Geosonnet 59

Molybdenum is sulfur’s stable mate

Unfractionated isotopes preserved

Like genteel Dr Jekyll, sometimes fate

Disrupts the inner peace that is deserved.

When oxygen attacks stable sulfide

Molybdenate and sulfate are dissolved

Adsorption onto rust, like Mr Hyde

Wreaks horrid fractionation, unresolved.

The speciation in a rock controls

If seawater Mo isotopes remain.

A moly oxide, even in black coals

May fractionate the isotopes again.

  The near adsorption edge of XANES can tell

   If moly isotopes have gone to Hell.

Geology 47 59

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Geosonnet 58

Three narratives, like Roshomon they vie,

To frame suboceanic mantle growth.

Sea water infiltration cannot tie

The isotopes and concentrations both.

A diff’rent melt, cryptic in its disguise

Will spin the tale to take the starring role.

From clinopyroxene we can surmise

The melting source, not multiple, is sole.

Assimilation, favored by the Borg

Sees itself eating altered seafloor crust

This theory dies, is buried in the morgue

These melts are far too primitive, robust.

     Unlike the movie data can constain

     Remelted sulfides crystallized again.

Geology 44 167

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