A geochemical perspective on the genesis of Cenozoic basic volcanism in northeastern Turkey:an overview of metasomatism and heterogeneity of the sub-continental lithospheric mantle in a post-collisional setting

The post-collisional Cenozoic basic volcanic rocks in NE Turkey show temporal variations in whole-rock lithophile element and highly siderophile element(HSE)systematics that are mainly associated with the nature of sub-continental lithospheric mantle(SCLM)sources and parental melt generation.So far,the traditional whole-rock lithophile geochemical data of these basic volcanic rocks have provided important constraints on the nature of SCLM sources.Integrated lithophile element and HSE geochemical data of these basic volcanic rocks also reveal the heterogeneity of the SCLM source,which is principally related to variable metasomatism resulting from previous subduction(s)and post-collisional mantle-crust interactions in an extensional setting.Lithophile element geochemical features suggest that the parental magmas have derived from metasomatized spinel-to garnet-bearing SCLM sources for Eocene and Miocene basic volcanic rocks with subduction signatures whereas originated from spinel-to garnet-bearing SCLM sources for Mio-Pliocene and Plio-Quaternary basaltic volcanic rocks without the subduction signature.Lithophile element and HSE geo-chemistry also reveal that Eocene and Miocene basic vol-canic rocks were affected by more pronounced crustal contamination than the basaltic volcanic rocks of Mio-Pliocene and Quaternary.Furthermore,the integrated lithophile element and HSE compositions of these basic volcanic rocks,together with the regional asymmetric lithospheric delamination model,reveal that the compositional variation(especially due to metasomatism)was significant temporally in the heterogeneity of the SCLM sources from which parental magmas formed during the Cenozoic era.

Hydro-uvarovite from Mantle Peridotites of Naga Hills Ophiolite: A Mineral Tracer for Neo-Tethyan Mantle Wedge Metasomatism

Hydrous Cr-bearing uvarovite garnets are rare in natural occurrences and belong to the ugrandite series and exist in binary solid solutions with grossular and andradite garnets. Here, we report the occurrence of hydrous uvarovite garnet having Cr_(2)O_(3) upto 19.66 wt% and CaO of 32.12–35.14 wt% in the serpentinized mantle peridotites of Naga Hills Ophiolite(NHO), India. They occur in association with low-Cr diopsides. They are enriched in LILE(Ba, Sr), LREEs, with fractionating LREE-MREE [avg.(La/Sm)_(N) = 2.16] with flat MREE/HREE patterns [avg.(Sm/Yb)_(N) = 0.95]. Raman spectra indicate the presence of hydroxyl(OH^(–)) peaks from 3500 to 3700 cm^(-1). Relative abundances in fluid mobile elements and their close association with clinopyroxenes are suggestive of the formation of uvarovite garnets through low temperature metasomatic alteration of low-Cr diopsides by hydrothermal slab fluids. The high LREE concentration and absence of Eu anomaly in the garnet further attest to alkaline nature of the transporting slab dehydrated fluid rather the involvement of low-p H solution. The chemical characteristics of the hydroxyl bearing uvarovite hosted by the mantle peridotite of NHO deviate from the classical features of uvarovite garnet, and their origin is attributed to the fluid-induced metasomatism of the sub arc mantle wedge in a suprasubduction zone regime.

Mantle avalanches in a Venus-like stagnant lid planet

Stagnant lid planets are characterized by a globe-encircling,conducting lid that is thick and strong,which leads to reduced global surface heat flows.Consequently,the mantles of such planets can have warmer interiors than Earth,and interestingly,a pyrolitic mantle composition under warmer conditions is predicted to have a distinctly different mantle transition zone compared to the present-day Earth(Hirose,2002;Stixrude and Lithgow-Bertelloni,2011;Ichikawa et al.,2014;Dannberg et al,2022).Instead of olivine primarily transforming into its higher-pressure polymorphs such as wadsleyite and then ringwoodite,at pressures corresponding to 410 km and 520 km depth in Earth,respectively,it instead transforms into a mineral assemblage of wadsleyite,majorite,and ferropericlase(WMF),and then to majorite+ferropericlase(MF),before finally transforming into bridgmanite at pressures corresponding to 660 km depth in Earth(Stixrude and Lithgow-Bertelloni,2011;Ichikawa et al.,2014).Convective motions in stagnant lid planets are dominated by small-scale instabilities(cold drips)forming within the mobile rheological sublayer under the rigid lid.Using ASPECT and a thermodynamic model of a pyrolitic mantle composition generated by HeFESTo,we show that under certain conditions,the small drips can pond atop the WMF-MF mineral phase transition.The barrier to convective flow arises from the WMF mineral phase assemblage having an effective negative thermal expansivity(Stixrude and Lithgow-Bertelloni,2022).Although large-scale downwellings that typically occur within mobile lid planets are able to pass through the WMF zone without difficulty(Dannberg et al.,2022;Li RP et al.,2024),the smaller and less negatively buoyant nature of downwelling drips in stagnant lid planets are more susceptible to these effects,which leads to an ephemeral layering of the mantle.Our numerical models show that in stagnant lid planets with mantle potential temperatures that exceed 1900 K,the smaller,cold drips from the lid continue to pile up until enough of them have coalesced that they collectively avalanche as a larger instability into the deeper interior.

SENP3 Promotes Mantle Cell Lymphoma Development through Regulating Wnt10a Expression

Objective SUMO-specific protease 3(SENP3),a member of the SUMO-specific protease family,reverses the SUMOylation of SUMO-2/3 conjugates.Dysregulation of SENP3 has been proven to be involved in the development of various tumors.However,its role in mantle cell lymphoma(MCL),a highly aggressive lymphoma,remains unclear.This study was aimed to elucidate the effect of SENP3 in MCL.Methods The expression of SENP3 in MCL cells and tissue samples was detected by RT-qPCR,Western blotting or immunohistochemistry.MCL cells with stable SENP3 knockdown were constructed using short hairpin RNAs.Cell proliferation was assessed by CCK-8 assay,and cell apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry.mRNA sequencing(mRNA-seq)was used to investigate the underlying mechanism of SENP3 knockdown on MCL development.A xenograft nude mouse model was established to evaluate the effect of SENP3 on MCL growth in vivo.Results SENP3 was upregulated in MCL patient samples and cells.Knockdown of SENP3 in MCL cells inhibited cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis.Meanwhile,the canonical Wnt signaling pathway and the expression of Wnt10a were suppressed after SENP3 knockdown.Furthermore,the growth of MCL cells in vivo was significantly inhibited after SENP3 knockdown in a xenograft nude mouse model.Conclusion SENP3 participants in the development of MCL and may serve as a therapeutic target for MCL.

The lithology and composition of lunar mantle modified by ilmenite bearing cumulate:A thermodynamic model

Due to their high density,the ilmenite-bearing cumulates(IBC)(with or without KREEP)formed during the late-stage lunar magma ocean solidification are thought to sink into the underlying lunar mantle and trigger lunar mantle overturn.Geophysical evidence implied that IBC may descend deep inside the Moon and remain as a partially molten layer at the core-mantle boundary(CMB).However,partial melting may have occurred on the mixed mantle cumulates during the sinking of IBC/KREEP and the silicate melt may be positively buoyant,thus preventing the IBC/KREEP layer from sinking to the CMB.Here,we perform thermodynamic simulation on the stability of lunar mantle cumulates at different depths mixed with different amounts of IBC/KREEP from an updated LMO model.The modeling results suggest that the sinking of IBC/KREEP will cause at least 5 wt%partial melting in the shallow(~120 km)and a much larger degree of partial melting in the deep lunar mantle(~420 km).Due to the density contrast with the surrounding mantle,IBC/KREEP-bearing melts could potentially decouple under certain conditions.The modified lunar mantle by sinking of IBC/KREEP can better explain the formation of different kinds of lunar basaltic magma than the primary lunar mantle formed through differentiation of lunar magma ocean.Sinking of IBC/KREEP back into the lunar mantle may introduce plagioclase,clinopyroxene,garnet,and incompatible radioactive elements into the deep lunar mantle,which will further affect the thermal and chemical evolution of the lunar interior.

The Mechanism of Changes in Mantle Volume

The crust floats above the mantle, and the volume change of the mantle is the driving force of crustal movement. The increase in mantle volume leads to crustal extensional movement, resulting in continental crust rupture and oceanic crust expansion. The decrease in mantle volume leads to crustal compression movement, resulting in continental crust superposition, folding, and oceanic crust subduction. The factors that contribute to the increase in mantle volume include a change in material state, where solid material in the mantle melts into liquid material. The factors leading to a decrease in mantle volume include: oceanic crust uplift, crustal crystallization, volcanic eruptions, magma intrusion, and hydrothermal upwelling. The change in mantle volume dominates the evolution pattern of the crust. When the mantle volume increases unidirectionally, the crust only has horizontally crystallized continental crust. When the volume of the mantle changes in both directions, blocky layered oceanic crust is formed. The expansion and subduction of oceanic crust, as well as the stretching and compression of continental crust, are the supporting mechanisms for changes in Earth’s surface area caused by changes in mantle volume.

Mantle Driven Early Eocene Magmatic Flare-up of the Gangdese Arc, Tibet: A Case Study on the Nymo Intrusive Complex

Magmatic periodicity is recognized in continental arcs worldwide, but the mechanism responsible for punctuated arc magmatism is controversial. Continental arcs in the Trans-Himalayan orogenic system display episodic magmatism and the most voluminous flare-up in this system was in early Eocene during the transition from subduction to collision. The close association of the flare-up with collision is intriguing. Our study employs zircon Lu-Hf and bulk rock Sr-Nd isotopes, along with mineral geochemistry, to track the melt sources of the Nymo intrusive complex and the role of mantle magma during the early Eocene flare-up of the Gangdese arc, Tibet. The Nymo intrusive complex is composed of gabbronorite, diorite, quartz diorite, and granodiorite which define an arc-related calc-alkaline suite. Zircon U-Pb ages reveal that the complex was emplaced between ~50–47 Ma. Zircon Hf isotopes yield εHf(t) values of 8.2–13.1, while whole-rock Sr and Nd isotopes yield εNd(t) values of 2.7–6.5 indicative of magmatism dominated by melting of a juvenile mantle source with only minor crustal assimilation(~15%–25%) as indicated by assimilation and fractional crystallization modeling. Together with published data, the early Eocene magmatic flare-up was likely triggered by slab breakoff of subducted oceanic lithosphere at depths shallower than the overriding plate. The early Eocene magmatic flare-up may have contributed to crustal thickening of the Gangdese arc. This study provides important insights into the magmatic flare-up and its significant role in the generation of large batholiths during the transition from subduction to collision.

Early Cretaceous Metasomatized Lithospheric Mantle beneath the Central Jiangnan Orogen in South China:Geochemical and Sr-Nd Isotope Evidence from the Tuanshanbei Dolerite

It is well established that Cretaceous magmatism in the South China Block(SCB)is related to the Paleo-Pacific subduction.However,the starting time and the associated deep crust-mantle processes are still debatable.Mafic dike swarms carry important information on the deep earth(including mantle)geodynamics and geochemical evolution.In the Jiangnan Orogen(South China).there is no information on whether the Mesozoic magmatic activities in this region are also directly related to the Pacific subduction or not.In this study,we present detailed zircon U-Pb geochronological,wholerock element and Sr-Nd isotope data for Early Cretaceous Tuanshanbei dolerite dikes,and provide new constraints on the condition of the lithospheric mantle and mantle dynamics of the SCB during that time.LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating suggests that this dolerite erupted in the Early Cretaceous(~145 Ma).All samples have alkaline geochemical affinities with K_(2)O+Na_(2)O=3.11-4.04 wt%,K_(2)O/Na_(2)O=0.50-0.72,and Mg^(#)=62.24-65.13.They are enriched in LILE but depleted in HFSE with higher initial^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr ratio(0.706896-0.714743)and lower ε_(Nd)(t)(-2.61 to-1.67).They have high Nb/U,Nb/La,La/Sm and Rb/Sr,and low La/Nb,La/Ta,Ce/Pb,Ba/Rb,Tb/Yb and Gd/Yb ratios.Such geochemical signatures suggest that the fractional crystallization is obvious but crustal contamination play a negligible role during magmatic evolution.Tuanshanbei dolerite were most likely derived from low-degree(2%-5%)partial melting of a phlogopite-bearing mantle material consisted of~85% spinel peridotite and~15% garnet peridotite previously metasomatized by asthenospherederived fluids/melts with minor subduction-derived fluids/melts.Slab-rollback generally lead to the upwelling of the hot asthenosphere.The upwelling of asthenosphere consuming the lithospheric mantle by thermo-mechanical-chemical erosion.The lithospheric mantle may have partially melted due to the heating by the upwelling asthenosphere and lithospheric extension.It is inferred that the Tuanshanbei dolerite might be associated with the initial slab rollback and corresponding lithospheric extension occurred potentially at ca.145 Ma.

Seismic anisotropy and upper mantle dynamics in Alaska:A review of shear wave splitting analyses

Shear wave splitting(SWS)is regarded as the most effective geophysical method to delineate mantle flow fields by detecting seismic azimuthal anisotropy in the earth's upper mantle,especially in tectonically active regions such as subduction zones.The Aleutian-Alaska subduction zone has a convergence rate of approximately 50 mm/yr,with a trench length reaching nearly 2800 km.Such a long subduction zone has led to intensive continental deformation and numerous strong earthquakes in southern and central Alaska,while northern Alaska is relatively inactive.The sharp contrast makes Alaska a favorable locale to investigate the impact of subduction on mantle dynamics.Moreover,the uniqueness of this subduction zone,including the unusual subducting type,varying slab geometry,and atypical magmatic activity and composition,has intrigued the curiosity of many geoscientists.To identify different sources of seismic anisotropy beneath the Alaska region and probe the influence of a geometrically varying subducting slab on mantle dynamics,extensive SWS analyses have been conducted in the past decades.However,the insufficient station and azimuthal coverage,especially in early studies,not only led to some conflicting results but also strongly limited the in-depth investigation of layered anisotropy and the estimation of anisotropy depth.With the completion of the Transportable Array project in Alaska,recent studies have revealed more detailed mantle structures and characteristics based on the dense station coverage and newly collected massive seismic data.In this study,we review significant regional-and continental-scale SWS studies in the Alaska region and conclude the mantle flow fields therein,to understand how a geometrically varying subducting slab alters the regional mantle dynamics.The summarized mantle flow mechanisms are believed to be conducive to the understanding of seismic anisotropy patterns in other subduction zones with a complicated tectonic setting.

Molybdenum isotope composition of the upper mantle and its origin:insight from mid-ocean ridge basalt

The molybdenum(Mo)isotope system is pivotal in reconstructing marine redox changes throughout Earth’s history and has emerged as a promising tracer for igneous and metamorphic processes.Understanding its composition and variation across major geochemical reservoirs is essential for its application in investigating high-temperature processes.However,there is debate regarding theδ^(98/95)Mo value of the Earth’s mantle,with estimates ranging from sub-chondritic to super-chondritic values.Recent analyses of global mid-ocean ridge basalt(MORB)glasses revealed significantδ^(98/95)Mo variations attributed to mantle heterogeneity,proposing a two-component mixing model to explain the observed variation.Complementary studies confirmed the sub-chondriticδ^(98/95)Mo of the depleted upper mantle,suggesting remixing of subduction-modified oceanic crust as a plausible mechanism.These findings underscore the role of Mo isotopes as effective tracers for understanding dynamic processes associated with mantle-crustal recycling.

Experimental study on reactions between alkaline basaltic melt and orthopyroxenes: constraints on the evolution of lithospheric mantle in the North China Craton

The experimental results of the reactions between an alkaline basaltic melt and mantle orthopyroxenes under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions of 1300–1400℃ and 2.0–3.0 GPa using a six-anvil apparatus are reported in this paper.The reactions are proposed to simulate the interactions between melts from the asthenospheric mantle and the lithospheric mantle.The starting melt in the experiments was made from the alkaline basalt occurring in Fuxin,Liaoning Province,and the orthopyroxenes were separated from the mantle xenoliths in Damaping,Hebei Province.The results show that clinopyroxenes were formed in all the reactions between the alkaline basaltic melt and orthopyroxenes under the studied P–T conditions.The formation of clinopyroxene in the reaction zone is mainly controlled by dissolution–crystallization,and the chemical compositions of the reacted melt are primarily infl uenced by the diff usion eff ect.Temperature is the most important parameter controlling the reactions between the melt and orthopyroxenes,which has a direct impact on the melting of orthopyroxenes and the diff usion of chemical components in the melt.Temperature also directly controls the chemical compositions of the newly formed clinopyroxenes in the reaction zone and the reacted melt.The formation of clinopyroxenes from the reactions between the alkaline basaltic melt and orthopyroxenes can result in an increase of CaO and Al_(2)O_(3) contents in the rocks containing this mineral.Therefore,the reactions between the alkaline basaltic melt from the asthenospheric mantle and orthopyroxenes from the lithospheric mantle can lead to the evolution of lithospheric mantle in the North China Craton from refractory to fertile with relatively high CaO and Al 2 O 3 contents.In addition,the reacted melts in some runs were transformed from the starting alkaline basaltic into tholeiitic after reactions,indicating that tholeiitic magma could be generated from alkaline basaltic one via reactions between the latter and orthopyroxene.

Mineralogical and Geochemical Constraints on the Mantle Source Characteristics of Basaltic Lavas from the Central Mariana Trough

The composition of mantle-derived basalts reflects the nature of their mantle source regions,which constrain magma generation and composition.Here we present a new whole rock major and trace elements and phenocryst composition of the basaltic lava in the central Mariana Trough.These data provide insights into the mantle source characteristics affected by subduction components.The rocks range from basalts to basaltic andesites,which have high subduction-mobile element contents(e.g.,K,U,Th,LREE)related to N-MORB.The calculated temperature and depth of magma generation are about 1300℃and 30 km,respectively.Although the results above suggest that the addition of hydrous fluid and/or a melt derived from a slab decreases the temperature of mantle partial melting and mildly modifies the composition of a mantle source,the mantle source lithology from which primary magma is generated remains to be peridotite.

Pigment Distribution and Secretion in the Mantle of the Pacific Oyster(Crassostrea gigas)

The color of Mollusca shells is one of the most important attributes to consumers.At the cellular level,black color is mainly from the melanin produced by melanocytes.The melanosome is a specialized membrane-bound organelle that is involved in melanin synthesis,storage,and transportation.How the complex pigmentation process in the Crassostrea gigas is established remains an open question.The objectives of this studies are to examine the morphological characteristics of melanosomes or melanin of mantle pigmentation in the Pacific oyster,thereby investigating its contribution to shell color.The results show that pigmented granules of the mantles vary among the three lobes,and the melanosomes at different stages are enriched in distinct cargo molecules,which indicate the remarkable difference between the marginal mantle and central mantle.Examination of mantle histology reveals that the mantle margin of the oyster is characterized by three different folds,including the outer secretory,middle sensory,and inner muscular fold.Ferrous ion chelating assays against the tyrosine hydroxylase indicate that a large amount of melanin is localized in the inner surface of the middle fold.Transmission electron microscopy analyses show that the mantle edge is composed of tall columnar and cuboidal epidermal cells and some pigmented melanocytes intersperse among these cells.The numbers of melanosomes among the three lobes are different.In the inner fold and the middle fold of the mantle,some single dispersion,or aggregation of melanosomes with different degrees of melanization are found in the outer surface.Numerous melanosomes are distributed in the epithelium of the outer fold of the mantle,and mainly are at the apical microvillar surface near the lumen.However,melanosomes are occasionally observed in the central mantle,and they are relatively less.This work provides new insights into the process of melanin deposit in the mantle and shell pigmentation in C.gigas.

A global mantle conductivity model derived from 8 years of Swarm satellite magnetic data

Mantle conductivity imaging is one of the scientific goals of the forthcoming Macao Science Satellite-1(MSS-1).To achieve this goal,we develop a data analysis and inversion scheme for satellite magnetic data to probe global one-dimensional(1D)mantle conductivity structures.Using this scheme,we present a new global mantle conductivity model by analyzing over 8 years of Swarm satellite magnetic data.First,after sophisticated data selection procedures and the removal of core and crustal fields,the inducing and induced spherical harmonic coefficients of magnetic potential due to the magnetospheric ring current are derived.Second,satellite Cresponses are estimated from the time series of these coefficients.Finally,the observed responses are inverted for both smooth and threejump conductivity models using a quasi-Newton algorithm.The obtained conductivity models are in general agreement with previous global mantle conductivity models.A comparison of our conductivity model with the laboratory conductivity model suggests the mean state of the upper mantle and transition zone is relatively dry.This scheme can be used to process the forthcoming Macao Science Satellite-1 magnetic data.

Carbon Enrichment in the Lithospheric Mantle:Evidence from the Melt Inclusions in Mantle Xenoliths from the Hainan Basalts

It is generally believed that the lithospheric mantle and the mantle transition zone are important carbon reservoirs.However,the location of carbon storage in Earth's interior and the reasons for carbon enrichment remain unclear.In this study,we report CO_(2)-rich olivine-hosted melt inclusions in the mantle xenoliths of late Cenozoic basalts from the Penglai area,Hainan Province,which may shed some light on the carbon enrichment process in the lithospheric mantle.We also present a detailed petrological and geochemical investigation of the late Cenozoic basalts and mantle xenoliths from northern Hainan Island.The collected samples of late Cenozoic Hainan Island basalts belong to both alkaline and subalkaline series,showing fractionated REE patterns with high(La/Yb)_(N)values of 3.52–11.77,which are typical for OIB.Based on Al-in-olivine thermometry,the temperatures estimated for the mantle xenoliths can be divided into two groups.One group has temperatures of less than 1050℃,and the other group has temperature ranging from 1050℃to 1282℃.Clinopyroxene(La/Yb)_(N)–Ti/Eu and clinopyroxene Ca/Al–Mg^(#)diagrams indicate that the mantle peridotite experienced metasomatism from both silicate and carbonate melts.Melt inclusions in the olivine of mantle xenoliths include(1)CO_(2)bubble–rich melt inclusions;(2)multiphase melt inclusions(glass+CO_(2)bubble+daughter minerals);(3)pure glass melt inclusions.Magnesite is a daughter mineral in the olivine-hosted melt inclusions,which could be interpreted as a secondary mineral formed by the interactions of CO_(2)-rich fluids with an olivine host,due to post-entrapment effects.The glasses in olivine-hosted melt inclusions have high SiO_(2)contents(60.21–77.72 wt%).Our results suggest that a considerable amount of CO_(2)-rich melt inclusions are captured in the lithospheric mantle during metasomatism.The lithospheric mantle can therefore act as is a‘carbon trap',with much CO_(2)being absorbed by the lithospheric mantle in this way.

Petrogenesis of the Late Eocene to Early Oligocene Yao'an Shoshonitic Complex,Southeastern Tibet:Partial Melting of an Ancient Continental Lithospheric Mantle beneath the Yangtze Block

Cenozoic potassic-ultrapotassic igneous rocks are widespread in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau.Their petrogenesis and magmatic processes remain subject to debate in spite of numerous publications.Almost all of the Cenozoic extrusive and intrusive rocks in the Yao’an area,western Yunnan Province,SW China,are geochemically shoshonitic,collectively termed here the Yao’an Shoshonitic Complex(YSC).The YSC is located in the(south)easternmost part of the ENE-WSW-trending,~550 km-long and~250 km-wide Cenozoic magmatic zone;the latter separates the orthogonal and oblique collision belts of the India-Eurasia collision orogen.Previously published geochronological and thermochronological data revealed that the rocks of the YSC were emplaced over a short timespan of 34-32 Ma.This and our new data suggest that the primary magma of the YSC likely was formed by partial melting of ancient continental lithospheric mantle beneath the Yangtze Block.This part of the continental lithospheric mantle had likely not been modified by any oceanic subduction.Fractionation crystallization of an Mg-and Ca-bearing mineral and TiFe oxides during the magmatic evolution probably account for the variable lithologies of the YSC.

The cooling models of Earth’s early mantle

The thermal state of the early Earth’s interior and its way of cooling are crucial for its subsequent evo-lution.Earth is initially hot as it acquired enormous heat in response to violent processes during its formation,e.g.,the Moon-forming giant impact,the segregation and formation of its metallic core,the tidal interaction with the early Moon,and the decay of radioactive elements,etc.In the meantime,the cooling mechanisms of early Earth’s mantle remain elusive despite their importance,and the previously proposed cooling models of the mantle are controversial.In this paper,we first reviewed several prevalent parameter-ized thermal evolution models of the early mantle.The models give unrealistic predictions since they were estab-lished solely based on a single tectonic regime,such as the stagnant-lid regime,or relied on the disputable existence of the plate tectonics prior to-3.5 Ga.Then we argue that the mantle should have started to cool down from a very hot state after the solidification of the ferocious magma ocean.Instead of using one single scaling law to describe a single-stage model,we suggest that an episodic multi-stage cooling model(EMCM)of the early mantle could be more plausible to account for the mantle’s early cooling process.The model reconciles with the fact that the mantle cools down from a hot state prior to*3.5 Ga and can also explain the well-constrained post-3.5 Ga thermal history of the mantle.

Transcriptome Analysis of Mantle Tissues Reveals Potential Shell-Matrix-Protein Genes in Gigantidas haimaensis

Haima cold seep ecosystem is on the northwestern slope of the South China Sea,which is characterised by high pressure,low temperature,hypoxia,and low pH value.The deep-sea mussel Gigantidas haimaensis is distributed in this ecosystem.Previous studies have focused on its adaptation to abiotic stress,biogeography,ecotoxicology,genomes,immunity and symbiosis,but knowledge on biomineralisation remains lacking.Herein,we generated a comprehensive transcript dataset from G.haimaensis mantle tissue,and 30255 unigenes were assembled.The top 20 most highly expressed genes are related to energy supply,such as mitochondrial genes,suggesting they may mediate the adaptability of this deep-sea mussel to the high pressure and hypoxia environment.Eleven shell matrix protein(SMP)-related genes were identified from the transcriptome data.Quantitative PCR analyses showed that five of ten acidic SMPs and nacreous-layer-matrix-protein genes(nacrein,perlucin,perlwapin,pif and mantle protein)were highly expressed in mantle tissue,while the expressions of other five genes(chitinase,SPARC,TRY,papilin and calmodulin)were low.Scanning electron microscopy showed that the shell was composed of a prismatic layer and a nacreous layer,and every nacreous layer was made of the whole pieces of aragonite that stacked on top of each other.These results indicated the conservation of the structure and functions of nacreous matrix genes in G.haimaensis.Moreover,the nacreous layer was made of whole pieces of aragonite that were not quadrilateral or polygonal pieces.Studying these genes will likely reveal the molecular mechanisms of biomineralisation in G.haimaensis and other deep-sea mussels.

Phase Stability and Reactions of Subducting CaCO_(3)under Upper Mantle Conditions

CaCO_(3)is an important component of marine sediments and one of the major deep-carbon carriers at subduction zones.Some subducted CaCO_(3)can be dissolved in subduction fluids and recycled back to the surface via arc volcanoes degassing.At the same time,there still remain large amounts of CaCO_(3)and its reaction products,which could be further transported into Earth's deep interior.These internal processes link atmosphere,hydrosphere and biosphere with the deep solid Earth,modifying the environments of our planet.In this review,we summarize current understanding from high pressure-temperature experiments and field petrological observations on the physical and chemical properties of CaCO_(3).In particular,the phase stability and reactions of CaCO_(3)largely control the migration and reservation of oxidized carbon in subducting slabs.Finally,we present several critical but unsolved questions on CaCO_(3)subducting in the deep mantle.

Quaternary Intrusions from the Zhongjiannan Basin,South China Sea:Their Relationship with the Hainan Mantle Plume and Influence on Hydrocarbon Reservoirs

The transportation of magma in sedimentary basins often occurs through extensive dyke-sill networks.The role of sills on the plumbing system in rifted margins and the impact of sills on hydrocarbon reservoirs of prospective sedimentary basins has long been an area of great industrial interest and scientific debate.Based on 2D seismic reflection,we present data on how the sills emplaced to form a magmatic plumbing system of the volcanic system for the Zhongjiannan Basin(ZJNB).The results show that sixty-nine sills and fourteen forced folds have been identified.The distribution and geometry of the sills suggest that magma flowed from west to east and then ascended to near the surface.The onlap relationship of the forced folds indicates that the timing of magmatic activities can be constrained at ca.0.2 Ma.The spatial and temporal occurrences of intrusions imply that the strong post-rift magmatism in ZJNB was associated with the Hainan mantle plume arising from the core-mantle boundary.Furthermore,these forced folds could produce several types of hydrocarbon traps,due to accommodation through bending and uplift of the overlying rock and free surface,but it is critical to evaluate the effect of such emplacement when setting exploration targets.