Origin and palaeoenvironmental significance of lamination in stalagmites from Katerloch Cave,Austria

The origin and environmental dependencies of lamination in stalagmites from Katerloch, common in speleothems from other cave sites, are examined in detail. Petrographic observations and chemical analyses (including isotopes) of stalagmites and modern calcite were combined with multi‐annual cave monitoring. All investigated stalagmites are composed of low‐Mg calcite and show white, porous laminae and typically thinner, translucent dense laminae. The binary lamination pattern results from changes in the calcite fabric: white, porous laminae are characterized by a high porosity and abundant fluid inclusions and also by enhanced vertical growth and thinning towards the flanks. Translucent, dense laminae exhibit a compact fabric and constant thickness of individual growth layers. U‐Th dating supports an annual origin of the lamination and the seasonally changing intensity of cave ventilation provides a robust explanation for the observed relationships between lamination, stable C isotopic compositions and trace elements (Mg, Sr and Ba). The seasonally variable air exchange, driven by temperature contrasts between the cave interior and outside atmosphere, modulates the rate and amount of CO₂ degassing from the drip water and affects the hydrochemistry and consequently the fabric of the precipitating calcite. Although cave air composition and drip rate are both major variables in controlling CO₂ degassing from the drip water, the seasonally changing ventilation in Katerloch exerts the primary control and the results suggest a secondary (amplifying/attenuating) influence of the drip rate. Drip rate, however, might be the controlling parameter for lamina development at cave sites experiencing only small seasonal cave air exchange. Importantly, the seasonally variable composition of drip water does not reflect the seasonal cycle of processes in the soil zone, but results from exchange with the cave atmosphere. The alternating porous and dense calcite fabric is the expression of a variable degree of lateral coalescence of smaller crystallites forming large columnar crystals. The white, porous laminae represent partial coalescence and form during the warm season: low calcite δ¹³C values are linked to low δ¹³C values of cave air and drip water during that time. This observation corresponds to times of reduced cave ventilation, high pCO₂ of cave air, low drip water pH, lower calcite supersaturation and typically high drip rates. In contrast, the translucent, dense laminae represent more or less complete lateral coalescence (inclusion‐free) during the cold season (high calcite, drip water and cave air δ¹³C values), i.e. times of enhanced cave ventilation, low cave air pCO₂, increased drip water pH, relatively high calcite supersaturation and typically low drip rates. In essence, the relative development of the two lamina types reflects changes in the seasonality of external air temperature and precipitation, with a strong control of the winter air temperature on the intensity of cave‐air exchange. Thick translucent, dense laminae are favoured by long, cold and wet winters and such conditions may be related closely to the North Atlantic Oscillation mode (weak westerlies) and enhanced Mediterranean cyclone activity during the cold season. Studies of speleothem lamination can thus help to better understand (and quantify) the role of seasonality changes, for example, during rapid climate events.     

青藏高原北缘中生代伸展构造^40Ar／^39Ar测年和MDD模拟

沿着青藏高原北缘的阿尔金山脉东段 ,发育了长度大于 30 0km、EW走向的拉配泉断裂。中美合作阿尔金课题组的地质填图结果表明 ,该断层实际上是一条南倾的正断层 ,局部倾角可以低至 30°以下。沉积学和热年代学研究控制了拉配泉断裂的活动时代 :早—中侏罗统地层可以解释为断裂上盘的伸展盆地沉积 ;下盘岩石中钾长石40 Ar/ 3 9Ar测年和MDD模拟给出 2个阶段的冷却事件 ,早期事件出现在约 2 2 0～ 187Ma之间 ,晚期事件出现在早白垩世晚期 (约 10 0Ma)。早期事件代表了拉配泉断裂正断作     

Fractionation of pyroxene-phyric MORB at low pressure: An experimental study

Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology - One-atmosphere melting experiments are used to assess the role of clinopyroxene in producing the compositional variations observed in mid-ocean-ridge...     

Origin of calc-alkaline series lavas at Medicine Lake Volcano by fractionation,assimilation and mixing

The results of experimental studies and examination of variations in major elements, trace elements and Sr isotopes indicate that fractionation, assimilation and magma mixing combined to produce the lavas at Medicine Lake Highland. Some characteristics of the compositional differences among the members of the calc-alkalic association (basalt-andesite-dacite-rhyolite) can be produced by fractional crystallization, and a fractionation model reproduces the major element trends. Other variations are inconsistent with a fractionation origin. Elevated incompatible element abundances (K and Rb) observed in lavas intermediate between basalt and rhyolite can be produced through assimilation of a crustal component. An accompanying increase in ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr from ∼ 0.07030 in basalt to ∼0.7040 in rhyolite is also consistent with crustal assimilation. The compatible trace element contents (Ni and Sr) of intermediate lavas can not be produced by fractional crystallization, and suggest a magma-mixing origin for some lavas. Unusual phenocryst assemblages and textural criteria in these lavas provide additional evidence for magma mixing. A phase diagram constructed from the low pressure melting experiments identifies a distributary reaction point, where olivine+augite react to pigeonite. Parental basalts reach this point at low pressures and undergo iron-enrichment at constant SiO₂ content. The resulting liquid line of descent is characteristic of the tholeiitic trend. Calc-alkalic differentiation trends circumvent the distributary reaction point by three processes: fractionation at elevated pH₂O, assimilation and magma mixing.     

Emplacement conditions of komatiite magmas from the 3.49 Ga Komati Formation, Barberton Greenstone Belt, South Africa

This paper provides new constraints on the crystallization conditions of the 3.49 Ga Barberton komatiites. The compositional evidence from igneous pyroxene in the olivine spinifex komatiite units indicates that the magma contained significant quantities of dissolved H₂O. Estimates are made from comparisons of the compositions of pyroxene preserved in Barberton komatiites with pyroxene produced in laboratory experiments at 0.1 MPa (1 bar) under anhydrous conditions and at 100 and 200 MPa (1 and 2 kbar) under H₂O-saturated conditions on an analog Barberton composition. Pyroxene thermobarometry on high-Ca clinopyroxene compositions from ten samples requires a range of minimum magmatic water contents of 6 wt.% or greater at the time of pyroxene crystallization and minimum emplacement pressures of 190 MPa (6 km depth). Since high-Ca pyroxene appears after 30% crystallization of olivine and spinel, the liquidus H₂O contents could be 4 to 6 wt.% H₂O. The liquidus temperature of the Barberton komatiite composition studied is between 1370 and 1400°C at 200 MPa under H₂O-saturated conditions. When compared to the temperature-depth regime of modern melt generation environments, the komatiite mantle source temperatures are 200°C higher than the hydrous mantle melting temperatures inferred in modern subduction zone environments and 100°C higher than mean mantle melting temperatures estimated at mid-ocean ridges. When compared to previous estimates of komatiite liquidus temperatures, melting under hydrous conditions occurs at temperatures that are 250°C lower than previous estimates for anhydrous komatiite. Mantle melting by near-fractional, adiabatic decompression takes place in a melting column that spans 38 km depth range under hydrous conditions. This depth interval for melting is only slightly greater than that observed in modern mid-ocean ridge environments. In contrast, anhydrous fractional melting models of komatiite occur over a larger depth range ( 130 km) and place the base of the melting column into the transition zone.     

Trace element abundances of high-MgO glasses from Kilauea, Mauna Loa and Haleakala volcanoes, Hawaii

We performed an ion-microprobe study of eleven high-MgO (6.7–14.8 wt%) tholeiite glasses from the Hawaiian volcanoes Kilauea, Mauna Loa and Haleakala. We determined the rare earth (RE), high field strength, and other selected trace element abundances of these glasses, and used the data to establish their relationship to typical Hawaiian shield tholeiite and to infer characteristics of their source. The glasses have trace element abundance characteristics generally similar to those of typical shield tholeiites, e.g. L(light)REE/H(heavy)REE_C1 < 1. The Kilauea and Mauna Loa glasses, however, display trace and major element characteristics that cross geochemical discriminants observed between Kilauea and Mauna Loa shield lavas. The glasses contain a blend of these discriminating chemical characteristics, and are not exactly like the typical shield lavas from either volcano. The production of these hybrid magmas likely requires a complexly zoned source, rather than two unique sources. When corrected for olivine fractionation, the glass data show correlations between CaO concentration and incompatible trace element abundances, indicating that CaO may behave incompatibly during melting of the tholeiite source. Furthermore, the tholeiite source must contain residual garnet and clinopyroxene to account for the variation in trace element abundances of the Kilauea glasses. Inversion modeling indicates that the Kilauea source is flat relative to C1 chondrites, and has a higher bulk distribution coefficient for the HREE than the LREE. Received: 4 February 1997 / Accepted: 27 August 1997     

Abiogenic silica layers within a fluvio-lacustrine succession,Bolzano Volcanic Complex,northern Italy: a Permian analogue for Magadi-type cherts?

Thin layers of chert occur within a fluvio-lacustrine succession sandwiched between acidic volcanic rocks of the Lower Permian Bolzano Volcanic Complex in northern Italy. These cherts are interpreted as analogues to Magadi-type abiogenic chert known from modern volcanic lake settings. Soft-sediment deformation features, shrinkage cracks, and well-preserved palynomorphs document very early diagenetic silica precipitation, volume loss by dehydration, and consolidation prior to mechanical compaction of the sediment. Transformation to quartz and concomitant (re)crystallization resulted in a variety of silica textures, dominated by microflamboyant quartz. The oxygen isotopic composition of chert samples ranges from +25·4 to +29·0‰ and is negatively correlated with crystal size and ordering.     

U-Pb zircon geochronology of late Neoproterozoic–Early Cambrian granitoids in Iran: Implications for paleogeography, magmatism, and exhumation history of Iranian basement

Eurasia has largely grown to its present enormous size through episodic addition of crustal blocks by recurring birth and demise of oceans such as Paleotethys and Neotethys. Excluding the Kopet Dagh Mountains in the northeast, crystalline basement rocks of various dimensions are exposed in all continental tectonic zones of Iran. These rocks have traditionally been viewed as continental fragments with Gondwanan affinity and summarily been assigned Precambrian or younger ages, despite the fact that evidence from isotopic dating has largely been lacking. This study presents new ion microprobe and thermal-ionization zircon U-Pb geochronological data from granitoids and orthogneisses from several locations in central Iran and the Sanandaj–Sirjan structural zones to determine crystallization ages and investigate the origin and continental affinity of these various crustal fragments. The resulting U-Pb crystallization ages for the granites and orthogneisses range from late Neoproterozoic to Early Cambrian, matching the mostly juvenile Arabian–Nubian shield and Peri-Gondwanan terranes constructed after the main phase of Pan-African orogenesis. TIMS analyses of zircons with inherited cores from western Iran suggest that the Neoproterozoic crust of Iran might not be entirely juvenile, pointing to the potential presence of inherited older Proterozoic components as is common in the eastern Arabian shield. More importantly, the new zircon U-Pb crystallization ages unequivocally demonstrate that crystalline basement underlying the Sanandaj–Sirjan zone, central Iran, and the Alborz Mountains is composed of continental fragments with Gondwanan affiliation, characterized by wide spread late Neoproterozoic subduction-related magmatism. The exposure of these late Neoproterozoic–Early Cambrian basement rocks in the Iranian regions north of the Zagros is structurally controlled and linked to both large-scale crustal extension and exhumation during Mesozoic and Tertiary time as well as Tertiary collisional tectonics associated with the closure of Neotethys.