Park Forest (L5) and the asteroidal source of shocked L chondrites

The Park Forest (L5) meteorite fell in a suburb of Chicago, Illinois (USA) on March 26, 2003. It is one of the currently 25 meteorites for which photographic documentation of the fireball enabled the reconstruction of the meteoroid orbit. The combination of orbits with pre‐atmospheric sizes, cosmic‐ray exposure (CRE), and radiogenic gas retention ages (“cosmic histories”) is significant because they can be used to constrain the meteoroid's “birth region,” and test models of meteoroid delivery. Using He, Ne, Ar, ¹⁰Be, and ²⁶Al, as well as a dynamical model, we show that the Park Forest meteoroid had a pre‐atmospheric size close to 180 g cm^?2, 0–40% porosity, and a pre‐atmospheric mass range of ~2–6 tons. It has a CRE age of 14 ± 2 Ma, and (U, Th)‐He and K‐Ar ages of 430 ± 90 and 490 ± 70 Ma, respectively. Of the meteorites with photographic orbits, Park Forest is the second (after Novato) that was shocked during the L chondrite parent body (LCPB) break‐up event approximately 470 Ma ago. The suggested association of this event with the formation of the Gefion family of asteroids has recently been challenged and we suggest the Ino family as a potential alternative source for the shocked L chondrites. The location of the LCPB break‐up event close to the 5:2 resonance also allows us to put some constraints on the possible orbital migration paths of the Park Forest meteoroid.     

Distribution of eruptive volcanic basalt in the South China Sea and adjacent areas by interpreting gravity,magnetic and seismic data

Volcanic basalt eruption activity in the South China Sea and adjacent areas occurred strongly in Cenozoic E ra. However, it is difficult to define their ranges and spatial locations.This paper presents the methods of reduction to the magnetic equator in low latitudes to bring out a better correlation between magnetic anomalies and their causing-sources; high-frequency filtering is to separate gravity and magnetic anomalies as well as information about the volcanic basalts in the upper part of the Earth’s crust; 3D total gradient is to define the spatial location of high density and magnetic bodies. The distribution of eruptive volcanic basalt is determined by multi-dimensional correlation analysis between high frequency gravity and magnetic anomalies with weighted total gradient 3D.The results from the above-mentioned methods have shown that the distribution of the eruptive volcanic basalt is mainly concentrated along the South China Sea’s sea floor-spreading axis, transitional crust, Manila trench and some large faults zone. These results are improved by existing boreholes and seismic data in the study area.     

High Temperature Strain Structures and Quartz C-Axis Fabrics from Mylonitic Rocks in the Ailaoshan-Red River Shear Zone, Yunnan, and Their Tectonic Implication

<正>The Ailaoshan-Red River(ASRR) shear zone is one of the major Southeast Asian tectonic discontinuities that have figured the present tectonic framework of the eastern Tibet.Several metamorphic massifs are distributed linearly along the shear zone,e.g.Xuelongshan,Diancangshan, Ailaoshan and Day Nui Con Voi from north to south.They bear a lot of lines of evidence for the tectonic evolution of the eastern Tibetan at different crustal levels in different tectonic stages.Controversy still exists on the deformation structures,microstructures and their relationship with metamorphisms along the ASRR.In this paper detailed microstructural and EBSD(Electron Backscattered Diffraction) fabric analysis of some highly sheared granitic rocks from different massifs along the ASRR are conducted.High temperature structures and microstructures are preserved in unsheared gneisses,in weakly sheared xenoliths or in some parts of the highly sheared rocks(mylonites).Several types of high temperature quartz c-axis fabrics show symmetrical patterns or transitions from symmetrical to asymmetrical patterns.The former are attributed to coaxial deformation during regional shortening in an early stage of the Indian-Eurasian tectonic interaction and the latter are related to the transitions from coaxial compression to noncoaxial shearing during the post-collisional ASRR left lateral shearing.     

The Vicência meteorite fall: A new unshocked (S1) weakly metamorphosed (3.2) LL chondrite

The Vicência meteorite, a stone of 1.547 kg, fell on September 21, 2013, at the village Borracha, near the city of Vicência, Pernambuco, Brazil. It was recovered immediately after the fall, and our consortium study showed it to be an unshocked (S1) LL3.2 ordinary chondrite. The LL group classification is based on the bulk density (3.13 g cm^?3); the chondrule mean apparent diameter (0.9 mm); the bulk oxygen isotopic composition (δ¹⁷O = 3.768 ± 0.042‰, δ¹⁸O = 5.359 ± 0.042‰, Δ¹⁷O = 0.981 ± 0.020‰); the content of metallic Fe,Ni (1.8 vol%); the Co content of kamacite (1.73 wt%); the bulk contents of the siderophile elements Ir and Co versus Au; and the ratios of metallic Fe⁰/total iron (0.105) versus total Fe/Mg (1.164), and of Ni/Mg (0.057) versus total Fe/Mg. The petrologic type 3.2 classification is indicated by the beautifully developed chondritic texture, the standard deviation (~0.09) versus mean Cr₂O₃ content (~0.14 wt%) of ferroan olivine, the TL sensitivity and the peak temperature and peak width at half maximum, the cathodoluminescence properties of chondrules, the content of trapped ¹³²Xe_tr (0.317 × 10^?8cm³STP g^?1), and the Raman spectra for organic material in the matrix. The cosmic ray exposure age is ~72 Ma, which is at the upper end of the age distribution of LL group chondrites. The meteorite is unusual in that it contains relatively large, up to nearly 100 μm in size, secondary fayalite grains, defined as olivine with Fa_>75, large enough to allow in situ measurement of oxygen and Mn‐Cr isotope systematics with SIMS. Its oxygen isotopes plot along a mass‐dependent fractionation line with a slope of ~0.5 and Δ¹⁷O of 4.0 ± 0.3‰, and are similar to those of secondary fayalite and magnetite in the unequilibrated chondrites EET 90161, MET 96503, and Ngawi. These data suggest that secondary fayalite in Vicência was in equilibrium with a fluid with a Δ¹⁷O of ~4‰, consistent with the composition of the fluid in equilibrium with secondary magnetite and fayalite in other unequilibrated ordinary chondrites. Secondary fayalite and the chondrule olivine phenocrysts in Vicência are not in isotopic equilibrium, consistent with low‐temperature formation of fayalite during aqueous alteration on the LL parent body. That alteration, as dated by the ⁵³Mn‐⁵³Cr chronology age of secondary fayalite, took place $4.0{}_{?1.1}^{+1.4}$ Ma after formation of CV CAIs when anchored to the quenched angrite D'Orbigny.     

Paucity of sulfide in a large slab of Esquel: New perspectives on pallasite formation

Abstract— The 0.7 ton Esquel meteorite, found in Patagonia before 1951, is a typical main-group pallasite in most respects. We examined petrographically a slab ～1 m long having an area of 3000 cm² that shows the typical pallasitic texture with fragmental olivine. Phase abundances (in vol%) are olivine (66%), metal (32%), schreibersite (0.76%), troilite (0.46%) and chromite (0.31%). Esquel can be divided into four lithologies: (1) “pallasitic” matrix consisting of olivine fragments embedded in metal (81%); (2) large (>5 cm) olivine nodules having low metal contents (18%); (3) massive metal (0.3%); and (4) zones dominated by FeS and fine olivine (0.7%). Main-group pallasites appear to have formed by the intrusion of a highly evolved (low Ir, high Ni, Au and S) metallic magma into fragmented olivine. This model implies that FeS should be abundant in main-group pallasites, and we had speculated that examination of an exceptionally large slab might reveal a high troilite content. We found instead an exceptionally low FeS content. New compositional data confirm that Esquel has a lower Au content than other main-group pallasites having similar Ir contents. Literature data (based, however, on relatively small sections) suggest that high-Au pallasites have higher S contents than Esquel but have lower S contents than expected from a trapped-melt model. We conclude that a relatively complex model is required to explain the origin of main-group pallasites. After intrusion, the degree of crystallization of the metallic magma varied from location to location but, in almost all cases, an FeS-rich liquid either escaped or formed FeS-rich pallasitic rocks that are underrepresented in the meteorite inventory.     

大兴安岭北段三道湾子碲化物型金矿床的发现及意义

大兴安岭北段三道湾子金矿床属于中一低温热液型金矿床。含金石英脉产于上侏罗统塔木兰沟组粗面安山岩和粗面安山质角砾岩中。通过光学显微镜、扫描电子显微镜观察和能谱分析。在矿脉中发现大量金、银碲化物。该矿物组合中Au、Ag、Te的含量统计分别为：Au30．20wt％、Ag34．35wt％和Te35．45wt％。该矿床可以与国际上典型的浅成低温热液Au-Ag-Te矿床对比。     

International Pellet Watch: Global monitoring of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in coastal waters. 1. Initial phase data on PCBs, DDTs, and HCHs

Samples of polyethylene pellets were collected at 30 beaches from 17 countries and analyzed for organochlorine compounds. PCB concentrations in the pellets were highest on US coasts, followed by western Europe and Japan, and were lower in tropical Asia, southern Africa and Australia. This spatial pattern reflected regional differences in the usage of PCBs and was positively correlated with data from Mussel Watch, another monitoring approach. DDTs showed high concentrations on the US west coast and in Vietnam. In Vietnam, DDT was predominant over its metabolites (DDE and DDD), suggesting the principal source may be current usage of the pesticide for malaria control. High concentrations of pesticide HCHs were detected in the pellets from southern Africa, suggesting current usage of the pesticides in southern Africa. This study demonstrates the utility and feasibility of the International Pellet Watch approach to monitor POPs at a global scale.     

奠边府断裂带的走滑特征及其区域构造分析

位于越南西北部的奠边府(Dien Bien Phu)断裂,向北延伸入中国云南境内,向南进入老挝境内,走向由近N—S向向南逐渐过渡为NE—SW向,倾角陡立。沿断裂带发育3个具有不同运动学机制的第四纪盆地——婵讷(Chan Nua)盆地、莱州(Lai Chau)盆地和奠边府盆地。根据对奠边府断裂带地区ETM遥感数据进行详细解译以及野外实地考察,得到奠边府断裂具有早期的右行走滑和后期的左行走滑特征的证据;并且根据断裂两侧水系受断裂影响发生左错的程度不同,认为奠边府断裂的西盘相对于东盘较为活动,即为主动盘。奠边府断裂北延进入越南境内,与金平地区的三家河断裂相连,并继续向北并入哀牢山剪切带中。奠边府断裂现今的左行走滑与红河断裂现今的右行走滑共同组成了一组共轭断裂系。     

越南东北部静足 (Tinh Túc) 钨锡矿区花岗岩 年代学、地球化学与区域构造意义

越南东北部高平地区静足 (Tinh Túc) 钨锡矿床分布在银山-静足成矿带上,属于中国西南-越东北花岗岩相关的钨锡成矿带的一部分。花岗岩的锆石SIMS U-Pb测年结果为93.9±3.0Ma,地球化学分析结果显示出过铝质S型花岗岩的特点,高硅 (SiO₂含量73.5%~74.6%),铝过饱和 (Al₂O₃含量14.21%~14.88%),高碱 (Na₂O+K₂O为6.64%~8.47%)、富钾贫钠 (K₂O/Na₂O>1),同时富集Rb、Th、U、Zr、Hf,亏损Ba、Nb、Sr、Ti、Eu,轻稀土相对富集,呈现明显的负Eu异常。同位素研究表明,样品的⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr初始比值为0.749±0.027,ε_Nd(t) 为-10.71~-10.42。本文依据派洼花岗岩的地球化学特征,结合花岗岩的锆石U-Pb年代学、同位素分析结果,认为派洼花岗岩为燕山期后造山环境中形成的高度分异岩浆结晶的结果。通过与华南西南部矿床相关岩体比较,将静足派洼岩体归入个旧-大厂花岗岩带。并通过与缅甸境内腾冲-毛淡棉花岗岩带岩体特征对比并结合构造环境判别,提出个旧-大厂花岗岩带的形成可能受到太平洋构造域和特提斯构造域的双重影响,但以后者为主。