A virtual voyage through 3D structures generated by chaotic mixing of magmas and numerical simulations: a new approach for understanding spatial and temporal complexity of magma dynamics

In this contribution, we present a virtual voyage through 3D structures generated by chaotic mixing of magmas and numerical simulations with the aim to highlight the power of 3D representations in the understanding of this geological phenomenon. In particular, samples of mixed juveniles from Salina island (Southern Italy) are reconstructed in 3D by serial lapping and digital montage and numerical simulations are performed by using a 3D chaotic dynamical system. Natural and simulated magma mixing structures are visualized by using several multimedia tools including animations and “virtual reality” models. It is shown that magma interaction processes can generate large spatial and temporal compositional heterogeneities in magmatic systems. The same topological structures are observed in both 3D reconstructed rock samples and chaotic numerical simulations, indicating that the mixing of magmas is governed by chaotic dynamics. The use of 3D multimedia models gives the opportunity to penetrate into magma mixing structures and to understand their significance in the context of magma dynamics. Such an approach is very powerful since multimedia tools can strongly capture the attention of the reader bringing him/her into an interactive and memorable geological experience. Electronic supplementary material  enclosed:     

Viscosity of peridotite liquid up to 13 GPa: Implications for magma ocean viscosities

The viscosity of synthetic peridotite liquid has been investigated at high pressures using in-situ falling sphere viscometry by combining a multi-anvil technique with synchrotron radiation. We used a newly designed capsule containing a small recessed reservoir outside of the hot spot of the heater, in which a viscosity marker sphere is embedded in a forsterite + enstatite mixture having a higher solidus temperature than the peridotite. This experimental setup prevents spheres from falling before a stable temperature above the liquidus is established and thus avoids difficulties in evaluating viscosities from velocities of spheres falling through a partially molten sample.

Experiments have been performed between 2.8 and 13 GPa at temperatures ranging from 2043 to 2523 K. Measured viscosities range from 0.019 (± 0.004) to 0.13 (± 0.02) Pa s. At constant temperature, viscosity increases with increasing pressure up to  8.5 GPa but then decreases between  8.5 and 13 GPa. The change in the pressure dependence of viscosity is likely associated with structural changes of the liquid that occur upon compression. By combining our results with recently published 0.1 MPa peridotite liquid viscosities [D.B. Dingwell, C. Courtial, D. Giordano, A. Nichols, Viscosity of peridotite liquid, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 226 (2004) 127–138.], the experimental data can be described by a non-Arrhenian, empirical Vogel-Fulcher-Tamman equation, which has been modified by adding a term to account for the observed pressure dependence of viscosity. This equation reproduces measured viscosities to within 0.08 log₁₀-units on average. We use this model to calculate viscosities of a peridotitic magma ocean along a liquid adiabat to a depth of  400 km and discuss possible effects on viscosity at greater pressures and temperatures than experimentally investigated.     

Quartz and feldspar zoning in the eastern Erzgebirge volcano-plutonic complex (Germany, Czech Republic): evidence of multiple magma mixing

Zoned quartz and feldspar phenocrysts of the Upper Carboniferous eastern Erzgebirge volcano-plutonic complex were studied by cathodoluminescence and minor and trace element profiling. The results verify the suitability of quartz and feldspar phenocrysts as recorders of differentiation trends, magma mixing and recharge events, and suggest that much heterogeneity in plutonic systems may be overlooked on a whole-rock scale. Multiple resorption surfaces and zones, element concentration steps in zoned quartz (Ti) and feldspar phenocrysts (anorthite content, Ba, Sr), and plagioclase-mantled K-feldspars etc. indicate mixing of silicic magma with a more mafic magma for several magmatic phases of the eastern Erzgebirge volcano-plutonic complex. Generally, feldspar appears to be sensitive to the physicochemical changes of the melt, whereas quartz phenocrysts are more stable and can survive a longer period of evolution and final effusion of silicic magmas. The regional distribution of mixing-compatible textures suggests that magma mingling and mixing was a major process in the evolution of these late-Variscan granites and associated volcanic rocks.

Quartz phenocrysts from 14 magmatic phases of the eastern Erzgebirge volcano-plutonic complex provide information on the relative timing of different mixing processes, storage and recharge, allowing a model for the distribution of magma reservoirs in space and time. At least two levels of magma storage are envisioned: deep reservoirs between 24 and 17 km (the crystallisation level of quartz phenocrysts) and subvolcanic reservoirs between 13 and 6 km. Deflation of the shallow reservoirs during the extrusion of the Teplice rhyolites triggered the formation of the Altenberg-Teplice caldera above the eastern Erzgebirge volcano-plutonic complex. The deep magma reservoir of the Teplice rhyolite also has a genetic relationship to the younger mineralised A-type granites, as indicated by quartz phenocryst populations. The pre-caldera biotite granites and the rhyodacitic Schönfeld volcanic rocks represent temporally and spatially separate magma sources. However, the deep magma reservoir of both is assumed to have been at a depth of 24–17 km. The drastic chemical contrast between the pre-caldera Schönfeld (Westfalian B–C) and the syn-caldera Teplice (Westfalian C–D) volcanic rocks is related to the change from late-orogenic geotectonic environment to post-orogenic faulting, and is considered an important chronostratigraphic marker.     

新疆克拉玛依百口泉蛇绿混杂岩中辉长岩岩石学和地球化学研究

克拉玛依蛇绿混杂岩带百口泉剖面由尖晶石蛇纹岩、辉长岩、玄武岩和硅质岩组成。岩相学研究表明,百口泉辉长岩分为堆晶岩(具堆晶结构)和辉长岩(具辉长结构)两类,且均经历了低-中级变质改造。微量元素地球化学显示其岩浆起源于亏损地幔,强烈的Sr异常和Eu异常表明强烈的斜长石堆晶过程。根据其稀土配分模式推测其源区为尖晶石相的地幔橄榄岩。结合野外地质关系和地球化学特征,白碱滩尖晶石二辉橄榄岩能够代表其源区成分,利用微量元素模拟其岩浆演化过程显示:尖晶石二辉橄榄岩发生2.5%部分熔融所形成的熔体,通过10%～20%分离结晶可以形成堆晶辉长岩,经过80%～90%分离结晶则可以形成具辉长结构的辉长岩。因此,蛇绿混杂岩中零星分布的堆晶岩和辉长岩团块是同源岩浆演化的产物。对分离结晶过程中Nb元素地球化学行为的研究表明,岩浆的结晶分异能够导致辉长岩明显亏损Nb。     

冈底斯带西段那木如岩体始新世岩浆作用及构造意义

冈底斯带西段狮泉河南部那木如岩体岩性变化较大,其中产出大量基性岩透镜体及暗色微细粒包体,空间上与花岗岩类呈渐变过渡接触关系。本文在详细野外调研的基础上,对狮泉河-札达一带那木如花岗岩及其中基性岩石进行了系统的岩石学、地球化学和同位素年代学研究。结果表明,那木如岩体主体岩性为黑云母花岗岩,其SiO₂为65%~76%,全碱含量较高,花岗岩中K₂O+Na₂O=5.50%~8.71%,基性岩石中则4.42%~6.7%。花岗岩类稀土元素最高含量为284.8×10^-6,最低只有105.4×10^-6;而基性岩类最高为120.4×10^-6,最低72.48×10^-6。两者稀土元素分配曲线均呈右倾平缓样式,花岗岩具有不明显Eu负异常,微量元素显示出花岗岩类和基性岩类具有相似的蛛网分布样式。两者均明显富K而亏损Nb、Ti等不活泼的HFS元素,显示出明显的岩浆混合作用趋势。4件花岗岩和基性岩样品所显示的LA-ICP-MS法锆石U-Pb年龄分别为46.11±0.78Ma、45.47±0.4Ma、46.7±2.9Ma和45.4±1.4Ma,变化在45.4~46.7Ma范围内,表明始新世早期(~46Ma)区域发生了岩浆混合作用。这一时限与冈底斯中、东部岩浆作用时代(40~52Ma)非常一致,表明始新世早期整个冈底斯发生了规模巨大的岩浆事件,暗示着印度-欧亚大陆碰撞作用在东西方向上所表现出的同时性。     

东昆仑夏日哈木镁铁质-超镁铁质岩体岩石成因与拉张型岛弧背景

赋存超大型镍矿床的夏日哈木Ⅰ号岩体位于东昆仑造山带西段之东昆中早古生代岛弧带。锆石U-Pb年龄为439Ma,由分属橄榄岩相、辉石岩相、辉长-苏长岩相的多种岩石类型组成。堆晶结构与堆晶层理发育,属岩床状层状岩体。不平衡结晶作用在岩浆演化过程中居于主导地位。矿物结晶顺序为尖晶石/橄榄石→斜方辉石→单斜辉石→单斜辉石+斜长石→褐色普通角闪石。各种岩石均富集轻稀土元素和大离子亲石元素,亏损Nb、Ta、Ti、P,显示了岛弧环境岩浆岩的地球化学特征。Nd、Sr同位素组成均属富集型地幔范畴和EMⅡ型趋势。矿区内的Ⅲ号与Ⅳ号岩体属蛇绿岩套,证明在昆中岛弧带内部存在岩石圈破裂带。区域构造格局与演化历史以及区域地球物理场的研究表明,东昆中岛弧带属拉张型岛弧带。据此,可以认定拉张型岛弧环境是全球范围内第五种有利于形成镍矿床的构造环境,中古生代是我国第三个镍矿主成矿期。     

延吉地区古新世埃达克岩成因的岩浆混合证据

本文通过年代学、矿物学、主量元素、微量元素和同位素的研究,指出延吉地区古新世富镁埃达克岩起源于被俯冲板片熔体交代的地幔楔。单斜辉石和角闪石斑晶所显示的反环带结构为幔源富镁埃达克熔体于壳源中酸性岩浆混合的结果,而非前人普遍认为的熔体—地幔的反应产物;其地球化学特征表现出的岩浆演化趋势可以很好地用地壳混染/AFC过程来解释。延吉古新世埃达克岩形成于俯冲后岩石圈伸展作用背景,与太平洋板块的俯冲后撤作用有关。因此,我们认为富镁埃达克岩的形成不必强调同期洋脊的俯冲作用,只要早先或同时有俯冲板片熔体交代,在合适的p-t条件下交代地幔并发生熔融作用,就能形成这一类岩石。     

西秦岭与赛什塘铜矿床有关的花岗质岩石岩浆源区特征及大地构造背景探讨

西秦岭赛什塘铜矿区内出露的三叠纪花岗质岩石有闪长玢岩、石英闪长岩、石英闪长玢岩、花岗斑岩和石英斑岩,其岩浆源区与形成构造环境可为古特提斯洋演化和区域成矿作用研究提供证据。岩石地球化学特征共同表明,这些花岗质岩石属于准铝质钙碱性-高钾钙碱性系列,为I型花岗岩;Mg#值变化较大(39~68),LREE富集,HREE亏损,(La/Yb)N比值介于8.50~22.9,具有Eu负异常,δEu介于0.28~0.78,同时富集大离子亲石元素Cs、Rb、K、Pb,亏损高场强元素Nb、Ta、Ti,呈现出与典型俯冲作用密切相关岛弧花岗岩相一致地球化学特征。石英闪长玢岩和石英斑岩SHRIMP锆石U-Pb年龄分别为219.0±2.3Ma和220.0±2.0Ma,锆石εHf(t)分别为-4.5~-2.1和-2.5~+1.0,对应二阶段模式年龄分别为1392~1544Ma和1190~1415Ma。结合前人对西秦岭三叠纪花岗岩以及其南侧阿尼玛卿蛇绿混杂带研究成果,本文认为赛什塘铜矿区花岗质岩石与西秦岭同时期花岗岩形成于与古特提斯洋向北俯冲密切相关的大陆边缘弧环境,其岩浆源区为中元古代下地壳变基性岩,且岩浆可能受到地幔物质混染。     

Analysis and simulation of magma mixing processes in 3D

Magma mixing structures from the lava flow of Lesbos (Greece) are analyzed in three dimensions using a technique that, starting from the serial sections of rock cubes, allows the reconstruction of the spatial distribution of magmas inside rocks. Two main kinds of coexisting structures are observed: (i) “active regions” (AR) in which magmas mix intimately generating wide contact surfaces and (ii) “coherent regions” (CR) of more mafic magma that have a globular shape and do not show large deformations. The intensity of mingling is quantified by calculating both the interfacial area (IA) between interacting magmas and the fractal dimension of the reconstructed structures. Results show that the fractal dimension is linearly correlated with the logarithm of interfacial area allowing discrimination among different intensities of mingling.

The process of mingling of magmas is simulated using a three-dimensional chaotic dynamical system consisting of stretching and folding processes. The intensity of mingling is measured by calculating the interfacial area between interacting magmas and the fractal dimension, as for natural magma mixing structures. Results suggest that, as in the natural case, the fractal dimension is linearly correlated with the logarithm of the interfacial area allowing to conclude that magma mixing can be regarded as a chaotic process.

Since chemical exchange and physical dispersion of one magma inside another by stretching and folding are closely related, we performed coupled numerical simulations of chaotic advection and chemical diffusion in three dimensions. Our analysis reveals the occurrence in the same system of “active mixing regions” and “coherent regions” analogous to those observed in nature. We will show that the dynamic processes are able to generate magmas with wide spatial heterogeneity related to the occurrence of magmatic enclaves inside host rocks in both plutonic and volcanic environments.     

Origin of composite dikes in the Gouldsboro granite, coastal Maine

Composite dikes, consisting of aphyric basaltic margins and phenocryst-rich rhyolitic interiors, cut the Gouldsboro granite of coastal Maine at many localities. Limited hybridization (exchange of crystals, commingling, and mixing) occurs in most of the dikes and indicates that the two magmas were contemporaneous with emplacement of rhyolitic magma following closely in time the initial emplacement of the basaltic dike. Petrographic characteristics and geochemistry indicate that the source of the rhyolite was resident magma in the Gouldsboro granite magma chamber. The composite dikes formed when basaltic dikes ruptured the Gouldsboro magma chamber, permitting partly crystallized magma from the margin of the chamber to flow outward into the center of the basaltic dikes. Field relations of similar composite dikes in other areas (e.g., Iceland, Scotland) are consistent with this model. A second type of composite dike (silicic margins with chilled basaltic pillows) commonly cuts mafic intrusions along the Maine coast and probably formed when a granitic dike ruptured an established chamber of mafic magma, permitting resident mafic magma to collapse downward into the still Liquid granitic dike. Most composite dikes have probably formed when a magma chamber was disrupted by a dike of contrasting magma rather than by tapping a stratified magma chamber.