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Abstract
Harzburgites and dunites forming the base of the Late Cretaceous-Paleocene Papuan Ultramafic Belt (PUB) and Marum ophiolites of Papua New Guinea (PNG) are among the most refractory mantle peridotites on Earth. We present a new integrated dataset of major element, bulk plus mineral trace element and Re-Os isotopic analyses aimed at better understanding the genesis of these peridotites. The PUB harzburgites contain olivine (Fo(92-93)), low-Al enstatite (less than or equal to 0.5 wt. % Al2O3 and CaO), and Cr-rich spinel (Cr#= 0.90-0.95). The Marum harzburgites are less refractory with olivine (Fo(91.9)-(92.7)), enstatite (similar to 0.5-1.0 wt. % Al2O3 and CaO), minor clinopyroxene (diopside), and spine! (Cr# = 0.71-0.77). These major element characteristics reflect equivalent or greater levels of melt depletion than that experienced by Archean cratonic peridotites. Whereas bulk-rock heavy rare earth element (HREE) abundances mirror the refractory character indicated by the mineral chemistry and major elements, large-ion lithophile elements indicate a more complex melting and metasomatic history. In situ olivine and orthopyroxene REE measurements show that harzburgites and dunites have experienced distinct melt-rock interaction processes, with dunite channels/lenses, specifically, showing higher abundances of HREE in olivine. Distinctive severe inter-element fraction of platinum group elements and Re result in complex patterns that we refer to as 'M-shaped'. These fractionated highly siderophile element (HSE) patterns likely reflect the dissolution of HSE-rich phases in highly depleted peridotites by interaction with subduction-related melts/fluids, possibly high-temperature boninites. Osmium isotope compositions of the PNG peridotites are variable (Os-187/Os-188 = 0.1204 to 0.1611), but fall within the range of peridotites derived from Phanerozoic oceanic mantle, providing no support for ancient melt depletion, despite their refractory character. This provides further evidence that highly depleted peridotites can be produced in the modern Earth, in subduction zone environments. The complex geochemistry indicates a multi-stage process for the formation of the PNG mantle peridotites in a modern geodynamic environment. The first stage involves partial melting at low-pressure (<2 GPa) and high-temperature (similar to 1250 degrees C-1350 degrees C) to form low-K, low-Ti tholeiitic magmas that formed the overlying cumulate peridotite-gabbro and basalt (PUB only) sequences of the ophiolites. This is inferred to have occurred in a fore-arc setting at the initiation of subduction. Later stages involved fluxing of the residual harzburgites with hydrous fluids and melts to form replacive dunites and enstatite dykes and interaction of the residual peridotites in the overlying mantle wedge with high-temperature hydrous melts from the subducting slab to generate the extremely refractory harzburgites. This latter stage can be linked to the eruption of low-Ca boninites at Cape Vogel, and other arc-related volcanics, in a nascent oceanic island arc. Both ophiolites were emplaced shortly after when the embryonic oceanic island arc collided with the Australian continent.
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Abstract
Tschauner et al. (Reports, 11 November 2021, p. 891) present evidence that diamond GRR-1507 formed in the lower mantle. Instead, the data support a much shallower origin in cold, subcratonic lithospheric mantle. X-ray diffraction data are well matched to phases common in microinclusion-bearing lithospheric diamonds. The calculated bulk inclusion composition is too imprecise to uniquely confirm CaSiO3 stoichiometry and is equally consistent with inclusions observed in other lithospheric diamonds.
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Abstract
The Earth could have experienced sulfide segregation during its differentiation due to sulfur (S) saturation within a magma ocean. The relative timing of sulfide saturation during magma ocean crystallisation is strongly dependent on the solubility of S at sulfide saturation (SCSS). Here, we present SCSS data directly relevant for a deep terrestrial magma ocean obtained from laser heated diamond anvil cell experiments. Our new data, along with existing SCSS data obtained for similar compositions, was parameterised to derive a new predictive equation. Our parameterisation predicts that existing models strongly underestimate the SCSS over the P-T range of a deep magma ocean. Our SCSS models provide the S abundances required at any given stage of terrestrial accretion, and imply that sulfide saturation is much less efficient at stripping the Earth's mantle of S during accretion than previously predicted. Applying our results to the most recent mantle S evolution models shows that the SCSS would be far too high to achieve sulfide saturation, until only perhaps the final stages of magma ocean crystallisation. To satisfy highly siderophile element systematics, either the S content of the magma ocean was considerably higher than currently assumed, or highly siderophile element abundances were affected by other processes, such as iron disproportionation.
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Abstract
Magma viscosity strongly controls the style (for example, explosive versus effusive) of a volcanic eruption and thus its hazard potential, but can only be measured during or after an eruption. The identification of precursors indicative of magma viscosity would enable forecasting of the eruption style and the scale of associated hazards(1). The unanticipated May 2018 rift intrusion and eruption of Kilauea Volcano, Hawai'i(2) displayed exceptional chemical and thermal variability in erupted lavas, leading to unpredictable effusion rates and explosivity. Here, using an integrated analysis of seismicity and magma rheology, we show that the orientation of fault-plane solutions (which indicate a fault's orientation and sense of movement) for earthquakes preceding and accompanying the 2018 eruption indicate a 90-degree local stress-field rotation from background, a phenomenon previously observed only at high-viscosity eruptions(3), and never before at Kilauea(4-8). Experimentally obtained viscosities for 2018 products and earlier lavas from the Pu'u 'O'o vents tightly constrain the viscosity threshold required for local stress-field reorientation. We argue that rotated fault-plane solutions in earthquake swarms at Kilauea and other volcanoes worldwide provide an early indication that unrest involves magma of heightened viscosity, and thus real-time monitoring of the orientations of fault-plane solutions could provide critical information about the style of an impending eruption. Furthermore, our results provide insight into the fundamental nature of coupled failure and flow in complex multiphase systems.
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Abstract
How and when Earth's volatile content was established is controversial with several mechanisms postulated, including planetesimal evaporation, core formation and the late delivery of undifferentiated chondrite-like materials. The isotopes of volatile elements such as sulfur can be fractionated during planetary accretion and differentiation and thus are potential tracers of these processes. Using first-principles calculations, we examine sulfur isotope fractionation during core formation and planetesimal evaporation. We find no measurable sulfur isotope fractionation between silicate and metallic melts at core-forming conditions, indicating that the observed light sulfur isotope composition of the bulk silicate Earth relative to chondrites cannot be explained by metal-silicate fractionation. Our thermodynamic calculations show that sulfur evaporates mostly as H2S during planetesimal evaporation when nebular H-2 is present. The observed bulk Earth sulfur isotope signature and abundance can be reproduced by evaporative loss of about 90% sulfur mainly as H2S from molten planetesimals before nebular H-2 is dissipated. The heavy sulfur isotope composition of the Moon relative to the Earth is consistent with evaporative sulfur loss under 94-98% saturation condition during the Moon-forming giant impact. In summary, volatile evaporation from molten planetesimals before Earth's formation probably played a key role in establishing Earth's volatile element content.
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Abstract
Raikoke, a small, unmonitored volcano in the Kuril Islands, erupted in June 2019. We integrate data from satellites (including Sentinel-2, TROPOMI, MODIS, Himawari-8), the International Monitoring System (IMS) infrasound network, and global lightning detection network (GLD360) with information from local authorities and social media to retrospectively characterize the eruptive sequence and improve understanding of the pre-, syn- and post-eruptive behavior. We observe six infrasound pulses beginning on 21 June at 17:49:55 UTC as well as the main Plinian phase on 21 June at 22:29 UTC. Each pulse is tracked in space and time using lightning and satellite imagery as the plumes drift eastward. Post-eruption visible satellite imagery shows expansion of the island's surface area, an increase in crater size, and a possibly-linked algal bloom south of the island. We use thermal satellite imagery and plume modeling to estimate plume height at 10(-12) km asl and 1.5-2 x 10(6) kg/s mass eruption rate. Remote infrasound data provide insight into syn-eruptive changes in eruption intensity. Our analysis illustrates the value of interdisciplinary analyses of remote data to illuminate eruptive processes. However, our inability to identify deformation, pre-eruptive outgassing, and thermal signals, which may reflect the relatively short duration (similar to 12 h) of the eruption and minimal land area around the volcano and/or the character of closed-system eruptions, highlights current limitations in the application of remote sensing for eruption detection and characterization. (c) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Abstract
An important aspect of volcanic hazard assessment is determination of the level and character of background activity at a volcano so that deviations from background (called unrest) can be identified. Here, we compile the instrumentally recorded eruptive and noneruptive activity for 161 US volcanoes between 1978 and 2020. We combine monitoring data from four techniques: seismicity, ground deformation, degassing, and thermal emissions. To previous work, we add the first comprehensive survey of US volcanoes using medium-spatial resolution satellite thermal observations, newly available field surveys of degassing, and new compilations of seismic and deformation data. We report previously undocumented thermal activity at 30 volcanoes using data from the spaceborne ASTER sensor during 2000-2020. To facilitate comparison of activity levels for all US volcanoes, we assign a numerical classification of the Activity Intensity Level for each monitoring technique, with the highest ranking corresponding to an eruption. There are 96 US volcanoes (59%) with at least one type of detected activity, but this represents a lower bound: For example, there are 12 volcanoes where degassing has been observed but has not yet been quantified. We identify dozens of volcanoes where volcanic activity is only measured by satellite (45% of all thermal observations), and other volcanoes where only ground-based sensors have detected activity (e.g., all seismic and 62% of measured degassing observations). Our compilation provides a baseline against which future measurements can be compared, demonstrates the need for both ground-based and remote observations, and serves as a guide for prioritizing future monitoring efforts.
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Abstract
Retrospective eruption characterization is valuable for advancing our understanding of volcanic systems and evaluating our observational capabilities, especially with remote technologies (defined here as a space-borne system or non-local, ground-based instrumentation which include regional and remote infrasound sensors). In June 2019, the open-system Ulawun volcano, Papua New Guinea, produced a VEI 4 eruption. We combined data from satellites (including Sentinel-2, TROPOMI, MODIS, Himawari-8), the International Monitoring System infrasound network, and GLD360 globally detected lightning with information from the local authorities and social media to characterize the pre-, syn- and post-eruptive behaviour. The Rabaul Volcano Observatory recorded similar to 24 h of seismicity and detected SO2 emissions similar to 16 h before the visually-documented start of the Plinian phase on 26 June at 04:20 UTC. Infrasound and SO2 detections suggest the eruption started during the night on 24 June 2019 at 10:39 UTC similar to 38 h before ash detections with a gas-dominated jetting phase. Local reports and infrasound detections show that the second phase of the eruption started on 25 June 19:28 UTC with similar to 6 h of jetting. The first detected lightning occurred on 26 June 00:14 UTC, and ash emissions were first detected by Himawari-8 at 01:00 UTC. Post-eruptive satellite imagery indicates new flow deposits to the south and north of the edifice and ash fall to the west and southwest. In particular, regional infrasound data provided novel insight into eruption onset and syn-eruptive changes in intensity. We conclude that, while remote observations are sufficient for detection and tracking of syn-eruptive changes, key challenges in data latency, acquisition, and synthesis must be addressed to improve future near-real-time characterization of eruptions at minimally-monitored or unmonitored volcanoes. (C) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Abstract
An Excel spreadsheet compiling published major and trace element data for all important sublithospheric (upper mantle, transition zone and lower mantle) inclusion phases in diamond. Major element data are obtained by EPMA, trace element data by SIMS (ion microprobe) and LA-ICPMS. For additional details, please refer to Chapter 7: Geochemistry of Silicate and Oxide Inclusions in Sublithospheric Diamonds by Walter et al. in the RiMG volume "Diamond - Genesis, Mineralogy, and Geochemistry ", https://doi.org/10.2138/rmg.2022.88.07
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