What are the different types of peridotites?4 answersPeridotites can be classified into different types based on their composition and geological origin. The types of peridotites mentioned in the abstracts include:
1. Orogenic peridotites: These are fertile lherzolites that were once refractory lithospheric mantle but have been refertilized by upwelling partial melt.2. Ophiolitic peridotites: These peridotites originated from a suboceanic mantle formed within a mid-ocean ridge environment.3. Abyssal peridotites: These peridotites represent newly accreted oceanic lithosphere.4. Harzburgites: These are coarse-grained peridotites with porphyroclastic to protogranular textures. They can be found in sub-arc lithospheric mantle and may have been strained and deformed during oblique subduction.5. Spinellherzolites: These peridotites are formed by partial melting and are characterized by the presence of spinel and clinopyroxene. They can be found in various tectonic settings, including subcontinental and suboceanic mantle rocks."Context_1""Context_2""Context_3""Context_4"
Will earth melt?5 answersThe earth may melt if a prescribed fraction of it is melted during a giant impact, resulting in a global magma ocean or a laterally inhomogeneous distribution of melt and solid through a mega-crater geometry. However, there is no evidence to suggest that the earth will melt naturally. The concern of earth melting arises in the context of experiments studying collisions between gold nuclei at unprecedented energies, where the hypothetical products of these collisions called "strangelets" may pose a risk to the planet. It is important to note that these experiments aim to derive a safe and stringent upper bound on the risk incurred. Therefore, while there are scenarios where the earth may melt under specific conditions, there is no indication that it will happen naturally or as a result of current scientific experiments.
What is the genesis of boninite?5 answersBoninites are highly magnesian lavas that are found in the Eastern Mediterranean region. The genesis of boninite is still a topic of debate. Some researchers argue that boninites are formed at mid-ocean ridges, while others suggest that they are formed above subduction zones. The presence of andesitic extrusives, chemically "depleted" basalts, and highly magnesian lavas in the Eastern Mediterranean ophiolites favors the formation of boninites above subduction zones rather than at mid-ocean ridges ^[Robertson]. These boninites are believed to have formed during the initial stages of intra-oceanic subduction, before the emergence of any major related oceanic arc ^[Robertson]. The formation of boninites is associated with short-lived periods of supra-subduction-type ophiolite formation ^[Robertson]. The exact processes and mechanisms involved in the genesis of boninite are still being studied and further research is needed to fully understand their origin ^[Robertson].
What are the Tm anomalies in clinopyroxene data of peridotite?5 answersClinopyroxenes in peridotite show unusual negative anomalies in Hf and Zr relative to adjacent elements Sm and Nd. Comparison of trace element analyses of clinopyroxenes from peridotites indicates that clinopyroxene composition cannot discriminate between suboceanic and subcontinental mantle. The distribution of incompatible trace elements between clino- and ortho-pyroxenes from spinel peridotite xenoliths has been investigated. Garnet peridotite samples studied show titanoclinohumite and titanochondrodite exsolution texture in clinopyroxene inclusions. Constituent minerals from alpine lherzolites reveal a range in Sr isotopic composition, indicating a simple mantle origin.
Garnet can garnet pyroxenites be generated by melt-peridotite interaction?5 answersGarnet pyroxenites can be generated by melt-peridotite interaction. The abstracts provide evidence of ancient processes of melt-rock reaction in the chemistry of garnet pyroxenites, indicating that these lithospheric mantle sections have undergone a long history of melting and/or melt-rock reaction processes. The interaction between melts of garnet pyroxenite and surrounding mantle can result in the formation of spinel websterite residues and secondary fertile spinel lherzolite. This melt-peridotite interaction can transfer the signature of subducted or delaminated crust to the mantle and introduce a garnet pyroxenite component into the source region of basalts. The efficiency of these processes in conveying the geochemical imprint of crustal-derived garnet pyroxenite to extruded lavas depends on the reactivity of pyroxenite melt with peridotite and the mantle permeability.
What is the genesis of garnet pyroxenites in the Nushan volcano?5 answersThe genesis of garnet pyroxenites in the Nushan volcano is likely due to a combination of fluid metasomatism and ascending fluids interacting with peridotites. The Nushan peridotite xenoliths can be divided into two groups: a low temperature (LT) group and a high temperature (HT) group. The LT group pyroxenes are believed to have formed through fluid metasomatism in the mantle, while the HT group pyroxenes show positive correlations between water content and Al, and negative correlations between water content and Mg, indicating H incorporation through mechanisms involving Al and Mg. The ascending fluids, which crystallized nominally anhydrous minerals on the wall between fluids and peridotites, resulted in an increase in water content in the fluids. When these fluids reacted with the LT peridotites, the initial water content of the minerals changed, and amphiboles were formed.