Absolute dating of the youngest sediments of the Swiss Molasse basin by apatite fission track analysis

A set of ash layer samples within the uppermost Upper Freshwater Molasse (OSM) sediments (N and E of Frauenfeld, Switzerland) was dated by apatite fission track (FT) means. The ages indicate an early Tortonian (perhaps latest Serravallian) eruption and sedimentation age of 11.5 ± 0.3 Ma. The age is in agreement with time constraints by Mammalian relicts which point to MN7-8. Due to the position of the ash layers close to the erosional gap and overlying Quaternary cover, the age represents a maximum age for the cessation of OSM sedimentation in the Swiss Molasse Basin. However, the end of Molasse sedimentation in this region had not stopped before the cover of OSM sediments by volcanic ash layers at the Höwenegg volcano (southern Germany), an event further constrained by an apatite FT age of 9.8 (?0.7/+0.8) Ma from a hornblende-bearing ash layer at Höwenegg. An isolated bentonitic ash layer occurring 25 km to the WSW of the main set of dated ashes (near Humlikon) has an age component identical to the OSM ash layers near Frauenfeld. The age suggests a source for this material within the Hegau, but is too young to be related to the volcanic activity at the Kaiserstuhl.The apatites from the ash layer samples show two distinct compositional populations, one very close to a Cl end member and one with apatites of equal proportions of Cl and OH end member. These populations are interpreted to have possibly originated from at least two distinct igneous sources for the ashes, separated by their eruption site or eruption time or both. The distinct compositional data on the volcanic apatites may provide a basis to clarify their origin in future work.     

西藏洞错地区郎山组晚白垩世火山岩的厘定——新特提斯洋北向俯冲导致增厚下地壳部分熔融的新证据

郎山组地层是西藏冈底斯带中最具代表性的白垩纪地层,其时代与形成环境对于认识藏南地区的大地构造演化具有重要意义.基于最近在西藏改则县洞错地区郎山组中新发现的火山岩夹层,对该火山岩(英安岩)进行了LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb定年,获得年龄值为(88.7±1.1)Ma,指示该区的郎山组地层应属于上白垩统,而非之前认为的下白垩统.进一步通过岩石化学分析发现,该火山岩具有与埃达克岩相似的地球化学特征显示出LREE富集且有轻微的负Eu异常特征,表明冈底斯带北部地区在晚白垩世早期因新特提斯洋的北向俯冲作用曾发生显著的岩浆活动,导致增厚下地壳物质部分熔融形成郎山组地层中的火山岩夹层.对郎山组地层时代的重新认定结果以及其中火山岩夹层所反映的深部构造特征,为研究该区晚白垩世岩浆作用动力学机制提供了新的依据,也表明需要重新认识藏南地区郎山组地层的区域地质与构造意义.     

Temperature and Hf-O isotope correlations of young erupted zircons from Tengchong (SE Tibet): Assimilation fractional crystallization during monotonic cooling

Young zircons from crystal-poor volcanic rocks provide the best samples for the investigations of pre-eruption magmatic processes and for testing a possible relationship between zircon Eu anomalies and crustal thickness. We report trace element chemistry and Hf-O isotope compositions of young zircons from 3 Holocene volcanoes in the Tengchong volcanic field, SE Tibet, in order to provide insights into magma evolution processes and conditions for high-K calc-alkaline volcanic rocks in a post-collisional setting. As decreasing zircon Ti content and falling temperature, zircon Hf content and Yb/Sm increase whereas zircon Eu anomaly and Th/U decrease, indicating fractional crystallization of plagioclase and zircon during magma cooling. More importantly, zircon Hf isotope ratio (ε_Hf values) increases with decreasing zircon Ti content and falling temperature (T), suggesting gradually increasing incorporation of relatively high ε_Hf juvenile materials in the crystallizing zircons during magma evolution. Negative correlations between zircon ε_Hf and zircon δ¹⁸O also support open-system magma evolution. Our data suggest fractional crystallization of a magma with simultaneous contamination by high ε_Hf and low δ ¹⁸O juvenile (immature) crustal materials during monotonic cooling after zircon saturation. The low-T, high-ε_Hf and low- δ ¹⁸O zircons may indicate the involvement of the early Cretaceous juvenile granitic country rocks during shallow magma evolution. Average Eu anomalies in zircons from young Tengchong lavas yield crustal thickness of 40.7 ± 6.8 km, consistent with present crustal thickness (42.5 km) determined by geophysical methods.     

SO2 Emission from Active Volcanoes Measured Simultaneously by COSPEC and mini-DOAS

We measured SO₂ emission rate from six volcanoes in Latin America (Santa Ana, El Salvador; San Cristóbal and Masaya, Nicaragua; Arenal and Poás, Costa Rica; Tungurahua and Sierra Negra, Ecuador) and from Mt. Etna, Italy, using two different remote sensing techniques: COSPEC (COrrelation SPECtrometer) and miniDOAS (miniaturized Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy). One of the goals of this study was to evaluate the differences in SO₂ emission rates obtained by these two methods. The observed average SO₂ emission rates measured during this study were 2688 t·d⁻¹ from Tungurahua in July 2006, 2375 t·d⁻¹ in September 2005 and 480 t·d⁻¹ in February 2006 from Santa Ana, 1200 t·d⁻¹ in May 2005 from Etna, 955 t·d⁻¹ in March 2006 and 1165 t·d⁻¹ in December 2006 from Masaya, 5400 t·d⁻¹ of March 7, 2006 and 265 t·d⁻¹ in March 2006 from San Cristobal, 113 t·d⁻¹ in April 2006 from Arenal, 104 t·d⁻¹ in April 2006 from Poás and 11 t·d⁻¹ in July 2006 from Sierra Negra volcano. Most of the observed relative differences of SO₂ emission measurements from COSPEC and miniDOAS were lower than 10%.     

Analysis of infrasonic and seismic events related to the 1998 Vulcanian eruption at Sakurajima

We present results from a detailed analysis of seismic and infrasonic data recorded over a four day period prior to the Vulcanian eruptive event at Sakurajima volcano on May 19, 1998. Nearly one hundred seismic and infrasonic events were recorded on at least one of the nine seismic–infrasonic stations located within 3 km of the crater. Four unique seismic event types are recognized based on the spectral features of seismograms, including weak seismic tremor characterized by a 5–6 Hz peak mode that later shifted to 4–5 Hz. Long-period events are characterized by a short-duration, wide spectral band signal with an emergent, high-frequency onset followed by a wave coda lasting 15–20 s and a fundamental mode of 4.2–4.4 Hz. Values of Q for long-period events range between 10 and 22 suggesting that a gas-rich fluid was involved. Explosive events are the third seismic type, characterized by a narrow spectral band signal with an impulsive high-frequency onset followed by a 20–30 second wave coda and a peak mode of 4.0–4.4 Hz. Volcano-tectonic earthquakes are the fourth seismic type. Prior to May 19, 1998, only the tremor and explosion seismic events are found to have an infrasonic component. Like seismic tremor, infrasonic tremor is typically observed as a weak background signal. Explosive infrasonic events were recorded 10–15 s after the explosive seismic events and with audible explosions prior to May 19. On May 19, high-frequency impulsive infrasonic events occurred sporadically and as swarms within hours of the eruption. These infrasonic events are observed to be coincident with swarms of long-period seismic events. Video coverage during the seismic–infrasonic experiment recorded intermittent releases of gases and ash during times when seismic and acoustic events were recorded. The sequence of seismic and infrasonic events is interpreted as representing a gas-rich fluid moving through a series of cracks and conduits beneath the active summit crater.     

Late quaternary tephra layers along the Cilento coastline (southern Italy)

The results of stratigraphic and tephrostratigraphic analyses of several pyroclastic levels, collected along the coastal sector of the Cilento region (southern Italy), are presented. Some of these levels are here described for the fist time, others, already known in literature, were reconsidered in order to better understand their stratigraphic position and to point out the possible volcanic sources.     

兴蒙造山带诺敏河火山群地壳厚度与波速比研究

利用布设于兴蒙造山带诺敏河火山群地区的宽频带流动地震台站资料,基于接收函数方法,获取了该地区的地壳厚度与波速比值.研究结果显示,该地区的地壳厚度介于32~38 km,莫霍面深度在空间上分布特征与五大连池为中心的火山带分布具有较好的一致性：沿着火山带延展方向地壳较薄.该地区的波速比介于1.74~1.84,波速比在空间上与地壳厚度变化具有一致性：高波速比主要集中于靠近五大连池火山带地区,向诺敏河火山和小古里河火山延展.研究认为：诺敏河火山与五大连池火山带可能具有相同的岩浆来源,可能与富钾岩石圈地幔拆沉作用造成的地幔热物质上涌有关.研究区地壳厚度与波速比呈现负相关关系,暗示该地区可能发生过岩浆底侵作用.     

Terrestrial methane seeps and mud volcanoes: A global perspective of gas origin

A global database of gas composition and methane stable isotopes of 143 terrestrial mud volcanoes from 12 countries and 60 seeps independent from mud volcanism from eight countries, was compiled and examined in order to provide the first worldwide statistics on the origin of methane seeping at the earth's surface. Sixteen seep data were coupled with their associated subsurface reservoirs.     

吉林省敦化盆地地质特征及地质发展史

敦化盆地是由白垩—古近纪的新开岭盆地、大山嘴子—镜泊湖盆地和新近—第四纪敦化火山盆地的组合总称。它的形成严格受敦密断裂带地堑式两条平行断裂所控制。敦密断裂带在侏罗—白垩纪时期受伊佐奈歧板块的向西俯冲、挤压形成的火山造山带的地堑式断裂带,而新近—第四纪则主要受长白山火山地幔热柱和太平洋板块向西俯冲带而形成的不完整复式裂谷...