Multistage Variscan magmatism in the central Tauern Window (Austria) unveiled by U/Pb SHRIMP zircon data

U/Pb SHRIMP ages of nine Variscan leucocratic orthogneisses from the central Tauern Window (Austria) reveal three distinct pulses of magmatism in Early Carboniferous (Visean), Late Carboniferous (Stephanian) and Early Permian, each involving granitoid intrusions and a contemporaneous opening of volcano-sedimentary basins. A similar relationship has been reported for the Carboniferous parts of the basement of the Alps further to the west, e.g. the “External massifs” in Switzerland. After the intrusion of subduction-related, volcanic-arc granitoids (374?±?10?Ma; Zwölferkogel gneiss), collisional intrusive-granitic, anatectic and extrusive-rhyolitic/dacitic rocks were produced over a short interval at ca. 340?Ma (Augengneiss of Felbertauern: 340?±?4?Ma, Hochweißenfeld gneiss: 342?± 5?Ma, Falkenbachlappen gneiss: 343?±?6?Ma). This Early Carboniferous magmatism, which produced relatively small volumes of melt, can be attributed to the amalgamation of the Gondwana-derived “Tauern Window” terrane with Laurussia–Avalonia. Probably due to the oblique nature of the collision, transtensional phenomena (i.e. volcano-sedimentary troughs and high-level intrusives) and transpressional regimes (i.e. regional metamorphism and stacked nappes with anatexis next to thrust planes) evolved contemporaneously. The magmas are mainly of the high-K I-type and may have been generated during a short phase of decompressional melting of lithospheric mantle and lower crustal sources. In the Late Carboniferous, a second pulse of magmatism occurred, producing batholiths of calc-alkaline I-type granitoids (e.g. Venediger tonalite: 296?±?4?Ma) and minor coeval bodies of felsic and intermediate volcanics (Heuschartenkopf gneiss: 299?±?4?Ma, Peitingalm gneiss: 300?±?5?Ma). Prior to this magmatism, several kilometres of upper crust must have been eroded, because volcano-sedimentary sequences hosting the Heu- schartenkopf and Peitingalm gneisses rest unconformably on 340-Ma-old granitoids. The youngest (Permian) period of magma generation contains the intrusion of the S-type Granatspitz Central Gneiss at 271?±?4?Ma and the extrusion of the rhyolitic Schönbachwald gneiss protolith at 279?±?9?Ma. These magmatic rocks may have been associated with local extension along continental wrench zones through the Variscan orogenic crust or with a Permian rifting event. The Permian and the above-mentioned Late Carboniferous volcano-sedimentary sequences were probably deposited in intra-continental graben structures, which survived post-Variscan uplift and Alpine compressional tectonics.     

Holocene reef growth in Torres Strait

The platform and fringing reefs of Torres Strait are morphologically similar to reefs of the northern Great Barrier Reef to the south, except that several are elongated in the direction of the strong tidal currents between the Coral Sea and the Gulf of Carpentaria. Surface and subsurface investigations and radiocarbon dating on Yam, Warraber and Hammond Islands reveal that the initiation and mode of Holocene reef growth reflect antecedent topography and sea-level history. On the granitic Yam Island, fringing reefs have established in some places over a Pleistocene limestone at about 6 m depth around 7000 years BP. Emergent Holocene microatolls of Porites sp. indicate that the reefs have prograded seawards while sea level has fallen gradually from at least 0.8 m above present about 5800 years BP. On the Warraber Island reef platform drilling near the centre indicated a Pleistocene limestone foundation at a depth of about 6 m over which reefs established around 6700 years BP. Reef growth lagged behind that on Yam Island. Microatolls on the mature reef flat indicate that the reef reached sea level around 5300 years BP when the sea was around 0.8–1.0 m above present. On the reef flat on the western side of Hammond Island bedrock was encountered at 7–8 m depth, overlain by terrigenous mud. A progradational reef sequence of only 1–2 m thickness has built seaward over these muds, as sea level has fallen over the past 5800 years. Reef-flat progradation on these reefs is interpreted to have occurred by a series of stepwise buildouts marked by lines of microatolls parallel to the reef crest, marking individual coalescing coral heads. Detrital infill has occurred between these. This pattern of reef progradation is consistent with the radiocarbon dating results from these reefs, and with seismic investigations on the Torres Reefs.     

Zircon M127 – A Homogeneous Reference Material for SIMS U–Pb Geochronology Combined with Hafnium,Oxygen and,Potentially, Lithium Isotope Analysis

In this article, we document a detailed analytical characterisation of zircon M127, a homogeneous 12.7 carat gemstone from Ratnapura, Sri Lanka. Zircon M127 has TIMS‐determined mean U–Pb radiogenic isotopic ratios of 0.084743 ± 0.000027 for ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U and 0.67676 ± 0.00023 for ²⁰⁷Pb/²³⁵U (weighted means, 2s uncertainties). Its ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age of 524.36 ± 0.16 Ma (95% confidence uncertainty) is concordant within the uncertainties of decay constants. The δ¹⁸O value (determined by laser fluorination) is 8.26 ± 0.06‰ VSMOW (2s), and the mean ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf ratio (determined by solution ICP‐MS) is 0.282396 ± 0.000004 (2s). The SIMS‐determined δ⁷Li value is ?0.6 ± 0.9‰ (2s), with a mean mass fraction of 1.0 ± 0.1 μg g^?1 Li (2s). Zircon M127 contains ~ 923 μg g^?1 U. The moderate degree of radiation damage corresponds well with the time‐integrated self‐irradiation dose of 1.82 × 10¹⁸ alpha events per gram. This observation, and the (U–Th)/He age of 426 ± 7 Ma (2s), which is typical of unheated Sri Lankan zircon, enable us to exclude any thermal treatment. Zircon M127 is proposed as a reference material for the determination of zircon U–Pb ages by means of SIMS in combination with hafnium and stable isotope (oxygen and potentially also lithium) determination.     

Evidence for the enhanced lability of dissolved organic matter following permafrost slope disturbance in the Canadian High Arctic

Arctic landscapes are believed to be highly sensitive to climate change and accelerated disturbance of permafrost is expected to significantly impact the rate of carbon cycling. While half the global soil organic matter (SOM) is estimated to reside in Arctic soils, projected warmer temperatures and permafrost disturbance will release much of this SOM into waterways in the form of dissolved organic matter (DOM). The spring thaw and subsequent flushing of soils releases the highest contributions of DOM annually but has historically been undersampled due to the difficulties of sampling during this period. In this study, passive samplers were placed throughout paired High Arctic watersheds during the duration of the 2008 spring flush in Nunavut, Canada. The watersheds are very similar with the exception of widespread active layer detachments (ALDs) that occurred within one of the catchments during a period of elevated temperatures in the summer of 2007. DOM samples were analyzed for structural and spectral characteristics via nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and fluorescence spectroscopy as well as vulnerability to degradation with simulated solar exposure. Lignin-derived phenols were further assessed utilizing copper(II) oxide (CuO) oxidation and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The samples were found to have very low dissolved lignin phenol content (∼0.07% of DOC) and appear to originate from primarily non-woody angiosperm vegetation. The acid/aldehyde ratios for dissolved vanillyl phenols were found to be high (up to 3.6), indicating the presence of highly oxidized lignin. Differences between DOM released from the ALD vs. the undisturbed watershed suggest that these shallow detachment slides have significantly impacted the quality of Arctic DOM. Although material released from the disturbed catchment was found to be highly oxidized, DOM in the lake into which this catchment drained had chemical characteristics indicating high contributions from microbial and/or primary productivity. The resulting pool of dissolved carbon within the lake appears to be more biologically- and photochemically-labile than material from the undisturbed system. These disturbances may have implications for projected climate warming; sustained elevated temperatures would likely perpetuate widespread ALDs and further affect carbon cycling in this environment.     

西藏羊八井热田地热流体成因及演化的惰性气体制约

地热流体中惰性气体的相对丰度和同位素组成，不仅可以揭露热田的热源性质，而且还能够揭示深，浅层地热流体的内在联系和演化过程等。在西藏羊八井热田的地热气体中，已检测出大量的^4He组分，3He/^4He值是大气的0．087－0．259倍，表明深部地壳物质的局部熔融为热田提供能量，浅层地热流体的3He/4He 值自西北向东南呈降低趋势，与热储温度的变化相一致，反映出侧向运移时补充了更多的壳源氦，热田北区深层地热流体具有稍高的3He/4He值，是浅层地热流体的母源，气体中氪和氙的相对丰度具有大气降水成因的特征，结合现有的实际资料，建立了热田地热流体的概念模型。     

A new hematite formation mechanism for Mars

Abstract— The origin of hematite detected in Martian surface materials is commonly attributed to weathering processes or aqueous precipitation. Here, we present a new hematite formation mechanism that requires neither water nor weathering. Glass‐rich basalts with Martian meteorite‐like chemistry (high FeO, low Al₂O₃) oxidized at high (700 and 900 °C) temperatures in air and CO₂, respectively, form thin (<1 μm) hematite coatings on their outermost surfaces. Hematite is manifested macroscopically by development of magnetism and a gray, metallic sheen on the glass surface and microscopically by Fe enrichment at the glass surface observed in element maps. Visible and near‐infrared, thermal infrared, and Raman spectroscopy confirm that the Fe enrichment at the oxidized glass surfaces corresponds to hematite mineralization. Hematite formation on basaltic glass is enabled by a mechanism that induces migration of Fe²⁺ to the surface of an oxidizing glass and subsequent oxidation to form hematite. A natural example of the hematite formation mechanism is provided by a Hawaiian basalt hosting a gray, metallic sheen that corresponds to a thin hematite coating. Hematite coating development on the Hawaiian basalt demonstrates that Martian meteorite‐like FeO contents are not required for hematite coating formation on basalt glass and that such coatings form during initial extrusion of the glassy basalt flows. If gray hematite originating as coatings on glassy basalt flows is an important source of Martian hematite, which is feasible given the predominance of igneous features on Mars, then the requirement of water as an agent of hematite formation is eliminated.