Thermal, seismic and infrasonic evidences of variable degassing rates at Stromboli volcano

During June 1999, we measured the amplitude and rate (number of events per second) at which gas exited the vent at Stromboli volcano as discrete gas bursts or puffs. This allowed us to identify two styles of gas burst (puffing) activity. The first is characterized by frequent, rapidly rising puffs, the second by less frequent, slowly rising puffs. Each style persisted over 5–40-min-long durations and was associated with a high and low number of strombolian explosions per hour, respectively. Each period was also associated with characteristic delay times between the arrival of the infrasonic and thermal signals during strombolian explosions; the delays were longer during vigorous puffing periods. To explain our observations, we propose a model in which the degassing process cycles between vigorous and weak degassing phases. During vigorous degassing phases, bubble layers ascend the conduit at a frequency of 0.5–1.0 s⁻¹. This high degassing level reflects a gas-rich magma column and leads to an increased rate in the formation of shallow foams and, hence, an increase in puffing and explosive activity, as well as a higher free surface level and/or gas jet velocity. During weak phases, bubble layers ascend the conduit at a reduced frequency of 0.2–0.3 s⁻¹. During such times the magma column is poor in gas. This leads to a decreased rate of foam layer formation and hence a reduction in puffing and explosive activity, as well as a lower free surface level and/or gas jet velocity. Variations in puffing activity can thus be used to track changes in the rate at which the shallow system is supplied by fresh, gas-rich magma. Our observations indicate that the two degassing styles last from 5 to 40 min and that the switch from one to the other occurs over a matter of minutes.     

Palaeomagnetic data on the andesitic cover of the Sesia-Lanzo Zone (Western Alps)

The remanent magnetization of the andesitic cover of the Sesia-Lanzo Zone has been studied from 16 sites along three transversal sections. The remanent magnetization of the rock is stable and it appears to be primary after a conglomerate test. The mean direction of magnetization is consistent for all sites, but for one exception, with satisfactory values of statistical parameters. Therefore no deformation structures postdating the acquisition of remanent magnetization can be inferred from palaeomagnetic data. The mean direction of magnetization (11 sites, 152 specimens) is: D=135.9, I=–2.9, with ₉₅=8.8. No tectonic correction can yet be made.

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Zusammenfassung Die natürliche remanente Magnetisierung der Andesiten, die die Bedeckung der Sesia-Lanzo Zone bilden, ist an 16 Orten gemessen worden, die entlang drei Querdurchschnitten liegen. Das Gestein besitzt eine stabile NRM, die auf Grund eines Konglomeratstest die ursprüngliche sein müßte. Alle Orte, die annehmbare statistische Werte aufweisen, außer einem, haben die gleiche Magnetisierungsrichtung. Die paläomagnetischen Messungen zeigen keine Strukturen aufeinanderfolgender Deformation bei dem Magnetisierungsvorgang. Die durchschnittliche Magnetisierungsrichtung (11 Orte, 152 Gesteinsproben) ist: D = 135,9, I = –2,9, mit ₉₅ = 8,8. Keine tektonische Korrektur wird bisher eingerechnet.

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Résumé L'aimantation rémanente des andésites qui constituent la couverture de la Zone Sesia-Lanzo a été mesurée en 16 endroits disposés le long de trois sections transversales. La roche a une aimantation rémanente stable, qui, d'après le test du conglomérat, devrait être originelle. Tous les endroits qui présentent des valeurs statistiques acceptables ont, sauf un, la même direction d'aimantation. Les mesures paléomagnétiques ne révèlent donc pas de structures de déformation consécutive à l'acquisition de l'aimantation rémanente. La direction moyenne de l'aimantation (11 sites, 152 échantillons) est: D=135.9, I=–2.9 avec ₉₅=8.8. On n'a pas apporté, pour l'instant, de correction tectonique.

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, Sesia-Lanzo, 16- , . , , , . , , , . , . (11 , 152 ) : D=135,9; =–2,9 ₉₅=8,8. .

     

Magma supply, magma discharge and readjustment of the feeding system of mount St. Helens during 1980

The landslide and cataclysmic eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980 triggered a sequence of explosive eruptions over the following five months. The volume of explosive products from each of these eruptions decreased uniformly over this period, and the character for each eruption progressed from a fairly continuous eruption lasting more than eight hours on May 18 to a series of short bursts, some of which were spaced 12 hours apart, on October 16–18. The transition in the character of these eruption sequences can be explained by a difference between the magma supply rate and the magma discharge rate from a shallow reservoir.The magma supply rate (MSR) is the rate with which magma is supplied to the level where disruption due to vesiculation occurs. It is determined by dividing the dense-rock-equivalent volume of eruptive products by the total duration of each eruption sequence. The magma discharge rate (MDR) is the rate with which the disrupted magma is discharged through the vent. It is determined by dividing the volume of erupted products by the duration of each explosive burst. The relative magnitude of these two quantities controls the temporal evolution of an explosive event. When MDRMSR the explosive phase of the eruption lasts for several hours as a single continuous event. When MDR>MSR, an eruption is characterized by a series of short explosive bursts at intervals of several minutes to several days. The MSR of the eruptions of 1980 decreased with time from 5500 m' s⁻¹ on May 18 to 7 m³ s⁻² on October 16–18 and approximately fits an exponential decay. The MDR for the same events remained approximately constant at 2000 m³ s⁻¹. Each explosive event has been followed by an aftershock-like series of earthquakes located beneath the volcano at depth mostly between 7 and 14 km. The seismic energy released during each of these series is proportional to the corresponding volume of erupted magma. Deformation data between June and November, 1980 indicate a subsidence of the volcanic structure which can be modeled by a volume collapse of 0.25 km³ located at 9 km depth.We propose a model in which magma is supplied from depths of 7–14 km through a narrow conduit during each eruption. It erupts to the surface at a uniform rate during each eruption. The deep seismic activity following each eruption is related to a readjustment and volume decrease in the deep feeding system. The decrease of the MSR over time is explained by an increase in the viscosity of a progressively water-depleted magma. The amount of water necessary to explain the observed decrease of the MSR is of the order of 4.6%.     

Time-dependent density anomalies in a stratified,viscoelastic mantle: Implications for the geoid,Earth's rotation and sea-level fluctuations

The effects on the = 2 geoid component and Earth's rotation due to internal mass anomalies are analyzed for a stratified viscoelastic mantle described by a Maxwell rheology. Our approach is appropriate for a simplified modeling of subduction. Sea-level fluctuations induced by long-term rotational instabilities are also considered. The displacement of the Earth's axis of rotation, called true polar wander (TPW) and the induced eustatic sea-level fluctuations, are extremely sensitive to viscosity and density stratification at the 670 km seismic discontinuity. Phase-change models for the transition zone generally allow for huge amount of TPW, except for large viscosity increases; the dominant contribution in Liouville equations comes from a secular term that reflects the viscous behaviour of the mantle. In chemically stratified models, TPW is drastically reduced due to dynamic compensation of the mass anomalies at the upper-lower mantle interface. When the source is embedded in the upper mantle close to the chemical density jump, transient rotational modes are the leading terms in the linear Liouville equations. Long-term rotation instabilities are valuable contributors to the third order cycles in the eustatic sea-level curves. Rates of sea-level fluctuations of the order of 0.05–0.1 mm/yr are induced by displacements of the Earth's axis of rotation compatible with paleomagnetic data.     

Stellar atmospheric parameters and the IR Caii triplet

The IR Caii triplet at 8498, 8542, 8662 Å, relatively easy to observe and measure and free from atmospheric absorption bands, is a powerful tool for the study of the stellar populations in galaxies, provided that we can understand its behaviour with the stellar parameters: effective temperature, surface gravity and metal content. We present here the results of CCD spectroscopic observations for a sample of 86 stars covering a wide range in luminosity, effective temperature and metallicity (from subdwarfs to supergiants and –2.70[F3/H]0.43), in order to establish the dependence of the IR Caii triplet on stellar atmosphere parameters. We do not confirm previous results giving the main dependence on surface gravity. We find instead a bi-parametric dependence on metallicity and surface gravity, and no dependence on effective temperature.     

Extreme rainfall events in Catalonia. The case of 12 November 1988

A study of the synoptic situation which produced the catastrophic floods of November 1988 in Catalonia (in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula) is presented. Analyses of the vertical structure, potential instability, precipitable water, and instability index are made through the radiosounding data from Palma, Majorca. It is found that the 1988 situation is included in type I intense convective events in Catalonia (classification obtained from all the events since 1950, (Llasat, 1989)). It was characterized by:

Chironomid-inferred temperature changes of the last century in anoxic Seebergsee,Switzerland: assessment of two calibration methods

Chironomids (non-biting midges) can provide accurate climate reconstructions from the Late Glacial to the present. Until now, anoxic lakes have been avoided for temperature reconstructions since chironomid assemblages are sensitive to changes in oxygen concentrations in the hypolimnion. However, anoxic lakes may have varved sediments, providing the possibility for near-annual climate reconstructions. Here, we tested the applicability of two calibration methods to reconstruct mean July air temperatures from chironomid assemblages preserved in the sediments of the anoxic Seebergsee located in the northern Swiss Alps: a calibration-in-space approach and a calibration-in-time approach. The calibration-in-space approach (i.e. chironomid assemblages from surficial lake sediments (0–1 cm) calibrated against meteorological data) provided accurate inferences (i.e. similar temperature changes as measured at the closest meteorological station, and at regional stations) in the Seebergsee stratigraphy until anoxia increased in the lake. With the increase of anoxia, the chironomid-inferred temperatures were generally colder than measured temperatures. A calibration-in-time approach (i.e. calibration of chironomid assemblages in a time series against instrumental data from the closest meteorological station) provided accurate reconstructions (i.e. similar to the regional records) for the past 100 years, including the time period of inferred anoxia. However, its applicability should be further tested on longer temporal scales.     

Compositional and temporal investigation of exposed lunar basalts in the Mare Imbrium region

This paper presents an updated stratigraphical and compositional study of the exposed maria within the Imbrium basin on the Moon. Clementine multispectral data were employed to derive TiO₂ and FeO wt% abundance estimates of potentially distinct basaltic flows. Additionally, NASA Lunar Orbiter images were used to estimate flow ages using crater count statistics. Mare Imbrium shows evidence of a complex suite of low to high-Ti basaltic lava units infilling the basin over an 800 million year timescale. More than a third (37%) of identified mare basalts were found to contain 1-3 wt% TiO₂. Two other major mare lithological units (representing about 25% of the surface each) show TiO₂ values between 3-5 and 7-9 wt%. The dominant fraction (55%) of the sampled maria contain FeO between 16 and 18 wt%, followed by 27% of maria having 18-20 wt% and the remaining 18%, 14-16 wt% FeO. A crater frequency count (for diameters >500 m) shows that in three quarters of the sampled mare crater counts range between 3.5 and 5.5×¹⁰⁻² per km², which translates, according to a lunar cratering model chronology, into estimated emplacement ages between ∼3.3 and 2.5 Ga. A compositional convergence trend between the variations of iron and titanium oxides was identified, in particular for materials with TiO₂ and FeO content broadly above 5 and 17 wt%, respectively, suggesting a related petrogenesis and evolution. According to these findings, three major periods of mare infill are exposed in the Imbrium basin; despite each period showing a range of basaltic compositions (classified according to their TiO₂ content), it is apparent that, at least within these local geological settings, the igneous petrogenesis generally evolved through time towards more TiO₂- and FeO-rich melts.