Comments on the use of Ti,Zr, Y,Sr, K,P and Nb in classification of basaltic magmas

The distribution of Ti, Zr, Y, Sr, K, P and Nb has been investigated at 55 sample sites within a single basaltic flow, the Cliefden Outcrop, which has adjusted to low-grade metamorphism of the prehnite-pumpellyite facies. The cluster of points in the plot of Ti, Zr and Y as proposed by Pearce and Cann shows that the ratio of these elements has remained relatively constant after metamorphism and would therefore have significance in attempts at classification of magma type. Likewise a plot involving Nb, Y, Zr and P as proposed by Floyd and Winchester shows only restricted scatter and appears useful. However, plots involving Sr or K show a scatter that is clearly related to metamorphic processes. Consequently, plots involving these two elements are likely to be of little use in classification in this case.Low-grade metamorphism is common, variable and not always recognized. The study concerned one style of alteration and revealed problems in the application of some classification schemes. Consequently it is apparent that much more rigorous testing is needed before classification schemes can be generally applied to sequences of basaltic rocks.     

Diapiric structures in the eastern Mediterranean Herodotus basin

A 45-km square seismic reflection profiling grid survey was made in the part of the Herodotus basin where there is a large thickness of strongly deformed sediment, to determine the nature and cause of the deformation. The survey showed that the area has sediment ponded between highs in the underlying deformed sedimentary sequence, which becomes more deformed with increasing depth. The deepest continuous reflector that can be seen is probably reflector M. The seismic velocity above this is 3.2 km s^?1; a velocity could not be obtained from below this reflector. A map of depth to reflector M shows small rises superimposed on a strong linear north-south rise. There are no magnetic anomalies associated with any of these rises, so they are not caused by doming above igneous intrusions. The structures could be caused by syn-depositional folding, or sedimentary diapirism, of which sedimentary diapirism seems the most probable.     

Predation by the free-living copepod,Cyclops bicuspidatus thomasi,on larvae of the striped bass and white Perch

Specimens of a free-living copepod, Cyclops bicuspidatus thomasi, were found attached to striped bass and white perch larvae collected in the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal and adjacent waters. Damage to most of the larvae was constriction of tissue around the point of attachment, but some exhibited more severe damage such as missing parts of the finfold or a ruptured yolk sac. Most of the larvae had damage which was extensive enough to have caused death.     

The stable isotopic composition of coral skeletons: control by environmental variables

The reef corals Pocillopora damicornis and Montipora verrucosa were cultured under various controlled temperature and light conditions. The corals were analyzed for growth rate, tissue pigment content and skeletal ¹³C and ¹⁸O. Coral skeletal δ¹³C values varied with light dose and correlated with changes in zooxanthellar pigment. The δ¹³C values of skeletal aragonite seem to be modified by oxidation of photosynthetically produced organic matter.Functionally significant relationships between coral skeletal δ¹⁸O values and temperature have been determined. The temperature coefficients of the δ¹⁸O values [?4.4°C (%.)^?1] are similar to the first order coefficient in the equilibrium paleotemperature equation, but the δ¹⁸O values have taxonomically consistent offsets from equilibrium. The offsets may be attributed to the coral metabolism with slight but statistically significant differences between the two genera. Environmental and metabolic variables other than temperature have little or no effect on skeletal δ¹⁸O.     

The stress-field in the alpine-mediterranean region

The neotectonic stress field in the Alpine-Mediterranean region is investigated. It is shown that information on this field can be obtained from insitu measurements, from earthquake fault plane solutions, from the orientation of joints and even from valley trends. The available data are collected and collated. It is shown that there is a general correspondence in any one area between these types of data. Maps showing the orientations of the principal stress directions are given.     

Porphyrins in black trona water

Metalloporphyrins have been found in black trona water, a solution of sodium salts of organic acids occurring naturally in the Green River Formation of Wyoming. The porphyrins consist largely of nickel deoxophylloerythrin, a C-33 acid, and two lower methylene homologues, C-32 and C-31 acids, and possibly structural isomers of these. The C-32 acid is noticeably more abundant than either the C-33 or C-31 acids. Minor amounts of nickel etioporphyrins also are present. These porphyrins are believed to have been derived from the chlorophyll α synthesized by algae that inhabited Eocene Lake Gosiute. The transformations to porphyrins occurred under the influence of high pH, a reducing environment, and geological time.     

Spectroscopic evidence for two achondrite parent bodies: asteroids 349 Dembowska and 4 Vesta

A Fourier spectrometer was used to obtain IR spectra of asteroids 349 Dembowska and 4 Vesta (0.8–2.5μm; 25cm ^?1 resolution). The spectrum of Dembowska shows olivine and pyroxene (Fs_{24 ± 8}) with an olivine/pyroxene abundance ratio greater than 2, and possibly as high as 10. This is probably an unsampled achondritic composition, similar to the unique achondrite ALHA 77005. Similar olivine-rich compositions have also been proposed for the mantles of basaltic achondrite parent bodies. Dembowska's mineralogy therefore appears related in some way to the achondrites. but a direct link cannot as yet be made. Our IR observations of Vesta have more complete spectral coverage than those first obtained by Larson and Fink (1975b). Pyroxene (Fs_{50 ± 5}) and plagioclase feldspar are both seen, with a pyroxene/feldspar abundance ratio between 1.5 and 2.0. Vesta's mineralogy is consistent with a mixture of eucrites and howardites on its surface. Time-resolved observations over one-half of the rotation period show no spectral variations at the 2% level, indicating compositional homogeneity. Both 349 Dembowska and 4 Vesta can be considered as candidates for the parent bodies of igneous meteorites.     

Crystal-chemistry of a unique jadeite-rich acmite-poor omphacite from the Nybø eclogite pod,Sørpollen,Nordfjord, Norway

An omphacite from the Nybø eclogite pod, Norway, has a chemical composition which plots within the gap, often regarded as a miscibility gap, which is evident in all previous compilations of natural jadeite-rich acmite-poor omphacite compositions. Its cation site populations determined by crystal structure refinement accord well with its chemical composition analysed by electron microprobe. Its disordered space group C2/c symmetry extends the known compositional range of C2/c pyroxene. The postulated miscibility gap is regarded as real and wide at low temperatures, but it appears to narrow with increasing temperature or ultimately with increasing acmite proportion. The adjacent primitive symmetry field appears to initially widen with increasing temperature or increasing acmite proportion, at the expense of the diminishing miscibility gap, before finally closing with further increase.     

Variation of the magnetic properties in a basaltic dyke with concentric cooling zones

The effects of the variation of magnetic grain size on the magnetic properties of rocks have been studied throughout a reversely magnetized basaltic dyke with concentric cooling zones.Except in a few tachylites in which the magnetic mineral is a Ti-rich titanomagnetite, in the bulk of the dyke the magnetization is carried by almost pure magnetite grains. Although the percentage p of these magnetic oxides varies slightly, the large changes in the various magnetic parameters observed across the dyke are essentially attributable to large variations in the grain size of the magnetic particles.From the outer scoria region, where the magnetic grains are a mixture of single-domain (SD) and superparamagnetic (SP) grains, to the tachylite zone with finely crystallized basaltic glass containing interacting elongated SD particles, one observes an increase of both the ratio of the saturation remanent magnetization and the saturation induced magnetization J_rs/J_is, the bulk coercive force H_c, the median destructive field MDF, the intensity of the remanent magnetization J_r, and the Koenigsberger ratio Q. In the tachylites these parameters reach unusually high values, for subaerial basalts:

$\text{〈}\text{J}{}_{\mathrm{rs}}\text{J}{}_{\mathrm{is}}\text{〉 = 0.3, 〈H}{}_{\mathrm{c}}\text{〉 = 460 O}{}_{\mathrm{e}}\text{, 〈MDF〉 = 620 O}{}_{\mathrm{e}}\text{r.m.s., 〈J}{}_{\mathrm{r}}\text{〉 = 2.7 · 10}{}^{\mathrm{?2}}\text{e.m.u. cm}{}^{\mathrm{?3}}\text{〈Q〉 = 24}$

These parameters decrease in the basalt toward the centre of the dyke where pseudo-single-domain (pseudo-SD) particles coexist together with multidomain (MD) grains. The susceptibility remains approximately constant from the inner basalt to the tachylite, but increases in the scoria up to values 10 times higher owing to the presence of SP particles. The magnetic viscosity increases also drastically toward the margin of the dyke due to an increase of the fraction of the SD particles just above the superparamagnetic threshold.     

The Oklo natural reactor: Cumulative fission yields and retentivity of the symmetric mass region fission products

Solid source mass spectrometry has been used to determine the relative cumulative fission yields of five elements in three samples of uranium ore from reactor zones in the Oklo mine site. Eighteen fission chains covering the mass range from105 ≤ A ≤ 130 have been measured for Pd, Ag, Cd, Sn and Te. These measurements have enabled a number of nuclear parameters to be calculated including the relative proportions of²³⁵U,²³⁸U and²³⁹Pu involved in the fission process.The concentration of the five elements in the Oklo samples have also been measured using the stable isotope dilution technique. These values have then been compared to the estimates of the amount of these elements produced by fission under the conditions that are appropriate to the three samples. This procedure enables the retentivity of the elements in the reactor zones to be evaluated. Our work confirms the fact that Pd and Te are retained almost in their entirety in the samples, whereas the other three elements have been partially lost from the reactor site. Almost all the Cd fission products have been lost, and more than 50% of the Ag and Sn fission-produced material has been removed.