A discontinuous Late Cenozoic vegetation record from a maar crater in Auckland, New Zealand

Abstract:  Presented here are results of analyses of sediments from a maar crater at Matukutureia, south Auckland. The record is discontinuous, reflecting formation of peat on the tuff surface after the eruption. The tuff section of the profile (3–7 million years old) has pollen of numerous extinct taxa and suggests broad-leaf beech ( Brassospora ) forest with Casuarina and Agathis , and warm temperate conditions. A date of 15 051 ± 80 ¹⁴C yr BP from the base of the overlying peat provides a minimum date for the eruption of McLauchlins Hill volcano. We cannot determine the timing of early Polynesian activities.     

Interactions among waves,current, and mud: Numerical and laboratory studies

Interactions between waves, current, mud and turbulence are very complicated in the coastal and estuarine turbid waters. It is still necessary to improve our understanding of the fundamental physical processes governing the cohesive sediment transport in the coastal and estuarine waters. A numerical model is developed to study the interactions among waves, current, and mud. An eddy viscosity model for wave and current is proposed in order to close the equations of wave motion or of current motion in a combined flow, respectively. The equations of mud transport are derived based on the visco-elastic properties of mud. Coupling the equations of wave motion or of current motion for water layer with those of mud layer can give (1) wave height; (2) distributions of current velocities in the water layer; (3) distributions of transport velocities at the water–mud interface; and (4) distributions of mass transport velocities within the mud layer. These modeled results are in a reasonable agreement with experimental results. Results suggest that (1) the rate of wave attenuation increases in the opposing currents (currents against in the direction in which the waves propagate) and decreases in the following currents (currents in the same direction as that in which the waves propagate); (2) the opposing currents would have more significant effects on the rate of wave height attenuation than the following currents; (3) the effect of current on the rate of wave attenuation on the muddy bottom is larger than that on the rigid bottom; (4) mud transport rate increased in the following currents but decreased in the opposing currents; and (5) the rate of wave height attenuation on the mud bottom is one order of magnitude larger than that on the rigid bottom.     

Constraints on the dynamics of subglacial basalt eruptions from geological and geochemical observations at Kverkfjöll, NE-Iceland

The Kverkfjöll area, NE Iceland is characterised by subglacial basalt pillow lavas erupted under thick ice during the last major glaciation in Iceland. The water contents of slightly vesiculated glassy rims of pillows in six localities range from 0.85±0.03 to 1.04±0.03 wt %. The water content measurements allow the ice thickness to be estimated at between 1.2 and 1.6 km, with the range reflecting the uncertainty in the CO₂ and water contents of the melt. The upper estimates agree with other observations and models that the ice thickness in the centre of Iceland was 1.5–2.0 km at the time of the last glacial maximum. Many of the pillows in the Kverkfjöll area are characterised by vesiculated cores (40–60% vesicles) surrounded by a thick outer zone of moderately vesicular basalt (15–20% vesicles). The core contains ～1 mm diameter spherical vesicles distributed uniformly. This observation suggests a sudden decompression and vesiculation of the still molten core followed by rapid cooling. The cores are attributed to a jökulhlaup in which melt water created by the eruption is suddenly released reducing the environmental pressure. Mass balance and solubility relationships for water allow a pressure decrease to be calculated from the observed change of vesicularity of between 4.4 and 4.7 MPa depressurization equivalent to a drop in the water level in the range 440–470 m. Consideration of the thickness of solid crust around the molten cores at the time of the jökulhlaup indicates an interval of 1–3 days between pillow emplacement and the jökulhlaup. Upper limits for ice melting rates of order 10^?3 m/s are indicated. This interpretation suggests that jökulhlaups can reactivate eruptions.     

Volcanism in the earliest stage of back-arc rifting in the Izu-Bonin arc revealed by laser-heating Ar/Ar dating

The back-arc region of the Izu-Bonin arc has complex bathymetric and structural features, which, due to repeated back-arc rifting and resumption of arc volcanism, have prevented us from understanding the volcano-tectonic history of the arc after 15 Ma. The laser-heating ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating technique combined with high density sampling of volcanic rocks from the back-arc region of this arc successfully revealed the detailed temporal variation of volcanism related to the back-arc rifting. Based on the new ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating results: (1) Back-arc rifting initiated at around 2.8 Ma in the middle part of the Izu-Bonin arc (30°30′N–32°30′N). Volcanism at the earliest stage of rifting is characterized by the basaltic volcanism from north–south-trending fissures and/or lines of vents. (2) Following this earliest stage of volcanism, at ca. 2.5 Ma, compositionally bimodal volcanism occurred and formed small cones in the wide area. This volcanism and rifting continued until about 1 Ma in the region west of the currently active rift zone. (3) After 1 Ma, active volcanism ceased in the area west of the currently active rift zone, and volcanism and rifting were confined to the currently active rift zone. The volcano-tectonic history of the back-arc region of the Izu-Bonin arc is an example of the earliest stage of back-arc rifting in the oceanic island arc. Age data on volcanics clearly indicate that volcanism changed its mode of activity, composition and locus along with a progress of rifting.     

内蒙古多伦环形影像的成因探讨

多伦环形影像位于内蒙古自治区东南与河北省交界处，环形影像完整，直径约70km。对其成因以往主要有陨石冲击和中生代古火山机构两种认识。系统的1：5万区域地质调查表明，环形凹槽主要被第四系沉积物覆盖，局部有上新世玄武岩出露，其下隐伏有大量白垩纪粗安岩和上新世玄武岩。环边发育不同方向的区域断裂。环内、外由前寒武纪变质岩系、中新元古界、下二叠统和中生代火山—沉积岩系组成，不同时代的地质体完整、层序清楚。中生代火山岩是一系列中心式或裂隙一中心式火山喷发作用的产物。因此，笔者认为多伦环是早白垩世以来深部岩浆作用与区域断裂共同作用的结果。     

Late Miocene calc-alkalic volcanism in northwestern Mexico: an expression of rift or subduction-related magmatism?

Magmatism in NW Mexico records a Late Miocene transformation from convergence to extension in the Gulf of California rift system. Miocene calc-alkalic rocks in the Baja California peninsula are related to the final subduction of the Farallon plate system, but the heterogeneous nature of volcanism younger than 12.5 Ma has led to conflicting tectonic interpretations. Neogene volcanic rocks in the Sierra Santa Ursula, Sonora, were emplaced in three magma pulses, according to mapping, K–Ar geochronology, and geochemistry. From 23.5 to 15 and 14 to 11.4 Ma, calc-alkalic rocks show an arc-like signature. The 12–11 Ma calc-alkalic dacites, however, are characterized by higher K, Rb, ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, and light REE abundances than are the older rocks. The timing, petrography, and geochemistry of the 12–11 Ma rocks are interpreted to reflect postsubduction magmatism. A change in magma chemistry from predominantly calc-alkalic to tholeiitic rocks at 10.3 Ma corresponds to orthogonal extension during early Gulf of California evolution. Sr, Nd, and Pb radiogenic isotope signatures show minor changes over time. The volcanic record for 20–12.5 Ma at Sierra Santa Ursula and adjacent areas is consistent with the reconstructed history of the Guadalupe microplate. The interval of magmatism produced from 12 to 11 Ma appears to reflect changes in plate geometry during the transition from subduction to rifting.     

Cones and craters on Mount Pavagadh,Deccan Traps: Rootless cones?

Rootless cones, also (erroneously) called pseudocraters, form due to explosions that ensue when a lava flow enters a surface water body, ice, or wet ground. They do not represent primary vents connected by vertical conduits to a subsurface magma source. Rootless cones in Iceland are well studied. Cones on Mars, morphologically very similar to Icelandic rootless cones, have also been suggested to be rootless cones formed by explosive interaction between surface lava flows and ground ice. We report here a group of gentle cones containing nearly circular craters from Mount Pavagadh, Deccan volcanic province, and suggest that they are rootless cones. They are very similar morphologically to the rootless cones of the type locality of Myvatn in northeastern Iceland. A group of three phreatomagmatic craters was reported in 1998 from near Jabalpur in the northeastern Deccan, and these were suggested to be eroded cinder cones. A recent geophysical study of the Jabalpur craters does not support the possibility that they are located over volcanic vents. They could also be rootless cones. Many more probably exist in the Deccan, and volcanological studies of the Deccan are clearly of value in understanding planetary basaltic volcanism.     

The Neoproterozoic Malani magmatism of the northwestern Indian shield: implications for crust-building processes

Malani is the largest event of anorogenic felsic magmatism (covering ∼50, 000 km²) in India. This magmatic activity took place at ∼750 Ma post-dating the Erinpura granite (850 Ma) and ended prior to Marwar Supergroup (680 Ma) sedimentation. Malani eruptions occurred mostly on land, but locally sub-aqueous conditions are shown by the presence of conglomerate, grits and pillow lava. The Malani rocks do not show any type of regional deformation effects. The Malanis are characterised by bimodal volcanism with a dominant felsic component, followed by granitic plutonism and a terminal dyke phase. An angular unconformity between Malani lavas and basement is observed, with the presence of conglomerate at Sindreth, Diri, and Kankani. This indicates that the crust was quite stable and peneplained prior to the Malani activity. Similarly, the absence of any thrust zone, tectonic mélange and tectonised contact of the Malanis with the basement goes against a plate subduction setting for their genesis. After the closure of orogenic cycles in the Aravalli craton of the northwestern shield, this anorogenic intraplate magmatic activity took place in a cratonic rift setting under an extensional tectonic regime.     

Relative contributions of crust and mantle to the origin of the Bijli Rhyolite in a palaeoproterozoic bimodal volcanic sequence (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Dongargarh Group</Emphasis>), central India

New mineralogical, bulk chemical and oxygen isotope data on the Palaeoproterozoic Bijli Rhyolite, the basal unit of a bimodal volcanic sequence (Dongargarh Group) in central India, and one of the most voluminous silicic volcanic expressions in the Indian Shield, are presented. The Bijli Rhyolite can be recognized as a poorly sorted pyroclastic deposit, and comprises of phenocrystic K-feldspar + albite ± anorthoclase set in fine-grained micro-fragmental matrix of quartz-feldspar-sericite-chlorite-iron-oxide ± calcite. The rocks are largely metaluminous with high SiO₂, Na₂O + K₂O, Fe/Mg, Ga/Al, Zr, Ta, Sn, Y, REE and low CaO, Ba, Sr contents; the composition points to an ‘A-type granite’ melt. The rocks show negative Cs-, Sr-, Eu- and Ti- anomalies with incompatible element concentrations 2–3 times more than the upper continental crust (UCC). LREE is high (La/Yb ∼ 20) and HREE 20–30 times chondritic. δ¹⁸O_whole-rock varies between 4.4 and 7.8‰ (mean 5.87±1.26‰). The Bijli melt is neither formed by fractionation of a basaltic magma, nor does it represent a fractionated crustal melt. It is shown that the mantle-derived high temperature basaltic komatiitic melts/high Mg basalts triggered crustal melting, and interacted predominantly with deep crust compositionally similar to the Average Archaean Granulite (AAG), and a shallower crustal component with low CaO and Al₂O₃ to give rise to the hybrid Bijli melts. Geochemical mass balance suggests that ∼ 30% partial melting of AAG under anhydrous condition, instead of the upper continental crust (UCC) including the Amgaon granitoid gneiss reported from the area, better matches the trace element concentrations in the rocks. The similar Ta/Th of the rhyolites (0.060) and average granulite (0.065) vs. UCC (0.13) also support a deep crustal protolith. Variable contributions of crust and mantle, and action of hydrothermal fluid are attributed for the spread in δ¹⁸O^whole-rock values. The fast eruption of high temperature (∼ 900°C) rhyolitic melts suggests a rapid drop in pressure of melting related to decompression in an extensional setting.     

Le volcanisme Pliocène inférieur de Maguelone (région de Montpellier,Hérault)

The volcanism of the Maguelone Island indicates a surtseyan volcanism. It contains petrographical and mineralogical characteristics of coastal phreatic volcanism. Its discharges are interbedded in the marine or lagoon Pliocene context. Rodents fauna and high-stand in the curve of Vail indicate a period between 4.2 and 3.8 Myr. The geographical pattern of its markers suggests a new reading and dating of the Pliocene sequences, particularly known from the scarcity of chronological indications. To cite this article: P. Ambert, C. R. Geoscience 335 (2003).