Constraints on the Parental Melts of Enriched Shergottites from Image Analysis and High Pressure Experiments

Martian basalts can be classified in at least two geochemically different families: enriched and depleted shergottites. Enriched shergottites are characterized by higher incompatible element concentrations and initial Sr-87/Sr-86 and lower initial Nd-143/Nd-144 and Hf-176/Hf-177 than depleted shergottites [e.g. 1, 2]. It is now generally admitted that shergottites result from the melting of at least two distinct mantle reservoirs [e.g. 2, 3]. Some of the olivine-phyric shergottites (either depleted or enriched), the most magnesian Martian basalts, could represent primitive melts, which are of considerable interest to constrain mantle sources. Two depleted olivine-phyric shergottites, Yamato (Y) 980459 and Northwest Africa (NWA) 5789, are in equilibrium with their most magnesian olivine (Fig. 1) and their bulk rock compositions are inferred to represent primitive melts [4, 5]. Larkman Nunatak (LAR) 06319 [3, 6, 7] and NWA 1068 [8], the most magnesian enriched basalts, have bulk Mg# that are too high to be in equilibrium with their olivine megacryst cores. Parental melt compositions have been estimated by subtracting the most magnesian olivine from the bulk rock composition, assuming that olivine megacrysts have partially accumulated [3, 9]. However, because this technique does not account for the actual petrography of these meteorites, we used image analysis to study these rocks history, reconstruct their parent magma and understand the nature of olivine megacrysts

Onion morphology and microstructure of polyhedral serpentine

We describe the shape and internal structure of polyhedral spheroids found in serpentinized peridotites which correspond to a new serpentine microstructure. Serpentine spheroids resemble geodesic domes made of c. 160 to 180 triangular facets. At facet edges, the nested layers bend by c. 14° along their three crystallographic directions, resulting in an onion-like structure with lateral continuity of the layers. The stacking of the serpentine layers within sectors is controlled by interlayer bonding. These polyhedral onions are made of a novel type of spherical nanostructure for layered materials

Evolution of product phase assemblages during thermal decomposition of muscovite under strong disequilibrium conditions

http://www.minsocam.org/MSA/AmMin/TOC/Abstracts/2006_Abstracts/FM06_Abstracts/Devineau_p413_06.pdfWe investigated the thermal decomposition of muscovite in natural granite powders heated to 1175°C for durations from 5 min to 68 h, at 1 bar, paying special attention to the early stages of decomposition. This study shows that muscovite is completely transformed after 5 min. Muscovite pseudomorphs consist of glass, mullite, and Al-rich oxides. For short durations (5 and 40 min), the Al-rich phase was identiÞ ed by XRD, electron diffraction, and TEM microanalysis as γ-Al2O3 containing 4.8 wt% FeO (total Fe), probably a few weight percents of MgO, and possibly up to 10 wt% SiO2. Faint superstructure spots and diffuse streaks observed in electron-diffraction patterns suggest vacancy or trace elements ordering in the γ-Al2O3 defect spinel structure. γ-Al2O3 displays an unexpected acicular morphology, elongated along three directions at 120° in the basal (001)musc planes and parallel to lateral faces of the former muscovite. Mullite forms rods elongated in the basal (001)musc planes along a direction at 90° from one set of γ-Al2O3 needles. The γ-Al2O3 structure appears to be a metastable phase that is replaced by corundum for longer durations

Fayalite Oxidation Processes: Experimental Evidence for the Stability of Pure Ferric Fayalite?

Olivine is one of the most important minerals in Earth and planetary sciences. Fayalite Fe2(2+)SiO4, the ferrous end-member of olivine, is present in some terrestrial rocks and primitive meteorites (CV3 chondrites). A ferric fayalite (or ferri-fayalite), Fe(2+) Fe2(3+)(SiO4)2 laihunite, has been reported in Earth samples (magnetite ore, metamorphic and volcanic rocks...) and in Martian meteorites (nakhlites). Laihunite was also synthesized at 1 atmosphere between 400 and 700 C. We show evidence for the stability of a pure ferrifayalite end-member and for potential minerals with XFe(3+) between 2/3 and 1

Lead isotopes behavior in the fumarolic environment of the Piton de la Fournaise volcano (Reunion Island)

International audienceThe recent activity of the Piton de la Fournaise volcano offers a rare opportunity to address the issue of Pb isotope behavior in volcanic fumaroles, as the composition of the degassing source is accurately and precisely known. Gas sublimates formed between 2007 and 2011 at temperature ranging from 400 to ca. 100 degrees C include Na-K sulfate (aphthitalite), Ca-Cu sulfate (e.g., gypsum), Na sulfate (thenardite), Ca-Mg-Al-Fe fluoride (e.g., ralstonite) and native sulfur. The high-temperature deposits show trace element patterns typical of volcanic gas (with Pb concentration up to 836 ppm) while the low-temperature deposits are depleted in most volatile elements (Pb <1 ppm) with the exception of Pd and Tl (in fluorides) and Se (in native sulfur). Only for low-temperature fluoride samples do Pb isotope compositions plot significantly outside the field of lavas. The isotopic shift is ascribed to leaching ubiquitous unradiogenic phases (e.g., sulfides) by acidic gas condensates. The similarity in Pb isotope signature between lavas and sublimate samples more representative of the gas phase (sulfates) indicates that the net fractionation of Pb isotopes resulting from volatilization and condensation processes is smaller than the precision of Pb isotope measurements (better than 60 ppm/a.m.u.). The absence of net fractionation could result from negligible isotope fractionation during Pb volatilization followed by extensive condensation of gaseous Pb, with possibly significant isotopic fractionation at this stage. Although this scenario has to be refined by more direct measurement of the gas phase, and its general applicability tested, it suggests that a small fraction (<10\%) of initially volatilized Pb ultimately escapes to the atmosphere, while the remaining dominant fraction is trapped in sublimates. As sublimates are rapidly dissolved and entrained by runoff, the fumarolic environment appears as a factory efficiently transferring isotopically unfractionated Pb from magmas towards the hydrological system and seawater. Resolving very small isotopic differences between magmas and their gaseous products remains an analytical challenge. High-precision Pb isotope measurements rest not only on instrumental performance but also on high-yield chemistry, as Pb isotopes drastically fractionate (800 ppm/a.m.u.) upon elution on anionic resin. For 50\% Pb recovery, the estimated isotopic bias is plus or minus 60-80 ppm/a.m.u., depending on which of the early (isotopically light) or late (isotopically heavy) Pb fraction is lost. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Multiple plasmon resonances in naturally-occurring multiwall nanotubes: infrared spectra of chrysotile asbestos

Chrysotile asbestos is formed by densely packed bundles of multiwall hollow nanotubes. Each wall in the nanotubes is a cylindrically wrapped layer of $Mg_3 Si_2 O_5 (OH)_4$. We show by experiment and theory that the infrared spectrum of chrysotile presents multiple plasmon resonances in the Si-O stretching bands. These collective charge excitations are universal features of the nanotubes that are obtained by cylindrically wrapping an anisotropic material. The multiple plasmons can be observed if the width of the resonances is sufficiently small as in chrysotile.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures. Revtex4 compuscript. Misprint in Eq.(6) correcte

Magnetic properties of tektites and other related impact glasses

© 2015 Elsevier B.V. We present a comprehensive overview of the magnetic properties of the four known tektite fields and related fully melted impact glasses (Aouelloul, Belize, Darwin, Libyan desert and Wabar glasses, irghizites, and atacamaites), namely magnetic susceptibility and hysteresis properties as well as properties dependent on magnetic grain-size. Tektites appear to be characterized by pure Fe2+ paramagnetism, with ferromagnetic traces below 1 ppm. The different tektite fields yield mostly non-overlapping narrow susceptibility ranges. Belize and Darwin glasses share similar characteristics. On the other hand the other studied glasses have wider susceptibility ranges, with median close to paramagnetism (Fe2+ and Fe3+) but with a high-susceptibility population bearing variable amounts of magnetite. This signs a fundamental difference between tektites (plus Belize and Darwin glasses) and other studied glasses in terms of oxygen fugacity and heterogeneity during formation, thus bringing new light to the formation processes of these materials. It also appears that selecting the most magnetic glass samples allows to find impactor-rich material, opening new perspectives to identify the type of impactor responsible for the glass generation

Rapport de sondages et d'analyses, Le Kilian et les carrières anciennes de trachyte dans la Chaîne des Puys (Puy-de-Dôme)

En 2008, l'existence de carrières souterraines médiévales avait été mise en évidence dans la pente ouest du Bois de Manson qui domine la dépression du Cratère Kilian, au pied sud du puy de Dôme. En 2009-2010, des sondages et prospections ont été étendus à tout l'ensemble du Kilian de façon à préciser l'étendue et, si possible, la chronologie de son exploitation dans le passé. Ces travaux ont permis d'observer, dans le fond du cratère et sur son flanc interne ouest, des amoncellements de déblais d'un volume considérable, témoignant d'une extraction de roche à grande échelle durant le haut Moyen Âge et très probablement aussi à l'époque gallo-romaine. Une nouvelle carrière souterraine a été découverte dans la pente interne ouest du cratère. La base du remplissage de cette carrière a livré des charbons datés entre la fin du IV e siècle et le début du VI e siècle par le radiocarbone, tandis que le sommet du remplissage contenait des tessons de céramique datables, par leur typologie, de la fin du V e siècle au début du VIII e siècle. L'état actuel des investigations conduit à faire l'hypothèse que les gallo-romains ont exploité, au fond du cratère, un trachyte compact dont on ne trouve aujourd'hui que les déchets de taille, et dont les affleurements sont masqués par les déblais, tandis que les artisans du Moyen Âge ont recherché un trachyte plus tendre dans les pentes hautes du cratère. Le Kilian doit donc s'ajouter aux trois sources actuellement connues de trachyte d'oeuvre dans le passé, à savoir les volcans Sarcoui, Aumône (ou petit Suchet) et Cliersou. Dès cette découverte, en 2008, s'est posée la question de savoir quelle part éventuelle le trachyte du Kilian avait pu prendre dans la construction du temple de Mercure au sommet du puy de Dôme et dans l'agglomération gallo-romaine située au col de Ceyssat. Pour y répondre, une campagne d'analyses géochimiques et pétrographiques été engagée pour caractériser, aux fins de comparaison, non seulement les trachytes du Kilian et ceux des ruines gallo-romaines, mais, de plus, les trachytes du Cliersou, de l'Aumône et du Sarcoui. Ces analyses ont finalement montré qu'il est possible de faire une discrimination statistiquement significative entre les différents trachytes étudiés, à l'exception de ceux du couple Cliersou-Aumône dont les laves sont très peu différentes les unes des autres. Le résultat le plus remarquable est que tous les trachytes gallo-romains échantillonnés (dont 10 échantillons distincts au temple de Mercure et 10 au col de Ceyssat) se rattachent sans ambiguïté au Kilian. En toute rigueur, ces nouvelles données ne permettent pas d'exclure sans appel la possibilité d'utilisation à l'époque gallo-romaine, au temple de Mercure et au col de Ceyssat, de trachytes provenant d'autres sources que le Kilian (cas des chaperons de mur du col de Ceyssat, provenant du puy de Dôme). Cependant, il faut ajouter qu'un examen visuel des trachytes d'oeuvre dans ces deux sites, portant sur un nombre de moellons et d'éléments architecturaux bien supérieur au nombre de ceux qui ont été analysés, conduit à conclure que leur source est probablement commune. Cette conclusion est basée sur un faciès minéralogique particulier, observable à l'oeil nu ou à la loupe