Late Archaean Ti–rich,Al–depleted komatiites and komatiitic volcaniclastic rocks from the Murchison Terrane in Western Australia

Greenstone belts in the northern Murchison Terrane of the Yilgarn Craton contain an extensive suite of 2.9–3.0 Ga, porphyritic komatiites and komatiitic volcaniclastic rocks. These unusual Ti–rich Al–depleted komatiites have been sampled at Gabanintha and are characterised by higher incompatible‐element abundances than most suites of Barberton‐type Al–depleted komatiites. They form a petrogenetically related group with similar Ti– and incompatible‐element‐rich, Al–depleted porphyritic komatiites and komatiitic volcaniclastic rocks from Karasjok in Norway, Dachine in French Guiana and Steep Rock‐Lumby Lake in Canada (here called Karasjok‐type komatiites). Their Al–depletion results from magma generation at depths of >250 km in the presence of residual majorite‐garnet. The porphyritic textures and abundance of amygdales and volcaniclastic rocks typical of this type of komatiite are features of hydrous ultramafic magmas. The incompatible‐element‐rich ultramafic rocks from Dachine contain diamonds that were most likely picked up as parent magmas interacted with mantle lithosphere that had been hydrated and chemically modified. Consequently the interaction of Karasjok‐type komatiite magmas with thick, island arc or continental mantle lithosphere may have resulted in their elevated water and incompatible‐element contents. The occurrence of Karasjok‐type komatiite lavas and volcaniclastic rocks in the northern Murchison Terrane suggests that during the Late Archaean that terrane had a hydrated, metasomatised or subduction‐modified mantle lithosphere.     

Satellite monitoring of spatio-temporal dynamics of China’s coastal zone eco-environments: preliminary analysis on the relationship between the environment,climate change and human behavior

In this paper, temporal dynamics of eco-environmental changes in coastal areas of China during 1981–2000 are investigated based on four key surface parameters including normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), thermal index, moisture index and surface broadband albedo derived from quantitative remote sensing techniques and meteorological data. Firstly, land surface temperature (LST) and land surface broadband albedo are retrieved by the split-window algorithms and high-order polynomial regression method, respectively, using NOAA/AVHRR series images. Then, moisture index and thermal index, indicators of climate and moisture conditions in the study area, are computed from meteorological data and LST using principal component analysis (PCA). Finally, long-term dynamics of these eco-environmental factors and the reasons responsible for these changes are analyzed further. The results show that during the years from 1981 to 2000, the study area experienced a gradual increase in annual NDVI and climate factors and a decrease in surface annual broadband albedo, which indicates that the coastal thermal and moisture conditions and the subsistence conditions of natural vegetation have changed to a considerable extent. According to the results, a warming and wetting tendency over the last two decades is obvious in the China’s coastal zone that are mainly due to land use changes as of growing urbanization, exhaust emissions from industries and transportations and, partly global climate change. Uncontrolled rapid development of the study area may be blamed for these negative changes as a major driving force. The positive feedback mechanisms between albedo, NDVI and climate factors also partly explain these changes. This study suggests that the method integrating biophysical parameters retrieved from remote sensed images and meteorologic data provides a novel and feasible way to monitor large scale eco-environmental changes.

Ancient melt depletion overprinted by young carbonatitic metasomatism in the New Zealand lithospheric mantle

Spinel facies dunite, harzburgite, lherzolite and wehrlite mantle xenoliths from a cluster of Miocene volcanoes in southern New Zealand preserve evidence of the complex evolution of the underlying continental mantle lithosphere. Spinel Cr# records melt extraction with some values indicative of near complete removal of clinopyroxene. LREE-enriched, low Ti/Eu and low Al₂O₃ clinopyroxene and rare F-, LREE-rich apatite indicates subsequent interaction between peridotite and a metasomatising carbonatitic melt. The clearest metasomatic signature occurs in the formerly highly depleted samples because there was little or no pre-existing clinopyroxene to dilute the carbonatite signature. For the same reason, the isotopic character of the metasomatising agent is best observed in the formerly highly depleted peridotites (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr = 0.7028–0.7031; ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd = 0.5129; ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 20.2–20.3). These isotope ratios are very close to, but slightly less radiogenic than, the HIMU end-member mantle reservoir. Nd isotope data imply carbonatite metasomatism occurred within the last several hundred million years, with ubiquitous pyroxene core-to-rim Al diffusion zoning indicating that it must pre-date cooling of the lithospheric mantle following Late Cretaceous–Eocene rifting of Zealandia from Gondwana. Metasomatism was significantly younger than ancient Re-depletion ages of ~2 Ga and shows that decoupling of peridotite isotope systems has occurred.     

浙闽沿海晚中生代伸展构造的岩石学标志:东极岛镁铁质岩墙群

在浙江舟山群岛之东极岛上,出露大规模的镁铁质岩墙群,它们沿晚中生代花岗岩和火山碎屑岩的节理侵位,产状近于直立且与围岩截然接触,指示岩墙岩浆以主动方式沿构造裂隙侵入。东极岛镁铁质岩墙群的岩性主要是角闪辉绿岩,全岩Ar-Ar年龄为93.4Ma。在地球化学上,它们属弱碱性系列,SiO_2含量为46.88%～52.55%,CaO 5.40%～7.82%,Al_2O_316.30%～17.31%,TiO_2 1.53%～1.18%,(Na_2O+K_2O)4.62%～6.88%,Mg~#=34～42;具有轻稀土元素和大离子亲石元素(LILE,如Sr、K、Rb、Ba等)富集、高场强元素(HFSE,如Nb、Ta等)亏损等特点,它们的I_(Sr)为0.7084～0.7098,ε_(Nd)(t)为-3.21～-8.11,与福建沿海的镁铁质岩墙群及浙闽沿海晚中生代基性岩浆岩(辉长岩/辉绿岩和玄武岩)相似。它们由起源于受消减作用影响的岩石圈地幔部分熔融而产生并受地壳混染的玄武岩浆,在伸展构造环境中形成,是浙闽沿海晚中生代伸展构造的重要岩石学标志。     

The Petrology and Geochemistry of Oto-Zan Composite Lava Flow on Shodo-Shima Island, SW Japan: Remelting of a Solidified High-Mg Andesite Magma

The Oto-Zan lava in the Setouchi volcanic belt is composed ofphenocryst-poor, sparsely plagioclase-phyric andesites (sanukitoids)and forms a composite lava flow. The phenocryst assemblagesand element abundances change but Sr–Nd–Pb isotopiccompositions are constant throughout the lava flow. The sanukitoidat the base is a high-Mg andesite (HMA) and contains Mg- andNi-rich olivine and Cr-rich chromite, suggesting the emplacementof a mantle-derived hydrous (7 wt % H₂O) HMA magma. However,Oto-Zan sanukitoids contain little H₂O and are phenocryst-poor.The liquid lines of descent obtained for an Oto-Zan HMA at 0·3GPa in the presence of 0·7–2·1 wt % H₂Osuggest that mixing of an HMA magma with a differentiated felsicmelt can reasonably explain the petrographical and chemicalcharacteristics of Oto-Zan sanukitoids. We propose a model wherebya hydrous HMA magma crystallizes extensively within the crust,resulting in the formation of an HMA pluton and causing liberationof H₂O from the magma system. The HMA pluton, in which interstitialrhyolitic melts still remain, is then heated from the base byintrusion of a high-T basalt magma, forming an H₂O-deficientHMA magma at the base of the pluton. During ascent, this secondaryHMA magma entrains the overlying interstitial rhyolitic melt,resulting in variable self-mixing and formation of a zoned magmareservoir, comprising more felsic magmas upwards. More effectiveupwelling of more mafic, and hence less viscous, magmas througha propagated vent finally results in the emplacement of thecomposite lava flow. KEY WORDS: high-Mg andesite; sanukitoid; composite lava; solidification; remelting     

Utilizing non-traditional data sources for estimating channel seepage losses

Accurate streamflow data, which constitute the basic component in estimating seepage losses or gains in streamflow are in short supply in developing countries. The lack of either financial or technical resources, or both, and at times, the lack of understanding of the importance of accurate streamflow measurements in supporting modeling and water resources decision making process hinder the installation and proper maintenance of streamflow gauges. Therefore, the current study adopted the aim of demonstrating the feasibility of utilizing alternative streamflow data sources in hydrologic studies. In the current study, such sources included effluent from a large wastewater treatment plant as an inflow to the river segment under consideration while the outflow from the same river segment was taken to be the flow discharged into a dam reservoir as calculated from daily dam reservoir water balance. A water balance was established for a 48 km segment on the Zarqa River in Jordan with components covering the inputs of discharge from springs, and wastewater treatment plants and outputs such as direct evaporation, and surface withdrawals for irrigation purposes. Channel seepage was estimated as the difference between inputs and outputs of the river segment water balance. Final results demonstrated the feasibility of utilizing non-traditional data sources, whenever available, to conduct analysis that traditionally has not been possible.     

Biological leachate treatment using anaerobic/aerobic process: suspended growth-activated sludge versus aerobic granular sludge

Landfill leachate treatment was investigated using two anaerobic/aerobic sequencing batch reactors inoculated with suspended growth-activated sludge (ASBR) and aerobic granular sludge (GSBR). The total ammonium nitrogen (TAN) concentration in the GSBR influent was as high as 1200 mg/L with an average TAN removal efficiency of 99.7%. However, the ASBR treatment did not show a consistent performance in TAN removal. The TAN removal efficiency decreased with increasing ammonium concentration in the influent. Aerobic granular sludge was found to be more resistant to free ammonia (FA). In the GSBR, nitrification was partially inhibited at FA concentration from 48 to 57 mg/L, which was two times more than the FA concentration that inhibited nitrification in the ASBR. Low chemical oxygen demand removal efficiencies were obtained in both reactors, which was associated with the refractory organic content of the leachate used in this study. This resulted in poor phosphorous removal in both treatments. The results prove that aerobic granular sludge is a robust method as compared to suspended-activated sludge to treat leachate containing high levels of TAN and FA.     

A micromechanics-based elastoplastic damage model for quasi-brittle rocks

This paper presents a micromechanics-based elastoplastic damage model for quasi-brittle rocks under a compressive stress state. The plastic strain is considered to be related to frictional sliding along micro-cracks, and it is coupled inherently with damage evolution. By following a homogenization procedure, we determine the free energy of the matrix-cracks system. The thermodynamic force associated with the inelastic strain contains a back stress, which controls material hardening. Next, in order to determine plastic flow and crack propagation, we propose a Coulomb-type friction criterion, which is used as the plastic yielding function, and a damage criterion based on strain energy release rate. These thermodynamic formulations with a micro–macro scale change allow reducing significantly the number of model parameters, as compared to phenomenological models. Our model is applied to simulate triaxial compression tests on two sets of diabase samples. The first sample set is cored from a fresh diabase rock mass, and the second from a slightly weathered one. Comparisons between numerical predictions and test data are presented.     

Eclogite origin and timings in the North Qinling terrane,and their bearing on the amalgamation of the South and North China Blocks

The amalgamation of South (SCB) and North China Blocks (NCB) along the Qinling‐Dabie orogenic belt involved several stages of high pressure (HP)‐ultra high pressure (UHP) metamorphism. The new discovery of UHP metamorphic rocks in the North Qinling (NQ) terrane can provide valuable information on this process. However, no precise age for the UHP metamorphism in the NQ terrane has been documented yet, and thus hinders deciphering of the evolution of the whole Qinling‐Dabie‐Sulu orogenic belt. This article reports an integrated study of U–Pb age, trace element, mineral inclusion and Hf isotope composition of zircon from an eclogite, a quartz vein and a schist in the NQ terrane. The zircon cores in the eclogite are characterized by oscillatory zoning or weak zoning, high Th/U and ¹⁷⁶Lu/¹⁷⁷Hf ratios, pronounced Eu anomalies and steep heavy rare earth element (HREE) patterns. The zircon cores yield an age of 796 ± 13 Ma, which is taken as the protolith formation age of the eclogite, and implies that the NQ terrane may belong to the SCB before it collided with the NCB. The ?_Hf(t) values vary from ?11.3 to 3.2 and corresponding two‐stage Hf model ages are 2402 to 1495 Ma, suggesting the protolith was derived from an enriched mantle. In contrast, the metamorphic zircon rims show no zoning or weak zoning, very low Th/U and ¹⁷⁶Lu/¹⁷⁷Hf ratios, insignificant Eu anomalies and flat HREE patterns. They contain inclusions of garnet, omphacite and phengite, suggesting that the metamorphic zircon formed under eclogite facies metamorphic conditions, and their weighted mean ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age of 485.9 ± 3.8 Ma was interpreted to date the timing of the eclogite facies metamorphism. Zircon in the quartz vein is characterized by perfect euhedral habit, some oscillatory zoning, low Th/U ratios and variable HREE contents. It yields a weighted mean U–Pb age of 480.5 ± 2.5 Ma, which registers the age of fluid activity during exhumation. Zircon in the schist is mostly detrital and U–Pb age peaks at c. 1950 to 1850, 1800 to 1600, 1560 to 1460 and 1400 to 1260 Ma with an oldest grain of 2517 Ma, also suggesting that the NQ terrane may have an affinity to the SCB. Accordingly, the amalgamation between the SCB and the NCB is a multistage process that spans c. 300 Myr, which includes: the formation of the Erlangping intra‐oceanic arc zone onto the NCB before c. 490 Ma, the c. 485 Ma crustal subduction and UHP metamorphism of the NQ terrane, the c. 430 Ma arc‐continent collision and granulite facies metamorphism, the 420 to 400 Ma extension and rifting in relation to the opening of the Palaeo‐Tethyan ocean, the c. 310 Ma HP eclogite facies metamorphism of oceanic crust and associated continental basement, and the final 250 to 220 Ma continental subduction and HP–UHP metamorphism.     

Tectonic implications from Re-Os dating of Mesozoic molybdenum deposits in the East Qinling-Dabie orogenic belt

The East Qinling-Dabie molybdenum belt is part of a larger East-West trending metallogenic belt in eastern China. Most of the molybdenum deposits occur as porphyry or porphyry-skarn type, but there are also some vein type deposits. Following systematic Re-Os dating of molybdenite from 13 deposits and comparisons with two previously dated deposits, we have recognized that the molybdenum mineralization in the East Qinling-Dabie belt was developed during hydrothermal activity linked to magmatism and the emplacement of granitoid stocks. Three pulses of granitoid magmatism and Mo mineralization are recognized corresponding to significant tectonic events in the East Qinling-Dabie belt. Vein type deposits dated at 233-221 Ma were formed in detachment fractures, indicating localized extension within the collisional setting of the North China and Yangtze Cratons. I-type and transitional I- and S-type granites and related mineralization dated at 148-138 Ma may have formed part of a continental magmatic arc, with widespread magmatism and back-arc extension caused by subduction of the Izanagi or Paleopacific plate beneath the Eurasian continent in a WNW-ESE direction in the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous. Both S-type and transitional S- and I-type granite-associated porphyry molybdenum deposits dated at 131-112 Ma are part of an extensive mineralization event throughout East China that can be ascribed to regional large-scale lithospheric thinning, delamination and thermal erosion.