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Chondritic meteorites (chondrites) contain evidence for the interaction of liquid water with the interiors of small bodies early in Solar System history. Here we review the processes, products and timings of the low-temperature aqueous alteration reactions in CR, CM, CI and ungrouped carbonaceous chondrites, the asteroids Ryugu and Bennu, and hydrated dark clasts in different types of meteorites. We first consider the nature of chondritic lithologies and the insights that they provide into alteration conditions, subdivided by the mineralogy and petrology of hydrated chondrites, the mineralogy of hydrated dark clasts, the effects of alteration on presolar grains, and the evolution of organic matter. We then describe the properties of the aqueous fluids and how they reacted with accreted material as revealed by physicochemical modelling and hydrothermal experiments, the analysis of fluid inclusions in aqueously formed minerals, and isotope tracers. Lastly, we outline the chronology of aqueous alteration reactions as determined using the 53 Mn- 53 Cr and 129 I- 129 Xe systems.

Frictional failure is the dominant deformation mechanism for rocks in the upper crust while in the middle crust rocks begin to deform viscously. Within this transition, brittle and viscous phases coexist, forming semi‐frictional materials. While semi‐frictional deformation on large scales might play an important role in understanding the transition between earthquakes and slow slip/creep, it can also be observed at smaller scales. Here, we use field observations of the Papoose Flat pluton in eastern California to study deformation of heterogeneous materials during shearing. Clast concentration varies between 2% and 12% by area. Field and microscopic observations show that the matrix deforms viscously, while the clasts fail in a brittle manner. We systematically document clast concentration and spacing with respect to clast fracturing and observe increasing frictional failure of clasts with increasing clast concentration. To test which matrix viscosities impose enough stresses on the clasts to lead to frictional deformation, we complement field observations with 2D numerical models. Maps with 7% by area randomly placed circular clasts are created and deformed under simple shear kinematic conditions. We test different matrix viscosities, from constant low and high viscosity (1017 and 1019 Pa.s, respectively), to dislocation creep for granite. Clasts in the vicinity of other clasts are affected by stresses around their neighbors. This effect decreases with increasing clast distance. Our field observations and numerical results suggest that the viscous phase can impose significant stresses onto the brittle phase, causing failure even at very low clast concentrations and in the absence of clast‐clast interactions. Key Points Field observations of the Papoose Flat pluton show frictional failure of isolated feldspar clasts in the granitic pluton matrix 2D numerical models of two‐phase systems confirm frictional failure of clasts embedded in a creeping matrix In the absence of clast interactions, the extent of clast failure depends on matrix viscosity and their proximity to other clasts

The reconstruction of the geological (tectonic) structure and environments of subglacial Lake Vostok is based on geophysical surveys and the study of mineral particles found in cores of accreted ice and frozen lake water (sampled after the lake was unsealed). Seismic reflection and refraction investigations conducted in the southern part of Lake Vostok show very thin (200–300 m) sedimentary cover overlying a crystalline basement. Most of this thin veneer is thought to have been deposited during temperate-glacial conditions in Oligocene to Middle Miocene time (ca 34–14 Ma). The composition of the lake-bottom sediments can be deduced from mineral inclusions found in cores of accreted ice. Inclusions are represented by soft aggregates consisting mainly of clay–mica minerals and micrometre-sized quartz grains. Some of these inclusions contain subangular to semi-rounded rock clasts (siltstones and sandstones) ranging from 0.3 to 8 mm in size. In total, 31 zircon grains have been identified in two rock clasts and dated using SHRIMP-II. The ages of the studied zircons range from 0.6 to 2.0 Ga with two distinct clusters between 0.8 and 1.15 Ga and between 1.6 and 1.8 Ga. Rock clasts obviously came from the western lake shore, which is thus composed of terrigenous strata with an age of not older than 600 Ma. The sedimentary nature of the western lake shore is also confirmed by seismic refraction data showing seismic velocities there of 5.4–5.5 km s−1 at the bedrock surface. After Lake Vostok was unsealed, its water (frozen and sampled next season) was also studied with scanning electron microscopy and X-ray microprobe analysis. This study showed the existence of calcium carbonate and silica microparticles (10–20 μm across) in frozen water.

Symmetric structures in ductile shear zones range widely in shapes and geneses. Matrix rheology, its flow pattern, its competency contrast with the clast, degree of slip of the clast, shear intensity and its variation across shear zone and deformation temperature, and degree of confinement of clast in shear zones affects (independently) the degree of symmetry of objects. Kinematic vorticity number is one of the parameters that govern tail geometry across clasts. For example, symmetric and nearly straight tails develop if the clast–matrix system underwent dominantly a pure shear/compression. Prolonged deformation and concomitant recrystallization can significantly change the degree of symmetry of clasts. Angular relation between two shear zones or between a shear zone and anisotropy determines fundamentally the degree of symmetry of lozenges. Symmetry of boudinaged clasts too depends on competency contrast between the matrix and clast in some cases, and on the degrees of slip of inter-boudin surfaces and pure shear. Parasitic folds and post-tectonic veins are usually symmetric.

The detailed characteristics and formation mechanisms of organic-rich clasts (ORCs) in the Upper Paleozoic tight sandstone in the northeastern margin of the Ordos Basin were analyzed through 818-m-long drilling cores and logging data from 28 wells. In general, compared with soft-sediment clasts documented in other sedimentary environments, organic-rich clasts in coal-bearing tight sandstone have not been adequately investigated in the literature. ORCs are widely developed in various sedimentary environments of coal-bearing sandstone, including fluvial channels, crevasse splays, tidal channels, sand flats, and subaqueous debris flow deposits. In addition to being controlled by the water flow energy and transportation processes, the fragmentation degree and morphology of ORCs are also related to their content of higher plants organic matter. The change in water flow energy during transportation makes the ORCs show obvious mechanical depositional differentiation. Four main types of ORC can be recognized in the deposits: diamictic organic-rich clasts, floating organic-rich clasts, loaded lamellar organic-rich clasts, and thin interlayer organic-rich clasts. The relationship between energy variation and ORCs deposition continuity is rarely studied so far. Based on the different handling processes under the control of water flow energy changes, we propose two ORCs formation mechanisms: the long-term altering of continuous water flow and the short-term water flow acting triggered by sudden events.

Exotic crystalline blocks within the Outer Carpathian flysch have the potential to establish the nature of their eroded basement source(s) and thus to reconstruct the paleogeography of the Outer Carpathians. Petrological investigations (including mineral analyses) coupled with zircon and apatite U-Pb dating were performed on an exotic crystalline block within Eocene siliciclastic rocks in the Rača Zone of the Magura Nappe in the Outer Western Carpathians, Poland. This exotic block is a large (c. 1 m diameter) pink porphyritic granitoid block found in the Osielczyk Stream, southeast of Osielec village in the Makowski Beskid mountains. The timing of magmatic crystallization is constrained by a U-Pb zircon age of 315.9 ± 2.6 Ma (MSWD = 0.69), while inherited zircon cores yield Archean (c. 2780 Ma), Cadomian (541.8 ± 6.7 Ma; MSWD = 0.53), Devonian (417 ± 11 Ma; MSWD = 0.57) and Early Variscan (c. 374 Ma) ages. Apatites from the same sample yield a Tera Wasserburg lower intercept U-Pb age of 311.3 ± 7.5 (MSWD = 0.87). The granitoid exhibits geochemical characteristics typical of I-type granites and εNd(316 Ma) = 2.15 (with a TDM model age of 1.18 Ga) and 87Sr/86Sr(316 Ma) = 0.704710. These data suggest a likely source region in the Saxo-Danubian Granite Belt, which possibly formed the basement of the Fore-Magura Ridge.

Igneous (granites, granodiorites and rhyolites) clasts of exotic (i.e. non-Carpathian) origin, can be found in the Cretaceous successions of the Moldavide flysch of the Eastern Carpathians. These clasts, with the age of ca. 600 Ma, are attributed to a presumed ridge located in the flysch basin in the Early to Late Cretaceous period, to the Cuman Cordillera. Here, we present for the first time mineral chemistry data on these exotic igneous clasts, using the information in the present paper to discuss the geotectonic setting and P-T conditions during the formation of the igneous rocks that made up the basement of the disappeared paleorelief known as Cuman Cordillera. Selected samples of intrusive rocks were investigated by means of optical microscopy and electron microscopy. Biotite, feldspar and amphibole chemistry data were used for thermobarometry, indicating crystallization temperature at ca. 730-780°C and depth of magma emplacement around 10 km, within a possible range of 5-15 km. Biotite chemistry favors magma generation in convergent plate margins geotectonic setting.

During explosive eruptions, emergency responders and government agencies need to make fast decisions that should be based on an accurate forecast of tephra dispersal and assessment of the expected impact. Here, we propose a new operational tephra fallout monitoring and forecasting system based on quantitative volcanological observations and modelling. The new system runs at the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Osservatorio Etneo (INGV-OE) and is able to provide a reliable hazard assessment to the National Department of Civil Protection (DPC) during explosive eruptions. The new operational system combines data from low-cost calibrated visible cameras and satellite images to estimate the variation of column height with time and model volcanic plume and fallout in near-real-time (NRT). The new system has three main objectives: (i) to determine column height in NRT using multiple sensors (calibrated cameras and satellite images); (ii) to compute isomass and isopleth maps of tephra deposits in NRT; (iii) to help the DPC to best select the eruption scenarios run daily by INGV-OE every three hours. A particular novel feature of the new system is the computation of an isopleth map, which helps to identify the region of sedimentation of large clasts (≥5 cm) that could cause injuries to tourists, hikers, guides, and scientists, as well as damage buildings in the proximity of the summit craters. The proposed system could be easily adapted to other volcano observatories worldwide.

Cerro de Pasco (Peru) is known for its large epithermal polymetallic (Zn-Pb-Ag-Cu-Bi) mineralization emplaced at shallow level, a few hundred meters below the paleo-surface, at the border of a large diatreme–dome complex. Porphyry-style veins crosscutting hornfels and magmatic rock clasts are found in the diatreme breccia and in quartz–monzonite porphyry dikes. Such mineralized veins in clasts allow investigation of high-temperature porphyry-style mineralization developed in the deep portions of magmatic–hydrothermal systems. Quartz in porphyry-style veins contains silicate melt inclusions as well as fluid and solid mineral inclusions. Two types of high-temperature (> 600 °C) quartz–molybdenite–(chalcopyrite)–(pyrite) veins are found in the clasts. Early, thin (1–2 mm), and sinuous HT1 veins are crosscut by slightly thicker (up to 2 cm) and more regular HT2 veins. The HT1 vein quartz hosts CO2- and sulfur-rich high-density vapor inclusions. Two subtypes of the HT1 veins have been defined, based on the nature of mineral inclusions hosted in quartz: (i) HT1bt veins with inclusions of K-feldspar, biotite, rutile, and minor titanite and (ii) HT1px veins with inclusions of actinolite, augite, titanite, apatite, and minor rutile. Using an emplacement depth of the veins of between 2 and 3 km (500 to 800 bar), derived from the diatreme breccia architecture and the supposed erosion preceding the diatreme formation, multiple mineral thermobarometers are applied. The data indicate that HT1 veins were formed at temperatures > 700 °C. HT2 veins host assemblages of polyphase brine inclusions, generally coexisting with low-density vapor-rich inclusions, trapped at temperatures around 600 °C. Rhyolitic silicate melt inclusions found in both HT1 and HT2 veins represent melt droplets transported by the ascending hydrothermal fluids. LA-ICP-MS analyses reveal a chemical evolution coherent with the crystallization of an evolved rhyolitic melt. Quartz from both HT1 and HT2 veins also contains secondary, low-temperature (~ 300 °C) brine and aqueous fluid inclusions that record the cooling of the system. Both vein types are locally crosscut and/or reopened by a pre-diatreme polymetallic event consisting of pyrite, sphalerite with “chalcopyrite disease,” galena, chalcopyrite, tetrahedrite–tennantite, and minor quartz. LA-ICP-MS analyses of mineral and high-temperature fluid inclusions hosted in HT1 and HT2 veins and in situ secondary-ion mass spectrometry oxygen isotope analyses of vein quartz indicate a magmatic signature for the mineralizing fluids with no major meteoric water input and allow reconstruction of the source and chemical evolution of fluids that formed these porphyry-style veins as snapshots of the early and deep mineralizations at Cerro de Pasco. This detailed study of the porphyry-type mineralization hosted in clasts offers a unique opportunity to reconstruct the late magmatic and early hydrothermal evolutions of porphyry mineralization underlying the world-class Cerro de Pasco epithermal polymetallic (Zn-Pb-Ag-Cu-Bi) deposit.

Megaclast research has intensified recently, and its further development needs new factual information from various places of the world. Three new megaclast localities are reported from the Russian South, namely, Shum, Merzhanovo, and the Red Stones. These localities host blocks of all grades, sometimes with certain flatness and angle roundness. Megaclasts from Shum and Merzhanovo result from poly-phase slope processes. At the Red Stones locality, a group of residual megaclasts will appear in the future due to weathering processes. This evidence together with the examples brought by the virtual journeys and the literature interpretations prove the genetic diversity of megaclasts and stress the urgency of their further investigations in various depositional environments.