Observations of dust emission from vega-excess stars

Observations have been made of a large sample of Vega-excess stars. Midinfrared spectra show silicate dust features and also the UIR bands, implying the presence of hydrocarbon material. Millimetre-wave photometry indicates the presence of large amounts of cool material, while near-IR photometry reveals an excess in several stars, which we ascribe to transiently-heated very small grains.     

GGR Biennial Critical Review: Analytical Developments Since 2010

Advances in the chemical and isotopic characterisation of geological and environmental materials can often be ascribed to technological improvements in analytical hardware. Equally, the creation of novel methods of data acquisition and interpretation, including access to better reference materials, can also be crucial components enabling important breakthroughs. This biennial review highlights key advances in either instrumentation or data acquisition and treatment, which have appeared since January 2010. This review is based on the assessments by scientists prominent in each of the given analytical fields; it is not intended as an exhaustive summary, but rather provides insight from experts of the most significant advances and trends in their given field of expertise. In contrast to earlier reviews, this presentation has been formulated into a unified work, providing a single source covering a broad spectrum of geoanalytical techniques. Additionally, some themes that were not previously emphasised, in particular thermal ionisation mass spectrometry, accelerator‐based methods and vibrational spectroscopy, are also presented in detail.     

Millimetre photometry and infrared spectroscopy of Vega-excess stars

JCMT millimetre-wave detections have been obtained for 11 Vega-excess stars having spectral types ranging from B9 to K5. UKIRT 10-µm spectra have been obtained for two of the sources, SAO 179815 and SAO 186777. The spectrum of SAO 179815 shows an unusually broad and diffuse silicate emission feature, whilst SAO 186777 shows the unidentified infrared (UIR) features, which are usually attributed to hydrocarbon vibrational modes. The mm photometry, along with optical, IRAS and near-IR photometry (much of the latter recently obtained by the authors), have been used to define the spectral energy distributions of the objects. A number of them show a 1–5µm excess in addition to the longer wavelength excess. Values of the fractional excess luminosity,L _dust /L , have been derived from the spectral energy distributions; they exhibit a substantial range, from 10^–5 up to almost 0.5, the theoretical maximum for a passive optically thick flared disc. Radiative transfer models have been constructed for several sources. One needs a well defined overall energy distribution, 10- and/or 20-µm spectra, and sub-mm and mm photometry in order to significantly constrain the model free parameters (disc density distribution, grain size power-law index, minimum and maximum grain radii).Paper presented at the Conference onPlanetary Systems: Formation, Evolution, and Detection held 7–10 December, 1992 at CalTech, Pasadena, California, U.S.A.     

Post-collisional strongly peraluminous granites

Strongly peraluminous (SP) granites have formed as a result of post-collisional processes in various orogens. In ‘high-pressure' collisions such as the European Alps and Himalayas, post-collisional exhumation of overthickened crust (>50 km), heated by radiogenic decay of K, U and Th during syn-collisional thickening, produced small- to moderate-volume, cool (<875°C) SP granite melts with high Al₂O₃/TiO₂ ratios. In ‘high-temperature' collisions such as the Hercynides and Lachlan Fold Belt (LFB), there was less syn-collisional crustal thickening (≤50 km). Crustal anatexis was related to post-collisional lithospheric delamination and upwelling of hot asthenosphere, forming large-volume, hot (≥875°C) SP granite melts with low Al₂O₃/TiO₂ ratios. Both clay-rich, plagioclase-poor (<5%) pelitic rocks and clay-poor, plagioclase-rich (>25%) psammitic rocks have been partially melted in high-pressure and high-temperature collisional orogens, with the pelite-derived SP granites tending to have lower CaO/Na₂O ratios (<0.3) than their psammite-derived counterparts. The predominance of pelite-derived SP granites in the Himalayas and psammite-derived SP granites in the LFB suggests that mature continental platforms made up more of the accreted crust in the Himalayan collision than in the LFB.     

Degree of Geochemical Similarity (DOGS): a simple statistical method to quantify and map affinity between samples from multi-element geochemical data sets

The 42 element, 1190 sample Mobile Metal Ion subset of the National Geochemical Survey of Australia database was used to develop and illustrate the concept of Degree of Geochemical Similarity of soil samples. Element concentrations were unified to parts per million units and log(10)-transformed. The degree of similarity of pairs of samples of known provenance in the Yilgarn Craton was obtained using least-squares linear regression analysis and demonstrated that the method successfully assessed the degree of similarity of soils related to granitoid and greenstone lithologies. Exploratory Data Analysis symbol maps of all remaining samples in the database against various reference samples were used to obtain correlation maps not only for granitoid- and greenstone-related soil types but also to distinguish between, for example, samples derived from marine vs regolith carbonate. Likewise, the distribution of soil samples having a geochemical fingerprint similar to mineralised provinces (e.g. Mount Isa) can be mapped, and this can be used as a first-order prospection tool.     

Further Characterisation of the 91500 Zircon Crystal

This paper reports the results from a second characterisation of the 91500 zircon, including data from electron probe microanalysis, laser ablation inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and laser fluorination analyses. The focus of this initiative was to establish the suitability of this large single zircon crystal for calibrating in situ analyses of the rare earth elements and oxygen isotopes, as well as to provide working values for key geochemical systems. In addition to extensive testing of the chemical and structural homogeneity of this sample, the occurrence of banding in 91500 in both backscattered electron and cathodoluminescence images is described in detail. Blind intercomparison data reported by both LA-ICP-MS and SIMS laboratories indicate that only small systematic differences exist between the data sets provided by these two techniques. Furthermore, the use of NIST SRM 610 glass as the calibrant for SIMS analyses was found to introduce little or no systematic error into the results for zircon. Based on both laser fluorination and SIMS data, zircon 91500 seems to be very well suited for calibrating in situ oxygen isotopic analyses.     

The relationship between geology and landforms along a coastal mountain front,northern Calabria,Italy

The geomorphology of the central Coastal Range, a north-south trending horst along the west coast of northern Calabria, is governed largely by major faults, fault scarps and the distribution of principal rock types, as well as by a variety of slope processes operative in a Mediterranean climate. Segments of the major rivers and streams have three principal orientations parallel to major faults in the study area: northwest right-oblique slip faults (oldest); E-W oblique slip faults; NE left-oblique slip faults; and north-south right oblique normal faults (youngest), all of which cut pre-Tertiary metamorphic rocks, Mesozoic limestone, Miocene molasse and calcarenite. Small, underfit alluvial fans, composed chiefly of locally derived debris flow detritus, are present at the mouths of large, west-flowing canyons, some of which reach eastward to the crest of the mountain range. Not only do the north-south normal faults displace rocks and structures of all orientations, but they also make steep scarps in the small alluvial fans and in sediments of the coastal plain. Locally, some of the scarps are buried by recent debris flow deposits. Incipient young rivers utilized the weaknesses along the major faults and cracks as avenues of erosion. Smaller streams and gullies generally flowed westward downflank of the north-trending horst and incised, thereby, deep, V-shaped canyons; some of them have captured older, SW-flowing canyons. Locally, they were guided in other directions where they encountered faults or tectonic fractures. The rocks present a varied resistance to erosion, depending upon the degree of cementation by groundwater salts, upon the orientation of the foliation, and upon the rocks themselves. Thus, mica schist with a relatively flat foliation forms nearly vertical sea cliffs, but the sea cliffs are more gentle where the foliation is steep or dips towards the sea. Therefore, downslope movements are facilitated by seaward slip on foliation, schistosity, bedding and fault surfaces, and are evinced especially by large and deep pre-Holocene landslides (Sackung) in phyllite having areal dimensions up to 2 Km². Other downslope processes include surficial creep and soil slip, particularly of highly fractured phyllite and schist, block sliding and rock falls.     

First report of platinum-group minerals from a hornblende gabbro dyke in the vicinity of the Southeast Extension Zone of the Voisey’s Bay Ni-Cu-Co deposit, Labrador

Summary This study reports the first documented occurrence of platinum group-minerals (PGM) in the vicinity of the Voisey’s Bay magmatic sulfide ore deposit. The PGM are present in a sulfide poor, hornblende gabbro dyke in the Southeast Extension Zone of the massive sulfide Ovoid deposit. The dyke has somewhat elevated concentrations of platinum-group elements (PGE) and gold (up to 1.95 g/t Pt, 1.41 g/t Pd, and 6.59 g/t Au), as well as Cu, Pb, Ag, Sn, Te, Bi and Sb. The PGM formed by magmatic processes and were little disturbed by subsequent infiltration of an externally-supplied hydrothermal fluid. To date, no similar PGM occurrences have been discovered in the Ovoid deposit itself. Whole rock REE patterns indicate that the dyke is geochemically related to the main conduit troctolites, which carry the bulk of the massive sulfide mineralization at Voisey’s Bay. The PGE mineralization is Pt- and Pd-rich, where the Pt and Pd occur predominantly as discrete PGM with minor Pd in solid solution in galena (average=1.8 ppm) and pentlandite (average=2 ppm). The discrete PGM are predominantly hosted by disseminated base-metal sulfides (bornite, chalcopyrite, and galena) (56 vol%) and are associated with other precious metal minerals (13 vol%) with only ∼3 vol% of the PGM hosted by silicate minerals. In whole rock samples, the PPGE (Pt, Pd, and Rh) correlate with abundances of chalcopyrite, bornite, galena, and other precious metal minerals (PMM), whereas the IPGE (Ir, Ru, and Rh) correlate with pyrrhotite and pentlandite. There are no correlations of the PGE with chlorine. Lead isotope compositions of galena associated with the PGE mineralization in the Southeast Extension Zone are broadly similar to those for galena in the Ovoid. The lead isotope compositions are much different from those in the Voisey’s Bay Syenite, which is a potential external hydrothermal fluid source. The observed Cu-rich, Pb-rich sulfide compositions and associated Pt-Pd-Au-Ag-Sn-Te-Bi-Sb assemblage in the dyke can be produced magmatically as late ISS differentiates (e.g., Prichard et al., 2004). Melting temperatures of the PGM are also consistent with a magmatic origin. Following crystallization of PGM from magmatic sulfide, an external REE-enriched hydrothermal fluid was introduced to the system, producing secondary amphibole and locally remobilizing the Pb and Sn from the sulfides hosting the PGM. Author’s address: M. A. E. Huminicki, Department of Earth Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada A1B 3X5     

Nonporphyritic chondrules and chondrule fragments in enstatite chondrites: Insights into their origin and secondary processing

Sixteen nonporphyritic chondrules and chondrule fragments were studied in polished thin and thick sections in two enstatite chondrites (ECs): twelve objects from unequilibrated EH3 Sahara 97158 and four objects from equilibrated EH4 Indarch. Bulk major element analyses, obtained with electron microprobe analysis (EMPA) and analytical scanning electron microscopy (ASEM), as well as bulk lithophile trace element analyses, determined by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA‐ICP‐MS), show that volatile components (K₂O + Na₂O versus Al₂O₃) scatter roughly around the CI line, indicating equilibration with the chondritic reservoir. All lithophile trace element abundances in the chondrules from Sahara 97158 and Indarch are within the range of previous analyses of nonporphyritic chondrules in unequilibrated ordinary chondrites (UOCs). The unfractionated (solar‐like) Yb/Ce ratio of the studied objects and the mostly unfractionated refractory lithophile trace element (RLTE) abundance patterns indicate an origin by direct condensation. However, the objects possess subchondritic CaO/Al₂O₃ ratios; superchondritic (Sahara 97158) and subchondritic (Indarch) Yb/Sc ratios; and chondritic‐normalized deficits in Nb, Ti, V, and Mn relative to RLTEs. This suggests a unique nebular process for the origin of these ECs, involving elemental fractionation of the solar gas by the removal of oldhamite, niningerite, and/or another phase prior to chondrule condensation. A layered chondrule in Sahara 97158 is strongly depleted in Nb in the core compared to the rim, suggesting that the solar gas was heterogeneous on the time scales of chondrule formation. Late stage metasomatic events produced the compositional diversity of the studied objects by addition of moderately volatile and volatile elements. In the equilibrated Indarch chondrules, this late process has been further disturbed, possibly by a postaccretional process (diffusion?) that preferentially mobilized Rb with respect to Cs in the studied objects.