Carruthers and the theory of glacial undermelt: lessons from a pamphleteer?

In 1953, R. G. Carruthers, a respected geologist, published a private scientific pamphlet which challenged the established view of British Quaternary stratigraphy. Carruthers had no other route but private publication. Why was this, and what was the foundation for his ideas? We explore Carruthers' theory in the light of current knowledge and consider the lessons for scientific publication provided by it.     

The Liquid Line of Descent of Anhydrous, Mantle-Derived, Tholeiitic Liquids by Fractional and Equilibrium Crystallization--an Experimental Study at 1{middle dot}0 GPa

Two series of anhydrous experiments have been performed in anend-loaded piston cylinder apparatus on a primitive, mantle-derivedtholeiitic basalt at 1·0 GPa pressure and temperaturesin the range 1060–1330°C. The experimental data provideconstraints on phase equilibria, and solid and liquid compositionsalong the liquid line of descent of primary basaltic magmasdifferentiating in storage reservoirs located at the base ofthe continental crust. The first series are equilibrium crystallizationexperiments on a single basaltic bulk composition; the secondseries are fractionation experiments where near-perfect fractionalcrystallization was approached in a stepwise manner using 30°Ctemperature steps and starting compositions corresponding tothe liquid composition of the previous, higher-temperature glasscomposition. Liquids in the fractional crystallization experimentsevolve with progressive SiO₂ increase from basalts to dacites,whereas the liquids in the equilibrium crystallization experimentsremain basaltic and display only a moderate SiO₂ increase accompaniedby more pronounced Al₂O₃ enrichment. The principal phase equilibriacontrols responsible for these contrasting trends are suppressionof the peritectic olivine + liquid = opx reaction and earlierplagioclase saturation in the fractionation experiments comparedwith the equilibrium experiments. Both crystallization processeslead to the formation of large volumes of ultramafic cumulatesrelated to the suppression of plagioclase crystallization relativeto pyroxenes at high pressures. This is in contrast to low-pressurefractionation of tholeiitic liquids, where early plagioclasesaturation leads to the production of troctolites followed by(olivine-) gabbros at an early stage of differentiation. KEY WORDS: liquid line of descent; tholeiitic magmas; equilibrium crystallization; fractional crystallization     

Ultramafic Xenoliths from the Bearpaw Mountains, Montana, USA: Evidence for Multiple Metasomatic Events in the Lithospheric Mantle beneath the Wyoming Craton

Ultramafic xenoliths in Eocene minettes of the Bearpaw Mountainsvolcanic field (Montana, USA), derived from the lower lithosphereof the Wyoming craton, can be divided based on textural criteriainto tectonite and cumulate groups. The tectonites consist ofstrongly depleted spinel lherzolites, harzburgites and dunites.Although their mineralogical compositions are generally similarto those of spinel peridotites in off-craton settings, somecontain pyroxenes and spinels that have unusually low Al₂O₃contents more akin to those found in cratonic spinel peridotites.Furthermore, the tectonite peridotites have whole-rock majorelement compositions that tend to be significantly more depletedthan non-cratonic mantle spinel peridotites (high MgO, low CaO,Al₂O₃ and TiO₂) and resemble those of cratonic mantle. Thesecompositions could have been generated by up to 30% partialmelting of an undepleted mantle source. Petrographic evidencesuggests that the mantle beneath the Wyoming craton was re-enrichedin three ways: (1) by silicate melts that formed mica websteriteand clinopyroxenite veins; (2) by growth of phlogopite fromK-rich hydrous fluids; (3) by interaction with aqueous fluidsto form orthopyroxene porphyroblasts and orthopyroxenite veins.In contrast to their depleted major element compositions, thetectonite peridotites are mostly light rare earth element (LREE)-enrichedand show enrichment in fluid-mobile elements such as Cs, Rb,U and Pb on mantle-normalized diagrams. Lack of enrichment inhigh field strength elements (HFSE; e.g. Nb, Ta, Zr and Hf)suggests that the tectonite peridotites have been metasomatizedby a subduction-related fluid. Clinopyroxenes from the tectoniteperidotites have distinct U-shaped REE patterns with strongLREE enrichment. They have ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd values that range from0·5121 (close to the host minette values) to 0·5107,similar to those of xenoliths from the nearby Highwood Mountains.Foliated mica websterites also have low ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd values (0·5113)and extremely high ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios in their constituent phlogopite,indicating an ancient (probably mid-Proterozoic) enrichment.This enriched mantle lithosphere later contributed to the formationof the high-K Eocene host magmas. The cumulate group rangesfrom clinopyroxene-rich mica peridotites (including abundantmica wehrlites) to mica clinopyroxenites. Most contain >30%phlogopite. Their mineral compositions are similar to thoseof phenocrysts in the host minettes. Their whole-rock compositionsare generally poorer in MgO but richer in incompatible traceelements than those of the tectonite peridotites. Whole-rocktrace element patterns are enriched in large ion lithophileelements (LILE; Rb, Cs, U and Pb) and depleted in HFSE (Nb,Ta Zr and Hf) as in the host minettes, and their Sr–Ndisotopic compositions are also identical to those of the minettes.Their clinopyroxenes are LREE-enriched and formed in equilibriumwith a LREE-enriched melt closely resembling the minettes. Thecumulates therefore represent a much younger magmatic event,related to crystallization at mantle depths of minette magmasin Eocene times, that caused further metasomatic enrichmentof the lithosphere. KEY WORDS: ultramafic xenoliths; Montana; Wyoming craton; metasomatism; cumulates; minette     

WHERE THE PAVEMENT ENDS

ABSTRACT. Black Rock is one of the nation's newest national conservation areas. This significant desert‐and‐mountain region 107 miles north of Reno, Nevada, is the focus of increased global attention, in part due to the annual Burning Man festival, which has become a cause celebre of the dot‐com set and many others. This photographic essay offers a visual sampling of the lyrical sensibility of this unique environment. Geography, I argue, can be an overtly photographic textual form.     

Some Thermal Constraints on Crustal Assimilation during Fractionation of Hydrous, Mantle-derived Magmas with Examples from Central Alpine Batholiths

We provide a model for the fractional crystallization of hydrousmantle-derived magma to form calc-alkaline plutons, based uponmass balance for geological examples of fractionation sequencesin the lower continental crust. This is complemented by a thermalmodel for the heat budget obtained from a projected phase diagramand thermodynamic data. Fractional crystallization (FC) andassimilation–fractional crystallization (AFC) paths havebeen calculated with these models and the mass ratio of assimilationto crystallization as a function of parent magma type and temperature,crustal rock fertility and temperature, and mechanism of assimilation,have been determined. When these results are combined with F(melt fraction) and r (ratio of mass assimilated/crystallized)values evaluated from geochemical data then new information,not available with the methods separately, can be deduced. Thisincludes when and at what depth and temperature in the crustthe assimilation took place, as well as the likely parent magmatype and temperature of the assimilant. Our results are presentedin simple graphical fashion to facilitate future studies thatexamine the evolution of individual calc-alkaline plutons andthe mechanisms of crustal contamination, and to improve meltmodels involving hydrous magma in volcanic arcs and in the lowercontinental crust KEY WORDS: assimilation; hydrous mantle magma; thermal models; fractional crystallization; magma mixing; Alpine batholiths; Adamello; Bergell     

Nitrous Oxide Flux Estimates for South-Eastern Australia

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) fluxes for south-easternAustralia have been estimated using a combination ofthe in situ N₂O and radon (Rn) measurementsmade at the Cape Grim Baseline Air Pollution Station,in north-west Tasmania. The average N₂O fluxesfrom the south-eastern mainland of Australia and fromTasmania over the nine years of record analysed (1985–1993) have beenfound to be 130 ± 30 kgN km^-2yr^-1 and 160 ± 45 kgN km^-2yr^-1respectively. These fluxes are larger than expectedand a significant dependence of the flux on rainfallis observed, with greater fluxes in the spring (October–December) andduring periods of positive SouthernOscillation Index. A large flux (1,300 ± 500kgN km^-2 yr^-1) from a nearby island (KingIsland) was also estimated from the data record,indicating a strong source, although the small size ofthe island means that it is not a significant sourcefor Australia.