analytical methods were used to obtain a large spectrum of major and trace element data, in particular, EPMA, SIMS, LA-ICPMS, and isotope dilution by TIMS and ICPMS. Altogether, more than 60 qualified geochemical laboratories worldwide contributed to the analyses, allowing us to present new reference and information values and their uncertainties (at 95% confidence level) for up to 74 elements. We complied with the recommendations for the certification of geological reference materials by the International Association of Geoanalysts (IAG). The reference values were derived from the results of 16 independent techniques, including definitive (isotope dilution) and comparative bulk (e.g., INAA, ICPMS, SSMS) and microanalytical (e.g., LA-ICPMS, SIMS, EPMA) methods. Agreement between two or more independent methods and the use of definitive methods provided traceability to the fullest extent possible. We also present new and recently published data for the isotopic compositions of H, B, Li, O, Ca, Sr, Nd, Hf, and Pb. The results were mainly obtained by high-precision bulk techniques, such as TIMS and MC-ICPMS. In addition, LA-ICPMS and SIMS isotope data of B, Li, and Pb are presented.

Abstract:Since the early 1950s, the number of international measurement standards for anchoring stable isotope delta scales has mushroomed from 3 to more than 30, expanding to more than 25 chemical elements. With the development of new instrumentation, along with new and improved measurement procedures for studying naturally occurring isotopic abundance variations in natural and technical samples, the number of internationally distributed, secondary isotopic reference materials with a specified delta value has blossomed in the last six decades to more than 150 materials. More than half of these isotopic reference materials were produced for isotope-delta measurements of seven elements: H, Li, B, C, N, O, and S. The number of isotopic reference materials for other, heavier elements has grown considerably over the last decade. Nevertheless, even primary international measurement standards for isotope-delta measurements are still needed for some elements, including Mg, Fe, Te, Sb, Mo, and Ge. It is recommended that authors publish the delta values of internationally distributed, secondary isotopic reference materials that were used for anchoring their measurement results to the respective primary stable isotope scale.

[1] We present first results of a petrographic study of hydrothermally altered peridotites drilled during Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Leg 209 in the 15°20 0 N fracture Zone area on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR). We find that serpentinization is extensive at all drill sites. Where serpentinization is incomplete, phase relations indicate two major reaction pathways. One is reaction of pyroxene to talc and tremolite, and the other is reaction of olivine to serpentine, magnetite, and brucite. We interpret these reactions in the light of recent peridotite-seawater reaction experiments and compositions of fluids venting from peridotite massifs at a range of temperatures. We suggest that the replacement of pyroxene by talc and tremolite takes place at temperatures >350°-400°C, where olivine is stable. The breakdown of olivine to serpentine, magnetite, and brucite is favored at temperatures below 250°C, where olivine reacts faster then pyroxene. High-temperature hydrothermal fluids venting at the Logatchev and Rainbow sites are consistent with rapid reaction of pyroxene and little or no reaction of olivine. Moderate-temperature fluids venting at the Lost City site are consistent with ongoing reaction of olivine to serpentine and brucite. Many completely serpentinized peridotites lack brucite and talc because once the more rapidly reacting phase is exhausted, interaction with the residual phase will change fluid pH and silica activity such that brucite or talc react to serpentine. At two sites we see strong evidence for continued fluid flow and fluid-rock interaction after serpentinization was complete. At Site 1268, serpentinites underwent massive replacement by talc under static conditions. This reaction requires either removal of Mg from or addition of Si to the system. We propose that the talc-altered rocks are Si-metasomatized and that the source of Si is likely gabbro-seawater reaction or breakdown of pyroxene deeper in the basement. The basement at Site 1268 is heavily veined, with talc and talc-oxide-sulfide veins being the most common vein types. It appears that the systems evolved from reducing (oxygen fugacity buffered by magnetite-pyrrhotite-pyrite and lower) to oxidizing (dominantly hematite). We propose that this transition is indicative of high fluid flux under retrograde conditions and that the abundance of hematite may relate to the Ca-depleted nature of the basement that prevents near-quantitative removal of seawater sulfate by anhydrite precipitation. At site 1272 we find abundant iowaite partly replacing brucite. While this is the first report of iowaite from a mid-ocean ridge setting, its presence indicates, again, fairly oxidizing conditions. Our preliminary results indicate that peridotite-seawater and serpentinite-seawater interactions can take place under a wider range of temperature and redox conditions than previously appreciated.

Processes controlling the composition of seafloor hydrothermal fluids in silicic back-arc or neararc crustal settings remain poorly constrained despite growing evidence for extensive magmatichydrothermal activity in such environments. We conducted a survey of vent fluid compositions from two contrasting sites in the Manus back-arc basin, Papua New Guinea, to examine the influence of variations in host rock composition and magmatic inputs (both a function of arc proximity) on hydrothermal fluid chemistry. Fluid samples were collected from felsic-hosted hydrothermal vent fields located on Pual Ridge (PACMANUS and Northeast (NE) Pual) near the active New Britain Arc and a basalt-hosted vent field (Vienna Woods) located farther from the arc on the Manus Spreading Center. Vienna Woods fluids were characterized by relatively uniform endmember temperatures (273-285°C) and major element compositions, low dissolved CO 2 concentrations (4.4mmol/kg) and high measured pH (4.2-4.9 at 25°C).Temperatures and compositions were highly variable at PACMANUS/NE Pual and a large, newly discovered vent area (Fenway) was observed to be vigorously venting boiling (358°C) fluid. All 2

[1] Expeditions 304 and 305 of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program cored and logged a 1.4 km section of the domal core of Atlantis Massif. Postdrilling research results summarized here constrain the structure and lithology of the Central Dome of this oceanic core complex. The dominantly gabbroic sequence recovered contrasts with predrilling predictions; application of the ground truth in subsequent geophysical processing has B071031 of 25 produced self-consistent models for the Central Dome. The presence of many thin interfingered petrologic units indicates that the intrusions forming the domal core were emplaced over a minimum of 100-220 kyr, and not as a single magma pulse. Isotopic and mineralogical alteration is intense in the upper 100 m but decreases in intensity with depth. Below 800 m, alteration is restricted to narrow zones surrounding faults, veins, igneous contacts, and to an interval of locally intense serpentinization in olivine-rich troctolite. Hydration of the lithosphere occurred over the complete range of temperature conditions from granulite to zeolite facies, but was predominantly in the amphibolite and greenschist range. Deformation of the sequence was remarkably localized, despite paleomagnetic indications that the dome has undergone at least 45°rotation, presumably during unroofing via detachment faulting. Both the deformation pattern and the lithology contrast with what is known from seafloor studies on the adjacent Southern Ridge of the massif. There, the detachment capping the domal core deformed a 100 m thick zone and serpentinized peridotite comprises ∼70% of recovered samples. We develop a working model of the evolution of Atlantis Massif over the past 2 Myr, outlining several stages that could explain the observed similarities and differences between the Central Dome and the Southern Ridge.

No abstract

The gabbroic layer comprises the majority of ocean crust. Opportunities to sample this expansive crustal environment are rare because of the technological demands of deep ocean drilling; thus, gabbroic microbial communities have not yet been studied. During the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expeditions 304 and 305, igneous rock samples were collected from 0.45-1391.01 meters below seafloor at Hole 1309D, located on the Atlantis Massif (30 °N, 42 °W). Microbial diversity in the rocks was analyzed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and sequencing (Expedition 304), and terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism, cloning and sequencing, and functional gene microarray analysis (Expedition 305). The gabbroic microbial community was relatively depauperate, consisting of a low diversity of proteobacterial lineages closely related to Bacteria from hydrocarbon-dominated environments and to known hydrocarbon degraders, and there was little evidence of Archaea. Functional gene diversity in the gabbroic samples was analyzed with a microarray for metabolic genes (“GeoChip”), producing further evidence of genomic potential for hydrocarbon degradation - genes for aerobic methane and toluene oxidation. Genes coding for anaerobic respirations, such as nitrate reduction, sulfate reduction, and metal reduction, as well as genes for carbon fixation, nitrogen fixation, and ammonium-oxidation, were also present. Our results suggest that the gabbroic layer hosts a microbial community that can degrade hydrocarbons and fix carbon and nitrogen, and has the potential to employ a diversity of non-oxygen electron acceptors. This rare glimpse of the gabbroic ecosystem provides further support for the recent finding of hydrocarbons in deep ocean gabbro from Hole 1309D. It has been hypothesized that these hydrocarbons might originate abiotically from serpentinization reactions that are occurring deep in the Earth's crust, raising the possibility that the lithic microbial community reported here might utilize carbon sources produced independently of the surface biosphere.

We present data on the concentration, the isotope composition and the homogeneity of boron in NIST silicate glass reference materials SRM 610 and SRM 612, and in powders and glasses of geological reference materials JB‐2 (basalt) and JR‐2 (rhyolite). Our data are intended to serve as references for both microanalytical and wet‐chemical techniques. The δ11 B compositions determined by N‐TIMS and P‐TIMS agree within 0.5% and compare with SIMS data within 2.5%. SIMS profiles demonstrate boron isotope homogeneity to better than δ11 B = 2% for both NIST glasses, however a slight boron depletion was detected towards the outermost 200 μm of the rim of each sample wafer. The boron isotope compositions of SRM 610 and SRM 612 were indistinguishable. Glasses produced in this study by fusing JB‐2 and JR‐2 powder also showed good boron isotope homogeneity, both within and between different glass fragments. Their major element abundance as well as boron isotope compositions and concentrations were identical to those of the starting composition. Hence, reference materials (glasses) for the in situ measurement of boron isotopes can be produced from already well‐studied volcanic samples without significant isotope fractionation. Oxygen isotope ratios, both within and between wafers, of NIST reference glasses SRM 610 and SRM 612 are uniform. In contrast to boron, significant differences in oxygen isotope compositions were found between the two glasses, which may be due to the different amounts of trace element oxides added at ten‐fold different concentration levels to the silicate matrix.