Petrological influence on differential weathering and inselberg development in the Kora area of central Kenya

In the Kora area of central Kenya domed inselbergs are well developed on outcrops of granitoid migmatite, while positive relief features are rare on the surrounding gneiss. Block-strewn, vegetated hills occur on restricted areas of granoblastite, gabbro, and metagabbro. Schmidt Hammer measurements have shown that the apparent differences in resistance to weathering and erosion are not due to variations in rock hardness, since all the rock types have similar ‘R’ values. The results of geochemical analyses have shown that the migmatites are significantly more potassic than the surrounding gneiss. Samples of migmatite from the inselbergs were also found to be slightly richer in potassium than migmatite samples from the inter-inselberg areas. The variations in potassium content probably reflect differences in protolith composition, chemical fractionation during partial melting, and the effects of metasomatism. These findings support earlier suggestions that, other things being equal, potassium-rich granitoid rocks weather more slowly than less potassic rocks.     

The southern active-chromosphere star HD 6628

The star HD 6628, heretofore classified as a G5 subgiant, is shown to be a chromospherically active single-lined spectroscopic binary with a period of 27.332±0.008 d. From high-resolution spectra, the system is found to consist of a late F-type dwarf and an active G8–K1 bright subgiant, the latter having a rotation period of not more than 14.8±3.8 d derived from the width of metal lines. Further stellar and orbital parameters are derived and presented.     

Detection of subsidence conditions by photogeology

A variety of air-photo interpretation criteria need to be used for detecting areas of potential subsidence. An initial step is to search for past failures showing on air photographs, to establish the cause and to interpret the boundaries of the environment that might be affected. Causes detectable include karstic terrain, areas liable to piping, or containing concealed peat, old shafts, and stratiform or vein workings. Airborne imaging conditions can be selected to improve the possibility of detection in some situations.

The technique can indicate situations where risks are high, but cannot be used to map with certainty voids liable to collapse.     

Experimental calibration of oxygen isotope fractionation between quartz and zircon

We report the results of an experimental calibration of oxygen isotope fractionation between quartz and zircon. Data were collected from 700 to 1000 °C, 10–20 kbar, and in some experiments the oxygen fugacity was buffered at the fayalite–magnetite–quartz equilibrium. Oxygen isotope fractionation shows no clear dependence on oxygen fugacity or pressure. Unexpectedly, some high-temperature data (900–1000 °C) show evidence for disequilibrium oxygen isotope partitioning. This is based in part on ion microprobe data from these samples that indicate some high-temperature quartz grains may be isotopically zoned. Excluding data that probably represent non-equilibrium conditions, our preferred calibration for oxygen isotope fractionation between quartz and zircon can be described by:

This relationship can be used to calculate fractionation factors between zircon and other minerals. In addition, results have been used to calculate WR/melt–zircon fractionations during magma differentiation. Modeling demonstrates that silicic magmas show relatively small changes in δ¹⁸O values during differentiation, though late-stage mafic residuals capable of zircon saturation contain elevated δ¹⁸O values. However, residuals also have larger predicted melt–zircon fractionations meaning zircons will not record enriched δ¹⁸O values generally attributed to a granitic protolith. These results agree with data from natural samples if the zircon fractionation factor presented here or from natural studies is applied.     

Basalt contamination by continental crust: Some experiments and models

Chemical interaction between molten basalt and felsic minerals of the continental crust (quartz, K-feldspar, and oligoclase) was examined in static and dynamic experiments at 1,200°–1,400° C. Under circumstances of continuous stirring at 1,400°, -quartz dissolves in tholeiite melt at a rate of 3.3×10^–6 g/s per cm² of contact area; at 1,300°, the solution rate is 1.5×10^–6 g/cm{cm2}s. The feldspars are molten at the experimental conditions, and interact with contacting basalt melt by diffusion in the liquid state. This is a complex process characterized by rapid initial diffusion of alkalies to establish a distribution between felsic melt and basalt similar to that observed in cases of actual two-liquid equilibrium (both alkalies reach concentrations in the felsic melt 1.5–3 times those in the basalt). Alkali diffusion may be uphill or downhill, depending on which direction of net flux is required to produce a two-liquid type distribution. Once this distribution is attained, subsequent diffusion of all melt species is slow and apparently limited by the diffusivity of SiO₂, which is 10^–9-l0^–10 cm²/s at 1,200° C. Interdiffusion experiments involving molten basalt and synthetic granite confirm the behavior illustrated by the feldspar/basalt results, and give similar SiO₂ diffusivities.The solution rates and interdiffusion data can be used to model basalt contamination processes likely to occur in the continental crust. For the restricted case of solid quartzitic xenoliths, the uptake of SiO₂ in a well-mixed basalt magma is quite fast: appreciable SiO₂ contamination may occur over exposure times of only days to years. If basalt magma induces local melting of crustal rocks, the assimilation process becomes one of liquid-state interdiffusion. In this case, the varying diffusivities of ions and their differing preferences for silicic relative to basaltic melts can produce marked selective contamination effects. Selective contamination of ascending basaltic magmas is particularly likely in the case of K₂O, which may be introduced in substantial amounts even when other elements remain unaffected. The Na₂O content of mantle-derived magmas is buffered against contamination by crustal materials, and K₂O is buffered against further increases once it reaches a level of 1–1.5 wt.%.     

Application of the Ti-in-quartz thermobarometer to rutile-free systems. Reply to: a comment on: ‘TitaniQ under pressure: the effect of pressure and temperature on the solubility of Ti in quartz’ by Thomas et al.

The premise of the Wilson et al. comment is that the Ti-in-quartz solubility calibration (Thomas et al. in Contrib Mineral Petrol 160:743–759, 2010) is fundamentally flawed. They reach this conclusion because P–T estimates using the Ti-in-quartz calibration differ from their previous interpretations for crystallization conditions of the Bishop and Oruanui rhyolites. If correct, this assertion has far-reaching implications, so a careful assessment of the Wilson et al. reasoning is warranted. Application of the Ti-in-quartz calibration as a thermobarometer in rutile-free rocks requires an estimation of TiO₂ activity in the liquid ( (liquid–rutile); referenced to rutile saturation) and an independent constraint on either P or T to obtain the crystallization temperature or pressure, respectively. The foundation of Wilson et al.’s argument is that temperature estimates obtained from Fe–Ti oxide thermometry accurately reflect crystallization conditions of quartz in the two rhyolites discussed. We maintain that our experimental approach is sound, the thermodynamic basis of the Ti-in-quartz calibration is fundamentally correct, and our experimental results are robust and reproducible. We suggest that the reason Wilson et al. obtain implausible pressure estimates is because estimates for T and they used as input values for the Ti-in-quartz calibration are demonstrably too high. Numerous studies show that Fe–Ti oxide temperature estimates of some rhyolites are substantially higher than those predicted by well-constrained phase equilibria. In this reply, we show that when reasonable input values for T and (liquid–rutile) are used, pressure estimates obtained from the Ti-in-quartz calibration are well aligned with phase equilibria and essentially identical to melt inclusion volatile saturation pressures.     

A direct measurement of the distribution in depth of 26Al in the Estacado meteorite

The two-dimensional distribution of ²⁶Al across a slice of the Estacado meteorite was measured using non-destructive γ-γ coincidence counting. The maximum activity was found to be 60 ± 2 dpm kg^?1 and the variation across the slice rather small. The intensity and distribution are in moderate agreement with existing theoretical models if the pre-atmospheric shape of the meteorite had been a sphere of radius 0.35 ± 0.05 m, but it was more likely to have been slightly non-spherical.     

Pb diffusion in monazite: a combined RBS/SIMS study

We report measurements of Pb diffusion in both synthetic (CePO₄) and natural monazites run under dry, 1-atm conditions. Powdered mixtures of prereacted CePO₄ and PbZrO₃ were used as the source of Pb diffusant for “in-diffusion” experiments conducted in sealed Pt capsules for durations ranging from a few hours to several weeks. Following the diffusion anneals, Pb concentration profiles were measured with Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS) and supplemented by measurements with secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). In order to evaluate potential compositional effects upon Pb diffusivity and simulate diffusional Pb loss that might occur in natural systems, we also conducted “out-diffusion” experiments on Pb-bearing natural monazites. In these experiments, monazite grains were surrounded by a synthetic zircon powder to act as a “sink.” Monazites from these experiments were analyzed with SIMS. Over the temperature range 1100 to 1350°C, the Arrhenius relation determined for in-diffusion experiments on synthetic monazite is given by: