A record of the lower Mammoth geomagnetic polarity reversal from a marine succession in the Boso Peninsula, central Japan

Summary Palaeomagnetic records from geological archives provide significant information about the nature of geomagnetic polarity reversals; however, there are few detailed palaeomagnetic records of pre-Pleistocene reversals. The lower Mammoth Subchron boundary (late Pliocene) is recorded in a 10-m interval of a marine succession deposited at high accumulation rates (9–66 cm/kyr) in the Boso Peninsula, central Japan. Here, we report a continuous palaeomagnetic record of the lower, normal to reverse boundary interval of the Mammoth Subchron, including the geomagnetic field direction and relative palaeointensity, with an average temporal resolution of ca 800 years. A hybrid method of thermal demagnetization at 200° C and progressive alternating field demagnetization were used to effectively extract the primary palaeomagnetic component, which is carried by magnetite. The lower Mammoth transition is characterized by palaeomagnetic direction of instability and decay of the relative palaeointensity, and occurred from late Marine Isotope Stage MG3 (3351 ka) to MG2 (3336 ka) or MG1 (3331 ka), spanning 15–20 kyr. Virtual geomagnetic poles (VGPs), calculated from primary palaeomagnetic directions, rapidly rebounded twice from southern latitudes to northern latitudes within the transition. In contrast to the complex lower Mammoth reversal behavior recorded in the Boso Peninsula succession, records from a lava sequence in O'ahu (Hawai'i) reveal a rebound following a 180° directional change, and those from a marl succession in Sicily (Italy) indicate a single rapid directional change. Diverse geomagnetic field evolution among these three sections is reflected resolution difference among the records likely in combination with an influence of non-axial dipole field.

Chapter 2.1a Ferrar Large Igneous Province: volcanology

Preserved rocks in the Jurassic Ferrar Large Igneous Province consist mainly of intrusions, and extrusive rocks, the topic of this chapter, comprise the remaining small component. They crop out in a limited number of areas in the Transantarctic Mountains and southeastern Australia. They consist of thick sequences of lavas and sporadic occurrences of volcaniclastic rocks. The latter occur mainly beneath the lavas and represent the initial eruptive activity, but also are present within the lava sequence. The majority are basaltic phreatomagmatic deposits and in at least two locations form immense phreatocauldrons filled with structureless tuff breccias and lapilli tuffs with thicknesses of as much as 400 m. Stratified sequences of tuff breccias, lapilli tuffs and tuffs are up to 200 m thick. Thin tuff beds are sparsely distributed in the lava sequences. Lava successions are mainly 400–500 m thick, and comprise individual lavas ranging from 1 to 230 m thick, although most are in the range of 10–100 m. Well-defined colonnade and entablature are seldom displayed. Lava sequences were confined topographically and locally ponded. Water played a prominent role in eruptive activity, as exhibited by phreatomagmatism, hyaloclastites, pillow lava and quenching of lavas. Vents for lavas have yet to be identified.

Rifting of the oceanic Azores Plateau with episodic volcanic activity

Extension of the Azores Plateau along the Terceira Rift exposes a lava sequence on the steep northern flank of the Hirondelle Basin. Unlike typical tholeiitic basalts of oceanic plateaus, the 1.2 km vertical submarine stratigraphic profile reveals two successive compositionally distinct basanitic to alkali basaltic eruptive units. The lower unit is volumetrically more extensive with ~ 1060 m of the crustal profile forming between ~ 2.02 and ~ 1.66 Ma, followed by a second unit erupting the uppermost ~ 30 m of lavas in ~ 100 kyrs. The age of ~ 1.56 Ma of the youngest in-situ sample at the top of the profile implies that the 35 km-wide Hirondelle Basin opened after this time along normal faults. This rifting phase was followed by alkaline volcanism at D. João de Castro seamount in the basin center indicating episodic volcanic activity along the Terceira Rift. The mantle source compositions of the two lava units change towards less radiogenic Nd, Hf, and Pb isotope ratios. A change to less SiO2-undersaturated magmas may indicate increasing degrees of partial melting beneath D. João de Castro seamount, possibly caused by lithospheric thinning within the past 1.5 million years. Our results suggest that rifting of oceanic lithosphere alternates between magmatically and tectonically dominated phases.

Linking Siberian Traps LIP Emplacement and End-Permian Mass Extinction: Evidence from Magnetic Stratigraphy of the Maymecha-Kotuy Volcanic Section

The Siberian Traps Large Igneous Provinces (LIP) emplacement is considered as one of possible triggers for the end-Permian global biotic crisis. However, relative timing of the onset of extinction and the main phase of the magmatic activity are not yet accurately constrained. We present the detailed paleomagnetic data for the thickest composite section of the Siberian Traps volcanics, located in the Maymecha-Kotuy region. The major part of the Maymecha-Kotuy section erupted in the beginning of Early Triassic period and postdate came the onset of the biotic crisis. However, the initial pulse of volcanic activity in this region took place at the end of the Permian period, and likely preceded the extinction event, being nearly coeval to the lowest part of tuff-lava sequence of Norilsk. The suggested correlation scheme of volcanic sections from different regions of the Siberian platform shows that explosive and extrusive events foregoing the onset of extinction can be identified in almost all regions of the Siberian Traps LIP. Finally, we estimate the total duration of magmatic activity in the Maymecha-Kotuy region as ~2 Myr and assume that this lasted after the termination of eruptions in other parts of the Siberian platform.

Stratigraphy and age of Karoo basalts of Lesotho and implications for correlations within the Karoo igneous province. Ben McDhui Section

<div><p>This chapter contains sections titled:</p><ul><li><p>Introduction</p></li><li><p>Overview of the Karoo Province</p></li><li><p>Sampling and Analytical Techniques</p></li><li><p>Overview of Stratigraphic Variations</p></li><li><p>The Basis for Geochemical Subdivision</p></li><li><p>Correlation Between Palaeomagnetic and Geochemical Stratigraphy</p></li><li><p>Implications for Structure and Emplacement of the Lava Sequence</p></li><li><p>The Age of Karoo Volcanism</p></li><li><p>Correlations with Other Karoo Volcanic Successions</p></li><li><p>Conclusions</p></li><li><p>Appendix</p></li></ul><p>RESEARCH DATA. Location of this section is described in Marsh et al. (1997) AGU Geophysical Monograph, 100, 247-272.</p> <p>Title of data set: Ben McDhui Section. Altitudes measured by anaeroid altimeter.</p></div>

Stratigraphy and age of Karoo basalts of Lesotho and implications for correlations within the Karoo igneous province. Ben McDhui Section

<div><p>This chapter contains sections titled:</p><ul><li><p>Introduction</p></li><li><p>Overview of the Karoo Province</p></li><li><p>Sampling and Analytical Techniques</p></li><li><p>Overview of Stratigraphic Variations</p></li><li><p>The Basis for Geochemical Subdivision</p></li><li><p>Correlation Between Palaeomagnetic and Geochemical Stratigraphy</p></li><li><p>Implications for Structure and Emplacement of the Lava Sequence</p></li><li><p>The Age of Karoo Volcanism</p></li><li><p>Correlations with Other Karoo Volcanic Successions</p></li><li><p>Conclusions</p></li><li><p>Appendix</p></li></ul><p>RESEARCH DATA. Location of this section is described in Marsh et al. (1997) AGU Geophysical Monograph, 100, 247-272.</p> <p>Title of data set: Ben McDhui Section. Altitudes measured by anaeroid altimeter.</p></div>

Mafic intrusions, hydrothermal venting, and the basalt-sediment transition: Linking onshore and offshore examples from the North Atlantic igneous province

The emplacement of large intrusive complexes into sedimentary basins can have profound effects on host sedimentary rocks including deformation, thermal aureole metamorphic reactions, alteration of fluid-flow pathways, and the formation of associated hydrothermal vent complexes (HVCs). These processes can in turn have major implications for petroleum systems on the local and regional scale, and can contribute to global climate change due to the production and outgassing of greenhouse gases, such as [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. Imaging these features and assessing their implications from seismic data beneath extrusive volcanic cover is challenging due to heterogeneities in the volcanic pile and at the basalt-sediment transition. We have evaluated combined field and laboratory petrophysical data from the Isle of Skye, Scotland, where we identify a seismic-scale example of extensive intrusions interacting with the base-basalt transition. We have also evaluated a unique onshore example of a linked sill and associated HVC cutting up through the lava sequence. We compare these field results with HVCs from reflection seismic data across the Vøring Marginal High, offshore Norway, where subbasalt saucer-shaped intrusions are also seen associated with HVCs cutting the lava sequence. Seismic imaging problems associated with the velocity heterogeneity of volcanic sequences, along with a historical lack of high-quality 3D data in volcanic regions worldwide, is suggested as having largely precluded the identification of these features in the past. The under-representation of these hydrothermal vents in the literature has key implications for the future appraisal of intrusion-related outgassing effects on the global climate such as those related to the Palaeocene Eocene Thermal Maximum, along with subbasalt petroleum prospectivity where they may alter maturation and migration pathways.