Melting in the lithospheric mantle: Inverse modelling of alkali-olivine basalts from the Big Pine Volcanic Field,California

The variations in trace element abundances of a suite of alkali-olivine basalts from the Big Pine volcanic field, California, have been ‘inverted’ following the method of Hofmann and co-workers to obtain source concentration and distribution coefficient data. The high Mg-numbers and ne-normative mineralogy of these lavas allow a simple correction to be made for fractional crystallisation, and together with a limited range in ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (0.7056–0.7064), suggest derivation from a relatively homogeneous source region. Negative correlations between SiO₂ and P₂O₅, and SiO₂ and Rb in the calculated primary magmas imply that both major and trace elements vary in a coherent fashion as a function of the degree of partial melting. The Big Pine lavas are characterised by high ratios of large-ion lithophile to high-field strength elements (Ba/Nb>60), and the inverse procedure demonstrates that this reflects source concentrations, as opposed to a mineralogical control. The calculated mantle source is further characterised by generally high abundances of Sr, Ba, K, and Th relative to Nb and Ta which imply that incompatible element enrichment of the source occurred above a subduction zone. A model Sm/Nd age of 1.8 Ga for this enrichment coincides with the regional crustal formation age. Such features imply that both the major and trace element components of the Big Pine lavas are derived from within lithospheric mantle, perhaps mobilised by the high geothermal gradients which characterise the extensional environment of the Basin and Range Province. A comparison with other Cenozoic mafic lavas throughout the western United States suggests that a substantial proportion of the mantle lithosphere in this area has similar chemical characteristics to the source of the Big Pine lavas. If this is the case, then it implies that convergent margins represent an important tectonic environment for the formation of lithospheric mantle.     

Using spatial statistics to identify and characterise ethnoburbs: establishing a methodology using the example of Auckland,New Zealand

Recent studies in the United States and other Pacific Rim countries have identified a new form of ethnic minority group clustering within the residential mosaic—ethnoburbs. These are suburban in location, occupied by relatively high-income, predominantly Asian, immigrants, and low density in their nature: many migrants move directly to those suburbs rather than the inter-generational outward migration from central city clusters typical of other migrant streams. Although ethnoburb residents tend to cluster in particular segments of the built-up area they do not to form large percentages of the population there. As yet, no methodology has been developed to identify these clusters, as a prelude to identifying their characteristics. This paper offers such a procedure, based on local statistical analysis. It is applied to six Asian groups in Auckland, New Zealand.     

The inner city: In search of the problem

This paper explores the theoretical content of the inner-city debate in Britain and seeks to examine the extent to which the ‘problem’ is either new or primarily economic. It is argued that the inner-city issue, while subject to specific political and ideological forces, is associated with the general processes of uneven capitalist development. In this sense, metropolitan decline is a further manifestation of the relationship between the built environment, the transience of economic activity and social change. More specifically the decline of the inner city relates to the incipient role of Britain in the development of capitalism and its current position in the world economy. The emergence of this as a ‘problem’ for the British state is combined with a convenient spatial determinism, which isolates the inner city as an anomaly even as the search for palliatives is erected to the status of a major social task.     

Did natural fission of 235U in the earth lead to formation of the supercontinent Columbia?

Steady decline in the percentage of 235U in terrestrial uranium made natural fission impossible after about 1.8 Ga.Fission before 1.8 Ga disturbed the lead isotope system at various places worldwide,su...     

Climate-change impacts on sagebrush habitat and West Nile virus transmission risk and conservation implications for greater sage-grouse

Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) are threatened by loss of sagebrush habitat and the spread of West Nile virus throughout much of their range in North America; yet, future impacts of climate change on these potential stressors have not been addressed. Here, we aim to quantify the potential impacts of climate change on the distribution of climatically suitable habitat for sagebrush and on transmission risk for West Nile virus in the eastern portion of the species’ range. We used Maxent to model the current and future climatically suitable habitat for two dominant sagebrush species in the study area, and we used a degree-day model to predict future West Nile virus transmission risk under likely climate-change scenarios. Our models suggest that areas with the highest future suitability for sagebrush habitat will be found in southwestern Wyoming and north-central Montana. The degree-day model suggests that greater sage-grouse in western portions of the study area, which are generally higher in elevation than where West Nile virus currently occurs, will see increasing risk of transmission in the future. We developed a spatially explicit map of suggested management actions based on our predictions that will aid in conservation of the species into the coming decades.     

Evaluating flood retarding structures

An empirical relation between volume and peak of runoff (VPR) was utilized to determine peak discharge reduction effectiveness of flood retarding structures. The effectiveness was evaluated by comparing the predam VPR relation with and a pre and post dam channel length frequency distribution (CLFD) for the point of interest. The procedure involved well related hydrologic and geomorphic variables and thus could be a practical prediction tool.     

A Complex Petrogenesis for an Arc Magmatic Suite, St Kitts, Lesser Antilles

St Kitts forms one of the northern group of volcanic islandsin the Lesser Antilles arc. Eruptive products from the Mt Liamuigacentre are predominantly olivine + hypersthene-normative, low-Kbasalts through basaltic andesites to quartz-normative, low-Kandesites. Higher-Al and lower-Al groups can be distinguishedin the suite. Mineral assemblages include olivine, clinopyroxene,orthopyroxene, plagioclase and titanomagnetite with rarer amphibole,ilmenite and apatite. Eruptive temperatures of the andesitesare estimated as 963–950°C at fO₂ NNO + 1 (whereNNO is the nickel–nickel oxide buffer). Field and mineralchemical data provide evidence for magma mixing. Glass (melt)inclusions in the phenocrysts range in composition from andesiteto high-silica rhyolite. Compositional variations are broadlyconsistent with the evolution of more evolved magmas by crystalfractionation of basaltic parental magmas. The absence of anycovariation between ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr or ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd and SiO₂ rulesout assimilation of older silicic crust. However, positive correlationsbetween Ba/La, La/Sm and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb and between ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pband SiO₂ are consistent with assimilation of small amounts (<10%)of biogenic sediments. Trace element and Sr–Nd–Pbisotope data suggest derivation from a normal mid-ocean ridgebasalt (N-MORB)-type mantle source metasomatized by subductedsediment or sediment melt and fluid. The eruptive rocks arecharacterized by ²³⁸U excesses that indicate that fluid additionof U occurred <350 kyr ago; U–Th isotope data for mineralseparates are dominated by melt inclusions but would allow crystallizationages of 13–68 ka. However, plagioclase is consistentlydisplaced above these ‘isochrons’, with apparentages of 39–236 ka, and plagioclase crystal size distributionsare concave-upwards. These observations suggest that mixingprocesses are important. The presence of ²²⁶Ra excesses in twosamples indicates some fluid addition <8 kyr ago and thatthe magma residence times must also have been less than 8 kyr. KEY WORDS: Sr–Nd–Pb isotopes; U-series isotopes; crystal size distribution; petrogenesis