Geochemistry of peridotite xenoliths in alkali basalts from Jeju Island, Korea

Abstract   Ultramafic xenoliths in alkali basalts from Jeju Island, Korea, are mostly spinel lherzolites with subordinate amounts of spinel harzburgites and pyroxenites. The compositions of major oxides and compatible to moderately incompatible elements of the Jeju peridotite xenoliths suggest that they are residues after various extents of melting. The estimated degrees of partial melting from compositionally homogeneous and unfractionated mantle to form the residual xenoliths reach 30%. However, their complex patterns of chondrite-normalized rare earth element, from light rare earth element (LREE)-depleted through spoon-shaped to LREE-enriched, reflect an additional process. Metasomatism by a small amount of melt/fluid enriched in LREE followed the former melt removal, which resulted in the enrichment of the incompatible trace elements. Sr and Nd isotopic ratios of the Jeju xenoliths display a wide scatter from depleted mid-oceanic ridge basalt (MORB)-like to near bulk-earth estimates along the MORB–oceanic island basalt (OIB) mantle array. The varieties in modal proportions of minerals, (La/Yb)_N ratio and Sr-Nd isotopes for the xenoliths demonstrate that the lithospheric mantle beneath Jeju Island is heterogeneous. The heterogeneity is a probable result of its long-term growth and enrichment history.     

The Late Devensian and Flandrian history of the Teith valley, Scotland

Two episodes of glaciation are identified in the Teith valley, central Scotland. During the earlier episode, the valley was wholly occupied by an ice sheet, but during the later episode, correlated with the Loch Lomond Readvance, ice only occupied the upper part of the valley. The deglaciation which followed each episode was marked in particular by sequences of kame and outwash terraces. A terrace related to the second episode grades into a large fan buried beneath a sequence of marine deposits in the nearby Forth valley. The latest of these, the carse clays, are related to Flandrian terraces in the Teith valley.     

FORTRAN PROGRAMME FOR THE ANALYSIS AND GRAPHICAL PRESENTATION OF GEOLOGICAL DATA

Computers are being used increasingly for the analysis of quantitative geological data. An outline is given of the advantages of contemporaneously using both computer and a connected automatic plotter. It is suggested that the quality of the automatic plotter output is such as to preclude the services of a draftsman in the preparation of many graphics for publication.     

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF GLAUCONITE AND THE ASSOCIATED CLAY FRACTION IN MODERN MARINE SEDIMENTS

The crystallinity and mineralogy of both the glauconite and the clay fraction of samples from six contemporary marine environments were investigated by X-ray diffraction. In those areas where glauconite is now forming, the mineralogy and the degree of crystallinity of both the glauconite pellets and the associated clay fraction are similar. In contrast, detrital and relic glauconites are observed to have mineralogies that are different from their clay fractions. No consistent relationship was observed between degree of crystallinity and color of the pellets. Further, only two classes of glauconite as defined by BURST (1958) were common: expandable, interlayered clays and two or more clay minerals in a mixed assemblage. Based on the clay fraction-glauconite similarities and other supporting evidence, glauconite on the Scotia Ridge is concluded to be authigenic. Glauconite from Santa Monica Bay, California and from the continental shelf off Morocco appear to be detrital. Glauconite pellets in the shelf sediments off Guinea and the southeastern Atlantic Shelf of the United States are both detrital and authigenic. The poor crystallinity exhibited by the Chatham Rise glauconite is in contrast to the well-crystallized associated clay fraction and indicates that they are not genetically related. However, the origin of this glauconite remains in doubt.     

A DISCUSSION ON SEISMIC BINARY GAIN SWITCHING AMPLIFIERS *

Geophysical field equipment has undergone rapid changes in the past decade; from simple AGC amplifiers and galvo cameras to binary gain switching amplifiers and digital recorders, all in an attempt to keep pace with the new geophysical interpretive methods developed, and the growing acceptance of the terminology, methods, and philosophy of communication theory. The additional tools of the digital recorder and digital computer make it possible to utilize these new techniques in geophysical processing. Accomplishing these new techniques demands severe requirements on the digital field recording process in handling the decreasing energy return from the seismometer, and to fully realize the capabilities of digital techniques in reducing data. Simple automatic gain control may be used. However, in the more sophisticated interpretive methods, such as autoregression and deconvolution, it is necessary to reconstruct the actual energy levels in the computer. Recording the control signal used in master AGC or programmed gain control may prove satisfactory; however the accuracy of control versus gain is limited to I% for such analog instrumentation. To utilize the computer to its fullest extent, and to accurately perform these new techniques, requires an accuracy of I% or better. This accuracy is obtainable by using a step gain control where the gain is increased by fixed steps in which each step represents a gain in amplification by a constant factor. The accuracy in this case can be made dependent only on the tolerance of resistors used as attenuators or feedback elements. Preferably the constant factor of gain steps should be a number easily handled by the computer. By using 6 db steps it becomes a simple matter to shift binary numbers, such as multiplying or dividing by 10 in the decimal system. The requirements or parameters for such an amplifier system, and the elements of the amplifier necessary to achieve these requirements are presented.     

Carbonate deposition and facies distribution in a central Michigan marl lake

Relatively pure lacustrine carbonates referred to as marl are being deposited in Littlefield Lake, central Michigan, a hard-water lake with little terrigenous clastic influx. Thick accumulations of marl form both progradational marl benches along lake margins, and islands or lakemounts in the lake centre. Marl benches develop flat platforms up to 20 m wide in very shallow water and steeply inclined slopes, up to 30°, extending into deep water. The flat landward platform is frequently covered by algal pisoliths while the upper portion of the lakeward-sloping bottom is overgrown by Chara which in the summertime becomes thickly encrusted with low-magnesian calcite. Marl islands are flat-topped features that formed over relict highs on Pleistocene drift which underlies the lake basin. These are fringed by marl benches identical to those found along lake margins. Marl benches are composed of four units: two thin facies deposited on the shallow-water bench platform and two thicker faces deposited on the bench slope developed in moderate water depths. These in turn overlie a fifth facies deposited in deep water. A coarsening-upward sequence is developed in these sediments as a result of both mechanical sorting, and primary production of carbonate sand and gravel in shallow water. In addition to facies sequences and size grading, trends upsection of increasing carbonate content and decreasing insoluble content may serve to identify temperate-region lacustrine carbonate deposits in the rock record.     

Injection clastic dykes in the Lower Oxford Clay (Jurassic) of central England: relationship to compaction and concretion formation

An injection dyke of fine-grained sandstone derived from the Kellaways Sand Formation intrudes overlying organic-rich shales and shell beds of the Lower Oxford Clay. The dyke shows cross-cutting relationships with early carbonate concretions, and fills uncompacted kosmoceratid ammonite shells both within the concretions and surrounding shales. Internally the dyke displays flow-like features, and the walls show lobate flow structures. Clasts of uncompacted Lower Oxford Clay and fragments of pyrite-rich concretions occur within the sandstone intrusions. The sandstone of the dyke was cemented by calcite identical to that precipitated in septarian cracks in the concretions. This cementation took place prior to final compaction of the Oxford Clay. The dyke has a sub-parallel relationship to the nearby Tinwell-Marholm fault suggesting that the dyke may be related to local tectonic events during the Middle Jurassic.     

The Medusa effect: instantaneous fossilization

Rapid fossilization of fishes and other animals in the Lower Cretaceous of the Chapada do Araripe, north-east Brazil, has preserved the most delicate structures known in the fossil record. Gills, muscles, stomachs and even eggs with yolks have been found. Interestingly, the material is not particularly rare, and specimens can be purchased from your local rock shop.