大洋上地幔中冈瓦纳大陆岩石圈的残留物：来自南大西洋海岭的证据

根据放射成因（Ｓｒ、Ｎｄ和Ｐｂ）同位素组分 ,大洋玄武岩地球化学研究确定了几种地幔成分。对大西洋洋中脊南部（Ｄｉｓｃｏｖｅｒｙ和Ｓｈｏｍ区段）洋中脊玄武岩（ＭＯＲＢ）的最新研究探明了具有同位素极值的地幔组分ＬＯ ＭＵ的存在 ,它具有低２３８Ｕ／２０４Ｐｂ（μ）、低２０６Ｐｂ／２０４Ｐｂ和∈ＮＤ、高 ８７Ｓｒ／８６Ｓｒ和 ２０７Ｐｂ／２０４Ｐｂ易变性的特征。科学家认为ＬＯＭＵ对南大西洋和印度洋的地幔羽状物有影响 ,并将其归于冈瓦纳分裂之后嵌进大洋上地幔的次大陆岩石圈的残余物质。这里 ,我们报道了从南大西洋海…     

全球三大洋底高原重力异常与地壳厚度特征及对比研究*

翁通爪哇高原、凯尔盖朗高原与沙茨基海隆是全球三大洋底高原, 是大量岩浆喷发到地表的结果, 火山面积分别达1.90×10⁶、1.25×10⁶、0.53×10⁶km²。本文详细分析了该三大洋底高原的地形、剩余地幔布格重力异常(residual mantle Bouguer anomaly, RMBA)与重力反演的相对地壳厚度, 并结合地质与地球化学特征约束进行对比研究。结果显示, 翁通爪哇高原、凯尔盖朗高原与沙茨基海隆分别高出周围海底约4.3、5、4km, 相应的地幔布格重力异常最大变化值分别为250、330、200mGal, 以及相应的相对地壳厚度变化分别为11、13、9km, 表明形成三大洋底高原的岩浆量远远大于正常洋中脊的岩浆量。此外, 三大洋底高原皆形成于洋中脊附近。Nd、Pb、Hf同位素比值分析表明, 翁通爪哇高原的玄武岩组分为洋岛玄武岩; 凯尔盖朗高原大部分类似于洋岛玄武岩, 并含有洋中脊玄武岩组分; 沙茨基海隆的玄武岩组分主要为东太平洋海隆正常洋中脊玄武岩, 却又存在少量位于全球洋岛玄武岩范围内。这些特征揭示了三大洋底高原可能形成于“地幔柱-洋中脊相互作用”。对此本文提出了两种模式: 一为洋中脊被地幔柱拖拽至其上方; 二为洋中脊之下的软流圈受到地幔柱影响, 从而产生超常熔融与超厚地壳。     

高纬度北大西洋地幔放射成因同位素成分

高纬度北大西洋地幔放射成因同位素成分ＤｉｅｔｅｒＦ．Ｍｅｒｔｚ等冰岛熔岩以及周围上地幔熔岩的成因一直令人争执不休。为解释冰岛上观察到的同位素趋势，有人提供了一个丰富的地幔羽源与衰竭的洋中脊玄武岩（ＭＯＲＢ）源或衰竭的地幔羽源的混合过程。在本文中，冰岛...     

夏威夷玄武岩源区深海沉积物的铪（Hf）同位素证据

全球比例尺上表面固定的热点位置和火山对应于地下软流圈的恒定漂移速率表明它们产生于地幔深处。大洋岛玄武岩（ＯＩＢｓ）的３Ｈｅ／４Ｈｅ比值高于洋中脊玄武岩（ＭＯ＿ＲＢｓ）的３Ｈｅ／４Ｈｅ比值,反映ＯＩＢ地幔中（Ｕ Ｔｈ）／３Ｈｅ比值相对较低,这有可能表明下地幔比上地幔去气少。这种诠释为地幔对流模式提供了一重要限制,与ＯＩＢｓ源区是次生海洋岩石圈（其上物质在很大程度上被预料是去气）的证据相抵触。痕量元素丰度与Ｐｂ、Ｎｄ、Ｈｆ同位素比值都表明原始地幔并不是ＯＩＢｓ的主要源区。锇同位素的测量表明,一旦一种成分…     

ODP209航次——沿14°～16°N大西洋中脊上地幔的钻探

ODP2 0 9航次将沿 14°～ 16°N大西洋中脊 (MAR)钻取上地幔的岩心。该区域是 1996年大洋岩石圈科学钻探计划进入 2 1世纪后 ,在低速扩张脊非补偿岩浆部分钻取一系列浅钻获取上地幔岩心的理想地区。在本区 ,火成岩地壳部分缺失 ,地幔的结构和成分可以通过沿走向超过 10 0km的那些站位来确定。大洋中脊跨学科的全球实验 (RIDGE)项目主要是基于地幔流体或地幔熔岩、或是两者学说的研究 ,其焦点是在岩浆活动的大洋中脊区中部 ,至少是低速扩张脊如MAR的 3维趋势。该学说目前已为大家普遍接受 ,但从未有项目直接检验过。在岩浆活动区设定相…     

东太平洋海隆1.5°N～1.5°S和南大西洋中脊13.2°S玄武岩物质组成

对东太平洋海隆(EPRⅠ区和Ⅱ区)和南大西洋中脊(SMAR)6个站位新鲜的玄武岩样品进行了岩石学及地球化学研究。结果显示,EPR玄武岩样品可分为辉石玄武岩、气孔玄武岩和玻基玄武岩3种类型,SMAR玄武岩样品主要为辉石玄武岩。EPR和SMAR玄武岩样品的标准矿物组合相同,均出现了石英和紫苏辉石标准矿物,为典型的拉斑玄武岩。EPRⅠ区和SMAR玄武岩表现出轻稀土富集的配分模式,可能受到了富集地幔源区(EMORB)的影响,其玄武岩可能形成于未经历早期熔融事件的富集地幔或部分熔融程度相对较低。EPRⅡ区玄武岩为正常型洋中脊玄武岩(N-MORB),其源区为经历了早期熔融事件的、亏损洋中脊地幔源区(DMM),且源岩部分熔融程度较高。EPRⅠ区与Ⅱ区不同的幔源特征说明东太平洋海隆地幔源区存在不均一性。     

西北印度洋中脊玄武岩源区地幔特征

利用全球岩石地球化学数据库(Pet DB)中有关卡尔斯伯格洋脊(CR)、北中印度洋脊(NCIR)及南中印度洋脊(SCIR)玄武岩的微量元素及同位素组成数据,分析了玄武岩的元素地球化学特征及其沿脊轴的变化,旨在探讨玄武岩源区地幔的(不)均一性及岩浆作用过程的差异。初步研究结果表明:CR、NCIR及SCIR玄武岩组成相近,仅在个别脊段表现有微量稀土元素和同位素组成上的差异,玄武岩整体与N-MORB组成特征相近,与先前通常认为的典型印度洋中脊玄武岩不同。玄武质岩浆主要源自尖晶石二辉橄榄岩地幔的熔融,岩浆源区主要由两个地幔端元构成,即以亏损型地幔(DMM)为主(69%),其次为富集型地幔(EMⅡ,27%)。富集组分可能源自古老陆壳物质的混染。自CR经NCIR到SCIR整个印度洋中脊西北分支玄武岩的Sr、Nd及Pb同位素组成表现出均一性,表明岩浆源区地幔组成相近。在SCIR 19°S附近脊段岩浆源区地幔存在有不均一性,有EMⅡ型地幔端元混入的迹象。在CR 3.5°N附近脊段,玄武岩明显富集K、Ba、La及U等微量元素,但由于缺少同位素数据,源区地幔特征有待进一步研究。在上述研究成果的基础上,提出了该区大比例尺的调查填图及密集采样和精细室内分析是CR深入研究的基础,同时加强Sr、Nd、Pb及Re、Os、Be等同位素分析测试,可提供揭示CR地幔不均一性的可靠依据,而厘清印度洋型地幔对CR的影响程度则有助于深入认识地幔不均一性的成因及地幔动力学过程。     

地幔柱与洋脊分段成因探讨

地幔柱产生岩浆的核幔交界部位相当于"岩浆洋",下地幔与上地幔、上地幔与软流圈之间的岩浆流通道相当于"岩浆河流",岩浆由软流圈经岩石圈喷出地表的通道相当于"岩浆小溪",在它们之间都会有许多的"岩浆支流",其中有的"支流"将这些"河流"与"河流"或"河流"与"小溪"联系起来.洋脊分段现象是由于地幔柱中存在横向的"岩浆支流"...     

基于独立成分分析的马里亚纳弧后地幔源区特征研究

对采自太平洋洋中脊(277组)、印度洋洋中脊(159组)、马里亚纳海槽(53组)、马里亚纳岛弧(39组)、中南劳海盆(72组)共600组玄武岩数据进行了独立成分分析,从Sr-Nd-Pb五维同位素比值空间提取出占样本方差99%的3个独立成分(IC1,IC2,IC3),并利用这3个独立成分(ICs)与微量元素比值之间的相关性来讨论独立成分的起源。分析结果表明:IC1可以将马里亚纳海槽玄武岩与太平洋洋中脊及马里亚纳岛弧玄武岩区分,并且IC1值与(La/Sm)N比值呈正相关。IC2可以将马里亚纳海槽和马里亚纳岛弧玄武岩区分,而且IC2值与Ba/Th比值呈正相关;IC3可以将弧后盆地和洋中脊玄武岩区分,同时IC3值与Th/Nb呈负相关。分析独立成分的统计特征和微量元素比值特征可知,IC1与印度洋型MORB地幔的富集组分相关,IC2与太平洋板块俯冲产生的含水流体相关,IC3与再循环俯冲沉积物熔体相关。根据ICs地理分布特点,我们认为:1)马里亚纳海槽北部比南部受到更多印度洋型MORB地幔富集组分的影响,表明印度洋型MORB地幔可能从北部置换太平洋型MORB地幔;2)海槽北部地幔源区则是受到再循环沉积物熔体的影响较大,而中部和南部地幔源区可能受到更多俯冲流体的影响。     

印度洋玄武岩中大陆组分的成因

印度洋玄武岩的地球化学特征与太平洋、大西洋的玄武岩不同。在87Sr/86Sr一定的情况下其143Nd/144Nd比值较低，而在206Pb/204Pb 一定的情况下其207Pb/204Pb 和208Pb/204Pb比值较高（Dupré等，1983； Mahoney 等，1998）。印度洋地幔源的玄武岩内存有来自大陆岩石圈的组分是造成这些不同的原因（ Rehk?mper和 Hofmann，1997）。部分印度洋洋中脊玄武岩（MORBs）的另一个特征是具有较低的206Pb/204Pb比值，这可能意味着大陆岩石圈与其软流圈的源发生了混合（Dupré等，1983； Mahoney 等，1992）。最近，大陆下的地幔分层现象已被用…     

印度洋Carlsberg洋脊玄武岩岩石地球化学特征及其地质意义

本文对采自印度洋Carlsberg脊14个站位的新鲜玄武岩样品进行了常量和微量元素组成分析,旨在研究岩浆源区地幔的性质以及岩浆作用过程。研究结果表明:该区玄武岩为典型的源于亏损型地幔的大洋中脊玄武岩,不同样品经历了不同程度的结晶分异作用,演化过程主要受控于橄榄石的结晶分异作用,部分样品中有单斜辉石结晶分异作用的影响,斜长石的结晶分异作用不显著;玄武岩岩浆来源于亏损型尖晶石二辉橄榄岩地幔的熔融,主微量元素组成中尚未见到富集型组分混入的证据;源区地幔不同比例的熔融作用及其后岩浆演化过程的差异是造成不同样品间地球化学性质差异的主要原因,彼此独立的局部岩浆作用过程是岩浆作用差异的主控制因素。Carlsberg脊玄武岩整体与全球标准大洋中脊玄武岩(N-MORB)平均组分相近,不同脊段间岩浆源区地幔的组成、熔融程度(比例)和熔融深度等无明显差异,这种特征向南直到CIR的北段。     

Segmentation and Morphotectonic Variations Along a Super Slow-Spreading Center: The Southwest Indian Ridge (57° E-70° E)

Bathymetric data along the Southwest Indian Ridge (SWIR) between 57°E and 70° E have been used to analyze the characteristics of thesegmentation and the morphotectonic variations along this ridge. Higheraxial volcanic ridges on the SWIR than on the central Mid-Atlantic Ridge(MAR) indicate that the lithosphere beneath the SWIR axis that supportsthese volcanic ridges, is thicker than the lithosphere beneath the MAR. Astronger/thicker lithosphere allows less along-axis melt flow andenhances the large crustal thickness variations due to 3D mantle upwellings.Magmatic processes beneath the SWIR are more focused, producing segmentsthat are shorter (30 km mean length) with higher along-axis relief (1200 mmean amplitude) than on the MAR. The dramatic variations in the length andamplitude of the swells (8–50 km and 500–2300 m respectively),the height of axial volcanic ridges (200–1400 m) and the number ofvolcanoes (5–58) between the different types of segments identifiedon the SWIR presumably reflect large differences in the volume, focusing andtemporal continuity of magmatic upwelling beneath the axis. To the east ofMelville fracture zone (60°42 E), the spreading center isdeeper, the bathymetric undulation of the axial-valley floor is less regularand the number of volcanoes is much lower than to the west. The spreadingsegments are also shorter and have higher along-axis amplitudes than to thewest of Melville fracture zone where segments are morphologically similar tothose observed on the central MAR. The lower magmatic activity together withshorter and higher segments suggest colder mantle temperatures withgenerally reduced and more focused magma supply in the deepest part of thesurvey area between 60°42 E and 70° E. The non-transformdiscontinuities show offsets as large as 70 km and orientations up toN36° E as compared to the N0° E spreading direction. We suggest thatin regions of low or sporadic melt generation, the lithosphere neardiscontinuities is laterally heterogeneous and mechanically unable tosustain focused strike-slip deformation.     

Mantle Bouguer Anomaly Along an Ultra Slow-Spreading Ridge: Implications for Accretionary Processes and Comparison with Results from Central Mid-Atlantic Ridge

A three-dimensional analysis of gravity andbathymetry data has been achieved along the Southwest Indian Ridge (SWIR)between the Rodriguez Triple Junction (RTJ) and the Atlantis II transform,in order to define the morphological and geophysical expression ofsecond-order segmentation along an ultra slow-spreading ridge(spreading rate of 8 mm/yr), and to compare it with awell-studied section along a slow-spreading ridge (spreadingrate of 12.5 mm/yr): the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) between 28°and 31°30 N.Between the Atlantis II transform and theRTJ, the SWIR axis exhibits a deep axial valley with an 30°oblique trend relative to the north–south spreading direction. Onlythree transform faults offset the axis, so the obliquity has to beaccommodated by the second-order segmentation. Alongslow-spreading ridges such as the MAR, second-order segmentshave been defined as linear features perpendicular to the spreadingdirection, with a shallow axial valley floor at the segment midpoint,deepening to the segment ends, and are associated with Mantle BouguerAnomaly (MBA) lows. Along the SWIR, our gravity study reveals the presenceof circular MBA lows, but they are spaced further apart than expected. Thesegravity lows are systematically centred over narrow bathymetric highs, andinterpreted as the centres of spreading cells. However, along some obliquesections of the axis, the valley floor displays small topographicundulations, which can be interpreted as small accretionary segments frommorphological analysis, but as large discontinuity domains from thegeophysical data. Therefore, both bathymetry and MBA variations have to beused to define the second-order segmentation of an ultraslow-spreading ridge. This segmentation appears to be characterisedby short segments and large oblique discontinuity domains. Analysis of alongaxis bathymetric and gravimetric profiles exhibits three different sectionsthat can be related to the thermal structure of the lithosphere beneath theSWIR axis.The comparison between characteristics of segmentationalong the SWIR and the MAR reveals two major differences: first, the poorcorrelation between MBA and bathymetry variations and second, the largerspacing and amplitude of MBA lows along the SWIR compared to the MAR. Theseobservations seem to be correlated with the spreading rate and the thermalstructure of the ridge. Therefore, the gravity signature of the segmentationand thus the accretionary processes appear to be very different: there areno distinct MBA lows on fast-spreading ridges, adjacent ones on slowspreading ridges and finally separate ones on ultra slow-spreadingridges. The main result of this study is to point out that 2nd ordersegmentation of an ultra slow-spreading ridge is characterised bywide discontinuity domains with very short accretionary segments, suggestingvery focused mantle upwelling, with a limited magma supply through a cold,thick lithosphere. We also emphasise the stronger influence of themechanical lithosphere on accretionary processes along an ultra slow-spreading ridge.     

Submersible observations of Equatorial Atlantic mantle: The St. Paul Fracture Zone region

The St. Paul F.Z. is a large structural domain made up of multiple transform faults interrupted by several Intra-Transform Ridge (ITR) spreading segments. Two regions were studied in details by submersible: (1) The ITR short (<20 km in length) segment near 0° 37N–25° 27W and 1° N–27° 42W and (2) The St. Peter and St. Paul's Rocks (SPPR) massif located at 29° 25W (¡3700 m depth). (1) The short ITR segments consist of a magma starved rift valley with recent volcanic activities at 4700 m depth. A geological profile made along the rift valley wall showed localized volcanics (basalts and dykes) which are believed to overlay and intrude the ultramafics. The geological setting and the high ultramafic/volcanic ratio suggest an extremely low magmatic supply and crustal-mantle uplift during lithospheric stretching and denudation. (2) The St. Peter and St. Paul's Rocks (SPPR) massif consists of a sigmoidal ridge within the active transform zone. The SPPR is divided into two different geological domains called the North and the South Ridges. The North Ridge consists of strongly tectonized fault scarps composed of banded and mylonitized peridotite, sporadic gabbros (3900–2500 m) and metabasalts (2700–1700 m). The South Ridge is less tectonized with undeformed, serpentinized spinel lherzolite (2000–1400 m) and basalts. Extensional motion and denudation accompanied by diapirism affected the South Ridge within a transform domain. Instead, the North Ridge was formed during an important strike-slip and faulting motion resulting in the uplifted portion of the St. Paul F.Z. transverse ridge. There is a regional compositional variation of the volcanics where E-MORBs and alkali basalts are produced on the SPPR massif and are comparable to the adjacent northern segments of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. On the other hand, N and T- MORBs collected from the eastern part of the St. Paul F.Z. (25° 27W IRT) are similar to the volcanics from the southern segments of the MAR. The peridotites exposed in these provinces (SPPR and ITR) are similar in their REE and trace element distribution. Different degrees (3–15%) of partial melting of a mixed composite mantle consisting of spinel and amphibole bearing lherzolite veined with 5–40% clinopyroxenite gave rise to the observed MORBs and alkali basalts.     

Mantle melting beneath the Southwest Indian Ridge: signals from clinopyroxene in abyssal peridotites

The mineral chemistry and texture of clinopyroxenes in peridotite from the Kingkong tectonic zone of the Southwest Indian Ridge segment in an effort to constrain mantle melting beneath this slow-spreading ridge are reported. There are three types of clinopyroxenes in the abyssal peridotites： coarse-grained, intergranu- lar and exsolved. The compositional variations among these three types suggest that the coarse-grained clinopyroxene is a mantle-derived source. The A1, Na and Ti contents and the Na/Ti ratio of the coarse- grained clinopyroxene may be used to monitor the degree of partial melting, combined with the contradis- tinction with Spinel Cr#, which is calculated to be between 7.9% and 14.9%, and may represent low degrees of melting in the global ocean ridge system. The along-axis compositional variations in the coarse-grained clinopyroxene suggest that the degree of partial melting is primarily controlled by the transform faults on both sides of the ridge. Nonetheless, the northwestern side of the ridge may be affected by a hypothesised detachment fault as documented by the calculated P-T conditions. Simultaneously high Na and low Ti con- tents in the coarse-grained clinoovroxene points to mantle heterogeneities along the ridge axis.     

Pb and other ore metals in modern seafloor tectonic environments: Evidence from melt inclusions

Many modern seafloor tectonic environments are host to hydrothermal systems and associated polymetallic sulfide deposits. Metal transport and precipitation are controlled by magmatic processes such as pre-eruptive degassing and the hydrothermal cycle. The original availability of Pb and other ore metals in a given setting is dependent on concentrations in the original magmatic source or additional enrichment processes. We have examined the Pb budget of melt inclusions from nine modern seafloor settings representing back-arcs, mid-ocean ridges and seamounts. Melt inclusions provide information on the characteristics of parental magmas, including insights into metal budgets. Trace element data in melt inclusions hosted in plagioclase, olivine and pyroxene were obtained by laser-ablation inductively-coupled mass-spectrometry.Results from back-arcs emphasize the impact of slab-subduction and dehydration processes on the chemical characteristics of generated magmas. Volatile- and fluid-mobile element-rich melt inclusions at Manus basin and Okinawa trough reflect a robust contribution of elements from the subducting slab as evidenced by relatively low Ce/Pb ratios. At Bransfield strait, on the other hand, melt inclusions are volatile poor, and fluid-mobile element ratios are similar to mid-ocean ridge values indicating little or no contribution from the slab. High Cu concentrations at Manus basin and Okinawa trough can be explained by fluxing of ferric iron from the subducting slab benefiting the production of sulfate over sulfide.Metal budgets for seamounts located on and nearby the axis of mid-ocean ridge segments appear to be independent of any input of mantle plume material. Results from the southern Explorer ridge (strong lower mantle influence, transitional- and enriched-MORBs), Pito and Axial seamounts (moderate lower mantle influence, transitional-MORBs) and a Foundation near-ridge seamount (little to no mantle influence, normal-MORB) show that, despite similar tectonic environments and varying contributions of mantle plume material, Cu, Zn and Pb values do not vary significantly between the enriched and non-enriched magma components of a given setting.     

白垩纪以来太平洋上地幔组成和温度变化

The geological evolution of the Earth during the mid-Cretaceous were shown to be anomalous, e.g., the pause of the geomagnetic field, the global sea level rise, and increased intra-plate volcanic activities, which could be attributed to deep mantle processes. As the anomalous volcanic activities occurred mainly in the Cretaceous Pacific, here we use basalt chemical compositions from the oceanic drilling(DSDP/ODP/IODP) sites to investigate their mantle sources and melting conditions. Based on locations relative to the Pacific plateaus, we classified these sites as oceanic plateau basalts, normal mid-ocean ridge basalts, and near-plateau seafloor basalts. This study shows that those normal mid-ocean ridge basalts formed during mid-Cretaceous are broadly similar in average Na8, La/Sm and Sm/Yb ratios and Sr-Nd isotopic compositions to modern Pacific spreading ridge(the East Pacific Rise). The Ontong Java plateau(125–90 Ma) basalts have distinctly lower Na8 and143Nd/144 Nd, and higher La/Sm and 87Sr/86 Sr than normal seafloor basalts, whereas those for the near-plateau seafloor basalts are similar to the plateau basalts, indicating influences from the Ontong Java mantle source. The super mantle plume activity that might have formed the Ontong Java plateau influenced the mantle source of the simultaneously formed large areas of seafloor basalts. Based on the chemical data from normal seafloor basalts, I propose that the mantle compositions and melting conditions of the normal mid-ocean ridges during the Cretaceous are similar to the fast spreading East Pacific Rise. Slight variations of mid-Cretaceous normal seafloor basalts in melting conditions could be related to the local mantle source and spreading rate.     

Variations in melt supply along an orthogonal supersegment of the Southwest Indian Ridge(16°–25°E)

The orthogonal supersegment of the ultraslow-spreading Southwest Indian Ridge at 16°–25°E is characterized by significant along-axis variations of mantle potential temperature. A detailed analysis of multibeam bathymetry,gravity, and magnetic data were performed to investigate its variations in magma supply and crustal accretion process. The results revealed distinct across-axis variations of magma supply. Specifically, the regionally averaged crustal thickness reduced systematically from around 7 Ma to the present, indicating a regionally decreasing magma supply. The crustal structure is asymmetric in regional scale between the conjugate ridge flanks, with the faster-spreading southern flank showing thinner crust and greater degree of tectonic extension. Geodynamic models of mantle melting suggested that the observed variations in axial crustal thickness and major element geochemistry can be adequately explained by an eastward decrease in mantle potential temperature of about40°C beneath the ridge axis. In this work, a synthesized model was proposed to explain the axial variations of magma supply and ridge segmentation stabilities. The existence of large ridge-axis offsets may play important roles in controlling melt supply. Several large ridge-axis offsets in the eastern section(21°–25°E) caused sustained along-axis focusing of magma supply at the centers of eastern ridge segments, enabling quasi-stable segmentation. In contrast, the western section(16°–21°E), which lacks large ridge-axis offsets, is associated with unstable segmentation patterns.     

Geochemistry and petrogenesis of Quaternary volcanism from the islets in the eastern Beibu Gulf: evidence for Hainan plum

Some of the islets in the eastern Beibu Gulf are covered by Quaternary volcano strata. The rock samples from these islets mainly consist of quartz tholeiites （at Shenjiandao）, olivine tholeiites （at Linshidao and Xieyang- dao） and alkali basalts （at Yangpubi and Jianshidao）, and basically represent four periods of the Quaternary volcanism of Hainan Island and its adjacent regions. Except for the samples from Shenjiandao, most of the Quaternary volcanics of these islets belong to alkali magma series. The trace element characteristics of all of these samples show they are OIB （oceanic island basalt） -like, which implies that their deep geodynamic setting may be related to a mantle plume. The Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic compositions show that the mantle source beneath the Quaternary strata can be regarded as a result of binary mixing between a depleted, DMM （de- pleted MORB mantle）-like source and an enriched mantle type 2 （EM2）. The EM2 may be originated from the Hainan mantle plume, and has been metasomatized by carbonaceous fluids released from ancient re- cycled oceanic crust at an asthenospheric mantle level. These features, together with typical trace element ratios, reflect that the parent magma was not subjected to crustal contamination during its ascent to the surface. This study provides further petrological and geochemical evidence for the existence of the Hainan mantle plume.     

The Vema Transverse Ridge (Central Atlantic)

Transverse ridges are elongate reliefs running parallel and adjacent to transform/fracture zones offsetting mid-ocean ridges. A major transverse ridge runs adjacent to the Vema transform (Central Atlantic), that offsets the Mid-Atlantic Ridge by 320 km. Multibeam morphobathymetric coverage of the entire Vema Transverse ridge shows it is an elongated (300 km), narrow (<30 km at the base) relief that constitutes a topographic anomaly rising up to 4 km above the predicted thermal contraction level. Morphology and lithology suggest that the Vema Transverse ridge is an uplifted sliver of oceanic lithosphere. Topographic and lithological asymmetry indicate that the transverse ridge was formed by flexure of a lithospheric sliver, uncoupled on its northern side by the transform fault. The transverse ridge can be subdivided in segments bound by topographic discontinuities that are probably fault-controlled, suggesting some differential uplift and/or tilting of the different segments. Two of the segments are capped by shallow water carbonate platforms, that formed about 3–4 m.y. ago, at which time the crust of the transverse ridge was close to sea level. Sampling by submersible and dredging indicates that a relatively undisturbed section of oceanic lithosphere is exposed on the northern slope of the transverse ridge. Preliminary studies of mantle-derived ultramafic rocks from this section suggest temporal variations in mantle composition. An inactive fracture zone scarp (Lema fracture zone) was mapped south of the Vema Transverse ridge. Based on morphology, a fossil RTI was identified about 80 km west of the presently active RTI, suggesting that a ridge jump might have occurred about 2.2 m.a. Most probable causes for the formation of the Vema Transverse ridge are vertical motions of lithospheric slivers due to small changes in the direction of spreading of the plates bordering the Vema Fracture Zone.