Syngenetic inclusions in diamond from the Birim field (Ghana) – a deep peridotitic profile with a history of depletion and re-enrichment

Diamonds and their syngenetic mineral inclusions from placer deposits (Akwatia mine) along the Birim River, Ghana were studied, thus providing the first detailed data collection for the West African Craton. Inclusion contents indicate an almost exclusively peridotitic diamond suite, with the vast majority being part of the harzburgitic paragenesis. Chemically the Akwatian diamond inclusions differ from those in our 1100 sample world-wide data base mainly by shifts towards lower Mg/Fe ratios for harzburgitic olivines and orthopyroxenes, extremely high Ni contents in both harzburgitic and lherzolitic olivines, and a higher mean Cr content in chromites. The inconsistency between the low Mg/Fe ratios and the highly refractory compatible trace element signature seems best to be explained by re-fertilisation of a previously depleted source, similar to the metasomatic re-enrichment of deformed, Fe-Ti-rich and hot peridotites discussed by Harte (1983). Geothermometry shows Akwatian inclusions to be 140–190 °C hotter than the peridotitic average (1050 °C) given by Harris (1992). Since garnet-opx equilibria (1100 °C/50 kbar to 1370 °C/67 kbar) indicate a typical shield geotherm (40–42 mW/m²), these elevated temperatures imply an origin of the Akwatian diamonds unusually deep for a peridotitic suite. This is consistent with the presence of extraordinary amounts of silicate spinel component in chromite inclusions, indicative of crystallisation under higher pressures than recorded for most peridotitic suites. In addition, one garnet showed the highest knorringite component (66.4 mol%) so far observed in an inclusion in diamond. The same garnet also contained a minor enstatite solid-solution component, which indicates crystallisation at pressures just below 80 kbar. Akwatian diamond inclusions, therefore, represent the most complete cross-section through peridotitic subcontinental lithospheric upper mantle so far observed, down to a maximum depth between 200–240 km. Received: 1 November 1995 / Accepted 5 January 1997     

Diamond precipitation and mantle metasomatism – evidence from the trace element chemistry of silicate inclusions in diamonds from Akwatia, Ghana

Trace element concentrations in the four principal peridotitic silicate phases (garnet, olivine, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene) included in diamonds from Akwatia (Birim Field, Ghana) were determined using SIMS. Incompatible trace elements are hosted in garnet and clinopyroxene except for Sr which is equally distributed between orthopyroxene and garnet in harzburgitic paragenesis diamonds. The separation between lherzolitic and harzburgitic inclusion parageneses, which is commonly made using compositional fields for garnets in a CaO versus Cr₂O₃ diagram, is also apparent from the Ti and Sr contents in both olivine and garnet. Titanium is much higher in the lherzolitic and Sr in the harzburgitic inclusions. Chondrite normalised REE patterns of lherzolitic garnets are enriched (10–20 times chondrite) in HREE (La_N/Yb_N = 0.02–0.06) while harzburgitic garnets have sinusoidal REE_N patterns, with the highest concentrations for Ce and Nd (2–8 times chondritic) and a minimum at Ho (0.2–0.7 times chondritic). Clinopyroxene inclusions show negative slopes with La enrichment 10–100 times chondritic and low Lu (0.1–1 times chondritic). Both a lherzolitic and a harzburgitic garnet with very high knorringite contents (14 and 21 wt% Cr₂O₃ respectively) could be readily distinguished from other garnets of their parageneses by much higher levels of LREE enrichment. The REE patterns for calculated melt compositions from lherzolitic garnet inclusions fall into the compositional field for kimberlitic-lamproitic and carbonatitic melts. Much more strongly fractionated REE patterns calculated from harzburgitic garnets, and low concentrations in Ti, Y, Zr, and Hf, differ significantly from known alkaline and carbonatitic melts and require a different agent. Equilibration temperatures for harzburgitic inclusions are generally below the C-H-O solidus of their paragenesis, those of lherzolitic inclusions are above. Crystallisation of harzburgitic diamonds from CO₂-bearing melts or fluids may thus be excluded. Diamond inclusion chemistry and mineralogy also is inconsistent with known examples of metasomatism by H₂O-rich melts. We therefore favour diamond precipitation by oxidation of CH₄-rich fluids with highly fractionated trace element patterns which are possibly due to “chromatographic” fractionation processes. Received: 27 January 1996 / Accepted: 5 May 1997     

Carbon flux in the northwest Mediterranean estimated from microbial production

Spring profiles of microbial production derived from the dark incorporation of tritiated leucine and tritiated thymidine in the northwest Mediterranean show an exponential decline with depth. Assuming this to represent a steady-state balance between microbial respiration and the downward flux of carbon, the downward flux is estimated as (1−/)p/b, where p is the microbial production, their gross growth efficiency and b the coefficient of exponential decline with depth. Summer profiles, ranging over about 3° of latitude and 4° of longitude, were well fitted by a two-component exponential decline, suggesting two distinct microbial substrates. Values of b for the more rapidly declining component varied between 0.01 and 0.06 m⁻¹ according to location. In the case of the slower component, b was estimated as 0.002 m⁻¹, and did not vary significantly over the region. Estimated fluxes of carbon at the surface are 123–335 mg m⁻² d⁻¹ for the fast and 95 mg m⁻² d⁻¹ for the slow component. Below about 200 m, carbon flux is dominated by the slow component. Flux estimates are compatible with flux estimates from sediment traps in the same region. The observed changes between the spring and summer profiles, combined with the horizontal homogeneity of the summer profiles below 200 m, are consistent with a downward transport of about 5–10 m d^–1, implying a significant dispersive component to the observed fluxes.     

A co-accretional model of satellite formation

Numerical calculation of a simple accretion model including the effects of tidal friction indicate that coformation is tenable only if the planet's Q is less than about 10³. The parameter which most strongly affects the final mass ratio of the pair is the time at which the secondary embryo is introduced. Our model yields the proper Moon-Earth mass ratio if the Moon embryo is introduced when the Earth is only about $\text{1}\text{10}$ of its final mass. The lunar orbit remains at about 10 Earth radii throughout most of the growth.This model of satellite formation overcomes two difficulties of the “circumterrestrial cloud” model of Ruskol (1960, 1963, 1972): (1) The difficulty of accumulating a mass as great as the entire Moon before gravitational instability reduces the cloud to a small number of moonlets is removed. (2) The differences between terrestrial and outer planet satellite systems is easily understood in terms of the differences in Q between these planets. The high Q of the outer planets does not allow a satellite embryo to survive a significant portion of the accretion process, thus only small bodies which formed very late in the accumulation of the planet remain as satellites. The low Q of the terrestrial planets allows satellite embryos of these planets to survive during accretion, thus massive satellites such as the Earth's Moon are expected. The present lack of such satellites of the other terrestrial planets may be the result of tidal evolution, either infall following primary despinning (Burns, 1973) or escape due to increase in orbit eccentricity.     

30 keV (n, γ) cross-sections from the nuclear statistical model

Global input parameters for a Hauser-Feshbach calculation of astrophysical nuclear reaction rates are evaluated; wherever possible they are expressed as systematic functions of nucleon numbersN andZ rather than mass numberA. Average (n, ) cross-sections at 30 keV are calculated for all stable nuclei and nuclei with lifetimes 1 yr, taking into account the effects of width fluctuations. Agreement with experimental results is generally obtained to within 70%, but systematic discrepancies arise for even-even target nuclei between neutron shell closuresN=50 andN=82. A N curve for thes-process nuclei is in good agreement with theoretical predictions, except for a possible anomalous peak aroundA=180.     

Satellite formation,II

The satellite formation model of Harris and Kaula (Icarus24, 516–524, 1975) is extended to include evolution of planetary ring material and elliptic orbital motion. This model is more satisfactory than the previous one in that the formation of the moon begins at a later time in the growth of the earth, and that a significant fraction of the lunar material is processed through a circumterrestrial debris cloud where volatiles might have been lost. Thus the chemical differences between the earth and moon are more plausibly accounted for. Satellites of the outer planets probably formed in large numbers throughout the growth of those planets. Because of rapid inward evolution of the orbits of small satellites, the present satellite systems represent only satellites formed in the last few percent of the growths of their primaries. The rings of Saturn and Uranus are most plausibly explained as the debris of satellites disrupted within the Roche limit. Because such a ring would collapse onto the planet in the course of any significant further accretion by the planet, the rings must have formed very near or even after the conclusion of accretion.     

The morphology and evolution of the Stromboli 2002–2003 lava flow field: an example of a basaltic flow field emplaced on a steep slope

The use of a hand-held thermal camera during the 2002–2003 Stromboli effusive eruption proved essential in tracking the development of flow field structures and in measuring related eruption parameters, such as the number of active vents and flow lengths. The steep underlying slope on which the flow field was emplaced resulted in a characteristic flow field morphology. This comprised a proximal shield, where flow stacking and inflation caused piling up of lava on the relatively flat ground of the vent zone, that fed a medial–distal lava flow field. This zone was characterized by the formation of lava tubes and tumuli forming a complex network of tumuli and flows linked by tubes. Most of the flow field was emplaced on extremely steep slopes and this had two effects. It caused flows to slide, as well as flow, and flow fronts to fail frequently, persistent flow front crumbling resulted in the production of an extensive debris field. Channel-fed flows were also characterized by development of excavated debris levees in this zone (Calvari et al. 2005). Collapse of lava flow fronts and inflation of the upper proximal lava shield made volume calculation very difficult. Comparison of the final field volume with that expecta by integrating the lava effusion rates through time suggests a loss of ~70% erupted lava by flow front crumbling and accumulation as debris flows below sea level. Derived relationships between effusion rate, flow length, and number of active vents showed systematic and correlated variations with time where spreading of volume between numerous flows caused an otherwise good correlation between effusion rate, flow length to break down. Observations collected during this eruption are useful in helping to understand lava flow processes on steep slopes, as well as in interpreting old lava–debris sequences found in other steep-sided volcanoes subject to effusive activity.     

Towards quantifying uncertainty in transient climate change

Ensembles of coupled atmosphere–ocean global circulation model simulations are required to make probabilistic predictions of future climate change. “Perturbed physics” ensembles provide a new approach in which modelling uncertainties are sampled systematically by perturbing uncertain parameters. The aim is to provide a basis for probabilistic predictions in which the impact of prior assumptions and observational constraints can be clearly distinguished. Here we report on the first perturbed physics coupled atmosphere–ocean model ensemble in which poorly constrained atmosphere, land and sea-ice component parameters are varied in the third version of the Hadley Centre model (the variation of ocean parameters will be the subject of future study). Flux adjustments are employed, both to reduce regional sea surface temperature (SST) and salinity biases and also to admit the use of combinations of model parameter values which give non-zero values for the global radiation balance. This improves the extent to which the ensemble provides a credible basis for the quantification of uncertainties in climate change, especially at a regional level. However, this particular implementation of flux-adjustments leads to a weakening of the Atlantic overturning circulation, resulting in the development of biases in SST and sea ice in the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. Nevertheless, model versions are produced which are of similar quality to the unperturbed and un-flux-adjusted version. The ensemble is used to simulate pre-industrial conditions and a simple scenario of a 1% per year compounded increase in CO₂. The range of transient climate response (the 20 year averaged global warming at the time of CO₂ doubling) is 1.5–2.6°C, similar to that found in multi-model studies. Measures of global and large scale climate change from the coupled models show simple relationships with associated measures computed from atmosphere-mixed-layer-ocean climate change experiments, suggesting that recent advances in computing the probability density function of climate change under equilibrium conditions using the perturbed physics approach may be extended to the transient case.