藏南特提斯喜马拉雅带内江孜-康马地区白垩纪多期基性岩浆作用

在特提斯喜马拉雅带东部江孜-康马一带发育大量近东西向展布的辉绿岩体/墙,研究表明这些基性岩至少可分为三期:(1)形成于~140Ma的辉绿岩具有OIB型地球化学特征,部分样品Sr-Nd同位素组成与其东部~132Ma错美-班布里大火成岩省中基性岩相当,部分高镁样品具有Nb-Ta负异常和Pb正异常,εNd(t)值小于0;(2)形成于~120Ma的辉绿岩显示N-MORB型地球化学特征;(3)形成于~90Ma的辉绿岩显示E-MORB型地球化学特征。后两期基性岩的Sr-Nd同位素组成均显示与印度洋MORB相关。结合同时期的Kerguelen地幔柱活动轨迹及东冈瓦纳大陆裂解事件,本文认为江孜-康马地区~140Ma基性岩代表Kerguelen地幔柱及其与上覆东冈瓦纳大陆岩石圈地幔相互作用产物,是Kerguelen地幔柱长期潜伏于东冈瓦纳大陆下的证据,在前人研究基础上将该地幔柱影响的范围从错美向西拓展了约200km;之后随着东冈瓦纳大陆裂解和印度洋的开启及扩张,印度板块逐渐北移并远离Kerguelen地幔柱,江孜-康马地区~120Ma和~90Ma两期基性岩代表新生印度洋软流圈部分熔融的产物,与Kerguelen地幔柱无关。该区识别出的三期基性岩浆活动表明:特提斯喜马拉雅带的东部在白垩纪经历了与东冈瓦纳大陆裂解、印度洋的开启和扩张相关的多期基性岩浆活动。这些基性岩为深入了解和限定特提斯喜马拉雅带自140Ma以来的古地理位置和构造演化过程提供了新的岩石记录和时间坐标。     

藏南夏瓦地区基性脉岩锆石U-Pb定年、地球化学特征及地质意义

西藏夏瓦地区位于特提斯喜马拉雅构造带中东部,广泛发育大量近东西向的基性脉岩,这些基性脉岩对于研究该区域地质构造演化具有重要的意义。本文对夏瓦地区基性脉岩开展了系统的岩石学、年代学、地球化学等研究。夏瓦基性脉岩的岩石类型以辉绿岩和辉长玢岩为主。锆石U-Pb年代学揭示基性脉岩结晶年龄为146～145 Ma。夏瓦基性脉岩具有低SiO₂(47.20%～50.54%)和高Mg~#值(39.78～53.79)特征,富集Ti、Fe、P元素,属碱性系列,富集轻稀土元素(LREE),高场强元素(Nb、Ta、Zr、Hf、Th)相对富集,显示出似OIB的地球化学特征,指示夏瓦基性脉岩来源于软流圈地幔的部分熔融,形成于大陆边缘裂谷背景下。结合区域大火成岩省基性岩的发育,认为夏瓦地区基性脉岩是大陆边缘裂谷背景下Kerguelen地幔柱作用的产物。夏瓦基性脉岩的结晶年龄虽然早于Kerguelen地幔柱活动的峰期(132 Ma),但可能属于地幔柱峰期之前的小规模岩浆活动。     

班- 怒带东段丁青蛇绿岩中镁铁质岩石年代学及构造背景

丁青蛇绿岩位于班公湖-怒江缝合带东段,分为东、西两个蛇绿岩体,丁青西蛇绿岩体缺乏基性岩年代学研究。对丁青西地质填图显示,蛇绿岩主要由方辉橄榄岩、纯橄榄岩、辉绿岩、玄武岩及辉长岩组成。其中玄武岩、辉长岩及辉绿岩出露在宗白区域,玄武岩和辉绿岩与下侏罗统沉积岩呈构造接触,辉长岩呈岩脉侵入到下侏罗统沉积岩中。岩石地球化学研究表明,玄武岩和辉长岩同属于碱性基性岩石,其中玄武岩具有典型洋岛玄武岩的稀土和微量元素特征,可能形成于与地幔柱有关的洋岛环境。在玄武质凝灰岩中挑选出的锆石测年,获得U-Pb年龄为198.7±3.8Ma,属早侏罗世。辉长岩的稀土和微量元素含量低于典型洋岛玄武岩,但其REE和微量元素具有OIB的特征,与典型OIB相比,辉长岩的HREE发生了一定程度富集。辉长岩锆石的U-Pb年龄为164.3±2.6Ma,认为辉长岩在形成过程中受到了软流圈地幔和岩石圈下部LVZ中富集熔体的共同作用,其形成于大陆边缘裂谷环境;辉绿岩成分属于拉斑系列岩石,其REE和微量元素曲线显示辉绿岩同时具有N-MORB和E-MORB的特征。辉绿岩锆石U-Pb年龄为114.2±1.3Ma,其形成晚于玄武岩。结合区域地质,认为辉绿岩形成于受地幔柱影响的弧后扩张脊环境。本研究提供了丁青西蛇绿岩新的年代学和岩石学证据,为探讨丁青蛇绿岩的形成和演化历史提供了新的证据。     

藏东南措美大火成岩省中OIB型镁铁质岩的全岩地球化学和锆石Hf同位素

西藏南东部新识别出来的措美大火成岩省的地幔柱头部物质成分尚未得到很好的约束。为探讨此问题,在全岩地球化学数据基础上,本文首次报道了藏东南措美大火成岩省中机布淌、打隆、措美和哲古错OIB型镁铁质岩的锆石Hf同位素和微量元素数据。本文报道的OIB型镁铁质岩包括碱性(组Ⅰ)和亚碱性(组Ⅱ)系列的辉长岩和辉绿岩,以岩墙或岩床的形式产出。这些镁铁质岩具有高的TiO₂(2.61%～4.07%)和P₂O₅(0.32%～0.51%)含量,富集轻稀土元素和高场强元素,地球化学特征类似于OIB。全岩微量元素地球化学指标显示组Ⅰ样品没有或很少受到地壳混染,组Ⅱ样品经历了较高程度的地壳混染。组Ⅰ中一件样品(JBT03-1)具有变化范围大的锆石ε_Hf(t)值(-4.8～+5.3),可能暗示其受到了地壳和/或岩石圈地幔物质的混染。本文结果表明锆石Hf同位素比全岩地球化学数据能够更为有效地识别基性岩浆是否受到地壳和/或岩石圈地幔物质混染。措美大火成岩省中的OIB型镁铁质岩样品(组Ⅰ和组Ⅱ),具有不同于俯冲带镁铁质岩和洋壳镁铁质岩的锆石稀土元素配分型式和锆石Ti温度,这可能是岩浆源区温度和成分不同的结果。综合考虑全岩地球化学和锆石Hf同位素指标,本文提出未受到地壳或岩石圈地幔混染的打隆镇辉长岩体(以组I中的DL01样品为代表)很可能代表了措美大火成岩省纯的地幔柱头部物质成分[⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_(t)=0.7047,ε_Nd(t=+1.5,ε_Hf(t=+2.1～+5.7]。这些成分与代表白垩纪Kerguelen地幔柱头部物质的Site 1138和Bunbury Casuarina玄武岩非常相似,可能指示措美大火成岩省中的OIB型镁铁质岩本身就是Kerguelen地幔柱头部物质发生减压熔融的产物。     

云南中甸峨眉山玄武岩中超基性－基性岩包体元素地球化学分析

峨眉山大火成岩省于滇西地区广泛发育有一系列的镁铁-超镁铁质岩体,但对于其中地幔包体的报道还相对较少。本次研究在云南中甸地区峨眉山玄武岩中发现了岩性表现为由纯橄岩→辉橄岩→橄辉岩→苦橄岩→辉长岩→辉绿辉长岩→辉绿岩变化系列的超基性-基性岩包体。通过对包体岩石开展元素地球化学分析研究,结果表明:形成包体的原始超基性岩浆属于峨眉山地幔柱活动产物,且与主岩形成背景相似,其岩浆源区位于难熔的方辉橄榄岩区与石榴二辉橄榄岩区的过渡部位,受岩石圈地壳混染程度较低。结合丽江苦橄岩性质,认为滇西地区上地幔存在早阶段峨眉山地幔柱活动。     

为什么要提出西藏东南部早白垩世措美大火成岩省

近年在西藏东南部特提斯喜马拉雅带东段大规模白垩纪火成岩受到了很多学者的关注。这里的火成岩岩石类型包括玄武岩、镁铁质岩墙/岩床、辉长岩侵入体以及少量层状超镁铁质岩和酸性火山岩。锆石U-Pb定年结果指示现今覆盖面积约50000km2的岩浆活动发生在130~136Ma(峰期约132Ma)之间。镁铁质岩显示OIB型(高Ti)、N-MORB型(低Ti)和过渡型(介于二者之间)三种地球化学类型,其中未受地壳混染的镁铁质岩的Sr-Nd同位素和锆石Hf同位素成分类似于Kerguelen地幔柱产物。在扣除堆晶橄榄石之后,通过橄榄石-熔体平衡计算,苦橄玢岩母岩浆的MgO含量约20%,对应的地幔潜温1560℃。西藏东南部白垩纪火成岩浆活动这种覆盖范围大、持续时间短和地幔潜温高等特征,非常类似于世界上其它地幔柱成因的大火成岩省或热点,因而将其描述和命名为措美(Comei)大火成岩省是合理的。年代学、地球化学和古地理重建资料显示藏南措美大火成岩省和南西澳大利亚同期的Bunbury玄武岩可能代表了同一个大火成岩省(即Comei-Bunbury大火成岩省)。Comei-Bunbury大火成岩省很可能记录了Kerguelen地幔柱在132Ma左右的早期岩浆作用,拉开了大印度从澳大利亚分离出来的序幕,影响了同期Weissert大洋缺氧事件的形成。     

碰撞后岩浆作用与陆壳生长：以柴北缘超高压变质带为例

碰撞后岩浆活动对于了解造山带垮塌和去根过程及陆壳生长具有重要意义.总结了柴北缘超高压变质带中形成于400～360 Ma的碰撞后花岗岩-辉长岩侵入体和镁铁质岩脉的年代学和地球化学特征.其中，花岗岩侵入体具有典型的I-型花岗岩特征，形成于壳幔相互作用的岩浆混合.来自地幔的镁铁质岩脉可以划分为两组：（1）392～375 Ma中基性岩脉；（2）约360Ma超基性岩脉.其地球化学特征表明，镁铁质岩脉的微量元素和同位素随形成时间的变新而逐渐亏损，地幔源区从岩石圈地幔变为软流圈地幔.这种源自地幔的镁铁质岩浆活动是碰撞后岩浆活动开始和造山带垮塌的关键指标.结合碰撞后岩浆作用的特征，提出了一个地球动力学模型来解释柴北缘约35百万年（Ma）的造山带垮塌去根过程，在395～375 Ma发生缓慢的岩石圈地幔侵蚀，360 Ma前岩石圈发生拆沉作用，岩石圈地幔垮塌，同时软流圈地幔上升.地幔岩浆的加入表明碰撞后阶段是大陆生长的重要时期.     

新疆北部晚古生代以来中基性岩脉的年代学、岩石学、地球化学研究

新疆北部中基性岩脉K-Ar表观年龄为187～271Ma,岩性以辉长、辉绿岩以及闪长、闪长玢岩为主,属于亚碱性系列.主量元素、稀土元素以及微量元素分析表明,中基性岩脉经历了源区地壳物质的混合以及侵位过程中的分离结晶作用,并在区域分布特点上受部分熔融程度的影响,而且由于结晶分异和部分熔融的不同,还出现了中基性岩脉系列的成分变异.排除上述岩浆作用的干扰,有证据显示岩脉起源于亏损地幔,由于Nd同位素模式年龄tDM集中在363～769Ma,反映源区是一个古生代时期的新生岩石圈地幔,该地幔源区属于大洋岩石圈地幔.新疆北部广泛出露的中基性岩脉在时间和空间上具有多样性,但是在产状、岩性组合和同位素特征上具有相似的特点,指示研究区在古生代以来具有一个相对统一和完整的源区,推测这个源区与北疆地区古生代以来长期存在的残余洋盆及其相关岩石圈有关.     

新疆达拉布特蛇绿混杂岩中辉长岩岩石学、微量元素地球化学和锆石U-Pb年代学研究

新疆西准噶尔地区达拉布特蛇绿混杂岩带中的辉长岩、辉长玢岩、角闪辉长岩呈不规则块体分布于蛇纹石化的地幔岩(尖晶石蛇纹岩)中。锆石SHRIMP定年显示角闪辉长岩形成于426±6Ma (MSWD=0.87),表明达拉布特所代表的古洋盆在中志留世就已存在。岩相学和微量元素地球化学研究表明,辉长岩、辉长玢岩、角闪辉长岩均来源于富Cr的地幔源区,确认3类岩石为同源岩浆演化的产物。选取达拉布特尖晶石二辉橄榄岩为源区所做的模拟显示:尖晶石二辉橄榄岩发生15%的部分熔融后的残余体形成了方辉橄榄岩,熔体通过分离结晶形成辉长岩,剩余熔体结晶形成辉长玢岩和角闪辉长岩。     

日喀则蛇绿岩中辉长-辉绿岩成因及慢速扩张脊环境

日喀则蛇绿岩位于雅鲁藏布构造带中段,其成因和构造环境仍存在较大争议。日喀则蛇绿岩下部为蛇纹石化地幔橄榄岩,壳幔过渡带缺失超镁铁质堆晶岩。少量辉长岩脉呈块状或韵律结构并侵入到地幔橄榄岩和辉绿岩中。辉绿岩呈席状岩床侵入到地幔橄榄岩之上,且少量辉绿岩脉侵入到下覆的地幔橄榄岩中。通过野外关系和地球化学研究,日喀则辉长岩可能并不是洋壳中岩浆房原位结晶堆积而成,而是深部位置岩浆囊经过不同程度分异演化形成富晶粥岩浆并向上侵入的结果。而席状辉绿岩床则是基性岩浆沿着构造薄弱面顺层侵入的结果。拆离断层可能导致了岩石圈地幔抬升和剥露,进而引起下覆软流圈地幔减压熔融和岩浆上侵。日喀则辉长-辉绿岩形成于慢速扩张脊较小规模的岩浆供应和不连续的岩浆侵入。     

Baddeleyite and zircon U-Pb ages of the ultramafic rocks in Chigu Tso area,Southeastern Tibet and their constraints on the timing of Comei Large Igneous Province

A suite of ultramafic and mafic rocks developed in the Chigu Tso area, eastern Tethyan Himalaya. Baddeleyite and zircon U-Pb ages acquired by SIMS and LA-ICP-MS from olivine pyroxenite rocks in the Chigu Tso area are 138.9±3.0 Ma and 139.0±1.9 Ma, respectively. These two Early Cretaceous ages are similar with the ages of the more abundant mafic rocks in the eastern Tethyan Himalaya, indicating that this suite of ultramafic and mafic rocks in the Chigu Tso area should be included in the outcrop area of the Comei Large Igneous Province (LIP). These ultramafic rocks provide significant evidence that the involvement of mantle plume/hot spot activities in the formation of the Comei LIP. Baddeleyite U-Pb dating by SIMS is one reliable and convenient method to constrain the formation time of ultramafic rocks. The dating results of baddeleyite and zircon from the olivine pyroxenite samples in this paper are consistent with each other within analytical uncertainties, suggesting that baddeleyite and zircon were both formed during the same magmatic process. The consistency of baddeleyite U-Pb ages in the Chigu Tso area with zircon U-Pb ages for a large number of Early Cretaceous mafic rocks in the eastern Tethyan Himalaya further support that zircon grains from such mafic rocks yielding Early Cretaceous ages are also magmatic in origin.     

Geochemistry and petrogenesis of early Cretaceous sub-alkaline mafic dykes from Swangkre-Rongmil,East Garo Hills,Shillong plateau,northeast India

Numerous early Cretaceous mafic and alkaline dykes, mostly trending in N-S direction, are emplaced in the Archaean gneissic complex of the Shillong plateau, northeastern India. These dykes are spatially associated with the N-S trending deep-seated Nongchram fault and well exposed around the Swangkre-Rongmil region. The petrological and geochemical characteristics of mafic dykes from this area are presented. These mafic dykes show very sharp contact with the host rocks and do not show any signature of assimilation with them. Petrographically these mafic dykes vary from fine-grained basalt (samples from the dyke margin) to medium-grained dolerite (samples from the middle of the dyke) having very similar chemical compositions, which may be classified as basaltic-andesite/andesite. The geochemical characteristics of these mafic dykes suggest that these are genetically related to each other and probably derived from the same parental magma. Although, the high-field strength element (+rare-earth elements) compositions disallow the possibility of any crustal involvement in the genesis of these rocks, but Nb/La, La/Ta, and Ba/Ta ratios, and similarities of geochemical characteristics of present samples with the Elan Bank basalts and Rajmahal (Group II) mafic dyke samples, suggest minor contamination by assimilation with a small amount of upper crustal material. Chemistry, particularly REE, hints at an alkaline basaltic nature of melt. Trace element modelling suggests that the melt responsible for these mafic dykes had undergone extreme differentiation (∼ 50%) before its emplacement. The basaltic-andesite nature of these rocks may be attributed to this differentiation. Chemistry of these rocks also indicates ∼ 10–15% melting of the mantle source. The mafic dyke samples of the present investigation show very close geochemical similarities with the mafic rocks derived from the Kerguelen mantle plume. Perhaps the Swangkre-Rongmil mafic dykes are also derived from the Kerguelen mantle plume.     

Geochemistry of the mafic dykes in the Prakasam Alkaline Province of Eastern Ghats Belt, India: Implications for the genesis of continental rift-zone magmatism

Mesoproterozoic rift-zone magmatism in the Prakasam Alkaline Province of Eastern Ghats Belt, India is represented by three geochemically distinct primary mafic magmas and their plutonic differentiates. The three mafic magmas correspond to the alkali basaltic dykes, gabbroic dykes and lamprophyric dykes. The dyke activity is synchronous with the host plutons and belongs to the 1350–1250 Ma period Mesoproterozoic magmatism. Geochemical signatures suggest that the alkali basaltic dykes have a source in the thermal boundary layer, which has a history of prior melt extraction followed by enrichment. Both the gabbroic and lamprophyric dykes are derived from lithospheric sources and their geochemical variation can be explained by “vein-plus-wall-rock melting model”. Vein/wall-rock ratio is low for the sources of gabbroic dykes, whereas it is high for the lamprophyric dykes. Geochemistry of the gabbro dykes further indicates preservation of previous arc-signals by the lithosphere beneath the Prakasam Alkaline Province during the Mesoproterozoic. Geochemical signatures of lamproite, which could be a cratonic expression of the rift-triggered magmatism in the Prakasam Province, suggest a general increase in the metasomatic imprint with increasing lithosphere thickness from cratonic margin towards interior. It is found that geochemistry of continental rift-zone magmatism of the Prakasam rift is remarkably similar to that of the Gardar rift of South Greenland. It appears that the geodynamic conditions under which melting occurred in the Prakasam Alkaline Province are similar to that of a propagating rift with variable contributions from the convective mantle and subcontinental lithosphere mantle to the rift-zone magmas. The present study illustrates how fertility and chemical heterogeneity of the lithosphere play significant roles in the creation of enormous geochemical diversity characteristic of continental rift-zone magmatism.     

Petrogenesis of volcanic rocks in the Sangxiu Formation,central segment of Tethyan Himalaya: A probable example of plume–lithosphere interaction

The ∼133 Ma volcanic rocks of Sangxiu Formation are distributed in the eastern part of the central Tethyan Himalaya and belong paleogeographically to the northeastern margin of Greater India. These volcanic rocks include alkaline basalts and felsic volcanic rocks. Major and trace element abundances and whole-rock isotopic data for selected samples of these volcanic rocks are used to infer their petrogenesis. Geochemically, the Sangxiu basalts are closely similar to the Emeishan high-Ti basalts. Major and trace element data and Sr–Nd isotopic compositions suggest that the Sangxiu basalts may have been derived from an OIB-type mantle source, with discernable contributions from subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM). The basaltic magmas may have formed as a result of the infiltration of plume-derived melts into the base of the lithosphere in a continental rift setting. The Sangxiu felsic volcanic rocks share most of the geochemical features of A-type granite, and have Sr–Nd isotopic compositions which differ considerably from the Sangxiu basalts, suggesting that they originated from the anatexis of ensialic continental crust. The Sangxiu volcanic rocks may be considered as the consequence of an interaction between the Kerguelen hotspot and the lithosphere of the northeastern margin of Greater India at ∼133 Ma, and may represent the initial stage of the separation of Greater India from southwestern Australia.     

Petrogenesis of high-Ti mafic dykes from Southern Qiangtang,Tibet: Implications for a ca. 290 Ma large igneous province related to the early Permian rifting of Gondwana

The presence and/or generation mechanism of a mantle plume associated with early Permian rifting on the northern margin of Gondwana are topics of debate. Here we report LA–ICP–MS U–Pb zircon ages, whole-rock geochemistry, and Sr–Nd isotope data for high-Ti mafic dykes from southern Qiangtang, Tibet, with the aim of assessing if a mantle plume formed in this region during the early Permian. Zircon U–Pb dating of diabase dykes yielded ages of 290.6 ± 3.5 Ma and 290.1 ± 1.5 Ma, indicating they were emplaced during the early Permian. Whole-rock geochemistry shows that these mafic dykes are alkaline (Nb/Y = 0.73–0.99), have high TiO2 (3.6%–4.8%), and have ocean-island basalt (OIB)-like trace element patterns with enrichments in Nb, Ta, and Ti. Whole-rock Sr–Nd isotope data show a relatively narrow range of εNd(t) (+ 2.29 to + 3.53), similar to basalts produced by a mantle plume (e.g., Emeishan continental flood basalts (ECFB)). Elemental and isotope data suggest that the dykes have undergone fractionation crystallization of mafic minerals and have experienced negligible crustal contamination. These mafic rocks show an affinity to OIB and may have been generated by partial melting of an OIB-type, garnet-bearing asthenospheric mantle source. On the basis of a similar emplacement age to the Panjal Traps basalts in the Himalayas, combined with a tectonic reconstruction of Gondwana in the early to middle Permian, our work suggests that the high-Ti mafic dykes in the Southern Qiangtang terrane and the coeval Panjal Traps basalts in the Himalayas together comprise a ca. 290 Ma large igneous province linked to a mantle plume, which probably played an active role in early Permian rifting on the northern margin of Gondwana and was related to circum-Pangea subduction.     

藏东南超镁铁质岩墙及其地质意义

青藏高原东南部出露有大量近东西向展布的(超)镁铁质岩墙,锆石U?Pb年龄聚集在145～130 Ma之间。矿物学及岩石学结果显示：哲古错地区的亚碱性超镁铁苦橄质岩石源于150～180 km深处, 5～6 GPa下石榴石二辉橄榄岩地幔高比率的部分熔融; 碱性超镁铁质岩石源于石榴石-尖晶石二辉橄榄岩转换带,是低比率部分熔融的产物; 镁铁质岩石的岩浆在演化过程中遭受了低压下结晶分离作用的改造,不能代表原始岩浆的成份。藏东南(超)镁铁质岩石是不同深度地幔物质不同比率部分熔融的产物,亚碱性超镁铁苦橄质岩墙的出现指示了晚侏罗-早白垩印度板块北缘存在的高比率部分熔融的岩浆活动事件,暗示了地幔柱的存在和影响。     

Petrogenesis of the earliest Early Cretaceous mafic rocks from the Cona area of the eastern Tethyan Himalaya in south Tibet: Interaction between the incubating Kerguelen plume and the eastern Greater India lithosphere?

The relationship between the breakup of eastern Gondwanaland and the Kerguelen plume activity is a subject of debate. The Cona mafic rocks are widely exposed in the Cona area of the eastern Himalaya of south Tibet, and are studied in order to evaluate this relationship. Cona mafic rocks consist predominantly of massive basaltic flows and diabase sills or dikes, and are divided into three groups. Group 1 is composed of basaltic flows and diabase sills or dikes and is characterized by higher TiO₂ and P₂O₅ content and OIB-like trace element patterns with a relatively large range of Nd(T) values (+ 1.84 to + 4.67). A Group 1 diabase sill has been dated at 144.7 ± 2.4 Ma. Group 2 consists of gabbroic sills or crosscutting gabbroic intrusions characterized by lower TiO₂ and P₂O₅ content and “depleted” N-MORB-like trace element patterns with relatively higher, homogeneous Nd(T) values (+ 5.68 to + 6.37). A Group 2 gabbroic diabase dike has been dated at 131.1 ± 6.1 Ma. Group 3 basaltic lavas are interbedded with the Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous pelitic sediments; they have compositions transitional between Groups 1 and 2 and flat to slightly enriched trace element patterns. Sr–Nd isotopic data and REE modeling indicate that variable degrees of partial melting of distinct mantle source compositions (enriched garnet–clinopyroxene peridotite for Group 1 and spinel-lherzolite for Group 2, respectively) could account for the chemical diversity of the Cona mafic rocks. Geochemical similarities between the Cona mafic rocks and the basalts probably created by the Kerguelen plume based on spatial–temporal constraints seem to indicate that an incubating Kerguelen plume model is more plausible than a model of normal rifting (nonplume) for the generation of the Cona mafic rocks. Group 1 is interpreted as being related to the incubating Kerguelen plume–lithosphere interaction; Group 2 is likely related to an interaction between anhydrous lithosphere and rising depleted asthenosphere enriched by a “droplet” originating from the Kerguelen plume, while Group 3 may be attributed to thermal erosion resulting in the partial melting of lithosphere during the long-term incubation of a magma chamber/pond at a shallow crustal level. The Cona mafic rocks are probably related to a progressively lithospheric thinning beneath eastern Gondwanaland from 150–145 Ma to 130 Ma. Our new observations seem to indicate that the Kerguelen plume may have started its incubation as early as the latest Jurassic or earliest Cretaceous period and that the incubating Kerguelen plume may play an active role in the breakup of Greater India, eastern India, and northwestern Australia.     

Petrology and geochemistry of high-titanium and low-titanium mafic dykes from the Damodar valley,Chhotanagpur Gneissic Terrain,eastern India and their relation to Cretaceous mantle plume(s)

The Damodar valley within the Chhotanagpur Gneissic terrain at the northern-most margin of the Singhbhum craton, eastern India, is perhaps the only geological domain in the entire Indian shield which hosts the early Cretaceous Rajmahal as well as the late Cretaceous Deccan igneous activities. A number of Cretaceous mafic dykes intrude the Gondwana sedimentary formations and are focus of the present study. One set of these dykes strike NNE to ENE, are very fresh and mainly exposed within the Jharia, Bokaro and Karanpura basins; whereas the other set of dykes (including the well-known Salma mega dyke) trend NW to NNW, intrude mainly the Raniganj basin and show meagre hydrothermal alteration. Majority of the samples from both these dyke groups display ophitic or sub-ophitic textures and are essentially composed of augite/titan augite and plagioclase. On the basis of petrographic and geochemical characteristics the NNE to ENE dykes are identified as high-Ti dolerite (HTD) dykes and the NW to NNW dykes are referred to as low-Ti dolerite (LTD) dykes. Apart from the first-order distinction on their titanium contents, both these groups also show conspicuous geochemical differences. The HTD dykes contain relatively high values of iron, and high-field strength elements than those from the LTD dykes with an overlapping MgO contents.Although available field, paleomagnetic and limited geochronological data for most of the studied dykes suggests their emplacement during early Cretaceous period (110–115 Ma), the Salma dyke, dated to be of Deccan-age at ∼65 Ma, is an exception. Geochemically all the studied samples show an undoubted plume-derived character but their unequivocal affinity to either the early Cretaceous Kerguelen (Rajmahal) or the late-Cretaceous Reunion (Deccan) plume is not straightforward since they share bulk-rock characteristics of rocks derived from both these plumes. Even though, the spatial and temporal association of the mafic dykes of present study with the Rajmahal Traps are suggestive of their linkage to the Kerguelen plume activity, robust geochronological and paleomagnetic constraints are clearly required to understand the relative contributions of the two Cretaceous mantle plumes in the genesis of the mafic igneous activity in this interesting domain.