the change of nutrients and chlorophyll-a. To clarify the factors affecting fCO_2sea (water temperature, salinity, and biological activity), we carried out a sensitivity analysis of these effects on the variation of fCO_2sea. In spring, the biological effect had the largest effect for the minimum of fCO_2sea (40%). In summer, the water temperature effect had the largest effect for the maximum of fCO_2sea (25%). In fall, the water temperature effect had the largest effect for the minimum of fCO_2sea (53%). In winter, the biological effect had the largest effect for the minimum of fCO_2sea (35%).We found that our study region was a sink region of CO₂ throughout a year (−0.78 mol/m²/yr). Furthermore, we estimated that the increase of fCO_2sea was about 0.56 μatm/yr under equilibrium with the atmospheric CO₂ content for the period 1998–2003, with the temporal changes in the variables (T, S, PO₄) on fCO_2sea, thus as the maximum trend of each variable on fCO_2sea was 0.22 μatm/yr, and the trend of residual fCO₂ including gas exchange was 0.34 μatm/yr. This result suggests that interaction among variables would affect gas exchange between air and sea effects on fCO_2sea. We conclude that this study region as a representative coastal region of marginal seas of the North Pacific is special because it was measured, but there is no particular significance in comparison to any other area.     

Regional and local variations in the composition of the wolframite series from SW Japan and possible factors controlling compositional variations

The regional and local variations in the composition of the wolframite series associated with the ilmeniteseries and magnetite-series granitoids in the Inner Zone of SW Japan were investigated using X-ray diffraction and microprobe analyses. It is concluded that the variation in Mn/Fe ratios in the source materials (granitic magmas in most cases) is the dominant factor controlling the regional variation in the wolframite compositions, while, as exemplified by the Kaneuchi mine, Kyoto Prefecture, the wallrock chemistry and pH of ore fluids are responsible for the local variation within a single vein system. Within a fresh euhedral crystal from the mine, only slight compositional variation of less than 3 mole% MnWO₄ is found in the form of oscillatory zoning. This study, combined with the fluid inclusion research, indicates that the wolframite compositions (Mn/Fe ratios) cannot be used as a geothermometer.     

Grain size,La/Yb and Th/Sc of settling particles in the western North Pacific: Evidence for lateral transport of small Asian loess

To understand the transport process of lithogenic particles in the ocean, we measured the grain size distributions of lithogenic particles and measured the opal, La, Yb, Th, and Sc concentrations of the settling particles collected from time-series sediment traps at Sta. KNOT (44°N, 155°E, water depth 5320 m) from June 2002 to May 2004. The annual mean lithogenic particle flux observed at the lower sediment trap (5100 m) was twice as high as that at the upper sediment trap (770 m). The contribution of Asian loess estimated by the La/Yb and the Th/Sc ratios in the lower layer was greater than that in the upper layer. The fluxes of small lithogenic particles with sizes of 3–4 μm at the lower layer (5 to 65 mg/m²/day) were approximately four times larger than that at the upper layer (0.6 to 27 mg/m²/day). These results indicate that the horizontal addition of small particle sizes of Asian loess is a main factor in the increase of lithogenic particles at the lower layer. The temporal variations in the small lithogenic particle flux at the lower layer had a positive correlation with those at the upper layer (r = 0.71). The small lithogenic particle fluxes showed a strong positive correlation with the opal fluxes (r = 0.9). We therefore conclude that the small lithogenic particles were laterally transported and scavenged by the formation of aggregates with opal.     

Cosmic‐ray exposure age and heliocentric distance of the parent bodies of enstatite chondrites ALH 85119 and MAC 88136

Abstract— We measured concentrations and isotopic ratios of noble gases in enstatite (E) chondrites Allan Hills (ALH) 85119 and MacAlpine Hills (MAC) 88136. These two meteorites contain solar and cosmogenic noble gases. Based on the solar and cosmogenic noble gas compositions, we calculated heliocentric distances, parent body exposure ages, and space exposure ages of the two meteorites. The parent body exposure ages are longer than 6.7 Ma for ALH 85119 and longer than 8.7 Ma for MAC 88136. The space exposure ages are shorter than 2.2 Ma for ALH 85119 and shorter than 3.9 Ma for MAC 88136. The estimated heliocentric distances are more than 1.1 AU for ALH 85119 and 1.3 AU for MAC 88136. Derived heliocentric distances indicate the locations of parent bodies in the past when constituents of the meteorites were exposed to the Sun. From the mineralogy and chemistry of E chondrites, it is believed that E chondrites formed in regions within 1.4 AU from the Sun. The heliocentric distances of the two E chondrite parent bodies are not different from the formation regions of E chondrites. This may imply that heliocentric distances of E chondrites have been relatively constant from their formation stage to the stage of exposure to the solar wind.