An experimental investigation of volatile exsolution in evolving magma chambers     

J. Stewart Turner  Herbert E. Huppert  R.Stephen J. Sparks 《Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research》1983,16(3-4)

Previous laboratory experiments investigating the fluid dynamics of replenished magma chambers have been extended to model effects resulting from the release of gas. Turbulent transfer of heat between a layer of dense, hot and volatile-rich mafic magma overlying cooler more evolved magma can lead to crystallization and exsolution of volatiles in the lower layer. Small gas bubbles can cause the bulk density to decrease to that of the upper layer and thus produce sudden overturning and initiate mixing, followed by further exsolution of gas and explosive eruption. These processes have been modelled in the laboratory using a chemical reaction between sodium or potassium carbonate and nitric acid to release small bubbles of CO₂. We have investigated both the initial overturning produced by gas release in the lower layer, and the subsequent evolution of gas due to intimate mixing of the two layers. The latter experiments, in which the reactants remained isolated in the two layers until overturning occurred, demonstrated unambiguously that the fluxes of chemical components across the interfaces between convecting layers are very slow compared to the flux of heat. This shows that the evolution of layers of magma of different origins and composition can take place nearly independently of each other. The magmas can coexist in the same stratified chamber, until their bulk densities become equal and they mix together. The processes illustrated in these experiments could occur in H₂O-bearing magmas such as in the calcalkaline association and in CO₂-bearing mafic magmas such as in silica undersaturated suites.  相似文献   

Fluid dynamics in volcanology (wager prize lecture)     

R. S. J. Sparks 《Bulletin of Volcanology》1983,46(4):323-331

Fluid motions are important in virtually all volcanic processes. Attempts to understand the mechanism of volcanic activity or the origin of magmas generally require knowledge of fluid dynamics. The use of fluid dynamics is illustrated by considering the Reynolds numbers of some volcanic fluid flow systems. The physics of high Reynolds number buoyant plumes is found to be important in situations ranging from the rise of eruption columns in the atmosphere to the replenishment of basaltic magma chambers. Application of theoretical and experimental work on plumes enables eruption rates to be deduced from eruption column heights and new hypotheses on the origin of some magmatic ores to be put forward. The influence of Reynolds number on the behaviour of lava is also discussed with application to the origin of Archaean komatiite lavas. Komatiite lavas are argued to have flowed in a turbulent manner whereas modern basalt lavas nearly always flow by laminar shear. The turbulent character of komatiites seems to provide an explanation for the origin of associated nickel-sulfide mineralization in komaiites by melting and assimilation of sulfide-rich sediment. This hypothesis depends on komatiite flow having had a high Reynolds number.  相似文献   

Petrologic constraints on the decompression history of magma prior to Vulcanian explosions at the Soufrière Hills volcano,Montserrat     

A.B. Clarke  S. Stephens  R. Teasdale  R.S.J. Sparks  K. Diller 《Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research》2007

A series of 88 Vulcanian explosions occurred at the Soufrière Hills volcano, Montserrat, between August and October, 1997. Conduit conditions conducive to creating these and other Vulcanian explosions were explored via analysis of eruptive products and one-dimensional numerical modeling of magma ascent through a cylindrical conduit. The number densities and textures of plagioclase microlites were documented for twenty-three samples from the events. The natural samples all show very high number densities of microlites, and > 50% by number of microlites have areas < 20 μm². Pre-explosion conduit conditions and decompression history have been inferred from these data by comparison with experimental decompressions of similar groundmass compositions. Our comparisons suggest quench pressures < 30 MPa (origin depths < 2 km) and multiple rapid decompressions of > 13.75 MPa each during ascent from chamber to surface. Values are consistent with field studies of the same events and statistical analysis of explosion time-series data. The microlite volume number density trend with depth reveals an apparent transition from growth-dominated crystallization to nucleation-dominated crystallization at pressures of ∼ 7 MPa and lower. A concurrent sharp increase in bulk density marks the onset of significant open-system degassing, apparently due to a large increase in system permeability above ∼ 70% vesicularity. This open-system degassing results in a dense plug which eventually seals the conduit and forms conditions favorable to Vulcanian explosions. The corresponding inferred depth of overpressure at 250–700 m, near the base of the dense plug, is consistent with depth to center of pressure estimated from deformation measurements. Here we also illustrate that one-dimensional models representing ascent of a degassing, crystal-rich magma are broadly consistent with conduit profiles constructed via our petrologic analysis. The comparison between models and petrologic data suggests that the dense conduit plug forms as a result of high overpressure and open-system degassing through conduit walls.  相似文献   

Cygnus A: stars, dust and cones     

Neal Jackson  Clive Tadhunter  & William B. Sparks 《Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society》1998,301(1):131-141

We present new Hubble Space Telescope ( HST  ) continuum and spectral line images of the radio galaxy Cygnus A. The images show much complex structure in the central kpc². Continuum images show the central dust lane in detail, allowing detailed maps of E ( B  −  V ) to be constructed; the dust appears to follow a roughly Galactic extinction law. The emission-line components are resolved in the line images and investigated in detail. A clear 'opening cone' morphology is found, especially in the lines of Hα and [O  i ]. Blue condensations are seen in the south-eastern emission component and surrounding the central region. These are almost certainly due to star formation, which began <1 Gyr ago as deduced from the colour of the regions. More extended blue continuum is also seen and corresponds to the blue polarized component detected by other recent spectropolarimetric observations.  相似文献   

The dynamics of xenolith assimilation     

Paul McLeod  R. Stephen J. Sparks 《Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology》1998,132(1):21-33

Xenolith assimilation has been simulated with experiments involving melting wax spheres into hot water and aqueous solutions and characterised by a theoretical analysis. Both the cases of neutrally buoyant stationary spheres and spheres sinking through the hot host fluid are examined. Melt generated on a sphere's surface flows (compositional convection) in two regimes; as a sheet over one hemisphere and then detaching as finger plumes from the other. Positional variations in the melting rate are dominantly controlled by differences in the melt layer thickness which influence the thermal gradient and heat flux across the layer. The theoretical model predicts melt layer thicknesses and the heat flux from the surrounding fluid. Calculated melting rates agree well with experimental measurements. Partial melting of non-eutectic compositions produces a layer of crystal-melt mush at the xenolith's surface. The theoretical analysis is extended to account for variation in rheological properties across the mush layer. When stoped into typical magmas, xenoliths of common continental crust lithologies are predicted to melt at rates in the order of 2 mm/hour. Thicknesses of the mobile mush layer around xenoliths are predicted to be typically a few centimetres. Relatively mafic lithologies can melt quicker than silicic compositions because, although they are typically more refractory, their lower melt viscosities result in thinner mush layers and so higher heat fluxes. Especially quick melting of water-saturated lithologies occurs as a consequence of both the reduction in melting temperatures and melt viscosities. Due to hot ambient conditions in the lower continental crust the assimilation of xenoliths into underplated basaltic magma can be very rapid. For granulites and mafic-granulites the predicted melting rates are up to 17 mm/hour. Fast rates of melting and efficient mixing of melt into the host magma indicate that assimilation of xenoliths will have a significant influence on the compositional and thermal evolution of magmas. Received: 7 November 1996 / Accepted: 5 January 1998  相似文献   

Evolutionary sequences for Nova V1974 Cygni using new nuclear reaction rates and opacities     

S. Starrfield  J. W. Truran  M. C. Wiescher  & W. M. Sparks 《Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society》1998,296(3):502-522

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HST Planetary Camera images of quasar host galaxies     

P. J. Boyce  M. J. Disney  J. C. Blades  A. Boksenberg  P. Crane  J. M. Deharveng  F. D. Macchetto  C. D. Mackay  & W. B. Sparks 《Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society》1998,298(1):121-130

We present Hubble Space Telescope ( HST ) images of seven low-redshift quasars (six taken with the Planetary Camera, one with the Wide Field Camera). These complete the sample of 14 quasars observed by the Faint Object Camera Investigation Definition Team (FOC IDT). Following subtraction of the quasar nuclear light, host galaxies can be seen in all seven cases. A combination of the optical morphology and luminosity profiles of the residual host galaxies and the results of 2D cross-correlation model fitting implies that five of the objects have elliptical host galaxies and two have disc host galaxies. The luminosities vary from slightly fainter than L ^* to about 1.3 mag brighter than L ^*.   We discuss the properties of the complete sample of 14 quasars. Nine of the objects appear to have elliptical host galaxies (all six of the radio-loud quasars in the sample as well as three radio-quiet quasars). Two further radio-quiet quasars appear to lie in disc galaxies. The other three objects (radio-quiet, ultraluminous infrared quasars) all lie in violently interacting systems. The sample as a whole has an average luminosity about 0.8 mag brighter than L ^*, although the radio-loud objects have hosts on average 0.7 mag brighter than the radio-quiet objects.   We compare our results with those from HST imaging of quasars by other authors. Taken together, our observations are in broad agreement with those of Bahcall et al. Radio-loud quasars appear to lie in luminous elliptical galaxies whereas radio-quiet quasars are found to lie in either elliptical or spiral hosts. Host galaxy luminosities (of radio-quiet and radio-loud quasars) are much brighter than would be expected if they followed a Schechter luminosity function.  相似文献   

The age,origin, and volcanological significance of the Y-5 ash layer in the Mediterranean     

Robert Thunell  Alan Federman  Stephen Sparks  Douglas Williams 《Quaternary Research》1979,12(2):241-253

The Y-5 ash is the most widespread layer in deep-sea sediments from the eastern Mediterranean. This ash layer was previously correlated with the Citara-Serrara tuff on Ischia Island and dated at approximately 25,000 yr B.P. New data on the glass chemistry of the Y-5 ash and pyroclastic deposits from the Neopolitan volcanic province suggest that the layer is correlative with the large-volume Campanian ignimbrite and not with the deposit from Ischia Island. The volume of the Y-5 ash is approximately 65 km³ which is comparable in magnitude to the volume of the Campanian ignimbrite. An interpolated age of approximately 38,000 yr B.P. is estimated based on sedimentation rates derived from δ¹⁸O stratigraphy. There is a discrepancy between this estimate and previously reported radiocarbon ages which range from 24,000 to 35,000 yr B.P. We propose that the “Campanian tuff ash layer” should be adopted as the full stratigraphic name for the Y-5 ash. The deep-sea ash layer is divisible into two units in proximal localities, probably correlating with two major phases of the eruption: plinian and ignimbrite.  相似文献   

Growth of bultfonteinite and hydrogarnet in metasomatized basalt xenoliths in the B/K9 kimberlite, Damtshaa, Botswana: insights into hydrothermal metamorphism in kimberlite pipes   总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1  

Ben Buse  John C. Schumacher  R. Stephen J. Sparks  Matthew Field 《Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology》2010,160(4):533-550

Metamorphic assemblages within Karoo basalt xenoliths, found within volcaniclastic kimberlite of the B/K9 pipe, Damtshaa, Botswana, constrain conditions of kimberlite alteration. Bultfonteinite and chlorite partially replace the original augite-plagioclase assemblage, driven by the serpentinisation of the kimberlite creating strong chemical potential gradients for Si and Mg. Hydrogarnet and serpentine replace these earlier metamorphic assemblages as the deposits cool. The bultfonteinite (ideally Ca₂SiO₂[OH,F]₄) and hydrogarnet assemblages require a water-rich fluid containing F⁻, and imply hydrothermal alteration dominated by external fluids rather than autometamorphism from deuteric fluids. Bultfonteinite and hydrogarnet are estimated to form at temperatures of ca. 350–250°C, which are similar to those for serpentinisation. Alteration within the B/K9 kimberlite predominantly occurs between 250 and 400°C. We attribute these conditions to increased efficiency of mass transfer and chemical reactions below the critical point of water and a consequence of volume-increasing serpentinisation and metasomatic reactions that take place over this temperature range. A comparison of the B/K9 kimberlite with kimberlites from Venetia, South Africa suggests that the composition and mineralogy of included xenoliths affects the alteration assemblages within kimberlite deposits.  相似文献   

A CH₃CN and HCO⁺ survey towards southern methanol masers associated with star formation     

C. R. Purcell  R. Balasubramanyam  M. G. Burton  A. J. Walsh  V. Minier  M. R. Hunt-Cunningham  L. L. Kedziora-Chudczer  S. N. Longmore  T. Hill  I. Bains  P. J. Barnes  A. L. Busfield  P. Calisse  N. H. M. Crighton  S. J. Curran  T. M. Davis  J. T. Dempsey  G. Derragopian  B. Fulton  M. G. Hidas  M. G. Hoare  J.-K. Lee  E. F. Ladd  S. L. Lumsden  T. J. T. Moore  M. T. Murphy  R. D. Oudmaijer  M. B. Pracy  J. Rathborne  S. Robertson  A. S. B. Schultz  J. Shobbrook  P. A. Sparks  J. Storey  T. Travouillion 《Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society》2006,367(2):553-576

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