New U–Pb SHRIMP zircon age for the Schurwedraai alkali granite: Implications for pre-impact development of the Vredefort Dome and extent of Bushveld magmatism, South Africa     

I.T. Graham  S.A. De Waal  R.A. Armstrong   《Journal of African Earth Sciences》2005,43(5):537-548

The Schurwedraai alkali granite is one of a number of prominent ultramafic-mafic and felsic intrusions in the Neoarchaean to Palaeoproterozoic sub-vertical supracrustal collar rocks of the Vredefort Dome, South Africa. The alkali granite intruded the Neoarchaean Witwatersrand Supergroup and has a peralkaline to peraluminous composition. A new zircon SHRIMP crystallization age of 2052 ± 14 Ma for the Schurwedraai alkali granite places it statistically before the Vredefort impact event at 2023 ± 4 Ma and within the accepted emplacement interval of 2050–2060 Ma of the Bushveld magmatic event. The presence of the alkali granite and associated small ultramafic-mafic intrusions in the Vredefort collar rocks extends the southern extremity of Bushveld-related intrusions to some 120 km south of Johannesburg and about 150 km south of the current outcrop area of the Bushveld Complex. The combined effect of these ultramafic-mafic and felsic bodies may have contributed to a pronouncedly steep pre-impact geothermal gradient in the Vredefort area, and to the amphibolite-grade metamorphism observed in the supracrustal collar rocks of the Vredefort Dome.  相似文献   

Kimberlite AT-56: a mantle sample from the north central Superior craton, Canada     

K.A. Armstrong  T.E. Nowicki  G.H. Read 《Lithos》2004,77(1-4):695-704

Kimberlite AT-56, discovered in February 2001, represents the most recent addition to the Attawapiskat kimberlite cluster, located in the James Bay Lowlands of Ontario, Canada. AT-56 is a small kimberlite body with a surface diameter of approximately 40 m and a steep southeastern plunge. It consists of a medium to coarse-grained matrix supported kimberlite with abundant olivine, clinopyroxene, garnet, ilmenite and mica macrocrysts in a green-black to orange-black matrix. The kimberlite is classified as a hypabyssal facies sparsely macrocrystic calcite kimberlite. Heavy mineral concentrates from two representative samples of AT-56 have been analyzed to characterize the mantle sampled by the kimberlite. Both samples yielded large heavy mineral concentrates comprised of roughly equal proportions of Mg-ilmenite, Cr-diopside, high-Cr garnet and low-Cr garnet. Mg-chromite is also present in quantities an order of magnitude less than the other constituents.

The high-Cr peridotitic garnet macrocrysts are only slightly more abundant than the low-Cr varieties, the population being dominated by G9 (lherzolitic) types with only a few (less than 10%) weakly sub-calcic G10 (probable harzburgitic) garnets present. Ni thermometry results for a representative selection of G9 and G10 garnets indicate that the majority equilibrated at temperatures ranging from 1000 to 1250 °C. A significant proportion of the low-Cr garnet population derived from AT-56 is characterized by relatively low-Ti (0.2 to 0.4 wt.% TiO₂) and elevated Na (0.07 to 0.13 wt.% Na₂O) contents characteristic of Group 1, diamond inclusion type eclogite garnets. These sodic garnets have elevated Cr₂O₃ contents (typically 1 to 2 wt.% Cr₂O₃), suggesting they may be websteritic in origin rather than eclogitic. Comparison of AT-56 garnet compositions with published data available for other Attawapiskat kimberlites suggests websteritic mantle has also been sampled by kimberlite bodies elsewhere in the Attawapiskat cluster and it may be an important diamond reservoir in this area.  相似文献   

Mineralogy of primary carbonate-bearing hypabyssal kimberlite, Lac de Gras, Slave Province, Northwest Territories, Canada     

John P. Armstrong  Mark Wilson  Robert L. Barnett  Tom Nowicki  Bruce A. Kjarsgaard   《Lithos》2004,76(1-4):415-433

A suite of fresh, Late Cretaceous to Eocene hypabyssal kimberlites from the Lac de Gras field were studied in order to understand better carbonate, silicate and oxide paragenesis. The samples have excellent preservation of textures and primary mineralogy and are archetypal or Group 1 kimberlite. Five kimberlite localities are identified as calcite-bearing based on the presence of high Sr–Ba calcite as phenocrysts, microphenocrysts and in segregations. Three kimberlite localities are identified as dolomite-bearing based on the presence of mixed calcite–dolomite segregations containing oscillatory and banded textures of calcite–dolomite solid solution and dolomite (±magnesite). Sr–Ba calcite are characterized by high X_Ca (>0.95) and are enriched in Sr (4900–11,100 ppm) and Ba (3200–14,200 ppm). The calcite–dolomite and dolomite–magnesite solid solution compositions span the X_Ca range from 0.42 to 0.95, and typically have Sr and Ba contents in the range of 1000–4000 ppm. The carbonate, silicate and oxide mineral compositions suggest that the origin of the calcite-bearing versus dolomite-bearing kimberlites studied is related to subtle differences in parent magma composition, in particular, the CO₂/H₂O ratio. Formation of the carbonates reflects the latter part of a protracted magmatic crystallization sequence, in which Sr–Ba calcite precipitates from an evolved kimberlite melt. Subsequently, calcite–dolomite solid solution and dolomite is precipitated from localized, Mg-rich carbonate fluids at relatively high temperatures (higher than serpentine stability).  相似文献   

The stratigraphy of the 3.5-3.2 Ga Barberton Greenstone Belt revisited: A single zircon ion microprobe study     

R.A. Armstrong  W. Compston  M.J. de Wit  I.S. Williams 《Earth and Planetary Science Letters》1990,101(1)

Recent field and geochemical studies indicate a need to test the stratigraphy of the ca. 3.5 Ga Barberton Greenstone Belt as it is presently adopted [1,2]. This work uses the ion microprobe SHRIMP, to attempt such a test. Results show that: (1) Volcaniclastic sediments of the Theespruit Formation (< 3453 ± 6Ma) could be younger than the (structurally) overlying mafic and ultramafic volcanics of the Komati Formation (3482 ± 5Ma). A major structural discontinuity may therefore exist between the two formations. (2) An age of 3538 ± 6Ma established for a tectonic wedge of tonalitic gneiss within the Theespruit Formation confirms the presence of a sialic basement and deformed unconformity below that unit. The tonalitic gneiss is the oldest unit yet recorded within the greenstone belt, equal in age to the older components of the adjacent Ancient Gneiss Complex. (3) The interpreted ages of felsic volcanic rocks from both the Hooggenoeg (3445 ± 8Ma) and Theespruit Formations and the nearby Theespruit Pluton (3437 ± 6Ma) are essentially the same, and corroborate field and geochemical evidence that the felsic units were probably cogenetic and emplaced simultaneously as high-level equivalents of trondjhemite-tonalite plutons that intrude the greenstone belt at its southwestern extremity. (4) Felsic-intermediate volcanic-volcaniclastic rocks locally separating the two major groups (the Fig Tree and Moodies Groups) which overlie the Onverwacht Group record a second major peak of tonalitic magmatism in the Barberton terrain at about 3250 Ma. This is close to the age of the Kaap Valley tonalite pluton which intrudes the Barberton Greenstone Belt at ca. 3226 Ma along its northwestern margin. The present results indicate the Barberton Greenstone Belt is part of an allochthonous sequence containing major tectonic and stratigraphic breaks, with a protracted history; of which the last 200 million years, at least, evolved within a tectonically active convergent environment.  相似文献   

Patterns of estuarine use by juvenile English sole (Parophrys vetulus) and Dungeness crab (Cancer magister)     

Donald R. Gunderson  David A. Armstrong  Yun-Bing Shi  Robert A. McConnaughey 《Estuaries and Coasts》1990,13(1):59-71

Extensive trawl surveys were conducted in two large estuaries (Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay) on the Washington coast during 1983–1987, and in adjacent areas of the open coast. These surveys have shown that both English sole and Dungeness crab rely heavily on these estuaries as nursery areas, although the pattern of utilization differs substantially. Juvenile migration patterns can show substantial interannual variability and can only be delineated by concurrent surveys in both coastal and estuarine areas, conducted over a period of several years. English sole eggs and Dungeness crab larvae are released in coastal waters. Larvae of both species transform to the benthic stage in both coastal and estuarine areas, but most English sole eventually migrate into the estuaries during the first year of life, even if initial settlement is along the open coast. By the time English sole have attained a length of 55 mm (TL), most of them are found in estuaries. English sole begin emigrating from the estuaries at about 75 mm, and few remain there during the second year of life. In contrast, Dungeness crab appear to remain in the area of initial settlement throughout the first year of life. Growth is substantially faster in estuaries where 0+ crab reach a mean size of about 40 mm carapace width (CW) by September, with those off the coast are only about 14 mm CW. Juveniles remain in the area of settlement over their first winter but, in contrast to English sole, most coastal 1+ crab immigrate to estuaries to join siblings that settled there the previous year. By September of the second year, crab at about 100 mm CW emigrate to the open coast where they reach maturity. Advantages to juvenile stages that reside in estuaries are discussed in terms of accelerated growth at higher temperatures and potentially greater food supplies than found nearshore along the coast.  相似文献   

Slopes,boundary conditions,and the development of convexo-concave forms—some numerical experiments     

Adrian C. Armstrong 《地球表面变化过程与地形》1987,12(1):17-30

Slope profile sequences are as much influenced by their boundary conditions as they are by the processes operating. The development of a simple slope under a single process can adopt a variety of forms depending on initial and boundary conditions, and a given form can be derived from several different processes. For example, convexo-concave forms develop under soil creep with basal accumulation, under wash with an initial step form, and under mixed wash and creep processes.  相似文献   

Paricutin re-examined: a classic example of crustal assimilation in calc-alkaline magma     

A. R. McBirney  H. P. Taylor  R. L. Armstrong 《Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology》1987,95(1):4-20

Following its birth on the 20th of February 1943, the Mexican volcano Paricutin discharged a total of 1.38 km³ of basaltic andesite and andesite before the eruption came to an end in 1952. Until 1947, when 75% of the volume had been erupted, the lavas varied little in chemical or isotopic composition. All were basaltic andesites with 55 to 56% SiO₂, ¹⁸O of +6.9 to 7.0, and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios close to 0.7038. Subsequent lavas were hypersthene andesites with silica contents reaching 60%, ¹⁸O values up to +7.6, and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr of 0.7040 to 0.7043. The later lavas were enriched in Ba, Rb, Li, and K₂O and depleted in MgO, Cu, Zn, Cr, Ni, Sr, and Co. The isotopic and other chemical changes, which appeared abruptly over a few months in 1947, are interpreted as the result of tapping a sharply zoned and density stratified magma chamber. Xenoliths of partially fused felsic basement rocks in the lavas have silica contents greater than 70%, ¹⁸O of +5.6 to 9.9 and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr between 0.7043 and 0.7101. In many respects they resemble samples of basement rocks collected from nearby outcrops. Three analysed samples of the latter have silica contents of 65 to 67%, ¹⁸O of +7.7 to 8.6, and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr between 0.7047 and 0.7056.These new data provide strong support for the original interpretations of Wilcox (1954), who explained the chemical variations by a combination of fractional crystallization and concurrent assimilation of up to 20 weight % continental crust. Except for a few trace elements, particularly Ba, Sr, and Zr, the chemical and isotopic compositions of the xenoliths and basement rocks that crop out nearby match the type of contaminant required to explain the late-stage lavas. Some of the discrepancies may be explained by postulating a contaminant that was older and richer in Ba, Sr, and Zr than those represented by the analysed xenoliths. Others can be attributed to chemical changes accompanying disequilibrium partial melting, contact metamorphism, and meteoric-hydrothermal alteration of the country rock. Many of the xenoliths show evidence of having been affected by such processes.The lavas were erupted from a zoned magma chamber that had differentiated by liquid fractionation prior to the eruption. The order of appearance of the lavas can be explained in terms of withdrawal of stratified liquids of differing densities and viscosities.  相似文献   

Willy: A prize noble Ur-Fremdling—Its history and implications for the formation of Fremdlinge and CAI     

John T. Armstrong  A.El Goresy  G.J. Wasserburg 《Geochimica et cosmochimica acta》1985,49(4):1001-1022

A detailed mineralogic and chemical study of Willy, a very large (150 μm diameter) Fremdling from the Allende CAI 5241, was performed and compared to other Fremdlinge from Allende CAI's 5241 and TS-34 in an attempt to understand the nature and mode of formation of these exotic and complex objects. Willy is composed primarily of V-rich magnetite, V-rich fassaite, and Ni-Fe metal containing Co and Pt. Minor phases include an Fe-Ni-sulfide, V-rich spinel, scheelite (the first reported occurrence in a meteorite), and Cl-apatite. Phases found in trace amounts include nuggets of Os-Ru-Re metal, molybdenite, an unidentified Fe-, Mg-molybdate, and diopside. The Fremdling is concentrically zoned and contains a complex porous core of magnetite, metal, sulfide, scheelite, and other minor phases surrounded by a compact mantle of magnetite with minor apatite. The mantle is surrounded by a dense rim composed of fassaite with minor spinel that appears to be a typical occurrence around oxide-containing Fremdlinge. At the boundary between the fassaite-rim and the magnetite-mantle of Willy is a thin zone (<20 μm wide) of an apparent reaction assemblage consisting of V-rich MgAl₂O₄, FeAl₂O₄, and a third V-rich spinel, possibly FeV₂O₄, in intimate intergrowth.From the observed chemistry and texture, a multistage sequence of formation of Willy, possibly occurring in the solar nebula and involving major changes in T and $\text{?O}{}_2$, can be deduced. The first phases that may have formed in the interior are magnetite and an Fe or Ca tungstate. Refractory metal nuggets and sulfide were introduced after this stage followed by two stages of Ni-Fe formation during which Pt was dissolved in the metal. This was followed by formation of the magnetite mantle, introduction of apatite and possible alteration of ferberite to scheelite. Finally, the V-rich fassaite rim formed, accompanied or followed by reaction forming the complex Fe-, V-rich spinels. All of these steps preceded introduction of the Fremdling into the CAI precursor which in turn appears to have occurred prior to formation of spinel and the major silicate phases in the CAI.The concentric mineral zoning and texture of Willy may indicate that it is one of the few Fremdlinge that was not substantially recrystallized after having been captured in the CAI. It thus may represent the precursor material for many of the other Fremdlinge, since numerous Fremdlinge studied exhibit many of the mineral and chemical features observed in Willy. The co-existence of magnetite, sulfide, and Ni-Fe metal in the interior of Willy and the co-existence of metal, hercynite spinel and magnetite at the rimmantle boundary suggests that the maximum temperature at which Willy could have existed for long periods of time in its present state was about 500–600°C. Similarly, the existence of highly heterogeneous V-, Ti-rich fassaite rims around Willy and other Fremdlinge implies rapid cooling rates for the CAI's.  相似文献   

Garibaldi group volcanic rocks of the salal creek area, southwestern British Columbia: Alkaline lavas on the fringe of the predominantly calc-alkaline garibaldi (cascade) volcanic arc     

Robert B. Lawrence  Richard Lee Armstrong  Robert G. Berman 《Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research》1984,21(3-4)

The Salal Creek area, at the north end of the main group of vents for the Quaternary Garibaldi (Cascade) Volcanic Belt, southwestern British Columbia, was the site of several small eruptions of mafic lava during the past 1 Ma. In contrast to the calc-alkaline character of all other parts of the Garibaldi Belt and the geographically nearly coincident Miocene and older Pemberton Volcanic Belt, the Salal Creek area Quaternary lavas are predominantly alkaline basalt and hawaiite with typical alkaline volcanic petrography, chemistry, and fractionation trends. Trace elements Ti-Zr-Y show within-plate character for the suite. As for other Garibaldi Belt volcanic rocks, Rb is low, Rb/Sr very low, and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio is low, averaging 0.7032. The oxygen isotopic composition average, ¹⁸O = 5.9, is normal for mantle-derived volcanic rocks.This distinct change in magma type at the end of a volcanic are may be the consequence of a smaller degree of melting, melting at a slightly greater depth than calc-alkaline magma production, or a descending-plate edge effect.Ponded flows and pillow-palagonite accumulations indicate that several Salal Creek area eruptions occurred in proximity to ice which filled major valleys during pre-Wisconsin glacial periods.  相似文献   

Habitat associations of estuarine species: Comparisons of intertidal mudflat, seagrass (Zostera marina), and oyster (Crassostrea gigas) habitats     

Geoffrey R. Hosack  Brett R. Dumbauld  Jennifer L. Ruesink  David A. Armstrong 《Estuaries and Coasts》2006,29(6):1150-1160

The complexity of habitat structure created by aquatic vegetation is an important factor determining the diversity and composition of soft-sediment coastal communities. The introduction of estuarine organisms, such as oysters or other forms of aquaculture, that compete with existing forms of habitat structure, such as seagrass, may affect the availability of important habitat refugia and foraging resources for mobile estuarine fish and decapods. Fish and invertebrate communities were compared between adjacent patches of native seagrass (Zostera marina), nonnative cultured oyster (Crassostrea gigas), and unvegetated mudflat within a northeastern Pacific estuary. The composition of epibenthic meiofauna and small macrofaunal organisms, including known prey of fish and decapods, was significantly related to habitat type. Densities of these epifauna were significantly higher in structured habitat compared to unstructured mudflat. Benthic invertebrate densities were highest in seagrass. Since oyster aquaculture may provide a structural substitute for seagrass being associated with increased density and altered composition of fish and decapod prey resources relative to mudflat, it was hypothesized that this habitat might also alter habitat preferences of foraging fish and decapods. The species composition of fish and decapods was more strongly related to location within the estuary than to habitat, and fish and decapod species composition responded on a larger landscape scale than invertebrate assemblages. Fish and decapod species richness and the size of ecologically and commercially important species, such as Dungeness crab (Cancer magister), English sole (Parophrys vetulus), or lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus), were not significantly related to habitat type.  相似文献