Geophysical survey of Precambrian terranes in SW Lleyn,Caernarvonshire, Wales

The geology of southwest Lleyn comprises two Late Precambrian terranes: the Gwna Mélange in the west and the Sarn Complex in the east, separated by the Lleyn Shear Zone. The location of the terrane boundary is poorly constrained due to the limited exposure. We undertook a ground magnetic survey and also measured four gravity profiles with the original intention of investigating the cause of a positive aeromagnetic anomaly previously recorded close to the terrane boundary at grid reference [SH 2200 3000]. This ‘Sarn anomaly’ appears to be associated with a shallow body within the Sarn Complex, which is known to be a heterogeneous plutonic igneous unit. Of greater interest was the identification of a much larger-amplitude magnetic anomaly striking roughly N–S for over 7 km close to the mapped position of the Lleyn Shear Zone. It can be modelled as a near-vertical discontinuous body of overall dyke-like form, and is too narrow to have been resolved by the aeromagnetic survey. We discovered a previously unreported outcrop of gabbro at Brynhunog Bach [2100 3127] located on this high-amplitude ‘Brynhunog anomaly’. It seems likely that the whole anomaly is due to a gabbroic body which is an original constituent of the Sarn Complex, but an alternative possibility is that it is a later intrusion along the Lleyn Shear Zone. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Stable isotope evidences of jarosite–barite mineralization in the Rangan rhyolitic dome NE Isfahan,Iran

The Rangan area is part of Cenozoic magmatic belt of central Iran. Eocene volcanic flows and pyroclastic rocks are intruded by a Neogene rhyolitic dome along the major Qom–Zefreh fault. The dome is pervasively hydrothermally altered. The main mineral assemblage is jarosite+barite+pyrite+quartz+sericite. This assemblage indicates acid sulphate or advanced argillic alteration. Sulfur and oxygen isotope data (δ³⁴S & δ¹⁸O (SO₄)) obtained from jarosite and barite indicate a mixing episode during the evolution of hydrothermal system and reflect the overlapping of two distinct sources of acid sulphate alteration in Rangan, i.e., a magmatic–hydrothermal fluid reacting with steam-heated meteoric water. Considering the position of brittle–ductile transition and major fault movements, jarosite and barite seemingly precipitated from rapid injection of magmatic–hydrothermal fluids into the upper portions of a steam-heated environment.     

Analysis of canopy index values for various canopy densities

Canopy wind profiles can often be represented by an exponential function such that wind-speeds in these vegetative canopies are a function of height and the attenuation coefficient of this wind profile relationship. To be more precise, canopy flow is a function of canopy density, element flexibility, and height. An index of canopy flow, therefore, can be defined as a conservative measure of the gross flow response to the presence of various types of roughness elements. For this study, windspeed profile data of two quite different canopy density experiments — field and wind tunnel - have been analyzed based on least-square fittings. The results indicate that the two sets of index values of canopy flow behave in a similar manner with maxima occurring for optimum densities of one-third the potential full array of roughness elements. These index values also differ by some 0.2, but are still compatible when one accounts for the respective levels of turbulence within these dissimilar canopies.     

CO2-filled vesicles in mid-ocean basalt

Volatile-filled vesicles are present in minor amounts in all samples of mid-ocean basalt yet collected (and presumably erupted) down to depths of 4.8 km. When such vesicles are pierced in liquid under standard conditions, the volume expansion of the gas is 0.2 ± 0.05 times the eruption pressure in bars or 20 ± 5 times the eruption depth in km. Such expansion could be used as a measure of eruption depth.A variety of techniques: (1) vacuum crushing and gas chromatographic, freezing separation, and mass spectrographic analyses; (2) measurements of phase changes on a freezing microscope stage; (3) microscopic chemical and solubility observations; and (4) volume change measurements, all indicate that CO₂ comprises more than 95% by volume of the vesicle gas in several submarine basalt samples from the Atlantic and Pacific. The CO₂ held in vesicles is present in quantities about equal to or greater than that presumed to be dissolved in the glass (melt) and amounts to 400–900 ppm of the rock. The rigid temperature of the glass is 800–1000°C and increases for shallower samples. A sulfur gas was originally present in subordinate amounts in the vesicles, but has largely reacted with iron in the vesicle walls to produce sulfide spherules.     

Raman study of apatite amorphised with swift heavy ions under various irradiation conditions

Crystallographically oriented Durango fluorapatites were exposed to swift heavy ions (Xe, Ta, Au, U) at different irradiation conditions. Beam-induced sample modifications were investigated with respect to the effect of fluence (10⁹–10¹³ ions/cm²), electronic energy loss (18–27 keV/nm), and pressure (3.6–11.5 GPa) applied during irradiation. In situ high-pressure irradiation was performed in diamond anvil cells. Confocal Raman spectroscopy was used to trace the occurring changes in the crystal lattice. Fragmentation of the crystal specimen depends on the orientation and sample thickness and was found to scale with energy loss and fluence. The radiation damage for irradiation along the c-axis was found to be larger than for the 〈hk0〉 direction, independent of the confining pressure. Observations on samples irradiated at high pressures indicate a stabilising effect, leading to reduced amorphisation in comparison to the samples irradiated without pressure.     

Re-equilibration of natural H2O–CO2–salt-rich fluid inclusions in quartz—Part 1: experiments in pure water at constant pressures and differential pressures at 600 °C

Re-equilibration processes of natural H₂O–CO₂–NaCl-rich fluid inclusions quartz are experimentally studied by exposing the samples to a pure H₂O external fluid at 600 °C. Experimental conditions are selected at nearly constant pressure conditions (309 MPa) between fluid inclusions and pore fluid, with only fugacity gradients in H₂O and CO₂, and at differential pressure conditions (394–398 MPa, corresponding to an internal under-pressure) in addition to similar CO₂ fugacity gradients and larger H₂O fugacity gradients. Modifications of fluid inclusion composition and density are monitored with changes in ice dissolution temperature, clathrate dissolution temperature and volume fraction of the vapour phase at room temperature. Specific modification of these parameters can be assigned to specific processes, such as preferential loss/gain of H₂O and CO₂, or changes in total volume. A combination of these parameters can clearly distinguish between modifications according to bulk diffusion or deformation processes. Bulk diffusion of CO₂ according to fugacity gradients is demonstrated at constant pressure conditions. The estimated preferential loss of H₂O is not in accordance with those gradients in both constant pressure and differential pressure experiments. The development of deformation halos in quartz around fluid inclusions that are either under-pressurized or over-pressurized promotes absorption of H₂O from the inclusions and inhibits bulk diffusion according to the applied fugacity gradients.     

Sulfate reduction and porewater chemistry in a gulf coast<Emphasis Type="Italic">Juncus roemerianus</Emphasis> (Needlerush) marsh

Sulfate reduction rates were measured over the course of a year in the sediments of aJuncus roemerianus marsh located in coastal Alabama. Sulfate reduction rates were typically highest in the surface 0–2 cm and at depths corresponding to peak belowground biomass of the plants. The highest volume-based sulfate reduction rate measured was 1,350 μmol liter-sediment⁻¹ d⁻¹ in September 1995. Areal sulfate reduction rates (integrated to 20 cm depth) were strongly correlated to sediment temperature and varied seasonally from 15.2 mmol SO ₄ ²⁻ m⁻² d⁻¹ in January 1995 to 117 mmol SO ₄ ²⁻ m⁻² d⁻¹ in late August 1995. Despite high sulfate reduction rates porewater dissolved sulfide concentrations were low (<73 μM), indicating rapid sulfide oxidation or precipitation. Sulfate depletion data indicated that net oxidation of sediment sulfides occurred in March through May, following a period of infrequent tidal flooding and during a period of high plant production. Porewater Fe(II) reached very high levels (maximum of 969 μM; mean for all dates was 160 μM), particularly during periods of high sulfate reduction. The annual sulfate reduction rate integrated over the upper 20 cm of sediment was 22.0 mol SO ₄ ²⁻ m⁻² yr⁻¹, which is among the highest rates measured in a wetland ecosystem. Based on literature values of net primary production inJ. roemerianus marshes, we estimate that an amount equivalent to 16% to 90% of the annual belowground production may be remineralized through sulfate reduction.     

On Silica Activity and Serpentinization

Serpentinites have the lowest silica activity of common crustalrocks. At the serpentinization front, where olivine, serpentine,and brucite are present, silica activities (relative to quartz)are of the order of 10^–2·5 to 10^–5, dependingon the temperature. Here we argue that this low silica activityis the critical property that produces the unusual geochemicalenvironments characteristic of serpentinization. The formationof magnetite is driven by the extraction of silica from theFe₃Si₂O₅(OH)₄ component of serpentine, producing extremely reducingconditions as evinced by the rare iron alloys that partiallyserpentinized peridotites contain. The incongruent dissolutionof diopside to form Ca²⁺, serpentine, and silica becomes increasinglyfavored at lower T, producing the alkalic fluids characteristicof serpentinites. The interaction of these fluids with adjacentrocks produces rodingites, and we argue that desilication isalso part of the rodingite-forming process. The low silica activityalso explains the occurrence of low-silica minerals such ashydrogrossular, andradite, jadeite, diaspore, and corundum inserpentinites or rocks adjacent to serpentinites. The tendencyfor silica activity to decrease with decreasing temperaturemeans that the presence of certain minerals in serpentinitescan be used as indicators of the temperature of serpentinization.These include, with decreasing temperature, diopside, andraditeand diaspore. Because the assemblage serpentine + brucite marksthe lowest silica activity reached in most serpentinites, thepresence and distribution of brucite, which commonly is a crypticphase in serpentinites, is critical to interpreting the processesthat lead to the hydration of any given serpentinite. KEY WORDS: serpentinization; serpentinites; silica activity; oxygen fugacity; rodingites; magnetization of serpentinites     

Petrography and origin of granulite‐facies rocks in the Western Musgrave Block,Central Australia

The granulite‐facies rocks in the Tomkinson Ranges of central Australia are dominated by layered felsic (quartzofeldspathic) gneisses with minor interbanded mafic, calcareous, ferruginous, and quartzitic granulites. They are regarded as representing a middle Proterozoic metasedimentary and/or metavolcanic sequence which has undergone anhydrous granulite‐facies metamorphism approximately 1200 m.y. ago. Conditions of metamorphism have been derived from a petrogenetic grid based on several experimentally determined reactions and give estimates of 10–11 kb pressure and 950–1000°C. Such metamorphism could take place close to the base of the crust with a moderate geothermal gradient of 25–30°C/km.