Lysosomal and microsomal responses to environmental factors in Littorina littorea from Sullom Voe

The marine gastropod Littorina littorea from four sites in the vicinity of the Sullom Voe Oil Terminal was found to display reduced cytochemically determined latency of lysosomal arylsulphatase, β-glucuronidase and acid phosphatase in comparison with snails from a nearby ‘clean’ site. This is interpreted as indicating lysosomal destabilization by environmental factors. Elevated total activities of particular lysosomal hydrolases were recorded at three of the sites in Sullom Voe. Animals from a fourth site (Swarta Taing) showed significant depression of arylsulphatase and β-glucuronidase. Cytochemically determined activity of blood cell NADPH-neotetrazolium reductase, which is a component of microsomal detoxication systems, was stimulated in these same sites in comparison with the ‘clean’ reference site. This stimulation or induction is interpreted as a response to the presence of oil-derived polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons.These results are discussed in the light of previous work on the effects of hydrocarbons on lysosomes and in terms of the possible physiological consequences for the animals.     

Temporal and genetic relationships between the Kidston gold-bearing Breccia Pipe and the Lochaber Ring Dyke Complex, North Queensland, Australia: insights from in situ U–Pb and Hf-isotope analysis of zircon

An existing model for the temporal and genetic relationships between the Kidston gold-bearing Breccia Pipe and the nearby Lochaber Ring Dyke Complex has been evaluated using in situ U–Pb and Hf-isotope analyses of zircon grains. The Oak River Granodiorite, the host rock to the Kidston Breccia Pipe, has 1,551?±?6 Ma old zircon cores overgrown by 417.7?±?2.2 Ma rims. The Black Cap Diorite and Lochaber Granite within the Lochaber Ring Dyke Complex have crystallisation ages of 350.7?±?1.3 and 337.9?±?2.6 Ma respectively. The gold-rich Median Dyke within the Kidston Breccia Pipe has a crystallisation age of 335.7?±?4.2 Ma, and thus is temporally related to the Lochaber Granite. However, zircon grains from the Median Dyke have less radiogenic Hf-isotope compositions (? _Hf from ?7.8 to ?15.8) than those from the Black Cap Diorite ?_Hf?=?0.4 to ?7.2) and the Lochaber Granite (? _Hf?=??1.0 to ?7.5), but within the range defined by zircons from the Oak River Granodiorite ? _Hf?=??8.0 to ?29.2). The Hf-isotope data thus rule out the proposed fractional crystallisation relationship between the Kidston gold-bearing rocks and the Lochaber Ring Dyke Complex. The Kidston Median Dyke may have been produced by mixing between Lochaber Granite magmas and magmas derived by remelting of the Oak River Granodiorite, which was itself derived from Proterozoic crust. There is no evidence for a juvenile component in the Lochaber Ring Dyke Complex or the Median Dyke. The gold enrichment in the Kidston rocks thus may reflect the multi-stage reworking of the Proterozoic crust, which ultimately produced the Carboniferous felsic magmas.     

Tumulus development on lava flows: insights from observations of active tumuli and analysis of formation models

Here, we use observations of active flows along with detailed morphometric field measurements of more than 70 tumuli on flows at Mount Etna (Italy), Kilauea, and Hualalai (US) volcanoes to constrain a previously published model that estimates the pressure needed to form tumuli. In an attempt to discover the nature and magnitude of pressure variations within active lava flow interiors, we then consider how tumuli differ from idealized circular plates. We incorporate observations of active tumuli and find that they may grow asymmetrically yet produce a symmetrical tumulus and can form where the flow path significantly changes direction. Bending models of clamped edges provide the most reasonable head estimates for the tumuli in our study. Tumulus formation requires the proper combination of cooling and effusion rate. If cooling is too extensive and effusion rate too low, the crust will provide too much resistance to bending. If cooling is too limited and effusion rates too high, crusts will not develop or have insufficient strength to resist fracture and subsequent breakouts. We do not find it surprising that tumuli are rarely found over well-established lava tubes that typically have rigid, walls/overlying crusts that exceed 2 m in thickness and provide too much resistance to bending. Silicic flows lack tumuli because the viscosity gradients within the flow are insufficient to concentrate stress in a localized area.     

Implications of Quaternary volcanism at Cerro Tuzgle for crustal and mantle evolution of the Puna Plateau,Central Andes,Argentina

The high-K Tuzgle volcanic center, (24° S, 66.5° W) along with several small shoshonitic centers, developed along extensional Quaternary faults of the El Toro lineament on the east-central Puna plateau, 275 km east of the main front of the Andean Central Volcanic Zone (CVZ). These magmas formed by complex mixing processes in the mantle and thickened crust (>50 km) above a 200 km deep scismic zone. Tuzgle magmas are differentiated from shoshonitic series magmas by their more intraplate-like Ti group element characteristics, lower incompatible element concentrations, and lower ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios at a given Nd. Underlying Mio-Pliocene volcanic rocks erupted in a compressional stress regime and have back-arc like calc-alkaline chemical characteristics. The Tuzgle rocks can be divided into two sequences with different mantle precursors: a) an older, more voluminous rhyodacitic (ignimbrite) to mafic andestitic (56% to 71% SiO₂) sequence with La/Yb ratios <30, and b) a younger andesitic sequence with La/Yb ratios >35. La/Yb ratios are controlled by the mafic components: low ratios result from larger mantle melt percentages than high ratios. Shoshonitic series lavas (52% to 62% SiO₂) contain small percentage melts of more isotopically enriched arc-like mantle sources. Some young Tuzgle lavas have a shoshonitic-like component. Variable thermal conditions and complex stress system are required to produce the Tuzgle and shoshonitic series magmas in the same vicinity. These conditions are consistent with the underlying mantle being in transition from the thick mantle lithosphere which produced rare shoshonitic flows in the Altiplano to the thinner mantle lithosphere that produced back-are calc-alkaline and intraplate-type flows in the southern Puna. Substantial upper crustal type contamination in Tuzgle lavas is indicated by decreasing Nd (-2.5 to-6.7) with increasing ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (0.7063 to 0.7099) ratios and SiO₂ concentrations, and by negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu^* <0.78) in lavas that lack plagioclase phenocrysts. Trace element arguments indicate that the bulk contaminant was more silicic than the Tuzgle ignimbrite and left a residue with a high pressure mineralogy. Crustal shortening processes transported upper crustal contaminants to depths where melting occurred. These contaminants mixed with mafic magmas that were fractionating mafic phases at high pressure. Silicic melts formed at depth by these processes accumulated at a mid to upper crustal discontinuity (decollement). The Tuzgle ignimbrite erupted from this level when melting rates were highest. Subsequent lavas are mixtures of contaminated mafic magmas and ponded silicic melts. Feldspar and quartz phenocrysts in the lavas are phenocrysts from the ponded silicic magmas.     

Use of magnetic hysteresis properties and electron spin resonance spectroscopy for the identification of volcanic ash: a preliminary study

This initial study investigates the possible use of hysteresis parameters and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy to identify and correlate volcanic ash. ESR and hysteresis properties are sensitive to characteristics such as the chemical composition, mineralogy, and grain size and shape. These characteristics are determined by the tectonic setting of the volcano and by the magmatic and eruptive history of the volcanic ash. Hysteresis properties and ESR spectra, therefore, should be distinct for each ash eruption and may help to identify the eruptive source of the ash and to correlate ash from unknown sources. We conducted ESR spectroscopy at room temperature and magnetic hysteresis measurements on 19 samples of a single ash, the 1974 October 14 eruption of the Fuego volcano, Guatemala, and on single samples of ash obtained from eight different volcanoes. The Fuego ash samples were obtained at increasing distances from the volcano. For the single Fuego ash, ESR spectra and hysteresis parameters become increasingly similar as the distance from the volcano increases. At distances greater than 30 km, ESR spectra and hysteresis properties are uniform. The variability of magnetic and ESR properties with distance from Fuego is due to the preferential fall-out of phenocrysts closer to the volcano. At large distances, the ash is more uniform, containing more glass and microcrystals. All eight ash samples from the different volcanoes can be distinguished from the distal Fuego 1974 October 14 ash using ESR spectra and hysteresis parameters. These results suggest that ESR and hysteresis measurements have a potential to be used as tools to identify distal ash when used in conjunction with geochemical, mineralogical and/or other types of data.     

The rock magnetism of the Mississippian Madison Limestone north-central Wyoming

Summary. A history of remanence acquisition in the Madison Limestone in north-central Wyoming suggests that many processes affected the primary magnetization, including (1) dolomitization, (2) solution of evaporites during uplift in the Late Mississippian and (3) partial remagnetization in the Late Cretaceous or Cenozoic. The stability and intensity of the magnetization was greatest in the dolomitic limestones, while the dolomites and the less intense fossiliferous limestones contained magnetization of intermediate directional stability. The coarse- and fine-grained limestones gave erratic directions. The preservation of the Mississippian magnetization in the dolomitic limestone from the lower portion of the Madison testifies to the delicate mechanism of the dolomitization process, and suggests that the dolomitization may even have aided in the preservation of the magnetization. The presence of solution features corresponds closely to the presence of unstable directional behaviour. It appears that the formation of these features by solution of the evaporite beds led to the destruction of the primary remanence in the upper portion of the Madison.
Thermomagnetic curves indicate the presence in the lower portion of the Madison of almost pure magnetite. Although thermomagnetic curves from the upper portion are irreversible, alternating field and thermal demagnetization experiments show intensity changes similar to those from the lower portion, suggesting a similar magnetic mineral. Isothermal remanent magnetization acquisition curves also suggest the presence of a large amount of hematite or goethite in over half the samples which apparently did not contribute significantly to the natural remanent magnetization.     

Lithosphere mapping beneath the North American plate

Major- and trace-element analyses of garnets from heavy-mineral concentrates have been used to derive the compositional and thermal structure of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) beneath 16 areas within the core of the ancient Laurentian continent and 11 areas in the craton margin and fringing mobile belts. Results are presented as stratigraphic sections showing variations in the relative proportions of different rock types and metasomatic styles, and the mean Fo content of olivine, with depth. Detailed comparisons with data from mantle xenoliths demonstrate the reliability of the sections.

In the Slave Province, the SCLM in most areas shows a two-layer structure with a boundary at 140–160 km depth. The upper layer shows pronounced lateral variations, whereas the lower layer, after accounting for different degrees of melt-related metasomatism, shows marked uniformity. The lower layer is interpreted as a subcreted plume head, added at ca. 3.2 Ga; this boundary between the layers rises to <100 km depth toward the northern and southern edges of the craton. Strongly layered SCLM suggests that plume subcretion may also have played a role in the construction of the lithosphere beneath Michigan and Saskatchewan.

Outside the Slave Province, most North American Archon SCLM sections are less depleted than similar sections in southern Africa and Siberia; this may reflect extensive metasomatic modification. In E. Canada, the degree of modification increases toward the craton margin, and the SCLM beneath the Kapuskasing Structural Zone is typical of that beneath Proterozoic to Phanerozoic mobile belts.

SCLM sections from several Proterozoic areas around the margin of the Laurentian continental core (W. Greenland, Colorado–Wyoming district, Arkansas) show discontinuities and gaps that are interpreted as the effects of lithosphere stacking during collisional orogeny. Some areas affected by Proterozoic orogenesis (Wyoming Craton, Alberta, W. Greenland) appear to retain buoyant, modified Archean SCLM. Possible juvenile Proterozoic SCLM beneath the Colorado Plateau is significantly less refractory. The SCLM beneath the Kansas kimberlite field is highly melt-metasomatised, reflecting its proximity to the Mid-Continent Rift System.

A traverse across the continent shows that the upper part of the cratonic SCLM is highly magnesian; the decrease in mg# with depth is interpreted as the cumulative effect of metasomatic modification through time. The relatively small variations in seismic velocity within the continental core largely reflect the thickness of this depleted layer. The larger drop in seismic velocity in the surrounding Proton and Tecton belts reflects the closely coupled changes in SCLM composition and geotherm.