Across-arc variation of lava chemistry in the Izu-Bonin Arc: identification of subduction components

In order to understand the role of the subducted lithosphere in producing the geochemical characteristics of arc magmas, major- and trace-element along with Sr- and Nd-isotope compositions have been determined for Quaternary volcanic rocks from the Izu-Bonin intra-oceanic arc. ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratios decrease away from the volcanic front of this arc and lie on mixing lines between the assumed isotopic compositions of fluid phases mainly derived from the basalt layer of the subducted lithosphere and upper-mantle materials in the sub-arc wedge. This across-arc variation can be explained through a simple sequence of processes involving initial release of fluid phases from the subducted oceanic crust to produce hydrous peridotite at the base of the mantle wedge. This hydrous peridotite is dragged downward with the slab and releases a second-stage metasomatizing fluid beneath the volcanic arc. The higher concentrations of both Sr and Nd in the fluid beneath the volcanic front than those beneath the back-arc side may be a possible cause of the observed across-arc variation in Sr-Nd isotopic ratios. The difference in compositions of fluid phases is attributed to the different hydrous phases which decompose in the hydrous peridotite layer; amphibole beneath the volcanic front and phlogopite beneath the back-arc side of the volcanic arc. The mineralogically controlled fluid addition may also be responsible for the across-arc variation in Rb/K and Rb/Zr ratios, increasing away from the volcanic front.     

Customer concerns about uncertainty and willingness to pay in leasing solar power systems

Although solar power systems are considered as one of the most promising renewable energy sources, some uncertain factors as well as the high cost could be barriers which create customer resistance. Leasing instead of purchase, as one type of product service system, could be an option to reduce consumer concern on such issues. This study focuses on consumer concerns about uncertainty and willingness to pay for leasing solar power systems. Conjoint analysis method is used to find part worth utilities and estimate gaps of willingness to pay between attribute levels, including various leasing time lengths. The results show the part worth utilities and relative importance of four major attributes, including leasing time. Among concerns about uncertainties, government subsidy, electricity price, reliability, and rise of new generation solar power systems were found to be significantly related to the additional willingness-to-pay for a shorter leasing time. Cluster analysis is used to identify two groups standing for high and low concerns about uncertainty. People with more concerns tend to pay more for a shorter lease time.     

Carbon-oxygen isotopic covariation in hydrothermal calcite during degassing of CO2

The effect of the outgassing of CO₂ from a hydrothermal fluid on the C- and O-isotopic compositions of calcite, which is precipitated from this fluid, is quantitatively modelled in terms of batch and Rayleigh distillation equations. Both CO₂ degassing and calcite precipitation are considered to be the removal mechanisms for dissolved carbon species from the fluid. Combined degassing-precipitation models are then developed by taking H₂CO₃ and HCO ₃ ^– , respectively, as the dominant dissolved carbon species. A positive correlation array between ¹³C and ¹³O values of calcite can be yielded by the precipitation of calcite from a H₂CO ₃ ^– -dominant fluid, accompanied by a progressive decrease in temperature during CO₂ degassing, whereas calcite precipitated from a HCO ₃ ^– -dominant fluid under the same conditions tends to display much smaller variation in ¹³C values than in ¹⁸O values. The combined processes of CO₂ degassing and calcite precipitation result in lowering the ¹³C value of calcites with respect to those precipitated in a closed system simply due to temperature effect. Carbon and oxygen isotopic data for calcite from the Kushikino gold-mining area in Japan illustrate the application of quantitative modelling, and degassing of CO₂ is suggested as a more likely cause for the precipitation of the calcite and quartz in this mining area.     

40Ar/ 39Ar dating of Penninic Front tectonic displacement (W Alps) during the Lower Oligocene (31–34 Ma)

Direct absolute dating of the Penninic Frontal Thrust tectonic motion is achieved using the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar technique in the Pelvoux Crystalline Massif (Western Alps). The dated phengites were formed syn-kinematically in shear zones. They underline the brittle-ductile stretching lineation, pressure-shadow fibres and slickensides consistent with underthrusting of the European continental slab below the propagating Penninic Thrust. Chlorite–phengite thermobarometry yields 10–15 km and T ∼280 °C, while ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar phengite ages mainly range between 34 and 30 Ma, with one younger age at 27 Ma. This Early Oligocene age range matches a major tectonic rearrangement of the Alpine chain. Preservation of prograde ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages is ascribed to passive exhumation of the Pelvoux shear zone network, sandwiched between more external thrusts and the Penninic Front reactivated as an E-dipping detachment fault. Partial resetting in the Low Temperature part of argon spectra below 24 Ma is ascribed to brittle deformation and alteration of phengites.     

豫西嵩县前范岭石英脉型钼矿床地质特征及辉钼矿Re-Os同位素年龄

位于熊耳山-外方山地区的前范岭钼矿是东秦岭地区新近发现的石英脉型钼矿床之一。赋矿围岩为古元古界熊耳群安山质火山岩类。矿体主要以含辉钼矿石英脉产出,矿石类型以石英脉型为主。金属矿物以辉钼矿和黄铁矿为主,脉石矿物以石英为主,其次为方解石、萤石等。围岩蚀变类型有硅化、钾长石化、青磐岩化等。对6件辉钼矿样品进行Re-Os同位素测年所获得的模式年龄为233.3±3.3～248.2±3.5Ma,等时线年龄为239±13Ma,表明矿床形成于中三叠世。矿床的成矿作用发生于华北与扬子两个板块碰撞对接的晚期阶段。区域上整体的挤压造成了局部的剪切和伸展环境,这种环境为控矿断裂的形成和成矿流体的运移提供了有利条件。嵩县境内现已发现的多处脉型钼矿床很可能形成于同一时期(三叠纪),它们构成了熊耳山与外方山之间的嵩县脉型钼矿田。     

On Tension Failure of 2-D Rock Specimens and Associated Acoustic Emission

Summary To understand the failure mechanism of quasi-brittle materials like rock under tensile stress, observations on the failure process of granite and marble plate specimens under tension are summarized and presented. Micro- and macro-failure properties of rock plates under uniaxial tension have been characterized by using an acoustic emission technique. Acoustic emission signals associated with micro-fractures are captured to locate the sources. An algorithm based on arrival time difference is developed for this purpose. The results reveal clearly the failure processes of rock which include initiation, nucleation and propagation of micro-fractures when the axial stress is close to the peak strength of rock. It is believed that the difference in heterogeneity between granite and marble specimens leads to different fracture shapes and different behaviors of associated acoustic emissions. Numerical simulation of acoustic emissions for two-dimensional tensile test is also carried out. The simulated characteristics are in good agreement with the experimental results.     

Defining the geochemical baseline: a case of Hong Kong soils

A geochemical baseline provides the means to distinguish between the pedogenic origin and the anthropogenic origin of the trace element in the environmental compartments. We collected 271 soil samples representative of different parent rocks and soil types from the whole territory of Hong Kong and analyzed the composition of clay mineralogy and the contents of 15 chemical elements (Fe, Cd, As, etc.) for these samples. The baseline was predicted with the method of the normalization procedure combined with the relative cumulative frequency curve. The result indicated that Fe was the best reference element for the normalization procedure among the five potential reference elements (Fe, Al, Sc, Ti, and Mn), followed by Sc and Ti. A poor correlation was found between Sc, Ti, and Cu. The predicted baseline was much lower than the A-value of the Dutch List used usually in screening the polluted soil of Hong Kong, implying that the extent of heavy metal pollution might have been underestimated with respect to local lands. We also applied the cluster analysis to distinguish the geochemical associations of the trace elements due to its importance to the baseline. Approximately three major associations including the Fe–Mn-oxides related, Al oxides or Al-bearing-clay-mineralogy related and sulfide- related associations were observed from the dendrogram.     

Zircon U–Pb age, trace element and Hf isotope composition of Kongling terrane in the Yangtze Craton: refining the timing of Palaeoproterozoic high-grade metamorphism

U–Pb age, trace element and Hf isotope compositions of zircon were analysed for a metasedimentary rock and two amphibolites from the Kongling terrane in the northern part of the Yangtze Craton. The zircon shows distinct morphological and chemical characteristics. Most zircon in an amphibolite shows oscillatory zoning, high Th/U and ¹⁷⁶Lu/¹⁷⁷Hf ratios, high formation temperature, high trace element contents, clear negative Eu anomaly, as well as HREE-enriched patterns, suggesting that it is igneous. The zircon yields a weighted mean ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb age of 2857 ± 8 Ma, representing the age of the magmatic protolith. The zircon in the other two samples is metamorphic. It has low Th/U ratios, low trace element concentrations, variable HREE contents (33.8 ≥ Lu_N≥2213; 14.7 ≤ Lu_N/Sm_N ≤ 354) and ¹⁷⁶Lu/¹⁷⁷Hf ratios (0.000030–0.001168). The data indicate that the zircon formed in the presence of garnet and under upper amphibolite facies conditions. The metamorphic zircon yields a weighted mean ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb age of 2010 ± 13 Ma. These results combined with previously obtained Palaeoproterozoic metamorphic ages suggest a c. 2.0 Ga Palaeoproterozoic collisional event in the Yangtze Craton, which may result from the assembly of the supercontinent Columbia. The zircon in two samples yields weighted mean two-stage Hf model ( T _DM2) ages of 3217 ± 110 and 2943 ± 50 Ma, respectively, indicating that their protoliths were mainly derived from Archean crust.     

Bathymetry of three deep-sea channels in the northeast and central Tufts Abyssal Plain

The drainage pattern in the northeast and central Tufts Abyssal Plain is described in detail. Satellite navigation on the systematic survey has allowed precise location of the major channel systems of the northeast Pacific Ocean. Two hundred channel profiles were collected from the echograms showing the Moresby-Scott, Mukluk, and Horizon Channel Systems trending in either a southwestward or westward direction across this section of the Tufts Plain. The channel profiles illustrate the prominence of the higher and wider right-hand levee (facing downstream). The Moresby-Scott Channel System disperses in the form of several distributaries throughout the area studied, and is probably responsible for much of the sediment deposits. Unlike the Moresby-Scott, the Mukluk extends throughout the survey area as a solitary channel with one minor branch. The Horizon Channel crosses the Sedna Fracture Zone east of the Sedna Seamount and terminates in distributary fashion in the central portion of the Tufts Plain. The Moresby-Scott, Mukluk, and Horizon Channels form one major system which encompasses the entire northeast and central Tufts Abyssal Plain.