Trace element transport rates in subduction zones: evidence from Th, Sr and Pb isotope data for Tonga-Kermadec arc lavas

Trace element and Th, Sr and Pb isotope data for young lavas from the Tonga-Kermadec arc in the southwest Pacific suggest that geochemical variations in the lavas along the arc are linked to differences in the material being subducted beneath the arc. Lavas from the southern (Kermadec) segment of the arc have relatively radiogenic Pb isotope compositions, which reflects a contribution from subducted sediment. In contrast, much of the Pb in Tonga lavas is derived from the altered oceanic crust in the subducting Pacific Plate, and lavas from the northernmost Tonga islands of Tafahi and Niuatoputapu contain Pb and Sr derived from the subducted part of the Louisville Seamount Chain. The origin of the Pb in the lavas from these two islands can thus be traced to a point on the subducting slab, and this observation is used to estimate the rate at which trace elements are transported beneath the arc. Our calculations suggest that fluid-soluble elements such as U, Sr and Pb are transported from the subducted slab, across the mantle wedge and back to the surface in lavas over a period of approximately 2–3 Ma, and that magmas are erupted at the surface less than 350 ka after the melts are generated in the mantle wedge.     

Trace element characteristics of the fluid liberated from amphibolite-facies slab: Inference from the metamorphic sole beneath the Oman ophiolite and implication for boninite genesis

Major and trace element compositions of amphibolites and quartzose rocks in the 230-m-thick metamorphic sole underlying the mantle section of the Oman ophiolite in Wadi Tayin area were determined to investigate the chemical characteristics of the hydrous fluid released from subducted amphiboltie-facies slab. The fluid-immobile element compositions indicate that protoliths of these rocks are mid-ocean ridge basalt-like tholeiite and deep-sea chert, which is consistent with the idea that these rocks represent Tethyan oceanic crust overridden during the early, intraoceanic thrusting stage of the Oman ophiolite emplacement. The rare-earth element (REE) and high field-strength element concentrations of the amphibolites show limited variations, within a factor of two except for a few evolved samples, throughout transect of the sole. On the other hand, concentrations of fluid-mobile elements, especially B, Rb, K and Ba, in amphibolites are highly elevated in upper 30 m of the sole (> 600 °C in peak metamorphic temperature), suggesting the equilibration with evolved, B-Rb-K-Ba-rich fluids during prograde metamorphism. The comparison with amphibolites in the lower 150 m (500 to 550 °C) demonstrates that the trace element spectra of the fluids equilibrated with the high-level amphibolites may vary as a function of metamorphic temperature. The fluids are characterized by striking enrichments of B, Rb, K and Ba and moderate to minor enrichments of Sr, Li, Be and Pb. At higher temperature (up to 700 °C), the fluids become considerably enriched in light REE and Nb in addition to the above elements. The estimated trace element spectra of the fluids do not coincide with the compositions of basalts from matured intra-oceanic arcs, but satisfactorily explain the characteristics of the low-Pb andesites and boninites found in the Oman ophiolite. Compositional similarity between the boninites of Oman and other localities suggests that the fluids estimated here well represent the amphibolite-derived fluids involved in the magmatism of immatured, hot, shallow subduction zones.     

The versatility of petrological modeling: Thermobarometry of high-pressure metabasites from the Renge and Sanbagawa belts and phase evolution during warm subduction at Nankai

Petrological modeling is a powerful technique to address different types of geological problems via phase-equilibria predictions at different pressure–temperature-composition conditions. Here, we show the versatility of this technique by (1) performing thermobarometrical calculations using phase equilibrium diagrams to explore the petrological evolution of high-pressure (HP) metabasites from the Renge and Sanbagawa belts, Japan and (2) forward-modeling the mineral–melt evolution of the subducted fresh and altered oceanic crust along the Nankai subduction zone geotherm at the Kii peninsula, Japan. In the first case, we selected three representative samples from these metamorphic belts: a glaucophane eclogite and a garnet glaucophane schist from the Renge belt (Omi area) and a quartz eclogite from the Sanbagawa belt (Besshi area). We calculated the peak metamorphic conditions at ~2.0–2.3 GPa and ~550–630 °C for the HP metabasites from the Renge belt, whereas for the quartz eclogite, the peak equilibrium conditions were calculated at 2.5–2.8 GPa and ~640–750 °C. According to our models, the quartz eclogite experienced partial melting after peak metamorphism. In terms of the petrological evolution of the subducted uppermost portion of the oceanic crust along the warm Nankai geotherm, our models show that fluid release occurs at ~20–60 km, likely promoting high pore-fluid pressure, and thus, seismicity at these depths; dehydration is controlled by chlorite breakdown. Our petrological models predict partial melting at >60 km, mainly driven by phengite and amphibole breakdown. According to our models, the melt proportion is relatively small, suggesting that slab anatexis is not an efficient mechanism for generating voluminous magmatism at these conditions. Modeled melt compositions correspond to high-SiO₂ adakites; these are similar to compositions found in the Daisen and Sambe volcanoes, in southwest Japan, suggesting that the modeled melts may serve as an analog to explain adakite petrogenesis.     

Ubiquitous post-peak zircon in an eclogite from the Kumdy-Kol,Kokchetav UHP-HP Massif (Kazakhstan): Significance of exhumation-related zircon growth and modification in continental-subduction settings

U–Pb geochronological, trace-element and Lu–Hf isotopic studies have been made on zircons from ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) mafic eclogite from the Kumdy-Kol area, one of the diamond-facies domains of the Kokchetav Massif (northern Kazakhstan). The peak eclogitic assemblage equilibrated at > 900 °C, whereas the bulk sample composition displays light rare-earth element (LREE) and Th depletion evident of partial melting. Zircons from the eclogite are represented by exclusively newly formed metamorphic grains and have U–Pb age spread over 533–459 Ma, thus ranging from the time of peak subduction burial to that of the late post-orogenic collapse. The major zircon group with concordant age estimates have a concordia age of 508.1 ±4.4 Ma, which corresponds to exhumation of the eclogite-bearing UHP crustal slice to granulite- or amphibolite-facies depths. This may indicate potentially incoherent exhumation of different crustal blocks within a single Kumdy-Kol UHP domain. Model Hf isotopic characteristics of zircons (ε_Hf(t) +1.5 to +7.8, Neoproterozoic model Hf ages of 1.02–0.79 Ga) closely resemble the whole-rock values of the Kumdy-Kol eclogites and likely reflect in situ derivation of HFSE source for newly formed grains. The ages coupled with geochemical systematics of zircons confirm that predominantly late zircon growth occurred in Th–LREE-depleted eclogitic assemblage, that experienced incipient melting and monazite dissolution in melt at granulite-facies depths, followed by amphibolite-facies rehydration during late-stage exhumation-related retrogression.     

Major and trace element geochemistry of neutral and acidic thermal springs at El Chichón volcano,Mexico: Implications for monitoring of the volcanic activity

Four groups of thermal springs with temperatures from 50 to 80 °C are located on the S–SW–W slopes of El Chichón volcano, a composite dome-tephra edifice, which exploded in 1982 with a 1 km wide, 160 m deep crater left. Very dynamic thermal activity inside the crater (variations in chemistry and migration of pools and fumaroles, drastic changes in the crater lake volume and chemistry) contrasts with the stable behavior of the flank hot springs during the time of observations (1974–2005). All known groups of hot springs are located on the contact of the basement and volcanic edifice, and only on the W–SW–S slopes of the volcano at almost same elevations 600–650 m asl and less than 3 km of direct distance from the crater. Three groups of near-neutral (pH ≈ 6) springs at SW–S slopes have the total thermal water outflow rate higher than 300 l/s and are similar in composition. The fourth and farthest group on the western slope discharges acidic (pH ≈ 2) saline (10 g/kg of Cl) water with a much lower outflow rate (< 10 l/s).