Trace element compositions of jadeite (+omphacite) in jadeitites from the Itoigawa-Ohmi district, Japan: Implications for fluid processes in subduction zones

Abstract   Trace-element compositions of jadeite (±omphacite) in jadeitites from the Itoigawa-Ohmi district of Japan, analyzed by a laser-ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry technique showed chemical zoning within individual grains and variations within each sample and between different samples. Primitive mantle-normalized patterns of jadeite in the samples generally showed high large-ion lithophile element contents, high light rare earth element/heavy rare earth element ratios and positive anomalies of high field strength elements. The studied jadeitites have no signatures of the protolith texture or mineralogy. Shapes and distributions of minerals coupled with chemical zoning within grains suggest that the jadeitites were formed by direct precipitation of minerals from aqueous fluids or complete metasomatic modification of the precursor rocks by fluids. In either case, the geochemical characteristics of jadeite are highly affected by fluids enriched in both large-ion lithophile elements and high field strength elements. The specific fluids responsible for the formation of jadeitites are related to serpentinization by slab-derived fluids in subduction zones. This process is followed by dissolving high field strength elements in the subducting crust as the fluids continue to circulate into the subducting crusts and serpentinized peridotites. The fluids have variations in chemical compositions corresponding to various degrees of water–rock interactions.     

Modulation of galactic cosmic ray anisotropy in heliomagnetosphere: Average sidereal daily variation

We formulate the modulation of galactic anisotropy of cosmic rays caused by their orbital deflection in the heliomagnetosphere. According to the formulation, the average sidereal i-th harmonic daily variation (i = 1,2,…) produced from the anisotropy from an arbitrary direction can be expressed by a linear combination of three basic vectors for uni-directional anisotropy and five basic vectors for bi-directional anisotropy. These vectors are obtained by calculating trajectories of cosmic rays (20?10⁴GV) in a model magnetosphere having Parker's Archimedian spiral structure with a flat or a wavy neutral sheet in either of two polarity states, one is called “Positive” state (away field in the northern space of the neutral sheet and toward field in the southern space) and the other is called “Negative” state (reversed state of the above). Among general characteristics of the sidereal daily variations, the most remarkable features are: (1) The observable variations in low rigidity (? 2000 GV) can be produced even from an uni-directional anisotropy in the direction of the Earth's rotation axis. These variations are strongly dependent on the polarity state, i.e., they are greater in the Positive state than in the Negative. (2) Those produced from the anisotropy in the Equatorial plane also show the polarity dependence but contrary to the previous case they are greater in the Negative state than in the Positive. Their magnitude in the former state is not so small even in the extremely low rigidity (～ 100 GV) as compared with that in high rigidity region. (3) These general characteristics are not altered by the introduction of the wavy neutral sheet or the magnetic irregularities, but the variations are affected more or less, depending on the heliolatitudinal extent of the wavy sheet or the degree of cosmic ray scattering with the irregularities, (4) Sidereal daily variation for the wavy sheet shows a toward-away field dependence similar to that of Swinson-type of solar origin, but the dependence is predominant in intermediate rigidity region (～ 500 GV), in marked contrast to that of solar origin. (5) Finally, whichever its direction may be, the uni-directional anisotropy produces the sidereal diurnal variation common to two conjugate stations in the Northern and Southern hemisphere. If there is any difference between the observed variations at the stations, it should be interpreted as being due to higher order anisotropy such as the bi-directional anisotropy.     

Mass Concentration and Mineralogical Characteristics of Aerosol Particles Collected at Dunhuang During ACE-Asia

Measurements were performed in spring 2001 and 2002 to determine the characteristics of soil dust in the Chinese desert region of Dunhuang, one of the ground sites of the Asia-Pacific Regional Aerosol Characterization Experiment (ACE-Asia). The mean mass concentrations of total suspended particle matter during the spring of 2001 and 2002 were 317 μg m?3 and 307 μg m?3, respectively. Eleven dust storm events were observed with a mean aerosol concentration of 1095 μg m?3, while the non-dusty days with calm or weak wind speed had a background aerosol loading of 196 μgm?3 on average in the springtime. The main minerals detected in the aerosol samples by X-ray diffraction were illite, kaolinite, chlorite, quartz, feldspar, calcite and dolomite. Gypsum, halite and amphibole were also detected in a few samples. The mineralogical data also show that Asian dust is characterized by a kaolinite to chlorite (K/C) ratio lower than 1 whereas Saharan dust exhibits a K/C ratio larger than 2. Air mass back-trajectory analysis show that three families of pathways are associated with the aerosol particle transport to Dunhuang, but these have similar K/C ratios, which further demonstrates that the mineralogical characteristics of Asian dust are different from African dust.     

Lower Oligocene Calc-Alkaline Spessartitic Lamprophyres from Central Iran (East of Anarak Area); an Evidence from the Eastern Branch of Neotethys Subduction-Related Mantle Enrichment

Geotectonics - The Lower Oligocene Kal-e-kafi (East of Anarak, Central Iran) lamprophyres occur as stocks and dikes, which cross-cut the Eocene volcanic and Cretaceous sedimentary rocks. The...     

Global distributions of storm-time ionospheric currents as seen in geomagnetic field variations

To investigate temporal and spatial evolution of global geomagnetic field variations from high-latitude to the equator during geomagnetic storms, we analyzed ground geomagnetic field disturbances from high latitudes to the magnetic equator. The daytime ionospheric equivalent current during the storm main phase showed that twin-vortex ionospheric currents driven by the Region 1 field-aligned currents （R1 FACs） are intensified significantly and expand to the low-latitude region of-30~ magnetic latitude. Centers of the currents were located around 70~ and 65~ in the morning and afternoon, respectively. Corresponding to intensification of the R1 FACs, an enhancement of the eastward/westward equatorial electrojet occurred at the daytime/nighttime dip equator. This signature suggests that the enhanced convection electric field penetrates to both the daytime and nighttime equa- tor. During the recovery phase, the daytime equivalent current showed that two new pairs of twin vortices, which are different from two-cell ionospheric currents driven by the R1 FACs, appear in the polar cap and mid latitude. The former led to enhanced north- ward Bz （NBZ） FACs driven by lobe reconnection tailward of the cusps, owing to the northward interplanetary magnetic field （IMF）. The latter was generated by enhanced Region 2 field-aligned currents （R2 FACs）. Associated with these magnetic field variations in the mid-latitudes and polar cap, the equatorial magnetic field variation showed a strongly negative signature, produced by the westward equatorial electrojet current caused by the dusk-to-dawn electric field.     

Deserpentinization and high-pressure(eclogite-facies) metamorphic features in the Eoarchean ultramafic body from Isua,Greenland

Discontinuous chains of ultramafic rock bodies form part of the 3800–3700 Ma Isua Supracrustal Belt(ISB),hosted in the Itsaq Gneiss Complex of southwestern Greenland.These bodies are among the world’s oldest outcrops of ultramafic rocks and hence an invaluable geologic record.Ultramafic rocks from Lens B in the northwestern limb of ISB show characteristics of several stages of serpentinization and deserpentinization forming prograde and retrograde mineral assemblages.Ti-rich humite-group minerals such as titanian chondrodite(Ti-Chn)and titanian clinohumite(Ti-Chu)often occur as accessory phases in the metamorphosed ultramafic rocks.The Ti-rich humite minerals are associated with metamorphic olivine.The host olivine is highly forsteritic(Fo96-98)with variable Mn O and Ni O contents.The concentrations of the rare-earth elements(REE)and high-field strength elements(HFSE)of the metamorphic olivine are higher than typical mantle olivine.The textural and chemical characteristics of the olivine indicate metamorphic origin as a result of deserpentinization of a serpentinized ultramafic protolith rather than primary assemblage reflecting mantle residues from high-degrees of partial melting.The close association of olivine,antigorite and intergrown Ti-Chn and Ti-Chu suggests pressure condition between$1.3–2.6 GPa within the antigorite stability field(<700°C).The overall petrological and geochemical features of Lens B ultramafic body within the Eoarchean ISB indicate that these are allochthonous ultramafic rocks that recorded serpentine dehydration at relatively lower temperature and reached eclogite facies condition during their complex metamorphic history similar to exhumed UHP ultramafic rocks in modern subduction zone channels.     

Role of basement in epithermal deposits: The Kushikino and Hishikari gold deposits, southwestern Japan

The magma–ore deposit relationship of most low-sulfidation epithermal ore deposits is still unclear, partly because many stable isotopic studies of such deposits have indicated the predominance of meteoric waters within hydrothermal fluids. However, it is certainly true that hydrothermal systems are ultimately driven by magmatic intrusions, and epithermal gold deposits might therefore be produced by magmatic activity even in deposits having has no obvious links to a magma. We re-examine the genesis of two typical low-sulfidation epithermal gold deposits, the Kushikino and Hishikari deposits, using structural simulations and isotope data.Many epithermal gold deposits including the Kushikino and Hishikari deposits have been discovered in Kyushu, southwestern Japan. The Kushikino deposit comprises fissure-filling veins within Neogene andesitic volcanics that overlie unconformably Cretaceous sedimentary basement. The veins consist of gold- and silver-bearing quartz and calcite with minor amounts of adularia, sericite and sulfides. Although carbon and oxygen isotopic data for the veins indicate a meteoric origin of the ore fluid, finite element simulations suggest that the vein system might have formed in direct response to magma intrusion. In particular, geophysical data suggest that intruding magma has uplifted the basement rocks, thereby producing fractures and veins and a positive Bouguer anomaly, and providing the heat necessary to drive an ore-forming hydrothermal system.The second component of this study has been to investigate the nature and evolution of the Kushikino and Hishikari epithermal systems. Isotope data document the geochemical evolution of the hydrothermal fluids. We conclude that the existence of sedimentary basement rocks at depth might have affected the strontium and carbon isotopic ratios of the Kushikino and Hishikari ore fluids. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios and δ¹³C–δ¹⁸O trend reveal that major ore veins in the Hishikari deposit can be distinguished from shallow barren veins. It was suggested isotopically that fluids responsible for the barren veins in nearby shallow and barren circulation systems were only controlled by the shallow host rocks. Such multi-isotope systematics provide a powerful tool with which to determine the center of hydrothermal activity and thereby document the evolution of hydrothermal fluids.     

Petrogenesis of ultramafic rocks and olivine-rich troctolites from the East Taiwan Ophiolite in the Lichi mélange

Mineralogy and Petrology - We examine ultramafic and olivine-rich troctolite blocks of the East Taiwan Ophiolite (ETO) in the Lichi Mélange. Although ultramafic rocks are extensively...     

Carbon and water cycling in a Bornean tropical rainforest under current and future climate scenarios

We examined how the projected increase in atmospheric CO₂ and concomitant shifts in air temperature and precipitation affect water and carbon fluxes in an Asian tropical rainforest, using a combination of field measurements, simplified hydrological and carbon models, and Global Climate Model (GCM) projections. The model links the canopy photosynthetic flux with transpiration via a bulk canopy conductance and semi-empirical models of intercellular CO₂ concentration, with the transpiration rate determined from a hydrologic balance model. The primary forcing to the hydrologic model are current and projected rainfall statistics. A main novelty in this analysis is that the effect of increased air temperature on vapor pressure deficit (D) and the effects of shifts in precipitation statistics on net radiation are explicitly considered. The model is validated against field measurements conducted in a tropical rainforest in Sarawak, Malaysia under current climate conditions. On the basis of this model and projected shifts in climatic statistics by GCM, we compute the probability distribution of soil moisture and other hydrologic fluxes. Regardless of projected and computed shifts in soil moisture, radiation and mean air temperature, transpiration was not appreciably altered. Despite increases in atmospheric CO₂ concentration (C_a) and unchanged transpiration, canopy photosynthesis does not significantly increase if C_i/C_a is assumed constant independent of D (where C_i is the bulk canopy intercellular CO₂ concentration). However, photosynthesis increased by a factor of 1.5 if C_i/C_a decreased linearly with D as derived from Leuning stomatal conductance formulation [R. Leuning. Plant Cell Environ 1995;18:339–55]. How elevated atmospheric CO₂ alters the relationship between C_i/C_a and D needs to be further investigated under elevated atmospheric CO₂ given its consequence on photosynthesis (and concomitant carbon sink) projections.