Differential response of zircon U−Pb isotopic systematics to metamorphism across a lithologic boundary: an example from the Hope Valley Shear Zone,southeastern Massachusetts,USA

A detailed morphological, chemical and isotopic study of zircons from a single outcrop of two mineralogically and chemically distinct units of the late Precambrian Ponaganset gneiss was undertaken to investigate the effects of mylonitization and metamorphism on U-Pb isotopic systematics. Late Paleozoic, amphibolite-grade (approx. 600°C) mylonitization of the Ponaganset gneiss at this locality is associated with movement along the Hope Valley Shear Zone. The response of zircon to metamorphism in each gneiss unit is distinct: zircons in gray augen gneiss are uncorroded and not overgrown, whereas zircons from fluorite-bearing pink granitic gneiss are variably corroded and over 50% bear opaque overgrowths. The zircon overgrowths are chemically distinct from the primary cores, and contain high conentrations of Hf, U, HREE, and Th. Mylonite derived from the gray gneiss contains only a small population of Hf-U-rich metamorphic zircon, but zircons in the pink gneiss-derived mylonite are dominated by the Hf-U-rich metamorphic component. In terms of their U-Pb isotopic systematics, overgrowth-free zircons from both units are markedly discordant (gray, 10–20%, pink, 35%), but overgrown zircons from the pink gneiss are up to 70% discordant. Zircons from the mylonites yield younger Pb–Pb and U–Pb ages than those of the protolith gneisses, and isotopic data from each gneiss + mylonite pair define a linear array on concordia plots. Upper intercept ages of the gray gneiss (621+/–27 Ma) and the pink gneiss (635+/–50 Ma) indicate that the crystallization of both units was coeval, and the lower intercept ages (gray, 270+/–92 Ma; pink, 285+/–26 Ma) fall within the range of other published age estimates for Alleghanian metamorphism in southeastern New England (e.g., Zartman et al. 1988). New growth of zircon suggests that Zr was mobile during metamorphism. The presence of fluorite in the pink gneiss, and a discontinuity in log values obtained from biotite across the pink gneiss-gray gneiss contact indicates that dissolution and reprecipitation of zircon may be related to local variations in HF fugacity. Zircon dissolution/reprecipitation in the pink gneiss, and the lack of similar features in the contiguous gray gneiss, suggests that the degree of isotopic perturbation of zircon during metamorphism is related to bulk chemistry, fluid chemistry and/or the degree of fluid-rock interaction.     

New insights into the history and origin of the southern Maya block,SE México: U–Pb–SHRIMP zircon geochronology from metamorphic rocks of the Chiapas massif

The histories of the pre-Mesozoic landmasses in southern México and their connections with Laurentia, Gondwana, and among themselves are crucial for the understanding of the Late Paleozoic assembly of Pangea. The Permian igneous and metamorphic rocks from the Chiapas massif as part of the southern Maya block, México, were dated by U–Pb zircon geochronology employing the SHRIMP (sensitive high resolution ion microprobe) facility at Stanford University. The Chiapas massif is composed of deformed granitoids and orthogneisses with inliers of metasedimentary rocks. SHRIMP data from an anatectic orthogneiss demonstrate that the Chiapas massif was part of a Permian (∼ 272 Ma) active continental margin established on the Pacific margin of Gondwana after the Ouachita orogeny. Latest Permian (252–254 Ma) medium- to high-grade metamorphism and deformation affected the entire Chiapas massif, resulting in anatexis and intrusion of syntectonic granitoids. This unique orogenic event is interpreted as the result of compression due to flat subduction and accretionary tectonics. SHRIMP data of zircon cores from a metapelite from the NE Chiapas massif yielded a single Grenvillian source for sediments. The majority of the zircon cores from a para-amphibolite from the SE part of the massif yielded either 1.0–1.2 or 1.4–1.5 Ga sources, indicating provenance from South American Sunsás and Rondonian-San Ignacio provinces.     

Graphical representation of material balance and equilibrium relations for minerals sparingly soluble in H2O

Material balance and equilibrium relations between H₂O-rich fluids and sparingly soluble minerals are important for the understanding of chemical processes operative at the earths surface and within the earths crust. These two aspects of any chemical system are subject to graphical analysis, and a technique is devised to allow visual presentation of congruent and incongruent reactions between solutions and sparingly soluble silicate minerals in multi-component systems. The method also illustrates the changes in a solutions' composition resulting from both congruent and incongruent interactions with solids. The technique is particularly useful when interpreting reactions occurring during dissolution and precipitation experiments and is also valuable when interpreting the chemical history of ground waters and surface waters.Analysis of the system MgO-SiO₂-H₂O-HCl demonstrates that, under near-surface conditions, brucite and serpentine-group minerals dissolve congruently in high pH (basic) solutions while talc dissolves congruently in moderately basic to acidic solutions. In the system Na₂O-Al₂O₃-SiO₂-H₂O-HCl, gibbsite dissolves congruently in moderately acidic to highly basic solutions and kaolinite and siliceous clay minerals dissolve congruently only in acidic solutions.     

Buoy and satellite observations of mesoscale cellular convection during AMTEX 75

Buoy and satellite observations of mesoscale cellular convection (MCC) over the East China Sea in the vicinity of the Kuroshio current have been made during 14–18 February 1975, as a part of the Air Mass Transformation Experiment (AMTEX). Surface observations of solar radiation from spar buoys indicate the distinct passage of open and closed MCC that formed and continued for three consecutive days during an outbreak of cold polar air over the much warmer Kuroshio. A critical air-sea temperature of –5 °C for the occurrence of MCC has been substantiated. The time required for the passage of solar radiation peaks coupled with the buoy wind speed gave a computed closed cell diameter of 28 km, comparable to estimates from satellite photographs.The horizontal component of wind beneath the cloudy portion of a closed cell, due to convection, has been estimated as 0.6 m s^–1. This represents the speed at which air near the sea surface moves from the edge toward the center of a closed cell. Also, the temperature difference obtained near the sea surface between the relatively cold descending branch and the warm ascending branch is 0.2°C. Similarly, the specific humidity difference of the less moist descending air near the edge and the moist ascending air near cell center is 9% (0.4 g/kg). Some indications were also found in the variation of horizontal wind direction with the passage of closed cells, since wind variations at the edge of passing cells exceeded the mean sequential variability (10.6 ° compared to 9.4 °).Sensible heat flux calculations associated with closed MCC suggest that strong surface heating can be associated with closed cells, previously reported by Hubert (1966) to be a characteristic of only open cells.Finally, the results of this study should remove any disclaimers that MCC appear in satellite photography simply because of a resolution bias and that the consideration of all visible clouds actually present would remove any periodicity one might expect to see in surface observations.     

The impact of discharges from seafood processing on southeastern estuaries

A study to determine the impact of seafood packing and processing effluents discharged to southeastern estuarine waters was conducted in July and August of 1979. The environmental impact of current seafood processing wastes on Georgia’s estuaries appears to be minimal when compared with the natural organic load. One large estuary demonstrated a high residual capacity to receive processing effluents without significant change. The BOD load from shrimp thawing, peeling, sorting, and cleaning operations at a large seafood processing plant was shown to be equivalent to the organic material generated by a 302 m² plot (57 ft×57 ft) of salt marsh. NH₄?N levels were greater than, but the same order of magnitude as, natural runoff from marsh land.     

Subdivision of the Archean lavas of the Abitibi area,Canada, from Fe-Mg-Ni-Cr relations

The lavas of a part of the Archean Abitibi region may be divided into three stratigraphic levels in each of which FeO-MgO-Ni-Cr contents conform to certain broad differentiation trends. Within each stratigraphic level, there is a tendency for rocks to become more felsic upwards. The earliest and stratigraphically lowest subdivision is composed largely of magnesium-rich basaltic lavas called the magnesian suite. In the central part of the pile, where basalts predominate, the lavas contain intermediate MgO concentrations, and display pronounced Fe enrichment in intermediate members similar to conventional tholeiites. In the latest and stratigraphically highest lavas, where andesites predominate, Fe depletion is characteristic; these lavas are grouped into a primitive calcalkaline suite. All of the Abitibi lavas contain unusually high Ni and Cr. Other Archean lava piles appear to be similarly divisible, although all three suites are not always present.Mafic end-members of the three complete differentiation suites are viewed as possible source magmas derived by partial melting in a primitive, olivine-rich parent, probably the Archean mantle. The earliest, and highest temperature magmas precipitated olivine, Al-clinopyroxene, and minor Al-orthopyroxene, and display moderate FeO, TiO₂, MnO, Al₂O₃, and CaO enrichment in more felsic members. The intermediate age lavas, derived originally by less complete melting in the parent, precipitated plagioclase, olivine, and lesser clinopyroxene, and display, as a result, strong Fe enrichment until, in intermediate members, magma volumes became small enough to yield P_f of levels sufficient to form clinopyroxene plus magnetite. The uppermost lavas, derived by relatively small volumetric melting in the parent, contain abundant Fe-Ti oxides in even the most mafic members, along with augite and plagioclase.     

Genesis of the New Quebec and Adirondack granulites: Evidence for their production by partial melting

Materials balance calculations on amphibolite facies and granulite facies rocks from the Adirondack region and from some areas of New Quebec demonstrate that the rocks of the two facies differ by near granite-minimum melt compositions. The implication of these results are; granulites of both regions result from partial melting of greywacke-type metasedimentary rocks during upper amphibolite facies metamorphism. The New Quebec region contains granuites produced by partial melting as well as granulites produced by simple mineral dehydration reactions (no melting of the rocks occurred). These observations combined with the knowledge that some New Quebec granulites have produced abnormally high quantities of melts provide evidence that large sources and sinks for H₂O exist in the lower crust and that there is significant H₂O transport between these regions.     

Two methods for evaluating parameters for the partitioning of cations between coexisting single- and double-site phases

The proposed methods for estimating two free energy partitioning parameters of a one site-two site model have been specifically developed for cases where data are few or inconveniently grouped and utilize pairs of values of the mole fractions of the partitioned species A in the multi-site phase (X_A^T) and the single site phase (X_A^m). Where (X_A^T) exceeds 0.7 the mod may become unstable such that small changes in the distribution curve gradient result in large changes in the evaluated intracrystalline exchange free energy. Such behaviour is exemplified by data from the system olivine-orthopyroxene.