Thermodynamical constraints on the crystallization of a deep magma-ocean on Earth

It has been argued that the crystallization of the magma ocean (MO) after the Moon-forming impact led to the formation of a basal magma ocean (BMO). We search which primordial conditions of pressure, temperature and chemical composition could be compatible with such scenario, based on thermodynamical constraints. The major requirement is an early formation of a viscous layer (VL) of mantle material (i.e. bridgmanite (Bg)) at mid lower-mantle depth, which could insulate thermally and chemically the BMO from the rest of the mantle. To produce such VL, Bg grains should be: (i) neutrally buoyant at mid lower-mantle depths, (ii) sufficiently abundant to produce an efficient insulating layer, and (iii) aggregated to the boundary layer from above and below. The first and the second require a large amount of MO crystallization, up to more than 45%, even in the most favorable case of all Fe partitioning into the melt. The latter is very questionable because the Bg grains have a very small settling velocity. We also investigate different scenarios of MO crystallization to provide constraints on the resulting core temperature. Starting from a fully molten Earth, a temperature as high as ～4725 K could be found at the core–mantle boundary (CMB), if the Bg grains settle early atop the CMB. Such a basal layer of Bg can efficiently decouple from each other the cooling rates of the core and the mantle above the VL. If the settling velocity of Bg grains is too low and/or the MO is too turbulent, such basal VL may not form. In this case, the CMB temperature after MO solidification should stabilize at ～4350 K. At this temperature, enough Bg grains are crystallized to make the mushy mantle viscous at any mantle depth.     

松辽盆地北部徐家围子断陷下白垩统营城组火山机构类型与喷发模式研究

火山岩油气藏已成为我国东部中、新生代陆内裂谷盆地内一种重要的油气藏类型。松辽盆地北部徐家围子断陷营城组火山岩中形成大规模气藏,不同火山岩相对油气的储集性差异很大,因此探究断陷内火山机构类型和喷发模式成为天然气勘探开发的基础。徐家围子断陷发育中酸性火山岩,识别出层状火山、熔岩穹隆、破火山口等3种主要火山机构赋存类型。受区域垂向和斜向两期拉张作用控制,在断裂上盘、下盘和断裂带,火山机构分别以不同形式展布：断裂下盘的掀斜肩部火山机构发育、断裂带火山机构串珠状叠置、断裂上盘火山爆发强烈并形成大型徐东破火山口。徐东破火山口的形成说明岩浆侵位于地壳底部,形成扁平状的岩浆房。岩浆垂直上升喷发或沿断裂喷发,形成徐家围子断陷中心式-裂隙式火山喷发模式。     

A 90,000-year tephrostratigraphic framework of Aso Volcano, Japan

A detailed 90,000-year tephrostratigraphic framework of Aso Volcano, southwestern Japan, has been constructed to understand the post-caldera eruptive history of the volcano. Post-caldera central cones were initiated soon after the last caldera-forming pyroclastic-flow eruption (90 ka), and have produced voluminous tephra and lava flows. The tephrostratigraphic sequence preserved above the caldera-forming stage deposits reaches a total thickness of 100 m near the eastern caldera rim. The sequence is composed mainly of mafic scoria-fall and ash-fall deposits but 36 silicic pumice-fall deposits are very useful key beds for correlation of the stratigraphic sequence. Explosive, silicic pumice-fall deposits that fell far beyond the caldera have occurred at intervals of about 2500 years in the post-caldera activity. Three pumice-fall deposits could be correlated with lava flows or an edifice in the western part of the central cones, although the other silicic tephra beds were erupted at unknown vents, which are probably buried by the younger products from the present central cones. Most of silicic eruptions produced deposits smaller than 0.1 km³, but bulk volumes of two silicic eruptions producing the Nojiri pumice (84 ka) and Kusasenrigahama pumice (Kpfa; 30 ka) were on the order of 1 km³ (VEI 5). The largest pyroclastic eruption occurred at the Kusasenrigahama crater about 30 ka. This catastrophic eruption began with a dacitic lava flow and thereafter produced Kpfa (2.2 km³). Total tephra volume in the past 90,000 years is estimated at about 18.1 km³ (dense rock equivalent: DRE), whereas total volume for edifices of the post-caldera central cones is calculated at about 112 km³, which is six times greater than the former. Therefore, the average magma discharge rate during the post-caldera stage of Aso Volcano is estimated at about 1.5 km³/ky, which is similar to the rates of other Quaternary volcanoes in Japan.     

华北克拉通减薄过程中岩浆深部过程及浅部响应:以河北武安坦岭杂岩体为例

白垩纪时期华北克拉通东部岩石圈发生了强烈的减薄作用,其减薄过程中岩石圈、岩浆的深部过程及浅部响应仍存在较大争议。本文以华北克拉通中部的河北武安坦岭杂岩体为研究对象,进行了详细的野外地质调查、岩相学观察、矿物电子探针分析、岩石地球化学分析以及锆石年代学研究。锆石SHRIMP U-Pb测年结果显示,细粒二长岩的年龄为134Ma,具似斑状及斑状结构的岩石的平均年龄为127Ma。岩相学观察及BSE图像显示,坦岭各岩体的斜长石均具有复杂的结构。文中对杂岩体各侵入岩中的斜长石进行了综合分析,表明其具有不同的生长环境和生长过程。通过对坦岭杂岩中各侵入岩中角闪石的温度、压力计算,获得的计算结果可大致归为三个阶段,温度为927～940℃、819～852℃、696℃,压力为347～390MPa、179～223MPa和30MPa,对应的形成深度为13～15km、7～8km和1km。根据斜长石晶体群成分剖面的分析及角闪石温压计的计算结果,本文提出了一个多重岩浆房模型:来自深部幔源的流体形成流体超压将至少二个岩浆房进行活化,并夹带不同岩浆房中的晶体和残余岩浆进行混合形成熔体-流体流迅速上侵冷却就位于地表,伴随着多次脉动及地壳快速抬升完成了坦岭杂岩体的组装过程。在此过程中,研究区地壳在7Myr内抬升了约5km,表明了拆沉作用的发生,是华北克拉通岩石圈减薄的浅部响应。     

西昆仑阿什库勒大黑山火山岩浆作用过程研究

西昆仑阿什库勒火山群位于青藏高原西北缘,由于环境恶劣,研究程度低。大黑山火山为该区内熔岩分布面积最广、喷发规模最大的一座火山。本次对大黑山火山岩的显微结构、斑晶类型和化学成分进行了详细的测试分析,讨论其反映的岩浆过程。大黑山火山成分具有一个较大的范围,包括玄武粗安岩、粗安岩和粗面岩,主要氧化物与Si O2含量之间呈线性关系,说明三种类型岩浆存在岩浆演化关系。熔岩主要斑晶为辉石和斜长石,大量斑晶显示熔蚀、反环带和反应边结构,指示岩浆混合特征。温压计计算得到玄武粗安岩和粗安岩平衡温度在1124~1176℃之间,平衡压力在0.55~0.81GPa之间,对应的深度约16.5~24.3km,粗面岩的平衡温度1059~1071℃,平衡压力0.39~0.59GPa,对应深度11.8~17.7km。研究显示,大黑山火山下的主岩浆经历了玄武粗安岩、粗安岩和粗面岩的演化,三种岩浆可能以分层的形式同时存在于岩浆房中,三种岩浆存在着混合作用,并与周围偏酸性岩浆发生了混合作用。     

长白山天池火山千年大喷发的岩浆过程

千年大喷发是长白山天池火山最近的一次大规模爆炸式喷发活动。本文在天池火口及周边的地质调查中发现,千年大喷发存在碱流质和粗面质两套堆积物,且具有岩浆混合现象。进一步岩相学与地球化学研究,证实千年大喷发应存在先后两个喷发阶段,即碱流质喷发阶段(SiO_2,~75%)和粗面质喷发阶段(SiO_2,~65%)。同时,通过微量元素和斑晶特征等分析认为两阶段的岩浆来自于两个独立的岩浆房,岩浆房平衡温度分别为743℃和862℃,相应深度约为5km和7~9km。另外,根据条带状岩浆的混合特征,认为喷发过程中碱流质与粗面质岩浆混合发生在上升通道中,排除岩浆房内混合的可能性。最后根据喷发过程和岩浆特征,综合提出了千年大喷发的岩浆过程模型。本文对千年大喷发的喷发过程和岩浆过程取得的新认识,增进了对天池火山活动习性的理解。     

An experimental study of focused magma transport and basalt–peridotite interactions beneath mid-ocean ridges: implications for the generation of primitive MORB compositions

We performed experiments in a piston-cylinder apparatus to determine the effects of focused magma transport into highly permeable channels beneath mid-ocean ridges on: (1) the chemical composition of the ascending basalt; and (2) the proportions and compositions of solid phases in the surrounding mantle. In our experiments, magma focusing was supposed to occur instantaneously at a pressure of 1.25 GPa. We first determined the equilibrium melt composition of a fertile mantle (FM) at 1.25 GPa-1,310°C; this composition was then synthesised as a gel and added in various proportions to peridotite FM to simulate focusing factors Ω equal to 3 and 6 (Ω = 3 means that the total mass of liquid in the system increased by a factor of 3 due to focusing). Peridotite FM and the two basalt-enriched compositions were equilibrated at 1 GPa-1,290°C; 0.75 GPa-1,270°C; 0.5 GPa-1,250°C, to monitor the evolution of phase proportions and compositions during adiabatic decompression melting. Our main results may be summarised as follows: (1) magma focusing induces major changes of the coefficients of the decompression melting reaction, in particular, a major increase of the rate of opx consumption, which lead to complete exhaustion of orthopyroxene (and clinopyroxene) and the formation of a dunitic residue. A focusing factor of ≈4—that is, a magma/rock ratios equal to ≈0.26—is sufficient to produce a dunite at 0.5 GPa. (2) Liquids in equilibrium with olivine (±spinel) at low pressure (0.5 GPa) have lower SiO₂ concentrations, and higher concentrations in MgO, FeO, and incompatible elements (Na₂O, K₂O, TiO₂) than liquids produced by decompression melting of the fertile mantle, and plot in the primitive MORB field in the olivine–silica–diopside–plagioclase tetrahedron. Our study confirms that there is a genetic relationship between focused magma transport, dunite bodies in the upper mantle, and the generation of primitive MORBs.     

Interactions between dioritic and granodioritic magmas in mingling zones: plagioclase record of mixing,mingling and subsolidus interactions in the Gęsiniec Intrusion,NE Bohemian Massif,SW Poland

Dioritic and granodioritic rocks coexist in the Gęsiniec Intrusion in SW Poland showing typical relationships in many mafic–felsic mingling zones worldwide, such as dioritic syn-putonic dykes and microgranular enclaves within granodioritic host. Plagioclase zonation from granodioritic rocks suggests late stage mixing probably with dioritic magma, whereas no magma mixing is recorded in plagioclase from dioritic rocks. The diorites seem to show effects of interaction with evolved, leucocratic melts derived from granodiorite, not with the granodioritic melt itself. We conclude that the diorites’ compositions were modified after their emplacement within the granodioritic host, when the diorites were essentially solidified and injection of evolved melt from granodiorite did not involve marked modification of plagioclase composition. Compositional zoning patterns of plagioclase in diorites can be modeled by closed system fractional crystallization interrupted by resorption induced probably by decompression. Granodioritic plagioclase seems to be affected by the same resorption event. Plagioclase that crystallized in dioritic magma before the resorption does not record interaction between dioritic and granodioritic magmas, suggesting that both magmas evolved separately. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Circulation of bubbly magma and gas segregation within tunnels of the potential Yucca Mountain repository

Following an intersection of rising magma with drifts of the potential Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository, a pathway is likely to be established to the surface with magma flowing for days to weeks and affecting the performance of engineered structures located along or near the flow path. In particular, convective circulation could occur within magma-filled drifts due to the exsolution and segregation of magmatic gas. We investigate gas segregation in a magma-filled drift intersected by a vertical dyke by means of analogue experiments, focusing on the conditions of sustained magma flow. Degassing is simulated by electrolysis, producing micrometric bubbles in viscous mixtures of water and golden syrup, or by aerating golden syrup, producing polydisperse bubbly mixtures with 40% of gas by volume. The presence of exsolved bubbles induces a buoyancy-driven exchange flow between the dyke and the drift that leads to gas segregation. Bubbles segregate from the magma by rising and accumulating as a foam at the top of the drift, coupled with the accumulation of denser degassed magma at the base of the drift. Steady-state influx of bubbly magma from the dyke into the drift is balanced by outward flux of lighter foam and denser degassed magma. The length and time scales of this gas segregation are controlled by the rise of bubbles in the horizontal drift. Steady-state gas segregation would be accomplished within hours to hundreds of years depending on the viscosity of the degassed magma and the average size of exsolved gas bubbles, and the resulting foam would only be a few cm thick. The exchange flux of bubbly magma between the dyke and the drift that is induced by gas segregation ranges from 1 m³ s⁻¹, for the less viscous magmas, to 10⁻⁸ m³ s⁻¹, for the most viscous degassed magmas, with associated velocities ranging from 10⁻¹ to 10⁻⁹ m s⁻¹ for the same viscosity range. This model of gas segregation also predicts that the relative proportion of erupted degassed magma, that could potentially carry and entrain nuclear waste material towards the surface, would depend on the value of the dyke magma supply rate relative to the value of the gas segregation flux, with violent eruption of gassy as well as degassed magmas at relatively high magma supply rates, and eruption of mainly degassed magma by milder episodic Strombolian explosions at relatively lower supply rates.     

Role of carbon dioxide in the dynamics of magma ascent in explosive eruptions

 The role of carbon dioxide in the dynamics of magma ascent in explosive eruptions is investigated by means of numerical modeling. The model is steady, one-dimensional, and isothermal; it calculates the separated flow of gas and a homogeneous mixture of liquid magma and crystals. The magma properties are calculated on the basis of magma composition and crystal content and are allowed to change along the conduit due to pressure decrease and gas exsolution. The effect of the presence of a two-component (water + carbon dioxide) exsolving gas phase is investigated by performing a parametric study on the CO₂/(H₂O+CO₂) ratio, which is allowed to vary from 0 to 0.5 at either constant total volatile or constant water content. The relatively insoluble carbon dioxide component plays an important role in the location of the volatile-saturation and magma-fragmentation levels and in the distribution of the flow variables in the volcanic conduit. In detail, the results show that an increase of the proportion of carbon dioxide produces a decrease of the mass flow rate, pressure, and exit mixture density, and an increase of the exit gas volume fraction and depth of the fragmentation level. A relevant result is the different role played by water and carbon dioxide in the eruption dynamics; an increasing amount of water produces an increase of the mass flow rate, and an increasing amount of carbon dioxide produces a decrease. Even small amounts of carbon dioxide have major consequences on the eruption dynamics, implying that the multicomponent nature of the volcanic gas must be taken into account in the prediction of the eruption scenario and the forecasting of volcanic hazard. Received: 6 March 1998 / Accepted: 28 October 1998