Generation of Deccan Trap magmas

Deccan Trap magmas may have erupted through multiple centers, the most prominent of which may have been a shield volcano-like structure in the Western Ghats area. The lavas are predominantly tholeiitic; alkalic mafic lavas and carbonatites are rare. Radioisotope dating, magnetic chronology, and age constraints from paleontology indicate that although the eruption started some 68 Ma, the bulk of lavas erupted at around 65–66 Ma. Paleomagnetic constraints indicate an uncertainty of ± 500,000 years for peak volcanic activity at 65 m.y. in the type section of the Western Ghats. Maximum magma residence times were calculated in this study based on growth rates of “giant plagioclase” crystals in lavas that marked the end phase of volcanic activity of different magma chambers. These calculations suggest that the > 1.7 km thick Western Ghats section might have erupted within a much shorter time interval of ∼ 55,000 years, implying phenomenal eruption rates that are orders of magnitude larger than any present-day eruption rate from any tectonic environment. Other significant observations/conclusions are as follows: (1) Deccan lavas can be grouped into stratigraphic subdivisions based on their geochemistry; (2) While some formations are relatively uncontaminated others are strongly contaminated by the continental crust; (3) Deccan magmas were produced by 15–30% melting of a Fe-rich lherzolitic source at ∼ 3–2 GPa; (4) Parent magmas of the relatively uncontaminated Ambenali formation had a primitive composition with 16%MgO, 47%SiO₂; (5) Deccan magmas were generated much deeper and by significantly more melting than other continental flood basalt provinces; (6) The erupted Deccan tholeiitic lavas underwent fractionation and magma mixing at ∼ 0.2 GPa. The composition and origin of the crust and crust/mantle boundary beneath the Deccan are discussed with respect to the influence of Deccan magmatic episode.     

Regional geoelectric structure beneath Deccan Volcanic Province of the Indian subcontinent using magnetotellurics

Understanding deep continental structure and the seismotectonics of Deccan trap covered region has attained greater importance in recent years. For imaging the deep crustal structure, magnetotelluric (MT) investigations have been carried out along three long profiles viz. Guhagarh–Sangole (GS), Sangole–Partur (SP), Edlabad–Khandwa (EK) and one short profile along Nanasi–Mokhad (NM). The results of GS, SP and NM profiles show that the traps lie directly over high resistive basement with thin inter-trappean sediments, where large thickness of sediments, of the order of 1.5–2.0 km, has been delineated along EK profile across Narmada–Son–Lineament zone. The basement is intersected by faults/fractures, which are clearly delineated as narrow steep conducting features at a few locations. The conducting features delineated along SP profile are also seen from the results of aeromagnetic anomalies. Towards the southern part of the profile, these features are spatially correlated with Kurduwadi rift proposed earlier from gravity studies. Apart from the Kurduwadi rift extending to deep crustal levels, the present study indicates additional conductive features in the basement. The variation in the resistivity along GS profile can be attributed to crustal block structure in Koyna region. Similar block structure is also seen along NM profile.Deccan trap thickness, based on various geophysical methods, varies gradually from 1.8 km towards west to 0.3 km towards the east. While this is the general trend, a sharp variation in the thickness of trap is observed near Koyna. The resistivity of the trap is more (150–200 Ω m) towards the west as compared to the east (50–60 Ω m) indicating more compact or denser nature for the basalt towards west. The upper crust is highly resistive (5000–10,000 Ω m), and the lower crust is moderately resistive (500–1000 Ω m). In the present study, seismotectonics of the region is discussed based on the regional geoelectrical structure with lateral variation in the resistivity of the basement and presence of anomalous conductors in the crust.     

碎屑岩与火山岩混积岩系层序地层学研究初探——以准噶尔盆地西北缘佳木河组为例

准噶尔盆地西北缘前陆冲断带是剖析西准噶尔地区盆山耦合关系、沉积体系发育的关键地段。该区二叠系佳木河组为火山岩、火山碎屑岩、碎屑岩组成的混积地层。火山岩与碎屑岩组成的地层单元有广义上的成因联系,因为它们都属于史密斯地层,并均具有旋回特征。针对不同的岩性区:碎屑岩岩性区、火山岩与碎屑岩共存区、纯火山岩区,找出由于构造火山活动、相对湖平面变化等因素形成的可作为层序界面的不整合面。碎屑岩岩性区不整合面在地震剖面上主要表现为削蚀、底超、双向下超、顶超、下切谷等;共存区为同时发育火山岩与碎屑岩的削蚀带,不整合面类型较复杂;纯火山岩区表现为相对湖平面下降形成的削蚀不整合面。故可以通过地震、钻测井资料识别各类不整合面,并依据火山喷发方式、火山旋回、沉积旋回,按照不同对比原则进行经典层序地层学划分。     

The Cenozoic Volcanoes in Northeast China

There are more than 600 Cenozoic volcanic cones and craters with abeut 50 000 km2of lava flows in northeast China, which formed many volcanic clusters and shown the features of the continental rift - type volcanoes. Most volcanic activities in this area, especially in the east part of Songliao graben, were usually controlled by rifts and faults with the main direction of NE / NNE in parallel and become younger from the central graben towards its both sides, especially to the east continental margin. It is revealed that the volcanism occurred in northeast China was as strong as that occurred in Japan during the Miocene and the Quaternary. The Quaternary basalt that is usually distributed along river valley is called "valley basalt"while Neogene basalt usually distributed in the top of mounts is called "high position basalt". These volcanoes and volcanic rocks are usually composed of alkaline basalts with ultramafic inclusions, except Changbaishan volcano that is built by trachyte and pantellerite.     

Late Paleozoic volcanic rocks of the Intra-Sudetic Basin, Bohemian Massif: petrological and geochemical characteristics

Late Paleozoic volcanic rocks in the Intra-Sudetic Basin of the Bohemian Massif in the Czech Republic can be subdivided into two series: (I) a minor bimodal trachyandesite-rhyolite series of Upper Carboniferous age with initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr of ca. 0.710 and ε_Nd values of −6.1 also characteristic of volcanics of the near Krkonoše Piedmont Basin (0.707 and −6.0, Ulrych et al., 2003) and (II) a major differentiated basaltic trachyandesite-trachyandesite-trachyte-rhyolite series of Lower Permian age with lower initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr of ca. 0.705-0.708 and ε_Nd values ranging from −2.7 to −3.4/−4.1/. The newly recognized volcanic rocks of trachytic composition indicate that the rocks were formed by magmatic differentiation of similar parental melts rather than constituting a bimodal mafic-felsic sequence from different sources. Both series are generally of subalkaline affinity and calc-alkaline character with some tholeiitic tint (FeO/MgO vs. SiO₂, presence of orthopyroxene). The magmatic activity occurred in cycles in a layered chamber, each starting primarily with felsic volcanics and ending with mafic ones. The mafic rocks represent mantle-melt(s) overprinted by crust during assimilation-fractional crystallization. The Sr-Nd isotopic data confirm a significant crustal component in the volcanic rocks that may have been inherited from the upper mantle source and/or from assimilation of older crust during magmatic underplating and shallow-level melt fractionation.     

鲁北新生代隐伏火山岩及其石油地质意义

鲁北新生代隐伏火山岩可划分为3个喷发期6个亚期,9种火山岩岩石类型和同期侵入的辉绿岩。它们形成在近大陆边缘的板内裂谷型盆地,对于富有机质生油岩的沉积、各种储集体的形成、多种含油圈闭类型的形成以及有机质成熟向烃类转化都是非常有利的。作为储集岩主要有玄武安山岩、辉绿岩和湖底玄武质凝灰岩。储油空间主要为次生孔隙和裂缝。火山岩及其有关岩石在本区不仅形成了特殊的油气藏,而且还可作为盖层、封堵层、披复构造的基岩,因此对石油地质勘探有重要意义。     

Spatial and temporal geochemical variability in lacustrine sedimentation in the East African Rift System: Evidence from the Kenya Rift and regional analyses

Many previous studies on lacustrine basins in the East African Rift System have directed their attention to climatic controls on contemporary sedimentation or climate change as part of palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. In contrast, this research focuses on the impact of tectonism and volcanism on rift deposition and develops models that help to explain their roles and relative importance. The study focuses on the spatial and temporal variability in bulk sediment geochemistry from a diverse range of modern and ancient rift sediments through an analysis of 519 samples and 50 major and trace elements. The basins examined variously include, or have contained, wetlands and/or shallow to deep, fresh to hypersaline lakes. Substantial spatial variability is documented for Holocene to modern deposits in lakes Turkana, Baringo, Bogoria, Magadi and Malawi. Mio‐Pleistocene sediments in the Central Kenya Rift and Quaternary deposits of the southern Kenya Rift illustrate temporal variability. Tectonic and volcanic controls on geochemical variability are explained in terms of: (i) primary controlling factors (faulting, subsidence, uplift, volcanism, magma evolution and antecedent lithologies and landscapes); (ii) secondary controls (bedrock types, rift shoulder and axis elevations, accommodation space, meteoric and hydrothermal fluids and mantle CO ₂); and (iii) response factors (catchment area size, orographic rains, rain shadows, vegetation densities, erosion and weathering rates, and spring/runoff ratios). The models developed have, in turn, important implications for palaeoenvironmental interpretation in other depositional basins.     

皮尔斯比率图解在腾冲新生代火山岩研究中的应用

腾冲新生代火山岩属钙碱性系列，可分为四个喷发期，构成两个岩浆旋回：Ｎ＿２－Ｑ＿１为玄武岩—英安岩；Ｑ＿３—Ｑ＿４为玄武岩—安山岩。应用皮尔斯比率图解对其进行研究表明：分离结晶作用是岩石化学成分变异的主要因素；第一旋回的玄武岩浆可能起源于上地幔的部分熔融，经（Ｐｌ＋Ｃｐｘ±Ｏ１±Ｍｔ）矿物组合的分离结晶而形成英安岩浆。英安岩浆在形成或演化过程中受到了地壳物质的轻度混染。该旋回具有张性构造环境中双峰式火成岩套的特点。第二旋回的玄武岩浆可能起源于早期俯冲洋壳的部分熔融，经（Ｍｔ＋Ｐｌ＋Ｃｐｘ±Ｏｐｘ）矿物组合的分离结晶而形成安山岩浆，为安山岩成因的分离结晶模式提供了一个良好的实例。该旋回具有典型的弧火山岩的特点。     

土壤天然热释光法在相山火山岩型铀矿床中的应用

介绍了天然热释光法在火山岩铀矿床上的应用效果,表明矿体上方热释光异常较大,无矿区域异常较小,矿体的分布范围与高值异常范围一致,还发现在一些构造薄弱带,裂隙、断层处出现大的异常,试验证明土壤天然热释光测量可以为评价火山岩铀资源提供线索。     

Gravity and magnetic signatures of volcanic plugs related to Deccan volcanism in Saurashtra, India and their physical and geochemical properties

The Bouguer anomaly and the total intensity magnetic maps of Saurashtra have delineated six circular gravity highs and magnetic anomalies of 40-60 mGal (10⁻⁵m/s²) and 800-1000 nT, respectively. Three of them in western Saurashtra coincide with known volcanic plugs associated with Deccan Volcanic Province (DVP), while the other three in SE Saurashtra coincide with rather concealed plugs exposed partially. The DVP represents different phases of eruption during 65.5±2.5 Ma from the Reunion plume. The geochemical data of the exposed rock samples from these plugs exhibit a wide variation in source composition, which varies from ultramafic/mafic to felsic composition of volcanic plugs in western Saurashtra and an alkaline composition for those in SE Saurashtra. Detailed studies of granophyres and alkaline rocks from these volcanic plugs reveal a calc-alkaline differentiation trend and a continental tectonic setting of emplacement. The alkaline plugs of SE Saurashtra are associated with NE-SW oriented structural trends, related to the Gulf of Cambay and the Cambay rift basin along the track of the Reunion plume. This indicates a deeper source for these plugs compared to those in the western part and may represent the primary source magma. The Junagadh plug with well differentiated ring complexes in western Saurashtra shows well defined centers of magnetic anomaly while the magnetic anomalies due to other plugs are diffused though of the same amplitude. This implies that other plugs are also associated with mafic/ultramafic components, which may not be differentiated and may be present at subsurface levels. Paleomagnetic measurements on surface rock samples from DVP in Saurashtra suggest a susceptibility of 5.5×10⁻² SI units with an average Koenigsberger ratio (Q_n) of almost one and average direction of remanent magnetization of D=147.4° and I=+56.1°. The virtual geomagnetic pole (VGP) position computed from the mean direction of magnetization for the volcanic plugs and Deccan basalt of Saurashtra is 30°N and 74°W, which is close to the VGP position corresponding to the early phases of Deccan eruption. Modeling of gravity and magnetic anomalies along two representative profiles across Junagadh and Barda volcanic plugs suggest a bulk density of 2900 and 2880 kg/m³, respectively and susceptibility of 3.14×10⁻² SI units with a Q_n ratio of 0.56 which are within the range of their values obtained from laboratory measurements on exposed rock samples. The same order of gravity and magnetic anomalies observed over the volcanic plugs of Saurashtra indicates almost similar bulk physical properties for them. The inferred directions of magnetization from magnetic anomalies, however, are D=337° and 340° and I=−38° and −50° which represent the bulk direction of magnetization and also indicate a reversal of the magnetic field during the eruption of these plugs. Some of these plugs are associated with seismic activities of magnitude ≤4 at their contacts. Based on this analysis, other circular/semi-circular gravity highs of NW India can be qualitatively attributed to similar subsurface volcanic plugs.