Showing papers by "Paul W. Layer published in 2006"

Eocene volcanism above a depleted mantle slab window in southern Alaska

Abstract: The Caribou Creek volcanic fi eld lies along the continent-side edge of forearc basin rocks in south-central Alaska and consists of over 1000 m of shallow-dipping basalt and andesite lavas with minor mafi c pyroclastic deposits. Dacite and rhyolite lavas along with shallow intrusions form dome complexes with associated pyroclastic deposits that overlie and crosscut the basalt and intermediate lavas. The basalts are tholeiitic and strongly depleted in the light rare earth elements (La/ Yb = 0.18–1.5), with concentrations of high fi eld strength elements (e.g., Zr, Hf, Ti, Y) similar to mid-ocean-ridge basalt and with variable enrichment in fl uid-mobile elements (e.g., Cs, Ba, and Pb). Intermediate and felsic rocks show enrichment in the rare earth elements and fl uid-mobile elements plus Rb and K, but retain low La/Yb ratios (0.48–3.6). A few andesite and dacite samples are strongly depleted in the heavy rare earth elements and are geochemically similar to adakites (e.g., Sr/Y up to 52). Ten 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages for the Caribou Creek volcanic rocks range from 49.4 ± 2.2 to 35.6 ± 0.2 Ma. An adakite-like tuff beneath the other volcanic rocks yields an age of 59.0 ± 0.4 Ma. Caribou Creek basalts were derived from mid-ocean-ridge–like depleted mantle that was emplaced beneath the southern margin of Alaska through a slab window following spreading ridge subduction. Caribou Creek volcanism was coeval with oblique subduction, oroclinal bending, and right-lateral strike-slip faulting in south-central Alaska, all of which could have induced crustal extension to allow adiabatic melting of the depleted mantle reservoir to form basaltic magmas. The basalts then evolved by fractional crystallization with moderate to high degrees of assimilation of Jurassic arc basement rocks to form the intermediate and felsic magmas. Enrichment of the basaltic parent magmas in fl uid-mobile elements occurred by contamination from the Jurassic arc rocks and/or by contamination with metasomatic mantle remnant from preceding subduction. High heat fl ow through the slab window induced partial melting of garnet-bearing mafi c parts of the Jurassic arc basement to form the adakite-like rocks. The Caribou Creek volcanic rocks demonstrate that slab windows can directly infl uence magmatism inboard of accretionary prism and forearc basin settings given a suitable deformation regime (e.g., crustal extension) and that the infl uence of a slab window on continental margin magmatism can be long-lived (>20 m.y.).

A 2.5 ka History of Dacitic Magmatism at Nevado de Toluca, Mexico: Petrological, 40Ar/39Ar Dating, and Experimental Constraints on Petrogenesis

Abstract: After 11 5 ka of quiescence (24 5–13 ka), the Nevado de Toluca volcano started a 2500 year period of activity. This period was characterized by a dome destruction event at 13 ka, a small Plinian event at 12 1 ka, and a large Plinian eruption at 10 5 ka. About 10 km of magma was erupted that was homogeneous in composition (63 3–65 7 SiO2 wt % whole-rock) and in mineralogy. Pumice consists of plagioclase (An30–59) > orthopyroxene (En56–59) > hornblende Fe–Ti oxides þ rare apatite (in opx) þ biotite, set in a rhyolitic matrix (72–76 SiO2 wt %). Ar/Ar analysis of single biotite crystals yielded ages (0 81–4 7 Ma), that do not correspond to eruption ages. The biotite represents partially assimilated xenocrysts, which could have resided in the magma for only a short period of time. Mineral chemical data, coupled with hydrothermal experiments, indicate that prior to eruption the dacitic magma stagnated at a depth of 4 5–6 km below the summit at water pressures of 160–210 MPa and a temperature of 824 12 C on the basis of Fe–Ti oxide thermometry, and under watersaturated conditions. To stabilize a homogeneous magma body of >10 km at 824 C in the upper crust, we propose that reheating of the dacitic reservoir by hotter magma batches was able to maintain the equilibrium between the temperature of the magma and the assimilation of wall-rock over a period of 2500 years. Based on similarities among the juvenile products, we suggest that the three eruptions were fed from the same magma body.

Paleosecular variation and GAD studies of 0–2 Ma flow sequences from the Aleutian Islands, Alaska

Abstract: [1] A study was undertaken in the late 1960s to investigate paleosecular variations of the geomagnetic field as recorded in volcanic rocks from the Aleutian Islands. The early results were internally consistent but to be wholly credible by today's standards needed more detailed demagnetization. Complete thermal demagnetization protocols have been applied to the unmeasured archived samples from the six flow sequences used in the initial study, and 40Ar/39Ar techniques have been used to improve the time resolution. The flow sequences have ages ranging from about 50 ka to 2 Ma, and the number of sequential flows in the individual sequences varies from 8 to 21. After strict selection criteria were applied (MAD < 5°, α95 < 5°) for both demagnetization data from samples and samples within one flow, the number of acceptable flows per flow sequence dropped to between 5 and 15. With the exception of a sequence showing transitional field behavior, the between-flow dispersion and the α95 values for the other sequences were notably low with respect to secular variation models, and their mean directions were very close to the GAD field. Since the time represented by the individual sequences is not well determined, the low dispersion could represent very short eruption times. In contrast, the lack of dispersion with respect to the GAD field can be taken to indicate good time averaging. Since the locations of the sampled flows are at roughly the same latitude (about 50°N) but are spread over about 10° of longitude, the dispersion was calculated for both the locality-means and the flow-means. These data represent the whole 2 Myr and give a dispersion which is lower than current secular variation models predict. A similar data set published for locations in western Canada that are at roughly the same latitude and overlap in age with the Aleutian sites gives dispersions that are close to the model predictions. At face value this can be interpreted as indicating low secular variation for the Aleutian sites.

Structural Fabrics, Mineralization, and Laramide Kinematics of the Idaho Springs-Ralston Shear Zone, Colorado Mineral Belt and Central Front Range Uplift

Abstract: The Idaho Springs and Central City mining districts form the central portion of a structurally controlled hydrothermal precious- and base-metal vein system in the Front Range of the northeast-trending Colorado Mineral Belt. Three new 40Ar/39Ar plateau ages on hydrothermal sericite indicate the veins formed during the Laramide orogeny between 65.4±1.5 – 6l.9±1.3 Ma. We compile structural geologic data from surface geological maps, subsurface mine maps, and theses for analysis using modern graphical methods and integration into models of formation of economic mineral deposits. Structural data sets, produced in the 1950s and 1960s by the U.S. Geological Survey, are compiled for fabric elements, including metamorphic foliations, fold axial trends, major brittle fault zones, quartz and precious- and base-metal veins and fault veins, Tertiary dikes, and joints. These fabric elements are plotted on equal-area projections and analyzed for mean fabric orientations. Strike-slip fault-vein sets are mostly parallel or sub-parallel, and not conjugate as interpreted by previous work; late-stage, normal-slip fault veins possibly show a pattern indicative of triaxial strain. Fault-slip kinematic analysis was used to model the trend of the Laramide maximum horizontal stress axis, or compression direction, and to determine compatibility of opening and shear motions within a single stress field. The combined-model maximum compression direction for all strike slip fault veins is ~068°, which is consistent with published Laramide compression directions of ~064° (mean of 23 regional models) and ~072° for the Front Range uplift. The orientations of fabric elements were analyzed for mechanical and kinematic compatibility with opening, and thus permeability enhancement, in the modeled regional east-northeast, Laramide compression direction. The fabric orientation analysis and paleostress modeling show that structural permeability during mineralization was enhanced along pre-existing metamorphic foliations and fold axial planes. Large orientation dispersion in most fabric elements likely caused myriad potential pathways for permeability. The dominant orientations of opening and shear mode structures are consistent with a sub-parallel network of structures that formed in the Laramide east-northeast compression direction. The results presented demonstrate the importance of using mechanical and kinematic theory integrated with contemporary ideas of permeability structure to better understand the coupled nature of fluid flow, mineral deposition, stress, and strain. Further, the results demonstrate that there is significant internal strain within this basement-cored uplift that was localized by optimally oriented pre-existing structures in a regional stress field.