Lithium isotope systematics of lavas from the Cook–Austral Islands: Constraints on the origin of HIMU mantle

Radiogenic isotope variations in lavas from the Cook–Austral volcanic chain have delineated three distinct mantle sources: a HIMU component, a depleted component (DM), and an enriched component (EM). To better constrain the mantle sources for South Pacific hot spot volcanism, we determined lithium isotopic compositions of lavas from Raivavae, Rapa, Mangaia and Tubuai of the volcanic chain. The study includes whole rock and mineral analyses. In general, δ⁷Li of most olivines resemble bulk rock composition whereas clinopyroxenes are variably lighter. This implies that clinopyroxene is more susceptible to diffusion-induced fractionation, in agreement with previous studies. Olivine δ⁷Li values span a narrower range than whole rock values, and do not extend to the very heavy compositions previously reported in HIMU bulk lavas. This discrepancy likely reflects alteration of bulk lavas, and suggests that Li-isotope analyses of bulk lavas should be interpreted with caution. Olivines from HIMU lavas have heavy δ⁷Li values (up to 6.2‰), and extend beyond the range reported for fresh MORB. Correlations between Li-isotopes and radiogenic isotopes suggest that the heavy δ⁷Li values in HIMU olivines are a source characteristic and not the result of post-magmatic alteration. Although the Li-isotope composition of recycled, dehydrated oceanic crust is currently under debate, our results suggest that HIMU lavas derive from a source containing recycled dehydrated oceanic crust, and that the “heavy” Li-isotope signature of altered oceanic crust is partially preserved during passage through the subduction factory.     

Experimental studies of melt-peridotite reactions at 1–2 GPa and 1250–1400°C and their implications for transforming the nature of lithospheric mantle and for high-Mg signatures in adakitic rocks

Experiments of the melt-peridotite reaction at pressures of 1 and 2 GPa and temperatures of 1250–1400°C have been carried out to understand the nature of the peridotite xenoliths in the Mesozoic high-Mg diorites and basalts of the North China Craton,and further to elucidate the processes in which the Mesozoic lithospheric mantle in this region was transformed.We used Fuxin alkali basalt,Feixian alkali basalt,and Xu-Huai hornblende-garnet pyroxenite as starting materials for the reacting melts,and lherzolite xenoliths and synthesized harzburgite as starting materials for the lithospheric mantle.The experimental results indicate that:(1)the reactions between basaltic melts and lherzolite and harzburgite at 1–2 GPa and 1300–1400°C tended to dissolve pyroxene and precipitate low-Mg#olivine(Mg#=83.6–89.3),forming sequences of dunite-lherzolite(D-L)and duniteharzburgite(D-H),respectively;(2)reactions between hornblende-garnet pyroxenite and lherzolite at 1 GPa and 1250°C formed a D-H sequence,whereas reactions at 2 GPa and 1350°C formed orthopyroxenite layers and lherzolite;and(3)the reaction between a partial melt of hornblende-garnet pyroxenite and harzburgite resulted in a layer of orthopyroxenite at the boundary of the pyroxenite and harzburgite.The reacted melts have higher MgO abundances than the starting melts,demonstrating that the melt-peridotite reactions are responsible for the high-Mg#signatures of andesites or adakitic rocks.Our experimental results support the proposition that the abundant peridotite and pyroxenite xenoliths in western Shandong and the southern Taihang Mountains might have experienced multiple modifications in reaction to a variety of melts.We suggest that melt-peridotite reactions played important roles in transforming the nature of the Mesozoic lithospheric mantle in the region of the North China Craton.     

On the Vp/Vs–Mg# correlation in mantle peridotites: Implications for the identification of thermal and compositional anomalies in the upper mantle

We use thermodynamically self-consistent and hybrid methods to analyze the correlation of important physical parameters (e.g. bulk density, elastic moduli) with bulk Mg# and modal composition in mantle peridotites at upper mantle conditions. Temperature (anharmonic and anelastic), pressure and compositional derivatives for all these parameters are evaluated. The results show that the widely used correlations between Vp/Vs and Mg# in peridotites are strictly valid only for garnet-bearing assemblages at temperatures < 900 °C. The correlation breaks down when: i) spinel is the stable Al-rich phase in the assemblage and ii) when anelastic attenuation of seismic velocities becomes important (T ? 900 °C). This implies that the range of applicability of published Vp/Vs–Mg# correlations for the upper mantle is limited to a depth interval between the spinel–garnet phase transition and the 900 °C isotherm. We use numerical simulations to show that this depth interval is virtually nonexistent in lithospheres thinner than ～ 140 km and can comprise up to ～ 50% of the lithospheric mantle in thick (> 220 km) lithospheric domains. In addition, we show that for most of the upper mantle the expected Δ(Vp/Vs) values associated with compositional variations are smaller than the resolution limit of current seismological methods. All these considerations suggest that the Vp/Vs ratio is not a reliable measure of compositional variations and that for large parts of the upper mantle compositional anomalies cannot be separated from thermal anomalies on the basis of seismological studies only. We further confirm that the only reliable indicator of compositional anomalies in a peridotitic mantle is the ratio of density to shear wave velocities (ρ/Vs). Our results demonstrate that geophysical–petrological models (forward or inverse) that model these two fields (i.e. density and Vs) self-consistently within a robust thermodynamic framework are necessary for characterizing the small-scale thermal and compositional structure of the lithosphere and sublithospheric upper mantle.     

Geochemical characteristics of the metapelites from the Xingxingxia group in the Eastern Segment of the Central Tianshan: Implications for the provenance and paleoweathering

Clastic sedimentary rocks record a number of in-formation about the compositions and paleoweathering conditions of the source areas, and the tectonic setting of the depositional basin[1―6]. The traditionallypetrological study commonly utilizes the major com-ponents (Quartz, Feldspar and Lithics) of the silici-clastic sedimentary rocks to investigate the source rock composition and tectonic setting[7]. However, thepetrological method is somewhat limited, because many of the mafic components f…     

Apatite U–Pb geochronology and whole rock,Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic geochemistry of XV mafic-ultramafic intrusion,Bafq, Central Iran: Implications for petrogenesis and tectonic setting

The XV mafic-ultramafic intrusion is located in the western part of the Posht-e-Badam Block (PBB) within the Central Iranian Micro-Continent (CIMC). Petrographically, the intrusion is composed of gabbro and pyroxenite. Apatite U–Pb dating has established the crystallization age of this intrusion to be 363 ± 67 Ma. The XV intrusive rocks are tholeiitic to slightly calc-alkaline in nature and are characterized by an enrichment of large ion lithophile elements (LILE) and light rare earth elements (LREE) relative to high field strength elements (HFSE) and Heavy Rare Earth Elements (HREE), respectively. The major oxide elements display continuous trends relative to SiO₂. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr(i) ratios range from 0.7045 to 0.7056, and the εNd(i) values range from 2.63 to 3.30. In addition, the ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratios exhibit a narrow range, varying from 18.68 to 18.70, 15.67 to 15.71, and 38.84 to 38.99, respectively. The geochemical and isotopic characteristics suggest that the parental magma was derived from a Sub- Continental Lithospheric Mantle (SCLM) that was modified by oceanic slab-derived components. The locations of the XV intrusive rocks in εNd(i) versus TDM (Ga) and Nb/La versus discrimination diagrams further support this conclusion. Fractional crystallization is identified as the dominant process influencing the formation of distinct lithological units within the XV intrusive rocks. Our newly presented isotopic and geochronological data, when considered in the regional context, suggest that the XV intrusive rocks were formed in an extensional tectonic setting. In this scenario, upwelling from the asthenospheric mantle induced heating, leading to the melting of previously subduction-modified SCLM. Comparative analysis with previously published ages indicates that extensional magmatism in the PBB continued into the Middle Paleozoic.     

Nb/Ta,Zr/Hf and REE in the depleted mantle: implications for the differentiation history of the crust–mantle system

High-precision Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf, Sm, Nd and Lu concentration data of depleted mantle rocks from the Balmuccia peridotite complex (Ivrea Zone, Italian Alps) were determined by isotope dilution using multiple collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICPMS) and thermal ionisation mass spectrometry (TIMS). The Zr/Hf ratios of all investigated samples from the Balmuccia peridotite complex are significantly lower than the chondritic value of 34.2, and the most depleted samples have Zr/Hf ratios as low as 10. Correlated Zr/Hf ratios and Zr abundances of the lherzolites preserve the trend of a mantle residue that has been depleted by fractional melting. This trend confirms experimental studies that predict Hf to behave more compatibly than Zr during mantle melting. Experimentally determined partition coefficients imply that the major Zr and Hf depletion most likely occurred in the spinel stability field, with (D_Zr/D_Hf)^cpx≈0.5, and not in the garnet stability field, where (D_Zr/D_Hf)^grt is probably close to one. However, minor amounts of melting must have also occurred in a garnet facies mantle, as indicated by low Sm/Lu ratios in the Balmuccia peridotites. The Nb/Ta ratios of most lherzolites are subchondritic and vary only from 7 to 10, with the exception of three samples that have higher Nb/Ta ratios (18–24). The overall low Nb/Ta ratios of most depleted mantle rocks confirm a higher compatibility of Ta in the mantle. The uniform Nb/Ta ratios in most samples imply that even in ‘depleted’ mantle domains the budget of the highly incompatible Nb and Ta is controlled by enrichment processes. Such a model is supported by the positive correlation of Zr/Nb with the Zr concentration. However, the overall enrichment was weak and did barely affect the moderately incompatible elements Zr and Hf. The new constraints from the partitioning behaviour of Zr–Hf and Nb–Ta provide important insights into processes that formed the Earth’s major silicate reservoirs. The correlation of Zr/Hf and Sm/Nd in depleted MORB can be assigned to previous melting events in the MORB source. However, such trends were unlikely produced during continental crust formation processes, where Sm/Nd and Zr/Hf are decoupled. The different fractionation behaviour of Zr/Hf and Sm/Nd in the depleted mantle (correlated) and the crust (decoupled) indicates that crustal growth by a simple partial melting process in the mantle has little effect on the mass budget of LREE and HFSE between crust and mantle. A more complex source composition, similar to that of modern subduction rocks, is needed to fractionate the LREE, but not Zr/Hf and the HREE.     

He,Ne and Ar in peridotitic and eclogitic paragenesis diamonds from the Jwaneng kimberlite,Botswana—Implications for mantle evolution and diamond formation ages

We have undertaken helium, neon and argon step-heating, isotopic analyses of eleven polycrystalline diamonds of known peridotite/eclogite paragenesis from the Jwaneng kimberlite pipe, Botswana. In contrast to the findings of crustal noble gases in framesites from the same kimberlite pipe (Honda et al., 2004. Unusual noble gas compositions in polycrystalline diamonds: preliminary results from the Jwaneng kimberlite, Botswana. Chem. Geol. 203, 347–358.), the Jwaneng polycrystalline diamonds appear to contain similar noble gas isotopic compositions (particularly Ne) to those representing a mantle source for MORBs. This implies that the Jwaneng polycrystalline diamonds may have formed in recent times, possibly close to the time of kimberlite emplacement at ~ 235 Ma. In contrast, Jwaneng framesites could be as old as gem diamonds (mineral inclusion ages of ~ 2.9 Ga). Furthermore, the data indicate that the sub-continental mantle lithosphere in the region has heterogeneous Ne isotopic compositions, or that these compositions changed over time from crustal Ne (as observed in the framesites) to MORB-like (as observed in the polycrystalline diamonds).     

REE and εNd of clay fractions in sediments from the eastern Pacific Ocean:Evidence for clay sources

The surface sediments from the eastern Pacific Ocean are mainly composed of biogenetic fossils, silicate detritus, ferromanganese spherolites and clay fractions. Among them, the clay fractions with grain size less than 2 μm (mainly clay minerals) are mostprevalent, especially in the non-calcareous sediments (the content of calcareous fossils is less than 5%), the clay fraction contents often exceed 70%[1―5]. Because of the influences of Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW), equatorial currents, …     

Soil NO3− storage from oasis development in deserts: Implications for the prevention and control of groundwater pollution

The sources and storage of soil NO₃⁻ in the western Tengger Desert, Northwest China, were explored using water chemistry analysis and stable isotope techniques. In line with the expansion and development of oases, part of the desert has been transformed into cultivated land and artificial forest land. The mean soil NO₃⁻ contents found in areas of cultivated land and artificial forest were 123.06 mg kg⁻¹ and 1.26 mg kg⁻¹, far higher and slightly lower than the background desert soil values, respectively. The δ¹⁵N-NO₃⁻ and δ¹⁸O-NO₃⁻ values in cultivated soils ranged from 1.00 to 11.81 ‰, and from −1.85 to 8.99 ‰, respectively, and the mean mNO₃⁻/Cl⁻ value in cultivated soils was 2.3. These figures would appear to demonstrate that the rapid increase in the nitrate content in soils is principally due to the use of nitrogen fertilizer. Such increases in soil NO₃⁻ storage is likely to promote the leaching of nitrogen into the groundwater where coarsely textured soils exist, the pollution of water sources used for irrigation water, and extreme precipitation events. The δ¹⁵N-NO₃⁻ and δ¹⁸O-NO₃⁻ values in groundwater ranged from 3.72 to 6.54 ‰, and from −0.19 to 12.06 ‰, respectively, mainly reflecting the nitrification of soil nitrogen. These values appeared similar to those measured in the soil water in adjacent areas of cultivated land and vegetated desert, indicating that the groundwater has been affected by both natural and artificial NO₃⁻. Artificial afforestation of desert regions would therefore seem to be a useful way of reducing the threat posed by anthropogenic sources to the circulation of NO₃⁻-N within arid regions, as well as promoting wind sheltering and sand fixation. This study explored the NO₃⁻ storage and groundwater quality responses to oasis development in arid areas in an attempt to provide effective information for local agricultural organizations and agricultural nitrogen management models.     

Implications for groundwater recharge from stable isotopic composition of precipitation in Hawai'i during the 2017–2018 La Niña

The project captured a subset of the hydrological cycle for the tropical island of O'ahu, linking precipitation to groundwater recharge and aquifer storage. We determined seasonal storm events contributed more to aquifer recharge than year-round baseline orographic trade wind rainfall. Hydrogen and oxygen isotope values from an island-wide rain collector network with 20 locations deployed for 16 months and sampled at 3-month intervals were used to create the first local meteoric water line for O'ahu. Isotopic measurements were influenced by the amount effect, seasonality, storm type, and La Niña, though little elevation control was noted. Certain groundwater compositions from legacy data showed a strong similarity with collected precipitation from our stations. The majority of these significant relationships were between wet season precipitation and groundwater. A high number of moderate and heavy rainfall days during the dry season, large percentage of event-based rainfall, and wind directions outside of the typical NE trade wind direction were characteristics of the 2017–2018 wet season. This indicates that the majority of wet season precipitation is from event-based storms rather than typical trade wind weather. The deuterium-excess values provided the strongest evidence of a relationship between groundwater and different precipitation sources, indicating that this may be a useful metric for determining the extent of recharge from different rain events and systems.     

Geochemistry of high-Mg andesites from the early Cretaceous Yixian Formation, western Liaoning: Implications for lower crustal delamination and Sr/Y variations

The Yixian Formation at Sihetun in western Liao- ning Province has attracted considerable attention over the last two decades due to discovery of a wide range of well-preserved ‘feathered’ dinosaurs and primitive bird fossils[1―4]. This formation is dominated by vol- canic rocks, with fossil-bearing lacustrine sedimentary rocks at the upper part of the section[4]. The sedimen- tary rocks contain thin layers of tuff. According to previous studies[4], the total thickness of the Yixian Form…     

The geochronology and origin of mantle sources for late cenozoic intraplate volcanism in the frontal part of the Arabian plate in the Karacadağ neovolcanic area of Turkey. Part 2. The results of geochemical and isotope (Sr-Nd-Pb) studies

A geochemical and isotope-geochemical (Sr-Nd-Pb) study has been carried out for the Karacada? neovolcanic area, which is situated within the frontal part of the Arabian plate. The obtained data and the results of petrological modeling show that the petrogenesis of parental magmas in the Karacada? neovolcanic area involved two compositionally different mantle sources; one consisted of garnet-bearing peridotites of the asthenosphere mantle and the other was spinel-bearing peridotites of the enriched subcontinental lithosphere mantle. During early stages in the evolution of the magmatic system, deep-seated asthenospheric magmas were ascending to the surface while intensively interacting with the melts that had been generated at upper mantle depths. The interaction gradually diminished, so that the later effusive rocks mostly have compositions that are similar to those of the primitive asthenospheric magmas. It is shown that a significant (up to 17–18 wt % of the mantle melt) assimilation of crustal material could take place only during the initial phases of the magmatism. Periodic replenishment of the magma chambers by primitive magmas, which resulted in an observable high degree of homogeneity in the composition of young effusive rocks, was also of importance in the petrogenesis of lavas during the evolution of volcanic activity.     

Empirical statistical characterization and regionalization of amplitude–duration–frequency curves for extreme peak flows in the Lake Victoria Basin,East Africa

Abstract

This paper focuses on a regionalization attempt to partly solve data limitation problems in statistical analysis of high flows to derive discharge–duration–frequency (QDF) relationships. The analysis is based on 24 selected catchments in the Lake Victoria Basin (LVB) in East Africa. Characteristics of the theoretical QDF relationships were parameterized to capture their slopes of extreme value distributions (evd), tail behaviour and scaling measures. To enable QDF estimates to be obtained for ungauged catchments, interdependence relationships between the QDF parameters were identified, and regional regression models were developed to explain the regional difference in these parameters from physiographic characteristics. In validation of the regression models, from the lowest (5 years) to the highest (25 years) return periods considered, the percentage bias in the QDF estimates ranged from –2% for the 5-year return period to 27% for 25-year return period.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis     

A high-resolution quartz OSL chronology of the Talede loess over the past ∼30 ka and its implications for dust accumulation in the Ili Basin,Central Asia

Similar to the loess deposits on the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP), a reliable chronology plays also an important role in revisiting past climate and environment changes recorded by the loess in Central Asia. Previously, a few luminescence and ¹⁴C ages, mainly covering the last glacial, were obtained for several loess sections in Central Asia, which are often controversial. Until now, there is still a lack of reliable high-resolution chronologies covering the late Pleistocene, especially the Holocene. Here, the fine-grained (4–11 μm) quartz single-aliquot regenerative-dose (SAR) optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating protocol is used to establish a detailed chronology of the uppermost part (∼5 m) of Talede loess in the Ili Basin Central Asia. Conventional tests of the SAR protocol and the general luminescence characteristics indicate that this protocol is suitable for dating the Talede loess. Finally, 15 closely-spaced quartz OSL ages, ranging from 0.72 ± 0.05 to 28.9 ± 2.12 ka and with no reversals, were obtained. Consistent with previous studies in the Ili Basin, two of the three ¹⁴C ages show discrepancy when compared with quartz OSL ages for the Talede loess section. The constructed OSL chronology of the Talede loess reveals that the dust accumulation is rapid during marine isotope stage (MIS) 2, especially during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), and is also continuous during the Holocene, with the dust accumulation rate exhibiting a relatively low level and an increasing trend. Comparison of the dust accumulation at Talede with that at other sites in the Ili Basin indicates that the rapid dust accumulation during the LGM is not universal, and the slow dust accumulation during the Holocene is probably true for the entire Ili Basin. Comparison of different grain sized quartz OSL ages from Central Asian loess show characteristics of both consistency and inconsistency, which needs to be further investigated.     

Isotope geochemistry (Sr–Nd–Pb) and petrogenesis of leucite-bearing volcanic rocks from “Colli Albani” volcano, Roman Magmatic Province, Central Italy: inferences on volcano evolution and magma genesis

The “Colli Albani” composite volcano is made up of strongly silica-undersaturated leucite-bearing rocks. Magmas were erupted during three main periods, but a complex plumbing system dominated by regional tectonics channelled magmas into different reservoirs. The most alkali-rich magmas, restricted to the caldera-forming period (pre-caldera), are extremely enriched in incompatible trace elements and display more radiogenic Sr (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr?=?0.71057–0.71067), with slightly less radiogenic Pb with respect to those of the post-caldera period. Post-caldera volcanic activity was concentrated in three different volcanic environments: external to the caldera, along the caldera edge and within the caldera. The post-caldera magmas produced melilite- to leucitite-bearing, plagioclase-free leucitites. In contrast to the pre-caldera lavas, they are characterised by lower incompatible trace element abundances and less radiogenic Sr (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr?=?0.71006–0.71039). Magmas evolved through crystal fractionation plus minor crustal assimilation in a large magma chamber during the pre-caldera period. The multiple caldera collapses dissected and partially obliterated the early magma chamber. During the post-caldera stage, magmas were channelled through several pathways and multiple shallow-level magma reservoirs were established. A lithospheric mantle wedge previously depleted in the basaltic component and subsequently enriched by metasomatic slab-derived component is suggested as the mantle source of Colli Albani parental magmas. Two different parental magmas are recognised for the pre- and post-caldera stages. The differences may be related to the interplay between smaller degrees of melting for the pre-caldera magmas and more carbonate-rich recycled subducted lithologies in the post-caldera magmas.     

Origin of the Yueguang gold deposit in Xinhua,Hunan Province,South China: insights from fluid inclusion and hydrogen–oxygen stable isotope analysis

The Yueguang gold deposit is located in Fengjia, Xinhua County, Hunan Province, South China. It represents a recently discovered small-scale gold deposit situated in the southwestern region of the Jiangnan Orogenic Belt, west of the Baimashan granitic batholith. In order to discern the characteristics of the ore-forming fluids, the underlying mineralization processes, and establish a foundation for the origin of the Yueguang gold deposit fluid inclusion micro-thermometry, as well as quartz hydro...     

U–Pb ages of zircons from metamorphic rocks in the upper sequence of the Hidaka Metamorphic Belt,Hokkaido, Japan: Identification of two metamorphic events and implications for regional tectonics

The Hidaka Metamorphic Belt is a well-known example of island-arc crustal section, in which metamorphic grade increases westwards from unmetamorphosed sediment up to granulite facies. It is divided into lower (granulite to amphibolite facies) and upper (amphibolite to greenschist facies) metamorphic sequences. The metamorphic age of the belt was considered to be ~55 Ma, based on Rb – Sr whole-rock isochron ages for granulites and related S-type tonalities. However, zircons from the granulites in the lower sequence yield U – Pb ages of ~21 – 19 Ma, and a preliminary report on zircons from pelitic gneiss in the upper sequence gives a U – Pb age of ~40 Ma. In this paper we provide new zircon U – Pb ages from two pelitic gneisses in the upper sequence to assess the metamorphic age and also the maximum depositional age of the sedimentary protolith. The weighted mean ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U ages from a biotite gneiss in the central area of the belt yield 39.6 ± 0.9 Ma for newly grown metamorphic rims and 53.1 ± 0.9 Ma for the youngest detrital cores. The ages of zircons from a cordierite–biotite gneiss in the southern area are 35.9 ± 0.7 Ma for metamorphic rims and 46.5 ± 2.8 Ma for the youngest detrital cores. These results indicate that metamorphism of the upper sequence took place at ~40 – 36 Ma, and that the sedimentary protolith was deposited after ~53 – 47 Ma. These metamorphic ages are consistent with the reported ages of ~37–36 Ma plutonic rocks in the upper sequence, but contrast with the ~21–19 Ma ages of metamorphic and plutonic rocks in the lower sequence. Therefore, we conclude that the upper and lower metamorphic sequences developed independently but coupled with each other before ~19 Ma as a result of dextral reverse tectonic movement.