A complex, Subplinian-type eruption from low-viscosity, phonolitic to tephri-phonolitic magma: the AD 472 (Pollena) eruption of Somma-Vesuvius, Italy

The combined use of field investigation and laboratory analyses allowed the detailed stratigraphic reconstruction of the Pollena eruption (472 AD) of Somma-Vesuvius. Three main eruptive phases were recognized, related either to changes in the eruptive processes and/or to relative changes of melt composition. The eruption shows a pulsating behavior with deposition of pyroclastic fall beds and generation of dilute and dense pyroclastic density currents (PDC). The eruptive mechanisms and transportation dynamics were reconstructed for the whole eruption. Column heights were between 12 and 20 km, corresponding to mass discharge rates (MDR) of 7×10⁶ kg/s and 3.4×10⁷ kg/s. Eruptive dynamics were driven by magmatic fragmentation of a phono-tephritic to tephri-phonolitic magma during Phases I and II, whereas phreatomagmatic fragmentation dominated Phase III. Magma composition varies between phonolitic and tephritic-phonolitic, with melt viscosity likely not in excess of 10³ Pa s. The volume of the pyroclastic fall deposits, calculated by using of proximal isopachs, is 0.44 km³. This increases to 1.38 km³ if ash volumes are extrapolated on a log thickness vs. square root area diagram using one distal isopach and column height.Editorial responsibility: R Cioni     

Seismic signature of a phreatic explosion: hydrofracturing damage at Karthala volcano, Grande Comore Island, Indian Ocean

Karthala volcano is a basaltic shield volcano with an active hydrothermal system that forms the southern two-thirds of the Grande Comore Island, off the east coat of Africa, northwest of Madagascar. Since the start of volcano monitoring by the local volcano observatory in 1988, the July 11th, 1991 phreatic eruption was the first volcanic event seismically recorded on this volcano, and a rare example of a monitored basaltic shield. From 1991 to 1995 the VT locations, 0.5<M_l<4.3, show a crack shaped pattern (3 km long, 1 km wide) within the summit caldera extending at depth from –2 km to +2 km relative to sea level. This N-S elongated pattern coincides with the direction of the regional maximum horizontal stress as deduced from regional focal mechanism solutions. This brittle signature of the damage associated with the 1991 phreatic eruption is a typical pattern of the seismicity induced by controlled fluid injections such as those applied at geothermal fields, in oil and gas recovery, or for stress measurements. It suggests the 1991 phreatic eruption was driven by hydraulic fracturing induced by forced fluid flow. We propose that the extremely high LP and VT seismicity rates, relative to other effusive volcanoes, during the climax of the 1991 phreatic explosion, are due to the activation of the whole hydrothermal system, as roughly sized by the distribution of VT hypocenters. The seismicity rate in 1995 was still higher than the pre-eruption seismicity rate, and disagrees with the time pattern of thermo-elastic stress readjustment induced by single magma intrusions at basaltic volcanoes. We propose that it corresponds to the still ongoing relaxation of pressure heterogeneity within the hydrothermal system as suggested by the few LP events that still occurred in 1995.Editorial responsibility: H Shinohara     

Caldera formation by magma withdrawal from a reservoir beneath a volcanic edifice

Caldera formation has been explained by magma withdrawal from a crustal reservoir, but little is known about the conditions that lead to the critical reservoir pressure for collapse. During an eruption, the reservoir pressure is constrained to lie within a finite range: it cannot exceed the threshold value for eruption, and cannot decrease below another threshold value such that feeder dykes get shut by the confining pressure, which stops the eruption. For caldera collapse to occur, the critical reservoir pressure for roof failure must therefore be within this operating range. We use an analytical elastic model to evaluate the changes of reservoir pressure that are required for failure of roof rocks above the reservoir with and without a volcanic edifice at Earth's surface. With no edifice at Earth's surface, faulting in the roof region can only occur in the initial phase of reservoir inflation and affects a very small part of the focal area. Such conditions do not allow caldera collapse. With a volcanic edifice, large tensile stresses develop in the roof region, whose magnitude increase as the reservoir deflates during an eruption. The edifice size must exceed a threshold value for failure of the roof region before the end of eruption. The largest tensile stresses are reached at Earth's surface, indicating that faulting starts there. Failure affects an area whose horizontal dimensions depend on edifice and chamber dimensions. For small and deep reservoirs, failure conditions cannot be achieved even if the edifice is very large. Quantitative predictions are consistent with observations on a number of volcanoes.     

Active Fault and Volcanic Activity in the Longhai-Zhangpu Coastal Area, Fujian Province

INTRODUCTION TheLonghai ZhangpucoastalareaofFujianProvinceliesonthesouthernsideoftheoutletofthe JiulongjiangRiver.Tectonically,itislocatedonthesouthernsegmentoftheChangle Zhao’anfault zone.Previously,alotofseismogeologicresearchworkhasbeencarriedoutinthi…     

雅满苏铁矿床地质特征及成因浅析

雅满苏铁矿矿体的空间分布受成矿期断裂构造的控制，呈透镜状、舒缓波状延伸，分3个层位产出。铁矿的形成与火山热液活动关系密切，矿体中既有热液活动的特征又有矿质流体贯入的特征，早期热液活动形成交代充填型矿石，后期富铁流体贯入充填后形成品位较高的磁铁矿体。     

PETROLOGY 1.IGNEOUS PETROLOGY

正20140707Bai Yunshan(Wuhan Center,China Geological Survey,Wuhan 430205,China);Duan Qifa Geological Characteristics and Tectonic Significance of Volcanic Rocks from Kenan Formation of the Upper Triassic in Zhahe Area,Southern Qinghai Province(Geology and Mineral Resources of South China,ISSN1007-3701,CN42-1417/P,29(2),     

X射线荧光光谱-电子探针在中酸性火山岩鉴定中的应用

中酸性火山岩多具斑状结构,基质可见微晶状结构、隐晶状结构、玻璃质结构等,由于基质矿物颗粒多细小,常用的偏光显微镜受放大倍数的限制,很难准确鉴定矿物种属及含量,这类岩石仅依靠偏光显微镜分类命名会存在误差。本文采用X射线荧光光谱(XRF)、电子探针(EMPA)和偏光显微镜下观察相结合的方法,对中酸性火山岩进行鉴定。结果表明:对于基质呈隐晶质、显微晶质的中酸性火山岩,基质特征相似,偏光显微镜下无法确定长石、石英的含量,因此无法对岩石准确命名;再通过XRF进行主量元素分析,并对分析结果进行标准矿物QAPF双三角图解分类、TAS图解分类及李氏火山岩定量分类,对比结果显示三种分类命名方法存在差异;通过电子探针对矿物进行校验显示,QAPF及李氏火山岩定量分类图解与显微镜下鉴定相符,TAS图解与其他分析结果存在一定偏差。因此,对于中酸性火山岩准确命名,应采用多种分析方法相结合的方式,避免测试单一引起的误差。     

新疆库鲁克塔格青白口系北塞纳尔塔格组流纹岩的成因及其地质意义

运用LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb测年获得库鲁塔格西山口地区北塞纳尔塔格组蚀变流纹岩的形成时代为841.0±1.4Ma（MSWD=0.42）, 蚀变流纹岩的发现指示塔里木北缘新元古代中期除发育大量的侵入岩外还存在火山活动。地球化学特征分析表明, 岩石富集Rb、 Ba、 K等大离子亲石元素和轻稀土元素, 明显亏损Nb、 Ta、 P、 Ti等高场强元素。此外岩石富集Sr、 强烈亏损Y和Yb, 高的Sr/Y（>40）和（La/Yb）_N（>40）比值的特征与埃达克岩类似。蚀变流纹岩Hf同位素值ε_Hf（t）=-29～-9, Hf的二阶段模式年龄T_DM²=3.43～2.24Ga, 结合岩石较低的Mg^#、 Eu正异常以及强烈亏损重稀土元素的特征表明,其可能源于加厚古老基性下地壳的部分熔融。此外蚀变流纹岩低的锆石饱和温度T_Zr=761℃～768℃,表明源区发生部分熔融时存在外来流体的加入。结合已有区域地质资料, 初步认为蚀变流纹岩形成与塔里木北缘新元古代早、 中期洋—陆俯冲碰撞作用有关。     

Origin and evolution of geothermal fluids from Las Tres Vírgenes and Cerro Prieto fields,Mexico – Co-genetic volcanic activity and paleoclimatic constraints

Major and trace elements, noble gases, and stable (δD, δ¹⁸O) and cosmogenic (³H, ¹⁴C) isotopes were measured from geothermal fluids in two adjacent geothermal areas in NW-Mexico, Las Tres Vírgenes (LTV) and Cerro Prieto (CP). The goal is to trace the origin of reservoir fluids and to place paleoclimate and structural-volcanic constraints in the region. Measured ³He/⁴He (R) ratios normalized to the atmospheric value (R_a = 1.386 × 10⁻⁶) vary between 2.73 and 4.77 and are compatible with mixing between a mantle component varying between 42 and 77% of mantle helium and a crustal, radiogenic He component with contributions varying between 23% and 58%. Apparent U–Th/⁴He ages for CP fluids (0.7–7 Ma) suggest the presence of a sustained ⁴He flux from a granitic basement or from mixing with connate brines, deposited during the Colorado River delta formation (1.5–3 Ma). Radiogenic in situ ⁴He production age modeling at LTV, combined with the presence of radiogenic carbon (1.89 ± 0.11 pmC – 35.61 ± 0.28 pmC) and the absence of tritium strongly suggest the Quaternary infiltration of meteoric water into the LTV geothermal reservoir, ranging between 4 and 31 ka BP. The present geochemical heterogeneity of LTV fluids can be reconstructed by mixing Late Pleistocene – Early Holocene meteoric water (58–75%) with a fossil seawater component (25–42%), as evidenced by Br/Cl and stable isotope trends. CP geothermal water is composed of infiltrated Colorado River water with a minor impact by halite dissolution, whereas a vapor-dominated sample is composed of Colorado River water and vapor from deeper levels. δD values for the LTV meteoric end-member, which are 20‰–44‰ depleted with respect to present-day precipitation, as well as calculated annual paleotemperatures 6.9–13.6 °C lower than present average temperatures in Baja California point to the presence of humid and cooler climatic conditions in the Baja California peninsula during the final stage of the Last Glacial Pluvial period. Quaternary recharge of the LTV geothermal reservoir is related to elevated precipitation rates during cooler-humid climate intervals in the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene. The probable replacement of connate water or pore fluids by infiltrating surface water might have been triggered by enhanced fracture and fault permeability through contemporaneous tectonic–volcanic activity in the Las Tres Vírgenes region. Fast hydrothermal alteration processes caused a secondary, positive δ¹⁸O-shift from 4‰ to 6‰ for LTV and from 2‰ to 4‰ for CP geothermal fluids since the Late Glacial infiltration.     

Possible spatial variability in the Selwyn Block of Central Victoria: evidence from Late Devonian felsic igneous rocks

The Neoproterozoic to Cambrian Selwyn Block in Central Victoria forms the mainly unexposed basement to the Paleozoic metasediments, granitic rocks and felsic volcanic complexes of the Melbourne Zone of the Lachlan Orogen. The Late Devonian felsic rocks are largely products of partial melting of the Selwyn Block, and their chemistry implies that their sources were most probably arc-related andesite, dacite, volcaniclastic greywackes and some pelites. When plotted against the median longitudes of the plutons and volcanic complexes, the average values for ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_t and ?Nd_t (at 370 Ma) reveal broad trends interpreted to reflect possible compositional and/or age structure in the Selwyn Block. Assuming that the trends are real, from W to E, I-type sources are progressively less crustally evolved, probably younging eastward. The S-type sources show no trend in ?Nd_t, suggesting that there was efficient sediment mixing. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_t values, however, become more evolved eastward (opposite in sense to the apparent variation in the I-type sources). This is interpreted as the original Selwyn Block sediments having been more pelitic eastward, perhaps suggesting a deepening of the basin in this direction, as well as structurally upward in the succession. The opposite senses of variation highlights the spatial separation of the S- and I-type sources and suggest that the granitic magmas here are unlikely to represent any sort of mixing continuum.