Electrification of volcanic plumes

Volcanic lightning, perhaps the most spectacular consequence of the electrification of volcanic plumes, has been implicated in the origin of life on Earth, and may also exist in other planetary atmospheres. Recent years have seen volcanic lightning detection used as part of a portfolio of developing techniques to monitor volcanic eruptions. Remote sensing measurement techniques have been used to monitor volcanic lightning, but surface observations of the atmospheric electric Potential Gradient (PG) and the charge carried on volcanic ash also show that many volcanic plumes, whilst not sufficiently electrified to produce lightning, have detectable electrification exceeding that of their surrounding environment. Electrification has only been observed associated with ash-rich explosive plumes, but there is little evidence that the composition of the ash is critical to its occurrence. Different conceptual theories for charge generation and separation in volcanic plumes have been developed to explain the disparate observations obtained, but the ash fragmentation mechanism appears to be a key parameter. It is unclear which mechanisms or combinations of electrification mechanisms dominate in different circumstances. Electrostatic forces play an important role in modulating the dry fall-out of ash from a volcanic plume. Beyond the local electrification of plumes, the higher stratospheric particle concentrations following a large explosive eruption may affect the global atmospheric electrical circuit. It is possible that this might present another, if minor, way by which large volcanic eruptions affect global climate. The direct hazard of volcanic lightning to communities is generally low compared to other aspects of volcanic activity.     

裂谷盆地生油层中火山岩及其矿物与有机质的相互作用——油气生成的催化和加氢作用研究进展及展望

我国裂谷盆地生油层中常有火山岩发育。在研究它们共生模式的基础上,利用地球化学和模拟实验等手段探索埋藏成岩期火山矿物与有机质的相互作用。初步成果表明,一些火山矿物对有机质生烃具有催化和加氢作用,可以使生油岩在较低温度和压力条件下生成较多的油气。但是不同火山矿物对油气生成的催化加氢效果及其动力学特征、这种成因类型的油气识别方法、成藏模式等,还需深入研究。因此,本研究对于丰富油气成因理论、提供新的找油领域具有重要意义。     

中国东北地区中生代构造体制的转变:来自火山岩时空分布与岩石组合的制约

东北地区中生代经历了蒙古-鄂霍茨克构造体系向太平洋构造体系的转换,形成了不同期次火山活动。本文归纳总结了露头区与覆盖区中生代火山岩的年代学、空间分布、岩石组合以及地球化学特征,揭示了两个构造域的时空分布范围。该区火山岩锆石U-Pb年龄统计结果表明中生代存在五期火山活动:早-中侏罗世(190~160Ma)、晚侏罗世(160~145Ma)、早白垩世早期(145~120Ma)、早白垩世晚期(120~100Ma)、晚白垩世早期(100~90Ma)。早-中侏罗世火山岩分布较少,火山岩仅分布在大兴安岭西部满洲里地区和东部张广才岭以及南侧辽宁北票-朝阳地区,火山岩属于高钾钙碱性系列,为蒙古-鄂霍茨克海闭合和法拉隆板块双俯冲作用的产物。晚侏罗世东北地区火山活动明显增强,主要分布在大兴安岭地区,张广才岭以及小兴安岭也有少量分布。西部大兴安岭地区以粗面安山岩、粗面岩为主,属于同碰撞造山成因,为蒙古-鄂霍茨克海闭合造山环境产物。东部以中酸性、酸性岩为主,为法拉隆板块背离欧亚大陆,岩石圈伸展引起的壳源物质熔融产物。早白垩世早期火山活动最为强烈,火山岩主要分布在大兴安岭地区。岩性以高钾钙碱性系列的粗面玄武安山岩、粗面安山岩、安山岩、粗面岩为主,为蒙古-鄂霍茨克海闭合造山后伸展环境产物。早白垩世晚期火山岩主要分布在松辽盆地内部。火山岩以中酸性岩为主,属于中钾-高钾钙碱性系列,为伊泽奈崎板块俯冲引起的弧后拉张,软流圈上涌导致年轻地壳熔融的产物。晚白垩世早期火山岩仅分布在小兴安岭及吉林、黑龙江省东部地区。火山岩为一套玄武岩、玄武安山岩、安山岩和英安岩组合,属于中钾钙碱性系列,是伊泽奈崎-库拉板块高角度俯冲的大陆边缘岩浆活动产物。东北地区中生代不同期次火山岩记录了蒙古-鄂霍茨克构造域向太平洋构造域转换过程及其时空影响范围。     

长江中下游庐江-枞阳火山岩矿集区深部结构与成矿作用

为探测长江中下游成矿带庐江-枞阳白垩纪火山岩盆地和铁、硫矿集区深部构造和地壳结构,探讨成矿深部控制条件,作者完成了穿越火山岩盆地的深反射地震剖面(150km,记录30s)和罗河铁矿区浅层高分辨反射地震剖面(20km),以及平行剖面的大地电磁、高精度重磁剖面,揭示了矿集区全地壳精细结构和电磁结构,同时开展区域构造测量和火山岩年代学研究,获得了新的认识。证实"耳状"的庐-枞火山岩盆地是一个沿北东向罗河断裂向东侧发育的非对称火山盆地,排除了另一半被断在西侧红层之下的判断;罗河断裂是一条切穿MOHO的深断裂,倾向南东,是引导地幔流体和岩浆上涌和喷发的通道,在中地壳形成岩浆房(反射亮斑);鉴别出多层界面,火山岩-侏罗系厚度约4~5km(其中火山岩厚度约3km),三叠系-震旦系变形层底界深度大致18~20km,变质基底组成中下地壳,MOHO平缓向北西倾,深度33~31km;追踪郯-庐断裂带的深部产状,陡立延伸到MOHO,宽约10km。从而揭示了早白垩系(132~127Ma)庐-枞火山岩矿集区深部过程与成矿、控矿作用。     

Determining magma flow in sills,dykes and laccoliths and their implications for sill emplacement mechanisms

Three-dimensional seismic data from the Faeroe-Shetland Basin provides detailed information on the relationships between sills, dykes, laccoliths and contemporaneous volcanic activity. The data shows that sills are predominantly concave upwards, being complete or partial versions of radially or bilaterally symmetrical forms that possess flat inner saucers connected to a flat outer rim by a steeply inclined sheet. Such morphologies are only partially modified by pre-existing faults. Sills can be sourced from dykes or the steep climbing portions of deeper sills. Both sills and dykes can provide magma to overlying volcanic fissures and sills can be shown to feed shallow laccoliths. Magma flow patterns, as revealed by opacity rendering, suggest that sills propagate upwards and outwards away from the magma feeder. As an individual sill can consist of several leaves emplaced at different stratigraphic levels, and as a sill or dyke can provide magma to volcanic fissures, other sills and laccoliths, the data suggests that neutral buoyancy concepts may not provide a complete explanation for the mechanism and level of sill emplacement. Instead, the data suggests that the presence of lithological contrasts, particularly ductile horizons such as overpressured shales may permit sill formation at any level below the neutrally buoyant level. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. Ken Thomson–deceased, April 2007     

Seismic quantification of the explosions that destroyed the dome of Volcán de Colima, Mexico, in July–August 2003

In July–August 2003, the andesitic lava dome at Volcán de Colima, México, was destroyed by a sequence of explosions that replaced the 2×10⁶ m³ dome with a crater 200 m across and 30 m deep. The two strongest explosions occurred on July 17 and August 28. The initial low-frequency impulses that they produced, which were recorded on broadband seismic records, allowed an estimation of the counter forces of the initiating process as being equal to 0.3×10¹¹ N and 1×10¹¹ N for the July and August events, respectively. The seismic characteristics follow the Nishimura-Hamaguchi scaling law for volcanic explosions, reflecting self-similarity in the processes initiating explosive events. The results also show that counter forces can discriminate between the sizes of explosive eruptions that are assigned the same magnitude by conventional methods of classification such as the Volcanic Explosivity Index. The increasing use of broadband seismometers may therefore provide the basis for using counter forces to determine the magnitude of explosive eruptions.     

Pyroclastic flows and surges over water: an example from the 1883 Krakatau eruption

Pyroclastic deposits from the 1883 eruption of Krakatau are described from areas northeast of the volcano on the islands of Sebesi, Sebuku, and Lagoendi, and the southeast coast of Sumatra. Massive and poorly stratified units formed predominantly from pyroclastic flows and surges that traveled over the sea for distances up to 80 km. Granulometric and lithologic characteristics of the deposits indicate that they represent the complement of proximal subaerial and submarine pyroclastic flow deposits laid down on and close to the Krakatau islands. The distal deposits exhibit a decrease in sorting coefficient, median grain size, and thickness with increasing distance from Krakatau. Crystal fractionation is consistent with the distal facies being derived from the upper part of gravitationally segregated pyroclastic flows in which the relative amount of crystal enrichment and abundance of dense lithic clasts diminished upwards. The deposits are correlated to a major pyroclastic flow phase that occurred on the morning of 27 August at approximately 10 a.m. Energetic flows spread out away from the volcano at speeds in excess of 100 km/h and traveled up to 80 km from source. The flows retained temperatures high enough to burn victims on the SW coast of Sumatra. Historical accounts from ships in the Sunda Straits constrain the area affected by the flows to a minimum of 4x10³ km². At the distal edge of this area the flows were relatively dilute and turbulent, yet carried enough material to deposit several tens of centimeters of tephra. The great mobility of the Krakatau flows from the 10 a.m. activity may be the result of enhanced runout over the sea. It is proposed that the generation of steam at the flow/seawater interface may have led to a reduction in the sedimentation of particles and consequently a delay in the time before the flows ceased lateral motion and became buoyantly convective. The buoyant distal edge of these ash-and steam-laden clouds lifted off into the atmosphere, leading to cooling, condensation, and mud rain.     

徐家围子断陷营城组火山岩分布特征及火山喷发机制的新认识

基于深层钻井和连片处理三维地震资料,结合同位素测年,本文对松辽盆地北部徐家围子断陷白垩系营城组火山岩的分布特征及其喷发机制进行了研究。本区火山岩分布广、厚度大、沿深大断裂串珠状分布;纵向上分为下部营一段和上部营三段两套;营一段分布于断陷中部及其以南地区,岩性以酸性为主;营三段分布于断陷中部及其以北地区,酸性和中、基性火山岩均有发育。本区断裂类型及其组合复杂,正、逆、走滑和花状断裂都有发育;两组断裂交汇部位是火山喷发的主要通道。深大断裂与火山岩时空展布关系显示,营一段火山岩主要受徐中断裂控制,由北向南依次喷发,岩性以酸性为主;营三段火山岩主要沿着徐东花状断裂带由南向北依次喷发,表现为基性与酸性交替的双峰式。营城组火山岩喷发类型有三种:裂隙式、中心式与复合式。徐家围子断陷营城组火山岩储集性能优良且毗邻烃源岩,与断裂、源岩及盖层有利匹配,可构成有利的生储盖组合,具有良好的天然气勘探前景。     

甘肃礼县新生代火山喷发碳酸岩的发现及意义

甘肃礼县新生代钾霞橄黄长岩中有大量火山喷发碳酸岩出露,本文对该区各种碳酸岩的地质产状,岩石特征,全岩化学及稀土,微量和C、O同位素地球化学进行了研究,结果表明本区碳酸岩属于一种高CaO低碱（Na2O K2O)的火成碳酸岩,其化学成分与东非裂谷乌干达FortPortal地区的碳酸岩相似,其中碳酸岩的火山砾岩和凝灰岩具有高的SiO2和Mg/Ca比值,化学成分显示了硅酸盐和碳酸盐混合的特征,可能代表直接由地幔部分熔融形成的原生碳酸盐岩浆。其它类型碳酸岩的成因与原生碳酸盐岩浆或原生钾霞橄黄长岩浆的液态不混溶作用和／或结晶分异作用有关。碳酸岩及共生的高钾火山岩不是典型的大陆裂谷岩浆作用的产物,其起源和成因与软流圈的上涌有关。碳酸岩的发现为查明本区地幔的组成和性质提供了新的岩石学证据。     

火山喷发形式与挥发分含量

火山喷发是由地球深部物质发生部分熔融产生的岩浆上涌至地表所形成的一种地质现象,是地球内部能量释放的主要途径之一。有些火山喷发极为猛烈,产生的大量火山灰能够在长达几个月的时间内影响当地气候环境,甚至可以在一瞬间掩埋整座城市;而有些火山喷发时只有大量的熔岩从火山口中静静地溢出,人们甚至可以在不远处进行观赏。火山喷发具有何种程度的破坏力取决于其喷发形式,而挥发分含量是影响喷发形式的重要因素之一。本文简述了几种常见的喷发形式及其相互之间可能存在的转化关系,着重论述了挥发分含量在其中所起到的作用,同时介绍了几种可能的去气模型及常见的测量岩浆挥发分含量的方法。其中使用单斜辉石斑晶来反演大陆玄武岩原始岩浆水含量的方法预计会在未来的研究中得到普及。