Dissolution and depletion of ferromagnesian minerals from Holocene tephra layers in an acid bog,New Zealand,and implications for tephra correlation

This study examines the depletion of ferromagnesian silicate minerals from a sequence of thin, distal, mainly rhyolitic tephra layers of Holocene age preserved in an acid peat bog (Kopouatai), North Island, New Zealand. The rate of such depletion has been fast, as indicated by the complete loss of biotite from one tephra layer (Kaharoa Tephra), in which it is normally dominant, in only ca. 770 yr. Chemical dissolution is advocated as the likely cause for the depletion, with amphiboles and other mineral grains commonly showing etch pits, microcaves, and other characteristic surface solution features. Theoretical thermodynamic and kinetic models show a marked increase in the rate of dissolution of all ferromagnesian minerals under conditions of low pH (< 4), but that where silica concentrations in solution are high the relative proportions of minerals remaining are unaffected. However, where concentrations of dissolved silica are low, as in most bog environments, the relative proportions of ferromagnesian minerals are affected as well as absolute amounts being decreased. Amphiboles are depleted relative to pyroxenes, consistent with kinetic studies. The results show that the identification and correlation of tephras on the basis of relative abundances of ferromagnesian minerals alone may be unreliable, and emphasise the need to use multiple criteria in such studies.     

简单分段法在地层划分中的应用

本文简介海南省1:5万坝王岭、猴狝岭幅区域地质调查的地球化学简单分段法在地层划分中的应用。根据对下古生界变质岩与白垩系红层两条地层实测剖面的地球化学资料整理,用简单分段法进行划分、其效果较好。它的地球化学组分基本能反映原始沉积物的特点和其沉积环境,且与岩石地层的划分相互印证。     

地球化学景观吸引子的发现及其意义

勘查地球化学对异常评价的最大不确定性源于对地球化学景观特性的认识不够。我们应用构造相空间的方法分析了浙江儒岙幅（1:5万）水系沉积物测量的Ag含量数据，揭示了地球化学景观是具有低维吸引子（DZ≈2．9）的混饨系统。这一发现将对勘查地球化学中采样密度的选择、地球化学场模拟、异常评价等根本性问题产生重大影响。     

氢化物发生-原子荧光光谱法直接测定地球化学样品中痕量碲

采用硝酸-氢氟酸-高氯酸溶解样品,以Fe3+作减缓剂,不需分离富集,用氢化物发生-原子荧光光谱法直接测定地球化学样品中痕量碲。对测定介质、KBH4浓度、铁盐的作用等条件进行试验。方法检出限为0.0031μg/g,精密度(RSD,n=11)<6.10%。方法用于国家一级地球化学标准物质中痕量碲的测定,结果与标准值一致。     

THERIA_G: a software program to numerically model prograde garnet growth

We present the software program THERIA_G, which allows for numerical simulation of garnet growth in a given volume of rock along any pressure–temperature–time (P–T–t) path. THERIA_G assumes thermodynamic equilibrium between the garnet rim and the rock matrix during growth and accounts for component fractionation associated with garnet formation as well as for intracrystalline diffusion within garnet. In addition, THERIA_G keeps track of changes in the equilibrium phase relations, which occur during garnet growth along the specified P–T–t trajectory. This is accomplished by the combination of two major modules: a Gibbs free energy minimization routine is used to calculate equilibrium phase relations including the volume and composition of successive garnet growth increments as P and T and the effective bulk rock composition change. With the second module intragranular multi-component diffusion is modelled for spherical garnet geometry. THERIA_G allows to simulate the formation of an entire garnet population, the nucleation and growth history of which is specified via the garnet crystal size frequency distribution. Garnet growth simulations with THERIA_G produce compositional profiles for the garnet porphyroblasts of each size class of a population and full information on equilibrium phase assemblages for any point along the specified P–T–t trajectory. The results of garnet growth simulation can be used to infer the P–T–t path of metamorphism from the chemical zoning of garnet porphyroblasts. With a hypothetical example of garnet growth in a pelitic rock we demonstrate that it is essential for the interpretation of the chemical zoning of garnet to account for the combined effects of the thermodynamic conditions of garnet growth, the nucleation history and intracrystalline diffusion. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Controls on porphyroblast size along a regional metamorphic field gradient

Garnet-bearing schists from the Waterville Formation of south-central Maine provide an opportunity to examine the factors governing porphyroblast size over a range of metamorphic grade. Three-dimensional sizes and locations for all garnet porphyroblasts were determined for three samples along the metamorphic field gradient spanning lowest garnet through sillimanite grade, using high-resolution X-ray computed tomography. Comparison of crystal size distributions to previous data sets obtained by stereological methods for the same samples reveals significant differences in mode, mean, and shape of the distributions. Quantitative textural analysis shows that the garnets in each rock crystallized in a diffusion-controlled nucleation and growth regime. In contrast to the typical observation of a correlation between porphyroblast size and position along a metamorphic field gradient, porphyroblast size of the lowest-grade specimen is intermediate between the high- and middle-grade specimens’ sizes. Mean porphyroblast size does not correlate with peak temperatures from garnet-biotite Fe-Mg exchange thermometry, nor is post-crystallization annealing (Ostwald Ripening) required to produce the observed textures, as was previously proposed for these rocks. Robust pseudosection calculations fail to reproduce the observed garnet core compositions for two specimens, suggesting that these calc-pelites experienced metasomatism. For each of these two specimens, Monte Carlo calculations suggest potential pre-metasomatism bulk compositions that replicate garnet core compositions. Pseudosection analyses allow the estimation of the critical temperatures for garnet growth: ∼481, ∼477, and ∼485°C for the lowest-garnet-zone, middle-garnet-zone, and sillimanite-zone specimens, respectively. Porphyroblast size appears to be determined in this case by a combination of the heating rate during garnet crystallization, the critical temperature for the garnet-forming reaction and the kinetics of nucleation. Numerical simulations of thermally accelerated, diffusion-controlled nucleation, and growth for the three samples closely match measured crystal size distributions. These observations and simulations suggest that previous hypotheses linking the garnet size primarily to the temperature at the onset of porphyroblast nucleation can only partially explain the observed textures. Also important in determining porphyroblast size are the heating rate and the distribution of favorable nucleation sites.     

全球地球化学填图——历史发展与今后工作之建议

区域性与国家性的地球化学填图已取得进展,如何在可期待的未来以极低密度采样获得周期表内大多数元素在全球的分布,有赖于对填图理念的更新及采样介质、采样部署与采样方法研究的进展。英国Webb等发现在数平方千米至数十平方千米汇水盆地之河口采集水系沉积物样品,其分析结果可大致逼近其上游汇水盆地内土壤中元素之平均值。挪威及中国的研究工作表明在更大河流(其汇水盆地达数百、数千以至数万平方千米)的河口采样,这一规律依旧适用。看来,这种分形规律还可进一步延展至世界上一些汇水盆地达数十万至百万以上平方千米的主要入海河口,但这方面尚需作更多的研究。在这种新的填图理念指导下,提出了为实现全球地球化学填图的短期研究与试点计划和长期全面实现之规划。     

南海沉积岩芯的地球化学研究

本文对南海中部陆坡区和海盆区的5个岩芯中的 Si,Al,Fe,Mn,Ca,Mg 和 CaCO_3成分做了分析,并对其分布特征与有关影响因素进行了讨论。受沉积区环境差异的影响,元素的分布具有区域性特征;受海区特定地理位置的影响,元素的分布呈现出过渡性特征(浅海到大洋的过渡);受沉积过程中环境变化的影响,元素的分布展示了周期性变化或旋回性。根据岩芯中元素的分布特征,并参考有关古地磁,氧碳同位素和钙质超微化石的测试分析结果,将本区岩芯划分为14层地球化学层,并将本区划分为两个沉积地球化学区,揭示了早更新世以来本区沉积环境的变化和存在的两种沉积模式。     

珠江口和琼东南盆地天然气水合物形成和稳定分布的地球化学边界条件及其分布区

通过对南海北部陆缘珠江口和琼东南盆地气田的天然气形成水合物的地球化学计算模拟及地质地球化学条件分析，对珠江口和琼东南盆地天然气形成水合物的地球化学边界条件及分布区进行了研究。认识到南海北部陆缘琼东南和珠江口盆地内的断裂构造是天然气向海底渗漏的通道，为天然气水合物在海底的形成提供了物源；盆地内巨厚的第四纪富有机质沉积也为天然气水合物形成提供了充足的细菌成因生物气源。在海底温度2－16℃范围内，琼东南盆地气田10种天然气和珠江口盆地气田18种天然气形成水合物的压力有比较大的范围，随温度增高，天然气水合物形成的压力增高；盆地间和各天然气样品之间形成水合物的压力均是不一致的。在南海海水平均盐度3．4％条件下，结合海底温度与水深变化资料，珠江口和琼东南盆地天然气水合物形成和稳定分布的海区是不同的，珠江口盆地小于230m水深的海区没有天然气水合物的形成，在230－760m水深的海区可能有天然气水合物的存在，天然气水合物的稳定分布区应该在大于860m水深的深水区；在琼东南盆地水深小于320m的海区不可能有天然气水合物的形成，在320－650m水深的海区可能有天然气水合物的存在，大于650m水深的海区是天然气水合物的稳定分布区。