Insights into the formation of rock varnish in prevailing dusty regions

The characteristics of rock varnish from the Campo de Piedra Pomez (CPP, Andes Argentina) provides new insights into the development of rock varnish under severe dusty conditions. The CPP varnish has been analysed using SEM‐EDAX and Raman techniques. The rock coating is tens of microns in thickness and under the microscope shows a micro to cryptocrystalline appearance and a general granular texture. Silica (quartz, cristobalite and amorphous silica) is the main phase forming these coverings followed by Al, K and Na compounds. Minor Fe oxides and Mn oxides are the source for the orange (Fe) and brown (Fe and Mn) hues of the coating. The results obtained for the CPP coating show that desert varnish developed under dusty circumstances does not have the appearance of typical rock varnish. Textural characteristics include high crystallinity and granular arrangement of the components. Moreover the absence of typical microlaminations is related to the presence of aeolian mineral grains which inhibit their development. The main mechanism of formation of rock varnish under such environmental circumstances is the direct incorporation of aeolian mineral grains into the varnish. However, other physicochemical processes are also required to explain the formation of varnish components such as amorphous silica or iron oxides phases. Although the development of the desert varnish may act as a protector of the underlying pyroclastic rock, the extreme and persistent windy conditions in the CPP field are high enough to weather and erode not only the rock coating but also the original ignimbrite. As other warm desert sites on Earth, the CPP area can also be considered as possible terrestrial analogue to Mars. Some environmental attributes might be similar to those expected on the Martian surface and thus, textural similarities between the CPP varnish and the rock varnish‐like coating of Mars are likely. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Holocene volcanic history of Gran Canaria island: implications for volcanic hazards

Previous published data, combined with our results of 13 new radiocarbon ages and extensive geological fieldwork, indicate that during the past 11 ka 24 monogenetic basaltic eruptions occurred in the north sector of Gran Canaria. These eruptions can be grouped into three periods of eruptive activity: 1900–3200 ¹⁴C a BP; 5700–6000 ¹⁴C a BP; and an older period represented by only one eruption, El Draguillo, dated at 10 610 ± 190 ¹⁴C a BP. Archaeological studies have shown that the more recent eruptions affected prehistoric human settlements on the island. Field studies demonstrate that the eruptions typically built strombolian cones (30–250 m in height) and associated relatively long lava flows (100–10 350 m in length); a few eruptions also produced tephra fall deposits. The total erupted volume of these eruptions is about 0.388 km³ (46.1% as tephra fall, 41.8% as cinder cone deposits and 12.1% as lava flows). The relatively low eruption rate (～0.04 km³ ka^?1) during the past 11 ka is consistent with Gran Canaria's stage of evolution in the regional volcano‐tectonic setting of the Canary Archipelago. The results of our study were used to construct a volcanic hazards map that clearly delimits two sectors in the NE sector of Gran Canaria, where potential future eruptions would pose a substantial risk for densely populated areas. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Geomorphological reconstruction and morphometric modelling applied to past volcanism

Accurate and precise morphometric modelling can be extended to past eruptions after a careful palaeogeomorphological reconstruction of volcanic landforms in an oceanic island. This reconstruction was used to derive the pre-, post-eruption and present-day digital elevation models (DEM). The correct pixel size, interpolation method and quality of these DEMs are discussed. The process in a Geographical Information System framework of the geological information of cone, lava flow and tephra fall deposits together and the aforementioned DEMs allowed the determination of main morphological features of these volcanic landforms and their derivatives. The calibration and validation of morphometric modelling were performed on simulated volcanic landforms, and verified by a case study: a typical Holocene monogenetic basaltic eruption at Gran Canaria Island (Spain).     

The “Pomici di mercato” Plinian eruption of Somma-Vesuvius: magma chamber processes and eruption dynamics

The Pomici di Mercato (PdM, 8,010 ± 40 a), also known in the literature as Pomici Gemelle or Pomici di Ottaviano, is one of the oldest Plinian eruptions of Somma-Vesuvius. This eruption occurred after the longest (7 ka) quiescence period of the volcano and was followed by more than 4 ka of repose. The erupted magma is phonolitic in composition. All the products have very low phenocrysts content (less than 3%) and show evidence of mineralogical disequilibria. They contain K-feldspar ± clinopyroxene (salite and diopside) ± plagioclase ± garnet ± biotite ± amphibole ± apatite ± Fe-Ti oxides. Pumice fragments collected at different stratigraphic heights are slightly less evolved and more enriched in radiogenic Sr composition upsection. The glass composition is fairly homogeneous in single pumice fragment and among pumice fragments from different layers. Glass separated from pumice fragments collected at different stratigraphic heights is homogeneous in the Sr-isotope composition (around a value of 0.70717). Glass is in isotopic equilibrium with salite throughout the entire sequence and with diopside at the base of the sequence. Diopside becomes more radiogenic upsection, reaching a value of 0.707458 ± 7, whereas feldspar is consistently slightly less radiogenic than glass. Nd-isotope composition is fairly uniform (ca. 0.51247) through the whole sequence. The isotopic disequilibria among glass, feldspar and diopside, together with the homogeneous isotopic composition of pumice glass in equilibrium with salite, and the mineralogical disequilibria between plagioclase and K-feldspar, imply that most of the diopside and plagioclase crystals are xenocrysts incorporated into the phonolitic magma during residence in a magma chamber and/or during ascent towards the surface. The PdM Tephra are compositionally and isotopically similar to the phonolitic, first-erupted products of the subsequent Pomici di Avellino Plinian eruption. On the basis of this similarity, we suggest that the magma feeding both eruptions resulted from the tapping of a unique magma chamber. Prior to the PdM eruption, this chamber was formed by a large and homogeneous phonolitic magma body. After the PdM eruption, as a consequence of new arrivals of more radiogenic in Sr, less-differentiated magma batches, the magma chamber progressively developed a slightly stratified phonolitic uppermost portion, capping a tephriphonolitic layer, both emitted during the subsequent Pomici di Avellino eruption.     

Opening a new window to other worlds with spectropolarimetry

A high level of diversity has already been observed among the planets of our own Solar System. As such, one expects extrasolar planets to present a wide range of distinctive features, therefore the characterisation of Earth- and super Earth-like planets is becoming of key importance in scientific research. The Search (Spectropolarimetric Exoplanet AtmospheRe CHaracerisation) mission proposal of this paper represents one possible approach to realising these objectives. The mission goals of Search include the detailed characterisation of a wide variety of exoplanets, ranging from terrestrial planets to gas giants. More specifically, Search will determine atmospheric properties such as cloud coverage, surface pressure and atmospheric composition, and may also be capable of identifying basic surface features. To resolve a planet with a semi major axis of down to 1.4 AU and 30 pc distant Search will have a mirror system consisting of two segments, with elliptical rim, cut out of a parabolic mirror. This will yield an effective diameter of 9 m along one axis. A phase mask coronagraph along with an integral spectrograph will be used to overcome the contrast ratio of star to planet light. Such a mission would provide invaluable data on the diversity present in extrasolar planetary systems and much more could be learned from the similarities and differences compared to our own Solar System. This would allow our theories of planetary formation, atmospheric accretion and evolution to be tested, and our understanding of regions such as the outer limit of the Habitable Zone to be further improved.