Permeability development in vesiculating magmas: implications for fragmentation

 Fragmentation, or the "coming apart" of magma during a plinian eruption, remains one of the least understood processes in volcanology, although assumptions about the timing and mechanisms of fragmentation are key parameters in all existing eruption models. Despite evidence to the contrary, most models assume that fragmentation occurs at a critical vesicularity (volume percent vesicles) of 75–83%. We propose instead that the degree to which magma is fragmented is determined by factors controlling bubble coalescence: magma viscosity, temperature, bubble size distribution, bubble shapes, and time. Bubble coalescence in vesiculating magmas creates permeability which serves to connect the dispersed gas phase. When sufficiently developed, permeability allows subsequent exsolved and expanded gas to escape, thus preserving a sufficiently interconnected region of vesicular magma as a pumice clast, rather than fully fragmenting it to ash. For this reason pumice is likely to preserve information about (a) how permeability develops and (b) the critical permeability needed to insure clast preservation. We present measurements and calculations that constrain the conditions (vesicularity, bubble size distribution, time, pressure difference, viscosity) necessary for adequate permeability to develop. We suggest that magma fragments explosively to ash when and where, in a heterogeneously vesiculating magma, these conditions are not met. Both the development of permeability by bubble wall thinning and rupture and the loss of gas through a permeable network of bubbles require time, consistent with the observation that degree of fragmentation (i.e., amount of ash) increases with increasing eruption rate. Received: 5 July 1995 / Accepted: 27 December 1995     

LREE distribution in perovskite,apatite and titanite from South West Ugandan xenoliths and kamafugite lavas

Summary In-situ microprobe LREE analyses of perovskite and titanite (La, Ce, Nd), and apatite (La, Ce), from SW Ugandan clinopyroxenite xenoliths and kamafugite lavas indicate that LREE distribution in these minerals is determined by a number of factors related to their different parageneses: In particular LREE content is affected by whether the LREE-bearing minerals have crystallised from metasomatic carbonate or from silicate (i.e. metasomatic or magmatic) melts in the mantle. In this situation LREE partition favours carbonate over silicate melts. Distribution of LREE in perovskite and apatite crystallised from magmatic mantle melts or mantle-derived lavas is chiefly determined by preference of LREE for perovskite > apatite > titanite. LREE zoning in perovskite is influenced by changes in melt structure: increasing melt polymerisation enhancing mineral_LREE/melt_LREE partition into perovskite rims in magmatic xenoliths; decreasing melt polymerisation depleting LREE in lava perovskite rims. This zoning is reinforced by perovskite competition with apatite for LREE: perovskite (cores/rims) co-crystallising with apatite is reduced in LREE. There are 37 instances of perovskitewith Ce below detection while La and Nd levels are normal. These occur in both xenoliths and lavas; in grain zones or whole grains. Likewise Ce alone of the LREE is below detection in six out of ten titanite analyses. These observations are interpreted as evidence for increased f_{O 2}, Ce⁴ + being excluded from these mineral structures. Recognition of these various processes can elucidate the interpretation of bulk rock and bulk mineral LREE signatures in kamafugite volcanism.

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LREE Verteilung in Perovskit, Apatit und Titanit aus Xenolithen und kamafugitischen Laven Südwest-Ugandas

Zusammenfassung In-situ LREE Analysen von Perovskit und Titanit (La, Ce, Nd) und Apatit (La, Ce) aus Klinopyroxenit-Xenolithen und kamafugitischen Laven Südwest-Ugandas zeigen, daß die LREE Verteilung in diesen Mineralen durch eine Vielzahl von Faktoren, die mit Unterschieden in den Paragenesen zusammenhängen, bestimmt wird: Der LREE-Gehalt wird im besonderen davon bestimmt, ob die LREE-führenden Minerale aus metasomatischen Karbonat- oder aus (metasomatischen oder magmatischen) Silikatschmelzen im Mantel auskristallisierten. Dabei erfolgt die LREE Fraktionierung zu Gunsten der Karbonatschmelzen. Die LREE-Verteilung von Perovskit und Apatit, die aus magmatischen Mantelschmelzen oder -laven kristallisierten, wird vorrangig durch den bevorzugten Einbau der LREE in Perovskit > Apatit > Titanit kontrolliert. Der LREE Zonarbau von Perovskit wird durch die Änderungen der Schmelzstruktur beinflußt: Verstärkte Schmelzpolymerisation führt zu verstärkter Mineral_LFEE/Schmelze_LREE Fraktionierung in den Perovskiträndern magmatischer Xenolithe, eine Abnahme der Schmelzpolymerisation hingegen resultiert in einer Abreicherung der LREE in den Perovskiträndern. Diese Art der Zonierung wird durch den Wettbewerb von Perovskit mit Apatit um die LREE verstärkt. Perovskit (Kerne/Ränder), der mit Apatit gemeinsam auskristallisierte, ist ärmer an LREE. 37 Fälle, in denenCe nicht nachweisbar war, La und Nd aber in normaler Konzentration auftreten, wurden sowohl in den Xenolithen als auch in den Laven gefunden; und zwar entweder in Kornbereichen oder in ganzen Körnern. Vergleichsweise liegt Ce nur in sechs von zehn Titanitproben unterhalb der Nachweisgrenze. Diese Beobachtungen werden als Hinweise auf erhöhte SauerstoffFugazitäten, bei denen Ce^4– aus der Mineralstruktur ausgeschlossen wird, angesehen.Ein Verständnis dieser verschiedenen Prozesse kann zur besseren Interpretation von LREE Gesamtgesteins- und Gesamtmineral-Signaturen in Kamafugiten beitragen.

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With 3 Figures     

A window to the operation of microplate tectonics in the Tethys Ocean: the geochemistry of the Samothrace granite,Aegean Sea

Summary The island of Samothrace, northeastern Aegean Sea, consists of five main geological units: (i) A basement unit consisting of low grade metamorphic rocks (metapelites, marbles, metavolcanic rocks, and a metaconglomerate); (ii) an ophiolitic complex with K-Ar hornblende date of 154 ± 7 and 155 ± 7 Ma; (iii) A granite intrusion with biotite K-Ar dates of 14.5 ± 0.3 and 14.5 ± 0.5 Ma, and a contact metamorphic event dated at 40.9 + 2.2 Ma; (iv) a unit of Cenozoic volcanic rocks: orogenic volcanism apparently occurred in two cycles with Upper Eocene tholeiitic to calc-alkaline volcanic rocks and post-Eocene high-K andesites to trachytes. (v) Quaternary clastic sedimentary rocks which occur around the peripheral parts of the island. The granitic intrusion is predominantly a hornblende-biotite granite, granodiorite or quartz monzonite, with porphyritic variants and mafic enclaves. The pluton is cut by granophyre, aplite and rare granodioritic veins. All lithological units of the Samothrace intrusion show smooth and continuous major element trends and similar chondrite- and Ocean Ridge Granite-normalized incompatible element profiles. ORG-normalized incompatible element contents of Hf, Zr, Sm are explained with fractionation close to the normalizing values Y and Yb contents combined with high K/Yb ratios; Rb and Th are significantly enriched relative to Nb and Ta. In Y-Nb and Rb-SiO₂ space most samples of the Samothrace granite, plot in the volcanic arc and the syn-collisional granite fields. In Y + Nb-Rb space they are equally distributed within and transgress these two domains. The geochemical and regional data suggest a subduction or collision environment but biotite mineral data do not support a collisional setting for magma genesis. The Samothrace granite was probaby associated with a post-collisional domain after the closure of the Axios section of the Tethys Ocean.

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Ein Einblick in das Wirken von Mikroplattentektonik in der Tethys—Die Geochemie des Samothrake Granites, Agäisches Meer

Zusammenfassung Die Insel Samothrake in der nordöstlichen Ägäis besteht aus fünf geologischen Haupteinheiten: (i) einem schwach metamorphen Basement (Metapelite, Marmore, Metavulkanite und Metakonglomerate); (ii) einem ophiolithischem Komplex, der mit K-Ar Datierungen an Hornblende ein Alter von 154 ± 7 und 155 ± 7 Ma ergab; (iii) ein granitischer Intrusionskörper mit K-Ar Altern an Biotit von 14.0 ± 0.3 und 14.5 ± 0.5 Ma und einem kontaktmetamorphen Ereignis, das mit 40.9 ± 2.2 Ma datiert ist; (iv) eine Abfolge känozoischer Vulkanite, wobei der orogene Vulkanismus offensichtlich in zwei Zyklen ablief mit tholeiitischen bis kalkalkalischen Vulkaniten im oberen Eozän und high-K Andesiten bis Trachyten im post-Eozän; (v) quartären klastischen Sedimentgesteinen, die im Randbereich der Insel auftreten. Die Granitintrusion setzt sich hauptsächlich aus Hornblende-Biotitgraniten, Granodioriten oder Quarzmonzoniten mit teilweise porphyrischen und mafischen Enklaven enthaltenden Varietäten zusammen. Der Pluton wird von Granophyren, Apliten und seltener von granodioritischen Gängen durchschlagen. Alle lithologischen Einheiten der Samothrake Intrusion zeigen kontinuierliche Hauptelementtrends und ähnliche Chondrit und ORG-normalisierte inkompatible Elementprofile. Die Gehalte an den inkompatiblen Elementen Hf, Zr, Sm sind sehr ähnlich denen von ozeanischen Graniten (ORG). Die niedrigen Y und Yb-Gehalte und die hohen K/Yb Verhältnisse werden durch Fraktionierung erklärt. Rb und Th sind signifikant angereichert im Vergleich zu Nb und Ta. In Y-Nb und Rb-SiO₂ Diagrammen plotten die meisten Proben des Samothrake Granites im Feld der vulkanischen Inselbogen- und Synkollisionsgranite. Im Y + Nb-Rb Diagramm zeigt sich eine gleichmäßige und überlappende Verteilung. Die geochemischen und regionalen Daten weisen auf einen Subduktions- oder Kollisionsbereich hin, obwohl die Biotitzusammensetzungen nicht für eine Bildung der Magmen in einem Kollisionsbereich sprechen. Die Bildung des Samothrake Granites steht möglicherweise mit post-Kollisionstektonik nach dem Schließen der Axioszone in der Tethys in Zusammenhang.

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With 7 Figures     

Chernobyl radiocaesium in a karst system,Marble Cave,Crimea

 Surface contamination with radioactive caesium introduced into the environment after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear plant was high enough in the Crimean Mountains to allow using radiocaesium as an indicator of penetration of radioactive contamination into a karst system. Caesium concentrations have been studied in soils above Marble Cave, Tchatyrdag Plateau, in percolation waters and in sediments transported by percolation waters within the cave. Contamination of the daylight surface with ¹³⁷Cs is about 30 kqB m^–2 which is approximately 13 times higher than the density of global fallouts. Besides ¹³⁷Cs, almost all samples showed presence of ¹³⁴Cs with the ¹³⁷Cs/¹³⁴Cs ratio close to that of Chernobyl contaminations. Concentrations of ¹³⁷Cs range from 9 to 15 mBq l^–1 in the present percolation waters in the cave. In sediments related to percolation waters ¹³⁴Cs is detected in some samples besides ¹³⁷Cs, although the effect of ²²⁸Ac is not ruled out. Surprisingly, the highest concentrations of radiocaesium were measured in "old" sediments in the cave's lower series. These sediments are not associated with modern percolation and are represented by a clay/moonmilk alternating sequence deposited in an old dried cave lake. Moonmilk layers have higher caesium content than clay. It is assumed that Chernobyl caesium was transported into the cave with aerosols which were then deposited mainly in areas where condensation occurs. The sampling site is located just in the boundary between two microclimatic zones with a temperature gradient of 0.5  °C. Active condensation processes occur in this area. Caesium was not detected in another similar sampling site (old lake deposits) located within homogeneous microclimatic conditions. If the above interpretation is correct, these results show the geochemical significance of the aerosol-condensation mechanism of mass transport and localisation. Received: 1 June 1995 · Accepted: 4 December 1995     

Total ozone variations in the tropical belt: An application for quality of ground based measurements

Summary The study of the regime of ozone variations in the huge tropical belt (25° S to 25° N), which are, in general, very small and zonally nearly symmetric, permits to establish a statistical model for estimating the ozone deviations using Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) data. The equatorial stratospheric winds at 25 and 50hPa and the solar flux at 10.7 cm are used as major predictors and the linear trend was also estimated. The 10m/sec stratospheric wind change is related to1.2% ozone change at the equator, to practically no change in the 8–15° belts and up to 1.4% change with opposite phase over the tropics in spring but nearly zero change in fall. The solar cycle related amplitude is about 1.4% per 100 units of 10.7 cm solar flux. The ozone trends are negative: not significant over the equator and about –2% per decade (significant at 95% level) over the tropics. The latter could have been enforced by the 2 to 4% lower ozone values during 1991–1993, part of which might be related to the effects of the Mt. Pinatubo eruption, but might also be due to the strong QBO. The estimated deviations are verified versus reliable observations and the very good agreement permits applying the model for quantitative quality control of the reported ozone data from previous years. The standard deviation of the difference between observed ozone deviations and those estimated from the model is only 0.9–1.6% for yearly mean, that means instruments used for total ozone observations in the tropical belt should have systematic error of less than 1%. Cases when the discrepancies between the model and reported observations at a given station exceed 2–3% for time interval of 2 or more years should be verified.With 17 Figures     

On estimates of lower and upper limits for the masses of compact components in close binaries

A method of determination of limits for a compact component mass on the base of disk emission lines parameters is described. Lower limit of the mass depends upon the distance between maxima in double peaked lines, the upper the full width of the line. The method is tested for some cataclysmic variables with well known masses of compact components. We obtain a lower limit for the mass of the compact object in the close binary SS433 is 4.9M . This component is apparently a black hole.     

The GEM project: An international collaboration to survey galactic radiation emission

The GEM (Galactic Emission Mapping) project is an international collaboration established with the aim of surveying the full sky at long wavelengths with a multi-frequency radio telescope. A total of 745 hours of observation at 408 MHz were completed from an Equatorial site in Colombia. The observations cover the celestial band 0 ^h <<24 ^h , and –24° 22<<+35° 37. Preliminary results of this partial survey will be discussed. A review of the instrumental setup and a 10° resolution sky map at 408 MHz is presented.Presented by S. Torres at the UN/ESA Workshop on Basic Space Sciences: From Small Telescopes to Space Missions, Colombo, Sri Lanka 11–14 January 1996     

Evolution of cool skin and direct air-sea gas transfer coefficient during daytime

Absorption of solar radiation within the thermal molecular sublayer of the ocean can modify the temperature difference across the cool skin as well as the air-sea gas transfer. Our model of renewal type is based on the assumption that the thermal and diffusive molecular sublayers below the ocean surface undergo cyclic growth and destruction, the heat and gas transfer between the successive burst events are performed by molecular diffusion. The model has been upgraded to include heating due to solar radiation. The renewal time is parameterized as a function of the surface Richardson number and the Keulegan number. A Rayleigh number criterion characterizes the convective instability of the cool skin under solar heating. Under low wind speed conditions, the solar heating can damp the convective instability, strongly increasing the renewal time and correspondingly decreasing the interfacial gas exchange. In the ocean, an additional convective instability caused by salinity flux due to evaporation becomes of importance in such cases. The new parameterization is compared with the cool skin data obtained in the western equatorial Pacific during the Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere Coupled Ocean Atmosphere Response Experiment in February 1993. In combination with a model of the diurnal thermocline it describes main features of the field data both in nighttime and daytime. Under low wind speed conditions (< 5 m s^-1) diurnal variations of the sea surface temperature due to the formation of a diurnal thermocline were substantially larger than those across the cool skin. Under wind speeds > 5 m s^-1, diurnal variations of the surface temperature due to the variations of the thermal molecular sublayer become more important.     

Simulation of large-scale gas structures formed in the interaction between galaxies. I. Method and preliminary results

Computer programs developed to study large-scale, transient gas structures in galaxies are described and test results are given. Gas-dynamic quantities are determined on the basis of a three-dimensional algorithm using so-called "smoothed particle hydrodynamics" (SPH). Preliminary calculations were made to simulate the formation of a gas ring around a spheroidal galaxy when it absorbs a low-mass, gas-rich companion, as well due to gas accretion during the flyby of a spiral galaxy of comparable mass. The evolution of tidal gas tails of disk galaxies is investigated.Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 39, No. 2, pp. 265–284, April–June, 1996.     

The Taconite Inlet Lakes Project: a systems approach to paleoclimatic reconstruction

A comprehensive study of meteorological, hydrological, limnological and sedimentological conditions in the watersheds of density-stratified (meromictic) lakes around Taconite Inlet, Northern Ellesmere Island, N.W.T., Canada was carried out from 1990–1992. Lakes C1 and C2 contain seawater trapped by isostatic uplift as the former embayments became isolated from the sea. These lakes, and Lake C3, contain varved sediments which provide an annually resolvable paleoclimatic record. By studing the major systems influencing sedimentation in one of these lakes (Lake C2) a better understanding of the climatic controls on varve formation, and hence on the paleoclimatic signal in the varved sediment record, was obtained. The varves of Lake C2 provide a proxy record of summer temperature for the region.This is the first in a series of papers published in this issue on the Taconite Inlet Lakes Project. These papers were collected by Dr R. S. Bradley.