He, Ne and Ar isotope compositions of fluid inclusions in hydrothermal sulfides from the TAG hydrothermal field, Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Helium, rieon and argon isotope compositions of fluid inclusions have been measured in hydrothermal sulfide samples from the TAG hydrothermal field at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Fluid-inclusion He-3/He-4 ratios are 2.2-13.3 times the air value (Ra), and with a mean of 7.2 Ra. Comparison with the local vent fluids (He-3/He-4=7.5-8.2 Ra) and mid-ocean ridge basalt values (He-3/He-4=6-11 Ra) shows that the variation range of He-3/He-4 ratios from sulfide-hosted fluid inclusions is significantly large. Values for Ne-20/Ne-22 are from 10.2 to 11.4, which are significantly higher than the atmospheric ratio (9.8). And fluid-inclusion Ar-40/Ar-36 ratios range from 287 to 359, which are close to the atmospheric values (295.5). These results indicate that the noble gases of fluid inclusions in hydrothermal sulfides are a mixture of mantle- and seawater-derived noble gases; the partial mantle-derived components of trapped hydrothermal fluids may be from the lower mantle; the helium of fluid inclusions is mainly from upper mantle; and the Ne and Ar components are mainly from seawater.

He, Ne and Ar isotopic composition of Fe-Mn crusts from the western and central Pacific Ocean and implications for their genesis

The noble gas nuclide abundances and isotopic ratios of the upmost layer of Fe-Mn crusts from the western and central Pacific Ocean have been determined. The results indicate that the He and Ar nuclide abundances and isotopic ratios can be classified into two types: low He-3/He-4 type and high He-3/He-4 type. The low He-3/He-4 type is characterized by high He-4 abundances of 191x10(-9) cm(3.)STP(.)g(-1) on average, with variable He-4, Ne-20 and Ar-40 abundances in the range (42.8-421)x10(-9) cm(3.)STP(.)g(-1), (5.40-141)x10(-9)cm(3.)STP(.)g(-1), and (773-10976)x10(-9) cm(3.)STP(.)g(-1), respectively. The high He-3/He-4 samples are characterized by low He-4 abundances of 11.7x10(-9) cm(3.)STP(.)g(-1) on average, with He-4, Ne-20 and Ar-40 abundances in the range of (7.57-17.4)x10(-9) cm(3.)STP(.)g(-1), (110.4-25.5)x10(-9) cm(3.)STP(.)g(-1) and (5354-9050)x10(-9) cm(3.)STP(.)g(-1), respectively. The low He-3/He-4 samples have He-3/He-4 ratios (with RIRA ratios of 2.04-2.92) which are lower than those of MORB (R/R-A=8 +/- 1) and Ar-40/Ar-36 ratios (447-543) which are higher than those of air (295.5). The high He-3/He-4 samples have He-3/He-4 ratios (with R/R-A ratios of 10.4-12.0) slightly higher than those of MORB (R/R-A=8 +/- 1) and Ar-40/Ar-36 ratios (293-299) very similar to those of air (295.5). The Ne isotopic ratios (Ne-20/Ne-22 and Ne-21/Ne-22 ratios of 10.3-10.9 and 0.02774-0.03039, respectively) and the Ar-38/Ar-36 ratios (0.1886-0.1963) have narrow ranges which are very similar to those of air (the Ne-20/Ne-22, Ne-21/Ne-22, Ar-38/Ar-36 ratios of 9.80, 0.029 and 0.187, respectively), and cannot be differentiated into different groups. The noble gas nuclide abundances and isotopic ratios, together with their regional variability, suggest that the noble gases in the Fe-Mn crusts originate primarily from the lower mantle. The low He-3/He-4 type and high He-3/He-4 type samples have noble gas characteristics similar to those of HIMU (High U/Pb Mantle)- and EM (Enriched Mantle)-type mantle material, respectively. The low He-3/He-4 type samples with HIMU-type noble gas isotopic ratios occur in the Magellan Seamounts, Marcus-Wake Seamounts, Marshall Island Chain and the Mid-Pacific Seamounts whereas the high He-3/He-4 type samples with EM-type noble gas isotopic ratios occur in the Line Island Chain. This difference in noble gas characteristics of these crust types implies that the Magellan Seamounts, Marcus-Wake Seamounts, Marshall Island Chain, and the Mid-Pacific Seamounts originated from HIMU-type lower mantle material whereas the Line Island Chain originated from EM-type lower mantle material. This finding is consistent with variations in the Pb-isotope and trace element signatures in the seamount lavas. Differences in the mantle surce may therefore be responsible for variations in the noble gas abundances and isotopic ratios in the Fe-Mn crusts. Mantle degassing appears to be the principal factor controlling noble gas isotopic abundances in Fe-Mn crusts. Decay of radioactive isotopes has a negligible influence on the nuclide abundances and isotopic ratios of noble gases in these crusts on the timescale of their formation.

An inventory of forest relicts in the pastures of Southern Tibet (Xizang AR, China)

An inventory of isolated tree stands surrounded by desert pastures in Southern Tibet (A.R. Xizang, China) revealed more than 50 sites with vigorous trees of Juniperus convallium Rehder & E.H. Wilson and Juniperus tibetica Kom and additional more than 10 records where juniper trees had been destroyed between 1959-1976. The tree stands are not restricted to any specific habitat, and occur within an area stretching 650 km westwards from the current forest border of Southern Tibet. The trees are religious landmarks of the Tibetan Buddhists. The highest trees were found at an elevation of 4,860 m. Vegetation records, rainfall correlations and temperature data collected by local climate stations and successful reforestation trials since 1999 indicate that forest relicts fragmented through human interference could regenerate if current cattle grazing and deforestation practices are halted. The drought line of Juniperus forests in Southern Tibet is approximately 200-250 mm/a. A first pollen diagram from Lhasa shows forest decline associated with the presence of humans since at least 4,600 yr BP. The currently degraded commons developed in the last 600 yr. To date, no findings of remains of ancient forests in the Central Tibetan Highlands of the Changtang have been reported.

东川桃园式铜矿Ar-Ar同位素年龄及意义

通过对东川桃园铜矿与铜矿共生石英的^40Ar／^39Ar同位素年龄的测定，得到马鞍形年龄谱，其坪年龄为768．43Ma±0．58Ma．等时线年龄为770．00Ma±5．44Ma。该矿床后期改造作用明显，并非同生沉积或成岩作用早期成矿，而与晋宁期Rodina大陆裂解有关。东川铜矿的形成可能是在Rodinia大陆裂解时，从深部带来大量成矿物质改造成岩时期初始的矿化，形成矿床的叠加富集和最终定位．因此，晋宁-澄江期是东川铜矿的主成矿期。

湘西沃溪Au-Sb-W矿床中白钨矿Sm-Nd和石英Ar-Ar定年

利用白钨矿对金属矿床进行了Sm-Nd同位素定年. 研究结果表明, 湘西沃溪Au-Sb-W矿床中白钨矿的Sm, Nd含量较高, Sm/Nd值较大. 在147Sm/144Nd-143Nd/144Nd图解中, 浸染状白钨矿样品呈良好的线性分布, 其对应的等时线年龄为402±6 Ma, εNd(t)值为−30.7. 该矿两个石英样品的40Ar-39Ar年龄谱均呈“马鞍型”, 样品的最小视年龄、坪年龄和等时线年龄基本一致, 其最小视年龄(420±20和414±19 Ma)与白钨矿的Sm-Nd同位素数据相当吻合. 白钨矿的Sm-Nd年龄和石英Ar-Ar年龄均表明沃溪矿床形成于加里东晚期, 这与湖南雪峰山地区的构造演化和一些金锑钨矿床的同位素年代数据相吻合. 白钨矿的初始εNd值异常低, 远低于湖南元古宇地层的相应值, 成矿流体中的Nd很可能来自下伏的更老的陆壳基底. 对该矿成矿时间的厘定和对其成矿物源的制约为进一步认识其矿床成因奠定了基础.

长石及其伴生矿物的~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar法对比研究

~(40)Ar-~(39)Ar法是继K-Ar法后发展起来的一个新的年代学分支，自1962年Sigurgeirssion正式提出~(40)Ar-~(39)Ar计时理论以来，经C. M. Merrihue, G. Turner, G. B. Dalrymple, M. A. Lanphere, I. McDougall, J. G. Mitchell等人的不断改造和完善，现已发展成为一门较为成熟的学科。~(40)Ar-~(39)Ar法以其独特的优点而倍受地质学家的偏爱，其中阶段加热技术是~(40)Ar-~(39)Ar法得以广泛应用的关键，它不仅可以提供一般的年代学资料，同时，还提供诸如样品的受热历史、过剩Ar、封闭温度以及岩体的隆起速率等许多信息。近十年来，对这一领域的研究，无论是在理论方面，还是在实验技术方面，都取得了可喜的进展。

郯庐断裂带温泉和天然气的He、Ar同位素组成特征及其构造活动

郯庐断裂带是中国东部一条长期发展起来的，至今仍在活动的巨型超壳深断裂。其本身所具有的重要地质意义，一直吸引着重多的地质工作者。本文就是从稀有气体方面对郯庐断裂带的构造特征做一个探索性的研究。沿郯庐断裂带的温泉及天然气，其R/Ra(R =(~3He/~4He)样，Ra为空气样值）大于1，最高达5 ～ 6，显示了He的部分地幔来源。Ar同位素也有类似特征，除去时间效应，天然气的~(40)Ar/~(36)Ar过剩，同样批示Ar的部分地幔来源。这都表明了郯庐断裂带是一条超亮深断裂，如此才能使得沿带的温泉及天然气的Ha、Ar含有幔源成分。对比带外的温泉及天然气的He、Ar同位素，均体现大气与地壳来源。天然气样所在储集层的年代从志留系（S）到晚第三纪（N），均显示了He、Ar的地幔来源。可以推知，郯庐断裂带具有长期的活动性，是长期发展起来的。温泉是现代地质活动的一种表征，其R/Ra值最高达4.41，显示了He的地幔来源，表明郯庐断裂带在现代仍具有活动性。