A study of suffusion kinetics inspired from experimental data: comparison of three different approaches

Acta Geotechnica - Suffusion is a complex phenomenon characterized by a selective migration of the fine particles under the effect of three coupled processes: detachment, transport and possible...     

Geology and volcanology of the Edd-Bahar Assoli area (Ethiopia)

The paper presents geological and petrological data on one of the alkaline ranges developed along the borders of the Afar depression (Ethiopia). These alkaline ranges occur in a position transversal to the dominant NNW trend of the spreading zones of northern and central Afar which are characterized by magmas of tholeiitic affinity. The Edd-Bahar Assoli volcanic range consists of broad fields of basic lavas and numerous spatter cones outcropping in the area extending between 13°25′ and 13°75′ lat. N and 41°38′ and 42°15′ long. E. The mineralogical assemblage and the chemical data point to an alkaline nature for this range consisting mainly of alkali olivine basalts and basalts tending to hawaiites, the most evolved terms being largely subordinate. Petrologic differences between the Assab, Edd-Bahar Assoli and Erta Ale ranges are shown. The Edd-Bahar Assoli alkaline volcanism would be related to tectonic patterns trending both from NNW-SSE to N-S and from NE-SW to E-W. The supposed similarity with the transverse structure of the equatorial Atlantic ocean would thus not completely be ascertained in this zone. In Afar, the coexistence of an axial volcanism of tholeiitic affinity with an alkaline volcanism at the margin can better be explained by models based upon the upper mantle temperature distribution in a zone under oceanization.     

Volcanology and petrology of the Assab Range (Ethiopia)

The results of petrological and volcanological investigations of the Assab area (Ethiopia) are reported. Fissure activity — which produced basaltic lava flows and several spatter cones — and central activity — represented by a cumulus dome and two explosive craters — have been recognized. The area is characterized by E-W and NE-SW tectonic trends, whereas the NNW-SSE « Eritrean trend » is absent. Transverse tectonics is limited to the blocks bordering the Danakil Depression, and never extends into the Depression itself. Mineralogical composition and chemical data point to an alkaline nature of the Assab lavas, which have been classified as: picritic basalts tending to ankaramites; alkali olivine basalts; hawaiites; and all the rock types ranging from mugearites to trachytes. Two rock groups have been identified which could be due to crystal fractionation processes controlled by different degree of oxidation. The petrological difference between the rocks from Afar proper and those from the Danakil block (unquestionably alkaline rock types in the Danakil block, and transitional rock types in Afar) is emphasized.     

Crystallization trends of pyroxenes from alkaline subvolcanites of Punta delle Pietre Nere (Gargano,Southern Italy)

Summary The results of microprobe analyses of clinopyroxenes from alkaline melasyenites and layered melagabbros, produced by intra-plate magmatism of Paleocene age at Punta delle Pietre Nere, are here given and discussed.The analysed pyroxenes range from diopsidic to acmite-rich compositions.The first crystallized pyroxenes (diopside) show Al^VI contents suggesting shallow depths of crystallization. In addition pyroxenes from melasyenite and those from melagabbro display different Cr contents, Al/Ti and Mg/(Mg+Fe²⁺+Fe³⁺) ratios confirming their crystallization from melts produced by different parental liquids.Diopsides and salites show an overall trend towards high Al, Ti and Fe³⁺, suggesting that the crystallization occurred under decreasing SiO₂/Al₂O₃ ratios and under relatively highpH₂O–pO₂ conditions.Pyroxenes from the Pietre Nere melasyenite show a progressive variation towards acmite rich compositions at Mg/(Mg+Fe²⁺+Fe³⁺) lower than 0.5; those from the layered melagabbro, instead, show a continuous enrichment in Ca Fe³⁺ AlSiO₆. This different behaviour is due to the co-crystallization, with the latest pyroxenes, of phases with different K/Na and Si/Al ratios.

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Kristallisations-Tendenzen der Pyroxene aus Alkali-Subvulkaniten auf Punta delle Pietre Nere (Gargano, Süditalien)

Zusammenfassung Es werden die Ergebnisse der Mikrosonden-Untersuchungen von Klinopyroxenen aus Alkali-Melasyeniten und schichtigen Alkali-Melagabbros, die durch Intra-plate-Magmatismus paläozenen Alters auf Punta delle Pietre Nere entstanden sind, beschrieben und erörtert.Die untersuchten Pyroxene reichen von diopsidischen bis zu Akmit-reichen Zusammensetzungen.Die zuerst kristallisierten Pyroxene (Diopsid) zeigen Al^VI-Gehalte, die auf geringe Tiefe des Kristallisationsvorganges hinweisen. Dazu zeigen die Pyroxene aus dem Melasyenit und aus dem Melagabbro unterschiedliche Cr-Gehalte; die Al/Ti- und Mg/(Mg+Fe²⁺+Fe³⁺)-Verhältnisse bestätigen deren Kristallisation aus Schmelzen, die aus unterschiedlichen Ursprungsmagmen stammen.Die Diopside und Salite zeigen eine einheitliche Tendenz zu hohem Al-, Ti- und Fe³⁺-Gehalt; dies deutet darauf hin, daß die Kristallisation unter abnehmenden SiO₂/Al₂O₃-Verhältnissen und unter relativ hohenpH₂O–pO₂-Bedingungen stattfand.Die Pyroxene aus dem Punta delle Pietre Nere-Melasyenit zeigen eine zunehmende Änderung zu Akmit-reichen Zusammensetzungen bei weniger als 0,5 Mg/(Mg+Fe²⁺+Fe³⁺); die Pyroxene aus dem schichtig differenzierten Melagabbro zeigen dagegen eine allmähliche Zunahme von CaFe³⁺AlSiO₆. Dieses unterschiedliche Verhalten rührt daher, daß Mineralphasen mit unterschiedlichen K/Na- und Si/Al-Verhältnissen zugleich mit den zuletzt gebildeten Pyroxenen kristallisierten.

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With 6 Figures     

Petrogenesis of Monte Vulture volcano (Italy): inferences from mineral chemistry,major and trace element data

The paper presents major and trace element data and mineral compositions for a series of foiditic-tephritic to phonolitic rocks coming from Monte Vulture, Southern Italy, and investigates their origin, evolution and relationship with the other centres of the Roman province.Major and trace element variation in the foiditic to tephritic suite agrees with a hypothesis of evolution by simple crystal/liquid fractionation, whereas the early erupted phonolitic trachytes and phonolites have geochemical characteristics which do not support their derivation from tephritic magma by crystal fractionation. Foiditic and phonolitic rocks have mineral compositions which are interpreted as indicating magma mixing. However geochemical evidence shows that this process did not play an important role during the magma evolution.The Vulture rocks have compositional peculiarities such as high abundance of Na₂O, CaO, Cl and S, when compared with other Roman volcanics. Instead, the distribution of incompatible elements is similar to those of Roman rocks, except for a lower content of Rb and K, higher P and lower Th/Ta and Th/Nb ratios which are still close to the values of arc volcanics.The high contents of Na, Ca and of volatile components are tentatively attributed to the interaction of magma with aqueous solutions, rich in calcium sulphate and sodium chloride, related to the Miocene or Triassic evaporites occurring within the sedimentary sequence underlying the volcano. The distribution pattern of the incompatible elements is interpreted as indicative of magma-forming in a subduction modified upper mantle and of the peculiar location of M. Vulture.     

Geochemical trends in the alkali basaltic suite of the Assab range (Ethiopia)

Two groups of rocks are distinguished in the Assab volcanic range (Afar) on the basis of their petrology. The first one is a typical alkaline suite with high Li, Ba, Rb, Sr, Th and U concentrations. A second subalkaline group may be related to a parental basalt characterized by low trace-element concentrations and intermediate in character between alkali and tholeiitic basalt.U and Th concentrations of the analyzed Assab basalts, as well the reported values for the alkali and transitional basalts of the East African Rift and the Afar depression, are higher than values reported for similar basalts from oceanic and continental environments.     

Role of magma mixing during the recent activity of La Fossa di vulcano (Aeolian Islands, Italy)

Relatively homogeneous trachytes have been erupted for approximately 3800 years at la Fossa di Vulcano. From the Punte Nere eruptive cycle up to the Palizzi cycle the products varied little, while after the Palizzi cycle (1600 + 1000 a B.P.) to the latest eruption, 1888–1890 AD, a spectrum of compositions, with rhyolite dominating, characterized the erupted products.A stratigraphic sequence, starting with the Palizzi lava flow, has been studied, focussing the attention on lavas and volcanic bombs, to define the role that magma mixing processes have played in the recent history of La Fossa di Vulcano. Textural and chemical analyses of whole rocks, glass, groundmass, and mineral phases indicate that only the breadcrust bombs, erupted during the 1888–1890, show evidence of mixing between trachytic and rhyolitic end-members. Interestingly, in the deposits of the same eruption, trachytic bombs also occur.The lava flows erupted before 1888–1890 display general features suggesting that they entrained crystals and lava fragments during magma ascent. During the 1888–1890 eruption the trachytic bombs were erupted before the breadcrust bombs, which have a more evolved and hybrid composition. These characteristics, together with the change of the nature of the products after the Palizzi cycle, require a complex volcanological model for the recent history of la Fossa di Vulcano.     

Magma evolution at mount vulture (Southern Italy)

The Vulture complex is made up of foiditic, tephritic, phonolitic-trachytic and phonolitic products. New rock analyses have been performed in order to ascertain whether the various rock types derive from a unique parental magma and, if so, to define its nature. The data presented support that the Vulture suite originated from a foiditic melt which had differentiated at low pressures. The main process determining the foidite → → tephrite → phonolitic trachyte evolution seems to be the crystal fractionation of mainly clinopyroxenes, and opaques, with the contribution of plagioclases and haüyne too in the tephrite → trachyte evolution. Additionary role must have been played by a mixing of melts at different evolution stages occurred in a shallow seated magma chamber.     

Mineral chemistry of Monte Vulture volcanics: petrological implications

Summary Two distinct periods of volcanic activity are distinguishable at Monte Vulture volcanic complex: the first activity started with tephritic and foiditic volcanics, documented by xenoliths in the phonotrachytic (Ph-T) ignimbrites, lava blocks in a basal explosion breccia deposit beneath the Ph-T ignimbrites, sandy lenses rich in volcanic components in fluviatile conglomerates, and ended with emplacement of phonotrachytic deposits (Ph-T ignimbrites and lava domes); whereas subsequent activity produced deposits of foiditic and tephritic composition which built up the central volcano. The volcanics of the two periods do not fit a simple evolutionary model on the basis of geochemical signatures.New whole-rock and microprobe analyses of mafic minerals from volcanics of the first period are presented here, together with the published data on M. Vulture volcanics, to give a more comprehensive picture of the magma evolution.Principal features can be summarized as follows: (i) melanitic garnet occurs as a stable phase only in the volcanics of the first period of activity; (ii) olivine and diopside occur only in the cone building deposits; (iii) pyroxenes from the volcanics of the first stage crystallized under different physico-chemical conditions with respect to those occurring in volcanics of the central edifice; (iv) the analyzed lavas occurring as blocks in the explosion breccia deposit of the first stage display diversities with respect to the lavas of the central volcano, and it is likely that diverse parental magmas fed the first and the subsequent activities. During the first stage, crystal/liquid fractionation processes determined the evolution from the mafic parental magmas towards phonotrachytic compositions, as with the foidite-tephrtte sequence of the second stage (cone building deposits). Mineralogical evidence of mixing processes is present in the volcanics of the sequences of the two stages.

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Die Mineralchemie der Monte Vulture Vulkanite: Petrologische Konsequenzen

Zusammenfassung Zwei Stadien vulkanischer Aktivität sind im Monte Vulture Komplex zu unterscheiden. Das erste Stadium ist durch tephritische und foiditische Vulkanite, die als Xenolithe in den phonotrachytischen (Ph-T) Ignimbriten erhalten sind, durch Lava Blöcke in einer basalen Explosionsbrekkzie im Liegenden der Ph-T Ignimbrite und durch Sandlinsen in fluviatilen Konglomeraten, die reich an vulkanogenen Komponenten sind, gekennzeichnet. Es endet mit der Eruption der Phontrachyte (Ph-T Ignimbrite und Lava Kuppen). Während des zweiten Stadiums wurden vulkanogene Ablagerungen foiditischer und tephritischer Zusammensetzung, die heute den Zentralteil des Vulkans aufbauen, eruptiert. Die Geochemie der Vulkanite läßt sich nicht mit Hilfe eines einfachen Bildungsmodelles erklären. Neue Gesamtgesteins- und Mikrosondenanalysen von Vulkaniten des Erststadiums und deren mafischer Minerale werden gemeinsam mit bereits publizierten Daten über die Vulkanite des Monte Vulture präsentiert, um ein zusammenfassendes Bild seiner Magmenentwicklung zu geben.Grundsätzlich kann folgendes festgehalten werden: (i) Granat tritt als stabile Phase nur in den Vulkaniten des ersten Stadiums auf. (ii) Olivin und Diopsid sind auf die Vulkanschlote beschränkt. (iii) Die Pyroxene der Vulkanite des Frühstadiums kristallisierten unter anderem physikalisch-chemischen Bedingungen, als die im Zentralteil des Vulkans. (iv) Die untersuchten Laven, die als Blöcke in der basalen Explosionsbrekkzie auftreten, unterscheiden sich ebenfalls von denen des zentralen Teiles. Wahrscheinlich sind sie von unterschiedlichen Ausgangsmagmen abzuleiten. Durch Fraktionierung entstanden während des ersten Stadiums aus einem ursprünglich mafischen ein phonotrachytisches Magma und während des zweiten die foiditisch-tephritische Abfolge der Vulkanschlote. Hinweise auf Mischungsprozesse liegen vor.

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With 6 Figures