HR: 0800h
AN: V11A-0362    [Abstracts]
TI: Formation of D- and I-shaped geochemical profiles in saucer-shaped sills due to post- emplacement magma flow induced by thermal stresses
AU: * Aarnes, I
EM: ingrid.aarnes@fys.uio.no
AF: Physics of Geological Processes (PGP), University of Oslo, PB 1048 Blindern, Oslo, 0316, Norway
AU: Podladchikov, Y Y
EM: yuripo@ulrik.uio.no
AF: Physics of Geological Processes (PGP), University of Oslo, PB 1048 Blindern, Oslo, 0316, Norway
AU: Neumann, E
EM: e.r.neumann@geo.uio.no
AF: Physics of Geological Processes (PGP), University of Oslo, PB 1048 Blindern, Oslo, 0316, Norway
AB: There are still unresolved problems in the processes of emplacement and crystallization of saucer shaped sill intrusions. We use geochemistry and numerical modelling in order to constrain identify processes in mafic sill intrusions. Profiles sampled through through a saucer-shaped sill complex in the Karoo igneous province, South Africa show a variety of geochemical variations. Some variations are observed repeatedly, i.e. the D- and I-shaped profiles. D-shaped profiles are recognized by having the least evolved composition in the center (high Mg#) with more evolved composition at the upper and lower margins (low Mg#), resulting in a D-shaped Mg# profile. I- shaped profiles are recognized by having no variation in the Mg# through the profile. The formation mechanism of D-shaped profiles is enigmatic, as classical fractional crystallization theory predicts C-shapes to occur. The least evolved composition will be at the margins where crystallization initiates, and with continued cooling and crystallization the center will be progressively more evolved. Hence, we need another formation mechanism. The most common explanation for D-shaped profiles is a movement of early formed phenocrysts towards the center due to flow segregation. However, petrographical evidences from a D-shaped profile in this study show no phenocryst assemblage in the center, and the modal composition is homogeneous through the profile. We propose that differentiation is caused by a melt flow from the central parts of the sill towards the margins driven by underpressure anomalies at the margins. The underpressures develop because of strong cooling gradients at the margins, assuming no volume change due to a rigid crystal network. The less compatible elements associated with the melt phase will be transported into the margins by advection, resulting in a more evolved total system composition from a higher total melt percentage. The central parts will progressively be depleted in the less compatible elements due to the outflux through a stationary crystal network, resulting in a less evolved total system composition from a total lower melt percentage. Dimensional analysis combined with a numerical model developed using finite element method is used to constrain the post-emplacement melt flow induced by cooling. The numerical model show that large underpressure-anomalies (in the order of -1e8 Pa) develop at the cooling margins. The melt flow following Darcy's law of porous flow is integrated over time into total melt displacement. The two main parameters controlling the magnitude of the melt displacement are permeability of the crystal network and viscosity of the melt. By using a basaltic viscosity and the permeability of 90% crystallinity we get a total melt displacement that is larger than 10% of the sill thickness. We therefore conclude that the post-emplacement flow as a differentiation mechanism causing D-shaped profiles is feasible under natural occurring conditions. I-shaped profiles is predicted to occur where there is no or limited flow due to e.g. rapid cooling (i.e. rapidly decreasing permeability and increasing viscosity) or in melts with high silica contents and thus higher viscosity. This model can be applied to any magmatic sheet-intrusion, regardless of orientation.
DE: 8434 Magma migration and fragmentation
SC: Volcanology, Geochemistry, Petrology [V]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting