Trace element and Sr and Nd isotope geochemistry of peridotite xenoliths from the Eifel (West Germany) and their bearing on the evolution of the subcontinental lithosphere

Peridotite xenoliths from the Eifel can be divided into incompatible element-depleted and -enriched members. The depleted group is restricted to dry lherzolites whereas the enriched group encompasses dry harzburgites, dry websterite and amphibole and/or phlogopite-bearing peridotites. Isotopically the depleted group is very diverse with¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ranging from 0.51302 to 0.51355 and⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr from 0.7041 to 0.7019, thus occupying a field larger than expected for oceanic-type subcontinental mantle. These xenoliths are derived from a mantle which appears to have diverged from a bulk-earth Nd and Sr isotopic evolution path 2 Ga ago as a consequence of partial melting. The combination of high¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd with high⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr in some members of the depleted-xenoliths suite is likely to be the result of incipient reaction with incompatible element-enriched fluids in the mantle. In the enriched group such reactions have proceeded further and erased any pre-enrichment isotope memory resulting in a smaller isotopic diversity (¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd 0.51256–0.51273,⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr 0.7044–0.7032). An evaluation of SmHf and YbHf relationships suggests that the amphibole-bearing lherzolites and harzburgites acquired their high enrichment of light rare earth elements by fluid infiltration into previously depleted peridotite rather than by silicate melt-induced metasomatism. Upper mantle composed of such metasomatized peridotites does not represent a potential source for the basanites and nephelinites from the Eifel. The isotopic and chemical diversity of the subcontinental lithospheric part of the mantle may result from it having remained isolated from the convecting mantle for times > 1 Ga.     

Isotope and trace element geochemistry of young Pacific seamounts: implications for the scale of upper mantle heterogeneity

Basalts from young seamounts situated within 6.8 m.y. of the East Pacific Rise, between 9° and 14°N latitude, display significant variations in ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd (0.51295–0.51321), ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (0.7025–0.7031), and(La/Sm)_N (0.415–3.270). Nd and Sr isotope ratios are anti-correlated and form a trend roughly parallel to the “mantle array” on a¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd vs.⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr variation diagram. Nd and Sr isotope ratios display negative and positive correlations, respectively, with(La/Sm)_N. The geochemical variations observed at the seamounts are nearly as great or greater than those observed over several hundred kilometers of the Reykjanes Ridge, or at the islands of Iceland or Hawaii.

Samples from one particular seamount, Seamount 6, display nearly the entire observed range of chemical variations, offering an ideal opportunity to constrain the nature of heterogeneities in the source mantle. Systematics indicative of magma mixing are recognized when major elements, trace elements, trace element ratios, and isotope ratios are compared with each other in all possible permutations. The source materials required to produce the end-member magmas are: (1) a typical MORB-source-depleted peridotite; and (2) a relatively enriched material which may represent ancient mantle segregations of basaltic melt, incompletely mixed remnants of subducted ocean crust, or metasomatized peridotite such as that found at St. Paul's Rocks or Zabargad Island. Due to the proximity of the seamounts to the East Pacific Rise (EPR), the source materials are thought to comprise an intimate mixture in the mantle immediately underlying the seamounts and the adjacent EPR. Lavas erupted at the ridge axis display a small range of isotopic and incompatible trace element compositions because the large degrees of melting and presence of magma chambers tend to average the chemical characteristics of large volumes of mantle.

If the postulated mantle materials, with large magnitude, small-scale heterogeneities, are ubiquitous in the upper mantle, chemical variations in basalts ranging from MOR tholeiites to island alkali basalts may reflect sampling differences rather than changes in bulk mantle chemistry.     

Oxygen isotope evidence for the origin of enriched mantle beneath the mid-Atlantic ridge

Geochemical variations in mid-ocean ridge basalts have been attributed to differing proportions of compositionally distinct mantle components in their sources, some of which may be recycled crust. Oxygen isotopes are strongly fractionated by near-surface interactions of rocks with the hydrosphere, and thus provide a tracer of near-surface materials that have been recycled into the mantle. We present here oxygen isotope analyses of basaltic glasses from the mid-Atlantic ridge south of and across the Azores platform. Variations in δ¹⁸O in these samples are subtle (range of 0.47‰) and may partly reflect shallow fractional crystallization; we present a method to correct for these effects. Relatively high fractionation-corrected δ¹⁸O in these samples is associated with geochemical indices of enrichment, including high La/Sm, Ce/Pb, and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and low ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd. Our results suggest two first-order conclusions about these enriched materials: (1) they are derived (directly or indirectly) from recycled upper oceanic crustal rocks and/or sediments; and (2) these materials are present in the north Atlantic MORB sources in abundances of less than 10% (average 2–5%). Modeling of variations of δ¹⁸O with other geochemical variables further indicates that the enriched component is not derived from incorporation of sediment or bulk altered oceanic crust, from metasomatism of the mantle by hydrous or carbonate-rich fluids, or from partial melting of subducted sediment. Instead, the data appear to require a model in which the enriched component is depleted mantle that has been metasomatized by small-degree partial melts of subducted, dehydrated, altered oceanic crust. The age of this partial melting is broadly constrained to 250 Ma. Reconstructed plate motions suggest that the enriched component in the north Atlantic mantle may have originated by subduction along the western margin of Pangea.     

Oxygen isotope geochemistry of lavas from an oceanic to continental arc transition, Kermadec–Hikurangi margin, SW Pacific

New oxygen isotope data are presented for submarine lavas erupted close to the transition between the oceanic Kermadec island arc and the continental Taupo Volcanic Zone, New Zealand. Volcanic glasses display δ¹⁸O values ranging from +5.65‰ to +5.83‰, clinopyroxenes range from +5.23‰ to +5.78‰ and olivines range from +4.83‰ to +5.47‰. Coexisting glass and phenocrysts in the lavas are in isotopic equilibrium, with one exception. Oxygen isotope ratios of back-arc lavas erupted through oceanic crust are indistinguishable from mid-ocean ridge basalts or lavas erupted in nearby back-arc settings. Although lavas from the arc front display elevated oxygen isotope ratios, the magnitude of ¹⁸O-enrichment is too great to result from recycling of subducted material alone. A single back-arc lava erupted through continental crust is also relatively ¹⁸O-rich suggesting that the most likely origin for the high δ¹⁸O signature is limited amounts of interaction between continental crust and melts derived from a mantle wedge that has been variably fluxed by recycled oxygen. The results of modelling open system behaviour in this volcanic system highlight the need for strong controls on the composition of local contaminants. Application of ‘average' crustal lithologies, as in other volcanic provinces, may lead to erroneous conclusions regarding the involvement of local basement.     

The early Paleozoic carbon cycle

A review of O, C, Sr and S isotope trends for the entire Phanerozoic shows that the present-day values of isotope signals are similar to those at the Proterozoic termination. The sharp rise in ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr since 65 Ma has been attributed to an uplift and subsequent metamorphism and erosion associated with the Himalayas and Tibet. This orogenic evolution has been postulated to have influenced the global organic and inorganic carbon cycles and climate as well. A similar large-scale orogeny, the Pan-African event, also dominated the Neoproterozoic (Vendian) times, and the similarity of modern and Neoproterozoic isotope values for seawater may therefore have had a comparable tectonic cause. In this contribution, we present the results of a numerical model of the coupled C–alkalinity–S–Sr cycles suggesting that the early Paleozoic (from early Cambrian to late Devonian) evolution of Sr, O, C and S seawater isotope signals could have been the consequence of progressive oxidation of a large reduced carbon reservoir exhumed during the Pan-African orogeny. The δ¹⁸O measured in brachiopod shells is used as a forcing of the model, postulating that any change in the oxygen isotopic composition of seawater is the result of a disequilibrium in the organic carbon subcycle through the coupling of the oxygen isotopic and carbon cycles. The calculated δ¹³C, ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and δ³⁴S are in good agreement with the data, as is the reasonable calculated history for atmospheric pCO₂ and its relation to global climate.     

Enrichment of the continental lithosphere by OIB melts: Isotopic evidence from the volcanic province of northern Tanzania

Alkali basalts and nephelinites from the southern end of the East African Rift (EAR) in northern Tanzania have incompatible trace element compositions that are similar to those of ocean island basalts (OIB). They define a considerable range of Sr, Nd and Pb isotopic compositions (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr= 0.7035−0.7058,ε_Nd = −5to+3, and²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb= 17.5−21.3), each of which partially overlaps the range found in OIB. However, they occupy a unique position in combined Nd, Sr and Pb isotopic compositional space. Nearly all of the lavas have radiogenic Pb, similar to HIMU with high time-integrated²³⁸U/²⁰⁴Pb coupled with unradiogenic Nd (+2 to −5) and radiogenic Sr (>0.704), similar to EMI. This combination has not been observed in OIB and provides evidence that these magmas predominantly acquired their Sr, Nd and Pb in the subcontinental lithospheric mantle rather than in the convecting asthenosphere. These data contrast with compositions for lavas from farther north in the EAR. The Pb isotopic compositions of basalts along the EAR are increasingly radiogenic from north to south, indicating a fundamental change to sources with higher time-integratedU/Pb, closer to the older cratons in the south. An ancient underplated OIB melt component, isolated for about 2 Ga as enriched lithospheric mantle and then remelted, could generate both the trace element and isotopic data measured in the Tanzanian samples. Whereas the radiogenic Pb in Tanzanian lavas requires a source with high time-integratedU/Pb, most continental basalts that are thought to have interacted with the continental lithospheric mantle have unradiogenic Pb, requiring a source with a history of lowU/Pb. Such lowU/Pb is readily accomplished with the addition of subduction-derived components, since the lower averageU/Pb of arc basalts (0.15) relative to OIB (0.36) probably reflects addition of Pb from subducted oceanic crust. If the subcontinental lithosphere is normally characterized by low time-integratedU/Pb it would appear that subduction magmatism is more important than OIB additions in supplying the Pb inventory of the lithospheric mantle. However,U/Pb ratios of xenoliths derived from the continental lithospheric mantle suggest that both processes may be important. This apparent discrepancy could be because xenoliths are not volumetrically representative of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle, or, more likely, that continental lithospheric mantle components in basalts are normally only identified as such when the isotopic ratios are dissimilar from MORB or OIB. Lithospheric enrichment from subaccreted OIB components appears to be more significant than generally recognized.     

Helium isotope geochemistry of mid-ocean ridge basalts from the South Atlantic

We report new helium isotope results for 49 basalt glass samples from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between 1°N and 47°S.³He/⁴He in South Atlantic mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB) varies between 6.5 and 9.0 R_A (R_A is the atmospheric ratio of1.39 × 10⁻⁶), encompassing the range of previously reported values for MORB erupted away from high³He/⁴He hotspots such as Iceland. He, Sr and Pb isotopes show systematic relationships along the ridge axis. The ridge axis is segmented with respect to geochemical variations, and local spike-like anomalies in³He/⁴He, Pb and Sr isotopes, and trace element ratios such as(La/Sm)_N are prevalent at the latitudes of the islands of St. Helena, Tristan da Cunha and Gough to the east of the ridge. The isotope systematics are consistent with injection beneath the ridge of mantle “blobs” enriched in radiogenic He, Pb and Sr, derived from off-axis hotspot sources. The variability in³He/⁴He along the ridge can be used to refine the hotspot source-migrating-ridge sink model.

MORB from the 2–7°S segment are systematically the least radiogenic samples found along the mid-ocean ridge system to date. Here the depleted mantle source is characterized by⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr of 0.7022, Pb isotopes close to the geochron and with²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb of 17.7, and³He/⁴He of 8.6–8.9 R_A. The “background contamination” of the subridge mantle, by radiogenic helium derived from off-ridge hotspots, displays a maximum between 20 and 24°S. The HePb and HeSr isotope relations along the ridge indicate that the³He/⁴He ratios are lower for the hotspot sources of St. Helena, Tristan da Cunha and Gough than for the MORB source, consistent with direct measurements of³He/⁴He ratios in the island lavas. Details of the HeSrPb isotope systematics between 12 and 22°S are consistent with early, widespread dispersion of the St. Helena plume into the asthenosphere, probably during flattening of the plume head beneath the thick lithosphere prior to continental breakup. The geographical variation in theHe/Pbratio deduced from the isotope systematics suggests only minor degassing of the plume during this stage. Subsequently, it appears that the plume component reaching the mid-Atlantic ridge was partially outgassed of He during off-ridge hotspot volcanism and related melting activity.

Overall, the similar behavior of He and Pb isotopes along the ridge indicates that the respective mantle sources have evolved under conditions which produced related He and Pb isotope variations.     

The strontium isotopic composition of interstitial waters from sites 245 and 336 of the Deep Sea Drilling Project

Measurements of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of interstitial waters from leg 25, site 245 and leg 38, site 336 of the Deep Sea Drilling Project show that the enrichment of Sr²⁺ with depth is caused both by the alteration of volcanic material and by the introduction of strontium derived from calcium carbonate. ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios range from 0.70913 to 0.70794 at site 245 and from 0.70916 to 0.70694 at site 336. The low ratios compared with contemporaneous seawater reflect the release of Sr from a volcanic source having, according to material-balance calculations, a ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of about 0.7034 at site 336. At this site the source appears to be volcanic ash and not basaltic basement which acts as a sink for Sr²⁺ during in situ low-temperature weathering. The volcanic contribution to the strontium enrichment in the basal interstitial waters varies from <10% at site 245 to >50% at site 336. The remaining Sr²⁺ is derived from Sr-rich biogenic carbonate during diagenetic recrystallization to form Sr-poor calcite.     

Ferrobasalts from the Spiess Ridge segment of the Southwest Indian Ridge

Highly vesicular, microporphyritic basaltic rocks have been dredged from the slow-spreading Spiess Ridge segment of the Southwest Indian Ridge. All the samples recovered are hyalocrystalline with plagioclase, clinopyroxene and olivine as phenocryst and microphenocryst phases. Titanomagnetite occurs as euhedral microphenocrysts in some of the more evolved samples. In terms of bulk rock and quench glass chemistry the lavas are characterised by highly evolved compositions(e.g. FeO*=10.3−14.2%;TiO₂=2.0−3.4%;K₂O=0.50−1.1%;MgO=6.0−3.5%;Zr=160−274ppm;Nb=14−32ppm) and can be classified as ferrobasalts. Isotopic and incompatible element ratios of the lavas(e.g.⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr=0.70325−0.70333;Zr/Nb=8.4−11.3;Y/Nb=2.3−1.4) indicate their strongly “enriched” nature (see also Dickey et al. [6]).

Quantitative major and trace element modelling indicates that most of the compositional variations observed can be attributed to low-pressure fractional crystallisation of plagioclase, clinopyroxene and minor olivine and titanomagnetite. The range in composition can be accounted for by up to 65% fractional crystallisation.

We suggest that the extreme differentiation of the Spiess Ridge lavas is related not to spreading rate, but to rate of magma supply. The basaltic melts appear to have evolved in a newly established zone of magmatic activity, associated with the most recent northward jump of the Bouvet triple junction, where they were effectively isolated from significant admixture of primitive magmas.     

Correlation of magnetic properties with Δ(Sr) of igneous rocks from the northeast Pacific and Gulf of California

The magnetic properties of basalts and diabases recovered under Legs 63 and 64 of the Deep Sea Drilling Project are summarized. They are first correlated with the measured grain sizes of the opaque minerals and the overall alteration states of the rocks, the latter measured by conventional chemical parameters such as water content, total volatiles content, and Fe₂O₃/FeO ratio. It is shown, however, that the decrease in ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr upon leaching (Δ(^87/86Sr)) is perhaps the best quantifier of the overall alteration state of the whole rocks as well as of the degree of low-temperature oxidation suffered by the titanomagnetites. It is well correlated with Curie-point variations caused by changes in the Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ ratio.     

The role of lower continental crust and lithospheric mantle in the genesis of Plio–Pleistocene volcanic rocks from Sardinia (Italy)

The first comprehensive chemical and Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic data set of Plio–Pleistocene tholeiitic and alkaline volcanic rocks cropping out in Sardinia (Italy) is presented here. These rocks are alkali basalts, hawaiites, basanites, tholeiitic basalts and basaltic andesites, and were divided into two groups with distinct isotopic compositions. The vast majority of lavas have relatively high ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (0.7043–0.7051), low ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd (0.5124–0.5126), and are characterised by the least radiogenic Pb isotopic composition so far recorded in Italian (and European) Neogene-to-Recent mafic volcanic rocks (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb=17.55–18.01) (unradiogenic Pb volcanic rocks, UPV); these rocks crop out in central and northern Sardinia. Lavas of more limited areal extent have chemical and Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic ratios indicative of a markedly different source (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr=0.7031–0.7040; ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd=0.5127–0.5129; ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb=18.8–19.4) (radiogenic Pb volcanic rocks, RPV), and crop out only in the southern part of the island. The isotopic ratios of these latter rocks match the values found in the roughly coeval anorogenic (i.e. not related to recent subduction events in space and time) mafic volcanic rocks of Italy (i.e. Mt. Etna, Hyblean Mts., Pantelleria, Linosa), and Cenozoic European volcanic rocks. The mafic rocks of the two Sardinian rock groups also show distinct trace element contents and ratios (e.g. Ba/Nb>14, Ce/Pb=8–25 and Nb/U=29–38 for the UPV; Ba/Nb<9, Ce/Pb=24–28 and Nb/U=46–54 for the RPV). The sources of the UPV could have been stabilised in the Precambrian after low amounts of lower crustal input (about 3%), or later, during the Hercynian Orogeny, after input of Precambrian lower crust in the source region, whereas the sources of the RPV could be related to processes that occurred in the late Palaeozoic–early Mesozoic, possibly via recycling of proto-Tethys oceanic lithosphere by subduction.     

Large scale isotopic Sr, Nd and O isotopic anatomy of altered oceanic crust: DSDP/ODP sites417/418

Large-scale compositional domains at DSDP/ODP drill sites 417A, 417D and 418A were analyzed for O, Sr and Nd isotope ratios, and REE, U, K, Rb and Sr abundances, to constrain the bulk chemical composition of the oceanic crust that is recycled at subduction zones. The combination of the three sites gives the composition of the upper oceanic crust in this region over a distance of about 8 km. The δ¹⁸O_SMOW and⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_meas of compositional domains 10–100 m in size correlate well, with a range of 7.7–19.2 and 0.70364–0.70744, and mean of 9.96 and 0.70475, respectively. The Rb inventory of the upper crust increases by about an order of magnitude, while Sr contents remain constant. U abundances increase moderately under oxidizing alteration conditions and nearly triple in the commonly reducing alteration environments of the upper oceanic crust. REEs are influenced by alteration only to a small extent, and recycled oceanic crust is similar to MORB with respect to¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd. Even though the average composition of the upper oceanic crust is well defined, the large scale composition varies widely. Highly altered compositional domains may not have a large impact on the average composition of the oceanic crust, but they may preferentially contribute to fluids or partial melts derived from the crust by prograde metamorphic reactions.     

Anomalous strontium and lead isotope signatures in the off-rift Öræfajökull central volcano in south-east Iceland: Evidence for enriched endmember(s) of the Iceland mantle plume?

The currently active off-rift central volcano Öræfajökull in south-east Iceland sits unconformably on much older (10–12 Ma) and eroded crust. The composition of recent volcanics ranges from basalt to rhyolite, but the series is more sodic alkaline than the common rift zone tholeiitic suites. In this study we present Sr, Nd, Pb and O isotopic data for a suite of Öræfajökull samples. The complete suite shows typical mantle values for oxygen isotopes. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (average of 15 SAMPLES=0.703702) of the modern Öræfajökull rocks (basalts as well as rhyolites) are much higher than observed so far for any other Icelandic rocks. The ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratios (average=0.512947; n=15) are lower than for rift rocks, but similar to rocks of the off-rift Snæfellsnes volcanic zone. Furthermore, the Öræfajökull rocks are enriched in the ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb isotope ratios compared to Icelandic rift basalts. The enriched nature of the suite indicates that Öræfajökull samples a source component that has characteristics common with EM2 type mantle. Furthermore, it is concluded that the silicic rocks of Öræfajökull formed by fractional crystallization from mafic melts rather than by partial melting of older crust.     

Age and isotope geochemistry of the Archaean Pongola and Usushwana suites in Swaziland, southern Africa: a case for crustal contamination of mantle-derived magma

The igneous rocks of the Pongola Supergroup (PS) and Usushwana Intrusive Suite (UIS) represent a case of late Archaean continental magmatism in the southeastern part of the Kaapvaal craton of South Africa and Swaziland.

U-Pb dating on zircons from felsic volcanic rocks of the PS yields a concordia intercept age of 2940 ± 22Ma that is consistent with a Sm-Nd whole rock age of 2934 ± 114Ma determined on the PS basalt-rhyolite suite. The initial ε_Nd of−2.6 ± 0.9 is the lowest value so far reported for Archaean mantle-derived rocks. Rb-Sr whole rock dating of the PS yields a younger isochron age of 2883 ± 69Ma, which is not significantly different form the accepted U-Pb zircon age.

An internal (cpx-opx-plag-whole rock) isochron for a pyroxenite from the younger UIS yields an age of 2871 ± 30 Ma and initial ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd that lies off the CHUR growth curve by ε_Nd −2.9 ± 0.2. However, Sm-Nd whole-rock data for the UIS yield an excessively high age of 3.1 Ga that conflicts with firm geological evidence showing the UIS to be intrusive into the PS.

The negative deviations of initialε_Nd from the chondritic Nd evolution curve suggest significant contamination of the PS and UIS melts by older continental crust. A mixing process with continental crust after magma segregation is supported by a high initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of0.703024 ± 24 for a clinopyroxene sample from a UIS pyroxenite, compared with an expected value of 0.701 for the 2.9 Ga mantle. We therefore interpret the linear array of data points for the UIS gabbros as a mixing line between 2.87 Ga old magma and older continental crust.

Parallel LREE-enriched REE patterns, negative Nb-Ti anomalies, a distinctive and uniform ratio of Ti/Zr 46 and a narrow span of initial Nd indicate a common source for both the PS and UIS suites which is different from primitive mantle.     

The Vendian record of Sr and C isotopic variations in seawater: Implications for tectonics and paleoclimate

New Sr and C isotopic data, both obtained on the same samples of marine carbonates, provide a relatively detailed record of isotopic variation in seawater through the latest Proterozoic and allow, for the first time, direct correlation of these isotopic changes in the Vendian ( 540–610 Ma). The strong isotope variations determined in this study record significant environmental and tectonic changes. Together with a fairly poorly constrained Nd isotopic record, the Sr and C isotopic records can be used to constrain rates of erosion, hydrothermal alteration and organic C burial. Further, comparison of these records with those of the Cenozoic permit investigation of the general relationship between global tectonics and continental glaciation. In particular, results of this study show a very large change in the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr of marine carbonates from low pre-Vendian ( > 610 Ma) values ( 0.7066) to high Middle Cambrian values ( 0.7090). This change is greater in magnitude than the significant increase in seawater ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr through the Cenozoic. Both changes are attributed to high erosion rates associated with continent-continent collisions (Pan-African and Himalayan-Tibetan). In the latest Proterozoic these high erosion rates, probably coupled with high organic productivity and anoxic bottom-water conditions, contributed to a significant increase in the burial rate of organic C. Ice ages mark both the Neoproterozoic and Cenozoic, but different stratigraphic relationships between the Sr isotopic increase and continental glaciation indicate that uplift-driven models proposed to explain Cenozoic climatic change cannot account for the latest Proterozoic ice ages.     

Helium isotope geochemistry of some volcanic rocks from Saint Helena

³He/⁴He ratios have been measured for olivine and clinopyroxene phenocrysts in 7–15 m.y. old basaltic lavas from the island of St. Helena. Magmatic helium was effectively resolved from post-eruptive radiogenic helium by employing various extraction techniques, includingin vacuo crushing, and stepwise heating or fusion of the powders following crushing. The inherited³He/⁴He ratio at St. Helena is 4.3–5.9 R_A. Helium isotope disequilibrium is present within the phenocrysts, with lower³He/⁴He upon heating and fusion of the powders following crushing, due to radiogenic ingrowth or to -particle implantation from the surrounding(U + Th)-rich lavas.

A single crushing analysis for clinopyroxene in a basalt from Tubuaii gave³He/⁴He= 7.1 R_A.³He/⁴He ratios at St. Helena and Tubuaii (HIMU hotspots characterized by radiogenic Pb isotope signatures) are similar to³He/⁴He ratios previously measured at Tristan da Cunha and Gough Island (EM hotspots characterized by low²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb). Overall, the HeSrPb isotope systematics at these islands are consistent with a mantle origin as contiguous, heterogeneous materials, such as recycled crust and/or lithosphere.³He/⁴He ratios at HIMU hotspots are similar to mantle xenoliths which display nearly the entire range of Pb isotope compositions found at ocean islands, and are only slightly less than values found in mid-ocean ridge basalts (7–9 R_A). This suggests that the recycled materials were injected into the mantle within the last 10⁹ yrs.     

An oxygen isotopic profile through the upper kilometer of the oceanic crust, DSDP Hole 504B

DSDP Hole 504B is the deepest basement hole in the oceanic crust, penetrating through a 571.5 m pillow section, a 209 m lithologic transition zone, and 295 m into a sheeted dike complex. An oxygen isotopic profile through the upper crust at Site 504 is similar to that in many ophiolite complexes, where the extrusive section is enriched in¹⁸O relative to unaltered basalts, and the dike section is variably depleted and enriched. Basalts in the pillow section at Site 504 haveδ¹⁸O values generally ranging from +6.1 to +8.5‰ SMOW(mean= +7.0‰), although minor zeolite-rich samples range up to 12.7‰. Rocks depleted in¹⁸O appear abruptly at 624 m sub-basement in the lithologic transition from 100% pillows to 100% dikes, coinciding with the appearance of greenschist facies minerals in the rocks. Whole-rock values range to as low as +3.6‰, but the mean values for the lithologic transition zone and dike section are +5.8 and +5.4‰, respectively.

Oxygen and carbon isotopic data for secondary vein minerals combined with the whole rock data provide evidence for the former presence of two distinct circulation systems separated by a relatively sharp boundary at the top of the lithologic transition zone. The pillow section reacted with seawater at low temperatures (near 0°C up to a maximum of around 150°C) and relatively high water/rock mass ratios (10–100); water/rock ratios were greater and conditions were more oxidizing during submarine weathering of the uppermost 320 m than deeper in the pillow section. The transition zone and dikes were altered at much higher temperatures (up to about 350°C) and generally low water/rock mass ratios ( 1), and hydrothermal fluids probably contained mantle-derived CO₂. Mixing of axial hydrothermal fluids upwelling through the dike section with cooler seawater circulating in the overlying pillow section resulted in a steep temperature gradient ( 2.5°C/m) across a 70 m interval at the top of the lithologic transition zone. Progressive reaction during axial hydrothermal metamorphism and later off-axis alteration led to the formation of albite- and Ca-zeolite-rich alteration halos around fractures. This enhanced the effects of cooling and¹⁸O enrichment of fluids, resulting in local increases inδ¹⁸O of rocks which had been previously depleted in¹⁸O during prior axial metamorphism.     

Petrology,geochemistry and Sr-isotope characteristics of lavas from the area of Commenda (Mts. Vulsini,Italy)

Major, trace element and Sr-isotope compositions are reported for a suite of lavas coming from the area of Commenda in the SE Vulsinian district. The analyzed samples have all low silica contents and variable but generally high CaO, MgO and FeO_t. Based on K₂O% and K₂O/Na₂O ratio, the rocks from Commenda can be classified as belonging to the Potassic Series (KS) and the High-potassium Series (HKS). The HKS rocks appear to have derived by cristal/liquid fractionation from the most mafic types with separation of olivine and clinopyroxene and then of clinopyroxene + leucite. The most primitive HKS rocks have aphyric texture and high Mg-values, Cr and Ni contents which are close or within the range of values of magmas formed by partial melting of periodititic mantle sources. The KS rocks have lower incompatible element contents as the HKS rocks with similar degree of evolution.The variations of Sr-isotopic ratios of the analyzed rocks and of other Vulsinian lavas, indicate that the basic HKS Vulsinian rocks did not interact significantly with the continental crust. Instead, the KS appears to have evolved by combined crystal fractionation and assimilation processes, starting from parental magmas which had⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio not significantly lower than that found in the less evolved rocks of the suite.The most primitive HKS rocks from Commenda have hygromagmatophile element distribution pattern characterized by high ratio of LILE/HFSE with negative anomalies of Ta and Ti, resembling closely those of other Roman mafic volcanics. The primitive geochemical characteristics of the Commenda rocks exclude that these features are the products of interaction with the crust and provide a further support to the hypothesis of a genesis within a subduction-modified mantle source.     

Alkaline syenites in eastern Cathaysia (South China): link to Permian–Triassic transtension

Two alkaline syenite plutons, the Tieshan and Yangfang plutons, have recently been recognized within NE-trending fault zones in eastern Cathaysia, South China. The rocks are very enriched in K₂O (6.28–9.39 wt.%), rare earth elements (REE; particularly light REE) and large ion lithophile elements, but are relatively low in high field strength elements. Isotopically, they are characterized by high initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (0.7093 to 0.7123) and low _Nd(t) values (−5.64 to −10.63). The geochemical data suggest that the alkaline syenites most likely formed via fractional crystallization of enriched mantle-derived magmas. Sensitive High-Resolution Ion Microprobe zircon U–Pb dating indicates that these two intrusions have Late Permian (254±4 Ma) and Early Triassic (242±4 Ma) crystallization ages, respectively. Our data suggest that a tectonic regime dominated by transtension probably existed from at least the latest Permian into the Triassic and was responsible for the formation of the Tieshan and Yangfang alkaline syenites. When combined with previous paleomagnetic, structural, and sedimentology data, we suggest that the transtension along the NE-trending strike-slip fault zones was related to oblique subduction of the Pacific plate underneath South China.     

Helium isotope characteristics of Andean geothermal fluids and lavas

The first comprehensive helium isotope survey of the Andes is reported here. We have sampled geothermal fluids and phyric lava flows from the Southern (svz) and Central (cvz) Volcanic Zones, the volcanically active Pun˜a region and the Precordillera, Salta Basin, Longitudinal Valley and the aseismic region between the two volcanic zones. Although the active areas are characterised by significant differences in crustal age and thickness, the svz, cvz and Pun˜a are characterised by a wide and overlapping range in ³He/⁴He ratios (for fluids and phenocrysts) from predominantly radiogenic values to close to the MORB ratio. The measured ranges in ³He/⁴He ratios (R) (reported normalised to the air ³He/⁴He—R_A) are: svz (0.18 < R/R_A< 6.9); cvz (0.82 < R/R_A< 6.0); and Pun˜a (1.8 < R/R_A< 5.4). Modification of magmatic ³He/⁴He ratios by water/rock interactions (fluids) or post-eruptive grow-in of radiogenic ⁴He or preferential diffusive loss of ³He (phenocrysts) is considered unlikely; this means that the wide range reflects the helium isotope characteristics of magma bodies in the Andean crust. The mechanism controlling the ³He/⁴He ratios appears to be a mixing between mantle (MORB-like) helium and a radiogenic helium component derived from radioactive decay within the magma (magma aging) and/or interaction with ⁴He-rich country rock: a process expected to be influenced by pre-eruptive degassing of the mantle component. Assimilation of lower crust is also capable of modifying ³He/⁴He ratios, albeit to a much lesser extent. However, it is possible that the highest measured values in each zone were established by the addition of lower crustal radiogenic helium to MORB helium. In this case, the higher ‘base level’ ratios of the svz would reflect the younger crustal structure of this region. In contrast to helium, there is no overlap in the Sr or Pb isotope characteristics of lavas from the active zones: in all areas, therefore, ³He/⁴He ratios appear to vary independently of Sr and Pb isotope variations. This decoupling between the lithophile tracers and helium reflects the different processes controlling their isotopic characteristics: crust-mantle interactions, alone, for Sr and Pb but for helium the effects of pre-eruptive degassing and possibly magma aging are possibly superimposed. The presence of mantle helium in the Pun˜a region, and to a lesser extent in the Salta Basin, gives an across-arc perspective to the helium isotope distribution and shows mantle melting to occur significantly to the east of the active arc: this is most probably a consequence of lithospheric delamination. The Precordillera hot spring water has the only pure radiogenic helium signal of the entire sample suite and thus marks the western limit of asthenospheric mantle under the Andes.