Bifurcation of volcanic plumes in a crosswind

Bent-over buoyant jets distorted by a crosscurrent develop a vortex pair structure and can bifurcate to produce two distinct lobes which diverge from one another downwind. The region downwind of the source between the lobes has relatively low proportions of discharged fluid. Factors invoked by previous workers to cause or enhance bifurcation include buoyancy, release of latent heat at the plume edge by evaporating water droplets, geometry and orientation of the source, and the encounter with a density interface on the rising path of the plume. We suggest that the pressure distribution around the vortex pair of a rising plume may initially trigger bifurcation. We also report new experimental observations confirming that bifurcation becomes stronger for stronger bent-over plumes, identifying that bifurcation can also occur for straight-edged plumes but gradually disappears for stronger plumes which form a gravity current at their final level and spread for a significant distance against the current. Observations from satellites and the ground are reviewed and confirm that volcanic plumes can show bifurcation and a large range of bifurcation angles. Many of the bifurcating plumes spread out at the tropopause level and suggest the tropopause may act on the plumes as a density interface enhancing bifurcation. Even for quite moderate bifurcation angles, the two plume lobes become rapidly separated downwind by distances of tens of kilometers. Such bifurcating plumes drifting apart can only result in bilobate tephra fall deposits. The tephra fall deposit from the 16 km elevation, SE spreading, bifurcating volcanic plume erupted on 15 May 1981 from Mt Pagan was sampled by previous workers and clearly displayed bilobate characteristics. Examples of bilobate tephra fall deposits are reviewed and their origin briefly discussed. Bilobate deposits are common and may result from many causes. Plume bifurcation should be considered one of the possible mechanisms which can account for come examples of bilobate tephra fall deposits.     

Seismic activity related to the 1991 eruption of Colima Volcano,Mexico

Ten years after the last effusive eruption and at least 15 years of seismic quiescence, volcanic seismic activity started at Colima volcano on 14 February 1991, with a seismic crisis which reached counts of more than 100 per day and showed a diversity of earthquake types. Four other distinct seismic crises followed, before a mild effusive eruption in April 1991. The second crisis preceded the extrusion of an andesitic scoriaceous lava lobe, first reported on 1 March; during this crisis an interesting temporary concentration of seismic foci below the crater was observed shortly before the extrusion was detected. The third crisis was constituted by shallow seismicity, featuring possible mild degassing explosion-induced activity in the form of hiccups (episodes of simple wavelets that repeat with diminishing amplitude), and accompanied by increased fumarolic activity. The growth of the new lava dome was accompanied by changing seismicity. On 16 April during the fifth crisis which consisted of some relatively large, shallow, volcanic earthquakes and numerous avalanches of older dome material, part of the newly extruded dome, which had grown towards the edge of the old dome, collapsed, producing the largest avalanches and ash flows. Afterwards, block lava began to flow slowly along the SW flank of the volcano, generating frequent small incandescent avalanches. The seismicity associated with the stages of this eruptive activity shows some interesting features: most earthquake foci were located north of the summit, some of them relatively deep (7–11 km below the summit level), underneath the saddle between the Colima and the older Nevado volcanoes. An apparently seismic quiet region appears between 4 and 7 km below the summit level. In June, harmonic tremors were detected for the first time, but no changes in the eruptive activity could be correlated with them. After June, the seismicity decreasing trend was established, and the effusive activity stopped on September 1991.     

西南极利文斯顿岛中部中生代－新生代火山岩岩石化学研究

出露在利文斯顿岛中部的白垩纪火山岩为玄武岩－玄武安山岩－安山岩－英安岩组合，基本属于钙碱性系列，但具有低钾拉斑玄武岩的某些特点。岩石富集Ｒｂ、Ｔｈ、Ｂａ，轻度亏损Ｚｒ、Ｔｉ、Ｈｆ、Ｎｂ，较强亏损Ｃｒ和Ｎｉ，而且随着岩浆从基性向酸性成分的演化，富集（或亏损）程度加大。岩石的轻稀土元素中度富集，岩石的（Ｃｅ／Ｙｂ）ＣＮ比值较低。白垩纪火山岩形成在一个造山环境，是南设得兰岩浆弧的一部分。然而，在利文斯顿岛不同地区出露的岩石其化学性质有所区别，因此认为它们可能源于不同的岩浆体系。在晚古生代至早中生代，利文斯顿岛中部处于一个独特的浊积扇的构造环境。主要产在利文斯顿岛中部和汉那角的鲍勒斯山组火山岩与其它地点的中生代火山岩相比，无论岩相学特征还是岩石化学性质均有所不同。因此认为它们的产生同时受到太平洋板块的俯冲作用和该地构造位置所控制。史莱夫角的橄榄玄武岩成分中碱高硅低，并且通常表现出高铝的特点，这些性质与百耳斯半岛的玄武岩极为相似。区域上火山活动不断发展，活动中心逐渐向北东迁移，导致粗玄岩岩颈和岩席生成，最后是英云闪长岩的侵入。更新世至现代的依诺特角组橄榄玄武岩以化学成分中的低硅高碱含量区别于中生代火山岩。岩石的高Ｍ值     

低纬和中高纬度火山爆发与我国旱涝的联系

根据５００年旱涝等级资料，采用时序迭加方法，分析了低纬和中高纬火山爆发对我国降水的影响。此外，还对１６００－１９７９年南方涛动指数的变化进行了类似的分析。结果表明，低纬和中高纬火山爆发发后全国旱涝分布型和部分地区降水变化趋势有很大差异。爆发当年华北就可能明显变旱，而次年长江流域才出现明显的降水异常。计算不明，１９９１年皮纳图博火山及去仙岳火山爆发与江淮特大洪涝有直接联系的可能性不大。     

新疆额尔齐斯地区裂谷火山岩的初步研究

新疆富蕴县西部上石炭统喀喇额尔齐斯组的变质火山岩,是一套多旋回双峰式古裂谷型火山岩.基性成员为玄武岩。酸性成员为流纹岩.基性岩套由拉斑玄武岩-碱性玄武岩组成.微量元素分配模式证明了地幔成分不均一性;玄武岩浆来自石榴二辉橄榄岩44％的分批熔融;证明古裂谷是在岛弧基础上演化形成。从而说明额尔齐斯断裂带经历了俯冲-碰撞-裂谷三个演化阶段.晚期的碱性玄武岩喷发,标志裂谷作用的消亡.     

中国东部中生代产铀火山岩的基本特征

产铀火山岩与非产铀火山岩存在岩石、岩石化学成分、微量元素及稀土元素的特征性差异;中国东部产铀火山洼地均形成于幔隆翼部重力高梯度带基底隆起构造环境,而火山洼地中铀的晚期主成矿作用,则以白垩纪拉张环境下贯入的中基性岩脉为先导,随后与之同步进行。     

天目山火山岩的反序现象及其成因

浙江天目山地区的中生代火山岩由流纹岩、英安岩、安山岩组成,其喷发存在反序现象。笔者用带状岩浆房的模式解释了该区火山岩的特点,应用各种物理化学方法建立了岩浆房中存在的温度、密度和粘度梯度。主要元素及微量元素的行为及其定量模拟表明,分离结晶是导致岩浆成分变化的主要机理。然而,各种矿物在岩浆房中的沉降速度计算表明,尤其是酸性岩浆中,晶体的重力沉降是不可能的。因此,岩浆房中存在的分离结晶现象主要是通过对分离作用进行的。     

北秦岭—北祁连(天水—宝鸡)间早生古代火山岩系及其构造连接关系的研究

依据新发现的生物化石和同位素数据,将分布在陕、甘边界一带的原“牛头河群”哑岩系分解为元古代陇山群、秦岭群和早古生代葫芦河群与丹凤群(西延部分)。葫芦河群为北祁连加里东褶皱带的东廷部分,除局部为晚期宝鸡花岗岩侵位间隔外,基本上可与北秦岭地区的古生代斜峪关群相连接,在研究区内与北秦岭地区的奥陶纪草滩沟群,呈以寒武系为核心、两翼为奥陶系火山岩的复式背斜构造。解体后秦岭群呈断续相连的古老岩块,向西可与祁连中间隆起相衔接,丹风群向西延展可伸入祁连造山带的陇西一带,初步认为陇山群与走廊过渡带内的古老隆起相当。据早古生代葫芦河群及其火山岩系的研究,笔者发现从秦安至宝鸡,有近100km的基性枕状熔岩带,并依其相伴产出的超镁铁质-镁铁质(似)堆晶岩、辉绿岩墙及硅质岩等岩石组合单元,认为属与北祁连和北秦岭北带相当的蛇绿岩带。西延的丹凤群亦主要为火山岩(包括枕状熔岩)与超镁铁岩等岩石单元组成的蛇绿岩带。据此提出,北秦岭与北祁连不但是相互连接的,而且具有中间为古老隆起(秦岭群)岩块、两侧为早古生代火山岩(蛇绿岩)带的相同构造格架组合型式,同为我国华北与扬子板块间的碰撞拼合带产物。早古生代火山岩岩石学研究表明,各岩群皆以拉斑质(TH)+钙碱质(CA)岩石系列组合为主,部分岩群的钙碱系列呈双峰岩套特征,显示为岛弧或岛弧初期与裂谷末期阶段活动构造背景。依区内已知超镁铁岩体多呈断裂构造及其旁支系统产生情况,提出为岛弧根部或上地幔物质,受南、北板块碰撞挤压,沿断裂上升就位机制所形成。此外,对区内已知与火山岩有关的块状硫化物型矿床的矿床类型、特征和成矿规律等进行了研讨,提出它们的岩控和时控特征和一些发现新矿床可能性的远景地段。     

Volcanic hazards in the surroundings of Pico de Orizaba,eastern Mexico

Volcanic hazards from Pico de Orizaba volcano are presented here tor the first time. Some 1.3 million people live within the hazard zone, which in the most severe case would encompass the Mexican Gulf coast, east of the volcano. Three major cities located in the eastern part of the hazard zone account for 800 000 of this population and about 200 000 people live within a 20 km radius of the volcano. Probability calculations are presented as an attempt to quantify the hazards in the surroundings of the volcano. Such quantification can be of use in planning for future land use within the hazard zones.A zone of about 10 km radius centred on the top crater is a high hazard zone for gravity-driven flows and fallout ejecta. For large volume eruptions, the radius could be extended to 120 km to the east and 60 km to the west. The asymmetrical distribution is related to the topography of the volcano. Hazards from Pyroclastic-fall deposits are principally to the west of the volcano, since easterly winds are dominant in the area lava-flow hazards are greatest within a 10 km radius from the summit crater. Pyroclastic flow hazards are high up to 20 km from the volcano summit.In the case of reactivation of the volcano, melting of a glacier covering the summit of Pico de Orizaba having a volume equivalent to some 45 × 10⁹ litres of water, would produce lahars which would descend the flanks of the volcano.