Early Earth zircons formed in residual granitic melts produced by tonalite differentiation

The oldest geological materials on Earth are Hadean (>4 Ga) detrital zircon grains. Their chemistry and apparently low Ti-in-zircon temperatures (≤700 °C) are considered to be inconsistent with crystallization in a magma of the tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite (TTG) suite, although these are the dominant Archean (4.0–2.5 Ga) silicic rocks. Using a new data set of trace element contents in zircons from Paleoarchean Barberton TTGs (South Africa) and thermodynamic modeling, we show that these zircons have crystallized at near-solidus conditions from a compositionally uniform granitic melt. This melt is residual from the crystallization of a less evolved (tonalitic) parent and thereby shows major and trace element compositions different from bulk TTG rocks. A global compilation reveals that most Hadean detrital and Archean TTG-hosted grains share a peculiar zircon trace element signature that is distinct from the chemical trends defined by Phanerozoic zircons. Our model shows that the low Ti contents of early Earth zircons reflect crystallization at higher temperatures (720–800 °C) than initially inferred due to lower modeled TiO2 activity in the melt relative to previous estimates. We therefore propose that near-solidus zircon crystallization from a chemically evolved melt in a TTG-like magmatic environment was the dominant zircon-forming process on the early Earth.

The Petrology and Petrochemistry of Andesite and Dacite Volcanoes in Eastern Bay of Plenty, New Zealand

<p>The volcanic rocks of Edgecumbe, Whale Island, White Island and Manawahe are andesites and dacites, which are collectively termed the Bay of Plenty volcanics. Edgecumbe is a comparatively young volcano, being active between 1700 and 8000 years B.P.; Whale Island has probably been inactive for at least the last 36,000 years; White Island has probably been active for much of the late Pleistocene, and is still in a stage of solfataric activity with intermittent tephra eruptions; and Manawahe is probably of the order of 750,000 year old (K-Ar date by J.J. Stipp). The geology of Edgecumbe, Whale Island and White Island is discussed, and the petrography and mineralogy of the Bay of plenty volcanics is discussed and compared. The rocks of Edgecumbe and Whale Island are extremely similar petrographically, but the rocks of White Island and Manawahe are sufficiently different that they can be distinguished both from one another and from Edgecumbe and Whale Island rocks. Most of the Bay of Plenty volcanics are plagioclase andesites or plagioclase dacites. New total rock analyses for 28 elements in 44 samples of the Bay of Plenty volcanics are presented, together with analyses of 4 samples from elsewhere in the Taupo Volcanic Zone. Three samples were analysed for an additional 17 elements. The Bay of Plenty volcanics are calc-alkaline and are predominantly dacites (greater than or equal to 63% SiO2) by Taylor et al.'s (1969) definition, but there is chemical continuity from samples with about 61% SiO2 to samples with about 66% SiO2. Major and trace element variation trends cannot be explained entirely by a crystal fractionation hypothesis, and assimilation of upper crustal material of rhyolitic composition best explains the variation trends for Edgecumbe and Whale Island. The variation trends and certain element abundances in White Island rocks suggest the assimilation of marine sediments, and introduction of seawater into the magma. Taken as a whole, the Bay of Plenty volcanics fit the chemical trends which have been established for the Taupo Zone by earlier workers (e.g. Steiner, 1958; Clark, 1960). The apparent geochemical 'gap' or discontinuity between about 68% and 71.5% SiO2 noted by Steiner (1958) is further substantiated by the new geochemical data presented here. It is considered likely that basalt, andesite and rhyolite are all primary magmas in the Taupo Volcanic Zone. Their possible origins, and the origins of Taupo Zone dacites are discussed.</p>

The Petrology and Petrochemistry of Andesite and Dacite Volcanoes in Eastern Bay of Plenty, New Zealand

<p>The volcanic rocks of Edgecumbe, Whale Island, White Island and Manawahe are andesites and dacites, which are collectively termed the Bay of Plenty volcanics. Edgecumbe is a comparatively young volcano, being active between 1700 and 8000 years B.P.; Whale Island has probably been inactive for at least the last 36,000 years; White Island has probably been active for much of the late Pleistocene, and is still in a stage of solfataric activity with intermittent tephra eruptions; and Manawahe is probably of the order of 750,000 year old (K-Ar date by J.J. Stipp). The geology of Edgecumbe, Whale Island and White Island is discussed, and the petrography and mineralogy of the Bay of plenty volcanics is discussed and compared. The rocks of Edgecumbe and Whale Island are extremely similar petrographically, but the rocks of White Island and Manawahe are sufficiently different that they can be distinguished both from one another and from Edgecumbe and Whale Island rocks. Most of the Bay of Plenty volcanics are plagioclase andesites or plagioclase dacites. New total rock analyses for 28 elements in 44 samples of the Bay of Plenty volcanics are presented, together with analyses of 4 samples from elsewhere in the Taupo Volcanic Zone. Three samples were analysed for an additional 17 elements. The Bay of Plenty volcanics are calc-alkaline and are predominantly dacites (greater than or equal to 63% SiO2) by Taylor et al.'s (1969) definition, but there is chemical continuity from samples with about 61% SiO2 to samples with about 66% SiO2. Major and trace element variation trends cannot be explained entirely by a crystal fractionation hypothesis, and assimilation of upper crustal material of rhyolitic composition best explains the variation trends for Edgecumbe and Whale Island. The variation trends and certain element abundances in White Island rocks suggest the assimilation of marine sediments, and introduction of seawater into the magma. Taken as a whole, the Bay of Plenty volcanics fit the chemical trends which have been established for the Taupo Zone by earlier workers (e.g. Steiner, 1958; Clark, 1960). The apparent geochemical 'gap' or discontinuity between about 68% and 71.5% SiO2 noted by Steiner (1958) is further substantiated by the new geochemical data presented here. It is considered likely that basalt, andesite and rhyolite are all primary magmas in the Taupo Volcanic Zone. Their possible origins, and the origins of Taupo Zone dacites are discussed.</p>

Author Correction: Chemical trends of deep levels in van der Waals semiconductors

A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-20151-x

Chemical trends of deep levels in van der Waals semiconductors

Properties of semiconductors are largely defined by crystal imperfections including native defects. Van der Waals (vdW) semiconductors, a newly emerged class of materials, are no exception: defects exist even in the purest materials and strongly affect their electrical, optical, magnetic, catalytic and sensing properties. However, unlike conventional semiconductors where energy levels of defects are well documented, they are experimentally unknown in even the best studied vdW semiconductors, impeding the understanding and utilization of these materials. Here, we directly evaluate deep levels and their chemical trends in the bandgap of MoS2, WS2 and their alloys by transient spectroscopic study. One of the deep levels is found to follow the conduction band minimum of each host, attributed to the native sulfur vacancy. A switchable, DX center - like deep level has also been identified, whose energy lines up instead on a fixed level across different hosts, explaining a persistent photoconductivity above 400 K.