Magmatism on rift flanks: insights from ambient noise phase velocity in Afar region

During the breakup of continents in magmatic settings, the extension of the rift valley is commonly assumed to initially occur by border faulting and progressively migrate in space and time toward the spreading axis. Magmatic processes near the rift flanks are commonly ignored. We present phase velocity maps of the crust and uppermost mantle of the conjugate margins of the southern Red Sea (Afar and Yemen) using ambient noise tomography to constrain crustal modification during breakup. Our images show that the low seismic velocities characterize not only the upper crust beneath the axial volcanic systems but also both upper and lower crust beneath the rift flanks where ongoing volcanism and hydrothermal activity occur at the surface. Magmatic modification of the crust beneath rift flanks likely occurs for a protracted period of time during the breakup process and may persist through to early seafloor spreading

Causes of unrest at silicic calderas in the East African Rift: new constraints from InSAR and soil-gas chemistry at Aluto volcano, Ethiopia

This work is a contribution to the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) funded RiftVolc project (NE/L013932/1, Rift volcanism: past, present, and future). W.H., J.B., T.A.M., and D.M.P. are supported by and contribute to the NERC Centre for the Observation and Modelling of Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Tectonics (COMET). Envisat data were provided by ESA. ALOS data were provided through ESA third party mission. W.H. funded by NERC studentship, NE/J5000045/1. Additional funding for fieldwork was provided by University College (University of Oxford), the Geological Remote Sensing Group, the Edinburgh Geological Society, and the Leverhulme Trust. Analytical work at the University of New Mexico was supported by the Volcanic and Geothermal Volatiles Lab at the Center for Stable Isotopes and an NSF grant EAR-1113066 to T.P.F.Restless silicic calderas present major geological hazards, and yet many also host significant untapped geothermal resources. In East Africa this poses a major challenge, although the calderas are largely unmonitored their geothermal resources could provide substantial economic benefits to the region. Understanding what causes unrest at these volcanoes is vital for weighing up the opportunities against the potential risks. Here we bring together new field and remote sensing observations to evaluate causes of ground deformation at Aluto, a restless silicic volcano located in the Main Ethiopian Rift (MER). Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) data reveal the temporal and spatial characteristics of a ground deformation episode that took place between 2008 and 2010. Deformation time-series reveal pulses of accelerating uplift that transition to gradual long-term subsidence, and analytical models support inflation source depths of ∼5 km. Gases escaping along the major fault zone of Aluto show high CO2 flux, and a clear magmatic carbon signature (CO2–δ13C of −4.2 to −4.5 ‰). This provides compelling evidence that the magmatic and hydrothermal reservoirs of the complex are physically connected. We suggest that a coupled magmatic-hydrothermal system can explain the uplift-subsidence signals. We hypothesize that magmatic fluid injection and/or intrusion in the cap of the magmatic reservoir drives edifice wide inflation while subsequent deflation is related to magmatic degassing and depressurization of the hydrothermal system. These new constraints on the plumbing of Aluto yield important insights into the behaviour of rift volcanic systems and will be crucial for interpreting future patterns of unrest.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Mapping depth-to-bedrock and shallow aggregate resources with airborne electromagnetics

Airborne electromagnetic (EM) results have been applied to estimating depth-to-bedrock and to mapping shallow aggregate resources in selected areas of Northern Ireland. A detailed low-level airborne survey of Northern Ireland was flown in 2005-6 (the Tellus Project) in which magnetic, gamma-radiation and EM data were acquired. Data were acquired with a range of frequencies and inverted into apparent resistivity. Electrical resistivity of rocks is a function mainly of porosity, pore-water salinity, saturation and clay content. ‘Apparent’ resistivity as measured remotely is a complex function of these variables, of the geometry of the measuring system, and of local geology; the thickness and resistivity of the superficial layer are prominent factors. Depth-to-bedrock may only be determined uniquely where other parameters are consistent, where some local borehole control exists and where there is a contrast in apparent resistivity between bedrock and cover

Composite of bentonite/CoFe2O4/hydroxyapatite for adsorption of Pb (II)

In this contribution, a composite from bentonite (B), CoFe _2 O _4 (CF), and hydroxyapatite (HAP) was developed by chemical synthesis route for adsorption of a lead ion, Pb (II) from wastewater. Initially, a composite of B/CF was synthesized by varying the weight ratio of CF, i.e., (1– x )B/( x )CF ( x  = 0.05, 0.15, 0.25, 0.50), followed by ternary composite synthesis, which was formulated from the sample of (0.85B/0.15CF) and different weight ratios of HAP, i.e., (1– y )[(0.85B/0.15CF)]/ y HAP where y  = 0.25, 0.35 and 0.45 weight ratios of HAP. The sample of 0.85B/0.15CF was found to be optimal in its adsorption capacity of about 20 mg g ^−1 from the binary composite samples, while among the ternary composites, a sample with a composition of 0.65[(0.85B/0.15CF)]/0.35HAP revealed an optimum adsorption capacity of about 36 mg g ^−1 , which was then selected for further studies. The adsorption kinetics of Pb (II) by the optimum 0.65[(0.85B/0.15CF)]/0.35HAP sample was studied at different contact times from 30–120 min, where the equilibrium was reached at around 90 min of contact time and the kinetic behavior adopted Pseudo-second order adsorption mechanism. The initial concentration of Pb (II) was also varied from 50–200 mg l ^−1 to study the adsorption isotherm, which resulted that adsorption capacity of 0.65[(0.85B/0.15CF)]/0.35HAP towards Pb (II) was increased to about 66 mg g ^−1 and the adsorption isotherm data best fitted with Langmuir adsorption isotherm model. Therefore, the result of this study pinpoints that the present composite material is a potential candidate for the adsorption of Pb (II) ion

A mantle magma reservoir beneath an incipient mid-ocean ridge in Afar, Ethiopia

International audienceShallow magma reservoirs exist in the crust beneath volcanoes and mid-ocean ridges, yet there are no reports of extensive magma bodies within the uppermost mantle. Indeed the buoyancy of magma should cause it to intrude into the crust, preventing it from ponding in the mantle below. The Dabbahu magmatic segment in Afar, Ethiopia, marks the late stages of continental rifting. This segment has been active since 2005 and has experienced repeated magma intrusions1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Here we use magnetotelluric data to image magma bodies beneath it. We identify a 30-km-wide region of very high electrical conductivity that reaches down to about 35 km depth. We interpret this region as a large volume of magma of at least 500 km3 that extends well into the mantle and contains about 13% melt fraction. The magma volume is orders of magnitude larger than that intruded during a typical rifting episode, implying that the magma reservoir persists for several tens of thousands of years. This is in marked contrast to the situation beneath mid-ocean ridges, where melt supply is thought to be episodic7, 8, 9, 10, 11. Large magma reservoirs within the mantle may therefore be responsible for the localization of strain that accompanies the final stages of continental break-up

Anatomy of an extinct magmatic system along a divergent plate boundary: Alftafjordur, Iceland

International audienceRecent rifting episodes highlight the role of magmatic systems with propagating dikes on crustal spreading. However, our knowledge of magmatic systems is usually limited to surface observations and geophysical data. Eastern Iceland allows direct access to extinct and eroded deeper magmatic systems. Here we collected field structural and AMS (anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility) data on 187 and 19 dikes, respectively, in the 10-12 Ma old Alftafjordur magmatic system. At a paleodepth of~1.5 km, the extension due to diking is at least 1-2 orders of magnitude larger than that induced by regional tectonics, confirming magmatism as the key mechanism for crustal spreading. This magma-induced extension, inferred from the aspect ratio of the magmatic system, was of~8 mm/yr, lower than the present one. AMS data suggest that most of dikes have geometrically normal fabric, at least at the margins, consistent with prevalent subvertical magma flow and propagation