大西洋中脊TAG热液区硫化物中流体包裹体的He-Ne-Ar同位素组成

对大西洋中脊TAG (Trans-Atlantic Geotraverse)热液区硫化物中流体包裹体的He, Ne和Ar同位素组成进行了测定, 流体包裹体的3He/4He比值为2.2～13.3 Ra, 均值为7.2 Ra, 与该区喷口热液流体(3He/4He=7.5～8.2 Ra)和MORB(3He/4He=6～11 Ra)相比, 其变化范围明显较大. 20Ne/22Ne比值为10.2～11.4, 明显高于大气值(9.8). 而40Ar/36Ar比值的变化范围从287到359, 接近大气值(295.5). 这些结果表明, 热液硫化物中流体包裹体的稀有气体是地幔和海水端员混合的产物, 热液流体捕获的地幔源稀有气体中有部分可能来自下地幔, 且流体包裹体中的He主要来自上地幔, Ne和Ar主要来自海水.     

利用地下流体氦同位素比值估算大陆壳幔热流比例

地下流体中的氦同位素 3He来自地幔的排气作用 ,4He则是铀、钍衰变的产物 .由于铀、钍元素在大陆地壳中富集 ,4He通量与地壳热流呈正相关关系 ;同时 3He通量与地幔热流之间呈正相关 .所以地下流体的氦同位素比值 （3He / 4 He）与大陆壳幔热流比值 （qc/qm）呈反相关关系 .根据欧亚大陆和加拿大地盾的地下流体氦同位素比值数据和相应的壳幔热流比值数据 ,统计出 qc/ qm 与 3He / 4 He之间的回归关系 :qc/ qm =0 81 5- 0 30 0ln（3He / 4 He） ;此处 3He/ 4 He的单位是RA（大气的 3He/ 4 He比值 ） .有了地表热流值和壳幔热流比值即可得到地壳热流和地幔热流 .利用该公式以及热流值估算了中国主要盆地的壳幔热流值 ;根据这些数值得出的热岩石圈厚度和地壳平均生热率结果与地震学研究成果一致 .氦同位素比值是区分大陆热流中地壳热流值和地幔热流值的有用参数 .     

山东半岛第三纪基性火成岩He-Ar同位素与岩浆起源

应用高温熔融样品释气和静态同位素比值质谱技术, 测定了山东半岛济阳盆地及其周边山旺和栖霞第三纪基性火成岩的He-Ar同位素组成. 结果表明: 古近纪的盆地火山岩和辉绿岩⁴He丰度变化较大, 为(73.70~804.16)×10^−8 cm³ STP·g^−1, ³He/⁴He比值(0.374~2.959 Ra)低于MORB但明显高于大陆地壳值; 新近纪碱性玄武岩⁴He丰度为(42.34~286.72)×10-8 cm³ STP·g^−1, 具有“陆壳型”的3He/ 4He比值(0.013~0.074 Ra). 样品还有略高于大气的40Ar/36Ar比值(395.4~1428.3), 反映着大气型Ar的混染主要发生在地幔源区. 基性火成岩低的³He/⁴He比值主要与样品中放射性4He富集有关, 但富集的放射性⁴He主要还是继承了地幔源区的特点, 说明样品的He-Ar体系可解释为地幔源区MORB型、大气、富放射性⁴He组分的三端元混合, 由此揭示山东半岛第三纪基性火成岩所反映的地幔源区总体具有低于MORB的He同位素比值. 这样的He-Ar同位素特征表明华北东部新生代以碱性玄武岩为主的火成岩不是地幔柱活动产物, 而是叠加了不同程度富集地幔组分(EMI)的亏损软流圈地幔部分熔融的产物.     

用分段加热法测定的雅鲁藏布江蛇绿岩的He和Ne同位素组成: 来自深部地幔的信息

使用分段加热法测定了雅鲁藏布江蛇绿岩各组合岩石的He, Ne含量和同位素组成. 雅鲁藏布江蛇绿岩中, 玄武岩样品各温度段的R值均高于大气值; 白郎蛇纹岩在700℃释放出的气体具有32.66R_a的He同位素组成, 表明该蛇纹岩含有深部地幔流体; 辉绿岩样品在低温步均表现出具有热点特征的、远高于MORBs的R值(地球上的热点起源于深部地幔, 具有超过30 R_a的R值). 在Ne同位素体系图中, Ne同位素数据主要沿Loihi Line分布, 这也说明雅鲁藏布江蛇绿岩的各组合岩石的流体组分主要源于深部地幔. 这些特征揭示了该特提斯洋形成环境有地幔柱的参与. 没有在玄武岩样品中观测到地幔柱型He的原因可能是壳源流体改造导致的.     

中国大陆含油气盆地的氦同位素组成及大地热流密度

根据天然气中氦同位素组成,讨论了中国大陆主要含油气盆地氦同位素地球化学特征与大地热流密度。不同地区425个~3He/~4He 值表明中国含油气盆地天然气的氦同位素组成变化范围较大,为4.0×10~(-9)-7.21×10~(-6),在统计直方图上呈现三个峰值:1.5×10~(-8),3.0×10~(-7)和1.5×10~(-6)。中国东部大陆裂谷系中、新生代盆地内天然气的~3He/~4He 值分布范围为1.02×10~(-7)-7.21×10~(-6),50%以上大于大气的值(1.4×10~(-6));其他地区含油气盆地天然气的~3He/~4He 值分布范围为4.0×10~(-9)-7.01×10~(-7),全部小于大气的~3He/~4He 值。根据天然气中~3He/~4He 值计算的大地热流密度值分布在30-82mW/m~2 之间。利用~3He/~4He 值计算的大地热流密度值与用其他方法测得的值相一致,在中国大陆水平方向上呈现"东高西低"的变化趋势。     

冲绳海槽活动热水成矿系统的氦同位素组成:幔源氦证据

冲绳海槽长英质火山岩的3He 4He比值 (R)为 5 3～ 8 7RA(RA 为大气的3He 4He比值 1 4× 10 - 6 ) ,显著不同于壳源花岗岩和壳源长英质火山岩 ,而接近于MORB和弧安山岩 ,揭示长英质岩浆系玄武质岩浆派生产物 ,后者来自受俯冲带组分混染的楔形地幔 .海底下部热水成矿系统具有极高的3He 4He比值 ,最下部浸染 脉状硫化物R RA 变化于 12 3～ 2 9 3之间 ,块状硫化物该比值介于 10 7～ 17 9之间 .3He极大富集可能与地幔热柱作用有关 ,反映了深部地幔氦的贡献 .上部热水成矿系统及其产物的R RA 变化于 2 6～ 8 0之间 ,黑烟囱流体该比值为 6 5 ,CO2 流体该比值为 5 8～ 6 6,重晶石为该比值 4 3～ 6 0 .硫化物烟囱显示R RA 分带 ,自内而外R RA 值降低 ( 8 0→ 6 0→ 2 6) ,证明上部热水成矿系统仍有地幔氦注入 ,但因热水流体与海水的大量混合而被稀释 .     

在西藏白朗发现蛇绿混杂岩

雅鲁藏布江南岸有一条规模巨大的超基性岩带已为人们所知,作者于1979年6月在西藏日喀则地区白朗附近的蛇绿岩带南部发现了一套很好的混杂岩。白朗蛇绿混杂岩分布在白朗西南侧到罗布江孜村之间。该地的蛇绿岩自下而上包括超基性岩、基性岩、中基性火山岩、枕状熔岩和深海相放射虫硅质岩等(图版Ⅱ-4、5),属保存较好的有序型蛇绿岩套。蛇绿岩带南侧为浅变质的中生界复理石带,由灰色、灰黑色的砂、板岩组成。蛇绿岩带与变质中生界之间为断层接触,并且被一套以红色为主的杂色砾岩不整合覆盖。蛇绿岩带之北侧为晚白垩世的日喀则群,是由一套灰色、黄绿色的砂、页岩地层组成的复理石。蛇绿岩带与日喀则群之间也为断层接触     

塔里木盆地寒武系底部硅质岩的稀有气体同位素组成特征

塔里木盆地寒武系底部黑色岩系是重要的海相烃源岩之一.对该岩系中11个主要组成岩石-硅质岩进行稀有气体同位素分析,柯坪地区硅质岩的R/Ra比值为0.032~0.319,40Ar/36Ar为338~430;库鲁克塔格硅质岩的R/Ra比值为0.44~10.21,40Ar/36Ar为360~765.从西部到东部,硅质岩中的R/Ra与40Ar/36Ar比值同步增长,二者呈现正相关关系,并从壳源区向幔源区演化.硅质岩中的过剩氩40ArE与R/Ra比值正相关,说明硅质岩中过剩氩与幔源氦的来源一致.西部和东部硅质岩的R/Ra比值对比显示,东部硅质岩形成于幔源流体驱动的海底热水流体活动系统,该区壳幔物质和能量的交换作用强烈,而西部硅质岩则是海底热水流体羽漂移到该处沉淀而成的,远离海底热水流体活动中心.另外,从硅质岩的稀有气体同位素异常可推知,寒武系底部黑色岩系形成的海洋缺氧事件可能与海底大规模的火山作用及其伴生的海底热水流体活动有直接的关系.     

太平洋Fe-Mn结壳He, Ne, Ar同位素特征与来源

对太平洋海山Fe-Mn结壳最表层样品的稀有气体同位素丰度与组成测定发现, Fe-Mn结壳稀有气体存在如下特征: ① He, Ar同位素丰度与组成存在明显的分组现象, 分别命名为低³He/⁴He型和高³He/⁴He型; ②低³He/⁴He型样品⁴He丰度高(平均为191×10^-9 cm³·STP·g^-1), ⁴He, ²⁰Ne和⁴⁰Ar丰度变化范围大(分别为42.8×10^-9~421×10^-9, 5.40×10^-9~141×10^-9和773×10^-9~ 10976×10^-9 cm³·STP·g^-1); 高³He/⁴He型样品⁴He丰度低(平均为11.7×10^-9 cm³·STP·g^-1), ⁴He, ²⁰Ne和⁴⁰Ar丰度变化范围小(分别为7.57×10^-9~17.4×10^-9, 10.4×10^-9~25.5×10^-9和5354×10^-9~9050×10^-9 cm³·STP·g^-1); ③低³He/⁴He型样品³He/⁴He比值(R/R_A=2.04~2.92)远低于MORB值(R/R_A=8±1), ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar比值(447~543)明显较大气值(295.5)高; 高³He/⁴He型样品³He/⁴He比值(R/R_A=10.4~12.0)略高于MORB值(R/R_A=8±1), ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar比值(293~299)接近大气值; ④所有样品的Ne同位素组成(²⁰Ne/²²Ne和²¹Ne/²²Ne比值分别为10.3~10.9和0.02774~0.03039)与³⁸Ar/³⁶Ar比值(0.1886~0.1963)变化都很小, 无明显分组, 且与大气相应值(³⁸Ar/³⁶Ar, ²⁰Ne/²²Ne, ²¹Ne/²²Ne比值分别为0.187, 9.80和0.029)接近. 样品的稀有气体组成与区域不均一性表明, 稀有气体主要来自下地幔, 低³He/⁴He型与高³He/⁴He型样品的稀有气体同位素组成分别类似于HIMU型和EM型富集地幔特征. 具有HIMU型稀有气体同位素组成特征的低³He/⁴He型结壳产出于麦哲伦海山、马尔库斯-威克海岭、马绍尔海山链和中太平洋海山, 具有EM型稀有气体同位素组成特征的高³He/⁴He型结壳产出于莱恩群岛海山链, 可能暗示了麦哲伦海山、马尔库斯-威克海岭、马绍尔海山链和中太平洋海山起源于HIMU型下地幔源区, 莱恩群岛海山链起源于EM型下地幔源区, 这与海山基底玄武岩研究得到的结果相吻合. 源区性质的差异是Fe-Mn结壳稀有气体明显分组的根本原因, 地幔脱气作用使得样品的稀有气体核素丰度同步降低, 而源区放射性成因核素的积累对Fe-Mn结壳稀有气体核素丰度和同位素比值的影响甚微.     

中国不同类型断裂带的地幔脱气与深部地质构造特征

以氦同位素为主, 辅以CO₂/³He和CH₄/³He及⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar等指标, 结合地质构造等资料, 对中国大陆不同类型断裂带的地幔脱气及其深部地质构造特征进行了综合示踪研究. 据此识别并划分出4种具代表性的断裂带: (1) 伸展性构造环境中的岩石圈断裂, 地壳厚度小, 具低CH₄/³He-高R值和低CO₂/³He值-高R值体系, 以幔源流体为主, 地幔脱气作用最强, 以郯庐断裂带为代表; (2) 强烈挤压构造环境中的岩石圈断裂或俯冲带, 如班公湖-怒江断裂带, 地壳巨厚, R/Ra值为0.43~1.13, 幔源氦约占总氦的5%~14%, 地幔脱气作用较弱; (3) 造山带山前(盆缘)深断裂带, R值为10^-7量级, CH₄/3He值为10⁹~10¹⁰, CO₂/3He值为10⁶~10⁸, 具微弱的地幔脱气作用; (4)造山带内壳层断裂带, 如窑街F19等断裂带, 具有高CH₄/3He值-低R值(10^-8)和高CO₂/³He值-低R值体系, 无明显的地幔脱气作用. 研究表明: 大型深断裂带是地幔脱气的主要构造通道; 控制地幔脱气强度的主要因素为断裂深度、构造环境性质和地壳厚度; 地幔脱气作用强度可反映断裂带的深度及其深部构造状态, 而气体地球化学示踪则可成为其研究的新的途径; 地球深部热流体上侵活动可能是深大断裂带形成演化的动力源之一; 山前断裂带是深部构造活动方式和壳幔结构转换的部位, 对于认识造山带和盆地的形成机理有重要科学意义.     

Helium and neon isotopic compositions in the ophiolites from the Yarlung Zangbo River,Southwestern China:The information from deep mantle

The ophiolites from the Yarlung Zangbo River (Tibet),Southwestern China,were analysed for the con-tents of helium and neon and their isotopic compositions by stepwise heating. The serpentinites from Bainang showed a high 3He/4He value of 32.66Ra (Ra is referred to the 3He/4He ratio in the present air) in 700 ℃ fraction. At lower temperature,all of the dolerites displayed as very high 3He/4He ratios as ones investigated for hotspots. It was clear that the high 3He/4He ratio was one of immanent characterics in the magma source formed the dolerites,suggesting that there was a large amount of deep mantle fluids in these rocks. In the three-isotope diagram of neon,the data points from the ophiolites of the Yarlung Zangbo River were arranged along the Loihi Line. This is in agreement with the characteristics of he-lium isotopes,revealing that the high-3He plume from deep mantle had played an important role in the formation of the Neo-Tethyan Ocean. The helium isotopic compositions in the basalts were far higher than atomospheric value but lower than the average value of MORB,although there were various de-grees of alteration. The possible reasons were that basaltic magmas     

Inert gases in twelve particles and one “dust” sample from Luna 16

The inert gases were measured mass-spectrometrically in 12 fragments and 1 “dust” sample from Luna 16. The fragments were classified petrologically by microscopic inspection. The major petrologic types were breccias and basalts. The former were much richer in trapped gases than the latter, and were apparently formed by the welding of local fines. However, there was no clear-cut difference in gas content of either breccias or basalts between zone A (top) and zone G (bottom). The⁴He/²⁰Ne ratio of the breccias (average 49) was systematically smaller than that of the basalts (average 78), probably because of He-Ne fractionation during or after the formation of the breccias. We suggest that the⁴He/²⁰Ne ratios of bulk fines in general may reflect the proportions of basaltic and breccia (plus cindery glasses) fragments in the fines. Substantial variations of⁴He/³He were found, which could not be explained with the presence of variable proportions of cosmogenic³He_c. Either the solar-wind value has changed in time, or the fragments with the small ratios were exposed to solar flares rich in³He and/or⁴He. Exposure ages of four fragments are several hundred million years. The⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar slopes of breccias and basalts are identical: 0.65.     

Primordial neon,helium, and hydrogen in oceanic basalts

A primordial neon component in neon from Kilauea Volcano and deep-sea tholeiite glass has been identified by the presence of excess²⁰Ne; relative to atmospheric neon the²⁰Ne enrichments are 5.4% in Kilauea neon and about 2.5% in the basalts. The²⁰Ne anomalies are associated with high³He/⁴He ratios; the ratio in Kilauea helium is 15 times the atmospheric ratio, while mid-ocean ridge basalts from the Atlantic, Pacific, and Red Sea have uniform ratios about 10 times atmospheric. Mantle neon and helium are quite different in isotopic composition from crustal gases, which are highly enriched in radiogenic²¹Ne and⁴He. The²¹Ne/⁴He ratios in crustal gases are consistent with calculated values based on G. Wetherill's¹⁸O (α,n) reaction; the lack of²⁰Ne enrichment in these gases shows that the mantle²⁰Ne anomalies are not radiogenic.²¹Ne enrichments in Kilauea neon and “high-³He” Pacific tholeiites are much less than in crustal neon, about 2 ± 2% vs. present atmospheric neon, as expected from the much lower⁴He/Ne ratios.Neon concentrations in two Atlantic tholeiites were found to be only 1–2% of the values obtained by Dymond and Hogan; helium concentrations are slightly greater and our He/Ne ratios are greater by a factor of 150. The large Ne excess relative to solar wind and meteoritic gases is thus not confirmed. Pacific and Atlantic basalts appear to be quite different in He/Ne ratios however, and He and Ne may be inversely correlated. He concentration variations due to diffusive loss can be distinguished from variations due to two-phase partitioning or mantle heterogeneity by the effects on³He/⁴He ratios. The He isotopic and concentration measurements on “low-³He” basalts are consistent with diffusive loss and dilution of the 3/4 ratio by in-situ radiogenic⁴He, and may provide a method for dating basalt glasses.Deuterium/hydrogen ratios in Atlantic and Pacific tholeiite glasses are 77% lower than the ratio in seawater. The inverse correlation between deuterium and water content observed by Friedman in erupting Kilauea basalts is consistent with a Rayleigh separation process in which magmatic water is separated from an initial melt with the same D/H ratio as observed in deep-sea tholeiites. The consistency of the D/H ratios in tholeiites containing primordial He and Ne components indicates that these ratios are probably characteristic of primordial or juvenile hydrogen in the mantle.     

The evolution of He Isotopes in the convecting mantle and the preservation of high He/He ratios

A key requirement for any model of mantle evolution is accounting for the high ³He/⁴He ratios of many ocean island basalts compared to those of mid-ocean ridge basalts. The early, popular paradigm of primitive, undegassed mantle stored in a convectively isolated lower mantle is incompatible with geophysical constraints that imply whole mantle convection. Thus it has been suggested more recently that domains with high ³He/U ratios have been created continuously from the bulk mantle throughout Earth history. Such models require that the ³He/⁴He ratio of the convecting mantle was at least as high as the highest values seen in OIB at the time the OIB source was generated. These domains must also be created with sufficient He to impart distinctive He isotopic signatures to ocean island basalts. However, the He isotope evolution of the mantle has not been consistently quantified to determine if such scenarios are plausible.

Here a simple model of the He evolution of the whole mantle is examined. Using a wide range of possible histories of continental extraction and He degassing, the bulk convecting mantle was found to have had ³He/⁴He ratios as high as those seen in the Iceland hotspot only prior to 3 Ga. Such high ³He/⁴He ratios can only be preserved if located in domains that are not modified by convective mixing or diffusive homogenisation since that time. Further, there are difficulties in producing, with commonly invoked magmatic processes, domains with sufficiently high ³He/U ratios and enough ³He to be able to impart this signature to ocean island basalts. The results are consistent with models that store such He signatures in the core or a deep layer in the mantle, but are hard to reconcile with models that continuously generate high ³He/⁴He domains within the mantle.     

Diffusive fractionation of noble gases and helium isotopes during mantle melting

The large differences in He and Ar diffusivities in silicate minerals could result in fractionation of the He/Ar ratio during melting of the mantle, producing He/Ar ratios in the primary mantle melts that are higher than those of the bulk mantle. Modeling noble gas diffusion out of the bulk mantle into fast diffusion pathways (such as fractures or melt channels) suggests that significant (order of magnitude) He/Ar fractionation will occur if the fast diffusion channels are spaced several meters apart and the noble gas residence in these diffusion channels is of the order days to weeks. In addition, the 15% difference in ³He and ⁴He diffusivities could also produce isotopic fractionation between the melt and its solid source. Modeling the behavior of He and Ar during melting shows that small increases (few %) in ³He/⁴He should be correlated with larger variations (factor of 5) in ⁴He/⁴⁰Ar. However, in order to test this hypothesis the effects of subsequent He–Ar fractionation that occur during degassing have to be corrected. I describe a scheme that can separate He/Ar variations in the primary melt from overprinted fractionation during magmatic degassing. Using the degassing-corrected data, there is a correlation between the primary melt’s ⁴He/⁴⁰Ar and ³He/⁴He in mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORBs). The slope of the correlation is consistent with the models of preferential diffusion of ³He relative to ⁴He and of ⁴He relative to ⁴⁰Ar from the solid mantle into the melt. Diffusive fractionation of noble gases during melting of the mantle can also account for low ⁴He/⁴⁰Ar ratios commonly found in residual mantle xenoliths: preferential diffusion of He relative to Ar will produce some regions of the mantle with low ⁴He/⁴⁰Ar, the complement of the high ⁴He/⁴⁰Ar ratios in basalts. Diffusive fractionation cannot, however, account for differences between the He and Ne isotopic compositions of MORBs compared with ocean island basalts (OIBs); not only are the extremely high ³He/⁴He ratios of OIBs (up to 50 Ra) difficult to produce at reasonable mantle time and lengthscales, but also the Ne isotopic compositions of MORBs and OIBs do not lie on a single mass fractionation line, therefore cannot result from diffusive fractionation of a single mantle Ne source. If preferential diffusion of He from the solid mantle into primary melts is a significant process during generation of MORBs, then it is difficult to constrain the He concentration of the mantle: He concentrations in basalts and the He flux to the ocean essentially result from extraction of He from a larger (and unknown) volume of mantle than that that produced the basalts themselves. The He concentration of the mantle cannot be constrained until more accurate estimates of the diffusion contribution are available.     

A helium stratified and ingassed lower mantle: resolving the helium paradoxes

It is generally believed a variation of 3He/4He isotopic ratios in the mantle is due to only the decay of U and Th,which produces4 He as well as heat.Here we show that not only3He/4He isotopic ratios but also helium contents can be fractionated by thermal diffusion in the lower mantle.The driving force for that fractionation is the adiabatic or convective temperature gradient,which always produces elemental and isotopic fractionation along temperature gradient by thermal diffusion with higher light/heavy isotopic ratio in the hot end.Our theoretical model and calculations indicate that the lower mantle is helium stratified,caused by thermal diffusion due to*400℃temperature contrast across the lower mantle.The highest3He/4He isotopic ratios and lowest He contents are in the lowermost mantle,which is a consequence of thermaldiffusion fractionation rather than the lower mantle is a primordial and undegassed reservoir.Therefore,oceanicisland basalts derived from the deepest lower mantle with high3He/4He isotopic ratios and less He contents—the long-standing helium paradox,is solved by our model.Because vigorous convection in the upper mantle had resulted in disordered or disorganized thermal-diffusion effects in He,Mid-ocean ridge basalts unaffected by mantle plume have a relatively homogenous and lower!3He/4He isotopic compositions.Our model also predicts that 3He/4He isotopic ratios in the deepest lower mantle of early Earth could be even higher than that of Jupiter,the initial He isotopic ratio in our solar system,because the temperature contrast across the lower mantle in the early Earth is the largest and less4 He had been produced by the decay of U and Th.Moreover,the early helium-stratified lower mantle owned the lowest He contents due to over-degassing caused by the largest temperature contrast.Consequently,succeeding evolution of the lower mantle is a He ingassed process due to secular cooling of the deepest mantle.This explains why significant amount of He produced by the decay of U and Th in the lower mantle were not released,another long-standing heat–helium paradox.     

Helium and argon isotopes of the Tertiary basic igneous rocks from Shandong Peninsula and implications for the magma origin

Helium (He) and Argon (Ar) isotopic compositions of the Tertiary basic igneous rocks were determined by the high temperature melting extraction method. The selected samples for the studies included al-kaline basalts and diabases from the Jiyang basin,and the surrounding Shanwang and Qixia outcrops in the Shandong Peninsula,eastern China. The results show that the Paleogene basalts and diabases from the Jiyang basin yielded a wide range of P4 PHe abundance of (73.70-804.16)×10 P-8 Pcm P3 P STP·g P-1 P,with P3 PHe/ P4 PHe ratios of 0.374-2.959 Ra,which was lower than the MORB but evidently higher than the con-tinental crust value. The Neogene alkaline basalts from the Jiyang basin,Shanwang and Qixia outcrops have variable P4 PHe abundances ((42.34-286.72)×10-8 Pcm P3 P STP·g-1 P),and "continental crust-like" P3 PHe/ P4 PHe ratios (0.013-0.074 Ra). All of them contain atmospheric-like P40 PAr/ P36 PAr ratio (395.4-1312.7),reflecting the mantle sources with air components. Their low P3 PHe/ P4 PHe ratios are interpreted as the enrichment of the radiogenic P4 PHe mainly inherited from the mantle. He and Ar systematics show the mixing of MORB-type,air and a P4 PHe enriched member in the mantle source,suggesting that these igneous rocks originated from the depleted asthenospheric mantle mixed with an EMI component. Therefore,the present He and Ar isotopes do not support the viewpoints that the Cenozoic igneous rocks of Eastern North China were the products of mantle plume(s) activities.     

New constraints on the HIMU mantle from neon and helium isotopic compositions of basalts from the Cook–Austral Islands

High ⁴He/³He ratios of 100 000 to 160 000 found at HIMU ocean islands (“high μ,” where μ is the U/Pb ratio) are usually attributed to the presence of recycled oceanic crust in the HIMU mantle source. However, significantly higher ⁴He/³He ratios are expected in recycled crust after residence in the mantle for periods greater than 1 Ga. In order to better understand the helium isotopic signatures in HIMU basalts, we have measured helium and neon isotopic compositions in a suite of geochemically well-characterized basalts from the Cook–Austral Islands. We observe ⁴He/³He ratios ranging from 56 000 to 141 000, suggesting the involvement of mantle reservoirs both more and less radiogenic than the mantle source for mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORBs). In addition, we find that the neon isotopic compositions of HIMU lavas extend from the MORB range to compositions less nucleogenic than MORBs. The Cook-Austral HIMU He–Ne isotopic compositions, along with Sr, Nd, Pb, and Os isotopic compositions, indicate that in addition to recycled crust, a relatively undegassed mantle end-member (e.g., FOZO) is involved in the genesis of these basalts. The association of relatively undegassed mantle material with recycled crust provides an explanation for the close geographical association between HIMU lavas and EM (enriched mantle)-type lavas from this island chain: EM-type signatures represent a higher mixing proportion of relatively undegassed mantle material. Mixing between recycled material and relatively undegassed mantle material may be a natural result of entrainment processes and convective stirring in deep mantle.     

Excess 3He in oceanic basalts: Evidence for terrestrial primordial helium

Helium trapped in the chilled glass rims of Pacific Ocean basalts is highly enriched in ³He; the ³He/⁴He and ³He/Ne ratios are respectively 10 and 1000 times the atmospheric ratios. We interpret these large enrichments as further evidence that primordial ³He is still present in the interior of the earth. The ³He/⁴He ratio in basalt glass is the same as the isotope ratio of the “excess helium” in Pacific Ocean deep water, supporting the theory that the atmospheric escape rate of ³He is balanced by a flux of primordial ³He from the mantle.     

Mechanisms of magmatic gas loss along the Southeast Indian Ridge and the Amsterdam -St. Paul Plateau

New analyses of He, Ne, Ar and CO₂ trapped in basaltic glasses from the Southeast Indian Ridge (Amsterdam-St. Paul (ASP) region) show that ridge magmas degas by a Rayleigh distillation process. As a result, the absolute and relative noble gas abundances are highly fractionated with ⁴He/⁴⁰Ar* ratios as high as 620 compared to a production ratio of ∼3 (where ⁴⁰Ar* is ⁴⁰Ar corrected for atmospheric contamination). There is a good correlation between ⁴He/⁴⁰Ar* and the MgO content of the basalt, suggesting that the amount of gas lost from a particular magma is related to the degree of crystallization. Fractional crystallization forces oversaturation of CO₂ because CO₂ is an incompatible element. Therefore, crystallization will increase the fraction of gas lost from the magma. The He-Ar-CO₂-MgO-TiO₂ compositions of the ASP basalts are modeled as a combined fractional crystallization-fractional degassing process using experimentally determined noble gas and CO₂ solubilities and partition coefficients at reasonable magmatic pressures (2-4 kbar). The combined fractional crystallization-degassing model reproduces the basalt compositions well, although it is not possible to rule out depth of eruption as a potential additional control on the extent of degassing. The extent of degassing determines the relative noble gas abundances (⁴He/⁴⁰Ar*) and the ⁴⁰Ar*/CO₂ ratio but it cannot account for large (>factor 50) variations in He/CO₂, due to the similar solubilities of He and CO₂ in basaltic magmas. Instead, variations in CO₂/³He (≡C/³He) trapped in the vesicles must reflect similar variations in the primary magma. The controls on C/³He in mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORBs) are not known. There are no obvious correlated variations between C/³He and tracers of mantle heterogeneity (³He/⁴He, K/Ti etc.), implying that the variations in C/³He are not likely to be a feature of the mantle source to these basalts. Mixing between MORB-like sources and more enriched, high ³He/⁴He sources occurs on and near the ASP plateau, resulting in variable ³He/⁴He and K/Ti compositions (and many other tracers). Using ⁴He/⁴⁰Ar* to track degassing, we demonstrate that mixing systematics involving He isotopes are determined in large part by the extent of degassing. Relatively undegassed lavas (with low ⁴He/⁴⁰Ar*) are characterized by steep ³He/⁴He-K/Ti mixing curves, with high He/Ti ratios in the enriched magma (relative to He/Ti in the MORB magma). Degassed samples (high ⁴He/⁴⁰Ar*) on the other hand have roughly equal He/Ti ratios in both end-members, resulting in linear mixing trajectories involving He isotopes. Some degassing of ASP magmas must occur at depth, prior to magma mixing. As a result of degassing prior to mixing, mixing systematics of oceanic basalts that involve noble gas-lithophile pairs (e.g. ³He/⁴He vs. ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr or ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar vs. ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb) are unlikely to reflect the noble gas composition of the mantle source to the basalts. Instead, the mixing curve will reflect the extent of gas loss from the magmas, which is in turn buffered by the pressure of combined crystallization-degassing and the initial CO₂ content.