Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
The Ibituruna quartz-syenite was emplaced as a sill in the Ribeira-Aracuai Neoproterozoic belt (Southeastern Brazil) during the last stages of the Gondwana supercontinent amalgamation. We have measured the Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility (AMS) in samples from the Ibituruna sill to unravel its magnetic fabric that is regarded as a proxy for its magmatic fabric. A large magnetic anisotropy, dominantly due to magnetite, and a consistent magnetic fabric have been determined over the entire Ibituruna massif. The magmatic foliation and lineation are strikingly parallel to the solid-state mylonitic foliation and lineation measured in the country-rock. Altogether, these observations suggest that the Ibituruna sill was emplaced during the high temperature (similar to 750 degrees C) regional deformation and was deformed before full solidification coherently with its country-rock. Unexpectedly, geochronological data suggest a rather different conclusion. LA-ICP-MS and SHRIMP ages of zircons from the Ibituruna quartz-syenite are in the range 530-535 Ma and LA-ICP-MS ages of zircons and monazites from synkinematic leucocratic veins in the country-rocks suggest a crystallization at similar to 570-580 Ma, i.e., an HT deformation >35My older than the emplacement of the Ibituruna quartz-syenite. Conclusions from the structural and the geochronological studies are therefore conflicting. A possible explanation arises from Ar-40-Ar-39 thermochronology. We have dated amphiboles from the quartz-syenite, and amphiboles and biotites from the country-rock. Together with the ages of monazites and zircons in the country-rock, Ar-40-Ar-39 mineral ages suggest a very low cooling rate: <3 degrees C/My between 570 and similar to 500 Ma and similar to 5 degrees C/My between 500 and 460 Ma. Assuming a protracted regional deformation consistent over tens of My, under such stable thermal conditions the fabric and microstructure of deformed rocks may remain almost unchanged even if they underwent and recorded strain pulses separated by long periods of time. This may be a characteristic of slow cooling "hot orogens" that rocks deformed at significantly different periods during the orogeny, but under roughly unchanged temperature conditions, may display almost indiscernible microstructure and fabric.
ISSN: 0040-1951

hal-00445262
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00445262
DOI : 10.1016/j.tecto.2009.02.039

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
This work combines structural and geochronological data to improve our understanding of the mechanical behaviour of continental crust involving large amount of magma or partially melted material in an abnormally hot collisional belt. We performed a magnetic and geochronological (U/Pb) study on a huge tonalitic batholith from the Neoproterozoic Araçuaí belt of East Brazil to determine the strain distribution through space and time. Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility, combined with rock magnetism investigations, supports that the magnetic fabric is a good proxy of the structural fabric. Field measurements together with the magnetic fabrics highlight the presence in the batholith of four domains characterized by contrasted magmatic flow patterns. The western part is characterized by a gently dipping, orogen-parallel (∼NS) magmatic foliation that bears down-dip lineations, in agreement with westward thrusting onto the São Francisco craton. Eastward, the magmatic foliation progressively turns sub-vertical with a lineation that flips from sub-horizontal to sub-vertical over short distances. This latter domain involves an elongated corridor in which the magmatic foliation is sub-horizontal and bears an orogen-parallel lineation. Finally the fourth, narrow domain displays sub-horizontal lineations on a sub-vertical magmatic foliation oblique (∼N150°E) to the trend of the belt. U/Pb dating of zircons from the various domains revealed homogeneity in age for all samples. This, together with the lack of solid-state deformation suggests that: 1) the whole batholith emplaced during a magmatic event at ∼580 Ma, 2) the deformation occurred before complete solidification, and 3) the various fabrics are roughly contemporaneous. The complex structural pattern mapped in the studied tonalitic batholith suggests a 3D deformation of a slowly cooling, large magmatic body and its country rock. We suggest that the development of the observed 3D flow field was promoted by the low viscosity of the middle crust that turned gravitational force as an active tectonic force combining with the East-West convergence between the São Francisco and Congo cratons.
ISSN: 0191-8141

hal-00745696
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00745696
DOI : 10.1016/j.jsg.2012.02.015

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Springer Verlag (Germany)
Résumé : International audience
The influence of magnetic interactions on the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) have been largely studied by several theoretical models or experiments. Numerical models have shown that when magnetostatic interactions occur, the distributions of particles over the volume rather than their individual orientations control the AMS. We have shown recently from a comprehensive rock magnetic study and from a theoretical 2-dimensional (2-D) model that single domain particles closely packed in globule aggregates could produce strong local random interaction magnetic fields which could influence the magnetic susceptibility and decrease the degree of anisotropy. In this paper, we first present in detail this 2-D theoretical model and then we extend it to the 3-D case. The possible distribution function of the magnetostatic interaction fields comprises two extreme states: it is either isotropic or ordered. The former case corresponds to the thermal-demagnetized state while the second case corresponds to the alternating field (AF) demagnetized state. We show that when easy axes of magnetization are not uniformly distributed, the degree of anisotropy decreases as the interaction field increases in both AF- and thermal-demagnetized states in 2-D and 3-D geometry. Thus we conclude that random magnetic fields generated by a random arrangement of magnetic particles over the sample volume decrease the degree of anisotropy of AMS and may alter the magnetic fabric.
ISSN: 0039-3169

hal-00758113
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00758113
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00758113/document
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00758113/file/SGEG-2012-HAL.pdf
DOI : 10.1007/s11200-010-9097-7

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Oxford University Press (OUP)
Résumé : International audience
We present a new interpretation of anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) fabrics in basaltic lava flows based on the detailed study of magnetic mineralogy and silicate crystallographic fabric of a Quaternary lava flow from the French Massif Central (La Palisse). We consider the model of AMS fabric imbrication between magnetic foliation and flow surface, as initially proposed for dykes. At the two sampling sites, the concordance between the flow direction deduced from the AMS foliation and that deduced from field observations indicates that the imbrication model could apply to the lava flows. However, the flow senses inferred fromAMSare systematically opposed between the two sampling sites suggesting permutations between K1 and K3 AMS axes, a configuration referred to as inverse fabric. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) measurements show strong lattice-preferred orientations (LPO) for plagioclase, especially the (010) plagioclase plane, which tends to be parallel to the flow. Clinopyroxene LPO remains less marked than plagioclase LPO, whereas titanomagnetite does not display a significant LPO. Comparison between magnetic and crystallographic fabrics suggests that the AMS fabric of the lava flow results from the distribution of titanomagnetite grains, which is in turn controlled by the fabric of the silicate framework. Magnetic hysteresis parameters and anisotropy of remanent magnetization (ARM) measurements exclude a significant contribution from single-domain grains, often called upon to explain inverse magnetic fabrics. The origin of the observed inverse magnetic fabric may relate to the dip of the palaeosurface, which is the only remarkable difference between the two sampling sites. AMS appears as a good tool to determine the direction of basaltic lava flows and coupling with local crystallographic fabric data provides a valuable control of relationships between magnetic fabrics and flow and thus contributes to better constrain the AMS signature of lava flows.
ISSN: 0956-540X

hal-00903561
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00903561
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00903561/document
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00903561/file/TB-GJI-193-2-Orig.pdf
DOI : 10.1093/gji/ggs115

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Oxford University Press (OUP)
Résumé : International audience
Anisotropy of low-field magnetic susceptibility (AMS) of basaltic lava flows can give some clues about post-emplacement tilting occurring in volcanic sequences. Such a study has been carried out on a sequence of 19 successive lava flows from Kerguelen Archipelago. Surprisingly, two different patterns were observed. The first one - herein called normal fabric - is consistent with the lava-flow direction inferred from geological observations, whereas the second one observed for about 70 per cent of the analysed samples - herein called abnormal fabric - appears to be unrelated to the shear history of the lava flows during their emplacements. These abnormal fabrics are not strictly inverse fabric but seem to have a more complex origin. The unusual nature of these abnormal fabrics has been confirmed by lattice preferred orientation of plagioclases obtained from high-resolution electron backscattered diffraction measurements. The aim of this study is to propose a physical interpretation of these fabrics. A first step in our understanding was to clearly identify the nature and the magnetic properties of the Fe-Ti oxides assemblage. Thus, we present a comprehensive rock magnetic analysis relying on low- and high-temperature thermomagnetic curves (K-T), crossover diagrams, first-order reversal curves, ore-microscopy, Mössbauer measurements and electron backscattered images. We found that in the present case the abnormal fabrics are probably linked to a mixture of prevailing single domain (SD) strongly interacting grains population and a subsidiary multidomain grains population. SD grains are identified as small magnetite crystallized within the interstitial glass in globular aggregates along the silicate framework. Then a question arises: to what extent such SD interacting grains in globular aggregates can affect the magnetic susceptibility and its anisotropy? To answer this question, we developed a physical model in which the total energy density of an SD grain with an uniaxial anisotropy is minimized. In this model, the distribution function of the direction of the magnetic interaction field is comprised between two boundary states. It is either isotropic, which formally corresponds to the thermal demagnetized state, or it is ordered, which formally corresponds to the Alternative Field demagnetized state. We show that in both cases the degree of anisotropy decreases as the interaction field increases. Thus, we conclude that the abnormal fabric encountered in this study can be simply explained by strong magnetostatic interactions that would explain the large scattering of AMS often observed in basaltic lava flows.
ISSN: 0956-540X

hal-00716449
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00716449
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00716449/document
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00716449/file/gji-S-12-HAL.pdf
DOI : 10.1111/J.1365-246X.2012.05421.X

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Geological Society of London
Résumé : The Zagros Simply Folded Belt (ZSFB) is an active fold-and-thrust belt resulting from the still continuing continental collision between the Arabian plate and the Iranian plate, which probably started in the Oligocene. The present-day shortening (N25°) is well documented by focal mechanisms of earthquakes and global positioning system (GPS) surveys. We propose in this study a comparison of published palaeostress markers, including magnetic fabric, brittle deformation and calcite twinning data. In addition, we describe the magnetic fabric from Palaeocene carbonates (10 sites) and Mio-Pliocene clastic deposits (15 sites). The magnetic fabrics are intermediate, with magnetic foliation parallel to the bedding, and a magnetic lineation mostly at right angles to the shortening direction. This suggests that the magnetic fabric retains the record of an early layer-parallel shortening (LPS) that occurred prior to folding. The record of LPS allows the identification of originally oblique folds such as the Mand Fold, which have developed in front of the Kazerun Fault. The shape parameter of the magnetic fabric indicates a weak strain compatible with the development of detachment folds in the ZSFB. The palaeostress datasets, covering the Palaeocene to Pleistocene time interval, support several folding episodes accompanied by a counter-clockwise rotation of the stress field direction. The Palaeocene carbonates in the ZSFB record a N47 LPS during early to middle Miocene detachment folding in the High Zagros Belt (HZB). The Mio-Pliocene clastic deposits recorded a N38 LPS prior to and during detachment folding within the ZSFB at the end of the Miocene-Pliocene. Similarly, fault slip and calcite twin data from the ZSFB also support a counter-clockwise rotation from NE to N20 between the pre-folding stage and the late rejuvenation of folds. This counter-clockwise trend of palaeostress data agrees with fault slip data from the HZB. During the late stage of folding in the ZSFB, the Plio-Quaternary palaeostress trends are consistently parallel to the present-day shortening direction.
Tectonic and stratigraphic evolution of Zagros and Makran during the Mesozoic-Cenozoic

hal-00545036
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00545036
DOI : 10.1144/SP330.6

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
The present study aims to apply the AMS method (Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility) at a regional scale to track the fluid circulation direction that has produced an iron metasomatism within pre-existing dolomite host rock. The Urgonian formations hosting the Zn-Pb mineralizations in La Florida (Cantabria, northern Spain) have been taken as target for this purpose. Sampling was carried out, in addition to ferroan dolomite host rock enclosing the Zn-Pb mineralizations, in dolomite host rock and limestone to make the comparison possible between magnetic signals from mineralized rocks, where fluid circulation occurred, and their surrounding formations. AMS study was coupled with petrofabric analysis carried out by texture goniometry, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) observations and also Shape Preferred Orientation (SPO) statistics. SEM observations of ferroan dolomite host rock illustrate both bright and dark grey ribbons corresponding respectively to Fe enriched and pure dolomites. SPO statistics applied on four images from ferroan dolomite host rock give a well defined orientation of ribbons related to the intermediate axis of magnetic susceptibility K2. For AMS data, two magnetic fabrics are observed. The first one is observed in ferroan dolomite host rock and characterised by a prolate ellipsoid of magnetic susceptibility with a vertical magnetic lineation. The magnetic susceptibility carrier is Fe-rich dolomite. These features are probably acquired during metasomatic fluid circulations. In Fe-rich dolomite host rock, ‹c› axes are vertical. As a rule, (0001) planes (i.e. planes perpendicular to ‹c› axes) are isotropic with respect to crystallographic properties. So, the magnetic anisotropy measured in this plane should reflect crystallographic modification due to fluid circulation. This is confirmed by the texture observed using the SEM. Consequently, AMS results show a dominant NE-SW elongation interpreted as the global circulation direction and a NW-SE secondary elongation that we have considered as sinuosities of the fluid trajectory. The second type of magnetic fabric is essentially observed in the limestone and characterised by an oblate form of the ellipsoid of magnetic susceptibility, a horizontal magnetic foliation and mixed magnetic susceptibility carriers. It is interpreted as a sedimentary fabric.
ISSN: 0012-821X

insu-00342499
https://hal-insu.archives-ouvertes.fr/insu-00342499
https://hal-insu.archives-ouvertes.fr/insu-00342499/document
https://hal-insu.archives-ouvertes.fr/insu-00342499/file/Essalhi-EPSL-2008.pdf
DOI : 10.1016/j.epsl.2008.11.011

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
The Espinho Branco anatexite, located within a transcurrent, high-temperature shear zone in NE Brazil, was the subject of a comprehensive petrostructural study (Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility - AMS, Anisotropy of Anhysteretic Remanence - AAR, Electron Backscatter Diffraction - EBSD) to evaluate the compatibility of different fabrics with the kinematics of melt deformation. Magnetite dominates susceptibilities larger than 1 mSI and biotite displays [001] lattice directions consistent with AMS k3 axes. In contrast, migmatites with a susceptibility lower than 0.5 mSI and no visible mesoscopic foliation provide crystallographic fabrics distinct from AMS and AAR. However, AAR remains consistent with the regional strain field. These results suggest that the correlation of field, AMS and crystallographic fabrics is not always straightforward despite the relatively simple organisation of the magnetic fabric in the anatexite. We conclude that AMS recorded the final stages of the strain field in the migmatite irrespective of its complex mesoscale structures and contrasting crystallographic fabrics.
ISSN: 0191-8141

hal-00823056
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00823056
DOI : 10.1016/j.jsg.2012.12.008

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
In the Arokam Tenere, the three studied massifs of granitoids are located around the N-S oriented Raghane mega-shear zone, which separates two of the main domains of the Tuareg shield, the Saharan metacraton and the Central Hoggar. The field observations, AMS analyses and U-Pb zircon dating were completed by a study of Landsat images because of the scarcity of outcrops in several parts of the studied area.;The image analysis allows to distinguish Arokam-East and Abdou granitoids in the eastern plutonic complex. It has also shown that the western plutonic complex corresponds to two different intrusions: the Yvonne granite and granodiorite. This is confirmed by the magnetic fabric that presents different characteristics in the different granitoids. U-Pb zircon dating and field observations show that the Arokam-West basement granite is much older (1915 Ma) than the Hanane granodiorite (582 Ma) in the central plutonic complex. Arokam-East and -West granites then belong to the Eburnean basement. The magnetic fabric of these granites is mainly associated with a post-magmatic deformation, probably of Pan-African age. Yvonne granodiorite is likely contemporaneous of the main displacement along the Raghane shear zone. The Yvonne granite (594 Ma) and Hanane granodiorite have a fabric similar to that previously obtained in most plutons of the Tiririne area. This fabric is related to the regional stress field, associated with the activity of the Raghane shear zone, during the late-magmatic phase in the plutons. On the contrary, the magnetic fabric of the Abdou pluton is still reflecting only the magma flow.
ISSN: 0899-5362

hal-00617478
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00617478
DOI : 10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2011.02.007

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
A central target in Earth sciences is the study of deformation at various depth levels within the Earth. Seismology has offered a remarkable tool for doing this via seismic anisotropy. It is however not always clear how to interpret those observations. A question of interest is to understand the relation between the deformation of the mantle and the crust, and in studying the relation between the two. Mantle deformation is expressed in seismic anisotropy. In this paper we seek an objective way of extracting information about crustal fabric as well, to be able to compare with seismic anisotropy. The magnetization of crustal rocks offers an attractive possibility for doing this. We thus explore the use of magnetic data, and we compare magnetic crustal fabric orientation with mantle fabric observations from seismic anisotropy. We apply our technique to the North American craton for which we have an excellent magnetic dataset, and we show that there is a clear relation between crustal and mantle fabric for the cratonic region. This has important implications for crustal formation, and for interpreting seismic anisotropy observations.
ISSN: 0012-821X

hal-00424536
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00424536
DOI : 10.1016/j.epsl.2008.10.032

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
The N-S oriented Raghane shear zone (8 degrees 30') delineates the western boundary of the Saharan metacraton and is, with the 4 degrees 50' shear zone, the most important shear zone in the Tuareg shield. It can be followed on 1000 km in the basement from southern Air, Niger to NE Hoggar, Algeria. Large subhorizontal movements have occurred during the Pan-African orogeny and several groups of granitoids intruded during the Neoproterozoic. We report U-Pb zircon datings (laser ICP-MS) showing that three magmatic suites of granitoids emplaced close to the Raghane shear zone at c. 790 Ma, c. 590 and c. 550 Ma. A comprehensive and detailed (158 sites, more than 1000 cores) magnetic fabric study was performed on 8 plutons belonging to the three magmatic suites and distributed on 200 km along the Raghane shear zone. The main minerals in all the target plutons do not show visible preferential magmatic orientation except in narrow shear zones. The AMS study shows that all plutons have a magnetic lineation and foliation compatible with the deformed zones that are zones deformed lately in post-solidus conditions. These structures are related to the nearby mega-shear zones, the Raghane shear zone for most of them. The old c. 793 Ma Touffok granite preserved locally its original structures. The magnetic structures of the c. 593 Ma Ohergehem pluton, intruded in the Aouzegueur terrane, are related to thrust structures generated by the Raghane shear zone while it is not the case of the contemporaneous plutons in the Assode-Issalane terrane whose structures are only related to the subvertical shear zones. Finally, the c. 550 Ma granite group has magnetic structure related to the N-S oriented Raghane shear zone and its associated NNE-SSW structures when close to them, but NW-SE oriented when further. These NW-SE oriented structures appear to be characteristic of the late Neoproterozoic evolution of the Saharan metacraton and are in relation to the convergence with the Murzuq craton. This evolution reflects the rheological contrast existing along the Raghane shear zone marking the western boundary of the Saharan metacraton.
ISSN: 0040-1951

hal-00429354
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00429354
DOI : 10.1016/j.tecto.2009.04.022

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Geological Society of America
Résumé : International audience
Fault pseudotachylytes form by frictional melting during seismic slip and therefore are widely interpreted as “earthquake fossils.” Rapid movement along a rupture surface typically forms a pseudotachylyte generation vein, the thickness of which increases with earthquake magnitude. The direction and sense of seismic slip cannot always be determined due to the generally complex geometry of pseudotachylyte veins. Here we show, for the first time, that the orientation of the magnetic fabric of fault pseudotachylytes indicates both direction and sense of seismic slip. The magnetic fabric, acquired in a manner similar to that of other magmas, arises in this case from the asymmetric preferred orientation of paramagnetic grains during viscous shear of the friction melt. This kinematic information, coupled with fault plane orientation and generation vein thickness, provides new and critical insight for the earthquake focal mechanism. The magnetic fabric of pseudotachylytes therefore not only constitutes a valuable kinematic criterion for these fault rocks, but also could expand our knowledge of prehistoric seismic events.
ISSN: 0091-7613

hal-01217133
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01217133
DOI : 10.1130/G36587.1

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
The easternmost part of the Neoproterozoic Araçuaí belt comprises an anatectic domain that involves anatexites (the Carlos Chagas unit), leucogranites and migmatitic granulites that display a well-developed fabric. Microstructural observations support that the deformation occurred in the magmatic to submagmatic state. Structural mapping integrating field and anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) revealed a complex, 3D structure. The northern domain displays gently dipping foliations bearing a NW-trending lineation, southward, the lineation trend progressively rotates to EW then SW and the foliation is gently folded. The eastern domain displays E-W and NE-SW trending foliations with moderate to steeply dips bearing a dominantly NS trending lineation. Magnetic mineralogy investigation suggests biotite as the main carrier of the magnetic susceptibility in the anatexites and ferromagnetic minerals in the granulites. Crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO) measurements using the electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) technique suggest that the magnetic fabric comes from the crystalline anisotropy of biotite and feldspar grains, especially. The delineation of several structural domains with contrasted flow fabric suggests a 3D flow field involving westward thrusting orthogonal to the belt, northwestward orogen-oblique escape tectonics and NS orogen-parallel flow. This complex deformation pattern may be due to interplay of collision-driven and gravity-driven deformations.
ISSN: 0191-8141

hal-00903878
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00903878
DOI : 10.1016/j.jsg.2013.08.001

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD American Geophysical Union
Résumé : A differential effective medium (DEM) model is used to predict elastic properties for a set of porous and anisotropic aggregates, comprised of mixtures of calcite and muscovite. The DEM takes into consideration an anisotropic background medium with triclinic or higher symmetry, in which inclusions of idealized ellipsoidal shape are added incrementally. In general, the calculated elastic properties of a solid that contains inclusions representing "dry" pores/cracks are strongly dependent on the orientation and aspect ratio of the inclusions. Aspect ratios of inclusions in the synthetic aggregates, which consist of air-filled pores, are estimated from anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) of samples whose pore space has been impregnated with a colloidal ferrofluid. The AMS derived pore shape geometry is used as an input value for inclusions in the DEM. Modeling results are compared with laboratory determined elastic properties, measured with ultrasonic waves. Calculated shear wave velocities agree in general well with laboratory measured S wave velocities, whereas calculated P wave velocities are typically 0.5-1.1 km/s higher than measured values. Differences between calculated and measured P wave velocities are attributed mainly to incomplete and biased ferrofluid saturation of pores. Spherical pores are preferably filled during imbibition, in comparison to thin cracks, which leads to overprediction of the calculated P wave velocities. The amount of ferrofluid that fills the pore space is dependent on the ratio of calcite to muscovite and the load used for compaction during sample synthesis. The permeability decreases with increasing muscovite content and increasing compaction load. Incomplete saturation of samples with high-muscovite content is confirmed by X-ray microtomography density contrast imaging of dry and ferrofluid saturated specimens.
ISSN: 0148-0227

hal-00617717
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00617717
DOI : 10.1029/2010JB007750

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
Piton des Neiges basaltic volcano (La Réunion) has been deeply dissected by erosion, exposing large volumes of debris avalanche deposits. To shed light on the factors that led to volcano flank destabilizations, we studied the structure, the crystallographic and magnetic fabrics of the substratum of a debris avalanche unit. This substratum is a complex of N50 seaward-dipping sills that has been exposed by the avalanche. Structural observations show that the sill plane in contact with the avalanche is one of the latest intrusions in the sill complex. In this uppermost sill, the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) is correlated to the crystallographic preferred orientation of magmatic silicate minerals, allowing us to use AMS as a proxy to infer the magmatic flow. The AMS fabric across the intrusion is strongly asymmetric, which reveals that the contact sill was emplaced with a normal shear displacement of its hanging wall. The shear displacement and the magma flow in the intrusion are both directed toward the NNE, i.e. toward the sea, which is also the direction of the slope and of the debris avalanche runout. Because all the sills in the intrusion complex have a similar dip and dip direction, it is likely that several of them also underwent a cointrusive slip toward the NNE. We conclude that this cointrusive normal slip, repeated over many intrusions of the sill complex, increased the flank instability of the volcano. This incre-mental instability may have ended up into the observed debris avalanche deposit. At Piton de la Fournaise, the active volcano of La Réunion, sill intrusion and cointrusive flank displacement have been inferred from geophys-ical studies for the April 2007 eruption. By providing direct evidence of sheared sills, our study substantiates the idea that repeated sill intrusions may eventually trigger flank destabilizations in basaltic volcanoes.
ISSN: 0040-1951

hal-01351758
http://hal.univ-reunion.fr/hal-01351758
http://hal.univ-reunion.fr/hal-01351758/document
http://hal.univ-reunion.fr/hal-01351758/file/2016-Tectonopgysics-Berthod.pdf
DOI : 10.1016/j.tecto.2016.02.017

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD
Résumé : International audience
Debris avalanches derived from the flanks of volcanic islands are among the largest on Earth. Debris avalanches are rare, catastrophic destabilizations that still keep geologists debating about the mechanisms that initiate them and make them travel huge runout distances. To shed light on the trigger of such destabilizations, we studied the inland scar of a debris avalanche deposit cropping out at Piton des Neiges, a dormant and eroded basaltic volcano of La Réunion Island. The avalanche deposit rests on a pile of 50-70 sill intrusions with a shallow northward dip, i.e. toward the sea. We measured the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility in a transect across the uppermost sill of the pile in contact with the avalanche deposit. This transect reveals a strongly asymmetric magnetic fabric, consistent with a north-directed shear movement of the upper intrusion wall. This suggests that the upper sill induced a co-intrusive shear displacement of the volcano flank toward the sea. The upper sill margin in contact with the avalanche is striated, showing that this intrusion is older than the avalanche. Striae indicate a northward direction of avalanche runout. The upper sill margin also displays a magmatic lineation consistent with a magma flow in the intrusion toward the north. There is thus a striking kinematic consistency between the directions of intrusion propagation and avalanche runout, both oriented toward the sea. From the above results, we propose that repeated sill intrusions, such as observed on Piton des Neiges, increase the instability of a volcanic edifice. Each injection induces an incremental slip of the overlying rock mass, which may eventually end up into a landslide. Sill intrusions associated with seaward displacements of volcano flank, such as inferred for the April 2007 eruption of Piton de la Fournaise (also in La Réunion), should therefore be considered as a potential trigger of debris avalanches.
Fall meeting
San Francisco, United States

hal-01387002
http://hal.univ-reunion.fr/hal-01387002