Article
|
Open Access
Featured
-
-
Article
| Open AccessIn-conduit capture of sub-micron volcanic ash particles via turbophoresis and sintering
Here the authors document evidence of ultrafine ash captured within ash-venting nozzles at Cordón Caulle volcano (Chile). This decouples eruptive processes from the emitted products, as explained by a new model of in-vent ash migration and sticking.
- Jamie I. Farquharson
- , Hugh Tuffen
- & C. Ian Schipper
-
Article
| Open AccessCrustal melting in orogenic belts revealed by eclogite thermal properties
By measuring the thermal properties of eclogite at high pressures, the authors found that temperature of orogenic continental crust is sufficient to melt granite and phengite, leading to low-velocity and high-conductivity anomalies in orogenic belts.
- Baohua Zhang
- , Hongzhan Fei
- & Qunke Xia
-
Article
| Open AccessTectonically-driven oxidant production in the hot biosphere
Researchers at Newcastle University have discovered a mechanism by which earthquakes create bursts of hydrogen peroxide and oxygen in hot underground fractures. These may have played a vital role in the early evolution and origin of life on Earth.
- Jordan Stone
- , John O. Edgar
- & Jon Telling
-
Article
| Open AccessCompeting effects of vegetation density on sedimentation in deltaic marshes
Wetland vegetation is typically considered only in terms of enhancing sediment accretion and positively impacting land-building. Here, the authors show that the degree of enhancement has a strong dependence on vegetation density through the influence on sediment supply and retention.
- Yuan Xu
- , Christopher R. Esposito
- & Heidi M. Nepf
-
Article
| Open AccessSpace-time monitoring of groundwater fluctuations with passive seismic interferometry
Characterization of groundwater systems is important for sustainable freshwater management. Here, the authors map the distribution of groundwater storage changes at several hundred meters below the metropolitan Los Angeles during 2000–2020, by developing a cost-effective method using ambient ground vibrations recorded by seismometers.
- Shujuan Mao
- , Albanne Lecointre
- & Michel Campillo
-
Article
| Open AccessSources of dehydration fluids underneath the Kamchatka arc
Fluids released from progressive breakdown of minerals at increasing pressure within a mélange may explain the trace element systematics and stable thallium isotope data of the Kamchatka arc lavas from volcanic front to back arc.
- Yunchao Shu
- , Sune G. Nielsen
- & Maureen Auro
-
Article
| Open AccessCoupled influence of tectonics, climate, and surface processes on landscape evolution in southwestern North America
Cenozoic landscape evolution of southwestern North America remains debated. Here, the authors reconstruct landscape using 4-D numerical models, which can explain extensional collapse and superficial geological record for the Basin and Range Province
- Alireza Bahadori
- , William E. Holt
- & Catherine Badgley
-
Article
| Open AccessTracing the origin of lithium in Li-ion batteries using lithium isotopes
Rechargeable Li-ion batteries play a key role in the energy transition towards clean energy. It is challenging for end users to ensure that Li comes from environmentally and responsible sources. Here the authors show that Li isotope ‘fingerprints’ are a useful tool for determining the origin of Li in battery.
- Anne-Marie Desaulty
- , Daniel Monfort Climent
- & Catherine Guerrot
-
Article
| Open AccessSulfur and chlorine budgets control the ore fertility of arc magmas
Earth’s largest copper deposits form in continental arcs, yet it is not well understood what determines whether a magmatic system generates economic mineralization or not. Here the authors show that the abundance of chlorine and sulfur, rather than the abundance of ore metals controls magmatic ore fertility.
- Carter Grondahl
- & Zoltán Zajacz
-
Article
| Open AccessEarly Cambrian renewal of the geodynamo and the origin of inner core structure
New single crystal paleointensity data show that the geomagnetic field was renewed in the early Cambrian after near collapse in the Ediacaran Period. This implies that the innermost/outermost structure of the inner core formed 450 million yrs. ago.
- Tinghong Zhou
- , John A. Tarduno
- & Frank Padgett III
-
Article
| Open AccessResponding to eruptive transitions during the 2020–2021 eruption of La Soufrière volcano, St. Vincent
The 2020 – 2021 eruption of La Soufrière volcano transitioned from an effusive to explosive eruption style. Here the authors show that input from multiple monitoring datasets and an evolving conceptual model were key to anticipating and responding to the eruptive transition at the La Soufrière volcano, St. Vincent, in a resource-constrained setting.
- E. P. Joseph
- , M. Camejo-Harry
- & R. S. J. Sparks
-
Article
| Open AccessMegathrust reflectivity reveals the updip limit of the 2014 Iquique earthquake rupture
The rupture area of the 2014 Iquique earthquake offshore northern Chile was spatially limited to a region where the plate boundary is non-reflective in seismic images, indicative of low fluid pressure. In contrast, north and updip of the rupture area, a coherent highly reflective plate boundary indicates excess fluid pressure, which may inhibit strain accumulation, while strain release in the non-reflective rupture area occurs during large earthquakes.
- Bo Ma
- , Jacob Geersen
- & Heidrun Kopp
-
Article
| Open AccessShallow subsurface heat recycling is a sustainable global space heating alternative
Using shallow geothermal energy systems to recycle the heat accumulating in the subsurface due to climate change and urbanization is a feasible, sustainable, and opportunistic alternative to conventional space heating in the face of climate change
- Susanne A. Benz
- , Kathrin Menberg
- & Barret L. Kurylyk
-
Article
| Open AccessOxygen isotope (δ18O, Δ′17O) insights into continental mantle evolution since the Archean
The 18 O/16 O ratio of the subcontinental mantle has decreased by 0.2‰, while crustal values increased by 4‰ via fluid transfer since the Archean due to the initiation of plate tectonics and subduction, in line with the crust-upper mantle mass balance
- Ilya N. Bindeman
- , Dmitri A. Ionov
- & Alexander V. Golovin
-
Article
| Open AccessNanoparticle suspensions from carbon-rich fluid make high-grade gold deposits
The authors present novel observations providing insights into the formation of extraordinary gold-rich veins. We discovered metal nanoparticles associated with amorphous silica and carbon indicating their essential contribution to efficient gold deposition.
- Laura Petrella
- , Nicolas Thébaud
- & Sarah Gain
-
Article
| Open AccessPrimitive noble gases sampled from ocean island basalts cannot be from the Earth’s core
Li et al. established a liquid-liquid partition model based on ab initio calculations to reveal that He and Ne strongly fractionate during core-mantle separation, which concludes the primitive volatiles seen in hotspots cannot be from the core.
- Yunguo Li
- , Lidunka Vočadlo
- & John P. Brodholt
-
Article
| Open AccessIntracontinental deformation of the Tianshan Orogen in response to India-Asia collision
This study presents seismic images across the central Tianshan. The results show that Tianshan’s crust was extensively deformed according to its inherited properties, but was limitedly underthrusted by surrounding blocks
- Wei Li
- , Yun Chen
- & Brian F. Windley
-
Article
| Open AccessDiverse mantle components with invariant oxygen isotopes in the 2021 Fagradalsfjall eruption, Iceland
The 2021 eruption in the Reykjanes Peninsula of Iceland was the first in 800 years and was supplied by melts from diverse mantle source domains with near-identical oxygen isotope ratios, providing a unique insight into the Icelandic mantle plume.
- I. N. Bindeman
- , F. M. Deegan
- & T. R. Walter
-
Article
| Open AccessSeparate luminous structures leading positive leader steps
The lightning's nature is that different-polarity leaders extend in air. Only negative leaders' development was previously associated to floating plasma. We found that the floating plasma could also lead the positive leader stepwise development.
- Shengxin Huang
- , Weijiang Chen
- & Zhiyuan Zhang
-
Article
| Open Access21st-century stagnation in unvegetated sand-sea activity
Earth’s largest dune fields are set to become less dynamic on average over this century due to anthropogenic climate change, with no future action able to mitigate this effect, as predicted by the newest iteration of CMIP models.
- Andrew Gunn
- , Amy East
- & Douglas J. Jerolmack
-
Matters Arising
| Open AccessMultiple induced seismicity mechanisms at Castor underground gas storage illustrate the need for thorough monitoring
- Víctor Vilarrasa
- , Silvia De Simone
- & Antonio Villaseñor
-
Matters Arising
| Open AccessReply to: Multiple induced seismicity mechanisms at Castor underground gas storage illustrate the need for thorough monitoring
- Simone Cesca
- , Daniel Stich
- & William L. Ellsworth
-
Article
| Open AccessDuctile deformation during carbonation of serpentinized peridotite
Mantle rocks can efficiently bind carbon by reaction with CO2 if fluid pathways remain open. This study of samples from Oman demonstrates that coupling of synchronous reaction and deformation facilitates fluid flow and massive carbon sequestration.
- Manuel D. Menzel
- , Janos L. Urai
- & Peter B. Kelemen
-
Article
| Open AccessChallenging the highstand-dormant paradigm for land-detached submarine canyons
Powerful avalanches were recorded for the first time in an underwater canyon that lies 100 s of km from land. This challenges a long-held view and indicates > 1000 similar canyons worldwide actively pump sediment and pollutants into the deep-sea.
- M. S. Heijnen
- , F. Mienis
- & M. A. Clare
-
Article
| Open AccessA westerly wind dominated Puna Plateau during deposition of upper Pleistocene loessic sediments in the subtropical Andes, South America
Detrital zircon ages in Pleistocene sediments and wind erosion patterns indicate the Puna Plateau was dominated by westerly winds during intervals of high dust accumulation in the eastern subtropical Andes.
- Alex Pullen
- , David L. Barbeau Jr
- & Mary Kate Fidler
-
Article
| Open AccessClimatic and tectonic drivers shaped the tropical distribution of coral reefs
Warm-water coral reefs are limited to tropical and subtropical latitudes today but extended poleward in the geological past. This study shows that climatic and tectonic drivers explain the past distribution of coral reefs and associated biodiversity.
- Lewis A. Jones
- , Philip D. Mannion
- & Daniel J. Lunt
-
Article
| Open AccessIon complexation waves emerge at the curved interfaces of layered minerals
The structure of hydrated interfaces is essential for understanding of geochemical processes and behavior of layered minerals. The authors show that waves of hydrated ions emerge at curved aqueous interfaces and couple mineral deformation to the chemistry of the solution.
- Michael L. Whittaker
- , David Ren
- & Jillian F. Banfield
-
Article
| Open AccessThe cryptic seismic potential of the Pichilemu blind fault in Chile revealed by off-fault geomorphology
Cryptic faults concern earthquake scientists, since they pose a hidden seismic potential which is hard to identify. To address this, the authors here study off-fault deformed geomorphic markers such as marine terraces using high-resolution LiDAR topography, optical dating of sediments and space geodetic observations.
- J. Jara-Muñoz
- , D. Melnick
- & M. R. Strecker
-
Article
| Open AccessModest volcanic SO2 emissions from the Indonesian archipelago
Indonesia is the country with the most active volcanoes, several of which are renowned for climate-changing eruptions. Here the authors show a rather moderate sulfur emissions budget and reinforce the idea that sulfur-rich eruptions reflect long-term accumulation of volatiles in the reservoirs.
- Philipson Bani
- , Clive Oppenheimer
- & Mita Marlia
-
Article
| Open AccessDendritic crystallization in hydrous basaltic magmas controls magma mobility within the Earth’s crust
In situ 4D experiments at high temperature and moderate pressure reveal that rapid dendritic crystallization in hydrous basaltic magmas promotes a rheological transition within minutes, controlling magma mobility within the Earth’s crust.
- Fabio Arzilli
- , Margherita Polacci
- & Mike R. Burton
-
Article
| Open AccessHydrological control of river and seawater lithium isotopes
From modern seasonal to the deep time, global data show that continental hydrology has a direct and consistent effect on river and marine Li isotope compositions, highlighting a crucial role of climate on Earth’s weathering and the carbon cycle.
- Fei Zhang
- , Mathieu Dellinger
- & Zhangdong Jin
-
Article
| Open AccessEruption of ultralow-viscosity basanite magma at Cumbre Vieja, La Palma, Canary Islands
The rheological properties of the 2021 Cumbre Vieja magma on La Palma, Canary Islands is investigated. The study indicates that this eruption was fueled by magma having among the lowest viscosities observed for mafic systems, and consequently produced lavas that were flowing in the supercritical and possibly turbulent regime.
- Jonathan M. Castro
- & Yves Feisel
-
Article
| Open AccessOxidation of Archean upper mantle caused by crustal recycling
The basalt V-Ti redox proxy indicates that both of the Archean ambient and modified mantle exhibit a ~1.0 log unit increase in their evolution for most cratons, possibly derived by widespread crustal recycling.
- Lei Gao
- , Shuwen Liu
- & Yalu Hu
-
Article
| Open AccessActive construction of southernmost Tibet revealed by deep seismic imaging
Mechanism driving continental growth on modern Earth has long been debated. By interpreting the long deep seismic reflection data across the ongoing India-Eurasia collision zone, the authors report crustal-scale magma accretion onto the south of central Lhasa terrane produced net continental growth.
- Zhanwu Lu
- , Xiaoyu Guo
- & Bo Xiang
-
Article
| Open AccessLow-degree mantle melting controls the deep seismicity and explosive volcanism of the Gakkel Ridge
Joint implementation of seismic tomography and numerical thermo-mechanical modeling sheds light to the causes of explosive submarine volcanic eruptions on the Gakkel Ridge and deeply penetrating seismicity down to 25 km depth.
- Ivan Koulakov
- , Vera Schlindwein
- & Aleksey Ivanov
-
Article
| Open AccessAseismic slip and recent ruptures of persistent asperities along the Alaska-Aleutian subduction zone
Physically plausible interseismic asperity models determined from GPS velocities suggest that the 2020 Mw 7.8 Simeonof and 2021 Mw 8.2 Chignik earthquakes ruptured distinct persistent asperities on the Alaska-Aleutian subduction zone
- Bin Zhao
- , Roland Bürgmann
- & Qi Li
-
Article
| Open AccessTransient evolution of permeability and friction in a slowly slipping fault activated by fluid pressurization
The mechanisms of permeability and friction evolution in a natural fault are investigated in situ. The authors conclude that the transient evolution of fault permeability and friction caused by a pressure perturbation exerts a potentially dominant control on fault stability during fluid flow
- Frédéric Cappa
- , Yves Guglielmi
- & Louis De Barros
-
Article
| Open AccessTrans-crustal structural control of CO2-rich extensional magmatic systems revealed at Mount Erebus Antarctica
Episodic magma eruption and CO2 release to the atmosphere are controlled where two structural trends meet to cause dilatancy.
- G. J. Hill
- , P. E. Wannamaker
- & P. Kyle
-
Article
| Open AccessFractional crystallisation of eclogite during the birth of a Hawaiian Volcano
Rare glasses of earliest melts produced by a Hawaiian volcano can only have formed by the crystallisation of garnet implying a magma chamber near the base of the lithosphere
- Laura A. Miller
- , Hugh St. C. O’Neill
- & Charles Le Losq
-
Article
| Open AccessAstronomical tuning of the Aptian stage and its implications for age recalibrations and paleoclimatic events
The Early Cretaceous Aptian stage represents an interval of major dramatic climate changes, but there is no consensus on its lower boundary age. Here, the authors present an astro-chronological framework that offers new age constraints on the onset and duration of Aptian ocean anoxic events and the ‘cold snap’, among other significant climatic events.
- C. G. Leandro
- , J. F. Savian
- & R. I. F. Trindade
-
Article
| Open AccessSubducted organic matter buffered by marine carbonate rules the carbon isotopic signature of arc emissions
The carbon isotopic signature of CO2 released from marine sediments subducted beneath volcanic arcs does not reflect their organic/inorganic fraction, but instead the fluid-rock ratios and the redox conditions in force at the top of the slab.
- S. Tumiati
- , S. Recchia
- & S. Poli
-
Article
| Open AccessOrigin of carbonatites—liquid immiscibility caught in the act
Carbonatites are fascinating igneous rocks and their genesis remains enigmatic. Here the authors show that a Ca-rich carbonatite melt formed by liquid immiscibility from a phonolitic magma of the Laacher See volcano in the Eifel, Germany.
- Jasper Berndt
- & Stephan Klemme
-
Article
| Open AccessInflated pyroclasts in proximal fallout deposits reveal abrupt transitions in eruption behaviour
Jones et al. identify a new type of volcanic deposit, inflated pyroclasts, that form by continued gas expansion post-deposition. They show how these deposits can be indicative of abrupt transitions in eruptive behaviour at mafic volcanoes.
- Thomas J. Jones
- , Yannick Le Moigne
- & Donald B. Dingwell
-
Article
| Open AccessKilometer-scale structure on the core–mantle boundary near Hawaii
A new paper constrains a high-resolution ultra-low velocity zone (ULVZ) structure at the base of the Hawaiian mantle. The authors further propose this to be a chemically distinct ULVZ with increasing iron content towards the core mantle boundary.
- Zhi Li
- , Kuangdai Leng
- & Sanne Cottaar
-
Article
| Open AccessStructural transition and re-emergence of iron's total electron spin in (Mg,Fe)O at ultrahigh pressure
Iron spin transition occurs at ultrahigh pressure. The total electron spin increases from 0 to 1 as the structural transition of (Mg,Fe)O occurs (~0.6 TPa) and drops back to 0 at higher pressure. Its effects on exoplanet interiors are anticipated.
- Han Hsu
- & Koichiro Umemoto
-
Article
| Open AccessEarth’s geodynamic evolution constrained by 182W in Archean seawater
Banded iron formations, precipitates of Precambrian seawater, record global 182W isotope signatures derived from continental weathering and hydrothermal mantle fluxes into ancient oceans, tracking Earth’s geodynamic evolution through deep time.
- A. Mundl-Petermeier
- , S. Viehmann
- & C. Münker
-
Article
| Open Access22 years of satellite imagery reveal a major destabilization structure at Piton de la Fournaise
At Piton de la Fournaise volcano, satellite deformation allows to constrain the geometry of 57 magmatic intrusions. Versatile modeling reveals that a major spoon-shaped destabilization structure accommodates intrusions and seaward flank displacement.
- Quentin Dumont
- , Valérie Cayol
- & Aline Peltier
-
Article
| Open AccessThe critical role of magma degassing in sulphide melt mobility and metal enrichment
A new study shows the occurrence of a fluid phase in mafic-ultramafic magmas may represent a significant boost for magmatic sulphide ore forming processes, by favouring sulphide melt accumulation and increasing tenors.
- Giada Iacono-Marziano
- , Margaux Le Vaillant
- & Laurent Arbaret
-
Article
| Open AccessA strength inversion origin for non-volcanic tremor
Subduction plate boundaries have enigmatic seismic tremor that is often associated with surges in creep across these boundaries. Here, the authors use multiple approaches to show how blocks of weak rocks in a stronger matrix can explain both the occurrence and characteristics of tremor events.
- Paola Vannucchi
- , Alexander Clarke
- & Jason P. Morgan