Thermal metamorphism of primitive meteorites—XL The enstatite meteorites: origin and evolution of a parent body

We report neutron activation data for Ag, As, Bi, Cd, Co, Cs, Cu, Ga, In, Rb, Se, Te, Tl and Zn in samples of Abee heated at temperatures of 1000–1400°C in a low-pressure environment (initially ~ 10^?5 atm H₂) and in 9 enstatite achondrites (aubrites) and the silicate portion of the unique stony-iron, Mt Egerton. Trace element losses in heated Abee progress with temperature, the lowest retention being 2.4 × 10^?6 of initial contents. These data indicate trace element loss above 1000°C via diffusion-controlled processes having apparent activation energies of 8–55 kcal/mol ; only Co exhibits a significantly higher energy. These trace element data and those for aubrites, Mt Egerton and E4–6 chondrites, and mineralogic and isotopic evidence link all enstatite meteorites to a common parent body. Volatile, mobile elements vary inversely with cobalt content in aubrites and Mt Egerton but directly in E4–6 chondrites; this is inconsistent with all genetic models positing fractionation of such elements during nebular condensation and accretion. However, the data are consistent with the idea that aubrites and Mt. Egerton reflect fractional crystallization of a magma produced from enstatite chondrite-like parent material (probably E6) and late introduction of chalcophiles and mobile elements transported by FeS-Fe eutectic from an E4–6 region experiencing open-system metamorphism. As suggested earlier, the only primary process that affected enstatite meteorites involved fractionation of non-volatile lithophiles from sulfides and metal during condensation and accretion of chondritic parent material from the nebula. If, as seems likely, volatile/mobile elements reflect secondary processes, they can only be used to establish alteration conditions within the enstatite parent body and not to estimate temperatures during primary nebular condensation and accretion.     

Das Überleiten von variscischer zu saxonischer Tektonik am nordwestlichen Thüringer Walde

Zusammenfassung Im Thüringer Walde sind zwischen Oberrotliegendem und Zechstein Bewegungen orogener Art nachweisbar. Die Diskordanz der noch zur variscischen Ära gehörenden Mosbacher Phase (nach Ort und Bach Mosbach) umfaßt auch vorzechsteinzeitliche Verwerfungen. Die bisher als primär angesehenen Grenzen der Oberrotliegendverbreitung sind infolge dieser sekundären Beeinflussung somit nicht mehr sicher festzulegen. Doch dürften die Störungen von mosbacher Alter hauptsächlich die unterpermischen Beckenränder betroffen haben. Am Nordrande des Thüringer Waldes ist die jüngere saxonische Tektonik einem solchen vorzechsteinzeitlichen Bruch gefolgt. Über der alten Narbe, die Gebiete grundsätzlich verschiedenen Baues trennt, entstand ein verwickelt gebauter — erst gezerrter, dann gepreßter — Grabenzug. Nach regionalen. Bohrergebnissen ist zu vermuten, daß auch benachbarte Gräben (z. B. Netra—Eisenach) auf einer solchen alten Naht zwischen hochliegendem Grundgebirge einerseits, permischem Beckenareal andererseits entstanden sind. Für spätere Zeiten mag sich die Hoffnung ergeben, daß aus dem saxonischen Bau einmal gewisse Rückschlüsse auf die Struktur des Untergrundes möglich werden könnten.     

Low-temperature coherent exsolution in alkali feldspars from high-grade metamorphic rocks of Sri Lanka

In the alkali feldspars of the amphibolite- and granulite-facies rocks of Sri Lanka, a late-stage, final exsolution event is observed which produced film lamellae and fine-scale spindles. These were investigated by optical, microprobe, single-crystal, transmission electron microscopy and atomic resolution microscopy techniques. The lamellae and spindles exsolved below the coherent solvus at temperatures as low as 300 to 350° C. Precession photographs and ARM micrographs show that the intergrowth is perfectly coherent. In sections (010) the rhombic section of the Pericline twins corresponds to analbite or high albite. The albite lamellae and spindles nucleated and grew at low temperatures in a metastable disordered structural state within a tweed-orthoclase matrix and became periodically twinned analbite or high albite, which subsequently developed only a slight increase in Al, Si order. The relationship between twin periodicity and lamellar width, predicted for coherent intergrowths by Willaime and Gandais (1972), is obeyed. In Or-rich grains, in which coherent exsolution is the only exsolution event, the film lamellae tend to be restricted to the rim, the fine-scale spindles to the centre of the grains. The films nucleated heterogeneously at grain boundaries and grew towards the grain centres. Fine-scale spindles probably nucleated homogeneously in the interior part of grains. Heterogeneous nucleation and coherent growth are not mutually exclusive.     

The Nevados de Payachata volcanic region (18°S/69°W,N. Chile) II. Evidence for widespread crustal involvement in Andean magmatism

Volcanism extending over 11 Ma is represented in the rocks of the Nevados de Payachata region, culminating in the formation of two large composite stratocones within the last 500 000 years. Chemically distinct mafic magmas are erupted at a number of parasitic centers. These cannot be related to each other by crystal fractionation and do not appear to be direct parents for the differentiated suites of the composite cones. Two distinct trends are defined by the intermediate and evolved rocks; a high LILE (large ion lithophile element), TiO₂ and Ce/Yb lineage among the youngest rocks (including the two major stratocones), and a more typical calc-alkaline trend among the older (>1 Ma) rock types. Within individual volcanic centers, differentiation involves fractionation of plagioclase, pyroxene and hornblende, with biotite and K-feldspar in the more-evolved rock types. Isotopic compositions (Sr, Pb, Nd, O) vary little with differentiation from basaltic andesite to rhyolite, or with age. Contamination during differentiation from basalt to rhyolite may occur, but the most mafic rocks erupted in the region are already enriched in incompatible trace elements and therefore may be insensitive to the effects of interaction with the crust. The majority of data are similar to baseline compositions (Cenozoic parental magmas) from other parts of the central Andes and may reflect a relatively homogeneous magma source (or source mixture) throughout this central volcanic zone (CVZ), which is distinct from the southern and northern Andes, and from island-arc volcanic rocks.The detailed study of Nevados de Payachata serves as a useful reference against which to assess magmatism in general in the CVZ. The possibility that central Andean magmas are generated from an enriched subcontinental-lithosphere mantle wedge is rejected on the basis of: (1) thermal considerations (subcontinental mantle lithosphere is probably cold and refractory); (2) lack of consistency between the tectonic history of the region and geochemical variations through time. Instead, parental magmas in the CVZ are thought to be generated by mixing between normal arc magmas originating in the depleted mantle wedge followed by contamination and homogenization with lower crustal melts. In the central Andes, the extent of contamination increased greatly as the crust thickened due to crustal shortening within the last 20 Ma, the thicker crust providing an effective filter to trap and differentiate magma batches repeatedly during ascent.     

Experimental Melting of Carbonated Peridotite at 6-10 GPa

Partial melting of magnesite-bearing peridotites was studiedat 6–10 GPa and 1300–1700°C. Experiments wereperformed in a multianvil apparatus using natural mineral mixesas starting material placed into olivine containers and sealedin Pt capsules. Partial melts originated within the peridotitelayer, migrated outside the olivine container and formed poolsof quenched melts along the wall of the Pt capsule. This allowedthe analysis of even small melt fractions. Iron loss was nota problem, because the platinum near the olivine container becamesaturated in Fe as a result of the reaction Fe₂SiO₄^Ol = Fe^Fe–Ptalloy + FeSiO₃^Opx + O₂. This reaction led to a gradual increasein oxygen fugacity within the capsules as expressed, for example,in high Fe³⁺ in garnet. Carbonatitic to kimberlite-like meltswere obtained that coexist with olivine + orthopyroxene + garnet± clinopyroxene ± magnesite depending on P–Tconditions. Kinetic experiments and a comparison of the chemistryof phases occasionally grown within the melt pools with thosein the residual peridotite allowed us to conclude that the meltshad approached equilibrium with peridotite. Melts in equilibriumwith a magnesite-bearing garnet lherzolite are rich in CaO (20–25wt %) at all pressures and show rather low MgO and SiO₂ contents(20 and 10 wt %, respectively). Melts in equilibrium with amagnesite-bearing garnet harzburgite are richer in SiO₂ andMgO. The contents of these oxides increase with temperature,whereas the CaO content becomes lower. Melts from magnesite-freeexperiments are richer in SiO₂, but remain silicocarbonatitic.Partitioning of trace elements between melt and garnet was studiedin several experiments at 6 and 10 GPa. The melts are very richin incompatible elements, including large ion lithophile elements(LILE), Nb, Ta and light rare earth elements. Relative to theresidual peridotite, the melts show no significant depletionin high field strength elements over LILE. We conclude fromthe major and trace element characteristics of our experimentalmelts that primitive kimberlites cannot be a direct productof single-stage melting of an asthenospheric mantle. They rathermust be derived from a previously depleted and re-enriched mantleperidotite. KEY WORDS: multianvil; carbonatite melt; peridotite; kimberlite; element partitioning     

Differences between Paleozoic Asia and Paleozoic North America as shown by the distribution of ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) terranes

Numerous UHP suites developed in East Asia during the Paleozoic because subduction occurred in an area of low thermal gradients. By contrast, no Paleozoic UHP suites formed in North America or in terranes accreted to it because all subduction under accreting terranes occurred in an area of high thermal gradients centered in North America. High thermal gradients beneath North America are also demonstrated by an abundance of intracratonic rifts and basins. These differences in thermal gradients between North America and East Asia may have been caused by a very large mantle convection cell, with a rising limb under North America and a descending limb in an oceanic area where East Asia was assembled.