A multi‐geochronological study of the Hakusan volcano,central Japan

The Hakusan volcano, central Japan, is located in a region where two subducting plates (the Pacific Plate and the Philippine Sea Plate) overlap near the junction of four plates adjacent to the Japanese Islands (the Pacific Plate, the Philippine Sea Plate, the Eurasia Plate, and the North American Plate). The Hakusan volcano consists of products from four major volcanic episodes: Kagamuro, Ko‐hakusan, and Shin‐Hakusan I and II. To date the eruption events of the Hakusan volcano we applied thermoluminescence and fission track methods. ²³⁸U(²³⁴U)–²³⁰Th disequilibrium and ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U methods were applied to date the zircon crystallization ages for estimating the magma residence time before the eruptions. The eruption ages we obtained are ca 250 ka for Kagamuro, ca 100 ka and ca 60 ka for Ko‐Hakusan, ca 50 ka for Shin‐Hakusan I, and <10 ka for Shin‐Hakusan II. They are concordant with previous reports based on K–Ar dating. Some of the pyroclastic rocks, possibly originating from Shin‐Hakusan II activities, are dated to be ca 36 ka or 50 ka, and belong to the Shin‐Hakusan I activity. The zircon crystallization ages show several clusters prior to eruption. The magma residence time was estimated for each volcanic activity by comparing the major crystallization events and eruption ages, and we found a gradual decrease from ca. 500 ky for the Kagamuro activity to ca. 5 ky for the Shin‐Hakusan II activity. This decrease in residence time may be responsible for the decrease in volume of erupted material estimated from the current topography of the region. The scale of volcanic activity, which was deduced from the number of crystallized zircons, is more or less constant throughout the Hakusan volcanic activity. Therefore, the decrease in magma residence time is most likely the result of stress field change.     

Back-arc Paleo-Tethys related blueschist from Central Iran, south of Chupanan, Isfahan Province

Late Paleozoic blueschists present good exposures in the Pateyar metamorphic complex (south of Chupanan, Isfahan Province). They are formed by metamorphism of primitive basaltic lavas. Petrography and microprobe analyses show that the studied rocks consist of glaucophane, actinolite, actinolitic hornblende, plagioclase (albite), sphene, magnetite, quartz and apatite. Secondary minerals are epidote, chlorite, pyrite, hematite and calcite. Mineralogical assemblages are consistent with blueschist facies metamorphism, which is followed by a retrograde metamorphism in greenschist facies. Estimation of the metamorphic conditions suggests 300–400°C and 7–11 kbar. Chemical signatures of the studied metamorphic rocks conclude that they retain main geochemical characteristics of the protoliths, which allow the petrochemical interpretations. Geochemical analyses of these blueschists show that they were originally tholeiitic basalts. Evident negative anomalies of Nb, Ta and Ti relative to Th, La and Ce, in the primitive mantle normalized spider-gram, reveal subduction role in their petrogenesis. The studied metavolcanics exhibit an intermediate chemistry between the N-MORB (normal mid-ocean ridge basalt) and IATB (island arc tholeitic basalt). Enrichment in LREE (light rare earth elements) and LILE (large ion lithophile elements) and relative depletion in HFSE (high field strength elements) suggest a back-arc basin paleotectonic setting for the Chupanan samples. The primitive magma of the analyzed samples possibly have been produced by 8–13% melting of a spinel lherzolite. The field and petrological data propose that the studied Paleozoic metavolcanics were formed in a back-arc basin above the northward subduction of Paleo-Tethys oceanic lithosphere in Central Iran. The chemical criteria of the LILE/HFSE ratio suggests that the subduction zone was young and immature during the volcanism.     

Geochemistry and mineralogy of a feldspathic lunar meteorite (regolith breccia), Northwest Africa 2200

The lunar meteorite Northwest Africa (NWA) 2200 is a regolith breccia with a ferroan feldspathic bulk composition (Al₂O₃ = 30.1 wt.%; Mg^# = molar 100 × Mg/(Mg + Fe) = 59.2) and low Th content (0.42 μg/g). Lithologically, NWA 2200 is a diverse mixture of lithic and glassy clasts, mineral fragments, and impact glass spherules, all embedded in a dark glassy matrix. NWA 2200 contains some feldspathic brecciated rock components (ferroan anorthositic granulitic breccia, poikiloblastic granulitic breccia, and glassy melt breccia with an intersertal texture). The bulk compositions of these brecciated components indicate they are derived from ferroan troctolitic or noritic anorthosite lithologies (bulk Al₂O₃ = 26–30 wt.%; bulk FeO/MgO > 1.0). The bulk composition of NWA 2200 is more ferroan and feldspathic than the Apollo feldspathic regolith samples and feldspathic lunar regolith meteorites, and is also more depleted in incompatible elements (e.g., rare earth elements) than Apollo 16 feldspathic regolith samples. We conclude that NWA 2200 originated from a location different to the Apollo landing sites, and may have been sourced from the ferroan KREEP-poor highlands, “KREEP” materials are enriched in such elements as potassium (K), rare earth elements (REE), phosphorus (P).     

Evolution of spinel–pyroxene symplectite in spinel–lherzolites from the Horoman Complex,Japan

We examined the textural and geochemical characteristics of spinel-pyroxene symplectites in spinel-lherzolites collected from the lowest, middle, and upper parts (LZ1, MZ, and UZ1, respectively) of the Horoman Peridotite Complex, Japan. The modal proportion of the minerals within symplectite is almost the same, i.e., orthopyroxene:clinopyroxene:spinel = 2:1:1. The size of the symplectite minerals increases from the lowest through to the middle to the upper parts in the complex. The reconstructed major element composition of the bulk symplectites is intermediate between pyrope-rich garnet and olivine. The model garnet compositions of the LZ1satisfies garnet stoichiometry and those of the MZ and UZ1 are not consistent with garnet stoichiometry. The primitive mantle-normalized pattern in trace elements for the LZ1 symplectite is similar to that of pyrope-rich garnet from fertile peridotites, particularly in its enrichment of HREE and a positive Zr anomaly. Thus, the LZ1 symplectite has inherited both major and trace element signatures from pre-existing garnet whereas the compositions of the MZ and UZ1 symplectites were modified during and/or after breakdown of pre-existing garnet. Geochemical and textural variations of symplectites might basically correspond to temperature differences within the complex during upwelling of the Horoman Complex. The basal part of the complex (LZ1) experienced the lowest temperature decompression path in the complex, which resulted in less textural and chemical modification. On the other hand, the higher part of the complex (UZ1) experienced a relatively higher temperature decompression path than other parts of the complex, resulting in chemical equilibration among the constituent minerals and coarsening of the symplectite minerals. Selective enrichment of Sr and LREE in the symplectite may indicate that the metasomatism by a Sr- and LREE-rich melt/fluid occurred during and/or after the formation of symplectite.     

Vesicle layering in solidified intrusive magma bodies: a newly recognized type of igneous structure

 We report a novel type of layering structure in igneous rocks. The layering structure in the Ogi picrite sill in Sado Island, Japan, is spatially periodic, and appears to be caused by the variation in vesicle volume fraction. The gas phase forming the vesicles apparently exsolved from the interstitial melt at the final stage of solidification of the magma body. We call this type of layering caused by periodic vesiculation in the solidifying magma body "vesicle layering." The presence of vesicle layering in other basic igneous bodies (pillow lava at Ogi and dolerite sill at Atsumi, Japan) implies that it may be a fairly common igneous feature. The width of individual layers slightly, but regularly, increases with distance from the upper contact. The layering plane is perpendicular to the long axes of columnar joints, regardless of gravitational direction, suggesting that the formation of vesicles is mainly controlled by the temperature distribution in the cooling magma body. We propose a model of formation of vesicle layering which is basically the same as that for Liesegang rings. The interplay between the diffusion of heat and magmatic volatiles in melt, and the sudden vesiculation upon supersaturation, both play important roles. Received: 15 February 1996 / Accepted: 24 June 1996     

Occurrence and chemical composition of amphiboles and related minerals in corundum-bearing mafic rock from the Horoman Peridotite Complex, Japan

A corundum-bearing mafic rock in the Horoman Peridotite Complex, Japan, was derived from upper mantle conditions to lower crustal conditions with surrounding peridotites. The amphiboles found in the rock are classified into 3 types: (1) as interstitial and/or poikilitic grains (Green amphibole), (2) as a constituent mineral of symplectitic mineral aggregates with aluminous spinel at grain boundary between olivine and plagioclase (Symplectite amphibole) and (3) as film-shaped thin grains, usually less than 10 μm in width, at grain boundary between olivine and clinopyroxene (Film-shaped amphibole). The Film-shaped amphibole is rarely associated with orthopyroxene extremely low in Al₂O₃, Cr₂O₃ and CaO (Low-Al OPX). These minerals were formed by infiltration of SiO₂- and volatile-rich fluids along grain boundaries after the rock was recrystallized at olivine-plagioclase stability conditions, i.e. the late stage of the exhumation of the Horoman Complex.

Chondrite-normalized rare earth element patterns and primitive mantle-normalized trace-element patterns of the Green amphibole and clinopyroxene are characterized by LREE-depleted patterns with Eu positive and negative anomalies of Zr and Hf. These geochemical characteristics of the constituent minerals were inherited from original whole-rock compositions through a reaction involving both pre-existing clinopyroxene and plagioclase. We propose that the fluids were originally rich in a SiO₂ component but depleted in trace-elements. Dehydration of the surrounding metamorphic rocks in the Hidaka metamorphic belt, probably related to intrusion of hot peridotite body into the Hidaka crust, is a plausible origin for the fluids.     

Tectonic implication of Lower Cretaceous chromian spinel-bearing sandstones in Japan and Korea

Abstract In Japan and Korea, some Lower Cretaceous terrigenous clastic rocks yield detrital chromian spinels. These chromian spinels are divided into two groups: low-Ti and high-Ti. The Sanchu Group and the Yuno Formation in Japan have both groups, whereas the Nagashiba Formation in Japan and the Jinju Formation in Korea have only the low-Ti spinels. High-Ti spinels are thought to have originated in intraplate-type basalt. Low-Ti spinels (higher than 0.6 Cr#) were probably derived from peridotites, which are highly correlated with an arc setting derivation and possibly with a forearc setting derivation. Low-Ti spinels are seen in the Sanchu Group, the Nagashiba Formation and the Jinju Formation. Low-Ti spinels from the Yuno Formation are characterized by low Cr# (less than 0.6) and these chromian spinels appear to have been derived from oceanic mantle-type peridotite, including backarc. According to maps reconstructing the pre-Sea of Japan configuration of the Japanese Islands and the Korean Peninsula, the Korean Cretaceous basin was comparatively close to the Southwest Japan depositional basins. It is possible that these Lower Cretaceous systems were sediments mainly in the forearc and partly in the backarc regions. The peridotite might have infiltrated along major tectonic zones such as the Kurosegawa Tectonic Zone (= serpentinite melange zone) in which left lateral movement prevailed during the Early Cretaceous.     

The revised form of characteristic actions ℏ (s) in the structure of the Universe

It is shown that the recently obtained Jordan-Brans-Dicke solutions by Chauvet and Guzmán (1986) are either inconsistent, or only special power-law solutions derived previously by Lorenz-Petzold in various papers.