Garnet lherzolites from the Hanaus-I and Louwrensia kimberlites of Namibia

The Gibeon cluster of Namibian kimberlites is emplaced into the Orange River Belt which has accreted to the Kaapvaal Craton. These offcraton kimberlites lack diamonds and are younger than the diamondiferous on-craton kimberlites. The Hanaus-I and Louwrensia kimberlites each contain a bimodal suite of upper-mantle-derived garnet lherzolite xenoliths characterized by a coarse granular or mosaic porphyroclastic texture. The Louwrensia pipe in addition contains garnet harzburgites. Deformed lherzolites are not iron-enriched relative to the coarse types. Conditions of equilibration calculated by the Wells-Wood method are 841–1,013° C at 25.6–36.3 kbars, and 869–1,195° C at 23.9–39.4 kbars, for coarse lherzolites from Louwrensia and Hanaus respectively, and from 1,080–1,112° C at 31.6–34.5 kbars, and 983–1,228° C at 24.7–35.2 kbars, for mosaic porphyroclastic types from Louwrensia and Hanaus respectively. The coarse varieties from both localities have similar equilibration conditions to coarse lherzolites from on-craton kimberlites and define the lower limb of a perturbed geotherm. The upper high temperature limb of the Namibian geotherm is considered to be an apparent geotherm generated by the deformation and metasomatism of the upper mantle by a rising diapir. Such geotherms, being the result of kimberlite-xenolith interactions, provide no stratigraphic or thermal information concerning the site of kimberlite or diamond formation.     

Relationship between paleotemperatures of metamorphic dolomites and ESR determined Mn(II) partitioning ratios

An Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) study of the distribution of Mn(II) between Mg sites and Ca sites in 28 contact metamorphic dolomite samples suggests that the distribution is temperature sensitive. The data can be modelled by alternative interpretations. In the first a polynomial equation approximates the trend of the data suggesting an exponential relation with Mn(II) ratios decreasing to a stable value of 10 with increasing temperature (to near 900°C). The second suggests two groups of dolomites. One group, close to the intrusion (< 100 m), has a low partitioning ratio (10 to 30), possibly increasing linearly with increasing distance from the intrusive contact. The second group (100 to 400 m) increases in scatter and distribution ratio (20 to 215) with increasing distance. Whatever the detailed relationship, we conclude that Mn partitioning is related to the thermal halo of the intrusion and that lower ratios result from higher temperatures. Mn(II) partitioning ratios may yield absolute paleotemperature data when calibrated against other techniques.     

Interactions of nocturnal slope flows with ambient winds

A quasi-one-dimensional numerical model containing a prognostic turbulent kinetic energy parameterization and simplified approximations to horizontal gradients is used to study interactions of thermally induced nocturnal slope flows with following and opposing ambient winds. It is found that a following ambient wind causes the peak perturbation wind to be weaker and to be realized at a greater height, while an opposing ambient wind leads to a stronger perturbation wind at a lower height. The reason for this response lies in the interactions of the shears of the thermal and ambient components through the mechanical production of turbulent kinetic energy.     

Gloria survey of the east pacific rise near 3.5°S: Tectonic and volcanic characteristics of a fast spreading mid-ocean rise

A long-range, sidescan sonar (GLORIA) survey of an approximately 100-km square area of the East Pacific Rise crest between 3°S and 4°S extends results obtained in the same area by Lonsdale (1977) using Deep-tow. The axial, linear volcano was found to be continuous over a distance of 75 km. The presence of major inward and outward facing fault scarps was confirmed, but the GLORIA data show several distinct differences between the two fault sets. The inward dipping faults are more numerous, more closely spaced, and longer than the outward dipping ones, and their dip-slopes backscatter sound more extensively than those of the outward dipping faults; moreover most of them appear to be formed within 2 km of the axis, whereas the majority of the outward dipping faults begin to develop between 5 and 8 km from the axis. These differences suggest that the two sets of faults have different origins. The horizontal pattern of inward dipping faults is similar to those observed on other mid-ocean rises at all spreading rates, though the lengths and separations of the scarps are slightly, and their throws considerably, less than on slower spreading rises. This common horizontal pattern suggests that inward dipping faults on all rises have a common mode of formation regardless of spreading rate. Horizontal tension is probably the dominant factor, but an additional mechanism is needed to explain the polarization of fault dips that occurs in the region 2–8 km from the axis. The similarity of major fault spacings on the East Pacific Rise to those on slower spreading rises suggests that faulting is invariant in space, rather than time, and that the lithosphere where these faults are formed (about 2 km from the spreading axis) has a similar, small thickness for all spreading rates. This is attributed to the regulating effect of hydrothermal circulation and plate cooling.     

Effects of radiation exposure on indicators of thermal maturity

Study of fossil wood samples with varying contents of uranium suggests that radiation exposure over geologic time results in alteration of vitrinite. The alteration is shown by increased reflectance of vitrinite, increased values of Thermal Alteration Index, decreased atomic H/C ratios, and by loss of fluorescence. Each of these parameters is used to estimate the thermal maturity of kerogen. Unless recognized during interpretation of analytical results, radiation damage of vitrinite results in over-estimation of thermal maturity.     

On the role of diapirism in the, segregation, ascent and final emplacement of granitoid magmas

Only bodies of magma with a high crystal content and partially molten (crustal) country rocks can ascend as diapirs; once such an envelope is pierced, the diapiric ascent of the pluton is arrested by the high viscosity of a solid aureole. Deformation by shortening of the carapace of these bodies may lead to the expulsion of a magma with a relatively low crystal content, which may then continue ascent via fractures and dykes.

The details of the mechanisms of granitoid magma segregation are still unknown, but it appears that many magmas hegin their ascent through the crust as mushes with at least 50% melt, and that such magmas are rheologically able to ascend through a thickness of crust. This ascent mechanism explains the dearth of structures attributable to the ascent of granitoids, in contrast to the abundance of structures that developed during their final emplacement.

When a magma becomes too crystalline (melt < 25%) to continue its ascent via dykes, it is immobilised. At approximately this stage, a hydrous magma may become saturated with water and release fluids into the aureole, making it particularly susceptible to deformation. Magma that continues to arrive at this level is also immobilised, and the pluton grows as a ballooning diapir. These characteristically deform themselves and their aureoles by bulk shortening.

Magmas that are able to ascend to shallow depths, largely by virtue of lower water contents and higher initial temperatures, tend to become finally accommodated by such brittle processes as stoping and cauldron subsidence. High level intrusions lend to be tabular, are also fed by dykes or conduits, and assemble in tabular batholiths.     

The use of linear programming in the analysis of petrological mixing problems

Petrological mixing problems such as modal analysis, magma mixing, and liquid line of descent calculations, can be solved using the methods of linear programming. If estimates of the standard error of the chemical data are introduced as weights into the set of equations, it is possible to assign confidence limits to the solutions which are obtained and to apply formal statistical tests to geological hypotheses based on the mixing model. This approach is applied to petrological data previously analysed by Wright and Doherty (1970) using a combination of linear programming and least squares methods. It is shown that some of the geological inferences which they drew were based on an overoptimistic assessment of the confidence limits on their solutions, and cannot be regarded as proven.     

Geometry of alluvial fans: Effect of discharge and sediment size

The slope of an alluvial fan increases with increasing debris size and sediment concentration in the flow, and decreases with increasing discharge. Laboratory studies suggest that the discharge which controls this slope, or dominant discharge, is that which is equalled or exceeded one quarter to one third of the time that flow occurs on the fan. In contrast, the dominant discharge in perennial alluvial rivers is equalled or exceeded only about 5 per cent of the time that flow occurs in the river. The dominant discharge on fans increases with increasing debris size, reflecting the importance of threshold stress. The slope of some natural and most laboratory alluvial fans is steepest on the flanks and gentlest along the axis. Consideration of the momentum of water debouching onto a fan at its apex suggests that the difference in slope between axis and flank should be greatest on steep fans composed of relatively non-cohesive materials because on such fans higher discharges tend to flow down the axis, whereas lower discharges can be turned to course down the flanks. On fans with gentle slopes or composed of more cohesive material the higher discharges can also be turned toward the flanks, so on such fans the difference in slope between the axis and flank is less pronounced. Field and laboratory observations support this interpretation. Because deposition at any one time on an alluvial fan is localized, some areas aggrade while others remain at a fixed elevation. This process is treated as a Markov process with the probability of diversion from an area of active deposition into an adjacent lower area increasing as the height of the active area above the mean or ‘ideal’ surface increases. Analysis of data from laboratory and natural fans suggests that the amplitude of such surface irregularities is greater on fans composed of coarser material. The data on natural fans also suggest an increase in amplitude of the irregularities with increasing fan area.     

Heat flow on the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge

Twenty-four heat flow measurements are clustered in 5–20 m.y. and 60–80 m.y. old seafloor on the crest and northern flank of the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge. The crestal heat flow stations are characterized by (1) low mean heat flow relative to that predicted by theoretical models, (2) thin sediment cover, and (3) high ratio of standard deviation to mean heat flow, all of which indicate a system dominated by convective heat transfer. The measurements made on older seafloor of the northern flank have (1) mean heat flow equal to the theoretical predictions of conductively-cooling lithospheric plate models, (2) thick sediment cover, and (3) low ratio of standard deviation to mean heat flow. Thus convective loss associated with hydrothermal circulation is not considered to be important in 60–80 m.y. old seafloor on the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge. The pattern of heat flow on this ridge is thus similar to that in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans: hydrothermal circulation is dominant on the ridge crest but is suppressed on the flanks, possibly due to a difference in the hydraulic admittance of the sediment between the two regions.