The 10 ka multiple vent pyroclastic eruption sequence at Tongariro Volcanic Centre, Taupo Volcanic Zone, New Zealand: Part 2. Petrological insights into magma storage and transport during regional extension

The six eruption episodes of the 10 ka Pahoka–Mangamate (PM) sequence (see companion paper) occurred over a ?200–400-year period from a 15-km-long zone of multiple vents within the Tongariro Volcanic Centre (TgVC), located at the southern end of the Taupo Volcanic Zone (TVZ). Most TgVC eruptives are plagioclase-dominant pyroxene andesites and dacites, with strongly porphyritic textures indicating their derivation from magmas that ascended slowly and stagnated at shallow depths. In contrast, the PM pyroclastic eruptives show petrographic features (presence of phenocrystic and groundmass hornblende, and the coexistence of olivine and augite without plagioclase during crystallisation of phenocrysts and microphenocrysts) which suggest that their crystallisation occurred at depth. Depths exceeding 8 km are indicated for the dacitic magmas, and >20 km for the andesitic and basaltic andesitic magmas. Other petrographic features (aphyric nature, lack of reaction rims around hornblende, and the common occurrence of skeletal microphenocrystic to groundmass olivine in the andesites and basaltic andesites) suggest the PM magmas ascended rapidly immediately prior to their eruption, without any significant stagnation at shallow depths in the crust. The PM eruptives show three distinct linear trends in many oxide–oxide diagrams, suggesting geochemical division of the six episodes into three chronologically-sequential groups, early, middle and late. Disequilibrium features on a variety of scales (banded pumice, heterogeneous glassy matrix and presence of reversely zoned phenocrysts) suggest that each group contains the mixing products of two end-member magmas. Both of these end-member magmas are clearly different in each of the three groups, showing that the PM magma system was completely renewed at least three times during the eruption sequence. Minor compositional diversity within the eruptives of each group also allows the PM magmas to be distinguished in terms of their source vents. Because petrography suggests that the PM magmas did not stagnate at shallow levels during their ascent, the minor diversity in magmas from different vents indicates that magmas ascended from depth through separate conduits/dikes to erupt at different vents either simultaneously or sequentially. These unique modes of magma transport and eruption support the inferred simultaneous or sequential tapping of small separate magma bodies by regional rifting in the southern Taupo Volcanic Zone during the PM eruption sequence (see companion paper).     

On build-up of magnetic energy in the solar atmosphere

The dynamic response of the solar atmosphere is examined with the use of self-consistent numerical solutions of the complete set of nonlinear, two-dimensional, hydromagnetic equations. Of particular interest are the magnetic energy build-up and the velocity field established by emerging flux at the base of an existing magnetic loop structure in a stationary atmosphere. For a plasma with a relatively low beta ( = 0.03) the magnetic energy build-up is approximately twice that of the kinetic energy, while the build-up in magnetic energy first exceeds but is eventually overtaken by the kinetic energy for a plasma with an intermediate beta ( = 3). The increased magnetic flux causes the plasma to flow upward near the loop center and downward near the loop edges for the low beta plasma. The plasma eventually flows downward throughout the lower portion of the loop carrying the magnetic field with it for the intermediate beta plasma. It is hypothesized that this latter case, and possibly the other case as well, may provide a reasonable simulation of the disappearance of prominences by flowing down into the chromosphere (a form of disparition brusque).The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.Now at the School of Science and Engineering, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama 35807.     

Palynological evidence for the astronomical origin of lignite-detritus sequence in the Middle Pleistocene Marathousa Member, Megalopolis, SW Greece

The Marathousa Member, Middle Pleistocene strata in the fluvio-lacustrine Megalopolis basin, southwest Greece, displays distinct but complicated lithological cycles comprising first-order alternation of lignites and detrital muds and second-order alternation expressed by frequent intercalation of organic layers. Palynological evidence indicates that the lithological cycles are driven by the Earth’s orbital forcing. All the lignite seams yield temperate oak forest whereas the detrital beds provide semi-arid steppe mainly of Artemisia. This means that the first-order lithological cycle represents the glacial/interglacial cycle (i.e., the 100-kyr eccentricity cycle), providing a timescale of at least 350 kyr to the Marathousa Member. Pollen also detects smaller-scale climate fluctuations in many of the subordinate organic layers, with the total number of fluctuations being five in a complete lignite-detritus couplet. This means that the second-order lithological cycle reflects the 21-kyr insolation cycle. A tentative phase relation between the lithological cycles and the astronomical cycles is shown based on palynostratigraphy and electron spin resonance dating. Lacustrine environments with increased water tables are implied for the glacial periods sedimentologically, in contrast to local swamp vegetation for the interglacial periods. The subordinate organic layers were formed under intermediate environments (climate, water depth, etc.) between full glacials and interglacials.     

Changes in geophysical properties caused by fluid injection into porous rocks: analytical models

Analytical models are provided that describe how the elastic compliance, electrical conductivity, and fluid‐flow permeability of rocks depend on stress and fluid pressure. In order to explain published laboratory data on how seismic velocities and electrical conductivity vary in sandstones and granites, the models require a population of cracks to be present in a possibly porous host phase. The central objective is to obtain a consistent mean‐field analytical model that shows how each modeled rock property depends on the nature of the crack population. The crack populations are described by a crack density, a probability distribution for the crack apertures and radii, and the averaged orientation of the cracks. The possibly anisotropic nature of the elasticity, conductivity, and permeability tensors is allowed for; however, only the isotropic limit is used when comparing to laboratory data. For the transport properties of conductivity and permeability, the percolation effect of the crack population linking up to form a connected path across a sample is modeled. However, this effect is important only in crystalline rock where the host phase has very small conductivity and permeability. In general, the importance of the crack population to the transport properties increases as the host phase becomes less conductive and less permeable.     

Study on hydraulic characteristics of sabo dam with a flap structure for debris flow

The front part of the flow is very important and complex in the case of debris flow where there is an accumulation of large boulders. It is important to control or dampen the energy of the frontal part of a debris flow for the safety of the downstream area because the impact pressure of debris flow is much greater than that of clear fluid. The main objective of this study is to analyze the hydraulic characteristics of the proposed dam (i.e. closed-type dam with flap). The vertical pressure distribution of this type is compared with conventional dam types. In the experiments, the total pressure associated with major debris flows was recorded in real time by a system consisting of four dynamic pressure sensors installed on different types of dam. The results from experimental data clearly show that the dam with the flap has advantages of capturing the debris flow with large boulders and controls the total pressure by flow circulation due to presence of the flap structure compared to a closed-type dam without flap. Further-more, the empirical coefficients of hydrodynamic and solid collision models were proposed and com-pared with available coefficients.     

Estimation of debris flow discharge coefficient considering sediment concentration

A sabo dam has a purpose to block the path of debris flow. However, when overflow occurs, a sabo dam works as a weir, a vertical obstruction, where the fluid must flow over. Many empirical formulas and discharge coefficients for weirs relating flow depth to discharge have been proposed to calculate overflow discharges. However, only a few studies about overflow discharge coefficients are available in the case of debris flow. In this paper, experiments and numerical simulations were done to estimate debris flow discharge coefficients by considering the sediment concentration. In the numerical simulation, a complete overflow equation and a free overfall equation were implemented to calculate debris overflow discharges at a sabo dam. To determine the discharge coefficients for each equation, single factor regression analysis was used. Laboratory experiments were done to calibrate and to compare with the simulation. Study results showed that the discharge coefficients increase as the sediment concentration increases. This finding suggests debris flow discharge coefficients are derived to calculate the debris overflow discharges at a sabo dam.     

Reconstruction of the eruptive history of Usu volcano,Hokkaido, Japan,inferred from petrological correlation between tephras and dome lavas

Usu volcano has erupted nine times since 1663. Most eruptive events started with an explosive eruption, which was followed by the formation of lava domes. However, the ages of several summit lava domes and craters remain uncertain. The petrological features of tephra deposits erupted from 1663 to 1853 are known to change systematically. In this study, we correlated lavas with tephras under the assumption that lava and tephra samples from the same event would have similar petrological features. Although the initial explosive eruption in 1663 was not accompanied by lava effusion, lava dome or cryptodome formation was associated with subsequent explosive eruptions. We inferred the location of the vent associated with each event from the location of the associated lava dome and the pyroclastic flow deposit distribution and found that the position of the active vent within the summit caldera differed for each eruption from the late 17th through the 19th century. Moreover, we identified a previously unrecognized lava dome produced by a late 17th century eruption; this dome was largely destroyed by an explosive eruption in 1822 and was replaced by a new lava dome during a later stage of the 1822 event at nearly the same place as the destroyed dome. This new interpretation of the sequence of events is consistent with historical sketches and documents. Our results show that petrological correlation, together with geological evidence, is useful not only for reconstructing volcanic eruption sequences but also for gaining insight into future potential disasters.     

Development of force-free current in astrophysical circumstances

The physical conditions needed for the development of field-aligned force-free current in astrophysical circumstances are considered. It is shown that a large-scale differential motion of magnetic regions can lead to the development of magnetic field with the preferential enhancement of force-free current. Other physical consequences of force-free current in evolving magnetic field are also discussed.     

Experimental study of a low-alkali tholeiite at 1–5 kbar: optimal condition for the crystallization of high-An plagioclase in hydrous arc tholeiite

We conducted melting experiments on a low-alkali tholeiite (SiO₂ ~52 wt%, MgO ~6.5 wt%, CaO/Na₂O~4.4, Al₂O₃/SiO₂ ~0.33) under both H₂O-undersaturated and H₂O-saturated conditions to investigate the effect of H₂O on the Ca–Na partitioning between plagioclase and melt. Experiments were performed in the temperature and pressure ranges of 1,000–1,300°C and 1–5 kbar, respectively, with varying H₂O contents of 0–12wt%. Redox condition was 0–2 log unit above NNO (nickel–nickel oxide) buffer. Temperature-bulk H₂O diagrams for the low-alkali tholeiite are constructed at 1, 2, and 5 kbar, and compositions of near-liquidus plagioclase and coexisting melt are determined. To exclude the effect of melt composition (CaO/Na₂O and Al₂O₃/SiO₂ ratios) on plagioclase composition and to reveal the effect of H₂O on An (=100×Ca/(Ca+Na)) content and (=(Ca/Na)_pl/(Ca/Na)_melt), we focused on the composition of near-liquidus plagioclases which crystallized from melts with nearly constant CaO/Na₂O and Al₂O₃/SiO₂ ratios. Our experimental results show that, at each experimental pressure, An content of the near-liquidus plagioclase and the K_D^Ca-Na almost linearly increases as H₂O content in melt increases. Each of the An content and the variations in a low-alkali tholeiitic system (CaO/Na₂O~4.0–4.5, Al₂O₃/SiO₂ ~0.27–0.33) can be described by one equation using temperature, pressure, and melt H₂O content as parameters. An content and of liquidus plagioclase increases with increasing melt H₂O and with decreasing pressure, elucidating that nearly H₂O-saturated conditions of 2–3 kbar is optimal for the crystallization of the most An-rich plagioclase (>An₈₈). We suggest this pressure condition of 2–3 kbar, corresponding to depth of 7–11 km, plays an important role for the origin of An-rich plagioclase in H₂O-rich low-alkali tholeiite. At pressures more than ca. 4 kbar, crystallization of liquidus Ca-rich clinopyroxene decreases the CaO/Na₂O ratio of liquid, thus prohibiting the crystallization of high-An plagioclase from hydrous tholeiite.     

Time variation of the X-ray spectrum and optical luminosity of SCO X-1

Results of rocket observations of SCO X-1 over the spectral range of 220 keV are presented. The observations have been performed partly in India and partly in Japan under the collaboration of the three groups. The present results are compared with results of similar observations carried out by the LRL (Lawrence Radiation Laboratory) group. Some of these X-ray observations were accompanied by simultaneous optical observations. Relationships between the hardness of the X-ray spectrum and the X-ray intensity and between the hardness and the optical luminosity are compiled. The relationships among the parameters (temperature, density and size) which characterize the postulated isothermal cloud model of SCO X-1 are given. They indicate that SCO X-1 is characterized by a temperature of about 10⁷–10⁸K, a density of about 10¹⁶–10¹⁷ cm^–3 and a radius of about 10⁸–10⁹ cm respectively. We further show that the temperature is inversely correlated with the size of the source; an increase in temperature corresponds to a decrease in the radius and an increase in density.