Multiple levels of magma storage during the 1980 summer eruptions of Mount St. Helens, WA

Transitions in eruptive style—explosive to effusive, sustained to pulsatory—are a common aspect of volcanic activity and present a major challenge to volcano monitoring efforts. A classic example of such transitions is provided by the activity of Mount St. Helens, WA, during 1980, where a climactic Plinian event on May 18 was followed by subplinian and vulcanian eruptions that became increasing pulsatory with time throughout the summer, finally progressing to episodic growth of a lava dome. Here we use variations in the textures, glass compositions and volatile contents of melt inclusions preserved in pyroclasts produced by the summer 1980 eruptions to determine conditions of magma ascent and storage that may have led to observed changes in eruptive activity. Five different pyroclast types identified in pyroclastic flow and fall deposits produced by eruptions in June 12, July 22 and August 7, 1980, provide evidence for multiple levels of magma storage prior to each event. Highly vesicular clasts have H₂O-rich (4.5–5.5 wt%) melt inclusions and lack groundmass microlites or hornblende reaction rims, characteristics that require magma storage at P≥160 MPa until shortly prior to eruption. All other clast types have groundmass microlites; P_H20 estimated from both H₂O-bearing melt inclusions and textural constraints provided by decompression experiments suggest pre-eruptive storage pressures of ∼75, 40, and 10 MPa. The distribution of pyroclast types within and between eruptive deposits can be used to place important constraints on eruption mechanisms. Fall and flow deposits from June 12, 1980, lack highly vesicular, microlite-free pyroclasts. This eruption was also preceded by a shallow intrusion on June 3, as evidenced by a seismic crisis and enhanced SO₂ emissions. Our constraints suggest that magma intruded to a depth of ≤4 km beneath the crater floor fed the June eruption. In contrast, eruptions of July and August, although shorter in duration and smaller in volume, erupted deep volatile-rich magma. If modeled as a simple cylinder, these data require a step-wise decrease in effective conduit diameter from 40–50 m in May and June to 8–12 m in July and August. The abundance of vesicular (intermediate to deep) clast types in July and August further suggests that this change was effected by narrowing the shallower part of the conduit, perhaps in response to solidification of intruded magma remaining in the shallow system after the June eruption. Eruptions from July to October were distinctly pulsatory, transitioning between subplinian and vulcanian in character. As originally suggested by Scandone and Malone (1985), a growing mismatch between the rate of magma ascent and magma disruption explains the increasingly pulsatory nature of the eruptions through time. Recent fragmentation experiments Spieler et al. (2004) suggest this mismatch may have been aided by the multiple levels at which magma was stored (and degassed) prior to these events.Editorial responsibility: J Stix     

新疆天山托木尔峰自然保护区旅游资源评价及旅游资源区划

采用层次分析法方法对该区域的５２个旅游景点进行了资源评价,一级景点５个,二级景点７个,三级景点２７人,四级景点１３个。表明该区旅游资源的质量处于中等偏上水平。最后根据该区域旅游资源的分布特点,以河流流域的相对完整性为主要原则和依据,把该区域的的旅游资源划分为二个亚区,四个小区。     

托木尔峰自然保护区旅游资源及开发构想

该区是新疆最重要的自然景观旅游区之一,区内以著名的山峰、气势磅薄的冰川、优美的风景河段,幽密的原始森林、珍鸹的野生动物,奇特的象形山石为特征。凭借资源的独特性和高品位,合理规划,贯彻旅游业持续发展原则,积极发展生态旅游,加强宣传与促销,可以使其成为全国著名的旅游区,并可与库库县以人文景观为主的旅游我互为依托,相互辉映,共创阿克苏地区旅游业的美好前景。     

Post-eruptive seismic activity of Mount Cameroon (Cameroon), West Africa: a statistical analysis

Recent seismological studies of the Cameroon Volcanic Line show that Mt. Cameroon is the most active centre, so a permanent seismic network of six seismographs was set up in its region between 1984 and 1986. The network was reinforced with temporary stations up till 1987, and the local seismicity was studied. Here we emphasise a statistical analysis of seismic events recorded by the permanent seismic stations. Four swarms lasting 9 to 14 months are identified at intervals of 2–3 years. Most earthquakes are felt (intensity and magnitude, respectively, less than VI MM and 5) during the first three swarms and a few during repose periods. The main focal regions are the northwest and southeast flanks, the Bimbia and Bioko regions in the South of the volcano. Hypocentres are distributed from the surface to 60 km depth indicating crustal and subcrustal activities. The subcrustal events are observed only in the southeast flank, they are the most regular earthquakes with a monthly frequency of 9 to 15 events. They are characteristic earthquakes with magnitude 2.8 ± 0.1. Between 1984 and 1992, their yearly mean time interval between successive events range from 50 to 86 hours. For that period their occurrence can be modelled as a stationary renewal process with a 3-day period. But the analysis of variance shows possible significant differences among yearly means. A Weibull's distribution confirms that the time intervals between successive deep events are not independent, and in 1993 a swarm of deep earthquakes is recorded, hence a non-loglinear magnitude/frequency relation. The deep seismicity is thought to be associated with a zone of weakness (perhaps a magmatic conduit) and may have some close relationship with the magmatic activity.     

Tree-ring evidence for 1842–1843 eruptive activity at the Goat Rocks dome,Mount St. Helens,Washington

Until the 18 May 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, a debris fan and adjacent forest downslope from the dacitic Goat Rocks dome, on the north flank of the volcano, contained evidence that the dome was active in 1842 or 1843. The fan was destroyed by the debris avalanche of 18 May. Before 1980, the oldest tree cored on the debris fan showed that the fan predated 1855 by a few years. The young age of this tree suggests that the dome was active several decades after extrusion of the nearby andesitic floating island lava flow, dated to 1800. An anomalous series of narrow rings that starts with the 1843 ring is present in cores from two older trees adjacent to the fan. These ring-width patterns imply that these trees were damaged in late 1842 or early 1843 by flowage material from the dome; the trees were probably singed by an ash-cloud surge that originated on the dome as a hot-rock avalanche. Several lines of evidence suggest that the anomalous ring patterns record tree injury by surge, rather than by lahars or nonvolcanic causes (climate or insects). First, comparable ring patterns formed in all sampled trees that survived the 18 May surge, but formed in only a few sampled trees abraded or partially buried by 18 May lahars. Second, a 13-cm fine-ash layer, consistent with either tephra fall or surge emplacement, was present on the 1840s forest floor; yet the lack of similar tree-ring responses to 1980 tephra fall shows that such minor tephra fall could not have caused the ring patterns. Third, identical 1843 narrow-ring patterns are absent in control trees further from the volcano. The ring patterns of the trees adjacent to the Goat Rocks fan provide the first field evidence that the dome was active in late 1842 or early 1843. Thus, the new tree-ring dates confirm stratigraphic evidence for the youth of the activity of the Goat Rocks dome. They also link historical accounts of mid nineteenth century volcanism at Mount St. Helen with continuing dome extrusion. The dates additionally corroborate and revise the dacite-andesite-dacite petrologic cycle interpretation of Mount St. Helens' Goat Rocks eruptive period (1800–1857). They constrain the cycle to no more than 43 years. Lastly, the dates support the notion that the vent that erupted the 1800 dacitic T tephra was different from the one that produced the Goat Rocks dome. We infer that the magma that formed the floating-island lava flow plugged the T tephra vent. This forced residual magma from the compositionally zoned magma chamber into an alternate conduit. The second conduit produced the unnamed 1842 lithic tephra and the Goat Rocks dome.     

近20年来宜兴市域水稻土有机碳动态及其驱动因素

中国农业土壤有机碳的变化一直是国内外农业与全球气候变化研究中十分注意的问题。一些研究提示20世纪末以来我国水稻土尤其是太湖地区水稻土的有机碳储存出现了增长趋势。文章选择了2002年对江苏省宜兴市市域范围水稻土的61个土壤监测点进行系统采样和土壤分析,并与该市分别于1983年和1994年进行的土壤肥力调查结果相对比,从县市区域尺度分析、评价了近20年来太湖地区水稻土表土有机碳储存的变化。尽管20世纪80年代初以前土壤有机碳含量变化以下降为主,但20年来该市域内水稻土有机碳总体上呈上升趋势。统计表明,4个主要土属的表土有机碳密度的增幅以下序递增:湖白土(-2.80tChm²)<白土(10.36tChm²)<乌泥土(13.65tChm²)<黄泥土(14.97tChm²),因而全市74.2×103hm²水稻土表土的总有机碳库从1983年的1.37Tg增加到2002年的2.20Tg。该市水稻土的平均固碳速率达到0.5～0.8tChm²a,这种快速固碳作用与20世纪80年代以来土壤中氮素的富集、秸秆还田的推广和90年代以来该地区不断扩大的冬季休闲有关。目前该市水稻土的固碳潜力仍很大,太湖地区的高产高投入农业不能排除在碳固定上的积极意义。然而,这种快速固碳作用的土壤过程和机理值     

泰安汶口盆地吴家新庄石膏矿地质特征及成因分析

汶口盆地石膏矿资源储量丰富,吴家新庄矿段为其中少有的开发有利地段。该矿床赋存于古近纪官庄群汶口组第二岩性段中,矿层倾角一般1°～9°,为简单的单斜构造,矿层厚1.86～53．36m,矿段CaSO4·H2O＋CaSO4平均品位69．90％,自然品级以三、四级为主。该文从构造、古地理、古气候、物理化学及成矿物质来源4个方面探讨石膏矿床成因,并总结该矿床成因以陆源湖相沉积为主,经后生脱水、水化、交代等多种地质作用形成。     

Evolution of Mount Cameroon volcanism: Geochemistry,mineral chemistry and radiogenic isotopes (Pb,Sr, Nd)

Mount Cameroon volcano has erupted several times in the 20th Century with documented eruptions in 1909, 1922, 1954, 1959, 1982, 1999 and 2000. Evidence of historic volcanism is represented by several older lava flows and lahar deposits around the flanks of the volcano. This study aims to assess the evolution of Mount Cameroon volcanism through its eruptive history via interpretation of mineralogical, whole rock geochemical and Pb, Sr, Nd isotope data generated from historic and recent lava flows. In this study, samples were collected from the 1959, 1982, 1999 and 2000 eruptions and from several historic eruption sites with unknown eruption dates.Evaluation of major and trace element data demonstrates that Mount Cameroon is geotectonically associated with within-plate Ocean Island Basalt Settings. More than 90% of the studied historic lavas (n ​= ​29) classify as tephrites and basanites whereas the modern lavas (n ​= ​38) are predominantly trachybasalts, demonstrating evolution from primitive to evolved lavas over time typically in response to fractional crystallization. Petrographically, the lavas are porphyritic with main mineral phases being olivine, clinopyroxene, plagioclase feldspars and Fe–Ti–Cr oxides. The 1982 lavas are predominantly aphyric and dominated by lath-shaped flow-aligned plagioclase in the groundmass. Olivine chemistry shows variable forsterite compositions from Fo_60–89. Clinopyroxenes vary from diopside through augite to titanaugite with chemical composition ranges from Wo₄₅En₃₂Fs₇ to Wo₅₁En₄₇Fs₁₇. Plagioclase feldspars vary from labradorite (An_56–70) to bytownite (An_80–87). For the Fe–Ti–Cr oxides, calculated ulvöspinel component shows a wide variation from ulv_38–87. CIPW-normative classification on the Di-Ol-Hy-Qz-Ne system shows that all Mount Cameroon lavas are nepheline-normative (Ne ranges from 4.20 wt.% to 11.45 ​wt.%).Radiogenic isotope data demonstrate that Mount Cameroon lavas are HIMU (or high μ ​= ​²³⁸U/²⁰⁴Pb), characterized by ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ​= ​20.19–20.46, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ​= ​15.63–15.69, ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ​= ​40.01–40.30, ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ​= ​0.70322–0.70339 (ε_Sr ​= ​−21.37 to −18.96) and ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ​= ​0.51276–0.51285 (ε_Nd ​= ​+2.29 to +4.05). The historic lavas show stronger HIMU signature relative to the modern lavas, suggesting evolution towards less HIMU signatures over time. This study has revealed that Mount Cameroon volcanism has evolved from primitive magmas characterized by stronger HIMU signatures with high ^206/204Pb and ^208/204Pb isotopes, low SiO₂ and high Mg, Ni, Cr content towards lower HIMU signatures with relatively higher SiO₂, lower Mg, Cr and Ni compositions. The geochemical and isotopic changes, which account for the evolution of magmatism on Mount Cameroon occur over long periods of time because all the modern lavas erupted within the last 100 years are isotopically homogeneous, with very limited variation in SiO₂ compositions.     

Bulk chemical control on metamorphic monazite growth in pelitic schists and implications for U–Pb age data

Several petrographic studies have linked accessory monazite growth in pelitic schist to metamorphic reactions involving major rock‐forming minerals, but little attention has been paid to the control that bulk composition might have on these reactions. In this study we use chemographic projections and pseudosections to argue that discrepant monazite ages from the Mount Barren Group of the Albany–Fraser Orogen, Western Australia, reflect differing bulk compositions. A new Sensitive High‐mass Resolution Ion Microprobe (SHRIMP) U–Pb monazite age of 1027 ± 8 Ma for pelitic schist from the Mount Barren Group contrasts markedly with previously published SHRIMP U–Pb monazite and xenotime ages of c. 1200 Ma for the same area. All dated samples experienced identical metamorphic conditions, but preserve different mineral assemblages due to variable bulk composition. Monazite grains dated at c. 1200 Ma are from relatively magnesian rocks dominated by biotite, kyanite and/or staurolite, whilst c. 1027 Ma grains are from a ferroan rock dominated by garnet and staurolite. The latter monazite population is likely to have grown when staurolite was produced at the expense of garnet and chlorite, but this reaction was not intersected by more magnesian compositions, which are instead dominated by monazite that grew during an earlier, greenschist facies metamorphic event. These results imply that monazite ages from pelitic schist can vary depending on the bulk composition of the host rock. Samples containing both garnet and staurolite are the most likely to yield monazite ages that approximate the timing of peak metamorphism in amphibolite facies terranes. Samples too magnesian to ever grow garnet, or too iron‐rich to undergo garnet breakdown, are likely to yield older monazite, and the age difference can be significant in terranes with a polymetamorphic history.     

Textural and chemical variation in plagioclase phenocrysts from the 1980 eruptions of Mount St. Helens,USA

This study presents major- and trace-element chemistry of plagioclase phenocrysts from the 1980 eruptions of Mount St. Helens volcano. Despite the considerable variation in textures and composition of plagioclase phenocrysts, distinct segments have been cross-correlated between crystals. The variation of Sr and Ba concentration in the melt, as calculated from the concentration in the phenocrysts using partition coefficients, suggests the cores and rims crystallised from compositionally different melts offset by the plagioclase crystallisation vector. In both of these melts Sr and Ba are correlated despite the abundance of plagioclase in the 1980 dacites. We propose that rapid crystallisation of plagioclase upon magma ascent caused a shift in melt composition towards lower Sr and higher Ba, as documented in the rims of the phenocrysts. Although the cores of the phenocrysts crystallised at relatively shallow depths, they preserve the Sr and Ba of the deep-seated melts as they ascended from a deeper region. Further magma ascent resulted in microlite nucleation, which is responsible for a similar shift to even lower Sr concentration as observed in the groundmass of post-18 May 1980 samples. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.