Magmartic Workshop in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

该奖项由极地方案办公室南极地质和地球物理方案提供，用于支持实地研讨会或研讨会，以研究使用麦克默多干燥山谷中的费勒超群岩床进行岩浆作用的基本方面。理解行星岩浆作用最具挑战性的方面是，在任何现实的背景下，可以直接考察整个岩浆生命周期的完整性质的东西是如此之少。行星岩浆作用本身是一个综合的、多方面的过程，涉及一系列相互交错的化学和物理过程。这些物理过程负责将最初的原始岩浆化学转化为最终演化的喷发产物。每个重要的物理组件都可以在地球上的某个地方很好地暴露出来，这些组件已经被一件一件地研究了近一个世纪。但事实证明，在一个完全整合的真实空间背景下，寻找和研究整个过程本身的任何合理例子是非常难以捉摸的。麦克默多干河谷的费拉辉绿岩(MCM-DV)精美地展示了一个广泛的岩浆系统的详细三维结构和演化发展，该岩浆系统形成于地球上地壳约180英里处。那是以前的事了。MCM-DV岩浆系统在可管理的范围内包含了主要岩浆系统的所有基本特征，而在世界其他地方，这些特征通常只能以零散的方式看到。该系统是研究行星岩浆动力学的独特而无价的实验室。由于大多数研究人员无法进入这一不同寻常的地区，因此建议在这里举办一次野外研讨会，向其他研究人员介绍MCM-DV场关系的奇观，促进前沿研究，并勾勒出该岩浆系统所构成的许多基本和未解决的问题。20-25名研究人员将进行为期两周的野外和实验室活动，研究MCM-DV岩浆系统的岩浆过程，作为从最一般意义上了解岩浆系统基本力学和发展的中心。预计将召开一次工作会议，会议分成两部分，一部分是在麦克默多的Crary实验室进行的讨论和实验室工作，另一部分是在干燥的山谷进行实地考察。四个研究模块将考虑四个岩浆过程：1.泥柱(东牛口)中的岩浆传输和分异；2.池塘岩浆中的晶体传输和分选；3.基尔斯(潘多拉尖顶/孤岩)中的凝固前沿不稳定性(SFI)；4.基尔侵位的机制(维多利亚山谷和东莱特谷)为了对研究提供最广泛的实时和长期影响，参与者将分布在五个小组中：1)在费勒系统的其他部分工作的研究人员；2)世界各地层状侵入岩和玄武岩基岩的高级研究人员；3)研究岩浆过程的年轻研究人员；4)洋脊岩浆室和熔体席状物的研究人员；5)火成岩岩石学研究生。本科生的参与也是一种真正的可能性。这些工作者的聚集旨在成为一种催化剂，以阐明所有岩浆过程共同的特定基本主题，了解费勒-横跨北极岩浆省的区域动态，并通过接触一个独特的、世界级的野外区域来激发强大的科学家的创造力的新视野。

This award, provided by the Antarctic Geology and Geophysics Program of the Office of Polar Programs, supports a field seminar or workshop to examine fundamental aspects of magmatic processes using the Ferrar Supergroup sills in the McMurdo Dry Valleys. The most challenging aspect of understanding planetary magmatism is that so little of the integrated nature of the full magmatic life cycle can be directly examined in any realistic context. Planetary magmatism itself is an integrated, multifaceted process involving a spectrum of interleaved chemical and physical processes. These physical processes are responsible for the chemical transformation of the initial primitive magma into the final evolved erupted product. Each essential physical component can be found well exposed somewhere on Earth, and these components have been studied piece by piece for nearly a century. But is has proven singularly elusive to find and study any reasonable example of the entire process itself in a fully integrated true spatial context. The Ferrar dolerites of the McMurdo Dry Valleys (McM-DV) exhibit in exquisite exposures the detailed three-dimensional structure and evolutionary development of an extensive magmatic system, which formed within Earth?s upper crust some 180 m.y. ago. The McM-DV magmatic system contains, on a manageable scale, all the essential features of major magmatic systems, which elsewhere in the world are commonly seen only in a piecemeal fashion. This system is a unique and an invaluable laboratory in which to study first hand the dynamics of planetary magmatism. Because this unusual area is so inaccessible to most researchers, it is proposed to hold a field workshop here to introduce other researchers to the wonders of the McM-DV field relations, to stimulate cutting edge research, and also to delineate the many fundamental and unsolved problems posed by this magmatic system.A two-week field and laboratory event involving 20-25 researchers will be conducted to study the magmatic processes of the McM-DV magmatic system as a centerpiece to understanding the fundamental mechanics and development of magmatic systems in the most general sense. A working conference is envisioned with sessions split between discussions and laboratory work at McMurdo in the Crary Laboratory and fieldwork in the Dry Valleys. Four magmatic processes will be considered by four research modules:1. Magma Transport and Differentiation in a Mush Column (East Bull Pass)2. Crystal Transport and Sorting in Ponded Magma (East Dais)3. Solidification Front Instability (SFI) in Sills (Pandora's Spire/Solitary Rocks)4. Mechanics of Sill Emplacement (Victoria Valley and East Wright Valley)To provide the widest possible impact on research, both in real time and the long term, participants will be spread among five groups: 1) Researchers working on other parts of the Ferrar system; 2) Senior researchers of layered intrusions and basaltic sills worldwide; 3) Young researchers studying magmatic processes; 4) Researchers of ocean ridge magma chambers and melt sheets; 5) Graduate students in igneous petrology. The involvement of undergraduates is also a real possibility.The bringing together of these workers is intended as a catalyst to enunciating a specific fundamental theme common to all magmatic processes, to understanding the regional dynamics of the Ferrar-Transantarctic magmatic province, and to stimulating strong scientists to new horizons of creativity through exposure to a singular, world class field area.