Exploring the Utilization of Low-Pressure, Piston-Cylinder Experiments to Determine the Bulk Compositions of Finite, Precious Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vander Kaaden, K. E.; McCubbin, F. M.; Harrington, A.

2017-12-01

Determining the bulk composition of precious materials with a finite mass (e.g., meteorite samples) is extremely important in the fields of Earth and Planetary Science. From meteorite studies we are able to place constraints on large scale planetary processes like global differentiation and subsequent volcanism, as well as smaller scale processes like crystallization in a magma chamber or sedimentary compaction at the surface. However, with meteorite samples in particular, far too often we are limited by how precious the sample is as well as its limited mass. In this study, we have utilized aliquots of samples previously studied for toxicological hazards [1] including both the fresh samples (lunar mare basalt NWA 4734, lunar regolith breccia NWA 7611, martian basalt Tissint, martian regolith breccia NWA 7034, a vestian basalt Berthoud, a vestian regolith breccia NWA 2060, and a terrestrial mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB)), and those that underwent iron leaching (Tissint, NWA 7034, NWA 4734, MORB). With these small masses of material, we performed low pressure ( 0.75 GPa), high temperature (>1600°C) melting experiments. Each sample was analyzed using a JEOL 8530F electron microprobe to determine the bulk composition of the materials that were previously examined in [1]. When available, the results of our microprobe data were compared with bulk rock compositions in the literature. The results of this study show that with this technique, only 50 mg of sample is required to accurately determine the bulk composition of the materials of interest. [1] Harrington, A.D., McCubbin, F.M., Kaur, J., Smirnov, A., Galdanes, K., Schoonen, M.A.A., Chen, L.C., Tsirka, S.E., and Gordon, T. (2017) Pulmonary inflammatory responses to acute meteroite dust exposures - Implications for human space exploration. 48th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, The Woodlands, TX, #2922.

Nanoparticulate mineral matter from basalt dust wastes.

PubMed

Dalmora, Adilson C; Ramos, Claudete G; Querol, Xavier; Kautzmann, Rubens M; Oliveira, Marcos L S; Taffarel, Silvio R; Moreno, Teresa; Silva, Luis F O

2016-02-01

Ultra-fine and nano-particles derived from basalt dust wastes (BDW) during "stonemeal" soil fertilizer application have been the subject of some concern recently around the world for their possible adverse effects on human health and environmental pollution. Samples of BDW utilized were obtained from companies in the mining district of Nova Prata in southern Brazil for chemical characterization and nano-mineralogy investigation, using an integrated application of advanced characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), High Resolution-Transmission Electron microscopy (HR-TEM)/(Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy) EDS/(selected-area diffraction pattern) SAED, Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM)/EDS and granulometric distribution analysis. The investigation has revealed that BDW materials are dominated by SiO2, Al2O3 and Fe2O3, with a complex micromineralogy including alkali feldspar, augite, barite, labradorite, hematite, heulandrite, gypsum, kaolinite, quartz, and smectite. In addition we have identified a number of trace metals such as Cd, Cu, Cr, Zn that are preferentially concentrated into the finer, inhalable, dust fraction and could so present a health hazard in the urban areas around the basalt mining zone. The implication of this observation is that use of these nanometric-sized particulates as soil fertilizer may present different health challenges to those of conventional fertilizers, inviting future work regarding the relative toxicities of these materials. Our investigation on the particle size distribution, nano-particle mineralogy and chemical composition in typical BDW samples highlights the need to develop cleaning procedures to minimise exposure to these natural fertilizing basalt dust wastes and is thus of direct relevance to both the industrial sector of basalt mining and to agriculture in the region. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identifying recycled ash in basaltic eruptions

PubMed Central

D'Oriano, Claudia; Bertagnini, Antonella; Cioni, Raffaello; Pompilio, Massimo

2014-01-01

Deposits of mid-intensity basaltic explosive eruptions are characterized by the coexistence of different types of juvenile clasts, which show a large variability of external properties and texture, reflecting alternatively the effects of primary processes related to magma storage or ascent, or of syn-eruptive modifications occurred during or immediately after their ejection. If fragments fall back within the crater area before being re-ejected during the ensuing activity, they are subject to thermally- and chemically-induced alterations. These ‘recycled' clasts can be considered as cognate lithic for the eruption/explosion they derive. Their exact identification has consequences for a correct interpretation of eruption dynamics, with important implications for hazard assessment. On ash erupted during selected basaltic eruptions (at Stromboli, Etna, Vesuvius, Gaua-Vanuatu), we have identified a set of characteristics that can be associated with the occurrence of intra-crater recycling processes, based also on the comparison with results of reheating experiments performed on primary juvenile material, at variable temperature and under different redox conditions. PMID:25069064

Erratum: Correction to: Emplacement controls for the basaltic-andesitic radial dikes of Summer Coon volcano and implications for flank vents at stratovolcanoes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harp, A. G.; Valentine, G. A.

2018-06-01

In the article "Emplacement controls for the basaltic-andesitic radial dikes of Summer Coon volcano and implications for flank vents at stratovolcanoes", the vertical axis for Fig. 8 a was incorrectly labeled (i.e., the value for dikes per km2).

Chemical characterization, nano-particle mineralogy and particle size distribution of basalt dust wastes.

PubMed

Dalmora, Adilson C; Ramos, Claudete G; Oliveira, Marcos L S; Teixeira, Elba C; Kautzmann, Rubens M; Taffarel, Silvio R; de Brum, Irineu A S; Silva, Luis F O

2016-01-01

Understanding the geochemistry of basalt alteration is central to the study of agriculture systems. Various nano-minerals play an important role in the mobilization of contaminants and their subsequent uptake by plants. We present a new analytical experimental approach in combination with an integrated analytical protocol designed to study basalt alteration processes. Recently, throughout the world, ultra-fine and nano-particles derived from basalt dust wastes (BDW) during "stonemeal" soil fertilizer application have been of great concern for their possible adverse effects on human health and environmental pollution. Samples of BDW utilized were obtained from companies in the Nova Prata mining district in southern Brazil for chemical characterization and nano-mineralogy investigation, using an integrated application of advanced characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), High Resolution-Transmission Electron microscopy (HR-TEM)/Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS)/(selected-area diffraction pattern) SAED, Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM/EDS), and granulometric distribution analysis. The investigation has revealed that BDW materials are dominated by SiO2, Al2O3, and Fe2O3, with a complex micromineralogy including alkali feldspar, augite, barite, labradorite, hematite, heulandrite, gypsum, kaolinite, quartz, and smectite. In addition, we have identified a number of trace metals such as Cd, Cu, Cr, and Zn, that are preferentially concentrated into the finer, inhalable, dust fraction and, thus, could present a health hazard in the urban areas around the basalt mining zone. The implication of this observation is that use of these nanometric-sized particulates as soil fertilizer may present different health challenges to those of conventional fertilizers, inviting future work regarding the relative toxicities of these materials. Our investigation on the particle size distribution, nano-particle mineralogy and chemical composition in typical BDW samples highlights the need to develop cleaning procedures to minimize exposure to these natural fertilizing basalt dust wastes and is, thus, of direct relevance to both the industrial sector of basalt mining and to agriculture in the region. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dissolution Rates of Allophane, FE-Containing Allophane, and Hisingerite and Implications for Gale Crater, Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ralston, S. J.; Hausrath, E. M.; Tschauner, O.; Rampe, E. B.; Christoffersen, R.

2018-01-01

Investigations with the CheMin Xray Diffractometer (XRD) onboard the Curiosity rover in Gale Crater demonstrate that all rock and soil samples measured to date contain approximately 15-70 weight percentage X-ray amorphous materials. The diffuse scattering hump from the X-ray amorphous materials in CheMin XRD patterns can be fit with a combination of allophane, ferrihydrite, and rhyolitic and basaltic glass. Because of the iron-rich nature of Mars' surface, Fe-rich poorly-crystalline phases, such as hisingerite, may be present in addition to allophane.

Rock types of South Pole-Aitken basin and extent of basaltic volcanism

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pieters, C.M.; Head, J. W.; Gaddis, L.; Jolliff, B.; Duke, M.

2001-01-01

The enormous pre-Nectarian South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin represents a geophysically and compositionally unique region on the Moon. We present and analyze the mineralogical diversity across this basin and discuss the implications for basin evolution. Rock types are derived from Clementine multispectral data based on diagnostic characteristics of ferrous absorptions in fresh materials. Individual areas are characterized as noritic (dominated by low-Ca pyroxene), gabbroic/basaltic (dominated by high-Ca pyroxene), feldspathic (<3-6% FeO), and olivine-gabbro (dominated by high-Ca pyroxene and olivine). The anorthositic crust has effectively been removed from the interior of the basin. The style of volcanism within the basin extends over several 100 Myr and includes mare basalt and pyroclastic deposits. Several areas of ancient (pre-Orientale) volcanism, or cryptomaria, have also been identified. The nonmare mafic lithology that occurs across the basin is shown to be noritic in composition and is pervasive laterally and vertically. We interpret this to represent impact melt/breccia deposits derived from the lower crust. A few localized areas are identified within the basin that contain more diverse lithologies (gabbro, olivine-gabbro), some of which may represent material from the deepest part of the lower crust and perhaps uppermost mantle involved in the SPA event. Copyright 2001 by the American Geophysical Union.

Notes on lunar ilmenite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hutson, M. L.

1989-01-01

Opaques (mostly ilmenite) make up 0 to 5 percent of highland rocks, 1 to 11 percent of low-Ti mare basalts, and 10 to 34 percent of high-Ti mare basalts (Carter 1988). Apollos 11 and 17 sampled high-Ti basalts. Apollos 12 and 14 sampled low-Ti basalts. Apollo 15 sampled a complex mixture of mare and highland material. Apollo 16 sampled mainly highland material (Taylor 1975).

Thermal and mass implications of magmatic evolution in the Lassen volcanic region, California, and minimum constraints on basalt influx to the lower crust

USGS Publications Warehouse

Guffanti, M.; Clynne, M.A.; Muffler, L.J.P.

1996-01-01

We have analyzed the heat and mass demands of a petrologic model of basaltdriven magmatic evolution in which variously fractionated mafic magmas mix with silicic partial melts of the lower crust. We have formulated steady state heat budgets for two volcanically distinct areas in the Lassen region: the large, late Quaternary, intermediate to silicic Lassen volcanic center and the nearby, coeval, less evolved Caribou volcanic field. At Caribou volcanic field, heat provided by cooling and fractional crystallization of 52 km3 of basalt is more than sufficient to produce 10 km3 of rhyolitic melt by partial melting of lower crust. Net heat added by basalt intrusion at Caribou volcanic field is equivalent to an increase in lower crustal heat flow of ???7 mW m-2, indicating that the field is not a major crustal thermal anomaly. Addition of cumulates from fractionation is offset by removal of erupted partial melts. A minimum basalt influx of 0.3 km3 (km2 Ma)-1 is needed to supply Caribou volcanic field. Our methodology does not fully account for an influx of basalt that remains in the crust as derivative intrusives. On the basis of comparison to deep heat flow, the input of basalt could be ???3 to 7 times the amount we calculate. At Lassen volcanic center, at least 203 km3 of mantle-derived basalt is needed to produce 141 km3 of partial melt and drive the volcanic system. Partial melting mobilizes lower crustal material, augmenting the magmatic volume available for eruption at Lassen volcanic center; thus the erupted volume of 215 km3 exceeds the calculated basalt input of 203 km3. The minimum basalt input of 1.6 km3 (km2 Ma)-1 is >5 times the minimum influx to the Caribou volcanic field. Basalt influx high enough to sustain considerable partial melting, coupled with locally high extension rate, is a crucial factor in development of Lassen volcanic center; in contrast. Caribou volcanic field has failed to develop into a large silicic center primarily because basalt supply there has been insufficient.

Simultaneous generation of Superpiles and Superplumes in the lower mantle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ballmer, M. D.; Lekic, V.; Ito, G.

2014-12-01

Seismic tomography reveals two antipodal large low shear-wave velocity provinces (LLSVP) at the base of the mantle, rising up to ~1900 km above the core-mantle boundary (CMB). A compositional distinction between the LLSVPs and the ambient mantle is supported by anti-correlation of bulk-sound and shear-wave velocity (Vs) anomalies as well as steep lateral gradients in Vs along the edges of the LLSVPs. These seismic observations however are mainly restricted to the bottom ~600 km of the mantle. Mineral-physics constraints on elastic properties of high-pressure rocks suggest that the seismic signature of these deep distinct domains (DDD) is unlikely to be caused by the presence of subducted basalt, but rather by that of primitive mantle. They further suggest that the LLSVP's top domains (that reach from heights of ~600 km to 1900 km above the CMB) are either composed of hot basaltic or warm average-mantle material. From a geodynamical point of view, however, the former explanation appears to be more consistent with the top domain's large widths. Here, we present a series of 2D numerical models of mantle convection with three distinct materials (representative of pyrolite, primitive and basaltic material), exploring the effects of their distinct densities and compressibilities. We find (1) that the dense primitive materials accumulate as Superpiles at the CMB, similar to the DDDs, and (2) that the moderately dense basaltic materials evolve into Superplumes sitting on top of the Superpiles, similar to the top LLSVP domains. We here refer to Superplumes as thermochemical domes that are buoyant at depth but negatively buoyant in the mid-mantle (due to excess heat and relatively low compressibility), where they stagnate. Small plumelets intermittently rise from the roofs of the Superplumes to entrain basalt that has evolved in the lower mantle and form hotspots at the surface. This prediction addresses the geochemical and geochronological record of intraplate Pacific volcanism. The predicted sub-horizontal compositional boundary between the basal Superpiles and the overlying Superplumes further provides an explanation for steep vertical gradients in Vs observed at 400-700 km height above the CMB. Such a LLSVP subdivision holds implications for the early and ongoing differentiation and thermal evolution of our planet.

Geochemical constraints on the spatial distribution of recycled oceanic crust in the mantle source of late Cenozoic basalts, Vietnam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoang, Thi Hong Anh; Choi, Sung Hi; Yu, Yongjae; Pham, Trung Hieu; Nguyen, Kim Hoang; Ryu, Jong-Sik

2018-01-01

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the major and trace element, mineral, and Sr, Nd, Pb and Mg isotopic compositions of late Cenozoic intraplate basaltic rocks from central and southern Vietnam. The Sr, Nd, and Pb isotopic compositions of these basalts define a tight linear array between Indian mid-ocean-ridge basalt (MORB)-like mantle and enriched mantle type 2 (EM2) components. These basaltic rocks contain low concentrations of CaO (6.4-9.7 wt%) and have high Fe/Mn ratios (> 60) and FeO/CaO-3MgO/SiO2 values (> 0.54), similar to partial melts derived from pyroxenite/eclogite sources. This similarity is also supported by the composition of olivine within these samples, which contains low concentration of Ca and high concentrations of Ni, and shows high Fe/Mn ratios. The basaltic rocks have elevated Dy/Yb ratios that fall within the range of melts derived from garnet lherzolite material, although their Yb contents are much higher than those of modeled melts derived from only garnet lherzolite material and instead plot near the modeled composition of eclogite-derived melts. The Vietnamese basaltic rocks have lighter δ26Mg values (- 0.38 ± 0.06‰) than is expected for the normal mantle (- 0.25 ± 0.07‰), and these values decrease with decreasing Hf/Hf* and Ti/Ti* ratios, indicating that these basalts were derived from a source containing carbonate material. On primitive mantle-normalized multi-element variation diagrams, the central Vietnamese basalts are characterized by positive Sr, Eu, and Ba anomalies. These basalts also plot within the pelagic sediment field in Pbsbnd Pb isotopic space. This suggests that the mantle source of the basalts contained both garnet peridotite and recycled oceanic crust. A systematic analysis of variations in geochemical composition in basalts from southern to central Vietnam indicates that the recycled oceanic crust (possibly the paleo-Pacific slab) source material contains varying proportions of gabbro, basalt, and sediment. The basalts from south-central Vietnam (12°N-14°N) may be dominated by the lowest portion of the residual slab that contains rutile-bearing plagioclase-rich gabbroic eclogite, whereas the uppermost portion of the recycled slab, including sediment and basaltic material with small amounts of gabbro, may be a major constituent of the source for the basalts within the central region of Vietnam (14°N-16°N). Finally, the southern region (10°N-12°N) contains basalts sourced mainly from recycled upper oceanic crust that is basalt-rich and contains little or no sediment.

New 40Ar/ 39Ar dating of the Grande Ronde lavas, Columbia River Basalts, USA: Implications for duration of flood basalt eruption episodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barry, T. L.; Self, S.; Kelley, S. P.; Reidel, S.; Hooper, P.; Widdowson, M.

2010-08-01

Grande Ronde Basalt (GRB) lavas represent the most voluminous eruptive pulse of the Columbia River-Snake River-Yellowstone hotspot volcanism. With an estimated eruptive volume of 150,000 km 3, GRB lavas form at least 66% of the total volume of the Columbia River Basalt Group. New 40Ar/ 39Ar dates for GRB lavas reveal they were emplaced within a maximum period of 0.42 ± 0.18 My. A well-documented stratigraphy indicates at least 110 GRB flow fields (or individual eruptions), and on this basis suggests an average inter-eruption hiatus of less than 4000 years. Isotopic age-dating cannot resolve time gaps between GRB eruptions, and it is difficult to otherwise form a picture of the durations of eruptions because of non-uniform weathering in the top of flow fields and a general paucity of sediments between GR lavas. Where sediment has formed on top of GRB lavas, it varies in thickness from zero to 20-30 cm of silty to fine-sandy material, with occasional diatomaceous sediment. Individual GRB eruptions varied considerably in volume but many were greater than 1000 km 3 in size. Most probably eruptive events were not equally spaced in time; some eruptions may have followed short periods of volcanic repose (perhaps 10 2 to 10 3 of years), whilst others could have been considerably longer (many 1000 s to > 10 4 years). Recent improvements in age-dating for other continental flood basalt (CFB) lava sequences have yielded estimates of total eruptive durations of less than 1 My for high-volume pulses of lava production. The GRB appears to be a similar example, where the main pulse occupied a brief period. Even allowing for moderate to long-duration pahoehoe flow field production, the amount of time the system spends in active lava-producing mode is small — less than c. 2.6% (based on eruption durations of approximately 10,000 years, compared to the duration of the entire eruptive pulse of c. 420,000 years). A review of available 40Ar/ 39Ar data for the major voluminous phases of the Columbia River Basalt Group suggests that activity of the Steens Basalt-Imnaha Basalt-GRB may have, at times, been simultaneous, with obvious implications for climatic effects. Resolving intervals between successive eruptions during CFB province construction, and durations of main eruptive pulses, remains vital to determining the environmental impact of these huge eruptions.

Searching for neuKREEP: An EMP study of Apollo 11 Group A basalts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jerde, Eric A.; Taylor, Lawrence A.

1993-01-01

The Apollo 11 and 17 landing sites are characterized by the presence of high-Ti basalts (TiO2 greater than 6 percent). The Group A basalts of Apollo 11 have elevated K compositions (greater than 2000 ppm); and are enriched in incompatible trace elements relative to the other types of high-Ti basalt found in the region. These unique basalts also are the youngest of all high-Ti basalts, with an age of 3.56 +/- 0.02 Ga. Recent modelling of the Apollo 11 Group A basalts by Jerde et al. has demonstrated that this unique variety of high-Ti basalt may have formed through fractionation of a liquid with the composition of the Apollo 11 orange glass, coupled with assimilation of evolved material (dubbed neuKREEP and having similarities to lunar quartz monzodiorite). Assimilation of this material would impart its REE signature on the liquid, resulting in the elevated REE abundances observed. Minerals such as whitlockite which contain a large portion of the REE budget can be expected to reflect the REE characteristics of the assimilant. To this end, an examination of the whitlockite present in the Apollo 11 Group A basalts was undertaken to search for evidence of the neuKREEP material assimilated.

Whole rock major element chemistry of KREEP basalt clasts in lunar breccia 15205: Implications for the petrogenesis of volcanic KREEP basalts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vetter, Scott K.; Shervais, John W.

1993-01-01

KREEP basalts are a major component of soils and regolith at the Apollo 15 site. Their origin is controversial: both endogenous (volcanic) and exogenous (impact melt) processes have been proposed, but it is now generally agreed that KREEP basalts are volcanic rocks derived from the nearby Apennine Bench formation. Because most pristine KREEP basalts are found only as small clasts in polymict lunar breccias, reliable chemical data are scarce. The primary aim of this study is to characterize the range in chemical composition of pristine KREEP basalt, and to use these data to decipher the petrogenesis of these unique volcanic rocks.

The chlorine isotope composition of the moon and implications for an anhydrous mantle.

PubMed

Sharp, Z D; Shearer, C K; McKeegan, K D; Barnes, J D; Wang, Y Q

2010-08-27

Arguably, the most striking geochemical distinction between Earth and the Moon has been the virtual lack of water (hydrogen) in the latter. This conclusion was recently challenged on the basis of geochemical data from lunar materials that suggest that the Moon's water content might be far higher than previously believed. We measured the chlorine isotope composition of Apollo basalts and glasses and found that the range of isotopic values [from -1 to +24 per mil (per thousand) versus standard mean ocean chloride] is 25 times the range for Earth. The huge isotopic spread is explained by volatilization of metal halides during basalt eruption--a process that could only occur if the Moon had hydrogen concentrations lower than those of Earth by a factor of approximately 10(4) to 10(5), implying that the lunar interior is essentially anhydrous.

Measurements of the Coefficient of Restitution of Quartz Sand on Basalt: Implications for Abrasion Rates on Earth and Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Banks, M.; Bridges, N. T.; Benzit, M.

2005-01-01

Knowledge of the rates at which rocks abrade from the impact of saltating sand provides important input into estimating the age and degree of modification of arid surfaces on Earth and Mars. Previous work has relied on measuring mass loss rates in the field and the laboratory. The susceptibility of rocks and other natural materials has been quantified on a relative scale from laboratory studies.

Bimodal TiO2 Contents of Mare Basalts at Apollo and Luna Sites and Implications for TiO2 Derived from Clementine Spectral Reflectance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gillis, J. J.; Jolliff, B. L.

2001-01-01

A revised algorithm to estimate Ti contents of mare regions centered on Apollo and Luna sites shows a bimodal distribution, consistent with mare-basalt sample data. A global TiO2 map shows abundant intermediate TiO2 basalts in western Procellarum. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Potential for microbial oxidation of ferrous iron in basaltic glass.

PubMed

Xiong, Mai Yia; Shelobolina, Evgenya S; Roden, Eric E

2015-05-01

Basaltic glass (BG) is an amorphous ferrous iron [Fe(II)]-containing material present in basaltic rocks, which are abundant on rocky planets such as Earth and Mars. Previous research has suggested that Fe(II) in BG can serve as an energy source for chemolithotrophic microbial metabolism, which has important ramifications for potential past and present microbial life on Mars. However, to date there has been no direct demonstration of microbially catalyzed oxidation of Fe(II) in BG. In this study, three different culture systems were used to investigate the potential for microbial oxidation of Fe(II) in BG, including (1) the chemolithoautotrophic Fe(II)-oxidizing, nitrate-reducing "Straub culture"; (2) the mixotrophic Fe(II)-oxidizing, nitrate-reducing organism Desulfitobacterium frappieri strain G2; and (3) indigenous microorganisms from a streambed Fe seep in Wisconsin. The BG employed consisted of clay and silt-sized particles of freshly quenched lava from the TEB flow in Kilauea, Hawaii. Soluble Fe(II) or chemically reduced NAu-2 smectite (RS) were employed as positive controls to verify Fe(II) oxidation activity in the culture systems. All three systems demonstrated oxidation of soluble Fe(II) and/or structural Fe(II) in RS, whereas no oxidation of Fe(II) in BG material was observed. The inability of the Straub culture to oxidize Fe(II) in BG was particularly surprising, as this culture can oxidize other insoluble Fe(II)-bearing minerals such as biotite, magnetite, and siderite. Although the reason for the resistance of the BG toward enzymatic oxidation remains unknown, it seems possible that the absence of distinct crystal faces or edge sites in the amorphous glass renders the material resistant to such attack. These findings have implications with regard to the idea that Fe(II)-Si-rich phases in basalt rocks could provide a basis for chemolithotrophic microbial life on Mars, specifically in neutral-pH environments where acid-promoted mineral dissolution and utilization of dissolved Fe(II) as an energy source is not likely to take place.

Different mechanisms for acid weathering of crystalline basalt vs. basaltic glass and implications for detection on Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horgan, B. H. N.; Smith, R.; Christensen, P. R.; Cloutis, E.

2016-12-01

Silica-rich acid leached rinds and coatings occur in volcanic environments on Earth and have been identified using orbital spectroscopy on Mars, but their development is poorly understood. We simulated long-term open-system acid weathering in a laboratory by repeatedly submerging and rinsing crystalline and glassy basalts in pH 1 and 3 acidic solutions for 220 days. Visible/near-infrared (VNIR; 0.3-2.5 μm) and thermal-infrared (TIR; 5-50 μm) spectra of the samples were compared to their microscopic properties from scanning electron microscopy (SEM). While previous studies have shown that exposure to moderately low pH ( 3) solutions can produce mineral precipitates, we find that there is very little spectral or microphysical effect on the underlying parent material. In contrast, materials exposed to very low pH ( 1) solutions were visibly altered in SEM images, and contained regions enriched in amorphous silica. These samples exhibited clear silica VNIR and TIR spectral signatures that increased in intensity with their glass content. In addition, glass exposed to low pH solutions often exhibited blue and concave up VNIR slopes. SEM indicates that these spectral differences correspond to different modes of alteration. In glass, low pH alteration occurs only at the surface and produces a silica-enriched rind. In more crystalline samples, alteration penetrates the interior to cause dissolution and replacement by silica. Thus, along with the pH of the aqueous environment, the crystallinity of a rock can greatly affect the way and the degree to which it is weathered. Because alteration is restricted to the surface of glassy materials, bulk glass is more stable than crystalline basalt under long-term acidic leaching. Leached glasses are consistent with OMEGA and TES spectra of the martian northern lowlands, and may contribute to the high-silica phases detected globally in TES Surface Type 2. Thus, both glass-rich deposits and acidic weathering may have been widespread on Mars.

Curiosity at Gale crater, Mars: characterization and analysis of the Rocknest sand shadow.

PubMed

Blake, D F; Morris, R V; Kocurek, G; Morrison, S M; Downs, R T; Bish, D; Ming, D W; Edgett, K S; Rubin, D; Goetz, W; Madsen, M B; Sullivan, R; Gellert, R; Campbell, I; Treiman, A H; McLennan, S M; Yen, A S; Grotzinger, J; Vaniman, D T; Chipera, S J; Achilles, C N; Rampe, E B; Sumner, D; Meslin, P-Y; Maurice, S; Forni, O; Gasnault, O; Fisk, M; Schmidt, M; Mahaffy, P; Leshin, L A; Glavin, D; Steele, A; Freissinet, C; Navarro-González, R; Yingst, R A; Kah, L C; Bridges, N; Lewis, K W; Bristow, T F; Farmer, J D; Crisp, J A; Stolper, E M; Des Marais, D J; Sarrazin, P

2013-09-27

The Rocknest aeolian deposit is similar to aeolian features analyzed by the Mars Exploration Rovers (MERs) Spirit and Opportunity. The fraction of sand <150 micrometers in size contains ~55% crystalline material consistent with a basaltic heritage and ~45% x-ray amorphous material. The amorphous component of Rocknest is iron-rich and silicon-poor and is the host of the volatiles (water, oxygen, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and chlorine) detected by the Sample Analysis at Mars instrument and of the fine-grained nanophase oxide component first described from basaltic soils analyzed by MERs. The similarity between soils and aeolian materials analyzed at Gusev Crater, Meridiani Planum, and Gale Crater implies locally sourced, globally similar basaltic materials or globally and regionally sourced basaltic components deposited locally at all three locations.

The Abundance and Isotopic Signature of Chlorine in UrKREEP: Implications for the Early Degassing of the Moon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boyce, J. W.; Kanee, S.; McCubbin, F. M.; Barnes, J. J.; Bricker, H.; Treiman. A. H.

2017-01-01

Initally, the elevated delta-37 Cl values of lunar materials were attributed to volcanic degassing[1]. However, chlorine isotope ratios of apatite in lunarmare basalts appear to reflect mixing between two reservoirs.One component, with elevated delta-37 Cl is greater than or equal to + (25%) ([2] may represent the urKREEP--the final product of the crystallization of the lunar magma ocean. The second component, with delta-37 Cl is approximately (0%), is inferred to represent either a mare basalt reservoir or meteoritic materials. The idea that high delta-37 Cl is related to urKREEP suggest a global enrichment that occurred earlier in the lunar history [2,3]. Here we test this urKREEP-mixing hypothesis more rigorously, and report the observed limits of the model. We then use the results to calculate the Cl content of the urKREEP component and use those results to update estimates of the bulk Cl content of the Moon. This allows us to speculate on the mechanisms of loss of Cl from the lunar magma ocean.

Processing and Characterization of Basalt Fiber Reinforced Ceramic Composites for High Temperature Applications Using Polymer Precursors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cox, Sarah B.; Lui, Donovan; Gou, Jihua

2014-01-01

The development of high temperature structural composite materials has been very limited due to the high cost of the materials and the processing needed. Polymer Derived Ceramics (PDCs) begin as a polymer matrix, which allows a shape to be formed prior to the cure, and is then pyrolized in order to obtain a ceramic with the associated thermal and mechanical properties. The two PDCs used in this development are polysiloxane and polycarbosilane. Basalt fibers are used for the reinforcement in the composite system. The use of basalt in structural and high temperature applications has been under development for over 50 years, yet there has been little published research on the incorporation of basalt fibers as a reinforcement in composites. Continuous basalt fiber reinforced PDCs have been fabricated and tested for the applicability of this composite system as a high temperature structural composite material.

Low Temperature Reaction Experiments Between Basalt, Seawater and CO2, and Implications for Carbon Dioxide Sequestration in Deep-Sea Basalts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marieni, C.; Teagle, D. A. H.; Matter, J. M.

2015-12-01

Reactions between divalent cation-rich silicate minerals and CO2-bearing fluids to form (Ca, Mg, Fe) carbonate minerals could facilitate the safe and permanent storage of anthropogenic carbon dioxide. Deep-sea basalt formations provide large storage reservoir capacities and huge potential sources of Ca2+, Mg2+ and Fe2+. However, better knowledge of silicate mineral reaction rates with carbonate-bearing fluids is required to understand the overall carbon storage potential of these reservoirs. This study investigates key reactions associated with progressive seawater-rock interaction using far-from equilibrium dissolution experiments. The experiments were carried out at 40 ˚C and at constant CO2 partial pressure of 1 atm. Mid-ocean ridge basalts from the Juan de Fuca and Mid-Atlantic Ridges and a gabbro from the Troodos ophiolite were reacted with 500 mL of CO2-charged seawater using thick-walled fluorinated polypropylene bottles combined with rubber stoppers. The starting material was crushed, sieved and thoroughly cleaned to remove fine particles (< 63 μm) to ensure a particle grain size between 63 and 125 μm for all the samples. The seawater chemistry and the pH were monitored throughout the experiments by daily analysis of 1 mL of fluid. The pH increased rapidly from 4.8 to 5.0 before stabilizing at 5.1 after 10 days of reaction time. The analysis of anions (S, Cl) highlighted a substantial evaporation (up to 15 %) during the experiments, requiring a correction factor for the measured dissolved ion concentrations. Evaporation corrected silicon (Si) and calcium (Ca) concentrations in the seawater increased by 5900 % and 14 %, resulting in total dissolved Si and Ca from basalt of 0.3 % and 2.4 %, respectively. The results are comparable with literature data for fresh water experiments conducted on basaltic glass at higher temperature or pressure, illustrating the considerable potential of the mineral sequestration of CO2 in submarine basalts.

Differentiation and volcanism in the lunar highlands: photogeologic evidence and Apollo 16 implications

USGS Publications Warehouse

Trask, N.J.; McCauley, J.F.

1972-01-01

Materials of possible volcanic origin in the lunar highlands include (1) highland plains materials, (2) materials forming closely spaced hills in which summit furrows and chains of craters are common and (3) materials forming closely spaced hills (some of which parallel the lunar grid) on which summit furrows and chain craters are rare. The highland plains materials probably are basaltic lavas with less Fe and Ti than the mare plains materials. The two hilly units appear to consist of materials that, if volcanic, were more viscous in the molten state than any of the lunar plains units; thus these materials may be significantly enriched in felsic components. Most of the highland materials of possible volcanic origin formed after the Imbrium multi-ring basin but before mare material completed flooding parts of the moon; they therefore postdate accretion of the moon and may represent several episodes of premare volcanism. ?? 1972.

In-situ resource utilization in the design of advanced lunar facilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

Resource utilization will play an important role in the establishment and support of a permanently manned lunar base. At the University of Houston - College of Architecture and the Sasakawa International Center for Space Architecture, a study team recently investigated the potential use of lunar in-situ materials in the design of lunar facilities. The team identified seven potential lunar construction materials; concrete, sulfur concrete, cast basalt, sintered basalt, glass, fiberglass, and metals. Analysis and evaluation of these materials with respect to their physical properties, processes, energy requirements, resource efficiency, and overall advantages and disadvantages lead to the selection of basalt materials as the more likely construction material for initial use on a lunar base. Basalt materials can be formed out of in-situ lunar regolith, with minor material beneficiation, by a simple process of heating and controlled cooling. The team then conceptualized a construction system that combines lunar regolith sintering and casting to make pressurized structures out of lunar resources. The design uses a machine that simultaneously excavates and sinters the lunar regolith to create a cylindrical hole, which is then enclosed with cast basalt slabs, allowing the volume to be pressurized for use as a living or work environment. Cylinder depths of up to 4 to 6 m in the lunar mare or 10 to 12 m in the lunar highlands are possible. Advantages of this construction system include maximum resource utilization, relatively large habitable volumes, interior flexibility, and minimal construction equipment needs. Conclusions of this study indicate that there is significant potential for the use of basalt, a lunar resource derived construction material, as a low cost alternative to Earth-based materials. It remains to be determined when in lunar base phasing this construction method should be implemented.

Corrosion and tribological properties of basalt fiber reinforced composite materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ha, Jin Cheol; Kim, Yun-Hae; Lee, Myeong-Hoon; Moon, Kyung-Man; Park, Se-Ho

2015-03-01

This experiment has examined the corrosion and tribological properties of basalt fiber reinforced composite materials. There were slight changes of weight after the occurring of corrosion based on time and H2SO4 concentration, but in general, the weight increased. It is assumed that this happens due to the basalt fiber precipitate. Prior to the corrosion, friction-wear behavior showed irregular patterns compared to metallic materials, and when it was compared with the behavior after the corrosion, the coefficient of friction was 2 to 3 times greater. The coefficient of friction of all test specimen ranged from 0.1 to 0.2. Such a result has proven that the basalt fiber, similar to the resin rubber, shows regular patterns regardless of time and H2SO4 concentration because of the space made between resins and reinforced materials.

Curiosity at Gale Crater, Mars: Characterization and Analysis of the Rocknest Sand Shadow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blake, David F.; Morris, Richard V.; Kocurek, G.; Morrison, S. M.; Downs, R. T.; Bish, D.; Ming, D. W.; Edgett, K. S.; Rubin, D.; Goetz, W.;

Lunar breccias, petrology, and earth planetary structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ridley, W. I.

1978-01-01

Topics covered include: (1) petrologic studies of poikiloblastic textured rocks; (2) petrology of aluminous mare basalts in breccia 14063; (3) petrology of Apollo 15 breccia 15459; (4) high-alumina mare basalts; (5) some petrological aspects of imbrium stratigraphy; (6) petrology of lunar rocks and implication to lunar evolution; (7) the crystallization trends of spinels in Tertiary basalts from Rhum and Muck and their petrogenetic significance; (8) the geology and evolution of the Cayman Trench; (9) The petrochemistry of igneous rocks from the Cayman Trench and the Captains Bay Pluton, Unalaska Island and their relation to tectonic processes at plate margins; and (10) the oxide and silicate mineral chemistry of a Kimberlite from the Premier Mine with implications for the evolution of kimberlitic magma.

Synthesis of a spinifex-textured basalt as an analog to Gusev crater basalts, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bost, Nicolas; Westall, Frances; Gaillard, Fabrice; Ramboz, Claire; Foucher, Frédéric

2012-05-01

Analyses by the Mars Exploration Rover (MER), Spirit, of Martian basalts from Gusev crater show that they are chemically very different from terrestrial basalts, being characterized in particular by high Mg- and Fe-contents. To provide suitable analog basalts for the International Space Analogue Rockstore (ISAR), a collection of analog rocks and minerals for preparing in situ space missions, especially, the upcoming Mars mission MSL-2011 and the future international Mars-2018 mission, it is necessary to synthesize Martian basalts. The aim of this study was therefore to synthesize Martian basalt analogs to the Gusev crater basalts, based on the geochemical data from the MER rover Spirit. We present the results of two experiments, one producing a quench-cooled basalt (<1 h) and one producing a more slowly cooled basalt (1 day). Pyroxene and olivine textures produced in the more slowly cooled basalt were surprisingly similar to spinifex textures in komatiites, a volcanic rock type very common on the early Earth. These kinds of ultramafic rocks and their associated alteration products may have important astrobiological implications when associated with aqueous environments. Such rocks could provide habitats for chemolithotrophic microorganisms, while the glass and phyllosilicate derivatives can fix organic compounds.

Crystallization behaviors and seal application of basalt based glass-ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ateş, A.; Önen, U.; Ercenk, E.; Yılmaz, Ş.

2017-02-01

Basalt based glass-ceramics were prepared by conventional melt-quenching technique and subsequently converted to glass-ceramics by a controlled nucleation and crystallization process. Glass materials were obtained by melt at 1500°C and quenched in cold water. The powder materials were made by milling and spin coating. The powders were applied on the 430 stainless steel interconnector material, and heat treatment was carried out. The interface characteristics between the glass-ceramic layer and interconnector were investigated by using X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that the basalt base glass-ceramic sealant material exhibited promising properties to use for SOFC.

The geology of Parrett Mountain, Oregon, and its implications on groundwater

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brodersen, B.; Beeson, M.

1993-04-01

Parrett Mountain is a shallow SE dipping cuesta composed of Columbia River basalt that unconformably overlies Oligocene and Miocene marine sediments. The basalt has a maximum thickness of 880 feet and is composed of the Ginkgo flow of the Frenchmen Springs member of the Wanapum Basalt and the Sentinel Bluffs, Winter Water, and Wapshilla Ridge members of the Grande Ronde Basalt. The Umtanum, Ortely, and Grouse Creek members of the Grande Ronde basalt are believed to occur within the study boundaries, but, to date have not been recognized. Identification of the basalt units is based on their physical and lithologicmore » characteristics. The local basalt groundwater system is a number of highly localized perched aquifers occurring in the Sentinel Bluffs and Winter Water basalts, along with one aquifer occurring in the Wapshilla Ridge basalt. Specific yields from the groundwater basalt aquifers range from less than half a gallon to over 50 gallons per minute. Declines in the static water levels for several small areas on the NE side of Parrett Mountain have been observed in recent years. These declines are believed to be a result of (1) commingling of water due to improperly drilled water wells, (2) the influence of the basalt stratigraphy and (3) limited recharge.« less

The Mineralogy of the Youngest Lunar Basalts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staid, M. I.; Pieters, C. M.

1999-01-01

The last stage of lunar volcanism produced spectrally distinct basalts on the western nearside of the Moon, which remain unsampled by landing missions. The spectral properties of these late-stage basalts are examined using high-spatial-resolution Clementine images to constrain their mineralogic composition. The young high-Ti basalts in the western Procellarum and Imbrium Basins display a significantly stronger ferrous absorption than earlier mare basalts, suggesting that they may be the most Fe-rich deposits on the Moon. The distinct long-wavelength shape of this ferrous absorption is found to be similar for surface soils and materials excavated from depth. The pervasive character of this absorption feature supports the interpretation of abundant olivine within these late-stage lunar deposits. Important distinctions exist between the early-stage eastern maria and the late-stage western basalts, even though both appear to be Ti-rich. For example, the western maria are more radiogenic than eastern deposits. Telescopic spectra of the high-Ti western maria also exhibit a unique combination of a strong 1 micron feature and a relatively weak or attenuated 2-micron absorption. Pieters et al. concluded that the unusual strength and shape of the 1-micron absorption in western basalts results from an additional absorption from abundant olivine and/or Fe-bearing glass. Either mineralogy could produce the strong long wavelength 1-micron band, but a glassy Fe-rich surface could only form by rapid cooling along the exterior surfaces of flows. Clementine UV-VIS data of late-stage basalts are examined for regions in Oceanus Procellarum and Mare Imbrium. The spectral properties of western regions are compared to the sampled Apollo 11 basalts in Mare Tranquillitatis, which contain similar albedos and UV-VIS spectral properties. For reference, the western basalts are also compared to the low-Ti and Fe-rich basalts in Mare Serenitatis (mISP). Serenitatis basalts have the strongest mafic absorption of any eastern nearside maria in Clementine imagery. Unlike previous Earth-based and Galileo imagery, Clementine data resolve the spectral properties of immature crater deposits small enough to sample individual volcanic flows. A strategy has been developed to reevaluate lunar basalt types using Clementine imagery of such fresh mare craters and their associated soils. To allow direct comparisons between regions, scatter plots of useful spectral parameters were constructed by sampling a fixed number of evenly spaced pixels from each mare region. Scatter plots comparing the mare study areas are shown. Since mature soils dominate the surfaces exposed, the density distribution of each data cloud has been presented after a root stretch to enhance the visibility of the less-abundant immature materials. Five-color spectra were also collected for all fresh craters within each mare region and grouped according to size. The UV-VIS ratio has been used extensively to estimate Ti in mature soils and plots of this parameter against 0.75-micron reflectance are included for each mare region. The UV-VIS ratio coupled with the 0.75-micron parameter has been applied more recently to estimate Ti content across many lunar materials. High-Ti basalts plot in the upper left portion because of their low-albedo and high-UV-VIS ratio values. Clementine UV-VIS ratio values for the Procellarum HDSA unit are similar to, but slightly lower than, HDWA Apollo 11 basalts. These values are consistent with previous evaluations of the western high Ti basalts using telescopic and Apollo gamma-ray data, which suggest only a minor difference in TiO, contents between these mare deposits. The Imbrium hDSA and Serenitatis mISP basalts are seen to be progressively less dark and blue, consistent with the previously noted decreasing amount of weight percent TiO2. The scatter plot captures the micron absorption strength and albedo of large areas for each study region over a range of optical maturities. This scatter plot allows trends related to maturity to be evaluated. Materials whose soil surfaces have not achieved optical maturity are slightly brighter and display a stronger ferrous band. For each basalt type, the result is a roughly parallel range of values for these spectral parameters forming a distinct "weathering cloud" of data. The western HDSA and hDSA basalts, show a much stronger mafic ratio than the Tranquillitatis basalts for both mature soils and immature crater materials. Despite a higher abundance of opaques (which should subdue absorption features) the western HDSA and hDSA mare units also exhibit a stronger mafic ratio than the Fe-rich Serenitatis basalts. These combined properties indicate an exceptionally high abundance of mafic minerals and suggest that the Eratosthenian deposits within Procellarum may be the most Fe-rich basalts extruded on the surface of the Moon. It is difficult to estimate the FeO content of these young basalts since returned samples demonstrate that all lunar soils contain a fraction of foreign materials and mare soils have a lower weight percent FeO than their associated basalts. We are in the process of considering such sample information and mixing issues in order to estimate the actual FeO abundances of the mafic-rich western basalts. Regions that represent the most immature materials within each mare area were selected by identifying pixels that correspond to the lower-right limit of each mare unit's 1 micron vs. 0.75 micron scatter plot cloud. These spectra, shown, allow comparisons of the strong ferrous absorption for the most crystalline materials within each basalt type. The shape of the 1 micron feature is much flatter and centered at a longer wavelength in the spectra of the western Procellarum basalts compared to the eastern Serenitatis and Tranquillitatis basalts. Additional information contained in original.

Evolution of the Craters of the Moon Lavas from primitive Snake River Plain basalts: inferences from plagioclase-melt thermobarometers and whole rock compositions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaid, N.; Putirka, K.; Kuntz, M.

2005-12-01

The volcanic rocks of the Craters of the Mon Lava field provide an ideal laboratory for testing models of magma transport and evolution. Their compositions, relative ages and volumes are well known, as are the fractionation processes leading to their evolution (Leeman, 1976). The COM is somewhat distinctive in the Snake River Plain (SRP) region, due to its evolved character, and an apparent compositional segregation from associated SRP basalts. Some have suggested that the high Fe liquids of the COM demand an origin separate from that of SRP basalts, possibly involving an Fe-enriched mantle, while others have suggested that the COM lavas may be derived by fractionation at moderate depths (30 km). In either case, there are important implications in regard to mantle composition and the nature and distribution of thermal energy. We use plagioclase-melt pairs and an analysis of whole rock compositions in attempt to test models of COM magmatic evolution. Plagioclase-melt thermobarometers provide rough estimates of crystallization depths, and show that COM and SRP lavas partially crystallized at similar depths of 14 +/- 6 km. However, plagioclase crystallization temperatures for SRP basalts (1400 +/- 25 K; Kings Bowl, Cerro Grande, North and South Robbers) exceed temperatures for COM lavas (1358 +/- 45 K) by 40 K. Our data also show that fractional crystallization (ol + plag) can explain the evolution of surrounding SRP basalt flows, and that the most evolved SRP basalts approach primitive COM lava compositions. The most primitive of COM magmas appear to be characterized by the appearance of apatite + magnetite as fractionating phases. Our results thus confirm the geochemical model of Leeman (1976) and the physical model of Kuntz (1992), with the added insight that SRP basalts are parental to the more evolved COM lavas, through low-pressure fractional crystallization in the upper crust. The principal differences between SRP and COM magmas appear to relate more to the presence or absence of density contrasts in the crust than differences in composition or temperature of mantle source materials. SRP basalts lie near the axis of the SRP where the granitic upper crust may have been obliterated by earlier volcanic episodes. In contrast, COM lavas, whose vents lie off axis, appear to have been trapped within the upper crust for longer periods, sufficient for further differentiation. Finally, SRP rhyolite compositions lie on the same fractionation trend as COM and SRP lavas, at very low values of MgO. We propose that highly evolved lavas throughout the SRP may form by fractional crystallization mechanisms alone, rather than through the partial melting and remobilization of preexisting felsic crustal materials.

Processing and Characterization of Basalt Fiber Reinforced Ceramic Composites for High Temperature Applications Using Polymer Precursors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cox, Sarah; Lui, Donovan; Gou, Jihua

2014-01-01

The development of high temperature structural composite materials has been very limited due to the high cost of the materials and the processing needed. Ceramics can take much higher temperatures, but they are difficult to produce and form in bulk volumes. Polymer Derived Ceramics (PDCs) begin as a polymer matrix, allowing a shape to be formed, to be cured, and be pyrolized in order to obtain a ceramic with the associated thermal and mechanical properties. The two PDCs used in this development are polysiloxane and polycarbosilane. Polysiloxanes contain a silicon oxycarbide backbone when pyrolized up to 1000degC. Polycarbosilane, an organosilicon polymer, contain a silicon-carbon backbone; around 1200degC, -SiC begins to crystallize. The use of basalt in structural and high temperature applications has been under development for over 50 years, yet there has been little published research on the incorporation of basalt fibers as a reinforcement in composites. Basalt is a naturally occurring material found in volcanic rock. Continuous basalt fiber reinforced PDCs have been fabricated and tested for the applicability of this composite system as a high temperature structural composite material. Testing for this included thermal and mechanical testing per ASTM standard tests.

South Pole-Aitken Sample Return Mission: Collecting Mare Basalts from the Far Side of the Moon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gillis, J. J.; Jolliff, B. L.; Lucey, P. G.

2003-01-01

We consider the probability that a sample mission to a site within the South Pole-Aitken Basin (SPA) would return basaltic material. A sample mission to the SPA would be the first opportunity to sample basalts from the far side of the Moon. The near side basalts are more abundant in terms of volume and area than their far-side counterparts (16:1), and the basalt deposits within SPA represent approx. 28% of the total basalt surface area on the far side. Sampling far-side basalts is of particular importance because as partial melts of the mantle, they could have derived from a mantle that is mineralogically and chemically different than determined for the nearside, as would be expected if the magma ocean solidified earlier on the far side. For example, evidence to support the existence of high-Th basalts like those that appear to be common on the nearside in the Procellarum KREEP Terrane has been found. Although SPA is the deepest basin on the Moon, it is not extensively filled with mare basalt, as might be expected if similar amounts of partial melting occurred in the mantle below SPA as for basins on the near side. These observations may mean that mantle beneath the far-side crust is lower in Th and other heat producing elements than the nearside. One proposed location for a sample-return landing site is 60 S, 160 W. This site was suggested to maximize the science return with respect to sampling crustal material and SPA impact melt, however, basaltic samples would undoubtedly occur there. On the basis of Apollo samples, we should expect that basaltic materials would be found in the vicinity of any landing site within SPA, even if located away from mare deposits. For example, the Apollo 16 mission landed in an ancient highlands region 250-300 km away from the nearest mare-highlands boundary yet it still contains a small component of basaltic samples (20 lithic fragments ranging is size from <1 to .01 cm). A soil sample from the floor of SPA will likely contain an assortment of basaltic fragments from surrounding regions. In terms both of selecting the best landing sites and understanding the geologic context for returned samples, it is important to understand the compositional distribution of basalts within SPA basin.

Mineralogy of the Mafic Anomaly in the South Pole-Aitken Basin: Implications for excavation of the lunar mantle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pieters, C. M.; Tompkins, S.; Head, J. W.; Hess, P. C.

1997-01-01

Mineralogy of South Pole-Aitken Basin (SPA) (the largest confirmed impact basin on the Moon) is evaluated using five-color images from Clementine. Although olivine-rich material as well as basalts rich in clinopyroxene are readily identified elsewhere on the farside, the dominant rock type observed across the interior of SPA is of a very noritic composition. This mineralogy suggests that lower crust rather than the mantle is the dominant source of the mafic component at SPA. The lack of variation in observed noritic composition is probably due to basin formation processes, during which extensive melting and mixing of target materials are likely to occur.

Morphology and dynamics of explosive vents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gisler, Galen R.; Galland, Olivier; Haug, Øystein T.

2014-05-01

Eruptive processes in nature produce a wide variety of morphologies, including cone sheets, dykes, sills, and pipes. The choice of a particular eruptive style is determined partly by local inhomogeneities, and partly by the gross overall properties of the country rock and the physical properties of the eruptive fluid. In this study we report on experimental and numerical designed to capture a range of morphologies in an eruptive system. Using dimensional analysis we link the experimental and numerical work together and draw implications for field studies. Our experimental work uses silica flour in a Hele-Shaw cell, with air as the eruptive fluid. A phase diagram demonstrates a separation between two distinct morphologies, with vertical structures occurring at high pressure or low depth of fill and diagonal ones at low pressure or high depth of fill. In the numerical work the eruptive fluid is a mixture of basaltic magma, supercritical water, and carbon dioxide, and the ambient material is a fill of basalt with varying material properties. In the numerical work we see three distinct morphologies: vertical pipes are produced at high pressures and softer backgrounds, diagonal pipes at lower pressures and stiffer backgrounds, while horizontal sills are produced in intermediate regimes.

Non-equilibrium freezing of water-ice in sandy basaltic regoliths and implications for fluidized debris flows on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gooding, J. L.

1987-01-01

Many geomorphic features on Mars were attributed to Earth-analogous, cold-climate processes involving movement of water or ice lubricated debris. Clearly, knowledge of the behavior of water in regolith materials under Martian conditions is essential to understanding the postulated geomorphic processes. Experiments were performed with sand-sized samples of natural basaltic regoliths in order to further elucidate how water/regolith interactions depend upon grain size and mineralogy. The data reveal important contrasts with data for clay-mineral substrates and suggest that the microphysics of water/mineral interactions might affect Martian geomorphic processes in ways that are not fully appreciated. Sand and silt sized fractions of two soils from the summit of Mauna Kea were used as Mars-analogous regolith materials. Temperatures were measured for water/ice phase transitions as wet slurries of individual soil fractions which were cooled or heated at controlled rates under a carbon dioxide atmosphere. Freezing and melting of ice was studied as a function of water/soil mass ratio, soil particle size, and thermal-cycle rate. Comparison tests were done under the same conditions with U.S. Geological Survey standard rock powders.

The material from Lampung as coarse aggregate to substitute andesite for concrete-making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amin, M.; Supriyatna, Y. I.; Sumardi, S.

2018-01-01

Andesite stone is usually used for split stone material in the concrete making. However, its availability is decreasing. Lampung province has natural resources that can be used for coarse aggregate materials to substitute andesite stone. These natural materials include limestone, feldspar stone, basalt, granite, and slags from iron processing waste. Therefore, a research on optimizing natural materials in Lampung to substitute andesite stone for concrete making is required. This research used laboratory experiment method. The research activities included making cubical object samples of 150 x 150 x 150 mm with material composition referring to a standard of K.200 and w/c 0.61. Concrete making by using varying types of aggregates (basalt, limestone, slag) and aggregate sizes (A = 5-15 mm, B = 15-25 mm, and 25-50 mm) was followed by compressive strength test. The results showed that the obtained optimal compressive strengths for basalt were 24.47 MPa for 50-150 mm aggregate sizes, 21.2 MPa for 15-25 mm aggregate sizes, and 20.7 MPa for 25-50 mm aggregate sizes. These results of basalt compressive strength values were higher than the same result for andesite (19.69 MPa for 50-150 mm aggregate sizes), slag (22.72 MPa for 50-150 mm aggregate sizes), and limestone (19.69 Mpa for 50-150 mm aggregate sizes). These results indicated that basalt, limestone, and slag aggregates were good enough to substitute andesite as materials for concrete making. Therefore, natural resources in Lampung can be optimized as construction materials in concrete making.

The Fine Geochemical Structure of the Hawaiian Mantle Plume: Relation to the Earth's Lowermost Mantle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weis, D.; Harrison, L.

2017-12-01

The Hawaiian mantle plume has been active for >80 Ma with the highest magmatic flux, also distinctly increasing with time. The identification of two clear geochemical trends (Loa-Kea) among Hawaiian volcanoes in all isotope systems has implications for the dynamics and internal structure of the plume conduit and source in the deep mantle. A compilation of modern isotopic data on Hawaiian shield volcanoes and from the Northwest Hawaiian Ridge (NWHR), focusing specifically on high-precision Pb isotopes integrated with Sr, Nd and Hf isotopes, indicates the presence of source differences for Loa- and Kea-trend volcanoes that are maintained throughout the 1 Ma activity of each volcano. These differences extend back in time on all the Hawaiian Islands ( 5 Ma), and as far back as 47 Ma on the NWHR. In all isotope systems, the Loa-trend basalts are more heterogeneous by a factor of 1.5 than the Kea-trend basalts. The Hawaiian mantle plume overlies the boundary between ambient Pacific lower mantle on the Kea side and the Pacific LLSVP on the Loa side. Geochemical differences between Kea and Loa trends reflect preferential sampling of these two distinct sources of deep mantle material, with additional contribution of ULVZ material sporadically on the Loa side. Plume movement up the gently sloping edge of the LLSVP resulted in entrainment of greater amounts of LLSVP-enriched material over time, and explains why the Hawaiian mantle plume dramatically strengthens over time, contrary to plume models. Similar indications of preferential sampling at the edges of the African LLSVP are found in Kerguelen and Tristan da Cunha basalts in the Indian and Atlantic oceans, respectively. The anomalous low-velocity zones at the core-mantle boundary store geochemical heterogeneities that are enriched in recycled material (EM-I type) with different compositions under the Pacific and under Africa, and that are sampled by strong mantle plumes such as Hawaii and Kerguelen.

Fractionation products of basaltic komatiite magmas at lower crustal pressures: implications for genesis of silicic magmas in the Archean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mandler, B. E.; Grove, T. L.

2015-12-01

Hypotheses for the origin of crustal silicic magmas include both partial melting of basalts and fractional crystallization of mantle-derived melts[1]. Both are recognized as important processes in modern environments. When it comes to Archean rocks, however, partial melting hypotheses dominate the literature. Tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite (TTG)-type silicic magmas, ubiquitous in the Archean, are widely thought to be produced by partial melting of subducted, delaminated or otherwise deeply buried hydrated basalts[2]. The potential for a fractional crystallization origin for TTG-type magmas remains largely unexplored. To rectify this asymmetry in approaches to modern vs. ancient rocks, we have performed experiments at high pressures and temperatures to closely simulate fractional crystallization of a basaltic komatiite magma in the lowermost crust. These represent the first experimental determinations of the fractionation products of komatiite-type magmas at elevated pressures. The aim is to test the possibility of a genetic link between basaltic komatiites and TTGs, which are both magmas found predominantly in Archean terranes and less so in modern environments. We will present the 12-kbar fractionation paths of both Al-depleted and Al-undepleted basaltic komatiite magmas, and discuss their implications for the relative importance of magmatic fractionation vs. partial melting in producing more evolved, silicic magmas in the Archean. [1] Annen et al., J. Petrol., 47, 505-539, 2006. [2] Moyen J-F. & Martin H., Lithos, 148, 312-336, 2012.

Petrogenesis of early Jurassic basalts in southern Jiangxi Province, South China: Implications for the thermal state of the Mesozoic mantle beneath South China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cen, Tao; Li, Wu-xian; Wang, Xuan-ce; Pang, Chong-jin; Li, Zheng-xiang; Xing, Guang-fu; Zhao, Xi-lin; Tao, Jihua

2016-07-01

Early Jurassic bimodal volcanic and intrusive rocks in southern South China show distinct associations and distribution patterns in comparison with those of the Middle Jurassic and Cretaceous rocks in the area. It is widely accepted that these rocks formed in an extensional setting, although the timing of the onset and the tectonic driver for extension are debated. Here, we present systematic LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb ages, whole-rock geochemistry and Sr-Nd isotope data for bimodal volcanic rocks from the Changpu Formation in the Changpu-Baimianshi and Dongkeng-Linjiang basins in southern Jiangxi Province, South China. Zircon U-Pb ages indicate that the bimodal volcanic rocks erupted at ca. 190 Ma, contemporaneous with the Fankeng basalts ( 183 Ma). A compilation of geochronological results demonstrates that basin-scale basaltic eruptions occurred during the Early Jurassic within a relatively short interval (< 5 Ma). These Early Jurassic basalts have tholeiitic compositions and OIB-like trace element distribution patterns. Geochemical analyses show that the basalts were derived from depleted asthenospheric mantle, dominated by a volatile-free peridotite source. The calculated primary melt compositions suggest that the basalts formed at 1.9-2.1 GPa, with melting temperatures of 1378 °C-1405 °C and a mantle potential temperature (TP) ranging from 1383 °C to 1407 °C. The temperature range is somewhat hotter than normal mid-ocean-basalt (MORB) mantle but similar to an intra-plate continental mantle setting, such as the Basin and Range Province in western North America. This study provides an important constraint on the Early Jurassic mantle thermal state beneath South China. Reference: Raczek, I., Stoll, B., Hofmann, A.W., Jochum, K.P. 2001. High-precision trace element data for the USGS reference materials BCR-1, BCR-2, BHVO-1, BHVO-2, AGV-1, AGV-2, DTS-1, DTS-2, GSP-1 and GSP-2 by ID-TIMS and MIC-SSMS. Geostandards Newsletter 25(1), 77-86.

Rare earths and other trace elements in Apollo 14 samples.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helmke, P. A.; Haskin, L. A.; Korotev, R. L.; Ziege, K. E.

1972-01-01

REE and other trace elements have been determined in igneous rocks 14053, 14072, and 14310, in breccias 14063 and 14313, and in fines 14163. All materials analyzed have typical depletions of Eu except for feldspar fragments from the breccias and igneous fragments from 14063. Igneous rocks 14072 and 14053 have REE concentrations very similar to Apollo 12 basalts; 14310 has the highest REE concentrations yet observed for a large fragment of lunar basalt. The effects of crystallization of a basaltic liquid as a closed system on the concentrations of Sm and Eu in feldspar are considered. Small anorthositic fragments may have originated by simple crystallization from very highly differentiated basalt (KREEP) or by closed-system crystallization in a less differentiated starting material. Application of independent models of igneous differentiation to Sm and Eu in massive anorthosite 15415 and to Sm and Eu in lunar basalts suggests a common starting material with a ratio of concentrations of Sm and Eu about the same as that in chondrites and with concentrations of those elements about 15 times enriched over chondrites.

A large submarine sand-rubble flow on kilauea volcano, hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fornari, D.J.; Moore, J.G.; Calk, L.

1979-01-01

Papa'u seamount on the south submarine slope of Kilauea volcano is a large landslide about 19 km long, 6 km wide, and up to 1 km thick with a volume of about 39 km3. Dredge hauls, remote camera photographs, and submersible observations indicate that it is composed primarily of unconsolidated angular glassy basalt sand with scattered basalt blocks up to 1 m in size; no lava flows were seen. Sulfur contents of basalt glass from several places on the sand-rubble flow and nearby areas are low (< 240 ppm), indicating that the clastic basaltic material was all erupted on land. The Papa'u sandrubble flow was emplaced during a single flow event fed from a large near-shore bank of clastic basaltic material which in turn was formed as lava flows from the summit area of Kilauea volcano disintegrated when they entered the sea. The current eruptive output of the volcano suggests that the material in the submarine sand-rubble flow represents about 6000 years of accumulation, and that the flow event occurred several thousand years ago. ?? 1979.

Investigation on mechanical properties of basalt composite fabrics (experiment study)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Talebi Mazraehshahi, H.; Zamani, H.

2010-06-01

To fully appreciate the role and application of composite materials to structures, correct understanding of mechanical behaviors required for selection of optimum material. Fabric reinforced composites are composed of a matrix that is reinforced with pliable fabric, glass fabric is most popular reinforcement for different application specially in aircraft structure, although other fabric material are also used. At this study new fabric material called basalt with epoxy resin introduced and mechanical behaviors of this material investigated from view point of testing. For this study two type of fabric with different thickness used. Comparison between this composite reinforcement with popular reinforcement as carbon, glass, kevlar performed. To determine mechanical properties of epoxy based basalt fabric following test procedure performed : 1). Tensile testing according to ASTM D3039 in 0° and 90° direction to find ultimate strength in tension and shear, modulus of elasticity, elangation and ultimate strain. 2). Compression testing according to EN 2850 ultimate compression strength and maximum deformation under compression loading. 3). Shear testing according to ASTM D3518-94 to find in plane shear response of polymer matrix composites materials. 4). Predict flexural properties of sandwich construction which manufactured from basalt facing with PVC foam core according to ASTM C393-94. Material strength properties must be based on enough tests of material to meet the test procedure specifications [1]. For this reason six specimens were manufactured for testing and the tests were performed on them using an INSTRON machine model 5582. In the study, the effect of percent of resin in basalt reinforced composite was investigated. Also the weights of the ballast based composites with different percent of resin were measured with conventional composites. As the weight is an important parameter in aerospace industry when the designer wants to replace one material with another, the effect of weight must be considered. Weight measurement showed that the replacement of glass fabric reinforcement with basalt fabric has little effect on weight. Investigation also shows that mechanical behavior of basalt fabric is higher than glass fabric. This is due to the excellent mechanical properties of the ballast fabric such as Young modulus and strength in compare with the glass fabric. Figure1 shows the samples which used for tensile testing in warp direction.

High renewable content sandwich structures based on flax-basalt hybrids and biobased epoxy polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colomina, S.; Boronat, T.; Fenollar, O.; Sánchez-Nacher, L.; Balart, R.

2014-05-01

In the last years, a growing interest in the development of high environmental efficiency materials has been detected and this situation is more accentuated in the field of polymers and polymer composites. In this work, green composite sandwich structures with high renewable content have been developed with core cork materials. The base resin for composites was a biobased epoxy resin derived from epoxidized vegetable oils. Hybrid basalt-flax fabrics have been used as reinforcements for composites and the influence of the stacking sequence has been evaluated in order to optimize the appropriate laminate structure for the sandwich bases. Core cork materials with different thickness have been used to evaluate performance of sandwich structures thus leading to high renewable content composite sandwich structures. Results show that position of basalt fabrics plays a key role in flexural fracture of sandwich structures due to differences in stiffness between flax and basalt fibers.

Lunar and Planetary Science XXXVI, Part 4

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

Contents include the following: High-Resolution Electron Energy-Loss Spectroscopy (HREELS) Using a Monochromated TEM/STEM. Dynamical Evolution of Planets in Open Clusters. Experimental Petrology of the Basaltic Shergottite Yamato 980459: Implications for the Thermal Structure of the Martian Mantle. Cryogenic Reflectance Spectroscopy of Highly Hydrated Sulfur-bearing Salts. Implications for Core Formation of the Earth from High Pressure-Temperature Au Partitioning Experiments. Uranium-Thorium Cosmochronology. Protracted Core Differentiation in Asteroids from 182Hf-182W Systematics in the Eagle Station Pallasite. Maximizing Mission Science Return Through Use of Spacecraft Autonomy: Active Volcanism and the Autonomous Sciencecraft Experiment. Classification of Volcanic Eruptions on Io and Earth Using Low-Resolution Remote Sensing Data. Isotopic Mass Fractionation Laws and the Initial Solar System (sup26)Al/(sup27)Al Ratio. Catastrophic Disruption of Porous and Solid Ice Bodies (sup187)Re-(sup187)Os Isotope Disturbance in LaPaz Mare Basalt Meteorites. Comparative Petrology and Geochemistry of the LaPaz Mare Basalt Meteorites. A Comparison of the Structure and Bonding of Carbon in Apex Chert Kerogenous Material and Fischer-Tropsch-Type Carbons. Broad Spectrum Characterization of Returned Samples: Orientation Constraints of Small Samples on X-Ray and Other Spectroscopies. Apollo 14 High-Ti Picritic Glass: Oxidation/Reduction by Condensation of Alkali Metals. New Lunar Meteorites from Oman: Dhofar 925, 960 and 961. The First Six Months of Iapetus Observations by the Cassini ISS Camera. First Imaging Results from the Iapetus B/C Flyby of the Cassini Spacecraft. Radiative Transfer Calculations for the Atmosphere of Mars in the 200-900 nm Range. Geomorphologic Map of the Atlantis Basin, Terra Sirenum, Mars. The Meaning of Iron 60: A Nearby Supernova Injected Short-lived Radionuclides into Our Protoplanetary Disk.

Processing and Characterization of Basalt Fiber Reinforced Ceramic Composites for High Temperature Applications Using Polymer Precursors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cox, Sarah B.; Lui, Donovan; Gou, Jihua

2014-01-01

The development of high temperature structural composite materials has been very limited due to the high cost of the materials and the processing needed. Ceramics can take much higher temperatures, but they are difficult to produce and form in bulk volumes. Polymer Derived Ceramics (PDCs) begin as a polymer matrix, allowing a shape to be formed and cured and then to be pyrolized in order to obtain a ceramic with the associated thermal and mechanical properties. The two PDCs used in this development are polysiloxane and polycarbosilane. Polysiloxanes contain a silicon oxycarbide backbone when pyrolized up to 1000C. Polycarbosilane, an organosilicon polymer, contain a silicon-carbon backbone; around 1200C, beta-SiC begins to crystallize. The use of basalt in structural and high temperature applications has been under development for over 50 years, yet there has been little published research on the incorporation of basalt fibers as a reinforcement in composites. Basalt is a naturally occurring material found in volcanic rock. Continuous basalt fiber reinforced PDCs have been fabricated and tested for the applicability of this composite system as a high temperature structural composite material. Thermal and mechanical testing includes oxyacetylene torch testing and three point bend testing.

Processing and Characterization of Basalt Fiber Reinforced Ceramic Composites for High Temperature Applications Using Polymer Precursors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cox, Sarah B.; Lui, Donovan; Wang, Xin; Gou, Jihua

2014-01-01

The development of high temperature structural composite materials has been very limited due to the high cost of the materials and the processing needed. Ceramics can take much higher temperatures, but they are difficult to produce and form in bulk volumes. Polymer Derived Ceramics (PDCs) begin as a polymer matrix, allowing a shape to be formed and cured and then to be pyrolized in order to obtain a ceramic with the associated thermal and mechanical properties. The two PDCs used in this development are polysiloxane and polycarbosilane. Polysiloxanes contain a silicon oxycarbide backbone when pyrolized up to 1000 deg C. Polycarbosilane, an organosilicon polymer, contain a silicon-carbon backbone; around 1200 deg C, Beta-SiC begins to crystallize. The use of basalt in structural and high temperature applications has been under development for over 50 years, yet there has been little published research on the incorporation of basalt fibers as a reinforcement in composites. Basalt is a naturally occurring material found in volcanic rock. Continuous basalt fiber reinforced PDCs have been fabricated and tested for the applicability of this composite system as a high temperature structural composite material. Thermal and mechanical testing includes oxyacetylene torch testing and three point bend testing.

America Plans for Space

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-01-01

facility. Another use of lunar soil on the lunar surface would be in site preparation. Inorganic polymers based on silicon could be added to stabilize...for space construction.1 3 LIVING OFF THE LAND 63 Another lunar material that may be useful with a minimum of processing is basalt . Processed basalt is...already manufac- tured in Europe and the United States. Cast basalt can be used to fabricate pipes, tiles, plates, and fittings. Sintered basalt can

Evidence for biological activity in mineralization of secondary sulphate deposits in a basaltic environment: implications for the search for life in the Martian subsurface

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

C. Doc Richardson; Nancy W. Hinman; Jill R. Scott

Evidence of microbial activity associated with mineralization of secondary Na-sulphate minerals (thenardite, mirabilite) in the basaltic subsurface of Craters of the Moon National Monument (COM), Idaho were examined by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, laser desorption Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (LD-FTICR-MS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Peaks suggestive of bio/organic compounds were observed in the secondary Na-sulphate deposits by LD-FTICR-MS. FTIR provided additional evidence for the presence of bio/organic compounds. Sulphur fractionation was explored to assist in determining if microbes may play a role in oxidizing sulphur. The presence of bio/organic compoundsmore » associated with Na-sulphate deposits, along with the necessity of oxidizing reduced sulphur to sulphate, suggests that biological activity may be involved in the formation of these secondary minerals. The secondary Na-sulphate minerals probably form from the overlying basalt through leached sodium ions and sulphate ions produced by bio-oxidation of Fe-sulphide minerals. Since the COM basalts are one of the most comparable terrestrial analogues for their Martian counterparts, the occurrence of biological activity in the formation of sulphate minerals at COM has direct implications for the search for life on Mars. In addition, the presence of caves on Mars suggests the importance of these environments as possible locations for growth and preservation of microbial activity. Therefore, understanding the physiochemical pathways of abiotic and biotic mineralization in the COM subsurface and similar basaltic settings has direct implications for the search for extinct or extant life on Mars.« less

Evidence for biological activity in mineralization of secondary sulphate deposits in a basaltic environment: implications for the search for life in the Martian subsurface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richardson, C. Doc; Hinman, Nancy W.; Scott, Jill R.

2013-10-01

Evidence of microbial activity associated with mineralization of secondary Na-sulphate minerals (thenardite, mirabilite) in the basaltic subsurface of Craters of the Moon National Monument (COM), Idaho were examined by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, laser desorption Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (LD-FTICR-MS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Peaks suggestive of bio/organic compounds were observed in the secondary Na-sulphate deposits by LD-FTICR-MS. FTIR provided additional evidence for the presence of bio/organic compounds. Sulphur fractionation was explored to assist in determining if microbes may play a role in oxidizing sulphur. The presence of bio/organic compounds associated with Na-sulphate deposits, along with the necessity of oxidizing reduced sulphur to sulphate, suggests that biological activity may be involved in the formation of these secondary minerals. The secondary Na-sulphate minerals probably form from the overlying basalt through leached sodium ions and sulphate ions produced by bio-oxidation of Fe-sulphide minerals. Since the COM basalts are one of the most comparable terrestrial analogues for their Martian counterparts, the occurrence of biological activity in the formation of sulphate minerals at COM has direct implications for the search for life on Mars. In addition, the presence of caves on Mars suggests the importance of these environments as possible locations for growth and preservation of microbial activity. Therefore, understanding the physiochemical pathways of abiotic and biotic mineralization in the COM subsurface and similar basaltic settings has direct implications for the search for extinct or extant life on Mars.

Experimentally Shocked and Altered Basalt: VNIR Spectra of Mars Analog Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bell, M. S.

2017-01-01

Major occurrences of hydrous alteration minerals on Mars have been found in Noachian impact craters formed in basaltic targets and detected using visible/near infrared (VNIR) spectroscopy. Until recently phyllosilicates were detected only in craters in the southern hemisphere. However, it has been reported that at least nine craters in the northern plains apparently excavated thick layers of lava and sediment to expose phyllosilicates as well and two Hesperian-aged impact craters, Toro and Majuro, bear evidence of phyllosilicates in the southern highlands. Turner et al. 2015 reported that hydrated minerals were identified in three Amazonian aged complex impact craters, located at 52.42degN, 39.86degE in the Ismenius Lacus quadrangle, at 8.93degN, 141.28degE in Elysium, and within Stokes crater. These discoveries indicate that Mars was globally altered by water throughout its past but do not fully constrain formation conditions for phyllosilicate occurrences which have important implications for the evolution of the surface and biological potential of Mars.

Germanium abundances in lunar basalts: Evidence of mantle metasomatism

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dickinson, T.; Taylor, G.J.; Keil, T.K.

1988-01-01

To fill in gaps in the present Ge data base, mare basalts were analyzed for Ge and other elements by RNAA and INAA. Mare basalts from Apollo 11, 12, 15, 17 landing sites are rather uniform in Ge abundance, but Apollo 14 aluminous mare basalts and KREEP are enriched in Ge by factors of up to 300 compared to typical mare basalts. These Ge enrichments are not associated with other siderophile element enrichments and, thus, are not due to differences in the amount of metal segregated during core formation. Based on crystal-chemical and inter-element variations, it does not appear thatmore » the observed Ge enrichments are due to silicate liquid immiscibility. Elemental ratios in Apollo 14 aluminous mare basalts, green and orange glass, average basalts and KREEP suggest that incorporation of late accreting material into the source regions or interaction of the magmas with primitive undifferentiated material is not a likely cause for the observed Ge enrichments. We speculate that the most plausible explanation for these Ge enrichments is complexing and concentration of Ge by F, Cl or S in volatile phases. In this manner, the KREEP basalt source regions may have been metasomatized and Apollo 14 aluminous mare basalt magmas may have become enriched in Ge by interacting with these metasomatized areas. The presence of volatile- and Ge-rich regions in the Moon suggests that the Moon was never totally molten. 71 refs., 1 fig., 6 tabs.« less

Functions of an engineered barrier system for a nuclear waste repository in basalt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coons, W. E.; Moore, E. L.; Smith, M. J.; Kaser, J. D.

1980-01-01

The functions of components selected for an engineered barrier system for a nuclear waste repository in basalt are defined providing a focal point for barrier material research and development by delineating the purpose and operative lifetime of each component of the engineered system. A five component system (comprised of waste form, canister, buffer, overpack, and tailored backfill) is discussed. Redundancy is provided by subsystems of physical and chemical barriers which act in concert with the geology to provide a formidable barrier to transport of hazardous materials to the biosphere. The barrier system is clarified by examples pertinent to storage in basalt, and a technical approach to barrier design and material selection is proposed.

Testing of candidate waste-package backfill and canister materials for basalt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, M. I.; Anderson, W. J.; Aden, G. D.

1982-09-01

The Basalt Waste Isolation Project (BWIP) is developing a multiple-barrier waste package to contain high-level nuclear waste as part of an overall system (e.g., waste package, repository sealing system, and host rock) designed to isolate the waste in a repository located in basalt beneath the Hanford Site, Richland, Washington. The three basic components of the waste package are the waste form, the canister, and the backfill. An extensive testing program is under way to determine the chemical, physical, and mechanical properties of potential canister and backfill materials. The data derived from this testing program will be used to recommend those materials that most adequately perform the functions assigned to the canister and backfill.

A new basaltic glass microanalytical reference material for multiple techniques

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, Steve; Koenig, Alan; Lowers, Heather

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has been producing reference materials since the 1950s. Over 50 materials have been developed to cover bulk rock, sediment, and soils for the geological community. These materials are used globally in geochemistry, environmental, and analytical laboratories that perform bulk chemistry and/or microanalysis for instrument calibration and quality assurance testing. To answer the growing demand for higher spatial resolution and sensitivity, there is a need to create a new generation of microanalytical reference materials suitable for a variety of techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy/X-ray spectrometry (SEM/EDS), electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), laser ablation inductively coupled mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). As such, the microanalytical reference material (MRM) needs to be stable under the beam, be homogeneous at scales of better than 10–25 micrometers for the major to ultra-trace element level, and contain all of the analytes (elements or isotopes) of interest. Previous development of basaltic glasses intended for LA-ICP-MS has resulted in a synthetic basaltic matrix series of glasses (USGS GS-series) and a natural basalt series of glasses (BCR-1G, BHVO-2G, and NKT-1G). These materials have been useful for the LA-ICP-MS community but were not originally intended for use by the electron or ion beam community. A material developed from start to finish with intended use in multiple microanalytical instruments would be useful for inter-laboratory and inter-instrument platform comparisons. This article summarizes the experiments undertaken to produce a basalt glass reference material suitable for distribution as a multiple-technique round robin material. The goal of the analytical work presented here is to demonstrate that the elemental homogeneity of the new glass is acceptable for its use as a reference material. Because the round robin exercise is still underway, only nominal compositional ranges for each element are given in the article.

Lunar and Planetary Science XXXV: Viewing the Lunar Interior Through Titanium-Colored Glasses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

The session"Viewing the Lunar Interior Through Titanium-Colored Glasses" included the following reports:Consequences of High Crystallinity for the Evolution of the Lunar Magma Ocean: Trapped Plagioclase; Low Abundances of Highly Siderophile Elements in the Lunar Mantle: Evidence for Prolonged Late Accretion; Fast Anorthite Dissolution Rates in Lunar Picritic Melts: Petrologic Implications; Searching the Moon for Aluminous Mare Basalts Using Compositional Remote-Sensing Constraints II: Detailed analysis of ROIs; Origin of Lunar High Titanium Ultramafic Glasses: A Hybridized Source?; Ilmenite Solubility in Lunar Basalts as a Function of Temperature and Pressure: Implications for Petrogenesis; Garnet in the Lunar Mantle: Further Evidence from Volcanic Glasses; Preliminary High Pressure Phase Relations of Apollo 15 Green C Glass: Assessment of the Role of Garnet; Oxygen Fugacity of Mare Basalts and the Lunar Mantle. Application of a New Microscale Oxybarometer Based on the Valence State of Vanadium; A Model for the Origin of the Dark Ring at Orientale Basin; Petrology and Geochemistry of LAP 02 205: A New Low-Ti Mare-Basalt Meteorite; Thorium and Samarium in Lunar Pyroclastic Glasses: Insights into the Composition of the Lunar Mantle and Basaltic Magmatism on the Moon; and Eu2+ and REE3+ Diffusion in Enstatite, Diopside, Anorthite, and a Silicate Melt: A Database for Understanding Kinetic Fractionation of REE in the Lunar Mantle and Crust.

Offshore Extension of Deccan Traps in Kachchh, Central Western India: Implications for Geological Sequestration Studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pandey, D. K., E-mail: pandey@ncaor.org; Pandey, A.; Rajan, S.

2011-03-15

The Deccan basalts in central western India are believed to occupy large onshore-offshore area. Using geophysical and geological observations, onshore sub-surface structural information has been widely reported. On the contrary, information about offshore structural variations has been inadequate due to scarcity of marine geophysical data and lack of onshore-offshore lithological correlations. Till date, merely a few geophysical studies are reported that gauge about the offshore extent of Deccan Traps and the Mesozoic sediments (pre-Deccan). To fill this gap in knowledge, in this article, we present new geophysical evidences to demonstrate offshore continuation of the Deccan volcanics and the Mesozoic sediments.more » The offshore multi-channel seismic and onshore-offshore lithological correlations presented here confirm that the Mesozoic sedimentary column in this region is overlain by 0.2-1.2-km-thick basaltic cover. Two separate phases of Mesozoic sedimentation, having very distinctive physical and lithological characteristics, are observed between overlying basaltic rocks and underlying Precambrian basement. Using onshore-offshore seismic and borehole data this study provides new insight into the extent of the Deccan basalts and the sub-basalt structures. This study brings out a much clearer picture than that was hitherto available about the offshore continuation of the Deccan Traps and the Mesozoic sediments of Kachchh. Further, its implications in identifying long-term storage of anthropogenic CO{sub 2} within sub-basalt targets are discussed. The carbon sequestration potential has been explored through the geological assessment in terms of the thickness of the strata as well as lithology.« less

[Determination of Total Iron and Fe2+ in Basalt].

PubMed

Liu, Jian-xun; Chen, Mei-rong; Jian, Zheng-guo; Wu, Gang; Wu, Zhi-shen

2015-08-01

Basalt is the raw material of basalt fiber. The content of FeO and Fe2O3 has a great impact on the properties of basalt fibers. ICP-OES and dichromate method were used to test total Fe and Fe(2+) in basalt. Suitable instrument parameters and analysis lines of Fe were chosen for ICP-OES. The relative standard deviation (RSD) of ICP-OES is 2.2%, and the recovery is in the range of 98%~101%. The method shows simple, rapid and highly accurate for determination of total Fe and Fe(2+) in basalt. The RSD of ICP-OES and dichromate method is 0.42% and 1.4%, respectively.

Geodynamic Implications of Himu Mantle In The Source of Tertiary Volcanics From The Veneto Region (south Eastern Alps)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macera, P.; Gasperini, D.; Blichert-Toft; Bosch, D.; del Moro, A.; Dini, G.; Martin, S.; Piromallo, C.

DuringTertiary times extensive mafic volcanism took place in the South-Eastern Alps, along a half-graben structure bounded by the Schio-Vicenza main fault. This mag- matism gave rise to four main volcanic centers: Lessini, Berici, Euganei, and Maros- tica. The dominating rock types are alkali basalts, basanites and transitional basalts, with hawaiites, trachybasalts, tephrites, basaltic andesites, and differentiated rocks be- ing less common. Major and trace element and Sr-Nd-Hf-Pb isotopic data for the most primitive lavas from each volcanic center show the typical features of HIMU hotspot volcanism, variably diluted by a depleted asthenospheric mantle component (87Sr/86Sr48Ma = 0.70314-0.70321; eNd48Ma = +6.4 to +6.5; eHf48Ma = +6.4 to +8.1, 206Pb/204Pb48Ma = 18.786-19.574). Since the HIMU component is consid- ered to be of deep mantle origin, its presence in a tectonic environment dominated by subduction (the Alpine subduction of the European plate below the Adria plate) has significant geodynamic implications. Slab detachment and ensuing rise of deep man- tle material into the lithospheric gap is proposed to be a viable mechanism of hotspot magmatism in a subduction zone setting. Interaction between deep-seated plume ma- terial and shallow depleted asthenospheric mantle may account for the geochemical features of the Veneto volcanics, as well as those of the so-called enriched astheno- spheric reservoir (EAR) component. Ascending counterflow of deep mantle material through the lithospheric gap to the top of the subducting slab further may induce heat- ing of the overriding plate and trigger it to partially melt. Upwelling of the resulting mafic magmas and their subsequent underplating at the mantle-lower crust bound- ary would favor partial melting of the lower crust, thereby giving rise to the bimodal mafic-felsic magmatism that characterizes the whole Periadriatic province. According to this model, the HIMU-like magmatism of the Alpine foreland is therefore closely related to the calc-alkaline magmatism of the Periadriatic Lineament, and caused by the same mechanism of Tertiary Alpine convergence tectonics.

The role of unsteady effusion rates on inflation in long-lived lava flow fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rader, E.; Vanderkluysen, L.; Clarke, A.

2017-11-01

The emission of volcanic gases and particles can have global and lasting environmental effects, but their timing, tempo, and duration can be problematic to quantify for ancient eruptions where real-time measurements are absent. Lava flows, for example, may be long-lasting, and their impact is controlled by the rate, tempo, and vigor of effusion. These factors are currently difficult to derive from the geologic record but can have large implications for the atmospheric impact of an eruption. We conducted a set of analogue experiments on lava flow inflation aiming at connecting lava morphologies preserved in the rock record to eruption tempo and dynamics through pulsating effusion rates. Inflation, a process where molten material is injected beneath the crust of an active lava flow and lifts it upwards, is a common phenomenon in basaltic volcanic systems. This mechanism requires three components: a) a coherent, insulating crust; b) a wide-spread molten core; and c) pressure built up beneath the crust from a sustained supply of molten material. Inflation can result in a lava flow growing tens of meters thick, even in flow fields that expand hundreds of square kilometers. It has been documented that rapid effusion rates tend to create channels and tubes, isolating the active part of the flow from the stagnant part, while slow effusion rates may cause crust to form quickly and seize up, forcing lava to overtop the crust. However, the conditions that allow for inflation of large flow fields have not previously been evaluated in terms of effusion rate. By using PEG 600 wax and a programmable pump, we observe how, by pulsating effusion rate, inflation occurs even in very low viscosity basaltic eruptions. We show that observations from inflating Hawaiian lava flows correlate well with experimental data and indicate that instantaneous effusion rates may have been 3 times higher than average effusion rates during the emplacement of the 23 January 1988 flow at Kīlauea (Hawai'i). The identification of a causal relationship between pulsating effusion rates and inflation may have implications for eruption tempo in the largest inflated flows: flood basalts.

Basalt depths in lunar basins using impact craters as stratigraphic probes: Evaluation of a method using orbital geochemical data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Andre, C. G.

1986-01-01

A rare look at the chemical composition of subsurface stratigraphy in lunar basins filled with mare basalt is possible at fresh impact craters. Mg/Al maps from orbital X-ray flourescence measurements of mare areas indicate chemical anomalies associated with materials ejected by large post-mare impacts. A method of constraining the wide-ranging estimates of mare basalt depths using the orbital MG/Al data is evaluated and the results are compared to those of investigators using different indirect methods. Chemical anomalies at impact craters within the maria indicate five locations where higher Mg/Al basalt compositions may have been excavated from beneath the surface layer. At eight other locations, low Mg/Al anomalies suggest that basin-floor material was ejected. In these two cases, the stratigraphic layers are interpreted to occur at depths less than the calculated maximum depth of excavation. In five other cases, there is no apparent chemical change between the crater and the surrounding mare surface. This suggests homogeneous basalt compositions that extend down to the depths sampled, i.e., no anorthositic material that might represent the basin floor was exposed.

Description and hydrogeologic implications of cored sedimentary material from the 1975 drilling program at the radioactive waste management complex, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rightmire, C.T.

1984-01-01

Samples of sedimentary material from interbeds between basalt flows and from fractures in the flows, taken from two drill cores at the Radioactive Waste Management Complex at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory were analyzed for (1) particle-size dribution, (2) bulk mineralogy, (3) clay mineralogy, (4) cation-exchange capacity, and (5) carbonate content. Thin sections of selected sediment material were made for petrographic examination. Preliminary interpretations indicate that (1) it may be possible to distinguish the various sediment interbeds on the basis of their mineralogy, (2) the presence of carbonate horizons in sedimentary interbeds may be utilized to approximate the time of exposure and the climate while the surface was exposed (which affected the hydrogeologic character of the sediment), and the type and orientation of fracture-filling material may be utilized to determine the mechanism by which fractures were filled. (USGS)

Gas cluster ion beam for the characterization of organic materials in submarine basalts as Mars analogs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sano, Naoko, E-mail: naoko.sano@ncl.ac.uk; Barlow, Anders J.; Cumpson, Peter J.

The solar system contains large quantities of organic compounds that can form complex molecular structures. The processing of organic compounds by biological systems leads to molecules with distinctive structural characteristics; thus, the detection and characterization of organic materials could lead to a high degree of confidence in the existence of extra-terrestrial life. Given the nature of the surface of most planetary bodies in the solar system, evidence of life is more likely to be found in the subsurface where conditions are more hospitable. Basalt is a common rock throughout the solar system and the primary rock type on Mars andmore » Earth. Basalt is therefore a rock type that subsurface life might exploit and as such a suitable material for the study of methods required to detect and analyze organic material in rock. Telluric basalts from Earth represent an analog for extra-terrestrial rocks where the indigenous organic matter could be analyzed for molecular biosignatures. This study focuses on organic matter in the basalt with the use of surface analysis techniques utilizing Ar gas cluster ion beams (GCIB); time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), to characterize organic molecules. Tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) thermochemolysis was also used to support the data obtained using the surface analysis techniques. The authors demonstrate that organic molecules were found to be heterogeneously distributed within rock textures. A positive correlation was observed to exist between the presence of microtubule textures in the basalt and the organic compounds detected. From the results herein, the authors propose that ToF-SIMS with an Ar GCIB is effective at detecting organic materials in such geological samples, and ToF-SIMS combined with XPS and TMAH thermochemolysis may be a useful approach in the study of extra-terrestrial organic material and life.« less

In-place alkalic lavas recovered from Hilina Bench off-shore Kilauea, Hawaii: significance in reconstructing ancient Kilauea history

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kimura, J.; Sisson, T. W.; Coombs, M.; Lipman, P. W.

2002-12-01

Lava samples recovered from off-shore Hawaii Island, using remote and manned submersibles during JAMSTEC cruises in 1998, 1999, and 2001, were analyzed for major and trace elements. On the scarp below the Hilina bench (~ 3000 m bmsl), clasts of alkali and transitional basalt were recovered from debris-flow breccias, but tholeiite basalt of modern Kilauea type is absent (Sisson et al., 2002). In 2001 (dive K508), a succession of in-place pillow lavas of alkali basalt was found for the first time on the slope above the Hilina bench, along a well-exposed a rib. These in-place samples of alklic material in relative shallow water depths provide a critical link between modern-day and ancestral Kilauea. The rib is part of ancient Kilauea volcano that has remained in place, while the Hilina Bench contains slide/slump material from Kilauea (Lipman et al., 2002). At the same water depths but ~15 km to the southwest, Dive K207 sampled a series of alkali basalt breccia clasts that are compositionally similar to the in-place lavas of K208. In contrast, a dive on Papa'u Seamount (K509), located at the upper southwest margin of the bench, traversed massive breccias of subaerially erupted tholeiitic basalt. The breccias are compositionally similar to Mauna Loa lavas, and must be ancient landslide material from this volcano. Geochemical characteristics of transitional basalts from the slope above the Hilina bench are related to historical Kilauea tholeiites in major and trace elements. Alkali basalts from both the lower flank of the Hilina bench and the upper rib are more Ti rich than the transitional basalts, with elevated light-rare-earth and large-ion-lithophile elements. Various binary plots between highly incompatible trace element pairs define confined straight lines, including historical Kilauea tholeiite, the transitional basalts, and the Hilina alkalic pillows, suggesting a common mantle source with different degrees of partial melting. However, chemistry of these basalts differ from the more alkalic basanite and nephelinite lava clasts from the lower flank (Sisson et al., 2002). The highly alkaline lavas would have derived from different mantle sources, perhaps from perimeters of the Hawaiian mantle plume, whereas alkali, transitional, and tholeiitic basalts are from more central parts of the plume. The in-place alkalic pillow basalts provides new insights on earlier growth history and changes in states of basalt sources during the magmatic evolution of Kilauea, which is still in progress.

Dissolution of Olivine, Siderite, and Basalt at 80 Deg C in 0.1 M H2SO4 in a Flow Through Process: Insights into Acidic Weathering on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Golden, D. C.; Ming, D. W.; Hausrath, E. M.; Morris, R. V.; Niles, P. B.; Achilles, C. N.; Ross, D. K.; Cooper, B. L.; Gonzalex, C. P.; Mertzman, S. A.

2012-01-01

The occurrence of jarosite, other sulfates (e.g., Mg-and Ca-sulfates), and hematite along with silicic-lastic materials in outcrops of sedimentary materials at Meridiani Planum (MP) and detection of silica rich deposits in Gusev crater, Mars, are strong indicators of local acidic aqueous processes [1,2,3,4,5]. The formation of sediments at Meridiani Planum may have involved the evaporation of fluids derived from acid weathering of Martian basalts and subsequent diagenesis [6,7]. Also, our previous work on acid weathering of basaltic materials in a closed hydro-thermal system was focused on the mineralogy of the acid weathering products including the formation of jarosite and gray hematite spherules [8,9,10]. The object of this re-search is to extend our earlier qualitative work on acidic weathering of rocks to determine acidic dissolution rates of Mars analog basaltic materials at 80 C using a flow-thru reactor. We also characterized residual phases, including poorly crystalline or amorphous phases and precipitates, that remained after the treatments of olivine, siderite, and basalt which represent likely MP source rocks. This study is a stepping stone for a future simulation of the formation of MP rocks under a range of T and P.

Pyroclastic Deposits in Floor-Fractured Craters: A Unique Style or Lunar Basaltic Volcanism?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Carlton C.; DonaldsonHanna, Kerri L.; Pieters, Carle M.; Moriarty, Daniel P.; Greenhagen, Benjamin T.; Bennett, Kristen A.; Kramer, Georgiana Y.; Paige, David A.

2013-01-01

The lunar maria were formed by effusive fissure flows of low-viscosity basalt. Regional pyroclastic deposits were formed by deep-sourced fire-fountain eruptions dominated by basaltic glass. Basaltic material is also erupted from small vents within floor-fractured impact craters. These craters are characterized by shallow, flat floors cut by radial, concentric and/or polygonal fractures. Schultz [1] identified and classified over 200 examples. Low albedo pyroclastic deposits originate from depressions along the fractures in many of these craters.

Basalt fiber insulating material with a mineral binding agent for industrial use

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drozdyuk, T.; Aizenshtadt, A.; Tutygin, A.; Frolova, M.

2016-04-01

The paper considers a possibility of using mining industry waste as a binding agent for heat insulating material on the basis of basalt fiber. The main objective of the research is to produce a heat-insulating material to be applied in machine building in high-temperature environments. After synthetic binder having been replaced by a mineral one, an environmentally sound thermal insulating material having desirable heat-protecting ability and not failing when exposed to high temperatures was obtained.

Mineralogy at Meridiani Planum from the Mini-TES experiment on the opportunity rover

USGS Publications Warehouse

Christensen, P.R.; Wyatt, M.B.; Glotch, T.D.; Rogers, A.D.; Anwar, S.; Arvidson, R. E.; Bandfield, J.L.; Blaney, D.L.; Budney, C.; Calvin, W.M.; Fallacaro, A.; Fergason, R.L.; Gorelick, N.; Graff, T.G.; Hamilton, V.E.; Hayes, A.G.; Johnson, J. R.; Knudson, A.T.; McSween, H.Y.; Mehall, G.L.; Mehall, L.K.; Moersch, J.E.; Morris, R.V.; Smith, M.D.; Squyres, S. W.; Ruff, S.W.; Wolff, M.J.

2004-01-01

The Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES) on Opportunity investigated the mineral abundances and compositions of outcrops, rocks, and soils at Meridiani Planum. Coarse crystalline hematite and olivine-rich basaltic sands were observed as predicted from orbital TES spectroscopy. Outcrops of aqueous origin are composed of 15 to 35% by volume magnesium and calcium sulfates [a high-silica component modeled as a combination of glass, feldspar, and sheet silicates (???20 to 30%)], and hematite; only minor jarosite is identified in Mini-TES spectra. Mini-TES spectra show only a hematite signature in the millimeter-sized spherules. Basaltic materials have more plagioclase than pyroxene, contain olivine, and are similar in inferred mineral composition to basalt mapped from orbit. Bounce rock is dominated by clinopyroxene and is close in inferred mineral composition to the basaltic martian meteorites. Bright wind streak material matches global dust. Waterlain rocks covered by unaltered basaltic sands suggest a change from an aqueous environment to one dominated by physical weathering.

Basaltic Volcanism and Ancient Planetary Crusts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shervais, John W.

1993-01-01

The purpose of this project is to decipher the origin of rocks which form the ancient lunar crust. Our goal is to better understand how the moon evolved chemically and, more generally, the processes involved in the chemical fractionation of terrestrial planetoids. This research has implications for other planetary bodies besides the Moon, especially smaller planetoids which evolved early in the history of the solar system and are now thermally stable. The three main areas focused on in our work (lunar mare basalts, KREEP basalts, and plutonic rocks of the lunar highlands) provide complementary information on the lunar interior and the processes that formed it.

Lunar Mare Basalts as Analogues for Martian Volcanic Compositions: Evidence from Visible, Near-IR, and Thermal Emission Spectroscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graff, T. G.; Morris, R. V.; Christensen, P. R.

2003-01-01

The lunar mare basalts potentially provide a unique sample suite for understanding the nature of basalts on the martian surface. Our current knowledge of the mineralogical and chemical composition of the basaltic material on Mars comes from studies of the basaltic martian meteorites and from orbital and surface remote sensing observations. Petrographic observations of basaltic martian meteorites (e.g., Shergotty, Zagami, and EETA79001) show that the dominant phases are pyroxene (primarily pigeonite and augite), maskelynite (a diaplectic glass formed from plagioclase by shock), and olivine [1,2]. Pigeonite, a low calcium pyroxene, is generally not found in abundance in terrestrial basalts, but does often occur on the Moon [3]. Lunar samples thus provide a means to examine a variety of pigeonite-rich basalts that also have bulk elemental compositions (particularly low-Ti Apollo 15 mare basalts) that are comparable to basaltic SNC meteorites [4,5]. Furthermore, lunar basalts may be mineralogically better suited as analogues of the martian surface basalts than the basaltic martian meteorites because the plagioclase feldspar in the basaltic Martian meteorites, but not in the lunar surface basalts, is largely present as maskelynite [1,2]. Analysis of lunar mare basalts my also lead to additional endmember spectra for spectral libraries. This is particularly important analysis of martian thermal emission spectra, because the spectral library apparently contains a single pigeonite spectrum derived from a synthetic sample [6].

Precious metal enrichment at low-redox in terrestrial native Fe-bearing basalts investigated using laser-ablation ICP-MS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howarth, Geoffrey H.; Day, James M. D.; Pernet-Fisher, John F.; Goodrich, Cyrena A.; Pearson, D. Graham; Luo, Yan; Ryabov, Viktor V.; Taylor, Lawrence A.

2017-04-01

Primary native Fe is a rare crystallizing phase from terrestrial basaltic magmas, requiring highly reducing conditions (fO2

Vestas Pinaria Region: Original Basaltic Achondrite Material Derived from Mixing Upper and Lower Crust

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcfadden, L. A.; Combe, Jean-Philippe; Ammannito, Eleonora; Frigeri, Alessandro; Stephan, Katrin; Longobardo, Andrea; Palomba, Ernesto; Tosi, Federico; Zambon, Francesca; Krohn, Katrin;

Comparative K-Ar and Ar/Ar dating of Ethiopian and Yemenite Oligocene volcanism: implications for timing and duration of the Ethiopian traps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coulié, E.; Quidelleur, X.; Gillot, P.-Y.; Courtillot, V.; Lefèvre, J.-C.; Chiesa, S.

2003-02-01

It is now generally accepted that continental flood basalt (CFB) volcanism bears a strong relationship with continental breakup. The Ethiopian Afar plume has been linked to the opening of the Afar depression. Propagation of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden rifts within the depression, still an ongoing process, has rifted away the Ethiopian and Yemenite trap sequences. They are in some locations more than 2 km thick and comprise a wide range of volcanic products, from tholeiitic basalts, in the lower part, to more acidic material in the upper part. Recent studies have established that the bulk of trap volcanism erupted about 30 Ma ago over a period of 1 Myr in the Ethiopian sections, while ages obtained on the Yemenite sections seem more distributed through time. Here, for the first time in a single study, we present geochronological results obtained for basalts and more evolved products for both Ethiopian and Yemenite traps. This approach eliminates inter-laboratory biases and discrepancies in the ages of standards, and imposes better constraints on the eruptive chronology of this CFB province. In addition, both the K-Ar and 40Ar/ 39Ar techniques have been applied simultaneously, in order to demonstrate that similar ages are indeed obtained for undisturbed samples. The two dating techniques used here yield concordant ages for most samples. On both sides of the Afar depression, our results support that the onset of basaltic volcanism is coeval, with undistinguishable ages of 30.6±0.4 and 30.2±0.4 Ma obtained from Ethiopia and Yemen, respectively. Most of the basaltic lava pile has been erupted in less than 1 Myr, but acidic volcanism seems more spread out through time. It is coeval with basalts in northern Ethiopia but extends to about 26 Ma in Yemen, as already recognized. A younger rhyolitic episode, probably related to the major 20 Ma phase of opening of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, as expressed in the Afar depression, is also observed in Yemen and central Ethiopia.

Strong Matrix & Weak Blocks: Evolutionary Inversion of Mélange Rheological Relationships During Subduction and Its Implications for Seismogenesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clarke, A. P.; Vannucchi, P.; Ougier-Simonin, A.; Morgan, J. P.

2017-12-01

Subduction zone interface layers are often conceived to be heterogeneous, polyrheological zones analogous to exhumed mélanges. Mélanges typically contain mechanically strong blocks within a weaker matrix. However, our geomechanical study of the Osa Mélange, SW Costa Rica shows that this mélange contains blocks of altered basalt which are now weaker in friction than their surrounding indurated volcanoclastic matrix. Triaxial deformation experiments were conducted on samples of both the altered basalt blocks and the indurated volcanoclastic matrix at confining pressures of 60 and 120 MPa. These revealed that the volcanoclastic matrix has a strength 7.5 times that of the altered basalt at 60 MPa and 4 times at 120 MPa, with the altered basalt experiencing multi-stage failure. The inverted strength relationship between weaker blocks and stronger matrix evolved during subduction and diagenesis of the melange unit by dewatering, compaction and diagenesis of the matrix and cataclastic brecciation and hydrothermal alteration of the basalt blocks. During the evolution of this material, the matrix progressively indurated until its plastic yield stress became greater than the brittle yield stress of the blocks. At this point, the typical rheological relationship found within melanges inverts and melange blocks can fail seismically as the weakest links along the subduction plate interface. The Osa Melange is currently in the forearc of the erosive Middle America Trench and is being incorporated into the subduction zone interface at the updip limit of seismogenesis. The presence of altered basalt blocks acting as weak inclusions within this rock unit weakens the mélange as a whole rock mass. Seismic fractures can nucleate at or within these weak inclusions and the size of the block may limit the size of initial microseismic rock failure. However, when fractures are able to bridge across the matrix between blocks, significantly larger rupture areas may be possible. While this mechanism is a promising candidate for the updip limit of the unusually shallow seismogenic zone beneath Osa, it remains to be seen whether analogous evolutionary strength-inversions control the updip limit of other subduction seismogenic zones.

The cooling of terrestrial basaltic lava flows and implications for lava flow emplacement on Venus from surface morphology and radar data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hultgrien, Lynn Kerrell

Basalt is the most common surface rock on the terrestrial planets. Understanding the emplacement mechanisms for basaltic lava flows facilitates study of the geologic history of a planet and in volcanic hazards assessment. Lava flow cooling is examined through two different models, one applicable to aa and the second to pahoehoe. Occurrence of these basaltic flow types is evaluated in an extensive global survey of lava flows on Venus using Magellan data. First, a basic heat balance model is considered for as flow cooling with terms for conduction, radiation, viscous dissipation and entrainment of cooler material. Pahoehoe cooling is modeled through three different analytic solutions to the one-dimensional, time-dependent heat conduction equation, with constant surface temperature, linear heat transfer at the surface, and surface radiation. The models are compared with thermal data from the Hawaiian 1984 Mauna Loa and 1990 Puu Oo-Kupaianaha, Kilauea eruptions, for as and pahoehoe, respectively. Although commonly omitted in other models, heat conduction is found here to be important in the cooling of both aa and pahoehoe. Equally important is entrainment in as flows and both radiation and atmospheric convection for pahoehoe cooling. Morphology measurements and surface properties are determined for ninety individual lava flows from forty-four volcanic features on Venus. Radar backscatter and rms slope values, relative to terrestrial studies, indicate Venusian lavas are predominately pahoehoe. Emissivities and dielectric constants are consistent with basalt as the principal lithology. Effusion rates and flow velocities, determined using Earth-calibrated parametric relationships, and lava flow dimensions are greater than those found on Earth. Modeling lava flows on the terrestrial planets should involve careful consideration of the type of lava flow being studied. This investigation finds that heat conduction is an important limitation in the ability of a basalt flow to cool. Some models underestimate cooling time and flow dimensions because of their failure to include such effects. Pahoehoe and aa flows are emplaced by different mechanisms and require individualized models. The prevalence of pahoehoe lava flows on both Earth and Venus is a major element for deciphering the past evolution of each planet.

Geochemistry and geochronology of the Mesozoic Lanong ophiolitic mélange, northern Tibet: Implications for petrogenesis and tectonic evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, Yun; Liu, Wei-Liang; Xia, Bin; Liu, Jing-Nan; Guan, Yao; Yin, Zhen-Xing; Huang, Qiang-Tai

2017-11-01

The Lanong ophiolitic mélange is a typical ophiolitic mélange in the middle section of the Bangong-Nujiang suture zone in northern Tibet. It mainly consists of ultramafic and mafic rocks, and its tectonic setting and formation age remain poorly constrained. In this paper, new geochemical and LA-ICP-MS (laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer) zircon U-Pb age data obtained from gabbro, gabbro-dolerite, dolerite and basalt of the Lanong ophiolitic mélange are provided. The pillow basalts exhibit N-MORB (normal mid-ocean ridge basalt)-like geochemical features with a zircon U-Pb age of 147.6 ± 2.3 Ma. They were generated by 20-30% partial melting of a depleted mantle source composed of spinel lherzolite. The gabbro, massive basalt and gabbro-dolerite samples are characterised by more depleted and "V"-shaped REE (rare earth element) patterns, and they exhibit variable degrees of boninite-like geochemical characteristics, with a zircon U-Pb age of 149.1 ± 1.2 Ma (gabbro-dolerite). They were derived from the remelting of a significantly refractory mantle source following one or more episodes of previous basaltic melt extraction. Geochemical data of these mafic rocks indicate that they were developed in a continental fore-arc setting, and magmas were derived from depleted mantle sources modified by subducted slab-derived fluids and melts with minor crustal contamination. On the other hand, the dolerites show distinct OIB (oceanic island basalt)-like geochemical features, with a zircon U-Pb age of 244.1 ± 3.0 Ma. They were formed in a rift setting on a continental shelf-slope and originated from a low degree of partial melting of a depleted asthenospheric magma source mixed with some ancient sub-continental lithospheric mantle materials. The signatures presented here, combined with the results of previous studies, suggest that the Lanong ophiolitic mélange probably developed in a convergent plate margin under the southward subduction of the Bangong-Nujiang Tethys Ocean beneath the Lhasa terrane during the Middle Triassic-Early Cretaceous. Namely, the OIB-like dolerites likely reflect an extensional rift setting featuring thin continental crust in the Middle Triassic, and the gabbros, gabbro-dolerites and basalts represent a later stage of a fore-arc basin during the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous.

Lunar cryptomaria: Physical characteristics, distribution, and implications for ancient volcanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whitten, Jennifer L.; Head, James W.

2015-02-01

Cryptomaria, lunar volcanic deposits obscured by crater and basin impact ejecta, can provide important information about the thermal and volcanic history of the Moon. The timing of cryptomare deposition has implications for the duration and flux of mare basalt volcanism. In addition, knowing the distribution of cryptomaria can provide information about mantle convection and lunar magma ocean solidification. Here we use multiple datasets (e.g., M3, LOLA, LROC, Diviner) to undertake a global analysis to identify the general characteristics (e.g., topography, surface roughness, rock abundance, albedo, etc.) of lunar light plains in order to better distinguish between ancient volcanic deposits (cryptomaria) and impact basin and crater ejecta deposits. We find 20 discrete regions of cryptomaria, covering approximately 2% of the Moon, which increase the total area covered by mare volcanism to 18% of the lunar surface. Comparisons of light plains deposits indicate that the two deposit types (volcanic and impact-produced) are best distinguished by mineralogic data. On the basis of cryptomaria locations, the distribution of mare volcanism does not appear to have changed in the time prior to its exposed mare basalt distribution. There are several hypotheses explaining the distribution of mare basalts, which include the influence of crustal thickness, mantle convection patterns, asymmetric distribution of source regions, KREEP distribution, and the influence of a proposed Procellarum impact basin. The paucity of farside mare basalts means that multiple factors, such as crustal thickness variations and mantle convection, are likely to play a role in mare basalt emplacement.

Chemical modeling constraints on Martian surface mineralogies formed in an early, warm, wet climate, and speculations on the occurrence of phosphate minerals in the Martian regolith

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Plumlee, Geoffrey S.; Ridley, W. Ian; Debraal, Jeffrey D.

1992-01-01

This is one in a series of reports summarizing our chemical modeling studies of water-rock-gas interactions at the martian surface through time. The purpose of these studies is to place constraints on possible mineralogies formed at the martian surface and to model the geochemical implications of martian surficial processes proposed by previous researchers. Plumlee and Ridley summarize geochemical processes that may have occurred as a result of inferred volcano- and impact-driven hydrothermal activity on Mars. DeBraal et al. model the geochemical aspects of water-rock interactions and water evaporation near 0 C, as a prelude to future calculations that will model sub-0 C brine-rock-clathrate interactions under the current martian climate. In this report, we discuss reaction path calculations that model chemical processes that may have occurred at the martian surface in a postulated early, warm, wet climate. We assume a temperature of 25 C in all our calculations. Processes we model here include (1) the reaction of rainwater under various ambient CO2 and O2 pressures with basaltic rocks at the martian surface, (2) the formation of acid rain by volcanic gases such as HCl and SO2, (3) the reactions of acid rain with basaltic surficial materials, and (4) evaporation of waters resulting from rainwater-basalt interactions.

Meteorite Dust and Health - A Novel Approach for Determining Bulk Compositions for Toxicological Assessments of Precious Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vander Kaaden, K. E.; Harrington, A. D.; McCubbin, F. M.

2017-01-01

With the resurgence of human curiosity to explore planetary bodies beyond our own, comes the possibility of health risks associated with the materials covering the surface of these planetary bodies. In order to mitigate these health risks and prepare ourselves for the eventuality of sending humans to other planetary bodies, toxicological evaluations of extraterrestrial materials is imperative (Harrington et al. 2017). Given our close proximity, as well as our increased datasets from various missions (e.g., Apollo, Mars Exploration Rovers, Dawn, etc…), the three most likely candidates for initial human surface exploration are the Moon, Mars, and asteroid 4Vesta. Seven samples, including lunar mare basalt NWA 4734, lunar regolith breccia NWA 7611, martian basalt Tissint, martian regolith breccia NWA 7034, a vestian basalt Berthoud, a vestian regolith breccia NWA 2060, and a terrestrial mid-ocean ridge basalt, were examined for bulk chemistry, mineralogy, geochemical reactivity, and inflammatory potential. In this study, we have taken alliquots from these samples, both the fresh samples and those that underwent iron leaching (Tissint, NWA 7034, NWA 4734, MORB), and performed low pressure, high temperature melting experiments to determine the bulk composition of the materials that were previously examined.

Interisland and interarchipelago transfer of stone tools in prehistoric Polynesia.

PubMed

Weisler, M I; Kirch, P V

1996-02-20

Tracing interisland and interarchipelago movements of people and artifacts in prehistoric Polynesia has posed a challenge to archaeologists due to the lack of pottery and obsidian, two materials most readily used in studies of prehistoric trade or exchange. Here we report the application of nondestructive energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) analysis to the sourcing of Polynesian artifacts made from basalt, one of the most ubiquitous materials in Polynesian archaeological sites. We have compared excavated and surface-collected basalt adzes and adze flakes from two sites in Samoa (site AS-13-1) and the Cook Islands (site MAN-44), with source basalts from known prehistoric quarries in these archipelagoes. In both cases, we are able to demonstrate the importing of basalt adzes from Tutuila Island, a distance of 100 km to Ofu Island, and of 1600 km to Mangaia Island. These findings are of considerable significance for Polynesian prehistory, as they demonstrate the movement of objects not only between islands in the same group (where communities were culturally and linguistically related) but also between distant island groups. Further applications of EDXRF analysis should greatly aid archaeologists in their efforts to reconstruct ancient trade and exchange networks, not only in Polynesia but also in other regions where basalt was a major material for artifact production.

Global structure of mantle isotopic heterogeneity and its implications for mantle differentiation and convection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iwamori, Hikaru; Albaréde, Francis; Nakamura, Hitomi

2010-11-01

In order to further our understanding of the global geochemical structure and mantle dynamics, a global isotopic data set of oceanic basalts was analyzed by Independent Component Analysis (ICA), a relatively new method of multivariate analysis. The data set consists of 2773 mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB) and 1515 ocean island basalts (OIB) with five isotopic ratios of Pb, Nd and Sr. The data set spatially covers the major oceans and enables us to compare the results with global geophysical observations. Three independent components (ICs) have been found, two of which are essentially identical to those previously found for basalts from the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The two ICs (IC1 and IC2) span a compositional plane that accounts for 95.7% of the sample variance, while the third IC (IC3) accounts for 3.7%. Based on the geochemical nature of ICs and a forward model concerning trace elemental and isotopic compositions, the origin of the ICs is discussed. IC1 discriminates OIB from MORB, and may be related to elemental fractionation associated with melting and the subsequent radiogenic in growth with an average recycling time of 0.8 to 2.4 Ga. IC2 tracks the regional provenance of both MORB and OIB and may be related to aqueous fluid-rock interaction and the subsequent radiogenic ingrowth with an average recycling time of 0.3 to 0.9 Ga. IC3 fingerprints upper continental crustal material and its high value appears in limited geographical and tectonic settings. Variations in the melt component (IC1) and in the aqueous fluid component (IC2) inherited in the mantle most likely reflect mid-ocean ridge and subduction zone processes, respectively. Long-term accumulation of dense materials rich in the IC1 melt component at the base of the convective mantle accounts for its longer recycling time with respect to that for less dense materials rich in the aqueous fluid component (IC2). IC2 broadly correlates with the seismic velocity structures of the lowermost mantle and electric conductivity around the mantle transition zones. We propose that IC2 reflects hydrogen distribution within the mantle and that several global domains enriched in hydrogen could exist as vertical sectors extending all the way down to the core-mantle boundary.

Composition of the earth's upper mantle. II - Volatile trace elements in ultramafic xenoliths

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morgan, J. W.; Wandless, G. A.; Petrie, R. K.; Irving, A. J.

1980-01-01

Radiochemical neutron activation analysis was used to determine the nine volatile elements Ag, Bi, Cd, In, Sb, Se, Te, Tl, and Zn in 19 ultramafic rocks, consisting mainly of spinel and garnet lherzolites. A sheared garnet lherzolite, PHN 1611, may approximate undepleted mantle material and tends to have a higher volatile element content than the depleted mantle material represented by spinel lherzolites. Comparisons of continental basalts with PHN 1611 and of oceanic ridge basalts with spinel lherzolites show similar basalt: source material partition factors for eight of the nine volatile elements, Sb being the exception. The strong depletion of Te and Se in the mantle, relative to lithophile elements of similar volatility, suggests that 97% of the earth's S, Se and Te may be in the outer core.

How We Used NASA Lunar Set in Planetary Material Science Analog Studies on Lunar Basalts and Breccias with Industrial Materials of Steels and Ceramics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berczi, S.; Cech, V.; Jozsa, S.; Szakmany, G.; Fabriczy, A.; Foldi, T.; Varga, T.

2005-01-01

Analog studies play important role in space materials education. Various aspects of analogies are used in our courses. In this year two main rock types of NASA Lunar Set were used in analog studies in respect of processes and textures with selected industrial material samples. For breccias and basalts on the lunar side, ceramics and steels were found as analogs on the industrial side. Their processing steps were identified on the basis of their textures both in lunar and in industrial groups of materials.

Evidence for a basalt-free surface on Mercury and implications for internal heat.

PubMed

Jeanloz, R; Mitchell, D L; Sprague, A L; de Pater, I

1995-06-09

Microwave and mid-infrared observations reveal that Mercury's surface contains less FeO + TiO2 and at least as much feldspar as the lunar highlands. The results are compatible with the high albedo (brightness) of Mercury's surface at visible wavelengths in suggesting a rock and soil composition that is devoid of basalt, the primary differentiate of terrestrial mantles. The occurrence of a basalt-free, highly differentiated crust is in accord with recent models of the planet's thermal evolution and suggests that Mercury has retained a hot interior as a result of a combination of inefficient mantle convection and minimal volcanic heat loss.

Processing and Material Characterization of Continuous Basalt Fiber Reinforced Ceramic Matrix Composites Using Polymer Derived Ceramics.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cox, Sarah B.

2014-01-01

The need for high performance vehicles in the aerospace industry requires materials which can withstand high loads and high temperatures. New developments in launch pads and infrastructure must also be made to handle this intense environment with lightweight, reusable, structural materials. By using more functional materials, better performance can be seen in the launch environment, and launch vehicle designs which have not been previously used can be considered. The development of high temperature structural composite materials has been very limited due to the high cost of the materials and the processing needed. Polymer matrix composites can be used for temperatures up to 260C. Ceramics can take much higher temperatures, but they are difficult to produce and form in bulk volumes. Polymer Derived Ceramics (PDCs) begin as a polymer matrix, allowing a shape to be formed and cured and then to be pyrolized in order to obtain a ceramic with the associated thermal and mechanical properties. The use of basalt in structural and high temperature applications has been under development for over 50 years, yet there has been little published research on the incorporation of basalt fibers as a reinforcement in the composites. In this study, continuous basalt fiber reinforced PDCs have been fabricated and tested for the applicability of this composite system as a high temperature structural composite material. The oxyacetylene torch testing and three point bend testing have been performed on test panels and the test results are presented.

Acidic weathering of basalt and basaltic glass: 1. Near-infrared spectra, thermal infrared spectra, and implications for Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horgan, Briony H. N.; Smith, Rebecca J.; Cloutis, Edward A.; Mann, Paul; Christensen, Philip R.

2017-01-01

Acid-leached rinds and coatings occur in volcanic environments on Earth and have been identified using orbital spectroscopy on Mars, but their development is poorly understood. We simulated long-term open-system acidic weathering in a laboratory by repeatedly rinsing and submerging crystalline and glassy basalts in pH 1 and pH 3 acidic solutions for 213 days and compared their visible/near-infrared (0.3-2.5 µm) and thermal infrared (5-50 µm) spectral characteristics to their microscopic physical and chemical properties from scanning electron microscopy (SEM). We find that while alteration at moderately low pH ( 3) can produce mineral precipitates from solution, it has very little spectral or physical effect on the underlying parent material. In contrast, alteration at very low pH ( 1) results in clear silica spectral signatures for all crystalline samples while glasses exhibit strong blue concave-up near-infrared slopes. SEM indicates that these spectral differences correspond to different modes of alteration. In glass, alteration occurs only at the surface and produces a silica-enriched leached rind, while in more crystalline samples, alteration penetrates the interior to cause dissolution and replacement by silica. We confirm that glass is more stable than crystalline basalt under long-term acidic leaching, suggesting that glass could be enriched and common in terrains on Mars that have been exposed to acidic weathering. Leached glasses are consistent with both OMEGA and Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) spectra of the Martian northern lowlands and may contribute to the high-silica phases detected globally in TES Surface Type 2. Thus, both glass-rich deposits and acidic weathering may have been widespread on Mars.

Volatile contents of magmas from the Deccan and Columbia River provinces: implications for atmospheric gas release from flood basalt eruptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Self, S.; Blake, S.; Sharma, K.; Widdowson, M.

2008-12-01

Sulphur (S) and chlorine (Cl) contents of magmas from the Mesozoic Deccan basalt province have been measured directly on rare, preserved glass inclusions within crystals and on glassy selvages in these ancient lava flows (Self et al., 2008). Lava flows of the Deccan Traps, India, were emplaced around 66-65 Ma ago. S and Cl concentrations range from high values of ~ 1400 ppm S and 500 ppm Cl in inclusions down to a few hundred ppm in lava selvages. The data indicate that the basaltic magmas of certain (and by implication, many) Deccan eruptions would have emitted up to 0.15 wt % SO2 and up to 0.03 wt % HCl, using an approach that accounts for the variable degree of melt evolution. Such values imply atmospheric releases of ~ 4 Tg of SO2 (and 0.8 Tg HCl) per cubic kilometer (km) of basaltic lava erupted, with most of this being released above the vents. Although eruptive volumes of individual Deccan flood basalt lava fields are not known, the SO2 masses released are indicated to be around 4000 Tg for a 1000 cubic km eruption. Similar, to slightly higher, values for S and Cl have been recently obtained by the same method on two other lava flow fields besides the already-studied Roza lava (Thordarson and Self, 1996) from the 15 Ma Columbia River flood basalt province (CRB) in the Pacific NW of the USA. Volumes of individual eruptive units are known for the CRB (those studied are from 1300-2600 cubic km) and it can be shown that the studied eruptions released SO2 masses in the range 8,000 to 12000 Tg, depending upon flow-field volume. In some cases, the vent areas for these eruptions can be explored. Understanding the eruptive style indicated by proximal deposits will help in future modeling of the atmospheric behavior of the eruption columns, and in heights attained. These results provide a solid basis for interpretation and modeling of the environmental impact of gas releases from past flood basalt activity, which has long been assumed to have been severe. The significance of flood basalt volcanism is that the erupted volumes, and hence the potential environmental pollution caused by the gases released, were immense on a scale compared to smaller-scale historic and Quaternary basaltic eruptive activity.

Olivine and melt inclusion chemical constraints on the source of intracontinental basalts from the eastern North China Craton: Discrimination of contributions from the subducted Pacific slab

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Hong-Yan; Xu, Yi-Gang; Ryan, Jeffrey G.; Huang, Xiao-Long; Ren, Zhong-Yuan; Guo, Hua; Ning, Zhen-Guo

2016-04-01

Contributions from fluid and melt inputs from the subducting Pacific slab to the chemical makeup of intraplate basalts erupted on the eastern Eurasian continent have long been suggested but have not thus far been geochemically constrained. To attempt to address this question, we have investigated Cenozoic basaltic rocks from the western Shandong and Bohai Bay Basin, eastern North China Craton (NCC), which preserve coherent relationships among the chemistries of their melt inclusions, their hosting olivines and their bulk rock compositions. Three groups of samples are distinguished: (1) high-Si and (2) moderate-Si basalts (tholeiites, alkali basalts and basanites) which were erupted at ∼23-20 Ma, and (3) low-Si basalts (nephelinites) which were erupted at <9 Ma. The high-Si basalts have lower alkalies, CaO and FeOT contents, lower trace element concentrations, lower La/Yb, Sm/Yb and Ce/Pb but higher Ba/Th ratios, and lower εNd and εHf values than the low-Si basalts. The olivines in the high-Si basalts have higher Ni and lower Mn and Ca at a given Fo value than those crystallizing from peridotite melts, and their corresponding melt inclusions have lower CaO contents than peridotite melts, suggesting a garnet pyroxenitic source. The magmatic olivines from low-Si basalts have lower Ni but higher Mn at a given Fo value than that of the high-Si basalts, suggesting more olivine in its source. The olivine-hosted melt inclusions of the low-Si basalts have major elemental signatures different from melts of normal peridotitic or garnet pyroxenitic mantle sources, pointing to their derivation from a carbonated mantle source consisting of peridotite and garnet pyroxenite. We propose a model involving the differential melting of a subduction-modified mantle source to account for the generation of these three suites of basalts. Asthenospheric mantle beneath the eastern NCC, which entrains garnet pyroxenite with an EM1 isotopic signature, was metasomatized by carbonatitic melts from carbonated eclogite derived from subducted Pacific slab materials present in the deeper mantle. High degree melting of garnet pyroxenites from a shallower mantle source produced the early (∼23-20 Ma) higher-Si basalts. Mixing of these materials with deeper-sourced melts of carbonated mantle source produced the moderate-Si basalts. A thicker lithosphere after 9 Ma precluded melting of shallower garnet pyroxenites, so melts of the deeper carbonated mantle source are responsible for the low-Si basalts.

Basaltic cannibalism at Thrihnukagigur volcano, Iceland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hudak, M. R.; Feineman, M. D.; La Femina, P. C.; Geirsson, H.

2014-12-01

Magmatic assimilation of felsic continental crust is a well-documented, relatively common phenomenon. The extent to which basaltic crust is assimilated by magmas, on the other hand, is not well known. Basaltic cannibalism, or the wholesale incorporation of basaltic crustal material into a basaltic magma, is thought to be uncommon because basalt requires more energy than higher silica rocks to melt. Basaltic materials that are unconsolidated, poorly crystalline, or palagonitized may be more easily ingested than fully crystallized massive basalt, thus allowing basaltic cannibalism to occur. Thrihnukagigur volcano, SW Iceland, offers a unique exposure of a buried cinder cone within its evacuated conduit, 100 m below the main vent. The unconsolidated tephra is cross-cut by a NNE-trending dike, which runs across the ceiling of this cave to a vent that produced lava and tephra during the ~4 Ka fissure eruption. Preliminary petrographic and laser ablation inductively coupled mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) analyses indicate that there are two populations of plagioclase present in the system - Population One is stubby (aspect ratio < 1.7) with disequilibrium textures and low Ba/Sr ratios while Population Two is elongate (aspect ratio > 2.1), subhedral to euhedral, and has much higher Ba/Sr ratios. Population One crystals are observed in the cinder cone, dike, and surface lavas, whereas Population Two crystals are observed only in the dike and surface lavas. This suggests that a magma crystallizing a single elongate population of plagioclase intruded the cinder cone and rapidly assimilated the tephra, incorporating the stubbier population of phenocrysts. This conceptual model for basaltic cannibalism is supported by field observations of large-scale erosion upward into the tephra, which is coated by magma flow-back indicating that magma was involved in the thermal etching. While the unique exposure at Thrihnukagigur makes it an exceptional place to investigate basaltic cannibalism, we suggest that it is not limited to this volcanic system. Rather it is a process that likely occurs throughout Iceland and may contribute to the evolution of the crust in other predominately basaltic settings.

Apatite-Melt Partitioning of Volatiles in Basaltic Systems: Implications for Determining Volatile Abundances in Planetary Bodies from Apatite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCubbin, F. M.

2017-01-01

Apatite [Ca5(PO4)3(F,Cl,OH)] is present in a wide range of planetary materials, and due to the presence of volatiles within its crystal structure (X-site), many recent studies have attempted to use apatite to constrain the volatile contents of planetary magmas and mantle sources [i.e., 1]. Experimental studies have investigated the apatite-melt partitioning behavior of F, Cl, and OH in basaltic systems [e.g., 2- 3], reporting that apatite-melt partitioning of volatiles is best described as exchange equilibria similar to Fe-Mg partitioning between olivine and silicate melt. However, exchange coefficients may vary as a function of temperature, pressure, melt composition, and/or oxygen fugacity. Furthermore, exchange coefficients may vary in portions of apatite compositional space where F, Cl, and OH do not mix ideally in apatite [3]. In these regions of ternary space, we anticipate that crystal chemistry could influence partitioning behavior. Consequently, we conducted experiments to investigate the effect of apatite crystal chemistry on apatite-melt partitioning of F, Cl, and OH.

Zircon evidence for incorporation of terrigenous sediments into the magma source of continental basalts.

PubMed

Xu, Zheng; Zheng, Yong-Fei; Zhao, Zi-Fu

2018-01-09

Crustal components may be incorporated into continental basalts by either shallow contamination or deep mixing. While the former proceeds at crustal depths with common preservation of refractory minerals, the latter occurs at mantle depths with rare survival of relict minerals. Discrimination between the two mechanisms has great bearing to subcontinental mantle geochemistry. Here we report the occurrence of relict zircons in Cenozoic continental basalts from eastern China. A combined study of zircon U-Pb ages and geochemistry indicates that detrital zircons were carried by terrigenous sediments into a subcontinental subduction zone, where the zircon were transferred by fluids into the magma sources of continental basalts. The basalts were sampled from three petrotectonic units with distinct differences in their magmatic and metamorphic ages, making the crustal contamination discernible. The terrigenous sediments were carried by the subducting oceanic crust into the asthenospheric mantle, producing both soluble and insoluble materials at the slab-mantle interface. These materials were served as metasomatic agents to react with the overlying mantle wedge peridotite, generating a kind of ultramafic metasomatites that contain the relict zircons. Therefore, the occurrence of relict zircons in continental basalts indicates that this refractory mineral can survive extreme temperature-pressure conditions in the asthenospheric mantle.

Magma source evolution beneath the Caribbean oceanic plateau: New insights from elemental and Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotopic studies of ODP Leg 165, Site 1001 basalts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kerr, A. C.; Pearson, G.; Nowell, G.

2008-12-01

Ocean Drilling Project Leg 165 sampled 38m of the basaltic basement of the Caribbean plate at Site 1001 on the Hess Escarpment. The recovered section consists of 12 basaltic flow units which yield a weighted mean Ar-Ar age of 80.9±0.9 Ma (Sinton et al., 2000). The basalts (6.4-8.5 wt.% MgO) are remarkably homogeneous in composition and are more depleted in incompatible trace elements than N-MORB. Markedly, depleted initial radiogenic isotope ratios reveal a long-term history of depletion. Although the Site 1001 basalts are superficially similar to N-MORB, radiogenic isotopes in conjunction with incompatible trace element ratios show that the basalts have more similarity to the depleted basalts and komatiites of Gorgona Island. This chemical composition strongly implies that the Site 1001 basalts are derived from a depleted mantle plume component and not from depleted ambient upper mantle. Therefore the Site 1001 basalts are, both compositionally and tectonically, a constituent part of the Caribbean oceanic plateau. Mantle melt modelling suggests that the Site 1001 lavas have a composition which is consistent with second-stage melting of compositionally heterogeneous mantle plume source material which had already been melted, most likely to form the 90Ma basalts of the plateau. The prolonged residence (>10m.y.) of residual mantle plume source material below the region, confirms computational model predictions and places significant constraints on tectonic models of Caribbean evolution in the late Cretaceous, and the consequent environmental impact of oceanic plateau volcanism. Reference Sinton, C.W., et al., 2000. Geochronology and petrology of the igneous basement at the lower Nicaraguan Rise, Site 1001. Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Scientific Results. Leg 165. pp. 233-236.

Low-velocity impact craters in ice and ice-saturated sand with implications for Martian crater count ages.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Croft, S.K.; Kieffer, S.W.; Ahrens, T.J.

1979-01-01

We produced a series of decimeter-sized impact craters in blocks of ice near 0oC and -70oC and in ice-saturated sand near -70oC as a preliminary investigation of cratering in materials analogous to those found on Mars and the outer solar satellites. Crater diameters in the ice-saturated sand were 2 times larger than craters in the same energy and velocity range in competent blocks of granite, basalt and cement. Craters in ice were c.3 times larger. Martian impact crater energy versus diameter scaling may thus be a function of latitude. -from Authors

Stability of Basalt plus Anhydrite plus Calcite at HP-HT: Implications for Venus, the Earth and Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, A. M.; Righter, K.; Treiman, A. H.

2010-01-01

"Canali" observed at Venus surface by Magellan are evidence for very long melt flows, but their composition and origin remain uncertain. The hypothesis of water-rich flow is not reasonable regarding the temperature at Venus surface. The length of these channels could not be explained by a silicate melt composition but more likely, by a carbonate-sulfate melt which has a much lower viscosity (Kargel et al 1994). One hypothesis is that calcite CaCO3 and anhydrite CaSO4 which are alteration products of basalts melted during meteorite impacts. A famous example recorded on the Earth (Chicxulub) produced melt and gas rich in carbon and sulfur. Calcite and sulfate evaporites are also present on Mars surface, associated with basalts. An impact on these materials might release C- and S-rich melt or fluid. Another type of planetary phenomenon (affecting only the Earth) might provoke a high pressure destabilization of basalt+anhydrite+calcite. Very high contents of C and S are measured in some Earth s magmas, either dissolved or in the form of crystals (Luhr 2008). As shown by the high H content and high fO2 of primary igneous anhydrite-bearing lavas, the high S content in their source may be explained by subduction of an anhydrite-bearing oceanic crust, either directly (by melting followed by eruption) or indirectly (by release of S-rich melt or fluid that metasomatize the mantle) . Calcite is a major product of oceanic sedimentation and alteration of the crust. Therefore, sulfate- and calcite-rich material may be subducted to high pressures and high temperatures (HP-HT) and release S- and C-rich melts or fluids which could influence the composition of subduction zone lavas or gases. Both phenomena - meteorite impact and subduction - imply HP-HT conditions - although the P-T-time paths are different. Some HP experimental/theoretical studies have been performed on basalt/eclogite, calcite and anhydrite separately or on a combination of two. In this study we performed piston-cylinder experiments at 1 GPa between 950 and 1700 C using a mixture of 70wt% tholeiitic basalt + 15wt% anhydrite + 15wt% calcite. Up to 1440 C, an ultracalcic (CaO>13.5 wt%; CaO/Al2O3>1 wt%) picrobasaltic (SiO240-45 wt%; Na2O+K2O<2 wt%) melt containing up to 5 wt% SO3 and up to 5.3 wt% CO2+H2O (calculated by difference) is present in equilibrium with clinopyroxene, anhydrite, spinel-chromite, a CAS-phase and a gas composed mainly of CO and an aliphatic thiol (CH2)4SH. Hydrogen was incorporated either by contact between the starting material and air or by diffusion through the capsule during the experiments. The S content in the gas increases with temperature and run duration, implying that gases with various C/S ratios might be released during an impact or at subduction zones, depending on the P-T-t path and on the H content. Above approx.1440 C, a Ca-rich carbonate-sulfate melt forms (in equilibrium with the picrobasaltic melt) which contains a few percents of Na and K. Such melt is not expected to form at Earth s subduction temperatures. If it forms by meteorite impact, it might crystallize too fast to explain long flows like Venus canali. A different basalt/anhydrite/calcite ratio might, however, decrease its formation temperature.

Rock elastic properties and near-surface structure at Taurus-Littrow. [strain measurement of lunar basalt and breccia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trice, R.; Warren, N.; Anderson, O. L.

1974-01-01

Linear strain measurements are presented for two lunar basalts, 14310,82 and 71055,15 and one breccia, 15498,23 to 5 kb hydrostatic pressure. Compressional and shear acoustic velocities to 5 kb are also presented for the basalts, 14310,82 and 71055,15. These elastic properties, along with geological, seismological and rock mechanics considerations are consistent with a model of the structure of the Taurus-Littrow valley as follows, a thin surface regolith overlying a fractured mixture of basalt flows and ejecta material which in turn overlies a coherent breccia of highland ejecta debris.

Design and research of thermal protective material from short basalt fibres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komkov, MA; Tarasov, VA; Boyarskaya, RA; Filimonov, AS

2016-10-01

Design and manufacture issues regarding highly porous thermal protection coatings of products by means of liquid filtration of short basalt fibres and mineral binder are considered. The technological process of manufacture of thermally loaded products from the short basalt fibres of thermal protective material (TPM) in the form of tiles and rings, was developed based on a liquid filtration method. The structural and mechanical properties of the highly porous TPM technological modes were determined. The thermal testing of the pipe model samples was carried out on a thermal bench, which showed the temperature on the coating reaching less than 60°C during a hot air run through the pipe at 400°C.

Basalt fiber reinforced polymer composites: Processing and properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Qiang

A high efficiency rig was designed and built for in-plane permeability measurement of fabric materials. A new data derivation procedure to acquire the flow fluid pattern in the experiment was developed. The measurement results of the in-plane permeability for basalt twill 31 fabric material showed that a high correlation exists between the two principal permeability values for this fabric at 35% fiber volume fraction. This may be the most important scientific contribution made in this thesis. The results from radial measurements corresponded quite well with those from Unidirectional (UD) measurements, which is a well-established technique. No significant differences in mechanical properties were found between basalt fabric reinforced polymer composites and glass composites reinforced by a fabric of similar weave pattern. Aging results indicate that the interfacial region in basalt composites may be more vulnerable to environmental damage than that in glass composites. However, the basalt/epoxy interface may have been more durable than the glass/epoxy interface in tension-tension fatigue because the basalt composites have significantly longer fatigue life. In this thesis, chapter I reviews the literature on fiber reinforced polymer composites, with concentration on permeability measurement, mechanical properties and durability. Chapter II discusses the design of the new rig for in-plane permeability measurement, the new derivation procedure for monitoring of the fluid flow pattern, and the permeability measurement results. Chapter III compares the mechanical properties and durability between basalt fiber and glass fiber reinforced polymer composites. Lastly, chapter IV gives some suggestions and recommendations for future work.

Bonding Properties of Basalt Fiber and Strength Reduction According to Fiber Orientation

PubMed Central

Choi, Jeong-Il; Lee, Bang Yeon

2015-01-01

The basalt fiber is a promising reinforcing fiber because it has a relatively higher tensile strength and a density similar to that of a concrete matrix as well as no corrosion possibility. This study investigated experimentally the bonding properties of basalt fiber with cementitious material as well as the effect of fiber orientation on the tensile strength of basalt fiber for evaluating basalt fiber’s suitability as a reinforcing fiber. Single fiber pullout tests were performed and then the tensile strength of fiber was measured according to fiber orientation. The test results showed that basalt fiber has a strong chemical bond with the cementitious matrix, 1.88 times higher than that of polyvinyl alcohol fibers with it. However, other properties of basalt fiber such as slip-hardening coefficient and strength reduction coefficient were worse than PVA and polyethylene fibers in terms of fiber bridging capacity. Theoretical fiber-bridging curves showed that the basalt fiber reinforcing system has a higher cracking strength than the PVA fiber reinforcing system, but the reinforcing system showed softening behavior after cracking. PMID:28793595

Bonding Properties of Basalt Fiber and Strength Reduction According to Fiber Orientation.

PubMed

Choi, Jeong-Il; Lee, Bang Yeon

2015-09-30

The basalt fiber is a promising reinforcing fiber because it has a relatively higher tensile strength and a density similar to that of a concrete matrix as well as no corrosion possibility. This study investigated experimentally the bonding properties of basalt fiber with cementitious material as well as the effect of fiber orientation on the tensile strength of basalt fiber for evaluating basalt fiber's suitability as a reinforcing fiber. Single fiber pullout tests were performed and then the tensile strength of fiber was measured according to fiber orientation. The test results showed that basalt fiber has a strong chemical bond with the cementitious matrix, 1.88 times higher than that of polyvinyl alcohol fibers with it. However, other properties of basalt fiber such as slip-hardening coefficient and strength reduction coefficient were worse than PVA and polyethylene fibers in terms of fiber bridging capacity. Theoretical fiber-bridging curves showed that the basalt fiber reinforcing system has a higher cracking strength than the PVA fiber reinforcing system, but the reinforcing system showed softening behavior after cracking.

An analysis of Apollo lunar soil samples 12070,889, 12030,187, and 12070,891: Basaltic diversity at the Apollo 12 landing site and implications for classification of small-sized lunar samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexander, Louise; Snape, Joshua F.; Joy, Katherine H.; Downes, Hilary; Crawford, Ian A.

2016-09-01

Lunar mare basalts provide insights into the compositional diversity of the Moon's interior. Basalt fragments from the lunar regolith can potentially sample lava flows from regions of the Moon not previously visited, thus, increasing our understanding of lunar geological evolution. As part of a study of basaltic diversity at the Apollo 12 landing site, detailed petrological and geochemical data are provided here for 13 basaltic chips. In addition to bulk chemistry, we have analyzed the major, minor, and trace element chemistry of mineral phases which highlight differences between basalt groups. Where samples contain olivine, the equilibrium parent melt magnesium number (Mg#; atomic Mg/[Mg + Fe]) can be calculated to estimate parent melt composition. Ilmenite and plagioclase chemistry can also determine differences between basalt groups. We conclude that samples of approximately 1-2 mm in size can be categorized provided that appropriate mineral phases (olivine, plagioclase, and ilmenite) are present. Where samples are fine-grained (grain size <0.3 mm), a "paired samples t-test" can provide a statistical comparison between a particular sample and known lunar basalts. Of the fragments analyzed here, three are found to belong to each of the previously identified olivine and ilmenite basalt suites, four to the pigeonite basalt suite, one is an olivine cumulate, and two could not be categorized because of their coarse grain sizes and lack of appropriate mineral phases. Our approach introduces methods that can be used to investigate small sample sizes (i.e., fines) from future sample return missions to investigate lava flow diversity and petrological significance.

Peridotites and basalts reveal broad congruence between two independent records of mantle fO2 despite local redox heterogeneity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Birner, Suzanne K.; Cottrell, Elizabeth; Warren, Jessica M.; Kelley, Katherine A.; Davis, Fred A.

2018-07-01

The oxygen fugacity (fO2) of the oceanic upper mantle has fundamental implications for the production of magmas and evolution of the Earth's interior and exterior. Mid-ocean ridge basalts and peridotites sample the oceanic upper mantle, and retain a record of oxygen fugacity. While fO2 has been calculated for mid-ocean ridge basalts worldwide (>200 locations), ridge peridotites have been comparatively less well studied (33 samples from 11 locations), and never in the same geographic location as basalts. In order to determine whether peridotites and basalts from mid-ocean ridges record congruent information about the fO2 of the Earth's interior, we analyzed 31 basalts and 41 peridotites from the Oblique Segment of the Southwest Indian Ridge. By measuring basalts and peridotites from the same ridge segment, we can compare samples with maximally similar petrogenetic histories. We project the composition and oxygen fugacity of each lithology back to source conditions, and evaluate the effects of factors such as subsolidus diffusion in peridotites and fractional crystallization in basalts. We find that, on average, basalts and peridotites from the Oblique Segment both reflect a source mantle very near the quartz-fayalite-magnetite (QFM) buffer. However, peridotites record a significantly wider range of values (nearly 3 orders of magnitude in fO2), with a single dredge recording a range in fO2 greater than that previously reported for mid-ocean ridge peridotites worldwide. This suggests that mantle fO2 may be heterogeneous on relatively short length scales, and that this heterogeneity may be obscured within aggregated basalt melts. We further suggest that the global peridotite fO2 dataset may not provide a representative sample of average basalt-source mantle. Our study motivates further investigation of the fO2 recorded by ridge peridotites, as peridotites record information about the fO2 of the Earth's interior that cannot be gleaned from analysis of basalts alone.

The Cenozoic magmatism of East-Africa: Part I - Flood basalts and pulsed magmatism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rooney, Tyrone O.

2017-08-01

Cenozoic magmatism in East Africa results from the interplay between lithospheric extension and material upwelling from the African Large Low Shear Velocity Province (LLSVP). The modern focusing of East African magmatism into oceanic spreading centers and continental rifts highlights the modern control of lithospheric thinning in magma generation processes, however the widespread, and volumetrically significant flood basalt events of the Eocene to Early Miocene suggest a significant role for material upwelling from the African LLSVP. The slow relative motion of the African plate during the Cenozoic has resulted in significant spatial overlap in lavas derived from different magmatic events. This complexity is being resolved with enhanced geochronological precision and a focus on the geochemical characteristics of the volcanic products. It is now apparent that there are three distinct pulses of basaltic volcanism, followed by either bimodal lavas or silicic volcanic products during this period: (A) Eocene Initial Phase from 45 to 34 Ma. This is a period of dominantly basaltic volcanism focused in Southern Ethiopia and Northern Kenya (Turkana). (B) Oligocene Traps phase from 33.9 to 27 Ma. This period coincides with a significant increase in the aerial extent of volcanism with broadly age equivalent 1 to 2 km thick sequences of dominantly basalt centered on the NW Ethiopian Plateau and Yemen, (C) Early Miocene resurgence phase from 26.9 to 22 Ma. This resurgence in basaltic volcanism is seen throughout the region at ca. 24-23 Ma, but is less volumetrically significant than the prior two basaltic pulses. With our developing understanding of the persistence of LLSVP anomalies within the mantle, I propose that the three basaltic pulses are ostensibly manifestations of the same plume-lithosphere interaction, requiring revision to the duration, magmatic extent, and magma volume of the African-Arabian Large Igneous Province.

Mapping the Concentration of Iron, Titanium, and Thorium in Mare Basalts in the Western Procellarum Region of the Moon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flor, E. L.; Jolliff, B. L.; Gillis, J. J.

2003-01-01

Mare basalt flows in the Western Procellarum region (WPR) are extensive and include some of the youngest geologic features on the Moon. Compositional remote sensing by the Lunar Prospector gammaray spectrometer (LPGRS) indicates elevated Th concentrations in many of these flows relative to basalts sampled by the Apollo and Luna missions [1,2,3,4]. The primary goals of this investigation are to determine whether the Th enrichment in this region contributed to the extensive and prolonged volcanism in the WPR, and to determine whether the Th is inherent to the basalts themselves or a result of contamination from nonvolcanic material. Thorium enrichment indigenous to the basalts of the Western Procellarum Region would provide evidence that the general concentration of Th in the Procellarum region extends below the crust and possibly as deep as the sources for the basalts themselves.

Basaltic glass as a habitat for microbial life: Implications for astrobiology and planetary exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Izawa, M. R. M.; Banerjee, N. R.; Flemming, R. L.; Bridge, N. J.; Schultz, C.

2010-03-01

Recent studies have demonstrated that terrestrial subaqueous basalts and hyaloclastites are suitable microbial habitats. During subaqueous basaltic volcanism, glass is produced by the quenching of basaltic magma upon contact with water. On Earth, microbes rapidly begin colonizing the glassy surfaces along fractures and cracks that have been exposed to water. Microbial colonization of basaltic glass leads to the alteration and modification of the rocks and produces characteristic granular and/or tubular bioalteration textures. Infilling of the alteration textures by minerals such as phyllosilicates, zeolites and titanite may enable their preservation through geologic time. Basaltic rocks are a major component of the Martian crust and are widespread on other solar system bodies. A variety of lines of evidence strongly suggests the long-term existence of abundant liquid water on ancient Mars. Recent orbiter, lander and rover missions have found evidence for the presence of transient liquid water on Mars, perhaps persisting to the present day. Many other solar system bodies, notably Europa, Enceladus and other icy satellites, may contain (or have once hosted) subaqueous basaltic glasses. The record of terrestrial glass bioalteration has been interpreted to extend as far back as ˜3.5 billion years ago and is widespread in oceanic crust and its metamorphic equivalents. The terrestrial record of glass bioalteration strongly suggests that glassy or formerly glassy basaltic rocks on extraterrestrial bodies that have interacted with liquid water are high-value targets for astrobiological exploration.

Geochemical signals of progressive continental rupture in the Main Ethiopian Rift

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furman, T.; Bryce, J.; Yirgu, G.; Ayalew, D.; Cooper, L.

2003-04-01

Mafic volcanics of the Main Ethiopian Rift record the development of magmatic rift segments during continental extension. The Ethiopian Rift is one arm of a triple junction that formed above a Paleogene mantle plume, concurrent with eruption of flood basalts ca. 30 Ma across northern Ethiopian and Yemen. The geochemistry of Ethiopian Rift lavas thus provides insight into processes associated with the shift from mechanical (lithospheric) to magmatic (asthenospheric) segmentation in the transitional phase of continental rifting. Quaternary basalts from five volcanic centers representing three magmatic segments display along-axis geochemical variations that likely reflect the degree of rifting and magma supply, which increase abruptly with proximity to the highly-extended Afar region. To first order, the geochemical data indicate a decreasing degree of shallow-level fractionation and greater involvement of depleted or plume-like mantle source materials in basalts sampled closer to the Afar. These spatially controlled geochemical signatures observed in contemporaneous basalts are similar to temporal variations documented in southern Ethiopia, where Quaternary lavas indicate a greater degree of crustal extension than those erupted at the onset of plume activity. Primitive Ethiopian Rift basalts have geochemical signatures (e.g., Ce/Pb, La/Nb, Ba/Nb, Ba/Rb, U/Th) that overlap ocean island basalt compositions, suggesting involvement of sub-lithospheric source materials. The estimated depth of melting (65-75 km) is shallower than values obtained for young primitive mafic lavas from the Western Rift and southern Kenya as well as Oligocene Ethiopian flood basalts from the onset of plume-driven activity. Basalts from the Turkana region (N. Kenya) and Erta 'Ale (Danakil depression) reflect melting at shallower levels, corresponding to the greater degree of crustal extension in these provinces. Preliminary Sr and Nd isotopic data trend towards primitive earth values, consistent with values observed previously in central Ethiopia that are associated with moderately high 3He/4He values (<19 RA; Marty et al. 1996) and interpreted as reflecting involvement of a mantle plume. Taken together, these data support a model in which upwelling plume material sampled in central Ethiopia incorporates depleted mantle during ascent beneath the more highly extended portions of the African Rift.

PGE abundance and Re-Os isotope Systematics of Native-Fe-Bearing Basaltic Rocks and Their Carbonaceous Crustal Contaminants: Insights into magma plumbing-system dynamics in LIPs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howarth, G. H.; Day, J. M.; Goodrich, C. A.; Pernet-Fisher, J.; Pearson, D. G.; Taylor, L. A.

2014-12-01

Native-Fe grains form in basaltic melts at highly reducing conditions (

Combined Li-He isotopes in Iceland and Jan Mayen basalts and constraints on the nature of the North Atlantic mantle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Magna, T.; Wiechert, U.; Stuart, F. M.; Halliday, A. N.; Harrison, D.

2011-02-01

Lithium (Li) isotopes are thought to provide a powerful proxy for the recycling of crustal material, affected by low temperature alteration, through the mantle. We present Li isotope compositions for basaltic volcanic rocks from Hengill, Iceland, and Jan Mayen in order to examine possible links between ocean island volcanism and recycled oceanic crust and to address recent suggestions that mantle 3He/ 4He is also related to recycling of ancient slabs. Basaltic glasses spanning a range of chemical enrichment from the Hengill fissure system define an inverse correlation between δ 7Li (3.8-6.9‰) and 3He/ 4He (12-20 RA). The high- 3He/ 4He basalts have low δ 18O as well as excess Eu and high Nb/U, but carry no Li isotope evidence of being the product of recycling of altered slab or wedge material. In fact, there is no clear correlation between Li or He isotopes on the one hand and any of the other fingerprints of recycled slab components. The low- 3He/ 4He samples do have elevated Nb/U, Sr/Nd, positive Eu anomalies and high δ 7Li (˜6.9‰), providing evidence of a cumulate-enriched source that could be part of an ancient altered ocean floor slab. Basalts from Jan Mayen are characterized by large degrees of enrichment in incompatible trace elements typical of EM-like basalts but have homogeneous δ 7Li typical of depleted mantle (3.9-4.7‰) providing evidence for a third mantle source in the North Atlantic. It appears that oceanic basalts can display a wide range in isotope and trace element compositions associated with recycled components whilst exhibiting no sign of modern surface-altered slab or wedge material from the Li isotope composition.

Material Properties Measurements for Selected Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, S. J.; Isbell, W. M.; Jones, A. H.; Maiden, C. J.; Perkins, R. D.; Shipman, F. H.

1968-01-01

Hugoniot equation of state measurements were made on Coconino sandstone, Vacaville basalt, Kaibab limestone, Mono Crater, pumice and Zelux (a polycarbonate resin) for pressures to 2 Mb. A single data point was obtained for fused quartz at 1.6 Mb. In addition to the hugoniot studies, the uniaxial compressive stress behavior of Vacaville basalt and Zelux was investigated at strain rates from about 10(exp -5)/sec to 10(exp 3)/second. The data presented include the stress - strain relations as a function of strain rate for these two materials.

Origin of low δ26Mg basalts with EM-I component: Evidence for interaction between enriched lithosphere and carbonated asthenosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, H.; Yang, W.; Li, S. G.; Ke, S.; Chu, Z. Y.

2016-12-01

Many studies have focused on the interactions between recycled materials and depleted mantle to explain the origins of EM and HIMU components (e.g., Cohen and O'Nions, 1982; White and Hofmann, 1982). However, little is known about the interactions between recycled materials and enriched mantle and the associated consequences, e.g., late recycled crustal material overprints mantle previously enriched by earlier recycling events of the crust. Recently, light Mg isotopic composition of the basalts from North China Craton (NCC) and South China Block (SCB) has been attributed to recycled carbonate metasomatism from subducted Pacific slab (Yang et al., 2012; Huang et al., 2015). If this explanation is correct, the Cenozoic basalts from Northeast (NE) China should also contain light Mg isotopic compositions. The basalts from NE China have EMI Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic features that are distinct from the NCC and SCB basalts, indicating the contribution of an enriched mantle source (Choi et al., 2006; Chu et al., 2013). Therefore, Mg isotopic compositions of the Cenozoic basalts from NE China will help to determine the interaction between recycled sedimentary carbonates and an enriched mantle. Consistent with the hypothesis, our results show that the Cenozoic basalts from Wudalianchi and Erkeshan, NE China, have homogeneous and light Mg isotopic compositions (δ26Mg =-0.57 to -0.46‰). Based on the similarity to the basalts from NCC and SCB, their light Mg isotopic feature should also be derived from carbonate metasomatism (i.e. carbonated asthenosphere). In addition to that, a question arise that why the interaction between carbonated asthenosphere and the EM-I SLCM significantly modify the trace element and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic composition of the mantle-derived melt, but have little effect on the Mg isotopes? The possible mechanism is the interaction between low SiO2 melt and peridotite, which converts pyroxene to olivine, as reported in previous studies (e.g., Kelemen et al., 1992; Edwards and Malpas, 1996; Zhou et al., 1996, 2014). During the interaction, the trace elements of the EM-I SCLM largely entered the melt, and all Mg was transferred from Opx and Cpx into the newly formed olivine. Consequently, the Wudalianchi and Erkeshan basalts preserve low δ26Mg and obtain EM-I Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic compositions (Fig. 1).

Hematite Spherules in Basaltic Tephra Altered Under Aqueous, Acid-Sulfate Conditions on Mauna Kea Volcano, Hawaii: Possible Clues for the Occurrence of Hematite-Rich Spherules in the Burns Formation at Meridiani Planum, Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morris, R. V.; Ming, D. W.; Graff, T. G.; Arvidson, R. E.; Bell, J. F., III; Squyres, S. W.; Mertzman, S. A.; Gruener, J. E.; Golden, D. C.; Robinson, G. A.

2005-01-01

Iron-rich spherules (>90% Fe2O3 from electron microprobe analyses) approx.10-100 microns in diameter are found within sulfate-rich rocks formed by aqueous, acid-sulfate alteration of basaltic tephra on Mauna Kea volcano, Hawaii. Although some spherules are nearly pure Fe, most have two concentric compositional zones, with the core having a higher Fe/Al ratio than the rim. Oxide totals less than 100% (93-99%) suggest structural H2O and/or /OH. The transmission Moessbauer spectrum of a spherule-rich separate is dominated by a hematite (alpha-Fe2O3) sextet whose peaks are skewed toward zero velocity. Skewing is consistent with Al(3+) for Fe(3+) substitution and structural H2O and/or /OH. The grey color of the spherules implies specular hematite. Whole-rock powder X-ray diffraction spectra are dominated by peaks from smectite and the hydroxy sulfate mineral natroalunite as alteration products and plagioclase feldspar that was present in the precursor basaltic tephra. Whether spherule formation proceeded directly from basaltic material in one event (dissolution of basaltic material and precipitation of hematite spherules) or whether spherule formation required more than one event (formation of Fe-bearing sulfate rock and subsequent hydrolysis to hematite) is not currently constrained. By analogy, a formation pathway for the hematite spherules in sulfate-rich outcrops at Meridiani Planum on Mars (the Burns formation) is aqueous alteration of basaltic precursor material under acid-sulfate conditions. Although hydrothermal conditions are present on Mauna Kea, such conditions may not be required for spherule formation on Mars if the time interval for hydrolysis at lower temperatures is sufficiently long.

Heat resistance study of basalt fiber material via mechanical tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Y. Q.; Jia, C.; Meng, L.; Li, X. H.

2017-12-01

This paper focuses on the study of the relationship between the fracture strength of basalt rovings and temperature. Strong stretching performance of the rovings has been tested after the treatment at fixed temperatures but different heating time and then the fracture strength of the rovings exposed to the heating at different temperatures and cooled in different modes investigated. Finally, the fracture strength of the basalt material after the heat treatment was studied. The results showed that the room-temperature strength tends to decrease with an increase of the heat treatment time at 250 °C, but it has the local maximum after 2h heating. And the basalt rovings strength increased after the heat treatment up to 200 °C. It was 16.7 percent higher than the original strength. The strength depends not only on the temperature and duration of the heating, but also on the cooling mode. The value of the strength measured after cold water cooling was less by 6.3% compared with an ambient air cooling mode. The room-temperature breaking strength of the rovings heated at 200 °C and 100 °C for 2 hours each increased by about 14.6% with respect to unpretreated basalt rovings.

Formation of continental crust by intrusive magmatism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rozel, A. B.; Golabek, G. J.; Jain, C.; Tackley, P. J.; Gerya, T.

2017-09-01

How were the continents formed in the Earth? No global numerical simulation of our planet ever managed to generate continental material self-consistently. In the present study, we show that the latest developments of the convection code StagYY enable to estimate how to produce the early continents, more than 3 billion years ago. In our models, melting of pyrolitic rocks generates a basaltic melt and leaves behind a depleted solid residue (a harzburgite). The melt generated in the mantle is transported to the surface. Only basaltic rocks melting again can generate continental crust. Should the basaltic melt always reach the open air and cool down? Should the melt be intruded warm in the pre-existing crust? The present study shows that both processes have to be considered to produce continents. Indeed, granitoids can only be created in a tight window of pressure-temperature. If all basalt is quickly cooled by surface volcanism, the lithosphere will be too cold. If all basalt is intruded warm below the crust then the lithosphere will be too warm. The key is to have both volcanism and plutonism (intrusive magmatism) to reach the optimal temperature and form massive volumes of continental material.

Genesis of highland basalt breccias - A view from 66095

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garrison, J. R., Jr.; Taylor, L. A.

1980-01-01

Electron microprobe and defocused beam analyses of the lunar highland breccia sample 66095 show it consists of a fine-grained subophitic matrix containing a variety of mineral and lithic clasts, such as intergranular and cataclastic ANT, shocked and unshocked plagioclase, and basalts. Consideration of the chemistries of both matrix and clasts provides a basis for a qualitative three-component mixing model consisting of an ANT plutonic complex, a Fra Mauro basalt, and minor meteoric material.

Th-230 - U-238 series disequilibrium of the Olkaria basalts Gregory Rift Valley, Kenya

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Black, S.; Macdonald, R.; Kelly, M.

1993-01-01

U-Th disequilibrium analyses of the Naivasha basalts show a very small (U-238/Th-230) ratios which are lower than any previously analyzed basalts. The broadly positive internal isochron trend from one sample indicates that the basalts may have source heterogeneities, this is supported by earlier work. The Naivasha complex comprises a bimodal suite of basalts and rhyolites. The basalts are divided into two stratigraphic groups each of a transitional nature. The early basalt series (EBS) which were erupted prior to the Group 1 comendites and, the late basalt series (LBS) which erupted temporally between the Broad Acres and the Ololbutot centers. The basalts represent a very small percentage of the overall eruptive volume of material at Naivasha (less than 2 percent). The analyzed samples come from four stratigraphic units in close proximity around Ndabibi, Hell's Gate and Akira areas. The earliest units occur as vesicular flows from the Ndabibi plain. These basalts are olivine-plagioclase phyric with the associated hawaiites being sparsely plagioclase phyric. An absolute age of 0.5Ma was estimated for these basalts. The next youngest basalts flows occur as younger tuft cones in the Ndabibi area and are mainly olivine-plagioclase-clinopyroxcene phyric with one purely plagioclase phyric sample. The final phase of activity at Ndabibi resulted in much younger tuft cones consisting of air fall ashes and lapilli tufts. Many of these contain resorbed plagioclase phenocrysts with sample number 120c also being clinopyroxene phyric. The isotopic evidence for the basalt formation is summarized.

Grain-scale alignment of melt in sheared partially molten rocks: implications for viscous anisotropy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pec, Matej; Quintanilla-Terminel, Alejandra; Holtzman, Benjamin; Zimmerman, Mark; Kohlstedt, David

2016-04-01

Presence of melt significantly influences rheological properties of partially molten rocks by providing fast diffusional pathways. Under stress, melt aligns at the grain scale and this alignment induces viscous anisotropy in the deforming aggregate. One of the consequences of viscous anisotropy is melt segregation into melt-rich sheets oriented at low angle to the shear plane on much larger scales than the grain scale. The magnitude and orientation of viscous anisotropy with respect to the applied stress are important parameters for constitutive models (Takei and Holtzman 2009) that must be constrained by experimental studies. In this contribution, we analyze the shape preferred orientation (SPO) of individual grain-scale melt pockets in deformed partially molten mantle rocks. The starting materials were obtained by isostatically hot-pressing olivine + basalt and olivine + chromite + basalt powders. These partially molten rocks were deformed in general shear or torsion at a confining pressure, Pc = 300 MPa, temperature, T = 1200° - 1250° C, and strain rates of 10-3 - 10-5 s-1to finite shear strains, γ, of 0.5 - 5. After the experiment, high resolution backscattered electron images were obtained using a SEM equipped with a field emission gun. Individual melt pockets were segmented and their SPO analyzed using the paror and surfor methods and Fourier transforms (Heilbronner and Barret 2014). Melt segregation into melt-rich sheets inclined at 15° -20° antithetic with respect to the shear plane occurs in three-phase system (olivine + chromite + basalt) and in two-phase systems (olivine + basalt) twisted to high strain. The SPO of individual melt pockets within the melt-rich bands is moderately strong (b/a ≈ 0.8) and is always steeper (20° -40°) than the average melt-rich band orientation. In the two-phase system (olivine + basalt) sheared to lower strains, no distinct melt-rich sheets are observed. Individual grain-scale melt pockets are oriented at 45° -55° antithetic with respect to the shear plane (i.e., sub-perpendicular to σ3) with a strong SPO (b/a ≈ 0.7) that decreases with increasing finite strain. Our observations of melt alignment at low strains are in agreement with observations performed on analogue materials (borneol, Takei 2010) and provide further constraints for the orientation of viscous anisotropy in the Earth's mantle. The systematic difference in grain-scale melt alignment between samples in which melt segregation did and did not occur - irrespective of the deformation geometry and mineralogy - suggests that melt segregation into bands leads to local stress rotation within the samples.

Compositional layering within the large low shear-wave velocity provinces in the lower mantle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ballmer, Maxim D.; Schumacher, Lina; Lekic, Vedran; Thomas, Christine; Ito, Garrett

2016-12-01

The large low shear-wave velocity provinces (LLSVP) are thermochemical anomalies in the deep Earth's mantle, thousands of km wide and ˜1800 km high. This study explores the hypothesis that the LLSVPs are compositionally subdivided into two domains: a primordial bottom domain near the core-mantle boundary and a basaltic shallow domain that extends from 1100 to 2300 km depth. This hypothesis reconciles published observations in that it predicts that the two domains have different physical properties (bulk-sound versus shear-wave speed versus density anomalies), the transition in seismic velocities separating them is abrupt, and both domains remain seismically distinct from the ambient mantle. We here report underside reflections from the top of the LLSVP shallow domain, supporting a compositional origin. By exploring a suite of two-dimensional geodynamic models, we constrain the conditions under which well-separated "double-layered" piles with realistic geometry can persist for billions of years. Results show that long-term separation requires density differences of ˜100 kg/m3 between LLSVP materials, providing a constraint for origin and composition. The models further predict short-lived "secondary" plumelets to rise from LLSVP roofs and to entrain basaltic material that has evolved in the lower mantle. Long-lived, vigorous "primary" plumes instead rise from LLSVP margins and entrain a mix of materials, including small fractions of primordial material. These predictions are consistent with the locations of hot spots relative to LLSVPs, and address the geochemical and geochronological record of (oceanic) hot spot volcanism. The study of large-scale heterogeneity within LLSVPs has important implications for our understanding of the evolution and composition of the mantle.

Os isotope systematics in ocean island basalts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reisberg, Laurie; Zindler, Alan; Marcantonio, Franco; White, William; Wyman, Derek; Weaver, Barry

1993-12-01

New Re-Os isotopic results for Os-poor basalts from St. Helena, the Comores, Samoa, Pitcairn and Kerguelen dramatically expand the known range of initial Os-186/Os-187 ratios in Ocean Island Basalts (OIBs) to values as high as 1.7. In contrast to the Os isotopic uniformity of Os-rich basalts from the HIMU islands of Tubuai and Mangaia found by Hauri and Hart, our values for St. Helena span most of the known range of Os isotopic variability in oceanic basalts (initial O-187/Os-186 ranges from 1.2 to 1.7). Generation of such radiogenic Os in the mantle requires melting of source materials that contain large proportions of recycled oceanic crust. The very low Os concentrations of most of the basalts analyzed here, however, leave them susceptible to modification via interaction with materials containing radiogenic Os in the near-surface environment. Thus the high Os-186/Os-187 ratios may result from assimilation of radiogenic Os-rich marine sediments, such as Mn oxides, within the volcanic piles traversed by these magmas en route to the surface. Furthermore, the Os isotopic signatures of Os-rich, olivine-laden OIBs may reflect the accumulation of lithospheric olivine, rather than simply their mantle source characteristics. The extent to which these processes alter the view of the mantle obtained via study of Re-Os systematics in oceanic basalts is uncertain. These effects must be quantified before Re-Os systematics in OIBs can be used with confidence to investigate the nature of mantle heterogeneity and its causes.

Thorium abundances of basalt ponds in South Pole-Aitken basin: Insights into the composition and evolution of the far side lunar mantle

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hagerty, Justin J.; Lawrence, D.J.; Hawke, B.R.

2011-01-01

Imbrian-aged basalt ponds, located on the floor of South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin, are used to provide constraints on the composition and evolution of the far side lunar mantle. We use forward modeling of the Lunar Prospector Gamma Ray Spectrometer thorium data, to suggest that at least five different and distinct portions of the far side lunar mantle contain little or no thorium as of the Imbrian Period. We also use spatial correlations between local thorium enhancements and nonmare material on top of the basalt ponds to support previous assertions that lower crustal materials exposed in SPA basin have elevated thorium abundances, consistent with noritic to gabbronoritic lithologies. We suggest that the lower crust on the far side of the Moon experienced multiple intrusions of thorium-rich basaltic magmas, prior to the formation of SPA basin. The fact that many of the ponds on the lunar far side have elevated titanium abundances indicates that the far side of the Moon experienced extensive fractional crystallization that likely led to the formation of a KREEP-like component. However, because the Imbrian-aged basalts contain no signs of elevated thorium, we propose that the SPA impact event triggered the transport of a KREEP-like component from the lunar far side and concentrated it on the nearside of the Moon. Because of the correlation between basaltic ponds and basins within SPA, we suggest that Imbrian-aged basaltic volcanism on the far side of the Moon was driven by basin-induced decompressional melting.

Indigenous lunar construction materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, Wayne; Sture, Stein

1991-01-01

The objectives are the following: to investigate the feasibility of the use of local lunar resources for construction of a lunar base structure; to develop a material processing method and integrate the method with design and construction of a pressurized habitation structure; to estimate specifications of the support equipment necessary for material processing and construction; and to provide parameters for systems models of lunar base constructions, supply, and operations. The topics are presented in viewgraph form and include the following: comparison of various lunar structures; guidelines for material processing methods; cast lunar regolith; examples of cast basalt components; cast regolith process; processing equipment; mechanical properties of cast basalt; material properties and structural design; and future work.

Basalt-trachybasalt samples in Gale Crater, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwards, Peter H.; Bridges, John C.; Wiens, Roger; Anderson, Ryan; Dyar, Darby; Fisk, Martin; Thompson, Lucy; Gasda, Patrick; Filiberto, Justin; Schwenzer, Susanne P.; Blaney, Diana; Hutchinson, Ian

2017-11-01

The ChemCam instrument on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover, Curiosity, observed numerous igneous float rocks and conglomerate clasts, reported previously. A new statistical analysis of single-laser-shot spectra of igneous targets observed by ChemCam shows a strong peak at 55 wt% SiO2 and 6 wt% total alkalis, with a minor secondary maximum at 47-51 wt% SiO2 and lower alkali content. The centers of these distributions, together with the rock textures, indicate that many of the ChemCam igneous targets are trachybasalts, Mg# = 27 but with a secondary concentration of basaltic material, with a focus of compositions around Mg# = 54. We suggest that all of these igneous rocks resulted from low-pressure, olivine-dominated fractionation of Adirondack (MER) class-type basalt compositions. This magmatism has subalkaline, tholeiitic affinities. The similarity of the basalt endmember to much of the Gale sediment compositions in the first 1000 sols of the MSL mission suggests that this type of Fe-rich, relatively low-Mg#, olivine tholeiite is the dominant constituent of the Gale catchment that is the source material for the fine-grained sediments in Gale. The similarity to many Gusev igneous compositions suggests that it is a major constituent of ancient Martian magmas, and distinct from the shergottite parental melts thought to be associated with Tharsis and the Northern Lowlands. The Gale Crater catchment sampled a mixture of this tholeiitic basalt along with alkaline igneous material, together giving some analogies to terrestrial intraplate magmatic provinces.

Acid Sulfate Weathering on Mars: Results from the Mars Exploration Rover Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ming, Douglas W.; Morris, R. V.; Golden, D. C.

2006-01-01

Sulfur has played a major role in the formation and alteration of outcrops, rocks, and soils at the Mars Exploration Rover landing sites on Meridiani Planum and in Gusev crater. Jarosite, hematite, and evaporite sulfates (e.g., Mg and Ca sulfates) occur along with siliciclastic sediments in outcrops at Meridiani Planum. The occurrence of jarosite is a strong indicator for an acid sulfate weathering environment at Meridiani Planum. Some outcrops and rocks in the Columbia Hills in Gusev crater appear to be extensively altered as suggested by their relative softness as compared to crater floor basalts, high Fe(3+)/FeT, iron mineralogy dominated by nanophase Fe(3+) oxides, hematite and/or goethite, corundum-normative mineralogies, and the presence of Mg- and Casulfates. One scenario for aqueous alteration of these rocks and outcrops is that vapors and/or fluids rich in SO2 (volcanic source) and water interacted with rocks that were basaltic in bulk composition. Ferric-, Mg-, and Ca-sulfates, phosphates, and amorphous Si occur in several high albedo soils disturbed by the rover's wheels in the Columbia Hills. The mineralogy of these materials suggests the movement of liquid water within the host material and the subsequent evaporation of solutions rich in Fe, Mg, Ca, S, P, and Si. The presence of ferric sulfates suggests that these phases precipitated from highly oxidized, low-pH solutions. Several hypotheses that invoke acid sulfate weathering environments have been suggested for the aqueous formation of sulfate-bearing phases on the surface of Mars including (1) the oxidative weathering of ultramafic igneous rocks containing sulfides; (2) sulfuric acid weathering of basaltic materials by solutions enriched by volcanic gases (e.g., SO2); and (3) acid fog (i.e., vapors rich in H2SO4) weathering of basaltic or basaltic-derived materials.

Crystal Stratigraphy of Two Basalts from Apollo 16: Unique Crystallization of Picritic Basalt 606063,10-16 and Very-Low-Titanium Basalt 65703,9-13

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Donohue, P. H.; Neal, C. R.; Stevens, R. E.; Zeigler, R. A.

2014-01-01

A geochemical survey of Apollo 16 regolith fragments found five basaltic samples from among hundreds of 2-4 mm regolith fragments of the Apollo 16 site. These included a high-Ti vitrophyric basalt (60603,10-16) and one very-low-titanium (VLT) crystalline basalt (65703,9-13). Apollo 16 was the only highlands sample return mission distant from the maria (approx. 200 km). Identification of basaltic samples at the site not from the ancient regolith breccia indicates input of material via lateral transport by post-basin impacts. The presence of basaltic rocklets and glass at the site is not unprecedented and is required to satisfy mass-balance constraints of regolith compositions. However, preliminary characterization of olivine and plagioclase crystal size distributions indicated the sample textures were distinct from other known mare basalts, and instead had affinities to impact melt textures. Impact melt textures can appear qualitatively similar to pristine basalts, and quantitative analysis is required to distinguish between the two in thin section. The crystal stratigraphy method is a powerful tool in studying of igneous systems, utilizing geochemical analyses across minerals and textural analyses of phases. In particular, trace element signatures can aid in determining the ultimate origin of these samples and variations document subtle changes occurring during their petrogenesis.

Sulfur K-edge XANES analysis of natural and synthetic basaltic glasses: Implications for S speciation and S content as function of oxygen fugacity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jugo, Pedro J.; Wilke, Max; Botcharnikov, Roman E.

2010-05-01

XANES analyses at the sulfur K-edge were used to determine the oxidation state of S in natural and synthetic basaltic glasses and to constrain the fO2 conditions for the transition from sulfide (S2-) to sulfate (S6+) in silicate melts. XANES spectra of basaltic samples from the Galapagos spreading center, the Juan de Fuca ridge and the Lau Basin showed a dominant broad peak at 2476.8 eV, similar to the spectra obtained from synthetic sulfide-saturated basalts and pyrrhotite. An additional sharp peak at 2469.8 eV, similar to that of crystalline sulfides, was present in synthetic glasses quenched from hydrous melts but absent in anhydrous glasses and may indicate differences in sulfide species with hydration or presence of minute sulfide inclusions exsolved during quenching. The XANES spectra of a basalt from the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo, Philippines, and absarokitic basalts from the Cascades Range, Oregon, U.S.A., showed a sharp peak at 2482.8 eV, characteristic of synthetic sulfate-saturated basaltic glasses and crystalline sulfate-bearing minerals such as haüyne. Basaltic samples from the Lamont Seamount, the early submarine phase of Kilauea volcano and the Loihi Seamount showed unequivocal evidence of the coexistence of S2- and S6+ species, emphasizing the relevance of S6+ to these systems. XANES spectra of basaltic glasses synthesized in internally-heated pressure vessels and equilibrated at fO2 ranging from FMQ-1.7 to FMQ+2.7 showed systematic changes in the features related to S2- and S6+ with changes in fO2. No significant features related to sulfite (S4+) species were observed. These results were used to construct a function that allows estimates of S6+/ΣS from XANES data. Theoretical considerations and comparison of compiled S6+/ΣS data obtained by SKα shifts estimated with electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) and S6+/ΣS obtained from XANES spectra show that data obtained from EPMA measurements underestimate S6+/ΣS in samples that are sulfate-dominated (most likely because of photo-reduction effects during analysis) whereas S6+/ΣS data from XANES provide a close match to the expected theoretical values. The XANES-derived relationship for S6+/ΣS as a function of fO2 indicates that the transition from S2- to S6+ with increasing fO2 occurs over a narrower interval than what is predicted by the EPMA-derived relationship. The implications for natural systems is that small variation of fO2 above FMQ+1 will have a large effect on S behavior in basaltic systems, in particular regarding the amount of S that can be transported by basaltic melts before sulfide saturation can occur.

Sulfur K-edge XANES analysis of natural and synthetic basaltic glasses: Implications for S speciation and S content as function of oxygen fugacity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jugo, Pedro J.; Wilke, Max; Botcharnikov, Roman E.

2010-10-01

XANES analyses at the sulfur K-edge were used to determine the oxidation state of S species in natural and synthetic basaltic glasses and to constrain the fO 2 conditions for the transition from sulfide (S 2-) to sulfate (S 6+) in silicate melts. XANES spectra of basaltic samples from the Galapagos spreading center, the Juan de Fuca ridge and the Lau Basin showed a dominant broad peak at 2476.8 eV, similar to the spectra obtained from synthetic sulfide-saturated basalts and pyrrhotite. An additional sharp peak at 2469.8 eV, similar to that of crystalline sulfides, was present in synthetic glasses quenched from hydrous melts but absent in anhydrous glasses and may indicate differences in sulfide species with hydration or presence of minute sulfide inclusions exsolved during quenching. The XANES spectra of a basalt from the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo, Philippines, and absarokitic basalts from the Cascades Range, Oregon, USA, showed a sharp peak at 2482.8 eV, characteristic of synthetic sulfate-saturated basaltic glasses and crystalline sulfate-bearing minerals such as hauyne. Basaltic samples from the Lamont Seamount, the early submarine phase of Kilauea volcano and the Loihi Seamount showed unequivocal evidence of the coexistence of S 2- and S 6+ species, emphasizing the relevance of S 6+ to these systems. XANES spectra of basaltic glasses synthesized in internally-heated pressure vessels and equilibrated at fO 2 ranging from FMQ - 1.4 to FMQ + 2.7 showed systematic changes in the features related to S 2- and S 6+ with changes in fO 2. No significant features related to sulfite (S 4+) species were observed. These results were used to construct a function that allows estimates of S 6+/ΣS from XANES data. Comparison of S 6+/ΣS data obtained by S Kα shifts measured with electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), S 6+/ΣS obtained from XANES spectra, and theoretical considerations show that data obtained from EPMA measurements underestimate S 6+/ΣS in samples that are sulfate-dominated (most likely because of photo-reduction effects during analysis) whereas S 6+/ΣS from XANES provide a close match to the expected theoretical values. The XANES-derived relationship for S 6+/ΣS as a function of fO 2 indicates that the transition from S 2- to S 6- with increasing fO 2 occurs over a narrower interval than what is predicted by the EPMA-derived relationship. The implications for natural systems is that small variation of fO 2 above FMQ + 1 will have a large effect on S behavior in basaltic systems, in particular regarding the amount of S that can be transported by basaltic melts before sulfide saturation can occur.

Age of Lunar Meteorite LAP02205 and Implications for Impact-Sampling of Planetary Surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nyquist, L. E.; Shih, C.-Y.; Reese, Y.; Bogard, D. D.

2005-01-01

We have measured the age of lunar meteorite LAP02205 by the Rb-Sr and Ar-Ar methods. Sm-Nd analyses are in progress. The Rb-Sr and Ar-Ar ages indicate a crystallization age of approx. 3 Ga. Comparing the ages of LAP02205 and other lunar mare basaltic meteorites to mare surface ages based on the density of impact craters shows no significant bias in impact- sampling of lunar mare surfaces. Comparing the isotopic and geochemical data for LAP02205 to those for other lunar mare basalts suggests that it is a younger variant of the type of volcanism that produced the Apollo 12 basalts. Representative impact-sampling of the lunar surface

Geochemistry of Volcanic Rocks from International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Site 1438, Amami Sankaku Basin: Implications for Izu-Bonin-Mariana (IBM) Arc Initiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hickey-Vargas, R.; Ishizuka, O.; Yogodzinski, G. M.; Bizimis, M.; Savov, I. P.; McCarthy, A. J.; Arculus, R. J.; Bogus, K.

2015-12-01

IODP Expedition 351 drilled 150 m of volcanic basement overlain by 1461 m of sedimentary material at Site 1438 in the Amami Sankaku basin, just west of the Kyushu Palau Ridge, the locus of IBM arc initiation. Age interpretations based on biostratigraphy (Arculus et al., Nat. Geosci., in-press) determined that the age of the basement section is between 64 and 51 Ma, encompassing the age of the earliest volcanic products of the IBM arc. The Site 1438 volcanic basement consists of multiple flows of aphyric microcrystalline to finely crystalline basalts containing plagioclase and clinopyroxene with rare olivine pseudomorphs. New XRF major and ICPMS trace element data confirm findings of shipboard analysis that the basalts are moderately differentiated (6-14 % MgO; Mg# = 51-83; 73-490 ppm Cr and 58-350 ppm Ni) with downcore variations related to flow units. Ti/V and Ti/Sc ratios are 16-27 and 75-152, respectively, with lowest values at the base of the core. One prominent characteristic of the basalts is their depletion of immobile highly incompatible elements compared with MORB. Basalts have MORB-normalized La/Nd of 0.5 to 0.9, and most have Th/La < 0.05. Although all basalts are LREE-depleted, La/Nd ratios increase slightly upcore, and Th enrichment compared with LREE occurs in the uppermost 5 meters. Cs, Rb, K, Ba and U are concomitantly enriched relative to LREE in several intervals as a probable result of seawater alteration, but ratios less than those of MORB are found in other areas. In contrast to basement, andesites from three sills in the lowermost sedimentary unit have arc-like trace element patterns with La/Nb > 3 and primitive mantle normalized La/Yb > 1. Our results suggest that mantle melting at the onset of subduction involved exceptionally depleted sources. Enrichment over time may be related to increasing subduction inputs and/or other processes, such as entrainment of fertile asthenosphere during extension of the overriding plate.

On the formation of continental silicic melts in thermochemical mantle convection models: implications for early Earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Thienen, P.; van den Berg, A. P.; Vlaar, N. J.

2004-12-01

Important constituents of Archean cratons, formed in the early and hot history of the Earth, are Tonalite-Trondhjemite-Granodiorite (TTG) plutons and greenstone belts. The formation of these granite-greenstone terrains is often ascribed to plate-tectonic processes. Buoyancy considerations, however, do not allow plate tectonics to take place in a significantly hotter Earth. We therefore propose an alternative mechanism for the coeval and proximate production of TTG plutons and greenstone-like crustal successions. That is, when a locally anomalously thick basaltic crust has been produced by continued addition of extrusive or intrusive basalts due to partial melting of the underlying convecting mantle, the transition of a sufficient amount of basalt in the lower crust to eclogite may trigger a resurfacing event, in which a complete crustal section of over 1000 km long sinks into the mantle in less than 2 million years. Pressure release partial melting in the complementary upwelling mantle produces large volumes of basaltic material replacing the original crust. Partial melting at the base of this newly produced crust may generate felsic melts which are added as intrusives and/or extrusives to the generally mafic crustal succession, adding to what resembles a greenstone belt. Partial melting of metabasalt in the sinking crustal section produces a significant volume of TTG melt which is added to the crust directly above the location of 'subduction', presumably in the form of a pluton. This scenario is self-consistently produced by numerical thermochemical mantle convection models, presented in this paper, including partial melting of mantle peridotite and crustal (meta)basalt. The metamorphic p, T conditions under which partial melting of metabasalt takes place in this scenario are consistent with geochemical trace element data for TTGs, which indicate melting under amphibolite rather than eclogite facies. Other geodynamical settings which we have also investigated, including partial melting in small scale delaminations of the lower crust, at the base of a anomalously thick crust and due to the influx of a lower mantle diapir fail to reproduce this behavior unequivocally and mostly show melting of metabasalt in the eclogite stability field instead.

Quantifying Oldowan Stone Tool Production at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania

PubMed Central

Reti, Jay S.

2016-01-01

Recent research suggests that variation exists among and between Oldowan stone tool assemblages. Oldowan variation might represent differential constraints on raw materials used to produce these stone implements. Alternatively, variation among Oldowan assemblages could represent different methods that Oldowan producing hominins utilized to produce these lithic implements. Identifying differential patterns of stone tool production within the Oldowan has implications for assessing how stone tool technology evolved, how traditions of lithic production might have been culturally transmitted, and for defining the timing and scope of these evolutionary events. At present there is no null model to predict what morphological variation in the Oldowan should look like. Without such a model, quantifying whether Oldowan assemblages vary due to raw material constraints or whether they vary due to differences in production technique is not possible. This research establishes a null model for Oldowan lithic artifact morphological variation. To establish these expectations this research 1) models the expected range of variation through large scale reduction experiments, 2) develops an algorithm to categorize archaeological flakes based on how they are produced, and 3) statistically assesses the methods of production behavior used by Oldowan producing hominins at the site of DK from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania via the experimental model. Results indicate that a subset of quartzite flakes deviate from the null expectations in a manner that demonstrates efficiency in flake manufacture, while some basalt flakes deviate from null expectations in a manner that demonstrates inefficiency in flake manufacture. The simultaneous presence of efficiency in stone tool production for one raw material (quartzite) and inefficiency in stone tool production for another raw material (basalt) suggests that Oldowan producing hominins at DK were able to mediate the economic costs associated with stone tool procurement by utilizing high-cost materials more efficiently than is expected and low-cost materials in an inefficient manner. PMID:26808429

Reduction of mare basalts by sulfur loss

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brett, R.

1976-01-01

Metallic Fe content and S abundance are inversely correlated in mare basalts. Either S volatilization from the melt results in reduction of Fe2+ to Fe0 or else high S content decreases Fe0 activity in the melt, thus explaining the correlation. All considerations favor the model that metallic iron in mare basalts is due to sulfur loss. The Apollo 11 and 17 mare basalt melts were probably saturated with S at the time of eruption; the Apollo 12 and 15 basalts were probably not saturated. Non-mare rocks show a positive correlation of S abundance with metallic Fe content; it is proposed that this is due to the addition of meteoritic material having a fairly constant Fe0/S ratio. If true, metallic Fe content or S abundance in non-mare rocks provides a measure of degree of meteoritic contamination. ?? 1976.

DISCRIMINATION OF ALTERED BASALTIC ROCKS IN THE SOUTHWESTERN UNITED STATES BY ANALYSIS OF LANDSAT THEMATIC MAPPER DATA.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.; Berlin, Graydon L.; Chavez, Pat S.

1987-01-01

Landsat Thematic Mapper image data were analyzed to determine their ability to discriminate red cone basalts from gray flow basalts and sedimentary country rocks for three volcanic fields in the southwestern United States. Analyses of all of the possible three-band combinations of the six nonthermal bands indicate that the combination of bands 1, 4, and 5 best discriminates among these materials. The color-composite image of these three bands unambiguously discriminates 89 percent of the mapped red volcanic cones in the three volcanic fields. Mineralogic and chemical analyses of collected samples indicate that discrimination is facilitated by the presence of hematite as a major mineral phase in the red cone basalts (hematite is only a minor mineral phase in the gray flow basalts and red sedimentary rocks).

Correlation between compressive strength and ultrasonic pulse velocity of high strength concrete incorporating chopped basalt fibre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shafiq, Nasir; Fadhilnuruddin, Muhd; Elshekh, Ali Elheber Ahmed; Fathi, Ahmed

2015-07-01

Ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), is considered as the most important test for non-destructive techniques that are used to evaluate the mechanical characteristics of high strength concrete (HSC). The relationship between the compressive strength of HSC containing chopped basalt fibre stands (CBSF) and UPV was investigated. The concrete specimens were prepared using a different ratio of CBSF as internal strengthening materials. The compressive strength measurements were conducted at the sample ages of 3, 7, 28, 56 and 90 days; whilst, the ultrasonic pulse velocity was measured at 28 days. The result of HSC's compressive strength with the chopped basalt fibre did not show any improvement; instead, it was decreased. The UPV of the chopped basalt fibre reinforced concrete has been found to be less than that of the control mix for each addition ratio of the basalt fibre. A relationship plot is gained between the cube compressive strength for HSC and UPV with various amounts of chopped basalt fibres.

The implications of basalt in the formation and evolution of mountains on Venus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jull, Matthew G.; Arkani-Hamed, Jafar

1995-06-01

The highland region of Ishtar Terra on Venus has mountains that reach up to 11 km in height and are thought to be basaltic in composition. Assuming that dynamic uplift of crust to this height is unlikely, we examine the topography produced by an isostatically supported thickening basaltic crust. It is found that regardless of whether the crust thickens by crustal shortening or by volcanic construction, the high-density basalt-eclogite phase transition is the limiting factor for producing significant elevation of the mountains. The maximum height attained by basaltic mountains depends on the nature of the basalt-eclogite phase transition. Without a phase transition, a basaltic crust must thicken to greater than 100 km to reach heights over 10 km. An instantaneous phase transition of basalt to eclogite allows a maximum topographic height of less than about 2 km. However, with a time lag of 100 Ma owing to slow rates of solid-state diffusion, our calculations show that the mountains can reach elevations greater than 10 km only if they are less than 25 Ma old. Higher temperatures within the Venusian crust may decrease the extent of the stability fields of high-density basalt phases and allow high topography if the thickening crust melts. This can occur if the radioactive element concentrations measured on the surface of Venus are uniformly distributed throughout the crust, the crust thickens to greater than 65 km, and the thickened crust is older than about 400 Ma. The conflicting results of a young age predicted for high basaltic mountains and an almost uniform surface age of 500 Ma from crater populations, coupled with similarities in bulk physical properties of Venus and Earth, suggest that the basaltic surface composition found at several landing sites on the planet may not be representative of the entire crust. We suggest that Ishtar Terra formed from the collision of continent-like highly silicic cratons over a region of mantle downwelling. Lakshmi Planum resulted from the thickening of a basaltic crust and the peripheral mountain belts formed from the collision of granitic cratons that were pulled toward a downwelling region of mantle.

Some thoughts on the origin of lunar ANT-KREEP and mare basalts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wakita, H.; Laul, J. C.; Schmitt, R. A.

1975-01-01

It is suggested that a series of ANT (anorthosite-norite-troctolite)-KREEP type rocks and the source material for mare basalts sampled by Apollo 11, 12, 15, and 17 may have been derived from a common magmatic differentiation. This differentiation is studied on the basis of a model which proposes that, in the early history of the moon, extensive melting occurred in the outer lunar shell and a magma layer of 100-200 km was formed. The presence of a residual liquid which has not yet been sampled is suspected between high-K KREEP and the Apollo 11 basalt materials. This residual liquid would have a FeO/MgO ratio greater than one and would be significantly enriched in apatite, zircon, K-feldspar, and ilmenite minerals.

Lu-Hf systematics of meteorites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bizzarro, M.; Baker, J. A.; Haack, H.

2003-04-01

We have measured Lu-Hf concentrations and Hf isotope ratios on a number of solar system objects with a new digestion and chemical separation technique (1). The analysed materials include a variety of carbonaceous and ordinary chondrites (CC and OC), basaltic eucrites and a diogenite, and work is ongoing on angrites, aubrites and mesosiderites. Nineteen analyses of OC and CC define, for the first time, a statistically significant Lu-Hf isochron with a slope of 0.09465 ± 145 and intercept of 0.279628 ± 47 (2). In contrast to the CC and type 3 OC (176Lu/177Hf = 0.032-0.034), the more highly metamorphosed OC have a large range of 176Lu/177Hf ratios (0.026-0.036). The large range of 176Lu/177Hf values may be related to heterogeneous variations in phosphate abundances in equilibrated OC, which is supported by the observation that most of the observed variation is defined by this type of material. The present-day bulk-earth 176Hf/177Hf ratio calculated from this study, and a 176Lu/177Hf ratio of 0.0332, is identical to the value of (3) and confirms that the chondritic Hf-Hd isotopic composition is displaced (3 ɛ units) to unradiogenic Hf compared to the terrestrial array. The slope and intercept derived from individual regressions of either the OC or the L type alone are identical within analytical uncertainty. Using a mean age of 4.56 Ga for the chondrite forming event, we derive a value for λ176Lu = 1.983 ± 33 time 10-11 y-1 from the regression of the chondrite meteorites, ca. 6% faster than a recent calibration based on terrestrial material, which has important implications for the differentiation of the early Earth (2, 4). The four basaltic eucrites analysed align on the same array as the chondrites and, as such, chondrites and basaltic eucrites also define a statistically significant isochron with a slope of 0.09462 ± 68 and intercept of 0.279627 ± 20, identical to the values derived from the chondrites alone. Moreover, a recent Lu-Hf study of basaltic eucrites also yielded a slope and intercept identical to that determined here (5). In contrast, three cumulate eucrites of (5) and our analysis of the Bilanga diogenite align on a statistically significant Lu-Hf isochron defining an age of 4.349 ± 0.073 Ga. This implies a genetic relationship between diogenites and cumulate eucrites, and further confirms that cumulate eucrites are at least 100 Myr younger than basaltic eucrites. (1) Bizzarro, M., Baker, J.A. &Ulfbeck D. (in review) Geostandards Newsletter. (2) Bizzarro, M., Baker, J.A., Haack, H., Ulfbeck D. &Rosing M. (In press) Nature. (3) Blichert-Toft, J. &Albarede, F. (1997) EPSL 148, 243-258. (4) Scherer, E., Münker, C. &Mezger, K. (2001) Science 293, 683-686. (5) Blichert-Toft, J., Boyet, M., Télouk, P &Albarède, F. (2002) EPSL 204, 167-181.

The evolution of volcanic material on Mars: Preliminary results of sand-lavas relationships from the analogy with sandy lavas in Iceland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mangold, N.; Baratoux, D.; Arnalds, O.; Grégoire, M.; Platevoët, B.; Bardintzeff, J. M.; Chevrier, V.; Pinet, P.; Mathé, P. E.; Rochette, P.

2004-12-01

The surface of Mars is covered by volcanic rocks from few tens of millions years to 3.5 by old. The presence of water and atmosphere can strongly affect these rocks, by both chemical and mechanical erosion and transport. The interpretation of multispectral and hyperspectral data of Mars requires a better comprehension of these surface processes in order to understand if the spectral data still corresponds to the volcanic composition at the time of formation. Volcanic material in Iceland is a good analog for the studies of possible landforms resulting from the formation, transport and deposition of basaltic sand on Mars. Iceland is amongst the unique places on Earth with a cold environment, abundant basaltic rocks and sands, and the presence of palagonite, a possible typical constituent of the Martian soil. A first field campaign has been achieved in fall 2003, with the objectives of sites selection and chemical analysis of sands and lavas in order to establish the sources of sands, and the mineralogical and chemical evolution from lava to sands. The first site is close to Skjalbreidur volcano, south of Langjokull and is composed of weathered lava blocks, sands and gravels. The second sampling site is close to Eldborgir volcano, also south of Langjokull, weathered lava flows and sands are observed here. The third sampling site is around Hekla volcano. The results of the chemical analysis indicate different situations for the origin of sands. For the first two sites, major, minor and traces elements are correlated and indicate that the sands, which are basaltic in composition, are genetically related to the surrounding lava. The sands at Hekla volcano, andesitic in composition, indicate a contamination of material eroded from basaltic lava flow by a more silicic component erupted from Hekla. Sands coming from different sources, of possibly different chemical and mineralogical composition, and of different nature of eruption can easily mix each other which has implications for the interpretation of infra-red data of the surface of Mars. A second result concerns the evolution of the mineralogical composition of basaltic sand compared to the lava. We observed a higher concentration of MgO and Ni in Skjalbreidur and Eldborgir sands than in the surrounding lava taken as a reference. Together, these observations indicate a higher concentration of olivine in the sands which may be due to its higher strength (compared to feldspaths and pyroxene) and sorting by wind from different grain size. On the other hand, the contribution of weathering seems not have destructed these olivine grains. Indeed, magnetic results show that magnetic phases such as titanomagnetite are poorly weathered despite being at the surface since 9000 years. The weathering by the wet climate is likely slow down by the cold temperatures all the year long. The detection of olivine at the surface of Mars is thus not a simple tool to conclude that the weather did not involve liquid water.

Chemical provinces and dynamic melting of the NE Atlantic mantle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tronnes, R. G.

2009-12-01

Low-degree melting of fertile parts of the NE Atlantic mantle yields primitive alkaline basalts in the Icelandic off-rift zones and at Jan Mayen. Olivine tholeiites in the Icelandic rift zones and oceanic spreading ridges are formed by protracted decompressional melting. The V-shaped ridges SW and NE of Iceland indicate that rising, hot material is supplied by a pulsating plume and deflected laterally for distances of about 1000 km from Iceland (Jones et al. GGG 2002; Breivik et al. JGR 2006). Plume material deflected along the rift zones and spreading ridges undergoes mixing with the ambient asthenosphere and extensive melting at shallow level, whereas material deflected in other directions may flow laterally at deeper levels and remain largely unmelted and fertile. A recent investigation of a suite of primitive off-rift basalts from Iceland and Jan Mayen (Debaille et al., 2009, GCA) demonstrated an important source contribution from subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM). Available data on the primitive off-rift basalts and tholeiitic basalts from Iceland and the NE Atlantic ridges indicates the existence of three main composite mantle components, characterized by the following relative isotope ratios (H: high, I: intermediate and L: low ratio) for 87/86Sr, 143/144Nd, 206/204Pb, 187/188Os and 3/4He, respectively: 1. Iceland plume with depleted lower mantle mixed with recycled oceanic crust: I, I, H, H, H 2. Strongly depleted and later re-enriched SCLM: H, L, I, L, L 3. Depleted asthenosphere: L, H, L, I, L The two first composite components contain enriched and depleted subcomponents with distinct isotope signatures. The isotope ratio variations between the fertile components are larger than between the refractory components. The 3/4He ratio, however, is much higher in the depleted plume component than in the depleted SCLM and asthenospheric components. The old SCLM material could in principle be recycled and embedded in the lower mantle and supplied to the melting zone by the Iceland plume. However, a regional isotopic variation pattern indicates that this material originated from the nearby continents and became partially delaminated and embedded in the upper mantle during the recent continental rifting and separation of Greenland the Jan Mayen Ridge and of Greenland and Spitsbergen. The influence of SCLM is most clearly recognized north of central Iceland, in the Northern Rift Zone, along the Kolbeinsey, Mohns, Knipovich and Gakkel Ridges, and especially at Jan Mayen and along the westernmost Gakkel Ridge close to the Yermak Plateau (Goldstein et al. 2008, Nature). The SCLM-signal is weaker for Snæfellsnes, the Mid-Icelandic Belt and the Western and Eastern Rift Zones, and weakest for Vestmannaeyjar, the Southern Volcanic Flank Zone, the Reykjanes Peninsula and the Reykjanes Ridge. The regional geochemical patterns have interesting implications for the probable interaction between lateral plume flow, ridge-focussed asthenospheric flow and delaminated patches of SCLM.

Can plant-based natural flax replace mineral-based basalt and synthetic E-glass for fibre reinforced polymer tubular energy absorbers? A comparative study on quasi-static axial crushing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Libo; Wang, Bo; Kasal, Bohumil

2017-12-01

Using plant-based natural fibres to substitute glass fibres as reinforcement of composite materials is of particular interest due to their economic, technical and environmental significance. One potential application of plant-based natural fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composites is in automotive engineering as crushable energy absorbers. Current study experimentally investigated and compared the energy absorption efficiency of plant-based natural flax, mineral-based basalt and glass FRP composite tubular energy absorbers subjected to quasi-static axial crushing. The effects of number of flax fabric layer, the use of foam-filler and the type of fibre materials on the crashworthiness characteristics and energy absorption capacities were discussed. In addition, the failure mechanisms of the hollow and foam-filled flax, basalt and glass FRP tubes in quasi-static axial crushing were analysed and compared. The test results showed that the energy absorption capabilities of both hollow and foam-filled energy absorbers made of flax were superior to the corresponding energy absorbers made of basalt and were close to energy absorbers made of glass. This study therefore indicated that flax fibre has the great potential to be suitable replacement of basalt and glass fibres for crushable energy absorber application.

Characterization of multiple lithologies within the lunar feldspathic regolith breccia meteorite Northeast Africa 001

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snape, Joshua F.; Joy, Katherine H.; Crawford, Ian A.

2011-09-01

Abstract- Lunar meteorite Northeast Africa (NEA) 001 is a feldspathic regolith breccia. This study presents the results of electron microprobe and LA-ICP-MS analyses of a section of NEA 001. We identify a range of lunar lithologies including feldspathic impact melt, ferroan noritic anorthosite and magnesian feldspathic clasts, and several very-low titanium (VLT) basalt clasts. The largest of these basalt clasts has a rare earth element (REE) pattern with light-REE (LREE) depletion and a positive Euanomaly. This clast also exhibits low incompatible trace element (ITE) concentrations (e.g., <0.1 ppm Th, <0.5 ppm Sm), indicating that it has originated from a parent melt that did not assimilate KREEP material. Positive Eu-anomalies and such low-ITE concentrations are uncharacteristic of most basalts returned by the Apollo and Luna missions, and basaltic lunar meteorite samples. We suggest that these features are consistent with the VLT clasts crystallizing from a parent melt which was derived from early mantle cumulates that formed prior to the separation of plagioclase in the lunar magma ocean, as has previously been proposed for some other lunar VLT basalts. Feldspathic impact melts within the sample are found to be more mafic than estimations for the composition of the upper feldspathic lunar crust, suggesting that they may have melted and incorporated material from the lower lunar crust (possibly in large basin-forming events). The generally feldspathic nature of the impact melt clasts, lack of a KREEP component, and the compositions of the basaltic clasts, leads us to suggest that the meteorite has been sourced from the Outer-Feldspathic Highlands Terrane (FHT-O), probably on the lunar farside and within about 1000 km of sources of both Low-Ti and VLT basalts, the latter possibly existing as cryptomaria deposits.

Analysis and experimental study on the strain transfer mechanism of an embedded basalt fiber-encapsulated fiber Bragg grating sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhenglin; Wang, Yuan; Sun, Yangyang; Zhang, Qinghua; You, Zewei; Huang, Xiaodi

2017-01-01

The precision of the encapsulated fiber optic sensor embedded into a host suffers from the influences of encapsulating materials. Furthermore, an interface transfer effect of strain sensing exists. This study uses an embedded basalt fiber-encapsulated fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor as the research object to derive an expression in a multilayer interface strain transfer coefficient by considering the mechanical properties of the host material. The direct impact of the host material on the strain transfer at an embedded multipoint continuous FBG (i.e., multiple gratings written on a single optical fiber) monitoring strain sensor, which was self-developed and encapsulated with basalt fiber, is studied to present the strain transfer coefficients corresponding to the positions of various gratings. The strain transfer coefficients of the sensor are analyzed based on the experiments designed for this study. The error of the experimental results is ˜2 μɛ when the strain is at 60 μɛ and below. Moreover, the measured curves almost completely coincide with the theoretical curves. The changes in the internal strain field inside the embedded structure of the basalt fiber-encapsulated FBG strain sensor could be easily monitored. Hence, important references are provided to measure the internal stress strain of the sensor.

Contrasting geochemical trends in the fertile and refractory parts of the NE Atlantic mantle source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tronnes, R. G.; Debaille, V.; Brandon, A. D.; Waight, T. E.; Graham, D. W.; Williams, A.; Lee, C. A.

2008-12-01

Primitive alkaline basalts from the Icelandic off-rift volcanic zones and Jan Mayen represent low-degree melts from the fertile parts of the NE Atlantic mantle. Olivine tholeiites and picrites from the Icelandic rift zones and nearby oceanic spreading ridges are formed by protracted decompressional melting. The V-shaped ridges along the Reykjanes, Kolbeinsey and Aegir ridges indicate that ascending source material is supplied by a pulsating plume and deflected laterally for distances of about 1000 km from Iceland (Jones et al. GGG 2002; Breivik et al. JGR 2006). Plume material deflected in the direction of the rift zones and spreading ridges undergoes extensive melting at shallow level, whereas material deflected in other directions flows laterally at deeper levels and remains largely unmelted and more fertile. The comparison of a sample suite of primitive off-rift basalts from Iceland and Jan Mayen (Debaille et al., in prep.) with olivine tholeiites and picrites from the Icelandic rift zones (mainly Brandon et al. GCA 2007) demonstrate opposing geochemical trends. The degree of source enrichment, expressed by the La/Sm-ratio, is positively and negatively correlated with 87/86Sr and 143/144Nd throughout the entire range of depleted rift zone tholeiites and enriched off-rift basalts. In the rift zone tholeiites the La/Sm-ratio has negative correlations with Mg# and Mg-content and positive correlations with 187/188Os and 3/4He. These four trends have opposite equivalents for the off-rift basalts. The most enriched and alkaline basalts from Jan Mayen and Snæfellsnes have the lowest 3/4He of 6-9*Ra and 187/188Os of 0.12-0.13. The trends seem to require a source component with ancient melt depletion and subsequent enrichment. A subcontinental lithospheric mantle keel (SCLM) is the most likely origin for the enriched component with high LILE, La/Sm and 87/86Sr and low 143/144Nd, 3/4He and 187/188Os. The most enriched alkaline basalts have notably higher Mg# and Mg and lower Fe and Na (but higher Ti, K and P) than the least enriched off-rift basalts. The first order geochemical variation in the off-rift basalts can be modelled by progressive partial melting of a pseudo-binary source mixture of the SCLM- component and a composite component with high 143/144Nd and 3/4He and low 87/86Sr. Depleted MORB- like asthenosphere is required to model the further progressive melting of the rift-related tholeiitic basalts.

Geomagnetic paleointensities by the Thelliers' method from submarine pillow basalts: Effects of seafloor weathering

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gromme, Sherman; Mankinen, Edward A.; Marshall, Monte; Coe, Robert S.

1979-01-01

Measurements of geomagnetic paleointensity using the Thelliers' double‐heating method in vacuum have been made on 10 specimens of submarine pillow basalt obtained from 7 fragments dredged from localities 700,000 years old or younger. In the magnetic minerals, the titanium/iron ratio parameter x and the cation deficiency (oxidation) parameter x were determined by X‐ray diffraction and Curie temperature measurement. Fresh material (z ≅ 0) provided excellent results: most of the natural remanent magnetization (NRM) could be thermally demagnetized before the magnetic minerals became altered, and the NRM‐TRM lines were straight and well constrained, and geologically reasonable paleointensities were obtained. Somewhat oxidized material (z ≅ 0.2) also provided apparently valid paleointensities: values were similar to those from fresh specimens cut from the same fragments, although only half or less of the NRM could be thermally demagnetized before alteration of the magnetic minerals. More highly oxidized material (z ≅ 0.6) gave a result seriously in error: the paleointensity value is much too low, because of continuous disproportionation of titanomaghemite during the heating experiments and because seafloor weathering had decreased the NRM intensity. From limited published data, the extent of oxidation of titanomagnetite to cation deficient titanomaghemite in pillow basalt exposed on the seafloor appears to be approximately z = 0.3 at 0.2–0.5 m.y., z = 0.6 at 1 m.y., and z = 0.8–1.0 at 10–100 m.y. This implies that valid paleointensities can be obtained from exposed submarine basalt, but only if the basalt is younger than a few hundred thousand years. Equally good paleointensities were obtained from strongly magnetized (L‐type) basalt and moderately magnetized (L‐type) basalt. The degree of low‐temperature oxidation of cubic iron‐titanium oxides in submarine basalts correlates very well with the diminution of amplitude of linear magnetic anomalies when both are compared as a function of crustal age. Systematic radial variation of Curie temperature is a primary feature of submarine basalt pillows, so that estimation of the oxidation parameter z from the Curie temperature alone by assuming a value for x can be in error. Reasonably precise and self‐consistent values of both x and z can be obtained if both the cubic cell dimension and the Curie temperature of the cubic oxide are measured.

Determination of tungsten in geochemical reference material basalt Columbia River 2 by radiochemical neutron activation analysis and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morrison, Samuel S.; Beck, Chelsie L.; Bowen, James M.

Environmental tungsten (W) analyses are inhibited by a lack of reference materials and practical methods to remove isobaric and radiometric interferences. We present a method that evaluates the potential use of commercially available sediment, Basalt Columbia River-2 (BCR-2), as a reference material using neutron activation analysis (NAA) and mass spectrometry. Tungsten concentrations using both methods are in statistical agreement at the 95% confidence interval (92 ± 4 ng/g for NAA and 100 ±7 ng/g for mass spectrometry) with recoveries greater than 95%. These results indicate that BCR-2 may be suitable as a reference material for future studies.

Exploring the Utilization of Low-Pressure, Piston-Cylinder Experiments to Determine the Bulk Compositions of Finite, Precious Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vander Kaaden, K. E.; McCubbin, F. M.; Harrington, A. D.

2017-01-01

Determining the bulk composition of precious materials with a finite mass (e.g., meteorite samples) is extremely important in the fields of Earth and Planetary Science. From meteorite studies we are able to place constraints on large scale planetary processes like global differentiation and subsequent volcanism, as well as smaller scale processes like crystallization in a magma chamber or sedimentary compaction at the surface. However, with meteorite samples in particular, far too often we are limited by how precious the sample is as well as its limited mass. In this study, we have utilized aliquots of samples previously studied for toxicological hazards, including both the fresh samples (lunar mare basalt NWA 4734, lunar regolith breccia NWA 7611, martian basalt Tissint, martian regolith breccia NWA 7034, a vestian basalt Berthoud, a vestian regolith breccia NWA 2060, and a terrestrial mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB)), and those that underwent iron leaching (Tissint, NWA 7034, NWA 4734, MORB). With these small masses of material, we performed low pressure (approx. 0.75 GPa), high temperature (greater than 1600 degrees Celsius) melting experiments. Each sample was analyzed using a JEOL 8530F electron microprobe to determine the bulk composition of the materials that were previously examined. When available, the results of our microprobe data were compared with bulk rock compositions in the literature. The results of this study show that with this technique, only approx. 50 mg of sample is required to accurately determine the bulk composition of the materials of interest.

A progress report on results of test drilling and ground-water investigations of the Snake Plain aquifer, southeastern Idaho: Part 1: Mud Lake Region, 1969-70 and Part 2: Observation Wells South of Arco and West of Aberdeen

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crosthwaite, E.G.

1973-01-01

The results of drilling test holes to depths of approximately 1,000 feet in the Mud Lake region show that a large part of the region is underlain by both sedimentary deposits and basalt flows. At some locations, predominantly sedimentary deposits were penetrated; at others, basalt flows predominated. The so-called Mud Lake-Market Lake barrier denotes a change in geology. From the vicinity of the barrier area, as described by Stearns, Crandall, and Steward (1938, p. 111), up the water-table gradient for at least a few tens of miles, the saturated geologic section consists predominantly of beds of sediments that are intercalated with numerous basalt flows. Downgradient from the barrier, sedimentary deposits are not common and practically all the water-bearing formations are basalt, at least to the depths explored so far. Thus, the barrier is a transition zone from a sedimentary-basaltic sequence to a basaltic sequence. The sedimentary-basaltic sequence forms a complex hydrologic system in which water occurs under water-table conditions in the upper few tens of feet of saturated material and under artesian conditions in the deeper material in the southwest part of the region. The well data indicate that southwest of the barrier, artesian pressures are not significant. Southwest of the barrier, few sedimentary deposits occur in the basalt section and, as described by Mundorff, Crosthwaite, and Kilburn (1964). ground water occurs in a manner typical of the Snake Plain aquifer. In several wells, artesian pressures are higher in the deeper formations than in the shallower ones, but the reverse was found in a few wells. The available data are not adequate to describe the water-bearing characteristics of the artesian aquifer nor the effects that pumping in one zone would have on adjacent zones. The water-table aquifer yields large quantities of water to irrigation wells.

Basalt-trachybasalt samples in Gale Crater, Mars

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Edwards, Peter H.; Bridges, John C.; Wiens, Roger Craig

The ChemCam instrument on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover, Curiosity, observed numerous igneous float rocks and conglomerate clasts, reported previously. A new statistical analysis of single-laser-shot spectra of igneous targets observed by ChemCam shows a strong peak at ~55 wt% SiO 2 and 6 wt% total alkalis, with a minor secondary maximum at 47–51 wt% SiO 2 and lower alkali content. The centers of these distributions, together with the rock textures, indicate that many of the ChemCam igneous targets are trachybasalts, Mg# = 27 but with a secondary concentration of basaltic material, with a focus of compositions around Mg#more » = 54. We suggest that all of these igneous rocks resulted from low-pressure, olivine-dominated fractionation of Adirondack (MER) class-type basalt compositions. This magmatism has subalkaline, tholeiitic affinities. The similarity of the basalt endmember to much of the Gale sediment compositions in the first 1000 sols of the MSL mission suggests that this type of Fe-rich, relatively low-Mg#, olivine tholeiite is the dominant constituent of the Gale catchment that is the source material for the fine-grained sediments in Gale. The similarity to many Gusev igneous compositions suggests that it is a major constituent of ancient Martian magmas, and distinct from the shergottite parental melts thought to be associated with Tharsis and the Northern Lowlands. Finally, the Gale Crater catchment sampled a mixture of this tholeiitic basalt along with alkaline igneous material, together giving some analogies to terrestrial intraplate magmatic provinces.« less

Basalt-trachybasalt samples in Gale Crater, Mars

DOE PAGES

Edwards, Peter H.; Bridges, John C.; Wiens, Roger Craig; ...

2017-09-14

The ChemCam instrument on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover, Curiosity, observed numerous igneous float rocks and conglomerate clasts, reported previously. A new statistical analysis of single-laser-shot spectra of igneous targets observed by ChemCam shows a strong peak at ~55 wt% SiO 2 and 6 wt% total alkalis, with a minor secondary maximum at 47–51 wt% SiO 2 and lower alkali content. The centers of these distributions, together with the rock textures, indicate that many of the ChemCam igneous targets are trachybasalts, Mg# = 27 but with a secondary concentration of basaltic material, with a focus of compositions around Mg#more » = 54. We suggest that all of these igneous rocks resulted from low-pressure, olivine-dominated fractionation of Adirondack (MER) class-type basalt compositions. This magmatism has subalkaline, tholeiitic affinities. The similarity of the basalt endmember to much of the Gale sediment compositions in the first 1000 sols of the MSL mission suggests that this type of Fe-rich, relatively low-Mg#, olivine tholeiite is the dominant constituent of the Gale catchment that is the source material for the fine-grained sediments in Gale. The similarity to many Gusev igneous compositions suggests that it is a major constituent of ancient Martian magmas, and distinct from the shergottite parental melts thought to be associated with Tharsis and the Northern Lowlands. Finally, the Gale Crater catchment sampled a mixture of this tholeiitic basalt along with alkaline igneous material, together giving some analogies to terrestrial intraplate magmatic provinces.« less

Geology of the Smythii and Marginis Region of the Moon: Using Integrated Remotely Sensed Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gillis, Jeffrey J.; Spudis, Paul D.

2000-01-01

We characterized the diverse and complex geology of the eastern limb region of the Moon using a trio of remote-sensing data sets: Clementine, Lunar Prospector, and Apollo. On the basis of Clementine-derived iron and titanium maps we classify the highlands into low-iron (3-6 wt % FeO) and high-iron (6-9 wt % FeO) units. The association of the latter with basalt deposits west of Smythii basin suggests that the highland chemical variation is the result of mixing between basalt and highland lithologies. Mare Smythii and Mare Marginis soils are compositionally similar, containing moderate iron (15-18 wt % FeO) and titanium (2.5-3.5 wt % TiO2). Smythii basin, in addition to the basalt deposits, contains an older, moderate-albedo plains unit. Our investigation reveals that the dark basin plains unit has a distinct albedo, chemistry, and surface texture and formed as a result of impact-mixing between highland and mare lithologies in approximately equal proportions. Clementine iron and maturity maps show that swirls along the northern margin of Mare Marginis have the same iron composition as the surrounding nonswirl material and indicate that the swirl material is bright because of its low agglutinate content. Gravity data for the eastern limb show high, positive Bouguer gravity anomalies for areas of thin basalt cover (e.g., Smythii basin and complex craters Joliot, Lomonosov, and Neper). We deduce that the uplift of dense mantle material is the primary (and mare basaltic fill the secondary) source for generating the concentration of mass beneath large craters and basins.

Mantle sources for Central Atlantic Magmatic Province basalts from Hf isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elkins, L. J.; Marzoli, A.; Bizimis, M.; Meyzen, C. M.; Callegaro, S.; Sorsen, N.; Lassiter, J. C.; Ernesto, M.

2017-12-01

The Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) was one of the most voluminous LIP events in Earth history and likely triggered the end-Triassic mass extinction. The tectonic and mantle processes that produced such significant magmatic emplacement are thus of great interest. To further explore the origins of CAMP, we present new 176Hf/177Hf isotope data for a broad geographic sampling of CAMP dikes, sills, and basalt flows. We find that basaltic intrusions from the Carolinas in Eastern North America trend along a shallower slope than the terrestrial array on a diagram of 176Hf/177Hf vs. 143Nd/144Nd. This trend may reflect the presence of variable quantities of sediment-derived material in the mantle source region. This is consistent with previous suggestions that the asthenosphere beneath CAMP has been partially metasomatised by fluids derived from subducted sediments, as well as with isotopic trends observed in other LIP, such as Karoo [Jourdan et al., 2007, Jour. Petrology, doi:10.1093/petrology/egm010]. Distinct from the Carolina trend, we further observe that high-TiO2 basalts from Amazonia exhibit unusually radiogenic 176Hf/177Hf for a given 208Pb/206Pb ratio. The high-TiO­2 basalts, which trend towards EM1-type compositions, may be asthenospheric melts that have experienced the addition of melts from local subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM). Similarly high-TiO2 CAMP rocks from Sierra Leone may likewise have incorporated enriched lithospheric melts of lamproite-like composition in the source region [Callegaro et al., JPet, accepted; GSA Abstract #302853, 2017]. Low-TiO2 basalts from the same region in Brazil and of similar age to the high-TiO2 basalts lack the observed radiogenic 176Hf/177Hf ratios. This suggests that the melt source region beneath Brazil was heterogeneous, containing variable material with relatively radiogenic 176Hf/177Hf ratios, perhaps due to the greater age of subcontinental lithosphere and the presence of garnet. It remains unclear, however, whether the hypothesized SCLM source represents lithospheric domains which are still intact, or if this material reentered the convecting mantle by delamination prior to melting.

An experimental flow-through assessment of acidic Fe/Mg smectite formation on early Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sutter, B.; Peretyazhko, T.; Garcia, A. H.; Ming, D. W.

2017-12-01

Orbital observations have detected the phyllosilicate smectite in layered material hundreds of meters thick, intracrater depositional fans, and plains sediments on Mars; however, the detection of carbonate deposits is limited. Instead of neutral/alkaline conditions during the Noachian, early Mars may have experienced mildly acidic conditions derived from volcanic acid-sulfate solutions that allowed Fe/Mg smectite formation but prevented widespread carbonate formation. The detection of acid sulfates (e.g., jarosite) associated with smectite in Mawrth Vallis supports this hypothesis. Previous work demonstrated smectite (saponite) formation in closed hydrologic systems (batch reactor) from basaltic glass at pH 4 and 200°C (Peretyazhko et al., 2016 GCA). This work presents results from alteration of basaltic glass from alkaline to acidic conditions in open hydrologic systems (flow-through reactor). Preliminary experiments exposed basaltic glass to deionized water at 190°C at 0.25 ml/min where solution pH equilibrated to 9.5. These initial high pH experiments were conducted to evaluate the flow-through reactor system before working with lower pHs. Smectite at this pH was not produced and instead X-ray diffraction results consistent with serpentine was detected. Experiments are in progress exposing basaltic glass from pH 8 down to pH 3 to determine what range of pHs could allow for smectite formation in this experimental open-system. The production of smectite under an experimental open-system at low pHs if successful, would support a significant paradigm shift regarding the geochemical evolution of early Mars: Early Mars geochemical solutions were mildly acidic, not neutral/alkaline. This could have profound implications regarding early martain microbiology where acid conditions instead of neutral/alkaline conditions will require further research in terrestrial analogs to address the potential for biosignature preservation on Mars (Johnson et al., 2016, LPSC).

Evaluation of Basalt Fibre Composites for Marine Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davies, P.; Verbouwe, W.

2018-04-01

Basalt fibres offer potential for use in marine structures, but few data exist to evaluate the influence of seawater immersion on their mechanical behaviour. This paper provides the results from a study in which basalt fibre reinforced epoxy composites were aged in natural seawater at different temperatures. Tests were performed under quasi-static and cyclic loading, first in the as-received state then after saturation in natural seawater. Results are compared to those for an E-glass reinforced composite with the same epoxy matrix. They indicate similar mechanical performance for both materials after seawater saturation.

Geochemistry of Peralkaline Melts at Kone Volcanic Complex, Main Ethiopian Rift

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iddon, F. E.; Edmonds, M.; Jackson, C.; Hutchison, W.; Mather, T. A.; Fontijn, K.; Pyle, D. M.

2016-12-01

The East Africa rift system (EARS) is the archetypal example of continental rifting, with the Main Ethiopian rift (MER) segment offering a unique opportunity to examine the dynamics of peralkaline magmas; the development of central volcanoes; melt distribution and transport in the crust; the volatile budgets of rift magmas and their implications for the formation of ore deposits. The alkali- and halogen-rich magmas of the MER differ from their calc-alkaline counterparts in other settings due to their lower viscosities and higher volatile contents, which have important implications for magma transport, reservoir dynamics and eruptive hazards. The high halogen contents of the magmas give rise to halogen-rich vapor which has the capacity to transport and concentrate metals and REE. The Kone Volcanic complex is one of the lesser studied Quaternary peralkaline centres, located on the axial portion of the MER. It comprises two superimposed calderas, surrounded by ignimbrite deposits and unwelded felsic pyroclastic material, small basaltic vents and rhyolitic domes. Unusually for the central volcanoes of the MER, the caldera has refilled with basaltic lava, not pyroclastic material. We use whole rock and micro-analysis to characterize a range of Kone tephras, glasses, crystal phases and melt inclusions in terms of major, trace and volatile element abundances, alongside detailed textural analysis using QEMSCAN and SEM. The whole rock geochemistry reflects the clear peralkaline nature of the suite, with a distinct compositional gap between 50 wt% and 65 wt% SiO2, controlled largely by fractional crystallization. Trace element systematics illustrate that trachytes entrain alkali feldspars, with the crystal cargo of the entire suite reflecting the structure of the magma reservoir at depth, with liquid-rich lenses and regions of syenitic mush. Melt inclusion geochemistry allows reconstruction of complex, multiphase differentiation processes and the exsolution of both a vapor phase and a brine, allowing the fluid-melt partitioning behaviour of halogens and metals to be reconstructed.

Analysis of terrestrial and Martian volcanic compositions using thermal emission spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wyatt, Michael Bruce

2002-11-01

This dissertation comprises four separate parts that address the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) investigation objective of determining and mapping the composition and distribution of surface minerals and rocks on Mars from orbit. In Part 1, laboratory thermal infrared spectra (5 25 μm, at 2 cm-1 spectral sampling), deconvolved modal mineralogies, and derived mineral and bulk rock chemistries of basalt, basaltic andesite, andesite, and dacite were used to evaluate and revise volcanic rock classification schemes. Multiple steps of classification were required to distinguish volcanic rocks, reflecting the mineralogic diversity and continuum of compositions that exists in volcanic rock types. In Part 2, laboratory spectral data were convolved to TES 10 cm-1 sampling to ascertain whether adequate results for volcanic rock classification can be obtained with lower spectral resolution, comparable to that obtained from Mars orbit. Modeled spectra, modeled modal mineralogies, and derived bulk rock chemistries at low (10 cm-1) spectral sampling provide good matches to measured and high (2 cm-1) spectral sampling modeled values. These results demonstrate the feasibility of using similar techniques and classification schemes for the interpretation of terrestrial laboratory samples and TES-resolution data. In Part 3, new deconvolved mineral abundances from TES data and terrestrial basalts using a spectral end-member set representing minerals common in unaltered and low-temperature aqueously altered basalts were used to reclassify martian surface lithologies. The new formulations maintain the dominance of unaltered basalt in the southern highlands, but indicate the northern lowlands can be interpreted as weathered basalt. The coincidence between locations of altered basalt and a previously suggested northern ocean basin implies that lowland plains materials may be basalts altered under submarine conditions and/or weathered basaltic sediment transported into this depocenter. In Part 4, results from the previous parts are applied to examine the distribution of TES-derived surface compositions in the Oxia Palus region on Mars through high-spatial resolution mapping. Features of interest within Oxia Palus include volcanic/sedimentary materials in southern Acidalia Planitia, low-albedo crater floors and wind streaks in western Arabia Terra, and channel outflow deposits of the Mars Pathfinder (MP) landing site.

Experimental Partitioning of Chalcophile Elements between Mantle Silicate Minerals and Basaltic Melt at High Pressures and Temperatures - Implications for Sulfur Geochemistry of Mantle and Crust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dasgupta, R.; Jego, S.; Ding, S.; Li, Y.; Lee, C. T.

2015-12-01

The behavior of chalcophile elements during mantle melting, melt extraction, and basalt differentiation is critical for formation of ore deposits and geochemical model and evolution of crust-mantle system. While chalcophile elements are strongly partitioned into sulfides, their behavior with different extent of melting, in particular, in the absence of sulfides, can only be modeled with complete knowledge of the partitioning behavior of these elements between dominant mantle minerals and basaltic melt with or without dissolved sulfide (S2-). However, experimental data on mineral-melt partitioning are lacking for many chalcophile elements. Crystallization experiments were conducted at 3 GPa and 1450-1600 °C using a piston cylinder and synthetic silicate melt compositions similar to low-degree partial melt of peridotite. Starting silicate mixes doped with 100-300 ppm of each of various chalcophile elements were loaded into Pt/graphite double capsules. To test the effect of dissolved sulfur in silicate melt on mineral-melt partitioning of chalcophile elements, experiments were conducted on both sulfur-free and sulfur-bearing (1100-1400 ppm S in melt) systems. Experimental phases were analyzed by EPMA (for major elements and S) and LA-ICP-MS (for trace elements). All experiments produced an assemblage of cpx + melt ± garnet ± olivine ± spinel and yielded new partition coefficients (D) for Sn, Zn, Mo, Sb, Bi, Pb, and Se for cpx/melt, olivine/melt, and garnet/melt pairs. Derived Ds (mineral/basalt) reveal little effect of S2- in the melt on mineral-melt partition coefficients of the measured chalcophile elements, with Ds for Zn, Mo, Bi, Pb decreasing by less than a factor of 2 from S-free to S-bearing melt systems or remaining similar, within error, between S-free and S-bearing melt systems. By combining our data with existing partitioning data between sulfide phases and silicate melt we model the fractionation of these elements during mantle melting and basalt crystallization. The model results are compared with the chalcophile element abundance in oceanic basalts. We will discuss the implications of our new partitioning data and model results on sulfur and chalcophile element geochemistry of mantle source regions of ocean floor basalts and the fate of sulfides during mantle melting.

Plume-stagnant slab-lithosphere interactions: Origin of the late Cenozoic intra-plate basalts on the East Eurasia margin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kimura, Jun-Ichi; Sakuyama, Tetsuya; Miyazaki, Takashi; Vaglarov, Bogdan S.; Fukao, Yoshio; Stern, Robert J.

2018-02-01

Intra-plate basalts of 35-0 Ma in East Eurasia formed in a broad backarc region above the stagnant Pacific Plate slab in the mantle transition zone. These basalts show regional-scale variations in Nd-Hf isotopes. The basalts with the most radiogenic Nd-Hf center on the Shandong Peninsula with intermediate Nd-Hf at Hainan and Datong. The least radiogenic basalts occur in the perimeters underlain by the thick continental lithosphere. Shandong basalts possess isotopic signatures of the young igneous oceanic crust of the subducted Pacific Plate. Hainan and Datong basalts have isotopic signatures of recycled subduction materials with billions of years of storage in the mantle. The perimeter basalts have isotopic signatures similar to pyroxenite xenoliths from the subcontinental lithospheric mantle beneath East Eurasia. Hainan basalts exhibit the highest mantle potential temperature (Tp), while the Shandong basalts have the lowest Tp. We infer that a deep high-Tp plume interacted with the subducted Pacific Plate slab in the mantle transition zone to form a local low-Tp plume by entraining colder igneous oceanic lithosphere. We infer that the subducted Izanagi Plate slab, once a part of the Pacific Plate mosaic, broke off from the Pacific Plate slab at 35 Ma to sink into the lower mantle. The sinking Izanagi slab triggered the plume that interacted with the stagnant Pacific slab and caused subcontinental lithospheric melting. This coincided with formation of the western Pacific backarc marginal basins due to Pacific Plate slab rollback and stagnation.

Geochemistry of South China Sea MORB and implications for deep geodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, X.; Liu, Z.; Chen, L.; Zeng, G.

2017-12-01

Mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB) were sampled near fossil spreading centers of east subbasin (Site U1431) and southwest subbasin (Site U1433) from the South China Sea (SCS). These basalts record the history of oceanic crustal accretion and mechanism of deep dynamics at the end of SCS ridge spreading. For major elements, basalts from the above two sites show similarities in abundances. Wherein both of them show more depleted in SiO2 and MgO along with enriched Al2O3 than the present Pacific MORB and Indian MORB. In terms of trace elements, basalts from east subbasin are NMORB-like while basalts from southwest subbasin are EMORB-like. Diversity in trace elemental features indicates the difference in petrogenesis of SCS MORB. The good correlations between major elements, e.g., negative correlations between MgO and Al2O3, CaO, suggest that relative to the normal Pacific and Indian MORB, SCS MORB experienced much more complex magma chamber processes. The diversity in trace elemental ratios like Th/La and Ti/Gd, Eu/Eu* and Ti/Ti* further indicates that, besides of magma chamber processes, SCS MORB records the heterogeneities of asthenosphere. When in comparison with Pacific MORB and Indian MORB respectively, we found that basalts from east subbasin are Pacific MORB like while basalts from southwest subbasin are Indian MORB like. Therefore, it implies, at the time of Miocene, the east subbasin of SCS can be a part of the Pacific oceanic basin. However, the southwest subbasin should be the result of continental margin rifting of Indochina Block.

Alteration of submarine basaltic glass from the Ontong Java Plateau: A STXM and TEM study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benzerara, K.; Menguy, N.; Banerjee, N. R.; Tyliszczak, Tolek; Brown, G. E.; Guyot, F.

2007-08-01

Frequent observations of tubular to vermicular microchannels in altered basalt glass have led to increasing appreciation of a possible significant role of microbes in the low-temperature alteration of seafloor basalt. We have examined such microchannel alteration features at the nanoscale in basalt glass shards from the Ontong Java Plateau using a combination of focused ion beam milling, transmission electron microscopy and scanning transmission X-ray microscopy. Three types of materials were found in ultrathin cross-sections cut through the microchannels by FIB milling: fresh basalt glass, amorphous Si-rich rims surrounding the microchannels, and palagonite within the microchannels. X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the C K-edge and Fe L 2,3-edges showed the presence of organic carbon in association with carbonates within the microchannels and partial oxidation of iron in palagonite compared with basalt glass. Although these observations alone cannot discriminate between a biotic or abiotic origin for the microchannels, they provide new information on their mineralogical and chemical composition and thus better constrain the physical and chemical conditions prevailing during the alteration process.

Basalt fiber reinforced porous aggregates-geopolymer based cellular material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Xin; Xu, Jin-Yu; Li, Weimin

2015-09-01

Basalt fiber reinforced porous aggregates-geopolymer based cellular material (BFRPGCM) was prepared. The stress-strain curve has been worked out. The ideal energy-absorbing efficiency has been analyzed and the application prospect has been explored. The results show the following: fiber reinforced cellular material has successively sized pore structures; the stress-strain curve has two stages: elastic stage and yielding plateau stage; the greatest value of the ideal energy-absorbing efficiency of BFRPGCM is 89.11%, which suggests BFRPGCM has excellent energy-absorbing property. Thus, it can be seen that BFRPGCM is easy and simple to make, has high plasticity, low density and excellent energy-absorbing features. So, BFRPGCM is a promising energy-absorbing material used especially in civil defense engineering.

Ultrasonic P- and S-Wave Attenuation and Petrophysical Properties of Deccan Flood Basalts, India, as Revealed by Borehole Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vedanti, Nimisha; Malkoti, Ajay; Pandey, O. P.; Shrivastava, J. P.

2018-03-01

Petrophysical properties and ultrasonic P- and S-wave attenuation measurements on 35 Deccan basalt core specimens, recovered from Killari borehole site in western India, provide unique reference data-sets for a lesser studied Deccan Volcanic Province. These samples represent 338-m-thick basaltic column, consisting four lava flows each of Ambenali and Poladpur Formations, belonging to Wai Subgroup of the Deccan volcanic sequence. These basalt samples are found to be iron-rich (average FeOT: 13.4 wt%), but relatively poor in silica content (average SiO2: 47.8 wt%). The saturated massive basalt cores are characterized by a mean density of 2.91 g/cm3 (range 2.80-3.01 g/cm3) and mean P- and S-wave velocities of 5.89 km/s (range 5.01-6.50 km/s) and 3.43 km/s (range 2.84-3.69 km/s), respectively. In comparison, saturated vesicular basalt cores show a wide range in density (2.40-2.79 g/cm3) as well as P-wave (3.28-4.78 km/s) and S-wave (1.70-2.95 km/s) velocities. Based on the present study, the Deccan volcanic sequence can be assigned a weighted mean density of 2.74 g/cm3 and a low V p and V s of 5.00 and 3.00 km/s, respectively. Such low velocities in Deccan basalts can be attributed mainly to the presence of fine-grained glassy material, high iron contents, and hydrothermally altered secondary mineral products, besides higher porosity in vesicular samples. The measured Q values in saturated massive basalt cores vary enormously (Q p: 33-1960 and Q s: 35-506), while saturated vesicular basalt samples exhibit somewhat lesser variation in Q p (6-46) as well as Q s (5-49). In general, high-porosity rocks exhibit high attenuation, but we observed the high value of attenuation in some of the massive basalt core samples also. In such cases, energy loss is mainly due to the presence of fine-grained glassy material as well as secondary alteration products like chlorophaeite, that could contribute to intrinsic attenuation. Dominance of weekly bound secondary minerals might also be responsible for the generation of microcracks, which may generate squirt flow in saturated samples. Hence, we argue that the Deccan basalts attenuate seismic energy significantly, where its composition plays a major role.

Evidence for ultramafic lavas on Syrtis Major

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reyes, D. P.; Christensen, P. R.

1993-01-01

Pyroxene compositions from ISM data compared with pyroxene compositions of Apollo 12 pigeonite basalt, Shergotite meteorite, and pyroxenitic komatiite show that the Syrtis Major volcanic materials are consistent with pyroxenitic komatiite. Pyroxenitic komatiite is significant for the earth because it contains a large amount of MgO, implying generation under unique circumstances compared to typical basaltic compositions.

Dust coatings on basaltic rocks and implications for thermal infrared spectroscopy of Mars

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, J. R.; Christensen, P.R.; Lucey, P.G.

2002-01-01

Thin coatings of atmospherically deposited dust can mask the spectral characteristics of underlying surfaces on Mars from the visible to thermal infrared wavelengths, making identification of substrate and coating mineralogy difficult from lander and orbiter spectrometer data. To study the spectral effects of dust coatings, we acquired thermal emission and hemispherical reflectance spectra (5-25 μm; 2000-400 cm-1) of basaltic andesite coated with different thicknesses of air fall-deposited palagonitic soils, fine-grained ceramic clay powders, and terrestrial loess. The results show that thin coatings (10-20 μm) reduce the spectral contrast of the rock substrate substantially, consistent with previous work. This contrast reduction continues linearly with increasing coating thickness until a "saturation thickness" is reached, after which little further change is observed. The saturation thickness of the spectrally flat palagonite coatings is ~100-120 μm, whereas that for coatings with higher spectral contrast is only ~50-75 μm. Spectral differences among coated and uncoated samples correlate with measured coating thicknesses in a quadratic manner, whereas correlations with estimated surface area coverage are better fit by linear functions. Linear mixture modeling of coated samples using the rock substrate and coating materials as end-members is also consistent with their measured coating thicknesses and areal coverage. A comparison of ratios of Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) spectra of dark and bright intracrater and windstreak deposits associated with Radau crater suggests that the dark windstreak material may be coated with as much as 90% areal coverage of palagonitic dust. The data presented here also will help improve interpretations of upcoming mini-TES and Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) observations of coated Mars surface materials.

Crystallization of oxidized, moderately hydrous arc basalt at mid-to-lower crustal pressures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blatter, D. L.; Sisson, T. W.; Hankins, W. B.

2012-12-01

Decades of experimental work show that dry, reduced, subalkaline basalts differentiate to produce tholeiitic (high Fe/Mg) daughter liquids, however the influences of H2O and oxidation on differentiation paths are not well established. Accordingly, we performed crystallization experiments on a relatively magnesian basalt (8.7 wt% MgO) typical of mafic lavas erupted in the Cascades magmatic arc near Mount Rainier, Washington. Starting material was synthesized with 3 wt% H2O and run in 2.54 cm piston-cylinder vessels at 900, 700, and 400 MPa and 1200 to 925 degrees C. Samples were contained in Au75Pd25 capsules pre-saturated with Fe by reaction with magnetite at controlled fO2. Oxygen fugacity was controlled during high-pressure syntheses by the double capsule method using Re-ReO2 plus H2O-CO2 vapor in the outer capsule, mixed to match the expected fH2O of the vapor-undersaturated sample. Crystallization was similar at all pressures with a high temperature interval consisting of augite + olivine + orthopyroxene + Cr-spinel (in decreasing abundance). With decreasing temperature, plagioclase crystallizes, FeTi-oxides replace spinel, olivine dissolves, and finally amphibole appears. Liquids at 900 MPa track along Miyashiro's (1974) tholeiitic vs. calc-alkaline boundary, whereas those at 700 and 400 MPa become calc-alkaline by ~57 wt% SiO2 and greater. Although these evolved liquids are similar in most respects to common calc-alkaline andesites, they differ in having low-CaO due to early and abundant crystallization of augite prior to plagioclase, with the result that they become peraluminous (ASI: Al/(Na+K+Ca)>1) by ~55 wt% SiO2, similar to liquids reported in other studies of the high-pressure crystallization of hydrous basalts (Müntener and Ulmer, 2006 and references therein). A compilation of >7000 analyses of volcanic and intrusive rocks from the Cascades and the Sierra Nevada batholith shows that ASI in arc magmas increases continuously and linearly with SiO2 from basalts to rhyolites or granites (ASI/wt% SiO2: 0.012-0.014), and do not commonly become peraluminous until SiO2 exceeds 69 wt%. These relations are consistent with plagioclase accompanying mafic silicates during nearly all evolution of arc magmas, with little or no early crystallization interval dominated by augite, unlike these and other high-pressure crystallization results. Possible implications are: (1) Parental basaltic arc magmas generally have <3 wt% H2O, and so saturate with plagioclase earlier than in these and other investigators' experiments, (2) These and other investigators' basaltic starting compositions have appropriate H2O but insufficient normative plagioclase, and so crystallize excessive augite before saturating with plagioclase, (3) Common parental arc magmas are basaltic andesites, not basalts, and undergo early crystallization dominated by orthopyroxene that does not modify melt ASI, and/or (4) The spectrum of common arc magma compositions is dominantly due to mixing of mafic magmas with evolved crustal melts or residual liquids that are saturated with plagioclase, thereby causing the coupled and consistent increase in SiO2 with ASI. What can be stated with confidence is that the simple case of deep crystallization-differentiation of hydrous basalt produces daughter liquids that differ in important aspects from common arc magmas.

Experimental shock metamorphism of terrestrial basalts: Agglutinate-like particle formation, petrology, and magnetism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Badyukov, Dmitrii D.; Bezaeva, Natalia S.; Rochette, Pierre; Gattacceca, Jérôme; Feinberg, Joshua M.; Kars, Myriam; Egli, Ramon; Raitala, Jouko; Kuzina, Dilyara M.

2018-01-01

Hypervelocity impacts occur on bodies throughout our solar system, and play an important role in altering the mineralogy, texture, and magnetic properties in target rocks at nanometer to planetary scales. Here we present the results of hypervelocity impact experiments conducted using a two-stage light-gas gun with 5 mm spherical copper projectiles accelerated toward basalt targets with 6 km s-1 impact velocities. Four different types of magnetite- and titanomagnetite-bearing basalts were used as targets for seven independent experiments. These laboratory impacts resulted in the formation of agglutinate-like particles similar in texture to lunar agglutinates, which are an important fraction of lunar soil. Materials recovered from the impacts were examined using a suite of complementary techniques, including optical and scanning electron microscopy, micro-Raman spectroscopy, and high- and low-temperature magnetometry, to investigate the texture, chemistry, and magnetic properties of newly formed agglutinate-like particles and were compared to unshocked basaltic parent materials. The use of Cu-projectiles, rather than Fe- and Ni-projectiles, avoids magnetic contamination in the final shock products and enables a clearer view of the magnetic properties of impact-generated agglutinates. Agglutinate-like particles show shock features, such as melting and planar deformation features, and demonstrate shock-induced magnetic hardening (two- to seven-fold increases in the coercivity of remanence Bcr compared to the initial target materials) and decreases in low-field magnetic susceptibility and saturation magnetization.

Development of Standardized Lunar Regolith Simulant Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carpenter, P.; Sibille, L.; Meeker, G.; Wilson, S.

2006-01-01

Lunar exploration requires scientific and engineering studies using standardized testing procedures that ultimately support flight certification of technologies and hardware. It is necessary to anticipate the range of source materials and environmental constraints that are expected on the Moon and Mars, and to evaluate in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) coupled with testing and development. We describe here the development of standardized lunar regolith simulant (SLRS) materials that are traceable inter-laboratory standards for testing and technology development. These SLRS materials must simulate the lunar regolith in terms of physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties. A summary of these issues is contained in the 2005 Workshop on Lunar Regolith Simulant Materials [l]. Lunar mare basalt simulants MLS-1 and JSC-1 were developed in the late 1980s. MLS-1 approximates an Apollo 11 high-Ti basalt, and was produced by milling of a holocrystalline, coarse-grained intrusive gabbro (Fig. 1). JSC-1 approximates an Apollo 14 basalt with a relatively low-Ti content, and was obtained from a glassy volcanic ash (Fig. 2). Supplies of MLS-1 and JSC-1 have been exhausted and these materials are no longer available. No highland anorthosite simulant was previously developed. Upcoming lunar polar missions thus require the identification, assessment, and development of both mare and highland simulants. A lunar regolith simulant is manufactured from terrestrial components for the purpose of simulating the physical and chemical properties of the lunar regolith. Significant challenges exist in the identification of appropriate terrestrial source materials. Lunar materials formed under comparatively reducing conditions in the absence of water, and were modified by meteorite impact events. Terrestrial materials formed under more oxidizing conditions with significantly greater access to water, and were modified by a wide range of weathering processes. The composition space of lunar materials can be modeled by mixing programs utilizing a low-Ti basalt, ilmenite, KREEP component, high-Ca anorthosite, and meteoritic components. This approach has been used for genetic studies of lunar samples via chemical and modal analysis. A reduced composition space may be appropriate for simulant development, but it is necessary to determine the controlling properties that affect the physical, chemical and mineralogical components of the simulant.

Brittle strength of basaltic rock masses with applications to Venus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schultz, R. A.

1993-06-01

Spacecraft images of surfaces with known or suspected basaltic composition on Venus (as well as on moon and Mars) indicate that these rocks have been deformed in the brittle regime to form faults and perhaps joints, in addition to folding and more distributed types of deformation. This paper presents results of detailed examinations and interpretations of Venus surface materials which show that the strengths of basaltic rocks on planetary surfaces and in the shallow subsurface are significantly different from strength values commonly used in tectonic modeling studies which assume properties of either intact rock samples or single planar shear surface.

The apollo 15 lunar samples: A preliminary description

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gast, P.W.; Phinney, W.C.; Duke, M.B.; Silver, L.T.; Hubbard, N.J.; Heiken, G.H.; Butler, P.; McKay, D.S.; Warner, J.L.; Morrison, D.A.; Horz, F.; Head, J.; Lofgren, G.E.; Ridley, W.I.; Reid, A.M.; Wilshire, H.; Lindsay, J.F.; Carrier, W.D.; Jakes, P.; Bass, M.N.; Brett, P.R.; Jackson, E.D.; Rhodes, J.M.; Bansal, B.M.; Wainwright, J.E.; Parker, K.A.; Rodgers, K.V.; Keith, J.E.; Clark, R.S.; Schonfeld, E.; Bennett, L.; Robbins, Martha M.; Portenier, W.; Bogard, D.D.; Hart, W.R.; Hirsch, W.C.; Wilkin, R.B.; Gibson, E.K.; Moore, C.B.; Lewis, C.F.

1972-01-01

Samples returned from the Apollo 15 site consist of mare basalts and breccias with a variety of premare igneous rocks. The mare basalts are from at least two different lava flows. The bulk chemical compositions and textures of these rocks confirm the previous conclusion that the lunar maria consist of a series of extrusive volcanic rocks that are rich in iron and poor in sodium. The breccias contain abundant clasts of anorthositic fragments along with clasts of basaltic rocks much richer in plagioclase than the mare basalts. These two rock types also occur as common components in soil samples from this site. The rocks and soils from both the front and mare region exhibit a variety of shock characteristics that can best be ascribed to ray material from the craters Aristillus or Autolycus.

Expanding the Planetary Analog Test Sites in Hawaii - Planetary Basalt Manipulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelso, R.

2013-12-01

The Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems (PISCES) is one of the very few planetary surface research test sites in the country that is totally funded by the state legislature. In recent expansions, PISCES is broadening its work in planetary test sites to include much more R&D work in the planetary surface systems, and the manipulation of basalt materials. This is to include laser 3D printing of basalt, 'lunar-concrete' construction in state projects for Hawaii, renewable energy, and adding lava tubes/skylights to their mix of high-quality planetary analog test sites. PISCES Executive Director, Rob Kelso, will be providing program updates on the interest of the Hawaii State Legislature in planetary surface systems, new applied research initiatives in planetary basalts and interests in planetary construction.

Single Piezo-Actuator Rotary-Hammering (SPaRH) Drill

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sherrit, Stewart (Inventor); Bao, Xiaoqi (Inventor); Badescu, Mircea (Inventor); Bar-Cohen, Yoseph (Inventor)

2014-01-01

A Single Piezo-Actuator Rotary-Hammering (SPaRH) Drill includes a horn actuator having high power piezoelectric materials and a flexure pre-stress to increase the actuators effectiveness. The drill is a low mass, low power, compact coring drill measuring 20-cm high by 7-cm diameter and having a total weight of 2 kg including drive electronics. Using an average power of 50-Watts, the drill basalt is expected to cut basalt at a rate of 0.2 cm/min down to depth of 10-cm and create cuttings and an intact core. The drill is expected to operate under different environments including Martian ambient (6 Torr and down to -50 degree C), and liquid nitrogen temperatures (77 K) and low pressure (<<1 Torr) to simulate lunar polar and Europa conditions. Materials expected to be sampled include Kaolinite, Saddleback Basalt, Limestone, Volcanic Breccia, Siltstone, ice, permafrost and layered rocks with different hardness.

Petrological processes in mantle plume heads: Evidence from study of mantle xenoliths in the late Cenozoic alkali Fe-Ti basalts in Western Syria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharkov, Evgenii

2015-04-01

It is consensus now that within-plate magmatism is considered with ascending of mantle plumes and adiabatic melting of their head. At the same time composition of the plumes' matter and conditions of its adiabatic melting are unclear yet. The major source of objective information about it can be mantle xenoliths in alkali basalts and basanites which represent fragments of material of the plume heads above magma-generation zone. They are not represent material in melting zone, however, carry important information about material of modern mantle plumes, its phase composition and components, involved in melting. Populations of mantle xenoliths in basalts are characterized by surprising sameness in the world and represented by two major types: (1) dominated rocks of ``green'' series, and (2) more rare rocks of ``black'' series, which formed veins in the ``green'' series matrix. It can evidence about common composition of plume material in global scale. In other words, the both series of xenoliths represent two types of material of thermochemical mantle plumes, ascended from core-mantle boundary (Maruyama, 1994; Dobretsov et al., 2001). The same types of xenoliths are found in basalts and basanites of Western Syria (Sharkov et al., 1996). Rocks of ``green'' series are represented by Sp peridotites with cataclastic and protogranular structures and vary in composition from dominated spinel lherzolites to spinel harzburgites and rare spinel pyroxenites (websterites). It is probably evidence about incomplete homogenizing of the plume head matter, where material, underwent by partial melting, adjoins with more fertile material. Such heterogeneity was survived due to quick cooling of upper rim of the plume head in contact with relatively cold lithosphere. Essential role among xenoliths of the ``black'' series play Al-Ti-augite and water-bearing phases like hornblende (kaersutute) and Ti-phlogopite. Rocks of this series are represented by wehrlite, clinopyroxenite, amphibole clinopyroxenite, hornbledite, etc. as well as megacrysts of Al-Ti-augite, kaersutite, ilmenite, sanidine, etc. Numerous vesicles often occurred in megacrysts, especially in kaersurtite. Sp peridotites of the matrix are sharply different on their geochemical features from the ``black series'' rocks (in this case, megacrysts of kaersutite) which are the most close to composition of xenoliths-bearing alkali basalts. From this follows that geochemistry of plume-related basalts was determined by mantle fluids which occurred in magma-generation zone. Very likely, that these fluids, enriched in Fe, Ti, LREE, alkalis, and incompatible elements, initially were parts of intergranular material of original mantle plume material and were released due to its decompression. Because their high mobility, the fluids percolated upwards and accumulated in the upper part of the mantle plume head, where promoted its melting by lowering of solidus of the matter. Excess of the fluids gathered beneath the cooled upper rim and penetrated in its rocks which led to appearance of centers of secondary melting (melt-pockets). Very likely, that these secondary melts formed rocks of the ``black series'' (Ismail et al., 2008;Ryabchkov et al., 2011; Ma et al., 2014). According to geobarometric estimations, Sp peridotite xenoliths from Syria derived from depths 24-42 km (0.8-1.4 GPa) under temperatures 896-980oC; formation of melt-pockets, enriched in volatiles, occurred at the depths 21-27 km (0.7-0.9 GPa) under 826-981oC (Sharkov et al., 1996; Ismail et al., 2008; Ma et al., 2014). From this follows that plumeheads reached depths approximately 21-30 km which is in agree with practically absence of lower-crustal xenoliths in the populations. One of the problems of plume-related magmatism is coexisting of alkali and tholeiitic basalts, which origin often considered with different PT conditions. However, these basalt not rarely interlayered, especially at low and middle levels of LIPs or in single volcanoes (Hawaii, Etna, etc.) which is not in a good agreement with such idea. We suggest that the situation can be more likely explained by nonuniform impregnation of peridotite matrix with fluid components which composition and/or quantity can play essential role in composition of smeltings. It is especially important because even small differences in their ñomposition near to plane of SiO2 saturation in ``basalt tetrahedron'' (Yoder and Tilley, 1962) lead to appearance of Ne-normative or Ne-free melts at practically similar PT conditions. Thus, judging on composition of the mantle xenoliths in basalts of all occurrences in the world, quite possible that Sp peridotites (mainly lherzolites) together with intergranular geochemical-enriched fluid components represent the matter of the modern thermochemical mantle plumes. Origin of two major types of the plume-related magmas, probably, considered with fluid regime in the plume head.

Geochronology and geochemistry of basaltic rocks from the Sartuohai ophiolitic mélange, NW China: Implications for a Devonian mantle plume within the Junggar Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Gaoxue; Li, Yongjun; Santosh, M.; Yang, Baokai; Yan, Jing; Zhang, Bing; Tong, Lili

2012-10-01

The West Junggar domain in NW China is a distinct tectonic unit of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). It is composed of Paleozoic ophiolitic mélanges, arcs and accretionary complexes. The Sartuohai ophiolitic mélange in the eastern West Junggar forms the northeastern part of the Darbut ophiolitic mélange, which contains serpentinized harzburgite, pyroxenite, dunite, cumulate, pillow lava, abyssal radiolarian chert and podiform chromite, overlain by the Early Carboniferous volcano-sedimentary rocks. In this paper we report new geochronological and geochemical data from basaltic and gabbroic blocks embedded within the Sartuohai ophiolitic mélange, to assess the possible presence of a Devonian mantle plume in the West Junggar, and evaluate the petrogenesis and implications for understanding of the Paleozoic continental accretion of CAOB. Zircon U-Pb analyses from the alkali basalt and gabbro by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry yielded weighted mean ages of 375 ± 2 Ma and 368 ± 11 Ma. Geochemically, the Sartuohai ophiolitic mélange includes at least two distinct magmatic units: (1) a Late Devonian fragmented ophiolite, which were produced by ca. 2-10% spinel lherzolite partial melting in arc-related setting, and (2) contemporary alkali lavas, which were derived from 5% to 10% garnet + minor spinel lherzolite partial melting in an oceanic plateau or a seamount. Based on detailed zircon U-Pb dating and geochemical data for basalts and gabbros from the Sartuohai ophiolitic mélange, in combination with previous work, indicate a complex evolution by subduction-accretion processes from the Devonian to the Carboniferous. Furthermore, the alkali basalts from the Sartuohai ophiolitic mélange might be correlated to a Devonian mantle plume-related magmatism within the Junggar Ocean. If the plume model as proposed here is correct, it would suggest that mantle plume activity significantly contributed to the crustal growth in the CAOB.

A Model for the Thermal and Chemical Evolution of the Moon's Interior: Implications for the Onset of Mare Volcanism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hess, Paul C.; Parmentier, E. M.

1995-01-01

Crystallization of the lunar magma ocean creates a chemically stratified Moon consisting of an anorthositic crust and magma ocean cumulates overlying the primitive lunar interior. Within the magma ocean cumulates the last liquids to crystallize form dense, ilmenite-rich cumulates that contain high concentrations of incompatible radioactive elements. The underlying olivine-orthopyroxene cumulates are also stratified with later crystallized, denser, more Fe-rich compositions at the top. This paper explores the chemical and thermal consequences of an internal evolution model accounting for the possible role of these sources of chemical buoyancy. Rayleigh-Taylor instability causes the dense ilmenite-rich cumulate layer and underlying Fe-rich cumulates to sink toward the center of the Moon, forming a dense lunar core. After this overturn, radioactive heating within the ilmenite-rich cumulate core heats the overlying mantle, causing it to melt. In this model, the source region for high-TiO2 mare basalts is a convectively mixed layer above the core-mantle boundary which would contain small and variable amounts of admixed ilmenite and KREEP. This deep high-pressure melting, as required for mare basalts, occurs after a reasonable time interval to explain the onset of mare basalt volcanism if the content of radioactive elements in the core and the chemical density gradients above the core are sufficiently high but within a range of values that might have been present in the Moon. Regardless of details implied by particular model parameters, gravitational overturn driven by the high density of magma ocean Fe-rich cumulates should concentrate high-TiO2 mare basalt sources, and probably a significant fraction of radioactive heating, toward the center of the Moon. This will have important implications for both the thermal evolution of the Moon and for mare basalt genesis.

Re-Os isotope evidence from Mesozoic and Cenozoic basalts for secular evolution of the mantle beneath the North China Craton

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Feng; Xu, Ji-Feng; Liu, Yong-Sheng; Li, Jie; Chen, Jian-Lin; Li, Xi-Yao

2017-05-01

The mechanism and process of lithospheric thinning beneath the North China Craton (NCC) are still debated. A key criterion in distinguishing among the proposed mechanisms is whether associated continental basalts were derived from the thinning lithospheric mantle or upwelling asthenosphere. Herein, we investigate the possible mechanisms of lithospheric thinning based on a systematic Re-Os isotopic study of Mesozoic to Cenozoic basalts from the NCC. Our whole-rock Re-Os isotopic results indicate that the Mesozoic basalts generally have high Re and Os concentrations that vary widely from 97.2 to 839.4 ppt and 74.4 to 519.6 ppt, respectively. They have high initial 187Os/188Os ratios ranging from 0.1513 to 0.3805, with corresponding variable γOs(t) values (+20 to +202). In contrast, the Re-Os concentrations and radiogenic Os isotope compositions of the Cenozoic basalts are typically lower than those of the Mesozoic basalts. The lowest initial 187Os/188Os ratios of the Cenozoic basalts are 0.1465 and 0.1479, with corresponding γOs(t) values of +15 and +16, which are within the range of ocean island basalts. These new Re-Os isotopic results, combined with the findings of previous studies, indicate that the Mesozoic basalts were a hybrid product of the melting of pyroxenite and peridotite in ancient lithospheric mantle beneath the NCC. The Cenozoic basalts were derived mainly from upwelling asthenosphere mixed with small amounts of lithospheric materials. The marked differences in geochemistry between the Mesozoic and Cenozoic basalts suggest a greatly reduced involvement of lithospheric mantle as the magma source from the Mesozoic to the Cenozoic. The subsequent lithospheric thinning of the NCC and replacement by upwelling asthenospheric mantle resulted in a change to asthenosphere-derived Cenozoic basalts.

Testing the Origins of Basalt Fragments fro Apollo 16

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Donohue, P. H.; Stevens, R. E.; Neal, C. R.; Zeigler, R. A.

2013-01-01

Several 2-4 mm regolith fragments of basalt from the Apollo 16 site were recently described by [1]. These included a high-Ti vitrophyric basalts (60603,10-16) and one very-low-titanium (VLT) crystalline basalt (65703,9-13). As Apollo 16 was the only highlands sample return mission distant from the maria, identification of basaltic samples at the site indicates input from remote sites via impact processes [1]. However, distinguishing between impact melt and pristine basalt can be notoriously difficult and requires significant sample material [2-6]. The crystal stratigraphy method utilizes essentially non-destructive methods to make these distinctions [7,8]. Crystal stratigraphy combines quantitative petrography in the form of crystal size distributions (CSDs) coupled with mineral geochemistry to reveal the petrogenetic history of samples. The classic CSD plot of crystal size versus population density can reveal insights on growth/cooling rates, residence times, and magma history which in turn can be used to evaluate basaltic vs impact melt origin [7-9]. Electron microprobe (EMP) and laser ablation (LA)-ICP-MS analyses of mineral phases complement textural investigations. Trace element variations document subtle changes occurring during the formation of the samples, and are key in the interpretation and preservation of this rare lunar sample collection.

Basaltic material in the main belt: a tale of two (or more) parent bodies?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ieva, S.; Dotto, E.; Lazzaro, D.; Fulvio, D.; Perna, D.; Epifani, E. Mazzotta; Medeiros, H.; Fulchignoni, M.

2018-06-01

The majority of basaltic objects in the main belt are dynamically connected to Vesta, the largest differentiated asteroid known. Others, due to their current orbital parameters, cannot be easily dynamically linked to Vesta. This is particularly true for all the basaltic asteroids located beyond 2.5 au, where lies the 3:1 mean motion resonance with Jupiter. In order to investigate the presence of other V-type asteroids in the middle and outer main belt (MOVs) we started an observational campaign to spectroscopically characterize in the visible range MOV candidates. We observed 18 basaltic candidates from TNG and ESO - NTT between 2015 and 2016. We derived spectral parameters using the same approach adopted in our recent statistical analysis and we compared our data with orbital parameters to look for possible clusters of MOVs in the main belt, symptomatic for a new basaltic family. Our analysis seemed to point out that MOVs show different spectral parameters respect to other basaltic bodies in the main belt, which could account for a diverse mineralogy than Vesta; moreover, some of them belong to the Eos family, suggesting the possibility of another basaltic progenitor. This could have strong repercussions on the temperature gradient present in the early Solar System, and on our current understanding of differentiation processes.

Alteration textures in terrestrial volcanic glass and the associated bacterial community.

PubMed

Cockell, C S; Olsson-Francis, K; Herrera, A; Meunier, A

2009-01-01

Alteration textures were examined in subglacial (hyaloclastite) deposits at Valafell, Southern Iceland. Pitted and 'elongate' alteration features are observed in the glass similar to granular and tubular features reported previously in deep-ocean basaltic glasses, but elongate features generally did not have a length to width ratio greater than five. Elongate features were found in only 7% of surfaces. Crystalline basalt clasts, which are incorporated into the hyaloclastite, did not display elongate structures. Pitted alteration features were poorly defined in crystalline basalt, comprising only 4% of the surface compared to 47% in the case of basaltic glass. Examination of silica-rich glass (obsidian) and rhyolite similarly showed poorly defined pitted textures that comprised less than 15% of the surface and no elongate features were observed. These data highlight the differences in alteration textures between terrestrial basaltic glass and previously studied deep-ocean and subsurface basaltic glass, and the important role of mineralogy in controlling the type and abundance of alteration features. The hyaloclastite contains a diverse and abundant bacterial population, as determined by 16S rDNA analysis, which could be involved in weathering the glass. Despite the presence of phototrophs, we show that they were not involved in the production of most alteration textures in the basaltic glass materials we examined.

Geochemistry of Woranso-Mille Pliocene basalts from west-central Afar, Ethiopia: Implications for mantle source characteristics and rift evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alene, Mulugeta; Hart, William K.; Saylor, Beverly Z.; Deino, Alan; Mertzman, Stanley; Haile-Selassie, Yohannes; Gibert, Luis B.

2017-06-01

The Woranso-Mille (WORMIL) area in the west-central Afar, Ethiopia, contains several Pliocene basalt flows, tuffs, and fossiliferous volcaniclastic beds. We present whole-rock major- and trace-element data including REE, and Sr-Nd-Pb isotope ratios from these basalts to characterize the geochemistry, constrain petrogenetic processes, and infer mantle sources. Six basalt groups are distinguished stratigraphically and geochemically within the interval from 3.8 to 3 Ma. The elemental and isotopic data show intra- and inter-group variations derived primarily from source heterogeneity and polybaric crystallization ± crustal inputs. The combined Sr-Nd-Pb isotope data indicate the involvement of three main reservoirs: the Afar plume, depleted mantle, and enriched continental lithosphere (mantle ± crust). Trace element patterns and ratios further indicate the basalts were generated from spinel-dominated shallow melting, consistent with significantly thinned Pliocene lithosphere in western Afar. The on-land continuation of the Aden rift into western Afar during the Pliocene is reexamined in the context of the new geochemistry and age constraints of the WORMIL basalts. The new data reinforce previous interpretations that progressive rifting and transformation of the continental lithosphere to oceanic lithosphere allows for increasing asthenospheric inputs through time as the continental lithosphere is thinned. Accepted trace element values for BHVO-2 are those recently recommended by Jochum et al. (2016) rounded to provide the same significant figures as the data. Ternary model after Schilling et al. (1992); Endmembers from Rooney et al. (2012).

Apollo 16 returned lunar samples - Lithophile trace-element abundances

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Philpotts, J. A.; Schuhmann, S.; Kouns, C. W.; Lum, R. K. L.; Bickel, A. L.; Schnetzler, C. C.

1973-01-01

Lithium, K, Rb, Sr, Ba, rare-earth, Zr, and Hf abundances have been determined by mass-spectrometric isotope-dilution for Apollo 16 soils, anorthosite 61016, and 'basalt' 68415 whole-rock and separated pyroxene and plagioclase. Our sample of 61016 is similar to some other lunar anorthosites in lithophile trace-element concentrations but at a slightly lower level. It was probably accumulated from a little differentiated basalt. Basalt 68415 might be a homogeneous mixture of KREEP and anorthosite material; it appears to have crystallized under conditions as reducing as those holding for mare-basalts. The soil fines cover only a limited compositional range. No obvious chemical differences were noted between the Descartes and Cayley formations. Most of the compositional variation of the soils can be accounted for in terms of the addition of plagioclase. The existence of very high alumina basalt as an independent magma-type appears debatable in view of its KREEP-like lithophile trace-element relative concentrations and the observed lunar radioactivity distribution.

A chemical model for lunar non-mare rocks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hubbard, N. J.; Rhodes, J. M.

1974-01-01

Nearly all rocks returned from the moon are readily divided into three broad categories on the basis of their chemical compositions: (1) mare basalts, (2) non-mare rocks of basaltic composition (KREEP, VHA), and (3) anorthositic rocks. Only mare basalts may unambiguously be considered to have original igneous textures and are widely understood to have an igneous origin. Nearly all other lunar rocks have lost their original textures during metamorphic and impact processes. It is shown that for these rocks one must work primarily with chemical data in order to recognize and define rock groups and their possible modes of origin. Non-mare rocks of basaltic composition have chemical compositions consistent with an origin by partial melting of the lunar interior. The simplest origin for rocks of anorthositic chemical composition is the crystallization and removal of ferromagnesian minerals. It is proposed that the rock groups of anorthositic and non-mare basaltic chemical composition could have been generated from a single series of original but not necessarily primitive lunar materials.

A chemical model for lunar non-mare rocks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hubbard, N. J.; Rhodes, J. M.

1977-01-01

Nearly all rocks returned from the moon are readily divided into three broad categories on the basis of their chemical compositions: (1) mare basalts, (2) non-mare rocks of basaltic composition (KREEP, VHA), and (3) anorthositic rocks. Only mare basalts may unambiguously be considered to have original igneous textures and are widely understood to have an igneous origin. Nearly all other lunar rocks have lost their original textures during metamorphic and impact processes. For these rocks one must work primarily with chemical data in order to recognize and define rock groups and their possible modes of origin. Non-mare rocks of basaltic composition have chemical compositions consistent with an origin by partial melting of the lunar interior. The simplest origin for rocks of anorthositic chemical composition is the crystallization and removal of ferromagnesian minerals. It is proposed that the rock groups of anorthositic and non-mare basaltic chemical composition could have been generated from a single series of original, but not necessarily primitive, lunar materials.

Basement Basalts from IODP Site 1438, Amami-Sankaku Basin: Implications for Sources and Melting Processes during Subduction Initiation in the Izu-Bonin-Mariana System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCarthy, A. J.; Hickey-Vargas, R.; Yogodzinski, G. M.; Ishizuka, O.; Hocking, B.; Bizimis, M.; Savov, I. P.; Kusano, Y.; Arculus, R. J.

2016-12-01

IODP Expedition 351 Site 1438 is located in the Amami-Sankaku basin, just west of the Kyushu-Palau Ridge (KPR), a remnant of the early Izu-Bonin-Mariana (IBM) volcanic arc. 150 meters of basement basalt were drilled beneath 1460 m of volcaniclastic sediments and sedimentary rock. The age range inferred for these basalts is 51-52 Ma, close to the 48-52 Ma age of basalts associated with subduction initiation in the IBM forearc (forearc basalts or FABs). Site 1438 basement basalts form several distinct subunits, all relatively mafic (MgO = 6-14 %; Mg# = 51-83). Non-fluid-mobile incompatible trace element patterns are profoundly depleted. Sm/Nd (0.34-0.43) and Lu/Hf (0.18-0.37) reach values higher than most normal MORBs while La/Yb (0.31-0.98) and Ti/V (15.8-27.0) are lower. These features are shared with basalts drilled just west of the KPR at ODP Site 1201 and DSDP Site 447, and many FABs. Abundances of fluid-mobile incompatible elements vary together and are correlated with subunits defined by flow margins and rock physical properties, suggesting control by post-eruptive seawater alteration rather than varying inputs of subduction fluids. Hf-Nd isotopes for Site 1438 basement basalts range from (present-day) ɛNd of 7.0 to 9.5 and ɛHf of 14.5 to 19.8 in a well-correlated array. Their more radiogenic Hf-isotope character could indicate an Indian-type MORB source, however, basalts with ɛHf >16.5, are more radiogenic than many Indian MORB. Pb isotope data will help distinguish differing mantle source domains and origins for fluid-mobile elements. Overall, the combined geochemical data indicate that the mantle source of basement basalts in drill sites west of the KPR (1438, 1201, 447) are closely similar to those for FAB, and that as a group, these rocks are more depleted than more than 90% of global MORB. Our interpretation is that both IBM forearc basalts and basalts from drill sites immediately west of the KPR formed by melting of the same uniquely depleted mantle source during subduction initiation. Melting may have been promoted by rapid decompression and by flux melting with a solute-poor hydrous subduction fluid. These basalts were erupted over a broad area in an extensional setting, which later narrowed as subduction and the subduction-related IBM volcanic arc became established.

Origin and Role of Recycled Crust in Flood Basalt Magmatism: Case Study of the Central East Greenland Rifted Margin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, E.; Lesher, C. E.

2015-12-01

Continental flood basalts (CFB) are extreme manifestations of mantle melting derived from chemically/isotopically heterogeneous mantle. Much of this heterogeneity comes from lithospheric material recycled into the convecting mantle by a range of mechanisms (e.g. subduction, delamination). The abundance and petrogenetic origins of these lithologies thus provide important constraints on the geodynamical origins of CFB magmatism, and the timescales of lithospheric recycling in the mantle. Basalt geochemistry has long been used to constrain the compositions and mean ages of recycled lithologies in the mantle. Typically, this work assumes the isotopic compositions of the basalts are the same as their mantle source(s). However, because basalts are mixtures of melts derived from different sources (having different fusibilities) generated over ranges of P and T, their isotopic compositions only indirectly represent the isotopic compositions of their mantle sources[1]. Thus, relating basalts compositions to mantle source compositions requires information about the melting process itself. To investigate the nature of lithologic source heterogeneity while accounting for the effects of melting during CFB magmatism, we utilize the REEBOX PRO forward melting model[2], which simulates adiabatic decompression melting in lithologically heterogeneous mantle. We apply the model to constrain the origins and abundance of mantle heterogeneity associated with Paleogene flood basalts erupted during the rift-to-drift transition of Pangea breakup along the Central East Greenland rifted margin of the North Atlantic igneous province. We show that these basalts were derived by melting of a hot, lithologically heterogeneous source containing depleted, subduction-modified lithospheric mantle, and <10% recycled oceanic crust. The Paleozoic mean age we calculate for this recycled crust is consistent with an origin in the region's prior subduction history, and with estimates for the mean age of recycled crust in the modern Iceland plume[3]. These results suggest that this lithospheric material was not recycled into the lower mantle before becoming entrained in the Iceland plume. [1] Rudge et al. (2013). GCA, 114, p112-143; [2] Brown & Lesher (2014). Nat. Geo., 7, p820-824; [3] Thirlwall et al. (2004). GCA, 68, p361-386

Numerical Mantle Convection Models of Crustal Formation in an Oceanic Environment in the Early Earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Thienen, P.; van den Berg, A. P.; Vlaar, N. J.

2001-12-01

The generation of basaltic crust in the early Earth by partial melting of mantle rocks, subject to investigation in this study, is thought to be a first step in the creation of proto-continents (consisting largely of felsic material), since partial melting of basaltic material was probably an important source for these more evolved rocks. In the early Archean the earth's upper mantle may have been hotter than today by as much as several hundred degrees centigrade. As a consequence, partial melting in shallow convective upwellings would have produced a layering of basaltic crust and underlying depleted (lherzolitic-harzburgitic) mantle peridotite which is much thicker than found under modern day oceanic ridges. When a basaltic crustal layer becomes sufficiently thick, a phase transition to eclogite may occur in the lower parts, which would cause delamination of this dense crustal layer and recycling of dense eclogite into the upper mantle. This recycling mechanism may have contributed significantly to the early cooling of the earth during the Archean (Vlaar et al., 1994). The delamination mechanism which limits the build-up of a thick basaltic crustal layer is switched off after sufficient cooling of the upper mantle has taken place. We present results of numerical modelling experiments of mantle convection including pressure release partial melting. The model includes a simple approximate melt segregation mechanism and basalt to eclogite phase transition, to account for the dynamic accumulation and recycling of the crust in an upper mantle subject to secular cooling. Finite element methods are used to solve for the viscous flow field and the temperature field, and lagrangian particle tracers are used to represent the evolving composition due to partial melting and accumulation of the basaltic crust. We find that this mechanism creates a basaltic crust of several tens of kilometers thickness in several hundreds of million years. This is accompanied by a cooling of some hundred degrees centigrade. Vlaar, N.J., P.E. van Keken and A.P. van den Berg (1994), Cooling of the Earth in the Archaean: consequences of pressure-release melting in a hotter mantle, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, vol 121, pp. 1-18

Cenozoic East African Magmatism and the African LLSVP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rooney, T. O.

2017-12-01

The Ethiopian-Arabian Large Igneous Province preserves a 45 Ma record of mantle-lithosphere interaction, manifesting as flood basalts, shield volcanoes, silicic eruptions, and monogenetic magmatic events. During the Cenozoic, magmatism in in this region has resulted from the interplay between lithospheric extension and material upwelling from the African large low-velocity shear velocity province (LLSVP). Consequently, the study of magmatism in East Africa provides a complement to investigations of the Pacific LLSVP. The volumetrically significant flood basalt events of the Eocene to Early Miocene suggest a role for material upwelling from the African LLSVP, however the modern focusing of East African magmatism into oceanic spreading centers and continental rifts also highlights the control of lithospheric thinning in magma generation processes. The study of the mantle reservoirs derived from the African LLSVP is complicated by the slow relative motion of the African plate during the Cenozoic, resulting in significant spatial overlap in lavas derived from different magmatic events. This complexity is being resolved with enhanced geochronological precision and a focus on the geochemical characteristics of the volcanic products. It is now apparent that there are three distinct pulses of basaltic volcanism, followed by either by bimodal or silicic volcanism, totaling ca. 720,000 km3 of magmatism: (A) Eocene Initial Phase from 45-34 Ma, which is dominated by basaltic volcanism and focused on Southern Ethiopia and Northern Kenya (Turkana). (B) Oligocene Traps phase from 33.9-27 Ma, which coincides with a significant increase in the aerial extent of volcanism. Broadly age equivalent 1 to 2 km thick sequences of dominantly basalt are centered on the NW Ethiopian Plateau and Yemen, but also Turkana during this period. (C) Early Miocene resurgence phase from 26.9-22 Ma, where basaltic volcanism is seen throughout the region but is less volumetrically significant than the prior two basaltic pulses. With our developing understanding of the persistence of LLSVP anomalies within the mantle, I propose that the three basaltic pulses are ostensibly manifestations of the same plume-lithosphere interaction, requiring revision to the duration, magmatic extent, and magma volume of this Large Igneous Province.

Indigenous lunar construction materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, Wayne P.; Sture, Stein

1991-01-01

The utilization of local resources for the construction and operation of a lunar base can significantly reduce the cost of transporting materials and supplies from Earth. The feasibility of processing lunar regolith to form construction materials and structural components is investigated. A preliminary review of potential processing methods such as sintering, hot-pressing, liquification, and cast basalt techniques, was completed. The processing method proposed is a variation on the cast basalt technique. It involves liquification of the regolith at 1200-1300 C, casting the liquid into a form, and controlled cooling. While the process temperature is higher than that for sintering or hot-pressing (1000-1100 C), this method is expected to yield a true engineering material with low variability in properties, high strength, and the potential to form large structural components. A scenario for this processing method was integrated with a design for a representative lunar base structure and potential construction techniques. The lunar shelter design is for a modular, segmented, pressurized, hemispherical dome which could serve as habitation and laboratory space. Based on this design, estimates of requirements for power, processing equipment, and construction equipment were made. This proposed combination of material processing method, structural design, and support requirements will help to establish the feasibility of lunar base construction using indigenous materials. Future work will refine the steps of the processing method. Specific areas where more information is needed are: furnace characteristics in vacuum; heat transfer during liquification; viscosity, pouring and forming behavior of molten regolith; design of high temperature forms; heat transfer during cooling; recrystallization of basalt; and refinement of estimates of elastic moduli, compressive and tensile strength, thermal expansion coefficient, thermal conductivity, and heat capacity. The preliminary design of the lunar shelter showed us that joining is a critical technology needed for building a structure from large segments. The problem of joining is important to the design of any structure that is not completely prefabricated. It is especially important when the structure is subjected to tensile loading by an internal pressure. For a lunar shelter constructed from large segments the joints between these large segments must be strong, and they must permit automated construction. With a cast basalt building material which is brittle, there is the additional problem of connecting the joint with the material and avoiding stress concentration that would cause failure. Thus, a well-defined project which we intend to pursue during this coming year is the design of joints for cast basalt structural elements.

Mars on Earth: Analog basaltic soils and particulates from Lonar Crater, India, include Deccan soil, shocked soil, reworked lithic and glassy ejecta, and both shocked and unshocked baked zones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wright, S. P.

2017-12-01

"There is no perfect analog for Mars on Earth" [first line of Hipkin et al. (2013) Icarus, 261-267]. However, fieldwork and corresponding sample analyses from laboratory instrumentation (to proxy field instruments) has resulted in the finding of unique analog materials that suggest that detailed investigations of Lonar Crater, India would be beneficial to the goals of the Mars Program. These are briefly described below as Analog Processes, Materials, and Fieldwork. Analog Processes: The geologic history of Lonar Crater emulates localities on Mars with 1.) flood basaltic volcanism with interlayer development of 2.) baked zones or "boles" and 3.) soil formation. Of six flows, the lower three are aqueously altered by groundwater to produce a range of 4.) alteration products described below. The impact event 570 ka produced a range of 5.) impactites including shocked baked zones, shocked soils, and altered basalt shocked to a range of shock pressures [Kieffer et al., 1976]. Analog Materials: 65 Ma Deccan basalt contains augite and labradorite. Baked zones are higher in hematite and other iron oxides. Soil consists of calcite and organic matter. Several basalts with secondary alteration are listed here and these mirror alteration on Mars: hematite, chlorite, serpentine, zeolite, and palagonite, with varying combinations of these with primary igneous minerals. All of these materials (#1 through 4 above) are shocked to a range of shocked pressures to produce maskelynite, flowing plagioclase glass, vesiculated plagioclase glass, and complete impact melts. Shocked soils contain schlieren calcite amidst comminuted grains of augite, labradorite, and these glasses. Shocked baked zones unsurprisingly have a petrographic texture similar to hornfels, another product of contact metamorphism. Analog Fieldwork: The ejecta consists of two layers: 8 m of lithic breccia with unshocked and fractured basalts under a 1 m suevite consisting of all ranges of shock pressure described above for the behavior of labradorite. Rare shocked baked zones and shocked soils (note unshocked soil as an inclusion in the BSE image of shocked soil) are found as talus in reworked ejecta and as clasts in the suevite ejecta layer. Lobes of both ejecta layers will be shown along with reworked ejecta that contains previous clasts of each ejecta layer.

The Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marzoli, A.; Callegaro, S.; Davies, J.; Chiaradia, M.; Reisberg, L. C.; Merle, R.; Jourdan, F.; Bertrand, H.; Youbi, N.

2017-12-01

Basaltic lava flows, dykes, sills, and layered intrusion of the CAMP (Central Atlantic magmatic province) crop out in Europe, Africa, North and South America over > 10 million square km, making this one of Earth's largest igneous provinces. CAMP is characterized by 100-400 m thick preserved lava piles and by huge shallow intrusions (e.g., > 1.5 million cubic km sills). Magmatism occurred mainly between 201.6 and 201.1 Ma (according to U-Pb and Ar/Ar ages) during the end-Triassic extinction event and a few Ma before break-up of Pangea. Pulsed emplacement seems consistent with high-precision geochronology, but needs further confirmation. All over the province, basalts with quite similar composition reflect a common mantle source. These basalts have low Ti contents (TiO2 ca. 1.0-1.3 wt.%), moderately enriched Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic compositions close to the EM-II mantle end-member, and 187Os/188Os close to 0.130. We attribute these characteristics to a dominant shallow asthenospheric mantle source that was enriched by subduction-related components. Assimilation of crustal rocks generally played a minor role and rarely exceed 5-10%. Instead, assimilation of the sub-continental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) was instead recognized in the high-Ti basalts (TiO2> 2.0 wt.%) that were emplaced in a restricted area around the Man and Amazonian cratons (Sierra Leone, Liberia, Brazil, Guyana). The SCLM-like signature of these basalts suggests assimilation of metasomatically enriched parts of the SCLM. Also early basalts emplaced north of the West African craton (Morocco, Mali) are contaminated by enriched SCLM components even if to a lesser degree, while later basalts from the same African regions have low 187Os/188Os (ca. 0.120) and probably tapped a more depleted cratonic SCLM. Calculated mantle potential temperatures are low (ca. 1450 °C) and geochemical data do not support a significant contribution from mantle-plume material. The only available He isotopic data are just slightly higher than those of MORB. This argues against a substantial contribution from mantle-plume material. The only basalts trending to isotopic compositions similar to those of present-day Atlantic island basalts are quite limited in volume and restricted to a small area of Morocco.

Geochronology and petrogenesis of Apollo 14 very high potassium mare basalts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shih, C.-Y.; Bansal, B. M.; Wiesmann, H.; Nyquist, L. E.; Bogard, D. D.

1986-01-01

Rb-Sr, K-Ar, and Sm-Nd isotopic studies were undertaken for two Apollo 14 very high potassium (VHK) highly radiogenic mare basaltic clasts from breccias 14305 and 14168. Rb-Sr data indicate ages of 3.83 + or - 0.08 b.y., and 3.82 + or - 0.12 b.y. for samples 14305 and 14168 respectively, for lambda(Rb-87) = 0.0 139/b.y. Their corresponding initial Sr-87/Sr-86 ratios are nearly identical, as well as their Ar-39 to Ar-40 age spectra, and it is proposed that they were derived from the same flow. The Sm-Nd isotopic data of whole rock and mineral separates for the two VHK basalts define an internal isochrone age of 3.94 + or - 0.16 b.y. for lambda (Sm-147) = 0.00654/b.y. and an initial Nd-143/Nd-144 of 0.50673 + or - 21. The similarity in isotopic ages suggests that VHK basalts crystallized from a melt about 3.85 b.y. ago. VHK basalts show very large Rb/Sr fractionation but no significant Sm/Nd fractionation at the time of crystallization. The source material had a Rb/Sr ratio similar to those of Apollo 14 high-Al mare basalts and a nearly chrondritic Sm/Nd ratio. Basalt/granite interaction was found to be responsible for the extreme enrichments of Rb/Sr and K/La during the formation of VHK basalts. It is concluded that K, Rb-rich components of granitic wall rocks in the highland crust were selectively introduced into ascending hot high-Al mare basaltic magma upon contact.

The origin of plagioclase phenocrysts in basalts from continental monogenetic volcanoes of the Kaikohe-Bay of Islands field, New Zealand: implications for magmatic assembly and ascent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coote, Alisha; Shane, Phil; Stirling, Claudine; Reid, Malcolm

2018-02-01

Late Quaternary, porphyritic basalts erupted in the Kaikohe-Bay of Islands area, New Zealand, provide an opportunity to explore the crystallization and ascent history of small volume magmas in an intra-continental monogenetic volcano field. The plagioclase phenocrysts represent a diverse crystal cargo. Most of the crystals have a rim growth that is compositionally similar to groundmass plagioclase ( An65) and is in equilibrium with the host basalt rock. The rims surround a resorbed core that is either less calcic ( An20-45) or more calcic (> An70), having crystallized in more differentiated or more primitive melts, respectively. The relic cores, particularly those that are less calcic (< An45), have 87Sr/86Sr ratios that are either mantle-like ( 0.7030) or crustal-like ( 0.7040 to 0.7060), indicating some are antecrysts formed in melts fractionated from plutonic basaltic forerunners, while others are true xenocrysts from greywacke basement and/or Miocene arc volcanics. It is envisaged that intrusive basaltic forerunners produced a zone where various degrees of crustal assimilation and fractional crystallization occurred. The erupted basalts represent mafic recharge of this system, as indicated by the final crystal rim growths around the entrained antecrystic and xenocrystic cargo. The recharge also entrained cognate gabbros that occur as inclusions, and produced mingled groundmasses. Multi-stage magmatic ascent and interaction is indicated, and is consistent with the presence of a partial melt body in the lower crust detected by geophysical methods. This crystallization history contrasts with traditional concepts of low-flux basaltic systems where rapid ascent from the mantle is inferred. From a hazards perspective, the magmatic system inferred here increases the likelihood of detecting eruption precursor phenomena such as seismicity, degassing and surface deformation.

The Ninole Basalt - Implications for the structural evolution of Mauna Loa volcano, Hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lipman, P.W.; Rhodes, J.M.; Dalrymple, G.B.

1990-01-01

Lava flows of the Ninole Basalt, the oldest rocks exposed on the south side of the island of Hawaii, provide age and compositional constraints on the evolution of Mauna Loa volcano and the southeastward age progression of Hawaiian volcanism. Although the tholeiitic Ninole Basalt differs from historic lavas of Mauna Loa volcano in most major-element contents (e.g., variably lower K, Na, Si; higher Al, Fe, Ti, Ca), REE and other relatively immobile minor elements are similar to historic and prehistoric Mauna Loa lavas, and the present major-element differences are mainly due to incipient weathering in the tropical environment. New K-Ar whole-rock ages, from relatively fresh roadcut samples, suggest that the age of the Ninole Basalt is approximately 0.1-0.2 Ma, although resolution is poor because of low contents of K and radiogenic Ar. Originally considered the remnants of a separate volcano, the Ninole Hills are here interpreted as faulted remnants of the old south flank of Mauna Loa. Deep canyons in the Ninole Hills, eroded after massive landslide failure of flanks of the southwest rift zone, have been preserved from burial by younger lava due to westward migration of the rift zone. Landslide-induced depressurization of the southwest rift zone may also have induced phreatomagmatic eruptions that could have deposited widespread Basaltic ash that overlies the Ninole Basalt. Subaerial presence of the Ninole Basalt documents that the southern part of Hawaii Island had grown to much of its present size above sea level by 0.1-0.2 Ma, and places significant limits on subsequent enlargement of the south flank of Mauna Loa. ?? 1990 Springer-Verlag.

The Ninole Basalt — Implications for the structural evolution of Mauna Loa volcano, Hawaii

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lipman, Peter W.; Rhodes, J. M.; Dalrymple, G. Brent

1990-12-01

Lava flows of the Ninole Basalt, the oldest rocks exposed on the south side of the island of Hawaii, provide age and compositional constraints on the evolution of Mauna Loa volcano and the southeastward age progression of Hawaiian volcanism. Although the tholeiitic Ninole Basalt differs from historic lavas of Mauna Loa volcano in most major-element contents (e.g., variably lower K, Na, Si; higher Al, Fe, Ti, Ca), REE and other relatively immobile minor elements are similar to historic and prehistoric Mauna Loa lavas, and the present major-element differences are mainly due to incipient weathering in the tropical environment. New K-Ar whole-rock ages, from relatively fresh roadcut samples, suggest that the age of the Ninole Basalt is approximately 0.1 0.2 Ma, although resolution is poor because of low contents of K and radiogenic Ar. Originally considered the remnants of a separate volcano, the Ninole Hills are here interpreted as faulted remnants of the old south flank of Mauna Loa. Deep canyons in the Ninole Hills, eroded after massive landslide failure of flanks of the southwest rift zone, have been preserved from burial by younger lava due to westward migration of the rift zone. Landslide-induced depressurization of the southwest rift zone may also have induced phreatomagmatic eruptions that could have deposited widespread Basaltic ash that overlies the Ninole Basalt. Subaerial presence of the Ninole Basalt documents that the southern part of Hawaii Island had grown to much of its present size above sea level by 0.1 0.2 Ma, and places significant limits on subsequent enlargement of the south flank of Mauna Loa.

Undercooled water in basaltic regoliths and implications for fluidized debris flows on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gooding, James L.

1987-01-01

Pursuant to the past attribution of many geomorphic features on Mars to the movements of water- or ice-lubricated debris, experiments have been conducted for water freezing in wet, sand-like basaltic substrates. It is found that substantial undercooling can be achieved under Martian conditions, independently of freezing-point depressions due to soluble salts. Attention is given to results for a clay-poor soil with negligible salinity from Mauna Kea, Hawaii, which demonstrate that the degree of undercooling is essentially independent of both soil particle size and water/soil mass ratio, albeit with cooling rate variations.

Clues on Acid-Sulfate Alteration and Hematite Formation on Earth and Mars From Iron Isotopic Analyses of Terrestrial Analogues From Hawaii

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nie, N. X.; Dauphas, N.; Morris, R. V

2017-01-01

The Mars Exploration Rover mission revealed the presence of rocks and minerals indicative of water-rock interactions on Mars. A range of mineralogies have been identified, including hematite spherules (i.e., blueberries), jarosite, Mg-, Ca-sulfates, silica-rich materials and silicate relics from basaltic rocks. The mineral assemblages have been interpreted to be derived from acid-sulfate alteration of basaltic materials. Indeed, the chemical compositions of rocks and soils at Home Plate in Gusev Crater follow the trends expected for acid-sulfate alteration.

Review on effect of chemical, thermal, additive treatment on mechanical properties of basalt fiber and their composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jain, Naman; Singh, Vinay Kumar; Chauhan, Sakshi

2017-12-01

Basalt fiber is emerging out the new reinforcing material for composites. To overcome some of the disadvantages of fibers such as poor bonding to polymers, low thermal stability and high moisture absorption fiber characteristics are modified with chemical, thermal and additive treatments. Chemical treatment corrosive resistance to alkali and acid were investigated which were used to clean and modify the surface of fiber for higher bonding with resins. To improve the thermal stability and reduce moisture uptake thermal treatment such as plasma and non thermal plasma were used which increased the surface roughness and change the chemical composition of surface of basalt fiber. Additive treatment is used to improve the mechanical properties of fibers, in basalt fiber additive treatment was done with SiO2 additive because of its chemical composition which contains major content of SiO2. In present investigation review on the effect of different treatment such as chemical, thermal and additive were studied. Effect of these treatment on chemical composition of the surface of basalt fiber and corrosion to acidic and alkali solution were studied with their effect on mechanical properties of basalt fiber and their composite.

Stratigraphy of Oceanus Procellarum basalts - Sources and styles of emplacement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitford-Stark, J. L.; Head, J. W., III

1980-01-01

The basaltic fill of Oceanus Procellarum has been formally subdivided into four lithostratigraphic formations: The Repsold Formation, the Telemann Formation, the Hermann Formation, and the Sharp Formation. The Repsold Formation is composed of high-Ti basalts and pyroclastic deposits with an estimated age of 3.75 + or - 0.05 b.y. and an estimated volume of about 2.1 x 10 to the 5th cu km. This is overlain by the Telemann Formation composed of very low-Ti basalts and pyroclastic deposits with an estimated age of 3.6 + or - 0.2 b.y. and a volume of 4.2 x 10 to the 5th cu km. The Hermann Formation, composed of intermediate basalts with an estimated age of 3.3 + or - 0.3 b.y., represents the next youngest unit with an estimated volume of 2.2 x 10 to the 5th cu km. The youngest materials in Procellarum are the medium-to-high-Ti basalts comprising the Sharp Formation with an estimated age of 2.7 + or - 0.7 b.y. and a volume of 1.8 x 10 to the 4th cu km.

Influence of length-to-diameter ratio on shrinkage of basalt fiber concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruijie, MA; Yang, Jiansen; Liu, Yuan; Zheng, Xiaojun

2017-09-01

In order to study the shrinkage performance of basalt concrete, using the shrinkage rate as index, the work not only studied the influence of different length-to-diameter ratio (LDR) on plastic shrinkage and drying shrinkage of basalt fiber concrete, but also analyzed the action mechanism. The results show that when the fiber content is 0.1%, the LDR of 800 and 1200 take better effects on reducing plastic shrinkage, however the fiber content is 0.3%, that of LDR 600 is better. To improve drying shrinkage, the fiber of LDR 800 takes best effect. In the concrete structure, the adding basalt fibers form a uniform and chaotic supporting system, optimize the pore and the void structure of concrete, make the material further compacted, reduce the water loss, so as to decrease the shrinkage of concrete effectively.

Petrochemical and Tectonogenesis of Granitoids in the Wuyo-Gubrunde Horst, Northeastern Nigeria: Implication for Uranium Enrichment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bolarinwa, Anthony Temidayo, E-mail: atbola@yahoo.com; Bute, Saleh Ibrahim

The Wuyo-Gubrunde Horst in the northeastern Nigeria consists of migmatite gneiss, unaltered, altered, and sheared porphyritic granites, pegmatites, aplites, basalts, and sandstone. Uranium has been reported in rhyolite, sheared rocks, and sandstone within the area. The petrogenesis of the granitoids and associated rocks in the area was evaluated in the light of new geochemical data, which showed that the U content of altered porphyritic granite is highest and hydrothermal-related. The granitoids are metaluminous, sub-alkaline, and S-type granite, and have evolved by partial melting of crustal material emplaced at moderate depth of 20–30 km in a syn-to late-collisional within-plate tectonic setting.more » The negative Eu/Eu* anomaly and high (La/Yb){sub N} ratio of the granitoids indicate magma fractionation. The low SiO{sub 2} (<53%) and high Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} (10%) of the altered porphyritic granite compared to other similar rock units suggest pervasive alteration. The associated basalts are tholeiitic, emplaced within continental plate tectonic setting, and enriched in Ni, V, Nb, Sr, and light rare earth elements, and they have SiO{sub 2}, Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}, V, Th, and Co contents that are similar to those of the altered porphyritic granites. The U occurrence in the Wuyo-Gubrunde Horst is believed to be sourced from the adjoining Bima sandstone in the Benue Trough, which locally contains carbonaceous zones with anomalously high concentrations of U. The Fe{sup 2+}/Fe{sup 3+} redox fronts formed by alteration of the iron-rich basalts provided the requisite geochemical barrier for U-bearing hydrothermal fluid, causing enrichment of U leached and mobilized from the sandstone through fractures in the rocks.« less

Source, evolution and emplacement of Permian Tarim Basalts: Evidence from U-Pb dating, Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotope systematics and whole rock geochemistry of basalts from the Keping area, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous region, northwest China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Dayu; Zhou, Taofa; Yuan, Feng; Jowitt, Simon M.; Fan, Yu; Liu, Shuai

2012-04-01

Permian basalts distribute at least 250,000 km2, and underlie the southwest Tarim Basin in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous region, northwest China. This vast accumulation of basalt is the main part of the Tarim Large Igneous Province (LIP). The basaltic units in the Lower Permian Kupukuziman and Kaipaizileike Formations in the Keping area, Tarim Basin; were the best exposure of the Permian basalt sequence in the basin. LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating of zircon from the basal basaltic unit in the section gives an age of 291.9 ± 2.2 Ma (MSWD = 0.30, n = 17); this age, combined with previously published geochronological data, indicates that the basalts in the Tarim Basin were emplaced between 292 Ma and 272 Ma, with about 90% of the basalts being emplaced between 292 and 287 Ma. Basalts from the Keping area have high FeOT (10.8-18.6 wt.%), low Mg#s (0.26-0.60), and exhibit primitive mantle normalized patterns with positive Pb, P and Ti but negative Zr, Y and Ta anomalies. The basalts from both formations have similar 206Pb/204Pb (18.192-18.934), 207Pb/204Pb (15.555-15.598) and 208Pb/204Pb (38.643-38.793) ratios. The basalts also have high ɛSr(t) (45.7-62.1), low ɛNd(t) (-3.6 to -2.2) and low zircon ɛHf(t) (-4.84 to -0.65) values. These characteristics are typical of alkali basalts and suggest that the basalts within the Tarim Basin were derived from an OIB-type mantle source and interacted with enriched mantle (EMI-type) before emplacement. Rare earth element systematics indicate that the parental melts for the basalts were high-degree partial melts derived from garnet lherzolite mantle at the base of the lithosphere. Prior to emplacement, the Tarim Permian Basalts (TPB) underwent fractional crystallization and assimilated crustal material; the basalts were finally emplaced during crustal extension in an intra-plate setting. The wide distribution, deep source and high degree partial melting of the TPB was consistent with a mantle plume origin. The TPB and other coeval igneous rocks in the Tarim Basin constitute a Permian LIP formed by a mantle plume in a similar fashion to the plume-related Emeishan LIP in southwest China.

The alkaline volcanic rocks of Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho and the Columbia Hills of Gusev Crater, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neakrase, L. D.; Lim, D. S. S.; Haberle, C. W.; Hughes, S. S.; Kobs-Nawotniak, S. E.; Christensen, P. R.

2016-12-01

Idaho's Eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP) is host to extensive expressions of basaltic volcanism dominated by non evolved olivine tholeiites (NEOT) with localized occurrences of evolved lavas. Craters of the Moon National Monument (COTM) is a polygenetic lava field comprised of more than 60 lava flows emplaced during 8 eruptive periods spanning the last 15 kyrs. The most recent eruptive period (period A; 2500-2000 yr B.P.) produced flows with total alkali vs. silica classifications spanning basalt to trachyte. Coeval with the emplacement of the COTM period A volcanic pile was the emplacement of the Wapi and King's Bowl NEOT 70 km SSE of COTM along the Great Rift. Previous investigations have determined a genetic link between these two compositionally distinct volcanic centers where COTM compositions can be generated from NEOT melts through complex ascent paths and variable degrees of fractionation and assimilation of lower-middle crustal materials. The Mars Exploration Rover, Spirit, conducted a robotic investigation of Gusev crater from 2004-2010. Spirit was equipped with the Athena science payload enabling the determination of mineralogy (mini-Thermal Emission Spectrometer, Pancam multispectral camera, and Mössbauer spectrometer), bulk chemistry (Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer) and context (Pancam and Microscopic Imager). During sol 32 Spirit investigated an olivine basalt named Adirondack, the type specimen for a class of rock that composes much of the plains material within Gusev Crater and embays the Columbia Hills. Following the characterization of the plains material, Spirit departed the plains targeting the Columbia Hills and ascending at Husband Hill. During Spirit's ascent of Husband Hill three additional classes of volcanic rock were identified as distinct by their mini-TES spectra; Wishstone, Backstay and Irvine. These rocks are classified as tephrite, trachy-basalt and basalt, respectively, and are the first alkaline rocks observed on Mars. These alkaline rocks can be genetically linked to Adirondack class basalts through fractionation of parental Adirondack melts at various depths. The alkaline rocks of COTM share similarities to the alkaline rocks of Gusev crater. Their mineralogical, chemical and spectral similarities and differences is the focus of this investigation.

Antifriction basalt-plastics based on polypropylene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bashtannik, P. I.; Ovcharenko, V. G.

1997-05-01

A study is made of the dependence of the mechanical and friction-engineering properties of polypropylene reinforced with basalt fibers on the viscosity of the polymer matrix. It is established that the main factors that determine the mechanical properties of the plastics are the quality of impregnation of the fibers by the binder and the residual length of the reinforcing filler in the composite after extrusion and injection molding. The material that was developed has a low friction coefficient and low rate of wear within a relatively brood range of friction conditions. The basalt-plastics can be used in the rubbing parts of machines and mechanisms subjected to dry friction.

Neutron absorption constraints on the composition of 4 Vesta

USGS Publications Warehouse

Prettyman, Thomas H.; Mittlefehldt, David W.; Yamashita, Naoyuki; Beck, Andrew W.; Feldman, William C.; Hendricks, John S.; Lawrence, David J.; McCoy, Timothy J.; McSween, Harry Y.; Paplowski, Patrick N.; Reedy, Robert C.; Toplis, Michael J.; Le Corre, Lucille; Mizzon, Hugau; Reddy, Vishnu; Titus, Timothy N.; Raymond, Carol A.; Russell, Christopher T.

2013-01-01

Global maps of the macroscopic thermal neutron absorption cross section of Vesta's regolith by the Gamma Ray and Neutron Detector (GRaND) on board the NASA Dawn spacecraft provide constraints on the abundance and distribution of Fe, Ca, Al, Mg, and other rock-forming elements. From a circular, polar low-altitude mapping orbit, GRaND sampled the regolith to decimeter depths with a spatial resolution of about 300 km. At this spatial scale, the variation in neutron absorption is about seven times lower than that of the Moon. The observed variation is consistent with the range of absorption for howardite whole-rock compositions, which further supports the connection between Vesta and the howardite, eucrite, and diogenite meteorites. We find a strong correlation between neutron absorption and the percentage of eucritic materials in howardites and polymict breccias, which enables petrologic mapping of Vesta's surface. The distribution of basaltic eucrite and diogenite determined from neutron absorption measurements is qualitatively similar to that indicated by visible and near infrared spectroscopy. The Rheasilvia basin and ejecta blanket has relatively low absorption, consistent with Mg-rich orthopyroxene. Based on a combination of Fe and neutron absorption measurements, olivine-rich lithologies are not detected on the spatial scales sampled by GRaND. The sensitivity of GRaND to the presence of mantle material is described and implications for the absence of an olivine signature are discussed. High absorption values found in Vesta's “dark” hemisphere, where exogenic hydrogen has accumulated, indicate that this region is richer in basaltic eucrite, representative of Vesta's ancient upper crust.

Neutron absorption constraints on the composition of 4 Vesta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prettyman, Thomas H.; Mittlefehldt, David W.; Yamashita, Naoyuki; Beck, Andrew W.; Feldman, William C.; Hendricks, John S.; Lawrence, David J.; McCoy, Timothy J.; McSween, Harry Y.; Peplowski, Patrick N.; Reedy, Robert C.; Toplis, Michael J.; Corre, Lucille; Mizzon, Hugau; Reddy, Vishnu; Titus, Timothy N.; Raymond, Carol A.; Russell, Christopher T.

2013-11-01

Global maps of the macroscopic thermal neutron absorption cross section of Vesta's regolith by the Gamma Ray and Neutron Detector (GRaND) on board the NASA Dawn spacecraft provide constraints on the abundance and distribution of Fe, Ca, Al, Mg, and other rock-forming elements. From a circular, polar low-altitude mapping orbit, GRaND sampled the regolith to decimeter depths with a spatial resolution of about 300 km. At this spatial scale, the variation in neutron absorption is about seven times lower than that of the Moon. The observed variation is consistent with the range of absorption for howardite whole-rock compositions, which further supports the connection between Vesta and the howardite, eucrite, and diogenite meteorites. We find a strong correlation between neutron absorption and the percentage of eucritic materials in howardites and polymict breccias, which enables petrologic mapping of Vesta's surface. The distribution of basaltic eucrite and diogenite determined from neutron absorption measurements is qualitatively similar to that indicated by visible and near infrared spectroscopy. The Rheasilvia basin and ejecta blanket has relatively low absorption, consistent with Mg-rich orthopyroxene. Based on a combination of Fe and neutron absorption measurements, olivine-rich lithologies are not detected on the spatial scales sampled by GRaND. The sensitivity of GRaND to the presence of mantle material is described and implications for the absence of an olivine signature are discussed. High absorption values found in Vesta's "dark" hemisphere, where exogenic hydrogen has accumulated, indicate that this region is richer in basaltic eucrite, representative of Vesta's ancient upper crust.

The influence of melt flux and crustal processing on Re-Os isotope systematics of ocean island basalts: Constraints from Galápagos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibson, S. A.; Dale, C. W.; Geist, D. J.; Day, J. A.; Brügmann, G.; Harpp, K. S.

2016-09-01

New rhenium-osmium data for high-MgO (>9 wt.%) basalts from the Galápagos Archipelago reveal a large variation in 187Os/188Os (0.1304 to 0.173), comparable with the range shown by primitive global ocean island basalts (OIBs). Basalts with the least radiogenic 187Os/188Os occur closest to the Galápagos plume stem: those in western Galápagos have low 187Os/188Os, moderate 87Sr/86Sr, 143Nd/144Nd, 206Pb/204Pb and high 3He/4He whereas basalts in the south also have low 187Os/188Os but more radiogenic 87Sr/86Sr, 143Nd/144Nd, 206Pb/204Pb and 3He/4He. Our new Os isotope data are consistent with the previously established spatial zonation of the common global isotopic mantle reservoir ;C; and ancient recycled oceanic crust in the mantle plume beneath western and southern parts of Galápagos, respectively. Galápagos basalts with the most radiogenic 187Os/188Os (up to 0.1875) typically have moderate MgO (7-9 wt.%) and low Os (<50 pg g-1) but have contrastingly unenriched Sr, Nd and Pb isotope signatures. We interpret this decoupling of chalcophile and lithophile isotopic systems as due to assimilation of young Pacific lower crust during crystal fractionation. Mixing models show the assimilated crust must have higher contents of Re and Os, and more radiogenic 187Os/188Os (0.32), than previously proposed for oceanic gabbros. We suggest the inferred, exceptionally-high radiogenic 187Os of the Pacific crust may be localised and due to sulfides precipitated from hydrothermal systems established at the Galápagos Spreading Centre. High 187Os/188Os Galápagos basalts are found where plume material is being dispersed laterally away from the plume stem to the adjacent spreading centre (i.e. in central and NE parts of the archipelago). The extent to which crustal processing influences 187Os/188Os appears to be primarily controlled by melt flux: as distance from the stem of the Galápagos plume increases, the melt flux decreases and crustal assimilation becomes proportionally greater, accounting for co-variations in Os and 187Os/188Os. The Os concentration threshold below which the 187Os/188Os of Galápagos basalts are contaminated (100 pg g-1) is higher than the canonical value (<50 pg g-1) assumed for many other global OIBs (e.g. for Iceland, Grande Comore and Hawaii). This most likely reflects the low overall melt flux to the crust from the Galápagos plume, which has only a moderate excess temperature and buoyancy flux. Our findings have implications for the interpretation of 187Os/188Os ratios in other ocean island settings, especially those where large variations in 187Os/188Os have been linked to heterogeneity in mantle lithology or sulfide populations: the effect of crustal contamination on 187Os/188Os may be greater than previously recognised, particularly for basalts associated with weak, low melt flux mantle plumes, such as Tristan, Bouvet, Crozet and St Helena.

Petrogenesis of Neoarchean metavolcanic rocks in Changyukou, Northwestern Hebei: Implications for the transition stage from a compressional to an extensional regime for the North China Craton

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liou, Peng; Shan, Houxiang; Liu, Fu; Guo, Jinghui

2017-03-01

The 2.5 Ga metavolcanic rocks in Changyukou, Northwestern Hebei, can be classified into three groups based on major and trace elements: high-Mg basalts, tholeiitic basalts, and the calc-alkaline series (basaltic andesites-andesites and dacites-rhyolites). Both high-Mg basalts and tholeiitic basalts have negative anomalies of Nb, Zr, Ti and Heavy Rare Earth Elements (HREE) as well as enrichments of Sr, K, Pb, Ba and Light Rare Earth Elements (LREE) and show typical subduction zone affinities. The petrogenesis of high-Mg basalts can be ascribed to high-degree partial melting of an enriched mantle source in the spinel stability field that was previously enriched in Large Ion Lithophile Elements (LILE) and LREE by slab-derived hydrous fluids/melts/supercritical fluids, as well as the subsequent magma mixing processes of different sources at different source depths, with little or no influence of polybaric fractional crystallization. The flat HREE of tholeiitic basalts indicates they may also originate from the spinel stability field, but from obviously shallower depths than the source of high-Mg basalts. They may form at a later stage of the subduction process when rapid slab rollback leads to extension and seafloor spreading in the upper plate. We obtain the compositions of the Archean lower crust of the North China Craton based on the Archean Wutai-Jining section by compiling the average tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite (TTG) components, average mafic granulite components, and average sedimentary rock components. The modeling results show that the generation of high-Al basalts, basaltic andesites and andesites can be attributed to assimilation by high-Mg basalts (primary basalts) of relatively high-Al2O3 thickened lower crust and the subsequent crystallization of prevailing mafic mineral phases, while Al2O3-rich plagioclase crystallization is suppressed under high-pressure and nearly water-saturated conditions. Dacites and rhyolites may be the result of further fractional crystallization of basaltic andesites (high-Al basalts) and andesites. Mixing of magmas at various stages along the fractionation course of basaltic andesites (high-Al basalts) toward rhyolites promotes the trend of the calc-alkaline series. To reconcile the 2.55 to 2.5 Ga TTGs derived from overthickened crust, the 2.51 to 2.50 Ga calc-alkaline volcanic rocks derived from thickened crust, tholeiitic basalts representing low pressure and an extensional tectonic setting, 2493 Ma leucosyenogranites derived from overthickened crust, 2437 Ma biotite-monzogranites derived from slightly thinner crust than leucosyenogranites but still thickened, as well as the clockwise hybrid ITD and IBC P-T paths of the HP granulites and widespread extension and rifting setting within the NCC from 2300 Ma, we propose a model of an evolving subduction process. Among them, the composition of the 2.5 Ga Changyukou volcanic rocks and potassic granites as well as the clockwise hybrid ITD and IBC P-T paths of the HP granulites may reveal that the tectonic setting in Northwest Hebei was in a transition stage from a subduction-related compressional regime to an extensional regime related to plate rollback.

Collision-induced post-plateau volcanism: Evidence from a seamount on Ontong Java Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanyu, Takeshi; Tejada, Maria Luisa G.; Shimizu, Kenji; Ishizuka, Osamu; Fujii, Toshiyuki; Kimura, Jun-Ichi; Chang, Qing; Senda, Ryoko; Miyazaki, Takashi; Hirahara, Yuka; Vaglarov, Bogdan S.; Goto, Kosuke T.; Ishikawa, Akira

2017-12-01

Many seamounts on the Ontong Java Plateau (OJP) occur near the Stewart Arch, a topographic high that extends parallel to the North Solomon Trench along the southern margins of the plateau. Despite the thick sediment cover, several volcanic cones with strong acoustic reflection were discovered on the submarine flank of the Nuugurigia Seamount. From such volcanic cones, basalts were successfully sampled by dredging. Radiometric dating of basalts and ferromanganese encrustation indicate eruption age of 20-25 Ma, significantly younger than the 122 Ma main OJP plateau and post-plateau basalts. The age range coincides with the collision of the OJP with the Solomon Arc. The Nuugurigia basalts geochemically differ from any other rocks sampled on the OJP so far. They are alkali basalts with elevated Sr, low Zr and Hf, and Enriched Mantle-I (EMI)-like isotopic composition. Parental magmas of these alkali basalts may have formed by small-degree melting of peridotitic mantle impregnated with recycled pyroxenite material having enriched geochemical composition in the OJP's mantle root. We conclude that small-volume alkali basalts from the enriched mantle root migrated through faults or fractures caused by the collision along the Stewart Arch to form the seamount. Our results suggest that the collision of the OJP with the Solomon arc played an important role in the origin of similar post-plateau seamounts along the Stewart Arch.

Graphite solubility and co-vesiculation in basalt-like melts at one-ATM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colson, R. O.

1993-01-01

The identity and source of the vapor phase that caused lunar lava-fountaining and vesiculation in lunar basalts continues to be of interest because of its implications for the composition and state of the lunar interior and because of its implications for lunar resources. In light of the apparent near-absence of H2O on the Moon, it has been suggested that the vapor phase may be CO2-CO. This premise is supported by the presence of carbon on the surface of volcanic glass beads. However, although the rapid exsolution of CO2 from a melt during decompression may be consistent with firefountaining, it fails to provide a satisfying explanation for vesiculation in mare basalt where exsolution of the gas phase would more reasonably be related to cooling/crystallization at low pressure rather than decompression from high pressure. Also, geochemical trends in lunar volcanic glasses suggest that their source has an oxygen fugacity more reducing than the iron-wustite buffer, an oxygen fugacity that is inconsistent with presence of dissolved CO2-CO at depth. The results of experiments in which a vesicular 'basalt' is produced from a melt equilibrated with graphite and pure CO gas at one atmosphere pressure are reported. The vesiculation is apparently related to exsolution of CO or a CO species during cooling of the melt or growth of quench crystals. Additionally, particulate carbon dispersed through the quenched sample suggests that elemental carbon is either in solution in the melt prior to quenching or tends to go into suspension perhaps as colloid-like particles. These two observations may provide insight into the nature of fire-fountaining and vesiculation on the Moon.

Eruptive History and Chemical Evolution of the Precaldera and Postcaldera Basalt-Dacite Sequences, Long Valley, California: Implications for Magma Sources, Current Seismic Unrest, and Future Volcanism

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bailey, Roy A.

2004-01-01

The Long Valley Volcanic Field in east-central California straddles the East Sierran frontal fault zone, overlapping the Sierra Nevada and western Basin and Range Provinces. The volcanic field overlies a mature mid-Tertiary erosional surface that truncates a basement composed mainly of Mesozoic plutons and associated roof pendants of Mesozoic metavolcanic and Paleozoic metasedimentary rocks. Long Valley volcanism began about 4 Ma during Pliocene time and has continued intermittently through the Holocene. The volcanism is separable into two basalt-rhyolite episodes: (1) an earlier, precaldera episode related to Long Valley Caldera that climaxed with eruption of the Bishop Tuff and collapse of the caldera; and (2) a later, postcaldera episode structurally related to the north-south-trending Mono-Inyo Craters fissure system, which extends from the vicinity of Mammoth Mountain northward through the west moat of the caldera to Mono Lake. Eruption of the basalt-dacite sequence of the precaldera basalt-rhyolite episode peaked volumetrically between 3.8 and 2.5 Ma; few basalts were erupted during the following 1.8 m.y. (2.5?0.7 Ma). Volcanism during this interval was dominated by eruption of the voluminous rhyolites of Glass Mountain (2.2?0.8 Ma) and formation of the Bishop Tuff magma chamber. Catastrophic rupture of the roof of this magma chamber caused eruption of the Bishop Tuff and collapse of Long Valley Caldera (760 ka), after which rhyolite eruptions resumed on the subsided caldera floor. The earliest postcaldera rhyolite flows (700?500 ka) contain quenched globular basalt enclaves (mafic magmatic inclusions), indicating that basaltic magma had reentered shallow parts of the magmatic system after a 1.8-m.y. hiatus. Later, at about 400 ka, copious basalts, as well as dacites, began erupting from vents mainly in the west moat of the caldera. These later eruptions initiated the postcaldera basalt-rhyolite episode related to the Mono-Inyo Craters fissure system, which has been active through late Pleistocene and Holocene time.

Petrogenesis of Neogene basaltic volcanism associated with the Lut block, eastern Iran: Implication for tectonic and metallogenic evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saadat, Saeed

This dissertation presents petrochemical data concerning Neogene olivine basalts erupted both along the margins and within the micro-continental Lut block, eastern Iran, which is a part of the active Alpine-Himalayan orogenic belt. These data demonstrate the following: (1) Basalts that erupted from small monogenetic parasitic cones around the Bazman stratovolcano, Makran arc area, in the southern Lut block, are low-Ti sub-alkaline olivine basalts. Enrichments of LILE relative to LREE, and depletions in Nb and Ta relatively to LILE, are similar to those observed for other convergent plate boundary arc magmas around the world and suggest that these basalts formed by melting of subcontinental mantle modified by dehydration of the subducted Oman Sea oceanic lithosphere. (2) Northeast of Iran, an isolated outcrop of Neogene/Quaternary alkali olivine basalt, containing mantle and crustal xenoliths, formed by mixing of small melt fractions from both garnet and spinel-facies mantle. These melts rose to the surface along localized pathways associated with extension at the junction between the N-S right-lateral strike-slip faults and E-W left-lateral strike slip faults. The spinel-peridotite mantle xenoliths contained in the basalts, which equilibrated in the subcontinental lithosphere at depths of 30 to 60 km and temperatures of 965°C to 1065°C, do not preserve evidence of extensive metasomatic enrichment as has been inferred for the mantle below the Damavand volcano further to the west in north-central Iran. (3) Neogene mafic rocks within the central Lut block represent the last manifestation of a much more extensive mid-Tertiary magmatic event. These basalts formed from both OIB-like asthenosphere and subcontinental lithosphere which preserved chemical characteristics inherited from mid-Tertiary subduction associated with the collision of the Arabian with the Eurasian plate and closing of the Neotethys Ocean. Neogene/Quternary alkali olivine basalts erupted mainly along the major faults that bound the Lut block on the east and west. These low-volumes, low-degree melts have been formed by low variable degrees of partial melting of mantle source produced by upwelling asthenosphere replaced the thinned lithospheric mantle.

Elemental and isotopic compositions of noble gases in the mantle: Pete's path

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreira, Manuel; Péron, Sandrine; Colin, Aurélia

2016-04-01

Noble gases are tracers of the origin of the volatiles on Earth and other terrestrial planets. The determination of their isotopic compositions in oceanic basalts allows discriminating between different possible scenarios for the origin of volatiles (chondritic, solar, cometary). However, oceanic basalts show a ubiquitous component having atmospheric noble gas compositions, which reflects a shallow air contamination. This component masks the mantle composition and only step crushing is able to (partially) remove it. Nevertheless, the exact mantle composition is always unconstrained due to the uncertainty on its complete removal. Developed by Pete Burnard (Burnard et al., 1997; Burnard, 1999), single vesicle analysis using laser ablation is a challenging technique to determine the mantle composition, free of atmospheric contamination. We have used this technique to measure He, Ne, Ar isotopes and CO2 in single vesicles from both MORB and OIB (Galapagos, Iceland). Vesicles are located using microtomography and the noble gases are measured using the Noblesse mass spectrometer from IPGP using an Excimer laser to open the vesicles. Both Galapagos and Iceland samples show that the 20Ne/22Ne ratio is limited to ~12.8 in the primitive mantle, suggesting that the origin of the light noble gases can be attributed to irradiated material instead of a simple dissolution of solar gases into a magma ocean (Moreira and Charnoz, 2016). Such a scenario of incorporation of light noble gases by irradiation also explains the terrestrial argon isotopic composition. However, the Kr and Xe contribution of implanted solar wind is small and these two noble gases were carried on Earth by chondrites and/or cometary material. Burnard, P., D. Graham and G. Turner (1997). "Vesicle-specific noble gas analyses of « popping rock »: implications for primordial noble gases in the Earth." Science 276: 568-571. Burnard, P. (1999). "The bubble-by-bubble volatile evolution of two mid-ocean ridge basalts." Earth and Planetary Science Letters 174: 199-211. Moreira, M. and S. Charnoz (2016). "The origin of the neon isotopes in chondrites and Earth." Earth and Planetary Science Letters 433: 249-256.

The Impact of Space Flight on Survival and Interaction of Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 with Basalt, a Volcanic Moon Analog Rock

PubMed Central

Byloos, Bo; Coninx, Ilse; Van Hoey, Olivier; Cockell, Charles; Nicholson, Natasha; Ilyin, Vyacheslav; Van Houdt, Rob; Boon, Nico; Leys, Natalie

2017-01-01

Microbe-mineral interactions have become of interest for space exploration as microorganisms could be used to biomine from extra-terrestrial material and extract elements useful as micronutrients in life support systems. This research aimed to identify the impact of space flight on the long-term survival of Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 in mineral water and the interaction with basalt, a lunar-type rock in preparation for the ESA spaceflight experiment, BIOROCK. Therefore, C. metallidurans CH34 cells were suspended in mineral water supplemented with or without crushed basalt and send for 3 months on board the Russian FOTON-M4 capsule. Long-term storage had a significant impact on cell physiology and energy status (by flow cytometry analysis, plate count and intracellular ATP measurements) as 60% of cells stored on ground lost their cell membrane potential, only 17% were still active, average ATP levels per cell were significantly lower and cultivability dropped to 1%. The cells stored in the presence of basalt and exposed to space flight conditions during storage however showed less dramatic changes in physiology, with only 16% of the cells lost their cell membrane potential and 24% were still active, leading to a higher cultivability (50%) and indicating a general positive effect of basalt and space flight on survival. Microbe-mineral interactions and biofilm formation was altered by spaceflight as less biofilm was formed on the basalt during flight conditions. Leaching from basalt also changed (measured with ICP-OES), showing that cells release more copper from basalt and the presence of cells also impacted iron and magnesium concentration irrespective of the presence of basalt. The flight conditions thus could counteract some of the detrimental effects observed after the 3 month storage conditions. PMID:28503167

Magnesium Isotopic Compositions of Continental Basalts From Various Tectonic Settings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, W.; Li, S.; Tian, H.; Ke, S.

2016-12-01

Recycled sedimentary carbonate through subduction is the main light Mg isotopic reservoir in Earth's deep interior, thus Mg isotopic variation of mantle-derived melts provides a fresh perspective on investigating deep carbon cycling. Here we investigate Mg isotopic compositions of continental basalts from various tectonic settings: (1) The Cenozoic basalts from eastern China, coinciding with the stagnant Pacific slab in the mantle transition zone revealed by seismic tomography; (2) The Cenozoic basalts from Tengchong area, southwestern China, which comprises a crucial part of the collision zone between the Indian and Eurasian plates; (3) The Permian basalts from Emeishan large igneous province, related to a mantle plume. The Cenozoic basalts from both eastern China and Tengchong area exhibit light Mg isotopic compositions (δ26Mg = -0.60 to -0.30‰ and -0.51 to -0.33‰), suggesting recycled sedimentary carbonates in their mantle sources. This is supported by their low Fe/Mn, high CaO/Al2O3, low Hf/Hf* and low Ti/Ti* ratios, which are typical features of carbonated peridotite-derived melt. The Tengchong basalts also show high 87Sr/86Sr, high radiogenic Pb and upper crustal-like trace element pattern, indicating contribution of recycled continental crustal materials. By contrast, all Emeishan basalts display a mantle-like Mg isotopic composition, with δ26Mg ranging from -0.35 to -0.19‰. Since the Emeishan basalts derived from a mantle plume, their mantle-like Mg isotopic composition may indicate limited sedimentary carbonated recycled into the lower mantle. This is consistent with a recent experimental study which concluded that direct recycling of carbon into the lower mantle may have been highly restricted throughout most of the Earth's history.

The Impact of Space Flight on Survival and Interaction of Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 with Basalt, a Volcanic Moon Analog Rock.

PubMed

Byloos, Bo; Coninx, Ilse; Van Hoey, Olivier; Cockell, Charles; Nicholson, Natasha; Ilyin, Vyacheslav; Van Houdt, Rob; Boon, Nico; Leys, Natalie

2017-01-01

Microbe-mineral interactions have become of interest for space exploration as microorganisms could be used to biomine from extra-terrestrial material and extract elements useful as micronutrients in life support systems. This research aimed to identify the impact of space flight on the long-term survival of Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 in mineral water and the interaction with basalt, a lunar-type rock in preparation for the ESA spaceflight experiment, BIOROCK. Therefore, C. metallidurans CH34 cells were suspended in mineral water supplemented with or without crushed basalt and send for 3 months on board the Russian FOTON-M4 capsule. Long-term storage had a significant impact on cell physiology and energy status (by flow cytometry analysis, plate count and intracellular ATP measurements) as 60% of cells stored on ground lost their cell membrane potential, only 17% were still active, average ATP levels per cell were significantly lower and cultivability dropped to 1%. The cells stored in the presence of basalt and exposed to space flight conditions during storage however showed less dramatic changes in physiology, with only 16% of the cells lost their cell membrane potential and 24% were still active, leading to a higher cultivability (50%) and indicating a general positive effect of basalt and space flight on survival. Microbe-mineral interactions and biofilm formation was altered by spaceflight as less biofilm was formed on the basalt during flight conditions. Leaching from basalt also changed (measured with ICP-OES), showing that cells release more copper from basalt and the presence of cells also impacted iron and magnesium concentration irrespective of the presence of basalt. The flight conditions thus could counteract some of the detrimental effects observed after the 3 month storage conditions.

Mineralogy and geochemistry of picro-dolerite dykes from the central Deccan Traps flood basaltic province, India, and their geodynamic significance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dongre, Ashish; Viljoen, K. S.; Rathod, A.

2018-04-01

Constituent mineral compositions and whole rock major element geochemistry of picro-dolerite dykes from the central part of the Deccan flood basalt province are presented and discussed. The dykes are characterized by an MgO content of about 13 wt%, coupled with 13-16 modal percents of olivine. A high whole rock molar Mg# value of 71 and the presence of magnesian olivine phenocrysts ( Fo78) are consistent with a primitive (i.e. unevolved) geochemistry. The nature and composition of clinopyroxene (augite and pigeonite), plagioclase feldspar (labradorite) and Fe-Ti oxides (mostly ilmenite and magnetite) are also discussed, with implications drawn with respect to the geodynamics. High MgO magmas and rocks such as picrites are generally considered to be indicative of plume magmatism, formed by high degrees of partial melting in, e.g. the high-temperature region of a plume head. Recent age data is consistent with a model in which the Deccan LIP picritic magmatism is associated with the main phase of Deccan Trap activity at 66 Ma, as a result of a syn- to post rifting phase associated with the impact of the Rèunion mantle plume. It is speculated that the differentiation of primary olivine basaltic magma of picritic composition, may have been the mechanism for the generation of alkalic basalts which occurs in the Deccan Trap basaltic sequence.

Origin of ophiolite complexes related to intra-oceanic subduction initiation: implications of IODP Expedition 352 (Izu-Bonin fore arc)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robertson, Alastair; Avery, Aaron; Carvallo, Claire; Christeson, Gail; Ferré, Eric; Kurz, Walter; Kutterolf, Steffen; Morgan, Sally; Pearce, Julian; Reagan, Mark; Sager, William; Shervais, John; Whattam, Scott; International Ocean Discovery Program Expedition 352 (Izu-Bonin-Mariana Fore Arc), the Scientific Party of

2015-04-01

Ophiolites, representing oceanic crust exposed on land (by whatever means), are central to the interpretation of many orogenic belts (e.g. E Mediterranean). Based mostly on geochemical evidence, ophiolites are widely interpreted, in many but by no means all cases, as having formed within intra-oceanic settings above subduction zones (e.g. Troodos ophiolite, Cyprus). Following land geological, dredging and submersible studies, fore arcs of the SW Pacific region became recognised as likely settings of supra-subduction zone ophiolite genesis. This hypothesis was tested by recent drilling of the Izu-Bonin fore arc. Four sites were drilled, two on the outer fore arc and two on the upper trench slope. Site survey seismic data, combined with borehole data, indicate that three of the sites are located in fault-controlled sediment ponds that formed in response to dominantly down-to the-west extensional faulting (with hints of preceding top-to-the-east compressional thrusting). The sediments overlying the igneous basement, of maximum Late Eocene to Recent age, document ash and aeolian input, together with mass wasting of the fault-bounded sediment ponds. At the two more trenchward sites (U1440 and U1441), mostly tholeiitic basalts were drilled, including massive and pillowed lavas and hyaloclastite. Geochemically, these extrusives are of near mid-oceanic ridge basalt composition (fore arc basalts). Subtle chemical deviation from normal MORB can be explained by weakly fluid-influenced melting during decompression melting in the earliest stages of supra-subduction zone spreading (not as 'trapped' older MORB). The remaining two sites, c. 6 km to the west (U1439 and U1442), penetrated dominantly high-magnesian andesites, known as boninites, largely as fragmental material. Their formation implies the extraction of highly depleted magmas from previously depleted, refractory upper mantle in a supra-subduction zone setting. Following supra-subduction zone spreading, the active modern arc formed c. 200 km westwards of the trench. The new drilling evidence proves that both fore arc-type basalt and boninite formed in a fore arc setting soon after subduction initiation (c.52 Ma). Comparisons with ophiolites reveal many similarities, especially the presence of fore arc-type basalts and low calcium boninites. The relative positions of the fore arc basalts, boninites and arc basalts in the Izu Bonin and Mariana forearc (based on previous studies) can be compared with the positions of comparable units in a range of ophiolite complexes in orogenic belts including the Troodos, Oman, Greek (e.g. Vourinos), Albanian (Mirdita), Coast Range (California) and Bay of Islands (Newfoundland) ophiolites. The comparisons support the interpretation that all of the ophiolites formed during intra-oceanic subduction initiation. There are also some specific differences between the individual ophiolites suggesting that ophiolites should be interpreted individually in their regional tectonic settings.

Volatile Behavior in Lunar and Terrestrial Basalts During Shock: Implications for Martian Magmas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chaklader, Johny; Shearer, C. K.; Hoerz, F.; Newsom, H. E.

2004-01-01

The amount of water in martian magmas has significant ramifications for the martian atmosphere-hydrosphere cycle. Large D-enrichments have been observed in kaersutitic amphiboles in Zagami, Chassigny and Shergotty meteorites (delta-D values up to 4400 per mil) suggesting that substantial amounts of H escaped Mars in its past. Furthermore, martian meteorites with inclusions of biotite and apatite imply possible origins in a hydrous mantle. However, whether martian magmas ever possessed considerable proportions of water remains controversial and unclear. The H-content of mica and amphibole melt inclusions has been found to be low, while bulk-rock H2O content is also low ranging from 0.013 to 0.035 wt. % in Shergotty. Hydrous martian magmas were considered responsible for light lithophile element (LLE) zoning patterns observed in Nakhlite and Shergottite pyroxenes. Since LLEs, such as Li and B, partition into aqueous fluids at temperatures greater than 350 C, workers interpreted Li-B depletions in pyroxene rims as evidence that supercritical fluid exsolution occurred during magma degassing. In that many martian basalts experienced substantial shock (15-45 GPa) it is possible that the magmatic volatile record preserved in martian basalts has been disturbed. Previous shock experiments suggest that shock processes may effect water content and H/D. To better understand the possible effects of shock on this volatile record, we are studying the redistribution of volatile elements in naturally and experimentally shocked basalts. Here, we report the initial results from shocked basalts associated with the Lonar Crater, India and an experimentally shocked lunar basalt.

Mafic enclaves record syn-eruptive basalt intrusion and mixing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plail, Melissa; Edmonds, Marie; Woods, Andrew W.; Barclay, Jenni; Humphreys, Madeleine C. S.; Herd, Richard A.; Christopher, Thomas

2018-02-01

Mafic enclaves hosted by andesite erupted at the Soufrière Hills Volcano between 1995 and 2010 yield insights into syn-eruptive mafic underplating of an andesite magma reservoir, magma mixing and its role in sustaining eruptions that may be widely applicable in volcanic arc settings. The mafic enclaves range in composition from basalt to andesite and are generated from a hybrid thermal boundary layer at the interface between the two magmas, where the basalt quenches against the cooler andesite, and the two magmas mix. We show, using an analytical model, that the enclaves are generated when the hybrid layer, just a few tens of centimetres thick, becomes buoyant and forms plumes which rise up into the andesite. Mafic enclave geochemistry suggests that vapour-saturated basalt was underplated quasi-continuously throughout the first three eruptive phases of the eruption (the end member basalt became more Mg and V-rich over time). The andesite erupted during the final phases of the eruption contained more abundant and larger enclaves, and the enclaves were more extensively hybridised with the andesite, suggesting that at some time during the final few years of the eruption, the intrusion of mafic magma at depth ceased, allowing the hybrid layer to reach a greater thickness, generating larger mafic enclaves. The temporal trends in mafic enclave composition and abundance suggests that basalt recharge and underplating sustained the eruption by the transfer of heat and volatiles across the interface and when the recharge ceased, the eruption waned. Our study has important implications for the petrological monitoring of long-lived arc eruptions.

Pyroclastic Deposits in the Floor-fractured Crater Alphonsus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Carlton C.; Donaldson-Hanna, Kerri L.; Pieters, Carle M.; Moriarty, Daniel P.; Greenhagen, Benjamin T.; Bennett, Kristen A.; Kramer, Georgiana Y.; Paige, David A.

2013-01-01

Alphonsus, the 118 km diameter floor-fractured crater, is located immediately east of Mare Nubium. Eleven pyroclastic deposits have been identified on the crater's floor. Early telescopic spectra suggest that the floor of Alphonsus is noritic, and that the pyroclastic deposits contain mixtures of floor material and a juvenile component including basaltic glass. Head and Wilson contend that Nubium lavas intruded the breccia zone beneath Alphonsus, forming dikes and fractures on the crater floor. In this model, the magma ascended to the level of the mare but cooled underground, and a portion broke thru to the surface in vulcanian (explosive) eruptions. Alternatively, the erupted material could be from a source unrelated to the mare, in the style of regional pyroclastic deposits. High-resolution images and spectroscopy from the Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3), Diviner Lunar Radiometer, and Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) provide data to test these formation models. Spectra from M3 confirm that the crater floor is primarily composed of noritic material, and that the Nubium lavas are basaltic. Spectra from the three largest pyroclastic deposits in Alphonsus are consistent with a minor low- Ca pyroxene component in a glass-rich matrix. The centers of the 2 micron absorption bands have wavelengths too short to be of the same origin as the Nubium basalts. Diviner Christiansen feature (CF) values were used to estimate FeO abundances for the crater floor, Nubium soil, and pyroclastic deposits. The estimated abundance for the crater floor (7.5 +/- 1.4 wt.%) is within the range of FeO values for Apollo norite samples. However, the estimated FeO abundance for Nubium soil (13.4 +/- 1.4 wt.%) is lower than those measured in most mare samples. The difference may reflect contamination of the mare soil by highland ejecta. The Diviner-derived FeO abundance for the western pyroclastic deposit is 13.8 +/- 3.3 wt.%. This is lower than the values for mare soil samples, but within the range of analyzed pyroclastic glasses. The NAC images of the pyroclastic vents highlight their bright wall materials. The M3 spectra of the southeastern vent indicate that this bright material is noritic, likely crater floor material exposed by explosive eruption. These observations address the hypothesis that Nubium lavas intruded the fracture network beneath Alphonsus, leading to localized vulcanian-style eruptions. This model implies that the eruption products should be dominated by crystalline basalt fragments similar in elemental composition and mineralogy to mare lavas. The bright noritic material exposed in the vent walls is consistent with explosive eruptions. The estimated FeO abundances for the pyroclastic deposits are too low to be consistent with FeO abundances measured in mare basalts, but are within the range of pyroclastic glass samples. The visible- to near-infrared (VIS-NIR) spectra of the pyroclastic deposits and Nubium soils are significantly different, suggesting that the pyroclastics are unrelated to the mare basalts. The pyroclastic spectra are consistent with Fe-bearing glass plus small amounts of noritic wall rock. Similar glassy materials dominate regional pyroclastic deposits, suggesting a deep source for the pyroclastics observed in Alphonsus.

Assessing the Potential for Ancient Habitable Environments in Gusev Crater, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Des Marais, D. J.; Athena Science Team

2007-12-01

In order to be habitable for microbial life as we know it, an environment must provide nutrient elements, energy and liquid water. We assess the potential for habitable environments in the areas explored by the MER rover Spirit. These areas include the basaltic plains near Columbia Memorial Station, West Spur, Husband Hill, and the inner basin south of Husband Hill. Little aqueous activity apparently occurred in Gusev crater since the basaltic plains were emplaced in Hesperian times, therefore the basaltic plains were highly unlikely to have sustained habitable environments. The Columbia Hills, located ~3 km southeast of the landing site, are older than the surrounding basaltic plains. Aqueous processes have extensively altered bedrock in the Columbia Hills. Ferrous iron in the original, unaltered parent rock of hills materials has typically been oxidized extensively to form ferric oxides, hydroxides, and other ferric minerals. Migrating fluids have removed Ca and other cations, allowing residual Al to become relatively more abundant, and fluids added sulfates and chlorides. In subsurface environments on Earth, microorganisms can obtain key nutrients from the weathering of basalts. Materials examined in the Columbia Hills have comparable or greater abundances of these elements than do MORB. Wishstone rock and Watchtower outcrop have very high contents of phosphorous. Chemoautotrophs ("chemical- feeders" that obtain energy from inorganic chemicals) can thrive in subsurface environments. Mixing oxidized constituents from surface environments with generally more reduced constituents from subsurface rocks and thermal emanations provides energy to sustain microorganisms. Ferrous iron in parent materials in the Columbia Hills has been oxidized to form a variety of ferric minerals. On Earth, microbial processes have been documented to contribute to the production of goethite, hematite and other iron oxides. Observations by Spirit are consistent with the possibility that liquid water, nutrients and sources of chemical energy were simultaneously available to sustain habitable conditions in subsurface Columbia Hills materials at least some time in the distant (Noachian?) past. There is as yet no evidence that these conditions ever existed at the surface. Future research must seek to determine whether ancient migrating fluids in Gusev ever achieved the water activity necessary to sustain life.

Distribution of materials excavated by the lunar crater Bullialdus and implications for the geologic history of the Nubium region

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tompkins, Stefanie; Pieters, Carle M.; Mustard, John F.; Pinet, Patrick; Chevrel, Serge D.

1994-01-01

Previous spectroscopic studies of the lunar crater Bullialdus, located in the Nubium Basin, indicated an unusual stratigraphy of two gabbroic layers overlying a noritic unit. The possible existence of a layered mafic pluton at Bullialdus was suggested. To investigate the geologic context with more detailed spatial information, charge-coupled device (CCD) images of Bullialdus were obtained using eight filters. A linear mixing model was used to investigate the fractional abundances of spectral end-members chosen from within the multispectral image. Since the reflectance properties of lunar materials over this wavelength range are sensitive to variations in composition and soil maturity, fractional abundance images were used to create a new geologic map of the crater. The spatial relationships of the surface materials confirm the previously inferred stratigraphy, and further reveal the central peaks to exhibit two distinct compositional units: noritic anorthosite and anorthositic norite. Three models for the origin of the observed stratigraphy are considered: Bullialdus has excavated stratigraphic units containing (1) early mare basalt overlying anorthositic-noritic crustal material, (2) part of a layered mafic pluton, and/or (3) part of an impact melt sheet formed by the Nubium Basin impact event.

Mineralogy of the last lunar basalts: Results from Clementine

USGS Publications Warehouse

Staid, M.I.; Pieters, C.M.

2001-01-01

The last major phase of lunar volcanism produced extensive high-titanium mare deposits on the western nearside which remain unsampled by landing missions. The visible and near-infrared reflectance properties of these basalts are examined using Clementine multispectral images to better constrain their mineralogy. A much stronger 1 ??m ferrous absorption was observed for the western high-titanium basalts than within earlier maria, suggesting that these last major mare eruptions also may have been the most iron-rich. These western basalts also have a distinctly long-wavelength, 1 ??m ferrous absorption which was found to be similar for both surface soils and materials excavated from depth, supporting the interpretation of abundant olivine within these deposits. Spectral variation along flows within the Imbrium basin also suggests variations in ilmenite content along previously mapped lava flows as well as increasing olivine content within subsequent eruptions. Copyright 2001 by the American Geophysical Union.

Experimental Study on Basic Mechanical Properties of BFRP Bars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Xiaochun; Xu, Ting; Zhou, Zhengrong; Zhou, Xun

2017-10-01

Basalt Fiber Reinforced Polymer (BFRP) bars have the advantages of corrosion resistance, high strength, light weight, good dielectric properties, and they are new type of green reinforced alternative material. In order to determine the mechanical properties of BFRP bars, the tensile strength of basalt fiber bars was necessary to be studied. The diameters of the basalt fiber bars were compared by means of uniaxial tensile test in this article. Then the stress-strain curve can be drawn out. The results show that the stress - strain curve of BFRP bars present straight line relation, and there is no sign before failure; there is no yield platform on the stress-strain curve of BFRP bars, which are typical brittle material;the tensile strength of BFRP bars is about 3 times higher than that of ordinary steel bars. and the elastic modulus is about 1/5 of that of ordinary steel; the ultimate tensile strength of BFRP bars varies little with the increase of diameter, but there exist some differences in modulus values.

Spectral reflectance studies of the Humorum Basin region

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peterson, C. A.; Hawke, B. R.; Lucey, P. G.; Taylor, G. J.; Blewett, D. T.; Spudis, P. D.

1993-01-01

A portion of the mare-bounding (MB) ring of Humorum Basin is composed of pure anorthosite while other parts of the ring are composed of noritic anorthosite. An episode of mare volcanism emplaced basaltic units in the region northwest of the MB ring after the Humorum impact event. Subsequently, large impacts emplaced a veneer of highlands material atop the basalt flows. Some mare material could have been mixed with this highlands debris either by local mixing by secondary craters or by vertical mixing. Spectra for most other highlands units in the region indicate a noritic anorthosite lithology. Spectra of mare basalts in Mare Humorum and nearby mare flooded craters show relatively deep absorption bands due to the presence of abundant high-Ca pyroxene. An analysis of spectra for a small number of craters in the highlands west of the outer ring of Humorum reveals the presence of high-Ca pyroxene. This suggests the possible presence of an extensive gabbroic province.

Lunar Science Conference, 8th, Houston, Tex., March 14-18, 1977, Proceedings. Volume 1 - The moon and the inner solar system. Volume 2 - Petrogenetic studies of mare and highland rocks. Volume 3 - Planetary and lunar surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merril, R. B.

1977-01-01

Solar system processes are considered along with the origin and evolution of the moon, planetary geophysics, lunar basins and crustal layering, lunar magnetism, the lunar surface as a planetary probe, remote observations of lunar and planetary surfaces, earth-based measurements, integrated studies, physical properties of lunar materials, and asteroids, meteorites, and the early solar system. Attention is also given to studies of mare basalts, the kinetics of basalt crystallization, topical studies of mare basalts, highland rocks, experimental studies of highland rocks, geochemical studies of highland rocks, studies of materials of KREEP composition, a consortium study of lunar breccia 73215, topical studies on highland rocks, Venus, and regional studies of the moon. Studies of surface processes, are reported, taking into account cratering mechanics and fresh crater morphology, crater statistics and surface dating, effects of exposure and gardening, and the chemistry of surfaces.

Evaluation of residual strength in the basalt fiber reinforced composites under impact damage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Yun-Hae; Lee, Jin-Woo; Moon, Kyung-Man; Yoon, Sung-Won; Baek, Tae-Sil; Hwang, Kwang-Il

2015-03-01

Composites are vulnerable to the impact damage by the collision as to the thickness direction, because composites are being manufactured by laminating the fiber. The understanding about the retained strength after the impact damage of the material is essential in order to secure the reliability of the structure design using the composites. In this paper, we have tried to evaluate the motion of the material according to the kinetic energy and potential energy and the retained strength after impact damage by testing the free fall test of the basalt fiber reinforced composite in the limelight as the environment friendly characteristic.

Implications of Nb/U, Th/U and Sm/Nd in plume magmas for the relationship between continental and oceanic crust formation and the development of the depleted mantle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, Ian H.

2002-05-01

The Nb/U and Th/U of the primitive mantle are 34 and 4.04 respectively, which compare with 9.7 and 3.96 for the continental crust. Extraction of continental crust from the mantle therefore has a profound influence on its Nb/U but little influence on its Th/U. Conversely, extraction of midocean ridge-type basalts lowers the Th/U of the mantle residue but has little influence on its Nb/U. As a consequence, variations in Th/U and Nb/U with Sm/Nd can be used to evaluate the relative importance of continental and basaltic crust extraction in the formation of the depleted (Sm/Nd enriched) mantle reservoir. This study evaluates Nb/U, Th/U, and Sm/Nd variations in suites of komatiites, picrites, and their associated basalts, of various ages, to determine whether basalt and/or continental crust have been extracted from their source region. Emphasis is placed on komatiites and picrites because they formed at high degrees of partial melting and are expected to have Nb/U, Th/U, and Sm/Nd that are essentially the same as the mantle that melted to produce them. The results show that all of the studied suites, with the exception of the Barberton, have had both continental crust and basaltic crust extracted from their mantle source region. The high Sm/Nd of the Gorgona and Munro komatiites require the elevated ratios seen in these suites to be due primarily to extraction of basaltic crust from their source regions, whereas basaltic and continental crust extraction are of subequal importance in the source regions of the Yilgarn and Belingwe komatiites. The Sm/Nd of modern midocean ridge basalts lies above the crustal extraction curve on a plot of Sm/Nd against Nb/U, which requires the upper mantle to have had both basaltic and continental crust extracted from it. It is suggested that the extraction of the basaltic reservoir from the mantle occurs at midocean ridges and that the basaltic crust, together with its complementary depleted mantle residue, is subducted to the core-mantle boundary. When the two components reach thermal equilibrium with their surroundings, the lighter depleted component separates from the denser basaltic component. Both are eventually returned to the upper mantle, but the lighter depleted component has a shorter residence time in the lower mantle than the denser basaltic component. If the difference in the recycling times for the basaltic and depleted components is ˜1.0 to 1.5 Ga, a basaltic reservoir is created in the lower mantle, equivalent to the amount of basalt that is subducted in 1.0 to 1.5 Ga, and that reservoir is isolated from the upper mantle. It is this reservoir that is responsible for the Sm/Nd ratio of the upper mantle lying above the trend predicted by extraction of continental crust on the plot of Sm/Nd against Nb/U.

Diversity of basaltic lunar volcanism associated with buried impact structures: Implications for intrusive and extrusive events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, F.; Zhu, M.-H.; Bugiolacchi, R.; Huang, Q.; Osinski, G. R.; Xiao, L.; Zou, Y. L.

2018-06-01

Relatively denser basalt infilling and the upward displacement of the crust-mantle interface are thought to be contributing factors for the quasi-circular mass anomalies for buried impact craters in the lunar maria. Imagery and gravity observations from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and dual Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) missions have identified 10 partially or fully buried impact structures where diversity of observable basaltic mare volcanism exists. With a detailed investigation of the characteristics of associated volcanic landforms, we describe their spatial distribution relationship with respect to the subsurface tectonic structure of complex impact craters and propose possible models for the igneous processes which may take advantage of crater-related zones of weakness and enable magmas to reach the surface. We conclude that the lunar crust, having been fractured and reworked extensively by cratering, facilitates substance and energy exchange between different lunar systems, an effect modulated by tectonic activities both at global and regional scales. In addition, we propose that the intrusion-caused contribution to gravity anomalies should be considered in future studies, although this is commonly obscured by other physical factors such as mantle uplift and basalt load.

The flexural stiffness and tension state of basalt filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khalmuradovich, Sattarov Laziz; Ahmedovich, Kurbanov Abdirahim

2017-03-01

In recent years, there is a growing demand in Uzbekistan for new, cheap and competitive products from local raw materials, the demand being directly connected with the expansion and development opportunities of the mining, metallurgical and processing industries. In such conditions, the need for providing a solution of the problems faced by these industries is a very urgent one and requires further comprehensive studies. One of these tasks includes assessment of the force parameters and bending stiffness of basalt fibre filters, aimed at further improving the efficiency of local basalt raw materials and aiding in the manufacture of new, long-lasting, reliable and high-quality products. In this case, we studied the interaction of basalt fibre filter with a gas or liquid medium, the deformed state of the fibres under the action force of the gas or liquid, and the filter recovery process after removal of the load, all of which occur during mechanical filtration. These tasks are of interest because during the mechanical filtration of a gas or liquid (hereinafter, mechanical filtration) from solids, all attention is paid to the quality of the filtering process. The filtering quality, as known, is determined by the degree of contamination in the liquid undergoing treatment, duration of separation of the pulp into solid and liquid phases during the decantation process of the mixture and the amount of gas/ liquid released into the atmosphere along with carbon monoxide and toxic impurities. At the same time, the state and behaviour of the filtering material remain as minor factors, the consideration of which can play a decisive role in the establishment of filter life and work capacity. Solutions to these problems are very urgent and allow one to create new technologies for the production of basalt filters based on force parameters and bending stiffness, wherein the purification occurs without the intervention of chemicals.

Aqueous Alteration on Mars. Chapter 23

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ming, Douglas W.; Morris, Richard V.; Clark, Benton C.

2007-01-01

Aqueous alteration is the change in composition of a rock, produced in response to interactions with H2O-bearing ices, liquids, and vapors by chemical weathering. A variety of mineralogical and geochemical indicators for aqueous alteration on Mars have been identified by a combination of surface and orbital robotic missions, telescopic observations, characterization of Martian meteorites, and laboratory and terrestrial analog studies. Mineralogical indicators for aqueous alteration include goethite (lander), jarosite (lander), kieserite (orbiter), gypsum (orbiter) and other Fe-, Mg-, and Ca-sulfates (landers), halides (meteorites, lander), phyllosilicates (orbiter, meteorites), hematite and nanophase iron oxides (telescopic, orbiter, lander), and Fe-, Mg-, and Ca-carbonates (meteorites). Geochemical indicators (landers only) for aqueous alteration include Mg-, Ca-, and Fe-sulfates, halides, and secondary aluminosilicates such as smectite. Based upon these indicators, several styles of aqueous alteration have been suggested on Mars. Acid-sulfate weathering (e.g., formation of jarosite, gypsum, hematite, and goethite), may occur during (1) the oxidative weathering of ultramafic igneous rocks containing sulfides, (2) sulfuric acid weathering of basaltic materials, and (3) acid fog (i.e., vapors rich in H2SO4) weathering of basaltic or basaltic-derived materials. Near-neutral or alkaline alteration occurs when solutions with pH near or above 7 move through basaltic materials and form phases such as phyllosilicates and carbonates. Very low water:rock ratios appear to have been prominent at most of the sites visited by landed missions because there is very little alteration (leaching) of the original basaltic composition (i.e., the alteration is isochemical or in a closed hydrologic system). Most of the aqueous alteration appears to have occurred early in the history of the planet (3 to 4.5 billion years ago); however, minor aqueous alteration may be occurring at the surface even today (e.g., in thin films of water or by acid fog).

Barium isotopic compositions of oceanic basalts from São Miguel, Azores Archipelago

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, H.; Nan, X.; Huang, F.

2016-12-01

Oceanic island basalts (OIB) provide important information to decipher the processes of mantle convection and crustal material recycling1. OIBs from São Miguel, Azores Archipelago have extreme radiogenic isotope compositions2-3, representing an enriched component in their mantle source. However, the origins of the enriched mantle are still in debate. Previous studies proposed that the enriched component could be subducted terrigenous sediments2,4, delaminated subcontinental lithosphere5-6, recycled oceanic crust with evolved compositions (such as a subducted seamount)7, or enriched (E-MORB type) under-plated basalts which infiltrated the oceanic mantle lithosphere8. In this study, we use Ba isotopes to constrain the origin of enriched component beneath São Miguel because Ba isotopes can be significantly fractionated at the Earth's surface with low temperature environment than in the mantle with high temperature9-10. We analyzed Ba isotopes of 15 basalts from São Miguel. Although these samples have large variations of 87Sr/86Sr (0.703440-0.705996), 206Pb/204Pb (19.319-20.095) and 187Os/188Os (0.127-0.161), they have limited variation of 137Ba/134Ba (-0.003 to +0.048‰). The average 137Ba/134Ba of São Miguel basalts is 0.019±0.033‰ (n=15, 2SD), which is in the range of mantle (0.026±0.090‰, n=32, 2SD)9, indicating there is no surface material in the mantle source of São Miguel. The enriched source of São Miguel could be evolved material from the mantle. 1. Hofmann, 1997, Nature; 2. Hawkesworth et al., 1979, Nature; 3. White et al., 1979, CMP; 4. Turner et al., 1997, CG; 5. Widom et al., 1997, CG; 6. Moreira et al., 1999, EPSL; 7. Beier et al., 2007, EPSL; 8. Elliott et al., 2007, GCA; 9. Huang et al., 2015, Goldschmidt abs 1331; 10. Nan et al., 2016, Goldschmidt abs 2246.

Crystal fractionation in the SNC meteorites: Implications for sample selection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Treiman, Allan H.

1988-01-01

Almost all rock types in the SNC meteorites are cumulates, products of magma differentiation by crystal fractionation (addition or removal of crystals). If the SNC meteorites are from the surface of Mars or near subsurface, then most of the igneous units on Mars are differentiated. Basaltic units probably experienced minor to moderate differientation, but ultrabasic units probably experienced extreme differentiation. Products of this differentiation may include Fe-rich gabbro, pyroxenite, periodotite (and thus serpentine), and possibly massive sulfides. The SNC meteorites include ten lithologies (three in EETA79001), eight of which are crystal cumulates. The other lithologies, EETA79001 A and B are subophitic basalts.

Petrology of lunar rocks and implication to lunar evolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ridley, W. I.

1976-01-01

Recent advances in lunar petrology, based on studies of lunar rock samples available through the Apollo program, are reviewed. Samples of bedrock from both maria and terra have been collected where micrometeorite impact penetrated the regolith and brought bedrock to the surface, but no in situ cores have been taken. Lunar petrogenesis and lunar thermal history supported by studies of the rock sample are discussed and a tentative evolutionary scenario is constructed. Mare basalts, terra assemblages of breccias, soils, rocks, and regolith are subjected to elemental analysis, mineralogical analysis, trace content analysis, with studies of texture, ages and isotopic composition. Probable sources of mare basalts are indicated.

The Effect of Shock on the Amorphous Component in Altered Basalt

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eckley, S. A.; Wright, S. P.; Rampe, E. B.; Niles, P. B.

2017-01-01

Investigation of the geochemical and mineralogical composition of the Martian surface provides insight into the geologic history of the predominantly basaltic crust. The Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) instrument onboard the Curiosity rover has returned the first X-Ray diffraction data from the Martian surface. However, large proportions (27 +/- 14 with some estimates as high as 50 weight percentage) of an amorphous component have been reported. As a remedy to this problem, mass balance equations using geochemistry, volatile chemistry, and mineralogy have been employed to constrain the geochemistry of the amorphous component. However, "the nature and number of amorphous phases that constitute the amorphous component is not unequivocally known". Multiple hypotheses have been proposed to explain the origin of this amorphous component: Allophane (Al2O); Basaltic glass (Volcanic and impact); Palagonite (Altered basaltic glass); Hisingerite (Fe (sup 3 plus)-bearing phyllosilicate); S/Cl-rich component (sulfates and/or akaganeite); Nanophase ferric oxide component (npOx). Establishing a multi-phase amorphous component from a basaltic precursor that has undergone physical and chemical weathering within geochemical constraints is of paramount importance to better understand the composition of a large portion of the Martian surface (up to 50 weight percentage). Shocked basalts from Lonar Crater in India are valuable analogs for the Martian surface because it is a well-preserved impact crater in a basaltic target. Having undergone pre- and post-shock aqueous alteration, these rocks provide crucial data regarding the effect of shock on the amorphous component in altered basalt. By conducting mass balance equations similar to what has been performed for Gale crater materials, we attempt to calculate the geochemistry of the amorphous component in altered basalts ranging from unshocked to Class 5 (Table 1). This has the potential to reveal the nature and origin (i.e. primary igneous, shock metamorphic, and/or aqueous alteration occurring before or after the impact event) of the amorphous component in shocked basalt with the goal of unravelling the history of the Martian surface.

Rare-earth element geochemistry and the origin of andesites and basalts of the Taupo Volcanic Zone, New Zealand

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cole, J.W.; Cashman, K.V.; Rankin, P.C.

1983-01-01

Two types of basalt (a high-Al basalt associated with the rhyolitic centres north of Taupo and a "low-Al" basalt erupted from Red Crater, Tongariro Volcanic Centre) and five types of andesite (labradorite andesite, labradorite-pyroxene andesite, hornblende andesite, pyroxene low-Si andesite and olivine andesite/low-Si andesite) occur in the Taupo Volcanic Zone (TVZ), North Island, New Zealand. Rare-earth abundances for both basalts and andesites are particularly enriched in light rare-earth elements. High-Al basalts are more enriched than the "low-Al" basalt and have values comparable to the andesites. Labradorite and labradorite-pyroxene andesites all have negative Eu anomalies and hornblende andesites all have negative Ce anomalies. The former is probably due to changing plagioclase composition during fractionation and the latter to late-stage hydration of the magma. Least-squares mixing models indicate that neither high-Al nor "low-Al" basalts are likely sources for labradorite/labradorite-pyroxene andesites. High-Al basalts are considered to result from fractionation of olivine and clinopyroxene from a garnet-free peridotite at the top of the mantle wedge. Labradorite/labradorite-pyroxene andesites are mainly associated with an older NW-trending arc. The source is likely to be garnet-free but it is not certain whether the andesites result from partial melting of the top of the subducting plate or a hydrated lower portion of the mantle wedge. Pyroxene low-Si andesites probably result from cumulation of pyroxene and calcic plagioclase within labradorite-pyroxene andesites, and hornblende andesites by late-stage hydration of labradorite-pyroxene andesite magma. Olivine andesites, low-Si andesites and "low-Al" basalts are related to the NNE-trending Taupo-Hikurangi arc structure. Although the initial source material is different for these lavas they have probably undergone a similar history to the labradorite/labradorite-pyroxene andesites. All lavas show evidence of crustal contamination. ?? 1983.

Trace element evidence for a depleted component intrinsic to the Hawaiian plume

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeFelice, C.; Mallick, S.; Saal, A. E.; Huang, S.

2017-12-01

The Hawaii Scientific Drilling Project (HSDP) recovered 3.5 km of Mauna Kea post-shield and shield stage basalts to investigate the geochemical evolution of a Hawaiian shield stage volcano and to constrain the geochemical structure of Hawaiian plume. A group of tholeiitic lavas from 1760-1810 meters below sea level (mbsl) have higher CaO content at given MgO content and are called high-CaO basalts. Isotopes of Pb, Sr, Hf, and Nd of these basalts show they are the most depleted shield basalts ever recovered in Hawaii. Their 206Pb/204Pb-208Pb/204Pb values indicate that they are not related to Pacific MORB. Their Ba/Th values (115-160) are characteristic of Hawaiian plume material and they are isotopically similar to Hawaiian rejuvenated stage lavas. To further investigate this relationship, we compare high-CaO basalts to the Honolulu Volcanics, a set of rejuvenated stage lavas. To determine their possible petrogenetic relation, we calculate their parental melt composition by adding or removing olivine until their geochemical composition is in equilibrium with Fo90. The High-CaO basalt parent magma composition has a much flatter REE pattern and much lower absolute REE contents than that of the Honolulu lavas. Batch melting forward models are calculated to determine potential sources that could contribute to both the Honolulu Volcanics and high-CaO basalts petrogenesis. Both parental magma compositions can be recreated by melting the same rejuvenated-stage source composition to varying degrees. Honolulu Volcanics are the result of a low degree of melting of the rejuvenated source, while higher degrees of melting reproduce the high-CaO basalts. The High-CaO basalts, erupted during shield-stage volcanism, show that the depleted component that rejuvenated stage basalts form from can be sampled during the most voluminous stage of volcanism, and is likely intrinsic to the plume.

Role of melting process and melt-rock reaction in the formation of Jurassic MORB-type basalts (Alpine ophiolites)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Renna, Maria Rosaria; Tribuzio, Riccardo; Sanfilippo, Alessio; Thirlwall, Matthew

2018-04-01

This study reports a geochemical investigation of two thick basalt sequences, exposed in the Bracco-Levanto ophiolite (northern Apennine, Italy) and in the Balagne ophiolite (central-northern Corsica, France). These ophiolites are considered to represent an oceanward and a continent-near paleogeographic domain of the Jurassic Liguria-Piedmont basin. Trace elements and Nd isotopic compositions were examined to obtain information about: (1) mantle source and melting process and (2) melt-rock reactions during basalt ascent. Whole-rock analyses revealed that the Balagne basalts are slightly enriched in LREE, Nb, and Ta with respect to the Bracco-Levanto counterparts. These variations are paralleled by clinopyroxene chemistry. In particular, clinopyroxene from the Balagne basalts has higher CeN/SmN (0.4-0.3 vs. 0.2) and ZrN/YN (0.9-0.6 vs. 0.4-0.3) than that from the Bracco-Levanto basalts. The basalts from the two ophiolites have homogeneous initial Nd isotopic compositions (initial ɛ Nd from + 8.8 to + 8.6), within typical depleted mantle values, thereby excluding an origin from a lithospheric mantle source. These data also reject the involvement of contaminant crustal material, as associated continent-derived clastic sediments and radiolarian cherts have a highly radiogenic Nd isotopic fingerprint ( ɛ Nd at the time of basalt formation = - 5.5 and - 5.2, respectively). We propose that the Bracco-Levanto and the Balagne basalts formed by partial melts of a depleted mantle source, most likely containing a garnet-bearing enriched component. The decoupling between incompatible elements and Nd isotopic signature can be explained either by different degrees of partial melting of a similar asthenospheric source or by reaction of the ascending melts with a lower crustal crystal mush. Both hypotheses are reconcilable with the formation of these two basalt sequences in different domains of a nascent oceanic basin.

Basalt generation at the Apollo 12 site. Part 2: Source heterogeneity, multiple melts, and crustal contamination

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neal, Clive R.; Hacker, Matthew D.; Snyder, Gregory A.; Taylor, Lawrence A.; Liu, Yun-Gang; Schmitt, Roman A.

1994-01-01

The petrogenesis of Apollo 12 mare basalts has been examined with emphasis on trace-element ratios and abundances. Vitrophyric basalts were used as parental compositions for the modeling, and proportions of fractionating phases were determined using the MAGFOX prograqm of Longhi (1991). Crystal fractionation processes within crustal and sub-crustal magma chambers are evaluated as a function of pressure. Knowledge of the fractionating phases allows trace-element variations to be considered as either source related or as a product of post-magma-generation processes. For the ilmenite and olivine basalts, trace-element variations are inherited from the source, but the pigeonite basalt data have been interpreted with open-system evolution processes through crustal assimilation. Three groups of basalts have been examined: (1) Pigeonite basalts-produced by the assimilation of lunar crustal material by a parental melt (up to 3% assimilation and 10% crystal fractionation, with an 'r' value of 0.3). (2) Ilmenite basalts-produced by variable degrees of partial melting (4-8%) of a source of olivine, pigeonite, augite, and plagioclase, brought together by overturn of the Lunar Magma Ocean (LMO) cumulate pile. After generation, which did not exhaust any of the minerals in the source, these melts experienced closed-system crystal fractionation/accumulation. (3) Olivine basalts-produced by variable degrees of partial melting (5-10%) of a source of olivine, pigeonite, and augite. After generation, again without exhausting any of the minerals in the source, these melts evolved through crystal accumulation. The evolved liquid counterparts of these cumulates have not been sampled. The source compositions for the ilmenite and olivine basalts were calculated by assuming that the vitrophyric compositions were primary and the magmas were produced by non-modal batch melting. Although the magnitude is unclear, evaluation of these source regions indicates that both be composed of early- and late-stage Lunar Magma Ocean (LMO) cumulates, requiring an overturn of the cumulate pile.

A novel basalt fiber-reinforced polylactic acid composite for hard tissue repair.

PubMed

Chen, Xi; Li, Yan; Gu, Ning

2010-08-01

A basalt fiber (BF) was, for the first time, introduced into a poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) matrix as innovative reinforcement to fabricate composite materials for hard tissue repair. Firstly, BF/PLLA composites and pure PLLA were produced by the methods of solution blending and freeze drying. The results showed that basalt fibers can be uniformly dispersed in the PLLA matrix and significantly improve the mechanical properties and hydrophilicity of the PLLA matrix. The presence of basalt fibers may retard the polymer degradation rate and neutralize the acid degradation from PLLA. Osteoblasts were cultured in vitro to evaluate the cytocompatibility of the composite. An MTT assay revealed that osteoblasts proliferated well for 7 days and there was little difference found in their viability on both PLLA and BF/PLLA films, which was consistent with the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity results. A fluorescent staining observation showed that osteoblasts grew well on the composites. SEM images displayed that osteoblasts tended to grow along the fiber axis. The formation of mineralized nodules was observed on the films by Alizarin red S staining. These results suggest that the presence of basalt fibers does not noticeably affect osteoblastic behavior and the designed composites are osteoblast compatible. It is concluded that basalt fibers, as reinforcing fibers, may have promising applications in hard tissue repair.

Evidence for komatiite-type lavas on Mars from Phobos ISM data and other observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reyes, David P.; Christensen, Philip R.

1994-01-01

Data from the Phobos 2 Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (ISM), compiled by Mustard et al. (1993), and other observations support the existence of komatiitic lavas on Mars. Mustard et al. (1993) determined from ISM data that the composition of the low-albedo materials covering the Syrtis Major plateau originally consisted of augite-bearing basalt containing both augite and pigeonite, with no appreciable amount of olivine. This description is consistent with a komatiitic basalt. Komatiite is significant for the Earth because it contains a high amount of MgO, implying generation under unique circumstances compared to more typical basaltic compositions and may be similarly important for Mars.

Paired lunar meteorites MAC88104 and MAC88105 - A new 'FAN' of lunar petrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neal, Clive R.; Taylor, Lawrence A.; Lui, Yun-Gang; Schmitt, Roman A.

1991-11-01

To determine the chemical characteristics of the MAC88104/5 meteorite six thin sections and three bulk samples were analyzed by electron microprobe and instrumental neutron activation. It is concluded that this meteorite is dominated by lithologies of the ferroan anorthosite suite and contains abundant granulitized highland clasts, devitrified glass beads of impact origin, and two small clasts of basaltic origin. It is suggested that one of these basaltic clasts, clast E, is mesostasis material, and clast G is similar to the very low-Ti or low-Ti/high-alumina mare basalts. Impact melt clasts MAC88105, 69, and 72 have major and trace element compositions similar to the bulk meteorite.

Lithospheric evolution of the Northern Arabian Shield: Chemical and isotopic evidence from basalts, xenoliths and granites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stein, M.

1988-01-01

The evolution of the upper-mantle and the lower-crust (the conteinental lithosphere), is the area of Israel and Sinai was studied, using the chemical composition and the Nd-Sr isotopic systematics from mantle and crustal nodules, their host basalts, and granites. The magmatism and the metasomatism making the lithosphere are related to uprise of mantle diapirs in the uppermost mantle of the area. These diapirs heated the base of the lithosphere, eroded, and replaced it with new hot material. It caused a domal uplift of the lithosphere (and the crust). The doming resulted in tensional stresses that in turn might develop transport channels for the basalt.

Exploring the pre-eruptive history of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) and the link with the end Triassic extinction using high precision U-Pb zircon and baddeleyite geochronology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davies, Joshua; Marzoli, Andrea; Bertrand, Hervé; Youbi, Nasrrddine; Schaltegger, Urs

2015-04-01

The Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) is a massive outpouring of basaltic lava, dykes and sills that was predominantly emplaced into the Triassic-Jurassic basins of North and South America, Europe and Africa. These basins were, at the time, in the center of the paleo-supercontinent Pangea, and the CAMP flood basalts are associated with Pangea's break-up and the opening of the Atlantic Ocean. The global climatic and environmental impact of the basalt eruption has been temporally linked with the end-Triassic mass extinction, although the extinction horizon, defined by a carbon isotope excursion, is stratigraphically below the first basaltic flows in all of the currently identified basins. Therefore, if the extinction is related to the CAMP, it must be related to a process that occurred before the eruption of the first basalt flow, or is co-incident with a currently unidentified older basalt flow. Here we present high precision TIMS zircon U-Pb geochronology on zircons from the North Mountain basalt (NMB) in the Fundy basin, Canada, and also baddeleyite from the Foum Zuid dyke (FZD) in the Anti-Atlas, Morocco. The NMB zircons have been separated from the lowermost accessible basalt flow of the NMB sequence in a coarse-grained section, rather than from a felsic residual melt pod, which is the usual target for zircon geochronology in basalts. The baddeleyites from the FZD were also separated from a coarse-grained section of the dyke. The zircons and baddeleyites from the NMB and FZD samples contain an antecrystic population with ages more than 1 Ma older than the emplacement of the basalts. The U-Pb ages presented here suggest that there was magmatic activity relating to the CAMP before the eruption of the first basalts. There are a number of possible explanations for the old zircons 1) recycling of zircon from earlier phases of magmatism, which then would have to have been re-molten and entrained into the NMB and FZD magmas. 2) Recycling of crystal mush from the same magmatic system indicating that the system stayed at temperatures which enabled the magmas/crystal mushes to stay saturated in zircon and baddeleyite. 3) The older zircons are all xenocrysts or inherited cores from earlier magmatism. The identification of antecrystic zircon and baddeleyite in the basalts has significant implications for the relationship between the CAMP and the end Triassic extinction. Recycling of older Zr-phases, which crystallized earlier in the magmatic system that produced CAMP basalt melts, also bear important information on the chemical and physical dynamics of the magmatic plumbing system of the CAMP flood basalt province. We present geochronological information, CL images, and Hf isotopic information to support our interpretations for the origins of these important grains.

Investigating the Influence of Waste Basalt Powder on Selected Properties of Cement Paste and Mortar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dobiszewska, Magdalena; Beycioğlu, Ahmet

2017-10-01

Concrete is the most widely used man-made construction material in civil engineering applications. The consumption of cement and thus concrete, increases day by day along with the growth of urbanization and industrialization and due to new developments in construction technologies, population growing, increasing of living standard. Concrete production consumes much energy and large amounts of natural resources. It causes environmental, energy and economic losses. The most important material in concrete production is cement. Cement industry contributes to production of about 7% of all CO2 generated in the world. Every ton of cement production releases nearly one ton of CO2 to atmosphere. Thus the concrete and cement industry changes the environment appearance and influences it very much. Therefore, it has become very important for construction industry to focus on minimizing the environmental impact, reducing energy consumption and limiting CO2 emission. The need to meet these challenges has spurred an interest in the development of a blended Portland cement in which the amount of clinker is reduced and partially replaced with mineral additives - supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). Many researchers have studied the possibility of using another mineral powder in mortar and concrete production. The addition of marble dust, basalt powder, granite or limestone powder positively affects some properties of cement mortar and concrete. This paper presents an experimental study on the properties of cement paste and mortar containing basalt powder. The basalt powder is a waste emerged from the preparation of aggregate used in asphalt mixture production. Previous studies have shown that analysed waste used as a fine aggregate replacement, has a beneficial effect on some properties of mortar and concrete, i.e. compressive strength, flexural strength and freeze resistance also. The present study shows the results of the research concerning the modification of cement paste and mortar with basalt powder. The modification consists in that the powder waste was added as partial replacement of cement. Four types of common cement were examined, i.e. CEM I, CEM II/A-S, CEM II/A-V and CEM II/B-V. The percentages of basalt powder in this research are 0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10% by mass. Results showed that the addition of basalt powder improved the strength of cement mortar. The use of mineral powder as the partial substitution of cement allows the effective management of industrial waste and improves some properties of cement mortar.

Terahertz detection and identification of defects in layered polymer composites and composite coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lopato, Przemyslaw; Chady, Tomasz

2013-03-01

Modern industry makes more and more extensive use of various composite materials. In this paper, for the purposes of various composite materials evaluation, the terahertz imaging method is presented. Basalt fibre-reinforced composites and polymeric anticorrosion coatings are considered. Basalt fibre composites are the innovative materials that are being increasingly used in modern industry. The paper also briefly introduces a specific type of complex coating of steel applied in the industry (e.g. oil or chemical). Two methods of defects detection in the mentioned structures are presented. The first method is based on a system identification, whereas the second one is on the estimation of time-domain signal parameters. Finally, the results achieved during terahertz inspection of coatings are compared with those obtained using active thermography.

Experimental Alteration of Basalt to Support Interpretation of Remote Sensing and In Situ Meausrements from Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bell, M. S.

2014-01-01

Major occurrences of hydrous alteration minerals on Mars have been found in Noachian impact craters formed in basaltic targets and detected using visible/near infrared (VNIR) spectroscopy. Until recently phyllosilicates were detected only in craters in the southern hemisphere [1, 2]. However, it has been reported that at least nine craters in the northern plains apparently excavated thick layers of lava and sediment to expose phyllosilicates [3] as well. The MER (Mars Exploration Rovers) rovers previously reported results of in situ measurement indicating the presence of alteration minerals on Mars [4,5] and it was recently reported that the Mars Curiosity rover has detected alteration phases in situ at Yellowknife Bay in Gale crater as well [6,7]. An important discovery for Mars geochronology is that the Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) x-ray diffraction (XRD) instrument on Curiosity detected phyllosilicates indicating that phyllosilicate formation on Mars extended beyond the Noachian Epoch [8]. These discoveries indicate that Mars was globally altered by water in the past but does not constrain formation conditions for alteration phase occurrences, which have important implications for the evolution of the surface and the biological potential on Mars. Understanding the alteration assemblages produced by a range of conditions is vital for the interpretation of phyllosilicate spectral signatures as well as in situ measurements and to decipher the environment and evolution of early Mars. The martian surface has been intensely altered by meteorite impacts whose effects include brecciation and melting of target materials as well as the initiation of hydrothermal circulation in a hydrous target [9,10,11,12]. Impact effects may facilitate aqueous alteration of a basaltic target because the rate of silicate dissolution is a function of the degree of crystallinity, surface area, and temperature. The resultant alteration mineralogies from shocked basaltic target material are a function of the original mineral assemblage in the parent rocks, the chemistry of fluids that interacted with the rocks, and physico-chemical conditions (pH, temperatures, and pressure) during the time of mineral formation. Understanding the alteration assemblages produced by a range of conditions is vital for the interpretation of phyllosilicate spectral signatures and to decipher the environment and evolution of early Mars, and especially for identifying habitable niches in which life could be initiated and sustained. No experimentally controlled and well characterized analog materials that simulate martian shock metamorphism and alteration conditions currently exist for calibrating either remote sensing or in situ measurements of Mars. A series of experiments was initiated to assess the effects of systematic changes in the physico-chemical conditions on Mars analog materials thereby providing samples to ground-truth Mars remote sensing observations from CRISM (Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars) and in situ measurements from Opportunity's Mössbauer and Curiosity's CHEMIN (Chemistry and Mineralogy X-Ray Diffraction/XRay Fluorescence) instruments. Results of initial experimental runs as analysed by SEM-EDS (Secondary Electron Microscopy -Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis are reported here and lay the foundation for comparison with shocked and altered samples that will be characterized in the next phase of this work.

Magma source transition of lunar mare volcanism at 2.3 Ga

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kato, Shinsuke; Morota, Tomokatsu; Yamaguchi, Yasushi; Watanabe, Sei-Ichiro; Otake, Hisashi; Ohtake, Makiko

2017-09-01

Mare basalts provide insights into the composition and thermal history of the lunar mantle. The ages of mare basalts suggest a first peak of magma activity at 3.2-3.8 Ga and a second peak at 2 Ga. In this study, we reassess the correlation between the titanium contents and the eruption ages of mare basalt units using the compositional and chronological data updated by SELENE (Kaguya). Using morphological and geological criteria, we calculated the titanium content of 261 mare units across a representative area of each mare unit. In the Procellarum KREEP Terrane, where the latest eruptions are located, an increase in the mean titanium content is observed during the Eratosthenian period, as reported by previous studies. We found that the increase in the mean titanium content occurred within a relatively short period near approximately 2.3 Ga, suggesting that the magma source of the mare basalts changed at this particular age. Moreover, the high-titanium basaltic eruptions are correlated with a second peak in volcanic activity near 2 Ga. The high-titanium basaltic eruptions occurring during the last volcanic activity period can be explained by the three possible scenarios (1) the ilmenite-bearing cumulate rich layer in the core-mantle boundary formed after the mantle overturn, (2) the basaltic material layers beneath the lunar crust formed through upwelling magmas, and (3) ilmenite-bearing cumulate blocks remained in the upper mantle after the mantle overturn.

Complexities in pyroxene compositions derived from absorption band centers: Examples from Apollo samples, HED meteorites, synthetic pure pyroxenes, and remote sensing data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moriarty, D. P.; Pieters, C. M.

2016-02-01

We reexamine the relationship between pyroxene composition and near-infrared absorption bands, integrating measurements of diverse natural and synthetic samples. We test an algorithm (PLC) involving a two-part linear continuum removal and parabolic fits to the 1 and 2 μm bands—a computationally simple approach which can easily be automated and applied to remote sensing data. Employing a suite of synthetic pure pyroxenes, the PLC technique is shown to derive similar band centers to the modified Gaussian model. PLC analyses are extended to natural pyroxene-bearing materials, including (1) bulk lunar basalts and pyroxene separates, (2) diverse lunar soils, and (3) HED meteorites. For natural pyroxenes, the relationship between composition and absorption band center differs from that of synthetic pyroxenes. These differences arise from complexities inherent in natural materials such as exsolution, zoning, mixing, and space weathering. For these reasons, band center measurements of natural pyroxene-bearing materials are compositionally nonunique and could represent three distinct scenarios (1) pyroxene with a narrow compositional range, (2) complexly zoned pyroxene grains, or (3) a mixture of multiple pyroxene (or nonpyroxene) components. Therefore, a universal quantitative relationship between band centers and pyroxene composition cannot be uniquely derived for natural pyroxene-bearing materials without additional geologic context. Nevertheless, useful relative relationships between composition and band center persist in most cases. These relationships are used to interpret M3 data from the Humboldtianum Basin. Four distinct compositional units are identified (1) Mare Humboldtianum basalts, (2) distinct outer basalts, (3) low-Ca pyroxene-bearing materials, and (4) feldspathic materials.

Volatiles in basaltic glasses from a subglacial volcano in northern British Columbia (Canada): Implications for ice sheet thickness and mantle volatiles

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dixon, J.E.; Filiberto, J.R.; Moore, J.G.; Hickson, C.J.

2002-01-01

Dissolved H2O, CO2, S and Cl concentrations were measured in glasses from Tanzilla Mountain, a 500 m-high, exposed subglacial volcano from the Tuya-Teslin region, north central British Columbia, Canada. The absence of a flat-topped subaerial lava cap and the dominance of pillows and pillow breccias imply that the Tanzilla Mountain volcanic edifice did not reach a subaerial eruptive phase. Lavas are dominantly tholeiitic basalt with minor amounts of alkalic basalt erupted at the summit and near the base. Tholeiites have roughly constant H2O (c.0.56 ?? 0.07 wt%), CO2 (<30 ppm), S (980 ?? 30 ppm) and Cl (200 ?? 20 ppm) concentrations. Alkalic basalts have higher and more variable volatile concentrations that decrease with increasing elevation (0.62-0.92 wt% H2O, <30 ppm CO2, 870-1110 ppm S and 280-410 ppm Cl) consistent with eruptive degassing. Calculated vapour saturation pressures for the alkalic basalts are 36 to 81 bars corresponding to ice thicknesses of 400 to 900 m. Maximum calculated ice thickness (c. 1 km) is at the lower end of the range of predicted maximum Fraser glaciation (c. 1-2 km), and may indicate initiation of volcanism during the waning stages of glaciation. Temporal evolution from tholeiitic to alkalic compositions may reflect compositional gradients within a melting column, instead of convective processes within a stratified magma chamber. The mantle source region for the subglacial volcanoes is enriched in incompatible elements similar to that for enriched mid-oceanic ridge basalt (e.g. Endeavour Ridge) and does not contain residual amphibole. Thus, metasomatic enrichment most likely reflects small degree partial melts rather than hydrous fluids.

Investigation of magnesium isotope fractionation during basalt differentiation: Implications for a chondritic composition of the terrestrial mantle

USGS Publications Warehouse

Teng, F.-Z.; Wadhwa, M.; Helz, R.T.

2007-01-01

To investigate whether magnesium isotopes are fractionated during basalt differentiation, we have performed high-precision Mg isotopic analyses by multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) on a set of well-characterized samples from Kilauea Iki lava lake, Hawaii, USA. Samples from the Kilauea Iki lava lake, produced by closed-system crystal-melt fractionation, range from olivine-rich cumulates to highly differentiated basalts with MgO content ranging from 2.37 to 26.87??wt.%. Our results demonstrate that although these basalts have diverse chemical compositions, mineralogies, crystallization temperatures and degrees of differentiation, their Mg isotopic compositions display no measurable variation within the limits of our external precision (average ??26Mg = - 0.36 ?? 0.10 and ??25Mg = - 0.20 ?? 0.07; uncertainties are 2SD). This indicates that Mg isotopic fractionation during crystal-melt fractionation at temperatures of ??? 1055????C is undetectable at the level of precision of the current investigation. Calculations based on our data suggest that at near-magmatic temperatures the maximum fractionation in the 26Mg/24Mg ratio between olivine and melt is 0.07???. Two additional oceanic basalts, two continental basalts (BCR-1 and BCR-2), and two primitive carbonaceous chondrites (Allende and Murchison) analyzed in this study have Mg isotopic compositions similar to the Kilauea Iki lava lake samples. In contrast to a recent report [U. Wiechert, A.N. Halliday, Non-chondritic magnesium and the origins of the inner terrestrial planets, Earth and Planetary Science Letters 256 (2007) 360-371], the results presented here suggest that the Bulk Silicate Earth has a chondritic Mg isotopic composition. ?? 2007.

FTIR reflectance of selected minerals and their mixtures: implications for ground temperature-sensor monitoring on Mars surface environment (NASA/MSL-Rover Environmental Monitoring Station).

PubMed

Martín-Redondo, M Paz; Martínez, Eduardo Sebastian; Sampedro, M Teresa Fernández; Armiens, Carlos; Gómez-Elvira, Javier; Martinez-Frias, Jesus

2009-07-01

The Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) is one of NASA/MSL's instruments, which has been designed for measuring ambient pressure, humidity, wind speed and direction, UV radiation, and air and ground temperature (GT). The GT-sensor is dedicated to measure the real temperature of the Martian surface, integrating the IR energy coming from the ground. The existing IR spectral data of Martian dust, rocks and sediments allow for comparing the Martian spectra with the spectra of different terrestrial minerals and lithologies, and those of their alteration and weathering products. The FTIR reflectance of a set of selected astrobiologically significant minerals (including oxides, oxi/hydroxides, sulfates, chlorides, opal and clays) and basalt (as the main and most widespread volcanic Martian rock) was measured, considering different mixing amounts, and covering the specific working wavelength range of the REMS' GT-sensor. The results obtained show important percentage increases or decreases of reflectance in the entire wavelength range (e.g. basalt-hematite vs. basalt-magnetite) and specific variations limited to some spectral bands (e.g. basalt-smectite vs. basalt-jasper). The basalt reflectance percentage increases or decreases, even up to 100%, depending on the mixing of the different minerals. This unequivocally confirms the need for considering the chemical-mineralogical assemblages (and their textures) for any investigation and interpretation of Mars surface environment. Some complementary applications of this research on our planet, either in relation to the specific performances and characteristics of the GT-sensor autonomous recalibration system, or those oriented to carrying out similar studies on different types of terrestrial environmental settings, are also described.

Mass dependent fractionation of stable chromium isotopes in mare basalts: Implications for the formation and the differentiation of the Moon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonnand, Pierre; Parkinson, Ian J.; Anand, Mahesh

2016-02-01

We present the first stable chromium isotopic data from mare basalts in order to investigate the similarity between the Moon and the Earth's mantle. A double spike technique coupled with MC-ICP-MS measurements was used to analyse 19 mare basalts, comprising high-Ti, low-Ti and KREEP-rich varieties. Chromium isotope ratios (δ53Cr) for mare basalts are positively correlated with indices of magmatic differentiation such as Mg# and Cr concentration which suggests that Cr isotopes were fractionated during magmatic differentiation. Modelling of the results provides evidence that spinel and pyroxene are the main phases controlling the Cr isotopic composition during fractional crystallisation. The most evolved samples have the lightest isotopic compositions, complemented by cumulates that are isotopically heavy. Two hypotheses are proposed to explain this fractionation: (i) equilibrium fractionation where heavy isotopes are preferentially incorporated into the spinel lattice and (ii) a difference in isotopic composition between Cr2+ and Cr3+ in the melt. However, both processes require magmatic temperatures below 1200 °C for appreciable Cr3+ to be present at the low oxygen fugacities found in the Moon (IW -1 to -2 log units). There is no isotopic difference between the most primitive high-Ti, low-Ti and KREEP basalts, which suggest that the sources of these basalts were homogeneous in terms of stable Cr isotopes. The least differentiated sample in our sample set is the low-Ti basalt 12016, characterised by a Cr isotopic composition of -0.222 ± 0.025‰, which is within error of the current BSE value (-0.124 ± 0.101‰). The similarity between the mantles of the Moon and Earth is consistent with a terrestrial origin for a major fraction of the lunar Cr. This similarity also suggests that Cr isotopes were not fractionated by core formation on the Moon.

Accreted seamounts in North Tianshan, NW China: Implications for the evolution of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Gaoxue; Li, Yongjun; Kerr, Andrew C.; Tong, Lili

2018-03-01

The Carboniferous Bayingou ophiolitic mélange is exposed in the North Tianshan accretionary complex in the southwestern part of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). The mélange is mainly composed of serpentinised ultramafic rocks (including harzburgite, lherzolite, pyroxenite, dunite and peridotite), pillowed and massive basalts, layered gabbros, radiolarian cherts, pelagic limestones, breccias and tuffs, and displays block-in-matrix structures. The blocks of ultramafic rocks, gabbros, basalts, cherts, and limestones are set in a matrix of serpentinised ultramafic rocks, massive basalts and tuffs. The basaltic rocks in the mélange show significant geochemical heterogeneity, and two compositional groups, one ocean island basalt-like, and the other mid-ocean ridge-like, can be distinguished on the basis of their isotopic compositions and immobile trace element contents (such as light rare earth element enrichment in the former, but depletion in the latter). The more-enriched basaltic rocks are interpreted as remnants/fragments of seamounts, derived from a deep mantle reservoir with low degrees (2-3%) of garnet lherzolite mantle melting. The depleted basalts most likely formed by melting of a shallower spinel lherzolite mantle source with ∼15% partial melting. It is probable that both groups owe their origin to melting of a mixture between plume and depleted MORB mantle. The results from this study, when integrated with previous work, indicate that the Junggar Ocean crust (comprising a significant number of seamounts) was likely to have been subducted southward beneath the Yili-Central Tianshan block in the Late Devonian-Early Carboniferous. The seamounts were scraped-off and accreted along with the oceanic crust in an accretionary wedge to form the Bayingou ophiolitic mélange. We present a model for the tectonomagmatic evolution of this portion of the CAOB involving prolonged intra-oceanic subduction with seamount accretion.

Experimental characterization of meteoric material exposed to a high enthalpy flow in the Plasmatron

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zavalan, Luiza; Bariselli, Federico; Barros Dias, Bruno; Helber, Bernd; Magin, Thierry

2017-04-01

Meteoroids, disintegrated during their entry in the atmosphere, contribute massively to the input of cosmic metals to Earth. Yet, this phenomenon is not well understood. Experimental studies on meteor material degradation in high enthalpy facilities are scarce and often do not provide quantitative data which are necessary for the validation of the simulation tools. In this work, we tried to duplicate typical meteor flight conditions in a ground testing facility to analyze the thermo-chemical degradation mechanisms by reproducing the stagnation point region conditions. The VKI Plasmatron is one of the most powerful induction-coupled plasma wind-tunnels in the world. It represents an important tool for the characterization of ceramic and ablative materials employed in the fabrication of Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) of spacecraft. The testing methodology and measurement techniques used for TPS characterization were adapted for the investigation of evaporation and melting in samples of basalt (meteorite surrogate) and ordinary chondrite. The materials were exposed to stagnation point heat fluxes of 1 MW/m2 and 3 MW/m2. During the test, numerous local pockets were formed at the surface of the samples by the emergence of gas bubbles. Images recorded through a digital 14bit CCD camera system clearly revealed the frothing of the surface for both tested materials. This process appeared to be more heterogeneous for the basaltic samples than for the ordinary chondritic material. Surface temperature measurements obtained via a two-color pyrometer showed a maximum surface temperature in the range between 2160 and 2490 Kelvins. Some of the basaltic samples fractured during the tests. This is probably due to the strong thermal gradients experienced by the material in these harsh conditions. Therefore, the surface temperature measurements suffered sudden drops in correspondence with the fracturing time. Emission spectra of air and ablated species were collected with resolution in time and space thanks to a set-up counting three synchronized spectrometers with different line of sights. The spectra indicated dominant radiating molecules in the range from 240 to 450 nm [CN Violet and N2+ (1-)]. By analyzing the spectra of all tests, it was observed that the most volatile components Na and K were released more efficiently than the Si, Fe, Ca, Mg and Ti components. Also, some ionized atoms (Ca II, Mg II and Fe II) were identified, the lines of Ca II being the strongest in the range from 350 to 450 nm. The differences in composition between the two materials was highlighted by tracking the emission histories of the neutral elements. For example, the emission of the Si line (288.2 nm) was almost null for the ordinary chondrite compared to the basalt. Moreover, iron lines, which were present in the spectra collected for the ordinary chondrite, were not visible for basalt. These results are consistent with the different chemical composition of both materials.

Heterogeneity in small aliquots of Apolllo 15 olivine-normative basalt: Implications for breccia clast studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindstrom, Marilyn M.; Shervais, John W.; Vetter, Scott K.

1993-05-01

Most of the recent advances in lunar petrology are the direct result of breccia pull-apart studies, which have identified a wide array of new highland and mare basalt rock types that occur only as clasts within the breccias. These rocks show that the lunar crust is far more complex than suspected previously, and that processes such as magma mixing and wall-rock assimilation were important in its petrogenesis. These studies are based on the implicit assumption that the breccia clasts, which range in size from a few mm to several cm across, are representative of the parent rock from which they were derived. In many cases, the aliquot allocated for analysis may be only a few grain diameters across. While this problem is most acute for coarse-grained highland rocks, it can also cause considerable uncertainty in the analysis of mare basalt clasts. Similar problems arise with small aliquots of individual hand samples. Our study of sample heterogeneity in 9 samples of Apollo 15 olivine normative basalt (ONB) which exhibit a range in average grain size from coarse to fine are reported. Seven of these samples have not been analyzed previously, one has been analyzed by INAA only, and one has been analyzed by XRF+INAA. Our goal is to assess the effects of small aliquot size on the bulk chemistry of large mare basalt samples, and to extend this assessment to analyses of small breccia clasts.

Heterogeneity in small aliquots of Apolllo 15 olivine-normative basalt: Implications for breccia clast studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindstrom, Marilyn M.; Shervais, John W.; Vetter, Scott K.

1993-01-01

Most of the recent advances in lunar petrology are the direct result of breccia pull-apart studies, which have identified a wide array of new highland and mare basalt rock types that occur only as clasts within the breccias. These rocks show that the lunar crust is far more complex than suspected previously, and that processes such as magma mixing and wall-rock assimilation were important in its petrogenesis. These studies are based on the implicit assumption that the breccia clasts, which range in size from a few mm to several cm across, are representative of the parent rock from which they were derived. In many cases, the aliquot allocated for analysis may be only a few grain diameters across. While this problem is most acute for coarse-grained highland rocks, it can also cause considerable uncertainty in the analysis of mare basalt clasts. Similar problems arise with small aliquots of individual hand samples. Our study of sample heterogeneity in 9 samples of Apollo 15 olivine normative basalt (ONB) which exhibit a range in average grain size from coarse to fine are reported. Seven of these samples have not been analyzed previously, one has been analyzed by INAA only, and one has been analyzed by XRF+INAA. Our goal is to assess the effects of small aliquot size on the bulk chemistry of large mare basalt samples, and to extend this assessment to analyses of small breccia clasts.

Middle Triassic back-arc basalts from the blocks in the Mersin Mélange, southern Turkey: Implications for the geodynamic evolution of the Northern Neotethys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sayit, Kaan; Bedi, Yavuz; Tekin, U. Kagan; Göncüoglu, M. Cemal; Okuyucu, Cengiz

2017-01-01

The Mersin Mélange is a tectonostratigraphic unit within the allochthonous Mersin Ophiolitic Complex in the Taurides, southern Turkey. This chaotic structure consists of blocks and tectonic slices of diverse origins and ages set in a clastic matrix of Upper Cretaceous age. In this study, we examine two blocks at two different sections characterized by basaltic lava flows alternating with radiolarian-bearing pelagic sediments. The radiolarian assemblage extracted from the mudstone-chert alternation overlying the lavas yields an upper Anisian age (Middle Triassic). The immobile element geochemistry suggests that the lava flows are predominantly characterized by sub-alkaline basalts. All lavas display pronounced negative Nb anomalies largely coupled with normal mid-ocean basalt (N-MORB)-like high field strength element (HFSE) patterns. On the basis of geochemical modelling, the basalts appear to have dominantly derived from spinel-peridotite and pre-depleted spinel-peridotite sources, while some enriched compositions can be explained by contribution of garnet-facies melts from enriched domains. The overall geochemical characteristics suggest generation of these Middle Triassic lavas at an intra-oceanic back-arc basin within the northern branch of Neotethys. This finding is of significant importance, since these rocks may represent the presence of the oldest subduction zone found thus far from the Neotethyan branches. This, in turn, suggests that the rupturing of the Gondwanan lithosphere responsible for the opening of the northern branch of Neotethys should have occurred during the Lower Triassic or earlier.

Lateral and Vertical Heterogeneity of Thorium in the Procellarum KREEP Terrane: As Reflected in the Ejecta Deposits of Post-Imbrium Craters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gillis, J. J.; Jolliff, B. L.

1999-01-01

The Procellarum KREEP Terrane displays the highest concentrations of Th on the Moon. However, locations of elevated Th in this region appear to be random. As observed in the 5 deg per pixel equal-area Th data, and made more evident in the preliminary 2 deg data, Th is enhanced around the craters Aristillus, Aristarchus, Kepler, Mairan, the Apennine Bench formation, and the Fra Mauro region, while noticeably and unexpectedly lower in other locations (e.g., Archimedes, Copernicus, Eratosthenes, and Plato). We have examined the composition of the materials present in these regions with the goal of understanding the patchy nature to the distribution of Th and ultimately to decipher the geologic processes that have concentrated the Th. At present time, the published resolution of the Lunar Prospector Th gamma-ray data is low (5 deg per pixel), but this will soon be superceded by significantly higher-resolution data (2 deg per pixel). Even at this improved resolution, however, it is difficult to resolve the units that are the major source of Th. In an attempt to circumvent this problem, we employ the higher-resolution Clementine multispectral data for those regions mentioned above. We use the UV-VIS-derived compositional information and the spectral properties of craters, and their ejecta as drill holes through the mare-basalt surface to investigate the thickness and composition of underlying material. With this information we attempt to piece together the stratigraphy and geologic history of the Imbrium-Procellanim region. We processed the five-band multispectral data from the Clementine Mission (415, 750,900,950, and 1000nm) using ISIS software and calibration parameters developed by the USGS, Flagstaff, Arizona. Final image mosaics are in equal-area sinusoidal projection, and have a resolution of 250 m/pixel. Using the method of we produced maps of FeO and Ti02 composition. Here we examine the Th, FeO, and Ti02 composition and spectral properties of the craters discussed above and their ejecta, with the goal of describing the materials they excavate. One interpretation for the origin of the high-Th material is that subsurface KREEPy materials have been excavated by impact craters. The material excavated may be either volcanic KREEP (e,g., Apennine Bench Formation), KREEPy impact-melt breccia formed by the Imbrium impact (e.g., Fra Mauro Formation), or other KREEP-rich crustal material. Determining which type of material is responsible for the elevated Th and its extent is important to understanding the premare and possibly the prebasin stratigraphy of the Imbrium-Procellarum Region. Merging the 5 deg. Th data with the shaded relief map, we observe that the highest Th concentrations are not related to pre-Imbrium upper crustal materials. The Apennines, Alpes, and Caucasus Mountains represent the pre-Imbrian highlands material and do not express concentrations of Th, FeO, and TiO2 as high as the most Th-fich materials exposed within the Procellarum KREEP Terrane. We observe that, in general, these massifs contain 10-14 wt% FeO and 4-7 ppm Th. Determining whether the Th signal is from KREEP basalts or KREEPy impact-melt breccias cannot be done with the Clementine data because the two rock types are compositionally and mineralogically too similar (e.g., the Th-rich, mafic impact-melt breccias in the Apollo sample collection are dominated by a KREEP-basalt like component. Mapping-the distribution and sizes of craters and whether they display elevated Th concentrations or not, should reveal the depth and thickness of the KREEP-rich materials, and whether they are ubiquitous (i.e., impact-melt breccia) or more randomly distributed; this might be taken as an indicator of localized KREEP-basalt flows. Within the southeastern region of the Imbrium basin, there are two Th hot spots. The first is associated with the crater Aristillus, and the latter with the Apennine Bench Formation. Adjacent to these two hot spots are craters with a lower Th signature: Archimedes and Autolycus. We observe in the ejecta of Aristillus, a region of significantly lower FeO (10-14 wt%) relative to the surrounding mare basalt. The crater Autolycus, 50 km to the south, did not excavate similar low-FeO material. We suggest that the lower-FeO material in the ejecta of Aristillus corresponds to Th-rich material; the FeO content observed in Aristillus ejecta is comparable to that of KREEP basalt or mafic impact melt breccia (10-12 wt% FeO). We determine that this low FeO, Th-rich material is volcanic KREEP, as opposed to Imbrium impact melt, on the basis that the low-Fe material is exposed more prominently in ejecta in the northern portion of Aristillus. Our assumption is that if the layer underlying Aristillus was continuous, a more widespread and uniform low-Fe signature wouldbe observed in the ejecta deposit. Archimedes, 110 km southwest of Aristillus, impacted the northern portion of the Apennine Bench prior to the eruption of KREEP basalt. Archimedes rim material is not as enriched in Th as the Apennine Bench, and there are differences between the two in FeO concentration and in their continuum slope. Archimedes exhibits a much steeperor "redder" continuum slope than the Apennine Bench. This steepslope suggests the presence of glassy material. The glassy material is concentrated around an unnamed crater on the southern rim of Archimedes (4.5W, 28.2N) and along the northern rim of Archimedes. We suggest two possibilities, or a combination of the two, to explain the low-Th signal from Archimedes: (1) The Apennine Bench prior to KREEP basalt eruption was lower in Th (4-7 ppm, e.g., similar to the Apennine massifs) and KREEP basalts are absent in the rim of Archimedes; or (2) the glassy (possibly pyroclastic) material layering the rim of the Archimedes, dilutes any high-Th material present with low-Th material. (Additional information is contained in the original)

Study of the mechanical properties of hybrid composite basalt / alumina / shells for brake lining pads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adi Atmika, I. K.; Ary Subagia, IDG.; Surata, I. W.; Sutantra, I. N.

2017-05-01

Brake lining pad as one of the active safety components in motor vehicles has been studied thoroughly. Asbestos is the main material forming the brake in addition to other alloy materials that have a negative impact on health and the environment. This paper explain the behavior of hybrid composites phenolic resin with basalt/alumina/clamshell powder reinforced on brake lining pad. This materials has been manufactured use compaction and sintering process through any steps, that an emphasis of 2,000 kg for 30 minutes at a constant temperature of 150° C. The research aims to investigate hardness characteristic of hybrid composite that test using the vickers according to standard ASTM E-384. The reinforced materials and phenolic resin composition is 60%: 40%. The results show for the average hardness VHN to 24.18, 25.11, 26.34, 27.21 and 28.83. The average hardness hybrid composite shows the hardness harder than asbestos materials.

Correlated compositional and mineralogical investigations at the Chang'e-3 landing site.

PubMed

Ling, Zongcheng; Jolliff, Bradley L; Wang, Alian; Li, Chunlai; Liu, Jianzhong; Zhang, Jiang; Li, Bo; Sun, Lingzhi; Chen, Jian; Xiao, Long; Liu, Jianjun; Ren, Xin; Peng, Wenxi; Wang, Huanyu; Cui, Xingzhu; He, Zhiping; Wang, Jianyu

2015-12-22

The chemical compositions of relatively young mare lava flows have implications for the late volcanism on the Moon. Here we report the composition of soil along the rim of a 450-m diameter fresh crater at the Chang'e-3 (CE-3) landing site, investigated by the Yutu rover with in situ APXS (Active Particle-induced X-ray Spectrometer) and VNIS (Visible and Near-infrared Imaging Spectrometer) measurements. Results indicate that this region's composition differs from other mare sample-return sites and is a new type of mare basalt not previously sampled, but consistent with remote sensing. The CE-3 regolith derived from olivine-normative basaltic rocks with high FeO/(FeO+MgO). Deconvolution of the VNIS data indicates abundant high-Ca ferropyroxene (augite and pigeonite) plus Fe-rich olivine. We infer from the regolith composition that the basaltic source rocks formed during late-stage magma-ocean differentiation when dense ferropyroxene-ilmenite cumulates sank and mixed with deeper, relatively ferroan olivine and orthopyroxene in a hybridized mantle source.

Tectonic implications of Archean anorthosite occurrences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phinney, W. C.; Morrison, D. A.; Maczuga, D. E.

1988-01-01

The occurrences of megacrystic anorthosite and basalt in a variety of geologic settings were reviewed and it was found that these rock types occur in a variety of tectonic settings. Anorthosites and megacrystic basalts are petrogenetically related and are found in oceanic volcanic crust, cratons, and shelf environments. Although megacrystic basalts are most common in Archean terranes, similar occurrences are observed in rocks of early Proterozoic age, and even in young terranes such as the Galapagos hotspot. Based on inferences from experimental petrology, all of the occurrences are apparently associated with similar parental melts that are relatively Fe-rich tholeiites. The megacrystic rocks exhibit a two- (or more)-stage development of plagioclase, with the megacrysts having relatively uniform composition produced under nearly isothermal and isochemical conditions over substantial periods of time. The anorthosites appear to have intruded various crustal levels from very deep to very shallow. The petrogenetic indicators, however, suggest that conditions of formation of the Precambrian examples were different from Phanerozoic occurrences.

Evolved Gas Analysis of Mars Analog Samples from the Arctic Mars Analog Svalbard Expedition: Implications for Analyses by the Mars Science Laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McAdam, A.; Stern, J. C.; Mahaffy, P. R.; Blake, D. F.; Bristow, T.; Steele, A.; Amundsen, H. E. F.

2012-01-01

The 2011 Arctic Mars Analog Svalbard Expedition (AMASE) investigated several geologic settings on Svalbard, using methodologies and techniques being developed or considered for future Mars missions, such as the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL). The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument suite on MSL consists of a quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS), a gas chromatograph (GC), and a tunable laser spectrometer (TLS), which analyze gases created by pyrolysis of samples. During AMASE, a Hiden Evolved Gas Analysis-Mass Spectrometer (EGA-MS) system represented the EGA-QMS capability of SAM. Another MSL instrument, CheMin, will use x-ray diffraction (XRD) and x-ray fluorescence (XRF) to perform quantitative mineralogical characterization of samples. Field-portable versions of CheMin were used during AMASE. AMASE 2011 sites spanned a range of environments relevant to understanding martian surface materials, processes and habitability. They included the basaltic Sverrefjell volcano, which hosts carbonate globules, cements and coatings, carbonate and sulfate units at Colletth0gda, Devonian sandstone redbeds in Bockfjorden, altered basaltic lava delta deposits at Mt. Scott Keltie, and altered dolerites and volcanics at Botniahalvoya. Here we focus on SAM-like EGA-MS of a subset of the samples, with mineralogy comparisons to CheMin team results. The results allow insight into sample organic content as well as some constraints on sample mineralogy.

Petrogenesis of high-Ti and low-Ti basalts: high-pressure and high-temperature experimental study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, J.; WANG, C.; Jin, Z.

2017-12-01

Geochemical and petrological studies have revealed the existence of high-Ti and low-Ti basalts in large igneous provinces. However, the petrogenesis of them are still under debate. Several different mechanisms have been proposed: (1) the high-Ti basalts are formed by the melting of mantle plume containing recycled oceanic crust or delaminated lower crust (Spandler et al., 2008) while low-Ti basalts are formed by the melting of subcontinental lithospheric mantle (Xiao et al., 2004); (2) both of them are from mantle plume or asthenospheric source, but the production of high-Ti basalts are associated with the thick lithosphere and relevant low degrees of melting while the low-Ti basalts are controlled by the thin lithosphere with high degrees of melting (Arndt et al., 1993; Xu et al., 2001). Almost all authors emphasize the role of partial melting but less discuss the crystallization differentiation process. The low Mg# (< 0.7) of these basalts provides that they are far away from direct melting of mantle peridotite. In addition, seismic data indicate unusually high seismic velocities bodies beneath LIPs which explained by the fractionated cumulates from picritic magmas (Farnetani et al., 1996). Therefore, we believed that the crystallization differentiation process might play a more significant role in the genesis of high-Ti and low-Ti basalts. In order to investigate the generation of these basalts, a series of high pressure and high temperature partial crystallization experiments were performed by using piston-cylinder and multi-anvil press at pressures of 1.5, 3.0 and 5.0 GPa and a temperature range of 1200-1700°. Two synthetic picrite glass with different chemical compositions were used as starting materials. Our experimental results show that Ti is preferred to be concentrated in the residual melt during crystallization differentiation. For the same melt fraction, the residual melt of higher pressure experiments has relatively higher TiO2 concentration and higher Mg#. Thus, we propose that most of the high-Ti and low-Ti basalts are inherited from picritic parental magmas which could be formed by high degree partial melting of garnet peridotite. The high-Ti basalts are generated through relatively high pressure crystallization process while the low-Ti basalts are generated at relatively low pressure.

Low Velocity Impact Behavior of Basalt Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shishevan, Farzin Azimpour; Akbulut, Hamid; Mohtadi-Bonab, M. A.

2017-06-01

In this research, we studied low velocity impact response of homogenous basalt fiber-reinforced polymer (BFRP) composites and then compared the impact key parameters with carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) homogenous composites. BFRPs and CFRPs were fabricated by vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) method. Fabricated composites included 60% fiber and 40% epoxy matrix. Basalt and carbon fibers used as reinforcement materials were weaved in 2/2 twill textile tip in the structures of BFRP and CFRP composites. We also utilized the energy profile method to determine penetration and perforation threshold energies. The low velocity impact tests were carried out in 30, 60, 80, 100, 120 and 160 J energy magnitudes, and impact response of BFRPs was investigated by related force-deflection, force-time, deflection-time and absorbed energy-time graphics. The related impact key parameters such as maximum contact force, absorbed energy, deflection and duration time were compared with CFRPs for various impact energy levels. As a result, due to the higher toughness of basalt fibers, a better low velocity impact performance of BFRP than that of CFRP was observed. The effects of fabrication parameters, such as curing process, were studied on the low velocity impact behavior of BFRP. The results of tested new fabricated materials show that the change of fabrication process and curing conditions improves the impact behavior of BFRPs up to 13%.

Surficial geology, structure, and thickness of selected geohydrologic units in the Columbia Plateau, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Drost, B.W.; Whiteman, K.J.

1986-01-01

A 2-1/2 year study of the Columbia Plateau in Washington was begun in March 1982 to define spatial and temporal variations in dissolved sodium in the Columbia River Basalt Group aquifers and to relate these variations to the groundwater system and its geologic framework. This report describes the geologic framework , including the vertical and areal extent of the major basalt units, interbeds, and overlying materials. Thickness and structure of the Grande Ronde, Wanapum, and Saddle Mountains Basalts, thickness of the interbeds between the Grande Ronde and Wanapum, and Wanapum and Saddle Mountains Basalts, and thickness of the overburden were mapped at a scale of 1:500,000. Information was compiled from 2,500 well records using chemical analyses of core or drill chips, geophysical logs, and driller 's logs, in decreasing order of reliability. Surficial geology and surficial expression of structural features were simplified from published maps to provide maps with this information at the 1:500,000 scale. This report is intended to serve as a base for evaluating the distribution of dissolved sodium in basalt aquifers and as a base for future water resource studies. (USGS)

Effect of combined extrusion parameters on mechanical properties of basalt fiber-reinforced plastics based on polypropylene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bashtannik, P. I.; Ovcharenko, V. G.; Boot, Yu. A.

1997-11-01

Basalt fibers are efficient reinforcing fillers for polypropylene because they increase both the mechanical and the tribotechnical properties of composites. Basalt fibers can compete with traditional fillers (glass and asbestos fibers) of polypropylene with respect to technological, economic, and toxic properties. The effect of technological parameters of producing polypropylene-based basalt fiber-reinforced plastics (BFRPs) by combined extrusion on their mechanical properties has been investigated. The extrusion temperature was found to be the main parameter determining the mechanical properties of the BFRPs. With temperature growth from 180 to 240°C, the residual length of the basalt fibers in the composite, as well as the adhesive strength of the polymer-fiber system, increased, while the composite defectiveness decreased. The tensile strength and elastic modulus increased from 35 to 42 MPa and 3.2 to 4.2 GPa, respectively. At the same time, the growth in composite solidity led to its higher brittleness. Thus, a higher temperature of extrusion allows us to produce materials which can be subjected to tensile and bending loads, while the materials produced at a lower temperature of extrusion are impact stable. The effect of the gap size between the extruder body and moving disks on the mechanical properties of the BFRPs is less significant than that of temperature. An increase of the gap size from 2 to 8 mm improves the impregnation quality of the fibers, but the extruder productivity diminishes. The possibility of controling the properties of reinforced polypropylene by varying the technological parameters of combined extrusion is shown. The polypropylene-based BFRPs produced by the proposed method surpass the properties of glass and asbestos fiber-reinforced plastics.

Partial melting of the Allende (CV3) meteorite - Implications for origins of basaltic meteorites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jurewicz, A. J. G.; Mittlefehldt, D. W.; Jones, J. H.

1991-01-01

Eucrites and angrites are distinct types of basaltic meteorites whose origins are poorly known. Experiments in which samples of the Allende (CV3) carbonaceous chondrite were partially melted indicate that partial melts can resemble either eucrites or angrites, depending only on the oxygen fugacity. Melts are eucritic if this variable is below that of the iron-wuestite buffer or angritic if above it. With changing pressure, the graphite-oxygen redox reaction can produce oxygen fugacities that are above or below those of the iron-wuestite buffer. Therefore, a single, homogeneous, carbonaceous planetoid greater than 110 kilometers in radius could produce melts of drastically different composition, depending on the depth of melting.

Bacterial mineralization patterns in basaltic aquifers: implications for possible life in martian meteorite ALH84001

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas-Keprta, K. L.; McKay, D. S.; Wentworth, S. J.; Stevens, T. O.; Taunton, A. E.; Allen, C. C.; Coleman, A.; Gibson, E. K. Jr; Romanek, C. S.

1998-01-01

To explore the formation and preservation of biogenic features in igneous rocks, we have examined the organisms in experimental basaltic microcosms using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Four types of microorganisms were recognized on the basis of size, morphology, and chemical composition. Some of the organisms mineralized rapidly, whereas others show no evidence of mineralization. Many mineralized cells are hollow and do not contain evidence of microstructure. Filaments, either attached or no longer attached to organisms, are common. Unattached filaments are mineralized and are most likely bacterial appendages (e.g., prosthecae). Features similar in size and morphology to unattached, mineralized filaments are recognized in martian meteorite ALH84001.

Aqueous Alteration of Basaltic Glass Under a Simulated Mars Atmosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bullock, M. A.; Moore, J. M.

2005-01-01

For the past several years we have been performing experiments designed to produce brines under Mars-simulated conditions. Previously, we had generated and analyzed Mars-analog brines by allowing a mixture of minerals derived from SNC mineralogy to soak in pure water under a synthetic current-Mars atmosphere and under a gas similar to the present Mars atmosphere but with added acidic gases. The latest version of these experiments incubates basaltic glass, obtained from recent Kilauea flows (Mother's Day flow in December 2002), in pure water under a present-day Mars analog atmosphere at 25 C. This abstract and our presentation will discuss the composition of these Mars-analog brines and implications for Mars surface chemistry.

The effects of low-temperature plasma treatment on the capillary properties of inorganic fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garifullin, A. R.; Abdullin, I. Sh; Skidchenko, E. A.; Krasina, I. V.; Shaekhov, M. F.

2016-01-01

Solving the problem of achieving high adhesion between the components in the polymeric composite material (PCM) based on carbon fibers (CF) and basalt fibers (BF) is proposed to use the radio-frequency (RF) plasma under lower pressure by virtue of efficiency, environmental friendliness and rationality of the method. The paper gives the results of studies of the properties of CF and BF after RF capacitive discharge plasma treatment. The plasma modification modes of carbon and basalt fiber were investigated. The efficiency of treatment tool in surface properties modification of carbon and basalt fibers was found, namely capillary properties of CF and BF were researched. The optimal treatment modes were selected. It was found that the method of plasma modification in the radio-frequency capacitive discharge under the lower pressure contributes enhancing the capillary properties of inorganic fibers, in particular carbon and basalt ones. It shows the tendency to increase of the adhesive properties in PCM, and, consequently, the increase of the physical and mechanical properties of the products.

Summary of a Gas Transport Tracer Test in the Deep Cerros Del Rio Basalts, Mesita del Buey, Los Alamos NM.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stauffer, Philip H.; Rahn, Thomas A.; Ortiz, John Philip

Here we describe results from a tracer test in the Cerros del Rio basalt beneath Mesita del Buey, Technical Area 54 (TA-54) at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL or the Laboratory). This report follows from plans outlined in our previous Tracer Test Work Plan (LANL 2016). These activities were conducted by LANL to further characterize subsurface properties of the Cerros del Rio basalts at Material Disposal Area (MDA) L (Figure 1.1-1). The work presented follows from the “Interim Measures Work Plan for Soil-Vapor Extraction of Volatile Organic Compounds from Material Disposal Area L, Technical Area 54, Revision 1,” submitted tomore » the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) in September 2014 (LANL 2014). Remediation of the MDA L vapor plume by soil-vapor extraction (SVE) is recommended as part of the final remedy in the “Corrective Measures Evaluation Report for Material Disposal Area L, Solid Waste Management Unit 54-006, at Technical Area 54, Revision 2” to meet a remedial action objective of preventing groundwater from being impacted above a regulatory standard by the transport of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to groundwater through soil vapor (LANL 2011).« less

Cannibalism of olivine-rich cumulate xenoliths during the 1998 eruption of Piton de la Fournaise (La Réunion hotspot): Implications for the generation of magma diversity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salaün, A.; Villemant, B.; Semet, M. P.; Staudacher, T.

2010-12-01

Contrasting with its unusual isotopic homogeneity compared to other hotspot volcanoes, Piton de la Fournaise has produced a large diversity of basaltic magmas over its 0.5 Ma history: picrites and two types of transitional basalts with distinct petrological and chemical compositions. A minor group of evolved basalts (anomalous group of basalts or AGB) is enriched in both compatible (Mg, Fe, Ti, Cr, and Ni) and incompatible (K, Th, and La) elements and depleted in Ca and Si relative to the dominant group of evolved basalts. The 1998 eruption simultaneously produced the two basaltic types at two distinct vents (Hudson vent: AGB, Kapor vent: common basalt) but from the same feeding conduit. Glasses of both magmas are close in composition and belong to the single differentiation trend defined by all 1998-2007 glass compositions. Thermodynamic model (MELTS code) shows that AGB-type magmas cannot be produced by high pressure (> 1 GPa) clinopyroxene fractionation as previously proposed and that all melts of the 1998-2007 activity period are produced by low pressure (< 800 MPa) crystal fractionation from the most primitive basalt (MgO ~ 9%). Modal composition of 1998 lavas (mass balance calculation and SEM image analysis) and olivine crystal composition show that Hudson lavas have assimilated significant fractions of olivine xenocrysts contrary to Kapor lavas. In addition, the higher incompatible element contents of Hudson lavas suggest contamination by a differentiated (trachytic) melt. All AGB share the following characteristics: (i) evolved glass compositions, (ii) 5-10% olivine xenocrysts, and (iii) vents located in a narrow region at the summit of the edifice. They are interpreted as the result of the assimilation of olivine-rich xenoliths either by evolved melts or by basaltic melts contaminated by low fractions of differentiated melts produced from interstitial glass frequently coating cumulates minerals or resulting from partial melting of cumulates bearing pyroxene or plagioclase (wehrlitic to gabbroic cumulates). The scarcity of AGB magmas is attributed to their shallow transfer path in rarely intruded lateral zones of Piton de la Fournaise volcano: wehrlitic to gabbroic cumulates bodies are either heterogeneously distributed within the edifice or have been depleted in low melting point components in the 'Rift Zone' where most of the recent eruptive events are emplaced. These results emphasize the exceptional chemical homogeneity of the primary basaltic melt involved in volcanic activity of Piton de la Fournaise hotspot for 0.5 Ma and the increasingly recognized role of magma-wall rock interactions in erupted magma compositions.

Characteristics of terrestrial basaltic rock populations: Implications for Mars lander and rover science and safety

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Craddock, Robert A.; Golombek, Matthew P.

2016-08-01

We analyzed the morphometry of basaltic rock populations that have been emplaced or affected by a variety of geologic processes, including explosive volcanic eruptions (as a proxy for impact cratering), catastrophic flooding, frost shattering, salt weathering, alluvial deposition, and chemical weathering. Morphometric indices for these rock populations were compared to an unmodified population of rocks that had broken off a solidified lava flow to understand how different geologic processes change rock shape. We found that a majority of rocks have an sphericity described as either a disc or sphere in the Zingg classification system and posit that this is a function of cooling fractures in the basalt (Zingg [1935] Schweiz. Miner. Petrogr. Mitt., 15, 39-140). Angularity (roundness) is the most diagnostic morphometric index, but the Corey Shape Factor (CSF), Oblate-Prolate Index (OPI) and deviation from compactness (D) also sometimes distinguished weathering processes. Comparison of our results to prior analyses of rock populations found at the Mars Pathfinder, Spirit, and Curiosity landing sites support previous conclusions. The observation that the size-frequency distribution of terrestrial rock populations follow exponential functions similar to lander and orbital measurements of rocks on Mars, which is expected from fracture and fragmentation theory, indicates that these distributions are being dominantly controlled by the initial fracture and fragmentation of the basalt.

Petrology of Hualalai volcano, Hawaii: Implication for mantle composition

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clague, D.A.; Jackson, E.D.; Wright, T.L.

1980-01-01

Hualalai is one of five volcanoes whose eruptions built the island of Hawaii. The historic 1800-1801 flows and the analyzed prehistoric flows exposed at the surface are alkalic basalts except for a trachyte cone and flow at Puu Waawaa and a trachyte maar deposit near Waha Pele. The 1800-1801 eruption produced two flows: the upper Kaupulehu flow and the lower Huehue flow. The analyzed lavas of the two 1800-1801 flows are geochemically identical with the exception of a few samples from the toe of the Huehue flow that appear to be derived from a separate magmatic batch. The analyzed prehistoric basalts are nearly identical to the 1800-1801 flows but include some lavas that have undergone considerable shallow crystal fractionation. The least fractionated alkalic basalts from Hualalai are in equilibrium with mantle olivine (Fo87) indicating that the Hawaiian mantle source region is not unusually iron-rich. The 1800-1801 and analyzed prehistoric basalts can be generated by about 5-10% partial fusion of a garnet-bearing source relatively enriched in the light-rare-earths. The mantle underlying the Hawaiian Islands is chemically and mineralogically heterogeneous before and after extraction of the magmas that make up the volcanoes. ?? 1980 Intern. Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior.

Coatings on Atacama Desert Basalt: A Possible Analog for Coatings on Gusev Plains Basalt

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sutter, B.; Golden, D. C.; Amundson, R.; Chong-Diaz, G.; Ming, D. W.

2007-01-01

Surface coatings on Gusev Plains basalt have been observed and may contain hematite and nanophase Fe-oxides along with enrichments in P, S, Cl, and K relative to the underlying rock. The Gusev coatings may be derived from the dissolution of adhering soil and/or parent rock along with the addition of S and Cl from outside sources. Transient water for dissolution could be sourced from melting snow during periods of high obliquity, acid fog, and/or ground water (Haskin et al., 2005). Coatings on basalt in the hyper-arid (less than 2mm y(sup -1)) Atacama Desert may assist in understanding the chemistry, mineralogy and formation mechanisms of the Gusev basalt coatings. The Atacama Desert climate is proposed to be analogous to a paleo-Mars climate that was characterized by limited aqueous activity when the Gusev coatings could have formed. The objectives of this work are to (i) determine the chemical nature and extent of surface coatings on Atacama Desert basalt, and (ii) assess coating formation mechanisms in the Atacama Desert. Preliminary backscattered electron imaging of Atacama basalt thin-sections indicated that the coatings are as thick as 20 m. The boundary between the coating and the basalt labradorite, ilmenite, and augite grains was abrupt indicating that the basalt minerals underwent no chemical dissolution. The Atacama coatings have been added to the basalt instead of being derived from basalt chemical weathering. Semi-quantitative energy dispersive spectroscopy shows the coatings to be chemically homogeneous. The coating is depleted in Ca (0.9 wt% CaO) and enriched in K (1.3 wt.% K2O) and Si (69.1 wt.% SiO2) relative to the augite and labradorite grains. A dust source enriched in Si (e.g., poorly crystalline silica) and K and depleted in Ca appears to have been added to the basalt surface. Unlike the Gusev coatings, no P, S, and Cl enrichment was observed. However, Fe (3.2 wt.% FeO) was present in the Atacama coatings suggesting the present of Fe-oxides. While the chemistry of Atacama coating does not mirror the Gusev coating, the coating formation mechanism may be similar. The Atacama coatings of surface basalt are derived completely from exogenous sources. If surface Mars rocks have experienced limited wetting conditions as in the Atacama, then Mars coatings may be derived only from dissolution of material adhering to rock.

Geological and geotechnical properties of the medieval rock hewn churches of Lalibela, Northern Ethiopia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asrat, Asfawossen; Ayallew, Yodit

2011-01-01

Lalibela is a medieval settlement in Northern Ethiopia famous for its 11 beautifully carved rock hewn churches, registered as World Heritage Site in 1978. The rock hewn churches are grouped into three based on their proximity: the Bete Medhane Alem (Church of the Holy Saviour), Bete Gabriel-Rufael (Church of St. Gabriel-Rafael) and Bete Giorgis (Church of St. George) groups. The churches are carved out of a single, massive scoriaceous basalt hill which was deposited along an East-West extending palaeovalley in the Oligo-Miocene Trap basalt of the northwestern Ethiopian plateau. The Rock Mass Rating (RMR) classification scheme was used to classify the rock mass (assuming each church as a separate rock mass) based on their uniaxial compressive strength and the spacing and conditions of discontinuities. Though most of the churches are hewn from medium to high strength rock mass, discontinuities make them vulnerable to other deteriorating agents mainly weathering, and water infiltration. Most of the rock hewn churches are affected by pre-carving cooling joints and bedding plane discontinuities, and by mostly but not necessarily post-carving tectonic and seismic induced cracks and fractures. Material loss due to deep weathering triggered by rain water infiltration and uncontrolled groundwater seepage affects most of the churches, particularly the Bete Merqorios (Church of St. Mark) and Bete Aba Libanos (Church of Father Libanos) churches. The scoriaceous basalt which is porous and permeable allows easy passage of water while the underlying basalt is impermeable, increasing the residence time of water in the porous material, causing deep weathering and subsequent loss of material in some of the churches and adjoining courtyards.

Shock Metamorphism in Northwest Africa 8159, Tissint and Elephant Moraine A79001: Implications for Thermal Histories and Geochronology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharp, T. G.; Hu, J.; Walton, E. L.

2016-08-01

Shock metamorphic effects in martian meteorites provide a record of recent impact events on Mars. We examined the textures and mineralogy associated with shock melting in three highly shocked martian basalts: NWA 8159, Tissint and EET A79001.

The interactions of the bacterium Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 with basalt rock, on Earth and in Space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Byloos, Bo; Van Houdt, Rob; Leys, Natalie; Ilyin, Vyacheslav; Nicholson, Natasha; Childers, Delma; Cockell, Charles; Boon, Nico

2016-07-01

Microbe-mineral interactions have become of interest for space exploration as microorganisms can biomine elements from extra-terrestrial materials, which could be used as nutrients in a life support system. This research is aimed at identifying the molecular mechanisms behind the interaction of Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 with basalt, a lunar-type rock, and determining the influence of space flight conditions on this interaction. Survival and physiology of CH34 was monitored, with and without basalt, in mineral water over several months by flow cytometry, plate counts, ICP-MS, microscopy and proteomics. To study the influence of space conditions, a flight experiment on board the Russian FOTON-M4 capsule was performed. The results obtained from from water survival experiments on ground showed that CH34 was able to survive in mineral water, in the absence and presence of basalt, for several months. The total cell concentration remained stable but the cultivable fraction dropped to 10%, indicating a transition to a more dormant state. In the presence of basalt, this transition was less pronounced and cultivability was enhanced. In addition, with basalt, CH34 attached to the rock surface and formed a biofilm. The space flight experiment indicated more viable and cultivable cells compared to the ground experiment, both in the absence and presence of basalt, indicating a positive effect of space flight on survival. Chemical analysis indicated that basalt leaches out elements which may contribute to a positive effect of basalt on survival. Basalt may thus enhance survival and viability of CH34 both in ground and space flight experimental conditions. This study hopefully can contribute to a better understanding of microbe-mineral interactions, opening the door to future applications, in space, and on Earth. Acknowledgments: This work is supported by the European Space Agency (ESA-PRODEX) and the Belgian Science Policy (Belspo) through the BIOROCK project. We thank Kai Finster and Charles Cockell for the coordination of the BIOROCK project, and Vyacheslav Ilyin for incorporating biomaterial within Russian spaceflight experiment "MIKROB"

Mantle plume capture, anchoring and outflow during ridge interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibson, S. A.; Richards, M. A.; Geist, D.

2015-12-01

Geochemical and geophysical studies have shown that >40% of the world's mantle plumes are currently interacting with the global ridge system and such interactions may continue for up to 180 Myr[1]. At sites of plume-ridge interaction up to 1400 km of the spreading centre is influenced by dispersed plume material but there are few constraints on how and where the ridge-ward transfer of deep-sourced material occurs, and also how it is sustained over long time intervals. Galápagos is an archetypal example of an off-axis plume and sheds important light on these mechanisms. The Galápagos plume stem is located ~200 km south of the spreading axis and its head influences 1000 km of the ridge. Nevertheless, the site of enriched basalts, greatest crustal thickness and elevated topography on the ridge, together with active volcanism in the archipelago, correlate with a narrow zone (~150 km) of low-velocity, high-temperature mantle that connects the plume stem and ridge at depths of ~100 km[2]. The enriched ridge basalts contain a greater amount of partially-dehydrated, recycled oceanic crust than basalts elsewhere on the spreading axis, or indeed basalts erupted in the region between the plume stem and ridge. The presence of these relatively volatile-rich ridge basalts requires flow of plume material below the peridotite solidus (i.e.>80 km). We propose a 2-stage model for the development and sustainment of a confined zone of deep ridge-ward plume flow. This involves initial on-axis capture and establishment of a sub-ridge channel of plume flow. Subsequent anchoring of the plume stem to a contact point on the ridge during axis migration results in confined ridge-ward flow of plume material via a deep network of melt channels embedded in the normal spreading and advection of the plume head[2]. Importantly, sub-ridge flow is maintained. The physical parameters and styles of mantle flow we have defined for Galápagos are less-well known at other sites of plume-ridge interactions, e.g. Tristan, Amsterdam. The observations require a more dynamically complex model than proposed by most studies, which rely on radial solid-state outflow of heterogeneous plume material to the ridge. [1] Whittaker JM et al (2015) Nature Geosci 10.1038/ngeo2437 [2]Gibson SA, Geist DG & Richards MA (2015) Geochem Geophys Geosyst 10.1002/2015GC005723

Compositional diversity of Late Cenozoic basalts in a transect across the southern Washington Cascades: Implications for subduction zone magmatism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leeman, William P.; Smith, Diane R.; Hildreth, Wes; Palacz, Zen; Rogers, Nick

1990-11-01

Major volcanoes of the Southern Washington Cascades (SWC) include the large Quaternary stratovolcanoes of Mount St. Helens (MSH) and Mount Adams (MA) and the Indian Heaven (IH) and Simcoe Mountain (SIM) volcanic fields. There are significant differences among these volcanic centers in terms of their composition and evolutionary history. The stratovolcanoes consist largely of andesitic to dacitic lavas and pyroclastics with minor basalt flows. IH consists dominantly of basaltic with minor andesite lavas, all erupted from monogenetic rift and cinder cone vents. SIM has a poorly exposed andesite to rhyolite core but mainly consists of basaltic lavas erupted from numerous widely dispersed vents; it has the morphology of a shield volcano. Distribution of mafic lavas across the SWC is related to north-northwest trending faults and fissure zones that indicate a significant component of east-west extension within the area. There is overlap in eruptive history for the areas studied, but it appears that peak activity was progressively older (MSH (<40 Ka), IH (mostly <0.5 Ma), MA (<0.5 Ma), SIM (1-4 Ma)) and more alkalic toward the east. A variety of compositionally distinct mafic magma types has been identified in the SWC, including low large ion lithophile element (LILE) tholeiitic basalts, moderate LILE calcalkalic basalts, basalts transitional between these two, LILE-enriched mildly alkalic basalts, and basaltic andesites. Compositional diversity among basaltic lavas, both within individual centers as well as across the arc, is an important characteristic of the SWC traverse. The fact that the basaltic magmas either show no correlation between isotopic and trace element components or show trends quite distinct from those of the associated evolved lavas, suggests that their compositional variability is attributable to subcrustal processes. Both the primitive nature of the erupted basalts and the fact that they are relatively common in the SWC sector also imply that such magmas had little residence time in the crust. A majority of the SWC basaltic samples studies are indistinguishable from oceanic island basalts (OIB) in terms of trace element and isotopic compositions, and more importantly, most do not display the typical high field strength element (HFSE) depletion seen in subduction-related magmas in volcanic arcs elsewhere. LILE enrichment and HRSE depletion characteristics of most arc magmas are generally attributed to the role of fluids released by dehydration of subducted oceanic lithosphere and to the effects of sediment subduction. Because most SWC basalts lack these compositional features, we conclude that subducted fluids and sediments do not play an essential role in producing these magmas. Rather, we infer that they formed by variable degree melting of a mixed mantle source consisting mainly of heterogeneously distributed OIB and mid-ocean ridge basalt source domains. Relatively minor occurrences of HFSE-depleted arclike basalts may reflect the presence of a small proportion of slab-metasomatized subarc mantle. The juxtaposition of such different mantle domains within the lithospheric mantle is viewed as a consequence of (1) tectonic mixing associated with accretion of oceanic and island arc terranes along the Pacific margin of North America prior to Neogene time, and possibly (2) a seaward jump in the locus of subduction at about 40 Ma. The Cascades arc is unusual in that the subducting oceanic plate is very young and hot. We suggest that slab dehydration outboard of the volcanic front resulted in a diminished role of aqueous fluids in generating or subsequently modifying SWC magmas compared to the situation at most convergent margins. Furthermore, with low fluid flux conditions, basalt generation is presumably triggered by other processes that increase the temperature of the mantle wedge (e.g., convective mantle flow, shear heating, etc.).

Apollo 15 green glasses.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ridley, W. I.; Reid, A. M.; Warner, J. L.; Brown, R. W.

1973-01-01

The samples analyzed include 28 spheres, portions of spheres, and angular fragments from soil 15101. Emerald green glasses from other soils are identical to those from 15101. The composition of the green glass is unlike that of any other major lunar glass group. The Fe content is comparable to that in mare basalts, but Ti is much lower. The Mg content is much higher than in most lunar materials analyzed to date, and the Cr content is also high. The low Al content is comparable to that of mare basalt glasses.

Curiosity Rover's CheMin Instrument Investigates Mineralogy of Gale Crater and Implications for Diagenesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fendrich, Kim; Rampe, Elizabeth; Vaniman, David; Bish, David; Blake, David; Treiman, Allan; Ming, Doug; Morris, Richard; Bristow, Tom; Cavanagh, Patrick; Downs, Robert; Morrison, Shaunna; Chipera, Steve; Achilles, Cherie; Farmer, Jack; Sarrazin, Philippe; Crisp, Joy; Morookian, John Michael; Yen, Albert; Gellert, Ralf

2015-04-01

The Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity employs a suite of instruments to investigate past or present habitability of Mars, as observed at Gale crater and particularly in the lower strata of the crater's central mound, informally named Mount Sharp. The X-ray diffractometer on board, CheMin, is used to assess the quantitative mineralogy of scooped soil samples and drilled rock powders. Methods of modeling diffraction peak positions and intensities to evaluate the abundances of minerals include Rietveld refinement and FULLPAT (full-pattern fitting). Each of the samples analyzed by CheMin contains X-ray amorphous material. The amorphous component chemistry is resolved by subtracting the chemistry of the crystalline composition, as determined by X-ray diffraction data, from the bulk sample chemistry, as determined by the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS). Diffraction results have been obtained on five samples thus far to include Rocknest, John Klein, Cumberland, Windjana and Confidence Hills. Soil samples collected at Rocknest, an aeolian bedform in Gale crater, were the first to be analyzed in situ by CheMin. The Rocknest mineral assemblage is basaltic (plagioclase, Fe-forsterite, augite, pigeonite) and contains amorphous material that is compositionally similar to palagonitic volcanic soils found on Earth, with the addition of sulfur and chlorine. The four drill analyses are characteristic of deposition in a variety of fluvio-lacustrine environments and exhibit evidence of low-temperature diagenesis. Both John Klein and Cumberland are part of the Sheepbed mudstone at Yellowknife Bay, where the first drilled samples were acquired as well as the first evidence of a habitable environment on Mars. Drilled three meters apart from each other, the two samples reveal basaltic minerals similar to those at Rocknest, as well as phyllosilicates, Fe-oxides/hydroxides, Ca-sulfates, Fe-sulfides, and amorphous materials. The nature and hydration of interlayer cations within the phyllosilicates differs between the two samples, which implies localized diagenesis. The Windjana sandstone at the Kimberley location differs from the Sheepbed mudstone in that it contains more pyroxene and magnetite and abundant K-feldspar, as well as phyllosilicates and amorphous material. These phases may represent potassium-rich basaltic provenance or aqueous alteration by potassium-bearing fluids. While the Confidence Hills sample is still in the preliminary stages of evaluation, major crystalline phases observed in this fine-grained sedimentary rock include plagioclase, pyroxene, K-feldspar and phyllosilicates; hematite, rare in all previous samples, is notably abundant and jarosite is present. The findings suggest localized mobilization of iron-bearing fluids and acidic conditions. The more oxidized assemblage of Confidence Hills marks the transition into the lower strata of Mount Sharp.

Geochemistry of 24 Ma Basalts from Northeast Egypt: Implications for Small-Scale Convection Beneath the East African Rift System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Endress, C. A.; Furman, T.; Ali Abu El-Rus, M.

2009-12-01

Basalts ~24 Ma in the Cairo-Suez and Fayyum districts of NE Egypt represent the youngest and northernmost lavas potentially associated with the initiation of rifting of the Red Sea. The age of these basalts corresponds to a time period of significant regional magmatism that occurred subsequent to emplacement of 30 Ma flood basalts attributed to the Afar Plume in Ethiopia and Yemen. Beginning ~28 Ma, widespread magmatism occurred across supra-equatorial Africa in Hoggar (Algeria), Tibesti (Chad), Darfur (Sudan), Turkana (Kenya) and Samalat, Bahariya, Quesir and the Sinai Peninsula (Egypt) (e.g. Allegre et al., 1981; Meneisy, 1990; Baldridge et al., 1991; Wilson and Guiraud, 1992; Furman et al., 2006; Lucassen et al., 2008). Available geochemical and isotopic data indicate that Hoggar and Darfur basalts are similar to Turkana lavas, although no direct link between the N African lavas and the Kenya Plume has been made. New geochemical data on the NE Egyptian basalts provide insight into the thermochemical, isotopic, and mineralogical characteristics of the mantle beneath the region in which they were emplaced. The basalts are subalkaline with OIB-like incompatible trace element abundances and homogeneous major element, trace element and isotopic geochemistry. They display relatively flat ITE patterns, with notable positive Pb and negative P anomalies. Isotopic (143Nd/144Nd = 0.51274-0.51285, 87Sr/86Sr = 0.7049-0.7050) and trace element signatures (Ce/Pb = 16-22, Ba/Nb = 9-14, and La/Nb = 0.9-1.0) are consistent with melting of a sub-lithospheric source that has been slightly contaminated by continental crust during ascent and emplacement. The Pb isotopic ratios (206Pb/204Pb = 18.53-18.62, 207Pb/204Pb = 15.59-15.64, and 208Pb/204Pb = 38.80-39.00) in the Egyptian basalts are close to the range of those found in the 30 Ma Ethiopian flood basalts, which are distinct from the more highly radiogenic, high-μ type signature seen in basalts from Turkana, Darfur, and Hoggar. However, measured 207Pb/204Pb and 87Sr/86Sr values are higher than those observed in the Ethiopian flood basalts (Pik et al., 1999) and suites from the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden (Schilling et al., 1992; Volker and McCulloch, 1993; Volker et al., 1997), consistent with trace element evidence of crustal contamination. We aim to develop a broad framework for understanding tectono-magmatic activity throughout northern Africa since the Miocene. The NE Egyptian basalts show evidence of both lithospheric and sublithospheric contributions and represent a time period that is critical to ongoing debate surrounding the relationship between shallow magmatism, crustal extension, and deep mantle processes exemplified by the features within and beneath the African Plate. A plausible model for the widespread volcanism during the early Miocene is that each local magmatic event was related to small scale convection rising above a plume or plumes.

Investigating lava-substrate interactions through flow experiments with syrup, wax, and molten basalt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rumpf, M. E.; Lev, E.

2015-12-01

Among the many factors influencing the complex process of lava flow emplacement, the interaction with the substrate onto which flow is emplaced plays a central role. Lava flows are rarely emplaced onto smooth or regular surfaces. For example, at Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai'i, lava flows regularly flow over solid rock, vegetation, basaltic or silica sand, and man-made materials, including asphalt and concrete. In situ studies of lava-substrate interactions are inherently difficult, and often dangerous, to carry-out, requiring the design of controllable laboratory experiments. We investigate the effects of substrate grain size, cohesion, and roughness on flow mobility and morphology through a series of flow experiments using analog materials and molten basalt. We have developed a series of experiments that allow for adjustable substrate parameters and analyze their effects on lava flow emplacement. The first set of experiments are performed at the Fluids Mechanics Laboratory at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and focus on two analog materials: polyethylene glycol (PEG), a commercially available wax, and corn syrup. The fluids were each extruded onto a series of scaled substrate beds to replicate the emplacement of lava in a natural environment. Preliminary experiments demonstrated that irregular topography, particularly topography with a height amplitude similar to that of the flow itself, can affect flow morphology, width, and velocity by acting as local barriers or culverts to the fluid. This is expected from observations of fluid flow in natural environments. A follow-up set of experiments will be conducted in Fall 2015 at the Syracuse University (SU) Lava Project Lab. In this set, we will pour molten basalt directly onto a series of substrates representing natural environments found on the Earth and other rocky bodies in the Solar System. These experiments will allow for analysis of the effects of basaltic composition and high temperatures on lava-substrate heat transfer and mechanical interactions. Results will be used to improve current lava flow prediction models as well as increase our understanding of the evolution of volcanic regions on the Earth and other planets.

Scaling law deduced from impact-cratering experiments on basalt targets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takagi, Y.; Hasegawa, S.; Suzuki, A.

2014-07-01

Since impact-cratering phenomena on planetary bodies were the key process which modified the surface topography and formed regolith layers, many experiments on non-cohesive materials (sand, glass beads) were performed. On the other hand, experiments on natural rocks were limited. Especially, experiments on basalt targets are rare, although basalt is the most common rocky material on planetary surfaces. The reason may be the difficulties of obtaining basalt samples suitable for cratering experiments. Recently, we obtained homogenous and crackless large basalt blocks. We performed systematic cratering experiments using the basalt targets. Experimental Procedure: Impact experiments were performed using a double stage light-gas (hydrogen) gun on the JAXA Sagamihara campus. Spherical projectiles of nylon, aluminum, stainless steel, and tungsten carbide were launched at velocities between 2400 and 6100 m/sec. The projectiles were 1.0 to 7.1 mm in diameter and 0.004 to 0.22 g in mass. The incidence angle was fixed at 90 degrees. The targets were rectangular blocks of Ukrainian basalt. The impact plane was a square with 20-cm sides. The thickness was 9 cm. Samples were cut out from a columnar block so that the impact plane might become perpendicular to the axis of the columnar joint. The mass was about 10.5 kg. The density was 2920 ± 10 kg/m^3 . Twenty eight shots were performed. Three-dimensional shapes of craters were measured by an X-Y stage with a laser displacement sensor (Keyence LK-H150). The interval between the measurement points was 200 micrometer. The volume, depth, and aperture area of the crater were calculated from the 3-D data using analytical software. Since the shapes of the formed craters are markedly asymmetrical, the diameter of the circle whose area is equal to the aperture area was taken as the crater diameter. Results: The diameter, depth, and the volume of the formed craters are normalized by the π parameters. Experimental conditions are also expressed by the π parameters. The figure shows the relation of the normalized volume and the π_3 parameter. A clear dependency on the projectile density is shown in the figure. Multiple regression analyses yield the relation π_V ∝ π_3^{-1.04 ± 0.14} π_4^{0.45 ± 0.18} . Other results and comparisons with those of previous studies are presented in the paper.

Glasses, ceramics, and composites from lunar materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beall, George H.

1992-01-01

A variety of useful silicate materials can be synthesized from lunar rocks and soils. The simplest to manufacture are glasses and glass-ceramics. Glass fibers can be drawn from a variety of basaltic glasses. Glass articles formed from titania-rich basalts are capable of fine-grained internal crystallization, with resulting strength and abrasion resistance allowing their wide application in construction. Specialty glass-ceramics and fiber-reinforced composites would rely on chemical separation of magnesium silicates and aluminosilicates as well as oxides titania and alumina. Polycrystalline enstatite with induced lamellar twinning has high fracture toughness, while cordierite glass-ceramics combine excellent thermal shock resistance with high flexural strengths. If sapphire or rutile whiskers can be made, composites of even better mechanical properties are envisioned.

Distribution of Apollo 15 lunar samples: News release

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dick, L.

1971-01-01

More than 2200 Apollo 15 samples and polished thin sections weighing a total of about three kilograms will be distributed to 201 principal investigators for study during the next year. The scientific investigations will provide detailed information on the samples' mineralogy, petrology, chemistry, age, and history and on the effects of micrometeorite impacts, solar radiation, and cosmic ray bombardment. Preliminary examination of samples show the Apollo 15 material to be of three types: dark colored iron-rich basalts associated with mare and rille formation; a few basalts enriched in feldspar collected near the Apennine front; and light colored fragmental rocks or breccias consisting of soil-like materials which were cemented together or of rock fragments which were welded together by partial remelting.

Reduced chromium in olivine grains from lunar basalt 15555 - X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sutton, S. R.; Jones, K. W.; Gordon, B.; Rivers, M. L.; Bajt, S.; Smith, J. V.

1993-01-01

The oxidation state of Cr in 200-micron regions within individual lunar olivine and pyroxene grains from lunar basalt 15555 was inferred using X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES). Reference materials had previously been studied by optical absorption spectroscopy and included Cr-bearing borosilicate glasses synthesized under controlled oxygen fugacity and Cr-doped olivines. The energy dependence of XANES spectral features defined by these reference materials indicated that Cr is predominantly divalent in the lunar olivine and trivalent in the pyroxene. These results, coupled with the apparent f(02)-independence of partitioning coefficients for Cr into olivine, imply that the source magma was dominated by divalent Cr at the time of olivine crystallization.

Sulfur in Hydrous, Oxidized Basaltic Magmas: Phase Equilibria and Melt Solubilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pichavant, M.; Scaillet, B.; di Carlo, I.; Rotolo, S.; Metrich, N.

2006-05-01

Basaltic magmas from subduction zone settings are typically S-rich and may be the ultimate source of sulfur in vapor phases emitted during eruptions of more silicic systems. To understand processes of sulfur recycling in subduction zones, the behaviour of S in hydrous, oxidized, mafic arc magmas must be known. Although experimental data on S-bearing basaltic melts are available for dry conditions, and under both reduced and oxidized fO2, no study has yet examined the effect of S in hydrous mafic melts. In this work, 3 starting compositions were investigated, a basaltic andesite, a K basalt and a picritic basalt. For each composition, experimental data for S-added (1 wt % elemental sulfur) and S-free charges were obtained under similar P-T- H2O-fO2. All experiments were performed at 4 kbar and at either 950 ° C (basaltic andesite), 1100 ° C (K basalt) or 1150 ° C (picritic basalt). These were carried out in an internally heated vessel pressurized with Ar-H2 mixtures and fitted with a drop-quench device, and lasted for between 15 and 99 h. Either Au (950 ° C) or AuPd alloys (1100 and 1150 ° C) were used as containers. These latter perform satisfactorily under strongly oxidizing conditions, i.e., for fO2 above NNO+1 at 1100 and 1150 ° C. Below NNO+1, Pd- Au-S-Fe phases appear in the charges, suggesting extensive interaction between S and the capsule material. Experimental redox conditions, determined from Ni-Pd-O sensors, ranged between NNO+1.3 to +4.1 (basaltic andesite), +0.6 to +2.0 (K basalt), and +0.3 to +3.6 (picritic basalt). H2O concentrations in melt ranged from 8.2 wt % (basaltic andesite), decreasing to 2.2-3.9 wt % (K basalt) and 2.5-5.0 wt % (picritic basalt). All 3 compositions studied crystallize anhydrite and Fe-Ni-S-O sulphide as saturating S-bearing phases, anhydrite at high fO2 and sulphide at lower fO2, although melt composition also influences their stability. Anhydrite is present at a fO2 as low as NNO+1.5 in the K basalt. In the picritic basalt, sulphides were found to coexist with anhydrite in a fO2 range as high as NNO+3.0. Melts at equilibrium with anhydrite have S concentrations, measured by electron microprobe, of 2070 ppm (basaltic andesite), 5600 ppm (K basalt) and 6500-6550 ppm (picritic basalt). These values reach concentrations similar to found previously for hydrous oxidized trachyandesite melts at 1000 ° C but are significantly less than recent determinations for dry basaltic melts saturated with sulfate at 1300 ° C. Two anhydrite-saturated glasses, investigated by XANES spectroscopy at the sulfur K-edge, show S to be present only as sulfate species. At lower fO2, between NNO and NNO+1, S concentrations in melts synthesized in AuPd capsules strongly decrease because most of the S present is sequestered in the Pd-rich phases. When Au capsules are used (basaltic andesite experiments), there is no marked effect of fO2 on S solubility in this fO2 range: 2250 ppm S (NNO+1.3, sulfide-saturated) vs. 2070 ppm S (NNO+4.1, anhydrite-saturated). This is consistent with the predominance of sulfate species at NNO+1.3 although sulfide species were also detected by XANES. Comparison between near-liquidus experiments with and without S shows no large influence of S on silicate phase equilibria. However, anhydrite crystallization removes a significant amount of Ca from the melt. This strongly affects melt chemistry, and induces major changes in the nature of liquidus silicate phases and in their composition.

Electrolysis of simulated lunar melts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewis, R. H.; Lindstrom, D. J.; Haskin, L. A.

1985-01-01

Electrolysis of molten lunar soil or rock is examined as an attractive means of wresting useful raw materials from lunar rocks. It requires only hat to melt the soil or rock and electricity to electrolyze it, and both can be developed from solar power. The conductivities of the simple silicate diopside, Mg CaSi2O6 were measured. Iron oxide was added to determine the effect on conductivity. The iron brought about substantial electronic conduction. The conductivities of simulated lunar lavas were measured. The simulated basalt had an AC conductivity nearly a fctor of two higher than that of diopside, reflecting the basalt's slightly higher total concentration of the 2+ ions Ca, Mg, and Fe that are the dominant charge carriers. Electrolysis was shown to be about 30% efficient for the basalt composition.

Chemical variation and fractionation of KREEP basalt magmas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Irving, A. J.

1977-01-01

The fact that 53 Apollo 15 igneous KREEP basalts show a range of 100 Mg/(Mg + Fe) from 73 to 35, and that there are systematic variations in K2O and trace element abundances with the Mg/(Mg + Fe) ratio, suggests that the KREEP basalts are a magma series generated by fractional crystallization processes. Experimental and chemical evidence indicate that this magma series results from low-pressure, possibly subvolcanic, fractional crystallization of a magnesian parental liquid (100 Mg/(Mg + Fe) equal to approximately 72) by removal of low-Ca pyroxene and plagioclase, with eventual production of liquids similar in composition to 15405 quartz-monozodiorites. One soil sample, SAO 465-11, corresponds to the postulated parental liquid, which might have been a direct partial melt of troctolitic materials in the deep lunar crust.

Test drilling in basalts, Lalamilo area, South Kohala District, Hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Teasdale, Warren E.

1980-01-01

Test drilling has determined that a downhole-percussion airhammer can be used effectively to drill basalts in Hawaii. When used in conjunction with a foam-type drilling fluid, the hammer-bit penetration rate was rapid. Continuous drill cuttings from the materials penetrated were obtained throughout the borehole except from extremely fractured or weathered basalt zones where circulation was lost or limited. Cementing of these zones as soon as encountered reduced problems of stuck tools, washouts, and loss of drill-cuttings. Supplies and logistics on the Hawaiian Islands, always a major concern, require that all anticipated drilling supplies, spare rig and tool parts, drilling muds and additives, foam, and miscellaneous hardware be on hand before starting to drill. If not, the resulting rig downtime is costly in both time and money. (USGS)

Geochemical Character of the Aono Volcanic Group in SW Japan Arc: Implications for Genetic Relationship between Slab Melting and EM Isotopic Signature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimoda, G.; Shinjoe, H.; Kogiso, T.; Ishizuka, O.; Yamashita, K.; Yoshitake, M.; Itoh, J.; Ogasawara, M.

2016-12-01

The SW Japan arc is characterized by active subduction of a relatively young (15-26 Ma) segment of the Philippine Sea plate, Shikoku basin, beneath the Eurasian plate and is known for the occurrence of adakites on the quaternary volcanic front. As adakite is typically generated in subduction zones, where high geothermal gradients can be attained in the slab, the adakite magmas are considered to be produced by slab melting. From this perspective, adakites are considered to be modern geochemical analogues of the tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite (TTG) suite that can be a major constituent of early continental crust. It has been inferred that recycling of continental crustal material back into the mantle could be a possible origin of enriched mantle reservoirs, such as EM1 and EM2. In order to reveal the role of slab melting on the production of EM isotopic signature, we have conducted a detailed major/trace element and Pb-Nd-Sr isotopic study of 17 adakites from Aono volcanic group in the western end of Honshu Island. The isotopic compositions of the Aono volcanic rocks clearly form a mixing line between the Shikoku back arc basin basalts and local sediments from the Nankai Trough. In addition, the isotopic compositions of Aono adakites have depleted isotopic composition showing some overlap with subducted Shikoku basin basalts. This may imply that the chemical composition of Aono adakites could be mainly derived from Shikoku basin basalts as pointed out by recent work (Kimura et al., 2014). Accordingly, the effect of crustal contamination or sediment melting could be relatively small. On the basis of this assumption, the chemical composition of Aono adakites are used to estimate the chemical fractionation during slab melting. In this presentation, we will present new results of isotopic and trace element analyses of adakites from Aono volcanic group in the SW Japan and discuss role of slab melting in the production of EM reservoirs.

Palagonitic Mars: A Basalt Centric View of Surface Composition and Aqueous Alteration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morris, R. V.; Graff, T. G.; Ming, D. W.; Bell, J. F., III; Le, L.; Mertzman, S. A.; Christensen, P. R.

2004-01-01

Palagonitic tephra from certain areas on Mauna Kea Volcano (Hawaii) are well-established spectral and magnetic analogues of high-albedo regions on Mars. By definition, palagonite is "a yellow or orange isotropic mineraloid formed by hydration and devitrification of basaltic glass." The yellow to orange pigment is nanometer-sized ferric oxide particles (np-Ox) dispersed throughout the hydrated basaltic glass matrix. The hydration state of the np-Ox particles and the matrix is not known, but the best Martian spectral analogues contain allophane-like materials and not crystalline phyllosilicates. Martian low-albedo regions are also characterized by a palagonite-like ferric absorption edge, but, unlike the highalbedo regions, they also show evidence for absorption by ferrous iron. Thermal emission spectra (TES) obtained by the Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer suggest that basaltic (surface Type 1) and andesitic (surface Type 2) volcanic compositions preferentially occur in southern (Syrtis Major) and northern (Acidalia) hemispheres, respectively. The absence of a ferric-bearing component in the modeling of TES spectra is in apparent conflict with VNIR spectra of Martian dark regions, as discussed above. However, the andesitic spectra have also been interpreted as oxidized basalt using phyllosilicates instead of high-SiO2 glass as endmembers in the spectral deconvolution of surface Type 2 TES spectra. We show here that laboratory VNIR and TES spectra of rinds on basaltic rocks are spectral endmembers that provide a consistent explanation for both VNIR and TES data of Martian dark regions.

Elephant Moraine 87521: The first lunar meteorite composed of predominantly mare material

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Warren, P.H.; Kallemeyn, G.W.

1989-12-01

The trace-element chemistry and detailed petrography of brecciated Antarctic meteorite EET87521 reveal that it is not, as originally classified, a eucrite. Its Fe/Mn ratio and bulk Co content are fair higher than expected for a eucrite. Only one known type of extraterrestrial material resembles EET87521 in all important respects for which constraints exist: very-low-Ti (VLT) lunar mare basalts. Even compared to VLT basalts, EET87521 is enriched in REE. However, other varieties of high-alumina, low-Ti mare basalt are known that contain REE at even higher concentrations than EET87521. Several clasts in EET87521 preserve clear vestiges of coarse-grained igneous, possibly orthocumulate, textures.more » Mineralogically, these coarse-grained clasts are diverse; e.g., olivine ranges from Fo{sub 15} in one to Fo{sub 67} in another. One clast with an anomalously fine-grained texture is anorthositic and contains exceptionally Mg-rich pyroxene and Na-poor plagioclase, along with the only FeNi-metal in the thin section. Its FeNi-metals have compositions typical of metals incorporated into lunar soils and polymict breccias as debris from metal-rich meteorites. However, the low Ni and Ir contents of our bulk-rock analysis imply that the proportion of impact-projectile matter in our chip sample is probably small. The moderate degree of lithologic diversity among the lithic lasts and the bulk composition in general indicate that EET87521 is dominated by a single rock type: VLT mare basalt.« less

Genetic relations of oceanic basalts as indicated by lead isotopes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tatsumoto, M.

1966-01-01

The isotopic compositions of lead and the concentrations of lead, uranium, and thorium in samples of oceanic tholeiite and alkali suites are determined, and the genetic relations of the oceanic basalts are discussed. Lead of the oceanic tholeiites has a varying lead-206 : lead-204 ratio between 17.8 and 18.8, while leads of the alkali basalt suites from Easter Island and Guadalupe Island are very radiogenic with lead-206 : lead-204 ratios between 19.3 and 20.4. It is concluded that (i) the isotopic composition of lead in oceanic tholeiite suggests that the upper mantle source region of the tholeiite was differentiated from an original mantle material more than 1 billion years ago and that the upper mantle is not homogeneous at the present time, (ii) less than 20 million years was required for the crystal differentiation within the alkali suite from Easter Island, (iii) no crustal contamination was involved in the course of differentiation of rocks from Easter Island; however, some crustal contamination may have affected Guadalupe Island rocks, and (iv) alkali basalt may be produced from the tholeiite in the oceanic region by crystal differentiation. Alternatively the difference in the isotopic composition of lead in oceanic basalts may be produced by partial melting at different depths of a differentiated upper mantle.

Flame-resistant pure and hybrid woven fabrics from basalt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jamshaid, H.; Mishra, R.; Militky, J.

2017-10-01

This work has been formulated to investigate the burning behavior of different type of fabrics. The main concentration is to see how long the fabric resists after it catches the fire and the propagation of fire can be reduced by using flame resistant fiber i.e basalt. Basalt fiber is an environmental friendly material with low input, high output, low energy consumption and less emission. The goal of present investigations is to show the dependence of fabric flammability on its structure parameters i.e weave type, blend type etc. Fabric weaves have strong effect on flammability properties. Plain weave has the lowest burning rate as the density of the plain weave fabric is more and the structure is tight which gives less chances of flame passing through the fabric. Thermal stability is evaluated with TGA of all hybrid and nonhybrid fabrics and compared. The thermal stability of the basalt fiber is excellent. When comparing thermal analysis curves for hybrid samples it demonstrates that thermal stability of the samples containing basalt is much higher than the non- hybrid samples. Percentage weight loss is less in hybrid samples as compared to non-hybrid samples. The effectiveness of hybridization on samples may be indicated by substantial lowering of the decomposition mass. Correlation was made between flammability with the infrared radiations (IR)

Paleomagnetic Secular Variation Constraints on the Rapid Eruption of the Emeishan Continental Flood Basalts in Southwestern China and Northern Vietnam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Yingchao; Yang, Zhenyu; Tong, Ya-Bo; Jing, Xianqing

2018-04-01

Estimating the duration of magma eruptions using isotopic dating methods is difficult because of the intrinsic errors of the technique regarding the dated materials (such as zircon). However, the long-term variation of the geomagnetic field recorded by lava flows can be used to estimate the net duration of an eruption sequence. The Emeishan basalts at Dongchuan, with a thickness of 630 m, yielded a reliable characteristic remanent magnetization of normal polarity and which passed the fold test (Tauxe & Watson, 1994, https://doi.org/10.1016/0012-821X(94)90006-X). Stratigraphic and magnetostratigraphic correlations of the Emeishan basalts in the Dongchuan section with other sections indicate that the eruption of the Emeishan basalts at Dongchuan spans the entire normal polarity zone in the early stage of the Emeishan large igneous province. A flow-by-flow analysis of geomagnetic directions of the Emeishan basalts at Dongchuan indicates that four directional groups and fifteen individual lava directions were recorded, with a net duration (excluding quiescent intervals) of no more than 3100 years. The averaged site directions from the Emeishan basalts with normal polarity conforming to a geocentric axial dipole direction indicate that this interval is longer than 104-105 years. In addition, a magnetostratigraphic study indicates that the normal polarity interval recorded by the Emeishan basalts was shorter than 2-20 × 104 years. Thus, the total duration of the normal polarity stage of the Emeishan large igneous province was roughly 105 years. There is a possible relationship between the rapid eruption and the Late Capitanian mass extinction (259.8 ± 0.4 Ma, Henderson et al., 2012).

Bacterial mineralization patterns in basaltic aquifers: Implications for possible life in Martian meteorite ALH84001

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thomas-Keprta, K.L.; Wentworth, S.J.; Allen, C.C.

To explore the formation and preservation of biogenic features in igneous rocks, the authors have examined the organisms in experimental basaltic microcosms using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Four types of microorganisms were recognized on the basis of size, morphology, and chemical composition. Some of the organisms mineralized rapidly, whereas others show no evidence of mineralization. Many mineralized cells are hollow and do not contain evidence of microstructure. Filaments, either attached or no longer attached to organisms, are common. Unattached filaments are mineralized and are most likely bacterial appendages (e.g., prosthecae). Features similar in size and morphology to unattached, mineralizedmore » filaments are recognized in martial meteorite ALH84001.« less

A possible connection between post-subduction arc magmatism and adakite-NEB rock association in Baja California, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castillo, P. R.

2007-05-01

Late Miocene to Recent arc-related magmatism occurs in Baja California, Mexico despite the cessation of plate subduction along its western margin at ~12.5 Ma. It includes calcalkaline and K-rich andesites, tholeiitic basalts and basaltic andesites, alkalic basalts similar to many ocean island basalts (OIB), magnesian and basaltic andesites with adakitic affinity (bajaiites), adakites, and Nb-enriched basalts (NEB). A popular model for the close spatial and temporal association of adakite (plus bajaiite) and NEB in Baja California is these are due to melting of the subducted Farallon/Cocos plate, which in turn is caused by the influx of hot asthenospheric mantle through a window created in the subducted slab directly beneath the Baja California peninsula [e.g., Benoit, M. et. al. (2002) J. Geol. 110, 627-648; Calmus, T. et al. (2003) Lithos 66, 77-105]. Here I propose an alternative model for the cause of post-subduction magmatism in Baja California in particular and origin of adakite-NEB rock association in general. The complicated tectonic configuration of the subducting Farallon/Cocos plate and westward motion of the North American continent caused western Mexico to override the hot, upwelling Pacific mantle that was decoupled from the spreading centers abandoned west of Baja California. The upwelling asthenosphere is best manifested east of the peninsula, beneath the Gulf of California, and is most probably due to a tear or window in the subducted slab there. The upwelling asthenosphere is compositionally heterogeneous and sends materials westward into the mantle wedge beneath the peninsula. These materials provide sources for post-subduction tholeiitic and alkalic magmas. Portions of tholeiitic magmas directly erupted at the surface produce tholeiitic lavas, but some get ponded beneath the crust. Re-melting and/or high-pressure fractional crystallization of the ponded tholeiitic magmas generate adakitic rocks. Alkalic magmas directly erupted at the surface produce OIB-like lavas but those that get contaminated during transit produce NEB. The influx of asthenosphere also provides thermal energy to melt the upper portion of the mantle wedge - producing calc- alkaline lavas, and the amphibolitized deeper portion of the wedge - producing bajaiites, after the cessation of subduction in Baja California.

Regional chemical setting of the Apollo 16 landing site and the importance of the Kant Plateau

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Andre, C. G.; El-Baz, F.

1982-01-01

Orbital X-ray data from the Apollo 16 region indicate that physiographic units identified before the lunar mission can be classified as chemical units as well. The Descartes Mountains, however, appear to be an extension of the Kant Plateau composition that is unusually anorthositic and resembles farside terra. The Cayley Plains have closer affinities to basaltic materials than terra materials, physically, spectrally and chemically. The Theophilus impact, 330 km east of the landing site, excavated magnesium-rich basalts from below less-magnesian flows in Mare Nectaris; but, mafic ejecta was substantially blocked from the Apollo 16 site by the Kant Plateau that rises 5 km above the level of the mare. Apollo 16 soil samples from stations selected to collect either Descartes Mountains material or Cayley Plains material were surprisingly similar. However, they do, indeed, show the chemical trends indicative of the two units as defined by the orbiting geochemistry detectors. The Kant Plateau and Descartes Mountains material may be among the rare nearside examples of a plagioclase-rich cumulate of the primordial magma ocean.

Experimental constraints on the destabilization of basalt + calcite + anhydrite at high pressure-high temperature and implications for meteoroid impact modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, A. M.; Righter, K.; Treiman, A. H.

2012-05-01

Calcite CaCO3 and anhydrite CaSO4 are two sedimentary components or alteration products of basalts on the Earth, Venus, and Mars. The fate of anhydrite-, calcite-bearing crust during a meteoroid impact must be addressed in order to evaluate: (1) the potential S- and C-gas release to the atmosphere, (2) the formation of S- and C-rich melts, and (3) the crystallization of S- and C-rich minerals which may be recognized by spectral analyses of planetary surfaces. We performed piston-cylinder experiments at 1 GPa, between 1200 and 1750 °C, on a mixture of 70 wt.% tholeiitic basalt + 15 wt.% anhydrite + 15 wt.% calcite. Up to ~ 1440 °C, an ultracalcic (CaO > 19.8 wt.%; CaO/Al2O3 > 1 wt.%) picrobasaltic (SiO2 ~ 39-43 wt.%; Na2O + K2O < 2 wt.%) melt containing up to 5.7 wt.% SO3 and up to 5.1 wt.% CO2 + H2O (calculated by difference) is present in equilibrium with fassaitic clinopyroxene, anhydrite, scapolite, chromian spinel and a gas composed mainly of CO and, occasionally, aliphatic thiols like CH3(CH2)3SH. Hydrogen was incorporated either by contact between the starting material and air or by diffusion through the capsule during the experiments. Above ~ 1440 °C, a CaO-rich (~ 35 wt.%) sulfate-carbonate (SC) melt which contains 41-47 wt.% SO3, 7-12 wt.% CO2 + H2O and a few percent of Na2O, forms in equilibrium with the picrobasaltic melt. This study shows that a meteoroid impact onto an anhydrite- and calcite-bearing basaltic crust is likely to release CO gas to the atmosphere, while S is trapped in solid or liquid phases. Under hydrous conditions, however, the S/C in the gas may increase. The importance of the temperature parameter on the impact phase relations is also demonstrated. In particular, SC melt may form by meteoroid impact, and flow rapidly on a planetary surface. Physical modeling must therefore be combined with high P-high T phase diagrams of complex assemblages similar to planetary lithologies in order to evaluate the effects of a meteoroid impact.

Acid Sulfate Alteration on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ming, D. W.; Morris, R. V.

2016-01-01

A variety of mineralogical and geochemical indicators for aqueous alteration on Mars have been identified by a combination of surface and orbital robotic missions, telescopic observations, characterization of Martian meteorites, and laboratory and terrestrial analog studies. Acid sulfate alteration has been identified at all three landing sites visited by NASA rover missions (Spirit, Opportunity, and Curiosity). Spirit landed in Gusev crater in 2004 and discovered Fe-sulfates and materials that have been extensively leached by acid sulfate solutions. Opportunity landing on the plains of Meridiani Planum also in 2004 where the rover encountered large abundances of jarosite and hematite in sedimentary rocks. Curiosity landed in Gale crater in 2012 and has characterized fluvial, deltaic, and lacustrine sediments. Jarosite and hematite were discovered in some of the lacustrine sediments. The high elemental abundance of sulfur in surface materials is obvious evidence that sulfate has played a major role in aqueous processes at all landing sites on Mars. The sulfate-rich outcrop at Meridiani Planum has an SO3 content of up to 25 wt.%. The interiors of rocks and outcrops on the Columbia Hills within Gusev crater have up to 8 wt.% SO3. Soils at both sites generally have between 5 to 14 wt.% SO3, and several soils in Gusev crater contain around 30 wt.% SO3. After normalization of major element compositions to a SO3-free basis, the bulk compositions of these materials are basaltic, with a few exceptions in Gusev crater and in lacustrine mudstones in Gale crater. These observations suggest that materials encountered by the rovers were derived from basaltic precursors by acid sulfate alteration under nearly isochemical conditions (i.e., minimal leaching). There are several cases, however, where acid sulfate alteration minerals (jarosite and hematite) formed in open hydrologic systems, e.g., in Gale crater lacustrine mudstones. Several hypotheses have been suggested for the aqueous formation of sulfate-bearing phases under acidic conditions on the surface of Mars including (1) sulfuric acid weathering of basaltic materials; (2) oxidative weathering of ultramafic igneous rocks containing sulfides; (3) acid fog weathering of basaltic materials, and (4) near-neutral pH subsurface solutions rich in Fe2(+) that were rapidly oxidized to Fe3(+), which produced excess acidity as iron was oxidized on exposure to O2 or photo-oxidized by ultraviolet radiation at the martian surface. Next, we briefly describe evidence for these hypothesis.

Thermoluminescence dating of Hawaiian basalt

USGS Publications Warehouse

May, Rodd James

1979-01-01

The thermoluminescence (TL) properties of plagioclase separates from 11 independently dated alkalic basalts 4,500 years to 3.3 million years old and 17 tholeiitic basalts 16 years to 450,000 years old from the Hawaiian Islands were investigated for the purpose of developing a TL dating method for young volcanic rocks. Ratios of natural to artificial TL intensity, when normalized for natural radiation dose rates, were used to quantify the thermoluminescence response of individual samples for age-determination purposes. The TL ratios for the alkalic basalt plagioclase were found to increase with age at a predictable exponential rate that permits the use of the equation for the best-fit line through a plot of the TL ratios relative to known age as a TL age equation. The equation is applicable to rocks ranging in composition from basaltic andesite to trachyte over the age range from about 2,000 to at least 250,000 years before present (B.P.). The TL ages for samples older than 50,000 years have a calculated precision of less than :t 10 percent and a potential estimated accuracy relative to potassium-argon ages of approximately :t 10 percent. An attempt to develop a similar dating curve for the tholeiitic basalts was not as successful, primarily because the dose rates are on the average lower than those for the alkalic basalts by a factor of 6, resulting in lower TL intensities in the tholeiitic basalts for samples of equivalent age, and also because the age distribution of dated material is inadequate. The basic TL properties of the plagioclase from the two rock types are similar, however, and TL dating of tholeiitic basalts should eventually be feasible over the age range 10,000 to at least 200,000 years B.P. The average composition of the plagioclase separates from the alkalic basalts ranges from oligoclase to andesine; compositional variations within this range have no apparent effect on the TL ratios. The average composition of the plagioclase from the tholeiitic basalts is labradorite. The natural radiogenic dose rates for the alkalic basalts calculated on the basis of assumed secular equilibrium range from 0.228 to 0.462 rad per year and average 0.335 rad per year exclusive of the cosmic-ray energy dose and with the alpha-particle component equal to one-tenth of the total alpha decay energy. The TL measurements were made using material of a 37 to 44-micrometer size range; the crushing required during sample preparation was found to have a negligible effect on natural TL. Both natural and artificial TL were filtered to the bandwidth 3,500 A to 5,000 A to restrict the light detected to that from the plagioclase emission peak centered at about 4,500 A and associated with structural defects. Within this bandwidth, the natural TL from both the alkalic and tholeiitic basalt plagioclase consists of a single peak with a maximum amplitude at about 350?C; the artificial TL glow curves produced by an exposure of the drained samples to a standard dose of X-radiation consist of four broad, variably overlapping peaks with maxima at about 110?C, 150?C, 225?C, and 300?C. The maximum amplitude of the 350?C natural and 300?C artificial TL peaks, both produced by the same general activation energy distribution of trapping centers, were used for TL dating. The high-temperature artificial TL peak occurs at a lower temperature than the corresponding natural TL peak owing to the presence of a large number of electrons retained in traps near the lower end of the trap-depth energy range in samples whose TL is measured a short time after intense artificial irradiation. These traps remain essentially empty in the natural environment owing to spontaneous decay and do not produce measurable low-temperature natural TL peaks. With prolonged storage after irradiation, the 300?C artificial TL peak migrates to higher temperatures and decreases in amplitude.

Field observations of Flood Basalt structure: Implications for offshore interpretation and sub-volcanic investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Single, R.; Jerram, D.; Pearson, D.; Hobbs, R.

2003-04-01

Field investigations in Skye and Namibia have provided insight into structure and architecture of CFBs. The studies have been developed into lava sequence models in 3-D software GoCad. The understanding has been applied to interpretation of lavas in the Faeroe-Shetland trough. Volcanics hinder petroleum exploration in this play due to their complex internal geometries and velocity structure. Seismic resolution is poor beneath volcanics. Fieldwork has shown that lavas on Skye have developed from (olivine-phyric) compound basalts towards the base of the sequence, into more massive flows higher up the succession. Fieldwork in the Etendeka CFBs reveal a similar style of lava field development. The focus of the offshore study is through the area of the GFA-99 seismic data. Detailed 3-D interpretation over the central data area is 20x20km in dimensions. The lava sequence present may be sub-divided vertically and laterally into 4 zones between the following seismic picks: Base basalt/sub-basalt sills, top compound lava-dominated series, top Middle Series, top hyaloclastites, top massive basalt. Within the lava sequence, the surfaces have rugose topographies. Lower zone lavas are characterised by discontinuous, indistinct reflectors. These are interpreted to be sub-aerially effused basalts with compound-braided architecture. Middle Series basalts are considered to be a combination of compound lavas and more massive, tabular flows. Steeply dipping seismic reflectors also form part of the Middle Series and are interpreted as foreset-bedded hyaloclastites. The uppermost lavas have strong reflection characteristics and are laterally extensive. These are interpreted to be massive tabular lavas covering an area >8.4 x10^3 km^2. Such flows exist in upper parts of CFB sequences as evidenced from fieldwork. Complex stacking arrangements of lavas seen in the field, and the complexities observed in seismic, suggest that many factors need to be considered within CFBs for improved sub-volcanic imaging. Factors include understanding: The facies-zones present, changes in velocity structure and the geometries present within facies types. EU 5th Framework Project SIMBA is a collaborative research project combining industrial and academic partners in flood basalt research. SIMBA incorporates: TotalFinaElf GRC, ARK Geophysics, Norsk Hydro, Institut Français du Pétrole (IFP) and Universities of Durham, Cambridge, UC Dublin and Brest.

Tracing subducted crustal materials in the mantle by using magnesium isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teng, F. Z.

2016-12-01

Recent studies show that some continental basalt, mantle-metasomatised peridotite and cratonic eclogite have heterogeneous Mg isotopic compositions. These isotopically distinct Mg isotopic compositions have been explained by the incorporation of subducted materials in their mantle sources though the detailed mechanisms are still not well understood. In particular, how Mg-poor crustal materials can modify Mg isotopic systematics of Mg-rich mantle is unknown. Subduction zones are the most efficient sites for crust and mantle interactions, hence should be where the most prominent Mg isotopic variation occurs. However, to date, little is known on Mg isotope systematics in the subduction factory. Here I first review and report new Mg isotopic data for arc lava, subarc peridotite and the subducted slab (marine sediment, altered basalt and abyssal peridotite), then use them to constrain the origins of mantle Mg isotopic heterogeneity and lay the foundation for using Mg isotopes as new tools for tracing crust-mantle interactions. The main conclusions are 1) fluid-rock interactions can modify Mg isotopic systematics of abyssal peridotites; 2) island arc lavas have non-MORB Mg isotopic compositions, reflecting distinct surbarc mantle Mg isotopic signature; 3) continental arcs have non-MORB Mg isotopic compositions, likely resulting from crustal contamination and 4) the isotopically heterogeneous continental basalts are mainly produced by mixing of isotopically distinct magmas instead of being partial melting products of metasomatised mantle peridotites.

Volcanism on the fossil Galapagos Rise spreading centre, SE Pacific

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haase, K. M.; Stroncik, N. A.

2002-12-01

A part of the fossil spreading centre of the Galapagos Rise at 10° S, 95° W in the SE Pacific Ocean was mapped and sampled. This spreading centre was active for about 12 Ma and was abandoned about 6.5 Ma ago when the spreading rate of the East Pacific Rise (EPR) increased. The aim of this study is to understand the tectonic and petrological implications of the ridge jump for the spreading centre and to gain insights into the processes in its melting column. Bathymetric swath mapping of a part of the Galapagos Rise revealed an elongated structure with a NNE-SSW strike direction which is bounded by a large fracture zone in the north. The mapped area can be divided into three segments, each of about 50 km length. The northernmost segment consists of an ~4400 m deep rift which shows similarities to a slow-spreading centre, e.g. the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The southern two segments are volcanic ridges with numerous volcanic flank cones which reach water depths up to 490 m. This volcanic ridge is interpreted as the continuation of the fossil spreading axis. While the northernmost segment is magmatically starved, the volcanic ridges of the southern two segments apparently formed after cessation of spreading. The rock samples from the rift flanks in the north are incompatible element-depleted (K/Ti 0.08-0.28) and plagioclase-phyric basalts resembling typical mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB). In contrast, the lavas from the two volcanic ridge segments in the south are highly vesicular incompatible element-enriched alkali basalts with K/Ti of 0.65-1.4. The depleted rift basalts have Sr isotope ratios below 0.7027 while the alkali basalts from the ridge range between 0.7029 and 0.7031. The rift basalts have significantly lower sodium contents than the alkali basalts and thus the southern lavas are probably derived by smaller degrees of partial melting. The relatively low Si contents of the alkali basalts also indicates formation deeper in the melting column than the northern MORB-like samples. The mantle source of the alkali basalts is similar to the enriched source of off-axis seamounts along the EPR. Our preliminary data suggest that the northernmost segment formed by tectonic processes during a final slow-spreading phase of the Galapagos Rise while the southern two segments erupted alkaline lavas probably after spreading stopped.

The Interior of the Moon, Core Formation, and the Lunar Hotspot: What Samples Tell Us

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neal, C. R.

1999-01-01

Remotely-gathered Lunar Prospector data have demonstrated the existence of a lunar "hotspot" on the near side of the Moon. This hotspot contains relatively high abundances of KREEPy incompatible trace elements (i.e., Th). It is generally accepted that primordial KREEP or urKREEP represents the residual liquid after the crystallization of a lunar magma ocean (LMO). The crystalline products from the LMO formed the source regions for the mare basalts. Lunar volcanic glasses cannot be genetically related to the crystalline mare basalts, and experimental petrology indicates they are derived from greater (> 400 km) depths than the mare basalts. Questions to be addressed include: (1) What was the extent of LMO melting? (2) What is the composition of the core? (3) Are there distinct geochemical reservoirs in the Moon? (4) Is there evidence of garnet in the lunar interior? (5) What caused the formation of the lunar hotspot? The scale of the LMO has been suggested to be whole Moon melting or only the outer about 400 km. If whole Moon melting is invoked, then differentiation of the Moon into a flotation plagioclase-rich crust, a mafic mineral cumulate mantle, and a Fe-rich core is more easily facilitated. However, as pointed out, if the material that formed the Moon came primarily from the already-differentiated Earth mantle, there may not be enough Fe to form a metallic Fe core on the Moon. Authors have suggested that the lunar core is made up of dense, ilmenite-rich, late-stage cumulates from the LMO. This can be tested by examining the Zr/Hf ratios of mare basalts and, where possible, the volcanic glasses. Partition coefficients for Zr and Hf in ilmenite are 0.29-0.32 and 0.4-0.43, respectively, with Zr being less compatible. Therefore, extraction of an "ilmenite" core would have a profound effect on the Zr/Hf ratio of urKREEP as ilmenite is a late-stage fractionating LMO phase. Assuming either a "primitive mantle" or chondritic starting material with a Zr/Hf ratio of 36-37, ilmenite extraction will increase this ratio in the residual liquid. Conversely, derivation of a melt from a source rich in ilmenite will produce a melt of lower Zr/ Hf ratio. Hughes and Schmitt defined a mean Zr/Hf for KREEP of 41.0 +/- 0.4, about 39 for Apollo 15 basalts, and 30-32 for Apollo 11, 12, and 17 basalts, with the decreases in Zr/Hf broadly correlating with La/Yb. However, literature data for Apollo 15 KREEP basalts and the KREEP-rich Apollo 14 mare basalts exhibit little variation in Zr/Hf from 36, indicating the KREEP component did not result from a major fractionation of ilmenite and suggesting that the lunar core is probably metallic in overall composition. With volcanic glasses being unrelated to the mare basalts and derived from greater depths, compositional comparisons allow their source regions to be compared. Highly siderophile elements Au and Ir are more abundant in the glasses relative to the basalts. As these elements are generally incompatible in silicate minerals, crystal fractionation experienced by the basalts will tend to increase the Au and It abundances. Therefore, the glasses may be derived from a source enriched in highly siderophile elements such as the platinum-group elements (PGEs) represented by Ir, relative to the source of the basalts. This observation can be accommodated with the basalts being derived from the LMO cumulates and the glasses derived from a source that represents "primitive Moon" that did not melt and, therefore, did not have its budget of PGEs and Au reduced through core formation. This can be tested by analyzing mare basalts and glasses for the PGEs. Although analytically challenging, the first PGE patterns in lunar samples were demonstrated that the source regions for the different Apollo 12 basalts could not be differentiated on the basis of PGE budgets, although the profiles are typical of silicate melts. Analysis of other trace-element data indicate that the high-field-strength elements can be used to differentiate between high- and low-Ti basalts. Also, the volcanic glasses were derived from a source with a higher Zr/Y ratio relative to the basalts, consistent with retention of garnet in the residue. If the glasses were derived from > 400 km, garnet could be stable. It is concluded that the volcanic glasses were derived from a source that contained garnet, but escaped the melting that formed the LMO. The mare basalts were derived from the LMO cumulate pile. Basaltic samples from Apollo 14 exhibit a range in ITE. They also exhibit a range of ages from 4.33 Ga to 3.96 Ga with the older basalts being KREEP-poor and the younger being KREEP-rich. Prospector mapping has identified relatively high Th abundances in this area, suggesting a large KREEP component is present at or near the surface. LMO "layer cake models" have residual urKREEP sandwiched between the mafic cumulate mantle and the plagioclase flotation cumulate crust. However, late-stage cumulates and the residual liquid will be more dense that the early mafic cumulates resulting in gravitational instabilities and overturn of the cumulate pile. This could transport urKREEP to the base of the LMO cumulate pile, but above the glass source region. The effect of Earth on the symmetry of the Moon has displaced the low-density crust, producing a thicker crust on the farside. This has produced an offset of the center of mass for the Moon toward Earth. It is suggested that the gravitational forces of the Earth pooled the urKREEP beneath at the base of the LMO on the lunar nearside. Heating through radioactive decay produced thermal instabilities, resulting in a plume of hot, KREEPy material rising adiabatically beneath the Apollo 14 site. The oldest Apollo basalts contain no evidence of a KREEPy component, suggesting diapiric rise of the KREEPy plume had not occurred at this time. Additional information contained in original.

Sr isotopic composition of Afar volcanics and its implication for mantle evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barberi, F.; Civetta, L.; Varet, J.

1980-10-01

Investigations of Rb-Sr systematics of basalts from the Afar depression (Ethiopia) indicate the presence of a heterogeneous mantle source region. The Sr isotopic compositions of the basalts from the Afar axial and transverse ranges identify source regions which are enriched in LIL elements and radiogenic Sr (axial ranges) and others which are relatively depleted (transverse ranges). Sr isotopic composition of basalts from the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Gulf of Tadjoura, which range from 0.70300 to 0.70340 are also reported and compared with the more radiogenic Afar region, which is characterized by 87Sr/ 86Sr ranging from 0.70328 to 0.70410. Available geochemical and isotopic data suggest that a relation exists between magma composition and the advancement of the rifting process through progressive lithosphere attenuation leading to continental break-up. However, the petrogenetic process is not simple and probably implies a vertically zoned mantle beneath the Afar region. Sr isotopic evidence suggests that the vertically zoned mantle is more radiogenic and enriched in LIL elements in its upper part.

Correlated compositional and mineralogical investigations at the Chang′e-3 landing site

PubMed Central

Ling, Zongcheng; Jolliff, Bradley L.; Wang, Alian; Li, Chunlai; Liu, Jianzhong; Zhang, Jiang; Li, Bo; Sun, Lingzhi; Chen, Jian; Xiao, Long; Liu, Jianjun; Ren, Xin; Peng, Wenxi; Wang, Huanyu; Cui, Xingzhu; He, Zhiping; Wang, Jianyu

2015-01-01

The chemical compositions of relatively young mare lava flows have implications for the late volcanism on the Moon. Here we report the composition of soil along the rim of a 450-m diameter fresh crater at the Chang′e-3 (CE-3) landing site, investigated by the Yutu rover with in situ APXS (Active Particle-induced X-ray Spectrometer) and VNIS (Visible and Near-infrared Imaging Spectrometer) measurements. Results indicate that this region's composition differs from other mare sample-return sites and is a new type of mare basalt not previously sampled, but consistent with remote sensing. The CE-3 regolith derived from olivine-normative basaltic rocks with high FeO/(FeO+MgO). Deconvolution of the VNIS data indicates abundant high-Ca ferropyroxene (augite and pigeonite) plus Fe-rich olivine. We infer from the regolith composition that the basaltic source rocks formed during late-stage magma-ocean differentiation when dense ferropyroxene-ilmenite cumulates sank and mixed with deeper, relatively ferroan olivine and orthopyroxene in a hybridized mantle source. PMID:26694712

Oxygen-isotope composition of ground water and secondary minerals in Columbia Plateau basalts: implications for the paleohydrology of the Pasco Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hearn, P.P.; Steinkampf, W.C.; Horton, D.G.; Solomon, G.C.; White, L.D.; Evans, J.R.

1989-01-01

Concentrations of 18O and deuterium in ground waters beneath the Hanford Reservation, Washington State, suggest that the meteoric waters recharging the basalt aquifers have been progressively depleted in these isotopes since at least Pleistocene time. This conclusion is supported by oxygen-isotope analyses of low-temperature secondary minerals filling vugs and fractures in the basalts, which are used to approximate the 18O content of ground water at the time the mineral assemblage formed. A fossil profile of ??18O values projected for ground water in a 1500 m vertical section beneath the reservation suggests that the vertical mixing of shallow and deep ground water indicated by present-day hydrochemical data was also occurring during Neogene time. These data also suggest that a unidirectional depletion of 18O and deuterium recorded in Pleistocene ground waters may have extended considerably further back in time. This shift is tentatively attributed to the orographic depletion of 18O associated with the progressive uplift of the Cascade Range since the middle Miocene. -Authors

Elastic moduli of rock glasses under pressure to 8 kilobars and geophysical implications.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meister, R.; Robertson, E.C.; Werke, R.W.; Raspet, R.

1980-01-01

Shear and longitudinal velocities were measured by the ultrasonic phase comparison method as a function of pressure to 8 kbar on synthetic glasses of basalt, andesite, rhyolite, and quartz composition and on natural obsidian. Velocities of most of the glasses decrease anomalously with pressure, but increasingly more-normal behavior occurs with decrease in SiO2 content. The pressure derivatives of rigidity and bulk modulus increase linearly, from -3.39 to -0.26 and from -5.91 to +2.09, respectively, with decrease in SiO2 content from 100 to 49%. The change from negative to positive in the pressure derivatives of both moduli and observed at Poisson's ratio of about 0.25 is consitent with the Smyth model for the anomalous elastic behavior of glass. If the temperature in the upper mantle is about 1500oC, tholeiitic basalt would be molten in accordance with the partial melt explanation for the low-velocity zone; at 1300oC and below, basalt would be in the glassy state, especially if more felsic than tholeiite. -Authors

Geochemistry of komatiites and basalts from the Rio das Velhas and Pitangui greenstone belts, São Francisco Craton, Brazil: Implications for the origin, evolution, and tectonic setting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verma, Sanjeet K.; Oliveira, Elson P.; Silva, Paola M.; Moreno, Juan A.; Amaral, Wagner S.

2017-07-01

The Neoarchean Rio das Velhas and Pitangui greenstone belts are situated in the southern São Francisco Craton, Minas Gerais, Brazil. These greenstone belts were formed between ca. 2.79-2.73 Ga, and consist mostly of mafic to ultramafic volcanics and clastic sediments, with minor chemical sediments and felsic volcanics that were metamorphosed under greenschist facies. Komatiites are found only in the Rio das Velhas greenstone belt, which is composed of high-MgO volcanic rocks that have been identified as komatiites and high-Mg basalts, based on their distinctive geochemical characteristics. The Rio das Velhas komatiites are composed of tremolite + actinolite + serpentine + albite with a relict spinifex-texture. The Rio das Velhas komatiites have a high magnesium content ((MgO)adj ≥ 28 wt.%), an Al-undepleted Munro-type [(Al2O3/TiO2)adj and (CaO/Al2O3)adj] ratio ranging from 27 to 47 and 0.48 to 0.89, relatively low abundances of incompatible elements, a depletion of light rare earth elements (LREE), a pattern of non-fractionated heavy rare- earth elements (HREE), and a low (Gd/Yb)PM ratio (≤ 1.0). Negative Ce anomalies suggest that alteration occurred during greenschist facies metamorphism for the komatiites and high-Mg basalts. The low [(Gd/Yb)PM < 1.0] and [(CaO/Al2O3)adj < 0.9)], high [(Al2O3/TiO2)adj > 18] and high HREE, Y, and Zr content suggest that the Rio das Velhas komatiites were derived from the shallow upper mantle without garnet involvement in the residue. The chemical compositions [(Al2O3/TiO2)adj, (FeO)adj, (MgO)adj, (CaO/Al2O3)adj, Na, Th, Ta, Ni, Cr, Zr, Y, Hf, and REE] indicate that the formation of the komatiites, high-Mg basalts and basalts occurred at different depths and temperatures in a heterogeneous mantle. The komatiites and high-Mg basalts melted at liquidus temperatures of 1450-1550 °C. The Pitangui basalts are enriched in the highly incompatible LILE (large-ion lithophile elements) relative to the moderately incompatible HFS (high field strength) elements. The Zr/Th ratio ranging from 76 to 213 and the relationship between the Nb/Th and Th/Yb ratios indicate that there is no crustal contamination in the Pitangui greenstone basalts. New multi-dimensional discrimination diagrams and conventional normalized multi-element diagrams indicate an island arc (IA) setting for the komatiites and high-Mg basalts from the Rio das Velhas and a mid ocean-ridge (MOR) to IA setting for the basalts from the Pitangui greenstone belts.

Weathering and hydrothermal alteration of basalts in Iceland: mineralogy from VNIR, TIR, XRD, and implications for Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ehlmann, B. L.; Mustard, J. F.; Bish, D. L.

2009-12-01

Recent orbital investigations have revealed that aqueous alteration on early Mars took place in diverse alteration environments indicated by distinctive assemblages of minerals (Murchie et al., 2009, JGR). There is growing evidence for past diagenetic or low-temperature/pressure hydrothermal activity on Mars at neutral to alkaline pH, indicated by the presence of Fe/Mg smectites, chlorite, prehnite, serpentine, opaline silica, and zeolites such as analcime in Noachian terrains (Ehlmann et al., 2009, JGR). In recent investigations of terrestrial Mars analog sites, neutral to alkaline pH alteration of basalt, both pedogenic and hydrothermal, has been understudied in favor of sulfur-rich, acidic systems including those at the Hawaiian volcanoes and Rio Tinto, Spain. We began study of the alteration of basalt lava flows in Iceland as a geochemical analog for Noachian Mars. Because the basaltic bedrock is recently formed (<16Ma) with few localities of more highly evolved composition and has poorly formed soils and spare vegetation, the ground and surface waters are broadly similar to those which might have existed on Noachian Mars. Iceland has a variety of geothermal spring systems--low T, low S; low T, high S; and high T, high S--each of which creates distinctive mineralogic assemblages. Here we examine rocks of the Hvalfjordur peninsula, collected from basalt flows that were in some places altered at the surface by pedogenesis and in other locations were hydrothermally altered by non-sulfurous groundwater circulation (low T, low S) following the emplacement of a later hot basalt flow. Rock samples were surveyed in the field using a portable VNIR spectrometer. Altered and unaltered rocks that were typical for the locality were collected as were altered rocks whose spectra were most similar to those measured by CRISM from Mars orbit. Ten rocks were ultimately selected for detailed laboratory analyses: zeolitized basaltic rocks bearing minerals including analcime and thomsonite, basalts with silica/quartz-bearing veins, basalts bearing celadonite, and basalts partially altered to montmorillonite, Fe/Mg smectite, or mixed smectite-chlorite. Analyses included: (1) measurement of reflectance spectra of the whole rock by the ASD; (2) measurement of VNIR and TIR spectra in RELAB of particle-size separates (<25um and <125um) derived from the bulk rock and from precipitated minerals extracted from the vesicles; (3) measurement of X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, including quantitative XRD; and (4) electron microprobe chemical analyses. These data emulate orbital data from CRISM, OMEGA, and TES, which detect the infrared active components, linked to in-situ data on whole rock modal mineralogy such as will be measured by the ChemMin instrument on the MSL rover.

Rare earth element mobility in vesicular lava during low-grade metamorphism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nyström, Jan Olov

1984-12-01

A geochemical comparison of basaltic relicts and spilitic domains from two burial metamorphosed flows in central Chile, of similar original composition and rich and poor in amygdules, respectively, demonstrates a relationship between initial vesicularity and rare earth element (REE) mobility. During spilitization the REE were partly leached from permeable parts of the flows and precipitated in voids, now amygdules and veinlets. The REE (excluding Eu) moved coherently in the highly amygdaloidal flow: spilitic domains and amygdules inherited the basaltic REE pattern. Besides being characterized by a positive Eu anomaly, epidotes separated from amygdules have a REE distribution which mimics that of the basalt; the absolute contents range widely, suggesting local and/or temporal REE variations in the metamorphic fluids. Pumpellyite differs by being strongly enriched in heavy REE. Similar ratios of Th, Hf and Ta in samples as contrasting as relict basalt and a geode are consistent with coherent leaching. Coherent mobility, when established for a rock system, can be used to elucidate, for example, whether minerals in cross-cutting veins were formed by local redistribution or from introduced material.

COMBINED ANALYSIS OF THORIUM AND FAST NEUTRON DATA AT THE LUNAR SURFACE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

O. GASNAULT; W. FELDMAN; ET AL

2001-01-01

The global distribution of the radioactive elements (U, K, Th) at the lunar surface is an important parameter for an understanding of lunar evolution, because they have provided continuous heat over the lifetime of the Moon. Today, only the thorium distribution is available for the whole lunar surface [1]. Another key parameter that characterize the surface of the Moon is the presence of mare basalts. These basalts are concentrated on the nearside and are represented by materials with high-Fe content, sometimes associated with high-Ti. We demonstrated elsewhere that the fast neutron measurement made by Lunar Prospector is representative of themore » average soil atomic mass [2]. is primarily dominated by Fe and Ti in basaltic terranes, and therefore the map of the fast neutrons provides a good delineation of mare basalts. We focus here on the correlated variations of thorium abundances and fast neutron fluxes averaged over areas of 360 km in diameter, in an attempt to provide a better understanding of the thorium emplacement on the surface of the Moon.« less

The discovery of late Quaternary basalt on Mount Bambouto: Implications for recent widespread volcanic activity in the southern Cameroon Line

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kagou Dongmo, Armand; Nkouathio, David; Pouclet, André; Bardintzeff, Jacques-Marie; Wandji, Pierre; Nono, Alexandre; Guillou, Hervé

2010-04-01

At the north-eastern flank of Mount Bambouto, a lateral cone, the Totap volcano, is dated at 0.480 ± 0.014 Ma, which corresponds to the most recent activity of this area. The lava is a basanite similar to the older basanites of Mount Bambouto. Two new datations of the lavas of the substratum are 11.75 ± 0.25 Ma, and 21.12 ± 0.45 Ma. A synthetic revision of the volcanic story of Mount Bambouto is proposed as follows. The first stage, ca. 21 Ma, corresponds to the building of the initial basaltic shield volcano. The second stage, from 18.5 to 15.3 Ma, is marked by the collapse of the caldera linked to the pouring out of ignimbritic rhyolites and trachytes. The third stage, from 15 to 4.5 Ma, renews with basaltic effusive activity, together with post-caldera extrusions of trachytes and phonolites. The 0.5 Ma Totap activity could be a fourth stage. In the recent Quaternary, a number of basaltic activities, similar to that of the Totap volcano, are encountered elsewhere in the Cameroon Line, from Mount Oku to Mount Cameroon. The very long-live activity at Mount Bambouto and the volcanic time-space distribution in the southern Cameroon Line are linked to the working of a hotline.

Coincidences in time of the Imbrium Basin impact and Apollo 15 KREEP volcanic series: Impact-induced melting?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ryder, Graham

1992-01-01

On the Earth there may be no firm evidence that impacts can induce volcanic activity. However, the Moon does provide a very likely example of volcanism induced by an immense impact: the Imbrium Basin-forming event was immediately succeeded by a crustal partial melting event that released KREEP lava flows over a wide area. These two events are presently indistinguishable in radiometric age. The sample record indicates that such KREEP volcanism had not occurred in the region prior to that time, and never occurred again. Such coincidence in time implies a genetic relationship between the two events, and impact-induced partial melting appears to be the only candidate process. This conclusion rests essentially on the arguments that: (1) the Imbrium Basin event took place 3.86 +/- 0.02 Ga ago; (2) the Apennine Bench Formation postdates Imbrium; (3) the Apollo 15 KREEP basalts are 3.85 +/- 0.03 Ga old; (4) the Apollo 15 KREEP basalts are derived from the Apennine Bench Formation; and (5) the Apollo 15 KREEP basalts are volcanic. Thus, the Apollo 15 KREEP basalts represent a unique volcanic unit that immediately postdates the Imbrium event (within 20 Ma, possibly much less). The evidence for the links in the argument are sketched, and some implications for initial conditions are described. Ramifications of the process for the early history of the Earth are briefly explored.

Investigating the Mantle Source of the Lunar Crater Volcanic Field, Nevada: Evidence of a Thermal Plume?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, J. W.; Roden, M.

2016-12-01

The Easy Chair Crater (ECC), located within the Lunar Crater Volcanic Field (LCVF) in central Nevada is particularly interesting because of the unusually high equilibrium temperatures and strain recorded by the mantle-derived xenoliths at LCVF1. In addition, a gravity and elevation anomaly suggests the possibility of an underlying thermal plume in the region2. In order to determine if the rocks at ECC are geochemically similar to rocks from other plume-related regions, we analyzed melt inclusions and olivine phenocrysts collected from basalts near the crater. Chlorine amounts in melt inclusions were normalized to the highly incompatible K to produce a ratio that is insensitive to crystallization within or along the walls of the inclusion3. Because Cl is implicated in lithosphere recycling, the Cl/K ratio can be used to differentiate magmatic source components. Initial results (Fig. 1) indicate that basalts from ECC are geochemically more similar to ocean island basalts than to MORB or arc basalts. Elemental ratios in olivine phenocrysts from basaltic magmas can be used to determine the petrology of the source rock for particular silicate melts. In turn, petrology of mantle sources is thought to correlate with source nature (e.g., plume versus upper mantle)4. Specifically, Ni and Mn amounts were evaluated in order to determine if magma sources were pyroxenite-rich. Preliminary calculations of the wt. fraction of pyroxenite in the source of ECC basalts ranged from 0.13 to 0.68 indicating the possibility of a significant amount of pyroxenite in the magmatic source which would be expected if a plume was present beneath LCVF. References:1Smith, D. (2000) JGR 105: 16769; 2Saltus, R.W. & Thompson, G.A. (1995) Tectonics 14:1235; 3Patiño Douce, A.E. & Roden, M.F. (2006) Geochim Cosmochim Acta 70: 3173; 4Gurenko et al. (2010) Contrib Mineral Petrol 159: 689

Comprehensive Pb-Sr-Nd-Hf isotopic, trace element, and mineralogical characterization of mafic to ultramafic rock reference materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fourny, Anaïs.; Weis, Dominique; Scoates, James S.

2016-03-01

Controlling the accuracy and precision of geochemical analyses requires the use of characterized reference materials with matrices similar to those of the unknown samples being analyzed. We report a comprehensive Pb-Sr-Nd-Hf isotopic and trace element concentration data set, combined with quantitative phase analysis by XRD Rietveld refinement, for a wide range of mafic to ultramafic rock reference materials analyzed at the Pacific Centre for Isotopic and Geochemical Research, University of British Columbia. The samples include a pyroxenite (NIM-P), five basalts (BHVO-2, BIR-1a, JB-3, BE-N, GSR-3), a diabase (W-2), a dolerite (DNC-1), a norite (NIM-N), and an anorthosite (AN-G); results from a leucogabbro (Stillwater) are also reported. Individual isotopic ratios determined by MC-ICP-MS and TIMS, and multielement analyses by HR-ICP-MS are reported with 4-12 complete analytical duplicates for each sample. The basaltic reference materials have coherent Sr and Nd isotopic ratios with external precision below 50 ppm (2SD) and below 100 ppm for Hf isotopes (except BIR-1a). For Pb isotopic reproducibility, several of the basalts (JB-3, BHVO-2) require acid leaching prior to dissolution. The plutonic reference materials also have coherent Sr and Nd isotopic ratios (<50 ppm), however, obtaining good reproducibility for Pb and Hf isotopic ratios is more challenging for NIM-P, NIM-N, and AN-G due to a variety of factors, including postcrystallization Pb mobility and the presence of accessory zircon. Collectively, these results form a comprehensive new database that can be used by the geochemical community for evaluating the radiogenic isotope and trace element compositions of volcanic and plutonic mafic-ultramafic rocks.

The Chlorine Isotope Composition of Earth’s Mantle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonifacie, M.; Jendrzejewski, N.; Agrinier, P.; Humler, E.; Coleman, M.; Javoy, M.

2008-03-01

Chlorine stable isotope compositions (δ37Cl) of 22 mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORBs) correlate with Cl content. The high-δ37Cl, Cl-rich basalts are highly contaminated by Cl-rich materials (seawater, brines, or altered rocks). The low-δ37Cl, Cl-poor basalts approach the composition of uncontaminated, mantle-derived magmas. Thus, most or all oceanic lavas are contaminated to some extent during their emplacement. MORB-source mantle has δ37Cl ≤ 1.6 per mil (‰), which is significantly lower than that of surface reservoirs (~ 0‰). This isotopic difference between the surface and deep Earth results from net Cl isotopic fractionation (associated with removal of Cl from the mantle and its return by subduction over Earth history) and/or the addition (to external reservoirs) of a late volatile supply that is 37Cl-enriched.

Lonar Lake, India: An impact Crater in basalt

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fredriksson, K.; Dube, A.; Milton, D.J.; Balasundaram, M.S.

1973-01-01

Discovery of shock-metamorphosed material establishes the impact origin of Lonar Crater. Coarse breccia with shatter coning and microbreccia with moderately shocked fragments containing maskelynite were found in drill holes through the crater floor. Trenches on the rim yield strongly shocked fragments in which plagioclase has melted and vesiculated, and bombs and spherules of homogeneous rock melt. As the only known terrestrial impact crater in basalt, Lonar Crater provides unique opportunities for comparison with lunar craters. In particular, microbreccias and glass spherules from Lonar Crater have close analogs among the Apollo specimens.

The x ray microprobe determination of chromium oxidation state in olivine from lunar basalt and kimberlitic diamonds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sutton, S. R.; Bajt, S.; Rivers, M. L.; Smith, J. V.

1993-01-01

The synchrotron x-ray microprobe is being used to obtain oxidation state information on planetary materials with high spatial resolution. Initial results on chromium in olivine from various sources including laboratory experiments, lunar basalt, and kimberlitic diamonds are reported. The lunar olivine was dominated by Cr(2+) whereas the diamond inclusions had Cr(2+/Cr(3+) ratios up to about 0.3. The simpliest interpretation is that the terrestrial olivine crystallized in a more oxidizing environment than the lunar olivine.

Quantitative EPMA Compositional Mapping of NWA 2995: Characterization, and Petrologic Interpretation of Mafic Clasts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carpenter, P. K.; Hahn, T. M.; Korotev, R. L.; Ziegler, R. A.; Jolliff, B. L.

2017-01-01

We present the first fully quantitative compositional maps of lunar meteorite NWA 2995 using electron microprobe stage mapping, and compare selected clast mineralogy and chemistry. NWA 2995 is a feldspathic fragmental breccia containing numerous highland fine grained lithologies, including anorthosite, norite, olivine basalt, subophitic basalt, gabbro, KREEP-like basalt, granulitic and glassy impact melts, coarse-grained mineral fragments, Fe-Ni metal, and glassy matrix [1]. Chips of NWA 2995, representing these diverse materials, were analyzed by INAA and fused-bead electron-probe microanalysis (EPMA); comparison of analytical data suggests grouping of lunar meteorites NWA 2995, 2996, 3190, 4503, 5151, and 5152. The mean composition of NWA 2995 corresponds to a 2:1 mixture of feldspathic and mare material, with approximately 5% KREEP component [2]. Clast mineral chemistry and petrologic interpretation of paired stone NWA 2996 has been reported by Mercer et al. [3], and Gross et al. [4]. This study combines advances in quantitative EPMA compositional mapping and data analysis, as applied to selected mafic clasts in a polished section of NWA 2995, to investigate the origin of mafic lithic components and to demonstrate a procedural framework for petrologic analysis.

Remote Sensing and Geologic Studies of the Schiller-Schickard Region of the Moon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blewett, David T.; Hawke, B. Ray; Lucey, Paul G.; Taylor, G. Jeffrey; Jaumann, Ralf; Spudis, Paul D.

1995-01-01

Near-infrared reflectance spectra, multispectral images, and photogeologic data for the Schiller-Schickard (SS) region were obtained and analyzed in order to determine the composition and origin of a variety of geologic units. These include light plains deposits, Orientale-related deposits, mare units, and dark-haloed impact craters (DHCs). Spectral data indicate that the pre-Orientale highland surface was dominated by noritic anorthosite. Near-IR spectra show that DHCs in the region have excavated ancient (greater than 3.8 Ga) mare basalts from beneath highland-bearing material emplaced by the Orientale impact. Ancient mare basalts were widespread in the SS region prior to the Orientale event, and their distribution appears to have been controlled by the presence of several old impact basins, including the Schiller-Zucchius basin and a basin previously unrecognized. Both near-IR spectra and multispectral images indicate that light plains and other Orientale-related units in the SS region contain major amounts of local, pre-Orientale mare basalt. The amounts of local material in these deposits approach, but seldom exceed, the maximum values predicted by the local mixing hypothesis of Oberbeck and co-workers.

Recent Results from the Spirit Rover at Home Plate and "Silica Valley"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Squyres, S. W.

2007-12-01

The Mars Exploration Rover Spirit has spent more than 500 sols exploring Home Plate in the inner basin of the Columbia Hills, and adjacent materials. Home Plate is a plateau of layered rocks 80-90 meters in diameter and ~2 meters high. The rocks are clastic and of moderately altered alkali basalt composition, enriched in some volatile elements. A coarse-grained lower unit is overlain by a finer-grained upper unit. Textural observations, including a prominent bomb sag, indicate that the lower strata were emplaced in an explosive event. Geochemical similarities to nearby volcanic rocks and the enrichment in volatile elements favor an explosive volcanic origin. Along the northern portion of Home Plate, the upper unit is very well sorted and composed of well rounded sand sized grains, pointing to textural maturity and suggesting an eolian origin. Along the southeastern portion, however, the upper unit contains some coarser granules too large to be transported by saltation. While their size is comparable to other clasts on Mars that have moved by saltation-induced creep, the observed textures clearly are consistent with emplacement as a pyroclastic surge. The upper and lower units are effectively identical in composition, so the upper unit probably represents a finer-grained fraction of pyroclastic materials that may have undergone some local reworking by wind. Rocks along the margins of Home Plate show a consistent dip toward the center of the plateau. We interpret Home Plate to be the eroded remnants of a formerly more extensive sheet of pyroclastic materials, perhaps produced in a phreatomagmatic eruption. The inward dips may have arisen when pyroclastic materials overrode and partially buried a pre-existing bowl-shaped depression such as an impact crater, draping the topography. Immediately to the east of Home Plate is a narrow valley bounded on one side by Home Plate and on the other by Mitcheltree Ridge. While operating within this valley, Spirit's inoperative right front wheel excavated a small patch of high albedo soil. Mini-TES spectra of this soil were well fit by amorphous silica, and subsequent investigation with the APXS showed a composition that was more than 90% SiO2. The deposits are also enriched in Ti. Mini-TES spectra of nearby rocks also show a strong signature of amorphous silica, and APXS spectra of these rocks also confirm a high silica content. We consider two hypotheses for the formation of these silica-rich deposits. One is that they developed via precipitation from hydrothermal fluids. Siliceous sinter deposits are common in terrestrial hydrothermal environments where fluids dissolve Si from host rocks at high temperatures and then reprecipitate silica at lower temperatures. Alternatively, the Si-rich materials may represent the remnants of formerly basaltic materials that have been extensively leached in a fumarolic environment under acid sulfate conditions. In either case, the proximity to Home Plate is consistent with formation via the interaction of basaltic volcanism with groundwater. The astrobiological implications of these Si-rich deposits may be significant. Both hydrothermal systems and fumaroles are capable of supporting microbial ecosystems on Earth, and precipitated silica deposits in both environments can preserve strong textural evidence of microbial life.

Development Issues for Lunar Regolith Simulants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rickman, Doug; Carpenter, Paul; Sibille, Laurent; Owens, Charles; French, Raymond; McLemore, Carole

2006-01-01

Significant challenges and logistical issues exist for the development of standardized lunar regolith simulant (SLRS) materials for use in the development and testing of flight hardware for upcoming NASA lunar missions. A production program at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) for the deployment of lunar mare basalt simulant JSC-lA is underway. Root simulants have been proposed for the development of a low-T mare basalt simulant and a high-Ca highland anorthosite simulant, as part of a framework of simulant development outlined in the 2005 Lunar Regolith Simulant Materials Workshop held at MSFC. Many of the recommendation for production and standardization of simulants have already been documented by the MSFC team. But there are a number of unanswered questions related to geology which need ta be addressed prior to the creation of the simulants.

Petrogenesis of the Majiari ophiolite (western Tibet, China): Implications for intra-oceanic subduction in the Bangong-Nujiang Tethys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Qiang-tai; Liu, Wei-liang; Xia, Bin; Cai, Zhou-rong; Chen, Wei-yan; Li, Jian-feng; Yin, Zheng-xin

2017-09-01

The Majiari ophiolite lies in the western Bangong-Nujiang Suture Zone, which separates the Qiangtang and Lhasa blocks in central Tibet. The ophiolite consists of peridotite, gabbro/diabase and basalt. Zircon U-Pb dating yielded an age of 170.5 ± 1.7 Ma for the gabbro, whereas 40Ar/39Ar dating of plagioclase from the same gabbro yielded ages of 108.4 ± 2.6 Ma (plateau age) and 112 ± 2 Ma (isochron age), indicating that the ophiolite was formed during the Middle Jurassic and was probably emplaced during the Early Cretaceous. Zircons from the gabbro have εHf(t) values ranging from +6.9 to +10.6 and f(Lu/Hf) values ranging from -0.92 to -0.98. Mafic lavas plot in the tholeiitic basalt field but are depleted in Nb, Ta and Ti and enriched in Rb, Ba and Th in the N-MORB-normalized trace element spider diagram. These lavas have whole-rock εNd(t) values of +5.9 to +6.6, suggesting that they were derived from a depleted mantle source, which was probably modified by subducted materials. The Majiari ophiolite probably formed in a typical back-arc basin above a supra-subduction zone (SSZ) mantle wedge. Intra-oceanic subduction occurred during the Middle Jurassic and collision of the Lhasa and South Qiangtang terranes likely occurred in the Early Cretaceous. Thus, closure of the Bangong-Nujiang Tethys Ocean likely occurred before the Early Cretaceous.

Sequence and petrogenesis of the Jurassic volcanic rocks (Yeba Formation) in the Gangdese arc, southern Tibet: Implications for the Neo-Tethyan subduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhi-Chao; Ding, Lin; Zhang, Li-Yun; Wang, Chao; Qiu, Zhi-Li; Wang, Jian-Gang; Shen, Xiao-Li; Deng, Xiao-Qin

2018-07-01

The Yeba Formation volcanic rocks in the Gangdese arc recorded important information regarding the early history of the Neo-Tethyan subduction. To explore their magmatic evolution and tectonic significance, we performed a systematic petrological, geochronological and geochemical study on these volcanic rocks. Our data indicated that the Yeba Formation documents a transition from andesite-dominated volcanism (which started before 182 Ma and continued until 176 Ma) to bimodal volcanism ( 174-168 Ma) in the earliest Middle Jurassic. The early-stage andesite-dominated volcanics are characterized by various features of major and trace elements and are interpreted as the products of interactions between mantle-derived arc magmas and lower crustal melts. Their positive εNd(t) and εHf(t) values suggest a significant contribution of asthenosphere-like mantle. The late-stage bimodal volcanism is dominated by felsic rocks with subordinate basalts. Geochemical signatures of the basalts indicate a composite magma source that included a "subduction component", an asthenosphere-like upper mantle domain and an ancient subcontinental lithospheric mantle component. The felsic rocks of the late stage were produced mainly by the melting of juvenile crust, with some ancient crustal materials also involved. We suggest that the occurrence and preservation of the Yeba Formation volcanic rocks were tied to a tectonic switch from contraction to extension in the Gangdese arc, which probably resulted from slab rollback of the subducting Neo-Tethyan oceanic slab during the Jurassic.

Feeder systems of acidic lava flows from the Paraná-Etendeka Igneous Province in southern Brazil and their implications for eruption style

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Lima, Evandro Fernandes; Waichel, Breno Leitão; Rossetti, Lucas De Magalhães May; Sommer, Carlos Augusto; Simões, Matheus Silva

2018-01-01

In the Rio Grande do Sul State, southern Brazil, the volcanic sequence of the Paraná-Etendeka Igneous Province consists of pahoehoe and rubbly pahoehoe lava flows with basaltic and basaltic andesitic composition respectively, overlaid by acidic volcanic rocks. The acidic volcanic rocks of the Paraná-Etendeka Igneous Province exhibit textures and structures that can be related to effusive and/or explosive eruptions generating predominantly rheoignimbrites. The huge lava volume related to the emplacement of large igneous provinces implicates on efficient feeder systems that are more commonly observed in continental environments. In the Paraná-Etendeka Igneous Province, feeders of basaltic rocks are exposed in several dyke swarms (Ponta Grossa NW trending, Florianópolis/Skeleton Coast (NW Namibia) N-S trending, Serra do Mar NE trending and Henties Bay/Outjo NE trending). In contrast, the only feeder system proposed to the acidic rocks of the Paraná-Etendeka Igneous Province is the Messum complex in Namibia (Milner et al. 1995). In the study area, the opening of three quarries for the extraction of dimension stones has exposed impressive structures/textures that show the effusive emplacement and the ductile to fragile-ductile magma transition along the acidic feeder dykes. Besides that, magma mixing/mingling processes between two acidic magmas are observed along the dykes. Here we describe new occurrences of acidic feeder dykes, correlate the dykes with acidic flows and discuss their importance to understand the emplacement of the Palmas type acid units in southern Brazil.

Phase relations of aluminous silica to 120 GPa and lowermost mantle dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tronnes, R. G.; Andrault, D.; Konopkova, Z.; Morgenroth, W.; Liermann, H.-P.

2012-04-01

Basalts have 3-10 times higher concentrations of Al, Ti, Ca and Na and more than 5 times lower concentration of Mg than peridotite. The resulting lower mantle basaltic mineralogy has no ferropericlase and low proportion of Mg-perovskite and post-perovskite with high Fe/Mg-ratio. Oversaturation of silica and alumina produces separate silica-dominated phases and Al-rich phases (NAL and Ca-ferrite phases). At pressures of 60-100 GPa common basalts crystallize 15-20% CaCl2-structured silica, 15-25% Ca-ferrite, 35-40% Mg-perovskite and 20-30% Ca-perovskite. The Fe-rich Mg-perovskite makes basaltic material denser than peridotite throughout the lower mantle below 720 km depth, with important implications for mantle dynamics. Partial separation of subducted basaltic crust from depleted lithosphere may occur within the strongly heterogeneous D" zone. The silica-dominated phases have considerable solubility of alumina [1]. At 3500-4000 K the transition from the CaCl2-phase to seifertite (a-PbO2-structure) of pure SiO2 occurs at 130-140 GPa, with a dp/dT-slope of about 10 MPa/K [2]. The transition pressure is reduced with Al-saturation. We investigated silica with 4 and 6 wt% alumina to 120 GPa, using LH-DAC at the Extreme Conditions Beamline (P02.2) at PETRA-III, DESY. Powdered glass mixed with 10-15 wt% Pt-powder was compressed and heated in NaCl pressure media in Re-gaskets. To delineate the phase transition, the samples were compressed incrementally with intermittent laser heating. Slow reaction rates required 20-40 min heating at 3500-4000 K for each heating step. The XRD data and pressure estimates were acquired repeatedly during heating and after quenching to room temperature. The first crystallization of seifertite at 3500-4000 K was recorded at about 118 and 108 GPa in samples with 4 and 6 wt% AlO1.5, respectively. The CaCl2-structured silica phase crystallized along with seifertite, consistent with a binary phase loop trending towards lower pressure with increasing Al-content. Due to the presence of the Al-rich Ca-ferrite phase (near the MgAl2O4-NaAlSiO4-join) in natural basaltic compositions, the Al-solubility limits for the silica-dominated phases in basaltic lithologies may be similar to those in the binary system SiO2-AlO1.5. Phase transitions in response to increasing pressure are generally associated with densification. Because of the strong partitioning of light and voluminous AlO1.5 into seifertite, however, the densification effect is more than offset by the lighter alumina component. The unit cell data of ref. [1] indicate a volume increase of about 3.8% associated with the transition. The associated density reduction would be strongly dependent on the substitution mechanism. O-vacancy and cation (3Si4+ → 4Al3+) substitutions yield density reductions of 5.4% and 1.9%, respectively [1]. The large density reduction accompanying the seifertite transition may limit the role of gravitational accretion of evolved MORB to the LLSVPs. Segregation of Fe-rich picritic, komatiitic or peridotitic rocks with no separate silica phase may be more likely. Deep-mantle cumulates and solidified melts of peridotitic to komatiitic composition were mostly produced in the Hadean and early Archean, indicating that the antipodal and near-equatorial LLSVPs, stabilized by Earth's rotation, could also represent ancient structures.

Lunar Meteorites and Implications for Compositional Remote Sensing of the Lunar Surface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Korotev, R. L.

1999-01-01

Lunar meteorites (LMs) are rocks found on Earth that were ejected from the Moon by impact of an asteroidal meteoroid. Three factors make the LMs important to remote-sensing studies: (1) Most are breccias composed of regolith or fragmental material; (2) all are rocks that resided (or breccias composed of material that resided) in the upper few meters of the Moon prior to launch and (3) most apparently come from areas distant from the Apollo sites. How Many Lunar Locations? At this writing (June 1999), there are 18 known lunar meteorite specimens. When unambiguous cases of terrestrial pairing are considered, the number of actual LMs reduces to 13. (Terrestrial pairing is when a single piece of lunar rock entered Earth's atmosphere, but multiple fragments were produced because the meteoroid broke apart on entry, upon hitting the ground or ice, or while being transported through the ice.) We have no reason to believe that LMs preferentially derive from any specific region(s) of the Moon; i.e., we believe that they are samples from random locations. However, we do not know how many different locations are represented by the LMs; mathematically, it could be as few as 1 or as many as 13. The actual maximum is < 13 because in some cases a single impact appears to have yielded more than one LM. Yamato 793169 and Asuka 881757 are considered "source-crater paired" or "launch paired" because they are compositionally and petrographically similar to each other and distinct from the others, and both have similar cosmic-ray exposure (CRE) histories. The same can be said of QUE 94281 and Y 793274. Thus the 13 meteorites probably represent a maximum of 11 locations on the Moon. The minimum number of likely source craters is debated and in flux as new data for different isotopic systems are obtained. Conservatively, considering CRE data only, a minimum of about 5 impacts is required. Compositional and petrographic data offer only probabilistic constraints. An extreme, but not unreasonable viewpoint, is that such data offer no constraint. For example, if one were to cut up the Apollo 17 landing site (which was selected for its diversity) into softball-sized pieces, some of those pieces (e.g., sample 70135) would be crystalline mare basalts like Y 793169 whereas others (e.g., sample 73131 would be feldspathic regolith breccias like MAC 88104/ 88105. However, nature is not so devious. Warren argues that LMs come from craters of only a few kilometers in diameter. If so, even though CRE data allow, for example, that ALHA 81005 and Y 791197) were launched simultaneously from the same crater, the probability is nevertheless low because the two meteorites are compositionally and mineralogically distinct. Thus, within the allowed range (5-11) for the number of locations represented by the LMs, values at the high end of the range are probably more likely. Mare Meteorites: Three LMs consist almost entirely of mare basalt. Two, Y 793169 and Asuka 881757, are unbrecciated, low-Ti, crystalline rocks that are compositionally and mineralogically similar (but not identical) to each other; they probably derive from a single lunar-mare location. The third, EET 87521/96008, is a fragmental breccia consisting predominantly of VLT mare basalt. Thus, these LMs probably represent only two lunar mare locations. The basaltic LMs have mineral and bulk compositions distinct from Apollo mare basalts. The petrography of Calcalong Creek has not been described in detail, but compositionally it is unique in that it corresponds to a mixture (breccia) of about one-half feldspathic material (i.e., the mean composition of the feldspathic lunar meteorites, below), one-fourth KREEP norite, one-fourth VLT mare basalt (like EET 87521), and 1% CI chondrite. With 4 micro g/g Th and correspondingly high concentrations of other incompatible elements, it is the only lunar meteorite that is likely to have come from within the Procellarum KREEP Terrane (PKT). Yamato 793274 and QUE 94281 are together distinct in being fragmental breccias containing subequal parts of feldspathic highland material and VLT mare basalt. Jolliff et al. estimate a mare to highland ratio of 54:46 for QUE 94281 and 62:38 for Y 793274; this difference is well within the range observed for soils collected only centimeters apart (in cores) at interface site like Apollo 15 and 17 [11]. Although the two meteorites were found on opposite sides of Antarctica, they are probably launch-paired. The strongest evidence is that the pyroclastic glass spherules that occur in both are of two compositional groups and the two groups are essentially the same in both meteorites. Yamato 791197 is nominally a feldspathic lunar meteorite (below), but among FLMs, it probably contains the highest abundance of clasts and glasses of mare derivation. As a consequence, its composition is at the high-Fe, low-Mg end of the range for FLMs and is not included in the FLM average of Table 1. Its composition is consistent with about 10% mare-derived material. Similarly, the two small (Y 82) pieces of Y 82192/82193186032 are more mafic than the large (Y 86) piece, probably as a result of about 7% mare-derived material. All Apollo missions went to areas in or near the PKT, and, consequently, all Apollo regolith samples are contaminated with Th-rich material from the PKT. At the nominally "typical" highland site, Apollo 16, about 30% of the regolith (<1-mm fines) is Th-rich ejecta from the Imbrium impact and about 6% is mare material probably derived from mare basins. Thus Apollo 16 regolith is not typical of the highlands. Among Apollo rocks, the compositions of the FLMs correspond most closely to the feldspathic granulitic breccias of Apollo 16 and 17. (Additional information is contained in original)

Basalts, gabbroic cumulates and andesite generation in the Lesser Antilles - An experimental perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pichavant, M.; Di Carlo, I.; Lesne, P.; Wulput, L.; Maury, R. C.; Macdonald, R.

2012-12-01

New experiments have been performed to explore the petrological relationships between basaltic magmas, gabbroic cumulates, amphibole (Amph) crystallization and andesite generation in the Lesser Antilles arc. Four natural basalt starting materials representative of typical high-MgO (HMB) and high-Al2O3 (HAB) along the arc have been selected. Results are combined with previous experimental work on mafic melts from Mt Pelée and St Vincent. Under H2O-saturated conditions, Amph stability is about 25°C higher in HMB than HAB, being limited to a maximum of1050-1100°C at 10 kbar. Amph is the liquidus phase for the 3 high-Al2O3 basalts above 4 kbar (> 6 wt% H2O in melt), and very close to the liquidus for the high-MgO basalt at 10 kbar (9-10 wt% H2O in melt). Derivative liquids from the crystallization of Amph-bearing assemblages are basaltic to dacitic, depending on parental melt composition, extent of crystallization and experimental fO2. Fractionation of > 20 wt% Amph is necessary to produce andesitic-dacitic liquids from basaltic parents. Amph composition reflects the Al/Si and Mg# of their parental melts. It generally divides into two groups, one Si-poor and Al-rich (pargasite: gabbroic cumulates, basalts, andesites) and the other Si-rich and Al-poor (edenite: dioritic cumulates, andesites, dacites). The systematic presence of Amph in gabbroic cumulate blocks, its near-absence in basaltic to andesitic lavas, plus the compositional contrast between the two Amph groups, suggest the existence of an Amph-free "window" along the P-T-X magma evolution trend. In gabbroic cumulates, Amph shows systematic differences between islands (similar Mg# but higher AlIV in Martinique than in St Vincent). Our experimental results suggest that the origin of the St Vincent gabbroic assemblages can be traced back to residual melts generated from the crystallization of high-MgO basalts. However, Amph with the highest AlIV(eg, Martinique, Montserrat) have not been reproduced in our experiments, suggesting that these gabbroic assemblages originate from melts different from our starting compositions. High AlIV in Amph (at high Mg#) implies highly aluminous and/or silica-poor primitive parental melts unlike the high-MgO basalt group. We explore the different possibilities for the origin of such parental melts, including the hypothesis of the existence of at least two types of primitive liquids in the Lesser Antilles arc.

Moessbauer Mineralogy of Rock, Soil, and Dust at Gusev Crater, Mars: Spirit's Journey through Weakly Altered Olivine Basalt on the Plains and Pervasively Altered Basalt in the Columbia Hills

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morris, R. V.; Klingelhoefer, G.; Schroeder, C.; Rodionov, D. S.; Yen, A.; Ming, D. W.; deSouza, P. A., Jr.; Fleischer, I.; Wdowiak, T.; Gellert, R.;

Permeability, porosity, and mineral surface area changes in basalt cores induced by reactive transport of CO2-rich brine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luhmann, Andrew J.; Tutolo, Benjamin M.; Bagley, Brian C.; Mildner, David F. R.; Seyfried, William E.; Saar, Martin O.

2017-03-01

Four reactive flow-through laboratory experiments (two each at 0.1 mL/min and 0.01 mL/min flow rates) at 150°C and 150 bar (15 MPa) are conducted on intact basalt cores to assess changes in porosity, permeability, and surface area caused by CO2-rich fluid-rock interaction. Permeability decreases slightly during the lower flow rate experiments and increases during the higher flow rate experiments. At the higher flow rate, core permeability increases by more than one order of magnitude in one experiment and less than a factor of two in the other due to differences in preexisting flow path structure. X-ray computed tomography (XRCT) scans of pre- and post-experiment cores identify both mineral dissolution and secondary mineralization, with a net decrease in XRCT porosity of ˜0.7%-0.8% for the larger pores in all four cores. (Ultra) small-angle neutron scattering ((U)SANS) data sets indicate an increase in both (U)SANS porosity and specific surface area (SSA) over the ˜1 nm to 10 µm scale range in post-experiment basalt samples, with differences due to flow rate and reaction time. Net porosity increases from summing porosity changes from XRCT and (U)SANS analyses are consistent with core mass decreases. (U)SANS data suggest an overall preservation of the pore structure with no change in mineral surface roughness from reaction, and the pore structure is unique in comparison to previously published basalt analyses. Together, these data sets illustrate changes in physical parameters that arise due to fluid-basalt interaction in relatively low pH environments with elevated CO2 concentration, with significant implications for flow, transport, and reaction through geologic formations.

Electrical conductivity of basaltic and carbonatite melt-bearing peridotites at high pressures: Implications for melt distribution and melt fraction in the upper mantle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshino, Takashi; Laumonier, Mickael; McIsaac, Elizabeth; Katsura, Tomoo

2010-07-01

Electrical impedance measurements were performed on two types of partial molten samples with basaltic and carbonatitic melts in a Kawai-type multi-anvil apparatus in order to investigate melt fraction-conductivity relationships and melt distribution of the partial molten mantle peridotite under high pressure. The silicate samples were composed of San Carlos olivine with various amounts of mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB), and the carbonate samples were a mixture of San Carlos olivine with various amounts of carbonatite. High-pressure experiments on the silicate and carbonate systems were performed up to 1600 K at 1.5 GPa and up to at least 1650 K at 3 GPa, respectively. The sample conductivity increased with increasing melt fraction. Carbonatite-bearing samples show approximately one order of magnitude higher conductivity than basalt-bearing ones at the similar melt fraction. A linear relationship between log conductivity ( σbulk) and log melt fraction ( ϕ) can be expressed well by the Archie's law (Archie, 1942) ( σbulk/ σmelt = Cϕn) with parameters C = 0.68 and 0.97, n = 0.87 and 1.13 for silicate and carbonate systems, respectively. Comparison of the electrical conductivity data with theoretical predictions for melt distribution indicates that the model assuming that the grain boundary is completely wetted by melt is the most preferable melt geometry. The gradual change of conductivity with melt fraction suggests no permeability jump due to melt percolation at a certain melt fraction. The melt fraction of the partial molten region in the upper mantle can be estimated to be 1-3% and ˜ 0.3% for basaltic melt and carbonatite melt, respectively.

Clinopyroxene composition of volcanics from the Manipur Ophiolite, Northeastern India: implications to geodynamic setting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ovung, Thungyani N.; Ray, Jyotisankar; Ghosh, Biswajit; Koeberl, Christian; Topa, Dan; Paul, Madhuparna

2017-08-01

The volcanic section of the Manipur Ophiolite (MO), representing the crustal portion of the Neo-Tethyan oceanic lithosphere occurs as basalt, basaltic trachyandesite, and dacite in the Gamnom-Phangrei sector, Manipur, at 25°01'N-25°09'N and 94°24'E-94°27'E. They associate with cherts and ultramafics. The clinopyroxene compositions of basalt and basaltic trachyandesite, obtained through electron microprobe analyzer, were used as a petrogenetic indicator to identify the parent magma-types and their tectonic settings. Based on the variable content of major oxides, they are classified as high- and low-Ti clinopyroxenes. High Ti and Al contents with relatively lower silica saturation are observed in the former group and vice versa in the latter. The TiDCpx/rock values in low- and high-Ti clinopyroxene are comparable with island-arc basaltic andesite and MORB, respectively, which confirms that the clinopyroxene composition is primarily related to the host magma-type and its tectonic setting. Clinopyroxene thermometry (ranging 1150-605 °C) suggests progressive differentiation of the parent magmas. Several bivariate and tectonic discrimination diagrams depict MORB (non-orogenic setting) and island-arc boninitic magma affinities (orogenic setting) for the high- and low-Ti clinopyroxenes, respectively. The coexistence of both MORB and island-arc boninitic magma-types in the volcanic section of Manipur Ophiolite as characterized by their varying Ti, Al, and Si contents may indicate either juxtaposition of rocks formed in diverse tectonic settings (i.e., due to transformation of tectonic setting from mid-ocean ridge to supra-subduction zone) or, a change in magma composition in a subduction zone setting. However, field relationships coupled with the mineral-chemical signatures implies a supra-subduction zone setting for the evolution of the crustal section of MO.

Lunar basalt chronology, mantle differentiation and implications for determining the age of the Moon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snape, Joshua F.; Nemchin, Alexander A.; Bellucci, Jeremy J.; Whitehouse, Martin J.; Tartèse, Romain; Barnes, Jessica J.; Anand, Mahesh; Crawford, Ian A.; Joy, Katherine H.

2016-10-01

Despite more than 40 years of studying Apollo samples, the age and early evolution of the Moon remain contentious. Following the formation of the Moon in the aftermath of a giant impact, the resulting Lunar Magma Ocean (LMO) is predicted to have generated major geochemically distinct silicate reservoirs, including the sources of lunar basalts. Samples of these basalts, therefore, provide a unique opportunity to characterize these reservoirs. However, the precise timing and extent of geochemical fractionation is poorly constrained, not least due to the difficulty in determining accurate ages and initial Pb isotopic compositions of lunar basalts. Application of an in situ ion microprobe approach to Pb isotope analysis has allowed us to obtain precise crystallization ages from six lunar basalts, typically with an uncertainty of about ± 10 Ma, as well as constrain their initial Pb-isotopic compositions. This has enabled construction of a two-stage model for the Pb-isotopic evolution of lunar silicate reservoirs, which necessitates the prolonged existence of high-μ reservoirs in order to explain the very radiogenic compositions of the samples. Further, once firm constraints on U and Pb partitioning behaviour are established, this model has the potential to help distinguish between conflicting estimates for the age of the Moon. Nonetheless, we are able to constrain the timing of a lunar mantle reservoir differentiation event at 4376 ± 18 Ma, which is consistent with that derived from the Sm-Nd and Lu-Hf isotopic systems, and is interpreted as an average estimate of the time at which the high-μ urKREEP reservoir was established and the Ferroan Anorthosite (FAN) suite was formed.

Silicates Eroded under Simulated Martian Conditions Effectively Kill Bacteria—A Challenge for Life on Mars

PubMed Central

Bak, Ebbe N.; Larsen, Michael G.; Moeller, Ralf; Nissen, Silas B.; Jensen, Lasse R.; Nørnberg, Per; Jensen, Svend J. K.; Finster, Kai

2017-01-01

The habitability of Mars is determined by the physical and chemical environment. The effect of low water availability, temperature, low atmospheric pressure and strong UV radiation has been extensively studied in relation to the survival of microorganisms. In addition to these stress factors, it was recently found that silicates exposed to simulated saltation in a Mars-like atmosphere can lead to a production of reactive oxygen species. Here, we have investigated the stress effect induced by quartz and basalt abraded in Mars-like atmospheres by examining the survivability of the three microbial model organisms Pseudomonas putida, Bacillus subtilis, and Deinococcus radiodurans upon exposure to the abraded silicates. We found that abraded basalt that had not been in contact with oxygen after abrasion killed more than 99% of the vegetative cells while endospores were largely unaffected. Exposure of the basalt samples to oxygen after abrasion led to a significant reduction in the stress effect. Abraded quartz was generally less toxic than abraded basalt. We suggest that the stress effect of abraded silicates may be caused by a production of reactive oxygen species and enhanced by transition metal ions in the basalt leading to hydroxyl radicals through Fenton-like reactions. The low survivability of the usually highly resistant D. radiodurans indicates that the effect of abraded silicates, as is ubiquitous on the Martian surface, would limit the habitability of Mars as well as the risk of forward contamination. Furthermore, the reactivity of abraded silicates could have implications for future manned missions, although the lower effect of abraded silicates exposed to oxygen suggests that the effects would be reduced in human habitats. PMID:28955310

Silicates Eroded under Simulated Martian Conditions Effectively Kill Bacteria-A Challenge for Life on Mars.

PubMed

Bak, Ebbe N; Larsen, Michael G; Moeller, Ralf; Nissen, Silas B; Jensen, Lasse R; Nørnberg, Per; Jensen, Svend J K; Finster, Kai

2017-01-01

The habitability of Mars is determined by the physical and chemical environment. The effect of low water availability, temperature, low atmospheric pressure and strong UV radiation has been extensively studied in relation to the survival of microorganisms. In addition to these stress factors, it was recently found that silicates exposed to simulated saltation in a Mars-like atmosphere can lead to a production of reactive oxygen species. Here, we have investigated the stress effect induced by quartz and basalt abraded in Mars-like atmospheres by examining the survivability of the three microbial model organisms Pseudomonas putida, Bacillus subtilis , and Deinococcus radiodurans upon exposure to the abraded silicates. We found that abraded basalt that had not been in contact with oxygen after abrasion killed more than 99% of the vegetative cells while endospores were largely unaffected. Exposure of the basalt samples to oxygen after abrasion led to a significant reduction in the stress effect. Abraded quartz was generally less toxic than abraded basalt. We suggest that the stress effect of abraded silicates may be caused by a production of reactive oxygen species and enhanced by transition metal ions in the basalt leading to hydroxyl radicals through Fenton-like reactions. The low survivability of the usually highly resistant D. radiodurans indicates that the effect of abraded silicates, as is ubiquitous on the Martian surface, would limit the habitability of Mars as well as the risk of forward contamination. Furthermore, the reactivity of abraded silicates could have implications for future manned missions, although the lower effect of abraded silicates exposed to oxygen suggests that the effects would be reduced in human habitats.

Clinopyroxene composition of volcanics from the Manipur Ophiolite, Northeastern India: implications to geodynamic setting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ovung, Thungyani N.; Ray, Jyotisankar; Ghosh, Biswajit; Koeberl, Christian; Topa, Dan; Paul, Madhuparna

2018-06-01

The volcanic section of the Manipur Ophiolite (MO), representing the crustal portion of the Neo-Tethyan oceanic lithosphere occurs as basalt, basaltic trachyandesite, and dacite in the Gamnom-Phangrei sector, Manipur, at 25°01'N-25°09'N and 94°24'E-94°27'E. They associate with cherts and ultramafics. The clinopyroxene compositions of basalt and basaltic trachyandesite, obtained through electron microprobe analyzer, were used as a petrogenetic indicator to identify the parent magma-types and their tectonic settings. Based on the variable content of major oxides, they are classified as high- and low-Ti clinopyroxenes. High Ti and Al contents with relatively lower silica saturation are observed in the former group and vice versa in the latter. The TiDCpx/rock values in low- and high-Ti clinopyroxene are comparable with island-arc basaltic andesite and MORB, respectively, which confirms that the clinopyroxene composition is primarily related to the host magma-type and its tectonic setting. Clinopyroxene thermometry (ranging 1150-605 °C) suggests progressive differentiation of the parent magmas. Several bivariate and tectonic discrimination diagrams depict MORB (non-orogenic setting) and island-arc boninitic magma affinities (orogenic setting) for the high- and low-Ti clinopyroxenes, respectively. The coexistence of both MORB and island-arc boninitic magma-types in the volcanic section of Manipur Ophiolite as characterized by their varying Ti, Al, and Si contents may indicate either juxtaposition of rocks formed in diverse tectonic settings (i.e., due to transformation of tectonic setting from mid-ocean ridge to supra-subduction zone) or, a change in magma composition in a subduction zone setting. However, field relationships coupled with the mineral-chemical signatures implies a supra-subduction zone setting for the evolution of the crustal section of MO.

Modeling magma flow and cooling in dikes: Implications for emplacement of Columbia River flood basalts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petcovic, Heather L.; Dufek, Josef D.

2005-10-01

The Columbia River flood basalts include some of the world's largest individual lava flows, most of which were fed by the Chief Joseph dike swarm. The majority of dikes are chilled against their wall rock; however, rare dikes caused their wall rock to undergo partial melting. These partial melt zones record the thermal history of magma flow and cooling in the dike and, consequently, the emplacement history of the flow it fed. Here, we examine two-dimensional thermal models of basalt injection, flow, and cooling in a 10-m-thick dike constrained by the field example of the Maxwell Lake dike, a likely feeder to the large-volume Wapshilla Ridge unit of the Grande Ronde Basalt. Two types of models were developed: static conduction simulations and advective transport simulations. Static conduction simulation results confirm that instantaneous injection and stagnation of a single dike did not produce wall rock melt. Repeated injection generated wall rock melt zones comparable to those observed, yet the regular texture across the dike and its wall rock is inconsistent with repeated brittle injection. Instead, advective flow in the dike for 3-4 years best reproduced the field example. Using this result, we estimate that maximum eruption rates for Wapshilla Ridge flows ranged from 3 to 5 km3 d-1. Local eruption rates were likely lower (minimum 0.1-0.8 km3 d-1), as advective modeling results suggest that other fissure segments as yet unidentified fed the same flow. Consequently, the Maxwell Lake dike probably represents an upper crustal (˜2 km) exposure of a long-lived point source within the Columbia River flood basalts.

Extremely magnetized abyssal lavas erupted in active back-arc of the Okinawa Trough

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujii, M.; Sato, H.; Okino, K.

2017-12-01

Although high-amplitude of marine magnetic anomalies have been utilized for understanding for seafloor dynamics, the causal link between intensity of natural remanent magnetization and physical and chemical processes of extrusive rocks are still unclear. In addition, we essentially lack rock magnetic data of arc-back-arc lavas, which potentially provide strong constraints for understanding time- and spatial-dependent diversity of lava magnetization including mid-ocean ridge basalts. Here, we present new rock magnetic data of strongly magnetized basaltic rocks, which rank among the most magnetized in known oceanic basaltic rocks, from active back-arc region of the Okinawa Trough. We analyzed 27 non-oxidized (fresh) basaltic rock samples obtained from the active back-arc volcanoes, located at the segment boundary along back-arc rift. Their natural remanent magnetization ranges 7 A/m to >200 A/m, and has clear nonlinear relationship with both magnetic hysteresis signatures and titanomagnetite amount. The strongly magnetized lavas show large contribution of appropriate amount of SD titanomagnetite grains formed in proper crystal growth environments. The high-temperature thermomagnetic experiments demonstrate reversible curves in both heating and cooling with single Curie temperature. The Curie temperature shows up to 480°C for strongly magnetized lavas, which is much higher than that of mid-ocean ridge basalts mainly containing TM60, indicating that rich Fe and low Ti contents of titanomagnetite grains are main magnetic carrier. These observations clearly demonstrate that intensity of natural remanent magnetization is primarily controlled by cooling rate of lavas and ratio of Fe to Ti of titanomagnetite grains as well as bulk iron contents, with important implications towards marine magnetic anomalies and arc-back-arc volcanism.

Recent volcanism in the Siqueiros transform fault: Picritic basalts and implications for MORB magma genesis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Perfit, M.R.; Fornari, D.J.; Ridley, W.I.; Kirk, P.D.; Casey, J.; Kastens, K.A.; Reynolds, J.R.; Edwards, M.; Desonie, D.; Shuster, R.; Paradis, S.

1996-01-01

Small constructional volcanic landforms and very fresh-looking lava flows are present along one of the inferred active strike-slip faults that connect two small spreading centers (A and B) in the western portion of the Siqueiros transform domain. The most primitive lavas (picritic and olivine-phyric basalts), exclusively recovered from the young-looking flows within the A-B strike-slip fault, contain millimeter-sized olivine phenocrysts (up to 20 modal%) that have a limited compositional range (Fo91.5-Fo89.5) and complexly zoned Cr-Al spinels. High-MgO (9.5-10.6 wt%) glasses sampled from the young lava flows contain 1-7% olivine phenocrysts (Fo90.5-Fo89) that could have formed by equilibrium crystallization from basaltic melts with Mg# values between 71 and 74. These high MgO (and high Al2O3) glasses may be near-primary melts from incompatible-element depleted oceanic mantle and little modified by crustal mixing and/or fractionation processes. Phase chemistry and major element systematics indicate that the picritic basalts are not primary liquids and formed by the accumulation of olivine and minor spinel from high-MgO melts (10% < MgO < 14%). Compared to typical N-MORB from the East Pacific Rise, the Siqueiros lavas are more primitive and depleted in incompatible elements. Phase equilibria calculations and comparisons with experimental data and trace element modeling support this hypothesis. They indicate such primary mid-ocean ridge basalt magmas formed by 10-18% accumulative decompression melting in the spinel peridotite field (but small amounts of melting in the garnet peridotite field are not precluded). The compositional variations of the primitive magmas may result from the accumulation of different small batch melt fractions from a polybaric melting column.

Mantle Noble Gas Contents Controlled by Serpentinite Subduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krantz, J. A.; Parman, S. W.; Kelley, S. P.; Smye, A.; Jackson, C.; Cooper, R. F.

2017-12-01

Noble gases serve as powerful tracers of the mantle's chemical and physical evolution. Analyses of material from subduction zones1, mid-ocean ridge basalts, and ocean island basalts2 indicate that heavy noble gases are being recycled from the surface of the earth into the mantle. The exact mechanism by which these uncharged atoms can be bound to a mineral and the subsequent path of recycling remains unclear, but experimental work suggests that ring structures in silicate minerals are ideal sites for noble gases3. Serpentine contains such ring structures and is abundant in subducting slabs. Developing an understanding of how noble gases are transported sheds light on the large-scale mantle dynamics associated with volatile transport, subduction, convection, and mantle heterogeneity. The solubilities of He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe have been experimentally determined in natural samples of antigorite, the high-pressure polymorph of serpentine. The measured solubilities for all noble gases are high relative to mantle silicates (olivine and pyroxenes)4,5. Mixing lines between the noble gas contents of seawater and serpentinite may explain the noble gas composition of mid-ocean ridge basalts and constrain the source material of EM1, EM2 and HIMU ocean island basalts. 1. Kendrick, M.A. et al., Nature Geoscience, 4, 807-812, 2011 2. Parai, R. and Mukhopadhyay, S., GGG, 16, 719-735, 2015 3. Jackson, C.R.M. et al., GCA, 159, 1-15, 2015 4. Heber, V.S. et al., GCA, 71, 1041-1061, 2007 5. Jackson, C.R.M. et al., EPSL, 384, 178-187, 2013

Material composition of the basalt-trachyte series of the early Devonian of the Saralin graben-rift

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grinev, O. M.; Grinev, R. O.; Bogorodov, A. A.; Adylbaev, R. R.

2017-12-01

The article clarifies the structural-tectonic position of the Saralin graben. It is determined that, along with the Balyksinsky graben located to the south and the Goryachegorsky volcanic plateau to the north, they are the connecting structural links between the Kuznetsk-Alatau alkaline province and the adjacent Minusinsk trough. In the early Devonian, the alkaline province was formed as a vaulted-block structure (the “shoulder” of the rift), and the Minusinsk deflection as a depression with the dominant volcanism in it. The boundary between these positive and negative structures was the deep Balyksinsko-Saralinsky fault. In the stratigraphic section of the graben, the lower molassoid part (Ustkundustylskaya stratum), the middle trachybasaltoid stratum (Bazarskay) and the upper problematic Ashpanian stratum are distinguished. In addition to analcime basalts, a large extrusive-subvolcanic dome-shaped construction of trachytes is considered. By petrographic and material composition, volcanites of graben are represented by the dominant basalt-trachyte series in the composition of basanites, trachybasalts, trachyandesites, trachytes. The rocks of the basalt-andesibasalt-andesite series are limited. Foidites are rare. Geochemical data indicate the genetic relationship of the volcanics of the studied series. Geochemically, they are clearly specialized in Sc, Ti, Zn, Zr, Th, U, Mn and P. According to the content of some of these elements, the rocks may have an industrial potential. In geodynamic and genetic plans, graben and its volcanics were formed during plume-tectonic processes involving mantle plume, enriched mantle, and recycling processes of these formations with the substance of the consolidated PR-PZ1 cortex.

Volatile abundances and oxygen isotopes in basaltic to dacitic lavas on mid-ocean ridges: The role of assimilation at spreading centers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wanless, V.D.; Perfit, M.R.; Ridley, W.I.; Wallace, P.J.; Grimes, Craig B.; Klein, E.M.

2011-01-01

Most geochemical variability in MOR basalts is consistent with low- to moderate-pressure fractional crystallization of various mantle-derived parental melts. However, our geochemical data from MOR high-silica glasses, including new volatile and oxygen isotope data, suggest that assimilation of altered crustal material plays a significant role in the petrogenesis of dacites and may be important in the formation of basaltic lavas at MOR in general. MOR high-silica andesites and dacites from diverse areas show remarkably similar major element trends, incompatible trace element enrichments, and isotopic signatures suggesting similar processes control their chemistry. In particular, very high Cl and elevated H2O concentrations and relatively light oxygen isotope ratios (~ 5.8‰ vs. expected values of ~ 6.8‰) in fresh dacite glasses can be explained by contamination of magmas from a component of ocean crust altered by hydrothermal fluids. Crystallization of silicate phases and Fe-oxides causes an increase in δ18O in residual magma, but assimilation of material initially altered at high temperatures results in lower δ18O values. The observed geochemical signatures can be explained by extreme fractional crystallization of a MOR basalt parent combined with partial melting and assimilation (AFC) of amphibole-bearing altered oceanic crust. The MOR dacitic lavas do not appear to be simply the extrusive equivalent of oceanic plagiogranites. The combination of partial melting and assimilation produces a distinct geochemical signature that includes higher incompatible trace element abundances and distinct trace element ratios relative to those observed in plagiogranites.

Evaluation of Aster Images for Characterization and Mapping of Amethyst Mining Residues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markoski, P. R.; Rolim, S. B. A.

2012-07-01

The objective of this work was to evaluate the potential of Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER), subsystems VNIR (Visible and Near Infrared) and SWIR (Short Wave Infrared) images, for discrimination and mapping of amethyst mining residues (basalt) in the Ametista do Sul Region, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. This region provides the most part of amethyst mining of the World. The basalt is extracted during the mining process and deposited outside the mine. As a result, mounts of residues (basalt) rise up. These mounts are many times smaller than ASTER pixel size (VNIR - 15 meters and SWIR - 30 meters). Thus, the pixel composition becomes a mixing of various materials, hampering its identification and mapping. Trying to solve this problem, multispectral algorithm Maximum Likelihood (MaxVer) and the hyperspectral technique SAM (Spectral Angle Mapper) were used in this work. Images from ASTER subsystems VNIR and SWIR were used to perform the classifications. SAM technique produced better results than MaxVer algorithm. The main error found by the techniques was the mixing between "shadow" and "mining residues/basalt" classes. With the SAM technique the confusion decreased because it employed the basalt spectral curve as a reference, while the multispectral techniques employed pixels groups that could have spectral mixture with other targets. The results showed that in tropical terrains as the study area, ASTER data can be efficacious for the characterization of mining residues.

Mineralization of Bacteria in Terrestrial Basaltic Rocks: Comparison With Possible Biogenic Features in Martian Meteorite Allan Hills 84001

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas-Keprta, K. L.; McKay, D. S.; Wentworth, S. J.; Stevens, T. O.; Taunton, A. E.; Allen, C. C.; Gibson, E. K., Jr.; Romanek, C. S.

1998-01-01

The identification of biogenic features altered by diagenesis or mineralization is important in determining whether specific features in terrestrial rocks and in meteorites may have a biogenic origin. Unfortunately, few studies have addressed the formation of biogenic features in igneous rocks, which may be important to these phenomena, including the controversy over possible biogenic features in basaltic martian meteorite ALH84001. To explore the presence of biogenic features in igneous rocks, we examined microcosms growing in basaltic small-scale experimental growth chambers or microcosms. Microbial communities were harvested from aquifers of the Columbia River Basalt (CRB) group and grown in a microcosm containing unweathered basalt chips and groundwater (technique described in. These microcosms simulated natural growth conditions in the deep subsurface of the CRB, which should be a good terrestrial analog for any putative martian subsurface ecosystem that may have once included ALH84001. Here we present new size measurements and photomicrographs comparing the putative martian fossils to biogenic material in the CRB microcosms. The range of size and shapes of the biogenic features on the CRB microcosm chips overlaps with and is similar to those on ALH84001 chips. Although this present work does not provide evidence for the biogenicity of ALH84001 features, we believe that, based on criteria of size, shape, and general morphology, a biogenic interpretation for the ALH84001 features remains plausible.

The formation of Hadley Rille and implications for the geology of the Apollo 15 region

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spudis, Paul D.; Swann, Gordon A.; Greeley, Ronald

1988-01-01

The results of studies of terrestrial lava tube systems and the regional and detailed site geology of the Apollo 15 area have been combined to develop a model for the formation of Hadley Rille. The regional geology of the Apennine bench formation and its relation to Mozart and Hadley Rilles is discussed. It is shown that the total thickness of mare basalt at the Apollo landing site is on the order of a few tens of meters, mostly less than 50 m. It is suggested that the role of thermal erosion in the development of sinuous rilles on the moon may be less important than previously assumed and that the assimilation of refractory highland rock types into mare basaltic magma is a minor lunar process.

Unconventional maar diatreme and associated intrusions in the soft sediment-hosted Mardoux structure (Gergovie, France)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valentine, Greg A.; van Wyk de Vries, Benjamin

2014-03-01

A Miocene age volcanic-hypabyssal structure comprising volcaniclastic deposits and mafic intrusions is exposed with vertical relief of ˜110 m on the side of Gergovie Plateau (Auvergne, France). Three main volcaniclastic facies are: (1) Fluidal tuff breccia composed of juvenile basalt and sediment clasts with dominantly fluidal shapes, with several combinations of basalt and sediment within individual clasts. (2) Thickly bedded lapilli tuff composed of varying proportions of fine-grained sediment derived from Oligocene-Miocene lacustrine marls and mudstones and basaltic lapilli, blocks, and bombs. (3) Planar-bedded tuff forming thin beds of fine to coarse ash-size sedimentary material and basalt clasts. Intrusive bodies in the thickly bedded lapilli tuff range from irregularly shaped and anastomosing dikes and sills of meters to tens of meters in length, to a main feeder dike that is up to ˜20 m wide, and that flares into a spoon-shaped sill at ˜100 m in diameter and 10-20 m thick in the eastern part of the structure. Volcaniclastic deposits and structural features suggest that ascending magma entrained soft, saturated sediment host material into the feeder dike and erupted fluidal magma and wet sediment via weak, Strombolian-like explosions. Host sediment and erupted material subsided to replace the extracted sediments, producing the growth subsidence structure that is similar to upper diatreme facies in typical maar diatremes but lacks evidence for explosive disruption of diatreme fill. Irregularly shaped small intrusions extended from the main feeder dike into the diatreme, and many were disaggregated due to shifting and subsidence of diatreme fill and recycled via eruption. The Mardoux structure is an "unconventional" maar diatreme in that it was produced mainly by weak explosive activity rather than by violent phreatomagmatic explosions and is an example of complex coupling between soft sediment and ascending magma.

Expanding the REE Partitioning Database for Lunar Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rapp, Jennifer F.; Draper, David S.

2014-01-01

Positive europium anomalies are ubiquitous in the plagioclase-rich rocks of the lunar highlands, and complementary negative Eu anomalies are found in most lunar basalts. This is taken as evidence of a large-scale differentation event, with crystallization of a global-scale lunar magma ocean (LMO) resulting in a plagioclase flotation crust and a mafic lunar interior from which mare basalts were later derived. However, the extent of the Eu anomaly in lunar rocks is variable. Some plagioclase grains in a lunar impact rock (60635) have been reported to display a negative Eu anomaly, or in some cases single grains display both positive and neagtive anomalies. Cathodoluminescence images reveal that some crystals have a negative anomaly in the core and positive at the rim, or vice versa, and the negative anomalies are not associated with crystal overgrowths. Oxygen fugacity is known to affect Eu partitioning into plagioclase, as under low fO2 conditions Eu can be divalent, and has an ionic radius similar to Ca2+ - significant in lunar samples where plagioclase compositions are predominantly anorthitic. However, there are very few experimental studies of rare earth element (REE) partitioning in plagioclase relevant to lunar magmatism, with only two plagioclase DEu measurements from experiments using lunar materials, and little data in low fO2 conditions relevant to the Moon. We report on REE partitioning experiments on lunar compositions. We investigate two lunar basaltic compositions, high-alumina basalt 14072 and impact melt breccia 60635. These samples span a large range of lunar surface bulk compositions. The experiments are carried out at variable fO2 in 1 bar gas mixing furnaces, and REE are analysed by and LA-ICP-MS. Our results not only greatly expand the existing plagioclase DREE database for lunar compositions, but also investigate the significance of fO2 in Eu partitioning, and in the interpretation of Eu anomalies in lunar materials.

Using AVIRIS Data to Map and Characterize Subaerially and Subaqueously Erupted BasalticVolcanic Tephras: The Challenge of Mapping Low-Albedo Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farrand, William H.

2004-01-01

Increases in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in AVIRIS has enabled the mapping and characterization of low albedo materials. Low albedo materials of interest include certain soils, man-made materials (asphalt, certain building materials, tires, etc.), and basaltic lava flows and ashes. Early in its history, the response of the AVIRIS sensor was not sensitive enough so that these low albedo materials could be reliably mapped. However, as indicated by Green and Pavri (2002) the noise equivalent delta radiance (NEdL) of AVIRIS in the 2001 flight season was below 0.010 in all but the shortest wavelength channels. This is approximately a ten-fold improvement from the 1989 flight season when NEdL was closer to 0.1 (Green et al., 1990). In the current investigation, AVIRIS data from the 2002 flight season collected over the Pavant Butte tuff cone, Tabernacle Hill tuff ring, and an associated lava flow in the Black Rock Desert of west central Utah were examined to determine how well these generally low albedo volcanic lavas and tephras could be discriminated from background materials. The Pavant Butte tuff cone was examined by the author in an earlier study with a 1989 AVIRIS dataset (Farrand and Singer,

Lunar and Planetary Science XXXVI, Part 19

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

The topics include: 1) The abundances of Iron-60 in Pyroxene Chondrules from Unequilibrated Ordinary Chondrites; 2) LL-Ordinary Chondrite Impact on the Moon: Results from the 3.9 Ga Impact Melt at the Landing Site of Appolo 17; 3) Evaluation of Chemical Methods for Projectile Identification in Terrestrial and Lunar Impactites; 4) Impact Cratering Experiments in Microgravity Environment; 5) New Achondrites with High-Calcium Pyroxene and Its implication for Igneous Differentiation of Asteroids; 6) Climate History of the Polar Regions of Mars Deduced form Geologic Mapping Results; 7) The crater Production Function for Mars: A-2 Cumulative Power-Law Slope for Pristine Craters Greater than 5 km in Diameter Based on Crater Distribution for Northern Plains Materials; 8) High Resolution Al-26 Chronology: Resolved Time Interval Between Rim and Interior of a Highly Fractionated Compact Type a CAI from Efremovka; 9) Assessing Aqueous Alteration on Mars Using Global Distributions of K and Th; 10) FeNi Metal Grains in LaPaz Mare Basalt Meteorites and Appolo 12 Basalts; 11) Unique Properties of Lunar Soil for In Situ Resource Utilization on the Moon; 12) U-Pb Systematics of Phosphates in Nakhlites; 13) Measurements of Sound Speed in Granular Materials Simulated Regolith; 14) The Effects of Oxygen, Sulphur and Silicon on the Dihedral Angles Between Fe-rich Liquid Metal and Olivine, Ringwoodite and Silicate Perovskite: Implications for Planetary Core Formation; 15) Seismic Shaking Removal of Craters 0.2-0.5 km in Diameter on Asteroid 433 Eros; 16) Focused Ion Beam Microscoopy of ALH84001 Carbonate Disks; 17) Simulating Micro-Gravity in the Laboratory; 18) Mars Atmospheric Sample Return Instrument Development; 19) Combined Remote LIBS and Raman Spectroscopy Measurements; 20) Unusual Radar Backscatter Properties Along the Northern Rim of Imbrium Basin; 21) The Mars Express/NASAS Project at JPL; 22) The Geology of the Viking 2 Lander Site Revisited; 23) An Impact Genesis for Loki Patera? 24) Mars Polar Cap Edges Tracked over 3 Full Mars Years; 25) Elemental Abundance in Presolar SiC: Comparing Grains Separated by Acid Residue and Gently Separation Procedures; 26) First Results from the Descent Imager/Spectral Radiometer (DISR) Experiment on the Huygens Entry Probe of Titan; 27) Minor Element Behavior of Pallasite Olivine: Understanding Pallasite Thermal History and Chronology; 28) Canonical Anorthite in a Grosnaja Forsterite-bearing CAI; 29) Experimental Evidence for Condensation of 'Astrophysical' Carbonate; 30) Distribution and Classification of Multiple Coronae on Venus; 31) Recognition of Rayed Craters on Mars in THEMIS Thermal Infrared Imagery: Implications for Martian Meteorite Source Regions; 32) Geochemical Modeling of Evaporites on Mars: Insight from Meridiani Planum; 33) Hadean Crustal Processes Revealed from Oxygen Isotopes and U-Th-Pb Depth Profiling of Pre-4.0 Ga Detrital Zircons from Western Australia; 34) On Modeling the Seepage of Water into the Martian Subsurface; 35) Martial Gullies and Groundwater: A Series of Unfortunate Exceptions; 36) Olivine and Carbonate Globules in ALH84001: A Terrestrial Analog, and Implications for Water on Mars; 37) A Reevaluation of Mass Movements Within the Valles Marineris Region of Mars Using MOLA and MOC Data; 38) Evidence of Hydrated 109P/Swift-Tuttle Meteoroids from Meteor Spectroscopy; 39) Cr-54 Anomalies in the Solar System: Their Extent and Origin; 40) Reevaluation of the Mn-53-Cr-53 Systematic in the Basaltic Achondrites; 41) Effective Liquid Metal-Silicate Mixing Upon Shock by Power-Law Droplet Size Scaling in Richtmyer-Meshkov Like Perturbations; 42) Post-Impact Deformation of Impact Craters: Towards a Better Understanding Through the Study of Mjolnir Crater; 43) Cutting Silica Aerogel for Particle Extraction; 44) Liquid Hydrocarbons on Titan's Surface? How Cassini ISS Observations Fit into the Story (So Far); and 45) Mesoscale Simulations of Polar Circulations: Late Spring to Late Summe

Major and trace elements in igneous rocks from Apollo 15.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helmke, P. A.; Blanchard, D. P.; Haskin, L. A.; Telander, K.; Weiss, C.; Jacobs, J. W.

1973-01-01

The concentrations of major and trace elements have been determined in igneous rocks from Apollo 15. All materials analyzed have typical depletions of Eu except for minerals separated from sample 15085. Four samples have concentrations of trace elements that are similar to those of KREEP. The samples of mare basalt from Apollo 15 have higher concentrations of FeO, MgO, Mn, and Cr and lower concentrations of CaO, Na2O, K2O, and rare-earth elements (REE) as compared to the samples of mare basalt from Apollos 11, 12, and 14. The samples can be divided into two groups on the basis of their normative compositions. One group is quartz normative and has low concentrations of FeO while the other is olivine normative and has high concentrations of FeO. The trace element data indicate that the samples of olivine normative basalt could be from different portions of a single lava flow.

Mineral resources of the Little Black Peak and Carrizozo Lava Flow wilderness study areas, Lincoln County, New Mexico

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stoeser, D.B.; Senterfit, M.K.; Zelten, J.E.

1989-01-01

This book discusses the Little Black Peak and Carrizozo Lava Flow Wilderness Study Areas in east-central New Mexico (24,249 acres) which are underlain by Quaternary basaltic lava flows and upper Paleozoic to Mesozoic sedimentary rocks. The only identified resource is lava from the basalt flows, which is used for road metal, construction materials, and decorative stone. The basalt is classed as an inferred subeconomic resource. Both areas have low resource potential for sediment-hosted uranium and copper oil, gas, coal, and geothermal energy and moderate potential for gypsum and salt. The Little Black Peak area also has low potential for uraniummore » associated with Tertiary alkaline intrusive rocks. Two aeromagnetic anomalies occur beneath the northern part of the Carrizozo lava flow area and the southern part of the Little Black Peak area; the resource potential for these rocks is unknown.« less

Mars weathering analogs - Secondary mineralization in Antarctic basalts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berkley, J. L.

1982-01-01

Alkalic basalt samples from Ross Island, Antarctica, are evaluated as terrestrial analogs to weathered surface materials on Mars. Secondary alteration in the rocks is limited to pneumatolytic oxidation of igneous minerals and glass, rare groundmass clay and zeolite mineralization, and hydrothermal minerals coating fractures and vesicle surfaces. Hydrothermal mineral assemblages consist mainly of K-feldspar, zeolites (phillipsite and chabazite), calcite, and anhydrite. Low alteration rates are attributed to cold and dry environmental factors common to both Antarctica and Mars. It is noted that mechanical weathering (aeolian abrasion) of Martian equivalents to present Antarctic basalts would yield minor hydrothermal minerals and local surface fines composed of primary igneous minerals and glass but would produce few hydrous products, such as palagonite, clay or micas. It is thought that leaching of hydrothermal vein minerals by migrating fluids and redeposition in duricrust deposits may represent an alternate process for incorporating secondary minerals of volcanic origin into Martian surface fines.

Regional stratigraphy and geologic history of Mare Crisium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Head, J. W., III; Adams, J. B.; Mccord, T. B.; Pieters, C.; Zisk, S.

1978-01-01

Remote sensing and Luna 24 sample data are used to develop a summary of the regional stratigraphy and geologic history of Mare Crisium. Laboratory spectra of Luna 24 samples, telescopic reflectance spectra in the 0.3 to 1.1 micron range and orbital X-ray data have identified three major basalt groups in the region. Group I soil is derived from iron- and magnesium-rich titaniferous basalts and was apparently emplaced over the majority of the basin, however is presently exposed as a shelf in the southwest part. Group II soils, derived from very low titanium ferrobasalts, were emplaced in two stages subsequent to Group I emplacement and now appear as part of the outer shelf and topographic annulus. Subsidence of the basin interior preceded and continued after the emplacement of the third basalt group, a soil derived from a low titanium ferrobasalt. The Luna 24 site is found to be within a patch of Group II material.

Surface Hardening of Composite Material by the Centrifugal-Casting Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eidelman, E. D.; Durnev, M. A.

2018-04-01

The effect of rotation flow emerging under centrifugal casting on the first-order phase transition, i.e., crystallization, has been studied using the example of producing a gradient composite material of AK12 aluminum alloy in a mixture with basalt fibers. It has been shown that a material with a hardened surface can be created. Distribution of admixtures in the main material when there is macroscopic motion has been found.

Design concepts for pressurized lunar shelters utilizing indigenous materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Happel, John Amin; Willam, Kaspar; Shing, Benson

1991-01-01

The objective is to design a pressurized shelter build of indigenous lunar material. The topics are presented in viewgraph form and include the following: lunar conditions which impact design; secondary factors; review of previously proposed concepts; cross section of assembly facility; rationale for indigenous materials; indigenous material choices; cast basalt properties; design variables; design 1, cylindrical segments; construction sequence; design 2, arch-slabs with post-tensioned ring girders; and future research.

Effect of γ irradiation on the properties of basalt fiber reinforced epoxy resin matrix composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Ran; Gu, Yizhuo; Yang, Zhongjia; Li, Min; Wang, Shaokai; Zhang, Zuoguang

2015-11-01

Gamma-ray (γ-ray) irradiation is a crucial reason for the aging in materials used for nuclear industry. Due to high specific strength and stiffness, light weight and good corrosion resistance, fiber reinforced composites are regarded as an alternative of traditional materials used on nuclear facilities. In this study, basalt fiber (BF)/AG80 epoxy composite laminates were fabricated by autoclave process and treated with 60Co gamma irradiation dose up to 2.0 MGy. Irradiation induced polymer chain scission and oxidation of AG80 resin were detected from physical and chemical analysis. The experimental results show that the tensile and flexural performances of irradiated BF/AG80 composite maintain stable and have a low amplitude attenuation respectively, and the interlaminar shear strength has increased from irradiation dose of 0-1.5 MGy. Furthermore, the comparison between the studied BF composite and reported polymer and composite materials was done for evaluating the γ resistance property of BF composite.

Regolith compositions from the Apollo 17 mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mason, B.; Jacobson, S.; Nelen, J. A.; Melson, W. G.; Simkin, T.; Thompson, G.

1974-01-01

An investigation of the chemical, mineralogical, and petrographic data from six Apollo 17 regolith samples is summarized. The samples from the center of the Taurus-Littrow valley are very similar in composition and consist of mare basalt and a minor admixture (about 25%) of plagioclase-rich material. The material from Station 9 (Van Serg Crater) contains much less basalt and more breccia and are higher in Al2O3 and lower in TiO2 and FeO than the other mare sites. The chemical compositions of the samples from the North Massif, the South Massif, and the light mantle believed to be of landslide origin, are very similar and correspond to an olivine norite; the relatively high K2O and P2O5 content indicate the presence of a KREEP component. Additional results are described in detail.

Structure of Multi-component Basaltic Glasses under Static and Dynamic Compression: Implications for Mantle Melting and Impact Processes on Planetary Surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, S.; Mosenfelder, J. L.; Tschauner, O. D.; Asimow, P. D.; Park, S.; Kim, H.

2012-12-01

The structures of basaltic melts under both static and dynamic compression are essential to understand the changes in the corresponding melt properties and to provide atomistic insights into impact-induced events in Earth's crust and planetary surfaces. Despite the importance, structural changes in basaltic glasses due both to dynamic and static compression have not been well understood. The advances in multi-nuclear NMR and multi-edge inelastic x-ray scattering allow us to obtain details of the pressure-induced changes in the degree of melt polymerization and cation coordination number in multi-component melts under static and dynamic compression (e.g. Lee, Proc. Nat. Aca. Sci. 2011, 108, 6847; Sol. St. NMR. 2010, 38, 45; Lee et al. Geophys. Res. Letts. 39 5306; Proc. Nat. Aca. Sci. 2008, 105, 7925). Here, we explore the structures of shock compressed silicate glass with a diopside-anorthite eutectic composition (Di64An36), a common Fe-free model basaltic composition, using oxygen K-edge X-ray Raman scattering and high- resolution Al-27 solid-state NMR spectroscopy and report details of shock-induced changes in the atomic configurations. A topologically driven densification of the Di64An36 glass is indicated by the increase in oxygen K-edge energy for the glass upon shock compression with peak pressure up to 20 GPa. The first experimental evidence of the increase in the fraction of highly coordinated Al in shock compressed glass is found in the Al-27 NMR spectra. This result provides atomistic insights into shock compression in basaltic glasses and allows us to microscopically constrain the magnitude of impact events or relevant processes involving natural basalts on Earth and planetary surfaces. We also report the first high pressure multi-nuclear NMR spectrum for basaltic glass up to 5 GPa. While [4]Al species is dominant at 1atm, the significant fraction of [5,6]Al in the glass is apparent, leading to changes in oxygen connectivity in the multi-component. The prevalence of highly coordinated Al and high energy oxygen cluster in the basaltic melts at 5 GPa implies that thermodynamic properties (e.g. element portioning coefficient between melts and crystal) of primary mantle melts formed at mid-ocean ridge (~150 km in depth) should be largely different from what can be predicted for silicate melts at 1 atm. The structural transitions in model basaltic glass at high pressure provide atomistic origins of anomalous mantle composition based on MORB at 1atm that is different from the prediction from chondritic meteorite (e.g. missing Si content in the primitive mantle).

Strengthening three-leaf masonry with basalt fibre: Experimental and numerical data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monni, Francesco; Quagliarini, Enrico; Lenci, Stefano; Maracchini, Gianluca

2017-07-01

This paper presents the first results of a study aimed at evaluate the effectiveness of a strengthening technique able to connect masonry elements, stitching them, based on the use of basalt fibre ropes. To assess the effectiveness of proposed technique, experimental and FEM analysis has been performed. The reproduced masonry is the "three-leaf wall", where an inner core of rubble material is included between two outer brick shell, a masonry typology often found in Italian historical building heritage. The results indicate the efficacy of this dry retrofitting system, increasing the performance of masonry wall specimens.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tatsumi, Yoshiyuki; Kimura, Nobukazu; Itaya, Tetsumaru

K-Ar dates and chemical compositions of basalts in the Gregory Rift, Kenya, demonstrate marked secular variation of lava chemistry. Two magmatic cycles characterized by incompatible element relative depletion are recognized; both occurring immediately after the peak of basaltic volcanism and coeval with both trachyte/phonolite volcanism and domal uplift of the region. These cycles may be attributed to increasing degree of partial melting of mantle source material in association with thinning of the lithosphere by thermal erosion through contact with hot upwelling asthenospheric mantle. Cyclic variation in asthenosphere upwelling may be considered an important controlling process in the evolution of themore » Gregory Rift.« less

The role of mantle-hybridization and crustal contamination in the petrogenesis of lithospheric mantle-derived alkaline rocks: constraints from Os and Hf isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayer, B.; Jung, S.; Brauns, M.; Münker, C.

2018-06-01

The Rhön area as part of the Central European Volcanic Province (CEVP) hosts an unusual suite of Tertiary 24-Ma old hornblende-bearing alkaline basalts that provide insights into melting and fractionation processes within the lithospheric mantle. These chemically primitive to slightly evolved and isotopically (Sr, Nd, Pb) depleted basalts have slightly lower Hf isotopic compositions than respective other CEVP basalts and Os isotope compositions more radiogenic than commonly observed for continental intraplate alkaline basalts. These highly radiogenic initial 187Os/188Os ratios (0.268-0.892) together with their respective Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic compositions are unlikely to result from crustal contamination alone, although a lack of Os data for lower crustal rocks from the area and limited data for CEVP basalts or mantle xenoliths preclude a detailed evaluation. Similarly, melting of the same metasomatized subcontinental lithospheric mantle as inferred for other CEVP basalts alone is also unlikely, based on only moderately radiogenic Os isotope compositions obtained for upper mantle xenoliths from elsewhere in the province. Another explanation for the combined Nd, Sr and Os isotope data is that the lavas gained their highly radiogenic Os isotope composition through a mantle "hybridization", metasomatism process. This model involves a mafic lithospheric component, such as an intrusion of a sublithospheric primary alkaline melt or a melt derived from subducted oceanic material, sometime in the past into the lithospheric mantle where it metasomatized the ambient mantle. Later at 24 Ma, thermal perturbations during rifting forced the isotopically evolved parts of the mantle together with the peridotitic ambient mantle to melt. This yielded a package of melts with highly correlated Re/Os ratios and radiogenic Os isotope compositions. Subsequent movement through the crust may have further altered the Os isotope composition although this effect is probably minor for the majority of the samples based on radiogenic Nd and unradiogenic Sr isotope composition of the lavas. If the radiogenic Os isotope composition can be explained by a mantle-hybridization and metasomatism model, the isotopic compositions of the hornblende basalts can be satisfied by ca. 5-25% addition of the mafic lithospheric component to an asthenospheric alkaline magma. Although a lack of isotope data for all required endmembers make this model somewhat speculative, the results show that the Re-Os isotope system in continental basalts is able to distinguish between crustal contamination and derivation of continental alkaline lavas from isotopically evolved peridotitic lithosphere that was contaminated by mafic material in the past and later remelted during rifting. The Hf isotopic compositions are slightly less radiogenic than in other alkaline basalts from the province and indicate the derivation of the lavas from low Lu-Hf parts of the lithospheric mantle. The new Os and Hf isotope data constrain a new light of the nature of such metasomatizing agents, at least for these particular rocks, which represent within the particular volcanic complex the first product of the volcanism.

Classification of igneous rocks analyzed by ChemCam at Gale crater, Mars

DOE PAGES

Cousin, Agnes; Sautter, Violaine; Payré, Valérie; ...

2017-02-09

Several recent studies have revealed that Mars is not a simple basalt-covered planet, but has a more complex geological history. In Gale crater on Mars, the Curiosity rover discovered 59 igneous rocks. This article focuses on their textures (acquired from the cameras such as MAHLI and MastCam) and their geochemical compositions that have been obtained using the ChemCam instrument. Light-toned crystals have been observed in most of the rocks. They correspond to feldspars ranging from andesines/oligoclases to anorthoclases and sanidines in the leucocratic vesiculated rocks. Darker crystals observed in all igneous rocks (except the leucocratic vesiculated ones) were analyzed bymore » LIBS and mainly identified as Fe-rich pigeonites and Fe-augites. Iron oxides have been observed in all groups whereas F-bearing minerals have been detected only in few of them. From their textural analysis and their whole-rock compositions, all these 59 igneous rocks have been classified in five different groups; from primitive rocks i.e. dark aphanitic basalts/basanites, trachybasalts, tephrites and fine/coarse-grained gabbros/norites to more evolved materials i.e. porphyritic trachyandesites, leucocratic trachytes and quartz-diorites. The basalts and gabbros are found all along the traverse of the rover, whereas the felsic rocks are located before the Kimberley formation, i.e. close to the Peace Vallis alluvial fan deposits. This suggests that these alkali rocks have been transported by fluvial activity and could come from the Northern rim of the crater, and may correspond to deeper strata buried under basaltic regolith (Sautter et al., 2015). Some of the basaltic igneous rocks are surprisingly enriched in iron, presenting low Mg# similar to the nakhlite parental melt that cannot be produced by direct melting of the Dreibus and Wanke (1986) martian primitive mantle. The basaltic rocks at Gale are thus different from Gusev basalts. They could originate from different mantle reservoirs, or they could have undergone a more extensive fractional crystallization. Lastly, Gale basaltic rocks could have been the parental magma of residual liquid extending into alkali field towards trachyte composition as magma fractionated under anhydrous condition on its way to the surface before sub adiabatic ascent.« less

Classification of igneous rocks analyzed by ChemCam at Gale crater, Mars

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cousin, Agnes; Sautter, Violaine; Payré, Valérie

Several recent studies have revealed that Mars is not a simple basalt-covered planet, but has a more complex geological history. In Gale crater on Mars, the Curiosity rover discovered 59 igneous rocks. This article focuses on their textures (acquired from the cameras such as MAHLI and MastCam) and their geochemical compositions that have been obtained using the ChemCam instrument. Light-toned crystals have been observed in most of the rocks. They correspond to feldspars ranging from andesines/oligoclases to anorthoclases and sanidines in the leucocratic vesiculated rocks. Darker crystals observed in all igneous rocks (except the leucocratic vesiculated ones) were analyzed bymore » LIBS and mainly identified as Fe-rich pigeonites and Fe-augites. Iron oxides have been observed in all groups whereas F-bearing minerals have been detected only in few of them. From their textural analysis and their whole-rock compositions, all these 59 igneous rocks have been classified in five different groups; from primitive rocks i.e. dark aphanitic basalts/basanites, trachybasalts, tephrites and fine/coarse-grained gabbros/norites to more evolved materials i.e. porphyritic trachyandesites, leucocratic trachytes and quartz-diorites. The basalts and gabbros are found all along the traverse of the rover, whereas the felsic rocks are located before the Kimberley formation, i.e. close to the Peace Vallis alluvial fan deposits. This suggests that these alkali rocks have been transported by fluvial activity and could come from the Northern rim of the crater, and may correspond to deeper strata buried under basaltic regolith (Sautter et al., 2015). Some of the basaltic igneous rocks are surprisingly enriched in iron, presenting low Mg# similar to the nakhlite parental melt that cannot be produced by direct melting of the Dreibus and Wanke (1986) martian primitive mantle. The basaltic rocks at Gale are thus different from Gusev basalts. They could originate from different mantle reservoirs, or they could have undergone a more extensive fractional crystallization. Lastly, Gale basaltic rocks could have been the parental magma of residual liquid extending into alkali field towards trachyte composition as magma fractionated under anhydrous condition on its way to the surface before sub adiabatic ascent.« less

Origin of the Indian Ocean-type isotopic signature in basalts from Philippine Sea plate spreading centers: An assessment of local versus large-scale processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hickey-Vargas, Rosemary

1998-09-01

Basalts erupted from spreading centers on the Philippine Sea plate between 50 Ma and the present have the distinctive isotopic characteristics of Indian Ocean mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB), such as high 208Pb/204Pb and low 143Nd/144Nd for a given 206Pb/204Pb compared with Pacific and Atlantic Ocean MORB. This feature may indicate that the upper mantle of the Philippine Sea plate originated as part of the existing Indian Ocean upper mantle domain, or, alternatively, that local processes duplicated these isotopic characteristics within the sub-Philippine Sea plate upper mantle. Synthesis of new and published isotopic data for Philippine Sea plate basin basalts and island arc volcanic rocks, radiometric ages, and tectonic reconstructions of the plate indicates that local processes, such as contamination of the upper mantle by subducted materials or by western Pacific mantle plumes, did not produce the Indian Ocean-type signature in Philippine Sea plate MORB. It is more likely that the plate originated over a rapidly growing Indian Ocean upper mantle domain that had spread into the area between Australia/New Guinea and southeast Asia before 50 Ma.

The influence of a subduction component on magmatism in the Okinawa Trough: Evidence from thorium and related trace element ratios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Kun; Zeng, Zhi-Gang; Chen, Shuai; Zhang, Yu-Xiang; Qi, Hai-Yan; Ma, Yao

2017-09-01

The Okinawa Trough (OT) is a back-arc, initial continental marginal sea basin located behind the Ryukyu Arc-Trench System. Formation and evolution of the OT have been intimately related to subduction of the Philippine Sea Plate (PSP) since the late Miocene; thus, the magma source of the trough has been affected by subduction components, as in the case of other active back-arc basins, including the Lau Basin (LB) and Mariana Trough (MT). We review all the available geochemical data relating to basaltic lavas from the OT and the middle Ryukyu Arc (RA) in this paper in order to determine the influence of the subduction components on the formation of arc and back-arc magmas within this subduction system. The results of this study reveal that the abundances of Th in OT basalts (OTBs) are higher than that in LB (LBBs) and MT basalts (MTBs) due to the mixing of subducted sediments and EMI-like enriched materials. The geochemical characteristics of Th and other trace element ratios indicate that the OTB originated from a more enriched mantle source (compared to N-mid-ocean ridge basalt, N-MORB) and was augmented by subducted sediments. Data show that the magma sources of the south OT (SOT) and middle Ryukyu Arc (MRA) basalts were principally influenced by subducted aqueous fluids and bulk sediments, which were potentially added into magma sources by accretion and underplating. At the same time, the magma sources of the middle OT (MOT) and Kobi-syo and Sekibi-Syo (KBS+SBS) basalts were impacted by subducted aqueous fluids from both altered oceanic crust (AOC) and sediment. The variable geochemical characteristics of these basalts are due to different Wadati-Benioff depths and tectonic environments of formation, while the addition of subducted bulk sediment to SOT and MRA basalts may be due to accretion and underplating, and subsequent to form mélange formation, which would occur partial melting after aqueous fluids are added. The addition of AOC and sediment aqueous fluid to MOT and KBS+SBS basalts is therefore the result of cold subducted slab dehydration combined with a rapid subduction rate (82 mm/a), leading to the migration of fluids into the mantle wedge. The presence of these attributes is likely because the OT was a back-arc, initial continental marginal sea basin.

Wallula Basalt Pilot Demonstration Project: Post-injection Results and Conclusions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McGrail, Bernard Pete; Schaef, Herbert T.; Spane, Frank A.

Deep underground geologic formations are emerging as a reasonable option for long-term storage of CO 2, including large continental flood basalt formations. At the GHGT-11 and GHGT-12 conferences, progress was reported on the initial phases for Wallula Basalt Pilot demonstration test (located in Eastern Washington state), where nearly 1,000 metric tons of CO 2 were injected over a 3-week period during July/August 2013. The target CO 2 injection intervals were two permeable basalt interflow reservoir zones with a combined thickness of ~20 m that occur within a layered basalt sequence between a depth of 830-890 m below ground surface. Duringmore » the two-year post-injection period, downhole fluid samples were periodically collected during this post-injection monitoring phase, coupled with limited wireline borehole logging surveys that provided indirect evidence of on-going chemical geochemical reactions/alterations and CO 2 disposition. A final detailed post-closure field characterization program that included downhole fluid sampling, and performance of hydrologic tests and wireline geophysical surveys. Included as part of the final wireline characterization activities was the retrieval of side-wall cores from within the targeted injection zones. These cores were examined for evidence of in-situ mineral carbonization. Visual observations of the core material identified small globular nodules, translucent to yellow in color, residing within vugs and small cavities of the recovered basalt side-wall cores, which were not evident in pre-injection side-wall cores obtained from the native basalt formation. Characterization by x-ray diffraction identified these nodular precipitates as ankerite, a commonly occurring iron and calcium rich carbonate. Isotopic characterization (δ 13C, δ 18O) conducted on the ankerite nodules indicate a distinct isotopic signature that is closely aligned with that of the injected CO 2. Both the secondary mineral nodules and injected CO 2 are measurably different from the isotopic content of basalt, injection zone groundwater and for naturally occurring calcite. Final post-injection wireline geophysical logging results also indicate the presence of free-phase CO 2 at the top of the two injection interflow zones, with no vertical migration of CO 2 above the injection horizons. Furthermore, these findings are significant and demonstrate the feasibility of sequestering CO 2 in a basalt formation.« less

Wallula Basalt Pilot Demonstration Project: Post-injection Results and Conclusions

DOE PAGES

McGrail, Bernard Pete; Schaef, Herbert T.; Spane, Frank A.; ...

2017-08-18

Deep underground geologic formations are emerging as a reasonable option for long-term storage of CO 2, including large continental flood basalt formations. At the GHGT-11 and GHGT-12 conferences, progress was reported on the initial phases for Wallula Basalt Pilot demonstration test (located in Eastern Washington state), where nearly 1,000 metric tons of CO 2 were injected over a 3-week period during July/August 2013. The target CO 2 injection intervals were two permeable basalt interflow reservoir zones with a combined thickness of ~20 m that occur within a layered basalt sequence between a depth of 830-890 m below ground surface. Duringmore » the two-year post-injection period, downhole fluid samples were periodically collected during this post-injection monitoring phase, coupled with limited wireline borehole logging surveys that provided indirect evidence of on-going chemical geochemical reactions/alterations and CO 2 disposition. A final detailed post-closure field characterization program that included downhole fluid sampling, and performance of hydrologic tests and wireline geophysical surveys. Included as part of the final wireline characterization activities was the retrieval of side-wall cores from within the targeted injection zones. These cores were examined for evidence of in-situ mineral carbonization. Visual observations of the core material identified small globular nodules, translucent to yellow in color, residing within vugs and small cavities of the recovered basalt side-wall cores, which were not evident in pre-injection side-wall cores obtained from the native basalt formation. Characterization by x-ray diffraction identified these nodular precipitates as ankerite, a commonly occurring iron and calcium rich carbonate. Isotopic characterization (δ 13C, δ 18O) conducted on the ankerite nodules indicate a distinct isotopic signature that is closely aligned with that of the injected CO 2. Both the secondary mineral nodules and injected CO 2 are measurably different from the isotopic content of basalt, injection zone groundwater and for naturally occurring calcite. Final post-injection wireline geophysical logging results also indicate the presence of free-phase CO 2 at the top of the two injection interflow zones, with no vertical migration of CO 2 above the injection horizons. Furthermore, these findings are significant and demonstrate the feasibility of sequestering CO 2 in a basalt formation.« less

Drilling constraints on bimodal volcanism and subsequent formation of contrasted uppermost crustal compositions at the middle Okinawa Trough

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamasaki, T.; Takaya, Y.; Mukae, N.; Nagase, T.; Tindell, T.; Totsuka, S.; Uno, Y.; Yonezu, K.; Nozaki, T.; Ishibashi, J. I.; Kumagai, H.; Maeda, L.; Shipboard Scientist, C.

2016-12-01

The Okinawa Trough (OT) is a young and actively spreading back-arc basin, extending behind the Ryukyu arc-trench system in the southeastern margin of the East China Sea. The OT is believed to be in an initial rifting stage (starting from 6-9 Ma), prior to the normal/stable seafloor spreading which constitutes the main stage of back-arc basin formation. Two drilling cruises ‒ the IODP Exp. 331 and SIP CK14-04 D/V Chikyu Cruise (Exp. 907) in 2010 and 2014 ‒ were conducted at the Iheya North Knoll, middle OT. The Iheya North Knoll is a domal volcanic complex consisting of small volcanic bodies. On these cruises, pumiceous gravel and altered rhyolitic rocks, as well as hemi-pelagic sediments, hydrothermal clay and Kuroko-type ores, were recovered from the upper 200 m of the crust. From Feb. 11, 2016 to Mar. 17, 2016, the SIP CK16-01 (Exp. 908) D/V Chikyu cruise was conducted at Iheya North Knoll and the sediment-covered rifting center of the Iheya-Minor Ridge area, middle OT. The Iheya-Minor ridge area is also an active hydrothermal field, located 25 km southeast of the Iheya North Knoll. In this area, basaltic rocks are widely distributed, and drilling has confirmed that the basaltic materials continue to 120 m below the seafloor. From an igneous petrological point of view, the volcanic rocks in the Okinawa Trough are characterized by bimodal basaltic and rhyolitic compositions, with a compositional gap between SiO2 = 56-66 wt%. The origin of the rhyolitic rock has been interpreted as magmatic differentiation of basaltic magma. However, the existence of an active basalt-hosted hydrothermal field in the Iheya-Minor ridge area suggests the presence of hot basaltic rocks at a shallow position in the crust, and reaching recharged seawater at this depth. Furthermore, the composition of felsic rocks just after the compositional gap (SiO2 = 67 wt%) is very similar to that of the minimum melt of a granitic system, and experimental partial melt of hydrous basalt. Therefore, the contrast in the uppermost crustal composition between very close ( 25 km) areas can reasonably be explained by re-melting of hydrothermally-altered basaltic rocks and production of felsic magma at the upper crustal level, and direct eruption of basaltic magma at the seafloor.

Biogeochemical implications of the ubiquitous colonization of marine habitats and redox gradients by Marinobacter species.

PubMed

Handley, Kim M; Lloyd, Jonathan R

2013-01-01

The Marinobacter genus comprises widespread marine bacteria, found in localities as diverse as the deep ocean, coastal seawater and sediment, hydrothermal settings, oceanic basalt, sea-ice, sand, solar salterns, and oil fields. Terrestrial sources include saline soil and wine-barrel-decalcification wastewater. The genus was designated in 1992 for the Gram-negative, hydrocarbon-degrading bacterium Marinobacter hydrocarbonoclasticus. Since then, a further 31 type strains have been designated. Nonetheless, the metabolic range of many Marinobacter species remains largely unexplored. Most species have been classified as aerobic heterotrophs, and assessed for limited anaerobic pathways (fermentation or nitrate reduction), whereas studies of low-temperature hydrothermal sediments, basalt at oceanic spreading centers, and phytoplankton have identified species that possess a respiratory repertoire with significant biogeochemical implications. Notable physiological traits include nitrate-dependent Fe(II)-oxidation, arsenic and fumarate redox cycling, and Mn(II) oxidation. There is also evidence for Fe(III) reduction, and metal(loid) detoxification. Considering the ubiquity and metabolic capabilities of the genus, Marinobacter species may perform an important and underestimated role in the biogeochemical cycling of organics and metals in varied marine habitats, and spanning aerobic-to-anoxic redox gradients.

Biogeochemical implications of the ubiquitous colonization of marine habitats and redox gradients by Marinobacter species

PubMed Central

Handley, Kim M.; Lloyd, Jonathan R.

2013-01-01

The Marinobacter genus comprises widespread marine bacteria, found in localities as diverse as the deep ocean, coastal seawater and sediment, hydrothermal settings, oceanic basalt, sea-ice, sand, solar salterns, and oil fields. Terrestrial sources include saline soil and wine-barrel-decalcification wastewater. The genus was designated in 1992 for the Gram-negative, hydrocarbon-degrading bacterium Marinobacter hydrocarbonoclasticus. Since then, a further 31 type strains have been designated. Nonetheless, the metabolic range of many Marinobacter species remains largely unexplored. Most species have been classified as aerobic heterotrophs, and assessed for limited anaerobic pathways (fermentation or nitrate reduction), whereas studies of low-temperature hydrothermal sediments, basalt at oceanic spreading centers, and phytoplankton have identified species that possess a respiratory repertoire with significant biogeochemical implications. Notable physiological traits include nitrate-dependent Fe(II)-oxidation, arsenic and fumarate redox cycling, and Mn(II) oxidation. There is also evidence for Fe(III) reduction, and metal(loid) detoxification. Considering the ubiquity and metabolic capabilities of the genus, Marinobacter species may perform an important and underestimated role in the biogeochemical cycling of organics and metals in varied marine habitats, and spanning aerobic-to-anoxic redox gradients. PMID:23734151

Mantle plume capture, anchoring, and outflow during Galápagos plume-ridge interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibson, S. A.; Geist, D. J.; Richards, M. A.

2015-05-01

Compositions of basalts erupted between the main zone of Galápagos plume upwelling and adjacent Galápagos Spreading Center (GSC) provide important constraints on dynamic processes involved in transfer of deep-mantle-sourced material to mid-ocean ridges. We examine recent basalts from central and northeast Galápagos including some that have less radiogenic Sr, Nd, and Pb isotopic compositions than plume-influenced basalts (E-MORB) from the nearby ridge. We show that the location of E-MORB, greatest crustal thickness, and elevated topography on the GSC correlates with a confined zone of low-velocity, high-temperature mantle connecting the plume stem and ridge at depths of ˜100 km. At this site on the ridge, plume-driven upwelling involving deep melting of partially dehydrated, recycled ancient oceanic crust, plus plate-limited shallow melting of anhydrous peridotite, generate E-MORB and larger amounts of melt than elsewhere on the GSC. The first-order control on plume stem to ridge flow is rheological rather than gravitational, and strongly influenced by flow regimes initiated when the plume was on axis (>5 Ma). During subsequent northeast ridge migration material upwelling in the plume stem appears to have remained "anchored" to a contact point on the GSC. This deep, confined NE plume stem-to-ridge flow occurs via a network of melt channels, embedded within the normal spreading and advection of plume material beneath the Nazca plate, and coincides with locations of historic volcanism. Our observations require a more dynamically complex model than proposed by most studies, which rely on radial solid-state outflow of heterogeneous plume material to the ridge.

Wellbore cement fracture evolution at the cement–basalt caprock interface during geologic carbon sequestration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jung, Hun Bok; Kabilan, Senthil; Carson, James P.

2014-08-07

Composite Portland cement-basalt caprock cores with fractures, as well as neat Portland cement columns, were prepared to understand the geochemical and geomechanical effects on the integrity of wellbores with defects during geologic carbon sequestration. The samples were reacted with CO2-saturated groundwater at 50 ºC and 10 MPa for 3 months under static conditions, while one cement-basalt core was subjected to mechanical stress at 2.7 MPa before the CO2 reaction. Micro-XRD and SEM-EDS data collected along the cement-basalt interface after 3-month reaction with CO2-saturated groundwater indicate that carbonation of cement matrix was extensive with the precipitation of calcite, aragonite, and vaterite,more » whereas the alteration of basalt caprock was minor. X-ray microtomography (XMT) provided three-dimensional (3-D) visualization of the opening and interconnection of cement fractures due to mechanical stress. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling further revealed that this stress led to the increase in fluid flow and hence permeability. After the CO2-reaction, XMT images displayed that calcium carbonate precipitation occurred extensively within the fractures in the cement matrix, but only partially along the fracture located at the cement-basalt interface. The 3-D visualization and CFD modeling also showed that the precipitation of calcium carbonate within the cement fractures after the CO2-reaction resulted in the disconnection of cement fractures and permeability decrease. The permeability calculated based on CFD modeling was in agreement with the experimentally determined permeability. This study demonstrates that XMT imaging coupled with CFD modeling represent a powerful tool to visualize and quantify fracture evolution and permeability change in geologic materials and to predict their behavior during geologic carbon sequestration or hydraulic fracturing for shale gas production and enhanced geothermal systems.« less

Iron mineralogy and aqueous alteration from Husband Hill through Home Plate at Gusev Crater, Mars: Results from the Mössbauer instrument on the Spirit Mars Exploration Rover

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morris, R. V.; Klingelhöfer, G.; Schröder, C.; Fleischer, I.; Ming, D. W.; Yen, A. S.; Gellert, R.; Arvidson, R. E.; Rodionov, D. S.; Crumpler, L. S.; Clark, B. C.; Cohen, B. A.; McCoy, T. J.; Mittlefehldt, D. W.; Schmidt, M. E.; de Souza, P. A.; Squyres, S. W.

2008-12-01

Spirit's Mössbauer (MB) instrument determined the Fe mineralogy and oxidation state of 71 rocks and 43 soils during its exploration of the Gusev plains and the Columbia Hills (West Spur, Husband Hill, Haskin Ridge, northern Inner Basin, and Home Plate) on Mars. The plains are predominantly float rocks and soil derived from olivine basalts. Outcrops at West Spur and on Husband Hill have experienced pervasive aqueous alteration as indicated by the presence of goethite. Olivine-rich outcrops in a possible mafic/ultramafic horizon are present on Haskin Ridge. Relatively unaltered basalt and olivine basalt float rocks occur at isolated locations throughout the Columbia Hills. Basalt and olivine basalt outcrops are found at and near Home Plate, a putative hydrovolcanic structure. At least three pyroxene compositions are indicated by MB data. MB spectra of outcrops Barnhill and Torquas resemble palagonitic material and thus possible supergene aqueous alteration. Deposits of Fe3+-sulfate soil, located at Paso Robles, Arad, and Tyrone, are likely products of acid sulfate fumarolic and/or hydrothermal activity, possibly in connection with Home Plate volcanism. Hematite-rich outcrops between Home Plate and Tyrone (e.g., Montalva) may also be products of this aqueous activity. Low water-to-rock ratios (isochemical alteration) are implied during palagonite, goethite, and hematite formation because bulk chemical compositions are basaltic (SO3-free basis). High water-to-rock ratios (leaching) under acid sulfate conditions are implied for the high-SiO2 rock and soil in Eastern Valley and the float rock FuzzySmith, which has possible pyrite/marcasite as a hydrothermal alteration product.

Petrogenesis of the Northwest Africa 4898 high-Al mare basalt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Shaolin; Hsu, Weibiao; Guan, Yunbin; Wang, Linyan; Wang, Ying

2016-07-01

Northwest Africa (NWA) 4898 is the only low-Ti, high-Al basaltic lunar meteorite yet recognized. It predominantly consists of pyroxene (53.8 vol%) and plagioclase (38.6 vol%). Pyroxene has a wide range of compositions (En12-62Fs25-62Wo11-36), which display a continuous trend from Mg-rich cores toward Ca-rich mantles and then to Fe-rich rims. Plagioclase has relatively restricted compositions (An87-96Or0-1Ab4-13), and was transformed to maskelynite. The REE zoning of all silicate minerals was not significantly modified by shock metamorphism and weathering. Relatively large (up to 1 mm) olivine phenocrysts have homogenous inner parts with Fo ~74 and sharply decrease to 64 within the thin out rims (~30 μm in width). Four types of inclusions with a variety of textures and modal mineralogy were identified in olivine phenocrysts. The contrasting morphologies of these inclusions and the chemical zoning of olivine phenocrysts suggest NWA 4898 underwent at least two stages of crystallization. The aluminous chromite in NWA 4898 reveals that its high alumina character was inherited from the parental magma, rather than by fractional crystallization. The mineral chemistry and major element compositions of NWA 4898 are different from those of 12038 and Luna 16 basalts, but resemble those of Apollo 14 high-Al basalts. However, the trace element compositions demonstrate that NWA 4898 and Apollo 14 high-Al basalts could not have been derived from the same mantle source. REE compositions of its parental magma indicate that NWA 4898 probably originated from a unique depleted mantle source that has not been sampled yet. Unlike Apollo 14 high-Al basalts, which assimilated KREEPy materials during their formation, NWA 4898 could have formed by closed-system fractional crystallization.

The effects of alteration and porosity on seismic velocities in oceanic basalts and diabases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlson, R. L.

2014-12-01

velocities in the lavas that cap normal oceanic crust are affected by both crack porosity and alteration of the primary mineral phases, chiefly to clays. Porosity accounts for 75-80% of the velocity variation in sonic log velocities in the lava sections of Holes 504B and 1256D, but the effect of alteration on the properties of the basalts has not been assessed. In this analysis, the grain velocities in basalt and diabase samples are estimated from an empirical linear relationship between grain density and the P wave modulus. The theoretical velocity in fresh, zero-porosity basalt, or diabase is 6.96 ± 0.07 km/s. Grain velocities in the diabase samples are statistically indistinguishable from the theoretical velocity, and show no variation with depth; alteration does not significantly affect the velocities in the diabase samples from Hole 504B. This result is consistent with previous analyses, which demonstrated that velocities in the dikes are controlled by crack porosity. In basalt lab samples, alteration reduces the average sample grain velocity to 6.74 ± 0.02 km/s; cracks at the sample scale further reduce the velocity to 5.86 ± 0.03 km/s, and large-scale cracks in the lavas reduce the average in situ velocity to 5.2 ± 0.3 km/s. Cracks account for nearly 90% of the difference between seismic (in situ) velocities and the theoretical velocity in the unaltered solid material. Basalt grain velocities show a small, but significant systematic increase with depth; the influence of alteration decreases with depth in the lavas, reaching near zero at the base of the lavas in Holes 504B and 1256D. This article was corrected on 16 JAN 2015. See the end of the full text for details.

A hybrid composite dike suite from the northern Arabian Nubian Shield, southwest Jordan: Implications for magma mixing and partial melting of granite by mafic magma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jarrar, Ghaleb H.; Yaseen, Najel; Theye, Thomas

2013-03-01

The Arabian Nubian Shield is an exemplary juvenile continental crust of Neoproterozoic age (1000-542 Ma). The post-collisional rift-related stage (~ 610 to 542 Ma) of its formation is characterized among others by the intrusion of several generations of simple and composite dikes. This study documents a suite of hybrid composite dikes and a natural example of partial melting of granite by a mafic magma from the northernmost extremity of Arabian Nubian Shield in southwest Jordan. The petrogenesis of this suite is discussed on the basis of field, petrographic, geochemical, and Rb/Sr isotopic data. These dikes give spectacular examples of the interaction between basaltic magma and the granitic basement. This interaction ranges from brecciation, partial melting of the host alkali feldspar granite to complete assimilation of the granitic material. Field structures range from intrusive breccia (angular partially melted granitic fragments in a mafic groundmass) to the formation of hybrid composite dikes that are up to 14 m in thickness. The rims of these dikes are trachyandesite (latite) with alkali feldspar ovoids (up to 1 cm in diameter); while the central cores are trachydacite to dacite and again with alkali feldspar ovoids and xenoliths from the dike rims. The granitic xenoliths in the intrusive breccia have been subjected to at least 33% partial melting. A seven-point Rb/Sr isochron from one of these composite dikes yields an age of 561 ± 33 Ma and an initial 87Sr/86Sr ratio of 0.70326 ± 0.0003 (2σ) and MSWD of 0.62. Geochemical modeling using major, trace, rare earth elements and isotopes suggests the generation of the hybrid composite dike suite through the assimilation of 30% to 60% granitic crustal material by a basaltic magma, while the latter was undergoing fractional crystallization at different levels in the continental crust.

REE chemistry and Sm-Nd systematics of late Archean weathering profiles in the Fortescue Group, Western Australia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

MacFarlane, A. W.; Danielson, A.; Holland, H. D.; Jacobsen, S. B.

1994-01-01

Two weathering profiles, each consisting of an upper, sericite-rich zone and a lower, chlorite-rich zone, are preserved between flows of the Mt. Roe Basalt in the Fortescue Group, Hamersley Basin, Western Australia. REE concentrations in samples from these two profiles, which originally developed ca 2,760 Ma, show large variations depending on stratigraphic position. LREE abundances and (La/Yb)N are greatest at depths of 3-6 m below the paleosurface of the Mt. Roe #1 profile and are somewhat lower in samples above this level. The LREEs reach concentrations 6-9 times greater than in the underlying basalt, and thus appear to have been mobilized downward in the paleosol and concentrated in its middle part. LREE concentrations in the #2 profile show a similar distribution but with a sharp increase in all REE concentrations within 50 cm of the paleosurface. The distinction between the REE profiles in the two paleosols may be related to the difference in the overlying material. The #1 paleosol is overlain by a few meters of sediments and then by basalt, whereas the #2 paleosol is directly overlain by basalt. The LREEs appear to have been mobilized both during chemical weathering of the parental basalt and during later lower-greenschist-facies metamorphism and metasomatism of the paleosols. Remobilization of the REEs during the regional metamorphism of the Fortescue Group is confirmed by a whole-rock Sm-Nd reference isochron of Mt. Roe #1 samples with an age of 2,151 +/- 360 Ma. Variable initial 143Nd/144Nd values of unweathered basalt samples which may represent the paleosol protolith prevents a confident determination of the magnitude of LREE mobility. Both the initial mobilization of the REEs during weathering and the metasomatic remobilization appear to have taken place under redox conditions where Ce was present dominantly as Ce3+, because Ce anomalies are not developed within the sericite zone samples regardless of concentration. Europium anomalies in the paleoweathering profile are somewhat variable and were probably modified by mobilization of Eu2+ at metamorphic conditions. In all samples, the HREEs appear to have been relatively immobile and correlate with Al, Ti, Cr, V, Zr, and Nb. Sm-Nd systematics and REE patterns of four unweathered basalt samples indicate derivation of the Mt. Roe Basalts from a heterogeneous and enriched source having epsilon Nd between -4.0 and -7.4. Initial 143Nd/144Nd values of these basalts are even lower than those reported by NELSON et al. (1992) for Fortescue Group basalts and indicate a substantial crustal component in the generation of Mt. Roe Basalts.

Mafic mantle sources indicated by the olivine-spinifex basalt-ferropicrite lavas in the accreted Permian oceanic LIP fragments and Miocene low-Ni basalt and adakite lavas in central Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishiwatari, A.; Ichiyama, Y.; Yamazaki, R.; Katsuragi, T.; Tsuchihashi, H.

2008-12-01

Melting of mafic (eclogitic) rocks in the peridotite mantle diapir may be important to generate a large quantity of magma in a short period of time as required for the LIP basaltic magmatism (e.g. Takahashi et al. 1998; EPSL, 162, 63-). Ferropicritic rocks also occur in some LIPs, and Ichiyama et al. (2006; Lithos, 89, 47-) propose a non-peridotitic, Ti- and Fe-rich eclogitic source (recycled oceanic ferrogabbro?) entrained in the peridotitic LIP mantle plume for the origin of ferropicritic rocks, that occur with olivine-spinifex basalt (Ichiyama et al., 2007; Island Arc, 16, 493-) in a Permian LIP fragment that was captured in the Jurassic Tamba accretionary complex in central Japan. Although Ti-poor ferrokomatiitic magma might form through high- degree melting of a primitive chondritic mantle (25wt% MgO and 25wt% Fe+FeO), Ti- and HFSE-rich ferropicritic and meimechitic magmas can not form in this way. On the other hand, Miocene volcanic rocks distributed along the Japan Sea coast of central Japan also represent a product of large-scale arc magmatism that happened coeval to the spreading of the Japan Sea floor. The chemical and isotopic signatures of the magmas are consistent with the secular change of tectonic setting from continental arc (22- 20 Ma) to island arc (15-11 Ma) (Shuto et al. 2006; Lithos, 86, 1-). Some adakites have already been found from these Miocene volcanic rocks by Shuto"fs group, and mafic rock melting in either subducting slab or lower arc crust has been proposed. We have recently found a wide distribution of low-Ni basalt from Fukui City. The low-Ni basalt contains olivine phenocrysts which are one order of magnitude poorer in Ni (less than 0.02 wt% NiO at Fo87) than those in normal basalt (more than 0.2 wt% NiO at Fo87). The rock is also poor in bulk-rock Ni, rich in K and Ti, and may have formed from an olivine-free pyroxenitic source. Close association of adakite and low-Ni basalt with normal tholeiitic basalt, calc-alkaline andesite-dacite-rhyolite, high-Mg andesite and rare picritic basalt suggests melting of a heterogeneous mantle wedge that was abundantly endorsed with eclogitic and pyroxenitic rocks. Melting pressure greatly differs between the ferropicrite case (5 GPa or more) and the low-Ni basalt-adakite case (2 GPa or less), causing large chemical differences. However, common occurrences of non-peridotite-origin magmas in the LIP and island arc suggest pervasive and voluminous distribution of the mafic materials in the peridotitic mantle and their important role in magma genesis at various tectonic settings.

Carbon contents in reduced basalts at graphite saturation: Implications for the degassing of Mars, Mercury, and the Moon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yuan; Dasgupta, Rajdeep; Tsuno, Kyusei

2017-06-01

Carbon contents in reduced Martian basalts at graphite saturation were experimentally studied at 1400-1550°C, 1-2 GPa, and logfO2 of IW - 0.4 to IW + 1.5 (IW denotes the Fe-FeO buffer). The results show that carbon solubility in Martian basalts, determined by secondary ion mass spectrometry, is 20 to 1400 ppm, increasing with increasing fO2. Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic measurements on the quenched silicate glasses show that the dominant carbon species in Martian basalts is carbonate (CO32-). The experimental data generated here were combined with literature data on similar graphite-saturated carbon solubility for mafic-ultramafic compositions to develop an empirical model that can be used to predict carbon content of graphite-saturated reduced basalts at vapor-absent conditions: At IW+1.7 ≥logfO2 ≥ IW-1: (Cppm)=-3702(±534)/T-194(±49)P/T-0.0034(±0.043) logXH2O +0.61(±0.07)NBO/T+0.55(±0.02) ΔIW +3.5(±0.3)R2=0.89 At IW-5.3 ≤ logfO2 ≤ IW-1: (Cppm)=0.96(±0.19) logXH2O-0.25(±0.04)ΔIW+2.83(±0.34)R2=0.6) in which T is temperature in K, P is pressure in GPa, XH2O is mole fraction of water in basalts, ΔIW is the oxygen fugacity relative to the IW buffer, and NBO/T = 2 total O/T - 4 (T = Si + Ti + Al + Cr + P). This model was applied to predict carbon content in graphite-saturated mantle melts of the Mercury, Mars, and the Moon. The results show that graphite may be consumed during the production and extraction of some Martian basalts, and CO2 released by volcanism on Mars cannot be an efficient greenhouse gas in the early Mars. The lunar mantle carbon may be one of the main propellant driving the fire-fountain eruption on the Moon; however, the Mercurian mantle carbon may not be an important propellant for the explosive eruption on Mercury.

Determining The Provenance Of Sedimentary Materials On Mars Through Analog Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Craddock, R. A.

2017-12-01

The amount and types of sedimentary material available for transport can control the types of features that result from aeolian or fluvial processes. For example, if sediment availability increases dune forms transition from barchans to linear dunes. The availability of sediment and the erodibilty of the landscape can influence drainage divides, catchment areas, and stream type. There is abundant evidence of both aeolian and fluvial sediments on Mars with grain sizes ranging from silt/clay to pebbles and cobbles. However, what is unique about Mars is that the dominant rock type on the surface is basalt, and basalt does not typically weather into coarser particles sizes larger than silt/clay. So where does all the sand come from on Mars? Chemical weathering would produce clays. While mechanical weathering is possible, there are really only two end member processes: impact cratering and physical abrasion. Impact cratering can produce a wide range of particle sizes from house sized boulders to fine dust, but how much sand can be expected to be produced from impact craters? Physical abrasion is likely to be inefficient on Mars, resulting in the fast breakdown of sand-sized particles while producing more silt/clay sized particles. Other processes for generating sand on Mars include hyaloclastic, phreatomagmatic, and pyroclastic. These processes typically require the presence of water. This presentation will explore the possible diagnostic characteristics of sediments generated from these different processes. It will also show how basaltic sediments change as they are transported by water, wind, and ice. The image shows the physical characteristics of basaltic sediment transported by different geologic processes.

Conduit margin heating and deformation during the AD 1886 basaltic Plinian eruption at Tarawera volcano, New Zealand.

PubMed

Schauroth, Jenny; Wadsworth, Fabian B; Kennedy, Ben; von Aulock, Felix W; Lavallée, Yan; Damby, David E; Vasseur, Jérémie; Scheu, Bettina; Dingwell, Donald B

During explosive eruptions, a suspension of gas and pyroclasts rises rapidly within a conduit. Here, we have analysed textures preserved in the walls of a pyroclastic feeder dyke of the AD 1886 Tarawera basaltic Plinian fissure eruption. The samples examined consist of basaltic ash and scoria plastered onto a conduit wall of a coherent rhyolite dome and a welded rhyolitic dome breccia. We examine the textural evidence for the response of the wall material, built of ∼75 vol.% glass and ∼25 vol.% crystals (pore-free equivalent), to mass movement in the adjacent conduit. In the rhyolitic wall material, we quantify the orientation and aspect ratio of biotite crystals as strain markers of simple shear deformation, and interpret juxtaposed regions of vesiculation and vesicle collapse as evidence of conduit wall heating. Systematic changes occur close to the margin: (1) porosity is highly variable, with areas locally vesiculated or densified, (2) biotite crystals are oriented with their long axis parallel to the margin, (3) the biotites have greater aspect ratios close to the margin and (4) the biotite crystals are fractured. We interpret the biotite phenocryst deformation to result from crystal fracture, rotation and cleavage-parallel bookcase translation. These textural observations are inferred to indicate mechanical coupling between the hot gas-ash jet and the conduit wall and reheating of wall rock rhyolite. We couple these observations with a simple 1D conductive heating model to show what minimum temperature the conduit wall needs to reach in order to achieve a temperature above the glass transition throughout the texturally-defined deformed zone. We propose that conduit wall heating and resulting deformation influences conduit margin outgassing and may enhance the intensity of such large basaltic eruptions.

The High Deccan duricrusts of India and their significance for the `laterite' issue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ollier, Cliff D.; Sheth, Hetu C.

2008-10-01

In the Deccan region of western India ferricrete duricrusts, usually described as laterites, cap some basalt summits east of the Western Ghats escarpment, basalts of the low-lying Konkan Plain to its west, as well as some sizeable isolated basalt plateaus rising from the Plain. The duricrusts are iron-cemented saprolite with vermiform hollows, but apart from that have little in common with the common descriptions of laterite. The classical laterite profile is not present. In particular there are no pisolitic concretions, no or minimal development of concretionary crust, and the pallid zone, commonly assumed to be typical of laterites, is absent. A relatively thin, non-indurated saprolite usually lies between the duricrust and fresh basalt. The duricrust resembles the classical laterite of Angadippuram in Kerala (southwestern India), but is much harder. The High Deccan duricrusts capping the basalt summits in the Western Ghats have been interpreted as residuals from a continuous (but now largely destroyed) laterite blanket that represents in situ transformation of the uppermost lavas, and thereby as marking the original top of the lava pile. But the unusual pattern of the duricrusts on the map and other evidence suggest instead that the duricrusts formed along a palaeoriver system, and are now in inverted relief. The two interpretations lead to different tectonic histories. Duricrust formation involved lateral material input besides vertical elemental exchange. We may have reached the stage when the very concepts of laterite and lateritization are hindering progress in regolith research.

The mineralogy, petrology, and composition of anomalous eucrite Emmaville

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrett, T. J.; Mittlefehldt, D. W.; Greenwood, R. C.; Charlier, B. L. A.; Hammond, S. J.; Ross, D. K.; Anand, M.; Franchi, I. A.; Abernethy, F. A. J.; Grady, M. M.

2017-04-01

The Emmaville eucrite is a relatively poorly studied basaltic achondrite with an anomalous oxygen isotope signature. In this study, we report comprehensive mineralogical, petrographic, and geochemical data from Emmaville in order to understand its petrogenesis and relationship with the basaltic eucrites. Emmaville is an unusually fine-grained, hornfelsic-textured metabasalt with pervasive impact melt veins and mineral compositions similar to those of typical basaltic eucrites. The major and trace element bulk composition of Emmaville is also typical of a basaltic eucrite. Three separated individual lithologies were also analyzed for O isotopes; a dark gray fraction (E1), a shocked lithology (E2), and a lighter gray portion (E3). Fractions E1 and E2 shared similar O isotope compositions to the bulk sample (E-B), whereas the lighter gray portion (E3) is slightly elevated in Δ17O and significantly elevated in δ18O compared to bulk. No evidence for any exogenous material is observed in the thin sections, coupled with the striking compositional similarity to typical basaltic eucrites, appears to preclude a simple impact-mixing hypothesis. The O-isotopes of Emmaville are similar to those of Bunburra Rockhole, A-881394, and EET 92023, and thus distinct from the majority of the HEDs, despite having similarities in petrology, mineral, and bulk compositions. It would, therefore, seem plausible that all four of these samples are derived from a single HED-like parent body that is isotopically distinct from that of the HEDs (Vesta) but similar in composition.

Results of analyses performed on basalt adjacent to penetrators emplaced into volcanic rock at Amboy, California, April 1976

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blanchard, M.; Bunch, T.; Davis, A.; Shade, H.; Erlichman, J.; Polkowski, G.

1977-01-01

The physical and chemical modifications found in the basalt after impact of four penetrators were studied. Laboratory analyses show that mineralogical and elemental changes are produced in the powdered and crushed basalt immediately surrounding the penetrator. Optical microscopy studies of material next to the skin of the penetrator revealed a layer, 0-2 mm thick, of glass and abraded iron alloy mixed with fractured mineral grains of basalt. Elemental analysis of the 0-2 mm layer revealed increased concentrations of Fe, Cr, Ni, No, and Mn, and reduced concentrations of Mg, Al, Si, and Ca. The Fe, Cr, Ni, and Mo were in fragments abraded from the penetrator. Mineralogical changes occurring in the basalt sediment next to the penetrator include the introduction of micron-size grains of alpha-iron, magnetite, and hematite. The newly formed silicate minerals include metastable phases of silica (tridymite and cristobalite). An increased concentration of Fe, Cr, Ni, and Mo occurred in the 2-mm to 1-cm layer of penetrator no. 1, which impacted at the highest velocity. No elemental concentration increase was noted for penetrators nos. 2 and 3 in the 2-mm to 1-cm layer. Contaminants introduced by the penetrator occur up to 1 cm away from the penetrator's skin. Although volatile elements do migrate and new minerals are formed during the destruction of host minerals in the crushed rock, no changes were observed beyond the 1-cm distance.

Hyper-localized carbon mineralization in diffusion-limited basalt fractures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menefee, A. H.; Giammar, D.; Ellis, B. R.

2017-12-01

Basalt formations could enable secure carbon sequestration through mineral trapping. CO2 injection acidifies formation brines and drives dissolution of the host rock, which releases divalent metal cations that combine with dissolved carbonate ions to form stable carbonate minerals. Here, a series of high-pressure flow-through experiments was conducted to evaluate how transport limitations and geochemical gradients drive microscale carbonation reactions in fractured basalts. To isolate advection- and diffusion-controlled zones, surfaces of saw-cut basalt cores were milled to create one primary flow channel adjoined by four dead-end fracture pathways. In the first experiment, a representative basalt brine (6.3 mM NaHCO3) equilibrated with CO2 (100ºC, 10 MPa) was injected at 1 mL/h under 20 MPa confining stress. The second experiment was conducted under the same physical conditions but [NaHCO3] was elevated to 640 mM, and in the third, temperature was also raised to 150ºC. Effluent chemistry was monitored via ICP-MS to infer dissolution trends and calibrate reactive transport models. Reacted cores were characterized using x-ray computed tomography (xCT), optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Carbonation occurred in all experiments but increased in experiments with higher alkalinity and higher temperature. At low [NaHCO3], secondary precipitate coatings formed distinct reaction fronts that varied with distance into dead-end fractures. Reactive transport modeling demonstrated that these reactions fronts were due to sharp gradients in pH and dissolved inorganic carbon. Carbonation was restricted to transport-limited vugs and pores between the confined core surfaces and was highly localized on reactive primary mineral grains (e.g. pyroxene) that contributed major divalent cations. Increasing [NaHCO3] by two orders of magnitude significantly enhanced carbonation and promoted Mg and Fe uptake into carbonates. While xCT scans revealed clays filling the advective path, no permeability changes were measured. Our coupled experiment-modeling approach further elucidates the geochemical conditions controlling carbonation reactions and extends unique microstructural observations to implications for long-term CO2 mineralization in basalt reservoirs.

Smectite formation in the presence of sulfuric acid: Implications for acidic smectite formation on early Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peretyazhko, T. S.; Niles, P. B.; Sutter, B.; Morris, R. V.; Agresti, D. G.; Le, L.; Ming, D. W.

2018-01-01

The excess of orbital detection of smectite deposits compared to carbonate deposits on the martian surface presents an enigma because smectite and carbonate formations are both favored alteration products of basalt under neutral to alkaline conditions. We propose that Mars experienced acidic events caused by sulfuric acid (H2SO4) that permitted phyllosilicate, but inhibited carbonate, formation. To experimentally verify this hypothesis, we report the first synthesis of smectite from Mars-analogue glass-rich basalt simulant (66 wt% glass, 32 wt% olivine, 2 wt% chromite) in the presence of H2SO4 under hydrothermal conditions (∼200 °C). Smectites were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, Mössbauer spectroscopy, visible and near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy and electron microprobe to characterize mineralogy and chemical composition. Solution chemistry was determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. Basalt simulant suspensions in 11-42 mM H2SO4 were acidic with pH ≤ 2 at the beginning of incubation and varied from acidic (pH 1.8) to mildly alkaline (pH 8.4) at the end of incubation. Alteration of glass phase during reaction of the basalt simulant with H2SO4 led to formation of the dioctahedral smectite at final pH ∼3 and trioctahedral smectite saponite at final pH ∼4 and higher. Anhydrite and hematite formed in the final pH range from 1.8 to 8.4 while natroalunite was detected at pH 1.8. Hematite was precipitated as a result of oxidative dissolution of olivine present in Adirondack basalt simulant. Formation of secondary phases, including smectite, resulted in release of variable amounts of Si, Mg, Na and Ca while solubilization of Al and Fe was low. Comparison of mineralogical and solution chemistry data indicated that the type of smectite (i.e., dioctahedral vs trioctahedral) was likely controlled by Mg leaching from altering basalt and substantial Mg loss created favorable conditions for formation of dioctahedral smectite. We present a model for global-scale smectite formation on Mars via acid-sulfate conditions created by the volcanic outgassing of SO2 in the Noachian and early Hesperian.

Lunar impact basins and crustal heterogeneity - New western limb and far side data from Galileo

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Belton, Michael J. S.; Head, James W., III; Pieters, Carle M.; Greeley, Ronald; Mcewen, Alfred S.; Neukum, Gerhard; Klaasen, Kenneth P.; Anger, Clifford D.; Carr, Michael H.; Chapman, Clark R.

1992-01-01

Multispectral images of the lunar western limb and far side obtained from Galileo reveal the compositional nature of several prominent lunar features and provide new information on lunar evolution. The data reveal that the ejecta from the Orientale impact basin (900 kilometers in diameter) lying outside the Cordillera Mountains was excavated from the crust, not the mantle, and covers pre-Orientale terrain that consisted of both highland materials and relatively large expanses of ancient mare basalts. The inside of the far side South Pole-Aitken basin (greater than 2000 kilometers in diameter) has low albedo, red color, and a relatively high abundance of iron- and magnesium-rich materials. These features suggest that the impact may have penetrated into the deep crust or lunar mantle or that the basin contains ancient mare basalts that were later covered by highlands ejecta.

Effects of lunar soil, Zagami meteorite, and ocean ridge basalt on the excretion of itoic acid, a siderophore, and coproporphyrin by Bacillus subtilis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ito, T.

1986-01-01

Samples of lunar soil (10084,151), Zagami meteorite, postulated to be ejected from Mars, and ocean ridge basalt, the most abundant volcanic rock on earth, all completely inhibited the excretion of itoic acid and of coproporphyrin by Bacillus subtilis, a common airborne bacterium. Since such inhibition has been known to occur only under iron rich growth conditions(the excretion of these compounds occurs under iron deficient growth conditions), the result indicated that the organism was capable of extracting iron quite readily from these materials. A sample of synthetic ilmenite completely failed to inhibit the excretion of coproporphyrin, and inhibited the excretion of itoic acid only slightly. The result suggested that much of the iron extracted by the organism must have come from iron sources other than ilmenite,such as pyroxenes and olivines,in these natural materials tested.

Lunar impact basins and crustal heterogeneity: New western limb and far side data from galileo

USGS Publications Warehouse

Belton, M.J.S.; Head, J. W.; Pieters, C.M.; Greeley, R.; McEwen, A.S.; Neukum, G.; Klaasen, K.P.; Anger, C.D.; Carr, M.H.; Chapman, C.R.; Davies, M.E.; Fanale, F.P.; Gierasch, P.J.; Greenberg, R.; Ingersoll, A.P.; Johnson, T.; Paczkowski, B.; Pilcher, C.B.; Veverka, J.

1992-01-01

Multispectral images of the lunar western limb and far side obtained from Galileo reveal the compositional nature of several prominent lunar features and provide new information on lunar evolution. The data reveal that the ejecta from the Orientale impact basin (900 kilometers in diameter) lying outside the Cordillera Mountains was excavated from the crust, not the mantle, and covers pre-Orientale terrain that consisted of both highland materials and relatively large expanses of ancient mare basalts. The inside of the far side South Pole-Aitken basin (>2000 kilometers in diameter) has low albedo, red color, and a relatively high abundance of iron- and magnesium-rich materials. These features suggest that the impact may have penetrated into the deep crust or lunar mantle or that the basin contains ancient mare basalts that were later covered by highlands ejecta.

Natural fumarolic alteration of fluorapatite, olivine, and basaltic glass, and implications for habitable environments on Mars.

PubMed

Hausrath, Elisabeth M; Tschauner, Oliver

2013-11-01

Fumaroles represent a very important potential habitat on Mars because they contain water and nutrients. Global deposition of volcanic sulfate aerosols may also have been an important soil-forming process affecting large areas of Mars. Here we identify alteration from the Senator fumarole, northwest Nevada, USA, and in low-temperature environments near the fumarole to help interpret fumarolic and acid vapor alteration of rocks and soils on Mars. We analyzed soil samples and fluorapatite, olivine, and basaltic glass placed at and near the fumarole in in situ mineral alteration experiments designed to measure weathering under natural field conditions. Using synchrotron X-ray diffraction, we clearly observe hydroxyl-carbonate-bearing fluorapatite as a fumarolic alteration product of the original material, fluorapatite. The composition of apatites as well as secondary phosphates has been previously used to infer magmatic conditions as well as fumarolic conditions on Mars. To our knowledge, the observations reported here represent the first documented instance of formation of hydroxyl-carbonate-bearing apatite from fluorapatite in a field experiment. Retreat of olivine surfaces, as well as abundant NH4-containing minerals, was also characteristic of fumarolic alteration. In contrast, alteration in the nearby low-temperature environment resulted in formation of large pits on olivine surfaces, which were clearly distinguishable from the fumarolic alteration. Raman signatures of some fumarolically impacted surfaces are consistent with detection of the biological molecules chlorophyll and scytenomin, potentially useful biosignatures. Observations of altered minerals on Mars may therefore help identify the environment of formation and understand the aqueous history and potential habitability of that planet.

Silica in a Mars analog environment: Ka u Desert, Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Seelos, K.D.; Arvidson, R. E.; Jolliff, B.L.; Chemtob, S.M.; Morris, R.V.; Ming, D. W.; Swayze, G.A.

2010-01-01

Airborne Visible/Near-Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) data acquired over the Ka u Desert are atmospherically corrected to ground reflectance and used to identify the mineralogic components of relatively young basaltic materials, including 250-700 and 200-400 year old lava flows, 1971 and 1974 flows, ash deposits, and solfatara incrustations. To provide context, a geologic surface units map is constructed, verified with field observations, and supported by laboratory analyses. AVIRIS spectral endmembers are identified in the visible (0.4 to 1.2 ??m) and short wave infrared (2.0 to 2.5 ??m) wavelength ranges. Nearly all the spectral variability is controlled by the presence of ferrous and ferric iron in such minerals as pyroxene, olivine, hematite, goethite, and poorly crystalline iron oxides or glass. A broad, nearly ubiquitous absorption feature centered at 2.25 ??m is attributed to opaline (amorphous, hydrated) silica and is found to correlate spatially with mapped geologic surface units. Laboratory analyses show the silica to be consistently present as a deposited phase, including incrustations downwind from solfatara vents, cementing agent for ash duricrusts, and thin coatings on the youngest lava flow surfaces. A second, Ti-rich upper coating on young flows also influences spectral behavior. This study demonstrates that secondary silica is mobile in the Ka u Desert on a variety of time scales and spatial domains. The investigation from remote, field, and laboratory perspectives also mimics exploration of Mars using orbital and landed missions, with important implications for spectral characterization of coated basalts and formation of opaline silica in arid, acidic alteration environments. Copyright 2010 by the American Geophysical Union.

Subglacial hydrothermal alteration minerals in Jökulhlaup deposits of Southern Iceland, with implications for detecting past or present habitable environments on Mars.

PubMed

Warner, Nicholas H; Farmer, Jack D

2010-06-01

Jökulhlaups are terrestrial catastrophic outfloods, often triggered by subglacial volcanic eruptions. Similar volcano-ice interactions were likely important on Mars where magma/lava may have interacted with the planet's cryosphere to produce catastrophic floods. As a potential analogue to sediments deposited during martian floods, the Holocene sandurs of Iceland are dominated by basaltic clasts derived from the subglacial environment and deposited during jökulhlaups. Palagonite tuffs and breccias, present within the deposits, represent the primary alteration lithology. The surface abundance of palagonite on the sandurs is 1-20%. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of palagonite breccias confirms a mineral assemblage of zeolites, smectites, low-quartz, and kaolinite. Oriented powder X-ray diffractograms (< 2 microm fraction) for palagonite breccia clasts and coatings reveal randomly ordered smectite, mixed layer smectite/illite, zeolites, and quartz. Visible light-near infrared (VNIR) and shortwave infrared (SWIR) lab spectroscopic data of the same palagonite samples show H2O/OH(-) absorptions associated with clays and zeolites. SWIR spectra derived from Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) images of the sandurs reveal Al-OH(-) and Si-OH(-) absorption features. The identified alteration mineral assemblage is consistent with low temperature (100-140 degrees C) hydrothermal alteration of basaltic material within the subglacial environment. These results suggest that potential martian analog sites that contain a similar suite of hydrated minerals may be indicative of past hydrothermal activity and locations where past habitable environments for microbial life may be found.

Origin and timescale of volatile element depletion in crustal and mantle reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moynier, Frederic; Day, James M. D.

2014-05-01

Volatile elements play a fundamental role in the evolution of planets. Understanding of how volatile budgets were set in planets, and how and to what extent planetary bodies became volatile-depleted during the earliest stages of Earth and Solar System formation remain poorly understood, however. It has been proposed that the depletion is due to incomplete condensation (volatile elements were not there in the first place, in which case the timing would have to be fast, <1Myr), or that planetary bodies lost volatile elements through evaporation (post-accretion volatilization). Volatilization is known to fractionate isotopes, thus comparing isotope ratios of volatile element between samples is a powerful tool for understanding the origin of volatile element abundance variations. For example, recent work has shown that lunar basalts are enriched in the heavier isotopes of Zn (~1 ‰ for 66Zn/64Zn) compared to chondrites, terrestrial and martian basalts. We will discuss these Zn isotopic data of crustal and mantle rocks, as well as other stable isotopic systems (e.g., Si) in relation with the giant impact theory of lunar origin, as well as the lunar magma ocean and expand to other parent bodies (e.g., angrites). The timescale of depletion in volatile elements of Solar System material is estimated by using radiogenic systems for which the parent and daughter elements have different volatility. Here we focus on the Rb-Sr and Mn-Cr isotopic systems and discuss the timescales and implications for the origin of volatile element depletion (solar nebula stage vs. planetary stage).

Geochemistry and geochronology of the ∼0.82 Ga high-Mg gabbroic dykes from the Quanji Massif, southeast Tarim Block, NW China: Implications for the Rodinia supercontinent assembly

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liao, Fanxi; Wang, Qinyan; Chen, Nengsong; Santosh, M.; Xu, Yixian; Mustafa, Hassan Abdelsalam

2018-05-01

The role of the Tarim Block in the reconstruction of the Neoproterozoic supercontinent Rodinia remains contentious. Here we report a suite of high-Mg gabbroic dykes from the Yingfeng area in northwestern Quanji Massif, which is considered as a fragment of the Tarim Block in NW China. Magmatic zircons from these dykes yield to have a weighted mean 206Pb/238U age of 822.2 ± 5.3 Ma, recording the timing of their emplacement. The gabbros have high MgO (9.91-13.09 wt%), Mg numbers (69.89-75.73) and CaO (8.41-13.55 wt%), medium FeOt (8.50-9.67 wt%) and TiO2 (0.67-0.93 wt%), variable Al2O3 (13.04-16.07 wt%), and high Cr (346.14-675.25 ppm), but relatively low Ni (138.72-212.94 ppm), suggestive of derivation from a primary magma. The rocks display chondrite-normalized LREE patterns with weak fractionation but flat HREE patterns relative to those of the N-MORB. Their primitive mantle normalized trace elemental patterns show positive Rb, Ba and U but negative Th, Nb, Ti and Zr anomalies, carrying characteristics of both mid-ocean ridge basalts and arc basalts. The εHf(t) values of the zircons from these rocks vary from +4.7 to +13.5 with depleted mantle model ages (TDM) of 1.23-0.85 Ga, and the youngest value nearly approaching that for the coeval depleted mantle, suggesting significant addition of juvenile materials. Our data suggest that the strongly depleted basaltic magma was probably sourced from a depleted mantle source that had undergone metasomatism by subduction-related components in a back-arc setting. Accordingly we postulate that a subduction-related tectonic regime possibly prevailed at ∼0.8 Ga along the southeastern margin of the Tarim Block. Combining with available information from the northern Tarim Block, we propose an opposite verging double-sided subduction model for coeval subduction of the oceanic crust beneath both the southern and northern margins of the Tarim Block during early Neoproterozoic.

Micromechanical analysis of a hybrid composite—effect of boron carbide particles on the elastic properties of basalt fiber reinforced polymer composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krishna Golla, Sai; Prasanthi, P.

2016-11-01

A fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite is an important material for structural application. The diversified application of FRP composites has become the center of attention for interdisciplinary research. However, improvements in the mechanical properties of this class of materials are still under research for different applications. The reinforcement of inorganic particles in a composite improves its structural properties due to their high stiffness. The present research work is focused on the prediction of the mechanical properties of the hybrid composites where continuous fibers are reinforced in a micro boron carbide particle mixed polypropylene matrix. The effectiveness of the addition of 30 wt. % of boron carbide (B4C) particle contributions regarding the longitudinal and transverse properties of the basalt fiber reinforced polymer composite at various fiber volume fractions is examined by finite element analysis (FEA). The experimental approach is the best way to determine the properties of the composite but it is expensive and time-consuming. Therefore, the finite element method (FEM) and analytical methods are the viable methods for the determination of the composite properties. The FEM results were obtained by adopting a micromechanics approach with the support of FEM. Assuming a uniform distribution of reinforcement and considering one unit-cell of the whole array, the properties of the composite materials are determined. The predicted elastic properties from FEA are compared with the analytical results. The results suggest that B4C particles are a good reinforcement for the enhancement of the transverse properties of basalt fiber reinforced polypropylene.

Volcanism Studies: Final Report for the Yucca Mountain Project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bruce M. Crowe; Frank V. Perry; Greg A. Valentine

1998-12-01

This report synthesizes the results of volcanism studies conducted by scientists at the Los Alamos National Laboratory and collaborating institutions on behalf of the Department of Energy's Yucca Mountain Project. An assessment of the risk of future volcanic activity is one of many site characterization studies that must be completed to evaluate the Yucca Mountain site for potential long-term storage of high-level radioactive waste. The presence of several basaltic volcanic centers in the Yucca Mountain region of Pliocene and Quaternary age indicates that there is a finite risk of a future volcanic event occurring during the 10,000-year isolation period ofmore » a potential repository. Chapter 1 introduces the volcanism issue for the Yucca Mountain site and provides the reader with an overview of the organization, content, and significant conclusions of this report. The risk of future basaltic volcanism is the primary topic of concern including both events that intersect a potential repository and events that occur near or within the waste isolation system of a repository. Future volcanic events cannot be predicted with certainty but instead are estimated using formal methods of probabilistic volcanic hazard assessment (PVHA). Chapter 2 describes the volcanic history of the Yucca Mountain region (YMR) and emphasizes the Pliocene and Quaternary volcanic record, the interval of primary concern for volcanic risk assessment. The distribution, eruptive history, and geochronology of Plio-Quaternary basalt centers are described by individual center emphasizing the younger postcaldera basalt (<5 Ma). The Lathrop Wells volcanic center is described in detail because it is the youngest basalt center in the YMR. The age of the Lathrop Wells center is now confidently determined to be about 75 thousand years old. Chapter 3 describes the tectonic setting of the YMR and presents and assesses the significance of multiple alternative tectonic models. The Crater Flat volcanic zone is defined and described as one of many alternative models of the structural controls of the distribution of Plio-Quaternary basalt centers in the YMR. Geophysical data are described for the YMR and are used as an aid to understand the distribution of basaltic volcanic centers. Chapter 4 discusses the petrologic and geochemical features of basaltic volcanism in the YMR, the southern Great Basin and the Basin and Range province. Geochemical and isotopic data are presented for post-Miocene basalts of the Yucca Mountain region. Alternative petrogenetic models are assessed for the formation of the Lathrop Wells volcanic center. Based on geochemical data, basaltic ash in fault trenches near Yucca Mountain is shown to have originated from the Lathrop Wells center. Chapter 5 synthesizes eruptive and subsurface effects of basaltic volcanism on a potential repository and summarizes current concepts of the segregation, ascent, and eruption of basalt magma. Chapter 6 synthesizes current knowledge of the probability of disruption of a potential repository at Yucca Mountain. In 1996, an Expert Elicitation panel was convened by DOE that independently conducted PVHA for the Yucca Mountain site. Chapter 6 does not attempt to revise this PVHA; instead, it further examines the sensitivity of variables in PVHA. The approaches and results of PVHA by the expert judgment panel are evaluated and incorporated throughout this chapter. The disruption ratio (E2) is completely re-evaluated using simulation modeling that describes volcanic events based on the geometry of basaltic feeder dikes. New estimates of probability bounds are developed. These comparisons show that it is physically implausible for the probability of magmatic disruption of the Yucca Mountain site to be > than about 7 x 10{sup {minus}8} events yr{sup {minus}1} . Simple probability estimates are used to assess possible implications of not drilling aeromagnetic anomalies in the Amargosa Valley. The sensitivity of the disruption probability to the location of northeast boundaries of volcanic zones near the Yucca Mountain sit« less

New high pressure experiments on sulfide saturation of high-FeO∗ basalts with variable TiO2 contents - Implications for the sulfur inventory of the lunar interior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Shuo; Hough, Taylor; Dasgupta, Rajdeep

2018-02-01

In order to constrain sulfur concentration in intermediate to high-Ti mare basalts at sulfide saturation (SCSS), we experimentally equilibrated FeS melt and basaltic melt using a piston cylinder at 1.0-2.5 GPa and 1400-1600 °C, with two silicate compositions similar to high-Ti (Apollo 11: A11, ∼11.1 wt.% TiO2, 19.1 wt.% FeO∗, and 39.6 wt.% SiO2) and intermediate-Ti (Luna 16, ∼5 wt.% TiO2, 18.7 wt.% FeO∗, and 43.8 wt.% SiO2) mare basalts. Our experimental results show that SCSS increases with increasing temperature, and decreases with increasing pressure, which are similar to the results from previous experimental studies. SCSS in the A11 melt is systematically higher than that in the Luna 16 melt, which is likely due to higher FeO∗, and lower SiO2 and Al2O3 concentration in the former. Compared to the previously constructed SCSS models, including those designed for high-FeO∗ basalts, the SCSS values determined in this study are generally lower than the predicted values, with overprediction increasing with increasing melt TiO2 content. We attribute this to the lower SiO2 and Al2O3 concentration of the lunar magmas, which is beyond the calibration range of previous SCSS models, and also more abundant FeTiO3 complexes in our experimental melts that have higher TiO2 contents than previous models' calibration range. The formation of FeTiO3 complexes lowers the activity of FeO∗, a FeO∗silicatemelt , and therefore causes SCSS to decrease. To accommodate the unique lunar compositions, we have fitted a new SCSS model for basaltic melts of >5 wt.% FeO∗ and variable TiO2 contents. Using previous chalcophile element partitioning experiments that contained more complex Fe-Ni-S sulfide melts, we also derived an empirical correction that allows SCSS calculation for basalts where the equilibrium sulfides contain variable Ni contents of 10-50 wt.%. At the pressures and temperatures of multiple saturation points, SCSS of lunar magmas with compositions from picritic glasses, mare basalts, to young lunar meteorites vary from 2600 to 4800 ppm for basalt equilibration with a pure FeS melt and from 1400 to 2600 ppm for basalt equilibration with a Fe-rich sulfide melt containing 30 wt.% Ni. The measured S contents in these proposed near-primary lunar magmas are lower than the predicted SCSS at the conditions of their last equilibration with the lunar mantle, indicating no sulfide retention in the lunar mantle source during partial melting. Sulfide exhaustion during partial melting in the lunar mantle also supports the notion that the bulk silicate moon is depleted in highly siderophile elements. Based on the measured S contents and the estimated degree of melting, the estimated S contents for the mantle source of A15 green glass and A15 mare basalts is 10-23 ppm; for A17 orange glass is 25-62 ppm, for A12 mare basalts is 27-92 ppm, and for A11 basalt is 35-120 ppm. Consideration of SCSS decrease due to the presence of Ni in the sulfide melt does not change these mantle S abundance estimates for <30 wt.% Ni in the sulfide. The inferred S contents suggest that the lunar mantle is heterogeneous in terms of S. Although variable among different groups, the inferred S abundance of up to 120 ppm in the lunar mantle falls near the lower end of the S content of the depleted terrestrial mantle such as the MORB source.

Ultraviolet complex refractive index of Martian dust Laboratory measurements of terrestrial analogs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Egan, W. G.; Hilgeman, T.; Pang, K.

1975-01-01

The optical complex index of refraction of four candidate Martian surface materials has been determined between 0.185 and 0.4 microns using a modified Kubelka-Munk scattering theory. The cadidate materials were limonite, andesite, montmorillonite, and basalt. The effect of scattering has been removed from the results. Also presented are diffuse reflection and transmission data on these samples.

Impact cratering: The process and its effects on planetary evolution. [and silicate-carbonate reactions on Venus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grieve, R. A. F.

1984-01-01

The potential for silicate-carbon dioxide reactions as a geochemical weathering agent on Venus was studied. A tholetitic basalt close to the composition determined by the XRF experiment at the Venera 14 sites was subjected to high temperature and pressure (with pure CO2 as the pressure medium) for varying time durations. The starting basalt material and the run products were examined optically and by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. The kinetics of the silicate-carbonate reactions is discussed. A study to elucidate details of impact processes and to assess the effects of impact cratering on planetary evolution is mentioned.

Sulfur Concentration of High-FeO* Basalts at Sulfide Saturation at High Pressures and Temperatures - Implications for Deep Sulfur Cycle on Mars (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dasgupta, R.; Ding, S.

2013-12-01

One of the chief influences of magma in the mantles terrestrial planets is its role in outgassing and ingassing of key volatiles and thus affecting planetary dynamics and climate over long timescales. For Mars, magmatic release of greenhouse gases has been argued to be a major factor in creating warm ancient climate. However, the responsible magmatic gas has not been unequivocally identified. SO2 or H2S could have been the main greenhouse gases, yet the magmatic outflux of S from the martian mantle is poorly constrained. Righter et al. [1] showed that the use of sulfur content at sulfide saturation (SCSS) models based on low-FeO*, high-alumina terrestrial basalts to martian basalts leads to significant error. However, experiments on high-FeO* basalts remain limited to ≤0.8 GPa [1], although the onset of melting in the martian mantle may take place at 250-400 km depth (3-5 GPa) [2]. To constrain SCSS of martian magmas at mantle conditions, we simulated basalt-sulfide melt equilibria using two synthesized meteorite compositions, i.e., Yamato980459 (FeO* ˜17 wt.%; Al2O3 ˜6 wt.%) and NWA2990 (FeO* ˜16 wt.%; Al2O3 ˜9 wt.%) in both anhydrous and hydrous conditions at 1-3 GPa and 1500-1700 °C. Experiments were conducted in graphite capsules, using an end-loaded piston cylinder device. Sulfur contents of sulfide melt-saturated experimental quenched basalts were determined using electron microprobe. Our experimental results show that SCSS decreases with increasing pressure and increases with increasing temperature and melt hydration. Based on our experimental SCSS and those from previous low-pressure experiments on high-FeO* martian basalts [2], we developed a new parameterization to predict martian basalt SCSS as a function of depth, temperature, and melt composition. Our model suggests that at the conditions of last equilibration with the sulfide-saturated mantle [2], martian basalts may contain as high as 3500-4700 ppm S and thus S-rich gases might have caused the greenhouse conditions during the late Noachian. However, modeling the fate of sulfur along the liquid line of descent of primitive martian basalts suggests that a part of the magmatic sulfur could precipitate as sulfides in the cumulates during cooling and fractional crystallization of basaltic magmas. Moreover, the existing and new data on bulk sulfur contents of martian meteorites [3,4] suggest that they can be explained by variable amount of S-bearing liquid, trapped as intercumulus phase and thus the degassed S flux to the atmosphere may be lower than that predicted by SCSS. Modeling the SCSS of martian mantle composition along the possible liquidus of Mars to the base of the martian magma ocean (MO) predicts an average S storage capacity of 3700 ppm, whereas the same for low-FeO*, deep terrestrial MO is only ~860 ppm. Lastly, pronounced inverse correlation between pressure and SCSS could have triggered a sulfur pump for the martian magma ocean where the post-core-formation bulk silicate Mars would gain sulfur through interaction with SO2/H2S rich primitive atmosphere. [1] Righter et al. (2009) EPSL 288, 235-243; [2] Filiberto and Dasgupta (2011) EPSL 304, 527-537; [3] Lodders (1998) MAPS 33, A183-A190; [4] Ding et al. (2013) Fall AGU meeting.

Crystallization of oxidized, moderately hydrous arc basalt at mid- to lower-crustal pressures: implications for andesite genesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blatter, Dawnika L.; Sisson, Thomas W.; Hankins, W. Ben

2013-09-01

This study focuses on the production of convergent margin calc-alkaline andesites by crystallization-differentiation of basaltic magmas in the lower to middle crust. Previous experimental studies show that dry, reduced, subalkaline basalts differentiate to tholeiitic (high Fe/Mg) daughter liquids, but the influences of H2O and oxidation on differentiation are less well established. Accordingly, we performed crystallization experiments at controlled oxidized fO2 (Re-ReO2 ≈ ΔNi-NiO + 2) on a relatively magnesian basalt (8.7 wt% MgO) typical of mafic magmas erupted in the Cascades near Mount Rainier, Washington. The basalt was synthesized with 2 wt% H2O and run at 900, 700, and 400 MPa and 1,200 to 950 °C. A broadly clinopyroxenitic crystallization interval dominates near the liquidus at 900 and 700 MPa, consisting of augite + olivine + orthopyroxene + Cr-spinel (in decreasing abundance). With decreasing temperature, plagioclase crystallizes, Fe-Ti-oxide replaces spinel, olivine dissolves, and finally amphibole appears, producing gabbroic and then amphibole gabbroic crystallization stages. Enhanced plagioclase stability at lower pressure narrows the clinopyroxenitic interval and brings the gabbroic interval toward the liquidus. Liquids at 900 MPa track along Miyashiro's (Am J Sci 274(4):321-355, 1974) tholeiitic versus calc-alkaline boundary, whereas those at 700 and 400 MPa become calc-alkaline at silica contents ≥56 wt%. This difference is chiefly due to higher temperature appearance of magnetite (versus spinel) at lower pressures. Although the evolved liquids are similar in many respects to common calc-alkaline andesites, the 900 and 700 MPa liquids differ in having low CaO concentrations due to early and abundant crystallization of augite, with the result that those liquids become peraluminous (ASI: molar Al/(Na + K + 2Ca) > 1) at ≥61 wt% SiO2, similar to liquids reported in other studies of the high-pressure crystallization of hydrous basalts (Müntener and Ulmer in Geophys Res Lett 33(21):L21308, 2006). The lower-pressure liquids (400 MPa) have this same trait, but to a lesser extent due to more abundant near-liquidus plagioclase crystallization. A compilation of >6,500 analyses of igneous rocks from the Cascades and the Sierra Nevada batholith, representative of convergent margin (arc) magmas, shows that ASI increases continuously and linearly with SiO2 from basalts to rhyolites or granites and that arc magmas are not commonly peraluminous until SiO2 exceeds 69 wt%. These relations are consistent with plagioclase accompanying mafic silicates over nearly all the range of crystallization (or remelting). The scarcity of natural peraluminous andesites shows that progressive crystallization-differentiation of primitive basalts in the deep crust, producing early clinopyroxenitic cumulates and evolved liquids, does not dominate the creation of intermediate arc magmas or of the continental crust. Instead, mid- to upper-crustal differentiation and/or open-system processes are critical to the production of intermediate arc magmas. Primary among the open-system processes may be extraction of highly evolved (granitic, rhyolitic) liquids at advanced degrees of basalt solidification (or incipient partial melting of predecessor gabbroic intrusions) and mixing of such liquids into replenishing basalts. Furthermore, if the andesitic-composition continents derived from basaltic sources, the arc ASI-SiO2 relation shows that the mafic component returned to the mantle was gabbroic in composition, not pyroxenitic.

Crystallization of oxidized, moderately hydrous arc basalt at mid- to lower-crustal pressures: Implications for andesite genesis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blatter, Dawnika L.; Sisson, Thomas W.; Hankins, W. Ben

2013-01-01

This study focuses on the production of convergent margin calc-alkaline andesites by crystallization–differentiation of basaltic magmas in the lower to middle crust. Previous experimental studies show that dry, reduced, subalkaline basalts differentiate to tholeiitic (high Fe/Mg) daughter liquids, but the influences of H2O and oxidation on differentiation are less well established. Accordingly, we performed crystallization experiments at controlled oxidized fO2 (Re–ReO2 ≈ ΔNi–NiO + 2) on a relatively magnesian basalt (8.7 wt% MgO) typical of mafic magmas erupted in the Cascades near Mount Rainier, Washington. The basalt was synthesized with 2 wt% H2O and run at 900, 700, and 400 MPa and 1,200 to 950 °C. A broadly clinopyroxenitic crystallization interval dominates near the liquidus at 900 and 700 MPa, consisting of augite + olivine + orthopyroxene + Cr-spinel (in decreasing abundance). With decreasing temperature, plagioclase crystallizes, Fe–Ti-oxide replaces spinel, olivine dissolves, and finally amphibole appears, producing gabbroic and then amphibole gabbroic crystallization stages. Enhanced plagioclase stability at lower pressure narrows the clinopyroxenitic interval and brings the gabbroic interval toward the liquidus. Liquids at 900 MPa track along Miyashiro’s (Am J Sci 274(4):321–355, 1974) tholeiitic versus calc-alkaline boundary, whereas those at 700 and 400 MPa become calc-alkaline at silica contents ≥56 wt%. This difference is chiefly due to higher temperature appearance of magnetite (versus spinel) at lower pressures. Although the evolved liquids are similar in many respects to common calc-alkaline andesites, the 900 and 700 MPa liquids differ in having low CaO concentrations due to early and abundant crystallization of augite, with the result that those liquids become peraluminous (ASI: molar Al/(Na + K + 2Ca) > 1) at ≥61 wt% SiO2, similar to liquids reported in other studies of the high-pressure crystallization of hydrous basalts (Müntener and Ulmer in Geophys Res Lett 33(21):L21308, 2006). The lower-pressure liquids (400 MPa) have this same trait, but to a lesser extent due to more abundant near-liquidus plagioclase crystallization. A compilation of >6,500 analyses of igneous rocks from the Cascades and the Sierra Nevada batholith, representative of convergent margin (arc) magmas, shows that ASI increases continuously and linearly with SiO2 from basalts to rhyolites or granites and that arc magmas are not commonly peraluminous until SiO2 exceeds 69 wt%. These relations are consistent with plagioclase accompanying mafic silicates over nearly all the range of crystallization (or remelting). The scarcity of natural peraluminous andesites shows that progressive crystallization–differentiation of primitive basalts in the deep crust, producing early clinopyroxenitic cumulates and evolved liquids, does not dominate the creation of intermediate arc magmas or of the continental crust. Instead, mid- to upper-crustal differentiation and/or open-system processes are critical to the production of intermediate arc magmas. Primary among the open-system processes may be extraction of highly evolved (granitic, rhyolitic) liquids at advanced degrees of basalt solidification (or incipient partial melting of predecessor gabbroic intrusions) and mixing of such liquids into replenishing basalts. Furthermore, if the andesitic-composition continents derived from basaltic sources, the arc ASI–SiO2 relation shows that the mafic component returned to the mantle was gabbroic in composition, not pyroxenitic.

A Strongly Calc-alkaline Suite in the Midst of the Tholeiitic Columbia River Basalt Province: Implications for Generating the Calc-alkaline Trend Without Subduction Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steiner, A. R.; Streck, M. J.

2012-12-01

The mid-Miocene lavas of the Strawberry Volcanics (SV), distributed over 3,400 km2 in NE Oregon, comprise a diverse volcanic suite, which span the range of compositions from basalt to rhyolite. The volcanic suite is mainly composed of calc-alkaline (CA) basaltic andesite and andesite, yet tholeiitic (TH) lavas of basalt to andesite occur as well. The SV lies in the heart of nearly coeval flood basalts of the Columbia River province of the Pacific Northwest. The unique combination of strongly CA rocks of the SV in a non-subduction setting provide an excellent opportunity to study controls on inducing CA evolution in the midst of a TH province and independent of processes taking places at an active subduction zone. New 40Ar/39Ar ages indicate CA basaltic andesites to andesites of the SV erupted at least from 14.78±0.13 Ma to 12.44±0.12 Ma demonstrating that CA magmatism of the SV was ongoing during the eruptions of the tholeiitic Wanapum Basalt member of the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG). This range will likely be extended to even older ages in the future because existent age dates did not include samples from near the base of the SV. Thickness of intermediate lavas flows of the SV range from 15 m to as thin as 2 m and lavas are characterized by mostly phenocryst poor lithologies. When phenocrysts are abundant they are very small suggesting growth late during eruption. Single lava flow sections can include on the order of 30 conformable flows, testifying to a vigorous eruption history. The thickest andesitic sections are located in the glacially carved mountains of the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness (i.e. Strawberry Mountain, High Lake, and Slide Lake) where several vent complexes are exposed, which are delineated by dikes and plugs with finely interlocking plutonic textures, cross-cutting SV lava flows. Dikes generally strike NW-SE. Subtle variations in major and trace element compositions exist between TH and CA lavas of the SV. The CA lavas of the SV are more enriched in highly incompatible LIL while slightly more depleted in HFSE and REE, particularly HREE, relative to TH lavas. Incompatible trace elements range from the mafic to the silicic end as follows [in ppm]: Rb - CA: 11 to 43, TH: 4 to 37; Ba - CA: 550-1124, TH: 408 to 929; Th - CA: 1.2 to 4.0, TH: 1.2 to 3.5; Nb - CA: 6.0 to 16.2, TH: 9.3 to 23.1; Lu - CA: 0.3 to 0.49, TH: 0.3 to 0.63. On the other hand, great similarity among element patterns of CA and TH samples in incompatible element normalization diagrams is consistent with a common mafic component. Our preliminary interpretation is that CA magmas of the SV are generated when basaltic, CRBG-related magmas interact with the continental crust, while TH magmas escaped comparable crustal modifications. The range in compositions from basalt to CA andesite to dacite may thus be attributed to greater amounts of crustal inputs via magma mixing or AFC processes. Trace element concentrations and ratios of SV basalts are largely indistinguishable from those of CRBG lavas and have the greatest commonality with Steens and Imnaha type lavas (e.g. Zr, Ba, Sr, Th, U, Ba/Nb and Ce/Y).

Corrosion resistance of cast irons and titanium alloys as reference engineered metal barriers for use in basalt geologic storage: a literature assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Charlot, L.A.; Westerman, R.E.

A survey and assessment of the literature on the corrosion resistance of cast irons and low-alloy titanium are presented. Selected engineering properties of cast iron and titanium are briefly described; however, the corrosion resistance of cast iron and titanium in aqueous solutions or in soils and their use in a basalt repository are emphasized. In evaluating the potential use of cast iron and titanium as structural barrier materials for long-lived nuclear waste packages, it is assumed that titanium has the general corrosion resistance to be used in relatively thin cross sections whereas the cost and availability of cast iron allowsmore » its use even in very thick cross sections. Based on this assumption, the survey showed that: The uniform corrosion of low-alloy titanium in a basalt environment is expected to be extremely low. A linear extrapolation of general corrosion rates with an added corrosion allowance suggests that a 3.2- to 6.4-mm-thick wall may have a life of 1000 yr. Pitting and crevice corrosion are not likely corrosion modes in basalt ground waters. It is also unlikely that stress corrosion cracking (SCC) will occur in the commercially pure (CP) titanium alloy or in palladiumor molybdenum-alloyed titanium materials. Low-alloy cast irons may be used as barrier metals if the environment surrounding the metal keeps the alloy in the passive range. The solubility of the corrosion product and the semipermeable nature of the oxide film allow significant uniform corrosion over long time periods. A linear extrapolation of high-temperature corrosion rates on carbon steels and corrosion rates of cast irons in soils gives an estimated metal penetration of 51 to 64 mm after 1000 yr. A corrosion allowance of 3 to 5 times that suggests that an acceptable cast iron wall may be from 178 to 305 mm thick. Although they cannot be fully assessed, pitting and crevice corrosion should not affect cast iron due to the ground-water chemistry of basalt.« less

Thorium Enrichment within the Procellarum KREEP Terrane: The Record in Surface Deposits and Significance for Thermal Evolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jolliff, B. L.; Gillis, J. J.; Haskin, L. A.

1999-01-01

The nearside-farside structural and compositional asymmetry of the Moon was recognized during the early days of Apollo and the suggestion was made that the migration of mantle melts to the nearside would have been favored by early Earth-Moon orbital dynamics and nonuniform planetesimal bombardment. Recent global geochemical mapping by Lunar Prospector has provided additional data, particularly in the Th distribution, that strongly supports the notion of global, preferential melt migration, which led in part to the development of the Procellarum KREEP Terrane (PKT) [2-5]. The surface distribution of Th was then reshaped by basin-forming impacts into the PKT, especially the Imbrium impact, which was the last and largest to strike in that region. The Imbrium event probably excavated material from a partially molten zone deep in the crust and delivered Th-rich ejecta Moon-wide. A fundamentally important but poorly understood aspect of the global Th distribution is the concentration of Th in the subsurface rocks of the PKT crustal section. For example, depending on what assumptions are made, the PKT crustal section, which is about 12% of the crust and only about 1.2% of the whole Moon, may contain as much as 40% of the Moon's entire Th budget. Such a distribution of Th and related heat-producing elements would have had a profound effect on melting, mixing, and the thermal evolution of the PKT and the underlying mantle. In this abstract, we examine the compositions of terra formations within the PKT and relate them to some of the Th-bearing rock types known from the Apollo samples. It appears that the existence of the PKT may be a unifying concept for a number of petrologic and geochemical observations. From the initial Lunar Prospector gamma-ray spectrometer data(-about 5 deg. resolution) and from the preliminary low-orbit data, there appears to be a number of relatively hotter "spots" within the PKT in terms of Th concentration. Some of the hotter spots correspond to intermediate-sized craters that penetrated volcanic flows and excavated Th-rich, submare material, such as Aristarchus, Aristillus, and Kepler. Other spots, however, correspond to surficial formations that constitute mainly rough topography associated with Imbrium ejecta or circum-Imbrium ring mountains and do not necessarily imply the presence of exposed KREEP basalts. The Fra Mauro Formation south of Copernicus toward the Apollo 14 site and regions of the Alpes Formation southwest of Copernicus in the vicinity of Reinhold lie within the most prominent hotspot; here them concentration is consistent with that found in the Apollo 14 soils (about 12-13 ppm) when the proportions of Fra Mauro Formation and mare basalt are considered. The area between Copernicus and Kepler and northwest of Copernicus in terra extending to the Carpathians is similarly enriched in Th. The Apennines from Eratosthenes toward the Apollo 15 site contain elevated Th concentrations, as does the northwestern quadrant of circum-Imbrium terra, especially between (but not including) La Condamine and Plato, and in the region northwest of the Jura mountains extending southward past Mairan to the Gruithuisen-Domes region. Within the main topographic rim of Imbrium, the Apennine Bench formation south of Archimedes appears to have relatively elevated Th concentration. Comparing the map of Th distribution to a digital-elevation map derived from Clementine altimetry, it appears that most of the areas richest in Th occur where the surface is elevated relative to the majority of PKT volcanic plains. Not all rough topography within the PKT has such elevated Th, however. Based on an analysis of the 5 deg. data, and using the calibration of, the mean Th concentrations for mainly volcanic-resurfaced terrain and rugged terrain are similar (about 5.5 ppm). This occurs in part because craters that penetrated mare basalt excavated Th-rich material. Even so, there appear to be extensive areas of volcanic resurfacing that have no obvious extrinsic source of Th-rich material, suggesting that the basalts, themselves, may contain as much as 5-6 ppm Th. High-FeO concentrations (18 to >20 wt%) indicate that these are not KREEP basalts but mare basalts. If so, this is surprising because most of the Apollo-sampled mare basalts have very low-Th (typically <2 ppm). A variety of Th-rich materials occur in the sample collection, particularly in the samples from the Apollo 12,14, and 15 sites. The most abundant Th-rich rock types are the mafic impact-melt breccias, which although found at all sites, are most abundant at Apollo 14, where they dominate the rock samples and make up some 40% of the rock particles in the soil. These have Th concentrations ranging up to about 30 ppm and averaging about 18 ppm. The Apollo 14 soils contain about 13 ppm Th, reflecting the high abundance of this melt-breccia component. At the nearby Apollo 12 site, the rocks consist mainly of mare basalts, and these have low-Th concentrations, mostly <1 ppm. Among the nonmare rocks, however, a few such as complex breccia 12013 contain a variety of evolved lithologies and represent potential sources of Th-rich components ranging from 17 to 50 ppm. A single fragment of KREEP basalt from the Apollo 12 soil contains about 50 ppm Th. Despite the identification of highly Th-enriched lithologic components at the Apollo 12 site, the soils there vary linearly in composition so as to extrapolate to a moderate Th KREEP-basalt component or a composition like that of the Fra Mauro formation as reflected by Apollo 14 soil (14 ppm Th at 10 wt% FeO). The nearby Lansberg Crater (39-km diameter) is a likely candidate to have delivered submare material such as buried Fra Mauro or Alpes material to the Apollo 12 site. Additional information contained in the original.

The Magnesium Mystery of the Apollo 11 Regolith

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Korotev, Randy L.

2000-01-01

The Apollo 11 regolith is enriched in Mg compared to mixtures of local mare basalts and feldspathic highland material that accounts for other elements. Using mass-balance constraints, we cannot identify the component, but its abundance is approx. 8%.

Lunar Meteorite Dhofar 026: A Second-Generation Impact Melt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cohen, B. A.; Taylor, L. A.; Nazarov, M.

2001-03-01

Petrology and mineral-chemistry of lunar highlands meteorite Dhofar 026 show that it is a crystalline impact melt of FAN-type material. Crystalline spherules within the meteorite are earlier impact melt fragments derived from a basaltic precursor.

Magma genesis of the acidic volcanism in the intra-arc rift zone of the Izu volcanic arc, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haraguchi, S.; Tokuyama, H.; Ishii, T.

2010-12-01

The Izu volcanic arc extends over 550 km from the Izu Peninsula, Japan, to the Nishinoshima Trough or Sofugan tectonic line. It is the northernmost segment of the Izu-Bonin-Mariana arc system, which is located at the eastern side of the Philippine Sea Plate. The recent magmatism of the Izu arc is bimodal and characterized by basalt and rhyolite (e.g. Tamura and Tatsumi 2002). In the southern Izu arc, volcanic front from the Aogashima to the Torishima islands is characterized by submarine calderas and acidic volcanisms. The intra-arc rifting, characterized by back-arc depressions, small volcanic knolls and ridges, is active in this region. Volcanic rocks were obtained in 1995 during a research cruise of the R/V MOANA WAVE (Hawaii University, cruise MW9507). Geochemical variation of volcanic rocks and magma genesis was studied by Hochstaedter et al. (2000, 2001), Machida et al (2008), etc. These studies focused magma and mantle dynamics of basaltic volcanism in the wedge mantle. Acidic volcanic rocks were also dredged during the curies MW9507. However, studies of these acidic volcanics were rare. Herein, we present petrographical and chemical analyses of these acidic rocks, and compare these results with those of other acidic rocks in the Izu arc and lab experiments, and propose a model of magma genesis in a context of acidic volcanism. Dredge sites by the cruise MW9507 are 120, and about 50 sites are in the rift zone. Recovered rocks are dominated by the bimodal assemblage of basalt-basaltic andesite and dacite-rhyolite. The most abundant phase is olivine basalt, less than 50 wt% SiO2. Andesites are minor in volume and compositional gap from 56 to 65 wt% SiO2 exists. The across-arc variation of the HFSE contents and ratios, such as Zr/Y and Nb/Zr of rhyolites exhibit depleted in the volcanic front side and enriched in reararc side. This characteristic is similar to basaltic volcanism pointed out by Hochstaedter et al (2000). The petrographical features of rhyolites exhibit massive or flow textures, and aphyric or rare phyric. Phenocrysts are mainly plagioclase and quartz. Colored minerals are rare and observed mainly orthopyroxene. Amphibole and biotite are not observed. The phenocryst and groundmass mineral compositions of rhyolites exhibit felsic characteristics and narrow ranges. These mineral compositions are not overlapped on those of andesites and basalts. Acidic volcanism in the Izu arc is considered to partial melting of arc middle to lower crust (e.g. Tamura and Tatsumi, 2003) because rhyolite exhibits similar composition to melting experimental results of basaltic or andesitic parental material under anhydrous, low pressure and low temperature (e.g. Shukuno et al., 2006). Compare to these experiments, we consider that parent material of acidic volcanics in the rift zone is andesitic middle crust, and this crust exhibits depleted in the front side and enriched in the reararc side caused by across-arc variation of basaltic volcanism. During the rifting activity, rhyolitic magma was produced by melting of this andesitic middle crust by heating from magma and decompression, and produced rhyolites exhibit enriched in reararc side and depleted in front side.

New Ages for Gorgona Island, Colombia: Implications for Previous Petrogenetic and Tectonic Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serrano Duran, L.; Lopez Martinez, M.; Ferrari, L.

2007-05-01

The Gorgona Island, located 50 km to the west of the Colombian Pacific coast, is the only known site with Phanerozoic komatiites in the world besides a key element in several reconstruction of the interaction between the Caribbean and the South America Plate. The Gorgona komatiites are part of an igneous complex that also includes picritic basalts and breccias, gabbros and peridotites (dunites and wherlites), and is covered by deformed mid-Eocene and younger underformed marine sediments. Datings of the igneous rocks were only performed on basalts and include an 86 Ma K-Ar age, an 88.9 ± 1.2 Ma weighted mean of four Ar-Ar ages and an 89.2 ± 5.2 Ma Re-Os isochron age from basalts. Gorgona rocks are affected by reverse faulting with a general eastward vergence. The island is the only subaerially exposed part of a NE elongated sliver accreted in a dextral transpressional regime to the South America continental margin between the Late Eocene and the Early Miocene. Petrologic studies found large spread in radiogenic isotopes and incompatible trace element ratios in Gorgona ultramafic rocks, which have been interpreted as requiring at least two different sources of: 1) a depleted mantle responsible for the generation of the komatiites and most basalts, and 2) an enriched mantle responsible for some rarer enriched basalts and picrites. Despite the large compositional and isotopic heterogeneity the most common interpretation is that the Gorgona ultramafic rocks are the product of a single mantle plume, although it has recently proposed that this would be a separate plume from that generating the bulk of the Caribbean plateau at ~90 Ma. Our new study focused on the geochronology of the Gorgona igneous suite as we consider that this tectonically and petrologically complex island is unlike to have such a narrow age range. We attempted to date eight samples of komatiites, basalts and gabbros by Ar-Ar laser step heating. For four of these samples we successfully obtain reliable plateau and/or isochron ages. Only one basaltic sample, located in the western coast, yielded an age comparable with those previously reported in the literature. For two basalts intercalated with komatiites and a gabbro exposed in the north-eastern coast of the island we obtained younger ages, similar to those reported for some mafic and ultramafic rocks along the Pacific coast of Colombia. The two sets of ages for the ultramafic suite of Gorgona also correspond to different petrologic types. The depleted rocks in the eastern coast are younger than the enriched basalts and picrites located in the southern and western part of the island with ages around 90 Ma, suggesting a more complex tectonic evolution with the accretion of at least two different blocks. This eventually questions the "single plume" model for the formation of the Gorgona Island plateau.

Surface modification and characterization of basalt fibers as potential reinforcement of concretes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iorio, M.; Santarelli, M. L.; González-Gaitano, G.; González-Benito, J.

2018-01-01

Basalt fibers were surface treated with silane coupling agents as a method to enhance the adhesion and durability of fiber-matrix interfaces in concrete based composite materials. In particular, this work has been focused on the study of basalt fibers chemical coatings with aminosilanes and their subsequent characterization. Surface treatments were carried out after removing the original sizing applied by manufacturer and pretreating them with an activation process of surface silanol regeneration. Different samples were considered to make convenient comparisons: as received fibers (commercial), calcinated fibers (without commercial sizing), activated samples (calcinated fibers subjected to an acid process for hydroxyl regeneration), and silanized fibers with γ-aminopropiltriethoxysilane, γ-aminopropilmethyldiethoxysilane and a mixture of 50% by weight of both silanes. A deep characterization was carried out in terms of structure using X-ray diffraction, XRD, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, FTIR, thermal properties by thermogravimetric analysis, TGA, coupled with single differential thermal analysis, SDTA, and morphology by scanning electron microscopy, SEM, and atomic force microscopy, AFM.

Geochemical Composition of Volcanic Rocks from the May 2003 Eruption of Anatahan Volcano, Mariana Islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wade, J. A.; Plank, T.; Stern, R.; Hilton, D.; Fischer, T. P.; Moore, R.; Trusdell, F.; Sako, M.

2003-12-01

The first historical eruption of Anatahan volcano began on May 10, 2003, from the easternmost of the island's two craters. Samples of tephra, scoria, and bombs, collected in May by a MARGINS-supported rapid-response team, were analyzed for 34 trace elements by solution ICP-MS at Boston University and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic composition at the University of Texas-Dallas. The new eruptive materials can be compared with an extensive suite of pre-existing volcanics (basalts through dacites) from Anatahan sampled by the USGS in 1990 and 1992, and analyzed by XRF and INAA. While most Mariana volcanoes erupt basalts and basaltic andesites, Anatahan is unusual for erupting a wide range of compositions, from basalt to dacite, and thus provides the best opportunity for addressing questions of magma evolution in this classic island arc. The newly erupted scoria and pumice are andesites and dacites that are among the most silicic materials erupted in the northern Mariana islands. The recent eruptives are highly homogeneous; 13 samples vary by only 3-5% relative standard deviation for incompatible trace elements. Isotopic compositions (0.703450 +/- 2 87Sr/86Sr and 18.806 +/- 5 206Pb/204Pb) are within the range of previously measured samples from Anatahan and other volcanic centers in the Marianas. The combined dataset for Anatahan defines virtually a single liquid line of descent. This is consistent with nearly-parallel REE patterns, and small variations in the ratios of the most incompatible trace elements (e.g., Th/Rb varies by <10% over the entire fractionation trend). Low values of Th/La and Th/Zr in Anatahan volcanics provide evidence against partial melting of crustal material as a source of the silicic magmas, as these ratios are highly senstive to apatite- and zircon- saturated crustal melts. Instead, the basalts, andesites and dacites of Anatahan appear to be related predominantly by crystal fractionation with little evidence for assimilation of crustal melts. The new data can also be used to make new inferences as to the source characteristics of Anatahan magma. Trace element ratios Th/La and Sm/La distinguish island-to-island differences in the subducted sediment components incorporated into the Mariana arc magmas. Most Mariana volcanics plot on a mixing line between depleted mantle and the bulk subducting sediment Th/La (0.14). Anatahan, however, mixes to slightly higher Th/La (0.16), which could be caused by the shallow loss of the top 50 m of the sedimentary column (pelagic clay) during subduction.

Gale Crater Surface Materials

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-06-19

Gale Crater, home to NASA's Curiosity Mars rover, shows a new face in this mosaic image made using data from the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) on NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter. The colors come from an image processing technique that identifies mineral differences in surface materials and displays them in false colors. For example, windblown dust appears pale pink and olivine-rich basalt looks purple. The bright pink on Gale's floor appears due to a mix of basaltic sand and windblown dust. The blue at the summit of Gale's central mound, Mount Sharp, probably comes from local materials exposed there. The typical average Martian surface soil looks grayish-green. Scientists use false-color images such as these to identify places of potential geologic interest. The diameter of the crater is 96 miles (154 kilometers). North is up. THEMIS and other instruments on Mars Odyssey have been studying Mars from orbit since 2001. Curiosity landed in the northeastern portion of Gale Crater in 2012 and climbed onto the flank of Mount Sharp in 2014. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19674

Petrogenesis of KREEP

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mckay, G. A.; Weill, D. F.

1975-01-01

Solid/liquid distribution coefficients (weight basis) were experimentally determined for a number of trace elements for olivine, orthopyroxene, plagioclase and ilmenite. Values of distribution coefficients were measured at 1200 C and a f sub O2 of 10 to the -13.0 power for liquids similar in composition to the olivine-opx-plagioclase peritectic in the pseudoternary system (Fe,Mg)2SiO4-CaAl2Si2O8-SiO2. Values were also measured at 1140 C and a f sub O2 of 10 to the -12.8 power for liquids similar in composition to high-Ti mare basalts. Major and trace element partitioning and relevant phase equilibria were used to investigate possible parent-daughter relationships between a number of highland samples and highly evolved KREEP-rich materials. Out of about 80 highlands samples tested, 33 were found to be possible parents to the KREEP-rich materials. The average composition of these samples is very similar to that of the Low-K Fra Mauro basalt (LKFM). A model is proposed to explain the production of LKFM-type material and more evolved members of the KREEP suite.

Geomorphic Terrains and Evidence for Ancient Volcanism within Northeastern South Pole-Aitken Basin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petro, Noah; Mest, Scott C.; Teich, Yaron

2010-01-01

The interior of the enigmatic South Pole-Aitken Basin has long been recognized as being compositionally distinct from its exterior. However, the source of the compositional anomaly has been subject to some debate. Is the source of the iron-enhancement due to lower-crustal/upper-mantle material being exposed at the surface, or was there some volume of ancient volcanism that covered portions of the basin interior? While several obvious mare basalt units are found within the basin and regions that appear to represent the original basin interior, there are several regions that appear to have an uncertain origin. Using a combination of Clementine and Lunar Orbiter images, several morphologic units are defined based on albedo, crater density, and surface roughness. An extensive unit of ancient mare basalt (cryptomare) is defined and, based on the number of superimposed craters, potentially represents the oldest volcanic materials within the basin. Thus, the overall iron-rich interior of the basin is not solely due to deeply derived crustal material, but is, in part due to the presence of ancient volcanic units.

Basalt Pb isotope analysis and the prehistoric settlement of Polynesia.

PubMed Central

Weisler, M I; Woodhead, J D

1995-01-01

The prehistoric settlement of the Pacific Ocean has intrigued scholars and stimulated anthropological debate for the past two centuries. Colonized over a few millennia during the mid to late Holocene, the islands of the Pacific--displaying a wide diversity of geological and biotic variability--provided the stage for endless "natural experiments" in human adaptation. Crucial to understanding the evolution and transformation of island societies is documenting the relative degree of interisland contacts after island colonization. In the western Pacific, ideal materials for archaeologically documenting interisland contact--obsidian, pottery, and shell ornaments--are absent or of limited geographic distribution in Polynesia. Consequently, archaeologists have relied increasingly on fine-grained basalt artifacts as a means for documenting colonization routes and subsequent interisland contacts. Routinely used x-ray fluorescence characterization of oceanic island basalt has some problems for discriminating source rocks and artifacts in provenance studies. The variation in trace and major element abundances is largely controlled by near-surface magma-chamber processes and is broadly similar between most oceanic islands. We demonstrate that Pb isotope analysis accurately discriminates rock source and is an excellent technique for charting the scale, frequency, and temporal span of imported fine-grained basalt artifacts found throughout Polynesia. The technique adds another tool for addressing evolutionary models of interaction, isolation, and cultural divergence in the eastern Pacific. PMID:7892194

Enriched and depleted characters of the Amnay Ophiolite upper crustal section and the regionally heterogeneous nature of the South China Sea mantle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perez, Americus d. C.; Faustino-Eslava, Decibel V.; Yumul, Graciano P.; Dimalanta, Carla B.; Tamayo, Rodolfo A.; Yang, Tsanyao Frank; Zhou, Mei-Fu

2013-03-01

The volcanic section of the Middle Oligocene Amnay Ophiolite in Mindoro, Philippines has previously been shown to be of normalmid-oceanic ridge basalt (NMORB) composition. Here we report for the first time an enriched mantle component that is additionally recorded in this crustal section. New whole rock major and trace element data are presented for nine mafic volcanic rocks from a section of the ophiolite that has not been previously examined. These moderately evolved tholeiitic basalts were found to have resulted from the bulk mixing of ˜10% ocean island basalt components with depleted mantle. Drawing together various geochemical characteristics reported for different rock suites taken as representatives of the South China Sea crust, including the enriched MORB (EMORB) and NMORB of the East Taiwan Ophiolite, the NMORB from previous studies of the Amnay Ophiolite and the younger ocean floor eruptives of the Scarborough Seamount-Reed Bank region, a veined mantle model is proposed for the South China Sea mantle. The NMORB magmatic products are suggested to have been derived from the more depleted portions of the mantle whereas the ocean island basalt (OIB) and EMORB-type materials from the mixing of depleted and veined/enriched mantle regions.

Composition and Petrology of HED Polymict Breccias: The Regolith of (4) Vesta

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mittlefehldt, David W.; Cartwright, J. A.; Herrin, J. S.; Mertzman, S. A.; Mertzman, K. R.; Peng, Z. X.; Quinn, J. E.

2012-01-01

The polymict breccias of the howardite, eucrite and diogenite (HED) clan of meteorites preserve records of regolith processes that occur on Vesta, their putative home world. These breccias -- howardites, polymict eucrites and polymict diogenites -- are impact-engendered mixtures of diogenites and eucrites. The compositions of polymict breccias can be used to constrain the lithologic diversity of the vestan crust and the excavation depths of these materials. We have done petrological and compositional studies of multiple samples of 5 polymict eucrites and 28 howardites to investigate these issues. Older analyses were done on samples of approx 0.5 gram mass by INAA; newer analyses on samples of approx 5 gram mass by XRF and ICP-MS. We estimate the percentage of eucritic material (POEM) of polymict breccias by comparing their Al and/or Ca contents to those of average basaltic eucrite and diogenite. Our samples have POEM ranging from 28 to 98; adding two polymict diogenites from extends the range to POEM 10. One hypothesis is that ancient, well-mixed vestan regolith has POEM approx 67 and has a higher content of admixed impactor material. Several of our howardites have POEM of 59-74 (Al and/or Ca contents +/- 10% of POEM 67); about a third have Ni contents >300 micro g/g suggesting they contain >2% chondritic material (CM and/or CR). These may be regolithic howardites. Only one (LEW 85313) contains Ne dominated by a solar wind (SW) component. PCA 02066 is dominated by impact-melt material of polymict parentage and petrologically appears to be a mature regolith breccia, yet it does not contain SW-Ne. GRO 95602 falls within the POEM window, contains SW-Ne], yet has a Ni content of 193 micro g/g. Its petrologic characteristics suggest it was formed from immature regolith (no polymict breccia clasts; no glass). Trace element characteristics of the polymict breccias demonstrate the dominance of main-group eucrites as the basaltic component. Mixing diagrams of Zr, Nb, Ba, Hf and Ta with Al show no evidence for a significant contribution from Stannern-trend eucrites. An exception is polymict eucrite LEW 86001 (POEM 92), which is dominated by Stannern-trend basaltic debris. Howardite LAP 04838 (POEM 84) has higher incompatible trace concentrations than other polymict breccias (excluding LEW 86001), and either contains a Stannern-trend basaltic component, or has a significant contributions from evolved eucrites like Nuevo Laredo.

Origin of Permian OIB-like basalts in NW Thailand and implication on the Paleotethyan Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yuejun; He, Huiying; Zhang, Yuzhi; Srithai, Boontarika; Feng, Qinglai; Cawood, Peter A.; Fan, Weiming

2017-03-01

The basaltic rocks in NW Thailand belong to part of giant Southeast Asian igneous zone that delineates the extension of the Paleotethyan Ocean from SW China into NW Thailand. The Chiang Mai basaltic samples from the Chiang Dao, Fang, Lamphun and Ban Sahakorn sections are divisible into two groups of high-iron basalt. Group 1 has SiO2 of 38.30-49.18 wt.%, FeOt of 13.09-25.37 wt.%, MgO of 8.38-1.60 wt.%, TiO2 of 3.92-6.30 wt.%, which is rarely observed in nature. Group 2 shows SiO2 = 44.71-49.21 wt.%, FeOt = 10.88-14.34 wt.%, MgO = 5.24-16.11 wt.%, TiO2 = 2.22-3.07 wt.% and mg# = 44-70. Olivine and pyroxene are responsible for the fractionation of the Group 2 magma whereas low oxygen fugacity during the late-stage differentiation of the Group 1 magma prolonged fractionation of ilmenite and magnetite. The onset of ilmenite and magnetite fractionations controls the distinct differentiation commencing at MgO = 7 wt.%. Both groups show similar REE and primitive mantle-normalized patterns with insignificant Eu, Nb-Ta and Zr-Hf anomalies. They have similar Nd isotopic compositions with εNd (t) values ranging from + 2.8 to + 3.7 and similar Nb/La, Nb/U, Th/La, Zr/Nb, Th/Ta, La/Yb, Nb/Th, Nb/Y and Zr/Y, resembling those of OIB-like rocks. The representative basaltic sample yields the argon plateau age of 282.3 ± 1.4 Ma, suggestive of Early Permian origin. Our data argue for Group 1 and Group 2 are coeval in the intra-oceanic seamount setting within the Paleotethyan Ocean, which at least continued till 283 Ma. These data, along with other observations, suggest that the Inthanon zone defines the main Paleotethyan suture zone, which northerly links with the Changning-Menglian suture zone in SW China.

Mantle and crustal contributions to continental flood volcanism

USGS Publications Warehouse

Arndt, N.T.; Czamanske, G.K.; Wooden, J.L.; Fedorenko, V.A.

1993-01-01

Arndt, N.T., Czamanske, G.K., Wooden, J.L. and Fedorenko, V.A., 1993. Mantle and crustal contributions to continental flood volcanism. In: M.J.R. Wortel, U. Hansen and R. Sabadini (Editors), Relationships between Mantle Processes and Geological Processes at or near the Earth's Surface. Tectonophysics, 223: 39-52. Most continental flood basalts are enriched in incompatible elements and have high initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios and low ??{lunate}Nd values. Many are depleted in Nb and Ta. The commonly-held view that these characteristics are inherited directly from a source in metasomatized lithospheric mantle is inconsistent with the following arguments: (1) thermomechanical modelling demonstrates that flood basalt magmas come mainly from an asthenospheric or plume source, with minimal direct melting of the continental lithospheric mantle. The low water contents of most flood basalts argue against proposals that hydrous lithosphere was the source. (2) Lithospheric mantle normally has low concentrations of incompatible elements, and chondrite-normalized Nb and Ta contents similar to those of other incompatible elements. Such material cannot be the unmodified source of Nb-Ta-depleted basalts such as those from the Karoo, Ferrar, or Columbia River provinces. We suggest there are two main controls on the compositions of continental flood basalts. The first is lithospheric thickness, which strongly influences the depth and degree of mantle melting of a plume or asthenospheric source, and thus has an important influence on the composition of primary magmas. All liquids formed by partial melting of peridotite at sub-lithosphere depths are highly magnesian (20-25 wt.% MgO) but have variable trace-element contents. Where the lithosphere is thick, the source melts at high pressure, garnet is present, the degree of melting is low, and trace-element concentrations are high. This type of magma evolves to produce the high-Ti type of continental flood basalt. Where the lithosphere is thinner, the source ascends to shallower levels, the degree of melting is greater, garnet may be exhausted, and the magmas have lower trace-element contents; these magmas yield low-Ti basalts. The second control is processing of magmas in chambers that were periodically replenished and tapped, while continuously fractionating and assimilating their wall rocks. The uniform compositions of basalts that evolve in such chambers are far removed from those of their picritic parental magmas. Major elements in continental flood basalts reflect control by olivine, pyroxene, and plagioclase crystallization, and this assemblage places the magma chambers at crustal depth. We believe that trace-element and isotopic compositions are also buffered, and that the erupted basalts represent steady-state liquids tapped from these magma chambers. These processes impose a crustal signature on the magmas, as expressed most strongly in the concentrations of incompatible elements (e.g., Nb-Ta anomalies) and their isotopic characteristics. ?? 1993.

Isotopic composition of zinc, copper, and iron in lunar samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moynier, F.; Albarède, F.; Herzog, G. F.

2006-12-01

We determined by ICP-MS the concentrations and isotopic ratios of Fe, Cu, and Zn in the Ti-rich lunar basalt 74275, in the lunar orange glass 74220, and in up to 10 lunar soils, namely, 14163, 15231, 64501, 66041, 68841, 69941, 70011, 72501, 75081, and 76501. Two analyses of zinc in lunar basalt 74275 give δ 66Zn = 0.17‰ and 0.75‰, values within the range of those measured in terrestrial basalts; copper in lunar basalt 74275 has δ 65Cu ˜ +1.4‰, which is isotopically heavier than values observed in terrestrial basalts. In the orange glass, we measured δ 56Fe = -0.24‰, δ 65Cu = -0.42‰, and δ 66Zn ˜ -3.6‰. These values of δ are more negative than those obtained for 74275 and for typical lunar basalts, but for Cu, comparable to those observed in terrestrial sulfides and meteorites. In lunar soils we found 0.11‰ ⩽ δ 56Fe ⩽ 0.51‰, 2.6‰ ⩽ δ 65Cu ⩽ 4.5‰, and 2.2‰ ⩽ δ 66Zn ⩽ 6.4‰. Insofar as we can generalize from a small sample set, S, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Cd show similar trends in isotopic fractionation on the Moon. Lunar basalts have nearly terrestrial isotopic ratios. Relative to the lunar basalt 74275, the pyroclastic glass 74220 is enriched in the lighter isotopes of Fe, Cu, and Zn, and the soils are enriched in the heavier isotopes of Fe, Cu, and Zn. The patterns in the basalts are likely inherited from the source material; the light-isotope enrichments seen in the orange glass originated during lava fountaining or, less probably, during partial condensation of vapor; and the heavy-isotope enrichments in the lunar soils were likely created by a combination of processes that included micrometeorite vaporization and sputtering. In the orange glass, the light-isotope enrichments (relative to lunar basalts) of Zn are larger than those of Cu. If these enrichments reflect accurately the isotopic composition of the gas, they suggest that Cu is more volatile than Zn in the liquid from which the gas derived. A simple model built on the known flux of micrometeorites to the lunar surface and a published estimate that micrometeorites generate 10 times their own mass of vapor, predicts heavy-isotope enrichments comparable to those observed in soils but only if the regolith gardening rate is set at about one twentieth of the generally accepted value of 1 cm/My. This discrepancy may reflect the difference in the time constants for micrometeorite milling and decimeter-scale gardening, or the importance of sputtering.

Heterogeneous source components of intraplate basalts from NE China induced by the ongoing Pacific slab subduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Huan; Xia, Qun-Ke; Ingrin, Jannick; Deloule, Etienne; Bi, Yao

2017-02-01

The subduction of oceanic slabs is widely accepted to be a main reason for chemical heterogeneities in the mantle. However, determining the contributions of slabs in areas that have experienced multiple subduction events is often difficult due to possible overlapping imprints. Understanding the temporal and spatial variations of source components for widespread intraplate small volume basalts in eastern China may be a basis for investigating the influence of the subducted Pacific slab, which has long been postulated but never confirmed. For this purpose, we investigated the Chaihe-aershan volcanic field (including more than 35 small-volume Quaternary basaltic volcanoes) in NE China and measured the oxygen isotopes and water content of clinopyroxene (cpx) phenocrysts using secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), respectively. The water content of magma was then estimated based on the partition coefficient of H2O between cpx and the basaltic melt. The δ18O of cpx phenocrysts (4.28‰ to 8.57‰) and H2O content of magmas (0.19 wt.%-2.70 wt.%) show large variations, reflecting the compositional heterogeneity of the mantle source. The δ18O values and H2O content within individual samples also display considerable variation, suggesting the mixing of magmas and that the magma mixing occurred shortly before the eruption. The relation between the δ18O values of cpx phenocrysts and the H2O/Ce ratio, Ba/Th ratio and Eu anomaly of whole rocks demonstrates the contributions of three components to the mantle source (hydrothermally altered upper oceanic crust and marine sediments, altered lower gabbroic oceanic crust, and ambient mantle). The proportions of these three components have varied widely over time (∼1.37 Ma to ∼0.25 Ma). The Pacific slab is constantly subducted under eastern Asia and continuously transports recycled materials to the deep mantle. The temporal heterogeneity of the source components may be caused by ongoing Pacific slab subduction. Combined with other basalt localities in eastern China (Shuangliao basalts, Taihang basalts and Shangdong basalts), the contributions of recycled oceanic components in their mantle source are heterogeneous. This spatial heterogeneity of mantle sources may be induced by variable alterations and dehydration during the recycling process of the Pacific slab. Our results show that the source components of Cenozoic intraplate small-volume basalts in eastern China are temporally and spatially heterogeneous, which is likely induced by the ongoing subduction of the Pacific slab. This demonstrates that integrating the temporal variations in geochemical characteristics and tectonic history of a study region can identify the subducted oceanic plate that induced enriched components in the mantle source of intraplate basalts.

The `Strawberry Volcanic Field' of Northeastern Oregon: Another Piece of the CRB Puzzle?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steiner, A. R.; Streck, M. J.

2010-12-01

The Mid to Late Miocene Strawberry Volcanics field (SVF) located along the southern margin of the John Day valley of NE Oregon, comprise a diverse group of volcanic rocks ranging from basalt to rhyolite. The main outcrop area of the SVF (3,400 km2) is bordered by units from the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG), with the main CRB units to the north, the Picture Gorge Basalt to the east and Steens Basalt to the south. The geographic position and age of the Strawberry Volcanics make a genetic relationship to CRB volcanism likely, yet little is known about this diverse volcanic field. This research aims at refining the stratigraphic and age relationships as well as the petrology and geochemistry of magmas associated with the SVF. Previous investigations (e.g. Robyn, 1977) found that the SVF was active between 20 to 10 Ma with the main pulse largely being coeval with the 15 Ma CRBG eruptions. Lavas and tuffs from the SVF are calc-alkaline with low FeO*/MgO (~ 2.56 wt. %), high Al2O3 (~ 16.4 wt. %), low TiO2 (~ 1.12 wt.%), and span the entire compositional range from basalt to rhyolite (47-78 wt. % SiO2) with andesite as the dominant lithology. Basaltic lavas from the SVF have compositional affinities to earlier Steens Basalt, and some trace element concentrations and ratios are indistinguishable from those of CRBG lavas (e.g. Zr, Ba, Sr, and Ce/Y). Andesites are calc-alkaline, but contrary to typical arc (orogenic) andesites, SVF andesites are exceedingly phenocryst poor (<3% phenocrysts with microphenocrysts of plagioclase and lesser pyroxene which occasionally occur in crystal clots instead of single crystals). In addition, some lavas (basaltic-intermediate) are phenocryst-rich (~25%), containing plagioclase, olivine, opx, and cpx. However, phenocrysts in these lavas are strongly zoned and resorbed, and in general, these lavas are volumetrically insignificant compared with the phenocrysts poor andesites. Rhyolitic lavas are also phenocryst poor (< 3%) and appear to be most voluminous in the southwestern portion of the field area from Bear Valley to Logan Valley. Our preliminary interpretation is that the Strawberry Volcanics are largely the product of hot-spot related basaltic magmas interacting with the continental crust. The range in compositions from calc-alkaline andesite to rhyolite may be attributed to the hybridization of mantle-derived and crustal melts, with the more evolved compositions reflecting greater proportions of crustally derived material and/or higher degrees of differentiation. Furthermore, since the earliest SVF eruption is 3 Ma older than the proposed onset of the CRBG (~ 17 Ma Steens Basalt), if the SVF is chemically related to the CRBG then the timing and location of the initiation of the CRBG will need to be reassessed.

The coupled geochemistry of Au and As in pyrite from ore deposits and geothermal fields: monitoring fluid evolution and external forcing factors in hydrothermal systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reich, M.; Deditius, A.; Tardani, D.; Sanchez-Alfaro, P.

2014-12-01

Among the many factors influencing the complex process of lava flow emplacement, the interaction with the substrate onto which flow is emplaced plays a central role. Lava flows are rarely emplaced onto smooth or regular surfaces. For example, at Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai'i, lava flows regularly flow over solid rock, vegetation, basaltic or silica sand, and man-made materials, including asphalt and concrete. In situ studies of lava-substrate interactions are inherently difficult, and often dangerous, to carry-out, requiring the design of controllable laboratory experiments. We investigate the effects of substrate grain size, cohesion, and roughness on flow mobility and morphology through a series of flow experiments using analog materials and molten basalt. We have developed a series of experiments that allow for adjustable substrate parameters and analyze their effects on lava flow emplacement. The first set of experiments are performed at the Fluids Mechanics Laboratory at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and focus on two analog materials: polyethylene glycol (PEG), a commercially available wax, and corn syrup. The fluids were each extruded onto a series of scaled substrate beds to replicate the emplacement of lava in a natural environment. Preliminary experiments demonstrated that irregular topography, particularly topography with a height amplitude similar to that of the flow itself, can affect flow morphology, width, and velocity by acting as local barriers or culverts to the fluid. This is expected from observations of fluid flow in natural environments. A follow-up set of experiments will be conducted in Fall 2015 at the Syracuse University (SU) Lava Project Lab. In this set, we will pour molten basalt directly onto a series of substrates representing natural environments found on the Earth and other rocky bodies in the Solar System. These experiments will allow for analysis of the effects of basaltic composition and high temperatures on lava-substrate heat transfer and mechanical interactions. Results will be used to improve current lava flow prediction models as well as increase our understanding of the evolution of volcanic regions on the Earth and other planets.

Petrological constraints on the high-Mg basalts from Capo Marargiu (Sardinia, Italy): Evidence of cryptic amphibole fractionation in polybaric environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tecchiato, Vanni; Gaeta, Mario; Mollo, Silvio; Scarlato, Piergiorgio; Bachmann, Olivier; Perinelli, Cristina

2018-01-01

This study deals with the textural and compositional characteristics of the calc-alkaline stratigraphic sequence from Capo Marargiu Volcanic District (CMVD; Sardinia island, Italy). The area is dominated by basaltic to intermediate hypabyssal (dikes and sills) and volcanic rocks (lava flows and pyroclastic deposits) emplaced during the Oligo-Miocene orogenic magmatism of Sardinia. Interestingly, a basaltic andesitic dome hosts dark-grey, crystal-rich enclaves containing up 50% of millimetre- to centimetre-sized clinopyroxene and amphibole crystals. This mineral assemblage is in equilibrium with a high-Mg basalt recognised as the parental magma of the entire stratigraphic succession at CMVD. Analogously, centimetre-sized clots of medium- and coarse-grained amphibole + plagioclase crystals are entrapped in andesitic dikes that ultimately intrude the stratigraphic sequence. Amphibole-plagioclase cosaturation occurs at equilibrium with a differentiated basaltic andesite. Major and trace element modelling indicates that the evolutionary path of magma is controlled by a two-step process driven by early olivine + clinopyroxene and late amphibole + plagioclase fractionation. In this context, enclaves represent parts of a cumulate horizon segregated at the early stage of differentiation of the precursory high-Mg basalt. This is denoted by i) resorption effects and sharp transitions between Mg-rich and Mg-poor clinopyroxenes, indicative of pervasive dissolution phenomena followed by crystal re-equilibration and overgrowth, and ii) reaction minerals found in amphibole coronas formed at the interface with more differentiated melts infiltrating within the cumulate horizon, and carrying the crystal-rich material with them upon eruption. Coherently, the mineral chemistry and phase relations of enclaves indicate crystallisation in a high-temperature, high-pressure environment under water-rich conditions. On the other hand, the upward migration and subsequent fractionation of the residual basaltic andesite in a shallower, colder, and hydrous region of the CMVD plumbing system lead to the formation of the amphibole-plagioclase crystal clots finally entrained by the andesitic dikes. Indeed, phenocrysts from these more evolved products record the final crystallisation path of magma during ascent towards the surface. Magma decompression and volatile loss cause the formation of amphibole reaction coronas and the crystallisation of a more sodic plagioclase in equilibrium with basaltic andesitic to andesitic melts. The bulk-rock geochemical signature of these products testifies to open-system, polybaric magma dynamics, accounting for variable degrees of crustal assimilation of the Hercynian basement of Sardinia.

The radiogenic and stable Sr isotope geochemistry of basalt weathering in Iceland: Role of hydrothermal calcite and implications for long-term climate regulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrews, M. Grace; Jacobson, Andrew D.

2017-10-01

Several studies have examined the geochemistry of Icelandic rivers to quantify the relationship between basalt weathering and long-term climate regulation. Recent research has suggested that the chemical weathering of hydrothermal and metamorphic calcite contributes significant quantities of HCO3- to the Icelandic riverine flux (Jacobson et al., 2015). Because the HCO3- derives from volcanic CO2 that was sequestered in mineral form prior to atmospheric injection, the strength of the basalt weathering feedback occurring in Iceland may be lower than previously realized. To test these hypotheses, we analyzed the radiogenic and stable Sr isotope composition (87Sr/86Sr and δ88/86Sr) of the same suite of water, rock, and mineral samples as examined in Jacobson et al. (2015), and we developed a simple model of the long-term C cycle that considers the transformation of volcanic CO2 to HCO3- during subsurface silicate weathering, which is a precursor to hydrothermal calcite formation. Interpretations based on 87Sr/86Sr and Ca/Sr ratios suggest that conservative, three-component mixing between basalt, calcite, and atmospheric deposition adequately explains river geochemistry. On average, the δ88/86Sr values of glacial and non-glacial rivers (0.414‰ and 0.388‰, respectively) are generally higher than those for basalt (0.276‰); however, calcite δ88/86Sr values (0.347‰) are also higher than those for basalt and span the range of riverine values. Thus, riverine δ88/86Sr values are also consistent three-component mixing between basalt, calcite, and atmospheric deposition. Isotopic fractionation is not required to explain riverine trends. Finally, model equations for the long-term C cycle demonstrate that subsurface silicate weathering reduces the magnitude of the volcanic CO2 degassing flux, which in turn causes the atmosphere to stabilize at lower pCO2 values compared to the case where no subsurface silicate weathering occurs. However, the proportion of the net volcanic C flux introduced to the atmosphere-ocean system as HCO3- after subsurface silicate weathering does not regulate long-term climate. Because hydrothermal calcite simply sequesters some of this HCO3- and delays its transmission to the atmosphere-ocean system until it dissolves at the surface later in time, it can be concluded the weathering of hydrothermal calcite bearing non-atmospheric C also has no effect on long-term climate regulation. Icelandic riverine HCO3- fluxes should be corrected for the hydrothermal calcite weathering contribution prior to quantifying atmospheric CO2 consumption rates by basalt weathering at the Earth's surface.

Fragmentation, Cost and Environmental Effects of Plaster Stemming Method for Blasting at A Basalt Quarry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cevizci, Halim

2014-10-01

In this study, the plaster stemming application for blasting at a basalt quarry is studied. Drill cuttings are generally used in open pits and quarries as the most common stemming material since these are most readily available at blast sites. However, dry drill cuttings eject very easily from blastholes without offering much resistance to blast energy. The plaster stemming method has been found to be better than the drill cuttings stemming method due to increased confinement inside the hole and better utilization of blast explosive energy in the rock. The main advantage of the new stemming method is the reduction in the cost of blasting. At a basalt quarry, blasting costs per unit volume of rock were reduced to 15% by increasing burden and spacing distances. In addition, better fragmentation was obtained by using the plaster stemming method. Blast trials showed that plaster stemming produced finer material. In the same blast tests, +30 cm size fragments were reduced to 47.3% of the total, compared to 32.6% in the conventional method of drill cuttings stemming. With this method of stemming, vibration and air shock values increased slightly due to more blast energy being available for rock breakage but generally these increased values were small and stayed under the permitted limit for blast damage criteria unless measuring distance is too close.

The Martian Soil as a Geochemical Sink for Hydrothermally Altered Crustal Rocks and Mobile Elements: Implications of Early MER Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newsom, H. E.; Nelson, M. J.; Shearer, C. K.; Draper, D. S.

2005-01-01

Hydrothermal and aqueous alteration can explain some of the exciting results from the MER team s analyses of the martian soil, including the major elements, mobile elements, and the nickel enrichment. Published results from the five lander missions lead to the following conclusions: 1) The soil appears to be globally mixed and basaltic with only small local variations in chemistry. Relative to martian basaltic meteorites and Gusev rocks the soils are depleted in the fluid-mobile element calcium, but only slightly enriched to somewhat depleted in iron oxide. 2) The presence of olivine in the soils based on M ssbauer data argues that the soil is only partly weathered and is more akin to a lunar regolith than a terrestrial soil. 3) The presence of bromine along with sulfur and chlorine in the soils is consistent with addition of a mobile element component to the soil.

Partitioning of K, U, and Th between sulfide and silicate liquids - Implications for radioactive heating of planetary cores

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murrell, M. T.; Burnett, D. S.

1986-01-01

Experimental partitioning studies are reported of K, U, and Th between silicate and FeFeS liquids designed to test the proposal that actinide partitioning into sulfide liquids is more important then K partitioning in the radioactive heating of planetary cores. For a basaltic liquid at 1450 C and 1.5 GPa, U partitioning into FeFeS liquids is five times greater than K partitioning. A typical value for the liquid partition coefficient for U from a granitic silicate liquid at one atmosphere at 1150 C and low fO2 is about 0.02; the coefficient for Th is similar. At low fO2 and higher temperature, experiments with basaltic liquids produce strong Ca and U partitioning into the sulfide liquid with U coefficient greater than one. The Th coefficient is less strongly affected.

Gabbroic xenoliths from the northern Gorda Ridge: implications for magma chamber processes under slow spreading centers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, A.S.; Clague, D.A.

1990-01-01

Abundant gabbroic xenoliths in porphyritic pillow basalt were dredged from the northern Gorda Ridge. The host lava is a moderately fractionated, normal mid-ocean ridge basalt with a heterogeneous glass rind (Mg numbers 56-60). Other lavas in the vicinity range from near primary (Mg number 69) to fractionated (Mg number 56). On the basis of textures and mineral compositions, the xenoliths are divided into five types. The xenoliths are not cognate to the host lava, but they are genetically related. Chemistry of mineral phases in conjunction with textural features suggests that the xenoliths formed in different parts of a convecting magma chamber that underwent a period of closed system fractionation. The chamber was filled with a large proportion of crystalline mush when new, more primitive, and less dense magma was injected and mixed incompletely with the contents in the chamber, forming the hybrid host lava. -from Authors

Glass and ceramics. [lunar resources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haskin, Larry A.

1992-01-01

A variety of glasses and ceramics can be produced from bulk lunar materials or from separated components. Glassy products include sintered regolith, quenched molten basalt, and transparent glass formed from fused plagioclase. No research has been carried out on lunar material or close simulants, so properties are not known in detail; however, common glass technologies such as molding and spinning seem feasible. Possible methods for producing glass and ceramic materials are discussed along with some potential uses of the resulting products.

Laboratory Hydrothermal Alteration of Basaltic Tephra by Acid Sulfate Solutions: An Analog Process for Martian Weathering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Golden, D. C.; Ming, D. W.; Morris, R. V.

2003-01-01

The objective of this study is to conduct simulated Mars-like weathering experiments in the laboratory to determine the weathering products that might form during oxidative, acidic weathering of Mars analog materials.

Assessment of rock mechanical properties and seismic slope stability in variably weathered layered basalts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greenwood, William; Clark, Marin; Zekkos, Dimitrios; Von Voigtlander, Jennifer; Bateman, Julie; Lowe, Katherine; Hirose, Mitsuhito; Anderson, Suzanne; Anderson, Robert; Lynch, Jerome

2016-04-01

A field and laboratory experimental study was conducted to assess the influence of weathering on the mechanical properties of basalts in the region of the Kohala volcano on the island of Hawaii. Through the systematic characterization of the weathering profiles developed in different precipitation regimes, we aim to explain the regional pattern of stability of slopes in layered basalts that were observed during the 2006 Mw 6.7 Kiholo Bay earthquake. While deeper weathering profiles on the wet side of the island might be expected to promote more and larger landslides, the distribution of landslides during the Kiholo Bay earthquake did not follow this anticipated trend. Landslide frequency (defined as number of landslides divided by total area) was similar on the steepest slopes (> 50-60) for both the dry and the wet side of the study area suggesting relatively strong ground materials irrespective of weathering. The study location is ideally suited to investigate the role of precipitation, and more broadly of climate, on the mechanical properties of the local rock units because the presence of the Kohala volcano produces a significant precipitation gradient on what are essentially identical basaltic flows. Mean annual precipitation (MAP) varies by more than an order of magnitude, from 200 mm/year on the western side of the volcano to 4000 mm/year in the eastern side. We will present results of measured shear wave velocities using a seismic surface wave methodology. These results were paired with laboratory testing on selected basalt specimens that document the sample-scale shear wave velocity and unconfined compressive strength of the basaltic rocks. Shear wave velocity and unconfined strength of the rocks are correlated and are both significantly lower in weathered rocks near the ground surface than at depth. This weathering-related reduction in shear wave velocity extends to greater depths in areas of high precipitation compared to areas of lower precipitation, as expected, with a pronounced transition occurring at about 1000 mm/yr MAP. We speculate that relatively stiff, sub-horizontal layers that are interbedded with weathered material, may explain the discrepancy between both lower seismic velocities (in the field and the laboratory) and lower unconfined compressive strength, and the interpreted high strength exhibited by the seismic slope response during the Kiholo Bay earthquake. This observation has important consequences on the type of landslides observed in the 2006 earthquake, as well as the landslides that can be expected in future earthquakes.

Asteroid 4 Vesta: A Fully Differentiated Dwarf Planet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mittlefehldt, David

2014-01-01

One conclusion derived from the study of meteorites is that some of them - most irons, stony irons, some achondrites - hail from asteroids that were heated to the point where metallic cores and basaltic crusts were formed. Telescopic observations show that there remains only one large asteroid with a basaltic crust, 4 Vesta; present day mean radius 263 km. The largest clan of achondrites, the howardite, eucrite and diogenite (HED) meteorites, represent the crust of their parent asteroid. Diogenites are cumulate harzburgites and orthopyroxenites from the lower crust whilst eucrites are cumulate gabbros, diabases and basalts from the upper crust. Howardites are impact-engendered breccias of diogenites and eucrites. A strong case can be made that HEDs are derived from Vesta. The NASA Dawn spacecraft orbited Vesta for 14 months returning data allowing geological, mineralogical, compositional and geophysical interpretations of Vesta's surface and structure. Combined with geochemical and petrological observations of HED meteorites, differentiation models for Vesta can be developed. Proto-Vesta probably consisted of primitive chondritic materials. Compositional evidence, primarily from basaltic eucrites, indicates that Vesta was melted to high degree (>=50%) which facilitated homogenization of the silicate phase and separation of immiscible Fe,Ni metal plus Fe sulphide into a core. Geophysical models based on Dawn data support a core of 110 km radius. The silicate melt vigorously convected and initially followed a path of equilibrium crystallization forming a harzburgitic mantle, possibly overlying a dunitic restite. Once the fraction of crystals was sufficient to cause convective lockup, the remaining melt collected between the mantle and the cool thermal boundary layer. This melt undergoes fractional crystallization to form a dominantly orthopyroxenite (diogenite) lower crust. The initial thermal boundary layer of primitive chondritic material is gradually replaced by a mafic crust through impact disruption and foundering. The quenched mafic crust thickens over time through magma extrusion/intrusion. Melt from the residual magma ocean intrudes and penetrates the mafic crust forming cumulate eucrite plutons, and dikes, sills and flows of basaltic eucrite composition. The post-differentiation vestan structure is thus not too dissimilar from that of terrestrial planets: (i) a metallic core; (ii) an ultramafic mantle comprised of a lower dunitic layer (if melting was substantially <100%) and an upper cumulate harzburgitic layer; (iii) a lower crust of harzburgitic and orthopyroxenitic cumulates; and (iv) an upper mafic crust of basalts and diabases (melt compositions) with cumulate gabbro intrusions. Impacts have excavated to the lower crust and delivered howardites, eucrites and diogenites to Earth, but there is yet no evidence demonstrating excavation of the vestan mantlle.

Additive Construction using Basalt Regolith Fines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mueller, Robert P.; Sibille, Laurent; Hintze, Paul E.; Lippitt, Thomas C.; Mantovani, James G.; Nugent, Matthew W.; Townsend, Ivan I.

2014-01-01

Planetary surfaces are often covered in regolith (crushed rock), whose geologic origin is largely basalt. The lunar surface is made of small-particulate regolith and areas of boulders located in the vicinity of craters. Regolith composition also varies with location, reflecting the local bedrock geology and the nature and efficiency of the micrometeorite-impact processes. In the lowland mare areas (suitable for habitation), the regolith is composed of small granules (20 - 100 microns average size) of mare basalt and volcanic glass. Impacting micrometeorites may cause local melting, and the formation of larger glassy particles, and this regolith may contain 10-80% glass. Studies of lunar regolith are traditionally conducted with lunar regolith simulant (reconstructed soil with compositions patterned after the lunar samples returned by Apollo). The NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Granular Mechanics & Regolith Operations (GMRO) lab has identified a low fidelity but economical geo-technical simulant designated as Black Point-1 (BP-1). It was found at the site of the Arizona Desert Research and Technology Studies (RATS) analog field test site at the Black Point lava flow in adjacent basalt quarry spoil mounds. This paper summarizes activities at KSC regarding the utilization of BP-1 basalt regolith and comparative work with lunar basalt simulant JSC-1A as a building material for robotic additive construction of large structures. In an effort to reduce the import or in-situ fabrication of binder additives, we focused this work on in-situ processing of regolith for construction in a single-step process after its excavation. High-temperature melting of regolith involves techniques used in glassmaking and casting (with melts of lower density and higher viscosity than those of metals), producing basaltic glass with high durability and low abrasive wear. Most Lunar simulants melt at temperatures above 1100 C, although melt processing of terrestrial regolith at 1500 C is not uncommon. These temperatures are achievable by laser heating or by using solar concentrators. Similar to volcanic magma, the cooling rate determines the crystallite size - slower cooling develops larger crystals, and rapid quenching can result in fully amorphous glass.

Comparing the composition of the earliest basalts erupted by the Iceland and Afar mantle plumes.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stuart, Finlay M.

2013-04-01

The first basalts erupted by mantle plumes are typically generated by mantle melting at temperatures 200-300°C higher than average ambient mantle. This is consistent with the derivation of from a thermal boundary layer at the core-mantle boundary. Mantle plume temperatures decrease with time, likely as large plume heads give way to thin plume conduits. Consequently the early, hot plume basalts are a window into the deep mantle. At it's simplest they provide a test of whether the discrete plume source regions are primordial mantle that have been isolated since soon after Earth accretion, or have substantial contributions from subducted slabs. Here I present new isotopic and trace element determinations of the earliest picritic basalts from the ~30 Ma Afar plume in Ethiopia. They will be compared with similar material from the ~60 Ma proto-Iceland plume (PIP) in an effort to test prevailing models regarding the source of mantle plumes. The extremely primordial nature of the helium in the PIP picrites (3He/4He ~ 50 Ra) contrasts with much lower values of the Ethiopian flood basalt province (~21 Ra). The Iceland plume 3He/4He has decreased (linearly) with time, mirroring the secular cooling of the Iceland mantle plume identified by decreasing MgO and FeO in primary melts. In 60 million years the Iceland plume 3He/4He is still higher than the maximum Afar plume value. The Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic composition of the high 3He/4He Ethiopian flood basalt province picrites are remarkably homogenous (e.g. 87Sr/86Sr = 0.70396-0.70412; 206Pb/204Pb = 18.82-19.01). In comparison the PIP picrites have ranges that span nearly the global range of E-MORB and N-MORB. The Afar and proto-Iceland mantle plumes are clearly not initiated in a single deep mantle domain with the same depletion/enrichment and degassing histories, and the same scale of heterogeneity. This implies that there is more than one plume source region/mechanism that is capable of generating comparable volumes of basalt melt at Earth surface.

Formation of Hematite fine crystals by hydrothermal alteration of synthetic Martian basalt, static and fluid flow experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobayashi, K.; Isobe, H.

2011-12-01

Exploration made by Martian rovers and probes provided enormous information on the composition of the Martian surface materials. Origin and formation processes of the Martian surface materials should be various depending on topography and history of the Martian crust. Especially, iron minerals in the Martian soil should have essential role to characterize surface environment of the "red planet". In the present study, experimental reproduction of the Martian soil was carried out by hydrothermal alteration of the synthetic iron-rich basaltic rock. Experimental conditions for temperature and fluid composition followed Isobe and Yoshizawa (2010). Static alteration experiments are carried out at 100 °C and 150 °C, and mass ratio of the starting material to the pH1.0 sulfuric acid solution is 1:50. Run durations are 1, 2, 4 or 8 weeks. Appropriate mass of dry ice was sealed in the experimental vessels to expel atmospheric oxygen with CO2. For the static experiments, powdered starting materials were charged in PFA vial to keep textures of the run products. For the fluid flow experiments, we constructed closed loop with Teflon tube inclined approximately 45°. One of the vertical tube is charged with crushed synthetic basalt and heated approximately 150°C by aluminum block with ribbon heater. Surlfuric acid solution flows through the tube from bottom to top and cooled at the end of the aluminum block. Cooled solution returns to the bottom of the heated tube through another vertical tube without heating block. In the static condition run products, characteristic iron mineral particles are formed for 100°C and 150°C concordant with Isobe and Yoshizawa (2010). These iron minerals distributed not only inside the starting material powder but also on the surface of the reaction vessel and the PFA vial in the reactive solution. The surface of the reaction vessel shows orange and reddish color on 100°C and 150°C run products, respectively. By SEM observation, dissolution of melt and olivine grains were observed, and iron mineral particles substituted olivine partly. Diameters of the iron mineral particles are submicron to several micron meters at 100°C, and slowly increase with run durations and temperatures. In the fluid flow experiment, deposition of the characteristic iron minerals occur inside the heated tube. Distribution of iron minerals corresponds to temperature gradient and fluid flow direction. Iron minerals are partially covered by silica phase with submicron meters in thickness. The occurrence of the iron minerals in the run products of this study suggests that characteristic iron mineral fine particles including hematite and goethite were formed by acidic hydrothermal alteration of iron-rich basaltic rock even at remote region from the source materials.

Planetary basalts - Chemistry and petrology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Papike, J. J.; Bence, A. E.

1979-01-01

Recent literature (1975-1978) on planetary basalts is reviewed. Terrestrial basalts are considered in relation to Nd and Sm isotopic studies, magma mixing, chemical and mineralogical heterogeneities in basalt source regions, and partial melting controls on basalt chemistry. Attention is also given to features of mare basalts, eucrites, and comparisons of basalts for the earth, the moon, and the parent body of basaltic achondrites.

Thermal conductivity of particulate materials: A summary of measurements taken at the Marshall Space Flight Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fountain, J. A.

1973-01-01

Thermal conductivity measurements of particulate materials in vacuum are presented in summary. Particulate basalt and soda lime glass beads of various size ranges were used as samples. The differentiated line heat source method was used for the measurements. A comprehensive table is shown giving all pertinent experimental conditions. Least-squares curve fits to the data are presented.

Soil Inorganic Carbon Formation: Can Parent Material Overcome Climate?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanbery, C.; Will, R. M.; Seyfried, M. S.; Benner, S. G.; Flores, A. N.; Guilinger, J.; Lohse, K. A.; Good, A.; Black, C.; Pierce, J. L.

2014-12-01

Soil carbon is the third largest carbon reservoir and is composed of both organic and inorganic constituents. However, the storage and flux of soil carbon within the global carbon cycle are not fully understood. While organic carbon is often the focus of research, the factors controlling the formation and dissolution of soil inorganic carbon (SIC) are complex. Climate is largely accepted as the primary control on SIC, but the effects of soil parent material are less clear. We hypothesize that effects of parent material are significant and that SIC accumulation will be greater in soils formed from basalts than granites due to the finer textured soils and more abundant calcium and magnesium cations. This research is being conducted in the Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed (RCEW) in southwestern Idaho. The watershed is an ideal location because it has a range of gradients in precipitation (250 mm to 1200 mm), ecology (sagebrush steppe to juniper), and parent materials (a wide array of igneous and sedimentary rock types) over a relatively small area. Approximately 20 soil profiles will be excavated throughout the watershed and will capture the effects of differing precipitation amounts and parent material on soil characteristics. Several samples at each site will be collected for analysis of SIC content and grain size distribution using a pressure calcimeter and hydrometers, respectively. Initial field data suggests that soils formed over basalts have a higher concentration of SIC than those on granitic material. If precipitation is the only control on SIC, we would expect to see comparable amounts in soils formed on both rock types within the same precipitation zone. However, field observations suggest that for all but the driest sites, soils formed over granite had no SIC detected while basalt soils with comparable precipitation had measurable amounts of SIC. Grain size distribution appears to be a large control on SIC as the sandier, granitic soils promote deeper percolation. This ongoing research will clarify the processes involved in SIC formation and identify the situations where it is an atmospheric source or sink.

Cosmic Ray Exposure Ages, Ar-Ar Ages, and the Origin and History of Eucrites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wakefield, Kelli; Bogard, Donald; Garrison, Daniel

2004-01-01

HED meteorites likely formed at different depths on the large asteroid 4-Vesta, but passed through Vesta-derived, km-sized intermediary bodies (Vestoids), before arriving at Earth. Most eucrites and diogenites (and all howardites) are brecciated, and impact heating disturbed or reset the K-Ar ages (and some Rb-Sr ages) of most eucrites in the time period of approx. 3.4 - 4.1 Gyr ago. Some basaltic eucrites and most cumulate eucrites, however, are not brecciated. We recently showed that the Ar-39 - Ar-40 ages for several of these eucrites tightly cluster about a value of 4.48 +/- 0.02 Gyr, and we argue that this time likely represents a single large impact event on Vesta, which ejected these objects from depth and quenched their temperatures. A different parent body has been suggested for cumulate eucrites, although the Ar-Ar ages argue for a common parent. Similarities in the cosmic-ray (space) exposure ages for basaltic eucrites and diogenites also have been used to infer a common parent body for some HEDs. Here we present CRE ages of several cumulate and unbrecciated basaltic (UB) eucrites and compare these with CRE ages of other HEDs. This comparison also has some interesting implications for the relative locations of various HED types on Vesta and/or the Vestoids.

Quantitative 3-D Elemental Mapping by LA-ICP-MS of a Basaltic Clast from the Hanford 300 Area, Washington, USA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sheng, Peng; Hu, Qinhong; Ewing, Robert P.

2012-03-01

Laser ablation with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) was used to measure elemental concentrations at the 100 {micro}m scale in a 3-dimensional manner in a basalt sample collected from the Hanford 300 Area in south-central Washington State. A modified calibration method was developed to quantify the LA-ICP-MS signal response using a constant-sum mass fraction of eight major elements; the method produced reasonable concentration measurements for both major and trace elements when compared to a standard basalt sample with known concentrations. 3-dimensional maps (stacked 2-D contour layers, each measuring 2100 {micro}m x 2100 {micro}m) show relatively uniform concentration with depth formore » intrinsic elements such as Si, Na, and Sr. However, U and Cu accumulation were observed near the rock surface, consistent with the site's release history of these pollutants. U and Cu show substantial heterogeneity in their concentration distributions in horizontal slices, while the intrinsic elements are essentially uniformly distributed. From measured U concentrations of this work and reported mass fractions, cobbles and gravels were estimated to contain from 0.6% to 7.5% of the contaminant U, implicating the coarse fraction as a long-term release source.« less

Quantitative 3-D elemental mapping by LA-ICP-MS of a basaltic clast from the Hanford 300 Area, Washington, USA.

PubMed

Peng, Sheng; Hu, Qinhong; Ewing, Robert P; Liu, Chongxuan; Zachara, John M

2012-02-21

Laser ablation with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) was used to measure elemental concentrations at the 100-μm scale in a 3-dimensional manner within a basaltic clast sample collected from the Hanford 300 Area in south-central Washington State, United States. A calibration method was developed to quantify the LA-ICP-MS signal response using a constant-sum mass fraction of eight major elements; the method produced reasonable concentration measurements for both major and trace elements when compared to a standard basalt sample with known concentrations. 3-Dimensional maps (stacked 2-D contour layers, each representing 2100 μm × 2100 μm) show relatively uniform concentration with depth for intrinsic elements such as Si, Na, and Sr. However, U and Cu accumulation were observed near the sample surface, consistent with the site's release history of these contaminants. U and Cu show substantial heterogeneity in their concentration distributions within horizontal slices, while the intrinsic elements are essentially uniformly distributed. From these measured U concentrations and published grain size distributions, gravel and cobbles were estimated to contain about 1% of the contaminant U, implicating the coarse fraction as a long-term release source.

Degassing of basaltic magma: decompression experiments and implications for interpreting the textures of volcanic rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Gall, Nolwenn; Pichavant, Michel; Cai, Biao; Lee, Peter; Burton, Mike

2017-04-01

Decompression experiments were performed to simulate the ascent of basaltic magma, with the idea of approaching the textural features of volcanic rocks to provide insights into degassing processes. The experiments were conducted in an internally heated pressure vessel between NNO-1.4 and +0.9. H2O-only (4.9 wt%) and H2O-CO2-bearing (0.71-2.45 wt% H2O, 818-1094 ppm CO2) melts, prepared from Stromboli pumice, were synthesized at 1200°C and 200 MPa, continuously decompressed between 200 and 25 MPa at a rate of either 39 or 78 kPa/s (or 1.5 and 3 m/s, respectively), and rapidly quenched. Run products were characterized both texturally (by X-ray computed tomography and scanning electron microscopy) and chemically (by IR spectroscopy and electron microprobe analysis), and then compared with products from basaltic Plinian eruptions and Stromboli paroxysms (bubble textures, glass inclusions). The obtained results demonstrate that textures are controlled by the kinetics of nucleation, growth, coalescence and outgassing of the bubbles, as well as by fragmentation, which largely depend on the presence of CO2 in the melt and the achievement in chemical equilibrium. Textures of the H2O-only melts result from two nucleation events, the first at high pressure (200 < P < 150 MPa) and the second at low pressure (50 < P < 25 MPa), preceding fragmentation. Both events, restricted to narrow P intervals, are driven by melt H2O supersaturation. In contrast, textures of the H2O-CO2-bearing basaltic melts result from continuous bubble nucleation, which is driven by the generation of melts supersaturated in CO2. This persistent non-equilibrium degassing causes the bubbles to evolve through power law distributions, as small bubbles continue to form and grow. This is what is observed in Plinian products. From our results, the evolution to mixed power law-exponential distributions, as found in Stromboli products, is indicative of the prevalence of bubble coalescence and an evolution toward chemical equilibrium. In line with this, a strong correlation was found between experimental and natural bubble textures (bubble number densities, shapes, sizes and distributions), having implications for interpreting bubbles in volcanic rocks and quantifying magma ascent rates. Next step will be to perform in situ decompression experiments to simulate both degassing and crystallization of basaltic magma during ascent in the shallow volcanic conduit (P < 50 MPa), using synchrotron X-ray imaging. The obtained 4D (3D + time) data will help us refine our understanding of magma ascent processes. This experimental programme requires first technology adaptation and development, which is in progress.

SYSTHESIS OF VOLCANISM STUDIES FOR THE YUCCA MOUNTAIN SITE CHARACTERIZATION PROJECT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Perry, F. V.; Crowe, G. A.; Valentine, G. A.

1997-09-23

This report synthesizes the results of volcanism studies conducted by scientists at the Los Alamos National Laboratory and collaborating institutions on behalf of the Department of Energy's Yucca Mountain Project. Chapter 1 introduces the volcanism issue for the Yucca Mountain site and provides the reader with an overview of the organization, content, and significant conclusions of this report. The hazard of future basaltic volcanism is the primary topic of concern including both events that intersect a potential repository and events that occur near or within the waste isolation system of a repository. Future volcanic events cannot be predicted with certaintymore » but instead are estimated using formal methods of probabilistic volcanic hazard assessment (PVHA). Chapter 2 describes the volcanic history of the Yucca Mountain region (YMR) and emphasizes the Pliocene and Quaternary volcanic record, the interval of primary concern for volcanic risk assessment. The distribution, eruptive history, and geochronology of Plio-Quaternary basalt centers are described by individual center emphasizing the younger postcaldera basalt (<5 Ma). The Lathrop Wells volcanic center is described in detail because it is the youngest basalt center in the YMR. The age of the Lathrop Wells center is now confidently determined to be about 75 thousand years old. Chapter 3 describes the tectonic setting of the YMR and presents and assesses the significance of multiple alternative tectonic models. The distribution of Pliocene and Quaternary basaltic volcanic centers is evaluated with respect to tectonic models for detachment, caldera, regional and local rifting, and the Walker Lane structural zone. Geophysical data are described for the YMR and are used as an aid to understand the distribution of past basaltic volcanic centers and possible future magmatic processes. Chapter 4 discusses the petrologic and geochemical features of basaltic volcanism in the YMR, the southern Great Basin and the Basin and Range province. Geochemical and isotopic data are presented for post-Miocene basalts of the Yucca Mountain region. Alternative petrogenetic models are assessed for the formation of the Lathrop Wells volcanic center. Based on geochemical data, basaltic ash in fault trenches near Yucca Mountain is shown to have originated from the Lathrop Wells center. Chapter 5 synthesizes eruptive and subsurface effects of basaltic volcanism on a potential repository and summarizes current concepts of the segregation, ascent, and eruption of basalt magma. Chapter 6 synthesizes current knowledge of the probability of disruption of a potential repository at Yucca Mountain. In 1996, an Expert Elicitation panel was convened by DOE that independently conducted PVHA for the Yucca Mountain site. Chapter 6 does not attempt to revise this PVHA; instead, it further examines the sensitivity of variables in PVHA. The approaches and results of PVHA by the expert judgment panel are evaluated and incorporated throughout this chapter. The disruption ratio (E2) is completely re-evaluated using simulation modeling that describes volcanic events based on the geometry of basaltic feeder dikes. New estimates of probability bounds are developed. These comparisons show that it is physically implausible for the probability of magmatic disruption of the Yucca Mountain site to be greater than 10{sup -7} events per year. Bounding probability estimates are used to assess possible implications of not drilling aeromagnetic anomalies in the Arnargosa Valley and Crater Flat. The results of simulation modeling are used to assess the sensitivity of the disruption probability for the location of northeast boundaries of volcanic zones near the Yucca Mountain site. A new section on modeling of radiological releases associated with surface and subsurface magmatic activity has been added to chapter 6. The modeling results are consistent with past total system performance assessments that show future volcanic and magmatic events are not significant components of repository performance and volcanism is not a priority issue for performance assessment studies.« less

The Ellsworth terrane, coastal Maine: Geochronology, geochemistry, and Nd-Pb isotopic composition - Implications for the rifting of Ganderia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schulz, K.J.; Stewart, D.B.; Tucker, R.D.; Pollock, J.C.; Ayuso, R.A.

2008-01-01

The Ellsworth terrane is one of a number of fault-bounded blocks that occur along the eastern margin of Ganderia, the western-most of the peri-Gondwanan domains in the northern Appalachians that were accreted to Laurentia in the Paleozoic. Geologic relations, detrital zircon ages, and basalt geochemistry suggest that the Ellsworth terrane is part of Ganderia and not an exotic terrane. In the Penobscot Bay area of coastal Maine, the Ellsworth terrane is dominantly composed of bimodal basalt-rhyolite volcanic sequences of the Ellsworth Schist and unconformably overlying Castine Volcanics. We use new U-Pb zircon geochronology, geochemistry, and Nd and Pb isotopes for these volcanic sequences to constrain the petrogenetic history and paleotectonic setting of the Ellsworth terrane and its relationship with Ganderia. U-Pb zircon geochronology for rhyolites indicates that both the Ellsworth Schist (508.6 ?? 0.8 Ma) and overlying Castine Volcanics (503.5 ?? 2.5 Ma) are Middle Cambrian in age. Two tholefitic basalt types are recognized. Type Tb-1 basalt, present as pillowed and massive lava flows and as sills in both units, has depleted La and Ce ([La/Nd]N = 0.53-0.87) values, flat heavy rare earth element (REE) values, and no positive Th or negative Ta anomalies on primitive mantle-normalized diagrams. In contrast, type Th-2 basalt, present only in the Castine Volcanics, has stightly enriched LREE ([La/Yb]N = 1.42-2.92) values and no Th or Th anomalies. Both basalt types have strongly positive ??Nd (500) values (Th-1 = +7.9-+8.6; Th-2 = +5.6-+7.0) and relatively enriched Pb isotopic compositions (206Ph/204Pb = 18.037-19.784; 207/204Pb = 15.531-15.660; 2088Pb/204Pb = 37.810-38.817). The basalts have compositions transitional between recent normal and enriched mid-ocean-ridge basalt, and they were probably derived by partial melting of compositionatly heterogeneous asthenosphenc mantle. Two types of rhyolite also are present. Type R-1 rhyolite, which mostly occurs as tuffs interlayered with basalt in the Ellsworth Schist, is calc-alkaline and characterized by relatively low REE, Zr, and Hf contents, enriched LREE ([La/Yb]N ???3-6), positive Th and negative Th anomalies, ??Nd (500) values near zero (+0.5 to -0.9), and relatively unradiogenic Ph isotope values (206Pb/204Pb = 18.845; 207Pb/ 204Pb = 15.625; 208Pb/204Pb = 38.626). The data suggest that R-1 rhyolite magma was Likely derived by mixing of basalt with melts from a relatively depleted crustal source. Type R-2 rhyolite, which mostly occurs as lava flows and domes in the Castine volcanics, is tholeiitic and characterized by enriched REE with flat patterns ([La/Yb]N = 1-2.5), moderate negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0-34.5), enriched Th, small negative Th anomalies, and ??Nd (500) (+5.8-+7.5) and Ph isotope (206Pb/204Pb = 19.175-19.619; 207Pb/204Pb = 15.605--15.649; 208Pb/204Pb = 38.834-38.851) values that overlap those of the tholeiitic basalts. The data suggest that R-2 rhyolite magma was derived by the partial melting of hydrothermally altered basalt with the addition of a small amount of an enriched component, probably R-1 rhyolite. The geololic, geochemicai, and isotopic characteristics of the bimodal volcanic sequences strongly suggest that the Ellsworth terrane did not evolve as an extensional back-arc basin behind an active arc, but rather it evolved as a proto-oceanic rift petrogenetically similar to Cenozoic rifts like the Gulf of California-Salton mrough and Red Sea-Gulf of Aden rift systems. Such a setting is supported by the presence of serpentinized mantle and zinc-copper-rich massive sulfide deposits in the Ellsworth terrane. We conclude that the Ellsworth terrane developed as a Mid

What is the iron isotope composition of the Moon?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poitrasson, F.; Zambardi, T.; Magna, T.; Neal, C. R.

2016-12-01

It is difficult to estimate the bulk chemical and isotopic composition of the Moon because of severe limitations in our sampling. As a result, there is currently a debate on the bulk Fe isotope composition of the Moon despite the constraints on the lunar accretion modes or differentiation processes it may provide. For this, a proper mass balance estimation of essential planetary reservoirs is required. For instance, the dichotomy in δ57Fe between low- and high-Ti mare basalt varieties as a consequence of differences in degree of fractional crystallization of their respective lunar mantle sources should be rigorously tested. To investigate this, we performed new iron isotope measurements of 33 bulk lunar mare basalts and highland rocks, including KREEP-related materials. The new data show significant Fe isotope differences between high-Ti and low-Ti mare basalts, yielding mean δ57FeIRMM-014=0.277±0.020‰ and δ57FeIRMM-014=0.127±0.020‰, respectively. Assuming that lunar basalts mirror the iron isotope composition of their respective mantle protoliths, the estimated relative proportion of the low-Ti and high-Ti mantle source suggests that the lunar upper mantle should be close to δ57Fe=0.14±0.03‰. At present, it is unclear whether the bulk lunar Fe isotope composition is indistinguishable from that of the Earth (δ57FeIRMM-014=0.10±0.03‰), when estimated solely from mare basalts data, or if it is twice as heavy relative to chondrites, as initially proposed. A large scatter at δ57Fe=0.08±0.19‰ for ferroan anorthosites, Mg-suite rocks and a KREEP basalt imparts more complexities for global isotopic view of the Moon. A better understanding of the cause of Fe isotope heterogeneity among the lunar highland rocks will likely allow to better estimate the bulk Moon composition, and possibly to improve our knowledge about the genesis of the lunar crust itself.

The implications of Chang'e-3 VIS/NIR Imaging Spectrometer in-situ analysis data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Meijuan; Zhang, Hongbo; Su, Yan; Liu, Bin; Zhao, Shu; Xue, Xiping

2015-04-01

The study of mineralogy helps in understanding the geologic evolution of the lunar mare and the resource of the basalt. The Visible and Near-infrared Imaging Spectrometer (VNIS) as a part of the Chang'e-3 mission is fixed at the front of the rover, which is the first time that VNIS has been developed for in-situ analysis on the lunar surface. According to the spectral feature analysis [1], the landing site could be enriched in olivine which is consistent with the results of Thiessen[2]. Olivine is important to understand the comppsitional and structural evolution of the lunar because it is a main material of the lunar mantle. About the origin of the olivine-rich material, there are two possible scenarios are proposed by Yamamoto et al[3]. One is that the olivine-rich exposures originated in the upper mantle, and the other is in the mafic-rich lower crust. The olivine-rich locations are mostly located along the maria boundaries [3,4]. The geology map of the CE-3 landing site shows that it is within the border of two basalt strata, and the landing site is in the Eratoshenian basalt stratum[5,6].This can be explained that each basin formation could have blasted away the upper crust, excavating and redistributing deep-seated olivine-rich matrrial to the rim[3,4]. A global survey of the lunar surface was conducted using the Spectral profiler onboard the lunar explorer SELENE/Kaguya[3]. It shows that most of the olivine-rich sites are located around impact basins. And around Imbrium, the terrace in the Sinus Iridum is one of the olivine-rich site. The rediative transfer modeling supports the concept that materials in the olvine rich sites originated in the upper mantle[3]. The space weathering could have influence on the mineral spectra, thus the method based on the spectral absorption position can only identify the freshly-exposed minerals. Although further work is required to improve the quality of the VNIS data, and the mineral quantification need to be performed, we believe that at least the identification of the minerals gives us valuable imformation about the landing site. References: [1] Liu B. (2014). RAA, 14, 1578-1594. [2] Thiessen F. et al., (2014). Planetary and Space Science, 104, 244-252. [3]Yamamoto S. et al., (2010). Nat. Geosci. 3, 533-536. [4] Tong S. et al,. (2013). Icarus 222, 401-410. [5] Wilhelm D.E., and McCauley J.F. (1971). 1-703. U.S. Geol. Surv., Washington D.C. [6] Li C.L. et al., (2014). RAA, 14, 1514-1529. Acknowledgements: This work was supported by the CHANG'E-3 funding from Chinese Lunar Exploration Program, undertaken by the China National Space Administration (CNSA). This work is also supported by the NSFC program (41490633).

Crustal growth in subduction zones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogt, Katharina; Castro, Antonio; Gerya, Taras

2015-04-01

There is a broad interest in understanding the physical principles leading to arc magmatisim at active continental margins and different mechanisms have been proposed to account for the composition and evolution of the continental crust. It is widely accepted that water released from the subducting plate lowers the melting temperature of the overlying mantle allowing for "flux melting" of the hydrated mantle. However, relamination of subducted crustal material to the base of the continental crust has been recently suggested to account for the growth and composition of the continental crust. We use petrological-thermo-mechanical models of active subduction zones to demonstrate that subduction of crustal material to sublithospheric depth may result in the formation of a tectonic rock mélange composed of basalt, sediment and hydrated /serpentinized mantle. This rock mélange may evolve into a partially molten diapir at asthenospheric depth and rise through the mantle because of its intrinsic buoyancy prior to emplacement at crustal levels (relamination). This process can be episodic and long-lived, forming successive diapirs that represent multiple magma pulses. Recent laboratory experiments of Castro et al. (2013) have demonstrated that reactions between these crustal components (i.e. basalt and sediment) produce andesitic melt typical for rocks of the continental crust. However, melt derived from a composite diapir will inherit the geochemical characteristics of its source and show distinct temporal variations of radiogenic isotopes based on the proportions of basalt and sediment in the source (Vogt et al., 2013). Hence, partial melting of a composite diapir is expected to produce melt with a constant major element composition, but substantial changes in terms of radiogenic isotopes. However, crustal growth at active continental margins may also involve accretionary processes by which new material is added to the continental crust. Oceanic plateaus and other crustal units may collide with continental margins to form collisional orogens and accreted terranes in places where oceanic lithosphere is recycled back into the mantle. We use thermomechanical-petrological models of an oceanic-continental subduction zone to analyse the dynamics of terrane accretion and its implications to arc magmatisim. It is shown that terrane accretion may result in the rapid growth of continental crust, which is in accordance with geological data on some major segments of the continental crust. Direct consequences of terrane accretion may include slab break off, subduction zone transference, structural reworking, formation of high-pressure terranes and partial melting (Vogt and Gerya., 2014), forming complex suture zones of accreted and partially molten units. Castro, A., Vogt, K., Gerya, T., 2013. Generation of new continental crust by sublithospheric silicic-magma relamination in arcs: A test of Taylor's andesite model. Gondwana Research, 23, 1554-1566. Vogt, K., Castro, A., Gerya, T., 2013. Numerical modeling of geochemical variations caused by crustal relamination. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 14, 470-487. Vogt, K., Gerya, T., 2014. From oceanic plateaus to allochthonous terranes: Numerical Modelling. Gondwana Research, 25, 494-508

Allophane on Mars: Significance for Chemical Weathering and Soil Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kraft, M. D.; Rampe, E. B.; Sharp, T. G.; Ming, D. W.; Golden, D. C.; Christensen, P. R.

2010-01-01

It has been suggested that allophane or related poorly crystalline aluminosilicates are present on Mars, and that they comprise the high-silica phase detected by the Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) in Surface Type 2 materials (Michalski et al., 2005). Using new laboratory spectra of allophanic materials, we (Rampe et al., this meeting) have detected allophane on the Martian surface via spectral modeling of TES data. We find that ST2 materials in the Northern Plains are consistent with a significant amount of high-silica allophane-like materials. In addition, we find that allophane may be present in some areas of ancient highlands (TES surface type 1), but spectra of those regions are more consistent with aluminous allophane. The presence of allophane and its chemical variability have important implications for chemical weathering and soil development on Mars. Allophane-like materials are amorphous or poorly crystalline hydrous aluminosilicates formed from chemical weathering of glasses, feldspars, and other silicates (cf. Parfitt, 2009). True allophane is a combination of SiO2, Al2O3 and H2O where Al:Si ranges from 0.5-2. Aluminosilicate gels are amorphous and chemically similar to allophane but can have higher SiO2 contents. The presence of allophane indicates low-temperature chemical weathering and provides constraints on alteration conditions, limiting pH to circum-neutral (4.5-8). Our model results indicate that weathering occurred in the relatively young northern plains of Mars. The high-silica allophane-like material present there implies little silica mobility through the soil column, which suggests that weathering involved small amounts of liquid water, consistent with our previous models of weathering in ice-rich soils (Kraft et al., 2007). The aluminous allophane indicated by our spectral models to be present in the highlands suggest that those regions experienced greater amounts of SiO2 leaching and weathering in those soils may have involved much larger amounts of water. The presence of allophane-like materials suggests that these weathering regimes were not influenced by the acidic weathering that appears to have affected other areas of Mars and has been proposed as a planetwide alteration process (Hurowitz and McLennan, 2007). Soil development in basaltic material (typically tephra) on Earth usually leads to formation of andosols. Although we do not suggest a one-to-one analogy between dark basaltic Martian soils and andosols, there may be important similarities, as andosols are typified by significant production of allophane as well as poorly crystalline Fe-hydroxides. The detection of allophane on Mars suggests a positive utility of an andosol model for Martian soils, particularly when coupled with the ubiquitous presence of Feoxide materials on Mars. An andosol model of soil formation is mineralogically consistent with palagonite models for the formation of Martian dust (cf. Banin et al., 1992; Morris et al., 2001), which suggests a possible genetic relationship of dust and bright soils to the broader soil layer of Mars.

The impact of volcanic tephra on weathering and soil development of Icelandic Histosols, SE Iceland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonatotzky, Theresa; Ottner, Franz; Gísladóttir, Guðrún

2017-04-01

A mixture of poorly decomposed plant remains, crystalline volcanic material and intense aeolian deposition sets Icelandic Histosols apart from other Histosols in the northern hemisphere. They exhibit a unique combination of histic (organic) and andic soil characteristics. Allophane, imogolite and ferrihydrite are common minerals in Icelandic soils while layer silicates are rare. The volcanically active area south of Vatnajökull has received numerous tephra deposits of varying thickness during Holocene. Two distinct tephra layers, the light coloured rhyolitic tephra from the Öræfajökull eruption in AD 1362 and a black basaltic tephra from a Veiðivötn fissure eruption within the Bárðarbunga volcanic system in AD 1477, are well preserved in the soils. This provides a unique opportunity to study weathering behaviour of tephra deposits of different composition and to examine their contrasting mineralogy and impact on soils south of Vatnajökull glacier. The investigated soils can be classified as Histosols with plant residues as parent material and influenced by volcanic ejecta (tephra) and aeolian material. Low pH (H2O) and high organic matter (OM) content are the two dominating factors influencing their weathering behaviour. The soil organic carbon (SOC) content was found to between 16 - 31%. As OM inhibits the formation of amorphous secondary minerals, the clay content in Icelandic soils is generally low while Al-humus complexes are predominant. The soil horizons developed from rhyolitic and basaltic tephra both show differences. Investigations of the mineralogy show small evidence of weathering in the basaltic V1477 tephra, whereas the rhyolitic volcanic ejecta has hardly altered since its formation.

The Hydrothermal System at Home Plate in Gusev Crater, Mars: Formation of High Silica Material by Acid-Sulfate Alteration of Basalt

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morris, R. V.; Ming, D. W.; Gellert, R.; Yen, A.; Clark, B. C.; Gnaff, T. G.; Arvidson, R. E.; Squyres, S. W.

2008-01-01

The Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) instrument on the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Spirit measured three targets on or adjacent to Home Plate in Gusev Crater that have unusually high SiO2 concentrations (68% to 91%), unusually low FeO concentrations (1% to 7%, with total Fe as FeO), and unusually high TiO2/FeO ratios (0.2 to 1.2 by weight) [1]. Two targets (Kenosha Comets and Lefty Ganote) are located on high albedo soil (Gertrude Weise) that was exposed by the rover wheels, and one target is a float rock called Fuzzy Smith. Kenosha Comets has the highest SiO2 concentration, lowest FeO concentration, and highest TiO2/FeO ratio. Mineralogical evidence from the MER Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES) suggests that the SiO2 is present as amorphous (noncrystalline) SiO2 at Gertrude Weise and nearby targets [2,3]. Mini-TES data were not acquired for Fuzzy Smith. Home Plate is considered to have an explosive volcanic origin, resulting when basaltic magma came into contact with ground water or ice [4]. Within 50 m to 1 km of Home Plate are sulfate rich soil deposits (Paso Robles class soils with 22-35% SO3) which are considered to be probable fumarolic and/or hydrothermal deposits associated with the volcanism [5]. We develop the model here, suggested by [5], that the high-silica materials are another manifestation of acid-sulfate processes associated with fumarolic and hydrothermal activity at Home Plate. This is done by analogy with basaltic materials altered by acid sulfate processes on the Island of Hawaii.

Short Range-Ordered Minerals: Insight into Aqueous Alteration Processes on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ming, Douglas W.; Morris, R. V.; Golden, D. C.

2011-01-01

Short range-ordered (SRO) aluminosilicates (e.g., allophane) and nanophase ferric oxides (npOx) are common SRO minerals derived during aqueous alteration of basaltic materials. NpOx refers to poorly crystalline or amorphous alteration products that can be any combination of superparamagnetic hematite and/or goethite, akaganeite, schwertmannite, ferrihydrite, iddingsite, and nanometer-sized ferric oxide particles that pigment palagonitic tephra. Nearly 30 years ago, SRO phases were suggested as alteration phases on Mars based on similar spectral properties for altered basaltic tephra on the slopes of Mauna Kea in Hawaii and Martian bright regions measured by Earth-based telescopes. Detailed characterization of altered basaltic tephra on Mauna Kea have identified a variety of alteration phases including allophane, npOx, hisingerite, jarosite, alunite, hematite, goethite, ferrihydrite, halloysite, kaolinite, smectite, and zeolites. The presence of npOx and other Fe-bearing minerals (jarosite, hematite, goethite) was confirmed by the M ssbauer Spectrometer onboard the Mars Exploration Rovers. Although the presence of allophane has not been definitely identified on Mars robotic missions, chemical analysis by the Spirit and Opportunity rovers and thermal infrared spectral orbital measurements suggest the presence of allophane or allophane-like phases on Mars. SRO phases form under a variety of environmental conditions on Earth ranging from cold and arid to warm and humid, including hydrothermal conditions. The formation of SRO aluminosilicates such as allophane (and crystalline halloysite) from basaltic material is controlled by several key factors including activity of water, extent of leaching, Si activity in solution, and available Al. Generally, a low leaching index (e.g., wet-dry cycles) and slightly acidic to alkaline conditions are necessary. NpOx generally form under aqueous oxidative weathering conditions, although thermal oxidative alteration may occasional be involved. The style of aqueous alteration (hydrolytic vs. acid sulfate) impacts which phases will form (e.g., oxides, oxysulfates, and oxyhydroxides). Knowledge on the formation processes of SRO phases in basaltic materials on Earth has allowed significant enhancement in our understanding of the aqueous processes at work on Mars. The 2011 Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) will provide an instrument suite that should improve our understanding of the mineralogical and chemical compositions of SRO phases. CheMin is an X-ray diffraction instrument that may provide broad X-ray diffraction peaks for SRO phases; e.g., broad peaks around 0.33 and 0.23 nm for allophane. Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) heats samples and detects evolved gases of volatile-bearing phases including SRO phases (i.e., carbonates, sulfates, hydrated minerals). The Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) and ChemCam element analyzers will provide chemical characterization of samples. The identification of SRO phases in surface materials on MSL will be challenging due to their nanocrystalline properties; their detection and identification will require utilizing the MSL instrument suite in concert. Ultimately, sample return missions will be required to definitively identify and fully characterize SRO minerals with state-of-the-art laboratory instrumentation back on Earth.

Geochemical Properties of Rocks and Soils in Gusev Crater, Mars: APXS Results from Cumberland Ridge to Home Plate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ming, D. W.; Gellert, R.; Morris, R. V.; Yen, A. S.; Arvidson, E.; Brueckner, J.; Clark, B. C.; Cohen, B. A.; Fleischer, I.; Klingelhoefer, G.;

Plume magmatism and crustal growth at 2.9 to 3.0 Ga in the Steep Rock and Lumby Lake area, Western Superior Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomlinson, K. Y.; Hughes, D. J.; Thurston, P. C.; Hall, R. P.

1999-01-01

The greenstone belts of the western Superior Province are predominantly 2.78 to 2.69 Ga and provide evidence of oceanic and arc volcanism during the accretionary phase of development of the Superior Province. There is also scattered evidence of Meso-Archean crust (predominantly 2.9 to 3.0 Ga) within the western Superior Province. The Meso-Archean greenstone belts commonly contain platformal sediments and unconformably overlie granitoid basement. The platformal sediments occur associated with komatiitic and tholeiitic volcanic rocks that suggest a history of magmatism associated with rifting during the Meso-Archean. The central Wabigoon Subprovince is a key area of Meso-Archean crust and in its southern portion comprises the Steep Rock, Finlayson and Lumby Lake greenstone belts. The Steep Rock greenstone belt unconformably overlies 3 Ga continental basement and contains platformal sediments succeeded by komatiitic and tholeiitic volcanic rocks. The Lumby Lake greenstone belt contains thick sequences of mafic volcanics, a number of komatiite horizons, and thin platformal sedimentary units. The two belts are joined by the predominantly mafic volcanic Finlayson greenstone belt. The volcanics throughout these three greenstone belts may be correlated to some extent and a range of basaltic and komatiite types is present. Al-undepleted komatiites present in the Lumby Lake greenstone belt have an Al 2O 3/TiO 2 ratio ranging from 14 to 27 and (Gd/Yb) N from 0.7 to 1.3. These are divided into basaltic komatiites with generally unfractionated mantle-normalised multi-element profiles, and spinifex-textured high-Mg basalts with slightly light REE enriched multi-element profiles and small negative Nb and Ta anomalies. The unfractionated basaltic komatiites represent high degree partial melts of the upper mantle whereas the spinifex-textured high-Mg basalts represent evolutionary products of the komatiite liquids following olivine and chromite fractionation and crustal contamination. Al-depleted komatiites are present in both the Lumby Lake and Steep Rock belts and have Al 2O 3/TiO 2 ratio ranges from 2.5 to 5. These display strong enrichment in the light REE and Nb and strong depletion in the heavy REE and Y ((Gd/Yb) N=2-4). They represent a deep mantle plume source generated from a high degree of partial melting in the majorite garnet stability field. The basaltic flows in all three greenstone belts are predominantly slightly light REE depleted and represent a slightly depleted upper mantle source. Basalts spatially associated with the unfractionated basaltic komatiites and the slightly light REE enriched spinifex-textured high-Mg basalts are also slightly enriched in light REE and have negative Nb and Ta anomalies. These basalts represent evolved products of the primitive basaltic komatiites and enriched spinifex-textured high-Mg basalts after further crustal contamination and olivine and clinopyroxene fractionation. The geochemical stratigraphy in the Lumby Lake belt is consistent with an ascending mantle plume model. The light REE depleted basalts were derived from upper mantle melted by an ascending mantle plume. These are overlain by the unfractionated basaltic komatiites and their evolutionary products which represent hotter plume head material derived from a mixture of plume mantle and entrained depleted upper mantle. In turn, these are overlain by strongly light REE and HFSE enriched komatiites that represent a deep plume source that has not been mixed with depleted mantle and are, therefore, likely to have been derived from a plume core or tail. Volcanism was protracted in these three greenstone belts lasting ca. 70 Ma and combined stratigraphic evidence from the Lumby Lake and Steep Rock belts suggests that more than one plume may have ascended and tapped the same mantle sources, over time, within the area. Plume magmatism and rifting of continental platforms thus appears to have been an important feature of crustal development in the Meso-Archean.

Hf-Nd Isotopes in West Philippine Basin Basalts: Results from International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Site U1438 and Implications for the Early History of the Izu-Bonin-Mariana (IBM) Subduction System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yogodzinski, G. M.; Hocking, B.; Bizimis, M.; Hickey-Vargas, R.; Ishizuka, O.; Bogus, K.; Arculus, R. J.

2015-12-01

Drilling at IODP Site U1438, located immediately west of Kyushu-Palau Ridge (KPR), the site of IBM subduction initiation, penetrated 1460 m of volcaniclastic sedimentary rock and 150 m of underlying basement. Biostratigraphic controls indicate a probable age for the oldest sedimentary rocks at around 55 Ma (51-64 Ma - Arculus et al., Nat Geosci in-press). This is close to the 48-52 Ma time period of IBM subduction initiation, based on studies in the forearc. There, the first products of volcanism are tholeiitic basalts termed FAB (forearc basalt), which are more depleted than average MORB and show subtle indicators of subduction geochemical enrichment (Reagan et al., 2010 - Geochem Geophy Geosy). Shipboard data indicate that Site U1438 basement basalts share many characteristics with FABs, including primitive major elements (high MgO/FeO*) and strongly depleted incompatible element patterns (Ti, Zr, Ti/V and Zr/Y below those of average MORB). Initial results thus indicate that FAB geochemistry may have been produced not only in the forearc, but also in backarc locations (west of the KPR) at the time of subduction initiation. Hf-Nd isotopes for Site 1438 basement basalts show a significant range of compositions from ɛNd of 7.0 to 9.5 and ɛHf of 14.5 to 19.8 (present-day values). The data define a well-correlated and steep array in Hf-Nd isotope space. Relatively radiogenic Hf compared to Nd indicates an Indian Ocean-type MORB source, but the dominant signature, with ɛHf >16.5, is more radiogenic than most Indian MORB. The pattern through time is from more-to-less radiogenic and more variable Hf-Nd isotopes within the basement section. This pattern culminates in basaltic andesite sills, which intrude the lower parts of the sedimentary section. The sills have the least radiogenic compositions measured so far (ɛNd ~6.6, ɛHf ~13.8), and are similar to those of boninites of the IBM forearc and modern IBM arc and reararc rocks. The pattern within the basement suggests modest enrichment of a depleted Indian MORB source over time.

Geochemical and isotopic investigation of the Laiwu-Zibo carbonatites from western Shandong Province, China, and implications for their petrogenesis and enriched mantle source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ying, Jifeng; Zhou, Xinhua; Zhang, Hongfu

2004-08-01

Major and trace element and Nd-Sr isotope data of the Mesozoic Laiwu-Zibo carbonatites (LZCs) from western Shandong Province, China, provide clues to the petrogenesis and the nature of their mantle source. The Laiwu-Zibo carbonatites can be petrologically classified as calcio-, magnesio- and ferro-carbonatites. All these carbonatites show a similarity in geochemistry. On the one hand, they are extremely enriched in Ba, Sr and LREE and markedly low in K, Rb and Ti, which are similar to those global carbonatites, on the other hand, they have extremely high initial 87Sr/ 86Sr (0.7095-0.7106) and very low ɛNd (-18.2 to -14.3), a character completely different from those global carbonatites. The small variations in Sr and Nd isotopic ratios suggest that crustal contamination can not modify the primary isotopic compositions of LZC magmas and those values are representatives of their mantle source. The Nd-Sr isotopic compositions of LZCs and their similarity to those of Mesozoic Fangcheng basalts imply that they derived from an enriched lithospheric mantle. The formation of such enriched lithospheric mantle is connected with the major collision between the North China Craton (NCC) and the Yangtze Craton. Crustal materials from the Yangtze Craton were subducted beneath the NCC and melts derived from the subducted crust of the Yangtze Craton produced an enriched Mesozoic mantle, which is the source for the LZCs and Fangcheng basalts. The absence of alkaline silicate rocks, which are usually associated with carbonatites suggest that the LZCs originated from the mantle by directly partial melting.

Natural Fumarolic Alteration of Fluorapatite, Olivine, and Basaltic Glass, and Implications for Habitable Environments on Mars

PubMed Central

Tschauner, Oliver

2013-01-01

Abstract Fumaroles represent a very important potential habitat on Mars because they contain water and nutrients. Global deposition of volcanic sulfate aerosols may also have been an important soil-forming process affecting large areas of Mars. Here we identify alteration from the Senator fumarole, northwest Nevada, USA, and in low-temperature environments near the fumarole to help interpret fumarolic and acid vapor alteration of rocks and soils on Mars. We analyzed soil samples and fluorapatite, olivine, and basaltic glass placed at and near the fumarole in in situ mineral alteration experiments designed to measure weathering under natural field conditions. Using synchrotron X-ray diffraction, we clearly observe hydroxyl-carbonate-bearing fluorapatite as a fumarolic alteration product of the original material, fluorapatite. The composition of apatites as well as secondary phosphates has been previously used to infer magmatic conditions as well as fumarolic conditions on Mars. To our knowledge, the observations reported here represent the first documented instance of formation of hydroxyl-carbonate-bearing apatite from fluorapatite in a field experiment. Retreat of olivine surfaces, as well as abundant NH4-containing minerals, was also characteristic of fumarolic alteration. In contrast, alteration in the nearby low-temperature environment resulted in formation of large pits on olivine surfaces, which were clearly distinguishable from the fumarolic alteration. Raman signatures of some fumarolically impacted surfaces are consistent with detection of the biological molecules chlorophyll and scytenomin, potentially useful biosignatures. Observations of altered minerals on Mars may therefore help identify the environment of formation and understand the aqueous history and potential habitability of that planet. Key Words: Fumaroles—Mars—Olivine—Acidophile—Geothermal—Search for life (biosignatures)—Synchrotron X-ray diffraction. Astrobiology 13, 1049–1064. PMID:24283927

Along-Strike Geochemical Variations in the Late Triassic Nikolai Magmatic System, Wrangellia, Central Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wypych, A.; Twelker, E.; Lande, L. L.; Newberry, R.

2015-12-01

The Nikolai Basalt and related mafic to ultramafic intrusions are one of the world's most complete and best exposed sections of a large igneous province (Amphitheater Mountains, Alaska), and have been explored for magmatic Ni-Cu-Co-PGE mineralization (Wellgreen deposit in the Kluane Ranges, Yukon Territory, and Eureka zone in the Eastern Alaska Range). The full extent of the basalts and the intrusions, as well as along-strike variations in the geochemical and petrological composition and the causes for those variations has yet to be fully established. To better understand the extent and magmatic architecture of this system, the Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys conducted mapping and geochemical investigations of the province from 2013 through 2015 field seasons. We present major and trace element data from whole rock, olivine, and chromite from samples of Triassic basalts and intrusives collected over a 250 km along-strike transect. This data is used to answer questions about variations in magma generation, temperature of crystallization, and degree of fractional crystallization required to produce the Nikolai Basalts. Using chalcophile elements, we examine the history of sulfide solubility, further adding to our understanding of the processes of magma evolution and its influence on the formation of economic mineral deposits. Our initial findings corroborate the presence of two phases of magma generation and eruption, as well as along-strike variation in composition of these phases. We propose that the major along-strike variations are due to differences in amount of cumulate olivine and other late-stage processes. This magmatic architecture has important implications for exploration for magmatic sulfide deposits of nickel-copper and strategic and critical platinum group elements (PGEs) as it can help to better understand the occurrences and point to future possible deposits within the system.

Numerical study of the origin and stability of chemically distinct reservoirs deep in Earth's mantle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Thienen, P.; van Summeren, J.; van der Hilst, R. D.; van den Berg, A. P.; Vlaar, N. J.

Seismic tomography is providing mounting evidence for large scale compositional heterogeneity deep in Earth's mantle; also, the diverse geochemical and isotopic signatures observed in oceanic basalts suggest that the mantle is not chemically homogeneous. Isotopic studies on Archean rocks indicate that mantle inhomogeneity may have existed for most of the Earth's history. One important component may be recycled oceanic crust, residing at the base of the mantle. We investigate, by numerical modeling, if such reservoirs may have been formed in the early Earth, before plate tectonics (and subduction) were possible, and how they have survived—and evolved—since then. During Earth's early evolution, thick basaltic crust may have sunk episodically into the mantle in short but vigorous diapiric resurfacing events. These sections of crust may have resided at the base of the mantle for very long times. Entrainment of material from the enriched reservoirs thus produced may account for enriched mantle and high-μ signatures in oceanic basalts, whereas deep subduction events may have shaped and replenished deep mantle reservoirs. Our modeling shows that (1) convective instabilities and resurfacing may have produced deep enriched mantle reservoirs before the era of plate tectonics; (2) such formation is qualitatively consistent with the geochemical record, which shows multiple distinct ocean island basalt sources; and (3) reservoirs thus produced may be stable for billions of years.

Microbially mediated alteration of crystalline basalts as identified from analogical reactive percolation experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, Rachael; Ménez, Bénédicte; Stéphant, Sylvian; Dupraz, Sébastien; Ranchou-Peyruse, Magali; Ranchou-Peyruse, Anthony; Gérard, Emmanuelle

2017-04-01

Alteration in the ocean crust through fluid circulation is an ongoing process affecting the first kilometers and at low temperatures some alteration may be microbially mediated. Hydrothermal activity through the hard rock basement supports diverse microbial communities within the rock by providing nutrient and energy sources. Currently, the impact of basement hosted microbial communities on alteration is poorly understood. In order to identify and quantify the nature of microbially mediated alteration two reactive percolation experiments mimicking circulation of CO2 enriched ground water were performed at 35 °C and 30 bar for 21 days each. The experiments were performed using a crystalline basalt substrate from an earlier drilled deep Icelandic aquifer. One experiment was conducted on sterile rock while the other was conducted with the addition of a microbial inoculate derived from groundwater enrichment cultures obtained from the same aquifer. µCT on the experimental basaltic substrate before and after the reactive percolation experiment along with synchrotron radiation x-ray tomographic microscopy and the mineralogical characterization of resulting material allows for the comparative volumetric quantification of dissolution and precipitation. The unique design of this experiment allows for the identification of alteration which occurs solely abiotically and of microbially mediated alteration. Experimental results are compared to natural basaltic cores from Iceland retrieved following a large field CO2 injection experiment that stimulated microbial activity at depth.

Mare basalt magma source region and mare basalt magma genesis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Binder, A.B.

1982-11-15

Given the available data, we find that the wide range of mare basaltic material characteristics can be explained by a model in which: (1) The mare basalt magma source region lies between the crust-mantle boundary and a maximum depth of 200 km and consists of a relatively uniform peridotite containing 73--80% olivine, 11--14% pyroxene, 4--8% plagioclase, 0.2--9% ilmenite and 1--1.5% chromite. (2) The source region consists of two or more density-graded rhythmic bands, whose compositions grade from that of the very low TiO/sub 2/ magma source regions (0.2% ilmenite) to that of the very high TiO/sub 2/ magma source regionsmore » (9% ilmenite). These density-graded bands are proposed to have formed as co-crystallizing olivine, pyroxene, plagioclase, ilmenite, and chromite settled out of a convecting magma (which was also parental to the crust) in which these crystals were suspended. Since the settling rates of the different minerals were governed by Stoke's law, the heavier minerals settled out more rapidly and therefore earlier than the lighter minerals. Thus the crystal assemblages deposited nearest the descending side of each convection cell were enriched in heavy ilmenite and chromite with respect to lighter olivine and pyroxene and very much lighter plagioclase. The reverse being the case for those units deposited near the ascending sides of the convection cells.« less

Geomicrobiology of the Ocean Crust: The Phylogenetic Diversity, Abundance, and Distribution of Microbial Communities Inhabiting Basalt and Implications for Rock Alteration Processes

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-06-01

AF317741) 93 EPR3970- MOlA -Bc32 gamma-Proteobacteria Uncultured gamma proteobacterium clone AT-s80 (AY225635) 99 FPR3970-MO IA-Bc33 Actinobacteria...bacterium partial I AJ966584) 99 1iPR3970- MOlA -Bc65 Unidentified Uncultured bacterium clone CV90 (DQ499320) 89 1iPR3970- MOlA -Bc66 Unidentified Uncultured

Preliminary examination of lunar samples from apollo 14.

PubMed

1971-08-20

The major findings of the preliminary examination of the lunar samples are as follows: 1) The samples from Fra Mauro base may be contrasted with those from Tranquillity base and the Ocean of Storms in that about half the Apollo 11 samples consist of basaltic rocks, and all but three Apollo 12 rocks are basaltic, whereas in the Apollo 14 samples only two rocks of the 33 rocks over 50 grams have basaltic textures. The samples from Fra Mauro base consist largely of fragmental rocks containing clasts of diverse lithologies and histories. Generally the rocks differ modally from earlier lunar samples in that they contain more plagioclase and contain orthopyroxene. 2) The Apollo 14 samples differ chemically from earlier lunar rocks and from their closest meteorite and terrestrial analogs. The lunar material closest in composition is the KREEP component (potassium, rare earth elements, phosphorus), "norite," "mottled gray fragments" (9) from the soil samples (in particular, sample 12033) from the Apollo 12 site, and the dark portion of rock 12013 (10). The Apollo 14 material is richer in titanium, iron, magnesium, and silicon than the Surveyor 7 material, the only lunar highlands material directly analyzed (11). The rocks also differ from the mare basalts, having much lower contents of iron, titanium, manganese, chromium, and scandium and higher contents of silicon, aluminum, zirconium, potassium, uranium, thorium, barium, rubidium, sodium, niobium, lithium, and lanthanum. The ratios of potassium to uranium are lower than those of terrestrial rocks and similar to those of earlier lunar samples. 3) The chemical composition of the soil closely resembles that of the fragmental rocks and the large basaltic rock (sample 14310) except that some elements (potassium, lanthanum, ytterbium, and barium) may be somewhat depleted in the soil with respect to the average rock composition. 4) Rocks display characteristic surface features of lunar material (impact microcraters, rounding) and shock effects similar to those observed in rocks and soil from the Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 missions. The rocks show no evidence of exposure to water, and their content of metallic iron suggests that they, like the Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 material, were formed and have remained in an environment with low oxygen activity. 5) The concentration of solar windimplanted material in the soil is large, as was the case for Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 soil. However, unlike previous fragmental rocks, Apollo 14 fragmental rocks possess solar wind contents ranging from approximately that of the soil to essentially zero, with most rocks investigated falling toward one extreme of this range. A positive correlation appears to exist between the solar wind components, carbon, and (20)Ne, of fragmental rocks and their friability (Fig. 12). 6) Carbon contents lie within the range of carbon contents for Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 samples. 7) Four fragmental rocks show surface exposure times (10 x 10(6) to 20 x 10(6) years) about an order of magnitude less than typical exposure times of Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 rocks. 8) A much broader range of soil mechanics properties was encountered at the Apollo 14 site than has been observed at the Apollo 11, Apollo 12, and Surveyor landing sites. At different points along the traverses of the Apollo 14 mission, lesser cohesion, coarser grain size, and greater resistance to penetration was found than at the Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 sites. These variations are indicative of a very complex, heterogeneous deposit. The soils are more poorly sorted, but the range of grain size is similar to those of the Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 soils. 9) No evidence of biological material has been found in the samples to date.

Estimates of olivine-basaltic melt electrical conductivity using a digital rock physics approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Kevin J.; Montési, Laurent G. J.; Zhu, Wen-lu

2015-12-01

Estimates of melt content beneath fast-spreading mid-ocean ridges inferred from magnetotelluric tomography (MT) vary between 0.01 and 0.10. Much of this variation may stem from a lack of understanding of how the grain-scale melt geometry influences the bulk electrical conductivity of a partially molten rock, especially at low melt fraction. We compute bulk electrical conductivity of olivine-basalt aggregates over 0.02 to 0.20 melt fraction by simulating electric current in experimentally obtained partially molten geometries. Olivine-basalt aggregates were synthesized by hot-pressing San Carlos olivine and high-alumina basalt in a solid-medium piston-cylinder apparatus. Run conditions for experimental charges were 1.5 GPa and 1350 °C. Upon completion, charges were quenched and cored. Samples were imaged using synchrotron X-ray micro-computed tomography (μ-CT). The resulting high-resolution, 3-dimensional (3-D) image of the melt distribution constitutes a digital rock sample, on which numerical simulations were conducted to estimate material properties. To compute bulk electrical conductivity, we simulated a direct current measurement by solving the current continuity equation, assuming electrical conductivities for olivine and melt. An application of Ohm's Law yields the bulk electrical conductivity of the partially molten region. The bulk electrical conductivity values for nominally dry materials follow a power-law relationship σbulk = Cσmeltϕm with fit parameters m = 1.3 ± 0.3 and C = 0.66 ± 0.06. Laminar fluid flow simulations were conducted on the same partially molten geometries to obtain permeability, and the respective pathways for electrical current and fluid flow over the same melt geometry were compared. Our results indicate that the pathways for flow fluid are different from those for electric current. Electrical tortuosity is lower than fluid flow tortuosity. The simulation results are compared to existing experimental data, and the potential influence of volatiles and melt films on electrical conductivity of partially molten rocks is discussed.

Chemical weathering rate, denudation rate, and atmospheric and soil CO2 consumption of Paraná flood basalts in São Paulo State, Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

da Conceição, Fabiano Tomazini; dos Santos, Carolina Mathias; de Souza Sardinha, Diego; Navarro, Guillermo Rafael Beltran; Godoy, Letícia Hirata

2015-03-01

The chemical weathering rate and atmospheric/soil CO2 consumption of Paraná flood basalts in the Preto Stream basin, São Paulo State, Brazil, were evaluated using major elements as natural tracers. Surface and rain water samples were collected in 2006, and analyses were performed to assess pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), electrical conductivity (EC) and total dissolved solids (TDS), including SO42-, NO3-, PO43 -, HCO3-, Cl-, SiO2, Ca2 +, Mg2 +, Na+ and K+. Fresh rocks and C horizon samples were also collected, taking into account their geological context, abundance and spatial distribution, to analyze major elements and mineralogy. The Preto Stream, downstream from the city of Ribeirão Preto, receives several elements/compounds as a result of anthropogenic activities, with only sulfate yielding negative flux values. The negative flux of SO42 - can be attributed to atmospheric loading that is mainly related to anthropogenic inputs. After corrections were made for atmospheric inputs, the riverine transport of dissolved material was found to be 30 t km- 2 y- 1, with the majority of the dissolved material transported during the summer (wet) months. The chemical weathering rate and atmospheric/soil CO2 consumption were 6 m/Ma and 0.4 · 106 mol km- 2 y- 1, respectively. The chemical weathering rate falls within the lower range of Paraná flood basalt denudation rates between 135 and 35 Ma previously inferred from chronological studies. This comparison suggests that rates of basalt weathering in Brazil's present-day tropical climate differ by at most one order of magnitude from those prevalent at the time of hothouse Earth. The main weathering process is the monosiallitization of anorthoclase, augite, anorthite and microcline. Magnetite is not weathered and thus remains in the soil profile.

Pb-, Sr- and Nd-Isotopic systematics and chemical characteristics of cenozoic basalts, Eastern China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peng, Z.C.; Zartman, R.E.; Futa, K.; Chen, D.G.

1986-01-01

Forty-eight Paleogene, Neogene and Quaternary basaltic rocks from northeastern and east-central China have been analyzed for major-element composition, selected trace-element contents, and Pb, Sr and Nd isotopic systematics. The study area lies entirely within the marginal Pacific tectonic domain. Proceeding east to west from the continental margin to the interior, the basalts reveal an isotopic transition in mantle source material and/or degree of crustal interaction. In the east, many of the rocks are found to merge both chemically and isotopically with those previously reported from the Japanese and Taiwan island-arc terrains. In the west, clear evidence exists for component(s) of Late Archean continental lithosphere to be present in some samples. A major crustal structure, the Tan-Lu fault, marks the approximate boundary between continental margin and interior isotopic behaviors. Although the isotopic signature of the western basalts has characteristics of lower-crustal contamination, a subcrustal lithosphere, i.e. an attached mantle keel, is probably more likely to be the major contributor of their continental "flavor". The transition from continental margin to interior is very pronounced for Pb isotopes, although Sr and Nd isotopes also combine to yield correlated patterns that deviate strikingly from the mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) and oceanic-island trends. The most distinctive chemical attribute of this continental lithosphere component is its diminished U Pb as reflected in the Pb isotopic composition when compared to sources of MORB, oceanic-island and island-arc volcanic rocks. Somewhat diminished Sm Nd and elevated Rb Sr, especially in comparison to the depleted asthenospheric mantle, are also apparent from the Nd- and Sr-isotopic ratios. ?? 1986.

The Tricky Business of Identifying Rocks on Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, G. J.

2002-05-01

The Mars Global Surveyor mission carries a remote-sensing gizmo called the Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES). TES detects heat waves flowing from the surface of the Red Planet. The TES team, led by Phil Christensen (Arizona State University), identified two large regions on Mars that have distinctive spectral properties. Using mathematical mixing calculations based on the thermal emission spectra of numerous materials, the TES team reported in papers led by Josh Bandfield and Victoria Hamilton that the two regions had mineral abundances similar to basalt (Surface Type 1) and andesite (Surface Type 2), two common volcanic rock types on Earth. Andesite has more silicon than does basalt, giving rise to a distinctive mineralogy. Scientists had mixed reactions to the possibility of andesite on Mars, greeting the news with fascination, consternation, or skepticism. One question raised is how uniquely the spectra of Surface Type 2 matches andesite. Michael Wyatt and Harry Y. McSween (University of Tennessee) have taken another look at the TES spectra by using a larger collection of aqueous alteration (weathering) products in the spectral mixing calculations. They show that weathered basalt also matches the spectral properties of Surface Type 2. Wyatt and McSween also note that Type 2 regions are generally confined to a large, low region that is the site of a purported Martian ocean that sloshed around billions of years ago. They suggest that basalts like those in Surface Type 1 were altered in the ancient Martian sea. Independent data are needed to test the andesite vs. altered-basalt hypotheses. For now, we may have to be satisfied with at least two working hypotheses and a lively debate.

Recent Results from the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Squyres, S. W.

2005-05-01

Since arriving at the Columbia Hills, the Spirit rover's primary area of geologic investigation has been the West Spur of Husband Hill. Pancam images of West Spur rocks show morphology ranging from massive to finely layered. Microscopic Imager images show the rocks to be clastic in nature, with a substantial range in grain sizes. Grains vary from rounded to angular. Mini-TES data show little variability from one rock to the next, and the best fit to the IR spectral signature of the rocks is dominated by basaltic glass. The chemistry revealed by the APXS is broadly basaltic in nature, but substantially enhanced in P, S, Cl, and Br relative to plains rocks. Moessbauer data show that olivine is absent in West Spur rocks, and pyroxene signatures are weak. Fe oxides and oxyhydroxides are present. We interpret the rocks of the West Spur to be aqueously altered basaltic materials of volcaniclastic or impact origin. Since leaving the West Spur, Spirit has explored toward the northeast, higher onto Husband Hill. Loose rocks ("float") on the north flank of the hill are dominated by another poorly sorted clastic lithology that contains olivine and that has strikingly high abundances of Ti and P. Only a few bedrock outcrops have been identified on the main body of Husband Hill. All of these examined to date consist of a coarse-grained clastic rock dominated by basaltic chemistry and cemented by sulfate salts. Grain sizes range up to several mm, and sub-cm layering is present. Moessbauer data show pyroxene, olivine, and a high abundance of magnetite in the basaltic component. APXS data are consistent with the rock being up to 20 percent magnesium sulfate salts by mass, and microscopic images show a high degree of cementation by these salts.

Lu-Hf constraints on the evolution of lunar basalts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fujimaki, H.; Tatsumoto, M.

1984-02-15

Very low Ti basalts andd green glass samples from the moon show high Lu/Hf ratios and low Hf concentrations. Low-Ti lunar basalts show high and variable Lu/Hf ratios and higher Hf concentrations, whereas high-Ti lunar basalts show low Lu/Hf ratios and high Hf concentrations. KREEP basalts have constant Lu/Hf ratios and high but variable Hf concentrations. Using the Lu-Hf behavior as a constraint, we propose a model for the mare basalts evolution. This constraint requires extensive crystallization of the primary lunar magma ocean prior to formation of the lunar mare basalt sources and the KREEP basalts. Mare basalts are producedmore » by the melting of the cumulate rocks, and KREEP basalts represent the residual liquid of the magma ocean.« less

Distribution and stratigraphy of basaltic units in Maria Tranquillitatis and Fecunditatis: A Clementine perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rajmon, D.; Spudis, P.

2004-01-01

Maria Tranquillitatis and Fecunditatis have been mapped based on Clementine image mosaics and derived iron and titanium maps. Impact craters served as stratigraphic probes enabling better delineation of compositionally different basaltic units, determining the distribution of subsurface basalts, and providing estimates of total basalt thickness and the thickness of the surface units. Collected data indicate that volcanism in these maria started with the eruption of low-Ti basalts and evolved toward medium- and high-Ti basalts. Some of the high-Ti basalts in Mare Tranquillitatis began erupting early and were contemporaneous with the low- and medium-Ti basalts; these units form the oldest units exposed on the mare surface. Mare Tranquillitatis is mostly covered with high- Ti basalts. In Mare Fecunditatis, the volume of erupting basalts clearly decreased as the Ti content increased, and the high-Ti basalts occur as a few patches on the mare surface. The basalt in both maria is on the order of several hundred meters thick and locally may be as thick as 1600 m. The new basalt thickness estimates generally fall within the range set by earlier studies, although locally differ. The medium- to high-Ti basalts exposed at the surfaces of both maria are meters to tens of meters thick.

An experimental study of permeability development as a function of crystal-free melt viscosity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindoo, A.; Larsen, J. F.; Cashman, K. V.; Dunn, A. L.; Neill, O. K.

2016-02-01

Permeability development in magmas controls gas escape and, as a consequence, modulates eruptive activity. To date, there are few experimental controls on bubble growth and permeability development, particularly in low viscosity melts. To address this knowledge gap, we have run controlled decompression experiments on crystal-free rhyolite (76 wt.% SiO2), rhyodacite (70 wt.% SiO2), K-phonolite (55 wt.% SiO2) and basaltic andesite (54 wt.% SiO2) melts. This suite of experiments allows us to examine controls on the critical porosity at which vesiculating melts become permeable. As starting materials we used both fine powders and solid slabs of pumice, obsidian and annealed starting materials with viscosities of ∼102 to ∼106 Pas. We saturated the experiments with water at 900° (rhyolite, rhyodacite, and phonolite) and 1025 °C (basaltic andesite) at 150 MPa for 2-72 hrs and decompressed samples isothermally to final pressures of 125 to 10 MPa at rates of 0.25-4.11 MPa/s. Sample porosity was calculated from reflected light images of polished charges and permeability was measured using a bench-top gas permeameter and application of the Forchheimer equation to estimate both viscous (k1) and inertial (k2) permeabilities. Degassing conditions were assessed by measuring dissolved water contents using micro-Fourier-Transform Infrared (μ-FTIR) techniques. All experiment charges are impermeable below a critical porosity (ϕc) that varies among melt compositions. For experiments decompressed at 0.25 MPa/s, we find the percolation threshold for rhyolite is 68.3 ± 2.2 vol.%; for rhyodacite is 77.3 ± 3.8 vol.%; and for K-phonolite is 75.6 ± 1.9 vol.%. Rhyolite decompressed at 3-4 MPa/s has a percolation threshold of 74 ± 1.8 vol.%. These results are similar to previous experiments on silicic melts and to high permeability thresholds inferred for silicic pumice. All basaltic andesite melts decompressed at 0.25 MPa/s, in contrast, have permeabilities below the detection limit (∼10-15 m2), and a maximum porosity of 63 vol.%. Additionally, although the measured porosities of basaltic andesite experiments are ∼10-35 vol.% lower than calculated equilibrium porosities, μ-FTIR analyses confirm the basaltic andesite melts remained in equilibrium during degassing. We show that the low porosities and permeabilities are a consequence of short melt relaxation timescales during syn- and post-decompression degassing. Our results suggest that basaltic andesite melts reached ϕc > 63 vol.% and subsequently degassed; loss of internal bubble pressure caused the bubbles to shrink and their connecting apertures to seal before quench, closing the connected pathways between bubbles. Our results challenge the hypothesis that low viscosity melts have a permeability threshold of ∼30 vol.%, and instead support the high permeability thresholds observed in analogue experiments on low viscosity materials. Importantly, however, these low viscosity melts are unable to maintain high porosities once the percolation threshold is exceeded because of rapid outgassing and collapse of the permeable network. We conclude, therefore, that melt viscosity has little effect on percolation threshold development, but does influence outgassing.

Sunset Crater, AZ: Evolution of a highly explosive basaltic eruption as indicated by granulometry and clast componentry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allison, C. M.; Clarke, A. B.; Pioli, L.; Alfano, F.

2011-12-01

Basaltic scoria cone volcanoes are the most abundant volcanic edifice on Earth and occur in all tectonic settings. Basaltic magmas have lower viscosities, higher temperatures, and lower volatile contents than silicic magmas, and therefore generally have a lower potential for explosive activity. However, basaltic eruptions display great variability in eruptive style, from mild lava flows to more energetic explosions with large plumes. The San Francisco Volcanic Field (SFVF) in northern Arizona, active from 6 Ma-present, consists of over 600 volcanoes, mostly alkali basalt scoria cones, and five silicic centers [Wood and Kienle (1990), Cambridge University Press]. The eruption of Sunset Crater in the SFVF during the Holocene was an anomalously large basaltic explosive eruption, consisting of eight tephra-bearing phases and three lava flows [Amos (1986), MS thesis, ASU]. Typical scoria cone-forming eruptions have volumes <0.1km3 DRE, while the Sunset Crater deposit is at least 0.6km3 DRE [Amos (1986)]. The phases vary in size and style; the beginning stages of explosive activity (phases 1-2) were considerably smaller than phases 3-5, classified as subplinian. Due to its young age, the eruptive material is fresh and the deposit is well-preserved. We sampled the first five tephra units at 25 locations, ranging from 6 km to 20 km from the vent, concentrating our efforts in the downwind direction (E and SE of the vent) along the primary dispersal axes of several phases. Notable variations among the first five phases were found from evaluation of juvenile clast componentry, with each phase containing some proportion of red, grey, and glassy to iridescent clasts. The red and grey clasts are sub-rounded to rounded with high sphericity, while the other clasts are highly angular and slightly elongate, with blue-black to gold glassy and iridescent surfaces. The glassy and iridescent clasts likely represent fresh, juvenile ejecta, which were quenched rapidly, whereas the red and grey rounded clasts may be the result of recycling of the cone or vent-fill material. Alternatively, the differences among the populations may represent lateral variations in conduit flow conditions. In general, phases associated with large volumes and large dispersal areas tend to contain larger proportions of the glassy/iridescent clasts. Phase 1 has a large proportion of glassy clasts. Phase 2 has approximately half red and half grey clasts, as well as a small fraction of glassy material. Phase 3, which is the phase with the largest dispersal area, has a similar proportion of glassy clasts as phase 1. Phase 4, the largest by volume at ~0.11km3 DRE [Amos (1986)], has the highest proportion of glassy clasts. Phase 5 is comparable to phase 4 (similar fractions of each clast type), although the glassy surface changes from gold to black as clast size decreases. Each phase is well- to very well-sorted. Future work will include textural analysis of bubbles and crystals to understand the ascent and cooling history of the different clast types, and also to better interpret differences in abundance as related to variations in eruption or vent dynamics.

Composition of Apollo 17 core 76001

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Korotev, Randy L.; Bishop, Kaylynn M.

1993-01-01

Core 76001 is a single drive tube containing a column of regolith taken at the base of the North Massif, station 6, Apollo 17. The core material is believed to have accumulated through slow downslope mass wasting from the massif. As a consequence, the core soil is mature throughout its length. Results of INAA for samples taken every half centimeter along the length of the core indicate that there is only minor systematic compositional variation with depth. Concentrations of elements primarily associated with mare basalt (Sc, Fe) and noritic impact melt breccia (Sm) decrease slightly with depth, particularly between 20 cm and the bottom of the core at 32 cm depth. This is consistent with petrographic studies that indicate a greater proportion of basalt and melt breccia in the top part of the core. However, Sm/Sc and La/Sm ratios are remarkably constant with depth, indicating no variation in the ratio of mare material to Sm-rich highlands material with depth. Other than these subtle changes, there is no compositional evidence for the two stratigraphic units (0-20 cm and 20-32 cm) defined on the basis of modal petrography, although all samples with anomalously high Ni concentrations (Fe-Ni metal nuggets) occur above 20 cm depth.

Compositional Evidence for Launch Pairing of the YQ and Elephant Moraine Lunar Meteorites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Korotev, R. L.; Jollitt, B. L.; Zeigler, R. A.; Haskin, L. A.

2003-01-01

Arai and Warren provide convincing evidence that QUE (Queen Alexandra Range) 94281 derives from the same regolith as Y (Yamato) 793274 and, therefore, that the two meteorites were likely ejected from the Moon by the same impact. Recently discovered Y981031 is paired with Y793274. The "YQ" meteorites (Y793274/Y981031 and QUE 94281 are unique among lunar meteorites in being regolith breccias composed of subequal amounts of mare volcanic material (a VLT [very-low-Ti] basalt or gabbro) and feldspathic highland material. EET (Elephant Moraine) 87521 and its pair EET 96008 are fragmental breccias composed mainly of VLT basalt or gabbro. Warren, Arai, and colleagues note that the volcanic components of the YQ and EET meteorites are texturally similar more similar to each other than either is to mare basalts of the Apollo collection. Warren and colleagues address the issue of possible launch pairing of YQ and EET, but note compositional differences between EET and the volcanic component of YQ, as inferred from extrapolations of regressions to high FeO concentration. We show here that: (1) EET 87/96 consists of fragments of a differentiated magma body, (2) subsamples of EET represent a mixing trend between Fe-rich and Mg-rich differentiates, and (3) the inferred volcanic component of YQ is consistent with a point on the EET mixing line. Thus, there is no compositional impediment to the hypothesis that YQ is launch paired with EET.

Origin of temporal compositional trends in monogenetic vent eruptions: Insights from the crystal cargo in the Papoose Canyon sequence, Big Pine Volcanic Field, CA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Ruohan; Lassiter, John C.; Ramirez, Gabrielle

2017-01-01

Many monogenetic vents display systematic temporal-compositional variations over the course of eruption. Previous studies have proposed that these trends may reflect variable degrees of crustal assimilation, or melting and mixing of heterogeneous mantle source(s). Discrimination between these two endmember hypotheses is critical for understanding the plumbing systems of monogenetic volcanoes, which pose a significant volcanic hazard in many areas. In this study, we examine the Papoose Canyon (PC) monogenetic vent in the Big Pine Volcanic Field (BPVF), which had been well characterized for temporal-compositional variations in erupted basalts. We present new major and trace element and Sr-Nd-Pb-O isotopic data from the PC "crystal cargo" (phenocrysts and xenoliths). Comparison of "crystal cargo" and host basalt provides new constraints on the history of magma storage, fractionation, and crustal contamination that are obscured in the bulk basalts due to pre- and syn-eruptive magma mixing processes. The abundances of phenocrysts and ultramafic xenoliths in the PC sequence decrease up-section. Olivine and clinopyroxene phenocrysts span a wide range of Mg# (77-89). The majority of phenocrysts are more evolved than olivine or clinopyroxene in equilibrium with their host basalts (Mg# = 68- 71, equilibrium Fo ≈ 85- 89). In addition, the ultramafic xenoliths display cumulate textures. Olivine and clinopyroxene from ultramafic xenoliths have Mg# (73-87) similar to the phenocrysts, and lower than typical mantle peridotites. Sr-Nd-Pb isotope compositions of the xenoliths are similar to early PC basalts. Finally, many clinopyroxene phenocrysts and clinopyroxene in xenoliths have trace element abundances in equilibrium with melts that are more enriched than the erupted basalts. These features suggest that the phenocrysts and xenoliths derive from melt that is more fractionated and enriched than erupted PC basalts. Pressure constraints suggest phenocrysts and ultramafic xenoliths crystallized at ∼5-7 kbar, corresponding to mid-crust depths. Correlations between HFSE depletion and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic compositions, high δ18 O values in olivines, and radiogenic Os isotopic compositions in whole rocks also suggest incorporation of a crustally contaminated component. We propose that the phenocrysts and ultramafic xenoliths derive from melts that ponded and fractionated and assimilated continental crust, possibly in mid-crustal sills. These melts were drained and mixed with more primitive melts as the eruption began, and the temporal-compositional trends and decreasing crystal phase abundances reflect gradual deflation and exhaustion of these sills as the eruption progressed. The isotopic variations in the PC sequence span much of the compositional range observed in the BPVF. Evidence for variable crustal contamination of PC basalts suggests that much of the isotopic variation observed in the BPVF may also reflect crustal contamination rather than mantle source heterogeneity as previously proposed. In addition, evidence of pre-eruptive magma ponding and fractionation, if applicable to other monogenetic vents, may have significant implications for monitoring and hazard assessment of monogenetic volcano fields.

Basaltic caves at Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve as analogs for Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hinman, N. W.; Richardson, C. D.; McHenry, L.; Scott, J. R.

2010-12-01

Basaltic caves and lava tubes offer stable physicochemical conditions for formation of secondary minerals. Such features, putatively observed on Mars, intercept groundwater to weather country rock, leading to formation of secondary minerals. Further, caves are stable environments to search for evidence of past life, as they could offer protection from the oxidizing martian atmosphere. Searching for signs of life in a cave that could protect bio/organic compounds would preclude the need for risky drilling on Mars. Craters of the Moon National Monument (COM) offers an opportunity to study caves in Holocene iron-rich basalt flows to characterize secondary mineral deposits and search for organic compounds associated with secondary minerals; COM basalts are a good analog for martian basalts because of their high iron but other elements are higher at COM than on Mars. The Blue Dragon flow (~2.1 ka) contains the majority of the accessible caves and lava tubes. Two types of secondary mineral deposits were observed in these caves: ceiling coatings and crack or floor precipitates. Hematite, silica, and calcite comprise ceiling coatings. The crack and floor precipitates are white, efflorescent deposits in cavities along cave walls and ceilings or in localized mounds on cave floors. The secondary minerals in crack and floor precipitates are mainly thenardite and mirabilite with some minor concentrations of trona and/or burkeite. Organic compounds were found associated with the efflorescent deposits. Formation of the deposits is likely due to chemical leaching of basalt by meteoritic water. To test this, fluids collected from the ceiling and walls of the caves were analyzed. Solutions were modeled with the geochemical code, PHREEQC. The model tracked composition as water evaporated. Selected minerals were allowed to precipitate as they became oversaturated. Among the first minerals to become oversaturated were quartz and calcite, which are observed in ceiling deposits. Iron minerals were not included as no iron was detected in solution. Results compared well with evaporation of solutions generated by simulating chemical weathering of minerals found in the basalt; this approach allowed iron minerals to precipitate during evaporation because minerals in the basalt contained iron. The minerals modeled upon evaporation included the minerals observed in the actual deposits - hematite, calcite, and quartz. Na-minerals neared saturation in simulations but were normally not saturated, leaving open the question of their origin. One possible explanation for the presence of Na-minerals could be seasonal ice formation in the caves followed by sublimation, leaving more concentrated solutions behind than were sampled here. A seasonal model for mineral deposition in caves could be relevant to deposits in martian caves. While the formation mechanism for the secondary minerals at COM is not completely understood, the presence of secondary minerals that harbor organic compounds in a cave environment that may be analogous to Mar has implications for where to search for signs of martian life.

Compositional and Microtextural Analysis of Basaltic Feedstock Materials Used for the 2010 ISRU Field Tests, Mauna Kea, Hawaii

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marin, N.; Farmer, J. D.; Zacny, K.; Sellar, R. G.; Nunez, J.

2011-12-01

This study seeks to understand variations in composition and texture of basaltic pyroclastic materials used in the 2010 International Lunar Surface Operation-In-Situ Resource Utilization Analogue Test (ILSO-ISRU) held on the slopes of Mauna Kea Volcano, Hawaii (1). The quantity and quality of resources delivered by ISRU depends upon the nature of the materials processed (2). We obtained a one-meter deep auger cuttings sample of a basaltic regolith at the primary site for feed stock materials being mined for the ISRU field test. The auger sample was subdivided into six, ~16 cm depth increments and each interval was sampled and characterized in the field using the Multispectral Microscopic Imager (MMI; 3) and a portable X-ray Diffractometer (Terra, InXitu Instruments, Inc.). Splits from each sampled interval were returned to the lab and analyzed using more definitive methods, including high resolution Powder X-ray Diffraction and Thermal Infrared (TIR) spectroscopy. The mineralogy and microtexture (grain size, sorting, roundness and sphericity) of the auger samples were determined using petrographic point count measurements obtained from grain-mount thin sections. NIH Image J (http://rsb.info.nih.gov/ij/) was applied to digital images of thin sections to document changes in particle size with depth. Results from TIR showed a general predominance of volcanic glass, along with plagioclase, olivine, and clinopyroxene. In addition, thin section and XRPD analyses showed a down core increase in the abundance of hydrated iron oxides (as in situ weathering products). Quantitative point count analyses confirmed the abundance of volcanic glass in samples, but also revealed olivine and pyroxene to be minor components, that decreased in abundance with depth. Furthermore, point count and XRD analyses showed a decrease in magnetite and ilmenite with depth, accompanied by an increase in Fe3+phases, including hematite and ferrihydrite. Image J particle analysis showed that the average grain size decreased down the depth profile. This decrease in average grain size and increase in hydrated iron oxides down hole suggests that the most favorable ISRU feedstock materials were sampled in the lower half-meter of the mine section sampled.