Magma flow in shallow-level laccoliths and their feeder dykes (Elba island and Orciatico, Tuscany) revealed by AMS and structural data

The study of subvolcanic and shallow-level intrusions has the potential to contribute to the comprehension of the evolution of the continental crust, the increase of the petroleum prospectivity in sedimentary basins, the evaluation of the evolution and formation of ore deposits and of geothermal systems. Based on these premises, the aim of this study is to give a contribution to the understanding of feeding and growth mechanisms of shallow-level intrusions (less than 3-4 km deep) through the study of the emplacement dynamics of some well exposed intrusive bodies within the Miocene-Quaternary Tuscan Magmatic Province (TMP): the felsic San Martino and Portoferraio laccoliths (central and western Elba Island) and the lamproitic laccolith/sill of Orciatico in mainland Tuscany. The fabric patterns of late Miocene San Martino multilayer felsic laccolith and its two large subvertical feeder dykes (Elba Island, Tuscan Archipelago Italy) has been investigated to reveal details about the feeding and growth mechanisms. The fabric data are derived from field measurements of the attitudes of K-feldspar megacrysts (50 sites / 2500 measurements) and from anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) determinations (150 sites/1500 cores). Magnetic mineralogy investigations outlined the paramagnetic nature of the AMS signal, carried by chloritized biotite with negligible contribution of ferromagnetic minerals. A good correlation between the AMS and K-feldspar is generally observed, suggesting that almost everywhere hydrothermal alteration did not affect significantly the orientation of the magnetic anisotropy. The AMS data of the main body has evidenced the presence of the of a central dike that fed the main body with a lateral spreading of the magma as a single propagating and inflating pulse where the particles arranged perpendicularly respect to the magma displacement direction. Felsic porphyritic multilayer laccoliths of the Elba Island Miocene igneous complex (Portoferraio and San Martino laccolith) offers also a wide range of examples of contact features, many of which constraint magma flow direction. In particular, a set of structure related to the deformation of external morphology of intrusive surfaces with formation of folds (waves, lobes and ropes) and solid-state stretching lineation have been defined. An AMS investigation of samples close to the contact with such features has pointed out a strong correlation between the magnetic fabric and these features showing that both are flow-related and can be considered good flow indicators but on a very local scale. The small Early Pliocene intrusion of Orciatico (Pisa, Italy), a lamproitic igneous body that was emplaced at very shallow depths (ca. 50 m) has been investigated to reveal details about the emplacement mechanism and the shift between vertical and sub-horizontal flow. The internal fabric of the laccolith has been studied by means of the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) technique (43 sites / 430 cores). The comparison of AMS results with the measured vesicle attitude (14 stations) strengthens his validity. The magnetic mineralogy, investigated with heating/cooling experiments, is dominated by paramagnetic phases (iron-rich phlogopite) with very minor ferromagnetic phases (ti-magnetite and ti-maghemite). Fabric data suggest that the intrusion was feeded laterally by the dike bordering the main body and that the growth is probably related to a simple inflation model after the propagation of a sill

Intelligence and creativity in the space-time continuum for education, business, and development

In this paper, we address the relationship between the intelligence and creativity constructs, by providing equal-level definitions and a parsimonious description of context, allowing the identification of situations in which either one or the other construct prevails, as well as situations in which they overlap and collaborate. The description of context is performed by introducing the metaphor of the space-time continuum, crossing the dimensions of conceptual space S and available time span T, each one varying in continuity from extreme tightness to extreme looseness. The usefulness of the space-time continuum is not limited to the pure comparison between intelligence and creativity, but it can be extended to specific domains. We consider here design of education systems, management styles in business, and development of a creative identity and career. In each case, conceptual space S and available time T take on different and specific nuances, allowing for an in-depth analysis of situations as well as the design of novel approaches. Several paths for future research are highlighted

Artificial Intelligence & Creativity: A Manifesto for Collaboration

With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), the field of creativity faces new opportunities and challenges. This manifesto explores several scenarios of human–machine collaboration on creative tasks and proposes “fundamental laws of generative AI” to reinforce the responsible and ethical use of AI in the creativity field. Four scenarios are proposed and discussed: “Co-Cre-AI-tion,” “Organic,” “Plagiarism 3.0,” and “Shut down,” each illustrating different possible futures based on the collaboration between humans and machines. In addition, we have incorporated an AI-generated manifesto that also highlights important themes, ranging from accessibility and ethics to cultural sensitivity. The fundamental laws proposed aim to prevent AIs from generating harmful content and competing directly with humans. Creating labels and laws are also highlighted to ensure responsible use of AIs. The positive future of creativity and AI lies in a harmonious collaboration that can benefit everyone, potentially leading to a new level of creative productivity respecting ethical considerations and human values during the creative process

Advancing Creativity Theory and Research: A Socio-cultural Manifesto

This manifesto, discussed by 20 scholars, representing diverse lines of creativity research, marks a conceptual shift within the field. Socio-cultural approaches have made substantial contributions to the concept of creativity over recent decades and today can provide a set of propositions to guide our understanding of past research and to generate new directions of inquiry and practice. These propositions are urgently needed in response to the transition from the Information Society to the Post-Information Society. Through the propositions outlined here, we aim to build common ground and invite the community of creativity researchers and practitioners to reflect up, study, and cultivate creativity as a socio-cultural phenomenon

Rise and Fall of a Multi-sheet Intrusive Complex, Elba Island, Italy

Elba Island intrusive complex: multisheet laccoliths, sheeted pluton, mafic dyke swarm. Laccolith magma fed from dykes and emplaced in crustal discontinuities (traps). Pluton growth by downward stacking of three magma pulses. Laccoliths and plutons: different outcomes of similar processes in different conditions. Emplacement of excess magma in a short time led to massive gravity slide

US Cosmic Visions: New Ideas in Dark Matter 2017: Community Report

This white paper summarizes the workshop "U.S. Cosmic Visions: New Ideas in Dark Matter" held at University of Maryland on March 23-25, 2017.Comment: 102 pages + reference

I prodotti della fase finale dell'eruzione 1888-1890 di Vulcano (Is.Eolie): studio geochimico e tessiturale

L’eruzione del 1888-1890 è stata l’ultima prodotta dal cono de “La Fossa” sull’isola di Vulcano (isole Eolie, Italia). La particolarità dell’evento eruttivo ha catalizzato l’interesse degli studiosi nel corso degli anni con l’instaurazione di un forte dibattito e di una visione non univoca del problema. Mercalli (1891) ha osservato l’evento ed è stato il primo a fornire una descrizione delle esplosioni e dei prodotti da un punto di vista macroscopico, petrografico e chimico interpretando (per esempio) gli inclusi come pezzi di vecchie lave. Keller (1980) ritiene che le “bombe a crosta di pane” siano frammenti di materiali vulcanici più vecchi riciclati e riportati ad uno stato viscoso. Più recentemente alcuni autori hanno ipotizzato per l’eruzione 1888-1890 processi di mescolamento: De Fino et al. (1991) propongono mescolamento tra un magma riolitico ed uno trachitico mentre Clocchiatti et al. (1994) un mescolamento tra una riolite ed una latite. Questo studio nasce quindi nell’ottica di fornire un contributo alla risoluzione di questo problema con particolare attenzione riguardo i prodotti che hanno caratterizzato la fase delle “bombe a crosta di pane” cercando di inserirli, almeno da un punto di vista petrologico, nel quadro dell’intera eruzione 1888-1890. Il presente lavoro di tesi si è articolato in una serie di passi: campionatura di prodotti appartenenti alla fase finale dell’eruzione (bombe a crosta di pane, bombe scoriacee e blocchi), descrizione macroscopica dei campioni, realizzazione e descrizione di sezioni sottili (al microscopio ottico e al SEM), analisi XRF (per gli elementi maggiori) e ICP-MS (per gli elementi in traccia), utilizzo del programma MELTS (per la simulazione fisico-termodinamica dei processi successivi ad un ipotetico processo di mescolamento) con relativa elaborazione dei dati. E’ stato inoltre importante il costante confronto con il lavoro di tesi di Bianchi (2008), un lavoro per certi versi complementare a quello di questa tesi perché riguardante l’intera sequenza eruttiva dell’eruzione ’88-’90. Lo studio dei prodotti campionati ha evidenziato il fatto che la fase finale dell’eruzione 1888-1890 di Vulcano è caratterizzata da due litotipi: bombe e blocchi trachitici contenenti inclusi latitici. Le trachiti mostrano una discreta eterogeneità tessiturale mentre da un punto di vista geochimico sono estremamente omogenee; invece le latiti sono estremamente omogenee sia da un punto di vista tessiturale che composizionale. Sono invece assenti le rioliti, descritte in diversi lavori di bibliografia (Clocchiatti et al. 1994; De Fino et al., 1991; Keller, 1980). I dati geochimici, macroscopici e petrografici, nonchè le osservazioni riguardanti il comportamento passato del vulcano supportano l’ipotesi di un processo di mescolamento tra il suddetto magma trachitico e quello latitico durante l’eruzione 1888-1890 con due diversi risultati: i prodotti della prima parte dell’eruzione sarebbero caratterizzati da un mescolamento chimico (mixing; con conseguente formazione di prodotti ibridi) mentre i prodotti della fase finale dell’eruzione sono il risultato di un semplice mescolamento fisico (mingling; con formazione di inclusi latitici in un host-rock trachitica)