Andesites from northeastern Kanaga Island,Aleutians

Kanaga island is located in the central Aleutian island arc. Northeastern Kanaga is a currently active late Tertiary to Recent calc-alkaline volcanic complex. Basaltic andesite to andesite lavas record three episodes (series) of volcanic activity. Series I and Series II lavas are all andesite while Series III lavas are basaltic andesite to andesite. Four Series II andesites contain abundant quenched magmatic inclusions ranging in composition from high-MgO low-alumina basalt to low-MgO highalumina basalt. The spectrum of lava compositions is due primarily to fractional crystallization of a parental low-MgO high-alumina basalt but with variable degrees of crustal contamination and magma mixing. The earliest Series I lavas represent mixing between high-alumina basalt and silicic andesite with maximum SiO₂ contents of 65–67 wt %. Later Series I and all Series II lavas are due to mixing of andesite magmas of similar composition. The maximum SiO₂ content of the pre-mixed andesites magmas is estimated at 60–63 wt %. The youngest lavas (Series III) are all non-mixed and have maximum estimated SiO₂ contents of 59 wt %. The earliest Series I lavas contain a significant crustal component while all later lavas do not. It is concluded that the maximum SiO₂ contents of silicic magmas, the contribution of crustal material to silicic magma generation, and the role of magma mixing all decrease with time. Furthermore, silicic magmas generated by fractional crystallization at this volcanic center have a maximum SiO₂ content of 63 wt %. All of these features have also been documented at the central Aleutian Cold Bay Volcanic Center (Brophy 1987). Based on data from these two centers a model of Aleutian calc-alkaline magma chamber development is proposed. The main features are: (1) a single low pressure magma chamber is continuously supplied by primitive low-alumina basalt; (2) non-primary high-alumina basalt is formed along the chamber margins by selective gravitational settling of olivine and clinopyroxene and retention of plagioclase; (3) sidewall crystallization accompanied by crustal melting produces buoyant silicic (>63 wt % SiO₂) liquids that pond at the top of the chamber, and; (4) continued sidewall crystallization, now isolated from the chamber wall, produces silicic liquids with 63 wt % SiO₂ that increase the thickness and lowers the overall SiO₂ content of the upper silicic zone. It is suggested that the maximum SiO₂ content of 63% imposed on fractionation-generated magmas is due to a rheological barrier that prohibits the extraction of more silicic liquids from a crystal-liquid mush along the chamber wall.     

Petrology of Calc-Alkaline Lavas at Volcn Ollage and the Origin of Compositional Diversity at Central Andean Stratovolcanoes

Volcn Ollage (2117'S) is a large stratovolcano that liesslightly east of the main axis of Quaternary Volcanoes in theAndean Central Volcanic Zone (CVZ). Euptive products range frombasaltic andesite to dacite and define a high-K, calc-alkalinesuite. This compositional range is similar to the collectivecompositional range of the other stratovolcanoes in the CVZ,and it provides a record of both early and late-stage differentiationprocesses operating at the stratovolcanoes. The volumetrically dominant andesitic and dacitic lavas aredivided into four eruptive series on the basis of vent locationsand petrography. In ascending stratigraphic order they are:the Vinta Loma, Chasca Orkho, post-collapse, and La Celosa series.Whole-rock compositions of the lavas are remarkably similarregardless of eruptive series. Variations in phenocryst assemblagesand magmatic f_o2 however, suggest differences in subliquidusvolatile contents for magma chambers developed beneath the summitof the volcano versus those developed beneath the flanks. Basalticandesite magmas are principally preserved as quenched inclusionswithin the andesitic and dacitie lava flows. Large ranges inisotopic ratios over a narrow compositional range indicate thatthe basaltic andesites were derived by crystal fractionationcoupled with large amounts of crustal assimilation. IncreasingCe/Yb ratios with decreasing Yb contents further suggest thatthis initial stage of differentiation occurred at deep crustallevels where garnet was stable. Additional supporting evidencefor differentiation in the deep crust includes isotopic andtrace element compositions that indicate assimilation by thebasaltic andesite magmas of a crust different from upper-crustalrocks exposed at present in the region. Whole-rock major and trace element trends of the dacitic lavascan be simulated largely by fractional crystallization of parentalandesitic magma. The fractionating assemblages for the differenteruptive series are consistent with the observed modes of theparent magmas. Small increases in Sr isotope ratios with increasingRb contents indicate that the fractionating magmas also assimilatedsmall amounts of wall rocks similar in composition to the upper-crustalbasement to the volcano. Consideration of the chemical trends, mineral compositions,and eruptive history of Ollage rocks permits construction ofa model for the evolution of shallow crustal magma chambersbeneath the stratovolcanoes in the CVZ. At a relatively maturestage, the magma chambers may be compositionally, thermally,and density stratified. Temperatures estimated from Fe-Ti oxideand pyroxene thermometry for the chambers beneath Ollage rangefrom 1000 to 790C with increasing SiO₂ from 59 to 67 wt.% inthe upper reaches, and from 1150 to 1020C with increasing SiO₂from 53 to 59 wt.% in the lower reaches. The occurrence of basalticandesite magmatic inclusions within the intermediate lavas andthe repeated eruption of monotonous composition andesitic magmasindicate that the shallow chambers are periodically replenishedwith parental basaltic andesite magmas. Ubiquitous, reversely zoned plagioclase and pyroxene phenocrystsin the lavas at Ollage suggest that convective cooling of thebasaltic andesite releases buoyant derivative liquid that mixeswith the overlying intermediate-composition body of the chambers.Further crystallization and differentiation of the intermediatemagmas may take place in solidification zones at the boundariesof the magma chambers. If so, the return of residual liquidfrom the crystallizing margins and mixing with the interiorare highly efficient such that magma differentiation can bemodeled as a simple, homogeneous, fractional crystallizationprocess.     

Primary alkaline magmas associated with the Quaternary Alligator Lake volcanic complex,Yukon Territory,Canada

The Alligator Lake complex is a Quaternary alkaline volcanic center located in the southern Yukon Territory of Canada. It comprises two cinder cones which cap a shield consisting of five distinct lava units of basaltic composition. Units 2 and 3 of this shield are primitive olivine-phyric lavas (13.5–19.5 cation % Mg) which host abundant spinel lherzolite xenoliths, megacrysts, and granitoid fragments. Although the two lava types have erupted coevally from adjacent vents and are petrographically similar, they are chemically distinct. Unit 2 lavas have considerably higher abundances of LREE, LILE, and Fe, but lower HREE, Y, Ca, Si, and Al relative to unit 3 lavas. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd isotopic ratios of these two units are, however, indistinguishable. The differences between these two lava types cannot be explained in terms of low pressure olivine fractionation, and the low concentrations of Sr, Nb, P, and Ti in the granitoid xenoliths relative to the primitive lavas discounts differential crustal contamination. The abundance of spinel lherzolite xenoliths and the high Mg contents in the lavas of both units indicates that their compositional differences originated in the upper mantle. The Al and Si systematics of these lavas suggests that, compared to unit 3 magmas, the unit 2 magmas may have segregated at greater depths from a garnet lherzolite mantle. The identical isotopic composition and similar ratios of highly incompatible elements in these two lava units argues against their differences being a consequence of random metasomatism or mantle heterogeneity. The lower Y and HREE contents but higher concentrations of incompatible elements in the unit 2 lavas relative to unit 3 can be most simply explained by differential partial melting of similar garnet-bearing sources. The unit 2 magmas thus appear to have been generated by smaller degrees of melting at a greater depth than the unit 3 magmas. The contemporaneous eruption of two distinct but volumetrically restricted primary magmas from adjacent vents at the Alligator Lake volcanic complex suggests that volcanism in this region of the Canadian Cordillera is controlled by localized, small batch processes.     

Constraints on the formation of geochemically variable plagiogranite intrusions in the Troodos Ophiolite,Cyprus

The geochemistry and petrology of tonalitic to trondhjemitic samples (n = 85) from eight different plagiogranite intrusions at the gabbro/sheeted dyke transition of the Troodos Ophiolite were studied in order to determine their petrogenetic relationship to the mafic plutonic section and the lava pile. The plagiogranitic rocks have higher SiO₂ contents than the majority of the glasses of the Troodos lava pile, but lie on a continuation of the chemical trends defined by the extrusive rocks, indicating that the shallow intrusions generally represent crystallised magmas. We define three different groups of plagiogranites in the Troodos Ophiolite based on different incompatible element contents and ratios. The first and most common plagiogranite group has geochemical similarities to the tholeiitic lavas forming the lavas and sheeted dyke complex in the Troodos crust, implying that these magmas formed at a spreading axis. The second plagiogranite group occurs in one intrusion that is chemically related to late-stage and off-axis boninitic lavas and dykes. One intrusion next to the Arakapas fault zone consists of incompatible element-enriched plagiogranites which are unrelated to any known mafic crustal rocks. The similarities of incompatible element ratios between plagiogranites, lavas and mafic plutonic rocks, the continuous chemical trends defined by plagiogranites and mafic rocks, as well as incompatible element modelling results, all suggest that shallow fractional crystallisation is the dominant process responsible for formation of the felsic magmas.     

Alkaline and calc-alkaline lavas near Los Volcanes,Jalisco, Mexico: geochemical diversity and its significance in volcanic arcs

A remarkably diverse suite of lavas erupted during the late-Pliocene at the volcanic front of the western Mexican Volcanic Belt near the town of Los Volcanes, Jalisco. This region is much closer to the Middle America Trench than the main axis of Quaternary andesite-dacite stratovolcanoes, and volcanism occurred in a complex tectonic regime involving both subduction of the young Rivera Plate and transverse crustal extension of the Jalisco structural block. The variety of lava types covers a wide spectrum from highly potassic minettes and leucitites to calc-alkaline basalts and andesites which are compositionally similar to those erupted elsewhere in the Mexican Volcanic Belt. Other alkaline varieties intermediate between these extremes include absarokites, trachybasalts and trachyandesites. Phlogopite, amphibole and apatite are common phenocryst phases; whole-rock compositions show a wide range of alkali contents (e.g. K₂O of 1.0–8.6 wt.%), and typically contain >5 wt.% MgO. MgO, Ni, V and Cr show little systematic decrease with increasing SiO₂, suggesting that these lavas have evolved from primitive, mantle derived magmas with a wide range of SiO₂ contents. Strong enrichments in incompatible trace elements are observed in all of the lavas (Sr 700–5100 ppm, Ba 470–4800, Ce 22–325 ppm, Zr 90–700 ppm), as is the relative enrichment of large ion lithophile (Ba, Sr, Rb) and light rare-earth elements (La, Ce) over the high field strength elements (Ti, Zr) which is typical of magmas in volcanic arcs. This enrichment pattern suggests that these magmas come from source regions which contain incompatible element-rich phases such as phlogopite, amphibole and apatite. The petrological and geochemical features of the lavas which occur in the Los Volcanes region provide direct evidence of the extreme heterogeneity which may exist in magma source regions at convergent margins. The complex tectonic regime in western Mexico further suggests that rifting and crustal extension play an important role in the generation and successful ascent of melts from enriched regions of the sub-arc mantle.     

The relationship between the hawaiites and basalts of the itcha Volcanic Complex,central British Columbia

Volumetrically subordinate alkaline mafic lava flows form a late capping stage over the earlier felsic lavas that form the shield of the Itcha Volcanic Complex (IVC), of the Anahim Volcanic Belt (AVB) in central British Columbia (B.C.). The mafic capping stage of the IVC is dominated by hawaiites which are the earliest of the mafic lavas, and are succeeded by alkali olivine basalts (AOB) and then by basanites. The alkali olivine basalts can be subdivided into high-, intermediate- and low-MgO AOB groups, all of which share similar HFSE ratios (e.g. Nb/Zr) with the hawaiites. High Al contents and Sr/Zr ratios indicate that hawaiites and Fe-rich evolved AOB were derived from primitive AOB parental magmas by crystal fractionation of a wehrlitic assemblage at pressures on the order of 8 to 10 kbar. High Si and low Fe contents indicate that the majority of the evolved AOB lavas, however, do not represent an intermediate stage in the liquid line of descent to hawaiites, but were most likely produced by gabbroic fractionation from primitive AOB magmas at relatively low pressures. The parental magmas of the majority of these lavas were distinct from those of the observed high-MgO basalts, having higher HFSE contents and being more Si-under-saturated. The high Al, high Sr/Zr signature of high-pressure fractionation of a clinopyroxene-dominated assemblage in the IVC is shared by hawaiites of other alkaline volcanic suites of the Canadian Cordillera, such as the Edziza Volcanic Complex in northern B.C. and appears to be a feature of hawaiites in many localities, including Hawaii and Iceland. Viscosities calculated for both high- and low-pressure crystal fractionation models suggest that aphyric hawaiites are residual liquids escaped from a wehrlitic crystalline network, at elevated pressures, possibly at the base of the crust. Editorial responsibility: T.L. Grove     

Origin of rhyolite and rhyodacite lavas and associated mafic inclusions of Cape Akrotiri,Santorini: the role of wet basalt in generating calcalkaline silicic magmas

Amphibole-bearing mafic inclusions (low to medium-K high-alumina basalt to basaltic andesite) comprise 4.1 vol% of calc-alkaline rhyolite and rhyodacite lavas on Akrotiri Peninsula, Santorini, Greece. Physical features indicate a magmatic origin for the inclusions, involving mingling with the host silicic magma and quenching. Water contents of the mafic magmas are estimated to have been above 4% at water pressures of 1.8 kbars or more at temperatures of approximately 950–1,000 °C. Three evolutionary stages are inferred in their petrogenesis. In the first stage infiltration of slab fluids promotes partial melting in the mantle to generate primitive wet basaltic magmas enriched in LREE, LILE, Th and U in comparison to N-type MORB. In the second stage storage and crystal differentiation of primitive magmas occurred in the lithospheric mantle or deep crust, involving olivine, spinel and clinopyroxene followed by amphibole and plagioclase. In the third stage differentiated mafic magma intrudes into porphyritic silicic magma at shallower crustal levels (estimated at 7–10 km). Mingling and quenching of the mafic magmas within the silicic host causes chemical or physical interactions between the inclusions and the host prior to and during eruption. The silicic lavas have geochemical affinities with the mafic inclusions, but are relatively depleted in MREE, HREE and Y and enriched in Rb relative to Ba and K. These observations are consistent with involvement of amphibole in magma genesis due either to crystal differentiation from wet basalt or to partial melting of mafic rocks with residual amphibole. Crystallization of wet basalt in the deep crust is preferred on the basis of physical considerations.Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available for this article if you access the article at . A link in the frame on the left on that page takes you directly to the supplementary material.Editorial responsibility: I. Parsons     

Magma evolution beneath Bequia,Lesser Antilles,deduced from petrology of lavas and plutonic xenoliths

Extrusive and intrusive igneous rocks represent different parts of a magmatic system and ultimately provide complementary information about the processes operating beneath volcanoes. To shed light on such processes, we have examined and quantified the textures and mineral compositions of plutonic and cumulate xenoliths and lavas from Bequia, Lesser Antilles arc. Both suites contain assemblages of iddingsitized olivine, plagioclase, clinopyroxene and spinel with rare orthopyroxene and ilmenite. Mineral zoning is widespread, but more protracted in lavas than xenoliths. Plagioclase cores and olivine have high anorthite (An?≤?98) and low forsterite (Fo?≤?84) compositions respectively, implying crystallisation from a hydrous mafic melt that was already fractionated. Xenolith textures range from adcumulate to orthocumulate with variable mineral crystallisation sequences. Textural criteria are used to organize the xenoliths into six groups. Amphibole, notably absent from lavas, is a common feature of xenoliths, together with minor biotite and apatite. Bulk compositions of xenoliths deviate from the liquid line of descent of lavas supporting a cumulate origin with varying degrees of reactive infiltration by evolved hydrous melts, preserved as melt inclusions in xenolith crystals. Volatile saturation pressures in melt inclusions indicate cumulate crystallization over a 162–571 MPa pressure range under conditions of high dissolved water contents (up to 7.8 wt% H₂O), consistent with a variety of other thermobarometric estimates. Phase assemblages of xenoliths are consistent with published experimental data on volatile-saturated low-magnesium and high-alumina basalts and basaltic andesite from the Lesser Antilles at pressures of 200–1000 MPa, temperatures of 950–1050 °C and dissolved H₂O contents of 4–7 wt%. Once extracted from mid-crustal mushes, residual melts ascend to higher levels and undergo H₂O-saturated crystallization in shallow, pre-eruptive reservoirs to form phenocrysts and glomerocrysts. The absence of amphibole from lavas reflects instability at low pressures, whereas its abundance in xenoliths testifies to its importance in mid-crustal differentiation processes. A complex, vertically extensive (6 to at least 21 km depth) magmatic system is inferred beneath Bequia. Xenoliths represent fragments of the mush incorporated into ascending magmas. The widespread occurrence of evolved melts in the mush, but the absence of erupted evolved magmas, in contrast to islands in the northern Lesser Antilles, may reflect the relative immaturity of the Bequia magmatic system.     

Phase Relationships of Hydrous Alkalic Magmas at High Pressures: Production of Nepheline Hawaiitic to Mugearitic Liquids by Amphibole-Dominated Fractional Crystallization Within the Lithospheric Mantle

Experimental melting studies were conducted on a nepheline mugearitecomposition to pressures of 31 kbar in the presence of 0–30%added water. A temperature maximum in the near-liquidus stabilityof amphibole (with olivine) was found for a water content of3·5 wt % at a pressure of 14 kbar. This is interpretedto have petrogenetic significance for the derivation of nephelinemugearite magmas from nepheline hawaiite by amphibole-dominatedfractional crystallization at depth within the lithosphericmantle. Synthetic liquids at progressively lower temperaturesrange to nepheline benmoreite compositions very similar to thoseof natural xenolith-bearing high-pressure lavas elsewhere, andsupport the hypothesis that continued fractional crystallizationcould lead to high-pressure phonolite liquids. Independent experimentaldata for a basanite composition modeled on a lava from the sameigneous province (the Newer Basalts of Victoria) permit theinference that primary asthenospheric basanite magmas undergopolybaric fractional crystallization during ascent, and mayevolve to liquids ranging from nepheline hawaiite to phonoliteupon encountering cooler lithospheric mantle at depths of 42–50km. Such a model is consistent with the presence in some evolvedalkalic lavas of both lithospheric peridotite xenoliths indicativeof similar depths and of megacryst suites that probably representdisrupted pegmatitic segregations precipitated from precursoralkalic magmas in conduit systems within lithospheric mantle. KEY WORDS: experiment; high pressure; alkalic magmas; amphibole; nepheline mugearite; basanite; lithosphere     

Iron/manganese ratio and manganese content in shield lavas from Ko’olau Volcano, Hawai’i

Precise Fe/Mn ratios and MnO contents have been determined for basalts from the Hawaiian shields of Ko’olau and Kilauea by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. It is well known that the youngest Ko’olau (Makapu’u-stage) shield lavas define a geochemical endmember for Hawaiian lavas in terms of CaO and SiO₂ contents and isotopic ratios of O, Sr, Nd, Hf, Pb, and Os. We find that their MnO content is also distinct. Despite the small range in MnO, 0.146 to 0.176 wt%, the precision of our data is sufficient to show that among unaltered Ko’olau lavas MnO content is correlated with Nd-Hf-Pb isotopic ratios, La/Nb and Al₂O₃/CaO elemental ratios, and contents of SiO₂, MgO and Na₂O + K₂O adjusted for olivine fractionation. These trends are consistent with two-component mixing; one endmember is a SiO₂-rich, MnO-, and MgO-poor dacite or andesite melt, generated by low degree (10-20%) partial melting of eclogite. Since this low-MgO endmember (dacite or andesite melt) has very low FeO and MnO contents, mixing of high Fe/Mn dacite or andesite melt with a MgO-rich picritic melt, the other endmember, does not significantly increase the Fe/Mn in mixed magmas; consequently, Ko’olau and Kilauea lavas have similar Fe/Mn. We conclude that the high Fe/Mn in Hawaiian lavas relative to mid-ocean ridge basalt originates from the high MgO endmember in Hawaiian lavas.     

Partition coefficients of trace elements: Application to volcanic rocks of St. Vincent,West Indies

Island arc basaltic rocks (basalts and basic andesites with SiO₂ < 56.5%) from the Soufrière volcano. St. Vincent, West Indies (prehistoric lavas and 1902 and 1979 eruptions) underwent extensive fractional crystallization at various levels during the ascent of the magma. Although the precipitation of minerals occurring in coarse-grained cumulate inclusions dominated the derivation of basic andesites from basaltic magma, the distribution of the trace elements is not consistent with a simple fractional crystallization process. The lavas have a partially cumulate character and were probably generated from similar but separate parental magmas. The partition coefficients of transition and large ion lithophile elements are given for clinopyroxene, amphibole. olivine, plagioclase and titanomagnetite in basaltic liquid which crystallized under well-defined P-T conditions. The temperatures obtained from the geothermometers based upon the distribution of the major elements are in good agreement with the data from trace element geothermometers.     

Ce-anomalous lavas from Rabaul caldera,Papua New Guinea

REE abundances for a suite of Rabaul caldera lavas ranging from basalt to dacite are reported. Three of the lavas contain negative Ce anomalies. These ‘anomalous’ lavas are older and have a geochemistry different from the younger lavas which form the main Rabaul caldera. The consistent geochemical differences between the two groups of lavas suggest that the Ce anomaly is inherited from the source material from which the magmas were derived and is not due to differences in crystallization or fractionation paths. Ocean floor lavas containing zeolite assemblages have been shown to possess a Ce anomaly and it is concluded that those lavas having a Ce anomaly were derived from lithosphere which had been depleted in Ce during weathering and hydrothermal processes.     

Geochemistry of silicic magmas in the Macolod Corridor, SW Luzon, Philippines: evidence of distinct, mantle-derived, crustal sources for silicic magmas

Silicic volcanic deposits (>65 wt% SiO₂), which occur as domes, lavas and pyroclastic deposits, are relatively abundant in the Macolod Corridor, SW Luzon, Philippines. At Makiling stratovolcano, silicic domes occur along the margins of the volcano and are chemically similar to the silicic lavas that comprise part of the volcano. Pyroclastic flows are associated with the Laguna de Bay Caldera and these are chemically distinct from the domes and lavas at Makiling stratovolcano. As a whole, samples from the Laguna de Bay Caldera contain lower concentrations of MgO and higher concentrations of Fe₂O_3(t) than the samples from domes and lavas. The Laguna de Bay samples are more enriched in incompatible trace elements. The silicic rocks from the domes, Makiling Volcano and Laguna de Bay Caldera all contain high alkalis and high K₂O/Na₂O ratios. Melting experiments of primitive basalts and andesites demonstrate that it is difficult to produce high K₂O/Na₂O silicic magmas by fractional crystallization or partial melting of a low K₂O/Na₂O source. However, recent melting experiments (Sisson et al., Contrib Mineral Petrol 148:635–661, 2005) demonstrate that extreme fractional crystallization or partial melting of K-rich basalts can produce these silicic magmas. Our model for the generation of the silicic magmas in the Macolod Corridor requires partial melting of mantle-derived, evolved, moderate to K-rich, crystallized calc-alkaline magmas that ponded and crystallized in the mid-crust. Major and trace element variations, along with oxygen isotopes and ages of the deposits, are consistent with this model. Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available for this article at     

Ferric/ferrous ratios in 1984 Mauna Loa lavas: a contribution to understanding the oxidation state of Hawaiian magmas

Ferric/ferrous ratios have been used to estimate the oxygen fugacity of lavas erupted in 1984 on Mauna Loa Volcano, Hawaii. Rapidly quenched lavas erupted close to vents are less oxidized than rapidly quenched lavas scooped from lava flows several kilometers away from the vents. These results demonstrate that sampling is of critical importance in determining the oxidation state of lava. The oxidation state of the vent lavas, below or at magnetite–wüstite (MW), is significantly lower than that previously reported for Hawaiian lavas (~FMQ). Similarly, rapidly quenched lavas from the ongoing Kilauea eruption and Loihi seamount, all have oxygen fugacities that are close to MW and on the low side of the range previously reported for Hawaiian lavas. From this we conclude that the initial oxygen fugacity of parental Hawaiian magmas is close to MW, not FMQ, and that previous estimates of the oxidation state of Hawaiian lavas may have been too high. This implies that the plume source of these magmas is also at or below MW, but not as reduced as the mantle source of mid-ocean ridge basalts. Additionally, Mauna Loa lavas appear to be slightly more reduced than Kilauea or Loihi lavas, perhaps indicating heterogeneous oxidation within the Hawaiian plume.     

Isotopic evidence for the derivation of some Roman region volcanics from anomalously enriched mantle

Strontium isotope data are reported for primitive lavas (leucitites, tephritic leucitites, K-rich basalts, and related types) from the Roccamonfina volcano. A strong positive correlation is found between ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and the abundances of K, Rb, Sr, Ba and Zr. It is argued that the present contents of these elements in the lavas are not far removed from their concentrations in their parental primary magmas. Models involving disequilibrium and equilibrium melting of respectively homogeneous and heterogeneous source rocks are discussed. It is concluded that a heterogeneous source highly enriched in incompatible elements at some stage in the past (? 300 m.y.) is indicated.     

Oxygen isotope composition of phenocrysts from Tristan da Cunha and Gough Island lavas: variation with fractional crystallization and evidence for assimilation

We have measured the δ¹⁸O values of the major phenocrysts (olivine, clinopyroxene and plagioclase) present in lavas from Tristan da Cunha and Gough Island. These islands, which result from the same mantle plume, have enriched radiogenic isotope ratios and are, therefore, prime candidates for an oxygen isotope signature that is distinct from that of MORB. Consistent differences between the δ¹⁸O values of olivine, pyroxene and feldspar in the Gough lavas show that the phenocrysts in the mafic Gough Island lavas are in oxygen isotope equilibrium. The olivines in lavas with SiO₂ <50 wt% have a mean δ¹⁸O value of 5.19‰, consistent with crystallization from a magma having the same oxygen isotope composition as MORB. Phenocrysts in all the Gough lavas show a systematic increase in δ¹⁸O value as silica content increases, which is consistent with closed-system fractional crystallization. The lack of enrichment in δ¹⁸O of the Gough magmas suggests that the mantle source contained <2% recycled sediment. In contrast, the Tristan lavas with SiO₂ >48 wt% contain phenocrysts which have δ¹⁸O values that are systematically ∼0.3‰ lower than their counterparts from Gough. We suggest that the parental mafic Tristan magmas were contaminated by material from the volcanic edifice that acquired low δ¹⁸O values by interaction with water at high temperatures. The highly porphyritic SiO₂-poor lavas show a negative correlation between olivine δ¹⁸O value and whole-rock silica content rather than the expected positive correlation. The minimum δ¹⁸O value occurs at an SiO₂ content of about 45 wt%. Below 45 wt% SiO₂, magmas evolved via a combination of assimilation, fractionational crystallization and crystal accumulation; above 45 wt% SiO₂, magmas appeared to have evolved via closed-system fractional crystallization. Received: 23 November 1998 / Accepted: 27 September 1999     

Geochemistry and tectonic setting of mafic rocks from the Othris Ophiolite,Greece

We present new geochemical analyses of minerals and whole rocks for a suite of mafic rocks from the crustal section of the Othris Ophiolite in central Greece. The mafic rocks form three chemically distinct groups. Group 1 is characterized by N-MORB-type basalt and basaltic andesite with Na- and Ti-rich clinopyroxenes. These rocks show mild LREE depletion and no HFSE anomalies, consistent with moderate degrees (~15%) of anhydrous partial melting of depleted mantle followed by 30–50% crystal fractionation. Group 2 is represented by E-MORB-type basalt with clinopyroxenes with higher Ti contents than Group 1 basalts. Group 2 basalts also have higher concentrations of incompatible trace elements with slightly lower HREE contents than Group 1 basalts. These chemical features can be explained by ~10% partial melting of an enriched mantle source. Group 3 includes high MgO cumulates with Na- and Ti-poor clinopyroxene, forsteritic olivine, and Cr-rich spinel. The cumulates show strong depletion of HFSE, low HREE contents, and LREE enrichments. These rocks may have formed by olivine accumulation from boninitic magmas. The petrogenesis of the N-MORB-type basalts and basaltic andesites is in excellent agreement with the melting conditions inferred from the MOR-type peridotites in Othris. The occurrence of both N- and E-MORB-type lavas suggests that the mantle generating the lavas of the Othris Ophiolite must have been heterogeneous on a comparatively fine scale. Furthermore, the inferred parental magmas of the SSZ-type cumulates are broadly complementary to the SSZ-type peridotites found in Othris. These results suggest that the crustal section may be genetically related to the mantle section. In the Othris Ophiolite mafic rocks recording magmatic processes characteristic both of mid-ocean ridges and subduction zones occur within close spatial association. These observations are consistent with the formation of the Othris Ophiolite in the upper plate of a newly created intra-oceanic subduction zone. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

High and low pressure phase equilibria of a mildly alkalic lava from the 1965 Surtsey eruption: Implications for the evolution of mildly alkalic and transitional basalts in the south-eastern propagating rift zone of Iceland.

The south-eastern propagating rift zone of Iceland shows a progression from tholeiitic, to transitional, and mildly alkalic basalts going toward the front of the propagator. A petrogenetic model has been formulated based on low and high pressure melting experiments. The evolution of the magmas behind the front of the propagating rift is dominated by near surface processes (e.g., Katla and Hekla volcanic systems). Compared with the one atmosphere liquid line of descent, the Vestmannaeyjar lavas, erupted at the front of the propagating rift, have systematically higher Al₂O₃ and Na₂O contents consistent with the experimentally determined effects of high pressure, Labradoritic plagioclase megacrysts, which occur in the early phase of the Surtsey eruption at the front of the propagator, are consistent with the predicted effect of high pressure on plagioclase composition. On the other hand, augites similar to those of the high pressure experiments are unknown among the phenocryst and xenolith assemblages of the Vestmannaeyjar lavas (and other Icelandic lavas). Petrographic evidence points toward a high water content in the evolved lavas of the Vestmannaeyjar. A relatively high water activity and high pressure in the magma chambers at the front of the propagator could have caused a significant suppression of the liquids temperature, in particular for plagioclase. Seismic and magnetotelluric evidence suggest that magma chambers behind the propagating front occur at the depth equivalent to 2–3 kbar of pressure. At the front, magma chambers have been located by geophysical evidence at significantly greater depths equivalent to 3–8 kbar. The lavas erupted at the front of the propagator are located to the alkalic side of the thermal divide and, therefore, can be expected to evolve toward nepheline saturation under slightly hydrous conditions. The most evolved of these lavas are of ferrobasaltic compositions and may be saturated with augite. The lavas erupted behind the front are located to the transitional side of the divide and evolve toward quartz saturation under essentially anhydrous conditions. In contrast to the Vestmannaeyjar lavas, the lavas behind the propagator often contain augite as a phenocryst. It is concluded that the chemical variation observed along the south-eastern propagating rift of Iceland is an effect of primary chemical features and that water plays a significant role on the liquid lines of descent at the front of the propagator.     

Petrology of the Cenozoic volcanism in the Upper Benue valley,northern Cameroon (Central Africa)

Thirty-one plugs of alkaline volcanic rocks of Cenozoic age (37 Ma in mean) occur in the Upper Benue valley, northern Cameroon (Central Africa). The complete alkaline series (alkaline basalts, hawaiites, mugearites, phonolites, trachytes and rhyolites) is represented. Basalts contain phenocrysts of olivine, Al-Ti-rich diopside, and Ti-magnetite, and hawaiites-abundant microphenocrysts of plagioclase. Mugearites have a trachytic texture and contain xenocrysts of K-feldspar, apatite, quartz and unstable biotite. Phonolites are peralkaline. Trachytes (peralkaline and non-peralkaline) and rhyolites are characterised by their sodic mineralogy with aegirine-augite, richterite, and arfvedsonite phenocrysts. There is a large compositional gap between basaltic and felsic lavas, except the mugearites. Despite this gap, major- and trace-element distributions are in favour of a co-magmatic origin for the basaltic and felsic lavas. The Upper Benue valley basalts are similar in their chemical and isotopic features to other basalts from both the continental and oceanic sectors of the Cameroon Line. The Upper Benue valley basaltic magmas (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶SrƸ.7035; k Nd=+3.9) originate from an infra-lithospheric reservoir. The Sr-Nd isotopic composition and high Sr contents of the mugearites suggest that they are related to mantle-derived magmas and that they result from the mixing, at shallow crustal levels, of a large fraction of trachytic magma with a minor amount of basaltic magma. Major-element modelling of the basalt-trachyte evolution (through hawaiite and mugearite compositions) does not support an evolution through fractional crystallization alone. The fluids have played a significant role in the felsic lavas genesis, as attested by the occurrence of F-rich minerals, calcite and analcite. An origin of the Upper Benue valley rhyolitic magmas by fractional crystallization of mantle-derived primitive magmas of basaltic composition, promoted or accompanied by volatile, halogen-rich fluid phases, may be the best hypothesis for the genesis of these lavas. These fluids also interact with the continental crust, resulting in the high Sr-isotope initial ratios (0.710) in the rhyolites, whereas the Nd isotopic composition has been less affected (k Nd=+0.4).     

Petrology of Volcán Tequila,Jalisco, Mexico: disequilibrium phenocryst assemblages and evolution of the subvolcanic magma system

Volcán Tequila is an extinct stratovolcano in the western Mexican Volcanic Belt that has erupted lavas ranging from andesite to rhyolite during the last 0.9 Ma. Following an early period of rhyolitic volcanism, the main edifice of the volcano was constructed by central vent eruptions that produced 25 km³ of pyroxene-andesite. At about 0.2 Ma central activity ceased and numerous flows of hornblende-bearing andesite, dacite, and rhyodacite erupted from vents located around the flanks of the volcano. Bimodal plagioclase phenocryst rim compositions in lavas from both the main edifice and the flanks indicate that magma mixing commonly occurred shortly prior to or during eruption. Compositions of endmember magmas involved in mixing, as constrained by whole-rock major and trace element abundances, phenocryst compositions, and mineral-melt exchange equilibria, are similar to those of some lavas erupted from the central vent and on the flanks of the volcano. Estimated pre-eruptive temperatures for hornblende-bearing lavas (970°–830°C) are systematically lower than for lavas that lack hornblende (1045°–970°C), whereas magmatic H₂O contents are systematically higher for hornblende-bearing lavas. In addition to stabilizing hornblende, high magmatic water contents promoted crystallization of calcic plagioclase (An_70–82). Frequent injections of magma into the base of the subvolcanic plumbing system followed by eruption of mixed magma probably prevented formation of large volumes of silicic magma, which have caused paroxysmal, caldera-forming eruptions at other stratovolcanoes in western Mexico. The later stages of volcanic activity, represented by the flank lavas, indicate a change from a large magma storage reservoir to numerous small ones that developed along a NW-trending zone parallel to regional fault trends. Sr and Nd isotopic data for lavas from the Tequila region and other volcanoes in western Mexico demonstrate that differentiated calc-alkaline magmas are formed primarily through crystal fractionation of mantle-derived calc-alkaline basalt coupled with assimilation of crustal material. Present Address:Department of the Geophysical Sciences The University of Chicago, Chicago IL, 60637, USA