Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility data bearing on the transport direction of mid-tertiary regional ignimbrites,Candelaria Hills area,West-Central Nevada

In west-central Nevada, the Oligocene Candelaria pyroclastic sequence reaches a local thickness of up to 1.3 km, in what has been referred to as the Candelaria trough, but more generally the accumulation of ash-flow tuffs and related volcanic rocks is less than 300 m thick. Complete to near complete outcrops are scattered over about 3200 km² in the Candelaria Hills and surrounding ranges of the Southern Walker Lane structural zone. Three regionally extensive compound cooling units within the overall sequence (25.8 Ma Metallic City, 24.1 Ma Belleville, and 23.7 Ma Candelaria Junction Tuffs) have distinguishing characteristics and are the focus of study. At 106 sites, anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) data provide an estimate of transport direction of each tuff. Inferred transport directions based on the AMS data are corrected for a modest clockwise, yet variable magnitude, vertical axis rotation that affected these rocks in late Miocene to Pliocene time, as revealed by paleomagnetic studies. The AMS data show a somewhat orderly pattern of magnetic fabrics that we interpret to define unique transport directions for the Metallic City and Candelaria Junction Tuffs. The low susceptibility and degree of anisotropy of the Belleville Tuff limits our interpretation from this pyroclastic deposit. The Metallic City and Candelaria Junction Tuffs typically show gentle, south–southeast and southeast dipping magnetic fabric imbrication, respectively, and very gently plunging magnetic lineations. These AMS fabric elements indicate the tuffs were transported to the north–northwest and northwest, respectively. The AMS fabric data from the Metallic City and Candelaria Junction Tuffs suggest relatively unrestricted flow during emplacement. Evidence across the 3,200 km² area to support more regionally controlled channelized flow into and/or flow along the east northeast–west southwest axis of the Candelaria trough is lacking. The ignimbrites clearly filled a topographic depression inferred to have formed concurrent with early, localized Basin and Range extension during pyroclastic emplacement, but based on the uniformity of AMS fabric data, we infer that the depression quickly filled and did not hinder flow across the region. Unrecognized eruptive centers for the three ignimbrites may lie buried beneath Neogene basin fill sediments south–southeast of the Candelaria Hills or concealed below younger deposits farther southeast into the Palmetto Mountains. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. Revised and prepared for publication in the Bulletin of Volcanology.     

塔里木溢流玄武岩省的巨型长英质热火山碎屑流爆发记录

在塔里木盆地西北缘的柯坪地区二叠系库普库兹满组和开派兹雷克组玄武岩之间发现厚层长英质火山碎屑岩层序。该层序包括可见含交错层理的空落火山灰层、三层含增生火山砾的火山灰、熔结凝灰岩和再沉积熔结凝灰岩。层序下部为与其准同时喷发的玄武质火山碎屑岩和玄武质熔岩流。利用锆石U-Pb法确定熔结凝灰岩层的喷发年龄为290.9±1.3Ma(MSWD=1.12),该年龄限定了库普库兹满组玄武岩喷发的截止时间。长英质火山碎屑岩层序中的增生火山砾由粒度250μm的长英质玻屑组成,且长宽比均1.5。根据形貌、结构和岩相学特征,将增生火山砾分为三类,分别对应热火山碎屑流从起始(TypeⅡ,coated ash pellet)到极盛(TypeⅠ,accretionary lapillus)再逐渐衰弱(TypeⅢ,ash pellet)的过程。由于喷发规模巨大,该火山层序很可能广泛分布于盆地内,可能是确定全盆地溢流玄武岩喷发时限的一个关键标志层。     

熔结凝灰岩的液态熔离—泡沫熔岩流成因

若干地区的研究证明,熔结凝灰岩是液体熔离——泡沫熔岩流生成的。无色玻屑及其间隙中的褐色玻璃质胶结物为物质的熔体属性提供了证据。熔浆中丰富的水主要来自火山口湖水的向下渗漏,部分属岩浆水。未脱玻化的岩石中无色玻屑和褐色玻璃质胶结物成分分析以及褐色玻璃为主要组分的火焰石的结构和成分分析表明,熔浆中发生过熔离作用。贫水较富铁的液体球滴因密度大发生了重力分异,于负荷压力及粘性流动条件下凝结为火焰石。成岩后岩石发生了广泛的重结晶和自变质作用。德兴地区发现大量的排气筒为一奇景。     

Stratigraphy, chronology, and sedimentology of ignimbrites from the white trachytic tuff, Roccamonfina Volcano, Italy

We describe the stratigraphy, chronology, and grain size characteristics of the white trachytic tuff (WTT) of Roccamonfina Volcano (Italy). The pyroclastic rock was emplaced between 317 and 230 Ma BP during seven major eruptive events (units A to G) and three minor events (units BC, CD, and DE). These units are separated by paleosol layers and compositionally well-differentiated pyroclastic successions. Stratigraphic control is favored by the occurrence at the base of major units of marker layers. Four WTT units (1 to 4) occur within the central caldera. These are not positively correlated with specific extracaldera units.The source of most of the WTT units was the central caldera. Units B and C were controlled by the western wall of the caldera, whereas units D and E were able to overcome this barrier, spreading symmetrically along the flanks of MC. The maximum pumice size (MP) of units increases with distance from the caldera, whereas the maximum lithic size (ML) decreases. MP and ML of the marker layer of unit D (MKDa–MKDp) do not show any systematic variations with respect to the central caldera. In contrast, the thickness of surge MKDa decreases with distance from the source, and MKDp accumulates to the north of MC probably controlled, respectively, by mobility-transport power and by wind blowing northwards.The grain size characteristics of the WTT deposits are used for classifying the units. There is no systematic variation of the grain size as a function of stratigraphic height either among units or within single units. Large variation of components in subunit E1, with repetitive alternation of pyroclastic flow to surge through fallout vs. surge deposits, suggests that the process of eruption took place in a complex or piecemeal fashion.Pumice concentration zones (PCZ) occur at all WTT levels on the volcano, but they are much thicker and pumice clasts are much larger within the central caldera. These were probably originated by the disruption of lava (flow or dome) to pumice fragments and fine ash due to sudden depressurization and interaction with lake waters of the molten lava. Local basal PCZ are, in some cases, similar to the lapilli-rich “layer 1P” that has been described elsewhere, and may have been deposited from currents transitional between pyroclastic surge and flow. Other basal PCZ formed in response to small undulations in the substrate, or can be originated by fallout. Lenticular PCZ within ignimbrite interiors and tops are interpreted to record marginal pumice levees and pumice rafts, some of which were buried by subsequant pyroclastic flows.Lithic concentration zones (LCZ) also occur at various stratigraphic height within the extracaldera ignimbrites, whereas intracaldera LCZ are absent, probably due to the fact that ignimbrite currents are strongly energetic and erosive near vent. LCZ at the top of basal inversely graded layers are formed by mechanical sieving or dispersive pressure in response to variable velocity gradients and particle concentration gradients (a segregation process). Coarse LCZ and coarse lithic breccias (LB), that reside in the interior or tops of pyroclastic flows and that occur in medial to distal areas, are interpreted to be the result of slugs of lithic-rich debris introduced by vent collapse or rockslides into the moving pyroclastic flows along their flow paths. These LCZ become mixed to varying degrees due to differential densities and velocities relative to the pyroclastic flows (desegregation processes).     

Volcanic stratigraphy of large-volume silicic pyroclastic eruptions during Oligocene Afro-Arabian flood volcanism in Yemen

A new stratigraphy for bimodal Oligocene flood volcanism that forms the volcanic plateau of northern Yemen is presented based on detailed field observations, petrography and geochemical correlations. The >1 km thick volcanic pile is divided into three phases of volcanism: a main basaltic stage (31 to 29.7 Ma), a main silicic stage (29.7 to 29.5 Ma), and a stage of upper bimodal volcanism (29.5 to 27.7 Ma). Eight large-volume silicic pyroclastic eruptive units are traceable throughout northern Yemen, and some units can be correlated with silicic eruptive units in the Ethiopian Traps and to tephra layers in the Indian Ocean. The silicic units comprise pyroclastic density current and fall deposits and a caldera-collapse breccia, and they display textures that unequivocally identify them as primary pyroclastic deposits: basal vitrophyres, eutaxitic fabrics, glass shards, vitroclastic ash matrices and accretionary lapilli. Individual pyroclastic eruptions have preserved on-land volumes of up to ∼850 km³. The largest units have associated co-ignimbrite plume ash fall deposits with dispersal areas >1×10⁷ km² and estimated maximum total volumes of up to 5,000 km³, which provide accurate and precisely dated marker horizons that can be used to link litho-, bio- and magnetostratigraphy studies. There is a marked change in eruption style of silicic units with time, from initial large-volume explosive pyroclastic eruptions producing ignimbrites and near-globally distributed tuffs, to smaller volume (<50 km³) mixed effusive-explosive eruptions emplacing silicic lavas intercalated with tuffs and ignimbrites. Although eruption volumes decrease by an order of magnitude from the first stage to the last, eruption intervals within each phase remain broadly similar. These changes may reflect the initiation of continental rifting and the transition from pre-break-up thick, stable crust supporting large-volume magma chambers, to syn-rift actively thinning crust hosting small-volume magma chambers.Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available for this article at     

中国北天山晚石炭世白杨沟火山岩的成因及地质意义

中国北天山作为中亚造山带西部重要的组成部分,其晚古生代的构造背景长期存在板内裂谷环境和岛弧环境两个截然不同的认识,有些学者还提出该地区有塔里木地幔柱的影响,从石炭纪到二叠纪均发育大量的双峰式火山岩。为了厘定其石炭-二叠纪模糊不清的构造属性以及火山岩的地质特征,本文对北天山博格达隆起带白杨沟地区火山岩进行了系统的研究。这套火山岩由枕状玄武岩、块状玄武岩、安山-英安质熔结凝灰岩、流纹岩和火山角砾岩组成。安山-英安质熔结凝灰岩和流纹岩属于Ⅰ型酸性岩,与枕状玄武岩及块状玄武岩整合接触。海相棘皮类化石的发现以及锆石SHRIMP U-Pb年龄(~311Ma)的测定指示这套白杨沟火山岩应属于晚石炭世祁家沟组。同时,安山-英安质熔结凝灰岩的发现表明白杨沟火山岩剖面并非双峰式火山岩,但与双峰式岩浆(玄武质和流纹质岩浆)有密切的成因关系。MELTS模拟计算指示白杨沟流纹岩和熔结凝灰岩不是与其共生的玄武岩高度结晶分异的产物。与含水玄武质岩石的部分熔融实验对比,正的ε_(Nd)(t)值(+5.9~+7.5)以及岛弧特征的微量元素性质则表明白杨沟流纹岩和熔结凝灰岩主要由含水的新生岛弧玄武质地壳(岩石)发生部分熔融形成。流纹岩很可能代表新生地壳部分熔融的直接产物。然而熔结凝灰岩中发育玄武质和长英质两类浆屑,大量斜长石晶屑的发育以及负Eu至正Eu异常(δEu=0.8~1.1)暗示安山-英安质熔结凝灰岩还受岩浆混合作用和长石堆晶作用的影响。结合博格达晚石炭世玄武岩的研究,本文认为博格达晚石炭世应为洋内岛弧后弧或弧后环境,与北天山洋(或称为准噶尔洋)向南俯冲有关。博格达隆起带石炭-二叠纪构造属性的转变很可能与东准噶尔弧和博格达弧在石炭-二叠纪界限时期发生的弧-弧碰撞作用有关。     

Extreme Nd isotope homogeneity in a large rhyolitic province: the Estérel massif, southeast France

 Previous detailed studies of large rhyolite bodies propose that their elemental and isotopic characteristics were largely acquired in shallow crustal magma chambers. This model explains the common chemical and isotopic zonations of large volumes of rhyolites as well as the less common chemical and isotopic homogeneity of such bodies. We report an intermediate situation (the Estérel massif, southeast France) in which chemical variations contrast with Nd-isotope homogeneity. We thus infer that, in this case, large volumes of rhyolite resided for enough time in shallow magma chambers to develop chemical zonations through differentiation, but this process was not accompanied by crustal assimilation. The subordinate amount of mafic rocks cropping out in the Estérel probably evolved from basalt to trachyte through assimilation and fractional crystallization. The relatively radiogenic Nd-isotope signatures of the rhyolite compared with the Hercynian crust show that it cannot have been generated by partial melting of exposed basement rocks. Several geological similarities with large rhyolitic provinces could suggest that the rhyolite was purely mantle derived or, alternatively, generated by partial melting of an ad hoc crustal component. However, mineralogical, geochemical, and geodynamic connections between the Estérel rhyolite and the hypersolvus anorogenic granites of Corsica, as well as the extreme Nd-isotope homogeneity of the rhyolite, lead us to propose that the rhyolite was generated by mixing between mantle-derived magmas and a mafic lower crust. This scenario accounts for the relatively radiogenic Nd-isotope signatures of the rhyolite compared with the Hercynian crust. The good Nd-isotope homogeneity observed in the rhyolite implies that the mixing process, which occurred in the deep crust, was complete and provided a shallow magma chamber with isotopically and probably chemically homogeneous magmas. Received: 5 December 1997 / Accepted: 16 June 1998     

The Campanian Ignimbrite (Y5) tephra at Crvena Stijena Rockshelter, Montenegro

Clearly defined distal tephras are rare in rockshelter sediment records. Crvena Stijena, a Palaeolithic site in Montenegro, contains one of the longest (> 20 m) rockshelter sediment records in Europe with deposits ranging in age from Middle Pleistocene to mid-Holocene. A distinctive tephra is clearly exposed within the well stratified record approximately 6.5 m below the present land surface. We present geochemical data to confirm that this tephra is a distal equivalent of the Campanian Ignimbrite deposits and a product of the largest Late Pleistocene eruption in Europe. Originating in the Campanian volcanic province of southwest Italy, this tephra has been independently dated to 39.3 ka. It is a highly significant chronostratigraphic marker for southern Europe. Macrostratigraphic and microstratigraphic observations, allied with detailed particle size data, show that the tephra layer is in a primary depositional context and was transported into the rockshelter by aeolian processes. This site is unique because the tephra forms an abrupt boundary between the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic records. Before they can be used as chronostratigraphic markers in rockshelter and cave-mouth environments, it is essential to establish the stratigraphic integrity of distal tephras and the mechanisms and pathways involved in their transport and deposition.