Neoproterozoic magmatic complexes of the Songino block (Mongolia): A problem of formation and correlation of Precambrian terranes in the Central-Asian Orogenic Belt

An important role of the early Neoproterozoic juvenile crustal growth in the formation of the Khangai group of Precambrian terranes in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt was demonstrated by the example of the Holbo Nur Zone of the Songin Block. Magmatic complexes of this zone correspond to different settings of the Early Neoproterozoic ocean: oceanic islands, mid-ocean ridges, intraoceanic island arcs, and turbidite basins. Obtained data on volcanic rocks and associated granitoids constrain a timing of the island-arc magmatic complexes, at least within the interval of 888–859 Ma. The comparison of structures of the Songino and Tarbagatai blocks of the Khangai group of terranes showed that they share many common features in their geology and evolution and may be united into the single Songino–Tarbagatai terrane. This terrane was formed owing to the Early Neoproterozoic (~800 Ma) accretion of the ocean island, spreading, island-arc, and turbidite complexes of the oceanic plate to a stable continental massif represented by the Early Neoproterozoic Ider Complex of the Tarbagatai Block. The involvement of the Dzabkhan terrane into a Khangai collage of terranes is constrained between the formation of the volcanic rocks of the Dzabkhan Formation (~770–755 Ma), which are unknown in the Songino–Tarbagatai terrane, and the Tsagaan-Olom carbonate cover (~630 Ma), overlying both the Dzabkhan and Songino–Tarbagatai terranes. It was proposed that the formation of the Precambrian terranes of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt began from the Early Neoproterozoic accretion to the Rodinia supercontinent. The fragmentation of the latter above a mantle superplume at the end of the Early Neoproterozoic spanned also the newly formed fold area. This led to the formation of terranes, which included both fragments of the Paleoproterozoic craton and Early Neoproterozoic structures. Subsequent amalgamation of these Precambrian crustal fragments into composite terranes possibly occurred at the end of the early Baikalian tectonic phase.     

Numerical study of jets produced by conical wire arrays on the Magpie pulsed power generator

The aim of this work is to model the jets produced by conical wire arrays on the MAGPIE generator, and to design and test new setups to strengthen the link between laboratory and astrophysical jets. We performed the modelling with direct three-dimensional magneto-hydro-dynamic numerical simulations using the code GORGON. We applied our code to the typical MAGPIE setup and we successfully reproduced the experiments. We found that a minimum resolution of ∼100 μm is required to retrieve the unstable character of the jet. We investigated the effect of changing the number of wires and found that arrays with less wires produce more unstable jets, and that this effect has magnetic origin. Finally, we studied the behaviour of the conical array together with a conical shield on top of it to reduce the presence of unwanted low density plasma flows. The resulting jet is shorter and less dense.     

Experimental modeling of the origin of the Moon’s metallic core at partial melting

Geochemical criteria of the Moon’s composition as deficient in Fe and depleted in volatile components and the distribution of siderophile elements in the planet offer the possibility of correlating, under certain conditions, the origin of the Moon and its core from an initial material of composition close to CI carbonaceous chondrites. In order to verify the model of the percolation of liquid metallic Fe through a silicate matrix of chondritic composition at low degrees of melting, we have experimentally modeled Fe movement and deposition in the course of high-temperature centrifugation. The starting experimental mixture had the composition 85% Ol, 10% ferropicrite, and 5% Fe-S (95% Fe and 5% S); the experimental conditions were 4000 g “gravity”, T = 1440°C, Δ log fO₂(IW) ～ ?5.5. In our experiments, Fe was segregated in systems with Fe sulfide and silicate melts at partial melting under reduced conditions and the deformation of the silicate framework. Our results indicate that the Moon could be produced from a material of composition close to CI carbonaceous chondrite.     

Geochronological scale and evolution of late Cenozoic magmatism within the Caucasian segment of the alpine belt

Results of the isotope-geochronological studies of the Late Cenozoic magmatism of Caucasus have been considered. The Neogene-Quaternary volcanic activity is found to have evolved during the last 15 m. y. being most intensive in the Middle-Late Pliocene. Within separate neovolcanic areas of the Caucasus region, magmatism was of a clearly discrete character when intense eruption periods interchanged with prolonged (up to several million years) times of quiet conditions. Four stages of young magmatism of the Caucasus are recognized: the Middle Miocene (15–13 Ma), the Late Miocene (9–5 Ma), the Pliocene (4.5–1.6 Ma), and the Quaternary (less than 1.5 Ma). However, for certain areas the time limits of these stages were shifted relative to each other and overlap the whole age range from the mid-Miocene to the end of the Quaternary period. Therefore, within the collision zone, the Neogene-Quaternary magmatism evolved almost continuously during almost the last 9 m. y., but in the time interval of 13–9 Ma in the Caucasian segment, volcanic activity was possibly low. No evidence of directed lateral migration of volcanic activity within the entire Caucasus region was found. At the same time, in the Lesser Caucasus the young magmatism commenced earlier (∼15 Ma), compared to the Greater Caucasus (∼8 Ma).     

3D MHD Simulations of Laboratory Plasma Jets

Jets and outflows are thought to be an integral part of accretion phenomena and are associated with a large variety of objects. In these systems, the interaction of magnetic fields with an accretion disk and/or a magnetized central object is thought to be responsible for the acceleration and collimation of plasma into jets and wider angle flows. In this paper we present three-dimensional MHD simulations of magnetically driven, radiatively cooled laboratory jets that are produced on the MAGPIE experimental facility. The general outflow structure comprises an expanding magnetic cavity which is collimated by the pressure of an extended plasma background medium, and a magnetically confined jet which develops within the magnetic cavity. Although this structure is intrinsically transient and instabilities in the jet and disruption of the magnetic cavity ultimately lead to its break-up, a well collimated, “knotty” jet still emerges from the system; such clumpy morphology is reminiscent of that observed in many astrophysical jets. The possible introduction in the experiments of angular momentum and axial magnetic field will also be discussed.     

M 101 group galaxies

Based on archival Hubble Space Telescope images, we have performed stellar photometry for the galaxy M 101 and other neighboring galaxies located at a small angular distance from M 101 and having radial velocities similar to that of M 101: M 51, M 63, NGC 5474, NGC 5477, UGC 9405, Ho IV, KUG1413+573, and others. Based on the TRGB method, we have determined the distances to these galaxies. We have found that the M 101 group lies at a distance of 6.8 Mpc and is a small compact galaxy group consisting of four galaxies: NGC 5474, NGC 5477, UGC 9405, and Ho IV. The bright massive galaxies M 51 and M 63 are considerably farther (D = 9.0 and 9.3 Mpc, respectively) than the M 101 group and do not belong to it. Applying the virial theorem to 27 objects (H II regions and galaxies),M 101 satellites located at different distances from the galaxy, has revealed an increase in the dynamical mass of M 101 with increasing sizes of the system of satellites used in calculating the mass. The maximum calculated mass of M 101 is 7.5 × 10¹¹ M _⊙. The dynamical mass of M 101 calculated on the basis of the four galaxies constituting the group is 6.2 × 10¹¹ M _⊙. The mass-to-light ratio for this mass is M/L = 18 (at the adopted luminosity of M 101, M _B = ?20.8).     

The Early Baikalian crystalline complex in the basement of the Dzabkhan microcontinent of the Early Caledonian orogenic area, Central Asia

Fragments of continental blocks or microcontinents are represented in the Early Caledonian orogenic area of Central Asia (or Early Caledonian superterrane); the largest of these are the Dzabkhan and Tuva-Mongolian microcontinents, with Early and Late Precambrian crystalline basements, respectively. In the linkage zone of these microcontinents, crystalline rocks of the Tarbagatai and Songino blocks that are considered as units of the Early Precambrian ensialic basement of the superterrane are also known. They are composed of strongly metamorphosed rocks formed during the Early Baikalian orogeny about 790 to 820 Ma. U-Pb zircon dating and Nd isotope studies revealed, within the northwestern Dzabkhan microcontinent, the Dzabkhan-Mandal zone of crystalline rocks associated with the Riphean crust-forming process. The age of the gneiss substrate of this zone is estimated as 1.3 to 0.86 Ga. An early episode of metamorphism is dated at about 856 ± 2 Ma. The data available so far indicate a heterogeneous structure of the Dzabkhan microcontinent basement represented by Early Precambrian and Early and Late Baikalian crystalline formations.