Generation and evolution of magma beneath the East Pacific Rise: Constraints from U-series disequilibrium and plagioclase-hosted melt inclusions

Mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) samples from the East Pacific Rise (EPR 12 degrees 50'N) were analyzed for U-series isotopes and compositions of plagioclase-hosted melt inclusions. The Ra-226 and Th-230 excesses are negatively correlated; the Ra-226 excess is positively correlated with Mg# and Sm/Nd, and is negatively correlated with La/Sm and Fe-8; the Th-230 excess is positively correlated with Fe-8 and La/Sm and is negatively correlated with Mg# and Sm/Nd. Interpretation of these correlations is critical for understanding the magmatic process. There are two models (the dynamic model and the "two-porosity" model) for interpreting these correlations, however, some crucial parameters used in these models are not ascertained. We propose instead a model to explain the U-series isotopic compositions based on the control of melt density variation. For melting either peridotite or the "marble-cake" mantle, the FeOt content, Th-230 excess and La/Sm ratio increases and Sm/Nd decreases with increasing pressure. A deep melt will evolve to a higher density and lower Mg# than a shallow melt, the former corresponds to a long residence time, which lowers the Ra-226 excess significantly. This model is supported by the existence of low Ra-226 excesses and high Th-230 excesses in MORBs having a high Fe-8 content and high density. The positive correlation of Ra-226 excess and magma liquidus temperature implies that the shallow melt is cooled less than the deep melt due to its low density and short residence time. The correlations among Fe-8, Ti-8 and Ca-8/Al-8 in plagioclase-hosted melt inclusions further prove that MORBs are formed from melts having a negative correlation in melting depths and degrees. The negative correlation of Ra-226 excess vs. chemical diversity index (standard deviation of Fe-8, Ti-8 and Ca-8/Al-8) of the melt inclusions is in accordance with the influence of a density-controlled magma residence time. We conclude that the magma density variation exerts significant control on residence time and U-series isotopic compositions. (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

利用MC-ICP-MS测定硼同位素及其在西藏地热和盐湖中的初步应用

Based on previous studies, boron can be separated from aqueous samples with Amberlite IRA-743 resin. Experiments on the elute temperature, elute volume and the dynamic resin exchange capacity have been performed in this study. Results show that the dynamic exchange capacity of the resin is 4.2mg B/g and at room temperature, boron fixed on the resin within this capacity level can be extracted quantitatively by using 5ml 2%HNO3. A new procedure has been developed for the measurement of boron isotope ratios in water samples using a Neptune MC-ICP-MS, after resolving the memory effect, which is a key problem, and investigating the impacts of mass bias and Si matrix effect. Using this method, it usually takes 20 min to perform one measurement on 0.1ppm boron solution with a precision of 0.23‰ (SD). If the relative deviation between a sample and the standard is large, the washout time needs to be doubled to achieve a higher precision. δ11B values of water samples from Yangbajing geothermal field vary from -10.53 to -9.13‰. Owing to the large difference B concentration and the small B isotope difference between deep geothermal water and surface water, B isotope ratios of the shallow geothermal fluids are dominated by the deep end member rather than the shallower one in the mixing process. As a consequence, δ11B-B relation is indicative basically of a dilution process. Vapor-liquid separation and calcite scaling also greatly influence B isotope fractionation. δ11B values of water samples from Dagejia geothermal field are from -15.98‰ to -11.67‰. Boron in Changma River near the field has two sources, freshwater lakes (Dajiamang Lake and Canke Lake) and geothermal waters. Finally, a preliminary discussion is included on boron geochemical characteristics of the salt lakes in Shuanghu area and other geothermal fields, to provide information for future studies on boron isotope geochemistry of geothermal systems and salt lakes in Tibet.

云南岩石圈流变学及多震层孕震环境

The Study on rheology of the lithosphere and the environments of the seismogenic layer is currently the basic project of the international earthquake research. Yunnan is the ideal place for studying this project. Through the multi-disciplinary comprehensive study of petrology, geophysics, seismo-geology, rock mechanics, etc., the depth-strength profiles of the lithosphere have been firstly constructed, and the seismogenic layer and its geophysical and tectonic environments in Yunnan have been systematically expounded in this paper. The related results achieved are of the important significances for further understanding the mechanism of strong earthquake generation, dividing the potential foci and exposing recent geodynamical processes in Yunnan. Through the comprehensive contrast of the metamorphic rocks in early and middle Proterozoic outcropping on the surface, DSS data and experimental data of rock seismic velocity under high temperature and high pressure, the petrological structure of the crust and upper mantle has been studied on Yunnan: the upper, middle and lower crust is composed of the metamorphic rocks of greenschist, amphibolite and granulite facies, respectively or granitoids, diorites and gabbros, respectively, and the upper mantle composed of the peridotites. Through the contrast studies of the heat flow and epicenters of the strong earthquakes, the distribution of the geotemperature and the data of focal depth, the relationship of between seismicity and geothermal structure of the lithosphere in Yunnan has been studied: the strong earthquakes with magnitude M ≥ 6.0 mainly take place at the geothermal gradient zone, and the seismic foci densely distribute between 200～500 ℃ isogeotherms. On the basis of studies of the rock properties and constituents of the crust and upper mantle and geothermal structure of the lithosphere, the structure of the rheological stratification of the lithosphere has been studied, and the corresponding depth-strength profiles have been constructed in Yunnan. The lithosphere in majority region of Yunnan has the structure of the rheological stratification, i.e. the brittle regime in the upper crust or upper part of the upper crust, ductile regime in the middle crust or lower part of the upper crust to middle crust, ductile regime in the lower crust and ductile regime in the subcrustal lithosphere. The rheological stratification has the quite marked lateral variations in the various tectonic units. The distributions of the seismogenic layer have been determined by using the high accurate data of focal depth. Through the contrast of the petrological structure, the structure of seismic velocity, electric structure, geotemperature structure, and rheological structure and the study of the focal mechanism in the seismogenic layer, the geophysical environments of the seismogenic layer in Yunnan have been studied. The seismogenic layer in Yunnan is located at the depths of 3 ～ 20 km; the rocks in the seismogenic layer are composed of the metamorphic rocks of greenschist to amphibolite facies (or granites to diorites); the seismogenic layer and its internal focal regions of strong earthquakes have the structure of medium properties with the relatively high seismic velocity, high density and high resistivity; there exists the intracrustal low seismic velocity and high conductivity layer bellow the seismogenic layer, the geotemperature is generally 100～500 ℃ in the depth range in which the seismogenic layer is located. The horizontal stress field predominates in the seismogenic layer, the seismogenic layer corresponds to the brittle regime of the upper crust or brittle regime of the upper crust to semibrittle regime of the middle crust. The formation of the seismogenic layer, preparedness and occurrence of the strong earthquakes is the result of the comprehensive actions of the source fault, rock constituent, structure of the medium properties, distribution of the geotemperature, rheological structure of the seismogenic layer and its external environments. Through the study of the structure, active nature, slip rate, segmentation of the active faults, and seismogenic faults, the tectonic environments of the seismogenic layer in Yunnan have been studied. The source faults of the seismogenic layer in Yunnan are mainly A-type ones and embody mainly the strike slip faults with high dip angle. the source faults are the right-lateral strike slip ones with NW-NNW trend and left-lateral strike slip ones with NE-NEE trend in Southwestern Yunnan, the right-lateral strike slip ones with NNW trend and left-lateral strike slip ones with NNE trend (partially normal ones) in Northwestern Yunnan, the right-lateral strike slip ones with NWW trend in Central Yunnan and left-lateral strike slip ones with NW-NNW trend in Eastern Yunnan. Taking Lijiang earthquake with Ms = 7.0 for example. The generating environments of the strong earthquake and seismogenic mechanical mechanism have been studied: the source region of the strong earthquake has the media structure with the relatively high seismic velocity and high resistivity, there exists the intracrustal low velocity and high conductivity layer bellow it and the strong earthquakes occur near the transitional zone of the crustal brittle to ductile deformation. These characteristics are the generality of the generating environments of strong earthquakes. However, the specific seismogenic tectonic environments and action of the stress field of the seismic source in the various regions, correspondingly constrains the dislocation and rupture mechanical mechanism of source fault of strong earthquake.

南海天然气水合物地热学研究

Through generalizing the thermal field characteristics in gas hydrates distribution area in the world, the favorable thermal conditions for gas hydrates in the South China Sea are analyzed firstly. On the basis of above analysis, focused on the gas hydrates stability zone (GHSZ), the dissertation initiated the gas hydrates studies with geothermal methods in the South China Sea which will provide useful information for gas hydrates resource exploration and evaluation in the future. On the basis of study on hydrates phase equilibrium and the GHSZ affecting factors, the potential planar distribution of gas hydrates is determined by studying the temperature and pressure conditions in the sea bottom with different water depth, and the thickness of GHSZ is attained by solving the hydrates phase boundary curve equation and geothermal gradient curve equation. The result shows that, if the chemical composition of hydrocarbons contains methane only and the salt content of water is 3.5%, hydrates can form and keep stable at sea bottom at water depth not less than 550m, and the thickness of GHSZ is more than 200m in Xisha Through, Southeastern area of Dongsha Islands, Southwestern basin of Taiwan Island, northern area of Nansha Trough. The GHSZ is thicker with heat flow, geothermal gradient, and thermal conductivity decreasing, and with water depth increasing. Geothermal field simulating also attains the base of GHSZ in Xisha through, which is less than the depth of BSR. Although the present T-P conditions is not the most favorable for gas hydrates through 6Ma history, gas hydrates are still profitable in Xisha Through, Southeastern area of Dongsha Islands, Southwestern basin of Taiwan Island, Luzon Trough and northern area of Nansha Trough by systemic study on the sedimentary and structural characteristics, the conditions of T-P and natural gas source, considering geochemical and geophysical indications found in the South China Sea.

The characteristics of BSRs and their derived heat flow on the profile 973 in the northeastern South China Sea

Processing of a recently acquired seismic line in the northeastern South China Sea by Project 973 has been conducted to study the character and the distribution of gas hydrate Bottom-Simulating Reflectors (BSRs) in the Hengchun ridge. Analysis of different-type seismic profiles shows that the distribution of BSRs can be revealed to some extents by single-channel profile in this area, but seismic data processing plays an important role to resolve the full distribution of BSRs in this area. BSR' s in the northeastern South China Sea have the typical characteristics of BSRs on worldwide continental margins: they cross sediment bed reflections, they are generally parallel to the seafloor and the associated reflections have strong amplitude and a negative polarity. The characteristics of BSRs in this area are obvious and the BSRs indicate the occurrence of gas hydrate-bearing sediments in the northeastern South China Sea. The depth of the base of the gas-hydrate stability zone was calculated using the phase stability boundary curve of methane hydrate and gas hydrate with mixture gas composition and compared with the observed BSR depth. If a single gradient geothermal curve is used for the calculation, the base of the stability zone for methane hydrate or gas hydrate with a gas mixture composition does not correspond to the depth of the BSRs observed along the whole seismic profile. The geothermal gradient therefore changes significantly along the profile. The geothermal gradient and heat flow were estimated from the BSR data and the calculations show that the geothermal gradient and heat flow decrease from west to east, with the increase of the distance from the trench and the decrease of the distance to the island arc. The calculated 2 heat flow changes from 28 to 64 mW/m(2), which is basically consistent with the measured heat flow in southwestern offshore Taiwan.