An experimental investigation of Iceland and Reykjanes Ridge tholeiites: I. Phase relations

Tholeiite basalts from 60° N to 65° N on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge were melted and recrystallized at atmospheric pressure in a CO₂-H₂ gas mixture. Seven basalts are from the Langjokull-Thingvellir volcanic zone and the Reykjanes Peninsula of Iceland and nine are from the Reykjanes Ridge. The crystallization sequence in both Iceland and Reykjanes Ridge basalts with (Total Fe as FeO)/(Total Fe as FeO+ MgO) [F/F + M] less than 0.6 is olivine, plagioclase, clinopyroxene. Chromian spinel crystallizes before plagioclase in one Iceland and one Reykjanes Ridge basalt with F/F+M less than 0.57. Chemical differences of the two groups of basalts (lower SiO₂ and higher alkalis in Iceland basalts) can not simply be a result of low pressure fractional crystallization. Liquidus temperatures of the seven Iceland basalts decreases from 1,230° C to 1,170° C as the F/F+M of the rock increases from 0.52 to 0.70. The liquidus temperatures of the Reykjanes Ridge basalts are about 10° C lower than those of the Iceland basalts for the same F/F+M value. The profile of measured liquidus temperatures from 65° N on Iceland to 60° N on the Reykjanes Ridge has a minimum value at 63.2° N on the Reykjanes Ridge just south of Iceland. Model calculations of the pressure of phenocryst crystallization indicate that olivine and plagioclase in Langjokull basalts could have equilibrated between 2.0 and 6.2 kb (200 to 620 MPa). Phenocryst assemblages in Reykjanes Ridge basalts at 60° N could have crystallized together at greater than 2 kb (200 MPa) and probably less than 8 kb (800 MPa). A minimum in the equilibrium pressure of phenocryst crystallization occurs between 62.9° and 64° N and coincides with the minimum in the experimentally determined liquidus temperatures. The more extensive fractionation at low pressure in this area could be related to the shift of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge axis along the leaky transform fault from the Reykjanes Ridge to the Thingvellir volcanic zone.     

Chemistry and distribution pattern of recent basaltic rocks in Iceland

A survey of Recent basaltic rocks in Iceland is presented. The basalts are classified into three groups: tholeiites, transitional alkali basalts and alkali olivine basalts. The basalts can be divided into petrological regions where the composition of lavas seem to have been fairly constant throughout postglacial and possibly late-Pleistocene time. The tholeiites delineate the crest region of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge as it transects Iceland, and the mildly alkali olivine basalts and the transitional alkali basalts characterize the flank volcanic zones. Tholeiitic and alkalic diffrentiated rocks appear to have a distribution in accordance with the basalt distribution pattern. There is some correlation between the chemistry of the zones and the crustal structure of Iceland. Areal discharge of volcanic rocks varies consistently between the petrological regions being highest in the tholeiite regions. The total output of volcanic rocks along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in the Iceland area reaches maximum in middle Iceland.     

Low-O18 basalts from Iceland

The volcanic rocks of Iceland are anomalous in their oxygen isotope content. Recent tholeiitic and transitional alkali basalts from Iceland range in (δO¹⁸ from 1·8 to 5δ7%. Most of the tholeiitic basalts and their phenocrysts are at least 1% lower in δO¹⁸ than unaltered basalts from other oceanic islands or oceanic ridges. The Icelandic basalts that resemble ridge basalts in δO¹⁸ also resemble them in major element chemistry. δO¹⁸ values of alkali olivine basalts are closest to those of other oceanic islands. Secondary alteration processes have lowered as well as raised the δO¹⁸ values of some Icelandic rocks, but such surface mechanisms cannot account for the distribution of oxygen isotopes in the Recent basalts of Iceland. Three mechanisms that could give rise to the low-O¹⁸ magmas are (1) exchange of oxygen between magma and low-O¹⁸ hydrothermally altered rock, (2) exchange with low-O¹⁸ meteoric water, or (3) an exceptional mantle under Iceland. None of the above models can satisfactorily account for all the observations.     

REE characteristics of ocean floor basalts from the MAR 37 °N (Leg 37 DSDP)

On a total of 62 basalt samples from five different sites of Leg 37 DSDP the abundances of the REE La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Yb and Lu have been determined by INAA. The chondrite-normalized REE patterns show a surprising variability even within one single hole. Distribution curves, so far regarded as being typical for abyssal tholeiites have only been found in two of the samples. Most basalts are characterised by an enrichment of the lighter RE over the heavier, the La/Sm enrichment factor varying from 2.0 to 1.0. Several samples exhibit chondritic, i.e. unfractionated patterns. These rocks show the lowest overall enrichment, A few basalts have pronounced positive Eu anomalies and in one case a negative Eu anomaly was found. The extrapolated REE in all basalts is low, lying between 19 and 57.5 ppm. A grouping and correlation of basalt sequences according to their REE patterns is not possible even between two adjacent holes which were drilled only 100 m apart.The data obtained do not support the view that the source effect (RE abundances in the starting material, degree of partial melting etc.), is the dominant factor in determining the RE characteristics of the basalts investigated. It is rather concluded, that the observed RE abundances are strongly affected by fractionation processes in small, shallow-seated magma chambers and that these processes overprinted the original mantle inherited RE patterns. Possibly Ti-magnetite, which has not been taken into consideration in previous models, may be of major importance in this respect.     

Elemental and Sr isotope variations in basic lavas from Iceland and the surrounding ocean floor

Major and trace element data are used to establish the nature and extent of spatial and temporal chemical variations in basalts erupted in the Iceland region of the North Atlantic Ocean. The ocean floor samples are those recovered by legs 38 and 49 of the Deep Sea Drilling Project. Within each of the active zones on Iceland there are small scale variations in the light rare earth elements and ratios such as K/Y: several central complexes and their associated fissure swarms erupt basalts with values of K/Y distinct from those erupted at adjacent centres; also basalts showing a wide range of immobile trace element ratios occur together within single vertical sections and ocean floor drill holes. Although such variations can be explained in terms of the magmatic processes operating on Iceland they make extrapolations from single basalt samples to mantle sources underlying the outcrop of the sample highly tenuous. ⁸⁷Sr/86Sr ratios measured for 25 of the samples indicate a total range from 0.7028 in a tholeiite from the Reykjanes Ridge to 0.7034 in an alkali basalt from Iceland and are consistent with other published ratios from the region. A positive correlation between ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and Ce/Yb ratios indicates the existence of systematic isotopic and elemental variations in the mantle source region. An approximately fivefold variation in Ce/Yb ratio observed in basalts with the same ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio implies that different degrees and types of partial melting have been involved in magma genesis from a single mantle composition. ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios above 0.7028, Th/U ratios close to 4 and La/Ta ratios close to 10 distinguish most basalts erupted in this part of the North Atlantic Ocean from normal mid-ocean ridge basalt (N-type MORE) — although N-type MORB has been erupted at extinct spreading axes just to the north and northeast of Iceland as well as the presently active Iceland-Jan Mayen Ridge.Comparisons with the hygromagmatophile element and radiogenic isotope ratios of MORB and the estimated primordial mantle indicate that the mantle sources producing Iceland basalts have undergone previous depletion followed by more recent enrichment events. A veined mantle source region is proposed in preference to the mantle plume model to explain the chemical variations.     

Paleomagnetic stratigraphy of younger basalts and intercalated plio-pleistocene tillites in Iceland

Summary This paper deals with the Plio-Pleistocene Graue Stufe in Eastern Iceland, which forms the upper part of the islands enormous pile of plateau basalts. A stratigraphy of the Graue Stufe has been established by using both paleomagnetic and petrographic criteria. Also the number and the stratigraphic position of the intercalated indurated moraines, the tillites, has been ascertained.The Graue Stufe embraces the N₂, R₁ and the lower part of the N₁ paleomagnetic period. Petrographically the lava series contains tholeiites, porphyritic basalts and olivine basalts in a fairly irregular succession.Several tillites are intercalated in the lavas. The lowermost tillites are found in the middle part of the N₂ series. As the N₂ period is of pre-Quarternary age, glaciations in Iceland must have occurred already in the Pliocene.The results from Eastern Iceland have been compared with those of some other localities of the Graue Stufe in Iceland.The paleomagnetic stratigraphy is hampered by the occurrence of some flows, showing inverted remanent magnetization. Such inverted flows are locally found both in the N₂ series and in the R₁ series. This may be ascribed to extra, short periodical reversals of the geomagnetic field.     

The Sub-lithospheric Source of North Atlantic Basalts: Evidence for, and Significance of, a Common End-member

Palaeogene basalts from the margins of the North Atlantic oftenshow geochemical variations that are consistent with their parentalmagmas having interacted with the lithosphere en route to theEarth’s surface. These geochemical trends vary dependingon the nature of the local lithospheric contaminants. Usingexamples from the British Tertiary Igneous Province and SE Greenland,we construct coherent contamination trends, which converge ona restricted Pb isotope composition, apparently indicating acommon uncontaminated asthenospheric mantle component. Significantly,this composition is also suitable as one end-member of the Pbisotope arrays recorded in Recent Icelandic basalts. We concludethat this composition has been a persistent component of theIceland plume over 60 my, dominating the mantle contributionto the Palaeocene phase of flood basalt magmatism but constitutingonly one end-member on Iceland. The Pb isotope composition ofthis ‘North Atlantic end-member’ is consistent with,but not necessarily demanding of, a primordial source. Recentevidence suggesting a lower-mantle origin for mantle plumesencourages investigation of whether the geochemical evidencesupports that hypothesis. Helium isotope data from PalaeogeneNorth Atlantic basalts support a lower-mantle contribution.However, mixing models suggest that it is unlikely that thelower-mantle contribution is large enough to dominate the Sr–Nd–Pbisotope compositions and lithophile trace element signaturesof any plume-derived basalts. KEY WORDS: North Atlantic; Iceland; lower mantle; mantle plumes; flood basalts; isotopes     

云南金沙江蛇绿岩的地球化学特征及其成因的初步研究

本文报道了出露于云南省德钦县白马雪山、书松、共卡及吉义独地区的金沙江蛇绿岩的地球化学特征。该蛇绿岩各岩石单元均为ＬＲＥＥ富集型。文中讨论了金沙江蛇绿岩的成因及其形成的构造环境，指出该区玄武岩的微量元素和ＲＥＥ分布可用ＮＭＯＲＢ与ＯＩＢ的混合来解释，推测形成于类似现今冰岛的扩张脊与地幔热柱重叠的构造环境     

Iceland and the North Atlantic: A review

Iceland is a special volcanic island in an anomalous ocean basin. A review of the unusual features shows that among others topography and gravity are broadly positive, spreading has been and still is complex, seismicity is slightly diffuse and the chemistry of the basalts is different from that at normal ridges. In summary we observe a tendency of lithospheric dispersal and spreading in the North Atlantic and its surroundings. These observations together with what is known about Icelandic crust, heat flow, tectonic history, etc., point to a hot mantle upwelling beneath Iceland. The shape of the upwelling currents is not known. Although at present much speculation is possible, the authors prefers to think of a broad rising region uplifting the lithospheric plates such that they tend to slide away from Iceland more forcefully than is the case from normal spreading ridges.     

Nature and Development of Basalt Magma Sources Beneath Iceland and the Reykjanes Ridge

Twelve new Sr-isotope analyses and seventeen new rare earthelement distribution patterns are reported for basalts fromIceland and the Reykjanes Ridge, together with Rb, Sr, Na₂O,K₂O, TiO₂, and P₂O₅ contents. The samples were chosen to representthe widest range of basalt types known from the Iceland-ReykjanesRidge system. ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios range from 0.70291 ?4 to 0.70325?5 for tholeiitesand up to 0.70341 ?7 for alkali basalt. Rare earth elementsalso show a wide range of both total abundance and degree oflight-REE fractionation (chondrite-normalised Ce/Yb ratios of0.30 to 3.36 for tholeiites and up to 7.07 for alkali basalt).As found in previous studies of either Sr-isotope compositionor REE distribution, the ocean floor basalts from the southernportion of the Reykjanes Ridge have lower ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and Ce_N/Yb_Nratios than most of the Icelandic basalts. However, some highlyMg-rich tholeiites from Theistareykir in northern Iceland andKj?lur in central Iceland also have among the lowest valuesfor these parameters and are indistinguishable in this respectfrom the ridge basalts. There is a very strong positive, linear,correlation between ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and Ce_N/Yb_N for all the tholeiitesincluding some up to 16 m.y. old, but this relationship doesnot hold for the alkali basalts which have proportionately farhigher Ce_N/Yb_N ratios. There is also a positive, linear, correlationbetween ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and Sr content, but not between ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Srand 1/Sr. These relationships are found to be incompatible with disequilibriummelting of a single mantle source region, whether by variabledegrees of partial melting with different mineral stabilityconditions, or by removal of successive incremental melts. Itis certain that the data reflect relatively gross chemical heterogeneityin the upper mantle beneath Iceland, but the correlation withSr content apparently rules out simple binary mixing models(mantle-plume hypothesis). It is proposed that the heterogeneities result from establishmentof a lithophile element gradient during a single chemical fractionationevent in the upper mantle at least 100–200 m.y. ago. Itis not possible at present to relate this geochemical gradientto known mantle structure.     

Basalts from the Centre of the Assumed Icelandic Mantle Plume

Pleistocene to historic basalts in the northern part of theeastern volcanic zone in Iceland may have formed by partialmelting over an extended depth range in the centre of the assumedIcelandic mantle plume. Practically all basalt types found on the ocean ridges are representedin this volcanic rift zone. Volume relations are, however, infavour of low degree partial melting products. The basalts differ from ocean ridge basalts in being undepletedin large trace ions, indicating a primary mantle source. The prevalence of low degree partial melting products in Icelandmay explain the depleted nature of the astenosphere flowingaway from the plume and along the northern part of the Mid-AtlanticRidge. Volumes of lavas are found to correlate with degree of partialmelting. Exceptions from this correlation are found locallyand may be explained on the basis of volcano-tectonic implications. A simple model of thermal structure in the mantle plume-oceanridge system is suggested which may explain some aspects ofthe compositional variations in basalts within the system.     

Chemistry of miocene plume tholeiites from northwest Iceland

The earliest (Miocene) plateau basalts of northwest Iceland form an olivine tholeiite series with elevated contents of Ti, K, P, Rb, Ba and Sr. They are closely similar to ‘plume’ tholeiites of the Faeroes (Paleocene-Eocene) and the Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland (Recent) and confirm the Miocene renaissance in northeast Atlantic plume activity previously suggested on geophysical grounds.It is argued that the elevated contents of Ti, K, etc., are due to the ascent in a plume column of high pressure alkalic magmas and their re-equilibration to low pressure olivine tholeiites largely by additional melting at 10–20 km depth and 1150–1300°C.The 1800 m northwest Iceland sequence lacks stratigraphic variation suggesting random extraction from an extensive melt region with a nearly stable range of P-T-chemical conditions.     

An Isotope and Trace Element Study of the East Greenland Tertiary Dyke Swarm: Constraints on Temporal and Spatial Evolution during Continental Rifting

Dykes of the East Greenland Tertiary dyke swarm can be dividedinto pre- and syn-break-up tholeiitic dykes, and post-break-uptransitional dykes. Of the pre- and syn-break-up dykes, themost abundant group (Tholeiitic Series; TS) has major elementcompositions similar to the main part of the East Greenlandflood basalts. A group of high-MgO tholeiitic dykes (Picrite–AnkaramiteSeries; PAS) are much less common, and are equivalent to someof the oldest lavas of the East Greenland flood basalts. Isotopiccompositions of the TS and PAS dykes partly overlap with thosefor Iceland, but Pb isotopic compositions extend to less radiogenicvalues than those seen in either Iceland or North Atlantic mid-oceanridge basalt (MORB). The isotopically depleted source requiredto account for this isotopic variation is interpreted as subcontinentallithospheric mantle with low ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb and high     

The role of the Iceland Ice Sheet in the North Atlantic during the late Quaternary: a review and evidence from Denmark Strait

Investigations indicate that the Iceland Ice Sheet was reduced in size during MIS 3 but readvanced to the shelf break at the LGM. Retreat occurred very rapidly around 15 k–16 k cal. yr BP. By contrast, the margin of the ice sheet on the East Greenland shelf, north of the Denmark Strait, was at or close to the shelf break during MIS 3 and 2 and retreat starting ～17 k cal. yr BP. Quantitative X‐ray diffraction analysis of the <2 mm sediment fraction was undertaken on 161 samples from Iceland and East Greenland diamictons, and from cores on the slopes and margins of the Denmark Strait. Weight% mineralogical data are used in a principal component analysis to differentiate sediments derived from the two margins. The first two PC axes explain 52% of the variance. These associations are used to characterise sediments as being affiliated with (a) Iceland, (b) East Greenland or (c) mixed. The contribution from Iceland becomes prominent during MIS 2. The extensive outcrop of early Tertiary basalts on East Greenland between 68° and 71° N is an alternative source for basaltic clasts and North Atlantic sediments with εNd(0) values close to ±0. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Source enrichment processes responsible for isotopic anomalies in oceanic island basalts

A new method has been developed to separate the compositional variations in ocean island basalts into those that result from variations in source composition and from the melting process itself. The approach depends on correlations between isotope ratios, which can only come from source inhomogeneities, and elemental concentrations. Analysis of three data sets shows that the inhomogeneities beneath Theistareykir, in NE Iceland, Kilauea and Pitcairn can be produced by subduction of oceanic islands and volcanic ridges. The thicknesses of the lithosphere on which such islands were constructed and potential temperatures of the plumes that produced them can be estimated from the geochemical observations. Model ages are harder to determine, though simple assumptions give about 400 Ma for the Theistareykir source and 1.2 Ga for Kilauea. The model may also provide a physical explanation for the commonly used isotopic classification of ocean island basalts, with the isotopic composition changing from HIMU through EMII to EMI as the melt fraction increases. These results have been obtained from a small number of data sets obtained from ocean island basalts erupted in small areas during short time intervals. More such observations are needed to discover whether geochemical observations from other islands are consistent with the same model.     

Petrogenetic Significance of Isotope and Trace Element Variations in Volcanic Rocks From the Mid-Atlantic

High precision ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr analyses, together with determinationsof Rb, Sr, K₂O, Na₂O and, in a few cases, other elements, arereported for about fifty volcanic rocks (mainly basaltic) fromthe Atlantic Ocean basin. Results for dredged basalts from theReykjanes Ridge and Charlie Gibbs Fracture Zone, and an enstatite-forsteritebasalt from Kolbeinsey islet, support the general observationthat ocean-ridge tholeiites have uniformly low ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios(0.70294±4) and lithophile element contents comparedwith the most primitive basalts on ocean islands, includingthe Neovolcanic zones of Iceland, although progressive decreasein these quantities away from Iceland has not been confirmed.In contrast, the ocean island alkali basalts generally havehigher ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (0.70334±5 for the Snaefellsnespeninsula of Iceland, 0.70343±4 for Jan Mayen, 0.70509±4for Tristan da Cunha and 0.70369±3 for Bouvetøya).The chief exception is Ascension Island, where volcanic rocksranging from alkali-olivine basalt to trachyte give a mean valueof 0.70284±4. The constancy of this ratio throughouteruptive sequences on any single island indicates that Sr-isotopecharacteristics are primary features. These variations, which are far outside analytical errors, areconsidered in the light of the geochemistry and isotope systematicsof ocean basalts in general. The implied isotopic (and lithophileelement) heterogeneities of the source regions have to be interpretedaccording to either equilibrium or disequilibrium melting models.The former, which is normally assumed, requires large-scale(domain) isotopic inhomogeneities within the mantle, which musthave existed over thousands of m.y. unless the Rb/Sr ratio ofextracted liquids is lower than that of the bulk source (aswould be the case if phlogopite were a residual phase). In thecase of disequilibrium melting, the inhomogeneities are reducedto the mineral scale, as observed in some studies of ultramaficnodules. It is shown that disequilibrium melting models couldgenerally account for the observed isotopic variations of oceanicrocks, although difficulties are again encountered unless phlogopiteis a stable residual phase. Evaluation of the relative importanceof these melting processes cannot be made at the present time.     

Petrology of basalts from the Mohns-Knipovich Ridge; the Norwegian-Greenland Sea

Major element compositions of submarine basalts, quenched glasses, and contained phenocrysts are reported for samples from 25 dredge stations along the Mohns-Knipovich Ridge between the Jan Mayen fracture zone and 77°30N. Most of the basalts collected on the Jan Mayen platform have a subaerial appearance, are nepheline normative, rich in incompatible elements, and have REE-patterns strongly enriched in light-REE. The other basalts (with one exception) are tholeiitic pillow basalts, many of which have fresh quenched glass rims. From the Jan Mayen platform northeastwards the phenocryst assemblage changes from olivine±plagioclase±clinopyroxene±magnetite to olivine +plagioclase±chrome-spinel. This change is accompanied by a progressive decrease in the content of incompatible elements, light-REE enrichments and elevation of the ridge that are similar to those observed south of the Azores and Iceland hotspots. Pillow basalts and glasses collected along the esternmost part of the Mohns Ridge (450 to 675 km east of Jan Mayen) have low K₂O, TiO₂, and P₂O₅ contents, light-REE depleted patterns relative to chondrites, and Mg/(Mg+Fe²⁺) ratios between 0.64 and 0.60. Pillow basalts and glasses from the Knipovich Ridge have similar (Mg/Mg+Fe²⁺) ratios, but along the entire ridge have slightly higher concentrations of incompatible elements and chondritic to slightly light-REE enriched patterns. The incompatible element enrichment increases slightly northward. Plagioclase phenocrysts show normal and reverse zoning on all parts of the ridge whereas olivines are unzoned or show only weak normal zoning. Olivine-liquid equilibrium temperatures are calculated to be in the range of 1,060–1,206° C with a mean around 1,180° C.Rocks and glasses collected on the Jan Mayen Platform are compositionally similar to Jan Mayen volcanic products, suggesting that off-ridge alkali volcanism on the Jan Mayen Platform is more widespread than so far suspected. There is also evidence to suggest that the alkali basalts from the Jan Mayen Platform are derived from deeper levels and by smaller degrees of partial melting of a mantle significantly more enriched in light-REE and other incompatible elements than are the tholeiitic basalts from the Eastern Mohns and Knipovich Ridge. The possibility of the presence of another hitherto unsuspected enriched mantle region north of 77° 30 N is also briefly considered.It remains uncertain whether geochemical gradients revealed in this study reflect: (1) the dynamics of mixing during mantle advection and magma emplacement into the crust along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) spreading axis, (e.g. such as in the mantle plume — large-ion-lithophile element depleted asthenosphere mixing model previously proposed); or (2) a horizontal gradation of the mantle beneath the MAR axis similar to that observed in the overlying crust; or (3) a vertical gradation of the mantle in incompatible elements with their contents increasing with depth and derivations of melts from progressively greater depth towards the Jan Mayen Platform.     

Dynamic partial melting: its application to the petrogeneses of basalts erupted in Iceland,the Faeroe Islands,the Isle of Skye (Scotland) and the Troodos Massif (Cyprus)

The lava piles erupted in Iceland, the Faeroes, Skye, and Troodos are vertically compositionally zoned with the most Mg-rich and hygromagmatophile element (HE) depleted basalts concentrated towards the top of the lava pile in each case. The observed variations in the REE in the Mg-rich basalts from each lava pile cannot be explained in terms of batch partial melting of a homogeneous upper mantle source. Dynamic partial melting (Langmuiret al., 1977, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett.36, 133–156), in conjunction with, or in some cases as a possible alternative to postulating local inhomogeneities in the upper mantle source region, can explain the vertical chemical variations. In this model the presence and amount of liquid remaining in the residue has an important effect on the HE composition of subsequent melts, i.e. it introduces an additional variable to the incremental partial melting equation. The REE variation observed can be accurately reproduced by numerical models of dynamic partial melting using appropriate source compositions.The small but significant, radiogenic isotope variations in Icelandic basalts, whilst suggesting inhomogeneities in the source regions also lend some support to the dynamic melting process. In at least some of the HE-depleted basalts the Sm/Nd ratios are too high to explain the measured ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratios for a single stage mantle evolution. It is necessary to infer a recent enrichment of the Sm/Nd ratios in their sources—an event predicted by the continuous melting process.The chemical inhomogeneities required in the mantle beneath Iceland are consistent with an HE depleted source region-veined to varying degrees by fluids or magmas related to previous events of melt transfer. Dynamic partial melting of such a mantle source would result in the vertical chemical zonation of a lava pile if the source was not continuously replenished at depth.     

Magmatic processes and mantle heterogeneity beneath the slow-spreading northern Kolbeinsey Ridge segment,North Atlantic

We present new data on mineralogical, major and trace element compositions of lavas from the northernmost segment of the Kolbeinsey Ridge (North Kolbeinsey Ridge, NKR). The incompatible element enriched North Kolbeinsey basalts lie on a crystal fractionation trend which differs from that of the other Kolbeinsey segments, most likely due to higher water contents (~0.2%) in the NKR basalts. The most evolved NKR magmas erupt close to the Jan Mayen Fracture Zone, implying increased cooling and fractionation of the ascending magmas. Mainly incompatible element-enriched basalts, as well as some slightly depleted lavas, erupt on the NKR. They show evidence for mixing between different mantle sources and magma mixing. North Kolbeinsey Ridge magmas probably formed by similar degrees of melting to other Kolbeinsey basalts, implying that no lateral variation in mantle potential temperature occurs on the spreading axis north of the Iceland plume and that the Jan Mayen Fracture Zone does not have a cooling effect on the mantle. Residual garnet from deep melting in garnet peridotite or from enriched garnet pyroxenite veins does not play a role. The incompatible element-enriched source has high Ba/La and Nb/Zr, but must be depleted in iron. The iron-depleted mantle is less dense than surrounding mantle and leads to the formation of the North Kolbeinsey segment and its shallow bathymetry. The enriched NKR source formed from a relatively refractory mantle, enriched by a small degree melt rather than by recycling of enriched basaltic crust. The depleted mantle source resembles the mantle of the Middle Kolbeinsey segment with a depletion in incompatible elements, but a fertile major element composition.     

Age and composition of dykes emplaced before and during the opening of the Tasman Sea—source implications

Abstract

Dykes are common in the wave-cut platforms along the coast from Newcastle to Sydney. According to some authors, they may be related to the opening of the Tasman Sea that commenced ca 84?Ma ago. However, there are few detailed radiogenic dating and geochemical studies to evaluate this. We attempt to resolve this by K–Ar dating of plagioclase in and geochemical studies of, basaltic dykes intruding Permo-Triassic sequences on the wave-cut platforms and Carboniferous and Permo-Triassic sequences inland. The plagioclase separated from the dykes give K–Ar ages ranging from 266 to 53?Ma with the majority older than 84?Ma indicating that most dykes were emplaced before the Tasman Seafloor formation. The dykes are generally mildly alkaline, high-Ti basalts; fewer are tholeiitic and calc-alkaline, low-Ti basalts. Strongly light rare earth element (LREE)-enriched patterns typify the former and flat, LREE-depleted or slightly to moderately enriched LREE patterns, the latter. High-Ti basalts have ocean-island-basalt-like and low-Ti basalts, calc-alkaline or mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB)-like patterns. Most high-Ti and some low-Ti basalts show plume-like characteristics, others N-type MORB and arc-like characteristics. Dykes intruding the Carboniferous sequences show a distinct contamination signature that could be crustal or due to subduction-related metasomatism of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle. The sources of the basaltic magmas vary substantially and in places changes with time. All alkali basalts are derived from enriched asthenospheric sources at varying depths (90–147?km) and most tholeiitic, low-Ti basalts have been extracted from asthenospheric and depleted asthenospheric–lithospheric sources indicating substantial compositional heterogeneity of the mantle. Further, Nd model ages varying from Neoproterozoic (940–580?Ma) to Paleozoic (460–370?Ma) suggest variation in the age of mantle sources for the basalts.