Syn-tectonic, meteoric water-derived carbonation of the New Caledonia peridotite nappe

International audienceExceptional outcrops recently exposed in the Koniambo massif allow the study of the serpentine sole of the peridotite nappe of New Caledonia (southwest Pacific Ocean). Many magnesite veins are observed, with characteristics indicating that they were emplaced during pervasive top-to-the-southwest shear deformation. The oxygen isotope composition of magnesite is homogeneous (27.4‰ < δ18O < 29.7‰), while its carbon isotope composition varies widely (−16.7‰ < δ13C < −8.5‰). These new data document an origin of magnesite from meteoric fluids. Laterization on top of the peridotite nappe and carbonation along the sole appear to represent complementary records of meteoric water infiltration. Based on the syn-kinematic character of magnesite veins, we propose that syn-laterization tectonic activity has enhanced water infiltration, favoring the exportation of leached elements like Mg, which has led to widespread carbonation along the serpentine sole. This calls for renewed examination of other magnesite-bearing ophiolites worldwide in order to establish whether active tectonics is commonly a major agent for carbonation

A chemical survey of exoplanets with ARIEL

Thousands of exoplanets have now been discovered with a huge range of masses, sizes and orbits: from rocky Earth-like planets to large gas giants grazing the surface of their host star. However, the essential nature of these exoplanets remains largely mysterious: there is no known, discernible pattern linking the presence, size, or orbital parameters of a planet to the nature of its parent star. We have little idea whether the chemistry of a planet is linked to its formation environment, or whether the type of host star drives the physics and chemistry of the planet’s birth, and evolution. ARIEL was conceived to observe a large number (~1000) of transiting planets for statistical understanding, including gas giants, Neptunes, super-Earths and Earth-size planets around a range of host star types using transit spectroscopy in the 1.25–7.8 μm spectral range and multiple narrow-band photometry in the optical. ARIEL will focus on warm and hot planets to take advantage of their well-mixed atmospheres which should show minimal condensation and sequestration of high-Z materials compared to their colder Solar System siblings. Said warm and hot atmospheres are expected to be more representative of the planetary bulk composition. Observations of these warm/hot exoplanets, and in particular of their elemental composition (especially C, O, N, S, Si), will allow the understanding of the early stages of planetary and atmospheric formation during the nebular phase and the following few million years. ARIEL will thus provide a representative picture of the chemical nature of the exoplanets and relate this directly to the type and chemical environment of the host star. ARIEL is designed as a dedicated survey mission for combined-light spectroscopy, capable of observing a large and well-defined planet sample within its 4-year mission lifetime. Transit, eclipse and phase-curve spectroscopy methods, whereby the signal from the star and planet are differentiated using knowledge of the planetary ephemerides, allow us to measure atmospheric signals from the planet at levels of 10–100 part per million (ppm) relative to the star and, given the bright nature of targets, also allows more sophisticated techniques, such as eclipse mapping, to give a deeper insight into the nature of the atmosphere. These types of observations require a stable payload and satellite platform with broad, instantaneous wavelength coverage to detect many molecular species, probe the thermal structure, identify clouds and monitor the stellar activity. The wavelength range proposed covers all the expected major atmospheric gases from e.g. H2O, CO2, CH4 NH3, HCN, H2S through to the more exotic metallic compounds, such as TiO, VO, and condensed species. Simulations of ARIEL performance in conducting exoplanet surveys have been performed – using conservative estimates of mission performance and a full model of all significant noise sources in the measurement – using a list of potential ARIEL targets that incorporates the latest available exoplanet statistics. The conclusion at the end of the Phase A study, is that ARIEL – in line with the stated mission objectives – will be able to observe about 1000 exoplanets depending on the details of the adopted survey strategy, thus confirming the feasibility of the main science objectives.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Transit timings variations in the three-planet system : TOI-270

We present ground- and space-based photometric observations of TOI-270 (L231-32), a system of three transiting planets consisting of one super-Earth and two sub-Neptunes discovered by TESS around a bright (K-mag = 8.25) M3V dwarf. The planets orbit near low-order mean-motion resonances (5:3 and 2:1) and are thus expected to exhibit large transit timing variations (TTVs). Following an extensive observing campaign using eight different observatories between 2018 and 2020, we now report a clear detection of TTVs for planets c and d, with amplitudes of ∼10 min and a super-period of ∼3 yr, as well as significantly refined estimates of the radii and mean orbital periods of all three planets. Dynamical modelling of the TTVs alone puts strong constraints on the mass ratio of planets c and d and on their eccentricities. When incorporating recently published constraints from radial velocity observations, we obtain masses of Mb=1.48±0.18M⊕⁠, Mc=6.20±0.31M⊕⁠, and Md=4.20±0.16M⊕ for planets b, c, and d, respectively. We also detect small but significant eccentricities for all three planets : eb = 0.0167 ± 0.0084, ec = 0.0044 ± 0.0006, and ed = 0.0066 ± 0.0020. Our findings imply an Earth-like rocky composition for the inner planet, and Earth-like cores with an additional He/H2O atmosphere for the outer two. TOI-270 is now one of the best constrained systems of small transiting planets, and it remains an excellent target for atmospheric characterization

Optimisation de grands systemes non lineaires en metallurgie

SIGLECNRS T Bordereau / INIST-CNRS - Institut de l'Information Scientifique et TechniqueFRFranc

Volcanic fronts as a consequence of serpetinite dehydratation in the fore-arc mantle wedge.

Serpentinites exhumed from mantle wedges are enriched in elements that are mobile at low temperatures, such as As, Sb, Pb, and Sr, based on samples from the Himalayas and the Alps. Such data provide compelling evidence that these fluid-soluble elements were incorporated into the overlying fore-arc mantle wedge from the subducting slab. Thus, serpentinites in the fore-arc mantle act as a sink for water and fluid-soluble elements, insulating the overlying mantle from further hydration.. Downward movement of the serpentinite layer, facilitated by mantle flow, causes transport of these elements to deeper, hotter levels in the mantle. Eventual dehydration of these serpentinites discharges the fluid-soluble elements with water, leading to partial melting of the mantle wedge and accounting for the observed enrichment of these elements in magmas at the volcanic front

Bengal arsenic, an archive of Himalaya orogeny and paleohydrology

International audienceHolocene groundwater in many districts of the West Bengal and parts of Bangladesh are enriched in arsenic enhancing poisoning effect on humans. One of the main problems to depict the source of arsenic is that this element is very mobile and can be easily removed and recombined from the source during alteration processes, transport and mobilization in sediments. The Ganga-Brahmaputra river system mainly contributed to the buildup of the Bengal fan, which is considered one of the largest modern deltas of the world, then the possible source of the As has probably to be search within the Himalayan belt. We propose that the Indus-Tsangpo suture zone dominated by arc-related rocks and more particularly by large volume of serpentinites enriched in arsenic could be one of the primary source of arsenic. The fact that, the present day arsenic concentration in the main Himalayan river, and particularly the Siang-Brahmaputra river system is not so high as expected can be explained by strong aridic conditions present day prevailing in the Indus-Suture zone and do not favored the weathering of serpentinites into As rich-smectite and Fe-hydroxydes. For the Ganga basin, the original source of arsenic has to be search in the weathering of arc related rocks in the Indus-Tsangpo suture zone followed by its intermediate storage into the sediments of the Siwalik foreland basin, playing the role of arsenic reservoir from Miocene to Pleistocene. Intense tectonic activity in the front of the Himalayan belt associated with high rainfall conditions during the Holocene allowed the arsenic to be remobilized and transported toward the Bay of Bengal

Geochemical character of serpentinites associated with high- to ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic rocks in the Alps, Cuba, and the Himalayas: Recycling of elements in subduction zones

International audienceSerpentinites associated with eclogitic rocks were examined from three areas: the Alps, Cuba, and the Himalayas. Most serpentinites have low Al/Si and high concentrations of Ir-type platinum group elements (PGE) in bulk rock compositions, indicating that they are hydrated mantle peridotites. A few samples contain high Al/Si and low concentrations of Ir-type PGE, suggesting that they are ultramafic cumulates. Among the hydrated mantle peridotites, we identified two groups, primarily on the basis of Al/Si and Mg/Si ratios: forearc mantle serpentinites and hydrated abyssal peridotites. Forearc serpentinites occur in the Himalayas and along a major deformation zone in Cuba. All serpentinites in the Alps and most serpentinites in Cuba are hydrated abyssal peridotites. Himalayan serpentinites have low Al/Si and high Mg/Si ratios in bulk rock compositions, and high Cr in spinel; they were serpentinized by fluids released from the subducted Indian continent and enriched in fluid-mobile elements, and show high 87Sr/86Sr, up to 0.730, similar to the values of rocks of the subducted margin of the Indian continent. Although Himalayan serpentinites have a similar refractory geochemical signature as the Mariana forearc serpentinites, the former contain markedly high concentrations of fluid-mobile elements and high 87Sr/86Sr compared to the latter that were hydrated by subducted Pacific Ocean crust. The data indicate that the enrichment of fluid-mobile elements in forearc serpentinites depends on the composition of subducted slabs. Alpine serpentinites and most Cuban serpentinites show moderate Al/Si similar to abyssal peridotites. Hydration of peridotites near the seafloor is supported by micro-Raman spectra of earlier formed lizardite, high δ 34S (+11 to +17‰) of sulphides, and elevated 87Sr/86Sr, ranging from 0.7037 to 0.7095. The data support the contribution of S and Sr from seawater and sediments. These serpentinites are not highly enriched in fluid-mobile elements because serpentinization occurred at a high water/rock ratio. Alkali elements are conspicuously unenriched in all serpentinites. This lack of alkali enrichment is explained by slab retention of alkalis. This is also consistent with the observation of relatively low alkali concentrations in volcanic front magmas, since partial melting related to the volcanic fronts is triggered by dehydration of serpentinites

Preface: Serpentinites from mid-oceanic ridges to subduction

International audiencePrefac