Slab breakoff: a model for Caledonian, Late Granite syn-collisional magmatism in the orthotectonic (metamorphic) zone of Scotland and Donegal, Ireland

None of the existing models for calc-alkaline “Late Granite” (Siluro–Devonian) genesis in the metamorphic Caledonian orogenic belt of Ireland and Scotland fully explains their spatial, age or chemical character. A consistent model must involve the closure of Iapetus Ocean, where slab breakoff is a natural consequence of attempted subduction of continental crust. Expected outcome is a long linear belt of high-K, calc-alkaline magmas, some with characteristic trace element signatures, specifically high Ba, Sr and Zr. Other features include the critical magmatic association of coeval appinite and granite, rapid uplift, erosion and the low-grade regional metamorphism in the Southern Uplands. The linear heat pulse on breakoff is spatially, intensity and time limited producing small volume melts emplaced as separated plutons, over a short time span. Magmatism in the Caledonian metamorphic belt is accurately accounted for by slab breakoff on collision of Baltica with the Scoto–Greenland margin during the Scandian orogeny, following Iapetus Ocean closure. The two chemically, isotopically and areally distinctive suites in the metamorphic belt in Scotland, viz. the Argyll and Cairngorm Suites, can be modelled by reference to the Donegal granites where sequential partial melting of new, lamprophyric underplated crust, then shallower old crust, as heat conduction moved up through the crust on slab breakoff, produced magmas characteristic of the two suites.     

Large-scale mass wasting in ancient volcanic materials

Giant landslides are significant hazards associated with many active volcanic edifices. We describe a similar feature on ancient (>4 Ma) volcanic deposits subject to active tectonism. The landslide is approximately 3 km long by 1 km wide, with an estimated depth of 400 m. Side margins are straight and parallel, mimicking regional structure; narrow valleys incised down these margins provide low-strength side-release surfaces. Between these is a giant slump consisting of at least four, largely intact, discrete blocks that have moved down-dip a distance of >500 m. A series of flows with areal extents ranging from 0.01 to 0.5 km² extends from the front of the failure. The materials represent an eroded sequence of andesite flows on the flanks of a stratovolcano. These have undergone two phases of hydrothermal alteration, and are deeply weathered to low-density (1040±80 kg m⁻³) silt (59%) and clay (35%) materials with strength properties typical of weathered silts (c=26±3 kN m⁻²; φ=42±8°). The size and location of this landslide preclude detailed geotechnical investigation of the failure. The worth of numerical stability analysis as an alternative technique in assessing the nature of the failure and hence the risk it poses to nearby communities is investigated. Sensitivity analysis identified likely conditions under which initial failure may have occurred: analyses for sensitivity to strength and earthquake acceleration needed conversion to critical combinations (F=1.0) of water table and strength/acceleration to remove the overriding influence of water table fluctuations. Failure was likely initiated either by a high water table level (83-84%), or some combination of intensity VII-IX earthquake waves together with water table heights of 40-80%. A general hazard assessment indicates that the risk associated with creep and catastrophic failure of the main mass is small, whereas the risk from flow failures near the toe of the landslide may be high. Important parameters (hydrological regime, flow failure morphology, age of initiation, and rates of movement) requiring closer investigation are identified. Development of a model is crucial to assessing the hazard associated with a feature such as that described here. With limited resources, a detailed stability analysis is a powerful tool as an initial stage in hazard analysis.     

内蒙古宝音图岩群变质基性火山岩锆石U-Pb年龄及意义

内蒙古达茂旗宝音图岩群是在达茂旗、查干呼绍地区 1:5万区调和白云鄂博幅 1:2 5万区调过程中从过去的巴特敖包群和白云鄂博群未分岩组解体出来的中级变质岩系。通过对宝音图岩群中阳起钠长片岩、二云片岩 (原岩均为基性火山岩 )进行单颗粒锆石U -Pb法年龄测定 ,获得了两条不一致线上交点年龄 (2 486± 42 )Ma、(2 496± 2 6 )Ma ,代表了宝音图岩群基性火山岩及宝音图岩群的形成时代 ;在不一致线之外不同成因的锆石的2 0 7Pb/ 2 0 6Pb表面年龄 (2 2 2 7± 15 )Ma ,寓示着 2 2 0 0Ma左右发生了一次区域性变质热事件 ;下交点年龄 (319±486 )Ma和 (40 6± 46 )Ma ,代表了 2 5 0～ 480Ma时期该区大面积岩浆侵位及宝音图岩群后期变形变质改造的时期 ,两个年龄样的获得为研究古元古代古陆的裂解及白云鄂博海槽的形成提供了直接依据。     

Three Alkali-Rich Intrusive Rock Belts Newly Discovered in the Mt. Kunlun-Mt. Altun Region, Xinjiang, China

The newly discovered three alkali-rich intrusive rock belts in the Mt. Kunlun Mt.Altun region of southern Xinjiang are the Lapeiquan-Yitunbulak alkali-rich intrusive rock belt,the Gez-Taxkorgan alkali-rich intrusive rock belt and the Beilisai-Abulash alkali-rich intrusive rock belt. The former two belts were formed during the Yanshanian period, and the third one was formed during the Himalayan period, which is the youngest alkali-rich intrusive rock belt in China. The discovery of the alkali-rich intrusive rock belts is of great significance in shedding light on the history of tectono-magmatic activities in this region.     

Aeromagnetic signatures over western Marie Byrd Land provide insight into magmatic arc basement, mafic magmatism and structure of the Eastern Ross Sea Rift flank

Aeromagnetic signatures over the Edward VII Peninsula (E7) provide new insight into the largely ice-covered and unexplored eastern flank of the Ross Sea Rift (RSR). Positive anomalies, 10–40 km in wavelength and with amplitudes ranging from 50 to 500 nT could reveal buried Late Devonian(?)–Early Carboniferous Ford Granodiorite plutons. This is suggested by similar magnetic signature over exposed, coeval Admiralty Intrusives of the Transantarctic Mountains (TAM). Geochemical data from mid-Cretaceous Byrd Coast Granite, contact metamorphic effects on Swanson Formation and hornblende-bearing granitoid dredge samples strengthen this magnetic interpretation, making alternative explanations less probable. These magnetic anomalies over formerly adjacent TAM and western Marie Byrd Land (wMBL) terranes resemble signatures typically observed over magnetite-rich magmatic arc plutons. Shorter wavelength (5 km) 150 nT anomalies could speculatively mark mid-Cretaceous mafic dikes of the E7, similar to those exposed over the adjacent Ford Ranges. Anomalies with amplitudes of 100–360 nT over the Sulzberger Bay and at the margin of the Sulzberger Ice Shelf likely reveal mafic Late Cenozoic(?) volcanic rocks emplaced along linear rift fabric trends. Buried volcanic rock at the margin of the interpreted half-graben-like “Sulzberger Ice Shelf Block” is modelled in the Kizer Island area. The volcanic rock is marked by a coincident positive Bouguer gravity anomaly. Late Cenozoic volcanic rocks over the TAM, in the RSR, and beneath the West Antarctic Ice Sheet exhibit comparable magnetic anomaly signature reflecting regional West Antarctic Rift fabric. Interpreted mafic magmatism of the E7 is likely related to mid-Cretaceous and Late Cenozoic regional crustal extension and possible mantle plume activity over wMBL. Magnetic lineaments of the E7 are enhanced in maximum horizontal gradient of pseudo-gravity, vertical derivative and 3D Euler Deconvolution maps. Apparent vertical offsets in magnetic basement at the location of the lineaments and spatially associated mafic dikes and volcanic rocks result from 2.5D magnetic modelling. A rift-related fault origin for the magnetic lineaments, segmenting the E7 region into horst and graben blocks, is proposed by comparison with offshore seismic reflection, marine gravity, on-land gravity, radio-echo sounding, apatite fission track data and structural geology. The NNW magnetic lineament, which we interpret to mark the eastern RSR shoulder, forms the western margin of the “Alexandra Mountains horst”. This fundamental aeromagnetic feature lies on strike with the Colbeck Trough, a prominent NNW half-graben linked to Late Cretaceous(?) and Cenozoic(?) faulting in the eastern RSR. East–west and north–north–east to NE magnetic trends are also imaged. Magnetic trends, if interpreted as reflecting the signature of rift-related normal faults, would imply N–S to NE crustal extension followed by later northwest–southeast directed extension. NW–SE extension would be compatible with Cenozoic(?) oblique RSR rifting. Previous structural data from the Ford Ranges have, however, been interpreted to indicate that both Cretaceous and Cenozoic extensions were N–S to NE–SW directed.     

2-D crustal structure of Changbaishan-Tianchi volcanic region determined by seismic traveltime inversion

IntroductionTrial-and-error forward modeling of wide-angle seismic reflection/refraction traveltimes for 2-D velocity structure is extremely time-consuming, even for experienced data interpreters. For wide-angle seismic reflection/refraction experiments that consist of numerous shots along a single line, it is quite difficult through repeated trial-and-error forward modeling to construct a 2-D model that fits the data within acceptable limits (Cerveny, et al, 1977; ZHANG, et al, 200 . In ad…     

Reconstruction of the diagenesis of the fluvial-lacustrine- deltaic sandstones and its influence on the reservoir quality evolution-- Evidence from Jurassic and Triassic sandstones, Yanchang Oil Field, Ordos Basin

The reservoir quality of Jurassic and Triassic fluvial and lacustrine-deltaic sandstones of the Yanchang Oil Field in the Ordos Basin is strongly influenced by the burial history and facies-related diagenetic events. The fluvial sandstones have a higher average porosity (14.8%) and a higher permeability (12.7×10?3 ?m2) than those of the deltaic sandstones (9.8% and 5.8 ×10?3 ?m2, respectively). The burial compaction, which resulted in 15% and 20% porosity loss for Jurassic and Triassic sandstones, respectively, is the main factor causing the loss of porosity both for the Jurassic and Triassic sandstones. Among the cements, carbonate is the main one that reduced the reservoir quality of the sandstones. The organic acidic fluid derived from organic matter in the source rocks, the inorganic fluid from rock-water reaction during the late diagenesis, and meteoric waters during the epidiagenesis resulted in the formation of dissolution porosity, which is the main reason for the enhancement of reservoir-quality.     

A methodology for the evaluation of long-term volcanic risk from pyroclastic flows in Campi Flegrei (Italy)

The volcanological history of Campi Flegrei suggests that the most frequent eruptions are characterized by the emplacement of pyroclastic flow and surge deposits erupted from different vents scattered over a 150-km² caldera. The evaluation of volcanic risk in volcanic fields is complex because of the lack of a central vent. To approach this problem, we subdivided the entire area of Campi Flegrei into a regular grid and evaluated the relative spatial probability of opening of vents based on geological, geophysical and geochemical data. We evaluated the volcanic risk caused by pyroclastic flows based on the formula proposed by UNESCO (1972), R=H×V×Va, where H is the hazard, V is the vulnerability and Va is the value of the elements at risk. The product H×V was obtained by performing simulations of type eruptions centered in each cell of the grid. The simulation is based on the energy cone scheme proposed by Sheridan and Malin [J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 17 (1983) 187–202], hypothesizing a column collapse height of 100 m for eruptions of VEI=3 and 300 m for eruptions of VEI=4 with a slope angle of 6°. Each simulation has been given the relative probability value associated with the corresponding cell. We made use of the GIS software ArcView 3.2 to evaluate the intersection between the energy cone and the topography. The superposition of the areas invaded by pyroclastic flows (124 simulations for VEI=3 and 37 for VEI=4) was used to obtain the relative hazard map of the area. The relative volcanic risk map is obtained by superimposing the urbanization maps.     

含预制软弱带的岩石破裂过程的数值模拟

考虑到岩石脆性破坏过程中介质的不均匀性之特点，对岩石样品中含预制弱介质条带的岩石样品破坏过程进行二维有限元数值模拟，并对弱介质带的破坏贯通过程、新的断层的产生和有关的地震活动进行了研究．数值模型展示了岩石从变形、微观破坏到整体破坏的全过程以及微震活动的时空分布特征．应力、应变和微震活动的时空分布形象地描绘了岩石变形的局部化和时空迁移等现象，这与实际地壳中所观测到的现象是一致的．此外，模拟结果与实验观测结果也是一致或相似的．      

地震前兆时空非均匀性指标Cv值的实验检验

在双向加载条件下，对两种构造和介质不同的岩石标本进行变形实验，测量了标本表面不同部位的应变．在此基础上，利用王晓青和陈学忠等提出的描述地震前兆非均匀分布的参量————Cv值，分析了标本变形失稳过程中应变异常的分布，以期从实验角度检验Cv值方法并探讨其物理意义．研究表明，Cv值的变化与岩石变形特征的变化有关，是描述前兆分布非均匀性的一种有效指标；Cv值在失稳发生前先异常上升，然后下降，并在Cv值恢复过程中或恢复后伴随着失稳事件的发生．因此，Cv值是一种有效的预报指标．